November Newsletter 2019
November 2019 Newsletter
‘Fluke offers a kit solution for testing EV charging stations, Why it’s never too early to prepare for the winter freeze, Rydon secures £100m London council estate rebuild, Kayak on standby to rescue Stepnell workers at canal site’.
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Fluke offers a kit solution for testing EV charging stations
Fluke and Beha-Amprobe have introduced a kit offering comprehensive testing of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
Saving money versus buying the units separately, the installation tester/adapter kit provides access to the socket-outlets of vehicle charging stations to perform safety and functional tests, while simulating the presence of an electrical vehicle as required to be able to measure outputs. More information can be found at authorised Fluke distributors.
The market for EV charging stations is growing rapidly. By introducing installation tester/adapter kits, Fluke offers a solution for testing EV charging stations. They are ideal for electricians, electrical utilities and EV maintenance companies for safety testing, functional testing and troubleshooting/repair of charging stations.
The new 1664 UK-EV kit includes a Fluke 1664 FC multifunction installation tester and a Beha-Amprobe EV-520-UK EV charging station test adapter. The EV-520-UK is designed to give access to the socket-outlets of vehicle charging stations to perform safety and functional tests while simulating the presence of an electrical vehicle. The unit is designed to test function and safety of charging stations mode 3 for AC charging in combination with a Fluke 1664 FC.
Main features and functions of the test adapter:
- Suitable for vehicle charging stations with charging mode 3
- EV-connectors for type 2 and type 1
- PE Pre-Test – to test the PE conductor for possible presence of dangerous voltage against earth
- Proximity Pilot (PP) state ‘Cable Simulation’ – enables simulation of various current capabilities of the charging cables
- Control Pilot (CP) state ‘Vehicle Simulation’ – enables various charging states to be simulated
- Separate phase indication – to check voltage is present
- Installation tester safety and functional tests using L1, L2, L3, N and PE measuring terminals enable connection of the installation tester
- Electric power meter check – a mains socket allows an external load to be connected to check the power meter works and counts correctly
- Simulations of CP and PE errors
- Terminals for CP signal output to check communication between adapter and charging stations
The kit also includes an EVC-20 test cable with connector for the more common charging stations type 2 (while a Type 1-EVC-13 is also available separately). This easy-to-use connector combines both ‘socket outlet’ as well as ‘fixed cable with vehicle connector’ options in one. The test adapter is also available as a standalone unit.
Source: Electrical Contracting News
Plumbers gained 3.6% rise in earnings for October, just behind electricians
Earnings for self-employed plumbers rose by 3.6% last month, according to the latest figures released by Hudson Contract.
Analysis of October payroll data for more than 2,200 construction companies in England and Wales reveals a weekly average of £1,119 for plumbing contractors.
They generated the third-highest earnings of all 17 construction trades covered by Hudson Contract, beaten only by specialists in shop fitting and electrical work.
Plumbers in Yorkshire and the Humber saw the strongest growth in weekly earnings in October, rising 24.2% to £802. They were followed by the West Midlands, up 12.4% to £1,110, and London, up 11% to £1,099.
Ian Anfield, Managing Director of Hudson Contract, said: “Plumbers are in strong demand, which is driving up the earning power of highly skilled freelancers. Our analysis shows they are able to command a substantial premium for their valuable services.”
Hudson Contract provides an indication of sub-contractor pay trends across the construction industry, using payroll data to publish the average pay for a spectrum of 17 different trades split across 10 regions in England and Wales.
Source: HVP Magazine
Scottish electricians raise over £5,000 for electrical industry charity
More than £5,000 has been raised by Scottish electricians SELECT, the trade body for electrical professionals in Scotland, for the UK’s leading charity devoted to those working within the industry – Electrical Industries Charity. A charity which provides practical support services and financial relief to the 1.3 million people who work throughout the UK in the sectors relating to energy and electrical.
