Construction UK Magazine - November 2022

JOHN SISK & SON APPOINTED TO KEX GILL RE-ALIGNMENT

John Sisk & Son have been selected to carry out the re-alignment of the A59 at Kex Gill. Sisk has a strong local presence in Yorkshire having recently completed the Leeds Public Transport Investment Programme (LPTIP) City Centre Gateways and are delivering major infrastructure work at York Central. North Yorkshire County Council has awarded preferred bidder status to Sisk pending contract award. This is dependent on funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) who are currently reviewing the Full Business Case with a decision expected in October.

The aim is to begin the work in January 2023. Contractors will move on site during December 2022 to clear the moorland by late February 2023 to avoid the bird nesting season. An estimated completion date is May 2025.

Kex Gill, between Skipton and Blubberhouses, has a history of landslips and over the years there have been many unplanned and costly closures. They cause an inconvenience for users of the A59, the surrounding towns and villages, and are damaging for businesses and local farmers.

Grant funding was awarded by the DfT at £56.1m against the original budget estimate of £61.6m, with the remainder to be plugged by the county council’s capital reserves.

Following tender returns, the estimated cost of the project has increased by £7.2m to £68.8m as construction markets have seen a huge rise in inflation. Therefore, the Executive has approved an increase in its allocated funding from £5.5m to £12.7m, given the DfT grant is fixed.

Sisk will move on site during December 2022 and clear the moorland by late February 2023 to avoid the bird nesting season. An estimated completion date is May 2025.

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSES AT JONES HOMES DEVELOPMENT

Work is progressing apace at a new development in the South Yorkshire village of Treeton, where 40 per cent of the homes being built for private sale have now been completed.

Jones Homes has finished construction on 28 out of the 71 private properties being delivered at Beaumont Grange, which includes a range of three, four and fivebedroom house designs.

Situated off Wood Lane, Beaumont Grange will eventually comprise 94 new homes, including 23 affordable properties for rent or shared ownership.

With 28 homes now occupied and a further six reserved or exchanged at Beaumont Grange, Jones Homes

is preparing to release more houses onto the market later this year.

The new releases will include The Bentley and Banbury house types, which are both four-bedroom detached properties.

As part of the planning agreement for the development, Jones Homes is contributing £34,000 towards affordable housing in the area, £165,000 for education and £47,000 towards sustainable travel.

Jones Homes has already contributed in the region of £275,000 to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council through a Community Infrastructure Levy to fund local infrastructure improvements.

RACE COTTAM ASSOCIATES TO DESIGN FLAGSHIP R&D FACILITY FOR SMITH+NEPHEW

Sheffield-based architectural practice, Race Cottam Associates (RCA) has been appointed by Smith+Nephew to design the firm’s brand new R&D and manufacturing facility for Advanced Wound Management near Hull.

Global medical technology business, Smith+Nephew, which was founded in Hull in 1856, confirmed it would be relocating to a 25-acre site at Melton West Business Park, approximately eight miles from their current site at Daltry Street. The firm will invest more than £80m building the new facility, which will create a world class R&D, manufacturing and flexible office environment. RCA has been appointed as full project architect, following a competitive tender process.

The vision for the circa 30,000m² new building is to create a world-class working environment capable of delivering next generation products that will improve the standard of care for the NHS and customers across the globe.

It will encourage innovation and collaboration, accommodate key manufacturing spaces and advanced laboratories which meet stringent cleanliness standards, and be future proof in terms of flexibility of space.

Paul Butler, the program director at Smith+Nephew added: “Not only did RCA demonstrate considerable expertise

delivering large scale manufacturing facilities and research laboratories, but their team strongly understood the significance of our relocation. As a practice which also has longstanding regional roots, we felt there was a positive synergy between the two businesses and were confident this would translate into a world leading facility.”

The new site is expected to open in 2024.

WORK STARTS ON £6 MILLION SHORTBREAK CARE CENTRE IN SCUNTHORPE

Construction has started on a new multi-purpose short-break care centre in Scunthorpe designed to support local young people who have complex disabilities, and their families, by offering access to opportunities and bespoke support.

Leading construction firm, Hobson & Porter, which operates throughout Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, is delivering the £6million project on behalf of North Lincolnshire Council, via its Construction & Highways Framework.

The development, which is being supported with funding from the Government’s Department for Education (DfE), is being built on the site of a former community wellbeing hub that was demolished earlier this year, approximately one mile from

Scunthorpe town centre on Alvingham Road.

The single storey building will include multiple sensory rooms, dining and lounge areas, staff bedrooms, 13 specialist accessible residential bedrooms for children with complex needs, accessible kitchens and bathrooms, a medical room, administrative spaces and family rooms. The centre will also feature gardens and outdoor spaces for staff, residents and their families. Work is due to complete in spring 2023.

In addition to offering care to children with complex needs, young people using the new facility will be able to participate in a wide range of activities that will help them build important life skills. The centre will be the new home of Cygnets, which currently offers these services in the area and was recently rated outstanding by Ofsted.

WILLMOTT DIXON TO DELIVER £30M NEW HOMES AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES FOR LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT

Willmott Dixon’s housing workload in London is increasing after the London Borough of Brent appointed the company to build 55 affordable homes as well as two community centres.

The work will be delivered under two contracts with a combined valued of over £30m. The largest is the £17.3m Brent Indian Centre project, which involves demolition of an existing building to be replaced with a new community facility and 29 affordable homes. The current building’s occupants, the Brent Indian Community, will move into the new development,

which will include a large multi-purpose hall, commercial kitchen, offices and an IT training room.

The second contract is the nearby £13.6m Learie Constantine Community Centre project, which will also see a building demolished to make way for the Learie Constantine Centre’s new home, along with 26 new homes made up of one, two and three-bedroom apartments.

Willmott Dixon was procured on both contracts via the SCAPE Construction framework.

Chris Tredget, managing director at Willmott Dixon’s London and East business, said: “We’re delighted to be extending our track-record of building homes in London through our work on both the Brent Indian and Learie Constantine Community Centres for the London Borough of Brent. We’re looking forward to being a part of the community during our time in the borough and once completed, the new centres and homes will provide fantastic facilities for local residents.”

These two housing schemes are the latest in London by Willmott Dixon. The company is currently on site at Frank Towell Court, providing 102 new homes in Feltham on behalf of Hounslow Council, and is also delivering 112 homes for Westminster City Council at 300 Harrow Road. In east London, Willmott Dixon is building over 500 homes for Be First in Barking and Dagenham.

LAND & WATER STARTS CIVIL ENGINEERING WORK AT BISHOPS HULL GAUGING STATION

Land & Water, a leading wet civil engineering firm, has recently begun a large scale project at Bishops Hull Gauging Station in Somerset. The Bishops Hull site is an important Gauging station located on the River Tone.

The works will improve the low flow measuring accuracy of the weir, upgrade our remote monitoring infrastructure, increase biodiversity at the site, improve fish migration and create safe passage for the endangered European eel to travel up and over the weir.

Fiona Moore, Divisional Business Manager at Land & Water, said: “We are extremely pleased to be working

alongside the Environment Agency’s Wessex Hydrometry and Telemetry team within the South West as part of our ongoing frameworks contract.

Challenges will arise due to the environmental constraints associated with the project however solving these types of issues is what Land & Water does best.

Once the project is finished the new weir will improve low flow measurements which are critical in times of drought. The project will also future proof the site ensuring the river can continue to be safely monitored during high flows

and flood events. As well as improving passage for the endangered European eel, it will also help more fish species such as salmon, trout and grayling navigate their way over the structure.

JM Clark is an established mechanical road sweeping and surfacing support company, with over 10 years’ experience in the industry. Combining their extensive range of services and a reputation for providing a superior level of service, they have become a driving force in the plant hire business.

We are widely recognised as specialist suppliers and work alongside some of the biggest construction companies in the UK. Our ongoing programme of investment ensures that you hire the latest fully operated vehicles, all equipped with the most advanced technology.

Obstructive Vehicle Lifting and Relocation

There will often be vehicles preventing road construction from going ahead, our ultra-modern machines are fully equipped to handle the movement of most vehicles weighing up to 7.5 tonnes. Using a crane and the sturdy aid of wheel cradles this method enables a damage free solution for relocating your obstructive vehicles. Our fleet of Volvo vehicle lifters provide quick and easy clearances.

Mechanical Road Sweepers - We have a large fleet of the latest Bucher Municipal sweepers, designed to perform even on the most demanding work sites. Our truck mounted mechanical sweepers collect, compact and remove virtually all forms of debris in wet or dry conditions. The fleet is fully equipped with pressure jet washers, heavy-duty overhead gully suckers and a microtrap dust suppression system.

Bitumen Emulsion Spraying and Joint Sealant - Using the rear spray bar or a handheld lance our state-of-the-art schäfer-technic and secmair fayat bitumen sprayers deliver the highest precision of dosing quantities and spraying results. With tank capacities of up to 5,000 litres and spray widths up to 5m, we can cover large surface areas while satisfying the very highest quality standards. Our sprayers are equipped with the latest technology, left and right side vertical joint spraying arms and a quick dry dope spraying system, to provide you with fastdrying bitumen emulsion.

Road Marking - Using the highest quality materials our expertise covers road and highway markings, car park markings, EV charging bays, disabled bays, school playgrounds, safety walkways, workshop markings and bespoke custom markings. Our operators are passionate about road markings, with every job carried out to the highest standard.

Safety is paramount:

JM Clark takes the well-being of our clients and operators very seriously. We strongly believe in safety-first and will continuously enhance our overall fleet safety wherever possible. A handful of our current fleet safety additions include:

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With tailored machines in your chosen field and a choice of hiring options available, our fleet has the flexibility to provide you with all the specialist solutions you require.

JM Clark takes the well-being of our clients and operators very seriously. We strongly believe in safety-first and will continuously enhance our overall fleet safety wherever possible.

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Get in touchTelephone: 0800 014 6241 Email: info@jmclarkltd.co.uk Website: https://jmclarkltd.co.uk/

Key Personnel

Road Sweeping Division

Contracts Manager: joe@jmclarkltd.co.uk

Surfacing Support Division

Contracts Manager: lee@jmclarkltd.co.uk

Transport Manager: henry@jmclarkltd.co.uk

Marketing Manager: lauren@jmclarkltd.co.uk

SELECT RECOGNISES EXTRAORDINARY CAREER OF LEN BUNTON WITH ITS PRESTIGIOUS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

A construction industry professional who has worked tirelessly for better conditions across the sector has been recognised for his remarkable career with the Lifetime Achievement Award by SELECT, Scotland’s largest construction trade association.

Len Bunton, FRICS, FCIArb, Hon FRIAS was honoured by the campaigning body at the recent SELECT President’s Lunch, sponsored by Electrium, at the voco® Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow (September 30).

As a Past Chairman of both the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Scottish Building Contracts Committee, Len has enjoyed a long career as a chartered quantity surveyor, arbitrator, adjudicator, expert witness and mediator.

His stellar track record includes playing a significant role in customer care, best practice, business development and dispute avoidance, most recently with the Conflict Avoidance Process and Conflict Avoidance Pledge.

Announcing the award, Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, said: “I was only eight years old when Len first qualified and took the first steps on what has been the most extraordinary career path.

“His list of achievements is so long and so varied that it is tiring just reading them out. He really is a human tornado, with a never-ending supply of energy and ideas aimed at improving the industry and the conditions of those who work within it.

“Len was also instrumental in the establishment of the Construction Industry Coronavirus Forum [now the Construction Industry Collective Voice] which has been so important in facilitating the sector’s safe return to work after the pandemic.”

Len accepted his award from SELECT President Alistair Grant at the event, which was attended by around 100 senior industry figures and was co-sponsored by Luceco and MacRoberts LLP.

The clearly emotional industry stalwart thanked the assembled guests, adding: “We have seen some great advances across the industry in recent years and we must continue to work together to ensure we improve conditions for everyone.”

Seven years after qualifying in 1972, Len started his own firm and, within a few years, built it into a 50-strong practice focusing on project management, cost management, building surveying and dispute resolution.

It was acquired in the nineties by a leading UK company, of which Len became a main board director. In 1996, he joined the board of the Bucknall Group and further developed his experience on major building and civil engineering projects.

In recent years he has been involved in many dispute resolution issues as arbiter, adjudicator, expert witness, mediator, conciliator and claims consultant, and is currently Chair of the Conflict Avoidance Working Group in Scotland, and Vice Chair of the UK Conflict Avoidance Coalition. He has also developed specific experience in construction insolvency and corporate recovery.

The Lifetime Achievement is SELECT’s most prestigious award and is intended to reflect extraordinary contributions to the industry.

Past recipients of the award include Jock Simpson, Chair of the SJIB, and SELECT Past President David Smith, who were both present at the lunch.

Milestone Infrastructure, a part of M Group Services’ Transport Division, and Hampshire County Council are proud to have won a second International Green Apple Environment Award.

The award has been presented to Hampshire Highways, a partnership

between Milestone and Hampshire County Council, for its trial of bio-polymer bollards, replacing concrete versions.

The bio-polymer product is derived from sugar cane, weighs around 4kgs and can be easily transported, lifted and fitted into place.

Thanks to the ability of sugar cane to absorb CO2 as it grows, the bio-polymer bollards generate a negative -1.0 kgCO2e/ kg, compared to their 8.6kgCO2e/kg concrete counterparts.

Simon Watson, Business Director for Milestone Infrastructure, said:

Len Bunton and

Alistair Grant

Events

Awards

UCEM PRESENTS TOP PROPERTY AWARD PRIZE TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE CROWN ESTATE

Sustainability, innovation and equality were the themes recognised at UCEM’s 35th Property Awards on Thursday 13 October.

Held at the Institute of Directors in London, the event saw the prestigious ‘Property Award’ presented to Dan Labbad, Chief Executive of The Crown Estate in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the property industry.

