National Ventilation works to help the environment both today and tomorrow

National Ventilation, a UK-based ventilation manufacturer and supplier, is working hard to make its ventilation more sustainable to help the environment today and tomorrow. This is great news for customers, making it easier for developers, installers and wholesalers to make more sustainable choices while still benefitting from the quality and performance National Ventilation is known for. For architects, developers and builders, with developments of 100 plots or less, keen on making sustainable choices and benefit from a free ventilation design service, National Ventilation is a great option. National Ventilation’s sustainability targets are geared towards achieving significant improvements by the end of FY2025​. Over 70% of product sales will be from its energy efficient product ranges by the end of FY2025, while 90% of products manufactured will be made from a recycled source. National Ventilation is further aiming to minimise its environmental impact by working with its suppliers, partners and the wider industry to tackle climate change, reduce waste and protect nature. With 800 colleagues across the group and many more working within its supply chain, the company is committed to helping the environment and promoting human rights, and seeks to ensure there is decent, fair, safe work for all, today and tomorrow. “We are working hard to enable our customers to make sustainable choices when purchasing our ventilation products while benefitting from great ventilation design and quality. We are already offering some products made from recycled plastic and customers can expect the same great product performance,” says Robin Francis, Managing Director at National Ventilation. “The transformation from virgin to recycled plastic followed significant R&D, including extensive material and product testing, so you can be sure of the quality. We are now working to extend the number of products made from recycled plastic and offer increasingly energy efficient products too.” National Ventilation is committed to making a difference today and tomorrow by continuously improving its products’ energy performance, reducing waste throughout a product’s lifecycle, and significantly increasing the use of recycled plastic from the circular economy in the manufacturing of its products. All products that use recycled plastic are clearly labelled with a recycled plastic sticker, so specifiers, electrical wholesalers and electricians can easily identify products made with recycled plastic. Within its product range, National Ventilation offers a wide range of rigid ducting, which is made from recycled plastic. Furthermore, the Monsoon Energysaver MON-MEV DC Multi Room Unit is now available in recycled plastic. The Monsoon Energysaver multi-room product is a mechanical extract ventilation unit, which has been designed for continuous extract of stale air from separate areas around the home or for commercial applications where a multipoint extractor system is needed, including toilets, changing rooms and cubicles. National Ventilation’s popular Monsoon Shower Extract Fan Kits are also made from recycled material. Designed to make both electricians and electrical wholesalers’ lives easier, there is both an extract kit and extract kit with an energy-saving LED shower light. Allowing electricians to easily grab a kit and go, the Monsoon Shower Fan Kits incorporate everything required for a super-fast install. Both kits contain a 100mm UMD100T mixed flow in-line fan, 6m of PVC flexible ducting, an external fixed grille and cable ties. The Monsoon Shower Extract Kit also contains two internal diffusers, while the Monsoon Showerlite LED Extract Kit features an LED light and two air diffusers. Both types of diffuser come with a choice of white and chrome covers meaning the fan can be matched to a household’s décor. Plus, as UK-manufactured premium-build fans both kits also come with a five-year warranty.

SkillELECTRIC 2023 now open for entries

Talented electrotechnical students are being encouraged to register for this year’s SkillELECTRIC competition. The application window is now open and runs until 24 March 2023. The event is part of the WorldSkills UK competition network, and is designed to promote and showcase the high standards and skills across the electrotechnical industry. During the competition, entrants will be judged on a series of challenging tests in a bid to be named the 2023 SkillELECTRIC champion. All those who register will take part in an online, interactive app-based task which tests skills around health and safety, inspection and testing, regulations, electrical principles and installation practices and procedures. The top scoring competitors from this stage will be invited to complete a challenging practical task at a national qualifying heat around the UK between April and June. Those who score the highest at the live heats will progress to the UK grand final in November and beyond this, may also have the chance to represent their country and compete internationally at the next WorldSkills international event. The event is sponsored by Electric Centre, the NICEIC and Scolmore Group, and is organised by industry charity National Electrotechnical Training (NET). “If you’ve got a shining star in your company or classroom, why not enter them into SkillELECTRIC,” says Jennie Phung, SkillELECTRIC Project Manager. “The competition process brings so many skills back into the business, such as working efficiently under pressure, time management, precision and confidence. It also contributes to an apprentice’s '20% off-the-job' training requirement which is a great benefit.” Last year’s SkillELECTRIC gold medallist, 23-year old Craig Fairweather, says, “Anyone who enjoys being an electrician should enter this competition, it’s a great way to meet new people, show off your ability and technical skills - and compete against the best apprentices across the country. “You’ll gain loads of additional knowledge from having to problem-solve and read drawings while trying to make sure everything is measured out correctly to the millimetre. It’s definitely a once in a lifetime experience to be a part of.”

