Building ventilation systems reduce the spread of airborne diseases by half compared to natural ventilation for schools, offices and hospitality venues, research shows. Specialists S&P UK have released the findings of detailed research carried out by their European R&D centre aimed at shedding light on whether mechanical or natural ventilation should be used to improve air quality and curb the risk of contracting airborne diseases such as Covid in indoor environments. With lockdown easing and the UK vaccination rollout on track, more businesses, office managers, headteachers and other building owners are seeking clarity from the government, the scientific community and industry bodies on how best to minimise the spread of Covid in an enclosed space. Covid is spread via infectious aerosols which can stay airborne for long periods, particularly in poorly ventilated areas. The study by S&P UK found mechanical ventilation systems reduce by half the risk of Covid aerosol transmission compared to natural ventilation, such as opening windows and doors which has the added disadvantage of letting in noise, pollution and cold air in the winter. The detailed scientific modelling and analysis by S&P researchers considered three scenarios: schools, offices, and bars/restaurants. After four days in a classroom of 24 students wearing masks and an infected teacher, the accumulated probability of infection is 21% with natural ventilation – or five pupils infected. With the mechanical one, it is 9% – or two pupils infected. With no ventilation, seven contract Covid. If a student is positive rather than the teacher, the numbers are halved. In the winter, opening windows for 10 minutes every hour results in a 4.8% infection rate, meaning four cases after day four – twice as high. Meanwhile, in a restaurant with 35 unmasked customers but a masked infected waiter, with natural ventilation, two customers are infected in the first two hours, and two more are infected over the second two-hour period, giving a total of four cases. With mechanical, it is halved to one infected customer in each two-hour period, or a total of two. In an open plan office with 40 workers where one is infected, with everyone wearing masks, there are four infected employees after four days with natural ventilation, and two with mechanical. With no masks, it rises to 13 with open windows and eight with mechanical. There are long-held concerns that most offices only recirculate existing air with air-conditioning units, rather than pumping in fresh air using mechanical ventilation systems. “Our research shows that investing in mechanical ventilation systems must be considered by anyone who helps to manage any indoor space, whether that’s a headteacher, an office manager or a restaurant owner. That’s because our evidence is clear: mechanised ventilation systems are twice as good as natural ventilation when it comes to reducing the risk of spreading airborne diseases like Covid-19 indoors,” said Alex Finch, managing director of S&P UK. “There’s plenty of generic advice on ventilation but so many sections of society are crying out for official and clear-cut guidance on the exact best ventilation for typical scenarios. We also recognise that the failure to distinguish between indoor mechanical or natural ventilation as part of this ongoing debate is not surprising as it’s a complex and new challenge. “But we believe our research, inspected by our technical teams, will add some weighty evidence for specialists across the H&V sector and can help provide clarity for those who are looking to actively improve their work environments to minimise transmission of Covid.”

Building ventilation systems reduce the spread of airborne diseases by half compared to natural ventilation for schools, offices and hospitality venues, research shows. Ventilation specialists S&P UK has released the findings of detailed research carried out by their European R&D centre aimed at shedding light on whether mechanical or natural ventilation should be used to improve air quality and curb the risk of contracting airborne diseases such as Covid in indoor environments. With lockdown easing and the UK vaccination rollout on track, more businesses, office managers, headteachers and other building owners are seeking clarity from the government, the scientific community and industry bodies on how best to minimise the spread of Covid in an enclosed space. Covid is spread via infectious aerosols which can stay airborne for long periods, particularly in poorly ventilated areas. The study by S&P UK found mechanical ventilation systems reduce by half the risk of Covid aerosol transmission compared to natural ventilation, such as opening windows and doors which has the added disadvantage of letting in noise, pollution and cold air in the winter. The detailed scientific modelling and analysis by S&P researchers considered three scenarios: schools, offices, and bars/restaurants. After four days in a classroom of 24 students wearing masks and an infected teacher, the accumulated probability of infection is 21% with natural ventilation – or five pupils infected. With mechanical ventilation, it is 9% – or two pupils infected. With no ventilation, seven contract Covid. If a student is positive rather than the teacher, the numbers are halved. In the winter, opening windows for 10 minutes every hour results in a 4.8% infection rate, meaning four cases after day four – twice as high as mechanical ventilation. Meanwhile, in a restaurant with 35 unmasked customers but a masked infected waiter, with natural ventilation, two customers are infected in the first two hours, and two more are infected over the second two-hour period, giving a total of four cases. With mechanical ventilation, it is halved to one infected customer in each two-hour period, or a total of two. With an infected customer instead of the waiter, with open windows, three customers contract Covid by the end of night. With mechanical ventilation, it is one. In an open plan