Local Authority Building & Maintenance July-August 19

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LOCAL AUTHORITY BUILDING & MAINTENANCE

SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS & COMMUNAL BUILDINGS KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

SPECIAL REPORT — RURAL HOUSING believe housing discusses the issues facing housing providers with homes in remote rural areas and why affordable homes in the North Pennines look very different.

THE LEADING MAGAZINE FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY AND HOUSING ASSOCIATION SPECIFIERS, INCORPORATING

CONTENTS

July/August 2019 Vol.35 No.6

REGULARS 3 COMMENT Rural Affairs 4 NEWS Housing scheme to tackle homelessness in Manchester — eco-friendly estate regeneration — City Building crowned Most Inspiring UK employer — Mears achieves ICS ServiceMark Accreditation 8 INDUSTRY COMMENT Matthew Warburton, Policy Advisor at the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH) SPECIAL REPORTS 10 Managed Service Models Service models for the repair and maintenance of social housing 15 Housing in Remote Areas We hear from believe housing, which manages some of the most remote social housing in England

Rural housing: believe housing talks to LABM about meeting affordable housing needs in the remote North Pennines

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KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS

SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS & COMMUNAL BUILDINGS

12 LEGAL UPDATE Winckworth Sherwood discuss the benefits of modular construction

18 Student Living How good design can help meet student living supply and affordability goals

14 VIEW FROM THE SUPPLY CHAIN Richard Tonkinson, Executive Director of Offsite Solutions

21 Safety Guard Safety measures for radiators in schools and healthcare facilities

46 Products & Services

24 Going Offsite Applying offsite techniques to heating refurbishment projects

30 Lighting for Safety Advice on bathroom lighting best practice 35 The Perfect Storm The WashPod, a fully accessible and versatile washroom and toilet facility 39 Round-up

47 Reference Library 49 GUEST COMMENT Bill Zuurbier, Co-Founder and Managing Director of risk management consultancy, Equib

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

26 Improving IAQ Balancing the Clean Air Strategy and BB101 requirements with energy efficiency 28 Hot off the Press Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus utilises press connection technology

40 Improving Health Through Technology How can we take action against dementia using technology?

42 Head in the Clouds A look at how cloud-based technology is boosting citizen services

29 Round-up 45 Round-up

Delivering managed service models

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New state-of-the-art engineering centre

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How technology is improving health

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Editor Claire Clutten labm@hamerville.co.uk Contributing Editor Bernadette Noble Group Editor Jonathan Cole Advertisement Manager Jacob Tatum jtatum@hamerville.co.uk Northern & Midland Area Sales Eddie Wright ewright@hamerville.co.uk Group Advertising Manager Craig Jowsey Digital Group Manager Stuart Duff Digital Assistant David Molloy Design Adeel Qadri Group Production Manager Carol Padgett Circulation Manager Kirstie Day Managing Editor Terry Smith Publisher Bryan Shannon Printed by WALSTEAD ROCHE Published by Hamerville Media Group Regal House, Regal Way, Watford, Herts WD24 4YF 01923 237799 Email: labm@hamerville.co.uk

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Rural affairs Rural Housing Week celebrates work to improve communities and deliver much needed affordable homes.

The theme of last year’s Rural Housing Week was 'Saving rural communities', with the focus on keeping communities together and public services alive. The theme for this year was 'Building for rural communities', celebrating those housing associations who are delivering much needed new affordable homes in rural areas and engaging with residents to improve existing communities.

As part of Rural Housing Week 2019 the National Housing Federation (NHF) sought to demonstrate the positive impact of: ● Protecting and improving the quality of existing houses ● Committing to high/future design standards and energy efficient homes ● Engaging with communities ● Partnership working and collaboration Rural Housing Week 2019 also championed tenants’ voices, sharing stories of how housing associations are providing residents with quality homes and making a real difference to their lives.

In County Durham, believe housing’s territory covers approximately 862 square miles, which includes sections of the North Pennines — probably some of the most remote social housing in England. Director of Neighbourhood and Customer Services at believe housing, Ian Porter tells LABM: “We’re the only substantial provider of affordable homes in the area and we do take the responsibility it brings very seriously.

We’re determined to provide the same access to our services that any other area receives.

Neighbourhood teams are out and about regularly and even the most remote areas still get estate inspections to the same level as communities in the middle of Durham.”

With the head office in Seaham, visiting remote properties in the Weardale villages of Wearhead and Rookhope for example can entail a 100-mile round trip for the team. Even from

Social housing is just as “important here as it is in big cities, but it’s all too often forgotten on the national stage.

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believe housing’s office in the west of the county in Bishop Auckland it is still a 50-mile round trip.

Dave Seal, believe housing’s Maintenance Supervisor, says: “I’ve had one or two phone calls where someone has said ‘can you not just pop round’ simply because they haven’t grasped how far away the home we’re talking about actually is.”

“Social housing is just as important here as it is in big cities, but it’s all too often forgotten on the national stage,” says Ian. believe housing has a strong housebuilding programme in place, which includes delivering much-needed homes in its most remote villages, like Rookhope, where it recently built two new bungalows. Chief Executive of believe housing, Bill Fullen, says: “The national discourse is all too often focused on the raw numbers. Two new houses sounds like a tiny number, but in some of the communities we serve that could easily be a 10% or even 20% increase in the number of affordable homes.”

That’s why initiatives like Rural Housing Week are so important. It is vital we promote best practice and champion the sterling work housing providers like believe housing are doing to support rural communities, helping them to flourish. Turn to page 15 to hear more about believe housing’s work. We would love to hear from readers operating in rural areas. What are the issues you face? How are you delivering new affordable homes and enhancing social inclusion?

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LOCAL AUTHOR ITY BUILDING & MAINTENANCE

SCHOOLS, HOSPITA LS

& COMMUNAL BUILDINGS KITCHENS, BATHRO OMS & DISABILI TY NEEDS DIGITAL TRANSF ORMATION

COVER STORY: Pick Everard delivered all the design and costing services for the new multimillion-pound flagship Riverside Leisure Centre, in Chelmsford, Essex, which has been awarded a 'very good' BREEAM sustainability rating. For more information on Pick Everard’s services visit: www.pickeverard.co.uk.

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SPECIAL REPORT — RURAL HOUSING believe housing discusses the issues housing providers facing with homes in remote and why affordable rural areas homes in the North look very different.

Pennines

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NEWS CONTRACT UPDATE

Tackling homelessness Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett have launched a new £3.7m housing development to prevent homelessness.

Eco-friendly estate Barking and Dagenham Council planning committee has approved plans to build over 500 homes on a new look eco-friendly Gascoigne estate. The development, in the heart of Barking town centre, will feature 11 new buildings and 526 flats, of which 65% will be affordable rent or shared ownership, and 35% for private sale. Be First, the Council’s regeneration company, expects to set new environmental standards, by embracing designs by Scandinavian architects White Arkitekter, making the new look Gascoigne among the greenest residential areas of the town centre.

Students ‘flying The Nest’ The timber frame at Nottingham’s newest student accommodation, The Nest, is now taking shape onsite, with the view to create 57 new flats by the end of the year. The £5m scheme, located at Derby Road, will feature 57 luxury, purpose-built student studios and a ground floor commercial space.

Wayne Oakes, Director at Dice — the multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy, which has been working on the project since its inception last year and delivered civil and structural design services — says: “The Nest is a bespoke, student accommodation which has been designed with international students in mind — incorporating the latest in studio design, great communal facilities and all in an amazing location, close to the city centre.”

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The pair cut the first sod at the new scheme in Salford which is being delivered by ForHousing and will see up to 39 new homes built to address a shortage of low-cost supported accommodation available to people who face becoming homeless. The Mayors got to hear From left to right: Nigel Sedman, Group Director of Homes at first-hand about the ForViva; Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham; Salford City impact that schemes Mayor Paul Dennett; and Andy Zuntz, Chair of ForViva Group like this can have, meeting with tenants who have transformed their lives after The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy becoming homeless.

Burnham, says: “Tackling homelessness in ‘Josh’ had been homeless since 2017 Greater Manchester is one of my top and had received support through Andy priorities. This much-needed scheme will Burnham’s A Bed Every Night scheme, provide a stable platform to people at risk which aims to ensure no one in Greater of homelessness to make a fresh start by Manchester sleeps rough. He received the giving them vital support and treating them keys to his own home from ForHousing. with dignity and respect.”

Josh, who had been sleeping on friends Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett adds: and families’ sofas or on the streets when he “There is a huge shortage of affordable had nowhere else to turn, said: “I think housing, in particular one-bedroom schemes like this new one on Haddon Road properties, which are so desperately and the support provided are just what is needed. These new homes will go a long needed to help people like me move on way to helping people get a roof over with our lives. They make a huge impact. their heads. Providing more affordable “My life has totally changed. I’m over the homes for people to live in continues to moon to have just got the keys to my new be one of my top priorities.” home. These houses will mean more Nigel Sedman, Group Director of people get the chance to rebuild their lives.” Homes at ForViva, comments: More than 5,500 people are homeless “Everyone deserves a safe, warm place to across Greater Manchester and more than call home. This new development 1,000 are homeless in Salford. will provide high-quality homes along with The new homes will be let at a low vital support that will empower tenants cost sub-social rent. They will also be and fuel their potential. It will give them a inclusive of all associated utility bills and chance to secure work and move on to service charges. long-term accommodation and a new life.”

ForHousing, which already delivers The development has been designed homeless support services to Cheshire West by JDA Architects and will be built by & Chester Council, will provide support to Bridgestone Construction. A grant of each tenant for two years to link them into £1.46m has been secured from Homes employment and training opportunities, and England towards the scheme. long-term accommodation.

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Rewarding diversity and inclusion

DIARY DATES

Glasgow-based construction firm City Building crowned Most Inspiring UK employer by awards established to recognise diversity and inclusion in the built environment.

Asset management and maintenance

The Inspire Awards are open to construction, engineering and housing organisations.

They aim to encourage greater diversity and inclusion across the building industry, which has traditionally been male dominated and is facing challenges including an ageing workforce and a skills crisis. City Building was shortlisted against major global companies BAM Nutall and Morson International as well as the Staffordshire-based Housing Plus Group.

Dr Graham Paterson says: “It is highly rewarding to be recognised for our commitment to supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce, especially when we had such strong competition from very distinguished global businesses. Improving diversity is key to achieving equality and fairness in the workplace, but it also makes good business sense. Ambitious, growing organisations require input from a wide range of people to encourage innovation and deliver succession plans.”

Construction has been identified by the Scottish Government as one of the priority sectors to reduce inequalities, barriers to employment and discrimination. Across the UK, around 11% of the construction workforce is female with only 2% of female workers are employed in craft trade roles.

Last year City Building commissioned a landmark report to assist its diversity drive,

City Building plumbing apprentice Phoebe Ali

which found that 49% of our employees come from geographical areas identified as being the three most deprived in Scotland.

This analysis also found that it employed 16 times more females (32%) in craft trade roles compared with the industry average while its senior management team is 50% female.

Among the steps it has taken to improve diversity are providing financial and operational support for employees to progress their careers. At present 300 staff are undertaking higher education and university courses with assistance from the business. The company is also a significant provider of employment for disabled people in Glasgow with 10% of its workforce reporting a disability.

At City Building’s manufacturing division RSBi, which is Europe’s largest and most successful supported employer, over half of its 250 staff have a disability ranging from hearing and vision impairment to learning disabilities.

The Asset Management & Maintenance Conference and Exhibition will be taking place at he Ricoh Arena in Coventry on the 22nd and 23rd October. There will be a variety of sessions delivered across the two days, including debates on how to transform asset management into a value adding function and managing high quality buildings in the long-term — from cultural shift to new expertise.

There will also be a wide variety of breakout sessions to choose from, for example an Expert Panel looking at how to move from a transactional relationship to a collaborative partnership with suppliers.

For more information visit: www.housing.org.uk/events.

OFFSITE EXPO Taking place at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, on the 24th and 25th September 2019, Offsite Expo promotes innovative ideas and ongoing development in the offsite industry by displaying a range of eye-catching features, full-scale modules, and creative installations. Visitors will be able to view a wide display of new and innovative offsite applications within the built environment and study an extensive range of offsite technologies.

The case study focused programme at the Offsite Summit will bring to life some of the most inspirational and groundbreaking offsite projects from around the world, and profile some of the largest offsite manufacturing facility investments. The event will focus on knowledge sharing and collaboration opportunities.

For more information on the event visit: www.offsite-expo.co.uk.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Customer service

Construction Charter

Mears demonstrates its focus on public good through ICS ServiceMark Accreditation.

Southampton City Council has signed Unite’s Construction Charter.

Construction firms planning to work on Southampton City Council building projects will now need to adhere to the new Construction Charter. The Charter commits to working with Unite in order to achieve the highest standards in respect of direct employment status, health and safety, standards of work, apprenticeship training and the implementation of appropriate nationally agreed terms and conditions of employment.

Cllr Christopher Hammond, Leader of Southampton City Council says: “We’re one of the fastest growing cities in the UK. Our growth has been assisted by the investments made by the council and companies who want to see the city develop. But this development shouldn’t come at an unfair cost to workers in the construction industry — which is why we’re pleased to sign Unite’s Construction Charter. Residents can be assured that developments will follow safe and ethical practices, and workers will have adequate safeguards when working in Southampton.”

Increase in affordable homes Homes England has published its latest annual housing statistics, which show a significant increase in the number of affordable homes being built in England.

