NEWS
insideindustry
According to a new survey from the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and Scottish electrical trade body SELECT, four out of 10 building clients (40%) say they are ‘unfamiliar’ with the heavily-used phrase the ‘Internet- of-Things’. The ‘Connected Technology Survey
for Clients’ ran for three weeks during November and December last year, with 229 responses received. In addition, over half of respondents (55%), who include consultants, engineers, end clients, local authorities and facilities managers, say that a ‘lack of clear advice / knowledge’ is a barrier to installing connected technology in their buildings. While over six in 10 respondents (61%), say they don’t have any plans to ‘evaluate and install connected technology’. The survey findings also reveal that
clients expect buildings, across sectors including residential, commercial, retail and industrial, to soon encounter a smart technology revolution. At present, more than half of the respondents say ‘a limited number’ or ‘very little’ of these buildings have
connected technology installed, but a similar number expect this to increase to a ‘significant’ or ‘overwhelming majority’ in the next five years. ECA’s head of specialist groups, Steve Martin, said: “The survey findings show that clients rightly recognise that a smart technology revolution in buildings is on the horizon, but are generally unprepared and lack the knowledge at present to make this a success. In the coming period, the ECA will work with the wider industry to help building clients develop and implement plans to take advantage of these commercial and technological opportunities.” CIBSE technical director, Dr Hywel Davies, added: “As digital technology becomes ever more pervasive, it will have an increasing penetration in the buildings sector. The real challenge for our sector is to deliver digital technologies that can satisfy users who are used to technology offerings, functionality and user experience from silicon valley.”
The phrase ‘Connected Technology’ refers to any technology that enables devices within a building to communicate with each other, be
controlled remotely via the internet and undertake automated and reactive tasks.
At present, clients said the main
reason for installing connected technology was to ‘improve energy efficiency and reduce energy bills’ (58%). Over the next five years, respondents said the technologies most likely to be installed in buildings are: CCTV and security (78%), heating (74%), fire systems (69%) and BEMS (67%).
The Construction Products Association (CPA) has revealed the results of its Construction Trade Survey for the final quarter of 2016. The findings are results of surveys by Build UK, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, Construction Products Association, Federation of Master Builders and National Federation of Builders.
Firms across the industry are bracing themselves for more cost pressures after reporting a rise in raw material prices despite growth across the industry during Q4 2016. An increase in sales, output and workloads were all reported during
the three-month period but forward- looking indicators suggest the outlook for building activity during 2017 has worsened. The CPA’s Construction Trade Survey Q4 showed that overall costs increased for 88% of civil engineering contractors, whilst 75% of main contractors, 78% of heavy side manufacturers and 88% of light side manufacturers also reported a rise in raw materials costs. In addition, these latest statistics
highlighted a skills shortage affecting key on-site trades, with main contractors reporting shortages of carpenters and plasterers at their highest in nine years. CPA senior economist Rebecca
Larkin said: “The construction industry closed 2016 on a strong note, with activity improving for firms throughout the supply chain. However, order books and enquiries were lower for contractors and signal a weaker outlook for 2017. She continued: “Cost pressures
continued to rise, particularly for imported raw materials, and compound the risks that activity will be unable to grow at current rates over the next 12 months.”
DTXDTX
Non ToNon-Toxic Process Co
12 March 2017
oxic Process Cooling Fluid
oolin
ooling Fluid
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