AEI Cables, the specialist supplier has announced that they have added a further service to their portfolio in order to allow the company to work more closely with building designers. The new electrical software that has been adopted by the specialist supplier has been delivered to the company from Amtech.
Mobilane® Green Screens is a company that is based in London and has seen a 20% year-on-year growth since 2009. The company works to deliver innovative green screening solutions for their customers. Mobilane delivers a range of solutions that can enhance a space and improve wellbeing by creating a more
A new E-Commerce platform has been launched to connect residents and trade professionals. The platform has been created with the intention of removing rogue traders and delivering a range of other trade professionals for the job required. The organization has been launched in South Wales. The new online business has
From now until the end of the year Green-tech is attending a record number of events and exhibitions across the UK. The Green-tech team are familiar faces at industry events and between them are covering the country from Exeter to Edinburgh, attending an ambitious number of exhibitions and a further
A large majority of tradespeople are not getting the most out of their websites, and could be missing out on possible new business opportunities, according to a new study. IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s largest online and mail order supplier of ironmongery products to the trade, analysed the websites of 240 trade
Home security technology is more advanced, complex, and widely available than ever. Many “Internet of Things” enabled security devices, notably found in “smart homes”, are making normal homes look more like futuristic security compounds. Smart home security systems now include such elaborate devices as the FakeTV—a box that generates a
Research supported by the Danish government shows cost reductions of up to 7% by using a digital communications platform on large-scale construction projects. A six-month research project by the Danish Building Research Institute, initiated by a government fund, shows significant cost reductions if stakeholders in a construction project report their
Gate Safe is proud to announce the launch of its innovative Gate Safe Visualiser, an interactive tool designed to help anyone looking to specify a safe automated gate. The Gate Safe Visualiser has been in development for 10 months and represents a pioneering move towards improving the understanding of how
YellowJacket is a cloud-based software for reporting and managing quality and health & safety performance. It was developed by Mace, from whom BRE has taken it over to further develop its use. BRE said that the tool has more than 12,000 users on a range of construction projects across the
AEI Cables, the specialist supplier has announced that they have added a further service to their portfolio in order to allow the company to work more closely with building designers. The new electrical software that has been adopted by the specialist supplier has been delivered to the company from Amtech. The software that has been delivered will odd designers to adapt their specification in a simpler process, for each specific project. The commercial Manager of AEI Cables, Stuart Dover has said that the new Amtech electrical software has been adopted by the supplier in order to help the company better understand the needs of the building designer. This more sophisticated software has been adopted in order to help the building designers. The new software will allow the specialist supplier of cables to work more closely with their building designers on projects in order to offer a more diverse range of products that are used for the maximum benefit of customers around the world. The company is one of the most respected cable suppliers in the world. When operating in the electrical supply chain, a business is only as successful as the projects that they work on. Therefore, whether looking to design and manage a project or to track the progress being made across the job, sites operated on by a company, it is important to make sure that you have the right tools on hand that will help to design electrical circuits. The software that has been created by Amtech allows the designers, consultants and contractors to create and managed the specification documents with access to a comprehensive library of all of the latest and applicable technical guidance in order to deliver a fully robust building construction specification for each project. Ducab is the parent company of AEI Cables and all AEI Cables are supplied with approvals from a range of independent bodies such as BASEC and LPCB which cover the design, manufacture and supply of their products.
Mobilane® Green Screens is a company that is based in London and has seen a 20% year-on-year growth since 2009. The company works to deliver innovative green screening solutions for their customers. Mobilane delivers a range of solutions that can enhance a space and improve wellbeing by creating a more pleasing green environment whether it is inside, outside, rooftop spaces, corridors or in meeting spaces. The green screen company were chosen by the London Borough of Lambeth to look at possible ways to combat air pollution at Lambeth School. The business explored a range of options before deciding on the Mobilane® Green Screen offered a ready-made solution to the council’s air pollution concerns. In order to carry out the work, Paul Garlick the Mobilane UK National Business Manager put London Borough of Lambeth in touch with one of the network installers of Mobilane products. The green screen solution was installed at the school by The Platinum Limited, who also consulted on the work before installation to ensure that the solution properly met the customer’s requirements. In order to meet the school’s air quality aims and offer the best green solution for their client, 31 screens measuring 2.2 meters high and each screen 1.2 meters wide were installed at the school. The work was completed at the end of May 2017 and installation of the green screening solution took only one day. Following installation, the Lambeth school community are now assured with the air pollution reduction features of the screen as well as the private and robust surrounding to the school which is attractive and offers the children a green backdrop to their time at school. The scree has also helped to reduce the traffic noise and makes sure that the grounds have total privacy, creating a safe environment for the children. The screen has been praised by council members, school management, parents and children.
