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In our July Building Services news update, we cover the predicted growth of facial recognition market, #Together4FireSafety campaign, what Brexit means for Lighting Designers and Smart home products that are most worth your time. ​ Fire & Security Mobile phones as part of Access Control future 94% of European large businesses are issuing their workers with some sort of connected mobile device, yet mobile phones are actually under-utilised when it comes to building security and access management. Evolving technologies now enable us to manage access rights via mobile phone apps, open a door with a virtual key credential, and much more. It's all because a mobile phone is so well adapted to controlling access at the workplace. It is convenient, secure and flexible. Recent analyst report suggested as many as 20% of organisations would use smartphones for access, in place of plastic smart-cards, by 2020. The move to mobile access control seems inevitable. Read more here (Security World Market, 09/07/2019) Boosting your home security More and more, home security has become a concern amid burglaries and other criminal activities, rendering security devices and systems more critical than ever. “Criminals tend to search for properties they believe are easy targets", however, you don’t have to be an easy target as there are some precautions you can take to help prevent your property from being burglarized. Security cameras are a good place to start and act as a great deterrent when placed in strategic visible locations. Other home security systems recommended by industry specialists are glass break sensors, motion floodlight and digital communicators. Read more here (asmag.com, 11/07/2019) #Together4FireSafety campaign backed by 21 countries In total 37 newly elected MEPs pledged to support the campaign’s goal of improving fire safety in buildings across the bloc during their five-year parliamentary term. The #Together4FireSafety campaign was launched in the European Parliament in February by Fire Safe Europe, whose members include researchers, firefighters, European associations and manufacturers of fire protection products. The campaign urged MEP candidates to work in concert with the construction industry, architects, fire safety engineers, firefighters and building owners. Some 98 MEP candidates signed the pledge and 38 other stakeholders supported the campaign. 11 die in fires and 190 people are hospitalised every day across Europe. Fire-related losses cost 1% of global GDP per year and fires pollute air, soil and water supplies. Read more here (IFSEC Global, 18/07/2019) Facial recognition market is booming According to the latest report by Marketsandmarkets, the facial recognition market is expected to grow from USD 3.2 billion in 2019 to USD 7.0 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 16.6%. Growth in surveillance, increases in government deployment, and an increase in the use of applications in numerous industry sectors are the major forces driving this market. Among application areas, the law enforcement segment is predicted to hold the largest market size during the forecast period. North America is expected to hold the largest market size, as it is a technologically advanced region, with a high number of early adopters. Read more here (Security World Market, 11/07/2019) Lighting Scientists discovered a way of making OLEDs more efficient A team of scientists has discovered a means of producing organic LEDs (OLEDs) that demonstrate high luminosity at lower voltages. The findings, published today in the scientific journal Nature Communications, could lay the groundwork for efficient high-performance OLED devices in the future and may change future approaches to organic semiconductor technology. "If these OLEDs were used in a smartphone display, the brightness of the screen would draw less power from the battery. Not only would this extend the phone’s battery life, we expect that this lower operational power could also maximise the operational lifespan of the OLED, but we will conduct further experiments to confirm this." Read more here (LuxReview, 22/07/2019) Brexit - what does it mean for Lighting Designers? Lighting designers often work beyond the borders of their own countries and the possible outcome of either a Withdrawal Agreement or a “No-Deal Brexit” would have impacts on members of our community in a variety of ways including trade in goods and services, access to the labor market and freedom of establishment, and regulatory alignment. In a survey from 2016, Arc Magazine calculated that export of services of lighting designers from the UK to the EU amounts 200 million EUR and estimated that any restrictions in labor and freedom of movement for persons from the EU would directly affect roughly one-quarter of the employees they represent in the UK. Read more here (IALD, UK, 02/07/2019) LED lighting in space Performance In Lighting and an Italian aerospace engineering company, Argotec, have partnered to develop scientific research aimed at experimenting with a highly innovative LED lighting system in space. They provided a highly specialised team capable of studying technical, physical and thermal parameters able to meet quality standards in orbit. The direction undertaken by Performance In Lighting is supported by a series of related activities that combine the scientific aspect with the educational and social cultural diffusion that has always attested to the Group’s spirit, vividly oriented towards all types of virtuous collaboration in the social area. Read more here (Arc Magazine, 19/07/2019) IoT Smart home products that are most worth your time If you've already started connecting the various devices and fixtures around your home, you'll know that there are a lot of ways to approach the problem. You might just want one device to solve a particular issue, like a smart plug to add some automation to a lamp. You might also be invested in an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant-powered smart speaker, or maybe you're one of the rarer breeds of Siri and Apple HomeKit adherents. Industry soecialists put together a list of the best product in each smart home sub-category, from the best smart thermostat to the best smart lighting kit, regardless of which voice platforms it works with. Read more here (CNet, 29/07/2019) An attempt to close an expanding IoT skills gap The Internet of Things Community (IoT Community) has partnered with CertNexus, a global provider of certifications for IT, business, and security professionals, in