JustPark calls for Brits to install Electric Vehicle chargers at their homes

With the government announcing its commitment to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030, an estimated additional four hundred thousand electric charging points will need to be rolled out in order to meet demand and help people make the switch to electric. However, with just 39,000 public charging points currently in the UK, the government needs to grow its charging network five times faster than the current forecast if it hopes to meet this target. In a bid to help grow the nation’s charging network, facilitate convenient overnight charging for those without access to off-street parking, and to accelerate green mobility, UK parking app, JustPark is calling on people and businesses to offer their private charging points to the public. JustPark, which now allows Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers to be listed for others to reserve and pay for in advance, has been adding around 120 new EV hosts signing up to its platform weekly, making JustPark the 7th largest public charging network in the UK. Whilst the government has recently pledged £20 million to local authorities to help the supply of on-street charge points, this will only add a further 4,000 to the network, which equates to around 35 chargers per local authority over the next four years, with 126 councils having no plans to fit any at all. This is not nearly enough to meet demand over the next few years and comes at a substantial cost of over £6,000 per charge point installation. This is why community charging is a crucial step needed to help further grow the network and bridge the government gap. JustPark’s appeal for community charging could also help the government out with a solution which would incur far less costs and be less disruptive to local areas, allowing for a hassle free implementation of a strong UK charging infrastructure. By helping to grow the private charging network and making it publicly available, it will enable the government to meet its 2030 target and ultimately help the UK achieve net zero by 2050. With at least 43% of car owners not having a private driveway or access to private charging, this is a major obstacle to the rollout of EVs. Therefore, private inventory is essential in helping to increase the charging network and enable more people to make the switch to electric, especially for those in lower income households and urban dwellers without easy access to a driveway. Anthony Eskinazi, Founder and CEO of JustPark, says: “Despite great progress and significant backing from the treasury, the UK is not on track to have the required infrastructure in place to support the mass adoption of electric vehicles, especially for drivers without access to off-street parking. Ultimately, we all have the same objectives, and so we are calling on the public to do their bit to help facilitate green mobility. “With community spirit higher than ever since the start of the pandemic, we are asking people to play a part in driving a more environmentally friendly society, regardless of whether they have gone electric themselves yet. “People with a charge point already installed can do their bit for their area by sharing it with others on JustPark. This type of community support would help to further increase the adoption of EVs in the next few years.” Edmund King OBE, AA president, adds: “There are varying estimates on the extent of the public charging network required to make the EV revolution work, but we definitely know that those without off-street parking need more help. Hence the AA is fully behind JustPark’s campaign to increase the number of publicly available charging points in the UK. “We need to work together, exploring all options, to create a charging infrastructure that is fit to service the increased numbers of EVs that will be on the road. “JustPark’s appeal for communities to get involved to help supplement the existing charging network would be an important step in helping us reach these targets.”

Are you up for a challenge?

Are you up for the challenge? It’s time to sign up your team to compete in the Electrical Industries Charity Race Across Europe. It needs you and four industry colleagues to tackle the biggest sector step challenge ever! You’ll be pitted against other companies in a race to reach seven check points across the continent. Cycle, swim, walk or run and clock up miles in a bid to be on the podium when time runs out... It’s up to your team how you divide and conquer the miles between checkpoints but as soon as you reach each checkpoint you need to clock in and record the time of your leg. Remember, as soon as you reach the check point and you have clocked in you can start heading towards your next location! Date: 3rd May - 18th June 2021 Registration fee: £225 per team Fundraising target: £2,000 per team [gallery columns="2" size="medium" ids="24178,24179"] Itinerary: Starting Point - Charity HQ in Tower Bridge, London, England Checkpoint 1 – 214 miles from HQ – the Eiffel Tower, Paris, France Checkpoint 2 – Grossmunster Cathedral, 297 miles away in Zurich, Switzerland Checkpoint 3 – German city, Munich and the Marienplatz 162 miles from checkpoint 3 Checkpoint 4 – Czech Republic capital, Prague and the Charles Bridge 165 miles from the beer halls of Munich Checkpoint 5 – Berlin, Germany, 173 miles from Prague and our next checkpoint. Clock in at Bradenburg Gate Checkpoint 6 – Amsterdam, Holland, the longest leg at 360 miles from Berlin. Meet the teams at Centraal Station Checkpoint 7 – Head home and clock back in at Charity HQ in Tower Bridge, London, 230 miles from Centraal Station. Total miles to be completed by each team – 1606 miles over the duration of the challenge.

