Green Building Forum - Amber Rudd Wed, 03 Jun 2026 02:05:18 +0100 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224297#Comment_224297 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224297#Comment_224297 Tue, 12 May 2015 23:53:11 +0100 CWatters Posted By: bella If I buy insulation it is 20%. If a VAT Registered builder buys insulation and installs in existing house it is 5% for both including on the things like skirting boards and decoration for IWI and crumbling pebble dash off, render, insulation layer, render or rain screen. New and listed building are zero VAT anyway. IS THIS CORRECT?

Yes.

https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/energy-saving-products

You pay a reduced rate of VAT (5%) when certain energy-saving products are installed in your home.

Your supplier will charge you the reduced rate on the installation and any extra work that’s part of it.


You pay the reduced rate of 5% for:
controls for central heating and hot water systems
draught insulation, eg around windows and doors
insulation on walls, floors, ceilings, lofts, etc
solar panels
wind turbines
water turbines
ground-source heat pumps
air-source heat pumps
micro combined heat and power units
wood-fuelled boilers


Not sure about the listed building bit.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224305#Comment_224305 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224305#Comment_224305 Wed, 13 May 2015 08:55:08 +0100 mw116
I was meaning bring back the proposal that said you had to improve the whole house to current regs for insulation when you add an extension to an existing property (including conservatories) - that way people have to improve insulation if they want to add, say, a conservatory...

You could institute a seller side stamp-duty - when you sell a property you pay x% of stamp duty where x is the number on the EPC (encourages people to insulate before selling, makes money, GO is happier ;) )]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224307#Comment_224307 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224307#Comment_224307 Wed, 13 May 2015 09:04:42 +0100 mw116
It was #600 for both - and they are big rooms. The kitchen floor was a concrete slab, it had cracked into 5 pieces and you got seasick walking over it. Kitchen floor was dugout, then hardcore, blinding, 80mm EPS, 60mm PIR, UFH pipes and about 65mm screed with honed slate to finish. Dining room floor had the old boards removed, 60mm EPS under the joists, 60mm PIR between, UFH on top, and a 25mm biscuit mix to finish, with new reclaimed oak boards to top. She said she wanted slate in the kitchen, and bare boards in the dining room - I said no, unless I can insulate and install UFH. She took all of 3 seconds to start looking for a breaker to hire...]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224308#Comment_224308 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224308#Comment_224308 Wed, 13 May 2015 09:12:27 +0100 GarethC She took all of 3 seconds to start looking for a breaker to hire...

:bigsmile:]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224317#Comment_224317 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224317#Comment_224317 Wed, 13 May 2015 11:14:15 +0100 fostertom Posted By: bellaIn 5 years build 500,000 modest dwellings (1-3 bedrooms) that do not require heating, have PV on S facing roofs and can be built bought for less that £100,000 or part owned or rented. Probably small blocks of flats with EWI and shared gardens in currently run down brownfield sites or suburbs would be most suitable.
Apart from the 500,000 that describes Exeter City Council to a T - full embrace of PassivHouse @ £1400/m2 and falling. Remarkable.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224320#Comment_224320 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224320#Comment_224320 Wed, 13 May 2015 11:19:52 +0100 SteamyTea I also think that 1 bed places should be outlawed. They encourage overcrowding.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224325#Comment_224325 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224325#Comment_224325 Wed, 13 May 2015 11:37:20 +0100 fostertom http://www.exeter.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=12368
Gale & Snowden are architects for most if not all of the programme.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224329#Comment_224329 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224329#Comment_224329 Wed, 13 May 2015 11:50:15 +0100 renewablejohn Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224331#Comment_224331 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224331#Comment_224331 Wed, 13 May 2015 12:28:21 +0100 bella Posted By: SteamyTeaI also think that 1 bed places should be outlawed. They encourage overcrowding

I can assure you there is an urban army of single person households out there who would be delighted to buy or rent a single bedroom flat - if the price/standard/overall volume was right. There is also an army of people living in very over-crowded squalor.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224332#Comment_224332 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224332#Comment_224332 Wed, 13 May 2015 12:35:24 +0100 bella Posted By: fostertomGale & Snowden are architects for most if not all of the programme.
Perhaps they and the builders could be referenced in the letter to the minister

Sounds to me as if housing of the right kind might be number 1 on the list.

