Quartzelec delivers on landmark Manchester apartment development

Four residential blocks in Manchester collectively provide 995 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and use a new open plan layout to maximise living space by removing the hallway traditionally found in apartments, giving them a distinct Manhattan style feel.  The blocks, up to 22 storeys high, include new shared gardens, public areas and parking. “This has been a significant local project for us and is one of the largest single new M&E installation contracts we’ve worked on to date,” states Dave Birchall, Quartzelec’s Senior Contracts Manager for the project. “The project has not been without challenges, but we were up to the task every step of the way.” Quartzelec undertook the full M&E services to all the landlord areas servicing the residential apartments as well as key communal areas, working in Manchester alongside main contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine. The works across the development included the fit out of four new substations that now provide power to the development, along with two mechanical plant rooms housing the site boosted cold water supply and the wet riser pump room. A total of 300 parking places across four levels serve the development with 60 CCTV installed cameras across the site. Over 5000 low energy microwave-controlled LED lighting units have also been installed over 68 residential corridors as part of the electrical and mechanical services to all areas of the development. Full domestic sprinkler protection has also been installed within the apartments and escape routes along with Dry and Wet risers to the four blocks. The corridors have further protection by way of a comprehensive smoke clearance system within each block. Project elements for this development of nearly a thousand homes in Manchester included: installing all necessary panel boards and metering; individual power and lighting installations for each unit along with a common area low voltage containment system; the door access, fire control and CCTV systems; general internal and external lighting; power for ancillary services including the lifts and smoke/ general ventilation systems and other building services; plus all the required Satellite TV, Cat5e, communication and intercom distribution systems with all associated cabling. During the project, Quartzelec were awarded ‘Subcontractor of the month’ a total of four times from main contractor Sir Robert Mc-Alpine in recognition of the team’s leadership, ownership and visibility of the project’s Safety, Health, Environment and Quality commitments – reflecting well on the group’s robust SHEQ culture. Commenting on the project, Richard Poulter, Building Services Manager for Sir Robert McAlpine adds: “This was the first major contract we awarded to Quartzelec, having been impressed by the quality of work delivered on competitive projects over recent years. Throughout project delivery they have demonstrated real flexibility to work alongside other contractors, ensuring smooth project flow and in-line with our SHEQ demands, particularly when the additional requirements to comply with Covid-19 safe practices were added in recent months. This has been a large and complex construction project and Quartzelec has been equal to the task at all stages.”

Heat pumps and EVs could become central to life within a decade

An electric heat pump revolution could be firmly established within a decade, according to new research published by UK Power Networks. The electricity firm forecasts that by 2030 there could be over 700,000 electric heat pumps across London, the East and South East, as well as up to 4.5 million EVs. These are among 1.6 million forecast data points published by the company in its 2021 Distribution Future Energy Scenarios research about how low carbon technologies could be taken up in future. It maps four different potential ‘scenario worlds’ up to 2050 with bespoke regional modelling and data analysis provided by energy consultancy Element Energy. One scenario suggests more than 3,000% growth in electric vehicles and a 2,500% rise in domestic heat pumps by 2030, which would keep the UK on track to reach its target of Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 and be a clear sign of a green recovery. Another scenario sees slowing economic growth but still results in a quarter of a million household solar panels being installed, aggregate grid scale battery storage capacity more than double that of the UK’s largest nuclear power station, and a move towards a zero carbon hydrogen gas grid. Prices of electric vehicles continuing to fall, along with the government’s ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030, could accelerate sales of new electric vehicles and vans. A more ambitious ‘Leading the Way’ scenario reaches Net Zero carbon emissions two years early, by 2048. It predicts 4.2 million fewer cars overall on roads than the other scenarios as more people choose to use public transport. It also experiences a much faster roll out of heat pumps, reaching 1.2 million electric heat pumps in UK Power Networks’ areas by 2030. Sul Alli, director of customer services, strategy and regulation at UK Power Networks, says: “The Government’s 10 Point Plan has signalled an acceleration of the UK’s transition to a net zero carbon economy. We are determined to be at the forefront in our industry and make sure no customers in the areas we serve are left behind. “That’s why we’ve worked hand in hand with local authorities and partners to deliver this project. By understanding how the future might look, we can innovate, plan, prepare and invest strategically to make our network ready for net zero.” Paul Connell, founder and head of Innovation at ODI Leeds, part of the Open Data Institute, comments: “This is a fabulous demonstration of the power of working in the open. We have used the open data UK Power Networks has published to build a visualisation that arguably creates 10 times more impact than a report.” Ian Walker, Director of Element Energy, says: “We’re delighted to support UK Power Networks in creation of their Distributed Future Energy Scenarios. The DFES significantly enhances visibility of the range of possible outcomes for the impact of the Net Zero transition on electricity networks and provides a key tool to enable UK Power Networks to plan for these outcomes and facilitate Net Zero.”