CEDIA launches UK Smart Home Recruitment and Salary Survey

CEDIA has launched a UK Smart Home Recruitment and Salary Survey, and is calling upon the industry to play a role in generating valuable information for both job seekers and employers in the smart home space. Open to all home technology integrators, electrical contractors, security installers, IT professionals, manufacturers, and distributors, the survey is now live and will remain open until 24 March. With the smart home industry continuing to grow and evolve, CEDIA says it is important for the organisation to provide useful, up-to-date resources that can support businesses as they develop. Forming part of CEDIA’s workforce development initiatives - which includes the recently launched CEDIA NextGen: Smart Home Career Toolkit - the short survey will gather insights into the current state of the smart home job market, including demand for specific job roles, most common salary ranges, and the top benefits and perks offered to employees in the industry. There are many different career opportunities for young people - including work experience, summer work, industry placement, internships, and apprenticeships - and this survey will allow CEDIA to find out which routes are of interest to employers. The study will also provide an understanding for how to best support those businesses that want to work more closely with local educational institutions to help students gain the appropriate technical skills and qualifications to pursue a career in the home technology sector. “We believe that this survey will provide us with key information to support our commitment for finding new talent and defining career opportunities within the industry,” comments Matt Nimmons, Managing Director of CEDIA EMEA. “We encourage you to get involved, as your insight plays a critical role in CEDIA being a valuable link between skilled labour and industry employers.” The UK Smart Home Recruitment and Salary Survey is now available to complete. This survey supports CEDIA’s NextGen: Smart Home Career Toolkit, which is targeted at companies interested in engaging potential new talent and increasing industry awareness among young people.

EV drivers more likely to have solar panels on their homes

Research from Zap-Map and Good Energy shows that electric vehicles (EVs) can be a gateway to a fully clean energy powered life, but the up-front costs for energy tech remains a barrier for many. EVs - a gateway to other clean energy tech An annual survey of over 4,000 EV drivers by Zap-Map has revealed that 29% of respondents have solar panels installed at home, seven times the 4.1% national average. The findings also revealed that more than one in 10 EV drivers also have a home battery to store electricity. The high uptake of solar indicates that nearly a third of EV drivers are able to use the power of the sun to charge at home for free, despite the recent increases to electricity prices by both energy suppliers and public EV charge point operators. EV drivers are also 20% more likely than average to have a smart meter. 72% of EV drivers have embraced this critical tech for flexible tariffs, keeping close track of the energy they use and what they share back to the grid, compared to the 50% average. Another piece of clean energy tech EV drivers are seven times as likely to have is a heat pump. Around 7% heat their homes with electricity via the ground or an air source heat pump, much higher than 1% of all UK households. Up-front costs remain a barrier Corresponding research from Good Energy across all UK households highlights that up-front costs for clean tech is the main hurdle for homeowners. Installation costs were the most commonly cited barrier for people getting heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage - 64%, 54% and 42% respectively. The clean tech company, which is a partner of Zap-Map, plans to help tackle this problem with low-cost financing and bundling with its 100% renewable electricity tariffs. Good Energy customer, Diane from north Lancashire says, “We have solar panels, and have an EV with a home charger that is solar-matched. So, when we are generating electricity, it goes directly to charge the car for free. It saves us so much money with the extortionate price of petrol currently and feels like the right thing to do.” Melanie Shufflebotham, COO and Co-founder of Zap-Map says, “A gateway to clean energy is a great way of thinking about EVs. As soon as you change the energy you use to fuel your vehicle, you start thinking about the energy you use elsewhere in your life. Then you realise you can reduce your running costs with solar panels too. That said, the up-front costs of the tech does highlight once again the gap between wealthier homeowners with off-street parking and those without a driveway or are just not as well off. Which is why we need more affordable on-street or local charging options.” Nigel Pocklington, CEO of Good Energy and Chair of Zap-Map says, “Once you’ve got one foot into the clean energy life you only want to go further. Once you get a heat pump, you want to run it on renewable energy. If you get solar panels, you can charge your electric car for free. We know Good Energy customers are motivated to be greener, but the price has to be right too, and our research shows that up-front costs are a barrier for lots of people. We are trying to make that less of a hurdle by bundling the services together and smoothing out the costs with financing. We will soon be offering energy tariffs that aren’t just paying for the energy you use, they’re paying for your heat pump or solar panels, and even paying you back for energy you generate and share.”

