E-learning programme launches from the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity

The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is launching its new e-learning programme to help spread some extra love and support within the construction industry. The charity’s Wellbeing Academy already offers online tutor led masterclasses, seminars and onsite training, and this latest addition is aimed at equipping workers with the soft skills they need to navigate today’s challenges and uncertain times. The free self paced e-learning modules form the foundations of the Wellbeing Academy, and courses include Bang on Budget, Banter vs Bullying, Managing Stress, Resolving Conflict Understanding Anxiety and Work Life Balance. Each of the e-learning modules are delivered at two levels. Foundation level one provides learners with an introduction to each subject, the key topic areas and an understanding of the language used in the next level. Foundation level two presents scenarios where learners need to demonstrate their understanding of the subject, apply the skills learned, and use logical reasoning to engage and master a variety of problems much like in real life. With one simple registration, learners can access all of the e-learning modules on any device and at any time. This allows learning at a pace that suits each individual, and the ability to pause and return to a module at a later date and time gives complete flexibility around hectic work and home lives. An easy to navigate dashboard shows the learner’s progress through the modules and reminds them of partially completed courses. Sarah Bolton, Director of Charitable Services for the charity says, “We are constantly augmenting our charitable services to ensure that we meet the needs of our workforce. The very nature of our industry means that fitting a set training schedule around work and home life commitments doesn’t work for everyone and our self paced e-learning addresses that problem. Studies also show that this style of learning means people are more likely to retain knowledge on new subjects and therefore will feel more confident in applying those skills in real life. “We also know that to support a positive wellbeing culture, we need to develop our workforce’s soft skills to help them negotiate the challenges of everyday life and working in what can be a very stressful environment. Our self paced e-learning modules do exactly that and they are relevant to every person in our industry. Whether you’re a self employed tradesperson, a site operative, project manager or office based, everyone will benefit from developing their soft skills and everyone needs to play their part.” Benefits of Self Paced E-Learning: Learning at your own pace around other commitments Develops ownership of learning Creates a stress-free learning process Learners demonstrate greater understanding of subject Develops confidence to apply new skills

Yorkshire Water invests in EV infrastructure

Yorkshire Water is planning to install up to 1,000 electrical vehicle (EV) charging points across its sites and colleagues’ homes, as the water company strengthens its electric fleet on its journey to net zero. In order to reach net zero by 2030, the water company set out a roadmap, which details a decade of initiatives to install renewables, lower overall energy use, and switch its entire fleet of vans to electric. Colleagues that drive an electric van for the company will be able to charge at home, at work, and on-the-go at public chargers. The first EV charging points will be installed at Yorkshire Water’s training academy in Bradford, where colleagues use Renault Zoes and Nissan e-NV200s, and deliver training for the company’s 4,000 employees around the region. This will be followed by additional installations and upgrades at a proposed 81 sites, where colleagues use Renault Zoes, Nissan e-NV200s, the new Nissan Townstar and the Vauxhall e-Vivaro. Nicola Shaw, CEO at Yorkshire Water, says, “We have committed to achieving net zero operational emissions by 2030, and part of that ambition includes transitioning all our vehicles to zero or ultra-low emissions. Working with UK Power Networks Services to develop the supporting infrastructure for all our light commercial vehicles to be electric powered is an important step to making that a reality and will allow our teams to use electric vehicles to their full potential.” Yorkshire Water has enlisted UK Power Networks Services to install and maintain the chargers. Philip Heathcote, Head of Markets at UK Power Networks Services, says, “We are determined in assisting Yorkshire Water to achieve their sustainability targets. We often receive enquiries asking how a large vehicle fleet can electrify in a matter of years. This project proves that with strong collaborative partnerships, the right strategy and expertise - it can be done.”