SELECT welcomes changes to Prompt Payment Code

SELECT has welcomed a major milestone in its long-running campaign for fairer payment terms for small businesses with sweeping reforms to the UK Government’s Prompt Payment Code. Under the new obligations announced this week, nearly 3,000 companies which are signed up to the Code will have to pay 95% of small business suppliers within 30 days of invoicing, halving the current time limit. SELECT has been prominent among industry bodies in highlighting the issue of payment abuse, the severity of which is illustrated by the fact that £23.4 billion of late invoices are currently owed to companies across Britain To assist and guide its members, the association recently retained the services as a consultant of Professor Rudi Klein, one of the UK’s foremost construction experts and a specialist in the reform of payment systems. Professor Klein says: “SELECT has been voicing its concerns about this damaging issue for many years now and the reforms to the Code announced this week will go a considerable way to easing some of the pressure on small business owners. “It is particularly timely, since smaller companies need all the help they can get as the construction sector continues its uphill struggle to emerge from the grip of the pandemic and contribute fully again to the wider economy.” The move should have an immediate and positive effect on cashflow, one of the greatest dangers to small business survival. According to the Federation of Small Businesses, 50,000 enterprises close their doors every year as a direct consequence of late payment. Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, comments: “Over years of listening to our members and monitoring their concerns, the problem of late payment has always been at the forefront of the issues that affect them. “Late payment causes real hardship to businesses and has a knock-on effect. It has hit particularly hard over the course of this year on top of the restrictions the sector has faced, and I believe the reforms will be welcomed by ethical and responsible businesses. “It is heartening that all our years of lobbying on this subject have secured a tangible result and we can assure our members that we will continue to fight for their place in a fair and competitive business environment.” The requirement to pay small businesses within 30 days will become effective from the 1st of July this year. The existing target to pay 95% of larger businesses within 60 days will remain in place. Changes to the code which come into effect immediately include a requirement for the most senior person in a company to sign the Code personally; acknowledgement that suppliers can charge interest on late invoices; and the enablement of Code administrators to investigate breaches.

Electric car drivers can now charge with an app

Mode for Electric Vehicles (EV mode) has been a part of the Sygic GPS Navigation since May 2020, when Sygic launched the app mode worldwide and with integrated payment in 38 countries with 150,000 charging points. More than 100,000 unique users have activated the mode since then. The most active users come from Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. The more charging stations are in the app and specific routing planner there are for EV, the higher the popularity of the app is. Up to now, Sygic is the first and only app providing all services in one: GPS navigation, route planner with integrated, still growing charging stations database, and integrated payment for charging in the app. Smart guide for free EV mode is free for any Sygic GPS Navigation user. It is active by switching on a slide-toggle in the app – no additional installs or registrations are needed. Drivers can choose their car model from the extensive database of electric and plug-in hybrid cars with predefined battery, average consumption, and connector type. Users can also adjust all the parameters based on their real-life experience. After adding the compatible charging point to the navigation route and checking its real-time availability, the driver only selects the payment method, charge and pays for the service. The number of charging points has doubled and continues to increase After Europe's largest charging network provider – Plugsurfing, in 2020, Sygic entered into several new partnerships that allowed a further extension of the charging points' network. New partners cover charging stations in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkan countries. In Sygic GPS Navi, you can find charging points from providers such as Greenway, Polyfazer, eJoin and Unicorn. "These new partnerships are essential for coverage in local markets in Central and Eastern Europe. Together, we offer unique, hassle-free solutions for electric vehicle drivers. We are supporting the mass adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles. In addition, we plan to cooperate on a deeper integration for easier usage of all services. We want to give our users the freedom to choose their preferred provider," says vice president for electromobility Petr Füzék. Travel, charge and pay with one app is the future There are currently more than 200,000 charging points with the possibility of payments, either directly in-app or via RFID in the Sygic's EV mode. The goal is to make in-app payments available at as many charging points as possible. However, the preference of the users is the highest priority. According to Sygic's survey, the share of its EV mode users preferring payment via the app is comparable to those who prefer RFID cards or doesn't matter the payment method. Paying through the navigation app is considered a great benefit. Nearly 40% of respondents regard recharging as very easy or easy; most of the respondents still need more time to get familiar with public recharging when travelling long distances. In 2021, the network of charging points will continue growing. In the future, Sygic plans to add even more dedicated features for electric vehicles and create an all-in-one driving assistant, helping users with routing. It will consider the specifics of the EV car model, range, traffic, and other factors, making the transition from combustion engine cars even easier. This trend is also confirmed by EV Driver Survey Report 2020, where 67% of electric car drivers stated that they will hardly go to a fuel station anymore.

Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity provides message of hope

In a year that saw the country in turmoil as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and three national lockdowns, The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity shone a beacon of hope to our construction community by responding to 2399 families in crisis. The number of cases that needed to be managed by professional case workers increased by 70% due to the complexity of the cases presented. As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, many callers to the charity’s helpline struggled to understand their basic entitlements such as the government furlough scheme and other benefits. The charity’s case workers leveraged £562,000 from other sources including benefit entitlements that would have otherwise gone unclaimed before releasing additional charitable grants to support the most needy.  The intervention of the case workers has ensured better financial stability for those in need and enabled the charity to deliver more support, to a higher quality and at a lower cost per case. The charity has also spent £224,229 on wellbeing education and training. After a short delay to adapt the Mental Health First Aid Instructor courses for online delivery, the CITB funded Building Mental Health programme soon re started and a further 41 construction focussed instructors received training. Since the programme started, 214 instructors have been trained; the highest number in any industry sector. As part of their pro-active support strategy the charity also began offering all of their construction focussed training free of charge and augmented all the courses for online delivery to meet the needs of the industry and the restrictions of face to face training.  1535 people received free wellbeing training, ranging from coping with stress, mindfulness and resilience, and with ongoing financial support from the industry, the charity will be continuing their free training into 2021. Generously supported by COINS a further £87,000 was invested in innovation, specifically on the Construction Industry Helpline app which complements the charity’s 24/7 helpline in offering a huge variety of information and guidance in the areas of mental, physical and financial wellbeing. During 2020 the app was developed with some exciting new features which included a geo locator to ensure that users are provided with support in their local area.  Another new feature provides simple to understand and unbiased financial information. At a time when financial security was paramount to so many, the app has provided a financial lifeline which in turn has improved overall wellbeing. One of the highlights of the year was the launch of a dedicated free phone helpline number for the construction community in the Republic of Ireland. Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity comments, “Thanks to the support of the Construction Industry Federation in Ireland we can now ensure that our construction colleagues in Ireland have access to the same support enjoyed by the workforce in the UK. This launch could not have come at a better time.” He adds, “At the beginning of this year we could never have predicted the huge fundraising and operational challenges that lay ahead.  When the COVID-19 pandemic started we quickly realised how heavily we relied on income from fundraising events. To try and compensate for our events shortfall we launched our Crisis Appeal in April and it was humbling to witness the generosity of so many people when the industry itself was already suffering. A staggering £500,000 was raised through our appeal and this enabled us to galvanise our efforts to ensure that we provided as many freely available and pro-active resources to the industry as possible.”

Construction now threatened by 'silent pandemic'

