Insidethis issue 3 JULY/AUGUST 2026 VOLUME 64 ISSUE 6 Editor’s
Viewpoint by Chris Jones
Gaining consumer trust
If UK consumers are to get on board with large-scale home energy upgrades, then it is clear that they need to have confi dence in the people tasked with carrying out the work. A survey of over 1,000 homeowners carried out by Which? suggests that there is widespread uncertainty that an investment in renewables and energy upgrades will prove to be worthwhile, and a lack of trust in quality standards is a big factor in reinforcing this anxiety (see page 4). Those surveyed expressed the need for a recognised standard of authority and it seems that the government is responding to such calls by looking to create a public register of approved installers. The government could not turn a blind eye to the failure of
its ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme, which saw thousands of homes left needing costly repairs as a result of faulty installations. However, Westminster’s track record in establishing approved registration schemes suggests that potentially expensive errors will be repeated unless the voices of industry representatives are taken seriously. As damp-proofi ng experts Safeguard Europe point out, the
most eff ective form of consumer protection is not dealing with problems after they occur, but preventing them from happening in the fi rst place. That means ensuring retrofi t work is properly assessed, specifi ed and installed from the outset. Technical competence must sit alongside any future consumer protection framework, which means having a better appreciation of how changes to insulation, airtightness and heating systems can aff ect the movement of heat, air and moisture through a property. There will always be a minority of tradespeople looking to
cheat or defraud unsuspecting consumers, but targeting the professionals who disappoint due to technical incompetence will at least be a big step in regaining consumer confi dence.
Special Features 15
Bathroom Products
How to save time and money on bathroom refurbishment projects and the latest design trends
Regulars
04 News Review 09 Merchant News 10 Energy Matters 11 People on the Move 11 Horror Show 12 Gadgets & Tools 13 Training Update 14 Business Matters 14 Industry Viewpoint
Products in Action
24 Products in Action 34 Energy Saving Awards 35 Product News 38 Vans & Racking
See page 24 for the latest case studies
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25
Heating Controls
The latest advances in smart controls and how they can help to future-proof your customer’s home
29
Pipes, Fittings & Valves
The case for copper piping in sustainable building strategies and the benefi ts of stainless steel
Contributors
Ross Bliben Bathroom Products
15
Why installers should consider more sustainable alternatives to ripping out used bathroom products
Yulia Gilligham Heating Controls
26
Smart controls can make a big diff erence to the performance of electric heating systems
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