BSEE-MAR22-PG04.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2022 09:56 Page 4
BSEE
Call for ‘massive retrofit push’ to address energy crisis
he Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) says the dramatic surge in energy prices reinforces the need for a national programme of building retrofits. The Association applauded the Government’s attempts to soften the blow to household finances following Ofgem’s decision to lift the energy price cap by 54% from April, but said longer term measures were needed to tackle the issue properly. “Millions of people are now facing real hardship as a result of the soaring cost of gas and electricity, but we do not have a comprehensive plan for addressing poor energy efficiency of our buildings,” said BESA’s head of technical Graeme Fox. “The price of energy has never had a higher profile, but most of the talk about possible solutions either refers to short-term financial measures or very expensive technical fixes like renewables and hydrogen. Yet, we can fix energy efficiency relatively quickly and cost-effectively through renovation and refurbishment,” added Fox.
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Ofgem has announced that the average energy bill for around 18 million households will rise by almost £700 from April. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has promised support via council tax rebates and a discount scheme that will need to be paid back over five years. However, energy market analysts have already predicted further price rises next year and beyond. Impact
“The government is trying to help by redistributing taxpayers’ money to delay the full impact, but unless we fundamentally tackle the energy performance of both residential and commercial buildings this will simply become a bigger and bigger problem in the years to come,” said Fox.
BESA also welcomed a new report from the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy’s (BEIS) Select Committee, which has urged the government to invest more heavily in the decarbonisation of heating. Many of the recommendations in the report would also have a positive impact on long-term energy consumption in buildings and help to lower bills, the Association said.
The committee is calling for a replacement for the ill-fated Green Homes Grant. It said this should be accompanied by a national consumer awareness campaign on the importance of energy efficiency measures to make low carbon heating technologies, like heat pumps, achieve their full potential.
BESA also urged the government to consult with the industries directly involved in the decarbonisation of heat, such as building services, to fully understand the implications of its policy proposals not least on the need for investment in training and skills.
ACE urges government to meet offsite pledge
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overnment needs to deliver on previously made commitments around off-site manufacturing, including for repeatable social infrastructure to be delivered using a platform/off-site approach, according to the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE).
The organisation which represents the companies large and small that design, deliver and manage our national infrastructure and built environment, has shared the next instalment in its Project Speed briefing series exploring how to deliver, “better, greener and faster”. It argues that the benefits of off-site will only be realised through greater scale and that Government procurement should be leveraged to drive wider adoption. While its previously made pledge resulted in the Department for Education procuring 22 major off-site contracts, other public bodies are lagging with the remaining departments procuring only one between them. Commenting on the release of Project Speed & off-site manufacturing, Guto Davies, head of policy at ACE said: “Government commitments on off-site need to be realised if we are to see off-site fulfilling its undoubted potential for better, greener and faster delivery in the built environment. “Ambitions around levelling-up, Net Zero and in the more immediate-term around post-pandemic recovery, could all be boosted thanks to a wider adoption of offsite which not only has the potential to unlock social value, but offers the possibility for swift delivery.”
Other recommendations include, ensuring wider compliance with the Construction Playbook and Value Toolkit, providing more detail on off-site projects within the National
NEWS & APPOINTMENTS
Appointments QED MD is new cochair of gas group
Dean Kavanagh, managing director of QED Environmental Systems in the UK, has been appointed co-chair of the Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring (CoGDEM) Industry Subgroup.
Mr Kavanagh will chair the sub-group with Rob White, sales director of DD Scientific, with both chairs taking up their appointments early in 2022.
The CoGDEM Industry Subgroup is one of the most influential steering groups, with meetings scheduled three times a year. The Subgroup has responsibility for ensuring that the trade association serves the interests of its members
across a whole range of issues, from standards and accreditations through to ISO compliance, performance testing, Hazardous Area approvals and ROHS compliance. John Saffell, chair of CoGDEM, said: “Dean and Rob have both stepped up to support CoGDEM. They will both bring a huge amount of industry experience to our steering committee, and they are already looking at how to further engage with our membership. It’s a positive development for the industry as a whole, and I am looking forward to working with them both.”
Mr Kavanagh commented: “It is a great honour to take on the co-chairmanship of the industrial subgroup. I want the subgroup to become the voice of industry within CoGDEM and for us to present a unified, front-and-single voice to all of the gas detection and analysis industry’s stakeholders.”
Mr Kavanagh has 17 years’ experience in gas detection and has been managing director of QED Environmental Systems since early 2017, also achieving chartered director status with the IoD in 2018.
Water mist fire suppression business appoints chief executive
Julian Williams has been appointed as chief executive of iMist, the Hull-headquartered water mist fire suppression business. Following a £4.5m investment by private equity firm Foresight Group a year ago, the business has seen rapid growth with demand for its innovative high-pressure water mist fire suppression systems growing post-Grenfell as local authorities, developers and property professionals have sought new active fire suppression solutions. With 35 years’ experience across a number of senior commercial roles, Julian specialises in driving dynamic growth in all sizes of organisations from fledgling SMEs to blue chip multinationals. He has worked in a diverse range of sectors and as well as having a solid grounding in sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing, he has focused on the digital space and the application of technology to make companies more productive and more effective in connecting with customers.
Kier Group chair, Haydn Mursell, commented: “With his broad management skills, passion for developing talent and impressive track record of growing businesses, Julian is exactly what we need at this exciting point in iMist’s development.” Mr Williams adds: “As a PE-backed business with a good, solid funding base, iMist is in a fantastic position to realise its growth potential. Having developed its own proprietary misting system, the company’s mission is about saving people, saving property and saving water and I am proud to be part of that cause.
Pastorfrigor growth leads to appointment of commercial manager
Pastorfrigor GB, the Essex-based commercial refrigeration business, has appointed James Warburton as its new commercial manager.
Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, as well as funding training and qualifications for off-site construction skills.
It also argues the industry needs to play its part by advocating the benefits of off-site to all stakeholders, embracing more collaborative delivery models to realise off- site opportunities, and adopt a more standardised approach to pre- manufactured components.
Mr Davies added: “Of course, industry has an important role to play too, primarily as a champion for off-site and the opportunities it unlocks, to help overcome long-standing and out-dated misconceptions around the approach.”
4 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER MARCH 2022
Pastorfrigor GB sales of multidecks have increased by 40% year-on-year-on-year and said it is largely due to the introduction of its energy label A Genova OV range. As a highly efficient commercial integral glass door multideck display cabinet, it continues to be highly sought after among UK refrigeration businesses.
To support the growth of the business, Mr Warburton joins Pastorfrigor GB as commercial manager. He has over 20 years of experience in sales and project management within the
commercial refrigeration industry and its supply chain. He worked with AB Group and Eight Installations since 2019 where he held the role of head of business operations until he was promoted to group commercial business manager. “James brings a wealth of experience with him. He will focus on developing business with our existing customer base and actively targeting new revenue streams,” said Simon Robinson, Managing Director of Pastorfrigor GB. Mr Warburton added: “I am delighted to join Simon and the team at Pastorfrigor at a time when the business is experiencing exponential growth. They have worked hard at developing a refrigeration cabinet that exceeds current standards on sustainability and efficiency labelling. I am looking forward to supporting the growth of the business and expanding its reach into the supermarket, convenience, forecourt and speciality fine food sectors.”
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