Helvar is excited to announce that that The Spine in the UK has been awarded a DALI award in the commercial/professional category at the 2021 DALI Lighting Awards, alongside two highly commended projects. Oyak-Renault Factory in Turkey was commended in the industrial category and Hospital Nova in Finland was commended
The Ground Source Heat Pump Association, which represents heat pump system designers, contractors and installers across the UK, welcomes the BEIS Select Committee’s report on Heat Decarbonisation (to be published on 3 February). Laura Bishop, chair of the GSHPA, said: “The Select Committee acknowledges the central importance of heat pumps
The Heat Pump Federation and its members are delighted to see the publication of the Select Committee report, not least because it very much mirrors our own thinking on what needs to be done to decarbonise home heating. Bean Beanland, the HPF’s Director of Growth & External Affairs said: “Whether
The Building Engineering Services Association has been recognised for four very different aspects of its work at this year’s prestigious Trade Association Forum (TAF) Best Practice Awards. The awards, which are supported by the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), are now in their 19th year and are
In the wake of COP26, a forward-looking heating, ventilation, refrigeration and air conditioning business in Ayrshire is launching a drive to urgently supply domestic premises with carbon-reducing air source heat pumps (ASHPs). Ayr-based Stewart Temperature Solutions has already trialled successful installations locally and is launching a programme this year to
A Yorkshire plumber has come up with a patented idea of how to deter van thieves and protect the van and its valuable on-board assets. Michael Horsfall’s invention, Vanguardian, is a zonal based alarm system designed to stop theft before it even starts.The heating engineer from Leeds spent more than
With an estimated 65,000 burglaries reported between July and September 2021[2], a windows expert is imploring installers and fabricators to re-evaluate the security credentials of their frames and hardware and seek further assurances from regulatory bodies. According to ONS[3], one in five burglars will enter a property via a window.
Industrial fans are the best solution for managing the heat emanating from electrical panels and ensuring a safe working environment. You can choose your industrial ventilation system with fans to adapt to the dimensions, processes and needs of your company. Let’s see how this works and what are the main
Lighting technology upgrade across eight van and truck retail showrooms, using a variety of the latest LED solutions. Operational costs reduced by more than £95,000 over 12 months Carbon reduction of 980 tonnes over the term of the contract Significant positive impact on employee wellbeing Eight commercial retail sites operated
Chubb, a leading global provider of fire safety, security and monitoring solutions and services, today launched a High-Rise Evacuation Alert System to assist the UK’s Fire and Rescue Services in safely evacuating residential buildings over 18 metres. Responding to the new Code of Practice recommendations outlined within British Standard (BS)
Helvar is excited to announce that that The Spine in the UK has been awarded a DALI award in the commercial/professional category at the 2021 DALI Lighting Awards, alongside two highly commended projects. Oyak-Renault Factory in Turkey was commended in the industrial category and Hospital Nova in Finland was commended in the healthcare category. The DALI Lighting Awards took place virtually on 19th January 2022. These awards celebrate and showcase the best use of DALI control solutions in lighting projects and installations across the globe. Designed to reward control, creativity, problem-solving, and difference, the DALI Lighting awards recognise excellence in lighting control. The judging panel consists of eight industry professionals, including a Chief Electrical Engineer, Lighting Designers, Editors, Associate Director of Lighting, Industry Relations Manager, and the DALI Alliance Technical and Certification Manager. “We are one of the founding members of the DALI Alliance. We continue to introduce leading DALI lighting solutions, including both lighting controls and drivers. With the introduction of the DALI-2 standard we have entered a new era of standardisation and interoperability in the lighting world, and we look forward to making further impact”, acknowledges Helvar CEO, Adel Hattab. “Winning the DALI lighting award for The Spine, a noteworthy project, and not one but two highly commended projects, Oyak-Renault Factory and Hospital Nova, are further proud moments for us in our DALI journey”, continues Hattab. The award-winning Helvar Imagine Solution is the world’s leading intelligent lighting control and management solution. It brings wellbeing and intelligence into a space, offering efficiency and scalability for a wide variety of applications. Imagine builds upon industry standards for easy installation and integration, adding strong and unique value on top of the standard. Winner of the DALI award in commercial/professional category The Royal College of Physicians’ new home in the north, RCP at The Spine, is located within the Paddington Village development in Liverpool’s city centre. The judges chose the Spine as the winner as they thought it was “a beautifully designed building that seamlessly combines both artificial and natural lighting to create a bright and welcoming environment”. The building is noteworthy for being the first building in the UK designed to achieve the prestigious WELL Platinum standard. The RCP occupies 70,000 sq ft across seven floors in the 160,000 sq ft building. It provides world-class facilities for medical examinations and assessments, educational courses and conferences, an