Industry News

FLP Pond Liner adds tranquil touch to Devon farmhouse

FLP, a brand of leading landscape supplier Green-tech has supplied the pond liner for a stunning new pond installed in a farmhouse located in South Devon.

SWP Hydraulics from Devon approached FLP after an internet search. Their sales advisor provided guidance on measurements to work out the correct size needed. The pond is 29 meters long, 10 meters wide and 1.5m deep and after discussion an order was placed for 0.75mm Green Seal EPDM liner which has a reassuring 20-year guarantee.

EPDM is a synthetic rubber membrane liner ideal for lining ponds, lakes, lagoons and streams. Ideal for aquatic installations, EPDM is a popular choice for larger projects where unusual shapes, contours and sizes are required. It is a highly robust pond liner and is resistant to UV degradation and other harsh environmental conditions. The EPDM pond liners can be installed all year-round as they remain extremely flexible at various temperatures.

Nathan from SWP Hydraulics comments,

“We decided to install a feature pond which would be designed to seamlessly blend the stunning Devon countryside with the tranquil calm of water which can all be enjoyed at close quarters from the deck.

Having found Green-tech with a simple search online.

The support and advise from specification through to fitting was excellent. It was quite a task to install and took nearly 3 weeks to fill from our Well, but we are very pleased with the end results.” •4•

Self-cleaning and Air-purifying Facade

570 Broome Street in New York is a 25-story residential tower with groundfloor commercial units. Due to its location at the busy Holland Tunnel, the client decided on a low-maintenance, durable, rear-ventilated facade from Neolith.

570 Broome Street in New York is a 25-story residential tower with ground-floor commercial units. The design is the work of Manhattan-based architecture studio builtd. Due to its location at the busy Holland Tunnel, the client decided on a low-maintenance, durable, rear-ventilated facade. A total of 33,000 m2 of 12-mm-thick Neolith Jura limestone is installed on lightweight aluminium frames. The panels were produced in a special colour especially for the building. They are stain-, UV- and exhaust fume-resistant and also self-cleaning and air-purifying.

www.neolith.com

BiKBBI introduce daily COVID update for tradespeople

In response to recent ‘confusing messaging’ from the devolved governments, The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) today launched a new tool for the industry, which provides clarity to tradespeople in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in relation to current trading restrictions, by country.

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EO at The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation, Damian Walters, has been vocal about frustrations relating to mixed messaging from the devolved governments in relation to Coronavirus restrictions placed upon tradespeople. Damian raised this topic at a meeting with the newly appointed Secretary of State at The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) this morning, Kwasi Kwarteng. The new ‘COVID status checker’ can be found on the BiKBBI news page (www.bikbbi.org.uk/bikbbi-news) which clarifies the current status for each country for both domestic and construction settings. The website also links to the relevant pages within the respective government websites to aid understanding of responsibility. Damian said: “Whilst I think it’s fair to say that the government have done a great job in many respects relating to this pandemic, the lack of cohesion between England, Scotland and Wales, especially on the subject of the differences in social restrictions has been less than satisfactory. Messaging for the thousands of tradespeople out there needs to be clearer, more consistent and better aligned between the devolved powers, or else this pandemic will not only have health implications, but also impact greatly on SME livelihoods”. The system, which is free to access by anyone, will be updated upon new guidance and reviewed daily.

industry news Ultima Linear Bricks

These bricks are not right for every build.

On paper they stand at just 38mm tall, and they are double the length of a standard brick. They tick the ‘long format’ box. But they are not just long format bricks.

Whilst they tick every technical box, you have to lift them off the paper to appreciate their beauty. There you’ll find an unparalleled feel, and a surface texture that tells an honest story. They are so special, they have a unique name to match. Ultima Linear. It means ‘exceptional form, and a design led feel that calls for extra special projects.’

So, it’s true. The waterstruck bricks are not right for every build, but they make a statement in luxury housing, city apartments, office buildings, museums and University buildings. You’ll find an unparalleled feel and a surface texture that tells an honest story.