office with 40 workers where one is infected, with everyone wearing masks, there are four infected employees after four days with natural ventilation, and two with mechanical. With no masks, it rises to 13 with open windows and eight with mechanical. There are long-held concerns that most offices only recirculate existing air with air-conditioning units, rather than pumping in fresh air using mechanical ventilation systems. The authors, S&P Global CFD (computational fluid dynamics) engineers Albert Carrasquer and Jordi Fabregat, concluded: “[Mechanical] ventilation can reduce more than twofold the infection risk when compared to open windows. If a lower infection risk is desired, installation must deliver higher ventilation rates than those defined by [British] standards.” The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) says building ventilation should be “integral to the Covid risk mitigation strategy for all multi-occupant public buildings and workplaces”. Alex Finch, managing director of S&P UK, said: “Our research shows that investing in mechanical ventilation systems must be considered by anyone who helps to manage any indoor space, whether that’s a headteacher, an office manager or a restaurant owner. “That’s because our evidence is clear: mechanised ventilation systems are twice as good as natural ventilation when it comes to reducing the risk of spreading airborne diseases like Covid-19 indoors. “There’s plenty of generic advice on ventilation but so many sections of society are crying out for official and clear-cut guidance on the exact best ventilation for typical scenarios. We also recognise that the failure to distinguish between indoor mechanical or natural ventilation as part of this ongoing debate is not surprising as it’s a complex and new challenge. “But we believe our research, inspected by our technical teams, will add some weighty evidence for specialists across the H&V sector and can help provide clarity for those who are looking to actively improve their work environments to minimise transmission of Covid.” S&P UK Ventilation Systems is the UK subsidiary of leading global manufacturer Soler and Palau, and is the sole UK distributor of commercial, industrial and residential fans and ventilation systems. Operating nationally, S&P UK Ventilation Systems is a leading fan, air movement and ventilation systems provider offering over 10,000 products along with technical sales support and consultancy. It is a subsidiary of Spanish owned S&P Group, whose global operations span over 90 countries and includes major R&D centres in Europe, Singapore, USA and Brazil.

We do not agree that security is always 100% protected by these safety and security developments, i.e CCTV but we have come a long way and the technology is vastly improved from its induction in the 1960’s and it is certainly a huge deterrent and aid in catching perpetrators. Not a day goes by without news of the theft, or even worst injury or even murder. and the question is how we can protect ourselves and our loved ones. The use of CCTV cameras and other forms of public security is now well advanced, so the question is: how do you protect yourself and your loved ones? Especially in your home, street, and business. We spoke with prodomtated and well respected CCTV experts from Leeds CCTV Direct who are the premier professionals when it comes to all things CCTV and secuirity and the new measures and sofesitcated equipment that is employed to take public, business and home security and safety with CCTV. This is what they told us. CCTV is Everywhere Now Every single incident is quite poissbly on a CCTV camera these days, so keep your eyes open, but the days of blurred images and blurred image quality are over. CCTV can therefore be used as an important tool for identifying offenders, and not just for crime prevention. Such as hit and run drivers. But if the workplace for keeping an eye on employees and even to help mishaps in high accident areas. Crime Provention is a Huge Advanatage It has been observed that most criminals leave the crime scene, before a crime has been committed due to the prevalience and deterrent of CCTV cameras being spotted “spooked” is the word many have used and they are indeed running away.  In some cases, surveillance cameras have come to the rescue by containing information from video clips, but some remain unsolved due to a lack of identification. For example, in London and other major cities in the U.K, a number of high-profile crimes such as murder, rape and robbery have been caught on CCTV cameras. If there were a device that continuously recorded prohibited activities, the crime rate itself would fall dramatically. Since most illegal activities only take place at night and not all cameras can do so in low light, which is why cameras and night vision devices are becoming increasingly popular, some markets have night vision cameras. Night Vision CCTV with infrared is just such a device. Keeping Women Safe At Night Women’s safety is a much-debated issue in the United Kingdom, as women in our society are traumatized every day by  harassment and assault. To be safe, we must protect not only ourselves, but also our families, friends, and neighbours. That is why our legal system has begun installing surveillance cameras and night vision devices in many cities to ensure that women are shielded. With a number of advantages, the importance of video surveillance in our lives has become priceless and irreplaceable. We will have a record of wrongdoing, so even if there is a mishap, we will be able to find the perpetrator. CCTV Helps Peoeple Sleep Soundly CCTV cameras are therefore an invaluable tool in a society that is constantly grappling with anarchy and monstrosity. People can sleep peacefully at night, parents can relax when they send their children to school, college, or University, and women can wander around the city knowing that someone somewhere is watching and recording all the annoying activities that criminals cause.

