New research from Direct Line business insurance has found that three quarters (74%) of tradespeople have upskilled themselves to install green technology for clients as 79% see increasing demand for green technology installations in homes.
The report notes that 38% of tradespeople point to the cost of living crisis pushing people towards adopting money saving solutions, while other key factors included energy efficiency solutions increasing the value of homes (37%), the desire to futureproof homes as we move away from gas and oil reliance (31%), having more accessible and convenient electric vehicle charging (30%), and complying with the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) (28%), which requires landlords to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E or above in their properties.
Further factors include the general desire to be more environmentally friendly (25%) and the availability of government incentives such as grants, tax credits or rebates (23%).
Over a third of tradespeople (37%) said upskilling would create opportunities for a greater array of work, while 34% said upskilling would make them more employable, or that they are future proofing their business and workforce.
However, 30% of tradespeople find that there is enough work out there without needing to upskill, while 21% do not believe it will give them an advantage, 21% lack the time to upskill, and 18% cannot afford upskilling at all.
Alison Traboulsi, product manager at Direct Line business insurance, commented: “With ambitious net zero targets, the skills required to install green technology will be in huge demand in the coming years. It is encouraging to see the majority of tradespeople taking proactive steps to expand their skills set to meet this growing demand. By upskilling themselves, they are demonstrating their commitment to supporting customers in their transition to greener technology.”
