Energy News

Insulation help for employees at work

Monday, 29 March 2010

By Daniel Barnes- daniel@consumerchoices.co.uk

Top companies are to help employees with cutting the costs of insulation at work.

A new government pilot sees top firms helping their staff cut energy bills by installing insulation.

Staff at Accenture, Aviva, HSBC and Sainsbury's will all receive help with insulation from Sainsbury's Energy and be told about the offers through in-house company communications

Help from the Insulate Today scheme will come in form of free insulation for a number of employees, free energy monitors and insulation grants and discounts.

Climate change minister Joan Ruddock said: "The government's ambition is to see all lofts and cavity walls in the UK insulated by 2015.

“The Insulate Today initiative will make a real contribution towards this target.”

It is hoped the pilot scheme can be replicated in other companies across the nation, allowing staff to greater access to energy saving options.

Less than one in ten UK homes have the recommended levels of insulation.

It is estimated the cost of energy bills of lost heat due to poor insulation is £500m a year.

David Hall, campaign director of the environmental project We Will If You Will, said: "Mobilising people to insulate their homes is a great opportunity to cut the nation's carbon footprint and cut our energy bills at the same time but it requires an innovative and creative delivery model.

“The collaborative approach of we will if you will brings together a coalition of some of the UK's biggest employers, helping us to target a massive audience through established and trusted channels of communication."