Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

OCTOBER 2020

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LEEDS HOUSING ASSOCIATION CEO APPOINTED TO GRENFELL TOWER INQUIRY PANEL

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Dyer & Butler Completes Blackfriars Arches Refurbishment Works on behalf of Network Rail

Heritage & Regeneration – How to Balance Renewal with Sense of Place

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Contents October 2020

04

Morrison data services awarded smart meter contract with So Energy

05

M Group Services expands presence in UK water sector with acquisition of IDSystems

06

Russell Roof Tiles reveals extent of bounce back

08

Leeds housing association CEO appointed to Grenfell Tower Inquiry panel

10

Heritage & Regeneration – How to Balance Renewal with Sense of Place

15

Willmott Dixon underlines Rochdale’s exciting future with latest two transformative projects

18

Henry Brothers appointed to build new £13.2m school in Derbyshire

20

Dyer & Butler Completes Blackfriars Arches Refurbishment Works on behalf of Network Rail

29

Amey launches two-year partnership with Cancer Research UK

32

O’Donovan Waste Disposal Limited Company director wastes no time in mastering the art of demolition

34

Modular Building Features: Do modular projects need digital twinning?

36

Kier appoints Helen Samuels for new technical director role in its Construction business

Front cover image by Matías Santana

Lapthorn Media Ltd 5-7 Ozengell Place, Eurokent Business Park, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 6PB Tel: 01843 808 106 Editor Maria Lapthorn editor@constructionmaguk.co.uk Editorial Assistant Francesca Amato editorial@constructionmaguk.co.uk Features Editor Paul Attwood paul@constructionmaguk.co.uk

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Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 03

Company News

MORRISON DATA SERVICES AWARDED SMART METER CONTRACT WITH SO ENERGY Installing smart meters in our customers’ homes means we can go even further, making smarter decisions on our customers’ behalf, saving them more money and more carbon. That’s why we were delighted to sign this agreement with MDS.

Morrison Data Services (MDS), the UK’s leading utility data services provider to the energy and water market and a part of M Group Services, has been awarded a smart meter contract with growing renewable energy supplier, So Energy.

Under the terms of the three-year contract, MDS will deliver meter reading, data management (NHHDC/DA) and SMETS2 smart metering installation services in selected geographies across the midlands and the north of the UK on behalf of So Energy.

MDS expect to complete up to 125k installations over the full term of the contract, also providing full 24hr emergency MOP/MAM coverage.

Nick Griffiths, Director of Installation Services at MDS, said: “We are delighted to have added So Energy to our portfolio of contracted energy suppliers for the smart meter rollout programme. This is a fantastic opportunity for Morrison Data Services.

With our experience within the UK energy market, we are well equipped to deliver the best service to our clients and their customers, and we particularly look forward to working with So Energy to support with the delivery of SMETS2 Smart Installations.

Simon Oscroft, Co-Founder of So Energy, said: “As a Which? Recommended Provider and the top ranked supplier in the Citizens Advice customer service rankings, we pride ourselves in giving customers the best possible experience. Installing smart meters in our customers’ homes means we can go even further, making smarter decisions on our customers’ behalf, saving them more money and more carbon. That’s why we were delighted to sign this agreement with MDS.”

GLEEDS TO MANAGE MAJOR HOSPITAL UPGRADE FOR WREXHAM MAELOR International property and construction consultancy Gleeds has been appointed as project and cost manager on a £55 million programme of infrastructure and engineering upgrades to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, on behalf of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).

One of the largest hospitals in Wales, Wrexham Maelor is an acute district general hospital which plays a vital role in the delivery of essential healthcare services for a population of around 250,000 across the north east region of Wales, as well as parts of Cheshire, the Wirral, and Shropshire.

In a bid to ensure continuity of those services, Gleeds has been appointed to lead the team tasked with delivering an extensive refurbishment to the 550-bed

facility aimed at addressing some of the most immediate risks on site.

Works will include a full electrical highvoltage ring main upgrade, improvements to ventilation across a number of departments, as well as enhancements to water, heating, and medical gas systems.

Localised fire alarms, nurse calling systems and access controls will also be installed or renewed where necessary as part of the scheme.

Commenting on the project Brian McArdle, Director at Gleeds who is responsible for the programme, said: “Having worked with the BCUHB on a host of projects across the region over the past 12 years Gleeds has a clear picture of its long-term goals, as well as the depth of experience and network of local resources required to support it in achieving them.

05 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

Our Welsh-speaking project lead will work closely with both the client and on-site teams throughout, to ensure that these vital upgrades are carried out with as little disruption to patients as possible.

This initial series of improvements will ensure that Wrexham Maelor Hospital is able to continue to provide a safe and sustainable range of services to patients, while longer-term options for the future development of the site are considered by the BCUHB. Detailed plans are currently being prepared, with phased works expected to be ongoing until 2025.

Company News AMEY CONSULTING LEADING FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR ‘REVOLUTIONARY’ ELECTRIC RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM IN DERBY Amey Consulting is leading a study into the feasibility of the establishment of Derby’s first dedicated mass transit link, having been commissioned by Derby City Council.

M GROUP SERVICES EXPANDS PRESENCE IN UK WATER SECTOR WITH ACQUISITION OF IDSYSTEMS

The £11.5m high quality bespoke electric Rapid Transit (eRT) service aims to inspire future change across the transport network and revolutionise the vision for public transport in Derby.

The proposed route will run directly through the heart of the city centre, linking key intra-city destinations and public areas, and will be a key investment in revitalising the public transport offer in the city, providing new and innovative service and experience, which will include extensive, traffic-free routing.

IDS is an integrated mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control, automation and telemetry (MEICAT) specialist business with around 100 employees that provides design, project management, commissioning, repair and maintenance services to water and wastewater infrastructure and other adjacent markets. They have developed long-term relationships with clients by adopting a partnering approach and providing best-value engineering solutions.

Amey Consulting will identify the most suitable route that will connect: • The Cathedral Quarter • Joseph Wright College • The main high street and shopping centre • Bus station and train station • Derby College Roundhouse • Pride Park, Derby Arena and Derby County Football Club

IDS’ client base includes Scottish Water and its alliance delivery partners as well as other water companies and industrial and commercial organisations across the UK.

The £11.5m scheme, forms part of the successful joint submission between Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council to the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund, which is designed to improve connections between major employment sites and promote active travel and public transport.

As the latest addition to the growing number of businesses forming M Group Services, IDS will retain its brand identity and will form part of the Group’s current Utilities Division before transitioning into the new, dedicated Water Division in April 2021.

Derby City Council have set out their ambition to transform transport across the city, and radically improve the connections between where people live and work.

Councillor Matthew Holmes, Deputy Leader, and Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transportation said: “The economic benefits will be huge for our city, as this level of investment offers the chance to implement some really exciting changes, bringing mass transit to the city, and creative public transport innovations and transport experiences. The eRT will radically improve the connections between where people live, work and study, and provide better access to employment and training, whilst delivering significant reductions in emissions and contribute to the city’s recovery strategy to reboot Derby’s economy after the Covid-19 crisis.”

Speaking on the announcement, Alex Gilbert, Managing Director, Amey Consulting said: “We are delighted to work with Derby City Council on the feasibility of the Electric Rapid Transit (eRT) service. The proposed scheme will not just deliver a cleaner and more efficient transport service, it will also support economic growth across the city and give the people of Derby a transport system to be proud of.

M Group Services (‘the Group’), a leading provider of services to essential infrastructure markets in the UK, with a turnover of over £1.3bn, announces the acquisition of IDSystems (‘IDS’ or ‘the Company’) as of 14 October 2020.

M Group Services Chief Executive Jim Arnold commented: “Strategic acquisitions are a core part of our strategy as we continue to enhance the scope of capability across our sector focused divisions.

IDS has earned a strong reputation within the water sector through its longstanding relationships with their key clients such as Scottish Water along with its innovative product development and off-site manufacturing capability. This acquisition broadens the complementary, specialist services delivered by the Group in this sector and we look forward to supporting the IDS management team as they look to consolidate the Company’s leading market reputation and embark on the next stage of their strategic growth plans.”

Iain Doherty, Managing Director of IDS said, “We are absolutely delighted to be aligning ourselves with M Group Services. Their understanding of our vision has been supported through the whole process and my fellow directors and I truly believe, with their sector knowledge, wide geographic footprint and professionalism our controlled sustainable, growth plan will be greatly enhanced”.

