Hamilton joins CEDIA as it continues to champion smart controls

Hamilton Litestat has become a trade supplier member of CEDIA as part of its commitment to educate and promote smart controls and home automation. As the international trade organisation and global authority on home technology, CEDIA’s members are important for Hamilton as it increases brand awareness amongst custom installers and professional electricians. “We are pleased to welcome Hamilton Litestat on board as a CEDIA member,” commented Matt Nimmons, CEDIA EMEA Managing Director. “We recognise that Hamilton has an outstanding reputation for delivering quality products, so to be able to add the company to our list of trade suppliers is fantastic.” The company’s solutions and its championing of the sector have been recognised, with Hamilton voted ‘Best Manufacturer 2018’ in the Voltimum Smart Solutions Awards 2018. Hamilton will be demonstrating its smart lighting control and audio solutions at EI Live!, which takes place in Farnborough from April 30 – May 1. The company will be positioned on Stand 56, and visitors are encouraged to ask about the free smart controls training courses at the newly-refurbished training centre in Mere. Attendees can also pick up a copy of Hamilton’s new 2019 catalogue. - To register for EI Live!, visit eiliveshow.com

Voice sounders chosen for busy high school

A fire safety system upgrade at Harwich and Dovercourt High School, a mixed secondary school and sixth form with academy status serving more than 1,200 students, has 110 Vimpex fire-cryer voice sounders at its heart to help protect students and staff. This extensive fire safety system upgrade, installed by life safety systems specialists Anglia Fire Protection, comprises 24 Vimpex wall-mounted fire-cryer and 86 high output midi fire-cryer voice sounders, with custom-built voice message controllers built to the customer’s specification. Such a busy, multi-use facility as a senior school demands a bespoke evacuation and warning system solution. Vimpex’s fire-cryer voice sounders can be programmed to produce bespoke messages and tones specifically designed for the educational environment. Vimpex’s fire-cryer is the only voice sounder system available with a range of discreet ceiling-mounted voice sounders through to high output IP66 voice sounders. The advantage of using multi-message voice sounders in schools is that traditional fire alarms can be mixed with everyday messages such as class change. It can be customary practice for schools to use the fire bells or sounders to announce class changes with the potential for confusion during an actual fire or routine test. The fire-cryer range is the most extensive range of voice sounders available on the market today, with five models to choose from and literally millions of message combinations, ensuring that any site requirement can be fulfilled. The units require no special wiring and can be retrofitted to existing installations. They can be fully synchronised and have a low current consumption allowing simple replacement of existing sounders and bells.

Study reveals a slowdown in engineering growth

The latest sector-wide Building Engineering Business Survey, sponsored by Scolmore, has revealed that in Q4 2018, a quarter (26%) of businesses reported increased turnover, while another quarter (26%) said turnover had fallen, compared to the previous quarter. Outlook for the first quarter of 2019 is also subdued. Three in four respondents (74%) said they expect their turnover to stay the same or fall compared to Q4 2019. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds (61%) of engineering services organisations have seen their material costs rise in Q4 2018, compared to Q3, and almost half (48%) of respondents reported increased labour costs during the final quarter of 2018. ECA CEO, Steve Bratt, commented, “These latest figures indicate a squeeze on margins due to a downward trend in turnover and an upward trend in labour and material costs. The current business climate is challenging, with firms facing the knock-on effects of Brexit uncertainty, more challenging contractual conditions and ongoing payment issues.” BESA CEO, David Frise, added, “There is a pattern emerging here. The latest forecasts from the CPA, which we recently shared with our members, indicate similar findings with a market forecast of just 0.3% growth in 2019 and material prices going up by 5.1%. The challenge for contractors across the sector is maintaining cash flow in a climate where payment issues still reign. It is in times like this that the work of organisations like BESA, ECA, SELECT and SNIPEF is even more vital than ever.” SELECT Acting Managing Director, Alan Wilson, observed, “Payment remains one of the industry’s biggest issues. Often it starts at source, with clients delaying payments, which has a knock-on effect down the contractual chain. This is then compounded by delays in releasing retention sums. There has to be more transparency in the payment chain and national and devolved governments need to show leadership in making sure public bodies pay on time.” Payment and retentions remain a challenge. Almost three in four respondents (77%) said they are typically paid more than 30 days after a public sector project, and more than eight in ten (83%) are paid more than 30 days after a commercial project. Almost two-thirds (58%) said that up to 10% of their organisation’s turnover was tied up in retentions in Q4 2018 – a 6% increase on Q3 2018. The survey received 403 responses from companies across the multi-billion-pound industry, mainly regarding their performance in Q4 2018 (October 1 to 31 December, 2018), and expectations for Q1 2019.

