GGF Submits Formal Response To Green Deal And Eco Consultation

The Glass and Glazing Federation  (GGF) has issued its Formal Response to the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Consultation to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

To reach the final version of its formal response, the GGF held three Green Deal debates in Birmingham, Stirling and London, to ensure all members’ views were considered. 

The Federation also put the draft response online on the GGF website for four weeks and asked all members via email (and through the GGF’s weekly and monthly digital publications) to send in their comments on the Consultation.

The result of the GGF’s proactive approach has seen all 63 questions in the Consultation addressed and a full 32 page formal response issued to Government.

Aligned to the formal response the GGF also led an industry response following a meeting of all the key window industry trade bodies. From this meeting the GGF sent a letter on behalf of the industry to energy minister Greg Barker. 

The GGF and other industry associations have concerns the Green Deal and ECO is too bureaucratic and could restrict the potentially numerous benefits (including energy saving) that homeowners would gain from replacing windows and doors under the proposed scheme. The industry associations agreed they did not see how the “Golden Rule” as proposed, would present any benefit to the window industry or to consumers replacing windows and doors. The GGF has proposed an alternative simplified system to DECC for consideration

The coordinator of the formal response and letter from the industry was Giles Willson, deputy CEO and director of technical affairs. Wilson commented “It has been quite a task compiling all the comments concisely and logically and I would like to thank all those who contributed. I hope all our efforts prove worthwhile and that Green Deal works for GGF members and the industry”  

Both the Formal Response and the Letter from the Industry are available to read online on the GGF’s website:

http://www.ggf.org.uk/publication/green_deal_consultation_response

http://www.ggf.org.uk/publication/letter_to_greg_barker