Archives for April 2026

It is with deep sadness that I write to mark the passing of Dennis Worrall, a remarkable man whose life, leadership and generosity left an enduring mark on our industry, and on all who had the privilege of knowing him. On behalf of the wider membership, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the entire Greenberg Glass (GG Glass) family and to Dennis’ loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.

Dennis was a true pioneer. From the moment he co‑founded the business 18 years ago, his vision, determination and unwavering belief in people were evident to all. He did not simply build a company; he built a culture rooted in hard work, integrity and pride in doing things properly. Under his stewardship, the business grew into a nationwide organisation, employing hundreds of people across the UK and setting standards that others aspired to follow.

Long before that success, Dennis had already established himself as a highly respected figure within the glazing industry. His near 30‑year tenure at GG Glass, where he helped grow the business into a national market leader, spoke volumes about his capability, foresight and tireless commitment. Even after his “retirement”, his passion for the industry never dimmed. Seeing an opportunity, he returned with renewed energy to establish GG Glass and Glazing Limited, along with Sam Grant, John Grant and George Ireland.  Once again proving that age was no barrier to ambition, innovation or leadership.

Beyond the impressive achievements within the glass industry, the stories shared at his funeral speak volumes about the positive impact he had on so many lives, both professionally and personally. He was, by all accounts, a gentleman in the truest sense; generous, warm, and always ready with a smile, and when music played, a dance. Whether mentoring colleagues, sharing a story over a pint, or championing others’ successes, Dennis had an extraordinary ability to make people feel valued. An avid Evertonian, a natural mentor, and a social butterfly – he brought joy into every room he entered.

Dennis’ devotion to his family was clear in all he did. He is now reunited with his beloved wife Linda, and it is deeply moving to know of his continued support for pancreatic cancer charities in her memory, a final testament to his generous heart.

As a Regional Manager, I want to say how immensely valued GG Glass are as part of our wider membership. They have been involved in many technical and regional meetings since they formed, not just as participants but Chairs and Vice Chairs too.

Dennis will be remembered not only for what he built, but for how he made people feel -respected and valued. Our thoughts are with the GG Glass family, his children, grandchildren, and all who mourn his loss. He will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

Bruce and Matt, Technical Officers for the GGF, recently attended Fensterbau Frontale to represent the interests of our members. They shared the following insights:

“As a non-commercial federation, our role is to act as an objective observer of industry developments, ensuring that the GGF remains informed on technical trends that may impact the UK market. Our visit was centred on engaging with members and evaluating how emerging technologies align with the future standard and regulation updates.

“During the event, we caught up with the team at Maco. We observed their sense range, which reflects a broader industry move toward embedded sensors. Unlike external components, these are integrated directly into the hardware, allowing for the monitoring of window positions. For the Federation, this provides insight into how smart-home technology might eventually interface with standard installation practices.

“Our discussions continued at the Deceuninck stand. While thermal performance remains a priority, we were specifically interested in their approach to zero-threshold solutions. With accessibility standards like Part M becoming increasingly central to UK building design, observing how manufacturers are engineering weather-tight, flush thresholds provides essential data for our future technical guidance.

“We also met with Kommerling and they demonstrated new planning software designed to assist with the technical specification process. The tool enables the simulation of structural loads and thermal values during the design phase. From a federation perspective, observing tools that aim to improve accuracy and streamline the sign-off process is valuable for our ongoing work in promoting higher industry standards and reducing technical errors.

“A significant portion of our time was spent observing the activity of UK companies within the European landscape. The presence of UK-based expertise in high performance fenestration products suggests a high degree of technical alignment across borders.

“Despite different national regulations, the shared challenges of carbon reduction and the circular economy are driving a universal technical language. Seeing UK firms active on this stage reinforces the GGF’s commitment to supporting international standards and monitoring the global context in which our members operate.

“The feedback from the members we encountered confirmed that they value the GGF’s presence as an informed, non-commercial body. By observing these shifts firsthand, we can better support the trade with grounded, objective advice. We return with a comprehensive view of the current technical landscape, which will directly inform our upcoming guidance and member resources.

“An incredible experience at Fensterbau Frontale, seeing so many leaders under one roof was a powerful reminder of our industry’s talent. Connecting with members and diving into future innovations has left us feeling more inspired than ever. The outlook is looking very bright indeed, and we are already looking forward to seeing how these ideas have evolved by the next show.”

