In January last year, NAPIT predicted that 2014 would be the year of renewables and, with many positive predictions being made over the last 12 months, it seems this forecast was indeed accurate.

In November, a report stated that worldwide solar PV capacity could treble by 2020. This came at a time where the Solar Trade Association (STA) predicted that solar will become cheaper than gas by 2018. The positivity in the solar industry was evident throughout 2014 and solar PV installers can look forward to an even brighter year in 2015.

Today (January 20th), it’s been announced that UWTSD has won a First Class Award and has been ranked 8th out of 151 universities across the UK and 1st in Wales in the People & Planet University League 2015 – the UK's only comprehensive and independent green ranking of universities.

This is a huge improvement in terms of rankings for UWTSD, with the University seeing a dramatic rise from its 113th position in the 2013 League to 8th in 2015. UWTSD has also been ranked the top green University in Wales, moving from a 3rd Class Degree to a 1st Class Degree award.

ALS Environmental; one of the UK’s leading analytical service providers to the Waste Management sector, and Biffa Waste Services; the UK's leading provider of Waste Management Services, have today (Friday, 9th January 2015) agreed to extend their working relationship with an additional two year contract extension. The extension means that ALS Environmental will provide analytical services to Biffa Waste Services in a working relationship that spans over two decades.

The extension to the analytical services agreement will see ALS Environmental perform over 100,000 analytical tests a year on samples from in excess of 70 open and closed landfill sites. The analysis will be provided by ALS Environmentals Coventry laboratory, which is our centre of excellence for waste analysis.

A stunning barn conversion in rural Leicestershire has been hailed as an outstanding example of the energy efficient home of the future.

The former milking shed – part of the Hall FarmBarns development on the edge of the village of Scraptoft – was converted to the highest possible specification by developer Onsen Homes in conjunction with Staniforth Architects and main contractor Brown and Green.

The Institution of Civil Engineers’ (ICE) General Election campaign began this week, marking the start of a programme of activity to ensure that whichever party wins the General Election, the public will benefit from Government placing infrastructure at the heart of its economic plans.

ICE’s “Commit to Infrastructure” campaign started with the launch of a paper of the same title - issued to MPs across the political spectrum to aid their understanding of the importance of infrastructure to local communities as well as to the wider UK economy.

Providing a dependable, efficient and environmentally-friendly source of quality compressed air in a compact, towable unit are the important benefits of two new portable compressors introduced by HPC KAESER. Compact and simple to operate, the M114 and M115 portable compressors are both powered by 85kW engines and deliver similar free air deliveries up to 9.7 m³/min (342 cfm) at 10 bar.

Both compressors meet the requirements of the Stage IIIB emissions as standard and feature the recently developed SIGMA Control Smart controller which provides users with valuable operational data including maintenance due alerts. The M114 is powered by an efficient Deutz engine equipped with an oxidation catalytic converter, whilst the M115 features a new generation Kubota engine and a diesel particulate filter.

The M114 is available in 10, 12 and 14 bar versions and can be equipped with various compressed air treatment options to suit a range of applications. For example, a compressed air after-cooler and centrifugal separator along with filters and / or plate heat exchangers for reheated or dried compressed air.

With a new chassis design and further optimised compressed air treatment features, the M115 is available in 7, 8.6, 10, 12 and 14 bar versions. A new axial condensate separator is installed downstream from the compressed air after-cooler and the separated condensate is re-evaporated via the hot engine exhaust gases. Furthermore, if the reheating option is chosen, the compressed air discharge temperature can be regulated, which is especially useful for surface blasting applications.

There is also the option of a more powerful generator (8.5 or 13 kVA) which upgrades the M115 compressor into an even more powerful portable unit if required

In addition to the towable, chassis-mounted models which include a run-on brake and fixed tow-bar, there are stationary versions of both models also available.

For further information on the full product range visit www.hpccompressors.co.uk 

At the 38th BALI National Landscape Awards on 5th December, BALI Registered Contractor Willerby Landscapes took the Grand Award for a record fifth time. This unprecedented achievement comes at the height of Willerby’s professional reputation and recognises their work to take the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, South Park Plaza into legacy.

For the first time in 25 years, the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) is holding a major event in London which will provide a platform for discussions about the future of rural areas and their growing connection to urban environments.

The Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI), is a unique partnership between the University of Gloucestershire, the Royal Agricultural University and Hartpury College. It is the largest specialist rural research centre in the UK, having expertise in all aspects of research in policy and planning for the countryside and the environment of the UK, Europe and further afield.