March 2020 Newsletter

Working from home due to Coronavirus means wellbeing must be considered

Employers’ concern for staff wellbeing must now go well beyond the traditional workplace, says Tamlite Lighting.

Tamlite Lighting believes that the rapid increase in the number of people working from home as a result of coronavirus (Covid-19) means employers now need to consider the home environment their staff are working in – and in particular their access to appropriate lighting.

A long-time champion of the benefits of more ‘human centric’ approaches to building services, Tamlite Lighting is leading the call for greater awareness of this issue.

Debbie-Sue Farrell, the company’s Head of Wellbeing, comments, “We are living through unprecedented times. With more and more people now working from their own homes, we believe there needs to be a new shift in thinking about how employers can support and maintain their health and wellbeing of their staff.

“Specifically, there is no getting away from the fact that the lighting in our homes was designed for everyday life and is therefore unsuitable for creating a functional working environment. As a result, many home-based workers could well find themselves suffering from eye strain, poor posture and headaches, and in some cases lack of motivation as a direct result of insufficient or gloomy lighting. In order to remain healthy and productive, it is absolutely vital that workers have access to the right lighting, as it is proven to offer a way to enhance their daily experiences.”

Tamlite says there are simple measures that can be taken, such as providing employees with simple, tunable solutions such as its Starlite Connect. This technology – which is ideally suited to the domestic office, or makeshift working environment – allows users to choose the right light for the right activity. It is an intuitive, easy-to-install and flexible lighting system that is backed up by the latest connected lighting technology from WiZ Connected.

“At Tamlite, we stand ready to support and advise any businesses concerned about lighting for their home-based workforce. Even small improvements can make a massive difference to personal performance, creativity, mood and function. These are extraordinary times we want to support companies in any way we can – we’re all in the same situation.”

Working From Home Due To Coronavirus Means Wellbeing Must Be Considered

£100m Budget fund can prime homes for heat pumps

Worcester Bosch’s communications chief has described the 2020 Budget’s £100m low carbon heating grant as a useful way to “prime” the market for heat pumps.

Martyn Bridges, director of technical communication and product management at Worcester Bosch, was encouraged by the £100m grant for homes to adopt low-carbon heating, but added: “If the £100m fund is to be an outright “donation” to persuade someone to change their heating system to a heat pump for example, then what would that entail? If we take an oil boiler installation and compare with a heat pump installation, then the difference in cost is probably around £3k to £4k depending of course on-site conditions. If the radiators and pipework need replacing as well, which is likely then this goes up even more.

“So £100m divided by the cost difference between the two technologies of say £4k then we could treat 25,000 homes. There are around 1.6m homes in the UK on oil so it won’t make a great difference to the carbon emissions of the UK. It would however “prime” the market, start to get installers and suppliers into the habit of installing heat pumps.”

He said the money would be wiser spent on Hybrid installations rather than the outright substitution of an oil boiler, in such instances.

“So there are promising signs but the devil is in the detail and more guidance from industry will be necessary,” he added.

£100m Budget fund can prime homes for heat pumps

Source: HPM Magazine

Rapid rise in female tradespeople over past decade

There are more than twice as female tradespeople including electricians, plumbers and construction workers in the UK than ten years ago, reveals new analysis1 from tradesperson insurer Direct Line for Business.

The analysis shows that there were an estimated 33,000 female tradespeople in 2019 – a 120 per cent increase on the 15,000 reported in 2009. Over this time the total number of people working in construction, electrical and plumbing has risen by five per cent to 743,000, meaning that whilst women currently account for just 4.4 per cent of all tradespeople, this is considerably higher than the 2.1 per cent representation a decade ago.

When broken down by industry, the majority of female tradespeople can be found in building, with 24,000 females employed in jobs including bricklayers, roofers and scaffolders, accounting for five per cent of the total workforce. There are an estimated 8,000 women working as electricians, accounting for three per cent of all tradespeople and 1,000 female plumbers, accounting for two per cent of those working in this trade.

While the number of women working in these trades has been steadily rising over the past decade, the figures show that female representation is rising at an increasing rate, with more than half of the 18,000 new female workers in construction since 2009 being registered in the last five years.

Nandita Borkakoti, Business Manager for Tradesperson, Direct Line for Business said: “While jobs in construction have traditionally been dominated by men in the volumes employed, it is encouraging to see that this notion is being increasingly challenged, with around 33,000 women across the UK currently working as builders, electricians or plumbers.

“With around 34,000 more tradespeople in the UK now than a decade ago, we hope that the coming decade sees further inroads being made for women in trade businesses, as the focus shifts away from gender and towards ability and expertise. It is important for any new entrants to the industry to have the strongest foundation possible to start work, with an insurance policy that can be tailored so that they only pay for what they need to include a range of covers such as public liability, employers’ liability or for cover for their tools including when left in their work vehicle overnight.”

Table One: Estimated number of male and female workers in selected construction trades, 2009-2019

Timeframe	Industry	Builders	Electricians	Plumbers	All
2009	Men	437,000	192,000	65,000	694,000
	Women	10,000	4,000	1,000	15,000
	Total	447,000	196,000	66,000	709,000
2019	Men	428,000	230,000	52,000	710,000
	Women	24,000	8,000	1,000	33,000
	Total	452,000	238,000	53,000	743,000
Change	Men	-2.1%	+19.8%	-20.0%	+2.3%
	Women	+140.0%	+100.0%	+0.0%	+120.0%
	Total	+1.1%	+21.4%	-19.7%	+4.8%

Based on population projections2, there are expected to be a further 221,000 more women of working age (18-65) in the UK by 2029. If the proportion of working women in construction remains constant over this time it could result in a further 5,700 women in the industry by 2029. However, if the industry sees the same rate of growth as it has done since 2009, then there could be as many as 51,000 women in construction by the end of the next decade.

When looking at mean wages for tradespeople, women are still paid less than their male counterparts, though the analysis reveals that trade professions are more equitable than other industries. Female tradespeople earn an average of 11.3 per cent less than their male counterparts. With the average salary for male tradespeople standing at £32,755 in 2019, this translates into an income of around £3,700 less for women tradespeople than for men. This is lower than the gender pay gap across all industries, which in 2019 stood at 16.2 per cent.

Rapid rise in female tradespeople over past decade

Source: Electrical Trade Magazine

Funding deal for Sheffield scheme despite global crisis

Student accommodation specialist Future Generation has refinanced a £39m development loan that will help fund construction of the third phase of a major Sheffield scheme.

It comes at the end of a remarkable five days of dealmaking for the firm, which — despite turmoil in global markets due to coronavirus — saw it secure another £55m development loan to construct two other student schemes in Loughborough and Nottingham.

The third phase of Steel City will create 19 short-let serviced apartments — in addition to the scheme’s existing 324 bedrooms — to be used by parents and friends visiting student tenants.

The concept is designed to make it much easier for students living away at university to maintain relationships with friends and family.

The £35m scheme also boasts an interactive fitness studio plus Future Generation’s signature Sky Lounge — a rooftop social space where students can relax, interact and enjoy cityscape views.

Construction of the third phase is expected to be completed by the spring of 2021 and a construction partner is yet to be chosen.

Clegg Construction built the previous phases of the former steel workshops conversion in the St Vincent’s Quarter.

Andrew Southern, chairman of Southern Grove and Future Generation, said: “The fact that these funding facilities are still coming together, even with Covid-19 wreaking havoc on industry and economies around the world, is testament to the long-term security of the student accommodation sector in the UK.

“We are going to weather this storm and come out of it even stronger, with positive consequences for the incomes of those firms and workers who help us to make these developments a reality.

“The completion of Steel City will also be an incredibly proud moment for me personally. Sheffield is my home town and I still have plenty of family and friends there.”

McAleer & Rushe has just started work on the Luxurio in Loughborough and The Vantage in Nottingham, which between them will create 943 student beds close to top-tier universities.

The £45m Luxurio development in Loughborough will contain 458 bedrooms.

London and Cardiff-based Rio Architects were appointed to design the mixed-use scheme which will include landscaped grounds, communal courtyards, roof terraces and green living walls on the outside of the building.

The development at Aumberry Gap will range from three to seven storeys and contain 1,700 sq m of commercial and reception space.

The £48m Vantage development in Traffic Street, Nottingham, will provide 485 bedrooms.

The Vantage will boast Future Generation’s signature Sky Lounge which will make the most of views over Nottingham Castle.

Funding deal for Sheffield scheme despite global crisis

Redrow founder pledges £1m a week to charities

Redrow Homes founder Steve Morgan is pledging to channel £1m a week to charities hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

he cash will be distributed through the Steve Morgan Foundation to charities in Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales.

Morgan, who founded Redrow in 1974, has also urged other entrepreneurs and philanthropists to do the same.

“The £1m per week will go into a war chest because we are at war against coronavirus,” he said.

“People who know me know I don’t like the limelight but now is not the time to hide in the shadows.”

The father-of-six made the decision despite seeing an estimated 50% wiped off his own fortune in the past month by the economic crash caused by Covid-19 but said it wasn’t important compared to the humanitarian crisis the world was facing.

He said: “Aside from the obvious difficulties that the charities are facing, supporting thousands of disadvantaged people, this crisis has already caused substantial cashflow issues. Normal day-to-day fundraising efforts that the charities undertake have been pulled from under them.

“The London Marathon alone puts around £65m into the charitable sector.

Morgan said that the foundation had already been approached by more than 50 charities desperately needed funding. One in just one day had 248 additional people register for their foodbank.

“As the economy shrinks it will be the charities and the vulnerable people who suffer first and we can’t allow that to happen.

“We wish we could help the whole of the UK but we can’t. Our Foundation is committed to helping charities in Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales and we’ll continue to do that. We urge others across the UK to follow suit.”

Redrow founder pledges £1m a week to charities

£250m film studio plan for Kent

Urban regeneration specialist The Creative District Improvement Company (TCDI Co.) is teaming up with developer Quinn Estates to announce a £250m investment in a Kent TV and film studio.

The project will restore five at-risk Grade II listed-buildings in Ashford and convert them into 80,000 sq ft of TV and film studios, 80,000 sq ft of ancillary production space, 50,000 sq ft of mill store and 30,000 sq ft of media village.

Plans also include the Future Media Centre educational hub, a 120-room hotel, 68 serviced apartments, a creative industries conference centre and a 10,000 sq ft gym, restaurant and leisure space.

TCDI Co. and Quinn Estate are collaborating with architects Guy Holloway to deliver the project scheduled for 2021.

Piers Read and Jeremy Rainbird, Founders of The Creative District Improvement Co. said: “It is a dream come true to regenerate an area that we have a close personal connection to and to provide such exciting employment opportunities.

“As we emerge from COVID-19 there will continue to be unprecedented demands for stage space and a demand for skilled workers which will continue to grow.

“With A.I. constantly encroaching into the UK employment sector, the creative industry is one of the only industries that robustly defends itself from mass unemployment.

“British TV and film making is the best in the world thanks to facilities like Ashford International Studios. This is set to remain the case for decades to come”.

TCDI Co. has previously announced plans to extend the current success of Twickenham Studios in a £50m development that will include film stages, flexible workspace for creative industries with new event and hospitality space.

£250m film studio plan for Kent

How to select the most appropriate heating system for the job

Boilers are at the very heart of a heating system which is why the correct specification is so important. In recent years, technology and innovation has led to significant changes in boilers as the focus moves to towards eco-friendly and energy efficient products. Jonathan Kidner, Product Engineer at Alpha Heating Innovation, provides insight into boiler specification and why the ability to understand a customer’s needs will go a long way when it comes to the selection of the most appropriate heating systems.

Installers should consider the size of the boiler and its output as it makes no sense choosing a boiler with insufficient kW output to cope with the heating and hot water requirements of a family home. Under-specifying will lead to the boiler being unable to match the demands of the household; but be careful not to over-specify either, as this will waste energy and make the boiler less efficient.

