The Scottish Building Contract Committee (SBCC) has elected Alan Wilson, acting managing director of SELECT, the trade body for the electro-technical trade in Scotland, to be its Vice Chair. The election took place at SBCC’s AGM on the 7th of November. “It’s a great honour to our organisation, as well
The long-running campaign by SELECT, the electrotechnical trade association, which is also backed by the Scottish Joint Industry Board (The SJIB) and Unite the Union, for recognition of Electricians as a Profession achieved a major milestone last week (Oct 25) when the issue was debated in the Scottish Parliament. In
A number of promotions have been made across the engineering solutions provider, Boulting Ltd, to further strengthen its business offering. Glyn Shawcross has been appointed as engineering and design director, while Louis Steyn took up the role of IT director and Paul Mannion will move to the position of electrical
The UK’s first test standard for Heat Interface Units (HIUs), which is managed by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), has been revised and updated in response to growing demand from the district heating industry. Two UK-based test houses have now been approved to carry out testing to the standard
Whether you are self-employed or a tradesman from a building company, it is necessary to find the right tradesman insurance that will keep you and your customers out of harm’s way. Don’t start a project if you are not fully covered for any accidents or problems, as these can seriously
In a world which is increasingly dependent on electrotechnology, the unsung heroes who keep us switched on had their moment in the spotlight last week (October 12) at a ceremony hosted by SELECT, Scotland’s largest trade association. Electrical professionals from companies large and small, and from every part of the
Building services provider J S Wright is to design the mechanical services for 800 new homes at two major developments in north and east London. The mechanical and electrical (M&E) specialist, which has offices in Birmingham, Bristol and London, has been awarded two contracts together valued at more than £200,000
A new study into the installation costs of underfloor heating versus traditional radiators has shown that the underfloor heating option is far more economical than is generally perceived. The study, conducted by force drying specialist, ForceDry, was based on data from leading contractors for installations in a one, two and
An MSP will be raising a further motion addressing the ongoing campaign to confer statutory recognition on Scotland’s professional electricians in the Scottish Parliament later this month. The move, by Jamie Halcro Johnston, Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for the Highlands and Islands, is the latest in a determined campaign
TWELVE experienced engineers at national M&E consultancy Couch Perry Wilkes (CPW) have attained accreditation to join the CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) Heat Networks Consultants Register. CIBSE Heat Networks Consultants are able to advise on the Code of Practice CP1 on Heat Networks, produced by CIBSE and the
The Scottish Building Contract Committee (SBCC) has elected Alan Wilson, acting managing director of SELECT, the trade body for the electro-technical trade in Scotland, to be its Vice Chair. The election took place at SBCC’s AGM on the 7th of November. “It’s a great honour to our organisation, as well as to our sister body, the Scottish Engineering Contractors Group, (SECG), to have been elected as Vice Chair of SBCC,” said Alan Wilson. Until now its office bearers have been drawn from the membership of the Royal Institute of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). “We have worked closely for some years with SELECT and SECG and have a high regard for their professionalism and abilities. In our view, the election of Alan to be our new Vice Chair is a timely and appropriate development reflecting our due acknowledgement of his organisation,” commented Chair of the SBCC, Lisa Cattanach, a chartered surveyor who is also a director of Glasgow-based Contract Dispute Resolution. Lisa’s first official role as chair of the SBCC was to host a very successful annual conference which was held in the Merchants House in Glasgow on Wednesday the 14th of November. “We had an outstanding lineup of speakers, including Professor John Cole of Queen’s University, Belfast, who delivered a very thought provoking State of the Nation address, in which he focussed on the findings of two independent enquiries of industry-wide significance established to address major issues of building quality,” said Lisa about the conference. The SBCC, whose role is to provide definitive guidance on building contracts and construction law in Scotland, was founded in the 1960s. SELECT’s 1250-member companies account for around 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland. They have a collective turnover of around £1 billion and provide employment for 15,000 people.
