Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Phill Brown, managing director of independent builders merchant Benchmark Green, has had a meeting with the Secretary of State for Department of Climate and Energy Change, Ed Davey MP.
Brown told the minister his main concern was the lack of awareness among general contractors about opportunities the Green Deal will create in the forthcoming years.
He noted that his longstanding customers with bona fide regular trade qualifications will not be able to carry out Green Deal contracts without first achieving Green Deal accreditation.
He asked for a simpler way of gaining accreditation, or monetary help in getting these tradesmen qualified. “Many of our customers are experienced tradesmen who have undergone proper apprenticeships and gained City and Guilds Qualifications, it seems unfair they have to retrain at their own cost to work on specific Green Deal Contracts,” he said.
An estimated 21 million homes in the UK will be in need of retrofit work over the next ten years to bring them up to required standards of energy efficiency and insulation, which presents an excellent opportunity for trade customers of Benchmark.
Oldham College and the Benchmark Training Academy were praised for their commitment to raising awareness of renewable energy and providing training opportunities for those working for green companies.