Before presenting his award, Amanda Clack, Executive Director CBRE and UCEM Chair of the Board of Trustees shared how Dan has been an active and passionate advocate for sustainability from early on in his career and is widely recognised for being a champion of change with his work around diversity, equity and inclusion.

Amanda also expressed how Dan aims to use his role at The Crown Estate to give back.

Commenting on his award Dan said, “It’s a huge honour to be recognised for playing a small part in creating a more sustainable and inclusive property industry. I’d like to thank UCEM for the award and all of those who have contributed to these efforts along the way. However, I am also humbled and concerned by the collective challenge we still have ahead in tackling these important issues. We must all continue to play our part, drawing on diverse views to ensure we deliver lasting and sustainable change.”

Dan was amongst 100 invited guests and nominees to celebrate the work of UCEM students, alumni and research projects within the built environment.

Earlier in the proceedings, Nisha Chavda, a MSc Construction Management graduate from 2020, was announced as the winner of the Alumni Award. Now a Senior Project Manager at Pick Everard, Nisha was commended for her work as a

role model and mentor to new entrants to the world of work, building from her personal experiences as an Asian woman joining the industry.

Remarking on her accomplishment, Nisha reflected on how being nominated gave her the jolt she needed to sit down and reflect on her achievements saying, “Being a perpetual believer in never having done enough, one can become weary but this much needed pause was refreshing. I’m glad the work I’m doing is making an impact somehow, and I’m grateful that part of the journey so far has been with UCEM.”

Peter Maxwell, Director of Design at London Legacy Development Corporation who was awarded a distinction for his MBA, picked up the UCEM Academic Excellence Award, stating he was really humbled to be awarded and that it was amazing to be in amongst such a strong field of other applicants.

(L) Property Award Winner - Dan Labbad, Chief Executive of The Crown Estate (R) Amanda Clack, Executive Director CBRE and UCEM Chair of the Board of Trustees

“We are extremely proud this initiative has won an internationally recognised award.

“This would not have been possible without the support of Hampshire County Council who consistently back our drive for improvement in key areas.

£We are continuing to work with TMP Solutions on other innovative highways products which will assist us in the drive towards net-zero.”

Councillor Nick Adams-King, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Highways Operations, said:

“This is fantastic news. Our Hampshire Highways Carbon Strategy includes a target to reach net-zero by 2050.

“We are always looking to innovate when it comes to the use of materials and resources across highways maintenance.”

The Green Apple Awards are run by The Green Organisation, an international, independent, non-profit, non-political environment group that began in 1994 to recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice around the world. There were over 500 nominations for the International Green Apple Awards

this year, making this win even more impressive.

The Hampshire Highways team was awarded its first Green Apple Award in November 2021 for the Micheldever Recycling Facility, in collaboration with OCL Regeneration. The facility reprocesses and recycles materials generated from road repairs for reuse in road maintenance.

The site itself has also been recycled, having previously been an asphalt plant until the late 1990s. It enables Hampshire Highways to reduce carbon emissions, costs and travel miles.

Academic Excellence Award winner Peter Maxton with (R) Ashley Wheaton UCEM Principal

Alumni Award winner - Nisha Chavda with her father (R) Rajesh Chavda

Awards

BALFOUR BEATTY AND THE CLEAR COMPANY TAKE HOME HUGE WIN FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT CIPD AWARDS

The Clear Company have been named best HR/L&D consultancy at this year’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CiPD) Awards for their work with leading international infrastructure group, Balfour Beatty. Success of the initiative has been measured in several ways including Balfour Beatty’s annual employee engagement survey which has shown positive changes in engagement across the business as the programme has progressed. Engagement amongst women had risen by 15%, ethnic minorities by 14% and disabled employees by 14%.

Working with Balfour Beatty’s leadership team, the Clear Company ran an audit to

identify key areas of focus, particularly looking at the importance of leaders in building an inclusive culture. Using the results of the audit to set the specific context at Balfour Beatty and tailor the content they delivered their leadership

CASTLE PARK LIFTS EUROPEAN HEAT PUMP ASSOCIATION AWARD

The Castle Park Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP) project in Bristol has been named as the winner of the “Heat Pump City of the Year” award at the 2022 European Heat Pump Association awards held in Brussels recently.

The awards attracted almost 50 of Europe’s highest profile WSHP projects and saw the Castle Park energy centre claim the top spot, shining a spotlight on Bristol’s lowcarbon heat network.

Councillor Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member for Environment, Ecology, Energy and Waste at Bristol City Council, said: “Castle Park Energy Centre and the Bristol Heat Network play an integral part in decarbonising the city, and I’m delighted that our work with Goram Homes and Vital Energi has been recognised. Developing the heat networks has so many benefits for the city, including the reduction in fuel poverty, cutting carbon emissions and creating thousands of jobs to support the local economy.

“The installation of the 3MW Water Source heat pump and abstraction equipment manufactured by Star Refrigeration were only capable of being deployed with the establishment of an expert multidisciplinary

coaching programme that helps leaders to understand the strategic value and importance of inclusive leadership; explore equality, diversity, and inclusion topics in a challenging and thoughtprovoking way; understand how to remove barriers to under-represented groups and build confidence to enable leaders to talk about ED&I.

When D&I becomes an integral part of HR strategy and embedded across HR operations, the subsequent engagement and impact that Balfour Beatty saw is the result. 84% of leaders were confident they would change their behaviour as a result of the programme and 90% agreed the facilitators created a safe and trusted environment.

team with Vital Energi as Principal Contractor, Sustainable Energy Ltd as lead designers and DQS as QS/Project manager.

This award highlights our ability to deliver the kind of bold and innovative solutions that Bristol needs to tackle the climate emergency. Bristol’s Heat Network will continue to expand through our City Leap Energy Partnership, delivering reliable, decarbonised heat to new communities, whilst creating much needed jobs across the region.

The Castle Park energy centre takes water from the nearby floating harbour, passes it through a heat pump and then the heat is transferred into the Bristol Heat Network, helping to lower the carbon emissions of approximately 1,000 homes and businesses.

The European Heat Pump Association was created in 2011 to collect best practice, create role models and raise awareness of the potential of heat pumps and the awards are one of the key ways the association shine a light on the industry.

Watch our NEW BUILD video with George Clarke

People On The Move

REAL APPOINT PRE-CONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR

Contractor and developer Real has appointed Matt Smith as Pre-Construction Director.

Joining from Wates Residential, Matt has had an extensive career in construction bidding which started with his first role as

Bid Manager, progressing onto numerous roles within the organisation including Bid Centre Manager, followed by his most recent role as Pre- Construction Director, a role he will now continue at Real.

Initially trained as an estimator, Matt has over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Building.

Matt’s key priorities as Pre-Construction Director will be to maintain client and consultant relationships, encouraging career development, securing repeat business and ensuring preconstruction activities result in projects that deliver a measured balance of quality and timely delivery.

Real has ambitious growth plans to become the contractor and developer of choice in the South and Matt will play an integral role in supporting Real to achieve these plans through winning work and turning an already strong pipeline of projects into secured ones.

About his new role at Real, Matt said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Real. The move presents a new challenge that I can channel my enthusiasm for solving problems and finding the right solutions for clients to progress with projects.

“The construction industry is continuously evolving and I’m passionate about understanding the latest building methods and technologies that are emerging to meet the challenges of climate change and achieving net zero carbon targets. Through these passions I look forward to putting into practice at Real some of the recent things I have learnt and seen.”

Paul Nicholls, CEO at Real, said: “Here at Real we want to create a business that cares. Having been in the construction industry for over 25 years I have seen individuals develop fantastic careers, including Matt. His appointment marks another step in Real’s progression to growing a team that genuinely cares about the work we do and takes all the action necessary to ensure we’re providing the best service for our clients.”

FORMER APPRENTICE JOINER AIMING TO CARVE OUT CAREER AS SITE MANAGER WITH JONES HOMES NORTH WEST

A former apprentice joiner is hoping to carve out a career as a site manager with Cheshire-based developer Jones Homes. Charlie Chorlton has been appointed as a trainee assistant site manager at the housebuilder’s Westlow Heath development in Congleton after graduating from the company’s apprenticeship scheme.

The 22-year-old first joined Jones Homes North West in 2018 after being offered a place on an apprenticeship halfway though his course at college.

Charlie, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, said: “I was always interested in, and good at, woodwork at school and not so taken with the academic side of things. I liked to use my hands and to get stuck into a project and create something.

“I was at college in Newcastle-under-Lyme when I was offered the chance to be an apprentice joiner at Jones Homes. Some of my friends were at university but I wanted to earn as I learned and did not want to be saddled with a student debt in a few years’ time, so an apprenticeship was the perfect choice for me.”

Charlie qualified as a joiner after gaining his Level 2 NVQ in site carpentry in 2021. Then he was offered a trial as a trainee assistant site manager.

“I was working at a development one day when the site manager asked me if I fancied training to be an assistant site manager as he was very impressed with the way I dealt with customers,” he said. “Luckily, I have always had good communication skills and I jumped at the chance. They put me on trial

for six months and at the end of that period, offered me the position as trainee assistant site manager at Westlow Heath. I was delighted to be offered the chance to take my career in another direction.

“Jones Homes is a great company to work for because they have given me this wonderful chance to improve myself and my career. It is up to me now to repay that trust by showing them that they made a wise choice in investing in me. My ambition is to knuckle down and work my way up the ranks to one day becoming a site manager.”

Alex Bedson, Construction Director at Jones Homes North West, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Charlie has accepted the position as trainee assistant site manager at Westlow Heath.

“He came through the apprenticeship programme with flying colours and his dedication, enthusiasm and maturity when dealing with customers identified him as a person with real potential. We will give him all the training, support and encouragement he needs to go on to forge a great career with us here at Jones Homes.”

RS Bonds are the only company in the UK that solely and exclusively specialise in the procurement of Road and Sewer Bonds. Our unrivalled technical knowledge of the adoption process has allowed us to forge exclusive underwriting partnerships which enables us to offer solutions to clients that range from major PLC to regional SME housebuilders.

In accordance with the notably hardened surety market conditions, we are aware that Housing Warranty Providers are finding it increasingly difficult to provide their clients with a solution for Road and Sewer Bond requirements. Furthermore, in cases whereby a solution can be offered, this often requires developers to pay significant fees prior to the provision of the bond which can create an unexpected strain on the initial capital demands of a project.

In response, RS Bonds have launched an innovative service whereby developers are able to benefit from an exclusive collaboration we have pioneered with the Surety and Financial Markets, to allow for FREE ROAD AND SEWER BONDS to be offered.

Even on longer term projects, the free bonds offering can be key to builders as it alleviates capital intensity at commencement of a project and defers any possible payments to a point at which income is being generated from a site. There are no hidden charges as overrun % fee’s do not increase, and we do not reserve the right to make changes to Road and Sewer Bonds T&Cs retrospectively.

Speak with a dedicated client relationship manager to find out more: freebonds@rsbonds.co.uk.

CUTTING WELFARE’S CARBON FOOTPRINT

UK welfare manufacturer is recognised for leading the way in reducing fuel use and emissions on site.

The construction industry worldwide is under pressure to move towards more environmentally friendly ways of operating. Many businesses have a real desire to rise to the challenge of finding more carbon neutral solutions in the face of climate change and other environmental threats. In addition, larger companies now find themselves legally obliged to report on their actions to move towards Net Zero targets and are also routinely required to demonstrate the impact on the environment of any project at the tendering stage.

However, while the will is there, sometimes it is difficult for companies to decide what are the most effective changes they can make to achieve true carbon savings. In the face of much conflicting and confusing information from product and service providers claiming to be eco-friendly, it can be hard to sort the wheat from the chaff and know exactly which products to choose that can effectively reduce environmental impact.

For this reason, welfare manufacturer Boss Cabins decided it was important that the fuel and carbon savings of their flagship solarpowered Deep Green welfare range were verified by independent internationallyrecognised assessor, Carbon Footprint Ltd.

Boss Cabins Managing Director James Kearsey states: “We turned to Carbon Footprint Ltd. because we wanted independent confirmation that our Deep Green cabins really do offer the welfare market a best-inclass site accommodation solution that cuts our customers’ carbon emissions and carbon footprint as well as dramatically reducing their spend on fuel and servicing.”

We are delighted that Carbon Footprint’s independent assessors have confirmed that choosing Deep Green cabins over other welfare options will significantly reduce the environmental impact of your site welfare.

Carbon Footprint Ltd’s environmental consultants looked at both the direct savings in fuel made by using solar energy to power the cabin’s functions as well as how the cabins’ patented water saving technology and patented generator reduced the frequency of servicing.

James Kearsey explains: “Taking the example of a conventional diesel-powered 24ft canteen and office model – and comparing it to our solar-powered Deep Green 2030 unit – Carbon Footprint verified that an annual saving of 3,260 litres of diesel can be achieved per cabin, which equates to over 8 tonnes of CO2. Add to that the reductions in costs of maintenance engineers attending, and costs can be reduced by over £10,500 per annum.”

As well as achieving the Carbon Footprint verification, Boss’s Deep Green welfare range has also just received a Highly Commended accolade in the Green Suppliers and Innovations Awards organised by The Showman’s Show. These awards recognise the latest in green innovations and sustainable solutions that contribute to reducing the environmental impact of events and worksites.

James Kearsey commented: “It is gratifying that the Deep Green range is being recognised by so many industry players as a truly green site welfare solution. We’ve worked extremely hard to incorporate sustainability targets on many different levels - carbon neutral operation; renewable energy; near zero emissions; minimal water use; low waste; longlasting build and materials; high recyclability - and we really do believe we have created the world’s most sustainable welfare range.”

