As the consultation on the Construction Products Reform Green Paper closes this week (21 May), VEKA’s Paul Kennington encourages the industry to share its response.
The UK construction industry is on the precipice of its most significant regulatory overhaul in decades, and as industry professionals, we have been given the power to influence and guide change. Time is running out to put our collective knowledge, experience and insight to use in reshaping the future of product safety in the construction industry.
The Grenfell Tower tragedy marked one of the darkest moments in the history of UK construction. It not only exposed devastating consequences of systemic failure but also ignited a national conversation about accountability, regulation and safety standards.
The Construction Products Reform Green Paper, published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is driven by findings from the Grenfell Inquiry, Dame Judith Hackitt’s 2018 Review and the Morrell-Day Review – all of which found critical flaws in how safety is currently governed.
The paper sets out transformative proposals designed to address long-standing safety failures and bring essential standardisation to how construction products should be tested, regulated, brought to market and monitored.
Outlining a proposed framework for reform, the document covers everything from product traceability and compliance to oversight of safety-critical systems. The proposals are currently undergoing the consultation period which requires input from everyone in the supply chain. The impact of this reform will be felt across the entire UK construction industry.
This is especially true for the fenestration sector, where the need for clarity, compliance and performance has never been more urgent.
Poor installation practices, inadequate testing regimes and unclear safety responsibilities have all played roles in past failures.
Some of the key proposals under consideration include:
Stricter testing protocols and enhanced certification for safety-critical products
A national product information database to ensure transparency and traceability
Expanded legal responsibilities for those placing products on the market
Tougher standards for installation practices and real-world performance metrics
Integration of product data with future regulations such as the Future Homes Standard
These changes, if implemented, will reshape the compliance landscape –increasing accountability but also raising the bar for quality and safety across the industry.
At VEKA, we understand the magnitude of what’s at stake. Our technical team at VEKA have been working hard to read and digest the detailed information and are working to deliver a direct response. The group represents many associations within the fenestration industry including the FGMA, CAB, BPF and BWF.
We’re committed to ensuring the industry voice is heard and that we reflect the concerns, challenges and expertise of the fenestration sector in our submission. But we also encourage individual businesses operating in the sector to read the consultation and have your say. Ultimately, you cannot criticise the outcome if you don’t participate in the conversation.
One of the most important things to understand is this: responses must be original. The MHCLG has made it clear that copied or templated answers will be discounted. Every business, every stakeholder, must articulate their views in their own words even if drawing from shared insights.
Don’t miss the opportunity to influence the policies that will define your future operating environment. This is our chance to tell the government what works, what doesn’t and what must change to ensure critical safety changes are workable and achievable.
The consultation closes on May 21st. To submit your views:
Read Annex C (from p.123) for a concise overview, then review the questions in Annex A (p.114).
Click ‘Respond online’ at the bottom of the consultation page.
Answer as many questions as are relevant to your role – and in your own words.
As the consultation period draws to a close, I implore you to examine the proposals and offer your thoughts on how to shape the new regulatory framework for construction products. Together we can ensure that safety is always the top priority in our industry and prevent another tragedy of this magnitude from occurring again.
