Clearview National February 2019 - Issue 207 | Page 63
GLASS&SEALEDUNITS
Quiet Success
» » SIX MONTHS AFTER THE
relaunch of the Planitherm
Network by Saint-Gobain
Building Glass, one installer is
enjoying a “quiet success”.
The Planitherm Network is
designed to help fabricators and
installers to win more business
by upselling to homeowners
based on the comfort benefits
of different types of Planitherm
glass such as enhanced security,
reduced overheating, noise
reduction, energy efficiency and
furniture fade protection.
Mark Pearce, managing director
at KJM Group said: “I was really
impressed with the marketing
material and website available to
Planitherm Network members
and it has helped me to explain
the benefits of the different types
of glass to my customers in plain
English. One recent example has
been a customer who lives on a
busy road and on the Heathrow
flight path, so noise was a big
problem.
“We were contacted to provide
a quotation for secondary glazing
for the main bedrooms via email.
A price was sent for 8.8mm SGG
acoustic secondary glazing plus
a quotation for one small new
primary window with Comfort
Plus glass. This was duly accepted,
and a survey arranged. Whilst
there we advised that the existing
windows were in poor condition
as they were leaking sound and air.
The secondary was installed, and
an order placed for new primary
windows with Comfort Plus glass.
These have been installed and the
outcome beyond the customer’s
belief. They have since placed an
order for more windows with
Comfort Plus. Silence is golden!”
Kirsty Pamment, Market
Manager – Residential, Saint-
Gobain Building Glass UK &
Ireland, said: “The Planitherm
range is now available in three
options: Energy Standard for
maximum energy efficiency;
Comfort, which also offers
enhanced security, noise reduction
and furniture fade protection;
and Comfort Plus for all these
benefits plus solar control for
sunny rooms. It’s all about using
language that the consumer will
understand so that they choose
the right option for them. The
three-option range simplifies the
conversations yet highlights the
fact that choosing the right type
of glass will have a huge impact
on the performance of your
windows.
“A key benefit of the Planitherm
Network is the wealth of
information on the website and
access to sales and marketing tools
to help fabricators and installers to
start having different conversations
with their customers and choose
the right glass to meet their
changing needs.”
http://www.planitherm.com/
planitherm-network-home/
http://uk.saint-gobain-building-
glass.com
‘INTERPRETATION’ OF PART K
INCREASING COST AND RISK
» » THE ‘INTERPRETATIVE’
nature of specification under Part
K is leading to wide variations
in specification of IGUs and
balustrading, according to
Cornwall Glass.
The South West-based
glass processor says that in its
experience, requirements under
Part K: Protection from falling,
collision and impact, can be
interpreted ‘wildly differently’
by individual building control
officers.
This means that in many cases
product is being over-specified,
artificially inflating costs. More
worryingly, it also means that
some specifications are falling
considerably short of loading
and containment requirements,
representing a risk of injury and
death.
Ceawlin Hickman, Estimating
and Technical Representative,
Cornwall Glass, said: “Part K in
common with some other areas
of building regulations, sets out
the requirement for loadings in
specific IGU and balustrading
applications but isn’t explicit as to
how they’re to be achieved.
“This means it’s down to
interpretation of requirement.
It also means that installers,
builders and structural engineers
are frequently defaulting to a
catch-all specification, which
can artificially inflate their costs
compared to those of their
competitors. Or, much worse,
they’re not getting it right
and putting lives at risk. There
are significant differences in
requirement if it’s a u-channel
or post and rail system and the
industry and building inspectors
are not necessarily always tuned
into them.”
Over-sized units are now a
standard part of Cornwall Glass’
production run. These are for
the most part, manufactured at
Cornwall Glass’ purpose-built
IGU and processing factories.
Going into operation at the
beginning of 2016 this includes
its’ state-of-the-art Plymouth
IGU facility, which handles 57
different glass types, ranging from
4mm to 19mm specifications,
with capacity to manufacture up
to 2000 units each day.
“We’ve seen growth because
we work with our customers
to get specifications right.
Sometime that’s meant working
with them to take building
control through specifications of
IGUs or balustrading to explain
how products meet Part K”,
Ceawlin added. “That doesn’t
by default mean always moving
to a laminate, something which
can deliver significant savings on
larger contracts.”
www.cornwallglass.co.uk
C L E A RV I E W-U K . C O M » FE B 2019 » 63