order to attempt to close global industry skills gap. Both companies have reached an agreement that provides the industry workshops and other training solutions to the Certified Internet of Things Practitioner (CIoTP), the only ANSI/ISO 17204-accredited IoT certification in the world. As per the agreement, the IoT Community will have members access to CertNexus’ certifications and micro-credential through virtual classes, access to digital books and virtual labs, and sit for CertNexus exams. Read more here (IoT News, 26/07/2019) Global Smart Factory Market's growth According to the latest report by Global Market Insights, Inc, Global Smart Factory Market is expected to grow from its current market value of more than $75 billion (€66 billion) to over $155 billion (€138 billion) by 2025. The market is driven by the growing demand for intelligent industrial solutions that organise output and save huge labor & operational costs. These factories are digitally advanced & connected facilities that enhance the manufacturing performance along with replacing human workers in a variety of operations. Read more here (IoT Now, 10/07/2019) Eligo Blog of the Month 6 reasons why it's time to change your commuting direction If you grew up in London, it probably feels like a lifetime that you’ve spent navigating cancellations, body odour, and giving up any sort of hope of a seat. If not, you probably moved to the big smoke bright-eyed, excited by the opportunity to grab a quick read of your book on that famous London establishment; the tube. Who’d have known that a couple of years down the line you’d be staring across the platform at the same people every day, readying yourself to be packed like tinned sardines, inevitably about to spill your lukewarm coffee, barely uttering signs of a sigh as delays are announced; it now feels like a lifetime for you too right? Commuting into the city sucks. Even more so in the Summer. *** Our monthly building services news update regularly features supplier news, product launches, events, our own articles, and much more. Check back each week to catch up on the industry news affecting the Fire, Security, Lighting sectors. Eligo Fire & Security are a leading Fire & Security recruitment agency specialising in jobs and recruitment across the sector. Companies we work with include major distributors, installers, manufacturers, integrators, consultants, and end users. Take a look at our company page to find out more. If you have a news article you would like featured in our industry news or would like to work with Eligo Fire & Security to product content please do not hesitate to get in touch.

In our April Building Services news update, we cover the predicted growth of the access control market, firefighting robot that helped to save Notre Dame and increase in drones intrusions into UK airports. In lighting news, hotels that are introducing a wake-up call using lighting and more. ​ Fire & Security Access Control market is booming A new research report by Marketsandmarkets predicts that the access control market will grow from $7.5 billion in 2018 to $12.1 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 8.24%. The market's growth is attributed to the high adoption of access control solutions inline with increasing crime rates globally; technological advancements and deployment of wireless technology in security systems; and adoption of IoT-based security systems with cloud computing platforms. Read more here (Global security Market, 15/04/2019) Firefighting robot helped to save Notre Dame French robotics manufacturer created the 1,100-pound Colossus robot, which is waterproof, fireproof, and resistant to thermal radiation. When soaring temperatures and a roof on the brink of collapse made it too dangerous for humans to continue battling the Notre Dame blaze on the 15th of April, the Paris Fire Brigade called in a firefighting robot. Firefighters can equip the robot with a variety of tools, including the water canon that the French firefighters used to blast the Notre Dame fire with more than 660 gallons of water per minute. Read more here (Futurism, 18/04/2019) Illegal drones intrusions into UK airports increased by over 30% The report published by the UK Airprox Board (UKAB) reveals there were 125 dangerous encounters between aircraft and drones recorded in 2018, compared to 93 and 71 in 2017 and 2016 respectively. 39 of them took place at London Heathrow, the UK’s largest and busiest airport.“A drone coming into contact with an airliner or helicopter could prove disastrous; we have invested significantly over the years to enhance our capabilities to detect and deter drones at the airport". Read more here (IFSEC Global, 11/04/2019) Euralarm harmonising fire standards Euralarm has welcomed a recent announcement from the European Commission of an “implementing decision” concerning harmonised standards for the Construction Products, which includes the long-awaited citation of two core Fire Detections standards hence confirming them as harmonised standards under the Construction Product Regulations (CPR). This announcement closes off the first step in a strategic plan which has evolved out of cooperation between CPR stakeholders (represented by CEN/TC72 and Euralarm), CEN-CENELEC Management and the European Commission. Read more here (Global security Market, 20/04/2019) School access control - safety over the budget A report from Teaching Times suggests almost half of UK schools experienced technology theft in the last three years. Better security and access management in schools is, of course, the solution. But challenges persist. Doors in schools perform many different roles: some handle high traffic (the main entrance), while others see little daily use. Most school managers are non-technical; they may want to embrace new technology but do not know exactly where to turn. The wrong system could demand time-consuming administration. And, of course, budgeting looms over every decision. Read more here ​(Global security Market, 14/04/2019) Lighting A turning point in the Lighting Industry The lighting industry may be more than 100 years old but it has faced somewhat of an identity crisis in recent years. The cyber physical revolution has thrust the lighting industry into the center of a movement that is reshaping our built environment, opening up new lighting opportunities but also new opportunities for lighting firms beyond illumination. “Lighting is positioning itself at the heart of all these changes in the building sector, due in large part to the pervasiveness of electric light