The long-running campaign by SELECT, the electrotechnical trade association, which is also backed by the Scottish Joint Industry Board (The SJIB) and Unite the Union, for recognition of Electricians as a Profession achieved a major milestone last week (Oct 25) when the issue was debated in the Scottish Parliament. In a wide-ranging discussion, MSPs from all parties debated the call for the privilege of calling a person an electrician to be limited only to those who are qualified in this highly-skilled profession. The Holyrood debate was opened by Jamie Halcro Johnston, Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for the Highlands and Islands, who has backed the campaign in the interests of public safety from its early stages. During the debate, Mr Halcro Johnston told parliament that he had been staggered to learn that the people who entered our homes and businesses to install and maintain our wiring, fuse boxes and appliances need have no qualifications at all and yet they can still call themselves electricians. Responding to the debate, Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, thanked MSPs for their contributions and said that discussions would continue with the aim of bringing a ministerial view to parliament in due course. Alan Wilson, Acting Managing Director at SELECT, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland, thanked the MSPs who initially signed the Motion and who took part in the debate. He said: “Protection of Title has been at the forefront of our work for a number of years and in fact our recent campaign was triggered following a speech by a Government Minister at a European Electrical contractors conference held in Edinburgh in 2015. We are very grateful to have received support from Unite the union, the SJIB other trade bodies and politicians from all parties. “It is a major issue. The overall cost of poor and potentially dangerous electrical work in Scotland is around £120 million a year. “Recognition of the vital role that qualified electricians play in all parts of Scottish society is long overdue. These are highly-trained, uniquely qualified professional people whose contribution to modern life is immense.” Mr Halcro Johnston pointed out that, while more than 100 regulated professions exist in the UK – including gas engineers and even door supervisors at clubs – there is no protection afforded to electricians. His motion asked Parliament to recognise that improperly-installed electrical work creates a significant risk of fire as well as other harm to householders and that the installation of electrical work by unqualified or part qualified individuals carries a major safety risk. SELECT’s 1250 member companies account for around 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland. They have a collective turnover of around £1 billion and provide employment for 15,000 people. For more information please contact Alan Wilson, Acting Managing Director at SELECT, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland, The Walled Garden, Bush Estate, Midlothian, EH26 0SB. T: 0131 445 5577. F: 0131 445 5548. E: admin@select.org.uk. W: www.select.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/updates_select https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWJVjt14CvIig8bIKwidVug
A number of promotions have been made across the engineering solutions provider, Boulting Ltd, to further strengthen its business offering. Glyn Shawcross has been appointed as engineering and design director, while Louis Steyn took up the role of IT director and Paul Mannion will move to the position of electrical and instrumentation (E&I) operations manager. Glyn Shawcross has been promoted to the role of engineering and design director and will be responsible for engineering design of all mechanical, electrical and instrumentation installations across the non-nuclear business units. He is also responsible for the technical, financial and strategic responsibility of the engineering and design department, which consists of over 60 multi-disciplined designers and engineers. Shawcross joined Boulting as a senior electrical engineer in 2011 and is now a chartered engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and a certified functional safety engineer with over 38-year experience in the sector. In addition to his role in the engineering and design team, Shawcross voluntarily undertakes the roles of professional registration advisor and continuing professional development advisor on behalf of the IET, as well as being the company’s IET representative. Alongside Shawcross’s promotion, Paul Mannion, who joined Boulting in 1990 as an apprentice, will take up the role of E&I operations manager and will continue his involvement in construction and project management in the pharmaceutical industry. His experience across the business in both engineering and managerial roles means he will continue to support the team to deliver varied client requirements. Having worked at Boulting Ltd since 2007, Louis Steyn and has been appointed as IT director for the business. Steyn has numerous years’ experience in IT management roles across a variety of sectors across the UK and in South Africa. Steyn will assist the board in developing the company’s IT strategy and improving the IT department’s service offering across Boulting’s multiple sites. He plans to improve processes and systems and create a focus on how IT can benefit the business. In addition, he will be developing an IT strategy to help assure the ongoing security of the digital services Boulting offer.
The UK’s first test standard for Heat Interface Units (HIUs), which is managed by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), has been revised and updated in response to growing demand from the district heating industry. Two UK-based test houses have now been approved to carry out testing to the standard – BSRIA and Enertek International – in addition to the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), which was previously the only organisation able to test to the new UK standard. HIUs extract heat from district heating networks to feed individual buildings and dwellings. How they perform is central to the overall efficiency of a district scheme. The Standard was developed, therefore, to help developers of UK heat networks procure HIUs based on comparative performance data. The availability of a UK standard has prompted considerable response from manufacturers with a significant number of HIUs already tested at RISE with several more already going through the process at BSRIA and Enertek. Testing to the standard is a two-stage process: The HIU has to achieve a UKAS or equivalent national accreditation through one of the three test houses and this result must then be verified by the Standard’s Steering Group before being published on the BESA website. Comprehensive The BESA Standard originally emerged from a heat network efficiency research project supported by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. Testing to the Standard is helping to create a comprehensive product database and improve performance of UK heat networks. It is modelled on a well-established Swedish methodology, which was adapted to suit typical UK operating conditions, and makes it possible to compare products and equipment types so that network designers can evaluate the performance of individual HIUs against their design parameters. The test calculates the annual volume weighted return temperature (VWART) from the HIU and provides evidence of compliance with other performance and reliability metrics, such as domestic hot water response time. As part of the revision process, the steering group overseeing the Standard has been expanded and a technical sub-committee – comprising industry experts and the three test houses – has been set up. It will make recommendations to the steering group on developing the standard, including a planned expansion of the regime. An HIU Manufacturers’ forum has already had its first meeting at BESA’s headquarters in London and provided valuable feedback to the steering group. “One of the Standard’s great strengths is that it has been developed by users, for users,” said UK HIU Steering Group chair, Gareth Jones. “It provides users with a clear basis on which to evaluate HIU performance and is rapidly becoming the default point of reference for those making procurement decisions within the industry. “As a result, HIU manufacturers must now ensure that their HIUs perform well and we are seeing a significant increase in R&D. Ultimately this raising of standards will help improve the health of the heat network industry as a whole.” More information is available here.
