Construction UK Magazine - March 2023

M-AR TEAMS UP WITH HOMELESS CHARITY CENTREPOINT Digitisation of the construction industry: forging a sustainable future

WILLMOTT DIXON LANDS SECOND PASSIVHAUS PROJECT IN 2023 WITH £57M SCHOOL

JAPANESE KNOTWEED LTD & ENVIRONMENT CONTROLS: WHAT TO DO IF INFESTATION OR CONTAMINATION IS FOUND ON YOUR SITE

A strong future for Scotland’s construction industry

Schöck thermal bridging solutions for ‘21st century country house’

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JOHN F HUNT GROUP ACQUIRE RKD CONSULTANT LTD

The John F Hunt Group is pleased to confirm that it has secured a majority shareholding in RKD Consultant Ltd.

Specialists in geotechnical and structural engineering design, RKD has a reputation for being one of London’s leading designers of Temporary Works schemes.

The award-winning company has worked on some of the most iconic and complex projects in the capital, including Battersea Power Station, Chelsea Barracks, Kensington Odeon, and recently but very topically, the basement extension of Claridge’s.

Mark Blackmore and Dr Adam Pellew’s management remains unchanged, together with their engineering team, who will continue to operate out of their existing offices in East London.

John F Hunt Directors, Davinder Rehal CEng, and Dr Adam Fisher, who have over 25 years’ experience in the rail sector and ground engineering respectively, will ensure

the adoption of a collaborative approach between the two Engineering Design disciplines and that RKD’s client interests are not conflicted.

Mark Blackmore, RKD’s Managing Director, commented, “It will be ‘business as usual’ for us, as we will still work independently with our existing clients. We have combined forces and delivered many projects with John F Hunt in the past, and we appreciate their excellent reputation within the construction industry. The amalgamation of technical engineering minds and the support the Group can offer is an exciting prospect for all of us.”

John Hall, John F Hunt Group Chairman, said, “The incorporation of the highly regarded RKD business within the Group will greatly strengthen John F Hunt’s geotechnical and structural capabilities. However, we recognise the importance of RKD retaining their autonomy and existing client base; this, I am sure they will achieve whilst being able to expand the business through our network of regional offices.”

CUSTOMADE GROUP SIGNS UP TO SUPPORT CRASH CHARITY

Customade Group, the market-leading fenestration business, has become a Corporate Patron of construction industry charity CRASH, pledging to provide materials and support construction and refurbishment projects of homelessness charities and hospices across the UK.

The objective of CRASH is to help people who are homeless and sleeping rough, and adults and children who need end of life care in a hospice by constructing or refurbishing hospices, shelters and move-on accommodation that can make such a difference to their lives.

The CRASH team does this by co-ordinating skills, time, materials, financial support and technical expertise from across the construction industry, with resources supplied by some of the biggest companies operating in the sector. In this way the now, 37 Corporate Patron companies of the charity underpin every project CRASH undertakes.

Customade Group supplies a full range of fenestration systems from UPVc windows and doors, composite doors, to roof lantern and conservatory systems in UPVc and aluminium through its recognised industry brands of Atlas, Polyframe, Virtuoso Doors, and Real Aluminium. The group also has its own distribution network with national coverage, Stevenswood.

With more than 850 employees across the UK, this places the Customade Group in an excellent position to assist CRASH with projects of any size and urgency.

Rachel Smith, Group Marketing Director, Customade Group said: “We are excited to join the CRASH cause as a committed patron for 2023. During our discussions with the team we have been able to identify several ways we can support the work of CRASH and we are looking forward to meeting their project co-ordinators.

“Windows, doors and fenestration of the highest quality are essential to the success of most refurbishment, maintenance or new-build projects and Customade Group can offer a ready supply of standard products and systems, or work with the CRASH team to deliver customised solutions.”

Francesca Roberts, Chief Executive, CRASH: “I am delighted to welcome Customade Group as a Corporate Patron of CRASH Charity. I am confident that their expertise and market-leading product will be hugely influential in our on-going and future construction projects with homelessness charities and hospices. I am looking forward to nurturing a partnership that will leave a lasting impact in our communities, and one that is incredibly rewarding to the employees of Customade. Together we can continue to create great places that care for people when they are most in need.”

EDGE IMPLEMENTS INDUSTRYLEADING MENTAL HEALTH POLICY

In response to calls to improve the construction sector’s poor mental health record, leading multi-disciplinary property consultancy EDGE has implemented an industry-leading mental health and wellbeing policy for its employees.

Understanding that mental health is not a one-size-fits-all approach, the company’s policy is a wide-ranging framework that includes a personal Wellness Action Plans (WAPs), access to a Vitality Mental Health portal, and additional signposting for external advice.

The policy was written into employment contracts in December and fine-tuned in partnership with the Mental Health and Productivity Pilot led by Coventry and Derby Universities, with its Mental Health at

Work Commitment acting as a roadmap for change.

Thomas Hunt, cost manager and mental health lead at EDGE, said: “We know that our people are our most valuable resource. Their wellbeing is vital to effective performance both at work and as part of our positive workplace culture, meaning the implementation of a more robust mental health and wellbeing policy was a natural step for us.

four employees as Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) to meet its goal of having at least one MHFA per office across the company’s five locations.

We need to shift the focus onto how to better yourself and maintain positive emotions, and which support and management techniques can be used to help us achieve this in our everyday lives.”

In order to increase provisions for a rapidly expanding workforce across multiple locations, EDGE has also trained a further

Kieran O’Donoghue, director at EDGE, added: “The statistics show that suicides in construction are rising at an alarming rate. This is a disturbing fact that we wanted to address. We appreciate that no policy is perfect – but we hope that in talking about our policy, awareness of the issue will be raised throughout the industry. We hope that with our new Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy, along with our sociable culture, and commitment to caring for our employees, our workforce understands that we are there should they need us, and that those experiencing mental health issues are supported with respect, confidentiality and without discrimination.”

WORKING TOGETHER – A CARBON-FREE DEVON

Milestone Infrastructure, a part of M Group Services Transport Division, is proud to announce it’s part of a team that has won £3.7 million in funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) to invest in making highways more sustainable.

Working with client Devon County Council and the University of Exeter, the project team will be working to make the A382 and Jetty Marsh project carbon negative.

This funding is a result of the Live Labs 2 programme, organised by the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) and funded by DfT. The programme offered £30 million in funding to seven ground-

breaking projects across the country following a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitch to a panel of independent experts.

ADEPT’s programme is focused on funding innovative decarbonisation proposals from local highways authorityled ventures.

Potential carbon saving measures proposed for the project include using local recycled materials, ensuring construction plant and equipment is sustainable, power-generating streetlights and establishing low maintenance verges and hedgerows.

Phil Ramsden, Regional Director at Milestone Infrastructure, said: “As part of our ongoing relationship with Devon County Council, we are proud to be bringing Milestone Infrastructure’s local and national experience to the A382 and Jetty Marsh link project. The Live Labs 2 funding means we have an incredible opportunity to put carbon saving measures in place. This project is helping us make progress towards safer, greener highways and aligns with Milestone Infrastructure’s commitment to reach

net-zero through our operations and supply chain by 2040. Working closely with Devon County Council and its internal design team, along with other project partners provides a fantastic opportunity to work together collaboratively and deliver a successful project.”

Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said: “Reducing carbon emissions across our services is a key element of Devon County Council’s Strategic Plan and we are on track to become carbon neutral by 2030.

“This project perfectly complements our ambitious plans for a cleaner, greener Devon with a thriving economy and brings innovation to the heart of infrastructure development in our county. Moving past net zero represents an industry first and this project will give the designers, contractors and manufacturers the opportunity to try new solutions tailored to this new set of priorities. The findings from this project have the opportunity to change the face of highway construction and maintenance locally and nationally.”

There seems to be a lack of education around mental health as the topic is perceived negatively - as an inconvenience, an illness, depression, or stress - but everyone has mental health.

Kieran O'Donoghue

CELEBRATING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS – 2022 EVERYWOMAN AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Eight extraordinary women from across the country have been unveiled as the 2022 winners in the UK’s leading programme for female entrepreneurs. Now in their 20th year the everywoman Awards, in association with BGF, provide a platform and spotlight for incredible women in business to build their confidence and inspire the next generation of female entrepreneurs, whilst facilitating powerful introductions to business mentors, commercial relationships, and investors.

From the founders of multi-million-pound empires to those spearheading social enterprises for the greater good, this year’s winners were selected from nearly a thousand entries, and span multiple

industries including construction, beauty, technology, drinks, fashion, and medical.

The everywoman of the Year Award was presented to Gill Riley, founder of GGR Group, from Haddenham. Founded in 2003, GGR is a specialist lifting company which has the largest mini crane and vacuum lifting fleet in the UK. They offer over 500 types of lifting equipment to the UK and Europe, including the world’s first Electric Telehandler in line with their commitment to sustainability. Gill started her career as the youngest female sales rep working for electrical wholesaler City Electrical Factors, before founding GGR Group with her brother.

From an initial investment of £5,000, this family run business has transformed into a £28 million global success, on track to hit £33 million this year, with 150 employees across three UK locations. As one of the top managing directors in the construction industry, Gill has contributed to changing the perception of a highly male-dominated industry and built GGR’s reputation over nearly two decades; offering best in class service, equipment, technical expertise and working on notable projects including HS2 and The Shard.

MAYOR OF THE WEST MIDLANDS VISITS COOKLEY WORKS

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, has been welcomed on site to view the progress of the highly anticipated Cookley Works scheme, which we are developing alongside Lovell Partnerships in collaboration with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

It’s one of many projects in the region helping to regenerate acres of derelict industrial land for affordable new homes, supporting the region to meet its housing needs.

ESSEX SITE MANAGER NAMED AS SOUTH EAST’S BEST FOR CONSTRUCTION QUALITY

A David Wilson Homes Site Manager has won a top national award for the quality of homes being built at a housing development in Hatfield Peverel.

The National House Building Council (NHBC) has recognised Rob Ruffy (48) for his site management capabilities with a Regional Award, which marks David Wilson Homes as one of the nine large builder winners.

Rob is overseeing the construction of David Wilson Homes’ Mortimer Place

development off Birkdale Rise, and has been working for the developer for over 25 years.

Last year alone for his work at Mortimer Place, Rob secured three NHBC awards for the level of quality and craftsmanship of the homes, technical expertise, health and safety, consistency, leadership and attention to detail.

Rob’s Regional Award, on top of a Pride in the Job Quality Award and a Seal of Excellence, saw him secure one of the most prestigious awards the NHBC has to offer.

When complete, Cookley Works will become a thriving community offering a mix of affordable rent and low-cost home ownership. Platform will look after 71 of the homes, providing affordable rent and shared ownership opportunities.

The Mayor said: “Cookley Works is another great example of the commitment of the WMCA, alongside partners Dudley Council, Lovell and Platform Housing Group to continue delivering good quality, affordable homes for our communities.

“Despite the challenges of the last couple of years, we’ve continued to make significant investments into the regeneration of brownfield land, unlocking previously difficult to develop sites for new homes, helping to protect our precious green belt in the process.

“This is also helping to drive our economic recovery by creating vital new jobs and apprenticeships and I look forward to seeing local people move into these new homes and create a thriving, attractive new community.”

WHAT TO DO IF INFESTATION OR CONTAMINATION IS FOUND ON YOUR SITE

Finding invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed, Giant hogweed or Himalayan balsam on your site can be a construction company’s nightmare! The same can be said for finding suspected ground contaminants such as Asbestos.

Project on hold!

If Japanese knotweed or asbestos is identified onsite - all works must immediately be put on hold, and the area cordoned off until a survey or soil testing confirms its presence and extent of the problem, as any disturbance of the ground will lead to spreading the contaminated area.

Some invasive species such as Bamboo and Rhododendron can be problematic as they will need to be removed before works can commence, and other species such as Giant hogweed and the aquatic invasive Hemlock water dropwort are extremely toxic and must be handled by professionals.

Getting your project back on track

Japanese Knotweed Ltd (JKL) is the UK’s largest knotweed consultants – our survey, treatment, excavation, and removal services will get your project back on track.

Environment Controls (a trading name of JKL) provides specialist services for the control of Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS), aquatic weeds, amenity weeds and asbestos contaminated ground.

Our Specialist Training will keep your teams up to speed with species identification and latest legislation. Provided as online webinars or face to face - ideal for increasing knowledge of invasive weeds, how to identify them and learning which species are toxic.

Hemlock water dropwort – the UK’s most toxic invasive aquatic weed

Japanese knotweed’s distinctive pink speckled stems

HOW TO MAKE STUDENT ACCOMMODATION MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT

By Wojciech Brozyna - MD of Aluprof UK

Over the last decade, the construction of student accommodation projects has increased significantly and still the demand for affordable student accommodation is outstripping supply. With more courses offered by universities in the UK and the increasing number of students from overseas keen to obtain qualifications gained in the UK with the benefit of a full understanding of English and other courses, the increase is not set to abate anytime soon.

At the turn of the millennia, universities offered their own halls of residence on campus for student accommodation and the balance was offered by private landlords, often in repurposed houses across a town or city. With increasing legislation and the problems associated with the breaking up of long term social communities for more transient student lets, private landlords began to invest in private, high rise, purpose built halls of residence known as ‘Purpose Built Student Accommodation’ or PBSA. Over the last few years, there are now more private landlord bedrooms available to students compared to university owned halls. Currently, there is a total of 697,734 beds available and during 2022/23 it is expected that a further 102,000 beds will become available and these numbers are set to increase in future years. (Cushman & Wakefield UK Student Accommodation Report 2022).

Aluprof UK have been very active in this sector since entering the UK fifteen years ago completing thirty three projects which equates to 4% of the current market, with a high number of new student accommodation projects in the pipeline. With quality and sustainability high on specifiers’ wish list, aluminium systems are a natural choice, but today there are additional challenges that specifiers need to consider.

North Hanover Street - Glasgow

Holbrook House - London

UWE Student Accommodation - Bristol

Thermal efficiency has always been important for comfort but with rising costs, it is more important than ever to get both windows and reveals correctly specified and designed to ensure the highest efficiency of both window and fixing. Incorrectly done, cold bridging in a window reveal can lose much of the window’s high thermal performance. The key here is establishing an early discussion with the specified window systems provider to ensure all fixing details, whether the product is a window, door or curtain wall.