exhibition space and office areas for RCP staff. “The Spine is said to be one of the healthiest workspaces for mental and physical wellbeing in the UK. Light is an important element of the WELL standard, and I’m delighted that Helvar is part of this project as wellbeing is one of our core values”, expresses Stephen Marley, Specification Sales Manager, Helvar. “Lighting contributes to wellbeing enormously as we know, so the extra attention taken by Helvar to create an intelligent fully addressable DALI lighting control system was highly commended by the judges”, explains Matt Waring, editor, Arc Magazine. BDP were the M&E consultant for the entire building. The Lighting Design House in London were tasked to design the lighting and control of a scheme specifically for a large biophilic area. Contractor T Clarke required partners to deliver quality solutions and selected Helvar to provide the lighting control for the whole RCP project. The judges also commended the additional focus on biophilia, “it’s so important for workspaces to have a more considered approach these days that is tailored towards the wellbeing of its users and the introduction of plant life is an ideal way to do this. While in some workspace projects, this can feel like a token gesture or as an add on, but the way in which this is integrated into the fabric of the building is incredibly well done- well-defined light levels for the biophilic aspects help ensure that the user experience for the facility is vastly improved.” Commendation for DALI award in the Industrial category With a 380,000 square meter area, the Oyak-Renault factory in Turkey serves as a particularly noteworthy and large-scale example of a successful lighting transformation. Commended by the DALI Alliance for bringing a tremendous improvement in energy efficiency, the freshly installed lighting system is estimated to provide annual savings equivalent to the yearly electricity consumption of 4,700 houses! Led by Helvar partner Elekon Enerji Sistemleri, renowned DALI experts in Turkey and surrounding areas, the project involved the replacement of 16,400 lamps in the workshops and offices in the factory and the installation of a Helvar lighting system to manage and control the new LED luminaires seamlessly. Overall, the transition to LED luminaires and a lighting control solution with a combination of automatic features enabled around 70% of lighting energy costs to be saved at the factory, equal to approximately 11MWh of energy and 5000 tons of carbon emissions annually. Commendation for DALI award in the Healthcare category Hospital Nova located in Jyväskylä, Finland was highly commended by the judges in the healthcare category. Judges recognised that patient and staff wellbeing is central to the lighting design. “DALI controls all indoor, and outdoor lighting at this newly built Hospital, one of the largest in Finland, and the project has over 30,000 controlled DALI addresses. The DALI system responds to both light level fluctuations and seasons and is freely programmable to allow users to tailor the desired lighting scheme. By understanding people’s movements and how the spaces are used, the lighting can be adjusted to save energy since the system can detect the most optimal lighting setting based on collected data”, says Mark Lein, Industry Relations Manager, Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). Controlled areas include patient rooms, corridor lobbies, operation theatres, helicopter landing areas and outdoor lighting. There is also lighting art in the main entrance lobby where there is DALI controlled colour lighting. The hospital is installed with the latest Helvar Insights, which automatically monitors the system’s status 24/7 and notifies maintenance engineers of any faults that require attention. “Nova Hospital is one of the most advanced and newest
The Ground Source Heat Pump Association, which represents heat pump system designers, contractors and installers across the UK, welcomes the BEIS Select Committee’s report on Heat Decarbonisation (to be published on 3 February). Laura Bishop, chair of the GSHPA, said: “The Select Committee acknowledges the central importance of heat pumps to decarbonise heating in homes across the UK; without heat pumps, the UK’s Net Zero ambitions will be hard to achieve. As the Committee points out, the pace of change now needs to pick up and firm policy measures put in place, if the Government’s ambition to see 600,000 heat pumps installed every year by 2028 is to be realised.” “Undoubtedly, it’s a complex and challenging task but it can be met through specific policy instruments and through greater collaboration with Government – central, devolved, regional and local, the heating industry, Trades Unions and importantly the customer.” “Households across the country need greater assurance about the cost and environmental benefits of heat pumps, and the practicalities of switching from a gas boiler to a low-carbon heat pump. Heat pumps are suitable for the majority of homes in the UK.” “The GSHPA is pleased that the Select Committee has highlighted a number of measures to ramp up the heat pump roll-out, not least the need for a consumer finance scheme, selected grants for consumers and industry, improved training/upskilling of the labour market and a Heat Decarbonisation Sector Deal. These are all measures that the GSHPA has called for, as well as the lifting of the environmental levies on electricity for those using heat pumps. These environmental levies are inhibiting the adoption of heat pumps and encouraging the continued burning of gas for heating and are undermining the UK’s heat decarbonisation policies.” “The GSHPA will continue to work closely with Government and all interested parties to deliver the country’s Net Zero ambitions, and the specific ambition to have low-carbon domestic heating in all parts of the UK.”
