Welcome to our new, regular series of Mid Career College CPD modules, brought to you by Electrical & Mechanical Contractor. The range of topics is carefully chosen to help you broaden your knowledge while you work. This module covers air curtains and is sponsored by Glen Dimplex.

A car manufacturer is set to save over £150 000 energy per year thanks to a building integrated system solution.

Commuters passing through London Bridge train station are seeing it in a new light thanks to a refurbishment project.

The Hungerford headquarters of UPS Systems is set to become the first UK installation to utilise an APC fuel cell system as standby power for its mainstream business-critical IT applications.

The £17 million Perth Concert Hall has opened with a gala performance by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The first full-scale purpose-built concert hall in Scotland since 1990, the 1200-seat arena was designed by BDP; NG Bailey was electrical contractor on the project.

Minds Eye 3D Lighting Design met the challenge from ORMS Architects to create a focal lighting scheme for the Holmes Place Health Club pool in Shell-Mex House, London. The solution sees EncapSulite’s MT70 IP67-rated waterproof fluorescent fittings in colour sleeves fitted behind a translucent 20 m wall panel.

Drives need care and attention like any other building services plant. What problems should you look out for and how can they be put right?

EMC’s intrepid van tester Richard Kruger takes to the roads in search of nirvana in four wheel form. What did he think of the Ford Transit Connect and the Citroen C2?

Getting the health and safety message drummed in to an industry as fragmented as construction is not easy.

Simon Garrard’s article (‘No break of service’, EMC, September 2005, p45-46) was an excellent summary of the options available for switchgear maintenance, but I would like to expand on his discussion of partial discharge monitoring as a means of predicting equipment failure.

Worried about staff setting up on their own and taking your clients with them? Make sure you word any restrictive covenants very carefully, warns Clive Day.

AC Lighting’s Special Projects division has supplied and installed the fixtures and lighting control system for the John Madejski Garden at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It worked with m&e contractor Mitie Scotgate, consultant Arup and Patrick Woodroffe Lighting Design to realise the stunning new garden and event space.

Minds Eye 3D Lighting Design met the challenge from ORMS Architects to create a focal lighting scheme for the Holmes Place Health Club pool in Shell-Mex House, London. The solution sees EncapSulite’s MT70 IP67-rated waterproof fluorescent fittings in colour sleeves fitted behind a translucent 20 m wall panel.

The UK Government has now announced its intention to implement the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive six months later than proposed originally.

The British Approvals Service for Cables (BASEC) has issued a warning to contractors and DIY enthusiasts about using non-certified cables on all sizes of electrical installation.

Emcor Drake & Scull Group is making changes to realign UK operations more closely with those in the US. It has rebranded to emphasise the overall strength of the brand and its ‘end-to-end’ service offering.

MK Electric’s Southend manufacturing plant has topped three categories at the Best Factory Awards 2005.

The BBC Mailbox in Birmingham has been voted the Best of the Best in the British Council for Offices Awards. It also won the Regional and National Award in the Fit out of Workplace (large projects) categories. Electrical work was by T Clarke and mechanical by Westco.

GE Consumer and Industrial has announced the proposed closure of its Enfield lighting facility, scheduled for 20 January 2006.

At BEAMA Installation’s annual conference the departing president, Geoff McCann of Electrak, highlighted the red tape that threatens to damage the competitiveness of the UK electrical installation and cable management sector.

Pirelli Cables & Systems has been rebranded Prysmian Cables & Systems.

The announcement that London is to host the 2012 Olympic Games has been greeted with glee by the UK construction industry.

One third of Europe’s street lighting is inefficient, costly and a burden to Kyoto targets, according to lighting manufacturer Philips.

Powerminster has won a £110 000 contract to renew and reroute electricity supplies at the University of Hull. It will install high voltage mains and renew cable supplies to redirect power around the campus.

The two associations based at ESCA House have committed to work together to enhance site health and safety and improve the delivery of member services.

The ECA is predicting chaos when the new Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) is introduced in April 2006.

The main provisions of the WEEE Directive on producer responsibility and retailer take-back will now take effect from June 2006, rather than the initial date of January 2006.

During the summer, the industry has been contributing to the DTI’s review of the Construction Act.

Members can now book up to both the ECA Annual Dinner and the 2006 Electrical Industry Conference.

The HM Revenue and Customs has found abuses of the tax concession on the daily travelling allowance paid to operatives using personal transport to and from jobs over 15 miles from their depot.

Southern Electric Contracting has recruited over 100 new apprentices nationwide, bringing the total number currently training with the company to almost 400. Managing director Adrian Pike, who joined SEC as an apprentice in 1983, says: “I opted for an apprenticeship because I knew it would give me the opportunity to train to both an academic and practical level. My experience with SEC shows that if you want to get on in life, and you’re prepared to work, the sky’s the limit.”

Does membership of the ECA help you win work? Recent joinee Malcolm Bell recounts his experiences.

M&E The Building Services Event is the only national show dedicated to the m&e sector. If you design, install, commission and operate m&e services, it’s the must-attend event of the year. Over the next few pages we profile the highlights.

With London’s bid for the 2012 Olympics the surprise winner, the race is on to build £8 billion worth of facilities. We look at what to expect.

The rich industrial and maritime heritage of Wales has been brought to life at Swansea’s National Waterfront Museum.

Despite campaigns to promote health and safety, 72 construction workers were killed in 2004-05. Alison Luke joins the WWT Roadshow to find out how this initiative is spreading the message.

Environment experts accuse the ODPM of passing up the opportunity to make a difference by dropping crucial revisions to Parts L and F of the Building Regs.

A report of government progress to meet its spending commitments reveals little improvement since 2004.

Best known for his work with luxury names like Learjet and Bentley, branding expert Steve Edge has created a new look for m&e contractor Alpha. Will Jones meets up for a makeover.

Members of two of the UK’s leading engineering institutions have voted overwhelmingly in favour of forming a new joint organisation, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, to best serve the industry into the future.