30
JUNE 2016 PRO INSTALLER
PRO NEWS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
FILM BRINGS
COMFORT TO
GGF STAFF
The third floor office extension of the Glass and Glazing Federation
(GGF) building at 54 Ayers Street, London, consisted of an all
glass ‘box’ construction. Despite the installed glass being high
performance solar glass, the occupants suffered from excessive
glare from the sun and an uncomfortably hot feeling when
near the glass. It was also recognised that the energy required
to cool the space using air conditioning was significant.
Although blinds could have
been used to control the
glare they would have little
effect on the heat or energy use and were not practical. They also spoilt the
panoramic view from this
top floor office.
It was decided to install a high
performance neutral coloured
external solar control film that
reduced the glare by 80% and
the heat by 70%. This film also
reduces air conditioning usage
by up to 30% so would pay for
itself in around three years. It is
a little known fact that it takes
three to four times more energy
to reduce the temperature by
Before film
one degree as it does to heat by
one degree.
Following the non-disruptive
installation the employees immediately had their comfort improved
with vastly reduced glare and a
dramatic reduction in heat.
Nigel Rees, GGF Group Chief Executive said: “We are very pleased
with the instant effect on heat
and glare of the non- disruptive
window film installation. We are
looking forward to saving money
too.”
Steve Rice, GGF Director of Technical Affairs, said he was pleased
that a GGF member company from
th e Window Film Group undertook the work. He added: “This in-
After film
stallation has vastly improved the
working environment for staff and
applying window film has made
the GGF Building more energy
efficient, something that is always
high on our agenda.”
The corresponding energy analysis showed that more than 125
kWh of energy (£15) would be
saved per square metre of glass
which relates to the short payback
time. This type of solution also has
an expected lifetime well past ten
years.
To find out more about the GGF
Window Film Group please visit
http://www.ggf.org.uk/group/
window-film-group
New website helps
tackle disputes
The GGF has launched a
dedicated website for The
Glazing Arbitration Scheme
(TGAS), www.tgas.org.uk.
The scheme complies with the
EU Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR) directive brought in on 1st
October 2015, and is the primary
ADR scheme for the glass and
glazing industry.
Becoming a TGAS trader and
being listed on the TGAS website
offering ADR is free for GGF member companies as part of their
membership, and is also available
free to FENSA registered firms
who wish to ‘opt in’ to ADR - contact [email protected].
The arbitration scheme is operated independently by a Chartered
Trading Standards Institute Certified ADR body - the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR).
Consumers will be signposted to
the scheme by the Citizens’ Advice
helpdesk which receives consumer
enquiries regarding ADR. However, consumers will have had to
go through the GGF Conciliation
Scheme or FENSA complaint process for at least 56 days and still
be in dispute before being able to
progress to arbitration.
The government believes that
more and more consumers will
look for a trader who offers ADR,
in the event of an unresolved dispute. ADR is usually cheaper and
quicker at resolving disputes than
going to court. Whilst the directive
does not make the offering of ADR
mandatory, there is a ‘business
obligation’ for all businesses who
sell to consumers to comply.
It is now the law that where
firms reach the point where their
complaint procedures have been
exhausted and there are still disputes, they must legally provide
the consumer with:
• a statement that the company
cannot settle the complaint with
the consumer
• the name and website address
of an ADR provider in the glazing sector that could deal with
the complaint (e.g. TGAS)
• details of whether the company
is obliged or prepared to submit
to an ADR procedure operated
by that provider
Brian Smith, GGF Director of
Home Improvement, commented:
“After consultation, it was evident that an arbitration scheme
was preferred to an ombudsman
scheme. With an ombudsman
scheme it is free and easy for a
consumer to progress their complaint to an ombudsman and the
decision is binding on the trader
but not the consumer, so the consumer can just reject that ombudsman’s decision.
“However, with arbitration like
TGAS the consumer has to pay
£100 to progress their dispute to
arbitration, and the decision is
binding on both trader and consumer. TGAS will therefore weed
out vexatious and frivolous claims
from consumers.”
GGF Member companies are
automatically entered into TGAS
by belonging to the GGF Consumer Code of Practice. FENSA
registered firms who wish to opt
in are advised to contact FENSA
direct using the email tgas@fensa.
org.uk.
For further information go to:
http://www.ggf.org.uk