ECN November 2022

AICO LEADING THE WAY WITH CITY & GUILDS ASSURED QUALIFICATION

Earlier this year, Aico, the European market leader in home life safety, launched its City & Guilds Assured qualification on Domestic Fire & Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm Systems –a continuation of its award-winning FIA CPD accredited Expert Installer training.

To provide participants with a detailed understanding, this one-day course, AA2426-01, focuses on the design, installation, maintenance, interconnection, siting, and electrical connection of Aico domestic alarm systems. The qualification has a mixture of theory-based and practical sessions and concludes with a multiple-choice assessment.

Duncan Orr, Regional Specification Manager for NI & IOM and Supply Chain Education Lead comments, “In an ever changing and fast-moving landscape, the City & Guilds assured AA2426-01 course takes our educational offering to the next level. It is our privilege to bring this City and Guilds Assured qualification to the market and continue to promote the raising of standards, knowledge, and competence in the life safety industry.”

To be eligible for the City & Guilds Assured qualification, participants must have completed Aico’s Expert Installer training and be a member of the Aico Installer Community – a connected online platform built to support Expert Installers.

Hello and welcome to the November issue of ECN.

A lot has happened in the past month, including the appointment of yet another UK Prime Minister. Despite losing out to Liz Truss in September, Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister at the end of October.

ECA has welcomed the appointment, and the organisation’s Director of Workforce and Public Affairs, Andrew Eldred says, “We hope this latest development at Number 10 will bring much-needed stability to the economy, providing welcome reassurance to our members, who desperately need certainty to plan for the future.

“The electrotechnical sector is a crucial part of the construction industry, which forms the

backbone of the UK’s economy. While ECA broadly supports Rishi’s aim to fix the ‘profound economic crisis’ facing the country, we cannot overstate the importance of keeping electrification and decarbonisation front and centre of those plans.”

Andrew also says that ECA is urging Rishi to prioritise green skills, infrastructure and incentives to boost the renewable energy sector, which in turn will help tackle rising energy bills.

He’s certainly got his work cut out for him –let’s hope he lasts longer than six weeks.

Turning our attention back to this issue, it’s another huge one packed full of the latest news and information. This month’s features include Smart Lighting & Lighting Control; Fire, Safety & Security; and Software and Apps, plus all of the regulars and a chance to win a Rekor IP 24/7 2MP 4-Channel 4 Camera Kit, courtesy of ESP.

I hope you enjoy the issue – see you next month!

Carly Wills, Editor

TOBY PEACOCK CROWNED SCREWFIX TOP TRADESPERSON 2022

Toby Peacock, a Cambridge electrician, has proved he is the brightest spark and has been officially announced as the winner of Screwfix Top Tradesperson 2022.

Toby, 26, walks away with the prestigious title and ultimate trade bundle consisting of £10,000 worth of tools, £5,000 worth of technology and £5,000 towards future training.

Toby was a standout winner, speaking to the judges openly about his own personal struggles with mental health and how that has driven him to want to become an advocate for mental health in the trade industry. Toby is even starting his own podcast, ‘Tearoom Talks’, to help raise awareness and, in the future, he is determined to work closely with charities that have helped him.

What’s more, Toby is incredibly passionate about sustainability. After starting his own business, Down to Earth Electrical, he was keen to keep his carbon footprint low by reducing waste, reusing, recycling, and helping customers to appreciate the benefits of EV charging and solar power.

Toby says: “I’m absolutely over the moon. I couldn’t quite believe it when I was announced as Screwfix Top Tradesperson 2022, especially after getting to know the other finalists who are all inspirational, incredibly hard-working tradespeople. It’s been such an amazing journey and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Screwfix, screwfix.com

BGEN OUTLINES COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT MORE FEMALE EMPLOYEES

BGEN has outlined its plans to support the recruitment and retention of female employees across its business. The company says that central to its commitment is the creation of a women’s forum to drive meaningful change. At the same time, the company has launched enhanced adoption, maternity, and shared parental leave packages, and signed up to the industry-backed ‘Inspiring Women’ pledge to help create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.

“Women are under-represented in our industry, and while we may not be able to fix this problem overnight, we’re determined to play our part,” says Robin Whitehead, Chief Executive at BGEN. “We have talented female employees across our business, and with their help, we’re keen to make our business a more diverse, equitable and inclusive environment.”

The BGEN women’s forum has been established to identify and fully understand attitudes around women in engineering, as well as looking at issues regarding representation of women in the wider industry. The forum is open to all female employees.

BGEN, b-gen.co.uk

Toolstation has analysed the fuel efficiency of some of the most popular petrol and diesel vans on the market. Electric alternatives have also been analysed for their distance on one full charge.

Taking the diesel van top spot is the Vauxhall Corsavan, travelling as far as 847 miles on a full tank – that’s equivalent to driving from London to Manchester and back twice. The diesel model also boasts the cheapest cost to purchase from new at £13,875.

A larger alternative is the Peugeot Partner which ranks second overall on the list. This van will cost £15,825 to purchase from new and £290 per year in road tax. The distance on a full tank for the Partner is also one of the longest, at 884 miles.

In fact, the only van to beat this distance is the Citroen Dispatch (ranking third overall) which will return a total of 968 miles on a full tank.

The Vauxhall Corsavan comes in as the most fuel-efficient van in the petrol ranking too. The van costs just

£12,038 to purchase from new, and just £190 per year in road tax. At 52.3MPG, the petrol van will take you 517 miles on a full tank.

The only downfall is the limited space in the back of the van, meaning that for some trades it might not be suitable –particularly if a lot of tools are needed for the job.

The Citroen Berlingo ranks fifth overall in the list, but will take you the furthest of all petrol vans at 574 miles per full tank.

The Fiat E-Doblo takes the top spot in the electric van list as the most economical electric van, thanks to its more affordable cost of £27,855. The model also boasts a large battery capacity and will reach 173 miles on one charge (the fifth furthest distance).

The vehicle you’ll have to charge the least is the Renault Zoe Van, which will take you 245 miles per charge – that’s 112 miles over the average.

Toolstation, toolstation.com

Electrician of Tomorrow

Change is coming, are you ready?

‘There is nothing permanent except change’, is an ancient quotation often used to describe the tension felt between the desire for the familiar and the ongoing nature of change within society.

Today, the electric power industry is facing some of the highest volumes of change, widely spread across many different components. In order for business to thrive, electricians and all those within the market need to be prepared.

Want to find out more? Download our free e-book to learn about various new growing domains in the industry.

ELECTRICAL SECTOR HAILS ANOTHER RECORD YEAR FOR APPRENTICESHIPS

The Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) and Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT) have hailed another record year for electrical apprenticeships in Scotland, as learners rush to take their places as the talent of tomorrow.

The number of new learners enrolling on the SJIB Electrical Apprentice and Adult Training Programme for 2022 has risen from just over 800 last year to just under 1,000, with colleges and training centres reporting full classrooms across the country.

Some 800 apprentices and 157 adult trainees are now taking their first steps on the electrical ladder, boosting the total number of those in training in Scotland to 3,000.

Fiona Harper, the Secretary of the SJIB, says: “This has been another exceptional year and it is encouraging to see a healthy pipeline of apprentices and adult trainees wanting to learn the skills required to power the electrical future that awaits us all.

“Employers should also be saluted for continuing to nurture and encourage young electrical talent and help them along the path to a highly rewarding career.

“There remain many challenges for the construction industry, but it is encouraging that the demand for electrical apprenticeships, and the willingness of employers to make them available, continues to grow.”

The new 2022 intake is the highest figure for 13 years and comes after a total of 817 new entrants to the industry were recruited in 2021 – up 35% on the 2020 intake during the height of the pandemic.

Scottish Joint Industry Board, sjib.org.uk

BAFE AND NAPIT CELEBRATE LANDMARK CERTIFICATION

BAFE and NAPIT have announced the first ever third-party certification and BAFE Registration to the DS301 competency scheme, which has been achieved by CS Electrics, based in County Durham.

This competency scheme covers design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance works performed on Grade D domestic fire detection and fire alarm systems.

The importance of domestic fire safety was highlighted in 2017 with the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, but this does not only apply to high-rise residential blocks. Both BAFE and NAPIT say that they strongly believe that all domestic properties should have, as a minimum, a Grade D fire detection and fire alarm system which has been installed by a competent organisation.

Both BAFE and NAPIT have congratulated CS Electrics on its achievement and on leading the way to raising the bar for domestic fire safety system provision.

Christopher McTearnen, Owner of CS Electrics, says, “I am extremely proud to be the first organisation that has received this third-party certification to the BAFE DS301 scheme. This will go a long way in demonstrating we are competent to deliver these works, and hope this becomes an industry standard to remove any people who claim to be competent without appropriate evidence of this. It’s so important that fire safety work is performed by the right providers to keep people safe.”

NAPIT, napit.org.uk

VALUE TO HELP TRADE REMAIN COMPETITIVE

Screwfix has launched its Unbeatable Value commitment to help tradespeople remain competitive and meet the needs of their customers.

The new campaign runs across many ranges including 1,000 prices cuts and more than 8,000 bulk-save options. In addition, Screwfix is locking hundreds of prices on essentials until the end of the year, providing the certainty tradespeople need for quoting on jobs.

Customers can rely on the great value and high quality of a wide range of must-have products, including DeWalt Safety Boots, which have remained at the same low price for six years, and the Makita 18V Brushless Cordless Combi Drill, at a breakthrough price.

Jack Wallace, Marketing Director at Screwfix, comments: “We know tradespeople are seeking great value to ensure they can be as competitive as possible when quoting for work. That’s why we’ve launched Unbeatable Value. We’re committed to ensuring we deliver Unbeatable Value, day in, day out, so tradespeople can get what they need, when they need it, to get their jobs done quickly, affordably, and right first time.”

Screwfix, screwfix.com

BCIA AWARDS 2023 NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES

The BCIA has announced the launch of the 2023 BCIA Awards which will take place on Thursday 4 May 2023 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.

The BCIA Awards recognise innovation, product development, project delivery and great training in the building controls sector. Awards entries can now be entered using the online entry system which allows you to start, edit, view and download your entry before submitting it. The closing date for entries is Thursday 19 January 2023.

There are nine different categories available to enter, including a brand new Apprentice of the Year Award category:

• Building Controls and BEMS Installer of the Year

• Engineer of the Year

• Young Engineer of the Year

• Apprentice of the Year

• Energy Management Award

• Best Service and Maintenance Provider

• Technical Innovation of the Year – Products

• Technical Innovation of the Year – Projects

• Contribution to Training Award

Graeme Rees, President of the BCIA, says: “I am sure everybody in the industry is looking forward to celebrating the best innovation and talent in the business and I am confident we will see some very strong entries once again.”

BCIA, bcia.co.uk

BUREAU VERITAS ADVISES BUSINESSES ON EV CHARGING

The government recently announced a new £20 million pilot scheme to give drivers access to more than 1,000 EV charge points across the country.

With this latest announcement set to ignite a renewed surge in businesses putting EV charging on their agenda, Bureau Veritas is urging them to act now in order to reap the benefits of front-end advice and early adoption to secure a sustainable and long-term investment that works.

Together with the EV charge point grant and the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS), this latest monetary injection from the government only encourages businesses and the public sector to embrace the country’s move towards net zero. However, Bureau Veritas is warning that there is much to understand and consider before engaging the installer.

George White, Senior Consultant for Electric Vehicles at Bureau Veritas, says: “This is hugely encouraging and welcomed at a time when cost of living is soaring, but when businesses are considering installing EV infrastructure to help the switch, it’s important the take the correct advice before making the significant investment, to make sure it’s the right one for their premises and employees.

“When it comes to EV charge points, one size does not fit all. Each will require a bespoke solution to suit individual needs. To ensure the right infrastructure at the best cost, partnering with an independent third-party EV specialist, such as Bureau Veritas, can help advise business needs right from the offset, including which grant to secure, through to the charge point installation and ongoing testing and inspection of the units to guarantee safety and reliability.”

Bureau Veritas, group.bureauveritas.com

THORN LIGHTING COMMITS TO CLIMATE NEUTRALITY BY 2025

Thorn Lighting has committed to climate neutrality by 2025, and you can track its progress on its newly launched sustainability hub.

Here you will find updates on its technology, solutions, and the steps it takes to reduce its CO2 and help to achieve sustainability goals.

The company says that we all need to adopt a culture of sustainable decision-making to ensure future generations flourish. To do so, we must find a better balance between the environment, economy, and human empowerment.

The manufacturer intends to go above and beyond to protect the future of our environment. Therefore, it is committing to achieving climate neutrality by 2025.

Saurabh Pandhi, Vice President, Thorn says, “Sustainability and climate change will be two of the most significant challenges of the 21st century. As a manufacturer, Thorn Lighting must take action to be part of the solution.”

Thorn Lighting, thornlighting.com

UK Power Networks has compiled autumn safety tips for families outlining the potential dangers and the continued need to take care near overhead power lines. The company wants all household members to heed the advice campaign.

With the clock change at the end of October, working and driving in darkness creates a significant new risk. There are extra tasks to undertake at home and in the garden and also traditional celebrations like Bonfire and Fireworks Nights, which can bring their own dangers.

Ros Forbes, Safety Advisor says: “Autumn can be the neglected season when it comes to safety messaging with more focus on other times of the year, but we want people to think about electricity all the year round and be mindful of different seasons bringing different dangers.”

Six top tips to stay safe around electricity during autumn include:

• The clock change will mean darkness falling earlier so take care if working around overhead lines in the dark

• Be mindful of darkness leading to possible tiredness as fatigue can lead to poor decision making when carrying out activities at work and at home

• Families need to celebrate safely around Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night and make sure there are no overhead lines near any planned events

• If hedge cutting or clearing guttering always look out and look up for power lines

• Ensure children never use substation sites as a hiding place or den and never enter a substation site to retrieve anything

• If camping or caravanning, never attach or tie anything to electricity poles, pylons or electrical equipment and never light a fire under an overhead line as heat could cause the wires to sag or break.

UK Power Networks, ukpowernetworks.co.uk

MOVERS & SHAKERS…

Megaman has announced the promotion of Micaela Abbott to Sales Director. The company says that the move is testament to her integral role within the company and her valuable experience. Micaela has had an extensive and positive impact in her 19 years with Megaman in a number of roles.

Peter Grierson has joined J S Wright as its new Managing Director. Previously National Sales Director for Wolseley Pipe and Climate, he will take control of the day-to-day running of J S Wright and its sister company Wright Maintenance, following Phil Leech’s move to Chairman.

Ovia has announced the appointment of Luke Smith to the position of Area Sales Manager for the mid-Wales region. Luke brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having worked with a lighting manufacturer for more than eight years.

DANGERS

AICO LEADING THE WAY WITH CITY & GUILDS ASSURED QUALIFICATION

Aico has expanded its educational offering with the launch of its City & Guilds Assured qualification on Domestic Fire & Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm Systems, with over 100 installers successfully completing the qualification.

As the European market leader in home life safety, Aico places education at the forefront, promoting best practice and delivering a range of free training for its supply chain across the UK. To further support its customers, Aico says it is proud to introduce its City & Guilds Assured qualification – a global quality benchmark that recognises excellence in training and learning.

The qualification is a continuation of Aico’s FIA CPD-accredited Expert Installer training, which provides installers with the essential knowledge to correctly install Aico fire and carbon monoxide alarm systems and environmental sensors.

To provide participants with a detailed understanding, this one-day course, AA2426-01, focuses on the design, installation, maintenance, interconnection, siting, and electrical connection of Aico domestic alarm systems, as well as examining standards and legislation and new products and technology. The qualification has a mixture of theory-based and practical sessions, and concludes with a multiple-choice assessment, which must be successfully completed to earn the City & Guilds qualification.

