Pump industry leaders are calling on the government to clamp down on the ‘swarm’ of non-compliant central heating pumps being imported into the UK potentially costing consumers hundreds of pounds every year.

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has welcomed government measures aimed at encouraging experienced workers to return to work unveiled in this week’s Budget.

Speaking at the 2023 CIBSE Building Performance Awards, MP and Chair of the Net Zero Review Chris Skidmore highlighted the essential role of engineers in the fight to reach net zero carbon emissions.

SES Engineering Services (SES), has completed £25m worth of engineering services at The JJ Mack Building, commercial developer Helical’s flagship scheme for sustainability.

Global resource management company Veolia, working through its specialist energy team, has been awarded a £27m energy management contract to upgrade the 459-bed Eastbourne District General Hospital, part of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. 

Air quality and child health campaigner Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah has been made a CBE for services to public health in the King’s New Year Honours. 

CIBSE Young Engineers Awards (YEAs) 2022 recognised future industry change makers, as they address the big questions around the role of engineering in delivering a safe, healthy, and sustainable built environment for all.

Trane® by Trane Technologies  has been awarded the European Heat Pump Association’s (EHPA) People’s Choice Award for its Thermal System installation at Broomfield College in Derby.

ABB has achieved carbon neutral operations at its factory in Porvoo, Finland, reducing CO₂ emissions by 636 tons in its first year. 

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) says it is heartened by new statistics showing rapid growth in the low carbon and energy efficiency jobs market but says there is still a “sizeable skills gap” in many of the technical areas vital to delivering low carbon solutions. 

The ECA took home the CO2onstruct Zero Partner of the year Award from the Construction Leadership Council.

The 2050 target is getting closer, but clarity over exactly what organisations need to do to achieve net zero carbon remains hard to come by. Designed to help clients navigate complexity, global professional services firm RPS is delighted to be launching its first podcast – Building Sustainably: The Road to Net Zero.

• Marginal rise in overall construction output
• Business optimism slumps to lowest for twoand-a-half years
• Cost inflation eases to 22-month low

UK construction companies signalled a renewed slowdown in business activity growth during November, reflecting subdued demand and reduced risk appetite among clients. A number of survey respondents noted that higher borrowing costs and worries about the economic outlook had curtailed construction activity.

Following a record number of entries, CIBSE announce the shortlist for the 2023 Building Performance Awards.

Practical actions on building safety and accelerating the UK's progress to meeting its 2050 net zero emissions target are the focus subjects of this year's Build2Perform Live, the flagship event of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

Electrical and sustainable energy specialists, Powercor, has announced the acquisition of one of the South East’s leading electrical businesses, Osborne & Collins.

ABB and Caverion, a Northern & Central European-based expert for smart and sustainable built environments, today announced an agreement to strengthen their collaboration to advance energy efficiency and sustainability. 

Lochinvar heat pump technology is playing a key part in reducing the carbon emissions at one of England’s leading universities.

An air filter manufacturing firm is investing in new automated equipment following increased demand, thanks to support from Lloyds Bank.

Intrepid team members from Birmingham building services provider J S Wright have raised more than £5,000 for their adopted charity after completing an epic challenge in the Lake District.

The UK is committed to creating a net zero carbon economy by 2050. This places huge challenges on the construction and facilities management industries, which will need to rethink how buildings are designed, constructed, operated and maintained.

Samsung Climate Solutions are delighted to welcome Scott Young (TMIET) to lead our expanding training programme. 

The expected surge in the energy price cap to a rumoured £4,266 in January 2023 is not only causing distress for households but has also blown a hole in the Government's domestic heating strategy.

Worcester Bosch Sales & Marketing Director Steve Lister is taking early retirement after holding the position for nearly 20 years.

Showcasing the latest developments in practice, technology, and policy, the CIBSE Technical Symposium is a platform to engage with the latest research, guidance, and innovation.

