Kensa welcomes government response to future homes consultation

Kensa Group CEO, Simon Lomax, has welcomed the Government’s long-awaited response to the recent Part L Future Homes Consultation published on January 19, which states that from 2025, no new homes will be built with fossil fuel heating such as a natural gas boiler. Mr Lomax says: “Although we would always ask the Government to be prompter and more ambitious, we generally support the response which makes clear that heat pumps are expected to become the default heating choice at new build dwellings from 2025. “We also welcome the continued opportunity for local authorities to specify planning conditions which mandate energy efficiency upgrades which are more demanding than mere compliance with the emerging regulations.” Based in Cornwall, Kensa has developed some unique solutions for the residential new build sector based upon the ultra-small Shoebox ground source heat pump which can be paired with a traditional cylinder or a heat battery.  In most cases, the Shoebox is served by a shared ground array, thereby mimicking the system architecture in a traditional gas boiler arrangement. According to Mr Lomax: ‘A ground source heat pump provides the lowest carbon solution as the technology is far more efficient than an air source heat pump, particularly on the coldest days.  The Achilles heel has always been the added cost of the array.  Thankfully, we can now remove that cost from the housebuilder as there are many entities who will fund the underground architecture in return for a standing charge paid by the householder.  A ground source heat pump now costs no more than an air source heat pump The technology has been installed at a new build development in Bristol to help the city achieve its carbon-neutral pledge. 133 homes at Ashton Rise are being heated by individual Kensa ground source heat pumps connected to a shared ground loop array of boreholes. The installation will see each home making lifetime carbon savings of 30 tonnes compared to individual gas boilers, whilst also protecting local air quality from the harmful NOx emissions associated with fossil fuel heating systems.

Mary Rose would be all at sea without Hanwell's monitoring technology

Hanwell Solutions has helped preserve one of the most famous tourist attractions in the UK (the Mary Rose) by developing a temperature and humidity monitoring solution to ensure the correct environmental conditions are constantly maintained for the site. Mary Rose, the 16th century warship sunk in the Solent in 1545, is now a museum after a 34-year conservation project during which Hanwell’s technology and environmental monitoring sensors played a key role, continuously checking and recording temperature and humidity of the ship during the drying out process to minimise distortion and the cracking of wood due to environmental fluctuations. To this day Hanwell’s Pro technology continues to play a crucial role in protecting the historic vessel, recovered from the sea bed in 1982 and brought back to life for 21st Century visitors, as the Mary Rose Trust’s Head of Conservation and Collections Care, Eleanor Schofield, explained. Eleanor says: “The Hanwell monitoring system was easy to set up to give us all the data we need.  We link it to alarms, which are set so that if one sensor reports an environmental factor has become out of tolerance we can react quickly. The system enables us to get the problem sorted quickly, as well as helping us with routine maintenance.” Because of the unique nature of the Mary Rose, Hanwell had to design a customised solution for the conservation team. The system has been a key indicator in monitoring the drying of the timbers – if something had gone wrong it would have affected the whole ship. Over 30 sensors from the Hanwell Pro range are on the hull of the ship, continuously mapping the condition of the wood. The Hanwell system not only monitors the ship’s hull, but the vital data is also fed to the BMS system via MODBUS, data from the wireless sensors also control the separate air handling units for the collection of artefacts through a Hanwell custom built MS1000 control panel.  Between the two control systems the critical environmental conditions are maintained between 18-20°C and 50-58% RH. Eleanor concludes: “We continue to experience a good working relationship with Hanwell Solutions and support whenever needed. Our need to monitor and control the stability of the environment of course continues, measuring and reacting to how changes in weather, visitor traffic and so on affect the ship, so our Hanwell system will continue to be crucially important to the Mary Rose.” Award-winning Hanwell is the UK’s leading manufacturer of wireless environmental monitoring equipment which is ideal for tracking conditions in the heritage, pharmaceutical, healthcare and food industries and related sectors. Hanwell’s highly innovative platforms provide maximum flexibility and enhanced control of data and events from anywhere in the world via cloud or server-based configuration. Interactive graphs, tables and plan views enable users to easily analyse data in multiple ways, and user access levels can be managed through customisable groups. The accuracy and flexibility of environmental management provided by Hanwell protects heritage sites not just from monetary loss but also from damage to irreplaceable historical and cultural items by instantly warning of compromised conditions.

