52 BUILDING FABRIC; FINANCE, INSURANCE & SOFTWARE
THE GLAZING INDUSTRY NEEDS TO ADAPT TO RAPID CHANGES IN SOCIETY BY PROVIDING INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
it remains to be seen if the growth in residential developments will continue over the next 12 months. We can be certain that the supply chain
and the ongoing effects of the pandemic will be the defining factors for the direc- tion in which the market takes.
SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability continues to be high on the agenda of all building product manufac- turers, and this will only be accelerated following the recent COP26 conference. With focus on thermal insulation in Part L and the Future Homes legislation, the industry as a whole will have to review the products it manufactures, fabricates and installs.
With the entire industry now committed to working towards a zero carbon approach for 2050, being able to demon- strate green credentials as a manufacturer and supplier will become increasingly important. While in some places it has already begun, in future, tenders will require the ability to demonstrate green credentials and certifications. This is because developers and contractors use this as part of their value proposition to clients; they want to show that they have a transparent and green supply chain.
SUPPLY CHAIN Supply chain issues experienced in 2021 are expected to continue, however some suppliers have mitigated against these risks by employing additional workers, implementing intensive training, and partnering with new suppliers. While there has been a spike in people investing in home improvements, it is the supply chain which will drive the market depending on availability of materials and, given that there is currently a capac- ity issue on materials and labour, that customers may have to wait longer for work to be completed. Fortunately, the residential market should begin to stabilise, and there is plenty of market share, but ultimately it is
the supply chain that will affect the way in which the market goes. From that perspective, in the near future traditional builds on site will change, with modular construction coming more to the forefront, saving time and speeding up production to meet the demand.
VENTILATION Ventilation, thermals and acoustics have been driving the glazing industry for a decade from a design point of view. Part F of the Building Regulations forces a change regarding ventilation. Traditional methods of ventilation such as natural ventilation (opening a window) and trickle ventilation (vents) are often considered ineffective because they are either draughty or allow in intrusive outside noise. As society is getting louder, residential settings are starting to pose a challenge for noise control. Mechanical ventilation could be the way forward in domestic settings; however, this poses a balancing act between ventilation and energy. In order to achieve targets and aspirations there needs to be a real change in regulations.
John McComb is technical director at Reynaers Aluminium UK.
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