Octopus Energy makes switching to heat pumps easier

Octopus Energy and UK Power Networks (UKPN) have developed a new process to speed up fuse upgrades for heat pumps. Octopus Energy customers who have decided to get a heat pump will now be able to have their new heating device installed at the same time as the fuse upgrade is performed in their home. As part of the pilot scheme, UKPN trained dozens of Octopus Energy engineers to perform fuse upgrades alongside heat pump installations on its network. This marks the first time an accredited energy supplier is allowed to perform fuse upgrades, a task traditionally performed by DNOs. The new process reduces the effort for customers through reduced handoffs and reduces the overall time to get their low carbon technology working, positively affecting millions of customers and helping to speed up the rollout of heat pumps across the UK. The trial ran from February 2022 to February 2023, and was such a success that it is now being rolled out for electric vehicle charger fuse upgrades too. Households often need a supply upgrade when switching to heat pumps or electric cars as they require more power being directed to their property. These upgrades have historically been managed by the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and, in certain parts of the country, can take up to 30 days to install. The partners are calling on all other DNOs and suppliers to input similar processes, whereby simple supply upgrades can be delivered by accredited suppliers at the same time as the installation visits, making them quicker, easier and allowing customers to go green faster than ever before. John Szymik, CEO of Octopus Energy Services, comments, “By carrying out fuse upgrades at the same time as EV chargers and heat pumps, Octopus has not only saved homeowners time, but opened up a whole new world of possibilities for those who are itching to switch to green transport and heat. “UK Power Networks has shown vision through initiating this project and worked closely with us to prove this can be done in a compliant and safe way. We would like to see more suppliers and DNOs to follow in our footsteps to make sure houses across the country have the means to decarbonise quickly and easily. This is the best way to wean ourselves off of gas for good.” Ian Cameron, Director of Customer Service and Innovation at UK Power Networks says, “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to switch to a heat pump, and training Octopus engineers means they can get it done there and then when the heat is needed, quickly and safely. Collaboration across the industry is key for the UK to achieve its net zero ambitions.”

Keith Henry appointed new General Manager CU Phosco Australia

Earlier this year, CU Phosco expanded its overseas operations by opening a new entity in Australia. The manufacturer has now announced that Keith Henry joins the organisation as the General Manager of Lighting and Telecommunications. Reporting to Philip Marques, Export Director CU Phosco, Keith will focus on continuing CU Phosco's success in Australia and setting up the new business venture, which is a departure from the manufacturer's traditional distribution partner model worldwide. With over 35 years in the Street Lighting market, Keith has held positions with Bristol City Council, Signify (previously Philips Lighting) and Telensa, where he delivered CMS solutions for Stansted Airport. Philip comments, “This is an excellent time for Keith to join us. Australia holds massive growth potential for LED lighting as it has been slow to adopt the technology for its exterior lighting due to 95% of the 2.3 million streetlights being owned, maintained and operated by utility companies. This contrasts the UK and European industries, where local authorities predominantly own lighting assets. “The Telecoms sector also provides an excellent opportunity to break into an industry with which we have had a long-term relationship in the UK but have yet to exploit in Australia. Keith's experience and expertise will be invaluable for these two new growth areas.” Keith adds, “My relationship with CU Phosco started in 1987, so I've known the company, its products and many of the team for a considerable time. The opportunity to join the team at the start of this new venture is exciting, and I can't wait to see this model develop and grow successfully elsewhere in the world.”

Powerstar announces new CEO

The Powerstar board has announced the appointment of Solon Mardapittas to the role of CEO. Solon previously held the role of Chief Technical Officer, leading the engineering, manufacturing, and software teams across all of Powerstar’s main product lines: voltage optimisation, battery energy storage and transformers. During that time, Solon spearheaded the innovation-driven and customer-focused areas of Powerstar’s strategy. The company’s founder, Dr Alex Mardapittas, will continue offering his expertise and his passion for the company’s ethos, innovation, and commercial endeavours, as Chairman. Solon comments, “I am delighted to be taking on the role of CEO and would like to thank Alex for his work and dedication in getting Powerstar to where we are today. I look forward to sharing my vision and plans for continued growth over the coming months, with the support of Alex and other board members. "Powerstar has an exceptional team, and our broad, and impressive, technical expertise allows us to provide world-class solutions to clients across all sectors. As a solutions-based business, our critical focus is to provide the very best customer experience, from initial contact through to post-installation. This, more than anything, encourages the rollout of technologies and means that we can continue to create stable growth for Powerstar while helping our clients access and implement technologies that both save energy and cut emissions.” Colin Welsh, Non-Executive Director at Powerstar, comments, “Solon has all the characteristics needed to be a first-rate CEO and we look forward to supporting him as Powerstar continues to progress. I would also like to acknowledge the pivotal role that Alex has played in the development of the business to-date. Alex will continue to bear significant influence on the business as chairman.” Alex concludes, “Solon has been a fundamental force in shaping the business we have become. As he takes over the role of CEO, he will be leading the company with new ideas, to continue the rapid growth and success of Powerstar.”

