NICEIC safety campaign shortlisted for excellence award

NICEIC, the UK’s leading certification body in the building services sector, has announced that its ‘Don’t Do DIY Electrics’ campaign has been shortlisted for the Best Marketing Project at the Association Excellence Awards. Held since 2015, these awards highlight best practice and excellence among industry bodies, professional membership organisations, and trade unions in the UK and Europe. NICEIC's creative campaign was launched to raise public awareness to not attempt DIY electrics and the importance of using a competent, certified professional. It has seen a surge in consumer interest, driving close to a quarter of a million householders to find their local NICEIC-certified business through its ‘Find a trusted NICEIC tradesperson’ online tool. It emphasises “The safest way to do DIY electrics... is NOT to do DIY electrics.” Sarah Gammon, Head of Marketing and Communications at NICEIC, comments, “I am incredibly proud the Don’t Do DIY Electrics campaign has received this recognition. Electrical work in the home can be dangerous if not completed by a qualified and competent electrician. We really wanted to disrupt consumer behaviour with the aim to not only make householders think twice about undertaking DIY electrics, but also to consider the smart and safe choice, which is to search for and use an NICEIC-certified business. I want to say a huge thank you to the team who have been involved in this for all their hard work. The response has been fantastic.” The winners will be announced at a lunchtime Awards Ceremony at the QEII Centre, Westminster, London on Friday 8 November 2024. To view the campaign and find out more, visit niceic.com/dontdiy. For more from NICEIC, click here.

Lithe unveils new sound integration option for smart home systems

Lithe Audio, the UK's renowned audio brand, has unveiled a new integration option for its award-winning Pro Series and Wi-Fi active ceiling speakers with the Nice/ELAN smart home platform. The breakthrough integration brings a host of benefits, including all the expected features such as music transport control, multi-room functionality, source and favourites setting. There is also one standout feature for the Pro Series model, Lithe says - which is the embedding of chimes and tones, as well as doorbell and intruder alert sounds, directly within the internal memory of the speakers. One of the most significant advantages of this integration is the solution it offers to long-standing issues in the smart audio world. By embedding chimes and sounds in the internal memory of the speakers, Lithe Audio has eradicated the problems of latency, buffering and timeouts that have plagued the audio integration experiences for years. No longer reliant on cloud source files, this innovation guarantees an enhanced level of performance and consistency. The chimes, tones and various sounds crucial to seamless audio interactions are now stored within the speaker’s internal memory. This ensures that users experience smooth and uninterrupted audio, free from the hiccups that can occur due to network connectivity issues. In addition to resolving these issues, the integration takes the Lithe Audio experience to a new level, the company says. The embedded sounds can now be harnessed by integrators and program these sound libraries for a range of smart features. This includes doorbells, alarms, CCTV, and boundary control, providing a comprehensive audio solution for both residential and commercial settings for both music and smart home automations. Wesley Siu, Managing Director of Lithe Audio, shares his excitement about the integration with Nice/ELAN, stating, "Our speaker system stands out because the sounds and chimes are stored directly in the speakers, not in the cloud. This eliminates issues with latency or failures to play, ensuring that announcements are always instantly available." With the integration of Nice/ELAN, users can not only enjoy a rich audio experience but also control speaker functions and stream from multiple sources, making Lithe Audio speakers the heart of a modern smart home. Multi-room playback in up to five different zones adds an extra layer of convenience. This integration promises to elevate the Nice/ELAN community's audio offering, all without the need for complex installations or additional cabling. With Lithe Audio, it's as simple as connecting from the power or lighting circuit, opening up a new era in smart home audio, solving long-standing issues of running cables to hard to reach rooms and empowering a new wave of smart features. This integration with Nice/ELAN is set to redefine how we experience sound, offering a more reliable, sophisticated, and seamless audio solution for smarter homes. The new Nice/ELAN driver works with the Pro Series and Wi-Fi Ceiling Speakers. The Lithe Audio Pro Series ceiling speaker is a high-resolution all-in-one installation model that delivers high-quality audio coupled with an extensive feature set. These include a fully-integrated, built-in 60W RMS class D amplifier; streamer built-in; advanced WiSA technology for Dolby Atmos systems; Wi-Fi or hardwire data connection; and PoE power delivery for convenience of installation. The Lithe Wi-Fi ceiling speaker is an all-in-one wireless speaker system that delivers an easy-to-install ceiling speaker with an amplifier and streamer built in. With the addition of power and control through Elan controllers, keypads, or directly through Airplay, Chromecast, or Spotify Connect, music streaming is intuitive for the user and easy to fit for the installer. For more from Lithe Audio, click here.

