News

BSI, the British Standards company has revised the PAS 2030:2017 Specification for installation of energy efficiency measures in existing buildings.

The PAS specifies requirements for the installations of energy efficiency measures in an existing building, whether the building is commercial or residential.

This revised PAS was sponsored by BEIS Home Energy and supports the Energy Company Obligation, the government energy efficiency scheme to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty.

This change has been prompted by a legislation change relating to energy efficiency and to meet the requirements of suppliers and users of energy efficient measures.

The revised PAS 2030 is also recognised in the recently published Each Home Counts Review, which includes a recommendation for development of a quality mark in the domestic retrofit sector.

The revised PAS includes requirements for installation processes, process management and service provision. It also includes criteria relating to installation methods, equipment, tools, product or system and material suitability. The commissioning of installed measures and the training, skills and competence of the people undertaking such installation, is also covered by PAS 2030.

Ant Burd, BSI’s head of market development for built environment, said: “ Older buildings are typically much less energy efficient than newly constructed buildings, increasing costs for home occupiers and business alike. PAS 2030 provides a dedicated specification for anyone who wants to install energy efficiency measures into and existing building, whether that building is a Victorian warehouse or a two bedroom apartment built in the 1990’s.”

The revised PAS does not include requirements relating to the certification of PAS 2030 compliance by independent third parties, which is covered by PAS 2031.

This article originally appeared in HVP magazine in May 2017.

In the May 2017 edition of HVP magazine, the national training manager at Baxi talks about the skills shortage that is facing the construction industry and says that it is their responsibility to provide training and guidance to the heating engineers of the future.

A recent Employer Skills Survey has suggested there are not enough skilled professionals to meet demand in the UK. In fact, there is a shortage of 43% in the trade industries, with over a third of vacancies for gas engineers, plumbers, electricians and construction workers termed as 'skill shortage vacancies.'

It is therefore vital for the trade community to work together to attract young people into the industry and provide adequate training to ensure there are no gaps in the future workforce.

Addressing the problem with a series of practical, hands-on opportunities is the most suitable option, as it allows students to be taught highly specific skills, thus making them invaluable to the growth of the industry as a whole.

The only way to close the skills gap is to inspire young people to join the industry.
The end goal is to not only invest in the heating engineers of tomorrow but to inspire others as well. The sooner the skills gap can be addressed and overcome, the better the prospects will be for our country as a whole.

This article first appeared in the May 2017 edition of the HVP Magazine.

M is for Moving

Most of the time if you are looking for a new job, you won't end up moving area or house, unless you specifically set out with the aim of relocating.

Operating on a UK wide and international level – if you find yourself in need of a new job in a new area, SER can help.

As specialists in the sectors, we have good relationships with the companies that you want to work for. We know about the opportunities they have available and we can align you to their role.

Not only can we find the perfect job, but it is inevitable that there will be an interview process – if you haven't moved yet, going to the new area could potentially disturb your day to day plans. Although you will almost definitely have to travel for the interview, we can help you arrange it for a time that suits you.

Moving to another part of the UK is a big step, however it is an even bigger step to move to a different country – SER recruit for New Zealand companies in certain sectors, as well as other areas.

We know the process of moving to New Zealand, so if decide to take the step, we can support you.

If you need to relocate or you are just looking for a new opportunity, let our recruitment consultants help.

Submit your CV today

M is for Moving

Most of the time if you are looking for a new job, you won't end up moving area or house, unless you specifically set out with the aim of relocating.

Operating on a UK wide and international level – if you find yourself in need of a new job in a new area, SER can help.

As specialists in the sectors, we have good relationships with the companies that you want to work for. We know about the opportunities they have available and we can align you to their role.

Not only can we find the perfect job, but it is inevitable that there will be an interview process – if you haven't moved yet, going to the new area could potentially disturb your day to day plans. Although you will almost definitely have to travel for the interview, we can help you arrange it for a time that suits you.

Moving to another part of the UK is a big step, however it is an even bigger step to move to a different country – SER recruit for New Zealand companies in certain sectors, as well as other areas.

We know the process of moving to New Zealand, so if decide to take the step, we can support you.

If you need to relocate or you are just looking for a new opportunity, let our recruitment consultants help.

Submit your CV today

One thing in life is certain and that is change.

There are many things that can happen in your life that can impact other aspects.

