Water companies want to “get to where the energy companies are” when it comes to collecting and using information from smart meters, Sutton and East Surrey (SESW) has said. Speaking at Utility Week Live, SESW innovation manager Jeremy Heath, who is also chair of Water UK’s metering
Paul Shamplina, Founder of Landlord Action, is due to appear in three separate stories in this week’s episode (Wednesday 11th May, Ep10) of ‘Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords’ on Channel Five. The landlords in all three cases have little or no experience of the buy-to-let industry and this week the show
Millboard®, the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring has released volume two of their architectural guide. Millboard®, the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring has released volume two of their architectural guide. As well as providing in-depth detail on the entire Millboard Collection and material safety datasheets, it
Great success has been highlighted for Thames Water, with the organisation’s retail division successfully increasing the size of its Scottish customer base by greater than 100% over the previous year. The present number of sites, sitting at 1,300 in total, serves to foreshadow the organisations ambition to improve its presence
Through support offered from the new SmartestEnergy initiative, it has been announced that those businesses aiming to display role model conduct in responsible practice, will in turn be able to enjoy an increased level of confidence in the responsible nature of renewables procured. As the UK’s largest procurer of renewables
Mixed in with some of the aforementioned concerns perceived with the latest budget set out Chancellor George Osborne, it is noteworthy that so too can positives be taken from the budget, especially for businesses and enterprises which have been struggling amidst shaky economic conditions. Although the Office for Budget Responsibility
Increasingly, property is seeing the integration of technology on an ever-expanding scale. With potential occupiers no longer being quite as satisfied by the mere bricks, mortar and location offered by a property, the demand for technological integration in properties is on the rise. As such, the expectations for technology to
Recently announced, surplus industrial space positioned near the Royal Docks has been put forward for release to open up new space for housebuilding, as presented to the Mayor of London for consultation. The move, though primarily seen to open up the opportunity to develop further housing stock, will also see
It has been recently reported that Grade A property supply in the North West industrial industry is to hit a rate of concerning shortage by the end of the year. Highlighted Savills, figures have shown that, although some 2.2m square feet of space is to be provided over 11 different
Do people want a smart box that can physically control everything in their homes? We posed this question to consumers for the first time, back in 2004. Being a home automation company in the Netherlands and coming from a background of technology development and IoT enthusiasm, we pioneered remote controlling
Water companies want to “get to where the energy companies are” when it comes to collecting and using information from smart meters, Sutton and East Surrey (SESW) has said. Speaking at Utility Week Live, SESW innovation manager Jeremy Heath, who is also chair of Water UK’s metering group, said there is a great deal of value that can be derived from the use of smart meters. However, he said smart metering in water is unlikely to be a national mandate, at least in the short term, because every water company will need to use meters to “resolve its own problems”. For example, one use for SESW would be to look at how sprinkler users can change their demand pattern so that they use sprinklers at times of low water demand. “Solutions will look completely different for each company,” he said. “I can’t see a single unified water metering system across the UK – if it does happen it’ll be a long way away.” Also on the panel, Welsh Water strategy manager Andy Blackhall said of the company’s customers it had asked none said they would reject a water meter. Heath said the wholesale and retail market split will affect metering, as the retailer and wholesaler both rely on information and it is not yet known what the relationship between the two will be. The panel agreed that water data will be owned by the customer, as it is in the energy sector, and they will be able to choose which companies can see their data. In March, Thames Water chief financial officer Stuart Siddall said smart metering will be “revolutionary” for the water sector. Source link
Paul Shamplina, Founder of Landlord Action, is due to appear in three separate stories in this week’s episode (Wednesday 11th May, Ep10) of ‘Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords’ on Channel Five. The landlords in all three cases have little or no experience of the buy-to-let industry and this week the show shines the spotlight on just how severe the consequences can be. Novice landlord, Dhiren Makhecha, bought a flat in South London at auction as a ‘pension pot’ investment. Since there was already a tenant in situ, he thought it would be the perfect option and a simple transition. Unfortunately the tenant stopped paying rent, and although initially sympathetic to her situation, after 10 months with no payment at all, Dhiren was out of pocket and desperate for help. In Kent, a retired builder bought a house for himself and his children following a split from his wife, but it never really felt like home, so he decided to rent it out. However, after a health scare with his heart, the landlord wanted to sell the property and move on with his life. The only problem is that his tenants do not want to move and have also stopped paying the rent. The final story sees a landlord, who inherited a property and subsequently rented it out, in battle with her tenants who are trying to sue her for tens of thousands of pounds. With £6000 of arrears, the tenants appeared to have absconded. Despite several attempts, the landlord was unable to make contact and proceeded to change the locks. Weeks later, the tenants return and want to sue the landlord for unfair eviction. With the cost of each of the cases mounting, Landlord Action is brought in to help all three landlords regain possession of their properties. ‘Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords’ will air at the new later time of 10pm on Wednesday 11th May on Channel 5. Source link