The Deep Green 2030 range includes mobile and static welfare units plus portable toilet block solutions. To find out more, click here: https://www.bosscabins.co.uk/deep-greensolar-welfare-is-highly-commended/

POWERED BY NATURE

IS FUEL COSTING YOU A FORTUNE? WHY NOT USE THE SUN’S ENERGY TO POWER YOUR WELFARE FLEET?

Deep Green cabins run almost entirely from solar power for most of the year. Huge fuel and carbon savings verified by Carbon Footprint Ltd.

Track savings with 24/7 remote reporting of energy production and consumption plus location and tank levels for precise service planning.

High performance low-impact eco welfare solutions. Saving you cash while saving the planet.

CKH AGREES CONTRACT WITH WILLMOTT DIXON TO BUILD NORTHMINSTER DEVELOPMENT

Cross Keys Homes (CKH) has signed contracts with Willmott Dixon to build their flagship Northminster development.

Willmott Dixon was invited on to the development team by Peterborough Investment Partnership (PIP) earlier this year before the site was sold on to CKH, and since then have led on the demolition of the existing buildings and groundworks on the site.

Now it has signed a main works development contract which will see Willmott Dixon leading on all aspects of the build of this exciting £70 million development project.

CKH’s Chief Executive, Claire Higgins, said: “We are delighted to have signed contracts with Willmott Dixon to deliver this flagship scheme for the city, which will provide 315 new affordable homes.

“Willmott Dixon’s purpose is to deliver brilliant buildings, transform lives, strengthen communities and enhance the environment, which goes hand-in-hand with our core objectives and makes them the ideal partner for this exciting development.”

Due to be finished in October 2024, the Northminster development, which is in part, being funded by a £12.5 million grant from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, will provide much needed highquality affordable housing in the city centre.

IMPROVING ROAD AND RAIL CONNECTIVITY KEY TO ‘LEVELLING UP’ THE EAST MIDLANDS

Better rail links, reduced congestion and safer roads are all highlighted as key priorities for ‘Levelling Up’ the East Midlands in a new document published today.

Transport for the East Midlands (TfEM) and Midlands Connect, have highlighted eight shared priorities in a new joint vision for the cities and counties of the East Midlands.

Delivering these priorities will boost growth and investment, contribute to the Government’s ‘Net Zero’ and ‘Levelling Up’ Agendas, and help address the historic underfunding of transport in the East Midlands.

The eight priorities are:

• Electrification of the Midland Main Line

• Improved rail connectivity between Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry.

• The delivery of HS2 to the East Midlands and Leeds

• Enhancements to the A46 Growth Corridor

• Reducing congestion and improving safety on the A5 Growth Corridor

• Supporting growth and improving reliability throughout the A50/A500 Corridor

• Improving safety and reliability on the A1

• Improving connectivity across EMDevCo and East Midlands Freeport areas.

Sir Peter Soulsby, Chair of Transport for the East Midlands and City Mayor for

Leicester, said: “The East Midlands has a strong track record in delivering high levels of housing and employment growth in the national interest over many years.

“But with better connectivity, we could do so much more.

The eight strategic priorities Transport for the East Midlands and Midlands Connect have jointly identified will unlock growth across the region and allow our towns and cities to thrive – contributing to the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda.

Cllr Richard Davies, Transport for the East Midlands Vice Chair and Transport Lead for Lincolnshire County Council, explained the importance of just one of the eight projects: “The A46 Newark Northern Bypass remains Transport for the East Midlands’ top strategic road priority.

“From Farndon to the interchange with the A1 and A17, the A46 has been a bottleneck for years, raising serious concerns about congestion, pollution, and safety.

“While National Highways has identified a preferred route for an enhancement to the A46 which would improve the junctions

with the A1 and A17 and connectivity across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, delivery funding has yet to be agreed and this crucial decision will now be for the new Government to make.”

Sir John Peace, Chairman of Midlands Connect, said: “At Midlands Connect, we are committed to working closely with Transport for the East Midlands to help deliver growth opportunities and better connections.

“Investment in this region’s transport will have a remarkable benefit to the whole country and create a positive ripple effect to boost the development of industry, skills and infrastructure.

“Taking forward these joint priorities will help lay the groundwork for improved connectivity across the Midlands, unlocking the potential of major economic hubs such as EMDevCo and the two Freeports - opening the region’s businesses to the world.”

To find out more about Transport for the East Midlands and Midlands Connect’s shared vision and eight strategic priorities, visit emcouncils.gov.uk.

HOUSEBUILDER’S DONATION HELPS PROVIDE OVERSEAS LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG ESSEX SCOUT

Chelmsford-based Barratt and David Wilson Homes has donated £1,000 towards a Southend scout’s fundraiser, to fund the youngster’s attendance in The World Scout Jamboree and help subsidise scout groups in less fortunate countries.

13-year-old Alice Weight at Southend Estuary District Scouts has been selected by her scout group to attend the 25th World Scout Jamboree, which will be held in South Korea next year.

The World Jamboree is the biggest occasion for the World Scouting organisation, and gathers up to 40,000 scouts from more than 150 countries. Held every four years, the World Jamboree will take place between 1st and 12th of August in 2023.

Alice has been tasked by her scout leader to share the Jamboree experience with her friends and fellow scouts throughout preparation and once she returns, for all of her peers to benefit from.

Each Jamboree is hosted by a different country and is an educational event designed to promote peace and understanding among young people from different cultures, and the first ever event took place in England in 1920.

Jamboree attendees from the UK are each asked to fundraise £3,800 for the opportunity, which not only funds their travel and attendance, but also significantly subsidises scout groups from poorer countries to have the same opportunity. The Jamboree also encourages young leaders for the future.

The scout group Alice attends, Southend Estuary District Scouts, is a youth-led organisation based in Southend-on-Sea, which aims to promote confidence and skills through teambuilding and leadership activities.

Established for over 80 years, the District has 160 adult volunteers supporting around 1,000 young people, which equips

them with skills for life and opportunities both locally and internationally.

The donation came as part of the Barratt Developments Plc Charitable Foundation, which is designed to support national and local charities, large and small, across the UK to leave a legacy in the communities in which the housebuilder operates.

A family-run firm from Surrey, which specialises in loft conversions and the creation of bespoke garden rooms, is making extensive use of SterlingOSB Zero from panel product manufacturer, West Fraser, based on the board’s value, performance and ease of installation.

MB Loft Conversions, based in Caterham, was established eight years ago by Mark Bell and undertakes contracts right across South London, Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Typically, the company completes up to a dozen loft conversions and other projects each year. Mark purchases his SterlingOSB Zero from Selhurst Timber and other builders merchants’ local to clients’ properties. While he mainly prefers to use 18mm tongue and groove boards for their strength and excellent alignment when laid, some of MB Loft Conversions’ builds also use quantities of 11mm (square edge) SterlingOSB Zero.

As part of a comprehensive, overall carbon negative product range, SterlingOSB Zero T&G presents specifiers with precisionengineered tongue and groove boards, which are typically specified for pitched or flat roof decking and timber frame construction, as well as for flooring and other applications.

Also from an environmental viewpoint, the ‘Zero’ in the name means no formaldehyde is added during its manufacture, which is a first in the UK – encouraging its specification on improved health and safety grounds.

SOUTH

ABBEY FARM EDUCATE TOGETHER PRIMARY SCHOOL COMPLETED ON THE DFE’S OFFSITE SCHOOLS FRAMEWORK

Work has completed on Abbey Farm Educate Together Primary School in North Swindon. The school was delivered by vertically integrated offsite construction specialist Reds10.

Reds10 was appointed by the Department for Education (DfE) as principal contractor to design and build the school, which is part of the DfE’s four-year £3 billion ‘Offsite Schools Framework’ and will be run by the Educate Together Academy Trust.

The Offsite Schools Framework was established in 2020 as part of the Government’s drive for greater adoption of MMC to modernise the industry and increase efficiencies, cost savings and innovation within capital building programmes.

The construction of Abbey Farm ET Primary School began in May 2021, and the new building has opened its doors in September 2022, catering to 460 pupils from the local community. Located off Lady Lane, the school is set on a 4.6-acre site and is part of a wider residentialled mixed-use development by Redrow. One of the stand-out achievements of the project is that the building was designed as net-zero carbon in operation ahead of the DfE’s sustainability Output Specification (S21) official launch. S21 was introduced under the new construction framework in November 2021, calling for all new school buildings in England to reach net zero operational carbon.

MMC directly benefits the delivery of school construction projects, through reduced embodied carbon, quicker delivery programmes and less trades on

site, which minimises disruption. Reds10 completed the majority of the school building offsite in its factory. In fact, the project achieved 87% pre-manufactured value (PMV), which is 2% higher than their commitment on the framework, alongside minimal waste through the use of MMC with 90% diverted to landfill, and over 100% reduction in carbon emissions under Part L2A building regulation standards for energy efficiency.

The building, which is net zero carbon in design, includes enhanced sustainability features such as air source heat pumps and photovoltaics, both mechanical and natural ventilation to maintain excellent internal air quality, aluminium door and window frames made from recycled materials, GIFA floorboards with 50% recycled content and timber cladding, which is inherently lower in embodied carbon. Using ThriveTM, its SMART building technology, Reds10 is able to analyse energy usage and production, generating accurate data to ensure that the building is operated at maximum energy efficiency going forward.

Nikki Buglass, Trust Development and Marketing Manager at Educate Together Academy Trust, said: “Abbey Farm ET Primary School has been in the pipeline for several years and it’s amazing to see this wonderful space about to open its doors to pupils. Reds10 have been instrumental in making this happen and their commitment to it has been incredible. In comparison to projects I am running in tandem, the modular nature of the build has reduced disruption to delivery, with regards to materials and labour shortages and time lost to inclement weather. The quality of the build is fantastic, with several of my subcontractors and the Fire Safety Officer, commenting on the

excellent standard of work. What struck me the most was their process – it seems like yesterday that the site was just a field and now here we are with a finished building. The pace has been simply breath-taking.”

Joe Shepherd, Education Sector Lead at Reds10, said: “As Abbey Farm Educate Together Primary School welcomes pupils for the new school year from September, it is an exciting milestone for us, being our first school to be completed for the Department of Education’s Off-site Schools Framework.

It shows that successful delivery of sustainable school buildings at pace and to budget is possible, through harnessing the power of MMC.

As project lead, we were able to collaborate closely with the DfE, local authorities, stakeholders and the design team to bring to the fore the full potential of what MMC can offer to deliver a modern, sustainable and nurturing learning environment for pupils to enjoy for many years to come. Abbey Farm ET Primary School sets a new standard of performance for school buildings and we are proud of our central role in delivering the next generation of off-site schools.

Claire Wakelin, Head of Education at HLM Architects, which designed the new school building, said: “We’re very proud to have been the lead designer for this fantastic new school. The school engagement process took place during the 2020 lockdown but, using our digital tools and consultation experience, we were able to quickly form close working relationships with the DfE and Trust teams. Our strategic design approach was centred on the creation of a high-quality, safe and secure environment for pupils, maximising the opportunity for learning and socialising. Biodiversity was also a major inspiration, resulting in an environment that seamlessly integrates into the surrounding landscape.”

DO YOU CLAIM LAND REMEDIATION COSTS? IF NOT, WHY NOT?

Do you claim Land Remediation costs? If not, why not?

Land Remediation Tax Relief is one of the best kept secrets in the UK construction and building industries.

It is available to recover costs of carrying out remediation work prior to receiving planning permission to render the land useable for new developments.

Land Remediation Tax Relief is one of the best kept secrets in the UK construction and building industries.

has remained unused from the earlier of 1st April 1998 or date of acquisition can also form the basis of a claim, especially if it has suffered tipping and illegal waste disposal over the years.

Qualifying criteria are few. You must be a registered UK corporate entity and the owner of the land. You cannot claim if you own the land and caused the contamination. From this point most costs associated with the clean-up measures, disposal of waste and making good the finished projects form the basis for cost evaluation and submission of the claim.

It is available to recover costs of carrying out remediation work prior to receiving planning permission to render the land useable for new developments.

Known contaminated land can be claimed for. Derelict land that has remained unused from the earlier of 1st April 1998 or date of acquisition can also form the basis of a claim, especially if it has suffered tipping and illegal waste disposal over the years.

Since Land Remediation must be undertaken before any construction works begin, it is advised to consider remediation preparations early.

Since Land Remediation must be undertaken before any construction works begin, it is advised to consider remediation preparations early.

The definition of what is contaminated land is peculiar to land remediation relief legislation and is broader than for planning purposes as in Environmental Protection Act 1990. It is beneficial to know land remediation relief is available before purchase of land. This reduces possible uncertainty and risk.

Qualifying criteria are few. You must be a registered UK corporate entity and the owner of the land. You cannot claim if you own the land and caused the contamination. From this point most costs associated with the clean-up measures, disposal of waste and making good the finished projects form the basis for cost evaluation and submission of the claim.

All contributory costs should be identified and recorded. These are wide and include your own company costs of labour, management, subcontractors, suppliers, travel and subsistence costs, surveys, tests, disposal and replacement of soil and making good.

All contributory costs should be identified and recorded. These are wide and include your own company costs of labour, management, subcontractors, suppliers, travel and subsistence costs, surveys, tests, disposal and replacement of soil and making good.

Knotweed and any other invasive plant species and contaminants deposited through earlier occupier activities, these too can be included in remediation costs. Where buildings contain asbestos, costs of removal and either demolition or insitu encapsulation and sealing of the asbestos elements is a claimable cost.

