For the past 40 years, A&M Energy Solutions has been offering energy saving measures to our domestic clients, helping them to save money on their energy bills.  Recent investment at A&M, now means that customers owning commercial properties in the North West, can now benefit from having an energy performance certificate (EPC) on their property to rate how energy efficient their building is.  We can make recommendations on how to make improvements to the property to help save the business money on their energy bills.

Jonathan Marsh, ECO/Green Deal Advice Manager is now certified as a Non-domestic Green Deal Advisor.  Jonathan comments, “This is a great opportunity for businesses to take control and make changes to help reduce their ever increasing energy bills.  It is a simple process and can be conducted with no disruption to the people working.”

• A&M can carry out a commercial EPC from as little as £100.
• Understand how you can make your property more energy efficient
• See estimations of how much you could save per month
• FREE no obligation quotes available for any work

Plans are in place to offer this service from each of our 7 depots over the forthcoming months. For more information please contact Jonathan Marsh on 07884 585 268.

With energy bills constantly increasing householders should make their No.1 New Year’s resolution making their homes much more energy efficient. The National Insulation Association (NIA) is advising that one sure way for householders to keep the heat in and reduce their energy bills in the future is to install insulation now.

The NIA has put together ten facts that will help inform households about the benefits of installing insulation:

1. Around 58% of a home’s heat can be lost through un-insulated walls and lofts. A hassle-free way to save energy and prevent money disappearing into thin air is to stop this heat escaping with insulation.

2. Solid Wall Insulation can save around £475* a year on householder’s fuel bills year-on- year! It can also reduce a home’s carbon footprint by around 2 tonnes of CO2 a year.

3. If every UK household suitable for Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI) installed it, a saving of 4 million tonnes of CO2 every year could be made – a decrease in 560kg of CO2 per household. CWI pays for itself in around 2 years and will typically save around £140* a year on householder’s energy bills.

4. Draught proofing around leaky door and window frames can save around £55* a year on energy bills and can make a home feel more snug and pleasant.

5. Insulating under the floorboards on your ground floor will save you around £60* a year and you can seal the gaps between floors and skirting boards to reduce further draughts too.

6. Loft insulation can save around £180* per year on householder’s energy bills and around 730kg of CO2 a year.

7. NIA members will provide an independent 25 year guarantee from the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) when CWI is installed. Providing the householder with an independent, uniform and dependable guarantee.

8. Tax allowances of up to £1,500 are available until 2015 for Landlords through the Landlords Energy Saving Allowance. Enabling landlords to claim the cost of insulation solutions on all their properties.

9. Homeowners can be safe in the knowledge that an NIA installer will have signed up to a strict Code of Professional Practice. Meaning peace of mind comes as standard with an NIA approved member.

10. The best way to find out if a house requires insulation is to contact an NIA installer member for a free survey and advice on any grants or schemes that can help with paying for insulation measures. Use the postcode locator search on the NIA’s home page to find a local installer.

To find out more or to contact their local installer householders should visit the NIA website on www.nia-uk.org or call 08451 636363

Ends

*Based on a typical three-bedroom semi-detached gas heated house installing cavity wall insulation. Loft insulation savings when you insulate an uninsulated loft. Solid wall insulation saving is the average saving between internal and external solid wall insulation. Both with an 80% efficient gas boiler and average gas tariff of 4.64p/kWh and electricity tariff of 15.32p/kWh. Figures from the EST.

Notes to editors:

The NIA is here to help you with expert opinions and comments on any matter that concerns the insulation of homes and businesses. For further information and images call Duncan or Michele at the NIA press office on 01327 227010 or email Duncan@evolution-pr.co.uk

The NIA represents the manufacturers, system designers and installers of cavity wall, external wall and internal wall insulation, loft insulation and draught proofing. The NIA and its members are committed to providing a high quality, value for money service to householders, housing managers, developers and businesses. NIA installers carry out work that complies with national standards and technical approvals such as the British Board of Agrément, and in the case of Cavity Wall Insulation according to the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency technical guidance covering assessment and installation.

Cavity Wall Insulation work is covered by the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency’s (CIGA) independent 25-year guarantee. www.ciga.co.uk

SWIGA provides consumer protection and an independent 25-year Guarantee for internal, external and hybrid solid wall insulation installations carried out under the SWIGA framework by accredited installers. www.swiga.co.uk

All of our members abide by the NIA Code of Professional Practice.

To find a local NIA approved installer in your area, access information on the benefits of insulation or find details of grants available please visit our website :- www.nia-uk.org

One of the issues that many homes and businesses have faced in the United Kingdom has been the continual rise of energy costs. An interesting balance has needed to be struck for some time; green energy sectors competing against traditional energy industries. Recently, there has has been a relative breakthrough in price hikes in direct relation to the green industry. The government has now decided to instead place green levies into the realm of general taxation as opposed to the energy sector alone.

Such a move was met favourably by most of the “Big Six” energy companies throughout the United Kingdom. In response, most of these companies likewise stated that they would reduce their monthly rates; a move purported to save the average homeowner up to fifty pounds a year. Analysts observe that as these cuts take effect, a reduction of approximately four per cent in the previous price hikes will occur.

