News Archive - October 2012
HE Simm to provide students with eco-friendly housing
31 October 2012
Engineering services provider HE Simm is working on delivering innovative green energy MEP services for a new student accommodation build in Acton, North London.
SIG Energy Management makes two senior appointments
31 October 2012
Neil Dickinson has joined energy efficiency and microgeneration specialists SIG Energy Management as commercial director.
Plumbase rebrands Scottish Plumbline stores
31 October 2012
Plumbase is rebranding its Plumbline stores across Scotland to 'Plumbase' in a national rollout of its new brand identity.
Andrews Sykes Group relocates to bigger premises
31 October 2012
HVAC and pump hire specialist, Andrew Sykes Group, has officially opened its newly refurbished premises and depot.
Fast growing Swale Heating prepares for Green Deal
31 October 2012
Swale Heating has been recognised as one of the fastest-growing businesses in Kent.
Government must deliver in 2013, says Renewables Roadshow md
31 October 2012
The renewables industry is desperate for the Government to deliver in 2013, according to Dan Caesar, managing director of the Renewables Roadshow.
MITIE wins 10-year contract with Golding Homes
31 October 2012
MITIE has been awarded a ten-year repair and maintenance contract with Golding Homes housing association.
Lindab acquires French ventilation distributor
30 October 2012
Lindab has entered an agreement to acquire Elia Sarl, a one-stop ventilation distributor with a strong local market presence in the south of France.
Targeted support vital to future of renewables
24 October 2012
A new paper funded by WWF-UK highlights the importance of targeting policies to promote emerging clean energy solutions and cautions against simplistic solutions to policy.
Viessmann recruits technical sales manager
24 October 2012
Viessmann has appointed John Brain as technical sales manager, projects division.
BSRIA publishes pipework cleaning guidance
23 October 2012
Research organisation BSRIA has published Pre-Commissioning Cleaning of Pipework Systems (
BG 29/2012) which, it says, will reflect new British and European standards and clarify certain points that have been raised over the last year.
Five further companies plan to request damages from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). They join three other companies in claiming that the "unlawful and unfair" cuts to the feed-in tariff caused substantial damages to the solar companies' respective businesses, according to news outlet the
Solar Power Portal.
Engineering consultancy Henderson Green is designing bespoke mechanical and electrical systems for a care home undergoing a £1.44m rebuild.
Geothermal International becomes GI Energy and offers finance package
23 October 2012
Geothermal International is rebranding itself as GI Energy. The company was established in 2000, then in 2008 Scottish and Southern Energy took a 20 per cent stake in the business.
Calor warns customers not to copy TV programme
23 October 2012
Calor Gas has welcomed the news that the production company and broadcaster of the programme Kevin McCloud's Man Made Home have removed a segment of the fourth episode of the series, which showed Kevin and his team dismantling a gas cylinder to use in heating a hot tub (aired on Sunday 14 October).
Panasonic invests further in training facility
23 October 2012
Following the success of its heating and cooling training centre, Panasonic is investing further for 2013, with new content, courses, participant feedback and more planned initiatives to help build product and technology awareness and promote energy-efficient living.
Enact Energy wins Green Deal contract with RLA
23 October 2012
Enact Energy has won a contract with the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) to deliver Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) services under an exclusive white label partnership.
Funds to be made available for £125m Green Deal cash back offer
22 October 2012
Hundreds of pounds of cash back will be available to householders in England and Wales who make energy saving home improvements under the Green Deal from January 2013, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Singapore delegation visits BSRIA
22 October 2012
A group of senior officials from the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) along with representatives from other public agencies, as well as several large builders and MEP subcontractors from the construction industry in Singapore have visited BSRIA.
£20m up for grabs for energy storage innovation
22 October 2012
Innovators across the country are being offered the chance to gain funds to develop innovative energy storage designs to help cut costs and bring new technologies to market in this sector.
£24m to be invested in Scots hospital energy efficiency
22 October 2012
The Scottish Government plans to spend £24 million to make NHS hospital and facilities in Scotland more energy efficient.
Climate Energy says Green Deal cash-back is only a short-term solution
22 October 2012
Climate Energy, the independent provider of carbon reduction and energy efficiency services, has expressed concerns that Green Deal cash-back is only a short-term solution and won't necessarily convince people to take part in the scheme over an extended period of time.
BBES completes sustainable project at police HQ
22 October 2012
Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) has completed a sustainable m&e installation as part of the £11.6 million refurbishment and remodelling of Greater Manchester Police's divisional headquarters in Rochdale.
