DOORS&WINDOWS
WHEN SIZE DOES MATTER –
DOUBLE OR TRIPLE?
There was an impressive turnout at Edgetech’s Triple Glazing forum, held
at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena in April. Clearly, the industry grasps that TG is
coming – ready or not – and is keen to learn more about what is being
flagged up by some as the next big issue for the UK, for which it is still
relatively new ground and a potential important sales opportunity.
There was a strong lineup of
speakers at the event.
The speakers represented
glass and PVCu systems
companies, fabricators and
installers, hardware, machinery,
construction and software experts,
who between them covered
every aspect of the TG debate
- including Steve Scrivens,
Guardian Glass; VEKA’s Mark
Barsby; Grant Stratford from Yale;
GGF Chief Nigel Rees; Chris
Ashworth from Competitive
Advantage; Promac’s Joe Hague,
Steve Goble from Hegla, software
specialist Malcolm Searle; IGU
manufacturer Gaby Mendham
of Ecoglass; Emplas’s Mike
Crewdson; Mark Warren of Lister
Trade Frames; Chris Carter,
Everest Home Improvements.
Strangely, there was no reference
- in Chris Carter’s presentation
on sales opportunities - about
Everest’s advertising campaign,
which offers a ‘free upgrade’ to
TG.
Andy Jones, Edgetech MD
proved an accomplished compere
and the as well as providing a great
deal of helpful information both
in the open forum sessions and in
the expert arena, the audi ence had
the opportunity to put forward
their views easily using interactive
keypads, which helped move
things along smoothly.
Some of the percentages in the
polls were unexpected: more than
half (54%) of those present said
they would prefer to stick with
“clever” double glazing rather
than triple. There is concern
about the practicalities involved
in manufacturing TG, in glass
storage, transportation and
installation – as well as the need
for substantial investment, not
just in equipment but additional
workforce and training. Gaby
Mendham’s presentation – which
revealed that 90% more raw
material is needed to produce a
TG unit compared with a DG –
drew an interesting reaction from
the audience.
It was also revealed that one
of the selling points about
TG - noise reduction – was
unimpressive: just one decibel
better than with double glazing,
which can be discounted anyway
given that the human ear can only
detect a reduction in sound of
three decibels.
But despite these revelations,
more than three-quarters of the
audience (77%) said they believed
consumer demand for TG would
rise in the next 12 months.
And more than half (53%) said
they expected to be offering it
as an option within the next 12
months. Mark Warren and Mike
Crewdson had earlier conducted
their own survey which revealed
that on the surface, installers were
highly sceptical about TG, but
there was more optimism among
larger companies, which is not
surprising.
So far as the UK is concerned,
it is generally still a temperate
zone, apart from very exposed
locations, so perhaps the need
for TG is not, therefore, so great
as the Scandinavian or Canada
countries, for example, which
have had TG for decades.
One aspect the survey stressed
is that the industry needs to be
aware of is its responsibility to
consumers, in providing them
with accurate specifications and
not going down the route of
“giveaway” promotions.
The TG debate is now set to
continue in June at The FIT Show
at Telford.
80% OF INSTALLERS
UNAWARE OF STATUTORY
CHANGE IN IBG PROVISION
As many as 80% of window installers in
the home improvement sector may be
unaware of the impending changes to the
regulations affecting the Government’s
Competent Persons’ Schemes that will
prevent installations being registered unless
an Insurance Backed Guarantee is given to
homeowners as part of the installation.
So says HomePro, a leading IBG provider,
following research amongst installers in
anticipation of changes to be implemented by
46
MAY 2014
the Department of Communities and Local
Government (DCLG).
From 6 June this year the provision of
financial protection is mandatory as part of
the Self Assessment Certification procedures
required for all residential replacement window
installations; failure to provide evidence of
cover will result in installers being unable
to register their installations and therefore
failing to comply with Building Regulations.
Jim Keane, HomePro’s Compliance Manager
explained: “With these changes imminent we
surveyed installers of all sizes and disturbingly,
80% of the companies we called admitting to
no knowledge of the changes.”
“HomePro IBGs are widely accepted
by FENSA and CERTASS. Purchase and
registration is quick and simple for installers to
ensure compliance.”
Call 08707 384858 or www.HomePro.com
To read more, visit www.clearview-uk.com