Between 1st April 2018 and 31st March 2019, there were 45,692 new houses started on site under programmes managed by Homes England and 40,289 houses completed.

These are the highest levels of starts for nine years and the highest levels of completions for four years. Of the starts on site, 30,563 (67%) were for affordable homes, a 10% increase on 2017-18. These are the highest numbers of affordable home starts for five years. Similarly, 28,710 (71%) of housing completions in 2018-19 were for affordable homes, which is an 11% increase on 2017-18 figures and the highest numbers for four years.

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ServiceMark is a national standard recognising an organisation's achievement in customer service and its commitment to upholding those standards. The accreditation is awarded based on customer satisfaction feedback and an assessment of employee engagement with the customer service strategy.

This is an incredibly important achievement for Mears — there has never been a more important time for service industries, particularly those working with the public sector, to prove their commitment to customer service. Due to the collapse of Interserve and Carillion, service providers need to keep demonstrating that they are safe, responsible and trusted outsourcers.

Gary Jackson, Group Director of Marketing, Communications & Customer Success, says: “The award of ServiceMark shows that the attempt to tarnish all service providers with the same brush as Carillion and Interserve is wide of the mark. Outsourcers to the public sector need to demonstrate that they are open, transparent and trustworthy — this has never been more important. But there is a real need to separate the bad from the good. It means we can say with confidence that our approach, training, processes and procedures are as good as the best in the country — it marks a sign of ‘a quality service.

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“The accreditation goes beyond process and procedure and measures; customer satisfaction (our customers, clients and colleagues have all been surveyed) as well as emotional connection, customer effort, customer ethos and ethics. It tests whether service is truly at the heart of our business and critically challenges us.”

Colin Middlemass, Chief Operating Officer of Mears Housing, comments: “We are delighted to have achieved this highly regarded accreditation. Achieving this recognition has been incredibly important to the business, as it will not only help us stand out from our competitors but also help us make service improvements based on your feedback. It demonstrates how good our customer service really is and more importantly understand the ways we can develop it further.”

Jo Causon, CEO, The Institute of Customer Service, adds: “Congratulations to Mears Housing Services for achieving ServiceMark accreditation. By acting on the insights gained from customer and employee feedback as part of the accreditation, Mears remains in a strong position to deliver for their customers.

“In today’s challenging environment, Mears’ success shows that a sustained focus on improving the customer experience can make a real difference to business performance.”

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

INDUSTRY COMMENT

Grenfell – two years on Matthew Warburton, Policy Advisor at the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH), discusses the progress made by government to make buildings safer following the tragic Grenfell disaster and the consultation on proposals to reform the building safety regulatory system for high-rise buildings. n 10th June, the Government wrote to Grenfell survivors and others affected by the tragedy to mark the two years that have elapsed since the Grenfell Tower fire. Many were disappointed by the contents of the letter. Unsafe ACM cladding has so far been removed from only a small minority of affected blocks, 24 of the 202 families who lost their homes in the fire have not yet been found permanent new homes, and the Grenfell Public Inquiry is now unlikely to complete its work before 2022.

MHCLG figures published in April reported that ACM cladding had been removed from 46 high-rise blocks owned by councils and housing associations, and work had started on 88 more; plans to deal with 22 more blocks were in place but not yet started; in only one case was a remediation plan not yet in place. There has been less progress on privately owned blocks. Work had started on 16 blocks but in no case had yet been finished. Although work had not started, remediation plans were in place for 126 more blocks, but there were 84 blocks where no plans to remediate had yet been agreed.

Although over six months has passed since the deadline for responses to last summer’s Green Paper on Social Housing, there is no date for publication of the Government’s response. It looks increasingly likely that it will be delayed until the new Prime Minister is in place.

The most significant area of progress has been the launch of a consultation on proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system for high-rise buildings, based on the recommendations of Dame Judith Hackitt’s review.

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Consultation proposals The consultation, launched by MHCLG on 6th June, is organised around four sets of proposals, involving: ● Clearer responsibilities for those building or managing these buildings; ● A stronger voice in the system and better information for residents; ● Greater oversight by regulators; ● Tougher enforcement when things go wrong.

Although the Hackitt review recommended applying new requirements for building safety to buildings over 10 storeys, the Government proposes widening the scope to buildings lived in by multiple households of six storeys or more, and plans over time to extend this to include non-residential buildings such as prisons and hospitals where vulnerable people sleep.

Clearer responsibilities are to be achieved by designating five designated ‘dutyholders’ who will be responsible for the safety of a building when it is being designed and built, including ensuring that Building Regulations are complied with, and creating a new role of ‘accountable person’ legally responsible for the fire and structural safety of a building once people are living in it. The precise responsibilities of people in each of these roles are spelt out in the consultation paper.

The Government intends to empower residents by giving them the right safety information about their building and by making sure that they can raise any views or concerns about the safety of their building and not be ignored.

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Government intends “to The empower residents by giving them the right safety information about their building and by making sure that they can raise any views or concerns...

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To make sure these requirements are met, the Government proposes to create a new Building Safety Regulator responsible for operation and enforcement of the new regime and oversight of the competence of people working on buildings, particularly those taking up the various dutyholder roles. The Regulator will have powers to take quick and effective action including fines where the requirements of the new regime have not been met. Legislation will tighten up manufacturers’ responsibilities and create new criminal offences to ensure all requirements of the new regime are met.

The proposals are comprehensive and likely to be effective; the main risk is delay in implementing them, particularly those that involve new legislation, while the attention of many in government is focused elsewhere.

www.arch-housing.org.uk

SPECIAL REPORT: SOCIAL HOUSING REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

©I-Wei Huang/AdobeStock

Managed service models Stuart Hough discusses Brexit and the repairs and maintenance of social housing. lot has changed since the EU referendum in 2016. We have had three sets of elections, two Prime Ministers and even a World Cup, but although three years has passed, one thing we are no closer to knowing is what a post-Brexit Britain might look like. As 31st October — the UK’s current leave date — fast approaches, how will social housing providers navigate the opportunities and challenge that lie ahead?

The social housing sector has always been driven by political change, but mostly of a domestic nature. But like other sectors such as construction and manufacturing, the inherent uncertainty surrounding the Brexit process has created challenges for the social housing sector, too.

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Stuart Hough, Managing Director of Travis Perkins Managed Services

One particular issue the social housing sector faces, unlike other industries, is that any impacts on cost cannot reasonably be passed on to the end user and nor should they be. New social homes being built are already likely to cost more than before and nearly a third of social housing tenants are from vulnerable households, for whom cost increases are simply not acceptable.

The priority for social housing landlords is to provide and maintain high quality homes for tenants in communities across the country. And support functions that enable this are crucial, and none more so than those providing repairs and maintenance for estates.

Landlords are under significant pressure to deliver higher-quality services and

greater tenant engagement in an increasingly challenging financial setting.

However Brexit is a significant, but often unforeseen issue in the sector with the potential to impact the cost of products and materials, the smooth running of supply chains and access to a valued workforce.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom and in fact there are plenty of opportunities for social housing providers to use Brexit as a catalyst to improve the service they provide to tenants. For repairs and maintenance in particular, a growing number of registered landlords are now adopting managed service models to help turn Brexit challenges into opportunities, and provide at least some element of certainty in what is an uncertain time.

Having a defined range of “products used across a housing portfolio streamlines the repairs process and minimises the delays in

Social housing landlords can turn to managed service providers with UK based branch networks and supply chains to reduce risk during the Brexit process

Tackling the challenges Importing materials for repairs and maintenance in social housing is an obvious place to start. Many of the materials used either come from the EU, or contain parts that come from the EU. Indeed, housing associations are heavily reliant on imported materials for important repairs to boilers or lift systems, or for their supply of softwood timber for walls and roofs, 92% of which originate from the EU. Put bluntly, Brexit increases the risk of border delays and the sourcing of specific products.

The first way managed service models tackle this challenge is through product standardisation. Having a defined range of products used across a housing portfolio streamlines the repairs process and minimises the delays in importing materials. Imagine trying to replace the kitchen taps across a housing portfolio with 50 different tap types, considering the time and cost of trying to locate each part from a different supplier and waiting weeks for it to then arrive from across the continent before the rest of the repairs job can be completed.

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importing materials.

Supply chains are also feeling the effects of Brexit. The construction, maintenance and operation of the social housing sector is reliant upon ‘just-in-time’ delivery and supply chains. If materials suddenly stop arriving, deadlines are missed and time taken on site will increase, ultimately increasing costs. Evidently, this will also have a significant impact upon on the tenant experience. Social housing landlords can turn to managed service providers with UK based branch networks and supply chains to reduce risk during the Brexit process.

Embrace technology With each challenge comes an opportunity, and one particular opportunity resulting from Brexit is the re-evaluation of how technology is used by the social housing sector, particularly in reducing inefficiencies in the supply chain. Managed service models that use online systems and other technologies to track and schedule repairs and maintenance can make the repairs process seamless. One example is the Travis Perkins Managed Service’s TP Go app, which allows

tradespeople to monitor repairs and maintenance in real-time to order and replenish stock quickly and easily.

But technology can also have an impact beyond the supply chain, making properties safer and giving landlords greater opportunity to improve tenant engagement and make tangible improvements to services. For example, Travis Perkins Managed Services has been working with the NEST (Google) system to increase safety in buildings, an issue of heightened importance in the wake of Grenfell. Through the NEST system partnership Travis Perkins Managed Services is aiming to install one million Thermostat E’s into social housing properties across the UK, improving building safety and enabling tenants to better track energy usage and reduce bills.

The political and financial challenges facing housing associations and local authorities are becoming more evident.

There is a housing and affordability crisis, which will not go away any time soon, and Brexit could make this situation even worse. With little clarity over the future agreement, housing associations and local authorities have a window of opportunity to review their repairs and maintenance provision before the process is complete and assess the potentially significant upside of shifting to a managed service with a domestic supply chain.

Stuart Hough is Managing Director of Travis Perkins Managed Services ■ Travis Perkins Managed Services has launched a new guide about repairs and maintenance for registered social landlords, to download it visit www.rdr.link/lg001

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LEGAL UPDATE

Ruby Giblin is a Partner in the Housing Finance team at law firm Winckworth Sherwood.

■ Ruby can be reached by email: rgiblin@wslaw.co.uk.

Visit www.wslaw.co.uk.

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ocal government, finally freed from caps on borrowing following the Government’s announcement in October 2018, is now able to directly tackle their property waiting lists and the 340,000 new homes target by restarting a local authority build programme, typically through JVs or by appointing developers and Registered Providers. About £1bn is expected to be borrowed to build another 10,000 homes, against the 3,500 built in 2016/17.

Modular construction — sometimes called modern methods of construction (MMC) or offsite manufactured (OSM) — has a part to play with its promise of cheaper, quicker and better quality buildings, and Brexit-proof labour costs.

To date, a trickle of MMC buildings have been built for social housing tenants, although councils have led the way and are perfectly placed to invest in MMC. Unless MMC homes can be built in bulk, councils will not be able to realise the cost and time savings through economies of scale and allow the sector to gain traction. There is some movement in this area, for example, Swan Housing has built an OSM factory in Essex and is supplying Southend Council with properties through a JV. The Government has also launched its Government Construction Sector Deal by way of encouragement, promoting innovation, particularly for OSM methods.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, with one eye on the 340,000 new homes target, has

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Investing in OSM Unless MMC homes can be built in bulk, councils will not be able to realise the cost and time savings through economies of scale and allow the sector to gain traction, says Winckworth Sherwood’s Ruby Giblin. sponsored a working group led by Mark Farmer consisting of representatives of the big players in the industry — from warranty providers, insurers, lenders, and housebuilders — to find out how to ‘enable demand led change that underpins increased capacity to build more homes in a more productive way to a higher quality’.

Agreed principles The Working Group will encourage stakeholders to invest in an OSM future in uncertain times, (covered in Mark Farmer’s report ‘Modernise or Die’).

Recommendations have been delayed and are now expected later this year, but the agreed protocols and principles fall into three sections:

1. Consistent terminology, definitions and data collection requirements creating standardised methods of construction The whole industry should speak the same language, and work to agreed standards, categorising OSM from an entirely factory–led approach, to virtually traditional build.

2. Integrated and unified approach to Quality Assurance and Warranties BOPAS and BRE are available as quality assurance schemes, but not warranties.

Four of the leading warranty providers, NHBC, Premier, LABC and Checkmate (part of the Working Group) should soon be able to issue ten year warranties on the same footing as other products, OSM or not.

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3. Storage of evidence confirming what methods were used to build each building scheme and easily accessible Data Collection for all future stakeholders Data and evidence of every MMC Scheme will be stored in an independently hosted platform, to share with interested parties, so statistics will be available to navigate future policy decisions and monitor MMC uptake.

£1bn is expected “toAbout be borrowed to build another 10,000 homes, against the 3,500 built in 2016/17…

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RICS has also published a note dealing with maintenance issues and valuations.

Councils have begun exploring the benefits that OSM can deliver, with JV developments with Swan at Purfleet, Tower Hamlets, Basildon and Southend. OSM manufacturers, like ilke Homes, are in discussions with councils, as well as RPs. With strong demand and an everdiminishing public purse, are councils poised to fully take advantage of their new borrowing powers and utilise such funding to stretch as far as possible, at the same time kick start the OSM market?

