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ECA News W


by Carol Wrench, PR and public affairs manager


e appear to be one step closer to getting our feet under that all important ‘top table.’ For some time now, we have been talking to


government about the need for electricians to be involved at the design stage of a construction project to avoid duplication and waste. Well, it seems that our pleas have not gone unheard, as we were heartened to see that the government concurs in its recently released Construction Strategy. The government has also pledged to embed the adoption of a standard prequalification form (PAS 91) for use in all central government procurement – a real coup for the ECA, which was instrumental in the development of PAS 91. It doesn’t stop there; the government has also committed to reforming its relationships with major suppliers to ensure that best practice cascades down the supply chain. In the drive to reduce construction costs by 20 per cent, similar sentiments regarding increased efficiency in public sector procurement were echoed in the government response to the Low Carbon Construction Innovation and Growth Team Report. The report also committed to supporting low carbon construction and instilling industry with the confidence to invest in new skills, products and processes. If this all comes to pass, it will be good news for our sector. Onto every parade must fall a little rain, and while we applaud the support for low carbon construction, we are disappointed that, following a review of the Feed-in Tariffs (FITs), government


confirmed that it would be significantly reducing the rates of subsidy for large-scale solar installations (above 50kW), effective from August 2011. The ECA believes that the limit for lower FITs should have been 150kW, not 50kW. This could have made a real difference in encouraging community scale projects.


Positive results


On a more positive note, it is rewarding to see that our lobbying for energy-saving technologies to be included under the Green Deal has been provisionally taken up by DECC. Alongside this, in July the ECA hosted a roundtable discussion focused on the government’s Green Deal initiative. Civil servants from DECC, along with other stakeholders, including the National Housing Federation, Which? and the Energy Saving Trust, discussed criteria for


technology, installers and assessors working under the Green Deal. Concerns were raised about a lack of qualified operatives to carry out the huge programme of work, as well as fears that the Green Deal could be dominated by the energy providers. Support was voiced for DECC’s plans to link the Green Deal requirements to the Building Regulations and microgeneration installation. All agreed on the need to demonstrate robust installer and assessor standards to consumers. Lastly, in keeping with the positive vein, in its Microgeneration Strategy, government continued to focus on skills by acknowledging the importance of working together with industry to ensure we have the right skills to meet demand. The ECA has been invited to contribute ideas to the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education’s development of a government-backed initiative for training providers to make essential information available to employers and prospective learners. Furthermore, we recently met with the


The government has also committed to reforming its relationships with major suppliers to ensure that best practice cascades down the supply chain


2011 ECA circulars


AUGUST 2011 n Circular 116 2011 – Presentations offered by the Commercial, Contracts and Legal Team. Date published online: 16/08/2011. Category: Tendering and contract administration. n Circular 115 2011 – Government guidance on environmental law is being consolidated. Date published online: 16/08/2011. Category: Environment. n Circular 114 2011 – Main changes in Amendment 1 to BS 7671:2008 (17th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations). Date published online: 16/08/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 113 2011 – ‘Ultimate Marketing on a Shoestring’ Workshop. Date published online: 16/08/2011. Category: Training. n Circular 112 2011 – Sector update announcement from SummitSkills. Date published online: 16/08/2011. Category: Training. n Circular 110 2011 – Riot and Civil Commotion. Date published online: 11/08/2011. Category: Tendering and contract administration. n Circular 109 2011 – Update on Feed-in Tariff implementation and summary of key changes. Date published online: 09/08/2011. Category: Environment. n Circular 108 2011 – Renewable Heat Premium Payment now available. Date published online: 09/08/2011. Category: Environment. n Circular 107 2011 – Sale of two ECA member businesses. Date published online: 09/08/2011. Category: Buying & selling a business.


14 ECA Today September 2011


n Circular 106 2011 – Video Guide to BS 7671 Amendment 1. Date published online: 09/08/2011. Category: Training. n Circular 105 2011 – Important amends to the ECA CHAS assessment scheme. Date published online: 09/08/2011. Category: Health & Safety. n Circular 104 2011 – JIB Wage Negotiations for 2012 and 2013 end in stalemate. Date published online: 03/08/2011. Category: Employee Relations.