A new E-Commerce platform has been launched to connect residents and trade professionals. The platform has been created with the intention of removing rogue traders and delivering a range of other trade professionals for the job required. The organization has been launched in South Wales. The new online business has been called safetrades4you.com and intends on creating a range of industry benchmarks that have been based on public confidence and trust. In order to form this atmosphere of trust, the organization is focusing on including qualified, vetted staff for their new service. This means that both individuals and businesses have an increased chance of finding local work. A range of new members have already signed up to the service, and because of this the company is preparing to launch a thorough consumer marketing campaign which will take place across the region. The campaign will target thousands of professionals. As a part of this marketing campaign, safetrades4you.com have announced an introductory offer, where the first 100 individuals or firms that sign up to the new venture pay £147. The benefits of signing up to this new scheme is company accreditation awarded after a criminal vetting service and membership to an organisation that will develop confidence and trust with end-customers as well as deterring rogue traders. In order to sign up for the new venture, businesses need to provide references as well as a proof of industry qualifications in order to further support the reliability of the companies using the site. Potential business members must also sign an ethical code of practice agreement and show proof of public liability insurance before any accreditation is given. All industries suffer from rogue traders and with this new platform, customers can be connected to trustworthy trades people ranging from plumbers to florists. The service also offers those trades people a professional edge when appealing to potential customers.
From now until the end of the year Green-tech is attending a record number of events and exhibitions across the UK. The Green-tech team are familiar faces at industry events and between them are covering the country from Exeter to Edinburgh, attending an ambitious number of exhibitions and a further 10 CPD presentations. As well as holding their own open day for customers and suppliers on 7th September. This year Green-tech is sponsoring the WorldSkills UK Landscaping competition which is being run by the APL. Other events Green-tech are exhibiting at include: AA National Amenity Conference, Exeter 2017 | 10-13 September The Landscape Show, London | 19 & 20 September Contamination Expo 2017, London | | 27 & 28 September Scothort, Edinburgh | 28 September Soils Con, Henley-on-Thames | 17 October Soils in Crisis, London | 23 October Saltex, Birmingham | 1 & 2 November Futurescape, Esher | 14 November SGD Autumn Conference, London | 18 November On top of this, Green-tech has confirmed that they will be attending the October BALI networking dinner in Harrogate, the LI awards in London and the BALI National Landscaping awards in London, which they are also the Headline Sponsor of. Head of Sales, Richard Gill said “The next quarter is always a busy period for Green-tech, but even by our standards this is impressive. We are have an abundance of good quality events in the landscaping industry and they offer us a great opportunity to meet suppliers, customers and prospects. We have strong relationships in the industry so these events provide a perfect opportunity to catch up and enjoy a drink or two in the evening.”
A large majority of tradespeople are not getting the most out of their websites, and could be missing out on possible new business opportunities, according to a new study. IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s largest online and mail order supplier of ironmongery products to the trade, analysed the websites of 240 trade companies from across the UK, including those of builders, joiners, shop fitters and construction firms. The research found that 56% of the websites analysed contained content that had been duplicated across the site or had appeared elsewhere on the internet, therefore reducing the website’s search visibility. On average, construction firms were most likely to be making this mistake with 62% of this sector including copied content on their websites. The study also revealed that 33% of the websites investigated failed to include a call-to-action, which means they are reducing the opportunities for potential customers to contact them or make an enquiry. Of all the websites analysed, those in the carpentry sector (80%) were most likely to include a contact form or enquiry box, whereas construction firm websites were least likely to have one (42%). Using a quality content management system (CMS) to power a website helps businesses to manage a website and its content easily, as well as improve site maintenance. But only 45.5% of trade companies have a CMS system in place. And only 10% of the websites contained blog posts, which are useful for displaying business news and examples of their great work to customers. Wayne Lysaght-Mason, managing director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “When it comes to promoting a business and bringing in new customers, having a well designed and easy-to-use website can really help to boost visibility. “However our research reveals that the majority of tradespeople are still not investing in a quality website to help attract new or existing customers, with many not even having a call to action or using duplicated content. “Duplicated content on a website reduces its search engine visibility because the search engine does not know which version of the content is more valuable. As a result, the website will be pushed further down the search rankings, reducing the chances of customers finding the company. And if people can’t find them or can’t contact them, they are likely to take their custom elsewhere. “Websites are a valuable tool for businesses to shout about the great work they are doing so tradespeople should be reviewing their website’s content regularly, and utilising blogs and case study sections to showcase their work to potential customers. Those that invest in creating a good website or begin to do so will have a greater advantage when it comes to gaining more custom and increasing brand awareness.” To help tradespeople wanting to learn how digital marketing can grow their business, IronmongeryDirect has created a downloadable guide with some basic tips to support both novices and those already investing in promoting their business online. The guide offers advice on how to build a high quality website and making the site more search engine friendly, as well as the importance of including calls-to-action so customers can get in touch easily. It also includes information on how business owners can save hundreds of pounds on marketing activities. For more information and to access the digital marketing guides, visit http://www.IronmongeryDirect.com/toolbox