The acquisition of IDS takes the total number of acquisitions made by M Group Services to 11 since December 2016. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Amey Consulting will bring industry leading, sustainable transport expertise to Derby, having previously designed the award-winning Belfast Rapid Transport System (Glider).”

In delivering the Belfast Rapid Transit system, a £90M sustainable transport system in Northern Ireland, Amey Consulting drove improvements that saw bus journey times reduced by 20% as well as reducing emissions by 90% when compared to previous vehicles on the network.

The study in Derby is expected to be completed by June 2021.

Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 05

Company News

RUSSELL ROOF TILES REVEALS EXTENT OF BOUNCE BACK

Pitched roofing manufacturer Russell Roof Tiles is experiencing a 15 per cent increase in customer growth in the builders’ merchants sector.

As the market continues to evolve, even before the onset of the global pandemic, it has been important to us to ensure we continue to support our diverse range of customers.

This growth includes new accounts opened with national chains of builders’ merchants as well as smaller regional groups, specialist roofing merchants as well as independent merchants.

Andrew Hayward MD at Russell Roof Tiles

These figures reflect the latest Builders’ Merchants Building Index (BMBI) which recently reported the value of sales in merchants rose nearly 40 per cent compared to the previous three months.

Sales of building materials through merchants bounced back strongly in the three months May to July. In July sales recovered to such an extent that they were just 1.3 per cent below the same time in 2019.

Russell Roof Tiles has always supported its independent and multiple merchant customers helping them with specification and technical support. Over the past 18 months Russell Roof Tiles has invested in the merchant sector supporting both those who are strong in online sales or in store.

Merchants benefit from Russell Roof Tiles’ investment in online tools such as Tile Estimator which helps identify order volumes required in just two minutes. The customer is then instantly provided with a quote. A Fixing Specification form also pulls together topographical information on the exact location of the project with the wind calculation parameters, using the latest software turning the task into a couple of minutes job and ensuring that a specification fully complies with all the latest standards.

BAM ANNOUNCES MAJOR RESTRUCTURING PROGRAMME Royal BAM Group nv announces a major restructuring programme in order to mitigate lower revenue caused by Covid-19 and selective tendering.

BAM expects this programme to result in cost savings of €100 million annually.

The majority of savings will come from headcount reductions.

Subject to the outcome of the discussions with works councils and trades unions, BAM expects to implement the programme in the next six months, leading to significant savings already in 2021.

‘Given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the disappointing results over the first half year, we are taking decisive action to structurally improve our profitability’, says Ruud Joosten, CEO since 1 September 2020. ‘Although this is a painful decision for employees concerned, it is a necessary step in order to improve BAM’s financial performance. At the same time, we are defining our new strategic agenda in order to create more value for our shareholders and solid prospects for all our stakeholders, including our employees.’

BAM will publish a trading update for the first nine months of 2020 on Thursday 5th November 2020.

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Andrew Hayward, Managing Director at Russell Roof Tiles said: “As the market continues to evolve, even before the onset of the global pandemic, it has been important to us to ensure we continue to support our diverse range of customers.

“We have always been dedicated to supporting merchants and we continually look at ways in which we can improve our service. Our expert team is always on hand to offer advice when required and we have introduced a number of new assets to help merchants. This growth in merchants is already delivering increased volumes of orders in the sector.”

Russell Roof Tiles is a leading independent pitched roof tile manufacturer supplying products for the top housebuilders, leading social housing and commercial projects. The company produces thousands of tiles every week that are used on roofs across the UK, for all of the UK’s premier housebuilders and developers from three factories in the UK and Scotland.

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Latest News RIA: CLARITY ON INDUSTRY STRUCTURE AND INVESTMENT PLANS CAN HELP RAIL ‘BUILD BACK BETTER’ The Railway Industry Association, the national trade body for rail suppliers, has published its submission to the Spending Review, urging greater clarity from Government, in order to support the sector in ‘building back better’.

In the submission, RIA calls for: • The immediate publication of the Williams Review and the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP), to give certainty to the industry on structure and infrastructure plans; • The organisation of a Rolling Stock Summit, to bring together key industry players to develop a long term plan for the UK train fleet, including smoothing the volatility of the market, digitalisation, decarbonisation and innovation; • Support longer-term Control Period style funding settlements for devolved transport bodies, that allow the rail industry to continue key work.

Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), said: “The Government’s Spending Review offers an opportunity to place rail at the heart of the ‘Build Back Better’ agenda. To do so the sector needs clarity and certainty on how the industry will change over the coming years, and future investment plans. We are yet to see the much awaited Williams Review White Paper, and it has now been a year since the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline was last updated, giving rail businesses visibility of what upgrade projects are being planned.

Rail can support the UK’s economic recovery, but to do so it needs clear direction from Government.

“The supply chain does have capacity which is not currently being used, so our sector is offering a solution to the Government not a problem. If the Government acts urgently on this, the results will be seen for the next five years, at a time when rebooting UK plc,

its economy and transport infrastructure connectivity, will be of the highest priority.

“In its submission to the Spending Review RIA also calls for a Rolling Stock Summit to bring together the key players in the industry.

For many years, the rail sector has not had a clear, effective rolling stock strategy, meaning there has been little planning of train orders, leading to significant volatility in the market.

“As we face the challenge of decarbonising and digitalising our train fleet, it is more vital than ever that the industry come together to develop a long term plan for rolling stock investment, that gets the balance right between refurbished and new trains.

We hope that all will join our call for a Summit that sets out a plan to deliver for customers, the industry and the economy.

LEEDS HOUSING ASSOCIATION CEO APPOINTED TO GRENFELL TOWER INQUIRY PANEL The Chief Executive of Leeds-based housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise has been appointed to serve as a member of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Panel.

Ali Akbor has led Unity since January 1999 and was awarded the OBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to the community in Leeds.

Ali Akbor OBE

Shruti Bhargava

He said: “I have been privileged to work with Unity colleagues and partners for more than two decades to deliver high quality affordable homes and other essential services to those in greatest need. We have radically improved the quality of life for thousands of people. This is a source of great pride to me and I know that this wonderful work will go on.

The future of the association and its customers will be in excellent hands.”

Unity Chair Shruti Bhargava said: “We are sorry to be losing Ali but proud that he has been chosen to join the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Panel.

He is a person of the highest levels of integrity, decency and authenticity. He is regarded as a role model for staff at all levels of Unity and across the diverse communities we serve.

We are thankful for everything Ali has done to help so many people and wish him well for the future.”

TOTAL PEOPLE OFFER FREE TRAINEESHIPS TO FUTURE EMPLOYEES Employers in construction help to train the next generation for the world of work.

Young people can kick start their career in construction thanks to free traineeships with leading apprenticeship provider Total People.

Employers across a wide range of industry areas are working with North West-based Total People to offer 16 to 24-yearolds (or 25-year olds with an education, health and care plan) the chance to get work ready and get a head start in their career.

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08 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

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HERITAGE & REGENERATION – HOW TO BALANCE RENEWAL WITH SENSE OF PLACE Daniel Dodds, Principal Heritage Consultant for AB Heritage Ltd looks at some of the issues that developers and other stakeholders should consider when factoring in heritage works as part of urban regeneration schemes.

Lockside Mill, repurposed.

Greater Manchester

Government Planning reforms that came into force this Autumn, include changes to permitted development rights to allow for Permission in Principle on land earmarked for renewal and growth and changes to allow upwards extension to existing buildings.

The Government plans to retain protection for heritage and archaeology under provisions within the planning process.

Crucially these protections will ensure that heritage buildings remain a key pillar in the development of new vibrant spaces in our cities, towns, and villages.

But within a scheme, what does heritage management mean for developers, and what services are available to help manage cherished community assets?

Local Character and a Sense of Place Many towns in the country have suffered economically since post industrialisation.

This led in many cases to significant adverse changes in demand for space in key historic buildings such as former mills, warehouses, and wharves. Town centres also suffered with a severe drop in footfall on our High Streets. Despite these privations, a great many of our historic buildings survive and remain cherished landmarks within their communities, providing local character and unique sense of place.

