黑洞社区

The coalition government is set to extend a planned domestic green retrofitting scheme to cover up to 3 million business premises, in a move which could provide a huge boost for the 拢10bn commercial refit market.

Plans for a 鈥減ay as you save鈥� scheme to persuade householders to install energy-saving measures in their homes were announced by the previous government in March this year and endorsed by the coalition under the 鈥済reen deal鈥� banner.

But energy minister Greg Barker has now decided to extend the scheme, which will be contained in this autumn鈥檚 Energy Security and Green Economy Bill, to offices and other commercial buildings.

John Alker, director of policy and communications at the UK Green 黑洞社区 Council, said he understood officials were now working 鈥渞ound the clock鈥� to work out how to extend the scheme.

The 鈥減ay as you save鈥� scheme pays the up-front cost of green upgrades, such as insulation or renewables, and then recoups the cost through the occupiers鈥� energy bills.

Because the scheme generates revenue, it is proposed institutional investors will fund it for a small return, with occupiers also saving money through reduced energy usage.

Alker said: 鈥淚n June we were talking about pay as you save applying just to homes. Now if it鈥檚 not extended in the energy bill we鈥檒l be severely disappointed.鈥�

A spokesperson for the department for energy and climate change said 2.8m businesses could benefit from the scheme, which would be targeted initially at heating and lighting systems for smaller firms.

Chris Brown, chief executive of developer Igloo, said: 鈥淧eople haven鈥檛 realised how big this market is going to be. We鈥檙e talking about something the size of another housebuilding industry.鈥