Your BESA Issue 15

YOUR

Issue 15

FOCUS ON Health and Wellbeing

Inside this issue...

Recognition growing for Vent Hygiene Scheme P04 Delivering safe havens P15 A new decade, a new look workforce P24 Big welcome to our newest affiliates in 2020 P29

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BESA chief executive David Frise

Welcome

YOUR BESA - ISSUE 15 In this issue:

David Frise

VENT HYGIENE ELITE

P04

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

P07

TECHNICAL NEWS

P09

FUTURE LEADERS

P12

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

P15

AFFILIATE FOCUS

P29

We help people to cope rather than tackle the culture that creates perpetual conflict and pressure.

The knock-on impact can be devastating with employees then struggling to pay their mortgages, rent and household bills…building up massive levels of stress that, in turn, lead to other health problems and pressure on families.

The Legal and Commercial team at BESA spends a great deal of its time intervening on behalf of members because some clients simply look for reasons not to pay. And everyone pays for this – directly because projects are blighted (late, over-budget, poorly finished) – and indirectly as a result of wider social implications such as poor mental health.

There are of course notable exceptions: Those clients who recognise the contribution of their specialist contractors. They realise that being forced to continually chase money destroys value in the supply chain. It eats up time for SME owners, which is time they could spend on improving their business, training and innovation – and delivering the best solutions for their clients.

Keeping health in mind Welcome to this special edition of Your BESA magazine dedicated to health and wellbeing.

As we stand on the cusp of a new decade, it is natural to look for signs of progress and it is hugely promising that our industry now seems to recognise it has a problem with mental health. It was something of a taboo subject for many years with people far more comfortable talking about ‘physical’ health and safety than the health of the mind.

That is changing, but simply recognising we have a problem is only a first step. We still see many of the behaviours that create mental health problems widely displayed across our sector.

For example, the pressure on owners and workers continues unabated and the number of firms tumbling into administration gathers speed. In fact, the ability to turn the screw on suppliers is still being worn like a badge of pride by some clients and main contractors.

Many employers do now run mental health counselling programmes and are far more vigilant for potential problems, but we do continue to treat the symptoms rather than the disease.

Late payment and unsustainable levels of work pressure are creating a whole generation of broken people working on broken buildings that are not fit for purpose, as a result of our dysfunctional supply chains, where people constantly fall out over money.

A survey carried out by BESA and the ECA last year found that nine out of 10 small business owners were suffering from stress and other mental health conditions because of late payment.

They also found that half of all small business owners and managing directors had been forced to stop their own pay and one in ten admitted to being forced to pay their own staff late.

Follow David on Twitter: @outsiderwrecker4 Your BESA Magazine is produced and managed

by Open Box Media and Communications Ltd. • Tel: +44 (0)121 200 7820 • www.ob-mc.co.uk Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information given, the publisher - the BESA Group; or Open Box Media and Communications Ltd - the production managers; cannot accept liability for loss or damage arising from the information supplied.

The inclusion of adverts and information herein does not in any way imply or include endorsement or the approval of, or from, the BESA Group.

Open Box Media & Communications are proud to be corporate sponsors of Heart Research UK (Midlands) We are committed to sustainable forest management and this publication is printed by Buxton Press who are certified to ISO14001:2015 Standards (Environmental Management System).

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VENT HYGIENE ELITE

RECOGNITION GROWING FOR VENT HYGIENE SCHEME

practice TR19. The scheme was developed by the industry, for the industry and is approved and administered by the Association’s accreditation arm BESCA.

BESCA’s Ventilation Hygiene Elite (VHE) scheme is helping to raise professional standards in the critical life safety area of fire control and has now been recognised by the industry at large through its shortlisting for the 2020 H&V News Awards.

The scheme, which is one of the finalists in the highly prestigious HVAC Initiative of the Year category, is based on BESA’s longestablished and industry recognised specification and guide to good

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It is helping contractors improve the service they offer to their clients by demonstrating the highest level of compliance and competence. Completed works receive a TR19 Certificate demonstrating conformity with industry standards and improving clients’ peace of mind.

“With building owners, operators and insurers becoming more aware of the fire risks posed by poorly cleaned and maintained systems, there has been growing demand for a robust process to verify the quality of cleaning – particularly of grease

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extract systems used by commercial kitchens,’ said BESCA’s Director of Certification Rachel Davidson.

“As a result, the vent hygiene market is booming. However, this has attracted some non-specialist hygiene providers who do not necessarily understand their responsibilities or the importance of delivering clean systems, giving good advice and proper post-clean reporting to clients.

COMPLIANCE A number of early adopters of the VHE scheme added their support for the initiative with former chair of the BESA Ventilation Hygiene group Gary Nicholls describing it as “raising the bar of compliance and professional standards”.

be whether we see a reduction in numbers of extraction system related fires and associated insurance claims. I believe this will happen and that is why I fully support the scheme.”

“The process of cleaning kitchen extract systems is much more than a simple cleaning task,” said Mr Nicholls, who is managing director of Swiftclean. “It is critical risk control / compliance work to ensure adequate fire safety both for commercial building users and their residential neighbours.

“At Swiftclean we see ourselves as essential partners for our customers to help them to manage the risk of grease accumulation in their kitchen extract systems, if this is not performed correctly properties and more importantly lives are put at risk.”

He explained that, although TR19 has been the industry standard for more than 14 years many organisations in the sector were simply not following it correctly and as a result duct fires were frequent.

“The kitchen extract system cleaning industry has been completely unregulated, which has led to many operators performing a ‘that’ll do type service’, which is simply not good enough.”

The insurance industry has taken a close interest in this area of building safety and many members of the BESA Ventilation Hygiene group say insurers were right to be dissatisfied with the quality and extent of risk control in the sector.

“We were, therefore, delighted with BESCA’s decision to launch the VHE scheme as this raises the bar of compliance with TR19® Grease and adds a certain level of regulation within our sector,” said Mr Nicholls.

George Friend, current chair of the BESA Ventilation Hygiene group and CEO of Ventilation Surveys and Services, said his company was extremely keen to join the scheme as they saw it as “a really positive support to the credibility of our industry standards and compliance”.

“We have also found the entire process a positive experience. It highlighted where we already meet or exceed the required industry standards and where we can make improvements.”

“WE WERE DELIGHTED WITH BESCA’S DECISION TO LAUNCH THE VHE SCHEME AS THIS RAISES THE BAR OF COMPLIANCE WITH TR19® GREASE AND ADDS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF REGULATION WITHIN OUR SECTOR” Gary Nicholls, MD, Swiftclean “It means that any business who claims to work to TR19® Grease will have to ensure that their staff are suitably qualified, that they follow the specification and report correctly.”

BESCA is now auditing the work of VHE members and ensuring that each clean has a proper report and it is stated whether it was a full or partial clean. If the latter, then the report must clearly state why.

“As a result, the VHE scheme will create more visibility of the extent of cleaning and the access issues that need to be dealt with to control risk adequately,” said Mr Nicholls. “The acid test will

Mr Friend described the initial audit process as “very thorough” with the ongoing monitoring of reports identifying “several things on our reporting processes that will strengthen our business and our relationships with clients”.

“This independent auditing of our works combined with the now well established BESA Training courses gives me confidence that our business will be at the forefront of driving delivery of the highest possible quality and compliance for customers and ensure that our staff are always focused on industry standards and best practice.”