With heating accounting for approximately 55% of the total spend on energy bills each year according to the Energy Saving Trust, the energy efficiency of a boiler is a key consideration for any customer. There are plenty of low carbon options in the marketplace, but instead of a radical overhaul of a traditional heating system, products such as Alpha’s GasSaver, FlowSmart and SolarSmart maximise domestic heating and hot water system performance to achieve significantly improved energy efficiency and carbon emissions levels. In addition, smart thermostat controls can make it easier than ever for homeowners to control their heating from anywhere using a smart device. It means a home can be monitored 24/7 and only heated when needed, saving energy and money in the long run.

Warranties

While a standard one-year warranty is a given with all boilers and can often be extended, many leading manufacturers are now offering extended warranties of up to 10 years on premium boiler models. Similar to an insurance policy, it’s important to read the terms and conditions of a warranty. A yearly service is a requirement of a warranty and will keep a boiler in good repair, so that in the event of an internal fault, the customer will be protected and will have any problems rectified in a timely and satisfactory manner.

Technical support is often much under-valued and is a service which goes beyond answering the phone to queries and complaints. Most manufacturers offer pre-sales and aftersales support, including on-site support for those tricky installations. They can also provide the most up-to-date information regarding new products, legislation and general design/installation advice. It’s why Alpha Heating Innovation places so much value on the technical support it provides boiler installers and their customers.

Lastly, always encourage your customer to register their boiler once it has been installed, so it is traceable. It will reflect badly on the installer and the company if the homeowner rings to inform their boiler isn’t working and the manufacturer has no record of it.

How to select the most appropriate heating system for the job

Source: Installer Online

80% of companies to invest in warehouse tech as online shopping surges

High street retailers have seen footfall decrease over recent years as online sales become the more popular and convenient way to shop. E-commerce is growing rapidly across the world and is changing the way people shop – as consumers and as businesses – meaning warehousing and logistics have become critical for all manufacturers and retailers to get right.

In order to achieve this, technology is being used to tackle core challenges so that suppliers can satisfy demand and ensure their business is working efficiently. A recent global study found that 80% of companies were intending to invest in new warehouse technology as part of their strategy to become more competitive, with 60% of those reporting challenges due to inadequate labour efficiency and productivity.

It is the responsibility of companies like EcolightingUK to inform facilities managers and warehouse managers about their options, and provide a solution that is best for them. As experts in the field, Ecolighting needs to ensure that businesses think about the life-cycle costs of their lighting technology in the same way as they do with their materials handling equipment (MHE).

It is estimated that MHE accounts for around 25% of a warehouse’s annual energy expenditure, while the cost of lighting the building with old fashioned or inappropriate lighting technology will make up 70% of the bill.

This is why lighting is one of the most important investments a business can make. When upgrading the lighting technology within a distribution centre or other industrial building, too many facilities managers fail to consider the whole life and install costs of the luminaires they are specifying and instead opt for the cheapest product available.

By doing so, they could be costing their companies thousands of pounds in higher energy bills and significant ongoing maintenance costs, not to mention the often overlooked return on investment period.

By making that very common mistake and choosing substandard fittings, they may think they are saving money on energy, but then those savings are spent on maintaining and replacing the luminaires. This is why facilities managers need to realise that the cost of ownership is a big factor in the savings to be had in the long term.

Retailers have many issues when it comes to warehouse optimisation and are prioritising speed. Customers want their orders as soon as possible, so in response 82% of retailers are looking to implement regional or last mile fulfilment centres which are closer to their customers. This means a larger number of potentially much busier warehouses to manage.

This is why when it comes to creating a lighting scheme for a large and busy warehouse, introducing luminaires with a slightly higher wattage but a clever optical design will mean that fewer fittings are needed to provide a better quality of light, and fewer fittings means reduced energy consumption, reduced product costs, reduced install costs and reduced, if any, maintenance is the better option.

Lighting accounts for nearly 6% of global CO2 emissions, so a global switch to energy efficient light emitting diode (LED) technology could save over 1,400 million tons of CO2 and avoid the construction of 1,250 power stations.

80% of companies to invest in warehouse tech as online shopping surges

Plumbing and heating operatives to be ‘key workers’

The government has classified plumbing and heating professionals as ‘Key Workers’ and as such the children of plumbing and heating workers will be prioritised for education provision.

CEO John Thompson says the APCH had been discussing with the government the possibility of assigning Key Worker status to plumbing and heating contractors and fully welcomes this action.

“I’m glad the government recognises the essential frontline work that plumbing and heating professionals carry out and the direct role they play in keeping society healthy, warm and safe,” says John Thompson. “If plumbers and heating engineers weren’t allowed into properties or attend sites to fix breakages, this could have led dangerous heating systems and unsafe drinking-water and sanitation facilities.”

The government’s advice states that parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those in working in utilities which covers the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors, including sewerage.

Official advice stresses that every child who can be safely cared for at home should be. However, Key Workers who cannot keep their child safe at home will be prioritised for education provision.

Education provision is also available for vulnerable children including children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs, including child in need plans, on child protection plans, ‘looked after’ children, young carers, disabled children and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.

Plumbing and heating employers can inform their employees that their role as a plumbing and heating engineer is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service and therefore are eligible for education provision.

“If your or your employees’ school is closed then you can contact your local authority, who will seek to redirect you to a local school in your area,” adds John.

COVID-19 procedural guidelines

Continuing to work in the current environment means that plumbing and heating engineers may come into contact with people who have the COVID-19 virus. To help mitigate the potential risk of COVID-19, APHC has developed a number of recommended procedures.

“We have worked with our members to devise risk assessments and a number of key procedural working practices to adopt before, during and after each appointment where a household contains people with the COVID-19 virus or where occupants are considered to fall into the government’s vulnerable group. These actions have been designed to help protect the public and our members from catching and spreading Coronavirus,” says John.

APHC members can access the COVID-19 procedural guides and templates from the members’ area of the APHC website at www.aphc.co.uk/members. APHC members who require specific advice can contact APHC directly on 0121 711 5030.

The government’s ‘Guidance for schools, colleges and local authorities on maintaining educational provision’ can be read here.

Plumbing and heating operatives to be ‘key workers’

Source: PHAM News

House-builders use wonderwall smart home tech to reach carbon neutral targets

In order to meet the UK’s net zero target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the government have issued ambitious plans in their latest Future Homes Standard review, including a ban on gas heating in new homes by 2025.Existing house-builders will now have to decide whether to go beyond the government’s standards to try to futureproof their investments, avoiding the need for costly retrofitting given that it seems inevitable that standards will only be set higher in the future.Building the foundations for greener housing has some significant economic benefits to developers too, beyond meeting lower emission targets. By omitting the need for gas, complicated piping does not need to be laid which makes the building process cheaper and faster. Choosing an energy efficient electric heating and hot water solution over heat pumps can further reduce the need for complicated groundwork, as well as the complexities and costs of wet heating systems.It has been well publicised that energy efficient homes powered by solar energy have a much broader market appeal, making these new homes easier to sell and let by highlighting the benefits of incredibly low household bills. The coveted nature of an eco-friendly home also means they’re likely to possess a higher resale value in the future, standing the test of time.“We’re seeing a real shift in consciousness of people wanting to do something for the planet, so this is a crucial time for the future of new housing,” says Daniel Burton, Chief Executive and founder of home automation company, Wondrwall.“Growing up in an eco-conscious society, those in their 20s and 30s who are buying houses today are asking developers whether solar is installed, how efficient their future home is and how much energy bills will be. The more developers know about green technology that’s on offer, the better they can assist customers in advising and assessing their needs. Green millennials are our future and we should be tapping into that demand, as well as us all taking responsibility to safeguard our environment from climate change.”Burton’s company supplies intelligent electric heating and hot water solutions that can cut home energy use for heating and hot water by 50%, making a significant contribution to tackling the climate emergency by being completely gas-free. Cost-effective to install, it is an ideal solution for housebuilders, as well as landlords and homeowners looking for affordable, energy efficient and environmentally friendly heating solutions for their homes.It works by combining whole-home smart technology that intuitively adapts to how occupants live and use the home, as well as its environmental performance to avoid wasting energy, with efficient infrared panel heating and an intelligent hot water cylinder all powered by solar panels.

Wondrwall’s solution is a light switch that houses 13 different sensors covering temperature, humidity, power, motion, luminosity and sound. Replacing standard light switches throughout the home with Wondrwall switches creates a network of over 100 sensors with predictive modelling and machine learning, automating habitational patterns, as well as the home’s overall efficiency and performance.

According to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, smart thermostats like Wondrwall can reduce energy consumption and costs by up to 31% by not heating empty homes. Wondrwall takes this a step further by detecting when a room is empty, automatically reducing energy consumption and lowering the overall cost for heating by up to 50% without sacrificing comfort.

Wondrwall infrared heater panels are also more efficient as they heat the occupants and objects in the home such as carpets, ceilings and furniture. Every 1°C reduction in a home’s air temperature can save as much as 10% on its heating bills. Since the infrared panels heat the occupants and objects in the home rather than the air, they keep the occupants warm at a lower air temperature than standard heating.

Conventional hot water tanks heat all the water in the tank, regardless of how much is needed. The Wondrwall hot water cylinder monitors and learns how much hot water is used and only heats as much as needed, significantly reducing energy consumption.

Around 14% of UK greenhouse gas emissions come from our homes, and a ban on gas heating in new homes by 2025 has already been announced to help cut carbon emissions caused by traditional gas boilers.

Wondrwall now offers a smart alternative to both gas boilers and more expensive and less effective alternatives such as heat pumps. The Wondrwall solution costs the same to install in new homes as current gas heating and hot water solutions and considerably less than alternative electric heating solutions.

One of the worries about the government clamp-down on gas and other fossil-fuel boilers is that electric alternatives are generally more expensive to run. Research conducted on behalf of the National Infrastructure Commission estimated that the ban on gas heating would cost families up to £300 extra a year on energy bills. Wondrwall’s smart energy generating technology, however, ensures that the system is used optimally to provide a comfortable living environment, cut energy usage and keep bills down.

It’s not only new-build housing schemes that can benefit from the Wondrwall solution. The system can be retrofitted to a three-bedroom house from £4,990, bringing those same advantages within reach of every householder.

Burton has seen demand for his product increase tenfold in the past 18 months:

“The network of partners we are working with is expanding rapidly, our latest being Keepmoat, Sigma, Tailored Living Solutions, Sassy, McCulloch and Shanly Homes. By combining clean energy generation, storage and AI powered home automation in one unique streamlined system, they can create a USP for their buyers and it’s paying off.

“Our mission with our system has been to give the home a brain and the intelligence to control itself to help improve people’s lives. I never built this company to make a huge amount of money. I built it to make a difference to the world – to build homes that create their own energy, store it and use it.”

Craig Murphy, regional managing director of Keepmoat Homes, adds: “Climate change is a key challenge facing everyone and that’s why we’re not only proud to support a zero carbon future, but also help find practical solutions that tackle the rising energy costs of our customers.”

Robert Cox, recently purchased a Watkin Jones house in Macclesfield with his partner, that has Wondrwall technology installed throughout.

“When we purchased our new home and the sales advisor took us through Wondrwall, it really intrigued us,” said Cox. “We had Alexa before, and could instantly see the appeal. It helps save money on energy bills, but the real impact is just the ease of having everything on autopilot. We live busy lives and the time saving ability is huge. If I had two houses like for like, the Wondrwall system would be the deal maker.”

House-builders use wonderwall smart home tech to reach carbon neutral targets

Eutopia Homes to create £130m Exeter urban village

Eutopia Homes has secured planning permission for a new sustainable ‘urban village’ on a 15-acre brownfield site previously owned by Network Rail.

Construction will create a new intergenerational community in the heart of the city with 400 new homes for rent and sale.

Future residents will benefit from new outdoor spaces such as public gardens, squares, footpaths, a woodland walk and fitness trail.

The approved plans also ensure the conservation and continued use of a locally listed former water tower, which will act as a local landmark.

Start on-site is due later this year. Eutopia Homes acquired the site from Network Rail in October 2018 with Chenavari Investment Managers.

Eutopia Homes also recently announced a £105m scheme in Salford, Greater Manchester that will deliver 500 homes close to MediaCityUK.

Scott Hammond, founder and CEO at Eutopia Homes, said: “Our plans will see the creation of a new urban village right in the heart of Exeter and will support the city’s long-term growth by providing much needed housing across a range of tenures and price-points.

