Irish building The Business Magazine for Building Professionals
Issue 2 - 2014
Building Information Modelling NUI Galway Campus Development Focus IADT National Film School BCD Engineering - In Profile
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Contents Special Focus
INFORMATION 13 BUILDING MODELLING (BIM)
Building Information Modelling or (BIM) embeds key product and asset data within multi-dimensional computer models that can be used for effective management of information throughout the project lifecycle – from earliest inception through occupation. For our first in a series of BIM related features Irish Building speaks exclusively with established experts in the arena to discover how it can be applied across the building sector to improve efficiencies and create a new working environment.
IADT Film School Page 43
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News NEWS ROUND UP A round up of recent events and industry news stories including company, in brief & Editors comment.
Experts section LEGAL FILE Arthur Cox Solicitors - Second time lucky? second attempt by the legislature to introduce a new regime for compliance with Building Regulations. ENERGY JOBS The Job Creation Prospects of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Technologies. SURETY BONDS Protection Against Failure or Performance, with Colm McGrath.
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CITA Established in August 2010, the CITA BIM Group has become “the meetings place” for the discussion and development of BIM.
18 ARCDOX How adopting
and leveraging new technologies like BIM, has helped a small enterprise, to develop and grow, in one of the most difficult times.
firm for approximately 5 years. We look at the associated positive advantages.
BCD Engineering Page 49
IN THE WEST 33 BAM The industry leader talks about recent projects in the west including buildings at NUI Galway and for the HSE.
RHATIGAN & COMPANY 37 JJRhatigan’s have been providing construction services for over half a century, with several projects completed at the NUI Galway campus, we take a look at a range of these and some current on site works.
FILM SCHOOL 43 IADT Built by Collen Construction,
the building is home to some of the most technologically advanced specialist equipment in the country, we take a look inside and out.
49 BCD We look
at the ongoing success of Charleville based BCD Engineering in their journey to adapt and thrive in spite of harsh economic conditions.
Sovereign Security Limited talks about all things safety.
22 BAM 55 SAVILLS BAM Contractors were the first construction Angus Potterton, Managing Director of firm in the country to roll out BIM. We chat with Project Manager, Paul Brennan.
Clarke, director of Arup in Ireland discusses their utilisation of BIM and how he feels the industry can benefit from what it has to offer.
STATE 11 OPINION 26 PENN Penn State has The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland has forecast an increase in output of 30 % by 2018. Conor O’Donovan, MBA & Director of Policy & Communications discusses.
Features
TALLON WALKER SECURITY 20 SCOTT 54 SOVEREIGN STW Architects has been using BIM at the Fabian Doyle, Security Practitioner with
HOUSEBUILDING FINANCE 25 ARUP 10 NEW The BIM decision has been made, Sean AIB have re entered the residential development property market in a very structured manner, we look at the support in place for viable projects.
Contents
continually taken a leadership role in the implementation of BIM. Irish Building looks at their journey.
27 AUTODESK Autodesk is synonymous
with BIM. We chat with John Bennett, General Manager, Datech Ireland sole distributors for Autodesk products in Ireland.
28 TEKLA Tekla structural
software offers firms the opportunity to create highly detailed ‘as will be built’ 3D models, we take a look at the technology shaping change in the industry.
property consultants, Savills discusses The four pillars of a sustainable property market recovery.
PRODUCTS 56 NEW The best and the new featured.
Irish building The Business Magazine for Building Professionals
Marketing Director: Colin Walsh Features Editor: Cian Molloy Administration Manager: Noelette Walsh Cover Design & Production: DN Design All Enquiries Tel: 01 442 9264 colinwalsh@irishbuildingmagaine.ie www.irishbuildingmagazine.ie Subscription Rate: €65.00 RoI Irish Building Magazine is published by
SURVEYS 29 MURPHY With over 500 models completed to date,
National & International Publications Ltd 1 Windsor Mews, Summerhill Parade, Sandycove, Co. Dublin.
31 TOPCON Operating in Ireland since 1996, Topcon
The contents of this publication are subject to copyright laws and may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of the publishers. The views expressed in articles do not necessarily represent those of the publishers.
Murphy Surveys discuss their story and how they are delivering on BIM in Ireland.
provides positional equipment for construction and civil engineering firms. We look their products for BIM.
Printed by W&G Baird
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News Progress Confirmed on Intel’s €3.5billion ($5b) campus upgrade
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n Taoiseach, Tanaiste, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Intel President visit Leixlip to confirm the progress of Intel’s $5 billion campus upgrade, the largest private investment in the history of the Irish State. The company today released details on the scale of its investment at its Leixlip facility in Co Kildare, including a spend of $5bn investment on an ongoing construction upgrade, which is employing 5,000 additional workers. At this Leixlip site, the Irish management and employees have continued to grow their role in Intel’s worldwide business for over 25 years – winning new projects for Ireland and, in the process, developing some of the most advanced manufacturing facilities anywhere in the world. On the occasion of the company’s 25th anniversary in Ireland Intel and the Irish government today issued a joint statement. The Statement reads; Intel is proud of its longstanding productive and strategically important relationship with Ireland. The contributions of Intel’s Irish employees to the company are well known and appreciated throughout Intel. We are therefore pleased to provide an update on the ongoing construction upgrade project at the Intel campus in Leixlip. The project reflects a significant investment by Intel over the past three years starting with an initial $500 million investment announced in early 2011 and growing to a total of $5 billion invested in the upgrade project to date. This project is a demonstration of Intel’s continuing commitment to its European manufacturing base in Ireland and underpins the 4,500 existing jobs at the Leixlip campus. In addition, the project has created 5,000 additional indirect jobs in the planning and construction of the upgrade project. This investment brings the overall capital investment to a total of $12.5 billion invested in Intel Ireland over the past 25 years. As a result of this project the Intel Ireland site will become a high volume site for Intel’s latest leading edge manufacturing process beginning in 2015. The Irish Government is delighted to join with Intel on the occasion of their 25th anniversary to welcome the latest news of their ongoing upgrade project here in Leixlip. The investment to date of over $5.0 billion represents the largest private investment in the history of the Irish State. At a time of continuing high unemployment in Ireland, the creation of 5,000 additional, indirect jobs through the construction phase, along with the underpinning of the 4,500 existing jobs at the Leixlip facility is a huge boost not just to this region but to the entire Irish economy, and particularly to the construction sector. The Government would like to acknowledge the massive contribution of Intel to Ireland over the last 25 years, both in economic terms and in terms of raising the expectation for industrial
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development in Ireland. Speaking at a joint press event hosted at the Intel campus in Leixlip, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD said “I am delighted to join with Intel on the occasion of their 25th anniversary to welcome the latest news of their ongoing expansion here in Leixlip. “The expansion, which began in 2011 has resulted in an investment in Ireland totalling $5 billion to date and represents the largest private investment in Ireland in the history of the State. “The Government’s top priority is to get Ireland working and I welcome that this investment will sustain 5,000 additional, indirect jobs through the completion of the construction phase in 2015 while securing the 4,500 existing jobs at the Leixlip facility into the medium term. “At a time of continuing high unemployment, this is a huge boost not just to the Greater Dublin Area but to the entire Irish economy, and particularly to the construction sector. “I would like to acknowledge the massive contribution of Intel to Ireland, both in economic terms and for sending out a signal to the world of Ireland’s attractiveness as a place for big investment.” An Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore said “I would like to congratulate the management and staff of Intel Ireland on the announcement today of the $5 billion investment made in its operation in Leixlip. “This significant investment is not only a vote of confidence in the talent and the performance of the team here, but also in Ireland, in its recovery, and in its future. “As a Government, our number one priority is growing not just jobs, but good quality jobs, in our economy. “Intel’s investment, the 5,000 indirect construction jobs it has generated, and 4,500 existing jobs it secures, is a concrete and positive contribution to that objective.” The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said “Intel is a globally iconic name that has invested in Ireland for 25 years now and over those years it has become truly embedded in both our economy and our society which is confirmed by the fact that there are more Intel “alumni” working elsewhere in the Irish economy than are currently based in Kildare.” Intel President Renée James said “I would like to thank the Irish government for its outstanding business partnership with Intel over the past 25 years. The combination of the pro-business environment which the Irish government has created together with this investment of $5.0 billion in Intel Ireland have resulted in the creation of a technology campus in Leixlip that is now readying itself to produce some of our most advanced products”. Speaking at the event Eamonn Sinnott, General Manager of Intel in Ireland added, “With this latest investment in the Intel Ireland facilities, the cumulative capital investment by Intel in Ireland has risen to $12.5 billion. I am incredibly proud of all the Intel Ireland employees, who have shown great flexibility, capability and dedication to make this incredible achievement possible”.
Surveyors appeal to Government to increase resources for local authorities
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he Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), the largest representative body for construction professionals and estate agents, has reminded the public that new building regulations – contained in the Building Control Amendment Regulations 2013 – are now in force. The SCSI said that it was important that the public and people carrying out construction work were fully aware of the regulations and the need to comply with them on any work started after March 1st. Kevin Hollingsworth, Chair of the Building Surveying Professional Group of the SCSI said; “The new building regulations are an important step towards improving the standards of construction and ensuring safer homes for the public. The new regulations include mandatory certification by an Assigned Certifier such as a Registered Building Surveyor, Registered Architect or Chartered Engineer. “The new system will give a clear and auditable trail of responsibility for buildings which is good news for prospective home purchasers. The Society is also calling for the allocation of increased resources to local authorities for higher targeted inspection levels to ensure full compliance with the regulations” Hollingsworth said.
Tell us and we will tell everyone else!
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f your company is moving, shaking or you just cant keep your latest development to yourself, let us know and Irish Building Magazine will deliver your message to Ireland’s key decision makers in the building sector. With more than 21 years connecting our industry we are the number one choice for getting your message heard. To discuss how we can be of assistance please contact: Colin Walsh on 01 4429264 or email colinwalsh@irishbuildingmagazine.ie
€36m for school improvements announced
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he Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has today announced that 386 schools across every county in Ireland will be able to undertake school improvements this summer. Almost €36 million is being provided by the Department of Education and Skills under the first round of funding for the Summer Works Scheme 2014. The successful schools will receive money to improve and upgrade existing school buildings. This first round of funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works across three categories of projects – Gas, Electrical & Mechanical. A second round of the scheme is expected to be announced in coming weeks. This round will cover other types of improvement works, with applications still being assessed. Speaking at one of the schools who will receive funding, Ringsend College in Dublin, Minister Quinn said, “More than 98,000 students in primary and second level schools will benefit as a result of the funding we are making available today under the Summer Works Scheme for 2014. “Today’s announcement is part of this Government’s continued commitment to improve facilities in schools throughout the country. “These works will be carried out in schools over the summer months, when the pupils are on holidays, so the disruption to schooling will be kept to a minimum. “In this Year of Jobs, I and the Department are committed to doing everything we can to ensure
as many people as possible get back to work. These projects will stimulate economic activity by supporting 2,160 direct and 430 indirect construction jobs in the local economy,” Minister Quinn concluded. Schools can access further details and instructions on how to proceed on-line using the Esinet Portal. This year, almost €470 million will be invested in school building infrastructure under the school building and modernisation programme.
Digital Hub Property Development Worth €40m Announced
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he Liberties area of Dublin is set to benefit from an investment of over €40 million as a result of a new property development at The Digital Hub. The project, which is facilitated by the Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA), is expected to create up to 300 jobs in construction in the short-term, and will result in the creation of an additional 10,650 square feet of enterprise office space at The Digital Hub, as well as a housing development for 470 students on Bonham Street in Dublin 8. Minister Rabbitte said: ”The property investment announced today is excellent news, both for The Digital Hub and the wider Liberties, and I look forward to seeing the renewed energy that both young students and digital entrepreneurs will bring to the area. The Government’s Action Plan for Jobs asks for cross-cutting measures with the potential to have a significant impact on job creation, and this development does exactly that. It should come as no surprise that it is the Digital Hub that is behind a project that is startling in its innovation and efficiency.” “I sincerely congratulate the DHDA on negotiating this deal, which will revitalise the area. The 300 construction jobs and digital enterprises supported will contribute to the economic sustainability and the regeneration of The Liberties, one of the most iconic and historically important areas of Dublin.” Knightsbridge Student Housing Ltd. will invest substantially in this development, which will see the development of both the Grainstore building and high quality student accommodation. Edel Flynn, Chief Executive Officer of the DHDA,
said: “Currently, the Digital Hub campus has high occupancy, so it is great that new office space will be available soon to cater for the ongoing demand we experience for space from growing digital enterprises. The refurbishment will preserve the Grainstore building into the future and will provide digital companies with the opportunity to locate their office space in a unique setting. We look forward to welcoming more companies into our vibrant cluster of over 70 enterprises.” Commenting on the project, Bob Crompton, CEO of Knightsbridge, said: “Although we have a strong presence in four European markets, this development is our first entry into the Irish Higher Education Sector, so it is a really exciting move for us. Our aim is to provide high-quality, service-led student accommodation, and we believe Dublin 8 provides a perfect location for that. It makes good sense to locate student housing close to a project such as The Digital Hub, where growing enterprises are constantly on the lookout for new talent.”
News
Comment
Spring into action! With the evenings getting brighter there’s an optimism in the air that Spring brings every year. The same optimism is being felt in the construction industry. The end of the first quarter of 2014 saw a speeding up in the rate of growth within the sector; orders increased at the fastest pace so far this year and new jobs were created as workloads improved. The longer evenings will give construction firms an opportunity to reflect on productivity within their own business and take a look at how processes and traditional ways of working can evolve in order to take advantage of current opportunities in the sector. This month’s issue includes a comprehensive focus on BIM, the first in a series of articles we’ll be running over the next few months; you’ll find a series of interviews with leading industry figures on why and how they have implemented BIM, the benefits they’ve accrued so far from embracing the software and the future transformation of the sector as more companies realise the advantages of adopting BIM. Some of the people we spoke to are calling BIM a ‘revolution for the industry’, a model that has the capability of completely changing the way we construct our built environment. Recently, the CIF made reference to the various barriers obstructing housebuilding in Ireland such as lack of access to finance, high building prices and issues with planning permission. All these issues still exist, although some industry commentators would say these issues are improving, albeit at a slow pace. There might be little that firms can do to address these issues, but what construction companies can address right now is their IT offering and what technologies like BIM can do for their bottom line. Change is never easy and it’s particularly challenging for the construction industry but the benefits of embracing BIM can’t be stressed enough and over time we believe it will become a mainstream element of the sector.
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News John Mulcahy receives Gold Medal from Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland
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r. John Mulcahy, a Chartered Surveyor and former Board Member and Head of Asset Management of the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) has been awarded the Gold Medal by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI). The Gold Medal is given to recognise people who have contributed significantly to the property and construction sector in Ireland. In his Gold Medal address to over 120 Surveyors and industry professionals, Mr. Mulcahy urged the creation of an “early warning system” for risk levels in the economy and property markets. “one thing we lacked during the previous boom” he said “was sufficient information and transparent data
to provide an early warning system for risk levels in the economy and property market. We need to ensure that these early warnings systems are put in place to ensure that we can plan, provide for and predict demand and supply requirements in the property sector.” Mr. Mulcahy also noted that “there is an absence of real time quality information as to what is going on in the engines of the property and construction markets.” Mulcahy observed that “the whole information base ,we now have, seemed to be geared to those who seek a more leisurely and reflective look at the economy and economic history and less to business and citizens who have to make decisions in real time in the here and now.” Previous recipients of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland Gold Medal included Mr Michael Killeen, Managing Director of IDA Ireland, Justice Ronan Keane and Mr Peter Sutherland.
Planned €80 million investment in new manufacturing facility, supporting an expected 150 construction jobs
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thicon Biosurgery Ireland, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, plans to develop an €80 million state-of-the-art manufacturing facility providing approximately 270 jobs at the National Technology Park, Plassey, Limerick. Ethicon Biosurgery is a worldwide leader in hemostasis and sealing solutions. Recruitment is already underway for the positions which are expected to be filled over the next five years. It is anticipated that the 60,000 square foot facility will be completed by 2015 and that an additional 150 temporary jobs will be created during construction. The investment is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland. The new Limerick facility will manufacture EVARREST™ Sealant Matrix, a novel product that rapidly and reliably aids in stopping bleeding during surgery. Speaking at today’s
announcement, Dan Wildman, Worldwide President, Ethicon Biosurgery, said: “The decision to manufacture EVARREST™ Sealant Matrix in Ireland was due to the unique clustering of medical device manufacturing, automation and biomanufacturing skill sets across the Johnson & Johnson companies already operating in Ireland.” Mr. Wildman also paid tribute to the IDA and the Irish government for their assistance with the project. Minister Bruton, who met senior Johnson & Johnson executives and discussed this project as part of a recent IDA investment mission to the US, said: “Manufacturing is a central pillar of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, and we have put in place a series of measures to help reverse the decline in employment in this area in the past. I am delighted that Ethicon Biosurgery has chosen Limerick as the location for their new state-of-the-art facility”.
Bord na Móna turns on the lights with new landfill gas power plant
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ord na Móna today launched a new landfill-gas power plant that will generate enough electricity to power 8,500 homes. The resource recovery project will use landfill gas from the Drehid site, using a household waste byproduct to produce 5.6 megawatts of renewable power – enough to power 8,500 homes. Gabriel D’Arcy, CEO Bord na Móna, said “Bord na Móna has invested heavily in new and innovative ways of capitalising on all our resources to create further value and uses. Waste recovery fits neatly with our ‘Contract with Nature’ vision that looks to develop business operations that are sustainable environmentally and economically. This gas power plant is the result of a transformation in the way we look at spent materials, turning household waste into green energy that in turn helps create jobs and a sustainable electricity supply.” John Horgan, Chairman, Bord na Móna said “Our strategic intent is to continue to fully utilise our peatland resources to
Irish Building Magazine
create value in order to develop a portfolio of sustainable infrastructure in Ireland, to support customers’ requirements for renewable energy, water and resource recovery. Drehid is the cornerstone of Bord na Móna’s Resource Recovery business. It comprises of integrated waste management and provides collection, recovery, recycling, treatment, and disposal services. It trades as AES where it serves over 100,000 residential homes throughout the Midlands, South-East and Mid-West regions, as well as 5,000 commercial customers nationwide.” The resource recovery project created 25 jobs during the construction of the Gas Power Plant and a further 4 permanent positions will be maintained for the ongoing operation of the site. Bord na Móna has a proven track record of delivering sustainability and innovation in Ireland and this project expands the company’s portfolio of power generation including the extensive wind energy projects currently under development by Bord na Móna.