Amid rising rates of suicide and mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, many large construction firms have stepped up to boost mental health support for their employees. Paul Reeve, Director of CSR at electrotechnical trade body ECA, highlights the magnitude of the problem faced by the industry: “On average, two construction workers take their own lives every working day, and 20% of all work absence in the sector is attributed to poor mental wellbeing. The pandemic has further amplified the factors adversely affecting mental health and we now face an additional ‘silent pandemic’ threatening the lives of owners, managers and other workers.” In the months before the first lockdown in March 2020, a survey of construction and engineering services business owners revealed nine out of 10 suffered mental health issues due to business pressures – including depression, stress and even suicidal thoughts. Of all the respondents, four said they had attempted suicide. In the past year however, large engineering services businesses have taken huge strides to address mental ill-health. A recent COVID-19 Impact survey commissioned by ECA showed nine out of 10 large electrical and other engineering services businesses (89%) now train staff as Mental Health First Aiders. Philip Hamblett, contract manager at N Smith Electrical, was one of the first to take the Mental Health First Aider course delivered by ECA. Over the last year, 20 of the firm’s employees were furloughed. On their return to work, Philip spoke to each person individually. He says, “A lot of younger staff communicate by text rather than speaking with people. This is not good if they have an issue concerning them as they do not discuss it. By meeting them separately, it gave me the chance to check they were OK and also the chance to discuss any concerns about the pandemic, be it working on site and ensuring site safety; or discussing the loss of a friend or loved one.” Almost half of those responding to the survey mentioned ‘communication’, or ‘workplace stigma and perceptions’ as challenges to managing mental health. Around a third of respondents referred to the difficulty of measuring outcomes, both in terms of improved mental health and return on investment. Mark Lawrence, CEO of engineering services business TClarke, comments: “We have embraced well-being and mental health awareness. We still have a predominantly male working population and death and ill-heath due to mental stress in construction overall is far too high. “As a result, we have teamed up with a business called Green-Hearts Mindfulness and Meditation to roll out courses, seminars and training. Among other things, these show that there's someone here to talk to. And there’s been some interesting journeys - some people have shared their stories with us, helping other people to open up as well. It’s been something new and different for us, but it's well worth the investment.” The coronavirus crisis worsens isolation, longer hours and increased job uncertainty. Reflecting these increased challenges, it is encouraging to see that large contractors reported significant and increasing engagement with employee mental health.

Woodward Group enhances service offering with deal

Midlands based mechanical and electrical contractors Woodward Group has acquired Lowthers Electrical Engineers in a strategic move that bolsters the company’s growing customer base and enhances its service offering. The acquisition means Woodward Group, which provides electrical, fire, security, building and compliance services for commercial and industrial businesses nationwide, gains Lowthers’ knowledge, expertise and clientele. Also based in the Midlands, Lowthers is recognised as a specialist in hazardous or potentially explosive area installations (ATEX) and electrical, control and instrumentation (E, C&I) for the food and beverage and petrochemical industries. The company has built up an extensive blue chip client base since it was founded in 2007 by the company’s Managing Director, Matt Lowther. Commenting on the acquisition, Aden Woodward, Managing Director of Woodward Group, says: “Our mission at Woodward Group is to offer all of our clients an extensive range of bespoke, high quality services to meet their needs. With the demand for ATEX solutions on the rise, we’re thrilled to be able to add this unique and complementary expertise to our service offering.” Lowthers’ Managing Director, Matt Lowther, has partnered with Woodward Group on a number of projects this year, and as part of the acquisition, he joins the company as Group Project Director. “Joining Woodward Group signifies an exciting new chapter,” Matt says. “We have enjoyed a fantastic relationship with the Woodward Group team over the last year through partnering with them on a number of specialist ATEX projects, and we are really pleased to be adding our unique expertise to the company’s high quality service offering, and contributing to its growth.” Aden adds: “Despite some of the challenges we faced in navigating the complex and ever-changing lockdown restrictions, the projects we have worked on over the last year with the Lowthers team have all been highly successful, with customers confirming they’d like to take up future ATEX work with us. We are pleased to be welcoming Matt, which enhances the Woodward board of directors, and look forward to working together on these upcoming projects.”

New engineering services alliance to champion change

The multi-billion pound UK engineering services sector is launching a major new industry alliance of eight organisations on 10 February. The new alliance will be an agent for positive change and support the delivery of a safer, more productive and sustainable UK built environment. The new sector alliance will launch on the morning of 10 February at 10 am, with a virtual industry event. The new alliance brings together the leading trade, technology, research and professional bodies within the engineering services sector. It will lead the sector’s response to the Building Safety agenda and post-COVID Green Recovery, providing direction and championing the wider industry culture changes needed for their successful delivery. The eight organisations bring a broad range of technical, practical and commercial expertise to focus on four strategically important themes – skills, building safety, carbon reduction and commercial issues in 2021. The newly formed alliance consists of: The Building Engineering and Services Association (BESA) The Building Services Research and Industry Association (BSRIA) The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Electrical and Engineering Services (ECA) The Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA) The Lift and Escalator Industry Association (LEIA) SELECT – the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland The Scottish and NI Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF)

