Hamilton Verve white plastic - even more highly charged and dimmable!

The Verve from Hamilton range has been extended to include combined USB-A&C charging plates and 250W LED dimmers. Ultra-fast USB charging options: Charging smart devices has become an everyday necessity and Verve doesn’t disappoint. New combined USB-A 2.4A & USB-C 3A double switched sockets (4.8A total) make simultaneously charging laptops/tablets and mobile devices faster and easier. Higher-rated LED dimming: The new 250W LED 2-way rotary dimmers offer two and a half times the dimming capacity of the standard 100W dimmer. With its proven LEDIT-B dimming technology, it’s an intelligent choice for controlling mains dimmable LEDs in rooms with two entrances/exits – available in 1 to 4 gang plates. Click here for more latest news.

The latest phase in the FuseBox range

FuseBox is introducing its new TPN Distribution Boards, with 3, 7, 11 and 15 usable ways, complete with 10kA devices and 125A 4Pole main switch with T2 Surge Protection Device fitted as standard. The robust 1.2mm zinc galvanised steel enclosure, finished in RAL 9001 epoxy powder coating ensures long life in harsh environments. 10kA devices: MCBs, RCBOs, RCDs Compatible with FuseBox 6kA devices without any modification Removable gland plates top and bottom Unique hinged front cover assembly Shrouded neutral terminal bars Extension box option Manufactured in accordance with BS EN61439-3 Ideal for commercial, industrial and domestic settings The complete range of TPN Distribution Boards and 10kA devices is now available at all FuseBox stockists. Click here for more latest news.

66% of UK trades will have to cancel work due to workforce shortages this year

New research from UK find-a-tradesperson platform, Rated People has revealed the impact of labour shortages on the construction industry in 2023. Almost two in three (63%) UK trades say they’re struggling with workforce shortages this year and 66% say they are having to cancel work as a result. Rated People interviewed more than 2,000 tradespeople and homeowners across the UK. The study reveals plasterers, handypeople and builders are the top three trades that have been the most affected by workforce shortages. In 2022, more than nine in 10 (93%) plasterers and renderers said a lack of skilled labour negatively affected their business. Similarly, 89% of handypeople said labour shortages impacted their business and 68% of builders couldn’t find enough workers. More than half of bathroom fitters, painters and decorators, and gardeners and landscape gardeners also reported experiencing issues with labour shortages. Top 10 trades that experienced workforce shortages in 2022 Rank Trade % Experienced Workforce Shortages in 2022 1 Plasterer/renderer 93% 2 Handyperson 89% 3 Builder 68% 4 Gardener/landscape gardener 64% 5 Painter and decorator 53% 6 Bathroom fitter 50% 7 Electrician 49% 8 Roofer 48% 9 Plumber 38% 10 Carpenter/Joiner 33% The report discovered that tradespeople think the main driving force behind the workforce shortage is a lack of workers with adequate training or experience. One of the biggest reasons for the scarcity of skilled workers over the past couple of years is the impact of Brexit - this has prevented many highly-skilled tradespeople from having working rights in the UK and it has also meant many people working in the industry decided to leave the UK. UK tradespeople cite a lack of young people getting into the industry as the second-largest contributing factor to the current shortages, whilst careers advice at school failing to advocate for trades was specifically named by one in eight (12%) tradespeople. The trades platform is calling on the government to do more to plug the labour shortage gap and it says more needs to be done to encourage young people into the industry. As part of the research, Rated People discovered 48% of UK adults weren’t offered a trade career as a job option in careers advice when they were at school. Despite the UK government rolling out T-Levels to encourage more young people into apprenticeships, fewer than 10,000 students enrolled on a T-Level course last year. Rated People hopes its latest research will help to promote the incredible benefits of working in a trade profession, including high earnings, low stress and a strong work-life balance. Click here for more latest news.