For more information about the Ventilation Hygiene Elite Scheme visit: www.besca.org/vent-hygiene-elite

FREE VHE REGISTRATION VHE registration is FREE for BESA members with notification fees starting as little as £0.55.

Don’t delay and join today!

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Water cooled chiller range with improved energy efficiency Vintage B - DWSC and DWDC Daikin Applied has unveiled the new generation of its water cooled centrifugal compressor chiller range, which boasts improved energy efficiency thanks to the inclusion of a new Daikin design refrigerant cooled inverter drive.

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BESA Group Companies:

www.daikinapplied.uk

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PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

Clean power, clean conscience?

2019 was the cleanest ever for power generation in the UK. A combination of wind farms, solar and nuclear energy alongside power imported from Europe via subsea interconnectors delivered 48.5% of our power demands, compared to the 43% generated by gas and coal.

The remaining 8.5% came from biomass energy plants, according to the National Grid.

pumps – seen as a pivotal technology in the net zero transition – and the introduction of hydrogen into the heating network.

CAMPAIGNING We can, therefore, ill afford any further disruption to our supply chains, yet two years on from the collapse of Carillion, we continue to see the same cut throat financial practices putting businesses at

The decarbonisation of our electricity grid has been pivotal in the UK cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40% since 1990. Back then just 2.3% “BESA IS CAMPAIGNING HARD FOR of our energy came from A QUICK RETURN OF THE ‘ALDOUS renewables.

BILL’ THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT RETENTIONS WERE RING-FENCED IN SPECIAL DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS”

In the same period, our industry has been helping to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and integrating renewable technologies into multiple construction projects. We have made good progress, but the net zero target remains a long way off and, as recent events have proved, climate change continues to gather pace.

risk. Carillion took hundreds of small businesses down with it because it relied on a “business model” built around misusing the practice of payment retentions and delaying the settlement of accounts with sub-contractors.

Currently, the UK is not even on track to meet its current carbon budget, which is still aligned to the previous goal to cut emissions by 80% by 2050. This means we must all be bolder and more ambitious and BESA members will play a crucial part.

The new government should, therefore, make use of its healthy majority to create a whole new payment culture across construction that will be essential if it is serious about delivering the high quality, socially inclusive, low carbon built environment it has promised the country.

We will be expected to lead the process by delivering crucial steps such as increasing the use of heat

BESA is, therefore, campaigning hard for a quick return of the ‘Aldous Bill’ that would ensure

BESA President John Norfolk

that retentions were ring-fenced in special deposit accounts. If its measures had been in place at the time, the liquidation of Carillion would not have led to so many other companies going bust – and it gained massive cross-party support in the last parliament.

We also want to see increased transparency about how long it takes companies to pay by making it mandatory to publicly report compliance with the Prompt Payment Code in company audits.

We are also campaigning for the remit of the Small Business Commissioner to be expanded to include the construction industry.

These two government actions would have a hugely positive impact on its ambitious low carbon plans by repairing our supply chains so that people can actually get on with their jobs rather than constantly battling over money and losing sleep over the implications for their businesses and employees.

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TECHNICAL NEWS

Better damper testing will improve safety and save money specification DW/144 and the ventilation hygiene standard TR/19.

The test guidance was produced in response to urgent calls for a methodology that can help the building services industry comply with the British Standard (BS9999) for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings along with the healthcare sector’s technical documents HTM 03-01 for heating and ventilation and HTM 05-02 for fire safety in healthcare premises.

Growing awareness of fire safety issues linked to ventilation systems has created huge demand for improved clarity around the installation, inspection, testing and maintenance of fire and smoke dampers.

BESA has produced a technical bulletin (VH001) outlining all aspects of a safety and compliance test regime for dampers in line with industry best practice and standards.

It builds on the industry’s installation and commissioning code of practice DW/145, sheet metal ductwork

BS9999 requires all installed dampers to be tested by a competent person and at regular intervals “not exceeding one year”. It also states that spring-operated dampers should be tested annually with those installed in dust-laden atmospheres checked even more regularly.

BESA’s guidance explains how dampers should be located – in line with the responsibilities of the system designer and as part of a building’s fire strategy – and accessed for testing along with the levels of competence required to carry out this work. It states that an inventory of all dampers should be created and that every manually resettable damper must be individually released to ensure the spring loaded shutter remains operational.

INTEGRITY

Building Engineering Services Association Specification for:

SHEET METAL DUCTWORK DW/144

Third Edition 2016

www.theBESA.com

Fusible links must be regularly checked for deformity and damage; and other problems such as corrosion reported to the client. The BESA document also sets out a comprehensive plan for providing reports to clients and any findings that need action including

damaged and missing dampers. It also highlights key elements needed to put a planned maintenance regime in place for fire and smoke dampers linked to the Association’s digital maintenance tool SFG20.

“This is an important part of the industry’s response to the Hackitt Review, which shone a harsh light on weaknesses in the way fire safety strategies in buildings are managed,” said George Friend, chair of the BESA Ventilation Hygiene branch.

“Hackitt called for practical measures to improve compliance with fire safety standards and this technical bulletin provides a comprehensive programme that will ensure dampers, which are absolutely critical to any fire risk management plan, can be properly installed and regularly tested by companies and individuals competent to carry out this work.”

BESA explains that one of the most important aspects of fire and smoke damper testing is pinpointing those dampers that cannot be tested – often because they cannot be found or easily reached.

“If you can’t test something, you must propose remedial work such as installing access panels or builders’ hatches,” said Mr Friend. “It is no longer acceptable – or compliant – to put in your report that a damper could not be tested.”

A crucial change is the requirement for the testing company to provide the client with a proposal for how this can be rectified so that 100% of dampers in an installation are checked.

The VH001 technical bulletin is free for all BESA members. To download your free copy visit: www.theBESA.com/ knowledge

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REFCOM ELITE

F-GAS REGISTRATION HAS “DUMBED DOWN STANDARDS” The intention of the F-Gas regulation to minimise harmful emissions from refrigeration and air conditioning was spot on, but there have been some harmful unintended consequences, according to Head of REFCOM Graeme Fox. The government set the qualification benchmark for operatives too low when F-Gas registration was made mandatory in the UK in 2007. As a result, the sector has seen a lot of dumbing down of standards with a lot of poorly qualified people calling themselves refrigeration engineers when they are nothing of the kind.

As a result, some companies are using cheap labour rather than properly qualified engineers for

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BESA Group Companies:

installation and servicing work – to the detriment of the end user…and the environment.

The problem is that an operative might be F-Gas registered, but may not properly understand how to operate a system, how to interrogate it, and how to accurately fault-find. All of these should be essential skills for today’s engineers, who are now working with systems that are extremely sophisticated and packed with digital technology.

The F-Gas regulation alongside energy efficiency directives has pushed refrigerant manufacturers to focus heavily on energy efficiency whilst lowering the global warming potential (GWP) of the product’s refrigerants in use.

However, if a system is not installed

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correctly and then not professionally maintained, the equipment will perform poorly so wasting energy and pushing up emissions.

The solution is for the industry to aim for higher technical and professional competence standards as represented by BESA’s REFCOM Elite scheme. Currently, this higher benchmark is voluntary with firms who are keen to demonstrate their credentials and to promote their quality opting to join. However, this may become the UK industry mandatory standard in the future if the government decides to act on what is a growing problem.