The Heat Pump Federation and its members are delighted to see the publication of the Select Committee report, not least because it very much mirrors our own thinking on what needs to be done to decarbonise home heating. Bean Beanland, the HPF’s Director of Growth & External Affairs said: “Whether on consumer awareness, skills & training, investment, future funding (affordability), the need for urgency, or the need for massive cooperation between both central and local government and industry, we agree, almost without exception, with the Select Committee’s findings and recommendations.” “Their report makes clear that rapid development of a Heat Decarbonisation Sector Deal must be a priority. This needs to include policy direction for the thirty years through to Net Zero 2050 and a domestic heat technology roadmap that has been developed in full collaboration with industry and crucially consumer groups. Consumers need to be positively involved in the Net Zero journey.” Future interventions need to be decades long to deliver the stable policy environment that will allow investment in capacity, training and skills to thrive. The recent Heat Pump Demonstrator programme found that “heat pumps can be successfully installed in homes from every style and era”, but this awareness needs to be coupled with ongoing investment in home energy efficiency to drive down operating costs of all heat technologies. The call for the Future Homes Standard to be brought forward is very welcome. Avoiding the unnecessary cost of upgrading new build homes will be of massive benefit to consumers. In-home thermal storage and consideration of heat networks are both critical elements in this segment. Operational costs have to be addressed through the rebalancing of taxation on electricity and fossil fuels that reflects the relative carbon and other emissions, but at every stage, consumer affordability has to be central to policy development so that the transition can be fast, but fair. Bean Beanland added: “The Government aspirations and the CCC targets for heat pump deployment are challenges that grow day by day, but if this Select Committee report can provide the springboard that launches an immediate redoubling of government effort against all of the recommendations, then the Federation and its members stand ready to share the burden.”
The Building Engineering Services Association has been recognised for four very different aspects of its work at this year’s prestigious Trade Association Forum (TAF) Best Practice Awards. The awards, which are supported by the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), are now in their 19th year and are designed to recognise and reward the excellence, innovation, and best practice demonstrated by UK trade bodies. BESA has been shortlisted in the Digital Transformation, Training Initiative, Event of the Year, and Sustainability Initiative categories. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on February 17. “We are absolutely delighted to have gained such comprehensive recognition at these important awards,” said BESA’s chief executive officer David Frise. “The fact that these categories reflect so many different aspects of BESA’s work is an amazing testament to the hard work of the staff in all areas. We are very proud of being such a broad-based association and that we provide a wide range of support services to our members right across the spectrum of building engineering.” The TAF Awards judges have acknowledged the way BESA has gone through a “digital revolution” to transform the way it conducts business, interacts with colleagues, engages with members, and delivers products and services. This has helped it to improve operating efficiency and meet its sustainability targets, hence its shortlisting in the Digital Transformation category. Comprehensive One major digital highlight has been the establishment of the online BESA Academy, which now delivers a comprehensive programme of training courses, assessments and CPD for individuals, employers, and training providers – all critical services for a sector with a serious skills shortage. The digital platform is used to deliver an online learning environment and supports a hybrid option for learners and colleges. As a result, BESA has also been shortlisted for the TAF Training Initiative award. The 2021 BESA National Conference was a multi-stream, free to attend virtual conference that was attended by almost 500 delegates and featured 67 speakers providing more than 21 hours of specialised content. It was opened by architect and TV star George Clarke and featured a virtual exhibition, member clinics and