M2 Mechanical new build and retrofit services

Important new UK Building Regs changes are impacting new and existing homes

27 January 2023

by M2 with No Comment Air conditioning Electrical Energy News Plumbing Renewables

The UK government recognises that heating and powering buildings currently makes up around 40% of total energy use. According to their Future Homes Standard 2019 consultation, part of our emissions problem is that new and existing homes contribute a staggering 20% of our country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Net Zero Targets

To reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 and keep to the ambitious climate change target of achieving Net Zero by 2050 that has been put into law, the government announced that from 15 June 2022 all new homes must be built to produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes built to current standards.

To achieve this, there has been a significant update to Building Regulations though the introduction of the Future Homes Standard. Due to come into effect in 2025, this new standard aims to provide a step-change in the way new homes are built to reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

The New Rules Are in Effect

The Future Homes rules are now in effect with a grace period until June 2023 for projects. This means that if your project had Building Regulations approval before 15 June 2022 then the old standards still apply, but you have until 15 June 2023 to begin the work before the approval lapses.

Low Carbon Future Homes for All

The commitment to the Future Homes Standard helps to ensure that newly built homes are future-proofed with low carbon, energy efficient heating systems.

While these newly built homes will have low carbon heating systems such as air source heat pumps, existing homes are being given schemes and incentives like the to retrofit a switch to energy efficient systems that will not only save money on electricity bills over time, but also enable homeowners to have a renewable lifestyle.

M2 Mechanical is Helping to Meet the New Regs

M2 Mechanical is working with builders, developers, and homeowners in response to the new UK Building Regulations to help make homes fit for a renewable, low-carbon future.

Complementing the pre-existing need for their Cooling and Ventilation service in housing and business premises, with the UK goal to stop installing new gas boilers from 2025, M2’s service provision to equip homes with low carbon heating systems like heat pumps is crucial to both new and retrofit building going forward.

Couple this with the solar PV and battery storage that M2 offers, along with electric vehicle charging point installation, and it’s easy to see how the company’s complete renewable solution gives home and business owners peace of mind.

These future-proofing measures also come with government grants like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Workplace Charging Scheme that M2 Mechanical helps customers to apply for as part of their planning and design service before installation and/or maintenance work.

With a zero VAT rate on renewable systems at present, and in times of high energy prices, the benefits to making these moves now are clear, not just for the improved energy efficiencies that align with the Future Homes Standard, but for owners to make greater return on investment savings too.

The Future is Bright (Green)

There are big hopes for the Future Homes Standard to make UK homes more energy efficient, benefitting homeowners with their energy costs as well as building a better environmental standard for future houses. M2 is proud to be part of creating this greener future.

A Christmas Message from M2 Mechanical

20 December 2022

by M2 with No Comment News

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all our customers, partners and colleagues.

It’s been an eventful year that has seen our team continue to grow to meet the increasing demand for our core services and the expanding service portfolio.

Thank you to every single member of team – from the apprentices and engineers, to the back-office staff. We should all be really proud of the hard work and dedication we have all shown.

Our reputation for delivering high standards of work is down to every one of the team, which is why it is always such a pleasure to see it evidenced by the regular positive customer feedback we receive.

We’re Closing for the Christmas Holidays

Just as we deserve, all of the team will be putting their feet up and taking a well earned break for the Christmas holidays.

We’ll be working up to 12pm on Friday 23rd December 2022, then closing for the Christmas holidays until Tuesday 3 January 2023.

Helping our Customers Go Green

On reflection, 2022 has been the year we have made renewables a core part of our service offering for customers.

With the enormous hikes in energy prices we’ve all felt over the last 12-months, we’ve witnessed how green energy solutions like Solar PV, Battery Storage, Heat Pumps and Electric Vehicle Chargers are more attractive than ever, not least for their faster payback times.