Over the last year, the Electrical Industries Charity gave out more than £400,500 in direct financial assistance, as well as providing more than 7,400 people with non-financial support.
The majority of the money that is raised for SELECT came through the annual SELECT Awards which were held earlier this month (October) in Glasgow. Over 350 people got together at the Raddison Blu hotel in order to help pay tribute to the leading talent within the Scottish sector. The awards this year, were hosted by the radio and tv personality Shereen Nanjiani and was though to be the biggest ceremony to date, raising more than £3,000 in their charity raffle and saw three lucky winners walking away with some wonderful prizes.
SELECT President Kevin Griffin states that, “The support from Scotland for the EIC’s great work has been amazing, and reflects the valued place this charity holds within our sector.”
At the beginning of June, SELECT held a Predidents walk which took place at Chatelherault Park in Hamilton and saw more than 50 walker taking on the 5-mile Green Bridge Trail. This event was dedicated to Jim McArthur, a past SELECT president and the former chairmen of the Lanarkshire Branch, who sadly passed away last year.
A Teddy Bear’s picnic was held later in June, and brought together the organisation’s staff members and their families for a fun filled day, including face painting, games and entertainment. At this event the charity managed to raise a further £500 for the EIC.
“Set up at a time when charities were in their infancy and safety nets such as unemployment benefits, state pensions and a national health service had yet to be thought of, the EIC has been providing assistance for more than 100 years to industry colleagues who have fallen upon hard times. The wide variety of services on offer from the EIC have been a major component in creating and maintaining the thriving industry which we work in today.” explained Kevin Griffin.
As well as financial assistance, the Electrical Industries Charity also provides counselling over the phone, advice for those in debt along with support for carers, scholarships and bursary schemes, as well as legal and career transition advice. All of which are free and confidential and open to those who currently work or have previously worked in the electrical industry.
Tess Ogle, managing director and CEO of the EIC, said: “We are extremely grateful to SELECT for their continued support. Thanks to their many ongoing events, and the generosity of their staff and members, we are able to continue our vital work, helping electrical workers and their families throughout the industry.”
For more information please visit https://www.select.org.uk
Source: Electrical Trade Magazine
Nominations open for Gas Industry Awards 2020
Nominations for the Gas Industry Awards have now opened.
The Gas Industry Awards, organised by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) and the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), recognises the contribution of the gas industry’s most innovative, dedicated and outstanding members.
This year’s awards feature 10 categories, including a Customer Service Award and Engineer of the Year prize.
The closing date for nominations has been set for 2 March. Enter by visiting https://gasindustryawards.awardsplatform.com/
Source: HPM Magazine
Rydon secures £100m London council estate rebuild
A west London council has signed up Rydon to deliver a £100m estate rebuild to create over 460 homes.
Ealing Borough Council has announced that it has formally appointed Rydon as its development partner to rebuild the High Lane estate in Hanwell after run-up talks of over two years.
The 264-home estate was constructed in the 1970s using a Bison large panel system.
Under the deal, Rydon will secure scheme financing, produce development proposals, submit planning and then demolish and build the new homes over three phases.
A full planning application is due to be submitted in March 2020. Of the planned new homes around 242 will be private sale, with 137 for social rent and 71 London affordable rent. The will also be 10 shared equity homes for existing leaseholders.
The project will take around eight years to complete.
Rydon has previously partnered with the council and A2Dominion on the £155m redevelopment of Green Man Lane social housing estate.
Source: Construction Enquirer
Weston and Tesco submit plan to turn store site into 1,280 homes
Weston Homes and Tesco have submitted ambitious plans to redevelop a supermarket and car park in east London with a major mixed-use development.
The redevelopment of the 10.4 acre Tesco store site in Goodmayes near Romford will consist of 1,280 new homes, a new Tesco store, village hall, 3-form primary school, commercial space and 7.9 acres of landscaped grounds.