Metropolitan Police complete test of new ECHO automated alarm

ECHO (Electronic Call Handling Operations Ltd), the not-for-profit security industry backed alarms handling operator, has announced the Metropolitan Police Service (‘The Met’) successfully completed its first ‘end-to-end’ test receiving alarm signals via the new ECHO hub. The test signals, originating from Banham Security’s Alarm Receiving Centre, were successfully transmitted into The Met’s own Control Room. This success follows on the heels of the test by Essex Police who in November 2020 were the first police force in the UK to have successfully received and verified confirmed signals in this way. ECHO is going live early in the year, offering a full service to any UK police force ready and able to be ECHO-connected.  It is expected Essex Police and the Met will be fully prepared to handle all their police response alarm signals via ECHO by the Spring of  2021. David Mair, Manager - Security Systems Unit, Metropolitan Police Service said “We have been developing our capability to receive automated verified alarm signals from ARCs for some time. This proof of concept means all alarms with Met police response could be ECHO-connected and in line for faster police response before the end of 2021.” Martin Harvey, Director, ECHO, says: ”We are delighted to see yet another successful milestone test for ECHO. Connection to the MPS control room will enable a significant number of professionally installed and monitored alarm systems to be connected through the ECHO hub further demonstrating the capabilities of the ECHO platform handling signals from multiple Alarm Receiving Centres and transmitting them on to any number of ECHO-connected police forces. 2021 is set to be a busy year for ECHO, as more police forces are poised to connect to the service.” The NPCC estimate ECHO-connected police forces will save between 1-4 minutes in responding to intruder and hold up alarm activations. In their experience ‘every second counts’ in protecting people and property, and time saved by the police being ECHO-connected could be crucial in arriving at alarmed premises, providing a faster response to confirmed alarm activations from approved alarm installations.

Screwfix continues to invest as it reaches £2bn in sales

Screwfix has reached a number of landmarks over the past year, with a continued focus on its colleagues and customers. As sales reached £2bn in the year to January 2021, Screwfix has opened 30 new stores, taking the total number of stores across the UK and Ireland to 725. The new stores have brought Screwfix closer to its busy tradespeople, many of whom have played a crucial role in keeping homes warm, safe and with power throughout these difficult times. This growth has led to significant recruitment at Screwfix, including welcoming to the team over 1,000 colleagues aged under 24, the age group which have been impacted the most by the pandemic. The overall growth brings the number of new jobs created by Screwfix in the past five years to 4,000, during which time the business has opened on average, a new store every week and doubled sales from £1bn to £2bn. In addition to recruitment, Screwfix is investing in their people too. More than 800 colleagues have been promoted internally, including many colleagues who have completed apprenticeships this year. Thanks to the amazing generosity of Screwfix customers and colleagues, The Screwfix Foundation has raised £2m this year. Already this year, the Foundation has supported over 400 charities and not-for-profit organisations to help fix, repair, maintain and improve their facilities for people in need across the UK. Screwfix is also committed to supporting the future generation of the construction trades with the launch of its annual competition, Screwfix Trade Apprentice. The competition launches on 8 February with a career-boosting £10k tools, tech and training bundle up for grabs. John Mewett, Screwfix CEO comments: “I’m incredibly proud of what our colleagues have achieved this year. We have continued to keep our customers supplied safely whilst creating opportunities for our colleagues. We have also been able to give back to our communities when they have needed support the most. I’d like to thank all of our colleagues and customers for their incredible support during what has been an extremely challenging year.”

Barclays boost support for construction community with £100,000 donation

The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is one of 100 UK charities to be awarded a £100k donation from Barclays which will help them to support the UK and Ireland construction community. Charities were invited to apply for one of 100 donations of £100,000, and Barclays was inundated by hundreds of applications from charities across the UK who are struggling to deliver on-the-ground support to vulnerable communities impacted by the crisis. Barclays launched its 100x100 UK COVID-19 Community Relief Programme to support COVID-19 relief work in local communities. The programme, which forms part of its wider COVID-19 Community Aid Package, focuses on supporting UK charity partners who are meeting the immediate needs of people in our communities, including low income families, those facing financial hardship, isolated elderly people and key workers. The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is the only charity that provides mental, physical and financial wellbeing support to the construction community and their families. It  provides a 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline which is the first point of contact to access a range of free and confidential support services and this is complemented by the free Construction Industry Helpline App, which provides information, advice and guidance on a variety of wellbeing issues, including stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. The charity also offers a series of free online wellbeing training sessions with topics including coping with stress, work-life balance and financial management. Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity comments, ”We were absolutely over the moon when we heard that we had been selected by Barclays to receive a £100,000 donation. This will make a huge difference to our construction workers in crisis, who have kept the country’s infrastructure going through incredibly difficult and challenging times. With two construction workers taking their own life every working day, we need to provide even more pro-active support to ensure that our workforce has access to the help they need and deserve. Our mission is that no construction worker or their family is alone in a crisis and this hugely generous donation will help us to achieve that as we embark on yet another difficult year.” Nigel Higgins, Barclays Chairman, adds: “COVID-19 has created an unprecedented social and economic impact in the UK, with many experiencing greater hardship due to the crisis. Incredible charities, such as the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity have been playing a vital role in the UK’s response to the pandemic, ensuring urgent help reaches those most in need of support. As a bank we have been doing all we can for our customers, clients and colleagues, and we hope that by partnering with the Lighthouse Club Charity and many other charities across the UK, collectively we can ensure that as many people as possible in the communities in which we live and work are supported through this crisis.”