FDC provides £900,000 funding for MBI of Midlands' electrical contractor

Debt funding provider, Frontier Development Capital has provided £900,000 to support the management buy in of Complete Electrical Solutions. CES, based in Stourbridge, West Midlands, was founded in 2000 as a generalist B2B electrical contracting business. In the previous two decades, the firm has established a strong reputation for regional electrical contracting via a small, but experienced team of 12 staff. Whilst the firm provides a broad array of electrical services, it specialises in the installation, service and maintenance of lifts, stair lifts, stair climbers and other mains powered disability devices. The debt investment provided by FDC funds a management buy-in led by incoming Directors Chris Smith and Dan Bytheway, to acquire a 94% shareholding from CES’s founder Tony Smith. Tony will remain in the business on a consultancy basis. Chris Smith, Managing Director, Complete Electrical Solutions, says: “Following our acquisition of CES we are looking forward to building upon a strong foundation. We now plan to expand CES in not only the b2b sector in which it already operates in, but also with careful rebranding to make a significant indent into the private stair lift market.” The investment is the latest in a string of funding announcements from FDC, which recently launched the FDC Debt Fund, providing loans of up to £7.5 million to support both trading businesses and property developers throughout the UK. Carl Perry, Investment Director, FDC, comments: “It’s great to announce our latest investment supporting a regional business with a legacy of technical excellence and specialist expertise. We have no doubt that the MBI team will continue to expand the business. This deal exemplifies how critical it is for alternative funding to play a part in supporting the growth of SMEs, even during challenging times.” FDC’s legal advice for the transaction was provided by Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers, along with financial due diligence from MY-Advisory. Higgs and Sons provided legal advice for the MBI candidates.

Sirius Buying Group confirms digital conference this spring

Following the overwhelming success of its debut Digital Trade Show in October 2020, Sirius Buying Group, major buying group in the electrical appliance and kitchen retail industry is pleased to announce its second virtual event is confirmed to take place this spring: 27th May 2021.   Mark Veysey, General Manager at Sirius Buying Group says “We are excited to announce our Digital Conference and can confirm it will be even bigger, better and more interactive than our Digital Trade Show, which was our first digital event in October last year. It is very important for us to be able to provide an effective platform for our Approved Members and Suppliers, enabling them to safely and confidently network and plan for the future. Offering the chance to virtually discuss exclusive promotions and talk about how we can all work closely together in 2021, we hope this continued level of ‘group protection’ will provide the independent retailer with a range of sustainable business solutions so they can navigate out of lockdown and are equipped to face other challenges head on, like appropriate stock availability nationwide.” With retail showrooms set to open on 12 April in accordance with the latest Government guidelines to take us out of lockdown, Sirius Buying Group is providing extensive business support across all areas of business including the management of back-to-work processes for staff through to advising on the flow of foot traffic through stores. Steve Jones, Managing Director at Sirius Buying Group explains, “We have all had an incredible learning curve over the past 12 months and the market has adapted accordingly with services like ‘click and collect’, as well as increased digital presence and online services. I am extremely proud of how our industry has risen to new challenges in practical and innovative ways with great collaboration between all the ‘moving parts’ of the supply chain from manufacturer right to delivery.”   Steve continues, “Proactive retailers are already tracking the local property market so they can anticipate demand for new kitchens and appliances, with a renewed focus on indoor-outdoor living, entertaining at home and cooling appliances. There will definitely be consumer spend for the taking, so we need to make sure that both stock and service are in place across every business vertical; especially as many consumers have become accustomed to the speed and convenience of online purchasing. Investing in the customer by improving your service and deepening product knowledge, alongside competitive brand and product offerings will continue to give retail independents the edge and we hope our efforts at this spring’s Digital Conference go some way to underlining these market differentiators further.”   Constantly adapting to the evolving retail landscape and current market roadmap, Sirius Buying Group has decided to cover all the bases with its second confirmed Digital Conference this May 2021, and conditions permitting, a return to its physical Trade Show in September at The Forest of Arden. In preparation, Sirius will kick-start events with a live virtual members meeting on 24th May to give a business update one year on from March last year. It will include valuable trends and insights on the retail landscape following restrictions being lifted on the 12th April, and right before the digital conference goes live on 27th May.   Steve adds, “Based on the current roadmap I am optimistic our physical trade show will go ahead however, this decision will be subject to ongoing review and whether we can provide a COVID-secure environment for our members and suppliers, whilst upholding each company policy on ‘customer contact’. Needing to take all this into account, we will provide a definitive answer on this physical event closer to the time.”

