Less than 19 per cent of people in the UK have heard of the government’s new flagship energy efficiency scheme Green Deal, reports independent.co.uk.

Despite the fact it could help millions cut the cost of their energy bills, over four-fifths of those surveyed by uSwitch.com didn’t know the deal existed. This is problematic for the government considering the scheme launches at the end of the month.

Low consumer understanding around the Green Deal

However, there is demand for energy efficiency improvements in all walks of the property market, from residential to commercial.

For example, 54 per cent would like to get a report telling them clearly what improvements they should be making – such as internal wall cladding or solar panelling for example – while around half like the idea of repaying the cost of their improvements through savings made on bills.

Image source

At the beginning of the Green Deal journey

Other incentives for businesses to take up the scheme could be made available in the future, according to Greg Barker, the climate minister.

Barker justified the figures to guardian.co.uk, suggesting they weren’t all that surprising:

“We’re right at the beginning of the Green Deal journey, and the uSwitch report is right to identify there is relatively low consumer understanding around the Green Deal. It’s as you’d expect, as it’s yet to be rolled out. I expect that to change over the coming year.”

Author: Ashley Curtis    Date Written: 25 January 2013