Memorandum 48
Submission from the National Federation
of Roofing Contractors
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The National Federation of Roofing Contractors
(NFRC) participates in the Eur-Active Roofer project, funded by
the European Commission, designed to establish best practice and
quality in microgeneration systems and to foster the industry's
growth. In light of concerns about non-roofer solar panel installers
working at height and with roofing materials, the NFRC has designed
a course for TrustMark-endorsed roofers to build a reputable skills
base for roof-mounted and roof-integrated solar panel installation.
The Federation believes that renewable electricity-generation
technologies would be much better supported by reduction or abolition
of VAT on installation, rather than the present inequitable grant-based
system. In addition, making these technologies a requirement of
all BSF schools would stimulate technological development and
help achieve the Government's carbon-reduction targets.
1. The NFRC is by far the largest and most
influential roofing association in the UK, accounting for approximately
60% of all roofing work carried out by value and covering a wide
variety of roofing disciplines. The Federation has a long history
of working with manufacturers, trade members and providers of
vocational training and is active in lobbying government on a
variety of issues affecting roofers. This statement makes comments
on several of the inquiry's themes, including the deployment and
commercialisation of renewable technologies, government incentives
and the skills base.
2. The NFRC was invited in July 2005 to
participate in a European Commission-funded project into microgeneration
called "Eur-Active Roofer". The purpose of the project
is to establish best practice and quality in microgeneration systems,
to learn from the mistakes of the past and to grow the industry
in a professional manner. At the beginning of the project, a figure
of €2 billion was quoted as the estimated damage caused across
Europe by poor installations and/or products. The NFRC has focused
its efforts on trying to prevent this occurring in the UK.
3. The Federation has undertaken a great
deal of research into how renewable energies may impact on the
roofing industry. It has become clear that the most urgent area
to be addressed is the installation of solar collectors by non-roofers
into pitched roofs. Historically, solar has been considered a
complicated or specialist technology only to be installed by experienced
"solar technicians". Consequently, a large proportion
of roofing work has been going to electricians and plumbers who
are generally better suited to interior work, such as wiring and
plumbing, than trying to learn the skills and safety practices
of weather tightness and working at height—the forte of
the roofer.
4. In order to provide a spread of competent
roofers across the UK with the skills to install solar collectors
correctly and safely, the NFRC designed a one-day hands-on course
covering a selection of roof-integrated and roof-mounted solar
systems, in conjunction with manufacturers—SolarCentury,
Viridian Solar and Alpha Boilers. The NFRC is also working with
Worcester Bosch, the manufacturer favoured by British Gas. All
these manufacturers have invested a great deal in research and
development and have products with a clear division between the
external and internal installation.
5. The course, which is part-funded by Eur-Active
Roofer and ConstructionSkills, is only on offer to roofers registered
with the government-endorsed TrustMark scheme. Training centres
and colleges in all parts of the UK are now being used as host
venues to deliver this course. The participating companies' details
are placed on a database that can be accessed by anyone that is
looking to find a roofer to install a solar collector. The NFRC's
aim is for roofers to become increasingly involved in working
with plumbers, electricians and specialist installers, either
in a sub-contract capacity or (where appropriate) as fully accredited
installers in their own right. By doing so, they can establish
themselves as reliable and reputable installers of solar collectors
on roofs in the UK.
6. The NFRC believes that the Government
could do much more to support the development of renewable electricity-generation
technologies, especially in terms of attaining carbon-neutral
homes. Grant-based incentives, such as the Low Carbon Buildings
Programme (LCBP), tend to benefit large organisations, which have
the administrative capacity to capture the majority of the grants,
as was seen with the suspension of the LDBP Part I in March 2007
by the then DTI. A far more equitable and market-efficient system
would be the abolition, or at least reduction, of VAT on the installation
of microgeneration technology.
7. The Government could also aid the renewables
industry by setting higher standards in the public sector. According
to the Sustainable Development Commission, the schools estate
represents almost 15% of UK public sector carbon emissions.[194]
The Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme is a very
ambitious project but does not ostensibly include any prerequisite
for microgeneration. It is already a requirement of Building Regulations
that all new school buildings over 1,000 m2 in area should consider
the use of microgeneration and some regional and local planning
policies require new schools of this size to install on-site renewable
energy to supply a proportion (typically 10%) of the predicted
building's energy load. Making renewable electricity-generation
technology a requirement of all Building Schools for the
Future (BSF) schools would be a significant step towards achieving
the Government's carbon reduction goals and would provide a considerable
stimulus to the development of renewables technology.
January 2008
194 Sustainable Development Commission, Evidence
115 to the House of Commons Education and Skills Committee inquiry,
"Sustainable Schools: Are we building schools for the future?",
Seventh Report of Session 2006-07. Back
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