NEWS & EVENTS

Build UK recently updated its guide to the Building Safety Regime to include all the information published in connection with the latest phase of the regime from 6 April. The April 2024 version includes the new registers for Building Control Approvers…

The Government has confirmed that for new apprenticeship starts from 1st April where employers do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy it will fund all the training costs, up to the funding band maximum, for apprentices aged between 16 and 21…

With the clock ticking on CSCS cards obtained through industry accreditation, ADCAS is reminding those involved in the ductwork industry of the need to ensure that their installers are able to get on site from 1st January 2025. By the…

OPSS has published its Delivery Report 2022 – 2023 which outlines activity and achievements to protect consumers and enable business growth through effective and proportionate product regulation. As a regulator within the Department for Business and Trade, and as part of…

The Government’s Payment and Cash Flow Review report confirms that the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations will be extended by a further seven years, in recognition of the way in which they have improved payment culture and transparency.…

New procurement rules have now become law following the Royal Assent of the Procurement Act. It is hoped that the new regime will deliver simpler, more effective public sector procurement, and help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) secure a greater…

As part of a member Q&A series we speak to Paul Williams, Product Manager for Domus Ventilation - a new ADCAS member company - to find out more about the business and hear his views on membership, reasons for joining ADCAS and the ductwork sector.…

Michael Ohly, former ADCAS President and founder of the organisation, has sadly passed away at the age of 78. A charming and charismatic industry leader, Michael was instrumental in shaping the ductwork industry during his 18 years as part of…

The Department for Business and Trade has launched a public consultation concerning the government’s Product Safety Review. This consultation forms part of the government’s Smarter Regulation programme of regulatory reform. The consultation will be open for 12 weeks, closing on…

The Government has announced its intention to indefinitely extend the use of CE marking for businesses. This previous deadline was 24th December 2024, at which point businesses were to use the UKCA mark instead. It is hoped this intervention will…

In continued support of International Women in Engineering Day, we get the views of Amy Fisher, ADCAS Executive Committee member and Managing Director of Doby Verrolec. Why did you decide to get involved in the ductwork industry? I was looking…

In support of International Women in Engineering Day, we asked ADCAS member Heather Wolfenden for her views on the industry. Heather Wolfenden – Marketing Manager, Lindab Ltd. Why did you decide to get involved in the industry? I’ve always had…

In a previous blog piece we took a look at the recruitment challenges SMEs are currently facing and acknowledged the impact this issue has on future growth and prosperity. There are, however, plenty of larger businesses (ADCAS members included) facing…

SMEs continue to weather the ongoing economic storm but are becoming increasingly frustrated by a lack of qualified workers available to fill positions. The ductwork sector has long struggled to address a widely acknowledged and well-documented skills gap but a…

The government has published Paul Morrell’s Independent Review of the Construction Product Testing Regime. Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) appointed former government chief construction adviser Paul Morrell and barrister Anneliese Day…

Government must develop stronger staying power and focus on fewer, bigger, better targeted initiatives to deliver the infrastructure needed to meet its long-term goals for economic growth and a lower carbon economy, the UK’s independent advisers on infrastructure have said.…

Schools and hospitals and more than 115,000 homes across England are to get upgrades to improve their energy efficiency as the Government announces the allocation of nearly £2 billion in funding. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant…

In recent years the construction sector has faced calls to improve competency - both at a company and individual level. In June 2022 the Building Safety Act was introduced as a significant regulatory step to improve safety and, alongside the…

An advertisement for ADCAS has appeared in the 2023 BESA Book, promoting its role as the voice of the ductwork industry. The BESA Book is an annual industry directory offering guidance on the technical, environmental and legislative issues of the…

The four Recognised Assessment Bodies for the Common Assessment Standard - Achilles, CHAS, Constructionline and CQMS – have successfully completed their annual review to ensure their organisational competency. A growing list of organisations now using the Common Assessment Standard, reducing…

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) has announced a series of amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which will introduce major reforms to the planning system, including a new ‘Infrastructure Levy’, a fast‐track planning route…

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) is backing a new Private Sector Construction Playbook, published by the Construction Productivity Taskforce, which aims to drive change in the way projects across the private sector are commissioned, procured, delivered and operated. The publication…

Government has announced its intention to introduce legislation to continue recognition of the CE marking and reversed epsilon marking until 31 December 2024 for most goods being placed on the market or put into service in Great Britain as part…

BESA has issued an urgent warning about a potential safety weakness in a large number of building ventilation systems due to the incorrect installation of fire dampers. BESA said it was acting after annual inspections carried out by maintenance contractors…

Following a lengthy period of debate and amendments, the Government’s Building Safety Bill has now received Royal Assent. The Bill is intended to ‘create lasting generational change’ to the way high risk and residential buildings are constructed and maintained. The…

