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NEWS
In Brief
ATKINS COMPLETES TAKEOVER
OF SCOTTISH FIRM
Atkins has announced that it
has taken over the consultancy
and technical support fi rm
Technical Services Scotland
(TSS) in an £800,000 deal. TSS
specialises in electrical and
process engineering, control
and instrumentation, metallurgy
and site-based testing, as well
as power generation facilities
diagnostics.
WSP PREDICTS FLAT REVENUES
AFTER ANNUAL DROP
Multi-disciplinary consultancy
WSP reported a 2% downturn
in global turnover for 2010, but
in the UK sales were down 13.6
per cent. The group’s chief
executive Chris Cole predicted
‘fl at’ revenues for the UK in 2011,
but said there would be growth
in other regions.
WARNING GIVEN OVER
CONSTRUCTION HEALTH
The UK Contractors Group
(UKCG) has warned the
government that recent fi gures
are hiding a less-than-healthy
construction industry. The
UKCG’s chairman has written
to the Chancellor stating that
the industry is ‘living off its stock’
and that the outlook for the next
couple of years looks bleak
because of planned public
sector cutbacks.
Movers & Shakers | The latest appointments in the sector
Multi-disciplinary
consultancy Arup has
welcomed a new staff
member to its London
offi ces. John Brown is the
new cultural heritage team
leader within the fi rm’s
environmental consulting
team. He has more than 17
years’ experience.
8
Government signals fresh
squeeze on solar farms
● Review of feed-in tariffs signals cuts in
funding for large-scale solar operations
New large solar plants are likely to face a cut in
fi nancial support in order to ensure projects within
homes, communities and small businesses are
properly funded.
The government is planning the cuts
after a review of feed-in tariffs (FiTs)
showed that existing plans for solar
photovoltaic (PV) plants could soak up
subsidies that would otherwise got to
smaller renewables schemes.
Solar installations producing more
than 50kW of power – which could
include school buildings or covered car parks – will be
subsidised to a lesser extent and can expect an annual
rate of return of around 5% compared with 12% for
smaller-scale projects.
Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: ‘I want
to make sure that we capture the benefi ts of fast-falling
costs in solar technology to allow even more homes
to benefi t from feed-in tariffs, rather than see that
money go in bumper profi ts to a small number of big
Tania Smith has joined the
sustainability consulting
team at Arup’s offi ces in
London as part of a two-year
secondment from Arup
in Melbourne. Smith is an
experienced sustainability
professional with expertise
in both fi nancial analysis
and environmental science.
Blane Judd has been
appointed HVCA chief
executive designate. He
was previously operations
director of SummitSkills,
and for the past fi ve years
has been chief executive
of the Chartered Institute
of Plumbing and Heating
Engineering.
‘This proposal
will mean that
the UK will
return to the
solar slow lane’
investors. The FiT scheme was never intended to be a
profi t generator for big businesses and investors.’
The Renewable Energy Association was highly
critical of the announcement. Its chief executive,
Gaynor Hartnell, said: ‘Larger PV projects are cheaper,
and have a major role in driving down costs. We don’t
want boom and bust in this sector either, but pulling
the rug out from under the feet of those
that have ventured into this market was
precisely the wrong response.
‘The UK will return to the solar slowlane.
It’s as good as a retrospective
change and that does untold damage
to investor confi dence. It’s not
acceptable and we will fi ght it.’
Jeremy Leggett, chairman of solar
energy company SolarCentury, called the move a
‘mockery’: ‘No renewables company or investor can
easily be able to trust this government again after this
U-turn by ministers who were so quick in opposition to
call for a more ambitious feed-in tariff, and so ready with
empty promises in the early months of government.’
For more information visit:
www.decc.gov.uk/fi ts
European engineering
consultancy Grontmij has
announced CIBSE member
Alex Drysdale as its director
of building sustainability.
Drysdale joined Grontmij
in 2000 and is a Bespoke
and International BREEAM
assessor. He has more than
10 years’ experience.
Big solar projects
face a funding cut
Mark Terndrup has
been promoted to board
director at Waterman
Building Services, a multidisciplinary
consultant.
Terndrup had previously
been a regional director
of Waterman since 2006.
He joined the board from 1
February 2011.
CIBSE Journal April 2011 www.cibsejournal.com