New review site to tackle bad practice

A new online review platform has been launched to tradespeople and their customers to tackle the scourge of bad workmanship, late payments and bad debtors that cost the UK billions of pounds every year. The platform, recommendandshare.com, aims to create an environment of proper transparency, honesty and accountability for businesses and consumers everywhere by focusing on building relationships, rather than just leads. Users create free business or consumer profiles, where they can leave recommendations for either side following their experiences. Founder of the service, Garry Lewis, is himself a tradesperson with 30 years’ experience in the industry. He was inspired to launch the site after his experiences with dishonest people, businesses and banks almost cost him everything he had worked for. He now hopes this open, transparent and not-for-profit approach will show each side that the other’s intentions are genuine and honourable from the outset. Lewis commented, “We’re giving businesses and consumers a voice to make everybody accountable for their actions. This is about relationships and not leads. Other review sites are built to make money out of the trade through subscription fees or by charging for leads that in a majority of cases don’t turn into jobs and leave the tradespeople out of pocket. We want to change things for the better for tradespeople and the public, giving both sides the peace of mind and reassurance they need before committing to each other.” Recommend & Share is not-for-profit and is free to use for businesses and consumers.

New guide for smart home products

Electrical wholesaler CEF has published a new guide to smart home technology that aims to simplify smart home product selection for professional installers and buyers. Get Smart, Get Connected is a comprehensive, priced product directory and microsite featuring the latest products and innovations as well as insight, installation advice and guidance to help electricians take advantage of the smart home revolution. It’s estimated that £10.8 billion will be spent on smart home devices in the UK this year alone, with an increasing number of those products now requiring professional installation. The smart home market thus presents a huge opportunity for electrical contractors, but understanding the range of products available isn’t always easy. CEF’s guide outlines the possibilities of what can be automated in a home as well as the individual devices that make it all happen, enabling electricians to grasp the smart home opportunity and access the commercial potential of this lucrative market. Andrew Moseley, Commercial Director at CEF, explains, "The adoption of smart technology continues to grow, and this presents a great opportunity for tradespeople who are one step ahead – equipped with the right product knowledge and ready to advise their customers with market insight. With Get Smart, Get Connected, CEF is helping electricians to navigate the smart home landscape and ensure that they can take full advantage of this evolving market." The new product directory is available from CEF stores nationwide, and digitally via cef.co.uk/getsmart.

