Manchester’s new Tower of Light structure has been officially switched on, marking a milestone in the development of the city’s new Civic Quarter Heat Network. 

Global professional services firm RPS has launched a new STEM initiative – the RPS Climate Careers Zone. Hosted in a virtual city inspired by COP26 goals, the zone’s design enables young people to take control and shape their future. Empowering and informing career choices, students can use the zone to understand how they can be part of the change they want to see.

Engineering alliance Actuate UK organizations support the CBI statement on Business rates, which, together with other Trade Associations, is calling on Government to take long-term action in the forthcoming Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review.

Coolair Equipment Limited has appointed Deane Flint to its Board of Directors.

A range of ECS cards are available through the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) for the Network Infrastructure industry.

The IOR has just released a new guidance note on the Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations and Pressure Equipment Directive (GN36) outlining the requirements for installers of RACHP systems. 

September data revealed another growth slowdown in the construction sector, with output volumes rising to the smallest extent for eight months.

Make UK has partnered with support platform Next Gen Makers to develop a ground-breaking Engineering Apprenticeships Employer Kitemark, which will recognise companies who achieve a best practice benchmark and so endorse them as an exemplary employer of apprentices.

The UK’s primary F-Gas register REFCOM has welcomed the Environment Agency’s decision to hammer a company with a fine of more than £1m for breaching the F-gas Regulations.

Smart Buildings Show, the UK’s leading, dedicated smart buildings event, has unveiled its 2021 conference programme. The event, supported by headline sponsor Bluetooth, will take place at ExCeL London on 6-7 October 2021, featuring industry-leading speaker sessions from some of the sector’s most renowned brands, including Bluetooth, Johnson Controls, Microsoft, Schneider Electric,  Siemens Smart Infrastructure and Vodafone.

With six weeks to go until COP26, engineering alliance Actuate UK has issued a stark message to world leaders gathering in Glasgow, urging them to tackle the climate crisis now “before it is too late”.

The Building Safety Alliance, an independent industry led ‘not for profit’ organisation, is launched with the purpose of implementing the certification of competent individuals wishing to deliver the role of building safety manager (BSM) and a publicly accessible register of those certified by the scheme.

Braid Mechanical and Electrical, a member of the Joint Industry Board (JIB), has become the 750th organisation to register for ECS Check. 

As of Monday 16 August, the government has removed the requirement to self-isolate for fully vaccinated adults or under-18s in England, if NHS notified of contact with a positive COVID-19 case. The change should greatly reduce the number of workers and others self-isolating as a result of NHS Test and Trace ‘pinging’, although notified individuals are being advised by the government to undergo a free PCR test.

Rinnai warmly welcomes the Government’s announcement of a national strategy with hydrogen being a replacement of fossil fuels as a major source of energy. By 2030 the UK government wants to produce 5GW of low carbon hydrogen capable of powering around 3 million homes as well as fuelling industry and transport.

School leavers and other young people are being urged to consider engineering careers as the UK employment market enters uncharted territory.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has joined the line-up for this year’s Smart Buildings Show, on 6-7 October 2021 at London’s ExCel exhibition centre, as a supporting association.

In advance of COP26 in November, the  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released their report yesterday. To meet their objective of limiting global temperature rises of 1.5^oC, the demands on the construction sector will be great. Here's what the industry had to say in response. 

The ECA has warmly welcomed the urgent reform of electricity pricing recommended by The Climate Change Committee today. The latest CCC report to Parliament recommends that future energy pricing must remove current fiscal disincentives to electrification, boosting the deployment and use of low carbon electrical energy across the UK.

Advice is being issued to ECS card holders by the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) that under the rules of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) it will be withdrawing ECS cards issued under the “conditional” or “restricted” route, sometimes known as Industry Accreditation. 

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Prof. Bernd Stoffel, who passed away on 8th June 2021.  All those who had the pleasure of knowing him, both personally and professionally, will mourn his passing.  

The British Pump Manufacturers’ Association (BPMA) and the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) are pleased to announce the recent signing of a Mutual Co-operation Agreement. 

