Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

End of Year Review 2020

CONSTRUCTIONMAGUK.CO.UK

MONSTER MESH

Construction Branding

COMPOSITES IN SMART CITIES: CONSTRUCTING AN EFFICIENT FUTURE

RESEARCH PROVES CO2 REDUCTION BENEFITS OF ROAD MAINTENANCE

RAVAGO BUILDING SOLUTIONS

WE’RE REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

CITB TO EXPAND APPRENTICESHIP SUPPORT TO ALL LEVY-REGISTERED CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS

Kier hands over Rowan View Medium Secure Mental Health Unit in Liverpool

Contents End of Year Review 2020

04

Land & Water in partnership with Environment Agency saves 75% of carbon during its Calstock project

06

Colas-SIAC awarded major improvement works at A46 Stoneleigh Junction

08

Green light for ÂŁ6.5m development with stunning views over Tyne Valley

09

Kier hands over Rowan View Medium Secure Mental Health Unit in Liverpool

17

Torus Developments Celebrates Completion of 84 Affordable Homes in Southport

18

Composites in smart cities: constructing an efficient future

22

Amey welcomes new starters as Highways England Avonmouth and Severn Bridges contract goes live

26

MP praise for Ameon employment cheer

26

CITB to expand apprenticeship support to all levy-registered construction employers

30

Talented young development surveyor scoops national award

31

Trotec laser cutter features on Channel 5’s Gadget Show

34

Work begins on health hub to benefit thousands of patients

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

04

06

08 09

17

18

22

30

26

34

Production/Design Laura Whitehead laura@constructionmaguk.co.uk Sales Executive Hannah Marshall hannah@constructionmaguk.co.uk Accounts Richard Lapthorn accounts@constructionmaguk.co.uk Circulation Manager Leo Phillips subs@constructionmaguk.co.uk Website Content Russel Goldsmith russel@lapthornmedia.co.uk Website: www.constructionmaguk.co.uk

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in Construction UK Magazine however, the publishers accept no responsibility for the claims or opinions made by advertisers, manufactures or contributors.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic (including photocopying) or stored in any information retrieval system without the prior consent of the publisher.

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020 03

Latest News LAND & WATER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENVIRONMENT AGENCY SAVES 75% OF CARBON DURING ITS CALSTOCK PROJECT Land & Water Group, a leading provider of wet civil engineering services, has saved 75% of the construction carbon (and 72% whole life carbon) working with the Environment Agency at Calstock, in South East Cornwall. This is part of Land & Water’s ongoing environmental commitment and the Environment Agency’s carbon reduction agenda to add value to the areas in which it works.

The project, which has been carried out on behalf of the Environment Agency, reduces the risk of flooding in the area through the construction of new flood defence embankments on a set-back alignment.

This will enable the reconnection of an area of floodplain to create reed-beds, increasing biodiversity and offsetting some of the losses in habitat that are occurring due to rising sea levels.

Land & Water, working in partnership with the EA and design consultant Tony Gee, has significantly reduced its carbon footprint on this project by 7,350 tonnes through redesigning the geotechnical embankments to negate the need for using cement to

HUB SOUTH WEST BACKS TRUSSELL TRUST’S FOOD BANK NETWORK TO HELP BRING SOME CHRISTMAS CHEER TO DISADVANTAGED HOUSEHOLDS IN LANARKSHIRE, AYRSHIRE, AND DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY

CEO of hub South West, Michael McBrearty, said: “Christmas will be very different this year for all of us but especially for many disadvantaged families. That is why this year we are donating to The Trussell Trust who operate food banks throughout our territory.

hub South West, the construction and infrastructure-focused partnership which works with local authorities and private sector enterprises in Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, is

“At the same time we are appealing to all members of the hub South West community: partners, suppliers, hub Club members and others to join with us in donating muchneeded funds to help the Trust’s food banks network assist as many families and individuals as possible over the Christmas period and beyond.

leading a financial support package for The Trussell Trust to help bring some Christmas cheer to disadvantaged households in its south-west Scotland territory.

“Donations to this worthy cause will be gratefully received and can be made on our JustGiving page https://justgiving.com/ fundraising/hub-south-west1.”

The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of 1200 food banks and provides to a minimum of three days’ nutritionallybalanced emergency food to people who have been referred in crisis, as well as support to help people resolve the crises they face. In addition, it campaigns for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. Between April 2019 and March 2020, its food banks network provided a record 1.9 million food supplies to people in crisis, an 18% increase on the previous year.

04 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

Latest News stabilise soils. This has also prevented the need for dry cement tanker deliveries through Cornish villages, therefore decreasing the impact on the local community and reducing carbon emissions even further.

Fiona Moore, Divisional Business Manager at Land & Water, says: “We are extremely proud of the solutions we have implemented in order to reduce our carbon footprint at Calstock. As a company, we are always looking to develop innovative ways to safeguard our world for future generations and this project is proof of that. The project team faced a few challenges, including having to work around the technicalities of using the excavated material from the intertidal habitat to form the flood embankments. However, they were prepared to take an informed view of risks, with detailed and pre-planned mitigation strategies, and have performed consistently well throughout the project.”

Dan Boswell, Projects Manager at the Environment Agency, says: “Reducing carbon is fundamental to reducing our impact on the environment. Working as a team we have been able to do this whilst still protecting people and property from flooding and creating habitat to support biodiversity.”

As Land & Water looks to be at the forefront of the wet civil engineering and construction industries through safeguarding the planet, it is not surprising to learn that they are also demonstrating a greener way to work through implementing Crown Oil’s HVO fuel in its plant and developing habitat creation schemes on its projects.

OUTSOURCING CUTS CLADDING FABRICATION COSTS BY 50% “Off the pallet, straight onto the wall” ethos saves time, cost and improves quality, says Vivalda survey Research undertaken by Vivalda Group, the UK’s largest supplier of noncombustible cladding, suggests that subcontractors could reduce their fabrication costs by up to 50% by outsourcing the process.

Vivalda contacted 15 specialist cladding contractors across the UK and asked them to provide their hourly rates for three specific processes; standard board drilling, specialist drilling, and fixing of brackets to boards. The differences between quoted sub-contractor rates and those charged by Vivalda were surprising. Here are the key findings: • Standard drill holes for rivet and screw fix. Assuming 12 holes per m2, average sub-contractor labour rates quoted were up to 50% higher than those charged by Vivalda.

• Specialist ‘secret fix’ drill holes. The price difference between specialist off-site fabrication and on-site labour rates quoted was equally remarkable.

Overall, prices quoted for this more complex procedure were approximately 20% higher compared to the cost of standard drilling. Sub-contractor labour rates for this work came out at approximately 40% more expensive

when compared to prices quoted by off-site, high precision material engineers such as Vivalda.

• Fixing brackets / secret fixings to board. This too came out at around 3540% higher compared to rates typically charged by third party suppliers.

Commenting on the findings, Chris Meyerhoff, branch manager at Vivalda’s Hull branch said: “We are seeing a major trend towards off-site fabrication, with contractors increasingly turning to us to cut boards to size, drill holes and even fix brackets so that facades can be installed as soon as they arrive on site. Despite the proven cost savings and quality guarantees offered by outsourcing, we wanted to understand why a hardcore of contractors continue to do this job in-house.

After all, it’s a notoriously time-consuming job that a lot of subbies don’t like doing on-site. That’s why we undertook this research into the relative costs quoted for this activity.

“Given the very clear savings contractors could make by outsourcing elements of their cladding fabrication process, we have to ask why aren’t all sub-contractors using third party specialists to prepare boards ready for on-site installation? Is it about control and quality? With damaged and poorly cut boards as the likely outcome, I cannot imagine this is good reason. Also, our use of CNC technology ensures boards are cut to within the tightest tolerances, with brackets fixed using the right tools in well lit, warm surroundings as opposed to rainswept, building sites with restricted space and strict on-site working regulations.

“Perhaps some sub-contractors don’t consider the cost of fixings as being that significant? Well, for a project comprising 5,000m2 of cladding, our investigation suggests that this could cost anywhere from £300,000 to £600,000 in fixing labour costs – depending on the location and complexity of the project. That’s not chicken feed in anyone’s book. I’d urge any contractors out there to reconsider this part of their supply chain as it could improve quality, reduce accidents and boost profits in one fell swoop.”

Based on its recent survey, Vivalda Group’s UK-wide fabrication facilities could save sub-contractors between 35 and 50% on labour costs, while significantly improving the accuracy and quality of the cladding systems prior to installation.

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020 05

Events & Awards News HUB SOUTH WEST’S FINAL ONLINE HUB CLUB GETTOGETHER OF THE YEAR HEARS EXPERTS TALK ABOUT IMPROVING SKILLS AND PRODUCTIVITY AS WELL AS EXCITING PROGRAMMES FOR 2021 hub South West, the public-private partnership funded

by Scotland’s business development agencies, local authorities, and a clutch of Tier One contractors, has held its final highly successful online event of 2020.

Nearly 60 Zoom-based participants from companies in construction and related sectors based in Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, heard a presentation from Skills Development Scotland’s Drew Reid on skills growth and the Apprenticeship family.

This was followed by a presentation from Ashleigh McCulloch of the Scottish Council Development and Industry’s (SCDI) Productivity Club, which brings together businesses throughout Scotland to share best practice and find ways of improving productivity.

In addition, participants enjoyed an update on hub South West’s current and future project pipeline from hub South West development manager, Shaun Sands, and three minutes’ long elevator-style pitches from three local businesses: Roskel, Tata Steel and Tigers Limited.

Michael McBrearty, hub South West’s chief executive, said: “The robustness of the hub Club model is demonstrated in its ability to adapt throughout the year: from well-attended live events held throughout south west Scotland in January and February, to successful Zoombased online get-togethers, which regularly attracted over sixty delegates, in April, June, August, September, October and November.

“We plan to hold our next hub Club online event on Tuesday, 26 January 2021 by which time, we hope there will be more clarity for businesses on the way forward out of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We will enter the New Year in a spirit of pragmatic optimism, demonstrated by our plans for four exciting initiatives: a Build Ayrshire Development programme, aimed at Ayrshire companies in construction and related sectors; a further Build Lanarkshire Development Programme; a twelfth Building for Growth Programme; and a new, Third Sector Training Programme.

“We look forward to hearing from anyone who might be interested in participating in any of these. Further details will be available on our website soon.”

