Yes Tom: and I think that (especially in the UK with some thermally-terrible housing stock) we have to spend the next 50 years training up homeowners and planners and architects and not least *builders* to do this stuff right.
I'd like to double or quadruple the cost of all forms of energy *now* to focus peoples' minds on the issue, while putting away the money to pay off debt and/or help out those who are already careful and penniless.
Rgds
Damon
I'm sure glad you are in England and not over here.
As far as getting *builders* to do this stuff right, it is as simple as having a good set of specifications and an inspector or owner smart enough to read them. I want that inspector paid for by the owner, not subject to the political whims of a government organization. Builders are at tail end of the 'do it this way' rules. If one is required to pay a builder for substandard work, it is the fault of the person who wrote the contract or signed the check, not the fault of the *craftsman* (possibly a poor use of that term).
Ignorance is a choice. Stupid is a condition.
"Government" has given us the licensing of architects and planners appointed and not subject to the realities of their *subjects*. Read that as they are in the employ of the *people* but the people have no control of the planners.
I don't know how it is where you live, because I am not there physically, but I do read a lot. I can guess many of the problems in your area are not solved by government but caused by them. I DO know it is that way here.
Tax credits/rebates/rates/conditional rates/exemptions are a method of social engineering. I don't personally think governments help folks. Most of the time they tend to help keep folks in poverty rather than help them out. The 'welfare laws' here keep one from taking a job if they are 'on the dole' due to the massive amount of aid given. This aid ALWAYS has conditions attached and seldom results in an improvement of the subjects dire conditions.
In the US we have recently had a massive shift in the power and control of government. Many of the appointees are taking positions detrimental to the better welfare of business. This is detrimental to those employed by such businesses. Many times it will result in fewer employees and less expansion. And, in case some folks are a bit dense, business do not pay taxes. They pass taxes to the consumer or fail (and leave folks unemployed).
So please, if you care to soak some other group or business do it "Over There". I hope it stays "Over There". Although most US goobernment idiots follow the foolish leads of the fools in Europe and that funky little island nation north of France.
If governments care to wreck what is left of the fragile economy, all they need to do is raise energy costs to your proposed rate. They could then find a new stream of revenue to try and support (and purchase votes by implementing new laws) the massive new group of unemployed subjects they created.
Of course, this is just my opinion. But, my opinion is formed by looking at reams of historical data and guessing it will be repetitive.
Ron