Ensuring thermal efficiency will help reduce running costs of student accommodation, helping keep costs down for the PBSA owner and the student tenant. As the Construction Industry continues to move rapidly towards constructing carbon neutral buildings, we are already seeing higher investment in PBSA with the adoption of Passivhaus construction in some new projects in the UK. Passivhaus uses little or

no energy to maintain a comfortable living space, irrespective of outdoor temperature.

It is expected that the growth of Passivhaus construction for PBSA will increase rapidly in the coming years. Aluprof UK are already involved in what is currently claimed to be the world’s largest lowcarbon student residential development which is being constructed in Bristol for The University of the West of England (UWE). The new development is located at the Frenchay Campus which covers approximately 65,000 sqm and provides 2,250 new student residences. The scheme started on site in 2021 and is set to have the first phase complete for first-year student intake this year. Designed by Passivhaus Trust members, Stride Treglown Architects and QODA Consulting, the new student halls will offer carbon neutral accommodation which falls inline with the University’s ‘2030 strategy’. The project follows on from what will be the second

largest student accommodation project completed to date know as the ’The House’ at Cornell Tech in New York.

Aluprof UK became involved in the design development of the UWE scheme from RIBA Stage 2 and worked alongside Stride Treglown, QODA Consulting and Turner & Townsend to develop a high performance facade solution which helps the new development to achieve Passivhaus standards. Facade detailing and cost analysis support was provided by Aluprof UK prior to tender release to ensure budgets met stakeholders’ expectations. Aluprof UK also offered tender support to VINCI Construction UK, the main contractor awarded the scheme, in the careful selection of Aluprof experienced subcontractors to deliver a compliant tender. Aluprof UK having been involved in a collaborative process from RIBA Stage 2 onwards and continue to support the project through to its completion.

Aluprof UK are delighted to be leading and supporting the development of Passivhaus construction across the UK and are already working with specifiers and developers on further schemes to help active the UK’s challenge of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Further information is available on the company’s website at aluprof.co.uk or direct from their UK head office in Altrincham on 0161 941 4005.

Millennium View - Coventry

Wojciech Brozyna

VANSERSANDEN BRICKS ADD TEXTURE AND MATERIALITY TO AWARDWINNING CHAPTER HOUSE

The award-winning Chapter House is a later living community of 38 homes for people over 60 by Pegasus, now part of Lifestory, set within one of Lichfield’s important central conservation areas. The design draws inspiration from the characteristic historic morphology of Lichfield’s walled gardens and the original cloistered form of the demolished medieval friary which once occupied the site. Brick is the dominant material throughout the scheme, providing rich

texture and colour. To achieve exactly the right aesthetic, innovative manufacturer Vandersanden worked closely with Procter & Matthews Architects throughout the development of the brickwork details.

Careful attention has been paid to the texture and materiality of the building, explains Constanze Jaczynska, director, Proctor and Matthews Architects. “Red brick, inspired by the traditional ‘Lichfield

brick’, was chosen for the entrance façade and walled element which wraps around the site, linking the building with the historical surroundings. The use of contrasting white bricks within the central courtyard helps to bounce light around the space, creating a bright and inviting landscaped focal space at the heart of the development.”

The main facing bricks are Vandersanden’s Aalborg with their water-struck, rich red texture. These are bedded in either natural coloured or black grey mortar, depending on their location. Providing a striking contrast, the expanses of Vandersanden’s Creme stocks are bedded in white mortar. Both bricks are an elegant, narrow 50mm high – an innovation that helps to minimise the mass of the Chapter House development.

Remnants of the friary’s ancient walled structures remain at Chapter House. The distinctive gables and chimneys of the Bishop’s Lodging and a linear walled garden, known locally as the Monk’s Walk, provide key markers within the site. Around these, a series of public and communal pathways, gardens, oak-lined cloisters and courtyards have been created. The pitched roofs and large chimney of the new buildings reference the nearby historic structures, while dormer windows articulate the long frontage elevations. A colonnade on the north-western side provides further articulation and a visual

contrast alongside ridged brick panels and timber panelling.

On the upper storeys, deep reveals to the windows are set within thick, protective textured brickwork walls. The distinctive, vertically ribbed ‘corduroy’ brickwork - a mixture of dark red and blue bricks - to the upper floors is configured to visually mitigate the height of the building and again provide a feeling of warmth and texture to the exterior facades.

Proctor and Matthews Architects were already aware of Vandersanden from previous projects and were assisted by the company throughout the development of the brickwork details.

The rich textures and colours of the Vandersanden bricks helped us to successfully integrate the new building in the historic context and provide the visual and physical quality we were looking for.

“We were impressed by the helpful and prompt assistance we received from the company,” notes Constanze Jaczynska.

Chapter House received the HAPPI Award at the Housing Design Awards and The Best Community Living Award at the Sunday Times British Homes Awards in 2018. The building has also proved very popular with residents, including George

and Wendy Arblaster who enthused: “… our euphoria has been enhanced by the character of the building itself…although this is a modern high spec building it is also reminiscent of a building that has grown organically over time…and one which enhances the lives of its residents”.

Further information on Chapter House can be found here: www.vandersanden.com/en-uk/ vision-later-living-realised

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ecodan.me.uk/cuk3nb

As a market leader in low carbon heating systems, we help housing developers comply with the changes to Part L of the Building Regulations by specifying Ecodan Air Source Heat Pumps for new build homes.

Our dedicated website pages provide you with support at every one of the seven steps of the RIBA Plan of Work.

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HARD TO TREAT HOMES: DG CITIES AND THE BARTLETT TEAM UP ON GOVERNMENT STUDY TO INVESTIGATE HARD TO DECARBONISE HOUSING

The UK Government has set the target of reaching net zero carbon by 2050. Heat in buildings accounts for 37% of annual greenhouse gas emissions. However, an estimated 10 million homes Britain are difficult to insulate or improve by conventional means. The project, commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), aims to identify these homes, define what makes a home ‘hard to treat’ or ‘hard to decarbonise’ (in the context of energy efficiency), and develop a practical framework to help inform policy and guidance to tackle challenging properties.

The study is being undertaken by a collaboration between the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London and urban innovation agency, DG Cities. Initial research includes an assessment of existing evidence, and interviews with specialists in housing, energy, conservation, industry, residents’ associations and built environment professionals, among others, to build an extensive evidence base.

Ed Houghton, Head of Research and Service Design at DG Cities: “This isn’t just about buildings, it’s about people – ‘hard to treat’ doesn’t just mean the properties, but also the diversity of ownership, needs, as well as the time and budget residents are able to spend. The project is about making sure that nobody, and no property, is left behind when it comes to the transition to net zero carbon. We want to highlight what works, and draw on a wide range of examples to assess not only the challenges of these properties, but also the practical interventions that can make a difference.”

There are significant economic, social and health benefits to improving the quality of all housing stock, but there is a statistical relationship between ‘hard to treat’ and fuel

poverty. For example, properties with uninsulated solid walls have a higher rate of fuel poverty than (22.5% of these households are in fuel poverty, compared to 8.0% of those with insulated solid walls). Older homes are frequently more challenging to keep warm, and their residents are also more likely to be in fuel poverty: 21.7% of households living in pre-1919 homes were in fuel poverty in 2020, compared to 10% of those built between 1965 and 1985; and less than 5% of those built after 2002.

