News
News in brief
Poor energy audits of
New rules to ban
blacklisting
buildings to be weeded
The government is to introduce
new regulations to prevent
blacklisting in the construction
out in government ban
sector. In March the Information
Commissioner reported that
40 construction companies n
The government has
responded to concerns over
had subscribed to a database to the awarding of energy certificates
vet construction workers. That by banning some practices regarded
database has now been closed. as potentially leading to poor-quality
A consultation will be launched building assessments.
in early summer on the revised Energy assessors of buildings
regulations. will no longer be able to award a
performance certificate via a ‘data
Projects rewarded by ACE gatherer’ without visiting the site
The winners of the second ACE themselves, under rules being
Engineering Excellence Awards introduced at the end of this month.
2009 have been announced by The Department of Communities
the Association of Consultancy and Local Government (DCLG) is
and Engineering. For full details prohibiting this practice, known
of the winners, the commended as ‘remote lodgements’, which
and highly commended projects, appears to have undermined the
visit www.acenet.co.uk integrity of energy performance
certificates (EPCs).
Award for Arup scheme The issue was highlighted
A project in Hong Kong has in the Journal in March, when
won one of the province’s most a number of energy assessors
prestigious architectural prizes. claimed that unqualified people
The St Andrew’s Church and were visiting a building and passing
Kindergarten project won a Merit the information to an accredited
Award at the Hong Kong Institute assessor to consider.
of Architects Annual Awards. Concerns about the use of data
Arup provided structural and gatherers centred on suggestions
geotechnical engineering design that some accreditation firms
and supervision services for the were allowing unqualified people
two-storey, reinforced-concrete to collect data and then look for
structure. an energy assessor to grant the Energy assessors are being required to visit properties, says new guidance
certificate.
Employers consider cuts “You cannot use someone circumstances, that the accredited properties for which they issue an
One third of employers are else’s driving licence to drive a [energy assessor] is unable to fully EPC to ensure they can verify any
considering slashing costs car, therefore you should not be supervise the assistant and verify data provided”.
by changing staff bonuses, permitted to provide an EPC for the data and how it is collected”. The DCLG is conducting an audit
making redundancies and another individual or company When it comes to awarding of energy assessor accreditation
cutting pensions, according to that has just put together the domestic EPCs, the guidance strictly schemes to identify the sources of
Tough Choices: The Hays Talent information,” one complainant said. bars the use of data gatherers, poor-quality certificates.
Management Survey. More The DCLG has issued a insisting that this is “not permitted”. However, it is not clear how the
than eight out of 10 employers guidance note for energy assessor With non-domestic buildings, a department will deal with those
and employees think voluntary accreditation schemes which states data gatherer can work under the schemes found
redundancy is the best method of that, from the end of June, “remote supervision of an energy assessor. to be operating in
See News
cutting costs, and three quarters lodgement business models ... are But the guidance insists that an an unacceptable
Analysis
think it is fair to cut discretionary not acceptable. The fact is, in such energy assessor “must inspect all fashion.
Page 16
bonuses. Only one in four would
opt to cut their pension.
New guidance on sustainability for the engineering
3,000 extra apprentices
Nearly 3,000 extra apprenticeship
industry is launched by professional regulator
places are being created by the
government at a cost of £11m. The regulator for the engineering describes engineers’ leadership role included, according to the ECUK.
Businesses with a proven track profession has launched new in creating sustainable development The guidance is designed to
record in offering high-quality guidance on sustainability for and lists six principles to guide complement information on aspects

apprenticeships will receive the building services engineers. and motivate. The principles of sustainability already published
cash to train the extra apprentices The Engineering Council UK’s are interdependent and of equal by other professional engineering
over the next two years. (ECUK) Guidance on Sustainability importance, with social, economic institutions, and replaces the ECUK’s
for the Engineering Profession and environmental aspects code of practice published in 1993.
8 CIBSE Journal June 2009 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEjun09 pp08 news.indd 8 28/5/09 17:11:17
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