COLAS-SIAC AWARDED MAJOR IMPROVEMENT WORKS AT A46 STONELEIGH JUNCTION Warwickshire County Council and key strategic partners Coventry City Council and Warwick District Council have announced the start of major improvement works to the A46 Stoneleigh Junction, following a contract award to Colas-SIAC Limited.

The £38m scheme will be funded by Warwickshire County Council, The Department for Transport, the West Midlands Combined Authority with developer contributions from the University of Warwick and Whitley South Works through the Coventry & Warwickshire Development Partnership.

The works between Kenilworth and Coventry will include a new bridge across the A46, and realigned slip roads forming the basis of a new signalised gyratory system. The aim of the scheme is to reduce the regular delays and queueing traffic, improve road safety for all users and ensure the junction has the capacity that will be required in the future.

Cllr Jeff Clarke, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning at Warwickshire County Council welcomed the new scheme: “These works will bring real improvements to the experiences of local residents and commuters who use the A46 and the nearby roads that very frequently suffer from congestion. The existing junction can no longer cope with the levels of traffic and future development will only make this worse. As Warwickshire looks to make an economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to be sure that we remain an excellent place to do business. This scheme will bring much needed capacity into the network and ensure that local businesses have the transport infrastructure that they need.”

06 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

Cllr John Cooke, Portfolio Holder for Development at Warwick District Council, said; “As our district starts to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are very pleased to see the start of this strategically important traffic scheme.

The new road system will not only improve access to Warwick University and the adjacent business parks, but will also encourage more cycling by reducing traffic volumes on the surrounding routes.”

Roads Minister, Baroness Vere, said: “I am delighted that works to the A46 are starting this month. The project, backed by £19m in Government investment, will help ease congestion and improve safety along the route.

“It will also provide people with better access to local businesses, help people access job opportunities, and support housing and development sites in the area. This Government is committed to levelling up transport infrastructure across the country and these works will make a very real difference to the everyday lives of people in Coventry and Warwickshire as we look to build back better.”

Main works will commence in November 2020 with the construction of the site offices and works compound, and are programmed to be complete in Summer 2022. Preliminary works have been undertaken over the last few months. The project will be delivered in four phases, with each phase having been designed to minimise traffic management time on the road network and impact on road users. One of these phases will see the bridge deck lifted in via an SPMT arrangement, again to minimise impact on road users.

GRP Riser Floors & Platforms - Anti-Slip Access Solutions for the CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

GRP - THE

LONG-LAS TING, LOW-MAIN TENANCE ALTERNA TIVE TO

GRP Step Overs GRP Riser Flooring STEEL GRP Anti-Slip Grating GRP Access Platforms GRP Walkways & Gantries GRP Handrail & Kick Plates GRP Roof Access & Plant Rooms GRP Ships Ladders & Hop Overs GRP Stair Tread Covers & Stair Nosing

www.steponsafety.co.uk

01206 396 446

Project News

LÖDIGE INDUSTRIES COMBINES SUCCESSFUL TECHNOLOGIES FOR AUTOMATED PARKING SYSTEM IN AMSTERDAM’S CITY CENTRE Lödige Industries, a leading provider of automated parking solutions, has announced that the company will deliver automated underground parking in Amsterdam’s canal belt area. The system, which will park up to 270 cars, will utilise a hybrid combination of the two parking technologies employed by the company. Built into an existing vault between the street level and Vijzelgracht metro station, it will replace on-street parking for local residents.

Given the high-density parking required and difficult access, automated parking was the only option for city planners.

The contract has now been awarded to Lödige Industries as the result of a competitive European tender. In total, Amsterdam Municipality has earmarked €15 million for the project, which is scheduled to be completed in July 2022.

“In response to the long and narrow shape of the vault, Lödige Industries is, for the first time, combining its CUBILE and 5BY2 parking technologies,” said Robert Bawn, Director Car Parking Logistics. “By utilising the extremely fast horizontal transfer vehicles of the CUBILE technology and the space saving pallets of the 5BY2 technology, we are able to deliver both the speed and the parking density required by this particular project. We believe this combination may well prove beneficial to other future projects”.

Amsterdam Municipality uses a system of residential parking permits and permit holders will gain access to the parking

system via an app and modern number plate recognition technology. On the surface, the only visible elements of the parking system will be three glass facade entry bays designed to reduce visual impact on the surrounding area, which is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Engineering, design and production of the machinery for the project will take place at the company’s own manufacturing plants in Germany and Romania. Installation on site will be carried out by Lödige Industries’ team in the Netherlands. Work on site is due to commence in January 2021. Lödige Industries will also provide a 15-year service contract for the parking garage.

“Five years ago, when we installed what remains Europe’s largest public automated parking system with 1000 spaces in Denmark, we were a relative newcomer to the market. Since then we have seen sustained growth in this part of our business. We have made significant investments in product development in 2018 and have won several attractive projects”, said Philippe De Backer, CEO of Lödige Industries.

I am particularly pleased that our decision to focus on high quality engineering and execution is being recognised by our customers and is being rewarded with contract wins such as this one.

08 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

GREEN LIGHT FOR £6.5M DEVELOPMENT WITH STUNNING VIEWS OVER TYNE VALLEY The first phase of a £6.5million development in a desirable area of Gateshead has been given the go ahead.

The-17 home development at Streetgate, near Sunniside, was approved at Gateshead Council’s Planning and Development Committee on October 28, 2020.

The four-bedroom semi-detached homes will be built on a 8003 m² site at the edge of farmland with stunning countryside views across the Tyne Valley.

Designed by BDN Ltd, Kapex Construction will start building the homes in early 2021, with completion expected in summer 2022.

Kapex Construction, part of Newcastle-based Morton Group, plans to build three more phases on the site, providing up to 50 attractive

Project News

KIER HANDS OVER ROWAN VIEW MEDIUM SECURE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT IN LIVERPOOL Kier has delivered the £53m Rowan View Medium Secure Mental Health Unit in Maghull, near Liverpool and has handed it over to the client, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. The works were procured through the P21+ Framework.

new homes in the popular suburb of Gateshead.

Streetgate and nearby Sunniside boast great restaurants and shops near to a number of ‘outstanding’ schools, along with good access to the Team Valley, Metrocentre, Gateshead and Newcastle city centre.

Nearby Lottie’s Wood – owned by the Woodland Trust and named by local people after former dairymaid Lottie Brabban – forms part of the Great North Forest, with native trees and shrubs, Scots Pine, pastureland and hay meadow.

Chris Nunn, Business Development Director at Kapex Construction, said: “We’re delighted to achieve planning permission for this lovely development on the A692 behind The Cottage in Streetgate.

These beautifully designed modern homes with large windows are set in a stunning landscape in a very desirable village close to Sunniside and Whickham. It’s a great development in a fantastic location and we can’t wait to start work on building these homes as phase one of our overall fourphase development.”

The facility has 123-beds located over eight wards including, specialist learning disability and mental health wards; it also has a social hub, bank and IT and physical health suites. Additionally, it has a variety of other facilities including therapy rooms, a multi-faith room, music room, skills for life room, sports hall and gym.

The environment will promote the integration of physical and mental wellbeing with use of modern technology throughout the unit for the benefits of service users and staff. Upon opening, the unit will treat both men and women, with an environment that allows them to be cared for in conditions of medium security.

Peter Commins, regional director for Kier Regional Buildings North West,

commented: “We are pleased to hand over this vital facility to our client, the Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. We worked collaboratively with the Trust to ensure the design was developed with clinical and operational leads from both Trusts. The new facility has been built to a BREEAM Excellent standard and it offers a healthy and modern environment for both service users and staff.

“Finally, I would like to convey my thanks to our dedicated site team and supply chain for their determination in keeping the project operational and safe in line with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) guidance throughout COVID-19.”

Elaine Darbyshire, Executive Director of Estates at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, added: “Excellent collaboration with our construction partners throughout this project has enabled it to be brought about on time and within budget, despite the tremendous challenges of the pandemic. We are delighted to be moving into a hospital which sets new standards for therapeutic environments and care within a state-of-theart building.”

The new facility has been built to a BREEAM Excellent standard and it offers a healthy and modern environment for both service users and staff. Finally, I would like to convey my thanks to our dedicated site team and supply chain for their determination in keeping the project operational and safe in line with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) guidance throughout COVID-19.

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020 09

Project News

183 CASTLE DONINGTON HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PLOTS SOLD TO WILLIAM DAVIS A 19-acre Castle Donington site has been sold to local housing developer, William Davis Homes for an undisclosed sum.

The 183 housing plots form part of a larger ongoing project which was initially a joint Development with Miller Homes.

A vision that Clowes Developments founder, Charles Clowes, embarked upon many years ago.

The wider scheme is a culmination of a land assembly that has taken place over several years between the two companies. Subsequently, planning was obtained for 900 houses and 350,000sqft of mixed commercial uses.

This includes associated greenspaces plus a new primary school. Critically, the site provided an £11m relief road that surrounds the village of Castle Donington to aid with the congestion that the Village receives frequently.

The residential part of the site was shared between Miller Homes, Redrow and Clowes Developments with Clowes selling their share of residential plots to William Davis Homes on the 4th November 2020 in a deal legalised by Gateley PLC. Thomas Clowes, Land & Planning Surveyor, Clowes Developments commented: “It has been fantastic to carry on one of our former Chairman’s projects that he began working on many years ago.

It has been a pleasure to deal with a local and well-established company such as William Davis and hopefully this is the first of many.”

Clowes Developments still own the commercial area now known as ‘Premiair’ which is scheduled to be developed in due course. This is located in close proximity to EMDC home to the 1m sq ft distribution centre for M&S, and Redrow’s head office to name a few.

This impressive development is also managed and developed by Paul Shanley of Clowes Developments.

William Davis Homes are a Loughborough based building company who have been delivering awardwinning new homes across the Midlands for the past 85 years.

David Dodge of William Davis Homes comments further: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Clowes Developments and to conclude this acquisition. Both companies share a number of business principles and core values which were passed on from our respective founders.

As a five star customer rated house builder and recent silver winner in the Whathouse Medium Housebuilder of the Year, we look forward to delivering our award winning approach to bring the best buying experience, the best home, and the best address to Castle Donington and as one of the East Midland’s most acquisitive housebuilders look forward to working with Clowes Developments in the future.

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE AT NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN ROWLANDS CASTLE Building work has now finished at a housing development in Rowlands Castle, which has delivered more than 100 new homes for the local area.

