Fresh thinking How contractors can gain from the Scottish government’s renewable vision
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INSIDE
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WELCOME/ MEET THE TEAM 4 How wind and waves, with a little help from the government, have made Scotland a world leader in renewable technologies
NEWS 5 The return of the Scotland Roadshows, demands for a common electrical safety standard in public and private sector housing, and getting the right cover
CONTRACTOR PROFILE 6 The future looks bright for
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BMM Energy Solutions, which is riding the crest of the electrical vehicle charging wave
RENEWABLES 8 Ambitious large-scale renewables projects are all part of a bid to write the new history of Scottish power generation
HEAT PUMPS 10 Electrical contractors are
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increasingly being required to advise customers around heat pump installations, creating a potential new source of business
C ON T A C T S / C O NNE C T IO NS
Level 5, 78 Chamber Street, London E1 8BL EDITORIAL General 020 7880 6200 Email nick.martindale@redactive.co.uk Editor Nick Martindale Technical editor Timothy Benstead Sub editor James Hundleby Senior designer Craig Bowyer Designer Adrian Taylor Picture researcher Akin Falope Publishing and business development director Aaron Nicholls ADVERTISING/MARKETING Senior sales executive Gary Pavey Display 020 7324 2726 Email gary.pavey@redactive.co.uk Sales executive Callum Nagle Email callum.nagle@redactive.co.uk Classified 020 7880 6217
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TE I CAL E MC MHN A C LANC Y
Welcome to the latest edition of our Connections magazine, specifically for NICEIC registered contractors in Scotland
W
e could have called this magazine ‘the green issue’ because of its focus on renewable technologies. On page 10, SNIPEF discusses the growing trend for air source heat pump installations, while our main feature on page 8 looks at how Scotland leads the way in the use of renewable technologies. This has created many opportunities for electrical contractors with the skills to carry out the work. One company that is testament to this is BMM Energy Solutions, which specialises in the installation of electric vehicle charging points. The hard work is paying off: it is now witnessing a boom period as more people make the switch to electric vehicles. Scotland’s geology and climate, which creates an abundance of wind, waves and tides, ultimately helps the country to embrace the
Emma Clancy is chief executive officer, Certsure
technology, but there is also a firm commitment from government, which needs to be replicated across the rest of the UK. In addition to erratic weather conditions, it would seem Scotland has a profusion of “unqualified electricians”, according to some media reports. This “in-depth” report claimed that, of electrical trading firms in East Lothian, more than a third (35 per cent) were not registered with an approval or trade body. These figures are a surprise to NICEIC. Our own research, from publicly available data sources, was unable to validate the assertion and suggests the figure for non-registered contractors is somewhat lower. My view would be that part of the solution is for the approval body to promote the benefits of belonging to a scheme and challenging ourselves to do better in promoting our services.
‘Scotland’s geology and climate, which creates an abundance of wind, waves and tides, ultimately helps the country to embrace the technology’
N I C E I C I N S C O T L AND / ME E T T H E T E AM STUART THOMPSON, SCOTTISH SALES MANAGER Stuart is an experienced commercial manager with previous experience of national account management, project management and marketing. Based in Scotland, he is responsible for NICEIC Scotland membership, and works with a wide network of members, key customers, stakeholders, business partners and specifiers. EDDIE ARROWSMITH, REGIONAL ENGINEERING MANAGER Eddie is NICEIC’s regional engineering manager, based in Aberdeen. He served his electrical apprenticeship with British Rail and specialised in DC systems, high-voltage AC systems and DC machines. He went on to work for consulting engineers’ practices for 18 years, and was senior electrical engineer with WS Atkins.
PHILIP MARTIN, AREA ENGINEER Philip is an electrical technician with more than 30 years’ experience in all areas of the electrical engineering and petrochemical industry. Previously a senior qualified supervisor with British Gas, he helped establish its current quality auditing regime, which identifies training needs for all electrical operatives.