NUI Galway announces new industry-focused initiative for Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering degree programmes in response to growing demand from industry
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n a significant development for engineering education, following extensive consultation with industry partners, the NUI Galway College of Engineering and Informatics has announced that the duration of the Professional Experience Programme (PEP) for third year Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering students will be extended to 8 months in duration. Students will now undertake work-placement in leading local, national and international hightechnology companies, including medical device companies, from January to August, starting in 2015. The NUI Galway Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programmes have very strong links with industry, both nationally and internationally, and the decision to extend the duration of PEP was made in response to the growing demand from industry for longer work-placement, providing students with a broader range of industryrelevant skills and dramatically increasing their employability upon graduation. The demand was strongest from the medical device industry which is one of the cornerstones of the local and national Irish economy, and which employs large numbers of NUI Galway Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering graduates. The PEP work-placement has been an integral part of these degree programmes for over twenty years. Commonly, upon completion of the PEP workplacement, students will continue to collaborate with their PEP employer through the industry-led research performed in their fourth year project. Speaking about the announcement Prof. Gerry Lyons, Dean of the College of Engineering and Informatics at NUI Galway said “This is a very significant and positive development for engineering education at NUI Galway that will further increase the employability of our graduates, equipping them with critical industry-focused skills and experience so that they can make an immediate impact in the high-tech sector upon graduation.” Dr. John O’Dea, President of Engineers Ireland and former Chairman of the Irish Medical Devices Association commented “This is a very welcome development that is strongly supported by Engineers Ireland. This new industry-focused enhancement of the Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering degree programmes at NUI Galway will have far reaching positive implications in terms of graduate employability and continued development of the Irish high-tech engineering sector.” Engineers Ireland is the national professional body for engineers and engineering degree accreditation. The announcement was made at the Get SET (Science, Enterprise & Technology) Expo organised by the Career Development, which took place on March 4th in the Bailey Allen Hall, NUI Galway. Companies that are interested in finding out more information in relation to the PEP for Mechanical Engineering & Biomedical Engineering can contact Tom Fitzgerald, Placement Officer, Career Development Centre on 091 492909 or tom.fitzgerald@nuigalway.ie
News ESRI Report underlines needs to reduce barriers to house building The ESRI’s latest Quarterly Economic Commentary underlines the need for measures to reduce the barriers to house building, according to the Construction Industry Federation (CIF). The report highlights the need for 25,000 houses to be built in Ireland per year, but the CIF estimates only 10,000 units will be built in 2014. Speaking about the ESRI report, CIF Director General Tom Parlon said, “It’s positive that once more we are seeing the ESRI confirm that 25,000 houses need to be built in this country every year. Unfortunately we are a long way away from that figure. The past three years have seen successive record low levels of house building take place. The total number of units built dropped to only 8,301 houses and apartments last year and we don’t expect more than 10,000 units will be built this year. “There’s no question that more house building would take place in this country if builders could overcome the barriers that are currently blocking their progress. Builders want to build. But there are a large number of hurdles that are preventing that from happening.
Leading Wind Energy Manufacturer ENERCON Opens New European Sales Office in Dublin
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inister Pat Rabbitte TD officially opened ENERCON`s new European sales office in Santry, Dublin. ENERCON is Europe’s leading supplier for wind energy turbines onshore with the highest vertical integration in the wind industry. Minister Rabbitte was joined for the occasion by the ENERCON’s Head of Sales, Northern Europe, Robin Borgert. ENERCON’s Dublin team will have sole responsibility for sales, project management, electrical engineering, logistics coordination and site assessment in Ireland. ENERCON will have 22 people employed at their new office, with future growth expected. This investment is supported by Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland. “We believe in a decentralized service concept and providing all key services and contacts locally. And the office in Dublin allows us this close and direct contact to our local customers and business partners – in a great location with a highly motivated and qualified team. This is
due to the very good market development for wind energy, making ENERCON the largest organisation of all wind turbine suppliers in Ireland.” Robin Borgert, ENERCON Head of Sales Northern Europe. ENERCON is active in Ireland since 1998, with more than 640 MW and 350 turbines have been installed in Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is every 4th turbine installed on the island. ENERCON operates five service stations across the country, with 130 people currently working in the field of installation and servicing of wind turbines. ENERCON operates factories in eight countries and has more than 17,000 employees worldwide. Attending ENERCON’s official opening Minister Rabbitte stated “I very much welcome the opening of ENERCON’s new European Sales Office in Dublin today. This is tangible evidence of the economic and jobs benefits that can realised as Ireland transitions towards sustainable and secure indigenous energy generation.”
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Legal File
Second time lucky? The Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014. On 15 January 2014, the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (the “2014 Regulations”) were signed into law! Replacing the 2013 Regulations, the 2014 Regulations are the second attempt by the legislature to introduce a new regime for compliance with Building Regulations.
‘The “Assigned Certifier” and “Builder” will be tasked with confirming that the completed works comply with Building Regulations by executing the Completion Certificate and must also formally undertake to carry out this task at commencement stage’ Niav O’Higgins, Head of Construction & Engineering niav.ohiggins@arthurcox.com Mary Liz Mahony, Associate Construction & Engineering maryliz.mahony@arthurcox.com Arthur Cox, Earlsfort Centre Earlsfort Terrace Dublin 2 www.arthurcox.com t: +353 (0)1 618 0000
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he 2014 Regulations attempt to refine and clarify the changes introduced by the 2013 Regulations and address some of the more controversial elements of the earlier regulations. The 2014 Regulations became operative on 1 March 2014 and so it is imperative for affected parties (including building owners) to be aware of their new obligations. Application The full requirements of the Regulations will apply where a building owner is undertaking the following works: i. The design and construction of a new dwelling; ii. An extension to a dwelling greater than 40 square metres; or iii. Works to which Part III of the Building Control Regulations apply namely works which require a fire certificate, such as a material change of use. The Key Feature of the 2014 Regulations The 2014 Regulations retain the same structure as the 2013 Regulations by introducing a new form of commencement notice, together with the introduction of three new types of mandatory certificates, in prescribed form; 1. Certificate of Compliance (Design) (the “Design Certificate”) 2. Certificate of Compliance (Undertaking by Assigned Certifier) / Certificate of Compliance (Undertaking by Builder) (together, the “Undertakings”) and 3. Certificate of Compliance on Completion (the “Completion Certificate”). The 2014 Regulations require a continued focus on compliance with Building Regulations, from design stage to completion. Prior to the works commencing, the design of the works must be certified as complying with Building Regulations by the execution of the Design Certificate by the “Design Certifier”. The building owner will also nominate at commencement stage (through notices in prescribed form) an “Assigned Certifier” and a “Builder”. The “Assigned Certifier” and “Builder” will be tasked with confirming that the completed works comply with Building Regulations by executing the Completion Certificate and must also formally undertake to carry out this task at commencement stage. Code of Practice The 2014 Regulations are intended to work in tandem with a “Code of Practice for Inspecting and Certifying Buildings and
Mary Liz Mahony
Works” which will inform the Assigned Certifier, Builder, Design Certifier and other parties, how to manage their respective roles including the preparation of an inspection plan, carrying out inspections and ultimately certifying the works. The final approved version of the Code was made available at the end of the first week in February 2014. The Commencement Notice While the requirement to submit a Commencement Notice is not new, Article 9 now requires that a Commencement Notice in prescribed form be submitted with the following documentation: 1. such plans, calculations, specifications and particulars as are necessary to outline how the proposed works or building will comply with the requirements of the Second Schedule of the Building Regulations, including general arrangement drawings and a schedule of such plans, etc as are currently designed or as are to be prepared at a later date; 2. the Design Certificate; 3. the Notice of Assignment of Person to Inspect and Certify Works (Assigned Certifier) and Notice of Assignment of Builder; 4. The Undertakings (both of the Assigned Certifier and Builder); In addition, an online assessment regarding the proposed approach to compliance with the Regulations must be completed and a Preliminary Inspection Plan prepared by the Assigned Certifier submitted. Building Control Management System The Commencement Notice can now be submitted electronically on the online “Building Control Management System” or by hard copy. If documents are submitted in hard copy, the Building Control Authority will have the option of charging an administration fee.
Legal FIle
7 Day Notice The 2014 Regulations also make a number of amendments to the “7 Day Notice”. This is the form of Notice which is to be submitted where it is proposed to commence work before the grant of a fire safety certificate. In this regard, the 7 Day Notice essentially replaces the Commencement Notice and must be accompanied by the application for fire safety certification and the documentation supporting the fire safety application, as opposed to the fire safety certificate. The form of 7 Day Notice is set out in the third schedule to the 2014 Regulations, and must be accompanied by similar documentation, Notices and Certificates as required with a Commencement Notice. The Design Certificate This Certificate, to be completed by the Design Certifier (a registered architect, builder surveyor or chartered engineer) must be submitted with the Commencement Notice, and requires confirmation that the plans etc., included with the Commencement Notice demonstrate compliance with the applicable requirements of the Building Regulations, with the designer certifying that “having exercised reasonable skill care and diligence, that, having regard to the plans, calculations…which have been prepared by me and others and having relied on ancillary certificates and particulars…the proposed design for the building or works is in compliance with the requirements of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations”. The reference to “ancillary certificates” is notable, and reflects the fact that, owing to the different design disciplines that may have input into the overall design of a building, one building designer could not stand over the design without relying on others. While details in respect of the role of the ancillary certifier are absent from the main body of the 2014 Regulations, further guidance is contained in the Code of Practice. Inspection and Certification of the Works – Assigned Certifier The Assigned Certifier must also be a registered architect, building surveyor or chartered engineer and will be required to provide an undertaking, submitted with the Commencement Notice, to inter alia, “use reasonable skill, care and diligence, to
inspect the building or works and to coordinate the inspection works of others and to certify following the implementation of the inspection plan by myself and others, for compliance with the requirements of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations”. The same person must also execute Part B of the Completion Certificate confirming that “the inspection plan drawn up having regard to the Code of Practice…has been undertaken by the undersigned having exercised reasonable skill, care and diligence, and by others nominated therein, as appropriate, on the basis that all have exercised reasonable skill, care and diligence in certifying their work in the ancillary certificates scheduled… Based on the above, and relying on the ancillary certificates scheduled, I now certify, having exercised reasonable skill, care and diligence, that the building or works is in compliance…” Inspection and Certification of the Works – Builder The Builder will also be required to provide an undertaking, submitted with the Commencement Notice, identifying the works which he has been commissioned to undertake and confirming his own competence and those employed and engaged by him, to undertake such works. Further the Builder must also undertake to construct the works in accordance with the plans etc., submitted (or subsequently issued to him) and to cooperate with the inspections set out in the inspection plan prepared by the Assigned Certifier. The Builder must also execute Part A of the Completion Certificate certifying that, having exercised reasonable skill, care and diligence that the works as completed have been constructed in accordance with the design documents submitted and reliant on this, the works are in compliance with Building Regulations. The Undertaking and the Completion Certificate are specifically required to be signed by a “Principal or Director of a building company only” and both documents provide an entry for the Builder’s “Construction Industry Register Ireland registration number”. A new registry of builders has been set up in this regard (www.ciri.ie). The registry is voluntary at present but may become mandatory in the near future.
Completion As outlined above, the Completion Certificate, executed by both the Assigned Certifier and the Builder, must be submitted to the Building Control Authority. The Completion Certificate must be accompanied by (i) such plans etc., as are required to outline how the completed works differ from the plans submitted at commencement stage, (ii) such plans as are required to outline how the completed works comply with the Building Regulations and (iii) the Inspection Plan implemented by the Assigned Certifier. Works or buildings cannot be “opened, occupied or used” until the relevant particulars of the Certificate of Compliance on Completion are entered on a statutory register to be kept by the Building Control Authority. However, the 2014 Regulations provide that the Completion Certificate may refer to “works, buildings, including areas within a building, or developments, including phases thereof…”, indicating that works can be completed in stages if necessary. Conclusion The road to the 2014 Regulations has been a bumpy one, but it is imperative that parties start engaging with these new requirements and understanding their implications. The intention of the 2014 Regulations is to focus all parties on compliance with Building Regulations, from the inception of the works, by requiring the development of an inspection plan at the earliest stages and having all parties (including builders) formally acknowledge their respective roles, from day one. The 2014 Regulations will mean different things for different players in the industry. Building owners, for example, will need to consider how and when to make the new appointments to allow time to deliver the Commencement Notice and all its constituent parts. Those intending to act as certifiers (including ancillary certifiers) or builders must consider how these roles need to be carried out to ensure a smooth inspection process that is flexible enough to adapt to changes during the life of a project but one that follows the Code of Practice and allows the Completion Certificate to be signed in confidence. Regardless of the role taken, parties need to ensure that they are not left behind. r
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Irish Building Magazine
Energy Jobs
The Job Creation Prospects of Renewable a n d S u s t a i n a b l e E n e r g y Te c h n o l o g i e s A precise understanding on wider benefits arising from renewable and sustainable energy is important for decision makers whether European, National, regional or local. This article explores one such benefit identifying the jobs created by such technologies. Vincent Carragher, PJ McLoughlin & Paul Kenny, Tipperary Energy Agency.
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his review has encountered a mix of approaches creating an unclear picture of the benefits. This study aims to: (1) identify jobs potential (per energy unit generated or saved), (2) include all jobs created, and importantly for Ireland to (3) give relevance to job location and address the import imbalance wind technology places on Irish manufacturing jobs. One line of thought is to focus on the net job created discounting job losses in the fossil fuel industry. Such analysis is uncertain as it proves difficult to include the following effects: 1. Impacts of the current economic downturn. 2. Advances in mechanisation that decreases employment rates. 3. Fossil fuel extraction rates vary greatly across Nations. 4. Fossil fuel installations were largely subsidised publicly. 5. Energy research and development budgets for the fossil fuel industry have outweighed those of sustainable energy. 6. Mergers of national and multinational utility companies producing significant lay-offs.
Given our wish to produce robust analysis and limit uncertainty it was decided to assess gross employment figures. A number of definitions are required after which we will discuss this work. A job year means full time employment for one person for 1 year. A direct job is related to the installation, construction, operation and maintenance of plant and relevant works on site. An indirect job is related to the manufacture of the components of the installation (off site). Induced jobs are those created or supported by the spending of the workers with direct and indirect jobs. A comprehensive desk top review of academic and energy industry sources ranging from non-government organizations to universities, across Europe, North America and Canada has been conducted.
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Irish Building Magazine
Unfortunately few academic peer reviewed sources were found. This review was initially scoped to include 15 technologies appropriate to North Western European countries. These technologies were then reviewed by appropriately located European partners and revised to reflect the comments received. The table below reflects those revised technologies to which coal, nuclear, natural gas and carbon capture alternatives were added in order to provide fossil fuel benchmarks and comparison. In order to provide a comprehensive assessment it was decided to scope all potential jobs in this review incorporating direct, indirect and induced jobs. A study by Wei et al provided the main thrust of the approach adopted here Wei et al, 2010. Putting renewables and energy efficiency to work: How many jobs can the clean energy industry generate in the US? Energy Policy, 38, 919–931. In addition data from numerous other studies was evaluated increasing the reliability of the data (expressed in job years/GWh generated). Other researchers who surveyed the wind industry found that 59% of the direct jobs created were based in manufacture. This fraction was discounted from the jobs created as mentioned above. In general and excepting biomass, the majority of jobs created in these industries are in manufacturing and construction while those in the fossil fuel industry are in fuel processing and in operations and maintenance. On first analysis this appears to disadvantage the former but deployment of such technologies is likely to be staged and given technology lifetimes of 25 to 40 years cyclic development of such installations would prevent front loading of job opportunities. A short version of the resultant conversions is presented in the Table below, while a complete version can be found here. Table: Ranked job creation estimates (job-years/ GWh) for technologies Energy Technology
Average
Energy Technology
Average
Solar PV
1.62
Geothermal
0.40
Hydroelectric
1.44
Solar Thermal
0.40
Landfill Gas
1.29
Energy Efficiency
0.38
Offshore Wind
1.16
Carbon Capture & Storage 0.32
Offshore Wind (corrected)
0.96
Nuclear
0.25
Biomass
0.61
Coal
0.20
Wind
0.48
Natural Gas
0.20
Wind (corrected)
0.42
This study can support scenario analysis and assist policy makers in answering the employment consequences of renewable and sustainable energy investment. Such investment generates more jobs per unit energy than fossil fuel alternatives. Investment in Solar PV, for example, yields 8 times more jobs per unit energy than investment in gas. This employment
increase occurs mainly because:
1. Renewable energy production and sustainable energy technologies are more labour intensive, 2. And they require less imported technology.
This clearly points the way for countries with high solar exposure while waste treatment at landfill also offers substantial opportunity. Offshore wind farms and biomass offer strong job creation prospects. In general investing in biomass installations offers 50% more jobs than wind (0.42), solar thermal (0.40) and geothermal (0.40) installations. In preference to replacement of retired fossil fuel plants investment in energy efficiency upgrades would have strong economic impacts as they create 90% more jobs per unit of energy saved/produced. r A larger version of this paper can be located by emailing vcarragher@tea.ie or info@tea.ie. Appendix I A 228MW (35% capacity factor) wind installation creates 500 C&M jobs over 5 years (2,500 job-years) and 40 O&M jobs over 20 years (800 job-years) (Wei et al (2010, p923). Presuming the plant lifetime is 25 years: C&M: 2500/(228*25*0.35) = 1.25 jobs per MWa O&M: 800/(228*25*0.35) = 0.40 jobs per MWa Appendix II 1. Large scale Wind power (+50kW) 2. Small scale wind power (up to 50kW) 3. Tidal Power 4. Wave Power 5. Solar PV 6. Solar thermal 7. Hydroelectricity 8. Geothermal Heating 9. Biomass 10. Biogas 11. Biofuel 12. Domestic Retrofit 13. Deep Retrofit (Passive House standard perhaps) 15. Electric Vehicles
Surety Bonds
Surety Bonds Protection Against Failure or Non Performance
Surety bonds have been utilised for decades for government construction contracts and in other public works contexts. During the current economic climate and various government bailouts, you did not hear of such funds being utilised for uncompleted public works projects, that’s because taxpayers are protected against virtually all losses caused by contractor failure through the use of surety bonds.
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Colm McGrath. urety bonds companies provide the resources necessary to complete contracts in the event of default. Obtained by contractors from surety bond companies, surety bonds transfer the risk of failure or non-performance to the surety bond company. When a government entity awards a contract to the lowest bidder, it knows that the surety bond company stands behind the contractor’s promise to complete the job according to the owner’s specifications and terms of the contract. As more public agencies have tightening budgets, many have turned to private companies as third party vendors to support contracts for outsourced help as a means to save money. As the work being performed uses public funds such funds are at risk based on the merit of the third party contractor performing the work. Thus, most if not all public agencies have turned to surety bonds as a means of protection to safeguard tax payer money. With many of the surety providers moving to reduce their exposure or exiting the Irish market altogether and the reluctance of banks to provide bonds for contractors at just the time when twitchy employers are asking for the added security that a bond provides, such bonds are difficult to obtain. Capacity still an issue? There are some major external economic factors at play. The sector has contracted, balance sheets have followed suit affecting credit rating, Irish companies are feeling the pressure. Ireland Inc. has had a negative international image which has resulted in reduced ability of surety providers to lay off a portion of their risk onto the international reinsurance market. For many of those contractors left standing, the size of their requirement or their company is too small for the London markets. Bonding Capacity – A key business strategy? Most business owners would not know that every company in Ireland is listed on at least 10 credit rating agencies and 8 credit insurer databases. A company’s credit rating is their businesses’ most important calling card. If they do not meet sureties’ criteria, the meeting is over before it has even started. It is now time for contractors to stop seeing bonds as a commodity insurance product and realise it is a strategic financial product which is built on relationships, and when successful, has many advantages. Contractors who can obtain bonds have an immediate competitive advantage over other contractors.
