Green home wish 'not granted'

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Green home wish 'not granted' Nedira Yakir says she was told she wanted a grant at the wrong timeLecturer Nedira Yakir of Exeter remortgaged her house to free up some equity to turn it into a dream home - by trying to make it as environmentally friendly as possible. But she contacted the BBC News website to complain of her frustration at being met with "red tape and apathy" as she went about trying to achieve her goal. In

particular, she was frustrated to find she could not get a grant towards energy saving devices including solar panels. If you have any other story ideas - send them to the BBC using the form at the bottom of the page. The environmental credentials of Ms Yakir put to shame the comparatively tokenistic efforts of many of us who simply recycle paper and glass bottles. After moving to the UK from Israel in 1973, Ms Yakir became part of a "semi-loose" collective of eco-friendly individuals in Cornwall who farmed organically and did everything they could to live the most environmentally-friendly existence possible. "We lived without electricity for the first 10 years," she said. No surprise then that the 63-year-old, having remortgaged her Victorian terrace to free up equity for home improvements, should want to maintain her green sensibilities. Features of an environmentally friendly house Part of her green wish list was the installation of solar panels. But she was told by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) earlier this year that there was no grant available for energy-saving devices at that time. This, she was told, was because of a gap between the end of the government's previous grant programmes for energy-saving devices and their replacement - the new Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP). The whole experience left her angry and frustrated, she said. "The whole environmental support that the government prides itself on is big lip service." 'Awful planning' Martin Williams, of Friends of the Earth, says there is "no defence" for the gap between the grant programmes. The solar-powered roof of a sports centre in Chesterfield "That's an awful piece of planning," he said. "The government set the [original] Clear Skies programme grants up to establish a solar industry. These companies were set up as a result." But, because of the hiatus, "there were companies that went bust and other companies that had to scale back", he added. The Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) said the last call for grants under the old schemes was February 2006 and that the LCBP programme began in April. Jim Kenney, director of Hertfordshire-based Chelsfield Solar, said that for his firm and many others like it, the gap led to "a famine". This was because, without grants, people were

discouraged from buying solar panels, he added. "It did a lot of damage to a rapidly-growing industry," he said. We spent some months without managing to take an order Chelsfield Solar "We saw it coming and we worked like crazy to try to get enough jobs coming in. We spent some months without managing to take an order." But, though business had subsequently improved

after the introduction of the LCBP, he said he feared the industry was once again "almost certainly" on the verge of a similar famine. He is concerned because he says the LCBP, in the six months since it began, has already allocated a substantial amount of its £6.5m grant funding over the next three years for household applications. The government says some £2.7m has already been allocated. "There is debate about whether they'll use the pot until everything's gone," Mr Kenney said. If grant money stopped for any period of time, installers would "either crash or drift away," he said. 'Monitoring levels' Mr Kenney's concerns are shared by the Renewable Energy Association. The Association said the grant allocations had "started moving so fast" that there might come a point where the Energy Saving Trust would stop awarding them. "That would be disastrous," head of renewable power Gaynor Hartnell said. "Business

would just stop." The DTI and EST keep the grant awards under constant review and we are confident that there will be sufficient funds for the duration of the programme DTI But the government spokesman said that, while £6.5m was earmarked for householder grants at the launch of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, the department would be "monitoring the payout levels to ensure

funds are available throughout the three years". "The DTI and EST keep the grant awards under constant review and we are confident that there will be sufficient funds for the duration of the programme." Anyone interested in conserving energy and reducing emissions should visit the EST website, he said. The spokesman also responded to criticism that gaps in funding put some householders off installing energy-saving devices and that they put pressures on installers. This is my last chance to have the house I wanted. I was denied Nedira Yakir The grants policy aimed to develop a sustainable industry "able to stand alone without government subsidy", he said. Progress in this regard had been proven by the fact that some high street retailers were now selling micro-wind turbines and solar panels, he added. "Installers and householders can and should be able to move forward without relying on government funding." Ms Yakir, meanwhile says the fact that no grant was available in the limited period of time she had set aside for her home improvements meant she had to rule out solar panels. "I wanted

my house to be environmentally friendly," she said. "That possibility was taken away from me so I had to compromise. "This was my last chance to have the house I wanted. I was denied." FEATURES OF AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY HOUSE Wind turbine: Makes use of UK's windy conditions, but performance varies. Costs from about £1,500 - grants may be available. Solar panels: Sun's energy used to heat water. Can produce 100% of needs in summer. From about £2,000 - grants may be available. Photovoltaic cells: Sun's

energy used to generate electricity. Needs only daylight to work. From £4,000 - grants may be available. Double glazing: Halves heat lost through windows. Ground source heat pump: Uses heat stored in ground to warm water and help run central heating. Costs from about £6,400. Insulation: More than half of the heat in uninsulated homes escapes through walls and the roof. Water butt: Collects rain water to use on garden. InexpensivePeter H

 

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