Heating and Ventilation News
January 2011
View all stories from this issue.
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£58m homes fund for Enfield Council
Enfield Council has won Government funding to renovate poor-quality housing in its borough of London. -
An integrated approach for renewables
Renewable and low-carbon heating technologies are becoming increasingly important to the country’s overall emissions reduction strategy. -
APHC addresses online sales of HVAC equipment
The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) is raising the issue of plumbing and heating items through online marketplace eBay. -
APHC apologises to BPEC and probes web parts sales
The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) has apologised to BPEC for inaccuracies in articles sent to trade magazines in recent months. -
Apprenticeship drive must build on state support
For many years apprenticeships have been the preferred entry way into the building services engineering sector. -
Asbestos risk in HVAC sector
With the recent diagnosis of a former heating and ventilation engineer highlighting the problem of asbestos, the risk to others has been highlighted. -
Association releases radiator study findings
The Manufacturers Association of Radiators and Convectors (MARC) has released the findings of a report on the use of radiators as a 21st century heat source. -
Bailey wins fresh contracts
Bailey Maintenance has announced the securing of new contracts worth more than £22 million with companies including WM Morrisons. -
BARMA’s 70th anniversary
The Boiler and Radiator Manufacturers’ Association (BARMA) is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. -
Boiler maintenance tendering opportunity
The tendering process to secure a contract to provide maintenance for boilers in Scottish universities and colleges is scheduled to begin this month. -
Boiler ratings causing confusion, says manufacturer
The new SEDBUK 2009 ratings are causing unnecessary confusion in the domestic heating market and risk alienating consumers, says Worcester Bosch. -
BREEAM credits penalise heat pump technology
The BREEAM system for measuring the environmental sustainability of a building is now considered to be the world’s leading building assessment programme. -
CBI calls for Green Deal detail to ensure success
The government’s Green Deal risks failing to attract businesses unless it provides greater clarity on how it will be financed and promoted, the CBI has said. -
Climate change award for support services provider
The City of London Corporation presented Spie UK with the Tackling Climate Change at The Sustainable City Awards recently. -
CO alarm saves family from poisoning
Firefighters have rescued a family in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, after a gas leak in their home. -
CO alarms for social housing homes
Nearly 3,000 Housing Executive homes in Northern Ireland are to be fitted with carbon monoxide alarms following the deaths of five people over the last six months. -
Collaboration announced to offer more choice
A joint venture between ventilation equipment and services providers Nuaire and Breathing Buildings has been announced. -
Conference to focus on retrofit challenge
CIBSE has stated that its annual conference, to be held on 7 April 2011 at the Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden, London, will focus on the refurbishment challenge being faced by the building services industry. -
Coroner urges rethink on boiler safety categories
A coroner has called for the system of classifying boilers to be changed after a woman drowned in a bath having breathed in carbon monoxide from a leaking boiler. -
Coroner: 'At risk' boilers must be condemned
A coroner has called for the system of classifying boilers to be changed after a woman drowned in a bath after breathing carbon monoxide from a leaking boiler. -
Cuts forcing clients to ‘revert to type’
Several clients are “reverting to type” in the face of the deepest and “most vicious” recession ever seen by many building services contractors, according to senior members and staff at the HVCA. -
Debates delay decision on zero carbon definition
Agreement on a definition of zero carbon for homes has been further delayed by debate about whether the classification should change depending on where you are in the country. -
Demand for Green Deal finance boost to fund retrofitting projects
The UK Green Building Council has called for the government to use its Green Investment Bank to provide finance for retrofit work, warning a “big question mark” hung over the issue of home improvement financing through the flagship Green Deal scheme. -
Distributors should only serve registered installers
F-Gas certification body Refcom states that suppliers of air conditioning systems and spares should only do business with installers who are F-Gas registered. -
Eaga accepts £306m bid to become part of Carillion
One of the UK’s biggest heating and renewable energy services suppliers has backed a £306 million takeover by support services giant Carillion. -
EIC wins Mary Rose systems contract
The contract to provide M&E services for the Mary Rose Museum at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard has been secured by EIC. -
Elderly and vulnerable feel the benefit of HVAC Heroes
With cases of malpractice and illegal installation of HVAC equipment often making the news and adding to a negative image of the industry, the H&V News’ HVAC Hero campaign is focusing on the sector’s more positive aspects. -
Energy awareness and compliance are vital
The subject of regulations and their implications could easily keep a group of air conditioning installers occupied for some time. Just discussing the existing, recently updated and forthcoming changes alone could easily take up several hours of discussion. -
Eurocodes pose major upheaval
The wider construction industry has traditionally used British Standards as a benchmark for what is considered good industry practice. BSI Group describes British Standards as an agreed, repeatable way of doing something. -
Farmers opting for heat exchangers
Heat exchangers are proving a hot topic of discussion among poultry farmers as they look for ways to counteract rising energy costs in the wake of a harsh winter. -
Firms hope public sector's 30-day payment goes private
Subcontractors are hoping that savings made by clients thanks to the requirement for payment within 30 days on all central government contracts will persuade private sector clients to follow suit. -