Dulux launches platform to compare the right contractors for any job

Dulux is transforming how you can discover skilled commercial decorating contractors with the launch of a new comparison platform. The Dulux Connect Directory makes it simple to easily compare decorating firms, saving valuable time and ensuring you find the right contractor. You can: Match your project needs simply with contractors' capabilities  Find contractors to carry out work to your commercial specification in accordance with the recognised industry standards Filter by key criteria to find contractors with the right skill set for complex and technical decoration projects A moderated client review system provides feedback directly from commercial clients and building users that have worked with Dulux Connect members giving a real world opinion of their service.

'How to be the best tradesperson in 2021' a guide by Ben Dyer

Over the course of the pandemic, the trades has been welcomed as a haven for job growth. With hundreds of thousands employed in the construction and trade sectors respectively, the popularity of these careers has grown exponentially, with 18% of Brits considering the trades as a career due to the pandemic. Therefore, with the commencement of the new tax year, it is essential that for the influx of new tradespeople in the UK, they are up to speed with how to best prepare their business to run as smoothly as possible. Ben Dyer, CEO of Powered Now, leading field service management software of the trades, has compiled his beginners guide for starting a business in the trades, providing the essential insights to ensure sole traders and small businesses thrive. Do you do the job well? One of the attractions of the trade is that, with 70% of work coming from recommendations or existing relationships, doing the job well is usually enough to be successful. You don’t need to know much about sales and marketing or lots of other stuff for your business to be a hit. Of course, where your particular trade has legal requirements, like Gas Safe qualifications or Electrical Part P expertise, you must already have these before you go it alone. That’s the starter for ten. But the question you also have to ask yourself before launching out is, can you do the job well? The clue to this is the amount of experience that you have and the sort of feedback that you have been getting from your customers and your boss. That’s both the positive and the negative. Ensuring your finances and book keeping is transparent Making Tax Digital (MTD) is HMRC’s initiative to bring all record keeping relating to tax onto digital platforms. Becoming compulsory from April 2023,  many businesses need to start giving some thought to MTD, but may not have done so. As a result, they are probably in for a bumpy ride and this could be a painful time for trade businesses like plumbers, gas engineers, electricians and builders. Every trade business should be considering their plans for MTD. If they do things themselves, they can turn to a specialist trade-based software company, such as Powered Now. Most such systems nowadays can also automate the feeds to accounting systems. If they already have an external accountant to submit their HMRC returns, they should be talking to them as soon as possible. My strongest advice would simply be this – don’t get caught out at the last minute, and plan early so that your finances are in check throughout the year. Motivation Before you start up, it’s important to understand your own mind. What are you trying to achieve? If it’s purely an easy life, you probably won’t make it work. The fact is that while there are many benefits, there is more pressure when you run your own business. You have to satisfy your customers, you have to make enough money, you need to find work. HMRC needs to be fed. Cowboy Customers will try to scam you. Some people can’t cope with all of that. You also need to understand whether you want a better lifestyle or whether you want to build a larger business. This article is about being a sole trader. It’s very different if you are looking to be a larger, more successful business. However, the good news is you can always adopt a more ambitious approach at any time. Starting out as a sole trader can be a good stepping-stone. Be transparent with pricing and delivery charges Post-COVID-19, customer loyalty will be very important to gain new projects and to increase sales. To gain the trust of your clients, you will need to be transparent with your price and charges for the services you offer. Everyone is feeling the pinch. Avoid concealing extra fees at the time of the final stages of finalising a service. Be transparent from the starting to keep customers pleased and loyal. Satisfying customers It’s critical that you satisfy your customers but there are two sides to doing this. The first is doing a good job – their problem needs to be solved, the new item installed or some maintenance done. Then it all needs to still be working six months later! You would think that would be enough, but it isn’t. The second part is hard to understand, but still true. You must meet your customer’s expectations. Unfortunately, if you do a good job but fail to meet expectations you can still leave a dissatisfied customer. This can be very frustrating. That’s why it’s important to understand expectations. There are three things that customers will typically have expectations about: The cost The timescale Quality and what’s included In each case you need to deliver, or come very close to delivering, what your customer expects. The key to this is for you to set your customer’s expectations ahead of time based on what is realistically possible.

