Tim Pollard, Head of Sustainability at Plumb Center, believes that more needs to be done to help homeowners make the right choices when it comes to their heating.
Energy efficiency is a hot topic in the industry today, and the nub of the issue is that we’ve had really cheap energy. Most people wouldn’t believe that and they’d say – ‘my energy bill is massive, that’s ridiculous’, but actually we’ve benefitted from our own gas resources from the North Sea.
So we’ve had this relatively cheap energy, and we haven’t really cared if it leaks out the doors and windows or if our rooms are 28°C and the heating’s on all day. It’s only in the last six or seven years we’ve seen the inflation of energy prices in a quite dramatic sense.
That’s been a game changer. We’ve now got millions of people in fuel poverty, and, for the first time, people are looking at their white box on the wall and thinking: ‘I’m going to be a bit more interested in that, and I’m not going to wait until it breaks down’.
Things like insulation, heating controls and draft proofing are great ways to stop wasting heat, save a significant amount of money on energy bills, and provide installers with extra work – but not every householder knows about the benefits of these energy saving methods.
This is where installers come in. They’re the experts and the best people to promote energy efficiency. It’s alright me saying controls are great, but every customer is different and I don’t know people’s individual circumstances.
Installers identify the heating requirements of their customers’ homes, so their opinion is the one that matters.
There’s no better stimulus than the pound in your pocket – or the pound not in your pocket in this case. There are other gains like comfort and a nicer place to live, but customers are much more likely to be interested in the savings they can make through energy efficiency.
As an industry we’re working hard on all levels to tackle rising fuel prices and make sure homes have access to affordable energy. It’s all about winning hearts and minds, and installers are the key.
[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]
