The National Insulation Association (NIA) has highlighted to specifiers and householders that there are some significant developments currently taking place in the insulation industry, which will impact on quality and standards of workmanship and customer redress.
The independent review of quality and standards in the energy efficiency industry being carried out by Peter Bonfield is due to report shortly, however the NIA says there is already work being carried out linked to it which will impact on industry standards.
Neil Marshall, chief executive of the NIA, commented: “PAS2030 which governs the standards that insulation installers must operate to is currently being revised and a new specification will be published in early 2017. This will include robust standards and requirements for installers including the assessment of properties to receive insulation measures, the system design, physical installation and handover to the property owner.
“We are directly involved in this work and we are developing new industry standards for external wall insulation, cavity wall insulation, room in roof insulation and loft insulation which will be referenced in PAS2030. We will require all our members to adhere to these new standards and if any of them fail to do so we have the powers to take appropriate disciplinary action.”
The NIA’s new standards include specifications and best practice guides that will provide greater reassurance and recourse to specifiers and householders in the use of NIA members.”
Marshall added: “NIA members are required to meet robust membership criteria and work to all appropriate industry standards and abide by the association’s strict code of professional practice. This means that by choosing NIA registered members to carry out work there is added reassurance and recourse.
“As a result an increasing number of specifiers and advice agencies including Energy Companies, Government Schemes, Local Authorities, Housing Associations and the Energy Saving Trust are choosing and recommending the use of NIA members.”
The NIA has also launched a free service to help specifiers find NIA members to work on their projects. The new expressions of interest service allows specifiers to provide the NIA with details of their forthcoming projects and specifications which is then used to issue requests for information and tender requests to its members on their behalf saving time and money.