New qualification launched to boost gas safety awareness
22 October 2012
A new Level 2 VRQ (Vocationally Related Qualification), which aims to help raise awareness of gas safety issues for front line social housing staff has been launched by CORGI Technical Services and EAL (Excellence Achievement Learning).
Distech Controls and Samsung Techwin agree strategic partnership
22 October 2012
Distech Controls and Samsung Techwin have announced a strategic partnership to enhance Samsung Techwin's Smart Building Management Solution offering.
Ryan Air Conditioning serves the stars
22 October 2012
Ryan Air Conditioning, a leading UK supplier of air conditioning units and accessories based near Manchester, recently received a request from a film company for 10 sheets of 9mm thick and 10 sheets of 13mm thick Armaflex Duct Insulation Sheet.
Boiler maker Buderus to change name
22 October 2012
Buderus, Bosch Group is to become Bosch Commercial & Industrial Heating, as the manufacturer looks to strengthen its industrial product and service offering in the UK heating and hot water sector.
Danfoss strengthens sales and technical teams
22 October 2012
Danfoss has appointed Graham Vail as area sales manager for the South-East.
Climate Center agrees chiller distribution deal with Carrier
22 October 2012
Climate Center has struck a distribution deal with Carrier to supply its chillers nationwide.
Another m&e firm goes into administration
19 October 2012
Surrey-based m&e contractor Trinity Environmental Services has gone into administration.
TV Dragon Meaden calls on PM to back a greener economy
19 October 2012
TV Dragon Deborah Meaden and around 250 representatives from renewable energy companies, trade associations, environment and development charities gathered outside the Treasury yesterday to call on David Cameron to step in, green our electricity, and get all parts of his Government to start taking the green economy seriously.
New ACS course to help save lives
19 October 2012
Logic Certification, through its network of approved centres, is now accredited to deliver a new ACS course which ensures best practice in the detection of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) within domestic dwellings.
Dimplex claims solution to social housing PV ruling
19 October 2012
Following the recent decision on 'community' Feed-in Tariff (FiT) status for social housing projects, renewables supplier Dimplex is helping registered providers go ahead with PV projects, thanks to a solar finance solution designed for social housing.
Kershaw rises to university challenge
19 October 2012
The University of Cambridge's historic Jesus College opened its doors for the autumn term with brand new student accommodation.
Viessmann buys into Swiss fuel cell-based CHP supplier
19 October 2012
Heating manufacturer Viessmann Group has acquired a 50 per cent stake in Swiss fuel cell-based CHP supplier Hexis AG.
UKGBC warns over Green Deal
19 October 2012
The Green Deal needs more than just cash backing, the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has warned.
UKCG focuses on health & safety
18 October 2012
A revised health and safety plan which sets out its aspirations for members and their supply chain over the next 10 years has been revealed by the UK Contractors Group (UKCG).
EU gives green light to Green Investment Bank
18 October 2012
The European Commission (EC) has approved the creation of the £3 billion Green Investment Bank in the UK having ruled that the move would not fall foul of EU state aid rules.
CBI to call for 'less politics, more policy' on energy needs
18 October 2012
The Government must provide certainty to help investors boost growth and provide secure, low-carbon power, according to employers' organisation the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
Energy sector 'continues to resist renewables'
18 October 2012
The energy sector remains "stubbornly resistant" to solar photovoltaics (PV) and other types of renewable energy, according to senior European Commission official Tom Howes.
Report reveals ignorance over IAQ in public buildings
17 October 2012
Many local authorities are in the dark when it comes to knowing if their buildings use regularly maintained air filters that comply with indoor air quality standards, according to a new report from Clean Air in London (CAL).
BSRIA launches new pipework guide
17 October 2012
BSRIA has introduced a new Pre-Commission Cleaning of Pipework (BG 29/2012) guide, which replaces BG 29/2011.
Wolseley introduces workbook for new staff
17 October 2012
Wolseley UK has launched a new Induction Workbook for staff development and customer service.
Offsite fabrication helps ensure timely academy delivery
17 October 2012
Balfour Beatty Engineering Services' (BBES) offsite prefabrication of key mechanical and electrical components is said to have helped a new academy stay on track by offering build process efficiencies and reduction in waste while creating a safer place to work.
AO Smith sales and earnings up
17 October 2012
US-based water technology company AO Smith Corporation has reported third quarter earnings from continuing operations of $37 million on a 12.2 per cent increase in revenue.
Cofely to provide technical services to The Shard
17 October 2012
Cofely, a GDF SUEZ company, has been awarded a five-year contract to deliver technical services to The Shard, the tallest building in Western Europe.