In a recent GGF Regional meeting the topic of conversation was based around the imminent introduction of the Future Homes Standard that has now been published, and what has felt like bombardment of regulatory announcements over the last few years. Consultations, reviews of Harmonised Standards, EU CPR 2024, PAS 24, PAS 2000, and Building Regulation updates, all coming with such frequency that even the most diligent organisations are feeling overwhelmed.

For me though the Construction Product Reform White Paper published on Wednesday 25 February should not be read as another bureaucratic hurdle. It represents a necessary and long‑overdue evolution for the construction sector. A shift from a CE marking system designed primarily to facilitate trade, to one built around safety and accountability, fundamentally building trust across the entire supply chain.

Transparency of Product Information

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry and green paper consultation responses revealed dishonest and misleading marketing and poor-quality product information, making safe specification and installation difficult. The overhauls listed in the new White Paper makes it clear that there will have to be greater transparency around testing and product claims.

For years, the sector has operated in an environment where information is fragmented and often difficult to verify. Product data sits in multiple formats, performance claims are sometimes disconnected from test evidence, and voluntary schemes have operated without consistent oversight. This making extremely difficult as a specifier to compare performance of products side by side.

As the White Paper acknowledges, this has created uneven standards and, in some cases, misleading or incomplete claims making their way into specifications and installations. You overlay this with a complex supply chain, then who takes responsibility when a product is used outside its limitations? The existing regime has struggled to answer these questions with sufficient clarity, particularly for products and systems that fall outside designated standards.

The core principle of the white paper is “safe products, used safely”. However, my take is the central promise of Construction Product Reform is fairness. By introducing explicit duties around product information, traceability and competence, the new regime rewards businesses that already invest in doing things properly. Those with robust test histories, accurate declarations of performance and clear installation guidance will no longer be undercut by competitors relying on vague marketing claims or selective disclosure.

A compliant, successful company under the new regime looks very different from the bare‑minimum operator of the past. It maintains complete and accessible product records, discloses test evidence (including failures where relevant) and ensures that performance claims are aligned with designated standards or, where none exist, the new General Safety Requirement. It understands that UKCA or CE represents constancy with a designated standard, marking is a declaration of performance, not a badge of safety, and what needs to become more visible is the support to various people in the supply chain of its limitations on use.

Just as importantly, it treats competence as part of product safety. For safety‑critical applications such as fire‑resistant glazing, I see installer competence and system‑level assurance becoming integral to compliance, not optional. Quite simply, you need the right skills and knowledge to do the job to the correct standards.  

The OPSS Placing Heat‑Soaking in the Spotlight

The recent Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) report on heat‑soaking should be read as a clear signal of intent. While focused on a specific process, its implications are far broader. The report represents the need for accurate and correct documentation. For the Building Safety Regulator to operate effectively, construction products claims have to be supported by evidence.

Whilst some may see some mistakes on Declaration of Performance (DoPs) as just administrative, incorrect documentation can lead to a significant misspecification. Product information must improve so that those that do provide the best products can clearly demonstrate this and be rewarded for doing so.

Whilst the goal is to align with EU Construction Products Regulation 2024 and updates to designated standards, there may be additional requirements in safety critical products and systems. Factory production controls need to be followed, DoPs need to be accurate and up to date, Initial type testing and production tests must be recorded, and product claims must be supported by evidence.

The big challenge is not just with manufacturers but across the supply chain in ensuring they have the relevant documentation for the products they are specifying or installing, and that when a product is changes the design responsibilities they are taking on. The days of an installer picking up alternate fixings from trade counter on the nearest industrial estate without approval are gone.

Call to Action

The Construction Product Reform recognises that cultural change is as important as legislation. Businesses that embrace digital product information, disclose test histories and invest in competence will find themselves better placed, not only with regulators, but with specifiers, contractors and clients.

In short, the call to action is clear, manufacturers, processors and installers across the glass supply chain should use this moment to audit their product information, and review marketing claims. Transparency is no longer just about compliance; there is a need for integrity both individually and organisationally. Trust in a product doing what it is designed to is the new currency. The challenge is not easy but the sooner you start, the sooner you stand out as the benchmark.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/construction-products-reform-white-paper

The Construction Product Reform White Paper sets the future tone for the construction regulatory framework, the core of the reform is the principle of “safe products, used safely”. Moving away from a system that has in many ways helped facilitating trade toward one centred on product safety, accountability, and trust across the supply chain. Rather than representing another regulatory hurdle, the reform should be viewed as a necessary evolution following systemic failures highlighted by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

UKCA and CE marking are reaffirmed as declarations of performance against designated standards, not assurances of safety. This is not to say that two are not linked but we must move a focus to an understanding of how a product performs not just on its own but part of a system. Under the new regime, safety must be demonstrated through accurate, transparent, and verifiable product information, including clear limitations on use and evidence‑based performance claims.