“The whole design of the scheme was led by a commitment to sustainability and green place-making, turning a long dormant brownfield site into a thriving mixed community that serves people of all ages and incomes.

“The positive comments made by the planning committee, who praised the design ethos of a lower car dependency scheme, will help set new benchmarks for future development in Exeter.”

Eutopia Homes to create £130m Exeter urban village

Plan for 350-home Wolverhampton canal quarter

Build to rent developer Placefirst has revealed its plans for a canalside project of 350 homes in Wolverhampton city centre.

The site on five acres of brownfield land off Lower Horseley Fields will feature a mix of new build homes and restoration of heritage properties with the historic canal basin.

Placefirst will submit a planning application to the city council in coming months and if permission is granted, construction is due to start later this year.

The scheme represents the first for the build to rent specialist in the Midlands, following its delivery of a range of projects across the North West, Yorkshire and the North East.

David Mawson, chief executive officer of Placefirst, said: “Placefirst is working with City of Wolverhampton Council to deliver its ambitious vision for the Canalside Quarter and kickstarting the multi-billion pound regeneration of the city.

“We have developed our plans for the Canalside Quarter within the wider transformational framework set out by the council.”

Plan for 350-home Wolverhampton canal quarter

Vistry and Clarion launch £400m housing scheme

Vistry Group and Clarion Housing Group have formed a new joint venture to build 1,000 homes on a £400million development at Collingtree, near Northampton.

The mixed tenure development will comprise 700 homes for private sale alongside 300 affordable homes.

Vistry Group and Clarion will also make a significant investment in social infrastructure, providing a number of facilities to support the local community.

A total of £18m will be invested to support the building of a new primary school and a community centre. Construction at the site is expected to begin this month.

John Lougher, Strategic Land managing director at Bovis Homes – part of the newly-formed Vistry Group – said: “We are delighted to announce the joint venture with Clarion Housing Group to deliver much-needed homes in the area and look forward to working closely with them. Local house hunters will benefit from a wide range of stunning homes within a popular, easy-to-reach location.

“The range of housing on offer – from one-bed apartments to five-bed houses – means the development will appeal to a wide range of people at different stages of their lives, creating a real sense of community.”

Richard Cook, Group Director of Development at Clarion, added: “This is our fourth joint venture with Vistry Group, as we continue to build a relationship with shared values and a common commitment to creating sustainable and mixed communities.”

Vistry and Clarion launch £400m housing scheme

February Newsletter 2020

February 27, 2020/9,872 Comments/in Newsletter /by Dean Kennedy

February 2020 Newsletter

‘OFTEC embraces decarbonised heating solutions, Rexel smart home offer provides opportunity for installers, Survey finds smart thermostats are UK’s most wanted smart home product, Calls for all future homes to have insulated condensate pipes, Plans go in for HS2 Old Oak Station’.

Quick Links

Domus Ventilation's Eco friendly MVHR takes a bow — MVHR

New APHC workshops to offer insights into heat pumps and electrics — APHC

Rexel smart home offer provides opportunity for installers

£1bn London Bankside Yards phase 2 approved

Derwent advances zero carbon building target by 20 years

Survey finds smart thermostats are UK's most wanted smart home product — Survey finds smart thermostats are UK’s most wanted smart home product

New electrical safety guide launched to help duty holders reduce workplace risks — Workplace

Calls for all future homes to have insulated condensate pipes

UK utilities sector quadruples investments in EU since brexit vote

Sisk wins £21.5m deal to upgrade Leeds Corn Exchange area

OFTEC embraces decarbonised heating solutions

The government should embrace solutions to decarbonise heat in future homes focused on achieving set emission reduction targets rather than prescribing technologies, said OFTEC, responding to the Future Homes Standard consultation.

OFTEC’s submission underlined the importance of ensuring the decarbonisation policy is flexible to enable suitable solutions for a range of property building types and locations. Best value for consumers was also key and OFTEC says this will be best achieved by encouraging innovation and competition between technologies.

Paul Rose, chief executive officer of OFTEC, said: “We fully support the consultation’s ambition that properties built to the Future Homes Standard should produce 75-80% less emissions than current new builds. However, the consultation goes on to suggest that future homes will be fitted with heat pumps. OFTEC does not believe this blanket approach is the most effective way to achieve net zero. Alongside heat pumps and heat networks, hydrogen and liquid biofuels have an important role to play in decarbonising heat.

“Research shows liquid biofuels are particularly beneficial for new and existing homes in rural areas. Crucially, this practical, easy to implement solution provides consumers with an affordable option, achieving the highest carbon reduction impact for the lowest cost of all solutions currently available for off-grid homes.”

OFTEC’s consultation response also focuses on the importance of taking a ‘fabric first’ approach in new build properties to future-proof these homes.

He added: “Ensuring modern homes are built to minimise energy use, irrespective of the heating technology installed, should be the foundation for Part L proposals.

“Such a move will also help to reduce energy bills for consumers. It is essential that net zero solutions are fair to all property owners and we cannot build new homes that may cause additional fuel poverty.”

OFTEC embraces decarbonised heating solutions

Source: HPM Magazine

Domus Ventilation’s Eco-friendly MVHR takes a bow

Domus Ventilation – part of the Polypipe Group – recently had its HRXD Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems installed into the Bow River Village development in East London.

Bow River Village is a new residential quarter south of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. The village has been designed to reflect the architectural heritage of its immediate surroundings, with perpendicular, brick-built contemporary apartment buildings which pay homage to the nearby Victorian warehouses dotted along the river.

The apartments that make up the new development have been designed with modern and efficient living in mind, and are marketed with ‘eco-features to keep energy bills to the minimum’.

The Domus Ventilation MVHR units are a key eco-feature as they provide home owners with substantial savings on energy bills and improved indoor air quality. They work on the principle of extracting moisture-laden air from wet rooms whilst capturing up to 87% of the heat, which would otherwise be wasted, and using it to temper the filtered air which is simultaneously distributed around the home.

A total of 112 Domus Ventilation HRXD wall mounted MVHRs, along with Domus ducting and sound attenuators, have been installed during Phase 2 of the Bow River Village development.

The Domus Ventilation HRXD is a wall-mounted MVHR unit which intelligently matches ventilation rates to the internal environment and occupants’ requirements, for maximum homeowner comfort. This is achieved through advanced AMIE (Air Management for Indoor Environments) technology including features such as digital humidity control, automated summer bypass and accurate system balancing.

By accurately measuring air humidity, the HRXD’s extract speed automatically changes from background to boost as the level of humidity increases, thereby providing optimal ventilation performance. The thermal (summer) bypass feature operates in a similar manor, automatically activating when the air temperature reaches a pre-set level, allowing in cooler, fresh, filtered air, instead of distributing air which has been warmed from the waste energy extracted from the kitchen and wet rooms.

For the homeowner, a key benefit is that these features can be easily programmed based on time and temperature. This flexibility enables all comfort levels to be catered for.

At the heart of this intelligent air management is Domus Ventilation’s compact Bluebrain control, which also provides homeowners with helpful maintenance reminders for cleaning and replacing filters to ensure performance of the unit is maximised and air quality maintained.

When used with a kitchen and one wet room, at typical installation, the HRXD reportedly provides an 87% heat exchange performance and boasts a very low Specific Fan Power down to 0.66W/(l/s). It is also quiet, with background (normal) ventilation at 24dB(A) (typically whisper quiet). At Bow River Village, noise reduction has been enhanced through the use of Domus Silencers to provide improved sound attenuation and thermal insulation.

The HRXD has been designed to work most efficiently when used with Domus duct systems, as is the case at Bow River Village. Domus duct systems offer improved system performance through the exacting tolerances and engineered fit of the system, whereby pressure drops are minimised and air leakage virtually eliminated.

Domus Ventilation’s Eco friendly MVHR takes a bow

New APHC workshops to offer insights into heat pumps and electrics

The Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) has teamed up with Travis Perkins to host a series of free workshops across England and Wales which are designed to update plumbing and heating engineers on a number of key industry developments.

In the Sales Trends and the Skills Gap for Alternative Heat Technologies sessions, Travis Perkins will be providing a valuable insight into how the market is developing from a regional perspective with regards to the sales of heat pumps and other alternative heat technologies as the industry develops to assist the country to meet its carbon neutral target.

For New Legal Requirements for Safe Electrical Isolation, the APHC will give an overview of what employers and sole traders need to do to comply with new legal requirements for Safe Electrical Isolation. Part of the legislation requires employers and sole traders to demonstrate they have the required knowledge to work compliantly with the incoming standards. To help assist with this, all attendees will receive a certificate to demonstrate they attended the APHC Safe Electrical Isolation Workshop.

Additionally, the APHC will be providing a technical overview on working compliantly with the Water Fittings Regulations and Byelaws and explain how installers can benefit from the WaterSafe Contractor Scheme which can be free to join.

John Thompson, Chief Executive at the APHC, explained: “By attending one of the free workshops, installers will learn how the heating market is already changing in terms of alternative heating technologies and how their knowledge and skills will have to develop to keep up with the industry. Plus, attendees will learn about new legal requirements for the safe isolation of electrical products which employers and sole traders need to be able to demonstrate they are compliant with”.

Readers can contact the APHC on 0121 711 5030 and marketing@aphc.co.uk for further information or to book a place.

New APHC workshops to offer insights into heat pumps and electrics

Source: HVP Magazine

Rexel smart home offer provides opportunity for installers

The new Smart Home offer from leading electrical distributor, Rexel, contains a sector-leading range of new and innovative products for installers to offer to its customers.

The demand for smart technology in the home is continuing to increase as homeowners seek greater control and want to reduce their spend on energy. Tech UK’s 2018 State of the Connected Home Report stated that, according to the International Energy Agency, by 2040, one billion households and 11 billion smart appliances could be in use worldwide.

To meet this demand, Rexel has joined forces with market leaders to develop its Smart Home offer which encompasses state-of-the-art smart solutions across security, heating, electrical, lighting and EV charging control.

Many items can be obtained immediately from any of Rexel’s 63 specialist Rexel Smart Home branches nationwide. The others are available via same or next day delivery with online ordering. Installers can also access expertise in branches to ensure they find the best solution for their customer.

Key new products include the Google smart control Nest Hub, which, with the built-in Google Assistant, brings users visual help at home. This voice-activated product displays the latest events, reminders and news from a single dashboard, all within an attractively designed digital photo frame.

Security is a key constituent of Smart Home, with a plethora of up-to-the-minute solutions on offer. The Yale Conexis L1 Smart Lock allows users to secure their home without a key. Bearing the British Standard Kitemark, it provides a range of access options, from in-app control and key cards to key tags and phone tags.

Rexel smart home offer provides opportunity for installers

£1bn London Bankside Yards phase 2 approved

Native Land has got the planning green light for phase two of its £1bn Bankside Yards mixed-use development next to Blackfriars Bridge in London.

The Eastern Yards phase consists of five buildings ranging from seven to 34 storeys tall. These will deliver 550,000 sq ft of the 1.4m sq ft Bankside Yards site by the Thames.

The latest approval for the former site of Sampson House paves the way for 341 new homes, a 5-star, 126-bed hotel, together with office space.

Alasdair Nicholls, chief executive of Native Land, said: “This new planning consent will create a true mixed-use development which brings London together, with new east-west pedestrian routes, multiple transport links, a new village high street in the arches and new town square for Bankside, overlooking the river.”

The entire Bankside Yards project received planning consent in 2014 for homes, offices, restaurants, cultural uses and open space in a 5.5-acre riverside estate in central London, set around 14 historic railway arches.

Multiplex won the first phase at Bankside Yards, known as Western Yards, which started last year with McGee extending its demolition contract to the basement and concrete core for the initial 230,000 sq ft offices project, known as the Arbor.

This initial phase also includes a 240-home apartment building and 49,500 of independent retail, restaurant, cultural and amenity space in the restored railway arches.

£1bn London Bankside Yards phase 2 approved

Derwent advances zero carbon building target by 20 years

Developer Derwent London today announced it is bringing its net zero carbon building target forward by 20 years to 2030.

Paul Williams, chief executive, said that the developer’s future business vision would involve buying brown buildings and turning them green.

