Heating and Ventilation News
25 January 2012
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Apprenticeship Week – appeals for apprentices
SummitSkills is encouraging employers to mark the fifth annual National Apprenticeship Week (6-10 February) by helping to identify the best of the best apprentices in the sector through its Skill M&E competitions. -
"Renewables must benefit coastal communities"
Energy Minister Charles Hendry has said the eastern region is well placed to take advantage of the growing demand for new and off-shore energy. -
200 wind farms needed in Cambridgeshire
More than 200 extra wind turbines will have to be built in the next two decades if Cambridgeshire is to get anywhere near carbon reduction goals. -
Anguilla announces energy project with UK agency
The UK based Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) has agreed to fund a consultancy to recommend amendments to Anguilla’s electricitylegislation. -
Back to the future: the potential for retrofitting
A growing number of developments, incentives and legislative moves is providing a more favourable climate for the retrofitting of technology to existing buildings. -
Bromsgrove council commits to renewables
Bromsgrove District Council has reconfirmed its commitment to a renewable solar energy project in Aston Fields. -
Business Edge links with European Energy Centre
The European Energy Centre has partnered with Business Edge Ltd to launch a series of courses in Scotland and England -
Charles Hendry releases Energy Council agenda statement
The DECC has released a statement by Minister of State Charles Hendry on the agenda for the Energy Council in Brussels. -
Clegg leads wind power subsidies fightback
A fightback led by Nick Clegg has emerged against Conservative MP opposition to government subsidies to support wind power -
Companies should act now to protect their cashflow
This year will no doubt prove challenging for the building services sector. Firms are squeezed between lengthening waits for payment and banks’ continuing unwillingness to extend credit. The threat of payers becoming insolvent is ever present. -
Company warns members over FITs
Renewable Energy Assurances Ltd (REAL) is warning its members against misleading customers about solar PV Feed-In-Tariff guarantees. -
Competition intensifies over Green Investment Bank - simply register to view
Bids have flooded in from 32 UK sites vying to be the home of the Green Investment Bank. -
Condensing the bonuses of using greener boilers
All boilers for biofuel are now technically advanced. Superior in environmental performance, they are able to almost entirely substitute heating systems based on fossil fuel energy. -
Consortium wins substations contract
National Grid has extended a contract for a Morgan Sindall consortium to carry out major enhancements to the UK’s electrical transmission infrastructure. -
Control of national renewable energy sought by Brussels
European commissioner Günther Oettinger called for decisions on energy to be taken away from national governments -
Co-operative coalition commits to green community energy
A partnership of civil society leaders is to meet with Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, to instigate the ‘vision for community energy.’ -
DECC announces Feed-In Tarrif improvements
The Depertment for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced improvements to the Feed-In-Tariffs scheme -
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EIC announces access to £29.2m funding
The Energy Innovation Centre has revealed access to £29.2m of funding for companies looking to bring new ideas for tomorrow’s energy industry to market. -
Electrical Fire Safety Week up and running
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued advice to help keep people safe as part of Electrical Fire Safety Week, which takes place until Sunday. -
Elta Fans and Ziehl-Abegg join forces
Elta Fans has announced a strategic alliance with Ziehl-Abegg to use the company’s motors and impellers as part of Elta’s commitment to meet new European energy and climate change legislation. -
European commercial investments and tenancies drop
Commercial property markets in Europe struggled to keep pace with other parts of the world in the last three months of 2011, according to research by RICS. -
European report finds mixed results for PV market
The PV LEGAL project finds legal and administrative obstacles to the deployment of solar PV continue to exist in many EU Member States. -
Fears mount over mis-sold FiT work - simply register to view
Industry figures have voiced concern over price hikes in light of the continuing confusion on the deadlines and payment levels for the Feed-in Tariff. -
Gas engineer lied over industry registration
An illegal gas engineer lied to a householder about being registered to the industry body. -
Gas fitter sentenced for installation
A gas fitter from Bradford has been sentenced after leaving an elderly woman at risk when he fitted a new boiler at her home. -
GDSA single point of contact for Green Deal skills
I was delighted to see the launch of the Green Deal Skills Alliance (GDSA) featured so prominently on the front page of the 25 January edition of H&V News. -
Glasgow gets £50m renewables headquarters
A £50m technology centre designed to capture and use the power from offshore renewable energy sources is to built in Glasgow -
Government downgrades engineering diploma
Ministers have cut the value of more than 3,100 vocational qualifications, ending their recognition in England’s school league tables. -
Government loses Feed-in Tariff appeal
The government has lost its appeal against a High Court decision that it acted unlawfully in slashing solar subsidies in a move that could see thousands of homeowners receive a higher Feed-in Tariff rate. -
Govt warned over Green Deal mis-selling
Worcester Bosch has warned the Government that commission-based assessors might be tempted to mis-sell Green Deal finance packages. -
Green Deal may be forced on routine home upgrades - simply register to view
Building owners carrying out extensions and conversions to their properties could be forced to add energy efficiency improvements worth 10 per cent of the value of the initial work. -
Growth potential for renewable energy academy
The newly-opened Energy Academy in Wallsend, North Tyneside, already has 80 students and is expecting more, say its administrators. -
Guardian to host debate on energy co-operatives
The Guardian newspaper is to host a live debate on the benefits of community-owned renewables and their role in the future. -
How many young engineers have heard of DSEAR?
