New Years resolutions

The Christmas break seems a long time back now, but as this is the first issue of 2008, welcome to the New Year. And what a year we have ahead of us. As the first complete rewrite of the Wiring Regulations since 1992, the introduction of the 17th Edition is undoubtedly a momentous occasion for electrical contractors. For those who have been hibernating, all installations designed after 1 July 2008 must comply with the 17th Edition.

Could 2008 finally be the year that the ECA and the HVCA decide to converge? This is the longest running courtship in history, with more than a quarter of a century having passed since those first tentative glances across a crowded construction industry gathering.

The early signs are that the time is now right for the two memberships to accept that there are benefits to be gained from convergence, not least in terms of efficient use of the two Associations’ resources, as sustainability and the like drive the two sides of the sector ever closer together.

This year, it looks like there could well be a signficant slow down in construction output following the recent credit crunch. While the m&e industry still boasts bulging order books, the latest projections from the Construction Products Association forecast just 1% growth in 2008, compared to the 2·6% enjoyed in 2007.

For now, housing appears to be the sector suffering the most, but the Association predicts that the commercial sector will be hit as investors cut back in response to the large amount of commercial space that is now becoming available following significant investment in recent years. Interesting times indeed.