We will continue to help with customers’ grant applications (like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Workplace Charging Scheme) and with offering advice on cost-saving renewable solutions, so look forward to showcasing more case studies and testimonials from happy customers giving social proof to the real value in us all going green.

Happy New Year

We hope our customers, partners, and colleagues have all enjoyed working with us over the last year. Thank you for your continued support.

We look forward to continuing to work with you, and welcoming new members into the team, in 2023.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Delta Whitehead, M2 Mechanical electrical apprentice

Introducing Delta Whitehead, M2 Mechanical’s First Female Electrical Apprentice

5 December 2022

by M2 with No Comment Electrical News

No industry sector can afford to ignore half of the population from its workforce, yet the trades are doing pretty well at doing just that! As an example, only one in every 1,000 electrical contractors is female, making it one of the highest male orientated industries in the UK.

At M2 Mechanical we believe that women working in stereotypically male career paths will benefit not only the industry, but also customers and businesses. Here, we hear from Delta Whitehead, our rising young female electrical apprentice, about her experience with us, and as a woman entering the electrical industry…

What made you want to become an electrician?

I’ve always been interested in electrics since I was young. I’ve been going out on jobs and helping my dad since I was little, so my interest naturally started there.

How does your apprenticeship work?

I am an apprenticeship student at MK College and attend the course onsite there one day a week, then do the other four days of the working week employed at M2.

I’m currently in the first year of my electrical apprenticeship, on a four-year course.

We get tested at the end of every academic year, then the final AM2* Exam in my final year is the last unit of the electrical installation qualification that will mark me as a fully qualified electrician.

What is AM2?

*AM2 or the Achievement Measurement 2 is a practical performance skill test administered by the National Electrotechnical Training (NET) Oganisation as a recognised trade test in conjunction with the Joint Industry Board (JIB) and Summit Skills who are currently the Sector Skills Council for the Electrotechnical Industry.

“AM2 is for qualified electricians and the purpose is to ensure all qualifying installation electricians achieve a single standard that has been agreed by the employers in the industry as meeting their expectations from newly qualified personnel.

The content, structure and marking of the assessment is designed to evidence that a candidate has gained all the relevant safety critical competencies during their training process. AM2 provides a reliable and trusted guarantee of safe, high quality workmanship for the electrotechnical industry and is highly valued by employers, who regard it as evidence of competence for an electrician.” https://www.electricalcoursesuk.co.uk/am2/

Learn More

Are there many other women on your course?

No, I am the only woman on the course.

What has your experience been as a woman in a male-dominated industry?

It has it’s good and bad aspects. The other guys I work with are a good laugh, but sometimes it would be nice to have some other women there too.

I don’t feel like I’m treated any differently at work or college to be honest. We’re all just treated the same. Occasionally I may need some extra help, like with heavy lifting, but generally I feel like we’re all treated equally.

My experience with customers has mainly been positive. Admittedly, I have had the odd occasion where I’ve got a bad vibe from a client; that has tended to be from older men who have old fashioned views about women doing trades jobs like this.

I do remember a funny experience with an older lady customer. She was so delighted to have me there that she had a little talk with me. She was so nice and complimentary, and kept saying how much she liked having a woman doing her electrical work for a change.

What research tells us

The 2022 edition of Rated People’s Home Improvement Trends Report had researchers interview more than 600 tradespeople across the UK about working in the industry, and over 2,000 homeowners about their attitudes to hiring tradeswomen. Their report found that there’s growing demand from UK homeowners – nearly half (46 per cent) said they’d definitely hire a tradeswoman, 43 per cent had no preference, and only 11% of UK homeowners said they’d prefer a tradesman.

Almost one in three (29 per cent) of women in the UK also said they would feel safer hiring a tradeswoman to do a home improvement or maintenance job in their home.

But the research also highlights just how out of balance the industry is. Over half (11) of the 20 professions with the worst levels of representation of women in the UK are within the trades industry. It reported how women make up less than 1 per cent (0.99 per cent) of carpenters and joiners in the UK, and less than 4 per cent of electricians, plumbers, floorers, and tilers.