Whether you are self-employed or a tradesman from a building company, it is necessary to find the right tradesman insurance that will keep you and your customers out of harm’s way. Don’t start a project if you are not fully covered for any accidents or problems, as these can seriously harm your bank balance and reputation as a tradesman. Instead, here are some ideas for what you can ask an insurer when you are looking to settle on the right form of insurance for your business. How much is tradesman insurance? It is natural that we all want to find the best deals that we can when looking into the different forms of insurance for work. As either a small business owner or an independent worker, you want a good form of insurance that can incorporate multiple benefits, rather than focusing on either you or the customer as solely protected. With public liability insurance, you want to be paying between £100 and £150 for protection against any legal claims that could arise due to an accident in the workplace. Avoid paying more than what you need for your insurance by looking into no obligation insurance quote comparison for tradesmen. Only pay for the things that you genuinely need. Do I only need public liability insurance? Though public liability insurance does cover general accident cover for both you and your customers, it does not cause all damage that could happen while you are out working. For instance, if you were fitting a boiler and it was stolen, this would not be covered by the insurance. Instead, you would need contract works cover. This is why you need to look into different insurances to see what would best suit your workload. What other types of insurance should I look into? It does not matter if you are an experienced workman, accidents and problems can happen – and you cannot let the financial burden of these destroy your business. Here are some additional insurances that you should look into should you want to keep fully covered: • Product liability and indemnity insurance • Employers liability insurance • Financial loss Insurance • Professional indemnity insurance. • Income and life insurance Can I combine my insurance? This is a very smart way of thinking for a smaller business that is looking to reduce its insurance costs by investing in one policy. Look into an appropriate insurance broker to enable yourself to locate subcontracts that can create one policy for product and public liability to keep the cost affordable for both you and for any tradesmen employed under you. Can I get cover for my tools? A tradesman without his tools is like a human without air. You cannot be a worker without being insured for any potential tools that could be stolen, become problematic or break while you are on a job. Some insurances offer 24-hour cover – for instance, if your tools are locked in a van overnight by mistake. However, be warned that your insurers will want to see evidence that you tried to prevent the theft.
In a world which is increasingly dependent on electrotechnology, the unsung heroes who keep us switched on had their moment in the spotlight last week (October 12) at a ceremony hosted by SELECT, Scotland’s largest trade association. Electrical professionals from companies large and small, and from every part of the country, gathered in Glasgow to submit themselves to the critical judgement of their peers – and emerge as winners. The accolades awarded by SELECT, the campaigning body for the electrotechnical trade in Scotland, had a special relevance in 2018, a year in which sector’s campaign for recognition of qualified electricians gained real traction. And they reflected not only the vital role of electricians in today’s interconnected world but also the verve and flair which SELECT member companies bring to activities such as marketing, safety, training and a host of other aspects of the sector. This year also saw new award categories, including Best Medium and Best Large Contractor. Darrell Matthews, SELECT’s MD said: “This has been an extraordinary period of activity for the sector, in which the Scottish government has been investigating the benefits of protection of title for electrical professionals. “SELECT has also established a dedicated Training Department which will take its training and skills offering to a new level. “The entries for the awards this year were in tune with the new levels of excitement in the electrical industry, which we feel is entering a transformational period backed by forward-thinking, innovative companies and individuals.” As an example of the growth the sector has experienced, the new Best Large Contractor award went to Edinburgh-based M-PACT Building Services Ltd – a company which, only a few years ago, had won an award as Best Small Contractor. Darrell Matthews said: “M-PACT is an outstanding example of the larger firms in the SELECT member portfolio who not only create jobs and opportunities but which also display a vision and ambition which means that, for them, the sky’s the limit.” Other awards were: Apprentice of the Year, won by Blair Hendry, who works with Fife Council. Wholesaler Apprentice of the Year, a category introduced just last year, won by Stephanie Thomson, who works with Stearn in Glasgow. Best Small Contractor, won by Newton Stewart electrical company ATD Electrical Services. Best Medium Contractor, won by Kenneth Ferguson Electrical Contractor from Connel, a small village on Scotland’s West Coast. Best New Product, won by Worcestershire-based ESP, for its smart security system. Best Delivery of Customer Service, won by Invincible Fire and Security of Ardrossan. Best Visual Promotion, won by Servest Arthur McKay, from Loanhead, near Edinburgh. Best Electrical Safety Product, won by Annan firm Select Electrical and Mechanical Services. A Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Schneider Electric, was made to David Smith, Past President of SELECT, a current Central Board Member and one of the outstanding figures in the Scottish electrical industry. Mr Matthews said: “David has taken a keen interest in the sector but is perhaps most associated with training and the development of skills, having played a major role in a number of Scottish and UK