New jobs proposed in 'green collar' refurbishments

Struggling builders have been thrown a life line with plans proposed to create a new line of work overseeing the low carbon refurbishment of existing homes.

In a report submitted to the government, the UK Green Building Council (UK GBC) has recommended the introduction of a whole home energy plan to map out the refurbishment of a home.

Triggered by redecorating, repairs or extensions, the plan would be developed following a survey of the property and include a time line and advice on how to make the home more energy efficient.

UK GBC senior policy advisor Jo Wheeler said: “There is a need to provide houses with a service that takes a home owner through the greening process from the start to the end.

“There is a big opportunity for the industry to develop this type of service.”

UK GBC member and Parity Projects spokesman Russell Smith said once a plan was in place, it would stay there, to give the next owner the information needed to pick up from where the previous owner had left off.

“This will mean co-operation between householders, tradesmen and local authorities over the coming years.”

Gavin Killip, Oxford University senior researcher and contributor to the report, said the appointment of a green project manager on refurbishment jobs would help.

“There needs to be an intelligent and respected person who understands how a building works and can manage the trades; because if you do things in the wrong order, you can seriously make a mess of it,” he said.

The report also recommends the government support the development of a national competency standard for low carbon refurbishment, establish independent skills accreditation and consider if regulation is needed to ensure the worst performing homes are upgraded over time.