BAFE Accreditation for ESP

ESP is proud to announce that it has been awarded BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment) accreditation for its fire design service. BAFE is the independent registration body for Third Party Certified fire safety service providers across the UK, and ESP now appears on the National BAFE Fire Safety Register. BAFE manages and maintains a Scheme called BAFE SP203-1 which covers Fire Detection and Alarm Systems. This Scheme exists to deliver quality, independent evidence that providers – like ESP - are competent to deliver fire system designs for its fire detection and alarm systems. ESP is only permitted to become BAFE Registered and appear on the national BAFE Fire Safety Register once the company holds the appropriate/valid Third-Party Certification. ESP continue to meet the criteria of the relevant BAFE Scheme. This establishes robust evidence of competency requirements that demonstrates the provider’s commitment to quality. It also provides assurances to ESP’s customers that the company will deliver a fire system design that complies with all the relevant British Standards. Matt Tighe, Technical Services Manager with ESP, had a key role to play in facilitating the accreditation and comments: “The Scheme is a set of comprehensive competency requirements that have been developed to incorporate the high-quality standards and best working practice for services within the fire safety industry. It is a legal requirement for all non-domestic/commercial properties to be equipped with fire detectors and fire alarms. It is also part of these requirements to ensure they are designed, installed and maintained appropriately, and ready to activate in the event of a fire. At ESP we strongly recommend using an appropriate Third Party Certificated provider. This demonstrates that the person or team appointed to be responsible for fire safety in a building has acted with due diligence to source a competent provider for any design, install, commissioning and maintenance works.”

Ansell Adds Coastal Product to its Aztec Floodlighting Range

Ansell Lighting has added a marine grade finish product to its popular floodlight range, Aztec. Aztec Coastal has been designed to ensure resistance from corrosion, rust and colour fade from salty air and harsh weather conditions and is recommended for applications situated within 50 miles of the coast. The new product underwent a concentrated saline 3000 hour salt spray test, and with an IP66 rating it can withstand severe weather conditions and is protected against ingression and damage from sea salt. Created in Ansell’s Warrington-based design and innovation centre, the Aztec LED floodlighting range offers a variety of options, sophisticated aesthetics, durability, high output performance and sustainability. The range – including Aztec Coastal – is available in Symmetric and Asymmetric distributions and in a wide range of wattages (50Watt, 100Watt, 150Watt, 200Watt and 300Watt) and the grey powder-coasted die-cast aluminium housing provides the Aztec with a discreet understated aesthetic. The Aztec Coastal Symmetric floodlight provides an evenly distributed beam distribution pattern, typically around 120° x 120°, making it ideal for shipping ports, outdoor storage and container facilities,  while the Aztec Coastal Asymmetric floodlight has a beam distribution pattern of 120° x 60°, so is perfect for car ferry and passenger terminals, car parks, docks and harbours, promenades, piers, sports pitches and tennis courts. The Aztec Coastal also serves an impressive 150 LPW efficacy, ensuring lower energy consumption with the same high levels of output to reduce energy costs. The 300W variation delivers 44,000 lumens and the LED lifespan of L80 B10 54,000 hours ensures minimal lumen depreciation over the lifetime of the luminaire. The product comes with 1.5m of pre-wired cable and a movable, angled bracket to make installation quick and simple, and also carries Ansell’s five year guarantee. Mark Abbott, Managing Director at Ansell Lighting says: “Our Aztec floodlighting range is very popular and was already suited to a broad range of applications. This Coastal product really completes to offering ensuring there is a product available for even the most extreme environments. The extensive testing it has undergone should reassure customers that they are buying a robust and reliable product for challenging applications.”

