STA fights to keep solar thermal in the RHI Published:  02 May, 2016 The solar industry has pledged to continue its push to keep solar thermal eligible under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, following the closure of the government’s consultation on plans to cut off support for the technology. If the plans outlined in the consultation go ahead, solar thermal heat technology could be removed from the RHI entirely as of early 2017. It is thought the final decision is likely to be made in July this year. Solar thermal panels use infrared solar irradiation from the sun’s rays to heat water, which can then be fed into a hot water cylinder. There is currently 350GW of solar thermal capacity installed around the world, and the UK is currently ranked 44th in the world in terms of installed solar thermal capacity per capita. Thanks to support from the RHI, investing in solar thermal can currently provide a 5-8% return on investment for a typical homeowner and, in summer months, can provide almost all of a home’s hot water needs. The Solar Trade Association (STA) has conducted an industry survey that shows 83% of the industry backs its proposals for reform of the scheme to boost take up and provide more value for money. The domestic RHI scheme currently supports four different heat technologies – biomass, air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps and solar thermal. Mike Landy, head of policy at the STA, said: “Everyone gets the sense of using heat from the sun to meet our hot water needs. So it’s hard to understand why the government is proposing to remove solar thermal from the country’s toolkit to fight climate change, especially when the UK is also struggling to meet its renewable heat target. “Recent months have shown renewed market interest in solar thermal from consumers, so we call on the government to reinvigorate its support, not cut it off. Otherwise the country risks losing a strategically important option to reduce emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels.” Analysis conducted earlier this year by the STA showed there has been an 88% increase in solar thermal sales enquiries during the first few months of 2016, compared to the same period in 2015. The STA believes the government’s proposals are contradictory, on the one hand seeking to extend renewable heat to less-able-to-pay homes, but removing the best technology for those households with the other. According to the STA, it costs £7 per year to operate a domestic solar thermal system, and solar thermal is the only renewable heat technology suited to urban areas. The technology is popular with social housing associations in the UK to tackle fuel poverty. Solar thermal can also contribute to industrial process heat, as well as hot water in hotels and hospitals. Analysis by the International Renewable Energy Agency has shown that solar thermal could technically provide nearly half of heat demand in the industrial sector, much of which requires low-to-medium temperatures. Source link

India’s residential real estate market is set to see a boost with moves that will increase the supply of properties for sale and demand. Experts point out that change announced in the 2016/2017 Union Budget will see a reduction for first time buyers of INR 50,000 on interest repayment for loans up to INR 35 lakh where the cost of a house is INR 50 lakh and this will boost the demand for housing at the lower end of the market. This move is also likely to benefit purchasers in tier II and tier III towns such as Surat, Nagpur, Lucknow, Vadodara, Jaipur, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Indore, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Rajkot, Bhopal, Kanpur, and Thane, according to Shishir Baijal, chairman and managing director of Knight Frank India. On the supply side, a 100% tax exemption on profit for developers and an exemption from service tax for the construction of houses up to 325 square feet in metro areas and 650 square feet in other cities will encourage supply in the affordable housing segment. The budget has also increased the limit of deduction of rent paid under section 80GG which provides for deduction of house rent paid, provided that a deduction for payment of House Rent has not been claimed under any other section of the Income Tax Act, from INR 24,000 per annum to INR 60,000 per annum, thus providing relief to those who live in rented houses. For investors, the abolition of the dividend tax (DDT) means that there will be no barrier to launching REIT schemes. ‘Removal of REITs from DDT will also make this type of investment more appealing to retail investors. In the long run higher transparency levels will ensure that the cash strapped real estate sector will get easier access to funds at a reasonable cost,’ said Baijal. A focus on improving infrastructure and rural development is also expected to give a much needed fillip to the real estate sector. This includes a significant outlay on improving roads, railways and developing smaller airports to improve regional connectivity. Additionally, incentives to MSME, Make-in-India will get a further boost that will benefit the real estate sector in the long run. ‘Additionally, the government’s focus on digitization of land records is a step in the right direction, especially in more rural areas. The move will also lead to higher transparency levels in the real estate sector,’ Baijal added. There is also likely to be more demand from overseas investors with the forthcoming Indian Property Show in London in April expected to be well attended by Indian expats seeking to invest in real estate. They are expected to be interested in smart gated communities which are being developed in major cities such as Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata. According to Srividya Rajan, general manager for sales and brand engagement at Sumansa Exhibitions, the Indian Property Market is affordable compared to other international investment destinations and capital appreciation on real estate in India is far higher in the long term. BOOKMARK THIS PAGE (What is this?)      Source link