JTL ‘seriously concerned’ about apprenticeship barriers

Training provider JTL says that it is struggling to gain access to schools and their pupils, and as a result, young people may not be fully informed about their apprenticeship options upon leaving full-time education. Research by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) shows that despite the introduction of the Baker Clause – which was created to force schools to open their doors to further education providers – compliance has been very poor. One year on from the introduction of the clause, research shows that just two in five schools (37.6%) published a provider access statement. Despite this, the Department for Education (DfE) is yet to take formal action to enforce compliance. According to the findings, most technical education providers think that the Baker Clause has failed to deliver on its aims. Over 70% say that it is difficult to access schools in their area, and less than a third say that the situation has improved in the last year. Poor compliance is due to the lack of incentive for schools to retain their pupils and little enforcement of the Baker Clause. JTL’s Chief Executive, Jon Graham, explained, “Like many others, we were sceptical that the Baker Clause would have an immediate impact on allowing us and other providers to gain access to schools and their pupils to highlight their options. This appears to be the case, and combined with recent figures showing that there were only 195,200 apprenticeship starts across the board between April and November 2017 (representing a 40% drop compared with the corresponding period in 2016), it would seem that there is a requirement for serious action from Government to rectify this. Graham continued, “The Apprenticeship Levy does not seem to be working well either. According to the Local Government Association, the levy will generate £900 million less funding in the first four years than the Government previously stated. In addition, we continue to ‘bang the drum’ about the levy not being used as it was intended – and certainly should not, in our view, be used to fund senior management apprenticeships, providing university-level training to individuals already in work and already with professional qualifications. He concluded, “The apprenticeship scheme should, as a minimum, support apprenticeships that help fill skills gaps in vital industry sectors. We sincerely hope those who are making decisions and failing to enforce actions that have been previously agreed, will provide leadership at a time when we need to boost the number and quality of apprenticeships available to meet the demands of UK industries where skills gaps are evident at every level.”

Boosting productivity with smart CO2 controls

Building technology manufacturer, Priva, is highlighting its ability to provide a variety of solutions enabling the effective management and monitoring of primary building systems, including air-conditioning and ventilation, as a major new study asserts the importance of lower CO2 levels to the provision of comfortable and health-inducing workplaces. The new report, led by Oxford Brookes University and LCMB Building Performance, contends that CO2 levels in offices are “silently damaging UK productivity”. Monitoring levels and testing workers continually over a two-year period, the study showed that personnel are able to work up to 60% faster in environments with lower CO2 concentrations. In addition, increased intake of CO2 can lead to poor decision-making, slower reaction times and greater tiredness. With the rising number of days lost each year to ill-health in the UK already giving cause for concern, this report highlights the need for building owners and facilities managers to review the impact that primary building systems can have on employee wellbeing. Alongside lighting, heating and noise control, effective air monitoring and management technology should be a priority for any new-build or retrofit project, Priva says. Priva’s product family offers powerful control and monitoring of key building systems. Its Touchpoint One technology – which allows users to adjust room conditions including heating and cooling via a user-friendly user interface – constitutes the latest generation of powerful and aesthetically-pleasing operating units. The unit clearly highlights the status of CO2 levels with the help of clear graphical ‘traffic light’ icons. Recent data published by the UK’s Office for National Statistics indicates that UK productivity is 26.2% lower than Germany, based on GDP per hour worked. As the UK potentially moves into an uncertain economic period, there will inevitably be an onus on all organisations – public and private – to do everything they can to maximise output. “Providing workplaces with lower CO2 levels is one of the most direct routes possible to improving employee health/wellbeing and boosting output,” said Priva UK & Ireland Sales Manager, Gavin Holvey. “At Priva, we are ready to assist all types of enterprise that wish to prioritise CO2 control with guidance and a host of cost-effective systems that can help them to monitor and manage air quality quickly and efficiently.”

ECA backs plans for electrical safety in PRS

Following the Government’s response last week to a public consultation on electrical safety in the private rented sector (PRS), electrotechnical trade body ECA has responded to the main conclusions. Steve Martin, ECA Director of Technical, commented, “ECA has long argued for regular electrical checks to take place in privately rented homes. It is vital that tenants feel safe wherever they live, and that landlords are provided with a cost-effective and practical way forward, which these proposals deliver. “An important test will lie in the enforcement regime, and it is vital that those with oversight, such as councils, have the tools they need to ensure that landlords follow the law. It is now key that the Government puts these plans into law at the nearest opportunity.” Some of the main conclusions set out in Government’s response include: introducing legislation to make five-yearly electrical safety checks mandatory; producing new guidance for landlords that demonstrates the levels of qualification and competence required to carry out electrical inspections; and a commitment to ensuring the regulations are properly enforced and that there are real penalties for failing to comply. Andrew Eldred, ECA Director of Employment and Skills, added, “The Government’s response represents a pragmatic, practicable approach that will ensure that businesses with a properly qualified and skilled workforce who follow good industry practice can deliver this vital work. “ECA backs Government plans to provide new guidance to landlords that will put qualifications at the heart of proving the competency of those carrying out the work.”  The government’s response comes after an initial consultation was held from February to April 2018, to which ECA responded. In July 2018, Government announced that regulations would be introduced requiring private landlords to carry out electrical safety checks every five years. The MHCLG announcement this week on electrical checks comes just weeks after the Government responded to the Hackitt Review into the building regulations and fire safety. The Government backed all of the recommendations in the review, including the need for greater regulation, and clearer standards and guidance. Housing Secretary James Brokenshire noted at the time, “The construction and fire safety industries are leading work to improve levels of competence. We look forward to a robust proposal that will bring coherence to the competence of all those working on buildings in scope of the new regime.”