Pastries, Pyjamas and Pillow Fights for Aico’s Children In Need Fundraiser

Aico, a European market leader in homelife safety are always up for a challenge, especially when it comes to raising money for charity. On Friday 19th November, Aico colleagues attended work in their pyjamas, onesies and dressing gowns, and endeavoured to raise money for Children In Need by baking cakes, pastries and strudels. Colleagues had the opportunity to give a donation to the charity for the crucial support that they provide to children and young people for these tasty treats! Throughout 2021, Aico’s CSR programme, ‘Aico in the Community’, have focused on helping young people to tackle prevalent issues such as deprivation, education and mental health. Aico have supported several local organisations, charities and schools through donations and volunteering. Aico support Children In Need each year, Children In Need are the BBC’s charity and their mission is to help ensure every child in the UK is safe, happy, secure and has the opportunities they need to reach their potential. They support children and young people affected by a whole range of disadvantages such as poverty, disability, illness, distress or trauma. They also work with a range of partners to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing the UK’s children and young people today, including: mental health and wellbeing, violence impacting young people; access to employment, and social injustice. Clare Polden, Finance Clerk for Aico comments “Aico have supported Children in need for many years, this year we came dressed in our PJ’s and had a cake sale. It was amazing to see so many colleagues get involved and raise money for such a fantastic cause to support children in the UK. During the year, Aico colleagues get involved and raise money for many charities. These can be local or national charities by dressing down, fancy dress or just general craziness! It’s just fantastic that we can come together as a company to raise money for such good causes and have fun.”

ECA warns lack of EV strategy could leave UK divided 

The ECA has welcomed today’s government announcement at CBI’s annual conference that all new homes in England will be installed with electric vehicle charge points (EVCPs). Speaking at the conference, Boris Johnson announced that all new homes and non-residential buildings will be required to have EVCPs installed, adding 145,000 new charging points a year between now and 2030 to the network of 250,000 already installed in homes and workplaces so far. ECA Director of CSR Paul Reeve says: “This is a welcome announcement but the bigger challenge across the UK is public access charging. With most EVCP plans centred around London and the south east, there is still a real danger of charging blackspots in many parts of the country. “‘Levelling-up’ should also mean closing the urban-rural gap when it comes to EV charging infrastructure and installation skills.” A Freedom of Information request conducted by ECA in September 2021 found that two thirds of local authorities in the UK have no plans for installing public EVCPs. Over half said EVCPs were prohibitively expensive to install and over a third said constraints such as a lack of energy network capacity were also preventing EVCP deployment. One borough council spokesperson said: “One of the barriers is the uncoordinated approach on EV charging points – policy is not joined up enough and this makes them more difficult for the public to use.”

Flamgard Calidair secures HVAC contracts for Hinkley Point C

The United Kingdom is undergoing a generational shift towards sustainable energy, and nuclear power is a key part of this new strategy due to its low-carbon energy production. Hinkley Point C is the first nuclear power station to be built in the UK for over 20 years, and is the flagship development for the new era of nuclear power. Hinkley Point C will not only generate more energy than any other nuclear plant in the UK, its construction is setting the blueprint for a new age of energy production. With a great deal of experience in both new-build and decommissioning projects within the nuclear sector, Flamgard Calidair, a Halton company, has secured a series of contracts for Hinkley Point C including balancing, isolation and non-return dampers. Hinkley Point C will generate approximately 3,260MW of low-carbon energy per year across its 60-year lifespan – enough to support six million homes in the UK. What’s more, the plant will offset around nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, and contribute significantly to the government’s net zero objectives. Hinkley Point C has already created thousands of jobs through planning and construction contracts, and will go on to support a significant number of permanent positions once the plant is operational. The development of Hinkley Point C poses unique challenges, including meeting a range of new nuclear power regulations for the first time. Achieving compliance with the latest standards for nuclear power will not only ensure that Hinkley Point C operates safely and effectively throughout its lifespan, it will also establish best practice within the sector and help to develop efficient nuclear supply chains for Britain. Over the past three years, Flamgard has conducted and participated in several research and development projects for nuclear initiatives, and ultimately developed bespoke solutions specifically for Hinkley Point C. Designed to deliver across a range of key performance criteria depending on the application of each damper, Flamgard’s products will support safety throughout the Somerset-based complex. Shuresh Maran, Business Development Director at Flamgard Calidair, comments: “Hinkley Point C is a hugely significant project not just for Flamgard Calidair, but for the whole nuclear industry in Britain. Ambitious targets for net zero emissions and environmentally-friendly energy production are driving demand for nuclear power, and it is vital that we as a country develop the supply chains and expertise required to deliver it.” Flamgard Calidair have been successfully awarded the frame agreement by Axima Nucleaire to supply various damper categories which have been specifically designed, developed and tested for the stringent UK nuclear regulations as well as project specifications. With deliveries up to 2024, forming a solid foundation of work for the South Wales based firm. The progress being made at Hinkley Point C bodes well for the Sizewell C Consortium, of which Flamgard is a member, which is advocating for the advancement of plans to build a new nuclear power station in Suffolk known as Sizewell C. With construction of Hinkley Point C well under way and Sizewell C looking promising, the UK is making great strides in nuclear power generation and the low-carbon energy it brings.