House prices in the UK fell by 1% between June and July, taking the average price to £214,678, according to the latest index which also shows that overall growth is slowing. In the three months to July prices were 1.6% higher than in the preceding three months, above June’s 1.1% increase and similar to the rates recorded in April and May of 1.5% but it significantly lower than in February and March. The data from leading lender the Halifax, also shows that prices in the three months to July were 8.4% higher than in the same three months a year earlier, unchanged from June but the lowest since July 2015 when it was 7.8%. The month on month decline largely offset the 1.2% increase in June, but Martin Ellis, Halifax housing economist pointed out that month on month changes can be erratic and monthly falls often occur within an upward trend. He explained that it was the third monthly fall so far this year and was smaller than February’s decline of 1.5% and the quarter on quarter change is a more reliable indicator of the underlying trend. The number of first time buyers increased by an estimated 10% in the first six months of 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, according to the Halifax First Time Buyer Review. There were an estimated 154,200 first time buyers in the first half of 2016 compared with 140,500 in the same period last year. This was more than double the market low in the first half of 2009 when it was 72,700. Nonetheless, the number of first time buyers in the first half of 2016 was nearly a fifth lower than in 2006. ‘There are signs that house price growth is slowing with a deceleration in both the annual and quarterly rates of increase in the past few months. Nonetheless, the current rates remain robust. Overall, it remains too early to determine if there has been any impact on the housing market as a result of June’s EU referendum result,’ Ellis added. Alex Gosling, chief executive officer of online estate agents HouseSimple, also believes that too much should not be taken from the monthly figure. ‘There are so many factors at play right now, we’re probably going to have to wait until September to get a clearer picture of how the housing market is coping with this headwind of political and economic uncertainty,’ he said. ‘Property transaction levels traditionally drop off during the summer months,’; he explained, adding that there have been a number of other factors impacting the housing market in recent months such as April stamp duty changes, the EU Referendum, and the cut in interest rates. ‘The Bank of England’s decision to cut interest rates yesterday should definitely provide a stabilising effect on the economy. Whether that will be enough to inject the necessary confidence into the property market only time will tell. It will certainly provide a level of confidence to buyers and home owners knowing that interest rates are unlikely to rise any time soon,’ he pointed out. ‘With employment still high, the cost of living low, and the continued lack of supply, this should help support property prices. On the ground, we’ve not seen a material drop off in buyer enquiries amongst all this turmoil, but we are seeing buyers negotiating harder on price. We may start to see sellers, who are keen and need to sell, softening on price demands in the coming months. Although, with stock levels perilously low in many areas, quality properties in high demand location will still attract very strong prices,’ he added. With prices still up 8.4% year on year, there’s no real evidence that UK home owners need to be concerned just yet, according to Russell Quirk, chief executive officer of eMoov. ‘Once the market picks back up in a couple of months’ time and the Brexit uncertainty starts to subside, I’m confident the previous upward trend in value enjoyed by UK home owners will continue. In the meantime, this slight slowdown in price growth coupled with yesterday’s rate cut by the Bank of England, make it an ideal time for those considering a property purchase,’ he added. Ian Thomas, director of online property investment business LendInvest, does not believe that Brexit has not changed the resilient foundations of the housing market. ‘While house building numbers are up slightly according to the National House Building Council, the fact remains that we simply aren’t building anywhere near enough to meet demand. This lack of supply, combined with cheaper financing as a result of yesterday’s base rate cut, will continue to support house prices,’ he said. ‘The Prime Minister has talked about improving housebuilding, but those words need to be backed up with meaningful action. We can’t simply look to the biggest house builders to build us out of this crisis. More needs to be done to support developers of all sizes,’ he added. But Ben Madden, managing director of London estate agents Thorgills, does not think that the cut in interest rates will lead to higher house but it will help to further stabilise them. ‘People today are a lot more streetwise than they were when the global financial crisis struck. There’s more caution in property transactions, certainly, but people are more attuned to uncertainty and understand that life has to go on,’ he said. ‘Committed buyers and seller are very much active, while window shoppers have fallen away. To an extent, this has injected an extra efficiency into the market. You would expect August to remain fairly quiet, for the usual seasonal reasons,’ he added. Source link

5 August 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Integrated FM supplier 14forty, a division of Compass Group UK & Ireland, has declared “exceptional growth of 40 per cent” over the year.   The last twelve months have seen the company secure new business with companies including Volkswagen, Pfizer and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). 14forty now employs 2,050 staff across its UK portfolio. 14forty was set up by Compass in 2013 specifically to market bundled facilities management services to clients. Managing director Mauro Ortelli cited the firm’s ability to deliver “articulate market leading insight driven propositions” as key to the growth figures. Source link