A central focus of the White Paper is the overhaul of product information transparency. Consultation responses and inquiry findings exposed widespread issues with misleading marketing, fragmented data, selective disclosure of test results, and inconsistent oversight of voluntary schemes. These weaknesses have made it difficult for specifiers and installers to compare products reliably or confirm suitability. The reform introduces explicit duties around product information accuracy, traceability, and accessibility, creating a more level playing field by rewarding businesses that invest in proper testing, honest declarations, and clear installation guidance.

Where designated or harmonised standards do not exist, the introduction of the General Safety Requirement (GSR) provides a mechanism for products to be placed on the market but also how they can specify correctly and safely. Whilst the consultation for GSR has just launched, there are concerns on how this will work where manufacturers make components of wider systems, or where “white labelling” of products is carried out. That said it is likely it will require that manufacturers and suppliers demonstrate that products are safe for their intended and foreseeable use, supported by proportionate and documented evidence. This shifts reliance away from CE marking alone and places greater emphasis on clear product limitations, traceability, and substantiated claims. For the glass and glazing sector, whilst it begins at manufacture, the GSR reinforces that safety must be actively demonstrated, documented, and communicated throughout the supply chain.

The paper also highlights the need for a system-based approach that is supported by competent workforce, who understand the importance of compliance to design, particularly for safety‑critical applications such as fire‑resistant glazing. Installer knowledge, correct specification, and system level assurance are positioned as integral to delivering the safe outcomes.

Regulatory intent is further underlined by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) report on heat‑soaking. While focused on a specific process, it highlights that documentation errors are no longer minor administrative issues. Inaccurate declarations of performance can directly result in misspecification and unsafe installations. Factory production control, initial type testing, production testing, and evidence‑supported claims must all be accurate, current, and auditable.

Importantly, responsibility extends across the entire glass and glazing supply chain. Substituting products, altering fixings, or deviating from approved systems without evidence now carries clear regulatory risk. Informal or undocumented changes are no longer defensible, the person that makes a change carries design responsibility.

Call to Action for GGF Member Companies

GGF Members should act now. Audit all product information, declarations of performance, and marketing claims for accuracy and alignment with test evidence. Ensure product limitations and conditions of use are clearly communicated and digitally accessible. Review competence in your business, prioritising gaps for safety‑critical work. Construction Product Reform demands not only compliance, but a cultural shift toward transparency, integrity, and evidence‑led decision‑making. Organisations that respond early will not only meet regulatory expectations but set the benchmark for trust and professionalism in the sector.

We’re excited to announce new member benefits with Shermin Finance (STAX) and Exemtek. These partnerships strengthen our commitment to providing practical support, expert guidance, and innovative solutions for the evolving needs of the industry. Access to trusted expertise has never been more important to help our members stay resilient, enhance customer offerings, and improve operational performance.

Financial and Consumer Finance Support with STAX

STAX joins the Federation as a specialist financial partner, offering tailored commercial and consumer finance solutions designed specifically for businesses across the glass and glazing supply chain.

One major advantage for GGF members is STAX’s access to one of the largest panels of lenders, giving businesses a wide range of competitive funding options. This enables STAX to match each member with solutions suited to their need, whether that’s supporting growth, managing cash flow, or investing in new equipment.

STAX also provides consumer finance options, allowing members to offer flexible payment plans directly to homeowners. With growing demand for energy-efficient windows, doors, and home improvements, these finance options help remove upfront cost barriers for homeowners. For installers and contractors, this can make projects more affordable for customers, boost project values, and improve conversion rates.  For GGF members, the Consumer finance onboarding fee is reduced by 50%, in addition to a 10% discount on the monthly fees.

Exemtek: Helping UK Manufacturers Cut Energy Costs

With energy prices rising and the geopolitical backdrop creating uncertainty, many businesses in the glass sector face renewed cost pressures. Government-backed energy relief schemes are becoming increasingly important for staying competitive.

To support members, GGF has partnered with Exemtek, a UK consultancy specialising in helping energy-intensive companies access these schemes.

