July/August 2023 by PHAM News

phamnews.co.uk JULY/AUGUST 2023 | VOLUME 61 | ISSUE 6

Extra support for installers taking up heat pump training

Following the release of the government’s £5m Heat Training Grant on 4th July, heating engineers can now get £500 towards training to become qualified heat pump installers, and many manufacturers are supporting the scheme by offering further incentives

Over 60 approved training centres across England are now able to provide installers with £500 off the cost of training per person. The government calculates the usual cost of training to be around £600 – meaning the vast majority will be covered by the government through its grant. Grants are available to both self-employed installers and those working for a business with 250 employees or less.

All applicants have to do is sign up for the training through their chosen provider and confirm they are eligible for the grant. It is hoped that thousands of trainees will be able to receive the practical training needed to join a professional installer certification scheme, with all training independently assessed to ensure that it meets the standards needed for certification.

In addition to the grant, a number of manufacturers, including Baxi, Ideal Heating, NIBE, Vaillant, and Worcester Bosch, have confirmed that they will be providing

additional discounts and offers to participating trainees, such as vouchers and additional training.

Overcoming barriers

Mark Wilkins, technology and training director at Vaillant, says: “We welcome the Heat Training Grant and are delighted to be supporting this important initiative with offers for additional training or support. One of the biggest barriers to a rapidly growing heat pump market is the availability of large numbers of skilled installers and this funding initiative is a key element to help the UK achieve our decarbonisation targets.”

Worcester Bosch has also announced that it will be providing courses fully funded by the grant which will pay for the company’s LCL Level 3 training course and accreditation. Upon completion of the heat pump course and successfully passing the evaluation, installers will also get the chance to attend several additional free-of-

charge training courses offered by Worcester, including the Low Temperature Heating Design course.

Martyn Bridges, director of technical services, comments: “This is also a great opportunity for any budding professional to upskill without having to pay anything towards the course costs, making it an invaluable chance for career growth and advancement.”

Points incentive

Installers who take advantage of the £500 grant with Baxi will be rewarded with 15,000 Baxi Works loyalty points. The company says it will also provide additional support in the form of free CPD (Continuing Professional Development) and free supervised commissioning of the first heat pump installation.

“With the government scheme now launched, our points offer is also live and installers can start to benefit from this great skills initiative,” says Baxi renewables

Gadgets & Tools

See page 15

director Harriet Evans. “Heat pump demand can only grow, so this is an ideal time for installers to get fully trained and accredited for heat pumps and secure future income from the transition to clean heat in homes.”

To complement the Heat Training Grant, Ideal Heating has announced an additional one-day free training, as well as a free Water Regulations qualification.

Ideal Heating training director Andrew Johnson comments: “We know the cost of training is an additional burden for many installers, particularly those who are self-employed. With the ambitious targets set by government for heat pump installations, we welcome this scheme, which will incentivise installers to upskill and become the low carbon engineers of the future.”

NIBE Energy Systems is another approved training provider and MD Phil Hurley has welcomed the opportunity to lower the cost of becoming a NIBE Pro installer: “We are excited to be at the forefront of delivering best in class heat pump training to our NIBE Pro members. By offering our simplified, fully supported training support scheme at an even lower cost, we can contribute to creating a highly skilled workforce fit for the future.”

Heating engineers can find further information about the Heat Training Grant with information on how they can apply and lists of the approved training centres and courses (see online link below). Training will usually take at least three days to complete, although it may be longer depending on the trainee’s previous skills and experience.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/01

Product News

See page 51

COMPETITIONS

More great prizes to be won! See page 53

Inside this issue phamnews.co.uk JULY/AUGUST 2023 | VOLUME 61 | ISSUE 6

Editor’s Viewpoint

by Chris Jones

On the right course

It’s widely acknowledged that one of the biggest obstacles to the growth of the UK heat pump market has been the limited number of fully trained heating engineers, but in front of that particular obstacle has been the not-insignificant barrier of the cost of training to become a skilled heat pump installer. As well as the expense of the three- to five-day training course itself, installers, many of whom are likely to be self-employed, have of course also had to sacrifice a few days of earning potential.

While the new government Heat Training Grant won’t stretch far enough to compensate for that loss of income, it does at least provide a decent level of support that will help to alleviate some of the ﬁ nancial burden for installers. And with many manufacturers competing with each other to provide further incentives, the prospect of signing up for a course certainly seems more attractive than it did before the release of the government funding.

As it stands, there is nothing to stop an untrained installer from ﬁtting a heat pump system, but not being MCS registered will prevent them from being able to offer their customers grants from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and it is hoped that most consumers will be wary of investing in such high-cost technology without doing some research and asking the right questions.

With £500 available per person, the £5m scheme should help to fund the cost of 10,000 installers. Such a ﬁgure is well short of the number that will ultimately be needed if the government is going to come close to hitting its ambitious heat pump installation targets, but while the UK remains ﬁrmly rooted to the bottom of the European table of heat pump installations (per capita) anything that might help to stimulate the market has to be welcomed.

Regulars

JULY/AUGUST 2023 VOLUME 61 ISSUE 6 Contributors Inside this issue 5 06 News Review 12 Energy Saving Awards 15 Gadgets & Tools 16 Horror Show 16 People on the Move 18 Training Update 20 Business Matters 34 Products in Action 42 Product Spotlight 51 Product News 53 Competitions 54 Information Centre 55 Directory What recruitment agencies can do

your

in the heating and plumbing industry Why a transition to low carbon heating will need a reassessment of training and qualiﬁcations across the sector Responding to questions about HVO and its potential replacement for traditional kerosene Follow us on twitter @PHAMnews Sean O’Sullivan Business Matters Neil Sawers Oil Heating Emma Conroy Renewable Energy 22 25 48 16 Horror Show More images that will make you shiver! Don’t forget to use our online reader enquiry service to quickly ﬁnd the web page you need Renewable Energy

Features Oil Heating Some of the latest developments in heat pump technology and other low carbon solutions An overview of the key issues facing the oil heating industry and how best to address the needs of consumers 25 Bathroom Products What are consumers looking for when investing in a bathroom makeover? We highlight some of the latest trends 35 45 The Essential Magazine for Plumbing, Heating & Air Movement Professionals Incorporating: Plumbing & Heating News Plumbing & Heating Equipment News Published by: Pinede Publishing Ltd 16 Hawkesyard Hall, Armitage Park, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 1PU Tel: 01889 577222 Email: CEvans@datateam.co.uk www.phamnews.co.uk © Copyright 2023 Plumbing, Heating & Air Movement News All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without written consent from the publisher. Attributed articles represent the views of the Author(s) and are not the necessarily those of the Editor. The publishers accept no responsibility for claims made by manufacturers or advertisers. This magazine includes a number of colour editorial photographs paid for by suppliers. 25,856 ABC Audited circulation Jan-Dec 2022 FREE SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES: Tel: 01580 883844 Email: pinede@c-cms.com Editorial & Southern Sales Office: PHAM News, 1b Station Square, Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1DP Tel: 01525 716143 Editorial Email: editor@phamnewsedit.co.uk Sales Email: NWood@datateam.co.uk Northern Office: PHAM News, Argyle Business Centre, 8 Leicester Street, Southport, Lancashire PR9 0EZ Email: RJackson@datateam.co.uk PUBLISHING TEAM Managing Editor Chris Jones Assistant Editor Carol Hitchcock Publishers Chris Evans / Russ Jackson Southern Advertisement Manager Nathan Wood Classified Sales Sharon Nutter Production Paul Forster Design Consultant Tim Plummer ISSN 1368-9061 Printed by: Precision Colour Printing Ltd. Origination by: Design & Media Solutions Look out for next month’s issue Radiators & Towel Warmers Electric Heating Light Commercial Gas Safety

to enhance

prospects

Special

Warning: be vigilant as tool theft is on the rise

Tradespeople are being warned to step up security as a crime wave sweeps through construction sites in the UK, with a new survey showing almost nine in 10 (89%) tradespeople have experienced theft. Crime specialists are warning that world events, including the conflict in Ukraine, is driving up demand for stolen goods.

This is according to a study conducted by NFU Mutual, which interviewed 500 tradespeople and contractors. It found over three quarters (78%) admit they have left machinery and tools in a vehicle overnight.

Vans are a key target, with nearly six in 10 experiencing theft from their vehicle (58%). And over half (55%) have experienced theft of their

items from a building site, with 83% saying they have left portable tools and equipment on site overnight.

Tradespeople say the main impacts of these thefts include loss of income (55%) and extra costs to replace or hire new kit (43%), and worryingly over a third reveal theft has an impact on their mental health (34%). Despite this, the study found a large number (43%) of tradespeople don’t have a full list or know the value of what they own which could make it difficult to report crimes to the

PipeSnug makes a deal

Finance option to pay for heat pump installations

police or track recovered items back to their owners.

Zoe Knight, commercial specialist at NFU Mutual, says: “In the current climate as supply is low and demand for stolen equipment is high, we are urging people to step up security. Tradespeople rely on their tools for their income and to keep a project on schedule. As our report ﬁndings show, the theft of equipment can have a devastating impact, professionally, ﬁnancially and mentally.”

Pipe clips, collars and covers manufacturer Talon has agreed an exclusive worldwide licensing deal with PipeSnug, the producer of neat solutions to seal around pipes and ﬂues. FlueSnug, which has now been endorsed by most major boiler manufacturers, is an all-in-one solution to meet the requirement of Part L of the Building Regulations to seal around pipework inside and out, without the need for sealant, mortar or air sealing tape.

See Silverstone competition on page 53!

Awareness campaign

PipeSnug was ﬁrst launched in 2017 by founders Chris Burdett and Alex Lever. Both Chris and Alex will now be engaged by Talon to advise and consult on expanding the range as well as new product development, including ideas that may potentially be as transformative as PipeSnug.

A new pilot scheme designed to make it easier for people to purchase a heat pump, has been launched by Octopus Energy and MBNA Limited, part of Lloyds Banking Group. The energy supplier already claims to offer the lowest price for heat pumps in the UK, with quotes as low as £3000 after the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant. The ﬁnancing option, which will provide consumers with the option of making monthly payments, will initially be available for a fourmonth pilot, with Octopus looking to expand consumer financing into other home decarbonisation products in the future, such as solar panels.

Get Amazon tokens with Wilo scheme

Octopus Energy says that switching from a gas boiler to a heat pump on a smart tariff can save a typical UK household around £100 a year, and further £100 if the standing charge for gas is removed.

Hiral Gogoi, loans director at MBNA, comments: “It’s important we make it as easy as possible for people to take the steps needed to live more sustainably, including having a warmer and more energy efficient home. We know customers are increasingly interested in loans for making ‘green’ home improvements, and our pilot with Octopus Energy will make applying for an air source heat pump loan even easier to do.”

Octopus Energy says that switching from a gas boiler to a heat pump on a smart tariff can save a typical UK household around £100 a year, and further £100 if the standing charge for gas is removed. Hiral Gogoi, loans director at MBNA, comments: “It’s important we make it as easy as possible for people to take the steps needed to live more sustainably, including having a warmer and more energy efficient home. We know customers are increasingly interested in loans for making ‘green’ home improvements, and our pilot with Octopus Energy will make applying for an air source heat pump loan even easier to do.”

T and products in the wastewater range, including macerators, condensate pumps, and grey water lifting units.

“The move to Talon is absolutely the right one for PipeSnug,” says Alex. “Under Talon’s wings we shall look to bring more ideas to market that save time and money for the trade. The partnership also allows us to further explore opportunities for the product outside of the UK too.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/02

Get Amazon tokens with Wilo scheme

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/02

With the aim of promoting its environmentally responsible home heating products, Worcester Bosch has launched the #LikeABosch campaign. It’s designed to empower consumers who wish to make the change to home heating solutions that produce less CO2 emissions, by showcasing its innovative heating products, such as heat pumps and hybrid boilers. Victoria Billings, director of marketing, says: “We are so proud of our new #LikeABosch campaign. As a leading brand in home heating, it is our responsibility to raise awareness and help inform consumers of their greener heating choices. This campaign aims to do that in a creative and fun way that draws attention to such an important topic.”

Victoria Billings, director of marketing, says: “We are so proud of our new #LikeABosch campaign. As a leading brand in home heating, it is our responsibility to raise awareness and help inform consumers of their greener heating choices. This campaign aims to do that in a creative and fun way that draws attention to such an important topic.”

Installers can now get free Amazon vouchers for purchasing pumps thanks to WiloXperts, a new loyalty scheme. It means installers can start earning points immediately once they have signed up to Wilo’s online platform – all they have to do is start uploading recent invoices for any of the 120 qualifying product lines, including the Wilo-Yonos PICO, Star-Z- Nova

Andy Thompson, national sales manager for plumbing and heating, says: “We have some of the hardest working installers in the UK, and we want to show them our appreciation by rewarding them for choosing what we believe to be the most energy efficient and reliable pumps on the market.”

WiloXperts will continue to evolve with offers and opportunities to boost points. To register on the scheme, use the reader link below. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/03

News Review 6 PHAM NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2023

UK plumbers having to put things right

More than half of UK plumbers are spending each working day fixing other installers’ poor work and botched DIY jobs, according to a new survey by Water Regs UK.

The sample survey of British plumbers found that 55.6% spend every single working day rectifying the poor workmanship of other plumbers. At the same time, more than two thirds (68.8%) say they face the problem of competing with unqualified plumbers who can do the job cheaper.

Half of those surveyed (52.2%) also complained that they are fixing householder’s DIY

mistakes daily. Only 15% of these plumbers said they don’t have to deal with any jobs because of poor work from a previous plumber or faulty DIY each month. The remaining 85% of these plumbers spent one or more jobs each month fixing the poor work of others. Of those, 22.9% (or two in every five plumbers) do more than five jobs each month fixing other plumbers’ poor work.

The top three most common faults that need to be fixed because of poor work are leaks (28.5%), toilets or sanitation (21.5%) and the wrong fittings or poor-quality fittings (16.3%).

Heat pump cash incentive

Julie Spinks, managing director of Water Regs UK, says: “These findings show that consumers are at risk of paying more than they need to and risk damaging their properties when plumbing jobs go wrong. Customers are left with higher bills than they anticipated, when they can least afford it. This also increases waiting times for everybody who needs plumbing services. And of course, this is potentially damaging to the overall reputation of the industry. It casts a shadow on the majority of plumbers who are honest, genuine and hardworking.”

SUMMER OFFERS

◼ Gas installers will be able to earn triple Baxi Works points for every boiler registered from Baxi’s 600 and 800 ranges as part of its new Summer Sizzler campaign. The promotion runs until the 31st of August and points can be redeemed against anything from tools and workwear to high street vouchers and more. All participants also stand a chance to win one of three £500 prepaid cash cards.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/04

BESA annual conference

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has announced that its sixth Annual Conference will take place on 12th October. Mitsubishi Electric is this year’s headline sponsor and the theme is ‘Building businesses, building the future’. The one-day event is free of charge to BESA members and young engineers, although delegates are encouraged to make a £10 donation to the Association’s chosen charity, Light House Club, which is dedicated to tackling mental health problems in the industry.

◼ A Super Points promotion has been launched by Grant for its G1 installers, running until the end of September.

All G1 scheme members will be able to earn 250 Points on Vortex oil boilers that they install and register through the G1 Portal or Click app which can be used to order high value rewards including smart watches, home tech and garden-ware.

With the launch of its national Installer Incentive scheme, Daikin is offering MCS certified installers a £250 cash reward for every installation of a Daikin air source heat pump in England, Scotland, or Wales, along with free training, discounts on accreditation and equipment, and commissioning support for initial installations. The scheme is directly linked to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) and the Home Energy Scotland Scheme (HESS). MCS certified contractors who install eligible products under either BUS or HESS will receive the £250 cash incentive.

The scheme is directly linked to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) and the Home Energy Scotland Scheme (HESS). MCS certified contractors who install eligible products under either BUS or HESS will receive the £250 cash incentive.

The eligible Daikin products are air source heat pumps for England and Wales, and both heat pumps and hybrid boilers for Scotland. Running alongside the Installer Incentive scheme, Daikin provides free local heat pump training in one of its Sustainable Home Centres and £100 off easy MCS accreditation. In addition to this, new installers will also benefit from 40% off the first heat pump unit purchased at a local centre and commissioning support for the first three air source heat pump installations they undertake.

