HEAVYSIDE SPECIAL: ROOFING
THE PUSH TO NET ZERO
BMJ sat down with Stuart Nicholson, roofing and systems director at Marley to chat about how roofing companies can help the net zero agenda.
Q: How is current and new legislation going to affect the market? SN: The push for sustainable solutions will continue to gain momentum and is the driving force behind Part L and the forthcoming Future Homes Standard. The need to create low carbon, energy efficient housing is a central part of the Net Zero strategy and the growth in renewable solutions such as solar PV on roofscapes, is a practical answer increasingly sought out by consumers.
The advent of Part S of the Building Regulations, which stipulates that all new homes with parking spaces should have electric vehicle charging capability, is another example of how the construction sector – and its supply chain – is having to adapt design product specification and product availability to meet new sustainability responsibilities. For manufacturers, the importance of correctly classifying and marketing all products is coming under scrutiny following Dame Judith Hackitt’s 2018 published report – Building A Safer Future. The report confirmed radical change was needed for construction products, particularly in the areas of testing, information and marketing. In response to this report The Code for Construction Product (CCPI) was created. From September this year, we will begin to see the CCPI mark on products to provide assurance to product users that the product information is clear, accurate and accessible. To this end, Marley JB Red roofing battens have been assessed and verified with the CCPI product mark.
For merchants, the risks associated with promoting and selling non- compliant products can be significant, especially with the Building Safety Act and CCPI. Following counterfeit or fake roofing battens entering the market, merchants should continue to be due diligent and ensure the products they purchase comply with the regulations. This means ensuring only factory graded roofing battens that meet BS 5534 are produced by an established supplier with a recognised third-party certification, and/or the CCPI product mark.
Q: With the push to net zero, is there anything that roofing manufacturers can do to ensure they play their part? For example, there are increasing pressures to bring in solar panels etc, what is the company doing to ensure that the merchant sector plays its part? And, gets its share of the market? SN: Marley has been ahead of the curve when it comes to recognising emerging market trends, which, for example, now sees solar
November 2023
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
PV as an important part of today’s roofing product mix. With merchants positioned as an important link in the supply chain, we have invested in developing specific training resources to help merchants better understand the technology behind solar PV and support them as they educate their own customers.
Marley also provides in-depth training for roofing contractors in addition to unrivalled on-site installation support to enable those not yet experienced in solar PV technology – but who can see its business potential – to make the most of opportunities and deliver successful installations.
Through our strategy of educating the industry and supporting the uptake in demand, merchants can be confident that choosing Marley’s integrated solar PV solution will be on the back of concerted demand generation that we remain fully committed to.
Our continued commitment to delivering sustainable roofing answers means we have also received EPD verification across our entire solar PV range. An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) offers a tangible and a fact-based assessment of the environmental impact of a product. This is another positive message merchants can communicate to customers to build confidence that they are making the best product choices when they choose Marley.
Q: What styles and product types are going to be selling well over the next few years? Why, what's driving this? SN: Current growth is all about solar PV. The MCS released figures to show that solar PV is on the rise, with the number of installations in the first half of 2023 averaging above 20,000 each month. Such growth is founded on both legislation changes and heightened consumer awareness of the need to modify energy use because of high energy costs and seeking out alternative ways of generating energy sustainably. The modern consumer is also wanting to do their bit to help the planet during this time of extreme weather events. Another advantage to owning solar panels is that consumers can sell the energy they don’t use, which is produced by the panel, back to the grid. This is clear evidence that merchants should be prioritising increasing their knowledge around solar solutions and how best to advise their customers, who will be on the end of escalating consumer requests. To help merchants make the most of the wider sustainability drive, we have developed a wide range of renewable technology products so that merchants can offer a market-leading ‘one stop shop’ solution. The range includes SolarTile, an integrated solar panel that works seamlessly with Marley’s clay and concrete tiles, which comes with a 15-year guarantee when installed as part of a full roof system. We also offer inverters; an attractive, slimline, and effective EV charging solution; and ArcBox, an award-winning solar PV system connector to further enhance safe solar PV installations. BMJ
31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
