Unicrimp introduces new electrical accessories catalogue

Unicrimp has produced a new catalogue which includes its very latest product launch - the OB1 sealant and adhesive range – which will sit alongside the company’s market-leading range of electrical accessories products. OB1 is a market-leading, high-spec hybrid construction sealant and adhesive with a tried and tested formulation and has been used by the trade for over 15 years.  Unicrimp is now the exclusive distributor of the range through the UK electrical wholesale channel. What makes OB1 stand out is its versatility, flexibility and its 24-hour full curing time.  Available in a range of colours, this one product can bond and seal an extensive range of materials including aluminium, wood, metal, steel, concrete and glass.  OB1 also works in damp conditions and even under water. The new catalogue also showcases Unicrimp’s full range of electrical accessories products marketed under the Q-Crimp brand name. The product offering comprises an extensive range of cable management consumables, including stainless steel cable ties, nylon cable ties, crimp terminals, PVC tape, copper tube terminals, cable clips, and brass and nylon glands.  The Q-Fire section of the catalogue includes the fire-rated Metal Twin and Earth Cable Clips that are 18th edition compliant. Available to download now from the Unicrimp website or via the Scolmore Group App, the new, full colour, A4 catalogue brings together recently-launched and existing products to provide a comprehensive and valuable resource for wholesalers, specifiers, contractors and procurement professionals.

Export success for LED lighting business at Midlands awards ceremony

A home-grown LED lighting specialist has been lauded for its export credentials following a Midlands’ awards win. And the Leicestershire-based business is closing the year with over 80% of its work now taking place in overseas territories. Ventola Projects, based in Anstey, is in a celebratory mood after scooping the export award at the Insider Made in the Midlands ceremony in Birmingham. The business, which makes VAvR lighting products, was rewarded by judges for its ingenuity over lockdown, re-engineering its primary product to be 80% more efficient for pandemic-hit clients, as well as reformulating the technology into a kiosk entry system for venues during the height of the pandemic. The lighting is typically seen in hospitality & leisure environments, such as family entertainment centres, hotels, bars and restaurants. "What a way to cap off the year” says Ventola Projects founder, Mick Ventola. "2020 and 2021 have been like no other – but we did what we could to adapt to the crisis we all faced. "Entertainment operators understand now more than ever that guest safety is paramount, and businesses supporting these industries need to diversify their product offering to survive in a tough economic climate. “We’re delighted to be recognised by our Midland’s peers, and we look forward to continuing to help maximise guest safety and entertainment across the world.” In business for over 30 years, Ventola Projects has grown from a small electrical repairs firm to a global entity, with distribution set up in the USA and Middle East. Its history is teemed with iconic projects, including US Air Force Bases, Qatari Royal Palaces and iconic hotels, such as Bally’s Hotel and Tahiti Village Hotel in Las Vegas. At home, the firm enjoys a long-standing relationship with Ten Entertainment Group – the parent brand of Tenpin – and has been named as Midlands Engine Export Champion since 2019, a title bestowed personally by the Secretary of State for HM Department for International Trade In January, the business further expanded its export efforts, securing compliance for its VAvR lighting in Australasia, and is heading into fall 2021 with new lucrative projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “Buzz and excitement for entertainment is back,” comments Mick. “But at the same time, the marketplace is completely changing. Where before you might have visited a bowling centre, a mini golf outlet or a restaurant venue in isolation, we’re now seeing these worlds converge. “No longer do people want to be traversing across town for the traditional night out, they want an experience that is all-in-one – fit for a variety of audiences and somewhere you can spend all day and/or all night. “Of course, there’s still an element of the old nightlife that still exists, but safety comes first – people don’t want to be exposing themselves to multiple venues, where the risk just increases with the more people and surfaces they encounter. “So we’re doing what we can to adjust to changing world, whilst keeping safety and efficiency at the forefront of our minds.”

