Electrical & Mechanical Contractor - official magazine of the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) and the voice of building services contracting.

15 December 2005

	February 2004

	Play happy companies Heating and ventilation installer Farrelly Facilities & Engineering has won an employer of the year award for its family-friendly policies.

	Domestic cable colours change Cables in domestic premises are to change from red and black to brown (phase) and blue (neutral) respectively.

	Prison service Prison service: Hills Electrical & Mechanical has completed a low energy installation in a new mother and baby unit at HMP Askham Grange near York. The building has been successfully assessed for a BRE EcoHomes environmental performance rating. The unit has ten bedrooms, storerooms, bathrooms, nursery and prison staff facilities. Hills won the £350 000 design and build contract to install all m&e services.

	Charity warms up The installation of underfloor heating has helped a Midlands-based charity reduce its energy consumption substantially and half its heating bills.

	Media cool Media cool: Staff at the new Media Village in White City, London will be kept cool thanks to Carrier Holland Heating. Thirty of the firm’s air handling units are being installed by m&e contractor Haden Young in two new buildings at the site. These will supply 300 m3/s of conditioned air. A further 20 Carrier air handlers will serve the site’s Broadcast Centre. Project completion is due late 2004.

	Light control for Bristol sports centre Hager’s Tebis bus-based system and Ashley System3Grid modular switches are providing control at a new sports facility in Bristol.

	Operation completed Shepherd Engineering Services (SES) has completed work on two high-tech operating theatres, a recovery room and a high dependency room at the Royal Berkshire & Battle Hospital in Reading.

	Reaching new heights Reaching new heights: Novar has won contracts valued at up to £42 million to supply the life safety and building management systems for Heathrow Terminal 5. The package will include Gent fire detection, voice alarm and public address systems and Trend intelligent building controls. The control system will comprise up to 2000 Trend intelligent controllers and 30 000 inputs and outputs, making it the largest UK installation of its kind. Phase one of the terminal development is due to complete in 2007 and open in spring 2008.

	Data comes of age John Redshaw outlines the work that the ECA has undertaken to help develop a suite of occupational standards and NVQs for datacomms.

	Suspended sentence Suspension of works may seem an ideal solution to receiving monies due, but when and how can this sanction be used?

	This is planet earth Tim Oldershaw and Dave Stefanowicz look at earthing in data systems in buildings and point out where things can go wrong.

	Take vat New legislation covering the completion of vat invoices is now in place. Steve James outlines what your firm must do to comply.

	A head for heights Happy New Year and welcome to another raft of rules to cast your refreshed eyes over. This time it's the proposed Working at Height Regulations (see pages 7 and 17); the four-month consultation period is well under way, so make sure you get your comments in now.

	Use your vote I am writing on behalf of the members of the Association of Technical Lightning and Access Specialists (ATLAS) to support Peter Foster, the president of the Contract Flooring Association (CFSA), and other industry figures for their recent outcrys regarding retentions. Foster's comments have provoked unprecedented reaction from our members. We are with him all the way.

	Fully insured? Prohibitive insurance premiums are being blamed for the demise of many electrical companies, but there are several ways that firms can help reduce the impact on their business. Firms have the power to reduce the draconian effect increased premiums are having on their business. In most cases, they need take only a few measures that will make them a more attractive proposition to insurers. The problem is that most do not realise this, and those who do are often not sure where to turn for advice.

	Pre-Budget report has a nasty sting in its tail The Chancellor's upbeat pre-Budget report hides the threat of a new tax on business dividends that will penalise the entrepeneurial owner-manager.

	Datacomms ECS card The JIB has announced the national roll-out of the new Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) Datacommunications Card. The new certification will provide industry-wide levels of recognition for operatives working within the sector.

	Housing to be tackled Lord Ezra, president of the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) has called for the Government to introduce a reduced rate of vat and standard form of grant for home improvement work.

	Presidential view Last year ended with welcome results from cross-industry collaboration in which the ECA was involved. The Major Projects Agreement (MPA) received a welcome boost towards the end of 2003 with the news that this industrial relations model will be implemented at Heathrow’s Terminal 5. This followed a successful initial meeting of the M&E Forum in July. Supporting the UK’s largest ever construction project, the MPA T5 agreement will be a showcase for true co-operation among all parties within the industry. This lays an excellent foundation for building on those achievements. Also, the Sector Skills Development Agency has agreed to issue a five-year licence to SummitSkills as the Sector Skills Council for the building services sector which embraces the industry.

