Best Installer Challenge 2026: OKNOPLAST and the CSTB promote quality window installation

Installation quality is central to the performance of joinery

While the quality of a window depends on its manufacturing, its durability also relies on its installation. Proper installation is crucial for its weatherproofing, thermal and acoustic insulation performance, as well as the long-term viability of the installation.

With this second edition of the Best Installer Challenge , OKNOPLAST intends to highlight the skills of installers, whose expertise often remains largely invisible, even though it is an essential element of customer satisfaction and the success of construction sites.

A competition structured around the rules of the art

The Challenge will take place in two stages. The first phase will consist of four regional qualifications organized between September 14 and October 16, 2026. Each participant will have to pass two tests designed to assess their regulatory knowledge and their mastery of installation techniques.

The first exercise will take the form of a technical quiz covering current regulations and best practices for implementation. The second will utilize virtual reality technology , allowing candidates to be placed in situations closely resembling real-world conditions.

Following these selections, only one installer per region will advance to the national final.

Four meetings spread across the territory

The regional qualifications will take place at various CSTB sites as well as at the BATIMAT trade fair:

• Grenoble – CSTB hands-on training site: September 14, 2026
• Paris - BATIMATParis Expo Porte de Versailles: September 30, 2026
• Nice – CSTB hands-on training site: October 9th 2026
• Nantes – CSTB hands-on training site: October 16th 2026

The Paris stage, organised as part of BATIMAT, will also allow journalists to attend the events and to exchange with the OKNOPLAST teams about the challenges of installation quality, the company's strategy and its new products.

A practical final assessed according to the requirements of the DTU

The four regional winners will meet on November 20, 2026 at the CSTB training center by gesture in Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes (Seine-et-Marne).

This final will take the form of a practical test carried out in conditions closely resembling a real construction site. Candidates will be assessed on their rigor, precision, and speed of execution by a jury of experts.

According to Sophie Cuenot , head of the Implementation and Training Unit of the Bays and Glazing Department of the CSTB, the evaluation criteria are based directly on the professional requirements of window installation.

“The Best Installer Challenge, organized in partnership with OKNOPLAST, is an innovative initiative that highlights a central but often underestimated profession: that of window installer. By immersing participants in virtual reality simulations followed by practical tests on installation walls, we can assess their technical expertise through demanding criteria, such as adherence to best practices and the implementation steps defined by the DTU (Unified Technical Document). Window shimming, fixing, sealing, and adjustment... more than 60 criteria have been detailed to differentiate between the candidates.”

She also emphasizes the importance of skills acquired through experience and training in the quality of facilities:

“Beyond the competition, this event highlights the indispensable role of installers and the importance of their skills in the quality of installations and customer satisfaction. Their expertise, acquired through experience and training, guarantees the long-term success of each project. This partnership with OKNOPLAST illustrates a shared ambition: to promote excellence and strengthen the recognition of a key profession in the window industry.”

Rewards for installers and benefits for companies

The winner of the Challenge will receive a €1,200 Illicado gift card . Those placing second through fourth will receive gift cards worth between €600 and €1,000.

Premium partner companies participating in the Challenge will also benefit from discounts on their OKNOPLAST orders as soon as they participate in the regional qualifiers. Even greater discounts are planned for companies whose installer reaches the regional podium.

The partnership also includes discounts on training courses offered by the CSTB, with an additional benefit for companies registering all of their installers and surveyors.

The second edition of the Best Installer Challenge thus illustrates a common desire of OKNOPLAST and the CSTB to highlight field skills, promote good implementation practices and remind everyone that the quality of joinery depends as much on the product as on compliance with installation rules.

Reference file: exterior joinery

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👉 Reference file: exterior joinery