Known contaminated land can be claimed for. Derelict land that

Generally, brown field sites and land that has existing buildings will be contaminated, especially where older buildings

Generally, brown field sites and land that has existing buildings will be contaminated, especially where older buildings are suspected of containing asbestos in any form. Used land can contain old foundations, utility services, hydrocarbon and chemicals whatever. If remediation surveys discover radon gas emissions, Japanese

The definition of what is contaminated land is peculiar to land remediation relief legislation and is broader than for planning purposes as in Environmental Protection Act 1990. It is beneficial to know land remediation relief is available before purchase of land. This reduces possible uncertainty and risk.

are suspected of containing asbestos in any form. Used land can contain old foundations, utility services, hydrocarbon and chemicals whatever. If remediation surveys discover radon gas emissions, Japanese Knotweed and any other invasive plant species and contaminants deposited through earlier occupier activities, these too can be included in remediation costs. Where buildings contain asbestos, costs of removal and either demolition or insitu encapsulation and sealing of the asbestos elements is a claimable cost.

MCS Corporate urges its clients to consider all possible sites for development and planning. We can give early assurance of a likely claim and work with you to identify, prepare and submit claims as the remediation proceeds.

MCS Corporate urges its clients to consider all possible sites for development and planning. We can give early assurance of a likely claim and work with you to identify, prepare and submit claims as the remediation proceeds.

Contact T: +44 (0)1926 512475

Contact T: +44 (0)1926 512475

E: charlotte@mcs-corporate.com W: www.mcs-corporate.com

E: charlotte@mcs-corporate.com W: www.mcs-corporate.com

Land Remediation Tax Relief

MCS CORPORATE STRATEGIES

To qualify for Land Remediation Tax Relief your company must have incurred costs on cleaning up land or buildings considered to be in a contaminated state. The scope of costs allowed is generous.

You must be registered as a limited company in the UK and be the owner of the land or building at the time of the remediation work. In addition, the land or building must be owned either as a freehold or longer-term leasehold.

Common examples of qualifying contamination:

Asbestos

• Ground and landfill gases

• Japanese Knotweed

• Sulphate contamination in soil and concrete

• Arsenic

• Removal of redundant utility services and concrete foundations

Qualifying costs can include surveys, excavations, soil and groundwater treatments, staff costs, materials and subcontractor costs. Claims can be made for categories of derelict land. This can be advised with relevance to time periods when land could be considered for derelict status.

Regardless of the industry you operate within, if you’ve acquired land or buildings in a contaminated or derelict state for intended commercial use, you could claim.

Show Preview: London Build Expo 2022

LONDON BUILD EXPO

The UK’s leading construction and design show will return to Olympia London’s Grand Hall this November 16th & 17th with more content, networking and entertainment than ever before.

This year London Build will welcome over 35,000 visitors, 350 exhibitors and 500 speakers from contractors, developers, architects, specifiers, house builders, housing associations, civil engineers, government, suppliers and construction professionals.

Learn the latest insights and updates on major upcoming construction projects and opportunities from across the UK, with 8 conference stages exploring the Future of Construction, Architecture, Sustainability, Diversity and Inclusion, Fire Safety, BIM & Digital Construction and Skills. Visitors have the opportunity to build their training and education with over 200 hours of CPDaccredited sessions.

This year also sees the launch of two new stages.

The Architecture stage will host speakers from the UK’s biggest architectural firms, including Foster and Partners, BDP, Zaha Hadid Architects and more. Held in partnership with Architecture Social, panellists will discuss everything from Inclusive Design to the Role of Architecture in Overcoming the Housing Crisis.

London Build will also be launching its Skills Hub, where visitors can learn about the latest insights and tools the industry has to offer. There will be numerous workshops held over the two days, including Creating the Ultimate Marketing Plan, Developing Inclusive Employment Strategies, BRE and BIM, The World of TikTok Marketing and more.

London Build 2022 will also see the return of the Architect’s Hub, where visitors will have the chance to see projects from the UK’s top architects, including Scott Brownrigg, SOM, PLP Architecture.

Come face to face with a wide range of 3D models and designs of the most exciting projects based in London and the UK. The Architect’s Hub will also host the inaugural ‘Architecture Social’ awards, hosted by founder Stephen Drew.

The ever-popular Meet the Buyer area will showcase the latest opportunities and tenders from Procurement Teams at Skanska, Costain, Balfour Beatty, SMP Alliance, BAM UK and more. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to increase your brand profile to potential new clients.

London Build is home to the UK’s biggest Festival of Construction and this year it is bigger than ever! There are DJs, musicians, live performances, prize giveaways, and even celebrity guests, including England football legend Kevin Keegan. There’s also the London Build Food and Drink trail, where visitors can taste and try artisan food & drink products from around the UK.

Make sure to check out the Built Environment Networking Hub where you can take to the stage at the BIM Open Mic, learn how the LCEC is driving change over complimentary breakfast and connect with sustainability professionals from across the UK, all under one roof. Your ticket gives you access to all of the networking parties taking place over the two days, co-hosted with Urbano Build, London Constructing Excellence Club, Forum for the Built Environment, The CIOB, Building People, Let’s Build, Building Equality and many more.

The Built Environment Networking Hub is also home to the UK’s largest annual networking events for Women in Construction and Diversity in Construction, where visitors can learn from an inspiring panel of industry leaders as they celebrate the successes and discuss the challenges facing AEC professionals. Network with fellow professionals and feel inspired by the diverse stories that make up one of the most exciting industries.

London Build works with an incredible team of Women in Construction and Diversity in Construction Ambassadors, who are furthering equality in the built environment. This year’s Ambassador Programme also includes the launch of the London Build Mental Health Ambassadors.

Working in partnership with Construction Sport and Mates in Mind, the London Build Mental Health Ambassadors are working to get the sector talking, to help challenge the perceptions around mental health. Join the Mental Health in Construction Networking event on the 17th of November, where you can network with the London Build Ambassadors and learn how you can help challenge the stigma surrounding mental health in the UK’s built environment.

Needless to say, this is a MUST attend event for every construction professional in the UK.

Show Opening Times: 16th Nov: 9.30am - 5.30pm 17th Nov: 9.30am - 4.20pm

Register your free tickets today: www.londonbuildexpo.com

Visitors to London Build are invited to Stand E88, where you can meet the CHAS team and find out more about the construction industry’s latest risk management standards.

The supply chain risk management experts will be on hand at London Olympia from 16-17 November 2022 to discuss how they can help you stay on top of ever changing risk management standards and grow your business.

The show is an opportunity to find out about CHAS’s very latest verification product, CHAS Verified Supplier, which is tailored to help material suppliers highlight their compliance with supply chain risk management practices. Whether you are interested in specifying Verified Supplier for your supply chain, or you are a materials vendor looking to gain verification for your products, the CHAS team can explain more about how this product will help strengthen your supply chain risk management processes.

Visitors can also learn more about the latest risk management initiatives affecting the construction industry. This includes the industry’s elite standard for prequalification - the Common Assessment Standard - as well CHAS’s brand new Fairness, Inclusion & Respect accreditation. In addition to helping you meet latest legislation and best practice guidance, staying up to date with these standards can give your businesses a significant competitive edge.

Whether you’re an existing CHAS Client or CHAS Contractor or you’re interested in joining the CHAS community, make sure you visit the CHAS team on Stand E88.

To find out more about how CHAS can help your business, call CHAS today on 0345 521 9111 or visit www.chas.co.uk

Builderstorm, is a construction document control software, specifically designed by industry experts for the industry.

We digitalise aspects of construction, and provide a complete paperless 24/7 access system to enable seamless, efficient and secure processes, for collaboration and real time data sharing between projects and contributors.

Builderstorm is available across multiple devices ensuring accessibility for all. Come and speak with us at L70 to see how we can help your business move forward.

GENUINE CHARLES COLLINGE HINGES

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Visit us at London Build 2022 Olympia, 16-17 November

See the launch of two new product ranges in hand forged steel and marine grade stainless steel.

Probably the first time CHARLES COLLINGE has exhibited at a show since Great Exhibition of 1851

NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE THE COMMON ASSESSMENT STANDARD

CHAS Managing Director Ian McKinnon outlines how adoption of the Common Assessment Standard has gathered pace since its rollout began in 2019 with multiple major contractors now specifying the scheme and explains why now is the time for contractors who haven't yet taken the assessment to embrace the scheme.

What is the Common Assessment Standard?

Developed by Build UK, Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), and other accreditation bodies and industry experts, the Common Assessment Standard is a leading accreditation programme that's recognised industry-wide. It replaces multiple assessment schemes with one comprehensive industryagreed questionnaire based on existing prequalification questionnaires, including PAS 91.

As well as streamlining what was a complex, costly and repetitive system, the Common Assessment Standard helps organisations demonstrate regulatory compliance across 13 key areas of risk management including criteria such as sustainability, diversity, equality and inclusion and modern slavery.

The Common Assessment Standard was launched in 2019, at which time CHAS became the first assessment body to offer the scheme. CHAS has now assessed thousands of contractors to the standard via CHAS Elite, the most well-recognised accreditation of the Common Assessment Standard.

Who specifies the Common Assessment Standard?

The Common Assessment Standard has rapidly become the elite standard for prequalification, with multiple major contractors now specifying the scheme.

Within the public sector, the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has asked for contractors appointed to its seven-year framework to assess their supply chains using the Common Assessment Standard for some time. Meanwhile, expected updates to Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 08/16 are likely to encourage or even mandate that Contracting Authorities in the public sector assess their supply chains using the Common Assessment Standard. An up-to-date list of who specifies the Common Assessment Standard can be found here

Qualifying for the Common Assessment Standard with CHAS Elite

It's no surprise that so many contractors have chosen to take the Common Assessment Standard with CHAS. As well as being the founder of third-party accreditation and a trusted authority on supply chain risk management, CHAS is renowned for providing a friendly and efficient service and high customer satisfaction levels.

CHAS contractors receive additional benefits such as access to discounted e-learning resources and free legal advice, 20% discount with Speedy Hire, free-ofcharge TradePoint cards and discounted membership to Checkatrade.com. CHAS is also committed to helping contractors who are not yet ready to complete the Common Assessment Standard to work towards higher levels of accreditation.

When should you take the Common Assessment Standard?

Now is the time to take the Common Assessment Standard for contractors of all sizes as we are rapidly moving towards a situation where you won't be able to win work without it. There are two levels of certification: desktop and site-based. Companies apply to CHAS for the certification level appropriate for their business based on factors including trade, size and the requirements of their clients.

For companies that employ fewer than 10 employees and have a turnover below £1.8 million or a balance sheet totalling less than £1.8 million, the assessment standards will be applied proportionately.

How can you find out more?

To find out more about

for, or

the Common Assessment Standard,

CHAS Managing Director Ian McKinnon

By Stuart Bell, Sales and Marketing Director, Glider

The UK government mandated that all centrally-funded work must be undertaken using Building Information Modelling (BIM) by 2016, but it seems that many firms still do not fully understand the advantages of BIM, leading to only mandated levels of adoption and slow uptake across the wider sector. This raises the question: is the business case for BIM truly understood?

Central to the slow adoption of BIM, is the fact that BIM itself is misunderstood and misinterpreted. Many within client organisations, as well as within the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) disciplines still see BIM as a technology for the construction phase for creating virtual 3D models of buildings, when in reality, BIM offers so much more to organisations, teams and projects. BIM processes are just as applicable to existing assets as to new builds. BIM is building information management – the process and approach for standardised capital project development, delivery and ongoing operational management of built assets.

One of the central pillars supporting the BIM process is a collaborative working environment, to create, exchange, manage and utilise information in a centralised area: a Common Data Environment (CDE). A CDE will be deployed by clients to assure project deliverables and manage asset information on an ongoing basis, and by design and construction firms to manage their supply chain in the digital delivery of projects.

Using a CDE configured to BIM standards (ISO 19650) and exchanging open standard file formats like Industry Foundation Class (IFC) and Construction Building Information Exchange (COBie) allows independent teams to coordinate their processes in a standardised and uniform way. This protects the client’s (asset owner) long-term interests as they’re not locked into a proprietary file format or technology, and facilitates efficient cooperation, and mitigates the risk of referencing wrong versions, or losing information.

Digitising information is hugely beneficial for construction projects as teams can improve collaboration between

stakeholders in construction projects, across the entire asset lifecycle; all the way from conceptual design, through to building completion and maintenance, progressively assuring handover deliverables as the project progresses. Importantly, in the BIM process, asset owner clients can clearly specify their information needs to ensure at Practical Completion (PC) that they receive a complete digital dataset and asset records for utilisation throughout the operational phase of the asset.

Although some firms have moved from paper-based to digital processes, one of the most obvious problems they face by not fully adopting BIM and having a CDE, is that their digital records (documents, data and spatial information like drawings and models) are not centrally organised or formatted. This can result in data inconsistency and conflicts of information, when even simple tasks like finding a drawing or inspection record in support of a query or claim can prove difficult.

The second reason that uptake of BIM has been slow is the fact that the construction industry is a traditionally siloed industry, characterised by multiple designers, consultants, trade contractors and suppliers who are often constrained by traditional attitudes. The prime example being the common practice of different members of the supply chain working independently of one another. Contrary to this widely held belief, collaboration across the supply chain significantly improves return on investment for projects, which tend to be overrun and over budget.

The adoption of BIM standards (ISO 19650) and the use of CDE’s presents an ideal solution to enable effective supply chain collaboration. A CDE is a centralised area for giving project team members and estate and facilities teams access to current and trusted information. A CDE acts as a bridge between disciplines, as independent teams can securely

access information that has been made available to them in a secure, controlled manner. This leads to greater levels of collaboration, productivity, and accuracy. Therefore, teams can effectively mitigate the risks of time loss, and incurring costs as a result of a lack of productivity, and/ or data inaccuracy.

In the aftermath of Grenfell and Brexit, and with the Building Safety Bill recently receiving Royal Assent, compliance has become a greater priority for the industry. Maintaining a Building Safety Case for a building of structured, verified and compliant records provides the industry with another catalyst to improve information management practices and get organised. CDE’s help manage contractual risk, ensuring teams work with trusted and current information, while maintaining a robust audit trail of information exchanges and communications between project parties.

