Green homes, green jobs, green skills – Wales’s £30million eco facelift

The arbed scheme, which means “save” in Welsh, will upgrade the energy efficiency of existing housing stock in some of the most deprived parts of the country and also provide a boost to jobs, skills and regeneration. The £30million funding is for projects that have been successful in the first round of the scheme.

The ground breaking Welsh Assembly Government energy efficiency and  job creation scheme will:

• Improve energy efficiency in 6,000 homes by March 2011 not only saving people money but also lowering carbon emissions in our continuing commitment to tackle climate change
• Kick-start the economy by providing contracts to local companies and boosting an energy efficiency and renewable energy industry in Wales
• Create new green jobs and training opportunities – companies who are successful in bidding for work through Arbed funding are contracted to employ locally and deliver 156 training days for every £1million of Government funding
• Enable small and medium size businesses and contractors to gain extra qualifications where needed
• The ground-breaking approach to greening homes and setting up a new, coordinated sustainable supply chain will deliver economic, educational, social and renewable energy benefits for Wales.

No other scheme of this scale in the UK has taken such an all encompassing approach to improving existing housing stock

Speaking in the village of Markham in Caerphilly, in Wales’ Heads of the Valleys Low Carbon Zone, where work fitting solar panels and external wall insulation begins today (Monday 17 May) Environment Minister Jane Davidson said:

“Wales is leading the way in the UK with this innovative scheme that focuses on energy efficiency. But it is truly sustainable because we will be reducing fuel costs and helping those most in need who are in fuel poverty, and making local job creation and training a key part of the schemes.

“At the start of Sustainability Week this shows how the Assembly Government can coordinate energy efficiency, economic and social action to have a real impact on people’s lives.

“I am committed to tackling climate change and arbed demonstrates the Assembly Government's commitment to take practical action to help Welsh residents. Climate change is the biggest threat facing the world and making homes more energy efficient will reduce Wales' carbon footprint as the direct and indirect consumption of energy from buildings generates approximately 40% of all carbon emissions in the UK. It will also help Wales to meet its target of 3% annual reductions in emissions from 2011 onwards."

Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration, Ms Jocelyn Davies AM said:

“Improving people’s homes is essential to regenerating communities. I am delighted to see this scheme in action, which will have a very real impact on the lives of people involved in the first phase of arbed, whether they receive more energy efficient homes or are involved in delivering the improvements.

“Arbed ties in with our belief that housing is so much more than bricks and mortar. Improving housing is about improving lives and communities and brings a wide range of benefits, opening up new opportunities for people, tackling poverty and inequalities.

“Welsh social housing providers are delivering the first phase of the arbed programme on behalf of Assembly Government with genuine enthusiasm. They are being innovative in the way they support homes in both the social and private sector to ensure arbed projects are genuinely community-based."

The first phase of arbed will see an average of £2.5million spent every month this year to retrofit exterior wall insulation, solar panels and heat pumps in at least 21 schemes across Wales’ regeneration areas.

Among the schemes are:

• A solar and external wall insulation project in Mon a Menai in which local electricians faced with a struggling local economy are being trained to install solar panels
• The multi-technology project in Markham Caerphilly, which is being delivered by Charter Housing through an Assembly Government arbed grant, will see local people will be trained to act as energy advisors in their own community
• A major external wall insulation project in Swansea in which five social housing providers are working together to improve the homes of local people in Wales' most deprived area.

At least 6,000 homes will see the benefits of arbed by March next year 2011. Combined with the Assembly Government’s Home Energy Efficiency Scheme and Boiler Scrappage Scheme a total of 25,000 Welsh homes will have been improved and made cheaper to heat in 2010-11.

This is a major stimulus for private sector jobs in Wales at a time when the search is on for replacement or new jobs. This is a highly labour-intensive sector, with the added benefit that we are also delivering on housing, fuel poverty and climate change ambitions.

The energy efficiency and renewable energy industry being kick-started in Wales by arbed is hugely important to the economy – and expanding Wales' private sector.

Arbed is a key part of the Assembly Government’s Heads of the Valleys Low Carbon Zone in South Wales, where it is developing a major energy efficiency and renewable energy industry to drive Wales out of the recession. With the 21 schemes it is being rolled out across Regeneration Areas in West, Mid and North Wales.

The funding will invest in the energy performance of Welsh homes through social housing providers with the most appropriate and most cost-effective measures provided to vulnerable households.

The Assembly Government wants to create and sustain markets of sufficient critical mass to generate jobs, to attract investment into Wales and to stimulate growth in the energy efficiency and renewable energy businesses.

Arbed aims to secure economic as well as environmental and social benefits and the programme is of such a scale that it will benefit many companies - large and small.

Helen Northmore, Head of Energy Saving Trust Wales said,

“Wales is leading the game on the agenda and this is the biggest, most ambitious scheme of its type actually underway in the UK. Tackling the hardest to treat homes in the most deprived areas of Wales, the Arbed programme will significantly reduce fuel poverty and boost regeneration in Wales.”

Nigel Draper, who represents Community Housing Cymru on the co-ordinating group, said:

“We look forward working with the Welsh Assembly Government to deliver phase one of this project.  Around 70% of social housing tenants are financially excluded so we welcome this £30million boost, which will not only save our tenants hundreds of pounds in energy bills, it will also develop green jobs in renewable energy, reduce fuel poverty and reduce our carbon footprint.”

Charles Gallacher, Ofgem’s Director for Scotland, Wales and the Regions, said:

“We congratulate the Welsh Assembly Government on the launch of this ambitious programme to help energy consumers in deprived areas. Reducing energy consumption by improving energy efficiency is an effective and important means of improving the position of those suffering from fuel poverty.

We look forward to seeing the programme progress and will work with the Assembly Government on any aspects that fall within our remit.”

http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/environmentandcountryside/2010/100517greenh...