A SPECIAL SCOTTISH EDITION FOR ALL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS 2015

connectionsBUILDING STANDARDS P6

The Scottish government on the importance of certifi cation /

CONTRACTOR PROFILE P10

The rapid rise of Glasgow construction fi rm City Building

STATE OF THE MARKET P8

How Scottish contractors are faring in the wake of the referendum

LIGHTING THE WAYDiscover how NICEIC registration

can benefi t your business

Scotland

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THE POWER TO DELIVER FREE TECHNICAL ADVICE ACROSS SCOTLAND

the power behind your business

GET UP TO SPEED WITH BS7671: AMENDMENT 3 AT A FREE NICEIC REGISTRATION ROADSHOW! If you want to find out how we can help your business, or you are already a member of NICEIC, come along to meet the team and gain valuable technical knowledge at a venue near you.

TO BOOK YOUR PLACE:

Call - 01582 539 120 Email - events@niceic.com Visit - niceicscotland.com

DATES AND LOCATIONS:

TUESDAY 10TH MARCH Glasgow

WEDNESDAY 11TH MARCH Oban

TUESDAY 17TH MARCH Inverness

WEDNESDAY 18TH MARCH Aberdeen

TICKETS ARE FREETHE FIRST 50 ATTENDEES AT EACH EVENT WILL RECEIVE A COPY OF BS7671: AMENDMENT 3 WORTH £85.

Meet the team and discuss registration

Get up-to-speed on Amendment 3

Receive great discounts on scheme registration

Find out more about NICEIC Scotland

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3 Connections

Boost your business 4NICEIC registration allows Scottish contractors to demonstrate their credentials to customers

News 5Free tech seminars for contractors

The case for certification 6More needs to be done to promote certification, argues Bill Dodds

Calm after the storm 8Adrian Holliday finds that Scottish electrical contractors are gradually recovering from the downturn

City vision 10Glasgow firm City Building is flourishing in its first decade, discovers Nick Martindale

Going green 12NICEIC and SNIPEF are working together to help contractors diversify into renewables

Take no chances 13Electrical Safety First outlines the implications of new rules for landlords

Get online, get ahead 14Online certification removes the hassle of paperwork for contractors

EDITORIALGeneral 020 7880 6200Fax 020 7324 2791 Email nick.martindale@redactive.co.uk Editor Nick Martindale Technical editor Timothy Benstead Sub editor Victoria BurgherCreative director Mark Parry Art editor Adrian Taylor Picture researcher Akin Falope Publishing and business development directorAaron Nicholls

ADVERTISING AND MARKETINGSenior sales executive Darren Hale Display 020 7880 6206Fax 020 7880 7553 Email darren.hale@redactive.co.ukClassified ads020 7324 2700connectionsclassified@redactive.co.uk

PRODUCTIONGeneral production enquiries 020 7880 6240 Fax 020 7880 7691Production manager Jane EastermanProduction executive Rachel YoungEmail rachel.young@redactive.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS Should you require your own copy of Connections or multiple copies for your staff, subscriptions are available by calling 020 8950 9117

CONTRIBUTIONSConnections welcomes ideas for contributions. Please email nick.martindale@redactive.co.uk

ISSN 2042-5732

© Redactive Publishing Ltd 2015 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP. Registered No. 3156216. All rights reserved. This publication (and any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any print or electronic format (including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet) or in any other format in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Redactive Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein.

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The paper mill that makes the text paper for this magazine states that it uses at least 80 per cent wood pulp from sustainable sources.

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WWW.NICEIC.COM

ENQUIRIESCertsure 01582 539000Communications managerPaul Collins 01582 539148paul.s.collins@certsure.comNICEIC DirectPaul Elcock 01582 539709paul.elcock@certsure.comTwitter @officialNICEICTechnical helpline 0870 013 0391Customer services 0870 013 0382Sales 0870 013 0458Training 0870 013 0389Legal/tax 24-hour helpline 0845 602 5965

CONTACTS // CONNECTIONS

CONNECTIONS SCOTLAND

Contents

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Connections 4

COMMENT

 W elcome to this special Scottish edition of NICEIC’s Connections magazine; our quarterly publication for more than 26,000 registered contractors.

NICEIC is the UK’s leading voluntary regulatory body for the electrical contracting industry.

It has been assessing the electrical competence of electricians for over 50 years and has more than 800 businesses registered in Scotland alone.

Our contractors undergo a rigorous initial applicant assessment process, covering a representative sample of their work, their premises, documentation (including insurances), equipment and the competence of their key supervisory staff . They are then reassessed on a regular basis to ensure continued compliance.

This issue highlights some of the benefits you can enjoy as an NICEIC registered enterprise in Scotland. Contractors and electricians can access a range of support, including technical advice, recognised training, online certification, industry literature and insurance.

