Fire Industry News for August 2024

The Building Safety Act 2023 requires that some 12,500 higher-risk buildings (HRBs) are to be assessed over 2024 to 2029 to inform a safety case about how fire and structural safety risks are managed. With an additional 2,000 HRBs being constructed each year, this five-year process makes for a considerable workload. To help building assessors with this significant assignment, the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) has published new guidance Assessing higher-risk buildings under the...

Developed by a cross-industry working group convened by the Future Homes Hub, the report proposes an ambitious but deliverable roadmap for industry towards building highly water efficient new homes. It also sets out recommendations to overcome potential barriers and calls on the Government to provide long-term clarity on the proposed increases in water efficiency required under Building Regulations in 2025, 2030 and 2035. Sustainable homes and communities Water efficiency is a key part of the...

CIC is issuing clarification on Designers and Principal Designers presenting evidence of competence to assist with the demonstration of designer and principal designer competence and to allow for construction site access. Part 2A of the Building Regulations (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023 introduces requirements for any person who is proposing to appoint another person to carry out building or design work to take all reasonable steps to satisfy themselves that the person being appointed...

People can legally use an electric kick scooter on the City of Victoria roads as part of the Province’s Electric Kick Scooter Pilot. E-kick scooters E-kick scooters must be fitted with a speed limit of a maximum of 25 km/h, and riders must be at least 16 years of age and wear a safety helmet. E-kick scooters must use designated bike lanes if available and are not permitted on sidewalks or pedestrian-only paths. a sustainable, affordable option This pilot project will give residents an...

Construction Leadership Council (CIC) has responded to the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultations, calling on government to accelerate the future proofing and decarbonization of their homes. It has urged that government must work with industry to support the necessary up-skilling needed to achieve this and provide guidance not only for tradespeople and designers, but to consumers who will be unfamiliar with some of the new technologies deployed. CIC’s response emphasized:...

Preparing industry for the Building Safety Act, improving productivity, reducing carbon emissions and supporting biodiversity will be the priorities for the Construction Leadership Council in 2024. The Bi-annual Report of the Council also highlights key outcomes delivered by the Council last year, including: New competence frameworks for roles required under the Building Safety Act; The launch of a strategy to eliminate the use of diesel by much of the sector; Consulted on a biodiversity r...

‘Landscape and Carbon’ is a vital new report on carbon reduction in the UK landscape sector by the Landscape Institute (LI) and the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI). A direct response to the UK’s target to reach net zero by 2050, the report sets out the climate action the sector is taking, and how landscape can provide solutions for reducing and sequestering carbon in development. The report is a call to action for the landscape sector, and wider industry, to...

Ensuring the highest safety standards and operational efficiency in fire protection systems with the specialized Pressure Gauges, engineered specifically for fire sprinkler systems. Available in 2″ and 3.5″ sizes (¼” & ½” NPT), our gauges are designed to integrate seamlessly with residential and commercial fire systems. The 3.5” ¼” NPT Pressure Gauges come standard with UL and FM approvals. Custom Branded Pressure Gauges Stand out i...

CIC has appointed three new Non-Executive Directors to its Board who bring with them specialisms in governance, finance, and communication. Their appointment will complement the current Board with Emma Clayton bringing expertise in communications, Kevin Corbett in governance, and Les Copeland in finance. Emma, Kevin, and Les Emma Clayton is an award-winning marketing, communication, and leadership consultant with over 26 years of experience across pharmaceutical, finance, and professional s...

UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Construction Industry Council (CIC), Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), UK Architects Declare, RIBA, RICS, Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), and Part Z and have joined forces to send a consistent message to UK political party leaders about the urgent need for regulation of embodied carbon e...

The City of Victoria is opening an overnight emergency warming center to support the Province’s extreme weather response to snow reported in the forecast. A warming center will be open from 8:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. Wednesday morning at the Victoria Curling Club, at 1952 Quadra Street. City warming centers are opened when the extreme weather response and exposure risks are active, and primary shelters and warming centers are at capacity.

The City is opening an emergency warming center to support the Province’s extreme weather response to freezing temperatures in Victoria. warming center A warming center is open at the Cook Street Village Activity Centre, 380 Cook Street. Daytime hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Overnight hours: 9 p.m.-8 a.m. The City’s warming center will remain open while the extreme weather response and exposure risks are active, and primary shelters and warming centers are at capacity.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has published an update to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF was revised on 19 December 2023 in response to the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: reforms to national planning policy consultation and sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. Developer contributions system CIC responded to the original NPPF consultation last year to express conce...

Get in the holiday spirit by coming out to enjoy the IEOA Truck Parade and Food Drive on Saturday, December 2! A fleet of over 80 commercial trucks and buses will light up the streets of Victoria for the annual truck parade and food drive, hosted by the Island Equipment Owners Association. IEOA Truck Parade The IEOA Truck Parade starts in Victoria at the Breakwater District at Ogden Point at 5 p.m. and finishes at Royal Bay in Colwood at 8 p.m. approximately. The route will begin at the...

Environment and Climate Change Canada is forecasting strong winds with wind gusts of 70 to 90 kilometers per hour, which may result in falling tree branches and power outages. Preparation Guide Here’s what users can do to prepare for strong winds and help keep the neighborhood safe: 1) Trim dead or damaged tree branches to prevent them from falling during a storm. Avoid parking vehicles under trees or hydro wires during stormy weather. 2) Secure materials at risk of becoming airborne i...

CIC, the foremost membership body representing professionals within the built environment sector, is thrilled on Wednesday, 1 November 2023 to celebrate their 35th anniversary. Since its establishment in 1988, CIC has played a pivotal role in advancing the construction industry by promoting collaboration, knowledge sharing, and excellence among professionals. visionary idea CIC was born from a visionary idea: to unite professional bodies across the diverse built environment sector. In the p...

