SMART Homes (Green Deal Communities Fund) Launch
July 22, 2014
Today sees the launch of the SMART Homes launch (Green Deal Communities fund) which is being run by Haringey with five other London boroughs, including Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest. Following competitive tender, ECD Architects and our sister company Keegans have been appointed as the SMART Homes Advisers. Funded by DECC (£6.5 million), the scheme provides up to £6,000 of grant funding towards ‘deep’ housing retrofit measures, principally solid wall insulation, in addition to funding for other measures (e.g. windows, loft insulation, etc.) and a streamlined, one stop shop approach to the undertaking of works. Uniquely, householders wishing to undertake works and receive the grant will benefit from Keegans, independent support as a dedicated professional to help them through the process.
As SMART Homes Advisers we will carry out home visits to potential householders, review the Green Deal Assessment and make recommendations for works, carry out a risk analysis, assess ancillary works needed (eg: drainage etc) and approve the final quotation and schedule of work as eligible for grant. We will also approve the grant for payment on completion, and carry out a post completion surveys in a sample of cases.
The scheme is officially running up to 31st March 2015 and it is anticipated to undertake grant funded solid wall insulation (and associated measures) on 1,600 properties across the six boroughs.
Other aspects of the programme have been designed to further develop the local retrofit market and includes projects supporting supply chains, training and local employment/SMEs.
For more information on this scheme please contact James Traynor or Nick Newham on 0207 199 0900.