The newly unveiled Heat and Buildings strategy doesn’t go far enough to address major problems in the race to reach Net Zero, warns Tim Rook, Chief Markets Officer at Clade Engineering, a leading designer and manufacturer of CO2 heat pumps. The long-awaited strategy was unveiled yesterday and contains details of the
High security composite panels specialist Modular Security Solutions is providing the building sector with additional protection for people and assets, following the successful fire testing of its brand-new ULTRA composite panel system. The Newcastle upon Tyne-based firm’s high security ULTRA composite panel system has now been tested to BS476- Resistance
TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL: SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FOR EDUCATION Construction within the education sector is set to face a number of challenges in the next decade as schools look to reach net zero and utilise renewable technology and techniques. Matt Wrate, director at international M&E consultancy CPW, looks at how to
The Manufacturers of Equipment for Heat Networks Association, MEHNA welcomes the Heat and Buildings Strategy that recognises the importance of heat networks as the way forward for sectors that will be difficult to decarbonise. Steve McConnell, Director, MEHNA said: “Heat networks are an essential part of the decarbonisation approach. The
The Heat Pump Association warmly welcomes the launch of the UK’s Heat and Buildings Strategy today in the hope that it will encourage exceptional market growth over the next few years. The Heat and Buildings Strategy published today (Tuesday 19th October) has unveiled phased out dates for the installation of
British Gas has become the latest organisation to sign up to the UK’s main F-Gas register REFCOM as it seeks to keep pace with growing demand for heat pump installations. The energy giant’s social housing subsidiary PH Jones maintains more than 195,000 homes across the UK. It supports 23 social
Secretary of State Welcomes Ground-breaking New Training Course Launched by Heat Pump Association The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, has welcomed the launch of a new training course that will overhaul the route to becoming a heat pump installer in
The British Occupational Hygiene Society, a scientific charity and the Chartered Society for Worker Health Protection has developed in collaboration with the Health and Safety Executive a free, online Ventilation Tool to help limit the transmission of Covid-19 in workplaces. As the government is advising businesses to use CO2 monitoring
Chubb, a leading provider of security and fire safety solutions has been appointed by EDF Energy as the main security systems provider for the operational station at Hinkley Point C (HPC) – the UK’s largest construction project and first new generation of nuclear plant to be built in over 20 years.
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has secured extra government funding to provide a further 200 free places on its online heat pump training course. BESA developed the installer training in collaboration with the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and heating equipment manufacturer Worcester Bosch. Launched in March, it has already trained for free
The newly unveiled Heat and Buildings strategy doesn’t go far enough to address major problems in the race to reach Net Zero, warns Tim Rook, Chief Markets Officer at Clade Engineering, a leading designer and manufacturer of CO2 heat pumps. The long-awaited strategy was unveiled yesterday and contains details of the Government’s £3,9bn plan to improve access to energy efficient heating technologies. Part of this is a £450m boiler upgrade scheme, which will allow homeowners to apply for grants of £5,000 towards installation of low-carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps. However, when delving into the details, Tim is concerned that the plan doesn’t go far enough. “It’s great to see the Government finally moving on the climate critical issue of heat and promoting heat pumps as the best form of sustainable heating technology on the market. However, the strategy is far too small and fails to adequately address the major issue of the difference between the price of gas and that of power. If the Government were to rebalance this it would transform the market and really drive mass adoption of low carbon heat pumps,” Tim explains. “The strategy is further confused by the inclusion of hydrogen and weakened by many follow-on consultations and studies. There is some content that is likely political bluster, such as the mention of 25% price reductions for green technologies and its disappointing to see house buildings being given at least three more years of building inefficient housing when we could be building better right now.” He adds Decarbonising heat is one of the most effective ways of lowering emissions in the UK, but with 85% of UK homes reliant on gas for heating, more needs to be done to improve access to green heating technologies. £5,000 grants will help just 90,000 households, a drop in the ocean against the 600,000 annual installations needed by 2028 to reach Net Zero. Time is of the essence, as Tim explains,“There is a fixed budget of carbon we can release into the atmosphere before we exceed our target of 1.5C of global warming. If we fritter that budget away in a short period of time, we don’t get it back. Leaders have to stop being wilfully blind, recognise the critical risks we face and act fast to mitigate them, for all our sakes.