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has become the first trade body to adopt a new industry agreed prequalification standard that promises to cut expensive and time consuming ‘red tape’ for contractors. The new Common Assessment Standard, developed by Build UK and endorsed by the Construction Leadership Council, means suppliers will only need to be certified once a year by a single recognised assessment body before tendering for work with contractors and clients who specify it. This is a significant improvement on the current system where different clients insist on their own prequalification questionnaires being completed meaning contractors are forced to duplicate time and effort.  Build UK estimates this wasteful process costs the construction industry as much as £1bn every year. BESA chief executive David Frise said the new approach would transform the prequalification process and make it work better for both suppliers and clients. “By streamlining the process and linking it to a pan-industry agreed standard, it will be quicker and simpler for good quality firms to demonstrate their business credentials and clients will get the reassurance they need,” he said. Build UK deputy chief executive Jo Fautley said the new system was “a huge step towards more efficient working, which is more important than ever in the current challenging economic climate”. Collaborative “Developing the Common Assessment Standard has been a collaborative effort, involving companies across the whole sector. There are already 10 major contractors and clients specifying it and we are delighted that BESA has become our first Trade Association member to adopt it as a part of its membership process,” she added. The standard has been made possible thanks to a data-sharing agreement with the three recognised assessment bodies: Achilles, CHAS and Constructionline. The building engineering alliance Actuate UK has also put its weight behind the new standard, which it said was an example of how cross-industry collaboration could deliver efficiency improvements for the whole construction supply chain. Build UK is also working with the government on having it adopted for public sector projects. “The introduction of data sharing means the long-awaited industry-wide solution to prequalification waste is now in sight,” said BESA’s director of certification Rachel Davidson. “Having an industry approved, single standard will also make it more appealing to main contractors and end clients. We encourage all public sector and commercial clients to embrace this ground-breaking development.”  BESA has also recognised the new standard as a way of deeming to satisfy the business management section of its own Competence Assessment Standard (CAS), which companies must achieve to join the Association or remain in membership.  Any company that deems to satisfy business assurance by reaching the new standard will save a significant amount of time and duplication of effort because they will also be meeting BESA’s requirements.  However, the Association stressed that it would continue to assess the technical competence of its members. “It is important that individual trade bodies continue to take responsibility for the specialist technical aspects of assessing competence,” said Frise. “Our organisations are best placed to oversee whether companies are keeping up with advances in technology and working practices while also investing in training to ensure their workforces are properly equipped to carry out high quality work. “Being able to streamline the business assurance element of pre-qualification will have the added benefit of giving them more time and resource to focus on these technical aspects. This should lead to even more improvements, including better productivity, for clients.”www.theBESA.com

Ventilation specialists S&P UK has expanded its range of high efficiency heat recovery units to include the RHE 15000, offering the highest rate of air flow designed for large spaces – a significant upgrade in capabilities for the range. It comes at a time when there is a huge importance for delivering fresh air into buildings, such as colleges, offices and hospitals. The RHE range uses a Thermal Wheel Heat Recovery to gain the optimum thermal efficacy with a sophisticated control system. With an increase in demand for fresh air, the RHE 15000 can deliver 4 m³ per second, making it highly suitable for schools and colleges, commercial offices and retail. The unit can be supplied as a standard part or customised to meet specific application requirements. S&P UK most recently supplied an RHE 15000 as a custom order to include an electric heater to City College Norwich, where the unit was craned four storeys high onto the roof of a major £9.1 million extension under construction. “We have been supplying the RHE product for a number of years but by expanding the range, this allows the option for us to supply this product with a much higher airflow. As with all our products, we offer our own technical expertise so we worked with the M & E subcontractors for this particular project from recommending the RHE 15000 as the most suitable product based off drawings provided, right through to site installation,” said Lee Page, sales director at S&P UK. The RHE air handling series are designed for internal and external siting and, as with all S&P products, the units come with a two-year warranty. The custom made RHE units can be manufactured by S&P with a lead time of around 3 weeks from order to shipment. S&P is a leading global fan, air movement and ventilation systems manufacturer with over 10,000 products supported by personalised technical support. The Spanish owned S&P Group, whose global operations span over 90 countries, includes major R&D centres in Europe, Singapore, USA and Brazil.