Call for electricity efficiency FiT
16 October 2012
A call for amendments to the Energy Bill to enable an electricity efficiency Feed-in Tariff (FiT) to be introduced has been made by Green Alliance.
NG Bailey partners US firm to launch innovative energy solution
16 October 2012
NG Bailey has signed an exclusive partnership deal with US firm Elutions and is launching an innovative energy solution that it says will guarantee lower costs for customers through a reduction in their energy usage.
Construction activity heading for slump
16 October 2012
Construction output is set to fall by 6.3 per cent this year and a further 1.4 per cent next, before a return to growth in 2014 according to the latest forecast from the Construction Products Association (CPA).
Senior Hargreaves sold to M + W
16 October 2012
Global manufacturing giant Senior has sold its heating and ventilation ducting supplier division Senior Hargreaves to the German M + W Group for an undisclosed sum.
WYG director awarded 'Low Carbon Consultant of the Year'
16 October 2012
Neil Smith, a director of International multidisciplinary consultant WYG, has been received the 'Low Carbon Consultant of the Year' award at the annual CIBSE President's Awards Dinner.
RHI metering report writers list released
16 October 2012
Bailey's Tabis crowned Graduate of the Year
15 October 2012
Lee Tabis, a 22-year-old trainee design engineer with NG Bailey, has been named the CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year 2012.
Plumb Center hosts charity golf day
15 October 2012
Plumb Center and Parts Center has held a charity golf day to help Action for Children (AFC), a charity helping the UK's most vulnerable and neglected young people.
Gas Safe Register targets soap viewers
15 October 2012
Gas Safe Register has been working with ITV on a storyline that will see Coronation Street's popular character Fiz Brown, played by Jennie McAlpine, face carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
S&P recruits sales manager
15 October 2012
S&P has appointed Lee Page as regional sales manager for the South East of England.
Altecnic agrees vessel distribution deal with Reflex Winkelmann
15 October 2012
Altecnic has signed an exclusive deal with German vessel manufacturer, Reflex Winkelmann GmbH, to distribute its comprehensive range of nitrogen-filled expansion vessels in the UK.
Jablite names sales and marketing director
15 October 2012
Jablite has appointed David Teasdale as sales and marketing director.
BMF to relocate to Coventry
15 October 2012
The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) is relocating its headquarters to Coventry in 2013, following the sale of its current HQ in London's Soho Square.
BMF looks to the future
15 October 2012
Some 150 merchant and supplier members attended the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) Members' Day on 9 October, for which an Olympic theme was adopted.
Ed Davey responds to 'dash for gas' claims
15 October 2012
Following the publication of an article entitled 'Dash for gas to take heat off fuel prices' in The Times on 12 October, Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has issued a response in a letter to the newspaper.
ACR Show 2014 website goes live
15 October 2012
The new official website for the forthcoming Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Show 2014 is now live, the organisers have announced.
HVR Awards: And the winners are...
12 October 2012
The highly successful third annual HVR Awards for Excellence ceremony held in St Paul's Grange Hotel in central London earlier this week saw well known industry names pitted against smaller companies for the prestige of winning an award in their sector.
UK-GBC says Green Deal needs to be properly nurtured
10 October 2012
CEO of the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC), Paul King, has warned that the Green Deal could struggle if it doesn't get the right support.
MITIE buys home care service provider for £110.8m
09 October 2012
Outsourcing and energy services company MITIE Group has entered the healthcare market after acquiring Enara Group for £110.8m.
Remeha Commercial names new business development manager
09 October 2012
Remeha Commercial has appointed James Porter as business development manager.
'First HFO air conditioner' launched
09 October 2012
Honeywell has collaborated with Haier Group to introduce what it claims is the world's first HFO refrigerant air conditioner.
British Gas announces 1000 new apprentice roles
09 October 2012
British Gas has launched a nationwide recruitment drive of 1,000 new roles. The new recruits will initially join British Gas's apprenticeship training programme.
Flogas appoints regional sales manager
08 October 2012
Flogas has appointed Andy Aylmer as regional sales manager in the North and Wales.
Briggs & Forrester staff cycle for charity
08 October 2012
Staff from Briggs & Forrester took part in the annual Cycle 4 Cynthia charity event on 23 September to help raise money for The Friends of Cynthia Spencer Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Carbon monoxide charity needs more supporters
08 October 2012
Carbon Monoxide Awareness, the national charity which aims to boost awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning, is calling for more supporters to help raise funds.
Singapore delegation visits BSRIA
08 October 2012
A group of senior officials from the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) along with representatives from other public agencies, as well as several large builders and MEP subcontractors from the construction industry in Singapore have visited BSRIA.