Likewise, the ability to communicate and respond to information requests, as well as, delivering, verifying and approving data deliverables ensures a client’s specific requirements are met. This accessibility allows clients to be involved at every stage of the design and build process, ensuring decisions are made in a timely manner.

While 3D modelling is an important component of the BIM design process, it is part of a wider framework for information management. Asset owning clients and AEC firms should now reframe their understanding of BIM as a data-driven, collaborative business process. Better information management allows all stakeholders across the full asset lifecycle to execute projects across disciplines, manage risk effectively, and remain compliant. An investment in BIM is an investment in the greater success of projects and the longer term health and effectiveness of our built assets.

To find out more about Glider and gliderbim® call 0202 8268 001 or email info@glidertech.com.

IS THE BUSINESS CASE FOR BIM & THE ROLES OF COMMON DATA ENVIRONMENTS UNDERSTOOD?

Cybersecurity 101: What Construction Firms Need to Know

CYBERSECURITY 101

There are several diverse ways organisations should conceptualise their cybersecurity. To ensure construction companies are as protected as possible from cyberthreats, it is critical that their defenses include each of these cybersecurity elements.

The rise of technology in construction comes with many new risks, chief among them cybersecurity. Put simply: the more data harvested by construction companies through technology as they build projects, the more vulnerable that data becomes as a target by cybercriminals. Hackers intent on breaching organisations’ data systems and extorting them for significant amounts of money are increasingly keen on targeting the construction industry.

Several recent high-profile cyberattacks in the construction industry highlight the urgent need for firms to bolster their cyber defenses.

RECENT HACKS

In January 2020, French contractor Bouygues fell victim to a ransomware attack that temporarily shut down and cut off some of its critical computer systems. The Maze ransomware gang claimed responsibility for the attack by posting online a 1.2 gigabyte file containing vital Bouygues data. The attack came just days after Maze struck Canadian contractor Bird with a similar attack.

The following May, in two separate incidents, two UKbased hospital construction companies, Bam Construct and Interserve, were each targeted by a cyberattack that shut down some of each company’s computer systems. And after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Construction Dive reported of increased warnings that Russian-led cyberattacks were poised to specifically target construction firms. The rise of cybercrime in construction should have all industry leaders on notice. But before they can properly bolster their firms’ cyber defenses, it’s important that they first understand what proper cybersecurity looks like.

Network Security: This is being able to protect data from unauthorised users via an organisation’s computer network. It includes an organisation’s firewall, email security, antivirus measures, anti-malware security and data loss prevention.

Information Security: This element protects an organisation’s critical business information from destruction, disruption and alteration; it includes an organisation’s cloud security, cryptography, vulnerability management and incident response.

End-User Behavior: This component ensures an organisation’s end-users (employees, contractors, etc.) are properly educated on the individual behaviors needed for security best practices. This education includes knowledge of the several types of cyber threats, including phishing scams and actions required to guard against such threats, like device security, password creation and physical device security.

Infrastructure Security: This consideration is meant to protect critical information from corruption, sabotage or terrorism. It includes aspects such as network infrastructure, data center protection and security, as well as managing power, cooling systems and water supplies for these physical assets.

Understanding these cybersecurity basics is a critical first step construction leaders need to take to start to shore up a firm’s cyber defenses.

Download Bluebeam’s white paper on the importance of cybersecurity in construction.

Bluebeam and Revu are trademarks of Bluebeam, Inc. registered in the United States and other countries.

The world is increasingly digital. Day by day, more and more of our lives are facilitated by internet technologies, bringing both tremendous benefits and risks to the forefront.

Drainage & Plumbing

HIGHWAYS DEVELOPERS NEED LEARN FROM THE SUMMER OF DROUGHT, SAY ACO

After one of the driest summers on record, ACO Water Management is urging highways and civil engineers to use Nature-based Solutions and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to conserve water, create resilient sites and support biodiversity.

England had its joint hottest summer on record according to the Met Office, and for the UK as a whole, summer 2022 has been the driest on record since 1995, averaging just 156mm rainfall. This saw eight areas of England officially declared as being in a drought in August.

However, even with the dry spells, the chances of extreme rainfall events are still increasingly likely. Thunderstorms and heavy downpours have battered the UK throughout September, and trends from the latest State of the UK

Climate Report point towards a growth in frequency and intensity of rainfall across the UK.

With the UK’s weather patterns exhibiting drastic changes, Adam Cane, Sustainability Lead at ACO Water Management is calling on highways developers to create systems that better conserve water when droughts and storms hit. This includes using sustainable drainage systems and Nature-based Solutions to retain water as high up on site as possible and protecting sites by incorporating water cleansing solutions into highways and infrastructure projects.

Cane said: “The UK’s climate is changing rapidly and we’re seeing more regular cycles of extreme weather events. This is creating two challenges. Firstly, sites are starved of water and biodiversity suffers as a result. Secondly, flash floods and downpours mean large amounts of stormwater enter our systems and may bypass treatment,

which can then mean harmful pollutants get washed into the surrounding ecological systems. This is something that needs to be considered early in the design by the construction industry and there are ways in which highways professionals can help protect our environment. The key to any new site development is to limit our intrusion into nature wherever possible and keep as much of the natural environment in place.”

Cane stresses that trees and green areas should form the backbone of new project design and be prioritised to help safeguard ecological site characteristics, connectivity and help lower carbon. These areas offer shade, amenity, natural air conditioning and refuge opportunities for wildlife.

Meanwhile, SuDS solutions, such as bioretention areas, rain gardens, swales and tree pits, can take runoff from hard surfacing and roads and store them at source to create resilience and slowly feed them back into the ground and waterways, rather than into sewers. Exposed water cools the surrounding environment and offers opportunities for amenity and biodiversity.

Cane said: “Crucially, for dealing with extreme events and where above ground space is restricted, SuDS features and Nature-based Solution can be coupled with underground geocellular storage tanks. creating resilience and allowing for long term infiltration. Space is often one of the key barriers when incorporating SuDS on sites especially when dealing with pollutants. Roads offer particular challenges due to the volume of pollutants. Here proprietary solutions, such as oil and heavy metal separators, are beneficial, as they can protect natural systems. Clean water is essential for nature.”

ACO Water Management’s range incorporates solutions from the full SuDS management train.

This includes proprietary products that work to protect natural systems, such as its V-Septor and QuadraCeptor. These products help clean the water before it’s released into the soil or watercourse.

Roads offer particular challenges due to the volume of pollutants. Here proprietary solutions, such as oil and heavy metal separators, are beneficial, as they can protect natural systems. Clean water is essential for nature.

The V-Septor removes sediment-bound contaminants and helps to reduce sediment build-up in the downstream network, such as in attenuation tanks for example, decreasing how often the tank needs to be cleaned and maintained. Meanwhile, the QuadraCeptor is ideally suited to treating surface water run-off from highly trafficked areas. It is designed to remove heavy particles, silt, nutrients and dissolved materials like heavy metals from brake dust, in a four-stage process, hitting the same level of treatment as a wetland area.

PRODUCTS

Drainage

GROUNDED IN EXPERTISE

With almost 60 years’ experience in the construction industry, at Clark-Drain we’ve learnt to anticipate what our customers and the market are telling us, and respond with innovative products that are ‘grounded in expertise’.

Clark-Drain access and drainage solutions are:

Lighter

Cheaper to transport

Easier to install

Longer-lasting

Environmentally more sustainable

Designed and manufactured in the UK

Find out how we are doing drainage differently at clark-drain.com

Importantly, both ranges meet with the guidance from Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) document, CD 528 Vortex separators for use with road drainage systems, and designers should refer to the CIRIA SuDS Manual (C753) when looking at SuDS schemes.

Cane added: “It’s vital that industry collaborates to understand the impacts of climate change and how it will affect the built environment. We’ve worked with engineering consultancies across the country and bringing in water management specialists at the start of a project can help ensure any new developments benefit the natural surroundings. For this reason, ACO offers free consultation and specification support to help designers connect SuDS to Nature-based Solutions.

“Alongside our support and consultation, we also have a complete range of systems to support the SuDS management train. From roofs, highways to industrial forecourts, through to car parks and distribution and warehouse loading areas, our channel drainage (collect), water treatment (clean), water storage (hold) and flow controls (release) products, coupled with our wildlife mitigation offerings where appropriate, can be designed into any project, delivering positive and measurable outcomes.”

For more information on ACO’s range, please visit www.aco.co.uk/ managing-surface-water

New digital training certificates launched by the Water Jetting Association will give users of water jetting services a new opportunity to instantly validate operative qualifications in the field.

The new system replaces hardcopy certificates and gives both service users and water jetting contractors greater assurance that an operative’s qualifications are up to date and valid.

A QR code printed on every new digital PDF certificate can be scanned to gain access to a qualification verification portal to instantly check the identity of the certificate holder and qualifications held.

Darren Hamilton, WJA Training and Safety Committee Chairman, said: “The new digital certificates deliver big advantages in terms of sustainability, costs reduction and training assurance.

“The QR code gives construction contractors a way to instantly validate the WJA qualifications of water jetting operatives attending their sites. Given the unique risks associated with the process, this provides an additional level of assurance that operatives are WJA certified.”

The WJA is the member organisation for the UK water jetting industry. It is, by far, the UK’s largest water jetting training provider, with more than 7,000 certificates issued every year for its City & Guilds accredited courses.

A WJA qualification can now be verified by scanning the QR code with a mobile device and entering the operative’s unique WJA registration number and surname into the portal.

The operative’s photograph, name, WJA qualifications and the expiry date of the Safety Awareness qualification held by the operative are shown on the screen. The Safety Awareness qualification must be refreshed every three years for a WJA water jetting operative’s card to be valid.

The WJA will still issue each operative with a WJA card in hard copy format as these are often required to be shown at customer worksites. It is now looking to add the verification QR code to these cards as well.

Val Perrin, of North West Training Academy, a WJA training provider, said: “The WJA’s new digital certificates are a great idea. They’re going to save us a lot of time and are aligned with the requirements of the companies we provide training for.”

Website: www.waterjetting.org.uk

TYDE LAUNCHES THE WORLD’S FIRST FRONT ACCESS SYPHON CISTERN

The new OSMO® F1 concealed cistern from TYDE is the first ever front access serviceable syphon cistern designed for use with WC furniture & IPS panelling.

Manufactured in the UK by TYDE, OSMO® F1 is a new innovative concealed cistern designed to be stylish, versatile and easy to fit and service with minimal disruption to WC furniture or panelling.

Fitted with Turbo Edge®, the world’s most compact syphon and guaranteed to be leak-free and Hydroflo® quiet fill type AG inlet valve.

Type AB weir overflow makes the cistern fluid category 5 compliant; the only way to be compliant to

water regs in standard height furniture.

The unique actuator is a patented registered design available in multiple finishes with left and right availability, ergonomically tested for optimum light touch operation (actuators sold separately).

Factory assembled for easy install with front access for effortless service and maintenance, comes with a 10 year warranty.

Fits neatly into 500mm furniture units, we recommend installing at a height of no less than 838mm.

We recommend OSMO® F1 is only used with a reputable branded manufacturer of WC Pans.

DELIVERING THE GOODS

As pressure mounts to make construction projects more environmentally sustainable, the use of consolidation centres is an effective way to lower carbon emissions, reduce excessive traffic flow in urban areas and ensure just in time delivery. Meg Reed, Client Development Manager – Construction at Wilson James, explains the role of consolidation centres in helping to achieve organisations’ sustainability goals.

The need to reduce carbon emissions within construction has come into sharp focus in recent years and action taken by the industry will make a real difference to whether or not the UK is able to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 by actively seeking innovative ways to ensure that the building process itself is carried out in a way that has minimal impact on the environment.

A consolidation centre is a strategically located distribution facility through which material deliveries from various parts of the supply chain are channelled to construction sites using as few journeys as possible. They are a proven solution to the freight and delivery challenges of new developments within busy cities, and help companies meet their sustainability-based commitments.

After receiving deliveries from different suppliers on behalf of a client to a dedicated consolidation facility, the

operator makes up consolidated loads and delivers them on a just in time basis using environmentally friendly modes of transport, such as electric vehicles or, where possible, rail or waterways. The environmental benefits of reducing construction traffic are obvious and the utilisation of reverse logistics ensures that once the delivery has been made to a site, the return journey can be used for waste removal.

Through the use of its own state-of-theart consolidation centres, Wilson James estimates that it is able to provide a reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 75 per cent, while decreasing supplier journey times by an average of two hours. Delivery performance is also highly accurate, with 97 per cent of goods delivered right first time, with a waste reduction of 40 per cent. This also has a knock-on effect throughout the entire construction process, with on-site logistics teams increasing productivity by up to 47 per cent.

Combining a consolidation centre with data captured on a cloud based software platform enables more effective planning, control and coordination of a supply chain, with all deliveries linked and crossreferenced to ensure the process runs smoothly by allocating delivery slots. This means that vehicles can be tracked on their way to site, providing an extra layer

of insight. It can also be used to track onsite material movements to make sure they get to the right locations as efficiently as possible.

As the construction sector remains under pressure, with no quick fix solution to current global supply chain issues, consolidation centres enable orders for materials to be made well in advance, collated, and delivered to site all at once, thus avoiding delays to complex build programmes.

To find out more visit: https:// wilsonjames.co.uk/constructionlogistics, and for more specific information about the benefits consolidated logistics could bring to your business, please reach out to Meg at meg.reed@wilsonjames.co.uk.

A team of volunteers at Chelmsfordbased Barratt and David Wilson Homes are supporting a local hospice with a project to construct a brand new garden room for its patients to enjoy.

Farleigh Hospice provides awardwinning hospice care to people affected by life-limiting illnesses and bereavement across mid Essex. The charity helps people to live as actively as possible from the point of diagnosis to the end of their lives, by providing physical and emotional care, free of charge.