In addition we have information on Building Standards and certification in Scotland from Bill Dodds, head of the Scottish building

standards division. NICEIC is one of two scheme providers for the certification of construction (electrical installations to BS 7671) scheme, which allows electrical installation work to be certified by qualified, experienced and reputable electricians as complying with the building regulations, without the need for detailed scrutiny of designs or inspections by local authorities.

We also have an update from the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) about its unique partnership with NICEIC that provides members with access to great deals on MCS and Green Deal certification.

Elsewhere we have updates on the state of the electrical sector in Scotland, a profile of Glasgow-based contractor City Building and some important news from our parent charity Electrical Safety First regarding landlords’ responsibilities for electrics in rented properties.

We also have some important dates for your diary relating to some registration roadshow events we are holding in Scotland throughout March this year. Remember to make a note of your local event and pop along to meet our team to discuss how NICEIC registration could help your business.

Emma Clancy is chief executive off icer, Certsure

Boost your businessRegistration with NICEIC allows Scottish contractors to demonstrate their credentials to customers and certify electrical installation work themselves

Stuart Thompson, Scottish sales managerStuart is an experienced commercial manager with previous experience of

national account management, project management and marketing. Based in Scotland, he is responsible for NICEIC Scotland membership, and works with a wide network of members, key customers, stakeholders, business partners and specifiers.

Eddie Arrowsmith, regional engineering managerEddie is NICEIC’s regional engineering manager, based in Aberdeen. He served

his electrical apprenticeship with British Rail and specialised in DC systems, high voltage AC systems and DC machines. Eddie went on to work for consulting engineers’ practices for 18 years and was senior electrical engineer with WS Atkins.

Yvonne Warner, area engineerYvonne is an experienced electrician and has worked in all aspects of the electrical industry from domestic to commercial

and industrial. In addition to her role as electrical inspector she assesses hazardous areas as well as MCS solar and wind.

Joe Gallagher, area engineerJoe is a multi-disciplined engineer with over 30 years’ industry experience from small domestic to

large-scale industrial projects. He works as the MCS, CPS and Green Deal inspector for NICEIC, having previously worked as an assessor, centre manager and external verifier.

Philip Martin, area engineerPhilip is an electrical technician with more than 30 years’ experience in all areas of the electrical

engineering and petrolchemical industry. Previously the senior qualified supervisor with British Gas, Philip helped establish its current quality auditing regime, which identifies training needs for all electrical operatives.

Eddie Thomson, area engineerEddie has been an area engineer with NICEIC since 2001. After serving an apprenticeship in British Railways,

Eddie worked with a number of companies, carrying out electrical, lighting design and project management. He also spent some time in charge of a large maintenance and works depot.

Meet the teamNICEIC has an experienced team ready to help your business

NICEIC IN SCOTLAND

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Connections 5

NEWS

SCOTLAND POWERS AHEAD IN RENEWABLE ENERGY SUPPLYScotland is leading the way in renewable energy use, with almost 12 million tonnes of CO2 emissions displaced in 2013 alone.

The reduction – an average of a million tonnes a month – is the highest ever recorded in Scotland and a 14 per cent increase on 2012. The figures were published in a report by the UK energy minister Amber Rudd in December.

Joss Blamire, senior policy manager at Scottish Renewables, said: “Not only are renewables now the number-one source of electricity in Scotland, but we have prevented a record amount of harmful carbon emissions from being released.

“Renewable energy in Scotland is doing exactly what it was designed to do: creating jobs, securing our energy supplies and, most importantly, reducing our carbon emissions to help limit climate change.”

Wind turbines continue to provide the bulk of power in Scotland, generating up to 812,890MWh of National Grid electricity in November 2014, more than meeting the total demand from all Scottish households.

In addition, Scottish Power Renewables has awarded a multi-million pound contract to Schneider Electric to install grid equipment that will support the installation of 215MW of new wind farm capacity. Schneider will supply, install and manage 33kV primary switchgear and wind turbine integrated substations for Scottish Power.• See more on renewables on page 12

New Scottish training partnershipNext month sees the start of a partnership between NICEIC and West College Scotland to deliver a range of NICEIC-approved training courses in West Central Scotland.

West College Scotland currently teaches 30,000 students from its three main campuses in Paisley, Clydebank and Greenock, working closely with many industry partners, such as BAE Systems, Babcock Marine, RBS and Ikea.

The college’s impressive Institute of Construction and Engineering building at

Free NICEIC registration roadshows for ScotlandNICEIC is heading to Scotland! Join us in March 2015 at a free registration roadshow event – a series of technical seminars to help electrical contractors get to grips with BS 7671: Amendment 3. You can also learn more about NICEIC registration at these events.

