Fears over recession and the rising cost of living have pushed sustainability further down the homeowner’s priority list, according to a revised survey conducted on behalf of Veka.
And while the drop is numerically only slight, the company says the worrying insight could have an adverse effect on its sustainability efforts to date, adding that the industry needs to take action to ensure that more homeowners are choosing sustainable windows and doors.
The survey, conducted by OnePoll among 2000 households, is an update of one it ran in February (Homeowner demand for sustainability still strong, new survey shows | The Glazine (the-glazine.com) ) and shows that while three quarters still consider sustainable windows and doors to be important, the number of those prepared to pay more for them has crept down from a third to almost a quarter (26%).
VEKA Commercial Director Tim Taylor said: “The results are not surprising to me, I totally agree and strongly believe that systems houses have a huge part to play when it comes to sustainability. It has always been a priority for Veka to support our Fabricators and Installers getting these messages across to homeowners, which is why each year we publish a UK specific CSR report.
“Our research once again shows that homeowners believe that sustainability should be a given, which is why they are reluctant to pay a premium for the privilege. At Veka we don’t believe in eco-ranges, we believe that every product we produce should be manufactured in as sustainable and ethical a manner as possible.”
He concluded: “Closing the loop on PVCu recycling is now necessary to build on this success. We need our installers to support us by ensuring that old windows and doors are returned to UK based recycling companies, so that they can be recycled, reprocessed, and returned to the UK market, protecting their supply, and strengthening their own sustainability story.