VIEW FROM THE SUPPLY CHAIN

In pod we trust

An Offsite Solutions bathroom pod being craned onto site

Richard Tonkinson, Executive Director of Offsite Solutions, considers the latest innovations in bathroom pod technology and the benefits they offer specifiers. he use of bathroom pods has increased hugely in recent years. A pod is only pod for the purpose of manufacturing and transportation to site. Once it is installed it is simply a bathroom and is little different from an insitu built bathroom, aside from an improved quality of fit and finish. The principal function of the pod carcase is to allow fitting out and delivery to site. The carcase is typically either steel-framed or GRP composite, depending on the end use and budget.

Steel-framed pods allow traditional tiled interior finishes and a higher level of design flexibility. Applications include large-scale apartments. GRP pods have lower capital expenditure and are robust and easy to maintain and clean. These pods are widely used for student accommodation, social housing and hospitals.

New innovations in pod technology include hybrid concrete/steel pods for high specification wet rooms; demountable GRP pods for projects with restricted access; and hybrid GRP pods which offer an enhanced finish with options such as recesses and tiled feature walls. Floorless pods can be supplied for projects where a continuous level floor finish is required.

Pods offer significant benefits for projects on constrained urban sites where the space for material storage is a particular challenge. Offsite Solutions for example can supply fully completed bathrooms, delivered to a carefully planned programme for installation in just a few hours — removing the need for additional storage on site and reducing the number of vehicle movements.

One of the key drivers for bathroom pod procurement is to reduce programme

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times. By moving bathroom construction into a controlled factory environment, the programme saving on a large residential project can be as much as 20 weeks. Sitebased bathroom construction typically requires around seven different trades and 10-15 operations plus the required drying times. With offsite manufacture, this is reduced to a single pod supplier, which means less risk of delays and simplified procurement. Bathroom pods also reduce the requirement for skilled labour, site supervision and the associated health and safety obligations.

The production line environment of pod manufacture offers consistently higher quality, and improved productivity.

Pre-delivery testing should be rigorous and quality assurance procedures stringent for ready-to-use installation, mitigating defects and remedial works.

The most critical “consideration for bathroom pod procurement is to engage early.

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How to procure bathroom pods The most critical consideration for bathroom pod procurement is to engage early. Pods should be designed into the first stages of a construction project and installation must be allowed for in the build-up of walls and floors to reduce the likelihood of access issues. To optimise efficiency, specifiers should rationalise the number of design types in size and shape, and variations, such as left and right-hand versions, as far as possible. This is key to achieving the economies of scale required for efficient offsite manufacture.

When procuring bathroom pods, we would always advise checking: ● Guarantees and accreditations — The manufacturer’s guarantees should be 12 years for steel-framed construction and 50 years for GRP composite pods,

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with back-to-back guarantees for sanitaryware and fittings.

Customer service commitments — Inhouse design resources to advise on materials that perform well in a pod environment; a dedicated site manager who will visit site at regular intervals; and after sales support to advise on any installation issues.

Quality control — A robust pre-delivery testing regime should be in place — look at the procedures closely. All pods should be certified before delivery to site and supplied with a unique ID number, so they are fully traceable throughout their life for quality control.

Visit the factory — Look closely at financial stability, figures for repeat business, and project management expertise. Talk to past customers as part of the procurement process.

Pod construction — Examine the pod construction details to ensure longevity. For example, the entire walls and floor to the wet area of a steelframed pod should be fully tanked — not just half of the shower wall. GRP pods should have robust wall detailing with encapsulated honeycomb polypropylene. Be aware that cheaper alternatives such as cardboard can be susceptible to delamination.

■ www.offsitesolutions.com/CPD

SPECIAL REPORT: RURAL HOUSING

The new bungalows were the first social housing to be built in Rookhope for more than 50 years

Housing in remote areas The very concept of social housing conjures visions of tower blocks or big estates of semi-detached houses, but in the remote North Pennines affordable homes look very different indeed, as Mark Pearce from believe housing tells LABM. ot that long ago we used to have CB radios in the vans, because there was no phone coverage at all up here,” says Dave Seal, Maintenance Supervisor at believe housing, which operates across around 862 square miles in County Durham. “Even now there are one or two of our villages where the lads out on repairs will have to get in their van and drive for several miles to make a phone call back to the office.”

This is probably the most remote social housing in England and it’s looked after by the team at believe housing, based in Bishop Auckland.

“It’s an area where employment is dominated by agriculture and tourism nowadays,” says Director of Neighbourhood and Customer Services at believe housing, Ian Porter. “Social housing is just as important here as it is in big cities, but it’s all too often forgotten on the national stage.

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“We’re the only substantial provider of affordable homes in the area and we do take the responsibility it brings very seriously. We’re determined to provide the same access to our services that any other area receives. Neighbourhood teams are out and about regularly and even the most remote areas still get estate inspections to the same level as communities in the middle of Durham.”

Far flung places The Bishop Auckland office is in the west of the county, but even that is a 50-mile round trip from some of the properties the team look after. Even on a good day it can easily be a two-hour drive as there’s only one main road in and out of Weardale.

That’s more like a 100-mile round trip from the head office in Seaham and it’s sometimes easy to forget the distances involved says Dave, whose patch covers around 200 square miles alone. “I’ve had one or two phone calls where someone has

said ‘can you not just pop round’ simply because they haven’t grasped how far away the home we’re talking about actually is.”

The award for the furthest flung homes looked after by believe housing is a tightly fought competition between the villages of Wearhead and Rookhope.

Wearhead, which has a population of 210, is bang in the middle of the North Pennines area of outstanding natural beauty. But it does have the advantage of being on the main road through Weardale, even if it’s almost as close to Penrith in the Lake District as Bishop Auckland. believe housing has four properties in the village, and another dozen in nearby St Johns Chapel.

Rookhope is certainly more off the beaten track and about 320m above sea level. The village has one pub, one primary school, a village hall, one social club and a population of under 270. According to Dave the club operates on the honesty box principle for members and is only

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This is probably the most remote social housing in England

staffed during events. There is however one bus service, which runs an impressive four times a day during school term time.

There are around 20 believe housing homes in the village, a figure bolstered by a pair of new bungalows completed as part of the housing association’s current newbuild programme. The new bungalows were the first social housing to be built in Rookhope for more than 50 years. The village was pretty much at the top of the list when the construction programme was being drawn up as a result of much work with local councillors and residents. believe housing is also heavily involved in supporting community groups in Weardale.

Funding to set up a food bank for the area, which delivers to the door of those in need as well as offering collections, came from the organisation. Local sports clubs, village halls and schools have benefited from support.

Even Christmas lights in some villages along the dales have been made possible by community funding from believe housing.

The remoteness does not just bring problems associated with travel. believe housing carries out its own repairs and maintenance in the area and, with the best will in the world, it’s not always possible to have everything you might need for a repair on the van. “Sometimes we’ll send a

joiner out to fix a door, and when he gets there he might discover that it needs a new handle. There aren’t many door handle stockists in Wearhead, so he’ll have to jump back in the van and go to get one from stores. It’s really easy to lose two hours to deal with that and then there’s the knock-on effect for scheduling. It’s a long way to go for a door handle.”

Remote access The scheduling of repairs in such a rural area is a minefield. It requires real knowledge of the area to create a robust plan of work. It’s not like dealing with high numbers of identical properties, there might only be 20 homes to think about in Rookhope, but there are several different house types; ranging from two-year old bungalows to 100-year old plus terraces.

And you can forget about mains gas in many of these villages, solid fuel is still king in the upper-dales. Maintaining different skills and competencies for a relatively small number of properties is essential. For people who have worked in the area for as long as Dave though, the idiosyncrasies of each home are etched into the mind.

Of course, you can magnify any problem by 10 in the winter. Weardale is normally one of the first places in England

to see snow during winter, and we’re not talking about the kind of snow that brings the South-east to a halt; we’re talking proper drifts. It’s not unusual for Rookhope to be cut off completely by snow and villages on the main roads to be severely hampered too. But if a heating system fails, the team from believe housing have to get through as quickly as possible.

Speak to anyone who has been in the team for a little while and they’ll tell you of the extremes they’ve faced to get through and the hours spent shovelling snow. It helps to have people in the team who live locally; who were brought up in these conditions and know the area like the back of their hand. It also means that they are close by should a problem occur. On a recent trip to Wearhead, Dave was regaled by one tenant who had offered to give colleagues from the county council a place to sleep overnight such was the severity of the weather they had come in to when visiting her.

Rapport with residents But enough of the challenges, what about the pleasures of working in one of the most beautiful parts of the country?

“You do get to know the tenants. We might cover a vast area, but there’s not as

many houses as elsewhere in the company,” Dave says.

Most people in Weardale tend to stay in the area too, so the valley has some very long-term tenants. Like the lady who greeted Dave as he checked up on some work on a tiny cul-de-sac in Wearhead.

Her nephew actually works for believe housing too, so there was a lengthy discussion about his new-found love of photography and his favourite spots in Weardale. The rapport with customers is as genuine as the community spirit is.

It’s a role in Weardale society that believe housing has no intention of backing away from. “The need for genuinely affordable housing in an area like this is never going to be met by the private sector and it’s certainly not diminishing. This is where housing associations really come into their own,” says Chief Executive of believe housing, Bill Fullen.

“The national discourse is all too often focused on the raw numbers. Two new houses sounds like a tiny number, but in some of the communities we serve that could easily be a 10% or even 20% increase in the number of affordable homes. We have to keep our eyes on what is right for each community in the long-term and not go chasing numbers.

who can blame him. As he winds his way up a single-track road in the van, he gets a bird’s eye view of the entire valley, and the houses dotted all around. “It’s much nicer than being stuck in the office,” Dave says.

“And sometimes it’s quite nice that the phone doesn’t ring when you’re up here.”

This is an amazing, rich landscape that needs sensitive development across all tenures,” Bill adds.

The scenery of the area is without doubt one of the best bits about working in such a remote location. Dave loves driving through the dale on a sunny day, and as the lush green horizon passes slowly by, alongside the occasional sheep,

■ www.believehousing.co.uk

do get to know tenants.

“WeYoumight cover a vast area, but there’s not as many houses as

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elsewhere in the company.

Dave Seal, Maintenance Supervisor at believe housing

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SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS & COMMUNAL BUILDINGS

University of California Davis student housing in California

Student living Can good design help meet student living supply and affordability goals? Aaron Taylor discusses how the UK higher education sector can learn from US models of student accommodation to create more sustainable and affordable high-density developments. he quality of student accommodation and its proximity to campus has become a key differentiator for UK universities.

As student populations continue to rise, along with property development costs, higher education institutions are facing the challenge of ensuring that there is enough high quality, purpose-built accommodation in the right locations to attract candidates to campus. For many universities, part of that challenge is the availability of development land to construct affordable student accommodation and this is a particular pressure point for city-based campuses where plots are expensive and hard to come by.

The obvious solution is to adopt a strategy of creating high-density student living developments that minimise the build costs for each unit and maximise the footprint of the site. But this strategy must be delivered in a way that combines a quality living experience and lower rentals, which requires a creative approach to design and a focus on sustainability to maximise the lifespan of the asset and reduce its operational costs.

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As a global architectural practice, Stantec has the opportunity to adopt and adapt knowledge from the education sector around the world. Our US colleagues’ work on student accommodation for the University of California, Davis, (UC Davis) has provided some interesting insights into how high density student accommodation can deliver this balance of quality, liveability and affordability, while driving a sustainability agenda that is both ideologically important to generation Z and operationally beneficial to universities.

High benchmarks Stantec’s work for UC Davis has responded to the high benchmarks that the University has set for sustainability. The resulting 3,300-bed ‘The Green’ development at the university’s West Village accommodation campus not only increased the original brief by 2,050 beds, but is also the largest netzero development in the US. This has been achieved by integrating the mechanical and electrical engineering with the design process, incorporating, for example, a solar PV installation that will produce as much energy as the building consumes on an

annual basis. Indeed, the building’s mechanical systems have been key in achieving both the university’s sustainability and cost management goals and demonstrate a strategic approach to finding the right solution for a development of this type (multi-occupancy residential) and scale.

A shared domestic hot water and heating system allows multiple student apartments to share the same unit, with all the hot water and heating equipment located on the roof. While this rules out the possibility of individualised billing for each apartment, it reduces running costs, enabling the university to include heating and hot water in a flat rate service fee.

Moreover, removing units from each apartment is also space efficient, supporting the goal of maximising the number of units in the development, while providing build cost savings and aiding sustainability.

The shared heating and hot water systems also left the areas around the building free for amenities such as recreation areas and bicycle parking.

Indeed, the public realm design strategy feeds into a more sustainable outcome too with the pedestrian and cycling routes

To avoid becoming a “homogenous collection of

A rendering of UC Davis student housing

3,300 identical units, The Green has been broken down into identifiable parts using elements such as colour, signage and finishes to create individual ‘neighbourhoods’.

incorporated into the outdoor areas at ‘The Green’, enabling a car-free campus.

Along with an integral playing field and community centre, this also helps to support student health and wellbeing and, when viewed holistically, it is easy to see how seemingly separate objectives can be integrated through design.

The net-zero design also has financial benefits for the university and for students.

Energy self-sufficiency not only means lower impact but also lower bills, aiding affordability and cost certainty.

Student community Usually when we talk about increasing the number of beds in any kind of residential development, gains are in relatively small numbers, so almost tripling the original target at ‘The Green’ at West Village is a remarkable achievement. To deliver it, the design team focused on spatial efficiency, minimising the area per bed while providing functional and contemporary Ultra-efficient apartment unit that meets all the additional clearance requirements of California

open-plan living and dining spaces with compact linear kitchens. Linear units maximise daylighting to increase the feeling of space while also contributing to sustainability goals by reducing the need for electric lighting. The spatial efficiency and open plan layout also improves accessibility within each unit, making them suitable for use by disabled students, another key consideration for any higher education provider.

