Modern Building Services

MODERN BUILDING SERVICES JULY/AUGUST 2021 7 INDUSTRY NEWS Europump Family Mourns the Loss of a Great Friend It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Prof. Bernd Stoffel, who passed away on 8th June 2021. All those who had the pleasure of knowing him, both personally and professionally, will mourn his passing. Europump and the wider pump sector has lost a strong, valuable, and committed supporter of many years. As a student and then post-graduate at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, he was actively involved in pre- competitive research as a project worker during the founding phase of the VDMA’s Pumps Research Fund. In 1977 he switched from science to industry, joining KSB where he held several positions and management tasks in the key area of research and development. With his keen focus on research, he never lost contact with the VDMA, or indeed the wider Europump community. In 1984, he accepted an invitation to join the Technical University of Darmstadt, where he took over the department of Hydraulic Machines and Systems. With the merging of several faculties in 1993, the department of ‘Turbomachinery and Fluid Drives’ was created, which Prof. Stoffel headed until his retirement in 2006. Prof. Stoffel remained an enthusiastic scientist and researcher, finding answers to essential pump design questions through his contribution to numerous research projects. Many of the central findings of the topics he studied, such as cavitation or achievable efficiencies in centrifugal pumps, are linked directly to the performance of the European pump industry. As a central figure within of the research landscape in the field of fluidmachinery, Prof. Stoffel constantly evolved his role at the TU Darmstadt, sought out new topics and gained insights that helped him to achieve the highest recognition not only in Germany, but also in Europe and across the world. The pump industry owes Prof. Stoffel huge gratitude for some of the essential standards to which pumpmanufacturers worldwide follow today. ISO 9906, a standard conceivedmore than 20 years ago, today still provides the basis for performance testing of pumps after a revision in 2012. On behalf of the whole Europump community, our sincere and heartfelt sympathy goes to his wife, his children, and his grandchildren, at this most difficult of times. We will always remember him with fondness, gratitude, and deep appreciation. Should you require any further information on this terribly sad news, please email Pierre Lucas at secgen@europump.org ECS advises card holders on closure of “Conditional” and “Restricted” ECS card routes Advice is being issued to ECS card holders by the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) that under the rules of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) it will be withdrawing ECS cards issued under the “conditional” or “restricted” route, sometimes known as Industry Accreditation. ECS card holders who hold a conditional graded card should note that while they will be able to renew their card one more time, they may need to update the type of card held in the future when they come to renew their card. CSCS will require those without qualifications to register for the appropriate qualification for their occupation before their cards expire in 2024 and ECS will be required to follow suit as part of the audit of partner schemes. This announcement is therefore being issued now to provide advanced warning to card holders and employers to ensure they have enough time to make the necessary alternative arrangements. For many ECS card holders under these Conditional or Restricted gradings, no action will need to be taken as card holders will be moved over to the correct card upon renewal in the period leading up to December 2024. This will also apply to card holders who have completed historically recognised training routes, such as the City & Guilds Part 1 and Part 2 and AM2 (prior to 1999) but have also not yet updated their card or their online record. Andy Reakes, Head of Growth at the Joint Industry Board and ECS, explained: “Since July 2019, those who held Conditional and Restricted grading cards which expired and weren’t subsequently renewed within a 12-month period have needed to meet ECS Registered Electrician status on renewal. This is the industry agreed standard for electricians under ECS including relevant qualifications, latest edition of theWiring Regulations and commitments to ongoing learning. Please look out for communications through your MyECS account and from the ECS teamwho will inform you if you are affected, if any action will be required and what options are available. “For those who do not hold any qualifications and want to recognise their skills and experience through an NVQ Level 3, the Government has recently launched a scheme to provide free level 3 qualifications through the ‘Lifetime Skills Guarantee’. This can include full funding for a number of qualifications including the NVQ Level 3 in Electrical Installation.” For those who hold Conditional Gradings (employed by JIB member companies), the JIB Skills Development Fund has agreed to provide £25,000 in funding for those who wish to undertake the Experienced Worker Assessment and cannot obtain funding through the Lifetime Skills Guarantee. If this applies to you, and you want to find out more about the support available, please email ir@jib.org.uk . www.ecscard.org.uk “For those who do not hold any qualifications and want to recognise their skills and experience through an NVQ Level 3, the Government has recently launched a scheme to provide free level 3 qualifications through the ‘Lifetime Skills Guarantee’. This can include full funding for a number of qualifications including the NVQ Level 3 in Electrical Installation.”