I have read with interest the points raised regarding the application of DSEAR in gas installations (H&V News 11 January, p28) and generally of peoples’ total non-awareness of these regulations with regard to gas in this instance. I suspect, from fairly recent previous experience, that most young engineers have never even heard of the DSEAR Regs. -
HVCA name change confirmed
The HVCA has confirmed that it will change its name to become known as the Building & Engineering Services Association on 1 March. -
HVCA raises Green Deal assessment concerns
The HVCA has voiced concerns over various aspects of government policy following the consultation on the Green Deal. -
HVNplus launches HVACR Low Carbon Newsletter
HVNplus.co.uk, the web portal of H&V News magazine, in association with RACplus.com, has launched its new FREE Low Carbon Newsletter. -
HVNplus launches HVACR Low Carbon Newsletter
HVNplus.co.uk, the web portal of H&V News magazine, in association with RACplus.com, has launched its new FREE Low Carbon Newsletter. -
HVNplus launches HVACR Low Carbon Newsletter
HVNplus.co.uk, the web portal of H&V News magazine, in association with RACplus.com, has launched its new FREE Low Carbon Newsletter. -
Hydrogen fuel technology breakthrough
Green energy specialist ITM Power is predicting it will start earning “serious income” in the current year as demand increases for its ground-breaking fuel technology. -
Indoor climate system for Swedish hospital
The new Karolinska Solna university hospital in Sweden has announced the signing of a deal with Halton to provide indoor climate systems. -
Industry urged to build on Olympics success overseas - simply register to view
International construction consultant McBains Cooper has urged the government to expand overseas work for UK contractors who have helped to deliver the Olympic Games. -
Initial success for standardised design for schools
Wilmott Dixon says it has a potential £100m pipeline for standardised schools after Warwickshire County Council became the first authority to use its Sunesis school design. -
Landlord fined for gas safety failure
An Oxford landlord has been fined for endangering the lives of his tenants after consistently failing to provide safety records for gas appliances. -
Markit/CIPS survey: construction managers optimistic
The latest Markit/CIPS survey reports a good December, giving cause for optmimism, says construction specialist. -
Media companies agree PV blackout
The UK media companies have imposed a voluntary blackout of renewable energy companies looking to exploit consumer confusion surrounding the Feed-in Tariff. -
Minister boosts funding for mCHP in FiT - simply register to view
Energy minister Greg Barker has said a new tariff for micro combined heat and power (mCHP) technology will be introduced “within a matter of days”. -
Ministerial statement for Feed-in Tariff
The Department of Energy and Climate Change has issued a ministerial statement by Energy Secretary Chris Huhne about his department’s proposed changes to the Feed-in Tariff. -
MP opens world's biggest offshore windfarm
Lib Dem MP Ed Davey will open the world’s biggest offshore windfarm today – the £1.2bn Walney scheme off Cumbria -
National Grid pays £12.8m to switch off turbines.