To find out more and take part, visit: www.dgcities.com/hard-to-treat-homes

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC IMPROVES ITS SUCCESSFUL CYLINDERS

Installing a domestic hot water cylinder has just got easier. Continuing its focus on innovation, Mitsubishi Electric has brought to market a new and improved range of domestic hot water cylinders to complement its award-winning energy saving residential heat pumps.

The new unvented plug and play Pre-Plumbed Cylinder, with eight standard and slimline variants, is available in capacities of 150L to 300L, and comes ready to install. Following the successes of its predecessor, this model includes pre-plumbed components such as pumps, filters and valves reducing the overall installation time.

It is also MELCloud enabled, giving users effortless control and monitoring of the product; and the optional flexible two-zone spacing heating control offers improved comfort and reduces energy use.

Senior Product Manager, Robert Taylor, who led the team to design and develop the new cylinder range said: “We wanted to raise the bar with our new Pre-Plumbed Cylinder. It’s been designed with intuitive installation connections in mind. With refined component design, performance has been improved so that it provides efficient and rapid heating of water. In addition to this, it comes with premium quality insulation to reduce heat loss and running costs.”

For further information, go to https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/ecodan-phase2

Ed Houghton © DG Cities

SCOTTISH CONSTRUCTION

Construction businesses in Scotland are still suffering the scourge of late payments, outstanding retentions and unexpected charges, a new survey by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) has revealed.

Some 68% of respondents to the body’s in-depth poll said their payment terms were altered negatively, with 60% claiming adjustments to payments were made with little or no explanation.

And 69% of those surveyed said the time and cost of chasing outstanding moneys was their most significant problem when it came to payment.

The unique collective’s survey on cashflow and payments was undertaken to help an accurate picture of the current financial landscape in the Scottish construction industry.

Answered by those businesses which operate both as main and subcontractors in the public and private sectors, its key findings included:

• 52% reporting that they still have problems getting retentions paid

• 44% revealing that they had been hit with unexpected charges

• 40% disclosing that they “always or often” had payments reduced

• 30% saying payment delays have a “major impact” on their company.

Some 50% of respondents said they required external assistance to deal with payment disputes, with 54% saying they had referred a dispute to adjudication.

And 62% of those surveyed also said they were aware of project bank accounts, but only 17% had actually used them.

The survey also invited respondents to provide anecdotal evidence of cashflow and payment issues, along with suggestions of how to improve the current situation.

The CICV is now devising a series of measures to help combat issues highlighted in the survey, including the imminent publication of a best practice guide. The collective is also planning an online webinar, offering contractors practical advice to help them avoid payment pitfalls.

The survey is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation as the Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum in March 2020.

Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.

A full copy of the survey can be download here.

CPA CONFERENCE 2023 TO DISCUSS THE CHALLENGES FACING THE PLANTHIRE SECTOR

The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has announced that the CPA Conference 2023 will be hosted on Thursday 9th November 2023 and the theme will be ‘Facing the Challenges in the Plant-hire Sector’. The one-day event will be held at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Fillongley near Coventry.

The CPA Conference is organised by the CPA, the longest established trade association for the plant-hire sector in the UK. The CPA has over 1,800 members who supply 85% of hired plant to the construction industry. Delegate tickets can be booked online at www.cpa. uk.net/events/cpa-conference-2023. Until 31st March 2023, conference tickets can be purchased for the advance delegate booking rate of £50 plus VAT (reduced from £75 plus VAT) by entering the discount code TS2023.

The CPA Conference 2023 will be the eighth CPA Conference to be held. Over the years, the CPA Conference has become established as an essential entry in the calendar for senior figures in the plant-hire sector, with speakers from organisations such as Costain, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the European Rental Association (CRA), GAP Group, HS2, Highways England, JCB and Sunbelt Rentals. This year’s panel debates will be steered by event convenor Merryn Myatt, a former BBC news presenter and journalist who has hosted previous CPA Conferences to great success.

As well as attending the Conference, delegates will also have the opportunity to visit exhibitors from many of the UK’s leading construction plant equipment manufacturers, suppliers and construction services providers. For previous CPA Conferences, exhibition space has proved so popular that it has been a sell-out. To register interest in exhibiting at the CPA Conference 2023, please contact Lisa Collins on 07968 840390 or email:

lisa@lisacollinscommunications.co.uk

INDUSTRY STILL BLIGHTED BY SERIOUS PAYMENT AND CASHFLOW ISSUES, CICV SURVEY REVEALS

CONTRACTS EXCHANGED ON ZERO CARBON MODULAR HOMES DEVELOPMENT

Contracts have been exchanged on Surrey and Sussex-based housing provider Raven Housing Trust’s latest net zero carbon development.

The new Lewes Low Cost Housing homes will be built on the site of the former Pells Church of England School, which closed in 2017, and will provide one, two, and three-bedroom homes for affordable rent and shared ownership.

Raven has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and was recently awarded sustainability funding as part of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council’s bid to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Wave 1.

As well as being Raven’s second completely net zero carbon development, the 32-home site in Lewes will be their first to be built using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), a construction technique focussing on building more high-quality homes, faster.

Raven has chosen to partner with modular home developer Boutique Modern, who are on a similar sustainability mission, with this new development being a significant step. The homes will be factory produced; they will then arrive on site in large box form, where they will be craned into position and the final external insulation and finishes will be applied. This will significantly reduce construction waste and the number of deliveries to site. The factory itself is located within the Lewes district, only ten miles from the site.

A B-Corp organisation, meaning they have been assessed and verified as upholding extremely high social, environmental and governance standards,

Boutique Modern’s ambition is to address the affordable housing crisis and deliver sustainable social housing by working with housing associations and local authorities using modular technology.

The new homes are due to be completed by spring 2024, and will be built using Homes England funding, as well as Raven’s own funds in addition to a £630,000 grant provided by South Downs National Park Authority.

The 18 homes available for affordable rent will be allocated via Lewes District Council and the 24 shared ownership homes will be marketed by Raven, details will be available on the Raven Homes website later this year.

VITAL SUPPORT FOR SUSTAINABLE NEW PLUMSTEAD DEVELOPMENT

A46 STONELEIGH INTERCHANGE PROJECT ACHIEVES MAJOR MILESTONE WITH SUCCESSFUL BRIDGE MOVE

The A46 Stoneleigh junction improvement project being constructed by Colas for Warwickshire County Council, achieved the most significant milestone of the project to date with the successful move of the new bridge deck into position.

Berkeley and Peabody are transforming 17 acres of unused land in South East London into the exciting new Lombard Square development in Plumstead, and have awarded Vital Energi the £13m design and build contract.

Berkeley and Peabody are working together to regenerate the unused land, which is located adjacent to Plumstead Station and was once home to Arsenal Football Club, shaping it into a dynamic and well-designed new neighbourhood.

The development will comprise 1,750 apartments along with retail, commercial and community spaces. Additionally, there will be a strong focus on sustainability and enhancing the provision of high-quality green space in the area with a new 1.8-acre four seasons park for everyone to enjoy.