The very best modern urban developments have repurposed older buildings alongside new builds, to present bold new visions and sense of place for communities to share into the future.

A key message from developers of successful regeneration schemes is to build a highly skilled and motivated team of experts early in the process, that can effectively communicate the vision of the development to all stakeholders – be they financiers or local authority stakeholders.

Urban regeneration projects should bring the local communities on board. Seeking the views and desires of what the host community would like from regeneration, can provide designers with innovative ideas of how existing heritage buildings can be incorporated within exciting new schemes.

Schemes that gather the ideas and vision of a wide range of stakeholders will inevitably be stronger for it, producing developments that create and enhance a sense of place.

Re-purposing for Sense of Place The ability to successfully re-purpose older buildings for modern, sustainable purposes can be key to their long-term viability and can add to the economic life and social cohesion of a place.

Bristol development which has responded well to the adjacent historic buildings

10 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

Daniel Dodds When designing wider plans, consider whether your regeneration plans avoid standalone ‘nice’ historic buildings being conserved but within an island of inappropriate development, isolated from any real context and community purpose.

The Ritz Cinema in Wallsend (below) is a great example of sympathetic development, where an important Art Deco Cinema that had come to the end of its commercial life as a cinema and bingo hall was converted into a Wetherspoon’s Pub utilising the

The Bull, Birmingh in unrelat

An Overview of Available Heritage Services for Planning A range of professional assessments and reports is available for developers to suit various planning requirements. An overview of some standard reports is given below.

An Archaeology Desk Based Assessment focuses mainly on assessing the below ground archaeological factors associated with a development, providing a clear and impartial assessment of the potential impact associated with a development and how best to avoid them. These are undertaken to inform a planning application, or as an information gathering tool to help advise on site design and layout.

The Eldon Centre Newcastle where new development echoes the lines of the existing buildings and works well in setting

Heritage Statements are required for Listed Building Consent Applications and to support applications affecting Conservation Areas, the setting of Listed Buildings and other surviving heritage assets.

These reports establish the history and development of a building or site, to better understand the historic significance of such features and allow the most effective design works to take place to help achieve planning consent.

impressive historic character of the building itself along with adjacent properties to really boost the attractiveness of the development, while creating a more impressive streetscape.

Historic buildings can and should be used to inform and encourage rejuvenation of wider areas around them, bringing economic and social benefits to the host community.

Re-purposing for the Environment Studies have shown that demolition and clearance requires the expenditure of resources and causes the release of carbon that is locked within old buildings at a cost to the environment. By re-purposing, developers can utilise the materials and design that has already been established

Gun Quarter, ham, 1800s historic pub ted modern streetscape

and can add environmental value by bringing modern technologies to bear that will further decrease the carbon footprint of a development.

Heritage Factors within Regeneration Planning The planning system attaches ‘great weight’ to the conservation of designated heritage assets, including of their settings. Heritage setting is an amalgamation of several factors and considerations including: • Urban grain • Skylines • Massing • Streetscape and character • Material palette • Surrounding heritage assets Successful regeneration schemes will need to consider the points above as a matter of course.

By including an experienced Heritage Consultant within the project team, these issues and others can be addressed and turned into design strengths.

A Detailed Heritage Settings Assessment These are typically required for larger developments which have the potential to impact the setting of a number of heritage assets in the vicinity of the site, such as housing developments or infrastructure projects. By understanding specific factors related to the historic setting of a site it is possible to assess potential impacts and benefits associated with a proposed development at the earliest possible stage, allowing heritage consultants to guide planning works to a successful conclusion.

An Historic Building Recording Survey is used as a tool to understand a structure’s historic significance and development over time. There are four levels of survey as set out in Historic England’s guidance document Understanding Historic Buildings: A Guide to Good Recording Practice (2016).

These range from a high-level and scene setting appraisal (Level 1), through to a highly detailed / measured survey of the building (Level 4). Whichever level of survey is required for your project they all play a specific role in assessing, managing and recording the structure as part of the redevelopment of a site. Your Heritage Consultant will help guide you on the most appropriate level for your needs.

To ensure appropriate and high quality heritage work is completed, Developers should always commission a professional commercial archaeology consultancy who is a registered organisation with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.

Operating across the UK, AB Heritage helps clients to manage historic environment project risk as part of successful developments. www.abheritage.co.uk

Call 03333 440 206.

Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 11

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12 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

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Case Study

FIBRELITE SUPPLIES BESPOKE COMPOSITE COVERS TO LARGE DATA CENTRE As demands for computing continues to significantly increase, and millions of people around the planet are online, the world’s data service providers need to continually expand their capacity to cope with the surge in demand.

A straight run of Fibrelite FM500-1265-117-D400-2RB panels in between server halls

This includes the building of large data centres that house the servers that are required to keep our world connected.

Fibrelite worked with the design consultants of the data centre in Northern Europe to cover 525 meters (1046 covers) of electrical and data cabling between buildings.

Fibrelite also worked together with the client to design and supply bespoke size covers, support beams and frames for 11 different pits in the pump room in a separate building on the same site.

Problem The client needed to cover a large run of precast concrete trenches covering electrical and data cables running between different buildings.

A bespoke solution was also needed for pits being used in a separate building. These pits were all separate sizes and required both frames and removable support beams.

Fibrelite covers are the perfect “fit and forget” solution and can be bespoke made to fit precast concrete pits

The covers needed to be strong enough to cope with: heavy duty traffic, temperature variations, have UV resistance and be lightweight enough for the operatives to safely remove the cover when accessing the cables.

All Fibrelite covers can be safely removed and replaced by two people using the FL7 lifting handles due to their high strengthto-weight ratio. The FL100-D400 covers are designed to be removed and installed safely by one user with the FL7A.

Solution

Results

Fibrelite designed and manufactured bespoke trench covers to fit directly into the precast concrete trenches that had been supplied to the site, making installation quick and easy, minimising disruption to the ongoing construction.

The corrosion-resistant covers can now be removed and replaced safely, minimising disruption and provide a safe walking and driving surface in all weather conditions.

The D400 load rated trench covers capable to withstand heavy duty traffic.

Bolts were added for extra security

The specified Fibrelite heavy-duty trench covers have a 40- tonne load rating (D400), enabling them to withstand heavy vehicle traffic whilst still being able to outperform concrete on a long-term basis.

Designed as a fit and forget product, all Fibrelite GRP composite covers are maintenance free corrosion-resistant and ultra-durable. The covers were fitted with restraining bolts for additional security.

Fibrelite provide a safe and reliable product offering and were able to design, manufacture, ship and deliver world class products within the expected timeframes.

Fibrelite can by consistently relied upon by the world’s largest and leading companies to provide a best in class service, solution and product.

For more case studies, visit the Fibrelite website

Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 13

Project News

WILLMOTT DIXON UNDERLINES ROCHDALE’S EXCITING FUTURE WITH LATEST TWO TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS THAMES WATER APPOINTS MORRISON UTILITY SERVICES FOR SOUTH LONDON AND THAMES VALLEY AMP7 INFRASTRUCTURE CAPITAL PROGRAMME Morrison Utility Services (MUS), the UK’s largest dedicated utility service provider and part of M Group Services, has been awarded two major geographic Lots to deliver water and wastewater infrastructure (network) projects in South London and The Thames Valley in support of Thames Water’s AMP7/AMP8 Infrastructure Capital Programme.

Under the terms of the agreement, Morrison Utility Services has been appointed as the primary contractor for Lot 6 (Infrastructure South London) and Lot 7 (Infrastructure Thames Valley). The estimated collective value of the two Lots during AMP7 is £330m.

The initial duration of the framework agreement for both Lots will be five years to complement Thames Water’s AMP7 delivery period (April 2020 - March 2025), with the option to extend for a maximum further five years in line with the 20252030 AMP8 regulatory period.

• New and replacement waste rising mains • Survey, rehabilitation and replacement of sewers near and crossing rail • Gravity solutions to maintain asset health and accommodate growth together with pipe bridge inspections Thames Water Capital Delivery Director John Bentley commented:

We’re pleased to again be working with Morrison Utility Services, a company with whom we’ve developed a great working relationship over a number of years. Together we plan to deliver an ambitious and progressive programme of works in our water and wastewater networks across South London and the Thames Valley.