Millboard®, the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring has released volume two of their architectural guide. Millboard®, the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring has released volume two of their architectural guide. As well as providing in-depth detail on the entire Millboard Collection and material safety datasheets, it features key technical data and the resin mineral board profile of the Millboard substrate. The guide explains the Pendulum Test Values (PTV), Slip Resistance Values (SRV) and boasts working specifications and applications for residential, commercial and public space projects. Millboard combines the natural beauty of real timber with the high performance of a unique wood-free material, it is durable and non-porous, which means high resistance to algae growth and excellent anti-slip properties. The unique Lastane® layer on all Millboard products resists scratches and stains and is designed to withstand demanding outdoor environments. Paul Boylin, Millboard Marketing Manager explains: “Our sleek new guide has been specifically designed with architects in mind to aid their selection process when specifying premium wood-free outdoor flooring alternatives. All of our Millboard products are designed to resist UV fading and sun damage and the structural core is a blend of natural minerals bonded in a polymer resin, with long fibre reinforcement for added strength and durability. He went on to say: “Where even the highest quality hardwood can warp, fade and lose its original appeal over time, Millboard is solid and crafted using resin mineral board composite, designed for outdoor conditions. The textured top surface creates a resilient, virtually maintenance-free layer, designed to resist algae and prevent slipping, even in the wet weather conditions we face in the UK. And because Millboard is designed and made in Britain using innovative techniques, it’s more eco-friendly too.” Architects can request the hard copy guide here or request an e-version here. ENDS. About Millboard The Millboard Company Ltd is the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring. The company employs over 100 people based in Warwickshire and proudly designs and manufactures in Great Britain.Recognised as the leading brand for wood-free alternatives in the UK, Millboard is a unique, wood-free alternative to composite and timber decking manufactured from a unique polyurethane resin blend. The product range consists of handcrafted Enhanced Grain collection moulded from smooth timber for a textured appearance and a Weathered Oak collection moulded from 100 year-old reclaimed timber. Anti slip, maintenance free and UV stable, moulded from carefully selected timbers and hand-coloured, Millboard is as beautiful as hardwood yet designed to outsmart it. Therefore Millboard is able to recreate a product that combines the beauty of real timber with the high performance of a unique wood-free material. In 2015 The Millboard Company Ltd was awarded the accolade of one of the best 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain by the London Stock Exchange. www.millboard.co.uk Press enquiries to:SMPR – The Wolston Priory, Priory Road, Wolston (nr. Rugby), Warwickshire, CV8 3FXTel: 02476 546150Mob: 07715 174 911Email: nicky@simplymarcomms.co.uk Hi-resolution imagery is available on request. Interviews can be arranged by prior appointment. Millboard®, the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring has released volume two of their architectural guide. Source link
Great success has been highlighted for Thames Water, with the organisation’s retail division successfully increasing the size of its Scottish customer base by greater than 100% over the previous year. The present number of sites, sitting at 1,300 in total, serves to foreshadow the organisations ambition to improve its presence in England’s non-household retail market sector. The present client network highlights an over-achievement on the company’s part, actually surpassing those targets initially set out for the company to increase its client base twofold only, up to 1,200 sites. Of course, the news is surely of a positive note for Thames Water, with the results highlighting the quality of the service on offer to the market. With 2016 predicted to be one of the best year’s for Thames Water yet, it is expected that the company will be able to continue this trend of growth over the course of the year, primarily in terms of the number of clients being handled by the organisation. Additionally, the level of service provided is also expected to be maintained across the increasing network, with Thames Water displaying a commitment to sustaining the “unparalleled service to clients” onto and into the future. Thames Water Commercial Services has also stated that it believes the success achieved in Scotland to be attributed to the increased importance being perceived in managing your water supply as has historically been seen in the gas and electricity industries – industries whereby customers are often changing provider in accordance with new pricing and external factors on a very regular basis. Having operated in the Scottish market for just under three years, the notable success of the company already in tapping into the potential of this market is noted. The English market, however, is due to open as of April 2017, with some 1.2m non-household customers based primarily, or entirely in England to then select their preferred supplier of water and wastewater services.