High security composite panels specialist Modular Security Solutions is providing the building sector with additional protection for people and assets, following the successful fire testing of its brand-new ULTRA composite panel system. The Newcastle upon Tyne-based firm’s high security ULTRA composite panel system has now been tested to BS476- Resistance to fire at a UKAS (the United Kingdom Accreditation Service) approved fire testing facility and achieves 120 minutes on both integrity and insulation. Testing on the new product line will give Modular Security Solutions’ customers additional peace of mind. It will also broaden the company’s ability to support building contractors, security contractors, facilities managers, and end users with fire-tested panel systems in areas of high vulnerability, where defence against enhanced professional criminal attempts to access high value assets is required. To gain the BSEN 476 certification, the panels were tested for 120 minutes for integrity and insulation. Integrity measures the system’s ability to stop flames or hot gases from passing from the ‘fire side’ to the non-fire side through openings such as panel joints and interfaces within the testing culvert, while insulation relates to the system’s ability to limit the surface temperature rise on the non-fire side. During the UKAS-accredited testing procedure, the company’s ULTRA security composite panels were installed into a concrete testing rig and subjected to resistance testing from a furnace, which reaches temperatures of up to 1200°C. Modular Security Solutions’ ULTRA composite panel system has been designed and tested to resist enhanced professional criminal attacks from a wide range of tooling, including not only mechanical and electrical power tools but also petrol driven disc grinders and chainsaw tooling elements. Modular Security Solutions designs and supplies high security walling systems and enclosures which can be used to create new buildings and superstructures. They can also be retro-fit into existing buildings to security harden and fire-proof specifically identified areas. Modular Security Solutions’ high security composite panels are manufactured with a fire retardant rockwool insulative core, to support fire resistance, and steel anti-cutting layers which ensure they have high levels of resistance to mechanical, electrical and petrol-driven tooling. The high security composite panelling systems are fully modular and versatile. They can be rapidly installed and offer a significant reduction in labour costs, site down time and on-site trades, due to their convenient male/female slip joint and pre-finished appearance, which comes in a wide range of standard colours and finishes. Mark Sutherland, Projects Director of Modular Security Solutions, said: “We’re very proud to have achieved this two-hour fire testing pass for the ULTRA composite panel system, as the testing process is extremely rigorous. “The excellent performance of our panels during testing demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that fire safety and physical security are built into the sensitive environments and projects our systems are part of. “Our panels’ combination of high security capabilities, fire resistance and build flexibility gives contractors a cost-effective solution for protecting high-risk areas, such as data centres, server rooms, laboratories and vaults.” Modular Security Solutions offers a complimentary Security Design Package with every project, which details secure installation methods and ensures the interfaces between its systems and doors, windows, ventilation louvres and service penetrations are inbuilt and secure. For more information on Modular Security Solutions, visit https://www.modularsecurity.co.uk
TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL: SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FOR EDUCATION Construction within the education sector is set to face a number of challenges in the next decade as schools look to reach net zero and utilise renewable technology and techniques. Matt Wrate, director at international M&E consultancy CPW, looks at how to keep schools cool yet sustainable when developing heating solutions. One of the biggest issues we face when designing schools is overheating, due to increased occupancy density and equipment gains. Keeping schools cool, especially with the ever-looming threat of climate change, has been an issue since Tony Blair’s ‘education education education’ promise that pledged to put schools at the top of the agenda. It’s easy to draw parallels to Boris Johnson’s ‘build build build’ but this time the focus is on the property and construction industry with an emphasis on helping both new and existing buildings become carbon neutral. I recently took part in a Stride Treglown Climate Action Relay panel, which looked at the challenges of delivering a carbon net zero school and considered the implementation of modern methods of construction (MMC) in schools, the impact of changing regulations and behavioural changes in reaching net zero. The consensus was that there is no one answer for reaching net zero but rather that we need a wider solution that incorporates a transparent supply chain, renewable technology, MMC and a simple way to measure operational and embodied carbon on projects. In short, we need to work together to reach the government’s 2050 target. This is where clever solutions come in. In 2000, when renewable technology first gained popularity, the cost was astronomical. However, in the decades since then the price of materials has significantly reduced and so has the overall cost. Photovoltaic panels already cover the roofs of schools across the country and a number of passive solutions have been installed to keep spaces cool before resorting to energy-hungry air conditioning. But we need to take the next step. New technology is in the research and development pipeline, so we need to begin weighing up the benefits of implementing sustainable techniques while keeping inside the budget. Even with the best intentions, if the proposed solutions aren’t economically viable, the most financially suitable option will win out every time. I believe closing the ‘performance gap’ is essential if schools are to operate as zero carbon. Engaging the client’s facilities management team, who will actually operate the building, is ideal but not always feasible at design stage. We therefore need to design systems that are simple to use without training to ensure energy is not wasted. However, the biggest difference we can make when designing schools is allowing flexibility. School buildings are used in different ways, at different times, by different groups of people and the design must facilitate this as much as possible without adding significant cost. Technology is also constantly evolving so we must consider the entire lifespan of a school – typically 25 years – and allow space to incorporate different solutions as they become available. Yes, we need to consciously design with sustainability in mind, utilising the most up to date methods and technology, but flexibility is key when reaching for carbon net zero. For further information visit www.cpwp.com or follow @CPWengineering on Twitter.