In addition to this, new installers will also benefit from 40% off the first heat pump unit purchased at a local centre and commissioning support for the first three air source heat pump installations they undertake.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/06

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/05

Use the label

Responding to news that water bills are set to get the biggest increase in almost 20 years, the Unified Water Label Association (UWLA) is targeting consumers with a ‘USE LESS - USE THE LABEL’ campaign.

Yvonne Orgill, MD at the UWLA, says: “Given the current cost-ofliving crisis, this proposed increase in annual bills, taking an annual water bill for an average household in England and Wales to £448, will have a big impact on households.

“We want to help households make informed choices and the information provided on the Unified Water Label can help consumers make informed choices when it comes to selecting new, or upgrading existing, water-using products in the home.”

◼ Heating engineers across the UK & Ireland can get summer off to the right start with the Warmflow Connect Scheme. The Warmflow points - based customer loyalty scheme is now offering a number of summer-themed rewards, such as The Trailblazer Pico Portable BBQ and Ooni Pizza Ovens.

◼ In support of the BORAhansgrohe professional cycling team and building on the momentum of this year’s Tour de France, installers who purchase selected Hansgrohe products bearing a ‘Refresh Yourself’ sticker will receive a BORAhansgrohe water bottle at the point of purchase. There is also an opportunity to win a Peloton Bike and BORAhansgrohe goodie bags. The competition closes on 31st July.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/07

News Review 8 PHAM NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2023

SUMMER

OFFERS

InstallerSHOW pulls in big numbers

Now one of the biggest events on the industry calender, the InstallerSHOW has succeeded in attracting a growing number of professionals from the installer and speciﬁer communities. This year nearly 15,000 visitors ﬂocked to Birmingham’s NEC over the three days from June 27-29 to engage with exhibitors and take part in an informative live content programme focused around the future of heat, water, air and energy.

Winners of this year’s Heating Installer Awards

James Bowen of Integral Plumbing and Heating in Stafford has been crowned the winner of this year’s Heating Installer Awards. Having been recognised as regional winner for the West Midlands twice in the awards’ history, James scooped the coveted title of National Heating Installer 2023 after impressing the judges with his professionalism, problem solving, and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Commenting on his win at the InstallerSHOW, James (pictured second from left) said: “After being recognised as a regional winner for two years running, I was delighted to have received such positive feedback from the judges this year. I was extremely proud of the project I submitted and know how dedicated I am to my work, so to get some recognition felt amazing. But to win the national award is absolutely incredible – I’m speechless. Winning the national title will help me to grow my business, connect with manufacturers and do more work with others operating in the heating industry.”

Nick Irlam of Bolton-Le-Sands and owner of Irlam UK (right of picture) was awarded national runner - up, having impressed industry experts with his technical expertise and customer - centric

approach. Nick has also found success regionally in the awards prior, having overcome tough competition in the North West.

Most sustainable

This year’s Most Sustainable Installer Award, which recognises those doing all they can to minimise the impact of their work on the environment, was presented to Liam Barry of Banbury - based Custom Renewables. The judges commended Liam’s knowledge and expertise in delivering energyefficient solutions for customers, with a focus on helping them minimise their carbon footprint.

Sophie Maquire claimed the highly esteemed Rising Star award, which recognises the apprentices in the UK installer community who are training and working hard to demonstrate real commitment and high standards. Sophie wowed the judges with her dedication to problem solving and the successful outcome delivered for the customer.

As winners of the awards James, Liam and Sophie will receive industry -wide recognition and a variety of prizes from a bundle worth over £10,000 courtesy of award partners, Big Wipes, CIPHE, Danfoss, LG, Stelrad and Polypipe Building Products.

Each day, many visitors took the opportunity to take advantage of prize winning competitions and live product demonstrations. They were also able to enjoy appearances from sporting celebrities, with Stuart Pearce, Will Bayley and Frank Bruno putting aisde some time to chat to installers and being open to questions on the popular InstallerPLAZA.

Mike Costain, MD of the event organisers Lyrical Communications, says: “The appetite for InstallerSHOW from both exhibitors and visitors has allowed us to grow the event fourfold over the past

two years, and we’d like to say a big thank you to them all for their commitment and enthusiasm. We won’t be resting on our laurels, and we have huge plans for next year’s event as we continue to support the industry in delivering the solutions needed to secure a stable future.”

Among the features already announced for 2024 is the launch of Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms – which will take place alongside InstallerSHOW. It will incorporate

Campaign builds to clamp down on non-compliance

The campaign to clamp down on non-compliant circulating pumps (see last month’s cover story) continues to build with the government urged to do more to address the number of noncompliant products being imported into the UK. There are fears that Far Eastern exporters have succeeded in penetrating merchant distribution channels to target the UK, with more than 100,000 noncompliant pumps being sold in the UK every year.

The British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) has claimed that the UK is being swamped by non-compliant pumps which could be costing consumers hundreds of pounds every year on their heating bills. It is argued that the influx

could also have a serious impact on the UK’s ability to meet its net zero obligations.

Imported pumps use old - style AC motors that are generally less than half the price of permanent magnet motors equipped with microchips that save on energy by varying the speed of the pump. It is estimated that non - compliant pumps use circa 100 watts of energy compared to 30 watts for the permanent magnet design.

It is thought that the stand-alone market, where a non-condensing boiler is being used with a hot water cylinder and header tank, is the main target for non - compliant pumps. Such pumps are usually manufactured to look like genuine OEM pumps, often equipped with

immersive, dedicated content for the kitchens and bathrooms sector – with the backing of organisations including the BMA, BiKBBI, NKBA, AMDEA UK and Uniﬁed Water Label. There will also be an increased focus on electriﬁcation and the synergy between technologies such as heat pumps, solar PV, energy storage and EV charging solutions. InstallerSHOW 2024 will again be staged at the NEC and will take place from 25-27 June.

Installers are advised that legitimate pumps have a larger space between the two letters in the CE marking

fake CE markings that stand for ‘China Export’.

While it is the legal responsibility of the importer to ensure that only compliant pumps are brought into the UK, it is the distributor’s responsibility to only sell CE marked pumps and it is down to the installerto ensure that what they are ﬁtting is compliant. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/08

News Review 10 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

It’s time to stake your claim!

This year’s Energy Saving Awards is open for entries, and with 16 categories to choose from there’s plenty of opportunities for companies and industry leaders to demonstrate why they might be considered a worthy winner. Read on to find out how to be a contender for one of this year’s trophies.

The Energy Saving Awards, organised by PHAM News in partnership with our sister publication Energy in Buildings & Industry (EiBI), have been created to acknowledge the important work that has been achieved by manufacturers, installers, contractors, suppliers and organisations, to reduce carbon emissions and become more energy efficient. This year’s event will take place at the Park Plaza on the London Riverbank on 1st December.

How to

enter

Entries for the 2023 Energy Saving Awards can be submitted until 14th August using the simple online entry portal. There are 16 categories to choose from and entrants are invited to put forward their case for winning in no more than 250 - 500 words, although this can be backed up with attachments, multiple images and links to video content and websites. Nominations are also highly encouraged and can be submitted using the same online form.

Subject to meeting the necessary criteria, each entry and nomination will then proceed to the judging stage – evaluated by an independent panel of industry experts – before shortlisted finalists will be announced.

The Energy Saving Awards are free to enter and companies and individuals can enter for an award in more than one category. However, it is not permitted to enter the same product or project for multiple categories.

Here’s a list of this year’s categories and a guide to what the judges will be looking for in each category:

Domestic Installation of the Year

The award will go to the company behind any domestic refurbishment project that can be shown to have helped householders or tenants to reduce their energy consumption. Whether it involves the installation of a completely new heating system or an upgrade to an existing system, the winning project will need to demonstrate how it has enabled the users to save on energy while maintaining or enhancing their comfort levels.

Commercial Installation of the Year

The winning case study will be a commercial or industrial project that can be shown to have significantly reduced an organisation’s building or process energy use. Competition entries will need to demonstrate success in reducing energy consumption but also additional benefits.

Commercial Heating Product of the Year

To be awarded to the manufacturer or supplier of an innovative commercial heating product that will help energy managers to reduce an organisation’s heating bills. The winning product could be a complete system, individual unit or component, but entrants will need to demonstrate how it is more energy efficient than other similar products on the market.

Domestic Ventilation Product of the Year

The importance of indoor air quality has been widely

acknowledged in recent years, but an effective ventilation solution needs to improve IAQ without wasting energy. This award is open to any manufacturer or supplier of an innovative energy saving domestic ventilation product.

Commercial Ventilation Product of the Year

Open to any manufacturer or supplier of an innovative energy saving ventilation product or system designed for commercial, industrial or public sector projects. The product should demonstrate a design for greater energy efficiency but also benefits in improved indoor air quality.

Water Saving Domestic Product of the Year

With the UK’s population growth and climate change likely to put an increasing strain on the country’s water supplies, this award will look to highlight any products that might help to reduce a household’s water usage.

Water Saving Commercial Product of the Year

To be awarded to the manufacturer or supplier of an innovative product for the commercial, industrial or public sector that can be shown to help users reduce water usage.

Lighting Product of the Year

To be awarded to the manufacturer or supplier of a new energy efficient lighting product that helps to lower electricity bills without compromising on performance, as well as helping improve light quality in a commercial or industrial building.

Energy Awareness Campaign of the Year

The winner of this award will have demonstrated that an energy-saving campaign has had a measurable effect on changing attitudes and behaviour.

District Energy System Project of the Year

With district energy and heat networks forming a key element of carbon reduction, the winning entry should demonstrate not only carbon and energy saving but also wider benefits to a business and commercial area or residential properties.

Education Sector Project of the Year

With the education sector under pressure to cut costs the winning entry will show how a school, college or university has saved money through an innovative use of technology and demonstrated how this could be applied to other similar institutions.

Hospital & Health Service Project of the Year

The National Health Service has a target of hitting net zero by 2045. The winning entry will be an innovative example of how this target can be met and show the way for other health services.

Energy Saving Influencer of the Year

The award winner will be active in communicating energy saving ideas. They may have a high profile on social media platforms, be part of a commercial or public sector organisation or a leading light in a trade body or government department.

Domestic Energy Saving Product of the Year

To be awarded to the manufacturer or supplier of an innovative domestic energy saving product that will help users reduce their energy use. The winning product can be a complete system, individual unit or component.

Smart Buildings Product of the Year

The smart buildings market is booming. The organisation winning this award will have to show that their product not only saves energy but also brings wider benefits to building occupants.

Special Recognition Award

To be awarded to an individual who has been most active within the energy efficiency industry over a period of many years helping to raise awareness about the importance of energy saving.

Find out more

To enter and find out more about this year’s awards, please visit: www.energysavingawards.co.uk

Energy Saving Awards 12 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Gadgets & Tools 15

Transport tools on your back

With the launch of the Modular X18 Tool Backpack, Knipex is offering plumbers a comfortable way to carry tools, a laptop and accessories.

Able to hold up to 15kg of your stuff, the backpack beneﬁts from a fully foldable front and back, a laptop compartment, a removable tool board and back padding.

The durable fabric made from sustainable recycled synthetic ﬁbre is splash-proof and easy to clean. The waterproof 6cm high base shell made of impact-resistant plastic ensures that the backpack stands ﬁrmly on the ground when open and closed.

Weighing only 2.9kg, it is lightweight and easy to carry while providing ample tool storage options, including 21 straps, 37 pockets, and a luggage strap. The backpack also features connectors, adapters, fabric loops, and MOLLE straps for customisable tool storage. The Modular X18 is also available in a ‘plumbing edition’, which is equipped with 12 Knipex tools and a total of 17 branded tools, meeting the speciﬁc needs of the trade.

Take the microwave oven on the road with battery power

Have hot food in a hurry wherever you go with this portable microwave oven from Makita.

Driven by the company’s 40VMax XGT battery, the new MW001GZ has two output settings –500 or 350W – and the inner heating area is large enough to fit most microwave containers. It provides a continuous heating time of up to 37 minutes. To withstand tough site conditions, the oven has been manufactured with tempered door glass and is dust and water resistant.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/11

Have hot food in a hurry wherever you go with this portable microwave oven from Makita. Driven by the company’s 40VMax XGT battery, the new MW001GZ has two output settings –500 or 350W – and the inner heating area is large enough to fit most microwave containers. It provides a continuous heating time of up to 37 minutes. To withstand tough site conditions, the oven has been manufactured with tempered door glass and is dust and water resistant.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/11

Get your Formula 1 ﬁx on a range of co-banded tools

Tool manufacturer DeWalt has partnered with the McLaren Formula 1 Team to launch a limited-edition, co-branded collection of power tools, batteries, and storage solutions for installers who want their tools to have the same range of high functioning, reliable and versatile solutions as used by the McLaren F1 Team. Exclusively available at Screwﬁx, the collection includes an 18V XR brushless hammer drill driver, brushless impact driver, brushless twin kit, a ‘3 in 1’ TSTAK Tower, and a Pro Backpack.

To celebrate the launch of the new DeWalt McLaren F1 Team range, installers who purchase a qualifying product in the limited-edition range between 3rd July and 6th August 2023 can be entered for a chance to win a McLaren F1 Team VIP experience in Las Vegas.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/10

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/10

Tackle 10+ different tasks with multi-tool

PlumbShark is the name of a new 10-in-1 multi tool that conveniently ﬁts on your keyring and will perform a wide range of tasks plumbers and heating engineers face every day. Whether you’re turning off valves or bleeding radiators, tightening a screw or even popping a beer bottle, this handy little device will make sure you are prepared without the need to run to the tool bag.

Crafted from hardened 17-7 stainless steel, the PlumbShark is built to last and is offered with a lifetime guarantee. Measuring just 6.5 x 6 cm, it comes with a carabiner so you can keep it close to hand and prevent it from getting lost among other tools.

The PlumbShark is available now from HeatLab on its website and is currently being offered with free shipping via Royal Mail.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/13

The PlumbShark is available now from HeatLab on its website and is currently being offered with free shipping via Royal Mail.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/13

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/12

How to beat the heat? Try wearing a neck fan!

Now that the warm summer days are here, it’s important to find ways to keep cool, especially when working in confined spaces that don’t allow for much ventilation or relief. That’s where a neck fan comes into its own. This model delivers a 360° surround air flow to keep you cool anywhere, whether that’s under a sink or in a cramped cupboard or sweltering plant room. The three-stage wind speed is adjustable at the touch of a finger, delivering a ‘peaceful flow of air’ according to the manufacturer. It is equipped with a rechargeable 3000mAh battery and can be recharged using a USB port. With a full charge, the fan will last for up to nine hours, depending on its use.

Now that the warm summer days are here, it’s important to

find ways to keep cool, especially when working in confined spaces that don’t allow for much ventilation or relief. That’s where a neck fan comes into its own. This model delivers a 360° surround air flow to keep you cool anywhere, whether that’s under a sink or in a cramped cupboard or sweltering plant room. The three-stage wind speed is adjustable at the touch of a finger, delivering a ‘peaceful flow of air’ according to the manufacturer. It is equipped with a rechargeable 3000mAh battery and can be recharged using a USB port. With a full charge, the fan will last for up to nine hours, depending on its use.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/14

PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Gadgets & Tools 15 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

the heat? Try wearing a neck fan! Take the microwave oven on the road with

How

beat

battery power

Get your Formula 1 ﬁx on a range of co-banded tools Turn to page 53 to win one!

HORROR SHOW

Plumb App Uk users show some truly horriﬁc sights they have unearthed in the ﬁeld.

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Two new area sales managers have joined Siamp UK. Craig Finch (pictured) will cover the Midlands, while Ivan Brown will look after the South East. Craig has over 20 years sales experience in the construction industry, while Ivan joins with a wealth of experience within the national and independent plumbing merchants distribution network.

Alpha has strengthened its customer service and operations team with the appointment of James Owen as head of customer services. James will head up the department and focus on restructuring and developing the team to help manage the increase in customer call volumes and interactions, due to the recent growth and demand within the business.

New to Clivet Group UK is Kevin HarrisonEllis as head of sales. With extensive knowledge of heat pumps, Kevin has a diverse background that ranges from installing heat pumps and renewable technologies, through to branch manager at a wholesaler, and regional and renewables management roles.

Experienced building services consultant Stewart McGillivray has joined Guardian Water Treatment’s team to provide consultative support to the company’s intelligent water monitoring and treatment package, BG50i. Stewart brings considerable experience to the role, having been a member of the BSRIA steering group for the BG50 guide.