Free work notification scheme launched
Benchmark Certification, the new provider of CORGI Memberships, has launched a new scheme to allow members to self certify for free as part of their revised competent persons schemes -
Government drive to win SMEs work
A government pledge to end the “procurement oligarchy” that shuts out small firms has divided the sector, with larger contractors warning that the move will increase suicide bidding. -
Government inquiry targets domestic heating oil costs
Ministers want to be “absolutely sure” that prices for domestic heating oil are not being fixed, the energy secretary has said. -
Grooved system can be relied on
The inside protrusion of a roll groove is small and smooth at its entry and exit and has been proven to have negligible effect on both flow and/or line pressure. -
H&V design and supply company relocates
Supply Air, the independent designer and supplier of heating and ventilation systems, has moved to new premises in Dallington, Northampton. -
H&V News Awards shortlist announced
The shortlist for the H&V News Awards 2011 has been unveiled. The awards are on course to provide another memorable evening of celebration for the HVAC sector, having seen a 50 per cent increase in the number of nominations received. -
Heroes give HVAC industry more reasons to celebrate
As word of the H&V News HVAC Hero campaign continues to spread around the industry, more examples of extreme effort and heroism are emerging. -
Honeywell offers assistance to specifiers
Honeywell has established a Building Group to support those who use, maintain, design or specify HVAC, central heating, water and other systems. -
Hot water exploration for free heat
Work is about to start in Newcastle city centre to drill a deep hole to tape into a geothermal energy source. -
Hotel employs latest tech to cut energy use
The new Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers features state-of-the-art energy technology throughout. -
Humidifier scrappage scheme announced
Humidity Solutions has announced it has introduced a scrappage scheme, whereby it will offer additional discounts to customers replacing old and inefficient humidifiers. -
Industry association celebrates 70th anniversary
This year sees the Boiler and Radiator Manufacturers’ Association (BARMA) celebrate its 70th anniversary. -
Industry trades going green and crossing over
The government’s spending review drastically cut budgets for public sector projects and, with less work available in the domestic sector, there’s no doubt those with a diverse set of skills will weather the storm better than those without. -
Installers placed under pressure to break the law
OFTEC has told H&V News that it has become aware of an increasing number of circumstances where technicians have been pressured by householders to install tanks non-compliantly. -
Johnson opens new generation Plumb Center
The latest Plumb Center branch has been officially opened by Jo Johnson, MP for Orpington. -
Judge rules Gove abused his power over BSF axing
Education secretary Michael Gove acted unlawfully in how he scrapped the Building Schools for the Future programme, the High Court has ruled. -
Lessons to be learnt in understanding biomass
With the temperature gauge plunging below freezing on a bleak December day, there are a lot worse places to visit than a boiler room. -
London forum for greener buildings
The BACnet Forum will be held in Prospero House in London on 13 April, hosted by the BACnet Interest Group and supported by CIBSE and the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA). -
Low energy heat pump system for state-of-the-art building project
A premium air-source heat pump system supplying underfloor heating throughout a new development has been installed by Cosaf. -
Low-carbon delivery concerns as Carbon Trust sees its funding cut
Contractors have criticised a funding cut to the Carbon Trust, complaining that the move is a further dent in much needed support for the construction industry’s delivery of low carbon. -
Lower cost can mean high risk
In times of economic struggle and high levels of competition it is natural to seek to reduce costs, and sourcing components at lower purchase prices can appear to be attractive at first glance. -
Major utilities firms coming out on top in retrofit battle
Information obtained by H&V News suggests utilities companies are securing increasing levels of work in the retrofit sector. -
MBO takes ventilation supplier to next chapter
The ownership of ventilaton specialist Mansfield Pollard has been transferred to four of its directors following a management buy out worth several million pounds. -
Merchant makes London promise
Details of a new initiative have been issued by Plumb Center and Parts Center for installer customers working within the M25 area. -
Merchant's long road to recovery begins
Builders’ merchant Travis Perkins recently revealed a jump in annual profits but admitted activity in its core market remained 20% below its 2008 peak. -
Minister opens university’s Energy Hub
Climate change minister Greg Barker recently opened the University of Salford’s Energy Hub. -
More recognition for professional qualifications
The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) states that there is increasing awareness of the need to use registered professionals to carry out HVAC fitting and servicing. -
MOT approach offers simpler certification
Many businesses large and small get caught out regarding the expiry dates on competence certificates. -
NEA publishes heat pump report
The finds of fuel poverty charity National Energy Action were published yesterday, following on from research commissioned by DECC to assess the potential of air source heat pumps on the domestic network infrastructure. -
New lease of life for dead heat
Redditch Borough Council has voted in favour of plans to heat a swimming pool using energy from the town’s crematorium, the BBC reports. -
New partnership aims to reduce carbon emissions
The Better Buildings Partnership and Greenprint Foundation have declared they are forming an alliance to advance their common goal of reducing carbon emissions and improving the sustainability of members’ property portfolios. -
NG Bailey secures £22m work
NG Bailey’s support arm Bailey Maintenance has announced it has secured new contracts worth £22 million. -
