MP Owen Thompson visits SELECT HQ and offers his support for regulation

SELECT recently hosted Owen Thompson MP, Member of the UK Parliament for Midlothian and SNP Chief Whip, at its headquarters at The Walled Garden outside Edinburgh. During his visit, the MP said that, while aware that the issue of protection of title for electricians was under consideration in the Scottish Parliament, he would now seek to raise the matter in the House of Commons and would add his name to SELECT’s Wall of Support. Meeting with SELECT Managing Director Alan Wilson, Director of Employment and Skills Fiona Harper, and Specifier and Client Relations Manager Yvonne Wilson, Mr Thompson discussed a number of other construction sector issues, including procurement and payment. He says: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet the SELECT team. I have been aware since my days as leader of Midlothian Council of the good work the organisation carries out on behalf not only of electricians but of the construction industry in Scotland as a whole. “I am very happy to lend my name to the campaign for regulation of the electrical industry. It is an idea whose time has come, since it can only be common sense to assure the public that anyone who presents themselves as an electrician is appropriately qualified and registered and that those who work in the industry do so in a safe and competent manner. “I fully agree that seeking to regulate electricians could have a significant positive economic impact, as well as helping to reduce the numbers of deaths and injuries caused each year by fires or electric shocks.” During his visit on Wednesday April 13, Mr Thompson also engaged with his hosts on the importance of a collaborative public sector procurement system and a payment system which made sure that customers pay on time and in full. While taking a tour of the HQ, he also visited the dedicated SELECT Training Centre, where the Training and Technical departments deliver a huge range of SQA-accredited courses for businesses and organisations across Scotland. Alan Wilson comments: “It was SELECT’s pleasure to welcome Mr Thompson to our HQ and to have meaningful discussions about matters which directly affect our members, particularly recognition and the ongoing problem of late and withheld payments. “Mr Thompson’s interest in our activities is indicative of a continuing groundswell of support for our campaigns, with a number of MSPs and other trade associations putting their names to new bricks on the Wall of Support.” Fiona Harper, who is also The Secretary of the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB), states: “I am sure Mr Thompson appreciated that safety is at the forefront of everything we do as an organisation and that we will not rest until protection of title makes the industry as safe as it possibly can be.”

Schneider Electric supports electricians with 18th Edition Amendment 2 e-book and products

Schneider Electric is launching a new 18th Edition e-book that includes vital information as well as the latest products to help installers comply with new changes to regulations. Amends to the BS 7671:2018 Wiring Regulations came into force on 28 March 2022 and Schneider Electric has created this guide for electricians to determine and understand the changes. The e-book provides information on the key amends and how these might affect electricians and electrical businesses. These include: Changes to special location installations including solar and EV systems, which is an indicator that this area of technology is going to grow. Prosumer low voltage electrical installations and the need for systems that can both produce and store energy. This is a clear sign that future energy systems will need to work differently and have greater capacity. Installation requirements for fire risk buildings including escape routes and cabling. Removal of the CRL calculation and the increased need for surge protection. Requirement for new labelling in some circumstances, including the colour of functional earthing changing from cream to pink. Schneider Electric is committed to equipping electricians with the latest technology, tools, and advice to ensure the electrical industry continues to flourish. They offer end-to-end solutions for the 18th Edition amendments, including the Easy9 range of residential consumer units, which addresses the need for increased capacity to support homes of the future. Nico Van Der Merwe, Vice President of Home and Distribution UK at Schneider Electric says, “With several amendments to the 18th Edition, we appreciate this can be a lot to digest and can present some immediate challenges. However, we see this as a great opportunity for the electrical industry and we’re confident that our line-up of compliant products will support electricians, contractors, and our partners – ultimately putting them in a great position to adapt to the needs of homes of the future and giving them some much needed peace of mind.”

