Last month, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), announced Boiler Plus, a new piece of legislation that sits within the Building Regulations framework and sets out mandatory requirements to improve the energy efficiency of domestic heating systems.

Designed to help the Government meet the EU’s 2020 lower emission targets, Boiler Plus requires manufacturers and installers to meet higher standards and take greater responsibility for the decisions they make.  In order to deliver the new standards, installers are going to have to familiarise themselves with the new directives so it’s a great opportunity to promote the latest gas qualifications and bring the sector up to date with the newest product developments.

From April 2018….

Boiler Plus sets out a new minimum performance standard for domestic gas boilers fitted in England and from April next year, all such appliances will need to run at a minimum ErP of 92% Less efficient products will be phased out.

All new combi boilers will be designed to run more efficiently with temperature and timing controls and systems that will have to include one of the following:

• Flue gas heating recovery systems
• Weather Compensation
• Load Compensation
• Smart Controls featuring automation and optimisation

Householders will be encouraged and enabled to make informed decisions about the products that best meet their needs. By offering flexibility in the choice of systems, the legislation is designed to suit a wide range of consumers and take into account variations in the housing stock and existing heating systems.

Installers will have a key role in helping householders make these decisions and delivering the new directives. Boiler Plus will have a major impact on the gas sector as installers will need to get up to speed in a relatively short time to ensure they are in a position to provide the best advice - particularly on smart controls where, across the board, it appears knowledge is lacking.

The Government is working with consumer advocacy groups to provide householders with more information and the confidence to hold trades people to account when they aren’t able to provide a holistic approach to their heating system. Installers will need to ensure that the choices and decisions they make are targeted to their customers’ needs, assessing whether individual radiator controls might be beneficial for example.

What you can do

To ensure a smooth transition, it’s a great time to promote gas qualifications and courses on smart metering.