Duncan Orr, Regional Specification Manager for NI & IOM and Supply Chain Education Lead comments, “At Aico, we are passionate about education. It is a cornerstone of our business, with tens of thousands of participants having received our award-winning, FIA-accredited, Expert Installer training. In an ever changing and fast-moving landscape, the City & Guilds Assured AA2426-01 course builds on this foundation and takes our educational offering to the next level. It is our privilege to bring this City and Guilds Assured qualification to the market and continue to promote the raising of standards, knowledge, and competence in the life safety industry.”

training, I feel following the training that I have a great understanding of what is required to meet BS5839-6. I have the sure confidence in my installation. Great theory followed by the important practical exercise.”

Another attendee adds, “The training was full of useful content and delivered in an engaging way.”

To be eligible for the City & Guilds Assured qualification, participants must have completed Aico’s Expert Installer training and be a member of the Aico Installer Community – a connected online platform built to support Expert Installers.

Aico delivers one City & Guilds course each month, with more dates being added in 2023

Aico delivers one City & Guilds course each month, with more dates being added in 2023. The qualification takes place at Aico’s Centre of Excellence in Oswestry and is delivered by a member of its expert Technical Team.

The qualification has been warmly received by the electrical industry, with one attendee commenting, “Very informative

Bookings must be placed via the Aico Installer Community and spaces are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

To find out more, please visit: https://www.aico.co.uk/our-services/ domestic-fire-co-alarm-systems/.

To find out more about Aico Expert Installer, please visit: www.aico.co.uk/ our-services/expert-installer-training/.

Aico, aico.co.uk

BECOME AN AICO EXPERT INSTALLER

Aico’s free, award-winning Expert Installer training scheme is FIA CPD accredited and is designed to make sure installers have all the information they need to correctly install domestic home life safety systems, including Fire and Carbon Monoxide alarms and Environmental Sensors.

All Expert Installers are invited to join the Aico Installer Community – a connected online platform that allows Expert Installers to connect with fellow professionals to share knowledge and best practice, learn new skills and earn points that can be exchanged for rewards.

The European Market Leader in Home Life Safety

BUILDING VIBRANT, WORLD-LEADING EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

Moving into the penthouse level at One Canada Square, Canary Wharf means the heavily oversubscribed University College London School of Management can enrol more students and attract world-leading business teachers. Specified by Buro Happold in conjunction with Nicholas Hare Architects, the Zumtobel Group lighting brands, Zumtobel and Thorn, have provided a customised lighting scheme to transform the redesigned office space into a vibrant education facility.

A combination of Zumtobel and Thorn lighting products were specified to support the design vision for Level 50.

Central to the lighting design was the Zumtobel Slotlight infinity, which achieved perfect uniform lines of light without a cover frame. Slotlight infinity has been designed from scratch as a continuous light line for flush mounting with the ceiling. The luminaire’s linear construction is continued in a precisely defined shadow gap. Problems with the formation of cracks are now a thing of the past, as the luminaire is technically and thermally separated from the ceiling by a mounting frame. The result is a high-grade lighting solution meticulously integrated into the interior design, which appears as a fully consistent light line.

The Slotlight infinity family have been used throughout the circulation areas, seminar rooms, communal street, reception, and Social Hub.

Based on performance, style, and efficiency, luminaires from Thorn lighting support the scheme, including Omega Pro in the offices and meeting rooms, Voyager Star emergency lights in the street and circulation areas, and Aquaforce Pro in the plant rooms.

The project has transformed the tired former corporate office space into a vibrant education facility for post-graduates and enabled UCL School of Management to continue to foster relationships with leading business and financial organisations.

Zumtobel, z.lighting

MITIE LANDS TWO CONTRACT EXTENSIONS WITH DWP

Mitie has extended both its Facilities Management (FM) and provision of Life Systems Services (LSS) contracts with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for one year, with the option to extend for a further year.

The FM contract extension will see Mitie continue to provide a suite of services including engineering, maintenance, waste management, cleaning, and pest control to 1,000 DWP sites nationwide.

In addition to the FM contract, Mitie has also secured an extension on its LSS contract with DWP. Under this contract Mitie ensures all DWP assets, including water, fire, lift, and electrical systems, are safe and working efficiently.

charging strategies throughout its five-year relationship. With these contract extensions, sustainability will continue to take a central role to the delivery of Mitie’s services, with the aim to support DWP in reaching its net zero targets.

C&P WINS THAMES WATER UTILITIES CONTRACT

C&P Engineering Services has been commissioned to carry out and undertake complex hazardous electrical and installation works across 1390 sites in Central South, Thames Valley West and East for Thames Water Utilities.

C&P’s contract runs for three years and comprises of inspecting, testing and carrying out remedial electrical works on sewage pumping stations and sewage treatment works – some with extensive, potentially hazardous biogas systems.

Working closely with the Thames Water project team, C&P inspection and repair crews started working on sites in September 2020 and continued to support the project throughout the pandemic.

Working in unison with Thames’ project team, C&P ensured that it surveyed and then recommended appropriate remedial actions for each individual site, working towards compliance.

Thames Water will be looking to implement the DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations) contract across Thames Valley and Central South for the next five years. C&P Engineering Services, cpengineering.co.uk

Mitie has worked closely with DWP’s sustainability team on areas such as waste, biodiversity, decarbonisation, solar power, and electric vehicle (EV)

Mitie, alongside DWP, has conducted a survey to identify opportunities for solar strategies, which will lead to the installation of solar panels across various DWP offices across the UK. As well as this, Mitie is also using EV’s across both contracts for engineers and operational management who regularly travel between DWP sites to help cut emissions. To support this, Mitie will be assisting DWP with the expansion of its EV charger network across its estate over the course of the contracts.

Mitie, mitie.com

SILICA TRANSFORMATION BEGINS

A project has begun to install new multi-coloured, energy efficient smart lighting to Silica at Big Lamp Corner in Weston-super-Mare.

The project will see around 250 single colour lights and control equipment replaced with multicoloured changing LEDs. This will allow the lights to be programmed for different events and themes throughout the year. The bulbs are low energy usage to reflect the council’s commitment to tackle the climate emergency and save money on energy costs.

Cllr Steve Hogg, North Somerset Council’s executive member for highways, says: “Structures like this need regular maintenance and since the design concept of Silica was based on light it is only reasonable we invest in the maintenance of that concept. We look forward to Silica glowing as intended and to see it illuminating Big Lamp Corner throughout the coming winter months.”

The works are being carried out as part of other lighting refurbishment works including the replacement and extension of the illuminations around Marine Lake in Weston and the replacement of illuminations along The Beach in Clevedon.

The £95,000 project is being carried out by Ark Lighting and the council’s street lighting contractor, Centregreat.

Ark Lighting, arklighting.co

MAINTECH POWERS ELECTRICITY NETWORK UPGRADE CONTRACT

Maintech Power has secured a project to future-proof the University of Cambridge’s electricity network.

Having been responsible for maintaining the university’s extensive private electric network infrastructure for more than a decade, Maintech was invited to tender and was subsequently awarded the project.

The five-month project involves the installation of upgraded low voltage and high voltage cables in part of the network, which provides essential power to university buildings undertaking important long-term research projects.

To enable the replacement of existing cables with the new infrastructure, Maintech engineers will undertake a programme of sensitive excavation works in public areas close to the historic university buildings.

Once completed, the upgraded infrastructure will form part of the network that is operated and maintained by Maintech, which is based in Suffolk alongside sister company Dunamis.

The two companies have a strong track record in providing electrical infrastructure, and subsequently the management and maintenance, for installations such as onshore wind farms, solar farms, and battery storage facilities, as well as residential, commercial and industrial developments.

Maintech, maintech.com

BROOKLANDS MUSEUM UPGRADES ITS VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

Brooklands Museum has recently upgraded its CCTV system to a full IP network video surveillance solution, with cameras supplied by Smart R Distribution and installed by Q7 Integration.

Located in Weybridge, Surrey, Brooklands Museum is on the site of the world’s first purpose-built motor racing track. Visitors to the museum are able to get up close to aircraft designed, built and flown at Brooklands, as well as explore the historic site which is brought to life through interactive collections of motor vehicles and aircraft.

“With so many valuable exhibits to protect, as well as a responsibility to ensure the many thousands of visitors who come to Brooklands every year can do so in a safe environment, we made the decision to replace our old analogue CCTV cameras with high definition IP models which utilise the latest technology,” says Mark Dover, the museum’s Facilities Manager. “Our security personnel are now able to view 24/7 the superb quality images captured by the cameras on monitors at our central control room.”

Among the 14 cameras installed at the museum are three internal Wisenet QND-6082R 2-megapixel dome cameras manufactured by Hanwha Techwin and new external 5-megapixel Wisenet QNO-8080R bullet cameras have also been installed.

Smart R Distribution, smartrdistribution.com

JO’S STORY — COMPEX TRAINING SUCCESS

Completing the industry recognised CompEx Ex01 – Ex04 Gas and Vapours course enables industrial electricians to work in potentially explosive areas. When Jo initially applied to the C&P Training Centre to do the CompEx Ex01 course, she was working as a domestic electrician and wanted to upgrade her skills and potential earnings.

Although the tutors were initially reluctant to let Jo take the course, as she had limited industrial experience as a domestic electrician, she managed to persuade them that she had commercial experience, had already done her research on the subject, and was determined to get the CompEx qualification to try and change her life and support her family after escaping an abusive relationship.

The CompEx Ex01 to Ex04 course is run over five days and provides competence-based training and assessment in the selection, use, maintenance and inspection of electrical equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres.

When Jo arrived at the centre she met up with the C&P Training course tutors, Dewi and Steve, who helped, guided and supported her throughout the course.

Jo studied every evening after each day of the course to make sure she was fully prepared for the theoretical and practical exams at the end of the week.

After taking the course, Jo received her results a week later from JTL and she was so thrilled to have passed the CompEx course that she wrote an email back to the course tutors to thank them for all the help and support they’d given her.

“CompEx is the gold standard in terms of qualification, but once you have passed the course and you are on site, that’s when the learning really starts,” says Jo. “It has not been easy and I took a chance. I was a single mum, I was a ‘mature’ student, and I self-funded my CompEx and all of my offshore certificates. I am repeatedly told how my age works against me, being a woman works against me, how, because of being a mum, I shouldn’t be offshore or even working away from home but it’s all been worth it.

“CompEx 01 – 04 changed my life, my career prospects, my earning potential and has enabled me to better myself and my children’s lives. That is what being a mum is about – setting an example and bringing up your children to be the best they can be too. It always brings a smile to my face when they tell people about what I do and all the places I work – they occasionally admit I’m a pretty cool mum for it too!”

Over the years, C&P Engineering has been actively involved in such schemes as Aspire2Be, which encourages women to enter into the construction and manufacturing industries as electricians.

With only an estimated 1-3% of women being electricians in the UK, there is an enormous potential for females to train and work within the industry.

With only an estimated 1-3% of women being electricians in the UK, there is an enormous potential for females to train and work within the industry

Since completing the course, Jo has worked around the country, working in MOD settings, utilities – clean and dirty water sites, LNG/oil terminals, nickel refinery, chemical processing plants, and liquid nitrogen storage depots. Jo currently works as a CompEx electrical rope access technician on the oil rigs in the North Sea.

C&P Engineering, cptrainingservices.co.uk

visit: www.espuk.com call: 01527 515150

MONEY SAVING TAX TIPS FOR SELF-EMPLOYED ELECTRICIANS

There are ways that you can reduce your tax bill and reduce your money worries. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to know the tax rules. Once you know the rules, they can work in your favour and will help you make the most of your income.

Make pension contributions

You may be under the impression that putting money away into a pension means you are losing take-home money each month, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. If you pay tax at the higher rate of 40%, you can claim tax relief by making pension contributions when you submit your self-assessment. You can claim 20% on pension contributions up to £40,000 per year.

You can also use a tax-efficient pension like Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPS) to help you leverage funds. These pension schemes are subject to certain rules and can be used to buy property where you will get additional tax benefits. Of course, as with all self-employed people, you’ll need to set up any pension scheme yourself.

Claim all allowable business expenses

Did you know that if you are a self-employed electrician you can claim expenses for a variety of items used for the business and get a tax relief from them? Any sort of equipment used, travel costs such as fuel and parking, clothing costs like uniforms and even things you buy to sell such as stock or materials can be claimed.

These are all classified as running costs and necessary for your business. To find a full list of allowable expenses you can visit the UK government website. Allowable expenses do not include money taken from your business to pay for private purchases. If you use something for both business and personal reasons you can only claim allowable expenses for the business costs.

Incorporate your business

Incorporating your business is another way you can save money on your tax return. By changing from self-employed into a limited

company you can name yourself as a director. This entitles you to withdraw some earnings as dividends, which are tax-free for the first £2,000 and subject to lower tax rates.

Of course, there’s a lot to weigh up when thinking of leaving the freelance world. If you think you may want to go down this route make sure you’re following all of the rules and applying as the right type of company.

Use the marriage allowance

Are you married? One of the best tax reducing tips out there is claiming marriage allowance. The benefit of marriage allowance is that the lower earning spouse can apply to HMRC to request their unused personal tax allowance can be transferred to their spouse. This gives married couples (or those in a civil partnership) a tax perk, with the higher earner receiving a tax credit that is deducted from the amount of tax they would usually have to pay.

If you’re self-employed you can claim marriage allowance as long as one partner earns less than £12,570 and the other earns between £12,571 and £50,270. You’ll still need to file for a self-assessment tax return, but marriage allowance will reduce your bill.

Use tax return and accounting software

Implementing accounting or bookkeeping software as a self-employed person can help streamline your financial processes and, in the end, save you money. Software powered by the latest technologies that takes care of incomings, outgoings, expenses and more will remove the constant pressure on you to keep on top of your records.

When the tax return deadline comes around again, good accounting software like MyT’s user friendly app will let you export all the information needed at the click of a button.

Software which uses automation to streamline administrative tasks like generating invoices, overdue payment reminders or requests is invaluable, giving you an accurate overview of what your cash flow looks like and an accurate tax assessment.

If you’re a self-employed electrician there’s no getting around the tax that comes with your self-assessment tax return. You can’t avoid it, but that doesn’t mean it needs to send you into a financial tailspin. By following these tips and tricks you can reduce the amount you pay in taxes and find more of the money you’ve earned in your pocket.

MyT, getmyt.com

pinched

than ever before. If you’re worried

–

are

writes Oumesh Sauba, Founder and CEO of MYT

MARL International has commenced delivery of energy saving lighting for the Bakerloo line rolling stock, operated by Transport for London (TfL). The line’s lighting will be upgraded completely by 2024.

CONSUMPTION LIGHTING

UNDERGROUND TRAINS

TfL tasked MARL International with designing, manufacturing, and installing a complete retrofit LED lighting system for its 72TS Bakerloo line fleet. Within six months of receiving the brief, the company had designed a brand-new LED lighting system that is now being installed within the Bakerloo line’s fleet of 36 trains and 252 carriages.

Crucial to success was fitting the LED lighting systems into the limited space available, mechanical compatibility with existing lighting mounting points, maintaining the appearance of the carriages, and supplying appropriate illumination levels for passengers when the train is above and below ground.

Adrian Rawlinson, Managing Director of MARL International, comments, “We are proud to have delivered a major upgrade on time and on budget. London’s Underground network is an exceptionally demanding environment, and the LED lighting systems supplied by MARL met and exceeded the operating expectations of TfL.”

The exhaustive development phases started with a large and rigorous set

of rail performance and safety design standards. Some 4,000 pages of standards formed the basis of MARL International’s complex Verification and Validation (V&V) design matrix.

TfL’s requirement to deliver reliability led to the creation of an energy storage system, allowing all the train’s interior lighting to run without power for more than three seconds, across track gaps where no power is provided to the train. Comfort and security are enhanced by keeping the lights on continuously across the Bakerloo line, with only very minor intermittent interruptions due to some of the larger traction gaps. Swapping the dated fluorescent tubes to the new LED lighting system achieved a 50% energy saving, as well as securing substantial savings in energy and maintenance costs.The fleet’s 4,906 lighting units, including 512 power supply units, a million LEDs and more than three million components were designed and manufactured at MARL International’s Ulverston site.

