Build September 2017

September 2017

Creating a Better Future Atelier Thomas Pucher is an Austrian based architectural company of architects, designers, visionaries and futurists operating within the fields of architecture, urbanism, research and development and interior and landscape design.

Following their success in the 2017 Architectural Innovation Awards, we spoke to Thomas Pucher (right) to discover more.

The Best in the Business

Elmhurst Electric provides reliable, advanced and stable electrical services as well as installations. We took the opportunity to interview Andre Cole, to turn the spotlight on the firm’s excellent work.

Creating Dynamic Spaces

Utilising Knowledge and Experience to Meet Clients’ Needs - Geo-Environmental Services Limited

acoustics

Strong Foundations

Voyage into the Unknown

Editor’s Note

, Welcome to this bumper September edition of BUILD Magazine, providing you with the latest insight and updates from across the global construction and property industries.

In this issue, Thomas Pucher, from Austrian based architectural company Atelier Thomas Pucher, talks us through the firm’s impressive portfolio. From urban planning to housing, concert halls to stadiums, it is no surprise that they won an award in the 2017 Architectural Innovation Awards, as both the firm and Thomas himself are committed to creating superb structures that are both aesthetically pleasing and uniquely inventive.

A recent report by the British government has shown that the construction of new build homes in the UK has accelerated to levels not seen since 2008. According to the Housing and Planning Minister in the UK, Alok Sharma, these figures are proof that we are getting Britain building again.

One of the firms contributing to this growth is the Cuddy Group, one of the UK’s leading multidisciplinary contractors with nearly 40 years’ experience. Taking time out of what must be a hectic schedule is the firm’s Mike Cuddy, who tells us more about the wide range of useful services they provide.

Later in the issue, we talk to Contract Director David Wright, from Stuart Well Services. Founded in 1982, the firm is a leading specialist dewatering subcontractor, who have worked on projects such as Crossrail and the Mersey Link Crossing.

Lastly, we learn more about how Bio-Organic Catalyst Inc has developed a revolutionary water treatment process, which is based on the science of bio-catalysis and gas transfer techniques. This new process accelerates reactions in water treatment and the remediation of pollutants. We discover more about this exciting project and the fascinating science behind it.

We hope that you enjoy reading this informative issue!

As always, please feel free to get in touch if you have any queries or comments about the magazine.

Jess Daykin, Editor Phone: +44 (0) 203 725 6842 Email: jessica.daykin@ai-globalmedia.com Website: www.corp-vis.com 2 BUILD / September 2017

Contents

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6. News 8. Creating a Better Future 12. The Best in the Business 14. Inspiration in Bringing Intelligent Design to Life 16. Voyage into the Unknown 20. Revolutionary Water Treatment Chemistry 22. Demolishing the Competition 26. Creating Dynamic Spaces 28. Drill Down Through the Facts 32. Storm Water Interceptor 36. Strong Foundations* 40. Securing What Matters 40. Sound Advice for Your Environment 48. Utilising Knowledge and Experience to Meet Clients’ Needs 52. As Safe as Houses AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them.

The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions.

Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.

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Vienna | Austria Feb 28 — Mar 2 | 2018

What should our future cities look like? Are you one of those CityChangers having a greener vision, implementing innovative ideas that make our cities more sustainable and change people’s lifes for the better? Make sure you add URBAN FUTURE global conference 2018 to your calendar! Not only is it Europe‘s largest event for sustainable cities but also a hotspot for some 3,000 active decisionmakers, doers and shakers from hundreds of cities. See you in Vienna!

urban-future.org

ABOUT US at GLOSTER Dynamic Driven MEP

GLOSTER is a specialist in providing fasttrack mechanical and electrical fit-out.

We work on refurbishment and newbuild projects across a range of sectors.

Our aim is to create environments that are safe, productive, energy efficient and comfortable to be in. GLOSTER is dedicated to delivering high-quality, faultfree workmanship every time.

We use the latest techniques including 3D modelling, prefabrication and modularisation to ensure fault free processes, and high quality workmanship. We forward plan our work to ensure a project is handled expertly from the outset. By combining mechanical and electrical experts on each project, We know that our team can create a harmonised M&E solution.

For more information visit

www.glostermep.co.uk

NEWS

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CoStar Group Analysis Reveals 27% of Houston’s Commercial Real Estate May Be Flooded

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NEWS

, CoStar Group, Inc., the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces assessed the potential impact Hurricane Harvey could have on the Houston commercial real estate market – multifamily, office, retail and industrial buildings - and found that 27% of the gross leasable area may be flooded.

This represents $55 billion in property value. More importantly, some 72,000 apartment units sit within the 100-Year floodplain and are likely to be flooded.

“Unfortunately, the number of displaced residents could be far larger than current media reports indicate,” said CoStar group founder and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Florance. “Our property by property review of the apartment buildings in the floodplain reveals an outsized share are low to moderate income households, including those in Southwest Houston where the bayous have overflowed.”

In total, there are 12,000 properties with 400 million square feet of space that fall within the 500-year floodplain. Only 9 million square feet of space, including 4,000 apartments are within a designated floodway and most are probably inundated with floodwaters.

However, 175 million square feet located in the 100-year floodplain, including 72,000 apartment units and 20 million square feet of office space, are likely seeing water incursion. Another 225 million square feet sits in the 500-year floodplain and is also at some risk of flooding.

“Of the $55 billion at risk, $16 billion are apartment buildings in the 100-year floodplain,” said Florance. “As soon as CoStar is allowed, we plan to do an air survey to assess the damage.”

The submarket that will be most affected is likely to be Southwest Houston. This highly dense section of Houston is home to more than 66,000 apartment units, of which nearly 30% are estimated to be impacted. Within Southwest Houston, the Braeburn, Greater Fondren and Sharpstown neighbourhoods have the highest number of units that are in the 100year floodplain. Each of these neighbourhoods’ borders Brays Bayou, one of the river ways that snakes through Southwest Houston and has overflowed because of the torrential rain.

An additional five million square feet of space is under construction within the floodplain, including 3,144 apartment units. This represents about one-fifth of the 25 million square feet of commercial real estate under construction in Houston (which includes more than 12,000 apartment units).

Most of the apartment buildings (1,170 units) under construction within the 100-year floodplain are concentrated near the Medical Centre. The most impacted office submarket is Greenspoint, which has elevated vacancies after the departure of Exxon Mobil in late 2015. Here, some 3.5 million square feet falls within the 100year floodplain.

To view the map or list of potentially affected properties visit www.costar.com/houston

JPI Announces Close of Financing for Jefferson Pacific Beach JPI, a leader in the development of Class A multi-family communities, has announced the close of construction financing for Jefferson Pacific Beach, scheduled to break ground late last month.

Jefferson Pacific Beach is a $103.5 million development with bay-front views, comprising of three-levels of podium construction on a nearly three-acre site.

For decades, the land had been home to the former Guy Hill Cadillac dealership. PCCP, LLC a Los Angeles-based real estate finance and investment management firm provided the construction loan.

Jefferson Pacific Beach will provide 172 luxury apartment homes and 14,000 square feet of ground floor retail and creative office space. San Diego’s award-winning architectural firm, Carrier Johnson + Culture, created an innovative, leading-edge design, which includes unique amenities, such as a surfboard repair/DIY station and water sport storage space. Jefferson Pacific Beach will soon be an iconic addition to one of San Diego’s most vibrant communities.

In addition, the project includes upgrading seven existing traffic signals and the addition of one new traffic signal within the Mission Bay Drive corridor with an ‘Adaptive Traffic Signalisation’ system. This state-of-the-art system allows real-time traffic coordination to achieve more efficient traffic flow and will relieve congestion on Mission Bay Drive.

“JPI’s Western Region is in San Diego, so it goes without saying that this project has special meaning to our team,” said Todd Bowden, senior vice president and managing development partner of JPI West. “It brings us great pride to be a part of the city’s ef-

forts to revitalise this area of our community.”

“PCCP has enjoyed a successful relationship with JPI, which has an in-depth knowledge of and experience in the local market,” said Michael Hoyt, Vice President with PCCP. “We believe that this project will provide quality product in an area that has a strong demand for new development.”

JPI’s Jefferson Pacific Beach is located directly adjacent to Mission Bay Park. Developed from the 1940’s through the 1960’s, Mission Bay Park is the largest aquatic park of its kind in the country. It consists of over 4,600 acres in roughly equal parts land and water. Mission Bay boasts 27 miles of shoreline, 19 of which are sandy beaches with eight locations designated as official swimming areas. Annual attendance in the park is estimated at 15 million.

San Diego City Councilmember Lorie Zapf said: “Jefferson Pacific Beach will be the catalyst for great improvements to the Mission Bay corridor. I look forward to watching this project break ground and offer much-needed housing in Pacific Beach.”

Jefferson Pacific Beach will be a neighbour to the iconic flagship Rubio’s restaurant on Mission Bay Drive. Rubio’s founder, Ralph Rubio, said of the project: “Jefferson Pacific Beach will bring a fresh, community-oriented development to the Mission Bay corridor, while preserving the uniqueness of our neighbourhood. I think it’s only the beginning of greater, well-deserving things to happen here.”

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Creating a Better Future Atelier Thomas Pucher is an Austrian based architectural company of architects, designers, visionaries and futurists operating within the fields of architecture, urbanism, research and development and interior and landscape design. Following their success in the 2017 Architectural Innovation Awards, we spoke to Thomas Pucher to discover more.

Atelier Thomas Pucher’s impressive portfolio includes urban planning, high rise buildings, hospitals, concert halls, office buildings, hotels, schools, libraries, stadiums and housing.

With offices in Canada, Hong Kong and Switzerland, they are involved in projects throughout the world.

In 2015, they became partner of the Urban Future Global conference, which is the world’s largest meeting point for City Changers who are committed to making cities more sustainable.

The next Urban Future Global conference will take place in Vienna from 28th February - 02 March 2018 (see www.urbanfuture.org for more details).

Thomas Pucher is keen to start the interview by revealing what sets Atelier Thomas Pucher ZT GmbH apart from other companies in this industry and how new projects are approached, to ensure the best possible outcome for the client.

“We design to make our projects fit for the future. The emphasis is not on what the firm does, but more about the way we do it. The firm’s strength lies in our work processes; indeed, our aim is not to be the most popular practice, but to be both mindful and effective. By learning through trial and error, we have

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developed an in-house work-flow system that simply works for us.

Using 3D-modelling software like BIM, V-RAY quality control and 3D-printing, we show our clients concepts via virtual walkthroughs and visualisations to avoid any misinterpretations in design.

there. Based on that research, we design a resilient solution which we present in meetings/ workshops that take place on a regular basis, allowing problem areas to be detected earlier. It also shows our clients that we are fully committed to the project at hand.”

“It also helps us to anticipate challenges that may come up on construction and act on it accordingly. Being a partner to the Urban Future Global Conference allows us access to a worldwide network of specialists in innovative technologies and urbanism, it bridges gaps and keeps us ahead of the times. The firm’s clients feel assured in knowing that they too are connected to a much larger team of experts throughout the world, working on finding the most up-to-date solutions and that we all share a common vision in creating a better future.

Thomas then delves into the overall aims of Atelier Thomas Pucher ZT GmbH, as well as the details around their most successful project to date.

“Due to the complex nature of architectural projects, communication is a fundamental aspect in our client relationships.

