Dear Chancellor and Secretary of State,
You have rightly decided that it is time for a rethink on energy efficiency. We welcome this Government’s commitment to work with industry to come up with a new, value for money policy that works to keep our homes warm and bills down.
New research from Frontier Economics highlights the economic opportunity of a major energy efficiency programme. They have examined Government data, which shows that a programme to make British buildings more energy efficient would generate £8.7 billion of net economic benefits. This is comparable to HS2 or Crossrail.
This research confirms that energy efficiency investments should be classified as ‘infrastructure’. A programme to make homes highly energy efficient can free up energy capacity for other uses, just as investment in new power generation or network capacity would.
Research from Cambridge Econometrics reinforces the value of a major energy efficiency programme, and how it could boost Britain’s economy. Their results are clear. For every £1 of Government spending, £3.20 of economic growth would be achieved. The programme would also see gas imports reduced by 26% and a net increase in employment of up to 108,000 jobs.
With the Government poised to spend £100 billion on infrastructure during this Parliament there is a strong case for an energy efficiency programme to be included. It would be good for bill-payers, good for our economy, good for energy security, and good for our environment too.
The energy efficiency industry stands ready to support you in delivering this. An investment in the infrastructure of our homes is an investment in the productivity and prosperity of the UK.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Hindle MBE, Senior Vice-President for Sustainable Habitat, Saint-Gobain and General Delegate, Saint-Gobain UK, Ireland & South Africa
Brian Berry, Chief Executive, Federation of Master Builders
Richard Gillies, Group Sustainability & Communications Director, Kingfisher
Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive, Energy Saving Trust
Adrian Pargeter, Head of Technical and Marketing GB, Kingspan Insulation
Robert Lambe, Managing Director, Willmot Dixon Energy Services
Neil Schofield, Head of External Affairs, Worcester Bosch
Dr Joanne Wade, Director, Association for the Conservation of Energy
John Sinfield, Managing Director, Northern Europe, Knauf
Dave Sheridan, Chief Executive, Keepmoat
Neil Marshall, Chief Executive, National Insulation Association (NIA)
Gerry Miller, Chief Executive, Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA)
Abigail Lock, Head of Group External Communications and Marketing, Mears Group Plc
Julie Hirigoyen, Chief Executive, UK Green Building Council
Dave Sowden, Chief Executive, Sustainable Energy Association
Katie Nurcombe, Director, Insulated Render and Cladding Association (INCA)
David Travill, Managing Director, Isover St Gobain
Graham Smith, Operations Director, Gentoo
Rory Moss, Managing Director, Rockwool
Ramsay Dunning, General Manager, Co-operative Energy
Sarah Kostense-Winterton, Executive Director, Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturers Association (MIMA)
Claire Curtis-Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, British Board of Agrément
Alan Robb, Chairman, Benx Limited
Mr B G McCrea, Managing Director, Warmfill Ltd
David Robson, Managing Director, InstaGroup Ltd
John Szymik, Managing Director, ThermaBead Ltd
Sean Stevenson, Managing Director, Westville Group
Stephen Davis, Health, Safety & Environmental Advisor, Hughes Brothers Building & Joinery Ltd
Darren Smith, Managing Director, S and B Eps Ltd
Sean Waldrum, Managing Director, PermaRock Products Ltd
Steve Baker, Director, Complete Rendering Solutions LLP
Craig Shepherd, Director, JUB Systems UK Ltd
Andrew Flowers, Managing Director, AF Construction Services (Mansfield) Limited
Adrian Wright, Chief Executive Officer, Happy Energy Ltd
Keith Efford, Chief Executive, Affinity Sutton
Ian Coates, Mangaging Director, Insuletics Limited
Frank Bruno, Operations Director, Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd
Andrew Hobart, Managing Director, Wates Living Space
Andrew Walton, Managing Director, Warm Front Ltd
Huw Skates, Installation Manager, Wall-Lag (Wales) Ltd
Kaz Morris, Managing Director, Aran Services Ltd
Alex Fairfull, Managing Director, Suffolk Installers Ltd
James Jackman, Managing Director, Ecologistics
Lee Morley, Director, Independent Energy Savers Ltd
Ricky Swann, Director, Heat Insulation Ltd
Sally Greensitt, Managing Director, Provincial Seals Ltd
Ken Munro, Chief Executive, Superglass
Nick Molho, Executive Director, Aldersgate Group
Simon Fletcher, Managing Director, Rend-Tech North East Ltd
Sue Lamb, Manging Director, Solwarwall Ltd
David Garland-Thomas, Operations Director, Think-Save Limited
Malcolm Kitching, Managing Director, Westdale Services Ltd