Get ready for winter with WundaSmart

WundaSmart is a new smart heating system designed to give consumers superior control of their home central heating. Accurate, efficient controls save users money, energy and CO2 emissions, while bank-level encryption keeps data private. Even if the internet drops out on the coldest day of the year, WundaSmart will keep running and retain full accessibility, offering a completely unique alternative to the smart home heating category. WundaSmart is the first smart heating control system from Wunda to launch to market and it already has the coveted Good Housekeeping Institute Approved accreditation. Wunda is a British company with more than 15 years of expertise in home heating. The brand pioneered energy-efficient underfloor heating and has a Trust Pilot Excellent Rating. Manage your heating precisely from anywhere in the world with easy-to-tailor schedules to suit your lifestyle. Control via app, voice or stylish, simple control panels. Rooms you’re using are always at the perfect temperature but you’re not wasting energy heating other rooms, so bills shrink. This method, called zoning, has been shown in studies to provide energy savings of up to 37%. Unlike some smart heating systems, WundaSmart uses wireless thermostats positioned away from the radiators, and additional temperature sensors built into the radiator heads. Together, both devices measure room temperature more accurately (within 0.2°C) as well as humidity, which when unmonitored and untreated can lead to discomfort, mould and health issues. There are two thermostat designs: a simple, tamper-proof one that can be hidden and the WundaSmart Screen Thermostat with E Ink display and heating controls. WundaSmart uses a low energy seeker signal RF (Radio Frequency) system to link devices, rather than the more commonly used Zigbee or Z-Wave system which can lead to range issues. Wunda’s RF means a longer range with no need for RF signal repeaters, better battery life and more rooms. WundaSmart supports up to 30 rooms and 50 radiators, more than any other smart heating control system. It works reliably even in large houses and period properties with thick walls. Your data and preferences are always kept private. Usage data and settings are stored in your HubSwitch (the central control unit) rather than relying exclusively on cloud storage. Uniquely, this means that even when the WiFi goes down while you’re at home, you are still able to control your system via your LAN (Local Area Network). WundaSmart stays fully functional and accessible via its hardware or using the app, allowing you to change the heating settings and schedules as normal. This is also why the system is ‘snoop free’. The data is decentralised and there is no online database recording your every action. Room temperatures are controlled and scheduled via app and can be zoned – so you can control all of downstairs, or just one single room, at once. The app is easy to use and uniquely you can set three favourite room temperatures. One tap to choose eco, normal or cosy, for example. You can also control your heating with your voice through Amazon Alexa or Google Home. You can even use 'geo-fencing' on a room by room, user by user basis, which triggers the heating based on your smartphone location. For example, it can turn on automatically when you’re nearby (you set the radius, whether that’s 500m 100km). WundaSmart also modulates; adjusting and optimising the heating use depending on current conditions to keep your energy bills low. This means that when you set a heating period, WundaSmart won’t necessarily need to heat for the whole period, but instead will just retain the desired temperature. If there is a solar gain (such as sunshine through the window) or any activity that naturally brings the room up to temperature (such as more people in the room) then WundaSmart will not request hot water from your boiler. It’s the perfect example of nature and technology working hand in hand to be more efficient. WundaSmart is compatible with any water-based heating system, whether you have a combi or conventional boiler or heat pump. It can control radiators, water based underfloor heating and even hot water storage tanks. For example, you could save energy while away on holiday but use the smart controls on your way home to remotely prepare a tank of hot water for a bath. As with most other smart systems, WundaSmart installation can be carried out by a competent and DIY-savvy consumer in certain cases. However, Wunda recommend the main component - the HubSwitch - is connected to the heat source by a certified heating engineer to avoid any complications. Installation is quick and painless, typically taking less than two hours. The HubSwitch (pictured, below right) is retrofitted to the boiler controls. WundaSmart smart radiator heads work on 90% of UK radiators and fit most others with an adaptor. Then wireless smart thermostats and radiators are easy to fit by anyone and are placed throughout the house, paired with their rooms simply in the WundaSmart app.