Residents at one of the UK’s most iconic and keenly sought-after developments – Circus West at Battersea Power Station in London – are using a state-of-the-art IP video entry system from Comelit. With designs that are both aesthetically stylish and technically sophisticated, it is little wonder that the new development has attracted attention from potential purchasers from all over the world. The door entry system from Comelit selected to provide access to the site offers the cutting-edge design and ease of installation that perfectly mirrors the expectations of the aspirational clientele who will soon call the Battersea Power Station development home. Phase 1 of the ground-breaking development comprises of 865 apartments at the Circus West site and features Comelit’s IP-enabled ViP entry system that resides on a shared network. The apartments are fitted with ICONA monitors, while more than 50 entrances are equipped with a mixture of 3one6 Sense flush-mounted panels, Vandalcom digital panels and Vandalcom single button panels. User-friendly help points have also been fitted in car parking areas to enable residents to communicate with the concierge/security office. The ICONA monitors inside each apartment feature a 16:9 4.3-inch colour screen with capacitive, touchscreen and swipe activation. Available in flush-mounted, wall-mounted and desktop versions, these concave-shaped, satin-finished monitors have high acoustic fidelity, while the monitors sport clean and elegant styling in scratch-resistant polycarbonate and brushed metal edges, complementing the contemporary and striking design of the apartment interiors. Award-winning entry panels  The 3one6 entrance panels comprise a contemporary, intuitive and highly customisable solution. They feature an LCD graphic display, housed in 4mm mirror-finish or brushed steel, and concealed loudspeaker. Winner of several design awards, 3one6 Sense was the first entrance panel to use capacitive technology.  Harnessing the benefits of IP technology, the ViP system is integrated into the development’s shared network, enhancing the performance of video communications. The network itself, supplied by Skanska Konnect, incorporates the site’s access control system, as well as the Comelit video entry system, which comprises over 900 devices. Being IP-based, the system has no distance limitations and can provide an unlimited number of users with simultaneous video and audio communications. The on-site concierge is able to manage calls made from call points to apartments, and can also directly call individual apartments. Residents are also able to contact the concierge via the intercom directory on their ICONA monitors, and can communicate with the other apartments via the same directory, which can be programmed by the installer on request. Circus West … and the rest  Due to open this summer, Circus West is going to be one of London’s newest residential sites, located between the historic Power Station itself and the 200-acre Battersea Park. As well as the apartments situated within eight blocks, the development will feature a select range of independent shops, restaurants and cafes at Circus West Village. Residents will also have access to private gardens and a residents’ club with a bar, private dining area, library and screening room. “We are absolutely thrilled to have been chosen to take part in this iconic and exceptional project,” said Francesca Boeris, Comelit’s Managing Director. “With our emphasis on cutting-edge product design and aesthetics, we are proud to be associated with a development which showcases some of the best designers in the world.” About Comelit For more than half a century Comelit has been a leading global manufacturer of video and audio door entry products. The company offers the most up-to-date systems in the industry and these continue to evolve as technology moves forward. Comelit designs and manufactures class-leading video door entry panels and monitors, IP and analogue high-definition surveillance solutions and domestic Home Automation systems. Comelit products are sold in over 70 countries worldwide through an extensive technical and sales network. Their quality is guaranteed by cutting-edge technological research, ongoing optimisation of functional and application processes and purebred Italian design. http://www.comelitgroup.com/en-gb/

The global digital revolution is here. A swathe of reports from the big consultancy firms, including PwC and McKinsey, mark out the business winners as those implementing a digital strategy. Now these management consultants are turning the digital spotlight onto the construction industry. They make it clear that new tech is a powerful tool that can turn around the current picture of low margins and poor productivity. “Digitalisation will profoundly change the entire business world – and that includes the construction industry. Our goal at myConsole is to help the pre-construction sector develop their process and improve win rates by harnessing the power of tech,” says Philp Collard, CEO of myConsole. As the procurement partner for Digital Construction Week, myConsole are holding a series of webinars to help organisations understand what digitalisation means for construction. The July webinar will be hosted by Eric Sandor, Chairman of myConsole and former Global Managing Partner at Accenture. “Our next webinar will analyse the top management consultants’ reports, from a construction perspective. We will explain why they are now focusing on the construction industry and how digitalisation will affect your business,” explains Eric Sandor. A recent PwC survey1 of over 2,000 businesses in 26 countries found construction and engineering businesses planned an investment of $195bn in digitalisation over the next three years (see appendix A). It also discovered construction businesses expect to gain 3.4% p.a in cost reductions (see appendix B). All sectors expected ‘annual digital revenue increases of 2.9% on average,’ with a large proportion believing total increases will be over 50% in the next five year. myConsole’s webinar, offers learnings in several key areas: Using new tech to realise cost savings Digitalisation and productivity Building revenue Change management “The construction industry has woken up to the fact that digital changes need to be made. Action and investment are the next steps on this digital journey,” says Philp Collard, CEO of myConsole. Tune it to our webinar to truly understand where digitalisation can take the construction industry.