What should contractors do? Firstly they must understand that if they are going to be assessed on an in-depth basis including their credit score, financials, experience, banking relationships etc , to be successful they will prepare for this examination. Take steps to do the following: • • • • • • •
Have your audited accounts completed early do not wait until September/October Keep up to date management accounts Improve your balance sheet, keep liquidity in the business Increase your share capital – may seem like a small thing to do but shows your vested interest Purchase credit insurance, you need to know you can get paid Engage with credit rating agencies to try to improve your score. Building relationships with surety providers, credit insurers and credit rating agencies must be seen as a priority and part of the overall businesses strategy
Once the above has been achieved it will be easier for contractors to maximise relationships with their clients and providers. Bond market will open up Although some of the larger surety providers have reduced their capacity we have seen new entrants to the market who are taking a more innovative approach in their risk assessment, they will not be the provider of last resort, or be there to provide solutions for overly distressed balance sheets but they will be a solution to companies who have or are in the process of tidying up their balance sheets. The days of 1%-3% rates are also gone, new entrants are going to look for an increased rate for taking on risk. Contractors who want to be ahead of the game should embrace the requirements of sureties, it will reap rewards in the medium to long term. r
When a government entity awards a contract to the lowest bidder, it knows that the surety bond company stands behind the contractor’s promise to complete the job according to the owner’s specifications and terms of the contract.
Colm McGrath, Managing Director, Surety Bonds An independent bonding intermediary. Surety Bonds, Insurance House, Main Street, Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim. T: 071 9623228 E: bonds@suretybonds.ie www. suretybonds.ie
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Irish Building Magazine
Finance
AIB supporting New Homes Development The banks, AIB inclusive, have been absent from the residential development market for a number of years as a result of legacy over exposure there has been very little residential development completed over these years in Ireland because of overbuild across the country. While there continues to be unfinished developments or ‘ghost estates’ around the country the demand for family homes is in the urban centres and not in these locations.
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Margaret Brennan, AIB Head of Sectoral Strategy & Sector Specialists
Irish Building Magazine
urrent population growth and demand would suggest that Ireland Inc should be producing 20k+ in new homes every year. However in the last few years the number of new homes built has been a lot less than that annually, c 7/8k which has led to family home shortages in Dublin and other urban centres. This in turn has led to rising house prices in certain parts of Dublin particularly and spirally rental costs across the urban centres. In an effort to support the construction and supply of new family homes in urban centres AIB launched a €350m New Homes Development Fund in ‘In an effort to support February of this year and are the construction currently actively working with developers on a number and supply of new of applications ranging in size from a 12 unit development to family homes in urban large multi year developments. centres AIB launched The majority of current finance requests are for the greater a €350m New Homes Dublin area but based on market intelligence we expect to see Development Fund demand from Cork, Galway and in February of this Limerick to support new build requirements in these locations year and are currently as demand grows. There was also little to no social actively working with housing development over the developers on a number last number of years and as a result there are now 100,000 of applications’ households on the Social Housing waiting lists and the number of homeless in Ireland is increasing as families are unable to afford the higher rents. AIB are also actively supporting Social Housing Projects across Ireland in an effort to alleviate these difficult issues as part of
our focus on supporting both new family homes development and the not for profit sector. AIB have re entered the residential development property market in a very structured manner and are focused on lending to experienced developers, in support of demand in urban centres and with the necessary specialist technical support to ensure we provide finance to viable projects. AIB clearly recognises the importance of the property sector to the Irish economy and more importantly residential property given it is key that family homes are provided for the growing population. In addition, the construction sector will also be a key provider of jobs to the Irish economy and the support of residential development should bolster construction activity and indeed jobs within the sector. It is also important to support growth in jobs market both from indigenous and foreign direct investment with the required housing needed i.e. if Ireland Inc does not provide the housing multinational companies may decide to base their operations elsewhere because we can’t house their employees in Ireland. In summary, the residential development market in Ireland is systemic to the Irish economy, providing jobs but also supporting jobs with housing! As well as putting a fund in place to support new homes development we have a specialist team within our Corporate Banking unit looking at larger deals >€10m deal size and we have teams based in Dublin, Cork and Galway looking at deals <€10m. r
Contact the AIB Team Members: Ray Lynch, Dublin: Phone: 087 2435905 Email: ray.w.lynch@aib.ie John Heapes, Galway: Phone: 086 3812554 Email: john.heapes@aib.ie Michael Hayes, Cork: Phone: 086 4658530 Email: michael.g.hayes@aib.ie Grainne Breen, Corporate Banking: Email: grainne.a.breen@aib.ie Lending criteria, terms and conditions apply. Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
SCSI
Construction Sector Output expected to grow by 30% by 2018
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he industry has contracted enormously from output levels of around € 34bn in 2007 to around € 8.8bn last year and the report suggests that there was a stabilisation in construction output for the first time in several years in 2013 and a modest increase in growth of around 5% is expected this year. However, while the growth figures may sound considerable, the volume of construction growth will still only reach 7.4% of projected GNP by 2018 –compared to the 12 per cent of GNP which represents a sustainable level of output according European standards. According to the report, which was written by Amárach Research in conjunction with the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), the return to growth will be driven by the private commercial and residential sectors. According to the report the number of residential units completed in 2013 was 8,301 (in 2006 it was 89,000) which is substantially below the numbers required according to the ESRI. They estimate that between 10,000 and 12,000 new houses are needed this year and next and after that between 20,000 and 25,000 will be needed per annum. A recent report by the Housing Agency also suggests that 80,000 units will be required in urban areas over the next 5 years. Almost a third of the SCSI members surveyed as part of the report said that the availability of finance for both developers and buyers is the primary challenge facing the residential construction sector over the next three years. Property prices in Dublin grew by 15.7% in 2013 and there are concerns that this level of price inflation, while coming from a low base, could become unsustainable if it continues at the same rate. Development levies, zoning and density requirements were all seen as barriers to development which must be overcome to ensure growth in industry output. Furthermore, the employment and skills shortages which will and are arising out of the recovery need to be addressed at a national level, according to the survey respondents. In terms of commercial construction, investment in the Irish commercial property market grew to almost € 2bn in 2013 three times higher than 2012. The growth was driven by the office market due to increased Foreign Direct Investment and strong take up levels by technology companies. The lack of supply in City Centres is a key challenge and falling vacancy rates – down to 9% in central Dublin - have led to rent increases of up to 10 per cent in the first three months of the year.
A new report on the Construction Sector published by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), has forecast an increase in output of 30 per cent by 2018. The expansion could lead to the creation of just over 30,000 construction jobs which will bring total employment in the sector to 178,000, if barriers to development can be overcome. However the rise in rents is bringing construction projects closer to viability and according to SCSI members, more controlled speculative development is needed to ensure that large multinationals coming to Ireland can source suitable accommodation rather than waiting the 24-36 months needed for construction. Thirty seven per cent of surveyors said the key challenge was the availability of finance. They also suggested that the planning timeframes are too long and a fast track planning process should be put in place for developments with high potential job creation opportunities. The Public Capital Programme, which has accounted for close to 50% of the construction industry output in the recent past, has been hit hardest by fiscal retrenchment with Government spending on capital programmes declining from € 9bn in 2008 to € 3.4bn in 2013. This means that the Programme is back at 1999 levels. Not surprisingly over a third of respondents to the survey cited the lack of government funding/investment as the main challenge facing the social infrastructure sector (health and education) over the next three years due to fiscal constraints. The report also noted that tender prices fell by 33% from peak, but now appear to have stabilised and have begun to show an increase of around 3% per annum according to the latest SCSI Construction Tender Price Index. The SCSI also called for greater governance in the sector as recommended in the Forfas Report on the Construction Sector and called for the appointment of a Chief Construction Advisor to Government to ensure that there is greater co-ordination around policies and to return the construction sector back to sustainable levels. r
‘The Public Capital Programme, which has accounted for close to 50% of the construction industry output in the recent past, has been hit hardest by fiscal retrenchment with Government spending on capital programmes declining from € 9bn in 2008 to € 3.4bn in 2013. This means that the Programme is back at 1999 levels.’
Conor O’Donovan, MBA, is Director of Policy & Communications with the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) www.scsi.ie
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Irish Building Magazine
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Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Boom Bang BIM I
t’s about moving away from traditional industry practices, of producing multiple and independent paper-based documents (2D drawings, schedules, specifications, bills of quantities and reports), that describe what a building is, how it is to be constructed and operated, towards creating “virtual buildings”. Its also about using technology to improve the workflows, communication and processes, in an industry that is traditionally very fragmented and BIM does this by producing, managing and exchanging information in better ways. BIM is considered by many in the industry as a massive improvement to the way architects, contractors and fabricators have worked up until relatively recently. Clash-free design, consistent drawing sets and second to none visualisations of the building during design, fabrication and erection aren’t even the most impressive facets of BIM, they’re just standard elements of it. Design can be explored, communicated, reviewed and resolved in this virtual 3D environment, before committing expensive labour and material to the real-life project on site. This reduces waste, eliminates abortive re-work and duplication of effort. It also prevents delays, cost overruns, adversarial administration and disputes. By being able to quickly change and analyse multiple iterations of these models, designers can find optimal solutions that will improve the construction, performance and running costs of buildings. BIM has been termed by some as a “disruptive software”, ie an evolutionary technology that will transform many aspects of the AEC industry. It means firms who employ BIM must re-think how they operate, the processes they use and their methods of production so that they optimise the software. BIM means more intelligent buildings, it means a faster more efficient construction period and it means a cheaper build thanks to faster procurement and greater use of fabricated components. BIM also demands closer forms of collaboration between teams, right from the project planning stage; to give
BIM isn’t just a fancy 3D CAD model. The latter has been around for quite a while and in most cases represents just the visual aspects of a building. BIM is much more; it’s about creating a model of the project that actually represents its physical characteristics, its performance, the way it’ll be built and anything else of use to the teams involved in designing, building and operating it. an example, in BIM, information must be added by the party creating the model before the receiving party can see it. An architect might add doors to the design model before the fire strategy is developed. She won’t know the fire rating and so doesn’t include it in the model. When the cost planners receive the model, there won’t be any information on fire rating the doors, which in turn could affect the costs. The benefits of BIM adoption depend on all parties being able to engage and collaborate in a well-informed way and be completely
‘BIM has been termed by some as a “disruptive software”, ie an evolutionary technology that will transform many aspects of the AEC industry’
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Irish Building Magazine
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BIM
Michael Hand, CEO, GGDA.
transparent from the off. It might operate through technology but BIM is really all about people and processes. People need to make choices about how they’ll use the technology and they must look and review the way they used to go about doing things. The benefits are clear but for the adoption of BIM in Ireland to move on, the process needs leadership. DIT lecturer and one of the founding directors of the Construction IT Alliance (CITA), Dr Alan Hore believes it’s difficult for the government to promote BIM and prioritise a sector which was seen as one of the main culprits of the economy’s demise. “We also have many other competing issues in the industry. For example we have a requirement for registration of builders, we have the Construction Contracts Act, we have Building Control Regulations changing. So all these competing issues are preoccupying the various authorities. It’s hard to see how BIM would fit into that.” What we need, says Alan, is patience but also for the industry and various governing bodies to realise that there’s an inevitability about BIM. “If our closest neighbours are going to mandate BIM, it looks like it’s going to be an option for other European members to mandate it in the EU. There’s an inevitability that Ireland will have to follow.”Enterprise Ireland are pushing the message that if you’re an early adopter of BIM, it will help you win more business. According to Stephen Hughes, Manager of Construction Services at Enterprise Ireland: “Technology is something that isn’t necessarily part of the sector. I feel though that it is beginning to gain momentum and that it will ultimately permeate across all levels and all stages of the supply chain. It’s important that the public sector recognises the importance that BIM can bring. They should take a strong position, just like they’ve taken in the UK. I think that would be immensely beneficial to our own economy and to our companies who are internationalising that they have that capability.” Through its regional and Dublin meetings, CITA is also stressing to delegates that employing BIM will make them more competitive and much more attractive to procurement bodies. “Don’t wait until it’s mandated because then it’s too late. People who have been working on BIM for the last five years are going to be in a stronger position to bid for the work ahead of you because they’re already fully upskilled. You can’t just go on a three day training course and suddenly say I’m doing BIM, it’s a steep learning curve but the pay-off is worth it.”
The advantages of Dr. Alan Hore, DIT. employing BIM are currently being felt on the Grangegorman project, a massive undertaking that will see the relocation of Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) and associated facilities to the Dublin 7 site. Due to the significant coordination that would be required at the site, it was decided early on that the project required 3D coordination modelling. Michael Hand is the Chief Executive Officer at Grangegorman Development Agency. “Traditional design has really been about design in the built phase. It doesn’t capture the whole cost issue. The real benefit of BIM is in setting a platform that will manage future running costs. It’s a bigger investment upfront but it gives a new leverage to the birth cert of the building, essentially you get a building with a total management package.” In terms of BIM, the project is at an early stage. “We only started working here two years ago. Initially we didn’t have a BIM capability but now that those capabilities are coming onto the market, we’re persuaded of the benefits.” Consultations with international campuses in the USA and also in Slovenia have also allowed the GGDA see for themselves the real advantages of embracing BIM. According to Michael, BIM is now where Autocad was 20 years ago. “The industry now has to move from Autocad to
‘“If our closest neighbours are going to mandate BIM, it looks like it’s going to be an option for other European members to mandate it in the EU.’ Dr. Alan Hore, DIT.
BIM. I think the recession in its own way will actually help; the construction industry will be required by governments and private operators to become more efficient. Also, sustainability requirements for new buildings requires us to look at the whole life costs. Both drivers make BIM a reality going forward.” Not only does BIM have the capability to increase a firm’s profitability but it also has the potential to revolutionise the industry and create efficiencies right across the board. Paul Brennan, project manager at BAM Contractors: “Site engineers and health and safety officers will be able to spend 60 - 70% of their time on site rather than in the office doing paperwork. Everything can be done on the go now. You can take software to site on a tablet, you can do augmented reality down there. If you have concrete walls up on site, you can turn on your mech & elec model and see where the openings need to be for the services. The possibilities are endless.” The UK government has mandated that central government projects must achieve Level 2 BIM by 2016. Although no such mandate exists in Ireland, the fact that so many Irish firms do business across the water means there’s a necessity to ensure BIM implementation. According to Ralph Montague,
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Irish Building Magazine
BIM Stephen Hughes, Enterprise Ireland
architect and managing partner at ArcDox, it might be mandated in Ireland in time but there are already government projects in Ireland where there is a requirement to use BIM. “BIM is coming into Ireland in a softer way than the UK, which has problems in itself; every project team is making up their own rules. In the UK they’ve developed one standard so there’s one way of doing it. What we’re doing in CITA is encouraging people to pick up the UK standards, there’s no point in reinventing the wheel.” For the industry to fully embrace BIM, it needs the demand side of the house to “stand up and say we see it as an opportunity to do two things,” says Stephen Hughes, Enterprise Ireland. “First, to save money and also to improve performances of companies. The demand side of the house falls into two categories, public procurement and private sector. It has been adopted by the private sector, it needs to be more prevalent within the public sector.” The financial outlay associated with BIM is one that comes up time and again. This, says Ralph Montague, is a misunderstanding on the part of firms. “I think the lack of adoption actually comes down to lack of understanding on what BIM will do for their business. You have to invest in technology and training and you need to take time to learn something new. People don’t realise BIM will give them enormous productivity gain which will in turn lower their operating costs and increase their potential profits.” The conversation about BIM must move forward; the time for debating the pros and cons of whether we or not we should embrace BIM is over according to Sean Clarke, director at Arup Ireland. “The industry has made a determined effort and decision to use BIM as the primary method for delivering design and construction. I would like the debate to
move on and focus instead on how we maximise the benefits that BIM can bring. Let’s see how we can do it in the best possible way.” Dr Alan Hore agrees and says there needs to be a coming together in the industry of appropriately qualified people to lead the initiative. “We badly need a roadmap for BIM. All the stakeholders, senior figures within government, industry, and academia who know that BIM could do for the industry need to come together and make it happen. Once they do, we will have a much leaner, more efficient sector. We need to look at what the UK has done and learn from that. This could be an opportunity to put Ireland on the map and position us as an innovator and a user of smart technology.” Change is always a challenge and particularly so for a traditionally conservative sector like construction. Michael Earley, technical architect and software developer at Scott Tallon Walker Architects sees BIM leading to more collaboration between design teams but the old attitude of “but this is how it’s always been done” crops up now and again. “There’s no doubt that the software is very good but changing ingrained work practices is always going to be a challenge and I think the industry is struggling to make that change. Certain companies and individuals are doing it very well but on the whole, I think it’s a transition that will take time.” Michael believes that if we don’t get on board with BIM, it will turn into yet another level of bureaucracy that must be navigated. On top of that, “What’s starting to happen in the UK is firms are starting to find it difficult to get work without BIM. The next phase will be a situation where you’ll be asked how many projects have you done in BIM and after that it will be how many projects in a selected sector e.g. healthcare that were completed including examples. I think a lot of what’s being done in the
Ralph Montague, ArcDox.
UK will ultimately become the standard here.” Construction is the world’s most wasteful industry; it’s the largest consumer of global resources, raw materials and global energy supplies. It creates the largest amount of global solid waste and it’s responsible for around 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. The implementation of BIM will help to counter this; it will radically alter how the industry operates. The future of architecture and the construction industry is digital; of this there can be no doubt and BIM is the future of design and long term facility management. BIM provides the potential for a virtual information model to be handed from the design team (architects, surveyors, consulting engineers, and others) to contractor and subcontractors and then to the owner, each adding their own additional discipline-specific knowledge and tracking of changes to the single model. The result greatly reduces information losses in transfer, makes buildings work and helps build better value constructions. By signalling conflict detection BIM prevents errors creeping in at the various stages of development/construction, because the model actually informs the team about parts of the design which are in conflict or clashing. BIM also offers detailed computer visualisation of each part and assembly in relation to the total building. Confusion around the technology is being alleviated by the likes of CITA, DIT, Enterprise Ireland and ArcDox and by firms like Arup, Scott Tallon Walker, BAM Contractors and others who are striving to utilise BIM across all of their projects, both at home and abroad. BIM is a new technology in an industry that’s typically slow to adopt change, but this change is happening and there’s no doubt that BIM will play a crucial future role in building design and documentation. Check in with us next issue for more BIM stories. r
BIM - CITA
CITA - Delivering a national BIM awareness programme Formed in 2001, the Construction IT Alliance (CITA) was set up to increase the extent of IT knowledge within the traditionally technology shy construction sector and to encourage industry professionals to take advantage of current and emerging information and communication technologies.