Monument Tools has expanded its management team with two new key appointments. Michaela Harper (pictured) joins from Chrisanne Clover Ltd as purchasing manager while Andy Pretious joins from Automated Packaging Systems to ﬁll the new role of operations and health and safety manager.

The Highbourne Group, the company behind such names as City Plumbing, PTS, The Bathroom Showroom and PlumbNation, has appointed Robbie Bell as its new CFO. Robbie spent almost 10 years in a similar role at Screwﬁx and joins the Group from Holland & Barrett, where he was also CFO, having held similar roles at Welcome Break and a number of large retailers.

Weatherite Air Conditioning has promoted Michael Boyles to sales director, where he will drive sales strategy and manage a team of 10 people, consisting of direct sales, agents and support personnel. He will continue to oversee the company’s key accounts including JLP, Waitrose, Tesco and M&S.

Showering specialist Lakes has named two new area sales managers. Alex Wilson (pictured) will be working with customers in the North West while Carol Wilson will be looking after the North East. With a combined 40 years experience, Alex and Carol will focus on sustainable business growth and customer service goals.

People

the Move PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Opening the doors for Scottish installers

Expanding its UK coverage, Ideal Heating has unveiled a new dedicated training facility in Scotland. Located within The Energy Training Academy, in Dalkeith near Edinburgh, it provides a modern environment to learn on its domestic and commercial boilers and heat pumps.

This latest training centre joins the company’s network of facilities, which also includes a new National Training and Technology Centre in Hessle, East Yorkshire, with a strong focus on low-carbon heating technologies.

Andrew Johnson, training

director at parent company Groupe Atlantic UK, says: “I’m delighted we have been able to collaborate with the team at The Energy Training Academy to design and unveil a fantastic training area within their facility. The training room hosts a range of our market-

College ties strengthen bond

leading heating products and enables us to offer a range of training course options for installers in the region. This includes our portfolio of heat pump products, boilers, heat interface units and controls.”

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/15

CPD puts heat pump technology in the frame

A new CIBSE-accredited CPD course has been launched by NIBE Energy Systems. It presents the role heat pumps are to play in the UK’s green energy transition, while addressing the fundamental principles behind heat pump and other low carbon technology operation.

Attendees will gain an understanding of the policy being developed and implemented to increase the installation of this technology, as well as looking at the impact this will have on indoor air quality and the environment.

Other topic areas covered include the refrigeration

cycle, heat pump performance and how this is measured, as well as an overview of ground, air, and exhaust air-heat pump technology.

NIBE says its aim is to inspire those who may be newer to the heat pump market about the significant opportunity that exists, while also helping specialists to further develop and enhance their existing skills. Those undertaking NIBE’s CPD course will also be able to use the learning hours to contribute towards their CIBSE learning and development requirements.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/16

Big bash in Burgess Hill for graduating apprentice class

Recognising the importance of training the next generation of plumbing and heating engineers, Grant UK has welcomed students from New College Swindon to its Training Academy in Wiltshire to learn about air source heat pumps, combining theory with hands-on training. The New College Swindon campus, which is situated only four miles from Grant UK’s headquarters, is striving to support its plumbing, heating and engineering students by providing them with the opportunities to learn more about the low carbon technologies that are going to play a major part in the future of home heating. The College is planning to add heat pump products to its own training facilities and has partnered with Grant UK to deliver heat pump training sessions at its Training Academy.

The training session, attended by some of New College Swindon’s students at the beginning of June, was the first such visit that the College and Grant UK hope will be repeated with other students in the future. During their visit, the students completed a two-hour learning session with Steve Ellison, Grant UK’s assistant training manager, who delivered both theory and practical training. The theory session included an introduction to air source heat pumps and how they work, as well as taking a look at the wider system considerations when it comes to installing heat pumps. The students were also able to get their hands on product as well, seeing working heat pump units in action as part of the practical element of the training.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/17

Grease is the word for updated course

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has updated the Grease Hygiene training courses covering professional standards in the ventilation hygiene sector.

The revised courses will be delivered through BESA approved training centres across the UK and are designed to help contractors comply with the industry’s specification TR19 Grease (for kitchen extract systems).

The new courses meet a growing need for training and testing focused specifically on grease hygiene operatives (GHO3) who carry out the cleaning of kitchen

extract systems. They also provide training for higher-level grease hygiene technicians (GHT3) who create risk assessments/method statements, carry out cleanliness testing/reporting, and mark out/ install extra access panels where required.

“With the fire risks posed by poorly cleaned and maintained

ventilation systems, there is a clear need for training that covers the very latest technical information and skills so ventilation hygiene specialists can provide evidence of compliance with all the key standards,” says BESA director of training and skills, Helen Yeulet.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/18

Apprentices, employers and staff came recently together at Steve Willis Training’s Burgess Hill campus to celebrate the success of 54 apprentice graduates who have completed their apprenticeships as Gas Engineering Operatives or Level 3 Installation and Maintenance Electricians.

A host of industry and local representatives joined the gathering, with Rebecca Hollamby and Rob Mallender from City & Guilds commending Steve Willis Training Centres for its continued quality training and apprenticeship support, and sponsored the Stella Willis Award. John Carter presented the Burgess Hill District Lions Award; Nigel Birch presented the Electrical Apprentice of the Year 2023, sponsored by Contactum, and Worcester Bosch sponsored the Gas Apprentice of the Year.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/19

Air source expertise for free from Warmflow

Now available from Warmflow are free air source heat pump training programmes to bridge the skills gap in the renewable energy sector. It provides comprehensive instruction and hands-on experience to give individuals the ability to install and operate these systems effectively. The initiative is designed to remove financial barriers, enabling diverse backgrounds to access highquality training and gain a competitive edge.

Warmflow says that equipping individuals with the skills to install and maintain ASHPs will enable them to actively contribute to a sustainable future. The training programme is designed to not only support the company’s mission of promoting sustainable energy solutions but also ensure that individuals are equipped with the expertise needed to excel in the renewable energy sector.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/20

18 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Training Update

How to create an effective plumbing website

A successful website plugs the gap between ﬁnishing one ideal job and ﬁnding your next one, saving you time, money and worry. Nick Jolliffe from Trades Get Online offers advice on how to make the most of an online presence to reach more potential customers.

Rather than spending days or weeks on urgent local advertising, cold calls and leaﬂet drops— or worse, having to accept jobs that you really don’t want to—a successful website can help to generate business with your ideal customers.

With the right website, you’ll be able to connect with potential customers, raise your proﬁle in your local area and grow your business.

Where to start

To create an effective plumbing and heating website, there are a number of key elements to include to help you stand out from your competitors online. A professional design that works well on a mobile is vital for today’s customers as most searches are done on mobile devices.

Clear calls to action that tell your potential customer what you want them to do, i.e. call, email or visit another page, are also crucial.

We also recommend including:

1. Specialised landing pages for each of the services you offer and the locations you work in helps to capture a larger audience.

2. Customer reviews to help build trust with potential customers.

3. Using real custom imagery of you, your team, your vans and your work instead of stock photography will also help to increase conversion rates.

4. Having an ‘Our Team’ page on your website will help to establish trust with potential customers. Listing awards, accreditations and qualiﬁcations will help to establish credibility.

On top of trends

Stay ahead of the game in 2023 with today’s leading web design trends. Simplicity and minimalism are arguably the most important trends today in website design for plumbers. A simple website will load fast, which is very important to keep people engaged and on your website, especially as most users will be looking for your

GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS USED BY GOOGLE ANALYTICS

Overall traffic:

Total number of visits to a website

Organic traffic:

Number of visits to a website from search engine results’ pages

Bounce rate:

Percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page

Average time on site: Average amount of time visitors spend on a website

Average page views per visit:

Average number of pages viewed by visitors during a session

Conversions:

Number of visitors who complete a desired action on a website (such as making a purchase or ﬁlling out a form)

Keyword rankings: How well a website ranks for speciﬁc search terms on search engine results pages

Website speed: How quickly a website loads and responds to user interactions

Broken links: Links on a website that no longer work or lead to an error page

Backlinks: Links from other websites that lead to a website, indicating its authority and credibility.

services on their mobiles. Google rewards faster loading times too as these provide a better overall experience for people, which helps you reach your target consumers faster.

Easy navigation

User experience is a critical aspect of website design for plumbers. A website that offers an enjoyable and seamless user experience can help improve the credibility of your business, increase satisfaction, and ultimately, drive more potential customers to your website. Customers often require urgent plumbing help, so it’s vital your website is easy to navigate so they can ﬁnd the information they need quickly. A well-designed website offers clear and concise information on services, pricing and contact details, making it easy for potential customers to get in touch.

Measure success

Knowing how to measure the success of your website is vital, too. With the right metrics, you’ll be able to track progress and understand what is working well and where you may need to make tweaks.

Once you’ve created your website, you can use Google’s tool, Google Analytics, to access information about how well your website is performing.

There are many different website performance metrics that you can use to measure success. See the table (left) for a glossary of key terms that you are likely to come across on Google Analytics.

Using these metrics to measure your success can help you understand how people interact with your website and how to make improvements to generate more visits, interest and people contacting you. By regularly

tracking these metrics, you can learn more about how your website is performing and update it to appeal to your potential customers.

Good content

By following these best practices, you can create an effective and successful plumbing website. Include necessary information, stay up to date with current trends and measure success to ensure your website is a successful part of achieving your business goals. Once your website is up and running, you can update it as your business grows and evolves, accessing opportunities to reach more potential customers. With a little work and dedication, you can create a website that stands out from the competition and helps your business stand out from the crowd.

Find out more

For more information on how to do this, visit Trades Get Online by using the link below: ◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/21

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Jolliffe is an experienced digital marketer and entrepreneur who has worked with the trade industry for over 20 years. He is the co-founder and director of Lion Spirit Media, a digital marketing agency specialising in digital marketing for trades, and Trades Get Online, a service developed to help plumbers and tradespeople build their online presence. Nick has a passion for helping businesses, and especially tradespeople, to make the most of digital marketing.

PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023 20 Business Matters

Nick Jolliffe Co-founder and director of Trades Get Online

Taking the next step on the career ladder

You might think recruitment agencies exist only to help employers, but specialist recruitment agencies can also help employees to take the next step in their career. Sean O’Sullivan, founder of SOS Executive Search, explains how they can help enhance your prospects.

Recruitment advice is not just for employers, or even for large businesses looking for their next middle manager. The decision to seek out a new role or new career path can be a daunting one at any point in your career, and sometimes you just need a little help to identify what you’re looking for.

Unless you’ve always been a sole trader who is happy and fulﬁlled working for yourself, there’s a high chance that you have at some point made a decision to leave a job and look for something new.

This move might have been prompted by a redundancy, or a sudden change in personal circumstances, but whatever the reason for you making the decision to look elsewhere, understanding what’s most important to you can help you identify exactly what to look for in your next role.

Why move?

The first step is to understand why you made the decision to move in the first place. Do you want a higher salary? Better benefits? Are you looking for a better work/life balance? Or to climb to the next rung on your chosen career ladder? Or, are you moving because you’re unhappy where you are? And if so, do you fully understand why?

According to the Harvard Business Review, people generally leave their jobs because

they don’t like their boss, don’t see opportunities for promotion or growth, or are offered a better role (and often higher pay).

But while you may have made the decision to seek work elsewhere, that doesn’t mean you really understand what you are looking for on more than a general level.

Working with an executive search agency, such as SOS, can help you identify the most important benefits you want to find in your new role, as well as the key skills that you can bring to any potential employer. By helping you work out what’s really important to you, we’ll be able to find you a new role that’s a much better fit, not just a stopgap or, worse, a knee-jerk reaction to wanting to leave the place you’re in.

Using our expertise, we can help you identify exactly what your goals are, and match those with the right potential employer. Then you’ll be able to join a business that will challenge you and give you valuable new skills, while also ﬁtting perfectly with your lifestyle and personal commitments, giving you a place where you can thrive for years to come.

Filling vacancies

SOS Executive Search specialises in vacancies within the HVAC, KBB and builders’ merchant sectors, and we recruit for some of the largest engineering, installation companies and building products manufacturers

in the industry. Our vacancies include a wide range of positions from Business Development Managers and Key Account Managers to C-Suite, and because we work closely with the employers, we know exactly what they are looking for, and won’t waste anyone’s time by putting your CV forward to just anyone. Instead, we’ll identify all the varied skills that the company requires – from technical qualiﬁcations to customer service skills, to so-called ‘soft skills’ such as time management, communication and critical thinking – and identify the very best candidates from our database to send to them.

No time wasting

Unlike some less-professional recruitment agencies you may have previous experience of, we won’t waste your time suggesting vacancies that bear no resemblance to the type of job you’re searching for.

We work closely with our clients to understand exactly what strengths they want to add to their team, the technical qualiﬁcations they need and the qualities that will help them enhance their business.

Our team have decades of experience working in the construction sector, so we

understand the types of people who most succeed and can work with you to identify exactly the skills and qualities you’re looking for.

I personally worked for many of the leading heating and bathroom manufacturers in the industry before I founded SOS Executive Search, and through those connections we have thousands of potential candidates on our books. We know from speaking with all of them exactly what type of role they’re looking for, and so we will always match our clients with the best possible candidates – and will ﬁnd you the best possible company with whom to take the next step on your career ladder. We specialise in the efficient headhunting of excellent candidates within the building products industry and beyond. Our breadth and depth of contacts across the UK make us uniquely positioned to help you to hire and retain the best talent. And, furthermore, our high level of client and candidate contact means we are hands-on throughout the entire process.

Find out more

Please use the link below to ﬁnd out more about SOS Executive Search and current vacancies. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/22

PHAM NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2023 22 Business Matters

Sean O’Sullivan Founder of SOS Executive Search

CMR:Layout 1 17/08/2016 10:21 Page 1

We will always match our clients with the best possible candidate – and will ﬁnd you the best possible company with whom to take the next step on your career ladder

On the road to a more sustainable future

It is widely accepted that the country needs to adopt more sustainable heating solutions, so how can installation companies best prepare to meet future customer requirements? Emma Conroy from Wolseley Plumb & Parts looks at what a specialist sustainable heating company might look like.

As the world becomes increasingly aware of the urgent need to move to more sustainable heating solutions, the heating industry is likely to undergo signiﬁcant changes in the coming years. In the UK, the government’s ambitious target of at least 600,000 annual heat pump installations by 2028 aims to deliver more sustainable heating across more households.

Lofty aims, but what about the men and women who will be responsible for installing and maintaining these systems? How achievable is this goal at the moment? And how might the heating companies of today have to adapt to achieve these targets?

Different approach

If we imagine the zero-carbon heating company of the future, the ﬁrst thing we need to understand is that future is closer than we think. New businesses are entering the market now with a completely different model, focused purely on sustainable technologies from the start. And current business owners are already considering how they can change focus. There are signiﬁcant material challenges to overcome. How is the sector going to be ready at scale?

The charity Nesta estimated last year that the UK currently only has 11% of the installer capacity it needs to hit the 2028 target. This sobering statistic makes it clear just how much work is needed to put the UK on a net-zero footing. An explicit focus on talent pipelines and apprenticeship schemes is critical to building our workforce into one that can support the future energy transition.

There are also serious structural challenges that the heating company of the future will have to meet. The fragmented, small business environment that is the trade sector will need to adapt in order to meet the needs of customers who seek sustainable heating technologies. It is clear there will be various options available, from hybrid boiler and heat pump combinations, which are already proving a great bridging technology, to fully ﬂedged heat pump solutions, hydrogen and beyond.

CUT TO THE CHASE

 It is estimated that the UK currently has just 11% of the installer capacity it needs to meet government heat pump targets

 A move to net-zero heating will need a reassessment of training and qualiﬁcations across the sector

 There are clear opportunities for installation companies to help educate consumers, many of whom will view them as a trusted source of information

 Heating companies of the future will need to be adaptable and responsive to changing market conditions

Team effort

Installers are often small businesses made up of two to three people with varying levels of qualiﬁcations – a senior person responsible for the business side, an apprentice who is developing their skills, and occasionally a contractor. A move to net-zero heating installations will require a reassessment of these qualiﬁcations across the business. The installation of heat pumps is, by its nature, a group exercise, requiring a supply chain of skills to facilitate and install – someone to survey a property to ensure it can properly accommodate a heat pump, someone to plan its installation and someone to assist with the installation of often heavy equipment. These sorts of businesses will need to adapt from the informal style that the traditional installer business often includes.

Learning curve

How can these businesses future-proof themselves?