UK on track for best year ever for renewable energy and heat installations

More households are installing heat pumps and solar panels in the UK than ever before, with a 62% jump compared to last year, new data from the official standards body for renewable technologies shows. MCS data shows that in the first six months of 2023, more than 120,000 certified solar panels, heat pumps and other renewable technologies were installed in UK homes, the highest number ever by this point in the year. The previous record for renewable installations was more than a decade ago in 2012, when households raced to get solar panels before cuts to the Feed-In Tariff incentive scheme kicked in. June saw 27,791 certified installations recorded on homes and businesses across the UK, bringing the total for the first half of the year to 122,155. 2023 saw more installations in the month of June and in the first half of the year than any previous year. 2023 is the first year to average more than 20,000 solar panel installations per month, and the first to see more than 3,000 heat pumps installed per month. Analysts say that with this sustained growth, nearly a quarter of a million households could install renewable energy by the end of this year. Over 80% of the installations so far in 2023 have been electricity-generating technologies, driven mainly by the continued growth in solar PV installations. By the end of June, there were 102,797 certified installations of solar PV alone as more households turn to home-grown energy during the cost-of-living crisis. The first half of 2023 saw 82% more installations than the first half of 2022. Small-scale renewable energy installations on homes and businesses across the UK now have a total installed capacity of 4GW. The energy demand for the entire country averaged 29.4GW a day in the last year, meaning that the solar panels and wind turbines on peoples' homes, at peak conditions, could power over 13% of the UK at current. The growth in solar has been mirrored by battery storage installation growth since MCS introduced the battery storage installation standard at the end of 2021. Each month of 2023 has been a record month for battery technologies, with installation figures surpassing the month before, totalling over 1,000 batteries going into homes and businesses across the UK in 2023 so far. There has been similar success in the growth of low carbon heating, with average heat pump installations being over 3,000 per month for the first time in 2023. There were 17,920 heat pump installations in the first six months of 2023, a figure only rivalled by a rush to install heat pumps before the end of the Renewable Heat Incentive subsidy scheme in March 2022. Heat pump installations in England and Wales have been eligible for £5,000-£6,000 government grants since May last year under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. These grants are starting to take effect as heat pump sales are steadily growing. In Scotland, consumers can claim a grant of £7,500-£9,000 towards a heat pump installation plus an additional optional loan of £7,500. The UK Government has set clear targets to reach 70GW of solar capacity by 2035 and to install 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028. The growth in renewable technology across the UK in the last few years is promising, but there is still much further to go. One of the biggest barriers to overcome will be recruiting enough qualified, skilled installers to meet demand. There are now 1,500 certified heat pump installation companies in the UK - estimates are that 50,000 workers will be needed to meet government targets of installing 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028. So far in 2023, over 850 new contractors have become MCS certified. That’s more contractors than joined the scheme during the whole of 2022, showing the UK is picking up pace in recruiting installers. MCS is calling for the government to expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and offer higher grant values and more vouchers per year. Further investment in skills and training is also needed to build up a workforce able to respond to the demand for heat pumps. MCS is also calling on the government to mandate solar panels, heat pumps, and battery storage in all new homes from 2025 under the new Future Homes Standard. Click here for more latest news.

