The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has launched a certification pathway to help ventilation hygiene contractors demonstrate professional and technical competence and compliance in line with the Building Safety Act.
Created by the industry’s certification scheme the Ventilation Hygiene Register (VHR), the process is based on BESA’s industry standard TR19® and provides a third party verified auditable route for demonstrating competence, compliance and best practice in ventilation hygiene services for air systems.
The launch of VHR Air comes amid continued regulatory focus on building safety, indoor air quality (IAQ) and system performance following the introduction of the Act in 2022. BESA has developed a new ‘air work type’ which reflects the Act’s core principles, including competence assurance, transparency, traceability and the need for a transparent ‘golden thread’ of information.
The Association said there had been a surge in demand for specialised ventilation hygiene services in recent years reflecting the rise in awareness of the fire and health risks posed by badly maintained ventilation systems.
“Ventilation hygiene plays a vital role in maintaining good indoor air quality and building performance,” said Chris Major, BESA’s head of compliance. “Duty holders must be able to evidence that this work has been carried out by competent, compliant contractors and in line with recognised industry standards.
Enforcing
“Compliance with TR19® is increasingly important for those enforcing the legislation and for the insurance industry, so having fully trained operatives is crucial for contractors working in this area,” he added.
The guiding principle of TR19®, which was first developed by BESA in 1998 and regularly updated since, is that a defined, measurable level of cleanliness should be achieved to improve safety and comfort in buildings.
Designed for contractors delivering ventilation hygiene work to general ventilation systems, the VHR Air work type independently verifies that:
- work is carried out in line with recognised standards, including TR19® Air,
- individuals undertaking and supervising work are competent for the scope delivered
- documentation and reporting support building safety and compliance obligations.
“The Act has fundamentally changed expectations around competence and accountability,” added Major. “VHR Air is a practical mechanism for contractors to provide evidence that their ventilation hygiene work meets those expectations, while giving clients and duty holders greater confidence and assurance.”
For contractors, the scheme offers third-party validation that can strengthen procurement submissions, satisfy insurance requirements and reduce risk through improved audit trails.
For clients and duty-holders, specifying a VHR Air approved contractor provides confidence that ventilation hygiene work aligns with recognised best practice and contributes to safer, healthier buildings.
Ian Gregory, managing director of IAQ Services and chair of BESA’s Ventilation Hygiene Group, said VHR Air was an excellent way for companies of all sizes to prove their credentials.
“This is the latest step in improving the professionalism of our sector and shows that we take our wider building safety responsibilities very seriously,” he added. “It is crucial that clients can differentiate between those firms who have taken the trouble to invest in their people and processes so they can meet the highest standards, and those who are prepared to ignore their obligations to building occupants.
“A third-party scheme like this should provide them with all the reassurance they need when looking to specify properly qualified specialists.”
Consistent
BESA said VHR Air was built on the established VHR Grease scheme and reflected a need for consistent standards across all areas of ventilation hygiene. Evidence gathered through the scheme will also support ongoing dialogue with the Building Safety Regulator as the industry responds to the changing regulatory landscape.
“The Building Safety Act is about accountability and assurance not additional bureaucracy,” said BESA’s director of specialist knowledge Rachel Davidson. “Industry led certification schemes, built on recognised standards, give contractors a practical way to evidence both individual competence elements and organisational capability, while providing clients and duty holders with confidence that the work is being carried out safely and consistently.
“VHR Air provides a timely, clear and auditable route to compliance at a point where awareness is improving and expectations across the sector are rising”.
For more information and to start the application process apply here.