Jan/Feb 2022

Sustainability
THE GRETA-EFFECT
Total Fabricator hears from Rob McGlennon, Managing Director of Deceuninck, who explains
how targets to cut carbon emissions and shifting consumer expectations has put sustainability
at the top of the agenda in the coming year.
are very few things which we can
be certain about but the importance of
“There
sustainability in construction, in home
improvement, in each and every aspect of our
lives, is one”, says Rob McGlennon, Managing
Director, Deceuninck.
“Pretending it’s not happening isn’t an option” he
continues, “companies that can’t evidence – and I
mean evidence – their green credentials are going
to be locked out of new build, and very soon, home
improvement.
“And that’s something progressive window and
door companies should, and are, embracing.”
Commercial window fabricators have had to
be able to demonstrate their environmental
commitments as a key element in winning
business for decades – but that’s now something
which should also be part of the pitch for trade
fabricators and installers, according to the
Deceuninck boss.
“I was recently at an event with a group
of installers, and they were talking about
Rob McGlennon
“This legislative
‘stick’ has been met
with increasing enduser
awareness and
expectation”
sustainability. One of those installers dismissed its
importance.
“It was one of those tumble-weed moments and
no one said anything, other than I said that I was
surprised that it didn’t resonate with consumers.
Ian Cocken says consumers are now much more
aware of the options available to them when
considering new or replacement windows.
Pretending sustainability isn’t there is
not an option, says Rob
“Later that day a couple of installers grabbed me
and said that they hadn’t wanted to contradict the
guy who had been speaking but that they were
regularly asked by homeowners about if products
were manufactured sustainably, and were using
the recovery and recycling of old PVC-U windows
as a way to win business.
“That sums up neatly where we find ourselves.
There are companies who don’t and may never
see the opportunity and those that will, are and
who are quietly already levering a commercial
advantage from it.”
Rob argues that there are two factors that are
converging to bring a certain amount of inevitability
to proceedings.
The first is the state of the UK’s notoriously energy
leaky housing stock.
Around 75 per cent of the residential properties
that will be occupied in 2050, already exist.
This makes improving the energy efficiency of our
existing housing stock key if the Government is to
reach its own targets to cut UK carbon emissions.
“This is the backdrop that we need to set
December’s changes to Part L against”, continues
Rob.
“New requirements for U-values are a direct output
from Government targets to cut carbon emissions.
“If it’s going to have a hope in getting anywhere
close to the targets that have been set, it’s going to
have to address the energy efficiency of homes.
“This includes not only new ones but those that
already exist – something reflected in the new
1.4W/m 2 K (or WER B rating) for replacement
windows and doors (introduced alongside the
1.2W/m 2 K introduced for new build) last month
[December].
22 T F JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN