What does the Climate Change white paper mean for the trades industry in Victoria?
Renovation Quotes
from local renovators
Businesses are really just a collection of people, and so many of the changes experienced as individuals will be experienced by trades businesses, especially with the extension of the Energy Saver Incentive scheme to small and medium businesses (previously only for households).
But there is also a further effect to businesses who work in trades related to the actual delivery of the goals outlined in the white paper.
Why would trades businesses be affected?
Reducing carbon emissions means changing the way people and homes consume energy and what type of energy is consumed. One of the goals of the white paper is to support cleaner and more efficient homes, through a comprehensive retrofit program. The government aims to deliver this retrofit program to help Victorian householders reduce their energy consumption through energy efficiency upgrades - and many of the items in this retrofit plan involve the tradespeople who are licensed to work on energy infrastructure, along with trades like builders, window suppliers and installers, architects, even landscapers and gardeners, etc.
What will the government do to support increased demand?
When asked whether the industry could cope with the increased demand for housing retrofits, the government responded that they would invest $5 million to support sustainability-related skill development (Building a Green Future fund) with $5 million more to help VET students access green skills.
In short, it is likely that there will be an increased demand for trades services, and increased demand for training in sustainability-related skills - support for which will be given by the government. It seems a great time to be a green tradie!
What now?
More will inevitably become clearer when the detailed implementation plan is published. Or perhaps, some skeptics may say that it will become less clear (or not published at all). We'll wait and see. In the meantime, we know many of our tradespeople have already taken steps forward in sustainable practice training or accreditation and encourage everyone to look to the inevitable future.
Renovation Quotes
from local renovators
