June 9th, 2021 - Beth
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FENSA has promoted the energy efficiency benefits of replacement windows and doors in a series of radio interviews, as it continues its efforts to ensure that glazing is “front and centre” in any future government schemes designed to ‘green’ the UK’s housing stock, as well as continuing to raise the profile of FENSA Approved Installers with homeowners across the country.
Following the cancellation of the Green Homes Grant initiative earlier this year, FENSA’s Director of Membership, Chris Beedel and GGF Chief Development Officer, Anda Gregory hit the airwaves the length and breadth of the UK – from Aberdeenshire’s Deveron FM to BBC Three Counties Radio to raise awareness of the crucial role of glazing in improving energy efficiency in our homes, and in turn, meeting the government’s ambitious net zero targets.
Speaking live on air, Chris said: “As one of the glazing industry’s leading voices, along with our parent organisation, the Glass and Glazing Federation, we’re looking to provide the government with a solution to their Green Homes Grant problems, in terms of making homes more energy efficient and helping future schemes really become the major success that they should be.”
Anda added: “Glazing really can make a positive impact on energy efficiency for all of us, as homeowners or renters, by reducing the requirement for heating, and in turn, reducing heating bills.”
While glazing was included in the Green Homes Grant scheme as a secondary measure, FENSA continues to lobby for it to be made a primary concern in any future government initiatives.
Anda continued: “As well as energy efficiency benefits, new windows and doors can also make a property look amazing, and generally improve a resident’s quality of life, by reducing noise pollution and increasing security, for example.
“Windows and doors should be front and centre of any future ‘green’ scheme because they pull people in with these added benefits – which you don’t get from ‘behind the scenes’ type energy efficiency measures, such as loft insulation.”
While the Green Homes Grant scheme sparked confusion among consumers and installers, FENSA is also calling for any future initiative to be simplified for both parties.
Anda added: “Any qualifying criteria for installers needs to be realistic and we believe that being a FENSA Approved Installer should more than suffice for any scheme that might be launched in the future. This would enable a much wider take-up and increase availability of installers – a big win for consumers as well.”
Unlike the Green Homes Grant, which allowed only single to double replacement glazing, FENSA also maintains that any future scheme should permit replacing old double glazing with new, due to the energy efficiency benefits created by the technical advances of recent years.
FENSA also suggests cutting VAT on labour to 5% to incentivise more installers to sign up to any future scheme, and more consumers to use it, voicing these suggestions live on air.