SELECT urges electricians to make their voices heard again

SELECT has urged electricians to take part in a second consultation on the regulation of the electrical industry ­– and says only government legislation can bring about “comfort and security” to customers. Scotland’s largest construction trade association is asking Members and the wider industry to make their views known in the latest appeal for feedback, which has been launched by Jamie Hepburn, MSP, the Minister for Business, Fair work and Skills. The campaigning trade body says the consultation reflects the strength of feeling within the sector, after a first consultation by Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston closed last November with more than 140 submissions – more than 90% of which were positive. Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, says: “This is another great opportunity for the industry to take part in and shape the future and is a further chance for Scotland to demonstrate that we are committed to comfort and security for customers. “We would urge all interested parties to make their submission to this latest consultation before it closes on February 12. They can also submit a letter in support of our own letter, which we will be submitting shortly.” Mr Wilson said any real and effective change must be underpinned by legislation, adding that voluntary regimes have never addressed the issue of dangerous and poor work which is often undertaken by unqualified or partially qualified persons. In SELECT’s letter to the consultation, he states: “The construction industry is littered with schemes which are operated on a ‘voluntary’ basis and whilst we would all like to imagine that such an approach would achieve change, there is no evidence to show that this form of approach ever works. Any real and effective change must be underpinned by legislation. Maintaining the status quo is not an option. “The Scottish Government needs to introduce a package of measures which must include Protection of Title. Establishing a single register based on the existing Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) model would provide the comfort and security to a customer that someone calling themselves an electrician was qualified and competent.” Following the first consultation last year, Mr Halcro Johnston is now preparing to present a proposed Holyrood Member’s Bill outlining the comprehensive case for regulation. And Mr Wilson adds: “There is a strong economic case for legislation. Scotland is investing £1.6 billion over the next five year in decarbonising heat in buildings and it makes sense that those undertaking that programme are trained, qualified and competent. “But there is also a social side. Protecting title and making the role of electrician a profession will lead to greater interest in the industry and more opportunities for women and ethnic minorities to join it, which would be a significant advantage to us all. “Finally, there is overwhelming evidence that the public already thinks that the profession is regulated when of course it is not. People are genuinely surprised when told that you need no formal qualifications to call yourself an electrician. All survey evidence points to this and to a strong demand from the public that electricians should be qualified in the interests of consumer safety.” The consultation is the latest stage in SELECT’s long-running campaign with other leading industry bodies, such as the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT) and the SJIB to make sure that those who work in the industry do so in a safe and competent manner. The campaign has won backing from a wide range of prominent figures, with its Wall of Support now including more than 100 politicians, electricians, industry figures and representatives of trade associations and professional services bodies.