Businesses will need to be prepared across training –upskilling current teams, recruiting new talent, as well as marketing themselves as attractive employers and qualiﬁed technically, to meet the expectations that sustainable heating companies will face in the future.

Training programmes that upskill people in new technologies and techniques will be essential to building the installer capacity needed to meet the government’s targets. Colleges are already adapting the curriculum to support government targets, but is this enough?

While businesses may well start to see apprenticeships as an attractive route to upskilling current teams and bringing in talent knowledge of zero-carbon technologies at the start, it is clear that companies may also need to invest in training and development programmes for existing staff, including vocational training programmes that speciﬁcally focus on net-zero heating solutions, to ensure they are up to date with the latest technologies and best practices.

Given the wider range of skills needed to install sustainable

heating solutions, sustainable heating companies will also need to be able to attract and retain a diverse range of talent. This may mean developing employer branding and talent attraction strategies that appeal to people with an interest in sustainable energy and the environment. Companies must also offer competitive salaries, benefits, and work environments that attract and retain skilled workers. This is especially relevant at a time when only one in five people who are pursuing plumbing and heating qualifications move on to take up apprenticeships.

Talking to customers

Product focused marketing will also be crucial for sustainable heating companies. With more and more people looking for net-zero heating solutions, companies that can effectively market their products and services to this growing market will be well-positioned to succeed. This may involve building relationships with online consumer job posting platforms and suppliers, partnering with other companies, and leveraging social media and other digital channels to reach potential customers.

A recent survey conducted by Wolseley showed that only 13% of people trust the government to provide clear and fair advice as regards their future heating options, with 74% favouring

their local independent trader or specialist provider. There are clear opportunities here for installers and providers to step up and educate their customer base.

Smart solutions

The technology that supports the heating industry is also changing. While the sector has been seen as adopting technological advancements more slowly than other markets, there are now numerous job management software solutions that enable installers to work quicker and smarter with both their supply chain, back office administration and the needs of their customers.

The businesses embracing this type of technology as well as shifting to provide customers with a wider choice of heating technologies will be the ones giving themselves the best possible start in the UK’s energy transition.

Ultimately, the heating companies of the future will need to be adaptable and responsive to changing market conditions and customer needs. They will need to embrace new technologies, develop new business models, and build strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. By doing so, they will be well-positioned to thrive in an increasingly sustainable future.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/23

PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Emma Conroy Proposition development director, Wolseley Plumb & Parts

Renewable Energy

It is clear there will be various options available, from hybrid boiler and heat pump combinations, which are already proving a great bridging technology, to fully ﬂedged heat pump solutions, hydrogen and beyond.

Renewable Energy

The future of heating in rural homes

Ground source heat pumps can play a signiﬁcant role in helping to reduce the carbon emissions of rural properties off the gas grid. Jonathan Hancock from NIBE Energy Systems highlights the reasons why they represent a viable solution.

There are over 1 million off gas grid fossil fuel heated homes in England. These homes use some of the highest carbon heating fuels, including oil and coal. The government aims to phase out off gas grid fossil fuel heating from 2026, meaning if you are not yet offering your customers appropriate low carbon options, your time is running out.

At NIBE, we believe GSHPs are a strong option for off grid homes, and a fantastic opportunity for installers looking to diversify their offering.

No restrictions

Despite some common misconceptions, a recent government study found that there is no property type or architectural era that is unsuitable for a heat pump. Older, rural properties can be effectively heated by heat pumps and, while challenges may exist in some homes, these are all manageable with careful consideration.

Heat pump systems are beginning to draw attention across the UK as we seek

innovative ways to meet our net zero targets. Not only is the government considering policy mechanisms to phase out high carbon fuels, but consumer interest in low carbon heating systems is also increasing.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which gives a £6000 grant for ground source heat pumps (GSHP), is experiencing higher engagement from off gas grid homes than the UK average and the numbers suggest that some 25% of the ground source heat pumps being installed under the scheme are replacing oil boilers.

Reliable option

more effective heating system management.

Reliable option

GSHPs are attractive to off gas grid customers because they are more reliable than alternatives – they are unaffected by cold outdoor ambient air temperatures and so maintain efficiency regardless of outside conditions. This is because the ground temperature stays consistent throughout the year at around 10°C.

Additionally, heat pumps are immune to volatile oil prices, and so provide stable running costs for consumers. They also require less maintenance than comparable fossil fuel systems, saving call-out time for installers.

GSHPs are also incredibly versatile, taking heat from multiple sources, including the

ground, lakes and mineshafts. NIBE’s GSHP range can also be connected to solar PV-T panels for even higher energy efficiency. For ease of installation, GSHPs have more ﬂexible siting options compared to oil tanks as there is no requirement to ensure safe termination of ﬂue gases.

ground, lakes and mineshafts.

NIBE’s GSHP range can also be connected to solar PV-T panels for even higher energy efficiency. For ease of installation, GSHPs have more ﬂexible siting options compared to oil tanks as there is no requirement to ensure safe termination of ﬂue gases.

Households adopting GSHPs also beneﬁt from longer lifespans of over 20 years compared to other heating solutions, with boreholes remaining efficient for well over 50 years.

In addition, the cost of retrofitting a GSHP at the end of its life is comparable to other heating systems. Running costs are significantly lower with GSHPs too. Green levies have been removed from electricity bills and will be further reduced through the government’s ambition to rebalance electricity prices to incentivise the electrification of heat. This will further increase demand for GSHP installations as customers will experience even greater energy savings.

Information is power

We also recognise that the commissioning process for a heat pump can require frequent adaptations to ensure the install is set up correctly. Constant on-site visits are often not practical for installers and increase costs. That’s why we have created a GSHP range where installers can remotely monitor and troubleshoot performance through the MyUplink pro app. Additionally, to overcome cylinder placement issues, the NIBE S1255 GSHPs comes with a built-in hot water cylinder to deliver a more compact installation.

Making the switch

Oil installers wishing to diversify into heat pump technology before the fossil fuel heating phase-out date will also be in a stronger position to take advantage of subsidies and incentives aimed at deploying the technology at scale. The benefits of retraining early don’t stop there. With a small majority of oil engineers still taking their first steps in the UK heat pump industry, installers retraining now benefit from a larger market share, with greater demand from consumers.

Making the switch

Consumers are increasingly looking for ways to manage their heating systems more efficiently to save them money, and so our GSHPs provide performance information to consumer’s smart devices for

Information is power

Consumers are increasingly looking for ways to manage their heating systems more efficiently to save them money, and so our GSHPs provide performance information to consumer’s smart devices for

Our NIBE Pro scheme is a perfect example of the industry supporting upskilling, with training costs fully redeemable against product purchases through our voucher scheme. The scheme also provides industry leading training and support, and we are conﬁdent that its competitive price point will be further bolstered by the recently announced £5 million Heat Training Grant to those wanting to train to install our heat pumps.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/24

Jonathan Hancock Product manager at NIBE Energy Systems

26 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

GSHPs are a strong option for off grid homes and a fantastic opportunity for installers looking to diversify their offering

Jonathan Hancock Product manager at NIBE Energy Systems

26 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

GSHPs are a strong option for off grid homes and a fantastic opportunity for installers looking to diversify their offering

More product innovations coming down the pipeline

Much of Continental Europe has ventured further down the renewables road than the UK, but Kentbased heating manufacturer Alpha, thanks to its Italian parent company Immergas, has access to some advanced renewable technologies designed to suit environmentally conscious lifestyles. The company’s MD Andrea Carmeli explores some of the innovations likely to be available to UK installers in the near future.

Today, around 50% of all energy consumed in the EU is used for heating and cooling (70% of which still derives from fossil fuels) and approximately 80% of its domestic energy consumption fuels space and water heating. EU policies are in place to deliver secure, sustainable and affordable energy for all – and legislation by the European Commission has driven cuttingedge research and innovations with the aim of preserving Europe’s natural environment.

Tackling global warming and the continuing energy crisis head on, the EU has ambitious plans to become not only a climateresilient society, but also the ﬁrst climate-neutral continent by 2050. And while the UK has its own creditable targets, it is proving slower to adopt some of the necessary changes – whether in technology, infrastructure or even lifestyle – which are needed for green growth.

In some ways, many countries on the Continent have had a head start on the renewables road. Take heat pumps for example. The EU’s ‘REPowerEU’ plan has set out to install at 20 million of them by 2027. For UK homeowners, installing renewable appliances has proved a challenge – whether logistically or technically.

Citizens of Europe’s warmer nations, however, are well-accustomed to this concept thanks to necessary airconditioning units long attached to their home’s façade.

In my home country of Italy, heat pumps are widely used, hydrogen testing is developing at pace and the Italian government in 2020 offered to pay back each homeowner 110% of building costs to convert their existing home into an ecofriendly residence.

Tried and tested

In short, there is much that Britain can learn from tried and tested tactics and tech deployed on the Continent. This is where Alpha as a heating manufacturer in the UK sets itself apart. Our product innovation derives from our family-run parent company, Immergas. Established in Italy and operating in 30 countries worldwide, the group is strongly geared to playing a vital role in shaping the future of climate control technologies.

The Immergas HQ covers an area almost the size of Windsor Castle and houses some of the most advanced manufacturing, research and development facilities in the world. Throughout its 60 years, the company has been at the forefront of cutting edge innovation across a range of

HVAC products including heat pumps, hybrid systems, fan coil units, thermal solar systems, pellet/biomass boilers and traditional/condensing boilers.

Growing ecological awareness has stimulated Immergas to further improve the performance of its products by designing innovative solutions for every type of living context. One Immergas initiative has been HyPOWERED, a research project co-funded by the EU and contributed to by the University of Pisa’s department of civil and industrial engineering and industrial research lab MISTER Smart Innovation.

Hydrogen ready

Kickstarted in 2020, Immergas invested millions of Euros into this project – the goal being to produce new models of lowpolluting domestic condensing boilers for hydrogen-methane gas mixtures. As a result, all of our traditional boilers brought to the UK market since 2022 have been hydrogen-ready, running on natural gas in the usual way until a hydrogen mix is rolled out.

Being part of the Immergas family has given us direct access to the insights and outcomes of countless research projects, partnerships and investments such as these mentioned here. With almost 60 years of innovation at our disposal, we have been able to indulge our passion in product innovation and we are extremely proud to have earlier this year launched the UK’s ﬁrst packaged hybrid heat pump solution – the E-Tec Hybrid – for the domestic market.

Our conﬁdence in this product stems from the depth of research used in its development,

along with its success in the likes of Italy, Germany and the Netherlands where hybrid systems have been available on the market for over 10 years. Heat pump uptake in the UK has been slow. Those who have installed a heat pump have generally been those with more disposable income. What we need is to see more of the general population embracing renewable energy – however the investment is out of reach for many households; and, sadly, this is where the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme has fallen short.

For this reason, we have focused on looking at solutions not only for the future, but for right now. We are doing this by developing ever more efficient gas boilers, by training installers in renewables and by helping the UK ‘transition’ to clean energy. As we see it, factorymade hybrid systems are key in supporting that transition as they are designed for households that want to take advantage of both traditional and renewable energy sources.

Range of options

We all need to embrace zero carbon heating as soon as we possibly can – but we know the gas boiler will be part of UK homes for some years yet. With Immergas’ support, our mission is to promote renewable technologies and environmentally conscious lifestyles via a range of options to ﬁt either the suitability of the property, or the appetite of the homeowner – whether through traditional boilers with enhanced efficiency ratings, hybrid solutions or full electric heat pumps.

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28 Renewable Energy PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Andrea Carmeli MD of Alpha UK  Hybrid solutions available from Immergas include heat pumps with integrated solar PV panels and solar thermal systems combined with 160 litre storage tanks for economical hot water production

Independence day with solar

With the cost of living crisis squeezing household finances, people are looking for energy solutions, and Custom Heat has seen a run on enquiries into its solar packages. Here, Lincoln Smith explains how the company is helping customers achieve independence with free energy from the sun.

As the cost of living crisis continues to impact households across the nation, we here at Custom Heat have seen a sharp rise in the number of people installing solar hybrid generators for their homes. With enquiries up by 400% in the past year, it’s clear that householders are looking for ways to make their homes more sustainable - and cut their exposure to spiraling energy prices.

I have nicknamed the system ‘HyGridders’, as people are using a hybrid of solar power generation for most of their energy needs, but linking back ‘onto the grid’ when they need to. In short, it is empowering homeowners to take control of their energy costs.

With the huge rise in enquiries and sales of these systems, it seems as though once one household has it on a street, many of their neighbours follow suit. With the rising prices of electricity and the need for sustainable alternatives, we are using our expertise in energy solutions to help homeowners mitigate the financial strain and reduce their carbon footprint through innovative solutions.

HyGridders explained

Our solar hybrid generators are designed to harness the power of the sun, offering a clean, renewable, and cost-effective source of energy for homes. By combining solar energy with efficient battery storage systems and intelligent energy management solutions, these generators enable homeowners to produce and store their electricity. This means reduced reliance on the national grid and the ability to avoid peak energy prices, resulting in substantial savings on energy bills.

Solar hybrid generators provide a practical and sustainable solution for reducing energy costs and achieving greater energy independence. But in addition to cost savings, they offer environmental benefits by promoting clean energy generation. By choosing this eco-friendly solution, homeowners contribute to a greener future and help combat climate change.

p Installing the solar photovoltaic panels, giving the homeowner ‘free’ electricity, with the excess stored in a battery to reduce reliance on the grid

q Putting the final touches on the installation of Custom Heat’s HyGridder solution, which marries up solar power with a storage battery

Sunny solution in Coventry

A recent installation by Custom Heat in Coventry has helped a homeowner overcome the soaring cost of heating by installing a sustainable solution that will alleviate the financial strain and provide long-term benefits. Claire Jordan turned to Custom Heat for assistance, which recommended a solar hybrid generator. Impressed by the potential cost savings and eco benefits, Claire asked Custom Heat to proceed with the installation, despite the upfront cost.

Now, with the solar hybrid generator installed in her home, Claire says she is already reaping the rewards with a significant difference in her energy bills, and she looks forward to a bigger impact in the winter months when heating costs typically escalate. Claire believes that

The generators also provide back up power during grid outages, ensuring uninterrupted energy supply and peace of mind for homeowners. We take a personalised approach to every installation, tailoring the solar hybrid generator system to the specific needs and requirements of each home. Our team of experts conduct a comprehensive assessment, considering factors such as energy consumption patterns, available roof space, and geographical location

ABOUT THE COMPANY

the investment will pay off in the next 12 months, bringing substantial savings.

“I’m thrilled with the installation of the solar hybrid generator. Already, I can see a noticeable reduction in my energy bills. I had it installed in the spring, and I can’t wait to witness the dramatic drop in my energy bill at the end of each month, especially when winter arrives, which is when I think I will see the full effect.”

to design the most efficient and effective solution for homeowners.

With the cost of living crisis continuing to squeeze household budgets, our solar hybrid generators offer a lifeline for homeowners seeking relief from rising energy costs. By embracing renewable energy and taking control of their electricity production, homeowners can make significant savings while making a positive impact on the environment.

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Founded over 40 years ago in Rugby, Custom Heat Ltd is a family run company that specialises in all aspects of HVAC, including renewables, with a presence in 20 cities and towns across England.

30 Renewable Energy PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Lincoln Smith MD of Custom Heat

Lower kW models join the range

Lower output variants have been added to Viessmann’s Vitocal 150-A/151-A domestic air source heat pump range. The 4, 6 and 8 kW models complement the existing 10, 13 and 16kW heat pumps launched last year, providing a wider choice of outputs and allowing heating modernisation projects suited to a broader range of properties.

All Vitocal 150-A/151-A models provide heating and cooling. Both the wall-mounted Vitocal 150-A and the floor-standing Vitocal 151-A with integral 190-litre DHW cylinder have a maximum

Renewable Energy

Portable solar solution

flow temperature of 70°C. If a property’s existing cylinder is not suitable, then the Vitocal 151-A comes with an integral cylinder as a convenient replacement.

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flow temperature of 70°C. If a property’s existing cylinder is not suitable, then the Vitocal 151-A comes with an integral cylinder as a convenient replacement.

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Add a battery for the complete package

A partnership between Trianco and Sunamp means installers will be able to install a heat pump and heat battery combo as part of a renewable energy package. By matching its ActivAir heat pumps with Sunamp’s Thermino heat batteries, Trianco’s packaged solution is said to be simple to specify, procure and install. Thanks to the compact size of the heat battery and reduced number of components, the ActivAir Plus package is easy to handle and arrives on one single pallet, reducing packaging waste and simplifying logistics.