The hospice which is celebrating its 40th birthday anniversary this year, relies on the generosity of the local community to fund projects that benefit those who rely on their services.

The Barratt and David Wilson Homes team approached the hospice to offer 48 hours of volunteering, and the hospice

requested the work to be carried out on its highly anticipated garden room project.

Members of the developer’s site and sales team, including Managing Director Tom Wright, have placed all hands on deck to construct the garden home from start to finish, including guttering, laying the foundations and applying felt to the roof.

The hospice’s services are tailored to meet an individual’s needs including support, information, and guidance on symptom and pain control.

In addition to the volunteering support, the developer also made a donation of £1,000 to Farleigh Hospice from the Barratt Developments Plc Charitable Foundation, which is designed to support national and local charities, large and small, across the UK to leave a legacy in communities where the developer builds.

WINVIC AWARDED EMERGENCY BRIDGE REPAIR PROJECT UNDER NATIONAL HIGHWAYS SDF

Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been given its first contract within National Highways’ new Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF). Routine investigations to the M62 Ouse Bridge, located between Goole and Howden in Yorkshire – or between junctions 36 and 37 of the M62 – identified a partial failure of a joint on the eastbound carriageway. Therefore, Winvic has been appointed as one of the organisations on the SDF undertaking temporary and then permanent repairs on the structure and highway.

It was discovered that increased vibration from traffic had started to damage the concrete under lane three and a bridge joint, which allows the carriageway to expand and contract with the weather. A contraflow was immediately put into place, reducing traffic on the eastbound carriage to one lane, to allow temporary works to begin, while a series of overnight road closures during the week commencing 13

June facilitated a second eastbound traffic lane to open on Saturday 18 June minimising disruption to road users.

Winvic installed temporary metal bridging plates across parts of the eastbound carriageway, which enabled a further eastbound lane and the eastbound exit slip road at junction 37 to be reopened on Friday 8 July.

Winvic has employed its ‘one-team’ approach and is working closely with a number of National Highways project partners; Jacobs is designing the repairs, traffic management is being led by Amey and Winvic, along with specialist Contractor VSL, is heading the joint repair and replacement. Together the companies are currently working on the complex design process required to replace all eight joints across both carriageways towards a solution that reduces the need for full closures in the future as much as possible. Temporary bridging plates have been installed over the damaged bridge joints as a temporary mitigation measure, and a second set will be added this autumn. The two most critically damaged joints on the eastbound carriageway will be replaced by spring 2023 and the project will be fully complete in Autumn 2023.

Winvic won its place on the National Highways SDF in September, along with 49 other contractors that will deliver £3.6 billion of road renewal works on England’s motorways and trunk roads over the next six years.

Project

TOLENT APPOINTED TO BUILD £15M SKILLS ACADEMY

Construction of a building that will accelerate modern construction skills in Sunderland is set to move forward, after the appointment of a North East contractor.

Tolent has been awarded the contract to design and construct the Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA), a world-class training facility that will provide ‘next generation skills for next generation homes’ and support the city’s advanced manufacturing, carbon reduction and renewable energy ambitions.

Sunderland City Council has appointed the contractor to progress with the building, which will be led by Sunderland College to deliver ground-breaking training that will educate and upskill local people to create innovative factory-built new homes, the first of which will be assembled at Riverside Sunderland.

Planning consent for the development was granted in March and it is hoped that – with Tolent appointed – work will be able to commence on the £15m building later this year when the technical design is complete.

The facility, which will stand at Sheepfolds and will re-purpose the existing goods shed on the corner of Hay Street, will be operated by Sunderland College with support from education and industry partners including one of the founding partners, the Ministry of Building Innovation and Education (MOBIE), which is led by Washingtonborn TV architect, George Clark. It will form a key part of Sunderland’s ambitious city centre housing ecosystem, enabling

Sunderland people to meet the city’s future housing needs, with the skill and expertise to employ modern methods of construction (MMC).

When completed, HICSA will support the development of scores of eco-friendly homes planned for Riverside Sunderland and the city centre. It has been backed by the Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) - announced as part of the last Autumn Budget – with £20m committed to supporting the city’s housing ecosystem, including £9m of support for HICSA.

The facility – the brainchild of the three organisations working in partnership –will enable Sunderland to build the skillsbase to upgrade the city’s homes locally, using MMC, low carbon, renewable energy and smart technology.

It will position Sunderland at the heart of the UK’s net zero ambitions, enabling the city to capitalise on the move towards modern methods of construction and sustainable house-building while helping Sunderland realise its Smart City and NetZero Carbon ambitions.

HICSA is one of several exciting projects that are incorporated in the Riverside Sunderland Masterplan, which sets out a development framework for this new urban quarter, comprising the former Vaux Brewery site, High Street West, Keel Square, Galley’s Gill, Farringdon Row and Sheepfolds. Expo Sunderland is also part of the plan, helping to engage and inspire industry and local people in the delivery of innovative homes on the site, and positioning Sunderland as a world-class place to live, work and play. The event will take place in 2024.

PEEL L&P REPORTS THIRD-YEAR PROGRESS TOWARDS DECARBONISATION, ENHANCING BIODIVERSITY AND ADDING SOCIAL VALUE TO COMMUNITIES

Regeneration business, Peel L&P, has unveiled a report which demonstrates how it is leading the way on sustainability and outlines the action it has taken on its Five Year Sustainability Plan during the last financial year.

The business, which has a track record of transformative and exciting projects like MediaCity at Salford Quays and the trailblazing Manchester homeless project Embassy Village, has achieved progress on all 22 of its five-year sustainability targets, which are underpinned by globally recognised principles and calls to action from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

In its 2021-2022 Sustainability & ESG Report, Peel L&P highlights the activities, actions and achievements of the last

financial year which have focussed on lowering carbon emissions, enhancing biodiversity, and delivering considerable social value.

It has acted on energy with a 18% reduction in energy consumption and a saving of nearly 3,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in just one year; it has acted on waste by sending zero waste to landfill for a fourth consecutive year; it has acted on water, with a 34% reduction in water consumption; and it has acted on the natural environment by improving biodiversity through the management of conversation sites, new public realm, and the planting of hundreds of trees.

Jo Holden, Sustainability Director at Peel L&P, said: “This year’s Sustainability Report demonstrates a huge step forward on our Five Year Sustainability Plan. It includes some of the key projects and initiatives we have delivered with our stakeholders and partners over the last year to drive real change for the benefit of people and the planet.

“The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which guide our work, ensure that sustainability is embedded into all our placemaking activities. This means that, as a business, we are connecting the dots between the net zero carbon agenda and the nature-

based solutions that are needed to slow the effects of climate change. Our Climate Positive Plan demonstrates just how deep this commitment goes.”

Steven Underwood, Chief Executive of Peel L&P, said: “At Peel L&P, we are all proud to be part of an organisation that is leading the way in areas critical to the creation of better places for everyone but we can’t do this alone.

We strive to be a trusted partner in the regeneration and transformation of land and property, working alongside partner organisations who share our ambition to help people and places to realise possibility and deliver a more prosperous, sustainable future for all.

“Being a trusted partner requires action and so, in our sustainability report, we have worked with a range of partners to achieve our commitments, such as our recent pledge to Business Declares, which is delivering authentic action on the ground that has had a measurable impact.”

STONEWATER CELEBRATES 5000TH HOME OPENING

A new development located in Newhaven, East Sussex, on the former Parker Pen factory site, has marked leading social housing provider, Stonewater’s 5000th new home completed since the association’s formation in 2015.

Representatives from Stonewater, including Chairman Sheila Collins, CEO Nicholas Harris, as well as members of the development team that have been involved in the project, welcomed the Mayor of Newhaven, Councillor Paul Boswell to the site opening, which took place recently.

The scheme, called Safford Park, incorporates 145 new homes being built on the former Parker Pen factory site and close to the River Ouse, which will provide a range of affordable housing options for residents.

Developed by Hill Partnerships, an award-winning house builder that

operates across London and the Southeast, the Safford Park scheme is the first collaboration between Stonewater and the construction firm.

Each of the homes have been built to EPC B energy rating standards and offer electric vehicle charging points. The development will also incorporate a community garden and allotment space to encourage environmentally friendly living.

Stonewater, which is renowned for its inclusion of public art at its developments has paid homage to the history of the site with the artistic display for Safford Park. The entranceway to the development will be home to two oversized fountain pen nibs, while further nods to the Parker Pen history will be seen in pen lid shaped bollards and nib shaped railings that will be installed across the site.

The development also provided opportunities for engagement with

the local community. Strong links were established with students studying construction at Sussex College, who were invited to attend regular site visits and meet staff working on site, while children at the local primary school were involved in a poster competition showcasing what they like about their local area, with the winning posters displayed on site.

The Hill Group also employed a number of local students at the site and plumbing apprentice, Kai Sol was presented with a new tool bag as a sign of appreciation for his involvement in the project at the opening event.

Integrity Excellence Innovation

2022 marks heightec’s 25th year of delivering technical equipment, specialist training and operational support services to height safety and rescue professionals worldwide.

Their mission - to be the most sophisticated supplier for specialist work at height, by joining elegant, innovative products with expertise in methods of use.

heightec is a UK manufacturer 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.

heightec benefits from extensive technical design, development and production teams complete with CAD, material simulation, rapid prototyping, 3D printing and test facilities complying with international standards.

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.

heightec continues to work closely with the construction industry, offering tailored solutions for specialist work at height and rescue.

For more information visit heightec.com or call 01539 728866.

heightec.com

ROTOR Tower Crane Rescue System

ROTOR rescue and evacuation descender for tower crane rescue

Roofing & Cladding

GRADIENT TAPERED INSULATION SOLUTION KEY TO COMPLEX ROOF INSTALLATION

Gradient’s design expertise was crucial to the supply of a non-standard tapered insulation system that ensured a private dwelling’s roof exceeded regulation U-values.

The roof installation was a crucial element of a property under construction in Poole, Dorset. The five-bedroom detached home is imaginatively designed with Purbeck natural stone walls and an aluminium facia. For its 500m2 flat roof, the client required bespoke insulation that optimised water run-off whilst achieving regulation thermal performance. This led to engagement with Gradient, on account of the company’s expertise in specifying and designing a tapered roof insulation scheme to suit a client’s precise requirements, however complex the brief.

For the Poole new-build project, Gradient devised a fully-bonded tapered singlelayer system comprising Powerdeck® F boards. Produced by Gradient’s sister company, Recticel Insulation, Powerdeck® F boards offer excellent thermal performance, whilst their highcompressive strength and dimensional stability ensure a supremely flat surface finish. This guarantees an optimal outcome for a range of watertight systems in new-build and refurbishment projects.

The single-layer aspect of the Poole tapered insulation scheme was essential to its time and cost-effective installation. Manufactured off-site under factory conditions and ready to install once delivered to site, the insulation within

a single-layer bond is monitored by Gradient for its volume and minimum coating adhesion performance, leaving installers with the relatively straightforward task of installing it – in one block – to the roof, followed by the waterproofing. This not only guarantees the insulation will perform as-designed in concert with the single-layer roofing membrane details, it significantly reduces application times and material waste.

The single-layer system designed for the Poole residential project needed to accommodate a range of complex details. These included centrepiece and perimeter guttering, a non-standard detail that was designed to direct rainwater to the correct falls and ensure efficient run-off.

Mansafe railing and PV panels were also incorporated within the single-layer scheme, which was designed to a 1:60 and 1:80 fall.

Contractors, All Roofing Ltd, installed Gradient’s tapered insulation scheme to the detached property’s roof. It was fully-bonded to a vapour control layer with the same procedure being carried out across three, first floor balconies. Prior to installation and proof of how Gradient’s turnkey service supports clients throughout all phases of its tapered insulation delivery, the company’s surveying team visited the construction site in Poole to carry out a full survey of the roof. This contributed to their specification of a suitable tapered insulation system, thus ensuring a smooth installation process and enshrining the insulation’s long-term performance.

Scott Strathem, Director at All Roofing, said:

Gradient’s involvement meant this large and quite complex project ran very smoothly. And as we’ve come to expect, they were with us every step of the way throughout the programme. As well as their superb design detail, their pre-installation survey of the roof was particularly beneficial in giving us the peace of mind that it was fit for the singlelayer system they’d provided. We’d always advise engaging with tapered insulation experts such as Gradient before embarking on a flat roofing project of any type.

The main roof in respect of the Poole residential project was installed in less than four weeks. The client’s satisfaction with the rapid works programme was enhanced by the in-situ roof achieving a U-value of 0.16 W/m²K, thus exceeding regulations which applied at the time.

Gradient’s expert provision of a tapered insulation solution that was tailormade to overcome the complexities of the scheme will reduce the need for further roof maintenance and uphold the building’s thermal energy performance. Such an outcome demonstrates why engaging with professionals pays dividends when it comes to insulating a property’s most vital feature.

The Complete Supply Chain

members provide the complete supply chain for sustainable metal-clad building solutions in the

and commercial

Safety, Security & Fire Prevention

UNITED LIVING GROUP ANNOUNCE THE COMPLETION OF AWARD-WINNING FIRE SAFETY AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IN LEWISHAM

United Living Group, the provider of infrastructure, housing and property services, is pleased to announce it has completed a dual project on the Hatfield Close and Gerrard House tower blocks in Lewisham. The project has seen its preexisting combustible cladding, replaced it with non-combustible A1 fire-rated material, and carried out in-depth fire safety, and improvement works.

The project represented over £22 million of investment in the 151 homes and the surrounding area across the three thirteenstorey tower blocks, with circa £16 million in funding from the government building safety budget – ‘Remediation of non-ACM buildings’.