At the June 2021 ADCAS members meeting current ADCAS president Malcolm Moss gave formal notice that he is intending to stand down in June 2022. After inviting ADCAS member’s nominations for a new President and Vice-President it has been confirmed that the following…

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published additional guidance on placing manufactured goods on the market in Great Britain using the CE and UKCA mark. The guidance informs manufacturers, distributors and importers on their changing obligations following…

UK government has updated the guidance document – Industry competence: factsheet. This government factsheet shows what the government wants with regards to competency. The DLUHC say these regulations will impose a requirement on principal designers, principal contractors and anyone carrying…

Updates from - BSI RHE/2 – CEN/TC 156 Ventilation for Buildings, Heating and Hot Water Services BS EN 15780 – Cleanliness of Ventilation Systems – A thorough review of this standard has taken place by BSI and comments passed onto CEN/TC…

From 30 September 2021, contractors bidding for central Government contracts worth more than £5m a year will be required to provide a Carbon Reduction Plan, which confirms their commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 and sets out the environmental…

The latest information from Builders’ Conference shows that there were 454 contracts worth £4.7bn awarded in August. Whilst this was lower than the previous month as the industry had its traditional and well‐deserved summer break, both the number and value of contracts…

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) has published the National Infrastructure and Construction Procurement Pipeline for 2021/22 setting out up to £31bn of planned investment in economic and social infrastructure. It is the most comprehensive pipeline ever published and looks…

The Government has announced that businesses will have an additional year to apply new product safety markings for most products placed on the market in England, Scotland and Wales. The move comes after the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and a number of prominent industry trade bodies…

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

The Construction Leadership Council is urging government to allow double-vaccinated workers to ignore self-isolation pings. Construction leaders and some of the UK’s largest building materials suppliers want special treatment for the construction industry ahead of the 16th August relaxation of…

The Government has published the Building Safety Bill, which outlines the most significant changes to building safety regulation in a generation. These include the creation of the Building Safety Regulator to oversee the safety and performance of all buildings, with…

Andy Mitchell, co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council, has written an open letter to the UK construction industry to provide reassurance on the availability and pricing volatility of labour and materials. “This volatility is likely to be something we must…

ADCAS is backing industry calls for the UKCA Mark transition for construction products to be extended until at least the end of 2022. The Government’s current timeline sees the UK moving from EU CE marking to UKCA marking by the…

As part of a new incentive scheme, employers will be able to claim a £1,000 cash boost for every T Level student they host on a high-quality industry placement. The new technical qualifications are equivalent to three A Levels and…

The CLC Product Availability Group has issued its latest statement on the availability of construction products, which confirms that in addition to availability and resulting longer lead times, there is an impact on prices. Among the products most affected is…

The deadline for employers to claim the incentive payment for new apprentices hired between 1st August 2020 and March 2021 is fast approaching. Employers have until 31st May to apply to receive £2,000 for apprentices aged 16‐24 and £1,500 for…

As announced in the Queen’s Speech earlier this week, the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill will be introduced on 18 May. The Bill will provide the legislation that underpins the reforms set out in the Skills White Paper, published in…

Despite their crucial fire safety role, huge numbers of fire and smoke dampers remain untested in thousands of buildings across the UK, according to the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA). The Association fears that less than 1% of buildings have…

BSI recently hosted a webinar titled ‘The Golden Thread of information and what it means for the sector’. Introduced by Antony Burd, Associate Director and Head of Built Environment at BSI and featuring a presentation by Aman Sharma, Deputy Chair…

Since the Grenfell Tower fire, companies in the construction industry have found it increasingly difficult to secure appropriate and affordable Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance. A recent CLC survey found that average premium rates were nearly four times higher at last…

Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 07/20 will come into force from 1 April, increasing the prompt payment threshold for suppliers bidding for Government contracts above £5 million per annum. Suppliers will be required to show that they pay 85% of invoices…

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced the appointment of a Chief Inspector of Buildings to establish and lead the new Building Safety Regulator (BSR). Peter Baker, HSE’s current Director of Building Safety and Construction, will take up the…

The ADCAS newsletter for March 2021 is now avilable to view here. This month's newsletter includes information on the ADCAS members survey, policy updates and news from ADCAS member companies.

