Build Magazine September 2015

Build Magazine 5 ET Solar, a global leading energy solutions provider, has announced that ET Solutions AG, its wholly owned, turnkey solar-energy solutions provider, has switched on a 5MWp ground-mounted solar project in the UK for Europe’s largest solar company, Light- source Renewable Energy. The scheme at Manor Farm in Eggington, near Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, was successfully connected under Britain’s Renewables Obligation program. With a total installed capacity of 5MWp, the plant will supply enough electricity for around 1,400 homes, and save up to 2,362 tons of CO2 emis- sions each year. Naturally well screened, the site creates minimum visual impact and will generate clean electricity for 25 years - after which the land will be returned to its normal use. Kareen Boutonnat, Managing Director for Light- source, commented on the project. “We were delighted to work with ET Solutions in building this 5MWp solar power project, the latest asset to our growing operational portfolio.” Construction Sector Missing Out On £6.4bn a Year Due To Poor Management Poor management of people in the construction industry is hitting the sector hard, leading to an 8.2% efficiency gap, which equates to £6.4bn in lost output every year, according to a new study by Investors in People and economic research consultancy TBR. The results indicate that recognising and rewarding performance and having a strong set of company values would have the biggest benefi- cial impact on outputs in the construction sector, helping to plug this efficiency gap. The ‘Impact of investing in people’ report, based on research amongst 8,750 businesses and ONS data, was commissioned to identify the key management factors driving workplace performance across a range of industries. The study is the first of its kind to calculate the monetary benefits of implementing more effective people management approaches. Paul Devoy, Head of Investors in People, explains: “It’s obvious that a skilled, confident workforce is essential to a productive enterprise. However, it is difficult to determine the true impact on the bottom line. This study provides the evidence that focusing on excellence in people management can lead to significant performance gains for the sector. The effect of this efficiency gap is hitting the construc- tion sector hard and better people management should be recognised as a key mechanism by which the industry can address low performance.” To make it easier to identify and compare ap- proaches of the best performing firms, Investors in People has launched the first ever real-time ‘People Management Dashboard’. Anyone can now access a unique set of common metrics, showing the management performance of work- places across the UK. It’s a simple way to see how well employers are leading and supporting their people. This knowledge comes from working with thousands of top businesses across the country, from Allianz Insurance, McDonald’s restaurants, to Brompton Bikes. Hundreds of academics, business leaders, and industry experts were in- volved in the creation of the new sixth generation Investors in People standard, which launched this month. With a large team of 350 full-time specialists, Lightsource can take care of the entire lifetime of a scheme, from design and planning through to installation and ongoing maintenance. The company is Europe’s largest supplier of solar energy and is still looking for more sites to develop. All that is needed is more than 30 acres of land (including brownfield) that’s not within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Kareen added: “Solar remains a viable option for landowners and forms an important part of the UK’s energy mix. We have an unrivalled track record in obtaining planning permission and securing connection and we would urge anyone interested in developing a site to get in touch.” Dennis She, ET Solar’s President and CEO, said: “By developing and building many MW-scale solar power plants in the UK, we have established a strong market presence in this country. Together with Lightsource, our focus is on delivering turnkey solar energy solutions and green solar electricity to the UK market.” ET Solar Connects 5MWp PV Plant in UK for Lightsource Renewable Energy