JET receives NETA accreditation, committing to safety and expertise

JET Electrical Testing has announced it recently received accreditation from the lnterNational Electrical Testing Association (NETA), demonstrating the company’s commitment to  safety, quality, reliability, and continuous improvement in the electrical testing industry. NETA is an association comprised of leading electrical testing companies that create and maintain standards for electrical maintenance and acceptance testing for electrical power equipment and distribution systems. It also develops training and certification standards for electrical test technicians with the goal of advancing the industry standards for power system installation and maintenance to ensure the highest level of reliability and safety. "JET Electrical Testing recognises that upholding the industry's highest standards is crucial to our operation. Since our inception, we have been dedicated to setting and maintaining world-class standards in electrical maintenance and acceptance testing through the implementation of new technologies and continuous training of our technicians. This certification only further demonstrates our commitment to upholding this standard of excellence," says Alexandra Jingoli, chief executive officer, JET Electrical Testing. As a NETA accredited company, JET has completed a two-fold accreditation process that accredits the company and certifies its individual technicians. The accreditation standards assure consumers of both the qualifications of the company, as well as the credentials of the individual technicians. The third-party, independent electrical testing and engineering service businesses that receive NETA accreditation provide full-service testing, analysis, and maintenance of electrical power systems and are recognised for compliance with the highest safety standards in the industry put forth by OSHA, ASTM, NFPA, IEEE, The National Safety Council, CSA, NEMA, and others.

Develop Training pledges to increase industry diversity

Develop Training has pledged to play an active part in helping increase diversity in the industry during 2021 after it delivered the first free training days of a ground-breaking programme set up to help women take the next step in their careers. Develop Training, which is part of the JTL Group, described the issue has having moved to centre-stage during 2020 in the wake of a series of reports which recognise how the sector’s diversity is below the UK average for gender, BAME and disability, with one study from the Energy and Utilities Skills Partnership finding that just 17% of the workforce in utilities are female, with more than 99% of employees working at craft level being male. This compares with to a UK workforce average of 47%. Last year Develop launched its Women in Utilities success programme, where it offered eight women working in the industry the opportunity to access high quality training, mentoring and support for free, giving them 15 days’ worth of training in any sector and any discipline, to be taken whenever they wanted. Develop sent out a call for applicants last March, but due to the lockdown it wasn’t until October that the first learner, Annie Thomson, Regional Customer Operations Administrator at Northern Gas Networks (NGN), was able to access her training days. She chose a two-day Core Domestic Meter Installation & Commissioning (Limited Scope) course, where she learned the basics of how to install and commission domestic gas sized meters that are sealed off at the meter outlet fitting. A few weeks later Charlotte King, Contracts and Procurement Manager at WK Engineering Services Ltd in Weston-Super-Mare, took up five days of free training on Develop’s Service and Mainlaying Skills for Managers course. Aimed at agents, supervisors and network managers, the course offers entry-level experience of working in a utility environment, and is ideal for managers with no formal qualifications in gas networks. Charlotte chose the course because she has been involved with the operational side of the business for six years and wanted to gain a more thorough understanding and awareness of the technical elements of upstream and downstream gas networks. Andy Holmes, Develops H&S Manager, who had the initial idea for the programme, says: “Our Women in Utilities success programme is the first scheme of its type that we have undertaken and it was frustrating to have to wait until towards the end of the year to get it underway because of the coronavirus restrictions. “However, straight away we realised how important it is to undertake something like this, because of the way in which it will help us to re-evaluate how we offer training to make sure that it’s inclusive of as many people as possible. “We’re very grateful to all eight women for agreeing to take part because while we’re helping them, we know that we will learn a lot from their participation and how they feel about everything about the training right down to the minutiae like PPE and welfare issues." Annie applied for the course because she wants to be a site manager, but felt she needs hands-on experience of the practical side of the work in order to be taken seriously. She comments: "I feel that women in the gas industry have to work incredibly hard to prove themselves and gain respect, purely because it's such a male-dominated industry. “I wanted to be a part of this programme because of the exposure it'll give me to different areas of the business and the knowledge it will allow me to gain that I would never normally have the opportunity, or access to, in my day to day administrative role.” Chris Adair, Training Manager at Northern Gas Networks, comments: "We are proud to support, not just Annie, but all women to engage in our sector. Women working in Utilities make up a small percentage of not just our workforce but across the entire Gas Distribution Network. “Annie is keen to progress and she is an ambassador for both women and NGN." Charlotte concludes: “Having this knowledge will be really empowering as it'll not only build my confidence when I'm coordinating projects, but I hope it'll also help me gain respect from my colleagues.”