The UK glass sector is ready for a large scale shift to triple glazing

The UK glass sector is ready for a large-scale shift to triple glazing, and thinks it’s the right move for fenestration, wider construction, and society as a whole. That was the key message to emerge from Edgetech’s Triple Glazing Question roundtable debate, which took place in Birmingham on the 28th of September. With the Future Home Standard just 18 months away, the sector faces big challenges as it seeks to meet ever-tightening performance requirements.

In Birmingham, senior figures from leading trade bodies, glass suppliers and IGU manufacturers discussed the industry’s ability to adapt. Through a mixture of open, free-flowing discussion and anonymous polling, the event gauged attendees’ opinions on a range of important topics.

They were asked whether they favoured a mandatory shift to triple glazing for new-build, and about the industry’s ability to cope if that were to come into force. The discussion also covered current demand for triple glazing, and whether making it the norm for new-build would generate greater consumer interest. Much uncertainty remains around the Future Homes Standard – but the mood in the room was extremely optimistic, as Edgetech Managing Director Chris Alderson explains. “We had a great day of discussion and debate in Birmingham, and the results were hugely encouraging. We all know that the Future Homes Standard will have a major impact on the sector, but the exact nature of that impact is still unclear. At the moment, we don’t know if it will make triple glazing mandatory for all new-build properties. However, those in the room were resoundingly in favour of that option, and were very confident the industry could quickly adapt to it.  It was yet another demonstration of our sector’s resilience and ability to deal with change, and left me more confident than ever that it has a very bright future ahead of it”.

At the end of the discussion, Edgetech revealed its plans to hold a full Triple Glazing Question event at Coventry’s CBS Arena in March 2024, bringing together hundreds of industry leaders to discuss the issue in more depth.