News Archive - April 2012
Unregistered gas installer put lives at risk
26 April 2012
An unregistered gas fitter has been prosecuted for illegally carrying out work on a house in Hucknall, putting residents' lives at risk.
DECC unveils plans to back eco innovators
26 April 2012
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey announced details yesterday (25 April) of support to help SMEs to devise the low carbon ideas of the future.
Major report reveals size of UK renewable energy sector
26 April 2012
New research by the Renewable Energy Association (REA) and consultant Innovas reveals that the UK's £12.5 billion renewables industry supports 110,000 jobs across supply chain, and could support 400,000 by 2020.
ADCAS tribute to Bill Smith
26 April 2012
ADCAS president Malcolm Moss has announced, "with deep regret", the passing of Bill Smith, former managing director and founder of Sutton, Surrey-based R P Metal Company, who was a key player in formation of the ductwork trade association. He was just 63.
Unregistered gas installer prosecuted
25 April 2012
An unregistered gas installer was caught illegally carrying out work on a house in Newark.
BBES appoints new director of Modular Systems +
25 April 2012
Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) has appointed Steve Tovey as director of Modular Systems + and Site Services.
Vent-Axia launches first online CPD
25 April 2012
Vent-Axia has added its first online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) module to its existing training offer.
New guidelines increase pressure on engineers and contractors
25 April 2012
New guidelines for pre-commissioning cleaning of pipework systems have put engineers and contractors under pressure to seek professional advice at an early stage in the development of the systems to ensure they can be effectively flushed and cleaned.
Swale Heating wins £8.85m contract
25 April 2012
Swale Heating has won a five-year contract worth £8.85m to provide repair and maintenance services for the Town & Country Housing Group (TCHG).
Hitachi recruits two new area sales managers
25 April 2012
Hitachi has appointed Stuart Hampson as area sales manager for the north west of the UK and Chris Kargakis as area sales manager south west, as its continues to grow its air conditioning and heating products business.
BSRIA updates guide
25 April 2012
BSRIA has launched the New Illustrated Guide to Mechanical Building Services, replacing the previous edition (AG 15/1002).
Ipswich gas engineer fined for illegal work
25 April 2012
A self-employed gas engineer has been fined for carrying out unregistered work on commercial premises in Ipswich.
FETA 'doing its bit for the economy'
23 April 2012
The Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA) is doing its bit for the economy by learning, influencing and innovating to exploit market opportunities in the green economy, according to FETA chairman Geoff Lockwood.
EAL welcomes action to reassure employers on apprenticeship quality
20 April 2012
EAL, the specialist awarding organisation for industry qualifications, has backed Government moves to tackle poor quality apprenticeships, after an independent survey revealed that 57 per cent of industry employers are concerned about damage to the reputation of Apprenticeship programmes.
New maintenance contracts manager for DSL
20 April 2012
Maria May has joined the operational management team as maintenance contracts manager of building engineering services contractor Delron Services (DSL) of Maidstone, Kent.
Efficiency should be priority for FMs, says ebm-papst
20 April 2012
With growing pressure on energy supply, fan manufacturer ebm-papst has called on the FM industry to focus on energy efficiency as a priority rather than getting side-tracked by things like PV.
BSS Industrial appoints Austin Stroud sales manager
20 April 2012
BSS Industrial has appointed Roger Attisha as sales manager for its Austin Stroud brand, stainless and carbon steel pipeline products.
MITIE appoints new national social housing director
20 April 2012
MITIE, the outsourcing and energy services company, has appointed Peter Griffin as its new social housing director with responsibility for consolidating its existing social housing offering under a unified national business.
Amtech extends relationship with Xetec for Ireland
20 April 2012
Amtech, the developer of software for the building services industry, has broadened its long-standing partnership with Irish software specialist Xetec. Under this new agreement, Xetec will be the preferred reseller of all Amtech products in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
World market for ac up 13%
19 April 2012
While the Euro crisis continues to affect the air conditioning market here, worldwide sales were up 13 per cent last year, according to a new report from BSRIA.
FG Eurofred recruits customer services manager
19 April 2012
FG Eurofred has appointed Zubair Ali as customer services manager.
