UK Business News

Green Deal News

Gibson Specialist Technical Services has qualified as an Approved Green Deal Installer for External Wall Insulation, Heating System Insulation, Heating Controls, Gas Condensing Boilers, Heat Pumps, Solar Thermal and Solar PV.

Arbed 2 Award

Representatives of Melin Homes, Welsh Government, the European Regional Development Fund and Gibson STS attended an Arbed 2 Open Day. Gibson STS have been awarded the Principal Contractor role in the Welsh Government’s first Arbed 2 Scheme in Fochriw.

The total budget available for the Arbed 2 ERDF project, for both Convergence and Competitiveness Areas in Wales, will be up to £45million. The Arbed programme will continue to boost local economies by using local businesses to manufacture, supply and install, and provide training and employment opportunities for local workers.

Y Prentis

Jeff Cuthbert, Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, along with Paul Gibson and other Framework Partners, attended the official launch of Y Prentice at the Senydd in Cardiff Bay. Y Prentis is a new initiative which offers sustainable training and employment to apprentices and was developed through a partnership between Construction Skills, Melin Homes, CMC2 and construction industry framework partners.

Ground-breaking (literally!) technology

Gibson Specialist Technical Services have been installing ground source heat pumps into some of Wales and West Housing Association’s properties in mid and north Wales. The heat pumps are probably the most sustainable heating and hot water solution widely available and WWHA have been able to install them thanks to a grant from the Welsh Government’s Arbed programme.

The photos show a 10 tonne drilling rig which had to drill down 161 meters. As you would expect, it was a little messy! However on the right hand side you can see now that the work has been completed - in fact you probably wouldn’t even know it anything like this had happened!

Owen Jones, Environment and Sustainability Officer, Wales & West Housing said, “It’s my understanding that this project is probably the largest retrofit installation of this technology in social housing to date.

“It has been quite challenging and has involved a great deal of hard work from staff and contractors alike. The residents involved have also been fantastic as the work has been quite disruptive. However now that it is complete we believe that the residents involved will reap the benefits over the coming years as they have a far more controllable heating solution for their home which should also help them to reduce their energy bills.”

Bridgend Company’s Contract Award Success

Gibson Specialist Technical Services, a Bridgend based services company, has recently won contracts in excess of £6.5 million.

The company offers specialist services to the renewable, heating and water industries.

Managing Director Paul Gibson believes winning these contracts is down to the company’s innovative approach to working methods and a strong determination to deliver efficiency savings for their clients.

From a local perspective, this warranted achievement has allowed the company to create new employment opportunities. New recruits will be fully trained in the solar and heating industries, encouraging the development of vocational skill-sets.

As a small to medium sized enterprise, the primary ethos behind Gibson Specialist Technical Services is to provide the highest quality of service, knowledge and expertise within the field, demonstrating the competitive edge and extensive capability the business has among bigger companies of similar industries.

Sky’s the limit for Bridgend company

A BRIDGEND firm has been chosen to work on an energy improvement project with Wales and West Housing.

Gibson Technical Services, of Charnwood Park, is working on a major energy efficiency scheme to combat fuel poverty in the Heads of the Valleys.

Read more at WalesOnline.co.uk

WWHA invests more than £700,000 in Heads of the Valleys homes

HUNDREDS of Wales & West Housing Association residents who live in the Heads of the Valleys area are to benefit from £715,000 investment in energy efficiency improvements to their homes.

WWHA, one of the biggest registered social landlords in Wales, has installed solar panels on homes on their Twyncarmel estate in Merthyr Tydfil, as well on the roofs of five retirement schemes in the area: Ty Pontrhun, Ty Brynseion and Ty Gwaunfarren in Merthyr, Cwrt Andrew Buchan in the Rhymney Valley and Llys yr Onnen in Mountain Ash.

“The installation of these hi-tech solar panels will enable our residents to benefit from lower energy bills in their homes and help reduce fuel poverty,” said Steve Porter, Head of Property Services for WWHA.

Environment Minister Jane Davidson said: "Wales is leading the way with Arbed. It is an innovative scheme that focuses on making homes in some of Wales’ most deprived areas much more energy efficient.

WWHA is working with a number of Welsh firms on the project, including Bridgend-based Gibson Specialist Technical Services.

Paul Gibson, Managing Director of Gibson Specialist Technical Services, said: “ARBED has enabled Gibson Specialist Technical Services to expand our Renewables Division by recruiting in the Heads of the Valleys region through Jobmatch, a government sponsored training provider that helps develop the employability skills of disadvantaged people furthest away from the job market, and to gain our MCS accreditations in Solar thermal, Solar PV and Heat Pumps.”

Gibson Specialist Technical Services become MCS Accredited installers

Gibsons are approved installers under the Microgeneration Scheme for the installation of Solar Heating, Solar Photovoltaic and Heat Pump systems, and have been successful in securing several installation contracts under the ARBED Scheme for local housing associations.

Residents feel the benefit of energy scheme

First Minister Carwyn Jones visited residents of The Beeches retirement complex in Quarella Road to see how residents were getting on with their new gas supply.

The fuel poor scheme extends Wales and West Utilities' gas network to communities and individuals who have previously been unable to benefit from a connection to gas mains.

"I understand this is the first such project in Wales and I am really pleased that I was able to help the residents in kick starting the project," said Carwyn Jones.

Anne Hinchey, Chief Executive of Wales and West Housing Association, which runs The Beeches, said: "Being able to access affordable, reliable sources of fuel has never been more important, especially for older people during prolonged spells of bitter winter weather, such as the one we are experiencing now.

“Wales and West Housing Association was delighted to have been involved from the start with this new scheme. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of all the parties involved, our residents at The Beeches are now benefiting from the new gas supply. I'd like to thank everyone for their help including local firm Gibson Specialist Technical Services who did so much of the work."