Ultima Linear bricks add serious personality to any residential or commercial project, but remember, they are not for the mundane. Architects and housebuilders love them, and our cities need them. So if you’re working on an exciting project, Ultima Linear would love to hear about it.

Find them at:

www.uk-brick.com

Persimmon: ‘A note of caution, but £1.2bn in the bank’

Persimmon plc, one of the UK’s leading housebuilders today updated the market on its 2020 trading performance.

Like other housebuilders Persimmon saw sales interrupted by the pandemic, followed by a strong bounce-back once sites were able to reopen on a covid-safe basis.

The group saw selling prices to private buyers rise by 3.7% over the year, with the group average sold price rising by 7%, reflecting a reduced proportion of lower-priced social housing in the mix. •6•

Overall Persimmon sold 13,575 homes (2019: 15,855), a decline of 14%, but sales to private buyers were only reduced by 9%. The group’s forward sales position at year end rose by 25% to £1.7bn, backed by £1.2bn of cash in the bank (2019: £1.4bn). The group sounded a note of caution in its outlook, referring to a lower pace of activity in recent weeks, in part due to a December change in the government’s Help to Buy scheme.

Commenting on the results, Steve Clayton, Manager of the HL Select UK Income Shares fund, which holds a position in Persimmon said: “Persimmon enjoyed a strong bounce-back when pandemic-driven restrictions on trading were lifted mid-year. Since then it has bolstered its balance sheet through robust cash generation and a forward sales position of roughly half a year’s expected revenues.

“At this stage, with the end of the stamp duty holiday in sight, taking a cautious view of the immediate outlook is the right approach, but we have seen more bullish outlooks from some of the group’s rivals. Persimmon have also left investors waiting until their full year results in early March for news on the group’s dividend intentions. So perhaps no surprise then to see the shares a little weaker in early trading”.

New Year …. A new dawn.

As the sun rises in 2021, we can reflect on some of the positive changes that the previous year has brought to our lives, one of which is an appreciation of the local independent business, within our community, that has always been there, but we haven’t always supported. However, we have now realised that they are competitively priced, friendly, and informative and often more flexible than their larger competitors willing to adopt new ways to transact and communicate with existing and new customers.

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any local independent shops whether it is the butcher in your village, greengrocer or the local pub have embraced additional business channels allowing customers to order, click and collect or have a home delivery. Thus, ensuring they continue to operate and are profitable during a challenging business year.

Restrictions have brought a new audience to online shopping and ecommerce, an audience who have previously not adopted to the digital age. On a practical level, this has meant that organisations have had to make sure their website content is simple and easy to use. In these changing and uncertain times, it has never been more important to understand your customers and your market.

Here at the IPG, we have been impressed with how several of our members have responded to the changing competitive landscape and have adopted the new modern selling channels, making their businesses available 24/7 which will help them in their determination to continue to grow their business in 2021 and beyond.

Our experienced IT Team have supported members throughout the last 12 months with website development and ecommerce solutions. But don’t take our word for it, here’s what Mike at one of our members, Croxley Plumbing Supplies said:

“From my initial consultation with The IPG to my weekly emails and phone calls, getting onboard with e-commerce has been a big success. Sales have increased since going live, but what is also improved is my profile in the local area. The number of visitors to my website has grown significantly. Never as much as now has our relationship with The IPG felt so much like a team.”

Unlike 12 months ago some of our IPG members are now offering a click and collect service and their businesses are open 24/7 with their new effective online platforms. This has meant they have reached brand new customers online and have experienced increased footfall to their locations. After so much negative news about retail in the last month it is reassuring that the independent merchants are adapting and expanding their service and delivery channels making sure they remain in our community for the foreseeable future.

industry news New homes required to have 31 per cent lower emissions from 2021

New homes constructed from this year onwards will be expected to produce 31 per cent lower carbon emissions in preparation for the 2025 Future Homes Standard, the Government has announced following the completion of its consultation.

New homes will be required to have “low carbon heating” and to be “zero carbon ready” by 2025, said the Ministry for Housing.

The Future Homes Standard consultation contained two options; one for a 20 per cent reduction in emissions from very high fabric standards, or a 31 per cent reduction delivered by carbonsaving technology and improved fabric standards, such as double glazing.