SPECIFIERS This was something favoured by a number of contributors to

a roundtable debate REFCOM hosted with the CIBSE Journal in a bid to get some key messages over to specifiers. For example, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB) chair Graham Wright argued that F-Gas registration was being mistaken for a professional qualification.

“F-Gas allows an installer to work on the equipment, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that person is qualified to understand how the system works, or assess its energy efficiency or any safety requirements,” he told the roundtable. “It has brought everyone down to a minimum standard.

“A poorly installed and maintained air conditioning system can result in a 20% to 30% reduction in efficiency of that equipment,” he added.

So, while a consultant’s design might be well intentioned and accurate, it is the implementation of that design that causes problems.

They might even specify that the contractor has to be a member

of REFCOM Elite, but in reality the person carrying out the work is only qualified to the basic F-Gas level and people on site do not check.

This also has potential safety implications because many of the low GWP alternative refrigerants being brought in to help the industry manage the F-Gas phase down are flammable.

The F-Gas qualification allows contractors to work legally with R32 equipment, for example, but it does not cover people under the Health and Safety at Work Act. That is an important point for employers, because they have to be sure a person is competent to carry out the task. If they have not had any training in flammable refrigerants, but have been asked to install or service a R32 system, then it is hard to see how you can prove they are competent.

“Manufacturers, such as Daikin and Mitsubishi, have done a lot to raise people’s awareness of this issue, but we need the whole industry

to get to a certain level to ensure we meet the safety standards,” explained Mr Wright.

Driving up professional standards needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. If specifications say that the company working on the equipment must be REFCOM Elite registered and that requirement is policed, it could make a huge difference.

REFCOM and ACRIB are also in discussions with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) about the possibility of implementing training courses on flammability and establishing the skills and level of competency required.

There will also be an opportunity to tackle this through revisions to the Building Regulations, which are due later this year. That would give the government a framework in which to impose higher standards across the industry in line with what is already provided under the REFCOM Elite scheme.

WHY BECOME MEMBERS OF REFCOM ELITE? • Can handle refrigerants safely • Is compliant with all current legal requirements • Operates auditable procedures for the proper control of refrigerants, and can account for all refrigerant used and recovered

REFCOM Elite membership proves to owners and operators that a refrigeration or air conditioning company: • Is competent to install, commission, decommission or maintain a system containing refrigerant • Is a licensed waste carrier

• Uses appropriate, purpose-designed refrigerant recovery equipment • Performs refrigerant transactions with minimum emissions and is environmentally aware.

REFCOM Elite membership is granted after inspection by an independent third party.

www.refcom.org.uk

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FUTURE LEADERS

The 2020s – when science fiction becomes science fact The new decade is an opportunity to do things differently and use exciting digital technologies to create rapid change to the world of construction, according to Reinaldo Melendez – chair of BESA’s Future Leaders group.

It should not come as any surprise that recent research from the employment standards organisation Investors in People showed that almost 50% of all jobs linked to the construction industry now require specific digital skills.

While the IT and Communications sector remains the highest employer of people with digital training, construction is catching up fast – it is now one of the largest industry sectors employing digital savvy people. Yet, there is still a legacy culture in our industry that holds us back. We still hear the expression: ‘This is the way I’ve done it for 20 years and I’m not changing now.’

However, the 2020s will, undoubtedly, see rapid change.

Bill Gates once said that we continually over-estimate the progress that will happen in the next two years and underestimate the next 10. Young (and not so young) engineers are excited about the possibilities offered by wearable technologies, robotics and artificial intelligence. However Mr Gates is probably right and for cutting edge tech to become the norm will probably take the whole of the decade.

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That does not mean there are not exciting things happening right now and we were given a flavour of them during the Future Leaders’ session at last November’s BESA National Conference. We heard the Internet of Things, wireless systems and virtual reality are already changing building engineering.

Our industry is just notoriously slow to adopt them and use them to their full potential.

For example, we are still hard wiring most of our buildings, but wireless systems have been around for years and most buildings use wi-fi networks for their core communications. Why not for managing the building services? Wireless connectivity rapidly speeds up commissioning and even allows for performance improvements of systems simply by uploading software upgrades.

The gaming industry is moving into our space with virtual reality now firmly embedded in design processes. Engineers can take their clients on detailed virtual visits of their buildings years before they are actually built. This has huge implications for speeding up construction and improving quality by avoiding the late changes that hamper so many projects – and helps us meet client expectations long before completion.

‘Augmented workers’ are now regularly seen on sites. These are real people carrying out physical on-site work, but they are also wearing digital glasses that transmit information in real

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“THE MORE DIGITAL WE BECOME, THE MORE TRANSPARENT OUR PROCESSES WILL BE – MAKING IT FAR EASIER TO COLLABORATE” time back to their offices. This gives them access to remote experts to guide their work and allows the project team to record masses of information for future reference.

The more digital we become, the more transparent our processes will be – making it far easier to collaborate and avoid commercial and technical clashes. Improving communication between trades and professions is a key priority for our industry and going digital will make us all safer and more productive too.

It will also be critical as we strive to deliver the government’s vision of a net zero carbon, high quality and socially inclusive built environment.

In fact, without embracing digital none of that will be possible.

Soon, what was recently considered science fiction will be science fact and will be powering our industry into a whole new era and the BESA Future Leaders will continue to operate as a collaborative hub for championing new ideas and modern methods of construction. www.theBESA.com/future-leaders

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BESA Group Companies:

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HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Nathan Wood (BESA Health & Wellbeing Group chairman), David Frise (BESA chief executive) and Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah (WHO advocate)

WHO CAMPAIGNER JOINS BESA TO DELIVER SAFE HAVENS The UK’s first World Health Organisation (WHO) advocate for air quality and health has joined the BESA Health and Wellbeing in Buildings group to progress her campaign to turn buildings into safe havens from air pollution.

asthma attacks linked to air pollution near her home and school.

Having founded the Ella Roberta Foundation (ellaroberta.org) in her memory, Rosamund has since become a high profile figure in the battle against air pollution.

Stephen Holgate, a world authority on asthma, revealed that indoor air quality (IAQ) can be 13 times worse than outside air, but that it can be controlled through a combination of improved building systems and occupant behaviour.

CONTAMINANTS

Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah addressed last year’s BESA National Conference and urged the building services sector to get to take more responsibility for the health consequences of poor indoor air quality (IAQ).

Ella’s death is now the subject of a second coroner’s inquest, which may lead to her becoming the first person in the world to have air pollution officially recorded as a cause of death. Yet, it is estimated 40,000 people in the UK alone die every year as a result of air pollution – and 8.8 million worldwide.

Rosamund’s daughter Ella died in 2013 following a series of severe

New research carried out by Southampton University professor

Professor Holgate is also leading a review into IAQ on behalf of the Royal College of Physicians and was the person who first identified that airborne contaminants may have been responsible for Ella’s death.

Rosamund has joined the BESA group to help promote the Association’s ‘Building Safe Havens’ »

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HEALTH AND WELLBEING

cause inflammation of the airways, reduce lung function and increase the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.

» (#buildingsafehavens) campaign

aimed at promoting the concept of indoor clean air zones that protect occupants from the worst impacts of air pollution – reflecting the fact that 80% of people spend an average of 90% of their lives indoors.

