NEWS
Key fire safety challenges at major UK conference
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Keen to improve industry competence and drive fire safety standards forward, Ambar Kelly director Nick Atkinson highlighted the critical fire safety challenges facing the built environment at the recent Tall Buildings Fire Safety Conference at London ExCeL. The three-day event, that took place between 2nd December and 4th December, brought together the tall building industry’s key decision makers and foremost names to discuss the issues and regulation developments impacting the built environment. Nick’s key speech focused on the critical fire safety challenges in construction, highlighting the hidden risks posed by risers, the stacked openings in buildings that later become shafts and function as chimneys. For instance, 75% of the tall buildings under construction in London are using GRP riser floor products made from Euroclass C combustible materials. While these products prevent falls, they overlook the severe risk of smoke and flame spread. With the shafts often concealed once buildings are completed, the issue
can remain a blind spot in construction and mask the ongoing threat to safety.
Nick underlined just how non-combustible materials can not only ensure
greater fall protection for those working in the riser shaft but also act as a horizontal fire break to significantly reduce the spread of fire and smoke. The discussions also brought sharply into focus the fact the industry continues to rely on outdated, high-risk solutions, increasing the need for more accountability – especially when it comes to the use of combustible materials.
He also emphasised the importance of improving knowledge and understanding when it comes to the use of non-combustible materials, especially given there is a perceived notion that they are more expensive than their combustible alternatives. Mr Atkinson stressed the importance of being able to highlight the major challenges facing the industry and underlined his pride at being invited to speak at the conference.
He said: “It was an absolute honour to be able to speak at the
conference and raise concerns over fire safety in the construction industry. While the updated fire safety regulations are attempting to improve
accountability and encourage those in the industry to utilise non-combustible materials, often specifiers will choose outdated and combustible alternatives due to a lack of understanding and misconceived ideas of cost- effectiveness.
“It’s down to everyone in the industry to ensure that the hidden risks of risers are exposed and increase
awareness of the importance of non-combustible solutions – with the overall aim of enhancing the safety of contractors and occupants.”
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How will mega trends or climate change and AI impact the electrical industry in 2025?
Greg Wilson, chief executive at
Quotezone.co.uk has warned tradespeople that without adequate insurance cover, they could run the risk of financial ruin.
He said “Public liability insurance is crucial for tradespeople across the UK. Not only does it safeguard your business, it also recognises the challenges faced by tradespeople and the potential claims they could come up against. “They can range from minor issues - damage to a possession, spilt paint or damage to a driveway, to something much more serious involving personal injury. Without adequate insurance, the financial burden can be overwhelming. “Public liability insurance isn’t required by law, but investing in it ensures peace of mind and increases professional credibility.
“Having the right insurance is not just about managing risk. It’s also about demonstrating responsibility and commitment to your customers and members of the public.”
Schneider Electric, the specialist in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, reveals its 2025 predictions for the electrical industry in the UK and Ireland. David Williams, Schneider Electric’s Vice President, Transactional Business for UK&I, shares his thoughts on the top three trends in the coming year.
More accessible technology will be key to addressing the skills gap in the electrical industry “The rapid evolution of technology has led to a growing skills shortage in the electrical industry, impacting productivity and growth. And with an estimated 20% of the workforce in the UK (6.5 million people) will be significantly under skilled for their jobs by 2030, the expertise of engineers will be crucial. We’ll see advances in technology making training more accessible to a wider range of people wanting to upskill in the face of increasing digitisation in the industry. AI, social media, QR-codes will all be used to make educational assets and courses available to those who may be less IT-savvy, delivering training in a way that best suits their needs. I also expect there will be more opportunities for people wanting to join the electrical industry through
apprenticeship schemes and career change programmes to develop the new talent we need to recruit as the industry evolves and demand increases.” Customer budget constraints will mean more retrofits projects rather than rip and replace “Customers recognise the need to modernise outdated electrical infrastructure to improve energy efficiency,
reduce waste, and help them meet their sustainability goals. Budget constraints will make retrofits the preferred choice for many in the next 12 months. For contractors it will be important to address customers’ urgent needs to deliver increased energy efficiency but also think about the longer-term benefits of the equipment selected and the potential return on investment over time.”
New regulations will make active safety more of a priority. “UK wiring regulations are being updated to improve safety and energy
efficiency. These updates include the Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs) to prevent electrical hazards and changes to Part L, which focus on energy efficiency in buildings. As a result, there’s growing demand for smart, connected solutions that help monitor energy use, manage maintenance, and reduce costs with better visibility and remote control. This will be specific to certain installations such as high-rise residential buildings, houses with multiple occupancy purpose-built student accommodation, care homes, and facilities that house irreplaceable goods. The emphasis on safety for high-occupancy and high-value buildings signals an industry shift towards adopting advanced fault detection solutions, likely impacting both new projects and retrofitting initiatives. Customers will be looking for increased reliability, resilience, and longevity so
there will be increased opportunity to deliver a more preventative approach to fault detection. This will help customers to better anticipate what may go wrong and reduce downtime, limiting the impact on their business.”
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Gareth Belsham, director of Bloom Building Consultancy, commented on reports of a jump in construction industry output as follows: “The return to growth means construction has dragged itself into expansion territory over the past three months - it’s up by 0.2% over the quarter. “But for all the surface sheen, the official data is
far from a clean bill of health. Fortunes within the construction industry are diverging rapidly. “Private sector housebuilders built 1.2% less in November than they did in October, and new home construction as a whole is stuck in reverse. “On the other side of the coin, commercial projects
are booming on the back of rising demand for office space as employers seek to get more of their staff back into offices full time.
“The surprise fall in inflation, coupled with wider GDP growth, should support fragile business sentiment and sustain this commercial sector momentum in coming months.
“But the outlook for housebuilders is far less rosy. High interest rates are still making it expensive for residential developers to buy land and build homes. Consumer demand is patchy too, making the contrast between residential and commercial construction acute.”
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In response to news that heat pump installations rose in 2024, Hamid Salimi, residential product manager at Daikin commented: “We are confident the UK could get closer to, or even exceed the government’s target of up to 600,000 heat pumps if a few key areas are addressed by the government: Increasing the number of qualified installers; boosting demand for heat pumps by tackling misinformation and effectively communicating their benefits; providing financial incentives, like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, to encourage people to take the first step; and by addressing the cost disparity between electricity and gas.”
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’ 6 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER FEBRUARY 2025 Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
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