A tool that will allow small and medium sized businesses to monitor a countdown to low carbon policies has been launched to provide key signposts for the industry.

The initiative is part of the Cut the Carbon campaign, launched by CITB-ConstructionSkills, the National Specialist Contractors Council and the Federation of Master Builders.

The alerts will count down to any forthcoming low carbon policy and legislation, such as the Green Deal and the Green Investment Bank to help SMEs recognise the skills and knowledge they require by a ‘deadline’.

“Navigating through low carbon policy and legislation can be extremely time-consuming for small businesses such as ours and it can often be difficult to know what to do when. A simple alert that not only updates us on impending low carbon requirements but importantly also tells us how we can obtain the skills and knowledge to respond will be invaluable,” said Jenny Chappel at Chappell and Dix Ltd, a SME building contractor and joiner.

It is hoped the alerts’ signposting of key policies will create an opportunity for SMes to win low carbon work, according to Mark Farrar, chief executive of CITB-ConstructionSkills. “We know it can be difficult for small business in this challenging climate to stay up to speed – the Countdown Alert Service helps them to understand what they need to do to be compliant, when, and how to make the most of opportunites that are on offer.”

www.cskils.com/cutcarbon