“People feel sorry for me, but they don’t seem to think this problem has got anything to do with them,” Rosamund said. “Yet every action we take has a consequence for someone else.

“Everyone has a responsibility to do what they can to make our children safer inside and outside buildings, but the building engineering industry has a particularly important role to play because of the nature of your work. It is, therefore, so crucial that you don’t cut corners and don’t look for loopholes in standards and regulations.”

The Health & Wellbeing Group has advised the government to introduce the measures needed to turn buildings into safe havens in its proposed new Environment Bill. This would include mandatory measuring and monitoring of IAQ with specific focus on airborne particulates PM2.5 and below; along with CO2 levels; and VOCs, which are linked to heart and lung diseases as well as certain cancers.

There is also a growing problem inside buildings with NOx emissions from transport, which is known to

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The group also proposes the adoption of the latest energy efficient ventilation systems, clean air technology and new filtration standard (ISO16890) in UK building regulations.

This would allow building engineers to efficiently tackle even the very smallest particulates including PM1 (the smallest easily measurable), which was identified by the WHO as a Group One carcinogen and linked to early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

The Association also backed a recommendation from the Committee on Climate Change that the relevant building regulations (Parts F and L) are closely aligned to ensure improvements in energy efficiency (Part L) do not lead to overheating and lack of effective mechanical ventilation.

“Rosamund’s plea should make everyone involved with designing, managing and maintaining buildings wake up and face their responsibility for tackling this huge human tragedy.

If you think the economy is more important than the environment, try holding your breath while you count your money,” said group chairman Nathan Wood.

CONCERN Schools are a particular area of concern, so BESA has recommended that air quality checks become a mandatory part of OFSTED inspections particularly in high risk urban areas and close to busy roads. Similarly

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for hospitals and other healthcare facilities particular standards of clean air should be mandated.

This work could be supported by improving the system of air quality management areas (AQMAs) that are administered by local authorities.

While many exist, their information is not routinely shared with the public or the industry. The Bill could ensure that regular alerts are issued when there are spikes in local air pollution and the information gathered should become a consideration for officials considering planning applications.

BESA also recommended that the Bill contain provision for measures that improve IAQ, such as filter cleaning and replacement along with ductwork and fan maintenance, be made mandatory elements of regular service and maintenance programmes in commercial buildings.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity for us to get proper standards of measurement, monitoring and improvement of IAQ enshrined in legislation,” said Mr Wood.

“There is so much evidence gathered by the medical profession, which clearly shows the link between poor air quality and serious health conditions. At the same time, the building engineering sector now has a range of proven techniques that are already making a difference in many buildings.” www.theBESA.com/iaq

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BESA BITESIZE UPDATES SKILLcard CRO closure As of 31 January, SKILLcard is no longer accepting new applications for the Engineering Installation & Maintenance Engineer CRO Card.

Renewal applications will continue to be accepted until 20 April 2020 following which they will no longer be accepted. All existing CRO cards are still valid until the expiry date on the card.

For further details and alternative routes visit: www.skillcard.org.uk/cro-phasedown

REFCOM welcomes greater ‘certainty’ for Brexit An agreement between the EU and the UK to continue the mutual recognition of professional certification should put minds at ease throughout the refrigeration and air conditioning industry, according to the UK’s primary F-Gas register REFCOM. Months of protracted negotiations have produced welcome “clarity and certainty” for firms that operate in different parts of the EU, who feared their proof of competence would cease to be recognised after the UK formally withdrew from the EU. REFCOM registration will continue to be accepted throughout the EU during the transition period, which will last until the end of this year and probably beyond as the UK and EU thrash out a longer-term trading agreement.

For more information visit: www.refcom.org.uk

Dates for your diaries Another busy year for BESA and its members and affiliates as we have already arranged a whole host of events for 2020.

• Regional Meetings • Specialist Groups • Executive Committees • Regional Dinner & Awards To find out what’s happening near you, or to book, visit: www.theBESA.com/events

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BESA Group Companies:

Mitsubishi Electric announced as headline sponsor We are very pleased to announce that Mitsubishi Electric have been confirmed as our headline sponsor for the fourth BESA National Conference and Awards as well as our Regional Dinner and Awards.

Mitsubishi Electric is a BESA Affiliate and is passionate about the building services sector.

As a leading manufacturer of innovative, HVAC equipment, the company is fully behind the work BESA is doing to set best practice for the industry and support installers and contractors who are on the F Gas register. In addition, they see great potential in BESA’s drive to improve indoor air quality and promote energy efficient health, comfort and wellbeing within the built environment.

For more information visit: les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/ For further information about the BESA National Conference and Awards turn to page 30.

BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite Scheme Shortlisted

Certification body BESCA, part of the wider BESA Group, has been announced as a 2020 finalist for the HVAC Initiative of the Year category of the prestigious H&V News Awards for its Ventilation Hygiene Elite (VHE) scheme.

The winners will be announced at the H&V News Awards on 30 April 2020 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London.

For further information about how the BESCA VHE Scheme can help your business demonstrate the highest level of compliance and competence visit: www.besca.org.uk/schemes/bescaapproved-vent-hygiene-elite

TRAINING

BESA MANIFESTO

Reasons to be (cautiously) cheerful in 2020 There is room for some cautious optimism as we take stock of the new political landscape in 2020.

The Johnson Government’s landslide election victory has given it the numbers to steamroll through parliamentary opposition to its agenda, ending the years of Brexit paralysis and the uncertainty of last hung parliament. This means the Government might finally have the time and political capital to address some of our sector’s perennial issues.

The Government got Brexit done, sort of. We may have left the European Union on 31 January but it is not all sunlit uplands yet. The UK will transitionally abide by EU rules until the end of the year, and has a long and difficult road ahead negotiating its future relationships with Europe and the rest of the world.

The December 2019 Queen’s Speech, which outlined the legislative agenda for current parliamentary session, contained some items of interest for our sector. A new and enhanced regulatory regime for building safety and construction

products will be unveiled when the Government introduces its longawaited Building Safety & Fire Safety Bills. These Bills aim to implement the recommendations of the Hackitt Review and Grenfell Inquiry and if done right, could lead to a better industry culture centred on competence and compliance. There is a twist however - the new building safety regulator will be run entirely by the Health and Safety Executive, and not as previously suggested, jointly overseen by the HSE and local authority building control with fire and rescue services.

The proposed Environment Bill will establish a new Office for Environmental Protection and include legally binding targets and initiatives to tackle air pollution. As part of BESA’s Building Safe Havens campaign on indoor air quality, our new Health & Wellbeing Group is promoting additional measures it wants included in the Government’s Bill.

Two years since Carillion collapsed, BESA’s number one policy priority remains reforming retentions and curbing late payment. The Conservatives took to the election

a promise to ‘clamp down on late payment more broadly and strengthen the powers of the Small Business Commissioner to support small businesses that are exploited by their larger partners’. Exactly what shape their plans will take is unclear but it is a promising sign.

The Aldous Bill lapsed when the last Parliament dissolved for the election. Peter Aldous MP continues to be a great friend to our sector and entered the recent Private Member’s Bill ballot in the hope winning one of the top seven slots for Bills guaranteed a parliamentary debate.

Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful this time. BESA and ECA will either seek one of the successful MPs to reintroduce an Aldous Bill Mark II or look at new strategies to try to convince the Government to include retentions reform within their existing agenda. On a positive note, recent developments in Scotland and Wales indicate devolved administrations take the issue of retentions seriously and could usher in legislative reform before Westminster.

