Half of tradespeople are concerned about the environment and sustainability, according to new
research.
The findings, which were released in the Jewson Trade Trends report, show there are several
factors influencing a focus on greener, more sustainable building practices.
Consumers are partly driving the move towards greener building projects, as over a third of
tradespeople (35%) said they’d recently been asked by a homeowner about energy efficient
options. On top of that, 31% said that in the last three months they had changed their material
purchases in line with new building regulations, and 29% had purposefully bought materials that
are more sustainable.
While homeowners are looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, some
tradespeople and builders find they have to spend time explaining to their customers what the
most effective options are.
Simon White, Founder of White Space Construction, said: “We often talk to our customers about
the options to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. For example, they might be interested
in getting an air source heat pump, but if the rest of the house would benefit from better insulation
and new windows, it might be the wrong thing to prioritise. We specialise in Victorian properties,
which have their own challenges when it comes to improving energy efficiency, but we’ll always
advise on the best options.
“The recent changes to the Building Regulations mean that materials like insulation need to
perform better, but this comes with a higher price tag. As such, it’s important for us to have access
to up-to-date material costs as well as have the knowledge required to advise homeowners on the
best home improvements for their needs and the property type.”
Karl Nicholson, Founder of K Design and Build, said: “An important part of our role is to educate
homeowners on different ways to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Often, they will
have done some initial research themselves, but the right solution will always depend on each
individual project.
“Basic improvements tend to be replacing windows and doors, as well as wall and loft insulation.
Then, once we’ve improved the thermal performance of a building, we can then explore more
energy efficiency heating options. It’s positive that consumers are asking more about eco home
improvements and it’s a good time to educate people on how their properties can play a crucial
role in helping the environment, as well as enhance their comfort and quality of life.”
Commenting on the findings, Andrew Cushing, Customer Director at Jewson, said: “Increasingly,
tradespeople are seeing their customers ask how they can improve the energy efficiency of their
home to help manage rising energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint. On top of that, in June
2022 we had some of the most significant changes to building regulations in over 10 years, which
included increased insulation in walls, floors and roofs, and a greater focus on renewable energy
technology. There has also been the recent introduction of the new Great British Insulation
Scheme, and the Future Homes Standards is set to be introduced in 2025 – all of which are driving
purchasing in this area further.
“We know from our research that 61% of tradespeople are looking for support from their building
merchant on energy efficient building solutions. To play our part we are helping to close the skills
gap in sustainable building options by providing accredited training courses in areas including
insulation. We also offer a route to MCS certification. Plus, we’re continuing to improve our Making
Better Homes product range. It features the latest innovations in building products and systems,
including solar panels, air source heat pumps and sedum roofs, to help tradespeople maximise
quality, productivity and profit, while building comfortable, energy efficient spaces that their
customers will love.”
The research, which saw over 500 tradespeople across the UK questioned, is available to view
online.