It cultivates trust. With every new project, we begin by analysing the client’s requirements, through grasping the site. We begin searching for the most innovative solutions, by imaging what the world will look like in the future and how our design can enhance the daily lives of the people that live and work

“We not only design the best solution for our clients, but place emphasis in in creating a better world through architecture, since we believe that what the firm designs has the potential to impact on the daily lives of others if designed mindfully. The firm achieves this through impeccable research, high standards to provide good quality, accuracy and in setting smart goals which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed.

We remind one another that we are always a team with one common vision.

“The firm’s most successful project to date is the Sinfonia Varsovia Concert Hall, Warsaw, Poland. An open international competition won in 2011, consisting of 1850 seats, world-class acoustics, large rehearsal areas, hospitality and merchandise facilities, also the campus of the Sinfonia Varsovia

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Creating a Better Future

Company: Atelier Thomas Pucher ZT GmbH Name: Thomas Pucher Email: info@thomaspucher.com Web Address: www.thomaspucher.com Address: BahnhofgĂźrtel 77/6, Graz | Austria Telephone: +43 316 269 378

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Musical Academy. This current project is a good example of how important it is to find reliable collaborators that you can count on from the word go which share the same business values. From local partners to international acoustic engineers, working globally requires solid business relationships.”

Thomas then underlines what the future has in store for the wider industry and of course, the firm itself.

“Architectural practices are moving traditional boundaries.

We are not only discovering the future, but at the same time creating it. Faster and more efficient solutions are unfolding and allowing us to grow in traditional, yet undiscovered markets. By crossing borders into new arenas, capital and economic traction are increasing, through identifying zones of services that were previously unheard of. Today, architects occupy a position in the marketplace that is more than just designing a building or creating a space. The influence is expanding toward improving whole communities, creating new cities and improving the lives of others.

“Looking to the future, we want to set ourselves apart from traditional architectural practices and become independent from competition procedures. For this

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reason, we founded the Urban Future Holding, which allows us to develop projects from the beginning and to bring design, sustainability and leasing all under one roof. It reduces the many challenges that most architects have when working for a client. In this way, we become our own client and get to charter our own course.”

In closing, Thomas is keen to reveal his thoughts in the firm being a part of the Architectural Innovation Awards and how innovative solutions help maintain success.

“Every award is an honour and an affirmation that we are on the right track. Having a vision is one thing, but trying to create it another. Being selected for the Build Innovation Awards gives us a sense of pride and achievement and inspires us to continue with our vision in creating a more sustainable future.

“We maintain the firm’s success by thinking out of the box, examining the past and learning from it, by trying to figure out where the future is going and accept that it is our duty as architects to design for it. We also maintain our success by implementing strict quality control in every stage of a project, by surprising the world and ourselves and not losing the spirit and joy in what we do.”

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The Best in the Business Elmhurst Electric provides reliable, advanced and stable electrical services as well as installations. The firm recently was successful in winning the Best Minority-Owned SME in New York accolade, as part of the 2017 American SME Awards. We took the opportunity to interview Andre Cole, to turn the spotlight on the firm’s excellent work.

Elmhurst Electric offers a full range of high-value, ‘startto-finish’ electrical construction and maintenance services in the residential, commercial and industrial arenas.

The firm’s Andre Cole is keen to underline how they aim to be the best in the business, as a team of experts providing high quality work in their region.

“We aim to be the best in the business. We take pride in our excellence and well-established expertise and we ensure our clients receive the best service

possible. Our company was started by a team of young men with a passion for electrical construction and maintenance.

“We are in Jamaica, NY and serve the tristate area. We have put together a high-quality team that is fully dedicated to their work. We are experts in providing quality, value, timeliness and cost efficiency. We provide cost-effective, sustainable construction methods, and innovative thinking to meet our clients’ needs.

“With over nine years in this business we provide top quality electrical solutions

and differentiate ourselves by providing unmatched quality to our customers. We understand the needs of every client is different and we treat each project as such. We work with our clients to understand their needs and provide them with optimal solutions.”

Andre is then eager to shed light on the firm’s many excellent services, before illuminating us about how they can support you every step of the way.

“We offer lighting & lighting design services (incorporating natural and electric lighting); electrical upgrades (basic residential to advanced industrial); new construction/ remodelling (services for existing and new structures); alarms/ intercom systems (security and two-way communication systems); CCTV (closed-circuit television); data/communication lines (data and voice network services); generators (backup power supplies of all sizes) and parking lot lighting (lighting for lots of all sizes).

“We address our clients’ critical needs using by tailoring our services to suit your vision. My final point is that through our industrial and multi-dwelling projects, we are truly a firm with the knowledge and experience to support you each step of the way.”

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The Best in the Business

Company: Elmhurst Electric Name: Andre Cole Email: info@elmhurstelectric.net Web Address: www.elmhurstelectric.net Address: 140 Miller Place, Hicksville, NY 11801 Telephone: +1 718 527 5271

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Inspiration in Bringing Intelligent Design to Life Nickl & Partner Architekten AG was an Architect of the Year recipient earlier this year, as a part of the 2016 BUILD Awards. This interview with the firm’s Prof. Hans Nickl details the range of services the firm provides, from general planning to architectural services.

Nickl & Partner Architekten AG’s business areas are: university clinics and hospitals; buildings for research and training; residential, administration & trade buildings; buildings for social services and nursing care and urban planning. Prof. Hans Nickl begins by giving a flavour of the firm’s work, mission and what sets them apart from their competitors.

“Our internationally active office devotes their time to the planning and construction of buildings in the health care, research and social housing sectors, as well as town planning for both the private and public sectors.

“Nickl & Partner Architekten AG’s goal is to create modern buildings which positively boost working and living spaces.

For us, architecture means understanding and ordering things whilst focusing upon people, indeed the designs of Nickl & Partner are based upon the actions and needs of people who work, live and receive health care there. Their wellbeing in addition to the perfection functional interplay of flexible spatial designs and exciting materials - is our key concern when performing our work.

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“We rank among the leading architect’s offices in Germany in the fields of medical facilities, clinics and research institutes.

Nickl & Partner Architekten AG’s specialist expertise in the fields of technology and building materials is very extensive, indeed our innovative concepts have proved themselves for more than three decades.”

different countries, such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and the People’s Republic of China.

Developing this point concerning innovation, Prof. Hans develops this fascinating point further.

“The basis for each of all our projects is the permanent and trustful dialog between all stakeholders. We seek to establish a very good culture of exchange between planners, builders, users et cetera – all persons involved in the decision making of a project.

“Nickl & Partner Architekten AG’s team sees our workplace less as a pure planning practice, but rather, as a lab – a design lab – holding the spirit of innovation in each project in high regard. Here, we work on future concepts, influenced by impulses from art, culture and nature. Furthermore, the academic work of Prof. Hans Nickl and Prof. Christine NicklWeller is an important influence factor. The discussion with the students encourages a critical analysis of their own work.”

The team has increased in number to more than 100 architects since the foundation of Nickl & Partner in 1979.

Clients from health care, research and urban planning fields have entrusted the firm with the production of plans and construction work in several

When undertaking a new client or project, Prof. Hans Nickl tells us about the approach the firm uses to ensure the best possible outcome for their clients.

“A second basis for success is consistency. Therefore, the designated manager of a project in our firm will track the process from the beginning to the end.”

“We are experienced in the field of architectural planning for healthcare buildings since the early 80s. In addition to a very skilled, highly motivated and well-established team of project managers, this stock of experience and knowledge is a solid foundation to build on.”

Staying about people, Prof.

Hans explains what the essential qualities for any award-winning architect should be.

“For Nickl & Partner Architekten AG’s, each project (especially in the field of healthcare and building for the elderly) is a social responsibility. Our aim is not only the client’s satisfaction – but in addition to that we want to create lasting values - in the urban context, for the society, for the environment.

“Therefore, the needs of the human being will always be in the centre of all our reflections and decisions in the design of a new building. This is the basis for Nickl & Partner Architekten AG’s philosophy of ‘healing architecture.’

The firm’s overall aims and strategies employed to achieve these come under their three general principles: • Nickl & Partner respect people and resources.

• They design architecture for the future and create building culture with added value.

• They find inspiration in bringing intelligent design to life.

In terms of the firm’s most successful project to date, Prof. Hans stresses that they would rather discuss their most formative project, which was most important for their future process.

g Inspiration in Bringing Intelligent Design to Life

“In this sense, we should name the general hospital Agatharied in Miesbach (Bavaria), being our first hospital project and it was certainly ground-breaking in the approach of healing architecture.

While this project dates to the1990’s, it is still regarded by many as a highly successful and user-friendly hospital building.

Company: Nickl & Partner Architekten AG Name: Prof. Hans Nickl Email: pr@nickl-architekten.de Web Address: www.nickl-partner.com Address: Lindberghstraße 19, 80939 München Telephone: +49 (0) 89 3605140

“The second project I want to mention is the University Hospital Frankfurt. This project reflects a challenge which operators of healthcare facilities and their architects must face throughout Europe: the confrontation with an out-of-date building stock.

Typically, this building stock is an amalgam of buildings from different decades dating from the 19th century up to the functionalistic constructions of the 1950’s to 1970’s.

“In Frankfurt, we had the oncein-a-lifetime chance to show how restructuration and renovation can contribute to efficiency, environmental and architectural quality and corporate identity of a hospital, even when carried out alongside ongoing operation.”

Prof. Hans concludes the interview by telling is about prospects for the industry, and how the market could change over the next 12 months.

“One of the challenges for architects in the future is the digitalisation of all planning processes, using BIM (Building Information Modelling) systems.

“A second major trend is a change in the healthcare building industry.

We observe that hospitals are built more and more by giant companies, who offer all-in solutions and act internationally.

This forces classical mid-sized architectural companies to find a position in the increasingly international market.

“In the future, the firm will focus on the development and the consolidation of Nickl & Partner Architekten AG’s five locations in Germany, Switzerland, China and Indonesia. The offices in Berlin, Zurich and Beijing are expanding and we wish to acquire the same reputation of leading healthcare architects in the European neighbourhood as already established in Germany.”

Universität Ulm, Helmholtz-Institut (Foto: Werner Huthmacher)

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Voyage into the Unknown FluidFM® is the technology to control liquids in the femtoliter scale and to manipulate objects, invisible for the human eye. To find out more about this exciting technology, we interviewed Business Development Manager at Cytosurge, Edgar Hepp to learn more.

The company was recently included in the 2017 Tech Revolution Awards, which motivates them to become even more passionate about what they do.

The first groundbreaking FluidFM® publication, led to the formation of the Cytosurge company in Zurich. In the ensuing years, a group of experts developed and commercialised the FluidFM® technology with focus on life sciences, biology and physics.

In parallel, research effort was dedicated to a promising new adaption, which finally lead to totally new technology - direct printing of sub - and micrometre 3D metal objects.

The overall aims of the company can be summed up as follows: • Cytosurge aims to be a leading and innovative supplier of specialised equipment, with a focus on life sciences, biology, cell research and direct printing of sub- and micrometre 3D metal objects; • Cytosurge strives to provide solutions to enable scientists and researchers, to go beyond existing knowledge as well as physical boundaries; • In parallel to the focus on science and research, the industrial scale development of the 3D printing technology, in collaboration with well-known industry partners, takes place.

As the interview kicks off, Business Development Manager at Cytosurge, Edgar Hepp provides us with some interesting

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background about how long the company has been established and the changes he has seen during this time. He also reveals the company’s approach when dealing with a new client or project.

“Cytosurge AG was founded as an ETH Zurich spin-off, in 2009. The company successfully develops and distributes new generations of scientific measuring instruments and robotic systems, based on the patented FluidFM technology.