YVONNE WARNER, AREA ENGINEER Yvonne is an experienced electrician and has worked in all aspects of the electrical industry, from domestic to commercial and industrial. In addition to her role as an electrical inspector, she assesses hazardous areas as well as MCS solar and wind. JOE GALLAGHER, AREA ENGINEER Joe is a multi-disciplined engineer with more than 30 years’ industry experience, from small domestic to large-scale industrial projects. He is the MCS, CPS and Green Deal inspector for NICEIC, having previously worked as an assessor, centre manager and external verifier.
EDDIE THOMSON, AREA ENGINEER Eddie has been an area engineer with NICEIC since 2001. After serving an apprenticeship with British Rail, he worked with several companies, carrying out electrical, lighting design and project management. He also spent some time in charge of a large maintenance and works depot.
JASON TWELL, AREA ENGINEER Jason has been with NICEIC since 2016. After an electrical apprenticeship, he worked in building services, oil and gas, and utilities design and project management. He has also been electrical contracts manager for Dundee City Council and a senior lecturer for electrical at Dundee College. LOUISE FRAME, AREA ENGINEER Louise covers the North Glasgow and Lanarkshire regions. She started her career with an electrical apprenticeship when she was 16. Since then, she has worked in homes, schools, offices and factories, theatres, sports stadia and museums. She became a QS and was in an electrical management role before joining NICEIC.
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SCOTTISH UPDATE
GET THE RIGHT COVER FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Scotland Roadshows Meet the NICEIC team Our technical team is visiting Scotland for a series of roadshow seminars in November. These half-day events have proved popular with electrical contractors keen to find out more about the industry – or how NICEIC can help boost their business. They are free to attend and open to all electricians, not just NICEIC registrants. The hot topic for the next series will be the upcoming 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations, due to be released in July 2018. Host and industry expert Darren Staniforth will discuss what contractors can expect to see in the updated regulations and explain some of the reasons for the changes.
The roadshows take place on: November 7: Edinburgh International Climbing Arena November 8: Ayr, Western House Hotel, Ayr Racecourse November 9: Glasgow, Hampden Park Stadium For more information, and to book your place, go to www.niceic.com/events
Call for common electrical safety standard Jenny Gilruth MSP stands up for safety
Electrical Safety First has called for a common electrical safety standard in Scotland to remove disparities between standards in private and social rented housing. In its Inequality Street campaign, Electrical Safety First called for safety checks every five years in all social housing, mandatory electrical safety checks in owner-occupied properties or, as a first step, in owner-occupied flats, and RCDs to be fitted in all rented homes. The private rented sector has seen the introduction of mandatory five-yearly safety inspections, but there is no such requirement in
the social-rented or owner-occupied sectors, despite these tenures accounting for more than 80 per cent of Scotland’s housing. The organisation, backed by MSPs including Ruth Davidson and Jenny Gilruth, has also called for owners of flats to be required to meet higher safety standards than owner-occupiers.
NICEIC has appointed SME Insurance Services (SMEi) to ensure electrical contractors get the best deal for their business. Under the terms of the appointment, SMEi will manage the operation of NICEIC and ELECSA Insurance Services. SMEi is a specialist commercial insurance broker dedicated to arranging insurance for small and medium-sized businesses across the UK. SMEi holds a gold Feefo award in recognition of consistently delivering positive customer services over the last 12 months. Visit www.niceic-and-elecsainsurance.com to find out more, and see if you can benefit from a great deal for your business today.
ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY OFFERS RELIEF The Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) is the national charity for the electrical and energy industries. It offers free, confidential services to everyone in the industry, including immediate family members. The EIC website contains a host of useful videos and information on how to apply for funding. To find out more about how the charity could help you, please visit www.electricalcharity.org
TRAINEES TAKE SAFETY SERIOUSLY Electrical Safety First and the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust got 555 apprentice electricians and adult trainees in Scotland off to a safe start in their careers with free lockout kits valued at £21 each. Trainee electricians studying at 20 approved centres across Scotland – from the Shetland Isles to the Borders – received the safe isolation kits, altogether worth almost £12,000, over the summer. “It’s vital that everyone in the industry adopts safe working practices and procedures, and it’s important that this is established right at the start of an electrician’s career,” says Phil Buckle, chief executive of Electrical Safety First.