Briggs & Forrester completes library contract
08 October 2012
Briggs & Forrester Engineering Services has completed a £6m contract for the complete m&e installation at the new Worcester Library & Historic Centre.
DSL wins Kent school contract
08 October 2012
Delron Services (DSL) has secured the design and installation contract for the building engineering services refurbishment works at the Kent County Council special needs establishment, Valence School, in Westerham, Kent.
Panasonic enlists help from students
08 October 2012
Panasonic has recruited two university placement students to support the company's heating and cooling sector.
Camfil Farr highlights importance of indoor air quality
08 October 2012
Camfil Farr, the manufacturer of low energy air filters and clean air solutions, has published its latest white paper called HVAC Air Filter Selection - No compromise: healthy air quality at the lowest operating cost.
Business Secretary launches growth fund
08 October 2012
Business Secretary Vince Cable launched a £60 million pot of Regional Growth Fund investment and bank finance at the Community Development Finance Association's (CDFA) annual conference last week.
Calorex humidifiers protect art gallery exhibits
08 October 2012
Six Century 4 humidifiers, supplied by Calorex Heat Pumps, are playing a vital role in protecting priceless exhibits on display at the Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate, Kent.
CO alarm requirement varies across the UK
08 October 2012
New Building Regulations for Northern Ireland, which take effect on 31 October 2012 call for carbon monoxide (CO) alarms to be installed alongside new or replacement combustion appliances in all homes irrespective of fuel type.
TROX appoints new technical director
04 October 2012
TROX has made an additional appointment to its senior leadership team with the appointment of Paul Wenden as technical director for TROX UK.
Survey reveals catalogue of abuse of specialist contractors
04 October 2012
Almost 90 per cent of specialist sub-contractors have been subjected to unfair treatment or sharp practice over the last year, according to a survey by specialists' champion
Streetwise Subbie.
A Salisbury man has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for falsely claiming to be qualified to carry out work on gas appliances at a string of properties in Wiltshire.
Ziehl-Abegg to expand motor production in Shanghai
04 October 2012
Ziehl-Abegg (Künzelsau) has announced that it is expanding its production of motors in China this autumn.
HSE sheds light on new charges on business
04 October 2012
Businesses found in material breach of health and safety law will from 1 October be charged £124 an hour for the HSE's regulatory work as it seeks to cope with sharp cuts to its budget.
TrustMark calls for Code of Practice
02 October 2012
As Government's Green Deal is launched, TrustMark is warning about the high risk of rogue traders looking to cash in on what the Secretary of State has described as "the most ambitious home improvement programme since the Second World War".
A-Gas acquires Coolgas
02 October 2012
A-Gas International has completed the acquisition of US firm Coolgas, a leading independent supplier and distributor of refrigerants to the US market. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
URS appoints executive chairman
02 October 2012
URS Corporation (URS), the global engineering, construction and technical services company, has appointed Tom Bishop as executive chairman of its international operations, based in London.
Breathing Buildings named in the 2012 Global Cleantech 100
02 October 2012
Breathing Buildings, which specialises in reducing energy used in heating and ventilating, has been named in the 2012 Global Cleantech 100 list.
ATAG Heating sponsors charity yacht race
02 October 2012
ATAG Heating sponsored the 11th St Wilfrid's Hospice 'Nab' Challenge, held off Chichester Harbour on Saturday 22 September and helped to raise a record amount of money for the hospice.
Dimplex urges industry to respond to RHI consultations
01 October 2012
Dimplex has welcomed the launch of three new consultations on the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
Inteb appoints senior technical consultant
01 October 2012
Inteb, the Preston-based low energy and sustainability consultant, has appointed Frank Mills as senior technical consultant for sustainability, energy, building services and fire engineering.
Briggs & Forrester opens North West office
01 October 2012
Briggs & Forrester Group has launched its first office in the North West as part of expansion plans.
Swale Heating takes on apprentices
01 October 2012
Swale Heating has recruited seven apprentices as part of a community initiative in partnership with clients AmicusHorizon and East Kent Housing.
Scheme to make young people more employable wins funding
01 October 2012
A SummitSkills project which aims to make more employable young learners has now secured funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills' (UKCES).
PTG appoints business development director
01 October 2012
Precision Technologies Group (PTG), the UK-based specialist in high-precision machine tool and component design, build and supply, has appointed Neil Jones, as group business development director.
National Skills Academy welcomes Acutest
01 October 2012
Test equipment specialist Acutest has become the National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies' latest hub and platinum member.