organisations over the years. “He carries out his work in a professional and diligent manner, never forgetting the part that employers play in developing the skills and talents of the workforce.” The evening was hosted by Shereen Nanjiani, one of Scotland’s most popular radio and television personalities. SELECT’s 1250 member companies account for around 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland. They have a collective turnover of around £1 billion. The organisation helps to shape the market environment by representing the industry to all levels of government and helps influence legislation to create industry conditions which enable member firms to provide a quality service and maintain profitability. For more information please contact Alan Wilson, Head of Membership and Communications at SELECT, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland, The Walled Garden, Bush Estate, Midlothian, EH26 0SB. T: 0131 445 5577. E: admin@select.org.uk. W: www.select.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/updates_select
Building services provider J S Wright is to design the mechanical services for 800 new homes at two major developments in north and east London. The mechanical and electrical (M&E) specialist, which has offices in Birmingham, Bristol and London, has been awarded two contracts together valued at more than £200,000 to design the heating, gas, hot and cold water, drainage and ventilation services for Seasprite Close in Northolt and New Road in Rainham. Both schemes of maisonettes, town houses and apartments totalling 800 units are being developed in partnerships between leading housebuilder Hill and Ealing Council and Clarion Housing Group respectively. J S Wright will design heat networks for the 62 private apartments housed in three blocks of four to eight storeys at the Seasprite Close scheme, and for the 666 apartments housed in 15 blocks of five to 15 storeys at New Road, Rainham where 35 per cent of all the new properties will be affordable housing. These communal heating systems will incorporate energy efficient and carbon-saving gas-fired combined heat and power (CHP) energy centres that will deliver low pressure domestic hot water on demand as well as underfloor heating to each apartment at low return temperatures. As heat network consultants accredited by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), J S Wright will build the systems to Fair Heat specification and in accordance with the principles of the CIBSE Heat Networks Code of Practice. The company will also reduce building energy costs at both developments by designing mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) systems that will extract stale air from apartments and replace it with fresh incoming air heated by the outgoing air. Seasprite Close is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2021, while the New Road, Rainham development is scheduled for completion in 2025. J S Wright is already working on design and build contracts for Hill and Peabody at a 300-home scheme at 97 Lea Bridge Road in Leyton and a 66-home development at The Reach in Thamesmead. Marcus Aniol, Managing Director of J S Wright, said: “We are delighted to be able to strengthen our relationship with such a prestigious housebuilder by designing energy saving services for ever-wider areas of London that are undergoing regeneration.” Founded in Birmingham in 1890, J S Wright designs, builds and maintains M&E services for the hotel, residential, social housing, student accommodation, leisure and commercial sectors. The company was voted one of the UK’s Top Ten Specialist Contractors to Work For in the 2016 Construction Enquirer Awards and was a finalist in three categories in this year’s H&V News Awards. For further details, please email jswright@jswright.co.uk
A new study into the installation costs of underfloor heating versus traditional radiators has shown that the underfloor heating option is far more economical than is generally perceived. The study, conducted by force drying specialist, ForceDry, was based on data from leading contractors for installations in a one, two and three bedroom property. Three specifications were included: traditional radiators and 75mm sand & cement screed, traditional radiators with a 50mm flowing screed, and a 50mm flowing screed with underfloor heating. The findings showed that, for an 80m2 dwelling, installation costs for the sand and cement approach range from £3,003.72 to £3,483.10; for a 50mm flowing screed with radiators costs start at £3,163.72 to £3,563.10 and for a 50mm flowing screed with underfloor heating costs range from £3,464.63 and £4,082.30. The costs for the underfloor heating approach also includes force drying, which facilitates fast, safe drying of liquid screed floors. This approach reduces drying time typically from around 90 days to as little as 28 days, representing a significant time saving and additional cost saving in the construction process. Ross Verity, managing director of ForceDry, said: “There is a perception that underfloor heating is expensive and only practical in commercial terms for installation in higher end properties. However, our study shows that the underfloor heating method is only marginally more expensive to install than radiators, but when combined with force drying with the considerable cost benefits of the time saved factored in, the overall costs could actually be less. This means underfloor heating with a flowing screed can be a viable solution for all kinds of housing, including social and affordable.” Verity also points to the environmental benefits of using liquid gypsum screed flooring, which comprise 98% recycled waste material, require less energy to produce and, because it is thinner, uses less material. These factors result in a carbon footprint over 70% lower than that of sand and cement screeds. Verity said: “This approach is economical to install, environmentally friendly and performs very efficiently. It can save developers and property owners time and money during build and allows them to offer a superior product specification. Home owners and tenants then benefit from the comfort, economy and low maintenance this kind of system offers.”
