Eaton Electric’s Studio 3 lighting controls have been installed in three refurbished sound mixing theatres in Camden, London for Videosonics. These allow four, pre-set lighting arrangements to be easily chosen and manually adjusted if needed. Videosonics is a sound editing firm that serves film and tv companies; its lighting needs vary with the projects. The Studio 3 system was installed by Tarnwalk (UK) of Chandlers Ford.

NG Bailey has installed Pyrotenax Multi-Plus cables and Raychem HWAT self-regulating hot water temperature maintenance systems at a new stadium in Swansea. The Tyco Thermal Controls products are used for the lighting and hot water systems respectively in the £24 million stadium, which will be home to Swansea City FC and Swansea Ospreys RFC. Tyco Thermal Controls wholesaler partner Newey & Eyre supplied over 20 km of Multi-Plus cabling to NG Bailey for the project. Over 300 m of Raychem HWAT cable was installed over 25 circuits.

Trox UK has manufactured and supplied over 500 chilled beams for phase two of the Citygate project in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Southern Electric Contracting (SEC) has completed a hv contract at Knapp Mill Water Treatments Works in Christchurch, Dorset. The £1 million contract for Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water will provide long-term reliability and allow for future growth at the site.

As more clients demand that contractors work to ISO 14 001, are you prepared for the changes to the standard?

An increased desire for intelligent building technologies and smart homes is creating a new market for electrical contractors. Giuliano Digilio explains where you should be seeking work.

Are you prepared for the increased use of electronic tendering? Martin Wade outlines the benefits and pitfalls of the system.

Should your subcontractors actually be classed as employees? John Davis warns that getting the status wrong could cost you.

It’s not easy running a business. You just ask ECA members in the £2-20 million turnover bracket (page 13). The ECA’s latest market research clearly shows that SME firms are feeling vulnerable: 70% of companies expect to have to grow, diversify or merge in order to survive.

At the recently held ECA Conference in Mallorca it was refreshing to attend one of the breakout sessions with the theme health and safety on site. However, I was staggered to hear that there is almost total ignorance regarding complete system supply and integrity for metal framing products commonly known as strut.

While it is true that residential structured network cabling has been around for some time, developers and installers would do well to sit up and take notice of the recent growth in the trend for integrated consumer electronics in the home.

At present there are still several obstacles preventing smart homes from becoming the norm. For example, the installation of intelligent home control and consumer electronics is largely limited to refurbishments, causing inevitable upheaval to the fabric of the building. Yet, it is at the development stage that these systems can be installed most easily.

Investments in better classroom facilities demand sophisticated control of building services. EMC looks at the solution adopted at a school in Glasgow.

Labour shortages and PFI concern SMEs in market research outlined by ECA president Bill Wright.

The Association of Street Lighting Electrical Contractors (ASLEC) has signed up to the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS). It has adopted the ECS as a national recognised scheme to ensure that all operatives work in a safe and competent manner.

The ECA’s corporate plan has been published, setting out objectives for 2005-2007. Six core objectives are:

• the identification and better understanding of existing and potential markets;
• establishing an optimum position in respect of certification, accreditation and qualifications;
• achieving optimum labour relations for members;
• the development of the ECA membership proposition and positioning;
• targets for membership retention and recruitment to meet growth objectives;
• development of the Association’s drive through promotion, advertising and collaboration.

Phil Rayment, on secondment to BAA from Crosby Electrical Services, has been honoured in the Building/HSE Health and Safety Awards, picking up the Working Well Together Number One Worker prize. He is an active member of the Heathrow Terminal 5B health and safety committee and safety leadership team.

The results of Constructing Excellence’s 2005 key performance indicators have revealed improvements in the m&e sector, but some areas in need of attention.

The Industry Committee for Emergency Lighting (ICEL) and the British Standards Institution (BSI) have launched a new initiative that enables installers to verify their competence in designing, installing and testing emergency lighting.

The £1 billion programme to refurbish and replace hundreds of family doctors’ premises via a Public Private Partnership appears to be going well, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).

EIC has completed a £1 million contract for IBM at its base in Warwick. The project, started in April 2004, to carry out phase 1 chiller, boiler and cooling tower replacement works, includes the refurbishment of the chiller and pump house and work to the new boiler house.

Growth in the construction industry has slowed substantially in recent months to its lowest level for over three years, according to the construction indicator of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS).

European Union countries have failed again in their long-running efforts to reach agreement on working times for employees. This ensures that the UK’s opt-out to the maximum 48-hour week will remain untouched for the time being.

Pirelli has sold its energy and telecomms cables and systems business to the private equity arm of Goldman Sachs for 1.3 billion Euros including debt.

New regulations on the control of hand-arm vibration in the workplace are set to come into force on 6 July. M&E contractors should be wary of manufacturers’ data on tool performance.

Paul Corby, Amicus national construction officer and prime mover in the union’s electrical arm, is to take voluntary redundancy. His counterpart in the mechanical division, Jim Simms, is also leaving Amicus.

SummitSkills is to sponsor the Training Academy at this year’s M&E Event, which takes place at Earls Court on 23-24 November 2005.

Mitie Group has reported a pre-tax profit of £46.9 million for the year ended 31 March 2005. This is a rise of 16·3% on the previous year’s results. The group, which includes m&e contractor Mitie Engineering Services, posted a 17·9% increase in turnover to £818.6 million.

Costs and environmental impact have been reduced at a fuel distributor thanks to control and automation.

Cricket fans will be bowled over at this year’s Ashes series with the opening of a spectacular new stand at the Brit Oval.

Light created within a gargantuan circular building in Oxfordshire aims to improve life with new medical cures and advances in materials science. Alison Luke reports from Diamond Synchrotron.

ECA once again reigned in Spain, as Mallorca hosted its 2005 conference entitled commercial success out of change. Andrew Brister reports.

With ground source energy solutions set to increase, what should contractors expect? Alison Luke reports on the UK’s largest installation at Gloucestershire Police’s new headquarters.

Phoenix Electrical has hit back at ‘malicious rumours’ of financial difficulties, as work progresses at Wembley.