The Smart Buildings Show has announced its 2021 event has now opened for registration. The free-to-attend conference and exhibition takes place at the London ExCel on the 6-7^th October 2021, featuring some of the leading names in the commercial smart buildings, technology and energy sectors.

Tetra Tech announced today that it has acquired Hoare Lea for an undisclosed sum. 

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) is asking for comment on one of its most widely used guidance documents - Guide M: Maintenance Engineering and Management - ahead of a complete update.

The ECA is urging its members, as well as the wider industry, to continue to exercise caution and plan as far ahead as possible on projects involving cable management systems (CMS).

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has confirmed that this year’s National Conference will take place on November 3 and 4 and will once again be a ’virtual’ event.

New research reveals 18% of Brits are seeking a career in the trades as a result of the pandemic

A shortage of skilled technicians will make it increasingly difficult for the refrigeration and air conditioning sector to adopt new ‘alternative’ refrigerants, which are critical to achieving greenhouse gas reduction targets, according to the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA).

New research into the long-term implications of IR35 shows that more than half of managers in the construction industry are concerned about how the legislation will affect its workforce.

MP for Richmond (Yorks), Rishi Sunak, visited renewables training provider, GTEC 

Hannah Vickers, Chief Executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) responds to the beta-launch of Construction Innovation Hub’s Value Toolkit

The Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) is reminding ECS card holders with a Network Infrastructure occupation that from 1 July 2021 all card renewals need to meet the requirements of the new Occupational Qualification Structure for the Network Infrastructure industry. 

The Manufacturers’ of Equipment for Heat Networks Association, MEHNA, have launched a new digital face with their new website 

The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has released a new Technical Guide to add to its portfolio of online Guides available to download.

The Institute of Refrigeration announced today that eight members had been recognised as Fellows for their leadership and contribution to the RACHP industry. 

Actuate UK has expressed its support for the revitalised prequalification Common Assessment Standard.

CHAS was the first Recognised Assessment Body to offer the Common Assessment Standard which has fast become the industry’s gold standard for pre-qualification. 

Construction sector R&D spending hit £368m last year, according to latest ONS data

BESA’s head of technical Graeme Fox said the heat pump market represented “an absolutely colossal opportunity” for suitably qualified engineers but warned that the industry would have “to rapidly scale up capacity and needed considerable investment in additional skills to deliver all these hugely ambitious targets”.

Mitsubishi Electric has launched an R32 version of its popular e-series chillers, available in 150kW and 180kW units. 

Armacell has achieved one of the highest fire performance ratings for its pre-insulated seamless drawn copper pipes. The enhanced safety of the environmentally sustainable Tubolit Split and DuoSplit products makes them ideal for use as part of the external air source heat pump systems that the government is encouraging in its drive to achieve carbon neutrality.

The XYVEX EXC is the latest versatile addition to Mackwell’s XYVEX emergency exit sign range. The XYVEX EXC is designed to allow complete customisation for each application, making it ideal for meticulous, architecturally designed areas.

Spirotech has improved the dry pocket of the magnetic dirt separator in its steel SpiroTrap and SpiroCombi units, making them even easier to maintain.

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is launching the industry’s only online training course for heat pump installation to help fill a skills gap highlighted by the government’s flagship Green Homes Grant voucher scheme.

A team of researchers at London South Bank University (LSBU) is entering the second design stage of a unique indoor air filter system which aims to remove COVID-19 from the air, particularly indoor environments. 

The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) has written to the Prime Minister confirming they have reached agreement in principle with UK boiler manufacturers

The Manufacturers Association of Radiators and Convectors (MARC) launched a campaign in 2020 to raise consumer awareness of the importance of having quality radiators that conform to current standards installed in their home. 

The EIC can provide support to any former or current employee of the electrical and energy sector using the four branches of the charity Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

Mitsubishi Electric has launched a residential range of Lossnay Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems to provide clean and healthy air for homes. The addition to the renowned Lossnay range is designed specifically for the UK housing market and makes energy efficient, super-quiet ventilation accessible to even more homes.