JULY 2011 n Circular 103 2011 – New version of ‘The Blue Book’ on


Electrical and Electronic Installations in Filling Stations. Date published online: 29/07/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 102 2011 – BS EN 50174-2 ‘Information Technology – Cabling Installation – Installation Planning and Practices Inside Buildings. Date published online: 29/07/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 101 2011 – ESC updates its Best Practice Guide on condition reporting. Date published online: 29/07/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 100 2011 – After successful launch, FLASH programme gears up for September. Date published online: 28/07/2011. Category: Environment. n Circular 99 2011 – An update on the Construction Act. Date published online: 28/07/2011. Category: Tendering and contract administration. n Circular 98 2011 – Voltimum launches free mobile App. Date published online: 28/07/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 97 2011 – Guidance on Agency Workers Regulations (October 2011). Date published online: 28/07/2011. Category: Employee Relations.


Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to discuss government funding, particularly for SMEs. This focused on how government funding for different forms of training can be accessed by ECA members. Following the meeting, the ECA was invited onto a BIS panel to assess how employing apprentices can be made easier for SMEs. If members have anything to add on this issue, please contact us at: publicaffairs@eca.co.uk. n Visit www.eca.co.uk/lobbying for more info on the ECA’s engagement strategy and lobbying.


VIEW FROM THE LOBBY


n Circular 96 2011 – IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation – Draft for Public Comment (DPC). Date published online: 28/07/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 95 2011 – Understanding Registered Members’ usage of ECA services. Date published online: 28/07/2011. Category: ECA Service Updates. n Circular 94 2011 – ECA and ELECSA at the Renewables Roadshow. Date published online: 28/07/2011. Category: Environment. n Circular 93 2011 – ECA Edmundson Award winners announced. Date published online: 21/07/2011. Category: Training. n Circular 92 2011 – ECA enters the 2011 Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Awards. Date published online: 21/07/2011. Category: Training. n Circular 91 2011 – Looking for outstanding young women. Date published online: 21/07/2011. Category: Training. n Circular 90 2011 – Advice on purchasing lamps and fittings. Date published online: 21/07/2011. Category: Tendering and contract administration. n Circular 89 2011 – Approved Document F (2010). Date published online: 21/07/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 88 2011 – Megger MFT 1700 & 1800 Testers: Continuity Measurement Lead Null. Date published online: 20/07/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 87 2011 – Government publishes Electricity Market Reform White Paper and ‘Renewables Roadmap’ to 2020. Date published online: 20/07/2011. Category: Environment. n Circular 86 2011 – ECA launches Designgenie, a new design


and documentation software package. Date published online: 20/07/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 85 2011 – New ‘Sustainability Solutions’ area launched on ECA website. Date published online: 20/07/2011. Category: Environment. n Circular 84 2011 – Entries now open for Duke of Gloucester’s Young Achievers Scheme. Date published online: 18/07/2011. Category: Training.


JUNE 2011 n Circular 83 2011 – New business mentoring scheme.


Date published online: 07/07/2011. Category: Tendering and contract administration n Circular 82 2011 – An update on The Construction Act . Date published online: 07/07/2011. Category: Legislation. n Circular 81 2011 – South Wales region raises £1,700 for Lord Mayor’s Charity. Date published online: 07/07/2011. Category: Regional/ South Wales. n Circular 80 2011 – ECA & ELECSA Technical Evenings on Amendment 1 of the 17th Edition. Date published online: 23/06/2011. Category: Technical. n Circular 79 2011 – Derby and Burton on Trent Branch raises £4,000 for local charities. Date published online: 23/06/2011. Category: Regional. n Circular 78 2011 – Free learndirect Online Procurement Course. Date published online: 23/06/2011. Category: Tendering and contract administration. n Circular 77 2011 – Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Statistics Report from Ofgem. Date published online: 23/06/2011. Category: Environment.


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