The National Grid has paid £12.8m to wind farm operators to compensate the switching off of turbines to avoid overloading -
National Trust's largest solar panel installation operational
Renewable energy company Dulas has delivered the National Trust’s largest solar panel installation in the UK. -
New heating plan for pensioners in Southport
Pensioners vulnerable to cold weather are being offered new heaters in a campaign to reduce winter deaths. -
Opposition voiced to wind farms plans
More than 200 extra wind turbines will have to be built in the next two decades if Cambridgeshire is to get anywhere near carbon reduction goals. -
Overseas potential following successful Olympic projects
International construction consultant McBains Cooper has urged the government to expand overseas work for UK contractors who have helped to deliver the Olympic Games. -
Plumb Center joins Micropower Council
Plumb Center, suppliers of plumbing and heating products is to join the Micropower Council. -
Plumber jailed for carrying out illegal gas work
A Suffolk plumber who put lives at risk by illegally working on domestic gas appliances has been sentenced to six months in prison. -
Price freeze for registered contractors
NICEIC has announced that all registration fees will be frozen during the period of April 2012 through to April 2013. -
Private housing
The private housing sector saw a continued period of contraction over the course of 2011, despite initial hopes that it would drive recovery for the wider industry. -
Prosecutions continue over gas safety breaches - simply register to view
January has seen a spate of prosecutions for a variety of breaches of the Gas Safety Regulations. -
PV installers could face shortage
The Renewable Energy Association (REA) is warning UK solar PV installers could soon face a shortage of solar panels -
Redditch Council confirms renewables commitment
Redditch Council has reconfirmed its commitment to its renewable energy projects amid uncertainty over the future of national solar energy schemes. -
Retrofit 2012 focuses on energy reduction behaviour
The University of Salford Retrofit 2012 conference concluded with a detailed focus on the challenges of the large-scale behaviour change needed in the UK. -
Rise in use of BIM, but costs questioned by SMEs
The number of construction professionals using BIM has more than doubled in two years - but 4 out of 5 people believe the industry doesn’t yet understand its meaning. -
S&P celebrates Quiet Award
Soler & Palau (S&P) is has announced it has been awarded the Quiet Mark from the Noise Abatement Society. -
Sabien’s profits up 63 per cent in half year results
Carbon reduction technology company Sabien Technology has announced its interim results for the six month period to 31st December 2011. -
Scottish Craft Apprentice of the Year named
Julius Garrett was named Scottish Craft Apprentice of the Year during presentation of the HVACR Awards for Outstanding Achievement -
Scottish renewable energy set to get £7.6bn to connect to grid
Ofgem has said it had fast-tracked proposals for infrastructure spending by energy companies ScottishPower and SSE -
Scrap metal laws improved
With cases of copper theft continuing to increase, the government has announced tighter laws for scrap metal deals. -
Spain halts renewable subsidies to curb debts
Spain has halted subsidies for renewable energy projects to help curb its budget deficit. -
Specialist Contractors Fear 'Double Dip' Recession
The order books of specialist contractors are continuing to shrink according to the latest NSCC State of Trade Survey. -
Strongs has new base in Liverpool
Strongs Building Services has a new headquarters in Liverpool, complete with new website for its contracting and maintenance services. -
Tata fined for leaking gas pipe blaze
Tata Steel UK has been fined £30,000 after a court heard about a potentially lethal incident at its Scunthorpe plant. -
Two thirds of households face higher energy bills
Two out of three householders will pay higher energy bills at the end of the decade despite government reassurances, according to The Guardian -
Updated contracts launched by HVCA
Three updated commercial and legal contractors have been announced by HVCA Publications, the publishing division of the Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association. -
What we can learn from the gas probe story
There has been plenty of discussion in the industry about the implementation of CPA1, the competency assessment for flue gas analysis. It has generated many formal replies but I would like to comment from my own experience. -
Wind farm pushes total capacity over 6GW
The offshore wind farm, off the coast of Barrow-in-Furness, has helped push the UK’s total wind farm capacity over the 6GW mark. -
Wind power energy storage technology revealed
A British company has unveiled a solution to storing wind power enrgy, which can then be released during periods of calm.Highview Power Storage uses liquid air storage which takes electricity at peak times and uses it to cool air until it liquefies at –196 deg C.The company said the technology solves a major problem for windfarms: the need to turn off the turbines at peak wind times to avoid the power grid to be overloaded at times of lower demand.Opponents of windfarms i