Originally, the focus for the FluidFM® technology was on cell and bio science applications, like bacteria adhesion force measuring or living cell injection/ extraction and many other revolutionary applications.

“In 2016, the company opened a new business unit, focused on the development of the revolutionary micro 3D printing process for metal components and distribution of the in-house developed FluidFM µ3Dprinter.”

“CYTOSURGE AG’s approach is to be as close as possible to our customers, to understand their needs as well the experiments they want to conduct. Especially, as the micro 3D printing technology opens a complete new manufacturing possibility, it is mandatory to understand what customers want to achieve and how we can support them in the most optimal way.”

On being selected in the Tech Revolution Awards 2017, Edgar is keen to offer us his warm thoughts on what this means for him and his colleagues. As the award recognises the work of the team, he also tells us the crucial role that they play in the company’s success.

“It is an honour to be selected for the ‘Tech Revolution Award 2017’ and it is a great feeling to get such a response from media and magazines. All the efforts we have put into the development of our technology, the countless nights and hours we have optimised the equipment to fulfil the customer needs have paid off. Added to that, this award recognises the company’s intrinsic drive to just perform better than expected, so yes, it is a good feeling!

“To get an award from an industry with a focus on another field means, we developed a technology which has fascinated some and has provided inspiration to cross the technology boards to others.

This matches the company’s philosophy exactly, which is to think out of the box, take new paths and dig into the unknown.

We hope our technology will also be inspiring for other young High-Tech companies, to keep on going, to overcome the existing limits and go beyond.

CYTOSURGE AG takes this

award as a motivation to stay on the path we have chosen and as a boost to become even more passionate about our work.

“CYTOSURGE AG’s goal is to be a successful company, fostering a fantastic environment to work in. As a company, we have a team which can be described as heterogeneous, where experienced seniority meets ambitious and well educated young specialists.

The culture of the company is a continuous challenge, which we are all actively working on.

Each employee is encouraged to participate within the continuous Culture at Cytosurge program, which aims to actively build a culture we can all identify with.

The open environment we foster, along with a great deal of freedom, promotes natural selfresponsibility.”

On what sets the company apart from others, Edgar provides us with a very clear response and adds how innovative solutions help to maintain their success.

“Cytosurge is using the unique and patented FluidFM technology, in all its systems.

This technology enables us to conduct multiple experiments, or to print microscopic 3D metal objects, something that is surely not possible with other technologies.

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Voyage into the Unknown

Company: CYTOSURGE AG Name: Edgar Hepp Email: edgar.hepp@cytosurge.com Web Address: www.FluidFM.com; www.cytosurge.com Address: Sägereistrasse 25, 8152 Glattbrugg Switzerland Telephone: +41 43 544 87 11

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“The customers can go beyond existing manufacturing and research possibilities, but they can do so with confidence, as our scientific instruments are constantly optimised due to our hands-on improvement focused mentality and the inhouse developments from the Cytosurge laboratories.

“The FluidFM technology, along with its multiple application possibilities, is not only unique but is an enabling technology for researchers and scientists, who seek out new paths and fulfil their vision in cell and bioscience, as well as micro metal 3D printing.”

Edgar then turns his thoughts towards the wider industry and how cell and bioscience, as well as 3D printing, have impacted upon the company’s work.

“For the cell-and bio science markets, it is a research and science oriented business, namely universities or the research departments of, for example, pharmaceutical companies. It is very important to stay at the forefront of technology development, to enable scientists to enter new territories and adopt to upcoming research fields. With the development of new research methods and new applications, the value of our technology steadily increases for our customers.

“There are different trends within the 3D printing sector manufacturing parts faster, bigger, smaller, more accurate with new materials or made of composites and so on. Even as a certain maturity of applications can be

Edgar Hepp, Business Development 3D printing

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seen, it remains to be an industry sector for creative scientists and developers, so multiple new improvements will keep arising.

“With the FluidFM µ3Dprinter printing technology for micro metal objects, Cytosurge is clearly one of the innovators. We open complete new manufacturing possibilities of printing metal objects, at micro and even submicron scale. The FluidFM technology enables new research and science possibilities, but it can now be used for small batch industrial scale production.”

Bringing this compelling interview to a close, Edgar reveals what the future holds for 3D printing technology and offers his concluding thoughts.

“To be at the forefront of the technology is always both challenging and fascinating. You are the one others are following, and as such you must define the direction, accept a detour occasionally and pave the street.

For cell and bioscience, as well as for micro 3D printing, we are just at the beginning of the journey. Both sectors are fast growing market segments and will prevail in growth. For cell and bioscience, the behaviour, reaction and analysis of living cells in their natural environment will be increasingly important. The injection or extraction of various liquids to living cells and the study of their effects, is gaining huge attention for scientists.

“For 3D technology, there are various trends to spot. On the science and research level, smaller metal objects will

lead to the development of new integrated systems and functionality. The printing of sensors directs on a chip, microrobots, conductivities invisible for the eye, micro antennas and die contacting on submicron meter scale are just a few of the fields where the development of 3D micron scale objects printing will increase possibilities.

“We’ll keep on going with a healthy growth rate, as the demand is steadily increasing for both sectors. One of the major projects for the 3D printing is to develop one industrial scale application - which will have a major impact on the specific industry - this will take place with exclusive partners we have already started to cooperate with.”

Additional Information about 3D printing: • Latest FluidFM 3D video: youtu.be/GCRh1a68_nw; • Exhibition and congress 2017 participated: Inside3D Düsseldorf, Germany; Hannover Messe, Germany; IDTechEx, Berlin, Germany; Advanced Material Congress, X’ian, China; upcoming: (11/2017) IDTechEx, Santa Clara, USA; • Award winner: Best Development 3D Printing 2017 -Europe- (IDTechEx) and; • Papers: template-free 3D Microprinting of metals using a Forced-Controlled nanopipette for Layer-byLayer Electrodeposition (by Luca Hirt, et al.).

Additional videos about bio and cell research: Single cell injection: www. cytosurge.com/page/ singlecellinjection Single cell adhesion: www. cytosurge.com/page/ singlecelladhesion Colloidal spectroscopy: www.cytosurge.com/page/ colloidalspectroscopy Spotting: www.cytosurge.com/ page/spotting Nanolithography: www.cytosurge. com/page/nanolithography Single bacteria adhesion: www.cytosurge.com/page/ singlebacteriaadhesion

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Voyage into the Unknown

BUILD / September 2017 19

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Revolutionary Water Treatment Chemistry Bio-Organic Catalyst, Inc. has developed revolutionary water treatment chemistry and was very fortunate to receive two awards recently, as part of the 2017 Infrastructure Awards. The awards were for the Best Water Purification Solutions Provider 2017& the Most Innovative Odour Control Product: Eccomate®. We invited President, Parker D. Dale to write about the company’s revolutionary project and the fascinating science behind it.

Bio-Organic Catalyst, Inc. has developed revolutionary water treatment chemistry and was very fortunate to receive two awards recently, as part of the 2017 Infrastructure Awards. The awards were for the Best Water Purification Solutions Provider 2017 & the Most Innovative Odour Control Product: Eccomate®. We invited the President, Parker D. Dale, to write about the company’s revolutionary project and the fascinating science behind it.

Bio-Organic Catalyst, Inc. has developed revolutionary water treatment chemistry, based upon the science of gas transfer and bio-catalysis, for accelerating reactions in water treatment and the remediation of pollutants. All water treatment depends, at the core, on either utilising biological activity (e.g. wastewater), or preventing biological activity (e.g. paper, cooling towers).

Wastewater systems require oxygen, through aeration, to drive the reduction of the pollutants in the water. The company’s uniquely structured nanobubbles

20 BUILD / September 2017

can increase oxygen transfer into the water column, which accelerates the treatment processes. On the other hand, in paper manufacturing, irrigation lines and cooling towers, the prevention of organic growth is paramount to maintaining operating performance.

The company’s bio-catalytic capabilities offer an entirely non-toxic alternative model to alleviating both biological growth and mineral formation.

All too often, “green”, “ecological” and “sustainable” really mean “takes longer”, “costs more” and “doesn’t work very well”.

We change that. We offer a cheaper, simpler, safer and more effective way for businesses to solve their problems. So businesses can improve their bottom line while shifting from toxic and environmentally damaging chemicals to a green, ecologically friendly model.

The core intellectual capital of Bio-Organic Catalyst, Inc. is the internationally patented compositions which allow the triggering of biological and chemical reactions at greatly accelerated rates and in

functions that were previously unobtainable with commercially available chemical, or biological, product offerings. These new bio-catalytic compositions have required years of applied research and development as they were vetted within highly competitive distinct market sectors.

In conjunction with the development of the proprietary compositions, the company developed an in-depth understanding of the critical microbiological reactions and operating constraints that have been essential to the creation of this new approach. Through the cooperation of an international network of environment professionals, solutions have been perfected in addressing many of the most challenging of environmental problems, in a wide diversity of settings ranging from advanced developed economies to the fundamental issues of public sanitation in the developing world.

The company has nurtured a highly collaborative culture with leading scientists, institutions and technical personnel,

across numerous industry sectors over many years. The company brings a commonsense, creative and innovative approach to real and challenging environmental problems.

Indeed, the company declares it’s on the ‘brown side of green’, to distinguish itself from strictly theoretical concerns and expensive construction solutions.

Market acceptance has been rapidly expanding in recent years, due to the extensive track record and client base acquired.

This is being driven by an overall evolution of professional expertise, within the global marketplace for environmental management. Concurrently, the traditional and more toxic chemical models, which have been the bedrock of sanitation management for the past hundred years, have gradually reached their limitations and the industry is highly motivated to explore greener solutions that have been proven, as well as those that have demonstrated the ability to perform in the toughest conditions required.

Sustainability is now more than simply a buzzword, it is a credo for thinking and action.

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Revolutionary Water Treatment Chemistry

Company: Bio-Organic Catalyst, Inc. Name: Parker D. Dale, President Email: parker@bio-organic.com Website: www.bio-organic.com Corporate Headquarters: 711 West 17th Street, E6, Costa Mesa, California, USA, 92627 Telephone: +1 917 833 1584

BUILD / September 2017 21

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Demolishing the Competition Cuddy Group, is one of the UK’s leading multidisciplinary contractors servicing primarily the construction and development industry. Following their success in winning the Best Demolition Contractor 2017 – UK accolade, we spoke to the firm’s Mike Cuddy to find out more about the wide range of useful services they provide.

The Cuddy Group are specialists in complex fields such as integrated decommissioning, demolition, land remediation, environmental risk assessment, asbestos management, environmental and civil engineering services. They can provide complete land regeneration working with UK and international clients.

With nearly 40 years’ experience under their belt, Cuddy Group has seen the industry change many times, and has always kept itself at the forefront of that change. For them, history is all about what they’re creating today.

Mike Cuddy then highlights the firm’s strong reputation and location, as the interview kicks off.

“Cuddy Group’s reputation is a source of pride for all who work here, and it’s something we’re keen to preserve and develop the only way possible: through satisfying our clients. We have developed into a leading multidisciplinary contractor offering a truly comprehensive, integrated service to clients in development, construction, energy and many other sectors.

“Located at Llandarcy, adjacent to junction 43 of the M4, Cuddy Group’s HQ is strategically situated to serve businesses throughout the UK and beyond.

22 BUILD / September 2017

Our flexibility, transparency, industry awareness and professional approach mean we’re able to continue to offer a high standard of great value service, no matter how the industry changes in the future.”

