GUIDANCE: RC44 Fire Risk Assessment
About Us
Vent's heritage is strong - delivered by a major European Group headquartered in Switzerland that has a gold standard reputation in the commercial cleaning and maintenance industry built up over 30 years.
Background
The Vent process went through more than two years of testing and trialling before being released to market, and has been fine-tuned to maximise operating standards and environmental sustainability. At the heart of Vent is an innovative philosophy that falls in-line with all areas of compliance, saving associated costs and protecting the environment.
Vent is just one of the technologies resulting from 30 years of innovative, turnkey design within the industrial and commercial cleaning sectors. Aiming to solve the specific issue of the accumulation of waste products from commercial kitchens, Vent is a solution with low environmental impact that uses biotechnology to tackle the ugly by-product of kitchen operation.
Vent is the result of an evolutionary journey, combining technical expertise with chemistry and microbiology and honed through years of testing.
Vent complies with international standards of quality and safety at local, national and international level. Accredited by NSF International, the team at Vent are proud to hold a certification that stands for innovation and creativity with a green conscience. NSF International has been ensuring the safe design and cleaning of appliances and tools used in commercial kitchens for almost 70 years, and is aspired to globally.
The production of Vent has also been certified to international standards of environmental responsibility, having been accredited to ISO14001 by the independent body LRQA. This ascertains that Vent has been manufactured in-line with an environmental management system, where responsibility is taken towards all resources and raw materials such as energy, water and waste products.
The green ethos of Vent begins at production and translates right through to the end user, not only saving commercial kitchens on operational cost, but also making them safer places to work, with improved compliance and a more pleasant experience for the customer.
There are a multitude of establishments using Vent successfully in Europe, including hotels, restaurants, breweries, schools and hospitals. Examples are The Hilton, Grand Hotel Vienna, Burger King, Red Bull and many more.
Senior Team
Paul Owen
Paul has spent 20 years taking a number of technology based businesses from start-up / early stage to much larger ventures, as well as serving on the Boards of larger businesses and organisations in the private, public and third sector. He has a keen interest and experience in Low Environmental Impact technologies that replace the ‘old way of doing things’ with technologically advanced, elegant solutions that deliver cost control, environmental, efficiency and safety/health benefits, and the VENT technologies fit this ethos perfectly.
Having won major contracts over the years with both national and international organisations from single site facilities to multi-national and governmental / public sector operations, Paul is very much looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that Lie ahead in developing the overall VENT business across a wide range of sectors.
Mark Purnell
Mark left school and trained as an apprentice chef, after which he returned to college and trained as a mechanical refrigeration and gas heating engineer. Mark has spent the last thirty years working in the HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) industry. He has run a duct cleaning company for 17 years and has been involved in building management systems, app development as well as consulting and energy efficiency surveying.
Mark is excited by Vent and its ground-breaking approach to the whole FOG treatment issue. Mark is inspired by the fact that Vent really understands that duct cleanliness, access, compliance and insurance specification dealt with as one complete package is the only way to make a difference to the FOG management in the catering industry.
Paul Downing
Paul has been involved in mechanical and environmental services projects for over 35 years. In 1990 he was part of the team responsible for the development of the Air Hygiene Contracts Division at Houseman (Burnham) Limited and has since held Board positions on behalf of companies trading with UK mechanical and environmental service industries.
Paul is a senior member of the Water Management Society (WMS) the Fire Protection Association (FPA) and an associate member of the Institute for Fire Safety Managers (IFSM).
Previously a member of the Heating Ventilation Contractors Association (HVCA), in 1998 Paul was a member of the working group responsible for the development and publication of TR/17 'Guide to Good Practice - Internal Cleanliness of Ventilation Systems' established as the industry's benchmark, now rebranded as BESA TR/19.
Paul continues to be instrumental in the further development of guidance standards as a member of the BESA Ventilation Hygiene Branch and in 2017 was recognised for his involvement with the BESA Ventilation Hygiene Apprentice scheme by receiving a National Trailblazers award. Paul is currently a member of the Department for Education's Building Services Engineering T Level panel, responsible for delivering BSE T Level qualifications by 2020/21.
Paul recognises the success and benefits that Vent AIR has had in many European catering establishments and believes that the introduction of bio-technology will significantly reduce the buildup of FOG and significantly improve the quality of airflows in UK kitchen extract systems - alongside competent cleaning regimes that ensure system compliance to TR/19 standard.
Helen Morse
With over 12 years' administration experience, Helen is the organisational flair in the Vent team. Her role is incredibly varied as she takes charge of payroll, sales administration, credit control, bank reconciliation, customer service, marketing support and much more.
Helen’s background in construction administration piqued her interest in Vent; especially the health, safety and environmental issues the business is providing solutions for throughout the hospitality sector. When she is away from the business, Helen is into her fitness, socialising and attending a gaming convention or two!
Helen has been with Vent right from the start, helping to set up the office and business infrastructure from day 1, and she is very much looking forward to seeing the business grow and develop over the next few years.
Rachel Howard
Rachel has 10 years’ experience in digital marketing and ecommerce across a variety of B2B and B2C businesses – from SMEs to global organisations. She loves working with brands that inspire her, and the Vent vision certainly fits the bill; with the combination of pioneering bio-technology and social conscience placing health, safety and the environment at the heart of the business.
Vent has already transformed operational processes throughout Europe, in the kitchens of many restaurants, cafes, schools and even hospitals. As a keen foodie who loves eating out (when she’s not running around after her one year old), but also primarily because Vent solves problems that affect us all in the long run, for Rachel that is definitely something to get passionate about.
Our Values
At Vent three core values are at the heart of our product design, manufacture and implementation:
The Environment
From concept to completion, the environment plays a key part in the design, usage and production of all Vent products.
Health and Wellbeing
Aiming to create a better experience for employees and customers alike, Vent eliminates nasty kitchen waste products and associated odours, and reduces fire risk.
Cost Control
Installation of Vent slashes cost in many areas. Areas of saving include compliance, lost revenue, maintenance, insurance and compensation.
Join the Vent Team
Do you have a passion for technologies that improve environmental performance and reduce risk? If so, we are always on the lookout for talented, dynamic individuals to join our team.
Latest from the Knowledge Base
GUIDANCE: Design - DW/172
Widely regarded as the most authoritative specification for the design of kitchen ventilation systems in commercial properties.
GUIDANCE: Verification - The Wet Film Thickness Test
How do I know my ductwork is clean enough?
Quick no fuss installation
Vent AIR is not a 'fit and forget' concept. From your initial enquiry we will create a bespoke service plan that ensures your kitchen extract system stays continually clean, to TR19, 365 days a year. Our factory-trained engineers will visit your site throughout the year to verify the cleanliness of the entire route of your ductwork - not just the bits you can see - with ongoing inspections and maintenance.
Your initial enquiry
Site survey incorporating RC44 guidance
Bespoke proposal by Vent
Sign off
Installation by factory trained engineers
Regular inspection in accordance with TR19
Arrange a no obligation site survey
Decide whether Vent AIR is right for you with a no obligation site survey incorporating RC44. One of our team will work through a cost and benefit analysis to show how Vent can benefit your business.