Connections Scotland - Autumn 2020

AUTUMN 2020

Adapt and thrive How Scotland’s contractors can ourish in an uncertain climate

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We can help with the downs and put the ups back on top Your mental health and wellbeing is important to us. Did you know that you and your families have exclusive access to our free Employee Assistance 3URJUDPPH RŏHULQJ D UDQJH RI IUHH FRQŐGHQWLDO VXSSRUW VHUYLFHV" We support anyone who is associated with our Industry.

If in doubt just give us a shout! Our support services are here for you.

An Industry Charity that’s just for you.

Access Assistance 0800 652 1618 support@electricalcharity.org

0203 696 1710 business@electricalcharity.org facebook.com/electricalcharity @electriccharity

Electrical Industries Charity Registered charity 1012131 and SCO 38811 Registered Office: Rotherwick House, 3 Thomas More St, St Katharine’s & Wapping, London E1W 1YZ Tel 0203 696 1710

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INSIDE

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HELLO 4 While Covid-19 has been at the front of everyone’s mind recently, there are other issues to be aware of

INDUSTRY UPDATE 5 Safety checks in short-term lets, new campaign on the importance of using registered electricans, and 18th Edition assessment now available to take remotely

STATE OF THE NATION 6 Covid-19 is not the only thing

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we should be considering – Brexit, renewable energy and the Scottish parliamentary elections could all provide challenges and opportunities for contractors

CASE STUDY 8 The University of Glasgow’s new data centre was a tough task for any firm to carry out – but Stothers Building Engineering Services was up to the job

CERTIFIER OF CONSTRUCTION 10 How the Certifier of Construction scheme can boost efficiency, productivity and compliance on site

CON TAC TS / CO NNE C T IO NS

Level 5, 78 Chamber Street, London E1 8BL EDITORIAL General 020 7880 6200 Email nick.martindale@redactive.co.uk Editor Nick Martindale Technical editor Timothy Benstead Sub editor Kate Bennett Designer Craig Bowyer Picture researcher Akin Falope Publishing and business development director Aaron Nicholls ADVERTISING/MARKETING connections@redactive.co.uk 020 7880 6206

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ISSN 2042-5732

WWW.NICEIC.COM ENQUIRIES Certsure 01582 539000 Communications executive Debbie Shields 01582 539100 debbie.shields@certsure.com NICEIC Direct Paul Elcock 01582 539709 paul.elcock@certsure.com Twitter @officialNICEIC or @officialELECSA Customer services 0333 015 6625 Sales 0333 015 6626 Training 0333 015 6627 Technical helpline 0333 015 6628 Insurance 0333 015 6629

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TEC HN CAL K VA N I PA RKER

Facing the future Much of this year has centred on the impact of Covid-19 and adapting to the new realities. But there are other issues too on which we should focus

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ithout doubt, 2020 has been a year like no other, and as we enter autumn there are still many challenges to overcome and opportunities to seize. While the majority of the electrical contracting industry is back at work, the effects of living with the pandemic are still present.

Economic recession, health and social concerns and the threat of future lockdowns remain front-ofmind, and rightly so. However, Covid-19 is not the only issue in play. There are other factors that deliver both opportunities and challenges for us all.

These include Brexit, the Scottish Parliamentary elections, and the renewed focus on renewable energy and green technologies. More specific to our industry, there is also the conversation around the regulation of electricians in Scotland. To keep you up to date on these topics, we have provided an update on page 6.

I would also like to highlight the Draft for Public Comment (DPC) relating to Amendment 2 of the 18th Edition – BS 7671 – IET Wiring Regulations.

Published in mid-September, this document provides the first glimpse of the proposed changes that are due to be introduced in March 2022 and, as its name suggests, it is open for public comment. I encourage you to use the opportunity to put forward your views.

You will no doubt have seen communications from us on this topic, including a webinar detailing the proposed changes and how they could impact you and your business. You can view the session on demand on the customer portal.

I would like to close on some good news. I am delighted to report that NICEIC has once again been approved by the Scottish government as an Approved Provider of Certifier of Construction scheme for Electrical Installations to BS 7671 – testament to our collective efforts in upholding standards and driving technical excellence.