Getting the right insurance cover should be your new year’s resolution

Richard Forrest-Smith, CEO of ECIC, is urging contractors and businesses offering electrical and mechanical services to ensure they have the right cover in place for 2021. He says it’s often not until contractors come to make a claim that they realise the true value of their insurance protections. Here he outlines why and offers top tips when choosing contractor insurance. The saying goes “things can only get better” and remaining optimistic that the New Year will be better for the construction industry, and contractors that work within it, means being ready for all eventualities. Electrical and other specialist building services contractors face numerous potential risks against which they need to properly protect themselves, their business, their clients and their employees. The pandemic has also affected the industry, meaning that many contractors are taking on new types of contracts to get through the crisis, some of which may materially change the profile of their business. And when it comes to claims for accidents, the statistics for injuries and fatalities released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in November 2020 show that workers in the construction industry experienced 61,000 non-fatal injuries and 40 fatal injuries in the year 2019/20. In total, around 2.8% of workers suffered an injury - mainly slips and falls, and falling from a height. Statistically this is significantly higher than the rate experienced by all other industries. As economic pressures grow because of COVID-19, it is likely that businesses will also become more aggressive in seeking redress for contractual disputes and other losses, something that typically results in an increased incidence of both public liability and professional indemnity claims. Find a good broker: If possible one that works with other construction contractors and understands the industry. They will be able to provide advice based on the type of trade, typical project type, size of the business, whether contracts are public or private sector and so on. Other contractors may be able to recommend a broker they use. Full disclosure: Contractors must ensure they explain to their broker or insurer the full range of their activities and how they manage the risks associated with their business. Any contractor seeking insurance has a legal duty to make a full and fair presentation of their business to an insurer. Brokers can explain this requirement in more detail and what information is needed. Understand your limits: An insurance policy is a contract which details what is covered and what is excluded, the financial limits, control measures required and other terms and conditions. Contractors need to fully understand this they should ask their broker or insurer to explain covers and limits in detail. A change in business is a change in risk: Contractors must update their broker about any changes in their business, and not wait for renewal to do this. During the past year, due to COVID-19, many contractors were forced to change the type of contracts they worked on. Moreover, if the type of work has changed and the insurance amended to reflect that, contractors who return to their previous contract type mustn’t forget to change their insurance back. Check your subcontractors’ cover: Contractors using bona fide subcontractors must check that the insurance cover their subcontractors have in place is adequate for the work they are undertaking. Compliance for every contractor: Everyone involved in a project must be aware of, and understand, their responsibility for health and safety, and the necessity to comply with any specific insurance policy conditions or requirements. Regular reminders as part of toolbox talks are a good idea. Audit trail: Comprehensive records of all training given and instructions about contracts and incident reporting should be kept. Ideally signed papers for electronic records should be maintained. A contractor’s insurance broker should be made aware of all incidents so they are able to offer expert guidance and support on any steps that need to be taken. Site safety assessments: Prior to any work being undertaken at a given site, risk assessments and method statements must be shared with workers to ensure they are aware of risks, contractor measures and the personal protection equipment needed. Legal expenses insurance: With the cost of legal disputes in UK construction at an all-time high and tribunal cases rising sharply in the past year, consider taking out legal expenses insurance specifically designed for the contractor market. Look out for policies that cover trade supply contract disputes, trade registration protection and trade operator’s license disputes, as well offering trade and engineers’ regulatory protection. A-rated: The financial strength of the chosen insurer should be checked. Insurers receive ratings from credit agencies based on financial analysis of the company and its operations. With all the disruption of the past year some insurer’s service standards are also under pressure. A broker can offer advice on these important aspects. Taking time to ensure that a business has appropriate insurance cover in place is vital. Claims can be unexpectedly turned down if a contractor doesn’t have the right cover, which can prove disastrous for all concerned. Get the right advice and take out cover with the scope needed and the contractor can get on with looking after their business worry-free.

BigChange Mobile Tech boosts Providor's smart metre business

Energy metering company Providor has transformed its business with the latest mobile technology to become one of the UK’s primary smart metering companies. With the roll-out of a mobile resource management system from Leeds-based BigChange, Providor has replaced a number of systems and eliminated paperwork with the fully digital real-time works and management solution.   Providor, part of the Sureserve Group, has been working in the field of gas metering since 1998 and has completed well over a million successful installations across the country. With 250 mobile engineers the company installs, maintains and repairs metering systems in domestic and commercial properties for UK energy suppliers including Scottish Power, Octopus, EDF Energy, and E Gas and Electricity.   In moving into smart metering Providor needed to prepare for increased data capture and digital reporting to meet the stringent performance requirements of the energy majors. Realising that their existing systems were not up to the job to meet their ambitious business expansion plans, the company reviewed the top solutions on offer.   “BigChange stood out from the rest with particularly good job scheduling and an excellent mobile app with digital job cards that would clearly do everything we needed well into the future,” says Luke Harris, Information Systems Manager, Providor.   The cloud-based solution provides a single platform CRM, Job Scheduling, Mobile App, Vehicle Tracking and Online Portal and this was a key factor in their choice according to Harris. “Probably the biggest appeal was that with BigChange we could bring everything together; a single system from order to invoice as a complete end-to-end business system.”   Smart meters are electronic devices that replace traditional meters recording gas or electricity use, connected wirelessly to utility companies for more accurate monitoring.   Providor’s engineers complete over 1200 jobs a day using JobWatch, the BigChange mobile app, and there are over 100 other users of the system in customer services and operations, located at the company’s call centre in Elland and head office in Newmarket.   Running on engineers’ rugged devices, JobWatch eliminates paper reports and provides automated workflows to ensure correct procedures are followed. The electronic job cards ensure the correct data is collected and supported by photographs to provide evidence of work done. A customer portal meanwhile allows customers to access contracts and key information such as meter readings and photographs from each job.   “JobWatch is a ‘compliance dream’ as it gives auditors full visibility of jobs live and it is also fantastic for customer service.  Whether a job is successfully completed or not we know exactly what’s going on and can provide instant updates backed by the facts to quickly resolve any issues,” Harris explains.   “Providor is a successful growing business and with BigChange everything is in place to allow us to expand and continually improve our own business performance.  It really helps with customer interaction as well and our utility customers are always impressed with the visibility that JobWatch provides - helping them meet their own performance standards,” Harris adds.