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CONTRACTOR PROFILE
Having spotted the potential of the electric vehicle charging market back in 2013, Airdrie firm
BMM Energy Solutions is now entering a period of rapid growth as the sector takes off
ELECTRIC DREAMS T he announcement that the Scottish government will ban the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2032 – a full eight years ahead of the rest of the UK – is a further boost for the electric vehicle (EV) sector, and those contractors specialising in the installation of charge points in particular. For Airdrie-based BMM Energy Solutions, it is just the latest in a series of events that has helped the industry to take off over the past two years and catapulted the business into a period of rapid growth. “In 2016, after the Volkswagen scandal, there was lots of talk about car manufacturers making pure electric or hybrid models, and we could see that the market really was going to take off,” says Terry Mohammed, operations director. Business started to pick up in the final quarter of 2016 with installations of ABB rapid chargers for Edinburgh Council, and the firm is currently working to assess 500 homes for EV charging points on behalf of Inchcape, a large fleet provider to the public sector. It has also recently won contracts for Transport Scotland, the NHS and ScotRail, where it will fit points at 52 stations across the country for Chargemaster. It hasn’t always been this way. The company grew out of a family civil engineering firm run by Terry and his brother Mark, and stumbled across EV installations almost by accident. “By chance, in 2013 we were contracted to do the civil and electrical works for EV charging points for a main contractor who had quite a lot of work with one of the big six energy suppliers,” recalls Terry. “We started off doing maybe one job a month, and it
gathered momentum and we ended up focusing quite heavily on it.” When the brothers looked into the market they realised there were only two other companies in Scotland that specialised in this area, and decided to shift the focus of this business. “In 2015 we changed the company name from BMM Contracts to BMM Energy Solutions,” he says. “Initially we thought we would do everything:
‘In the last two months our phones have not stopped ringing. It’s a fantastic opportunity’ solar, battery, EV charging points, brokerage for electric, but the reality was that we focused 100 per cent of our efforts on electric vehicle charging equipment.” GOING FOR GROWTH Initially it was a battle to win work, the majority of which was domestic rather than commercial installations. But the recent explosion in the market made the business realise it needed to act to help take advantage of bigger opportunities. A first step was to recruit Dave Mulford, previously technical operations manager at EDF Energy, to help win work in England (an office in the Gatwick area is imminent). Alongside this, BMM sought to put in place the management structure that is required to win
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52: THE NUMBER OF RAIL STATIONS IN SCOTLAND WHERE BMM IS CURRENTLY FITTING CHARGE POINTS
The BMM Energy Solutions team foresees more growth and is beefing up its management structure
high-value contracts, including with the public sector. “You need the organisational chart to show that you have the people in place who can deliver the projects before you win them, even if you’re running at a loss until you win them,” says Terry. “It was a real chicken-and-egg scenario but we knew we had to grow and we couldn’t do it organically, so we sold a 10 per cent stake to a group of private investors at the end of 2016 and joined forces to aggressively grow the business. That investment and recruitment really helped us, and allowed us to take on the manufacturers and large corporations which up to then had the market covered.” The business has also sought to stand out in the market by not tying itself to any one provider, after initially working closely with Schneider Electric and Rolec EV. “We wanted to work with as many providers as we could, and that’s frowned on in the industry,” says Terry. “It didn’t go down well for the first 12 months with other manufacturers who wanted us to be exclusive to them, but they quickly realised that if they wanted to be part of our journey they would have to accept we wouldn’t just be promoting their hardware. Every manufacturer’s hardware has something unique and its own flaws so it’s good to offer that choice to the clients.” Another unusual element is that BMM undertakes the whole process itself, including in-house surveying and design, electrical installations and civil works, without having to subcontract elements out to third parties. BMM is still based at Terry and Mark’s family farm, but the company is planning to develop