To find out how we can help your business, or if you are already a registered contractor with NICEIC, come along to meet the team and gain valuable technical knowledge at a venue near you. Tickets are free and the first 50 attendees at each event will receive a free copy of BS 7671: Amendment 3, worth £85 rrp.

The registration roadshows will be held on: 10 March at Glynhill Hotel, Glasgow; 11 March at Regent Hotel, Oban; 17 March at New Drumossie Hotel, Inverness; 18 March at Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel, Aberdeen.

Running from 8.30am-1pm, each event is packed with technical content, covering Amendment 3, certification options in Scotland, benefits of NICEIC registration and a technical Q&A session.

Complimentary refreshments and lunch will be provided. So don’t miss out, register for your free place today by calling 01582 539 120 or emailing events@niceic.com. You can also visit niceicscotland.com for more information.

Paisley contains excellent facilities that deliver a full range of electrotechnical courses, including renewables. Its central location, flexible opening hours, extensive onsite parking and catering, as well as its focus on quality, make it a strong addition to NICEIC’s national network of training options.

“West College Scotland is delighted to partner with NICEIC in this exciting initiative to provide first-class training and education across our three campus locations,” said Liz Connolly, vice-principal, corporate development, West College Scotland.

The first NICEIC course to be delivered by the college will be a third amendment update course on 12 February at the Abercorn Building in Paisley. Please contact our training team on 0870 0130389 or traininginfo@niceic.com for more information.

The third amendment to IET Wiring Regulations BS 7671: 2008 became eff ective from 1 January 2015 and is now the new national standard for electrical installation work in the UK.

Contractors now have a six-month transition period to get up to speed with the changes. All electrical installations designed and periodically inspected after 30 June 2015 will have to comply with the updated rules.

NICEIC has a range of options available for electrical contractors to ensure their work is compliant. The new guidance is available now from www.3rdamendment.co.uk, at the specially discounted price of £69.99 (£85 rrp).

Contractors can also attend a one-day workshop or learn online for a greater understanding of the impact of the new rules.

NICEIC will also be providing more information about the regulation changes at

its upcoming registration roadshow events across Scotland. See above for more details.

To order your copy of the Third Amendment, or to find out more about the range of options available, call 0843 290 3398 or visit www.3rdamendment.co.uk

Get up to speed on third amendment

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Connections 6

BUILDING STANDARDS

T he Building (Scotland) Act 2003 introduced the concept of certification for work requiring a building warrant.

Ministers can appoint competent, qualified and experienced building professionals and tradespeople as approved certifiers to certify that parts of the design or construction comply with the Scottish building regulations.

Certification recognises the important role that competent people play in the construction industry and provides a vehicle to streamline and speed up the building warrant and completion certificate process.

An approved certifier has been assessed as competent to certify their own work. This means there is no need for the local authority to scrutinise the certified design or inspect the certified building work, so they only have to check that the certifier is appropriately registered. Using an approved certifier also attracts a discount on the building warrant fee.

All certified work is covered by insurance and scheme providers have procedures in place to carry out audits of certifiers and to handle any complaints arising from certified

projects. Certsure, trading as NICEIC, is one of two scheme providers for the certification of construction (electrical installations to BS 7671) scheme.

Registration markA Scottish Government approved certifier registration mark has been developed for use by all registered approved certifiers, helping to raise the profile of certification. The registration mark helps members of the public easily identify and employ tradespeople and building professionals who are recognised as being experienced, well qualified and competent by the Scottish Government. It also gives assurance to customers that the work undertaken will comply with building regulations.

In March 2014, 100 representatives from across the construction industry

met at Edinburgh Castle. The purpose of the event was to launch the updated certification register and to kickstart a conversation with industry on how to further improve building standards certification in Scotland.

Derek Mackay, the minister for local government and planning, gave the keynote address and said: “I am convinced of the need to have strong building standards certification. It recognises the role competent people play in the construction industry and provides a vehicle to cut through red tape and avoid duplication of work in terms of design and construction.

“We all want a certification system in Scotland that is fit for purpose and is considered the ‘norm’,” he added. “It is important we all work together to take certification forward. Only then will we be able to leave a strong and coherent legacy to keep the people of Scotland safe within our built environment.”

Future visionAt the event, the minister tasked the Scottish Government’s Building Standards Division with convening a workshop in the autumn to advise on a “future vision and strategy for building standards certification in Scotland”.