Vital Energi are taking the project from the initial RIBA stage 4, through to RIBA stage 5 for the design and build across all eight blocks.

Vital Energi will design and build the Energy Centre that serves the whole development and are supporting Berkeley in reaching their sustainability goals through the installation of ground source heat pumps, which will extract water from aquifers below the surface via 140m deep boreholes. All risers and laterals will be installed within each block, and Vital Energi will complete design and build of the buried district heating network.

vTherm˚e Heating Interface Units (HIUs) will also be installed within each home, along with the Glass App metering and billing platform. This will provide real time heating control and scheduling for residents, allow engineers to diagnose issues remotely via an app, and when

combined, both vTherm˚e and Glass will help to optimise the heat network.

Rob Callaghan, Managing Director of Vital Energi’s London & Southern division, said: “We are looking forward to working on the design and build project in collaboration with Berkeley and Peabody, to build a more sustainable and green community, whilst helping them to reach their net zero target by 2030.”

Karl Whiteman, Divisional Managing Director for Berkeley East Thames, said:

Berkeley has had the privilege of working in The Royal Borough of Greenwich for over two decades. During this time, we have committed to taking derelict, unloved land and transforming it into exceptional spaces. Part of our planning process involves showing the foresight to include sustainable features that will contribute to a greener way of living.

“Together with our partner Peabody, we believe Lombard Square will be a real driver of change for Plumstead and Thamesmead. In addition to delivering new homes, it will offer employment retail and leisure opportunities alongside a new stunning biodiverse park that can be enjoyed by the whole community - –something we hope everyone will be proud of and benefit from.”

The design has commenced, and construction will begin in August.

The new bridge deck has been constructed off-line in order to minimise disruption to the strategic road network and was installed into its permanent position using a deck lift and transportation method over the weekend of 21/22 January. Once the construction was complete, the 740 tonnes bridge deck was jacked to full height in the off-line area during the week prior to the move, by the experienced team from Sarens. It was then lifted using a self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT), carried into position across the A46 and lowered onto the new abutment walls.

Colas Project Manager Andy Bond explains “With the combined weight of the bridge deck and the lifting and moving equipment weighing 1100 tonnes, manoeuvring it into place required intensive planning with all teams working collaboratively to ensure everything ran smoothly on the day.”

The A46 was closed to traffic from Friday evening to allow the team time to safely remove the central VRS, and temporary VRS ready for the SPMT to move the bridge deck into place above the abutment walls on Saturday morning. With the move completed in approx. one hour on Saturday morning, the teams then successfully completed the longer, delicate task of slowly lowering the bridge deck into its exact placement on the new walls.

The team then carried out a full inspection of the road and re-installed the central VRS and temporary VRS ready for the road to re-open over 26 hours earlier than planned.

Colas Executive Director for Construction Solutions, Sean Jeffery was on site for this major achievement and said “We are delighted with the smooth running of this significant milestone for the A46 project.

“The entire project team, including our partners and stakeholders, have worked tirelessly to plan this manoeuvre and their efforts were rewarded with the success of this highly complex phase of the project.”

Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Highways, said: “This was an incredibly impressive piece of engineering and construction by our contractors at Colas and Sarens and marks a really exciting milestone for the Stoneleigh Junction Improvements, which we expect to be complete by the summer. The benefits of this scheme to local residents, businesses and the wider network are significant and it’s great news that we are now a step closer to them being realised.

Watch a video of the move here: https://youtu.be/ulyNdDh-P7E

IDOM MEREBROOK SUPPORTS RIVERSIDE REDEVELOPMENT AT LONGBRIDGE

Idom Merebrook, environmental consultancy has supported work on one of the largest and most significant regeneration schemes in the UK, a longterm £1 billion initiative to breathe new life into one of Britain’s most famous industrial areas.

Longbridge, located just twenty minutes from Birmingham was once the heartland of British car manufacturing and home to the iconic Mini. Today, following a decade of redevelopment the area is fast becoming a mixed-use hub of workplaces, homes, shops, cafés, event space and parkland, where residents, businesses, students and visitors can live, work and study.

To secure the long-term sustainable future for Longbridge and to protect the surrounding natural environment, the development is embracing holistic engineering methods in developing the local landscape.

Working with partners including ACS Construction Group, the Environment Agency, St Modwen’s design team JPA and Birmingham City Council, Idom Merebrook was appointed as geotechnical advisor and river reinstatement reviewer to carry out environmental monitoring for the construction phase of the project.

The project goal was to create a natural and ecological enhancing strategy to support the reconstruction of the River Rea.

The consultancy provided specialist support to ensure that the earthworks specifications were met and that the soft landscaping techniques envisaged by the Environment Agency had been implemented.

Previously, the River Rea flowed through a brick lined, concrete and steel walled canal. The naturalisation plan included removing the hard elements to create a natural channel. The channel design included widening the river bed and lining with lose stone.

Gentle graded batters were constructed and reinforced with larger stones, reclaimed tree trunks were pinned in place and the flood plain was lined with a seeded matting and a series of pools and riffles were created.

The Longbridge riverside development is testament to the fact that using natural resources can be a cost-effective and sustainable way to enhance river channels, while also creating habitat for wildlife.

SCHÖCK THERMAL BRIDGING SOLUTIONS FOR ‘21ST CENTURY COUNTRY HOUSE’

Field House is a substantial and stunning new private home set in the Cotswolds The client brief was for a ‘modern country house’ and the scheme offers a 21st century vision of a traditional country house and its landscape. The avoidance of thermal bridging at various points in the design detailing was extremely important and the Schöck Isokorb, along with the new Schöck Sconnex product, are incorporated to provide the necessary insulation solutions.

The Field House scheme is located on grassland used for animal stabling and

creates a unique, site specific dwelling. Special consent was sought through the National Planning Policy Framework, which allows certain new homes to be built in the countryside and, as in this case, Areas of Outstanding National Beauty. Historically country houses tended to impose themselves on the landscape, but Field House is sensitively designed, becoming part of the landscape, rather than an imposition on it. In addition to integrating with the landscaping, other traditional themes that have been reinterpreted as part of the modern design proposals are the arrival forecourt; the gate house;

the principal courtyard and the stepped garden terraces. Also, what in an earlier century would have been gardens or an idealised landscape, the design here forms a real environment providing habitats for wildlife, especially endangered species, to flourish. The main living space of the house contains a feature rammed earth wall that supports the concrete roof terrace structure above. The external walls of the house are constructed from rammed concrete, a dry concrete mix that is compacted between shutters. Sustainability was important and the engineers worked closely with the architect to reduce the embodied carbon in the house by refining the carbon heavy parts of the structure. For example by adding in an additional column to reduce the floor slab thickness by 100mm; and specifying a concrete mix that reduced the embodied carbon.

The avoidance of thermal bridging was critical

Special consideration had to be given to the avoidance of thermal bridging, particularly with the parapets and columns. The architecture and structure of Field House are closely integrated and as a result there was a high degree of collaboration between Bath and London based Integral Engineering Design and South Wales based Loyn+Co Architects.

The Entrance Hall (Image courtesy of Loyn+Co and SEED Landscape)

The Terrace (Image courtesy of Loyn+Co and SEED Landscape)

James Stroud, a director at Loyn+Co comments: “Minimising the risk of thermal bridging at critical connectivity areas throughout was an important consideration. We had no doubts that the Schöck product solutions used would exceed the performance requirements. As a result we incorporated the Isokorb XT type A as parapet thermal breaks and the Sconnex type W where columns needed to be thermally broken”.

