2022 is now upon us. It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were in 2019, but the last 18-24 months have really flown by. If you work in the construction industry, or in the renewable energy sector, you will have followed the future housing standards Part L regulations quite closely, to see what this will mean for you and your business.

From July 2022, there will be a major uplift in the efficiency of new builds across England. The focus will be on a fabric first approach, and then met with renewable energy sources like solar tiles and wind turbines. Whilst we can’t help you with wind, we can certainly help you with all things solar related.

So, let’s get down to it……

Solar is now the cheapest way to generate electricity. Let’s look at this logically! We all know that the sun will rise tomorrow, don’t we? So, it only makes sense that we take advantage of this known fact, and harness it where possible. Surely this makes sense to you!

Something else that we can agree on is that every property needs a roof! Yes? Great! That’s 2 for 2 that we are on the same page with. Surely, it would then make sense to look that this as a developer and conclude that it just makes sense to either install solar tiles in the roof at the time of construction, or at least leave it where the roof is solar ready for the homeowner to be able to do this, without compromising the aesthetics or roof weight in the future.

This is where the fully patented Nulok roofing system comes into play. There are many benefits to what we offer, and I think that it’s important that we go through these, as it will make your decision more of a no brainer.

Firstly, putting solar panels on top of your slate or tiled roof just doesn’t make any sense anymore. Why cover the same areas twice? This is a waste of a tradesman’s time and a major waste of materials. It also looks terrible and stands out like a sore thumb! Don’t get me wrong, the solar panels will still generate electricity and reduce your carbon footprint, but there are now better ways to achieve this. Just look at the picture below. Which would you prefer?

It’s 2020, we have all been in Lockdown for nearly four months which has given us all time to reflect on the impact that we all have on the planet. With the Construction sector set to play a vital role within the economic recovery in the UK the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has firmly set his sights on building Britain back Better, Greener and Faster.

He has outlined his ambitious plans during a visit to Dudley College of Technology in the West Midlands and the full article can be seen here. The changes are due to come into effect in September. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce details of the first phase of the recovery next week.

He made some big statements as he sets his sights on building homes, fixing the NHS, tackle the skills crisis and basically level up as a country. He mentions to that end that we need to Build Build Build at the pace that this participial moment in time needs.

There are big changes that need to be made in order to get to where he wants to be and i fully support his enthusiasm around building back Better, Greener and Faster.

This also comes as The Central Housing Investment Consortium (CHIC) has begun the search for modular firms to build volumetric homes across England and Wales as part of a £2bn framework which will vastly improve the UK’s chances of meeting their home building targets.

We are all responsible in doing our part when it comes to helping the UK get back on its feet in and its important that in doing so we use methods that will keep us on target for not only volume of homes, but also keeping focus on our Zero Carbon goals.

In order to meet these ambitious targets we need to be willing to do the right thing rather than the cheapest thing. Home builders the UK are adapting and changing all the time with their construction materials, but one thing that stays consistent a lot of the time is roofing materials. Most commonly used would be Concrete tiles, especially within affordable homes. Concrete roof tiles were a popular choice on many new homes in the mid-twentieth century. They were quick to make and relatively cheap, both important factors for the post-war housing boom. Nowadays, however, there are new products on the market that make more long-term business and environmental sense.

The Nulok Roofing System has been designed to reduce the amount of roofing material by up to 50%, speed the installation by up to 40% and also encourages the use of Integrated Solar Tiles. What benefits would the Nulok System have for you as a Small, Medium or Large Scale Home-Builder? Below is a short video that will give you a little information on benefits of the Nulok System and Ceramic Tile.

Like i mentioned at the start of this article there has been a major shift towards Modular homes which is fantastic to see. I hope when this framework kicks off they will address everything combined rather than just certain parts of the problem. An example would be going to the Mechanic and them telling you that you need new brake pads and also new disks but only getting one done. The other problem is still going to be there and won’t go away just because you simply ignore it. I honestly feel that this won’t be a problem as there is now such a movement globally to face the climate issues and housing shortage head on, and i for one look forward to seeing how we all can work together and lead the way in Modernizing the construction industry.

Like most of you reading this we want to be a part of the solution and not the problem and in writing these articles i feel happy knowing that our systems capabilities will help do just that. If you would like more information on how the Nulok system can help your long-term business goals then please reach out to me and i will send you our PowerPoint which you can go through in your own time.

Thanks for reading.

Matthew Ralston