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lan Hore of DIT and Ken Thomas of WIT are behind the organisation which is on a crusade to promote the take-up of BIM and ensure firms know just how valuable it could be to their business. CITA is currently rolling out a series of regional events which will educate and inform on the topic of BIM; each event includes a local architect, engineer, contractor or QS who are already using BIM and can speak from experience on the advantages of implementing the software. Suzanne Purcell is the CITA General Manager and is responsible for organising the Regional and Dublin BIM information events. “In November last year we hosted the CITA BIM Gathering, a two day conference with about 60 presentations in total including international presenters. We had industry chairs from the likes of OPW, RIAI, CIF, Enterprise Ireland and quite a few of the academic institutions like Trinity, DIT and WIT. We also had the NDFA so it was very well supported by the sector.” Back in 2010, presentations were by vendors and were focused on specific software; in 2011 the organisation started doing more client and industry based presentations. Architect and managing partner at ArcDox, Ralph Montague works as a consultant for CITA and assists Suzanne each month in choosing speakers and topics for each meeting. He also speaks at the events, taking about the reasons why companies should be adopting BIM and outlining a roadmap for delegates to get them started. Already, CITA has been to four regions (Waterford, Cork Athlone and Galway) and the interest has been encouraging. “We try and link each regional event with an IT college. The reason for that is really to get the buy-in from undergraduate students who in fairness, are very interested. They’re the ones who are driving BIM through the colleges and they want it brought into all the undergrad programmes. Tied up with this is trying to get the lecturers on board and getting them to a level where they can train they students.” Interest from the sector has been positive. “They are definitely interested in adopting BIM but the biggest barrier for them is cost; there’s no doubt that there’s an upfront cost involved. But when you spread that out over a year of doing a project, it’s going to speed up your work, make it more efficient so in the long run it’s actually going to be cheaper than if you weren’t using BIM.” People who previously showed no interest in BIM are now attending the regional and Dublin events. A nominal charge of
CITA BIM Gathering €25 plus VAT is required to attend each event unless you’re a ‘In November last year member of CITA; if you’re a member, you can attend 16 events we hosted the CITA BIM free of charge. Architects and engineers are, according to Suzanne, more open Gathering, a two day to the adoption of BIM. “With quantity surveyors, I don’t think conference with about we’ll see an uptake there until it’s mandated from the government. 60 presentations in total There’s also an issue in relation to ownership – there are a lot of including international questions about BIM and who owns the model. Who’s going to presenters. We had be in charge of the model? If an architect designs the model and industry chairs from builds it and then the engineer inputs their data, who will hold up their hands if there’s a mistake when the contractor comes the likes of OPW, RIAI, to build it? At the events, Ralph always makes a point of saying CIF, Enterprise Ireland that just because a model has been passed on, the same rules of and quite a few of the professionalism still apply. Regardless of whether BIM has been academic institutions like used or not, each team needs to be able to stand over their work.” Trinity, DIT and WIT’ BIM isn’t mandated in Ireland but Suzanne stresses this shouldn’t discourage construction professionals from adopting Suzanne Purcell, CITA, General Manager the process. “Don’t wait until it’s mandated because then it’s too late. People who have been working on BIM for the last five years are going to be in a stronger position to bid for the work ahead of you because they’re already fully upskilled. You can’t just go on a three day training course and suddenly say I’m doing BIM, it’s a steep learning curve but the pay-off is worth it.” If a firm is interested in BIM, their first port of call should be the CITA website. “We have a huge archive of info. You can become an associate member of CITA for €50 plus VAT and gain access to all our presentations from the past four years. That really is the best place to start off and increase your knowledge.” r
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Irish Building Magazine
Punching Above their Weight – The Story of ArcDox How adopting and leveraging new technologies like Building Information Modelling, has helped a small enterprise in construction, to develop and grow, in one of the industries most challenging times.
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his is not a story to simple highlight a particular company, but a story to encourage other SME’s (small medium enterprises) in the construction industry, to show how adopting new processes and digital technologies like BIM (Building Information Modelling), can help companies be more efficient, more productive, more innovative, to deliver better products and services into a global market - a market that is crying out for change and improvement. Over 90% of companies involved in construction in Ireland are less than 20 people (SME’s). The challenge created by this level of fragmentation, is in “information flow and control” for business transactions, profoundly affecting efficiency, productivity, and outcomes. But digital technologies and processes, like BIM, are addressing that challenge, allowing SME’s to collaborate in a much better way, to compete with bigger players. The competitive advantage of SME’s, is that they generally have a lower cost-base, and are agile enough to adapt to change very quickly, setting up quick collaborative efforts to get big tasks completed. And change is happening, at an ever increasing pace. The construction industry worldwide is moving from an outdated paper-based systems, to digital data systems. SME’s have a unique opportunity, to leverage this change. As Darwin said, “…it is not the strongest (biggest) or the most intelligent of the species that survives, but the one most responsive to change”. We all know the last 5 years have been some of the most difficult for anyone in the construction industry, but this example, illustrates how one SME in the construction sector, leveraged this emerging change in practice in construction, develop a thriving business in this difficult time. Architect Ralph Montague and business partner Pat Slattery, both have over 20 years’ experience in architecture and project management, previously working at associate and project leader level in a large commercial practice when the “bust” hit the construction sector Ireland. But driven by their passion and belief, that emerging technologies and worldwide trends toward digitizing construction and working in BIM, would help drive improvements in design and construction, and be increasingly demanded by clients, the pair set up a specialist consultancy practice to provide expert advice, production resources, support and training, to people, companies and project teams ArcDox: Architect Ralph Montague & business partner Pat Slattery who want to
‘BIM can help companies be more efficient, more productive, more innovative, to deliver better products and services into a global market - a market that is crying out for change and improvement’
Ralph Montague, ArcDox. implement BIM. Over the last 5 years, this start-up company, has grown from the 2 founding partners to a company that now employs 10 experts in BIM (Building Information Modelling), and are established as the leaders in this area in Ireland. “We firmly believe that our industry in Ireland should strive to be world-class in implementing better ways of designing and constructing buildings through BIM and related technologies” says managing partner Ralph Montague. “As an industry, we are behind other markets at the moment, but we are small and agile enough to adopt and adapt lessons learned from others very quickly, and with some joined-up thinking and effort, we can attract international business and boost economic activity in the sector – something we all desperately want. ArcDox was established to help people and companies, to implement a more effective way of working, by bringing our experience in this area to bear on business and projects”. With financial support from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Enterprise Board and Bank of Ireland, and the enthusiastic commitment from staff, ArcDox set up their business in Sandyford, Dublin and have worked on over 50 projects over this period, that have incorporated BIM, and have trained over 500 people in the use of some of the BIM software tools available. “Having the skill and capability in this area has allowed a small company like ours to be involved with some of the biggest companies and most
BIM - ArcDox
prestigious projects in Ireland, punching above our weight in this competitive market”, says partner Pat Slattery. Ralph Montague is the chair of the RIAI (Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland) practice committee for BIM, and coordinator of a broader industry representative group, established under the Construction IT Alliance (CITA), who are in turn supported by Enterprise Ireland and Skillnet, set as a “neutral meeting place” to investigate and promote the adoption of BIM in a consistent way. The CITA BIM Group now has over 20 key stakeholder organisations officially represented, and over 4000 construction professionals on their LinkedIn group. Driven by a conviction that BIM, as a process, is all about improving collaboration and interaction with all stakeholders on projects, this group has hosted monthly breakfast workshops, annual conferences, and training events, with inputs from highly respected international speakers, over the last 3 years, to bring the construction industry the information and advice they need, to understand and adopt BIM. This has developed into an invaluable resource of information, available to individuals and companies who are members of CITA. It is the groups belief, that those who have the skill, knowledge and capability, to deliver and manage projects, in a far better, and far more sophisticated way, using BIM and related digital technologies, will be more competitive, more innovative, and able to leverage off-site, lean and green construction, to improve cost, value and carbon performance on local projects, and also attract business from clients on international projects. “The threat to
our industry, if we don’t change”, says Ralph Montague, “is that we will not only become outdated and irrelevant to international competitors, but that our industry will begin to lose local projects to outside firms, who have become more efficient and competitive through BIM, From an SME’s point of view, the ability to quickly and easily connect information flows and controls, to collaborate with others and form temporary teams that have the capacity to deliver large items of work, will provide the advantage required to compete in this market”. The growing success of a company like ArcDox, is a great example of how the adoption of leading edge technologies and processes can help small and medium enterprises to collaborate in a far better way and develop innovative business opportunities. An example of how close collaboration with the industry institutes and organisations, and using available support mechanisms from government, has not only helped a new business to grow, in difficult times, but has in turn provided expert advice and support back to our industry and professions. Anyone who is adopting BIM in Ireland is certainly aware of the contribution and impact that ArcDox has made, to help inform and transform the industry, and Irish Building congratulates ArcDox for reaching this 5 year milestone, particularly through these past difficult years. We wish them all the best for the future. r
‘The growing success of a company like ArcDox, is a great example of how the adoption of leading edge technologies and processes can help small and medium enterprises to collaborate in a far better way and develop innovative business opportunities’ 19
Irish Building Magazine
Scott Tallon Walker
A Model Design
“BIM has made construction a more collaborative process. The whole team has to sit down together again and examine the way we’re working.” Michael Earley, technical architect and software developer at Scott Tallon Walker Architects has been using BIM at the firm for approximately five years.
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he UK government mandate on BIM and the fact that the firm has an office in London led to the strategic decision of implementing the software across the board. “We saw it as a potential opportunity of securing more work in the UK, especially with the downturn in Ireland. Having BIM is a way of getting into markets that wouldn’t necessarily have been open to us without it.” It’s a decision that’s paying off for the firm; at the end of March 2014, a planning application for Phase 4 at University College London Hospitals was approved by Camden Council planners. The scheme is a flagship BIM Level 2 project and includes cutting-edge Proton Beam Therapy treatment for cancer patients, which will be provided below ground in a state-of-the-art facility in central London. Work is also ongoing on a Low Containment CL2 Research Facility at Pirbright Institute, a 5G Research Centre at the University of Surrey and in Ireland, the Business and Innovation Hub at Trinity College Dublin and the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast. Adopting and implementing BIM has opened doors for the firm and led to new work but change is never easy. “There’s no doubt that the software is very good but changing ingrained work practices is always going to be a challenge and I think the industry is struggling to make that change. Certain companies and individuals are doing it very well but on the whole, I think it’s a transition that will take time.” One example Michael cites is how the software requires the QS to cost elements from the model. “Previously the architect wouldn’t have engaged with the QS in how he carried out the task of quantifying and costing from drawings, he would have only come to us if there were errors, omissions or clarifications with our drawings and more often recently to engage in the value engineering process. So now we really have to go back to the drawing board. On top of that, quantity surveyors have different pieces of software and in principal, they’re all meant to work in mostly the same way but there are always little differences that we have to deal with. We can’t assume any longer that we can just deliver information and everything will be grand.” The initial financial outlay of purchasing BIM and upskilling staff is without a doubt a consideration for firms, although the benefits to be recouped long term can’t be overstressed. Many companies opt for BIM on a yearly subscription basis. “We find it’s probably a third more expensive than AutoCAD. Getting the skills and training is actually more expensive as an upfront cost. BIM requires a lot of upskilling; there’s using it and then there’s using it well.” A significant number of larger architectural practices in Ireland are
‘The initial financial outlay of purchasing BIM and upskilling staff is without a doubt a consideration for firms, although the benefits to be recouped long term can’t be overstressed’
Michael Earley, Technical Architect and Software Developer at STW
already using BIM, but how useful is it to smaller practices? “I’m not convinced it will make a big difference in the daily lives of small practices. From my experience, it’s extremely useful for medium to large sized projects where you’re sharing large complex models and you have efficiencies of being able to look at that and produce better
BIM- Scott Tallon Walker
information.” Where the benefit may come for smaller clients, according to Michael, is in projects like schools. “In the UK there’s a standardised system developed by the NHS for briefing and tendering furniture, fixtures and equipment in hospitals. Items such as beds, mattresses, chairs, bins, etc. right down to the sockets on the walls have been developed as a database of components which can be included in a BIM model providing a combination of 3D and data. A similar model could be applied to government funded buildings, so where the government wants to build ‘another one of something else’ like for example schools, there could be benefits there but it will take a bit of joined up thinking from departments to do that.” It may not be mandated here but according to Michael, a significant number of Irish clients are showing interest in BIM. With the UK on a two year deadline to ensure all centrally procured projects achieve Level 2 BIM by 2016, the Irish industry will be keeping a watchful eye on progress. “What’s starting to happen in the UK is firms are starting to find it difficult to get work without BIM.
The next phase will be a situation where you’ll be asked how many projects have you done in BIM and after that it will be how many projects in a selected sector e.g. healthcare that were completed including examples. I think that if we don’t get with BIM, it’s just going to end up being another layer of bureaucracy on top of the old systems we have. It’ll be important to see how the UK government deals with it. Whatever change happens it’ll have to be a step forward.” One of the things BIM does extremely well is that it produces a digital model which, if properly managed over the whole lifecycle of a project, can result in the client essentially being handed over a complete digital building. In the UK, firms are mandated under BIM Level 2 to produce Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) information. This data format helps capture and record important project data at the point of origin, including equipment lists, product data sheets, warranties, spare parts lists, and preventive maintenance schedules. “It’s hugely rich in data, it’s basically equivalent to the big data concept they’re talking about in the IT industry. It’s a lot of very good information and there’s currently a lot of talk from clients on how do we use that straight away so it doesn’t degrade or get old.” The effect that the UK BIM mandate will have in Ireland is of particular interest to Michael. “I think a lot of what’s being done in the UK will become the standard
here. I’m involved in a committee in the RIAI where we’ve been looking at the standards in Ireland. We started to develop our own and then we realised we’re not going to keep up with the British standards which are changing and evolving at the moment. We’re now working on producing a set of guidance documents saying this is how we interpret British standards. There are roles and responsibilities in the UK that don’t exist here and these documents offer guidance on how to deal with that.” One of these roles is that of the “information manager”, the person who’s charged with ensuring the rest of the design team deliver the information needed for the BIM model at various points in the project. The information manager is also responsible for ongoing coordination between the teams. “For the first time you’ve got a person who’s responsible for both the delivery of the information and the quality of information delivered to the client. It’s certainly leading to more collaboration but the old attitude of ‘but this is how we’ve always done it’ does come up. The construction industry is traditional in many senses, people don’t want to change. It’s happening slowly, but it is happening.” r
‘One of the things BIM does extremely well is that it produces a digital model which, if properly managed over the whole lifecycle of a project, can result in the client essentially being handed over a complete digital building’
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Irish Building Magazine
BAM Contractors - BIM Vanguard
‘The implementation of BIM at BAM Contractors has created a more efficient and faster estimating department, decisions are made quicker, better quality designs are created’
BAM Contractors were the first construction firm in the country to roll out BIM across their projects on a large level. Now at full scale BIM, the firm is as close to paperless as it can get and not just through its use of software. Only some meetings are held face to face; video or web conferencing is employed extensively.
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echnology is being used across the board to modernise the way things are done at BAM, but nowhere has the change been felt more than in their roll-out of BIM. In Ireland, the firm has been using BIM for the past two years but what they were doing with the software two years ago is barely recognisable to their employment of it now. Paul Brennan is project manager at BAM Contractors. “We started talking to our group members in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Ireland to see what would make us more efficient and competitive. What was the extra value we could offer our clients?” To increase their knowledge of BIM, the firm got in touch with CITA and various other industry leaders to better enhance their BIM understanding.
Shortly after this; the use of BIM was mandated across the Royal BAM group. “We use Revit for most of our design work and our services engineering division use Tekla. Navisworks Manage is our tool of choice for coordination and for communicating design development.” For the most part, BAM employ BIM across their Design & Build and PPP projects. “We find that we can better manage a team environment on these types of projects. We can invite people to work with us on BIM whereas traditionally, the contractor’s on one side and the designer’s on another. There’s somewhat of a divide there. Design & Build and PPP projects allow you to foster a relationship that will ensure the smooth running of a project.”
BIM - BAM Contractors Paul Brennan, BAM Project Manager
Not all firms employ the software and in cases where they don’t, all BAM ask is that design teams use a product like Revit as opposed to AutoCAD for their design to start with. After that, says Paul, BAM will largely manage the BIM process and federate the altered model. “We’ll do the clash detections, we’ll basically do all the heavy lifting when it comes to the BIM process. It’s almost like a soft landing approach for our designers. All we ask is that they do their design in 3D rather than 2D.” Once this happens, BAM will train the design team and bring them through the process in a step by step approach. “That’s something we learnt we had to do. I suppose we have more resources to back us up than most of our designers and supply chain. BAM is a big enough company to be able to make these decisions and we’re finding that it’s working for us.” BIM shouldn’t be seen as just a 3D model but rather as the first rung on the ladder to being able to efficiently deliver a project. “The acronym BIM is unfortunate, when you hear it you think 3D modelling but it’s not that at all. It’s gathering and managing information from the various stages of design concept, design development, construction and commissioning. You’re then bringing all that information along right through to when the building is handed over to the facilities manager.” The implementation of BIM at BAM Contractors has created a more efficient and faster estimating department. Decisions are made quicker, better quality designs are created and everyone involved in a project, from the client to the different design disciplines, understand more about how about how a building or site develops. “Being able to create a video that will let you see what’s going to happen over the next four weeks of a project is a very powerful way of managing a project. There’s a certainty associated with what you’re doing.” The level of up skilling that’s necessary to get to this level brings its own challenges; the BIM process can be disruptive and complicated for firms and it will take two to three months for professionals who have never worked with BIM before to become familiar with the software. “Once this period ends, you get to the stage where all the hard work is completed quite early on and the rest of the project is quite enjoyable.
You don’t have as many technical queries or requests for information coming through. The problems that exist on site are much less than what you would have had traditionally.” BIM is being utilised on the new Acute Mental Health Unit at Cork University Hospital. BAM are the Design & Build Contractor & Project Managers on the development. “Cultural change was a big thing on this project. You had excellent project delivery and design teams but trying to get them to think a little differently was a big task. I’m happy to say it’s been quite successful. One of my colleagues was down there this morning and he said the project is humming along. There’s a feel-good factor down there that probably didn’t exist on other projects in more recent times. BIM is a big help with this.” The design development process on the Cork project was rapid, with a lot of issues picked up very early on. “Coordination was quite fascinating; one of the things we were able to see was the M&E contractor putting in his cable tray and ductwork before putting in all of the pipework. He had such certainty about where everything went and how it fitted together that he rearranged his installation pattern to suit.” Paul believes BIM will revolutionise the construction industry and create new efficiencies right across the board. “Site engineers and health and safety officers will be able to spend 60 – 70% of their time on site
rather than in the office doing paperwork. Everything can be done on the go now. You can take software to site on a tablet, you can do augmented reality down there. If you have concrete walls up on site, you can turn on your mechanical & electrical models and see where the openings need to be for the services. The possibilities are endless.” Design software has, up until recently, been the vendor’s priority but Paul can see efforts being refocused on project delivery and facilities management software. “That will completely change how projects are delivered. You’re not going to be basing everything on A1 and A3 drawings and email in a site office. We’re using that new technology now a little bit but it’s not across the board just yet. I think it all comes down to risk management. By having your site managers spend more time on site, in the field and managing what’s happening, you’re eliminating risk.” BIM is not at the level where it needs to be just yet, but it’s just a matter of time before all facets of a construction project will be in a position to benefit from it. Cost estimation software, for example, is not up to standard. “It’ll take a couple of years but at the moment, it’s the low hanging fruit that firms can take advantage of. Really, BIM is like glue for lean construction. Just by converting the traditional AutoCAD process into a Revit process, the industry will see a big difference.” r
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Irish Building Magazine
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BIM - Arup
ARUP - Pushing the BIM boundary Arup Consulting Engineers has been using 3D modelling in an intelligent way since the early 1990s, particularly in relation to projects in the pharmaceutical sector. Typically before that time, plastic models were constructed for large projects in the pharma industry.