Exemtek helps businesses with:

• Energy Intensive Industries (EII) scheme – relief on policy costs within electricity bills
• Climate Change Levy (CCL) exemptions – reducing ongoing tax exposure on energy usage
• Network Charge Compensation (NCC) – rebates linked to electricity network costs

Exemtek evaluates energy usage, checks eligibility, manages applications, and ensures compliance. For GGF members, they are offering a free eligibility screening, assessing scheme qualifications, energy intensity thresholds, and potential financial benefit. With energy costs likely to remain high and volatile, businesses are encouraged to act proactively rather than wait for further increases.

Strengthening Value for GGF Members

The addition of STAX and Exemtek reflects our mission to deliver real, tangible benefits to members. Beyond advocacy, the Federation is expanding practical support across the sector. These partnerships open doors to knowledge-sharing, expert discussions, and collaboration, by connecting members with trusted specialists in these areas.

Let me just start with a massive thank you to Lauren Mawford, Director of the Glass and Glazing Federation, and to all our members who helped to raise money for a charity that means so much to me. Members Day events often focus on the previous year’s activities and updates to regulation and economic forecasts. However, the GGF Industry Connect 2026 offered something much more meaningful.

Alongside a new focus on networking and discussion, the honest words from Frank Bruno MBE around personal resilience and the raffle that followed showed how our members can come together for a cause that truly matters, supporting our chosen charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

The day was without doubt a celebration of connection and strength in membership. For me a chance not just to see familiar faces but to welcome new members. A standout moment for many was the presence of Frank Bruno, whose warmth, honesty and unmistakable voice brought the audience to laugh whilst hanging on every word. His stories served as a reminder that strength is not just physical, but mental too.

In connection to this message was a charity raffle in support of CALM. Featuring ten pairs of signed boxing gloves. The raffle was incredibly well supported, and due to that generosity, an impressive £2,790 was raised, a sum that will genuinely help CALM continue its life‑saving work.

Following the event, on Thursday 2 April, Lauren Mawford and I had the privilege of meeting Luis and Izzy from CALM to officially present the cheque for £2,790. For me, this was a moment of immense pride as many years ago I did have to call their helpline, and it is great know that with that money raised there will be someone on the end of that phone to help many other people in their time of need.

Huge credit must go to the GGF team for delivering such a great event, and particularly to Lauren Mawford for choosing CALM as the supported charity. For many in our sector, this cause is deeply personal. The glass and glazing industry, like much of construction, continues to face deeply concerning mental‑health statistics, including unacceptably high rates of suicide.

This is why the message behind the fundraising is so important. Supporting mental health must extend beyond employee wellbeing policies. It also means recognising our own pressures as business owners, leaders and managers. Too often, those responsible for others feel unable to speak up themselves.

The words I shared on the day still resonate, when I once asked a member why he invested so much time into someone that was struggling and simply said, “he is somebody else’s son.” A simple reminder of our shared responsibility to look out for one another.

The money raised will help save lives, but perhaps just as importantly, it keeps the conversation going and hopefully raises awareness of the resources available from CALM.

Public Consultation on amendments to Part D (Materials and Workmanship) of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations

GGF Members operating in the Republic of Ireland should be aware of the consultation opened at the beginning of March in relation to proposed amendments to Part D and its accompanying Technical Guidance Document D (TGDD). The proposed amendments are required to ensure compliance with the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) 2024.

The current versions of both Part D & TGDD were last updated in 2013.  The proposed changes would take effect from Monday June 1, 2026, and no transition period is currently suggested.

The main proposed changes are:

• An increased focus on workmanship, highlighting a need to demonstrate competency of operatives and follow test frameworks which can be used to evidence acceptable workmanship.
• An increased focus on demonstrating that materials used are fit for purpose, highlighting the changes adopted as a result of CPR 2024 and the more detailed framework with expanded categories to evidence compliance.

There are also proposals for an improved environmental focus in regard to evidencing sustainability performance, minor changes to powers of inspection by Authorised Persons, minor changes to requirements of Letter Plates, and the Standards referred to throughout the guidance document have been updated to reflect current versions.

The consultation closes on Thursday 30 April at 5pm. Responses should be sent on the response form available on the consultation link to partdconsultation@housing.gov.ie by this deadline.

A consultation proposal on changes to Approved Document B was opened by HSE on Wednesday 25 March. Within the scope of this consultation is a proposal to ‘revise and update guidance on external wall systems and balconies and review the scope of the ban on combustible materials in and on external walls.’