The scope of the Infrastructure (water and wastewater) Capital Programme for both Lots includes; • Water distribution mains replacement • New or refurbished pumping stations • New and replacement water trunk mains • Water pressure management activities • Inspection and maintenance of aqueducts, bridges and tunnels

14 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

Willmott Dixon is set to continue its pivotal role in the regeneration of Rochdale after being appointed on two transformative developments in the town centre worth over £100m.

Following completion earlier this year of Rochdale Riverside phase one, a new retail and leisure development in the town centre, the company is now moving forward with phase two, which, alongside the Neighbourhood Rochdale development that Willmott Dixon is also involved with, are key parts of Rochdale town centre’s £400m regeneration programme. The two schemes comprise: • Rochdale Riverside phase two – working with the council in partnership with Genr8 Developments, Willmott Dixon has a £2.7m enabling package to ready the site for construction work to start next spring to create 220 apartments, for affordable rent, as well as a hotel on land currently used as car parking off Baillie Street and John Street.

• Neighbourhood Rochdale – working as build partner with social impact developer CAPITAL&CENTRIC, Willmott Dixon will redevelop the former Central Retail Park, a brownfield plot less than a mile from the Rochdale Riverside site, into a thriving community that will include 200 spacious and low carbon homes as well as a linear park and community hub.

Both projects will provide a £100m inward investment boost for Rochdale that will create jobs, attract people to work and live, plus sustain economic growth and prosperity for many years to come. It continues Wilmott Dixon’s long track-record in the borough which saw it deliver 200,000 square foot of retail and leisure-led space this year with Rochdale Riverside phase one, which brought major names into the town centre including Next, H&M, Reel Cinema and the Puttstars mini golf complex.

Willmott Dixon’s new role on these schemes also follows its commitment announced last week that all its operations, plus its new build and refurbishment projects delivered from 2030, will be net zero carbon.

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INTEGRITY – EXCELLENCE – INNOVATION heightec is a leading authority within the professional height safety and rescue industry, designing and manufacturing innovative equipment and delivering specialist training.

Their mission - to be the most sophisticated supplier for specialist work at height, by joining values of elegant, innovative products and expertise in methods of use. heightec was founded in 1997 by people with extensive practical experience of rope access, caving and mountain rescue. It was clear existing equipment for work at height was not sufficiently adapted for more technical or industrial applications.

The first significant innovation was the Phoenix advanced rescue harness designed for UK Fire & Rescue Services and industrial rescue teams.

The Phoenix earned a UK Design Council Millennium Award for innovation and remains the most widely used harness by UK fire services. heightec has since developed the most advanced combination of height safety rescue systems available anywhere. The Rotor automatic rescue and evacuation descender was developed for demanding environments and is a core product in their Rotor Tower Crane rescue system. The Rotor is designed for self-evacuation or recovery of a casualty from a tower crane cab, jib or ladder.

The Rotor descender has a number of safety features and significant advantages over other similar devices. It automatically controls descent speed and allows a greater number of people to evacuate rapidly by making repeated two person descents (250kg).

Our approach is to work very closely with customers to ensure designs achieve exactly what they need to in terms of functional performance. For heightec, innovation is not merely a route to new products but a core competence at the heart of everything we do. This is a continuous challenge for our design team.

16 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

Our strength as a manufacturer lies in our ability to respond rapidly to users’ needs and changes in industry.

We continue to pursue excellence at every opportunity, ensuring our products go above and beyond the norm where performance and safety are concerned.

The Rotor has both lifting and lowering capabilities and has been shown to be up to five times faster at lifting compared to competitor manual models. Changeover between modes is simple and more importantly can be done under load with no risk of accidental release. Unlike other devices, the Rotor has no external moving parts that could be snagged, preventing risk of injury or entanglement during descent or evacuation. It also has an integral load indicator pin at the attachment point which shows if the device has been loaded, extremely useful when undertaking periodic safety checks.

Keith Jones, Managing Director, stated “Our approach is to work very closely with customers to ensure designs achieve exactly what they need to in terms of functional

performance. For heightec, innovation is not merely a route to new products but a core competence at the heart of everything we do. This is a continuous challenge for our design team. Our strength as a manufacturer lies in our ability to respond rapidly to users’ needs and changes in industry. We continue to pursue excellence at every opportunity, ensuring our products go above and beyond the norm where performance and safety are concerned”. heightec is also the largest provider of height safety and rescue training delivered via their UK national network of centres based in Aberdeen, Kendal, Leeds, Birmingham, London. They launched their specialist Tower Crane Rescue course over a decade ago, it is their most popular course for the construction industry and

remains in high demand for delivery on client sites.

Subsequently heightec supported the CPA’s (Construction Plan-hire Association) Tower Crane Interest Group by contributing to the development of the Technical Information Note on “Rescue of Personnel from Height on Tower Cranes”. This document provides guidance on the planning for rescuing persons from height on tower cranes.

Tel: +44 (0)1539 728866 Website: www.heightec.com

Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 17

Project News

HENRY BROTHERS APPOINTED TO BUILD NEW £13.2M SCHOOL IN DERBYSHIRE Contractor Henry Brothers Midlands has started work on the new £13.2m Alfreton Park Community Special School in Derbyshire.

This is the fifth project that Henry Brothers Midlands has been appointed to deliver for Derbyshire County Council at a number of school sites across the county, and the second for Alfreton Park Community Special School.

Henry Brothers Midlands managing director Ian Taylor said: “This new, replacement building for Alfreton Park Community Special School will provide a larger, purpose-built facility for pupils with special needs, including mobility issues, and we are delighted to have been selected to build this new school.

“Henry Brothers Midlands has worked with Alfreton Park Community Special School before – we delivered a hydrotherapy pool, which opened in early 2017 - and we are very pleased to be continuing our relationship both with the school and with Derbyshire County Council to help improve the education facilities within the county.

“This new school will offer modern facilities, extra space and increased car parking, and we are excited to have now started on site.”

The new single-storey building is being constructed on a site adjacent to Alfreton Park, known as Highfield Plantation. It will replace out-dated and unsuitable teaching facilities at the school’s existing site. These will be demolished once the new site is up and running.

The new school will expand the teaching and other facilities available at Alfreton Park Community Special School. Featuring 12 classrooms, six group rooms, including specialist therapy rooms and soft play areas, and a combined hall and dining area, it will have space for 100 students. The building is expected to be completed by late 2021, with the school opening early in 2022.

Henry Brothers has a strong commitment to using local labour on the project, creating opportunities for local subcontractors and suppliers.

“On our previous hydrotherapy project at Alfreton Park Community Special School, we employed 86% local labour,” added Ian Taylor.

Henry Brothers Midlands has worked with Alfreton Park Community Special School before – we delivered a hydrotherapy pool, which opened in early 2017 - and we are very pleased to be continuing our relationship both with the school and with Derbyshire County Council to help improve the education facilities within the county.

18 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

Project News The Henry Brothers team building the new facility includes Maber architects and structural engineer HWA. Faithful + Gould is carrying out project management and quantity surveying roles for the client.

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Young People, Councillor Alex Dale, said: “I’m so pleased that work has started on what will be a fantastic new home for the school.

“The current building is just not fit for purpose but the new one will really give these students the best possible start in life.

“I’d like to thank Amber Valley Borough Council who have helped out by providing the land for the new building in return for the council giving them some land in Heanor.

This is much appreciated as without this land it would have been very difficult to provide the new building.”

Alfreton Park Special School, funded by Derbyshire County Council, caters for pupils aged from two to 19 years of age, who have a range of learning difficulties from severe to profound. Around half of the students are on the autistic spectrum and the school also supports pupils with additional medical needs.

Cheryl Smart who has been Headteacher at Alfreton Park Community Special School for seven years said: “The pupils and staff are really excited to see the works begin. We have all been working on the plans for some time and look forward to seeing the new school grow.

The new building will give so many more opportunities and the space we need so desperately.”

This project for Alfreton Park Community Special School is the latest education facility scheme being delivered by Henry Brothers Midlands for Derbyshire County Council. Along with the hydrotherapy pool for Alfreton Park Community Special School, Henry Brothers Midlands also completed phase 1 and phase 2 of the Aldercar High School project for Derbyshire County Council, totalling £8.7m in value. The company also recently delivered two phases of the new £22m Glossopdale School project.