Through support offered from the new SmartestEnergy initiative, it has been announced that those businesses aiming to display role model conduct in responsible practice, will in turn be able to enjoy an increased level of confidence in the responsible nature of renewables procured. As the UK’s largest procurer of renewables in the independent generation sector, SmartestEnergy maintains an enviable industry position. Yet, utilising this position in a positive manner, the SmartestEnergy Tariff Emission Factor Model has been established, in association with the Carbon Trust, to enable the organisation to distribute renewable certificates for pinpointed tariffs and customers, allowing for a more effective supply-to-source link between the generation of the energy and the customer. How this will be perceived is far less complicated however, as labels are to be created so that each individual customer can see the relative source of their energy, as well as the associated carbon emissions from such generation. Further to this, those customers looking to utilise the facility to exert greater control over the energy they purchase will be able to select the renewable technology they would like their electricity to be generated from. Though renewables as a whole have already been heralded as the future for the energy generation sector, the initiative effectively puts a degree of control in the hands of the customer, but most importantly informs and equips people with the information they need to assess their preferences on the renewable technology medium they support most. Of course, not only will this allow for improved awareness of environmental impacts associated with energy generation, but will also allow for increased differentiation between differing renewable technologies; indeed, not all renewables are the same. Robert Groves, Chief Executive Officer of SmartestEnergy commented on the new label, and system, saying: “We recognise some organisations will want to go further and specify the types of renewable electricity they buy – whether that be just from natural sources or from a particular technology or project – and we can also support that.”
Mixed in with some of the aforementioned concerns perceived with the latest budget set out Chancellor George Osborne, it is noteworthy that so too can positives be taken from the budget, especially for businesses and enterprises which have been struggling amidst shaky economic conditions. Although the Office for Budget Responsibility has highlighted the present economic position and future prospects are markedly weaker, hopes are still held for economic growth and prosperity should the correct policies be put into place to support that growth. And while a struggling economy is by no means something the majority of people are to receive well, it Is also key to highlight that notably slower growth in China and across the developed world has also been reported, landing many other countries in a similar, if not even worse economic position. Of such details highlighted in the budget, one of the most important aspects is to be the number of tax changes for businesses and enterprises, as well as the additional commitment of the government to infrastructure; effectively serving as part of the government’s pledge to put the UK’s economic stability first and foremost. Looking to make the government “fit for the future”, planned investment is expected to support a greater degree of social mobility, as well as also assisting youths in saving up money for their future – a key aspect of consideration when considering the increasing difficulties for youths to enter onto what is considered the primary mode of investment into the future, the housing market. Yet, for changes made to tax, well received is the cutting of corporation tax, presently sitting at 20%, which will fall by three points to 17% by April, 2020. Additionally, Small Business Rate Relief is also planned to rise by considerably from its present value, increasing up to £15,000 for the smallest of organisations, and then from anywhere between £18,000 and £51,000 for the higher rate. This, effect implying that some 600,000 SMEs will not feel the need to pay business rates from next year, and another 250,000 seeing a marked depreciation in these rates also.