The new Tesco will be equivalent in size to the current store and will be built in the current car park whilst the existing store remains open with a temporary car parking arrangement.
Once the new store is complete and open, the old store will be closed and demolished.
Weston Homes has slightly scaled-down its original plan to build 1,400 homes, lowered heights of several buildings and revised the design of the main landmark tower to make it more slender, thereby reducing the visual impact.
The new development proposals submitted to Redbridge Borough Council will also allow for highway improvement works in the High Road including a new bus lane, widening the highway, enhanced pedestrian and cycle access, and a new pedestrian crossing to Barley Lane Recreation Ground.
Source: Construction Enquirer
Caddick to build £50m Wakefield industrial park
Yorkshire-based Caddick Construction will build a £50m distribution centre near Wakefield, Yorkshire for global real estate investment manager AEW.
AEW will buy the site from Caddick Group and fund the development for its recently launched €290m develop-to-core UK logistics venture with Allianz.
Caddick Construction will start the speculative 512,000 sq. ft. facility – now named Wakefield 515 – in the first quarter of 2020.
Wakefield 515, previously known as Crosspoint 33 phase two, will sit next to the already completed Cross Point 33 phase one, a £100m 1.2m sq. ft. distribution centre for TK Maxx.
Caddick Construction built Crosspoint 33 phase one and is currently working on a host of other industrial and logistics schemes, such as the £10.7m Novus Business Park in Knutsford, for Chancerygate.
Located at Junction 33 on the M62 motorway, work will start on Wakefield 515 early next year.
The building is due to be delivered by the last quarter of next year.
Source: Construction Enquirer
Industrial digital multimeter for extreme conditions
The Fluke 87V Max true-rms Digital Multimeter (DMM) defines a new standard for operating in extreme conditions, with the features and accuracy to troubleshoot most electrical problems.
A development of the Fluke 87V, the 87V Max is ideal for use in harsh environments with an IP 67 (waterproof and dustproof) rating, an extended operating temperature range of -15°C to +55°C (-40°C for up to 20 minutes) and up to 95% humidity, and has been designed and tested to withstand a 4 metre drop in its removable holster. It offers Cat III 1000V, Cat IV 600V safety ratings.
The Fluke 87V Max will measure up to 1000V AC/DC and up to 10A AC/DC (20A for 30 seconds), with true-rms AC voltage and current readings for accurate measurements on non-linear signals. It also offers a capacitance range of 10,000μF, measures frequency to 200kHz, and can capture min/max/average recordings, plus 150μs peak min-max to capture variations automatically. It also features a built-in thermometer, which conveniently allows temperature readings without having to carry a separate instrument. This offers an easy check whether overheating is involved in a system breakdown.
The 87V Max true-rms digital multimeter provides the resolution and accuracy to efficiently troubleshoot motor drives, plant automation, power distribution, and electromechanical equipment even in loud, high energy, and high altitude locations. It takes the guesswork out of drive system troubleshooting. It includes a unique function for accurately measuring noisy signals at the variable frequency drive and at the motor terminals: special shielding blocks high frequency, high-energy noise generated by large drive systems. It correctly measures pulse-width modulated motor drive signals.
Other product highlights:
- Resistance, continuity and diode test
- Relative mode to remove test lead resistance from low ohms measurements
- Large display digits, two-level bright white backlight and backlit keypad buttons for increased visibility
- High resolution 20,000 count display mode
- Battery life doubled (up to 800 hours)
- Reversible holster for added protection when not in use
The Fluke 87V Max comes with a Fluke 80BK-A DMM temperature probe and is also available as part of a money-saving kit – the 87V Max/E2 combo kit – which includes a ToolPak magnetic meter hanging kit, TL224 SureGrip insulated test leads, AC220 SureGrip alligator clips, TL238 SureGrip test probes and a soft carry case.
For more information about all Fluke products, visit www.fluke.co.uk.