Bellway has come to the end of construction at Montague Green, off Whichers Gate Road, with 106 properties built – a mix of 64 houses for private sale and 42 affordable homes made available for local people through rent or shared ownership.

The housebuilder has also provided new public open space and additional landscaping features such as tree planting within the 13.5-acre site, which lies just south of the village and the South Downs National Park.

Kim Caldwell, Sales Director at Bellway Wessex, said: “The demand for new homes is high in Rowlands Castle, and it’s easy to see why, with the stunning South Downs National Park just a short distance from home.

“The village is also well-connected, with a mainline railway station offering direct trains to London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour.

“The homes at Montague Green have helped to meet this growing need for new housing, while we have carefully enhanced the appearance of the neighbourhood through the provision of new public open space and tree-planting.

“The nearby primary school has also been a big factor in the development’s popularity. Families that now live on the site have expressed their appreciation for having a school right on their doorstep.

“We’ve now sold all the new homes at Montague Green, but for house-hunters who missed out here, there is still a chance to secure a Bellway home at one of our nearby housing developments, including Brookvale in Havant.”

10 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

From 1 January 2021

The way you hire from the EU is changing

Free movement is ending, and the new points-based immigration system will introduce job, salary and language requirements that will change the way you hire from the EU.

You will need to be a licensed sponsor to hire eligible employees from outside the UK. Becoming a sponsor normally takes 8 weeks and fees apply.

This will not apply when hiring Irish citizens or those eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Find out more at GOV.UK/HiringFromTheEU

Latest News TOGETHER HOUSING AND KENSA CONTRACTING GAIN INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM FOR REGIONAL GSHP RETROFIT PROGRAMME A collaboration between Together Housing and Kensa Contracting, resulting in sustainable ground source heat pumps being retrofitted into over 770 homes in the North of England, has won the ‘Heat Pump City of the Year’ category at the international European Heat Pump Awards (EHPA).

The government recently set out aspirations for 600,000 electrically-powered heat pumps per year to be installed into homes by 2028, as part of a 10-point plan for a ‘green industrial revolution’. This recent award win demonstrates that the UK is already leading the way on the European stage in reducing carbon emissions to meet its 2050 net-zero target, and is committed to tackling climate change ahead of the COP26 summit, which is being hosted in Glasgow in November 2021.

The Heat Pump City of the Year (HPCY) award commends local regions which have put in place large scale exemplary energyefficient heat pump projects. Together Housing and Kensa Contracting’s continuing programme of retrofit ground source heat pump installations, which has increased comfort levels and lowered heating costs for hundreds of residents across multiple sites in Yorkshire and Lancashire, fought off competition from projects in 110 cities

across 27 countries around the world to take the title.

Cutting carbon emissions and confronting fuel poverty Following a successful pilot scheme in 2018, Kensa Contracting and Together Housing have been on a mission to tackle fuel poverty and reduce the carbon footprint of the social landlord’s existing housing stock.

By replacing a mixture of old gas boilers and inefficient electric storage heaters with Kensa’s highly efficient and low carbon ground source heat pumps over the last three years, more than 700 households have seen savings of up to 45% on their heating and hot water bills.

A tenant fed back: “The new heating system is amazing; before it was so difficult to heat up more than one room in my home, but now I don’t have to worry about that.”

Using the current SAP methodology, the lifetime carbon savings have been calculated as 44,858tCO2. As the grid further decarbonises with the increased levels of renewable capacity, the carbon impact of heating will be further reduced.

The scheme was procured using the ProcurePlus framework, the first domestic ground source heat pump replacement

POWERDAY CREATES OVER £9MILLION OF SOCIAL VALUE IN 12 MONTHS Leading independent recycling and waste management company, Powerday, has created over £9millon social value for the second consecutive year with every pound that clients spent with the company contributing £0.22 to the local community.

Powerday’s social value is focused around four goals: reducing the environmental impact of the UK’s waste, improving lives through education and employment, improving lives through sport and supporting the wider community where they need it. The company believes strongly in the power of sport to ensure mental and physical wellbeing, providing young people with confidence and self-discipline that will help them throughout their lives. This belief has seen Powerday partner with London Boxing since 2011, an initiative which has improved health and mental well-being for

10,000 young people in some of the most marginalised areas of the Capital.

In January this year, the company launched the Powerday Academy to deliver career opportunities for the local community, including existing employees and school leavers that might be struggling to find work.

Under this scheme, Powerday has already provided full time employment to three 16 to 24 year olds who would otherwise be classed at NEETs (not in education, employment or training). The Academy has also enabled Powerday to deliver over 1,130 apprenticeship weeks with 15 employees undertaking apprenticeship courses through the company’s training partners. Joint Managing Director, Liam Kearney says: “With 77% of our staff from within a 15-mile radius of Old Oak Sidings, we are proud to be a significant local employer.

I believe the coronavirus outbreak has highlighted the need for businesses to contribute to society and it’s vitally important to us at Powerday that we can and do play our part. Our work in this area is now as important to us as our waste management services and we are proud of our contributions

12 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

program procured via a framework in this way. Together Housing has made a significant commitment to renewable heat they are leading the way in rolling out large scale deployment of renewable heat technology.

Patrick Berry, Managing Director of Together Energy Services, commented: “We are delighted to receive this award from the European Heat Pump Association. This has been Together Housing’s first major commitment to heat pump technology and it will make a great difference to our tenants’ carbon impact. The project paves the way for a much wider application of heat pumps as we move away from fossil fuels in our properties.”

David Broom, Commercial Director of Kensa Contracting, said:“Kensa Contracting has pioneered the use of ground source heat pumps in social housing, developing the capability to deliver increasingly ambitious market-leading projects; our work with Together Housing is the largest of its kind delivered to date. This scheme has been a true partnership of client and contractor working to achieve a shared goal of decarbonisation, reducing fuel poverty and providing affordable comfortable homes, through the adoption of British-manufactured renewable technology.”

Shared ground loop array infrastructure provides a blueprint After the incumbent heating systems have been decommissioned in each individual property, they are replaced by a quiet and highly efficient Kensa Shoebox ground source heat pump. The Shoebox heat pumps are then linked to arrays of shared ground loop boreholes drilled under the

“We believe that as such we have a responsibility to provide secure and rewarding employment whilst giving opportunities to those in our community who might be struggling to find work.

“We also want to ensure we have the best trained and motivated team within our sector.

To help us deliver against all of this, we were proud to launch the Powerday Academy earlier this year”.

When Covid-19 struck, wanting to continue to support the health and wellbeing of Londoners during lockdown, Powerday helped NHS workers working round the clock by providing nutritious meals. The company teamed up with London Irish Rugby Club, preparing and delivering over 50,000 free meals to frontline workers in 19 different hospitals during eleven weeks.

Edward Crossan, Vice Chairman, Powerday says: “We are committed to using our sustained growth to support our local communities and are very pleased to be able to contribute so significantly, particularly this year given the challenges we have all faced. I believe the coronavirus outbreak has highlighted the need for businesses to contribute to society and it’s vitally important to us at Powerday that we

Latest News

RESEARCH PROVES CO2 REDUCTION BENEFITS OF ROAD MAINTENANCE Wide-ranging research has found that keeping roads well-maintained not only saves money but reduces traffic CO2 emissions reports Paul Boss, Chief Executive of the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA).

green spaces and car parks adjacent to the tower blocks. The system design is very efficient, as the energy collected from the underlying rock is distributed at an ambient temperature to the individual heat pumps, which then upgrade this to a higher temperature at the point of use and only when required.

This is an alternative system architecture to traditional district heating, where heat is generated in a central plant and then continually circulated through the system, which leads to significant heat losses and potential overheating in risers and communal areas. The use of distributed heat pumps also

removes the need for a plant room, complex metering and billing arrangements, and restrictive energy supplier contracts, mimicking traditional gas network infrastructure.

Ground source heat pump technology is vastly underused within the UK, despite the system efficiencies being some of the best of any other heating technology available, offering the lowest carbon output and running costs. Shared ground loop array schemes are eligible for government funding, and Kensa believes that this accessible and innovative system architecture is the key to increasing the national deployment of the technology.

can and do play our part. Our work in this area is now as important to us as our waste management services and we are proud of our contributions”.

The family business has always provided extensive social value through its operations and community work. Last year, Powerday signed up to the Social Value Portal. An initial report for the company’s financial year 2018/19 showed that Powerday created £9.2million of social value in that period. This was followed by £9million in 2019/20, a significant achievement given the challenges in delivering social value projects during the pandemic. This included £1.3million in social value through the 869,000 miles driven in the company’s Euro 6 fleet which emit under 75mg of carbon dioxide per kilometre, and the recycling of 14,500 tonnes of hard-to-recycle wastes including road barriers, mattresses and mixed plastics. Every pound that clients spent with Powerday in 2019/20 contributed £0.22 to the local community.

Implementing planned programmes of preventative road maintenance is far more cost effective than repairing potholes. It costs £3 to £5 per m2 to surface dress and maintain a road but costs on average over £50 per m2 to repair potholes. Savings for stretched highways budgets is not the only benefit. A wide pool of research proves that well maintained roads can also help to reduce the carbon emissions of road traffic. With transport now accounting for the majority of UK emissions -26% of all emissions – the contribution that a well-maintained road network can make towards to their reduction should be recognised and pursued.

Research has found that this contribution can be significant. A technical report ‘Analysis of the relationship between road pavement maintenance condition, fuel consumption and vehicle emissions’ published earlier this year by the Brussels-based Smart Transport Alliance found that good road surface conditions result in reductions of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of up to 3.5% for light vehicles and 4% for heavy vehicles.

Meanwhile, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association believes that maintaining the European road network with planned programmes of surface dressing could result in a CO2 emission reduction of 5% by 2035.

Similar findings were reported by research led by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rutgers University – New Brunswick. This found that the improved road surface condition resulting from preventative maintenance programmes can save highway authorities spending by 10% to 30%, reduce greenhouse gases by up to 2%, and allow drivers to reduce their fuel consumption by 2% to 5%. Whilst of survey over 5,000 lane-miles of Virginia’s interstate highway system by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub) found that the maintenance of just a few lane miles allows for significant performance improvement, along with lowered environmental impact, across the entire network. Maintaining just 1.5 percent of the roadway network would lead to a reduction of 10 percent in greenhouse gas emissions statewide.