Learn More

What do you do at M2 Mechanical?

I’m learning on the job all the time but lately I’ve been doing electrical jobs taking down lights and have recently been introduced to cutting and stripping armoured cabling.

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

I really enjoy learning new skills every day. No two days are ever the same, which keeps it fresh and exciting, and I enjoy meeting customers.

I feel that this apprenticeship was the best choice for me after getting the required grades in English and Maths at GCSE. I am a practical, hands-on person, and not a fan of academia so didn’t want to go to university. This apprenticeship gives me a qualification in a future trade, with all the practical experience I need to do it.

How is M2 Mechanical supporting you to achieve your career goals?

If I need any help, I am happy to speak up, but I do find M2 really supportive of me as one of the apprentice team and as their first tradeswoman.

What is your experience of the company & what would you say makes M2 Mechanical better than competitors?

I don’t have any experience of other companies, but with my dad being at M2, I knew some people here already and have seen over the years how things are done properly and run well.

I do feel like we’re well looked after and always have everything we need. It’s pretty standard in the industry for the engineers to have their our own tools, so there’s no expectation for them to be supplied, but we are all given a uniform and the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

What advice would you give to other women interested in doing what you are doing?

Go for it!

I remember how I had my doubts about entering such a male-dominated industry when I was in school so I can understand that it can be scary to take such a leap of faith. But, I have to say “go for it” because you’ve got nothing to lose. You’ll be treated equally in this day and age.

My parents, best friends, uncle who works at a university, and M2 Mechanical have all been really supportive to help me get where I am today.

Although I haven’t taken advantage of any grants or bursaries, I do know there are opportunities out there for women aspiring to get into the electrical industry and other trades that are worth looking at.

Empowering Tradeswomen

The 2022 Rated People “Empowering Tradeswomen Programme” has been designed to help more women get into the trades industry and build successful careers. Whether they’re considering a career change, or they’ll soon be leaving school and considering their options, the programme is designed to help women at all stages of their trades careers. The Programme includes discounted skills training with Access Training, discounted business advice and coaching with Business Trades Coach, Alison Warner, and free exposure and discounted job leads on Rated People.

Learn More

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Be yourself! That was advice my mum gave me. She’s one of my biggest supporters and has always inspired me with her personal experiences and stories of her time in the Army and working as a teacher.

Tell us a bit more about yourself –

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy going out with friends, but I’m also a bit of a book worm and enjoy reading fiction, especially romance and murder mysteries.

I collect vinyl so love listening to music. I don’t really have a favourite type of music. My music taste ranges from current chart music to old soft punk, and indie bands like the Arctic Monkeys.

What do you want the future to look like – for you, M2 Mechanical, and your trade?

It’s early days in my career right now but I’m focused on becoming a fully qualified electrician in the next four years. After that, I see myself having a few years working on the job and getting experience onsite. I’m not sure what the future holds after that, but maybe I’d go into teaching to help more people into the industry.

According to Direct Line research, although the trades are still largely dominated by men, more and more women are taking up the tools and entering the electrical and other trade industries. That is in spite of the following three biggest challenges that women in trades face:

1– Stereotypes—suggesting women aren’t strong enough
2 – Overcoming Public/ Media Perception
3 – Unfair Pay Gap - Women in trades are currently underpaid by an average of around £7,000!

It is imperative that companies recognise the importance of creating a diverse and equal workplace and enable the best talent to rise to the top, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, cultural background or beliefs, to help find better solutions and services for customers. There is a clear demand for tradeswomen, there just needs to be more encouragement for them to join.

For public perception to change, it’s simply going to take time, and more employers like M2 Mechanical, to make room for, and encourage, talented female workers in their companies.

