Bent Industry Organisations

I have tried desperately myself to keep optimistic about the WER scheme and it's enforcement on October 1st. But after finding out what I have over the past 48 hours, I've lost all faith I had in it. The more the BFRC's plan has unravelled, the more it looks as though it has just been a money making scheme from day one.

When WER ratings were introduced, this looked to be a great new selling tool. It would help companies differentiate themselves from their competitors and try to boost sales. The industry had a shiny new toy, yet most didn't want to play with it.

Then, at the beginning of this year, the BFRC announced the option for installers to register their products in their own name so they could obtain an energy ratings certificate with their name on the top. Obviously there was a price to pay, hundreds in fact. So as you can imagine, there wasn't a massive uptake from that initiative. But there was never going to be. Having an installers name on a WER certificate was never going to have any selling advantage.

So, come Summer, we had the Part L decisions to digest. And lo and behold, the decision makers thought it would be a novel idea that for installers to show energy efficiency compliance, they HAD TO HAVE one of these WER certificates. How handy is that!? Just weeks after the BFRC announced the option to put installers' name at the top of their certificates, it's suddenly announced that it's now law, and we would have to pay for it!! Who's been scratching who's back I ask!

Still, we seemed to handle that OK, and just got on with the business at hand. But a few started to look at the science behind it all, and how the BFRC had come up with their results. Champion of this was Kevin Ahern. His main quarrel was with how the solar gain factor was calculated, and especially how north facing areas were factored into their equations. But, after repeated requests to Giles Wilson, his questions returned unanswered. This for me is where this whole scheme started to unravel, and quickly. The whole credibility of the scheme was brought into question and the very fathers of the scheme couldn't come out and defend it.

This rumbled off for a while, and was replaced with the short, sharp rejection of the DGCOS - another ombudsman scheme a tired, clogged up industry didn't need. But before long Part L changes were the main topic of discussion - mainly doors this time and how they were going to be passed. We thought that doors 50% glazed or more had to have a U-Value of 1.8 or less. Hence the rush and panic to get all the industry's doors tested in time.

Then, over the weekend on the GlassTalk website, Quorn Conservatories received this letter from FENSA:

Compliance Against a Minimum U Value
a) Simple Method


If you are installing a PVC or a timber and the frame is fitted with sealed units which make use of soft-coat Low E Glass, warm edge spacer (minimum 16mm) and 90% argon gas, Then FENSA will consider without further evidence that the U value of 1.6 has been achieved i.e there will be no need to provide further evidence to the consumer or to the FENSA inspector, providing there is no evidence to suggest that our assumption is incorrect. (In timber windows the depth of the frame from front to back must be a minimum of 70mm).

Up until this, we were all under the impression we had to either have a WER certificate showing a C rating or better, or a similar piece of paper showing a U-Value of 1.6 or better. But according to what FENSA have said above, we don't need any sort of paperwork to prove this, we just have to let them know we are fitting windows to that standard if they want to drop in for one of their checks.

So, where are we now? Basically, thousands of companies have spent thousands of pounds testing dozens of products to obtain certificates to show compliance, only for FENSA to tell us right at the very last minute that we don't need all that!

What message is this going to send out to all the clowns and cowboys in this industry! They are still going to be able to get away with fitting a load of old shite, passing it off as efficient and get away with it. While others have been playing to the supposed new rules and gone down the certification route, for it all to be a waste of time money and resources.

BFRC, GGF, FENSA - you should all hang your heads in shame. You've conned money out of the companies that you were supposed to be helping. I've been in this industry for just over four years full time, and have heard about some of the things that have gone on in our proud industry. I kept faith in industry bodies that everyone was saying were corrupt, but I ignored them, and it turns out foolishly. Your actions and handling of this whole episode show a complete lack of understanding about the industry you represent. The industry was never ready for this sort of upheaval, but you knew that. You knew that if you made certification law, installers would just simply hand money over to line your pockets.

All I can say is well done. You've managed to piss off an entire industry, and to alienate it even more. If you were to tell me a million times that what I have just alleged is wrong, I still would not believe a single word. You've lost yourself a member of the younger generation that will one day soon take the place of those in position now.

This Is Why The Industry Is A Joke!

I've just read an e-mail sent by FENSA setting out information about the coming changes to Part L. On the last page of that e-mail it goes on to say: "It is generally anticipated the revisions will require at least a BFRC 'C' energy rated window and probably an equally demanding alternative method to demonstrate compliance".

So there we go. We can just about guarantee that we are either going to have to register and pay for certification, or go back to showing U-values to show that everything is above board and legal. But, because the A-G energy rated scale is recognisable to the general public, the BFRC can almost guarantee that nearly everyone will sign up to their method of compliance and make an absolute (and devious) fortune.