Another thought crosses my mind, maybe daft. Wind turbines. There is one big one a commercial site I pass often on the M4. It is never still. Wind turbines along motor ways where bordered by business parks?]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224338#Comment_224338 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224338#Comment_224338 Wed, 13 May 2015 14:19:21 +0100 GarethC
The quickest way for quality to suffer is if builders are -guaranteed- to be able to sell, regardless of quality, due to an extreme shortage of 'product'. Why bother going the extra mile (and incurring the extra cost) of improving the quality if you will sell anyway?

That's the situation we have now in the housing (and rental) market. We've had it for years, and there's no sign of it being fixed.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224346#Comment_224346 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224346#Comment_224346 Wed, 13 May 2015 16:40:00 +0100 SteamyTea Posted By: bella
Posted By: SteamyTeaI also think that 1 bed places should be outlawed. They encourage overcrowding

I can assure you there is an urban army of single person households out there who would be delighted to buy or rent a single bedroom flat - if the price/standard/overall volume was right. There is also an army of people living in very over-crowded squalor.
Posted By: GarethCThe quickest way for quality to suffer is if builders are -guaranteed- to be able to sell, regardless of quality, due to an extreme shortage of 'product'. Why bother going the extra mile (and incurring the extra cost) of improving the quality if you will sell anyway?

Yes, only offer one thing and make people feel grateful for it. Saves using imagination.


Posted By: bellaAnother thought crosses my mind, maybe daft. Wind turbines. There is one big one a commercial site I pass often on the M4. It is never still. Wind turbines along motor ways where bordered by business parks?
When I worked for a service station company I suggested they put some in. I just got laughed at. The most constructive criticism I got was that it would cause accidents. "Traffic lights cause accidents too" was my reply]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224404#Comment_224404 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224404#Comment_224404 Thu, 14 May 2015 13:07:58 +0100 djh Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224406#Comment_224406 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224406#Comment_224406 Thu, 14 May 2015 13:58:41 +0100 owlman Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224409#Comment_224409 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224409#Comment_224409 Thu, 14 May 2015 14:40:28 +0100 SteamyTea People and industry like to think that they waste nothing, the truth is far from this.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224416#Comment_224416 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224416#Comment_224416 Thu, 14 May 2015 17:33:30 +0100 gravelld
What caught my eye was that these blocks, which were by no means new, were all triple glazed, alu clad joinery (not sure what is under the aluminium).

They do things properly here!]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224456#Comment_224456 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224456#Comment_224456 Fri, 15 May 2015 10:52:45 +0100 djh Posted By: gravelldI'm currently in Munich for a conference. ... They do things properly here!
It's spelled Siemens, not Munich. Though admittedly there are one or two other companies in the area. :bigsmile:

Plus it has a few related centres of knowledge:

Technische Universität München, Institute of Building Physics

University of Applied Science Munich, Institute for Building Physics

Fraunhofer is Europe’s largest application-oriented research organization.
Headquarters of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft:

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
Postfach 20 07 33
80007 Munich, Germany]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224459#Comment_224459 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224459#Comment_224459 Fri, 15 May 2015 10:58:43 +0100 CWatters Posted By: renewablejohnWheres all these tax breaks for a listed building that I am missing out. All I see is extra expense using more expensive material like lime mortar.

The Government removed the zero-rating of alterations to listed buildings in October 2012. This was in the March 2012 " Budget.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224480#Comment_224480 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224480#Comment_224480 Fri, 15 May 2015 17:05:07 +0100 renewablejohn Posted By: CWatters
Posted By: renewablejohnWheres all these tax breaks for a listed building that I am missing out. All I see is extra expense using more expensive material like lime mortar.


The Government removed the zero-rating of alterations to listed buildings in October 2012. This was in the March 2012 " Budget.

If the council had not taken 4 years to give Listed Building consent I could have taken advantage of that.

The only benefit I can see with a Listed Building is not having to have an EPC when you come to sell it.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224484#Comment_224484 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224484#Comment_224484 Fri, 15 May 2015 18:17:36 +0100 fostertom Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224503#Comment_224503 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224503#Comment_224503 Sat, 16 May 2015 09:53:42 +0100 renewablejohn Posted By: fostertomBut think of all the prestige!