Scolmore lighting a hit with Edinburgh Council

Undertaking an upgrade programme of 22,350 social housing properties is no mean feat, and when it came to selecting new bulkhead lighting solutions for the residential buildings, Edinburgh Council needed to bear in mind the cost, performance and the time required to install the products. There was the added concern of the new lower communal ceiling height that had resulted from the thermal insulation renovation, which meant the need to search for an alternative fitting was looking likely. However, EVO’s unique ability to be recessed via removal of the mounting skirt meant it was an ideal solution, enabling the installation to go smoothly, with the fitting utilised in a greatly reduced vertical space. Having looked at various products on the market, Scolmore’s Inceptor EVO standard bulkhead was selected, because – according to the council’s electrical and design teams – it provided an overall solution that competing products were unable to offer. The ability to remove the surface mount adaptor ring means that the fitting can be easily semi-recessed to overcome the problem of low ceilings and size of the fitting. Ease of installation, as well as cost and performance of the bulkheads, were also cited as crucial for the project and they are now being installed in all the kitchens and bathrooms in the properties being renovated. The emergency and microwave sensor versions of the EVO bulkhead are, at the same time, being installed in the communal areas of the two, multi-storey dwellings that make up part of Edinburgh Council’s social housing stock. These EVO bulkheads offer a three-hour emergency function in the event of a power failure, and feature a microwave sensor with 8 second to minute adjustment. Their IP65 rating, robust housing and anti-tamper screws were also key features when the council’s electrical team leader was selecting these products. As part of the renovation programme, the council is also upgrading the switches and sockets and has opted for Scolmore’s Mode range of electrical accessories to provide a cost-efficient replacement solution for all rooms and areas of the residential properties.   As well as offering value, Mode is a contemporary range that offers flexibility. Edinburgh Council is aiming to complete between 1,500 and 2,000 property upgrades per year over the next ten years or so, and Scolmore is working in close partnership with the team to ensure the procurement and installation of the products is a smooth and efficient process.

Call for Evidence seeks to regulate Scottish electricians

The announcement by the Scottish Government of a ‘Call for Evidence’ to gather data on the extent of substandard electrical installations in Scotland and the risks posed to the general public has been welcomed by SELECT. The Call for Evidence is an ideal opportunity to detail examples of poor or unsafe work which will reinforce the case for making it an offence for someone to call themselves an electrician without holding appropriate qualifications. Jamie Hepburn, the Scottish minister for business, fair work and skills, is asking people to participate by means of an online survey which you can access at www.pyetait.com/Regulating-Electricians-in-Scotland Alan Wilson, acting managing director of SELECT, said, “It’s good to see the Scottish Government take this first step towards regulation, and it’s a great opportunity to help make the public safer. By introducing Protection of Title for electricians, we would remove a large number of unqualified and often dangerous practitioners from the industry.” The Call for Evidence is open to the general public, the electrical workforce, those affected by any such defective or unsafe electrical installations, those completing retrospective work, emergency services, insurance companies, local authorities, trade association and certification bodies and others. The investigation will focus on a specific two-year period, between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2018 and will concentrate on issues of defective or unsafe work within a domestic setting.