Until next time, please stay safe and look after each other.

‘Covid-19 is not the only issue on the table’

Kevan Parker is managing director of Certsure

All information in this Connections supplement is correct as of 25 September.

N I C E I C I N S COT L A N D / ME E T T H E T E AM STUART THOMPSON, SCOTTISH SALES MANAGER Stuart is an experienced commercial manager with experience of national account management, project management and marketing. Based in Scotland, he is responsible for NICEIC Scotland membership and works with a wide network of members, key customers, stakeholders, business partners and specifiers.

PHILIP MARTIN, AREA ENGINEER Philip is an electrical technician with more than 30 years’ experience in all areas of the electrical engineering and petrochemical industry. Previously a senior qualified supervisor with British Gas, he helped establish its current quality auditing regime, which identifies training needs for all electrical operatives.

NEIL STEWART, AREA ENGINEER Neil is our latest area engineer to join the NICEIC. Based in Livingston, West Lothian, Neil started off as an apprentice on new building and housing renovation with a small company in Edinburgh. Many years later, Neil has extensive knowledge in social housing, medical adaptations, the modular building industry and more. He has also been a qualified supervisor for over 20 years.

EDDIE ARROWSMITH, REGIONAL ENGINEERING MANAGER Eddie is NICEIC’s regional engineering manager, based in Aberdeen.

He served his electrical apprenticeship with British Rail and specialised in DC systems, high-voltage AC systems and DC machines. He worked for consulting engineers’ practices for 18 years, and was senior electrical engineer with WS Atkins.

JOHN McELHATTON, AREA ENGINEER John is an electrical technician with extensive industry experience, having spent 20 years working on projects such as Wembley Stadium, IAH Pirbright, GCHQ and AWE. He has been a senior authorising engineer on both low and high voltage systems. John covers North East Scotland.

LOUISE FRAME, AREA ENGINEER Louise covers the North Glasgow and Lanarkshire regions. She started her career with an electrical apprenticeship when she was 16.

Since then, she has worked in homes, schools, offices and factories, theatres, sports stadia and museums. She became a QS and was in an electrical management role before joining NICEIC.

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SCOTTISH UPDATE

CAMPAIGN PROMOTES USE OF REGISTERED ELECTRICIANS

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

Call for electrical safety checks in short-term lets Industry charity Electrical Safety First has welcomed the Scottish government’s plan to regulate shortterm lets (STLs).

“We warmly welcome the commitment, given in the Programme for Government, to legislate for STLs, such as those listed on Airbnb, which have dramatically increased in recent years,” said Wayne Mackay, public affairs manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland at Electrical Safety First.

“However, we believe it is imperative that the proposed licensing scheme includes a requirement for mandatory electrical safety checks. Three-quarters of Scotland’s fires are caused by electricity. In fact, it is the number one cause of fire in Scottish homes.

And the risk of fire is likely to be

increased if a property has a high turnover of residents and lacks regular electrical checks.”

Electrical Safety First is calling for STLs to be required to have mandatory five-yearly electrical safety checks, carried out by a registered electrician, so that it is on par with the private rented sector.

“The Scottish government led the UK in protecting tenants by requiring regular electrical safety checks, by a registered electrician, in all privately rented homes,” added Mackay. “But the legislation doesn’t cover tenants in owner occupied homes.

“As the majority of STLs are in owner-occupied properties, with research finding that a quarter of Scotland’s STL guests had experienced an electrical safety issue, this shortfall must be addressed.”

A new Scotland-wide campaign has launched to encourage consumers to check that they are using registered electricians.

The initiative – Be a Bright Spark, Choose the Right Spark – has been developed by groups including the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), NICEIC, Electrical Safety First, the Scottish government, Trading Standards Scotland and Advice Direct Scotland. It encourages people to access findanelectricianscotland.com to find electricians from recognised industry bodies such as NICEIC. SFRS group commander David Dourley said: “Poorly installed electrical work can put consumers at risk. We want to help the public to avoid electrical fires by asking them to consider if they are using a registered electrician.”