Kensa PREDICT lower costs and longer heat pump lifespans

Kensa Heat Pumps has won £92,000 of government funding to develop an online dashboard using AI to monitor single or multiple ground source heat pumps, allowing for remote commissioning and predictive maintenance to reduce installation and ownership costs, and keep systems running efficiently. The 19-month project, worth £263,000 is part-funded by Department for Energy Security and Net Zero through its Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). Kensa is one of 37 British companies to get a share of a £19 million Energy Entrepreneurs Fund: phase nine. Kensa’s new project - PREDICT (Predictive Remote Engineering Diagnostics Integrated Communication Tool) - will develop a user-friendly dashboard that processes and interprets heat pump operating data, allowing end users, installers and landlords to remotely manage the health of their heat pumps. Using AI, the dashboard will provide alerts of potential faults before they occur and suggest how to combat them through a predictive and proactive maintenance package. This pioneering feature will give PREDICT the capability to improve customer experiences and prolong heat pump unit lifespans. Dan Roberts, Technical Director at Kensa Heat Pumps, says, “We’re delighted to have been awarded funding under EEF to develop the PREDICT dashboard, which will benefit our customers and make the transition from gas boilers towards heat pumps more financially favourable. “Linking ground source heat pump operating data with the new dashboard and predictive maintenance package will reduce the costs associated with unexpected maintenance and heat pump ownership, increasing consumer confidence in the technology.” Kensa is continually innovating to boost heat pump sales and promote the widespread adoption of the technology. This is necessary if the UK is to increase current levels of heat pump sales to 600,000 a year by 2028 (UKGov Ten Point Plan), helping the country to hit its net zero targets. The product will benefit many customer stakeholders: Homeowners will be able to monitor the health of their heat pump, review electricity usage vs heating, look at past maintenance dates and plan services to suit their budgets. Installers and landlords can monitor all their heat pumps from one dashboard, making it faster to identify issues with individual units and run basic diagnostics. Installers will be able to carry out remote commissioning, meaning cheaper installations and less disruption for homeowners and residents. Homeowners and landlords will be notified of potential faults before they happen, meaning costs saved in emergency callouts at inconvenient times.

Faster solar PV system testing with Seaward's PV150

Advanced combination electrical safety testing of solar PV installations is provided by the lightweight and powerful PV150 test instrument, now available from Seaward. The Seaward Solar PV150 is a dedicated multi-function PV electrical tester designed specifically for solar panel system installation. It performs open circuit voltage measurements (Voc), short circuit current measurements (Isc), earth continuity, insulation resistance and operating current (via AC/DC current clamp) checks. With the push of a single button, the new hand-held tester carries out the required sequence of electrical tests in a safe and controlled manner, avoiding the risk of contact with exposed ‘live’ DC conductors. Results can be recorded and stored in the tester for subsequent USB downloading to a PC. Also, special wireless Solarlink connectivity between the PV150 and the Solar Survey 200R meter enables real-time irradiance to be displayed and measured at the same time as electrical testing is being undertaken. Then, test results can be stored in the instrument’s internal memory for downloading to PC based records using the Seaward SolarCert program. In this way, the combined testing, data logging and downloading facility enables PV system documentation and test certificates to be completed quickly and without error. The Seaward PV150 forms part of a comprehensive range of Seaward solar PV testing equipment, and comes as the company continues to mark its 40th anniversary in 2022.

BCIA releases two new technical guides

The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has released two new technical guides to add to its portfolio of online guides available to download. The first guide covers the various building assessment schemes, including BREEAM, LEED, NABERS, RESET, WELL Building Standard, and WiredScore. Building assessment schemes set performance standards for the built environment, including new builds and refurbishment schemes, by assessing a project’s environmental impact through the design, specification, construction and operation phases of a building. The second guide provides an overview of the UK and European regulations for non-domestic buildings. Non-domestic buildings account for 11% of the total annual energy consumption and carbon emissions throughout the UK and Europe. Historically driven by the European Union and adopted into UK law, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), have been the instruments to regulate energy consumption and set targets to reach net zero carbon emissions. Since the United Kingdom left the European Union, the Department for Business, Environment, and Industrial strategy (BEIS) has become responsible for setting environmental, net zero and sustainability goals for the future. BCIA President, Graeme Rees, comments, “With an ever-increasing focus on sustainability and net zero, anyone working in the built environment should be familiar with building assessment schemes and up to date sustainability goals. These new technical guides are an excellent resource - providing an easy reference overview on these subjects.”

