“It’s been estimated that at least 80% of the homes we live in will be those that exist today. So retrofitting them will be essential”


will indeed be far easier to achieve than decarbonising existing homes. Currently, 81% of Scottish homes are heated by gas and, by 2045, it’s been estimated that at least 80% of the homes we live in will be those that exist today. So retrofitting them will be essential. In response to climate concerns, there has also been increased focus on various measures to accelerate innovation in new low-carbon technologies, such as electric vehicles (EVs) – yet another area of opportunity for the electro-technical industry. People usually choose to have a dedicated EV home charging point installed because it’s generally faster to charge and has built-in safety features. New infrastructure and planning measures will need to be introduced to meet the need for more of these domestic charging points and address installation issues for apartments and areas of high- density housing. But ‘green’ policies alone will not achieve this. We need appropriately trained and qualified electricians to make it a reality that is both effective and safe. COVID-19 has also accelerated the shift to homeworking. But while it might offer various conveniences, it does carry safety concerns. Almost 75% of all domestic fires in Scotland arise from electricity, with most caused by electrical products. And, inevitably, homeworking requires the use of several of them, from laptops and tablets, to phones and heaters. Our research discovered more than three quarters of Scots now working from home are doing so for the first time, in response to the pandemic. And 38% of them have more appliances plugged into extension leads than usual, often unaware that overloading sockets is a fire risk. At the launch of lockdown, we ran a consumer awareness campaign around electrical safety while homeworking and offered various online tools to help. We also stressed the importance of using registered electricians and not


Continued on page 32 >>> CABLEtalk AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 31


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