Infrastructure Act becomes law

Posted on by Posted in Construction

roadworkersThe Infrastructure Act has this week received royal assent and passed into law.

The legislation sets up Highways England, a government-owned company to replace the Highway Agency. The key difference is that its budgets will now be set for five-year spending periods, during which they cannot be changed by the government. This is expected to lead to better planning to such an extent, so the government has been told, that there will be savings of at least £2.6bn over the next 10 years.

The wide-ranging legislation also promotes fracking and gives local communities the right to buy a stake in renewable energy infrastructure projects.

There are also amendments ot the planning system to enable surplus and redundant public sector land and property to be sold to developers more quickly and cut some of the delays on projects that have already been granted planning permission, by a new ‘deemed discharge’ provision on planning conditions.

The government described these as “powerful new measures” that will “get Britain building”.

The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has long been a fan of the highways reform, believing that its members will now be better able to plan their resources if truck road and motorway spending in England is fixed for five years.

CECA chief executive Alasdair Reisner said:

“The granting of Royal Assent marks the culmination of a long push by industry to improve the way we invest in our motorways. This long-term certainty will allow investment in skills, equipment and innovation, and should in turn reduce the cost of delivery and make savings for the taxpayer.”

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InSinkErator to get into hot water on TV

Posted on by Posted in Bathrooms and Kitchens

ISE-gets-into-hot-water-picInSinkErator has extended its marketing efforts with its largest ever national television and press advertising campaign.

The commercial features on a range of channels including Sky, Good Food, ITV3, ITV4 and More 4, marking enhanced PR and marketing activities employed as an on-going strategy throughout 2015.

Supporting the broadcast project will be additional consumer online and print advertising, with a new focus on food titles, as well as home interest and lifestyle magazines. This broadens the scope of the 3N1 campaign, alongside national press coverage in The Times, to ensure a nationwide footfall for trade partners.

Marketing material for the campaign will remain consistent across the multiple platforms, with a new website to be launched orientated around technological innovations and lifestyle benefits; providing a useful reference for consumers and retailers alike. Corresponding printed brochures, as well as point of sale and in-store displays will be introduced to illustrate the abundance of benefits to consumers.

Linda Phoutthasak, marketing manager Europe and Russia, at InSinkErator, said:

“InSinkErator is investing heavily in the 3N1 steaming hot water tap, being the largest ever launch and multi-channel campaign on a single product within the range, so finally seeing it come to fruition is incredibly exciting.

“What better way to start the year than with a marketing activity of such scale, which will draw consumer attention to both the brand and also increase footfall for retailers? This is a huge step forward for InSinkErator, and we start as we mean to go on throughout the year.”

www.insinkerator.co.uk

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DECC extends Green Deal vouchers scheme

Posted on by Posted in Heating, Renewable Energy

ed-davey-greendealThe Department of Energy and Climate Control (DECC) is extending vouchers from the first release of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) until March 31, 2015, allowing more time for millions of pounds worth of installations to be carried out.

The one-off voucher extension applies to GDHIF vouchers that have an expiry date before March 31 and have not yet been redeemed – affecting around 3,900 voucher holders – including vouchers that have already expired. For the first release of GDHIF, which was open to applications from June 9 to July 24, 2014, vouchers worth up to a maximum of £7,600 were on offer.

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey, said:

“The GDHIF has been going like hotcakes – winter can be a difficult time to get installations done so by giving more time to voucher holders they can join over one million homes already benefitting from a warmer, cheaper winter thanks to our energy efficiency schemes.”

amanda-rudd-greendealEnergy and Climate Change Minister, Amber Rudd, said:

“We know the best way to lower bills – permanently – is to make homes warmer and greener.

“We’ve helped one million homes install measures like insulation and boilers so it makes sense to extend GDHIF vouchers for even more families to reap the benefits.”

Up to the end of December 2014, 11,061 vouchers have been paid and 13,613 measures installed through GDHIF, with £54.3 million claimed.

The extension is effective immediately and will apply automatically to eligible voucher holders -a new voucher will not be issued. To claim, eligible householders should carry out the work and submit their voucher for redemption to the GDHIF scheme administrator by March 31– vouchers that have been extended will not be accepted after this time. All other terms and conditions for the first release of GDHIF continue to apply to customers and installers.

Vouchers from the second release of GDHIF which opened to applications on December 10, 2014, will not be affected and will be valid for six months as per the expiry date on the voucher.

Details of further releases of funding for GDHIF will be announced on a quarterly basis with the next release and announcement expected in late February/early March 2015.

GDHIF voucher holders whose vouchers were due to expire before 31 March:

  • will receive an email to advise they are eligible for an extension, however they do not need to wait for this email to be sent, the extension is effective immediately
  • who made a phone application will receive a phone call however they do not need to wait for this phone call, the extension is effective immediately
  • should follow the instructions on their voucher to claim money back
  • will not be able to submit a claim after 31 March and will not receive payment
  • can change their installer by calling the scheme administrator
  • who have previously had their claim rejected due to voucher expiry can contact the GDHIF administrator to have their claim processed again

Those who have an expiry date on or after March 31 will not receive an extension and should submit their claim as per the expiry date on the voucher: the GDHIF voucher extension is a once only offer for voucher holders from the first release of the scheme.

