Vent-Axia Invests in New Training Suite for NICEIC Courses

Leading British ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia is committed to best practice and is proud to have invested in a new bespoke training suite for its NICEIC Domestic Ventilation Training Course at its Crawley headquarters.

The dedicated training suite offers a comfortable environment for installers to improve their knowledge and understanding of domestic ventilation systems with the room featuring an array of working Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) units so attendees can put into action the theoretical skills they learn on the course.

All four of the installed MVHR units are fully functioning so delegates are able to complete a commissioning assessment in the training suite. 

Well installed and commissioned ventilation has become more important than ever following the launch of the new Building Regulations in December 2021.

The new Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) reduces carbon by almost a third in new build homes. Increasingly airtight homes must consider indoor air quality (IAQ) to protect the wellbeing of inhabitants and so, along with the new Part F (Means of Ventilation), the updated Regulations set out ‘significant changes’ to drive adoption of low carbon ventilation as an industry standard. And in existing homes this includes the need to consider ventilation when energy efficiency measures are added. 

Vent-Axia’s NICEIC Domestic Ventilation Training Course is a two-day course 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. It also looks at legal requirements, why ventilation is important and the different types of ventilation available. This includes information on the updated Building Regulations to ensure installers are aware and comply with the new changes.

Richard Porteous, Senior Projects Manager at Built Environment Technology Ltd, recently completed the NICEIC course at Vent-Axia with his company: “Grateful thanks to Vent-Axia for hosting our company’s NICEIC CPS renewal this week. It is vital that these essential products are installed by a competent person to ensure best practice.

“The Vent-Axia training suite includes a good training wall, a very useful asset that allows delegates to complete the course’s commissioning assessment.”

David Cook, Technical Product Manager at Vent-Axia, comments: “We are delighted to be able to offer this dedicated new training suite. With ventilation being more important than ever, our NICEIC course helps allow attendees to ensure they comply with best practice, as well as being able to gain hands-on experience with MVHR units in a comfortable environment.

“With the launch of the new Building Regulations, the NICEIC course is a great way to ensure attendees are up-to-date with the Regulations on this informative and highly beneficial course.

“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 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. At the end of the course, delegates will have received both theoretical and practical training, including the commissioning of a working MVHR system.

The course is recognised by industry Competent Person Schemes and aims to train installers to safely and competently fit, inspect and test the common domestic ventilation systems: individual extract fans; continuous MEV systems and continuous MVHR systems. The course also aims 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 lower carbon emission targets 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.

To find out more and 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.