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Leading social housing provider and housebuilder Orbit, has been crowned Housing Association of the Year at the 2022 WhatHouse? Awards.

Registered providers asked to give assurance on addressing risks relating to damp and mould in tenants’ homes

Housing associations are under the spotlight following the recent ruling that the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak was caused by black mould in his Rochdale Boroughwide Housing home.

Airtech, the condensation, mould and radon specialists, is supporting UK Radon Awareness Week (7- 13 November 2022) by giving five important facts about radon. Run by the UK Radon Association, this year’s theme for UK Radon Awareness Week is ‘Give Me 5’ with the campaign giving five important facts about radon, covering five sectors in five days. In support of Radon Awareness Week, Airtech is therefore advising households, private landlords, social housing landlords and employers, to take 5 minutes to read the facts and make themselves radon aware since this could be one of the most important decisions they make this year.

Many people are still unaware that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, posing a significant risk to lung health with 1,100 deaths each year estimated to be caused by exposure to the gas. Lung cancer diagnosis and treatments have been the most delayed of all cancers during the pandemic due to factors including overlapping symptoms with COVID-19 and shared needs from respiratory medicine services. It’s therefore vital to learn about radon and its health effects and simple to carry out a radon tests in homes and workplaces to help protect families and employees.

Joanna Crown, Marketing Director at WMS, leading supplier and installer of underfloor heating systems, has been elected as Chair for BEAMA’s Underfloor Heating Group.

Aluminium decking and balcony manufacturer AliDeck have published their 2021-2022 Balcony Fires Report with alarming results. Collating data from Fire Services across the UK using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the data returned is extremely concerning amidst the context of the ongoing building safety crisis.
 
A total of 310 Balcony Fires occurred between August 1st 2021 and July 31st 2022, up from 213 the year prior for a 46% year-on-year increase. The most troubling statistic within the report is that, of the 310 fires on balconies, 182 were related to smoking, for 59% of the total.
 

Wednesday 6th July saw Aico, the European Market Leader in Home Life Safety, win two trophies for their HomeLINK Internet of Things (IoT) connected home platform at the EG Tech Awards and the Computing Digital Technology Leaders Awards.
At the EG Tech Awards, Aico won the ESG category, which recognises the best use of tech to improve the sustainability of a building and resident wellbeing. Aico’s entry successfully demonstrated how the HomeLINK IoT platform assists landlords in identifying properties for retrofit to increase thermal efficiency, while improving indoor environmental conditions by predicting the risk of damp and mould.

The Retrofit Academy (TRA) is working with Open College Network West Midlands and West Midlands Combined Authority to provide Government fully-funded Level 4 and 5 retrofitting courses, saving learners up to £3,000 in course fees. These qualifications are essential for providers to take on public sector contracts for retrofit work, and advance an essential industry to ensure warm, healthy, sustainable homes across the UK.
The online courses support the UK Government’s PAS 2035 certification Initiative, their 2050 net-zero target, and include Domestic Retrofit Assessment and Application, Coordination and Risk Management qualifications. Fully funded places are available via https://retrofitacademy.org/wm