Humidifiers come in all shapes and sizes, from cheap, cartoon-shaped styles to expensive, massive machines. Did you know that you can actually have a humidifying component installed into your HVAC system? There are pros and cons to every type of humidifier. Find out which choice is right for you and your home. Adverse Effects of Dry Air There are many perks of whole house humidifiers. Firstly, you need to figure out if a humidifier is necessary for your environment. An easy way to test the humidity in your home is by purchasing a small detection device. These are usually inexpensive and can tell you the percentage of humidity in your space. Generally, you want the percentage to be around 30 to 50. After you exceed 50, the chances of mold growth greatly increase.  If you’re dealing with dry air under 30 percent humidity, you should look into upping the moisture in the air around you. Dry air can cause physical and structural effects, including:  Dry skin Irritated nasal passages Scratchy throat Chapped lips Respiratory issues Increased static Peeling wallpaper and paint Increased heat usage If you’re in a dry environment, the air will feel colder, prompting you to crank up the heat. This not only wastes more money and energy, but it also adds to the dryness in the air. If you’re feeling or noticing any of the above issues, it may be time to look into a humidifier.  Portable Vs. Whole House Humidifiers There are several different types of humidifiers, each with positive and negative attributes. Some of the most common include:  Central (or whole home) Cool mist (ultrasonic) Warm mist (evaporators or steam vaporizers) Combination (with air purification) With so many options on the market, it may be difficult to choose. You may have heard that portable humidifiers are prone to mold growth. This is one of the drawbacks of a separate machine. According to Stanford researchers, portable humidifiers need to be cleaned every three days. Otherwise, you could be doing more harm than good.  Bacteria thrives in moist areas, and if your humidifier isn’t cleaned, it can turn into a breeding ground. If you choose a portable version, you must keep on top of maintenance. Otherwise, harmful mold spores can be released into the air. Mold can damage your health and property, sometimes more than dry air. Humidifier systems that are integrated into your HVAC system mitigate this risk. They often come with automatic regulated systems that detect the moisture in the air and adjust accordingly. While the whole house system still needs to be cleaned, you can do so annually rather than every three days.  Additional Humidifier Uses Dry air can affect many unexpected areas of your life. Along with the aforementioned negative effects, low humidity can lead to other issues. For instance, if you have musical instruments made of wood, wood flooring, or other valuable wood furniture, it can crack due to a lack of moisture. Furthermore, if you have trouble sleeping, white noise of a humidifier can help. Many people sleep with a white noise machine or fan. Why not use a central humidifier and work on alleviating other troublesome issues at the same time? There are many surprising benefits of adding moisture to the air. Just make sure you do so knowledgeably and maintain the integrity of your home and body.

Working as an electrician is a career that is both satisfying and rewarding in equal measure, so it is no surprise that plenty of people aspire to entering this profession, and there is also a large amount of demand for experts in this field nationwide. Of course there are a few obstacles to overcome and requirements to fulfil along the way, so here is a look at the main steps you will need to take to become a fully qualified electrician. Focus on relevant subjects at school If you are still in full time education, but you one day hope to become an electrician, then it is worth thinking about which subjects will be most valuable once you embark upon your chosen career path in the future. Both physics and maths are useful for electricians, as are technical subjects. It is also important to develop good English skills, as while the job may be hands-on in a lot of respects, it still requires plenty of reading of technical documents, and being able to interpret potentially complex instructions successfully is definitely important. Choose training courses First and foremost you need to make sure that you have the right education and training under your belt in order to work at the forefront of this industry niche and also command the most competitive salaries. There are a whole host of electrician training courses available, as well as different routes to take, some of which may suit you more than others depending on your existing experience and your circumstances. For example, many electricians get their start as part of an apprenticeship scheme, which will see you stewarded through the learning process by an existing specialist. At the same time you may also choose to participate in a Level 3 qualification scheme, at the end of which you will receive an NVQ diploma in a particular area, such as electrical maintenance or installations. It is this combination of training and on-the-job experience which allows new electricians to accumulate the abilities and knowledge that will ultimately allow them to qualify and seek full time employment. One thing worth noting is that training courses also differ in terms of the length of time they take to complete. For an NVQ-level qualification you will need to spend between 2 and 4 years completing the course in all, which of course requires that you factor in the combination of studying and practical working. Shorter courses are available, such as becoming a domestic installer, which can be completed in around a month. However if you want to attain a nationally recognised qualification, then you will need to make a commitment for several years to achieve this. Find work once you are qualified While you may be capable of completing the training needed to become an electrician, the next challenge on the road to making this your career is actually getting a job after you are finished with your studies or your apprenticeship. If you have been part of an apprenticeship scheme, then you may be able to move straight into working within the organisation that you were apprenticed by, and this is usually something that larger operations may be more willing to accommodate, although it is not a given. If, on the other hand, you have qualified with a study-only Level 3 NVQ diploma, then you will need to look for your first job in the industry. As there are lots of construction and housing projects ongoing nationally at the moment, you may find that being flexible in terms of where you are based could help you a lot, as there may be more demand for electricians in a particular location so long as you are willing to travel or even relocate for the work, if only on a temporary basis. Another option is to work independently as a domestic electrician, seeing to the needs of customers in a given geographic area and effectively being your own boss. This is potentially appealing because of the level of control it gives you over the trajectory of your career, but also daunting because of the additional admin involved in running your own business, even as a sole trader. Hopefully you will now have the means to make your way in the world of work as an electrician; just remember that with patience and perseverance, it could be an ideal career for almost anyone, and will remain in-demand for as long as people and businesses need buildings to occupy.