A final word from M2 Mechanical Director, Karl Wright:

As Delta Whitehead, our sparky apprentice proves, the wise adage “‘start them young and raise them right” is arguably a mantra every company should adopt to build a highly skilled and diverse workforce for a successful business.

The research tells us that there is a massive demand for tradeswomen, and we hope that Delta’s story and more like it, encourages more female apprentices to engage with us and other companies like ours to help create a more level playing field for women in the trade industries in future.

To contact us about opportunities at M2 Mechanical, please email: [email protected]

10 Tips for Reducing the Most Haunting Thing This Halloween

27 October 2022

by M2 with No Comment Energy News

Since the typical household’s energy bill rose to a staggering £2,500 a year from 1 October 2022, the current energy and cost of living crisis makes one of the scariest things this Halloween your energy bill.

Unlike the spooky make-believe Halloween creatures like ghosts, vampires and zombies, your over-priced energy bill is all too real. We thought we’d take some of the haunting feeling of powerlessness out of it with 10 useful money saving tips that we can all do.

1. Get a grip on your energy use

Keeping a watchful eye on your energy use can help you decide if and when you need to change the way you are consuming energy in your property.

Installing a Smart Meter gives you accurate and real time information to track your energy use. To learn more about how they work, check out The Energy Saving Trust’s guide to Smart Meters.

Just understanding your energy bill can go a long way to helping you get to grips with how you’re using energy at home, which makes the video below from Home Energy Scotland a good place to start.

2. Don’t be afraid of the dark

According to Octopus Energy, lighting makes up around 11% of a typical power bill. So changing your bulbs to LEDs (which use 70 – 80% less electricity) and turning the lights off when you’re not using them (and when you leave a room) can save you anything from £25 – £80 a year on your annual energy bills according to estimates from the Energy Savings Trust.

Talk to one of our experienced electrical team about any electrical service, maintenance, or installation needs you have by calling us on 01280 460019 or emailing: [email protected]

3. Watch that flow

An inefficient heating or cooling system is a huge expense to any home or business owner.

It’s important to remove trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season and to keep your boiler regularly serviced to prevent costly mechanical breakdowns and ensure your heating system is running as efficiently as it can.

If your heating system is constantly requiring repairs or if it’s over 17 years old, it’s probably time to start thinking about replacing it. A new, A-rated condensing boiler with a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator controls, is a great way to save money and make your energy bill seem a lot less scary. Or you may be interested in taking advantage of the government grant Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) supporting the installation of energy-efficient low carbon heating that can give you up to £5,000 – £6,000 toward a heat pump or biomass boiler.

One easy fix to save money is to turn your boiler’s flow temperature down to between 55 and 60 degrees (as the default setting is usually too high). Your home will feel just as warm, but according to Nesta, can cut your energy bills by up to £122 per year.

To speak to an M2 Mechanical heating and plumbing engineer for more information, or to too book a boiler service, contact us here.

4. Don’t spin out!

Setting your washing machine to 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees can help reduce your energy usage, and if you can cut out one wash cycle per week you’ll clip £5 off your annual energy bill.

Another way to save some money when it comes to doing the washing is to avoid drying clothes on radiators (as it makes your boiler work harder), and rather than using a tumble drier, to dry clothes on a washing line or clothes horse. According to the Energy Trust, this simple change can save you up to £60 per year.

5. Creep it real with your water use

Buying a more efficient shower head can save you as much as £18 per person a year on energy bills, and according to Octopus Energy, by keeping your shower time to just 4 minutes, the typical household can save up to £70 per year.

6. It’s not witchful thinking to drop a degree or two

Because almost half the money spent on energy bills is absorbed by heating and hot water costs, simply turning your heating down by just one degree, to between 18 – 21 degrees, could save anything from £80 – £128 a year on your energy bill according to Octopus Energy.

