Vent-Axia’s NICEIC Training Course helps installers achieve best practice

Leading British ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia is committed to best practice and is proud to offer its NICEIC Domestic Ventilation Training Course, held at its head office in Crawley.

The two-day course is aimed at anyone with an interest in installing ventilation systems, particularly experienced electricians, plumbers, ventilation installers and heating engineers looking to improve their knowledge and understanding of domestic ventilation systems.

The course provides the necessary skills in system design, installation, testing, commissioning, handover, servicing and fault-finding of ventilation systems, in accordance with the latest National Occupational Standards and Minimum Technical Competency documents.

It also looks at legal requirements, why ventilation is important and the different types of ventilation available. At the end of the course, delegates will have received both theoretical and practical training, including the commissioning of a working MVHR system.

Jordan Lilford, Product Marketing Manager – New Build Residential at Vent-Axia, commented: “Vent-Axia is very much committed to best practice and so, as industry leaders, we are well positioned to run this informative and highly beneficial course to help ensure that installers have all the knowledge and practical skills to effectively install a variety of ventilation systems.

“Upon completion, installers will be able to apply to join a Competent Person Scheme as the course meets the minimum technical competency requirements for such schemes.

“The industry is increasingly looking towards installers belonging to competency schemes and so this course is a useful and practical way of achieving this.”

The course is recognised by all Competent Person Schemes within the industry and aims to train installers to safely and competently fit, inspect and test any of the four common domestic ventilation systems: individual extract fans; passive stack ventilation systems; continuous MEV systems and continuous MVHR systems.

The course also sets out to train installers to commission these systems once fitted and provide documentary evidence to handover to both Building Control and the end-user. 

As the Government continues to try to lower the carbon emissions generated from the built environment, the drive for greater energy efficiency will continue.

As a result, MVHR systems will accelerate in growth and electricians that are able to fit them competently will be in high demand since it will be increasingly important to prove homes are built as designed to ensure high performance.

Once candidates have completed the course and enrolled with a Competent Person Scheme, such as the one run by the NICEIC, they will be able to add value and differentiate themselves from their competitors while winning work from developers.

They will also benefit from not having to notify a Building Control Body in advance of doing notifiable work, they just have to notify their work online with the Competent Person Scheme who will issue a building compliance certificate to the customer, as well as advise the relevant local authority that work has taken place.

This not only saves installers time but building control charges will not be payable and installers can offer a complete service to their customers.

Joining a Competent Person Scheme is increasingly important within the industry. This has been recognised by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Healthy Homes and Buildings’ White Paper Building our Future: Laying the Foundations for Healthy Homes and Buildings, published in October 2018. 

The Paper makes clear recommendations to the Government on how it can improve standards in housing to benefit occupants’ health and wellbeing and within these recommendations is a call for better and consistent building standards and regulations, including Competent Person Schemes, to improve installer best practice.

To apply for Vent-Axia’s course simply enrol via the Vent-Axia website https://www.vent-axia.com/niceic-ventilation-training-course. For up-to-date ventilation guidance visit www.vent-axia.com/healthyhomes