Hopefully, the next few months will see a major uptake in many sectors across the UK. I’m not just talking about the throngs descending on the nearest pub garden when opening again (although what a thrill that will be). I’m looking at key sectors which will be attempting to ramp up production and efforts to pre-pandemic levels. With the likes of the hospitality, tourism & food/drinks industry aggressively pushing to capacity in time for what will hopefully be another great British summer, one area which anyone running operations should be thinking about right now is refrigeration. In cases where a business has been operating minimally or could be ready to push to meet demand, you never want to be caught out with something going wrong. Not only will it disrupt operations, but a broken refrigeration system could come back to bite you with hefty costs and billings; the last thing anyone wants! Thanks to the refrigeration experts at Star Refrigeration, who are helping businesses throughout the UK have a better understanding of industrial refrigeration, here are some of the key areas a business may want to look at to ensure you are optimising and improving refrigeration as we get closer to summer and units are put to the test. Hopefully, by looking into some of the areas highlighted here, your business may take some preventive measures, or at the very least, talk with your refrigeration suppliers for advice. Servicing Let’s start with the most important area first. With everything that has gone in in the last year and a bit, you may have completely forgotten to get your units serviced. If your systems haven’t been used much, you shouldn’t expect to find yourself asking a supplier for any major upgrades. What you should be concerned about are spare parts, or rather, understanding the need for parts after servicing. Any reputable engineer should be able to carry out a comprehensive check of your system and let you know if anything looks like it may need replacing in the near future. Any business running a bespoke/custom internal system should ask their engineer are there are any unique parts that should be sourced and kept spare in case of emergency. It’s one of those cases where a minor cost now could help prevent losses when something goes wrong. Also, ask your engineers if any areas within your system require routine/out of hours maintenance. For example, you may have pumps or condensers in desperate need of maintenance checks which can’t be down during normal hours. Once again, it’s a case of after-hours work saving you in the long run. Planning Anyone who knows their stuff should have contingency planning in place when working with chillers. I like to pose the importance of planning with an example dilemma: Imagine you were making 100 litres of ice cream on a summer’s day, when suddenly your chillers all stop working. Would you be able to instantly know how long it will take to get those chillers working again, how much product you’ll be expected to lose, and what temporary solutions you have instant access to? It is surprising to me how many business owners don’t have emergency planning in place. You might be lucky that your refrigeration company has some level of contingencies as standard. Still, I highly recommend you get in touch and ask. If they don’t, ask why and how much it will cost to have a full site survey carried out. Bill Management Last but by no means least, I want you to look into bill management. If your company has been keeping costs to a minimum these last few months, and you’re expected to use refrigeration more in the next few months, get in touch with your provider and ask if they offer any form of system monitoring or analysis. Like a watched pot not boiling, unmonitored units can see your bills soar. Star Refrigeration estimates that “90% of energy costs in the cold storage sector can be attributed to refrigeration”. Most people would never imagine it being so high! Contact your provider Now that you’ve read through this, I hope you have come to realise that all these efforts boil down to getting in touch with your suppliers and asking them what supportive services they provide. It’s always a case of “don’t ask, don’t get”, and a simple call is the easiest way to keep refrigeration bills down at a time of year when dependency is at its highest.