Unfortunately prestige does not pay the bills. Really only a caretaker ensuring the fabric is good for another 100 years.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224509#Comment_224509 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224509#Comment_224509 Sat, 16 May 2015 10:18:47 +0100 fostertom Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224553#Comment_224553 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224553#Comment_224553 Sun, 17 May 2015 14:48:24 +0100 Ed Davies
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/11609157/David-Camerons-green-crap-is-back-on-the-agenda.html?utm_content=buffer65d6f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224567#Comment_224567 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224567#Comment_224567 Sun, 17 May 2015 20:40:19 +0100 borpin Posted By: bella1. In 5 years build 500,000 modest dwellings (1-3 bedrooms) that do not require heating, have PV on S facing roofs and can be built bought for less that £100,000 or part owned or rented. Probably small blocks of flats with EWI and shared gardens in currently run down brownfield sites or suburbs would be most suitable.Personally I think this is key to lots of areas of the economy. I'd build them in small collectives so that the PV is equally distributed so not all roofs have to be S facing. Actually I would build them as blocks of maisonettes with flat roofs, that could be easily converted to varying sizes of houses. Saw a programme where a homeless couple were moved into a 3 bed flat - crazy! Initially all for social / council rental but with an element of ownership built in (makes folks more likely to look after them if they own a part of it). Scrap HS2 and borrow the money (at historically low rates) to build them.

How does it benefit;
1. Houses mean less on housing benefit - win.
2. Houses mean an address; and address = bank = increase likelihood of job - win
3. Apprentices - but build them using modern methods (NOT brick and block with a tiled roof) - TF with EWI on all 6 sides. - win
4. Rebalances a distorted Private rental market where the taxes we pay are lining private landlords pockets - win
5. generates GDP - economic activity - win
(Edit) 6. Rebalance the big builders as they have no incentive to build more houses as that would depress the price - win

so a win, win, win, win, win, win situation (sure I have forgotten a win)]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224568#Comment_224568 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224568#Comment_224568 Sun, 17 May 2015 20:43:53 +0100 borpin Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224569#Comment_224569 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224569#Comment_224569 Sun, 17 May 2015 20:47:12 +0100 borpin Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224584#Comment_224584 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224584#Comment_224584 Mon, 18 May 2015 10:09:38 +0100 djh Posted By: borpinMake energy more expensive the more you use.
Sorry, off-topic, but now the mansion tax is off the menu I saw a suggestion that a new council tax band would be introduced at the top end instead. It strikes me there's no need for either. Just change the basis of council tax so that as well as the fixed tax per band, there's also a percentage of rated value. You don't pay both, just whichever is greater. So normal people in normal houses are unaffected, but anybody with a very expensive house gets to pay more. And yes, I know I should be agonising about how rated values are calculated but ...]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224625#Comment_224625 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224625#Comment_224625 Tue, 19 May 2015 16:04:48 +0100 bella Posted By: borpin
Seems to me from this, and the collection of comments above, that housing development is an over-riding issue. A "must do" whatever the politics. So maybe concentrate on this? Just imagine how many dwellings with PV on the roof could have gone up in the fields along the M4 now covered with PV. Apart from anything else what is the plan for weed control? I have a horrible feeling I know the answer.

I don't know enough about wind turbines to suggest that these might have been a better use of the land but at least then the sheep could have harvested the grass and the small mammals and insects could have thrived. Does anyone have any further thoughts on wind turbines? Or perhaps how development and manufacture of cars that don't produce particulates of any kind could be encouraged? We seem to have a thriving car industry.

So, any objections if I draft you a letter to the minister, based on your responses so far?
Dwellings that a) do not need heating b) generate energy. Any thoughts on a better heading?]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224626#Comment_224626 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224626#Comment_224626 Tue, 19 May 2015 16:24:24 +0100 SteamyTea It is an interesting idea, along with the cars, which are probably the quickest way we can reduce energy usage, CO2 and pollutants.
Windturbines next to motorways are a very sensible idea. I had to work on a motorway once, it was as windy as hell, and it was August. Several years later I worked for a motorway service area company, it was still windy.]]> Amber Rudd https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224629#Comment_224629 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=13356&Focus=224629#Comment_224629 Tue, 19 May 2015 17:37:13 +0100 fostertom