networking opportunities. All of this was recognised by the TAF Awards shortlisting panel who put it forward for the Event of the Year award. And in the Sustainability Initiative category, BESA has been recognised for the achievements of its REFCOM Elite scheme, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. It was set up as a best practice company registration scheme in 1996, to promote environmentally responsible refrigerant management. BESA recognised early on the need for employers to improve control of refrigerant use and prevent release to atmosphere to reduce ozone depletion and global warming. Although these threats are now a huge focus across the globe, the TAF panel recognised that REFCOM was ahead of the curve in spotting the need to implement best practice to reduce emissions and has made fantastic progress in its 25 years. Emily Wallace, interim chief executive of the Trade Association Forum, congratulated BESA saying: “Trade Associations such as BESA have played an absolutely critical role in supporting the UK economy throughout the turbulence of the last two years. As we move forward, it is right to celebrate the achievements of the sector, recognise excellence and collaborate to improve the role that associations can continue to play to support the economy for the future.” Since its formation in 1997, the Trade Association Forum has been encouraging the development and sharing of best practice among UK trade associations and promoting the role of effective trade associations to government, industry and the wider public.www.theBESA.com
In the wake of COP26, a forward-looking heating, ventilation, refrigeration and air conditioning business in Ayrshire is launching a drive to urgently supply domestic premises with carbon-reducing air source heat pumps (ASHPs). Ayr-based Stewart Temperature Solutions has already trialled successful installations locally and is launching a programme this year to gradually roll out supply and installation nationally. In fact, Director Gregor Stewart, who established his business in 2008 and now employs nine people, is introducing an ASHP system into his own home and removing his gas boiler, which is a primary source of carbon emissions. He now expects to take on at least one additional team of specialist fitters to meet expected demand, as well as considering employing apprentices to develop robust future skill sets within the company. Gregor Stewart, whose father also ran a refrigeration business in Ayrshire, said: “There is really no question that ASHPs are the future and, by installing them now, we are protecting against the price of gas, which is expected to soar as international tensions and supply issues are exacerbated. “In the long term, as well as saving on energy bills, ASHPs are a giant first step towards comprehensively reducing our carbon footprint which, as COP26 so vividly illustrated, has to be addressed as a matter of urgency. “So long as they are proportionate to the size of the house, the pumps can be used for heating and cooling as well as space heating and hot water, and they have a high seasonal co-efficient of performance [SCoP]. They are also eligible for Renewable Heat Incentive payments.” ASHPs work when outside air passes over tubes filled with liquid refrigerant, which warms up and turns into a gas. This gas is compressed, adding more heat, and passes into a heat exchanger surrounded by cool air or water, which it warms. This is then circulated around the home. The installation requires a unit outside the home which encompasses the heat exchanger, and a large water tank inside the house. Some homes may need larger radiators. The Stewart Temperature Solutions ASHP programme has been given added urgency by the UK Government decision to ban gas boiler installation in new homes from 2025 – just three years away – and to ban the sale of new boilers completely by 2035. The company’s website currently markets its ASHP service and, in line with its commitments to environmental improvements, it is also buying electric vehicles for its fleet as its diesel vans come up for renewal. It will also market on social media. Gregor Stewart added: “As well as being good for the environment, this diversification will make the business less seasonal, and reduce our reliance on air-conditioning work in the hot summer months. “It is essentially about future-proofing not only our business, but also making valuable changes in our wider society. These changes are coming, and it will be to everyone’s benefit to embrace them.” Stewart Temperature Solutions is predicting a turnover of in the region of £1 million by the end of the year.