Trianco will be offering free product training at its Rotherham base along with subsidised MCS training through NAPIT training centres.

The S400 solar collector by SolarisKit is a flat-packable solar collector that can be assembled in 30 minutes without the need of any tooling, to supply the energy for hot water generation. Suitable for a range of applications, from camp sites and swimming pools to homes and businesses, the collector is certified to Keymark EN12975/ISO 9806.

In most standard weather conditions, the device is claimed to be capable of heating water to temperatures of up to 50°C. Sunlight enters the collector through transparent side panels and strikes the black internal coil, which is then heated through solar radiation. Water is then circulated through the coil using a small pump. From there, the heated water is circulated around the coil in an insulated solar hot water cylinder. Top up can be provided through the night by either a programmable immersion heater or boiler.

Each floor standing collector has a footprint of 540mm2 on a base with a height of 454mm. They are delivered flat packed for easy transportation.

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Trianco will be offering free product training at its Rotherham base along with subsidised MCS training through NAPIT training centres.

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Each floor standing collector has a footprint of 540mm2 on a base with a height of 454mm. They are delivered flat packed for easy transportation.

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PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Renewable Energy

Hot water, heating and cooling

The Aquarea K Generation of heat pumps from Panasonic now includes an All in One unit (right of picture) to provide heating, cooling, and hot water production.

Available in T-CAP and High Performance variants, these compact units (with a footprint of 598 x 600mm) offer reduced noise levels, and a sleek design which can be lined up against other big appliances such as refrigerators or washing machines. Thanks to its low height, it can also be installed with a ventilation unit on top.

As well as supplying efficient heating, the unit generates domestic hot water and stores it inside a 185-litre stainless steel tank with U-Vacua insulation to reduce energy losses.

The Aquarea K Generation is available in

Paired with a smart control

The heat pump range from Alpha has been expanded with the addition of the Alpha Hydro, a single-phase solution which pairs with a pre-plumbed 210-litre cylinder and Smartech controls. With a built-in weather compensation probe, it ensures precise monitoring of inside and outside temperatures, keeping the desired levels of heat in the property constant without any fluctuations. The Smartech controller enables app-based remote control, allowing users to remotely programme their heating systems to suit their lifestyle and desired comfort levels.

To save installation time, the preplumbed cylinder assembly comes fitted with a fully wired control panel.

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T-CAP ranging from 9 to 12kW single phase, designed to keep total capacity even at extremely cold outdoor temperatures. These models are said to be ideal for replacing gas or oil boilers and for connecting to new underfloor heating.

The High Performance variant is suitable for new installations and low consumption homes, delivering effective heating, cooling, and year-round hot water with minimised CO2 emissions.

The new units have a SCOP of up to 5.12 and utilise R32 refrigeration. They are capable of delivering water outlet temperatures of up to 60°C even when outdoor temperatures are as low as -10°C.

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Monobloc units offer simplicity of installation

The Enviroair air source heat pumps from Firebird are available in single phase outputs from 7.5 to 16kW. Featuring a single monobloc unit which is installed outside the property, the range provides a compact and space saving solution. Installers can take advantage of Firebird’s Technical Hub which offers support with the planning and installation by providing a free home heating consultation and technical support package. The service ensures that important warranty criteria are met and helps keep compliant with MCS requirements. The heat pump can be installed with Firebird’s Envirocyl quick plumb unit and the Enviroair underfloor heating and ventilation system.

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Backup storage

The eSTOR from Unitherm is a new phase change material (heat battery) that functions as a thermal energy storage cylinder and heat battery system. It comes in 5 and 10kW variants and is designed for use with low temperature heat pumps, but is also compatible with other heat sources like boilers and solar PV systems. The eSTOR provides emergency backup storage for thermal energy and enables load shifting ability to help reduce energy costs by using lower tariffs.

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Complete package solution

A new comprehensive heat pump support package has been launched by Baxi to offer installers everything they need for a smooth installation, including cylinders, controls, training, enhanced warranty options, nationwide commissioning, and aftersales support. The new Baxi HP40 monobloc air source heat pump range is available in outputs from 4 to 13kW and is designed for use with the Baxi ASHP cylinder. It is supplied with a magnetic filter as standard, and DC inverter technology maximises energy-efficient operation. The new Baxi ASHPs also come with enhanced warranty options up to five years.

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PHAM NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2023

Renewable Energy

Easing the installation

THOM is the name of a new government-funded project that aims to simplify the installation process for heat pump installers and help consumers understand how heat pumps can beneﬁt them.

The Total Home Optimisation Management (THOM) project will develop a specialised Home Energy Management System

Renewable Energy

(HEMS) supported by software that will simplify the sizing and installation of heat pumps, making the process more efficient and reducing the need for multiple engineer visits.

Smart meter and occupancy data from within the home will be used to develop insights into the fabric efficiency before installation, with all outcomes gathered into AI solutions to streamline the heat pump installation, reduce any survey requirements, improve system

Upgrades deliver beneﬁts

The F2050 air source heat pump has been upgraded by NIBE to improve its performance while maintaining the compact and sleek design of its predecessor. The new model utilises the climate-friendly refrigerant R32 to minimise its global warming potential (GWP), achieving high Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) levels up to 4.87, ensuring efficient operation, even in climates as cold as -20°C.

The F2050 also beneﬁts from quite operation, with a nominal sound power as low as 53dB(A), and carries an A+++ energy rating,

reﬂecting its sustainability. The upgraded models will be available in two output sizes: F2050-6 and F2050-10, with the F2040-12 and the F2040-16 sizes still on the market.

Additionally, they are compatible with NIBE’s S-series modules for energy management and connectivity, allowing homeowners to control their heating system through the myUplink app. Installers can also beneﬁt from remote diagnostics and fault ﬁnding using the myUplink PRO app.

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Heat pumps from Vaillant can now beneﬁt from automated solar energy usage thanks to a partnership with SolarEdge Technologies. Vaillant heat pumps now work within the SolarEdge Home ecosystem, which analyses solar generation, energy consumption, and optimal energy usage based on rates and preferences. The technology enables householders to maximise the use of excess PV for

performance and offer minimum disruption to the consumer.

The project also aims to enhance customer conﬁdence in heat pump technology, by providing them with a user-friendly app that offers personalised insights into energy usage and management.

THOM is part of the government’s Heat Pump Ready programme and has been awarded £763k funding by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

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their heat pumps.

The Local Controller, as part of the SolarEdge Home offering, will support Vaillant Heat pump integration via EEBUS.

Alfred Karlstetter, general manager of SolarEdge Europe, comments: “Smart homes have mainly been about convenience and interconnectivity, but the next step is building a comprehensive and integrated ecosystem.

“By merging home devices with the value of smart solar energy through this integration with Vaillant, we are leading the way in making the power of smart solar energy more accessible, intuitive and convenient for more people.”

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PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Excess solar power goes to heat pump The perfect temperature for beverages instantly No residual water in the tap Compact and very slimline design Available at all major wholesalers No burst of steam when drawing water With special HOT 3in1 kitchen tap as standard Childproof push & turn mechanism www.stiebel-eltron.co.uk sales@stiebel-eltron.co.uk 0151 346 2300

Heavy duty macerators deliver

The Sanibest Pro, a heavy-duty macerator suitable for heavy usage in public or commercial environments from Saniflo UK, is helping the residents of Eastbourne provide valuable services to people in need out of a large, four-storey Art Deco building in the centre of the town. As temporary custodians of the building, the Living Life Eastbourne charity provides a community hub, including an affordable café, which required a new, accessible WC, basin and baby-changing unit. Access to mains drainage would have required digging up a solid concrete floor, creating an expensive, time-consuming inconvenience.

The solution was a powerful Sanibest Pro, a robust unit that caters to the demands of public space, installed behind the WC. The pipework runs behind a false wall and goes up and across the ceiling of a corridor behind the newly created bathroom, dropping down into a gravity-fed drainage pipe and drain that connects to a streetlevel sewer.

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Donation of modern boilers for charity

The Hull and East Yorkshire Centre for the Deaf has benefitted from Stratton mk3 wall-hung condensing boilers, donated by Hamworthy Heating, to replace the charity’s existing, faulty boiler. Tucker Mechanical and Electrical Building Services evaluated the heating requirements and recommended the Stratton mk3 for its efficiency

Project moves college closer to net zero

Eight heat pumps provided by Banbury-based manufacturer Lochinvar are helping South Devon College progress its net zero carbon emissions ambitions. The college upgraded its heating and hot water system and incorporated the Lochinvar heat pumps to provide 1.6 MW of heating for the site.

and cost-saving benefits. The 70kW model with a 95.5% gross seasonal efficiency features an integral sequence controller, 5:1 turndown and quiet operation. Also supplied were two

frame and header kits to increase the overall output of the boiler system up to 140kW, a plate heat exchanger, pressurisation unit and an expansion vessel.

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This involved making significant changes to the existing heating system supplying the campus so it would work with renewable technologies.

Lochinvar worked closely with

the contractor Mitie Facilities Management of Cardiff and provided extensive advice to help them design and specify the most appropriate system.

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Action 34 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Products in

What do UK consumers want in their bathroom?

As bathroom installers know, what pleases one customer is not necessarily going to please another, but there are certain design trends that are likely to be a cornerstone of any current refurbishment project. Here’s a guide to some of the latest ideas that should help to ensure your customer’s bathroom is bang up to date.

While many UK households may have had to tighten their budgets this year, most consumers still want their bathroom to be more than just a functional room to dash in and out of before getting on with the day. They will be happy to invest in products that will help to add style and comfort, and take up design ideas that will enhance one of the most important rooms in the home. So what are some of the key trends to look out for?

1. Natural Materials

With most consumers looking to minimise their impact on the environment, it is not surprising that sustainability and the use of natural materials, such as ceramics, wood and stone, are viewed as being increasingly important to any bathroom design project. Marble and wood are two tactile materials which offer an opportunity to showcase unique markings and details and work well together, with wood providing texture and warmth while contrasting with a cold marble surface. The use of plants and foliage represents another popular bathroom trend, helping to create a sense of sanctuary, as consumers recognise the psychological beneﬁts of being closer to nature.

2. Smart technology

As in other areas of the modern home, smart technology is likely to be a big feature of both current and future bathrooms, enhancing the user’s experience and providing extra comforts and convenience. Much of the technology is already available, of course, including LED mirrors with integrated touch screens, voice-activated lighting and temperature control and music devices which can be safely operated from the comfort of a hot bath or shower. For those who want to save on water and keep track of their energy bills, the latest smart showers can help to limit time under the showerhead and will also provide facts and ﬁgures on hot water usage.

 Featuring soft curves and smooth lines, Lily is a new ceramic range from PJH’s Bathrooms to Love brand

 Duravit’s HygieneGlaze and open rim design ensures that toilets are hygienic and easy to clean

3. Paint it black

Whether designing showers, brassware, shower enclosures or bathroom furniture, manufacturers know that they would be missing out on a sizeable slice of the market if they were not to produce a black coloured option. Matt black has been the dominant colour of numerous product launches in the last few years as consumers and designers appear to have ﬁnally tired of the all-white aesthetic. And now other bold colours are predicted to come on stream as UK consumers look to mix things up with more striking and uplifting ﬁnishes.

4. Warm metallics

Offering a further touch of colour in the bathroom are brushed metallic ﬁnishes, such as brushed gold and bronze, which provide an alternative to polished chrome and produce

warmer tones and a softer style to rooms which can otherwise look too bright and clinical. Having gained popularity in kitchens, gunmetal is another ﬁnish that is set to feature more heavily in the modern bathroom, said to represent a soft industrial style and providing a foundation for other more vibrant colours.

5. Wall panelling

Quick to fit and easy clean, wall panelling is an increasingly popular alternative to tiles and presents another opportunity for homeowners to make a style statement that reflects their individual preferences. The grout-free solution, which can be fitted over existing tiles if required, can help to create a feature wall in the bathroom and come in a wide choice of patterns and intricate designs which would be something of a challenge to replicate with tiles.

6. Improved hygiene

Reﬂecting the lasting impact of the recent pandemic, it is not too surprising that many consumers are taking hygiene more seriously throughout the home, and the bathroom is a natural focus of attention. Manufacturers have responded to concerns by offering an increasing number of products that come with an anti-bacterial glaze, while there has also been a growth in demand for bidet-style toilets or smart WCs which promise the user the ultimate in cleanliness, hygiene and comfort.

7. Curved design

Linked to a desire to create more welcoming interiors, there has been a general trend that favours softer ﬂowing lines around the home, and the bathroom is no exception. Moving away from linear lines and sharp angles, the modern bathroom is characterised by more curves and rounded edges which offer a softer feel and help to create a more inviting space. The trend towards gently rounded sanitaryware has been supported by similar curvaceous designs in brassware and bathroom furniture.

8. Freestanding baths

Perhaps not an option for every home, but a freestanding bath is an easy way to add a touch of luxury for properties blessed with a more spacious bathroom. For those favouring a more traditional look, one of the most popular freestanding options is the claw-foot bath, which stands on four feet, as opposed to some contemporary freestanding baths that sit ﬂush on the ground or on a pedestal. Larger bathtubs are also proving to be a popular investment, inviting the user to stretch out and relax in the sanctuary of a steaming soak.

9. Japandi aesthetics

Japandi bathroom ideas are said to be bigger than ever as homeowners strive to create calm and minimalist spaces. Japandi style, a blend of Scandinavian and Japanese interior inﬂuences, encourages the use of natural materials and combines minimalist design with faultless functionality. The use of clever, hidden storage solutions results in less clutter in the bathroom and helps to create a calmer, more relaxing environment.

10. Chequered tiles

An increasingly popular feature on either ﬂoors or walls, the two-tone checkerboard look appears to be back in fashion. The classic design staple adds pattern and colour to a bathroom, whether using traditional white and black tiles or contrasting, more muted shades that can help to achieve a softer, warmer look. Large tiles are another big bathroom trend. Not only do they make a small space appear bigger, but they also provide a luxurious, hotel feel and offer the additional practical advantage of being easier to clean than smaller tiles.

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Bathroom Products 35 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

 The new Pulsify Planet Edition hand-shower from Hansgrohe saves on energy and has been made from recycled plastic

Saving water in the shower really adds up

With the rising cost of water and the energy needed to heat it, customers will be looking for ways to use less of both, and installers are in a great position to recommend showerheads that offer sustainability without sacriﬁcing performance. Methven’s Chris Billingham explains more.

As the world continues to move towards a culture where sustainability and environmental concerns are more important than ever, installers and their customers are having increasingly frequent conversations on these topics.

This is a huge step towards wider sustainability targets and changing habits, however the picture isn’t always too clear as to what people can do to play their part. Installers will always be crucial inﬂuencers to consumers, who are becoming more savvy to the environmental impact of their homes. Not only does this help preserve water as a precious resource, but there are ﬁnancial considerations for the end user to be aware of.

In April, water bills were subject to the biggest increase in almost 20 years, creating yet another ﬁnancial issue for individuals and businesses across the UK to come to terms with. According to industry

body Water UK, the annual bill for an average household in England and Wales will hit £446, meaning if it wasn’t the case already, all eyes are going to be on ways to cut down on bills where possible.

Market shift

There is good news, however. The bathroom products market has shifted in response to the cost-of-living crisis, so that there are products can offer the highest level of performance without any compromise to the user experience, both of which are achievable in tandem, despite the difficult economic climate.

While efficiency, performance and cost have always been a tricky trio to balance, Methven’s unrivalled experience offers customers products which provide performance without compromise at a time when it is needed most. Detailed, actionable information as to how a simple change can lead to a bigger impact isn’t too difficult to ﬁnd, either.

Methven has recently launched two Water Saving Calculators, one built around the requirements of consumers and one focusing on the hotel industry. The online calculator for homeowners and installers enables users to select the showerhead they wish to use and tailor calculations according to household water usage.

 Methven’s Satinjet Range includes the Kiri MK2 Cool To Touch Bar Shower

cost savings and £373 in energy cost savings.

This information takes seconds to pull together and gives an easy-to-understand picture of how a simple change can have a huge financial impact. The water savings calculator is based on comparing an 8L/per minute and 5.7L/per minute flow rate against an average flow rate of 15L/per minute.

The hospitality calculator allows users to specify the total amount of rooms in their space, as well as occupancy rate, shower water usage in litres per minute, combined water and sewage cost and gas costs. From there it provides water savings in litres, total cost savings and a ROI/payback time estimate.