Scolmore appoints new ASM for the North London region

Scolmore is delighted to welcome Dan Tuohy to the role of Area Sales Manager for the North London region. Dan brings a wealth of experience to the company, following more than 13 years working in various sales roles within the construction and electrical industries. In his most recent positions with a global cable and cable accessory supplier, and a leading LED lighting manufacturer, he worked with national and independent wholesalers, as well as a range of medium and large electrical contracting companies, helping to win major projects in and around the London area, including high end hotels, a premier league football stadium and government buildings. In his role with Scolmore as Area Sales Manager for the North London region, Dan will be responsible for developing new and existing customer relationships at an independent and national level. As Scolmore continues to grow and expand its product offer, Dan will ensure that customers are kept up to date with all the latest developments – from a product, technology, and regulations point of view. Last year saw the launch of two new major product ranges, with the Click Smart+ home automation range and the Elucian by Click range of consumer units both having a strong impact. Dan comments: “It’s an exciting time to be joining the team at Scolmore. It is a forward-thinking company, always looking for ways to enhance its range of products, as well as the service and support it offers to its customers. I am looking forward to a busy and rewarding future with them.”

Study identifies over £38bn in economic benefits from CityFibre's rollout

A new report has highlighted the extent to which the rollout of full fibre networks by CityFibre will support the Government’s nationwide levelling-up programme by unlocking economic growth and reducing the digital divide in different areas of the country which currently experience vast differences in both coverage and service quality. Research by the consultancy Hatch, commissioned by CityFibre, has identified over £38bn in potential economic benefits, derived over a 15-year period, stemming from CityFibre’s rollout of future-proof full fibre infrastructure in 285 cities, towns and villages in England and Scotland. Productivity improvements and innovation are responsible for the largest impact, driving more than £22bn in GVA gains nationwide. This is due to the positive effect that far faster and more reliable digital connectivity has been shown to have on business productivity and innovation, increasing turnover and contributing to the formation of new businesses and business models. The continuing transition to home and flexible working, supported by full fibre access at home and in the office, coupled with advances in the development of e-recruitment software, contribute to businesses being able to exercise greater choice from a larger pool of labour. This widening of the workforce is expected to unleash £4.8bn in GVA while flexible working productivity uplifts are estimated to exceed £1.2bn. The report also identified up to £15bn added to the value of homes reached by the new networks. Hatch also considered the wider benefits that go beyond the core economic benefits of deployment. As a future-proofed digital infrastructure platform, full fibre is a critical enabler of new technologies that are expected to have a major impact on our society and economy. The report demonstrates that CityFibre’s networks will help unlock £53bn in GVA from 5G services, £16bn from the Internet of Things and £9.3bn from Smart City initiatives. The shift from copper networks to energy efficient full fibre networks is also calculated to save more than 2m tonnes of CO2 emissions. The direct impact of network construction is also identified as a major contributor of economic growth, creating 16.4k jobs within CityFibre’s build partners and supply chain. The new jobs will also generate an estimated £1.8 billion in incremental GVA and most will be regionally recruited to support local build projects. The report identifies the regional economic impacts of CityFibre’s rollout programme, highlighting the positive role it will play in supporting the Government’s levelling-up agenda. A third of CityFibre’s rollout locations are in places the Government has identified as most in need of levelling up funding, providing a crucial economic boost to these regions. This also includes a high proportion of locations ranked as being in the 10% most deprived parts of England. The North of England is identified as the region that stands to be the biggest beneficiary, with the rollout spanning more than 100 locations across North-East, North-West and Yorkshire. Hatch estimates the positive impacts on the North include £8bn in productivity and innovation gains, £1.5bn from a widened workforce, £410m in Local Authority efficiency savings and £4bn in increased house value. Greg Mesch, Chief Executive at CityFibre, says: “This report demonstrates just how powerful a tool full fibre is in levelling up the UK. Digital infrastructure competition is driving billions of pounds of private investment from incumbents and challengers and every pound spent is unlocking economic growth, new jobs and more efficient public services in some of the most deprived parts of the country. We’re delighted to see the impact of our contribution and we look forward to playing an ever-larger role in future.” Henri Murison, Director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, says: “This report from CityFibre highlights the huge productivity boost Full Fibre can give the economy and is a critical part of levelling up, with the north of England standing to benefit the most from private led investment. It is now the role of government to make sure that any public investment maximises what can be achieved through piggy backing on these benefits derived from effective competition.”