The Schöck Isokorb as parapet thermal breaks

Parapets allow conductive materials to transfer energy through the thermal barrier and are therefore just as prone to the problems of thermal bridging as balconies. In the majority of cases, the conventional method of insulating parapets is to wrap the perimeter of the wall with an insulation barrier. However, the Schöck Isokorb XT type A offers an altogether more thermally efficient and cost-effective alternative. It permits a more sophisticated construction opportunity for greater freedom of design, allows flexible distance between

elements according to load requirements, is extremely durable and impermeable to water – so no maintenance is required. The 120 mm insulation thickness of the XT type A significantly reduces heat loss, also the product is assessed as a ‘Certified Passive House Component’, provides BBA Certification, LABC Registration and NHBC approval – while meeting full compliance with the relevant UK building regulations.

A graphic of the XT type A in position

The recently introduced Schöck Sconnex type W minimises the thermal bridge between the exterior wall insulation and the insulation above the floor slab.

The new Schöck solution for reinforced concrete walls

The recently introduced Schöck Sconnex type W minimises the thermal bridge between the exterior wall insulation and the insulation above the floor slab. Around 40% of all thermal bridges in a building are caused by walls and supports, which in turn are responsible for about 10% of heating energy losses. The Schöck solution offers an application-friendly, high-quality solution. Heating costs are lower, a pleasant room climate is created and the linear thermal transmittance (Psi) of the connected reinforced concrete wall is reduced by up to 90 percent. This outstanding insulation performance is combined with an excellent load-bearing capacity, which transmits very high pressure, tensile and shear forces in the longitudinal and transverse direction. This is made possible by the use of a pressure buffer consisting of ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete, which achieves compressive strength in excess of 175 N/ mm² – but with extremely good flexural strength as well. There is also a significant cost reduction involved when compared to installing insulation beneath the floor slab.

Field House (Image courtesy of Loyn+Co and SEED Landscape)

A graphic of the Sconnex type W in position

FIBRELITE SUPPLY RETROFIT LIGHTWEIGHT

F900 COVERS FOR OFF APRON LIGHTING PITS

2 MINUTE MAX WINDOW FOR SAFE REMOVAL

This regional UK airport was looking for an upgrade for their access covers over the off-apron runway lighting pits. Fibrelite were singled out as an ideal supplier for this retrofit project due to the bespoke GRP access covers they can offer as well as their industry leading strength to weight ratio.

Key Requirements

Ease of access to the runway lighting pits off apron was of paramount importance as onsite staff have a window of approximately two minutes to effect maintenance and/or repair works between take offs and landings, including removing and replacing the access cover.

• Replacement must be F900 (90-tonne) load rated, as per end user mandate.

• The previously installed cast iron trench access covers were extremely heavy, making them difficult to manoeuvre.

• The high levels of physical exertion required (pictured) for the two-person manual removal/replacement of these cast iron covers put operatives at significant risk of manual handling injury/s.

• The new covers needed to be yellow in colour to assist the maintenance team with identification of services beneath.

The Fibrelite Solution

The Fibrelite technical team presented a bespoke, lightweight proposal comprised of yellow composite GRP trench access covers retrofitted directly into the existing frames minimising upheaval to site and avoiding breaking concrete.

• F900 load rated, as per end user mandate.

• Fibrelite lightweight GRP access covers eliminate health and safety risks surrounding manual handling: Fibrelite covers can be easily and safely removed and replaced manually by two people (even with F900 load rating) using Fibrelite’s ergonomically designed FL7 lifting handles.

• Fast and safe removal/replacement allowing maximum time for maintenance work (2-minute window).

• Fibrelite access covers were manufactured using yellow colour pigment in order to assist maintenance team with identification of services beneath. As the pigment is added into the resin during manufacture, there are no issues with colour scratching or fading over time.

The easy access solution provided by Fibrelite eliminates the need for any specialist personnel or machinery during maintenance or operation.

Key Fibrelite benefits at a glance:

• Easy fast access to trench services using the ergonomically designed Fibrelite FL7 lifting handles.

• Best strength to weight ratio available in the market today.

• Corrosion resistant.

Visit the Fibrelite website for more case studies

Fibrelite’s lightweight F900 trench covers can be safely and quickly removed by 2 people

Fibrelite provide lightweight retrofit replacement for heavy cast iron covers

The previously installed cast iron trench access covers were extremely heavy

‘Made to measure’ Fibrelite trench covers fit directly within existing frame/rebate

GEZE UK PUBLISHES LATEST PRODUCT GUIDE

Architects, architectural ironmongers and specifiers will be able to choose the right product for the job thanks to the updated Product Guide and Price List from GEZE UK.

The detailed, illustrated guide is divided into five product sections - overhead door closers; floor mounted door closers; fittings for toughened glass doors; sliding door systems; and window technology – and a comprehensive index

to ensure specifiers can quickly find all the information they need.

New for 2023, is the F 1200+, a window drive for large and heavy, turn and tilt, bottom hung windows. Also included are GEZE’s popular closers which are now available in a matt black finish.

With detailed product information to help specifiers and architectural ironmongers select the most effective

product for their needs, this technical guide replaces the contents of GEZE UK’s existing stylish binder and is available electronically or as hard copy.

It includes technical drawings, application descriptions and finishes as well as glass preparation information and technical information on a wide variety of solutions for toughened glass.

Andy Howland, sales director of GEZE UK, said: “We are constantly developing new technology, launching new products and of course adapting existing ones in order to comply with new legislation.

“With this in mind, we publish our comprehensive Product Guide and Price List each year so that specifiers have all the information they could need in an easy to use format. We can send a hard copy in the post, or email an electronic version – so now’s the time to get in touch.”

To request a copy of the product guide, call 01543 443015 or email info.uk@geze.com.

Wieland Electric’s ‘Innovation Behind’

Wieland Electric’s podis® flat cable system provides an innovative and decentralized solution for supplying power to electric vehicle charging stations. Wallboxes can be supplied with energy easily and quickly, with significantly less effort and material consumption than a conventional installation, thanks to decentralized supply technology.

The podis® energy bus system is ideal for supplying electricity to charging stations.

A large number of charging stations can be connected to a single supply line using this decentralized power distribution system. This saves time during installation, reduces the amount of material needed, and significantly reduces the distribution cabinet’s dimensions. The feed-in or energy tap-off connection components can be placed at any point on the power bus. The podis® components’ piercing contacts enable quick and flexible positioning of the connection modules. As a result, traditional time-consumers like cutting, stripping, and terminating are rendered obsolete.

The podis® cable is a 5-core flat cable system with a cross-section of 16mm², rated at 63A, 600V. Connection cross-sections of up to 16mm² in the centre feed and up to 70mm² in the end feed are possible.

is a charging solution for electric vehicles that is fully charged for the future

M-AR TEAMS UP WITH HOMELESS CHARITY CENTREPOINT TO CREATE A PLACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO CALL HOME

Specialist offsite contractor, M-AR is nearing completion on an ambitious new build project in partnership with the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, Centrepoint.