He said the fresh initiative would come with an extra financial cost, split between a mix of operational costs, extra capital expenditure as well as management time.

But he predicted more energy-efficient buildings would command higher rents and values in due course.

“Climate change presents an enormous challenge to us all, and our industry must respond.

“Derwent London has long recognised this; with regeneration at our heart, we have embedded sustainability into the organisation and are focussed on turning ‘brown’ buildings ‘green’,” said Williams

“Today we are taking our ambition to the next level bringing our net zero carbon target forward by twenty years to 2030, aligned with COP21’s 1.5°C climate scenario.”

Derwent London’s three projects currently in construction will be net zero carbon buildings.

On completion, they will be operated using renewable energy and carbon produced in the development process will be offset.

Derwent advances zero carbon building target by 20 years

Eye-catching Newcastle office plan

Plans have been unveiled to build a striking new office scheme on Newcastle’s East Quayside.

Internation architect Bjarke Ingels Group has designed the office project on a hairpin-shaped footprint to negotiate the steeply sloping site.

The building height will wind down from 12 storeys to street level by way of a linear roof-top garden.

The No. 1 Quayside project, which will offer just over 100,000 sq ft of office space, will be built on a disused City Road site.

It is the architect’s first project outside of London and is being brought forward by local landowner Rob Cameron.

He said: “This is a landmark site and, as such, commands a landmark building. Something iconic, with real architectural merit.

“We’ve had really positive pre-application discussions with Newcastle City Council and I’m excited to progress the project to fruition.”

Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG, said: “Our proposal is born from the unique conditions of Newcastle’s architectural elements, the sloping hills and the curvy frames of the bridges over the Tyne.

“The ascending serpentine silhouette feels like a fresh yet familiar continuation of this unique urban landscape.”

Eye-catching Newcastle office plan

Survey finds smart thermostats are UK’s most wanted smart home product

A recent survey has found that smart thermostats are the smart home product Brits most want to own in 2020.

Sellhousefast.uk surveyed 1,462 UK households to discover the smart home products they planned to purchase this year.

The company found that a smart thermostat is the smart home product of choice for 71% of respondents. Thereafter, 66% want to fit a smart doorbell in 2020.

It also seems home security is a high priority for homeowners this year, with 60% expressing a strong desire to install smart cameras around their property, while 57% aim to have smart locks.

At the other end, a smart oven/hob is the smart home product Brits least intend to buy, with only 17% wanting the appliance in their kitchen this year.

Additionally, Sellhousefast.uk sought to find out the methods households would use to get advice/recommendations on smart home products.

From this, Sellhousefast.uk found that Brits are most likely to use an online search engine (48%) like Google to get more information on a smart home device/appliance they are interested in.

Subsequently, 43% would opt to directly contact a smart home technology manufacturer. Moreover, 39% feel their family/friends will give them good advice/recommendations on smart home products.

Robby Du Toit, Managing Director at Sellhousefast.uk, commented: “The rise of smart home technology over the last few years has been nothing short of extraordinary. With multiple smart home devices/appliances now available on the market, there is now greater choice than ever before.

“As Brits awareness and understanding of different smart home products gradually improves, the overall adoption rate for the technology will only increase. Especially if the products continue to be innovative and make everyday home tasks/responsibilities quicker as well as easier.”

Survey finds smart thermostats are UK’s most wanted smart home product

Source: HVP Magazine

New electrical safety guide launched to help duty holders reduce workplace risks

With 1,000 workplace accidents associated with electric shocks and burns reported each year¹, Bureau Veritas, has unveiled its new Electrical Safety Guide, designed to support duty holders in understanding how to reduce risks within its organisation.

Reflecting the health and safety expert’s continued commitment to educating businesses on the importance of compliance and best practice in electrical installations, the guide has been designed to support duty holders in growing their understanding of electrical responsibilities and fill any gaps in knowledge.

With a sleek design and clear format, the guide sets out a best practice concept for a compliance strategy, including the business’ recommended ‘safe system of work’. This is a combination of systems, processes and procedures designed so that a defined work activity can be done without undue risk to health or safety, including but not limited to risk assessments and method statements, control measures, and permits and supervision. The guide also defines the competency requirements of a person carrying out works on electrics, and the importance of regularly testing and inspecting an installation, to ensure compliance to the BS 7671 and EAWR regulations.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR) – part of the Health and Safety at Work Act – places statutory obligations on duty holders to ensure the safety of electrical installations. EAWR applies to all operational voltages, and electrical systems and equipment, assisting duty holders to achieve electrical safety, take precautions against risk of death and personal injury and comply with the duties imposed.

Michael Kenyon, Technical Manager at Bureau Veritas, said: “More than ever, businesses are facing increased pressure to drive efficiencies within electrical installations, whilst simultaneously achieving compliance and meeting best practice standards, in order to prevent injury or death, reduce the risk of damage to buildings, and trying to reduce costs too. And the statistics speak for themselves, with more than half of all fires in the UK caused by electricity in 2015/16¹, and 25 workplace fatalities since 2014 from contact with electricity or electrical discharge¹.

“However, while electrical safety is no doubt at the top of the agenda for many duty holders, a sizeable proportion may not fully understand what their role and responsibilities truly entail. Knowledge is power and taking full advantage of our electrical safety guide will ensure duty holders have the correct information to hand, and will hopefully be able to successfully mitigate any risks regarding electricity in the workplace, and undoubtedly, will help to save lives.”

This latest launch follows on from the recent electrical safety awareness course, led by the Bureau Veritas Learning Academy, which taught senior business leaders about the important aspects of the law around electrical safety including recent changes to BS 7671 – IET Wiring Regulations, with guidance on how to apply this within a workplace environment and create an effective electrical compliance strategy.

Michael Kenyon, continues: “There is no one-size-fits-all solution to compliance regarding electrical safety. Ultimately, an organisation must be confident that it has taken all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to ensure compliance. Key to this is a reasonable, realistic and achievable compliance strategy, which our technical specialists at Bureau Veritas can support on.”

Whatever the level of in-house expertise, Bureau Veritas offers a comprehensive package of electrical services to suit all requirements. From external audit services to fully bespoke electrical management schemes, it offers clients the unique opportunity to select the services they require for electrical testing and inspection, whilst benefitting from the cost-efficiencies of a combined service.

New electrical safety guide launched to help duty holders reduce workplace risks

Source: Electrical Times

Calls for all future homes to have insulated condensate pipes

Condensate Pro has called for all builds to have condensate pipes insulated as standard.

The company has commented following a recent consultation from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) setting out the UK Government’s plans for the Future Homes Standard.

This included a proposal to include more stringent build quality advice on pipework where it enter or exits a building.

Dave Smith, managing director of Condensate Pro, said: “We welcome the fact that new build quality guidance is potentially being included in the Building Regulations, which will help energy efficiency. However, you must not ignore the pipework itself. If the condensate pipe connected to condensing boilers, or the pipes running to Air Source Heat Pumps are not fully protected properly, including those systems which are powered by gas/ oil or even in the future, hydrogen boilers, they may be at risk of breakdown or not running efficiently.

“Boiler breakdown due to frozen pipework is usually at a time when the heating is really needed and a professional installer may not be able to get to a home due to the weather conditions. We would like to see external condensate and heating pipes running to and from heat pumps insulated properly and this practice added to the Build Quality guidance outlined in Annex C of the consultation and also bring British Standards up to date.

“Our hope is that the focus in the new building regulations on energy efficiency and pipework coming into the home, encourages the industry to look again at best practice, even in retrofit situations on existing houses. We believe the current industry guidance is slightly flawed as it is very difficult to achieve practically on site – mainly in terms of pipe size and holes drilled into cavity walls where the pipe passes through. I would like the guidance to be changed, but in the meantime Condensate Pro provides a much simpler, better looking and easy way to make sure pipes are protected.”

Condensate Pro fits any condensate pipe installation, with specially designed UV/water resistant lagging, bond and seal adhesive.

Calls for all future homes to have insulated condensate pipes

Source: HPM Magazine

UK utilities sector quadruples investments in EU since Brexit vote

The UK utilities sector has quadrupled its investments in the EU since the Brexit vote, while earnings have increased just a quarter, analysis of the latest ONS data has revealed.

UK outward investment positions by electricity, gas, water and waste firms were £1.3 billion in 2015, the year before the Brexit referendum, but increased to £5.1 billion in 2018 – up 292%, according to analysis of the latest statistics1 by R&D tax relief specialist Catax.However, over the same period, the sector’s earnings on UK investment positions in the EU have risen by only a quarter (23%) — up from £107 million in 2015 to £132 million three years on.Meanwhile, the UK telecoms industry saw earnings on its investments in the EU double after the Brexit vote, rising from £1.8 billion in 2015 to £3.5 billion in 2017, before falling back to £2.5 billion in 2018.Mark Tighe, chief executive of R&D tax relief specialists Catax, said, “For the past few years, we’ve heard horror stories about what would happen to investment in the UK following the vote to leave the EU.

“UK utilities firms haven’t shied away from investments in the EU, and now they will be hoping that earnings catch up.

“That would be good news for British industry as the country starts to set its own course on the journey to become a new outward-looking nation outside the EU.”

UK utilities sector quadruples investments in EU since brexit vote

Source: Electrical Review

Sisk wins £21.5m deal to upgrade Leeds Corn Exchange area

John Sisk & Son has been confirmed as main contractor on a £21.5m scheme to improve the Corn Exchange area in Leeds.

Leeds City Council has now approved the scheme which is part of the £270m Connecting Leeds programme.

Sisk will start in June to transform Call Lane, New Market Street, Kirkgate, Lower Briggate Duncan Street and parts of Vicar Lane and Boar Lane.

Work will include widening pavements, introducing more greenery and improved public realm.

The scheme will also offer priority for pedestrians and cyclists in a bid to encourage a modal shift from private cars to walking, cycling and public transport use.

The expected completion date for all of the work is by winter 2021.

Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate change, transport and sustainable development, Councillor Lisa Mulherin, said: “The enhancements will place the iconic buildings of the Corn Exchange and Kirkgate Market in a more appropriate setting.

“The bus priority measures and improved walking and cycling routes will improve connectivity services and air quality in the city.

“Like all major schemes, there will be disruption, however Leeds City Council will work closely with the bus companies, other transport providers and business to keep this to a minimum and will work hard to keep the public informed of changes which affect them.”

Sisk wins £21.5m deal to upgrade Leeds Corn Exchange area

Millwall FC reveal new stadium plan

Millwall FC are preparing plans to expand the Den stadium in South London to 34,000 seats.

The proposals under development will see a phased expansion of the existing stadium, built as additional upper tiers behind the existing seating bowl.

The plans, drawn up by AFL Architects, include a new public plaza at the heart of New Bermondsey, which is elevated over parking and service areas and will accommodate retail, commercial and community use spaces along the street frontages.

Complementing all of this will be flexible commercial space for events and conferencing, alongside residential developments.

Before submitting for planning, the Club needs to reach an agreement with the land-owning local borough council on a new lease for The Den and surrounding land.

The development strategy is to retain as much of the existing stadium structure as possible while providing for a flexible phased uplift to both facilities and capacity over time.

This maintains the stadium in use for fans, and minimises demolition and construction waste.

Steve Kavanagh, Millwall’s Chief Executive, said: “It has been a long and at times difficult journey to this point, but we are delighted with progress now. As long as we can secure an appropriate new lease, we can play our part in the growth and development of Millwall Football Club and its community.

Millwall FC reveal new stadium plan

Plans go in for HS2 Old Oak Station

HS2 has revealed fresh designs for its west London super-hub at Old Oak Common after formally submitting it for planning approval.

Work at Old Oak Common to prepare for construction of the station has been ongoing since 2017 and the site is nearly ready to be handed over to HS2’s station construction partner at Old Oak Common, Balfour Beatty Vinci Systra JV.

HS2’s enabling works contractor, Costain Skanska JV has cleared 32,000 cubic meters of former rail depot sheds and outbuildings, working through 105,000 cubic meters of earth to clear the site and remove any contamination built up over a century of continuous railway use.

Engineering consultant WSP, and architects WilkinsonEyre have led the design for the station with six high-speed platforms situated underground.