While Cuddy Group is a UK-based firm with a strong foundation in that market, their successes have also drawn attention from overseas, so they continue to enjoy some very successful partnerships from further afield. Mike then details the Cuddy Group’s success in serving clients for several decades, but also keenly points out their responsibilities.

“For nearly 40 years Cuddy Group has been satisfying clients in the UK, and as we’ve worked with many larger clients, they have recommended us to their international partners. No matter where we’re working, Cuddy Group always ensures strict adherence to the highest standards of health and safety and regulatory compliance relevant to that nation, and we welcome enquiries from overseas clients.

“When it comes to Cuddy Group’s responsibilities, I would that that our clients need to build in a way that’s sustainable and economical, which is why we’re so often their perfect partner. We are sincere in our commitments not only to both the staff and our

community, but also to the future of the UK’s built and natural environments.

“We hold the following values in equal standing: customer service; the quality of work; the motivation and wellbeing of the workforce; health and safety; and the use of sustainable processes and solutions at every step of our projects. For Cuddy Group, being a responsible contractor is about more than helping the clients receive the environmental regulatory sign-off they require to, for example, start developing on a former fuel storage site or chemical works. It’s about ensuring that our own stage of works is done with minimal impact to the environment or to the sites’ neighbours.

“We support national and local charities and sporting bodies (including Ospreys and Glamorgan County Cricket Club) through a commitment to building strong community links, and we support our own staff both professionally and in their chosen charitable causes.

Cuddy Group’s responsibility to the highest standards of health and safety – for our own staff, other contractors and the public – has been recognised with accreditation to Constructionline and the Safe Contractor scheme.”

In terms of service, Cuddy Group’s track record is one of consistent project success, Mike

reveals. But that is not the only thing about them that keeps their clients returning time and again, he adds. Mike then tells us more about the firm’s client base, his own staff and the importance of investment to ensure a safe working environment.

“Cuddy Group’s client base consists of both large and small businesses, and we’re proud to say that each receives the same level of service from us. We work with a client from the very beginning of their consultation process, right through to the point when their project is complete or land is ready to be built upon, and beyond.

“Cuddy Group offers the very best value for money in the industry, and we deliver on time and on budget, time and again. Cuddy Group’s teams are made up of the best-trained, most technicallyproficient and practically-minded experts in the industry, and the firm’s programmes are built around realistic timescales with buildability at the forefront of our minds.

“We continually invest in our plant and equipment, as well as training and procedures, and are keen to partner not only directly with the clients, but also their own professional partners, to create working environments which are as safe as they are efficient, no matter how complex or specialist in nature.”

g Demolishing the Competition

Company: Cuddy Group Name: Mike Cuddy Email: info@cuddy-group.com Web Address: www.cuddy-group.com Address: Francis House, Tank Farm Road, Llandarcy, Neath, SA10 6EN UK Telephone: +44 (0)1792 321 110

BUILD / September 2017 23

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Looking at the firm’s civil engineering services, Mike says that these are tailored to get your project moving.

“With Cuddy Group’s careful scheduling, site clearance and preparatory works (including infrastructure) can begin even before the decommissioning/ demolition phase is complete.

The civil engineering side of the business is designed to make our clients’ lives easier – by appointing a sole contractor for the civils work as well as decommissioning or land remediation, you save costs, time, and project management complications.

“Cuddy Group’s services include in this regard include: a seamless service integration for brownfield sites, including land clearance, levelling, foundation laying, structural ground reinforcement, infrastructure/ services installation and even above-ground works such as structural steelwork construction.

All of Cuddy Group’s resources at your fingertips, from our trained experts and operatives to the wide range of plant and equipment available. All sourced from the same place, and all managed to our exemplary standards.

“Meticulous pre-construction planning phase and ongoing evaluation to ensure timetables and cost plans are adhered to, without losing site of buildability and regulatory compliance. Cuddy Group’s partnering approach means we work with you to ensure the most cost-effective, quickest and safest solution to any project. Our operational transparency makes Cuddy Group a contractor you can trust.

We pool our resources with your knowledge of the project’s goals and challenges to create solutions which really work.”

Another important aspect of the firm’s work concerns asbestos removal, Mike adds. He goes on to reveal more about this aspect of the firm’s work.

“As market leader in asbestos treatment and removal, Cuddy

24 BUILD / September 2017

Group is ideally positioned to deal with any structure considered dangerous. This includes sites due for demolition and those which are to continue in use.

“We regularly deal with private and public sector clients, nationally and internationally, for industrial, commercial and residential structures. Cuddy Group’s asbestos management abatement package is unrivalled, as is our technical understanding of safety issues and regulatory compliances.

“Owners, occupiers, managers or those responsible for premises where asbestos has been found have an obligation to manage the risk this imposes. Cuddy Group’s project management relieves the responsible person of the challenges they face, and our technical skill gives every client complete peace of mind.”

Cuddy Group’s asbestos removal programmes include: • Cuddy Group’s own asbestos waste transfer station, licensed by the Environment Agency, granting them the ability to complete contracts quicker, more cost-effectively and safer than their competitors.

• Dealing with challenging asbestos installations, including cladding on underground services.

• The latest in treatment and removal technologies and equipment, with training for their staff to match; Cuddy Group prides itself on being at the forefront of the asbestos abatement industry.

• The highest standard of technical experience and insight, coupled with stakeholder and regulatory liaison to ensure that any site or building is fit for purpose.

• Bespoke packages designed to meet the unique requirements of each project, including fibre suppression, air management systems, engineering controls and water filtration.

• Client guidance to assist the client throughout the whole process.

Cuddy Group’s reputation is what sets us apart from the competition, Mike underlines in closing.

“It hasn’t been easy building up such a loyal customer base, but our hard work and dedication has won us numerous plaudits and awards, such as the ‘Best Demolition Contractor 2017 – UK’ award “While the firm never set out on any project with the intention of winning awards, it’s still gratifying to be recognised as we have.

Such recognition enhances Cuddy Group’s reputation, but nothing can match the word-of-mouth that our expert engineers, managers and operatives have garnered over the years. It’s this strength – which comes from exceeding clients’ expectations and working with them as partners – which has placed us as one of the country’s leading contractors.

“We’re not the sort of firm which sets out to win awards – satisfying the clients is reward enough – but we’re honoured to have been recognised nonetheless with some of the industry’s most prestigious honours. In past, few years, Cuddy Group has received ARCA Gold ‘Training’ and ‘Asbestos Supervisor of the Year’ awards; Specialists Awards 2009 ‘Demolition’; and ‘Highly Commended’ status in the ‘Demolition Training’ category at the inaugural Demolition & Recycling International awards held in Amsterdam, 2009.

“These join Cuddy’s other awards, including two International Safety Awards from the British Safety Council, a Contract Journal Award and a RoSPA Bronze Award. In addition, Cuddy Group and its personnel also have memberships to groups including the National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) and the Institute of Demolition Engineers.

We are always looking to improve Cuddy Group’s services as a demolition contractor, civil engineering contractor, asbestos contractor and land remediation contract and in our pursuit of improvement we are always glad to receive recognition.”

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BUILD / September 2017 25

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Creating Dynamic Spaces GLOSTER is a specialist in providing fast-track mechanical and electrical fit-out. The firm was pleased to win the 2017 Innovators in Production Winner: London – UK recently. To celebrate this success, we spoke to Managing Director, Mark Aldridge of the firm since February 2010 to learn more about the firm’s highly responsive service.

GLOSTER works on refurbishment and new-build projects across a range of sectors. Their aim is to create environments that are safe, productive, energy efficient and comfortable to be in, whilst also accommodating their client’s budget. They are dedicated to delivering high-quality, fault-free workmanship every time. They work on the full life-cycle of a project, from inception to snagfree completion, which breeds confidence and repeat business To date, the firm has developed several new processes and technologies to solve a wide variety of challenges presented to them. In various restrictive environments, to meet their clients’ needs, examples of these include: • Residential buildings (old and new build); • Medical laboratories (built underground in a 1950’s building); • Commercial office spaces; • Schools (new and refurbished); • Underground car parks and; • High end domestic listed dwellings.

• Refurbished retail spaces.

• Various change of use in buildings.

Managing Director, Mark Aldridge underlines where the firm’s work takes place and how they do it, as the interview kicks off.

26 BUILD / September 2017

“GLOSTER has a strong operational presence in the South-East of England. Our offices are based in London Bridge, so we can provide a highly responsive service for clients. At GLOSTER, we continue to strive to exceed client expectations and this commitment to quality has won us both repeat business and continued success.

“The GLOSTER team is highly experienced, so we understand the challenges of delivering fast-track fit-out projects. We use the latest techniques including 3D modelling, prefabrication and modularisation to ensure faultfree processes and high quality workmanship.

“The firm believes that forward planning is key to effective implementation, so we work to ensure a project is handled expertly from the outset and everything is methodically planned at a pre-commencemnet stage prior to any boots hitting the ground on site. By combining mechanical and electrical experts on each project, as well as various support teams within the business, we know that our team as a whole can create a harmonised M&E solution.

GLOSTER understands the life-cycle of buildings and the pace at which technology and client;s requirements change, so we always plan our work for the long-term, ensuring that it is easy to maintain and operate.”

Mark then details the ethos that underpins the firm’s work.

“GLOSTER aims to provide unquestionable commitment to client requirements. We provide consistent mechanical and electrical solutions in a userfriendly way, in a value-for-money way. We strive to use innovative solutions and technologies to benefit our clients, customers and consumers. At GLOSTER, we balance our commitment to quality workmanship, without compromising a safe working environment or the client’s budget..

“Our ability to deliver an agreed specification on time, to benchmark standards, in absolute safety has earned us all the relevant industry accreditations and most importantly the loyalty of our customers.”

Turning his thoughts towards to fit-out services, Mark then highlights this aspect of the firm’s work to us.

“GLOSTER is a fast-track fit-out contractor offering mechanical and electrical services, because we believe that greater efficiencies and better results can be achieved by a team with expertise in both. We work on shell and core, Category A, Category B and Residential mixed use projects, though we never pigeon hole ourselves to a certain sector nor restrict ourselves from taking on any challenge

“The high value and rapid turnover of commercial and residential space in today’s property market, means that speed and efficiency are vital for successful fit-outs.

GLOSTER uses the latest techniques in prefabrication and modularisation, to provide both high quality workmanship and excellent results.

GLOSTER are mindful that the building industry has vastly changed over the last two decades. More specially, the need and or requirement by owners, landlords and tenants to incorporate new technologies and processes to meet current government, local authority and building regulation guidelines on CO2 emissions, sustainability and energy saving targets. Mark then shares his thoughts on these wider industry issues that affect the firm’s work.

“We are also aware that existing residential, commercial properties and even some new buildings often present complex challenges in incorporating these new and existing technologies and processes that have been developed by third parties to achieve as well as meet the current energy saving and sustainability guidelines.

“We place a lot of focus and resource into developing new processes and technologies, to achieve what our clients need, regardless of the restrictions

g Creating Dynamic Spaces

their properties impose on them. When these existing technologies and processes cannot be adapted, for example, in older buildings, we have the resources, along with our various innovation partners to research and develop new products, technologies and processes to achieve the aims and needs of our clients. Our mantra is that there is a solution for all problems.�

Mark would also like to thank his industry peers for their acknowledgement through the receipt of this award, which affirms GLOSTER’s current market presence and position and continuing progress.