In addition to maximising the efficiency of the internal layout to enable construction of additional units, the Stantec team was also able to increase the footprint of the development thanks to the car-free transport strategy. By eliminating parking and promoting a bike and pedestrian lifestyle, more of a site can be devoted to housing instead of cars.

With so many units in a single scheme, the design challenge went beyond spatial considerations, however, to ensure a thoughtful approach to creating a student

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community that encourages interaction and a sense of belonging. The public realm is a critical element of the design at ‘The Green’ in this regard, as are both the internal and external circulation routes. All of these are areas that could inform best practice for any student living development, even those conceived on a smaller scale.

To avoid becoming a homogenous collection of 3,300 identical units, ‘The Green’ has been broken down into identifiable parts using elements such as colour, signage and finishes to create individual ‘neighbourhoods’. Wings have been arranged to create student communities of limited numbers and circulation routes have been designed to maximise the likelihood of chance interactions between neighbours.

Point of difference The calibre of student accommodation has become an important selling point for many higher education institutions as they continue to compete for the best candidates. Designing a high quality living experience into residences that are affordable to build and rent provides a key point of difference.

Aaron Taylor is Principal and Education Lead at architectural practice, Stantec ■ For more information on Stantec’s work delivering student accommodation visit www.link/lg002

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Radiators fitted in public sector buildings can be operating at temperatures that pose a burn risk, which is a particular concern if the people using the facilities are children or vulnerable adults. It is therefore essential for the managers of schools, hospitals, care homes and leisure facilities to control the risks – and low surface temperature (LST) radiator guards can provide a solution, as Richard Braid explains.

250 LST radiator guards were installed at Whipps Cross University Hospital in London

Safety guard hile low temperature heating systems are becoming more common, especially because they are more energyefficient, many of the central heating radiators currently installed in UK buildings are operating at high temperatures of around 60 to 80°C, posing a burn risk.

According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), contact with surfaces above 43°C can lead to serious injury.1 In fact, between 1st April 2017 and 31st March 2018, there were 962 hospital admissions* in England due to unintentional injury by contact with hot heating appliances, radiators and pipes.2 Some people are more vulnerable to the risks of burns, including children, the elderly, people with reduced mental capacity, mobility or temperature sensitivity and people who cannot react appropriately, or quickly enough, to prevent injury.1 Indeed, out of the hospital admissions mentioned above, 307 involved children (aged 16 and under) and 428 involved people over 65*. Furthermore, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) says contact burns to those over 65 can prove fatal, and the main sources of heat include radiators.3

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Radiator injuries can of course occur in the home, but radiators fitted in public sector buildings pose a significant risk too, especially if vulnerable people are using the facilities. The risks need to be managed in schools and leisure facilities, but also in hospitals and care homes, especially as in these environments water temperatures are circulated above 50°C to control Legionella.

HSE guidance An HSE information sheet on hot water and surfaces in health and social care1 suggests incidents often happen in areas where there are low levels of supervision, for example in bedrooms, bathrooms and some communal areas, and that prolonged contact often occurs because people have fallen and are unable to move, or are trapped by furniture. Where an assessment has identified that vulnerable people may come into prolonged contact with hot surfaces, the guidance is for the

equipment to be designed or covered so that the maximum accessible surface temperature does not exceed 43°C. Low surface temperature (LST) radiator guards, which fit neatly over existing radiators (with pre-formed skirting cut outs and valve access panels making installations quicker and easier), can help to protect vulnerable people.

When guaranteed temperature control is required (where, for example, surface temperatures must not exceed 43°C), a baffle can be fitted below the radiator grille, enabling compliance. Pendock guards with this feature have been tested and approved by the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA). In addition to the risk of burns from hot surface temperatures, radiators

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SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS & COMMUNAL BUILDINGS pose other hazards, which can also be addressed through fitting radiator guards.

The main one to be aware of is that a radiator can be a ligature point, as a cord or rope could be attached for the purpose of hanging and strangulation. While it’s important to assess the risks in all public sector environments, it is a significant concern for mental health facilities.

According to research, three-quarters of people who kill themselves while on a psychiatric ward do so by hanging or strangulation, and in 2012, the crossGovernment strategy for preventing suicide in England called on mental health services to make ‘regular assessments of ward areas to identify and remove potential risks ie ligatures and ligature points’.4 Outside the mental health sector, there are no specific requirements for the management of ligature risks in hospitals.

However, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) guide on ligature points4, other services that may deal with mentally disordered patients (such as A&E departments) should be aware of the risks and have management plans to meet them.

Additional safety measures When radiators in healthcare environments are covered with LST guards, it’s important to ensure there are not any gaps that hands could get through and that access to any ligature points is eliminated. All Pendock radiator guards can be fitted with a welded anti-ligature mesh, which sits behind the radiator grille, removing ligature points.

Radiators with sharp edges also present a hazard for anyone who could accidently fall on to them, and provide the potential

for self-harm. In fact, many of the accidents associated with radiators involve falls, trips and impacts. For example, it’s estimated that in 2002, 19,495 A&E attendances involved a fall onto a radiator or hot pipe.5 Radiator guards with radiused ‘bullnose’ corners have therefore been developed to provide an extra level of safety.

When selecting radiator guards, building managers should pay close attention to the quality of the material they are manufactured from; products at the budget end of the market can potentially be more susceptible to damage, and might be difficult to clean — leading to a build-up of dirt and bacteria.

In addition, there should not be any surface hot spots, the efficiency of the radiator should not be adversely affected, and regular maintenance needs to be allowed for. An antibacterial coating to kill MRSA, Salmonella, E. coli and C. difficile is included as standard on all our radiator guards, and products can be supplied with a drop-down lockable panel for routine cleaning, inspection and maintenance.

Burns from radiators can be a risk in many public sector buildings — but the installation of LST radiator guards can help to protect vulnerable people by ensuring a safe surface temperature. Radiator guards also help to remove ligature points, and can reduce the impact of a fall against a radiator. *

Finished Consultant Episodes: a period of care for a patient under a single consultant at a single hospital. The data is based on the number of episodes of care for admitted patients rather than the number of patients.

1. www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsis6.pdf

The installation of LST radiator guards can help to protect vulnerable people by ensuring a safe surface temperature

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Case studies At Whipps Cross University Hospital in London, 250 LST radiator guards were installed, along with around 300m of pipe boxing to cover exposed pipework. The trust had carried out a mock Care Quality Commission (CQC) audit, which highlighted that a number of uncovered and very hot radiators as well as hot pipes were posing a burn risk to the elderly and infirm. Pendock Ultima and Ultima Plus radiator guards were specified, which, with their bullnose rounded corners, provide an extra level of safety.

At Slough Ice Arena 24 LST radiator guards were fitted as part of a refurbishment programme. As well as protecting the Ice Arena’s heating services from damage, the guards have radiused ‘bullnose’ corners and a low surface temperature to protect anyone who should accidentally touch them.

2. digital.nhs.uk/data-andinformation/publications/statistical/hospital-a dmitted-patient-care-activity/2017-18 3. www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/olderpeople/ 4. www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/ 20150328%20CQC%20mental%20health%2 0brief%20guide%20%20Ligature%20points.pdf 5. RoSPA analysis of data from DTI Home Accident Surveillance System 2002

Richard Braid is Managing Director at Pendock ■ For more information on Pendock’s radiator guards visit www.rdr.link/lg003

At Slough Ice Arena 24 LST radiator guards were fitted as part of a refurbishment programme

SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS & COMMUNAL BUILDINGS

The bespoke rig installed at Bridgemary School in Gosport was wheeled straight off the tail lift and into place, saving valuable time

Going offsite As offsite manufacturing and prefabrication methods grow in popularity, Paul Arnold looks at the benefits of applying these techniques to public sector heating refurbishment projects. ffsite manufacturing is on the rise, driven in part by government policy to favour this construction method on all publicly funded projects. With reports of 30% cost and time savings1, tighter quality control, improved safety and reduced waste, it offers a cost-effective approach to high-quality construction.

But offsite manufacturing delivers benefits beyond the construction industry.

When it comes to HVAC, and to commercial heating plant in particular, using bespoke prefabricated equipment can achieve significant efficiency benefits for both the contractor and end-user throughout the lifecycle of the products.

Heating has been identified as a natural target for efficiency improvement, particularly in the UK’s older building stock. As commercial boilers are still the heartbeat of many non-domestic buildings, whether the sole provider of heat or operating in a hybrid system, ensuring that they operate efficiently should be a priority. But while boiler replacements can transform the energy performance of a building — reducing gas consumption by as much as half, in our experience — they are often carried out in challenging circumstances.

Space limitations within plant rooms, access constraints and tight project schedules are just some of the hurdles that may need to be overcome when

carrying out a boiler upgrade. Hence the growing use of offsite fabricated, bespokedesigned rig and cascade systems to achieve time and space-saving solutions for multiple boiler installations.

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Bespoke to requirement Installing multiple advanced condensing boilers in a cascade configuration is a highly effective means of meeting a building’s heat demand — resulting in greater efficiency, improved reliability and more straightforward, non-disruptive maintenance. Typically, manufacturers will provide site-assembled cascade systems for up to 10 wall-hung boilers. But manufacturers like Remeha also offer bespoke offsite rigs for any number of wallhung boilers. The layout can be specified by the designer — in-line, back-to-back, ‘L’ shaped or any other type — as can the header extensions and connections.

Where a high heat output is required, there is the option to use an offsite fabricated cascade arrangement. This is available for up to eight floor-standing boilers with an individual heat output of up to 300kW. Project-specific controls can also be integrated into the design to optimise boiler and system efficiency. The boilers are delivered to site on a wheeled unit or can be designed to split into smaller modules for simple re-connection where access is particularly restricted. Quality assurance is

also high as the units are produced under factory conditions with pre-release testing.

So how and where are these bespoke rig and cascade systems being used?

Space and time saving solution A recent example is the boiler replacement project carried out by contractors TSS Facilities for Medway Council at Gun Wharf, its main council offices in Kent. TSS Facilities recommended installing five compact Gas 220 Ace floor-standing boilers on a bespoke-designed cascade arrangement as the most efficient means of meeting the heat load within the limited available space.

Minimising heating downtime was a major consideration as the offices needed to remain operational throughout the upgrade. Remeha worked with TSS Facilities to design a bespoke pipework arrangement that would save on-site time and labour while achieving the most effective use of space. A Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE) was integrated into the design to segregate the boiler circuit and heating circuit, and so optimise boiler performance and longevity. 3D drawings were produced to define the design and provide early visualisation of the layout.

These formed part of a detailed documentation pack to assist the Council with future servicing and maintenance.

“Having the option to design the position of the PHE and pump ahead of installation meant that we could improve access,” says TSS Facilities’ Mark Basset. “And while the pipework was being configured offsite, we were able to work on the system pipework, which sped up the installation process.”

Once the equipment was delivered to site, TSS Facilities bolted together the boilers, pipework connection components and the PHE, on its wheeled frame, and connected them to the existing system.

“This installation technique enabled the Council to control the shutdown period required to complete the contract,” comments consultant John Richardson.

“The fully modulating Remeha boiler plant, in conjunction with upgraded controls, has greatly enhanced the building’s efficiency and the Council’s carbon footprint.”

Greater planning flexibility School buildings also benefit from applying offsite heating solutions as the rapid installation process enables more school heating systems to be refurbished within the same fixed time frame. The safer conditions and rapid changeover also enable greater planning flexibility as these projects no longer need to be restricted to the summer holiday period.

Bridgemary School in Gosport is a case in point. To overcome the combined challenges of restricted space and a tight installation schedule, Ridge and Partners LLP specified installing six Quinta 115 wallhung condensing boilers and a PHE on a Remeha bespoke-designed rig. Integrated

Five Remeha Gas 220 Ace 250 condensing boilers +PHE back were installed at Medway Council's Gun Wharf offices

into the rig design are pumps specifically selected for the duty required for PHE operation, an expansion vessel, a pressurisation unit, and a dosing pot to ensure good condition water. On this project, the controls were pre-wired to enable even faster connection to the new Building Management System control panel.

“The bespoke rig was great,” adds contractor IDWE’s Paul Neve. “It was wheeled straight off the tail lift and into place, saving us a lot of valuable time.”

Better performing buildings In some of the nation's older buildings, replacing old and inefficient boiler plant with higher efficiency condensing boilers may be both the most cost-effective and most practical solution to creating a better, more comfortable building.

Solutions like the offsite fabricated rig and cascade successfully remove the hassle factor from heating refurbishment.

With greater design flexibility, it is easier to

meet individual project and customer requirements and achieve a higher quality of installation. Whole-life boiler performance is addressed with full documentation and BIM files supporting asset management.

And as costs, size and specification are all fixed and in place, the project is delivered on time and on budget.

Rapid, high-quality solutions like these will play an increasingly pivotal role in raising building efficiency. The future is bright for offsite.

1. Rethinking Construction (The Egan Report) 1998

Paul Arnold is Product Manager at Remeha ■ For more information on Remeha’s offsite heating solutions visit www.rdr.link/lg004

SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS & COMMUNAL BUILDINGS

BB101 highlights the importance of ventilation controls, which can help to maintain acceptable indoor air quality for educational facilities

Improving IAQ t’s no surprise that providing good indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort can have a hugely beneficial impact on health for a building’s occupants, but it has also been shown to vastly improve concentration, productivity and the academic performance of staff and students in educational buildings.