Get an edge

Featuring a savings breakdown where customers can view the payback period for their chosen showerhead, the interactive calculator also provides tradespeople with an opportunity to recommend Methven showerheads as a worthwhile investment.

Additionally, to assist new homeowners, speciﬁers can conﬁdently position the interactive calculator as a means to reduce ongoing costs. Were a user to factor in a four-person household, where each member of the household took seven showers per week, they can then assess how much money they could save by using a range of our shower handsets.

Calculating savings

Intuitive, informative, and practical, it utilises details such as the number of people in a household, existing shower ﬂow rate and showering time, before advising a suitable handset to reduce water bills – we have seen in many cases that household costs can be reduced by up to £400 a year, which would almost completely negate the proposed average increase according to Water UK.

For example, the Satinjet Maku handset would contribute to annual water cost savings of £197 and energy cost savings of £269. The annual water saving total would come in at 65,583 litres, while energy savings would total 2609 kWh.

Our Aio Aurajet Aio S handset would provide an even brighter picture, with a combined savings estimate of £646 per year, based on £274 in water

Our production here at Methven is driven by the need to future-proof homes and reduce water and energy usage, all without any compromise on performance.

While focusing on creating the perfect balance of leadingedge water technology and enduring style, Methven’s innovative edge means that we hold three of six worldwide patents for showering technology.

This again points to the fact there really is no need for compromise of any sort to achieve high performance in a sustainable manner.

We are committed to conserving energy and water around the world to protect the planet for generations to come. Installers can trust us to deliver at an affordable price, with easy-to-install products during a difficult ﬁnancial climate. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/42

CUT TO THE CHASE

 With prices on the rise for both water and energy, consumers are looking for ways to save on both

 Methven’s water calculator offers an easy way to determine possible savings based on a customer’s particular details

 A change in handset can go a long way towards cutting a household’s water consumption

 The hospitality sector can also beneﬁt from the Water Saving Calculator

Bathroom Products 36 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Chris Billingham Head of marketing and innovation at Methven  The Aio Aurajet offers water savings without loss of performance

The online calculator enables users to select the showerhead they wish to use and tailor calculations according to household watre usage

Bathroom Products 38

Ideal for small spaces

With many homeowners looking to maximise every centimetre of their small bathroom design, bathroom installers can use bathroom wall panels to achieve a space which balances eye-catching aesthetics with full functionality. Keely Greenhalgh from Mermaid highlights the key beneﬁts.

The prevalence of small bathrooms and the demand for refurbishing en suites and compact bathrooms are on the rise, driven by the need to optimise limited space while navigating the challenges of the current cost-of-living crisis. It therefore comes as no surprise that homeowners are seeking cost-effective solutions that make the most of every inch in their bathrooms.

With a growing interest in alternatives to traditional tiles, such as wall panels, installers can help their customers to transform small bathrooms into functional and visually appealing spaces without breaking the bank. So how exactly can the beneﬁts of bathroom wall panels be leveraged for a smaller space?

Speedy solution

For those looking to replicate the look of a tiled surface, but with a quicker installation process, wall panelling represents an ideal solution. Finishes imitating stone and concrete tiles and various pattern options make simple or bold tile designs possible in a small bathroom. With no need for grout, homeowners are left with a space which is a lot easier to maintain once the installation is complete. It is also now perfectly viable to use panelling which

comes in a variety of different sizes with postformed edges, which can be adapted for horizontal and vertical applications. This ﬂexibility means bathroom ﬁtters can implement various design applications such as vanity units which hide pipework, and even windowsills. In a compact space, this potential to use one material for a whole host of design features makes for a project which is both easy on the eye and budget-friendly too.

Letting the light in

When it comes to aesthetics, lighter colour palettes which maximise the use of natural light will always lend themselves best to bathrooms where space may be at a premium. Scandinavian design is therefore expected to remain a popular bathroom choice for the foreseeable future. Whites, light greys, and woods are popular choices in Scandi design, and the natural choice is to opt for matching tiling or panelling and cabinetry. Those keen to be a bit more experimental with their colour palette can choose panels that imitate wood for an alternative look which taps into the trend of ‘bringing the outside in’.

Regardless of the various wall panel ideas that will help to transform a small bathroom, one feature should remain commonplace – the need for a

watertight ﬁnish. Wilsonart’s Elite range of bathroom wall panels brings with it a patented tongue and groove system, which creates a watertight join with no need for trims.

Easy maintenance

In a typical en suite, where there’s a pressing need to maximise every millimetre of space, being able to guarantee no water ingress that could lead to warping or corrosion can prove priceless. With the absence of grout, a bathroom wall panel already makes for a ‘wipe and go’ cleaning routine. Of course, that need for simple maintenance combined with the growth of multigenerational living means many will consider turning

their en-suite into a wetroom. Again, the water-tight conﬁguration of bathroom wall panels makes them just as suitable for customers looking to install a completely water-tight wetroom where the exact same surface is used throughout.

Good value

The reality is compact spaces will often mean a compact budget, especially in the current climate, so products which keep installation time to a minimum can really make a difference. It should also be noted that the wide choice of wall panel styles mean that a limited budget doesn’t have to mean limited design options.

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PHAM NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2023

Keely Greenhalgh National sales manager at Mermaid  Mermaid’s Elite is a premium range of bathroom wall panels with a 100mm waterproof core and no need for trims to provide a seamless ﬁnish (Scafell Slate pictured)

The potential to use one material for a whole host of design features makes for a project which is both easy on the eye and budgetfriendly too

Bathroom Products

Tighter angles and sharp edges

The Superplan floor-level shower tray from Kaldewei, which is said to have been purchased over a million times in the last 30 years, has now been updated with sharper edges, tight angles and clean lines. The seamless shower is made of recyclable steel enamel and now has an installation depth of just 25mm, which is almost half that of its predecessor.

The Kaldewei Superplan also features a nonporous glass surface, making it easy to clean, while the angles of the outer corners and edges have been reduced, so that it can more easily be integrated into an existing tile grid with tiling up to the edge of the shower surface.

The new Superplan is available in standard bathroom colours and the exclusive shades of the Kaldewei’s Coordinated Colours Collection, offering installers a wide range of bathroom design options. It is fully compatible with all of the company’s accessories – from

assembly and waste systems to easy-care and anti-slip finishes.

The shower tray will be available in all 41 sizes by the autumn of this year.

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Trio of contemporary lever taps

Three new tap ranges have been launched to further expand the range of options available from Bristan. Said to have been created with both design and durability in mind, the three new additions – Polo, Napoli and Qubo – will form part of the company’s core range. Featuring a contemporary, minimalist lever design, the new Polo, Napoli and Qubo ranges include a basin mixer, bath filler and bath shower mixer. Polo (top left) combines a straight lever with a curved spout; Napoli (middle) features slim lines and European-inspired styling, while Qubo (right) features a strong, angular design.

All designs feature a hard-wearing chrome finish with long-life ceramic cartridges, while a 10-year guarantee means consumers can buy with confidence.

Jonty Cook, Bristan’s category manager for taps, says: “These ranges will provide installers with more choice at a mid-level price point from a brand they can trust. As with all of our products, the new designs have been rigorously tested and will be supported by our exceptional guarantees, awardwinning customer service, and with a full suite of spares.”

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Fluted wetroom panel is right on trend

New from Harrison Bathrooms is a fluted glass wetroom panel – the Scudo 17. Available in five on-trend colour options, including brushed brass, brushed bronze, gunmetal, matt black and chrome – the panels are made from 8mm toughened glass and are treated with Acqua Shield glass cleaning technology to resist the build-up of scale and grime. For a co-ordinated look, the fluted wetroom profile packs can be colour matched with other products in the Scudo collection, including taps, mirrors, showers, flush plates, basin wastes and overflow covers. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/46

PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Bathroom Products

No room for a loo? Think again with hidden WC

A new toilet innovation featuring a discreet moving frame has been launched speciﬁcally for installation in small and hard-toﬁt spaces. The Hidealoo features a steel mechanism that allows a

toilet pan to be swivelled through 90°, meaning it can be hidden inside a cabinet, cupboard or wall space when not in use.

As well as creating more flexible floor space and additional counter areas, this provides an opportunity for installations within homes where adding a new bathroom may not otherwise be possible, for example, by allowing a toilet to be fitted within a utility room cupboard, bedroom wardrobe, or in a cabinet underneath loft eaves.

For wetrooms, a further beneﬁt of the frame is that the ability to

fold the pan away into the wall space, meaning it not only allows the same space to be used as a shower but keeps the pan dry.

The Hidealoo frame is manufactured in Britain and works with any standard UK wall hung ceramic pan and 110mm waste pipe. It has been tested to hold 400kg in weight and has been successfully operated through 250,000 ﬂexing cycles with a fully ﬂooded pan and pipes – the equivalent of the pan being used 10 times a day for 65 years, blocked to the rim. The pipes have also been through relevant heat and ageing tests.

Ease of installation

Installation is said to be simple and, thanks to its strong ﬂexible pipework, a toilet attached to the frame can be ﬂushed in any position.

Its inventor, Monty Ravenscroft, has spent the last 25 years pioneering designs for innovative moving elements in architecture, with his spacesaving home being featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs. Monty was inspired with the idea for the frame when designing

Raft of enhancements and upgrades deliver modern look

A raft of new product and ﬁnish upgrades have been launched by Geberit to offer the latest in sleek, modern designs that reﬂect the latest trends and enhanced functionalities.

The Sigma range of flush plates (pictured right) have been refined to offer new colors, materials, and minimalist designs. The Sigma50 features new tone-on-tone finishes in rose gold, brass and black chrome, available as a finish on the cover plate rather than just the mounting plates and buttons. Minimalism is also at the heart of the Clearline50 shower channel (pictured left), which is now available in stainless steel and black, with its slimline design making it a perfect shower drainage solution.

Peter Davis, product and marketing director at Geberit, says: “Geberit is committed to transforming the bathroom experience by offering innovative, sustainable and designforward solutions. From wellbeing and design to technology, hygiene and sustainability, we’re optimising and evolving our products to continue to set the standard in bathroom design.”

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Bathroom specialist Scudo, owned by Harrison Bathrooms, has introduced a bath painting service called ‘Colour by Scudo’, offering a wide range of 2530 RAL colors to choose from to add a bold and striking statement or complement the existing color scheme in bathrooms. The service offers a super-ﬁne exterior eggshell ﬁnish on the entire range of Scudo’s freestanding baths. phamnews.co.uk/723/50

solutions for his home that would maximise the space available by making it more ﬂexible in use. He also wanted to create something for his invalid father, who needed the convenience of bathroom facilities in his bedroom but in a discreet way that preserved his dignity.

Monty explains: “Our

retractable toilet provides the ability and versatility to use small spaces more efficiently. Not only does Hidealoo free up valuable space to allow enhanced use of a bathroom or cloakroom, but it supports the installation of systems in many alternative positions.”

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Mesmerizing look of the glass

The

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Appealing to black and white thinking

Building on the popularity of matt black fixtures, hansgrohe has extended its Logis range of taps to include a sleek matt black finish. For water and energy conscious customers, Logis features CoolStart technology to ensure the tap supplies only cold water when the handle is in the middle position, with hot water flow being activated as the tap handle is turned to the left.

The matt black ﬁnish beneﬁts from a protective coating that makes it extremely durable and able to withstand cleaning agents such as disinfectants.

The extension of hansgrohe Logis in matt black has also been applied to various products outside of taps, to allow customers to create a holistic bathroom aesthetic.

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40 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Essex-based shower enclosure company The Shower Lab is taking the trend for colour in the bathroom to the next level with the launch of its Dichroic glass enclosures. To achieve this ‘Dichroic’ look, a special coating is applied to the glass so that it transmits and reflects specific wavelengths of light, resulting in the color-changing effect. Dichroic glass is pictured here on the company’s View 11 enclosure, and features door, inline and return panels finished in chrome. phamnews.co.uk/723/49

Virtually any colour you like

An easier way to mount, adjust and level the tray

The BetteLevel shower tray (pictured below, right) has been designed to make installation easier, with self-locking telescopic feet that are simply glued to the shower tray. The company says it has ‘revolutionised’ the process of mounting, levelling, and adjusting the shower tray to the desired height.

The tray can easily be raised to the desired height, and the feet lock in place automatically. If any adjustment is required, the lock can be released by lifting the shower tray, and the process repeated to lock the feet at the correct height. Once level and at the correct height, the waste can be installed, and the tiling can be done.

Independent Living

Also available is the BetteAir (pictured above), an easy to install, flush-to-floor shower tray, which can simply be glued to the screed like a conventional tile. Made of strong glazed titaniumsteel, the BetteAir shower tray is durable and stable, even in the largest sizes. It is also fully recyclable. The BetteAir shower tray is available in 15 sizes, including extra-large, and they are available in a choice of 33 matt and gloss colours.

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Furniture is aligned with style

Bathroom Products

Dual showers offer extra flexibility

The Plan blue range from Keuco has been enhanced with the addition of two new on-wall shower fittings. There is a choice of a thermostat shower mixer or a combination with an integrated head and hand shower.

The slim Plan blue design and the shower mixer with head and hand shower is suitable for both domestic applications and hotel bathrooms, and both options work with specifications for new builds and renovations.

The thermostatic shower mixers are available in classic chrome or black. The matt finish on the black option has a special lacquer coating for extra durability and is also easy to clean, while adding an intense depth of colour that is said to add a touch of luxury to the bathroom.

For ease of use, the flat head shower has a height-adjustable rail and the large overhead shower

(a diameter of 250mm) can be swivelled and moved to the desired position, while the hand shower can be positioned within easy reach and at the right height with a shower slide.

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Online bathroom retailer Victoria Plum has extended its range of bathroom products to support customers with accessibility and mobility needs. The Independent Living range is aimed at customers adapting their bathrooms to accommodate different mobility needs and help maintain independence. The collection comprises a variety of products from specialist accessible bathroom brands. Products include walk-in baths, wall hung basins, shower and bath seats, advanced toilets and grab rails, as well as wetrooms.

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Align is the name of a new wall-hung modular bathroom furniture range from PJH’s Bathrooms to Love brand, featuring a soft horizontal fluting look. Available in three matt lacquered finishes (green, grey and cotton) the collection consists of basin units and a tall unit. One-drawered basin units are available in a choice of two widths (600 or 800mm) with the option for a sit-in white ceramic basin or colour-matched worktop and choice of washbowl. Soft-close fittings come as standard.

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Natural instincts

Qatego is a new bathroom series, designed for Duravit by Studio F. A. Porsche, that harnesses the beauty of wood, ceramic, and natural stone to create a harmonious, integrated design. The collection includes everything needed for a complete bathroom design, from WC and bidet, to ceramics, furniture, mirrors and taps, as well as matching accessories that create a high-end, modern bathroom.

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41 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Since the introduction of modern central heating, accessing hot water from the kitchen sink or ensuite shower is often met with an icy cold wait for the boiler to ﬁre up. Then, the boiler would heat the water, circulate it through the domestic hot water (DHW) pipeline to the users desired location. In bigger homes it’s even more of an issue.

Traditionally, many installers have shunned gas combi boilers for larger domestic properties, often associating combis with slow water heat-up and low ﬂow rates, which just wouldn’t do the job in bigger homes. This is why many would opt for a system boiler instead.

However, something more advanced is needed to meet the increasing demands of the end user, who want hot water effectively ‘on tap’. The answer is hot water recirculation systems, which are helping speed up the process and eradicate those lukewarm morning showers or chilly dish washing sessions.

Growing demand

As more and more homes are ﬁtted with multiple bathrooms, the need for hot water at multiple sources efficiently has only increased, with a growing number of homes having at least three bathrooms. Such a high number of hot water outlets requires new technologies and advanced solutions to ensure the needs of occupants is being met, each and every time.

Secondary return systems or pumped return systems are common in larger homes to provide almost instant hot water to each outlet regardless of where in the property they are located, or the time of day its needed. They work by using a dedicated loop, usually in conjunction with hot water cylinders as part of a system boiler. This requires a hot water pipe to be installed in a loop, connecting to all hot water outlets throughout the property. As the recirculation system is constantly circulating throughout the loop, the supply is almost instant, meaning users can access hot water in a matter of seconds.

Rapid delivery

The NCB ON range is a new concept from Navien that has been designed to deliver both rapid hot water, and consistency in temperatures, throughout the property – all without the need for a hot water cylinder. Uniquely, the combination of the NCB ON range and our

Easy way to meet increasing demand for hot water

With many homes having multiple bathrooms, some combi boilers may struggle to respond to frequent demands for hot water. However, the installation of a hot water recirculation pump can help to boost response and also save on energy, as Sean Keleher from Navien UK explains.