Increasingly, property is seeing the integration of technology on an ever-expanding scale. With potential occupiers no longer being quite as satisfied by the mere bricks, mortar and location offered by a property, the demand for technological integration in properties is on the rise. As such, the expectations for technology to play a greater role in influencing the leasing, renting and buying properties, the time for developers to step up on the technological front is nigh, as can be seen in KMPG’s latest report. In the report by KMPG’s, predictions have been made as to how the sector will be in some 20 years’ time. Of the results shown, the most noteworthy aspect is the key role in which the level of technology and management processes behind the scenes of properties will come to play in the coming times. At the same time, fortunately, it has also being predicted that technology companies will also be able to deliver this more effectively in the future too. A concept not yet fully integrated in the UK property sector, one of the key areas highlighted by Tudor Aw, KMPG’s Head of Technology, will not only be the hardware associated with a property, but also the software. With the operating system of a property itself predicted to see as important a role as it does on the common smartphone, it is even expected that the modern property’s operating system may even see updates every few weeks. Of course, the move towards technology-led buildings may also see a change in the vary nature of how properties may be managed, paid for and even handled as a concept. In fact, Aw highlights the possibility as to whether the business model may see a move towards property developers actually “owning” customers, yet then, in return providing low-cost homes which are then supported by a whole host of technological benefits and possibilities.
Recently announced, surplus industrial space positioned near the Royal Docks has been put forward for release to open up new space for housebuilding, as presented to the Mayor of London for consultation. The move, though primarily seen to open up the opportunity to develop further housing stock, will also see the area brought back to the glory days of old, when the docks proved to be a hub of commercial and industrial activity. The plans tie in effectively with the Mayor’s own plan to regenerate the docks, presently already undergoing a considerable degree of transformation. As part of this, ABP, a Chinese developer, has already been successful in achieving planning permission at the docks for the development of a vast business and financial district, to complement the development of two hotels also development at the location over the course of the year. Of the restoration works already progressed with, works have already been commenced at the Millennium Mills, and it is also expected that the Silvertown area will also see the addition of further development such as that of creative workspaces, new-build structures and circa 3,000 homes to provide much-needed housing stock in the area. To further develop the area, the Mayor has also laid out ambitions to launch consultations on a number of proposals for transformation at the docks, aiming to develop the area into a world-class destination for commerce and trade once again. This, then to tie in with further ambitions for residential housing space, allowing for considerable growth in the area at the very same time. Of course, much of this development, whilst important in its own right, will also prove to be vital in the area’s ability to benefit effectively from key infrastructure projects being undertaken in the area, such as Crossrail and the new Thames crossings.
It has been recently reported that Grade A property supply in the North West industrial industry is to hit a rate of concerning shortage by the end of the year. Highlighted Savills, figures have shown that, although some 2.2m square feet of space is to be provided over 11 different schemes this year, the demand and take-up of such space is at a level far outstripping that of the supply. Shockingly, the North West has actually been highlighted to represent one of the most considerable (the second most) pipelines for development in the entirety of the UK, it is still yet unable to compete with average annual take up values of approximately 3.44m square feet, leading sceptics to fret over a growing reduction in space actually available for further take up. The predicted figures effectively follow from last year’s record setting take up values, where the North West alone achieved a considerable 4.56m square feet of take up over the course of the year. And while Savills does indeed nod towards the great work being undertaken on the development front, which will no doubt provide much-needed space for further take-up, yet simultaneously Stuart Murray, Savills’ Industrial Director outlines the growing need for further development pipeline and opportunities to develop. With the market almost wholly-dependent on the provision of further stock to continue performing out of the recessionary periods, the importance of further development is absolute, with Murray commenting: “The big questions now are where will the second tranche of new stock come from and who will the developers be?” Of course, whilst there is a reportedly considerable amount of industrial stock presently available in the North West, sitting at some 5.71m, some 81% of this is regarded as Grade C or B stock, with many of the Grade C stock actually not being fit for occupation. This, of course highlights an already shortened supply of Grade A stock, with an ever-increasing reason for developers to move.