The cross-industry workshop was held in Edinburgh on 24 September 2014 and included 22 delegates from local authority building standards,

Certifi cation recognises the role played by competent tradespeople, but more needs to be done to promote the concept to certifi ers and the wider publicBy Bill Dodds

The case for certifi cation

‘The uptake of building standards certifi cation has been successful but more needs to be done to make it more accessible and attractive to certifi ers and end users’

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Connections 7

all scheme providers, the wider construction industry, the Association of British Insurers, the Health and Safety Executive and consumer groups.

The four main topics considered at the workshop were:• Equivalence of the certified and

non-certified routes to compliance;• Incentives to encourage the uptake of

certification by end users;• Value of using certifiers for all work;• Promoting and raising awareness

of certification.The workshop topics and discussions

were supported by four research projects commissioned by the Scottish Government:• Review the current building standards

fee structure and future requirements;• Investigation of compliance levels with

the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (including schedule 3);

• Improve and raise awareness of certification in Scotland;

• A study of the level of checking of structural design. Reports for each of these projects

can be found in the research section at http://scotland.gov.uk/bsd.

Following this workshop, a similar report into the level of checking of M

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electrical installations to BS 7671 was published in December. The aim was to consider in terms of “public interest” if there was a gap between the robustness of certified electrical installations and equivalent non-certified (verified) electrical installations.

While the research concluded that there was no evidence that the end products of certified and non-certified approaches were diff erent, it identified clear diff erences in the approaches, processes and competence. Recommendations on how to better align the approaches can be found in the research report. The final report

from the certification workshop is expected to be published in 2015.

The Scottish Government has recently been working in partnership with all scheme providers and Local Authority Building Standards Scotland, delivering roadshows around Scotland to help promote and raise awareness of building standards certification. These roadshows have been well attended, attracting more than 200 delegates.

The uptake of building standards certification has been successful but more needs to be done to help promote certification and make it more accessible and attractive to the certifiers of the future and to end users.

Ultimately, the use of recognised and approved competent people will drive up standards and improve compliance with building regulations.

It is vital that we continue to work in partnership to achieve our common goals and deliver safe and sustainable buildings for our communities for many years to come.

» Bill Dodds is head of the Building Standards Division at the Scottish Government

‘Certifi cation recognises the role competent people play in the construction industry and provides a vehicle to cut red tape and avoid duplication of work’

> Bill Dodds: “The use of recognised and approved

competent people will drive up standards”

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Connections 8

STATE OF THE MARKET

A fter the excitement of the referendum, the Scottish economy remains at a crossroads. Private

investment is starting to pick up, unemployment is falling, and many electrical contractors are being supported by a surge in the housing market, especially newbuild. But estate agency Savills recently warned that the Scottish property market is likely to underperform compared with the rest of the UK for the next five years.

For many contractors, there’s plenty of pressure lurking: wages are rising and skills shortages remain acute, according to recent Off ice for National Statistics data. But how much are the headline worries really reflected on the ground?

Newbuild confidenceLet’s begin at the Dundee off ice of Bruce Bisset, a director at Galloway Group, an engineering and electrical solutions operator. In total, Galloway employs around 250 people, with 20 electricians on the books and a strong presence in

the newbuild housing market. “We are seeing an improvement in business, certainly since 2009,” says Bisset. That year was grim. The workload dropped dramatically, with turnover sinking to £1.25 million compared with £2.5 million in 2008. “We had 40 electricians, but had to cut down to 15,” he recalls.

Looking ahead, a skills shortage is frustrating, especially when certain hotspots – Aberdeen’s oil and gas industry being one – put pressure on costs. “The oil-related business there means wages are very much higher, although that may change as the oil price goes down,” he says. Oil prices have dipped by 30 per cent since mid-summer due to lower demand and an abundance of supply.

But the skills issue, and the lack of local labour, is irksome. “It’s a struggle to find staff ,” he says. “We’ve put countless adverts in magazines, online and other recruitment places.” Currently they have two apprentices and an adult trainee – an area Bisset increasingly wants to focus on. “They’re a bit more mature, although they’re also hard to find.”

Galloway is sticking to the newbuild market. It’s had some experience with student accommodation, but the margins are tighter. Despite government rhetoric, the renewable or “green” element still isn’t really there. “Not a lot of renewables go into newbuild yet,” says Bisset. “We did look into solar panels 10 years ago, but none of the housebuilders were prepared to include it, to keep costs down. But recently we received an enquiry that does have a requirement for photovoltaic (PV).”

Planning aheadCrossing the Tay and turning south-east, we head for St Andrews. Connections last talked to Ronnie Grant, owner of R.B. Grant in 2012, which at the time employed 50 people. Grant was getting through the recession with some diversification; public sector work was getting tighter. Now, things are better –

Aft er the excitement and uncertainty of last year’s referendum, Scotland is quietly returning to normality, and pushing on with its economic recovery. And electrical contractors are doing the same

By Adrian Holliday

Calm aft er the storm

> Newbuilds are keeping Galloway Group electricians busy

‘We’re already securing jobs for later this year and there has been a return to spending over a three to four-year period’

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Scotland Scotland is Better Together, for the moment. Strathclyde University’s Fraser of Allander Institute predicts economic growth of 2.2 per cent in the next year, with unemployment falling.