Sean Keleher National technical manager, Navien

new NaviCirc device means installers can still deliver consistently hot water to larger homes with multiple bathrooms, and give precious space back to the customer by removing the bulky cylinder. NaviCirc is a simple plumbing device designed for installation at the furtherest accessible ﬁ xture away from the boiler. Working in conjunction with our industry leading Combi Crossover range, such as the NCB700 ON, NaviCirc uses a thermostatic valve to measure the temperature of the water ﬂowing through the device.

Once the water has reached 35°C, the NaviCirc valve will block circulation, cutting off the loop to ensure hot water is accessible throughout the pipeline. The pump inside the NCB700 ON recognises this and stops circulating the domestic hot water until a hot water outlet is used, providing hot water in a matter of seconds.

Being able to remove the cylinder allows homeowners to reclaim valuable space in their home while at the same time giving them access to rapid and consistently hot water. The domestic hot water

recirculation pump within the boiler combined with NaviCirc also means they are not paying to heat water within their system when it’s not in use and helps to reduce their heating bills.

The console on the front of the NCB700 ON also allows you to set speciﬁc times of day homeowners are likely to beneﬁt from hot water recirculation, which further helps to reduce extra energy costs for the bill payer.

The key beneﬁts

Once a domestic hot water recirculation system is up and running, homeowners will notice the significant benefits immediately, including boosted performance, time efficiency to match their lifestyle and a significant reduction in water usage, which is more environmentally friendly. What’s more, customers no longer need to wait for hot water cylinders to refi ll once all the water has been used.

More bathrooms require more hot water, and statistically every household in the UK uses an average of 350 litres of water each

day. However, a hot water recirculation system can signiﬁcantly reduce this ﬁgure, helping households waste less water and keep energy bills to a minimum. For the bill payer this could be mean substantial savings, as approximately 53% of an average annual combined energy bill is a result of heating water for showers, baths and hot water taps.

The NCB700 ON features an outstanding turndown ratio of 15:1, is 20% hydrogen blend ready, 94% efficient and also achieves an industry-leading ErP A+ energy rating when used with a Navien Smart Plus controller. This makes it one of the most energy efficient products on the market and an attractive option for those who are looking to be more mindful of their consumption habits.

Further information

For more information about NCB ON and NaviCirc or to discover the full range of products available from Navien, please visit the dedicated space for installers on the Navien website by using the link below:

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42 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Product Spotlight

Oil Heating 45

Addressing the needs of consumers today as well as the future

While acknowledging the importance of transitioning away from fossil fuel to low carbon alternatives, OFTEC believes that it’s important to meet the needs of today’s oil heating households, many of which will be struggling with the cost of energy.

Malcolm Farrow highlights some of the key issues.

Since the government published its proposals for the decarbonisation of the heating sector in 2021, what this means for the future for oil homes has naturally been a focal point of discussion. But with very few further announcements, there are currently more questions than answers. While it’s important to look ahead and plan for the potential scenarios, in doing so we mustn’t lose focus on what’s happening today.

One of the key issues currently facing oil heated households, and the whole country, is the cost of living crisis. Not only are consumers cutting back on how much they use their heating to keep their bills down, Citizens Advice has reported that complaints about so called ‘cowboy tradespeople’ who entice people with seemingly low prices but leave behind poor quality and potentially dangerous work increased by a third last year.

Raising standards

The role of competent installers in upholding high standards has therefore never been more important to ensure consumers have safe and efficient heating systems and aren’t left with costly repairs. This has been

Malcolm Farrow OFTEC head of public affairs

an important area of focus for OFTEC over the past few months and, with 1.7 million homes in the UK on oil heating, our industry must continue to hit this challenge head on and promote the importance of using reputable technicians. Enhanced regulations are also coming into force to provide further protection for consumers regarding work notiﬁcations. As part of changes to the Building Safety Act, up to two years imprisonment is being added to the list of potential sanctions for technicians who persistently fail to correctly notify applicable installation work. OFTEC has been engaging with Local Authority Building Control (LABC) to further clarify the impact of these changes.

It’s important to note this doesn’t just apply to the installation of a heating system, but also other work from adding extra radiators to replacing an oil tank. OFTEC registered technicians can self-certify work to speed up the process, but it’s important all installers are fully up to speed on the latest requirements and understand their responsibilities.

New blood

There’s also an increased focus on training and apprenticeships in the oil heating sector. The

 Regular inspections of the work of OFTEC registered technicians are helping to uphold standards within the industry

skills shortage is affecting almost every part of the UK but, in particular, the trades and construction where there are 244,000 fewer workers than three years ago, according to the Office for National Statistics. It’s estimated the UK needs at least a million new tradespeople over the next decade to keep pace with demand.

That’s why OFTEC continues to focus day to day on supporting consumers and technicians in the oil heating industry. But, in parallel, we’re also preparing for what the future holds. The way we heat our homes and business is changing with the increased focus on reducing emissions in support of net zero and this can’t be ignored. There’s a positive future ahead for liquid fuels but it’s important we lead this transition on the front foot and aren’t left behind.

Fossil fuels ban

In its Heat and Buildings Strategy, the government proposed banning the installation of fossil fuel boilers off the gas grid, which would include oil, in homes and small businesses from 2026. The same applies to large businesses from 2024. In most cases they would be expected to switch to a heat pump. However, it’s important to stress these are just proposals at this stage and there are no immediate plans to ban the use of oil heating.

But that doesn’t mean our industry can sit back and wait to see what happens. The government and opposition parties are committed to the rollout of heat pumps and it can’t be denied that the technology will have a central role in the UK’s future heating landscape. However, there are challenges to transitioning some off-grid properties to

the technology, from the cost (£20k+ according to the government’s own calculator once the necessary energy efficiency upgrades are made) to the disruption the work causes. If the transition is to be fair we need more choices, which is why our two-year demonstration of the renewable liquid fuel Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil has been so important. We’ve shown that the fuel can deliver a near 90% drop in emissions following a simple conversion to the boiler, costing around £500.

Affordable option

We’re working hard to secure amendments to the government’s Energy Bill to create a Renewable Liquid Heating Fuel Obligation (RLHFO), to mirror for home heating the current incentive scheme in place for HVO in transport, which would greatly reduce the cost of HVO for oil users. We’re also calling for the Treasury to align the fuel duty rate of HVO for heating with that of kerosene, as this too would help to make HVO an affordable heating option.

While the fuel would change, the underlying principles would not. All the strengths of our industry will remain at the forefront, as competent engineers will be essential to service and install liquid fuel boilers, provide advice to consumers on energy efficiency and ensure high standards are maintained.

Alongside this, heat pumps will inevitably have an important role to play which is why we’ve launched new heat pump training courses for oil heating technicians who want to diversify and take advantage of the growing market. Renewable liquid fuels and heat pumps both have a role to play in delivering Net Zero and we strongly believe OFTEC registered technicians should be at the forefront of delivering the change we need.

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 OFTEC is working hard to ensure that HVO will provide a cleaner and more affordable option for oil-heating users

The role of competent installers in upholding high standards has never been more important to ensure consumers have safe and efficient heating systems and aren’t left with costly repairs

Boilers that stand the test of time

Energy efficiency is important, but it is also beneﬁcial to the environment to produce products that will last many years before they need to be scrapped – so argues Andrew

How many times have you or your customers received a call to say, “Is your boiler over ﬁve years old? You could be entitled to a new boiler paid for by the government.” Yes, it is very commendable that the government has schemes that promote energy efficiency and support the environment, as no-one wants an inefficient zombie boiler spreading pollution – but really, a boiler that is just ﬁve years old! Most oil boilers have been 85% energy efficient for the last 30 years and now offer energy efficient ratings in the high 90s.

In the ﬁght against climate change energy efficiency is very important, but our modern throwaway culture is also greatly affecting emissions of carbon dioxide. All the green policies and strategies for change are based on improving energy efficiency, but nothing addresses the fact that many boilers are ending

Hounsﬁeld.

up on the scrap heap after just a few years’ service – this is absurd and does very little to reduce our carbon footprint!

Tricky to repair

I’ve had so many conversations with plumbers and installers all bemoaning the fact that they have to scrap ‘almost new’ boilers as it’s simply too tricky or time consuming to repair them. When components wear out, new components cannot always be easily installed so the entire boiler needs to be taken to pieces, just to get to the component. This results in a heating engineer giving customers the option of an enormous repair bill or a new boiler and of course most clients opt for the new boiler hoping it will save them money in the long run.

But this is just plain silly and not helpful for a homeowner in a cost-ofliving crisis. Why discard a perfectly good boiler just because one component has had its day? I am sure that the Right to Repair (which covers domestic white goods) will eventually be extended to domestic boilers. So, let’s be up for the ﬁght and throw the ﬁrst punches, rather than be an industry sitting on its hands when change comes.

Alterations just need to be made on the product design. I create boilers with installers and homeowners in mind. I’m passionate about creating high quality engineering solutions to heat homes and water as cheaply and energyefficiently as possible. I’m not interested in boosting our sales by creating boilers that are tricky to maintain – it seems nonsensical. Developing energy-efficient boilers that can be easily maintained should be the starting point for all boiler manufacturers. Every Hounsﬁeld boiler is designed with parts easily accessed, making servicing and repair trouble-free.

Costly components

Easy servicing and maintenance is one issue, the other is high quality components. Many boiler manufacturers are churning out product, proudly promoting their enhanced levels of energy-efficiency, but sadly they’re made with low grade components that need replacing every few years or even annually.

Warranties have onerous terms and conditions, often requiring the

homeowner to replace certain components, such as the ﬂexible oil line at the ﬁrst annual service. Even fuel pumps are sometimes included in a long list of items that need to be replaced as a condition of warranty.

The component industry seems to be big business for many boiler manufacturers and it’s just not right. I’m not naïve, I do realise that some components will experience wear and tear and will need to be replaced, but there is a lucrative industry set-up to manufacture poor quality parts – this really has to stop.

Built to last

Hounsfield Boilers are made to last and come with a no quibble five-year guarantee and a ten-year warranty on heat exchangers. How do we make our boilers so robust? A good example of our high-grade parts is the specification of the hose we use for flexible oil lines, which has a Teflon core and stainless-steel braiding, it is aircraft grade material, instead of the industry standard – rubber or thermoplastic – which we all know will degrade and require regular replacement.

We have also totally redesigned the heat exchanger to maximise use of the heat surface area which also results in less heat fractures and hot spots –prolonging the life of the boiler.

The return on investment for the homeowner is undeniable, with less money spent on repairs and fewer new parts. For the installer it means less time spent out on site replacing poor quality parts, so your customers actually trust you and your choice of boiler manufacturer.

Hounsfield Boilers have a practical design, making installation and servicing hassle-free, plus in the box included with the boiler is everything you need to install it including a paper element oil filter kit, a fire valve and non-return valve kits, plus the aircraft grade oil line.

The icing on the cake is that our boilers are HVO ready, so they will be used for years after kerosene is gone and will help to reduce our carbon emissions even further.

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Oil Heating 46 PHAM NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2023

Andrew Hounsfield MD of Hounsfield Boilers

A cleaner fuel option for oil heating users

How easy is it to convert an oil-ﬁred boiler to work on HVO, and what difference would it make to the UK’s ambitious Net Zero targets? Neil Sawers from Grant UK helps to provide some answers.

Biofuels have long been promoted as being part of the answer to meeting the government’s Net Zero targets, but do they represent a viable solution for domestic heating? Here Neil Sawers from Grant UK responds to some key questions.

Q. What exactly are biofuels?

Biofuels, such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), are a low-carbon fuel that could help hundreds of thousands of homes transition to more sustainable heating. Achieving Net Zero and reducing carbon emissions will require multiple approaches and here at Grant UK, we believe that biofuels can play a part in helping decarbonise home heating.

FAME and HVO are two of the types of biofuel currently being trialled in the UK. FAME, which stands for Fatty Acid Methyl Ester, is a waste derived biodiesel – it is created during the chemical conversion of cooking oils and animal fats, a process which involves a reaction between fatty acids, alcohol and a catalyst. The end products include a raw biodiesel which is suitable for blending with kerosene oil, up to approximately 30%.

HVO meanwhile is what is known as a second generation biofuel which is made from similar raw materials as FAME. However, instead of using methanol (which is used in the production of FAME), HVO uses hydrogen during its production. HVO can be a ‘drop-in fuel’ which means it is suitable to be a replacement for existing fossil fuels, providing a 100% biofuel option.

Q. Can current oil boilers be converted to use HVO?

All Grant Vortex ﬂoor standing oil boilers are biofuel compatible and can be converted to HVO operation with a few simple

steps, so the range can be changed from kerosene operation to HVO with a few minor changes to the burner and nozzles. The conversion can be done in one visit, minimising the disruption for the householder. We recently recorded an informative podcast on biofuels and conversions of oil boilers. You can listen to the episode of the Net Zero Heating Show podcast by using the link at the bottom of this article.

Q. Is HVO readily available in the UK?

OFTEC announced in May this year that plans to transition oil heated homes to HVO took an important step forward following the ﬁrst delivery of the fuel from America, which has the potential to signiﬁcantly boost supply in the UK.

The then-Department of International Trade in November last year lifted import tariffs on American HVO, previously imposed when the UK was a member of the European Union, recognising that HVO could be used in a number of different decarbonisation pathways, including home heating. Cornwall-based fuel distributor Mitchell and Webber undertook the ﬁrst lifting of USA imported HVO at the Valero terminal in Cardiff in March.

Q. Are there any installations that have been converted?

In early 2021, Gwinear Primary School in Hayle, Cornwall, made the decision to change its central heating system. The school had an oil-ﬁred boiler which was approximately 15 years old

and they wanted to upgrade the system to a more efficient solution while also reducing their carbon footprint.

Being part of official ﬁeld trials, the installation to convert the school from traditional kerosene to HVO operation commenced in May 2021, with the system being closely monitored until it was completed in Autumn 2022

A Grant Vortex Boiler House 46-58kW oil boiler was ﬁrst installed by Jose and Blackler, replacing the old boiler, and ensuring that the school was always with heating and hot water. Mitchell & Webber then converted the Vortex Boiler House oil boiler to HVO operation, a process which took less than a day to complete.

Gwinear School has saved up to 90% net greenhouse gas carbon dioxide emissions and were delighted to be the ﬁrst in the country to pilot the use of HVO biofuels for its heating. They were extremely pleased with how well the new system and boiler performed.

Q. What research and official trials are taking place? Research into biofuels has been taking place for many years. Grant UK has been involved in the ﬁeld trials organised by OFTEC which has been researching the use of more sustainable, waste derived low carbon liquid fuels and testing these in Grant boilers, enabling them to be biofuel compatible. The use of HVO at 100% (which results in a reduction in carbon emissions of up to 88%) will allow rural and hard-to-heat homes to transition to a renewable, green alternative from 100% kerosene.

At present, despite the clear beneﬁts of HVO conversion being obvious to many, biofuels are not included in the government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy, but we believe they should be.

It is estimated that the typical cost to convert an existing oilheated home to HVO is likely to be less than £500 and it will offer an immediate 88% reduction in carbon emissions. This is why we believe that biofuels should be included, alongside heat pumps, in the government’s approach to decarbonising home heating because they can provide a costeffective low carbon heating solution when an electric heating solution is not possible.

