GGF Planning Ahead for “Each Home Counts”

Each Home Counts is an independent Review into consumer advice, protection standards and enforcement for energy efficiency and renewable energy.   

The Review was commissioned by the Department for Energy and Climate Change, now the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, and the Department for Communities and Local Government in July 2015.

Brian Smith, GGF Director of Home Improvement commented, “We are pleased to see this published at last following a nine month delay by Government. The review covers many areas of our industry from consumer protection to technical quality through to skills and training.

We have already received an industry specific summary of the 68 page report from our political advisers GK Strategy and we will be meeting with them in the first week in January. It’s imperative that the GGF is involved in the discussions from the very start of the implementation process.”

The Review was conducted by engaging with a wide range of stakeholders from the supply chain, consumer protection organisations, central government, devolved governments and companies in the sector. The aim was to try and achieve a consensus of the existing problems and their causes.

The research was broken down into six ‘core workstreams’ which were: Consumer Protection, Advice and Guidance, Quality and Standards, Skills and Training, Compliance and Enforcement and Holistic property consideration. 

There were an additional three ‘workstreams’ that cut across these six and they were Insulation and Fabric, Smart Meters and Home Energy Technologies. 

A final workstream that aimed to develop recommendations and an implementation plan was entitled ‘Applying the Review to Social Housing Sector’. Each workstream had a different lead and all were overseen by Dr. Peter Bonfield.

In the first week of 2017, the GGF will hold a strategy meeting with its political advisers, key staff and Members from the Home Improvement and Glazing Executives.

From this meeting, the GGF aims to form an action plan to ensure its Members and the broader glass and glazing industry are fully included in the Each Home Counts initiative.

There will be a presentation and discussion on the contents of the report at the GGF Members, Window and Door Group and Conservatory Association meeting on Tuesday 17th January in Birmingham.