These will connect to the adjoining conventional station at ground level via a shared overbridge. This has eight conventional train platforms, to be served by the Elizabeth Line, taking passengers to Heathrow and Central London, and trains to Wales and the West of England.

A light and airy concourse will link both halves of the station, unified by a vast roof inspired by the site’s industrial heritage.

To the west of the station, above the HS2 platforms, there will be a new public park to greet visitors to Old Oak Common.

The submission also includes an application to lower and widen Old Oak Common Lane, which will improve access to the station for buses and pedestrians.

The planning application will now be considered by OPDC and a decision is expected this summer.

Plans go in for HS2 Old Oak Station

January Newsletter 2020

January 16, 2020/10,075 Comments/in Newsletter /by Dean Kennedy

January 2020 Newsletter

‘Sheltered housing complex puts trust in Scolmore and ESP, Plans go in for new £337m Museum of London site, 2019 saw the rise of wind and the collapse of coal, Univolt goes large with Wembley specification, Manchester Met Uni submits £65m science building plan’.

Quick Links

Schneider Products Extended To Support 18th Edition

Changes to the approved installation method of RPZ valves announced

Sheltered housing complex puts trust in Scolmore and ESP

Plans go in for new £337m Museum of London site

World’s first recycled bricks go into production in Scotland

2019 saw the rise of wind power and the collapse of coal

Univolt goes large with Wembley specification

UK public unaware of heating impact on carbon emissions, survey finds

Wilo provides rucksacks for London’s homeless

Manchester Met Uni submits £65m science building plan

Wates to go waste and carbon free by 2025

Hinkley Point bulk M&E to start in October

Schneider Products Extended To Support 18th Edition

Schneider Electric has extended its product range to help contractors comply with the 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations.

The 18th Edition, which came into force in January 2019, sets out to increase the safety of electrical installations. To support electrical contractors with the increasing requirements, Schneider Electric has invested in a portfolio of connected products which enable electrical faults to be identified prior to them becoming a costly and potentially dangerous scenario.

Harnessing the power of connectivity, Schneider Electric’s Acti9 Isobar P distribution boards cut installation time by around 50 per cent and leverage connected technologies to help users monitor system health and energy usage.

The range has been extended with the Acti9 iCT 3Pole & Neutral Contactor for lighting applications and the Acti9 ilD Type B RCCB. The Acti9 Type B RCCB offers a new and improved design, with the added safety features of Visi-safe and Visi-trip, now vital with the recent updated guidance around RCD types.

The Acti9 iCT 3P+N contactor has also been launched to support the increasing demand for LED lighting, as it is designed to cope with the large in rush of energy created by increasing LED lighting loads. The contactor operates by controlling a group of circuits and can be integrated in to the powertag system.

These new introductions are fully compatible with the Acti9 Isobar P range and Powertag wireless energy monitoring devices, to ensure a connected solution for the electrical contractor and end user.

“The 18th Edition presents both challenges and opportunities for installers,” says Deepak Sharad, Marketing and Offer Development Manager Home and Distribution at Schneider Electric. ‘While the focus of the 18th Edition is to increase safety, installers equipped with connected solutions can not only become safer but also more energy and time efficient. We’re confident our new products will support our customers and partners with full compliance, increased productivity and smarter energy consumption.

Schneider Products Extended To Support 18th Edition

Changes to the approved installation method of RPZ valves announced

The Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) has confirmed changes to the Approved Installation Method (AIM) for Type BA devices (RPZ valves), Issue 2 of AIM 08-01.

The changes come after a comprehensive review by the water industry, which has concluded in the new AIM being published, and marks the start of a 12-month transition period.

This period will allow training providers to understand and adopt the changes, while allowing commissioners and testers time to access training before Issue 1 is withdrawn on 7 January 2021.

On behalf of the water industry, WRAS will be providing free training during the transition period to help currently approved RPZ testers become familiar with the changes, to ensure they can continue to be recognised by water companies after 7th January 2021.

RPZ valves play an important role in protecting people from the risk of the contamination from plumbing systems. The AIM has been updated to make ensure that commissioning and testing is carried out consistently to a suitable standard. It details the standards for commissioning and compliance testing RPZ valves, as well as improving the way equipment is calibrated and how tests are reported.

Water companies are also seeking to improve the recognition of RPZ testers by offering dedicated registration as part of limited scope sector within official Approved Contractor Schemes.

The new AIM will mean some changes for RPZ installers, testers, property owners, and facility managers all are advised to read the new AIM and contact their water companies if they have any specific queries.

Julie Spinks, Managing Director of WRAS, said: “The water industry is committed to continuous improvement across every part of the industry. The new AIM has consolidated and formalised good practices to improve standards around RPZ valve commissioning, testing and reporting.

“We will be writing to all registered RPZ testers and inviting them to carry out the necessary training, but we’d encourage them to make sure they keep their contact details up to date.”

Further information about the new AIM can be found on the WRAS website here.

Changes to the approved installation method of RPZ valves announced

Source: HVP Magazine

Sheltered housing complex puts trust in Scolmore and ESP

Products from Scolmore and ESP were selected for a recent refurbishment and upgrade of a 32-bedroom sheltered housing complex in Edinburgh, included the installation of new lighting and emergency exit signs to cover the communal areas and stairways of all six floors of the building.

Scolmore’s Inceptor EVO bulkhead provided the lighting solution and ESP’s Duceri 2W LED maintained exit signs were installed to provide safe lighting of all exits.

Lee Rodgers is the property officer with Trust Housing Association which is responsible for the sheltered housing complex, and was overseeing the refurbishment work. “As with all refurbishment projects of this nature we need to ensure we get the best value products that are easy to install, are cost-effective and cause minimal disruption to our tenants’ day to day lives,” he says. “We had excellent support from Scolmore and ESP in selecting the right products for our requirements and they proved very quick and easy to install with very little work needed to restore the décor.”

It was important to Trust that their chosen manufacturer worked closely and sympathetically with them to minimise disruption and provide support with the design. Scolmore also attended contractor meetings throughout the duration of the scheme to ensure that the supply chain remained intact and seamless, to ensure a smooth delivery of the project within the tight timescales required.

A total of 20 Duceri 2W LED Emergency Exit Signs were installed, chosen for their high performance, independent testing and ease of installation. The fitting features an SMD 3528 LED lamp, with 5500K colour temperature and offers a viewing distance of 24m. They offer three hours emergency duration and have been tested to meet BS EN 60598-2-22 standards.

Approximately 120 EVO Bulkhead products were fitted. These were the 17W LED Utility Bulkheads with three-hour emergency and microwave sensor option. As well as integrating the control gear and the light source within the diffuser, the bulkhead has the added benefit of a Flow plug which allows for fast and simple connection and disconnection for testing and maintenance of the luminaire.

This retrofit lighting installation project is the first of what forms part of a wider refurbishment programme which is being rolled out across all of the Trust’s housing stock.

Sheltered housing complex puts trust in Scolmore and ESP

HHIC launches TRV guide for consumers

To help consumers understand the benefits of installing TRVs and the technology they use to achieve energy efficiency, the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) has created a ‘Consumer Guide to Thermostatic Radiator Valves’.

HHIC director Stewart Clements HHIC said: “TRVs are a simple and affordable way of controlling the heat output of a radiator and the temperature of a room. Effectively selected and installed, TRVs are proven to provide temperature control in individual rooms, thus reducing heating costs and enhancing comfort for consumers. They are also easy to fit to new or retrofit installations.

“HHIC and its members have added this guide to our suite of information, to help consumers understand the benefits of this simple but effective technology.”

HHIC launches TRV guide for consumers

Source: HPM Magazine

Plans go in for new £337m Museum of London site

The Museum of London has submitted a planning application to the City of London Corporation for its new home in West Smithfield.

The cost of transforming the market buildings into a museum has risen to £337m from the original budget of £250m.

Plans from the the architectural team of Stanton Williams and Asif Khan with Julian Harrap Architects look to preserve much of the historic fabric of the old market buildings.

The submission of a planning application is the latest milestone for the project, which was formally announced in 2015.

The City of London Corporation will now assess the application before taking a decision on whether to approve the plans later this year.

Sharon Ament, Director of the Museum of London, said: “This is an important milestone for the project, as we formally set out our plans to transform the West Smithfield site and in doing so transform the idea of what a museum can be.

“It has been four years of hard work by a dedicated and talented project team in order to get here and, while we still have a while to go and money to raise before we open the doors to the new Museum, this is nevertheless a significant step forward to turning our vision into reality.”

Paul Williams, Principal Director at Stanton Williams, said: “The opportunity to help reinvent, reimagine and transform a group of existing Market Buildings into a 21st century museum is an extraordinary opportunity – especially in an area of London so rich in history.

“Smithfield is a perfect location for the Museum of London, the place itself has so many stories to be told, and traces of the past to engage with.”

The City of London Corporation is putting forward £197m of the £337m needed to deliver the scheme alongside £70m from the Mayor of London.

The Museum of London has continued in its fundraising efforts, securing a total of £28m so far, leaving a further £42m to raise before the project is delivered.

Plans go in for new £337m Museum of London site

World’s first recycled bricks go into production in Scotland

Scientists at Heriot Watt University in Scotland have developed the world’s first building brick that’s made from 90% recycled construction and demolition waste.

The K-Briq produces slashed the CO2 emissions of a traditional fired brick, using less than a tenth of the energy in its manufacture and can be made in any colour.

After testing, the K-Briq is going into commercial production in Scotland after a deal with Hamilton Waste & Recycling to produce the K-Briq at its recycling site.

The product, which is stronger and lighter than traditional kiln-fired bricks, is being produced by the University’s cleantech spin-out company Kenoteq.

It is produced from concrete, brick and plasterboard waste combined with a secret binder and compressed to size without firing.

Professor Gabriela Medero, who conceived the idea of the K-Briq more than 10 years ago, said: “The K-Briq looks like a normal brick, behaves like a clay brick but offers better insulation properties.

“It is sustainable and not kiln-fired so it is far better for the environment and represents massive savings for the construction industry in terms of related taxes.”

Dr Sam Chapman, who works in close partnership with Professor Medero on Kenoteq, added: “Kenoteq has invested in machinery that can produce three million bricks per year.

“In the past year, we’ve produced thousands of bricks and put them through rigorous testing with the K-Briq now commercially available to construction clients.

“The Scottish Government has set very high targets for housebuilding with 50,000 new homes earmarked for construction in the next three years. We hope Kenoteq will be part of those homes.”

Up to 85% of bricks used in Scotland are currently being imported from England or Europe raising considerable questions about the long-term sustainability of the sector.

World’s first recycled bricks go into production in Scotland

Kier set to build Crawley

Crawley Borough Council and development firm Westrock have appointed Kier to deliver the new Crawley town hall, the centrepiece of a £150m regeneration of the town centre.

The project will see the demolition of the existing town hall and the construction of a nine-storey building to house the 41,000 sq ft town hall as well as 77,000 sq ft of commercial office space.

Work on the wider regeneration is already underway with 91 apartments, set over nine storeys currently being completed on the site of a former two-storey car park.

Once the new town hall is building is open, the old council building will be demolished to make way for the final phase of redevelopment – a 10-storey block of 182 flats looking on to a new public square.

Chris Lawrence, operations director for Kier Regional Building, said: “As the local Crawley-based office of Kier Regional Building we are delighted to be delivering this project and look forward to seeing the structure take shape in the coming months.”

Kier set to build Crawley new town hall

2019 saw the rise of wind power and collapse of coal

In 2010, Britain generated 75 per cent of its electricity from coal and natural gas. But by the end of the decade these fossil fuels accounted for just 40 per cent, with coal generation collapsing from the decade’s peak of 41 per cent in 2012 to under two per cent in 2019.

The near disappearance of coal power – the second most prevalent source in 2010 – underpinned a remarkable transformation of Britain’s electricity generation over the last decade, meaning the country now has the cleanest electrical supply in its history. As it did at the start of the decade, in 2019 natural gas provided the largest share of Britain’s electricity at 38 per cent, compared with 47 per cent in 2010. Second place now belongs to wind power, which supplied almost 21 per cent of electrical demand in 2019, up from three per cent in 2010.

