Francisco Alonso (CONAIF): “We need to diversify into new areas of activity”
Francisco Alonso, President of the National Confederation of Installer and Fluid Associations, confirmed that the main challenges for companies in this sector were the diversification into new areas of activity, further professionalisation and increasing digitalisation to be able to confidently face the future.
What are the main challenges for the Installers and Fluids sector in the coming years?
Diversification into new areas of activity to strengthen installation companies’ structure and increase competitiveness and enhancing professionalisation in the sector. Another challenge for our installation companies is digitalisation, an unavoidable process that all of us will have to take on board to be able to confidently face the future.
And all those concepts linked to the energy transition, which will require action from installation companies to improve them: air quality, sustainability, environmental protection, renewable energies, electrification and self-consumption, etc.
What other urgent challenges are we facing in terms of technical and human resources?
The biggest challenge we are facing is the lack of qualified staff to work in our installation companies and ensure generational replacement to avoid having to close companies and bring new vitality to the sector, and updating and adapting our companies to future regulatory and technical modifications of the different technical regulations that apply to us.
How will this sector help sustainability?
With our professional work, knowledge and ability to guide end users towards more sustainable behaviour. The energy transition towards a decarbonised economy based on energy efficiency and the generation of renewable energies will require installers that are able to ensure that installations are efficient and well maintained so they can be sustainable.