For more information visit: www.theBESA.com/representation

19

MEMBERSHIP

Membership Services Active on your behalf The Membership Services team at BESA have had a busy 2019 working hard on behalf of the industry and more importantly, our members. We take a quick look back at what the teams have been doing on your behalf and a sneak peak at what else you can expect in 2020.

2019

TECHNICAL, KNOWLEDGE & SPECIALIST GROUPS • Increased BESA’s role in the

representation of members in Europe on the development of industry standards

• More engagement than ever from members across the Groups in Specialist Groups

• Re launch of the Health and

EMPLOYMENT AFFAIRS • Dealt with over 550 cases providing practical assistance and advice covering the entire life cycle of managing people

Wellbeing Group

BESA Guide to Employment, a comprehensive collection of HR guidance on the key areas of employment and includes model documents, which is available via the Members’ area of the website

• Negotiated and supported two

National Working Rule Agreements with the trade union, Unite. One of those agreements, The Operative National Agreement, was reviewed resulting in a number of key changes, including an update to the grade titles of skilled Operatives, industry apprenticeships and taxation of allowances.

LEGAL AND COMMERCIAL • Supported 170 members with

individual cases and queries, saving them £££s

• Successfully lobbied to delay the implementation of VAT reverse charging

• Ran 7 successful commercial awareness courses

• Introduced regular legal bulletins • Continued to run and publish the State of Trade analysis

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BESA Group Companies:

• HAVS • H&S Tool Box Talks • H&S Legislation and associated changes

• CDM

2020 In addition to continued support, bulletins and guidance, the team plan to:

• Negotiate for improved hourly pay

• New Passive fire stopping of

MEP services Group and the development of guidance

• Released TR19® Grease

• Updating and maintaining the

rates and other terms and conditions with the Union covered by both National Working Agreements

• A comprehensive review of the EEI

HEALTH AND SAFETY • Launched a brand new free H&S

Staff Salary Agreement general terms and conditions

advice service which includes a helpline and regular H&S bulletins

• More commercial awareness courses

• Held H&S forums for all regions

and guidance

in 2019, centred on the hazards and risk of asbestos within the construction industry, together with the importance of Face Fit Testing Respiratory Protective Equipment

• BESA Joined the SHEP

Partnership to enable industry to engage, influence and inform HSE to effectively improve health and safety standards and ensures members have access to relevant and straight forward advice

• Provided SSIP assistance to

50+ BESA members together with associated template documents, ensuring the process of accreditation is quick and easy

• Provide crucial BREXIT updates • More webinars • Launch the much-anticipated Pipework Selection App

• Launch new specialist groups for

Offsite manufacture, Commissioning, Supports & Fixings for MEP services

• Publications focussing on Local

Exhaust Ventilation, Health and Safety, Ventilation Hygiene and Fire Dampers

• Development of a new suite of H&S documents, policies, procedures and templates

• Development of a H&S Experts

Group to compliment the existing more general H&S Forums

• Provided members with ongoing

• Development of an SSIP pack

• H&S Training • Asbestos Surveys • Asbestos Exposure • Face Fit Testing • Risk Assessment

To find out more about how Membership Services can help you and your business visit: www.theBESA.com

H&S support on:

TRAINING

of safety documents to help with accreditation of SSIP certification

MEMBERSHIP

The definitive standard for planned building maintenance Completely unique, SFG20 is the essential tool for facilities managers, building owners, contractors and consultants to help save time, energy and money, whilst remaining compliant.

The dynamic web-based service has a growing library of maintenance task schedules, currently covering many equipment types with over 1000 individual schedules including specialist services.

SFG20 enables you, or your clients to: • Reduce costs through optimum maintenance of assets with colour coding to distinguish between statutory and discretionary maintenance tasks • Stay compliant as legislative and technical bulletins are updated online • Customise maintenance schedules whether it is specifying tender requirements, creating service models or producing custom schedules for individual buildings Enhance your subscription with: SPECIALIST SERVICE SETS Improve efficiency and reduce costs by accessing schedules tailored to your sector.

Our growing specialist service sets include healthcare (HTM & SHTM aligned), catering and more.

THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE INTEGRATION SFG20’s common platform allows subscribers to work with SFG20 Approved Providers to integrate data and schedules directly into their CAFM or CMMS software enabling effective planning, scheduling and tracking.

To find out more or to request a free online demonstration visit www.SFG20.co.uk or call 01768 860 459 SFG20 is published by BESA

21

Total air quality solutions for the workplace Using latest plasma and UV-C technologies we create bespoke systems to monitor and improve indoor air quality (IAQ) with proven health and productivity benefits.

Call us to set up an IAQ assessment on 0161 870 2325 or email ask@plasma-clean.com

www.plasma-clean.com

FABRICATION

01428 751 200

DISTRIBUTION

0121 771 2828

For more than 30 years Industrial Engineering Plastics Limited (IEP) has been a UK market leader in plastic fabrication and supply.

UK MARKET LEADER IN PLASTIC DUCTWORK FABRICATION AND SUPPLY

• A leading edge fabrication facility, fabricating

ductwork to DW154 using PVC, PVC/GRP, PPs and FBPP/GRP

• Bespoke fabrication of trays, covers,

guards and tanks

• A nationwide distribution service and

extensive stocks of vent pipe and fittings, sheet and rod

www.iep-ltd.co.uk

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BESA Group Companies:

TRAINING

SPONSORED CONTENT

HOW TECHNOLOGY IS HELPING ENGINEERS MOVE THE DIAL ON INDOOR AIR QUALITY “Being radical in how we tackle Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is at the heart of everything we do here at Plasma Clean.

“We use cutting edge plasma and UV-C technologies to provide total and trusted air quality solutions in buildings to customers who understand IAQ.

the number one cause of microbial contaminants and bad IAQ. “Heat, moisture and nutrients make heat exchange coils in HVAC

drive the air through the ventilation system. Or at least more energy is required to distribute the air.

Traditional HEPA filters, for example, add significant pressure drop even when clean which makes retrofit difficult.

“WE ALWAYS ADVOCATE PROPER MAINTENANCE OF HVAC SYSTEMS TO AVOID DUST AND MICROBE BUILD-UP AND ENSURE OPTIMAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY”

“They get that IAQ is key to quality of life in the workplace and has a clear link to productivity, health and well-being. They are determined to make a difference, whether that is installing the latest air quality monitors, to show occupants what is going on, to investing in new ideas to get the best out of traditional HVAC systems.

systems the perfect breeding ground for micro-organisms, which form biofilms on the heat exchange coil surface. This reduces heat exchange efficiency, and microbes are released into the building envelope which is detrimental to human health.

“The most common causes of poor IAQ are ventilation systems issues, high CO2 levels, inadequate temperature control, humidity, infection and odour, poor air circulation and insufficient fresh air intake.

“So, we always advocate proper maintenance of HVAC systems to avoid dust and microbe build-up and ensure optimal energy efficiency.

Constant treatment with a low level of UV-C irradiation stops biofilms forming in the first place, and does not damage the coils.

“Indoors you’ll find the same pollutants such as NOx and diesel particulates mixed with VOCs like dust, carpet fibres, fungal spores, cleaning products, photocopy residues or building materials. These create a pretty unhealthy cocktail of contaminants.

