MAPP has been awarded B Corporation certification – the largest real estate consultancy in the UK to be recognised for its environmental and social performance. The company, which manages £13.2bn of commercial property across the UK, said the certification gives it a “formal framework” to continue pursuing its ESG agenda.
The projects will see the construction of a new 196,000 sq ft build to suit manufacturing facility for Stovax at a site in Exeter in addition to a 89,000 sq ft industrial distribution unit for Furniturebox at a site in Chippenham. Glencar, an expanding construction company specialising in the industrial,
INSPIRING DESIGNS for a new £21 million Northumberland leisure centre and library – which puts inclusivity, community pride, and connectivity at its heart – have been revealed by sports and leisure experts GT3 Architects as work gets underway on site. The design places the residents of Morpeth first, with the
Midlands property consultancy FHP has been shortlisted for ‘Agent of the Year’ at the annual East Midlands Property Dinner awards. Having advised on over £500m worth of property transactions in the last 12 months, FHP has played a major role within the region’s property sector. Celebrating the expertise and innovation
ProperPR, the property specialist PR agency, are set to host a live, online event on the afternoon of Thursday 23rd September which will seek to gently probe representatives from Rightmove, Zoopla, On The Market, Boomin and One Dome on a number of related questions. It will be a face to
Construction site accidents are very common and can range from minor to fatal. The BLS estimated that around 150,000 construction accidents happen every year in the United States. Insurance should cover you in most instances, but there are cases when things are a bit complicated. You might soon realize that
Plans for the regeneration of the Wester Hailes area have taken a big step forward. The City of Edinburgh Council today announced the appointment of the consultancy team that will work with the community to translate their vision into a masterplan for the area. This important commission has been awarded
BDP has helped complete the delivery of phase one of the new St James Quarter, Edinburgh, working with client Nuveen Real Estate to create a new destination in the heart of the capital. A new and modern 1.7 million sq ft masterplan in urban placemaking, it is one of the
The UK’s built environment is under enormous pressure to meet net-zero carbon targets by 2050 and cut its use of fossil fuels in new homes when the ban is introduced in 2025. But in order for the UK to meet these aims, a huge obstacle has to be overcome –
Comments attributed to Jeff House, Head of External Affairs at Baxi Heating The energy transition is upon us and we are shifting today’s energy use to low and zero carbon sources. The way in which we heat and provide hot water to our homes and businesses will change, and we
MAPP has been awarded B Corporation certification – the largest real estate consultancy in the UK to be recognised for its environmental and social performance. The company, which manages £13.2bn of commercial property across the UK, said the certification gives it a “formal framework” to continue pursuing its ESG agenda. Few property companies in the UK have received B Corp status, which involves scrutiny over a company’s operations across five areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. MAPP implemented several measures as part of the certification process, including the total abolition of zero hours contracts, increased diversity and inclusion, financial coaching for employees, “market leading” maternity policies and the opportunity to lease electric or hybrid cars. To qualify, businesses have to complete the B Impact Assessment, which evaluates how the company interacts with workers, customers, community and the environment, before sharing confidential documentation to validate the responses. Companies have to update their assessment every three years to maintain their certification. Besides MAPP, the only property management or investment companies in the UK with B Corp status are TSP, FORE Partnership, Newcore Capital Management and igloo Regeneration. A number of coworking operators have also been certified: The Hub Kings Cross, ARK and x+why, eOffice. Nigel Mapp, CEO of MAPP, said: “Since our inception 23 years ago, being a force for good and making a meaningful contribution to our communities has been in the company’s DNA. “There is an authentic correlation between the principles of B Corporation and the practices and standards we aspire to, so pursuing this accreditation felt like a natural progression in the MAPP story. “Becoming part of the B Corporation movement is the beginning of a new chapter. It provides us with the formal framework to continue to push the boundaries with how we deliver, measure and assess the impact we have with our people, partners, the community and environment, while empowering us to build on our progress and do even better.”
