INDUSTRY NEWS
EDUCATION UNIONS RAISE VENTILATION ALARM
S
ix trade unions have urged the Government to fi nd more money to help schools tackle growing indoor air quality (IAQ) problems. In a joint statement, the ASCL, GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU and UNISON all expressed alarm at the extent of the air quality crisis in school buildings exposed by the wider use of CO2 monitors. They said schools could not aff ord to pay for mitigation measures and central government should intervene. The Government has spent £25m on supplying CO2 monitors and has pledged to supply 7,000 air purifi ers for classrooms, but the unions agreed this was totally inadequate to address the scale of the growing air quality crisis. Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National
Education Union (NEU), said there were more than 300,000 classrooms in England, so the number of purifi ers off ered by the Government was only a token gesture. “Seven thousand more air purifi ers is something, but it is completely inadequate for what should be a
HEAT PUMP TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTED BY HNIP
F
ollowing the publication of the Heat and Buildings Strategy, a suite of low carbon heat network projects have been awarded funding through the Heat
Networks Investment Project (HNIP). Heat networks have been identifi ed by the Government
as a key technology and the Strategy emphasised the use of heat pumps in the delivery of low carbon heat. The announcement combines these two technologies
across four projects. The variety of projects that have secured funding demonstrate the adaptability and fl exibility of heat pump technology when deployed in heat networks. The successful heat network schemes announced all utilise heat pump technology and bring the total amount awarded via the Heat Networks Investment Project to over £250 million. Ken Hunnisett, Triple Point Heat Networks Investment Management said: “The Heat and Buildings Strategy made clear that both heat networks and heat pumps are central to the Government’s decarbonisation eff orts. So, it is fantastic to see so many schemes already stepping up to combine these solutions in such innovative ways to access heat under our feet, in the air around us, in our waterways and even within our sewerage system. Not only will these inspiring projects deliver carbon savings, but
basic human right, the provision of clean air in every classroom,” she said. “The fact that the Government has provided the extra purifi ers shows that it recognises the problem but with over 300,000 classrooms in England it has failed to provide an eff ective solution.” The unions are concerned that there will be further disruption to children’s education unless the IAQ problem is addressed. The NEU also reported on social media that 58% of its teacher members said they did not have regular access to a CO2 monitor and, of those who do, 13% said readings in their classrooms were regularly over 1,500 parts per million (ppm) and 32%
said they were over 1,200ppm. The union said the Government should carry out
its own survey because “these levels indicate poor ventilation rates and make viral transmission and education disruption more likely”. The Government’s own guidance is that all settings should have access to CO2 monitors and the ventilation should be able to keep CO2 below 800ppm in all occupied classrooms.
they prove that heat pump technology is adaptable and can contribute to a smarter, more fl exible future energy system.” Lord Callanan, Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “Changing the way we heat our homes and workspaces is key to tackling pollution and the investment into new heat networks across Worthing, London, Bristol and Liverpool will ensure these areas are placed at the heart of the UK’s green industrial revolution. “The new networks of air source heat pumps will
deliver aff ordable, low-carbon heat and energy across the nation’s homes, universities residences, and business units, while opening up huge job and investment opportunities, making our thriving cities and seaside towns greener places to live, work, and visit.” The projects awarded funding include the Royal
Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for the development of a new zero carbon heat network to heat 826 homes; Worthing Borough Council which will replace gas boilers in 27 buildings with a heat network that will use a centralised heat pump to take heat from the sewer underneath the town; Bristol City Council to support the development of a new heat network; and Peel NRE Developments Ltd, part of Peel L&P which will deliver a district heat network to the Liverpool Waters development and the surrounding areas.
Inbrief
As part of its continued growth in the UK commercial heating market, Modutherm has joined forces agreement with alpha innotec – a European manufacturer of heat pumps.
www.modutherm.co.uk
The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) is off ering a number of training courses for engineers wishing to upskill or begin their journey as a building controls engineer.
https://bcia.co.uk
A failure to decarbonise newly constructed buildings could prevent the EU from achieving its climate targets for 2030 and 2050, according to a recent report published by the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE).
www.bpie.eu
Former Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) President Edgar Poppleton has sadly passed away. Mr Poppleton served as president the then HVCA in 1986/7 and received the Association’s distinguished service award in 1999.
www.thebesa.com
The Smoke Control Association (SCA) has released two new reference guides designed to encourage best practice and raise industry standards.
www.smokecontrol.org.uk
Head of marketing and technical at REHAU Building Solutions Steve Richmond is the new British Plastics Federation Pipes Group president, taking over from Richard Hill.
www.rehau.com
World Refrigeration Day (WRD) has announced that it is partnering with STEMAZING to launch the International WRD Stemazing Inspiration Academy.
https://worldrefrigerationday.org
UK-based compression specialist Vert Technologies (Vert) has received £1.9 million investment to expand the presence of its Conical Rotary Compressor (CRC) technology in the refrigeration and heat pump sectors.
www.vertrotors.com
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February 2022
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