Toolstation to host supplier trade show

Toolstation will be hosting a trade show between 15 and 28 February in celebration of its 20 years in business. Customers will have the chance to meet some of Toolstation’s top suppliers that have joined the business in the last 20 years, including DeWalt, Milwaukee, Google, Wilo, KitchenKit and more. The event will be hosted at Toolstation’s store in Bristol, Whiteladies Road, with the landmark store being the first to open, back in 2003. Over the course of the two weeks, attendees will receive free product demonstrations from the suppliers, insight into new and upcoming ranges, and a new range of fun freebies every day. The trade event will start on the 15 February with representatives from DeWalt, and finish on the 28 February with representatives from Fluidmaster and Salamander. To kick-start the celebrations, store colleagues and customers at Bristol Whiteladies Road were surprised with a commemorative cake, delivered by popular trade professional partners and radio hosts, The Bald Builders. The cake was designed in recognition of Toolstation’s product catalogue, which has been a staple of the business since being founded, with the 95th edition recently launching in January. As part of their surprise visit, The Bald Builders also put up a commemorative plaque acknowledging it as the site of the first Toolstation store, which can be located outside the front entrance. Since the opening of its first store, Toolstation has continued to grow as a business and is now one of the leading suppliers of tools, accessories and building supplies in the UK - with over 550 stores. As part of the celebrations, Toolstation has unveiled 20 deals for tradespeople and DIYers to help them secure the best possible prices for trade-quality products, including discounts on DeWalt power tools, Tado smart home accessories, Milwaukee storage solutions and more. Plus, for a limited time only, Toolstation are offering new customers downloading the Toolstation’s app an additional 10% off their first app order.

Building radio for the trades

Fix Radio’s weekly audience has grown to 211,294 tradespeople in the UK between June and November, according to Nielsen, an audience measurement, data and analytics firm. Nielsen also reported that the builders station’s potential weekly audience reach had grown to 286,066 tradespeople, including those within earshot of the radio at their work site. The report estimated that Fix Radio had a monthly reach of 290,592 across the UK, with a potential reach of 355,934 tradespeople. The audience audit also revealed the station’s average weekly listening hours for the first time. Fix Radio had 19.8 hours of average weekly listening and 2.8 hours of average daily listening between June and November. The average weekly listening figure is one of the highest in the country, supporting Fix Radio’s belief that tradespeople have a huge appetite for radio, listening to and from work, and whilst onsite. “Fix Radio finished 2022 with a bang,” says Fix Radio’s CEO and founder, Louis Timpany. “Since going national in May, the station has gone from strength to strength. I’ve always believed that builders are radio-mad and were crying out for their own station. The sheer amount of time they spend with Fix proves they love what they hear.” Fix Radio’ audience between June and August, put the station’s average weekly reach at 146,592. Previously, when broadcasting as a regional DAB station in London and Manchester, the radio station’s own research estimated its weekly reach at 85,000 tradespeople. “It’s great to get our listening hours and I’m thrilled to see they back up what we see on site every day - Fix Radio on all day. It’s a massive milestone,” says Louis. Fix Radio intends to release regular updates to its audience reach and hours as it continues to grow.

