Why get MCS accredited?

Why Does it Matter?

The MCS demonstrates your competence to carry out an installation to your customers. In this rapidly growing industry, installers and products that carry the MCS Mark are likely to be seen as the preferred option in the market place. This is because MCS is linked to many of the key factors driving demand, such as:

§  Feed-In Tariffs, which will provide guaranteed payments to individuals, business and communities for small-scale electricity generation. For technologies where there is an MCS standard, both the technology and the installer must be MCS certificated to be eligible;

§  The Renewable Heat Incentive is planned for 2011 and will provide cash back to individuals, business and communities for renewable heat generation. The Government has indicated that the Renewable Heat Incentive is being linked to MCS products and installers;

§  The Low Carbon Buildings Programme and Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant schemes (heat technologies only) require MCS certificated products and installers to be used;

§  The Code for Sustainable Homes, which is a mandatory requirement for all newly built homes to meet sustainability ratings, including ratings for energy and CO2 emissions. MCS certificated technologies can be used to meet the requirements of this Code;

§  Planning permission for consumers for certain renewable energy technologies has now been made a lot simpler thanks to permitted development rights introduced in England and Scotland; and

§  The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) for Energy Rating of Dwellings recognises MCS certificated products when determining whether products are eligible for inclusion in SAP assessments.

To take advantage of this growing demand you should be considering the certification process and how you can get involved now. The next section provides a flow chart of how the certification process works

How Do I Get Involved?

§  Become a fully certificated MCS Installer Company – Gain your own certificate;

§  Work full time for a certificated MCS Installer Company – MCS certification is for the company. There are plenty of existing MCS companies looking for skilled staff; or

Become a sub-contractor to a certificated MCS Installer Company – If you want to remain independent but feel you would like to work in this field, you could be a sub-contractor to an MCS certificated company. See rules for subcontracting within the installer standard