SummitSkills, the sector skills council representing employers in the building services engineering (BSE) sector, has welcomed the conclusions of consumer group Which’s recent undercover investigation into companies currently offering solar power equipment installation.
The investigation raised issues about the variability of the quality of advice and installation being provided by companies currently promoting their services to fit renewable energy equipment. It reflects the concerns of the recently-established National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies, which was set up by SummitSkills earlier this year specifically to provide access to a network of high quality environmental training.
Meet demand
SummitSkills Chief Executive Keith Marshall said: “We are pleased to see Which? drawing attention to this very important issue. The UK has a demanding target for carbon emissions reduction to meet and it is through high quality work by the building services engineering professions that the biggest steps will be taken towards achieving that target. We echo the call for the Government to put quality advice and installation at the heart of its recently launched microgeneration strategy and into the Green Deal to be launched next year. Now is the time to build quality assurance into the environmental technology market, protecting consumers against unscrupulous traders and potentially preventing millions of pounds from being needlessly wasted.”
The National Skills Academy for Environmental Technology offers employers access to a network of accredited training providers running courses to increase their employees’ knowledge and skills in the specification, design, installation, commission, repair and maintenance of environmental technology systems. These include, bio-fuel, combined heat and power, heat pumps, micro generation systems, micro wind energy, solar photovoltaic (PV), water harvesting and recycling.