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Home automation will be the next big thing in domestic electrical installations, says Phil Williams of Eaton’s Electrical Sector, who explains its attractions and provides guidance for people thinking of entering this potentially profitable market. Almost everyone has heard of home automation, but what exactly is it? In reality, home automation systems can range from a basic time switch all the way up to a full ... Full story

The Green Deal looks set to be the most ambitious refurbishment programme in the UK ever, but energy efficiency improvements must not be at the expense of indoor air quality. Lee Nurse, Marketing Director at Vent-Axia explains how energy efficient ventilation is an important accompaniment to the initiative and offers a potential opportunity for contractors and ... Full story

Ian Hamilton, Managing Director for Hamilton Litestat, discusses the shift towards the use of LED lamps, the impact this is having on lighting control systems and the opportunities this presents for the wholesaler. One of the major trends in lighting that shows no sign of slowing down is the increasing use of LED lamps in commercial ... Full story

Geoff Egginton, Managing Director of Advance Appliances Ltd, looks at initiatives being introduced by leading manufacturers that enable householders to be proactive in helping achieve the UK energy efficiency and carbon reduction obligation. Global concerns about climate change are having an increasing impact on the attitudes and behaviour of energy users. As far as the UK and ... Full story

It has been a while since we last brought you an update from the Electrical Distributor’s Association (EDA) and in that time a lot has changed. Here Tracey Rushton-Thorpe finds out what they have been up to. It would be fair to say that the last few years have been fairly turbulent but the wholesaling industry has ... Full story

We are all aware of the massive energy savings that LED lighting is offering in more and more applications however, Andy Douglas of Timeguard explains why consumption is not the only factor which needs to be taken into consideration. No doubt you’ve already seen more than a few manufacturers about their latest LED lighting this year – LED is here and it’s mainstream. All you have ... Full story

Jim Wallace of Seaward highlights the main changes included in the new IET Code of Practice for maintaining the safety of electrical equipment in the workplace. The new fourth edition of the IET Code of Practice for In Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment provides a timely reminder to all those with a responsibility for ... Full story

WEEE Compliancy has been viewed with a great deal of scepticism since it was brought in to force in 2007 but despite this the number of recycled luminaires continues to grow as Ernest Magog of Lumicom explains. For the lighting industry, 2012 was a good year, with the drive towards energy efficiency resulting in the introduction ... Full story

By Graham Godfrey, Brand Manager for C.K tools Trades professionals account for approximately 30% of the UK’s work force, with 1.9 million registered tradesmen of various skill sets currently working on public and private sector projects, according to the latest ONS data. The data also reveals that, despite a 5.2% decline in construction projects in 2012, ... Full story

Outdoor lighting has been a topic of hot debate – even more so as local authorities come under fire for turning off the street lights to reduce costs. But as David Scott of b,a,g Electronics explains, the lights don’t need to be switched off, you just need to optimise the use of the light through ... Full story

In the current challenging climate, keeping up to speed with changing legislation, the latest technology and options available is vital for business says Nick Rutter, Managing Director of Sprue Safety Products. When it comes to fire safety products, knowledge of the latest alarm solutions and their positioning, backed by an offering of premium quality products that ... Full story

There are now a number of connection technologies on the market that offer significant time savings for installers and maintenance engineers. Wholesalers need to be aware of the options, says Ian Langeveld of Wieland Electric. In many electrical installation projects the time required to make connections can make a significant difference to the overall profitability of ... Full story

Heatrae Sadia recently launched a free online training programme designed to help electrical wholesalers learn more about water heating products.  Here, Robin Wood, the company’s Technical Sales Engineer, tells us more.  As a leading manufacturer, Heatrae Sadia is committed to providing training to everyone involved with our products, whether a specifier, installer, electrical wholesaler or ... Full story

The UK stands at an energy crossroads. We really need to be planning how to avoid the possibility of serious energy shortages in the coming years, but the debate on the best way forward rumbles on.  Meanwhile, most businesses are having a hard enough time just keeping their heads above water in the continuing difficult ... Full story

Specifying and installing the correct type of cable containment system for a specific environment is vital, as a poor choice of solution can significantly affect the future overall performance. Steve Davis of Marco Cable Management explains why end users should give this aspect of their network infrastructure the credit, time and thought it deserves, and ... Full story

Steve Mongan, Head of Marketing for Galaxy Showers, discusses how the electric shower has the characteristics to withstand the current economic difficulties. The forecast for the showering market in 2013 is starting to look a little sunnier.  Although consumer confidence remains low as house prices continue to fall and credit is still increasingly difficult to ... Full story

Now that many of the commonest incandescent lamps have been phased out, end users and electrical contractors are looking for suitable alternatives. Duncan Chamberlain, Director of Trade for Philips Lighting explains why low energy lighting doesn’t need to be ugly. The phasing out of GLS and other incandescent lamps in recent years has caused quite an ... Full story

Lisa Richardson, Brand Manager for Kasp Security looks at ways to fight vehicle crime. The results of the 2011/2012 Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) are in and despite a welcome 4% reduction in overall crime figures, there were still nearly four million criminal incidents reported during the last year. According to the Office of National ... Full story

There’s something of a renaissance taking place for electric heating across the UK, Chandru Ray from Ecolec takes a closer look at the options available. The memories of electric storage radiators twinned with an Economy 7 tariff have faded as have the back pains suffered by those responsible for transporting and installing them. ... Full story

When discussing lighting performance with customers it’s important to consider the ‘partnership’ between the lamp and the control gear. Richard Morris of Venture Lighting explains. It is traditional in the electrical industry to focus on the light source when talking about lighting. So we refer to fluorescent or LED lighting in offices, and sodium, metal halide ... Full story

By Jeremy Dodge, Head of Marketing & Technical Services for Marshall-Tufflex Energy Management Technologically advanced sub-metering systems have opened up this market sector to the benefit of both wholesalers and electrical contractors, with new products available off-the-shelf. For many this power usage information forms the basis of an energy management action plan, perhaps to reduce utility bills ... Full story

Kevin Miller, Business Development Manager for Sangamo Ltd, explains how simple heating controls can reduce energy usage. In the average domestic energy bill, heating and hot water typically accounts for around 84% of the overall spend and with energy costs on the increase this is the perfect place to start to make savings. There are numerous ... Full story

Wholesalers throughout the country are widening the scope of their building automation offerings, as more and more of their customers are installing lighting and heating controls. Kevin Sheldrake, Business Development Manager for Carlo Gavazzi UK looks at how heating systems and energy saving lights can be controlled via iPhone and iPad as well as conventional ... Full story

Michael Simms, Product Manager, Wiring Accessories for Electrium Ltd takes a look at antimicrobial wiring accessories, the electrician’s weapon in the fight against super-bugs, and how these special products can chemically inhibit bacterial growth. The increasing number of antibiotic resistant bacteria still worries us all, despite steadily improving reductions in infection rates at hospitals and medical ... Full story

Once the fabric of the building is optimised and any aging equipment replaced, than it’s all down to the controls says Andy Douglas, Managing Director of Timeguard Ltd. An energy audit – whether it is a complete record of every item of equipment throughout a company or a quick look around your own home, will have ... Full story