Viessmann launches electric heating product range

Viessmann has launched a range of electric heating products to the UK, following strategic acquisitions by the Viessmann Group, to grow its electrified heating offer.   A new 4-24 kW Vitotron electric system boiler, three Vitotherm direct hot water heaters and three Vitoplanar electric space heaters can be purchased from various merchants in the UK, building on Viessmann’s long-established range of electric heat pumps.  “Centralised electricity generation is becoming greener and more sustainable and in line with that, it is expected that the cost of electricity will reduce to be closer with gas and oil, making electric heating a more attractive proposition for an increasing number of UK homes,” says Viessmann marketing director, Darren McMahon.  “Heat pumps are not suited to every property, particularly apartments and smaller properties that have low heat losses and require a small system with just a few radiators. Here, Viessmann’s compact Vitotron electric boiler can deliver the desired comfort for a significantly lower installed cost. We expect electric boilers to be popular with housebuilders, as well as electricians, in the face of the 2035 fossil fuel boiler ban. They will also benefit from lower installation costs compared to conventional boilers, due to the absence of flues and gas supply pipework,” continues Darren. Viessmann’s Vitotron 100 boiler system is equipped with a five-litre expansion vessel. It is available as a 4-8kW model for single phase power and up to 24kW with three phase and has 99.4% efficiency. Advanced controls bring a range of functionalities designed to keep operating costs down, including regulation of water temperature in the heating circuit from 20 to 85°C, automatic heater power modulation when fitted with the weather compensated control option, temperature programming and a ‘time of use’ tariff for reduced overnight charges, or in conjunction with new smart energy tariffs. It’s simple to install and can operate in conjunction with other heat sources, such as solar PV. Viessmann is also introducing three Vitotherm hot water heaters that only consume electricity when hot water is needed, ideal for homes and offices. The ES4 model is available as an under or over sink heater in five or 10-litre versions; the Vitotherm EI5 is tankless.  The Vitoplanar range of space heaters includes the EC4 model, a slimline wall-mounted convector heater with 500-2000W output; the EI2 and EI6 infrared panel heaters, available in mirrored glass or white steel finishes with outputs from 325-900W; and the Vitoplanar EF2 electric underfloor heating mats with outputs from 150-1275W for installation in screed or tile cement type floors.

Ovia boosts its floodlighting range

Ovia has just launched its biggest, most comprehensive catalogue since the company was established two years ago. At over 400 pages the new, Ovia Issue 3 catalogue boasts an additional 100 pages on the previous edition and features a raft of brand new products, including additions to the floodlighting range which now incorporates a range of LED asymmetric floodlights. The new Inceptor Ace range of adjustable, LED asymmetric floodlights provides high quality indoor and outdoor lighting solutions. Asymmetric floodlights are superior in concentrating light where it is needed by using reflectors to direct light in front of the fixture where illuminance is required. With symmetric floodlights, on the other hand, the light is distributed evenly in all directions. Asymmetric floodlights can achieve up to a 50% better output utilisation into the intended illuminated area. With the benefit of a lower light pollution, they are best suited in areas where light distribution and its effect on neighbours is a consideration. This makes them ideal for installation in built-up areas, towns and cities, for example for use in sports grounds, warehouses and loading bays. All Ovia Inceptor Ace floodlights are IP65 rated and come with a five year warranty. They are available in a black finish, in 50W, 100W, 150W, 200W and 300W versions, with 4000K cool white LEDs. They are supplied with a 2m pre-wired cable flex for quick and easy installation, and a fully adjustable aluminium mounting bracket, which allows full control of the projection angle. The Inceptor Ace floodlights are also available in photocell versions (100W, 150W, 200W and 300W). With all the features and benefits of the standard fitting described above, the photocell option allows for use with remote PIRs or microwave sensors. The photocell versions turn the light on when the light level drops under 10-20 lux and turns the light off once the light level is over 30-60 lux.