Replenishh choose Fuuse as preferred software partner

Replenishh has joined forces with the charge point management platform Fuuse to help streamline EV installations for electrical contractors and their customers. Announced as a preferred software partner, Fuuse is now available through Replenishh to complement and enhance the performance of OCPP-compliant chargers. Fuuse can power multi-manufacturer networks, integrating with leading brands in the industry. Long-time champions of the EV installer community, Fuuse boast a growing army of resellers, addressing the needs of workplace and public charging across a multitude of sectors, whilst catering to the needs of installers and their businesses. Fuuse's white labelled solutions, remote click-to-fix maintenance features, scalability across use cases and comprehensive reporting aim to empower installers to grow their businesses and accelerate the EV rollout across the UK. Jim Rugg, Head of Replenishh, explains, “The demand we are seeing in the market is focused on matching smart hardware with intelligent software solutions that are flexible to multiple different EV charging infrastructure requirements from multi-residential to workplace and public applications.  That is why Replenishh has partnered with Fuuse, to offer our customers versatile software solutions that can integrate seamlessly with our portfolio of OCPP 1.6 compliant charge points.” “We’re delighted to be partnering with Replenishh to help even more installers sustain lucrative businesses as we push ahead in the mission to break down barriers to EV transition,” says Tom Collins, Partnerships Manager for Fuuse. “With its versatility and hardware-agnostic nature, Fuuse sits comfortably amongst Replenishh’s catalogue of EV charging solutions. Our shared commitment to championing EV installers sets us up for a great start as we embark on our journey together.”

Siemens transforms buildings with IoT innovations

At this year’s ISH trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Siemens will showcase its cloud-based platforms, IoT-enabled products and solutions that make buildings smarter, leveraging the potential that digitalisation offers. Exhibiting under the motto 'Your fast lane to smart buildings', the company is focusing on turning buildings into smart ecosystems that respond to the business goals of building owners and operators for improved building performance, as well as to tenants’ needs for comfortable and healthy buildings. “Given the current challenges of climate change, the energy crisis and growing regulatory pressure, building stakeholders now need to urgently set the course to operate their buildings in a smarter way,” says Henning Sandfort, CEO of Building Products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “We continuously innovate and enhance our portfolio, embracing new technologies to make buildings a better place for all stakeholders and optimise their climate footprint at the same time.“ Innovations to boost building performance Siemens not only offers solutions for large buildings and campuses, but also solutions targeted at small and medium-sized buildings. As they represent the majority of built-up areas worldwide, they contribute substantially to the decarbonisation efforts in the industry. In Frankfurt, Siemens will display a smart automation solution at a show for the first time, addressing building facility managers and installers concerns around the complexity of building automation. The solution is an automation system designed for simple, small to medium-sized buildings. It does not require any engineering efforts on the customer side, but still offers the benefits of optimising the building’s energy efficiency. Another highlight is Siemens’ well-established Desigo building automation system, now available in a version with superior protection against cyber attacks. As one of the industry’s first, the system has been equipped with BACnet Secure Connect on all levels from room automation to the building management system Desigo CC. Thanks to its scalability, Desigo can securely connect and control up to 1,000 devices. The energy crisis has resulted in a significant spike in demand for heat pumps. Siemens is showcasing its soon-to-be-released HVAC controller Climatix S400 for heat pump applications in residential buildings. The compact controllers are ideal for applications with renewable energy sources, contributing to environmentally friendly HVAC equipment and improving the climate impact of buildings. Solutions for data-driven buildings At the exhibition, visitors can also interact with Building X, the holistic and open platform of data-driven applications and connectivity solutions for building operations, launched in 2022. They can further explore the recently launched Connect Box, an IoT-based solution to manage small to medium-sized buildings in a smart and simple way.

Industry research - please take part

The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP) is calling on all electrical contractors to take part in its latest research project to gather refreshed labour market intelligence (LMI) for the electrotechnical industry. TESP needs your input on the type of work being carried out across the sector and your workforce profile. Your involvement is essential to help ensure that TESP builds an accurate picture of the industry and its skills needs. There are two ways to take part, and the deadline for responses is 17 March 2023: 1) Complete the online survey here - this should only take around 10-15 minutes. 2) Register your interest in a telephone survey here. The survey is open to electrical contractors of all size and sub-sectors of the industry, across the whole of the UK. TESP has commissioned research expert Pye Tait Consulting to carry out this work. The LMI findings from this project will inform TESP’s future strategy, prioritise skills actions and support the case for any funding initiatives. Over recent years, TESP has worked hard to address the issues raised in the last round of LMI research.