A Yorkshire plumber has come up with a patented idea of how to deter van thieves and protect the van and its valuable on-board assets. Michael Horsfall’s invention, Vanguardian, is a zonal based alarm system designed to stop theft before it even starts.The heating engineer from Leeds spent more than two years developing the flexible, multi-point alarm system to protect everything from the roof racks down to the body of the van. It deters thieves by emitting a 110db alarm to stop them in their tracks. With more than 30 years as a self-employed plumbing and heating engineer, Michael has had his fair share of van break-ins. That led him to question, how thieves were getting away with it and why there wasn’t an effective, affordable system available on the market to protect his van from damage and protect his stop tools from theft. “I was eventually driven to looked at van crime from a completely different perspective, using my own experience,” explains Michael. “I recognised, for example, that an unalarmed pipe carrier drew the wrong kind of attention from thieves, so I initially designed Vanguardian as a unique affordable, security alarm to protect a pipe carrier to prevent copper pipe theft and then I developed the Zonal system of protection and progressed to effectively protecting the fabric of the vehicle from criminal damage and protecting the tools and assets on board.” The all- round system prevents the first phase actions of thieves, door tampering, lock damage, panel piercing and door peeling. Vanguardian’s targeted protection system is remote controlled and is quick and easy to install, taking just five minutes, with no tools or drilling or wiring required. Once fitted, it works to protect the most commonly targeted at risk zones on a van, such as doors, locks and roof racks carrying ladders and pipe. The device is designed to be seen on the exterior of the vehicle to provide at first a visible deterrent and is attached simply but securely with 3M waterproof high-bond contact adhesive tape. Once the Vanguardianalarm is activated, any unauthorised attempted removal will trigger a two second,110db alarm response. If contact continues within 10 seconds, the alarm will activate for 30 seconds before resetting itself, effectively providing its own self-defence against tampering. And alerting owners and those around when thieves are operating “Factory-fitted alarms or devices that fit inside the vehicle are either ineffective because they cannot be heard or they only work after the doors have been forced open and damage has been done, and tools at risk from a swift hand and gone” explains Michael. “The Vanguardian instead provides at first a visible deterrent that if ignored activates an alarm upon sensing first contact, before damage is done and before the doors are open. This gives van owners an early warning and motivates the thieves to move on or risk been confronted” The Vanguardian is available in two versions. The first is the dual alarm with two, independent alarm mechanisms. Once armed, they will sound an audible alert when sensing contact within its designated zonal area, such as on the rear doors or roof rack. The second version of Vanguard is the twin alarm, which offers the same protection as the dual alarm, but with two independent single units protecting two separate zonal areas, such as the offside and near side doors. The Vanguardian is available now. For more information, visit: www.vanguardian.co.uk
With an estimated 65,000 burglaries reported between July and September 2021[2], a windows expert is imploring installers and fabricators to re-evaluate the security credentials of their frames and hardware and seek further assurances from regulatory bodies. According to ONS[3], one in five burglars will enter a property via a window. Paired with findings from a recent survey which found that over a third of Brits feel a greater need to protect the security of their homes, compared to before the pandemic[4], quality windows will be a key safeguard against burglars. Windows in English dwellings must currently comply with Approved Document Q (ADQ) of the Building Regulations concerning security, for example by meeting the PAS24:2016 security standard. However, an added layer of credibility can be provided through meeting requirements set out by Secured by Design (SBD). The official police security initiative, SBD works with manufacturers and standards authorities to ensure security standards are current and updated in line with emerging crime trends. With burglary statistics anticipated to rise as people spend more time outside their homes Mark Gajda, Head of Technical Services at REHAU, is appealing to fenestration professionals to consider these higher-level security standards when specifying frames. “Security is a key concern for many building occupants because we all want to feel safe in the space we live,” he explains. “Burglaries are likely to rise post-pandemic, so window professionals must go above and beyond to provide solutions that meet this need. With this in mind, we’ve extended our support for tradespeople by joining the SBD initiative, providing installers, fabricators and building applicants alike with further peace-of-mind on the performance of frames.” To gain approval against SBD requirements, products must have passed enhanced security testing to PAS 24:2016. This is completed at a UKAS test centre and requires subsequent submission of relevant reports, which sets SBD aside from ADQ. Mark continued: “REHAU has always put strong emphasis on ensuring our products are tested against all fenestration industry requirements to give building users peace of mind. With the addition of the SBD logo, project and building managers have an extra layer of quality assurance.” “Because homeowners and building occupants may be concerned about