Powering Royal Navy ships with hybrid-electric engines

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Market Exploration called Hybridisation of the Navy, which aims to identify hybrid powertrain technologies for Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships. This Market Exploration is being run on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Naval Ships Support Central Engineering Team and seeks hybrid powertrain technologies to explore options that will implemented by 2030, to aid the defence environmental sustainability strategy to reduce carbon emissions by 2050. Proposals submitted to this Market Exploration should be at Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 5-9. Using hybrid engines to reduce the emissions of Royal Navy and Auxiliary ships hybrid powertrain solutions for RN and RFA ships could reduce emissions by 20-40% by 2030. It wants to understand the hybrid powertrain market for ships that meet the capability requirements for Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), as solutions will be retrofitted to ships. They are seeking solutions per vessel, based around electrification (AC as well as DC) and electrical storage. Solutions will be able to be retrofitted to current vessels and will not have a negative impact on their individual operational capability. Preferable solutions will be weight saving or neutral. What kind of ships will solutions need to be implemented on? mass of 65,000 Tonnes at a speed of no less than 25 Knots mass of 6,900 Tonnes at a minimum of 26 Knots mass of 7,350 Tonnes at a minimum speed requirement of 32 Knots Do you have an in-depth understanding of emerging capabilities, technologies, initiatives and novel approaches that may help better the understanding of the hybrid powertrain market? Submit an idea and help inform UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Naval Ships Support Central Engineering Team in methods for reducing carbon emissions in the Royal Navy.

Aico Abseil in support of The Movement Centre

Aico have recently hosted an abseiling challenge in aid of local charity, The Movement Centre. Alongside other businesses from across Shropshire, Aico and HomeLINK colleagues challenged themselves to scale the side of their 60ft headquarters, raising over £2,200 for the charity. With Aico’s prominent headquarters becoming a well-known landmark in Oswestry, it provided the perfect setting to host the abseiling event. With 50 spaces available, Aico were joined by other local businesses who were keen to get involved with this amazing cause, including Pave Aways, Adrenaline Sporting Events, Willowdene Rehabilitation, Furrows Group, Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, Sol Distribution, Beaumont Wealth, Borders Physio, BBC Radio Shropshire and HSBC. Deryn Ellis-Thomas, Marketing Executive for Aico, who completed the abseil comments “Corporate Social Responsibility is such a crucial part of the ethos at Aico, and to be part of such a large group of supporters from local businesses was fantastic. The Movement Centre are an incredible charity that change the lives of children with movement disabilities, and while dangling off our 60ft building certainly isn’t a typical Monday, it was definitely memorable and worthwhile to raise vital funds.” Everyone who took part had the support of their families, friends, and colleagues, cheering them on from the car park below; also amongst the spectators was five year-old Wilson and his family, who are currently receiving support from The Movement Centre and dropped by to support the abseilers before Wilson’s therapy session. Aico have a longstanding relationship with The Movement Centre, and have shown continued support through fundraising activities and donations, organised as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility programme, Aico in the Community. Understanding the financial difficulties that all charities have faced during the pandemic, Aico recognise that the need to give back to their local communities is more important than ever. Johnny Wilkes, CEO of The Movement Centre, says of the event “We were delighted to be invited to attend the Aico Charity Abseil today and meet the Aico staff who had volunteered as well as those from other organisations. The event was very well organised, and we were very impressed with the bravery of everyone who went outside of their comfort zone to complete the abseil - well done and a massive thank you for raising funds for our charity; it really does make a huge difference! Team Aico leading the way."

Schneider Electric gives away free welcome pack on mySchneider

Schneider Electric is giving away a free welcome goodie pack to all electricians who sign up or log into mySchneider on the web and complete their profile information. This ongoing offer has already seen 2,000 welcome packs sent out, with approximately 500 of those being given to electricians in the last couple of months. mySchneider web aims to provide the electrical community with one-stop-shop access to training, tools and business advice, as well as exclusive discounts and special offers. After completing all profile details, electricians will automatically be upgraded to ‘Premier Partner’ level – with further benefits including a badge for branding and invitations to focus groups. Nico Van Der Merwe, VP Home & Distribution UK and Ireland at Schneider Electric, says “We are delighted to offer electricians a free welcome pack through mySchneider. Our mySchneider electricians are the beating heart of the electrical industry and we are constantly striving to come up with ways that we can support them. I hope they enjoy the packs!”