Electrical Contracting News (ECN) August 2016 | Page 36

Quality branded products at affordable prices
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SPECIAL FEATURE
HVAC
Landlords must consider any request from tenants to improve the energy efficiency of their property .
In electrically heated homes , replacing an outdated storage heating system or incorrectly specifi ed electric radiators with an energy effi cient solution like the Dimplex Quantum off-peak heater can signifi cantly reduce energy bills and help to meet the standards which are soon to be required from rental properties . And with 4.1 million private landlords in the UK , it is a huge market to target .
Ecodesign
The European Union ’ s Ecodesign Directive ( 2009 / 125 / EC ) sets out minimum mandatory requirements for the effi ciency of certain products , including household appliances , information and communication technologies . It is part of a continuing drive by the EU and its member states to replace energy
consuming products with more effi cient models . The UK could now alter or remove these requirements but , in order to supply product to the EU , British businesses will have to comply .
As part of this , the Energy Labelling Directive sets out mandatory labelling requirements for certain products , as has been the case with gas boilers , lightbulbs , washing machines and fridge freezers for example .
We have already seen the positive impact this had on sales of white goods and I expect the same of electric heating appliances .
Although the requirements of Ecodesign do not apply for local space heaters until at least 2017 ( subject to Brexit negotiations of course ), manufacturers are already developing their appliances to ensure compliance , taking advantage of technologies such as Internet of Things , wireless connectivity and intelligent controls to drive effi ciency .
It is likely this will mean contractors have access to a smaller but better choice of electric heating products to specify , potentially driving some cheap , poor quality brands out of the market .
Energy tariff changes
In March the Competition and Markets Authority ( CMA ) published details of its proposals to reform the energy market , open up competition and help customers get a better deal . The reforms made it easier for people to switch energy providers but they also removed the four tariff rule , which meant consumers could only choose from four core tariff for electricity .
The rule was designed to make it easier for customers to choose a tariff , but in some cases it was restricting off-peak tariffs and unfairly penalising electrically heated homes .
Now energy suppliers can design tariffs for specifi c customer groups and it opens the door for ‘ time of use ’ tariffs , which would benefi t those homes using off-peak electric heating appliances and electric hot water cylinders .
After graduating in Psychology and Marketing , Chris Stammers started his marketing career in the food and beverage industry , prior to moving to Dimplex , where , as product manager , he gained an in-depth knowledge of the company ’ s range of over 400 products . Moving on to become marketing manager for fi res , his insight , knowledge and experience gained him the fi res industry ’ s ‘ Wise Owl ’ award in 2008 . His current role as marketing director sees him managing a variety of product ranges and focusing on industry-wide issues affecting heating and construction .

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Wiring Accessories

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Recommended 35mm back box Complies to BS5733 / BS1363
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Axiom Wiring Accessories by CED
44-48 Freshwater Road , Dagenham , Essex RM8 1RX ( United Kingdom ) Telephone . 020 8503 8500 Facsimile . 020 8503 8900 www . ced-elec . co . uk | info @ ced-elec . co . uk