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rup Consulting Engineers has been using 3D modelling in an intelligent way since the early 1990s, particularly in relation to projects in the pharmaceutical sector. Typically before that time, plastic models were constructed for large projects in the pharma industry; Arup were quick to move from this to constructing digital models, typically from multi-office locations. “Back then we were modelling using PDS and PDMS MicroStation platforms which even then had sophisticated add-ons like hard and soft clash detection,” says Sean Clarke, director of Arup in Ireland. “That’s been a normal part of our business for a long time. Over recent years, the focus on BIM has kicked in bigtime in the industry, and it is now Arup’s vehicle of choice for design and construction information delivery for building and civil projects. There was a time when we felt we were involved in ‘lonely BIM’, when we were preparing 3D models for a project but no-one else would be involved in that 3D process. That is now changing rapidly and BIM is being used extensively in the design and construction phases. This has been helped by the UK government mandating BIM for public projects, meaning Contractors are embracing BIM systems for fabrication and construction management purposes, Typically, projects now adopt a BIM Execution Plan from the beginning, and we are aiming for a single model being developed right through to the facilities management phase as our standard platform for delivering projects.” Over the past couple of years, Sean has seen a strong embracing of BIM across the industry. “Back in the 90s we weren’t calling it BIM, it was just 3D modelling. The introduction of the term BIM is a relatively recent one, where we go beyond the 3D modelling environment to provide a single, holistic, multidisciplinary intelligent model/platform, frequently looking at 4D (Cost) and 5D (Time). It captures all the things we have been doing in our business in a coherent and unified way, and potentially can lead to significant improvements in terms of efficiency and collaboration.” Overall as a method of delivering designs and construction documentation, BIM is impressive but like any new system, it will take a while for the industry to realise its potential. “It’s like driving a car, we’re
probably in third or fourth gear at the moment but we want to get to fifth gear. We need to get to the stage where there would be a single model that starts at the very beginning with the architect when he puts his thoughts on paper. That model develops as it goes through the design cycle into contractor procurement and then into construction. When we have that rolling from start to finish, we will have a very efficient procurement and construction system. In Arup, all projects are now delivered on a BIM format; for buildings they use Revit. For other areas in civil, Microstation and Autocad Civils 3D are used. A clear and full embracing across the board helps the firm deliver projects in a fully BIM environment. “Our company has always pushed the boundaries in terms of what we do, it’s part of our philosophy to really be out there at the cutting edge of technological advances. We’re comfortable taking on board those new ideas and approaches to delivering projects. Where the challenges come in is encouraging and coaxing others to make the same commitment. At times there is a reluctance to make investments in such tight times.” Sean believes that once teams are clued in and are used to working with BIM, it has the capacity to improve transparency and create a more efficient environment for firms. The time for debating the pros and cons of whether or not we should, as an industry, embrace BIM is over. “I think that decision has been made. The industry has made a determined effort and decided to use BIM as the primary method for delivering design and construction. I would like the debate to move on and focus instead on how we maximise the benefits that BIM can bring. Let’s see how we can do it in the best possible way. For that to work you need all parts of the team – the Client, Architect, Engineers, Manager, Quantity Surveyor, Contractor (including Sub-Contractors) and Facilities Manager on the same hymn sheet to ensure we’re all working together to find a project procurement system that is the most efficient and cost-effective.” r
We need to get to the stage where there would be a single model that starts at the very beginning with the architect when he puts his thoughts on paper. That model develops as it goes through the design cycle into contractor procurement and then into construction.’
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Irish Building Magazine
BIM - Penn State
Penn State a study in BIM
A multi-campus public research institution in the US, the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) recently required the use of BIM on new construction and renovation projects valuing over $5 million (USD).
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‘We have reduced construction and change order costs with better coordination during design and preconstruction. Our owner generated change orders have also been reduced by using advanced visualisation techniques to allow our customers to ‘walk through’ the building during design.’
Irish Building Magazine
istorically, Penn State is a siloed institution and so consistently struggles with adapting to change, no matter how meaningful. The need for significant change to existing processes in order to adopt BIM required careful strategy for change management. Efforts to implement BIM at Penn State began in 2005. Ed Gannon manages the business unit at the Pennsylvania State University’s Office of Physical Plant (OPP) that’s responsible for performing architectural and engineering design for construction and renovation projects. “At that time, we were at the beginning of a billion dollar construction effort and were looking for ways to improve our construction project delivery processes.” The necessary internal resources to understand what the University should be demanding of its designers and construction managers to take on BIM just weren’t there; BIM uses were limited to visualisation during design and system coordination during construction. In time, the use of BIM in design and construction on new projects was increased and by early 2010, Penn State made the conscious decision to implement BIM in operations and facility asset management. Penn State was in a unique position to implement BIM processes, not only as the owner but also as designer and construction manager on many projects. “We became a living laboratory for collaboration with faculty, graduate and undergraduate students. Our success began by recruiting a dedicated, strong willed team that was goal oriented. The OPP Virtual Facilities Group (VFG) was developed to focus on solving the issues related to implementation of BIM. Based on the mixed results of previous process changes, the VFG needed to understand change management to successfully implement BIM in the project life cycle.” The first task was to convince senior management that the use of BIM in design and construction wasn’t just the newest trend in project delivery. “We developed a simple business case to convince OPP leadership that BIM and BIM
MODEL
INFORMATION
integration into facility management was a potential cost savings opportunity. We focused on three points: reap the immediate benefit of improvements in the design and construction process, educate leadership on the magnitude of the problems reported by NIST, and concentrate efforts on the ‘I’ in BIM.” Ed and the team calculated that Penn State was wasting approximately $6.6 million per year due to either a lack of or inadequate information about our facilities. Research efforts were focused on the inefficiencies of information exchanges during the project and facility lifecycle. “A process to provide our facility operations group with accurate design and construction information was quickly developed, saving both time and money during operations. We estimated that if we only reduced technician time researching information by 10% we could potentially increase field time and save approximately $2.2 million (USD) per year.” Ed was determined that the University’s introduction of BIM should be small scale, with limited expectations and the ability to reach a high level of productivity quickly. “If we could properly focus our efforts, we felt that success would follow. Building upon this first success, we could move forward with implementation on a broader scale. We determined that our initial pilot study would focus on a group that was relatively small, technically savvy, and was desperately seeking change to improve their performance. This group would become Penn State’s catalyst for change.” The team had immediate success on several pilot projects. “We began our first truly integrated project on the newly constructed Pegula Ice Arena. We developed a project BIM execution plan that provided the ability to see, analyse, use and modify the data from both a design and asset management perspective. At any time, the designers, construction managers and facility managers had access to the latest attribute information and geometric data.” In the eight years that Penn State has been using BIM, 25 projects have been successfully completed. These buildings include high tech research labs, classroom and office buildings, hospital, cancer research lab, sporting venues and student housing. “Our successes have built with each project. We have now fully implemented our information transfer protocols for major building systems, equipment is tagged when it comes on site, and our facility managers have asset information immediately. We have reduced construction and change order costs with better coordination during design and pre-construction. Our owner generated change orders have also been reduced by using advanced visualisation techniques to allow our customers to ‘walk through’ the building during design.” While many owners would be quite happy with these results, Ed believes they’re still on the “Slope of Enlightenment”. “We continue to seek and develop new uses for BIM during all phases of the project and facility lifecycle. Our success has been built on an in-depth understanding of the social impacts of BIM, developing a strategy for change management and carefully planning the execution of the implementation.” r
BIM - Autodesk
Autodesk - A Clear Vision for BIM
Autodesk is synonymous with BIM. Autodesk has provided a wide range of solutions for professionals in the construction industry, from the era of CAD to the current BIM environment. Since 1982, Autodesk has been devising innovative design software to enable their customers imagine, design and create a better world
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John Bennett, General Manager, Datech Ireland
atech is the Irish distributor for Autodesk products. “During my career in Autodesk Distribution, I’ve seen the industry go from paper to CAD and now to BIM,” says John Bennett, General Manager, Datech Ireland. “Getting people from paper to CAD was a big battle; there’s a bigger chasm to cross in terms of transferring from CAD to BIM but the benefits far outweigh the effort.” Even though still struggling with some facets of the technology, Ireland is well ahead of other countries in terms of employing BIM. “Organisations such as the Construction IT Alliance, the Revit User Ireland Group and educational institutes such as the Dublin Institute of Technology, and the Waterford Institute of Technology have really helped to educate the industry in Ireland. The majority of top companies in Ireland actually understand BIM and use the technology to its full potential. There is a clear understanding and ability to differentiate between the BIM process and having BIM enabled software installed which gives Irish companies a distinct advantage when quoting for work abroad.” Firms that adopt BIM now and collaborate effectively with all project stakeholders will not only win new business but will avoid exclusion from certain tender processes, will secure their positions in supply chains and will enhance their profile in the marketplace. With return on investment never so important to the construction sector, one of BIMs main advantages is being able to see and simulate a construction project’s performance and environmental impact long before ground is ever broken. BIM lets construction teams understand, not just how a building will look, but
how it will function, coupled with a detailed understanding of the construction process, what it will cost and how it will operate. In a traditional design process, little effort is put into the preliminary and schematic design phases and even less so after the drawings are created. Changes that occur during this phase and also during construction are very costly to execute. “In a collaborative BIM design process, where participants are brought in earlier and clear goals are set, the preferred design process would actually shift efforts much earlier in the design cycle. With BIM, construction documents become a by-product of the design effort; more time is spent upfront on making more informed, better design decisions,” says John. An excellent example of this is the clash detection feature inherent in most BIM solutions. “The absolute necessity of utilising a tool like clash detection became clear to me at a CITA event. A presenter who had designed an MEP model (HVAC systems, etc.) explained that a clash such as a duct passing through a steel beam could end up costing many thousands to fix on site. Eliminating such clashes, by default, during the design process avoids expensive project delays and costly re-working.” “BIM might not be mandated in Ireland like it is in the UK but that doesn’t mean we’re not using it. Four out of five of the biggest construction projects currently in Ireland are using BIM. Many of the firms who have adopted BIM are already seeing major benefits to their organisations’ bottom line on projects where BIM was not mandated,” says John. Autodesk understands that companies are struggling financially so both perpetual licenses and desktop subscriptions for BIM software are available to firms. The desktop subscription is a pay-as-you-go model that offers monthly, quarterly and yearly options. Customers receive similar benefits to perpetual licenses such as basic support, access to the latest product enhancements and in some cases cloud services such as on-line rendering, and analysis, all without having to lay out the upfront cost. “Looking beyond the initial costs, firms who implement a BIM process are going to make substantial cost savings and increase productivity. Manpower is more often than not the highest cost that a company is going to have so if an employer can make their design team more efficient, deliver better quality building designs with better deliverables to all stakeholders, it can only create an opportunity for a healthier bottom line. You can’t just look at cost on its own; you must look at the benefits it brings to the organisation.” Autodesk Design Suites have many flavours from
Building, Infrastructure, Plant etc, and all provide a portfolio of interoperable 3D building design software that supports BIM based workflows. The capability to produce realistic 3D visualisations coupled with the use of integrated simulation and analysis tools allow engineers and designers to create higher-quality construction documentation and make more informed design and construction decisions.
“BIM isn’t an option anymore; it’s a necessity for AEC organisations that want to compete in this sector and who want to drive a sustainable and profitable business,” says John. “We were at a CITA event recently and we heard from Penn State University who outlined how they had no choice but to implement BIM on all their projects as they didn’t have the money or resources to use traditional methods. I think that’s the stage that we’re at now and it’s imperative that firms understand the benefits that embracing BIM can bring.” r
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Irish Building Magazine
Tekla
Tekla - Improving efficiencies with BIM
‘Today’s Tekla BIM software ensures information flows more efficiently from design, purchasing and production to the shop floor, whilst providing links to analysis and design (A&D) solutions to remove the technical and compatibility barriers that compromise workflow between project teams and subcontractors using different types of applications’
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Irish Building Magazine
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n addition to its modelling software, Tekla have created Tekla BIMsight, a free collaboration tool that allows all construction professionals to combine models, add data, checks for clashes and share information in one easy-to-use package. Issues identified in the virtual environment can be resolved to prevent problems on site. Tekla was established in 1966, and today it has customers in over 100 countries. Driving the evolution of digital information models is what the company is all about, along with providing the construction industry with a competitive advantage when it comes to going after projects. Tekla’s BIM software improves construction workflow efficiency by providing the means to better organise models, manage tasks and avoid structural clashes. What’s more, the constructible models created with Tekla can incorporate more detailed information than ever before. In 2011 Tekla was acquired by Trimble and joined the Trimble Buildings group of companies. The Trimble group provides a diverse range of solutions, from simulation to renovation, to help the construction industry improve productivity, increase efficiencies and maximize the profitability of projects. Each year, the Tekla BIM Awards is a way for the company’s customers to share their success stories around the world. Each regional winner is entered automatically into the Tekla Global BIM Awards competition, decided upon by a jury consisting of leading BIM experts inside and outside Tekla. In the 2013 Tekla BIM Awards, a bespoke Tesco Stores Ltd Supermarket design in Sheringham, Norfolk scooped the Best Engineering category accolade. For this project, BIM allowed the design team to combine the architect and mechanical engineer’s 3D models along with their own steel, timber and reinforced concrete model created in Tekla. According to Pinnacle Consulting Engineers, who worked on the project, the BIM process provided a greater understanding of parametric relationships between disciplines, preventing co-ordination issues during the construction phase. Collaboration undertaken by the design team utilised web based viewers which improved communication and understanding where complex issues arose. During the design process, models were constantly exchanged between all parties to guarantee the structure met the requirements of the complex roof geometry whilst ensuring all mechanical services fit within the confines of the covered, louvered plant area. The final design allowed the client to visualise the complete shopping experience, creating an alive and real project. Pinnacle added an in-house 3D drainage and terrain model ensuring there are no clashes between drainage runs and foundations. IFC model files were also sent externally to aid
Tekla structural software offers firms the opportunity to create highly detailed ‘as will be built’ 3D models that increase quality, eliminates waste and provides better, more sustainable, business outcomes. This, combined with the wider benefits of BIM creates a central, accessible, database for more collaborative and integrated project management at design, delivery and in-use phases of a scheme. framing subcontractors during the construction co-ordination stages. Using this design analysis to test structural solutions in a virtual world pushes the boundaries of efficiency making BIM an invaluable technique for projects. An advanced baggage handling system at Terminal Three at Heathrow Airport was a regional UK finalist in the 2013 Tekla BIM awards. Designed, developed and installed by Vanderlande Industries under a contract awarded by BAA worth £71.7million, the main features of the system are a reduced building footprint and low operating costs alongside a good working environment that protects the health and safety of staff. The main frame initial containment building was modelled and detailed by Watson Steel. In parallel a coordination copy of the developing main frame model was used by Fisher Engineering as the starting point to begin importing the thousands of interstitial floor and baggage system support beams and hangers floor by floor. Because of the intensity of system plant being fitted into the footprint of the building, all secondary steelwork and mechanical systems had to be finely coordinated, as even a handrail out of place would cause disruption to the smooth operation of miles of conveyor systems and sorting machinery. 3D reference models were provided by Vanderlande to allow stairs, ladders, handrails and flooring to be modelled exactly where required over the thousands of square meters of walkways and platforms. The detailed model was exported again from Tekla for final design team coordination and approval for fabrication. The sheer quantity of members and parts required over the expanse of the project presented an initial challenge of providing the information needed to procure materials and components as a job lot in a short space of time. This could only be achieved by the handover and sharing of models between the design team and the steelwork contractor. The smooth coordination of separate detailing disciplines working within a multiuser environment meant a “production line” like setup was possible to ensure a continuous flow of fabrication information from start to finish of the project. With the recent release of Tekla Structures 20, technologies like this contribute to the essential processes of today’s informationintensive construction industry. It brings even more detailed information and flexibility to modelling, while reducing the need for manual data transfer. Today’s Tekla BIM software ensures information flows more efficiently from design, purchasing and production to the shop floor, whilst providing links to analysis and design (A&D) solutions to remove the technical and compatibility barriers that compromise workflow between project teams and subcontractors using different types of applications. r
BIM - Murphy’s Surveys
Murphy Surveys - Delivering World class cost-effective survey solutions
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Ray Murphy, Managing Director
lients include firms from the public and private sector across the globe and according to the firm, key factors in their success include stringent quality control, efficient turnaround times, and effectiveness to provide superior customer service at all times. Murphy Surveys also maintains a strong presence in the BIM environment and have completed over 500 models to date for all sizes of projects in various sectors with varying requirements. “We started to use BIM in 2010. Deciding to use the software was really a planned response to the evolving requirements of AEC sector clients,” says Ray Murphy, Managing Director at Murphy Surveys. “It was a fairly straightforward decision as we’ve been involved in 3D since the start of 3D CAD. We were already on the road to understanding what we needed. As a company, we examined the evolving BIM requirements of AEC clients and invested in the most appropriate software solutions that supported the as-built BIM / Survey process.” The firm has developed its own exclusive, in-house 3D surveying and CAD/Revit modelling techniques and bespoke data processing software (an AutoDesk add-on). The firm surveys on, above and below ground for a complete and accurate digital record which includes underground utilities, structural tendons and rebars and finite detail such as interior artworks. The firm uses the latest integrated survey equipment that offers seamless data acquisition and delivery. Leica TS15/GS15 Viva is used to great effect and enables live communication and data exchange from site to office, eliminating delays and costly revisits. The firm also uses Autodesk and Bentley. “There’s a lot of choice in the market, more so when it comes to design software. There isn’t as much choice for Survey and as-built BIM.” According to Ray, BIM gives the firm the competitive edge that’s so necessary in today’s economic climate, allowing Murphy Surveys to meet the evolving expectations of AEC clients. “Through BIM, we’re continually improving the quality of our project deliveries and becoming more involved in the lifecycle of an asset.” In order to maximise its benefits, BIM should be applied from the very beginning of a project. If it is, then the rewards include a reduction in turnaround time, costs and risks. Murphy Surveys inspect the site conditions prior to the commencement of a project, collecting accurate measurements and any other required
Murphy Surveys, set up over 30 years ago, provides cost-effective survey solutions through a combination of highly qualified personnel and the most cutting-edge technologies available. Continual investment in the latest surveying equipment and technology allows the firm to provide the most efficient solutions that cut costs and risks for clients, while meeting the highest standards in accuracy and detail.
data and deliver this in a BIM. Accurate implementation of designs is facilitated through measurement services including setting out and as built surveys, inputting all data into the BIM. Site conditions are captured using laser scanning for ongoing comparisons with the design. Deviation reports can be produced to monitor construction and the firm’s clients can view all captured data in almost real-time. In addition, the firms’ as-built Building Information Models integrate directly with existing Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) and Facility Management Systems (FM); ideal for not only buildings but also for civil/ infrastructure assets and plant/facility assets. BIM has made a real difference to how Murphy Surveys operates. “How we capture and deliver information to AEC clients has improved dramatically. Historically AEC client requirements were focused on as-built 2D CAD data deliverables. Now AEC clients are more focused on information in the form of 3D Model data with detailed property information embedded into the project deliverables. We can deliver that.” Ray says an increasing number of firms are realising the benefits that BIM can bring to a company. “In terms of clients In Ireland, I think it’s slow to start and it will be until clients are requesting BIM as part of the process. I believe a lot of consultants and contractors see the benefits but it’s difficult to take this step when projects are still being awarded on price only.” r
‘Through BIM, we’re continually improving the quality of our project deliveries and becoming more involved in the lifecycle of an asset’
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Irish Building Magazine
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BIM - Topcon
Surveying BIM
with Topcon
Operating in Ireland since 1996, Topcon provides positional equipment for construction and civil engineering firms. From the BIM side, the firm supplies hardware and software for geospatial information that ranges from transferring levels on site to mass data collection with imaging technologies.
