September seems to have brought the cold, wet weather with it – signifying the start of what I hope will be a busy heating season for you. This month began with Chimney Fire Safety Week which thanks to all is a huge success each year – thank you to all of you who shared the safety information. We have also seen a pivotal shift in Scotland, with the ban on ‘direct emission’ heating systems being temporarily paused. This temporary measure is welcome, and we will continue working with the Scottish Government to find a pragmatic conclusion that supports industry, air quality, and carbon reductions across Scotland. 

Defra released their annual report on pollution – ‘Air Pollution in the UK 2023’ – in late September, detailing estimates for a number of emissions across the UK. This report reveals insight into the progress of our industry’s emission reduction measures, and it is pleasing to see that the UK has met its targets across all zones for annual mean concentration of PM2.5 and our national exposure reduction target. This follows previous years of good news, where targets were also achieved and our industry’s efforts have paid dividends. Read our full article on the report on the HETAS website. 

Earlier this month, we saw the Scottish Government temporarily halt what many have referred to as a ‘ban on wood-burning stoves’. The Scottish New Build Heat Standard (NBHS) originally banned the installation of ‘direct emission’ heating systems in new build homes across Scotland, but the new Direction has created a temporary pause on this restriction. This change has occurred following widespread concerns in our industry, with manufacturers, organisations, registrants, and consumers making their voices heard. Read more about this temporary pause in our explanatory article, where Calvin May, HETAS Head of Technical and Certification, shares his thoughts on the Direction and its implications for Scotland’s future. 

To say that this year’s Chimney Fire Safety Week campaign was a success would be an understatement. There was widespread engagement across our industry, with a multitude of individuals and organisations spreading the safety messages. In addition to this, the campaign was picked up by various local and national news outlets including The Express, The Mirror, Reach titles, and Country Homes publications. This press coverage has ranged from top tips to essential safety advice for the upcoming heating season, and the articles have reached a combined audience of millions. These safety messages not only ensure we can further decrease the number of chimney fires, but also that our industry is best represented. As consumer burning habits continue to improve, emissions from those burning irresponsibly will continue to decrease. This aids our work and is part of our mission in creating a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment. 

Government announced earlier this month that the CE/UKCA transition deadline has been indefinitely extended for construction products – this includes solid fuel appliances and their related components. In short, this means that CE marking will be accepted past the previously established deadline of 25 June 2025, and that UKCA marking will continue to be accepted. To find out more about how this decision was made and who it affects, read our article. 

This month’s Spotlight returns with Flue Supplies being featured. The article delves into the company’s experience and ethos, highlighting their Cleaner Choice certified appliances and HETAS Approved Product. Seeing more manufacturers committing to the making the cleaner choice, demonstrating their dedication to reducing their emissions is fantastic and it’s always interesting to discover how each manufacturer utilises their expertise to create the highest quality products. Read more about Flue Supplies and their Cleaner Choice certified appliances in our latest Spotlight article. 

PHEX South took place at London Olympia on September 11–12; we were in attendance with a stand, giving us the opportunity to speak to a variety of stakeholders from our industry and anyone that wished to find out more about what we do. The team had plenty of great, meaningful conversations and our stand was busy throughout the two days. Events like PHEX are fantastic opportunities for the team to directly engage with registrants and we look forward to representing the industry next month at PHEX North, taking place at Old Trafford Stadium on 9–10 October – we hope to see you there, too. 

In further event news, Wood Heat 2024 is coming up soon, with this year’s conference taking place 16–17 October. Wood Heat is hosted by The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) and this year’s event takes place at The Delta Nottingham Belfry, with plenty of interesting changes to be discussed. Alan Young, HETAS Compliance Manager, will be in attendance and speaking on the Industry Standards Update panel alongside Neil Holland of UKPC and Helen Bentley-Fox of Woodsure, our sister company. Find out more about this year’s conference in our news section. 

We launched our calculators on the Technical Hub at the start of this month, providing you with some easy, useful guidance across different scenarios. As a valued HETAS Registrant, you will now have access to calculators to provide you with guidance on air supply, heat input, flue cross-sectional area, and room heater output area. As a reminder, these calculators should be used in conjunction with an onsite survey, not as a replacement. Please get in touch with the HETAS Technical team if you need additional support. 

Northern Ireland’s announcement in June regarding carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms, and heat alarms has come into effect this month – private tenancies granted on or after 1 September 2024 must be compliant the date the tenancy is granted. Existing tenancies will be required to comply by 1 December 2024. The legislation requires private rented properties to have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted in ‘any room or circulation space’ containing a fixed combustion appliance or flue. This follows the Welsh government’s carbon monoxide consultation’s results from April, showing a keen interest from governments in carbon monoxide safety. As always, we have our carbon monoxide safety resources that can be shared with consumers, and we will continue to support governments and other organisations to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide. Find out more about the changes on the Northern Irish Department for Communities website. 

Fleetmaxx Solutions – a company we recently exclusively partnered with, granting you access to a range of money-saving services for your fleet, including discount fuel cards – are currently running a limited-time offer for HETAS registrants. This offer will enter all new customers into a draw for a chance to win £150 of free fuel. The competition runs until 25 November and the winner of the draw will be announced on 26 November, so make sure you apply through our link for a chance to win.