New Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change unveiled

Posted on by Posted in Heating, Renewable Energy

AmandaRudd

As part of the Conservative cabinet reshuffle, Amber Rudd has been appointed Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, replacing Ed Davey.

The position is a promotion for Rudd, the former climate change minister and the Conservative MP for Hastings & Rye.

Rudd’s predecessor Ed Davey was one of 49 Liberal Democrat MPs to lose their seat during the general election, leaving the party with just eight MPs as the Conservatives swept to a majority of 331 seats, trumping Labour’s 232.

Rudd’s appointment has been welcomed by trade body the Renewable Energy Association. 
Chief executive, Dr Nina Skorupska, said:

“Amber Rudd has been a champion of renewables and the low-carbon economy in the past year, and her appointment will do much to allay the fears some may have after the general election.”

Paul Barwell, CEO of the Solar Trade Association, said:

“We look forward to working with Amber Rudd to make sure solar reaches its full potential. We need stable policy support and strong leadership on solar – just one final push could get rooftop solar to zero subsidy by the time this government leaves office.

“We also hope that Amber Rudd’s experience in finance, her previous experience in the Treasury and her real understanding of the needs of new and growing businesses will mean that she can see the value that the UK’s thousands of small and medium sized solar companies can bring.”

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The Phoenix rises at Perrin & Rowe

Posted on by Posted in Bathrooms and Kitchens

Perrin-and-Rowe-MDS

Perrin & Rowe used this years’ May Design Series to introduce the Phoenix 3-in-1 hot tap for the kitchen or utility room.

Perrin & Rowe’s Phoenix dispenses hot, cold and up-to 98°C steaming hot filtered water. The filtered water taps ensure the water flow is not cross-contaminated by the standard mains hot and cold water.

This leaves untouched beneficial minerals such as fluoride, magnesium and calcium for the purest of water. Plus, with the new advanced Phoenix Tap, filtered water can now be dispensed steaming hot at 98 degC..

The instant hot water flows through a designated waterway within the main body of the spout. Passing through Perrin & Rowe’s premium Nano-technology filter, the hot water is free from chlorine and other harmful metals and bacteria. Also acting as a lime inhibiter, the filter will additionally increase the tanks lifespan by preventing lime scale build-up.

Perrin & Rowe’s new Phoenix 3-in-1 Hot Water Tap is expected to retail at around £948 including VAT. This price includes the 3-in-1 tap (C or U Spout), Nano-technology filter and 2.4l tank. The filtration unit and tank is approximately 310mm high and fits under a sink, in any size base unit and configuration.

To maintain filter efficiency, Perrin & Row say that the filter will need replacing approximately every 6 months and retails for £40 including VAT, direct from Perrin & Rowe.

www.perrinandrowe.co.uk

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UK construction industry gets boost from improved home lending

Posted on by Posted in Construction

uk-construction-boost

The UK government’s Help to Buy scheme and a renewed willingness by banks to lend to home owners has boosted the construction industry, it is claimed.

The latest official figures from the Office of National Statistics shows that output in the construction industry in the third quarter of 2014 increased by 0.8% compared to the previous quarter.

The ONS data also shows growth of 2.9% between the third quarters of 2013 and 2014, the sixth consecutive period of annual quarter on quarter growth.

Most recently, in September 2014, output in the construction industry was estimated to have increased by 1.8% compared with August 2014, following a fall of 3% in August and an increase of 2% in July.

On the year, the picture is of continued growth, with output in the construction industry increasing by 3.5% in September 2014 compared with September 2013.

Housing, as a sub-element of all construction output, was worth £6.77 billion in the third, up 5% on the second quarter and 22% higher than in the third quarter of 2013.

Within housing, output by the private sector has grown 19% since the third quarter of last year, while construction by public organisations grew by 35% on an annual basis

According to David Newnes, director of Your Move and Reeds Rains estate agents, The Help to Buy scheme and a renewed willingness on the part of banks to lend to borrowers with smaller deposits played a significant part in boosting demand all across the country, giving first time buyers a better shot at the goal of home ownership.

David Newnes said:

“This injected new energy into the construction sector, but although house building is making headway across the pitch, we’re still a long way from seeing the form that was in evidence before the crash,”

He pointed out that households received a welcome boost in the cost of living game with the news that wage growth is beating inflation, but dogged demand for housing must be matched with a new charge of supply if the cost of housing is to be kept within the grasp of new buyers.

He explained:

“House price inflation may have been reined back from the intensity witnessed earlier this year, but in the long term building new homes remains key to ensuring that competition over available property and price rises stay at healthy levels, and don’t eat away at consumer confidence,”

“Higher LTV lending dipped last month, as new loan to income caps came into force. We need to ensure that the bottom of the market stays firm, anchored on a solid bedrock of plentiful supply of starter homes,”

Andrew Bridges, managing director of specialist London estate agents Stirling Ackroyd, believes that gradual progress won’t be enough for the construction industry.

Andrew Bridges said:

“This growth is still slower than the rest of the economy and not yet fast enough to capture the true scale of opportunity,

“Homes are most sharply sought after, and that’s reflected in the best figures for the housing portion of output since 2007. But prices are also higher, and volumes tell a different story. Across the country, we’re still only building around half the number of new homes each year as was achievable before the financial crisis. Rapid progress needs to continue, and accelerate,

“This also leads to another vital point; construction is about more than just numbers of homes. New places to live need access to quality infrastructure and well paid jobs. Location matters, and for new homes that means proximity to centres of employment. That’s one of the reasons why London’s new homes market is outpacing the rest of the UK,

“At heart, construction is about building future prosperity, the two are intricately intertwined. So these figure represents far more than just a portion of total economic growth. New homes, offices and infrastructure will support every other element of our lives and livelihoods.”