Stopping the cycle before it becomes a downward spiral with EIC

Once we’re in the habit of forming negative thoughts and behaviour patterns it can be difficult to break the cycle. Sometimes an incident may trigger a series of negative thoughts or we may just start to think negatively. It is important to break the chain before it affects our wellbeing. While there are steps, we can take to stop the cycle and safeguard our wellbeing you may need support in applying those steps. Dave, an employee of the generation and renewables sector for 18 years, found he was trapped in a roundabout of negative thoughts after his marriage broke down. Dave had been married for 22 years and although they were no longer a good fit, the eventual break down of their marriage was understandably tough. Dave found himself not leaving the house, distancing himself from his children and other family and he had stopped caring for himself. Dave had taken an extended leave of absence from work and felt he had little purpose without his wife and children. Dave had always been the provider and he now felt he had no one to provide for. Dave’s negative thought cycle was impacting his wellbeing, but he found himself unable to break free. Concerned about Dave, Dave’s manager contacted the Electrical Industries Charity. Although Dave was not experiencing anxiety or depression his withdrawal from society meant he was becoming vulnerable to developing ill mental health. The Electrical Industries Charity contacted Dave who agreed to talk through charity support options. Dave explained to a Charity caseworker how the breakdown of his marriage was not sudden but still a shock. Dave spoke of how he felt his identity as a provider, husband and dad had disappeared and subsequently he felt purposeless. The Electrical Industries Charity offered Dave Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which works on reshaping negative thoughts, but Dave was reluctant to undertake therapy. Understanding Dave’s reluctance, the Charity provided Dave with different strategies to help him replace negative thoughts. The Electrical Industries Charity encouraged Dave to reach out to his ex-wife and children. Dave and his wife’s split was amicable and his children, older teenagers, were understanding of the circumstances. Dave needed to regain his identity and by reaching out and still supporting his ex-wife and children he could still be a provider and carry on being a great dad. The charity welfare team then talked to Dave about the catch it, check it, change it method, a strategy which encourages you to catch negative thoughts, fact check them and then try to change them. The welfare team asked Dave to each time he found himself thinking negatively i.e. ‘I’m a rubbish dad’ to catch the thought, check it and then try to change it. Dave and the Charity also discussed the importance of self-care in mental wellbeing. Dave had been neglecting his work, hobbies and himself since moving from his family home. The charity encouraged Dave to get back to fishing, a passion of his, try and return to work, which he loved and to try once or twice a week to cook and eat with his children. Dave began to safeguard his wellbeing on three fronts and found his negative thought cycles dissipated. Dave felt well supported, valued and grateful for his marriage, children, job and most importantly himself. Dave has stopped his downward spiral before he started to lose control with the help of the Electrical Industries Charity.

Siemens’ F-gas-free ring main unit sets the tone for climate-friendly power

Siemens Smart Infrastructure has introduced the 8DJH 24 switchgear, a ring main unit (RMU) for line voltages up to 24 kilovolts (kV), completely free of fluorinated gases. This medium-voltage switchgear for secondary electrical distribution has the same compact dimensions as the variant with sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) but uses the climate-neutral insulation medium “Clean Air”, which consists exclusively of natural components from ambient air. The core of the unit is a three-position load-break switch with vacuum interrupter in the auxiliary path (blue switch). This new technological development from Siemens eliminates SF6 as an insulating medium, as well as any gas mixture based on fluorine (F-gases). As a result, the new switchgear also reduces the CO2 footprint of grid operators. Other benefits include easy and safe handling of the switchgear and effortless recycling at the end of its service life. In addition to the high level of environmental compatibility, digital applications make the new switchgear future-proof and cost-efficient for the grid of tomorrow. The new unit has been in use since fall 2020 in a local substation in the Oberallgäu region of Germany as part of a development cooperation with German distribution grid operator Netze BW. “We set new standards by offering a completely fluorine gas free ring cable switchgear for voltages up to 24 kV. This new development enables our customers to make power distribution sustainable and at the same time future-proof,” says Stephan May, CEO of the Distribution Systems Business Unit at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “At Siemens, we believe that the only right technological approach is to replace fluorinated gases completely. That’s why we’re eliminating not only the climate gas SF6, but all F-gases and chemical additives.” Siemens developed the new ring main unit for use in public and industrial power grids at the secondary distribution level. Areas of application include secondary, transfer and switching substations of energy providers, as well as industrial and infrastructure facilities. With the new development, Siemens is bringing environmentally friendly and future-proof power distribution to the broader market. Load-break switches on the secondary distribution level with line voltages of up to 24 kV account for approximately 80 percent of all installations in Europe. At the same time, the trend toward distributed energy systems is leading to an increased need for optimized control, monitoring and utilization of distribution grids. In addition to the high level of environmental compatibility, digital applications make the new switchgear future-proof and cost-efficient to meet the requirements of decentralized grids. The ring main unit can be remote-controlled, offers communications capabilities and can be connected to IoT platforms such as MindSphere, the cloud based, open IoT operating system from Siemens, as well as other systems. The new 24 kV load-break switchgear expands the sustainable blue GIS switchgear portfolio from Siemens. All products are free of fluorinated gases and use climate-neutral Clean Air insulation as well as vacuum technology. The first switchgear for primary technology for line voltages up to 12 kV was launched by Siemens in 2018 as type 8DAB 12. This was followed in spring 2019 by variant 8DJH 12 for the secondary distribution level. The NXPLUS C 24 unit with a rated voltage of 24 kV was introduced in spring 2020. As a next step, Siemens plans to complete its fluorine gas-free medium-voltage portfolio with products up to the 36 kV voltage level. These new developments will feature Clean Air insulation, vacuum technology and all the proven benefits of gas-insulated switchgear.