2032: THE DATE BY WHICH THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT WILL BAN THE SALE OF PETROL AND DIESEL VEHICLES
a presence across the UK. In addition to the southern office and a planned 4,000-squarefoot purpose-built facility in Scotland, it’s also looking at a Midlands base, following on from successfully getting on to the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation’s (ESPO) 636_17 framework for the nationwide supply and installation of EV charging equipment, which is designed to act as a source of contractors for any public sector organisation looking to install charge points anywhere in the UK. “They put out a framework in March and we spent a month tendering for it and we were delighted to get on,” says Terry. “It has an anticipated spend of £60 million over four years. The reason we’re looking at an office in the Midlands is because the ESPO office is in Leicester and it means we can get true nationwide coverage without having to put people in vans.” FOCUS ON THE FUTURE The growth in the market is already having an impact on BMM’s performance; turnover has increased from £100,000 to £1 million fairly quickly, says Terry, and he believes an annual figure of £5 million is realistic. “It’s very hard to gauge but we’re manning ourselves up with a management structure so we can deal with the influx of vehicles that is coming,” he says. The company already employs four full-time electricians and is planning to take on both an
‘In 2016 there was lots of talk about car manufacturers making pure electric or hybrid models, and we could see that the market really was going to take off ’ Company BMM Energy Solutions Established 2015 Major projects NHS, ScotRail, Edinburgh Council and Inchcape
60 hours
admin person and electrical supervisor for the southern office, as well as an apprentice for its Scottish team. “We also have a network of subcontractors in London, the Midlands and Scotland with between four and 12 electricians in each company, so we could call on 30 or 40 men if needed,” he adds. There are still wider industry issues to overcome, including so-called “range anxiety”, where drivers worry about their ability to get from A to B – something BMM has sought to address by using a BMW i3 to travel from Edinburgh to Monte Carlo and back in 60 hours. “The infrastructure is there and it’s getting better every day,” he says. “In the last two months our phones have not stopped ringing. It’s a fantastic opportunity.”
Time taken to drive an EV from Edinburgh to Monte Carlo and back
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RENEWABLES
Government policy, high energy prices and the remote location of many properties mean Scotland is leading the way in the use of renewables. Contractors are benefiting too
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Breaking new ground
IMAGE: GETTY
il may have been the story of Scottish energy over the past 50 years, but renewable energy could well be the story of the next half-century. Renewables are already the single largest contributor to electricity generation in Scotland, accounting for just under 54 per cent of the total. Between 23 and 26 December 2016, Scotland’s wind turbines alone generated more electricity than was used in Scotland on those days. The European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney is also a world-leading centre for testing wave power energy generation. Of course, most Connections readers will not be working on large offshore wind-farm installations or experimental wave energy projects. But in recent years more electrical and heating service companies in Scotland have increased their involvement in renewables. There are some good reasons for this. The Scottish government wants renewable energy to generate the equivalent of 100 per cent of gross annual electricity consumption and 11 per cent of heat consumption by 2020; and it wants low or zero-carbon energy sources to account for at least half of Scotland’s energy consumption by 2030. Some contractors in Scotland have contributed to larger-scale wind projects. Lotus Electrical Services, based at Kirkgunzeon in Dumfries, has worked with German energy technology specialist Isoblock to install mid-voltage connections between turbines and local substations for a number of wind-farm projects throughout the UK. Other contractors have completed smaller-scale installations. Onshore wind projects completed by Absolute Solar and Wind, a contractor based in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, include single turbines at a site on the Isle of Mull, at AG Barr’s bottling plant in Cumbernauld, and for Glenskinno Biofuels in Montrose.