The projects will see the construction of a new 196,000 sq ft build to suit manufacturing facility for Stovax at a site in Exeter in addition to a 89,000 sq ft industrial distribution unit for Furniturebox at a site in Chippenham. Glencar, an expanding construction company specialising in the industrial, logistics, distribution, manufacturing, life science and pharmaceutical sectors has today announced that it has been awarded two new project instructions by logistics and industrial specialist St. Modwen Logistics at strategic development sites in Exeter and Chippenham. At the site in Exeter within St Modwen’s Skypark Development in Clyst Honiton, Glencar will construct a 196,000 sq ft build to suit manufacturing facility for Stovax – the UK’s largest stove and fireplace producer. In addition to the base build works Glencar will undertake Cat A and Cat B fit out together with associated external works. At the site at St Modwen Park in Chippenham, Glencar will undertake the construction of a single unit of 89,000 sq ft of industrial distribution and storage space, complete with integral offices, internal plant deck and associated external works for online furniture specialist Furniturebox. Both projects are due to commence shortly and be completed during Q2 2021. Speaking about the double appointment Glencar Managing Director Eddie McGillycuddy said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive our first, inaugural double project instruction from leading industrial and logistics specialist St. Modwen Logistics to construct two new build to suit projects at key sites within their expanding U.K. portfolio. Glencar is widely recognised as an expert in the construction of high quality and bespoke industrial and logistics facilities and we look forward to working with the project teams on each development to deliver to the standard our customers have come to expect.” Also talking about the projects Steven Smith Construction Director St. Modwen Logistics said “We are absolutely delighted to be welcoming Stovax and Furniturebox to two of our most high-profile developments in Exeter and Chippenham respectively. We are pleased to award the contract to build both developments (built to suit) to Glencar who presented an excellent set of credentials and who come with a very strong pedigree. We look forward to working with them and the broader project team and delivering each building to the customers exacting specification” So far this year, Glencar has been instructed upon new projects in excess of £175M for new and existing customers across the industrial, logistics, manufacturing, retail, mixed use and pharmaceutical sectors including various base build, refurbishment and fit-out instructions.
INSPIRING DESIGNS for a new £21 million Northumberland leisure centre and library – which puts inclusivity, community pride, and connectivity at its heart – have been revealed by sports and leisure experts GT3 Architects as work gets underway on site. The design places the residents of Morpeth first, with the practice consulting key groups through workshops and VR sessions to reach a design solution that truly meets their needs. The key themes – connecting the high street, creating local pride for the centre, and offering a diverse range of uses – were developed and incorporated into the design to create a hub where leisure meets learning. The state-of-the-art scheme combines leisure facilities with a comprehensive library and learning suite to suit Morpeth’s diverse community. Paul Reed, associate director at GT3 Architects, said: “Inclusivity is at the heart of this project and it was so important to us that the leisure centre’s new facilities were designed to be integrated and connected to the town centre. “We really enjoyed hosting workshops, presentations, and VR sessions with stakeholders from the library, adult learning, and community groups to really get to know the people of Morpeth to deliver exactly what they need. “During these workshops we discovered the importance of the three key themes of inclusivity, community pride, and connectivity. The design therefore extends to the high street through a series of stepping-stones that figuratively and literally integrate and connect to the town centre ensuring inclusivity and accessibility. The town also has a strong identity, so we wanted to capture that pride and nod to the town’s ‘living amongst woods and streams’ motto. “The result was an accessible and community-focused design, with people at its heart, and we can’t wait to see the finished development. The facility is set to include a new two-storey library, customer services and adult learning classrooms as well as a six-lane 25m swimming pool with spectator gallery, a learner pool, spa facilities, a four-court sports hall, a new 100 station fitness suite, a dedicated spinning studio, a soft play area and a café that is open to the public. The scheme is funded by Northumberland County Council. Jeff Watson, Northumberland county councillor and cabinet member for healthy lifestyles, said: “The new centre will be a real asset for the town and a wonderful place with great facilities for residents and visitors to enjoy for many years to come.” The scheme will provide 550m2 of library space, including a group room, poetry corner, and children’s library, as well as 450m2 of learning space with five flexible classrooms, offices, and tutorial spaces. The centre will be located at Gas House Lane with a new library garden addressing the river from its north bank sat amongst the existing mature trees. For further information visit www.gt3architects.com or join the conversation over on Twitter @_GT3Architects
Midlands property consultancy FHP has been shortlisted for ‘Agent of the Year’ at the annual East Midlands Property Dinner awards. Having advised on over £500m worth of property transactions in the last 12 months, FHP has played a major role within the region’s property sector. Celebrating the expertise and innovation within the region’s booming property industry over the last year, the East Midlands Property Dinner awards recognise the most impressive commercial and residential property deals, developments, builders, developers, agents and personalities who have led the way during a challenging period. FHP Property Consultants is a multi-award-winning firm with specialist teams covering retail, leisure, office, industrial, education, property management, investment and residential. With its HQ in Nottingham, the firm has been representing clients for over 30 years. FHP has completed a remarkable volume of deals in the last 12 months across all its divisions, with the most recent East Midlands EG (Estates Gazette) sector report stating the business had eight of the ‘top deal makers’ in the region – with the retail and leisure team classed as fifth most active in the country – amounting to 140 deals totalling 250,000 sq ft of retail space let, sold or acquired during 2020/21. David Hargreaves, director at FHP Property Consultants, said: “The sheer number of deals completed across the board at FHP during this period is incredible, and is testament to the team’s expertise and tenacity to deliver the best possible service to our clients. “2021 has been a highly successful year for the business and I certainly didn’t expect to say that back in March. The FHP team is proactive through and through – enabling our clients to maximise their return on their investment, by advising the right developments for their sites, advising on rental and capital values, identifying occupiers and negotiating head of teams. We simply get the job done.” Major deals in this period for FHP include the acquisition of land and providing advice on the largest office letting in Nottingham for many years – 285,000 sq ft to HMRC for Sladen Estates by John Proctor. Further notable deals include 714,000 sq feet let for distribution purposes to the likes of Panettoni, Hermes, Food Innovations and Amazon. A letting to Tesla and store acquisitions for Lidl were also amongst the agent’s high-profile deals. The success continues within the FHP investment team who were involved in more than £50m of investment sales and acquisitions, including the sale of the Beechdale Retail Park near Nottingham centre for the for the HDD Ltd. Winners of the East Midlands Property Dinner categories will be announced during a black-tie dinner in September at the DeVere East Midlands Conference Centre. More than 50 finalists have made the shortlist, as the event celebrates its landmark 21st anniversary.
ProperPR, the property specialist PR agency, are set to host a live, online event on the afternoon of Thursday 23rd September which will seek to gently probe representatives from Rightmove, Zoopla, On The Market, Boomin and One Dome on a number of related questions. It will be a face to face ‘Question Time’ style event broadcast live on the Unissu platform and available to watch back thereafter. It’s hoped that the outcome will be a frank and constructive exchange of views on what a portal really offers to their estate agency customers and to consumers; what the future holds in terms of innovation and technology features; and where the portal and agent relationship will look like in say five years’ time. The same as now? Better? Or worse? Co-founder of property PR specialists ProperPR and organiser, Russell Quirk, says “Senior representatives of each of the top five property portals have all been invited to this important event and most have confirmed their attendance. This will be no Punch and Judy show – but instead a reasoned debate amongst the sector’s main players to probe their business model, their success and their overall approach to property search. We’ll ask how they think about agents and consumers and where the future lies for them and their stakeholders’. ‘We will be asking grown up questions, the type of questions that the estate agency industry would like clarification on and not least how the relationship between portals and agents is likely to develop in the coming years. Given the enormity of the portal space now, with its value at close to £10bn, this is an opportunity for the property portals to sell themselves and to justify their propositions and indeed their value”. Russell asks “If agents have specific questions that they would like asked and answered, email me at russell@ProperPR.co.uk for consideration. There will also be a live chat facility during the session where the digital audience can pose questions”. You can sign up to the FREE event on the Unissu Events platform here
Construction site accidents are very common and can range from minor to fatal. The BLS estimated that around 150,000 construction accidents happen every year in the United States. Insurance should cover you in most instances, but there are cases when things are a bit complicated. You might soon realize that your construction company cares more about their bottom line than you and the insurance company is not on your side. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why you should consider hiring an attorney after a construction accident. You’ll Get Access to their Legal Expertise The first reason why you should work with an attorney is so you can take advantage of their experience. They will be able to answer any questions that you have, but more importantly, allow you to avoid potentially disastrous mistakes. Insurance companies will not hesitate to use dirty tricks to get you to incriminate yourself or try to invalidate your claim. A lawyer will explain how to handle an injury if you’re a construction worker, and the steps you need to take to get full compensation. They will look over the whole facts of the case and have experts to retrieve important information that could help you. They will then be able to tell you what you can realistically expect to get and the proper course of action to take. Help You If Your Claim Has Been Denied Like we mentioned earlier, you should be covered under your insurance scheme if you were injured during work or on the job site. But there are cases when your claim might be partially or totally denied. This can be incredibly distressing to you if you have lost income and are dealing with serious injuries. This is another situation where an attorney could help. They Can Help You With Negotiations There are also cases when you might be able to file a claim directly against your employer. This is often when there’s negligence involved. If it was proven that they were negligent, you may be able to file a liability claim against them. Here, you will either have the choice of going to court or settling. Settling does not necessarily mean that you get less. Lawyers will often ask for a large portion of the judgment if they have to represent you in court, and it’s understandable when considering all the extra resources that have to be deployed. Having a master negotiator by your side will be essential. It’s also important that you choose a lawyer willing to go all the way for you, and they need to have the track record to prove it. Check how many times the lawyer has gone to court and the judgments they were able to get. This will let you know if they’re pushing for a settlement for your interest, or because they don’t want to bother with going to court. These are all major reasons why working with a construction accident attorney could be a good idea. If you feel like you’re being slighted by your employer or their insurance company in any way, we suggest you consult one right now.
