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CAN WE KEEP THE LIGHTS ON?
Experts from the ECA, BSRIA, Ofgem, Department
of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the National Grid will be grappling with the problem of how to secure the UK’s future electricity supply during an open event on Thursday 27 March. The seminar discussion – jointly
hosted by the ECA and BSRIA – will consider how to resolve the threat of reduced capacity at peak times, resulting from power- station closures and a lack of viable alternatives. The panel will seek to identify solutions that reduce business disruption, while supporting building owner-operators, facilities
managers, contractors and service providers to deliver the maximum provision during challenging times. Expert speakers include the ECA’s
head of Energy Solutions, Bill Wright, and senior representatives from BSRIA and National Grid. Roundtable discussions will be followed by a Q&A session. ‘There is currently an alarming
lack of awareness of the risk to business, and very few contingency plans in place to cope with possible loss of process and equipment failure,’ says Bill Wright. ‘ We will be looking at the strategies needed to keep businesses open in the event of local energy supply issues, including
Apprenticeship awareness warning
A recent report from the Association of Colleges has
highlighted the alarming lack of awareness or interest in pursuing an apprenticeship, with just 17 per cent of boys and 12 per cent of girls considering this career option. Commenting on the statistics, Diane Johnson, ECA past president and skills ambassador, says: ‘The low awareness of the existence of apprenticeships among young people is very worrying but not surprising, as it comes after decades of the degree being seen as the default education option. The government’s recent focus on apprenticeships, although welcome, has yet to filter through to children via parents or their teachers. ‘This ignorance, coupled with
the cost of offering apprenticeships in skilled trades, such as electrical contracting, particularly for smaller firms – as well as an ageing workforce – means we are facing a skills crisis in the traditional craft industries. The report also highlights the low understanding of emerging sectors like renewable energy. Notably, the traditional craft industries like electrical contracting dovetail and can offer routes into working on installing renewable energies. ‘We’re also fostering a
disenfranchised graduate class whose skills are being underutilised. There are options out there but these young people are not being given the information to make the right choices.’ These findings are also reflected
in a One Poll survey for the Edge education foundation; among 1,000 people who followed a vocational option, just a quarter said their parents had thought it was worthwhile, and a third said that their school had supported their choice. ‘Although the government has
taken steps to raise the profile and credibility of apprenticeships, such as injecting more rigour into these qualifications,’ says Johnson, ‘more needs to be done to convince the public of the value of craft apprenticeships.’
back-up power systems and the installation of renewable energy sources. We encourage building services professionals and electrical contractors to join us at the event and be part of the solution.’ The event, which is being held
at Central Hall, Westminster, is free for ECA and BSRIA members. ECA members who are interested in attending should email
events@bsria.co.uk. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Non-members can book a place at https://www.
bsria.co.uk/information- membership/events//details/
Home energy efficiency ‘a low priority for British public’
A new survey has highlighted that an alarmingly low proportion of people in Britain plan to take any action to make their homes more energy efficient during 2014. The survey, for the
Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), shows just nine per cent of people are considering installing solar panels. Only six per cent are likely to have their home cavity-wall insulated, and only nine per cent are likely to install double glazing. Meanwhile, heat pumps,
which use heat from the ground or the air rather than burning fuel to generate heat, are only being considered by five per cent of households. Some of these measures are relatively expensive, which may explain why people are reluctant to adopt them, but even the use of LED light bulbs – a simple and low-cost energy efficiency measure – is only being considered by one in four homeowners. The IET says that these results, from a survey of 2,011 adults carried
out by Ipsos Mori, highlight the need to do more to ensure that government support incentivises home owners to make energy-saving improvements to their homes. Marjan Sarshar, from the IET, said: ‘People are not planning to spend
money on energy efficiency because the returns are too intangible and the long-term Green Deal loan remains with the house. ‘The government needs to make energy efficiency measures more
accessible. They could be incentivised in a similar manner to the government’s policy on cars, whereby more energy-efficient cars pay less tax. A substantive reduction in council tax, which would remain with the property to add to its value, would encourage the uptake of the Green Deal. ‘In this way householders would see the tangible benefit and would be more likely to respond by making their own investments.’
can-we-keep-the-lights-on/
March 2014 ECA Today 7
SHUTTERSTOCK / AUREMAR
SHUTTERSTOCK /NIKKYTOK
SHUTTERSTOCK /DUDAREV MIKHAIL
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