BRIGGS & FORRESTER LIVING HOUSING SECURE WOOTTON PARK PROJECT WITH BOVIS HOMES Briggs & Forrester Living Housing have secured the mechanical and public health services contract on the second phase of the Bovis Homes Wootton Park Development.

Wootton Park is a new development situated in the picturesque village of Wootton in Bedfordshire. It’s less than 6 miles from the town of Bedford and within easy reach of Milton Keynes.

This is the 4th project that Living Housing have secured with Bovis Homes. Living Housing began on site in August 2020 and are finalising phase 1 of the project

which was partially completed and will shortly begin phase 2. In total they will be delivering the services to 92 plots which are due for completion spring 2022.

Wootton Park has a variety of three, four and five bedroom homes including affordable housing, in a wide range of layouts to suit a variety of lifestyles. Living Housing will be delivering the latest range of sanitary ware and heating specification for Bovis Homes that’s brand new for 2020.

Darren Lovelock, Director of Housing said: “We are delighted to secure our 4th Project with Bovis Vistry Group. This is confirmation we are growing in strength by maintaining our client base during difficult times. We’ve had a great start on site and we’re looking forward to continuing our collaborative realtionship with Bovis to deliver another successful development”.

Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Midlands is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fitout. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors.

For more information, visit www.henrybrothers.co.uk

Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 19

Project News BUILDING WORK COMPLETE AT NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT NEAR BICESTER The final homes have been built and sold at a new housing development in the village of Ambrosden near Bicester, marking the end of construction on site.

Bellway Northern Home Counties has provided 85 homes at Blackthorn Meadows, off Blackthorn Road, less than four miles from Bicester town centre.

The new neighbourhood comprises a range of two, three, four and five-bedroom houses and one and two-bedroom apartments, with 30 of the homes made available as affordable housing for local people.

The new homes sit alongside more than six acres of public open space including a children’s play area.

Sales Manager for Bellway Northern Home Counties, Andrew Odams, said: “Our Blackthorn Meadows development has been a great success with many househunters finding their perfect place here, within easy reach of Bicester, one of Oxfordshire’s fastest-growing towns.

It has been great to see a wide variety of buyers move into their new homes at Blackthorn Meadows and form a new community in what is already a thriving area.

“Fortunately, buyers who missed out on a new home here still have the chance to buy a high-quality Bellway home nearby, as there’s a final choice of homes remaining for sale at Saxon Meadows in Bicester, just three miles from Ambrosden. For those who are interested in purchasing a home at any of our developments in the region, one-to-one appointments with a sales advisor can be booked. These will give prospective buyers an uninterrupted, allotted time where they can view the development and ask the sales staff any questions they may have.”

There’s a choice of four and five-bedroom detached houses remaining for sale at Saxon Meadows, which is located off Ludlow Road, Bicester. Prices start from £500,000.

DYER & BUTLER COMPLETES BLACKFRIARS ARCHES REFURBISHMENT WORKS ON BEHALF OF NETWORK RAIL Dyer & Butler, a multidisciplined engineering services specialist focused on essential infrastructure including airports, railways and highways, and a part of M Group Services, has successfully completed refurbishment works on the arches supporting the railway approaching Blackfriars Bridge in London on behalf of Network Rail.

Dyer & Butler delivered infrastructure improvement works on the arches approaching the century old bridge which crosses the River Thames.

The works will enable a larger scheme to refurbish the railway for commercial use. The team completed works on two of the superstructure’s five longitudinal riveted arches that support a grid of spandrel posts.

The programme of works required Dyer & Butler’s team of specialist structural engineers to complete work on the bridge’s fourth arch near the north abutment, including removing the timber lintels within the portals and replacing them with steel - a more resilient alternative capable of strengthening the ageing support structure to meet modern building standards.

The project team also refurbished the original 19th century cast iron components of the end arch by the bridge’s south abutment, including cleaning and paint works to refresh the overall exterior and prevent future deterioration.

Dyer & Butler Operations Manager, Jeff Taylor, who heads up the company’s southern rail region, commented:

We were delighted to have been awarded this project by Network Rail. To ensure the successful delivery of this scheme, we created an agile workforce to work collaboratively with multiple contractors to prepare the arch bases ready for commercial use. This masonry support structure forms a historic part of London’s railway, so it really was a privilege to refurbish some of its original features, and revitalise others with 21st century alternatives.

20 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

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Events and Awards News Actis specification specialist Amaret Chahal will host the first of the regular twice-monthly Zoom CPD webinars on Thursday October 8.

ARMILA Sustainability Services scoops first prize at hub South West’s Building for Growth 2020 online awards ceremony Leanne Hannah, a qualified engineer whose business, ARMILA Sustainability Services, specialises in sustainable development, has been announced the winner of hub South West’s eleventh Building for Growth Awards Event held online via Zoom last week.

Actis to host CPDs twice a month via Zoom in response to growing demand Insulation specialist Actis is to run its two popular CDP modules via Zoom twice a month from October - in response to demand from architects, contractors, building control officers and specifiers across England and Wales.

The free training sessions, certified by the Construction CPD Certification Service, look at addressing the performance gap through reflective insulation and ensuring compliance within systems.

The first will be held on Thursday October 8.

They will be hosted on a rotational basis by Actis UK and Ireland specification manager Dan AnsonHart and his colleagues, Amaret Chahal and Jason Docherty, who managed branches of B&Q and Jewson for 25 years before joining Actis.

The sessions will be available for small groups of professionals, enabling delegates to ask project specific questions after the presentation.

Addressing the Performance Gap with Reflective Insulation, which looks at the impact of thermal bridging on a building’s energy performance, will be available on the second Thursday of every month at 1pm.

Proven Compliant Systems, which looks at how installers can ensure their insulation and membrane use complies with building regulations, will be hosted on the third Thursday of every month again at 1pm.

This looks not just at Part L, but also Parts B (fire safety), C (site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture), D (toxic substances) and E (resistance to the passage of sound).

A founder and managing director of ARMILA, and co-founder of Sussed (a joint venture with Holmes Miller, John Gilbert Architects and ARMILA), Leanne is an experienced consultant with a passion for supporting the responsible delivery of low environmental impact projects that enhance user health and social wellbeing.

Over her 16 year career she has successfully delivered more than 70 projects as a client-side advisor, leading and project managing a wide range of Environmental Assessment, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks, Soft Landings and Post Occupancy Evaluation projects in varied fields including education, healthcare, commercial and residential developments.

Based in Ferniegair, South Lanarkshire, her business operates throughout Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom and currently has live projects in Ireland. As a result of the connections made in course of the programme Leanne has already entered discussions with Tier One contractors on her company’s participation in forthcoming projects.

She said: “I am delighted to have participated in the Building for Growth programme. It has been invaluable to me and I gained much more from it than I had expected. The support both I and all the other participants received from the hub South West team, the access to resources and the

The training was, in pre-Covid days, a regular feature at LABC’s monthly technical roadshows, with modules delivered to up to 100 delegates at a time a format both organisations are keen to resume once it is safe to do so.

No pre-booking is required. Just join Addressing the Performance Gap with Reflective Insulation on the second Thursday of every month at 1pm here.

And join Proven Compliant Systems at 1pm on the third Thursday of every month here.

22 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

exposure to the hub partners helped greatly in building our confidence and supporting our long-term business growth strategies. I highly recommend it to others.”

Michael McBrearty of hub South West, said: “Our Building for Growth programme has already delivered success to the leaders of its participating companies by both broadening and deepening their grasp of the factors needed to win more new, bigger contracts from the Tier One contractors.

“The aim of the programme is to ensure that local companies are ready, willing and capable of securing work from the Tier One contractors, and, I am delighted to say that we have achieved our aim over recent years, with around 60 per cent of sub-contracting work on major projects now going to local businesses.

“Our latest programme, adapted to the continuing circumstances of the Covid-19 epidemic was conducted via Zoom but, as ever, was packed with practical guidance on such topics as business strategy, people management and leadership, marketing planning, tendering, corporate social responsibility and cyber security.

“An added attraction of this programme was the presence at all sessions of decision makers from our nine active Tier One contractor partners, culminating in a presentation then a speed networking session where all participants had the opportunity of interacting with each of them.”

“Our Building for Growth programme has already delivered success to the leaders of its participating companies and we hope and trust that all of the businesses in our eleventh Building for Growth programme will follow in their footsteps.”