MARL International, leds.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT ON OVIA

All sectors are covered, including domestic, commercial, industrial, utility, amenity, emergency lighting and floodlighting. The lighting offer is further enhanced with a full range of lighting control solutions that will optimise energy saving credentials. However, Ovia has much more to offer than the 900 or so individual products that are featured in its latest catalogue.

Free lighting design service

As part of its commitment to deliver a first-class service, Ovia offers a dedicated lighting design service

As part of its commitment to deliver a first-class service, Ovia offers a dedicated lighting design service, allowing customers to access free lighting design schemes for their commercial projects. The free service is available to electrical contracting companies, M&E consultants and anyone involved in the specification of lighting and lighting control equipment. The aim is to provide expertise in choosing the right products and solutions to create a scheme that meets all the requirements and objectives of the project in question, and that is compliant with all the relevant regulations and standards.

The lighting design request will normally come through the Ovia area sales managers, who will be actively promoting the service and will be the first point of contact to field the enquiry. An Ovia Prequalification Form will need to be completed for each request, with the aim of gathering as much relevant information as possible about the project and any specific requirements. Where necessary a site visit will take place.

With all the relevant information gathered, including drawings and specifications, and taking into consideration the customer’s requirements together with the latest legislations and guidelines, a Lighting Design Proposal will be prepared. A schedule of lighting and lighting controls will be shared with the Ovia internal sales team who will prepare a quotation. The Lighting Design Proposal and prepared quotation will be sent back to the Ovia sales team member and the quote will then either go through the wholesaler of choice, or the enquiry will be directed through one of Ovia’s supporting Elite stockists.

Relux member

Relux is the world’s leading software application for professional lighting planning and has specialised in the development of lighting planning and product presentation software for more than 20 years. It is recognised by the LIA (Lighting Industry Association) which offers Relux lighting software courses.

Ovia’s acceptance as a Relux member is a huge achievement, coming just three years after the company was first established as an independent lighting company within Scolmore Group. It means that the extensive Ovia lighting directory of products and all its photometric data is now embedded in Relux and can be accessed free of charge. Relux currently has over 200,000 users worldwide.

Relux provides its users – lighting consultants, designers and specifiers – with access to more than one million luminaires and sensors from leading manufacturers in order to guarantee the maximum possible quality in their lighting calculations. It enables designers to plan their projects with accurate and complete product data.

Relux applications are noted for their precise calculation values and compliance with standards, plus an intuitive user interface. Whether daylight or artificial light, interior or outdoor areas, street or tunnel lighting, or sensor planning, Relux supports users in their professional lighting planning and contributes to bringing projects to a successful conclusion.

In-house testing

It is now two years since Ovia invested in testing equipment and a cutting-edge photometry luminaire testing scheme, to bring its light testing facility in house. The company purchased its own Goniophotometer device and signed up to the revolutionary Gonio photometry luminaire testing scheme, created by the LIA, together with its partner Acal BFi, to enable lighting manufacturers to offer efficient third party certified luminaire performance testing.

Full photometric scans can take from as little as two minutes and, once ready, the data is sent securely via a dedicated cloud server to the LIA Laboratory for validation. The LIA Laboratory will then be able to issue third party reports without the need for product samples to be transported around the country or the world.

As well as radically speeding up the testing process for Ovia’s lighting products, the ground-breaking scheme also offers reassurance when it comes to validating photometric measurements such as Lumens per Watt and related performance claims. It is the photometric data produced by Ovia’s in house Gonio that is supplied to Relux.

Ovia, oviauk.com

With its extensive collection of luminaires, installers can have confidence that in the Ovia range they will find a lighting solution to fit every possible project they are working on.

Ovia’s acceptance as a Relux member is a huge achievement

ENJOY GLORIOUS TECHNICOLOUR WITH ESP’S NEW CCTV RANGE

Last month ESP introduced its brand new 24/7 Colour IP CCTV range. In this issue the company is giving one lucky reader the chance to try out this state-of-the-art CCTV system.

Rekor

PoE

which is tailored for the domestic market.

A total of 18 individual products make up the 24/7 Colour range. This includes 12 cameras offering 2MP, 5MP and 8MP resolutions, with each one available in a choice of dome or bullet camera designs and in a white or grey finish. There are six different NVRs available, including a 4 channel NVR in the Rekor IP collection. The HDView IP PoE 24/7 range consists of 8MP NVRs with a broad range of channel options available - 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64-channels.

cameras use low light image sensors, which are able to use background light to produce a colour image in reduced light environments. This means that individuals and vehicles, for example, can be identified more clearly at night or where light settings are low. If the background light is insufficient for the low light image sensors to

produce a colour image, the white LEDs on the cameras have the facility to activate by virtual line crossing and permitter intrusion set by the user.

The main feature of the new NVRs is that they offer 8MP recording. In other words, they offer support for high resolution cameras in record, playback and live view modes. With a choice of 4-64 Channel NVRs available, ESP is providing a breadth of NVR capability to support a range of applications from small to large.

September Competition

The winner of the September competition – a £300 Amazon voucher – was Russell Bradley.

CENTIEL UK CELEBRATES FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

In 2017, Centiel, the Swiss based UPS manufacturer, decided to enter the UK market via a subsidiary and, rather than start up a new UK company, Centiel’s Swiss board chose to acquire an existing UPS service company.

This strategic decision was made as the company believed that it would not be possible to sell Centiel’s high quality, leading technology products successfully without having an established service and support infrastructure in place to support the company’s customers.

In October 2017 Centiel UK was launched, and following the principle that ‘you can’t fire a canon from a canoe’, Centiel UK spent the next 15 months building a battleship by adding a sales and marketing team, investing in its IT infrastructure and developing new policies and procedures to enable the company’s planned growth.

Centiel’s clients rely on the advice and expertise that the company gives

Centiel manufactures the most available UPS systems on the market

This time and effort was well spent, as since 2017 Centiel UK has successfully launched a new brand into an already crowded and mature market and grown orders fivefold despite a global pandemic, multiple supply chain problems, global recession and a war in Europe. Indeed, when the pandemic hit, Centiel’s staff moved seamlessly to remote working as part of the company’s newly revised disaster recovery procedure and continued to support its customers fully. This point was best illustrated when Centiel UK was, at very short notice, called upon to supply, install and commission many megawatts of high-power modular UPS into a truly critical UK Government facility. Despite

all the challenges of such a project its experienced UK sales, project management and field service teams were able to manage the scale, complexity and the speed of the project with confidence.

Most respected business management books will tell you ‘it’s all about the people’ and this is definitely true of Centiel. By far the fastest growing sector of the UPS market is three phase modular and the founders of Centiel were responsible for the design of the first, second, third and now fourth generation of three phase true modular UPS. A quite remarkable achievement.

Furthermore, Centiel UK’s sales managers are all highly experienced power protection specialists who are required to act as ‘trusted advisors’ to customers. Centiel’s clients rely on the advice and expertise that the company gives to design solutions to maximise power availability, lower Total Cost of Ownership and future-proof the protection of critical loads. Centiel’s sales managers do not ‘sell’ UPS, they work with customers to identify their critical power protection needs and then advise them on the best way to meet these needs.

In business you succeed by either being the cheapest or being the best. Combining Swiss quality and leading-edge technology is never going to be cheap, but would you buy the cheapest parachute before jumping out of a plane? Probably not. This is why Centiel focuses on being the best and minimising Total Cost of Ownership. Centiel manufactures the most available UPS systems on the market, combining flexibility, resilience and serviceability. For example, Centiel’s true modular UPS, CumulusPower, can be installed to support load demand at day one with the ability to add modules using a pay as you grow approach. Rightsizing the UPS from day one reduces overall capital expenditure and minimises running and maintenance costs, resulting in the lowest Total Cost of Ownership.

As for the next five years, further innovative product developments are on the cards and Centiel’s biggest challenge will be fuelling its continued growth with talented, passionate and client-focused individuals that complement its innovative product portfolio. Surely the next five years will not be as eventful as the last!

Centiel, centiel.co.uk

What an eventful first five years! David Bond, Chairman of Centiel UK explains.

LOADED — WITH PRODUCTS FROM SCOLMORE GROUP

Electrician turned businessman, Mike Page, kits out new Loadout headquarters with Scolmore Group products.

Mike describes himself as an electrician first and foremost, having worked on the tools for over 10 years.

More recently, however, he has developed a reputation as a businessman and entrepreneur after setting up his company, Loadout, which specialises in the supply of hand tools, tool storage, test equipment and workwear.

The idea came to him after he began sharing a lot of content of product tests and reviews online, which led to a growing number of followers keen to hear what a qualified electrician had to say and wanting to get hold of the products he was demonstrating. Having moved from sending links to sites where his followers could buy the products, he set up his own business, Loadout, to get products direct from the suppliers to the end users. As the business grew, the need for dedicated facility became evident.

Earlier this year saw the opening of Loadout’s brand new headquarters in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire – a unit which comprises office space, a showroom and an extensive warehouse facility. Having initially used drop shipping to get products directly from suppliers to end users, Mike took the decision to take full control of the whole process to provide the best customer service possible to his clients. The new warehouse facility allows him to hold vast quantities of stock on the premises and offer next day delivery.

emergency lighting, and fire detection products from ESP, have all been installed.

At the entrance to the unit, products from the Click Essentials Metal Clad range can be seen. Perimeter trunking running through the premises houses a range of sockets, fused spurs and switches from the range. Comments Mike, “I’ve installed Metal Clad for years as an electrician. These accessories are extremely hardwearing – just what you need in a warehouse environment – and also reasonably priced. They also work well with the military/industrial look we were aiming to achieve with the fit out.”

When it came to securing the premises with the appropriate fire alarm system, Mike worked with the design team at ESP to come up with the most appropriate scheme. ESP’s MagDuo two-wire fire system was selected.

“I knew enough about fire systems to install it and with MagDuo it was really easy to set up. We have a zone plan which shows the layout of the building and clearly highlights the separate fire alarm zones to help evacuations in an emergency situation”, Mike says.

Just above the door at the entrance to the unit is one of Ovia’s 3W LED emergency maintained exit signs. “I’m so used to the bulky, brick style emergency lights and I love this slimline version,” says Mike. “It’s got lots of knock outs, making it conduit compatible. My favourite thing about this exit sign is the light below, so when you’re locking up at night when it’s dark and turn the lights off you’ve got that little bit of light.”

spent more time setting it all up on the computer and that didn’t take a lot of time. The cameras all go back to the Rekor HDView NVR which has 4TB of storage and again is very easy to use.”

Inceptor Slate LED panels have been installed in the showroom and Mike chose to have these suspended rather than surface mounted, as it worked better with the structure of the building and the positioning of the rafters.

The new warehouse facility allows Mike to hold vast quantities of stock on the premises and offer next day delivery

When it came to securing the premises, ESP’s MagDuo two-wire fire system was selected

A well-known face on Scolmore’s YouTube channel, SGTV, and a long-time fan of Scolmore products, Mike opted for solutions from across the group to kit out the entire premises. Click wiring accessories, Ovia light fittings and

Ovia’s emergency twin spots have also been installed with the self-test versions chosen. In the event of loss of power, these will come on and illuminate the warehouse.

The warehouse is very well lit with four of Ovia’s very powerful 100W highbays. “I was working in the warehouse in darkness for a couple of months when we were renovating the place,” says Mike. “We just had the use of site lights before the highbays were installed. It now feels like we have drenched the place in light.”

Showcasing some of the products he supplies is the new showroom, which also incorporates a studio area where Mike films videos for the business. Featuring CCTV cameras for security, Mike explains that the CCTV system used to protect all aspects of the premises, inside and out, is ESP’s Rekor IP CCTV system. A total of six cameras have been installed, covering the office area, the warehouse and showroom and the exterior. “I haven’t done a lot of CCTV to be honest, but this was just so easy to install,” he says. “You literally just crimp the ends and plug them in. I probably

Commenting on the overall job, Mike says, “I’m really happy with how everything has turned out. With the help of the design teams at Ovia and ESP we have the best products and solutions for all aspects of the business here – power, lighting and security. We wanted to create a military aesthetic throughout the unit and all the products work well to help achieve this.”

Scolmore, scolmore.com

Mike has installed Metal Clad for years as an electrician

THE FUTURE IS FLEXIBLE

CW: Tell us about yourself and how you got into the sector

LM: I studied design engineering at Bournemouth University. It was a tough degree and certainly wasn’t a popular subject! The intake started with around 30 students, which dwindled to 15 by the end of four years. Compare this with a subject like media studies which seemed to attract and retain hundreds of students, it’s no surprise that there is a shortage of engineering talent throughout the UK.

Like most people, before entering the sector, I’d never heard of a UPS system! Throughout university, I worked with a technical recruitment consultancy, which is how I came across the UPS industry. One of my colleagues, who knew I was due to graduate, encouraged me to attend an interview with a UPS reseller for modular UPS technology. I was asked to read a book titled ‘The UPS Handbook’ in preparation for a test and interview.

The person interviewing me was one of the original authors of The UPS Handbook, David Bond, now Centiel UK’s Chairman. Interestingly, he is the very reason that I am now part of the Centiel team.

The engineer in me became fascinated with the technology behind UPS systems, and the salesperson needed to find out more about the UPS market. As I developed into an external sales engineer and eventually sales manager, I began to work with clients in a variety of sectors, from banking to the MOD to Formula One teams.

Centiel has been developing true modular architecture for over three decades

I went on to gain more than a decade of experience in the UPS industry, working for various resellers and manufacturers, learning the difference between UPS

technologies. Fast forward to 2017, and I saw an opportunity to reconnect with the team that introduced me to the market and to be part of something different. Centiel had been on my radar for some time and when the UK subsidiary was launched, I knew it was time to make my next move. I joined Centiel to be part of something at the very forefront of the industry, and to help grow the brand, the team and UK market share. I am now the Sales and Marketing Director for Centiel UK, having

CW: For those who may not know, can you give us an overview of the work that Centiel does?

LM: The team that developed the first transformerless UPS and the first true modular UPS are the founders of Swiss-based manufacturer, Centiel. This team has now been developing true modular architecture for over three decades. Now on its fourth generation, there is a proven track record for quality and innovation.

Centiel’s range of energy efficient, UPS systems offers the highest availability and reliability. This latest generation of true modular UPS, CumulusPower, is designed with Distributed Active Redundant Architecture (DARA). This means that downtime is closer to zero than ever before.

CumulusPower has now been installed in data centres and comms rooms in over 60 countries across five continents. More than 50MW of critical power loads are now protected with CumulusPower in locations across the world, including the UK, Singapore, Australia, Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, and the Channel Islands.

In the UK, our highly experienced team acts as trusted advisors working with clients, contractors and consultants to develop optimal UPS systems to maximise availability, reduce total cost of ownership and meet specific needs.

cemented the brand as one of the leading UPS manufacturers and maintainers.

Carly Wills speaks to Louis McGarry, Sales and Marketing Director at Centiel UK about life at the company, along with its plans for the future.

Centiel had been on Louis’ radar for some time

CW: Tell us about your current role – what are you responsible for and what does the normal working day consist of?

LM: The critical power industry isn’t a nine-to-five, and I don’t have a set routine. Every day can be different! I’m hands on. You’ll often find me at customer sites conducting surveys, technical presentations, supporting consultants in design meetings, and I am also heavily involved with essential project work. I like seeing my recommendations from the design stage through to implementation and also maintaining a relationship with the client for the lifecycle of that product. I take pleasure in knowing these systems are still there to this day, supporting clients.