As a result of the decision to go with ‘option two’, new homes will be expected to produce 75-80 per cent lower carbon emissions compared to current levels.

As part of meeting this demanding target, MHCLG’s consultation response confirmed plans to move forward with proposals to ban fossil fuel heating systems, such as gas boilers, in new build homes from 2025, with heat pumps intended to become the primary heating technology for new housing.

Standards for existing homes are also set to tighten, with a “significant improvement” expected on the standard for extensions and replacements, repairs and parts, including the replacement of windows and building services such as heat pumps, cooling systems, or fixed lighting. There will reportedly be “stringent” transitional arrangements to provide all developers with certainty about the standards they are building to. These are planned to last for a year, and apply to individual homes, rather than an entire development.

Nigel Banks, director of specialist projects at ilke Homes, said the announcement was “welcome news,” but “the timetable for implementation is too slow, meaning over a million new homes built between now and 2026 will need to be retrofit in the 2030s.” Banks asserted that, through its own modular building practices, his firm had demonstrated that homes can be delivered to zero-carbon standards now, “on sites across the UK and for public and private sector clients.” According to the Housing Minister, the Government believes that “improving the energy performance of buildings is vital to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and protecting the environment for future generations to come.” The Government provided some optimism here, stating that there has already been “considerable progress made” on emissions from homes, with overall total emissions reduced by about a fifth since 1990 despite there being approximately a quarter more homes.

The consultation will be open for responses until 13 April.

Prior to 2020, eating together as a whole family was a less regular event, often limited to Sunday roasts and special occasions. However, with families now together for most mealtimes, ample seating and space to dine together has become more of a priority. Davonport expects integrated seating solutions such as banquette and breakfast bar style seating to become ever more popular in 2021 and for homeowners to specify multiple eating zones to accommodate the dining habits of all family members.

3. Super storage

During the first national lockdown of 2020, homeowners’ food shopping habits changed with many households using home delivery services for the first time and the need for the weekly shop to last for the full seven days - including every mealtime and snack. This naturally led to a need for more storage for both fresh and food cupboard items as well bulky cleaning and household products.

As the year progressed, the trend for increased storage and larger capacity appliances continued. It is therefore expected that walk-in pantries and larder-style units will be a big trend in kitchen design for 2021.

4. Hot water taps

Replacing a traditional kettle with a hot water tap was a popular choice for many homeowners in 2020 and the trend isn’t slowing as we enter 2021. Last year homeworkers realised the benefits of hot taps; being able to make instant hot drinks in between (and even during) meetings, and the lack of noise meant reduced disruption to other family members sharing the same space. As a result, they have been a go-to addition to the modern kitchen.

4. Hot water taps Greens were a popular colour choice for hand painted kitchens throughout 2020. The bolder, darker shades paired with brass and gold tone accessories dominated social media feeds last year. However, the trend seems to be moving towards lighter, softer tones that are paired with more natural finished textures and materials.

Experts suggest that softer, natural tones and materials, reminiscent of nature, reflect that we are seeking to connect with the outdoors after spending more time than ever before within the same four walls.

6. Home bars

With restrictions limiting our ability to socialise in pubs, bars and restaurants, many homeowners looked to recreate this environment in their own home. This led to a rise in popularity of ‘home bars’ with everything from integrated wine storage, to larger drinks cabinets, and bespoke cabinetry to store appropriate glassware.

Richard Davonport continued:

“With families spending more time than ever under the same roof, our homes have been pushed to the limits. Therefore, it is only natural that we have seen a shift in kitchen design as a result of the pandemic.

“Designing a multifunctional kitchen space that meets the needs of the whole family is now absolutely critical. Whether it’s a makeshift office, the location for a romantic ‘night-out’, a temporary coffee-shop, a classroom, or more traditionally, a place for the whole family to get together at mealtimes, our kitchens have to work harder than ever, so it’s hugely important that as much thought goes into making the most of the available space as it does the cabinetry design and colour.” - Managing

Director at Davonport For more information please visit www.davonport.com or call 0845 468 0025.

5. Going for green 6. Home bars 6. Home bars