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SOLAR FLAIR Many electrical contractors in Scotland are also working with solar technologies. Absolute Solar and Wind, for instance, built the largest privately owned solar farm in Scotland for ice cream manufacturer Mackie’s of Scotland, near Westertown, Aberdeenshire. The site has a total installed capacity of 1.8MW, which now complements four wind turbines on the site capable of generating another 3MW of energy. Adoption of solar thermal panels is also increasing. They are one of several heating technologies eligible for payments via the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme, along with ground source and air source heat pumps, biomass-driven boilers, and biomass pellet stoves with integrated boilers. All should be of interest to home owners, selfbuilders, private landlords and social housing providers, particularly in areas where many buildings are off the gas grid. In the Highlands, for example, 72 per cent of domestic properties are off-grid, as are 64 per cent of homes in Argyll and Bute, and 50 per cent in the Borders. Glasgow-based DMS Installations was founded five years ago, now employs 30 employees and offers renewables services alongside other energy efficiency and heating services. The company began by installing biomass systems and air source heat pumps, but now also installs ground source heat pumps, solar PV and solar thermal systems. “Work with renewables is growing rapidly, particularly for newbuilds and also with so much of Scotland being off-grid for gas,” says general manager Carl Spurrier. “Initially our work was from domestic customers, but now we’re getting enquiries from industrial companies. Renewables are hugely important to us now.” PUMPING IT UP Air source heat pumps are currently the main growth area for DMS. The company specialises in installation of Daikin heat pumps, sometimes as a replacement for older gas boilers. It also installs Mitsubishi, Panasonic and Samsung heat pumps, and hybrid Daikin heat pump/gas boiler systems. Alex Murray Construction, based in Stornoway, in the Western Isles, is also installing Mitsubishi air source heat pumps for clients, alongside biomass boilers, solar thermal heating and solar PV panels. Project development manager Steven Murray believes air source heat pumps will become the dominant heating technology in the Western Isles in future. “I think over the next 15 to 20 years you’ll see [oil and LPG heating] systems being phased out,” he says. “With the cost of energy rising, air source heat pumps are just that much cheaper.”
‘Work with renewables is growing rapidly, particularly for newbuilds and also with so much of Scotland being off-grid for gas’ For some years now, NICEIC has supported contractors getting involved with installation of renewable energy technologies. Its microgeneration certification scheme is complemented by a number of training courses for contractors interested in working with these technologies. Spurrier is among those who believe a good understanding of renewables could be hugely beneficial for contractors in future. “As building control gets stricter, you’ll eventually see gas getting phased out,” he predicts. “This is definitely the market to be in.”
Case study: Absolute Solar and Wind -
72%: THE AMOUNT OF DOMESTIC PROPERTIES IN THE HIGHLANDS THAT ARE OFF-GRID
Absolute Solar and Wind was founded a decade ago and focused at first on installation of solar PV in domestic properties. Clients now include social housing providers in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, for which the company has installed solar PV solutions, but also a range of domestic and commercial clients. “We saw the opportunity coming in Scotland,” says managing director Graham Provest. “Lots of businesses wanted solutions, and the market was stabilising; the conversation was less about feed-in tariffs and more about what you could do to offset energy costs for the client.” The company tries to understand a client’s energy needs, then creates a strategy using the mix of products it offers. Clients include Scottish Water, for which Absolute has built a 1.2MW solar array to provide energy for 34 underground pumps bringing water out of boreholes in the Spey Valley; and Gartocharn Primary School, where the company installed a biomass system at the school in 2015 and is now installing a solar PV system. In future, Provest believes emerging battery storage technologies may become important to the business. “We’re building commercial models involving battery storage at the moment,” he says. “That allows you to extend the usefulness of any of the products we do.”
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X HEA XXX T XPXUXMP X XS
Electrical contractors are increasingly being required to advise customers around heat pump installations, creating a potential new source of business BY SHIRLEY WILLIAMSON
T
he growing popularity of heat pumps as an alternative to the traditional form of heat generation in buildings is in line with both the devolved Scottish government’s policy on decarbonising heat and the UK government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) initiative, which rewards the generation of heat from renewable sources. Indeed, with around one-fifth of domestic properties off the gas grid, Scotland is a key marketplace for qualified installers who are keen to promote a highly efficient heat technology with low running costs. Regardless of government incentives, many householders are selecting heat pumps to replace old and inefficient boilers, especially if choice has been previously limited to oil. Many properties are now reaching the levels of insulation required to ensure efficient running of heat pumps, thanks to government funding and increased levels of consumer awareness after many years of fuel price rises. This means that both electricians and heating engineers, when faced with customers who need to replace an existing boiler or choose a system for a newbuild, are in the best possible position to demonstrate their knowledge of the available technologies and provide a properly sized and thoroughly considered comparison of which technology would be best suited to their needs.