Q. What is the industry doing to try and change the government’s strategy?

OFTEC is making regular representations to government and leading the way for the industry on the matter. Further updates and news are being shared via www.futurereadyfuel. info. We are also encouraging installers and engineers to write an open letter to their local MP and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to encourage them to adopt HVO in their strategy, and we have a template letter available to download from our website: https://www.grantuk.com/ support/biofuelheating/ There is undoubtedly growing interest in biofuels and if they are included in the Strategy and given government support, HVO biofuels will give consumers choice and fairness by providing those homes which cannot be easily converted to heat pumps with a low carbon alternative.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/60

Oil Heating 48 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Neil Sawers Commercial technical manager at Grant UK

It is estimated that the typical cost to convert an existing oil-heated home to HVO is likely to be less than £500 and it will offer an immediate 88% reduction in carbon emissions

 Grant UK’s Vortex combi utility room boiler is already HVO ready

Oil Heating

Four step process to fitting tanks

FirePro is the name of Tuffa’s turnkey solution that includes a fire-resistant bunded tank for oil storage. Working with approved inspectors of Building Control, JHAI, Tuffa says it has developed a simple four-step, time-effective compliance process that removes all the legalese and jargon required by Building Control, insurance and local authorities. Bunded with a fire-resistant jacket, FirePro tanks provide up to 110% capacity for leaks

and overfills, ensuring extra protection and preventing environmental risks. They come in 30- or 60-minute fire protection models, complying with British standards. Unlike traditional installations, FirePro tanks only need a 300mm

boundary, eliminating the need for fireboards. With a patented approach, these tanks can be discreetly placed near buildings or even inside outbuildings, providing fuel security while maintaining compliance. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/61

HVO helps boilers emit 90% less emissions

Boasting high efficiency and reliability, the Warmflow Agentis range is an AA-rated combi oil boiler claimed to save homeowners up to 5 liters of fuel per week. It is also compatible with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), which burns cleaner and more efficiently than fossil fuels. Warmflow says they can emit up to 90% less carbon when using HVO, helping customers reduce their carbon footprint. It also gives engineers a future-proof boiler choice that supports the decarbonisation of heat in rural areas.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/62

Achieving top energy rating

The LCB700 Blue Flame oil fired combi boiler from Navien boasts an A+ energy rating when installed with a Navien Smart Plus controller or equivalent, producing a NOx emission rate as low as 57.2mg/kWh – said to be one of the lowest in the industry. The boiler ensures hot water is available on demand but won’t preheat the system until it has recognised the homeowner’s usage habits.

The LCB700 is also designed to use the store first until it is required to add heat – reducing fuel usage and delivering stable and consistently hot water to the customer’s desired temperature.

The boiler uses a two-stage burner and fine-tuning to optimise performance, reduce fuel consumption, and increase longevity.

In addition, the boiler can choose the closest output required for the property, for example, the 28kW unit can have an output of 21 or 28kW, dependent on the needs of the residents. This is also supported by the boiler’s blue flame burner which requires less fuel during the combustion process.

When installed with the Smart Plus controller, the LBC700 can achieve an A+ energy rating.

Smart Plus features a Smart Forecast tool that harnesses data from OpenWeather to respond intuitively to the current weather conditions to ensure the home remains at a comfortable temperature.

The controller also uses geofencing which allows users to switch the boiler on or off, purely based on their proximity to the premises, up to a radius of 5km, helping reduce hot water waiting times and preserving energy when occupants are away from home.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/63

50 PHAM NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2023

Compact solution for multiple heat sources

Looking to build on the popularity of its ecoTEC plus boiler range, Vaillant has introduced an updated version which features an improved interface and combustion mechanism, as well as ‘smart home ready’ technology.

Since its launch in 2005, over 2.3m ecoTEC boilers have been installed in the UK, so the company has done all it can to futureproof its ﬂagship model. New advances include IoniDectect, a self-adapting combustion control technology which constantly monitors gas quality, enabling the boiler to automatically adjust to wider bands of gas mixes, including a 20% hydrogen blend, and maximise efficient combustion. Most models are also LPG convertible without the need for a conversion kit. The new improved boiler also introduces Vaillant’s Connect gateway and a new Senso controls range which will enable the boiler to be integrated with voice control systems such as Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Home. The compact gateway box has been designed for simple ‘plug and play’ connection so that it can be tucked out of the way underneath the boiler without any need for the

boiler case to be removed.

The new intuitive control interface has been designed with both the end-user and installer in mind. It mirrors the company’s Senso range of controls, allowing for easy ﬁrst time installation and set up, with guided commissioning, set-up wizard and easy-to-follow navigation.

Despite the advances in technology, much of the boiler remains the same, with easy front access to components, curved front edges and the same size frame, ﬂue options and pipe centres for straightforward replacement of existing models.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/64

Versatile push-ﬁt system you can rely on

The WRAS approved Henco Pro-Fit ﬁtting range has been designed to speed installation and deliver a secure, leak-free joint. The Pro-Fit system requires no press tools, calibration or pipe insert, meaning installers need simply cut the pipes and push them into the ﬁtting.

The fitting has a helpful visual indicator to show the pipe is completely pushed home, while an integrated liner means external scratched pipework is no longer an issue. Another key benefit is that the EDPM O-Ring is actually already inside the fitting, thus minimising errors on installation as well as speeding up the process and reducing the risk of leaks.

With Henco Pro-Fit the installer is also guaranteed a non-demountable solution so the ﬁtting cannot be easily or accidentally moved or loosened. The pipework is also detectable when

installed, meaning that even if the ﬁtting and the pipe is hidden behind a wall or under the ﬂoor, it can still be found to avoid accidentally drilling through or damaging the pipe.

Described as versatile and lightweight, Henco ProFit comes with transition couplers available in 16, 20 and 26mm and is compatible with a wide range of pipes that can easily connect to existing pipes of 15, 22 and 28mm Cu, Pex, PB or Pert. It has also been tested to ensure it can safely operate at 95° and a pressure of 10 bar.

“Henco Pro-Fit may be small, but it is mighty,” comments, Lee Kenney, regional sales manager for Henco UK and ROI. “With Henco Pro-Fit you are guaranteed a ﬁtting which is fast to install, versatile, robust, secure and detectable. It has been designed to make the lives of installers easier and in turn give their customers complete peace of mind.”

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/65

while only a small weight of water is required to open the valve. The greater the ﬂow of water, the more the valve will open, acting as a visual fault indicator.

The tundish is KIWA Reg4, WRAS approved, G3 and EN1717 compliant, and comes with the added peaceof-mind of a ﬁve year warranty. It offers 15mm x 22mm connections, supplied with compression ends, and complies with BS EN 1252-2 for use with R250 (half hard) copper tube.

Responding to requests from customers, Multipipe has launched a new range of pumpstations which enable multiple heat types to be brought together into a single point of distribution.

The pumpstations are said to be ideal where heating and hot water systems require both high and low supply temperatures, such as where a heating system is running at 80°C and underﬂoor heating only requires 40°C. Features of the pumps include pre-assembled pipework, A+ rated pumps, anti-syphon valves, combined temperature and isolation valves and thermal and acoustic insulation.

Mike Young, co-founder and MD at Multipipe, explains: “With the drive today towards more efficient lower temperature heat emitters, we are ﬁnding an increased need for multiple supply temperature and an increased demand for zoning of modern heating installations. Additionally, the need for higher temperature domestic hot water systems has created real complexity in design.”

There are three types of Multipipe pumpstations now available: ﬁxed temperature control, variable temperature control and direct control.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/67

Integrated controls with AI technology

A new network of integrated heating controls from Navien uses artiﬁcial intelligence to help homeowners maximise the efficiency of their heating system.

A new Dry Trap Tundish, which features a patented, anti-splash design and a transparent chamber, is the latest addition to the Altecnic product range.

Said to be ideal for installation with domestic central heating boilers, heat interface units (HIU), and hot water cylinders, the Altecnic Dry Trap Tundish is designed for the hot water discharge from pressure and temperature relief valves to pass safely. Unlike a conventional tundish, it allows system discharge to be piped directly into a drainpipe.

There is no need to install both a tundish and a dry trap because the internal stainless-steel spring-loaded disc mechanism prevents odours from escaping,

Altecnic MD Gary Perry comments: “When developing the Dry Trap Tundish, we wanted to create a product that was of the highest standard, whilst also considering the setback of space availability. We’re proud to be launching a unique, patented Dry Trap Tundish that is anti-splash, compact, and fully Building Regulations compliant. By combining two components, Altecnic’s Dry Trap Tundish gives installers the opportunity to save space and time on their domestic installs, without compromise.”

Based in Stafford, Altecnic is part of the Caleffi Group and produces a comprehensive range of plumbing products and hydronic solutions, including thermostatic mixing valves, underﬂoor heating, sealed systems, dirt and air separation, backﬂow prevention and vessels.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/66

ONLINE

followed by the relevant enquiry number.

Navien’s ON AI is designed to work seamlessly with the company’s NCB ON range of Combi Crossover boilers, as well as Smart Plus and Smart Plus ON AI controllers, to provide homeowners with a Home Energy Management System (HEMS) report which presents an in-depth analysis of their heating and hot water usage.

The use of a mobile app provides easy access to Smart Diagnostics which enables homeowners to diagnose potential issues that may occur, quickly and accurately. Another tool is Smart Forecast which harnesses data from OpenWeather to respond intuitively to the current weather conditions to ensure the home remains at a comfortable temperature.

“We’ve been developing an industry-ﬁrst technology that will help make users’ lives that little bit easier,”explains technical director Sean Keleher. “Technology is at the forefront of our daily lives and this revolutionary AI is the next step in helping homeowners utilise their heating system more efficiently while using less energy and ultimately cutting down energy bills.”

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/68

Product News 51 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

For further information about any of the products featured on this page, simply visit phamnews. co.uk/723/

Combined tundish and dry trap saves space and time

New and improved ecoTEC plus boilers offer familiarity with advanced technology

Twin ﬂue boilers get an upgrade for easier siting

The Combi and System twin ﬂue boiler ranges have been upgraded by Keston to offer a versatile solution for new and replacement heating systems.

Lightweight and easy to install, the new and improved Combi 2 and System 2 models give installers greater flexibility through the twin flue system. This means boilers can be sited up to 27m from the flue outlet, an important consideration for long or difficult flue runs.

Featuring a compact design, the latest range features a larger and higher resolution colour screen and improved user interface, including plain English, fulltext descriptions. Replacing the previous two-button feature, the latest range now includes four buttons for comprehensive menu navigation and the added ability to scroll back through the menu for time-saving installation and servicing.

The new upgrade to the range also incorporates a selection of built-in features to increase energy efficiency. With an intelligent pre-heat function that learns usage patterns based on 24-hour trends, building occupants can beneﬁt from faster hot water whilst using less gas compared to a standard pre-heat function. Furthermore, for simple and easy heating and hot water management, the upgraded Combi 2 and System 2 boiler ranges are also compatible with Halo wireless thermostats for smart control.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/69

Sealing the distribution deal for adhesive

A strategic partnership with Siroﬂex means Mark Vitow will become the exclusive supplier of the OB1 range of multi-surface construction adhesive and sealant products through its network of independent UK plumbing and heating merchants. OB1 joins the portfolio of brands distributed exclusively by Mark Vitow,

including Black Swan PVC Cement.

Marty McAleenan, OB1 business development manager, comments: “Since the launch of OB1 in January 2020 it has become

the fastest growing hybrid brand in the UK. We have decided to enhance and focus our approach to the independent plumbing and heating sector.”

James Cranham, commercial director at Mark Vitow, adds: “We champion strategic distribution partnerships, and we have a longstanding track record of building and growing exclusive brands into the plumbing and heating sector. The OB1-Mark Vitow partnership is both innovative and forward-thinking, with a focused strategy to deliver exceptional brand growth, whilst delivering a market-leading proposition to the customer.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/70

Rapid tests and immediate emails to clients

Wiseman Industries has launched a corrosion inhibitor test strip and certification app that conforms to Building Regulations Part L BS7593. With the Everad Rapid Inhibitor Test Strip, heating engineers can check the level of Everad corrosion inhibitor in the system and cross reference with the supplied scientific colour map to ensure it is at the correct level to provide system protection. The new app enables users to record the test strip results and then send an email straight to the customer, showing them the Pass/Fail certificate. This is also a secure way for heating engineers to capture customers’ details, results,

Extra ﬂexibility for district heating works

Polymer pipework manufacturer Rehau has unveiled Clip-Flex, a next-generation district heating shroud designed to offer ﬂexibility to installers and contractors. With up to a 22.5° range of motion in all directions, the shroud allows pipework to be angled according to the demands of the project. Its larger diameter makes it compatible with all Rehau PE-Xa district heating pipes from 25 to 160mm, meaning it now covers all Rauvitherm and Rauthermex sizes.

Steve Richmond, head of marketing and technical at Rehau, says: “We have spoken to countless designers and contractors in the development of Clip-Flex and have taken their priorities into consideration. Through ongoing collaboration with district heating industry professionals, we have been able to create a shroud that facilitates easier installation, optimises heat network performance, and also has the potential to deliver cost savings in materials.”

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/72

The Dik Geurts Vidar Triple range of wood stoves from DRU has been expanded with the introduction of six new models. The series now includes small, medium and large models, each with a freestanding or wall-mounted option. The freestanding models have ample wood storage capacity and all models have optional external air connection for clean burning and high efficiency. All versions also have infrared side windows, which enable high ﬂames and comfortable heating.

In addition, the small Vidar Triple models have an average 4.9kW heat output, which means, under UK regulations, there is no need to install extra ventilation points in the room. Pictured is the Vidar Triple with a panoramic 3-sided ﬁre view. It is Ecodesign compliant with an A-rated energy label.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/73

job notes and provide an annual revisit reminder date.

MD Harvey Wiseman says: “The launch of both the Rapid Inhibitor Test Strip and the supporting Rapid Inhibitor Test app is the perfect combination, which ensures the right level of Everad Corrosion Inhibitor is in the system. This gives customers peace of mind, knowing it has been tested and treated, and the heating engineers a practical and secure way of generating a test result certiﬁcate for the customer.”

The app is available from the Apple Store or Google Play

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/71

Child-friendly colours added to LST line-up

The low surface temperature range of radiators from Stelrad now includes pink and blue ﬁnishes, ideal for installation in rooms for children, whether it’s a bedroom, a classroom or a hospital room.

Stelrad’s LST radiator range has been designed to ensure it offers as much protection as possible to those for whom they are designed to provide heating to, and they incorporate rounded corners and edges to the design to avoid any damage from sharp edges.

These types of radiators are

most often installed in buildings to offer protection to older and younger people, with additional beneﬁts ranging from safety grilles to easy-to-operate heating controls, and even arthritic adaptors for older people who are unable to grip controls easily. These features can be incorporated to provide a user friendly ‘package’ for those they seek to help.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/74

News 52 PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Product

Six sizes to cover the needs of small and large rooms

Power packed into versatile, compact casing

The new Condexa HPR boiler range has been designed by Riello to suit a wide range of applications, from residential units to data centres, schools, commercial buildings or industrial plants.

The wall-hung modular condensing boiler, developed to allow dimensional compactness and installation ﬂexibility, is available as standalone or cascade (linear or back-to-back) conﬁgurability, and the high-power modulation ratio (1:8 as standalone; 1:32 in cascade) allow it to adapt to large variations in heat demand.

The Condexa HPR range consists of four models, from 35 to 70kW, all equipped with a modulating circulator enabling a variable ﬂow rate according to the ﬂow and return temperatures, to allow operation in maximum condensation conditions.

The new combustion modules housed within the unit are equipped with a

stainless steel heat exchanger and premixed burners, ﬁtted with a wire mesh combustion head and air-gas mixer, and allow a wide modulation range, silent operation and reduced pollutant emissions.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/75

Designer towel rail makes an impact

radiator delivers striking aesthetics along with the practicality of accommodating a family collection of towels.

Available in four size variations (860, 1100, 1460 and 1700mm height), the Tetris has been independently tested and certiﬁed to EN442 and designed to ensure optimal ﬁt for all bathroom layouts.

Said to be inspired by the ﬂow of a river and the rhythm of ﬂight, the new Tetris radiator from Zehnder is designed to bring a sense of movement and space into bathrooms and kitchens. Not only does it provide optimum heat output, but the new

Brand hidden in plain sight

Installers could be buying Inta-made radiator valves without even knowing it, according to the manufacturer, who says almost two thirds of its production is for creating own-branded products for merchant groups and other manufacturers.

CEO Stuart Gizzi comments: “Our products carry the reputation of respected brands in terms of quality and service, and we take that responsibility very seriously. Knowing that there is a strong possibility that they are already ﬁtting Inta products, we urge installers to consider expanding their use of Inta across a wider range of plumbing equipment.”

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/77

Additionally, the radiator can be coloured in a spectrum of ﬁnishes from Zehnder’s World of Colours – allowing buyers to ﬁnd the perfect match for their individual style and interior design.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/76

Improved sticking power

The internal HM sanitary sealant Silﬁx U7 has been relaunched by Hodgson Sealants to make it even easier and more effective to apply. It is now thicker and stiffer, with improved body that gives enhanced shape retention, improved gunability and reduced slump. Silﬁx U7 offers adhesion to most non-porous surfaces, making it well suited to sealing around baths, sinks, urinals and ceramic tile joints to give a waterresistant, hygienic seal.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/723/78

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PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2023

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