The campaign will be launched on social media during October.

New figures from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have revealed there were 1,123 electrical fires in Scotland during the past fiscal year (2019/20). The category ‘Wiring, cabling and plugs’ accounted for almost half of all electrical fires.

Take 18th Edition test remotely NICEIC and ELECSA, in association with JTL, are p pleased to confirm they are autho authorised to deliver the City & Guild Guilds 18th Edition remote assessmen assessment. This means you can now un undertake the BS 7671:2018 quali qualification exam from your ow own home or office.

“Many people now want and need to

update skills remotely,” said Sam Egerton, sales manager at City & Guilds. “For some, it comes down to timing and not being able to take time away from the day job, for others it is a preference and, of course, in light of the current situation for many, it is about necessity and safety.”

Neil Vincent, NICEIC and ELECSA’s head of training, said: “Having had the

remote exam in our portfolio for two months now, I am encouraged by the feedback from delegates who are relishing the convenience of being able to sit the assessment remotely.”

To book your 18th Edition remote assessment, please contact the NICEIC Training administration team on 0333 015 6627.

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STAT E OF T H E N AT IO N

Adapt and thrive

BY ROB SHEPHERD

A

With the Covid-19 pandemic affecting all aspects of our lives, Brexit looming and the Scottish Parliament election next year, these are tumultuous times. Yet while contractors could be forgiven for having concerns, there are also reasons for optimism

RENEWABLE RECOVERY With some of the best natural resources in Europe, Scotland has established itself as a leader in renewable energy technologies. PreCovid-19, the country’s renewables sector was buoyant, helped by the Scottish government setting a target to meet the equivalent of 100 per cent demand for electricity from renewable energy and 11 per cent from renewable heat by 2020.

“The initial shutdown of the Scottish economy left many projects on hold, but we were pleased to see renewable energy defined as essential infrastructure,” says Nick Sharpe, director of communications and strategy at Scottish Renewables.

“The renewable energy industry was

‘Trying to create a “one size fits all” definition of an electrician is a flawed endeavour’

able to produce guidance which allowed work to restart sooner than it otherwise would have been able to, meaning impacts were limited as far as possible.”

To propel renewable energy to the forefront of the economic recovery, Nicholas Gubbins, chief executive of Community Energy Scotland, believes more must be done to highlight the benefits of initiatives.

“A strong interest at community level in renewable energy, a consistent Scottish government policy framework and, within the limits of its devolved powers, supportive financial incentives will have a significant impact,” he says.

The number of electric vehicles (EVs) in Scotland has increased rapidly in recent years. The country already has the highest level of rapid EV charging provision per head of population in comparison to the rest of the UK, with 8.9 rapid chargers per 100,000 of population.

The Scottish government aims to phase out new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032, and is

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

s the sector looks towards the ongoing challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic, many electrical contracting service providers are examining their operational models and adapting their activities to meet current needs, all while looking at potential opportunities for growth.

Electrical contracting and the wider construction sectors have remained reasonably active. Figures from the HIS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Total Activity Index jumped to 55.3 in June, from 28.9 in May, signalling a strong increase in total construction output. By late August, 88 per cent of plumbers, electrical contractors, builders and carpenters questioned in Screwfix’s Trade Pulse index were working, against 72 per cent in April and 77 per cent in May. Asked to summarise his experience of the past few months, Greg MacArthur, contracts director at Prime Electrical Group, says: “It has been incredibly challenging, as much of our work is carried out in the newbuild sector, which relies on people buying houses. Some of our staff were furloughed, including myself, and this meant that we had to adapt our operation while having people available to react to any customer emergencies. Having come through this, we are looking to the post-coronavirus future with a positive attitude.”

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heat pumps,” he says. “If anything, we are seeing more interest due to the pandemic and the desire to be more energy self-reliant.”

more UK-based manufacturing.

“During coronavirus, some elements of the supply chain stood up very well,” he says. “However, when you are reliant on acquiring products from a range of sources and one lets you down, it leaves you high and dry. If ever there was a time for the country to go back into manufacturing it’s now.”

