A special briefing event on Solid Wall Insulation (SWI) for local authority planners organised by The National Insulation Association (NIA) and Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in conjunction with CLASP, the low carbon economy and sustainability network of local authorities in the NW of England recently took place.
Over 75 delegates attended the event that was hosted by CLASP on 9th May in Preston. The feedback received was extremely positive with delegates rating the event 9 out 10 for “How useful did you find the event?”
The event raised awareness of the importance of SWI within the new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation, the different types of external and internal SWI, solutions and finishes available, installation techniques and the support available for Local Authorities from the NIA and its members. It also highlighted the recent changes on permitted development rights affecting external SWI which means that in most cases planning permission will not be required.
Neil Marshall Chief Executive of the NIA commented: “We were very pleased to be able to support DECC and CLASP in this important initiative. There are around 7 million homes that require SWI and Local Authorities will have a key role to play in achieving this. Therefore it is vital to ensure that they are armed with the most up to date information about SWI and the support that the NIA and its members can provide to them.”
Stephen Ryman from the Department of Energy and Climate Change commented: “The new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation will provide a massive boost for solid wall insulation uptake over the coming years, while the ‘permitted development’ clarifications published this January have removed an additional planning barrier for many people intending to put solid wall insulation on their houses. We are very happy to be running this series of Solid Wall workshops, designed to assist local authorities across the country in providing residents with the best advice and guidance on solid wall insulation projects, and were particularly encouraged by the level of interest across the North West as demonstrated by the excellent attendance and engagement in Preston”.
CLASP commented: “We would like to thank the NIA and DECC for bringing their excellent workshop and exhibition roadshow to Preston. There is a very strong interest in increasing solid wall insulation across the NW and a number of active schemes. The delegates appreciated the chance to discuss the evolving status of planning requirements of solid wall insulation, hear about the reality of recent schemes in the NW, meet face-to-face with industry representatives and inspect example materials.”
Glyn Davies, Planner, Trafford Council said: “I thought the presentations were really useful and it was a good opportunity to hear from DECC and update our knowledge of new materials and techniques coming onto the market.”
The next event is to be held in Leeds, 8th July 2013, date to be confirmed, with further venues and dates to follow.
The event was supported by exhibitors from the NIA and the Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency (SWIGA) which launched its 25 year Guarantee for SWI earlier this year.