The project’s goal was to create single occupancy homes for young people experiencing homelessness in London - a first for the charity which up until now has relied on refurbished accommodation.

Centrepoint provides housing and support for almost 13,000 homeless young people every year in London, Manchester, Yorkshire and the North East. Its bold new Independent Living Programme aims to pair over 300 young people with a job and a home across London and Manchester within the next three years and this new development, which will be known as Reuben House, in Peckham is the first step.

Working collaboratively with design consultant Modularize and the Centrepoint project team, M-AR manufactured 33 modular homes in its factory to create the new two storey apartment building. The design features repeatable modular units that can easily be delivered on multiple sites – which means Centrepoint and M-AR will be able to replicate this model on future projects as the Independent Living Programme rolls out to other locations over the next five years.

Each self-contained 21m² home has its own private access, a small functional

kitchen, dining area and a bathroom as well as space to sleep and relax, making the units a comfortable home for young people to live independently. The homes were delivered to site fully fitted with the kitchen and bathroom, with all electrics and plumbing installed as well as being fully decorated throughout for greater programme efficiency.

Another key aspect of the project was to ensure each home was as energy efficient as possible to keep future running costs low for residents, which has become even more important as the cost of living crisis continues. The homes have energysaving features including photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and air source heat pumps to reduce energy consumption and shield residents from spiralling costs.

As well as offering Centrepoint cost predictability from the outset, the use of offsite building techniques provided a solution to the specific constraints of this project including its location on an extremely tight site. By moving much of the first and second fix works off site and into M-AR’s factory, it freed up space on site while also minimising disruption to the local community during the build.

Looking at the bigger picture, the new homes had to meet the requirements of the London Plan, the new spatial development strategy for Greater London, as well as the latest building regulations governing energy efficiency.

The development also had to fit seamlessly into the local neighbourhood - the landscaping and exterior cladding works perfectly achieve this aim.

Ryan Geldard, Director at M-AR commented: “It’s a privilege for us to be able to do our bit to help Centrepoint in its mission to end youth homelessness by delivering these new safe and secure independent living homes.

We’ve worked closely with the whole team to make sure that the units are perfectly suited to the young people who will call them home and it’s great to see them starting to be occupied and know that our job is here is done. We’ve learnt a lot from this build and are looking forward to the next project with Centrepoint.

Sally Orlopp, Director of Centrepoint’s Independent Living Programme, said: “It has been a real privilege to watch these units turn into homes over the last few months. M-AR and our other partners have been fantastic in helping us take this first step towards building 300 homes for those people under 25 ready to escape homeless but unable to afford skyrocketing rents.”

“We can’t wait to hand over the keys to our new tenants who will now have the space and stability they need to stop worrying about the roof over their head and get on with achieving their ambitions. I know these first purpose-built homes are the start of something really special for Centrepoint and our Independent Living Programme and the young people we support.”

For more information call 01482 635 08, email buildingrelationships@m-ar.co.uk or visit www.m-ar.co.uk

For more information about Centrepoint’s Independent Living Programme, please email independentliving@centrepoint.org or visit https://centrepoint.org.uk/whatwe-do/independent-living-programme/

HOW BEAVERFIT HAVE UTILISED MODULAR INFRASTRUCTURE OVER CONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES TO AID THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT

According to research conducted by University of Cambridge and Edinburgh Napier University academics, modular construction emits 45% less carbon than traditional methods because units are completed off-site in a controlled assembly line environment and taken to site in one delivery. It means that modular buildings require fewer carbon-intensive products like concrete and steel, and less transport for on-site workers and material deliveries.

BeaverFit, industry leaders in the design and manufacture of modular outdoor fitness facilities, pledged to work towards a sustainability initiative of up to 96% of their modular builds being made of recyclable materials and renewable energy. Starting with the fully self-sufficient Strength and

Conditioning Shelter at Bulford military base, this was a step into the future for the Field Army. BeaverFit partnered with ZeroAlpha Solutions to offer solar panels for the shelter, making this solution the first ever fully-sustainable fitness facility owned by the Armed Forces.

“This is a genuine modern facility, built to provide the troops with what they need to ensure their physical health and wellbeing, both in terms of what we do in the barracks and around the world. This is a real opportunity and a great asset to the British Army.” – Major General Neil Thorpe

BeaverFit has a subsidiary firm called BeaverFit Special Operations Equipment that provides law enforcement and the MOD with modular, containerised, and deployable tactical training and defence facilities.

Offering a range of ISO and Modular Armouries from lowsecurity storage to Government MFES approved and blast resistant. These portable solutions

offer the highest level of protection in an easily relocatable and deployable system.

Manufactured out of an ISO shipping container, their easily relocatable storage container solutions limit the construction costs and reduce the need for anchors or groundwork due to their semi-permanent location.

As a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, BeaverFit creates modular infrastructures that can be relocated, repurposed and reused multiple times, enabling us to supply some of the most ecological facilities that support climate control and lower our environmental impact.

These particular turnkey solutions are more environmentally friendly than conventional construction techniques due to the limited construction costs and the ability to reduce the need for anchors or groundworks, this means that the facility can be manufactured off-site., reducing travel and air pollution. BeaverFit’s modular construction methods allow for the alteration and modification of existing structures whilst causing the least amount of disruption.

This is a genuine modern facility, built to provide the troops with what they need to ensure their physical health and wellbeing, both in terms of what we do in the barracks and around the world. This is a real opportunity and a

great asset to the British Army.

– Major General Neil Thorpe

People On The Move

APS APPOINTS LINDA BETTS AS UK KEY ACCOUNTS DIRECTOR

Access Platform Sales is delighted to announce that Linda Betts has been promoted to be the company’s UK Key Accounts Director.

Linda joined APS in 2019 as Major Accounts Manager. Her promotion strengthens the company’s strategic capability as it plans for future growth.

Steve Couling, APS Managing Director, said: “Linda’s promotion is just reward for the excellent work she’s doing on behalf of customers, which in turn is supporting our growth as a business.

“She is a consummate and highly motivated sales professional who will continue to make sure we’re setting the highest standards of customer service upon which APS’s success has always been built.”

Linda has 30 years’ experience in sales roles in the powered access industry, more than half of them in senior management positions.

She said: “I’m really excited to be given a new strategic role at APS at a time when we’re able to supply our customers with the most impressive and capable brands in the powered access industry.

“We’ll also be promoting what APS is particularly known for, the exceptional aftersales services, including technical support, that ensures our platforms always give our customers a clear operational advantage.”

APS is the UK and Ireland distributor for LGMG platforms, Hinowa spider platforms, plus tracked mini dumpers and tracked forklifts, and BoSS low-level access platforms. The company is also the UK distributor for Wienold Lifte material lifts.

SISK ANNOUNCES SENIOR UK HEALTHCARE APPOINTMENTS

John Sisk & Son (Sisk) has announced the appointment of Nadeem Chaudhry as Health Sector Lead and Imran Patel as Project Director, Healthcare.

Nadeem has over 20 years’ experience in the UK construction industry providing leadership on major healthcare schemes. He has extensive experience in bidding and delivering healthcare projects in the southeast including, Watford, Luton, Kings College, Heatherwood and Newham University Hospitals.