Recently a huge urban regeneration project – the Rosyth waterfront project in Fife – was unveiled, promising 3,500 jobs and £500 million in investment. A new £400 million bypass to the west of Aberdeen has helped the construction industry, as has a controversial £300 million on-shore Highlands wind farm, the Stronelairg 67-turbine scheme.

However, corporate insolvencies have seen a slight rise, according to KPMG, with small fi rms seeming to be particularly vulnerable.

Economic focus:

Connections 9

the staff count is up to 55 – particularly on the council side. “We’re already securing jobs for later this year and there has been a return to spending over a three to four-year period,” he says.

For him, this means he’s able to plan ahead in a way that wasn’t possible even 18 months ago, such as taking on more apprentices or buying vehicles and plant. Currently he has 14 apprentices on the books (two years ago he had 12). “We’re intending to push that towards 20 in the next year,” he says.

On the capital spend front Grant has a 30-vehicle fleet – everything from a Fiesta van to a heavyweight Volkswagen LT. “We have considered electric vehicles, and there are grants for them, but the selection isn’t huge,” he says. “When it becomes more competitive, we’ll look again; the infrastructure isn’t quite there yet either.”

And he should know. R.B. Grant has been involved in some of the charging installations. Meanwhile, construction growth in West Lothian, Perth and Dundee is helping things along, as is PV work, helped by zero-interest loans of up to £5,000 for Scottish customers, for 100 per cent of costs.

Steady growth Next, let’s move 23 miles south-west to Kirkcaldy. Colin Mirrey, owner of Kilmaron Electrical, has been in the electrical contracting business for

35 years. He employs several staff , including two apprentices, and currently turns over £375,000.

Business is strong, which he attributes in part to avoiding main contractors. Mirrey also has no public sector work. He has an increasing responsibility for a pub and hotel chain – ongoing maintenance and testing, as well as inspections – but also has a strong relationship with the National Trust for Scotland. “Currently we have an electrician over at the Threave Estate near Castle Douglas, 130 miles away,” he says. “The Velux Group is another client; we do a lot of their properties now.” Also on the customer list is Kingdom Homes, a nursing and residential care operator where Mirrey has input with newbuilds.

So are all downturn fears now mostly expunged? “There is certainly no sign of a downturn,” he says. “I would say, however, that large projects from big companies have dwindled somewhat in the past three to four years.” So it’s a mixed picture. Mirrey hasn’t touched the PV market because he’s had no need to, “although we have been involved with ground heat source pumps”.

Cost controlOur last stop is Lanarkshire. We skirt Edinburgh and make for Newmains, 20 miles south-east of Glasgow. Lisa Hamilton is the spokesperson for Dalziel Services, which has 110 staff and is set to turn over £15 million for the current year. It’s a big player, spread generously across the education, healthcare, leisure, commercial and industrial sectors.

The majority of these have been aff ected by cuts in public spending. The in-built response was to diversify, including renewables. “We’re trying to be more integrated with the renewables,” says Hamilton, “especially when we’re promoting our other services.”

The firm’s dedicated renewables division has helped widen the customer base on the domestic front, as well as extend services to the existing client base, she adds.

All this has significantly boosted the sales picture. The business was turning over £4.8 million in 2010-11, some distance from its current figure. Key performance indicators are tightly woven in, so costs are monitored. “Nothing is allowed to sit and rack up costs that can’t be justified,” says Hamilton.

Taking the longer view, a big issue is training, given the skills shortfall in Scotland. “We’re training up more young people,” says Hamilton. “The majority of our workers are based in Lanarkshire and it’s important to our values that we are committed to the local area. We have 22 apprenticeships and hope to add a further 12 next year.”

» Adrian Holliday is a freelance business journalist

2.2 PERCENT: Predicted economic growth for Scotland in 2015

‘We are seeing an improvement in business, certainly since 2009. We had to cut down from 40 electricians to 15 then’

> Kirkcaldy-based Kilmaron Electrical

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City visionAs the former maintenance arm of Glasgow City Council, City Building has fl ourished since branching out on its own nine years ago

CONTRACTOR PROFILE // CITY BUILDING

By Nick Martindale

G lasgow-based City Building is less than a decade old, but in that time has established itself as one of the UK’s leading construction companies. Originally the direct labour organisation responsible for repairs and maintenance for Glasgow City Council’s housing stock, the entity became a business

in its own right in 2006 and has since expanded its portfolio to include major construction projects, newbuild housing and refurbishment programmes.