“We are using plasma ionisation systems for supply air applications where there is a source of odour close by - e.g. waste treatment sites, sewage treatment plant and also cattle sheds. We also use low pressure drop filters for NOx removal, especially in buildings located close to roads.

“And while HVAC systems are the lungs of the building, ensuring a consistent supply of fresh air and managing temperature and carbon-dioxide levels, they are also

“A key aspect of any air treatment system is that, as well as being highly effective, it has a low pressure drop.

Filters which add resistance could mean that a bigger fan is required to

“We are absolutely committed to doing all we can to manufacture cleaner, state of the art, total building solutions to, literally, clear the air.

Dr David Glover is a trusted pioneer of total air quality solutions for all commercial sectors. He brings a unique mix of experience and academic rigour to problemsolving and provides expertise to designers, building services engineers, facilities managers across the UK and beyond.

In November last year he published a White Paper - How Indoor Air Quality can contribute to a Happy and More Productive Workforce – which is free to download at https://plasma-clean.com/ products/indoor-air-quality/ For more information please get in touch with Plasma Clean on 0161 870 2325 or email ask@plasma-clean.com

Dr David Glover Managing Director Plasma Clean

23

TRAINING

A new decade, a new look workforce The building engineering workforce of the 2020s will look very different to earlier decades, according to BESA’s Director of Training, Helen Yeulet.

Each of the last three decades saw long periods of low investment in training and recruitment, which has left the industry playing catch-up.

On top of this, we now have a serious demographic problem – at both ends of the scale. Around 50% of people working in building services related jobs are expected to retire before the end of this decade – how do we replace that experience and expertise?

We are still struggling at the new entrant level too. This is because the millennial surge in birth rate has now passed through the apprenticeship availability gate and is ramping up competition for recruits – a problem that is not confined to the UK. Most European countries have the same problem, including Germany and Switzerland, which we tend to look up to as exemplars in this area.

SAFETY It might seem an extraordinary thing to any outside observer, but that has been the case for some time and the results have been clear to see in quality and safety problems across our building stock.

On top of this, our government is now legally bound to deliver a net zero carbon economy by 2050. How will that be possible without thousands of skilled workers able to design, install and commission low to zero carbon technologies and overhaul huge swathes of our built environment?

However, thanks to Hackitt, building owners will now be required to face up to their responsibilities for the lifetime of their built asset – not just see it as a way of getting a quick return on an investment – and any crucial life safety decisions taken during construction, refurbishment and

At the same time, the adoption of ‘smart’ systems in increasingly well

However, the Hackitt Review that followed the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy could prove to be a game changer for the UK. It has brought into sharp focus the need for companies to be able to prove the competence of their people. For too long, many construction related trades relied on vague qualifications that failed to answer the most important question of all: ‘Is this person qualified for the job they are being asked to do?’

24

BESA Group Companies:

operation will be there for all to see. This is also of interest to insurers, who will keep up the pressure for building owners and operators to maintain safe and healthy conditions – or face the financial consequences.

TRAINING

“WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF PROMOTING WHAT OUR INDUSTRY DOES AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT – AND WE NEED TO BACK THAT UP WITH A FLEXIBLE APPROACH TO TRAINING AND SKILLS – ONE THAT REFLECTS THE FULL LIFECYCLE OF TRAINING” connected buildings is gathering pace – making our industry a wonderful place to develop and implement new ideas.

We have systems using artificial intelligence to diagnose all manner of conditions in buildings and automatically enable the building services to address them – from air quality to temperature control and ongoing service and maintenance managed by remote ‘virtual’ operators.

People of all ages, genders and backgrounds have an opportunity to contribute to their communities and wider society through working in our sector.

We need to do a better job of promoting what our industry does and why it is important – and we need to back that up with a flexible approach to training and skills – one that reflects the full lifecycle of training.

This is very much the approach adopted by BESA Training where we promote apprenticeships that can kick start your career; short courses to beef up particular skills as you progress through your career; and an experienced worker programme to support those who may have been working in the industry, but lack formal qualifications.

At the apprenticeship level, we have beefed up the process by becoming an end point assessor so candidates now have to undergo a final test to ensure they have developed the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours to equip them for the ‘real world’ of work. End point assessment involves a series of interviews, practical tasks and questions where students are examined – independent of their training provider.

This should give employers greater peace of mind that they are receiving apprentices with fully rounded competence ready for productive work. Previously, the system was based on continuous assessment, but employers often reported weaknesses in that approach as it lacked practical rigour.

We have a wide range of short courses to keep people on top of the latest developments in technology right across building

engineering services and we have also introduced an Experienced Worker Programme to provide recognition of competence for operatives who have been working within building services for five years and more but don’t hold an industry recognised qualification.

Eligible workers can gain an Engineering Services SKILLcard by demonstrating they have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience using a work-based portfolio assessment process to achieve the specified unit/s, without having to take college-based examinations.

All of this underpins the new ‘culture’ of developing competence and then providing companies with the tools to demonstrate that competence to clients and government – and answer that basic question: ‘Can this person actually do the job I am asking them to do?’ www.theBESA.com/training

25

HEATWEB Stops the rot

How eicient is your Heat Network?

Plantroom control and monitoring Real-time monitoring of each HIU No need for regular inspections 100% perfect commissioning Advanced load shifting Huge savings

Ineicient Equipment Outdated Design

Concept

Poor Installation & Commissioning

The UK's most comprehensive Heat Network Monitoring & Control Package, working in harmony with the best performing HIU in the industry for the past 3 years, as tested to the BESA test standard.

Poor Control

Find out more about HEATWEB The UK's No.1 Heat Network Solution WWW

: www.heatweb.com

: hiu@heatweb.com

: 03452 411 441

WISE Demand controlled ventilation with intelligence and simplicity built-in.

WISE begins with our software at the design stage to help identify the right ventilation solution for your project. Wireless commissioning of WISE is effortless and SuperWISE provides a real-time system overview to keep your project smooth from start to finish and beyond.

Find out more about WISE wise.swegon.com

26

BESA Group Companies:

TRAINING

SPONSORED CONTENT

HIU NETWORKS PROVIDE REAL TIME PERFORMANCE DATA

Last year was the first time the industry saw modern electronic HIUs with remote real-time connectivity used widely in the field. As a result, we are now able to learn a lot from the data these systems provide.

The latest generation of HIU networks deliver parallel real-time data, where devices are in control of when data is sent and when something interesting is happening as regularly as one second intervals.

This allows us to analyse events, such as a tap use, in detail. For the first, this means we can see exactly what is (or has been) going on in every event, which is simply not possible using heat meter data, especially when meters are only read once an hour or so.

A real-time system sees every single event and analyses every problem.

All pressures, temperatures, flow rates, and valve positions are known (rather than implied) and this enables an engineer (or the system software) to work out the cause of the problem and even the appropriate corrective action. Data is analysed locally, within the hardwired systems, where it is filtered and only important data needs to be transmitted. This is called ‘exception

“WE HAVE SEEN HOW INDEPENDENT BESA TESTING HAS TRANSFORMED THE EFFICIENCY OF HIUs. WE CAN NOW DO THE SAME FOR THE NETWORK AT LARGE” reporting’ and can allow us to deploy remote connectivity with very low data requirements.

The biggest change we have noticed on the front line is that we can now guarantee everything is working perfectly before handover.

