ROOFING


ROOFING INDUSTRY Stuart Nicholson, roof systems director at Marley, looks at the implications for the sector of the changes to Part L.


W


ith the uplift changes to Part L of the Building regulations now in effect in England, this next step towards the Government’s


objective of net zero emissions by 2050 is an important milestone for our industry. The new regulations, which set the standard for thermal performance and energy efficiency, provide a welcome foundation towards achiev- ing the energy performance requirements set out in the government’s Future Homes Standard. With targets set out in Part L to reduce carbon emissions in new homes by 31%, it is widely acknowledged while there are several ways that these targets can be met, currently one of the most cost-effective ways is by utiliz- ing a combination of an efficient gas boiler or heat pump along with a solar photovoltaics (PV) system on the roof. Awareness of solar PV to deliver greener and more efficient energy is on the rise. With 40% of housebuilders, specifiers and archi- tects recently polled by Marley saying they are already aware of the impact solar PV can have as a sustainable technology within the overall building fabric.


This adds further confidence to forecasts that the inclusion of solar PV, such as Marley SolarTile®, as part of an integrated roofing system will deliver dividends to the industry as it implements Part L changes. In addition to the low carbon benefits offered by Solar PV, it also supports homeowners seeking better energy efficiency at a time of escalating energy bills.


However, while Part L is to be welcomed, it is also important that support and knowledge is available to those working in the industry, so that they are equipped with the necessary resources to successfully fulfill these changes. When questioned about confidence levels,


our research revealed that more than two thirds of housebuilders, and 79% of architects and specifiers, said they were ‘not confident’ or ‘unsure’ about the changes, with ‘lack of skills to implement the changes’ identified as one of the primary challenges to implementa- tion. It is therefore important that the industry now comes together as one to empower those working in the sector to deliver these changes and in doing so ensure the design and devel- opment of new build homes across the UK that exceed Building Regulation standards.”BMJ


RUSSELL REAPS INVESTMENT REWARD Russell Roof Tiles has unveiled its £2m new facility in Scotland.


R 34


ussell Roof Tiles (RRT) has officially unveiled a new £2m upgraded utility plant at its 11-acre site at Lochmaben, Scotland.


The project was started in 2020 but both construction and machinery was delayed due to the impacts of Covid-19. The new facility uses the latest robotic technology – the firm’s first robotic packer - from specialists Vortex Hydra - which will both improve production speeds, efficiencies and futureproofs the facility for the next 20 years. Bruce Laidlaw, Operations Director, led the


project and says: “Working closely with Vortex Hydra, the original machine suppliers, the speci- fication focused on overhauling and upgrading all key machines required to manufacture the


roof tiles. Part of this was focused on increasing the speed of the production line, and installing robots in the packing system, a first for us.” “We have very quickly seen benefits with much improved efficiencies at the higher speeds, which in turn has helped service the high ongoing demand for our products in our key markets of Scotland and North England.” Andrew Hayward, managing director at said: “These major improvements will allow us to increase the capacity. This is an important milestone in Russell Roof Tiles’ long term capital improvement plan to further enhance quality across the business, utilising the latest innova- tions in manufacturing.” Russell Roof Tiles CEO Juan Prestamo officially opened the facility.


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net July 2022 PART ‘L’ OF A MILESTONE FOR


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