ADCAS has voiced its support for the Government’s plans to force contractors to explain themselves if they submit unrealistically low bids for public sector contracts. Fergus Harradence, Deputy Director for Infrastructure and Construction, recently told a webinar hosted by the…

The government has introduced a new national regulator to ensure homes are built from safe construction materials and products. The regulator for construction products will have the power to remove any product from the market that presents a significant safety…

The government has announced an overhaul of the Prompt Payment Code in an attempt to tackle delayed invoices owed to small businesses. Under new reforms, companies that have signed up to the Prompt Payment Code will be obliged to pay…

Following the signing of the UK – EU Free Trade Agreement, there are new rules for businesses which came into force on 1 January 2021. ADCAS members should visit gov.uk/transition where you can use the checker tool to quickly identify…

ADCAS has raised concerns around the cost and limited availability of steel as prices continue to rise sharply and show little sign of slowing down. As well as affecting the vast majority of ADCAS members, the soaring costs are likely…

The UK should be more ambitious and aim for a 78% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, according to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC). In its latest advice to government, the independent parliamentary group said this accelerated goal…

IR35 rules are due to change from 6 April 2021. From this date, engaging businesses will be made liable for determining whether the IR35 rules apply. They will also be required to operate PAYE and pay employers' National Insurance contributions.…

BSI have published the second iteration of BSI Flex 8670 Built environment – Overarching framework for competence of individuals – Specification which is the latest draft of the benchmark standard for building safety competence in the Built Environment. The specification…

The government’s new ‘Construction Playbook’ has been published, outlining how government will work with the industry to make sure public projects are delivered faster, better and greener. The Construction Playbook sets out key policies and guidance for how public works…

South Thames College have resumed their apprentice training and they are currently delivering Level 2. They have advised that Level 3 should be available after Christmas. At the moment they have no plans for adult training. George Humphreys attended the…

RHE/2 meeting held 25th November 2020 WG2 – The committee expressed concern that an update of Harmonised standard FprEN 13142 will include far more Classifications than the original testing by UK manufacturers. As this is a Harmonised standard unless the…

Website functionality has been improved in order to facilitate sign ups and the site is being proactively updated. In November, 43 documents were downloaded. The marketing group has been monitoring the raising the bar initiatives across ADCAS and will prepare…

Any industry card carrying the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) logo will soon have to have an embedded smart chip to protect the integrity of the system. The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has set a deadline of 31st March 2022…

Significant changes to the rules on IR35 and on the VAT reverse charge for building and construction services will be introduced next year. IR35 legislation was originally introduced in April 2000 to ensure that workers who provide their services through…

Dame Judith Hackitt has announced plans to recognise companies who reform their working practices before they are forced to by new regulations. Speaking at the BESA National Conference, the chair of the Industry Safety Steering Group said businesses should not…

Following revisions to the Standard ‘BS EN 1366-12:2014+A1:2019 Fire resistance tests for service installations. Non-mechanical fire barrier for ventilation ductwork’, the CEN Technical Committee 127 – Fire Safety in Buildings – contemplated creating a separate standard for kitchen extract ducts…

The ADCAS newsletter for October 2020 is now avilable to view here. This month's newsletter includes information on the latest ADCAS publications, updates on government schemes and news from ADCAS member companies.

PRESS RELEASE 18th September 2020 Joint publication clears up confusion over compliance A number of technical standards needed to ensure fire resistant and smoke control ventilation systems comply with safety regulations have not yet been published, leading to confusion in…

Furloughed employees who are then made redundant will now receive redundancy pay based on their normal wage, under new laws. Throughout the pandemic, the government has urged businesses to do right by their employees and pay those being made redundant…

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has announced a new inquiry to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Building Safety Bill. The draft bill sets out how the Government intends to put into law the policies set out in…

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has partnered with industry and government to launch the Talent Retention Scheme – a new online portal designed to support the redeployment of staff at risk of redundancy, allowing them to be temporarily loaned between…

Regardless of application or environment, ductwork ventilation systems should never be categorised as 'fit and forget' and will need regular cleaning and maintenance in order to function properly. Malcolm Moss, president of the Association of Ductwork Contractors and Allied Services…

What you need to know about coronavirus and how it will impact your business Welcome to the CBI's Coronavirus Hub. We've collated everything you need to know about COVID-19, including advice, guidance, and what your business can do to help.…

The government has agreed to delay the implementation of domestic reverse charge VAT for construction services by a year following lobbying efforts led by a coalition of industry organisations. The coalition put forward a strong case for delaying the introduction…

A major new payment and mental health survey has been launched by 27 bodies in the UK construction industry in order to understand how poor payment practices are impacting mental health and business wellbeing. The survey is being run by…

The government has released its Technical Review of Approved Document B of the Building Regulations which contains a summary of responses received in relation to its call for evidence. government stated that although there is a clear desire for change,…

ADCAS has announced its full support for a newly introduced pre-qualification (PQ) system – a joint venture by Build UK and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) designed to tackle the current pre-qualification inefficiencies costing the construction industry millions every…