Ultimately my responsibility is to oversee sales and marketing for the UK. Our goal is to share knowledge and understanding with customers to help them make informed decisions about their power protection needs. Every member of the Centiel team is key to promoting the brand, which was successfully launched five years ago in the UK. In addition, we focus on continuously improving the way customers think about UPS applications and how they can ensure they have the highest quality and levels of protection.

The future wont be about new leaps in technology, but rather the flexible way we can meet the varied needs of organisations

CW: What are the best things about your role? What are the most challenging?

LM: People and people! I thrive on helping our clients understand the options available to them so they can make the right decision about power protection. It is fascinating and rewarding learning about different businesses and responding to different needs so clients can make the right choice.

The most challenging part of my role is usually gaining buy-in. No two customer decision-making units are the same. You need empathy, understanding and awareness to uncover and meet different needs and expectations. For us it’s never about just making a sale but doing the right thing for that customer, so people and businesses benefit long-term.

CW: How has COVID-19 affected the industry?

LM: The pandemic has had a global effect with far-reaching consequences. However, the UPS industry has remained solid. COVID-19 has highlighted a greater reliance on essential services, including information technology and data infrastructures which require critical power protection. Some sectors, such as medical,

have grown, and we installed our UPS solutions in some high-profile facilities at very short notice during the height of the pandemic. It was a privilege to be able to see our kit providing the backbone of power protection, helping to support the equipment used to save lives in an unprecedented situation. Other sectors where businesses were quieter, teams wisely took the time to re-evaluate systems, undertaking remedials and replacements.

From Centiel’s perspective, we were able to adapt to the changes in working practices rapidly. We continued manufacturing and deliveries were unaffected.

CW: What’s next for you and for Centiel?

LM: Growth, both in the UK and globally. In the past five years we have established several subsidiaries, the UK being one of them, expanded our manufacturing capability twice and built a network of over 60 partners. We are now one of the fastest growing UPS manufacturers in the industry. I want to continue to grow the brand and to find the next generation of talented, passionate individuals to develop the UK team further. We have the skill set to nurture talent so it would be great to see staff coming up through the ranks which support developing longevity of relationships with our clients over the years.

CW: What do you think are the most exciting products or technologies coming to the market?

LM: Transformerless technology and the introduction of true modular will always be the most exciting technological advancements we will see in the UPS industry. This was revolutionary and we now have UPS systems that – dare I say it – are near perfect! This technology is here to stay and is trusted by clients from the MOD, banking and medical sectors and everything in between!

As innovators, we will of course continue to make enhancements to the products but for us, the big, exciting changes will be more around how the solutions are deployed and managed. For example, through containerised solutions for facilities with limited space, or a true modular UPS that can be wheeled into a localised environment, bringing a whole new meaning to plug and play UPS systems. Our technology has been designed for bespoke and agile applications – recently we upgraded our well known true modular solution from a 600kW frame to 900KW overnight to suit the needs of one customer. The future won’t be about leaps in new technology but rather the flexible way we can meet the varied needs of individual organisations to improve availability and reduce cost of ownership.

CW: What are your interests away from work?

LM: I like to have enough energy for the weekends to spend time with my wife, three young children and our two lively dachshunds! I also like the occasional pint down the pub with friends!

Centiel, centiel.co.uk

SMART LIGHTING AND CONTROLS

THE WAY FORWARD

For vast swathes of the population, the working day and week has changed immeasurably since the pandemic. Whether it is working from home full time or more flexibly in terms of days and hours in the office, the standard nine-to-five is history and hybrid working practices are the future for many. Coupled with inflation and rising energy prices this presents a huge headache for building managers. James Foster, OCTO National Sales Manager at Ansell Lighting, looks at how this also presents a huge opportunity for contractors and installers to help businesses tackle some of the inefficiencies that under-utilised buildings present.

It’s a fact that 75% of a building’s costs are in the maintenance and operation of them. With the latest edition of the BCIS Building Maintenance dataset 2022 indicating that prices in the building maintenance and repair sector rose, on average, 3.9% between January 2021 and January 2022, and the recent and forthcoming energy price hikes, cost cutting is at the top of any building manager’s agenda.

Even without those increases, businesses that have adopted a hybrid working pattern following the pandemic would have been looking at ways to cut costs and reduce energy waste in premises that are now rarely used to capacity. So, with lighting accounting for almost 40% of all energy used in commercial buildings in the UK, this seems a sensible place to start.

The advent of LED lighting, and the cost efficiencies it delivers, has resulted in significant growth in the market, underpinned by energy efficiency regulations that led to the majority of incandescent and halogen lighting being removed from sale. But swapping to LEDs is no longer enough to deliver efficiencies in commercial premises – and this is where smart lighting and lighting controls come into their own.

An ideal solution for workplaces that are being used sporadically, or where lighting requirements change regularly and according to the movement of its users, smart lighting uses automation to ensure that it is only used where and when it is needed. And it is suitable for both internal and external lighting – from offices and meeting rooms to corridors and entrances, to car parks and external walkways.

Smart

Smart lighting solutions, such as Ansell’s OCTO, can be programmed to operate commercial areas of all sizes, from just a single individual workstation to an entire warehouse, giving building managers complete control over when lights are on or off or to set specific scenes or colour temperatures.

Solutions such as OCTO, an easy-to-use wireless system that gives complete control of the luminaries and utilises Connected by WiZ and Casambi technology, support smart occupancy lighting controls, to provide light or other building services only

when they are needed. This removes the onus on an individual employee to make energy saving decisions. They eliminate any reliance on human intervention – reducing the risk of users accidentally leaving the lights on and wasting energy – and instead allow the remote creation of lighting schedules which can fit around shift patterns and working hours.

In addition, smart lighting gives the user control of their own lighting environment and individual preferences, in order to support their health and wellbeing and create a more productive working environment.

For example, people exposed to cooler lights are shown to feel more alert and productive, and perform better on tests or when collaborating on intensive projects, while warm lighting can promote creativity and problem solving. The ability to control and dim individual luminaires can also help to prevent eye strain and headaches.

A good example of a very flexible, smart luminaire is the Volo CCT Recessed Modular – a high performance direct/indirect luminaire that is suitable for spaces where both ambient and task lighting is required from one source. As an alternative solution to the classic panel fitting often used in offices and classrooms, the architectural LED emits direct light from a central micro-prism diffuser alongside indirect output from the side diffuser sections, designed to deliver visual comfort and help specifiers achieve UGR<19.

Of course, the benefits of smart lighting and controls can be extended beyond lighting use itself, with occupancy sensors continuously collecting data on how space in a building is used, giving building services managers valuable insight to help them make more informed decisions about other building support requirements and reduce costs even further. For example, if lighting controls provide data about which meeting rooms have not been used in a day, building managers can use this information to update heating and air conditioning settings or even cleaning schedules, reducing additional operational costs.

Taking the measurability of smart technology one step further, recent advances in equipment means that many commercial smart lighting solutions, including OCTO, now come with dashboard controls which can accurately measure lighting energy usage in real time, allowing building managers to monitor and optimise their lighting installations. With a clear view of lighting-based energy consumption data across one office or an entire portfolio of offices, businesses are also able to accurately evaluate usage and identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary use, CO2 emissions and costs throughout the business.

Exterior areas are equally as important when it comes to lighting controls

Exterior areas are equally as important when it comes to lighting controls. With potential blackouts being mooted by The National Grid this winter, no-one wants to see buildings being needlessly illuminated throughout the night. But reducing that output cannot come at the price of safety and security and therefore requires smart lighting controls to cover all bases.

As with internal lighting, external luminaires can be linked together and controlled, allowing different scenes, groups and schedules to be created as required. This means that external lighting can be set to come on automatically at the end of the working day, or colour temperatures can be programmed to become brighter during the late afternoon as natural daylight begins to fade. Scheduling time of use, output levels and colour temperatures will all ensure optimum energy use and, again, eliminate any reliance on human intervention.

Products with either photocell or motion sensor detection technology will also help to optimise energy use in outdoor areas such as pathways and car parks. Floodlighting, street lighting and bollard products are often fitted with this technology, enabling the luminaires to turn on, either as daylight reduces or motion is detected, and off as morning light brightens or stillness resumes. They are convenient, low maintenance options that require almost no human intervention once installed.

Ansell’s latest external wallpack –Wolf – is specifically designed to deliver wide lighting distribution for optimum spacing and uniformity outdoors, and uses advanced lens technology to provide enhanced glare control and ensure minimal (less than 1%) up light and light pollution, helping with Dark Skies compliance.

Being CCT and power selectable, Wolf can be programmed to deliver specific lighting hues and outputs and is compatible with OCTO Smart Control, Digital Dimming, Electronic Photocell and Integral Microwave Sensors, meaning it is ideal for illuminating all types of external spaces whilst generating minimal light pollution.

Emergency lighting maintenance is another element of building management that can be made more time and cost effective with the use of smart controls.

It is, of course, a requirement that emergency lighting systems be tested and maintained at regular intervals in accordance with the latest regulations and to ensure it is fit for purpose. Many emergency products, such as Ansell’s Adler LED Exit Sign and Adler Slim Exit Box, incorporate intelligent self-test emergency technology within the luminaire, eliminating the need for manual testing.

However, prevention is definitely better than cure and on a large site there are many factors that can affect compliance – for example, when buildings are being renovated, frequent power shutdowns can drain batteries and compromise worker safety. Likewise, when buildings are empty, nobody knows if emergency lighting systems are up to code. Often the only way to check is to send a specialist to the site to test equipment manually.

By using a dashboard, lighting can be centrally monitored and tested wirelessly and automatically at the touch of a button. The dashboard is able to drill down and highlight if an individual luminaire or driver is outside of expected operational parameters. This would signify that the luminaire or driver may need attention to proactively repair or replace, rather than waiting for a failure.

With economic pressures being felt across the board and working practices changing permanently, smart lighting and controls are the way forward for commercial premises looking to optimise productivity and cost efficiency.

Ansell Lighting, anselluk.com

Smart lighting uses automation to ensure that it is only used where and when it is needed

Quick disconnection of internal gear tray and push fit terminals for fast installation.

International Dark Sky Association approved, applicable to 3000K setting only.

LEDVANCE LEADS LIGHTING FOR EDUCATION

The most recent regulation to impact on lighting in education is the amendment to the RoHS directive. This amendment launched a ban on bringing to market T5 and T8 fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps with plug-in bases (CFLni). When considering alternative lighting options, this change marks the perfect opportunity for schools to ‘make the switch’ to LED lighting and automated systems. LEDVANCE offers a range of LED retrofit and conversion options to support this change and ensure facilities managers are keeping in line with the regulations. However, there’s a number of additional benefits that educational spaces can secure with an LED upgrade.

When considering the benefits of automated lighting systems to their spaces, facilities managers will generally note convenience and cost benefits. However, these systems can have an additional positive impact on wellbeing and productivity, as automated systems provide the valuable opportunity to adapt lighting to the circadian rhythms of students and staff.

The circadian rhythm is our 24-hour body clock that governs natural cycles of activity and rest by managing hormone levels. Humans are known to be heavily influenced by variations in natural light throughout the course of the day. A human-oriented lighting concept uses smart controllable LED lighting systems to simulate the characteristics of natural daylight, combining the visual and non-visual biological effects of light through changing colour temperatures and illuminance levels.

Artificial light that synchronises with our circadian rhythms is proven to make us happier, healthier and more productive. It has been scientifically proven that spaces which use human centric lighting (HCL) systems increase student wellbeing, concentration and performance during the day, improve the quality of sleep at night, and helps reduce sickness. Therefore, an automated lighting system with HCL programming will not only illuminate a school facility, but support the wellbeing of everyone within it, including students and staff.

The education sector is particularly well suited for the use of HCL because lessons in most educational institutions start at similar times in the morning. The room layout, the incidence of light, the arrangement of the furniture and the students’ and teachers’ lines of vision are usually also very similar –which makes conditions virtually ideal for a wide-ranging use of HCL.

To take full advantage of HCL lighting, facilities managers need to install IoT-controlled systems that adapt to students’ circadian rhythms. Whether controlled using Bluetooth, Zigbee or an app solution, IoT lighting solutions are a welcome alternative to touching shared surfaces after the pandemic, as well as a reliable means of reducing costs and saving energy in an education facility.

LEDVANCE’s own IoT system, VIVARES, makes adapting an existing school building to automated lighting very simple. Commissioning is done through the VIVARES portal with the support of QR codes. The system is configured and commissioned on site after installation of the components, using the VIVARES DALI commissioning app. The self-explanatory user guide makes commissioning extremely quick and easy –thanks to predefined rooms and situations via drag and drop. The system is ideal for modernising existing buildings where rewiring is often not an option, for example, when a building is listed or has no suspended ceilings. LEDVANCE offers the necessary components and a well-assorted selection of compatible LED luminaires which allow

the system to provide energy saving lighting in existing buildings, ranging from small lighting projects to complete floor solutions. One such product is the Panel Comfort 600 with UGR<19. Besides offering CRI90 and up to 122lm/W, this is a high-performance panel that offers impressive versatility due to its selectable CCT and power steps on its driver. Even after commission, expanding a LEDVANCE luminaires system with additional components is a simple task. Monitoring the health of the system is just as easy thanks to cloud services.

Heightened hygiene measures following the pandemic are likely to continue in education facilities. Thankfully, lighting systems can assist with keeping a shared building clean and hygienic.

UV-C technology was integral in the fight against COVID-19. Ultraviolet radiation, UV for short, is divided into four ranges according to its wavelength. Light with a wavelength between 100 and 280 nanometres is classified as UV-C light. Compared to other methods of disinfection, UV-C light has a number of advantages. For example, the treatment’s short duration does not change the properties of a product or leave residue and discolouration on surfaces.

The implementation of UV-C lamps has been very limited, confined mainly to the food industry and medical facilities. However, disinfecting ultraviolet lighting solutions can benefit other sectors in this time of heightened sanitation measures, including education.

The installation and use of UV-C products must be reserved for professionals who have received specific training on the risks of UV-C radiation as well as on the safety measures required by law in order to adequately protect humans, animals, plants and the environment from harmful effects.

Just as schools must equip their students for the challenges of the future, facilities managers must adopt lighting solutions that are ready to embrace the latest innovations.

ledvance.com

learning. Installations

design

Nelo Neves, Managing Director, UK &

LEDVANCE

PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON NET ZERO

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change, adopted by 196 parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2°C – preferably to 1.5°C –compared to pre-industrial levels.

The Paris Agreement is a landmark in the multilateral climate change process because, for the first time, a binding agreement brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects. To achieve this long-term temperature goal, countries aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century. Put simply, net zero is the balance between the greenhouse gases produced and the amount taken away.

Whilst it might not garner as many headlines as clean energy innovations, energy efficiency plays an essential role in achieving net zero. According to the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), if well-known energy efficiency best practices were implemented on a large scale, building energy demand could be reduced by one-third by 2050 globally, delivering 5.8 billion tons of CO2 emissions savings.

The role of LED lighting in net zero targets

According to The Climate Group: “LED lighting has been recognised as one of the most actionable and ready-to-implement technologies for cities to transition to a low carbon economy and peak emissions in the next decade.” It also states that lighting accounts for nearly 6% of global CO2 emissions, and a global switch to LEDs could save over 1,400 million tons of CO2 and avoid the construction of 1,250 power stations.

Switching to LEDs is an easy win –something as minor as a 20% reduction in energy costs can add the same benefit as a 5% increase in sales for business. Upgrading from conventional lighting to LED technology can deliver significant cost savings of up to 80% for a business. This is according to the Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). By replacing incandescent lamps with LED lamps there is the potential to reduce electricity consumption by 50% to 80%. If you add in controls and IoT devices like motion sensors, building owners will be able to further manage lighting use and electricity consumption.

Smart controls

The use of appropriate lighting controls can further boost savings. These can include daylight linked photoelectric control, presence detection with occupancy sensors, time switching and flexible manual control. According to BEIS, savings of 30%-50% are common for circumstances where automatic controls are used.

