EWS Coal-free month in UK The UK operated for more than 30 days without relying on coal for power the longest recorded period, according to the National Grid. Gas, nuclear and renewables were able to meet a lower-thannormal capacity requirement because of the coronavirus lockdown. Overall energy demand was 15% lower than normal in April. The UK passed the 30-day landmark on 10 May, largely driven by reduced energy demands from industry and business. The weather also helped, as wind and solar accounted for 23% of total demand for the month. Gas accounted for 32% of demand, and nuclear 22%, during the coal-free generation period of more than 700 hours. The rest was made up of a mix of imports, biomass (9%), large hydro (around 1%) and some storage. Grenfell Inquiry to restart hearings The Grenfell Inquiry is to resume hearing evidence with physical, rather than video, hearings but the sessions wont start until July at the earliest, and will have limited attendance. The timing will depend on a relaxation of government guidance on social distancing. This year will be the third anniversary of the fire on 14 June 2017, when 72 people died. The inquiry was suspended abruptly on 16 March, when the Prime Minister announced that non-essential contact must be avoided because of Covid-19. Hackitt praises industry for its coronavirus response Sector showed collaboration is possible, but a lack of leadership persists, she said In its response to the coronavirus emergency, the industry has demonstrated it is capable of making massive changes at pace, Dame Judith Hackitt has said. The chair of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, commissioned by the government in the wake of the Grenfell fire disaster, urged the sector to continue using the methods that Dame Judith Hackitt made it possible to build the emergency NHS Nightingale hospitals in record time. During a webinar hosted by the Building Engineering Services Association, Dame Judith said those projects had shown it was possible to replace fragmentation and adversarial behaviour with collaboration and cooperation. She also stressed that her timetable for industry reform and a new regulatory regime would not be derailed by the crisis, and added that there was still a widespread lack of leadership across the sector. Some people have stood up to be counted and are doing the right thing, but not nearly enough if you have continued building in the same old way, you will be held accountable, Dame Judith told the webinar. The industry should be seeking to regain the trust of the general public after the Grenfell Tower disaster, she said, as many people now felt unsafe in their own homes. Some companies are already changing others are waiting to have their collar felt by the regulator but it is the best companies who are already getting on with it, Dame Judith added. 11bn investment will spark recovery Researchers at Birmingham City University believe an 11.27bn investment in construction and housebuilding could be used to power the countrys economic recovery. Economist Steve McCabe and construction expert Mike Leonard produced the Build Back Better: Covid-19 Economy Recovery Plan, which includes: recommendations to stimulate demand for new homes and home improvement; details of essential infrastructure projects; and a plan for training a new generation of skilled workers. The authors claim the investment will deliver a return of 33bn. The plan calls for a phased return to work; encouragement for small housebuilders; a strategy to tackle fuel poverty through direct intervention by local authorities using local companies; and incentives for consumers to replace inefficient and outdated gas boilers. It also proposes that changes to the Building Regulations be delayed in light of exceptional circumstances posed by the pandemic. 6 June 2020 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE June 2020 p06-07 News.indd 6 22/05/2020 17:25