Plugged in and ready to go: NICEIC unveils all-new episodes of THE WIRE

NICEIC has further bolstered the support available to their 38,000 registered businesses as they launch all-new episodes of the hit CPD certified webinar series THE WIRE. Covering the most relevant technical topics, the new schedule kicks off on April 28th at 8pm with a general Q&A session on the recently published Second Amendment to BS 7671:2018. Providing expert technical guidance, the new series will also include episodes discussing how the Amendment will impact RCD testing, certification and reporting, and EV charging installations. Recognising technical expertise is not the only support needed, THE WIRE will also deliver two dedicated webinars focusing on Improving mental health and wellbeing during May. "THE WIRE is proving to be a welcomed and sought-after resource for our registered contractors," says Sarah Hunter, NICEIC's Events and Marketing Manager. "In this year alone, we have exceeded 20,000 views via our live broadcasts and on-demand service. The feedback we have received has also been extremely positive. "We are committed to building on this and are confident that the new episodes will not only meet our customer's expectations but that they will exceed them." THE WIRE is CPD certified, and all attendees tuning into an episode live or on-demand will receive a personalised CPD certificate which counts towards the EAS requirement.

UK Power Networks announces new flexibility tender from this summer

UK Power Networks is making more than £13million available for 292MW of flexible power across 113 different sites in London, the East and Southeast of England. The new procurement event includes locations with early start dates (up to just four weeks after arrangements are made), offering an immediate revenue opportunity for existing generators, energy storage and demand side response. The market is now open for registrations. Sotiris Georgiopoulos, Head of Smart Grid Development at UK Power Networks, says the tender demonstrates how technology and data are coming together to help flexible assets earn additional revenues through flexibility services. These will help cut costs for customers and create new opportunities for renewable energy, heralding the way for the smart grid of the future. As more people choose to use low carbon, electric technologies, the demand on the electricity network continues to rise and greater capacity will be needed on the network at peak times. ‘Flexibility’ arrangements manage the outputs from renewable energy generators such as batteries and wind turbines, and major energy users can sign up to reduce their demand at peak times to benefit financially - offering a lower-cost way to bring more energy into the system, rather than building new electrical infrastructure. Sotiris comments: “We know that flexibility can provide a cost-effective and quick alternative to building new infrastructure to help manage the rise in low carbon technologies like electric vehicles and heat pumps. This latest tender underlines our commitment to the market. Establishing an independent DSO is demonstrating to potential providers of flexibility that UK Power Networks, as the market facilitator is credible and evaluates options with impartiality.”