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CLOUD-BASED SOFTWARE SOLUTION TO SET FREE ON-SITE ORDERING Construction companies big and small are set to reap the rewards of faster, more efficient ordering with digital purchase ordering tool, ONSO. ONSO modernises the interaction between site, office and supplier, enabling orders to be requested, approved and submitted in three easy steps using a smart phone, tablet or laptop.

Short for ‘On-site Orders’, the cloud-based tool is easy to use and quick to set up. Chris Murphy, Managing Director of ONSO, said: “In construction, if the right part isn’t there at the right time, the job simply can’t move forward. In over ten years working on-site, we found the process of buying supplies and parts complicated, slow and inefficient sometimes with several people and processes involved.

We were up and running in no time.

ONSO has helped to keep a track on everything that gets ordered for site. We have used the system to compare different supplier product prices, approve order requests for site and analyse the spending of our projects.

“We wanted to build something easy to use so when you’re out on site, you can place an order on your phone and have it approved and off to the supplier in seconds, with an accurate record and audit trail of what the order was.”

A subscription to ONSO also includes access to built-in analytics tools, which help businesses to better understand their purchases and project costs, including recognising the source of any overspend and identifying areas for improvement.

Mark Gordon, director of Base Fire Sprinklers, a specialist contractor in the construction industry, has seen the benefits of ONSO: “We were up and running in no time. ONSO has helped to keep a track on everything that gets ordered for site. We have used the system to compare different supplier product prices, approve order requests for site and analyse the spending of our projects.”

Since launching in 2018, ONSO has seen growth in its core client base and added system features through customer interaction. ”Our clients have been brilliant with their feedback by giving us useful insight on how they use the system which has helped us make it as functional as possible. We are always looking for ways to develop the system and to create a better experience for all of our clients.”

ONSO is currently finalising integrations with well-known commercial accounting software packages. Chris adds ”We have designed the system to work either as a standalone application but also as an integrated end-to-end system operating with accounting software packages to completely streamline the order process and reduce manual workloads.”

26 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

Find out more Users can choose the package that best suits the needs and size of their business. To find out more and get started, visit onso.co.uk.

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Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 27

Company News Willmott Dixon targets its buildings to be net zero carbon in use by 2030 and supply chain to be zero carbon by 2040 Willmott Dixon is targeting that all new build and refurbishment projects delivered from 2030 will be net zero carbon in operation under its new 2030 sustainable development strategy, ‘Now or Never; our decisive decade.’

The strategy also sees the company pledge that its own operations will be zero carbon in ten years’ time and is aiming for its supply chain partners to be net zero carbon in operation by 2040.

Willmott Dixon has been a net zero or carbon neutral business since 2012, with all unavoidable carbon emitted each year being off-set by investing in high-quality carbon reduction projects across the world, while reducing carbon emissions intensity from its own operations by 61% since 2010. ‘Now or Never’ will see the company cut all operational carbon emissions to zero by 2030.

The new strategy is underpinned by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which has approved Willmott Dixon’s emissions reduction targets as being in line with an overall need to limit a global temperature rise to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels to prevent the most damaging effects of climate change.

The ‘Now or Never’ strategy is split into three themes, Brilliant Buildings, Building Lives and Better Planet*, which reflect Willmott Dixon’s aim to deliver low carbon products, protect, nurture and enhance the environment, create better life opportunities for people and leave a positive legacy for future generations to benefit from.

Other targets in the strategy include: • 100,000 trees to be planted by 2030 • 1,000 people who face major barriers to finding work will be supported in finding long-term careers • All buildings and major refurbishments will be delivered with net zero embodied carbon by 2040 (with a net reduction in embodied carbon of 55% by 2030 compared to business as usual in 2020) • Improving the lives of 100,000 people through a series of interventions by Willmott Dixon people Group chief executive Rick Willmott explains, “We’ve set some ambitious targets, some of the toughest for the construction sector, as we feel that now is the time for bold action if we are to bequeath future generations a planet not suffering from the consequences of past inaction in tackling the causes of climate change, but instead is one that they can live and thrive in.

“In laying out our road map for the next decade, we are also setting out how we are going to work with customers, supply chain partners and industry colleagues in creating a carbon free construction sector, as this is an issue that impacts on everyone, and we’ll need to work together to achieve our common aspirations for a ‘greener’ built environment.”

Jonathan Sykes, executive chairman, Carbon Intelligence said, “Willmott Dixon has set the most ambitious science-based target in the construction sector by aiming for zero emissions in its operations by 2030 and supply chain by 2040. Its actions will have a significant influence on reducing the climate impact of the built environment in the UK.” Now or Never is being launched at a webinar (link), available to all, on Tuesday 29 September at 11am where Rick Willmott will talk about his personal commitment to the strategy, before a panel of guest speakers discusses the way forward and takes part in a live Q&A. The panel consists of renowned sustainability campaigner and co-Founder of Forum for the Future, Jonathon Porritt, along with Julia Barrett, Willmott Dixon’s Chief Sustainability Officer and Roger Forsdyke, Managing Director Willmott Dixon London and South. The event will be chaired by Nick Molho, Executive Director of the Aldersgate Group, a cross-economy organisation whose business members have a collective global turnover of around £550bn.

Willmott Dixon’s Brilliant Buildings report here (link) on its current track-record for driving ultra-energy efficient, low carbon property outlines its progress with customers across many sectors.

We’ve set some ambitious targets, some of the toughest for the construction sector, as we feel that now is the time for bold action if we are to bequeath future generations a planet not suffering from the consequences of past inaction in tackling the causes of climate change, but instead is one that they can live and thrive in. In laying out our road map for the next decade, we are also setting out how we are going to work with customers, supply chain partners and industry colleagues in creating a carbon free construction sector, as this is an issue that impacts on everyone, and we’ll need to work together to achieve our common aspirations for a ‘greener’ built environment.

28 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

From serviceman to sparky: former Army soldier joins BJF Group as electrician on Ministry of Defence site contract A former British Army soldier who assisted in the planning and delivery of the air security plan for the 2012 London Olympic games, has swapped his defence career for the construction industry, joining BJF Group as an electrician.

Darren Wilks has recently joined the company following 23 years in the Army, to work as part of the team delivering the facilities management contract at Ministry of Defence sites.

BJF Group’s multi-million-pound contract incorporates facilities management for a number of Ministry of Defence sites across Kent and Sussex. BJF Group undertakes all hard facilities management services including mechanical, electrical and building fabric works.

Darren says, “Earlier this year I attended a military open industry day focused on construction, organised by a charity called Buildforce. I had done my time in the army and was looking for my next career move to allow me to utilise my skills outside of the armed forces.

“I spoke to someone from a main contractor about their contract with the Ministry of Defence and they put me in touch with BJF Group.

“I had my first interview since the age of 16 and was offered the opportunity to join BJF Group for an initial work placement.

In September I was thrilled to receive a permanent employment offer and happily accepted.

“BJF have aided my transition out of the Army by identifying that the skills and experience I acquired could be transferred to the contract within the MoD setting which I worked in for more than two decades. In the short time I’ve been here I’ve expanded my electrical abilities further, learning from the vast technical knowledge of my team.”

Company News

Amey launches two-year partnership with Cancer Research UK We’re delighted that Amey employees have chosen to support Cancer Research UK as their first-ever national charity partner and we’re really excited to see what we can achieve together over the next two years. We’ll be working with Amey employees to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle to prevent cancer and sharing our knowledge on how to spot signs and symptoms early. And this partnership comes at a critical time when funds are needed more than ever so we can continue our life-saving research..

Leading public service provider Amey, has launched its two-year partnership with Cancer Research UK. This comes after Amey employees voted earlier this year for Cancer Research UK to become its first ever employee chosen charity.

The partnership will focus on three core strands: raising awareness of cancer, fundraising and volunteer work. This will ensure that Amey employees have the information they need to be aware of their own and others health, as well as helping Cancer Research UK in its work to beat cancer.

Over the two years, Amey has set a target of fundraising £200,000. To support this goal, Amey has identified a full suite of opportunities for employees and partners to take part in. These range from Race for Life, to payroll giving, Walk all over Cancer to volunteering.

