CIPHE champions water efficiency Published:  04 October, 2016 Did you know that 748 million people – or one in 10 of the world’s population – do not have access to clean water and have to make do with what water they can, including dirty or contaminated streams, rivers or ponds? Likewise, are you aware that half of all hospital beds in developing countries are filled with people suffering from diseases caused by poor water, sanitation and hygiene? These (and other equally scary statistics) have been compiled in a recent water efficiency paper published by the Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering (CIPHE) for the World Plumbing Council (WPC). The paper outlines the importance of water efficiency, where the focus is on reducing the amount of water required for a particular purpose – restricting waste, but not restricting use. The CIPHE is championing the water efficiency message in the UK to help preserve one of our most precious of natural resources. Kevin Wellman, chief executive officer of the CIPHE, said: “We all have a role to play when it comes to water efficiency. The average person in the UK uses 150 litres of water a day, we need to bring this figure down. “Schemes such as the ECA Water Technology List and the European Water Label can do much to help consumers and installers alike make informed choices when it comes to purchasing products which utilise water. In our view, demonstrating product efficiency is a positive and proactive step to having consumers commit to water efficiency and energy conservation. We urge all manufacturers to get on board with these voluntary schemes, there is no doubt that water efficiency can have a massive impact on the amount of water we use daily, not just in the UK but on a global scale.” To download your copy of the Water Efficiency Paper please visit http://tinyurl.com/hg8jcmt or email lesleyc@ciphe.org.uk.   Source link

Apprentices give evidence to Parliamentary inquiry Published:  10 August, 2016 Three representatives have given verbal evidence to a UK parliamentary inquiry looking into apprenticeships on behalf of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA). Apprentices Niall Watson of Derry Building Services and Charlotte Burton of NG Bailey participated in the session, alongside Frank Clayton, who is head of group learning and development at NG Bailey. Both apprentices took part in a lively date with the MPs, describing how they got into their careers, including the limited role of their schools in this process. Their own experiences of undertaking apprenticeships were also discussed during the session. ECA director of skills and employment Alex Meikle said: “The ECA would like to thank the three attendees for their participation in this important inquiry which seeks to understand why there is a growing skills gap in engineering. “We hope this inquiry will help inform the government as to how to ensure young people are given the right careers advice and offered the necessary training to get ahead in the industry.” The session was chaired jointly by Hartlepool MP Iain Wright and Stroud MP Neil Carmichael. Following the session, the organisers said that MPs found it incredibly useful and that it would influence the future direction of the inquiry. In due course the inquiry will ask new Skills Minister Robert Halfon MP to give evidence in response to the points made by the apprentices. The inquiry is being held jointly by the House of Commons Business and Education Committees. Source link

Home mortgages in the UK are unlikely to be affected immediately by the decision to leave the European Union, according to finance commentators. However, it could be good news for first time buyers if price growth slows and interest rates fall with some experts predicting that the Bank of England might reduce rates even further than the current historic 0.5%. In the short term, people’s attention will be on interest rates and what impact this will have on mortgage costs, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. ‘While markets are bound to react to the news, the question will be how long it takes for them to settle. We know the authorities will be mindful of this,’ said the CML spokesman. In the medium term, there will also be interest in the extent to which housing transactions are affected by economic uncertainty, and whether this will impact on house prices. The more quickly markets resettle, the lower the impact on the housing market is likely to be. However, any prolonged disturbance would inevitably impact the housing market. ‘For lenders, the treatment of customers and of mortgage applications will be business as usual. People who have received mortgage offers will not see them affected. People facing financial difficulty will continue to be treated constructively and positively,’ the CML spokesman explained. ‘Lenders remain open for business as usual. Mortgage pricing is unlikely to react instantly, although pricing may be affected in the foreseeable future because of the effect on lenders’ cost of funds arising from the perception of economic uncertainty. How long this lasts will depend on how quickly markets resettle,’ he added. Indeed, Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, quickly announced that any measures needed to support financial markets and the UK economy would come into play. These measures could include a cut in interest rates that could reduce home owners’ monthly mortgage payments, a measure repeatedly taken during the financial crisis of 2008. James Roberts, chief economist at real estate firm Knight Frank, believes that an interest rate cut is on the cards. ‘We expect the Bank of England, seasoned by the experience of financial crisis, to respond quickly. An interest rate cut of 25 basis points is a strong possibility at the Monetary Policy Committee’s July meeting, or perhaps earlier if required,’ he said.       Source link