One of the key trends in the European installation sector is the increasing demand for total service suppliers (total/hybrid installer), notes USP Marketing Consultancy in Rotterdam. Traditionally, HVAC and electrical services were offered by two different companies, but electrical installers are now conducting HVAC jobs as well. Especially in Germany and Belgium, installers’ involvement in HVAC activities has increased rapidly. These are some of the findings recently released in the “European Electrical Installation Monitor 2020,” a study conducted by USP Marketing Consultancy among installers in seven major European markets. Following are some of the highlights from the report.
HVAC activities by electrical installers on the rise in most countries
Based on the results of the research, the differentiation between a traditional HVAC installer and the traditional electrical installer is blurring. When asked to electrical installers what specific activities they do, it becomes obvious that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) activities are gradually increasing in most countries. Currently, the United Kingdom (42%), France (39%), and Belgium (35%) show the highest shares of electrical installers doing HVAC jobs (see Chart). In Germany (18%) and Poland (6%), this is the least common.
Demand for ‘smart HVAC’ solutions will drive this development further
Smart automation is the main driver for innovation in both the HVAC and electrical industries. For HVAC specifically, installers increasingly need to deal with new and more complex electrical components, which may require additional skills and training. Given that the smart automation trend is only starting to take off, it is expected that the electrical skills of HVAC installers will continue to improve.
Strong collaboration between electrical and HVAC
Upgrading the electrical skills of HVAC installers is going to take time, while the need for skilled electricians on HVAC projects is immediate. This currently drives strong cooperation between the two types of professionals; electrical installers in all countries argue that there is an increasing need to work together with HVAC installers. This increasing need is most prominent in the Netherlands (75% acknowledges this increasing need), the United Kingdom (62%), Poland (59%), and Belgium (58%). France is the exception to this rule, as only 35% of its electrical installers see an increasing need to work together with HVAC installers.
How not to get in each other’s way?
The increased cooperation between the two professionals also brings along practical downsides; Electrical installers argue that the coordination of the workflow is becoming more challenging. Who is present at what moment to do what exactly? Both types of installers are used to doing things their way and now they are forced to make way for one another. This may require the role of the general/main contractor to slightly change; one will, even more, have to manage and plan the building projects on time.
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