INDUSTRY NEWS Inbrief


Early results from UK wide trials of a renewable alternative to kerosene suggest the liquid fuel works in virtually all existing oil heating systems with only simple modifications, while reducing carbon emissions by almost 90%. ukifda.org


Camfil Italy has donated air purifiers to the Il Pertini Cultural Center in Cinisello Balsamo in the Italian region of Lombardy. The equipment has been placed in the study room in one of the buildings where many young students and professionals spend hours studying. www.camfil.com


OFTEC has announced three new appointments to its technical and inspection teams. Kevin Steadman joins as lead technical officer; John Vinter joins as inspection services manager and Andrew Borland joins as a regional inspector for Scotland. www.oftec.co.uk


To meet demand for residential specification hot water and heating, the Baxi Assure sales team has been strengthened with specification managers David Lucas in the north and Matthew Swatridge in the south. www.baxi.co.uk


Rinnai has revealed that its current Sensei N Series range is ‘hydrogen ready’ for the proposed initial supply of hydrogen blends fed through the existing gas infrastructure. www.rinnai-uk.co.uk


Aermec’s WFGN and WFGI water- cooled chiller and heat pumps will now be available with the option of using R515B, a lower GWP HFO refrigerant that has an A1 non- flammable classification. www.aermec.co.uk


Mitsubishi Electric has invested $18m in its Turkish factory to boost air conditioning production and start the manufacture of air source heat pumps at the 40,000m2 facility in Manisa. les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk


A trio of colleagues from Zehnder UK are set to take on the ‘Race to the King Ultra-marathon’ to raise money for Dementia UK. www.zehnder.co.uk


6 July 2021


UKCA MARK TRANSITION MUST BE EXTENDED, TRADE BODY WARNS


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ngineering services sector body Actuate UK has warned of serious consequences if the UKCA Mark transition for construction products is not extended. Actuate UK said businesses, public and commercial


projects as well as domestic customers will be affected if this is not resolved adding that an extension of the transition time to the new arrangements will help avoid delays and allow all products to be tested and accredited. The Government plans for the new ‘UKCA’ Mark to entirely


replace the established EU ‘CE’ product Mark across the country by the end of this year. The aim of both CE and UKCA marking is to show that products meet essential health, safety and environmental protection legislation. However, the problem with the limited transition period is being exacerbated by the lack of UKCA Approved Bodies and available capacity in current Certification bodies and product testing facilities to reliably verify that existing or new products meet the UKCA criteria. As such, if any UK manufactured or imported


engineering services product that needs to show these essential features cannot display a UKCA mark by the end of 2021 this will leave manufacturers and installers, clients and the public dealing with serious quality and contractual issues. In some product categories, industry is estimating that 64 years’ worth of retesting will be required, and we currently only have seven months.


The issue affects a vast swathe of installed engineering


products for both the domestic and commercial sectors, and it could lead to an array of installation cancellations, delays and contractual problems for the supply chain and its customers. Actuate UK members cover the whole process of planning for, testing and installing these products and they are concerned that this could bring the industry to a standstill, while it is still recovering from the pandemic. To avoid the looming crisis, and help with a sensible


transition to UKCA marking, Actuate UK is working with others across the construction and services industries and requesting that the Government continues to recognise the CE mark until at least the end of 2022. Actuate UK adds that during this this time, products used in Great Britain should be allowed to bear either or both marks. Chief executive of Federation of Environmental Trade


Associations (FETA) Russell Beattie explained: “This is not simply a question of manufacturers failing to prepare for a deadline and is inextricably linked with capacity within the still developing UKCA Approved Body cohort. Nor is this problem limited to our sector. At a time when businesses are trying to rebuild after the COVID-19 challenges the Government is urged to take the pragmatic step of extending the transition period. It is our understanding this has been done in the case of medical devices so there is sensible precedent for this.”


HONOURS AWARDED IN HVAC INDUSTRY C


IBSE has congratulated CIBSE Fellow and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, who was


awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his services to the pandemic response.


CIBSE said: “Dr Fitzgerald had provided significant


leadership to the engineering profession and helped to raise understanding within the profession and wider public awareness of the role of engineering and ventilation in combating the virus. Since the early days of the pandemic, he has actively worked with CIBSE to provide guidance on the role of ventilation to reduce transmission. “His clear and consistent advice to the public has made


a significant contribution to the understanding of the role of ventilation and the engineering profession in maintaining public health.”


• With almost 50 years of experience in the


HVACR industry, Mike Nankivell was awarded an OBE for services to the UK refrigeration and air conditioning industry. Mr Nankivell has served as president of the Heat Pump Association (HPA), president of


HEVAC and as chairman of FETA during its 30th anniversary year. In the wider industry he is also a fellow and former


trustee of the Institute of Refrigeration (IoR) and has served as a director of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB). Russell Beattie, chief executive of FETA said: “Mike is


widely recognised as a leading UK industry figure and we are delighted to hear that he has been awarded this OBE. The F Gas Implementation Group which Mike chaired fulfilled a critical representational need within industry and his personal contribution, which continued after his retirement, should not be underestimated.” • TJ Duncan-Moir, whose background


includes 30 years in the HVAC and construction industries, was awarded an MBE for her services to Female Entrepreneurship and Business Recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. An improvement and growth specialist, Mrs


Duncan-Moir set up her firm, Business Glu, at the beginning of lockdown and has been helping to rebuild companies in the area which were in danger of being forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. One of the clients she helped was a Leicestershire firm


guiding them to diversify from 3D printing parts for the Aerospace industry to making PPE equipment for the NHS, care homes and food producers.


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