www.heatingandventilating.net
the home. A standard basin tap running at mains pressure can easily deliver more than 12 litres per minute, which is far more than is required for most tasks. Even halving this would have a big impact on water consumption without impacting user experience. Another option is to fit a tap that
offers subtle resistance at the halfway point, raising the user’s awareness of the flow. The good thing with both these options is that performance is not compromised.
Opting for quality
Although these water saving innovations can have a big impact, one of the main considerations for installers recommending such products is quality and reliability. Certainly, the saying ‘you get what you pay for’ rings true because a leaky tap can waste more than 5,500 litres of water a year. The good news is that quality
brassware which comes with water saving credentials doesn’t have to mean a hefty price tag. Bristan leads the industry in offering quality products as standard and recently announced a key change to its product design, with the replacement of plastic with brass backnuts.
The move is part of an ongoing drive
for product quality improvement and is in response to installer demands for a more robust and durable solution. This summer, a rising focus on
environmental and sustainability issues in the media has increased consumer understanding of water wastage. Installers can play a key role in meeting growing demand for products that support the drive for water efficiency.
By taking stock of the latest water- saving technologies available and providing customers with tailored advice on the benefits and drawbacks to each solution, installers can ensure that water-saving is no longer a pipe dream.
hottopic J
A MANDATORY LICENSING SCHEME?
ohn Thompson, CEO at the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) writes about Quality Plumber Week 2018 and this year’s debate. Running between October 1 and 7, this year Quality Plumber Week (QPW) seeks to debate the introduction of a single mandatory license to operate a plumbing and heating business. QPW is about championing the diverse skills of plumbing and heating engineers and celebrating the important role that they play in keeping people healthy
and safe. However, anyone can buy a set of tools and set themselves up in business as a plumber – a practice which I believe needs to be addressed, as non-compliant and poorly installed and maintained plumbing and heating systems can be harmful to public health and in extreme cases fatal, with illness and death being attributed to Legionella disease, carbon monoxide poisoning, scalding from hot water and contamination of water. It is my view that the public should be able to distinguish between
professional plumbing and heating businesses and those that operate without qualification, industry recognised competence or ongoing professional development. During QPW, I would like to explore collectively the industry’s need to look at the viability of introducing a single national mandatory Licensing Scheme to provide accreditation to operate a plumbing and heating business in order to:
1. Protect public health from dangerous and non-compliant plumbing and heating work. 2. Assist the UK in reducing its carbon emissions through work which is compliant with regulation and best practice. 3. Provide more of a ‘level playing field’ for the bona fide plumbing and heating installer when quoting and tendering for work.
I envisage that a Licensing Scheme would protect and forbid anyone using a term such as ‘Licensed Plumbing Company’ or ‘Licensed Heating Company’ or ‘Licensed Plumbing & Heating Company’ unless the company and its installers are accredited and undergo a programme of continuous professional development and scheduled assessment. The Licensing Scheme could hold a register of licensed businesses and installers who have been vetted and deemed to be competent through meeting defined requirements. Ongoing Licensing Scheme membership would be subject to continual vetting to ensure there is adherence to an agreed industry code of conduct, customer service charter including a defined complaints handling process, together with proof of continuing professional development and the holding of required insurance policies and defined levels of cover. However, this is open to debate and scrutiny. We are inviting plumbing and heating engineers to attend free half-day
regional seminars around England and Wales to review possible framework proposals and to provide opinions and ideas. Plus there will be open debate on social media during Quality Plumber Week via the hashtag #QPW18 on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
www.QualityPlumberWeek.co.uk
www.heatingandventilating.net
September 2018
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