Company: Gloster MEP Ltd. Name: Mark Aldridge Email: Mark.Aldridge@glostermep.co.uk Web Address: www.glostermep.co.uk Address: 2nd Floor, 93 Great Suffolk Street London, SE1 0BX UK Telephone: +44 (0)207 089 6910

BUILD / September 2017 27

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Drill Down Through the Facts Formed in 1982, Stuart Well Services Limited is a leading specialist dewatering subcontractor, offering professional and cost effective solutions to groundwater problems in the UK & overseas. The firm recently received two prestigious awards, the Best in Dewatering & Dewatering Designs - UK & Geotechnical Material Supplier of the Year. To mark this success, we invited Contract Director David Wright to profile the firm’s impressive range of work in their major projects such as Crossrail and the Mersey Link Crossing.

Stuart Well Services Limited employs around 70 staff and has an annual turnover in the region of £12 million. Our firm has a proven track record of successful dewatering and groundwater remediation projects that includes major works such as; Crossrail, Hinkley Point C, UCLH, Sizewell C and the Mersey Link Crossing. Our firm’s work also encompasses numerous other groundwater related projects, ranging from domestic basements, water wells to utility works.

With an extensive range of pumps, plant and equipment, we are well resourced and have the capability for response to and the management of a wide range of applications. We have a skilled and experienced technical team to undertake design and estimating, together with a skilled and trained site workforce to carry out works to a high standard and within programme.

With depots in Attleborough, Immingham and Birmingham, our firm is able to operate and service sites effectively, throughout the UK. Our firm’s principal areas of work are: Construction dewatering; Groundwater remediation;

28 BUILD / September 2017

Pumping tests and; Provision of geotechnical materials.

Our firm has ISO accreditation in areas of Quality (ISO 9001: 2004), Health & Safety (OHSAS 18001:2007), Environment (ISO 14001:2004) and Contaminated Land Remediation. This complements our list of industry accreditations, which include UVDB Verify (Achilles) CHAS, FORS and Constructionline.

Stuart Well Services are committed to safety, quality and service, having a dedicated HSE manager together with a skilled and trained workforce including NEBOSH, SMSTS, SSSTS, CSCS and National Water Hygiene certification. We are committed to further reducing hazard, risks and improving working practises and actively participate in health and safety initiatives and can undertake site tool box talks.

Construction dewatering Stuart Well Services Limited carries out temporary or permanent dewatering works, under a sub-contract agreement to reduce and maintain a groundwater level that enables construction works to be undertaken in dry and stable conditions. We undertake the design, installation and supply of

equipment (hire or sale), which includes the provision of RAMS, site records and drawings.

We offer supervision and management throughout with servicing of plant and equipment and a 24-hour call-out service.

The most common methods used in construction dewatering today are: Vacuum well pointing; Deep wells; Ejector wells; Passive pressure relief wells and; Vacuum well pointing.

Wellpoints use vacuum and are installed a close spacings. We typically generate drawdown to 5m-6m in sand & gravels and 3.5m-4.5m in fine sands & silts from working level. To work at greater depths, wellpoints can be installed in stages. Disposable wellpoints consist of 40mm diameter UPVC tubes, with a filter element at the bottom.

They are installed using ‘jetting’ method with a steel placing tube, suspended by a 360 excavator.

When required, we can install using hollow-stem augur or drilling methods as well as in restricted access situations and manually by using ‘selfjetting’ wellpoints. Wellpoints are coupled by control swings to a horizontal vacuum header main, that in turn is connected to diesel or 415V 100mm/150mm

centrifugal or piston vacuum pump(s), to be discharged via a v-notch settlement tank.

Deep wells Deep wells are principally used where drawdown beyond 5.0m BGL is required, with drawdown only limited by well-depth and stratigraphy. Deep wells are installed using cable percussive and/or rotary drilling methods typically with an 8”-12” finish, Ø to depths of 10m to 40m depths at 6m to 25m centres.

An UPVC well-liner is installed with a designed filter pack and developed prior to the installation of a submersible borehole pump.

Individual wells are connected to a common collection main, usually located around the perimeter of the works, for final discharge.

Ejector wells Ejector wells are used to depressurise and improve the stability of low-permeability silts and fine sands, where drawdown requirements are greater than ~5m BGL. Ejectors work by recirculating high pressure water (typically 7-8 bar) through the supply and return pipeline (supply 32mm pipe & 50mm return pipe), via a nozzle and venturi in the ejector unit to create a vacuum, inducing water through a strainer and nonreturn valve. The return water is a combination of supply and

g Drill Down Through the Facts

Company: Stuart Wells Services Limited Name: David Wright Email: david.wright@stuartwells.co.uk Web Address: www.stuartwells.co.uk Address: Stuart House, Hargham Road, Shropham, Norfolk, NR17 1DT UK Telephone: +44 (0)1953 454540

BUILD / September 2017 29

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inducted water. All water returns to a tank, with the discharge flow being the excess water not used in the recirculation system. In low flow conditions, where a borehole pump has the risk of burning out, ejectors are effective as they can run dry and if effectively sealed and vacuumed can be created within the well and induce flow.

Passive pressure relief wells & sand drains Dependant of ground conditions, it is sometimes possible to control groundwater in a confined aquifer below excavation level by installing passive pressure relief wells. Wells installed from a level above the piezometric head and typically backfilled with pea gravel. They act as bleed wells with groundwater in-flow removed by sump pumps.

Sand drains act as a hydraulic connection between two aquifers.

Typically, upper clay with sand layers and an underlying granular aquifer allow a flow path from the upper aquifer, to a ‘dewatered’ lower aquifer.

Groundwater remediation Stuart Well Services Limited has a proven track record in groundwater remediation or treatment projects, either stand alone or as a part of a dewatering system. We undertake a remediation strategy and have an EA mobile treatment licence.

Pump and treat is the most common form of groundwater remediation. In simple terms, groundwater is pumped to a water treatment system, from either abstraction wells or excavations. It is subsequently treated, before being pumped to the foul sewer and reinjected into the aquifer, or to a nearby water course with authorisation from the UK’s Environment Agency.

The treatment system will incorporate a range of technologies, dependant on a number of factors including the contaminant, its concentration and the clean-up criteria. Typically, groundwater remediation is used where soil and or groundwater contains the following contaminants.

• Hydrocarbons; • Volatile organic compound (VOC); • Dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLS) and; • Light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL).

Stuart Well Services Limited has an extensive stock of remediation equipment such as air-strippers, activated carbon units, oil/water separator tanks and sand filters. Together with equipment to undertake soil vapour extraction (SVE), air sparging and bio slurping.

Pumping tests We undertake test pumping of boreholes in accordance with the Code of Practice for Test Pumping of Water Wells, BS ISO 14686:2003. Pumping tests are carried out to obtain information to: • Assess the hydraulic behaviour of a well; • Determine the hydraulic properties of the aquifer; • Determine the effects of pumping upon other water sources and; • Established dewatering design.

In undertaking a pumping test it should be planned to ensure that the maximum information will be obtained about both the water well and aquifer.

• • • • •

Equipment test; Step tests; Constant discharge test; Constant draw-down test AND; Recovery test.

Stuart Well Services can undertake a complete pumping test service including the drilling of abstraction and monitoring wells, groundwater analysis and report writing. We can also undertake a hydro geological assessment and feasibility studies.

Water well drilling Stuart Well Services install water wells routinely on our contract dewatering works and therefore have experience of installing water wells for both commercial and private water suppliers, throughout the UK. We can offer a complete service including application of EA consent including water features survey, drilling of well and pump installation.

Borehole decommissioning As well as installing water wells, we are also able to undertake decommissioning of wells, in accordance with the UK’s Environment Agency guidelines.

Groundwater monitoring & testing We can provide groundwater level monitoring service either using data logger, where data can be downloaded on site or,

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vibrating wire piezometers. This is where data can be accessed remotely using a web-site based interface. This system can be enhanced to provide trigger level alarms and, offer a service to undertake groundwater sampling with subsequent laboratory analysis.

Geotechnical materials With an extensive stock available for next-day delivery, Stuart Well Services offers a variety of geotechnical materials including: • Well liners – Well casing and well screen available in UPVC, HDPE and steel. PVC liners are available from a nominal diameter of 19mm up to 200mm.

• Bentonite & grout products in 25kg bags.

• Filter sand - washed, bagged and dried filter materials are available either as natural silica sands or glass media, made from recycled glass.

• Sure-Loc riser pipe - for installation of submersible pumps in water wells.

• Well covers - daisy covers, square well covers, upright steel covers and PVC flanged well head assembly.

The water tight monitoring well covers are BS and EN rated.

• Geothermal products - Ground source heat loops (single or double), standard HDPE manifold set-up, pilot weights, glass media and bentonites. All our ground source heat loops are supplied with factory assembled and tested.

• Piezometers - Piezometer tip containing a porous element is connected via rigid tubing to ground level.

Piezometric pressure at the tip is indicated by the head of water which develops inside the standpipe tubing.

• Dipmeters - Tape type meters fitted with audio and visual alarm with sensitivity adjustment potentiometer, complete with reel break.

Available in 10, 15, 30, 50, 100 and 150 metre standards lengths.

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BUILD / September 2017 31

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Storm Water Interceptor Storm Pal Inc. was first established in 2006 and this year were awarded the Leader in Water Filtration and Maintenance, Ontario as part of the BUILD 2017 Business Excellence Awards.

To celebrate, Gavin Swift, President and CEO and Darrin McMullin, VP Operations both provide a compelling insight into the firm’s remarkable Storm Water Interceptor (Canadian Patent #2,561,763 US Patent #7,314,549) product.

Storm Pal Inc. has developed and patented the ‘Storm Pal Interceptor’ (SPI), which is designed to remove deleterious substances from storm sewer effluent prior to discharge to city sewer systems and receiving water bodies (refer to Figures 1a and 1b). The SPI has proven effective at removing debris and sediments, while substantially reducing the concentrations of petroleum products and total suspended solids present in storm water effluent.

The goal of Storm Pal Inc. is to enhance the quality of storm water effluent being discharged into streams, rivers and lakes to protect aquatic environments

Figure #1b

and preserve fisheries for future generations. The company currently has two offices in Thunder Bay and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

In nature, rainwater is used by vegetation to sustain life or filtered by the ground, prior to reaching outfall locations.

However, in cases where natural filtration is not possible, as in the case of roads, parking lots and driveways, runoff enters storm water or combined sewer systems that eventually drains into receiving bodies. This water contains both sediments and impurities that impact water quality and destroy fish habitat.

Within Canada, regulations concerning discharges to

receiving water bodies are set by various government agencies such as Environment Canada, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, as well as individual Municipalities.

Ultimate responsibility for establishing local storm water discharge guidelines rests with the municipalities in the form of by-laws. Municipalities are also responsible for issuing new construction permits, related to both commercial developments and sub-divisions, that demand the installation of storm water interceptor systems.

Consistent with regulatory requirements and recently issued municipal construction permits, Storm Pal Inc. has installed several SPI’s in various locations throughout Ontario including London, Ottawa, Windsor, Chatham and Thunder Bay. The company is now looking to expand operations to other cities and provinces within Canada, as well as the United States and overseas. As result, Storm Pal Inc. is actively seeking partners to assist with expansion of the firm, including investors, concrete manufactures and distributors.

How the Storm Pal System operates and what sets it apart from other storm water interceptors

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There are several reasons why the SPI has an advantage over competing storm water interceptor treatment systems, including the following: 1. Simplicity – The SPI is a duel chamber system that is constructed using standard manholes and piping. Initial treatment of the storm water effluent occurs within chamber #1, which is designed to capture any large particles and debris.