An MSP will be raising a further motion addressing the ongoing campaign to confer statutory recognition on Scotland’s professional electricians in the Scottish Parliament later this month. The move, by Jamie Halcro Johnston, Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for the Highlands and Islands, is the latest in a determined campaign by representatives of both employers and employees to secure official, legal recognition of qualified and competent electricians in the interests of public safety. Pat Rafferty, Scotland Regional Secretary of Unite the Union has expressed its full support for the long-running campaign for recognition of the skills, knowledge, training, experience and qualifications of electricians and the vital role they play in the functioning of modern society: “Unite has already contributed to the establishment of the Electricians Working Group which was convened at Holyrood following a concerted awareness-raising push by electrical employers’ association SELECT, the Scottish Joint Industry Board and the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust, together with Unite.” “The Government’s own statistics disclose that 69% of all accidental fires in Scottish homes are caused by electricity and it is clear that work carried out by unqualified operators poses a distinct threat to community safety. This motion is a crucial next step in our campaign for recognition and we are optimistic that it will be carried,” Pat added. Due to be debated in parliament on Thursday, the 25th of October, Mr Halcro Johnston’s motion will ask Holyrood to note the calls supporting the principle of the regulation of electricians and will point out also that, while more than 100 regulated professions exist in the UK –– there is no protection afforded to electricians. Moreover, it will again ask Parliament to appreciate that improperly-installed electrical work creates a significant risk of fire as well as other harm to householders and that the installation of electrical work by unqualified or only partly qualified individuals carries a safety risk. Finally, it will ask for acknowledgement of calls for the Scottish Government to consider how the Parliament’s powers over protection of title can be utilised to reassure the public of the safety of electrical work in domestic and non-domestic premises. “Recognition of the vital role that trained and qualified electricians play in safeguarding all parts of Scottish society is long overdue. These are highly-trained, competent and qualified professional people whose contribution to Scotland’s economy and modern life is immense,” concluded Fiona Harper, The Secretary of the Scottish Joint Industry Training Board.
TWELVE experienced engineers at national M&E consultancy Couch Perry Wilkes (CPW) have attained accreditation to join the CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) Heat Networks Consultants Register. CIBSE Heat Networks Consultants are able to advise on the Code of Practice CP1 on Heat Networks, produced by CIBSE and the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) in collaboration with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Rather than simply providing guidance for industry professionals, the code specifies minimum requirements which must be met in order to produce a successful scheme and comply with the code. Accredited Heat Networks Consultants are required to pass an examination which assesses their knowledge and understanding of the code of practice before they are able to join the register. Speaking of the achievement, Carl Humpage, director at CPW, said: “The ethos that underpins all of the work that we do at CPW is our unwavering commitment to industry standards, personal CPD and ultimately exceeding the expectations of our clients. With this in mind, my fellow consultants and I were keen to achieve this accreditation in order to confidently advise and offer a considered recommendation to each of our clients’ individual requirements. “District heating networks are now seen as one of the key solutions to deliver a low carbon energy economy, particularly in high heat density areas so they need to be designed, built and operated to a high standard to deliver customer and user satisfaction. Through this new accreditation, our team are now fully prepared to guide our clients so each project connects with the UK’s future low carbon energy infrastructure.” For further information visit www.cpwp.com or follow @Couchperrys on Twitter.
