Work starts on smart-enabled building

The construction of Birmingham’s first smart-enabled building Enterprise Wharf is underway at the Innovation Birmingham Campus and is expected to provide a major boost to the city’s economic recovery.

The development marks the expansion of the region’s leading digital and tech campus, which is already home to an established cluster of more than 150 businesses working in high growth areas such as fintech, proptech, edtech, 5G and VR and will provide muchneeded grow-on space for tech businesses looking to expand or relocate to the city.

Located next to Aston University and Birmingham City University, in the heart of the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, the 10-storey, 120,000 sq ft Enterprise Wharf will feature a large, open plan reception and collaboration space, cycle storage with kit drying room, space for electric vehicle charging, showers and a roof garden with stunning views over the city.

Embedded with smart, Internet of Things (IoT) technology, Enterprise Wharf will collect and have the ability to monitor data from the Building Management System, HVAC, lighting and CCTV. Data from a range of sensors will be displayed in a purpose-built dashboard; allowing air quality, lighting and energy consumption to be managed and optimised, creating a healthy, productive and sustainable workplace.

Enterprise Wharf will be the first new development at the Innovation Birmingham Campus to incorporate measures towards the achievement of Net Zero Carbon.

David Hardman, managing director at Bruntwood SciTech Birmingham, said: “Enterprise Wharf will be a valuable and important addition to Birmingham’s already thriving tech ecosystem.”

Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership has invested £5m from its Local Growth Fund to support the development of Enterprise Wharf, in line with its strategic aims to support the region’s digital and innovation sector.

Enterprise Wharf is due to complete in late 2022.

Stunning views: Enterprise Wharf

Electric vehicle maker zooms into Solihull

Spanish electric motorcycle and scooter business Silence is opening its first UK based flagship retail shop and headquarters in Solihull.

The business has opened its new premises at a regenerated site on Haslucks Green Road, and stocks a full range of Silence’s ‘e-moto’ allelectric motorcycles and scooters available for test rides.

The business’ new site will also house a training centre and warehouse facilities.

The 100 per cent electric Silence ‘e-motos’ are equivalent to 50cc and 125cc mopeds and scooters, travelling up to 91 miles on a single charge while eliminating emissions, noise and vibrations and reducing running costs to around one pence per mile.

Ten jobs will be initially created in Solihull with an estimated 200 jobs to be supported across the UK as the business expands.

John Edwards, one of founding partners of Silence UK, said: “Solihull makes the perfect location for investment, in the first phase of our launch and establishment of our UK headquarters. Not only is the West Midlands already a hub for electric vehicle businesses and research, but its leaders are focused on ecomobility and infrastructure.”

Councillor Ian Courts, leader of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council welcomed the move.

He said: “We’re delighted that Silence have chosen to base their UK headquarters here in Solihull. Their investment reflects the confidence in the region as we position ourselves to be at the forefront of low-carbon future mobility.”

Standing out: The new Silence retail shop in Solihull In charge: Sarah (left) and Jeni

Help for young people

More young people across the West Midlands could be helped into longterm employment, thanks to the growth of Birmingham-based charity Sport 4 Life UK, which has recruited a new manager and promoted an internal team member to bolster its Kickstart Scheme.

Sport 4 Life UK provides sports-themed personal development programmes to youngsters aged between 11 and 29-years-old. The charity has appointed Sarah Kerry, who joins from the Scout Association, as employability partnerships manager, and promoted Jeni Bennett, formerly employability mentor, to mentoring project manager, to strengthen its work with businesses in the region offering Kickstart placements to young people.

Kickstart is a Government scheme which offers six-month placements to people aged between 16 and 24 and who are not in education, employment or training.

Businesses interested in participating in the Kickstart Scheme are invited to contact Sport 4 Life UK at kickstart@sport4life.org.uk or 0121 4561818 (option 3) to discuss how the charity can help it add value to youngsters on placement.