Humans to provide energy source for smart devices of the future

Scientists may have finally found a solution to effectively harvesting energy from humans into electrical energy. Researchers from the Institute of Thin Films, Sensors and Imaging (ITFSI) from the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) explored the use of the 3D graphene foam material Gii by Integrated Graphene as an active layer in an energy generator, known as a TENG. The investigation aimed to transform mechanical energy wasted in nature into electrical energy that could be used to power small electronic devices and sensors in the booming global market for Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. The research, published in ScienceDirect, shows that the force of a human footprint on a pressure-sensitive mat, equipped with Gii-TENG sensors, can produce enough energy to anonymously identify people entering or leaving a room. As well as providing a low cost and energy efficient solution to monitoring building occupancy, the mats could also help to optimise energy resources by, for example, controlling room temperature upon entrance or exit. The findings of this study will be of particular interest to schools and universities who could employ the technology to link the measurement of room occupancy to a ventilating system and a CO2 monitor, reducing the volume of CO2, which has been shown to reduce the ability to focus. Mechanical energy is one of the most abundant and versatile energy sources available in nature. For around 20 years, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have been investigated as a technique for converting mechanical energy from our daily actions into usable electrical energy which can power both small IoT electronic devices and sensors but also more power hungry items, such as electric cars and drones. However, efforts to develop a commercially viable TENG have, to date, been hampered by issues relating to low durability, limited energy output and inefficiency. The addition of Gii to TENG has opened up a whole new world of possibilities due to its unique properties including high surface area, porosity, lightweight, and superior electrical properties. The energy autonomous, pressure sensing nature of Gii-TENG has the potential to transform various aspects of our lifestyles, society and economy including, for example: Harvesting energy from sports, such as golf, running and tennis, to power smart devices which generate performance data. Self-powered wearable biosensors for early diagnosis of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, gout and diabetes. Harvesting energy from cars on roads and people walking in the creation of smart cities. A smart energy solution for industry 4.0. Extending the hovering time of drones, allowing transportation of parcels - and even people in the future - for longer distances and longer times. Click here for more latest news.

Toolstation fundraises for Macmillan Cancer Support

A strong team of 20 from Toolstation has planned to take on the gruelling ‘Tough Mudder’ challenge on 12 August, to help raise money for charity partner, Macmillan Cancer Support. The event will see the team tackle 13 obstacles over a five kilometres course at the Badminton Estate in South Gloucestershire, overcoming icy water, extreme mud, fire, electricity, rope climbing and much more. A £7,500 fundraising goal has been set by the team, and supporters are welcome to donate through the team’s Just Giving page. The money raised could pay for a Macmillan nurse for over six weeks, helping people living with cancer and their families receive essential medical, practical and emotional support. Angela Rushforth, Managing Director of Toolstation, who will be participating in the challenge, says, “We’re always looking for new ways to support the fantastic work that Macmillan Cancer Support provides to those living with cancer. This Tough Mudder is all about collective teamwork and whether we’re being zapped by electricity or clambering over 13 obstacles, we’re determined that we finish the course as a group. We’ve already raised a third of our fundraising target and with just over a month to go, we are hopeful that we’ll raise the full amount.” George Michell, Corporate Partnership Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, says, “We are so grateful to Toolstation for taking on the Tough Mudder challenge and raising vital funds for Macmillan. At a time when people living with cancer are struggling with the rising cost of living on top of the existing financial burden a cancer diagnosis can bring, we need the support of our amazing partners like Toolstation more than ever. I want to wish the team luck with their challenge and say a huge thank you from Macmillan.” Since launching the partnership in 2020, Toolstation has raised over £1.5 million to help the charity provide vital support for the millions of people living with or affected by cancer in the UK. Click here for more on Toolstation.

Scolmore adds unswitched sockets to Part M range

Scolmore has added new unswitched socket outlets to its comprehensive Part M visually contrasting wiring accessories range. The Part M range includes anthracite grey finished accessories to comply with current Building Regulations Part M. They are all antibacterial and antiviral certified, with a 20 year guarantee against faults in material or manufacture. The range features the same modular design of the Click Scolmore ranges, allowing designers and installers unprecedent flexibility in creating dedicated wiring solutions for any wiring requirements. All Part M wiring accessories are compliant with all UK and European standards. The new range can be viewed on the Scolmore website or app.