Plans for the regeneration of the Wester Hailes area have taken a big step forward. The City of Edinburgh Council today announced the appointment of the consultancy team that will work with the community to translate their vision into a masterplan for the area. This important commission has been awarded to a multi-disciplinary consultant team led by Turner & Townsend, who will act as project managers, together with partners Stallan Brand (architects, lead designer and community engagement), Atelier 10 (building services and sustainability), OOBE (landscape architects) and Goodson Associates (engineering and transportation). Setting out a comprehensive, phased approach for the next 10 to 15 years, the Wester Hailes masterplan will build on community aspirations as set out in the Local Place Plan as well as a number of early action projects that are already under way. These include improvements to existing Council homes and estates, delivery of new-build affordable homes at Dumbryden Gardens, early design work for the replacement of the high school, as well as improvements to Westside Plaza. The plan will seek to maximise distinctive characteristics of the area including its canal-side location, existing assets, opportunities for wider economic and social benefits and the role of key partners and the local community. Working with the Council and the community, the masterplan team will look at opportunities to implement improvements to existing transport and active travel infrastructure, new housing-led developments and adapting public sector delivery models, all firmly rooted in the Council’s new 20 Minute Neighbourhood model. Wester Hailes is also one of the first communities in Scotland to start to develop its own Local Place Plan following their introduction within the Planning (Scotland) Act in 2019. City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Adam McVey, said: This is a hugely important project that will offer real opportunities for people in Wester Hailes. The investments which the masterplan sets out will include improvements to existing homes as well as new affordable housing that is so desperately needed in our city, together with employment opportunities and facilities for small businesses and entrepreneurs in the area to prosper. Throughout the development of the masterplan we will look to actively engage with people in Wester Hailes and nearby communities to feed in to help these improvements benefit everyone. The appointment of the right team to take the community’s ambitions for their area forward was critical and we believe the award-winning team, led by Turner & Townsend will meet our goals. We look forward to working together with the team and community as the masterplan develops over the coming year. Depute Leader, Cammy Day, said: It’s fantastic to be getting this regeneration project under way with this key appointment. A priority for us, on awarding this commission, has been to engage fully with the local community and ensure that the Council’s regeneration programme reflects the aspirations, ideas and actions emerging from the Local Place Plan process to date. The community consultation process will include speaking to key public sector partners, those who have assets within the area, those who use existing land and buildings on a long-term or meanwhile basis, and the communities within the regeneration area and surrounding neighbourhoods. All this will be fundamental to the overall success of the proposals the team produce for us to take forward to the next phase. James Darrie, Director and Edinburgh office leader at Turner & Townsend, said: From upgrading transport systems to delivering new affordable homes, this much needed regeneration promises to bring transformative long-term benefits to the Wester Hailes area. Our local team will work closely with the community to ensure it becomes the thriving and flourishing neighbourhood that residents want and deserve. Eoghan Howard, Chair of Wester Hailes Community Trust and Leah Black, Chief Executive at WHALE Arts said: We welcome the news that Turner & Townsend have been appointed and that this important project will be starting in 2021. WHALE Arts, Wester Hailes Community Trust and Prospect Housing have been working alongside the Council for the last 18 months following a piece of work in 2019/2020 working towards a Local Place Plan.The goal has been to ensure that the community-led Local Place Plan will be aligned to the regeneration project so that local views and ideas are at the heart of changes and improvements to the area. This builds on the Westside Plaza design process which was led by the Wester Hailes Community Trust and has resulted in an improved social area, giving local residents an idea of how important it is for regeneration to be led by people living in the area.