UK construction jobs vacancies continue to soar

“We’re continuing to see the number of available UK jobs rising as the sector and economy as a whole recovers from the pandemic. The latest data shows that there were 43,000 construction job vacancies between July and September, by far the highest it’s ever been, and the first time it’s ever risen to over 40,000.     “This is a huge increase of 7,000 vacancies from June to August, which, at the time, was another record for the industry, showing a definite trend.     “These large increases in vacancies suggest that the industry is confident about the sector’s future, and is investing in manpower to tackle upcoming projects. However, with the number of jobs available continuing to increase, it appears that some companies are struggling to find staff to hire.     “Unfortunately, the sector also saw unemployment numbers rise by 9,000 to 62,0002, the highest figure since December to February (70,000) earlier this year.    “This corresponds with a large increase in redundancies over the same timeframe3, rising from 5,000 between May-July, to 9,000. This is the first time that redundancies have risen since February-April this year.      “This new data shows that there is still plenty of movement in the industry, and that will likely continue, with vacancies and redundancies both rising. Whilst unemployment remains high in construction, the sizable increase in new jobs provides hope for the future that this figure will fall once again, as long as companies are able to attract new staff.”     By Dominick Sandford, managing director, at IronmongeryDirect.

Electrical services company completes revamp at UK’s oldest hotel

A north west-headquartered electrical services company has completed a full electrical revamp on what is thought to be Europe’s oldest coaching inn. The age and significance of The Olde Bell in Hurley, Berkshire, which has hosted the likes of Richard Burton, Winston Churchill and Greta Garbo over the years, meant work was subject to stringent regulations covering which parts could be altered or even simply used for fittings. Ash Integrated Services, which is based in Atherton near Manchester, spent six months painstakingly working on the Grade II-listed building, parts of which date back to 1135, completely renewing its mains electricity provision, including new lighting and power throughout. The company, which offers integrated electrical, plumbing and heating services, also fitted a new fire alarm system, plus data and audio-visual connectivity in all bedrooms. Antony Grace, director at Ash Integrated Services, says: “Between COVID-19 and the heritage restrictions, we had a team of just two on-site, which meant each part of the work required a very tight turnaround. “The placement of each element of the wiring, the choice of lighting, and even the fittings holding components in place had to be carefully considered. “As a firm that specialises in renewable and low-carbon work, we also appreciate that even in older premises, improvements can still be made, and that by keeping these sites in use instead of building anew, we can help keep overall carbon emissions to a minimum. “By sensitively fitting the right modern electrical equipment with precision, particularly the state-of-the-art fire alarm system, we have helped protect the Olde Bell for many years to come.” The Olde Bell, which is arranged over five buildings, is a short walk from the River Thames and boasts accommodation, a restaurant, pub and conference facilities, as well as being a popular wedding venue. Antony adds: “As such an important historical building, it’s vital to ensure it continues to function well, in order to preserve it for future generations. “We’re really pleased with the work that we’ve carried out within a tight timescale.”