burglaries, they deserve the reassurance that the elements making up their home offer adequate levels of security. This is why it’s vital for windows suppliers such as REHAU to keep an eye on how they can exceed the minimum standards of security.” Secured by Design Development Office Hazel Goss said: “It has been a pleasure to sign contracts with REHAU Ltd as a new member based in Herefordshire. They offer a fantastic collection of windows and doors on various ranges. I am looking forward to many years working alongside them.” For more information, please visit: https://www.rehau.com/uk-en/approvals [2] https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-10296171/How-home-secure-burglaries-forecast-rise.html [3] https://www.nimblefins.co.uk/home-insurance/burglary-statistics [4] https://news.samsung.com/uk/over-two-thirds-of-brits-have-no-home-security-measures-in-place-with-half-turning-to-tech-solutions-for-added-peace-of-mind
Industrial fans are the best solution for managing the heat emanating from electrical panels and ensuring a safe working environment. You can choose your industrial ventilation system with fans to adapt to the dimensions, processes and needs of your company. Let’s see how this works and what are the main differences between the industrial fans for specific purposes. Why is an industrial ventilation system so important? The energy consumption inside large factories and industrial warehouses is much higher than the one used in private homes and small buildings. This is why it is important that the electrical panel remains at a constant temperature and does not overheat, causing damage to machinery and risks for workers. In these cases, fans for electrical panels are the best solution because they allow a constant temperature, consume little energy and keep the parts of the panel in good health, extending their life. In this way the factory consumes less, requires less maintenance and is always perfectly safe. Depending on the size and needs of the workplace, you can choose a more or less powerful and more or less sophisticated wall or ceiling industrial ventilation system. Here are the various types. Types of fans for electrical panels These machines are divided into two macro-categories: Small size filter fans for electrical panels Wider and more powerful roof mounted heat extractors The choice of one option or the other depends on a number of factors that characterize the place to be cooled. First of all, the size of the space to be cooled must be evaluated. Then you have to take into account the amount of electricity and consequently the amount of heat that is released from the electrical panel and that is to be blown away by the industrial fans. Industrial ventilation systems, in fact, suck hot air out from electronic components which, by lowering the temperature, have a longer life and less maintenance needs. At the same time, cold air is sucked out from the work environment to maintain a constant and adequate temperature for both machinery and workers. Why should you choose this solution? Fans for electrical panels are a compact solution, small in size and highly efficient, for cooling the air in workplaces with particular characteristics. Remember that you can install them in your workplace, in the wall or ceiling version, only if the place respects these conditions. The external air has a lower temperature than the internal one. The air present in the environment has no oily characteristics, nor is it rich in dust. The space requires a minimal cooling capacity. If fans are useful for cooling electrical panels, in fact, the same cannot be said for more complex industrial processes that require a much larger and more sophisticated air conditioning system. In short, an industrial ventilation system is the ideal solution for small rooms where production and factory processes develop little heat and which do not need intense refrigeration. Listen carefully to an expert in industrial ventilation and cooling systems to find the right machinery for your work environment.
Lighting technology upgrade across eight van and truck retail showrooms, using a variety of the latest LED solutions. Operational costs reduced by more than £95,000 over 12 months Carbon reduction of 980 tonnes over the term of the contract Significant positive impact on employee wellbeing Eight commercial retail sites operated by UK Mercedes-Benz dealership Rygor have been equipped with the latest LED lighting systems courtesy of a comprehensive upgrade initiative implemented by Journey Energy Solutions (Journey). Established to help organisations get closer to Net Zero emissions without the burden of up-front capital outlay, Journey designs, installs and maintains carefully tailored, energy-efficient LED lighting systems. The starting point for the recent project was the realisation by the auto dealership that the existing lighting needed to be upgraded in order to reduce operational costs and carbon emissions. The lighting at three sites in particular – Heathrow, Swindon and Westbury – was also increasingly unfit for purpose and subject to frequent costly replacements. But during the course of conversations with the specialist energy solutions company that provided the upgrade, the scope of the scheme was expanded to include eight van and truck retail showrooms: the three aforementioned sites as well as Chilcompton, Kidderminster, Newbury, Nuneaton and Oxford. In terms of choosing a partner to implement the lighting upgrade and provide support post-installation, there were multiple key factors that worked in the favour of Journey. These included the ability to start work immediately, maintain a seamless transition between each site, and work in such a way that any operational disruption was kept to a minimum. For example, to avoid negative impact during