Axis’ Mechanical & Electrical Division

Mechanical & Electrical Division keeps homes compliant and safe for clients and residents

Axis’ Mechanical & Electrical Accreditations

Axis is a member of the Gas Safe Register (formerly CORGI), National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) and Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). We are also approved as an OLEV authorised ChargePoint Installer

Alan Noble, M & E Divisional Manager for Axis, has worked in the construction industry for 35 years. Like many of our Axis people, Alan started in the industry as an apprentice, at the age of 16.

Alan is on the board of Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and has served as a judge on the prestigious awards panel of major trade publication Heating and Ventilation News for eight years.

Alan is in charge of the team responsible for M&E Responsive Repairs and Day to Day Repairs. He works across all our major contracts at Axis including Brentwood, Swan, Estuary Kingston and Croydon.

Recent projects include:

For Swan: Design and installation of Commercial boiler house serving 200 dwellings ( around 300 residents) with Worcester Bosch hydrogen-ready boilers

For Kingston: Lateral riser works and boiler rooms

For Brentwood: Installation of district heating systems

M&E Works Comprise

• Design and installation of commercial plant rooms
• Compliance and Landlord Gas Safety Records
• Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR)
• Lateral Riser Testing Programmes
• Water Hygiene
• Boosted Water pumps
• Boiler and appliances – installation, repair and maintenance
• Lighting – installation, upgrades and emergency
• Installation EV charging points

across Commercial and Residential/Domestic sectors

Day in the Life Of….

Alan runs a large team of Gas and Electric managers who look after our responsive engineers dealing with day to day repairs in properties.

“All our engineers are making 9-10 calls a day going round to make sure electrics working, gas working, heating working … restoring any faults for residents to ensure they are comfortable in their homes.

“Our Call Centre takes the calls from residents: they may have no heating, no hot water, no power to their properties. It is important that we get there quickly, especially at this time of year in the cold weather – and achieve a first time fix so that residents have full operational systems in their homes; the heating, gas and electrics that are essential for their comfort day to day.”

“Compliance is the pinnacle of all our works. For both our gas and electric team it is very important to ensure residents have a safe home with a fully operational system.

“To achieve this we attend and carry out Landlord Gas Safety record every year; for electric it’s every five years. It is imperative we maintain our KPIs, to ensure we are providing the service to our clients for their residents to be safe and sound and comfortable.

“It also ensures the continuity of the property for the future.

“Health and Safety on site is also at the centre of our work. We make sure our engineers and operatives follow process and procedures-  including attending our tool box talks – and that they know how to deliver a service in people’s homes.

“My Managers and Supervisors do Quality control inspections and surprise inspections to ensure they are doing what we ask them to do.

“We always leave Properties in a safe working condition for residents – no water or gas leaks, no dodgy wires, leaks or faulty systems, no electric cables hanging anywhere

New technologies…

The Climate Change Committee estimates 13 million heat pumps will be needed in the UK by 2050. From 2025, gas boilers using natural gas will not be allowed in new homes. Axis is leading the way in new technologies. Alan explains: “We are looking at new technologies within air, water and ground source heat pumps and hydrogen gas networks to reduce carbon and bring in the Net Zero requirements the government demands.

“EV charging is going to be huge in the industry. At Axis, we are setting up an EV charging points team to install residential/domestic and commercial points in London and within the M25 for our clients. There is a major drive on for this as the whole country needs to look at installation and correct maintenance of EV charging points.”

… and the Future: Training and Apprenticeships

Alan says: “The innovations in the industry will dictate that we need more training programmes in place to create skilled, relevant, work force. We also need to upskill and retain our existing one.

“Over 70% of members on the Gas Safe Register are over 50 – that’s a big demographic bulge of people coming up for retirement in the next decade and I want Axis to be prepared for that… it is clearly important to recruit and train young people.

“In the M&E Division, our new people generally start as plumbers: we train them for two years and then a further 2 years training on gas which equates to four-year apprenticeship to become Gas Improver.

“Our Electric Apprentices go through a four-year apprenticeship working with qualified electricians and going to college to become an Improver: then they take steps become a fully qualified Operative.

“We provide ongoing training on boiler manufacturers, new technologies and changes in the industry.