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Editorial THE JOURNAL OF THE ECA JULY 2012 ISSUE 12 Making a splash


HOW ECA MEMBERS ARE HELPING TO DELIVER LONDON 2012 SUCCESS


TAKING CONTROL Opportunities in building management systems


LIGHT WORKS What LED lighting offers your business


SECURING THE FUTURE ECA Electrical Industry Conference 2012 report


From the editor... W


elcome to the July issue of ECA Today. What areas should you focus on if you’re looking to develop your business? That was the question addressed by many of the speakers


ECA July12 pp01 Cover chosen.indd 1 www.eca.co.uk


Editorial, design and production CPL (Cambridge Publishers Ltd) 275 Newmarket Road Cambridge CB5 8JE Tel: 01223 477411 Web: www.cpl.co.uk


Editor: Phil Lattimore Tel: 07802 870008


Email: phil.lattimore@ecatoday.co.uk


Design: Martin Cook Production: Darren Price For ECA


Managing editor: Carol Wrench Tel: 020 7313 4831 Email: carol.wrench@eca.co.uk


Marketing and communications: Stefan Hay Tel 0207 313 4860 Email stefan.hay@eca.co.uk


Print and distribution management: Mark Connolly Tel: 020 7313 4855 Email: mark.connolly@eca.co.uk


Advertisement sales Sales manager: Gareth Macfarlane Tel: 0845 226 0477 Email: gareth@ecatoday.co.uk Sales executive: John Howe-Marshall Tel: 0845 226 0477


Email: johnm@media-shed.co.uk Circulation to ECA members


Members of the ECA receive each issue of ECA Today on publication, and can request additional copies for individuals on their management team. Please email: circulation@ecatoday.co.uk with any queries and to apply for such copies.


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If you are not a member of the ECA and would like to receive ECA Today, individual copies cost £7 each (plus postage) and a subscription in the UK costs £25 per year. To subscribe, please email subscriptions@ ecatoday.co.uk.


The opinions expressed in editorial material do not necessarily represent the views of the Electrical Contractors’ Association. Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned in editorial or advertisements are not formally endorsed by the ECA, which does not guarantee or endorse or accept any liability for any goods and/or services featured in this publication.


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oday would like to give a special acknowledgement to our launch partners and thank them for their continued support.


July 2012 ECA Today 3 28/06/2012 16:50


as this year’s ECA Electrical Industry Conference as they looked beyond the current recession at the opportunities for electrical contractors over the coming years. The drive for improved energy efficiency in homes and commercial premises, both as part of the government’s strategy to hit its carbon emission targets and as a financial response to rising energy costs, promises a number of opportunities for switched-on businesses. Most of the technologies that will be implemented require exactly the skills and expertise that electrical contractors possess – from the installation of energy saving LED lighting and building management systems to the fitting of smart meters and renewable heat systems. A number of presentations at the conference emphasised the evolving role of the electrical contractor as an energy solutions provider for customers, using their knowledge and expertise to provide trusted advice. With such a plethora of government announcements, initiatives, schemes and consultations, some clarity about where we’re heading with the Coalition’s green strategy – and what it means for your business – can be invaluable. As ever, the ECA offers support for members with guidance and clear-headed advice about these new opportunities. It has the very latest information and technical assistance you need for your business, available with a just a phone call or the click of a mouse.


This issue We’ve written much before about the Green Deal, and in this issue of ECA Today, we aim to clarify the current state-of-play when it comes to other green policies affecting electrical contractors – from Renewable Heat Incentive to the Energy Performance of Building Directive to FITs (pages 26-29). We also look in detail at LED lighting (pages 56-59) and building management systems (pages 30-33), where opportunities already exist for contractors in the energy efficiency field – and where there are compelling business cases for technological solutions that deliver significant energy savings with a surprisingly short payback. There’s also a round-up of presentation from the key speakers at this


year’s ECA Electrical Industry Conference (pages 50-54). There were plenty of interesting and thought-provoking opinions expressed there. You’ll also find details about the ECA’s all-new conference for 2013, taking place from 20-22 June at the ICC in Birmingham, which will feature a high-level business conference, technical seminars and a new Technology Live product exhibition.


Enjoy the rest of the summer – see you again in September.


Phil Lattimore Editor


Letters and emails


To contact ECA Today, send us an email at mail@ecatoday.co.uk or write to Letters, ECA Today, CPL, 275 Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8JE.


TAKE PART IN THE BIG SURVEY


Have you taken part in The Big Survey yet? ECA registered members should by now have received an invitation, via the Source, asking them to participate in this online questionnaire. If you haven’t completed it, we urge you to do so.


It is called The Big Survey because the results will play an essential role in helping the ECA determine the future of the association’s services and benefits proposition to members, to ensure that this delivers the best possible value.


Please take the time to complete the Big Survey; this is your opportunity to tell us which services and benefits you actually use, which you feel are essential, and any ideas you may have for improving or adding to them. And, as well as helping your association, you’ll be in with a chance to win an Apple iPad 2, as your response will be added into a prize draw with one of these must-have devices as the prize. The Big Survey will remain open until 31 July 2012, and you can participate by visiting https://www.surveymonkey. com/s/BigSurvey2012


If you have any queries about the research, contact Stefan Hay at Stefan.hay@eca.co.uk or Lauris Calnan at Lauris.calnan@ eca.co.uk


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