Seeing through the mist

The post-war American President Harry S Truman used to say: ‘If you can’t convince them, confuse them’, and perhaps this comment has lost none of its irony when applied to some of the expansive discussions on WER that have appeared in most of the recent trade publications.

Alright: it’s new; and it’s something exciting in a difficult market – but one shouldn’t lose perspective in understanding what it means at all levels of the industry. As a sector, we have this unerring propensity to try and go from ‘zero to hero’ without addressing the realities of the market in which we all operate.

What is meant by this? Well: there has been the procession of ‘Bloggs Windows achieve a Band A rating’ in articles in the trade press. Commendable: but how did they achieve it (after all, if you replaced the sealed unit with a piece of MDF you could also achieve it!) and more importantly, did they need to do it? Contentious statement?

Well back to the old business mantra, ‘Before you can manage a problem, you need to understand what the problem is’. So let's try and dispense with some of the mystique involved and examine how WER affects the relevant sectors of the industry.

Firstly, what is WER, who are the BFRC and what WER Band(s) should one go for?

Within the A – G scale of energy efficiency, Bands D and E will be alternative submissions to U-value in respect of Building Regulations. Whichever band achieved, one will be eligible to use the WER rating label. Achievement of Band C or above will additionally qualify the holder to use the Energy Savings Recommended logo.

Before deciding which Band(s) to go for, and how to go about getting them, it is important to look at the scheme as a whole and how it applies to a business.

Before making a WER response, the main areas for consideration prior to the approach can be detailed as follows:

1). Building Regulations

2). Customer demand

3). Competitor activity

4). Quality system

5). Product

6). Pricing & Profitability

Buildings Regulations

Firstly, it is not necessary to offer a WER window to satisfy Building Regulations. From April 2006, WER ratings can be used as an alternative to the U-value calculation that has been used up until now. It doesn’t matter if the window isn’t WER rated as long U-value requirement is satisfied. In terms of WER Bands, Band E is acceptable for replacement windows, while Band D is required for New Build.

It is likely that the Building Regulations will change in terms of reducing the U-Value and subsequently raising the WER Band rating; but this is not anticipated until at least 2007.

Customer demand?

There are obviously environmentally concerned consumers who will respond positively to this type of product offer and to whom price is not an issue. However, other consumers may well desire energy efficient windows but may not be willing to pay the price for Band A rated products. Consumers are likely to become more aware of energy efficient windows with agencies like the BFRC and the Energy Savings Trust planning marketing campaigns to both the consumer and to trade organisations – and the promotional activity and themes of any given business and its competitors will also have an influence.

Similarly, it is almost certain that architects and specifiers will start to cite WER Band ratings within their specifications.

Retail fabricators and installers will have to respond to any competitor activity in their market place. Whilst it is unlikely that the majority of companies will opt to provide WER products rated C or above as their only offering, it may well be necessary to consider offering at least two different WER Banded products.

Competitor activity

It is inconceivable that the national direct sell companies will choose to ignore WER rated products. It is believed that they will promote these products, although it is not yet clear what Band they will choose to promote.

It is likely that many fabricators will offer their customers WER rated products – although for trade frame fabricators, this means that they will have to supply ‘glazed’ products in order to comply with the conditions. Installers can choose to go for WER rated products in their own right and will also be able to market WER rated products bought from trade frame fabricators who have achieved WER ratings.

Quality system

In order to be considered for WER ratings, it is a pre-requisite that you have a quality system that is capable of being independently assessed in terms with the requirements of the BFRC. It does not have to be a recognised quality system – but will have to satisfy the independent agency that involved in a WER application. The agencies are BM Trada Certification or the BBA. Recognised quality systems approved by an independent third party that will generally be accepted are: ISO 9001: 2000 certified by a recognised body; BBA approval; BM TRADA Q-Mark approval or a Factory Production Control system meeting the requirements of EN 1279.

Product

A reputable systems company should be able to advise you on the specification to make.

Pricing & Profitability

The costs of the actual product will vary according to which WER Bands opted for, primarily because of the glass units.

It has always been important for any company that it has a price list or system in place where the profitability levels are known. This is even more important with the potential introduction of a variety of Band ratings.

Next choose a BFRC Certified Simulator. Bear in mind that while the frame, hardware, gaskets should all be to final specification, there is no need to use specialised glass units for the purposes of Air leakage test. There is a list of certified simulators – such as WHS Halo – on the Web site www.bfrc.org.

WHS Halo is offering free simulations to its customers – but this may not be the case with all simulators.

Having started this piece with the words of one American president, it is perhaps fitting to finish with the words of his predecessor, Franklin D Roosevelt who said: ‘Idealism increases in direct proportion to one's distance from the problem’. As an industry, we should take note.