We can bring up a screen to confirm everything is perfect and we can generate reports to prove this is the case. Changing settings is a task that takes seconds and can be done without moving from your office chair. If something is out of range we receive an email, and if there is an urgent problem engineers get a text message.

The system developed for HIUs is based on open protocols and can be easily replicated without licences on numerous platforms. It is more powerful than the existing BMS systems used to control and monitor plant-rooms or sub-stations, and has proved itself rather capable in

the field. Now, the same open systems used on HIU networks cover the entire network end-to-end.

We have seen how independent BESA testing has transformed the efficiency of HIUs. We can now do the same for the network at large. Where before we had bespoke plant control systems that nobody understood and rarely did much actual controlling, we now have transparent control algorithms that work and can been seen to work.

Installers will have the tools they need to snag every problem with minimal effort, and there is no more guesswork when it comes to support.

Contact technical at Thermal Integration for a demonstration, or search for Node-HIU on our wiki site at https://www.heatweb.co.uk/w For more information about BESA’s collaborative work on the UK standard for HIUs visit: www.theBESA.com/ukhiu

Richard Hanson-Graville Technical Manager Thermal Integration

27

LEGAL AND COMMERCIAL

Collateral Warranties: an overview Brought to you by

A collateral warranty is a contract under which a contractor, subcontractor or professional consultant (the ‘warrantor’) warrants to a third party beneficiary (i.e. a funder, tenant or purchaser) that it has complied with obligations under its professional appointment, building contract or subcontract.

Subcontractors with design responsibility are often asked to provide collateral warranties and it is usually a specific obligation in the subcontract together with a right to withhold payment if it is not provided.

These are important documents because a beneficiary is able to bring a claim under the warranty directly against the warrantor sometimes many years after practical completion. The warrantor should try to limit the number of beneficiaries entitled to a collateral warranty.

This article gives a general overview on some of the key clauses and limitations that appear in collateral warranties.

KEY CLAUSES As collateral warranties are only as good as the underlying contract, special attention must be paid to ensure that equivalent provisions are fully ‘back-to-back’ with the underlying contract. A failure to do so could mean that the collateral warranty is harder to enforce.

The following are key clauses in a collateral warranty:

28

BESA Group Companies:

right to take the place of an employer under the contract if the employer were ever to commit a serious and un-remedied breach, that would otherwise enable the warrantor to terminate their contract.

LIMITATIONS

Deleterious materials – an obligation to confirm that no deleterious materials which may be damaging to health or the environment will be specified or used in the project.

This should be limited to the level of skill care and diligence required by the professional appointment or building contract.

Professional indemnity insurance – a requirement for professional indemnity insurance, with reference to asbestos and contamination exclusions under the policy, to be maintained for a specific period of time (usually 6 or 12 years from practical completion of the project).

Copyright licence and use of information – these usually allow a third-party beneficiary to use design information generated by the project, but only in connection with the project. Copyright should be retained by the warrantor.

A wide range of limitation and exclusion of liability clauses will be relevant when a collateral warranty is being negotiated. These limitations should consider the parties’ bargaining positions and the nature/value of the project. These include:

• No greater liability – this confirms

that the warrantor will take on no greater risk under a collateral warranty than under the main contract with the Employer.

• Equivalent rights of defence – this

means that all the same rights of defence under the main contract will be available to the warrantor under the collateral warranty.

• Limitation – this clause limits the

period during which a claim can be made by a beneficiary against the warrantor; usually 6 or 12 years from practical completion.

• Net contribution – this clause

apportions liability between each party liable for the same loss or damage and are used to limit the warrantor’s liability to a fair and reasonable amount.

Assignment – It is common for beneficiaries to be afforded the right to assign the benefit of the collateral warranty to a third party (often limited by number of assignments).

• Limit on the type of losses – this is

Step-in rights – these give the beneficiary (usually a funder) the

For further information visit: www.clarkslegal.com

TRAINING

more common in a purchaser/ tenant warranty and could limit losses to reasonable cost or repair, renewal and or reinstatement.

AFFILIATE FOCUS

A big BESA welcome to our newest Affiliates so far in 2020...

YGHP are an experienced yet dynamic heat interface manufacturer with a complete range of heating, hot water and cooling interface units.

Flagship model being the heating and hot water indirect twin plate heat interface unit which comes complete with first fix fitting kit, isolation ball valves and flushing bypass as standard. With over 100,000 units sold throughout Europe by the group and the 5-year warranty they believe the YGHP package offers longevity as well as cost efficiency.

The YGHP team can assist from design all the way through to build and deliver to help ease demanding project requirements. YGHP have a can-do professional attitude to all situations and try to offer the most effective solution.

YGHP has a high technology test laboratory – vital for cutting edge research and development - and can simulate product as working on field and are able to measure temperatures, flow rates and pressures.

YGHP cover the entire UK market having regional managers happy to assist all project requirements along with an experienced office and manager team that are more than willing to go that extra mile. With a can-do attitude, they are providing their clients with first class service, attention to detail, a willingness to listen and ultimately to deliver the right products at the right price at the right time. www.YGHP.co.uk

Swegon UK&I believes the growth in smart systems and building connectivity will help building engineering firms improve indoor environment quality (IEQ) and safeguard the health and wellbeing of occupants.

Swegon is part of the Swedish Latour group and is a global market leader in energy efficient ventilation and indoor climate products and systems. It employs 2,400 staff and has a turnover of approximately EURO500 million worldwide – over £54m of which is in the UK and Ireland (UK&I).

The company has a strong UK presence with manufacturing; technical sales and support based across several facilities in the UK. This has allowed it to create high quality, local relationships with specifiers, installers and end users alike. The UK and Ireland is seen as central to the company’s growth plans with membership of BESA a crucial part of the its strategy to champion IEQ, build relationships and improve collaboration with contractors. www.swegon.com/UK

Sauermann designs and manufactures products and services dedicated to the HVACR industry.

Its products, services, and solutions are diverse and cover a wide range of parameters, but they are primarily dedicated to detection, measurement and control solutions for indoor air quality.

They become an affiliate member of BESA as they believe this is a great platform to promote their brand and create more awareness within the building and engineering sector.

The BESA are very active in raising awareness of the importance of indoor air quality - something they are passionate about.

With their long-standing presence within the HVACR industry, they felt that becoming an affiliate member of BESA allows them to provide specialist advice and focus within the building services sector and become one of the recognised manufacturers within the industry to provide a solution for your environment.

sauermanngroup.com/en-INT

Established in 1982, Heating Appliances & Spares Ltd (HASL), are specialist product distributors in heating and ventilation equipment covering the whole of the UK. Products include RESUS RisyCors, Spirotech, BOA Metal Solutions, SPC & NACO tier 1 manufacturers.

www.hasl.co.uk

Historically they have only covered the North of England and Scotland but have now grown across the whole of the UK.

29

BESA AWARDS AND CONFERENCE

Showcase your rising stars in the BESA Awards 2020!

“We’re delighted to be able to support the work of BESA as they are so active in showcasing success and recognising talent both regionally and nationally,” explains Rachel Lekman, marketing manager for the Hatfield-based company.

It’s that time of year again when we celebrate the biggest achievements of the building engineering services industry both at a regional and national level throughout the UK. It’s important we invest in the future of the industry through rewarding the upcoming talent within our sector as well as recognising great training initiatives by our members and employers.