While the latest Clean Air Strategy focuses predominantly on air quality in the home, it is a positive move towards a world that acknowledges IAQ as a major issue. While this has widely been accepted as a way to establish a favourable learning environment, the challenge now is to ensure buildings are optimised for both air quality and efficiency.

As the title of the guidelines suggest, BB101 Guidelines on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools, covers the specific requirements for ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ), and how these services impact school buildings and their occupants. Since its last revision, BB101 now details a number of issues regarding ventilation rates based on occupancy levels, adaptive thermal comfort to prevent cold draughts and summertime overheating, and guidance on how to reduce the level of outdoor pollutants in the air supply.

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In recognition of the fact that the UK suffers from high levels of air pollutants from traffic, such as particulates (PM10 and PM2.5) and gaseous pollutants (nitrogen dioxide), the Education & Skills Funding Agency emphasises the need for higher levels of air filtration for schools in highly polluted areas.

Balancing compliance with efficiency BB101 now discusses air filtration in considerable detail, enabling designers to confidently combine an energy-efficient ventilation strategy with higher levels of air filtration to minimise the ingress of polluted outdoor air into buildings. It furthers its guidance by recommending the use of finer filters on supply intake air streams, such as ISO ePM2.5 70% (F7) or even ISO ePM1 90% (F9). Filtration provides a means of cleaning the air supply, but also ensures that the mechanical ventilation system continues to operate at its optimum level by protecting the fans and energy recovery devices.

In circumstances where natural ventilation is not appropriate, either because the outdoor air is too polluted, hot or cold mechanical ventilation strategies based on energy recovery with thermal treatment and improved filtration,

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With the recent Clean Air Strategy placing more focus on indoor air quality (IAQ), coupled with the latest updates to the Building Bulletin 101 (BB101), Ana Cross puts forward the case for mechanical ventilation with improved filtration in educational buildings.

can be a more suitable and reliable option due to the energy efficiency savings and comfort it provides.

Energy Recovery Units in particular help to maintain a comfortable working temperature in school buildings by recovering thermal energy from any warm air inside the occupied space to raise the temperatures of the incoming fresh air.

However, during colder periods of the year, the heat recovered is not always sufficient, which is where Energy Recovery Units with heating capability come in. Essentially, the same unit can be used to deliver more heating into the occupied space, offering a more energy-efficient way of heating or cooling a space for extra comfort.

In the summertime, these units can also recover cool air from the occupied space to help lower the temperature of the incoming air supply. When fitted with integrated controls, these Energy Recovery Units can significantly help to reduce the unnecessary use of air conditioning by using passive measures such as night cooling or night purge to cool spaces.

What’s most important in the process of energy recovery is the use of filters to remove pollutants and consistently provide clean and fresh air, which can aid concentration and productivity. Opting for

mechanical ventilation with high grade filters will offer enhanced filtration and therefore vastly improved air quality, particularly for schools located in urban areas with higher pollution levels.

The BB101 highlights the importance of ventilation controls in allowing end users to adapt ventilation in line with their fluctuating requirements.

Ventilation systems should be able to accommodate times of low occupancy and increase ventilation for out-of-hours use, or during the summer period. Controls also help to maintain acceptable indoor air quality for educational facilities by monitoring CO2 levels while avoiding cold draughts and excessive energy consumption in the heating season.

The PREMA Energy Recovery Unit

Energy recovery While there are significant benefits for improving air quality, complying with these new guidelines can be a costly exercise for schools. To outweigh this cost, schools should opt for energy recovery systems which boast energyefficient features for a shorter payback period. For example, those with more efficient fans will consume less energy.

Ultimately, the ventilation guidelines have been updated to encourage better designed schools which offer comfortable learning and teaching environments for students and staff.

Although the updates are comprehensive, schools can comfortably comply with these guidelines by considering energy recovery ventilation with enhanced IAQ management devices as an efficient and reliable alternative to drawing energy from the mains.

Ana Cross is Associate Product Manager Air Handling Systems – UK at Elta Group ■For more information on Air Design’s solutions for schools visit www.rdr.link/lg005

SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS & COMMUNAL BUILDINGS

©Grŵp Llandrillo Menai

Hot off the press

Viega’s Megapress fittings were used during the installation of the low-pressure hot water heating system

German-engineered press connection technology has been supplied to the development of a new state-of-the-art engineering centre at Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus. LABM reports. he £13.6m centre for engineering excellence, named Canolfan STeM, was officially opened by the First Minister of Wales in spring 2019.

The centre will provide training to over 1,500 learners of all ages; from school enrolments to higher and further education courses, to work-based learning and commercial clients.

With a wealth of employment opportunities expected to be created by energy and infrastructure projects being proposed for North Wales, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai identified an opportunity to make Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus a nationally recognised campus for supporting industry. Spanning 4612m2 over three floors, Canolfan STeM features workshops, mechanical systems and electrical training, CAD suites, IT-based training classrooms and a second floor glazed refectory featuring breathtaking panoramic views of Snowdonia.

Viega’s Profipress connections for copper pipe were used across the centre’s domestic hot and cold water (DHCW) and drinking water systems. Specialist M&E contractor AJ Field selected the system in consultation with Capita who provided M&E consultancy on the project and merchant Smith Brothers Stores (SBS) Merseyside.

David Sanders, Mechanical Operations Manager at AJ Field explains: “We had used press connection systems previously and while the speed and simplicity of the install was a big advantage we had experienced some issues with reliability.

On a project such as this we had to ensure that the fittings would perform as intended to prevent costly remedial work after the

building was completed. Quality at each stage was a key focus for RL Davies Construction, the main contractor on the project. SBS was able to show us the particular benefits of the Viega system and we were convinced by what we saw. The SC-Contur feature was a major factor in our selection of the system.”

The patented SC-Contur technology is designed to deliver a 100% positive leak if the fitting is inadvertently unpressed — clearly discernible during leakage testing or when the system is filled for the first time. This ensures a reliable method of detecting these issues early in the process.

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Enhanced durability In addition to the copper pipework, thickwalled steel tube was specified to provide enhanced durability for the new building’s heating system. Viega’s Megapress system allows press connections to be used on thick-walled steel and provides between a 60% and 80% time saving compared with alternatives such as welding, grooving or threading tube.

Graham Foster, Area Sales Manager at SBS Merseyside explains: “The AJ Field team had originally intended to use screw and socket fittings, however when we looked at the plans and requirements we recognised that the Megapress system would be ideal.”

A range of these fittings were used during the installation of the low-pressure hot water (LPHW) heating system, including the latest addition, Megapress S. This innovation allows larger sized tube with diameters between 2½ and 4in. to be

Viega’s Profipress connections for copper pipe were used across the centre’s DHCW and drinking water systems

press connected.

The construction of Canolfan STeM is intended to serve as an illustration of modern construction techniques and engineering technology. As such, sections of the pipework will be left exposed to provide an installed example of the systems that students will be trained to use.

David Sanders adds: “From the start of the project we looked for systems and solutions that represent the cutting edge of modern construction. We have been thoroughly impressed with not only the Viega systems but also the product training and support we have received throughout the project from the merchant.”

Scott James, Director at Viega concludes: “We are delighted to have been able to contribute to the success of a development that will have such an important impact not only for Coleg Menai and the local area but also the future of industry.”

With thanks to Viega for preparing this article ■ To find out more about Viega’s range of solutions visit www.rdr.link/lg006

SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS & COMMUNAL BUILDINGS ROUND-UP Flooring donation for Royal Alexandra Hospital SiMBA rooms

Seamless access for medical practice extension

SiMBA, the charity supporting families who have suffered the loss of a baby, recently opened a new Family Room and Quiet Room at the Royal Alexandra Maternity Hospital in Paisley. As part of the project, Altro donated its Wood Safety Comfort flooring for the family and quiet rooms, and Pisces flooring for the ensuite bathroom. The Wood Safety Comfort flooring is an ideal choice for areas that need to look good while helping to give comfort underfoot. The 2.85mm thick option offers 14dB sound reduction. It is also suitable for wheeled traffic and low residual indentation facilitates the flexible use of equipment and furniture. The Pisces flooring achieves Class B to DIN 51097 for barefoot use, plus a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) of ≥50 (Slider 96).

Providing three additional consultation rooms, as well as a utility area, the new single-storey extension at the Haden Vale Medical Practice dramatically improves the services it can offer. Providing a clear and easy entry and exit system for the new extension was a priority and TORMAX was contracted by the Cameron Butcher Group to install two automatic sliding door systems to the main entrance.

Powered by TORMAX 2201 compact operator, the doors deliver reliable and seamless access for the elderly, wheelchair users, people with pushchairs, as well as all other visitors. The TORMAX 2201 door drives are quick and easy to install whilst straightforward, 2-key programming allows practice staff to adapt opening and closing speeds to reflect the volume of foot traffic.

■ For more on both ranges visit www.rdr.link/lg007 Deanestor awarded £3m project for Inverurie Campus Furniture and fit-out specialist Deanestor has been awarded its largest ever contract in the education sector. The £3m project is for the manufacture and supply of furniture, fittings and equipment for the new £55m Inverurie Community Campus in Scotland. The project for Aberdeenshire Council is being delivered by community infrastructure company hub North Scotland. Deanestor will furnish and fit out 360 rooms across the campus, including science, food and design technology departments, specialist SEN facilities, general teaching spaces, sports and changing areas, reception, library and offices. The fitted furniture will include 1,950m of shelving, 670m of laminate and laboratory worktops, 400 base and wall storage units, bag stores, over 80 teaching walls, and more than 500 items of metalwork.

■ For information on the TORMAX 2201 door drives visit www.rdr.link/lg010 New lighting solution for the healthcare sector

■ For more on Deanestor ‘s contract furniture solutions visit www.rdr.link/lg008 New £500m public sector framework Crown Commercial Service (CCS) recently awarded four lots on its new £500m Modular Building Solutions framework to The McAvoy Group. Under the new agreement, McAvoy has secured the opportunity to provide bespoke modular buildings and interim hire facilities with a particular focus on education and healthcare. The framework also covers public buildings such as facilities for the emergency services, MOD, community centres, offices, care homes, student accommodation and other residential schemes. It will operate for the next four years and covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Group was successful in winning a number of major free school projects under the previous CCS modular building contract, which were built offsite, including the award-winning £20m Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy in Slough and Goresbrook School in London.

Florence+ from Whitecroft Lighting is an innovative single piece low profile bedhead luminaire for wall mounting in healthcare environments. The outer casing ensures that Florence+ is easy to clean and will not harbour dust or germs, helping reduce exposure to infections. The light sources are independently dimmable to comply with the requirements of the SLL LG2, allowing the variable light levels that need to be achieved in a bedded area are suitable for the relevant task or activity.

The solution delivers up to six pre-programmed lighting scenes at the bedside from three distinct optics. The powerful combination of upward, forward and downward light can deliver the full examination level of 1,000 lux on the bed.

■ For more information on the bedhead luminaire watch the video www.rdr.linl/lg000 For more product information visit www.rdr.link/lg011

■ For information about permanent and interim modular buildings visit www.rdr.link/lg009 J U L Y / A U G U S T

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KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS

Accessible bathroom without AKW’s task focused lighting, uneven lighting, shadows and dark areas

Accessible bathroom with AKW’s task focused lighting, to ensure the bathroom is sufficiently lit

Lighting for safety Good lighting in any bathroom is essential for the avoidance of accidents, however in an accessible bathroom, the need for safety increases dramatically. Stuart Reynolds shows how social landlords and facilities managers can ensure that their accessible bathrooms are well lit, to minimise falls and other accidents. he importance of good lighting cannot be underestimated; being able to see a space clearly benefits movement, balance, gait and stability and ultimately improves a person’s overall safety.

Kate Sheehan, Occupational Therapist underlines the importance of lighting: “Tasks carried out in a bathroom often require close working eg. shaving and make up application, or intimate personal hygiene eg. wiping after going to the toilet or washing between the toes. All of these actions require the occupational therapist to maximise the client’s ability to perform the task and lighting is a critical part of the assessment and specification.”

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A mix of task and ambient lighting Good bathroom lighting needs to deliver adequate light levels for the user to perform a variety of tasks around the space, including showering, shaving and other personal care activities. For those with low vision or mobility issues, the avoidance of shadows, dark areas and glare is key to safe movement around the space.

Key factors include: ● Ambient lighting with LEDs — LED lights are highly energy-efficient and provide shadow free illumination, ideal for those with visual impairment issues or those with dementia. To maintain ambient light levels in the bathroom, LED ceiling

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lights should be spaced to maximise coverage and minimise shadowing.

Narrow beam LED downlights — To highlight tasks such as shaving, washing etc narrow beams of light are needed on specific spaces, such as the shower area or sink. Most LED downlights on the market have a beam angle of 60˚, however for those with low vision or mobility issues, a specialist task light with a 30˚ beam angle is required.

Easy to use light switch or pull cord — either a rocker switch or easy to hold pull cord is advised for use in accessible bathrooms. For those with visual impairment issues, a cord in a high-contrast colour is ideal.

Good bathroom lighting needs to deliver adequate light levels for the user to perform a variety of tasks around the space

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Mirror lighting — lights over mirrors, or embedded within the frame as a decorative feature are aesthetically appealing and also ideal for those looking for task-specific lighting for shaving or make-up application.

What lights to put where?