Twenty-nineteen saw the annual total for coal generation drop below solar and into seventh place for the first time. Britain’s renewables also generated more electricity than coal and natural gas combined over a month for the first ever time in August.

As well as the reduction in carbon emissions, there was another remarkable shift in Britain’s electrical system during the 2010s. The amount of electricity consumed fell by nearly 15 per cent between 2010 and 2019, with the economy using 50 terawatt hours (TWh) less electricity in 2019 than it had done in 2010. That’s enough electricity to power half Britain’s cars and taxis if they were all electric vehicles.

Some of the reduction can be attributed to greater energy efficiency, such as more LED lighting, and the fact that more goods were imported rather than manufactured in Britain. With wages stagnant since 2010, it’s likely that lower economic demand also contributed.

The rise of the renewable generation and the fall in electrical demand allowed coal power to be transitioned off the system. Britain’s electrical grid was coal-free for over 3,700 hours in 2019, something that would have been unthinkable 10 years ago.

Winds of change

Wind energy set a new record of 26.5 per cent for December 2019’s generation in the UK. Including solar, hydroelectric and biomass, renewables provided nearly 37 per cent of that month’s electricity overall, with wind energy reaching a peak of nearly 17 gigawatts (GW) during the afternoon of December 10.

Since August 2018, renewables have produced more electricity than nuclear power for 17 months in a row. Nuclear fell to less than a fifth of electricity generation in 2019 – its lowest level since 2008 – due to extended maintenance periods at six nuclear power stations. This helped the annual output of wind energy to surpass nuclear for the first time in 2019.

But the 2020s will prove an even greater challenge for decarbonisation, not least because Britain’s economy is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels for transport, heating and hot water. Sales of electric vehicles are accelerating, with a quarter of a million now on the roads – but how to decarbonise heating is still up for debate.

Encouragingly, due to cleaner electricity, a major milestone for electric heating is likely to have been reached in 2019. Using electricity from the grid to heat buildings or water is less carbon intensive than burning natural gas to get one kilowatt hour (kWh) of heat from a modern gas boiler. This means that even a simple electric heater releases, on average, less carbon than burning natural gas.

But since natural gas demand varies greatly over a day and between seasons compared to the demand for electricity, a wholesale shift from natural gas to electricity is a significant challenge. Using low-carbon gases such as hydrogen is one option to decarbonise Britain’s heat supply, as are electric heat pumps. Without a sustained focus on shifting heat and the transport sector from fossil fuels, Britain will fail to become a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.

What lies ahead in the 2020s?

Scaling up renewable energy generation has catapulted Britain through a decade of electrical system change but, in order to capitalise on this momentum in the 2020s, low-carbon energy must be complemented with low-carbon flexibility. That must mean the growth of industries focused on energy storage, demand reduction and management, and local control systems, ensuring that the system can continue to meet demand at all times.

After a promising decade of decarbonisation – despite policy setbacks like the green deal – the race is on to be the first G7 country to attain a net-zero carbon economy. Showing that it’s possible to fully decarbonise a large economy while remaining internationally competitive would send an important message to the world.

2019 saw the rise of wind power and the collapse of coal

Source: The Independent

UK public unaware of heating impact on carbon emissions, survey finds

With heating accounting for 37% of UK emissions, latest research from Vestemi has uncovered that over half of people surveyed had no idea their home heating is contributing to the UK’s carbon levels.

When asked how they felt about this fact, 75% of the 200 people surveyed said it made them feel helpless and were unsure about how they could change this. However, when asked if they would put measures in place to help reduce emissions, 78% said they would and were keen to know more about what was available to them. A quarter of respondents said it made them want to take urgent action.

Jeremy Lock, Chief Executive at Vestemi, said: “Unfortunately, there is low awareness around the contribution heating is making to UK emissions, but the good news is there are opportunities for installers to inform and educate customers. It’s clear people are happy to make that change and keen to learn more about how they can play their part.”

Surprisingly, when asked if they were happy to turn their thermostat temperature down to 19^oC (an important driver to help reduce emissions), 82% said they would ‘absolutely’ do this, which could dispel the myth that people only want ‘hot’ homes or their thermostat set to over 20^oC. This sentiment was shared across all age groups surveyed.

When informed of the types of measures people can put in place within their homes, smart radiator thermostats and insulation were the most popular choice, followed by smart home heating solutions and boiler replacements. Although, for those respondents that were aware of the impact of heating on emissions, the majority had opted for more costly options, such as improving insulation and boiler replacements.

Jeremy continued: “There are so many incremental and cost-effective changes people can start making now, which can also help drive down expensive heating bills. It’s clear the energy industry as a whole needs to raise more awareness of the solutions available. Reducing emissions is not about complicated solutions, it’s about making those small steps to great impact. If we all do a little, and now, we can achieve a lot more in a shorter timeframe and help reach that 2050 net-zero goal.”

UK public unaware of heating impact on carbon emissions, survey finds

Source: HVP Magazine

Univolt goes large with Wembley specification

Contractor, Roc Electrical, has specified Univolt’s maxi-trunking as part of the firms M&E works on the latest phase of Quintain’s Wembley Park development ‘EO5’.

Forming part of the development’s 85-acre project which sees the transformation of an abandoned industrial area into a public facing mixed use space, EO5 includes the construction of three tower block’s ranging between 10 and 21 storey’s high and encompassing 458 apartments.

Roc Electrical will be delivering much of the mechanical and electrical installation, using in excess of 500 lengths of Univolt’s 150 x 100 maxi trunking. The products will be installed in all apartments supporting the feed to the consumer unit and data cabinet via the riser cupboards.

Steve Davis, National Business Development Manager at Dietzel-Univolt commented: “This is a massive project that once completed will become the largest single site of Build to Rent homes in the UK, it also marks an incredibly important regeneration scheme that will ultimately transform the area. We’re incredibly pleased to have been specified as part of the scheme, recognising our products meet the standards expected of a high spec development in terms of both aesthetics and performance.”

Located within close proximity of Wembley Stadium, the development also benefits from features including basement bicycle and car parking, coach parking at ground level and two levels of accessible stadium parking as well as 7,755 sqm of outdoor amenities.

Unique features at the development includes a ‘Mad Hatter’s tea party’, dog garden, urban croquet and a sky lounge with the longest sofa in the UK. The sky lounge, which wraps around a courtyard on the 16th floor is accessible by a slide, and there are also rentable rooftop caravans with a hot tub!

Works are planned for completion in spring 2021.

Univolt goes large with Wembley specification

Source: Electrical Times

Wilo provides rucksacks for London’s homeless

Wilo UK has joined forces with charity Back to Kindness to donate rucksacks that were filled with winter supplies to those living on the streets of London.

The company donated its bright green branded rucksacks that have become synonymous with the company, as well as snoods. The rucksacks were then filled with goods provided by a range of companies, including thermals, gloves, socks, hygiene products, books and food supplies.

David Williamson, director of Wilo UK, said: “Back to Kindness is a great cause at a very significant time of year for the homeless and it was a pleasure to be able to support the team.

“The Wilo branded green rucksacks have become quite well known in the industry for being extremely useful and seemed like the perfect item to donate alongside much needed warm clothing.

“Our own charity, The Wilo Foundation, does a great deal of work for good causes around the world, ranging from supporting regional activity on a small scale to getting involved with global projects.”

Wilo provides rucksacks for London’s homeless

Source: HPM Magazine

Manchester Met Uni submits £65m science building plan

Plans to build a £65m science and engineering building at Manchester Metropolitan University have been submitted to Manchester City Council.

The project would see the existing John Dalton West building demolished and a seven-storey academic building constructed in its place at the All Saints campus.

The development would provide for the Faculty of Science and Engineering new teaching spaces, cutting-edge laboratories, academic offices and a new energy centre, as well as extensive public realm works.

The current John Dalton Tower will be refurbished and connected to the new development.

Subject to planning approval, demolition works are expected to commence at the end of 2020, and the works completed in 2023.

A decision on the planning application is expected by March this year.

Professor Andrew Gibson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Manchester Metropolitan, said: “The new building represents our ambition as a faculty and will help us to drive new scientific discovery that will benefit our students, the region and the economy.”

Manchester Met Uni submits £65m science building plan

Wates to go waste and carbon free by 2025

Wates has committed to eliminating waste and carbon from its operations by 2025.

The company has committed to three headline targets to help ensure it does ‘zero harm’ to the environment:

Zero waste from Wates operations by 2025 – reduce and then eliminate the production of all waste created from on-site operations.
Zero carbon from Wates operations and operational vehicles by 2025 – reduce carbon emissions and become carbon neutral.
Positive impact on nature from all operations – enhance the natural environment wherever it operates and to increase the value and community benefit of natural environments.

Measure taken will include switching to an all-electric commercial vehicle fleet and eliminating single-use plastic from its operations and supply chain.

Wates will also be investing in sustainable building techniques, organising sustainability placements for graduate and apprenticeship staff, planting 5,000 trees annually and ensuring that all sites or frameworks deliver at least one nature enhancement project.

This year the focus will be on raising awareness, education and engagement and using data collection to set accurate benchmarks.

The company is using a similar approach to its health and safety programme where a target-led approach has resulted in a “sea-change” in culture and behaviour.

David Allen, Wates Chief Executive, said: “We have established bold, ambitious, deliberately stretching targets for creating zero harm to the environment by 2025 because we believe that by committing to something extraordinary, we can achieve something extraordinary.

“Together with our partners, we will reduce waste and carbon, and improve our natural environment for generations to come.

“Our industry has made and continues to make an unhelpful contribution to the global climate crisis.

“We have a responsibility to reduce and eventually to reverse the impact we’re having on our planet and are determined that everyone in the Wates Group will do what is necessary to make a real and lasting difference.”

John Dunne, Group Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Director, added: “We are choosing to take a leading role in reducing our industry’s environmental impact.

“We work with a diverse range of public and private sector partners and businesses of all sizes are part of our supply chain.

“A key part of achieving zero harm to the environment will be working collaboratively with these partners.

“Our strategy will focus our attentions and energies on achieving zero waste, zero carbon and positive nature enhancement by 2025; and everyone has a vital role to play in achieving it.”

Wates to go waste and carbon free by 2025

Hinkley Point bulk M&E to start in October

Plans are underway to start the bulk mechanical, electrical, heating and ventilating work on the key Hinkley Point C nuclear island site in the Autumn.

The Office of Nuclear Regulation will need to give clearance for the start of the critical work package, after deeming the major milestone a safety-critical stage in the project.

The release of the first bulk MEH hold point by the regulator is expected before on-site work is programmed to start around October this year.

This would be two years since permission for first Nuclear Island concrete was given.

At this point, civil construction work on Unit 1 nuclear island will have reached the point where several individual rooms are structurally complete and ready to hand over from the main civil contractor to the MEH teams.

Balfour Beatty, NG Bailey, Altrad, Cavendish Nuclear and Doosan Babcock are all linked up in the MEH alliance to co-ordinate delivery of the complex installation of cabling and pipework.

Once started, the first bulk MEH installation across both reactor units will take place over a period of around three years, although detailed MEH system completions will continue well beyond that.

The MEH programme involves electrical and mechanical installations encompassing around 4,000 rooms, employing 3,500 workers.

Works will involve 380km of pipework, 20,000 valves, with thousands of welds and associated radiography, and 9000 km of cabling.

Hinkley Point bulk M&E to start in October

December 2018 Newsletter

December 10, 2018/9,538 Comments/in Newsletter /by Dean Kennedy

December 2018 Newsletter

‘Vent-Axia welcomes healthy homes and buildings white paper, Keeping your heating on during freezing weather, STA welcomes governments stance on solar, Three quarters of plumbers at risk of knee problems, Small business receive boost from budget plans‘.

Quick Links

Vent-Axia welcomes healthy homes and buildings white paper

Leading British ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia is delighted to welcome the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Healthy Homes and Buildings’ White Paper Building our Future: Laying the Foundations for Healthy Homes and Buildings, published on 24 October 2018. The White Paper makes clear recommendations to the Government on how it can improve standards in housing to benefit occupants’ health and wellbeing. This follows on from the APPG’s green paper published last year which set out the political, economic and business case for healthy homes and buildings.