BDP has helped complete the delivery of phase one of the new St James Quarter, Edinburgh, working with client Nuveen Real Estate to create a new destination in the heart of the capital. A new and modern 1.7 million sq ft masterplan in urban placemaking, it is one of the UK’s largest inner-city regeneration projects. BDP’s Glasgow studio, which worked alongside Allan Murray Architects in the design stage, saw its role develop from co-designer to lead consultant and technical architect for the design of the scheme, and delivered the master plan as part of the Laing O’Rourke construction team for the £1billion development. Works started on site with the demolition of the existing shopping centre, office block, hotel, and car park, in 2016 with the retail-led development seeing shoppers flock to its curved four-storey galleria since its opening in June. Designed with movement of people in mind, St James Quarter is a highly accessible, permeable development with multiple entry points situated at different levels. The brief from the outset was to create a step change from typical retail developments and to incorporate various uses on the site that would deliver a sustainable model for development in the historic town centre. The design makes use of the surrounding inner-city topography, integrating with Edinburgh’s busy shopping areas and encouraging visitors to weave their way through the city. The commercial benefits to creating this organic flow of people through St James Quarter is a boosted footfall that is presented with unexpected opportunities to shop, or to dine, resulting in increased dwell time helping businesses to thrive. Oliver Wilson, BDP Architect Director, said, “St James Quarter is Edinburgh’s largest development in a generation and creates a distinct area in the Scottish capital. Incorporating new and existing development, it transforms Edinburgh’s retail offering delivering an enriched social experience and creating a lifestyle destination which people will repeatedly revisit.” “Consumers are faced with a myriad of options when it comes to their leisure time and they want to spend it in a well designed, engaging and accessible place that offers them everything they want, and not simply a place to shop. Destinations need to make more efficient use of the space and work harder to meet consumers’ needs and St James Quarter does this by presenting a truly unique offer.” The BDP team is now working to complete the shell and core works to the remaining phases of the development in advance of them being fitted out, which include a cinema, hotel and aparthotel, and a high profile residential element occupying the upper level of the galleria. The apartments offer a truly special place to live in the heart of the city with an extensive roof garden and take advantage of the spectacular views across the city and out towards the Firth of Forth. Work on further phases will see the completion of entertainment, residential, and hotel accommodation as part of the £1bn scheme.
The UK’s built environment is under enormous pressure to meet net-zero carbon targets by 2050 and cut its use of fossil fuels in new homes when the ban is introduced in 2025. But in order for the UK to meet these aims, a huge obstacle has to be overcome – the cost of air source heat pumps. Alex Hill from Whitecode Consulting asks the all-important question: Can we afford to be green? It was only a matter of weeks ago that the Energy Saving Trust joined over 20 businesses and civil society organisations to lobby for a Fair Heat Deal which would make heating affordable for all. Not only does this recent call to the UK government ask for air source heat pumps and insulation to be made free for fuel poor households, it requests that the cost of heat pumps be brought in line with boilers, to generally be more affordable for the average UK household. These offerings will not doubt put the UK on better footing to reaching its net zero aims, providing important support and assistance for those who need it most. A greener appetite The majority of consumers are aware of their responsibilities to make the world a cleaner place for all. A report produced by the thinktank, Ember, revealed that renewable energy generated by wind, sunlight, water and wood constituted 42% of the UK’s electricity last year compared with 41% generated from gas and coal plants together. These findings represent quite a milestone and showcase consumers are steadily weaning themselves off unsustainable heat supplies. As time unfolds there will be a growing appetite for greener solutions. Yet, there are a few obstacles that are standing in the way. The main caveat is the cost of electricity. When I started out as an engineer around 20 years ago the cost of electricity was 8p per kilowatt. Fast forward to 2021 and the amount peaks at 17p! In comparison, the price of gas hasn’t changed much at all and has remained at the cheap price of 3p. The reason why electricity has become so expensive is because the electrical companies are hiking up the price. They are doing so in order to cover all of the additional costs they’re accruing to decarbonise the grid. As a result of electricity’s high costs, we are seeing some homeowners receiving extortionate energy bills each month, sums well above the average running costs. Everyone is talking about going green and being carbon neutral, but what about fuel poverty? What are the solutions? If you have a gas boiler that runs cheaply in comparison, where is the incentive for you to change your boiler and supply? The ban on fossil fuel heating