“At that time repairs and maintenance for the council were in general decline but there was a lot of work available from the industry outside and we had a big workforce and apprenticeship programme to maintain,” says Graham Paterson, executive director. “Becoming a limited liability partnership allowed us to expand into other market areas and work in both the private and public sectors.”

The business is still wholly owned by the council, and this work still accounts for a considerable amount of its £200 million turnover. It recently won a long-term repairs and maintenance contract with the Glasgow Housing Association, worth around £35 million a year, which provides direct employment for around 800 people.

“We have to clearly demonstrate best value for work with the council; we’re not just given that automatically,” says Graham. The Glasgow Housing Association contract was one

COMPANY: City Building

BASED: Glasgow

FOUNDED: 2006

MAJOR PROJECTS: Glasgow Housing Association, Commonwealth Games

STAFF NUMBERS: 2,200

TURNOVER: £200 million

Graham Paterson

‘The Glasgow Housing Association contract was one of the biggest repairs and maintenance contracts in Europe, and we were in competition with 17 other companies’

of the biggest repairs and maintenance contracts in Europe at the time and we won that in competition with 17 other companies, securing employment and jobs and training for a long time.” The business also services 56 other housing associations, in and around the Glasgow area.

Alongside this, however, City Building has built up the construction side of the business, from £30 million four years ago to around £80 million today. It has recently completed the construction of 27 schools in the city and is embarking on a new five-year programme worth £250 million, which will eventually see every primary school in the city upgraded or rebuilt. “There’s been a massive shift in terms of the construction side, and looking ahead at our order book that’s not going to change,” says Graham. “I don’t see it dropping below that £80 million level over the next few years.” Other areas of focus include care homes and newbuild homes.

Connections

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Sporting chanceThe business was also heavily involved in construction work for the Commonwealth Games, which took place in Glasgow last year. “One of the biggest projects was the National Hockey Centre,” says Graham. “We also worked on the headquarters of the Commonwealth Games team, which was a major refurbishment of an old building known as Tontine Building in the city. Another big project was the Scotstoun Squash Centre in the Commonwealth Village that was used

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to house 350 athletes. After the Games we made it fit for purpose as a care home.”

From an electrical perspective, the Tontine Building was particularly challenging, says Stephen Rankin, senior electrical planning manager. “It was a two-year contract to modernise a building that was massively run down and we had big problems with asbestos and crumbling walls, as well as outdated electrics. It was a full refurbishment with the mains coming into the street from the substation and into the building and up to the four storeys, plus the ground floor and the basement, so it was a massive job to undertake.”

Stephen heads up the company’s electrical side, which provides support to the wider business on all its projects through its team of more than 300 electricians, as well as operating dedicated business units for fire alarms and controlled entry systems.

Talent hotspotThe business as a whole directly employs around 2,200 people, and indirectly provides work for another 2,000 or so in its wider supply chain. Major contracts tend to be planned in advance, says Graham, helping the business manage its employee base, and it relies heavily on apprenticeships as a means of generating a pipeline of talent (both Graham and Stephen are themselves former apprentices with the business).

It takes on approximately 100 apprentices a year – around 9 per cent are women – including around 20 electrical apprentices, and currently has almost 500 on four-year schemes. “It’s very important for us to keep that training and apprenticeship programme going,” says Graham. “The aim is for them to secure jobs within the business, and we’ve been very successful at that. But if it’s not with City Building then at least they have the skills and training to go out into other organisations and the wider industry itself.”

City Building is also a big employer of people with disabilities, through its Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries business, which employs 250 people designing and manufacturing kitchen, off ice and educational furniture. “It’s the largest supported manufacturing facility within Europe with over 50 per cent of the workforce registered disabled, and that’s a key part of our supply chain as well,” says Graham.

As well as this, the business actively encourages both women and those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds to consider construction as a career choice, and its work in this area was recently recognised at both the prestigious Scottish Business Awards, where it won the corporate social responsibility title, and in the allocation of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2012 for its sustainability initiatives.

The business recently developed a two-year business plan and forecasts turnover remaining steady at around the £200 million mark, says Graham, adding that he would like to grow both the construction and newbuild housing operations. He also sees energy eff iciency as a potential growth area. “The most important thing for us is making sure we maintain apprenticeship and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. That’s central to what we’re about.”

» Nick Martindale is editor of Connections

Stephen Rankin

300:The number of electricians employed by City Building

4,200: The number of people who depend on City Building, either directly or indirectly

Connections

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Connections 12

RENEWABLES

N ICEIC and SNIPEF have established a partnership that provides access to a range of certification schemes

tailored to the needs of SNIPEF (Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation) members.