Karol Friel
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arol Friel works in the Positioning Instruments Division at Topcon Ireland. “Projects implementing BIM need positioning information at all stages of the project, from design to management right through to demolition. We provide lay-out the hardware and software for that.” Topcon’s BIM solutions help perform both fast Laser Scanning for Design right through to layout of the design points and quick quality control documentation. A project’s success is based on productivity, accuracy and co-ordination; Topcon’s BIM system contributes precise as-built data back to the BIM model as work is done. Survey and mapping solutions allow for the rapid collection of high density point cloud data with colourful image overlay for efficient feature recognition and mapping detail, making visualisation of three-dimensional data covering projects from residential boundaries through to full city models possible. Topcon knows that construction co-ordination is essential for any building project. Being aware of what was done before and working from the same design plan is critical to maintain schedule and avoid costly collisions. With Topcon’s BIM solutions you stay connected to the same design. “We also do Magnet Enterprise which is basically an efficient way of communicating data from the field to the office and back again. It’s an extremely efficient way of transferring information. Traditionally information like this would have been sent via email, through cables or a USB stick. We send it from the Controller through the cloud; someone on site can send information to the cloud and it can be downloaded by someone in the office, anywhere in the world. So if any changes are made to the design within the BIM environment, it can be transferred seamlessly.” This can also be embedded in conjunction with Autodesk. “The idea is that instead of having software on the PC, if the customer or client is using the Autodesk package they can have what’s called Autodesk 360 which is a free Autodesk cloud connection. That means we can transfer anywhere to the cloud to anybody using Autodesk 360.” Topcon technology includes Layout Navigator (LN-100), a 3D positioning device specifically designed for construction layout activities. The LN-100 strips away complexity to deliver an easy-to-use tool dedicated to BIM layout. It utilises Topcon’s
laser and robotic total station technologies to create a totally new tool that’s easy to use, without sacrificing the accuracy and versatility most BIM projects demand. The software allows for simple, one-touch layout for interior building infrastructure, ‘Topcon technology includes footings and foundations; just press the power button and Layout Navigator (LNthe LN-100 self-levels. Fire-up its’ hand-held, touch-screen controller and you are ready to go to work. The LN-100 creates 100), a 3D positioning an entire zone of 3D positioning data. Simply take the 360 degree prism and smartphone controller anywhere in the layout device specifically designed zone to get precise measurements. Both horizontal dimensions for construction layout and vertical elevations are produced anywhere in the layout zone. Additional accessories allow the LN-100 to be mounted activities. The LN-100 on a building column or other out of the way location because there’s no need to stand and look through the lens, the LN-100 strips away complexity to follows you automatically. deliver an easy-to-use tool Also included in the Topcon portfolio is GLS-2000 Laser Scanner, a compact, high-speed and lightweight Laser Scanner dedicated to BIM layout’ that allows you to quickly and accurately capture 3D data at any project site in less than three minutes with a 360º scan including images. FARO Focus3D X 330 is a high-speed 3D scanner with extra-long range. The Focus3D X 330 advances into entirely new dimensions with the ability to scan objects up to 330m away even in direct sunlight. “There seems to be quite a few BIM projects in Ireland at the moment, although the companies we talk to are only really starting to think about BIM,” says Karol. “I’m based in the Northern Ireland office, so here it’s a little different. We have to be BIM compliant by 2016. In the south with the customers we deal with, they’re not necessarily worried too much about that but they can certainly see the benefits of embracing BIM. A lot of them are working in mainland UK so if they want to keep working there they’ll have to be up to speed with BIM. It’s pretty much early stages with the companies we’re dealing with but it’s Topcon technology includes Layout Navigator (LN-100) looking very positive.” r
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Irish Building Magazine
continuing to build a better Ireland www.bamcontractors.ie Project featured: Engineering Building, NUI Galway
BAM Contractors
Clinical Research and Translational Research Facility - South East View
Clinical Research and Translational Research Facility - South West View
BAM Contractors How the West was won! There is a lot going on at NUI Galway at the moment. Amongst the various construction projects that are either underway or about to commence is the €20 million Clinical Research and Translational Research Facility. This project is located within the grounds of the University Hospital Galway campus. BAM was awarded the contract to construct the five-storey building (gross floor area 5,345m²) which is directly adjacent to the University’s Clinical Science Institute, UHG’s Critical Care Facilities, Ward Accommodation Block and the Maternity Wards.
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Construction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2015 and some 125 construction jobs will be created at the project’s peak. he architectural firm undertaking the project is Reddy Architecture & Urbanism, the structural engineers are Barrett Mahoney and services engineering is provided by Homan O’Brien. The high tech project will facilitate cutting-edge medical research alongside patient care in University Hospital Galway. It’s also hoped that this sharing of medical expertise and accommodation including HSE in-patient facilities will have a positive impact on clinical research, an aspect of the facility that’s largely being funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) and private philanthropy. The Translational Research Facility will be on the second and third floor of the building and will accommodate open and flexible lab spaces. It will have direct links to the Clinical Science Institute where many of the University’s medical students are located, at both ground and second floor levels. The HRB Clinical Research Facility occupies the ground and first floors; this will form part of an Irish Network of Clinical Research Facilities, allowing patients access to state-of-the-art clinical research in stem cells, gene therapy, biomaterials and immunology. It will also have a space specially designed for clinical research in regenerative medicine. The CRF will have direct links to the existing hospital at both ground and first floor levels and will be fully owned and operated by the Health Services Executive and University Hospital Galway. Padraig Walsh at BAM is the Contract Manager on the project while Luke Gibbons is the Project Director. “The new project is right in the heart of the hospital campus so it’s a very tight site with major logistical challenges involving getting materials in and out,” says Luke. “It involves a lot of service diversion and rerouting of roads prior to the main construction starting.
In conjunction with the HSE and NUI Galway, a lot of detailed planning is going into the project to ensure the works don’t impact on the daily operation of the campus.” The BAM team has to make sure traffic flow is maintained on the hospital ring road while works are taking place; priority is given to emergency vehicles at all times and this issue is dealt with by the site specific traffic management plan. “We’re using a precast concrete frame so that will decrease the number of deliveries to the site during this phase.” Works around live services are also an issue as the existing hospital campus contains multiple service utilities both above and below ground. According to Luke Gibbons, “Other issues we need to be aware of are the risk of Aspergillus infection to patients from the work activities and noise levels from the project. The scheduling of tie-ins to existing hospital infrastructure is dependent on close co-operation with the HSE as well.” The timelines on this project are especially tight; the construction will be undertaken in two phases. During the initial phase, a temporary access road will be built through the site to allow for the de-commissioning, diversion and installation of new service provisions like water mains, oxygen, storm and foul sewers, natural gas, medical gas, electrical and data cabling. A new permanent access road will also be constructed during this phase, which will link the rear of the Maternity Ward Block with the campus ring road network. When this road is finished and handed over to the client, phase two works will commence which will be the actual construction of the building over the following year. Associated external works inside the phase 2 site boundary and links to the existing CSI and Ward Block 2A Buildings will also be actioned within this second phase.
‘The new project is right in the heart of the hospital campus so it’s a very tight site with major logistical challenges involving getting materials in and out, It involves a lot of service diversion and rerouting of roads prior to the main construction starting. In conjunction with the HSE and NUI Galway’
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Irish Building Magazine
NUI Galway New Engineering Building
‘The Engineering building was
It’s expected that upon completion, this project will be as wellregarded as the Engineering Building that BAM constructed in 2009 on the NUIG Campus. This ‘gateway’ project to the north campus reinterpreted the University’s original 1845 Quadrangle building and has been lauded as a “living laboratory” for engineering where live data sets from different types of sensors illustrate structural engineering and building performance concepts in undergraduate teaching and in the development of full-scale research in structural engineering and energy. It’s a multi-award winning building, having scooped the Best Educational Building at the Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) Awards 2013; the RIAI Irish Architecture’s Public Choice and the Best Sustainable Project Awards; the Irish Building and Design Award for School and Educational Building Project of the Year; and the Irish Concrete Society’s Sustainability Award. The Engineering building was BAM’s first major project in the Western region,
BAM’s first major project in the Western region, cementing the firm’s presence in that part of the country.’
BAM Site Entrance
cementing the firm’s presence in that part of the country. Other projects in the West include four schools (completed as part of the Schools Bundle 3 PPP project), all completed on time and budget which included a 400 pupil mixed school on a greenfield site in Ballinamore in Co Sligo; a new secondary school on a shared site in Doughiska, Co Galway; and a Gaelcholaiste, a relocation of an existing school in Letterkenny, Co Donegal. BAM is also in the throes of finishing off Phase 2 of the expansion of Sligo IT. “Traditionally we would have been prevalent in Munster and Leinster. Now, we have a significant amount of work going on nationally as well as in the North where we’re working on the construction of Ulster Hospital,” said Luke Gibbons. Works at the Belfast Hospital include 12 wards, each with 24 single en-suite bedrooms, four day surgery theatre suites and three endoscopy suites. The building commenced in May 2013 and the duration of the contract is 38 months.
BAM Contractors
BAM Site Entrance
NUI Galway is known as one of the more progressive universities with an excellent track record in securing funding and expanding their campus. “Strategically, the university has been a very important client for us. They’re continually developing the campus so it’s great to be involved and get a share of the work that they’re involved in,” says Pádraig Walsh. BAM is also about to commence another project on the UHG campus – the Adult Acute Mental Health Hospital. Consisting of the relocation of the existing Acute Adult Mental Health Unit (AAMHU) at University Hospital Galway (UHG), to a newly constructed two-storey 50 bed facility, the project is a public works contract designed by the contractor with a 90 week construction programme. The Adult Acute Mental Health Facility incorporates an outpatient department on the site of an existing staff car park within the grounds of UHG. The new AAMHU will have a gross internal floor area of 4741.3m2 including a rooftop plant room to the western end of the plan, together with associated site works. In total, 170 existing car parking spaces will be displaced arising out of the development; a new two storey car park consisting of 238 spaces together with associated site works will be built in the existing car park to the north east of the helipad on the new hospital ring road. The decommissioning of a fuel tank and LPG facility also form part of this contract on the car park site. BAM will also be responsible for the relocation of the ambulance service. The AAMHU site involves work adjacent to electrical HV services and a sewerage pumping station. Again, the €15 million project will be divided into two phases; the first phase consists of the construction of a double storey deck car park of 238 car parking spaces together with associated site works. Temporary ambulance parking, widening of the road and the provision of a permanent path, the construction of the double storey car park and the re-surfacing of the existing car park make up the first phase. Phase 2 consists of the construction of the two storey 50 bed Facility. Similar to the CRF-TRF, a major challenge with this build is ensuring that hospital traffic is not hampered in any way during the construction. Out-of-hours working will be a necessity, especially in the early phase of the project when relocation of services will be undertaken. Life safety systems such as medical
gases will also have to be relocated without disrupting in any way the function of the live hospital. In addition, live electrical ring main services will also have to be relocated without causing disruption. “It’s a very tight site so in order to maintain the excellent working relations we have with both the HSE and neighbour’s, we ensure that we liaise with them regularly and inform them of any future plans which may impact on them,” says Padraig Walsh. The BAM team must be vigilant when it comes to keeping noise levels at a minimum so as not to disturb hospital patients and staff and particular care will be paid to ensure that airborne spores are not allowed contaminate the live hospital. The completion of these two projects at NUI Galway/UHG coupled with the existing Engineering Building and the Bank of Ireland extension (on the NUI Galway Campus) will further cement BAM’s reputation in the West. The BAM brand and the ability of the company to carry out large scale multidisciplinary projects ensures that they continue to maintain a strong position in this current market both regionally and nationally. r
NUI Galway New Engineering Building
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Irish Building Magazine
Commercial & Retail | Medical Devices | Pharmaceutical | New build Refurbishment | Fit out | Residential | Industrial | Hotel & Leisure
Design & Build Contractor for the NUI Galway Research Bundle
Setting Standards for over 60 years Galway | Dublin | Sligo | London
www.jjrhatigan.ie
NUIG - JJ Rhatigan & Co
Biosciences Building (“BRB”)
JJ Rhatigan & Company - Setting standards in education building at NUI Galway. There aren’t too many clients in Galway or in the surrounding area that are as successful when it comes to securing funding for construction work as NUI Galway. JJ Rhatigan & Company, a firm that has been providing construction services for over half a century, have completed several projects at the campus over the past few years and despite strong competition from other construction firms for these projects Rhatigan’s have, more often than not, come out on top.
N
UI Galway is on a mission to develop a suite of suitable, high-end accommodation and facilities that will enhance their Research and Innovation offerings. The Research Bundle of Projects and the Arts Millennium Building, both built by JJ Rhatigan & Company, have created landmark buildings for the researchers and students at the campus. The Research Bundle comprised the construction of a bundle of two separate buildings; a stand-alone hi-technology Biosciences Building (BRB) to include high technology laboratories, on the northern part of the NUI Galway campus and an extension to the James Hardiman Library (a protected structure) for the Hardiman Research Building for Arts Humanities and Social Sciences Research (HRB) of approximately 5,500 sq.m., including associated works to the existing building on the main NUI Galway campus. Both of these new buildings allow for the creation of new strands of research that facilitate interaction with local enterprise and other universities like UCC, UCD and TCD. The HRB required design and construction which would integrate with the existing James Hardiman Library in the middle of the southern campus. This work was completed on the existing campus which meant that the Rhatigan team had to work around a live campus without causing undue disruption. According to Ger Ronayne, regional director at the firm, the team were very
The Research Bundle Project and the Arts Millennium Building, both built by JJ Rhatigan & Company, have created landmark buildings for the researchers and students at the campus.
conscious that they were working on a live campus which had to be kept fully operational at all times while adhering to the strict programme timelines in place. “Particularly noisy or otherwise disruptive operations had to be programmed in advance with the users of the building or alternatively done out of hours. A lot of pre-planning and coordination went into the programme and at all times we had to be mindful of maintaining services to the college and minimising disruption as a result of our works.” Access to the site was via a shared construction access route from Newcastle Road for the new extension to the Arts Millennium Building which was also under construction by JJ Rhatigan & Company at the same time. The facades of the building consisted of a mixture of glazing and natural stone cladding. Dura beige limestone was used as the main stone, with Chinese lina black basalt at the lower levels to create a striking contrast. Particular emphasis was placed on the thermal efficiency of the glazing systems and the envelope as a whole, the result Biosciences Building (“BRB”) being a highly efficient façade system
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Irish Building Magazine
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Our business is based on strong client relationships that are built on reputation and trust. Our projects are characterised by committed leadership and team performance with a continuous focus on maintaining the highest standards of safety, environmental management and quality throughout the entire project. KD Mechanical Engineers, Castlebar, t: 094 903 0542 Dublin, t: 01 621 5705 e: info@kdmech.ie
University of Limerick - Tierney Building
Di
Leopardstown Racecourse
Borrisokance Community School
NUIG- Hardiman Library
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Arts Millennium Building extension (“AMBE”) which also greatly enhances the aesthetics of the building. The site was surrounded on three sides by existing live buildings of up to 4 storeys in height and areas of mature trees. The western side of the site faces onto an open landscaped area which extends out to Newcastle Road. As the facilities were constructed in one of the busiest parts of the Southern Campus, it was essential that the most efficient use was made of the surrounding limited land. The Arts Millennium Building Extension (AMBE), mentioned above, consisted of the construction of a new extension to the existing Arts Millennium Building which brings together the core functions of the School of Psychology which were previously located in various buildings both on and off campus. The Hardiman Research Building and the Arts Millennium building extension are situated side by side, right in the heart of the campus. “These were substantial projects, in the region of €20 million between the two of them. They were ongoing at the same time, had very tight construction programmes and were both located in the hub of the main campus, together with the fact that they were both extensions to existing buildings which continued to be in use made delivering these projects quite challenging.” The HRB project which included the construction of a four storey building was an extension to the main library of the old campus; a significant amount of careful planning and coordination was required to make sure the existing library was kept operational at all times. The new extension is joined to the existing library at podium level by a three storey atrium space which provides connections between the two buildings. The semi basement level provides special collections archive rooms, mechanical plant rooms, storage and ancillary accommodation, a fire suppression facility, a toilet and cleaners room, an archives processing area, two lifts, escape stairs and connecting stairs linking the existing restaurant with the atrium space above on the podium level. This level also provides a two metre wide services corridor which serves the plant rooms of the existing library on its western elevation.