Complete the Charging Your EV Future survey to help shape the future of sustainable transportation in Victoria.  effectiveness of EV fast-charging This survey is part of a collaborative research initiative, led by researchers from UVic and Royal Roads, to better understand the effectiveness of EV fast-charging infrastructure in supporting the transition to climate-friendly transportation options. These results will help inform the City’s approach to developing EV infrastructure and...

The Victoria Fire Department is partnering with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to promote Fire Prevention Week (October 8 to 14, 2023). This year’s theme is Cooking Safety Starts With YOU!TM. The annual public safety campaign raises awareness on how to plan ahead to keep people and their families safe in the event of a fire. Fire Prevention Week “In British Columbia, injuries, deaths and losses from household fires continue to rise at an unacceptable level. Cooki...

Boosting productivity in the construction sector could generate £45 billion of additional added value each year for the UK; equivalent to 2% of UK GDP; and enough to build more than 220,000 houses a year or pay for two-thirds of the UK’s ten-year infrastructure pipeline, including covering the cost of both HS2 and the new nuclear program. UK industry potential  The Construction Leadership Council has published a new report exploring the potential for the UK industry to...

Victoria Mayor - Marianne Alto has released a statement in support of City of Nanaimo climate action. The statement reads, “The City of Nanaimo has recently come under fire from interests opposed to progressive climate action policies. I’m distressed that cities making responsible decisions in favor of their residents are being harassed for such thoughtful decisions. British Columbians know that our province is on the front lines of climate change. As municipalities in B.C. grapple...

UK Prime Minister - Rishi Sunak has announced a series of delays to government plans to reach Net Zero with the scrapping of further measures on energy efficiency revealed over the week. CIC Climate Change Committee Chair - Stephen Hodder reacted to the announcements, stating "In the construction industry, we are becoming accustomed to indecision having been hit by delays and policy uncertainty in several areas including HS2, UKCA Marking, and nutrient neutrality." Skidmore Review Stephen H...

Environment and Climate Action Canada is forecasting a significant fall storm that will arrive Sunday night, bringing rain and strong winds, which may result in falling tree branches and local power outages. Here’s what users can do to prepare for rain and strong winds. Heavy Rain In the event of heavy rain, city crews will be out clearing streets of leaves and debris to keep rainwater runoff flowing and prevent flooding. Learn how users can prevent flooding and follow these tips to he...

The City of Victoria is accepting applications from individuals interested in serving as the City’s nominee on the Victoria Airport Authority (VAA) Board of Directors. The Board is seeking diverse candidates who have demonstrated senior executive level experience in and knowledge of: Board governance and strategic planning, Business management and operations, Business administration, professional engineering, planning and land development, real estate management or senior legal couns...

To mark Firefighters’ National Memorial Day on Sunday, September 10, the Canadian flag at City Hall will be lowered to half-mast at the end of today and returned to full-mast on Monday. This National Memorial Day gives Canadians an opportunity each year to remember firefighters who have lost their lives while on the job. Memorial Fire Bell In 2019, the Victoria Fire Department dedicated a new Memorial Fire Bell. This bell is rung in a special ceremony to honor firefighters who have lost...

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has appointed Nasir Khan as the new Chair of their Liability Panel for a three-year term until June 2026, succeeding Sarah Lupton who had chaired the Panel for 11 years. Nasir Khan Nasir is a Principal at HKA, leading the Advisory, Claims, and Construction Management team based out of London. He is an Engineer, chartered Quantity Surveyor, Chartered Procurement, and an expert in construction law and dispute resolution. He has over 20 years of experien...

The City of Victoria is proud to be one of the first municipalities in Canada to purchase an electric fire engine to add to its growing electric vehicle fleet. The City is taking steps to prepare for the arrival of the Rosenbauer Revolutionary Technology (RT) pumper fire engine, which is currently being assembled and is expected to arrive by the end of the year. The electric fire engine will be stationed at the new Victoria Fire Department Headquarters and public safety building on Johnson Stre...

NBS has launched its annual Digital Construction Survey giving designers, specifiers, manufacturers, contractors, clients and others working in the built environment the chance to have their voices heard.  The results of the survey, which is the most comprehensive in the sector, enable those working in the construction industry to better understand the development of their industry, including deep-level insights into the rate of digital adoption. This year’s survey includes a renewe...

CIC is seeking three Specialist non-executive Directors to join its statutory Board. These are voluntary, non-executive (non-renumerated) roles and it is expected that the role will average eight hours per month. Meetings are generally held in Central London and are hybrid. Specialist directors would normally serve for three years and are eligible to be reappointed for one further term by mutual agreement. Leadership teams and workforce CIC is seeking specialist input in the following ar...

For public safety and environmental protection, the public is reminded that fires are not allowed in Victoria parks or on beaches. This includes natural gas and propane fire rings. Tips to Prevent Grass and Fires Dry grass, shrubs, and bark mulch can easily be ignited by a tossed cigarette butt, or by glass and metal that can magnify or reflect sunlight. Below are some tips to prevent grass and bark mulch fires from starting in Victoria parks and residential gardens: Properly discard...

Victoria City Council has adopted a new strategic plan to guide investment and focus the City’s work over the next four years – to improve the quality of life for residents, support economic health and vibrancy, and position the City as an innovative leader in climate action. 2023 - 2026 Strategic Plan "The Strategic Plan’s eight priorities envelop the big ideas City Council wants to realize by 2026," said Mayor Marianne Alto. Mayor Marianne Alto adds, "In partnership with C...