The new president of the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) has focussed on lobbying activities and building regulations in his first speech.

In his inaugural address as APHC national president, Brian Silvester discussed the two key activities that he believes will improve trade conditions for the quality heating and plumbing contractor.

Silvester commented: “Over the next year I would like to promote and support the lobbying work that we are engaged in; which I am quite passionate about, and personally believe will bring about much needed change for the betterment of our industry.”

Speaking at last Saturday’s annual APHC President’s Dinner, Silvester started his speech by discussing the independent research which is currently being carried out into the lack of enforcement of Building Regulations in the heating and plumbing industry.

The new APHC boss also spoke about how the research hopes to both qualify the experiences of heating and plumbing contractors  in this area around on site workmanship standards and the issues they face when applying regulations and competing for work and quantify levels of enforcement activity taking place with relation to Building Regulations work.

Silvester emphasised that the principal aim of the research is to quantify the implications of the existing enforcement strategies on the heating and plumbing industry and he explained that the findings, which are set to be publicised by the APHC next month, will form the basis of new solutions in the industry which will be presented later in the year to the government. He added that the group will aim to lobby the government for the much needed regulatory change in this area, along with fellow industry bodies.

The new president also touched on the work of APHC in collaboration with several partners in the industry and bigger gas contracting firms, in refining the ACS gas reassessment requirements.