The latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) review of domestic gas safety is already proving to be a source of frustration, says Bob Towse, head of technical and safety at the HVCA. 

When John Billson took over as managing director at wholesaler Dean & Wood, he had a lot of decisions to make and a business to turn around. Here, he discusses the first two years with Paul Braithwaite. 

Richard Scott, business manager of Applied Energy, insists recent price hikes mean electricity is now cheaper than gas for home heating 

It is more usual for process chillers to be used in factories or in the plastics industry but the fish in Southend’s Sea-Life Adventure seem happy with their lot. HVR reports 

Rycroft’s cylinders were used in the Millennium Dome, Ascot Racecourse and will be in use in the new Wembley Stadium. But times are hard and Rycroft has had to reinvent itself to survive and prosper. Paul Braithwaite talks to Mike McDonald, managing director, who is changing the way the company works – and thinks. 

Jim Henley, general manager, McQuay UK insists continuous design, development and market intelligence has allowed its Easdale ahu system to stay ahead. 

Mike Lamb, chairman of The Underfloor Heating Manufacturers Association (UHMA) insists he has seen the future of the UK heating industry 

Dave Rayner, Polypipe’s product development manager for UFCH, enthuses over a system that can be installed quickly without major disruption 

When I went to the Vaillant launch of its domestic air conditioning units, conversation after the meeting turned to marketing. 

Budget Van Insurance head of communications, Emma Maziak believes it is heartening "that so many women get a lift from being wolf whistled. It is always nice to receive compliments and I for one would be more than happy to smile and wave". 

New software advances have much in store for the building services engineer, says Pete Baxter (below), sales director, Autodesk Building Solutions Division 

IT must feel good to be part of a consortium which turns a sink council estate in Manchester, rife with crime, drugs and prostitution, into a place where people want to live. Paul Braithwaite talks to John Wilcox, north west regional manager for Powerminster, who has been responsible for the m&e contracting work on the site, and Paul Grogan, the site manager for Powerminster Propertycare, who will be responsible for maintenance. 

Boilers are not always visible but according to Adrian Harvey (below), commercial director of British Gas Business, out of sight should not mean out of mind 

Neil Afram (below), Mr Space Airconditioning, cares passionately about his staff, his business and the industry of which he is a part. Paul Braithwaite visits his Guildford office to meet him 

Fast changing technology offers contractors considerable opportunities to improve performance but ‘keeping up’ can also be a drain on resources. David Bell, right, of Estimation Group argues it is the job of the software developer to make access to these technologies as easy as possible 

Unvented hot water storage is becoming increasingly popular for domestic, commercial and public sector properties in the UK. This means a large number of unvented products have entered the market and there’s more choice than ever before. However, according to Heatrae Sadia the manufacturer of Megaflo HE, installers and specifiers should exercise caution when selecting cylinder brands. Here marketing manager David Webster explains why decisions should be based on factors other than cost – for example the material the cylinder is made from, the hot water performance, the length, terms and conditions of the guarantee and the quality of the support package offered by the manufacturer 

Graham Williamson, business director of commercial heating at Ideal Boilers, talks to HVR to discuss the implications of system design and the issues surrounding the installation of condensing boilers in existing systems 

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of taking advantage of heat pump technology in homes and offices is to install an integrated air-to-water hot water service heat pump. Manufacturers can supply packaged units where the heat pump components are mounted above a highly insulated large capacity storage calorifier, all housed in a smart jacket. Stephen Laws, technical director at Clyde Combustions, explains how such units can be applied. 

WHEN I said in my comment in the December 2005 issue that "BAA has not done itself any favours with the rest of the industry and even government procurers should now look to their laurels", I seem to have upset Ross Maynard, operations manager for Lorne Stewart on Project SLAM, the Defence Estate's development to build single unit accommodation for the armed forces (see Contractor Profile this issue). 

Close Invoice Finance’s David Butler looks at the lessons owner managers should have learned