Source: Electrical Contracting News
Elta Fans launches ventilation compliance campaign
Ventilation manufacturer Elta Fans has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of ErP compliance responsibilities relating to certain ventilation products.
The manufacturer is asking contractors and distributors who sell or install roof-mounted ventilation solutions to answer a short series of online questions, with the aim of revealing the differing levels of awareness around compliance across the UK.
The issue has originated from Elta Fans’ own customer insights which highlights that many professionals are unknowingly operating as ‘manufacturers’, and are therefore making themselves responsible for ensuring ErP compliance.
While compliance is mandatory, the company is also advocating that in being compliant, a building is also delivering a higher quality of air – a topic which could not be more pertinent given recent governmental initiatives.
David Millward, Product Manager at Elta Group, said: “Legislation affects us all and we know it can be hard to keep up with all of the technicalities, but we find that not everyone is aware of their responsibilities. We hope this survey will offer some clarity for those who are unsure or, more importantly, those completely unaware.”
To answer the survey, visit: www.eltafans.com/erp-warning/.
Source: HVP Magazine
How to stay healthy on the go as an electrician
Many people struggle to find enough time to stay healthy while juggling the demands of modern life. It is particularly difficult for someone who is often on the road, going from appointment to appointment.
With 66% of men and 57% of women being classed as overweight or obese and 74% of people having felt ‘overwhelmed or unable to cope’ at some point during the year, it is increasingly important that we look after both our physical and mental health.
Here, electrical wholesaler TradeSparky offers its top tips for managing your diet and stress levels on the go.
Lunch to go
One of the best ways to make improvements to your diet is to stop grabbing processed foods on the go, and preparing lunches and snacks at home from scratch instead. The two main barriers to achieving this are:
- the time it takes to prep food on a daily basis
- finding nice, healthy meals that don’t require a hob or microwave
Try preparing meals in bulk – things that will last a couple of days or can be frozen. It can be difficult to think of lunches that don’t require heating (sandwich, salad…yawn!) but with a little bit of research online, you can gather enough recipes for lunches that you will happily eat on a weekly basis.
One other factor to consider is portion control. This is probably the main reason why most diets fail. Even if ‘good’ foods are being consumed, if too much is being eaten, you will still put on weight.
By making your own meals, it is possible to measure exactly how much food is going in and how much each meal is contributing to your daily intake. Free smartphone apps such as ‘My Fitness Pal’ can really help with this. On the odd day when lunch is grabbed on the fly, the barcode can be scanned and all the relevant nutritional information will be added.
At a stretch
Exercise is good for both our physical and mental health and the secret to incorporating it into a busy schedule is (drum roll)… getting it out of the way early. Yes, it is horrendous dragging yourself out of bed that bit earlier, but once it’s done, the endorphins are flowing and you are ready for the day ahead.
It doesn’t even have to take a long time, either. There are plenty of 20-minute high-intensity training (HIT) routines online that can be done at home while Piers Morgan rants away on the telly. There are even free phone apps such as ‘Seconds’ that will help time your intervals.
If you really aren’t a morning person and the only thing you want to do after a long days’ work is flop on the coach, then try and incorporate something into your daily routine. If you have an appointment where little equipment is required, allow enough time to park the van 10 minutes away from the location and walk. It may not seem like very much, but it all adds up over time.
And sleep
Having enough ‘quality’ sleep will help improve performance and decrease stress levels while on the job. Of course both diet and exercise contribute to the quality of your sleep, but allowing the time for enough ZZZs is also important.
The average adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep a night to function properly. The benefits of doing so include improvement in mood, maintaining a healthy weight and a sharpening of concentration.
However, allocating enough time during the night for bed isn’t enough, especially if you are going to spend most of the time tossing and turning. Best practices to maximise the chances of a good night’s sleep include going to bed and waking up at a set time, establishing a relaxing routine leading up to bed and ideally avoiding eating after 7pm. The latter will help with both weight loss and your ability to sleep.