installation in the active workshop service areas, advanced notice was given to each service manager so they could schedule work on particular days – ensuring that any possible conflicts were avoided. The outcomes The upgrade programme took three months with each of Rygor’s sites now featuring a complementary blend of the latest LED lighting products. As well as carrying out all the design and installation work, Journey has also been contracted for six years to provide ongoing service and maintenance support – giving further reassurance to the Rygor team and allowing the dealer’s internal technical resources to be directed elsewhere. Whilst the figure could rise further due to a greatly reduced need for replacements and associated maintenance, it is already predicted that Rygor will benefit from an impressive reduction in its carbon emissions of 980 tonnes and an energy cost saving of £648,514 over the term of the contract. This would be a huge step forward for any business at any time, but in the midst of an unpredictable economic cycle and with climate change concerns escalating, it has a truly transformative potential. In addition to the energy savings, the improved quality of the lighting – especially in the most badly affected areas at the sites deemed most urgently in need of an upgrade – has been widely commented upon by employees and visitors. In particular, feedback from personnel who have been employed in the company’s workshops for many years has been very strong, with many pinpointing the much more sympathetic and consistent nature of the lighting. The testimonials In reflecting on the project, Rygor praises the “excellent” nature of the Journey installation teams and the entire experience of collaborating with the company before, during and after the upgrade. Stuart Gemmell, Rygor Group Facilities and Health & Safety Manager, commented: “Our ageing lighting systems didn’t provide the quality of lighting that we required, in particular our workshops were quite gloomy,” he says. “The upgrades have transformed our working environments, making it easier for staff to operate efficiently. The staff are certainly benefiting and the feedback they have provided us with has been extremely positive.” The operational and carbon savings being achieved by the project have impressed the Rygor team on their journey to Net Zero. He added: “It almost goes without saying that we are also delighted with the massive contribution that the new lighting will make to our carbon emissions reduction strategy. In fact, it’s going to be a major milestone on our way to becoming a Net Zero business.” The on-going support offered by Journey will also be beneficial to the business. He finished: “The other really positive aspect is that the partnership is very much ongoing because Journey will be providing long-term support and maintenance. And of course, that means valuable extra peace of mind as we move forward.” To help motor dealers on the path to energy savings and carbon reduction, Journey has launched a free, downloadable guide – ‘The Journey to Net Zero – How to cut costs, save energy and deliver decarbonisation: a guide for motor dealers’. To download the free guide, click here.
Chubb, a leading global provider of fire safety, security and monitoring solutions and services, today launched a High-Rise Evacuation Alert System to assist the UK’s Fire and Rescue Services in safely evacuating residential buildings over 18 metres. Responding to the new Code of Practice recommendations outlined within British Standard (BS) 8629:2019, the High-Rise Evacuation Alert System will facilitate the immediate evacuation of any floor within a building to securely phase the evacuation process and provide the highest levels of tenant and asset protection. The system’s operating panel is housed within a tamper-proof enclosure that features an STS 205 BR2 security rating and can only be opened by a patented key and lock mechanism conforming to BS EN 1303. The easy-to-use toggles enable Fire and Rescue Services to instantly activate alarm sounders, whilst the LED indicators provide a clear overview of evacuation zone status to support quick and straightforward implementation of evacuation strategies. Suitable for both new build and retrofit applications, the system’s hybrid network capabilities offer building owners the flexibility to tailor the system to meet their specific requirements and the system can be continuously upgraded and extended to meet future legislative updates. The flexible nature of the system also provides building owners with the ability to wirelessly interlink each individual alarm sounder and visual alarm device to the hardwired evacuation alert control and indicating equipment panel. “For over 200 years, Chubb has been committed to making our customers world a safer place. The launch of our new High-Rise Evacuation Alert System is a reflection of this dedication, providing building owners with the highest possible standards of protection and performance,” said David Foord, Fire Sales Director, Chubb: “We understand the importance of ensuring the successful and safe evacuation of tenants in the event of a fire, which is why our latest system has been designed in accordance with BS 8629:2019, to provide complete peace of mind.” Supporting the installation and reporting stages, Chubb also provides proof of testing upon handover, in addition to regular testing in accordance with complete compliance. Featuring technology recommended within BS 8629:2019, the High-Rise Evacuation Alert System is also supported by Chubb’s nationwide network of dedicated engineering and support teams that provide building owners with industry-leading advice, knowledge, and service. To find out more, visit https://www.chubbfiresecurity.com/en/uk/products/fire/evacuation/evacuation-alert-system/