is solely for new homes and does not account for the existing stock. Some boiler manufacturers are exploring other options including hydrogen, which derives from water and has the potential to be very sustainable. It could be that this technology is another option to electricity. At the moment electricity is financially unviable for many consumers. Eliminate the obstacles The drive towards electrification has highlighted a few alternative solutions to gas boilers. The ‘Future support for low carbon heat’ document, which was out for public consultation between April-July 2020, brings to the fore several low carbon heating prospects. One of these methods is air source heat pumps, a low-carbon producer of heat which has been widely tried-and-tested in the likes of Scandinavia and the Netherlands. Air source heat pumps have been lobbied and heralded as the solution to cleaner heat, yet, as they are powered by electricity, the financial burden of this form of supply will weigh heavy on consumers. It is why I and many others welcome the news that the Energy Saving Trust is actively campaigning for air source heat pumps to be made affordable. We need to do all we can to eliminate the obstacles to greener, cleaner heat. Another topic within the air source heat pump debate is maintenance. In 15 years, a homeowner of a new-build might have to upgrade their heat pump as they would do their boiler. A new boiler would cost you around £2000 in total, yet a heat pump comes in at around £5000 at least. This is under the proviso that there are a sufficient number of F Gas-qualified installers who are licensed to service heat pumps. Many boiler installers will need to upskill, and this may come at a higher cost both for installers and homeowners. Earlier this month, prominent UK housebuilder Taylor Wimpey featured in the news as it was revealed the housebuilder questioned the affordability of heat pumps. The housebuilder’s position was revealed through a freedom of information request by environmental charity Greenpeace. Whilst Taylor Wimpey recognised the need for urgent action to tackle the climate crisis, it raised an important concern regarding the practical implementation of heat pumps and whether we can afford to be green. In our pursuit to be green we must take a more holistic approach and be sensitive to the significant financial burden that the cost of electricity will place on the average consumers. Whilst it is positive to see that we are steadily eliminating carbon-hungry fuel, someone has to pay for the decarbonisation of our national grid. At present the reality isn’t moving in tandem with the expectations, and if things remain unchanged, I fear it will push many into even deeper fuel poverty.
Comments attributed to Jeff House, Head of External Affairs at Baxi Heating The energy transition is upon us and we are shifting today’s energy use to low and zero carbon sources. The way in which we heat and provide hot water to our homes and businesses will change, and we are developing technologies that will support this transition. A bold and pragmatic policy framework will encourage investment and drive change. We therefore welcome today’s publication of the Hydrogen Strategy from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). This important document details the role and vision for clean hydrogen deployment at scale in the UK, building upon the ambitions in last year’s 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. As an energy carrier, hydrogen has many uses that will help to decarbonise heating, transport and industry. We therefore welcome the government’s assurance to the the public today that hydrogen can be made as safe as natural gas. Alongside the Strategy, the Government is publishing its proposed business model for supporting hydrogen production in the form of a Contract for Difference. This approach has been utilised successfully for offshore wind and will enable the sector to invest in early-stage projects and reduce the cost of hydrogen. The availability of low-cost hydrogen at scale is a key enabler of the deployment of hydrogen for heat. We believe there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution, and a whole range of heating technologies will need to be deployed for a range of properties. Baxi Heating, as part of BDR Thermea Group, is at the forefront of developing clean heating solutions, including our ground-breaking development of hydrogen boilers. Our work with the Hy4Heat project and associated demonstration sites in the UK show technical feasibility of this solution. We believe the Government should act upon advice from the Climate Change Committee and other sources advocating a mandate that all boiler sales from 2025 should be hydrogen-ready in order to help pre-populate a swathe of the housing stock ready for a future conversion. Technology, energy efficiency and business models are all bit parts in the wider picture. Skilled installers and contractors will be utterly essential to success, so we are glad to see the announcement of a hydrogen sector development action plan in early 2022 setting out how the government will support companies to secure supply chain opportunities, skills and jobs in hydrogen. Following the Hydrogen Strategy, we look forward to several important publications in the lead up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), including consultations on the role for hydrogen-ready appliances, off gas grid heating measures and the UK Heat and Buildings Strategy. Find out more about Baxi Heating’s pathway to the energy transition here.