FROM THE EDITOR
Going all out
» IN LAST MONTH ’ S INTRO , I WROTE about all the trips we had planned in October that would take us around the country , visiting customers , attending events and going to shows and expos . Perhaps all this travelling made us a little homesick because when we got back to Barnsley HQ , a new feature was born and just like our team – when we travel around – it is unmistakeably Northern .
Famous for its hills and mills , the north of England has been a powerhouse of UK manufacturing since the Industrial Revolution . And , the first ever NorthernView features the very best of fenestration from the north , showcasing the skills and innovation in our region and discussing some the challenges we face / have faced in our own sector and the wider business world .
We ’ ve teamed up with proud , northern manufacturers , fabricators and suppliers to build a picture of what makes our businesses – and the people work in them – so unique , special and successful . This is a chance to forge stronger connections between Northern businesses , turn the spotlight on our heritage as industrial pioneers and blaze trails into the future of fenestration through skills programmes , design and development , and the engineering prowess that runs in our blood .
But , with all travelling around the industry , up and down the country , we also know that every region has its USPs and plenty to shout about too . So , as we ’ ve also been putting together our forward features list for 2024 , we couldn ’ t leave out the Midlands nor the South . We ’ re already putting together our wish list of brands and businesses we ’ d like to highlight for MidlandsView ( March ), SouthernView ( July ) and our follow up NorthernView this time next year , and we ’ d love to hear from you if you ’ d like to be in them ( or have suggestions for other areas you think we have missed )!
We haven ’ t just added these to our feature list though , looking ahead we ’ ve scheduled in some other brand-new topics and themes that we ’ re excited to explore further as fenestration continues to evolve , technology develops , and new standards get ever closer . As we already get to work on the final issue of 2023 , and start to take bookings for our now-famous Annual Predictions in our January magazines , we ’ re looking forward to the following 11 months at Clearview and Pro Installer , so get in touch for the 2024 features calendar to see what ’ s in store and how you can get involved .
See you next month , Gemma
GGF Attends Meeting at Number 10 to Make the Case for Glazing
» IN A BID TO EFFECT change by continuing to lobby government , four officers of the Glass and Glazing Federation ( GGF ) attended a meeting at Number 10 with Rishi Sunak ’ s Political Adviser , Ameet Jogia , MBE , to discuss the role of glazing in reducing the nation ’ s carbon emissions .
John Agnew , Group Managing Director at the GGF , explains : “ The GGF recently conducted a comprehensive piece of research into the part glazing can play in achieving Net Zero , and the results were conclusive . Despite the fact 86 % of homes already have double glazing ( the government ’ s previous argument for excluding the sector from the Energy Company Obligation ( ECO +) Scheme ), we all know that this isn ’ t the full story . For example , seventy per cent of windows installed since 2002 were C rated and so don ’ t meet the building standards relevant today .
“ On completion , the GGF translated the research into an easy-to-read infographic entitled ‘ A Window of Opportunity ’ to highlight the difference glazing can make . This is the document we presented to government .”
Four officers of the GGF including Ben Wallace , Group Head of Membership & Customer Relations at the GGF , David Borland , Head of GGF Technical , John Agnew , Group Managing Director at the GGF , and Natalie Little , President at the GGF , attended the meeting to present the facts .
Natalie Little continues : “ We successfully highlighted to government that the research calculates a significant 80 million windows would benefit from immediate replacement , saving as much C02 as taking 1.88 million cars off the road . We were also able to demonstrate the timely cost saving benefit to individuals as the research estimates the average annual saving per household for upgrading windows to current standards at £ 395 . The ‘ Window of Opportunity ’ Document leaves little room for scepticism about the impact of glazing on carbon emissions , but we will continue to support the industry by gathering and collating the facts and presenting them to the people that have the power to make a change .”
www . ggf . org . uk
4 NOVEMBER 2023 CLEARVIEW-UK . COM