Keep lubricated
And we’re not talking about alcohol! The average adult should drink about two litres of water a day. Keeping hydrated will not only help you stay alert during appointments, but it will also help with weight loss as water can boost metabolism by up to 30% and stop food cravings.
But drinking the required amount is harder than you might think. To help, water intake can be tracked in the My Fitness Pal app, but there are also apps specifically designed to monitor water consumption, such as Daily Water, and will alert you when you need to take a drink. Just keep a water bottle with you throughout the day. No customer will resent you topping up at their home or office.
Source: Sparks Magazine
Why it’s never too early to prepare for the winter freeze
With the clocks changing and the winter weather settling in, many people are starting to plan for the colder months and keeping themselves, and their homes, warm. Karen Sloan, Liberty’s Managing Director – Gas Maintenance, reveals why for the property services sector, it’s never too early to prepare for the winter freeze.
Winter is the busiest time of the year for the property services industry.
But as the cold weather sets in, it is a good opportunity to reflect on the months of planning and preparation our teams put in place to make sure we are ready to provide people focused services that are smart and straightforward.
During the summer months, when many of us were enjoying the sunshine Liberty was well underway with its winter planning programme – training staff, mapping workflows with clients and carrying out work that will prevent problems before they happen.
We’ve learned though years of experience that taking time to prepare when the weather is warm is the smartest way to ensure clients and customers receive the best possible service during the busy winter freeze.
Managing our time
Typically, demand for all property services is lower during the summer. Liberty receive an average of 40% reduction in repairs per day during summer compared to the winter period. During April 2019 – September 2019, this equated to 45,000 fewer repairs, freeing up capacity in teams across the business.
This gives us the time to plan ahead, agreeing processes for prioritising work during winter and ensuring that clients have everything they need to support their tenants at a time when many vulnerable people need their help the most.
We also use the summer months to assess properties with a history of weather-related issues and carry out proactive work to reduce the risk of issues during the peak winter season. This can include re-routing or insulating condensate pipes to protect them form freezing, to completing more annual gas services to make sure customers’ boilers are in the best shape ready for when they’re needed most.
With this forward-thinking approach, we can help prevent unnecessary problems so that customers stay warm and our engineers can priorities workload and focus more time on breakdowns and emergency calls.
Training and upskilling
Summer is also crucial for training and upskilling teams to make sure we’re ready for a cold snap. We do this through the Liberate Academy, our in-house training centre, with over 110 Liberty staff completing training with them in the summer of 2019. It’s the perfect time to undertake cyclical training such as ACS assessment and e-learning, whilst the service demand is lower.
The Liberate Academy ensures our team is always thinking ahead and is at the forefront of the latest developments in our sector.
It ensures that operatives understand the latest legislation, are meeting legal requirements, and are confident in their skills and abilities. This training is continuing to drive standards up, keeping people safe not just during winter, but throughout the year.
By focussing on people, we’re delivering the best possible outcomes for customers and clients.
As well as ensuring we’re ready for winter, the academy provides training which helps to improve the skills base of gas engineers across the country, including apprenticeships for those entering the profession and essential qualifications for more experienced operatives.
Addressing the gender imbalance
We’re committed to increasing diversity in the property services industry. And we’ve also been using the warmer months to increase the work we do to promote balance in the industry.
It’s widely acknowledged that this sector faces challenges in attracting female staff and, like many other organisations in this field of work, we have a much greater number of males than females across our business. Redressing this balance is key to the sector’s sustainability and ensuring we are fit for the future.
We have been doing this in a wide range of ways, including focussing on inclusive and diverse recruitment campaigns which help us recruit from the widest possible talent pool.
Some of the initiatives we have in place include flexible working practices and a robust support system, a Learning and Development team committed to supporting the development of all staff, and developing initiatives which seek to increase the number of women in the industry at all levels.