BoB announces charity building projects for 2023

Band of Builders has announced the projects that it plans to deliver this year to help members of the construction industry who are battling illness or injury, making a life-changing difference to them and their families. The organisation, affectionately known as BoB, is gearing up for at least five substantial projects - three of which require planning permission - in Suffolk, North Yorkshire, Cornwall, Surrey and South Wales. The beneficiaries include a trainee bricklayer who suffered a catastrophic brain aneurysm, the eight-year-old son of a general builder - who became quadriplegic after contracting meningococcal septicaemia, and a builders’ merchant employee who was left paralysed from the waist down after a spinal abscess. Band of Builders Operations Director, Tony Steel, says that work is well underway in planning to deliver these projects, and the charity is already galvanising support from its near 50,000-strong community of volunteers and supporters. “It’s a heart-breaking process reading all of the applications that we receive from members of the construction industry and their families - who all desperately need help,” says Tony. “We selected a number of projects that met our criteria and put them forward to the board of trustees, who have given us the go-ahead to plan and deliver five projects this year.” The projects include: Building an extension for a family in Suffolk so that their 20-year-old son can finally return home after more than two years spent in hospital and, latterly, a specialist neurological care centre after suffering a catastrophic brain aneurysm. A complete conversion of the North Yorkshire family home of an eight-year-old son of a builder, who lost both legs at the knee and became quadriplegic after contracting meningococcal septicaemia on Christmas Day in 2019. Creating a downstairs bedroom and wet room at the Surrey home of a builders’ merchant employee who was left paralysed from the waist down. Creating a downstairs wet room for a former joiner in South Wales who is now a wheelchair user after suffering a severe stroke. The family have also asked if the project can include creating a path to make it easier to get him in and out of the house. Adapting the kitchen for a Cornwall bricklayer with multiple sclerosis. The charity has already completed one project this year - which was the second phase of a project that started last October - to level the ground floor and widen doorways at the Herefordshire home of Martin Wilks, a builder who was left paralysed after a fall. Late last year, Band of Builders reached the £1m milestone for the equivalent cost of labour and materials that it had delivered through its projects. Reaching the £1m milestone involved 772 volunteers giving up their time for free on projects that took a total of 203 days and involved 18,087 hours of labour. Materials and support are provided by organisations and businesses across the sector, which support the charity on individual projects or through ongoing partnerships. Band of Builders CEO Gavin Crane, says, “The next wave of projects is a timely reminder of what Band of Builders was set up to do - and that’s make a massive difference to the lives of people from the construction industry who are facing life-changing circumstances. “It makes me very proud that we continue to build a community of volunteers and supporters who are willing to support fellow members of the construction industry in their hour of need.”

ZOLA Electric announces launch of the FLEX MAX solar home solution

ZOLA Electric has announced the launch of its new technology solution, FLEX MAX. ZOLA says that it will be the largest off-grid solar home solution (SHS) - including the largest battery and solar panel technology - available on the global market. The launch expands ZOLA’s network architecture by introducing a product that serves customers living at the convergence of off-grid and on-grid. FLEX MAX serves homeowners looking to power AC appliances such as refrigeration alongside lights, connectivity, TV, and businesses looking to power productive use products. It fits in ZOLA’s network of hardware solutions and, like all ZOLA’s products, is installed, commissioned, optimised and managed through Vision, ZOLA’s network management software platform. FLEX MAX builds upon ZOLA’s distributed energy enterprise platform, technology aiming to deliver community-level electrification to the 3 billion people living without affordable, reliable energy. It is an evolution of ZOLA’s plug-and-play solar and storage hybrid power system FLEX, designed for entry-level off-grid basic home appliance usage. In addition to lighting, a TV, and fan, FLEX MAX’s increased capacity can further power high efficiency AC and DC refrigerators in residential settings, so customers can better store food and minimise spoilage, and extends its application from the domestic to offices and hospitals. FLEX MAX provides ‘electrical infrastructure in a box’ for customers with no existing connection or those with an unreliable grid connection and not much roof space. Able to charge from both solar and the grid, FLEX MAX is a step up from previous generations, allowing ZOLA to serve both rural communities and the ‘peri-urban’ market. The core value of FLEX MAX is its larger, modular battery and flexibility to leverage both high efficiency appliances that come with AC as well as infrastructure’s DC systems, so more customers can use existing appliances while benefiting from the versatility of ZOLA’s DC ecosystem. A key additional feature of FLEX MAX is the integration of new revenue models that will improve the capacity of ZOLA’s distributor partners to offer financing solutions to their customers. The incorporation of new hardware and software features will facilitate new financing mechanisms, such as pay-as-you-go models that support the remote control of customer networks and allow the system to be locked in the case of non-payment. Crucially, this addresses the lack of traditional energy financing mechanisms in the developing world, combatting the affordability issue for end-users, while also supporting distribution partners. Bill Lenihan, Chief Executive Officer of ZOLA Electric, says, “We are thrilled to be adding FLEX MAX to ZOLA’s market-leading Enterprise technology platform, delivering distributed, clean, digital energy solutions to those that need it most. FLEX MAX offer significant hardware and software improvements and the most advanced battery technology that will be a game-changer in improving the reliability of energy systems in emerging markets. “Through our valuable partnerships with local integrators and distributors, our solutions are installed in homes, businesses, schools and hospitals in 10 countries across four continents, serving over two million customers. ZOLA’s platform of hybrid battery and storage solutions, monitored and managed by VISION, is the world’s first fully integrated, modular and intelligent platform purpose built for the Energy Access sector.” ZOLA’s B2B model delivers clean, reliable and affordable energy to emerging markets globally, distributed through leading integrators in local markets including EDF, Shell, Econet/DPA and to emerging DRE (distributed renewable energy) integrators like Blue Camel in Nigeria. Its B2B model enables its integrator partners in local markets to efficiently build and manage networks that deliver community-level electrification to deliver Energy Access where it is needed most.