Amey has also teamed up with social enterprise, Pennies from Heaven, to offer employees the opportunity to round their salary down to the nearest pound, with those pennies then being donated to Cancer Research UK. Amanda Fisher, Amey Chief Executive, commented, “Cancer Research UK is a fantastic charity and I’m delighted that we’ll be supporting it over the next two years. A

combination of how enthusiastically this partnership has been received across the business, and how blown away I’ve been by the support our people have shown to their local communities, and those in need over the last few months, makes me confident we’ll be able to make a positive impact with this partnership.”

Caro Evans, Director of Partnerships at Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re delighted that Amey employees have chosen to support Cancer Research UK as their first-ever national charity partner and we’re really excited to see what we can achieve together over the next two years. We’ll be working with Amey employees to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle to prevent cancer and sharing our knowledge on how to spot signs and symptoms early. And this partnership comes at a critical time when funds are needed more than ever so we can continue our life-saving research.’’

The employee chosen charity initiative was launched in February and gave all Amey employees the opportunity to nominate a charity that they wanted Amey to partner with for the next two years. Nominations were received for 89 different charities, which were whittled down to four finalists by an employee panel of 26 judges from across Amey. Cancer Research UK was chosen with 48% of the final vote.

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Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 29

DOES YOUR ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM PROTECT USERS BY REDUCING BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION? SALTO DOES. In the new normal, we’re all going to have to get used to doing things differently and hygiene is something that will play a greater part in all our lives. That’s why SALTO incorporates BioCote the market-leading antimicrobial technology in our electronic smart lock range.

Whatever type of building being constructed, it will have a greater or lesser number of doors and that means each person that uses the door transfers the bacteria on their hands to the door handle every time they go through it. However, the addition of BioCote’s antimicrobial technology helps reduce microbes on SALTO door handles and improves hygiene creating a cleaner, more hygienic environment for all users, staff, visitors etc.

The more hygienic the handle, the less chance of crosscontamination. This helps to reduce the spread of microbes as they are not then transferred from door to door and surface to surface.

That’s why SALTO includes BioCote in our range of standalone wire free electronic lock products to contribute to customers existing cleaning and hygiene regimes. And now, more than ever, this technology is proving its worth.

BioCote has been successfully tested against a feline strain of coronavirus, showing a reduction of 90% in two hours, which is a positive indicator of the antiviral properties of the technology.

Previous testing has revealed that BioCote delivers 99.9 percent, 24/7 protection against an array of microbes including Influenza A H1N1, E.coli, Salmonella, and antibiotic-resistant CRE, VRE, and MRSA. The invisible silver-ion technology is integrated with the handle during the manufacturing process – so not only will our access control give you complete control over who can access what, when and where – you can also ensure staff are protected while doing so.

BioCote cannot be wiped off or worn away, enhancing hygiene management and reducing the possibility of cross-contamination, and the finish is long-lasting and maintains its antimicrobial performance over the expected lifetime of the SALTO electronic lock products.

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xx 30 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

IMPROVING SHOT BLASTER EFFICIENCY Surface preparation equipment manufacturer releases new shot blaster To increase the capabilities of its shot blaster range, surface preparation equipment manufacturer National Flooring Equipment has released its A series. This range of industry leading shot blasters was manufactured completely in-house and designed and built based on feedback from contractors to improve efficiency in residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Building on the company’s 50 years’ experience as a high-quality, dependable manufacturer, National Flooring Equipment is now distributing its new Apex series of shot blasters to help contractors improve on-site productivity without compromising on quality or safety. Contractors can choose from a range of machines that vary in size and power to meet all potential applications — the series includes the A95, A96, A97, A12 and A30.

The series was built with the customer in mind and the in-house engineers used their personal expertise in the industry to develop machines that are productive but are also easy, comfortable and safe to operate. For example the A95, National Flooring Equipment’s smallest machine, has a height-adjustable handle with built-in operator controls so that users can comfortably operate the equipment.

It also has front swivel casters to increase manoeuvrability and control so that contractors can deliver a more consistent concrete profile.

“Choosing to manufacture our new A series in-house has given us the opportunity to deliver high-quality machines that contractors actually need,” explained Connie Johnson, vice president of marketing at National Flooring Equipment. “We regularly speak

to customers at trade shows, in training sessions and in meetings with sales teams to understand the regular and new challenges that contractors face in the industry. We rely on their feedback and experiences to ensure that all of our equipment helps them to face these challenges efficiently.”

“We worked with team members from areas across the company, such as accounting, customer service, engineering and sales, to make this new range deliver everything that an existing or potential new customer might need,” explained Derek Olson, president of National Flooring Equipment. “Our in-house engineers used this insight from multiple areas of the business to develop equipment with the craftsmanship and advanced engineering to solve the tough jobs that our customers approach us with as well as help them face new challenges in surface preparation.”

National Flooring Equipment’s line of shot blasters are rugged but versatile and can strip, clean and profile concrete in one step.

The company offers machines that vary in size to suit a range of surface removal applications, from the A95 8-inch manual to the powerful A30 ride-on shot blaster.

Shot blasters can produce a wide range of concrete surface profiles, from a light brush blast to an exposed aggregate profile, depending on the power or the machine and the size of the steel shot. Because the applications for shot blasting are now much broader than the machine was originally designed for, it can be difficult for a contractor to know which machine is best for the application. Contractors should assess the job size, budget, production requirements and coatings to choose the right machine from the range.

Our in-house engineers used this insight from multiple areas of the business to develop equipment with the craftsmanship and advanced engineering to solve the tough jobs that our customers approach us with as well as help them face new challenges in surface preparation.

Contractors can also rely on National Flooring Equipment to provide the support, training and equipment they need to maximise productivity on the job site. The company offers personal training sessions for customers that want to learn how to efficiently and safely set up, use and maintain their machines. Contractors can also buy accessories and safety equipment, such as magnetic shot-blast sweepers and dust collectors to keep the site clean and safe.

Interested in finding out more about the A series and the rest of National Flooring Equipment’s machines? Visit www.nationalequipment.com and get in touch.

Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 31

COMPANY DIRECTOR WASTES NO TIME IN MASTERING THE ART OF DEMOLITION

A company director wasted no time in mastering the art of demolition and has become one of the first students to earn a University of Wolverhampton Master’s degree in Demolition Management.

Jacqueline O’Donovan, Managing Director of London’s O’Donovan Waste Disposal, and already a stalwart of the demolition sector, studied for the two year Master’s degree in the University’s Faculty of Science & Engineering.

Having an esteemed career in the waste and construction sector, Jacqueline demonstrated exceptional experience and knowledge, leading her to be an ideal candidate for the academic course.

Jacqueline is one of the first cohort students and one of the first of two women to achieve the world’s first demolition degree, which was developed and launched at the University’s School of Architecture & Built Environment.

The Demolition sector works on more than £8 billion of projects every year in the UK alone, so it is great to see it being recognised with this new professional qualification.

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Accredited by the Institute of Demolition Engineers (IDE), the course has been designed in conjunction with industry specialists. The Master of Science degree comprises a range of modules including management, methodologies, research and sustainability, to asbestos removal and building information modelling (BIM).

Jacqueline said: “I am delighted to be one of the first students to have achieved a Demolition Master’s Degree in the UK. I am over the moon to have achieved this and having left school at 16, I did not envisage I would one day return to formal education, let alone work towards a Master’s whilst working full time!”

“Demolition has always been at the centre of what we do as a company and. I was honoured to join the first ever demolitionspecific academic qualification offered in the UK. I felt it was imperative to have representation from the waste sector on the course and also to show that demolition is a viable option and can be diverse.”

“The Demolition sector works on more than £8 billion of projects every year in the UK alone, so it is great to see it being recognised with this new professional qualification.”

Website: www.odonovan.co.uk

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Modular Building Feature

DO MODULAR PROJECTS NEED DIGITAL TWINNING? How digital twins can improve the efficiency of your project

effectively and with even more sustainable results.

In 1991, David Gelernter published his book, Mirror Worlds, which sought to explore the technology of the future. “You will look into a computer screen and see reality”, he wrote. His prediction wasn’t far off, and just over a decade later, the digital twin was born. Since then, the technology has seen success in manufacturing and healthcare.

With such varied applications already, we must explore its further uses. Here, Nick Cowley, managing director of windows and doors manufacturer for modular build projects, Euramax, explores how digital twin technology could benefit the modular construction industry.