The primary treatment chamber also removes a large quantity of suspended solids, as well as ‘free phase’ petroleum and grease that may enter the storm sewer system (refer to Figure 1a).

The secondary treatment tank is a polishing chamber, whereby any suspended solids or deleterious material not captured by the chamber #1 is then captured within chamber #2 prior to discharge from the system.

2. Easy to install – Standard AutoCad drawings and specifications of the SPI are provided by Storm Pal Inc. based on the planned development. SPI’s are easier to install and maintain than other storm interceptors for the following reasons: a) Parts can be readily obtained from local pre-cast concrete company’s and plumbing wholesalers;

g Storm Water Interceptor

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b) The modular chambers of the SPI are equal in weight and size to standard manholes and as such, no specialised heavy equipment is required for assembly; c) Contractors involved with the installation of SPI’s can assemble the parts as per drawings and specifications supplied by Storm Pal Inc. with relative ease; and d) The SPI can be modified to adapt tight fitting field conditions.

3. Effective at high flow – During extreme rain events, most competing interceptor treatment systems tend to bypass the treatment area.

This means that during high flow situations, which typically contain the greatest amount of deleterious material, the water is discharged directly into the city storm sewer or receiving water body. In the case of SPI, the storm water systems are designed to treat up to a 10-year storm event at full

efficiency. In addition, during greater than 10-year storm events, initial water treatment is still provided within chamber #2 of the SPI. 4. Lower maintenance requirements – Independent of the type of interceptor, the systems must be periodically maintained to remove deleterious substances and sediments that have been captured by the interceptor. Maintenance activities include routine inspection and cleaning of the capture mechanisms.

In the case of the SPI, the systems are less prone to clogging due to the design.

In addition, the SPI continues to operate at maximum efficiency until the sediment level in chamber #1 reaches the depth of the pipe leading to chamber #2 (refer to Figure 1a). This is not the case for competing inceptor systems, where initial sedimentation can significantly influence future removal efficiency. Consequently, the

SPI has lower maintenance requirements (i.e. frequency of clean-out) when compared to other treatment systems, and operates at maximum efficiency for a greater period.

5. Cost effective – Purchase and installation of the Storm Pal system is typically 10 – 25% lower cost than other competing products.

6. Operationally effective – Storm Pal Inc. has been conducting in-situ testing of SPI units to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment system. Testing has involved measuring the concentration of total suspended solids (TSS) within chamber #1, chamber #2, and downstream of the SPI unit.

General results indicate TSS removal efficiencies ranging between 81-98%, depending on the flow rate (refer to Table 1). Studies have also been conducted of the particle size distribution of sediments retained within Chamber #1 of the SPI using a computerized digital image

system. These analytical results support the retention of fine clay and silt particles, high efficiency of TSS removal, and low scouring based on particle size distribution of solids that are captured by the system (refer to Figure 2).

As previously indicated, annual inspection and maintenance of the SPI is required for the system to operate effectively. The regularity of sand/sediment and heavy debris removal present in the bottom of each treatment chamber depends on the amount collected relative to outflow orifices (refer to figure 1). Any suspended oil and grease that is collected within chamber #1 should be pumped out prior to seasons with high precipitation.

The unique design of the overflow bypass system allows the system to continue working in the event the primary treatment chamber fills with sediment.

Moreover, the SPI design can be easily adapted to accommodate difficult site conditions (i.e. minimal space) and varying geologic conditions. The storage capacity of both tanks can also be increased to handle larger flow volumes on an as required basis.

In summary, the Storm Pal is the most affordable, versatile and easily adaptable storm water interceptor system that can be applied to varying site and geologic conditions.

The SPI is easy to install, operates effectively in high flow conditions, and requires the least maintenance when compared to other storm water interceptor products.

Finally, the efficacy of the product has been demonstrated by routine sampling of the storm sewer effluent upstream and downstream of the SPI’s. Thus, it is anticipated that SPI’s will be the primary choice for suppliers and contractors in the future, and as such, it is the expectation that Storm Pal Inc. will take the lead in the design, installation and maintenance of storm water effluent treatment systems.

34 BUILD / September 2017

g Storm Water Interceptor

Awards recently received by Storm Pal Inc. are: • 1st Place Northern Ontario Technology Innovation Award 2006 and; • BUILD 2017 Business Excellence Awards - Leader in Water Filtration and Maintenance, Ontario.

Company: Storm Pal Inc. Name: Gavin Swift, President and CEO Address: 4425 Mapleward Road, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada P7K 1A4 Telephone: +1 807 345 1234 Fax: +1 807 345 0660 Name: Darrin McMullin, VP Operations Address: 26 Shaughnessy Cres, Ottawa, ON, Canada K2K 2P2 Telephone: +1 613 867 7404 Fax: 1 613 599 9017 Web Address: stormpalinc.com

BUILD / September 2017 35

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Strong Foundations Trading since 1965, Offord and Camp are a family business that has a wealth of experience in both historic and modern forms of construction. The company was delighted to receive the exclusive ‘Best General Builder, South East England’ in the Cambridgeshire category, within the 2017 Industry Awards. To mark this success, we interviewed Tim Offord to discover more about the company’s work and his thoughts on the wider construction industry.

The current partners of Offord and Camp, John and Tim Offord, are both chartered engineers who gained experience working for larger engineering companies before joining the business, set up by Frank Offord (John’s father) and Jack Camp. This means that they can take on almost any type of project and approach it with technical, as well as a practical experience.

Tim Offord explains the scope of the company’s work and how the staff there are managed, as this in-depth interview starts.

“We undertake work on a wide variety of projects on many scales, from changing a light bulb to large scale refurbishment of listed buildings and the construction of new dwellings.

We also undertake works in laboratories, schools and manufacturing plants where programme management and working within live environments, are often critical to the project’s success.

“We have an almost familial relationship with our staff, many of whom have worked with us for a long period. We find that by taking an interest in their lives, as well as how they perform at work, that makes for a much nicer workplace. Most of our staff are in full-time employment with us and as such, their turnover is very low for the industry. This helps us to be sure that we can place the correct people on the right job, which we find is particularly important when

36 BUILD / September 2017

working in someone’s house, whilst they are still in occupation.

“To try to ensure that this approach is maintained in the long-term, when people feel that it is time to move on, we endeavour to replace them with an apprentice wherever possible.

This has the benefit of bringing more people into the trade (of which are too few now), as well as us being able to teach them how to work considerately as well as efficiently.”

When undertaking a new client or project, Tim then explains how the company ensures that the best possible outcome is always achieved. He also explains the factors that set them apart from other competitors in the wider industry.

“As a large percentage of the company’s work is domestic, there is always a personal attachment to the work, from a client’s perspective. We find that working with the client to establish what they require from a project, which may not always be what is shown on the drawings, enables us to leave them happy that the finished project is exactly what they want.

“We also find that many domestic clients struggle to visualise the 3-dimensional image, from 2-dimensional drawings. We have used many methods, most of them very simple, to aid this interpretation and help clients make decisions that they remain happy with throughout the project and beyond.

“Throughout the company, we have a good reputation for getting the details right. From attention to detail on finished floor levels to ensuring that there is a continuity of detailing on internal joinery and paint finishes throughout a property, we pride ourselves on being able to make alterations and extensions to existing buildings feel as if they were part of the original structure.

“We also enjoy both technical challenges and problem solving.

We regularly get asked to undertake projects by architects, as they want to use our experience to solve problems with potentially challenging details.

We can often find safer and more economic ways to construct elements of a project, which can then be incorporated into the design at an earlier stage.”

On winning the ‘Best General Builder, South East England’ in the Cambridgeshire category, within the 2017 Industry Awards, Tim details what this means to him and his colleagues.

“We were surprised, but very honoured to have been selected in the Best General Builder, South East England’ in the Cambridgeshire category, within the 2017 Industry Awards. We are unsure who nominated us for the award, but it is very pleasing to know that clients or architects think that we deserve recognition for our work. We recently won an LABC award for East Anglia for the conversion of an old windmill and so the two awards will sit in pride of place at the office.

“We would never expect to win an award. We have never selfnominated any of our projects for awards, so just being in the frame for one is always a pleasant surprise. However, it will not change the work that we carry out. Most of the company’s work comes from repeat clients, architects or word of mouth and as such, we will continue to put every effort into each project to try to ensure that the reputation that we have earnt over three generations is not lost.”

On the wider construction industry in the UK today, Tim is keen to reveal his insights into this and how it has impacted the company’s work.

“The construction industry around Cambridge is very buoyant now and has been for the past eight years. We are very fortunate to be working in this location, as the hardships caused by the economic downturn that are still ongoing in many areas of the country, have not been felt here. However, this local boom has reignited the debate about the biggest problem that the construction industry is facing now - tradesmen. There are simply not enough tradesmen in the area to undertake the volume of work that is currently available.

“As a company, we have always taken on and trained apprentices.

We have two now, who have just completed their NVQ level 3, one who is just going into the third year of his NVQ and a new apprentice starting shortly.

However, we need the senior

g Strong Foundations

Company: Offord and Camp LLP Name: Tim Offord Email: office@offordandcamp.co.uk Web Address: www.offordandcamp.co.uk Address: Studio 3b Penn Farm Harston Road, Haslingfield CB23 1JZ, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1223 872 449

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tradesmen to be able to pass on both their experience and knowledge to the apprentices.

We are very fortunate and grateful that we have an excellent group of senior tradesmen, who have worked with us for many years and they have all trained many apprentices in their time.

“We need people who can work in both historic buildings and modern, hi-specification houses and the only way to achieve this is through experience of both areas of work. With the greatest of respect to many in the trade, banging up hundreds of meters of straight stud walling around huge housing estates may be a good way to earn a fast few pounds. Having said this, it will not help the industry in 20 years’ time, when there will be very few people with the skills and experience to work on the more complicated and traditional works that we undertake.”

which has no central support for the roof. The whole structure is held in place by a tension ring at the base and a compression ring at the apex, which supports a 1.8m diameter circular roof light. Constructing the roof was a technical challenge, as we had to support the large steel ring beam, whilst we connected all the rafters. The ring beam was centralised over the centre of the circle, with an old-fashioned plumb-bob, as we found this to be the most accurate solution when lots of elements are hanging in the air.

new solution that does improve efficiency or reduce cost for clients, without compromising on quality, then we will happily take that on board and use it on future projects.

“During the construction phase of the house, we found out that at least four other local builders had been approached to build the house. Having said that, none of them had been willing to do so as they would not take on the technical challenges associated with it, let alone give a fixed price for it.”

Bringing his insightful thoughts to a close, Tim tells us how he sees the market changing over the next 12 months and his ambitions for the company.

In terms of what has been the company’s most successful project to date, Tim tells us that while one cannot be singled out, each one has unique challenges.

On how the company ensures they create innovative solutions to maintain their success, Tim is eager to explain this point further to us.

“Each project brings its own challenges and experiences, as no two projects that we work on are the same. Some can be similar in form, but the clients that we are working for can be completely different in terms of their personalities and as such, this brings a different sort of challenge for both us.

“We feel that many of the new innovations coming into the industry, are being brought about by the need to use unskilled labour to perform tasks, that previously only experienced tradesmen could do. Screws are being replaced with glues, lead flashings are being replaced with tapes and no-one is sure how long these new methods will last as no one has tested them in-situ for 20 years. Where we find a

“We recently completed the construction of a circular house,

“We can also develop ingenious ways of transporting large beams or windows to the rear gardens of people’s houses. However, we are firmly of the opinion that if something is going to be fixed, it will be done so in a way that it will last for the next 50 years and not the just the next year until the defects period has ended.”