Next year’s Scottish Parliament elections will bring issues such as independence back into the spotlight, and some see it as an opportunity to put renewable energy at the centre of a green SAYING GOODBYE recovery. “We are asking the Covid-19 has done the impossible Scottish government to commit and replaced Brexit in the to setting up a Renewables headlines. However, the transition Transition Training Fund to help period, when the UK leaves the those working in careers that are European Union single market not compatible with a net-zero and customs union, comes to an economy move into the renewable end on 1 January 2021, this will energy industry,” says Scottish have implications for the electrical Renewables’ Sharpe. contracting sector. Companies EVi Charge Point director should consider the current Neil Beattie is optimistic about environment as a prompt to EV and renewable energy. “We rethink supply chains and make don’t anticipate Brexit will affect them more resilient. the drive towards EVs and Some, such as Prime Electrical technologies such as solar Group’s MacArthur, argue this photovoltaics and air source could be addressed through The amount invested in the ChargePlace Scotland network by the Scottish government investing more than £30 million in the ChargePlace Scotland network, which has grown from 55 public charge points in 2013 to over 1,000 in 2020. The installation of public EV chargers is continuing apace, while homeowners, under the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, can claim a £350 Office for Low Emission (OLEV) grant towards the cost of an EV home charger. This should create valuable opportunities for electrical contractors with the right skills in the coming years.

£30m

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TITLE MATCH Another subject picking up ground is the move to outlaw those who are unqualified from calling themselves electricians. A number of industry bodies have been lobbying the Scottish government to introduce protection of title for electricians, to reduce substandard electrical installations in Scotland and minimise risk to the public. A consultation on a Private Members Bill on the topic is open until 10 November and the Scottish government’s working group on electricians continues to look at the many issues that this subject raises.

Eddie Arrowsmith, NICEIC’s regional engineering manager, acknowledges that while formal training is important, qualifications themselves do not indicate competency. “The issue is far more nuanced, and should involve an ongoing assessment regime that gauges whether a person currently has the skills to carry out electrical work in the safest and most efficient way possible,” he says.

“Electrical work is carried out by people with a range of skillsets and we believe that trying to create a “one size fits all” definition of an electrician is a flawed endeavour.”

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS John F Kennedy once said, ‘In a crisis, be aware of the danger – but recognise the opportunity’. As we begin to emerge from one of the most difficult times in modern history, electrical contractors in Scotland must assess the economic situation, acknowledge the challenges posed by the recovery and exploit opportunities that exist as a result, while reacting quickly to the needs of their customers and continuing to innovate.

Rob Shepherd is a freelance business journalist who specialises in the building services industry

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CASE STUDY

Putting together a data centre to act as the base for some of the University of Glasgow’s IT infrastructure required

Stothers Building Engineering Services to draw on all its electrical experience

BY DAVID ADAMS

University challenge Company Stothers Building Engineering Services Established 1957

The company had worked with the equipment, technologies and services installed, but had never needed to integrate all of them in one project, including systems supporting the IT equipment and management of the building’s other systems, from lighting to heating, cooling, emergency and resilience systems. As Stothers’s electrical director John Wilkins says: “It’s not every day we come across such a challenging project.”

PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS The company won the contract in mid-2018 and work began that September. It later won an additional bid to complete a second phase in the data centre’s second hall during 2019.

IMAGES: PAUL ZANRE PHOTOGRAPHY

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ata centres are to the modern age what coal and steam were to the industrial revolution. They can also be hugely impressive facilities, on a technical level, if they have been constructed properly. The Saughfield Building at the University of Glasgow is one such data centre.

Built on the campus as part of a £1 billion redevelopment programme, it consists of a ‘black box’ building and a separate generator house surrounded by timber batons. It houses the university’s ScotGrid servers (used for a collaborative project between particle physicists and computer scientists in the UK and at CERN in Switzerland) and the IT infrastructure running the university’s physics, astronomy and IT departments. There is space to accommodate any other systems the university may add.

