VIEWPOINT


within the construction product manufacturing community, ensuring the information they provide, in whatever format that might be, is clear, accurate, up-to-date, accessible and unambiguous. But who is deemed a manufacturer and why should builders’ merchants take note?


Merchants’ role The CCPI’s definition of a manufacturer describes any natural or legal person who places a construction product


on the market under their own name or trademark. This extends further to any natural or legal person who changes the intended use of a construction product in such a way that it creates a new construction product and puts that on the market. Therefore, any merchant in the construction industry who is selling ‘bought- in’, ‘own-label’ products, or is creating a system from multiple products, becomes a ‘manufacturer’. At this point, the code applies to you.


If a builders’ merchant does not sell own brand products and only reproduces product information as part of the construction product manufacturer’s downstream supply chain, then as it currently stands, you do not have to adhere to all the clauses in the code. However, if a merchant wanted to use the code-compliant licence mark of the supplying manufacturer, there must exist a formal process which ensures the manufacturer checks, verifies and signs off the product information


prior to its use and whereby the merchant agrees to manage appropriate version control processes. This would be part of the manufacturer’s processes and they would have to demonstrate adherence within their CCPI audit. Ideally, we’d like the Code to go live in June 2021, with the first companies being CCPI approved by the end of the year. The Code is a significant development for our industry and one that will mark change for the long-term.BMJ


FUTURE PROOFING FOR THE HEAT-PUMP REVOLUTION


Dr Pete Armstrong, chief executive officer and co-founder, Mixergy


TODAY, THE UK has over 26 million gas boilers installed and some 11 million hot water cylinders. Clearly, even if we achieve the government’s target of 600,000 heat-pump installs per year, replacing gas boilers with low-carbon alternatives will take many years. As heat pumps are still


relatively expensive, many homeowners will be in no rush to upgrade – especially those who have recently invested in new gas boilers. But with most water cylinders having a life expectancy of 8-12 years, many consumers may have to replace their tanks before their boilers. This scenario was just one of the problems that our design team wanted to address in coming up with a cylinder design that is highly versatile, efficient and future proof. We have upgraded our entire range of hot water cylinders to allow them to operate with a heat pump at any point during their working life. Once fitted, the multi-use cylinders, which can be used with a gas boiler, mains electricity or solar PV, now give consumers the option to install a heat pump without having to replace the tank. The same tank


will continue to work if the gas boiler is upgraded to work with hydrogen or if the customer decides to go all-electric with PV and a smart tariff. Fundamentally, we believe that there are multiple paths to net zero and we are determined that our tanks should be equipped for all without needing to be replaced. This saves money and hassle whilst eliminating the environmental impact of product obsolescence. The Mixergy tank is made


from high-grade stainless steel to ensure that it lasts at least 25 years. Our design team was determined to avoid product obsolescence and prepare the householder for a low carbon future whether using direct electric heating, heat pumps or hydrogen boilers. Mixergy’s smart hot water tanks use innovative technology to optimise energy use. Using thermal stratification to prevent hot water mixing with cold, our tanks heat only the water required instead of the whole tank at once. This approach, combined with the use of AI techniques that learn to heat water only when it is needed, can save consumers up to 20% on their hot water bills.


April 2021 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net As well as its multi-use


features, Mixergy tanks offer smart scheduling controls through an app and are internet- connected to enable them to work with smart time-of-use energy tariffs, so that consumers have the option to heat their water when electricity prices are low or even negative. All-electric customers can derive bill savings of around 50% through better use of off-peak tariffs such as Economy 7.


When connecting a heat


pump, installers simply fit the Mixergy Heat Transfer Module (HTM), which uses an external plate heat exchanger assembly and circulation pump to achieve a more efficient heat transfer and improved volumetric performance. The HTM boosts the heat pump’s coefficient of performance (COP) by up to 10% for water heating whilst the tank is able to store up to 20% more hot water within the same installation volume compared to a coil-heated tank.


The Mixergy cylinder is also available as a slim-line version, which is the smallest heat-pump cylinder on the market, and comes with a 25 year warranty. As we look ahead to 2030, our goal is to provide a clear path to transition from fossil fuel heating to low and zero carbon alternatives, enabling us to achieve our vision to make hot water cheaper, greener, and better for all. BMJ


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