SSE and Jedlix aim to drive forward the UK’s biggest Virtual Power Plant

Energy company SSE and electric vehicle (EV) smart charging service provider Jedlix have signed a deal to deliver grid balancing services from EVs, harnessing smart charging technology to better manage grid supply and demand.   With the UK’s electricity network increasingly reliant on renewable energy assets, the partnership will allow domestic customers with EV charging to provide flexibility into the balancing market at times of system need, while reducing their energy bills.  Latest figures (August 2021) show that there were more than 600,000 plug-in vehicles registered in the UK. Last year saw the biggest annual increase in the number of registrations, with growth of 66% compared to 2019.  Stephen Stead, Director of Strategy and Digital Services at SSE Energy Solutions, says: “With now less than a decade until the ban on sales of fossil fueled vehicles, we’re seeing exponential growth of electric vehicles on the UK’s road. With transport responsible for nearly 30% of the nation’s carbon emissions, this is a vital and timely step if we’re to meet our collective 2050 net zero ambitions. “The significant increase in EVs also has the added potential benefit of enhancing power generation - boosting the capacities of distributed and renewable energy resources across the country. “Acting as a network of hundreds-of-thousands of mobile batteries, EVs can help reduce renewable energy assets’ dependency on traditional battery storage by creating a Virtual Power Plant that can provide the grid with greater system flexibility. “Our milestone partnership with Jedlix will not only help tackle the grid balancing challenges faced by networks, but reward EV customers for enabling a more sustainable and robust energy system.” Jedlix, from the Netherlands, is one of the leading smart charging service providers in Europe and has a growing number of car and charge point manufacturers integrated on its cloud platform. Its operation is fully automated in line with user settings, vehicle, and charger data. In return for their flexibility EV drivers are awarded a cashback on top of any savings they make on their energy bill. SSE’s partnership will help Jedlix users and partners, such as car manufacturers and charge point operators, minimise costs through SSE’s access to the balancing mechanism. The partnership is the latest venture within SSE’s strategy to build a portfolio of distributed energy resources, to provide energy and grid services.  Looking ahead, the two companies envisage entering other flexibility markets such as providing services to the Distribution Network Operators - the firms that operate power lines and infrastructure. Serge Subiron, CEO at Jedlix, comments: “We are thrilled to have this cooperation with SSE, one of the leaders in the British energy sector. This has the potential to establish the largest VPP for EVs in the UK. By opening the capacity to bid on the balancing mechanism, we have the perfect set up to enable existing and new B2B platform partners and also local energy retailers.  “We welcome local innovators in the e-mobility and energy domain to join our initiative to make sure any EV driver charging in any situation can benefit from smart charging.”

eFIXX partners with Luceco Group to launch 30 under 30 awards

eFIXX has announced the launch of its ‘30 under 30 awards’ on last night’s episode of eFIXX TV. In partnership with headline sponsor, Luceco Group, these awards will recognise up-and-coming talent within the industry and showcase the next generation of electrical contractors. With over 70 years industry experience, Luceco Group, which includes the BG Electrical, Luceco Lighting and Masterplug product brands is internationally recognised as one of the market leaders in key electrical categories. Gordon Routledge, Co-Founder of eFIXX comments: “The electrical industry is undergoing a period of tremendous change, with everything from electric vehicles to smart buildings driving the demand for talented electricians. The eFIXX 30 under 30 awards will celebrate the young people who are seizing the opportunities—those set to become the future leaders. By showcasing those already excelling in their careers, we will shine a light on the exciting options available in this dynamic industry.” John Williams, Trade and Specification Director at Luceco Group adds: “This award will recognise trailblazing individuals that go above and beyond in their daily working life, demonstrating excellence and a desire to contribute positively to this industry. We are extremely proud to be part of this process in recognising the emerging stars, and we hope this accolade will reward the brilliance of the next generation of electrical contractors.” Nominations are now open. It is free to enter, and you can nominate yourself or a colleague; entrants must have worked in the industry for at least one year. This is a great opportunity to gain recognition for your own work or the work of someone you know. Entries will close on 14 January 2022 and our winners will be revealed mid-March 2022.

