Modern Building Services

MODERN BUILDING SERVICES MARCH 2022 7 Actuate UKwelcomes rise in apprenticeships, but warns of net-zero skills shortage Actuate UK, the voice of Building Engineering Services, warn that skills shortages are hampering ambitions to deliver net zero emission buildings. While the number of Engineering Services apprentices starting out in England in 2022 is back to pre-COVID levels, many more new starters are needed if we are to achieve net zero by 2050. As the 15th National Apprenticeship Week begins, there is good news for the sector. Building Engineering Services make up almost half (42%) of this year’s construction intake, but labour remains in short supply. If we are to build homes fit for the future, with integrated design, energy efficiency and smart technologies, new talent is needed. To tackle the challenges ahead, a more diverse workforce, with fresh outlooks and bright ideas is the only way to make net zero a viable reality. Actuate UK is working across the building engineering services and the wider industry to map skills shortages against available training provision to identify gaps. This is a key step to help the industry deliver on safety and net zero carbon targets. Find out more about Actuate UK’s work on skills. The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has published a digital Embodied Carbon Calculator tool to enable engineers to estimate the embodied carbon associated with mechanical, electrical and public health systems in buildings. The digital tool is intended to support consultants, researchers andmanufacturers in implementing CIBSE TM65 Embodied carbon in building services: a calculation methodology, by performing the calculations set out in the document. CIBSE Technical Memorandum65 was published last year to enable the embodied carbon of building services equipment to be calculated when no Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is available. Embodied carbon is associated with the extraction of materials, manufacture, repair, disassembly and disposal. Environmental product declarations (EPDs) are a standardised way of providing the embodied carbon and other environmental impacts of a product. However, because of the complexity of building services products and their supply chains, very few building services equipment manufacturers offer EPDs. To use the digital Embodied Carbon Calculator tool, a manufacturer must first complete the Manufacturer Form describing the materials used in the product. Using data from the manufacturer’s form, a user is then able to complete either a basic embodied carbon calculation, when limited information is available, or a more robust mid-level calculation. Once the user has added contact details and completed consent to publication details, the result may be used as a self- assessed value for the embodied carbon of the product. Using this tool as a supplement TM65 will provide engineers with a consistent approach to the way embodied carbon calculations for building services products are carried out and reported. www.cibse.org New embodied carbon calculator for building services Heating industry agree hydrogen appliance labels With progress being made towards decarbonising domestic use of gas, using hydrogen, the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) membership of appliance manufacturers have agreed new, clear labelling for hydrogen appliances. The new labels will very clearly show three distinct categories of hydrogen appliances: “Hydrogen Blend” compatible, capable of running on a blend of up to 20 per cent hydrogen in the gas network. “Hydrogen-Ready” appliances, capable of running on a 20 per cent blend but with the capability of being converted by a Gas Safe engineer to run on a 100 per cent hydrogen gas network. “100% Hydrogen” boiler, an appliance built specifically to run on hydrogen without the need for conversion. www.hhic.org.uk/ INDUSTRY NEWS