Do people want a smart box that can physically control everything in their homes? We posed this question to consumers for the first time, back in 2004. Being a home automation company in the Netherlands and coming from a background of technology development and IoT enthusiasm, we pioneered remote controlling devices, smart lighting and assisted living, even back then. Now remember, this was years before the iPhone was introduced. Touchscreens had only just started popping up. Even though all of these things were already possible, our ambitious plan to “conquer the world” didn’t quite take off in the way we had expected. Why? It turns out that people didn’t want a mysterious box with the potential to control fully their home. They simply weren’t ready for that concept because they didn’t understand it. Years later, in 2012, the realization of what people actually wanted came when we partnered with a forward-thinking and leading Dutch energy company, Eneco. They realized that the energy world is changing and that we have to transition from a central to a decentralized system. From a world with central energy production and delivery over a grid to people’s homes, to a reality where people are generating their own, sustainable energy and using a smart grid. In this new world, they needed a new business model. They wanted to shift from a traditional supply of energy to a new service model, one that could help them connect with their customers and drastically reduce churn. The smart thermostat we were developing provided just that. From a smart box concept in 2004, it developed into a new self-learning smart thermostat that incorporated all the features of the original product, but added one big new advantage: an attractive smart energy display. This suddenly provided a new foothold into the smart home market, allowing multiple features to be introduced to the screen. It helped to transform the concept of a smart thermostat intended for a niche and ‘geeky’ audience into a mass energy-saving solution. Now, over 200,000 people have embraced this smart home proposition branded as ‘Toon’ by Eneco in their homes in the Netherlands, putting our product in the top three smart thermostats in Europe. The case for smart thermostats to provide a platform to the smart home became apparent, as sales continued to grow and we decided to build new features and services on top of our platform quickly after that. For instance, we connected smart plugs to our smart thermostat, so that consumers can control their lighting and devices and gain unique insights into their usage on a device level. We also introduced a smoke detection feature that builds on a wireless smoke detector and alerts Eneco’s customers when there is a fire in their homes. These are just a few of the many examples and opportunities that the platform offers. But there are more. Indeed, Quby sees the potential for many features to come: Smarter energy with storage and boiler management Eneco recently partnered with Tesla to sell their home energy storage solution called the “Powerwall”. We are currently developing new insight features for their solution on our smart thermostat. But not long before that, their user base was delighted to see a solar monitoring feature. This allows them to see how much energy they are generating, consuming and delivering back to the grid. The consumer thereby gains insight if they are on track to generate returns on their investment. Another recent introduction was a new boiler management service, allowing for maintenance of the boiler based on predictive analysis that shows the decreased performance of the boiler before it breaks down. These are just a few examples of the smart energy solutions that enable people worldwide to play an active role in the energy transition. Instead of shying away from these concepts because it threatens the traditional energy company’s position, Eneco decided to build their business around it. Insight into energy consumption and appliances The visual display of our device presents insightful details of the energy consumption of the user, showing hourly, daily, weekly and monthly usage of gas and electricity. This even allows for benchmarking with neighbours and friends. Additional features coach the user into understanding what’s happening in their home and to see where they can reduce both their usage and cut their bill. With the extension of a smart plug, they can now see how much energy usage individual appliances account for, and easily spot ‘energy hogs’ in their home. Beyond these features, our research and development team are also exploring ‘home health’ uses by adding sensors for air quality and other detection that will offer people even more insight. Leveraging third party creativity with API’s Because our platform offers open API’s, it opens up a world of opportunities by leveraging creativity from third party developers who are able to develop new consumer services and even connect new hardware from third parties. A possible area of innovation could relate to people’s health and assisted living services could become a logical next step. This means helping the elderly lead fulfilling and active lives, while their loved ones are in the loop and able to remotely monitor their safety. Privacy and safety In all this, there is the question of privacy and safety, which we take extremely seriously. We have the infrastructure and policies to match this. The data of the end-user is stored on the device and it only leaves the thermostat if the end-user says so. As you can see in Quby’s roadmap of new features, the possibilities are endless and we are continuously building towards the connected home of the future. We’ve learnt that these concepts simply cannot be introduced all at once, especially when developing products and services for a mass market. They have to be introduced gradually as an extension to a service that people are familiar with and understand, and in a way that makes sense to them. That can only be done if you start from a position