“We think that the industry is going to go through some tough and changing times over the next few years. We are concerned that the current boom is being built of the back of too much debt again and as such, if we suffer a similar economic downturn to that which hit in 2008, then the recovery may not be so quick.

“The disaster at Grenfell Tower will also have significant implications for fire safety and that responsibility around inspections will be made clearer.

We expect that Building Control and other professionals, will be required to make many more visits to the site. The impact of Brexit has also yet to really be understood. If the eastern European labour force, which underpins so much of the work on large sites is lost, then the shortage that we mentioned earlier is only going to get worse.

“We are a family company and as such, we are built on such an ethos. We have a great group of employees and we will continue to work with them to hopefully provide clients with buildings of which they are proud for many years to come. The final word must go to the people that nominated us. Thank you for the honour and we are glad that we continue to deliver projects that you consider to be worthy of such an award.”

38 BUILD / September 2017

g Strong Foundations

BUILD / September 2017 39

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Securing What Matters With nine manufacturing facilities, 30 sales offices and agencies and a local presence in 100 countries worldwide, Betafence’s global operations is based on a simple yet significant approach: securing what matters. Following Betafence’s success in winning the Best Global Fencing and Security Company 2017 accolade, we interviewed Betafence’s UK Sales Manager, Joe Cowling to find out more about the company’s contribution to the safety of society.

For more than 135 years, Betafence has developed and manufactured perimeter security solutions that contribute to a safer society. They are a global leader in integrated perimeter security, protection and fencing systems for critical infrastructure and sensitive sites in both the public and industrial sectors.

Working in such a competitive industry, the company has several unique factors in its favour. With their extensive perimeter security systems portfolio and integrated security services, they offer clients turnkey total perimeter solutions. Their security systems portfolio covers all facets of perimeter protection: • Perimeter security fencing and barriers: high-security, crash-rated and ballisticresistant fencing; • Access control solutions: active, crash-rated vehicle barriers, gates and turnstiles, security guard structures; • Perimeter intrusion detection systems: mounted, standalone and buried; microwave and fibre optic; radar, laser and infrared and; • CCTV and lighting: true day/ night and thermal; LED, white light and infrared; fixed, pan tilt zoom.

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Their turnkey solutions offer many advantages, including: • Cost and time saving; • Streamline procurement process; • Maintain business continuity; • Single contact and supplier; • Preventative maintenance; • Informed decision making and; • Technical support.

Sales Manager at Betafence, Joe Cowling reveals with regards to construction, what the Betafence Group offers. He also provides some interesting examples of some of the company’s clients.

“Betafence offers the full spectrum of construction services for perimeter security projects – from conception to hand over.

We specialise in the design, supply, project management and integration of perimeter security solutions. The company’s services offered include: risk assessments, design and engineering, perimeter security consulting, project management and installation, system integration, training, maintenance and support. Our project management division is ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certified.

Examples of projects include: “UK National Grid Sites – High

security perimeter fencing was supplied, due to varying ground levels and conditions, bespoke designs and shapes of our Double Skin Securifor® panels had to be engineered to suit each bay along the perimeter. This required extensive site analysis and unique manipulation of the production techniques.

“Statoil’s Mongstadbase in Norway – To address the specific environmental issue of corrosion, we offered an extensive corrosion testing trial period to establish appropriate product quality.

“Tanger Med in Morocco - To address the highly corrosive environment and harsh weather conditions of Tangier, Betafence’s perimeter security solution was specifically designed to resist wind gusts up to 170 km/h and provide a 10-year guarantee against corrosion.

“Oil and gas facilities in the Middle East - After in-depth analyses of facilities and risk assessments, we designed a specialised 26m high shield rigid enough to mitigate against rocket-propelled grenade attacks.”

Joe then details the company’s overall mission and how they achieve this.

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Securing What Matters

Company: Betafence Name: Joe Cowling Email: Joe.Cowling@betafence.com Web Address: www.betafence.com Address: PO Box 119, Shepcote Lane, Sheffield S9 1TY UK Telephone: +44 (0)114 256 7856

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“At Betafence, our mission is to continue to engineer solutions that inspire confidence and trust, in a market driven by a growing global need for comprehensive security.

“Through continuous innovation and expansion, we develop, produce and market perimeter security solutions that address the ever-changing needs of the perimeter security landscape.

Betafence understand the security industry and in consultation with our technology partners we develop specialised, integrated perimeter protection solutions that are tailor made for each project.

“One of Betafence’s latest product developments, by our sister company Hesco is the TerraBlock® range of rapidly deployable, surface-mounted barriers. Integrating earth-filled vehicle barriers and climbresistant weld mesh panels, these barriers deter unauthorised access and offer effective hostile vehicle mitigation.”

On the firm’s approach to working on a project, Joe stresses “our strength lies in our collaborative project approach, we see each security project as unique, with its own set of requirements, threats and resulting solutions”.

Betafence’s collaborative approach is based on five key steps: • Needs analysis: Through risk assessments and security audits, we analyse sites to identify security

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•

•

•

•

risks and hazards enabling us to design and engineer a security solution that specifically addresses the site’s unique security requirements; Design and engineering of solution: Through close collaboration with client and industry partners, we design a fit-for-purpose security protection solution; Implementation of solution: Our experienced and dedicated project management team oversees the entire installation process; Integration: Commissioning of security systems and integration of the perimeter security solution into existing infrastructure and; Manage and maintain solution: Post-installation services include training, preventative maintenance, product guarantee management and succession planning.

Joe then provides a fascinating overview of the wider sector – including major developments and outside influences. He also reveals the firm’s future into the remainder of 2017 and beyond, as the interview ends.

“Unfortunately, current global matters have resulted in dangerous occurrences across many major cities. These instances emphasise the need for the correct, high-quality solutions in the appropriate

environment, which ensures the protection of people and their properties. Betafence aims to support our customers to choose the right total solution that best suits their needs and secures what matters to them.

“With the evolution of data consumption driving the need for the construction of new or the upgrade of existing data centres worldwide, we’ve seen a steady increase in perimeter protection projects in this sector.

To address this need, we have designed perimeter security solutions specifically configured for the data centre industry. As part of this ongoing development, we are currently working with a global social media firm in the US to deliver environmentally-clean, electric perimeter protection and access control systems.

“Betafence always looks to continue our growth within the sectors we service. By continuing our focus on providing total solutions, we aim to build more partnerships within the security industry to gain more trust and business across an everwidening customer base.

“During 2018, Betafence aims to showcase our solutions portfolio at various UK security exhibitions, such as the UK Security Expo 2018 and the UK Counter Terror Exhibition 2018.

We look forward to meeting customers who are keen to find out more about our innovative products and security solutions.”

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Sound Advice for Your Environment dBx Acoustics Ltd are acoustic consultants, which essentially mean that they are involved wherever sound or noise might be an issue.

Following their success in achieving the Acoustic Consultants of the Year 2017 – UK accolade, we interviewed Director, Susan Witterick who reveals more about the firm’s approach providing good acoustic conditions.

As acoustic consultants, dBx Acoustics Ltd come in when sound or noise might be an issue. This could be designing a concert hall or recording studio, helping specify partitions or finishes in a school or hospital to provide good acoustic conditions.

The firm carries out noise surveys for planning, or troubleshooting noise issues for industrial sites.

They also carry out testing on residential properties to confirm compliance with Part E of the Building Regulations in the UK. Director, Susan Witterick begins by explaining the varied nature of the firm’s client based and what services they offer around construction.

“As our workload is so varied and so are the clients! We do much work with contractors and developers, but also get involved with planning consultants, architects and M&E consultants.

For example, on one day I’ll be specifying the acoustic performance of partitions and room finishes in a high-end office in Belfast, working with an architect and structural engineer

44 BUILD / September 2017

to specify a floor slab between apartments as well as working on a noise impact assessment report for a new school.

“For the construction sector, we offer services including onsite noise, dust and vibration monitoring for compliance during the construction period. We are also UKAS (the UK’s National Accreditation Body), accredited for pre-completion acoustic testing on residential properties, to demonstrate compliance with Building Regulations in the UK. “We are also often called in to help review and confirm acoustic requirements, once a project has been handed over to a contractor, whether that’s to support them in making changes or to ‘sanity check’ the acoustic design they have been handed.”

Susan then tells us about the firm’s latest project, including the key challenges encountered and any aspects of it that they were particularly proud of.

“We are currently in the process of commissioning a large (300 apartment) development in Manchester, for John Sisk & Son.

We first became involved in the project as part of the Sisk team when they were one of three contractors tendering for the scheme.

“The design handed over targeted a high-level of acoustic performance, more than Building Regulations, but of course the contractor’s budget had to be competitive. We worked with Sisk to rationalise the partition selections, to ensure that they could deliver a high-quality scheme effectively. There were also some concerns around the original noise survey, which had been carried out for the site, so we repeated the survey and could relax the acoustic requirements for the building façade.

“We are about halfway through testing now and I’m pleased to say so far everything has passed with flying colours and as such, three years of hard work is finally coming to fruition.”

Susan then underlines the firm’s overall mission in creating the optimum acoustic conditions.

“We believe that acoustics affect our lives, from cradle to

g Sound Advice for Your Environment

Company: dBx Acoustics Ltd Name: Susan Witterick Email: enquiries@dbxacoustics.com Web Address: dbxacoustics.com Address: The Co-Operative Building, 23 Sam Road Diggle, Oldham, OL3 5PU UK Telephone: 0161 711 0320

acoustics BUILD / September 2017 45

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grave. For example, educational outcomes are affected by acoustic conditions in schools.

In addition, healthcare outcomes are significantly better in hospitals where good acoustics are present. Noise can affect how well you concentrate at work and how well you can rest in your home. It can also affect your physical and mental health.

“As humans, we are very visually oriented and it can be difficult to convince people to take acoustics seriously in design and construction. We spend a lot of time talking to contractors and designers, to help them understand the value and quality benefits of considering acoustics and discussing with them how it doesn’t have to be a significant cost, if it’s considered early enough in the design process.”

On the firm’s approach to working on a project, Susan spills the beans on the key areas they focus on to ensure success.

“Our goal is to give people highquality acoustic advice, which is appropriate to both their budget and aspirations. We always talk to the clients to find out what they need to achieve and tailor dBx Acoustics Ltd.’s advice, based on that rather than issuing a generic report.

“It’s important to us that our clients understand the advice they are receiving and are happy with it, so we will always respond quickly to follow up queries and always take the time to talk through a question or problem.

This approach ensures that we arrive at the solution which is best, not only for acoustics, but also for the overall scheme.

“We also try to be proactive.

We are often waiting on information from others before the firm can issue our advice, but the firm ensure that the clients understand how far dBx Acoustics Ltd have progressed and what we need to go further, so that our work doesn’t delay the project.”

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Working in such a competitive industry, Susan explains how the firm ensures that they are always the best possible option for clients.

“We believe that being a small team gives us a unique advantage over our larger competitors. Each project has a lead consultant who quickly builds up a relationship with the client and the rest of the design team. Since we are all working together, in the absence of the lead consultant, there is usually still someone in the office who knows about the project.

“We’re also very fortunate to be in a position when working on a wide range of challenges across different sectors, rather than being specialists in a niche area. This broad knowledge base means that we can think creatively around project challenges, in a way that perhaps a more narrowly focused consultancy couldn’t.

