www.heatingandventilating.net
GSHP training facility opens
This spring, Kensa Heat Pumps launched a programme of free monthly training days, delivered in a specially created learning facility in Exeter College, dedicated to ground source heat pumps
K
ensa has formed a ground breaking partnership with Exeter College, a leading
centre of excellence for training in the heating and plumbing industry. Together they have created a resource for installers of ground source heat pump technology, using working examples of Kensa ground source heat pump systems. Heat pumps play a crucial part in the Government’s renewable energy strategy. Recently the Committee for Climate Change stated that a minimum of 2.5 million heat pump installations are required by 2030, in order to deliver an accelerated roll- out of low carbon heat for the planned fossil fuel phase-out for buildings off the gas grid. In an effort to encourage heating and plumbing engineers to familiarise themselves with the technology, Kensa is offering free one-day training courses at the new facility, based in the Devon & Exeter Construction Training Centre. The response so far has been positive. The training covers all aspects of
ground source, including the specification, application, design and installation of a Kensa ground source heat pump system. It features a mixture of classroom-based theory and plenty of practical ‘hands-on’ learning.
The facility showcases products
from Kensa’s award-winning ground source heat pump range, including Kensa’s latest product innovation, the Evo Series. Installers are able to interact and
analyse the working systems, which are piped up to buffer tanks, cylinders and ground arrays, as well as an example of a bivalent heat pump set up featuring a traditional boiler. New for 2018, the training will also include fully costed project examples for installers to work through, which
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hottopic W
IMPACT OF RISING FUEL COSTS
ith fuel prices being at their highest since 2014, John Thompson, CEO at the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) provides
some insightful tips to keeping vehicle fuel costs down. The prices per litre of petrol and diesel have risen
steeply, and according to the AA it now costs over £10 more on average to fill up than it did this time last year. Fuel prices have risen because of a rise in the cost of crude oil. According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy’s published weekly fuel prices, on
Monday June 11, 2018, the price of unleaded petrol was 128.6p per litre and the price for diesel was 132.6p per litre. This represents a 12.9p per litre and a 14.9p per litre price increase respectively from the same week in 2017. With industry experts warning that the price of fuel could rise by a few
more pence a litre in the near future, it’s worth looking at ways to mitigate any increase as most plumbing and heating businesses rely heavily on running a van or a fleet of vehicles. Journey and route planning: Spend time planning each day and
outline how they can give customers the best returns from the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Darren Veal, commissioning engineer at Kensa, is delivering the training. He says: “We know how essential it is that installer training involves a practical element, so Kensa is excited to launch our 2018 training days in this new facility, specially created in partnership with Exeter College, where we can showcase fully working ground source heat pump systems. “The 2018 course material includes some new elements, such as innovative heat pump system architecture, designed to show installers new scenarios in which they can specify ground source heat pump technology, widening their business opportunities.” Jim Dowling, managing director of
Oxford Renewables, said: “Our team attended a ground source heat pump training session with Kensa in March. As market leaders, they really know what they are talking about and their technical knowledge is first class. “Our background is in installing biomass boilers for domestic and commercial customers, so we see ground source heat pumps as a great compliment to our portfolio of renewable technology offerings. We are working with Kensa to help us promote and sell the technology.”
www.kensaheatpumps.com/groun d-source-heat-pump-training-2018/.
ordering appointments to optimise a route whilst meeting your operational needs. Aim to minimise miles travelled and avoid heavily congested areas. Accelerate smoothly and reduce driving speed: According to the AA, driving at 70mph uses up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more than at 50mph. Ensure each tyre is inflated to the correct pressure: Driving with
under-inflated tyres can reduce fuel economy by up to 10%. Limit the use of air conditioning: Think about the temperature and only use it when it’s hot, but ensure you give the air conditioning regular use. Regular servicing in line with the manufacturer’s schedule will help
ensure the vehicle operates efficiently and prolong its life. Refuel at the right places as forecourt prices vary considerably: Journey planning and refuelling early can prevent the need to use more expensive forecourts such as motorway service stations. Reduce idling: If your vehicle doesn’t have a start/stop function, switch the engine off when stationary for any length of time. Sign-up to one of the many free petrol price alert services which provide pump prices within selected geographic areas. Maintain an organised vehicle and clear out unnecessary items: It’s estimated that for every 100 pounds of unnecessary weight you remove from a vehicle, you can improve your fuel efficiency by as much as 2%. Sign-up to a fuel card scheme, which will not only save on the cost of fuel but also make administration easier by removing the need to deal with receipts, credit card statements or cash reimbursements. If you run a fleet you can normally benefit from one weekly invoice which covers all your refuelling, for every vehicle. A good provider will also offer additional purchase controls and security alerts for abnormal behaviour. Hybrid vans aren’t currently commercially available but they are under development, so the next time you’re in the market to change your van you may wish to consider a hybrid. If you run a fleet of vans, you could also consider: • Downsizing a number of vans where appropriate • Fitting speed limiters helps to save fuel, wear and tear and accidents • Organise driver training to teach fuel efficient driving techniques APHC members are able to access preferential fuel prices through their fuel scheme, where on average members save 5p per litre.
July 2018
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