The research carried out by a variety of universities emphasises how a road surface maintained in good condition promotes a smoother and more efficient ride and it is this that reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This should be an important consideration for highway authorities for, in addition to meeting public expectations of improved environmental efficiency, local authorities have a statutory duty under their NI 185 and NI 186 obligations to reduce their carbon emissions.

Implementing proactive programmes of road surfacing and road maintenance can help them meet those obligations.

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020 13

Company News TOY JOY AT CHRISTMAS. SPECTRUM PROPERTIES HELPS A WORTHY CHARITY TO BRING HAPPINESS AND FUN TO SOME OF THE UK’S MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN One of the most socially-engaged companies in the East End of Glasgow has thrown its support behind another major charity, ensuring that some of the most disadvantaged children in the UK will enjoy a little light in their lives this Christmas.

Spectrum Properties, a family-run business based in Dalmarnock, has stepped in to provide office suite accommodation for KidsOut, a charity which runs special outings for disadvantaged children as well as providing boxes of toys for children in refuge throughout the year. This year, it has successfully provided food vouchers to refuge families during lockdown as well as toys and other treats to help ease some of the strain that has had to be endured.

The annual KidsOut Giving Tree appeal, the inspiration for so many other Giving Trees internationally, collects brand new toys, books and other treats from companies and individuals throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK. In Scotland, these items are then distributed locally to children disadvantaged by their circumstances, via refuges, smaller charities, schools, social services, community groups, etc.

The charity had been kindly lent warehouse premises as a base for its operations in Scotland. Those premises have recently been sold and Spectrum Properties stepped into the breach with the offer of a business unit at its Abercromby Business Centre in Dalmarnock.

Mairiona McInally-Kier, Chief Ambassador Scotland for KidsOut, said: “On behalf of the children we will be able to help this coming festive season, I’d like to thank Spectrum Properties very much for its magnificent

generosity towards KidsOut. There’s so much uncertainty at the moment that it means the world to be provided with such a fantastic facility to use as a base. We are truly grateful.”

Spectrum Properties Managing Director Bill Roddie said: “Charities such as KidsOut can make all the difference between a sad and lonely Christmas and one with smiles, fun, surprises and laughter. In Scotland, the charity is run entirely by volunteers and their unstinting efforts have affected many thousands of lives over the years, so we are delighted to make this small contribution which will help them to carry out their most worthwhile mission.”

It is not the first time the generous and community-supportive group has come to the rescue of worthy causes. Earlier this year its Shedman subsidiary donated facilities to the Rising Stars Nursery in Crownpoint Road and the Lanarkshirebased Blameless charity.

Spectrum has been a previous benefactor of Blameless. For the past five years it has funded a pantomime visit for up to 100 vulnerable youngsters and families. With

pantomime off the agenda this year, the company instead donated £1500 in Aldi food vouchers.

Spectrum Properties directly employs 75 people and the same number of subcontractors. It is actively recruiting to cope with rapid expansion. Established by Mr Roddie in 1988, the company now has a portfolio valuation of £60 million and a turnover in excess of £5 million.

The KidsOut charity was founded in 1990, initially as a cooperative project between the Moores Family (owners of Littlewoods) and a local Rotary Club.

By 2015 it had become the only charity nationally to support every child in a Women’s Aid Federation refuge. Services have since expanded to provide sensory rooms in schools and hospices, and include an exciting, interactive online resource called World Stories, which helps improve literacy and cultural understanding in the classroom and at home. Rotary and Rotary International continue to be at the heart of KidsOut, supporting the charity to give fun days and experiences to in excess of 65,000 children each year.

NCC GRANTED £355K TO HELP ACHIEVE NET ZERO FUTURE The NCC (National Composites Centre) has been granted £355k by Innovate UK to work with UK SMEs to investigate and validate ways to help achieve a net zero future.

Awarded as part of the Sustainable Innovation Fund, the funding will enable the world-leading research and development centre to work with a variety of SMEs, focusing not only on how composite materials can be best utilised within the final products, but also, crucially, on the environmental impact of the materials being used and how this can be mitigated.

The innovative projects cover a range of industries, but all have sustainability at their core, whether they are looking to use recycled materials in existing products or design new products that are more recyclable. A life cycle assessment will also be conducted by the NCC for each project.

“As the NCC, our role is to help industry and innovators solve some of the most challenging problems facing the world today, and how engineering can help achieve a net zero environment is one of those,” said Leah Rider, Technology Programme Manager

14 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

at the NCC. “We’re incredibly excited about these projects and the potential impact they could have in all walks of life, not just through the results themselves, but also how that knowledge could then be applied to other products and processes.

“We’re embedding sustainability into all our projects, and through our Sustainable Composites partnership with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), we are working with industrial, academic and government partners, to build a supply chain from raw material suppliers to end-of-life recycling with the ability to deliver the next generation of sustainable composites by 2040.”

Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £191 million to fund single and collaborative research and development projects as part of the Sustainable Innovation Fund over the next two years. The aim of these competitions is to help all sectors of the UK rebuild after the effects of COVID-19.

The Sustainable Innovation Fund is funding 1,103 projects, 1069 UK businesses and totalling over £130 million in support across the UK.

SNICKERS WORKWEAR SUSTAINABLE MERINO WOOL CLOTHING

60%

Mulesing-free, 100% All-natural and sustainable undergarments.

Stay warm or cool in our 100% All-Natural Merino Wool mid- and base-layer clothes that deliver optimal comfort for all kinds of working environments and leisure activities when the weather gets chilly.

There are short and long sleeve T-shirts as well as leggings and topwear that combine superior wool warmth with body-mapping designs for the ultimate base- and mid-layer protection in really cold conditions.

Designed by nature for excellent ventilation and insulation, Merino wool is extremely soft, and naturally odour-preventive for an all-day fresh feel. It’s also temperature-regulating, repels water, dirt particles. It’s antistatic and Snickers Workwear ensures that the wool it uses is produced in kind-to-animals, ‘Mulesing-Free’ environments.

All in all, Snickers Workwear clothing for autumn and winter give you the kind of warm, dry and fresh working comfort you wouldn’t have thought possible. That’s why Snickers Workwear is the brand of choice for working outside in cold weather.

ULTIMATE PROTECTION, FULLY COMPATIBLE – JSP’S 07/12/2020 EVO®VISTA® HELMET AND FORCE™8 HALF MASK

At Excel Networking Solutions, we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment. Choosing Excel products in plastic free packaging will not only help to protect the environment, but will also lower installation costs by reducing the on site preparation time (based on comparing 24 x Single Keystone Jacks and 1 x Plastic Free Multipack) by at least 60% - if you don’t believe us watch the video at

https://www.excel-networking.com/plastic-free

Save preparation time and help the environment #BreakFreeFromPlastic

#DoYourBit

#Choose Excel

ZERO Plastic Packaging

For more information on Snickers Workwear’s Sustainable workwear solutions, call the Hultafors Group UK Helpline on 01484 854788, checkout the website and download a digital catalogue at www.snickersworkwear.co.uk

CM1220002- Snickers Workwear- QP.indd 1

The preparation time you could save by choosing products in plastic free packaging.

www.excel-networking.com/plastic-free

12:37:19

Compatibility in PPE is not only about products fitting correctly, but also working correctly when worn together. Some products that fit together are not necessarily compatible in terms of performance.

To ensure products are suitable for use in combination, it is best to buy all PPE from the same manufacturer, who have developed the products to work together. JSP PPE is designed to be compatible across the range, offering complete above-the-neck solutions.

The popular EVO®VISTA® helmet is fully compatible with other JSP PPE, such as the award-winning Force™8 PressToCheck™ respirator and Sonis® helmet mounted ear defender range. JSP’s Research and Development team were inspired by feedback received from users who regularly wear head and eye protection together. In addition to problems with compatibility, a common theme in the feedback was the amount of eyewear lost or damaged on site after being issued.

EVO®VISTA® is an innovative, feature-rich helmet incorporating optical class 1 faceshield or overspectacle. The eyewear is fully integrated, allowing users to retract and deploy as needed, which helps to prevent traditional safety eyewear being lost or damaged, saving companies money, time, and worry, whilst also allowing prescription spectacles to be worn safely.

Sharp, high-resolution print quality from Sojet printers. Hand-held or fixed position. sales@timbermark.co.uk | 0870 803 1877

The EVO®VISTA® helmet is manufactured in the UK for immediate delivery with option to brand. When combined with the Force™8 half mask you can rest assured you are getting the ultimate in head, eye, and respiratory protection with complete compatibility, plus the option to add Sonis® ear defenders for a 4-in-1 solution.

Website: www.jspsafety.com

CM1220011 JSP Safety QP.indd 1

07/12/2020 13:13:27 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020 15

Shar

sa

Project News CONSTRUCTION IN FINAL STAGES AT NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN WALTON-ON-THAMES The final new homes are now being built at a development in Walton-on-Thames, where just one property now remains for sale.

Since the start of construction in 2018, Bellway has delivered 97 new homes at Walton Park, with 40 homes provided as affordable housing for local people.

The last home for sale is the Birch, a two-bedroom apartment priced from £414,995, which is exempt from stamp duty until the end of March next year as part of the Government’s stamp duty holiday scheme.

Daniel Williamson, Sales Director for Bellway South London, said: “The Birch is a contemporary, stylish apartment with an open-plan kitchen, living and dining room, and an en-suite shower room to the master bedroom. Properties like this are in high demand in Walton-on-Thames, so we’re not expecting this home to be available for long, especially as buyers can save over £10,000 in stamp duty fees if the sale is completed before the 31 March deadline. This is a great opportunity for someone to buy a brand new home in Walton-onThames at a time when purchasing a property is even more affordable.”

Building work at Walton Park is almost complete with Bellway expected to finish construction in spring 2021. The first residents have been living at the development since October 2019.

Daniel said: “The first residents recently passed the one-year milestone in their new homes and Walton Park is quickly transforming into a vibrant community of professionals, families and first-time-buyers. Walton Park is a desirable place to live in Surrey due to its convenient location and high-quality construction, and we are looking forward to welcoming the final residents to the development.”

Walton Park is a mix of two, three and four-bedroom homes around a mile from Walton-on-Thames High Street, two miles from the town’s railway station, nine miles from Heathrow Airport and less than 17 miles from central London.

