News NEWS IN BRIEF
Marginal fall in energy prices Energy prices slipped a further two per cent in the first quarter of 2014, sitting marginally higher than they were 12 months ago, latest data from the Lorien En- ergy Index (LEI) has revealed.
http://bit.ly/1pcc2VF
Industry feedback sought CIBSE’s BIM Steering Group – in partnership with a number of industry bodies and professional engineering institutions – has developed a Building Informa- tion Modelling (BIM) initiative, Product Data Templates (PDTs), designed to fast-track the flow of general product information into BIM models.
http://bit.ly/1pccun4
Fläkt Woods to attend AUE event Fläkt Woods will be attending the 2014 AUE (Association of University Engineers) Confer- ence, which is due to be held at the University of Bradford on 3, 4 and 5 September.
http://bit.ly/XOBy8f
Elta Group appears in list The Elta Group has been named in the London Stock Exchange Group’s (LSEG) list of the most exciting and dynamic small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK.
http://bit.ly/VLyecq
Installer roadshow to demystify ground source heat pumps Kensa Heat Pumps is taking to the roads of Britain this autumn and winter to help installers demystify the RHI and unearth the mysteries of ground source heat pumps.
http://bit.ly/1ltwtNs
Fernox relaunches club Fernox has relaunched its In- staller’s Club and added a number of new features.
http://bit.ly/VPecxt
Viessmann Group acquires PSV The Viessmann Group has acquired electronic control specialist PSV (Project Service and Value) srl.
http://bit.ly/1p6F7vX
HSE prosecutes building firm partner for gas safety failings The HSE has prosecuted the sen- ior partner of a Crawley building firm for carrying out illegal and incompetent work on gas fittings.
http://bit.ly/1nxd9d1
8 | September 2014 | HVR
Green Deal Home Improvement Fund closes just six weeks after opening
Despite only having launched on 9 June, the Government has already closed its Green Deal Home Improvement Fund for applica- tions, citing ‘overwhelming popular demand’ for its decision. According to the DECC
(Department of Energy and Climate Change), a surge in applications means that the allocated budget has already been reached. DECC says that all applications received prior to the fund closing that satisfy the terms and conditions and meet the eligibility criteria will be honoured at
the original rates. The Green Deal Home
Improvement Fund was set up to help households in England and Wales improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change, Amber Rudd, said: “The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund is a world first and in a short space of time it has proved extremely popu- lar. We were always clear there was a budget which is why we encouraged people to act quickly.’
She added: “As a result, thou- sands more families will now benefit from Government help to have warmer homes which use less energy.”
DECC says it will monitor
voucher redemption rates and will consider whether to launch a further offer should funds become available. In December 2013, the
Government announced that a £540 million three year energy efficiency package and up to £120 million will be available for home energy effi- ciency schemes from April 2015.
DECC and Viessmann launch RHI calculators
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has intro- duced an online calculator to give households a clear idea of the pay- ments they could receive if they install a renewable heating system. The calculator instantly shows people how much money they may be paid through the scheme, according to what type of renew- able heating system they install. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Climate Change, Amber Rudd MP said: “The Domestic RHI helps households offset the cost of installing renewable heating systems. From today, by entering just a few simple details into this calculator, people can now instantly see how much they could be paid through the scheme.” Anna Livesey, from the Sustainable Energy Association,
said: “We support the launch of the DECC RHI calculator as a simple way to provide consumers with an estimate of RHI payments. The calculator will help raise general awareness of the domestic RHI and support installers in explaining the scheme to their customers.” Separately, Viessmann has also launched an online calculator to help consumers work out the most appropriate renewable technology for different homes, following the introduction of the domestic RHI. Available via
www.viessmann-rhi.
co.uk, the company says the calcula- tor takes just seconds to work out the savings, after users enter their postcode, property type and age, floor area, number of occupants and the age and type of the current heating system. Using this informa- tion, the sophisticated but easy-to-
use interface displays the results, allowing the user to compare tech- nologies to provide the best savings for their home. The results include the total RHI credit, the payback period and the annual CO2 and fuel savings compared to the current system. Marketing director Darren McMahon said: “Consumers hear about lots of government incen- tives for reducing energy consump- tion on the news and feel that the ins and outs of the schemes can be difficult and confusing to navigate. Viessmann’s domestic RHI calcula- tor will allow homeowners to look at different options in a clear and concise way, encourage them to invest in the lower long-term run- ning costs that renewable technolo- gies offer and significantly reduce their own carbon footprints.”
University addresses industry skills shortage
A shortage of problem-solving skills in the construction industry is preventing professionals from advancing within their careers, prompting a new initiative between Birmingham City University and Mott MacDonald. Starting this month, the
University and the global engineer- ing, management and development consultants are pioneering a new approach to develop the ‘softer skills’ considered to be in short sup- ply across the construction industry. Birmingham City University’s Professor Nick Morton said: “Students securing places at the University’s School of the Built Environment will have the oppor- tunity to gain direct experience of both construction and people
Professor Nick Morton of Birmingham City University
skills with Mott MacDonald in Birmingham’s projects around the UK. The construction industry needs problem solvers with the skills to enable them to develop the talents of others and to recog- nise their own strengths for future opportunities.” Martin Perks, divisional direc-
tor for Mott MacDonald, said: “We have great people in our industry with superb technical skills but that is only part of the picture. We know too that the softer skills increasingly needed to develop people’s potential and solve problems as they arise are in short supply. Our business is growing rapidly and through our ground-breaking partnership with Birmingham City University we are seeking to attract and nurture the ‘next generation’ of talent into a fulfilling and rewarding career with our company.”
Students at BCU’s School of the
Built Environment will also be given a chance to take part in a major international construction competi- tion hosted by the University. Mott MacDonald will sponsor the event.
Daily news update at
www.heatingandventilating.net
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