Fix Radio advances as Britain's fastest-growing broadcaster

Fix Radio has the fastest growing national radio station in the UK, registering an increase in listeners by nearly 250% since its national launch in May last year. The builders station had a weekly reach of 295,109 tradespeople between September 2022 and February 2023. This comes as the latest figures from RAJAR revealed that BBC Radio 2 lost a million listeners between April and June. The growth of Fix Radio highlights the wider trend of the increasing audience share that commercial radio enjoys, with figures from RAJAR showing that commercial radio registered a record weekly reach and share of listening for a second consecutive quarter. There is a distinct shift away from the ‘big radio’ stations occurring, as every full time national BBC station is now in recession, as an abundance of listeners are moving to ‘lifestyle’ stations, such as Fix. Combined commercial radio stations now boast a total audience of 39.2 million listeners per week over the last three months, 7.5 million more than the BBC. For many listeners, the tailored output from these stations have become more appealing than the one-size-fits-all approach of the big stations. Fix’s potential weekly reach, where the figure takes into account that several tradespeople are typically within earshot of the radio while on site, was 422,844 tradespeople. Its average weekly listening hours also grew in the eight months between June 2022 and February 2023. Fans tuned into the station’s blend of banging tunes, banter and industry chat for an average of 22.9 hours per week. Its daily average listening also grew to 3.3 hours. This comes as audiences for BBC network radio shrunk by 4% in the same period, as Radio 4 lost 1.2 million listeners in a year after its flagship breakfast show registered, what's believed to be its lowest audience since 1999. Making radio for communities go national After working on building sites six years ago, Founder, Louis Timpany, saw first-hand how builders relied on the radio during busy periods to keep energy and morale up, but became dismayed by the monotonous library of music on mainstream media outlets, along with spoken content often featuring unrelatable stories. As a result, since its inception in 2017, Fix Radio has centralised its business model around 2.2 million construction workers in the UK, providing a mixture of authentic trade voices, upbeat music and content pertinent to the issues that affect the day-to-day life of builders on site, ranging from the state of mental health in construction to the widespread impacts of tool theft. The station’s schedule includes some of the biggest talent in the industry, including Facebook superstars, the Bald Builders; Clive Holland of the BBC and formerly Cowboy Trap; the country’s most famous plasterer, Chris Frediani from DIY SOS; plumbing influencer, Andy Cam; electrician turned YouTuber, Thomas Nagy; and carpenter, craftsman and social media influencer, Robin Clevett. Click here for more on Fix Radio.

Scolmore adds 20A 2 way retractive switch module

Scolmore has added a new 20A 2-way retractive switch module to its MiniGrid range. The extensive range of mounting plates and modules provides installers with the opportunity to create a vast number of customised switching solutions on site. With more than 175 unfurnished plates and in excess of 750 interchangeable modules available, there is the opportunity to create millions of combinations. All the Click MiniGrid plates are modular as standard, so whether you are using the Click Mode white moulded plastic range or decorative metal plates such as Deco and Deco Plus, you can achieve any arrangement and finished look that best suits the project or application in hand. It is this modular switch arrangement standard in both mounting plates and modules that has proved to be a highly valued facility amongst designers and installers alike. The MiniGrid modules are all easily and quickly exchanged or mounted onto unfurnished plates by means of a simple single screw fixing, saving both time and money. The full range can be viewed on the Scolmore website or app.

BCIA releases guide on BEMS design and embodied carbon

The BCIA’s Technical Working Group has produced a new technical guide to add to its online portfolio of guides available to download. The new guide is titled, ‘Building Energy Management System (BEMS) Design and Embodied Carbon’, and highlights how embodied carbon can be reduced in BEMS systems. Embodied carbon is the equivalent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with materials and construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle of a building. With all new contracts, consideration for embodied carbon reduction must be included in the BEMS design. BCIA President, Graeme Rees, says, “The BCIA technical guides are a vital tool designed to help members and anyone working in the building controls and BEMS industry work more effectively. This latest guide details the importance placed on the reduction of carbon emissions by governments around the world and the steps consultants and specifiers can take to reduce embodied carbon, including early engagement with clients and ensuring the most up to date BEMS controls are installed.” All technical guides can be downloaded from the Technical Guides section of the BCIA website.