Glazpartners 2025
We all have a voice so let’ s use it
Change affects us all, both in business and our personal lives. Some of it will be good and some of it not so much, but when we get the opportunity to influence that change, we should take it.
The window and door industry has been no stranger to change over recent years, a lot of that change has come by way of Building Regulation amendments. Each of these amendments comes with a consultation process where we, as an industry can give feedback on the proposed changes. These consultations usually run for around 12 weeks. So far, The Future Homes Standard has included several of these consultation periods for Approved Document L for thermal efficiency, Approved Document O for overheating and Approved Document F for ventilation. We have long been awaiting a consultation for Approved Document Q – Security as well.
More will be coming. Here at the Glass and Glazing Federation we do everything we can to inform our members of the proposed amendments and assist them with their responses. We also always submit a response ourselves on behalf of our members. I know other Trade Federations follow a similar process. It really is a numbers game, industry needs as many responses as possible to influence the final outcome, the industry responses received for past consultations have not been in the number we would have expected given the wide-reaching challenges that business were facing and in a lot of cases still are facing because of the changes. Lower U value products, potentially game changing differences in how U values will be calculated meaning that every window and door will need its own bespoke calculation, increases in background ventilation, new requirements for overheating mitigation along with the potential for laminated glass to all easily accessible areas are just some of the challenges these consultations are presenting us with. Too often conversations are had after the changes are implemented that really should have been part of the consultation response. We shouldn’ t rely on someone else doing the work. We need, as an industry to get involved to influence these consultations. The only way to do that is to respond to it.
We have seen some positive progress for the last Future Homes Standard Consultation, MHCLG have told me that they were impressed with the Fenestration industries responses, not just in number but also technical detail. This has allowed us to engage with government policy writers directly to have even further influence on the final standard. The Glass and Glazing Federation have set up a Consultation Response Group to work on these consultations directly with government, the group includes representation across our sector including Council for Aluminium in Buildings, British Woodworking Federation and British
Plastics Federation as well as GGF members. The work they are involved in is vital to ensure the outcomes of consultations is both technically achievable but also continues to showcase industry innovations and drive standards up.
You can sign up to receive notifications and full detail of all Building Regulation consultations on the government website, or if you are a member of the Glass and Glazing Federation or other Trade Federations they will be able to help you formulate and submit a response. Every voice must be heard.
Kevin Jones, Head of Technical Glass and Glazing Federation, www. ggf. org. uk
6 SEPTEMBER 2025 GLAZPART. COM