For a standard sized UK bathroom (sized approximately 8ft by 6ft or 2,438 by 1,829mm), it is recommended that two ambient LED ceiling lights are used, as well as task lights — distributed in the following way (with the user no closer than 300mm to any given task light): ● Toilet — one task light ● Hand basin — one task or mirror light ● Shower — three task lights (for a space of 1,500 by 1,500mm) ● And/or Bath — three task lights

Tailored Task Focused Lighting Kit for accessible bathrooms To help social landlords and facilities managers, AKW has created a bathroom lighting pack. It contains everything needed to light a standard UK bathroom and the products conform to all relevant industry standards for a bathroom installation: ● five x narrow beam (30˚) ceiling LED task lights: three for the bath/shower zone and two for the toilet and sink areas.

two x long lasting, bright (1,764lm) LED ceiling lights for the ambient lighting of the space. ● one x blue pull-cord switch.

Good bathroom lighting can mean the world to those struggling with mobility, dementia or visual impairment issues. With a little time and investment, good bathroom lighting has the potential to promote independence as well as to help reduce accidents. ●

Stuart Reynolds is Head of Product and Marketing at AKW ■ AKW has created a lighting accessible bathrooms guide in conjunction with occupational therapists. As well as being free to download, it will help those looking to promote best practice lighting design in their housing stock. To find out more visit www.rdr.link/lg012

The seven characteristics of good lighting According to the Thomas Pocklington Trust, a charity dedicated to delivering positive change to those with sight loss, significant lighting improvements can be achieved by: ● Tailoring the lighting to specific needs — creating a visual environment that supports a person’s chosen ambience and activities ● Ensuring the lighting is for specific tasks, orientation and movement — create a safe minimum level of ambient light and task focused lighting to illuminate specific areas of importance. ● Maintaining even light levels, with minimum glare-deep shadows or sharp changes in light levels should be avoided. To minimise glare, the bright areas of light sources should not be directly visible from normal directions of view. ● Incorporating adjustment for flexibility — incorporating switching, dimming or different lighting elements for specific needs. ● Making sure the lighting is energy efficient — appropriate lighting should be selected to meet user needs without wasting energy. This can be achieved using LED lighting. ● Prioritising ease of installation, where possible, to minimise disruption — use existing wiring and fittings, or alter switches to more user-friendly versions before implementing any major changes. ● Planning the adaptation to suit the future — choose adaptations that respond to changing needs, new occupants and lighting innovations.

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: TWYFORD SOCIAL HOUSING SOLUTIONS

Keep it stylish and on budget obody within the sector needs reminding of the challenges faced within affordable housing — from the ever-evolving regulatory constraints of welfare reforms and housing efficiency standards, to the budgetary restrictions, which have taken their toll in recent years.

Maintaining a rolling programme of refurbishment in light of these challenges takes careful consideration and it pays to pick your partners. Take bathrooms, for example, where tenants demand style and functionality whilst providers need durability, value for money and flexible installation — not to mention the service levels and aftersales support expected of any leading manufacturer partner.

Geberit incorporating Twyford Bathrooms offers a trusted solution — combining a long history of providing market-leading products with expert knowledge of what works for affordable housing, to meet every bathroom requirement.

Option

Alcona

Celtic Bath

The vast Twyford portfolio includes a series of stylish yet very affordable products for affordable housing, like the Option range. Featuring a collection of flexible products, the range includes both push button and lever cistern toilet variants with the option to select a water saving dual flush, as well as 400mm or 550mm washbasins to suit any space.

Twyford’s Alcona bathroom range offers a versatile and classic design to suit all tenants’ needs. This durable bathroom series features a comprehensive range of toilets and washbasins to suit all applications, including a dual flush close coupled toilet, offering 4 & 2.6 litre flush.

There are also back-to-wall and wall hung variants, which are compatible with Geberit Duofix frames.

In affordable housing, products need to be durable, long lasting and secure — suitable for high use environments, different tenant profiles and all standards of maintenance.

The easy to install Celtic Bath from Twyford is one such example. The porcelain enamelled steel bath is available with a slip resistant base and chrome handles for safer bathing, as well as low volume to reduce water usage by up to 35%.

Faced with increasingly tight budgets, deadlines and stringent regulations, housing providers face a number of difficult decisions when specifying bathrooms.

Keith Ridding from Geberit incorporating Twyford Bathrooms explores how to meet the needs of both the provider and its tenants.

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Solutions for every bathroom

Twyford. Affordable, innovative social housing solutions Meeting every demand Clearly, combining versatile and classic design with flawless function is vital to meeting the needs of tenants, particularly given recent societal trends for wellbeing.

Having a stylish home can improve personal wellbeing and it is increasingly important to create a bathroom space that enables respite and recuperation from busy modern lives.

If the question is how to achieve this standard of specification without compromising on affordability, the answer is in building relationships with leading manufacturers like Twyford.

From consistent, streamlined installation, to sustainable features such as water efficiency, Twyford’s solutions support housing providers to deliver projects quicker, more sustainably and with best value construction and maintenance requirements in mind.

Whether it is new-build, planned or responsive maintenance schemes, Twyford provides scheduling and specification support enabling project delivery on time and in budget.

For further information on Twyford’s social housing solutions please telephone 01926 516800 or email enquires@geberit.co.uk.

To download Twyford’s Everything Affordable housing brochure visit: www.twyfordbathrooms.com

Twyford are the affordable housing market leaders offering a wide range of bathroom solutions, there’s no compromise on quality or performance as all products come with a Twyford guarantee. The Alcona, Option and Celtic ranges have been designed to accommodate any size, shape and style of project so you can be rest assured that with Twyford you are always in safe hands.

For more information visit www.twyfordbathrooms.com

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KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS

How do we keep the elderly and disabled in their own home? Lewis Gopsill proposes a solution.

Calamansac Sail Loft, near Port Navas in Cornwall, designed by Cowan Architects, features a modern wheelchair accessible kitchen by Design Matters

The perfect storm re we heading for the ‘perfect storm’ in our care system, as a number of key elements appear to be in meltdown, increasing pressure on local authorities. The main factors conspiring together include a rising elderly population, spiralling dementia cases, and a fall in the number of hospital and care home beds, and a lack of funding.

Coupled to this we also have a society that is endeavouring to do more for its disabled members and a fundamental change in family dynamics where the young are geographically spread across the globe and less able to care for elderly parents.

When we examine the facts and hear the research, it does not look good. But there are innovative approaches to housing design that can help keep us at home longer or get us back into our home when life has taken an unexpected turn.

Ultimately, this will also be the costeffective solution and relieve the pressures on other services. Specialist architects can future-proof new and refurbished housing to cater for increased immobility and the WashPod, a fully accessible and versatile

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washroom and toilet facility, can be widely used to help keep people at home.

The current situation Some 400 care operators have collapsed in the last five years and research indicates that ÂŁ700m more council cuts in social care is planned for this financial year. Age UK says that one third of all households are headed by someone aged 65 or over and nearly a third of households in the social rented sector. One fifth of the 13.9 million disabled people do not feel their accommodation is suited to their needs and 20% of people with new spinal cord injuries will be discharged from hospital into a care home as they do not have suitable housing with accessible washroom facilities. Nearly a million people currently suffer with dementia and they fill one in four hospital beds.

Appropriate housing with the right design elements can keep people healthy, support them to live independently and reduce the need for social care. Poorly designed housing can lead to reduced mobility, chronic and acute illness, falls, social isolation, loneliness and depression.

Dementia sufferers also need adapted housing as they have complex needs, which require additional toileting and full washroom access preferably on the ground floor.

Social services and housing authorities have statutory duties to arrange practical assistance and the NHS provides CHC Funding (Continuing Healthcare) to anyone over 18 with a disability or complex medical need to cover the cost of healthcare support in their own home or care home. At the moment the cart is before the horse and a smarter, longer term look at heading off the problems before they arise is

A WashPod installed in home

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KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS

housing with “theAppropriate right design elements

The WashPod is a fully accessible and versatile washroom and toilet facility

can keep people healthy, support them to live independently and reduce

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the need for social care.

needed. Some answers lie in the housing provision and design features that can make life more manageable at home for the elderly and disabled.

The WashPod solution WashPod is an interim solution to many housing hurdles, as the availability of a suitably equipped downstairs washroom will often determine whether someone can stay in, or return to, their own home. It is a new, fully accessible facility that is totally recyclable and re-usable for maximum cost efficiency. It can be installed in as little as a day, both inside as a sleeve in an existing room or outside as a ‘bolt-on’ in the yard.

There is nothing else quite like it for simplicity and versatility and it will relieve a lot of headaches.

Occupational Therapists and Case Managers love the WashPod as it keeps their patients at home. Carers will love the

convenience and time saved from not having to transport patients for bathing and for allowing easy access in dementia toileting to keep their charges infection free and healthy.

Local authorities and the NHS could build WashPod into their budgets, supplying them as part of the Disabled Facilities Grant of CHC Funding and then re-use the pods again and again. Unlike fixed refurbishments, this is a totally flexible answer and can be dismantled leaving the property in its original state. With a possible seven-year lifespan, the savings in costs will be huge, not to mention the relief afforded to other pressed services such as hospitals and care homes.

Future-proofing for the longer term Looking ahead, new-builds and adaptations should always be made with future-proofing in mind. If there is a need

for wheelchair use, space becomes a factor as in Britain most doorways, halls and passages would need widening to allow freedom of movement.

Improving views, particularly in the living rooms and kitchen, can be achieved by lowering windowsills and the maximising of natural light will give a happier environment. Internal finishes can be made for easy maintenance and regularly accessed sockets put at waist height. If a staircase or hall is too narrow, it will not accommodate a stairlift in the future. An open stairwell and hall could offer storage now but a through-lift later.

Later design changes might include providing level access throughout the home and garden to lessen the risk of falls. Arthritic hands manage levers better than knobs so a change of the ironmongery on doors and cupboards around the house will be a great help. Shallow steps with a handrail are easier to negotiate and more desirable than ramps unless a wheelchair is needed, which also do better on bonded gravel.

Kitchens should avoid low and awkward cupboards while high-level fridges minimise unnecessary bending and lifting can be reduced using ovens with sliding doors that act as a safe shelf. These inclusions need not be institutional as with good design they are beautiful and enlightened, adding value while protecting the quality of life.

Lewis Gopsill is General Manager at Dignity Access ■ To see a video of an internal WashPod installation visit www.rdr.link/lg013 For more information on Dignity Access visit www.rdr.link/lg036

The WashPod solution can be installed in the rear garden of a property

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KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS ROUND-UP DOC M offering to support sight loss and dementia sufferers Armitage Shanks has enhanced its DOC M package alongside new research around sight loss and dementia. Armitage Shanks’ easy to specify DOC M packages now include more visually distinctive products, for example red toilet seats, hinged arms, toilet roll holders and back rests. Kate Sheehan, Occupational Therapist and Director of The OT Service, adds: “All over the world we associate red with warning and danger, as we are can see it more clearly than other colours. This is because red light is scattered the least by air molecules.

Recent evidence suggests that red can help people with dementia and sight loss recognise and navigate different rooms and environments. It has also been proven to promote continence in some cases.”

■ For more information on the DOC M package visit www.rdr.link/lg000 or watch this video www.rdr.link/lg014 Age-friendly housing — adaptable and care ready Guidance billed as ‘a new bar for the design of future housing for an ageing population’ is reiterating the need for homes to be adaptable and ‘care ready’.

“The guidance [Age Friendly Housing: Future Design for Older People] emphasises that welldesigned buildings can facilitate the provision of care, support independence and wellbeing — points we can verify from new-build and retrofit installations we have undertaken and project managed,” says Robin Tuffley, Closomat Marketing Manager.

Closomat’s range of shower toilets reflect contemporary design, with floorstanding and wall-mounted options that can be configured to individual choice — even in terms of concealed cistern, back panels and flush mechanisms. They can be personalised to individual user needs initially and retrospectively, so can evolve as the user ages to accommodate changing circumstances, mobility and dexterity.

■ For more on Closomat’s range of shower toilets visit www.rdr.link/lg015 Affordable bathroom solutions for low-pressure buildings GROHE is pleased to introduce several new products for those working with customers in a low-pressure setting. The new BauEdge deck mounted bath filler and bath and shower mixer are designed specifically for vented systems allowing the user to enjoy a more fulfilling and pleasurable shower experience. Both products are suitable for installations with a minimum water pressure of just 0.2 bar. GROHE Bau has been developed as a viable solution for all projects, from retrofits and affordable new-build and social housing developments to commercial buildings. The range includes new sizing options in the BauEdge and BauLoop tap lines, an all-new BauFlow range of taps in compact designs, which is ideal for smaller bathrooms like ensuites and cloakrooms.

■ For more details about GROHE Bau visit www.rdr.link/lg016

Bathroom pod manufacturer achieves NICEIC electrical accreditation Offsite Solutions has become one of the first bathroom pod manufacturers in the UK to achieve NICEIC Approved Contractor accreditation for electrical installations. It now has a dedicated team of engineers inhouse who are responsible for electrical testing at its factory in Somerset and its qualified supervisors have been assessed for competence in inspection and testing in accordance with BS 7671. Offsite Solutions’ engineers design and install electrics to meet specific project requirements, which can include heated towel rails, LED lighting, shaver sockets, underfloor heating, demister pads, heated walls, electric junction boxes, PIR sensors and LED cabinet lights. These elements are all pre-installed offsite in the factory so the bathrooms and ensuite shower rooms arrive on site fully complete.

