PCA Weekly News - 1st February 2020
In your weekly PCA update this week:
- NEW Ground Gas Protection Group
- PCA Supports New Amenity Standard
- Consultation Deadline on Approved Document F
- Register for PCA’s First Ever Webinar!
- Become a Mental Health First Aider for your Company
- Consultation Launched for Building Regulations
- Beat the Winter Blues with PCA Training
- Welcome to our New Members
NEW Ground Gas Protection Group
Applications for the new Ground Gas Protection in Buildings Group will be open from Monday 3rd February. Drafting of criteria for membership for Contractors, Manufacturers, Verifiers and Consultants is complete; the creation of webpages, an industry Code of Practice, supporting Technical Notes and the development of structured training and qualifications are all well underway with a view to a launch later in the Spring.
For all PCA members who are interested in joining please contact Sue Uttridge: [email protected].
PCA Supports New Amenity Standard
A reminder to members that the new Amenity Standard, developed by the Amenity Forum, will be officially launched on 4th February at an event in Scotland. Your Association is playing a key role in this initiative as a foundation partner. For our invasive weed members, this initiative really is another ‘feather in the cap’, demonstrating adherence to recognised, assured standards – safe, effective and sustainable use of herbicides within an integrated weed management plan. And the great news is that all PCA Invasive Weed Control Group members already comply!
We encourage members to go to the website (https://theamenitystandard.co.uk) and familiarise yourself with these messages of assurance. They will greatly aid you when using the new Amenity Standard logo within your own marketing plans.
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Consultation Deadline on Approved Document F
The deadline for the consultation on draft guidance for Approved Document F is 7th February. To read and submit comments on the consultation, click on the button below.
The PCA has lobbied for a number of years for greater inclusion of guidance for ventilation requirements in existing homes. Frustratingly whilst a section has been included for existing buildings (a huge step forward), no consultation is available for this section at this time. An expected timescale of early 2020 has been given for the release of the sector covering existing homes and we will keep members updated.
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Register for PCA’s First Ever Webinar!
Over 150 individuals have already registered for the “Avoiding Failures in Podium Deck Waterproofing” webinar. This webinar is one of a number of informative, insightful and useful events taking place on a monthly basis for the next six months. Topics will include:
- The Evolution of Damp Control
- Our research project with Housing Association Chorus
- The new Methodology document
- Japanese knotweed
More information to follow on these in the coming weeks.
This webinar takes place on 13th February (8-9am) and will be hosted by PCA Board member Ben Hickman, CSSW.LONDON. Register your interest via the button below and if you have any queries, please contact [email protected].
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Become a Mental Health First Aider for your Company
The NEW Mental Health First Aid course has been opened up to non-members this week and members are urged to grab this opportunity and book at the discounted rate of £260 – why not become the Mental Health First Aider for your company?!
We know that mental health awareness in the workplace is a topical issue. Recent news reports show that poor mental health at work is costing companies £40 billion a year. Your Association wants you to avoid this and our two-day course is designed to help employees identify issues early, recognise the trigger signs and react to the needs of their people empathetically and compassionately.
To find out more and find out how this course can help you and your employees – contact Jo in the training team: [email protected].
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Consultation Launched for Building Regulations
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a consultation under s.14(3) of the Building Act 1984, seeking views on proposals of potential amendments to the Building Regulations 2010 – regarding ‘the ban of the use of combustible materials in and on external walls of buildings’.
This document will be of particular interest to PCA Members as it lists “insulation and waterproofing materials used below ground level” as one of the few exceptions, but, is very sparse on details.
To access the consultation, click on the button below. The consultation will run for 12 weeks, closing at 11:45pm on 13th April 2020. We invite members to respond to the consultation and encourage you to forward this to any colleagues/businesses that you believe may also be interested.
This will also be discussed at the next Structural Waterproofing Group meeting. Dates for all meetings throughout 2020 are as follows:
- 5th March 2020
- 9th July 2020
- 1st December 2020
Please get in touch with James Berry – [email protected] to confirm your attendance.
Submit Your Views >>
Take the opportunity to get some Training
A Diagnostic Approach to Understanding Condensation, Atmospheric Moisture and Mould
This one-day course provides delegates with the ability to analyse raw information collected by atmospheric data loggers, and present this in a way that can illustrate clearly to the homeowner or property professional what is happening in the occupied house. It will also assist in devising rectification strategies and help allow practitioners to take the guesswork out of atmospheric moisture monitoring.
Invasive Plant Identification Course **NEW**
This course has been launched to focus on the identification of common terrestrial invasive species in the UK. This is an exciting opportunity to work with live samples, such as American Skunk Cabbage and Three Cornered Garlic, and extend knowledge with invasive species that are causing problems within the UK.
This course has proven extremely popular – DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO ATTEND!!
Contact the training team today on 01480 400000 or email [email protected].
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Welcome to our New Members
We are very pleased to welcome the following provisional contractor into PCA membership:
Knotweed Doctor Ltd (Provisional Status Contractor – Invasive Weed Sector)
Tyn-y-Coed
Rossett
Cheshire
LL12 0DE
In the News
The PCA’s upcoming Avoiding Failures in Podium Deck Waterproofing webinar has been featured in UK Construction, Surveyor Link, 24Housing, Rapid Grid Ltd (Twitter) and Hunbuild Ltd (Twitter).
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