The Manufacturers of Equipment for Heat Networks Association, MEHNA welcomes the Heat and Buildings Strategy that recognises the importance of heat networks as the way forward for sectors that will be difficult to decarbonise. Steve McConnell, Director, MEHNA said: “Heat networks are an essential part of the decarbonisation approach. The technology is already available, and the carbon savings are being made. The £338 million funding for the Heat Network Transformation Programme is money well spent.” “Currently there are over 14,000 heat networks in the UK, providing heating and hot water to around 480,000 consumers. This is proven technology that will assist the UK to make carbon reductions, and enable consumers to protect their heating and hot water comfort levels, safe in the knowledge that it is being done in the most efficient way possible.” “MEHNA and its members will continue to support government as the UK transitions to net Zero.”
The Heat Pump Association warmly welcomes the launch of the UK’s Heat and Buildings Strategy today in the hope that it will encourage exceptional market growth over the next few years. The Heat and Buildings Strategy published today (Tuesday 19th October) has unveiled phased out dates for the installation of fossil fuel heating, increased funding support for households purchasing heat pumps, and the rebalancing of environmental levies on electricity, all of which will be vital to growing the heat pump market and reducing emissions from our homes. Chair of the Heat Pump Association, Phil Hurley said: “The heat pump industry warmly welcomes these bold steps forward. The industry in the best shape it has ever been, with sales this year already double those seen ever before. “This announcement is timed perfectly to take advantage of the Heat Pump Association’s recently launched training course, with the industry now ready to retrain the UK’s army of installers with the capacity to train up to 40,000 per year, to ensure consumers can find a suitably trained and skilled heat pump installer when they need one. “Today’s announcement will give industry and installers a huge confidence boost that now is the time to scale-up and retrain in preparation for the mass roll out of heat pumps, as well as making heat pumps more affordable, so all consumers can soon access and enjoy the benefits of reliable low carbon heating that stands the test of time.” Key highlights for the heat pump industry include: The extension of the Clean Heat Grant scheme. Going beyond earlier proposals, the scheme will now run for three years from April 2022 with an increased funding pot of £450 million. Consumers will receive government grants of up to £5,000 for the purchase of heat pumps. The rebalancing of the environmental levies on electricity and gas. This will help to reduce fuel bills for consumers switching to heat pumps and is likely to further stimulate demand. Phase out dates for fossil fuel heating. Regulation is vital for instilling confidence in industry and commitment to phase out fossil fuel systems by 2035 is a major milestone for the low carbon heating market
British Gas has become the latest organisation to sign up to the UK’s main F-Gas register REFCOM as it seeks to keep pace with growing demand for heat pump installations. The energy giant’s social housing subsidiary PH Jones maintains more than 195,000 homes across the UK. It supports 23 social housing providers, has carried out almost half a million service calls and installs more than 11,000 heating systems and 850 renewable projects annually. A growing number of these installations now involve renewable systems with noticeable growth in heat pumps. It is actively recruiting to increase its team of skilled engineers and grow installation work backed up by ongoing expert service and maintenance. With the social housing sector moving more quickly towards low and zero carbon targets than other parts of the residential market, British Gas said upskilling the PH Jones workforce was a priority. “The industry is clearly suffering from an acute skills shortage, and it is crucial that large employers like us step up to address it,” said PH Jones director Matt Isherwood. “As well as bringing new engineers into the sector, we also need to upskill our existing workforce, particularly those already involved in boiler installations and other ‘traditional’ heating projects. “They will be crucial to delivering high performing heat pump systems in line with the government’s ambitions, but the technology does require specialist skills. We recognise the importance of making sure everyone working for us is properly trained, accredited, and able to comply with legislation. Credentials “That is why we were very keen to become REFCOM members as it is the best way to demonstrate our credentials and support higher standards across the sector,” he added. The government has set the industry the challenge of installing 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028 – an almost ten-fold increase on current rates – and the Climate Change Committee believes 19 million will have to be installed to meet the country’s net zero carbon emissions target by 2050. PH Jones already has 11 F-gas qualified engineers and a larger team specialising in its renewables work. The agreement it has signed with REFCOM will allow it to eventually register many more certified operatives in line with its plans to expand its workforce. Founded in 1963, it now employs around 600 staff. Its social housing and facilities management business was acquired by British Gas in 2011. It received a ROSPA gold medal in 2019 following five successive years of receiving the prestigious health & safety initiative’s gold award. REFCOM is celebrating 25 years of helping refrigeration and air conditioning companies demonstrate their business and technical credentials and promoting higher professional standards of refrigerant management. Originally set up as a voluntary scheme in 1996 by a group of contractors who wanted to demonstrate their commitment to high professional standards and responsible refrigerant handling, it became the mandatory register for compliance with the European F-Gas regulation in 2009. It recently recorded its 7,000th company membership, which represents an estimated 90% of the total number of firms operating in the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors. The UK continues to ‘mirror’ the F-Gas Regulation despite its departure from the EU, which means that all personnel carrying out installation, commissioning, decommissioning, repairing, maintenance, or servicing of stationary refrigeration, air-conditioning or heat pump equipment that contains or is designed to contain F-Gas refrigerants must hold the relevant designated qualifications.www.phjones.co.uk/www.refcom.org.uk