This state-of-the-art, resilient facility relies on electrical and mechanical infrastructures built, installed, commissioned and tested by NICEIC registered firm Stothers Building Engineering Services. Stothers was founded in Belfast in 1957 by Denis Stothers to provide maintenance services to local businesses. Today it has a £40 million turnover, more than 100 staff and offices in Belfast, Glasgow and Warrington. It provides a comprehensive range of electrical, mechanical, technical and design services across the UK and Ireland, including office and residential developments, prisons, hospitals and schools.

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Step loads have been considered and will be managed via the mains generator control system and motorised breakers within the switchgear.

Connections have been included within the main switchgear to allow for connection of a temporary set and load bank connection. Stothers also installed a full UPS solution to support power transfers for both electrical and mechanical loads without outages.

Installation of the standby generator presented a major challenge: it took some time to find a supplier prepared to create a plan to install the equipment. In the end, DTGen and Ainscough Industrial Services supplied the generator to the site in sections, which were lowered in via crane before being rebuilt on site.

Other systems installed on-site include internal, external and emergency lighting systems, fire detection, alarm and suppression systems, and security measures including alarms, CCTV and card/fob-based physical access control.

The key problem affecting the job was that access was via a narrow road, and deliveries could only be made at certain times. “We had to be very organised to avoid disruption to the day-today running of the university,” says Stothers’s electrical contracts manager Neil Alexander.

The project encompassed every aspect of the electrical and mechanical services within the building, starting with an extension of the university’s existing 11kV switchboard using two new circuit breakers. Stothers installed two fully rated oil-filled 11kV/400V 1600kVA transformers and two close-coupled 200A ring main units.

Inside, Stothers built a full LV power distribution system, including streamed UPS input and output switchboards, a UPS unit and batteries. All outgoing ways are protected by ACBs and MCCBs of various sizes, while automated transfer switches provide additional assurance.

Distribution boards are installed to distribute power for lighting, small power, specialised and mechanical services. In the two data halls, the distribution system is based on overhead busbars supplying the server racks, with A and B supplies provided to each rack via Type D MCB tap-offs.

Energy use is metered and monitored.

Mains supply is backed up by a 1600kVA standby generator that can support the facility if necessary, powering LV switchboards in a supply failure and able to complete a soft transfer back to the mains at the end of an outage.

TESTING TIME Following testing and final commissioning of each of the individual systems, Stothers completed a programme of integrated systems testing, including testing resilience and controls against various load and failure scenarios.

“Everything was tested and tested again,” Neil explains. “Testing the switch gear took three days. I think there were 12 to 15 people on site for the integrated systems testing: all around the building we had people who had to report back on everything happening as planned.”

Planning, commissioning and testing also had to be coordinated with existing infrastructures.

Stothers benefited from the cooperation and support of the university’s engineering and technical support teams.

“It was good to involve them at an early stage,” says Neil. “We invited them to the site for a walkaround every couple of weeks. All they ever asked for was a few additional labels. From a technical point of view everything was accepted.”

The project has left the team with great sense of satisfaction. “This was by far the most complex installation of this kind that we’ve installed to date,” says Neil. “We’re just proud of doing a really good job and leaving the client with something they can be happy with that will meet their needs for a long time to come.”

‘This was by far the most complex installation of this kind that we’ve installed to date’

£1bn

David Adams is a freelance business journalist

The total value of the redevelopment programme at the university

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CERTIFIER OF CONSTRUCTION

Spread the word While it has been in operation in Scotland since 2005, the Certifier of Construction scheme is still not that well known by consumers or promoted by contractors. But that might be about to change

BY CHERYL COX

of Construction (Electrical Installations to BS 7671) Scheme.

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION Certification brings a number of benefits for the consumer. Firstly, the use of an Approved Certifier removes the need for detailed scrutiny of designs or inspections by a local authority. This also attracts a discount on the building warrant application fee if the local authority is notified of the intended use of an Approved Certifier.

Secondly, because the professional and/or tradesperson must be approved to carry out certification tasks, the consumer knows there is a support mechanism in place if anything goes wrong.