GMI ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF NEW NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS FOR RM RESOURCES AT HARRIER PARK IN HUCKNALL The contract to build the new 195,840 sq ft building was awarded to GMI by urban regeneration specialists Muse Developments and part of a joint venture with Rolls Royce.

GMI Construction Group has announced the completion of a 195,840 sq ft national headquarters at Harrier Park in Hucknall for leading educational resource provider RM Resources.

The 70-acre, Harrier Park, is part of a long-term joint venture between Rolls-Royce and urban regeneration specialist, Muse Developments, that will bring nearly one million sq ft of employment space, alongside hundreds of new homes and community facilities built on surplus land alongside the RollsRoyce Aerospace supply chain plant off Watnall Road.

RM Resources is part of RM plc, a leading supplier of technology and resources to the education sector, supporting schools, teachers and pupils across the globe – from pre-school to higher education – including examination boards, central governments and other professional institutions.

Speaking about the project Lee Powell, Divisional Managing Director at GMI Construction, said: “It has been great to work on this exciting project at Harrier Park, we’re proud to have played a part in such an innovative development. Working with such illustrious clients as Muse Developments, RM Resources and Rolls-Royce to successfully and efficiently produce a business HQ of such high-quality is something we at GMI are very proud of.”

16 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

Also commenting Dan Needham, development director at Muse Developments, said: “We’re delighted to hand over the keys to one of our latest distribution hubs to RM Resources, and we hope they’re happy in their new home. We’ve been working hard with partners behind the scenes to deliver this and our residential schemes at Harrier Park safely and in line with government guidelines. What we’re looking at achieving here is to drive economic growth and prosperity, while creating job opportunities to benefit the Hucknall community and in light of the unprecedented situation we’re all in, this will be a welcome addition to benefit the town.”

Monique Louis, managing director at RM Resources, said: “We are excited to be taking ownership of our new home for RM Resources which will see us consolidate multiple distribution centres into a solo, modernised and automated site.

At the same time, the new location will enable us to bring together our office and operational teams into a single HQ that meets our longer-term business needs and objectives. The modernisation and consolidation of our distributions facilities is part of a wider transformation programme at RM which includes the delivery of a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution. These investments will support our strategic imperatives of delivering excellence in customer service and digitalising our sales channels and wider organisational operations. They also reflect our confidence in the long-term future of RM and our commitment to the Nottinghamshire area. We very much look forward to moving into our energising and invigorating new working environment in April 2021.”

Project News

TORUS DEVELOPMENTS CELEBRATES COMPLETION OF 84 AFFORDABLE HOMES IN SOUTHPORT Leading growth and regeneration Group, Torus, is celebrating the handover of 84 homes at its Fernley Green development in Kew, Southport.

This milestone marks the completion of Phase 2 of the project, which has been under construction since 2017, and will ultimately see 153 homes built in partnership with local developer, Mulbury.

Redeveloping a former brownfield site, Fernley Green is a multi-generational, multi-purpose development suitable for first time buyers, families’ and downsizers alike.

Available through Shared Ownership and Affordable and Private Rent, the site comprises a mix of 2 to 4-bedroom houses and 2-bedroom apartments.

With the Group bringing much-needed affordable homes to an area where average house prices are typically around £200,000, Fernley Green will offer people the chance to live in a much sought-after area without overstretching themselves financially.

Through the development of Fernley Green, Torus has also regenerated formerly derelict land and turned it into somewhere people want to live.

Constantly striving to create strong, sustainable communities with access to high quality homes that meet identified need, this latest project has recorded high levels of demand, with many properties being reserved off-plan.

the affordable housing offer in Southport bolstered with the types of homes that are genuinely needed, built for the people who need them.”

Discussing the scheme, Group Head of Developments, Anna James, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Mulbury on this development and to be continuing our working relationship on our Flowers Lane development in Leighton, near Crewe.

In light of recent global and national events, increasing access to more affordable housing options has never been more important as we work to tackle the housing crisis.

Shared Ownership has increased in popularity over the years, however, with the financial implications of COVID-19 affecting people across the country, it has become an evermore viable and desirable option for a lot of people.

“As a Group, we collaborate with partners who share our values and put our customers and future residents at the heart of everything they do. As such, Fernley Green has, and continues to be, built in a way that encourages the growth of a strong and diverse community.

“I for one, can’t wait to see Fernley Green complete and this latest landmark in its development is another step closer to seeing

Continuing, Group Head of Sales, Jeanette Grady, said: “Fernley Green showcases the need for a variety of ownership and rental options – specifically Shared Ownership – in new developments.

“This mix of tenure has certainly contributed to the success of Fernley Green, with homes being reserved off-plan before completion.

The trend for more flexible options in the housing market is one that will likely grow and adapt with customers’ requirements and as a socially-focused Group, a trend we will continue to stay abreast of and lead in the region.”

Glyn Fazackerley, construction director at Mulbury, said: “We have built a great relationship with Torus and we’re thrilled to be supporting its aspirations to create a broad mix of quality homes across the region. The homes at Fernley Green offer local people genuine choice over the type of home they want to live in, creating a thriving community in a desirable location.”

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020 17

Feature

COMPOSITES IN SMART CITIES: CONSTRUCTING AN EFFICIENT FUTURE The applications of composites in smart cities In 2019, Auckland won a national award for its smart city innovations, including the SafeSwim programme, which provides real time data on beach safety and water quality. Organisations such as Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) are dedicated to integrating smart technology into cities across New Zealand — but how can we create a completely synergistic smart city? Here, Stephen Smith, head of Asia Pacific sales and business unit manager at global technology company Exel Composites, explores the importance of composites in smart city infrastructure.

An estimated 60 per cent of people will live in urban areas across the globe by 2030, with a third living in cities with a population of over half a million. When not correctly managed, rising numbers of urban residents can lead to housing shortages, traffic congestion and a strain on environmental resources. With more people living in concentrated areas, cities must become more efficient to improve the quality of life for inhabitants and increase environmental sustainability.

Smart solutions Smart cities incorporate technology that connects each component, such as transport and energy, together into a synergistic ecosystem. The data gathered by smart systems can be used to increase the efficiency of many areas of the city.

For example, road traffic monitoring can be used to only turn on streetlights when needed, minimising energy consumption without compromising service to inhabitants.

As New Zealand’s most populous urban area and a key hub for business, Auckland is well recognised for its smart city potential. However, smart initiatives are also being rolled out in other cities across New Zealand. For example, Virtual Wellington, a project developed by Wellington City Council, is a virtual reality version of Wellington, which allows the user to explore and interact with a 3D city experience. The project has been used to model city proposals, understand city issues and help form responses to climate change challenges.

However, for Auckland and other cities to truly become smart, multiple different technologies — including materials technology — must be integrated into infrastructure to help harness real time data. Composites provide a versatile material that can be used in a range of applications to increase citywide connectivity.

Telecommunications Smart cities and their residents will take advantage of an ever-growing number of connected devices. For example, a sensor in a bin can determine when it is full of rubbish, then send out a signal to a waste collection company before it overflows. For reliable, continuous data flow, the use of radio transparent materials will continue to increase. Unlike metals, composites such as fibreglass are radio transparent, making them the perfect material to use around telecommunication equipment.

The implementation of a 5G telecommunication network allows more data to be transmitted at a rate 100 times faster than via its 4G predecessor, due to 5G’s shorter wavelength form. However,

the shorter wavelengths of the technology cannot travel as far as 4G and therefore requires a denser network of antennas.

With this in mind, 5G equipment will need to be integrated across the urban landscape in more innovative ways to conceal them from view, while remaining protected against year-round New Zealand weather changes.

The versatility and durability of composite materials and their ability to be customised into different shapes with various colours and finishes makes creative camouflaging solutions possible. Composites can also be integrated into other parts of smart city infrastructure, such as window cavities and door frames, to help 5G frequencies penetrate buildings.

Windows and doors Increased connectivity isn’t the only benefit of carefully considered windows and doors. A key goal of the smart cities movement is to reduce energy usage where possible to use resources more sustainably. Addressing the efficiency of buildings across the area can produce significant energy savings.

Up to 40 per cent of energy used in a home is lost through windows. Fibreglass composites are highly thermally insulating, allowing the production of window and door frames with low U values.

Furthermore, composites have a similar expansion rate to glass, forming tight frame structures without leaking problems.

In addition, composites boast high strength and stiffness while being resistant to chemicals and corrosion. Their superior durability means fibreglass window and door profiles can last a long time without replacement and with minimal maintenance, therefore reducing the use of resources to make new materials.

Exel Composites provides a wide range of composite solutions, including those for the telecommunication and construction industries. Exel designs and uses continuous manufacturing technology to produce a wide range of composite profiles, from simple tubes to very complex multi-cavity door sills. With over 60 years’ experience in the composites industry, Exel has the expertise to create innovative solutions with unique properties to suit specific applications.

An increasingly urban population means we must find creative solutions that allow concentrated groups of inhabitants to live together in a healthy and efficient way.

Smart cities require high connectivity between components, allowing all processes to be optimised to lessen environmental impact and improve resident quality of life. Composites provide an innovative material that allows increased data transmission and increased efficiency of buildings — helping to create a sustainable way of life in the city.

18 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

www.firmanglass.com www.firmanglass.com

Shopspec_glazingexcellence-2018:Firman 01/03/2018 17:04 Page 1

Established in 1975 Firman Glass is one of the leading

Shopspec_glazingexcellence-2018:Firman 01/03/2018 17:04 Page 1

independent glass processors in the UK, manufacturing toughened glass, laminated glass and specialist sealed units.

Established in 1975 Firman Glass is one of the leading

Based in Harold Essexinwithin 5 minutes of junction independent glassWood processors the UK, manufacturing 28 of the M25 half an glass hour from Central London toughened glass,and laminated and specialist sealed we are ideally situated to service our ever growing and units. diverse customer base.

Based in Harold Wood Essex within 5 minutes of junction

Manufacturing allhalf forms processed toughened 28 of the M25 and an of hour from Central London glass, we

withideally comprehensive stocks our of clear lowand iron, satin, are situated to service ever float, growing

diverse customer base.laminated glass, acoustic laminated body tinted, mirrors,

and fire rated all glass.