NICIEC heralds another brick in Wall of Shame
Following the launch of its ‘Wall of Shame’ campaign, NICIEC has welcomed the action taken by Trading Standards against a building firm and its director who falsely claimed to be a member of the electrical accreditation body. -
Oil-fired heating course launched
Logic4training has introduced the OFTEC Oil Firing Introductory Training Course (OFT50), aimed at entrants to the oil-fired heating industry. -
Oral contract adjudication may pose problems
It may be thought that the proposed amendment to the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, allowing the adjudication of oral contracts and reflecting the reality of site life, is a good thing. -
PFI contracts under the Government spotlight
The Treasury has launched a squeeze on contracts signed under the private finance initiative in the hope of finding savings worth millions of pounds. -
Prepare now for microgenerators of tomorrow
Renewable energies are big news at the moment, and heating engineers are ideally placed to move into this new area of business. -
Price rise causes more thefts from oil tanks
There has been a sharp rise in thefts of heating oil reported to the police in the wake of increased fuel prices. -
Purchase provides consultancy services expansion
Health and safety consultancy practice 4See Risk Management has purchased energy, environmental and sustainability practice Burcote Consultancy. -
Record growth leads to more jobs
PH Jones, the property maintenance and utility metering provider, reports that it has achieved 12 per cent growth for 12 months of trading between 2009 and 2010, despite difficult trading conditions. -
Renewables training facility investment
A college in the North East has said it will expand its construction department because more people want to learn about environmentally friendly building techniques. -
Research leads to new trade counter
BSS Industrial has opened its first retail style trade counter in Nottingham, following market research into buying trends across its nationwide branches. -
Rogue Trader jailed for substandard practice following BBC investigation
A man caught illegally installing gas heating equipment by BBC’s Rogue Traders has been sentenced to six months in jail. -
Scottish Labour party pledges green revolution
Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray has promised a “green housing revolution” with thousands of properties producing their own renewable energy, if the party wins the Scottish election. -
SES apprentice scoops award
Matthew Bennett has been named North East Mechanical Apprentice of the Year at the HVCA Awards. -
Shouksmiths division lands £1.4m in new contracts
The North West Division of building services engineers Shouksmiths has won eight new contracts worth a combined £1.42 million. -
Skills body fears that training gap will keep SMEs out of Green Deal
CITB-ConstructionSkills has warned that thousands of small and medium-sized construction firms are not adequately trained to take advantage of government efforts to reduce carbon. -
Smoke safety in building design goes hi-tech
When designing commercial or residential premises, there is always pressure to create the maximum lettable or saleable footprint to ensure a good return on investment. -
Social housing holds key to retrofit finance models
Contractors and energy companies must work more closely with local authorities and housing associations to deliver mass retrofit programmes, according to a report for the Homes and Communities Agency. -
Solar farm firms criticise green subsidies review
Energy companies that are developing solar ‘farms’ have hit out at a review aimed at removing green subsidies from commercial ventures, warning they represent better value for money than household solar panels. -
Standard retentions declared insufficient in recent court case
The result of legal action by AMW Plumbing and Heating against Zoom Developments has highlighted the fact that standard retention provisions do not consistitute an adequate mechanism for determining when these are to be released. -
Successful challenge to BSF cancellation
Six councils have won their High Court challenge over the Government’s decision to scrap a number of school building projects in different parts of the country. -
Tall buildings lead the way on electric heat
For residential high-rise buildings, a central boiler plant is one of the more familiar ways of providing heating and hot water. -
Tendering workshop features ADCAS presentation
The Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) is organising a workshop on the tendering process across the construction industry. -
Tradepoint adds to B&Q counters
TradePoint at B&Q has announced the opening of four new counters at stores across London. -
Transferred contract leaves ex-Connaught staff unpaid
Former Connaught workers staged a protest outside Hull City Council last week after contract complications led to wage payments being frozen. -
Uncertain future for private housing
There are a number of factors affecting the future of private housing in the UK for the year ahead, says Glenigan. -
Vehicle fleet updated following major investment
Esh Group has acquired 84 new vehicles at a cost of £1.4 million, as part of its programme of updating its van fleet across its four operations. -
Veteran AC man retires
Graham Garner has announced his retirement after a lifetime’s service to air conditioning. -
Warning on keeping pace with regulations
Directors need to boost their knowledge of regulations before they can begin to probe their team’s performance and identify opportunities for improvement, a leading health and safety lawyer has warned. -
When will details of RHI be revealed?
With final details yet to be revealed of all aspects of the Renewable Heat Incentive and rumours of a delay beginning to circulate, the Government is coming under increasing pressure to make an announcement. -
Why it pays to pay attention to regulation
The old saying that death and taxes are the only certainties in life could easily be extended to “red tape for anyone running their own business”. -
Winter emergency calls increase by 100%
Independent heating company, Swale Heating, based in Sittingbourne, Kent, has reported a 100 per cent increase in emergency calls this winter. -
Women sought in new campaign
NICEIC is aiming to encourage more women to join the electrical contracting industry, after launching its ‘Jobs for the girls’ campaign.