We are excited to announce that BESA Affiliate Mitsubishi Electric is our headline sponsor for both our Regional and National Awards and Conference this year.

“The focus on energy use, wellbeing and our impact on the environment is only going to intensify and this places a focus on building services as never before, so it is vital we share knowledge and expertise and this is where BESA can help lead the way.”

Throughout the year, we host a range of regional awards around the UK, which will then lead into our fourth National Conference and Awards on 22 October at the Novotel London West.

This year, we have revised and introduced a range of new categories:

• BSE Installer & Crafts Person Apprentice of the Year

• BSE Refrigeration, Air Conditioning

& Heat Pump Apprentice of the Year (Sponsored by Mitsubishi Electric)

• BSE Service and Maintenance Apprentice of the Year

• BSE Technician/Design Apprentice of the Year

• Electrical Apprentice of the Year • Training Initiative of the Year • Project of Year • Customer Service Person of the Year

• Contractor of the Year REGIONAL DINNER AND AWARD DATES 2020 NORTH EAST 27 March at Crowne Plaza, Newcastle YORKSHIRE 25 April at Hilton Leeds City Hotel CYMRU/WALES & SW 16 May The Vale Resort, Hensol NORTH WEST 6 June at Radisson Blu Hotel, Manchester Airport SCOTLAND 11 June at Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh (Invite only) LONDON, SE AND MIDLANDS 25 June at Sustainable Bankside, London (Invite only)

BESA National Conference and Awards 2020 After the resounding success of last year’s National Conference, this year will focus on building a safer, healthier, greener future, a prominent theme across the building services sector.

Taking place on 22 October at the Novotel London West, it will once again host a day of technical seminars with knowledgeable industry speakers covering all aspects of building engineering services.

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BESA Group Companies:

Afterwards the prestigious BESA National Awards will take place to celebrate the best in building services.

The black tie dinner is a culmination of the regional awards and are a great opportunity to meet fellow BESA members and affiliates.

For more information about the BESA Regional and National Awards visit: www.theBESA.com/ besa-awards-2020

TRAINING

“I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ORGANISING SUCH AN INCREDIBLE NIGHT. YOU GUYS DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB AND I CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH. IT MADE MY AWARD SOO MUCH MORE SPECIAL TO HAVE SUCH NICE PEOPLE TO SHARE THAT MEMORY WITH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.” BESA National Awards 2019 Winner

Panasonic: 100 Years of Product Innovation, Leading the Way in R32 At Panasonic, we believe in technologies that improve people’s lives. Which is why we have developed a complete range of residential and commercial R32 systems that will offer you the solution that perfectly matches your project requirements. Available in an extensive range of capacities and styles - all complemented by excellent performance, efficiency and lower environmental impact.

R32 – a “small” change that changes everything

NEW 4 WAY 60X60 CASSETTE INVERTER • R32 GAS

R32 NEW REFRIGERANT GAS

NEW 4 WAY 60X60 CASSETTE

R32

A++

A+

R2 ROTARY

22dB(A)

-10°C

-15°C

R410A R22

BMS

R32

NEW REFRIGERANT GAS

6,50 SEER

Our heat pumps containing the refrigerant R32 show a drastic reduction in the value of Global Warming Potential (GWP).

Seasonal efficiency in cooling will bring you saving all year while heating.

Energy efficiency rank from A+++ to D.

4,20 SCOP

Seasonal efficiency in heating will bring you saving all year while heating.

Energy efficiency rank from A+++ to D.

COMPRESSOR

Inverter range provides more precise temperature control and keeps the temperature constant with lower energy consumption and a reduction in noise.

Panasonic R2 Rotary Compressor.

Designed to withstand extreme conditions, it delivers high performance and efficiency.

SUPER QUIET

With Super Quiet technology our devices are much more quiet than a library (30dB(A)).

COOLING MODE

HEATING MODE

R410A/R22 RENEWAL

Down to -10°C in cooling only mode. The air conditioner works in cooling only mode with an outdoor temperature of -10°C.

Down to -15°C in heating mode. The air conditioner works in heat pump mode with an outdoor temperature as low as -15°C.

The Panasonic renewal system allows good quality existing R410A or R22 pipe work to be re-used whilst installing new high efficiency R32 systems.

INTERNET CONTROL

INTEGRATION P-LINE

This unit is Ready to be ready to connect integrated and to internet and be managed by be managed by Panasonic smartphone, centralized with a powerful systems with and user friendly CZ-CAPRA1 App to manage the comfort wherever you are.

CONNECTIVITY

Communication port to integrate the unit to home and building management systems most known standards.

5

NEW FLOOR CONSOLE TYPE INVERTER+ • R32 GAS

www.eggeassociats.net

· Easy to combine with standard 60x60 ceiling grid · New refrigerant R32 · High energy savings A+ · Quiet operation from only 23dB(A) · Drain pump included · Easy to install: Flexible piping length and compact outdoor · Can reuse old piping · Weekly timer wired control · Smartphone control (Optional) · Connectivity by KNX, Modbus and Bacnet (optional)

YEARS

COMPRESSOR WARRANTY

5 Years Warranty.

We guarantee the outdoor unit compressors in the entire range for five years.

R32

NEW PACI STANDARD CEILING INVERTER+ • R32 GAS

NEW REFRIGERANT GAS

NEW FLOOR CONSOLE with new nanoe™ X air-purifying system: outstanding efficiency A++ and comfort combined with a breakthrough design

R32 NEW REFRIGERANT GAS

NEW PACI STANDARD CEILING INVERTER+ · Wide air distribution for large rooms · Horizontal air flow reaches max.9.5m. · Fresh air connection available on the unit · Slim design with 235m height fits narrow space · Silent operation · datanavi simple support tool app with remote controller (CZ-RTC5B) · Twin, Triple and Double-twin split options · Easy connection and controlled of external fan or ERV using the connector PAW-FDC on the indoor unit PCB. The external device can be control by the remote control of the Panasonic indoor unit This data refers to specific units in the line-up, see full leaflet for technical details of each model.

R32

A++

A+

6,50 SEER

4,20 SCOP

Seasonal efficiency in cooling will bring you saving all year while heating. Energy efficiency rank from A+++ to D.

Seasonal efficiency in heating will bring you saving all year while heating. Energy efficiency rank from A+++ to D.

-10°C

-15°C

R410A R22

BMS

R32

NEW REFRIGERANT GAS

Our heat pumps containing the refrigerant R32 show a drastic reduction in the value of Global Warming Potential (GWP).

COOLING MODE

Wider operation Hz range of compressor realize more high efficient operation through the year. For Big PACi Series PE2.

The air conditioner works in cooling only mode with an outdoor temperature of -10°C.

HEATING MODE

The air conditioner works in heat pump mode even when outdoor temperatures are as low as -15°C.

R410A/R22 RENEWAL

The Panasonic renewal system allows good quality existing R410A or R22 pipe work to be re-used whilst installing new high efficiency R32 systems.

INTERNET CONTROL

CONNECTIVITY

Next generation system providing a user-friendly remote control of air conditioning or heat pump units from everywhere via internet.

Communication port to integrate the unit to home and building management systems most known standards.

5

YEARS

COMPRESSOR WARRANTY

5 Years Warranty.

We guarantee the outdoor unit compressors in the entire range for five years.

Discover the range now at www.ampair.co.uk or call us on 01707 378 670