Manufacturing forms of processed toughened glass,

with stocks of clear float, low iron,insatin, Withcomprehensive some of the most advanced capabilities place

body tinted, mirrors, laminated glass, acoustic laminated Firman Glass is able to manufacture high quality products

and firemarkets rated glass. for all sectors including architectural, retail, leisure

and some domestic With of the most advanced capabilities in place

Firman Glass is able to manufacture high quality products

Glass Excellence Glass Excellence Glass Excellence

for all markets sectors including architectural, retail, leisure and domestic

Products

• Specialist insulating glass units • Toughened glass • Anti–slip glass • Processing • Fire rated glass • CNC shaping Products • UV bonding • Laminated glass • • Specialist glass units •• Toughened Electricinsulating switchable glass Toughenedglass and laminated • • Anti–slip glass • Processing Heated glass constructions • Fire rated glass •• CNC shaping • Decorative glass EVA and Vanceva coloured interlays • UV bonding •• Laminated glass • Sandblasting Fabric and decorative interlays • Electric switchable glass • Toughened and laminated • ColorfirmTM back painted glass • Structural interlays • Heated glass constructions • Decorative glass • EVA and Vanceva coloured interlays Applications • Sandblasting • Fabric and decorative interlays Structuralinterlays glazing • Decoration • Staircases • ColorfirmTM back painted glass •• Structural • Glass floors • Wall cladding • Treads and stringers Applications • Partitions • Splashbacks • Shower screens Roof lights • Privacy Shelving •• Structural glazing • •Staircases • Decoration Glassand doors Balustrades • Technical floors •• Glass • •Treads stringers • Wall cladding Support Acoustic reduction Full height barriers • Nationwide Coverage •• Partitions • •Shower screens • Splashbacks •• Roof lights • •Shelving • Privacy Fire rated Canopies • Balustrades • Glass doors • Technical Support • Full height barriers • Acoustic reduction • Nationwide Coverage israted available from our sales and technical • Further Canopies information • Fire

offices or visit www.firmanglass.com

Firman Glass,19 Bates Road, Harold Wood, Romford, Essex RM3 OJH

Further information is available from our sales and technical offices or visit www.firmanglass.com Tel: 01708 374534 Fax: 01708 340511 Email: sales@firmanglass.com Firman Glass,19 Bates Road, Harold Wood, Romford, Essex RM3 OJH In association with Tel: 01708 374534 Fax: 01708 340511 Email: sales@firmanglass.com In association with

www.firmanglass.com www.firmanglass.com

Company News INCREASING TEACHING CAPACITY AT ONE OF SCOTLAND’S OLDEST SCHOOLS TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION Amey’s Project and Schools Facilities Management Team in Edinburgh are helping one of Scotland’s oldest schools to meet its growing need for teaching capacity to inspire more students to gain meaningful skills and qualifications.

The £1.5 million transformation of The Royal High School (RHS) is being undertaken to increase the school’s capacity and allow them to provide a high-quality learning environment for over 1,200 pupils drawn from four feeder primaries in the north-west of the city.

The team completed phase one of Royal High School in Edinburgh transformation during the recent summer holiday. Phase one comprised of the design and build of six temporary classroom units within the grounds providing increased teaching capacity for almost 200 children.

GUNNING LONDON DRIVING TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY Gunning London, the chartered building company specialising in internal and external refurbishments, has added a new electric vehicle – the Polestar – to its fleet.

The Polestar joins a Tesla, Audi e-tron and Nissan Leaf to become Gunning’s fourth electric vehicle, with charging points to be installed at the company offices in Dagenham and employees’ homes.

Matthew Nash, Business Development Manager at Gunning London, explains that this is part of a broader sustainability strategy: “The Polestar is the latest development in our plan to have a fully electric fleet by the end of 2021.

“Whether it be managing site waste with recycling schemes for paint cans and old timber doors, or becoming a paperless office, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we are constantly thinking of new practices to integrate into our ISO 14001 Environmental Management System.”

We have worked closely with Amey, Edinburgh City Council and the Royal High School to ensure the design and build of the project caused minimal disruption to pupils and teaching staff. The installation of the temporary classrooms in phase one means there will be no disruption to lessons during the building of the more permanent high-quality classroom in phase two Despite the challenging backdrop of COVID-19 phase one of the school’s transformation was successfully delivered safely, on time and within budget with Amey working closely with Edinburgh City Council, teaching staff and their supply chain partners to develop detailed and robust plan to minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19 and disruption to the school.

Phase two of the project which is currently underway will see Amey project manage the design and build of a new permanent nine classroom teaching block within the school grounds. This project is due for completion within 2021 and will also incorporate removal of the temporary classrooms installed in phase one. During phase two Amey will also be responsible for the design and conversion of two exiting classrooms into two state-of-the-art science facilities to help with the increased in demand from pupils taking STEM-based subjects as part of the curriculum.

Amey is committed to investing in local communities on all projects, and the Royal High school transformation was no different with Amey utilising it local supply chain partners and local labour wherever possible.

Speaking about the project, John Paterson, Amey FM Regional Director for Scotland said: “Once again, Amey show just what they can do to meet the changing demands of our customers—working co-operatively with City of Edinburgh Council, our client Edinburgh Schools Partnership and of course the staff of Royal High School. Together with our local

20 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

supply chain, we have used our experience to provide a bespoke solution to the immediate needs of the school and the communities it supports. We look forward to delivering the permanent solution in Phase Two and ensuring the same high level of satisfaction.”

Calum Gordon, City of Edinburgh Council said: “The school’s transformation programme is a hugely important project which will improve the quality of education provision provided Royal High School as their remit grows. The temporary classrooms that were installed

by Amey in phase one are already providing an additional 200 learning place within the community. And with phase two currently underway, I’m confident that the new teaching block and conversion of two classrooms into state-of-the-art science facilities will provide a learning environment second to none for pupils and teachers both now and in the years to come.”

Aileen Gardiner, Edinburgh Schools Partnership said: “This is an excellent example of collaborative working in response to the growing need for educational spaces at the Royal High School. We have worked closely with Amey, Edinburgh City Council and the Royal High School to ensure the design and build of the project caused minimal disruption to pupils and teaching staff. The installation of the temporary classrooms in phase one means there will be no disruption to lessons during the building of the more permanent high-quality classroom in phase two.”

Amey has a proud history of delivering facilities and estate management across the critical infrastructure and public services which Scotland relies on. Amey’s Secure Infrastructure portfolio in Scotland includes the maintenance of vital defence infrastructure and housing and schools across in Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders, as well as the prisoner transportation as part of a joint venture with GEO. The Royal High School (RHS) of Edinburgh is a co-educational school administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. The school was founded in 1128 and is one of the oldest schools in Scotland.

Take a giant leap forward... ‌with a fleet partner that gives you the confidence to go places.

When you are confronted with sizeable business challenges, the right collaboration can put your mind at rest and get you where you need to go. Athlon is redefining how commercial fleets move with scalable solutions that ensure your mobility is always simple. Enjoyable. And future-proof. Because when people move freely, good things start to happen.

Business never stands still. Neither should your fleet partner. www.athlon.co.uk

Company News AMEY WELCOMES NEW STARTERS AS HIGHWAYS ENGLAND AVONMOUTH AND SEVERN BRIDGES CONTRACT GOES LIVE This week, circa 60 new employees have joined Amey’s Transport Infrastructure business, as part of a 15-year contract awarded by Highways England to maintain the Specialist Bridge Inspection and Maintenance contract (SBIM) for Avonmouth and Severn Bridges.

The contract worth £16 million per annum, will see Amey maintain the three major structures each with unique characteristics and structural complexities; the M5 Avonmouth Bridge spanning 1,400m, the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge which comprises of three structures, the Avon Viaduct (2,100m), Cable Stay (948m) and Gwent Viaduct (2,077m) as well as the M48 Severn Bridge, a suspension bridge, that covers 1,600m of network and has the second highest tidal range in the world at 14.5 metres.

RECORD-BREAKING MONTH FOR NATIONAL TIMBER SYSTEMS National Timber Systems, the recently formed engineered timber specialist, has used its new and improved proposition to shatter a monthly sales record set more than a year ago.

The Amey team will be responsible for the cyclic maintenance, daily structure inspection checks and safety patrols as well as responding to any incidents that impact the structural integrity of the bridges.

The division, which was created by combining the engineered timber elements of NYTimber and Arnold Laver, generated sales worth £2.6m in October.

James Haluch, Amey’s Managing Director for Highways and Waste Collections said: “I’m excited to be working with 56 new employees who join us today to manage the Specialist Bridge Inspection and Maintenance contract (SBIM) for Avonmouth and Severn Bridges on behalf of Highways England.

It attributed a large part of its recent success to customer referrals and word-of-mouth. Many buyers, site managers, and commercial directors recommend its products when they change roles or move to a new company, generating new business.

“The new team and those transferring bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience that will complement our innovative operational solutions and capabilities regarding bridge infrastructure, which has been recognised by Highways England, through our work on the Forth Road Bridge amongst other long span structures across the UK.

In addition, it has significantly increased capacity in its design and manufacturing teams. This has been achieved through strengthening the team with additional expertise and

“Having navigated the challenges of mobilising a contract during Covid restrictions, I’m delighted that the team are now with us so we can start successfully delivering operations, safely and to a high standard, for both our client and those using the network. I look forward to building a strong relationship with the team and continuing to build our partnership with Highways England through our service delivery.

“We are as ever committed to sustainability, social value and investing in our people to ensure they have the skills, training and tools to deliver the service safely.”

Highways England Operations Director Nick Harris said: “Our roads and bridges are among the safest in the world and partnerships like this will help maintain high standards on the three large bridges in the south-west.

By working more closely with our supply chain who carry out maintenance, we will be able to work more effectively, identify innovative ways of working and provide the best possible quality of service to road users. We’re delighted to welcome Amey to our south-west community and look forward to building a successful, long-term relationship with them, driving improvement and strengthening our regional expertise together.”

efficiency gains unlocked following the amalgamation.

Nick Kershaw, Managing Director of National Timber Systems, said: “The team have been working remarkably hard in difficult circumstances and it’s great to see this reflected in our figures.

Hopefully, we can carry this momentum into 2021 and continue to increase our share of the engineered timber market.

The record sales month is even more pleasing when you consider that it is driven by satisfied customers. We deliver on our promises and in turn have become an asset that people use throughout their career. It’s the best sales and marketing strategy we could have wished to create.”

National Timber Systems supplies trussed rafters, gable and party spandrels, engineered joists, floor and roof cassettes, as well as the NYTROOF, an innovative rapid fit ‘room in the roof’ system.