Vent-Axia’s PureAir Home PIV eliminates condensation in problem home

PureAir Home from Vent-Axia has proven to be the perfect solution in a home suffering from severe condensation. The Lo-Carbon PureAir Home Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) unit with heater was installed in the Rudling’s three-bedroom detached home in Colchester, Essex. Bought as a new build in 1985, the condensation problem was so severe that the homeowners were using a window vac and towels to mop up the condensation daily. Since the installation of the PIV, the house has been condensation free. The PureAir Home unit with integrated heater was installed by Mr Rudling, a qualified electrician, who found it easy to install due to the electrical connection. It has been installed in their loft. Air is drawn into the PureAir Home unit via the loft from outside and incoming air is filtered via the high-grade ISO ePM10 or ePM2.5 filters removing nasty contaminates before gently introducing it into the habitable areas of the property. The diffuser directs the airflow upwards where the incoming air mixes with the warm air that gathers at ceiling height. “This bit of kit is absolutely amazing; it’s been a life changer! We have not had a single bit of condensation since installing. I really cannot say enough about its excellent performance and how our house is condensation free - I love it”, says Mrs Rudling. “I no longer spend my mornings vacuuming my windows and mopping up pools of water on windowsills. I now spend every morning driving to work looking for houses with bad condensation and saying to myself ‘they need a Vent-Axia!!’ I cannot tell you how impressed my hubby and I are. I honestly feel I want to be a salesperson for this truly amazing PIV.” The PureAir Home PIV offers whole house air purification and humidity control. Designed to improve IAQ and prevent moisture build-up, the PureAir Home offers a highly effective solution to control condensation and mould, as well as offering high levels of air filtration. The PureAir Home reduces the risk of health issues in the home by improving indoor air quality and quickly eradicating conditions that lead to mould growth and associated health issues such as asthma and itchy skin. Providing fresh, tempered air into the home that is drier than the inside air, the PureAir Home creates an indoor environment where condensation and mould find it hard to exist, benefiting occupants and avoiding the damaging effects on the building. Boasting quick and simple installation, the PIV unit is highly energy efficient, unobtrusive, near silent and helps provide a healthy environment. The PureAir Home’s discreet diffuser features Smart Air technology, which increases airflow performance by 10% but at a lower noise level compared to traditional diffuser designs, while allowing control over airflow direction. SmartSenseTM control allows quick and accurate set up and an automatic summer shut off stops warm air coming back into the property.

Ansell Lighting has now expanded its Spanish team

As part of its growth and expansion strategy, Ansell Lighting has appointed three new team members to its Madrid office. Skilled linguist Cristina Sanchez Brihuega joins the business as Head of Graphic Design and Marketing for Ansell Spain, whilst Laura Gámez Diez takes the position of Specification Manager, having previous held roles with Lledó, Simon and Gewiss. Eider Carrasco joins the business as Account Manager North. The trio will join the existing team of five and will be based in Madrid at Ansell’s newly launched 270 square metre showroom on Calle Santa Teresa 7. The Madrid location is Ansell’s second dedicated European showroom and launched to give the business a centre from which to drive its expansion into the Spanish, Portuguese, and neighbouring European markets. Pedro Gogorza, Country Manager for Spain, says: “We are delighted to welcome Cristina, Laura and Eider to our expanding team and look forward to using their expertise to improve the service we are providing to our European clients.” Mark Abbott, Managing Director at Ansell Lighting comments: “These appointments are another demonstration of our commitment to expanding our presence in Europe. We wanted to ensure our new Madrid office had suitable in-house marketing support as well as the specification expertise required by our prospective clients.”