Project completion was celebrated at a garden party attended by residents, Lewisham Homes, Lewisham Council, including Lewisham Councillors Luke Sorba, Joan Millbank and Paul Bell and specialist housing consultancy, Michael Dyson Associates.

United Living Group was commissioned by Lewisham Homes to deliver the Hatfield Close and Gerrard House fire safety transformation project, undertaking emergency works starting in October 2017. The new cladding is designed to be highly fire resistant with the tiles made from terracotta and have an A1 safety rating, the highest achievable. The supports and insulation behind the cladding have also been given an A1 rating. Additional works included the installation of smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, Automatic Opening Vents, upgraded windows, new doors, balconies and structural works.

With residents in situ throughout, it was important that partnerships were formed with residents and tenant association groups involved throughout the construction - with the first cladding tiles installed by the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Tenant and Resident Association.

During the installation, the London Fire Brigade frequently visited the buildings to view the fire safety-compliant cladding system and to understand the build-up of the product. A sample of the cladding system has now been installed at their training base. A dedicated social value officer was appointed to the site to ensure the needs of the residents were considered at all stages. Projects included CV workshops, a women-inconstruction workshop and the restoration of an overgrown community garden, local apprenticeships and employment.

The project won two awards at the prestigious National Building and Construction Awards in 2021 for the project of the Year £10 million to £25 million category and the overall Gold Medal.

Simon Will, Managing Director, United Living Property Services, commented: “We are pleased to have completed works on this important fire safety and improvement project.

It has been a pleasure working with Lewisham Homes, the residents and our valued supply chain partners, helping to raise the quality of life for local residents and ensuring they feel safer, and therefore more comfortable in their homes.

Margaret Dodwell, Chief Executive, Lewisham Homes, said: “We acted as quickly as possible following the safety tests in 2017 to find a solution and keep our residents safe. Since the elegant terracotta cladding went up, I have thought these blocks look fantastic. Well done to our stock investment and asset management and fire safety teams, as well as the main contractors United Living Group and other trade partners. Also, a big thank you to the residents of Hatfield Close and Gerrard House who have been very patient and understanding during these works”.

Built to withstand heat

Ceildoor’s 1 hour and 2 hour Fire Rated Access Panels are amongst our most popular products. They are chosen by hundreds of contractors across the UK when structural integrity and thermal resistance is required.

Our Fire Rated Access Panels can also be used as flue inspection hatches for heat producing appliances and are used in residential, commercial, retail and education environments.

Designed to comply with Thermal Resistance to BS EN ISO 100771:2006 (Part J) and by Exova Warrington for Fire Resistance to BS476:Part 22:1987 (Part J) for integrity performance.

Safety, Security & Fire Prevention

By Iain Cox, Chair of Business Sprinkler Alliance

First coined by Elon Musk to describe his first electric car battery production plant, the term ‘gigafactory’ has become generic for any largescale facility that produces lithium batteries for cars on massive scale. These buildings are cropping-up across the globe and gigafactory has even been used to describe any expansive, high volume manufacturing plant. But as the scale, innovation and modernity of these buildings evolves, so should fire safety. What measures can these businesses undertake as part of their drive to be resilient and protected?

Gigafactories are truly enormous and while Tesla’s gigafactory is one of the largest buildings on earth by footprint at a staggering four million square feet, one thing is clear: fire safety needs to be front and centre of the design and must evolve with these buildings of tomorrow. In the UK we have seen plans for at least three of these facilities. The latest, Britishvolt, is set to build a Gigaplant in Northumberland capable of manufacturing enough batteries for 300,000 electric vehicles each year and equivalent in size to 50 football pitches. Recent reports of design changes to the £300 million building and a halt to construction suggest that the creation of a complex building on this scale is not without its challenges. The car battery manufacturer hopes to start its assembly lines in mid-2025, a delay of more than a year.

It is often the case, that when new industrial and commercial buildings are built it can be without the knowledge of

what they were going to be used for, they are built speculatively. Gigafactories pose a differing challenge as the emerging technology that they are set to produce is constantly evolving. The processes they need to house will also be evolving and need to be accommodated. The building designers are therefore given the challenging task of creating a structure that can accommodate such innovation and the fire loads within. In any large scale, complex building such as this, it is paramount that fire safety is not taken lightly to ensure the safety and protection of the occupiers and the resilience of the business.

Gigafactories are truly enormous and while Tesla’s gigafactory is one of the largest buildings on earth by footprint at a staggering four million square feet, one thing is clear: fire safety needs to be front and centre of the design and must evolve with these buildings of tomorrow.

Decision makers often consider the risk of fire is catered for by following building regulations when envisioning their new building, even though the guidance to those regulations is limited. In fact, an industrial building the size of 50 football pitches is outside the scope of that guidance as it is a unique and complex building. We may see similarities in the labels we are giving to parts of these largescale buildings with terms like warehouse, industrial process or a factory but they are not a “common building”.

This means taking a different approach to defining and engineering the fire

safety and protection of such large facilities. It may be a surprise to many but a key fire protection component in current gigafactories and existing ones are automatic fire sprinklers. The array of processes under one roof, scale and complex hazards means a flexible protection system is needed to protect the general facility and those working within it. Automatic fire sprinklers are ideal for this purpose, with specific protection elements for individual processes.

Some may question whether it is appropriate to use sprinklers. In August 2018, a Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada suffered limited damage when a fire broke out in the production area late in the evening. The installed sprinklers suppressed the fire which was finally extinguished by the fire service. The facility returned to production the next morning, demonstrating the effectiveness of sprinkler systems as the perfect tool for physical resilience and business continuity.

As the UK plans its own gigafactories, mega-warehouses and similar industrial buildings are also likely to proliferate in the coming years. We must think of the performance of these buildings over time and consider the impact of fire and its consequences. Now is the time to think of how, and why, we should protect these valuable assets which may not be glamorous, but nonetheless are vital as part of the UK’s business infrastructure. We can build even bigger buildings but ultimately when there is a fire and no protection, the fire service cannot deal with it. Protecting the value of such properties and those who work within them should always be top of the agenda.

THE RISE OF THE GIGAFACTORY: PROTECTING THE BUILDINGS OF TOMORROW

KEYSTONE GROUP BRANDS FUND ‘MENTOR ME’ APPRENTICE PROGRAMME TO ADVANCE SKILLS OF YOUNG BRICKLAYERS

A former apprentice joiner is hoping to carve out a career as a site manager with Cheshire-based developer Jones Homes. Charlie Chorlton has been appointed as a trainee assistant site manager at the housebuilder’s Westlow Heath development in Congleton after graduating from the company’s apprenticeship scheme.

The 22-year-old first joined Jones Homes North West in 2018 after being offered a place on an apprenticeship halfway though his course at college.

Charlie, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, said: “I was always interested in, and good at, woodwork at school and not so taken with the academic side of things.

“I liked to use my hands and to get stuck into a project and create something. I was at college in Newcastle-under-Lyme when I was offered the chance to be an apprentice joiner at Jones Homes.

“Some of my friends were at university but I wanted to earn as I learned and did not want to be saddled with a student debt in a few years’ time, so an apprenticeship was the perfect choice for me.”

Charlie qualified as a joiner after gaining his Level 2 NVQ in site carpentry in 2021. Then he was offered a trial as a trainee assistant site manager.

“I was working at a development one day when the site manager asked me if I fancied training to be an assistant site manager as he was very impressed with the way I dealt with customers,” he said.

“Luckily, I have always had good communication skills and I jumped at the chance.

ASTUTIS CELEBRATES THE ENROLMENT OF ITS 50,000TH DIGITAL ONLINE LEARNER

Astutis, the leading Health & Safety, Environmental training provider, are excited to have hit an important milestone as it enrolled its 50,000th online learner.

The 50,000 learners who have chosen Astutis as their learning partner have opted for an interactive, digital approach to studying.

Online learners have access to an awardwinning Learning Management System (LMS) with courses designed by learning experts that help challenge thinking, build confidence, and allow learning using realworld scenarios.

To mark the occasion, Astutis is supporting the conservation of habit of 50,000 Bees through donations to various global charities and trusts, including the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

Over the last year, Astutis have experienced an increase in the demand

from its corporate customer base for digital online training. As a result, the business has expanded its online course offering to include 21 new or enhanced online training courses in its Astutis Learning Campus.

The Astutis Learning Campus

The award-winning learning campus hosts 21 online Health and Safety and Environmental training courses for immediate enrolment. Alongside its open courses, the campus also hosts over 100 customised courses explicitly designed for corporate customers, such as cyber

security, stress and wellbeing, enhanced fire safety and induction-specific courses, to name a few.

Over the last three months, Astutis have added additional three NEBOSH courses to the campus, the NEBOSH HSE Award in Managing Risks and Risk Assessment at work, the NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work Award, and the latest course, the NEBOSH Introduction to Incident Investigation online learning format of the course, launched on 26 September 2022.

Incident and accident investigation training is vital in helping any business deal with unexpected events to reduce consequences. The NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation course has been developed jointly between NEBOSH and the HSE. The course teaches learners the techniques of how noncomplex incidents may be investigated effectively and provides good incident investigation techniques.

To explore the entire catalogue of online courses as well as the Virtual Classroom, On-site classroom and blended learning training courses, visit www.astutis.com

Training & Education

“They put me on trial for six months and at the end of that period, offered me the position as trainee assistant site manager at Westlow Heath.

“I was delighted to be offered the chance to take my career in another direction.

Jones Homes is a great company to work for because they have given me this wonderful chance to improve myself and my career. It is up to me now to repay that trust by showing them that they made a wise choice in investing in me. My ambition is to knuckle down and work my way up the ranks to one day becoming a site manager.

Alex Bedson, Construction Director at Jones Homes North West, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Charlie has accepted the position as trainee assistant site manager at Westlow Heath.

“He came through the apprenticeship programme with flying colours and his dedication, enthusiasm and maturity when dealing with customers identified him as a person with real potential.

“We will give him all the training, support and encouragement he needs to go on to forge a great career with us here at Jones Homes.”

BRITISH GYPSUM TEAMS UP WITH TRAINING SPECIALISTS IN THE SOUTH EAST TO TACKLE SKILLS SHORTAGE

Goldtrowel is the first provider to offer the Site Ready Skimming Course in the region.

British Gypsum is expanding the provision of a nationally recognised skimming qualification to south-east England, as the latest Construction Skills Network (CSN) figures predict an extra 23,000 construction workers will be needed in the region by 2026; the highest number outside of London.

The Site Ready Skimming Course caters to increasing demand for plasterers and dryliners in the area, by upskilling employees of local building contractors, whilst helping them to attract and retain tradespeople of the highest calibre. It will be delivered by leading construction training provider, Goldtrowel, in a notable first for the company, which has never delivered training directly on behalf of a manufacturer before.

The Site Ready Skimming Course was first launched in 2021, following extensive discussions with key industry bodies and feedback from UK federations and building contractors regarding the difficulty of recruiting competent plasterers. It has

already proved an excellent springboard for aspiring tradespeople, with at least 80% of those who have passed the course now employed or self-employed in the sector.

The six-week programme comprises various practical modules with a focus on the key skills for skimming plasterboard, such as ensuring a consistent, high-quality finish across large areas, as well as best practice in plastering tools and methods, and identification of poor practice.

Participants will also receive preparation to take up roles in the sector and in working to stringent deadlines.

A detailed final assessment will test all skills achieved during the course, proving they can deliver a specified quantity of completed, high-quality work in a single day.

All course participants will be connected with members of the British Gypsum training team upon completion of the course, should they need any additional support or encounter any issues once onsite. They will also receive a complete new set of tools enabling them to begin work immediately.

Sam Blacknell, Head of Skills Partnerships at British Gypsum, comments: “The skills shortage facing the construction sector remains significant, with an ageing workforce, Brexit and the pandemic all still having an impact. As a business we are keen to do all we can to help our customers, and the sector as a whole, address this issue.

“The development of the Site Ready Skimming Course is just one way in which we are doing that, and the first courses we have run have proved highly successful in upskilling the participants and enabling them to find suitable long-term employment. This new collaboration with one of the sector’s most respected providers will allow new and existing plasterers in south-east England to access bespoke, professionally delivered training and secure rewarding long-term employment opportunities through the enhanced skillset, confidence and professionalism they will gain.”

More information on how to book can be found at: www.goldtrowel.co.uk/ british-gypsum-site-ready-skimmingcourse

& Education

A NEW OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE PROJECT COMES TO NORFOLK

Constructionarium is a not-for-profit organisation based within a 19-acre bespoke training facility in Norfolk. Over the past 19 years, its core business has been to provide essential practical programmes for Built Environment students in higher and further education who lack practical application by “Turning Theory Into Practice”.

With academic institutions attending year on year from the UK and US, its success has seen over 1400 students take part in this unique learning since 2003. Working as part of a team to construct a scaled replica of an iconic project from around the world, students have learnt technical, practical, and employability skills in an environment that replicates the industry in which they are headed.

As part of their sustainability strategy, Constructionarium are in the process of decarbonising their site and projects, alongside launching new renewable projects. Friday saw the conclusion of one of their pilots – an offshore wind turbine project called “AngliaZero”.

Being able to fund such a unique learning opportunity is fantastic. This project, the first we are aware of, will enable the current and future generations to learn about this technology and how offshore power can contribute to the UK Government’s Net Zero pledge.

Having this unique project locally reflects the infrastructure technology that is going on right now around the Norfolk and Suffolk all-energy coast and is a tremendous asset to the region.

LEFT: AngliaZero in situ and commissioned for use

Delegates construct a 7.7m high semisubmersible platform, mast, and turbine in a dry dock. After flooding the dock, the platform is towed into position to predefined co-ordinates. Once in the correct mooring location, the turbine is connected to land and commissioned into use. The output controls a domestic appliance in a “house” constructed as part of the project. The integrity of the system is checked and verified by a “Client” which draws the week’s learning to a conclusion.