Acrospire launches new EV charger brand

British exterior lighting manufacturer, Acrospire, has announced the formal launch of a new brand for the business, evpzee, dedicated to making electric vehicle (EV) charging simple and accessible. With a focus on on-street EV charging solutions, evpzee aims to revolutionise the EV charging landscape for street lighting engineers, housing developers, and contractors. "Our journey with evpzee began from a deep-rooted understanding of lighting infrastructure and our relentless pursuit of solving customer challenges," remarks Tim Barker, Managing Director of Acrospire and Director at sister brand, evpzee. Grounded in Acrospire's rich knowledge of lighting infrastructure, evpzee ventures into the EV charging arena with a commitment to simplicity and reliability. The transition from illuminating streets to powering vehicles underscores Acrospire's dedication to provide end-to-end solutions for its specifiers. "Entering the EV charging market was a natural progression for us," Tim continues. "Our extensive experience in addressing customer pain points, coupled with our proficiency in delivering turnkey solutions, positions evpzee as a game-changer in the industry." Leveraging existing assets for a sustainable future Central to evpzee's philosophy is the utilisation of existing assets and power networks. By capitalising on established infrastructure, evpzee not only minimises costs but also lays the groundwork for a sustainable and budget-conscious future. "Our vision with evpzee is to simplify the often-complicated process of EV charging, especially for local authorities and housing developers who are more accustomed to dealing with lighting infrastructure," Tim adds. "We believe that knowledge is paramount, and through sharing our expertise and fostering discussions on best practices, legislative changes, and technological advancements, we aim to make life easier for everyone involved." evpzee's flagship product is its 7kW on-column electric vehicle charging solution designed for overnight charging. Leveraging existing lamp posts, evpzee addresses the significant portion of UK car owners without off-street parking access. This approach promotes EV adoption and offers convenient, accessible, and cost-effective charging solutions. "We've designed and engineered our own UK-manufactured, OCPP-compliant solution with evpzee," Tim notes. "Rather than simply white-labelling another manufacturer's product, we took the time to develop a reliable, secure, and durable solution that aligns with our mission of making EV charging hassle-free." Advantages of on-column charging solutions By utilising existing infrastructure, evpzee's on-street lamp post charging solutions offer several advantages, including: - Reduced range anxiety through convenient on-street charging - Lower installation costs utilising existing power network, and quick plug-and-play implementation - Elimination of the need for extensive civil work with built-in O-PEN earthing and fault protection - Approved metering for reliable billing - Load balancing between chargers "While we identified the market opportunity over 18 months ago, we developed our solution meticulously rather than rushing to market," Tim explains. "With evpzee, our goal is not global dominance but rather becoming a trusted partner in the EV charging ecosystem, as we have within the lighting industry. That said, we do have the capacity to scale manufacturing to over 1,000 units a week, so we are well-prepared to meet increasing demand and support the widespread adoption of our technology as the market evolves." For councils, housing developers, and contractors seeking to facilitate EV adoption and address charging infrastructure shortfalls, evpzee offers a comprehensive on-column solution tailored to meet their needs. For more from Acrospire, click here.