Aberdeen to Stavanger: CityFibre’s local network passes 500km milestone 

CityFibre has now laid a staggering 550km of full fibre internet cables beneath the streets of Aberdeen as part of its £40m plan to future-proof the city’s digital connectivity. The UK’s largest independent full fibre platform’s landmark achievement means there is enough full fibre cabling connecting the city’s homes to take in the 503 kilometres to Stavanger in Norway, as the crow flies. Sitting on either side of the North Sea, the cities of Aberdeen and Stavanger are twinned, each relying heavily on the energy and fishing industries. Now, as a result of CityFibre’s Gigabit City Investment Programme, Aberdeen will join its Nordic neighbours in benefitting from full fibre enabled connectivity – something just around 25% of the UK population can access currently. Allan McEwan, CityFibre’s City Manager for Aberdeen, says: “Aberdeen and Stavanger have a well-established relationship, with the two city’s expertise and workforces collaborating and sharing knowledge across the North Sea. The fact that we have now laid enough fibre in Aberdeen to cover the distance between them really hits home how much progress we have made. We’re well on our way to making the city world-class in terms of its digital infrastructure, and the people of Aberdeen will reap the benefits for decades to come. “As a team, we’re really proud of the speed of deployment and benefits this will bring to Aberdeen, and with our network now live across many parts of the city we are pleased to be enabling residents to connect to the fastest and most reliable broadband services available. Ties with the North Sea industry has seen Aberdeen establish itself as a global energy hub, and a key player in the energy transition. We are confident that our full fibre network will provide the city with a critical boost on this journey and secure Aberdeen’s legacy as one of the world’s best digitally connected cities.” Aberdeen was one of the first of a growing number of locations in the UK to benefit from CityFibre’s £4bn Gigabit City Investment Programme which will bring new and improved broadband infrastructure within reach of up to eight million homes and businesses nationwide. CityFibre’s build partner GCU is working in various locations across the city, with work currently ongoing in the Bridge of Don, Rosemount, Cornhill, Kittybrewster, Sheddocksley and Spital areas.  Work has been completed across large sections of the city including Woodside, Garthdee, Ruthrieston, Mannofield, Kincorth, Broomhill, Kaimhill, Ferryhill, Northfield, Rosehill, Hazlehead, Airyhall, Mannofield, Hilton, and Torry, with more to follow shortly. As work is completed in each neighbourhood, residents can access some of the fastest and most competitive broadband packages available. In Aberdeen, services are available from launch partner, Vodafone, and TalkTalk, with other ISPs set to join the network soon.

Schneider Electric Introduces EcoStruxure Building Graph

Schneider Electric have announced EcoStruxure Building Graph, a new building operating system and linked data platform. The operating system will provide the digital twin of buildings for seamless access to building systems’ data and control. EcoStruxure Building Graph delivers value for building owners, operators, and tenants by linking the complex network of interactions between humans and the building, connecting data across various systems and IoT devices, and enabling secure data accessibility and application development. The future of smart buildings A truly smart building uses technology to deliver space and energy efficiencies, easily accommodates change, fosters resiliency, and links occupants to a better, more connected experience. But to drive more efficient workflows across the entire building lifecycle from the design to the build phase, buildings of the future need to be digitized to allow IT and OT systems to integrate in a more seamless and connected way. The challenge, however, is most buildings today have disparate systems, which inhibits integration. EcoStruxure Building Graph removes the complexities of integrating building systems and accessing building data in siloed environments. By introducing technology and system integration as a core component of the design phase of the building value chain, buildings will be future-proof and enable sustainable, resilient, efficient, and people-centric use cases. “Buildings are becoming smarter and more connected resulting in an exponential growth of data,” said Luis D’Acosta, Executive Vice President of Digital Energy Global at Schneider Electric. “Making the most of the data generated by buildings and people within them is key to delivering the full value of digitization and Buildings of the Future. EcoStruxure Building Graph removes the complexities that come with integrating building systems and provides application developers with the real-time data access they need to solve customer pain points, increase operational efficiency and deliver a better occupant experience.” EcoStruxure Building Graph’s key features EcoStruxure Building Graph alleviates integration complexities to deliver smart applications such as: Connected solutions: EcoStruxure Building Graph's technology integrates with Schneider Electric’s on-premise connected room solutions and BMS through EcoStruxure Building Operation. It is also complemented by Schneider Electric’s native cloud applications, Engage Enterprise and Building Advisor, as well as industry partner Planon. A focus on occupant well-being: By aggregating and contextualizing these data types in EcoStruxure Building Graph, the values can be easily accessed for comfort score ranking and analyzed to pinpoint opportunities to improve work environments.           Advanced BMS Technology: A cloud-based digital twin and linked data platform providing APIs and telemetry feeds to extensive data sources. EcoStruxure Building Graph creates unique value by unlocking opportunities through advanced automation, connected and integrated solutions, and building environment monitoring in real-time. EcoStruxure Building Graph in action Today, the Dar Group, a leading, privately-owned professional services group, is putting EcoStruxure Building Graph to use at its new 19,000-square-foot European headquarters in London to create a people-centric working environment focused on employee well-being enhanced by data. Using real-time data monitoring, the collaboration has resulted in reducing carbon emissions by 18.5% and being shortlisted for the prestigious global BREEAM 2021 Awards. “Dar Group and Schneider Electric share a common vision for creating sustainable communities worldwide,” says Andrew Loudon, UK&E MD at Dar Group. "Our European headquarters at 150 Holborn in London is pushing the boundaries of sustainable development and design with smart technology. We must have the right consultative partner and solutions to achieve the highest levels of efficiency to earn both LEED Platinum and BREEAM Excellent certifications. Loudon continues, “Schneider Electric and its EcoStruxure Building Graph building operating system supports Dar’s sustainability goals by eliminating silos to monitor systems and aggregate data, making the data accessible in a secure, contextualized manner for these important ongoing reporting purposes.  At the same time, we will be able to leverage data to create a people-centric work environment focused on our employees’ well-being. The EcoStruxure platform using open frameworks, standards and applications enables the potential for future integrations and functionality, and this iconic building sets a new standard for buildings of the future and will serve as a model for all our new commercial office designs moving forward.” Today, with building operating systems like EcoStruxure Building Graph, Schneider Electric invites innovative building ecosystem players to collaborate and open up building data to unleash innovation and create new applications for customers.