The White Paper details how, as a nation, healthy homes and buildings can and should be delivered. These fall under three overarching recommendations.

The Government needs to establish a cross-departmental committee for health and buildings to champion change; recognising the interaction between buildings, health, education and the economy.
To grow the research and evidence base to develop a clear case for further Government action to improve new build standards.
To make renovation of current housing stock and infrastructure a Government priority and develop plans for retrofitting that takes a holistic approach to maximising health and wellbeing.

Within these recommendations to help overcome the problem of unhealthy homes the White Paper calls for better and consistent building standards and regulations. It also calls for both New Build building design and building renovations to consider health and wellbeing and take a holistic approach to consider elements such as ventilation, air quality, lighting and acoustics.

“At Vent-Axia we are committed to sharing the importance of ventilation with households to help protect public health. We therefore support the publication of the APPG’s White Paper and welcome its recommendations,” said Jenny Smith, Marketing Manager at Vent-Axia. “Ventilation is often overlooked when implementing energy efficiency measures in homes. This can have a detrimental effect on indoor air quality. Without good ventilation in a home air quality can potentially deteriorate and as a result can lead to condensation, mould and a build-up of toxic chemicals. We are therefore delighted that the White Paper calls for a national renovation strategy that takes a holistic approach to building renovation and that it recommends improved standards and regulations, which will improve installer best practice.”

A staggering 65% of homes in the UK suffer from poor indoor air quality (IAQ) as a result of inadequate ventilation. This is having a significant negative impact on the health of people in their homes with poor IAQ contributing towards many serious health problems such as asthma, lung cancer, strokes and cardiovascular disease.

In the White Paper it cites that poor IAQ is reported to cost the UK over 204,000 healthy life years, with 45% of those lost to cardiovascular diseases, 23% to asthma and allergy and 15% to lung cancer with the Royal College of Physicians warning in 2016 that indoor air pollutants cause at a minimum, thousands of deaths per year and are associated with healthcare costs in the order of ‘tens of millions of pounds’.

The publication of the White Paper follows hot on the heels of DEFRA’s new Clean Air Strategy consultation, published on 22 May 2018, which confirmed the importance of clean air in the home. This draft strategy outlines the Government’s ambitions to reduce air pollution, making our air healthier to breathe, protecting nature and boosting the economy, with the draft setting a clear direction for future air quality policies and goals. The consultation closed in August 2018 and the final UK Clean Air Strategy and detailed National Air Pollution Control Programme is to be published by March 2019.

To help protect health in the home Vent-Axia has been working hard to provide ventilation solutions to improve IAQ for households. Designed to work with the natural air infiltration, continuous ventilation systems control the air path through the home, preventing the migration of damaging humidity and pollutants, such as VOCs.

For new builds, Vent-Axia’s Sentinel Kinetic mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system boasts an impressive 94% thermal efficiency. For private refurbishments, Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon Svara offers quiet, disturbance-free running helping ensure good indoor air quality and comfort. Meanwhile the Lo-Carbon Revive and the new PoziDry Pro^TM PIV unit has been designed specifically with social housing in mind offering an effective continuous ventilation solution for residents.

For up-to-date ventilation guidance visit www.vent-axia.com/healthyhomes. For further information on all products and services offered by Vent-Axia telephone 0844 856 0590 or visit www.vent-axia.com.

Vent-Axia welcomes healthy homes and buildings white paper

Source: Electrical Times

Ideal Boilers adds Amazon Alexa integration to boiler thermostat

Ideal Boilers has announced that it is introducing Amazon Alexa integration to its Touch Connect product, giving customers the option to control their home heating through voice activation.

Touch Connect thermostats can now connect with Amazon’s voice-activated speaker, Amazon Echo, enabling the technology to respond to spoken commands through Alexa.

Customers can now ask Alexa to check their home temperature, turn the heating up or down, turn heating completely on or off or even return to any pre-set schedules. It’s also possible to check what the heating temperature is currently set to before making the decision to adjust. A series of commonly used phrases, such as ‘make it warmer’ or ‘turn the heating down’ have been programmed for use.

Luke Pykett, Head of Marketing at Ideal Boilers, commented: “Earlier this year we responded to increasing consumer demand for smart home devices through introducing Touch Connect, the app-controlled thermostat offering total heating comfort directly from smartphones, and have received fantastic customer feedback.

“As part of our mission to deliver incredible customer service we are continuing to innovate and enhance usability through introducing voice activated command services, making it even easier for customers to control their heating when, where and how they wish to.”

The use of smart speakers in UK homes is on the rise. YouGov reports that UK ownership has doubled in six months, from Q3 2017 to Q1 2018 and around 1 in 10 Brits currently own a smart speaker, which totals around 6.6 million people. 75% of the UK market uses Amazon Echo, making it the clear market leader.

Ideal Boilers adds Amazon Alexa integration to boiler thermostat

Source: HVP Magazine

Keeping your heating on during freezing weather

There are over 1.6 million new Condensing boilers installed every year and they can produce between 600 and 1200 litres of condensate per year which needs to be piped to a drain. If the pipework runs externally, isn’t large enough and insulated with PVC coated weather proof insulation. This pipework can freeze sending the boiler into lockout mode and will leave the home without heating.

Dave Salmon, of Plymstock Gas & Heating Services Ltd in Plymouth is one of many installers across the country that gets called out by his customers’ during harsh winter conditions within the boiler condensate pipes frozen up and putting boilers out of action.

Having followed the boiler manufacturers technical advice which solved the problem in the short term, Dave began working on a long term solution. This led to the development of the Boiler Buoy condensate bypass valve, a solution which allows the engineer or householder to drain off the condensate in a controlled way using a valve connection and hose.

This easy to fit, low cost solution can be fitted as part of the original boiler installation or during emergency call-outs or regular servicing. Once fitted the boiler buoy, will ensure that the boiler can operate uninterrupted throughout the coldest of winter conditions.

On his product, Dave said: “The idea came about following the winter of 2009/10 when the temperature reached a historic low and put tens of thousands of boilers out of action because of frozen condensate pipes leaving many homes without heating. As installers, whilst we can solve the problem in the short term, I felt that a long term solution was well overdue.

The products is now in its 9th year of production and tens of thousands have been installed and are a preferred option for many housing associations looking to avoid tenants being without heat in the winter months on historical boiler installations.

The product has been tested by some of the larger boiler manufacturers and acknowledged as an optional solution to keep boilers running.

During March 2018 we once again encountered severe low temperatures and home across the country were once again left without heating.

The Boiler Buoy is manufactured by Pump House and is available via all major heating wholesalers.

Keeping your heating on during freezing weather

Source: Electrical Trade Magazine

Building controls vital to compliance

BCIA, the Building Controls Industry Association, is encouraging the wider industry to consider the importance of implementing effective building controls from the outset of building projects in order to meet current legislation.

The 10 80 10 rule represents the total lifetime costs of a building, whereby only ten per cent of costs are invested at the design stage while a staggering 80% is spent on the running and maintaining of a building.

The BCIA is calling for a change in approach from those in the supply chain at the initial stages of building projects. By investing in an efficient controls system at the start of construction, this will dramatically lower operational costs in commercial buildings over the long term while also helping to meet a wide range of legislation.

A good example of this is the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) which came into force earlier this year. It is now unlawful for a landlord to let or renew a lease on a property if the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating is F or G.

By installing additional zone control for instance, or demand control of lighting and heating using occupancy sensors, your EPC rating can receive a welcome boost and substantially lower unnecessary energy usage. It is these relatively simple additions to the BMS system that have a significant impact on the EPC rating.

Building controls vital to compliance

Source: HPM Magazine

Queens Cross Housing Association to install 18,000 FireAngel alarms

FireAngel has signed a contract to supply Glasgow-based Queens Cross Housing Association with over 12,000 battery-powered smoke and heat alarms.

The WST630 smoke alarms and WHT630 heat alarms will be installed in over 3,500 properties across the city centre due to Scottish Government’s pending legislative changes following the Grenfell fire tragedy.

Under these changes to the Housing (Scotland) Act, all homes will require sealed long-life battery or mains wired alarms that are interlinked, with one functioning smoke alarm in the room that is frequently used by the occupants in the daytime, one functioning smoke alarm in every circulation space on every floor, such as hallways and landings, and one heat alarm in every kitchen. A carbon monoxide alarm will also need to be fitted in each room with a carbon-fuelled appliance or flue.

The Wi-Safe 2 wireless interlink alarms from FireAngel were chosen not only to ensure each property achieves constant compliance through the use of interlinked alarms installed in the kitchen, hallway and living room, but also due to the utilisation of FireAngel’s Thermoptek Multi-Sensor technology.

Jim Williams, maintenance manager at Queens Cross Housing Association, said, “We’ve used FireAngel’s carbon monoxide alarms in the past, so we know the quality and durability of the brand well. Following the government’s legislative updates, it’s vital that we ensure we’re providing every single tenant with the highest level of protection, which we can easily achieve with FireAngel’s range of interlinked alarms.”

Over an eighteen month period, the alarms will be installed by Queens Cross Housing Association’s maintenance team, with FireAngel’s W2-CO-1OX carbon monoxide alarms also being installed in properties where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance or flue present.

Graham Whitworth, executive chairman of FireAngel, commented, “We are delighted to be providing Queens Cross Housing Association with our range of interlinked alarms. It is crucial that all Scottish housing associations are taking a proactive approach to the new legislative changes and our Wi-Safe 2 alarms help them do just that as they are designed to provide the highest levels of protection at all times.”

Queens Cross Housing Association to install 18,000 FireAngel alarms

STA welcomes government stance on solar

The Solar Trade Association (STA) has hailed a significant breakthrough for its #Fair4Solar campaign during the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
(BEIS) Select Committee Oral Questions.

Energy Minister Claire Perry stated that “solar power should not be provided to the grid for free”, representing a shift in government stance on the issue of fair payments for surplus electricity sold to the grid.

Responding to a question from Kevin Hollinrake MP, she said “I do completely agree that solar power should not be provided to the grid for free and that’s why I’ll shortly be announcing the next steps for small scale renewables.”

She also added in answer to a question from Richard Graham MP: “It would be wrong to have power provided to the grid for free,” and in reply to a question from Alan Whitehead MP, said: “People who have gone through the installation process should not be essentially captive takers should someone want to buy their energy and I’m looking forward to announcing some further deliberations on this shortly.”

STA welcomes government stance on solar

Source: HPM Magazine

Smart meters research facility to open at University of Salford

The UK’s first smart meters research facility opens this month at The University of Salford.

The ‘Smart Meters>Smart Homes’ laboratory aims to supply government and consumers with data and advice on smart meter performance and usage, and provide a research base for industry and manufacturers.

University researchers, working in partnership with industry, will explore how smart meters best work in tandem with the growing array of home technology like energy savers and storage devices, EV chargers, bots, smart speakers, sensors, and wearables.

Lead Researcher Professor Will Swan said: “Domestic energy systems are becoming more complex due to the advent of renewables, time-of-use tariffs, energy storage, and a greater fluidity in the customer-supplier relationship.

“What we currently have is an explosion of tech – but little impact on common objectives like lowering bills, cutting carbon and customer satisfaction. The University of Salford can provide clarity around the benefits, possibilities and pitfalls of this new home energy technology for consumers, regulators and innovators.”

The launch, on 7 December, will be attended by Rebecca Long-Bailey, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and MP for Salford & Eccles, along with research, industry and consumer representatives.

Smart meters research facility to open at University of Salford

Source: HVP Magazine

Designing longer lasting smart home sensors

Why long-lasting sensors are key to designing the home of the future!

Home automation has been gaining traction over the past few years, with massive developments in features and relevant technologies. However, these technologies are only as effective as their power source. Here, Michele Windsor, global marketing manager at home automation battery provider Ultralife Corporation, explains the importance of having long lasting batteries at the centre of home automationproduct design.

Rube Goldberg machines are a fascinating spectacle to watch, with intricate parts moving around to create a symphony of movement to perform tasks. However, to function, every single part must work perfectly, otherwise it takes a lengthy reset before the spectacle can resume.

Just like in a Rube Goldberg machine, every piece in a smart house must work perfectly in order to create the spectacle that makes your life easier and more efficient. To make sure your smart house is always working, its sensors must always be working.