Big brands back Circular Lighting Live 2024

Major lighting brands including Signify, Holophane, Glamox, ASD, Bell Lighting, Prime Light, Mymesh, Stoane Lighting, Light Projects Evolve, Trojan Lighting and Silent Design are all set to be involved in the upcoming Circular Lighting Live 2024 event. The companies have signed sponsorship and exhibiting deals for the one-day conference and exhibition, organised by lighting industry sustainability authority, Recolight, and billed as the UK’s largest event dedicated to sustainable lighting. "This is a major vote of confidence," says Nigel Harvey, CEO of Recolight. "These leading brands understand the direction of travel of the sector, which is towards a sustainable low-carbon future." The event, taking place at the Royal College of Physicians in London on Wednesday 9 October 2024, is designed to inspire and educate in equal measure with a programme exploring innovation in best practice, inspirational projects and design and procurement. It brings together lighting specifiers and suppliers to consider the practical ways we can collaborate to drive sustainability. A hierarchy of lighting This year’s event is themed by Recolight’s Hierarchy of Lighting, a philosophy of prioritisation which emphasises reuse and refurbishment in lighting projects. Circular Lighting Live 2024 features leading experts, specifiers, innovators and policy makers who will share their insights into forthcoming standards and legislation, emerging technologies and new business models. The keynote speaker is Signify Chief Design Officer, Ton Borsboom, who will explore how AI will accelerate product development and project design. Rachel Hoolahan, Associate at architectural practice, Orms, will explain how a new material passport scheme will work for luminaires; while Kael Gillam, Associate Lighting Designer at Hoare Lea, will untangle environmental data including EPDs, LCAs, TM66 and TM65. Other speakers include Irene Mazzei, Head of Development at Stoane Lighting, Jonathan Rush, Director at Hoare Lea, Paul Beale, Founder of 18 Degrees, and Neil McLean of Lutron and Chairman of the LIA’s sustainability working group. The conference is free to specifiers, and an early bird discounted booking rate for suppliers ends on Thursday 31 July. Further details and bookings are available at circularlighting.live. For more from Recolight, click here.

Tamlite calls on industry to embrace remanufacturing

Tamlite Lighting, one of the UK’s largest independent lighting manufacturers, is urging the lighting industry and the wider built environment sector to embrace remanufacturing as a step towards achieving net zero.   In a newly published white paper, Tamlite Lighting explores how significant sustainability gains can be made throughout the supply chain by applying remanufacturing processes in the lighting sector.   The paper introduces the concept of the circular economy and discusses the progress being made by the lighting industry in establishing more circular approaches for the sector.   Richard Wharrad, Group Manager & Head of Sustainability and Social Value at Tamlite Lighting, comments, “This paper reflects our commitment to work with the wider lighting industry to evolve a model of manufactured products, with minimal waste, that can be upgraded, serviced, reused, refurbished, or recycled to support energy saving.”   “Remanufacturing a luminaire can result in better-than-new performance for up to 40% less cost. By incorporating the latest technological advancements, bespoke upgrades enhance the product's capabilities beyond current market equivalents.”   The white paper, entitled Towards Net Zero: Can Remanufacturing Create a More Sustainable Future for Lighting? draws on Tamlite’s collaborative work with CIBSE and other industry bodies to support the development of remanufactured products. This includes initiatives such as CIBSE’s TM66 Circular Economy Assessment Methods (CEAM).   Importantly, the paper underlines the key role of specifiers in driving the uptake of circular economy principles for new lighting projects, and the need to engage all stakeholders in a project to promote a circular approach.   Richard continues, “By investing in innovative remanufacturing processes and constantly pushing for smarter and more sustainable solutions, lighting manufacturers can support the wider built environment in progressing towards a more sustainable future.   “However, more awareness about this sophisticated circular method is needed. We invite stakeholders from across the sector to participate in a discussion about how we can further promote the use of remanufactured products.”   To download a free copy of the paper, click here.   For more from Tamlite, click here.

Fergus announces partnership with TrustMark

Fergus, the job management software designed for tradespeople, has announced a partnership with TrustMark, the only UK Government Endorsed Quality Scheme for work carried out in and around the home. Alongside the 14-day free trial, members of TrustMark will now have the chance to access Fergus for the first three months for free and take advantage of 15% off for as long as they are a Fergus customer. The offer is open to all TrustMark registered businesses, giving them access to the beneficial rates. “We are delighted to be partnering with TrustMark and to offer its 17,000-plus registered businesses the opportunity to streamline and manage their workloads better, allowing them to focus on running their trade,” says Sam Buck, UK Partnerships Lead for Fergus. Menna Lewis, TrustMark’s Commercial Manager, adds, “Partnerships are key to building value for our TrustMark registered businesses and we’re delighted to welcome Fergus as one of our newest partners.” Fergus was founded by veteran plumber, Dan Pollard, in 2014 to solve the problems that had plagued his business for years. Since then, the software has developed into a favourite amongst growing trade businesses as it makes life simpler and cuts down on paper-based administration. Its users have the ability to know that every cost gets billed out and nothing gets missed with supplier invoice integrations. Invoices automatically get matched to a job in Fergus, and costs are instantly assigned to a job with one click. TrustMark members can access the offer by clicking here. For more from Fergus, click here.