As another money-saving measure for managing the temperature in your property, using a smart thermostat is a recommended way of making your heating more efficient as they only warm the rooms you are using (and are able to learn how long it takes to heat your home, and thereby put it at the right temperature at exactly the right time). It is estimated that a typical household can save around £75 a year by installing room thermostats, programmers, and thermostatic radiator valves like this. For more info, see the Which? report assessing the Google, Hive, and Tado smart thermostats money-saving claims.

7. A more boo-tiful night-time routine

During winter, keep the curtains and blinds open during the day on your south-facing windows to allow the sunlight to enter your home and warm it up. Then at night, keep the heat in and the chill from the windows away, by pulling your curtains closed before it gets dark. According to Octopus Energy, doing this small change to your evening routine can save up to 15% in heat loss!

The Energy Saving Trust also recommend that just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode you can save around £65 a year on your energy bill. So, turning appliances off at the plug, especially with a smart plug that allows you turn all your appliances off standby in one go, could be a fa-boo-lous addition to your daily money-saving routine from this Halloween.

8. A little pumpkin different to think about!

If you have a hot water cylinder, did you know that you can reduce heat loss and therefore keep your hot water hotter for longer by outing an insulation jacket on it? According to Octopus Energy, adding an 80mm thick British Standard Jacket to your hot water tank could save you £35 a year on your heating bills.

Talk to our heating and plumbing experts for help or to go a step further and insulate your exposed hot water pipes too.

9. Eerie-sistible ways to keep the heat in

Draughts around windows, doors, floors, the chimney, and your roof are inevitable places to lose heat from your property, especially in older premises, so plugging those gaps can help you trap the warmth and make your heating spend go further.

Using draught-excluders or draught-proofing kits are a good place to start to help reduce heat loss. Other DIY fixes include sealing cracks in floors and skirting boards, lining your letterbox, and blocking an unused chimney.

Professional draught-proofing can cost anything from £225 up, but according to Money Super Market, a typical semi-detached house can shave around £135 off energy bills each year by insulating the loft, and by converting from an entirely single glazed home to one that has A-rated double glazing installed, can save an additional £110 a year on heating bills.

10. Join the renewable energy fang club

A proactive response to the energy crisis for home and business owners is to invest in renewable energy, especially now, as rising energy costs are reducing the payback time for solar panel and heat pump installations.

Electricity generated at home through solar PV can be used to power electrical appliances, or even an electric vehicle, reducing the amount of electricity you import and pay for from the National Grid. This, in turn, can help you save money on your electricity bills, as well as reduce carbon emissions.

Depending on the system you are replacing, heat pumps are suitable for almost all homes and can be an effective way to reduce your energy bills for the long term, with or without solar PV.

The M2 Mechanical renewables solution covers everything from solar panels and battery storage to heat pumps and electric vehicle charge points, where our qualified team helps with all aspects of the installation – from planning and grant application (where applicable), to installation and maintenance.

Our website has more information about our renewable and low carbon heating options, but if you’d like any advice on the right energy-saving system for you, please contact us on 01280 460 019 or email: [email protected]

Enter Our #GoSolar Free Prize Draw Today

Our #GoSolar free prize draw social media competition is still running, offering Home Counties homeowners the opportunity to win a FREE 4-panel solar installation (worth £4,500) simply by liking, sharing, and commenting on our post. Enter now to be in it to win it!

Enter Here

Credit: Feature image by Enrique from Pixabay

M2 It's a Knockout team - September 2022

What We’ve Been Up to in September

26 September 2022

by M2 with No Comment News

The M2 Mechanical team has been busy helping more customers than ever this month.

With Russia’s war in Ukraine sending gas prices soaring, the UK’s heavy reliance on gas and electricity, not to mention us having the least energy efficient homes in Europe, all of this has meant that the energy crisis has hit UK household budgets harder than any country in western Europe*.