Home security technology is more advanced, complex, and widely available than ever. Many “Internet of Things” enabled security devices, notably found in “smart homes”, are making normal homes look more like futuristic security compounds. Smart home security systems now include such elaborate devices as the FakeTV—a box that generates a television-esque flickering light to trick observers into thinking you’re home watching TV when you are actually out. There are also facial recognition cameras, keyless smart padlocks, solar powered electric locks, and AI home hubs that open and close doors by voice command. As impressive as all this technology is, it is mostly a distraction for the decidedly low-tech security solutions that are actually far more important to—and effective at—keeping your home safe. If you really want to make your home safer, you’re much better off saving money on lower budget security tech that will keep you safe. Routine visits from keyholders can be more effective than any technology Involving very little technology on your end, keyholding services involve handing over a copy of your keys to a team of security experts, and relying on them to come to your aid should you experience any problems on your property. Firms like CMS Keyholding have an in-house alarm response team, who can drive straight to your property and investigate any potential incident. If it looks like there’s been a break-in, they can contact the police. If something else has triggered the alarm, such as a leak or natural disaster, they can help alleviate the situation there, too. All keyholders go through a rigorous application process before the government grants them their Security Industry Authority (SIA) license, so you can rest assured that these are people you can trust. It’s not completely low-tech—a keyholder’s job is much easier if they can monitor your property remotely via CCTV—but it’s definitely a lot less technological than AI-enabled homehub that opens and closes doors. Quality locks, doors, and windows are essential Though locks, doors, and windows can all be augmented with modern technological devices, their low-tech, analogue function is the most important factor in your home security. Whether they have to dodge face-recognising cameras, deactivate voice-activated alarms, or duck lethal laser beams (not yet on the market), ultimately burglars still must pick a lock, break down a door, or prise open a window if they want to gain unauthorised access to a property. Because of this, any safety-conscious homeowner should make sure their house’s doors, locks and windows are as strong and secure as possible. With locks, you should settle for nothing less than a 5 lever mortice deadlock on your front and back doors. This guide from Go Compare can help you check what kind of lock you currently have. If your lock doesn’t meet this standard, you should consider getting it replaced with a lock that does. Window-wise, strong locks are just as important. BBC’s Crimewatch recommends adding additional locks to your windows whenever possible. With wooden-framed windows, it is possible to fit mortice locks, but whatever your window is made of, Crimewatch says the locks that come built-in will not be enough. Join a neighbourhood watch to protect yourself and others Like keyholders, neighbourhood watch schemes rely on your fellow human beings to keep you safe. Rather than respond to specific crimes or specific incidents, neighbourhood watches aim to help keep the local community safe in general. The Merseyside Police reports that statistics show that joining a neighbourhood watch scheme “significantly reduces the possibility of becoming a victim of crime.” Neighbourhood watches involve members of the community working together on a volunteer basis to keep the neighbourhood safe, using their own strengths in different areas, and of course putting up “Neighbourhood Watch” signs to keep criminals in line. Check the OurWatch.org website to see if there is already a neighbourhood watch scheme in your area. If there isn’t, you can set one up of your own. Protect the Exterior Being able to take steps that will help your home is really important, and there are a lot of factors that you need to keep in mind here. One of the biggest factors to think about here is to make sure you look at some of the best ways of being able to protect the exterior of your home. Safety-conscious homeowners should look to come up with ideas and tactics that are going to enhance the safety and security of the home, and this is something you’ve got to make the best of here. Try to do as much as you can to work on this, and take the best steps you can to try to focus on improving the safety of the home’s exterior. There are a number of things you can do that will play a role in this, and one of the best low-tech ways of being able to improve upon this is to get bollards installed. These are an excellent way of helping protect your property and look after the exterior. This will prevent issues such as vehicles crashing into your property, as well as blocking cars and other vehicles from parking on the premises as well. Bollards are an excellent way of being able to look after the exterior of the home, and this is something to keep in mind right now.