■ For more information on Offsite Solutions range of bathroom pods visit www.rdr.link/lg017 Kinedo cubicle provides solution for homeless shelter A Saniflo Kinedo Eden shower cubicle features in a Newspace Sleepover Pod at a Bristol homeless shelter, inspired by the work of ‘Help Bristol’s Homeless’ charity. The shower cubicle was selected thanks to its ease and simplicity of installation. With no requirement for tiles, grout or silicone, it can be installed in just a few hours and once connected to a water source is ready for use.

Mike Judge from Newspace says: “We are saving time in our manufacturing process with the Eden. It’s an integrated package that includes the tray, the shower valve, showerhead and handheld valve, plus the door and panels. This means we also save time by taking delivery of a single box rather than bringing all the separate elements together before the fix.”

■ For more information on the Kinedo range visit www.rdr.link/lg018

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Tunstall worked with NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group in West Yorkshire to help support people with a wide range of needs using technology

How can we take action against dementia using technology? Gavin Bashar explains how digital technology such as telecare is assisting local authorities and improving services within their communities to help people living with dementia have a better quality of life.

Improving health through technology n the UK, someone develops dementia every three minutes, and the Alzheimer’s Society estimates that the number of people living with the condition will exceed one million by 20251. With 70% of people in care homes living with dementia or severe memory problems2, it has never been as important to introduce measures into people’s lives to protect their dignity and support their independence, as well as reducing interventions which are currently costing the UK economy £26.3bn a year3.

We’re at a pivotal time in the transformation of digital services, with telecare, or assistive technology, playing a crucial part in enabling the delivery of care to people with dementia living in council homes or care facilities. As our social care and health systems continue to experience limited budgets and rising

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demand, it’s becoming increasingly important that providers employ solutions which enable care to be delivered in more effective and person-centred ways.

earlier technology is introduced, the easier it is to understand the eventual outcomes and how support can be given, enabling greater patient-centred, holistic care.

A range of solutions

Telecare in practice

Telecare systems can be tailored to the needs of the individual, helping to manage incidents such as falls, fires in the home, medication management and people leaving home and being unable to find their way back. They can be configured to ensure help is automatically provided in the event of an emergency, 24 hours day, from a carer, keyholder, response service or the emergency services as appropriate.

They can also enable live-in carers to carry out daily activities, or have uninterrupted sleep as they know they will be alerted in the event of an incident. The

Tunstall is working with organisations across the UK to help support people with a wide range of needs using technology as part of services. NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group in West Yorkshire has been working closely with Calderdale Council since 2012, establishing a more consistent and sustainable model of care for older and vulnerable individuals in Calderdale.

Background and objectives A truly person-centred approach was needed to best meet the needs of people

More than 1,300 residents “have been supported in 38 homes as part of the Quest for Quality in Care Homes programme over the last five years…

A resident wearing a Tunstall Healthcare Vibby fall detector on his wrist

with long-term health and care needs, and help to make efficient use of NHS resources. A clear objective was to reduce avoidable hospital attendances and admissions from care homes, increasing quality of life for residents and reducing demand on primary and secondary care.

Programme development The Quest for Quality in Care Homes programme was developed, which combined a Multi-Disciplinary Team, realtime access to live clinical records for GPs and Quest for Quality in Care Homes Matrons, and telecare and telehealth systems, aiming to: ● Improve quality of life for residents. ● Reduce avoidable ambulance call outs, A&E attendance, hospital admissions and GP visits. ● Improve resident/patient care and safety. ● Respond more effectively to urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, falls and fractures. ● Support staff to feel confident in providing high quality care.

Programme results The project has created a new model for care delivery, which is replicable and scalable, and addresses the challenge of care home residents being disproportionate

users of local health services. More than 1,300 residents have been supported in 38 homes as part of the Quest for Quality in Care Homes programme over the last five years, and the project has achieved significant financial efficiencies and associated cost savings since it was introduced. The latest phase of the programme evaluated the impact of using telecare technology to manage the risk of falls and mitigate their consequences for care home residents.

Comparing the impact of this initiative from 2016/17 to 2017/18: ● Emergency admissions relating to falls were reduced by 7.7%, resulting in an annual saving to the Quest programme in excess of £200,000. ● 50% of care homes saw a reduction in falls of at least 10%. ● Fall-related incidents as a percentage of total incidents decreased from 25.7% to 23.7% year-on-year.

Examples of the benefits in practice One resident regularly gets out of bed with no support, and would often fall. The care home has set up Tunstall telecare sensors to alert them at the time he normally gets up so they can offer support. The number of falls per month has reduced from around 20 to zero.

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A resident with dementia used to have around 12 falls per month with multiple admissions to hospital. She now wears a Tunstall Healthcare Vibby fall detector on her wrist, meaning staff can provide 24/7 monitoring and appropriate care according to her needs. The number of falls has reduced to around two per month.

The risk in the 'dead end' areas of the home has been reduced significantly since the use of telecare. Previously, residents have walked down the corridor and had a fall, resulting in hospital admissions. A PIR sensor has been fitted at the bottom of the corridor to alert staff during the day if someone goes down the corridor and there have been no falls in this area of the home since.

The cost of hospital stays has reduced as a result of the programme, saving £799,561 year on year when comparing 2014/15 to 2015/16.

Overall the Quest for Quality in Care Homes programme has supported the aims set out by NHS Calderdale CCG; making sure checks on residents are timely, improved self-management, increasing empowerment of care home staff at triage with a focus on prevention through telecare. Individuals now receive a holistic review on their move to a care home, leading to healthcare plans with clear goals, underpinned by digital innovations in connected care technology.

1&2: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/aboutus/news-and-media/facts-media 3: https://uk.tunstall.com/wp-content/ uploads/2018/10/Dementia-CareConnected-Healthcare-Solutions.pdf

Gavin Bashar is UK Managing Director of Tunstall Healthcare

A lady wearing the MyAmie with the Lifeline in the background

■ For more information on Tunstall Healthcare’s solutions visit www.rdr.link/lg019

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

©Sergey Nivens/AdobeStock

Head in the clouds Deane Greenouff discusses councils and the cloud, considering how technology is boosting citizen services. he growing demands on local authorities to offer personalised, speedy and convenient services to citizens are well documented.

Pressures such as constrained budgets, increased security and compliance issues, as well as complex IT environments are all adding to the task at hand. As the number of citizens increases and the demand for better, smarter services grows, we are increasingly seeing councils look to new technologies and innovations to deliver on their service commitments and drive efficiencies.

The pace of innovation in public services is increasing rapidly and with a cloud approach there is enormous potential for emerging technology across areas such as richer digital engagement, artificial intelligence and automation to improve services. Last year’s Local Government Cloud Adoption report from Eduserv and Socitm found that over 60% of councils have adopted cloud in some form to improve organisational IT services.

Cloud technology and adoption is growing rapidly, with most experts predicting that 50% of the UK enterprise

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software market will be cloud-hosted Software as a Service (SaaS) within two years — double today’s figure. With cloud underpinning deeper business intelligence, improved service outcomes and being more secure and greener than ever before, we take a look at how some councils are already starting to reap the benefits.

Making service delivery better Cloud software is helping local authorities to drive better experiences and deliver more convenient services for citizens than ever before. Take Peterborough City Council for example. The Council has recently moved to Civica’s Cx Regulatory Services cloud software to help streamline processes across the organisation and improve service delivery with a single platform to support multiple users. Automation within the software helps ease the burden of high volumes of applications during peak periods, which means employees can spend less time on routine tasks and be more efficient with their work.

Similarly, since Durham County Council moved to Cx Licensing, the Council has been able to improve real-time service

delivery while also tailoring communications to citizens based on their personal needs.

Via the cloud, the Council is encouraging citizen self-service, such as managing licence applications online. This will have a two-pronged benefit of providing more convenience for users as well as increasing the efficiency of internal processes — with the ultimate aim of creating time and cost savings for Durham County Council.

Managing income more efficiently England’s largest geographical county, North Yorkshire County Council implemented Civica’s leading payments cloud software, CivicaPay, to improve the collection and secure processing of more than £5.5m annually. Being a primarily rural area, it wasn’t always easy for North Yorkshire residents to visit the local council building to pay bills or follow up on their current payments, but customers can now do all these things online. The service is also integrated with PayPal, PayPoint, Apple Pay and Google Pay, providing a greater range of options to local residents when it comes to things like council tax and licenses.

With so many public and “private sector organisations

Civica’s Cx Regulatory Services cloud software helps streamline processes across organisations

looking for ways to reduce costs through innovation, the cloud is an obvious cost-

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efficient investment.

Using the cloud has meant that the Council can collect income faster, manage payments through an online system rather than manually, process it quickly and ultimately improve overall cashflow. Added to that, immediately following the implementation, the Council identified some quick ways that it could improve card payments, generating a £60,000 annual saving.

Beyond technology, cloud is a culture change The ability to adapt to sudden change is crucial in today’s digital world. Adopting cloud solutions will require a certain amount of flexibility and adaptability on the part of local authorities, so both employees and citizens can drive true value from the

technology. For many organisations, this is an opportunity for reworking processes and reframing approaches to work.

This should be looked upon as an opportunity for organisations to create a culture shift, focused on driving continuous innovation and an ever-stronger dedication to citizen service. As Peterborough, Durham and North Yorkshire Councils demonstrate, the cloud has real potential to further enable a truly dynamic, flexible culture within local authorities, which can only lead to more success and improved citizen satisfaction.

Finding the best partners for your cloud journey While we’ve highlighted some great success stories, many local authorities are

still not ready to migrate everything to the cloud but can, at the very least, be focused on building a vision for their digital transformation journey.

With so many public and private sector organisations looking for ways to reduce costs through innovation, the cloud is an obvious cost-efficient investment. Councils, such as North Yorkshire County Council, are already able to reinvest savings back into the organisation with the aim of continuing to build a more connected and effectively run community for its residents.

The cloud’s reliability, scalability and efficiency means organisations can consistently meet their customer needs without driving up costs. When replacing an on-premise solution, the benefits of the cloud for improving citizen outcomes are indisputable. But without the experience or knowledge already in place, local authorities should look to a trusted partner to support them on their cloud journey, to navigate the complex cloud landscape and ensure that they really drive true value from moving the right things to the cloud.

With so many public service organisations now unable to afford the cost of managing existing platforms, aligned with higher security and compliance standards and keeping pace with customer expectations, embracing cloud provides the scalability critical to growing and evolving organisations.

Deane Greenouff is Managing Director, Housing and Communities at Civica

The ability to adapt to sudden change is crucial in today’s digital world

■ For a copy of the Local Government Cloud Adoption report visit www.rdr.link/lg020 ■ For more information on Civica’s cloud-based softwares visit www.rdr.link/lg021

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Check out...

LABMONLINE.CO.UK Designed as an essential information resource for local authority and housing association specifiers, LABM’s website provides details on all the latest industry announcements, regulatory changes, contract awards, case studies and upcoming events.

The site showcases project videos as well as new technologies and construction solutions, in addition to featuring opinion from leading industry commentators, councils, HAs, contractors and suppliers.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter for all the latest news @LABMmag

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ROUND-UP Workflow monitoring solutions help building construction sites stay on schedule Many construction sites are not able to finish their projects on time and staying within budget and on schedule is extremely challenging. Poor site supervision and poor site conditions are among the most common causes of delay. Enoba Smart Construction, an EIT Digital-supported innovation activity within the Digital Industry focus area, is providing holistic solutions to automatically monitor workflows and tasks at construction sites, making it easier for managers to keep track of what’s happening and improve their performances.

Enoba’s integrated hardware and software platform consists of a network of different sensor nodes which collect a variety of relevant onsite data, ranging from ordinary noise, weight, shock, temperature or humidity measures to more complex information, regarding, for instance, the chemical composition of the air. All information is fed in real time into a dashboard where it can be viewed live by the respective stakeholders.

Data to revolutionise low carbon heating solution design A new, data-driven approach to home heating system design and retrofit will help landlords prioritise low carbon building upgrades that deliver better outcomes for residents at least cost, according to a study. By analysing data on the energy efficiency of real homes and what residents want from their heating, Energy Systems Catapult calculated the most efficient low carbon heating upgrade pathways for five common UK housing types in a first-of-its-kind modelling study. This new approach could provide landlords and housing associations with a clear, evidence-based way to plan future property improvements and prioritise upgrades, which deliver the greatest energy efficiency and comfort. The study utilised the Catapult’s new Home Energy Dynamics (HED) tool that takes data from heating systems, radiators and pipe networks, building fabric, consumer choices/behaviour and weather, to target the right retrofit solutions for different housing types.

■ For more information about the HED tool visit www.rdr.link/lg024

■ For more information on the solution visit www.rdr.link/lg022

Wall mounted water monitoring system Hevasure has launched a new compact, wall-mounted version of its water monitoring system, providing easy installation in a wider variety of locations. All hardware, including sensors and data acquisition system, is enclosed in a high quality, dust-proof steel casing — ideal for dirty environments, such as construction sites. The new unit also includes optional UPS battery back-up, which can provide power for up to 48 hours if there is a loss of mains electricity. The monitoring technology enables continuous measurements to be made on important aspects of a closed circuit heating or chilled water system in order to quickly identify adverse conditions and prevent corrosion damage. Data can be transmitted to any Internet enabled device, allowing real-time information regarding water system condition to be accessible in any location.

Alerts are issued if checked parameters — such as dissolved oxygen, pressure, conductivity and pH — exceed critical levels.