Zouk Capital backs £30m investment in charging company Zest

By providing fast charging where people regularly park, and removing financial barriers for landowners, Zest is set to drive the mass adoption of electric vehicles in the UK. Zouk Capital has announced it has committed an initial £30m investment to launch a new public EV charging company called Zest, supported by the Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF). Zest intends to democratise EV ownership by rapidly filling the gaps in the UK’s maturing EV infrastructure. Today’s EV infrastructure has evolved to serve early adopters, prioritising home driveway and rapid en-route charging. The Zest mission is to make the shift to EV a realistic option for everyone, by rapidly growing a network that makes fast charging available where people regularly park for more than 30 minutes, whether it is when shopping, at leisure or at work. For landowners such as enterprises, parking operators or local authorities, Zest removes the financial and operational barriers to committing to large-scale charger deployments. This includes everything from planning and installing the chargers to ongoing maintenance. It is estimated that up to half a million destination and public charge points will be needed by 2030, yet there are fewer than 30,000 today, many of which are unsupported. By making it easier for landowners to provide an abundance of charge points, and by making the customer experience a seamless part of everyday life, Zest will add impetus to the UK’s transition to EV. The company’s experienced management team is led by CEO Robin Heap, who has already spun-up nationwide EV charging networks in the UK; “Customer experience is at the centre of everything we do. Our commercial proposition is a proven successful solution for landowners who want to cater for the increasing numbers of EV drivers visiting their properties. Zest removes the major worries for site hosts, such as significant capital outlay, unpredictable utilisation rates, and having to operate and maintain the hardware and software systems.” Massimo Resta, Partner at Zouk Capital said: “Zest is deploying its charging network in locations such as shopping centres, car parks, restaurants, city centres where people regularly park their cars for extended periods of time. The idea is to provide a way to charge EVs without disrupting people’s routines, and at the same time making it easy for landowners to join the EV revolution. Electricity is everywhere and Zest’s mission is to make EV charging as accessible, convenient and stress free as possible. This is fully in tune with CIIF’s central objective of scaling open-access, public EV charging networks for the UK’s EV drivers. We are looking forward to working with Robin and his team to build this new EV charging company.” Matthew Vickerstaff, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head of Project Finance, Infrastructure and Projects Authority, adds: "The UK is leading the way when it comes to transforming our infrastructure and harnessing green energy to support ending the UK’s contribution to climate change by 2050. The £30m commitment by CIIF into Zest once again demonstrates the progress made by the Government and the private sector in bringing reliable and sustainable solutions for everyone across the UK.” Zouk is the manager of the Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF), the dedicated fund established by the UK Government in 2019 and backed by HM Treasury to help develop public charging infrastructure points for electric vehicles throughout the UK.