Sensors are what feed data to the smart house, so it knows what time it is, what the temperature is, or whether the sun is glaring through your windows. Most sensors are battery powered and, as they need to be active constantly, it is important to make sure that they have batteries that are reliable and long lasting.

Based on Ultralife’s experience in the sector, many sensors for smart home devices arrive on the market with CR123A model batteries. However, not all these batteries are created equal. Many are often limited in their battery capacity, which means a shorter operating life for the sensor.

Design engineers can overcome this by choosing a long-lasting CR123A battery suitable for home automation sensors, such as the CR123A range of batteries produced by Ultralife. They have an improved internal spiral construction that provides a higher capacity than is currently available in similar products on the market, while remaining long lasting for home automation functions.

According to data from Strategy Analytics, 38 per cent of homes in the USA will be smart homes by 2019.Because of this, it is incredibly important to set out solid design foundations now. Putting long lasting batteries into smart homes design now will avoid mass sensor outages, customer dissatisfaction and possible backlash against manufacturers in the future.

Whether it be your security cameras, lights, sprinklers, or your fans, sensors keep smart devices fed with relevant information to ensure they are working precisely to maximize user comfort and convenience.

In a sense, making intelligent decisions about smart homes now will allow our future selves to be awed by anintricate connected Rube Goldberg machine, performing millions of tasks simultaneously to make our lives simpler and stress free.

Designing longer lasting smart home sensors

Source: Electrical Trade Magazine

Three quarters of plumbers at risk of knee problems

The study conducted by The IPG, a leading group for plumbing, heating and bathroom specialists, also discovered that 57% of plumbers surveyed felt that they would need to undergo knee replacement surgery in the future due to the hardships of the profession.

Nearly two thirds (59%) also felt that they would be forced to retire early because of the injuries they pick up in their work.

On average, a UK plumber works 47 hours a week, with around half of that time spent on their knees. This can have a detrimental effect, especially if no protective work wear is worn. However, even with kneepads 77% specified that they still experience issues.

Those who have been working for over 30 years were the ones who had the worst knee issues, with 68% stating they have had physio, keyhole surgery or other operations on their knees. However, it’s not just plumbing veterans who are experiencing problems.

Tony Dark, director of trade at The IPG, said: “This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. We would like to urge all plumbers and installers to ensure they are using specialist protection while on the job, from apprentice level all the way up to those who have been working in the trade for decades.

“It is also essential that if any plumber or installer starts to have any trouble with their knees that they consult a GP straight away in order to discover any possible problems early on to avoid more serious issues.”

Three quarters of plumbers at risk of knee problems

Source: HPM Magazine

Prepare For BS 7671:2018 Coming Into Effect

As we approach the date when the 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2018) comes into effect (January 1 2019), it is important for all electrical contractors to ensure that they are up-to-date with the new requirements.

Mark Coles, head of technical regulations at the IET, says, “The 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations contains some significant changes to the way all electrical professionals are required to carry out their work in order to safeguard themselves and the public. With this in mind, it is essential that all electrical professionals ensure that they are up to speed with the new requirements.”

This includes new and amended requirements and recommendations around the use of Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs), Surge Protection Devices (SPDs), methods of support of wiring systems and earthing arrangements for electric vehicle charging equipment, among others.

To help industry get up-to-date, the IET offers a dedicated course on their online training resource, the IET Academy, offering comprehensive training for City & Guild’s 2382:18 qualification.

The IET Academy provides the only course for 2382 that has been prepared by the IET, which jointly publishes the IET Wiring Regulations with BSI. The authors have been carefully selected for their industry experience and knowledge of BS 7671. It is also the only online course to be endorsed by City & Guilds for this qualification.

David Phillips, director of apprenticeships and technical education City & Guilds said, “City & Guilds are committed to the highest standards of skills development and learning in the electrotechnical industry. We are proud to have collaborated with the IET on this innovative online tool, which will up-skill thousands of individuals on the 18th Edition. It will enable electrical professionals to get up to scratch on this important new regulation quickly, flexibly and cost-effectively.”

Fitting around work, the IET Academy provides a learning solution that doesn’t take electricians away from their job and can be completed anywhere and at any time.

The course, which is suitable for anyone needing working knowledge of BS 7671, including electrical installers, designers, specifiers and those working in the inspection and testing of electrical equipment, will also fully prepare electricians for the City & Guilds 2382:18 exam.

Martin Davies, head of the IET academy added, “The IET Academy’s Wiring Regulations course provides a customisable and flexible approach to technical learning and knowledge, allowing electricians to be in control of how their learning is delivered. This not only ensures that the course is manageable around working hours, but by using an IET endorsed course, electricians can be safe in the knowledge that they are familiar with the current requirements for electrical wiring as well as preparing them for their City & Guilds 2382:18 exam.”

The course is available for individuals or for corporate customers. For more information, visit theiet.org/academy-regs-ecn or contact academy@theiet.org.

The IET also offers BS 7671 and a range of expert guidance, both in print and digital versions, to help you get up-to-date ahead of the 18th Edition coming into effect. Find out more at theiet.org/18th-resources-ecn

Prepare For BS 7671:2018 Coming Into Effect

Ex-gas engineer sentenced for illegal gas work while unregistered

A former gas engineer has been sentenced today after conducting gas work he was no longer registered or competent to do and leaving it in a dangerous condition.

Exeter Crown Court heard how Scott Lowry, who previously traded as S J Lowry Plumbing and Heating, undertook the installation of a new gas boiler at a property in Ivybridge during September 2017. A matter of hours after he had completed the installation, the boiler developed faults and the homeowners reported these faults to him. Mr Lowry attended the address on numerous occasions after the installation but was unable to resolve the issues. A Gas Safe-registered gas engineer later inspected the work and found it to be of poor standard, classing it as ‘At Risk’.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Mr Lowry’s membership of Gas Safe Register had expired on 19 April 2017 and, after this time, he was no longer registered to undertake gas work. Mr Lowry used his old Gas Safe Register number on the commissioning document supplied to the home owners and did so knowing that this was no longer valid. The investigation also found Scott Lowry had left the gas boiler flue that he fitted in a dangerous state that allowed the gas boiler fumes to leak into the property and could have caused carbon monoxide poisoning.

Scott Lowry of Broad Street, Modbury pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 3(3), 3(7) and 26(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He has been sentenced to eight months prison, suspended for 18 months for each offence, to run concurrently. In addition he was fined £500, and ordered to pay the homeowners £500 compensation and £1,000 for the prosecution costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Simon Jones said: “Mr Lowry undertook gas work which he knew he was not registered to do. He deliberately deceived a retired couple.

“The gas work that Mr Lowry undertook put the lives of the homeowners and anyone visiting them at serious risk from carbon monoxide poisoning.

“All gas work must be done by a registered Gas Safe engineer to ensure the highest standards are met to prevent injury and loss of life.”

Ex-gas engineer sentenced for illegal gas work while unregistered

Source: HVP Magazine

Torquay Landlord handed suspended sentence for gas safety failings

A Torquay landlord has been sentenced after failing to ensure proper landlord’s gas safety checks were undertaken at his tenanted property.

Newton Abbot Magistrates’ Court heard how Mr Mehmet Sevim, a former Gas Safe-registered engineer and current landlord of residential properties, had contracted a fitter who was not a member of Gas Safe Register to undertake a landlord’s gas safety check at one of his tenanted properties.

During an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Mr Sevim repeatedly maintained throughout that he had used a person who he could not name to undertake the landlord’s gas safety check for him. He failed to make any checks on the individual, including checking if he was registered with Gas Safe Register. The investigation also found the landlord’s gas safety certificate used false Gas Safe Register engineer details which Mr Sevim later admitted to the court that he had produced the fraudulent certificate. It was also found that Mr Sevim had tried to bribe a prosecution witness before the trial by offering them £300 to change their evidence.

Mehmet Sevim of Ellacombe Church Road, Torquay was found guilty of breaching Regulations 36 (4) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations and has been sentenced to 26 weeks prison, suspended for two years and ordered to undertake 240 hours unpaid work. Mr Sevim was also ordered to pay costs of £5,330.76.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Simon Jones said: “Mr Sevim lied throughout this investigation and only at sentencing did finally tell the truth about how he falsified a landlord’s gas safety certificate.

“There can be no excuse for a landlord to ever falsify a gas safety certificate and this sentence should send a clear warning to all landlords’ that the courts take such matters very seriously.

“Landlords must ensure that only Gas Safe-registered engineers work on gas appliances at their tenanted properties. A landlord can check that a person is registered on the Gas Safe Register website and these checks are free and quick.”

Torquay Landlord handed suspended sentence for gas safety failings

Source: HVP Magazine

Households in fuel poverty climb to £2.55 million, despite Government efforts

Fuel poor households in the UK have risen by 210,000 to 2.55 million, according to the Committee on Fuel Poverty’s (CFP) Third Annual Report.

The CFP is an advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) with a remit to support and challenge the government on its fuel poverty strategy.

The committee has made a series of recommendations on how the government can alter its current strategy to meet 2020/25 milestones, and 2030 targets for fuel poverty and energy efficiency.

As a result of “slow than forecast progress” and an increase in fuel poor homes, the CFP estimates that the funding gap needed to successfully deliver the government’s fuel poverty strategy has increased from £15.1 billion to £17.1 billion.

The fuel poverty strategy is based on the idea that energy efficiency upgrades are the most effective way to tackle fuel poverty. However, because this is fundamentally a long-term strategy, it is important to have assistance schemes in place to help homeowners pay fuel bills and stay warm.

The CFP report recommends that the government improves these relevant schemes to better target fuel poor households and ensure that households in fuel poverty receive assistance at least equivalent to pensioners.

To read the CFP report, and see the committee’s full list of recommendations to the government, click here.

Households in fuel poverty climb to £2.55 million, despite Government efforts

Source: HVP Magazine

Small businesses receive boost from budget plans

ECA and BESA’s call to protect SMEs from employment red tape and to increase support for engineering skills has been reflected in the Budget announcement made by Chancellor Philip Hammond on Monday October 29.

The Chancellor plans to change the way self-employed people working for companies are taxed, by extending the public sector IR35 system to the private sector. The government move is aimed at ensuring that individuals who work through their own companies, but operate like employees, are classified as employees for taxation and national insurance purposes.

This change only applies to private firms with more than 50 employees or a turnover of more than £10 million, in order to protect small businesses from red tape. These medium and large businesses will be responsible for checking contractors’ status from April 6 2020, allowing employers time to prepare.

The Chancellor also acknowledged the vital importance of investing in technical skills, by announcing that the 10% contribution rate that SMEs must pay when they take on apprentices will be halved to 5%, although the exact date this will come into effect remains to be confirmed. While the change applies principally to SMEs, it could also benefit Apprenticeship Levy payers who have used up their levy pot, and wish to take on more apprentices.

Andrew Eldred, ECA director of employment and skills, commented, “The decision to reduce co-investment rates for apprenticeships, and apply IR35 changes in the private sector to medium and large employers, show that the government has taken on board representations from ECA.

“These measures will mean that small businesses won’t be burdened with the changes to taxation, while employers will be able to offer more apprenticeships and narrow the skills gap.”

“We will continue to work closely with government and industry decision makers to ensure the details of the implementation of these budget provisions are in its members’, and the industry’s, best interests.”

Alexi Ozioro, BESA public affairs and policy manager, added, “Overall we are pleased with this budget. Changes to investment allowances, plant and machinery tax breaks, the Apprenticeship Levy and relaxing the rules around repurposing commercial buildings to be demolished and replaced with homes are all welcome.”

“We hoped the Chancellor would have referred back to his Spring Statement promise to ‘tackle the scourge of late payment,’ although other Ministers have made good commitments on this recently.”

A further consultation on the detailed operation of the IR35 reform will be published in the coming months. This consultation will inform the draft Finance Bill legislation, which is expected to be published in summer 2019.

Ahead of the Budget, ECA and BESA issued a five point plan to Chancellor Philip Hammond, including proposals on IR35, technical skills, fair payment, cash retention and low-carbon investment for buildings and infrastructure.

Small businesses recieve boost from budget plans