The ABB Energy Centre, within the construction centre at the college, offers businesses the chance to skill up their workforce in the fast-growing areas of renewable energy, plumbing and heating. The Centre includes a significant focus on sustainable water management within its training programme.
Kingspan Water has provided a rainwater harvesting rig, showcasing a fully-integrated system, and allowing the students hands-on experience in its installation, commissioning and maintenance. The rig also demonstrates how technology such as the Sensor Control Panel improves the commissioning process.
Adrian Heath, head of faculty of construction at City College Plymouth said: “The decision to include rainwater harvesting within the ABB Energy Centre was based on our aim to try and include all aspects of renewable and low carbon technologies within the Centre.
“The Centre will enable our students and the existing workforce within the industry to access training and upskilling in new emerging technologies.”
He continued: “We chose Kingspan Water as our supplier because of their wealth of experience in rainwater harvesting and their ethos of continual development of systems and process.
“We see the ABB Energy Centre at the College being integral in supporting the training and skilling of employees working in businesses within low carbon and green technologies.”
Unsurprisingly, the UK rainwater harvesting sector is highly regulated to protect the public water supply, with systems and equipment now having to comply with British Standards (BS 8515) to ensure they are fit-for-purpose. And rainwater harvesting is a hot topic as a methodology to meet criteria for The Code for Sustainable Homes. As a result, plumbers recognise the need to diversify and help ‘future proof’ their installations.
The partnership with City College Plymouth, is one of many that Kingspan Water has established with training colleges across the country to help plumbers become confident and certified installers of rainwater harvesting systems. For architects and specifiers, there is the chance to sign up for the company’s Continuous Professional Development (CPD) sessions.
Adrian Gatford from Kingspan Water said: “The sector is a growing commercial opportunity, not just for plumbers, but across all aspects of the industry. Training is a key element to ensure the correct installation of systems and the delivery of many of the benefits such systems can provide the end-user.”