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During the construction of the HRB and the arts millennium ‘The team were extension the campus was actually cut in half which led to the installation of a temporary pedestrian bridge to connect the two very conscious that sides, maintaining the daily workings of the campus. The project they were working also included associated works to the existing Library and external on a live campus podium, the re-routing of services and trees and landscaping works to the open areas to the West and South of the building. which had to be kept The flagship project for the firm has to be the Biosciences fully operational Building, an extremely complex stand-alone 4 storey project of hi at all times while technology research facilities and office space. Although it’s not located in the heart of the campus but sits on its own site, the brief adhering to the for the project presented its own challenges. “It’s a highly serviced strict programme building that includes a great deal of high-end and very clean timelines in place’ laboratories facilities. We had in excess of six people completely dedicated to managing the Mechanical and Electrical services Ger Ronayne, installation working on that project full time. We were also Regional Director. responsible for the supply, procurement, delivery and installation of the specialist equipment required for the building, which was a particular challenge. This isn’t equipment that you’d see in many buildings.” The Rhatigan team were responsible for ensuring the equipment, which included Autoclaves, Medium & Large Sterilisers and Decontamination Chambers, Bio Safety Cabinets and Fumehoods, met the correct specifications that the college required and that it was coordinated and installed efficiently and safely. The BRB is a very prominent Arts Millennium Building extension (“AMBE”) building on the North Campus
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Irish Building Magazine
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NUIG AN BHIALANN 1
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NUIG - JJ Rhatigan & Co The Hardiman Research Building (“HRB”)
at NUI Galway and the building’s façade utilises a number of systems to effectively weather the building while achieving the planning requirements as laid down by Galway City Council. The building’s elevations combine the use of three main systems including specialist curtain walling to the North and West elevations. The West elevation in particular has unique features such as the double glazed system with profiled caps/fin detail combined with the use of high performance neutral double-glazed units used to achieve the required solar/thermal performance specified. “Okawood” by Okalux, a bespoke designed and integrated wood timber slat detail to the sealed unit is used over the full elevation. The other elevations use a combination of Ribbon and structural glazing at each floor level. Another system employed was insulated render – each elevation has a feature panel of raised insulated render, with the design using two colours combined with 200mm steps in the various building floor plates to break up the long West and East elevations. In addition, all four elevations incorporate the use of Black Basalt stone cladding to first floor level as well as the utility buildings on the West elevation. Low level seat walls clad in the same stone are provided as part of the external features at various points around the building. The building also includes ultra-clean lab facilities, which required a “Burn-in” period whereby operating systems were fully operational for a continuous 30 day period (overseen by specialist commissioning company The CUBE.) “Once the clean lab was completed, it was decontaminated and sterilised; a notional decontamination barrier was put in place which meant there was strict control and procedures in place for gaining access to the facility; effectively it had to be completely finalised, snagged, commissioned and validated before it could be handed over. To get that up and running, to get the burn in period completed and to achieve the validation and certification of the facility while ensuring the decontamination was completed effectively – all presented their own challenges and required meticulous planning and coordination, which resulted in the whole process going according to plan and certification being achieved at the first attempt.” The innovative solutions employed by the firm have raised the benchmark for third level research and education buildings and cemented
The Hardiman Research Building (“HRB”)
NUI Galway’s position as a leader in the field of bioscience research. Headquartered in Galway, the firm has a particularly strong presence in the West, Midlands, East and North West of the. The Dublin and Sligo offices are also extremely busy at the moment. “We are currently working from Cork and Kerry to Sligo and Donegal and from Dublin in the East to Galway in the West and everywhere in between!” The firm also has a firm foothold in the education sector, a fact that’s reflected in the volume of repeat business with public departments, semi-state bodies and local authorities and in particular with NUI Galway. Currently on site once again at NUI Galway, the firm is constructing the Life Course Studies Institute building on the northern campus adjacent to the BRB, building on
with; they get things done and they have a very good approach in their dealings with the builders as well as everything else. We’re all delighted with the projects in NUI Galway and the reason for the success for these projects is I think the proactive and cooperative way we worked with NUI Galway to deliver the buildings within budget, to their specifications and quality. We had a very rigid set of programme dates in which to complete the projects and we were successful every time. At one stage we were delivering three buildings at the same time and we met each delivery date, to the day. I think that was a fair achievement given the complex nature of the buildings, their location in the heart of the busy NUI Galway Campus all combined with the fact that all our recent work for the university has been on a Design & Build basis.” r
Life Course Studies Institute (“LCSI”) - Artists Impression the existing relationship with the university. The new 3,600m purpose built building is designed to provide an integrated multidisciplinary solution to the needs of the Social Science Programmes at NUI Galway covering older people, children and family and people with disabilities. “We’ve always given NUI Galway an excellent service and we’ve always delivered on quality, programmes and budget for them. The Buildings Office at NUI Galway are very proactive and easy to work
Life Course Studies Institute (“LCSI”) - Under Construction
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Irish Building Magazine
Collen Construction is proud to have been involved in The IADT New Film School
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IADT National Film School
A Star is Built Built by Collen Construction, the new National Film School located on the Institute of Art Design and Technology campus in Dun Laoghaire, is home to some of the most technologically advanced specialist equipment in the country.
T
he new building is part of an on-going project to reorganise, refurbish and upgrade some 10,000m2 of existing campus accommodation for IADT. It’s an impressive, intricate project which should have been completed two years ago but was delayed due to McNamara, the builder on the project at the time, going into liquidation. The new school consists of some 1500m² of specialist film and blue-screen studios, radio studios, lecture rooms and support facilities in a new, state-of-the-art school that connects with existing studios in the adjacent 19th century building. For the past 30 years, programmes in film, TV, radio, animation and model making have been developed and taught at IADT. Over 500 students study on these programmes at undergraduate and Master’s level every year and now they will benefit from the state-of-the-art technologies now on offer at the new film school. The €7.5 million government funded and film industry sponsored
project has been built to provide both education and training facilities in film and television production. It has two professional TV/film studios with fully HD equipment, one of which has green-screen capabilities (there’s only one other HD studio in the country, at the TV3 studios in Ballymount); two radio studios, one of which is for making radio programmes with full technical and creative teams, while the other is for individual self-operation. The larger studio is 200sq.m with a clear shooting height of 6m and motorised lighting grid. The smaller digital effects/green screen/newspack TV studio is 45 sq.m with a clear shooting height of 4m. The project also features control rooms, lecture rooms, a broadcast newsroom and offices and ancillary spaces to support television, film and radio production. The building has been designed to also allow two outside broadcast units to operate and link into the production facilities or the studios. Related disciplines like costume and set design, make-up, lighting, special
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Irish Building Magazine
Proud to have worked on the Prestigious IADT Film School T. 048 3083 8867 M. 087 712 2964 www.keymoreconstruction.com info@keymoreconstruction.com
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IADT National Film School
effects, film production, screenwriting and editing will also be catered for. Facilities at the building are also available for hire, whether that’s broadcasters, independent production companies, training agencies or other commercial organisations. Projects like these don’t come around very often and certainly not ones as precise or intricate as this. John Sweeney from Collen Construction was the lead on the 12 month build. “Years ago I worked on a project at Leopardstown Racecourse where we hung a floor out of a structure. That was an extremely detailed and intricate job. With the Film School, people don’t realise the huge amount of work that went on behind the scenes, they just see a big concrete box and just think we put up a few shutters.” It may look like a big ‘concrete box’ but the M&E details of the project required an intricacy and preparation not usually associated with similar projects. “Services had to be cast in to the concrete pours and had to be 100% accurate. To achieve the accuracy we had a lot of coordination of the following drawings involving the Formwork, Engineer, and Architect and M&E teams. When the formwork panels were been constructed, they were all faced with new plywood to achieve the high standard that was required by the Architect. M&E services were provided by Homan O’Brien, the Architect on the project was John Parker of ABK Architects. Other members of the project team included Punch Consulting Engineers and Healy Kelly Turner Townsend.
The main materials used in the construction process were concrete with a lightly sandblasted finish, playing nicely against printed and clear glass surfaces both externally and internally. “The architect wanted a slight shotblasting effect on the walls so we had a mock up panel done out in the site set up. We poured a panel and tried different grades of shot blasting; the architect then approved what he wanted and we applied that to all the walls.” The new film school is a reinforced concrete structure with a cantilever section at the front entrance. The architect specified all finished to the concrete which meant again, the construction teams had to be very accurate. “We had some very big large wall pours. Extra engineering was required, as the large formwork panels had to be design structurally to hold the concrete, especially the cantilever section. The rebar also had to be designed in such a way that allowed us to pour these large concrete walls.” 65% GGBS concrete from Ecocem was also specified, which caused challenges of its own as the shutters couldn’t be stripped until 2 to 3 days. “That particular concrete mix does not go off for about two days. So on the big pours, some of the shutters had to stay up for two or three days. All this had to be coordinated into the programme as well. GGBS concrete doesn’t strengthen until nearly 56 days, with standard concrete it’s at full strength at 28 so that was another consideration.” Kingspan insulation and acoustic layers mean
students won’t feel the cold when the weather turns. AWG were the acoustic consultants on the school. “Acoustics were very important, we had an acoustic specification for each room. Before the subcontractors started, we held workshops for each room and see how we were going to achieve the level of detail, what method of construction we would employ and which products we would use. This was
It may look like a big ‘concrete box’ but the M&E details of the project required an intricacy and preparation not usually associated with similar projects coordinated and drawn up and signed off. When all that was completed, each room was tested. Every door in the school is acoustic, with some of them coming from Belgium and France.” Specialists were brought in from the UK to ensure zero tolerance on the TV studio’s floor; it’s super flat. The school features a huge amount of glass, with a specially commissioned glass feature welcoming
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Irish Building Magazine
KCE Kendra Civil Engineering Irl. Ltd has been successfully delivering Power, Water, Gas & Telecommunications projects since 2000 in both challenging urban environments & sensitive rural landscapes whilst at the same time being committed to its Safety at Work culture in the workplace which is of paramount importance. Kendra Civil Engineering Irl. Ltd have particular skills in the management, co-ordination & delivery of utilities projects in a safe manner & we have been active in the development of innovative techniques & viable value engineering solutions in a collaborative manner with our client base in order to minimise the impact of our operations on the wider environment.
Kendra Civil Engineering Irl Ltd Kingswood, Baldonnell, Dublin 22 Ph; +353 (0) 1 4595390 Fax; +353 (0) 1 4595387 Email; info@kendra.ie www.kendra.ie Kendra Civil Engineering Irl Ltd’s. client base includes Local Authorities, ESB Networks & some of the country’s most prestigious construction companies including Collen Construction.
Proud to have worked with Collen Construction as one of the preferred sub contractors on the prestigious IADT Film School project. We provided Site Set Up Services, Second Fix Carpentry, Roofing Works and supplied labour. We at Carpentry Works LTD pride ourselves on providing a wide range of services - from foundation to roof & all points between. Specialists in: Internal Joinery, Roofing Carpentry, General Carpentry, Project Management and Renovation. Visit carpentryworks.ie or scan our QR Code to view the full range of services that we provide. Mark Feely - Carpentry Works 26 Meadow Court, Daingean, Offaly. T. 057 93 53998 M. 087 245 2285 E. mark@carpentryworks.ie
“Preserving our heritage to last a lifetime” Fintan Farrell Conservation Services Ltd are one of Ireland’s leading conservation and remedial treatment specialist companies. With over 40 years combined experience in the restoration and preservation of old historic buildings along with waterproofing some of Ireland’s modern build constructions. Fintan has been entrusted to restore some of Ireland’s most valuable buildings such as the Four Courts and clongowes wood college. To find out more about us and our previous projects, please visit: www.ffcs.ie Please contact Fintan Farrell: fintan@ffcs.ie 087 119 2740 or Laura Farrell: laura@ffcs.ie 085 149 6297
Congratulations to Collen Construction. We were delighted to have been a delivery partner on the high specification IADT Film School Project.
IADT National Film School
students as they enter the building. “The image is from a film from the 1920s by an old Russian director called Vertov. A British artist called Kirsty Brooks developed that image, the image was then digitised onto the glass in Spain and now it’s the main feature of the building. It’s my favourite part of the project; if you’re too close to it you can’t see it, you have to go back a good distance 20 or 30m.” All joinery in the building comes from managed forests while all the carpet tiles are 100% recyclable. Collen Construction has been on the go since 1810 and has built up a huge portfolio of clients over the years including large multi-national corporations, private companies, local authorities and state authorities. In the 2012 Bruce Shaw handbook, the firm was listed at number 10 in the table of top Irish contractors. Managing Director Leo Crehan attributed the company’s success to its ability to satisfy client requirements. “Completing projects
within a tight programme, meeting strict budget constraints and at the same time providing a quality service, ensures the company is succeeding in forging strong relationships with its clients. Clients, existing and new, are reassured by the high level of service provided by Collen staff both onsite and behind the scenes. Our attention to detail together with our dedication to meeting targets is leading to direct negotiation on future projects with many of our Clients. We continue to tender competitively for private and public sector projects and we have secured a number of new projects due to commence onsite in the coming months. We look forward to seeing these projects progress onsite and to our engagement with new Clients and Design Teams.” Currently, Collen Construction are back at the Film School working on another job; resurfacing the road around the building. Other projects the firm are working on at the moment include a large residential development for Dublin
City Council and the Catholic Housing Association, consisting of apartments for elderly people on Gardiner Street. Refurbishment of the Irish Life office block has also begun as has another big job in Tallaght Cross. According to John, the much reported upswing in the industry isn’t just over optimistic talk. “I think there’s a definite pick-up in terms of work, certainly in the Dublin area and in cities around the country. Talking to some consultants and architects now, they’re looking for staff. There’s also a definite demand for upgraded offices. Data centres are also being built at the moment, the Irish climate suits the construction of these types of projects.” The newly opened film school has been a hit with students, staff and indeed President Michael D Higgins, who attended the official opening back in November. With the technology and expertise available to students at the school, we’ll be seeing great things coming out of it over the next few years. r
All images courtesy of Christian Richters Photograph www.christianrichters.de
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Irish Building Magazine
has more: Stainless Steel Tube - Pipe - Fittings - Flanges & more for the Pharmaceutical Industry Amari Cork is an ISO 9001 : 2008 company centrally located in the Pharmaceutical Hub of Ireland. With our extensive stocks and product range located only minutes from all major logistical routes, we pride ourselves on quality, service and reliability. From Food Process to Biotech Industries, Hygienic Tube and Fittings, Nominal Bore Pipe and Fittings to Angles, Box Sections, Flat Bars, and Sheet for everyday applications and for supply of large project consignments whatever your industry, Amari has the facilities and flexibility to meet all of your needs.
– more Tube
Din 11850 En 10217-7 Hygienic Tubes Metric & Imperial in both 304L & 316L. Hygienic Unions- Rjt, Sms, Idf, Din & Triclamp. Dairy bends - Sms short weld, 1d + 1.5d expand type along with the Tees, Concentric & Eccentric Reducers. Hygienic Non - Return Valves, Tassalini Butterfly Valves, Ball Valves & Sight Glasses.
– more Pipe
Nominal Bore Pipe & Fittings acc. to ASTM A 312 in 304L and 316 L and in both Welded and Seamless from Sch 5 to Sch 160 where applicable. Ansi & EN 1092 flanges - Weld Neck, Slip On & Blind. Elbows, Tees, Concentric & Eccentric Reducers along with 3000lb fittings also. Alloys 20, 22, C276, 400, K500, 600, 601, 625, 718, X750, 825, 904 L, B22 & Titanium. For extensive details on our Aluminum, Plastics, Road Transport Products, Aeronautical & Stainless Steel products please visit www.amari-ireland.com
– more Fittings
Amari Ireland Ltd, Unit 8 & 9, South Ring West Business Park, Tramore Road, Cork. Tel: +353 21 4310 520 Email: cork@amari-cork.com
– more Flanges – more square, rectangular and handrail Tube – more stock
BCD Engineering
BCD - Engineering Success Established over 30 years ago, the ongoing success of Charleville based BCD Engineering is a lesson in how to adapt and thrive in spite of harsh economic conditions and a battered construction industry. ‘BCD is also unique in that it offers a full package to clients, including design, build, commissioning and installation’
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ate last year, the firm announced the creation of 40 new jobs off the back of a new multi-million euro vaccine plant project in the Asian market; this news came after pharmaceutical and biotechnology project wins in the Irish, UK and Belgium markets. According to CEO Sean McGowan, the impressive uptake in business experienced at the firm in recent times can be attributed to changes implemented in how BCD operates. “Internally, we’ve carried out many changes to our processes. What we’ve found is that in many mid-sized companies, business is carried out by individuals and is very much reliant on people and their own specific knowledge. We’ve implemented particular processes that ensure our business doesn’t need to be as reliant on individuals. We’ve managed to increase our capacity without adding more people into the mix and because of that, we’ve won more business.” The firm has remained cost competitive, with the majority of work outside Ireland. “70% of our work at the moment is abroad but in saying that, last year we saw a strong uptake in the Irish market, particularly in the food and beverage sector which is very strong.” By ensuring a strong foothold in several markets at any one time, the firm remains busy if any one
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Work with the leaders in power quality today. engineering services to automation
ESTA Manufacturing and Sales Limited is one of the longest established businesses of our kind in Ireland. We specialise in Motor Control Systems, Turnkey Projects, Low Voltage Switchgear, Process Instrumentation, Control Solutions including PLC Control System and SCADA.
ESTAPQS is dedicated to providing state of the art power quality solutions and power distribution systems, spanning across all industries. Since 1996, in order to achieve this level of service in the UK and Ireland, we have partnered with ELSPEC, the leading global technology provider of electrical power quality analysers, real time power factor correction systems and energy saving solutions. Our team has undertaken extensive training at Elspec’s Headquarters in Israel and are experts in the product range.
POWER QUALITY SOLUTIONS BEYOND BS EN 50160:2010
GG3500 BLACKBOX Portable
How can ESTAPQS improve your power quality?
G4400 BLACKBOX Fixed Power Quality Analyzer
ESTA Manufacturing & Sales Ltd., Woodstock Industrial Estate, Athy, Co. Kildare, Ireland. DDI. Main. Fax. Web.
00353 (0)59 8631002 00353 (0)59 8632088 00353 (0)59 8632804 www.estams.com
• We undertake a study of your power supply and distribution system using Elspec’s G4500 BLACKBOX Portable Power Quality Analyser to gather the data required for analysis • We design the solution for your business based on our custom analysis and future requirements indicated by your plant operator • Our offering includes the complete turnkey solution or the product ready to be installed by the plant contractor, commissioned by us. • We will repeat the study to verify the improvements promised in our proposal • We will provide support and backup for all Elspec products
G4500 BLACKBOX Portable Power Quality Analyzer
ESTA Manufacturing & Sales Ltd., Quayside Tower, 2nd Floor, 252 - 260 Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2HF, United Kingdom. W: www.estapqs.co.uk T: +44 (0) 121 6974709 F: +44 (0) 121 633 8954
Vessel Technologies Ltd. OMC Technologies are leaders in the design of stainless steel fabricated products & furniture to the pharmaceutical, medical & semiconductor markets in Ireland & the UK. We also provide surface treatment services including degreasing & passivation, derouging & electropolishing.
Suppliers of Quality Components to the Process Vessel Industry.
Part of the OMC Group, headquartered in Limerick where for over 30 years OMC has provided metalwork solutions to the construction, industrial, manufacturing & scientific markets. We have four sales offices in Ireland (Limerick, Thurles, Dublin & Cork) with two sales offices in the UK (London & Cardiff). We specialise in providing clients with a closed-loop service consisting of: Product Design Fabrication Electropolishing Passivation Product Contact Certification Product Identity and Traceability We offer an extensive range of stainless steel based furniture & products, the majority of which are customised to each customer’s unique requirements. OMC Technologies Ireland: Ballysimon Road, Limerick. Tel. 061-419333 E-Mail: sales@cleanroomfurniture.ie
Proud of our longstanding association with BCD Engineering. For product info, please call +353 5964 71398. Alternatively, mail: info@vestec.ie Vessel Technologies Ltd, Slate Row, Hacketstown, Co. Carlow.