Lighting the way to better learning with Tamlite Lighting

Lighting within the education sector is, and has always been, about striking the right balance between artificial and natural light. Achieving this balance has a number of benefits – both physically and psychologically. In fact, The Heschong Mahone Group conducted a study that found students receiving high levels of natural light achieved test scores up to 18% higher than students receiving minimal natural light. Modern interior lighting for this sector must take great consideration for enhancing visual communication, eliminating eye strain, and avoiding excessive internal illuminance. The best education-based lighting solutions work alongside natural light, not against it. Whether it’s a classroom, lecture room, laboratory or workshop, this approach brings about the best environment for concentration and development. Across nurseries, schools and higher education establishments, attention levels have always been significantly linked to light. There have been many research projects in the education sector that have linked daylighting with increased achievement rates, health, and attendance. Many classrooms are predominantly lit using large vertical windows at the back of the room. By applying natural daylighting systems, a classroom can be supplied with 300% more daylight, while also reducing the lighting energy cost significantly. LED lighting can also help students overcome early-morning tiredness and help boost their concentration levels and wellbeing throughout the day. Education spaces frequently have students looking at visual display units for long periods. As a result, luminaires that cast a wide-reaching light and feature adjustable outputs are optimal for projects in which learning is the focus. Daylight dimming via PIR sensors can be a key aspect within lighting for education since these installations can switch lights on when an area is occupied and can maintain a chosen lux level by dimming the lights in response to changes in the ambient daylight level. The luminaires will then turn off if that room or area is not in use – perfect for school corridors during lesson time and/or lunch halls either side of meal breaks. Lighting for wellbeing in education environments The continuous wellbeing of students is vitally important – particularly younger pupils. Their development is crucial and educational facilities need to be able to aid this as much as possible. Lighting should not have a negative effect on students and should make those using the space feel comfortable and function to enhance wellbeing – this in turn can have significant benefits in terms of focus and productivity. The more comfortable a person feels when studying, the better they will perform, particularly over long periods. This is also the case for the teachers. It is so important to ensure that the lighting in a school, college, or university is not distracting. Light that is too intense, or directed into people’s vision, can cause eyestrain which then leads to headaches and migraines. Headaches and migraines can in turn cause illness and sick days – with 2,133,253 days taken as sickness absence by teachers in 2018/19 in total, many could be attributed to such symptoms. Luminaires that deliver light with as minimal glare as possible can solve many problems within these environments Lighting design for education Amongst the key deliverables of a lighting design within any learning environment are: Achieving adequate light levels, including the lighting of teachers’ and pupils’ faces for good visual communication Giving priority to daylight in all teaching spaces, circulation, staff offices and social areas Providing adequate views to the outside or into the distance to ensure visual comfort and help avoid eye strain Providing lighting controls that are easy to use Providing means to control daylight and sunlight, to avoid glare, excessive internal illuminance and summertime overheating Providing emergency lighting in all areas required by law The basis of a successful lighting design is to consult the client and, potentially, end user as early as possible, to understand how the educational space will be used, and how best to provide a lit environment that meets the needs of those in the space. The technical decisions that deliver an appropriately integrated system, that meets the specifications and standards, and accounts for advice from guides such as LG5 and TM66, can follow if the desired outcome has been properly defined and interpreted by employing the expertise of a lighting professional. Tamlite - lighting for education Tamlite manufactures lighting solutions that fit all education needs - fine-tuned to create the perfect learning environment. The range includes surface, suspended, and recessed modules, downlights, wall lights and more – all designed to provide the ideal setting for students and teachers to thrive in. Explore the company’s education offering here.

Toolstation helps refurbish Southbrook Community Centre

Toolstation has announced its latest tie-up with the Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) Community Interest Company, helping fund the young volunteers participation in refurbishing the Southbrook Community Centre, in Daventry. The final work on the project saw the young volunteers fully renovate the centre with new rooms, finishes, decoration and features, enabling the centre to reopen and offer a wide range of services, including sport and physical activity, to the local area. Toolstation has also introduced the Northampton Saints Rugby Club charity, Northampton Saints Foundation, to the project, who have provided some of the young participants as part of their practical modules and players Tom Wood and Alex Waller joined in to help the participants with carpentry, building outdoor furniture for the cafe and kitchen space. Inspired by the rich heritage of Northampton Saints, the Foundation inspires, supports and educates young people who are struggling within mainstream education, low in confidence and in need of direction to a positive future. The community centre was disused for many years and after campaigning by local residents the space has been saved. The new trustees of the space include Northamptonshire Sport and the local council. The project saw 24 volunteers, aged between 14-24 years old, the majority of whom are disengaged or excluded from mainstream education and training, help to improve the facilities. The new community space will be used for activities including judo, gymnastics, a bike recycling project and also include a cafe and kitchen space. As part of the refurbishment the volunteers updated the main room, offices and adjoining rooms. They also helped to build outdoor furniture and decking and helped with other carpentry work. 27 City & Guilds accreditations in Painting and Decorating and Health and Safety were earned. In total the group have spent 40 days on the project, learning new hands-on skills and gaining meaningful work experience. The City & Guilds accreditations, skills training, and mentoring of the volunteers were funded by Toolstation. The initiative is helping more young people learn trade and employability skills and to consider a career in the construction and building industry. The VIY programme combines DIY and volunteering and challenges young people to help repair and refurbish community facilities in their area while learning vocational trade skills on the job, helping them become more employable in the construction sector. Toolstation plans on funding further VIY projects throughout the year and aims to help over 100 young people gain qualifications and consider a career in the trade.