Following the review of the recent spending of the consultant, Richard Orton, CEO of CERTSURE, explains the reason for teaching housing goals to a large extent on the skills of the building industry customer.
Now that dust has settled on spending, there are many developments for our sector to see them closely. When the advisor announced what he called the largest investment in social housing at reasonable prices for 50 years, it is clear that government housing is a major pillar of its mission in addition to the possible results of economic, social and environmental policy.
The commitment of the title of 39 billion pounds during the next decade of the houses program at reasonable prices (AHP) is significant. In addition to direct financing, the government pledged 10 billion pounds in financing through England homes to attract private investments. While the government has not stopped providing a number of expected homes, the size of the investment was welcomed on a large scale through the social housing sector.
More importantly, the advisor also stressed that the current financing obligations under the warm houses plan will remain unchanged, as the government plans to invest 13.2 billion pounds in the efficiency of home energy by the end of this parliament in 2029.
Future houses standard: a step towards zero zero
Immediately before reviewing the spending, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, ED Miliband, announced that the standard of future homes will include a condition for solar panels on the roof in most new homes. This shift reflects an increasing recognition that the houses we build today should be part of the solution to the energy challenges and climate facing tomorrow.
Solar is a virtual and cost -effective scale to reduce low home energy emissions and bills, with a clear indication that the housing policy is now corresponding to the net zero ambitions in the UK. These long -term investment decisions will pay profits in the coming years, enhancing energy supplies, improving energy security, and building a more flexible housing infrastructure.
For those of us in the construction and electricity sectors, this is a welcome development, which reflects the type of thinking needed to achieve the goals of politics through housing and the environment. But it also raises an important question: Do we have the workforce to present it?
Skills – missing link?
While the spending review included 1.2 billion pounds annually to support more than a million young people in training and vocational training, there is still a lack of clarity on how to translate this into the skilled workers needed on the ground.
Building and electricity industries face well documented skills. Meet the requirements of the Meet housing program, especially which includes new technologies such as solar energy pumps and thermal pumps, requires coordinated efforts from government, industry and training providers.
We need an targeted investment in technical training and training led by the employer, which reflects the facts of modern building. We also need to make these professions more attractive to young people by showing that they are not only vibrant, but vital for the future of the United Kingdom.
I would like to mention the companies approved by the vital role they will play in providing low housing and carbon technologies. We are witnessing a steady growth in the number of electric companies that look forward to an increase in areas such as solar PVs and heat pumps. For those who think about a step in this direction, it is now the time to do so.
Welcome trend – delivery is still key
Government advertisements show a willingness to invest in housing as an engine for economic growth and environmental progress. Insert solar energy on the surface in the standard of future homes is a clear example of how politics is the formation of markets and accelerate the move to zero.
But aspirations must be matched by delivery. This means ensuring access to the correct projects, and that planning and purchases are simplified and measured, which is a skilled workforce ready to build homes and the infrastructure we need.
As a sector, we are ready to play our role. We need continuous cooperation, clarity and commitment from the government to turn these plans into real and permanent results.
