Wired for Change – Sustainability and Electrical Installation

The shift didn’t come with a memo, but through practicality and demand. Maybe it started with a client asking about PV panels. Or a wholesaler pushing smart meters. Or a tender mentioning sustainable certification and it was finally time to Google what that actually meant.

No matter how it showed up, we saw all too quickly that sustainability was no longer a niche export. It’s integrated into specs, supply chains and the future (of) work. And – ready or not – the electrical installation trade found itself right in the thick of it.

This July 2025 overview is read alongside the Q1 2024 and Q1 2022 European Electrical Installation Monitor findings below. The project figures describe the share of work in which sustainability played a role; they are not shares of installers or of product sales.

Installers Aren’t Waiting Around

The Q1 2024 project findings show substantial country differences:

• Germany saw the biggest growth in sustainable project integration – up 11 percentage points since 2022
• Spain and the Netherlands lead with the highest share of sustainable project penetration at 53% and 52% respectively
• France and Germany trail behind at 41% and 37%, though both are catching up fast

How the Project Picture Changed from 2022 to 2024

The Q1 2022 electrical study covered seven countries. The Q1 2024 overview describes six; the country results are shown in their original research context.

According to electrical installers in the Netherlands, sustainability is of influence in half of their projects, which is the highest share of the seven countries involved in the research. They are followed closely by installers from Spain and the UK, with 48% of electrical installation projects involving sustainability in some form. Sustainability has the least influence in projects of electrical installers in Germany, where they see its influence in only 26% of their projects.

In the Q1 2024 findings, we see that the percentage of projects where sustainability is taken into account increase strongly in Germany compared to 2022, increasing from 26% to 37%. However, in 2022 Germany had the lowest percentage of projects where sustainability was taken into account. In France and Spain, moderate increases of around five percentage points are visible but in the UK and Belgium, no growth has taken place compared to 2022. However, with 48% and 44% of all projects containing some form of sustainability, it is already on a relatively high level.

In Belgium and the UK there was no to minimal growth reported between 2022 and 2024.

Know Which Installer You Are Addressing

The installation sector is broad though, and installers can differ significantly in their specialisations and installation activities. That is why USP developed two monitors for the installation sector, of which one focuses on companies mainly involved in HVAC installation and plumbing, and the other on electrical installers.

These differences illustrate that it is essential for manufacturers of sustainable installation products to know the segment of installers you aim to target. From our monitor research we know there is an overlap of activities of HVAC installers and electrical installers. On average, about a third of European electrical installers report to also do some HVAC and or plumbing activities, for instance.

But installers’ core activities determine their perspective the most. For electrical installers, the installations that occupy most of their agenda, the clients who ask for sustainability and the product groups they work with the most in those projects, determine their perspective on sustainability and what makes a project or product sustainable.

What Actually Counts as Sustainable?

Ask installers what sustainable means and you’ll hear one answer over and over – energy efficiency. That’s the top interpretation across the board. In Germany, France and Belgium, it ranks as the top interpretation among professionals, cited by 35–46% of respondents. Spain and the Netherlands are more fragmented, showing less consensus.

Products Used in Sustainable Projects

In most cases, LED lighting is mentioned as most used installation product in sustainable projects. Photovoltaics take the second place, although in some countries like France and the UK, PV is not the number two and significantly lower than in the other countries.

EV charging, HVAC solutions and battery storage solutions are perhaps not the most often installed products in sustainable projects, but the adoption rate has been increasing over time.

The Rising Stars: What’s Gaining Ground Fast

Beyond the usual suspects, a few fast movers are showing up in installer portfolios. It’s battery storage (especially alongside PV), EV charging systems (expanding rapidly in Germany, UK and Netherlands), plus home automation and smart control systems.

Trusted Brands: Who’s Leading the Charge?

When asked which brands lead on sustainable solutions, preferences vary. Schneider Electric leads overall, especially in the UK and Spain, Legrand dominates France with 73% of recall, ABB takes the lead in Netherlands, while Hager is top of mind in Germany.

Installers clearly associate sustainability with established players who’ve invested in product transparency and innovation.

Client Demand vs. Willingness to Pay

Everyone’s talking sustainability, but not everyone is as keen on opening their wallets to it. Installers report that end users ask for sustainability more often than commercial clients, but in Germany and France, both groups are still largely unwilling to pay more for them. Spain and the Netherlands show more promise, with over a third of clients both asking and showing willingness to invest in green options.

So, you can’t really say there’s no interest or intent, but budget pushback is a conversation starter… and ender.

Installers Want Help – For the Most Part

You’d think with new regulations and product options changing year-in-year-out, training demand would be sky-high. Not quite.

In Spain (36%) and Belgium (37%), installers openly say they need support, training or product advice. As for the rest, more than 50% say they don’t need help, despite clearly showing low familiarity with critical concepts (EPDs, material passports, sustainability certifications).

So it’s safe to say many are figuring it out as they go. That’s not sustainable yet, but is better than no commitment.

EPDs and Material Passports: the Q1 2024 Findings

The familiarity of installers with terms like material passport and Environmental Product Declarations remained low in this research.

The highest familiarity with EPD’s can be found in the UK, but still only 28% was familiar with the term. Of that 28%, 40% takes EPD’s into consideration in the selection of products.

The highest familiarity with material passports can be found in the Netherlands, where approximate 30% is familiar with the term.

What’s Holding the Sector Back?

Three things keep popping up.

1. Lack of clarity around terminology

Again, installers know what energy efficient means. But terms we’ve just covered – like circularity, material passport or EPD – aren’t that well understood, and this non-perception limits smarter and more efficient decision-making.

2. Cost hesitation

Even when clients like the idea, costs remain the top barrier. If products come with a price bump and no clear payback, most opt out.

3. Limited influence

Installers often don’t drive the final call. Decisions on product choice, budget and specs often come from up above – architects, clients or contractors.

But that doesn’t mean their voice doesn’t matter. In fact, it’s the installer who’s often the gatekeeper when it comes to selecting and fitting tech that actually meets sustainability goals.

Conclusion

There’s no need, nor a realistic chance, to overhaul the whole business overnight. But keeping up goes a long way. That means understanding sustainable options beyond LEDs, knowing the difference between marketing and actual compliance, while helping clients see value – not just cost. It’s not a simple ask, but it’s what the push requires.

Want a closer look at what’s changing or help your team navigate client questions about sustainability? We’ve put together tools to help – webinars, news updates and reports on sector trends that are feeling the momentum rise, broken down country-by-country.