The Government has confirmed it will spend £2.9 million on marketing the Green Deal when it launches in earnest on January 28.
Full details of the communications campaign have yet to be unveiled, but it will focus primarily on householders and will include digital and traditional channels, according to a spokesperson at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
Officials at DECC had to get a special exemption from the Government’s freeze on marketing spend to secure the £2.9 million pot of money and the department said it would be used to "build understanding and trust" in the Green Deal.
The Green Deal officially launched on October 1 and aims to cut energy bills and carbon emissions from buildings. It will enable homeowners and businesses to access finance for loft and cavity wall insulation, lagging and other energy efficiency measures at no upfront cost. However, despite early interest from big brands to market the scheme, none so far have signed up to offer Green Deal products and services. Businesses positioning themselves to be in the Green Deal supply chain have voiced concerns that demand for the Green Deal may be curtailed because of a lack of information about the scheme among consumers. And a report by the Green Alliance earlier this year suggested energy efficiency policies such as the Green Deal were likely to fail without a national communication strategy backed by Government.
"We have consistently said that we recognise there is an important role for Government to play in building understanding of and trust in the Green Deal," the DECC spokesperson said.
He added that the department was about to start the procurement process to appoint media and digital communications services, although Carat has reportedly already been recruited to manage the campaign.
Cashback scheme
The marketing campaign is expected to run until April and will be launched in conjunction with a £125 million cashback scheme to encourage Green Deal early adopters, which Ministers announced last month.
"Our activity will commence as the market goes live at the end of January and continue over the spring," said the spokesperson, who said DECC would continue to keep "industry partners updated on our plans and to work with them to make the Green Deal a success."
The Government wants the Green Deal to kick start £14 billion of investment over the next decade in energy saving upgrades. It believes it could create at least 65,000 insulation and construction jobs by 2015.