Government funded residential development will contribute to the growth of fenestration foam tape sealants in 2026, according to Andy Swift, sales and operations manager at ISO-Chemie.
He believes the sealants’ sector will continue to remain buoyant throughout the next 12 months, seeing steady growth despite the completion of new homes falling well below the Government target of 1.5 million in a construction sector that continues to see challenges.
One property expert predicts that 840,000 new homes will be completed in the five-year period to 2028/29 (source: Savills). Meanwhile, £16bn of new public investment will fund over 500,000 new homes as part of a new government-backed ‘housing bank’ designed to unlock billions in private sector investment to turbocharge housebuilding.
These moves will see a strong market focus on the use of window and door foam sealants, with increased specification of rapid product solutions to deliver better energy conservation - particularly as fuel bills continue to rise.
Elsewhere, the retrofit sector is expected to see growth as opportunities arise thanks to active central funding initiatives and the release of additional funds in the coming 12 months. The Government is supporting its ambitions to upgrade five million homes within five years, investing £13.2 billion in grants and low-interest loans to improve existing housing stock.
“The retrofit sector for us will definitely be big in 2026,” said Andy Swift. “With the continued focus on energy conservation amid higher energy costs, and architects and developers bringing forward their energy efficient designs, readily available high-performance foam fenestration sealants are well positioned to meet specifier and installer needs.”
Regulatory change will also feature with a greater focus on thermal efficiency around window joints, according to Andrew Swift. For instance, the 2025 Future Homes Standard sets new energy efficiency benchmarks for UK homes while this year’s update to Part L introduces more ‘stringent’ energy efficiency requirements for existing buildings with different recommendations for new dwellings.
“Our strategy to educate UK specifiers, housebuilders and the wider construction sector about energy efficient improvement solutions - up to 70% cost savings can be achieved when using our tapes for high performance window sealing rather than traditional silicone sealants – will continue to feature strongly in our efforts to secure growth next year.”
