The sharp end of the industry has a real hunger for knowledge and information about Part L of the building regulations, according to an AluK representative, despite it being more than two months since the rules changed. The manufacturer of aluminium building systems delivered an extensive communications programme to its network of fabrication partners but AluK is now also talking directly to installers. The move aims to help ensure that the messages about how to respond to the tougher thermal efficiency requirements have reached the people who have to demonstrate compliance.
Michael Williams, AluK’s managing director, said that fabricators are still reporting relatively low levels of awareness among their customers of what Part L means for them, in both the retail and the new-build sectors and in the different regions of the UK. Further, AluK has recorded 36% open rate on its most recent email to installers about the topic, and it has seen almost 350 downloads of its two Part L guides covering England and Wales from the website.
“There has obviously been a huge amount about Part L in the trade press and online,” Michael explained “but a significant minority of installers have clearly either been too busy to engage with that or have been caught out by the speed at which the updated regs have come into force. Many in fact are still questioning whether they need to do down the U-value or WER/DSERs compliance route and whether they now have to fit triple glazing, and are looking for answers from their suppliers.
“We have already provided tools to our fabricators to help them get the message across to their customers that AluK products have been enhanced to deliver compliance via either route, and that their costs don’t need to rise because we’ve achieved that using double rather than triple glazing. However, there is still obviously work to do, so we’ve given installers full access to our dedicated Part L website, which contains all they need to know and have created a useful guide to Part L specifically for them which shows exactly what they need to do in order to comply.”
Installers can download the free AluK Part L guides via alukgb.com. Alternatively, request a printed copy from by emailing info.uk@aluk.com.