throughout the building and urban environment. Within the lighting sector; M&A, divestment and several disruptive start-ups have shaken up this rapidly developing industry,” Read more here (Memoori, 10/04/2019) Light at night disturbing our sleep According to the latest research by the Lighting Research Center, the amount of light at night — light levels plus duration — can potentially disturb sleep much more than can blue spectrum in the light. The findings marked the second time in a year that the group has downplayed the detrimental sleep effects of blue compared to other factors, such as brightness. The study might call into question the growing commercial trend of toning down blue frequencies at night, which is often part of vendors’ so-called “circadian lighting” or “human-centric lighting” schemes. Read more here (LED Magazine, 15/04/2019) A hotel has introduced a wake-up call - using lighting Guests at the Retreat in Iceland can book a ‘natural wake up’ call in the morning along with their daily newspaper and breakfast. At the time indicated by the guest, a five-minute-long dynamic light cycle is activated, which shifts the light intensity from 0% to 90% and from amber to a colour temperature of 5600K, to ensure that guests are woken up gently and gradually, not by a sound, but by light. The upmarket venue has also installed dynamic white lighting to allow guests to manage their own lighting requirements. Read more here (LuxReview, 18/04/2019) UK dairy farmers boost milk production with lighting A farmer in Cornwall estimates that his investment in new lights has increased yield by 2,000 litres per cow lactation period, an increase of a fifth over average. Milking cows exposed to 16 to 18 hours of light with a brightness of at least 160-200 lux followed by six to eight hours of darkness have consistently increased their milk yield. As in humans, light hitting the eye of the cow sends a signal to suppress the release of the hormone melatonin. Decreased amount of melatonin in the cow, increases the production of IGF-1, which increases milk production. Read more here (LuxReview, 09/04/2019) IoT IoT Security Market expected to reach over $35 billion by 2023 According to the latest report by Marketsandmarkets, the global Internet of Things (IoT) security market is expected to grow from $8.2 billion in 2018 to $35.2 billion by 2023, at a CAGR) of 33.7% during the forecast period. Major factors driving the growth of the market are the increasing number of ransomware attacks on IoT devices across the globe, growing IoT security regulations, and rising security concerns over critical infrastructures. The researchers suggest that the solutions segment will account for the highest market share during the forecast period. Read more here (Global security Market, 18/04/2019) IoT - its common security issues and solutions With the proliferation of connected devices under IoT, cybersecurity risks have also increased. Making devices secure against IoT security issues, therefore, will become a key differentiator for manufacturers. “IoT security issues have been growing in the past few years as it becomes increasingly apparent that IoT devices are, by their very nature, unsafe; This is primarily because these devices tend to be cheap, throwaway items that would not have become so popular so quickly if they were more expensive. One of the things that keep their cost down is little-to-no investment in making them secure.” Read more here (A&S Mag) IoT cloud platforms & smart building relationship These studies have helped develop our understanding of IoT cloud platforms, their features, implementation processes, and cost, creating a body of information that could be used to select the most appropriate service provider. However, there is still a significant lack of technical understanding on the buyers’ side of the cloud service – smart building relationship. A method of comparison is needed that factors in cost, service, and implementation, then provides straightforward results that decision-makers can apply to their unique buildings. Read more here (Memoori, 01/04/2019) Industry Events The World’s Largest Internet of Things Conference Series The IoT Tech Expo Global event in London brought together key industries from across the globe for 2 days of top-level content and discussion. Exploring the latest innovations within the Internet of Things and covering the impact it has on many industries including Manufacturing, Transport, Supply Chain, Insurance, Logistics, Government, Energy and Automotive, this conference was not to be missed. Key topics examined included: edge computing, IoT connectivity solutions, industry 4.0 & 5.0, facilities management and buildings automation and more. Read more here (IoT Tech Expo World Series, 26/04/2019) FIREX 2019 seminar programme FIREX International returns to ExCeL London on 18-20 June 2019 with a packed agenda of timely, informative and entertaining seminars, presentations, case studies and educational sessions. Hosted in the dedicated Expertise and Guidance Theatre, this comprehensive programme is rich with sessions covering tall building safety, passive fire protection, case studies, compliance after Brexit and more. The agenda is designed to help fire safety professionals enhance their knowledge, engage with fire thought leadership and stay up-to-date on the critical trends, products and legislation shaping the sector. Read more here (IFSEC Global, 04/04/2019) Eligo articles this month Tips to reduce stress at work With April being Stress Awareness Month it’s a better time than any to promote mental health in the workplace. And with news that the economic and social cost of mental health problems in the UK amounts to more than £100bn every year and with around 70m work days lost due to sickness absence, companies can’t afford to ignore mental health issues in the workplace! *** Our monthly building services news update regularly features supplier news, product launches, events, our own articles, and much more. Check back each week to catch up on the industry news affecting the Fire, Security, Lighting sectors. Eligo Fire & Security are a leading Fire & Security recruitment agency specialising in jobs and recruitment across the sector. Companies we work with include major distributors, installers, manufacturers, integrators, consultants, and end users. Take a look at our company page to find out more. If you have a news article you would like featured in our industry news or would like to work with Eligo Fire & Security to product content please do not hesitate to get in touch.