www.heatingandventilating.net From the editor


Net Zero attracts skills


A


s National Apprenticeship Week took place last month, the issue of skills in engineering services


reared its head again. Actuate UK, the voice of building


services, warned that skills shortages are hampering ambitions to deliver Net Zero emissions buildings (Pg 7). The body welcomed the news that new


apprentices starting in the industry in 2022 was back to pre-COVID levels, but cautioned that this was simply not enough. An equally troubling report from Construction Products Association (CPA) suggested that more than 200,000 workers have left the sector since 2019, many of these highly skilled and aged between 45 and 55. Actuate UK has called on the industry


and government to join forces in investing in training, and other industry bodies are also working hard to address the serious skills shortages. It’s true that attracting new talent has long been a thorny subject, but the very idea of Net Zero is perhaps the biggest advantage we have. It’s the vehicle for halting emissions and safeguarding the future of the planet – a cause that is so close to the hearts of many young recruits.


Heathe Ramsden, Edito Magazine Team Editor Advertising Manager


Senior Media Sales Executive Business Director Artwork Editor


Circulation Curwood CMS Ltd


Heather Ramsden Sharon Holloway Charlotte Patman Jacqui Henderson Nic Mandeville


datateam@c-cms.com


Subscription Rate: For one year UK £73 Overseas (air assisted) £92 or $167. For two years UK £124 Overseas £162 or $292 (saving £22)


The Publishers cannot accept responsibility for any discrepancies either in copy or between products and/or services listed. Nor can they be responsible for illustrations and/or copy for products which lead to infringement of copyright.


hramsden@datateam.co.uk sholloway@datateam.co.uk cpatman@datateam.co.uk jhenderson@datateam.co.uk nmandeville@datateam.co.uk


Welcome


Cutting edge heat & vent


SMART HYDROGEN HYBRID HEATING LAUNCH D


escribed as a world first, world’s first, a smart hydrogen hybrid heating system has been demonstrated in Pembrokeshire proving


technology that could help the UK get to Net Zero. The trial was part of the UK Research and


Innovation-funded Milford Haven: Energy Kingdom project. It was successfully implemented by a collaboration of partners – Port of Milford Haven, Passiv UK, Wales & West Utilities, Kiwa UK, Worcester Bosch, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, and Pembrokeshire County Council. The trial combined a hydrogen-fuelled boiler with an electric air source heat pump (ASHP ) alongside smart control technology and it was conducted in a commercial building at the Port of Milford Haven, the UK’s largest energy Port. According to The Energy Saving Trust, emissions


from home heating and hot water need to be cut by 95% to meet 2050 UK Net Zero targets, and hybrid heating technology will become increasingly important for commercial and domestic customers. Hybrid heating systems can flexibly switch between using renewable electricity when it’s available, and green gases like hydrogen at other times. Using clean fuel in this way will enable the full decarbonisation of heat whilst ensuring cost and carbon emissions reductions are prioritised. For many existing homes and businesses,


hybrid heating systems offer an affordable and practical way to decarbonise heating. Research suggests that almost 50% of UK properties are not suitable for standalone heat pumps due to their poor thermal properties and other limitations. For


example, many of the UK’s aged housing stock would need disruptive and expensive energy efficiency improvements such as wall and floor insulation and new radiators to be effectively heated by a standalone heat pump system. Hybrid heating systems are a cheaper, and less disruptive alternative that can be fitted as a quick and direct replacement to a typical boiler system. In this demonstration, Kiwa UK delivered bottled


hydrogen to the Worcester Bosch boiler to simulate periods when renewable electricity was unavailable to run the heat pump, or when a temperature boost was required. The smart controls were designed by Passiv UK and integrated with the system seamlessly, automatically switching between the ASHP and the hydrogen boiler. Every two minutes the system assesses GB energy generation mix and renewable electricity availability on the local grid, and requests the boiler to run on hydrogen when unavailable. Hydrogen is a clean fuel that produces zero carbon emissions during combustion.


Published by


Datateam Business Media Ltd, 15a London Road, Maidstone, Kent ME16 8LY T: 01622 687031 F: 01622 757646


www.heatingandventilating.net


March 2022


5


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36