Price hikes are not a new concept. On the contrary, home and business owners have had to pay continually higher rates during the last few years. This was more the result of an ongoing row in regards to energy prices (specifically in relation to green levies and carbon taxation statutes) than it had to do with supply and demand. This argument intensified when Labour leader Ed Milliband stated that he would freeze energy prices for no less than twenty months if he were to win the 2015 election. This announcement was met with both consternation and threats to further hike up prices within the energy sector.

Now that the green levies have been essentially scrapped in relation to their former focus on the energy sector alone, the money that companies expect to save will be partially filtered back directly to their customers. These happenings are seen as being but a small part of the larger backdrop of nationwide energy reform.

Under the Green Deal, homeowners in England and Wales can claim Cashback from Government on energy saving improvements like insulation and boilers.  Packages could be worth over £1000 – the more you do, the more you get.

Obviously, the key task is for the United Kingdom to maintain a healthy balance between reducing its overall carbon footprint while providing viable energy plans for both the larger companies and the homeowners themselves.

The government’s flagship Green Deal scheme came under fire in the closing months of 2013, with sceptics pointing to a lukewarm response from the general public. Aimed at helping UK householders and business owners to install energy-saving measures through the provision of low-cost loans, the Green Deal programme was rolled out in 2012. While some commenters have been eager to criticise the scheme, a recent uptick in Green Deal installation casts a rosier light on the future of the programme.

For some time, it’s been increasingly clear that the UK as a whole needs to become more energy-efficient, both in the domestic and industrial sectors. As well as the environmental impact of wasted energy, many households are experiencing real hardship as a result of unnecessarily high fuel bills; yet some are deterred from installing energy-saving improvements by the perceived high cost of such measures.

Green Deal participants are given a list of recommended improvements.  Once they have received a quote for the measures, Green Deal cashback can be applied for, for each of the measures being installed.  The amount of cashback is uncapped – the more measures installed, the more cashback to be claimed.  The cost of the work can be paid for through Green Deal finance or by the customer in full.  Either way still benefiting from Green Deal Cashback.

While it’s true that a total of 57 Green Deal plans were actually completed as of September 2013.  Many more customers have chosen not to opt for the Green Deal finance and pay for the measures themselves, still making their homes more energy efficient. One reason for the lower uptake may have been poor public awareness; as more and more people learn about what the Green Deal, can do for them and the different ways to finance the measures it’s inevitable that uptake rates will increase.

As the rush to make Britain greener, and reduce fuel bills, gathers pace the effect of ECO Funding is becoming apparent in people’s homes. Of energy saving measures that have been installed in British households a staggering 98% have been through the ECO Fund. Coincidentally, the release of these figures came when speculation was rife as to whether or not the initiatives would be scrapped.

The ECO (Energy Companies Obligation) Fund was brought in by the British government to help improve energy efficiency for fuel poor families, and for homes in isolated areas. The UK energy industry is compelled by law to offer the required funds, and so ensure that customers can, where necessary, benefit from a variety of energy efficiency measures, which include free insulation and free boiler installation.

According to The Guardian, Greg Barker, the Energy and climate change minister, stated that the ECO Fund and the Green Deal had been successful so far. Mr. Barker was quoted as saying that over 270,000 properties had benefited from the two initiatives, and that this was a sign that Britain’s homeowners were “serious” about increasing the heat in their homes and with “taking control of their energy bills.”

UK Green Building Council’s Paul Green was not so enthused by the figures, however. He pointed out that there was a massive difference between the success of the ECO Fund measures compared to that of the Green Deal.

The intention of both the ECO Fund and the Green Deal is to bring down energy bills. But whereas the ECO Fund is free, because energy companies provide the funds, the Green Deal is either paid for by the customer in full or through a loan which is paid back by accumulated energy bill savings. Both can benefit from the Green Deal Cashback. For now, though, both initiatives will remain as they are.

It’s clear that the ECO Fund is working better than the Green Deal at the moment, and some changes may be necessary to make the latter more popular. With rising energy prices a constant topic for debate, the two initiatives will, no doubt, continue to be examined over the coming years.

We will be exhibiting at the Landlord & Letting Show taking place at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LZ, on Wednesday 27th & Thursday 28th November 2013, and we hope you can join us!

Free to attend, the event aims to educate and inform property professionals by offering access to:

 A comprehensive product and services exhibition

Free seminars covering a wide range of topics delivered by leading industry experts Associations and Government Bodies

Fantastic networking opportunities

Information on the latest legislation

Visit the website at www.landlordshow.info to find out more and book free show tickets, then come along and visit us on STAND 25.

Liberal Democrat ministers are poised for a relaunch of their ‘Green Deal’, in an effort to get the energy-saving scheme off the ground, according to reports. As a result, £244 million in loan payments will be made available for people to pay for energy-efficiency measures, such as insulation or boilers.

The decision to relaunch the government scheme will be seen by many as an admission that the Green Deal, which was originally launched earlier this year, has failed.

Statistics

According to the Department of Energy & Climate Change, 56% of households who have had an assessment carried out under the Green Deal have installed at least one energy efficiency measure, while a further 6% are in the process.