By working in these ways and planning ahead we’re well prepared to assist clients in providing the most efficient service to their customers, keeping their homes warm no matter the weather this winter brings.
Source: Installer Online
Green light for £125m Birmingham St Paul’s quarter scheme
Joint venture partners Galliard Homes and Apsley House Capital have got the planning go-ahead to create a new neighbourhood in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
The £125m mixed-use scheme to be known as the St Paul’s Quarter will transform the four-acre AE Harris industrial site with 305 flats and 100,000 sq ft of commercial space across 20 buildings.
Designed by Glenn Howells Architects, the site bounded by Newhall Street, Graham Street and Northwood Street will include a new public square at its centre.
Two grade II listed buildings will be restored to their former glory – 109 Northwood Street, built in 1882 for military ornament makers Brent and Parker and described by Historic England as “internationally significant”, and 199 Newhall Street, a neo-Georgian factory built in the early 20th century.
A further two derelict buildings – 123 and 128 Northwood Street – will also be salvaged and transformed into new homes.
Stephen Conway, executive chairman of Galliard Homes, said: “Galliard has a track record of restoring listed buildings across London and we are looking forward to bringing this experience to Birmingham.
“123 and 128 Northwood Street have a familiar typology to the Jewellery Quarter, with street frontages concealing rear factory wings.These two buildings reinforce the grain of the area, running north-south.
“It’s therefore right that we respect their heritage and preserve them, despite their lack of listed status.”
Work will start early next year with the development anticipated to take four years to complete.
Source: Construction Enquirer
Derwent starts design work on next big London project
London developer Derwent has started design and pre-construction work on its next major West End scheme of nearly 300,000 st ft.
It is aiming to start work on a major mixed-use at Baker Street in 2021 after this morning reporting strong pre-letting activity on schemes under construction in its property pipeline.
Paul Williams, chief executive of Derwent London, said: “Our strong pre-letting activity continues, demonstrating the consistent demand for our product and for London office space.
“In addition we have extended our main revolving credit facility, which includes an innovative green tranche linking the financing of our developments to their environmental impact.”
He added that the delayed former Saatchi building revamp by Multiplex at 80 Charlotte Street W1 was now due to be delivered in the first half of 2020.
Construction work was progressing well at Soho Place W1 and The Featherstone Building EC1 with completion expected in 2022.
The next project at 19-35 Baker Street project will involve 206,000 sq ft offices, 52,000 sq ft residential and 35,000 sq ft retail. Designed by architect Hopkins, it will rise to 10-floors.
“We have started design, pre-construction and procurement work on our 19-35 Baker Street project which is likely to start in 2021”, he confirmed
Source: Construction Enquirer
Kayak on standby to rescue Stepnell workers at canal site
A kayak is on standby at a student accommodation site in Nottingham where Stepnell is facing challenging construction conditions.
The canalside site at Boulevard Wharf is only 11 metres wide.
The contractor’s emergency procedures include a kayak to catch anyone who falls in the water.
And the tight boundaries have made careful site planning vital to build 76 apartments.
Shaun Moses, site manager for Stepnell, said: “It is certainly one of the more unusual sites we’ve worked on.
“Along with the obvious issues that come with building so close to the canal edge brings, the overall site is just 11 metres wide, meaning that day-to-day operations must be very carefully managed.
“With incredibly tight boundaries and the buildings themselves designed to fill the entirety of its footprint, the site is a real challenge, but the team has worked closely with the developers from an early stage to create a solution that is workable and allows the whole operation to run smoothly.”
Tom Sewell, East Midlands’ regional director at Stepnell, said: “The story of this site is really one of collaboration.
“Our team worked extensively with the client through the design development process in order to design and manage a project that met a high standard in terms of appearance and finishes – all while working to the budget and the challenges the site provides.”
The project sees the studios spread across three buildings designed by MAS Architecture.
Source: Construction Enquirer