Third party proof

Compliance with recognised industry standards is a condition of HVCA membership. Since 1 April 2003, verification of such compliance has involved regular, third-party inspection and assessment, covering technical competence and commercial capability.

Inspection and assessment (I&A) came into effect after a long debate among the membership. The reputation of the association had always been that its members worked to the highest standards. However, this had never been subject to third-party verification.

Financial health
I&A is made up of two elements: The first looks at a company's commercial capability. It covers such matters as administrative and business systems, financial and training records, insurance arrangements, and health and safety, environmental and equal opportunities policies.

The second is designed to evaluate a company's technical competence. It takes place on-site and involves the inspection of work in progress against a broad range of standards, devised and compiled by the HVCA in collaboration with the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA).

I&A is carried out on behalf of the HVCA by the recognised certification body BM Trada, which has a long track record in the construction industry.

All new members are inspected before their membership of the HVCA can be confirmed. Then, as with current members, they will be inspected every three years.

For customers and clients it provides confidence that, when they appoint an HVCA member, the work will be done to specification, to the standards required, within the time-frame and the budget determined.