NEWS & APPOINTMENTS
Harry Redknapp joins VIPs at Daikin Sustainable Home Centre opening
A new, state-of-the-art air source heat pump showroom has opened in Bristol to help people across the South West make a successful transition to sustainable heating. The Daikin Sustainable Home Centre is launched by PHC Renewables, one of the region’s leading specialists in heating, cooling, and everything in between.
The new centre is a place for homeowners to familiarise themselves with air source heat pump technology, and to sit down
with an expert to discuss the best solution for heating and cooling their home, before they’re partnered with a trusted local installer. As well as providing a hub for homeowners, the centre houses a heat pump training
centre to help the region’s plumbing and heating installers diversify into renewable heating solutions and ensure the long-term competitiveness of their businesses, as fossil fuel boilers are phased out.
The event was attended by Councillor Kye Dudd, Southmead’s Cabinet Member for
Waste, Energy, Climate Change and Ecology, football legend Harry Redknapp and industry influencer and YouTube star ‘PB Plumber’. The launch saw people with an interest in heat pumps, from local plumbing and heating installers to housing associations and developers, and consumers wishing to purchase one for their home.
Councillor Dudd, Southmead’s Cabinet Member for Waste, Energy, Climate Change and Ecology, who cut the ribbon, commented: “I am pleased to officially open the PVC Renewables’ Sustainable Homes Centre, a place where our local community can learn about all the exciting opportunities presented by heat pumps. “From homeowners looking to save money on their fuel bills and ‘go green’, to installers wanting to train and prepare for the future of low carbon heating, the Sustainable Home Centre, will provide an important ‘heat pump hub’ for the area and will present a step towards our national goal of reaching Net Zero!” Guests were invited to look around the new centre, meet experts from PHC Renewables and world-leading heat pump manufacturer, Daikin, and view the latest Daikin heat pump technology. There was also a prize draw on the day and a team from Kia to showcase some of their latest pure electric cars – for which PHC Renewables sells compatible chargers. Iain Bevan, commercial manager – heating & renewables at Daikin UK, added: “It’s important that homeowners who want to go green can access expert advice and guidance, helping them find the best solution for their household’s heating and hot water needs. “Being able to explore and discuss heat pump technology in person is vital, as is knowing that it will be installed by a highly-trained professional. And that’s what our Sustainable Home Centres are all about. “We’re delighted that PHC Renewables opened a Daikin Sustainable Home Centre and
we’re confident that together, we can make a significant contribution towards our national net zero targets.”
Appointments
Baxi’s Jeff House appointed as HHIC’s new Policy Group Chair
Jeff House, head of external affairs at Baxi, has been appointed as the new chair of the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) Policy Group. The HHIC is a member organisation committed to driving, supporting and promoting the sustained growth of the UK domestic heating and hot water industry.
Mr House has over two decades’ industry experience with a strong background in legislation and policy for the residential and commercial heating sector. He regularly represents both Baxi and the wider industry at Government and trade body meetings, offering in-depth advice and analysis. As Policy Group chair, Mr House will work with HHIC members to help shape the industry position and narrative relating to legislation. He said: “I am delighted to be appointed as the HHIC Policy Group chair and look forward to helping drive the agenda forward. “Energy transition and building stock decarbonisation represent a huge challenge but also great opportunity for the industry. We are in the midst of a crucial time for policy development and there is a real need for a balanced and coherent narrative to ensure a just outcome for UK consumers.” Stewart Clements, director, HHIC said: “HHIC is very pleased to welcome Jeff as the new chair of the Heating and Hotwater Policy Group. The group provides an unrivalled platform to review current and upcoming Government policy and regulation. “Having worked with Jeff for some years I know he will lead the group effectively, and I wish him luck in his new role.”
Fletcher elected BESA President
Are your existing emergency lighting systems ‘fit for purpose’?
As the Building Safety Act 2022 comes into force, a leading provider of building management services is urging facilities and building managers to ensure their emergency lighting systems are ‘fit for purpose.’ The call for action from Abtec Building
Technologies (Abtec BT) comes following a number of fires in high rise buildings in recent months, and at a time when there is a call for the ‘stay put’ policy to be abandoned. Welcoming the new legislation, the company believes such incidents place a much-needed spotlight on the need for more integrated approaches secure, robust emergency lighting reporting solutions which allow occupants to safety exit the building. Abtec BT, which launched ARGOHub – a
software as a service (SaaS) offering, believes too many buildings reman ill-equipped with outdated emergency lighting systems and testing practices. This means they are not fit for purpose and cannot be relied upon in the event of an incident. “Emergency building services is about
more than fire alarms,” comments Dave Watkins, director of Abtec Building Technologies. “As the focus on building safety continues to increase, it is absolutely
4 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER AUGUST 2022
vital that those with responsibility for building safety take a good look at their existing systems and ask whether they are truly fit for the purpose they were installed for?.” “Building managers must be sure they can
control, monitor and test their emergency lighting systems with ease and confidence. We know from experience that integrating technology into building management systems will enhance overall building safety and bring peace of mind to building owners, operators and users everywhere. For any building manager who remains unsure of how things can be improved or made more robust and reliable, we are here to help.”
Robert (Rab) Fletcher has been elected to serve as President of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) for 2022/23. He succeeds Neil Brackenridge who served a two-year term to help steer BESA through the pandemic. The new President is mechanical services team manager at Fife Council Building Services. He has more than 30 years’ experience in construction and building services engineering – and describes himself as “a time served plumber”. In his address to the BESA Annual General Meeting in London, Fletcher said he was delighted to be the latest in a long line of presidents from a devolved nation further strengthening BESA’s unique position as the only built environment trade body representing all four UK countries. “Our enduring strength and influence depend on our ability to speak with a collective voice on behalf of the whole industry – and we are not afraid to speak ‘truth to power’ wherever that power may sit,” he said. Fletcher also spoke about the difficult economic conditions and their impact on the building engineering sector, but said he remained optimistic. “This Association has a proud history and we its members are fortunate that we can call on the collective experience and expertise of members past and present,” he said. “The ‘BESA Community’ has given us an amazing repository of technical know- how and business experience. “This means we are well placed to navigate choppy waters – and it is always better to do that together, as part of a community of like-minded people and firms, rather than having to work out the best way forward on your own.” BESA chief executive David Frise congratulated Fletcher on his election and paid fulsome tribute to his predecessor. “We are hugely grateful to Neil for his steadfast service through two unprecedented and extremely challenging years,” he said. “His leadership helped to steer us through some tough times and means we can now look ahead with optimism.
“Rab has already given great support to members through his work as chair of BESA Scotland and the Local Authority Forum. The whole team are looking forward to working with him on several exciting projects over the next 12 months.”
Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
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