Life changes may include but are not limited to:
• The arrival of children
• The need to relocate
• Progression
• Career change
• Redundancy

All of the above and many other things can lead to you needing to look for a new job, a new child may mean you need to be spending more time at home and doing less overtime, relocating will mean your current job is no longer commutable to - there are lots of things, so we won't list them all .

Life changes can impact the amount of spare time you have, and we all know that looking for a new job is time consuming so it makes it difficult to manage.

At SER, we understand that, after all we are people too and the same situations can impact us and our time, which is why when you ring us, submit your CV or email us, we will deal with your enquiry with respect and confidentially. We will try to find you a position that is suited to you, to allow you to move on to the next stage in your life.

Life is always going to change, but it is how you react to the change that is important.

Submit your CV today, and let SER guide you.

The Electrical Design and Install Expo (ED&I) will take place at the NEC, Birmingham, on 6th-7th September 2017, providing a unique opportunity for those involved in the electrical industry to come together under one roof. The event will allow visitors to talk directly to manufacturers and distributors about their products and services and will encourage the sharing of ideas across many industry sectors.

'The Electrical Design and Install Expo' (ED&I) is being backed by leading electrical and building services trade body the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA), who will be the headline sponsor for the event.

Steve Bratt, CEO of the ECA, says:
"The ECA is very pleased to be working with ATM on the ED&I Expo, which presents a unique opportunity for designers, installers, suppliers and manufacturers from across the industry, as well as showcasing what the industry has to offer to important clients and specifiers. With the ED&I Expo being held at the UK's leading exhibition venue – the NEC in Birmingham – all the ingredients are in place to deliver a hugely important new industry event next Autumn."

Find out more about ED&I Expo here.

The following article featured in May 2017 edition of Building Service & Environmental Engineer magazine.

With just one year to go until the Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) comes into force, Malcolm Anson, President of the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA), explains why training is the key to success in meeting the MEPS challenge.

The Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) has been introduced as part of the Energy Act 2011, which was implemented to tackle a number of ambitious government targets. One of these is to achieve an 80% reduction of greenhouse gases and another is to achieve 'nearly zero' carbon emissions by 2050 for all new buildings.

From 1st April 2018, it will be unlawful to grant a new lease on any commercial building in the UK that does not achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of E or above.

For existing leases the changes will take effect from 2023. The objective is for the commercial property sector to be achieving a minimum EPC Rating of C by 2030.

According to findings by the Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE), over a third of London's commercial buildings have the worst EPC ratings in the UK, with 18,000 of these only obtaining an EPC rating of F or G. In contrast, f the capital's 265,000 commercial buildings, only 34% has a performance rating of C or above.

These statistics for London alone are a cause for concern. They highlight that there is a lot of work to be done over the next year, to ensure all UK commercial buildings are not only achieving, but also working towards exceeding the minimum energy performance standard.

By being proactive and taking action now, building owners and managers can implement cost effective measures to improve their asset's performance and make vital energy and cost savings.. The building controls industry can assist with this and plays a significant role when it comes to improving energy efficiency in the built environment.

However, this is only possible if the industry can provide skilled and knowledgeable individuals, who can offer invaluable expertise to ensure the most suitable solutions are applied.

Training is key in the route to successfully meeting the MEPS challenge, since there is no one simple solution to improving energy efficiency and building efficiency.

We need to ensure the building controls industry is equipped with the right specialist skills to be able to offer the most effective control solutions across any building to achieve optimum performance.

Building controls specialists need a thorough knowledge and understanding of building controls from simple sensors to complex Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS). It is also just as important they have an understanding of different types of buildings, their capabilities and the building services within them, such as heating, ventilation and cooling systems.

In such a fast paced industry where technologies are continuously changing, ongoing training will ensure individuals and businesses keep up with the latest developments in technology and continue to drive the industry forward.

Knowledge is power and without it nothing will change. With only a year until the Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) comes into force, there is no better time than now to invest in training. Continuous investment and commitment to training will ensure future success in meeting the MEPS challenge and delivering energy efficient, sustainable buildings.

Visit the BCIA website here: www.bcia.co.uk

As building services evolves to encompass an ever more innovative raft of environmentally-friendly, energy efficient technology, a new event for the industry asks:
"What is the future for building services in 21st century?"

Launched this month, The Building Services forum takes place on February 8th 2018, at The Building Centre, in London.

Event organiser Jacqui Henderson said: "From our experience of talking to manufacturers and industry professionals, we know that there is a gap for a new platform that will allow the industry to explore the new opportunities and technology available within our sector. Our seminar programme is being tailored to reflect some of the emerging issues that are at the top of every building manager's list of concerns, from cyber security and fuel costs, to smart controls, renewable energy, energy management, new legislation and healthy buildings.

