The Green Deal will place greater demand on installers of energy efficient technologies and businesses should take advantage of the opportunity, says EAL, the specialist awarding organisation for industry qualifications.

“With government’s Green Deal finally going live, following delays and uncertainties at the end of 2012, demand for installers of energy efficient technologies will rise over the coming months and years. Businesses should be ready to take advantage of the huge investment in sustainable technologies, with government putting in an initial £125million to fund the cash back scheme. It is hoped this will inspire much greater private investment, to cover the initial cost of installing solid wall and cavity insulation in homes, to name just two of the 45 different types of improvements currently available under the Green Deal.

“On top of this investment, £3.5 million has been made available to fund training in key Green Deal skills. It is expected that 60,000 jobs will be supported in the insulation sector alone by 2015 – up from 26,000 in 2011. It is important that high quality, rigorous training and qualifications are available to workers and businesses if they are to take advantage of this opportunity. Homeowners must also be assured that Green Deal assessors and installers who are carrying out work on their houses are qualified to the highest standards if the scheme is to succeed.

EAL recently launched a new qualification to help tradespeople spot the potential to install energy-saving measures. The Level 2 Award in Understanding Sustainable Refurbishment (QCF) from EAL helps businesses to identify low carbon business opportunities through the Green Deal. Learners will be taken through the need for energy efficient buildings, the energy relationship between building materials, systems and occupancy and how to develop their roles onsite so they can improve the energy performance of a building.

“Nationally recognised qualifications show that tradespeople have the knowledge and skills to offer a trusted service that meets the standards demanded by industry. Getting qualified will put them ahead of the competition, as well as improve their level of service and support. It will also create new business opportunities and help employees looking to progress in their careers by becoming Green Deal advisors, Green Deal remote advisors or domestic energy assessors, among other roles.”