	Working at height safely The ECA wants to hear from members who have come up against restrictions on the use of step ladders in order to find out the alternatives that exist. This request comes in the light of the new Work at Height Regulations, due out this year, that will place emphasis on finding alternatives to using ladders and steps as workstations. Information gleaned from responses will be added to advice from the HSE, clients, trade bodies and manufacturers, before being disseminated throughout the Association for the benefit of all. A brief questionnaire has already been sent out but if you need another contact Paul Reeve at the ECA.

	Apprentice awards The ECA Apprentice Awards 2003 have recognised the achievements of young apprentices from Southern Electric Contracting (SEC), Bailey Rail and N G Bailey and Giffen Group. The ECA Gold Medal winner was Luke Bryant of SEC (below). He was the highest placed ECA member apprentice in the City & Guilds national results list of over 1460 candidates. The Silver Medal went to Terry Pauls of Bailey Rail, while the Bronze was awarded to Alfie Langley of NG Bailey. The ‘C’ Course Gold Medal winner was Neil Johnson of the Giffen Group.

	Insulation in floor voids Members working with insulation in floor voids, in accordance with Part L of the Building Regulations, should derate installation cables by a factor of 0.55 if the cables are entirely surrounded by insulation, advises the ECA. In practice, this would mean installing a 4mm2 twin and earth cable with a 32 A ring circuit. Alternatives include fitting a 20 A protective device, creating a 75 mm void around the cable or using radial circuits.

	Care in the community A new care centre in Farnham has centralised primary care in the area and provided a new facility for kidney dialysis patients.

	SummitSkills granted a licence to operate SummitSkills has been granted a five-year licence to operate as the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the building services engineering sector, with effect from December 2003.

	Work experience at HVCA The HVCA has launched an initiative to encourage its members to offer work experience placements to young people. Making the Team is part of the HVCA’s programme to mark its Centenary year in 2004.

	Higher education Higher education: SES recently lifted over 17 tonnes of heavy plant equipment in two days at its New College Durham project. In total, 35 items were craned onto the roof of the new, four-storey, further education building. The equipment included boilers, air handling units and water tanks. They form part of the company’s £6.2 million m&e contract.

	Product recycling A group of appliance manufacturers have set up a new company to recycle electrical and electronic consumer products in line with new European law.

	Construction sector work steady Higher government spending will be crucial to sustain current growth trends in the construction industry over the next three years. This is due to the slowing of private sector generated work, according to the Construction Products Association’s industry forecasts. Michael Ankers, the Association’s chief executive, said: “Although private sector growth is forecast to constrain activity over the next three years, government spending continues to keep the industry optimistic, with public sector output forecast to grow by 7·5% in 2004, 3·1% in 2005 and 2·5% in 2006.”

	Accessories: Quantity and quality Homeowners want more electrical accessories, of better quality, than before. Shrewd contractors can benefit from the trend.

	Light work When it comes to choosing light sources in offices, whether it's a replacement or new system, there are a number of factors to take into account. David Patrick explains why it pays to take a close look at what lamps offer.

	Shedding light A system that allows dimming of metal halide lamps is saving energy in 'shed' buildings. David Barnwell outlines the implications for contractors.

	Terminal 5 adopts M&E Major Projects Agreement BAA becomes the first client to adopt the m&e industry's Major Projects Agreement on its Heathrow Terminal 5 construction project.

	Charitable concerns Wigginton boss Paul Keyland talks to Andrew Brister about running an electrical contracting business and cycling in far-flung places for charity.

	High hopes New regulations on working at height are set to become law in 2004. How will they affect your working practices? Paul Reeve outlines the changes.

	Moeller and Electrium sold Two big names in the electrical equipment world have been bought out by private equity providers. Both aim to focus on core markets and increase market share.

	Work at Height Regulations released for industry comment The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has released a consultation document that outlines the proposed work at height regulations and guidance, and is seeking industry responses.

	Curtains up Administration, an armed siege and protected artwork... the story of London's Hackney Empire theatre's restoration could itself make a stage production.

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