From today, Amey will also become a member of the South West Asset Delivery Community, ensuring the contract provides the best possible value for money and service to its customers through the collaborative network with suppliers and other service delivery partners operating on this contract.

This contract builds on various Highways England contracts with Amey which includes Amey Consulting’s design projects and a five-year FM contract to provide facilities and asset management across Highways England extensive and growing operational estate.

Having navigated the challenges of mobilising a contract during Covid restrictions, I’m delighted that the team are now with us so we can start successfully delivering operations, safely and to a high standard, for both our client and those using the network.

22 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

Ravatherm XPS X from Ravago Building Solutions, Europe’s largest extruded polystyrene insulation manufacturer, offers architects and building specifiers market-leading XPS insulation for roofs and floors.

www.ravagobuildingsolutions.co.uk

For technical support and to learn more about our products please contact: technical.uk.rbs@ravago.com

People On The Move LEEDS HOUSING ASSOCIATION APPOINTS INTERIM CEO The board of Leeds-based housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise has appointed Cedric Boston as Interim Chief Executive.

Mr Boston has over 30 years of experience in social housing, including 25 years at senior executive level. He is a former Chief Executive of Arhag, a London BME association which specialises in addressing the needs of migrants and refugees.

Mr Boston was previously Director of Housing at Lambeth Living, one of the UKs largest ALMOs. He has a degree in law and politics from Keele University and is a member of Gray’s Inn where he qualified as a barrister.

Unity was formed in 1987 with the objective of building a strong, communityled housing association to address the needs of black and minority ethnic communities in Leeds. It now manages more than 1,300 properties for tenants

from all communities and ethnic backgrounds in West Yorkshire.

Mr Boston said: “Unity has a proud history and a wonderfully bright future. I welcome the opportunity to play a role in what comes next. My first priority is to get to know the staff at all levels who have worked so hard to make the association what it is today. I am also keen to meet the many partners and stakeholders who contribute to Unity’s success and encourage anyone who wants to get in touch with me to please do so. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to further Ali’s many achievements on behalf of the communities that Unity was established to support.”

Unity Chair Shruti Bhargava said: “Cedric has a good understanding of Unity and is closely aligned with our values and social purpose. We are really pleased that he is joining us on the next stage of our journey.

He comes with a strong track record of working with partners, local agencies and

communities to improve lives. We have every confidence that Cedric will fit really well into the Unity family and work collectively with all staff and board members to help deliver our mission.”

Mr Boston took up the post on Friday 4 December.

AMANDA CLACK INAUGURATED AS UCEM CHAIRMAN CBRE Head of Strategic Advisory and former RICS President, Amanda Clack, was inaugurated as University College of Estate Management (UCEM) Chairman during today’s Board of Trustees meeting.

Amanda has held a variety of high-profile roles within the built environment, and takes over the role from John Gellatly who stands down after six years as Chairman.

Amanda joined UCEM’s Board of Trustees in 2018 and was named Chair Designate a year ago to manage the transition into her new role.

She commented: “It is an honour to become UCEM Chairman. Over the past couple of years, I have deepened my knowledge of UCEM and contributed to its strategic direction on the Board. When named Chair Designate, I couldn’t

have foreseen the challenges of the past nine months but UCEM, as the leading provider of supported online education for the built environment, has demonstrated its strengths during this time. Our students have been able to study unhindered by the pandemic. UCEM’s resilience is an excellent foundation to build upon as we seek to become the centre of excellence for built environment education.

I have been inspired by my colleagues on the Board since joining in 2018, and I am tremendously excited to drive the changes to realise UCEM’s long-term vision with the support of the Board.”

UCEM Principal, Ashley Wheaton, said: “Amanda has proven herself to be an excellent influence on the Board since joining in 2018. It’s not surprising this is the case considering her glittering CV which includes being the longestserving RICS President in the institution’s history and her current role supporting clients on their strategic real estate agenda. In addition to this, Amanda is a published author and renowned speaker, particularly on the topics of placemaking and diversity and inclusion.

Diversity and inclusion is a huge part of our strategy and, with Amanda’s help, this can only go from strength to strength. Amanda’s appointment is fitting for her to lead this wonderful institution into its second century and help us realise our ambition to become the centre of excellence for built environment education.”

Outgoing Chairman, John Gellatly, added: “I have been very proud and thoroughly enjoyed my time as UCEM Chair which has included the institution gaining full independence, the successful application to be a University College, a landmark premises move, the opening of our APAC HQ and, of course, our

24 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

centenary year. The last six years have been very significant in the history of UCEM, and I am hugely proud of the progress made throughout my time as Chairman, flanked by an inspiring group of Trustees, including our Principal who has led the institution with great ability and energy for the past seven years.”

I have every faith that Amanda will be a fantastic Chairman and continue to deliver on the progress being made by UCEM as we embark on our second century.

Amanda is also the Chair of the Strategy Board at CBRE, she is member of the firm’s UK Board and supports clients on their strategic real estate agenda. She is also a Court Assistant of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Association for Project Management (APM), the Institute of Consulting and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).

Additionally, Amanda is the recipient of Honorary Doctorate of Professional Practice from the University of Wolverhampton and an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Westminster for her outstanding contribution to building safety and diversity and inclusion in the Built Environment. She is a Certified Management Consultant and Companion of the Institute of Management and previously, she was a Partner at Ernst & Young (EY) LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) LLP.

melaphone

visual audio

When you need to talk...Safely 100% blocking of viruses and pathogens 0% transmission of air-flow

Melaphone Speech Unit ÂŽ

Fully certified to ISO 14644 -1 Class 5

In use for over 50 years

01359 233191 info@melaphone.co.uk melaphone.co.uk

Company News

MP PRAISE FOR AMEON EMPLOYMENT CHEER Despite Covid’s impact on the economy, North West building services engineering company, Ameon, has delivered some early Christmas cheer, with plans to create 100 new posts across the business, as it expands its Lancashire headquarters and gears up for a series of new contracts on major construction developments in the region.

A number of the new posts will be filled by qualified electricians, plumbers and heating and ventilation specialists; including a number experienced in low-carbon technologies. And the opportunities will be spread around the region, with a concentration of trades’ personnel to be deployed in the Manchester area, where Ameon features in a series of large-scale, high profile residential and commercial construction projects in the city centre.

The news has been welcomed by Conservative MP for Fylde, Mark Menzies, who, following a question in the Commons, supporting the Government’s popular ‘Kick Start’ campaign, said: “I am delighted to see Ameon thriving and choosing to invest its future in our young people. It is fantastic to see a local business benefitting from the construction boom in the North West, and that so many of these jobs will help young people gain experience and skills in a sector that is booming.”

Expansion for Ameon, which celebrated recently the completion of its 10,000th residential apartment in Manchester, has been sustained over a decade, and the

signal of this latest phase is represented by the 150% increase in the size of its headquarters, through acquisition of premises adjacent to its Lancashire base at Whitehills Business Park; close to the M55 motorway.

Ameon is looking for improvements in the national position relating to Covid-19 before re-launching its newly developed headquarters facility in 2021. And the company hopes to invite a senior member of Boris Johnson’s government to perform the opening ceremony.

Commented Ameon’s managing director, Robin Lawson: “It’s pleasing to get the support of Mark Menzies, for what is a major work creation plan, and despite our reluctance to sound triumphalist, it has only come about because of investment back into the business, and a clear vision for our future. That’s how we’ve managed to ride the economic waves in our sector over the past decade, and it’s why we are in a position now, despite the impact of Covid-19, to create employment opportunities for more people to play a part in our story going forward.”

The new workforce additions will establish the business as one of West Lancashire’s largest employers, and one of the UK’s foremost contractors in the building services engineering sector.

The announcement of 100 new positions follows the recruitment recently of the company’s apprenticeships cohort for 2020/21.

26 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

CITB TO EXPAND APPRENTICESHIP SUPPORT TO ALL LEVY-REGISTERED CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS All levy-registered construction employers will be eligible to benefit from an expanded CITB apprenticeships support service, phased in throughout 2021.

At present, CITB offers employer and apprentice support for 7,000 contracted apprenticeships, about a third of the total marketplace.

Under the plans, CITB will offer a support service to all employers with apprentices, on an employer demand-led basis. To facilitate this, CITB will migrate direct, funded delivery of apprenticeships in England to existing providers. While funded apprenticeship support will continue in Scotland and Wales, the demand-led, wider offer will also apply in those nations.

Support for employers will include help accessing grants; choosing the right apprenticeship standard and the right training provider; guidance through the Government’s online apprenticeships system; and building

Company News partnerships with colleges and training providers. We will also continue to offer some recruitment services to employers who recruit large numbers of apprentices each year, along with advice, guidance and support materials for all employers For apprentices CITB will provide local data-driven careers advice, matching applicants to vacancies; and e-learning, supporting Maths and English. Direct contact with apprentices will be employer-driven but we will continue to offer support, at an employer’s request, particularly for those with educational and social needs or who are at risk of leaving.

Deborah Madden, CITB Head of Apprenticeships, said: “Apprenticeships are central to the way industry trains the workforce it needs for the future, and we know that employers value the support we provide, particularly smaller firms. In 2017 the Government and industry made clear that the way CITB provided services had to change, and these changes deliver on that commitment. The aim is to make it as easy as possible for construction employers, particularly SMEs, to take on and manage apprentices, and to improve the chances of those young people achieving their qualification.”

CITB will no longer actively recruit for new starts beyond April 2021, with prospective candidates and their employers instead referred to alternative training providers. All current CITB apprentices will continue to be supported through to completion.

The expanded CITB apprenticeships support service will be paid for from within existing levy funds, with no levy increase.

NHF’S BUILDING BETTER ALLIANCE HUNTS FOR MANUFACTURERS TO JOIN £600M OFFSITE HOMES FRAMEWORK Building Better, the National Housing Federation-supported alliance of housing associations developing offsite solutions for the social housing sector, has begun a search for three manufacturers to deliver its first framework for modern methods of construction (MMC).

Procurement for Housing is working with Building Better to develop the £600m volumetric framework which will go live in Spring 2021. The 25 housing associations that make up the alliance have committed to manufacturing 800 homes via the new framework and they have a broader pipeline of 4,500 properties that will be produced using modern methods of construction over the term of the five-year framework.

Building Better is keen for more housing providers to join the alliance, so this pipeline may grow further over the next few years.

