Why you should specify an HVCA member
Delivering quality
Every industry has its leaders – those who set and maintain the standards to which others can only aspire. For more than a century, members of the HVCA have occupied just such a position in building services engineering.
It is they who have broken new barriers in technological excellence, risen to the challenges posed by increasingly sophisticated buildings, responded to growing environmental pressures – and offered an increasingly expert and professional service to commercial and domestic customers alike.
In craftsmanship, commercial competence, management ability and all-round professionalism, HVCA members have the edge – a fact acknowledged by clients and specifiers throughout the country, and by householders who have cause to thank them for the efficiency of their central heating installations.
Inspection and assessment
All HVCA members are required to adhere to the Association's Code of Fair Trading, and to commit to best practice in all their commercial dealings.
They are also subject to third-party inspection and assessment by BM TRADA, a recognised certification body with a sound track record in the construction industry.
Potential members must undergo independent inspection and assessment prior to admission. Inspection and assessment is then repeated for all members every three years, and comprises two elements.
The first addresses commercial capability – covering such matters as administrative and business systems, financial and training records, insurance arrangements, and health and safety, environmental and equal opportunities policies.
The second is designed to evaluate technical competence. This takes place on-site and involves the inspection of work in progress against a broad range of standards, devised and compiled by the HVCA in collaboration with the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA).
What the clients say
"We have found that HVCA members provide a first-class service in responding to the needs of the client and the professional design team. This includes preparation of competitive tender, site organisation and manning, procurement of materials, handling sub-contractors and liaison with main contractors – and cost control right through to handover."
Robert Chisholm, Principal, Cameron Chisholm Dawson, Chartered Engineers
"The HVCA’s inspection and assessment approach is in line with our desire to have independent verification of all the contractors we employ. The scheme is akin to the council’s approach of using contractors that will add value and exceed our expectations. We are moving towards a position where we will only employ contractors that have been independently assessed."
Terry Whitlock, Technical Services Manager, Kent County Council
"The companies that are involved in our projects are usually HVCA members. This demonstrates that they have the appropriate level of skills needed to tackle major projects. We know that we can rely on HVCA members to deliver quality and expertise."
Eddie Radford, M&E Manager, Bovis Lend Lease
"We applaud the HVCA's decision to implement independent inspection and assessment of its members. This is an excellent example of best practice that reinforces the high standards we have come to expect from HVCA contractors."
Charles Lever, Director of Building Services, Taylor Woodrow Construction
"We view HVCA independent member inspection and assessment as a very positive step forward as it will provide proof of contractor competence and technical ability. To deliver on quality, programme and cost, we want to work with contractors who are members of a relevant association because that will establish a set of minimum quality standards."
Steve Vickers, General Manager, Urban Design, Birmingham City Council
A business edge
The independent inspection and assessment of HVCA members:
- has further increased the perception of the HVCA logo as a badge of respectability and professionalism;
- has set HVCA members further above their unaudited – and less stringently audited – competitors;
- has instilled confidence in actual and prospective clients through the independent verification of members' technical competence and commercial capability;
- helps them to secure better-quality clients – especially those committed to the achievement of wider policy objectives such as sustainability and corporate social responsibility;
- helps HVCA members' businesses operate more efficiently and more effectively;
- keeps HVCA members fully up-to-date on new and revised legislation and regulation, and on changing patterns of work and business practice;
- promotes innovation, the use of technology and new working methods and the development of new products and services;
- has received the endorsement of the Association of British Insurers.
A quality passport
HVCA independent inspection and assessment also means that HVCA members:
- can automatically register with the Contractor Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS), enabling them to satisfy tender conditions relating to health and safety in respect of most work undertaken for public and private sector clients and main contractors;
- are assisted in qualifying for membership of a Competent Persons scheme operated by Building Engineering Services Competence Accreditation Ltd (BESCA), and so are able to self-certify work they carry out in relation to Parts F,G J and L of the Building Regulations;
- are pre-qualified for registration under the Government-inspired TrustMark scheme in England and Wales, and by the Construction Licensing Executive in Scotland and Northern Ireland;
- receive a discount on their subscription to Constructionline, the Government-backed national register of contractors competent to undertake public sector projects.
A matter of influence
The independent inspection and assessment of HVCA members has:
- further enhanced HVCA's reputation as an organisation with a commitment to quality and competence standards;
- improved HVCA's standing with national, international and regional Government, thus increasing its influence in the "corridors of power";
- allowed HVCA more effectively to represent the interests of its members, and so improve the commercial environment in which they operate.
A growing concern
The HVCA's commitment to independent member inspection and assessment is also in the process of increasing the quantity and the quality of Association membership – on the basis that "good members attract good members".
In the unlikely event of a customer being less than completely satisfied with an HVCA member's work, the Association has in place an established complaints procedure.
Details are provided below in downloadable format.
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HVCA complaints procedure | 308KB |
Member services
The services provided by HVCA member companies include the following:
- Air conditioning
- Commercial and industrial heating
- Commissioning and testing
- Control systems
- Design-and-build packages
- Domestic heating and plumbing
- Ductwork design, manufacture and installation
- Energy and building management
- Facilities services
- Fire protection
- Gas fitting
- Industrial process pipework
- Insulation
- Offsite prefabrication
- Refrigeration
- Service and maintenance
- Ventilation hygiene
- Ventilating systems
- Water treatment
Click here to locate an HVCA contractor – or contact HVCA on 020 7313 4900 (contact@hvca.org.uk).