Even with the Government’s latest announcement to help, the typical household’s energy bill will rise to £2,500 a year from 1 October (from £1,971)**. This means that the rising energy prices are set to hit consumers and businesses hardest this winter, which we have been seeing our customers responding to over the last month.

Homeowners and landlords look to renewables

Just as energy experts are advising for the UK overall, the obvious solution is to move away from our expensive over-dependence on gas power. This is the solution a lot of our home-owning customers appear to have come to. We are seeing more and more customers improving their home insulation, replacing their gas boilers with heat pumps, and opting for renewable solar energy. The latter of which, we have been helping them with.

Non-homeowners make energy efficiencies

We are also seeing a proactive response to the energy crisis from customers who do not own their own homes or cannot afford to invest in renewable energy right now too. An unprecedented number of people have called on us for advice and to bring in our heating and plumbing engineers for boiler servicing.

Our team has been called to do boiler services not just to help people prepare for winter, but also to prevent costly mechanical breakdowns and to ensure their heating systems are as efficient as they can be. We have also been working with customers like this on short-term measures like advising on energy-efficient home appliances and to reduce the flow temperature on condensing gas boilers.

Solar energy on the rise in September

We were delighted to introduce solar PV to our service offering this month, which now means that our renewables solution covers everything from solar panels and battery storage to heat pumps and electric vehicle charge points.

Our qualified team helps with all aspects of renewables installations – from planning and grant application (where applicable), to installation and maintenance – and also guarantees to keep everything in-house. So, no subbies to worry about!

The uptake has been phenomenal this last month. But then, it is to be expected given the current energy crisis circumstances, where the rising energy costs are dramatically reducing the payback time for solar panel installations. In some cases, we’re seeing households predicted a payback time reduced from 10 to 5 years!

Community opportunity to #GoSolar

We were so excited by our newly qualified solar PV team and the immediate uptake we saw in installation requests this month, that we wanted to give something back to our local community. So, on 7 September we launched our #GoSolar free prize draw social media competition to offer everyone in our local Home Counties area an opportunity to win a FREE 4-panel solar installation (worth £4,500).

Click here to enter.

Doing our bit for a local charity

It’s not all work and no play here at M2 Mechanical. The team joined the It’s A Knockout fun day at Buckingham Town Cricket & Sports Club on Sunday 4 September to help raise money for local charity Alec’s Angels.

As you can see from the pictures below, the team made a competitive splash in the wet and wild challenge across the inflatable assault course, completing the 9 games over 2.5 hours.

WhatsApp Image 2022-09-15 at 11.46.16 (1)

WhatsApp Image 2022-09-15 at 11.46.08 (1)

Our entry helped the charity to raise £6,035 from the day, which will be going towards Helen and Douglas House Hospice, The Kamtan’s Ward at John Radcliff Hospital and grants to families to make memories.

Every penny is used to benefit sick children and their families, and donations to the charity are always welcome to keep helping them do their amazing work.

——–

*Source: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/sep/01/energy-crisis-uk-households-worst-hit-in-western-europe-finds-imf

** Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58090533

Possibly One of the Most Efficient Homes in the Area

22 August 2022

by M2 with No Comment News Renewables

With the rising energy costs continuing to skyrocket this year, we are seeing more and more customers considering renewable energy to lower their utility bills.

Customers switching to solar PV, heat pumps and electric cars with their own EV charging point at home are investing the initial outlay because they know there are significant long-term benefits that will not only drastically reduce their energy and fuel bills, but also cut down their carbon footprint for a more sustainable environment in future too.

Our Renewables team recently installed solar PV with solar battery storage system and heat pump at a residential property in Banbury, which marks it as one of the most efficient homes in the area for us!

M2 solar work in September 2022 — No subbies on the M2 team! Scaffolders and roofers are part of our crew too.

Our team worked with the customer to deliver a bespoke energy solution to fit the exact requirements they wanted for their home.

As you can see from the pictures above, we installed a six panel solar PV array with hybrid inverter and 5.8kw solar battery which will allow them to store surplus energy created by their 2.4kw system.