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MyTub VAT relief for disabled people

Posted on by Posted in Bathrooms and Kitchens, Health and Safety, Home improvement, Useful Resources

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If you’re disabled or have a long-term illness, you won’t be charged VAT on MyTub products designed or adapted for your own personal or domestic use. Also, you won’t be charged VAT on:

  • The washroom, bathroom and sanitaryware goods MyTub supply which are designed or adapted for a disability.
  • The installation and any extra work needed as part of this.
  • Repairs or maintenance.
  • Spare parts or accessories.

Qualifying products or services

Please contact us for more clarification but products designed or adapted for a disability qualify. For example, certain types of:

  • Toilet products
  • Washroom products
  • Bathing products
  • Medical appliances to help with severe injuries

To get the product VAT free your disability has to qualify. For VAT purposes, you’re disabled or have a long-term illness if:

  • You have a physical or mental impairment that affects your ability to carry out everyday activities, eg blindness
  • You have a condition that’s treated as chronic sickness, like diabetes
  • You’re terminally ill

You don’t qualify if you’re elderly but able-bodied, or if you’re temporarily disabled.

You’ll need to confirm in writing to us that you meet these conditions. Please complete these two forms

Information taken from the .gov.uk website

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Seminar for preventing lung disease in construction workers

Posted on by Posted in Construction, Health and Safety

construction-worker-seminar

Employers in the construction industry will get the chance to learn how to protect their workers from the risk of occupational respiratory diseases at a British Safety Council seminar, taking place in Cardiff city centre on the morning of May 20, 2015.

c, an occupational hygienist, will explain how Breathe Freely – a new initiative led by BOHS, the Chartered Society for Worker Health Protection – aims to help construction employers raise awareness among staff of the risks of developing disabling and fatal diseases such as lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) due to exposure to harmful substances such as asbestos, silica and wood dust.

Kelvin, a consultant who specialises in protecting workers from exposure to hazardous substances, will tell delegates at the British Safety Council’s Sharing Good Practice seminar how construction managers can use the Breathe Freely factsheets to identify ways of protecting workers from exposure to harmful airborne substances – for example, through the use of on-tool extraction systems and respiratory equipment.

Kelvin said:

“It’s no secret that construction workers are at high risk of contracting lung disease from the work that they do. In 2015, approximately 3,500 will die from occupational cancer caused by past exposure to asbestos, another 500 will die from exposure to silica dust and in addition, 5,500 new cases of occupational cancer will be reported.

“What is less well known is that there is a solution: most of these industrial diseases can be prevented – by recognising the real hazards, evaluating the risks of being exposed to them, and then effectively controlling those exposures (otherwise known as good occupational hygiene practice).

“As well as providing an insight into the new Breathe Freely campaign which BOHS is leading on – working in partnership with HSE, MACE, Constructing Better Health and Land Securities – I will provide some examples of the typical precautions construction employers can take to better protect their workers from the risks of developing lung diseases.”

The Sharing Good Practice seminar will take place at the Thistle Hotel in central Cardiff from 08:55 – 12:30 and is aimed at anyone responsible for ensuring the health and safety of people at work, in any industry or business sector.

Expert speakers will address some current and pertinent topics around managing risks to health and safety at work, including tackling occupational health problems, improving safety culture and an update into recent developments in health and safety enforcement and prosecutions in England and Wales.

As well as providing opportunities to question the speakers on issues of concern, there will be a lunch for networking and learning from other delegates from the health and safety field.

Joscelyne Shaw, acting director of policy and communications at the British Safety Council, who will be chairing the seminar, said:

“With over 30 years’ experience in managing occupational health hazards in a range of industries, Kelvin Williams is well placed to highlight how construction employers can use the resources and advice offered by the Breathe Freely campaign to protect their staff from exposure to harmful airborne substances – such as asbestos fibres, brick and stone dust and fumes from chemical-based adhesives.

“Our Sharing Good Practice seminar is a great way to hear about some of the best ways of protecting employees from risks to their health and safety, to be inspired as well as find the support and insight that networking and conversing with peers can offer.

“Susan Wing, principal public health practitioner at Healthy Working Wales, will deliver a presentation on the key features of an effective health and wellbeing strategy at work, and the free advice available to businesses in Wales on how to protect and improve the health, safety and wellbeing of their workforces.

“Sarah Cudmore, a work psychologist, will explain how to assess, improve and measure the success of your safety culture; and Paul Williams, Head of Safety at First Great Western, will provide ideas for engaging staff in tackling health and safety risks with his presentation on the transport company’s ‘Leading Safety 24/7’ initiative.

“Furthermore, with the Sentencing Council for England and Wales recently proposing higher fines for employers convicted of health and safety offences, Chris Green, partner at national law firm, Weightmans LLP, will give his verdict on what impact this will have for those businesses and individuals who fail to protect the health and safety of their employees and others.”

The morning event will consist of presentations, each followed by a question and answer session. There will be opportunities for networking during and afterwards.

The price per person is £95.00 + VAT for British Safety Council members, £125.00 + VAT for non-members.

The full event programme and booking form can be found at: www.britsafe.org/cardiff

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