In the case of NICEIC’s Certifier of Construction Scheme for Electrical Installations, all Approved Certifiers are assessed annually to demonstrate their knowledge of BS 7671 and the Building (Scotland) Regulations. This makes sure they can provide a quality service and compliance with the relevant Building Regulations. The NICEIC Certifier of Construction scheme also ensures the certifier’s company holds adequate insurance cover.

The commercial sector can also gain.

Having certifiers on site can mean fewer delays and increase productivity. As part of the phased return to work in Scotland, Kevin Stewart MSP, minister for local government, housing and planning, wrote to local authorities to highlight the positive impact of certification: “Although certification is an optional method for compliance, certificates of design support the earliest approval of warrants by removing the need for verifiers to check compliance in these areas.

“The use of certificates of construction would also have significant value at this time where there is a need and requirement to actively manage the number of people on site.”

CONSULTATION In August 2020, a consultation on the regulation of electricians in Scotland was published. One of the options is a single register of electricians in Scotland. It stated that “the most practical option for delivering [a register of electricians] would be utilising the Certification

IMAGE: ALAMY

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he Building (Scotland) Act 2003 introduced the certification system as an alternative way to demonstrate compliance with the Building (Scotland) Regulations.

The system allows building work to be certified as complying with the Building Regulations in Scotland by qualified building professionals and tradespeople, without the need for inspections by the local authority.

Certification covers design and/ or construction and only applies when the work requires a building warrant (permission to build).

To be eligible for the scheme, building professionals and tradespeople need to demonstrate they have the relevant qualifications and experience to support their role as a certifier. A certifier, who can be employed by a company or operate as a sole trader, must also operate a system of quality assurance to confirm all the relevant requirements of the Building Regulations have been met.

There are six scheme providers appointed in Scotland for various design and construction disciplines.

NICEIC is one of these, and has just been reappointed as a scheme provider for the Certification

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4000+ CERTIFIER OF CONSTRUCTION CERTIFICATES FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS TO BS 7671 ARE ISSUED ANNUALLY IN SCOTLAND

opportunity. NICEIC and, in turn, its registered contractors have a lot to bring to the table that the Scottish government values to ensure all voices are heard.”

VISIBILITY Consumers’ awareness levels of certification schemes need to be raised. All Building Standards scheme providers have been working to increase visibility of the certification route, and the bodies that have committed themselves to best practice and upholding the highest building standards.

A new logo will soon be launched that approved certifiers and bodies can use to promote their business. You may have seen the animation explaining the role of certification to Scotland’s construction sector.

Register provided through the Scottish government’s current Certification of Construction scheme”.

While the schemes are administered by bodies such as NICEIC, Stephen Garvin, head of the building standards department at the Scottish government, has long been a supporter of the process. “Certification has been a key element of the Scottish Building Standards system since 2004,” he says. “NICEIC registrants have contributed greatly to the compliance of construction work through the electrical scheme.

“Reports carried out following the Edinburgh Schools Inquiry and Grenfell Tower tragedy highlighted the importance of certification,” he adds. “Through the work of the Scottish Building Standards Futures Board, the Scottish government is working with all scheme providers to consider ways in which certification can be promoted, and also the value of certification for all those involved.

‘Reports carried out following the Edinburgh Schools Inquiry and Grenfell Tower tragedy highlighted the importance of certification’ “The impact of Covid-19 has also changed the way people work and how the development of off-site construction could also create new challenges and opportunities, where certification can provide assurances for both client and verifier. This could bring new areas for certified processes, if there is demand, and it is important that we all work together to utilise the

SIGNING UP To become an Approved Certifier of Construction, an individual must apply to an approved scheme provider (such as NICEIC) and meet standards agreed with the Scottish government Building Standards Division. There is no additional charge for NICEIC Approved Contractors to apply for the Certifier of Construction status and, once registered, there are no additional annual assessment fees.

NICEIC has a free online training course and exam. This ensures contractors can show the required knowledge and understanding of Building Regulations in Scotland.

If you would like more information, speak to your assessor during your next assessment, visit niceic.com/join-us/scotlandschemes, or call 0333 0156 626.

Cheryl Cox is head of communications and public affairs at Certsure

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