BCD Engineering
‘Over the past few years, the firm has built up a strong reputation in delivering high purity process systems to these companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food & beverage and chemical industries, both at home and abroad’
business or market weakens. BCD is also unique in that it offers a full package to clients, including design, build, commissioning and installation. “This lets us compete with the larger companies, it’s really important that we can do that. It’s us and us alone that controls the quality of the product and that’s what has made us one of the top three engineering firms in Europe.” As well as a healthy portfolio of international clients, BCD also maintains strong working relationships with some of the largest Irish players in the market that provide the backbone to its business. Over the past few years, the firm has built up a strong reputation in delivering high purity process systems to these companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food & beverage and chemical industries, both at home and abroad. The firm cites particular expertise in product formulation, clean in place, clean utilities and thermal treatment, with its engineers challenged all the time to develop innovative process, mechanical and automation solutions. These solutions can be constructed as Modular Skids in the firm’s skid workshops which comprises
4000m2 assembly space with dedicated testing utilities and facilities. Alternatively, they can be part assembled, piped and wired on site by our field installation team. In 2014, the food and beverage sector will account for about 50% of BCD’s business, with the other 50% broken down between business in Europe and Singapore. Sean says the firm has also seen a large uptake in brown spirits and baby powder in the Irish market. “Alongside that, the milk quota has definitely helped business, the dairy business is very strong. At this time of year it’s usually starting to slacken off but we haven’t seen that because of the change in the quota system which is helping Ireland export a lot more.” Silos and very large vessels make up a significant portion of BCD’s business, with the firm doing everything from very small intricate vessels to very large 300,000 litre vessels. “Large vessels are very popular at the moment and like the dairy sector, we don’t see that market changing any time soon.” BCD’s 5000m2 vessel workshop is a market leader in its own right. Dedicated to stainless steel and high alloy materials,
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Established in Dublin in 1909, James J Doherty Ltd is a recognised leader in quality pipeline, heating, and instrumentation products to every major industrial sector throughout Ireland. We pride ourselves on providing you an excellent customer service with a specialist team providing technical sales support, supported by a central logistical team with offices in Dublin & Cork. A 100% Irish owned company - We are the largest approved supplier for Spirax Sarco in Ireland. We carry a large stock of standard products and are ideally located to supply your day to day requirements at competitive prices. Speciality Services; Product supply and application knowledge of Steam Boiler house, steam and condensate distribution systems. Modular systems; Steam / LPHW / CHW heat exchangers & pumps packaged solutions. We can also offer an overhaul service on faulty or old equipment - In the present economic climate, this service has been welcomed by many of our customers who have already enjoyed significant savings on reconditioned equipment (instead of purchasing new). Proud to be associated with BCD, wishing them continued success.
James J Doherty Ltd. Unit 3 Summerhill Enterprise Centre. Summerhill, Co. Meath. Ph 046 9558050 Email: sales@jamesjdoherty.ie www.jamesjdoherty.ie
Petrochem Pipeline Supply is one of Ireland’s largest supplier of Stainless Pipes, Fittings, Flanges, Fasteners, Valves, Instrumentation and Controls to the Irish Pharmaceutical and Biotech markets, consistently partnering with our Leading Engineering Contractors. Look no further for your reliable supplier with consistent service at the right price. THE TEAM AT PETROCHEM WISH EVERY CONTINUED SUCCESS TO BCD Petrochem Pipeline Supply Ltd Cork + 353 21 4351300 Dunboyne + 353 1 8026020 sales@petrochem.ie
Quality Process Links Ltd (QPL) is a leading supplier of high quality process equipment and components to the Pharmaceutical, Chemical, Food and Beverage Industries in Ireland.
“wishing BCD continued success”
Quality Process Links Ltd. Railway Road, Charleville, Co. Cork. T. 063 30250 E. info@qualityprocesslinks.ie www.qualityprocesslinks.ie
BCD Engineering
it can accommodate the smallest pilot scale process vessels to the largest shop-built brewing fermentors. Once the systems are fully assembled on site, teams of engineers experienced with automation integration, commissioning and testing, take the systems through IQ, OQ and PQ as required to allow a smooth handover with training to the client at the end of the project. Today, BCD employs just under 250 people. The main office is based in Charleville, Co Cork with sales offices located in the UK, Egypt, Holland, France and Benalux. Turnover of engineers in the industry is an ongoing issue for the firm. “In terms of trying to retain talented employees, we see a repeatable theme whereby graduates with one or two years’ experience want to travel abroad and this has been an issue for us. We’ve focused on acquiring experienced, well educated engineers and there is a talent pool in the local area including Limerick however most of these engineers have been working in different industries. We have been taking them, retraining them and the result is a more experienced loyal engineer who has had the travel bug well and truly satisfied. That policy is reaping its rewards at the moment.” According to Sean, engineers who work at BCD benefit from unparalleled learning, an experience that’s difficult to get at another company. “What we’re seeing now is the slightly older engineer who has been involved in a different industry or been abroad but who’s now coming back, or maybe has been in a different part of the country and wants to be closer to home. That’s the type of engineer we’re employing, very settled and extremely knowledgeable.” Last year, the firm celebrated 30 years in operation - three decades of steady growth in North Cork. “The long term impact on the local area is evident by the generations of families who have worked in the company,” says Sean. “We have a number of employees whose father and grandfather worked with BCD, highlighting how ingrained BCD is within the local community.” Based on investment in several new processes that has resulted in new international and sector opportunities, the future looks very rosy indeed for BCD. “All companies have come through a tough time, particularly our company. In the past year we’ve managed to turn a good profit and this is down to the way we’ve changed how we do things. We’ve come through tough challenges and it’s made us leaner and better. We’re coming out the other end of it now and I think the people who have survived, changed and adapted will be stronger and better in the future. I think for our company, the future is looking very bright.” r
‘We have a number of employees whose father and grandfather worked with BCD, highlighting how ingrained BCD is within the local community’
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Irish Building Magazine
Security
Security an investment, not a cost!
Security has always been part of humans’ basic needs. Since the start of business and open market trading, security issues cropped up around protecting housing, stock, land, and shops or factories with gates, fences, locks and watchmen says Fabian Doyle, Security Practitioner with Sovereign Security Limited.
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n our changing society, our social and economic structures interconnect with our legal system, governing what we can and cannot do and protecting us against injustice. Underpinning this is how we perceive crime and the morality of our society. There is an obligation on business owners to trade ethically and honestly and to be treated ethically and honestly by everyone they come into contact with – in other words, in an atmosphere that deems that crime is unacceptable. As a security practitioner for over 40 years, it is not for me to pass judgement on our society but merely to look at where we are and apply the necessary protections to businesses that are security and safety aware. It is a well-known fact that the main security threat - from minor to major loss - comes from within an organisation. Over the years, then, security design has responded to the increased issues of internal theft and threats from outside the client’s business. ‘With the right It is important to understand that, today, security design takes into consideration all aspects of risk to a business. This is a major move away from the approach, old-style reactive systems to prevention of loss by having the foresight to apply the necessary solutions knowledge, to protect business people, property and assets against potential loss. Every business, no matter how big or small, needs skills, and an to assess their security needs, taking into account the importance of its people, assets and property. understanding of the A routine prevention review of any business would include: • Boundary protection scope of prevention, • Building perimeter protection • Intrusion and access control • CCTV and alert systems security can and • Fire prevention • Emergency and disaster plan does contribute to • Prevention of theft and pilferage • Safety and accident prevention the profitability of a • Method of enforcement These are common areas of concern where, as a rule, general conventional principles of prevention can apply. No company should underestimate the security risk to their business and that degree of risk is associated with a number of important variables. An assessment by management with the expertise of an experienced security professional will identify threats and tailor specific preventive solutions to an individual business. In most cases, security is seen as a necessary expense to prevent criminal behaviour and protect company property, and therefore
business’
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Irish Building Magazine
it subtracts from the bottom line. Security, for some businesses, can be a reluctant investment with no thought going into loss prevention other than a knee-jerk reaction and investment of the least amount possible. With the right approach, knowledge, skills, and an understanding of the scope of prevention, security can and does contribute to the profitability of a business. At an individual level, business owners have a responsibility to educate their staff on the importance of protecting their assets: their people, products, hardware, software, physical infrastructure. The main goal is to create an environment where honesty is paramount and everyone benefits through security of employment. To conclude, a security programme is based on a clear understanding of all the conditions that subscribe to losses within a business. Failure to recognise and understand these conditions will lead to security weakness and inevitable losses – and that is the ultimate threat to a company’s profitability. For moree information visit: www.sovereignsecurity.ie r
Four Pillars of a Sustainable Property Market Recovery.
Savills
The four pillars of a sustainable property market recovery are the availability of land, flexible planning, accessible development finance, and supportive government policy, according to Angus Potterton, Managing Director of property consultants, Savills.
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r Potterton was speaking at the ‘Beyond the Bubble’ National Commercial Property Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Dublin Hotel (Burlington). It was the largest property conference since before the market crash, with over 600 people in attendance. Land Speaking about the lack of available land for property development, Mr Potterton emphasised the importance of a multistakeholder approach to freeing up land: “We need to look at how we can access the right land in the right locations for development. All stakeholders – the banks, central and local government, in conjunction with developers, should look at establishing a national taskforce to examine how barriers to development can be removed, and how we can plan for the medium to long term. It is of benefit to all parties that viable land is made available for development and working together is the best way to achieve this”. Planning With regards to current planning laws, Mr Potterton said that it was encouraging to see some local authorities responding to the changing demand in both commercial and residential property markets: “Ireland’s changing demographics have shifted demand toward the development of family homes rather than apartments. It is encouraging to see some of the local authorities introducing a more flexible approach towards the phasing of density requirements. This will allow the development of much-needed family homes take precedence over apartments. This is an approach that we hope more local authorities will adopt”. He continued, “It is also encouraging to see a number of Dublin’s local authorities take the sensible approach of reducing their development levies to reflect land values. Again, we hope that more will follow this trend”. Development Finance Mr Potterton said that the emergence of private equity in the market could signal a change in how future projects are financed:
“We are delighted to see the pillar banks making funds available for development, but at this point, development finance in the main appears to be coming from private equity. For example, the first significant residential development in Dublin in recent years is being led by the privately-funded New Generation Homes. And then there is the new office block on Stephen’s Green – the first major speculative office development in Dublin city centre for more than five years – again, privately funded”. “We need finance for construction. The emerging trend of privately-funded development is something we expect to continue – so the banks may have to contend with a new competitor in the market”. Government Policy Mr Potterton also noted that, although government interference in the property market has not always been successful, there have been some positive examples – such as the introduction of rent reliefs and capital allowances in the IFSC to encourage occupancy: “Ireland’s changing “It may not be a popular solution, but there are a number of incentives Government can introduce to demographics help alleviate shortages of stock and capitalise on the have shifted pent up demand in the market. For example, capital allowances for office refurbishment could help meet demand toward the urgent requirement for more suitable office space. the development of Furthermore, a short-term reduction in the VAT on new family homes rather homes would help stimulate much-needed residential development. A similar reduction in VAT for the than apartments. hospitality sector proved to be very successful”. It is encouraging Mr Potterton also said that local authorities have a to see some of the significant part to play in protecting city centres: “To protect the long-term future of our city centres, local authorities we need to support their core – the retailers. Our high introducing a more streets are under intense pressure from out of town shopping centres that provide a more competitive flexible approach offering for their tenants. Offering short-term rate towards the reliefs to our city centre based retailers to protect their phasing of density future, and the future of our city centres, should be requirements. considered.” r
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New Products & Company Showcase STRUCTURAL SUCCESS WITH SMARTPLY OSB3 SmartPly OSB3 has recently been selected for the construction of 76 houses and four apartments in one of the biggest housing association schemes in Belfast. Selected for its durability and versatile characteristics, moisture resistant SmartPly OSB3 was specified by Quality Timber Frames Ltd to produce structurally sound timber frames. The O’Hare McGovern housing scheme demolished existing houses at the site to make way for the newly designed development. Manufactured in accordance with EN 300 performance standard, SmartPly OSB3, the highly engineered wood-based structural panel, offered an ideal solution for the structural roofing work due to its adaptability in both internal and protected external environments. “Having regularly worked with SmartPly OSB3 we knew that the quality it provides is second to none,” explains Raymond Moan from Quality Timber Frames Ltd. “We were responsible for manufacturing and assembling the timber frame structure at the site and specified SmartPly OSB3 because of its competitive pricing and engineering quality. We can rest knowing that the panel will meet strict building regulations. What’s more, Coillte Panel Product’s team provides exceptional technical advice around the clock should we require it.” The zero-added formaldehyde panel, which is designed for use in humid conditions, is suitable for a range of applications such as roofing, flooring and wall sheathing. It offers builders and roofing contractors a versatile alternative to plywood, providing peace of mind in both CE-marked certified structural performance and FSC-certified environmental credibility. Nick Marron, National Sales Manager for Coillte Panel Products in Ireland, said: OSB3 offers specifiers guaranteed consistency and therefore peace of mind every time. Manufactured using advanced resin technology, the load-bearing, high performance panel is perfect for applications where strength and moisture resistance are paramount.” For more information on SmartPly OSB visit www.smartply.com and follow @SmartplyOSB
Lakes Bathrooms launches new Coastline range Shower enclosure specialist Lakes Bathrooms has launched a new semi frameless range within the Coastline Collection, to build on the success of this popular 8mm portfolio. There are seven designs in the new range, all designed to fit standard tray sizes, but at 2000mm in height, these styles work well with a low-profile tray to create the ‘wetroom look’. As with the complete Coastline Collection, the look for this new range is confident, sleek, minimalist and contemporary. The focus is on the quality of the materials, with the 8mm glass treated both sides with AllClear® stay-clean coating and the handles being solid, diecast chrome. Named to echo coastlines of the Baltic, the range includes three doors; bi-fold ‘Bergen’, pivot door ‘Narva’, sliding door ‘Talsi’, plus two enclosures; the ‘Malmo’ corner entry and the ‘Valmiera’ quadrant. Both enclosures come in offset variants to maximise the choice offered by the new range and all elements are supported by an optional side panel. Commenting on the launch of the semi frameless range, sales and marketing director at Lakes Bathrooms, Clive Organ, remarked, “We are confident that there is ready-made demand for these products and we’ve designed and built to fulfil the requests we had from fans of the walk-in range of the Coastline Collection. This heavier weight, 8mm glass, collection has exceeded all expectations in terms of market demand and consumers are drawn to the understated style, quality and value. All the products in the range come with a lifetime guarantee* and, importantly to the trade, the range is not only stunning to the eye, but also stress-free in fitting, with our customary high level of adjustability.” Explaining the inclusion of stay clean AllClear treatment as standard, Clive commented, “This collection is led by the beauty and simplicity of the glass when formed into various designs. The clarity and quality of the appearance is paramount, so AllClear treatment is applied to both sides of the glass to help it to retain its crystal showroom finish. This not only saves on cleaning effort and expense, but also supports improved hygiene and minimizes environmental impact for real eco appeal.” Retail prices for the 8mm semi frameless range in the Coastline Collection start from £397 plus VAT. According to Lakes Bathrooms, the initial reaction to this new range has been very positive, both from consumers and the trade. The enclosures are now shipping on the company’s normal 24-48 hour delivery. To view the new Coastline Collection or to request a brochure that details the new semi-frameless range, visit www.lakesbathrooms.co.uk or call (0044) 1684 853870. * Lifetime Guarantee covers manufacturing or material defects.
SAINT-GOBAIN LEADS THE UK WITH BES 6001 FOR RESPONSIBLE SOURCING Saint-Gobain Glass has become the first glass manufacturer in the UK to be awarded the coveted BES 6001 accreditation “Very Good” standard for its responsible sourcing of materials. The award, which was made after independent assessment by BSI, the awarding body, states that the company operates within strict standards of supply chain management and environmental and social responsibility when managing relationships with suppliers. Dave Redford, Purchasing Manager, said: “Our customers know that we have always taken our environmental responsibilities very seriously and this accreditation is one more way of proving our dedication to the responsible sourcing of our products. “It shows that we have sourced our constituent materials responsibly as well as having good internal auditing of other factors such as legal compliance, training, waste management and water usage. We are very proud to be the first UK glass manufacturer to gain this accreditation. Responsible sourcing is recognised within the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) as well as other established sustainability assessment methodologies, counting towards the credits required to assess the code level of a building. The standard also requires an organisation to show good management of greenhouse gas emissions, transport impacts and the impact on employment and the local community. On responsible sourcing, it requires the holder to engage with its own supply chain partners to deliver sustainable policies of their own. The accreditation currently covers all the products made at the SGGUK plant in Eggborough, East Yorkshire. However, the company does not intend to stop there with phase 2 soon to get underway to establish accreditation for the products brought in from its other European plants. Dave continued “Over the last few years, we have instigated a number of initiatives to enhance our responsible approach. These have included programmes to reduce water consumption, emissions to the atmosphere, non-recoverable waste and energy consumption. Taking a proactive approach to sustainability has always been a core concern for us and effectively aligns ourselves with the Saint-Gobain Group’s direction on responsible sourcing. SGGUK is also the first glass manufacturer to have subjected its products to a full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), in accordance with international standards. Dave comments, “Thanks to the LCA, SGGUK are fully aware of the environmental impacts of their products and where they appear during the life cycle. The LCA is verified by an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), ensuring the quality and reliability of the results. This is another example of how we are leading the way in delivering high-performance solutions to market whilst minimising our impact on the environment.” For more information on Saint-Gobain visit www.saint-gobain.co.uk.
REDUCING RISK WITH FLAME RETARDANT SMARTPLY SmartPly has launched SmartPly FR/FR Build OSB3 in response to the Structural Timber Association’s (STA) strategy for addressing Building Regulations Part B, CDM regulations and the HSE’s stipulations. It is a flame retardant structural wood panel for use in construction of timber frame walls and floors. SmartPly FR/FR Build OSB3 panels meet a need identified by the STA in its latest Design Guide to Separating Distances During Construction - Product Paper 4 (October 2013). Here the STA recommends a set of timber wall and floor assemblies for timber framed buildings with a total floor area over 600m2. When combined, these will achieve the performance needed for specific timber frame categories, from A to C2. The panels contain an advanced water based, eco-friendly fire retardant, Zero Ignition®. Added by SmartPly at the OSB manufacturing stage it ensures fire performance throughout the panel. This means that even when the panels are cut, they retain their full flame retardant properties. Easy to cut and handle, the panels have been rigorously tested by the STA. George Watson, product manager for SmartPly explains: “The STA’s latest guidance provides recommendations on alternative products for the sheathing board of pre-insulated panels. One option is to use a system that incorporates SmartPly FR OSB3 as its sheathing board at a minimum thickness of 11mm. Similarly the guidance also allows SmartPly FR Build OSB3 to be used as a floor deck at a minimum thickness of 15mm. Within the STA guidelines it is possible to achieve performance categorisation which is unique to a combined system build. Given the advanced performance level of SmartPly FR/FR Build the SmartPly Combination of F3 floor and W6 wall constructions when tested as a complete system achieved a B3 classification.” Adding to the range of SmartPly OSB products, SmartPly FR/FR Build OSB is manufactured according to EN 300. As a structural panel it complies with the Construction Products Regulation and carries the CE mark applied at the source of manufacture to prove this. The panels are also suitable for EuroCode 5 building designs. George Watson continues: “Where timber is the chosen construction method, SmartPly OSB provides the solutions. It helps housebuilders, developers and framing contractors to meet current standards and underpins regulatory compliance. It also delivers reassurance, with all products in the range manufactured from locally grown and legally harvested FSC certified sustainable timber, providing an alternative to plywood panels.” For further information on SmartPly OSB and the full product range visit www.smartply.com and follow @SmartPlyOSB
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CPRS00026
Unlock your company’s potential. Asset Finance We offer competitive rates and up to 100% finance options for our customers. Asset Finance is the flexible repayment way to grow your business. Drop into any branch • 1890 47 47 47 • aib.ie
Warning: You may have to pay charges if you pay off a fixed rate loan early. Lending criteria, terms and conditions apply. Credit facilities are subject to repayment capacity and financial status and are not available to persons under 18 years of age. Security may be required. Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. trading as AIB Finance & Leasing provides Asset Finance by way of Hire Purchase. AIB Leasing Limited trading as AIB Finance & Leasing provides Asset Finance by way of Leasing. Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. and AIB Leasing Limited trading as AIB Finance & Leasing are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.