What is Green Homes Concierge Service?
Green Homes Concierge Service is a groundbreaking scheme developed by the London Development Agency and backed by the Mayor of London to help London home owners reduce their energy consumption. The service is a key strand of London's Climate Change Action Plan.
The service, which is being delivered by respected concierge company Ten Lifestyle Management, enables Londoners to make their homes more environmentally friendly with less of the hassle usually involved with home improvements. It was pioneered in a unique pilot scheme and has now been rolled out across London.
What do I get for £199?
For just £199 home owners get a 12 month service to help make their homes greener.
First, a Home Energy Advisor will visit the home and with the help of specialist software, create a detailed expert report on how energy efficient it currently is. The report is designed to highlight areas where CO2 can be reduced, which could also save money on monthly energy bills.
The report includes an energy performance certificate that is a legal requirement when selling a home and a part of the HIP's pack
The advisor then takes the home owner through the options which would best suit them, and which they can carry out with the support and guidance of the Green Homes Concierge team.
For a year after the assessment, clients get unlimited access to the concierge team who make it as easy as possible to make homes greener, warmer, quieter, cleaner and cheaper to run.
The best products, suppliers and options are sourced for the customer, taking their individual needs and budgets into account. The team will research the most effective ways to retain heat in the home, providing the home owner with a choice of competitive and even DIY options, the average cost of each improvement, and the benefit.
All suppliers that are recommended by the Green Homes Concierge Team are rigorously vetted by a team of Home Improvement experts to ensure suitability, quality of service and value for money.
How does the initial energy assessment work?
A qualified Home Energy Advisor will visit the home and look at how its structure and fabric affects energy consumption. The assessment typically lasts 2 to 3 hours and culminates in a session with the homeowner to review what has been learnt and make decisions on what to do about areas for improvement.
The advisor will look at the size and age of the house, the ‘building envelope' (the roof and walls), the windows, and the heating system before creating a detailed report. The report provides information on the current energy efficiency of the home as well as the scope for improvement. The recommendations will provide a breakdown of CO2 reductions by individual improvement made.
What types of changes could be recommended?
Whilst each house we visit is individual and unique - all homes share the same five ways in which energy is used; heating, hot water and lighting account for 85% of the energy we consume, while 15% is used for cooking and general household appliances.
The recommended changes will fall into these categories - focussing on those areas where most energy is expended.
Improving insulation in the roof and walls makes a huge difference to the rate in which a house loses its heat. Other recommendations might include lining curtains, saving water when flushing toilets, and plugging draughty floorboards.
How can energy use be monitored once changes have been made?
Green Homes Concierge can source real-time energy meters from several energy companies currently trialling them. The sensors show how much electricity is being used in the home at any one particular moment and aim to encourage homeowners to become more aware of how their behaviour affects not just their energy bills but also their carbon emissions.
How will a Green Homes Concierge Service assessment benefit the environment?
The energy we use in our homes accounts for 40% of our personal carbon footprint and domestic energy use accounts for 38%of London's carbon dioxide emissions. The average UK household creates approximately 6 tonnes of CO2 each year. Our aim is to help every home we visit reduce their annual emissions of CO2 by an average of 1 - 2 tonnes.
How much are changes likely to cost? Are there any grants available?
The cost of recommended changes will vary from home to home. We guarantee that Green Homes Concierge Service will research the most competitive quotes for changes needed, and we can also find out if the home owner is eligible for a grant.
Will home owners actually save in the long run?
The likely savings and ‘payback time' will vary from house to house depending on the changes implemented and timings of these changes.
As any changes recommended will reduce energy consumption through more energy efficient appliances and other measures, there will be a significant reduction in energy bills (which have increased by 60 per cent for electricity and nearly 100 percent for gas in the last three years).
Our research has shown that on average our members could save on average £199 per year* - which suggests the cost of the service could be repaid within a twelve month period
(* as of March 2008)
Who are the suppliers?
Suppliers are sourced from all markets and regions; they include household names in retail and home services, major architectural and design practices and smaller, niche businesses. We are constantly researching and updating our database to get the magic fit between our customers' requirements and the perfect supplier.
Why can our suppliers be trusted?
The Green Homes Concierge pricing principle reflects the philosophy of transparency and integrity in all our dealings with both customers and suppliers.
Each of the suppliers that we partner with is checked out by our team of in-house Home Improvement Supplier Managers who have many years of experience working in the building and home improvements industry.
As any agent, we ask to receive a commission from our chosen suppliers for introducing them to our customers, and our customers are aware that we do so.
We don't promise to be the cheapest, we do promise good value for money and a quality service at all times. Our customers will never be asked to pay any more through using Green Homes Concierge than they would have had to pay if they had gone directly to the supplier on the open local market.
For this reason the commission paid to us must be derived from the supplier's profit margin, not added over and above their standard rates. Our suppliers are more than happy to comply with this pricing principle as they can see the obvious opportunities to working with Green Homes - increased business from an established client base without expenditure on advertising, directory or listing costs.
Because of our buying power we have also negotiated preferential rates which are only accessible to our customers with many of our suppliers.
Who is the service aimed at?
We are available to all London homeowners whose wish to reduce their carbon emissions and their monthly bills. Generally speaking, the homes in London that give off the most emissions are larger properties built before 1950.
Green Homes Concierge Service is also working with London businesses offering attractive programmes to companies - both for their own employees through their corporate social responsibility programmes and to their customers.
Green Homes Concierge is also working with a variety of community interest groups to encourage local take-up and provide an additional means for communities and neighbourhoods to reduce their combined carbon footprint.
Who are your partners?
We are developing partnerships with several companies and appreciate their support. In each case their support reflects their belief in this service and their wish to make a difference. The neutrality of our advice is not affected.
Agreed partnerships presently include Sky, Scottish & Southern PLC and GE Home Lending who will advise their employees and customers of the benefits of this service.
What are the carbon reduction targets?
By 2010 the Green Homes Concierge Service aims to have reduced CO2 emissions in London by over 17,000 tonnes as one part of the LDA's Green Homes programme. We expect the lifetime C02 savings of the implemented measures to exceed 200,000 tonnes. To achieve this target, around 7,000 homes in the capital need to sign up and implement changes.
Will it be implemented in other cities if this is a success?
This is a decision for national government. The LDA's Green Homes Concierge Service has been developed specifically for London with London's housing stock in mind. However Defra has announced its intention to pilot a similar scheme elsewhere in the UK and to offer a premium service option within its Act on CO2 programme which has recently been launched.