“At the end of the day, we have a team of experienced, knowledgeable consultants who between them have completed thousands of projects – and that knowledge works to the benefit of our clients.”

Susan then offers a fascinating glimpse of the acoustics sector in the Greater Manchester region currently, including any major developments or outside influences affecting it.

“We are finding now that there are a lot of large residential schemes in Manchester, either in the planning or construction phases, so we see this being important over the next couple of years. There also seems to be, slowly, an upturn in high-end office fit out work, which we see as a good sign for the industry.

“It will be interesting to see whether having a Mayor affects development in Greater Manchester over the next couple of years, indeed there’s already much foreign investment coming in and so the industry now seems buoyant.

“The main development in acoustics now is the release of the new ProPG guidance on planning and noise. This is likely to mean that planning applications for residential developments will need a more detailed acoustic assessment, than has previously been the case.”

In closing, Susan reveals what the future holds for the firm as well as potential developments in the wider construction market. “dBx Acoustics Ltd are planning to expand our testing team - so that we can service the need for residential pre-completion testing nationwide. We see this being a great opportunity over the next couple of years.

“We’ve also invested in more equipment for long-term construction noise, dust and vibration monitoring; we’ve currently got deployments on a demolition site in London and on an aggregate transfer depot and are looking to serve more clients in this area.

“I’m always wary of trying to predict the future in construction, as anything can happen! Things seem to be going well now but when Brexit finally happens, or the next time there is a change of government; things could easily go bump again. Fortunately, being small and having a wide client base protects us from a lot of this disruption, as dBx Acoustics Ltd are easily able to adapt to work where we are needed.”

g Sound Advice for Your Environment

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Achieving growth and driving standards in a demanding market by investing in skills, experience and technology Geo-Environmental Services Limited offer a comprehensive range of services for a range of developments. Following their success in achieving the title Leading Experts in Engineering Consultancy, we interviewed the firm’s managing director, Glyn Evans.

In Geo-Environmental Services Limited’s 21st year as a business, the deliverables that it supplies range from desk studies, through to on-site intrusive investigations, which are used to provide ground models for contaminated land assessments, as well as foundation, pavement, road and drainage designs. In addition, the firm also undertakes slope stability analysis, basement impact assessments, building damage assessments, contamination remediation strategies and validation reports, together with preparing earthworks specifications and materials management plans.

Managing Director, Glyn Evans explains to us what sets GeoEnvironmental Services Limited apart from their competitors, marking them out as the best possible option for their clients, and for providing beneficial, environmentally sound solutions.

“The company is currently in a great position, but it wasn’t always like that. In 2007 after the stock market crash, it was a

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much more challenging business environment.

“However out of that adversity myself and core members of the team defined a set of key aims and a long term strategic plan to achieve them. The five core aims that we defined were: “1. To be viewed as providing the highest standard of Geotechnical and Geo-Environmental Consultancy services; “2. To have high quality systems, software and equipment to support our staff in delivering excellent services; “3. To retain all of our existing clients and ensure that we are their Geotechnical and Geo- Environmental Consultant of choice; “4. Attract new customers across our current catchment area, with an additional focus on a new customer base North of the M25 and in the South West and attracting larger customers; and “5. Identify clients that are less susceptible to the boom and bust cycle in the UK market.

“In putting together these aims we considered in detail how we thought the industry would develop.

“At the time the industry was still very traditional, but it was our belief that IT would start to play an increasingly important part in our business.

“We commenced a programme of upgrading and expanding the capability of IT hardware and scoured the market for software packages that would improve our analytical capabilities, the presentation of our reports, our interconnectivity with other systems and the productivity of our work. We underpinned this by employing an IT managed service company to manage and maintain the systems, which reduced the amount of time lost from IT issues and allowed us to concentrate on our core business.

“As a result of these improvements, when challenges such as BIM came along, we already had systems in place that could meet them.

“We had found that there were barriers to us winning or even bidding for work for some clients.

We invested heavily in ensuring that as an organisation we had all of the accreditations that we needed to compete in our chosen markets.

“The first step was to ensure that “we were ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001 accredited.

“Alongside this, we looked at the specific accreditations that we needed for different clients and sectors and achieved accreditation on Achilles RISQS, Achilles UVDB, CHAS, Construction Line, SMAS and CQMS. “Of course, you can have all of the IT and accreditations in the world, but if you haven’t got good quality staff you will not succeed.

“We already had an excellent core team who had supported us through the more challenging times that we had experienced.

“It gives me great pleasure to say that some of those members of staff are now members of the management team and have a

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Achieving growth and driving standards in a demanding market by investing in skills, experience and technology

Company: Geo-Environmental Services Limited Name: Glyn Evans Email: glyn.evans@gesl.net Web Address: www.gesl.net and www.gesl.eu Address: Unit 7, Danworth Farm, Cuckfield Road, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, BN6 9GL Telephone: +44 1273 832972

BUILD / September 2017 49

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key role in the development of the company. The principle of promotion from within our company is fundamental to how we operate, as it provides opportuni-ties for all of our staff to progress.

“However, we knew that if we were to realise the aims that we had defined, we needed knowledge and skills that were not in the business.

“So we recruited new staff with specific and expert capabilities, as well as a number of graduate engineers that would help the company achieve its aims. These staff brought fresh ideas and enthusiasm that have contributed to making us what we are today.

“Finally, we had an awareness that as a SME we were at a disadvantage to larger companies who had access to greater levels of industry information and professional advice. To counter this we obtained memberships of industry bodies such as the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), Association for Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS), Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), Institute of Directors (IoD), Society of Brownfield Risk Assessment (SoBRA), Green Growth Platform (GGP) and CL:AIRE. “Our memberships play a key role in supporting the direction of our organisation, providing access to

the latest developments in legislation, industry leading training and a vehicle to raise our views on issues affecting our industry.

“On this latter point, we believe that flexible working will become increasingly more important in the workplace .

We asked Glyn whether he thought these measures had been successful.

“The IT platform for remote working that we have put in place, enables staff to work as if they were in the office from anywhere.

“The numbers are impressive.

Back in 2010 we had 11 staff and £1.1M Turnover. In 2017 we now have 20 staff and £2.6M Turnover. We now have have an office presence in Bristol and Birmingham, as well as our Head Office in Hurstpierpoint to the north of Brighton. I am proud of that achievement.

“We are also actively involved in many of the organisations that we are members of, having one of our Director’s on the board of the ACE in the role of SME Chairman and Chairing a steering group for the Green Growth Platform.

“Our senior staff regularly participate in EIC and ACE working groups. So not only do we receive important information from these organisations, but through them we also have the opportunity to influence the direction that the industry is taking.

However, we are not complacent.

We are aware that we are still operating in a difficult and uncertain market and are that now we have created such an excellent team, we have to ensure that we keep that team together.

“We now have 60% of the workforce working from home for some or all of the week, which helps immeasurably with worklife balance for our staff.

“Whilst this is an important benefit, flexible working has a much more fundamental role to play in the construction industry. It is my belief that efforts to drive greater diversity and inclusion within the workforce are not possible without it and attracting all members of society into the industry will be essential for its long term health and prosperity.

It was clear how important Glyn thought Geo-Environmental’s staff are to the success of the company. Glyn elaborated on this.

“It is an overused cliche that a company’s staff are their most important asset, but in a business where your core deliverable is professional advice that is most definitely the case.

“To ensure that our staff are up to date with the latest industry developments, we have developed a structured and continuous training programme.

“We also encourage and support all staff in working towards and achieving chartered status, improving their qualifications and gaining new skills.

“To support this we have assigned a dedicated budget for training and through the appraisal process, set objectives aimed at promoting personal improvement - which are reviewed bi-annually.

There is a generous bonus worth up to 10% of salary for staff who can meet their objectives.

“After all if you have spent time and money in developing staff, you don’t want to lose them.

50 BUILD / September 2017

“In addition to this we have introduced further measures to support and reward our staff. We recently launched our corporate benefits platform. This gives our staff access to private medical care, a confidential employee assistance programme, preferential rates for car leasing and a range of IT products, a bikes for work scheme and a range of discount shopping and dining offers.

“By creating an environment where staff feel that they have the opportunity to develop their skills are supported, valued, rewarded and have avenues for career progression, we hope to ensure that we continue to enjoy the low levels of staff turnover that we have experienced to date.

Continuing the theme of success, Geo-Environmental Services Limited were recently selected in the Business Excellence Awards, claiming the title Leading Experts in Engineering Consultancy.

Discussing the firm’s accolade, Glyn describes to us what it means for both him and the firm to have won this award, but also highlighting the ways the company create innovative solutions to maintain their success.

“When we heard the news, we were delighted. As we have discussed, we want to viewed as providing the highest standard of Geotechnical and Geo-Environmental Consultancy services.

Being recognised for industry awards is a sign that you are meeting the standards that you are aiming for.

In closing, Glyn reveals what the future has in store for Geo- Environmental Services Limited.

“There is some uncertainty over the next 12 months, with the future of what environmental legislation will and will not be retained as a result of the ongoing Brexit negotiations. It is also uncertain how the industry will be impacted by the Brexit negotiations. Until we have more detail on these negotiations, it is very difficult to say just how we would be affected – positively or negatively. Longer term, we expect the future to be brighter.

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Achieving growth and driving standards in a demanding market by investing in skills, experience and technology

“In the future, we anticipate greater levels of development to meet the shortages in housing, and to facilitate improvement to key infrastructure. However, we also anticipate a greater future emphasis on development of brownfield land, greater investment in environmental protection and in renewable energy. There is a lot of uncertainty in the market at the moment and I think that in the short term, and perhaps extending to the medium term, we could see peaks and troughs in demand. However, this is a scenario that has not yet come to pass and if anything, demand is increasing.

“One of the key challenges that the industry faces are skills shortages. The industry has chronically under invested, particularly in the last 10 years. We now face the crisis of an ageing workforce and a lack of new entrants to the industry. We are still a heavily male dominated sector and we need to reach out to the female population and ethnic minorities, another part of society that we are critically under represented.

“We need to encourage young people from all backgrounds to choose engineering.

“Finally, many commentators believe that the industry is on the verge of a revolution in terms of how its services are delivered, which will be IT driven. We need to ensure that we remain at the forefront of this revolution.

BUILD / September 2017 51

CE170032

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As Safe as Houses Hugh James Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors, offering a wide range of comprehensive professional services, covering residential and commercial property. Following their success in receiving the Best for Residential Building Surveys – Cambridgeshire accolade, we invited Chartered Building Surveyor, Scott Oke to provide a short profile of the firm’s work.

The services of Hugh James Surveyors include Project Management and Contract Administration, Party wall, Feasibility studies as well as Surveys and Valuation.

Our recent clients include a national affordable housing group which has its headquarters based in Surrey and a national group of dental practitioners, based in London. Our remit was to offer professional property advice.

Previously, we undertook a national project on behalf of a client with a large property portfolio, which concerned inspecting over 400 licensed and office premises, for energy performance assessment purposes.

The firm’s approach to serving clients is to be prompt plus efficient and as such, our mission moving forward, is to make a difference locally in terms of service delivery to clients through both innovation and technology.

Challenges for the future for Hugh James Surveyors, include inspecting an occupied commercial building during office hours, as well as minimising disruption.

Company: Hugh James Surveyors, Chartered Building Surveyors Name: Scott Oke Email: info@hughjames.org Web Address: www.hughjames.org Address: Garrick House, 9 High Street, Peterborough, PE6 7JP UK Telephone: +44 (0)1733 253 799, +44 (0)7990 744 799

52 BUILD / September 2017

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