News Electric vehicle tariff fi rst from npower


npower has confi rmed plans to launch Britain’s fi rst bespoke electric vehicle (EV) tariff.


Rob Harper, group project manager at npower, said: ‘We are considering all options for the EV tariff, but our


main aim is to match the usage for charging the vehicle from renewable sources and to make it as affordable as possible. We hope to make the tariff available to consumers during the summer.’


The British motor industry is on line to receive a £7bn boost from EVs between 2011 and 2014. This takes into account that approximately 300,000 EVs could be on the road by 2014. npower’s research also revealed that 33 per cent of Britons would consider purchasing an EV in the next fi ve years, which rose to 41 per cent when the benefi ts of EVs were explained to them.


Darke & Taylor part of award-winning team


Darke & Taylor was part of a team that helped Buckinghamshire’s new Aylesbury Waterside Theatre secure the Project of the Year award at The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) South East Awards, held at The Grand in Brighton.


This 300,000 visitor per year theatre forms the centrepiece of Aylesbury Vale District Council’s Waterside development. Willmott Dixon was the main contractor and Northern Light was tasked with handling the specialist work to a specifi cation devised by Carr & Angier Theatre Consultants. Darke & Taylor was responsible for all aspects of the electrical installation,


including front of house lighting controls, the architectural lighting system, an emergency lighting static inverter system, a fi re/VA PA system and security. The company also played an integral role in the installation of a complex audio, visual and stage lighting system, which involved providing the entire cabling infrastructure to Northern Light’s design. Keiron Richmond, project manager


at Darke & Taylor, commented: ‘We are delighted to have been involved with this project, and being recognised by RICS is testament to the spirit of cooperation and best practice that existed between all the companies working on the project.’


In brief


■ HellermannTyton has extended its identifi cation product range with the introduction of the M-BOSS Lite stainless steel marking system.


■ Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) has opened a Branded Modular Systems+, 117,000ft2


manufacturing and


assembly facility in the West Midlands to produce mechanical and electrical systems.


■ Thorn Lighting is to concentrate on ‘customers rather than products’ and, as part of a move to align itself to the energy effi ciency and sustainability industry, has developed Thorn Energy Solutions.


■ Newey & Eyre has relocated to a new state-of-the-art headquarters in Sheldon, Birmingham, which has been designed to showcase the latest energy saving technologies and techniques.


■ Ellis Patents has appointed Paul Nolan as its new UK sales manager.


Aylesbury Waterside Theatre


■ The London 2012 Handball Arena has become the third venue on the Olympic Park to be structurally completed. The venue includes unique copper cladding, natural lighting shafts and multicoloured seating, of which the lower tier is retractable.


T. CLARKE STRATEGY FOR HEALTHY MARGINS


The London 2012 Olympic Stadium


T. Clarke is to remain selective in the projects it undertakes to maintain margins as the construction sector continues to deliver uncertain prospects for contractors. The company’s 2011 forward order book is on a par with last year, currently standing at £180m at 30 April 2011, compared with £200m in 2010. However, the company expressed concern at the competitive nature of the market despite numerous tender opportunities.


Its interim statement said: ‘It has 8 ECA Today July 2011


been sensible to remain selective when choosing which projects to bid for and we will continue to focus on maintaining margins where possible, despite customer pressure and increased competition.’


The company said there are no current plans for further acquisitions, and believes future growth can be achieved by building upon the existing group structure with its improved service offering, and by expanding existing services into areas where it does not have a local presence.


■ UK businesses can now apply for green equipment fi nance from Carbon Trust and Siemens. Worth up to £550m over the next three years, the dedicated low carbon fi nance scheme is the fi rst of its kind, and will enable UK businesses to invest in cost effective energy effi ciency equipment and other low carbon technologies.


■ Legrand has appointed Paul Clarke as sales director of its power distribution division.


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