Control is the key word with smart lighting because it empowers building owners and facilities managers to ensure optimal energy usage with the least waste. The occupants of a building will often not be aware of the waste, or they do not take responsibility for taking any action, and this makes the need for a degree of automatic lighting control more important.

Smart lighting uses artificial intelligence and machine learning, all powered by data fed via connected Internet of Things devices sited around a building. Such devices may include the likes of sensors that detect room occupancy, time of day and volume of natural light. One of the most common approaches to automatic lighting control is the use of

occupation detection. Passive infra-red occupancy detectors are commonly used for detecting the movement of people within their detection zone. Microwave sensors are also used in a range of settings.

Lots of detection products include photocell (light level) detection, which provides these lighting controls with the ability to control lighting loads based on whether an area is occupied, as well as the prevailing ambient lighting conditions. There are controls which are simply designed to switch on or off, and others that will also dim or brighten dimmable lighting loads in response to changes in daylight. DALI and 0-10V are common examples of dimming technologies. Sensor technology has the added advantage of being touch-free, which is an important consideration as we strive to maintain a clean environment and create safer spaces for everyone.

Health and wellbeing

When looking to deliver low carbon, high efficiency lighting solutions, consideration should be given to the needs of the people who occupy the building spaces. Staff represent approximately 90% of the running costs of a business, so their health and wellbeing is a major consideration, and the health and wellbeing of people doesn’t have to come at the cost of carbon emissions.

Delivering a high quality lighting design that follows industry guidance, will result in resilient, adaptable spaces that put people first. This will ensure the long-term viability of the solutions and minimise the long-term environmental effects.

Ovia,

Mike Collins, Head of Ovia, takes a look at the drive towards net zero and how smart lighting has a vital role to play in building automation and energy efficiency.

the

of carbon

MOVING LIGHTING BEYOND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND TOWARDS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Lighting has done a lot to promote sustainability. LED products have longer lifetimes, greater system efficacies, and are more flexible and controllable. We are now seeing a further major transition with the move to a circular economy. This was evident in the UK’s first ever conference for sustainable lighting, Circular Lighting Live, held in September. The focus was to encourage and challenge the lighting sector to adopt a sustainable circular economy model.

The keynote address was from John McRae, Director at architectural practice, ORMS. John challenged the entire sector to reach zero carbon, and to fully embrace circularity. He told delegates to treat buildings as material banks: seeing them as repositories or stockpiles of valuable, high quality materials that can easily taken apart and recovered, a practice that ORMS is embracing.

The International Standards Leader at Lutron, Neil McLean, laid out the legislative changes planned for the EU. Of note is a review of the existing Ecodesign Framework Regulation. This will introduce the concept of Life Cycle Assessments for products, and reporting of, and minimum performance set on, material efficiency (recycled material content, recyclability, durability, repairability, etc.)

Defra informed delegates that an Ecodesign and Energy Labelling consultation is planned for later this year, along with WEEE Regulation reforms to encourage better ecodesign. The importance of other specifications, including Environmental Product Declarations, and embedded carbon assessments was also discussed.

The pivotal role of the specifier in encouraging more sustainable lighting was tackled by two panels, both composed of five experts, drawn from across the industry.

Suppliers have an important role to play in the design of sustainable light fittings. Increasingly they are using recyclable and, in some cases, recycled materials, and using shorter supply chains to reduce transport carbon and introducing end of life take back.

Prioritising re-manufacture

Several presentations focused on the need to prioritise re-manufactured and reused product over recycling. Although there have been some great examples of success, it was clear this is still in its infancy and needs to become mainstream.

TM66 – an agreed measure of the circular principles of a luminaire

Repeated endorsement was received for TM66, the CIBSE and SLL specification for circularity in the lighting industry. TM66 is increasingly being seen as a useful tool to allow specifiers to identify lighting products that are properly designed with circular economy principles. The metric is said to be still ‘in beta mode’, although many manufacturers are beginning to adopt it. Once the specification is finalised, TM66 has the potential to drive change by clearly differentiating those products that are designed for a circular economy.

Embedding circularity in real world projects

Colin Ball of BDP gave an inspiring presentation sharing examples of creative lighting solutions with sustainability at their heart. He spoke of the application of new daylight metrics enabling designers to combine and fully optimise artificial and natural lighting design, reducing the amount of lighting needed to be installed. LED technology is now seeing the advent of wireless mesh solutions that deliver a more responsive, individually tailored control that consumes less and enhances user wellbeing.

Lighting

Conclusions from the conference

The conference demonstrated that the lighting sector has a growing depth of circular knowledge and guidelines. However, the implementation of a circular model needs better demonstration of the commercial benefits for clients. This will help to move them to purchase or rent durable solutions instead of continued reliance on the linear economy, short-term financial savings and short life products.

Ultimately, the success of this conference will promote change in our industry – more re-manufactured and re-used product, more use of recycled raw materials, more products that fully embrace circular economy principles, more manufacturers reaching net zero, and lighting designs and specifications that fully prioritise all of these.

Recolight, recolight.co.uk

RAKO GETS ACTIVE AT FRISKIS & SVETTIS

Swedish non-profit organisation, Friskis & Svettis, is on a mission to make fitness fun and has recently worked with The Kontrast Group to develop a bespoke lighting concept, complete with Rako lighting control, to enhance each space and activity across five of its Swedish locations.

From sites across the country, Friskis & Svettis offers a wide variety of classes with the aim of creating unique and memorable experiences for its members. As well as popular classes including dance, spin and yoga, it also provides tailored training for children and parents, seniors and disabled clients.

To continue to develop its offering, the company sought to give each workout area its own specific feel that could adapt depending on the class. Custom-made luminaires were designed and installed by The Kontrast Group, controlled by a Rako system, to set the mood, whatever the activity, helping to signify high energy, relaxation or a change of pace.

The dance studio, for example, features scenes to suit any step, with lights that adapt to the tempo; while in the spinning studio the light transitions from blue to red to mixed colours as the class increases in intensity. The concept behind the gym space was for members to feel as if they’re in a club, so contrasting light levels create different environments. More mellow

tones are used in the yoga studio, while stretching takes place in near darkness to enhance relaxation and focus, with class leaders framed by spotlights. Even communal spaces such as corridors have been integrated into the design, featuring lighting scenes that contrast with the exercise spaces and uplights that provide soft lighting during the day.

At Friskis & Svettis all class leaders are volunteers and can include people of all ages and technical ability. As leaders need to be able to control the lighting, simplicity was key. To achieve this, specific scenes have been pre-programmed into the Rako system and can be selected and managed via a touchscreen from the front of the class. Leaders can also use this to control the music that accompanies workouts. These password-protected touchscreens communicate with the Rako Hub, so different scenes can be recalled quickly and easily.

The only exception is in the spinning studio, where a hardwired control unit has been chosen due to the intense nature of the workout. DALI enabled lighting control also means the same values can be received by multiple devices to guarantee a consistent experience across multiple rooms.

The speed of the Rako system was particularly noted, along with the ease of installation and programming it offers, as well as its ability to integrate with other systems. EOS keypads were also singled out by The Kontrast Group for their neat design.

Rako, rakocontrols.com

LIGHT

Lighting is no longer just brightening the mood. For those of you who value your welfare there is now SUN@HOME – a globally unique type of light. With its new product portfolio, LEDVANCE proves that you can’t just see light but feel it. Because on top of increasing your well-being and performance these special lamps and luminaires even improve your quality of sleep.

FEEL LIGHT?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

SUN@HOME lamps and luminaires automatically and almost identically simulate sunlight throughout the day, supporting your natural biorhythm.

If you let this light brighten up your life you will feel more alert and active during the day and will be able to concentrate better. And in the evening this unique natural quality of light allows you to wind down and recover more easily – even during sleep. Scientifically proven by the University of Basel and the Fraunhofer Institute, this innovative light offers positive properties for your well-being.

HEA LTHY PROPERTIES MAKE S UN@HOME UNIQUE

The high light quality of SUN@HOME lamps and luminaires differs significantly from that of conventional LEDs. This is because of their excellent natural colour rendering and their low blue light component. What’s more, their light colours and intensities adjust to natural daylight (between 2200K and 5000K) completely automatically , a nd all this can be controlled the smart way using an app or your voice.

Another standout element in the innovative SUN@HOME range is the special luminaire coating which delivers an improved level of purity and hygiene by killing bacteria, germs and bad odo u rs.

THERE IS NOW A COMPLETELY NEW, UNIQUE LIGHT: SUN@HOME. IT INCREASES YOUR WELL-BEING, PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY OF SLEEP.

BRINGING THE

ith more people returning to the office, organisations are again looking at ways to make these spaces as safe, healthy and inviting as possible. The aim of it is to support natural active times and rest phases during the course of the day in a meaningful way.

Artificial lighting has long been used to be active at any time of day or night. That this is not always healthy, as has long been shown by studies with people who work in shifts, for example. In recent years, however, new findings were made that prove that natural light plays a much greater role in human wellbeing than previously assumed, with the light colour being very important.

Scientists found out that the colour of light controls the human hormone balance and thus sets the human internal clock. Therefore, lighting control now makes use of these findings: Human Centric Lighting places people and their natural biorhythms at the focus of modern lighting control.

The effectiveness of light colour on the human biorhythm was only discovered in 2002. Scientists found a third, previously unknown light receptor in the human eye in addition to the already known light receptors (cones and rods for colour and twilight vision).

The so-called ganglion cells are sensitive to light and control biological processes in the body such as the pupil reflex or hormone production. One to three percent of the ganglion cells respond to the colour of light, or more precisely to the blue component in light. If the blue component is low, the production of the sleep hormone melatonin is triggered – if the blue component is high, the production of the stress hormone cortisol is triggered.

The light has a great influence on whether we feel tired or awake. In natural light the blue component varies throughout the day, thus supporting the human biorhythm. B.E.G. has been manufacturing lighting control products for more than 40

LIGHTING

Wyears and, in order to bring this effect to indoor areas, the company has developed the PureColour occupancy detector. By controlling the colour of light, it brings the dynamics of daylight back to people. The occupancy detector can gently and unobtrusively support both the performance and the wellbeing of the room users.

Few components are required for HCL light control in an office. The sensor includes an integrated tuneable white function. No additional controller is needed to control the light colour – the occupancy detectors can be connected directly to the luminaires.

The panel luminaires in the modular ceiling of the office must, of course, be designed for colour change. The LED panel luminaires are equipped with warm white and cool white LEDs that can be controlled separately. The LED driver operates according to the DALI Device Type 8 Standard for Tunable White. This not only allows the luminaire to be dimmed, but also allows the colour temperature to be freely adjusted from warm white (2,700K) to cool white (6,800K).

With installation and commissioning, the lighting in the office is completely tailored to the needs of the room users. Like other DALI occupancy detectors, HCL sensors control different luminaire groups based on presence and daylight, covering an area of up to 24m. Up to 64 DALI electronic ballasts can be controlled via the detector.

The sensor contains the luminaires for the main light which can be divided into three groups and be given offset values. This compensates for brightness differences in the room, for example, if the room has windows on one side only. The percentage gradation of the brightness of the luminaire groups from the wall to the window ensures that the darker wall area is more strongly illuminated than the brighter area at the window. This means that the room is uniformly lit everywhere.

There is a separate zone for DALI group which is intended for accent lighting, for example, for blackboard lighting in classrooms. A third zone is controlled by a switching relay integrated in the detector that can be used, for example, to connect

the air conditioning system. In this way, the ventilation can also be controlled depending on the presence of people.

After grouping the luminaires, the HCL lighting control system can be put into operation. The pre-programmed factory settings cover the most common requirements but can be overwritten individually. All connected luminaires are controlled energy-efficiently by the occupancy detector. The measured brightness value is used to add only as much artificial light to the natural light entering through the window as is actually needed to meet the required brightness in the room.

In essence, HLC sensors automatically control the light colour and brightness in the room over the course of the day. According to the use of the room, pre-set application profiles can be selected. They operate completely independently thanks to its real-time clock and integrated DALI controller. This allows each room to be configured individually. The change in light colour from warm to cool white and the change in brightness are based on the biological rhythm of human beings. This happens very slowly and imperceptibly for the users, just like with natural light. That is how the biological light effect of the sun is brought into the office.

B.E.G., luxomat.com

Paul Jones, Sales Director UK & Ireland, B.E.G

SMART SOLUTIONS STREAMLINE

THE TESTING PROCESS

Managing

Rene Joppi, Managing Director at Mackwell, explains more.

To comply with regulations, emergency lighting must undergo monthly function and yearly duration testing.

Traditionally, this has been carried out manually –turning a key switch on the wall, observing the result and maintaining the logbook.

It’s clear to see that this is a time-intensive activity, especially for those managing emergency lighting across numerous sites or large estates.

While automatic testing systems within new buildings – most commonly using DALI – have become common practice, this is not the case in existing properties. Many are still run by a single facilities management team.

To overcome this, smart, automated solutions that streamline the process and use technology to assist in these challenges are thankfully now available. Mackwell’s N-Light Ecosystem of emergency lighting test and monitoring solutions is one such example.

Solutions, such as the N-Light, remove complexity and focus on safety. They provide an advantage that was not previously available – being able to view the status of emergency installations at any time, from anywhere all on one single interface. It is a complete, scalable and integrated monitoring solution that allows wired and wireless monitoring as well as cloud connectivity all in one system.

This, in turn, offers a great number of benefits. Firstly, it removes the need

for continuous site safety checks, saving a significant amount of time. It also improves the accuracy of detecting faults by offering real-time system updates. This allows management teams to know exactly which part of a building and site needs attention.

Having smart infrastructure and automated processes in place makes the entire operation easier to run, saving time so that facilities managers can focus on more complex tasks. Furthermore, it allows for more secure record-keeping, accurately logging the record of each test being performed, its result, and any previously detected issues. Test reports can be accessed easily from any location through a device such as a laptop or tablet.

Putting this into perspective is a recent success story at Wealden District Council, a local government district in East Sussex and home to over 160,000 residents. As part of the path to net zero, the council is seeking opportunities to minimise its carbon emissions output at every opportunity.

Through this commitment, as well as the need to create a more streamlined approach to managing council-owned properties throughout the region, the council sought to deploy a cloud-based automatic test system for emergency lighting with 106 blocks of general needs flats within the district.

Each building had previously relied on traditional emergency lighting, where estate wardens would have to physically visit each block and manually test that they were working correctly. The 106 blocks

span five postcode areas, meaning estate wardens regularly had to cover a large geographical area when testing. One of the key goals of the upgrade was therefore to reduce the time spent on testing, while ensuring the emergency lighting complied with regulations.

A full emergency lighting solution was specified from Energy Lighting and Compliance (EL&C), which is a sister company within the Mackwell Group. A cloud-based automatic test system for the emergency lighting is now fully operational across the communal areas of the blocks of flats.

With the new solution, the onsite testing and scope for human error have been completely removed. This has improved the council’s compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as well as allowing smarter use of the system to detect lighting faults and ensuring swift repair or replacement is undertaken to ensure compliance further.

Following the resounding success of the project, an additional phase was developed in April 2022 and is to be completed by mid-2023, incorporating 12 retirement living courts into the project.

It is clear to see the contribution that technologies such as the N-Light Ecosystem have offered to the emergency lighting sector; making a huge difference to those with responsibility for monitoring and testing, while aiding compliance and overall safety.

Mackwell, mackwell.com

PULSE CINEMAS LIGHTS THE WAY TO LUTRON

Pulse Cinema’s long experience in the lighting and ambient light control market means that its dealers can take their Lutron deployments to the next level. The company’s partners can create truly exceptional projects that nurture, excite and enthuse every customer, filling their home with beautiful, bespoke and efficient lighting schemes that work in harmony with the rest of the house.