Secretary of State Welcomes Ground-breaking New Training Course Launched by Heat Pump Association The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, has welcomed the launch of a new training course that will overhaul the route to becoming a heat pump installer in the UK. The Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution, published in November 2020, outlined a target to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028 as part of ambitions to create green jobs whilst making strides towards net zero by 2050. The new training course, launched by the Heat Pump Association, aims to equip the heating industry with the additional skills needed to deliver on this target and deliver low carbon heat to hundreds of thousands of British homes. Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “The Government is absolutely committed to working with industry to drive down the costs of heat pumps over time so they are increasingly affordable for consumers. “While heat pumps are fast becoming a natural option for households, we need to ensure we have enough skilled tradespeople to hit our target of 600,000 installations each year by 2028 – so the Heat Pump Association setting up this training scheme is absolutely critical in this endeavour. “Today’s news is a great example of how government and industry can work together to accelerate progress and create the high-skilled jobs needed to make homes greener and more energy efficient.” The new course will be available for bookings across 38 training centres spread across the UK, with the ability to train over 40,000 installers each year across the HPA membership alone at maximum capacity. Phil Hurley, Chair of the Heat Pump Association, said: “Today’s launch is a landmark achievement and the HPA is proud to have worked hard with others across industry to bring this new heat pump training pathway to life. When we laid out our vision to government last year, we recognised our role in delivering training and skills, and we have successfully achieved this whilst working in constructive partnership with the Secretary of State and his team. “The heat pump industry is now fully equipped to lead the way in transforming the way homes are heated to reduce carbon and lower energy bills. “Importantly, we are also supporting plans to build back better through upskilling existing heating installers so that they are equipped with the tools and skills they need to allow consumers to access heat pumps as a solution to decarbonise their homes.” Further details on how heating industry professions can find and book a course can be found in the notes to editors.
The British Occupational Hygiene Society, a scientific charity and the Chartered Society for Worker Health Protection has developed in collaboration with the Health and Safety Executive a free, online Ventilation Tool to help limit the transmission of Covid-19 in workplaces. As the government is advising businesses to use CO2 monitoring equipment to check whether indoor spaces are sufficiently ventilated and the Welsh government announces millions of pounds of funding for CO2 monitors, the Society, following the publication of its Guidance on ventilation, took a step further and worked with the HSE to create a simple Ventilation Tool to support workplaces and help reduce exposure of workers to Covid-19. With winter coming and businesses contemplating the challenges of Covid-19 and colder weather, good ventilation is key to limit the risk of coronavirus amongst workers and provide clean air especially in enclosed spaces. As ventilation in buildings can be complex, BOHS and HSE decided to develop this non-technical ventilation check tool to provide guidance and an indication of the effectiveness of the ventilation system used on reducing coronavirus transmission. The tool can be used by employers, building users, and building owners and does not aim to replace ventilation specialists or occupational hygienists assessing risks in a workplace, especially when it comes to more complex ventilation needs. CO2 monitoring is also very important, as an increase in CO2 concentration in any area could be indicative of poor ventilation that needs improving. BOHS CO2 Monitoring guidance aims to provide basic information on why monitoring CO2 levels can help control the spread of coronavirus, when it does work well, what is a safe CO2 level and how to do the monitoring. Andrew Curran, HSE’s Chief Scientific Officer, commented: “’I’m really pleased to see the development of this practical tool which will help to inform decisions about ventilation in work spaces.’ BOHS CEO, Professor Kevin Bampton said: “Covid-19 has highlighted the central importance of air quality in protecting workers from illness. We hope that these tools will enable people better understand their working environment and the role ventilation plays in saving lives and preventing ill-health” Guidance on ventilation and CO2 monitoring can be found on BOHS COVID-19 hub, alongside guidance on managing Covid risk in different sectors and other health risks, such as legionella, as the economy re-opens.