The transition to low carbon heating is at a finely balanced tipping point with installers split on whether they will be installing heat pumps in their customers’ homes.

Veolia is now increasing energy savings at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading following a 15 year extension to the existing contract. 

Biotecture - a company in the living wall sector - is celebrating its 15th year anniversary with an eye on the future.

CIBSE has launched the updated Commissioning Code M: Commissioning management. The original Code was published in 2003. This new document better represents modern commissioning and reflects current commissioning management best practices.

Signify has announced five new CIBSE accredited Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses to arm specifiers, lighting designers, facilities managers and installers with the knowledge to be able to respond to a range of business needs from meeting sustainability goals to protection from COVID-19. 

New for 2023, CIBSE introduce Best Digital Innovation category as part of the Building Performance Awards.

The two new issues of Idronics UK aim to enhance industry knowledge of modern plumbing and heating best practice, covering topics such as, Heat Interface Units, system balancing, net-zero building and heat network design.  

The British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) has enjoyed further membership growth in recent weeks, with three new full members joining the association.

Vital Energi has secured £72.3m of Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding for clients across the country, and will deliver projects using the latest technologies to save almost 15,000 tonnes of carbon per year.

Schneider Electric and RIB have partnered with Building Transparency, a non-profit organisation that has developed the Embodied Carbon Calculator.

New regulations for existing homes mean that, from June 15^th, 2022, heating installers will be required to install thermostatic room controls when replacing a boiler.

Baxi Commercial Solutions is pleased to announce the return of face-to-face product training at its Warwick Commercial Training Academy.

The Heat Network Design Guide aims to ensure specifiers, consultants, and contractors achieve the designed system performance post build, and how maximum energy savings from Heat Interface Units (HIUs) can only be achieved if the system is designed, installed, and commissioned correctly.

CIBSE has launched the updated Commissioning Code M: Commissioning management. The original Code was published in 2003. This new document better represents modern commissioning and reflects current commissioning management best practices.

A cross-industry steering group, representing stakeholders across the built environment, have joined together to develop a standard for verifying UK buildings as net zero carbon.

In response to the lack of women and other under-represented groups in the building services engineering sector - less than 1% of tradespeople are female - leading Awarding Organisation (AO), LCL Awards has launched an Inclusivity Charter for its centres, to encourage them to take steps to make their training facilities welcoming places, with flexible course options to suit people from all walks of life.

The recent passage of the Building Safety Act is a welcome recognition of the fact that making safe buildings is a highly skilled operation says the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, endorsing the need for more effective regulation and a profound change in culture.

• 13% rise in detailed planning approvals against the preceding three months
• 18% decline in main contract awards against the previous year
• 9% increase in underlying starts during the three months to May

Glenigan has released the June 2022 edition of its Construction Review.

A snap survey of members of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) reveals long-term concerns over inflation, with 80% of respondents viewing it as an issue in the next 12 months and beyond. 

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have launched new guidance AM17: Heat pumps for large non-domestic buildings. 

Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has developed a ‘Smart Check’ app to help construction site operators verify the identities and qualifications of more than two million skills card holders. 

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has completed its trilogy of free guides designed to help building owners and managers turn their buildings into ‘safe havens’ that protect occupants from health risks linked to airborne contaminants and viruses. 

SELECT’s campaign for regulation of the electrical industry continues to attract more backing, with two major industry organisations and four MSPs adding their names to the trade association’s Wall of Support.

This year BPEC will celebrate 30 years of delivering industry leading qualifications, assessments, training courses and learning materials to the plumbing and heating industry and the wider energy sector. Established in 1992, it is a unique organisation led by employers for the benefit of the sectors, and all surplus funds generated by its activities are re-invested by The BPEC Charity.

Property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard has strengthened its presence in the Southwest by opening an office in Bristol city centre. Situated in the heart of Bristol, Pick Everard’s 15^th national office will be headed up by director, Kieran Bradley.