www.heatingandventilating.net


RADIATORS


Soapstone radiator innovation A


new brand in the domestic heating sector is offering a different kind of radiator with a compressed soapstone core to provide fast


heating with enhanced heat retention. Fiona Conor, managing director of Trust Electric Heating said: “Our products are unlike many other electric radiators as they are manufactured with a soapstone rather than a clay or marmot core. The characteristics of this highly compressed material enables the radiators to stay hotter for longer, so even if the radiator is powered for only a short period of time it will continue to throw out considerable heat once turned off.” The chemical composition of soapstone means that the material is soft and using advanced technology it can be densely compressed so that 16cm of soapstone is turned into just a 2cm depth, it’s this density which means the product is excellent at retaining heat for long periods of time.


Soapstone originates from volcanic material which offers enhanced thermal conductivity due to its dense structure and mineral composition. This characteristic enables balanced and rapid warming throughout the soapstone structure. Trust has ambitions to educate the public about the benefits of its soapstone radiators and Fiona added: “Using soapstone we’ve managed to enhance and prolong the heat created during the convection process. Our heater’s thermostats run on a five to six-minute cycle once the room has reached its target temperature, so they can deliver at least an hour of heat without any further energy consumption. The benefits of soapstone are relatively unknown in the UK and these, combined with the advanced control our thermostats afford, means our radiators can be a great alternative to traditional wet heating systems and night storage heaters.”


Trainingmatters S


wale Heating, one of the UK’s leading independently-owned heating companies, has established an independent gas and


energy services training business and invested £100,000 in a new training centre which offers in- house training for staff as well as offering a comprehensive range of courses open to plumbers, installers, electricians and gas engineers from outside the company. The state-of-the-art training centre, named The


Energy Academy, was officially opened on December 8 and is housed in a specially converted former warehouse at Swale Heating’s headquarters in Sittingbourne, Kent. Fully qualified trainers and assessors will work


in partnership with Logic Certification and industry leading independent assessors and verifiers, external from the Swale Heating business, to avoid any conflict in interests between the two companies and the certification body. The centre offers courses covering natural gas,


LPG, oil, solid fuel, biomass, renewable energy, unvented hot water, underfloor heating, plumbing, electrics and non-technical qualifications for industry operatives as well as dedicated MLP courses for new entrants to the industry. Removing the need for third-party


apprenticeship schemes, Managed Learning Programs (MLPs) will also be held at the training centre, including transition schemes to develop plumbers into gas engineers. The centre is fitted with a range of modern equipment, allowing trainees to gain practical experience in domestic heating systems; natural gas, LPG, and oil. Domestic to commercial change


over training is also available, covering systems with outputs greater than 70kw. The facility also features HETAS and Biomass rigs, with flues from Poujoulait, first offering HETAS awareness training followed by installer training later on. Renewable energy training resources at the


centre include solar heating, underfloor heating in partnership with manufacturer Myson, unvented hot water and air heat source pumps. Learners can take an advanced wiring course for heating systems and NICIEC training is available for electricians. Managing Director David Mathieson said: “The


investment is part of a comprehensive development plan to help Swale Heating grow its business across the UK and to invest in developing the skills needed to provide our customers with the best possible service. “Our in-house training centre will allow us to


improve the way we train and the way we work. Refresher training, career development and ‘top up’ assessments for staff will become more


MP Gordon Henderson opens the centre with MD David Mathieson


convenient, sustainable and affordable. Customers can be sure that they are receiving excellent service from engineers who are fully up to date with the latest products and industry developments,” he said. Mark Krull, director at Logic Certification, said:


“We are delighted to bring the Swale Heating Energy Academy on board as an LCL approved centre. It offers state-of-the-art facilities for trainees, allowing our qualifications to be delivered to the highest possible standard. “The company’s commitment to creating such a


forward-thinking, well-equipped and ‘green’ training facility is impressive, providing a great opportunity for installers in the South East.” Swale Heating expects the investment to pay for


itself by radically reducing the cost of staff training while giving the opportunity to bring in additional revenue by training candidates from outside organisations. Highly qualified trainers and independent assessors and verifiers will ensure that all candidates get the best and fairest assessments carried out, within a calm and modern industry leading environment. Swale Heating’s original training centre will be gutted and transformed into a new induction centre. A full biomass boiler supplied by Windhager


provides the academy with the latest heating and hot water technology, with a hugely reduced carbon footprint. Added to a new solar configuration on the roof, The Energy Academy not only provides the industry with high quality training on a wide array of renewable, environmentally-friendly energy sources, it is committed to minimising its own environmental impact.


www.heatingandventilating.net


February 2018


33


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