Research supported by the Danish government shows cost reductions of up to 7% by using a digital communications platform on large-scale construction projects. A six-month research project by the Danish Building Research Institute, initiated by a government fund, shows significant cost reductions if stakeholders in a construction project report their progress every day through a shared communications platform. Three large-scale construction projects, the Maersk Tower (pictured above), the Niels Bohr Building and the Danish Defence’s Property Agency, have been the basis of the research, where the effects of GenieBelt – the platform used in all three construction projects – have been analysed. “In addition to the immediate cost reductions, it will improve project planning, and everyone involved can prioritise based on a better knowledge base. If we assume that the efficiency through the project is consistent, with a small decrease in the last months, the potential savings could be as much as 7%,” said Jan Fuglsig Lambrecht, researcher at the Danish Building Research Institute. A large construction company in Denmark, Juul & Nielsen, started using GenieBelt a few months after the construction activities at The Maersk Tower began, and they confirm the positive results. Currently, they are developing a “lean” process to initiate before each project begins to further increase the value of the tool. “We did not measure the effects ourselves, but we noticed cost reductions of 2-3% on the construction project, and we experienced great dynamics and fast communication across all units, which contributed with an overview of emerging problems and the necessary knowledge to take action when needed,” said Martin van der Watt, project director at Juul & Nielsen. Ulrik Branner: savings recorded “In addition, there’s more transparency for reporting at construction meetings and the obstacles we encounter.” The contractor of the Niels Bohr Building, The Danish Building and Property Agency, also followed the results closely and sees a potential in better retail and lean planning as a result of using digital communications platforms. “The Danish Building and Property Agency is very aware of the opportunities that digitalisation implies in connection with construction projects. By using a shared digital communications platform, the retail planning of tasks on the construction sites gets strengthened,” said Signe Primdal Lyndrup, deputy director of the Danish Building and Property Agency. “The communications platform is also a valuable tool for lean planning, which we encourage in general. For that reason, we are continuously reviewing the potential with using digital platforms and IT tools in our construction projects.” “No one else in the world has documented financial savings on construction projects this large. And that’s just the immediate savings without including reduced waste, a decrease in bankruptcies, less arbitrations or increase in invested capital that is released,” said Ulrik Branner, CEO of GenieBelt. GenieBelt is used in 43 countries, and in Denmark, several municipalities are using the platform to keep up with the developments in construction projects.
Gate Safe is proud to announce the launch of its innovative Gate Safe Visualiser, an interactive tool designed to help anyone looking to specify a safe automated gate. The Gate Safe Visualiser has been in development for 10 months and represents a pioneering move towards improving the understanding of how to install a safe powered gate. The detailed infographic takes the specifier (who could be an architect, an electrician, a home owner or anyone involved in making the decision to install this type of device) through a step by step list of questions, supported by a series of visual prompts detailing the various factors that need to be taken into consideration to enable a safe and legally compliant installation. Gate Safe has always adopted a practical ‘plain english’ approach to explaining automated gate safety and this is a further example of how the charity is striving to maximise the understanding of the complex subject matter – in an easy to follow, user friendly format. The Gate Safe Visualiser is accessible via the Gate Safe website. Initial industry feedback on the Visualiser is positive: ECA Training, Health and Safety Manager John Corcoran commented: “The ECA has been working with Gate Safe for around four years and were one of the first organisations to endorse their safety-first approach. We strongly support initiatives like this which are aimed at improving safety and security in the sector.” Commenting on the launch of the Gate Safe Visualiser, Gate Safe founder Richard Jackson says, “Gate Safe has always tried to demystify the technical jargon which, features in most of the guidance pertaining to automated gate safety. By ‘talking’ in pictures and providing a step by step guide as to how to deliver a safe gate we hope that we can put an end to the installation of hazardous gates and address the fact that currently more than 70% of gates in the field are capable of causing serious injury – or death. Five years on since our original launch in 2010 we continue to look at new ways of sharing the knowledge required to fully understand what constitutes a safe and legally compliant installation.” The Gate Safe Visualiser can be accessed via the following link: www.visualiser.gate-safe.org.
YellowJacket is a cloud-based software for reporting and managing quality and health & safety performance. It was developed by Mace, from whom BRE has taken it over to further develop its use. BRE said that the tool has more than 12,000 users on a range of construction projects across the UK. Ownership of YellowJacket was acquired by BRE on 16th July 2015. BRE business development director Miles Watkins said: “BRE sees a bright future for YellowJacket as the preferred health, safety and quality tool for the construction sector in the UK and overseas markets. Our plan is to invest in the further development of the application. More recognition for the tool and broader adoption will bring even greater value and opportunities to current users of the product.”