BBES apprentices take third place in national challenge
19 April 2012
Eight apprentices from Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) working on the Sellafield Site recently came third in the Brathay Apprentice Challenge 2012.
Building firm prosecuted after woman is hit by air handling unit
19 April 2012
Hertfordshire building firm Concentra has been fined after a woman who was waiting for a bus was hit by an air handling unit being lifted by a crane to the fifth floor of a nearby office block.
e2 launches ductwork trading division
19 April 2012
e2 Environmental Engineering (Mansfield) has launched a new ductwork trading division called ecoduct, after gaining recognition as a Kingspan KoolDuct system delivery partner.
eu.bac outlines five steps to a greener future
19 April 2012
eu.bac, the European Building Automation and Controls Association, has produced a paper to coincide with the informal meeting of energy ministers currently taking place (17 to 20 April) in Horsens, Denmark.
Giacomini launches hydrogen powered boiler
18 April 2012
Giacomini (UK) has developed a new hydrogen burner and is looking for a high-tech, new build home with high insulation values, in which to carry out its first UK installation of the system.
Alex Salmond to address delegates at All-Energy 2012
18 April 2012
Alex Salmond MSP will deliver the keynote address at All-Energy 2012, the UK's biggest renewable energy exhibition and conference, which takes place on 23 and 24 May at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC).
BMF reports slight rise in sales of building materials
18 April 2012
Sales of building materials nationally rose by just over 0.6% for the three months from December 2011 to February 2012, compared to the same period in 2010/11, according to the latest figures from the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF).
Swedish Energy Agency funds work to establish guidelines
18 April 2012
ClimaCheck and SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden have been awarded funding worth €120,000 by the Swedish Energy Agency to lead the development of methods and guidelines for field measurements of the System Efficiency Index (SEI) - a method of verifying and improving the energy performance of air conditioning and heat pump systems.
Gas fitter jailed for manslaughter
18 April 2012
Somerset gas fitter, Andrew Hartley, has been convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence and jailed for three years, following the death of Zoe Anderson from carbon monoxide poisoning in 2010.
Travis Perkins and Toriga partner for Green Deal proposition
18 April 2012
Travis Perkins Group and Toriga Energy have formed a strategic alliance to provide a comprehensive Green Deal proposition for the trade and consumers.
Vokera voices disappointment over RHI delays
18 April 2012
Vokera has welcomed the extension to the RHPP (Renewables Heat Premium Payment) scheme but says it is still disappointed about delays to the domestic RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive).
British plumbers are indispensable but still stereotyped
18 April 2012
Britain's plumbers are still stereotyped as too expensive and lazy, according to research carried out by In-Home 24, a group which maintains over 140,000 housing association properties.
New commercial manager at Ashworth
17 April 2012
Ashworth has promoted Keith Allen to the new role of commercial manager. The position will see Mr Allen manage the commercial teams' sales support function.
Vokera offers cashback on boilers for APHC members
17 April 2012
Vokera is offering an exclusive cashback deal to members of the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) with the launch of its APHC chequebook.
Walter Meier acquires US company Port-A-Cool
16 April 2012
Climate and manufacturing technology group Walter Meier has acquired US evaporative cooling manufacturer Port-A-Cool for an undisclosed sum.
Elta publishes guide to ErP legislation
16 April 2012
Elta Fans has published a 48-page document entitled "How fans are affected by the ErP Directive". The Directive was implemented in EU member countries by the European Parliament, on November 20, 2010 and adopts the European Commission's (EC) proposal to widen the scope of the Eco-design Directive 2005/32/EC to include energy-related products.
MHS Boilers appoints Ulster distributor
16 April 2012
MHS Boilers, part of Elco Heating Solutions, has a new Distribution Partnering Agreement with Sermet NI. The County Down-based company will have exclusive access to MHS Boilers' portfolio of products including; central heating boilers, heat interface units, hot water generation and storage, pressurisation units and the latest renewable technology.
Mitsi appoints VAR for heat recovery vent units
16 April 2012
Mitsubishi Electric has appointed SK Sales as a Value Added Reseller (VAR) for the company's range of Lossnay heat recovery ventilation units.
Pension reforms set to impact on your business warns Welplan
13 April 2012
The Government has proposed new threshold figures for the automatic enrolment earnings trigger and qualifying earnings band for new Workplace Pension requirements that are due to start this October.
