Spotlight on... The West Midlands

Regeneration in the west

Like many UK regions, the West Midlands is experiencing strong regeneration, says Steve Roberts, regional manager.

Where the region differs however, is that collectively the six identified areas for regeneration encompass one-third of the region’s population.

Housing and essential amenities are therefore major issues, and ones that local authorities are keeping high on their priority list when it comes to the electrical industry.

Birmingham City Council, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, Wolverhampton City Council and Staffordshire County Council have all been proactive in taking advantage of the current ECA Client Specifier’s package.

This updates them on the latest legislative requirements, best practice and industry trends – information they have certainly taken notice of in terms of ongoing initiatives in the region. Funding is giving a welcome boost to many projects that could see an upturn in work for contractors.

Plans to regenerate areas of north-west Birmingham via the Urban Living Pathfinder have been given resounding backing by the confirmation of government funding of more than £50 million.

The groundbreaking scheme Ventureast under way in Eastside is one of the biggest regeneration schemes in Europe, and with building work planned for 2009, it is sure to provide a boost for the electrical and mechanical sector in the area.

In short, the West Midlands is starting to invest in its own future which, given these uncertain times, is a reassuring sign, and one that contractors should follow closely.

Project file

1. Road works

Tamworth-based Midlands Electrical Specialists (MES) gave new meaning to the term ‘roadworks’ when it completed electrical and fire security installation work at the refurbished Coventry Transport Museum.

The museum is home to the largest collection of transport memorabilia in Britain and includes 240 cars, commercial vehicles and buses, 100 motorcycles, more than 200 cycles and around one million archive and one-off items.

With such a vast range of historical exhibits, ensuring that the museum had the right lighting and fire security systems in place was essential.

The museum turned to MES to fulfil its refurb and new-build requirements. The £1 m contract, which was completed in several phases over a two-year period, saw MES completely refit many of the building’s internal and external lighting systems, from small display units and emergency lighting to mains and sub-mains supply routes.

The museum also benefited from a new fire alarm system.

2. Computer-literate

When providing a safe and appealing environment for the public to shop in, there is no room for compromise, especially in an increasingly litigious society. With this in mind, retail outlets know better than most the importance of complying with Building Regulations.

So when CEX, a computer and video games exchange store at Merry Hill Shopping Centre in Dudley, needed updating to the latest industry standards, it needed a name it could trust.

ECA member Chancery Contracts was the company. The Wolverhampton-based electrical contractor was enlisted to supply and install a lighting system that would not only meet the store’s own requirements in terms of display luminescence, but would also meet the required amount of lumens per watt as required by the Building Regulations.

Chancery also installed emergency lighting and fire alarm systems.

3. Stately job

Oldbury-based Rowelec, a 10-year member of the ECA, is nearing completion on works at one of West Midland’s most historic buildings – Hagley Hall in Worcestershire.

In addition to being the home of Lord Cobham, the hall, widely regarded as one of the finest examples of 18th-century architecture in the UK, is also a firm favourite for corporate and private functions.

Ensuring that the building’s lighting, electrical works and security systems are up to date and complement the building’s architecture is essential.

Over a four-month period, the team from Rowelec set about replacing the grade II-listed building’s distribution boards and extensive network of rubber cables.

Rowelec is completing works on the hall, with a brand new wiring system for the building’s toilet facilities, and with the installation of a state-of-the-art CCTV system.

4. Greener garments

Another company sharpening its green credentials with the help of an ECA member is Johnsons Apparelmaster in Perry Barr, Birmingham.

Cosgriff Whitehouse Electrical is helping the workwear specialist to update its factory lighting systems to energy-efficient, high-frequency fluorescent T5 lighting (35 W and 49 W), with special daylight-saving controls.

Power factor correction equipment has also been installed by Cosgriff Whitehouse to reduce the factory’s overall energy costs.

The four-year project, worth approximately £400 000, is a major undertaking for the Wolverhampton-based contractor, requiring two technicians permanently on site to supervise the ongoing work.

The building itself dates back to the early part of the last century and its systems require significant updating.

All mains distribution equipment is to be replaced by the firm in order to accommodate new Merlin Gerin panel boards, and new sub-main cables are to be installed also.

Peter Whitehouse, managing director, says: “One of the main issues that any such project presents relates to disturbance. Johnsons Apparelmaster is a busy business, and it is imperative that any works undertaken to update and improve the electrical facilities do not impinge on the day-to-day running of the factory.

As well as getting Johnsons Apparelmaster up to scratch in terms of energy efficiency, Cosgriff Whitehouse Electrical has also installed an analogue addressable fire alarm system with central station interface and event printer to further improve the location’s safety.