1. Gearing up for the Green Deal: insulation and building fabric
Pat Bowen
Future Skills Manager
CITB-ConstructionSkills

2. Low Carbon Programme Drivers
Climate Change Act 2008
80% reduction in emissions by 2050
Energy Act 2011
Green Investment Bank, Green Deal Finance Mechanism +
Energy Company Obligation
Green Deal
Est. 65,000 jobs by 2015
Est. £7bn annual investment
Retrofit 14 million homes

3. Green Deal Skills Alliance
3 Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) working together to ensure
that the right skills are in place for the Green Deal.
Green Deal Assessment/Advice.
Green Deal Installers:
insulation and building fabric.
Green Deal Installers:
environmental technologies and
building engineering services.

4. Green Deal Skills Alliance: ConstructionSkills, Asset Skills, SummitSkills

5. Employer Investment Fund (UKCES)
EIF 1 Green Deal Competency Framework (2011-12):
•Preparing the Skills Landscape for the Green Deal
– Identification (occupations, qualifications, provision)
– Enablement (refresh quals, new quals, training materials)
– Raising Awareness
EIF 2 Low Carbon Challenge (2012-14):
•Supporting Skills Development under the Green Deal
– Further development and testing of Phase 1 outputs
– Working with early adopter exemplars
– Improving access to information
– Training Provider Capacity Building

6. EIF1 Outputs (1)
Provider Capacity Building
•Teaching Support Materials
– Insulation and Building Treatments
– Energy Advice and Energy Assessment
– Common Units

7. Australian Home Improvement Programme
“Australia’s experience serves as a proxy for demonstrating the potential costs
ensuing from a market that does not preclude market entry by market
professionals without regard to independent validation of qualifications”.
Energy Act 2011 paragraph 147
• The Australian Home Insulation Programme had funded the installation of
insulation in over 1 million. It was terminated in February 2010 amidst concerns
regarding poor quality workmanship and materials, and four deaths
Among other things The Hawke report: found:
• A strong and consistent regulatory framework is important to minimise risks
and safety issues in relation to installation of insulation.
Note: in April 2011 …a quarter of inspected households that received insulation under the scheme were
found not to comply with Australian building code standards.

8. Installer Skills Needs for Green Deal
Day
• Better
understanding and
integration across
trades
House

9. Solid Wall insulation
• Major Growth Area
“ In many cases the technical risks of adding insulation to solid walls
will be too great and alternative ways of providing a more
cost effective long-term solution to improving energy
efficiency may be more appropriate”
Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings: insulating solid walls (English Heritage)
• Understanding risks and of internal/external solid wall
insulation will part of PAS 2030.
• Government recognise training is vital

10. How can installers comply?
• Only installers authorised and certified under a new Green
Deal standard will be able to undertake the work.
• The PAS 2030 standard will be implemented through
certification bodies, using existing structures
• Installers will need to:
 Carry the Green Deal Mark;
 Take full responsibility for quality; and
 Comply with the requirements set out in the Green Deal Code
of Practice.

11. Common Minimum Technical Competencies (CMTC)
• are used by the Competent Persons Scheme Operators (CPSOs),
DCLG etc. as a minimum ‘level’
• when CPSOs measure competency for GD they will look for all of
the technical competencies to be covered across the entity or
individual
• holding a route technical competency you will still need to cover
the non-technical (by annex) section of the PAS 2030 (if
appropriate)
http://cutcarbon.info/green_deal_cmtc

12. Publically Available Specification 2030 (1)
•

13. Available QCF Qualifications
• Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Insulation and Building
Treatments (IBT)
− loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, external wall insulation,
internal insulation, draught-proofing, insulating framed sections
For NVQ Assessment:
• Construction Awards Alliance: www.caalliance.co.uk
lists all registered UK assessment centres.
• Scottish Qualifications Authority www.sqa.org.uk
• Awarding Body for the Built Environment www.abbeqa.co.uk

14. Training
Adult Upskilling Programme in external wall insulation
− With plastering or trowel trades experience
− 5-10 day course
− Commitment to achievement of the IBT NVQ
− ConstructionSkills with INCA (piloting currently)

15. Apprenticeships / New Entrants
• Specialist Apprenticeship Programme in external wall insulation:
• Comprehensive 2-year EWI training programme leading to NVQ
level 2 Insulation and Building Treatments.
• National Specialist Accredited Centre (0300 456 5561).
• Traditional apprenticeship pathways for Insulation and Building
Treatment occupations now available:
• Draft-proofing, Loft, Cavity, External Wall insulation
• Possibility for future additional apprenticeship frameworks to
include new bolt-on units

16. Useful contacts
• National Occupational Standards
www.ukstandards.co.uk
• Qualifications
www.ofqual.gov.uk
• Apprenticeship Frameworks
www.apprenticshipframeworksonline.semta.org.uk
• Cut the Carbon Campaign
www.cutcarbon.info