'MCS consultation offers prospect of quality installations'
13 April 2012
The latest update from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is a positive step towards securing a skilled workforce for environmental technologies, SummitSkills said as it urged employers to respond to the consultation which begins in May.
Australia and New Zealand launch big migration drive
13 April 2012
Australia and New Zealand are conducting one of their biggest migration drives in years to attract skilled trades people down under.
Double digit growth forecast for building automation users
11 April 2012
The market for building automation equipment in institutional users such as education and hospitals will see double digit growth over the coming three years, according to the latest research from IMS Research.
New marketing assistant at FG Eurofred
11 April 2012
FG Eurofred has appointed Helen Wickens marketing assistant in recognition of her increased role in the company's advertising, PR and promotional activities in support of both sales and marketing director Julian Brunnock and product and marketing manager Tony Nielsen.
Jobs crisis threatens young people's access to industry careers
10 April 2012
Industry employers are less likely to recruit school leavers due to the greater availability of more qualified and experienced applicants during the unemployment crisis, according to new research carried out on behalf of
EAL, the specialist awarding organisation for industry qualifications.
Kitchen extract and ductwork cleaning and legionella prevention services company Swiftclean Environmental has signed a partnership agreement with Aquaco Water Recycling which will broaden the offering of both companies to their clients.
Businesses call for stronger position on draft EED
05 April 2012
Knauf Insulation, Danfoss Randall and Trane, along with the UK Green Building Council, other businesses, green groups and professional bodies, have written a joint letter to Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey, asking him to reconsider the UK's stance on the draft European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED).
Zenex's Farrell wins entrepreneur prize
05 April 2012
Chris Farrell, managing director of energy saving technology supplier Zenex, has scooped the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the annual New Energy Awards held in London.
Solar distributor fastest growing company
05 April 2012
Solar power distributor Alternergy is the UK's fastest growing company, according to analysis by Real Business and Investec.
Giacomini strengthens sales and marketing
05 April 2012
Giacomini (UK), a supplier of plumbing brassware and underfloor heating system, is strengthening its southwest based team with the appointment of Charlotte Russell as sales and marketing assistant.
Grants available for SMEs employing first apprentice
05 April 2012
Employers across England are being encouraged to take advantage of a new funding initiative to help them recruit their first young apprentices.
Trane offers consultants portal for sustainable HVAC systems
05 April 2012
A new online portal from Trane allows specifying engineers and consultants in Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) to research and design the heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems.
Green Deal pioneers announced
05 April 2012
Twenty-two organisations have signed up to be first Green Deal providers in what Energy Minister Greg Barker hailed as "a watershed moment".
Weatherite teams up with Swiftclean on kitchen ventilation
05 April 2012
Weatherite Building Services (WBS) has announced a new partnership with Swiftclean, a specialist in ductwork and kitchen extract fire safety cleaning.
TROX UK appoints new FD
05 April 2012
TROX UK has appointed Suzanne Ranson as finance director
TrustMark introduces mini form of contract
04 April 2012
TrustMark, the Government endorsed quality mark for tradesmen, in association with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), has launched a Mini Form of Contract designed to protect homeowners and tradesmen carrying out repairs, maintenance and improvements on homes, both internally and externally.
Tougher standards for apprenticeships
03 April 2012
Skills Minister John Hayes has introduced tougher standards for apprenticeships with the aim of driving up quality.
New executive director of GEMA appointed
03 April 2012
Minister of State Charles Hendry has appointed a new executive director to the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (GEMA) and has re-appointed four existing non-executive directors.
DECC launches carbon capture competition
03 April 2012
Edward Davey, Energy and Climate Change Secretary, has launched a new competition for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) today (3 April).
OFT calls for evidence on the home insulation market
03 April 2012
Today (3 April), the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has issued a call for evidence to understand whether the home insulation market is working effectively for consumers.
Gas Safety Trust publishes carbon monoxide figures
02 April 2012
Today (2 April), the Gas Safety Trust has published its latest figures on carbon monoxide incidents for the period from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.
Environmental technologies guide published
02 April 2012
A new guide providing an overview of how environmental technologies work and their suitability for different applications has been published by the National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies (NSA).