Oliver Deakin-Faux, Lutron Brand Ambassador at Pulse Cinemas explains, “When you invest in Lutron, you are accessing a heritage and know-how that stretches back decades. Coupled with our in-house expertise, it’s the best combination in the market for smart lighting and ambient light control systems. Lutron offers over 15,000 different products, wired and wireless – there literally is something for every application or need that can be conceived of.

“Whatever type of execution is necessary for your next project, we have the team and the expertise to help you take full advantage of the world’s best intelligent lighting and window treatment system. We are evangelists for the way this platform can transform homes and invite dealers to join us on a special journey into the light.”

Kapes Patel, COO at Pulse Cinemas adds, “Providing your customers with sensitively designed smart lighting and blinds is, of course, nothing new, but advancements in technology and our understanding of how the presentation of artificial and the control of ambient light impacts on human behaviour and lived experience, means our deployments can have power like never before. Well delivered schemes can literally make people happier, more fulfilled, relaxed, and satisfied – what a beautiful thing to create!

“Whatever your level of expertise with Lutron, Pulse Cinemas can give you the keys to this exciting next level world and, in turn, offer your customers something they have never experienced before.”

Oliver adds, “Our Lutron support covers every aspect of the system. When it comes to Lutron, Pulse is a full blooded, every part of the home proposition and our ambition goes way beyond just supplying the products.

“Take Lutron HomeWorks for example, Lutron’s most comprehensive and powerful platform. This system is sometimes seen as too expensive for some deployments, but with expert support you would be surprised how far this expansive technology can reach and with our help you will be able to include Lutron’s highest performing technology in more of your projects.

“Lutron RA 2 Select is way more than just an affordable route into the Lutron world. Work with us and we will show you how to unlock the full potential of this system, a fantastic 21st century application that suits all sorts of projects and properties.”

Kapes identifies another key area of recent development, “The control of ambient light in recent years has become just as, if not more, important in some cases than the creation and control of artificial light. From energy harvesting to efficiency improvements, not to mention the aesthetic value and appeal to the design community this sector of the market delivers, unlocking the full potential here can offer huge benefits to your business and, of course, the bottom line.

“Our support does not end when the project is finished and handed over to the customer. We continue to supply you with all the technical and if necessary on-site support that you need, however we go even further and offer full marketing packages to our most supportive dealers. We create case studies, news stories and social media presence, helping you to promote your business to the wider world. The marketing materials we create reach far beyond our own sector and consistently reach potential customers, related trades and consumer facing magazines.”

Pulse Cinemas’ secret weapon

Kapes and Oliver are both very keen to underline that demonstration is a very powerful tool when it comes to the lighting sector and this is where Pulse has a powerful proposition on its side in the form of its HQ and showroom.

Oliver explains, “Every type of solution that Lutron produces can be seen in a real-world related scenario at our showroom. Whatever aspect of artificial light or ambient light control is relevant to your next product, your team, related trades and your customers can come here and experience it. Like any type of system in our sector, upselling is so much easier when customers can look, feel and experience how good the systems are.”

Kapes adds, “We had a visit recently from an interior designer who had

visited the excellent Lutron Experience Centre in London. However, she gave our showroom the edge for having so many solutions in a very relatable and very stylishly presented space.”

Kapes also underlines, “Don’t forget we are also experts at lighting entertainment spaces. As well as the rest of the home, nobody can support you in lighting a media room or home cinema like Pulse Cinemas –we really can do it all, so give us a call!”

Pulse Cinemas, pulsecinemas.com

FORT — THE COMPREHENSIVE SMART SECURITY RANGE FROM ESP

The Fort Smart Security range is a comprehensive range of smart security products, which includes intruder alarms, video doorbell, video security light, sensors and a selection of 1080p cameras. They all operate under a single app – the ‘Click Smart+’ app – which is completely subscription free, with no additional fees incurred. By bringing the operation of the new Fort range under the well-established, tried and tested Click Smart+ app from Scolmore, users will have control of a raft of connected home and security products all from one secure, easy to access platform.

At the heart of the Fort smart security range is the smart intruder alarm, which will support up to 32 RF devices and provide remote monitoring and alert notifications directly to the Click Smart+ app. The smart alarm is available in handy kits or can be purchased as separate devices for a tailor-made system.

Kit control

There are six different kits in the range, with the basic kit containing one each of the following – a smart hub, PIR, door/window contact and remote control. Other kits offer an additional number of PIRs, door/window contacts and remote controls, and there are two kits which include Pet PIRs. All devices supplied within the kits are pre-registered, to assist with a straightforward install.

The Wi-Fi Smart Alarm Hub includes an inbuilt siren, backup battery with up to eight hours standby time and GSM backup facility (sim not included) for additional system security. The hub is compatible with a range of battery powered RF devices that can be controlled to provide whole home security in and around a property.

Smart Alarm accessories include remote keypad, pet friendly PIRs and vibration sensor, as well as a solar powered or wired external siren for an

additional intruder deterrent. The range also includes a Smart Alarm Keypad which provides a central keypad that is usually positioned in entrances and hallways. The keypad requires the Smart Alarm Hub and provides users with arm, disarm, home mode and panic functions.

In addition, the Fort range includes Wi-Fi security devices such as a video doorbell, video security light and a selection of 1080p cameras. These are all supported on the same app and do not require the hub, or any additional subscription fees other than a Wi-Fi connection. The security devices include a video doorbell to monitor visitors, security floodlights with inbuilt cameras to deter intruders at night and a selection of simple to use cameras for a range of applications, such as monitoring loved ones and pets or simply to provide reassurance when away from your property.

Fully automated

Using a combination of devices compatible with the ClickSmart+ app, the system has the ability to activate exterior floodlights and internal lights in instances of the smart alarm being activated in different modes – armed, disarmed, SOS or intruder. This automation would light up a property, providing reassurance to the user when arriving or leaving a property during low light hours. In addition, a device connected to a smart socket can be activated in the different smart alarm activation modes.

Users also have the ability to schedule when the exterior and interior lights activate on and off via the schedule. For additional automation setting, lights can be activated by the changing times of sunset and sunrise, meaning in the winter months the lights will activate earlier and automatically adjust in the summer months, offering security and economic benefits in one.

The automation feature provides an extra deterrent to a would-be intruder

attempting to break into the property. If the smart alarm’s shock sensor picks up vibrations on an attempted break-in through a window, the smart alarm activates the internal and external siren for an audible alert, and the additional lighting provides the visual alert that the system has been triggered. In the intruder scenario the user will receive a notification via the app and have the ability to access the cameras to live view or view recorded footage, as well as the option to open up two-way audio channels.

Other voice functions are available for convenience. The smart alarm can be voice activated through Alexa devices and this includes arming and disarming using a pre-set security pin.

For additional convenience, the smart alarm includes automated arming and disarming modes, meaning for the busy and absent-minded user the system automatically arms and disarms on schedule, ensuring protection when it’s needed.

The Fort Smart Security range is a comprehensive range of smart security products

Subscription-free app

ESP believes a key element to the early success of the range is its subscription-free app. Unlike some systems on the market which will provide a free basic system, but charge for additional devices and functions, users of the Fort smart security system, powered by Click Smart+, will have full access to all devices and functions with no subscription fee or hidden costs to pay. The app provides an easy-to-use platform to remotely arm and disarm the system, whilst producing real time events such as activations and low battery indication status. In addition, the app supports a range of Click Smart+ home automation products which enables a range of sockets and switches to be activated in certain system scenarios.

A brochure covering the full Fort range can be downloaded at espuk.com and from the Scolmore Group app. A video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/3vy3N1unvHI.

Protect everything that matters with the Fort range of Smart Security products, featuring alarm kits, cameras, sensors & more

The Fort range includes a Wi-Fi security doorbell

GUIDE TO

COMPLIANCE AND PEACE OF MIND

Yet, all too often, ‘out of sight and out of mind’ rings true when it comes to ensuring best practice. Ensuring that your fire sprinkler system is up to standard is vital, but it can appear daunting. This guide simplifies the process for building owners and occupiers and system users, outlining best practice for reliability and maintenance.

The RRO Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 placed the onus solely on the building owner or occupier. Now, every commercial or industrial property must have an individual responsible for fire safety and making their premises fire compliant. Failing to do so can result in fines, prosecution and even jail time.

However, all building stakeholders must work in sync on a building’s fire safety strategy for it to be effective. You may not have a facilities management company or may lack experience of this particular type of fire suppression system, so it is imperative that you find an accredited contractor that can support you.

Best practice for sprinkler maintenance starts with weekly or monthly checks in-house, with experts employed on a quarterly, six monthly or annual basis to ensure that systems are in good health. Think of your building like a car – you can assess the condition of your tyres before a long trip, or top up the screen wash, but you leave your annual MOT and service to the experts.

The big difference here is that no one talks about the requirements for your sprinkler maintenance, so you can feel left in the dark without clear guidance. It is the responsibility of the building owner or occupier to appoint a third-party accredited contractor that adheres to the standards outlined by the Fire Protection Association (FPA).

Once the service contract is in place, you must work together to build a compliant sprinkler care and maintenance regime, including regular hazard reviews, combining

internal building understanding and external expert knowledge.

The biggest hurdle is making people more aware of what a compliant sprinkler system maintenance contract looks like, which is where documents like the FPA’s guide to Sprinkler System Service and Maintenance come into play.

It is important to choose a contractor that services to recognised standards and carries one of the industry-approved third-party certifications: LPS1048, FIRAS or IFC. The certification generally covers the design, installation, testing and commissioning of systems, but you need to ensure service and maintenance is incorporated. Do your research to ensure that you meet legislative requirements:

• Look for contractors with third-party accreditations (LPS1048, FIRAS or IFC)

• Select a scheme that is regularly audited

• Ensure you can receive ongoing service and maintenance, with a supplier that offers 24/7 rapid callouts to fix urgent issues

• Beware of substantially lower costs –there is no guarantee that the cheapest option meets recognised compliance standards if they are not accredited

One size does not fit all, and each building’s sprinkler system is different dependent upon its occupation and the use and size of the space. Hybrid working has changed the way in which we interact with and use spaces, yet we are finding that many businesses neglect to update fire safety when they do so.

As people make changes to building use, the effectiveness of the sprinkler system is immediately affected. For instance, a partition wall may seem an easy solution to divide a space, but

One size does

unknowingly it may affect the sprinkler system coverage, creating huge fire safety ramifications.

For this reason, it is vital to carry out a regular Review of Hazard to assess the changing use of spaces.

This is recognised within sprinkler standards as a critical routine to ensure compliance, with immediate remedial action a requirement if the review identifies deficiencies.

The main purpose of a regular Review of Hazard is to identify deficiencies in your fire sprinkler system. These reviews highlight where manufacturing or office areas have been converted into warehousing, or where structural changes to the building, such as partition walls or mezzanines, have been added, affecting sprinkler system operation. Regular hazard reviews are an essential method to uncover blind spots and can be done internally on a quarterly basis with checklists provided by your contractor who will themselves also carry out a review on an annual basis and will step in when alterations to fire safety infrastructure are required.

If the sprinkler system is not subject to a compliant service and maintenance regime as required by the standards, there is a serious risk that the system may not operate as intended in a fire situation. Weekly and monthly checks by the system user, combined with provision of a service and maintenance contract with an accredited contractor are all critical in ensuring continued reliability.

Fire safety is a vital part of protecting your employees’ wellbeing and business interests. You must ensure that your sprinkler systems are fit for purpose and ready to operate, so that if disaster strikes, your fire suppression measures are up to task.

Johnson Controls, johnsoncontrols.com

writes Adrian

,

at Johnson Controls UK&I

INTO DISASTER

Walk down any high street in one of our towns or cities and you’ll soon come across the barriers that mark out a hole or trench where cables or pipes are being laid. As businesses and homes require more energy connections or internet connectivity, the number of contractors breaking ground in our streets is growing.

Digging into urban streets is difficult and potentially dangerous work. And it seems that it’s becoming more risky. The Energy Networks Association reports electric cable strikes have increased 46% since the end of lockdown. On average, 70 people each year are seriously injured as a result of contact with underground electricity cables.

These are not the only potential hazards under our streets. There are gas and water pipes as well as telecommunications cables to be aware of when undertaking these projects. The problems are exacerbated when working somewhere like the City of London where there are narrow streets and heavy traffic.

There is guidance on how to approach these projects safely. HSG47 Avoiding danger from underground services from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) outlines three important stages of safe work during excavation:

• Planning the work

• Locating and identifying buried services

• Safe excavation

But not everyone is following the guidance. Figures show that around a third of construction workers fail to check for underground electricity cables when digging on site.

A project that involves digging into city streets should start with careful research. Designing the preferred route includes making a request for statutory drawings for utilities. It’s also crucial to take the time to walk the route because this will provide a clear view of any potential physical challenges in the area. A visit to the site can help to identify risks in the work location that may not be marked on the drawings. This is far more common than many people realise, as the drawings rarely keep pace with the addition of road layout, new street furniture, pipes and cables. More worrying, there are rogue contractors who lay cables and services without regard to the safety of others who may have to work in the area next.

Although we can use a CAT 4 Plus scanner to track electrical cables, it does not provide accurate depths. If cables have been laid incorrectly this can be very dangerous to anyone working on the project. There have been cases of high voltage cables being laid at 180mm when the depth should be 750mm. Planning and checking literally save lives. In theory, it might be possible using modern technology such as ground penetrating radar to map the cables and pipes under London’s streets. But, leaving aside the cost of that project, the map would also soon be out-of-date as things change almost on

a weekly basis. So, we rely on everyone in our sector working safely and keeping good records, which is not always the case.

We’re all aware that our projects are increasingly time-pressed. Working anywhere in London is challenging because permissions to access roads may have to come from more than one Local Authority and involve Transport for London (TfL).

None of these bodies want to close city roads for very long. As a result, it’s likely that the excavation contractor has limited time and space to get the work done, and that’s often when safety takes a back seat.

For example, the permitted area for digging may be very restricted on a busy road. Ideally, the contractor should work 500mm either side of a cable to avoid contact. But if a cable lies very close the edge of the allocated work area, it could be tempting to lift the tarmac ‘just to see what’s there’.

This is when accidents can happen. It’s vital to take the time to stop work and assess how to proceed to undertake the work safely (extending the work zone, or extending the permit even if that seems counterintuitive). Planning ahead means that decisions are not left to a time-pressed site foreman who may make a bad decision with the best intentions.

Pre-planning and assessing proposed routes can highlight the danger areas and these potential problems can be controlled by instructing the excavation teams on how to investigate (no dig zones). These clear instructions reduce the risk of a bad decision being made for the best of intentions due to perceived pressure by the excavation teams.

The need to excavate in our city streets is growing. As new buildings are constructed, they require the utilities that are vital for modern life. What’s more, government is driving the development of low carbon district heating systems in urban areas, which will add to the challenge as more pipes are laid.

As electrical contractors, we know the importance of prioritising safety for ourselves and our clients. With accidents on the rise in excavation projects, it’s time to put that same focus on ensuring that contractors adopt robust safety standards out on the city streets.

ECA, eca.co.uk

Tony Abbott of ECA Member firm Modus Utilities, explains why contractors need to plan

when digging in busy towns and cities.

Organisations such as the

MONITORING IS

ELECTRICAL FIRE PROTECTION

and property and insurance companies that track

now

writes Stewart Gregory, VP of Power Products at Schneider Electric

These surveys have traditionally relied on scheduled infrared (IR) thermography inspections, where a thermal camera is used by an operative to inspect the highest-risk areas of electrical equipment. IR thermography can be highly effective when conducted in compliance with regulations. However, it is far from a fail-safe option.

Now, a new method of continuous thermal monitoring offers a safer, more effective way to detect thermal risks 24 hours a day. So, how can fire protection professionals, facility owners and managers harness the latest technology to identify electrical fire risks and minimise their threats?