Chubb, a leading provider of security and fire safety solutions has been appointed by EDF Energy as the main security systems provider for the operational station at Hinkley Point C (HPC) – the UK’s largest construction project and first new generation of nuclear plant to be built in over 20 years. Chubb is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions. HPC will generate low-carbon electricity for up to six million homes, which equates to 7% of the UK’s energy supply. The plant is also expected to generate approximately 25,000 employment opportunities throughout construction and operation jobs, 900 permanent jobs and contribute significantly to the UK economy. Chubb came on board in October 2020, to provide physical and electronic security systems. The total solution deployed includes unique design and in-house software development, integration, delivery and accreditation of bespoke systems. The comprehensive security system will include CCTV, intruder alarm, access control and visitor management technologies, as well as perimeter intruder detection for the nuclear power station. “We are delighted to work with the HPC teams for this project. Our long-standing relationship with EDF Energy is important to us and we value the opportunity to work on such a high-profile project. Chubb is able to fully leverage its expertise as a leading designer and integrator of security systems, identifying and solving complex requirements to critical national infrastructure and major, large-scale projects across the public and private sector,” said David Dunnagan, Systems Director at Chubb. To learn more about Chubb’s solutions and services, visit https://www.chubbfiresecurity.com/en/uk/
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has secured extra government funding to provide a further 200 free places on its online heat pump training course. BESA developed the installer training in collaboration with the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and heating equipment manufacturer Worcester Bosch. Launched in March, it has already trained for free more than 700 qualified plumbing and heating engineers, who were looking to upskill to take on heat pump work. The course is delivered through the Association’s online training Academy and this new round of funding, which comes from unspent Green Homes Grant scheme money, will allow it to extend the free programme until the end of October. New applicants should sign up here and are urged to move quickly as demand continues to be high as the market for heat pumps expands encouraging more companies and individuals to diversify into this area. Heat pumps were highlighted by the Prime Minister as a key technology for delivering many of the government’s decarbonisation goals and he tasked the industry with installing 600,000 a year by 2028. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) also set a target of one million a year by the 2030’s towards an eventual total of 19 million to help achieve net zero by 2050. Industry estimates for this year put the current number of heat pump installations at around 71,000 and ramping that up to achieve the government’s ultimate target would require an additional 40,000 trained installers, according to the Heat Pump Association. Challenge The BESA Academy training scheme is a direct response to that challenge, according to the Association’s director of training and skills Helen Yeulet. “One of the biggest barriers to increased adoption of heat pump technology is the lack of suitably qualified installers,” she said. “It is also very important that installations meet a high technical standard and that engineers fully understand the technology, so consumers get the full energy and carbon saving benefits. “We are delighted to be working in collaboration with the HBF and Worcester Bosch because our combined expertise means we can include the most up-to-date knowledge in the training and use people who really understand the subject to deliver it.” Alongside the training course, BESA has updated its guide to good practice for heat pump installation (TR/30). This is the only guide that clearly identifies and explains all the different types of heat pump available and clarifies the type of training needed for successful installation. It also explains how to avoid many of the design problems that have impaired the performance of some systems to improve consumer satisfaction and cut more carbon emissions. The guide, which is available to buy from the BESA website, draws on the increased experience of heat pump technology in the field and provides an overview of the different applications including their benefits and limitations as well as providing outline design information for each. It contains updated references to building standards and codes of practice as well as data referenced from the latest CIBSE and BSRIA guides. Carbon emission factors have been updated along with explanations of new and emerging technologies that use different refrigerant types and blends which bring new hazards and safety considerations. “Since the first edition of this guide was published, there has been a significant increase in the use of heat pump technologies, which has resulted in a broader range of choices for end users, specifiers and installers, and also a greater knowledge of their potential benefits and pitfalls,” said Will Pitt, chair of the BESA technical committee. “New regulations, assurance schemes, government incentives and market entrants mean that heat pumps are now a far bigger presence in our industry. This makes the need for a recognised source of good practice increasingly vital to avoid some of the design problems that can undermine performance and disappoint end users.” TR30 is available to buy here. It costs £70 to BESA members and £140 to non-members. To sign up for heat pump training go to: www.thebesa.com/hpi