AIR SOURCE The most common domestic heat pump, the air source heat pump, takes heat from the outside air and compresses it within a refrigerant gas which raises its temperature. After condensing, the heat is transferred to a heating system through a coil in a thermal store. Heat pumps are manufactured specifically to be positioned outside or inside a building and an external heat pump should never be used internally, or vice versa. A system that has been designed, sized and installed correctly will produce up to three units of heat for each unit of energy it uses. Air source heat pumps are most commonly used in conjunction with a low-pressure heat distribution system to provide heat to a building, usually underfloor heating, but lower surface temperature radiators can also be used. If a supply of hot water is also required, then a hot water storage vessel will be required, and the heat pump will be needed to boost the water temperature up to the desired temperature. This is obviously going to reduce the efficiency of the heat pump, but there is potential here for integration with a solar panel. A buffer tank is installed to build a store of water to cover for fluctuations in demand for heat. As well as the standard controls you’d expect in a space or water heating system, a heat pump unit should also include: • A control of water temperature for the distribution system • A control of water pumps (this may be integral or not) • Protection for failure of water flow • Protection for high water temperature
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
Source of income
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• Protection for high
refrigerant pressure • Weather compensation control • A programmer/timer to optimise heat pump operation • Room thermostats to regulate space temperature • Zoning controls • Possible connection to onsite battery storage • Possible connection to a solar panel The level of sophistication of controls and instrumentation required of modern renewable energy systems and their integration with other low carbon technologies (as well as existing lower efficiency boilers) provides an opportunity for highly skilled, reputable electrical installers to engage with the Scottish government’s low carbon initiatives. NICEIC Approved Contractors may also of course be PAS 2030 registered for the technology being installed. BUILDING REGULATIONS In addition to technical knowledge, installers must also be aware of the applicable building regulations. As well as any requirement for planning permission, the key areas with regard to heat pumps are:
Section 4: Safety. Care should be taken so that an installation does not encroach on the requirements of accessibility in Standard 4.1, particularly outdoor units around entrances and the routes to entrances. Section 5: Noise. The installation of heat pump and distribution pipework should not adversely affect the existing sound insulation of a separating wall or separating floor. Section 6: Energy. The whole system, including any supplementary heating or electricity generation, must be properly commissioned to achieve optimum energy efficiency. How can the customer be sure that the installers are aware of all of these regulations and that they have the technical skills and experience to provide a professional service and a quality installation? If there is to be payment through RHI, then the heat pump installer will have the prerequisite plumbing and heating competencies, the electrician will be suitably qualified, and the work
‘A system that has been designed, sized and installed correctly will produce up to three units of heat for each unit of energy it uses’
Section 1: Structure. The supporting structure needs to be strong enough, or made strong enough, to resist the loads imposed by the heat pump, including the weight of water when the system is operating, and any vibrations generated. Section 2: Fire. Cavity barriers should not be compromised by the ductwork or pipes associated with the heat pump unit or the distribution system – particular care should be taken not to disturb cavity barriers separating roof spaces in two dwellings, including boxed eaves, or at the head of a cavity wall. Section 3: Environment. Condensation produced by the heat pump should be disposed of to drainage systems; for outdoor heat pumps, the condensate should be diverted to a mains drain or soak away through an insulated pipe to limit the risk of freezing.
Shirley Williamson is technical officer at the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF)
is backed by a consumer code. Both installers will be listed on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) register (4 ). If the RHI is not involved, and the work subject to a building warrant, the use of Approved Certifiers of Construction (5 ) for Certification of Electrical Installations to BS 7671, and for Certification of Drainage, Heating and Plumbing, ensures that the installers are suitably qualified, experienced and will ensure compliance with the building regulations. They will have relevant insurance and their work will also be covered by a guarantee. Even if the work is not subject to a building warrant, a customer who chooses installers who are listed on the Certification Register will be able to rely on a Scottish government-approved electrician and heat pump installer. The key to success with air source heat pumps is for the occupants to understand how to use the building and the heat pump system in an energyefficient way. Written information must be given to the occupier of the building on how to operate the heating and hot water system, but there is no substitute for the clear and timely guidance given by a knowledgeable installer.
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BUILT FROM
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Wiring Accessories and Lighting for Domestic and Commercial use
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