ICOM Energy Association

ICOM Energy AssociationThis association represents the manufacturers and importers of industrial, steam raising, hot water and commercial heating product sectors, which operate throughout the UK. It provides the focus for the industry to promote best practice, set the highest standards and provide representation to UK and European governments.

Indeed, it is through ICOM Energy Association’s representation, that the industry ensures its interests are understood and is able to influence the development of sector related legislation. Their input is essential to improve the energy efficiency of the built environment. Input into setting more stringent emissions, higher standards and lower energy requirements guarantees that the sector leads the way, to assist in the reduction of carbon targets. It is essential however, to ensure that every step in the process is practical, measurable, implementable and timely so that the sector is able to support the legislation by developing in time the appropriate technology.

Over the majority of the last century the association has continuously represented the interests of the oil, gas and solid fuel industrial and commercial heating industry and members now represent in excess of 95% of the commercial heating equipment sold in the UK.
Within the organisation there are six specialist sectors and they represent the UK Commercial Boiler, Industrial & Process Packaged Burner, Air & Radiant Heater, Industrial Boiler, Direct Fired Water Heater, Control and Component sectors. Within each of these sectors there is unrivalled technological and commercial expertise.

Reducing carbon consumption

As the developed world agrees to reduce carbon consumption in a bid to halt the increasing changes in our climate, it is recognised that both the commercial and domestic heating sectors have a major role to play. It is for this reason that it is so important the HHIC (Hot Water & Heating Industry Council), OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association), HETAS (Heating Equipment Testing & Approval Scheme) CEA (Combustion Engineering Association) and ICOM Energy Association continue to work together as key players with UK Government departments, including Defra, Communities and Local Government (CLG) and Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Involvement in the development of the latest revision of the Building Regulations, the Energy Performance Building Directive and the Energy using Products Directive, all help towards the UK government’s latest targets for reductions in the consumption of fossil fuels.

Inter-association working

As part of the key role of the association to represent the interests of its members across the UK and Europe it is a member of the Association of European Heating Industries (EHI) and has close relations with other non-governmental trade associations in the UK such as BSRIA, BRE, CIBSE, ESTA and FETA, along with Sector Skills Councils, Energy & Utility Skills and Summit Skills, professional engineering institutes and universities. Furthermore, the association represents the industry on all related standards within BSI and CEN to ensure that new and revised standards are practical and enforceable throughout the EU. Legislation has a significant impact on our industry and it is part of our role to ensure that, whenever possible, it is able to create a level playing field.

Towards the future

All trade associations are measured by their ability to provide essential support to member companies, to help them to remain competitive and to face an ever changing market place. Whenever possible, we liaise with universities, centres of excellence and training organisations to enable appropriate facilities to be made available to help the development of member companies and their staff. Currently we are aware of a lack of training programmes for the sector and will be addressing this issue in the forthcoming year.

For further information about ICOM Energy Association, please visit www.icomenergyassociation.org.uk

ICOM Energy Association
Camden House
Warwick Road
Kenilworth
CV8 1TH
Tel: 01926 513748
Fax: 01926 855017
e-mail: peter.mccree@icomenergyassociation.org.uk