But it goes on. FENSA are nicely putting on a whole host of seminars to aid businesses into this transition, ready for 1st October. But you have to pay £25 + VAT per delegate. What a rip off! So they want us to pay hundreds of pounds for a certificate that hasn't even been proven to be accurate yet, then pay through the nose to be told roughly what we already know already! Frankly I think some piss taking is going on round about now. With the money the BFRC are going to make, it would have been nice to have a few free seminars, or at least some shiny new booklets explaining everything to us.

We Are Running Out Of Steam

It might just be me, but when I place myself on the outside of this industry and look in, we all seem to be a bunch of people with good intentions but no energy to go forth and carry out the actions we say we want to. And I mean that in the broadest sense of the meaning. First example would be the Fighting Back With Facts campaign, we don't hear anything of that anymore. There was such a big worry that timber was going to make a comeback and our industry could be under threat. Yet only after a few months the energy out of that has drained away.

Another example is the Part L changes that are going to say we need to buy BFRC licenses in order to comply with the new regulations. We all know that it’s just a money making exercise, but what are we doing about it? Nothing! In fact I think I'm the only one to really have mentioned anything about it at all. But, as usual, we won't do anything about it. The GGF is going to make countless unnecessary millions out of our industry when we need it more.

Third example: WER's. Why is it that only under a third of double glazing companies are selling energy rated windows? Why is it that when one of the best selling opportunities comes our way, our industry is too bone idol and lazy to take advantage of it?!

Fourth example: exhibitions. Glassex, the true national exhibition for our industry has petered out into such a sub-event that it had to be partnered with Interbuild just so it could have a show this year. Pathetic! At least were trying something new with GlassTalk.

Fifth example: the internet. I still don't believe our industry has really taken the internet bull by the horns and put it to good use. By this I mean internally. We have so much to offer each other, yet there are only a few blogs like this one knocking about. And on top of that, people should be leaving more comments. The more feedback on the issues we talk about the better. That way we can make and shape our future decisions better. I always try and make a point of commenting on industry related blogs, RCG will know that!

I could think of more but I'm sure you all get the point. If were going to talk about injustices in our industry or talk about changing the industry as a whole, we need to stop talking about it and start actually doing it and follow it through to the end!

P.S. The windows scrappage scheme petition was going to be another example but I think we all know that fell on its arse!

Building Regulation Changes To Have Installers Over A Barrel

I said on RCG's blog I wouldn't write a post about the changes to Document L because Kevin Ahern covered my point well. But I'm going to, and I'm going to be blunt!

I think the BFRC and the GGF had all this planned months ago, it's all too convenient! The BFRC set up the OPTIONAL Authorised Retailers scheme to let installers have WER certificates in their own name, which they have to pay for of course. Then the busy bodies who decide on rule changes decide it's a good idea to change the compliance to Part L to needing to have a WER certificate in the installer’s name. How coincidental, so when the changes come into force in 2010, installers will have to buy the BFRC certification and licences anyway!

This just shows just how bent our industry really is, trying to scheme more money out of us, then changing the rules to make it necessary anyway!

SIGN THE WINDOWS SCRAPPAGE SCHEME PETITION NOW!: http://www.petitions.number10.gov.uk/windowscrappage

Authorised Retailers Scheme Update

The WER supplement to the Glass Times magazine has provided information on the costs involved to join the Authorised Retailers scheme. They are as follows:

• There is a one off registration fee of £200
• To licence a single product (per annum): £199
• To licence multiple products (per annum): £399

They do also point out however that between the 1st September and 28th February 2010, there will be an introductory offer of £75 for the one off registration fee. Though I doubt that will swing many undecided firms.

To me the costs are ridiculous. This is just another quick way to try and squeeze yet more money out of retailers, already struggling through the recession. I doubt the uptake on this scheme will be massive. Until installers see this as being a genuinely useful tool, and not another money making plan, few will join.

Authorised Retailer Scheme from the BFRC

As of the 1st September, installers will now be able to install their energy rated windows under their own labels, and not their supplier's. From the selling angle, this is great for installers, as I'm sure many would rather advertise energy rated windows under their own label, and not their supplier's.

For a change there doesn't seem to be much hassle and hard work to gain this status. After early study, to become an Authorised Retailer the installer must purchase the complete product from a licence holding manufacturer (which is what almost all will be doing now), fill in application forms which would be supplied by the BFRC, agree to the T's and C's and pay the relevant BFRC fees. So there shouldn't be much leg work.

Installers will now be able to push their own energy rated window labels to their advantage.

One thing that's lacking is any substantial information on the scheme on the BFRC website, but it may just be that it's waiting to be updated. Personally I've always found the website a bit wishy-washy.