TESP calls for industry mentors

The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP) is calling for people from all corners of the electrotechnical industry to donate just 45 minutes of their time to mentor a young person. So far, The Youth Group has supported over 1.7 million young people across all sectors of UK industry. Under a new partnership, TESP is now working with The Youth Group to build a network of mentors with electrotechnical experience to inspire and inform young people about electrical opportunities. The minimum commitment is to support just one 45 minute online mentoring session with a young person. If as a mentor you choose to continue, you can speak to a variety of different job seekers and share your experiences and insights, or work with one individual and support them on their journey to develop and get a job. As an added benefit, for each mentoring session carried out via The Youth Group, a tree will be planted in one of the National Parks across the UK as part of the ‘Net Zero with Nature’ programme. Jack Parsons, CEO of The Youth Group says: “I’m over the moon that TESP and The Youth Group are going to be working together to pioneer a new wave of mentoring in the electrotechnical industry. It’s so important that young people who want to get into this sector are provided with the hope, skills, and opportunities they need to reach their full potential in work.” Ruth Devine, Chair of TESP, adds: “We can’t wait to start working with The Youth Group and calling our industry experts to action. The electrical industry presents fantastic opportunities in areas such as new technologies and low carbon solutions, so we’re confident our mentors will be able to provide informative and inspirational advice to young people.”

Gira wins 'Best Application of the Year' KNX UK award 2021

Bringing award-winning design to a luxury residential property in West London, Gira wins ‘Best Application of the Year’ at the KNX UK Awards 2021. Working in collaboration with London-based architectural practice, GK Architects Ltd and leading system integrators, Mosaic AV, the intention at Chelsea Mews was to bring a higher standard of living with maximum comfort and security. By specifying a host of modern building technology by Gira, it has enabled convenient control of the property’s lighting and blinds, room temperatures and door communication, which can be expanded at any time.   In recognition, Gira has won ‘Best Application of the Year’ at the prestigious KNX UK Awards 2021. The judges commended the team behind the Chelsea Mews project, ‘where plans for old-fashioned thinking about control were superseded by an open KNX solution’.   KNX UK says “KNX UK has celebrated another year of success for the open approach to smart building control. Increasingly this global, secure and connected standard provides a platform for systems designers and integrators to work their magic. Even the constraints of a year dominated by pandemic and lockdowns has not held them back: where physical presence has been prohibited, integrators have used connectivity and remote access that enable maintenance and upgrade for long-distance commissioning. The growth of KNX, it seems, is unstoppable and the creativity of the KNX community is cementing its role in shaping the way we control our built environment.”   Richard Udell, Project Manager at Gira UK says “We are very proud that our Gira KNX system and solutions have received such a respected industry accolade. Mosaic AV is one of our leading system integrators and long-standing Gira partner and so we were delighted to help them get the recognition they deserve and shine a light on the virtues of KNX.“   Alongside the cabled bus system, the Gira G1 operating unit was also specified. This compact, visually appealing control centre for KNX not only saves energy, but also offers greater comfort and extra security. All the control functions can be operated intuitively by touching or gesturing on the high-resolution multi-touch display. The simple operation is ensured by the specially developed Gira Interface, which features a user-friendly symbol system including large fonts and easy-to-understand symbols. The uses are versatile: from lighting and blinds control to room temperature setting, programming of timers, calling up scenes through to door communication.   A modern electrical installation requires quality and durability, and Gira offers this to planners, installers and operators. The multi-award-winning Gira design is beautiful and meets all equipment requirements. It also allows the electrical installation to be visually designed from a single mould. This is not only the case for light switches and socket outlets, but to more than 300 functions in modern building technology for the convenient control of light, heating and blinds as well as door communication, multi-media and security systems.