Clear communication Designers can use digital twinning as an alternative to traditional line drawings to enable improved communication and transparency between a modular construction project’s key players. Designers historically work with technical line drawings, which take more time to create and can lead them to become easily siloed from the rest of the project.

A digital twin is a digital replica of a physical asset. Using sensors, a digital twin holds all data to do with the engineering, construction and operations of its physical counterpart in one place. It can also be created as a precursor to the physical asset to aid in the design process.

For the construction industry, harnessing the technology means creating a digital version of the final product, be it a house, hospital, or hotel. The digital twin can then be used as a tool to lower project costs, reduce completion times and increase sustainability — all useful benefits, especially when considering the current demands of the UK’s building sector.

The benefits of digital twinning echo those of modular construction, which is up to 20 per cent cheaper, 50 per cent quicker and more sustainable than traditional building methods, according to a 2019 McKinsey and Company report. By using digital twinning technology, modular projects could build upon their existing strengths, and be completed in even less time, even more cost

By using digital twin technology, designs can be digitalised and incorporated into the main project with ease. Digital twinning streamlines this process by collating all data related to the building, such as the quantities of materials required, the measurements of components and even factors such as energy efficiency, all within a 3D model.

Any technical limitations such as building regulations can be integrated into the design algorithm, ensuring that designers have a full understanding of the project before they begin.

Combining the technical information with a 3D model means that the design is simpler understand than a line drawing, so any discrepancies between the design and expectation will be easier to identify.

Alterations can be inputted into the digital twin and the designer can modify their existing model. This is considerably quicker than the traditional process, which often involves starting new line drawings from scratch if any changes need to be made.

Better quality Digital twinning can also improve the quality of your modular project. Since components are made offsite, modular construction requires the measurements and quantities of building components to be accurate. If the construction of a component differs even slightly from its design, the modules will not fix together correctly, which can increase project costs and cause delays.

A digital twin contains the exact measurements and quantities for each part

of the building, be it a wall, roof or windows and doors. Since the digital twin is an exact replica of the future physical building, the data it collates is guaranteed to be correct.

This means project managers can be confident in the precision of their brief when communicating with contractors.

Constructing individual parts offsite in exact quantities will further reduce the build’s completion time. It will also eliminate the need to order materials in excess, which is a strategy often implemented to offset any unexpected delays. By using digital twins to confirm component quantities and dimensions, your modular project will be more cost-efficient and less wasteful.

Continuous improvement Even once construction is complete, digital twinning can help maintain the physical building. The Internet of Things (IoT) uses sensors to capture data of a building’s mechanical and electrical systems. These sensors can then be connected to the digital twin for continuous real-time monitoring of all information related to the building in one accessible place.

This data can then be used to predict part replacements, identify energy efficiency issues and act on potential security threats.

If a completed modular building’s windows and doors display large amounts of heat loss, for example, this data can be fed back to the building’s manager who may use it to consider purchasing replacement items from a reliable supplier. Not only is this useful for building managers, who will be able to carry out maintenance more effectively, it can also be used to improve future designs.

Data captured from existing buildings can show designers how the building performs, and they can use this feedback to design more efficiently in the future. This is particularly useful for modular construction because the same components are continuously being made by contractors and therefore data from previous projects will be relevant to future ones.

By using data from digital twins to improve the design of future projects, modular construction could be better able to tackle to demands of the UK’s construction industry.

In particular, the government’s ambitious pledge to build 300,000 new homes a year by the mid-2020s could become a more attainable goal.

Digital technologies have been slow to gain traction in the construction industry.

However, this does not mean they aren’t beneficial. With modular construction on the rise, technologies need to be implemented sooner rather than later to ensure the industry can keep up with demand.

Gelernter’s predictions have been realised elsewhere, and now it is time for modular construction to use digital twinning to develop further.

34 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

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We strongly believe that the Floodcheck® range of products (and associated services) can be deployed to properties all over the world, ensuring that they are safe from leaks or floods, providing one less stress for their owners.

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Floodcheck is clever because it knows the difference between a minor leak and a major leak.

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Construction UK Magazine - October 2020 35

People on the move

STIRLIN APPOINTS NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR

building houses and business developments to the highest of standards.

As Managing Director of Stirlin Developments, I hope to build on this reputation as we grow our business and support the growth of businesses and communities within this thriving region.

Tony Lawton has been appointed Managing Director of Lincolnshire-based residential and commercial developer, Stirlin.

Formerly Managing Director of Lindum Homes, Tony Lawton has been involved in property development in Lincolnshire, in both public and private sectors, for more than 30 years.

Founded in 2007, Stirlin constructs high specification commercial and residential properties in the Lincolnshire area.

stages of this high quality development, where the final plot was sold in the last month.

Encompassing residential developer, Homes

by Stirlin, Stirlin Developments forms a major element of Stirlin Group, responsible for the organisation’s commercial and residential divisions.

Homes by Stirlin has also recently completed a six house scheme in Saxilby, named Parman Court which is receiving strong interest in the last available homes.

In partnership with Castle Square Developments, Stirlin is also creating a new 20 acre commercial development in Saxilby, named Enterprise West Lindsey.

Construction is due to commence in 2021.

Homes by Stirlin is on course to complete its largest residential scheme to date at the end of this year: Lodge Lane in Nettleham is a 44 home development of three to five bedroom homes designed by local RIBA winning architects.

Upon joining Stirlin in 2019, Tony Lawton has been responsible for many of the final

As Managing Director of Stirlin Developments, Tony said he’s committed to building on the company’s strong local reputation for well designed, well received, well built developments: “I am delighted to have been given this opportunity to lead the continued growth and expansion of what is already a well known and respected local commercial and residential development company. I’m very excited about the future for the company and the chance to help create more quality developments for people to live and work. Stirlin has built a strong reputation over the years, which has been earned through the team’s commitment to

“I was raised in Lincolnshire and I’ve worked here all my life, so I take great pride in contributing, in my own small way, to making this a better place to live and work. For me, seeing neighbourhoods and business premises which I’ve helped to build being occupied and enjoyed is the best part of the job. I’ve joined Stirlin at a very exciting point in its 14 year history; the company is expanding, we’re creating new jobs and delivering some really impressive projects. We have big plans for the future and I’m proud to be leading this important part of Stirlin Group, as we explore new opportunities for long term, sustained and managed growth. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in, making a difference and leading this modern, dynamic team.”

Managing Director of parent company, Stirlin Group, James Kirby said: “Tony has done a fantastic job since he joined our residential division last year and he has a great deal of local experience in the property sector which makes him an excellent leader. Since he joined, Homes by Stirlin has grown significantly and I know he’ll bring the same qualities to his new role as MD of Stirlin Developments. We have some brilliant plans in the pipeline which will need his knowledge, expertise and his passion for quality.” With Tony taking on my role at Stirlin, I know the business is in safe hands and I’m looking forward to working with him as our organisation grows.”

Kier appoints Helen Samuels for new technical director role in its Construction business Kier, a leading provider of construction and infrastructure services, is pleased to announce the appointment of Helen Samuels as technical director, a newly created senior role within its Construction business.

Helen, a Chartered Civil Engineer and fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, will join Kier on 4 January 2021, from her current role as CEO of Bibby Marine. She has previously held senior roles in the built environment, including as engineering director for Network Rail’s £6bn per year capital programme, where she also led the 700 strong multi-discipline design team.

Prior to this, she was engineering director at United Utilities, where she created a new technical authority for full asset lifecycle.

She has also held the role of managing director, Water Europe for CH2MHill (now part of Jacobs).

36 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020

Liam Cummins, group managing director, Kier Construction said: “I’m very pleased to welcome Helen to Kier. I know she will be a great new addition to our Construction senior leadership team. Helen’s outstanding engineering, technical and leadership experience and drive will be key to the implementation of our long-term strategy which has technical excellence at its heart.”

Helen said: “I am delighted to be joining Kier at such an exciting time for the business.

There are huge opportunities to close the productivity gap in the built environment through improved data and design, new technologies and modern methods of delivery.

“I’m looking forward to driving this forward, ensuring Kier is at the forefront of this transformation, working with our fantastic inhouse teams as well as establishing strategic relationships with key consultant partners.”

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