Cable Services Group sparks hope with charity donation

The Cable Services Group, one of the UK’s leading specialist electrical distributors, has announced that it has donated £80,000 in support of 25 national charities. In 2019, the company established its own charity to support local causes close to the hearts of the people who work in our branches in Wrexham, Stone, Liverpool, Glasgow and Swindon. The aim of the charity is to enrich and improve people's lives by making a positive difference at a local level. Throughout 2023, Cable Service Group's employees raised funds by organising various events and initiatives, including dress-down days and raffles. They also ran a competition where three winners won a day off work. Furthermore, The Cable Services 150 Club, a monthly prize draw, has been running successfully for many years and has contributed significantly to the total amount raised. Employees at each branch nominated the charities. As well as choosing to support national causes, including the Alzheimer's Society, Teenage Cancer Trust and SANDS Stillbirth and Neonatal Charity, they also selected a wide range of local organisations. These included Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham, Staffordshire Women’s Aid, Carla Lane Animals In Need in Liverpool, the Beatson Cancer Charity in Glasgow, and the Swindon Hydrotherapy Pool. Food banks were also popular choices, with many employees wishing to support local people in crisis. Huw Evans, Marketing Manager for Cable Services, comments, "Since launching the Cable Services Charity, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of our colleagues across the Group. We are incredibly proud to be supporting 25 charities in total, all of which provide invaluable support to communities across the UK. It is heart-warming to see the results of our fundraising efforts spread far and wide across the communities in which we operate. "By choosing and contributing to the charities we support, our employees have helped us make a positive difference to countless lives across the country." The Cable Service Group Charity promotes civic engagement in the communities in which the Group operates. Employees will continue to support the following charities in 2024, all of which have benefited from a share of the £80,000 raised in 2023: Wrexham - Nightingale House Hospice - Your Space - The Wrexham Miners Project - The Rainbow Foundation - South Denbighshire Community Partnership - Wrexham Food Bank Stone - Macari Foundation - A Child Of Mine - Dougie Mac - Stone Community Hub - Staffordshire Women’s Aid - Alzheimer’s Society Liverpool - Carla Lane Animals In Need - Flame Spirit Golf Society - Jackson’s Animal Rescue - Community By Nature - Teenage Cancer Trust - South Sefton Food Bank Glasgow (Smith Electrical) - The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice - Beatson Cancer Charity - Cash For Kids West Scotland - SANDS – Stillborn and Neonatal Charity - Catherine McEwan Foundation Swindon - Swindon Hydrotherapy Pool - Swindon Food Collective

BGEN looking to recruit 100 craftspeople and engineers

BGEN, one of the UK’s largest engineering firms supporting the energy transition, is looking to recruit 100 plus skilled craftspeople and engineers across its UK operations. The recruitment drive follows a number of new contract wins in the industrial space with opportunities across the UK including England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. “The business has grown significantly over the past 12 months as we continue to secure opportunities in our core market sectors including chemicals, energy, pharmaceutical and utilities,” says Robin Whitehead, CEO at BGEN (pictured above). “We have opportunities across the business at all levels, with a particular need for skilled mechanical and electrical craftspeople, as we support our clients on a number of live opportunities, including energy efficiency, energy transition and energy security projects.” BGEN’s electrical business unit has an immediate requirement for upwards of 60 JIB approved electricians as well as 10 supervisors, while in its mechanical team, the business requires time-served pipefitters, riggers and welders alongside planning and quality assurance (QA) engineers. The company’s technology team is recruiting for systems integration (SI) PLC/SCADA engineers and low-voltage (LV) design engineers. Alongside a competitive package, successful candidates will get the opportunity to work on a range of interesting projects, across a number of industrial sectors, helping to deliver critical infrastructure initiatives. In addition, candidates will get the opportunity to work with a range of innovative technologies to deliver high quality work. As a proud member of The 5% Club, successful candidates will benefit from ongoing learning and development opportunities. They will also have access to comprehensive wellbeing support including different aspects of emotional, mental and physical health. Craftspeople will also be able to take advantage of the benefits offered to employees through national agreements including the Joint Industry Board (JIB and SJIB) and the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI). A second wave of recruitment is set to take place in the autumn as the company looks to deliver projects in 2025 and beyond. For more from BGEN, click here.