This project was funded through the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund, by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and was one of five projects commissioned this year as part of the Road to Net Zero Business Support Programme’s Challenge Fund.

Constructionarium were delighted that Ellen Goodwin, Infrastructure Manager for New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership was able to undertake the official switch on. The power generated from AngliaZero immediately provided power to heat the simulated house she was in. Ellen said “Being able to fund such a unique learning opportunity is fantastic. This project, the first we are aware of, will enable the current and future generations to learn about this technology and how offshore power can contribute to the UK Government’s Net Zero pledge. Having this unique project locally reflects the infrastructure technology that is going on right now around the Norfolk and Suffolk all-energy coast and is a tremendous asset to the region.”

Julia Stevens, Chief Exec of Constructionarium, said “Constructionarium is the first UK organisation able to offer an offshore learning experience. This project will teach students, new entrants or non-technical personnel, the practical application of this technology. Constructionarium’s AngliaZero project sits next to our Solar Technology training and within a suite of renewable energy training opportunities planned at Bircham Newton. We are delighted that it is now available to be booked.”

For more information about Constructionarium visit www.constructionarium.uk

LEFT: Ellen Goodwin switching on the turbine

Tools, Equipment & Plant Hire News

HVO ADVANCES GROUP-WIDE MOVE AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS

Earlier this year M Group Services announced its commitment to halve (Scope 1 & 2) carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero before 2050. One of the ways we are working towards achieving this goal is by rolling out sustainable fuel across our core fleet of vehicles.

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a diesel substitute. M Group Services and its operating businesses are switching to HVO as part of the move away from fossil fuels.

HVO is made from a blend of renewable and sustainable feedstocks such as vegetable and animal oils and waste fats. The fuel only uses waste products not virgin crops meaning we are repurposing waste to help the planet. We are proud to be working with Green BioFuels (GBF) in the sourcing and supply of our HVO. With their help we avoid issues of deforestation and palm oil use which, on occasion, can be associated with HVO use from less sustainable sources.

This substitute is more environmentally friendly than petrol or diesel, it reduces CO2 emissions by 90%, particulates, also known as atmospheric aerosol particles, by 85% and reduces Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions by almost a third (30%). With every 330 litres of HVO used we can save up to one tonne of CO2.

At present, HVO can be used in 7.5 tonne sized vehicles and above. It can also be used in plant and equipment hired through M Group Services Plant & Fleet Solutions (MGSPFS). Currently, MGSPFS, Milestone Infrastructure and Morrison Water Services (Yorkshire Water contract) are using the sustainable fuel source.

Mark Hamilton, Managing Director of M Group Services Plant & Fleet Solutions, said: “Changing to HVO offers an immediate and practical route away from the use of fossil fuels. It’s another great example of the measures we are taking to de-carbonise our work and aligns with our net-zero targets.”

The switch to HVO is a crucial first step in moving towards cleaner fuel but M Group

Services is going one step further. We are committed to transitioning our core fleet of over 8,000 vehicles to electric, as well as installing 75 charging locations on our sites across the UK by 2030. This is in line with The Climate Group’s EV100 global initiative which is bringing together companies committed to switching their owned and contracted fleets up to 7.5t to electric.

Providing charging points is hugely important to us as part of our own commitment to achieving net-zero. We are also focused on delivering an EV charging infrastructure to the public. Morrison Energy Services is part of a framework agreement with Be.EV, the biggest public charging network in Greater Manchester that is expanding dramatically across the whole of the north of England. This contract involves us installing 1,000 chargers and four big charging hubs across the North of England.

HALDANE FISHER WELCOMES HSS HIRE TO ITS NEWRY BRANCH

Tool and equipment hire specialist, HSS Hire, has expanded its partnership with leading independent builders merchant, Haldane Fisher by introducing a new desk at its Newry branch.

The collaboration will help Haldane Fisher customers to take their builds and projects to the next level, with HSS Hire providing tool hire, equipment, and access hire to trade and the general public.

We also committed to joining the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative earlier this year. More than 12,000 companies based in over 160 countries have agreed to take action to advance societal and environmental goals.

The UN Global Compact centres around 10 principles on environment, human rights, labour and anti-corruption and M Group Services has adopted these principles as part of its strategy, culture and day-today operation in order to make a real difference.

Our commitment to achieving net-zero is further reinforced by our support for the Science based Targets initiative (SBTi) which aims to limit global warming to 1.5oC and cut carbon emissions.

Gary Cranney, Director, Haldane Fisher Newry, said: “We are pleased to welcome HSS Hire to our Newry branch, enabling our customers to quickly and easily access a wide range of equipment and tools. HSS Hire’s expertise in the industry, coupled with Haldane Fisher’s 76 years of experience, means that our customers can be assured they are in capable hands when it comes to their building needs.”

HSS Hire is located alongside Haldane Fisher’s Trade Counter in Carnbane Industrial Estate.

Stephen Elder, Regional Director at HSS Hire, added: “Following the success of our desk in Haldane Fisher’s Bangor branch, we are excited to expand our partnership with Haldane Fisher and make the move into its Newry branch. Having worked alongside Haldane Fisher for a number of years, we are confident that our customers based in Newry and the surrounding area will appreciate the teams excellent service, product knowledge, and sound advice. We offer free click, collect, and drop off to any branch, making it even more convenient to access the tools needed to get the job done.”

Haldane Fisher, which is part of the Haldane Group, has 21 branches across Northern Ireland, England, and Isle of Man.

It’s another great example of the measures we are taking to de-carbonise our work and aligns with our net-zero targets.

Tools, Equipment & Plant Hire News

THE SNICKERS WORKWEAR ‘HEAD TO TOE’ LAYERING SYSTEM

‘Suit Up’ in Layers for consistent comfort and protection in cold and wet weather.

You’ll get ‘head to toe’ functionality and protection with Snickers Workwear’s ergonomic base layers, insulating mid layers and weatherprotective outer layer clothing.

They not only allow craftsmen and craftswomen to quickly adjust to changing weather conditions, but also give them the opportunity to make sustainable choices about the clothes they wear on site.

This winter’s new Jackets, Trousers and Topwear feature high-tech, breathable fabrics that not only deliver dryness and warmth but also advanced ventilation for controlling body heat - so you can always work effectively, whatever the weather.

Advanced fabrics like these are integral to every part of Snickers Workwear’s ‘Head to Toe’ layering system. They combine perfectly with the brand’s hallmarks of best-in-class durability, comfort, ergonomics and sustainability.

Getting information on the Snickers Workwear layering system is easy. You can call the Snickers Helpline on 01484 854788, checkout the website at www.snickersworkwear.co.uk or email sales@hultaforsgroup.co.uk

STATE-OF-THE-ART SPRAY-KIT DONATION ENHANCES LEEDS COLLEGE OF BUILDING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Leeds-based spray equipment supplier Spray Plant UK has donated state of the art airless spraying equipment worth over £3,500 to Leeds College of Building. The generous donation will support the next generation of painting and plastering professionals.

The leading specialist of spraying equipment has teamed up with the college to enhance the existing painting and plastering curriculum and equip students with the latest technology and techniques being used in the industry.

Ben Smith, General Manager at Spray Plant UK said: “As the skills gap widens across the painting and decorating industry,

we know the need to train the next generation of sprayers is greater than ever.

“There is a shortage of skilled tradespeople across the board and painting and decorating courses are currently undersubscribed.

“By providing an opportunity to add new techniques and skills to the syllabus at Leeds College of Building we hope this will entice new students and widen the talent pool to take advantage of the job opportunities available across the industry.”

Mark Howroyd, Curriculum Manager for Painting & Decorating and Plastering at Leeds College of Building, added: “Spraying is an emerging skill at the forefront of the painting and plastering industry. It’s already hugely popular in America and we are seeing the trend take off over here in the UK.

“Through this donation, students will be able to gain access to new technology they’ve previously never used and become fully equipped with specialist skills to bridge the gap between education and the workplace.

Support from industry is essential, and this fantastic donation by Spray Plant UK shows how we can work together as education providers and employers to ensure the best outcome for our students and their future career in the industry.”

The gifting of the equipment is just the start of a longer-term relationship between Leeds College of Building and the West Yorkshire company. Spray Plant UK will be providing ongoing tailored training sessions to tutors, students, and apprentices to understand the technical areas of the airless technology and demonstrating the specialist application techniques.

© Rhian Hughes

© Rhian Hughes

since

largest air compressor hire fleet.

Ranging from low emission Lez & ULEZ compliant diesel driven to our own bespoke range of weatherproof electric drive compressors UK designed and built by ourselves.

GenAir operate our own transport fleet including crane equipped and low-loader vehicles as well as four-wheel drive vehicles all with ADR approved drivers enabling us to deliver your equipment promptly and safely wherever your location.

GenAir's unique range of electric drive air compressors have been designed to meet the needs of the UK construction industry.

Providing significant running cost savings over their diesel equivalents they are ideal for use on city centre construction sites where power is available . Fully weatherised they can be used outside or, because they produce no exhaust gasses, they can be used indoors.

Significantly quieter than diesel compressors and fully ULEZ compliant they meet the environmental requirements of the modern construction site.

If you'd like to use electric drive on your site but you're unsure whether you have the required power call us for advice and to arrange a free site survey.

Tools, Equipment & Plant Hire

LOWER THAMES CROSSING: UTILITY REALIGNMENT WORKS

SOCOTEC’s Ground Investigation team has been working on the Lower Thames Crossing, a major government funded Infrastructure project whereby a new twin bored tunnel will be created under the Thames to help relieve the volume of traffic on the Dartford Crossing.

The Lower Thames Crossing project will bring considerable benefits to the local communities and the country as a whole. The crossing will act as a new key transport route across the Thames, helping to reduce the volume of traffic on the roads. It will also bring new work and development opportunities to the areas along the proposed route.

SUMMARY OF WORKS

Project name: Lower Thames Crossing: Utility Realignment Works

Principal Contractor: Balfour Beatty Client: Lower Thames Crossing

PROJECT DETAILS

The scope of works was developed by the client with consideration to working with the Utility providers, and involved collaborative working with each utility provider, SOCOTEC’s principal contractor, Balfour Beatty, and the client, Lower Thames Crossing, prior to works beginning.

The works were completed over two phases; the first phase ran from August 2020 to December 2020 and the second phase ran from July 2021 to May 2022 and consisted of approximately eighty 5m

– 35m deep cable percussive, rotary and dynamically sampled boreholes, spread over the entire transect of the proposed route. The data collected by SOCOTEC was used to provide information to the various utility providers whose services will have an interface when the main Lower Thames Crossing Route is constructed, and will enable them to design a new route for existing services to minimise disruption during the construction phase of the Lower Thames Crossing structure.

Over the course of the works SOCOTEC submitted over thirty factual and interpretive reports to the various utility providers – an achievement that the team were extremely proud of.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

SOCOTEC’s working relationship with Balfour Beatty and Lower Thames Crossing has been extremely positive, with all parties working well together in the planning, fieldwork, reporting, and account close out stages. SOCOTEC has worked with Balfour Beatty and Lower Thames Crossing on numerous projects prior to these works and continues to have a strong professional relationship with both.

benefit from SOCOTEC’s

Investigation

Contact us. [socotec.co.uk]

THE UK’S LARGEST BUILT ENVIRONMENT EVENT

MAKES WELCOME RETURN WITH RECORD VISITORS

The UK’s largest event for the built environment, UK Construction Week (UKCW) Birmingham, made a welcome return to the NEC last week, with visitor numbers up 19% from last year.

The show drew over 23,900 visitors from as far afield as Turkey, Brazil, Australia and Canada, and included a host of high-profile names including West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, Channel 4 presenter George Clarke, and BBC journalist and presenter Simon Jack.

UKCW Birmingham celebrated culture change in construction with three days of debate and discussion from top speakers

across seven stages, with issues covered including Net Zero, sustainability, offsite manufacturing, mental health, and improving diversity and inclusion. Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street took time from his busy schedule to visit the show, where he was a keynote speaker on the Main Stage, facing a Question Time from an audience of industry professionals.

Andy Howe, founder and managing director of CareersForce, was named UKCW Role Model 2022; CareersForce helps UK key workers such as those from the armed forces, police and NHS to forge a new career in a range of new sectors including construction.

The winning exhibitors of this year’s Stand Awards included: Rolec (best 50m+ space stand), Harwoods (best space under 50m), Restec (best shell scheme), Tough CAD (best use of marketing), Zero Hub (most interactive) and Celsa (for innovation).

Nathan Garnett, UKCW event director, commented after the show: “There is so much happening in the construction industry right now that has put UK Construction Week into a unique position, whereby it can inform and educate the sector as it moves forward. There is a real sense of momentum now as we plan the next one, especially on meeting our next zero targets and creating long lasting culture change.

A record number of companies have signed up for 2023 so we look forward to really growing the UKs largest trade show for construction.

Chloe Donovan, Chief Exec of Natural Building Systems, said: “We’ve had an amazing time - met everyone from potential suppliers, industrial partners, contractors and investors; I can’t recommend it highly enough.”

Gary Scott, managing director at Hanson Plywood, commented: “We were at UKCW Birmingham because it’s the hub of the UK construction industry. We get a lot out of it; we don’t do many shows, but UKCW Birmingham does work.”

With over 6,000 products on display from over 300 exciting exhibitors including Bosch, Schneider Electric, Google, Graco Distribution, Wavin, Hanson Plywood and many more, the multi award-winning show attracted an abundance of overseas exhibitors from as far afield as Australia, India, Norway, Turkey and the UAE.

Dates for next year’s two shows have already been announced: UKCW London will take place from 2-4 May 2023 at ExCeL; UKCW Birmingham will run from 3-5 October 2023 at the NEC.

(2-4

HERE for UKCW London