Fit for the future
Regulation is the primary driver of change in any industry. As the sector awaits the outcome of the Future Homes Standard consultation, John McComb, technical services director at Reynaers Aluminium UK, provides some insight on the impact the changes will have on the industry.
The built environment produces around 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, with more than a third produced by homes. The implementation of the Future Homes Standard is designed to accelerate the reduction of domestic carbon emissions and paves the way to decrease industry-wide emissions by 75% from 2025 – a necessary step if the UK has any chance of meeting its net zero ambitions by 2050.
The industry responded well to the interim uplift to Part L in 2022, the upgrade in values hasn’t posed too much of a challenge. For Reynaers, we’d already spent the previous two years benchmarking our full product range to make sure they complied with (or exceeded) the 2022 standards.
We continue to feed into the government consultation and play an active role in the industry, working closely with trade bodies, such as the Council of Aluminium and GGF, to keep a track of legislative changes coming down the line.
However, the next round of updates are likely to be significant – certainly in the new build sector – and have far reaching implications for the whole industry. We won’t know for certain until the consultation outcome is announced, but we believe that the U-value ratings for windows and door replacements in existing buildings are likely to remain at the same level as those introduced in 2022 (1.4W (m2k)).
However, because the emissions reduction target for 2025 has been set at 80%, we believe that the upgrade in values for windows and doors in new buildings is likely be a substantial reduction on the current levels. Consultation is also ongoing on likely changes to British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC) compliance standards, which will also have an impact post 2025, especially for fabricators and installers working in the trade and retail sectors.
The new regulations will inevitably impact the whole fenestration industry. And time is already of the essence – manufacturers should already be investing in developing the next generation of thermally efficient products, or risk losing out to those who are already making in-roads in this area.
To put the challenge the industry is facing in context, it typically takes Reynaers around 18 months to three years to develop a new product or system. This includes initial concept to prototyping, testing then manufacturing. Having our own testing capabilities, of which we have seven facilities across the group, enables us to accelerate progress.
Being a part of a global group has also meant that we’re able to benefit from the expertise and experience gained in other territories.
For example, this level of thermal performance is already being sought across other markets in Europe, in Switzerland and Scandanavia. So, we have been a part of the product development process working with our European colleagues to overcome the technical challenges involved in designing products with increasingly higher insulation levels.
Having a good understanding of the efficiency roadmap has also enabled us to get ahead of the game and begin to stretch the boundaries when it comes to developing a full suite of products that are fit for the future. The MasterPatio range is a prime example of this which has been developed to meet demands for better thermal performance that perfectly incorporates the latest architectural features.
This is an exciting and challenging time for the industry. The work we’re doing today will help to create the systems that are fit for the future that offer improvements across the board from better thermal efficiency, performance and security, as well as helping to meet our aspirations to contribute to building a more sustainable world.