The Copper Connection Podcast – Season 2, Episode 74, Phase 3 Explore commissioning, handover and completion in building services engineering with practical insights and revision support.
Phase 3 is the final core phase of the 9289 — and it's where the qualification asks the most of you. Not just in terms of content, but in terms of professional thinking. This is the phase that separates building services engineering fitters from technicians.
In Episode 4 of The Copper Connection Podcast, host Chris Bailey walks through every unit assessed in Phase 3 of the 9289 — including the shorter but entirely new exam, the substantial 15-hour practical assignment, and the all-important Phases 1–3 Work Log submission that many learners underestimate until it's almost too late.
Chris covers:
✅ The Phase 3 assessments — 9289-031 MCQ (30 minutes, 20 questions) and 9289-032 practical (15 hours), plus the 9289-002 Work Log submission
✅ Unit 314 Environmental Technology Systems — the unit that accounts for 40% of the Phase 3 exam, covering renewable and non-renewable energy sources, heat pump principles, micro-CHP, permitted development, and Building Regulations Part L
✅ Unit 315 Domestic Fuel Systems — combustion processes, complete vs incomplete combustion, CO poisoning and CO detectors, ventilation requirements, and chimney and flue system principles
✅ Unit 316 Electrical Work and Control Systems — your responsibilities and limitations as a plumber, BS 7671, Building Regulations Part P, and control system components
✅ The Phase 3 practical in full — commissioning and handover (Unit 310), fault diagnosis (Unit 311), service and maintenance (Unit 312), sizing and selection (Unit 313), and the electrical practical from Unit 316
✅ How to approach sizing — from cold water pipe sizing to central heating heat loss calculations
✅ The Unit 317 Work Log — what your five areas of evidence need to include, and why you can't afford to leave it incomplete
✅ An honest word about what it takes to get to Phase 3 — and why it matters
This is essential listening for anyone approaching their final core phase assessments.
🔗 Show notes, portfolio tips, and revision resources at thecopperconnectionpodcast.co.uk
Coming next on The Copper Connection — Phase 4 specialist pathways, EPA preparation, and life after qualification.