■ For a copy of the brochure visit www.rdr.link/lg023

Digital tools to optimise energy usage and increase uptime Schneider Electric, a leader in energy management and automation, recently released a series of optional modules for the Masterpact MTZ circuit breaker, boosting its protection, measurement and maintenance capabilities. The tools will help energy and Buildings Managers safeguard their circuits and save costs through better power management and reduced downtime. The Masterpact MTZ family launched in the UK in 2016, and continues to be one of the company’s smartest ranges of circuit breaker. With embedded Class 1 metering and improved performance in harsh environments, the MTZ can reduce operating costs and improves the safety of power distribution. The range is embedded with Micrologic X control units, which allow the circuit breakers to share and receive data, as well as be controlled and monitored remotely.

■ For more information on the modules visit www.rdr.link/lg025

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PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Renewable heating combo released The Enviroair air source heat pump and the new Envirofloor underfloor heating range from Firebird are ideally matched. Suitable for both new-build and renovation projects, ‘wet’ underfloor heating is a highly efficient way to provide space heating, as the running temperature is far lower than for a radiator system. When installed in conjunction with an air source heat pump, which produces water at a lower temperature than traditional boilers, the savings on energy and running costs are considerable. Firebird’s MCS approved Enviroair ASHP range boasts ultra-quiet operation and the excellent COP can produce 4kW of energy for every 1kW of energy used to power the heat pump.

Utilising cutting-edge DC Inverter Technology achieves the energy efficiency.

■ For more information on Envirofloor underfloor heating systems or Enviroair air source heat pumps visit www.rdr.link/lg026 Extended Firefly clips range launched To help meet the requirements of the updated BS 7671 IET Wiring Regulations, Marshall-Tufflex has extended its range of Firefly fire clips. In the event of a fire the clips are designed to prevent cables falling and creating a hazard — providing a safer evacuation and allowing easy access for fire service crews.

The range now includes clips suitable for use on Marshall-Tufflex Maxi, Mono, Twin165, Twin Plus, Sterling Profile, Sterling Curve and Odyssey trunking systems. The clips fix to walls or ceilings and with a spring-loaded design are quick and easy to install. The Firefly fire clips are fire resistant above 1,000°C for up to 120 minutes and feature rounded ends to prevent damage to cables. The range includes both internal and external versions.

Cladding establishes ‘hole’ new look for new Spanish City

A grade II Listed building with a Renaissance-style frontage has become the latest award-winning project to feature Proteus cladding. Although Spanish City closed in 2002, it has remained a local beacon and so became the focal point of North Tyneside Council’s £36m seafront masterplan, undergoing a £10m restoration and regeneration to bring it back to its former glory. An extension has been added featuring Proteus SC perforated TECU Patina, a copper material with a natural green patina. The homogenous pattern on the cladding covers the entire new extension, giving the structure a monolithic presence.

Choosing round perforations or ‘holes’ creates a contrast with the right angles of the surrounding cityscape, but mirrors the internal layout.

■ For more information on the range of TECU cladding materials visit www.rdr.link/lg029 Flat Roofing portfolio completed with Safe2Torch Bitumen range

MEDITE CLEAR and MEDITE FR CLEAR are MDF panels with zero-added formaldehyde, developed specifically for use in environmentally sensitive interior applications where the offgassing of formaldehyde needs to be at an absolute minimum. Although formaldehyde is found naturally in wood — and no wood product can be entirely formaldehyde free — independent tests have shown that the formaldehyde content of these panels is less than 1.0mg/100g, equivalent to or less than natural wood.

“With wellness being a key concern in the construction industry, we are leading the way in the development of technically advanced timber products that offer architects, specifiers and contractors alike a new way to contribute to healthy, sustainable construction and to increase their projects BREEAM or LEED rating,” comments Richard Allen, Sales Director at MEDITE SMARTPLY.

Sika recently launched the SikaBit range of bituminous roofing systems, developed to answer the requirements of NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) Safe2Torch guidelines. A fully BBA-approved range of torch-on and self-adhesive bituminous membranes, the solution provides a total solution for a high-performance waterproof roof buildup, comprising an air & vapour control layer (AVCL), underlay and a hard-wearing cap sheet. The SikaBit Pro Bituminous Membrane range includes flame-free detailing options for completely Safe2Torchcompliant roof installations, along with a root-resistant offer for green roof applications and a solution for inverted roofs. The range combines the flexibility and tensile strength of an SBS membrane with the hardwearing properties and UV stability of APAO to offer both durability and speed of application.

■ To download a full datasheet and request a free sample visit www.rdr.link.lg028

■ For more information on the SikaBit range visit www.rdr.link/lg030

■ For more information about Marshall-Tufflex’s Firefly fire clips visit www.rdr.link/lg027 New incredibly low Formaldehyde MDF panels

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REFERENCE LIBRARY New brochure for infrared urinal control valve range Cistermiser’s IRC infrared urinal flushing control valve is fully detailed in an informative new sales brochure, designed for ease of use by specifiers, installers and merchant counter staff. Fitted together with a robust and proven brass-bodied solenoid valve assembly, the IRC sensor now features a compact body shape, an economy mode option to provide even greater water savings, a new-style mounting bracket for recessed installations and an improved design, which allows batteries to be replaced by simply removing the front fascia to access the battery compartment. It employs motion-sensing infrared to automatically control the flushing of cistern-fed urinals, minimise water wastage and ensure compliance with Water Regulations. When the PIR sensor detects movement, the solenoid valve is activated, allowing water into the cistern.

■ For a copy of the brochure visit www.rdr.link/lg031 Energy from water: a guide to the new alchemy A new Code of Practice offering guidance on harnessing energy from water in the ground for heating and cooling has been published. Groundwater source heat pumps (GWSHPs) have huge potential to provide low carbon heating and/or cooling to buildings and are an underused technology in the UK. CP3 Open-loop groundwater source heat pumps: Code of Practice for the UK aims to encourage adoption of the technology and raise standards across the supply chain, ensuring GWSHPs are designed, built, operated and maintained to a high standard, providing greater confidence for specifiers, developers and property purchasers. The Code has been produced as a joint project between CIBSE and GSHPA with the backing of the HPA, and had been supported by the BEIS.

■ To download a copy of the Code of Practice visit www.rdr.link/lg032 Best Practice Guide for key copy protection DHF is releasing its Best Practice Guide entitled, How to obtain Key Copy Protection: security and protection advice regarding copying of keys, which offers information on minimising the risk of a security breach by preventing the unauthorised copying of keys. To copy a key, it is necessary to obtain a suitable key ‘blank’ onto which the individual key code can be copied.

Many generic key blanks are readily available, making obtaining key copies convenient, but a risk to security. For some installations, that risk is unacceptable, and there is a need to prevent the unauthorised copying of keys. The objective of DHF’s Best Practice Guide is to clarify this complicated area of law to enable claims about security and protection against unauthorised copying to be appropriately evaluated.

■ For a copy of the guide visit www.rdr.link/lg033

Revised standard for domestic fire alarms

Fire detection and fire alarm systems are proven to substantially reduce the risk of death or serious injury from fire. The fire fatality rate is an estimated two to three times higher when no smoke detector is present and functioning than in those premises with adequate installations. BSI has released a full revision of BS 5839-6:2019, the standard for fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic buildings — a code of practice for the design, commissioning, installation and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. It provides the latest recommendations for fire detection and fire alarm systems in both new and existing homes in order to make properties safer to live in.

■ For more information on BS 5839-6:2019 visit www.rdr.link/lg034 SLG publishes ‘essential’ guide to lifting legislation The design and installation of lifts in public buildings is fraught with complexities. To improve the industry’s understanding of the impact of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and other relevant legislation, SLG Group UK has published a report entitled Raising the Standard. Delivering a concise overview of legislation to date and its practical implementation, including best practice case study examples. The report’s author, Andy Sayer of SLG Group, said: “While most architects and lift engineers are aware of the BS6440:2011 standard, lift manufacturers also need to consider various EN safety requirements as well as the EC Machinery Directive. That’s where our decades of experience become vital in the successful design and completion of lift projects.”

■ For a copy of Raising the Standard visit www.rdr.link/lg035

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Coming up in the September issue of LABM…

©NicoElNino/AdobeStock

HOUSING & REGENERATION ● In a new report, development consultancy Turley argues that, contrary to popular belief, retail has a significant role to play in town-centre regeneration. The report, Making Sense of Mixed-Use Town Centres, explains how towns must embrace mixed-use development to thrive in the future. Here Turley outlines three key considerations for local authorities looking to maximise the potential of town centre regeneration. ● LABM reports on the Westminster Social Policy Forum Keynote Seminar, Social housing in England: regulation, resident empowerment and increasing supply.

● LABM finds out why membrane selection is key in modular housing.

Radon is most likely to be found, how it impacts on occupants and the options for reducing or removing it completely.

HEATING & VENTILATION ● With the increased focus on Climate Change and the Government declaring a Climate Emergency, local authorities are under additional pressure to reduce their carbon emissions. Here we consider how councils can reduce their carbon footprint by repairing and recycling technology rather than throwing away and replacing. ● The impact of higher than recommended Radon gas levels in the home and how this can be harmful to occupants’ health. We look at where

ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION ● The Trussed Rafter Association discusses the benefits of using metal web joists on housing association construction projects. ● The recent fire at a block of flats in Barking has brought cladding back into focus, especially timber cladding.

Here the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) and Wood Protection Association (WPA) offer practical guidance on timber cladding, appropriate fire protection treatments and installation.

Advertisement index Andreas Stihl Limited ...............................................................(page 2) BMI UK & Ireland/Icopal ........................................................(page 20) Carrs Coatings Limited ............................................................(page 5) Fibo UK Limited .......................................................................(page 37) Geberit Limited ................................................................(pages 32,33) Kohler Mira Limited ................................................................(page 34) LABM Online ............................................................................(page 44) Marmox UK Limited ................................................................(page 38) Saniflo Limited ....................................................................(back cover)

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SAV Systems ............................................................................(page 25) Sika Limited .............................................................(inside front cover) Spirotech UK Limited .............................................................(page 23) Structherm Limited ....................................................................(page 7) Velux Co. Limited ......................................................................(page 9) Wavin ...........................................................................................(page 13) Wilo (UK) Limited .....................................................................(page 27) Xtralite ........................................................................................(page 38)

GUEST COMMENT

Single source of truth Project complexity is pushing cost and time uncertainty to the limit, says Bill Zuurbier, Co-Founder and Managing Director of risk management consultancy, Equib. any local-authority construction projects are complex by nature, typically involving a long list of partners — ranging from contractors involved in Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) to sub-contractors, logistics firms and other service providers. For Project Managers, this can increase the risk of cost and time overruns.

With a variety of stakeholders involved in the sign off and procurement of many local authority-backed projects — ranging from small-scale housing schemes to new hospital developments — the need for good governance is essential. Individuals with responsibility for finance, health and safety, Building Regulations and design all need to have their say and give their approval. Whilst this process is obviously important and helps to ensure taxpayer’s money is well spent, it can increase the risk of costly delays.

Detailed plans Problems can arise if stakeholders fail to acknowledge that whilst governance procedures are designed to mitigate risks and typically involve setting budgets and timescales, they can also cause delays. To avoid such issues, Project Managers should prepare detailed plans, which should involve conducting a thorough stakeholder analysis and risk assessment. As part of this planning process, the Project Manager should consider any risks that could de-rail the plan — such as unforeseen breaks in supply or demand for design re-works, triggering the need for further rounds of approval. To minimise the risk of such delays, the project team must have clear sight of how decisions will be taken and who they can go to for decisions to be made when required. Under-investment in

internal and external expertise can also add significant risk to projects.

For Project Managers used to working on local authority-backed programmes, some degree of procedural disruption is expected.

However, some stakeholders may be reluctant to admit that a project is going to cost more or take significantly longer to complete than they had hoped. Even thorough use of dynamic risk modelling tools, such as Monte Carlo simulation, may not be sufficient to persuade those involved that a project could take anything from two to 10 years to complete, depending on what might happen along the way. Choosing to ignore such risk analysis could have serious implications however, leaving a significant dent in the council's finances and impacting public perceptions of its activities.

To optimise efficiency, “Project Managers require access to a ‘single source of truth’, seeking to establish a platform to facilitate this at the outset can significantly reduce many of the common risks that de-rail projects.

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Data visability Another area of project complexity that can lead to an increased risk of cost and time overruns is a lack of data visibility. The systems used on most projects are standalone, function or task-specific, with little or no cross-platform integration. This creates a fragmented picture and makes it harder to access and share reliable management data about cost variations or other changes that could have a bearing on the outcome of the project. This could result in one function believing the project is running on time and on budget and another foreseeing major hold-ups or cost discrepancies.

To optimise efficiency, Project Managers require access to a ‘single source of truth’, seeking to establish a platform to facilitate this at the outset can significantly reduce many of the common risks that de-rail projects.

Wider application of BIM or Building Information Modelling (BIM), which involves

the creation of a detailed digital description of every aspect of a building or project, should be utilised, where appropriate, to improve data management and visibility. The ability to integrate 3D models with time and cost data allows risks to be identified across the lifetime of the project. As well as helping to improve efficiency, access to reliable data informs and de-risks the planning process, project delivery and operations.

Time and cost considerations are intrinsically linked in construction. If a project is running to time, it is more likely to come in on budget and vice versa.

Whilst complexity is clearly a challenge for Project Managers, doing what they can to raise awareness of stakeholder and project governance-related risks and increase data visibility, can improve outcomes significantly.

www.equib.co.uk

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