Screwfix pushes forward apprenticeship agenda

Screwfix is driving forward with its apprenticeship agenda as the UK celebrates National Apprenticeship Week. Whether it’s customers or colleagues, Screwfix says that people are at the heart of its culture, and that it champions the progression of its colleagues through its Trade Up programmes. The Trade Up programmes are retail apprenticeship programmes, aimed at developing and progressing talent to meet business growth. As an employer provider, Screwfix has utilised its retail and learning expertise to deliver a programme covering all aspects of retail that is fully supported by expert internal learning coaches. The programme develops a robust pipeline of managers that can truly make a difference to colleagues and customers. Screwfix currently has more than 700 colleagues on apprenticeship programmes across areas such as retail management, customer service and HR management - 81% of apprentices who complete programmes are promoted into a role. In 2022, the business teamed up with TrAC, the Flexi-job apprenticeship agency, to launch a new scheme which funds the training of construction trade apprentices, in a bid to help tackle the skills shortage and encourage more people into the trade. Screwfix undertook extensive research among both apprentices and tradespeople, which revealed the costs associated with an apprenticeship are a significant barrier to preventing many from becoming an apprentice or hiring one. TrAC match individuals with an employer, from plumbing and electrical apprentices, through to landscaping, painting and decorating, and other skilled trade professions. Throughout the apprenticeship, both the apprentice and employer will receive ongoing support and guidance, alongside receiving financial support from Screwfix. Screwfix also launched its 9th trade apprentice competition in the UK and Republic of Ireland this week. The annual competition offers a worthy winner the opportunity to earn a £10k trade bundle including tools, tech and training. Previous winners have used the competition as a springboard to launch their own careers as self-employed tradespeople. Max Britten, Managing Director of Screwfix UK and Republic of Ireland, says, “People are at the heart of what we do, and we’ve made great strides in recent years with our internal apprenticeship programmes giving our colleagues opportunities to progress and gain qualifications. Since we launched our Trade Up programme, more than 560 people have gained qualifications to enhance their careers. “The skills shortage in construction is well documented, and as a national trade retailer, we want to champion careers in the trade as we proudly showcase our nation’s skilled trade professionals and the benefits of a career in the construction industry. “Through our trade apprentice campaign, and our new initiative with TrAC to help solve the specific challenges facing apprentices and tradespeople seeking to hire, we’re championing careers in the trade and driving forward apprenticeships across the business.”