Those figures mark a strong contrast with previous figures, released in July, which showed that after more than 58,000 assessments, only 132 households were in the process of having work installed and only one household had had work completed.

Part of the reason for the discrepancy is because the DECC figures include homes installing measures via alternative means, while the previous research only included households paying for measures through the Green Deal alone.

Debate

The Lib Dems have faced opposition to the scheme within the coalition, with many Conservative ministers remaining sceptical over the effectiveness of the policy. Others have criticised it for trapping people on middle-incomes into higher debt levels.

However, the energy secretary has defended the plan’s success to date.

“Green Deal assessments are proving to be extremely valuable and are leading to householders investing in energy saving measures,” said Ed Davey. “Some people are using Green Deal finance; others are paying in different ways. And of course people should do whatever works best for them.”

Contact A&M Energy to learn more about Green Deal by calling 0800 318 867 or fill in our short inquiry form here.

If the government’s Green Deal initiative seems, thus far, to be viewed with a degree of mistrust by the public in general, it does seem to have sparked a greater interest in energy-saving measures, which bodes well for the embattled environment.

The government’s Green Deal is aimed primarily at getting homeowners to insulate their homes more effectively in an effort to lower the demand for energy. It offers a home assessment identifying recommended measures which can be paid for by the customer themselves or a plan can be devised by which the cost of any recommended improvements is added to the energy bill by installments. Although few have thus far taken up the loan offer, an encouraging number of free assessments have been carried out resulting in a greater general awareness of energy wastage and the great potential for savings.

Most of a home’s heat is lost through the roof. The second biggest culprit is wall cavities and having a loft and these hollows effectively insulated can greatly reduce the amount of energy required to keep a home sufficiently heated. Repairing draughty doors and windows will add further savings for consumers who face increasingly challenging economic times. The long-term financial gains resulting from reduced energy bills can eventually pay for the cost of improvements made. If government targets for making UK homes more energy efficient is reached, then the environmental impact will be significant.

Global concern regarding climate change has brought increasingly urgent calls from environmentalists for humanity to reduce its carbon footprint. Ensuring that the energy expenditure of our homes is kept at a minimum is a means of protecting our planet. Simple measures such as effective insulation can be undertaken by all to ensure a safer and healthier environment for future generations. Making use of the government’s Green Deal home assessment is a step in the right direction.

Contact A&M Energy to learn more about Green Deal by calling 0800 318 867 or fill in our short inquiry form here.

A&M Energy Solutions Ltd is pleased to announce their recent certification as a Green Deal Provider.  Already accredited as a Green Deal Installer and Assessor, the Provider status gives a ‘one stop shop’ approach to Green Deal/ECO, enabling A&M to arrange a Green Deal plan, provide finance and arrange installation of the agreed energy efficiency improvements.

The vision for Green Deal is for less carbon to be emitted from our homes, and improvements made in our homes.

The Green Deal finance allows individuals and businesses to make energy efficiency improvements to their buildings at no upfront cost.  The costs of the measures could be paid for out of the resultant savings on that consumer’s energy bill.

A&M Energy Solutions Director Ian Mollard commented, “We are very pleased with gaining the Provider status.  Being able to offer our customers with a complete customer journey through Green Deal ensures we can offer the personable advice and information which we have provided for over 40 years in this industry.  The status takes us to a new chapter in the industry which we believe will offer our ‘able to pay’ market an option to take up the insulation methods at no upfront cost.  The team has worked extremely hard to achieve this status and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for all their hard work.”

A&M can now offer the Green Deal assessment and installation to increase the energy efficiency and reduce the heating costs of the building.  The Green Deal/ECO measures which can be installed by A&M through Green Deal/ECO are loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, external wall insulation, internal wall insulation and heating.

Contact A&M Energy to learn more about Green Deal by calling 0800 318 867 or fill in our short inquiry form here.

An external wall insulation system A&M Energy Solutions is installing in Flintshire, has transformed the look of many properties and provided clients with more energy efficient homes.

High Street before EWI

92 properties across the Flintshire area, a mix of social tenants, private home owners and private landlords, were identified to benefit from the external wall insulation system.  Other energy saving measures were also identified to benefit a number of the properties including loft insulation and new boilers.

The project has joint funding from Flintshire County Council and ECO, ensuring the residents of Flintshire were receiving the upgrades free of charge.  The scheme, which was identified by Flintshire County Council, supports the governments ECO scheme to reduce the UK’s energy consumption and support people living in fuel poverty.

Ian Nichols, Branch Manager of A&M Energy Solutions commented “Our partnership with Flintshire County Council has resulted in many properties being transformed and residents will go on to enjoy savings in their energy bills.  A&M is committed to delivering ECO and due to the close working relationship which has been developed between ourselves and the council, the last 4 months have been a resounding success with the residents commenting that they are very pleased with the attractive finish provided by the EWI system.”

Contact A&M Energy to learn more about Green Deal by calling 0800 318 867 or fill in our short inquiry form here.

High Street after EWI

Progress on site – 18 properties will be installed with the EWI system