This will be of particular interest to those members that have been following developments concerning the effective ban on the use of laminated glass in the balustrades of balconies on relevant buildings since it was introduced in 2018, along with other technical changes in guidance since then, and follows closely on from the publication of the final report CPD 004/0120/205 entitled  ‘Fire safety: Balconies, spandrels, and laminated glass’ which we saw published just before Christmas and discussed at recent technical group meetings.

The report is the culmination of research and analysis on behalf of the Building Safety Regulator into the fire safety impact of balcony design, and the use of laminated glass and spandrel zones on external walls of buildings. The study was carried out by a consortium of partners led by OFR Consultants, together with Efectis, UCL and University of Edinburgh, with external oversight provided by an Expert Review Panel consisting of stakeholders from various public and private organisations.

The researchers examined mechanisms of fire spread between balconies on multistorey residential buildings and analysed performance of laminated glass used as balcony balustrades. The study also explored reaction to fire performance of vertical laminated glass panels and the role of the spandrel zone in relation to fire safety.

Whilst the report does acknowledge the importance of balconies in the overall scheme of residential buildings, in providing access to outdoor space and amenity etc. and that it isn’t solely about examining fire performance, it does approach it from the basis of assessing fire spread and how balcony design and construction influences that.

When it comes to laminated glass, it provides policy options available, but it does not make recommendations on these.

The report findings instead aim to provide the data to inform government of what implications exist when considering the options for policy change. The HSE consultation proposal of Wednesday 25 March is the result of the research underpinning the continuous review of Approved Document B and the report findings and now lays out the intent of policy change to amend the current guidance on balconies in all buildings. This involves proposing recommendations in the guidance and, importantly for us, ‘an exemption to the ban correspondingly to allow the use of laminated glass balustrades of certain dimensions and characteristics.’

The details are still being examined but it is clearly an important consultation and one which the GGF will be responding to, it closes on Wednesday 1 July. The GGF Consultation Response Group will be coordinating the response and members are invited to share their views and to respond directly themselves.

Review of Approved Document B: Fire Safety – Health and Safety Executive – Citizen Space

The Welsh Government has introduced the new Home Energy Model for u-value calculations for new build windows and doors – making the shift to triple-glazed units more likely.

Updates to Welsh Approved Document L and F were published on 7^th April. These follow the shift announced in the publication of the Future Homes Standard for England (24/3/26) to the new Home Energy Model.

This effectively introduces a move away from the Standard Model and SAP calculation, introducing a requirement to evidence actual rather than ‘theoretical’ performance for each individual window.

“The Home Energy Model introduces the requirement to assess each window to its actual size and configuration to arrive at an area weighted average”, explained Kevin Jones, Head of technical, Glass and Glazing Federation.

“That includes all the items that sit within the opening, for example transoms, mullions, dummy sashes, astragal and Georgian bars, add-on cills, head vents and other components.

“These weren’t visible under the Standard Model but are visible under the Home Energy Model.

“While the Welsh Home Energy Model will be based on the same calculation as that across the border in England, there is a significant difference in that the limiting u-value – in shorthand, the lowest acceptable level of thermal performance – is going to be 1.4 w/m²K, compared to 1.6w/m²K in England.

“Depending on the design of the window and the building fabric as a whole, that could make it more likely that developers will have to move to triple-glazed options to meet regulations.”

The changes come as governments in Cardiff and Westminster attempt to close a gap in performance between theoretical building product performance – and what they deliver in real-life applications. 

The changes will come into force on all new schemes started after 4^th March 2027 unless the work has been registered for an initial notice or relevant notification provision before 3^rd March 2027 and work starts before 3rd March 2028 in which case the old regulations will apply.

For any works where initial notice or relevant notification provision is not registered before 4^th March 2027 and work does not start prior to 4^th March 2028 the new regulations will need to be followed.

“While there are transitional arrangements in place, the changes to the Welsh Approved Document L and in particular, that limiting u-value of 1.4 w/m²K are going to drive housebuilders to focus very closely on the weighted average as a whole.

“It would be our expectation that that will push a lot of developers to specify triple-glazed windows, which clearly has big ramifications for cost and future window design.”

GGF members will be able to take a look in more detail and have the opportunity to ask questions at the summer launch of the new GGF Wales regional event, details of which will be released soon.

For support, contact the GGF Technical team at technical@ggf.org.uk  or visit www.ggf.org.uk

Welsh Approved Document L can be found here

Ends

For further press information please contact:

John Warren

07971829772

john@lascomarketing.co.uk