One of the main benefits of this partnership is access to the microgeneration certification scheme (MCS) for any of the approved technologies, allowing SNIPEF members to diversify into new areas. The Green Deal scheme also off ers significant opportunities for firms involved in the heating, plumbing, electrical and insulation industries.

MCS consists of a number of technologies, which can be combined to provide an entire energy management solution for customers or installed in isolation. These include:• Solar photovoltaic (MIS3002);• Solar thermal (MIS3001);• Ground and air source heat pumps

(MIS3005);• Wind turbines (MIS3003);• Biomass boilers (MIS3004);• Combined heat and power systems

(CHP) (MIS3007).

Route to registrationRegistration with NICEIC is simple. To become MCS-registered you will need a visit from an NICEIC assessor. This will include a site assessment to demonstrate the installation quality against the applicable microgeneration installation standards (MIS) and an off ice audit to ensure the appropriate documentation is in place to satisfy the scheme requirements assessed against MCS001.

Once your application and assessment are successful your customers will be eligible to receive government incentives such as feed-in tariff s (FITs) for electricity generation or the renewable heat incentive (RHI) for heat generation.

Green DealThe Green Deal scheme works in a similar way to MCS. Registration is

awarded against compliance with the requirements of PAS 2030 and covers a range of energy-saving technologies, from boiler replacements to insulation, windows and renewable technologies.

Once certification to PAS 2030 has been awarded by NICEIC, installers are also able to access ECO funded work and Green Deal funding for customers. Two SNIPEF members have already attained Green Deal registered status and are enjoying the benefits it brings. They are Pitkerro Plumbing and Heating Ltd, based in Dundee, and Grange Energy Services in West Lothian.

“Our application process and contractor-focused guidance helps make the certification experience as clear as possible and ensures that those with the appropriate skills and knowledge to install energy-saving measures will find it easy to enter the market,” says NICEIC’s Green Deal sector specialist Dani Putney.

NICEIC is the market leader in both MCS and Green Deal installer certification schemes and was named certification body of the year at the 2014 Green Deal & ECO Awards. More than 1,100 firms are currently signed up for Green Deal certification with NICEIC and a further 1,500 for the MCS scheme.

“MCS and Green Deal certified firms have greater opportunities to work in the growing ‘green’ sector,” says Putney. “And NICEIC registration gives the consumer confidence that the company has been checked and assessed as competent.”

SNIPEFSNIPEF has just over 750 member firms, employing more than 3,500 plumbers and 700 plumbing apprentices. It operates an “approved certifier of construction” scheme for drainage, heating and plumbing works, which are subject to a Building Warrant. More than 100 approved certifiers are now members of the scheme and are self-certifying work without waiting for Local Authority Building Control inspection.

For more information about SNIPEF go to www.snipef.orgFor more information about the NICEIC MCS and Green Deal log on to www.niceic.com/contractor/green-deal

NICEIC and SNIPEF are working together to help Scottish contractors diversify into renewables

Going green

NICEIC was named certifi cation body of the year at the 2014 Green Deal & ECO Awards A

lam

y

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Connections 13

RENTAL SECTOR CHANGES

T he private rented sector (PRS) in Scotland has more than doubled in size in the past decade. Yet in 2012 almost

two-thirds of PRS homes failed to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and, from 2012 to 2013, more than 3,400 domestic fires (almost 70 per cent of all accidental fires) arose from an electrical fault.

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2014, which received Royal Assent on 1 August 2014 as part of the Scottish government’s 10-year action plan for housing, will bring about significant changes for social landlords (both local authorities and iS

tock

housing associations). The act will now be enforced in stages, with the timescale yet to be established.

Private landlords in Scotland will be required by law to ensure that a rented house meets the repairing standard at the start of and throughout a tenancy. One requirement of the repairing standard is that installations in the property for the supply of electricity, electrical fixtures and fittings, and any appliances provided by the landlord under the tenancy, are in a reasonable state of repair and in proper working order.

Landlords are also required to ensure that regular electrical safety inspections are carried out by a competent person. Any element of the electrical installation that is classified as a real and immediate danger or potentially dangerous will have to be rectified to comply with the

repairing standard. Any appliance that fails a portable appliance test (PAT) must be removed, replaced or repaired to comply with the repairing standard.

An inspection must be carried out before a tenancy starts, and at intervals of no more than five years. It is not necessary to carry out a new inspection every time a new tenancy starts, as long as an inspection has been carried out in the five years before the tenancy begins.

An electrical safety certificate must be provided as a record of the inspection, and the landlord must keep a copy for six years. A copy of the certificate must be given to a person who is to become a tenant before a tenancy starts.