Our Renewables team were also onsite to install the 5kw Air Source Heat Pump and cylinder to complete the works on this low carbon residential project.

Whether this is the most efficient home in the area or not, we are proud to have helped this household to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and protect themselves against further utility price rises by creating their own clean, green, solar energy and heating from now on.

No subbies, just qualified staff and high quality kit!

Talk to us about how we can help you with a renewable home energy solution.

We can help you with everything from grant applications, planning and installation, to servicing and maintenance.

Contact us or register your interest using the form below.

Register Your Interest

M2 Mechanical Fit the First 80kw IVT Ground Source Heat Pump in the UK

6 July 2022

by M2 with One Comment News Renewables

Over the last couple of months our Renewables team, headed up by Richard, has had the pleasure of fitting this ground-breaking low-carbon heat pump technology (pictured above).

We are proud to report that this is officially the first 80kw IVT GEO Commercial Ground Source Heat Pump to be fitted in the UK, and part of a scaled solution that has been put together to fit the exact needs of the customer.

As you can see from the pictures, we installed a 3 phase IVT GEO 80kw Ground Source Heat pump, connected to a 750ltr high-efficiency IVT buffer tank to meet the customer’s requirements for heating their swimming pool.

IVT GEO Ground Source Heat Pump upright chassis units and piping

Just look at this beautiful plant room fitted out by specialist heating and plumbing engineers on the M2 Mechanical Renewables team.

All the work was done in 76 and 54mm copper pipework.

As can be seen in the pictures above, it was a clean pipework installation, with the units permitted us to have connections to them from several directions.

We’re pleased to say that this extensive job ran smoothly from start to finish, which was in no small part due to the great work of the digger drivers and ground workers on site.

As can be seen from the pictures (immediately above and below), the construction team did a fantastic job digging, sanding, and back-filling the 16 x 150m trenches in addition to the 140m interconnect trench back to the plant room.

All this hard work has been done for an outdoor swimming pool to be heated all year round, which we know the customer will enjoy.

Our team is delighted with the result and proud to have be called upon for our renewable tech expertise on such a large-scale revolutionary project.

Did you know that eligible domestic and commercial property owners are able to have a grant of up to £5,000 – 6,000 towards their heat pump installation?

Talk to us about how we can help you with everything from your renewable technology grant application, and installation, to servicing and maintenance.

Contact us or register your interest using the form below.

Register Your Interest

Milton Keynes Chamber In Business mag spread Jun22

M2 Mechanical ‘InBusiness’ Feature this Month

14 June 2022

by M2 with No Comment News Renewables

We were pleased to see our Business Report article about the New Scheme to Replace Fossil Fuel Boilers featuring in the Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce inbusiness magazine (Page 12) for June/July 2022.

MK Chamber of Commerce business report featuring M2 Mechanical

For information about any of our heat pump, solar PV and other renewables services, including our Electric Vehicle charger installation service, please contact us on 01280460 019 or email: [email protected]

An Inspiring Charity Work Day

30 May 2022

by M2 with No Comment News

Our Cooling & Ventilation Director, Karl, joined forces with Stevie Gass, Health & Safety Consultant at Ridge & Partners LLP, to organise a successful charity work day on Friday 27 May 2022.

The background

As Vice Chair for Ardley United Football Club and a Committee member for the Ardley with Fewcott Community Hall, hearing the appeals for a survival storage shed, our man Karl decided to help do something about it.

The “ask” was for the shed to be built for the community to store tables, flood barrier sand bags, and an emergency generator, for adverse weather emergencies and occasions when accidents on the nearby motorway mean that the Village Hall needs to be used as shelter.

Charity champions

Both M2 Mechanical and Ridge & Partners LLP take corporate social responsibility seriously and actively take part in “giving back” activities to support their local community in different ways.

