The UK Construction Blog

Up to 65,000 jobs could be created in the green housing industry, which will include construction, if plans to transform British homes get underway.

The government has revealed that over the next ten years homes will be made more energy efficient, making them cheaper to run, warmer and more comfortable.

Up to seven million households are set to benefit from the green upgrades by 2020, something the construction industry could be keen to take part in to create a more sustainable housing stock.

According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), a quarter of the UK’s emissions come from homes.

“There’s a driving force behind the green homes movement with homeowners, developers and local authorities lining up to get on board,” said John Healey, housing minister.

Under the proposals six million homes should be insulated by the end of 2011.

DECC was created in 2008 and has seven strategic objectives including reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, allowing businesses to benefit from a low-carbon future and ensure the country’s future energy supplies are secured.

It is now officially unlawful for trade union members to be denied employment through blacklists, under regulations that came into effect yesterday.

The government introduced the rules to prevent employers from blacklisting workers for their trade union membership, after evidence was uncovered last March that a number of employers in the construction sector had been unlawfully vetting workers.

The move follows public consultation on the subject.

Employment relations minister Lord Young said: “The new regulations outlaw the compilation, dissemination and use of blacklists. They have been designed to build on existing protections in the area, which are found in trade union and data protection law. Good employers who operate fair and open vetting processes have nothing to fear from these regulations.

He added: “I am confident that this new piece of legislation will bring to an end the disreputable practice of blacklisting once and for all.”

The regulations:

• make it unlawful for organisations to refuse employment or sack individuals as a result of appearing on a blacklist;

• make it unlawful for employment agencies to refuse to provide a service on the basis of an individual appearing on a blacklist; and • enable individuals or unions to pursue compensation or solicit action against those who compile, distribute or use blacklists.

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