NAPIT welcomes government's new bills

In a busy King’s Speech on 17 July, which saw 40 bills announced by the Government, there were three areas that particularly caught the eye of NAPIT - a co-ordinated approach to reaching net zero, plans to build more new homes and changes to the Apprenticeship Levy. The Great British Energy Bill and other legislation to unlock investment in energy infrastructure will establish the remit of the 'Mission Control' responsible for coordinating Labour’s target to achieve clean power by 2030, as well as reduce consenting timelines for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects to accelerate the deployment of new renewable generation. There will be changes to the planning system in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and the Skills England Bill will see the apprenticeship levy reformed and Skills England established which will have a new partnership with employers at its heart. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has also unveiled plans for a “solar rooftop revolution”, which aims to see more homes fitted with solar panels. It is expected that Government will work with industry to make it easier to buy new homes with panels installed, or install them on existing ones. There are also reports that Ministers are looking at bringing in solar-related standards for new-build properties from next year. Frank Bertie, NAPIT's Managing Director, says, “The Government has said it wants to get Britain building again and electrify the energy system which will need more heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicle chargers. “Taken together, these are very encouraging measures which will all require a highly skilled and accredited workforce to deliver the necessary changes and make the most of those opportunities. NAPIT and its members will be key to ensuring there are sufficient skilled installers in the electrical, heating, plumbing, ventilation, microgeneration and building fabric trades across the UK domestic, commercial and industrial markets. “I hope that Government will work with industry schemes and training providers to ensure the ambitious targets in the new bills can be met.” For more from NAPIT, click here.

Direct Line reveals most physically active workers in the country

New research from Direct Line Business Insurance reveals tradespeople are among the nation’s fittest workers, as they average 27 hours a week of physical activity - which is 11 times the NHS’ minimum recommendation of two and a half hours' exercise. It’s no secret that a tradesperson’s job is more physically demanding than the average desk job, with these skilled professionals keeping physically active for 22 hours per week at work. In addition, tradespeople are keeping fit outside of work, with an additional five hours of physical activity completed per week on average at the gym and through sport. The majority of tradespeople polled felt positive about their health, with 76% claiming to lead healthy lives and 87% agreeing that they are very physically active. Almost three quarters (71%) of tradespeople say they actively track their physical activity and calories burnt using fitness trackers to understand what they may need to eat to ensure energy levels are maintained. Because of the physical exertion involved in the job, more than a quarter (29%) of tradespeople say they regularly eat more than the average recommended daily calorie allowance, to ensure they are properly fuelled for the demands of their jobs. When it comes to the most physically demanding jobs, roofers (23 hours), carpenters (22 hours) and plumbers (22 hours) clock up the most hours of work-related physical activity per week. Kitchen fitters (6.33 hours), tilers (5.89 hours) and plasterers (5.86 hours) averaged the most additional hours of physical activity per week. Despite their already active schedules, all tradespeople completed more than four hours of additional physical activity per week, highlighting that many tradespeople are health conscious. Hours of physical activity and additional activity per week by trade: 1. Roofer (23.03 hours of work-related physical activity per week; 5.26 hours of additional physical activity per week) 2. Carpenter (21.84; 5.35) 3. Plumber (21.84; 4.79) 4. Electrician (21.47; 5.33) 5. Builder (20.72; 5.46) 6. Painter/decorator (20.56; 5.34) 7. Plasterer (20.28; 5.86) 8. Insulation installer (20.11; 4.97) 9. Handyman/woman (20.10; 5.21) 10. Tiler (19.58; 5.89) 11. Kitchen fitter (19.32; 6.33) 12. Landscaping/tree surgeon (18.93; 4.84) 13. Carpet installer/ flooring (17.76; 5.43) 14. Reupholster/furniture (16.40; 5.35) Alison Traboulsi, SME Product Manager at Direct Line Business Insurance, comments, “Tradespeople do not need to seek inspiration from footballers in Germany or athletes in Paris to get active. They are setting a great example for us all by being active outside of work despite the physically demanding nature of their jobs. It is also encouraging to see that two thirds (64%) of tradespeople prioritise their mental health as the two go hand in hand.” For more Direct Line Business Insurance, click here.