The framework is for ‘MMC Category 1 Construction Systems’, covering premanufactured, three-dimensional buildings that are factory-produced and delivered to site. There are three lots: low rise houses, medium rise flats and a combination of both, with one manufacturer to be appointed to each lot on a direct call-off basis.

Procurement for Housing will conduct a ‘competitive dialogue’ with interested manufacturers, discussing options with them and listening to their feedback on what the market has to offer before the final specification is compiled.

Manufacturers will then be invited to submit final tenders for a place on the framework.

The procurement process will conclude in Spring 2021 with successful bidders appointed to the volumetric framework on a direct-award basis, meaning they won’t have to engage in further competition to win contracts with individual housing providers. It is hoped that five offsite schemes will be in the ground by the end of 2021.

Procurement on a separate ‘MMC Category 2 Construction Systems’ framework will begin in Spring / Summer 2021. This will cover pre-manufactured two-dimensional panelised systems that are assembled on site to form 3D structures.

Trina Chakravarti, Project Director of Building Better said: “Offsite manufacturing will only work in social housing through meaningful collaboration. That means housing providers aggregating their demand so manufacturers can sustain their factories.

But it also means the sector engaging with manufacturers and being open to the development process rather than having a predetermined idea of the product they want.”

Steve Malone, CEO at Procurement for Housing said:

One reason why offsite construction has failed in the past is the lack of genuine partnership work with manufacturers at the procurement phase. Many social landlords approach suppliers with a fully formed idea of the home they want; but being so prescriptive doesn’t work in an offsite market that is still developing. We’ve designed a procurement process that allows honest discussions with manufacturers before a tender spec is finalised.

In September the Government announced that it will make modern methods of construction central to its new £11.5bn affordable homes programme. Social landlords that sign up to ‘strategic partnerships’ under the programme will have to use offsite manufacturing to produce at least 25% of their new homes.

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020 27

At home on construction sites Container-based room solutions – www.ela-container.com

TALENT- ctct CONCRETE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ALL

! d e t i v n i w o n s t n e m l o r n E

Courses approved by

On-line training leading to Institute of Concrete Technology qualifications Concrete Technology & Construction • General Principles • Practical Applications

The Institute of Concrete Technology

FURTHER INFORMATION:

info@talentconcretetraining.org.uk

01723 567432

www.talentconcretetraining.org.uk

28 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

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 - End of Year Review 2020 29

Events & Awards News TALENTED YOUNG DEVELOPMENT SURVEYOR SCOOPS NATIONAL AWARD A talented Newcastle woman is building a successful career in the construction industry after winning the title of RICS Matrics Young Surveyor of the Year.

Pippa said: “I was so shocked when I won, as there were some really strong contenders in my category. I really didn’t think I’d win and I was happy just to be shortlisted.

Twenty-seven-year-old Pippa Heron, originally from Durham but living in Gosforth, scooped the prestigious national title in the project management category of the Young Surveyor of the Year Awards 2020 in an online ceremony on Friday 27th November.

“Now it’s settled in, I’m so happy and grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way. The past 19 months have felt like a bit of a whirlwind at times as we are growing so fast and we have so many exciting projects.

Pippa, who completed an MSC in Real Estate at Northumbria University, joined Newcastle-based fast-growing The Morton Group as a Development Surveyor in April 2019.

The Morton Group is a wholly-owned family business run by CEO Gary Morton and his father Brian, and consists of LOK Developments, Kapex Construction and Regents Gate Homes, meaning that it can act as both developer and contractor on building projects.

Announcing Pippa as Young Surveyor of the Year winner, the judges said: “Her adaptable, personable, can-do approach and out of the box thinking helps her excel when leading internal and external teams on a variety of projects. Her passion for the industry and drive for continual growth has brought unrivalled dynamism to her organisation.”

“Sometimes I think it’s important to take a step back and appreciate how far we’ve all come, individually and collectively.

“I work across all the LOK Development schemes but my favourite has to be Montague Court in Hexham, which is going to be absolutely stunning when it is complete.

“Kapex Construction has done an amazing job of sympathetically restoring all the original features and I can’t wait to see it finished.

“It’s really exciting to be part of The Morton Group.The pipeline of work and business plan is phenomenal – and the future is looking very bright. I’d like to thank my APC Mentor Michael Henning from Todd Milburn, along with Brian and Gary Morton and Chris Nunn, for nominating me and for the great faith and support they have shown in me over the last 19 months.”

It’s really exciting to be part of The Morton Group.The pipeline of work and business plan is phenomenal – and the future is looking very bright. I’d like to thank my APC Mentor Michael Henning from Todd Milburn, along with Brian and Gary Morton and Chris Nunn, for nominating me and for the great faith and support they have shown in me over the last 19 months.

CERAMICHE PIEMME AWARDED FOR SUSTAINABILITY For the last three years, Ceramiche Piemme has been ranked among the most sustainable companies in the Italian ceramic industry: indeed, this year the Fiorano Modenese brand won the “2020 CONAI award for the ecodesign of packaging in the circular economy”.

An initiative that awards the most ecosustainable packaging solutions on the Italian market. Ceramiche Piemme was not only chosen for its raw material savings, but also for its logistics optimisation for the 80x80 cm tiles and simplification of the packaging system for the 30 x 119.5 cm size.

The award was open to all member companies that reviewed their packaging in the 2018-2019 two-year period from an innovation and environmental sustainability standpoint, addressing at least one of the following aspects: reuse, raw material savings, logistics optimization, streamlining of recycling operations, use of recycled material, simplification of the packaging system and optimization of production processes.

30 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

Events & Awards News

TROTEC LASER CUTTER FEATURES ON CHANNEL 5’S GADGET SHOW Trotec’s flagship laser engraving and cutting machine has appeared on Channel 5’s Gadget Show to mark the 60th anniversary of laser technology.

The Speedy 400 laser cutter was put through its paces on the popular TV show by host Jon Bentley during a segment which showed the evolution of the laser since it was invented by Theodore Maiman in 1960.

Siân Sweeney, marketing director for Trotec Laser UK said: “When I got the enquiry from the Gadget Show’s assistant producer, I was really excited!

“It makes sense that a programme dedicated to tech and gadgets would want to feature market-leading products and we were delighted to help out.”

The filming for the show took place in August for the show aired on Channel 5 on 27th November 2020. Trotec’s Area Manager, Jamie Wakefield, was on site to install the Speedy 400 laser machine and make sure everything went smoothly on the filming day, as well as take some behind-the-scene photographs.

Jamie said: “Jon was really excited about the Speedy 400, as were the rest of the film crew! Jon wanted to check with me that he was using the correct terminology when talking about the laser.”

The Speedy 400 is the newest addition to Trotec’s Speedy range of laser systems, it features a 1016 x 610 mm working area and delivers a fast 4.3 m/s engraving speedy with 5 g and laser power up to 120 watts. The show aired on Channel 5’s Gadget Show on 27th November 2020.

When I got the enquiry from the Gadget Show’s assistant producer, I was really excited! It makes sense that a programme dedicated to tech and gadgets would want to feature market-leading products and we were delighted to help out.

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020 31

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.

32 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 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 - End of Year Review 2020 33

Project

WORK BEGINS ON HEALTH HUB TO BENEFIT THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS Construction work is underway on a major health hub to provide brand new, state-of-the-art facilities for thousands of patients in west Hull.

The £8 million West Hull Health Hub in Calvert Lane will become part of Modality Partnership Hull’s Primary Care Network in Hull and the East Riding, which has a combined total of more than 60,000 patients across the sub-region.

Sewell Construction is now on site, building the new two-storey hub that will replace the dated Springhead Medical Centre in Willerby Road.

Dr Elizabeth Dobson, an Executive Partner at Modality Partnership Hull, is currently based at Springhead Medical Centre, a large and well-established family GP and teaching practice which is rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England.

Dr Dobson said: “Safe and effective primary care facilities have never been more essential in order to keep our patients and our staff safe. The past eight months have highlighted the constraints of our existing property.

“Breaking ground on West Hull Health Hub is an important milestone for the practice and we are one step closer to a purpose-built health centre for our patients.

“The team supporting our patients continues to expand, allowing us to provide holistic, proactive and preventative services to

patients and take the time to address all aspects of health and wellbeing.

“As primary care transforms to meet the needs of patients, we are building relationships with community services and charities that will enhance the care and support offered to our patients.

In a challenging year, the knowledge that Sewell Construction is progressing with building West Hull Health Hub is positive and reassuring, knowing it is not long before both our staff and our patients will benefit from care being provided in a safe, spacious working environment.

West Hull Health Hub will include 32 clinical rooms, including GP and nurse consulting rooms, treatment rooms, clinical support spaces and office accommodation, as well as a reception and waiting area, a wheelchair accessible lift, baby changing area and buggy parking, a pharmacy and adjacent car park.

Health Hub is a very welcome and positive development for the city and, in particular, for the patients at Springhead Medical Centre.

“We look forward to seeing the new building take shape over the coming months.”

Sewell Construction has been appointed by health estates company Citycare to build the West Hull Health Hub. It will be the 14th health centre the company has delivered in partnership with Citycare in Hull to date.

The project is expected to be completed in November 2021.

Dave Major, Project Manager at Sewell Construction, said: “It’s been an extremely tough year for everyone, particularly health service providers who have worked tirelessly to support our local communities, so we hope that starting on site is a welcomed, positive sign of better things to come in 2021. The practice and its patients deserve a world class facility.

“We’re proud to be continuing our great working relationship with Citycare, to build on their existing portfolio of health facilities across the city.

“We’ll be keen to engage with local residents once we’re able to, hosting various engagement activities both on and off site.”

Erica Daley, Interim Chief Operating Officer for NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is responsible for commissioning primary care services across the city, welcomed work beginning.

A Facebook group has been created for members of the public to follow the development of the health hub and will include regular updates from the site, frequently asked questions and more as work progresses.

She said: “We are obviously delighted to see construction starting. The new West Hull

To join, visit https://www.facebook.com/ groups/westhullhealthhub1

34 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2020

NEW SPECIE ADDED TO OUR RANGE: CERTIFIED STEAMED BEECH BERGSTRAAT 25 | B-8511 AALBEKE | BELGIUM | T. +32 (0)56 43 33 33 | F. +32 (0)56 43 33 34 GENEVIEVE@VANDECASTEELE.BE | DAVE@VANDECASTEELE.BE | WWW.VANDECASTEELE.BE