The Green Deal is gathering momentum, according to figures released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Plumb Center’s head of sustainability Tim Pollard has found this update “really encouraging”.

The Government’s flagship environmental initiative was launched on 28 January to a slow start, with only 1,729 assessments carried out in February. However, the statistics released on 11 April showed more people are looking to improve the efficiency of their homes and save money on energy bills, with a total of 9,268 Green Deal assessments lodged so far.

“DECC’s latest update is really encouraging,” said Mr Pollard. “In the last few months the Green Deal has really started to take off and we hope the enthusiasm for it continues.

“Green Deal provides great opportunities for homeowners and landlords to reduce their energy costs, generating demand for installers’ expertise, which is good news all round. Plumb Center is committed to helping customers access all the opportunities Green Deal presents.”

Under the initiative, energy-efficient improvements can be financed with reduced – or in some cases no – up-front costs to the householder. The loan is then repaid over time using the savings that are made. People looking to take part in Green Deal receive a visit from a Green Deal Assessor who recommends the best measures to take, with work subsequently carried out by a Green Deal-certified installer.

Mr Pollard added: “The update today shows people are putting their faith in Green Deal and we’re really looking forward to seeing the next release of statistics in a couple of months’ time.”