Deal or no Deal?
A new poll reveals that small construction companies, building product manufacturers and suppliers have failed to get to grips with the workings of the Green Deal. The survey was conducted by the Epwin Group at Ecobuild in London last week, suggesting that small businesses in the building industry are unprepared for the Government’s Green Deal.
Participants were asked to rank their ‘preparedness’ on a scale of one to five, one being unprepared, 84 percent of businesses whom employ 50 people or fewer admitted to a low level of readiness ahead of the Green Deal launch in October. Only 4 percent of this grouping believed that they were fully geared to win new business through the Government’s dual targeted programme, to cut the carbon footprint of the UK housing stock and kick-start economic growth in the UK building sector.
The reminder of this grouping (representing 29 per cent of all surveyed) claimed some awareness but admitted that they had more work to do. The results came about after Greg Barker, minister for climate change, recapped the Government’s commitment ahead of the Green Deal’s launch in October at ecobuild. Barker spoke positively about the Green Deal despite concerns surrounding elements of its operation. Read Greg Barker’s Green Deal speech from Ecobuild here.
The survey carried out by Epwin Group and conducted at ecobuild held at Excel, London in March, revealed that this was in stark contrast to the responses given by large businesses employing 250 or more people. Representing just over half of the larger businesses polled, 61 per cent stated that their plans for the Green Deal were advanced and 16 per cent said that they had a moderate level of “readiness”.
23 per cent of the larger businesses said that they were unprepared for the Green Deal; however, both large and medium sized businesses are still more advanced than small construction companies, ensuring that they can take advantage of business opportunities generated by the scheme.
Jim Rawson, chairman, Epwin Group said:
“What is concerning here is that the Epwin poll suggests Government is so far failing in its efforts to engage effectively with smaller businesses and this may equate in their exclusion voluntarily or involuntarily from scheme.”
He went onto say:
“The impact of this is all the more significant as it is this very grouping that it has identified as important in delivering job creation and supporting recovery in construction and the UK economy overall.”
Greg Barker alluded to the imminent unveiling of new initiatives to encourage wider participation in the scheme by smaller contractors and suppliers.
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