NEWS & APPOINTMENTS
UK retailers face £146m annual losses without Net Zero upgrades
UK retailers are losing over £146 million every year by failing to upgrade their buildings’ services to meet Net Zero targets, according to new research from Mitsubishi Electric. The analysis finds that these losses come from aging equipment that leaks energy and costs far more to run than it should. Despite eight in 10 retail operations managers knowing that sustainability can boost financial performance, almost half (43%) believe Net Zero is not seen as a priority for their business because the return on investment (ROI) falls in future trading years. The survey of 500 retail facilities managers across the UK also found:
• 35% realise that a third of their stores could become ‘stranded assets’ – too costly or impossible to rent due to poor environmental performance.
• Heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) systems account for up to 60% of a store’s energy use with 54% of facilities managers saying they have already upgraded to modern, energy-efficient systems.
• Yet the research shows that more than 34% of shops will remain uncompliant and unable to be updated by 2030 net zero targets.
Forward-thinking retailers are adopting a phased approach towards Net Zero upgrades, which helps to spread upfront equipment costs by tying it to lease events or planned refurbishment. However, the research also finds that many of those responsible for running these estates have little influence over sustainability and this is affecting their ability to act. There is a gap between Net Zero intention and action Over a third have no control over budgets or decision making for Net Zero and 42%
report that they have had no direction from their seniors, while 21% do not even have Net Zero as part of their performance targets.
This lack of authority is stalling upgrades to one of the UK’s most energy-intensive industries. While facilities managers recognise that decarbonising estates can boost financial results, strengthen business resilience and improve the shopping experience, many just aren’t being empowered to act. Chris Newman, Zero Carbon Design Manager, Mitsubishi Electric Living Environment Systems UK, said: “The retail industry has the third largest building footprint in the UK, with around 16% of all non-domestic building space occupied by shops. This offers a substantial opportunity to decarbonise at scale, starting with identifying the ‘easy wins’ now and reviewing the systems responsible for heating, ventilating and cooling these spaces. In having an in-depth understanding of how this equipment operates, facilities managers are uniquely positioned to support the delivery of Net Zero estates in future. Adapting estates can be simple HVAC systems are often responsible for much of a retail building’s total energy consumption, so they have a crucial role to play in decarbonising them. Replacing equipment with energy-efficient alternatives – such as modern air conditioning and heat pumps – can be as straightforward as replacing indoor and outdoor units while keeping the existing pipework. This can lead to significant energy and cost savings, compliance with incoming regulation, and ensure that the retail industry is prepared for the net zero economy.
Fall in UK installers fitting heat pumps and solar panels, but this will likely change
The UK is lagging far behind its European neighbours for installers working on heat pumps and solar panels, according to a European-wide study by plumbing and drainage manufacturer, Wavin. The new report follows the government’s recent additions to the Future Homes Standard, which aims to ensure that the majority of new build homes in England will be fitted with solar panels and efficient, low carbon heating, such as heat pumps, to keep household energy bills low. The study by Wavin found a sharp 10% drop between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025 in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) installers working on heat pumps, from 60% to 50%. This trend is seemingly fuelled by a shortage of skills, with just half (49%) of UK installers able to fit heat pumps, compared to 83% of their German counterparts. Wavin’s European Installer Tracker, which includes hundreds of installers across six
European countries, also found that the UK is falling behind the rest of the continent on projects which include sustainability measures. Martyn Neil, business development director for Wavin, said: “Installers are at the frontline of delivering sustainable projects and will continue to be key to achieving Net Zero in the construction industry. “Whilst this new report shows the UK has taken time to get going, the Future Homes Standard will see the UK surge to the top of the leaderboard in just a matter of years. This means a wave of new customers for installers, all seeking solutions which will cut energy bills in the long run.
4 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER SEPTEMBER 2025 Appointments
Arfon Engineering appointment to spearhead end-to-end data centre servicing solution
Arfon Engineering, part of the Wilo group, has appointed Alice Oakes as service and support manager to lead the launch of an end-to-end solution tailored for the data centre sector.
Alice brings with her over a decade of experience in both the pump and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) industries. During this time, she has held various sales, supply chain and project management roles. She will now liaise with data centre operators and facilities managers across the nation to facilitate the shift from reactive maintenance to online condition-based monitoring. Her appointment comes amid the launch of a bespoke one-stop package from Arfon
and Wilo. Decisionmakers can turn to Wilo for the specification and supply of its industry- leading pumps, which play a crucial role in maintaining 99.999% availability in data centres by circulating cooling fluids in various configurations. Arfon, meanwhile, will maintain and repair any mechanical rotating equipment found in data centres, from pumps and fans to chillers and generators, regardless of their brand, 24/7 and 365 days a year. It will also implement real-time monitoring to detect anomalies before they lead to failures and unplanned downtime. Alice said: “Data centres are a critical component of our day-to-day lives and downtime is simply not an option. With the sector set for exponential growth over the coming decades, the shift away from preventative to predictive maintenance has never been more important. “Although more businesses are starting to adopt condition-based monitoring, it is often seen as an operating expense and incorporated too late when the data centre is already in operation and the risks of downtime already present. Rather than this, we encourage businesses to see it as a strategic investment from the outset in maintaining uptime and integrated resilience.” “Retrofitting data centres shouldn’t solely revolve around replacing old equipment, operators must reconsider how to best manage it,” she added. “By embedding condition- based monitoring into these upgrades, they can gain greater control over assets, both existing and new, and as a result reduce the risk of costly service-led agreement breaches, all while guaranteeing continuous improvement and future resilience.”
Polypipe makes senior promotion to increase customer focus and drive strategic partnerships
Polypipe Building Services (PBS) has appointed Dominic Yeandle as key account director, to support national and large regional customers through enhanced customer-focused solutions. The appointment coincides with the need to address multiple industry challenges including the skilled labour shortage, housing targets and sustainability. Dominic initially joined the company in 2023 as business development manager and brings over 10 years of industry experience to his new role. This experience includes seven years in key account management with a major merchant and three years as a specification manager. With a background in both key account management and technical support, Dominic is well equipped to develop key relationships and support these important partners for PBS.
He said: “I’m excited for the opportunity to work closely with our national clients, ensuring they fully benefit from our offering and ultimately tackle important project challenges. The construction industry faces significant pressures including labour shortages and tighter deadlines. With demands increasing to deliver sustainable and efficient commercial building projects, industry professionals are also looking to embrace solutions that will mitigate increasing costs. These are just some of the areas we can help customers address. “In my new role I’ll advise key customers on strategic solutions to these challenges. For example, modern methods of construction, including prefabricated systems, is one such approach that is increasingly being considered. Prefabrication reduces on-site labour requirements by completing assembly in factory environments and can reduce construction time, while minimising waste, which is an important sustainability consideration. “Sustainability of course remains an ever-present challenge in construction, and PBS has made significant advances in this area. We’ve increased our use of recycled materials from 5% to 30% in just two years through investment in plant and factory technology. Some of our products now contain as much as 65% recycled content while our smart scheduling can reduce delivery miles. I’ll work to ensure our key accounts benefit fully from these sustainability advances which will significantly reduce their carbon footprint. “To further support customers, we have also enhanced our drainage system solutions,
introduced new water supply systems and advanced our prefabrication service and Added Value Solutions offering. A key focus of my role will be ensuring our strategic partners benefit fully from these product and service enhancements.”
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