23 May 2008
An auction system is to be set up to help councils and housing associations make their homes more energy efficient and cut tenants' fuel bills.
Enact, a property conveyancing company, will run the Local Government Association's 'Carbon Emission Reduction Target' clearing house, the LGA announced on May 19. It will be called the Cross Funding Partnership.
Cert is the legal obligation on utility companies to achieve carbon savings in homes, 40% of which must come from 'priority group' households — those in receipt of benefits or tax credits.
The partnership will allow councils and registered social landlords to group together when looking for energy efficient measures such as loft insulation. Enact will then auction the work to energy suppliers.
Paul Bettison, chair of the LGA environment board, said the system would offer a new way to access funding to combat climate change and fight fuel poverty.
Bettison said: 'We need a comprehensive drive to insulate every home in the country to cut carbon emissions and lift people out of fuel poverty. The Cross Funding Partnership will play an important role in helping to achieve this.'
Setting up a clearing house mechanism for energy efficiency measures in homes was one of the recommendations of the LGA's Independent Climate Change Commission.
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