"This new event will give access to an unrivalled pool of expert knowledge with the opportunity to ask questions, put forward ideas and open the debate about where building services are going in the next few years."

Legionella prevention and control should be a major consideration for everyone involved in the design, installation and routine maintenance or domestic buildings; neglected duties can lead to criminal prosecutions in 'worst case' scenarios. Guidance from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) emphasises the importance of 'duty holders,' but who are they and what are their responsibilities?

Across the lifetime of a building, responsibility for water hygiene spans a whole range of sectors, relying on architects, design engineers, specifiers and installers pulling together to create a water system that complies with legionella control guidelines.

The guidance defining specific responsibilities is HSE's Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) L8, Legionnaires' disease: The control of bacteria in water systems .

It is important that plumbing and heating engineers know this legislation to make sure that they understand their legal responsibilities.

The law makes it very clear that if you are responsible for the control of a building, you have a duty of care towards the occupants.

According to HSE, 'duty holders', or those responsible for the control of legionella bacteria in water systems, must understand how to assess and identify legionella risk themselves, or appoint somebody competent to do this, called the 'responsible person.'

This 'responsible person' can be a member of staff or an external organisation, whose duties include the preparation of a written legionella control scheme, managing and monitoring legionella precautions, appropriate record keeping and the identification and assessment of all sources of legionella risk, carried out in accordance with BS8580:2010.

There should be thorough risk assessments in place. Risk assessments should ask the following questions:

• Is water stored or re-circulated in the system?
• Is water temperature between 20 and 45oc?
• Are there any deposits that could support bacterial growth?
• Is it possible for water droplets to be produced and, if so, can they be dispersed?
• Is it likely that end users could be exposed to contaminated water droplets?

It is recommended that the risk assessment is reviewed 'regularly'. The risk assessment will dictate how regularly it will be reviewed, but here are some things that may indicate a review is necessary.

• When there is a change to water system
• A change of use of the building
• New information available about risks or control measures
• Checks indicating control measures are not effective
• Staff changes
• A case of legionnaires' disease

It is important that you remain up to date with latest developments and available training.

The details within this article featured in HVP Magazine – May 2017: Water Treatment – Fighting Legionella which was written by Steven Booth.

In a press release released on 19th April 2017, the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) announced that according to a survey of employers, two fifths (42 per cent) of employers who have had difficulty recruiting candidates have increased the salary on offer.
Their report continues to give more stats:
In an attempt to attract candidates after failing with an initial advertisement, 80 per cent of employers re-advertised the role. A quarter (24 per cent) have resorted to lowering the requirements of the role.

Skills shortages continue to be a major concern amongst employers, with half (49 per cent) stating they expect a shortage of candidates for permanent roles in the next three months.

Demand for staff prevails, with a third (34 per cent) of employers stating they have no spare capacity and would need to take on new staff if demand increased. A further 46 per cent have just 'a little' capacity and might have to take on staff if their workload grew.

The REC's latest JobsOutlook survey of 600 employers also reveals:
• One fifth (22 per cent) of employers plan to increase permanent headcount in the short term (the next three months) and medium term (the next four to twelve months).
• Construction, engineering/technical and health/social care are the three sectors where employers most expect a shortage of candidates for permanent roles.
• One fifth (19 per cent) of employers plan to increase temporary agency headcount in the medium term, and 12 per cent plan to do so in the short term.
• Engineering/technical, hospitality and drivers are the top three sectors where employers expect a shortage of suitable temporary agency workers.
REC chief executive Kevin Green says:
"The good news is that while we have record employment, employers have no intention of halting hiring. If you're ready and willing to move jobs, you could benefit from an increase in pay as many employers are increasing starting salaries to attract candidates with the qualities that they're looking for.

"However, throwing money at the problem isn't a long-term solution for employers, as they compete with each other for the available talent. We need to train people up by embedding employability skills in schools, providing effective careers guidance and promoting apprenticeships. Employers should take responsibility for investing in training – it will help them retain staff and grow their own talent.

"The short supply of skilled candidates is likely to get worse. Many sectors of the economy are dependent on EU workers. The government has got to design an immigration system which enables businesses to fill the roles they have available and keeps public services up and running. If it becomes harder for EU nationals to work here and employers can't fill their jobs, they will have little choice but to outsource the work overseas or automate it."