Continuous thermal monitoring uses internet of things (IoT) sensor technology to provide 24/7 insights. One application is the fitting of small, wireless thermal sensors permanently installed on important points throughout the electrical distribution system. Their wireless design simplifies installation, especially in retrofit scenarios. This delivers continuous monitoring of equipment temperatures across a range of infrastructure, from medium voltage/low voltage (MV/LV) switchgear and transformers to LV busways.

For higher-density connections, Insulation Decomposition Detection (IDD) technology offers an effective solution by

detecting cable thermal decomposition in a range of temperatures, providing early warning of an imminent risk of fire.

IDD offers a simple and reliable way to proactively detect cable connection issues for most LV cable types on the market. Additionally, some IDDs may offer additional capabilities, such as humidity monitoring to further enhance prevention capabilities.

Perhaps the most obvious downside of traditional periodic monitoring is that it leaves time between scheduled inspections for systems to deteriorate and faults to become a potential threat, with IR thermography usually conducted every six-24 months.

A key benefit of continuous thermal monitoring is always-on monitoring, alongside near real-time alarming. Where thermal monitoring systems include automated alert capabilities, operations and maintenance teams are immediately alerted to issues, providing greater opportunities to rectify the situation quickly. Wireless connectivity enables 24/7 continuous thermal monitoring, with sensors forming a complete, facility-wide thermal monitoring network. Data from this connected network is easily accessible and continuously available to teams via cloud-based analytic applications, enabling rapid reporting and action.

For example, if a sensor reading shows an abnormal temperature rise at any connection point or in the insulation of any cable, this will generate an automated alert, sending a mobile notification to maintenance teams. The provision of long-term trending thermal data can also help personnel detect slow deterioration, addressing issues before they cause a problem. Bringing together IoT data, analytics, and alert systems in the cloud ensures the swift detection of issues before they lead to equipment failure, major financial losses or worse, loss of human life.

The benefits extend far beyond the continuous delivery of crucial data. It is also important to address the safety of

professionals charged with conducting standard IR thermography inspections. Such tests are necessarily performed close to live electrical equipment, and this puts personnel at risk.

IR thermography usually requires an IR window installed in the switchgear door to provide camera access for testing live equipment. For LV equipment, the operator must often open door panels to check connections. Limited accessibility and visibility make it challenging to position the camera correctly, further increasing safety concerns for testing switchgear and transformers. Technicians run the risk of being exposed to an arc flash, which can be a danger to life.

Finally, it is not just safety where this new approach can deliver returns. Improving reliability and uptime, a thermal monitoring system identifies thermal issues faster than typical IR scanning intervals, thanks to its real-time data collection. It also provides higher accuracy, whilst near real-time alarms enable service teams to respond quickly to risks before downtime and damage occur. All these benefits add up to substantial cost savings and increased uptime.

Over the typical 20-year lifetime of most switchgear, continuous thermal monitoring is estimated to be two and a half times more cost-effective than IR thermography. Research by Schneider Electric also suggests that continuous thermal monitoring delivers up to a 10:1 return on investment due to avoided equipment damage and downtime.

While this new approach offers a host of benefits, it is still the case that in some jurisdictions, traditional IR scanning is still required by codes and standards. That does not mean that continuous thermal monitoring should be ignored. It should be seen as an overarching strategy complemented by IR scanning, delivering the kind of insights that provide proactive, safe, and cost-effective fire prevention across the board.

Schneider Electric, se.com

often

requires systematic

RESEARCH SHOWS 90% OF FALSE ALARMS ARE DOWN TO FAULTY APPARATUS

The research from the Home Office, which was collated from Fire and Rescue Services across the country from the last financial year, shows that just 2% of the incidents from automatic fire alarms were a result of an actual fire. Most of the false alarms could easily be avoided with proper maintenance and by ensuring the correct type of life safety product is installed for the environment in the first place.

Commenting on this latest report from the Home Office, Shinsuke Kubo, Commercial Director for Hochiki Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, says, “False alarms are a major problem across

multiple industries – they have a significant impact on production and ultimately the economy. Building owners who choose to work with installers and manufacturers who understand that no two environments are the same will reap the benefits because the products recommended will be both fit for purpose and properly maintained.”

The London Fire Brigade advises that if you are responsible for managing a property it is important to make sure the fire alarm system installed is carefully considered for the type of premises and, of course, the occupancy.

Having said that, technology alone cannot eliminate false alarms. Other key factors must be considered to increase the overall ‘alarm reliability’ of fire detection and fire alarm systems. These are design,

commissioning, and maintenance. If these are overlooked, then the reliability of a device will drop. It’s also important to remember that, over time, the use of a building may change or be adapted, and any changes must be reflected in the design and maintenance of the fire detection apparatus installed.

“Multi-sensors could be the answer,” continues Shinsuke “For complex life safety installation projects which have multiple usage scenarios, or are adapted over time, using intelligent devices can really help reduce false alarms. Modern devices which detect heat, smoke and in some cases, CO, can learn from their environments from the moment of installation.”

Hochiki Europe, hochikieurope.com

UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF EFFICIENT JOB MANAGEMENT

Job management software simplifies and streamlines the processes involved in service, maintenance and project workflows. For businesses in the field service industry, an efficient job management process is the foundation that leads to ongoing success and growth potential.

At its core, good job management is about the processes and workflows that your business undergoes to provide exceptional service to your customers. From the initial request for work, to sending your team out on the job and finally to invoicing and payment. A job management software can act as a single source of truth for your business, helping improve efficiency, and by extension, profitability in all areas.

Many business owners know that once processes are in place it’s easy for job optimisation management to fall by the wayside. Prioritising updating these processes can minimise risk to your business and potential frustration felt by staff. From initial customer contact to final invoicing and payment, a streamlined job management process can help you increase billable hours, minimise double data handling and ensure your staff are as efficient as they can be.

No matter if your business is transitioning from paper-based systems or other software solutions, implementing the right job management software for your business will have a variety of benefits.

Three tips for researching the software that will fit your business

1. Look for software which will complement your workflows. Keep in mind that not all software will offer every feature you need. Identify key processes in your business and find software which offers features to streamline these processes.

2. Identify if the software provides an end-to-end solution that can help you manage everything from customer data, to quoting and scheduling to invoicing and

reporting. This will ensure that as your business grows, you won’t have to change your processes or software. It will also help streamline individual job workflows and provide visibility to manage multiple jobs at once.

3. Talk to other businesses like yours that are using job management software. This will give you a unique perspective on the real-world capabilities of how the software can work for your business.

Remember: The right job management solution for you will enhance, not hinder, your processes.

Implementing the right job management software for your business will have a variety of benefits

Key considerations when choosing a software

1. Does the software you are looking into solve your pain points? Identify if the software helps you streamline processes in your workflow map. If the software doesn’t fit your processes, can it or your processes be adapted to support each other?

2. Are you able to get a demo of the software? You can’t know for certain if a software will support your business until you see it in action. Different software companies will have different demos

available. At this stage, it’s important you gain as much information about the software from the demo as possible.

3. Will you be supported with a thorough implementation and training process as well as ongoing support? Implementing new processes and software into any business is a delicate situation. Be sure to investigate the implementation processes of your chosen software. Make sure the software company is committed to ensuring your business has a successful change management process. This will include open communication, a choice of on-site or online training and ongoing consultation.

How to unlock efficiencies in your business with job management software

Choosing and implementing the right job management software for your business will have positive results for every moving part of your business. Let’s take a look at how job management can help you optimise everything from team management to customer service and business operations.

1. Streamlined team management – with centralised data in a cloud-based software, there is no need to constantly interrupt your field staff on the job for updates, or wait for them to return to the office to send invoices. Cloud-based job management software enables real-time awareness of job progress and location of field staff, in turn, enhancing job scheduling capabilities.

2. Improved productivity – while improved productivity in the office is a natural benefit to streamlined processes, for field service businesses, access to job management resources in the field takes that productivity to the next level. Cloud-based job management software with a mobile app enables field staff to access job information, site history and even request inventory all without returning to the office. Furthermore, field staff can quickly access all asset test history to gain vital background information about what could be causing equipment faults. By giving your team the information they need, when they need it, you will reduce travel time, increase productivity and expand capacity to look into new revenue streams or take on new jobs.

3. Clear and effective communication – for field service businesses, communication between office and field should not end once a job has been dispatched. Rather, it should be ongoing and instant, enabling efficient processes and a seamless experience for the customer.

4. Enhanced customer service – customer satisfaction is at the heart of the field service business model. The productivity and efficiency gained with cloud-based job management software has a direct impact on customer service and retention. Giving field staff the power to do more with technology and know more with up-to-date information about the site, job and customer, can help them deliver the highest quality customer service. Additionally, increased visibility of job workflows, and ease of communication with customers, including updates on the arrival time of field staff, will all help enhance customer satisfaction.

5. Optimised business management –investing in cloud-based job management software can lead to reduced overheads through the use of automated workflows, centralised data and integrations with third party applications. In the office, replacing manual, time-consuming tasks such as data entry with automated workflows frees up resources. You can focus on more value adding activities and it will minimise the risk of human error. This automation also enhances visibility of data and makes it easier for a business to base decisions on data and evidence.

6. Clear understanding of where you are making and losing money – manual systems make reporting tedious and time consuming. However, cloud-based software captures all of your data from each job, in one centralised location, accessible from anywhere. This enables you to clearly identify where you are making and losing

money through job costing and profitability reporting. Data collected can also be used to make improvements to your workflows, analyse the profitability of customers and even inform hiring decisions.

Once you’ve chosen your new job management software, the change management process will begin. However, implementing new software or processes in a business is no easy feat. Ensuring a successful implementation takes careful planning, ongoing communication and a solid strategy.

simPRO, simprogroup.com

Choosing and implementing the right job management software for your business will have positive results for every moving part of your business

simPRO is a leading field service management software solution for service, project and maintenance contractors.

Connect the office to the field, deliver exceptional customer service and gain invaluable business insights with automated processes, streamlined workflows and in-depth business reporting.

simPRO offers a range of features for the management of service jobs, project work and asset maintenance, including:

• Comprehensive scheduling, estimating and invoicing

• Real-time office to field connectivity

• Streamlined inventory management

• Supplier catalogue and pricing from a single system

• Integrations with industry-leading accounting packages

• 70+ reports for accurate business insights

APPY TO HELP

The iOS App Store launched in 2008 with 500 apps. Today, there are over seven million apps available across iOS and Android platforms, extending to every app and game genre and niche. Apps have come to play a huge role in the way we live and work today, and the market for these apps is enormous. It is estimated that there are over six billion smartphone users worldwide. In 2021, apps were downloaded more than 100 billion times, and that is expected to reach 200 billion by 2025.

Using an app to help with electrical work may have seemed unlikely a few years ago. However electrical professionals are increasingly using apps that deliver quick answers, manage and customise information consumption and hasten communication. Now, with information at their fingertips, they are armed with ever more powerful on-demand IT capabilities.

Tasks that used to demand laborious hand calculations or time-consuming diversions to consult hefty code books – and the conveyance of information via face-to-face meetings, phone conversations and emails – have been sped up and simplified. With so many apps and so much information available, electricians will be looking for those that bring as much material as possible to their fingertips

to make their working life easier, rather than having to search through a number of different sources.

One contractor who has been enjoying the benefits of the Scolmore Group app is Phil Kent who has been running his P Kent Electrical Contractors business in Keynsham since 1992. The company works with both domestic and commercial customers and offers a wide range of services, including rewires, full house testing, fault finding and security lighting in Bristol and beyond.

Phil described the Scolmore Group app as having the most comprehensive range of features to help in his everyday tasks on site. “The main feature I love about the Scolmore Group app is the Tool Kit section. It has helped me several times when it comes to the voltage drop calculations. It’s been a long time since I was at college and for years you had to work out the voltage drop using the calculations in the regs book and do it by hand. With the Scolmore Group app, you simply tap in the details, and it works it all out for you.

“I found the app particularly useful when on site working on a customer’s property and they asked me how much it would cost to run power to the top storage barn. After checking with them how much power they would consider using up there and a measurement taken, I simply tapped the figures into the Scolmore Group app, and it came up with the size of the cable needed. After a quick call to the local wholesaler in Longwell green, Bristol, they gave me a price. So that meant I was able to total it all up and give the customer a quote before leaving that day. There are so many features on here that all electricians can use, it’s got all bases covered. I would recommend it as part of anyone’s tool kit.”

Another fan of the app is Suzy (Suzanna May Blakeley-Monk) an electrician who works for her father’s electrical firm, Nick Blakely Electrical, based in Anglesey. Having worked with her dad since she was 14, Suzy qualified as an electrician in 2019 and now helps carry out a range of domestic projects, that includes private residences, holiday lets and also some care homes in the region. Suzy regularly uses Click wiring accessories and has been a follower of the Scolmore Group on social

media, where she became aware of the app some years ago and is now a regular user.

“I have used the Tool Kit section on the app, but the main reason I use it is to search for products. On a recent property I was working on we wanted to include a grid plate system and I needed to see how many switches we could get onto each plate. Using the app, I went onto the GridPro product section where I could see that the plates go up to 24-gang which was great, and I also used it locate the printed modules we wanted – there are so many to choose from.

“I also like the monthly giveaway on the app where they do a draw and the winner receives £100 shopping voucher – I was actually lucky enough to win recently, so that was another bonus to using the app.”

Scolmore, scolmore.com

Tasks that used to demand laborious hand calculations have been sped up and simplified

of abating, Katie Plumstead, Group Marketing Manager with Scolmore Group

the valuable feedback the company receives from contractors.

ALL HANDS TO THE TECH

Electric heat pumps are one of the best solutions we have for reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. The technology is well-developed and widely used in European countries, plus electricity generation in England, Scotland and Wales is cleaner than ever, growing from less than 20% renewable to almost 50% in just over a decade.

In the UK, the heat pump sector is expanding rapidly, but it’s still relatively new. Switching from gas central heating to heat pumps powered by electricity requires a change in mindset for both installers and homeowners. We need to do more to demystify the technology and promote greater awareness and understanding of its potential.

How is the heat pump roll-out going?

Latest figures show there were 1.48 heat pumps installed per 1,000 households in the UK last year – far fewer than the 15.3 per 1,000 the Climate Change Committee (CCC) estimates we need to achieve net zero by 2050.

The roll-out is underway, but we need to do more.

The government has promised to shift levies from electricity to gas and is investing £60 million through the Heat Pump Ready Programme to support the development of innovative solutions across the heat pump sector (part of the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP).

The total investment is huge – £1.6 billion per annum to get heat pumps on a par with gas, plus an additional £1.58 billion of subsidies for fuel energy pricing on electricity – showing that the government is committed to make heat pumps happen.

But it’s not just increasing the trajectory of installations. By focussing on this only, we minimise the importance of quality. It is critical that we get heat pump installations right first time – fixing problems costs money and will dent consumer confidence.

What can go wrong with heat pump installations?

Griff says that in his auditing work, he has seen a lot of poor installations suffering from problems that could easily be avoided if engineers had better access to simple tools and easy-to-use apps. Heat pumps are not a like for like replacement for oil or gas and should never be treated as such. They must be specified for the specific needs of the home rather than oversized – as is traditional with fossil fuel heating systems.

To correctly specify the heat pump, radiators/heat emitters (underfloor heating works particularly well with heat pump systems) and cylinder, room-by-room heat loss calculations are required. These calculations must be to a knife edge – any inaccuracies could lead to insufficient heating, cold rooms and high energy bills.

Heat loss calculations should take into account a range of factors, including:

• The size of the space that needs heating

• The potential of the building to retain heat, including U values (how quickly and at what rate a building material will conduct heat) of walls, floors, roof insulations, windows and doors

• Air change rate

• Expected comfort temperatures

• Lowest expected temperatures for the location

For example, under ‘standard’ conditions (most heat pumps are tested at an ambient temperature of 7°C and a flow temperature of 35°C) a 13kW air source heat pump (ASHP) would provide significantly less output at – 2°C than with a flow temperature of 55°C.

