The Futureproof Skills & Certification Package was launched in January 2021 and aims to boost numbers using the scheme.

The Green Homes Grant represents £2bn worth of funding for energy efficient retrofitting of homes in England.

Homeowners can apply for vouchers between £5,000 and £10,000 per household to cover up to two thirds of the total cost of the works and these can pay for measures like insulation or a new low carbon heating system in addition to energy-efficient windows and doors or new heating controls.

So far, demand for the Green Homes Grant vouchers by homeowners has far outstripped the number of certified contractors able to undertake the works.

Builders and contractors must be certified in PAS2030 and Trustmark registered to take part in the scheme.

The Futureproof Skills and Certification Programme is a route to achieving these requirements at significantly reduced cost whilst benefiting from specially developed retrofit training for contractors. .

The training package comprises three elements:

1) Training in whole house retrofit practices

This is being delivered by The Green Register and consists of ten one-hour video training sessions. These can be accessed at any time to suit a learner’s schedule and cover the following subjects:

1. Introduction to sustainable building
2. Introduction to building physics
3. Introduction to PAS2035
4. Assessing retrofit
5. Lifecycle analysis of building materials
6. External wall insulation
7. Internal wall insulation
8. Good practice ventilation
9. Integrating building services
10. Sustainable water use in retrofit

2) Full support in achieving PAS2030:19 certification

In order to make the paperwork as simple as possible, FCA Compliance Services will offer mentoring and assistance throughout the entire verification process, including establishment of a quality management system (QMS) and preparation of all other paperwork. This invaluable support saves applicants time and effort in preparing for PAS certification.

3) PAS2030:19 certification

Certification in a single measure with Trustmark registration will be provided by the British Assessment Bureau (BAB). These are mandatory requirements for contractors to access Green Homes Grant voucher scheme and ECO funded works.

The Futureproof Skills & Certification programme costs £1,750 per business (with training provided for up to three people from the same company). This is a saving of around £2,300 on the standard value of these services.

Training-only access is available for contractors who are currently unemployed at a reduced rate of £100 per individual (saving £199)

For further information including eligibility criteria and how to register, visit the green register website here.

The Futureproof Skills & Certification Package will run between 4 January and 31 May 2021. Applications for the programme will be accepted until 15 April 2021.

The Green Register’s Charlotte Surrey said: “The package represents a clear route for contractors becoming eligible to access Green Homes Grant work at a heavily subsidised cost. Our objective is to increase the supply of skilled tradespeople to meet existing and growing customer demand for domestic retrofit work.

“This offer will be extremely attractive to many builders and contractors. Not only is the training heavily subsidised, but there is a healthy demand out there for skilled workers who can work on low-carbon domestic retrofits.”

One contractor who signed up for the package shortly after it launched said: “We’ve been wanting to get into the low-carbon retrofit business for some years, and this package will allow us to get the training and certification done in a way that is both cost-effective and smooths out the paperwork and hassle.”