Construction makes urgent new year bid to recruit and retain talent

While a range of industries such as hospitality, leisure and retail continue to reel from the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown, construction has become one of the shining lights for job hunters, bouncing back from its 41% fall in vacancies in March 2020 to become an area where recruitment is now picking up. This morning (26 January 2021) the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its latest ‘Labour Market Overview’ with all employment-related statistics for the UK. Although unemployment rates continue to rise, job hunters can take some comfort from encouraging figures about the industry’s recovery. The new figures from the ONS show that vacancies in the sector are now 8% higher than the same period last year, pre-COVID. There are an estimated 28,000 vacancies. Construction is one of just two sectors to have seen an increase in vacancies overall since December 2019. The ONS says: “Construction was one of the sectors to see a large quarterly fall in vacancies at the start of the pandemic in April to June 2020, with a recovery since the summer.” To encourage more people to sign up, a free-to-use recruitment platform, the Construction Talent Retention Scheme, is launching its social media campaigns promoting opportunities for workers. The Construction Talent Retention Scheme is a not-for-profit programme, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and backed by business organisations and construction unions. Its online portal enables job hunters to upload their CV and make contact with more than 770 potential employers. The portal is currently advertising 1,124 live vacancies for roles from senior construction project managers to customer service staff, engineers, salespeople, estimators, digger operators, HGV drivers, electricians, plasterers and plumbers, and warehouse assistants. Three women seeking roles in the industry (Julie Traynor, Liza Zanoni and Anne Couesnon) are among 1,400 candidates who have already signed up to the scheme. Julie Traynor, a chartered quantity surveyor and barrister, says: “After my management consultancy and social strategy business was severely impacted by COVID-19, I was so pleased to find the Construction Talent Retention Scheme. “Knowing that employers can access my professional profile is wonderful. It makes the whole process less stressful. I would definitely recommend to anyone seeking a role to sign up to the Construction Talent Retention Scheme.” Liza Zanoni had been working as a Project Manager for a small building company in Wales until last October. She says: “As soon as my role was at risk of redundancy, I put as much time and effort as I could into making use of all of the different platforms and channels to look for jobs and to network with people. I first found out about the Construction Talent Retention Scheme and immediately liked what I saw.” Anne Couesnon has been using the scheme to look for new roles in business development and bid management. She says: “I logged on to the site and found it was easy to use. It contains a large database of companies I’m interested in working for and is updated with new roles.”

ECHO announces new board member

ECHO (Electronic Call Handling Operations) has announced Mike Reddington, Chief Executive of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), has been appointed to its Board of Directors with immediate effect. Mike’s appointment comes after Dave Wilkinson stepped down in December to focus on key activities in his ongoing role of Director of Technical Services at the BSIA. Dave was part of the duo alongside Martin Harvey who founded ECHO in August 2017, and cultivated the business concept from inception to the verge of full service delivery planned for early 2021. Martin explains, “Mike with over 25 years’ commercial experience in the security sector strengthens the ECHO Board with further business leadership expertise. His background including time at leading blue chip organisations such as Honeywell and ADI prior to joining the BSIA in January 2019, will be invaluable as ECHO moves into full service delivery.” Upon his appointment, Mike Reddington comments “I look forward to working with the other Board directors of ECHO in progressing the next phase of this project as we move into the implementation of this service to end users and the industry realising the benefits of the improvements in confirmed alarm activation transfers to police authorities.” Martin adds “We would also like to take this opportunity to recognise our colleague Dave Wilkinson without whom the project might not have succeeded. His unwavering commitment and contribution over many years as a founding member in getting the ECHO project off the ground and bringing it to the point at which it is virtually launch ready has been immense. The industry owes him a great debt.”