If the output is too low, it will result in a large bill and a cold house. If the output is too high, the system could be prone to short cycling – turning on and off too often – which could lead to poor efficiencies and faults.

For efficient operation, water must be stored at the lowest possible temperature, for example, 45°C will allow for a slight heat loss through the pipes to produce at least

In the UK, the heat pump sector is expanding rapidly, but it’s still relatively new

40°C through the tap. Accurate heat loss calculations allow engineers to specify a new cylinder or weigh up the pros and cons of keeping the existing one.

Isn’t there an app for that?

The latest developments in software and technology can simplify the process of heat pump specification, installation and commissioning to ensure our new heat pump systems are fit for the future.

Work is underway right now to make this a reality. Thormer Solutions has recently won funding from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy’s (BEIS) Heat Pump Ready Programme to develop an app that helps installers to avoid common pitfalls of installation and improve overall quality.

‘Total Heat Pump Installation Solution’ (THIS) facilitates fully interactive and intuitive system design for installers, while utilising technologies such as 2D/3D modelling and AR/VR to give end-users a better understanding of their finished system.

The tech revolution is coming

Innovations in technology can provide a one-stop shop for heat pump systems, including design (automated, with the option of manual amendments), installation and commissioning. Survey time can be reduced using the latest solutions for rapid measurement of buildings. Interactive technical drawings provide a detailed layout for ease of installation.

With all this information at their fingertips, heat pump engineers can improve the quality of their installations and reduce the time spent on paperwork and preliminary preparations, supporting uptake of this important renewable technology.

THIS is looking for input from the industry to develop the app, with opportunities for installers and also stakeholders, such as heat pump manufacturers. To find out how you can get involved, please visit the website below.

Thormer Solutions, thormer.co.uk

Can an app influence the success of the heat pump roll out? Griff Thomas from Thormer Solutions explains some of the common pitfalls of heat pump installation, and discusses whether software solutions can streamline the process for installers and their customers.

SIX BENEFITS OF USING FSM SOFTWARE

Field service management (FSM) solutions have helped connect and streamline the processes of several industries.

Electrical services have seen a steep rise in demand for field services, leaving many businesses scrambling to find ways to meet this growing need. As such, it’s no surprise that electrical service providers are among the most frequent adopters of FSM software.

FSM refers to managing all activities involved in delivering products and services to customers and clients by business units outside the company’s core facilities. This includes scheduling and dispatching technicians to manage inventory, equipment, and customer data. In other words, it’s the process and method of managing whatever happens outside the four walls of your company.

FSM solutions can help businesses manage their services and products more efficiently in any industry. This includes healthcare, transportation, construction, utilities, hospitality, and more. Electrical services providers can benefit from FSM as they deal with various tasks, including installation and repair.

The benefits of FSM software for electrical companies don’t stop there. Electrical contractors can use FSM software to make the most of their time, minimise overheads, and increase profitability by improving efficiency, reducing errors and risk, and increasing customer satisfaction. These systems also allow you to attract new customers and win more bids. This is possible because FSM solutions offer a variety of robust features for managing customer relationships and service requests.

Electrical contractors can track their sales and marketing efforts more accurately and thoroughly with an FSM solution. You’ll see where your leads are coming from, who’s viewing your website, and what types of campaigns are most successful. You can also use these systems to stay in touch with your customers and create more personalised marketing strategies.

You may be tempted to use a generic service management system as it is more accessible, but remember that these systems aren’t tailored to your industry. If you want the best possible results and ROI, you should use an FSM system specific to your line of work.

Electrical services providers need an FSM system designed specifically for their industry. For example, if you sell welding services, the features and functions of an FSM system designed for plumbing won’t make sense for your workflow. Electrical contractors should look for a solution that allows tracking multiple work orders, dispatching technicians, customer relationship management, and smart inventory management.

One of the most beneficial features of a FSM system for electrical contractors is the ability to plan, manage, and track quotes and work orders. This makes it easier to win new business by helping you stay organised and respond to customer requests more quickly. It also enables you to estimate the time and resources needed to complete projects.

Electrical contractors can use these systems to track and communicate project milestones, client communications, and work order details. They also allow you to generate detailed customer service and project performance reports. If you use multiple apps to manage your workflow, you won’t be able to see the big picture. An FSM system allows you to view all customer information, project details, and other workflow components in one place.

Electrical companies work with several customers at any given time and managing all their information can become challenging. An FSM solution allows you to access customer data from a centralised location. This can help you save time, boost productivity, and reduce errors. It also makes tracking your customers and tracking project progress easier.

You can also use these systems to create surveys to gather customer feedback and insights, which will help you stay on track with your service offerings and refine your business strategy. Electrical

Electrical

contractors can also use customer data to create more personalised marketing campaigns and track leads generated through campaigns.

Electrical contractors have many tools to collaborate and communicate with their employees, customers, and vendors, but an FSM solution can help centralise collaboration and communication on a single platform. An FSM system for electrical companies allows you to manage customer data and communications, including project details, service requests, and correspondence. This enables you to share information more efficiently and accurately manage customer expectations.

Electrical contractors can also use these systems to set up and manage virtual teams and create team member permissions. This can help you boost collaboration and better organise your workflow. If you collaborate with subcontractors, this also allows you to manage team members and their project-related tasks and activities.

If you use a paper-based system to track inventory, you risk losing track of essential data. This can result in lost revenue and wasted resources. An FSM system for electrical companies allows you to track inventory from a specific location and manage it more efficiently. Electrical contractors can use these systems to manage inventory across multiple sites and receive alerts when stock is running low or needs to be reordered.

One of the best ways to grow as a business is to identify areas that need improvement, and tracking employee activity and key performance indicators can help you make better decisions, avoid missed deadlines, and improve employee satisfaction and productivity.

Electrical companies have many moving parts, which is why they can benefit from using an FSM solution. An electrical contractor FSM software will help streamline the process from start to finish and make things easier for everyone involved.

HELLERMANNTYTON BOOSTS ITS UV-RESISTANT PORTFOLIO WITH AN INDUSTRY FIRST

HellermannTyton has bolstered its range of cable identification systems with the launch of its first environmentally friendly, UV-resistant loop cable markers.

A first for the cable marking industry, HellermannTyton has designed loop cable markers that do not require cable ties, saving customers a significant amount of time and money, as well as minimising plastic waste.

Up to now, much of the industry only offered cable marking solutions with cable ties for the sole use of pre-assembly; whereas HellermannTyton’s new loop cable markers can be used post-assembly and have a recess built-in to enable the use of cable ties if desired.

As part of HellermannTyton’s expansion into the renewables industry, the loop cable markers are specifically designed for applications where cables are continuously exposed to UV light, such as within solar plants, or for use with air source heat pumps. They are also suitable for any indoor or outdoor applications requiring identification, including maintenance, assembly, test and inspection, electrical, mechanical engineering, maintenance, and panel building.

Printable with HellermannTyton’s premium range of thermal transfer printers, the loop cable markers consist of a robust and flexible halogen-free polyurethane material; ensuring their suitability for harsh external applications where UV resistance is a necessity.

Mary Arrowsmith, Product Manager for HellermannTyton comments, “We are delighted to launch loop cable markers not only to cater to the solar industry, but also for many of our customers who will be able to save a significant amount of time by applying markers without cable ties. We are proud to be the first supplier to bring this product to the industry as, for the first time, our customers will have access to a solution that they can use for post-assembly and without cable ties, improving their efficiencies in the process.”

Q-CRIMP GROMMET STRIPS ADDED TO UNICRIMP RANGE

Scolmore Group company, Unicrimp, has added Q-Crimp Grommet Strip Edge Trim Rolls to its collection.

An essential piece of kit for consumer unit installation, the premium Grommet Strips are flexible and durable and are designed to protect cables from sharp and abrasive metal edges. They provide installers with a perfect solution for rewires and board changes.

Unicrimp’s heavy duty Grommet Strip Trim Roll is available in black and in 3m and 5m lengths and can be easily cut to the required size. Unicrimp, unicrimp.com

NEW BATHROOM DOWNFLOW HEATER BOOST TO AIRMASTER SPACE HEATING RANGE

Already one of the broadest ranges of Space Heating on the market, Airmaster now features a 2kW Bathroom Downflow Heater, providing a more powerful pull cord option to the current Quartz 1.5kW fitting. As for the rest of the range, virtually all elements were upgraded for last winter.

Starting with Panel Heaters, whilst the standard and slim ranges were enhanced with remote control versions, the exciting additions were state-of-the-art smart free-standing Wi-Fi enabled heaters, including a glass panel option. New improved ranges of infrared wall, pedestal and tower products were also introduced last year.

Whilst the buzz is always in exciting new products, the heart and soul of the Airmaster range lies in the established free standing 2kW Floor and Upright Fan Heaters, 2kW Convector Heaters and the wide range of Oil Filled Radiators from 0.5 to 2.5kW. Specialist Frost Watch, Air Curtains and Tubular Heaters complete the range. CED Electrical, cedelectrical.co.uk

THE SNICKERS WORKWEAR ‘HEAD TO TOE’ LAYERING SYSTEM

‘Suit up’ in layers for consistent comfort and protection in cold and wet weather.

You’ll get ‘head to toe’ functionality and protection with Snickers WorkWear’s ergonomic base layers, insulating mid-layers and weather-protective outer layer clothing.

They not only allow craftsmen and craftswomen to quickly adjust to changing weather conditions, but also give them the opportunity to make sustainable choices about the clothes they wear on site.

This winter’s new jackets, trousers and topwear feature high-tech, breathable fabrics that not only deliver dryness and warmth but also advanced ventilation for controlling body heat – so you can always work effectively, whatever the weather.

Advanced fabrics like these are integral to every part of Snickers WorkWear’s ‘head to toe’ layering system. They combine perfectly with the brand’s hallmarks of best-in-class durability, comfort, ergonomics and sustainability. Snickers WorkWear, snickersworkWear.co.uk

SCOLMORE PUTS SAFETY FIRST

Scolmore has added Safety Lampholders to its Click Wiring Accessories range. A B22d safety pendant and batten have been designed and manufactured by the company with the aim of keeping the user safe from electrical shocks. The J-slot mechanism has the ability to disconnect power to the plungers when the lamp is removed. This will prevent the risk of electric shock when removing or installing lamps.

When there is no lamp inserted the electrical connection is isolated to the Lampholder contacts. When a BC/B22 lamp is inserted into the Lampholder and secured in the J-Slots, the electrical connection to the contacts and lamp is restored.

The new range comprises 9” and 6” T2 BC Ceiling Safety Pendant Sets and a T2BC Loop-in Batten Safety Lampholder with Straight Skirt.

Scolmore, scolmore.com

HellermannTyton, hellermanntyton.co.uk

LINDY ELECTRONICS LAUNCHES NEW DOCKING STATION

Lindy Electronics has launched the DST-Pro 100 USB-C Laptop Docking Station with Triple Display (Full HD) or Single Display (4K) and 100W Power Supply. Available now, the DST-Pro 100 is Lindy’s powerhouse docking station. Designed with pros in mind, this product allows for easy, fast and reliable charging of your device, ensuring you can perform power-hungry tasks with ease. Housed in a robust aluminium body, this dock has been constructed to facilitate elite performance. The UK retail price is £264.95.

• Connects a DisplayPort and/or up to two HDMI displays, USB peripherals and powers the laptop over a single cable

• Supports 4K 60Hz for a single display or dual 4K 30Hz displays

• Integrated four port USB SuperSpeed 5Gbps Hub (2 x Type A, 2 x Type C)

• Connect a soundbar using TosLink (Optical)

• Two-year warranty

LIVING THE HI-LITE

Inceptor Hi-Lite is a new range of IP65, CTA Switchable LED Highbays from Ovia They are all CTA switchable in the following temperature options – 4000K, 5000K and 6500K. They come in black as Standard and there is a choice of wattages – 100W, 150W or 200W. They are available as standard or with an integrated Microwave Sensor.

Extended display

This docking station comes with HDMI and DisplayPort connections, all with 4K capability. With one extended display connected, you can expect Ultra HD 4k 60Hz. This product is also capable of supporting 4k@30Hz for dual displays (using HDMI ports) and crisp Full HD@60Hz for triple display setups.

Added connectivity

Providing all the ports and card slot options you would need for a professional-grade workspace, this desktop delivers SuperSpeed (5Gbps) USB ports as well as some unique audio connectivity options. Through a single USB-C connection, access four USB Type A ports, two USB-C ports, Card Readers (SD and MicroSD), separate 3.5mm audio and microphone jacks, two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, Gigabit Ethernet and an optical TOSLink output.

demanding tasks. Simply connect your docking station with one USB-C cable and be confident that your laptop is being charged whilst you work.

Plug-and-Play

This Docking Station does not require any driver installation. This allows for seamless large-scale implementation and a hassle-free experience.

Lindy Electronics, lindy.co.uk

C.K TOOLS LIGHTS THE WAY WITH NEW HEAD TORCH

C.K Tools has launched a brand new Wide Field Head Light (T9630) to ensure greater visibility and safety when accessing wires or cables in dark and confined spaces.

The COB LED head light comes with an RRP of £39 and four modes of operation –spotlight, wide field, full beam, and dipped beam – providing the versatility needed to suit all manner of environments electricians find themselves in.

Stand out features of the Inceptor Hi-Lite Highbays are their compatibility with the 5W 3 Hour Maintained IP65 Emergency Packs and the fact that they come pre-wired with 3m of Flex.

This new range has been designed to enhance and expand the OVIA LED Highbay collection, to now offer a CTA switchable version of one of Ovia’s best specification/performing products.

The full range can be seen in the new Ovia Issue 4 catalogue which can be downloaded from the Ovia website.

Ovia, oviauk.com

MAGDUO – TWO-WIRE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM FROM ESP

ESP’s MAGDUO Two-Wire fire alarm system is aimed at small to medium contractors, offering them a highly flexible and adaptable system that will save them time and money on the installation process.

Two-Wire fire alarm systems are based on standard conventional system technology. MAGDUO utilises intelligent Two-Wire technology, which allows all devices to be wired on the same set of two-core zone cables back to the control panel – enabling it to use a single circuit per zone both for detection and to power the sounders. This advanced technology can reduce both installation and material costs.

In total, ESP’s MAGDUO range comprises 25 individual products including two, four and eight-zone fire panels (available in a grey or black finish), as well as repeater panels with the four and eight zone panels able to support up to eight repeater panels. A FlexiPoint detector is programmable to seven different modes, including smoke and heat detection and there are various sounders, strobes and call points in the range.

ESP, espuk.com

More importantly, the head light performs at a high CRI (Colour Rendering Index) rating of 80, which when optimised with a combination of 400 lumens of brightness (equivalent to a 40W LED bulb) and 5,700K of colour temperature (similar to natural light), means it can more closely project the true colour of the object it is shining on – critical when working with coloured electrical wires in dark spaces.

For extra portability, the head light is charged via USB, with six hours of runtime, three hours of charge time, and a charging indicator.

C.K Tools, ck-tools.com

45W Max (3A) USB-C/18W Max (3A) USB-A

• iPhones: 50% charge in 30 mins

• MacBook Pro: 50% charge in 58 mins

• Exclusive to Hartland/Sheer, Hartland CFX, Sheer CFX and Hartland G2/Sheer G2

• Available in 15 plate finishes

• White, black and quartz grey trim inserts

• Super-fast, super-safe and super-reliable!

Hamilton’s new Combined USB 45W (3A) Type-C and 18W (3A) Type-A double pole switched sockets are meeting customer demand for faster, more convenient charging of electronic devices. This higher amplified rating enables charging of USB devices at full capacity within the quickest time, via a standard 13A double-switched socket. A ‘must-have’ for any hotel, office or domestic fit out!

Hamilton, hamilton-litestat.com