While an electrical installation condition report (EICR) will meet the requirements for an electrical safety inspection certificate for installations, fixtures and fittings, and will record any remedial action required, any work that is undertaken must be recorded separately. This can be done, for example, by issuing a minor electrical installation works certificate to the landlord.

The inspection must include a PAT test of the safety of any appliances provided by the landlord. A “pass” or “fail” label must be attached to each appliance. An equipment register and test record in the form recommended in the IET code of practice for in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment must be attached to the electrical safety certificate.

The landlord is responsible for ensuring that the person who carries out the electrical safety inspections is competent. This means they must be a member of a recognised professional body. NICEIC registration is recognised as an acceptable form of evidence of competence.

New rules mean landlords in the private rented sector must ensure electrical equipment is up to par and inspected every fi ve years. Electrical Safety First outlines the implications

Take no chances

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Connections 14

ONLINE CERTIFICATION

S ince launching last year, NICEIC’s online certification and notification system is proving a hit for the busy contractor looking to save both time and money.

More than 10,000 customers currently use the site, producing more than 246,000 certificates and completing more than 890,000 notifications.

With no expensive upfront costs for software or annual bills for continued use, www.niceiconline.com off ers an easy solution to form filling. Contractors simply log on to the cloud-based system using their NICEIC details to fill out all forms or notify work online.

Mark Platten is the principal duty holder for Cilantro Engineering UK Ltd, based in London. The firm employs around 150 staff and is involved in a variety of newbuild and refurbishment projects. It recently completed work transforming part of the 2012 Olympic Village into modern luxury apartments.

“We were responsible for converting the athletes’ apartments into modern luxury homes with kitchens and extra living space,” says Platten. “We carried out all the domestic certification for that work, along with the test and certification for another project on the same site. Across the two projects we issued 2,384 certificates – all through NICEIC online.”

Cilantro is now in the process of rolling out the system across the group. “It worked well with our system so we decided to go for it,” he says. “It is great

for multiple users. We can produce several certificates at the same time, cutting down the time needed for certificate turnaround, which is very important to our clients.”

The move to an online, cloud-based system, which took more than a year to develop, provides contractors with access to the most up-to-date technical services.

Terry Pack, head of group projects at Certsure, said: “We spent a lot of time talking to contractors about their needs and testing the service until it was robust enough to launch.

“The feedback has been very positive. Many have said it has transformed the way they work simply because of the convenience it off ers.

“More and more work is now being carried out online so it makes perfect sense for certification and notification work to go that way too. With access to the internet now so easy, it means paperwork doesn’t have to be a task done at the end of a hard working day.”

Forms can be completed either onsite or back in the off ice, and can be emailed or printed off for clients and for contractors’ own personal recordkeeping. Jobs can also be

automatically notified to Building Control using the same information on the electrical installation certificate.

“We’ve worked hard to ensure the system has everything the contractor needs and are now developing additional services that will make it the number-one choice of system for contractors,” says Pack.

Another firm currently using the system is Mouchel, the building maintenance division of Bournemouth Borough Council. Selim Hasan is the qualified supervisor (QS) and oversees a team of 15 electricians. “We mainly use it for certification since we carry out a lot of testing work on the current housing stock under Bournemouth Council,” says Hasan.

“It is definitely quicker and easier to use and the main benefit is I can see in live time the reports being filled out. It helps if there are any queries over what items need to be filled out on a report.”

With the majority of contractors now using the system, the next stage for NICEIC is to build on the service and its development. This year will see the project team roll out a wider range of certificates to include fire alarm and emergency lighting. There will also be an off line app created, so firms working in more remote areas do not continually need to have internet access.

“We are always looking at ways to develop and improve the system,” says Pack. “More and more contractors are now using a laptop, smart phone or tablet computer in their everyday work and we want to ensure they have access to the latest developments out there.”

Online certifi cation allows contractors to fi le certifi cates and notify jobs on site or in the offi ce, eliminating the hassle of paperwork

Get online, get ahead

‘www.niceiconline.com off ers a simple and easy solution to form fi lling via a cloud-based system’

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THE POWER TO GET YOU UP TO SPEED WITH AMENDMENT 3

the power behind your businessTo purchase any updated products visit niceicdirect.com or call 0843 290 3398

OUR UPDATED PUBLICATIONS AND CERTIFICATES WILL HELP YOU TO COMPLY

niceic.com

p15_CON_SUPP.01.15.indd 15 12/01/2015 11:46

the power behind your businessBeing an Approved Contractor in Scotland can open all sorts of doors for your business. To find out how far you could go with NICEIC, just call 0843 290 3446 visit niceic.com or come to your local registration roadshow.

THE POWER TO HELP YOU GET MORE WORK IN SCOTLAND

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