The Green Deal and Infrared Heating

Written-by

Janet Richardson

Reviewed-by

Richard Burdett-Gardiner

Updated on

Apr 21, 2023

The Green Deal and Infrared Heating

--This Scheme has now been CLOSED by Government --

The Green Deal is currently only available for non-domestic use and not for private homes though this may well change in the near future as the popularity of infrared heating technology increases. When people think about the Green Deal they generally think about accessing it for their own private property, using it to fund important home improvements such as installing a new boiler or putting in insulation. But it is also available for small businesses that want to improve their carbon footprint and implement energy efficiencies.

What was the Green Deal?

The Green Deal is an initiative that is backed by the government that allows both homes and businesses to introduce various green technologies to their property in order improve energy efficiencies and reduce their carbon footprint. It works by offsetting the cost of installation with the savings that are anticipated on your energy bill. For instance, if you are having a new, eco-friendly heating system installed through the Green Deal then the repayments on the loan will be made through your energy supplier by an increase in your monthly bill. Repayments should be no more than the amount that has been saved by installing the new, more efficient technology.

Stages of the Green Deal

First of all, if you are thinking about having infrared heating installed then your business will need to undertake a Green Deal Assessment and this needs to be conducted by an approved company. This individual or company will then produce a report that outlines what can be done to improve energy efficiency. You will normally have to pay for this report. When you have your assessment then you can contact any authorised Green Deal provider or installer. This can be the same company that undertook the assessment in the first place but you are not tied to using them and, as always, it’s a good idea to contact a number of installers for a range of quotes. You will get a Green Deal plan which will outline the costs and interest to be paid and how long it should take to pay off. Once the installation has been carried out, your energy bills will have repayments added to them until the cost has been recovered. One of the components of financing improvements is the Green Deal Golden Rule which is there to protect property owners, particularly home owners, from over stretching themselves. This basically stipulates that the amount that is paid back through your electricity bill has to be covered by the potential savings of the new technology and no more.

Checking if a Green Deal Provider is Genuine

The installation industry has no doubt benefited from the Green Deal initiative as much as home and business owners. The growth in the number of installers has led to some bad practice and it is a good idea to check that the person you have asked to undertake the assessment and/or the work are who they say they are. An authorised Green Deal company should have the right Green Deal logo and you can visit the Department of Energy and Climate Change website to check whether they are actually a bona fide assessor, supplier or installer.

What Else was the Green Deal be Used for?

The Green Deal can be used for a wide range of property improvements apart from infrared heating panels, including:

• Cavity wall, solid wall and loft insulation.
• Heating.
• Draught proofing and double glazing.
• Renewable energy generation such as solar panels and heat pumps.

Obviously, with the more expensive options such as double glazing or having solar panels installed much will depend on the potential savings compared to the cost of having the work done.

Useful Green Deal Contacts:

Green Deal Advisor Association 2 Lands End Way Oakham Rutland LE156RB Tel: 01572 725533 Email: info@gdaa.org.uk

Energy Saving Advice Service (ESAS)

Website: www.gov.uk/greendeal  Telephone: 0300 123 1234

Oversight and Registration Body (ORB)

If you believe an assessor, supplier or installer is misusing the Green Deal quality mark in any way then you can contact the ORB by email at gdhelpdesk@gemserv.com. The kind of information you should provide will include:

• Name and contact details of organisation
• Where they saw the QM being used
• Links to relevant material
• Nature of claims being made
• Other relevant information