There is no guarantee that voucher redemption will be successful, if a claim was/is non-compliant with the scheme terms and conditions in any other respect. It’s advisable for people to refer to the terms and conditions before they submit their claim.

GDHIF registered installers and providers can help their customers by completing the installation and handing the required documents over to the customer in time for the customer to submit their claim by the March 31 deadline.

DECC may vary the terms of GDHIF (including the incentive rates) or suspend or close the scheme, with immediate effect, without notice and at any time.

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Make CO Alarms Law campaign brought to government

Posted on by Posted in Health and Safety

make-it-lawThe House of Commons played host to a reception promoting the Make CO Alarms Law campaign on 2 February, which argues that carbon monoxide (CO) alarms should be mandatory in homes across England and Wales.

The campaign is led by Plumb Center, Honeywell and the Katie Haines Memorial Trust, a charity established by the family of 31-year-old Katie Haines, who drowned in her bath due to losing consciousness from CO poisoning in 2010.

At the parliamentary reception, a hard-hitting film produced by the Trust was shown to MPs and guests, illustrating how quickly CO can affect people in the home. Gordon Samuel, father of the late Ms Haines, explained that the camera represents the movement of the deadly gas – aptly nicknamed ‘the silent killer’ – as it travels from its source to its victims.

Mr Samuel, appealing to the MPs present said:

“I’m making this impassioned plea today because it’s too late for my family,”

“Nothing will bring my daughter back, but you can help other people.”

Around 40 people die every year from accidental CO poisoning, and 4,000 people per year are taken to A&E diagnosed with CO poisoning, according to the Health & Safety Executive. Symptoms include headaches, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, vertigo, dizziness, convulsions and unconsciousness, and can result in long-term neurological damage, cognitive impairment and death.

To tackle the high number of CO-related fatalities, the Make CO Alarms Law campaign is asking government to make the installation of CO alarms a legal requirement when any carbon-burning appliance is installed in a home – not just wood-burning appliances, as is currently law.

Gail van Dijk, Make CO Alarms Law campaign manager at Plumb and Parts Center, highlighted that this law has already been implemented in Scotland and Northern Ireland, she said:

“We have inconsistencies across the UK and across fuel types,”

“We are calling on the government to change the law in England and Wales.

“With the General Election just weeks away, we are also calling on all political parties to make a clear manifesto commitment to change the law and raise awareness of the deadly threat of carbon monoxide poisoning.”

West Ham Labour MP Lyn Brown, who attended the reception today, expressed her support for the proposed changes, she said:

“Making the case for making CO alarms law is common sense. The evidence is clear,”

“I hope that by working together cross-party, we can save as many individuals as possible.”

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Samsung set to shake up built-in appliance sector

Posted on by Posted in Bathrooms and Kitchens

SamsunghobA raft of new built-in appliances, many of which have unique features with a strong consumer appeal will be hitting the High Streets in the UK in March 2015

Samsung says it has harnessed the collective expertise of top chefs from around the world to create its Chef Collection, a premium range of kitchen appliances made for the European market.

The Chef Collection was designed in collaboration with Samsung’s Club des Chefs that brings together Michelin star chefs including Michel Troisgros, Elena Arzak and Daniel Boulud to drive the innovation behind Samsung’s next-generation appliances.

The Samsung European Chef Collection features:

  • A professional kitchen-inspired Kitchen Fit Refrigerator with freshness by a ‘Precise Chef Cooling’ feature. The refrigerator’s Precise Chef Cooling technology minimises temperature fluctuation to within ±0.5°C and helps preserve the original flavour and texture of food for longer.
  • A Chef Collection Oven with Gourmet Vapour Technology and an intuitive colour LCD touchscreen plus Wi-Fi control. When steam is heated to over 100°C, the Gourmet Vapour Technology creates a micro-fine vapour that is quickly and evenly circulated into every corner of the oven by the convection fan, forming a ‘film’ that efficiently keeps moisture in the food while maintaining a stable temperature.
  • An induction hob with Virtual Flame Technology that will help consumers visualise heat – and set the right intensity for precise cooking. The embedded LED lights visualise heat in each active cooking zone in the form of flames, which change colour to reflect the level of cooking power, allowing cooks to set one of 16 intensity levels for greater precision
  • The Samsung WaterWall dishwasher that the company says delivers best-in class cleaning through a powerful wall of water. A bar moves along the base of the dishwasher to deliver a jet-powered sweeping wall of water, targeting every item to leave dishes remarkably clean. Unlike traditional rotary water sprays, Samsung WaterWall Technology reaches all corners in the dishwasher.

Robert King, vice president of consumer electronics at Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland said:

“Samsung’s Chef Collection brings together world-class chefs and Samsung’s best in class R&D teams to help bring new levels of sophistication and innovation to the home kitchen,”

“Samsung’s Chef Collection shows how Samsung continues to innovate, with technology that enhances people’s lives.

“Our ground-breaking kitchen appliances offer a show-stopping level of cooking, presentation and premium style for people in the UK whilst giving interior designers an exceptional level of innovation and quality for their clients.”

www.samsung.com

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