EURO REALIST NEWSLETTER
RHYS ASPLUNDH
OPINION
Your letters
provide to give users a complete picture. This is a lesson the UK could do well
to learn. Our strategy for cutting energy use is reliant on legislation, which has many fl aws, one of the biggest being the ‘tick box mentality’ – meaning system design is not always based on engineering principles. Furthermore, European test methods for product certifi cation throw up anomalies. The comparison between instantaneous and storage water heaters is a good example of where the system falls down. European legislation originally set out
to address this disparity, although the plan to deliver it was not well thought out, and the original goal is now in danger of being sidelined. Our American cousins do not have
This month: How we can learn from America when it comes to legislation, and how negativity over Europe can affect trading
Europe is not your enemy We are a small building services consultancy where European business accounts for around 30-50% of annual turnover. I fear the current debate on leaving the EU may already have had a negative effect on our business. Our business developed by surfi ng
the economic benefi ts of the 1990s’ ‘big bang in the city’. We were able to do this because of the common market and the harmonisation of regulations and standards, which in building services are now pretty much universal. Language at client level is English –
at contractor/trade level it takes more effort but is no barrier to entry. It is notable that we can bring considerably more experience to a project on legionella prevention measures and Energy Performance of Buildings
Directive issues than our European competitors. We – and the country as a whole – are trying to trade our way back to growth. As Europe is the UK’s biggest trading partner, there is little doubt that continuing negativity on Europe will only make the situation worse. Adam Blinch Managing director, Tuckers Consultancy
Learning our lessons The article on tankless water heaters in the April issue of the Journal highlighted the potential discrepancy between effi ciency in a test house compared with that in operation. The Gas Technology Institute of Chicago concluded that water heater performance dips in situ, with tankless water heaters likely to suffer more than other technologies. The US is castigated as a nation that
UKIP’s Nigel Farage wants UK out of Europe
isn’t interested in fuel conservation. However, I believe it has made big strides in boiler and water heater effi ciencies. All parts of the supply chain made the change, and manufacturers now produce a range of heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) products. The article highlighted the detail organisations
16 CIBSE Journal June 2013
There are many fl aws with the legislative route, and one of the biggest is the creation of a ‘tick box mentality’
to deal with anything like the same amount of legislation. Studies help engineers, contractors and end users make informed decisions based on that good old fashioned engineering principle of saving money by using fuel more effi ciently. David Pepper Managing director, Lochinvar
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