Tim Pollard, Head of Sustainability at Plumb Center, argues that it may be worth revisiting renewables as a potential business opportunity.
We are all consumers. Whether we’re buying our weekly shop, a new TV or a computer, every one of us is someone’s customer.
Most of us are ‘inexpert buyers’ when it comes to the purchases we make, so we seek advice from the people in the know. When buying a new car for example, we’ll ask our local mechanic for their advice and read reviews to make sure we’re getting something that’s suited to our needs.
The problem is sometimes the ‘experts’ get it wrong. Take Lord Kelvin for example, a British mathematician and physicist in the late 1800s and early 1900s, who stated that ‘heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible’. Then there’s Decca Records, which scored an outrageous own goal in 1961 by claiming ‘the Beatles have no future in show business’.
Now I can be in New York in under eight hours, and I can spend that time listening to the Beatles’ discography, which includes 17 UK number one singles.
The point I’m trying to make is sometimes we don’t get it right the first time and things are worth revisiting further down the line.
Look at the renewables industry. Many installers went out a couple of years ago and got their MCS certification ready for the launch of the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) only for it to be delayed.
This could have left them out of pocket because the demand for renewable heating systems wasn’t as high as they were expecting and that could have put them off altogether.
But now, in 2014, the domestic RHI has launched and renewable technology is more affordable than ever for the public. What householders want is a nice, warm place to live with plenty of hot water but minimum cost and hassle, and heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal could provide that.
Those installers who were put off renewables in the past could now benefit from taking another look at the market. Some people, especially those living in off-grid areas, could see real savings by switching to a renewable heating system, and they’ll need someone to give them expert advice, install and service it.
As the saying goes ‘it pays to be prepared’, and Plumb Center can help every step of the way.
[author image=”https://www.installeronline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/timpheadshot.jpg” ]Tim Pollard is Head of Sustainability for Plumb and Parts Center, and believes passionately in the provision of sustainable construction solutions which are practical, effective and economic. Tim played an instrumental role in launching the Sustainable Building Center in Leamington Spa, which was opened in 2008 as the UK’s first commercial showcase for sustainable building products and construction methods, and is head of the team which is defining Plumb and Parts Center’s sustainable product offer and its commercial implementation. During his 25-year career, Tim has developed a breadth of knowledge which stretches across a wide range of products and technologies together with the implications and requirements of a sustainable supply chain. He regularly speaks at industry conferences throughout the UK and is actively involved in activities within the local community, especially involving young people. [/author]
