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December-January 2003-2004 |
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University challenge
Higher education in the 21st century brings demands for a healthy work-life balance. Alison Luke finds out how the University of Hertfordshire designed a campus for the future.
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Contractor death sparks warning
The Health & Safety Executive has warned of the dangers of handling top-heavy electrical equipment on site. The warning follows a death at Canary Wharf, London. Cormac Nordon, director of Arnold Control Systems was killed in August 2001 when an electrical panel fell on him during installation.The accident happened as Nordon lifted one end of a panel off its timber bearer. Before it could be lowered to the floor the panel toppled backwards onto him. He died from severe head injuries.
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Retentions scrapped
Main contractor Overbury has flouted apathy towards payment issues and scrapped holding retentions from its preferred subcontractors. The company has monitored subcontractors over the past two years under its Perfect Delivery initiative. After reviewing results, Overbury decided it no longer needed to hold retentions from a group of trusted firms.
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Best read
Best read: Bournemouth Library has been awarded the Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award at the British Construction Industry Awards 2003. The Kier Group-led project included IEI Building Services Engineers, who undertook all of the m&e work and Caxton FM, who will provide the facilities management for the next 30 years.
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Cable comforts
Cables need cosseting: mistreat them and they will underperform; handle them with care and they will do exactly what you want. But what is the proper way to treat structured cabling?
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Meeting the standards
Fibre optics is a growing market and contractors who left this to others can no longer afford to do so. Rosemary McGlashon explains what you need to know before tackling a fibre optic cabling project.
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Preventing fires with aspirating detectors
Selecting an effective fire detection system for a building needs care. Peter Fox explains the benefits of aspirating systems.
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Brindley Place bank on Quartz
A Royal Bank of Scotland branch in Birmingham is saving on air conditioning maintenance and running costs after installation of Quartz water-side fan coils.
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To L and back
With contractors still getting used to the novel idea of the introduction of electrical safety to the Building Regulations in the shape of a new Part P, readers will no doubt be delighted to know that a revision to Part L of the Regs will go out for consultation in 2004.
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Under warranty?
What risks do signing warranties and bonds pose to contractors? Martin Wade uncovers the complexities of such agreements.
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WEEE Directive dilemma
Government body warns of industry apathy towards WEEE and RoHS Directives, while ECA tells members to watch and wait as the contractors' position is unclear.
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CIS reform – your thoughts
The Inland Revenue (IR) has published an analysis of feedback to its consultative document The Inland Revenue and the construction industry: working together for a new scheme. The document and feedback have been instigated due to industry-wide concerns about the current Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).
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Faster pipework
Faster pipework: Shepherd Engineering Services has completed a £3.6 million contract at the St Helens Retirement Village in Lancashire. The m&e design and build contract included the installation of over 60 prefabricated pipework modules complete with valve connections.
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Advice on going green
In response to reports that clients are increasingly looking for environmental policies during pre-qualification, the ECA has placed an example policy on its web site. The document offers useful tips as to the possible content of a policy, but companies should only use those parts that suit their own operation. Firms should also be able to support policy commitments with action.
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Presidential VIEW
A very welcome development for our industry has been the ever-increasing recognition of the efforts of young people wishing to enter the electrotechnical sector. The ECA has always championed the cause for education and training. It is fully supportive of award schemes that recognise the efforts that apprentices undergo to meet the demanding professional requirements of being a competent electrical operative. And the support they receive from employers does not go unnoticed.
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ECA at Electrex
The ECA has announced that it is to take a stand at Electrex at Interbuild. The show, to be held from 25-29 April 2004 at Birmingham’s NEC, will also include Total Lighting – an event for the commercial lighting sector.The ECA team hopes as many members as possible will visit its stand. Publicity manager Frank Whitefoot stresses that it is a valuable opportunity to meet with the Association staff and fellow members to discuss current issues.
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Music makers
Music makers: Hills Electrical & Mechanical and Hills Integrated Systems have completed the £1.3 million installation of electrical services at Manchester University's refurbished and extended School of Music and Drama. The facility includes a 350-seat concert hall, studio theatre, electro-acoustic studio, practice rooms, and lecture theatre. Hills also installed the exterior lighting.
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Dedicated Part P section on the web site
The ECA has created a dedicated Part P section on its web site to provide members with online support and guidance in the run up to its inclusion in the Building Regulations in the third quarter of 2004.
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Crime in the countryside
There is a rising tide of rural robbery out in the provinces. Graham Piggott explains how wireless technology presents a business opportunity.
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A flying start
Created from the merger of the Electrical Installation Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (EIEMA) and the British Electrical Systems Association (BESA), BEAMA Installation has been quick out of the blocks.
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Counterfeiters beware
BEAMA Installation is playing a major role in the campaign to beat the counterfeiters of electrical equipment, but countries must get tougher.
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RCDs – the hidden issues
To rcd or not to rcd, that is the question? Whether it is better to fit and forget, or to understand and correctly select and apply the correct device?
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2010: electric dreams?
What do the advances in electrical and electronic technology mean for the future of domestic m&e services installations? Will our homes really have changed dramatically by 2010 and how will this affect contractors?
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Health plan
The installation of bedside entertainment and communications systems in hospitals is providing a number of challenges to electrical contractors. EMC looks at a solution at Leeds General Infirmary.
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Cheap foreign labour causes crisis
Amicus warns that european contractors are gaining an unfair advantage by employing cheap foreign labour on projects undertaken in the UK, while British firms have to work to NAECI National Agreement terms.
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ID cards to be trialled on sites
Identity cards are to be introduced to construction sites in a measure to stamp out illegal workers. The government plan will be piloted on two sites in central London and the South East in early 2004.
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T Clarke man retires
Barry Buchanan, a director of T Clarke, is to retire after serving 38 years with the company. He was appointed md of the firm’s Midlands operation in 1981 and he was made a company director in 1990.
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It’s electric
It’s electric: An electric storm is coursing along London’s South Bank and it will be here until mid-February 2004. These freak weather conditions are caused by Shell UK and Make Communications, a group of architects, designers, consultants and story tellers. The installation will feature lights, mist and music, all powered by a 43 m-tall wind turbine. A different show will be created each night, changing as the feature interacts with the weather.
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New HVCA pay deal
The Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association and trade union Amicus have thrashed out a pay deal that will give operatives £10 per hour.
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TV times
TV times: N G Bailey & Co has landed a major part in the latest BBC production, that of its new home for BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Both Bailey Prefabrication and the Leeds branch of N G Bailey are working on the project, providing a prefabricated boiler plant skid and pipework modules over two floors. The boiler plant was installed in one day instead of the traditional two or three weeks.
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Fines low says HSE
Fines against firms found guilty of breaking health and safety laws are too low, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
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Call for low energy solutions
BSRIA’s 2003 Briefing addressed the issue of how the building services industry can meet the challenges laid down in the Government’s Energy White Paper.
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Suppliers look to the future
Welcome to this special supplement that has been published to celebrate the formation this year of BEAMA Installation.
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Able cable
Contractors should be aware of new standards relating to the fire performance of cables within buildings.
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Raise the JIB
Now 35 years old, how relevant is the JIB to the industry today? Michael Latham outlines your thoughts.
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The Concorde experience
When two countries successfully partnered 35 years ago to build an aeroplane, why is construction still struggling with the concept? Tony Matthews looks at what Concorde can teach the industry.
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P's pudding
Part P finally arrives after much lobbying by industry, but what's in store for contractors?
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SummitSkills close to licence
The electrotechnical, heating and ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration and plumbing industries are close to having a new champion for training in the shape of SummitSkills.
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