INDUSTRYNEWS
ENERGY EFFICIENCY & MTC
The other major issue is to
continue the drive for energy
efficiency in buildings. It is a great
and worthy campaign because
state of the art windows not only
improve a property’s appearance,
energy efficiency and security but
they also provide a much more
comfortable environment to live
and/or work in. In addition
they also help reduce the impact
of carbon emissions on the
environment. It’s a cliché, but it
really is a win-win situation.
Another change is the
interaction between GGF and
Government Departments.
The interaction, awareness and
influence with Departments such
as DECC (Department of Energy
and Climate Change) and DCLG
(Department of Community
and Local Government) are
absolutely vital to ensure that
Government gets a clear message
from industry.
RISING TO THE CONSUMER
CHALLENGE
What do you see as the main
issues that lie ahead for the
Federation?
The primary objective for
the Federation is to retain and
acquire Members to maintain
its position as the authority and
leading trade organisation in the
industry.
The GGF also has a challenge
in providing the best information
and image for consumers to show
that glass and glazing is not full
of rogue traders and dishonest
salesmen. Product quality and
service has dramatically improved
over the past ten years and the
industry has a lot to be proud
of but the GGF has to continue
driving itself and its Members to
keep the standards high.
‘the big change for
all in the industry is
the introduction of
Minimum Technical
Competence
(MTC)’
In the more immediate term,
the big change for all in the
industry is the introduction of
Minimum Technical Competence
(MTC) which is now a
Government requirement. The
GGF has to play its part and this
has already been kick started with
FENSA promoting MTC and
more recently with GGF Training
Ltd, being set up to facilitate
compliance across the industry.
It is now up to all window and
door installers to ensure they are
fully compliant by 30 June 2014
so they can operate legally. My
advice is not to wait but to act
as soon as possible because the
sheer volume of installers could
potentially mean a shortage of
places available for assessment
and result in serious disruption to
business.
What are the advantages of
being a GGF Member?
For 10 years, my company,
Saint-Gobain deferred
membership, but during that
period we really suffered from
not gaining key information
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