Ridge has a company policy to allow employees up to three days paid leave to participate in charity work days, where staff get to swap the office for an activity day that supports a local charitable cause.

Prior to this event, M2 Mechanical organised fundraising events and other activities to support charitable causes on an ad hoc basis, so it didn’t take much for the board to champion having their own charity workday employee engagement scheme, starting with this collaborative one led by Karl.

A joint charity work day

For this charity work day, Stevie and Karl put together a small team of volunteers to kickstart phase one of the survival shed installation project at Ardley with Fewcott Community Hall.

As can be seen in the pictures below, a mini digger and dumper truck were hired from a local company, and the team got to work creating the base for the shed to be built on, ready for phase two.

Feel good factor

The volunteers clearly had a fun day swapping their desks and usual tools for sunny outdoor hard labour working with new people and using the construction equipment.

The added “feel good” factor was knowing the great benefit and long-lasting legacy that their charity work day efforts will make to the Ardley with Fewcott community.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme
– Everything You Need to Know

20 April 2022

by M2 with No Comment News Renewables

The government has officially launched the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) a grant to support property owners in England and Wales with capital costs to install low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps.

Background to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is part of the Governments’ net zero strategy to lower carbon emissions by 2050, designed to help incentivise the installation of heat pumps after the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) closed on 31 March 2022.

Why We Need It

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) reports that around 14% of the UK’s total carbon emissions come from heating our homes. This makes the Boiler Upgrade Scheme a key driver to help the UK reach its net zero target of 2050, and to help ensure that all new heating system installations will be low carbon by 2035.

The Funding You Can Receive from BUS

The Government is providing £450 million to fund the Boiler Upgrade Scheme over three years. This will be used to provide grants of:

£5,000 for homeowners to have air source heat pumps installed,
£6,000 for ground source heat pumps, or
£5,000 for a biomass boiler if the house is in a rural location and not connected to the gas grid.

As the funding is administered through grants, homeowners will be required to pay the difference if costs exceed the grant.

A Positive Step for Encouraging Low Carbon Heating Systems in UK Homes

The BUS grant is a significant improvement on the RHI repayment scheme, which required homeowners to find the money before being reimbursed.

BUS grants will help property owners overcome the upfront cost of low carbon heating technologies; therefore no longer presenting a cost barrier for households who don’t have the means to pay for the installation initially.

Who is eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

Most homeowners, small landlords and private landlords in England and Wales will be eligible to apply for BUS grant.

However, all applicants must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), typically one which has been issued in the last 10 years.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is ideal for homeowners who:

Live off-grid, particularly properties fuelled by Oil, LPG or Storage Heaters
Have old and inefficient boilers with well insulated property
Looking to lower their carbon emissions and turn to sustainable energy generation

How to Apply

The scheme is open to applicants from April 2022 and will operate on a first-come first-served basis, until April 2025.

Applications will begin from 23 May, although you can start to get quotes now providing the commissioning date of your new heating system is on or after 1 April 2022.
Your chosen MCS-certified heat pump installer will apply for the grant on your behalf and the value is then taken off the price you pay.
Redeeming the voucher will be led by the installer, who will confirm proof of the installation and process the completed paperwork.

You will then need to confirm that the installer is acting on your behalf when you’re contacted by Ofgem.

Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote

As an MCS-certified heat pump installer, we encourage you to ask us any questions and contact us for your renewable heating system quote.

We can help you choose the right option for your home and support you with your application for BUS vouchers.

For more information, visit our Renewables webpages or contact us at [email protected]

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Register Your Interest

Did you know that eligible domestic and commercial property owners are able to have a grant of up to £5,000 – 6,000 towards their heat pump installation?

Register Your Interest

The background

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Background to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Why We Need It

The Funding You Can Receive from BUS

A Positive Step for Encouraging Low Carbon Heating Systems in UK Homes

Who is eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

How to Apply

Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote

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