Imran also has over 20 years’ experience providing technical and construction leadership on various healthcare projects across the UK. He has helped to bid, win, and deliver major healthcare projects including Luton, Heatherwood, Broomfield, Lewisham, Oxford Radcliffe, Wolverhampton Heart and Lung Centre and Burnley General Hospitals. Imran also actively participates in key NHS working groups to help drive agendas around decarbonisation, MMC and digitalisation of the NHS.

Ger Hayes, Managing Director, UK South, John Sisk & Son said: “We are delighted to welcome both Nadeem and Imran to Sisk as we look to grow in the healthcare sector in 2023. Sisk has proven experience in this sector throughout the UK and this combined with Nadeem and Imran’s specialist knowledge and skillsets will help to drive us forward.”

Nadeem Chaudhry, Health Sector Lead, John Sisk & Son said:

I am very pleased to have joined such a fantastic organisation in Sisk with its formidable track record, established customer base and commitment to employee development. I am looking forward to growing the healthcare sector within Sisk across the UK.

Imran Patel, Project Director, Healthcare, John Sisk & Son said: “I am very excited to be joining Sisk to expand its healthcare sector offering. I look forward to working with Nadeem and Sisk’s deep talent pool to play an active part in delivering strategic growth for the business.”

Sisk recently completed The OUH Swindon Radiotherapy Centre. This is an expansion of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s radiotherapy service. Sisk have a strong track record of healthcare delivery in Ireland, Middle East and now with Nadeem and Imran’s appointment we are looking to grow this sector of the business in the UK.

Imran Patel

Nadeem Chaudhry

ABLOY UK STRENGTHENS IRISH PRESENCE WITH NEW REGIONAL SPECIFICATIONS MANAGER APPOINTMENT

Abloy UK is delighted to announce the appointment of Kevin Birch as its new Regional Specifications Manager in the Republic of Ireland, to develop and strengthen the company’s presence in the region.

Kevin brings a wealth of access solutions experience to the role, having spent over 13 years in the Middle East, working within business development supporting some of the world’s biggest companies. After relocating to Ireland, he has worked within access control - both commercially and residentially - for the past two years.

Kevin is keen to develop relationships with new and existing clients within the region and work closely with specifiers and system integrators, educating the Irish market on access control systems, compliance and standards, and Abloy solutions.

Kevin spoke about his aims in the role and said: “As the main point of contact for Abloy in Ireland, I’m very much looking forward to getting to know our customers and partners

and helping to drive the business forward. This is an exciting industry to be in right now with so many developments in technology and standards for access control solutions – a crucial part of society today.

He describes himself as an outgoing and friendly person: “I am enthusiastic and passionate to offer the highest quality of service possible to assist the Irish market. I believe it’s important to be open and accessible, being located in Region is a positive move offering local support.”

Since starting his new position, Kevin has been overwhelmed by the support from the Abloy team and his colleagues. He said: “Although I am in Ireland, and my colleagues are based in the UK, everyone has been so supportive, ensuring I have everything I need to do my job and educating me on the Abloy brand and its range of high security access solutions. I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome.”

Pat Jefferies, Commercial Director at Abloy UK, explained the new appointment:

LOUISA FINLAY APPOINTED AS CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER

Kier Group plc announces that Louisa Finlay, currently Kier Construction’s Clients and Markets Managing Director, is appointed as Chief People Officer and will be part of the Group’s Executive Committee, with effect from 6 March 2023. Louisa will take over from Helen Redfern, who will be leaving Kier after ten successful years to take up a role as Chief People, Sustainability and Communications Officer outside of the industry.

Louisa has worked for Kier for over 30 years since joining as a trainee engineer on a sandwich degree. She has worked in numerous sectors and roles in the national and regional construction businesses, including as Managing Director of the Kier Southern Construction business. In her current role, as well

as responsibilities for key frameworks, clients and markets, she is also Kier Construction’s lead on environmental and social sustainability. Louisa is also passionate about the skills, talent pipeline and professionalism of the construction sector, as demonstrated through her roles as Trustee of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and membership of BuildUK, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Construction and Property Industry Mentoring Circle.

Andrew Davies, Kier Group CEO, commented: “I would like to thank Helen for her hard work over the past decade.

“Helen has driven forward a progressive People agenda and has been an integral part of our leadership team. I wish her every success in the future.

“From training and working with Kevin, I can tell he is the right fit for Abloy UK - he is outgoing and friendly, as well as extremely knowledgeable about access solutions, and I can tell he will be a trusted advisor for the Irish market. We wish him the best of luck in his new role.”

I am delighted that Louisa Finlay, currently Kier Construction’s Clients and Markets Managing Director, assumes the role of Chief People Officer. Louisa’s wealth of experience in Kier and the wider construction sector, as well as her commitment to building excellence across all aspects of the people, health, safety, wellbeing and sustainability agendas, mean she is well-placed to our lead People function and drive progress across these vital strategic areas.

Bringing Kevin onto the team is a massive win for us. Somebody of Kevin’s expertise and experience is hard to find, and so when we became aware of his potential and availability in the Republic of Ireland, we knew we had to approach him.

Kevin Birch

THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

When constructing a building, fire safety is paramount and must be considered at all times throughout the process. In addition to keeping the occupants free of risk of serious injury or death, there are legal implications too as buildings must comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Learn more about fire safety building regulations by reading our helpful guide below.

Building fire safety regulations

Amongst everything that comes with constructing a new building, fire safety design in buildings is one of the most important aspects. Both the safety of the construction workers during the building process and occupants of the building when the building is finally finished must be considered.

A publication by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) details what responsibilities and processes must be adhered to keep these two categories of people safe. Every year, there are hundreds of fires that occur on construction sites that put the lives of construction workers, and even members of the public, at risk. As a result, fire safety building regulations are not to be overlooked as they remove the risk of fire during the design and construction phase.

Building fire safety services

With buildings already in place, there are

various fire safety courses of action that must be examined to adhere to fire safety building regulations.

A fire strategy report is often overlooked for existing buildings. Still, more and more building managers have come to understand their value and their benefits in regard to fire safety-related issues. If a building is erected, extended or undergoing a material change, Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations specifies that a package of safety information must be compiled and given to the person responsible for the premises.

If this information has not been provided or is unavailable for a property, the owner of the premises may wish to commission a retrospective inspection to analyse the potential fire spread and carry out a plan to minimise the damage a fire could cause.

Fire strategy reports are commonly used to collate and provide such information. They can additionally be used during the design stage of a building project. By doing this, the required fire safety features of the final build have been correctly incorporated into design ideas and avert the need and hassle for this to be done retrospectively.

Modern buildings should already have adequate compartmentation if fire safety building regulations have been carefully considered in the construction

process. However, a compartmentation survey is applicable if there are concerns about the effectiveness of existing compartmentation in a building.

This is a process of subdividing buildings to avert the spread of smoke and fire. A compartmentation survey deduces a building’s ability to protect escape routes in the case of a fire. It involves considerable investigative work within ceilings and floor voids, roof spaces, service rises, behind boxings, and further building features.

Finally, there is the required fire risk assessment which the property owner, landlord or managing agent has a legal responsibility to carry out. This is an organised inspection of a property to ascertain if there are any existing fire hazards that could cause harm. It also identifies a building’s measures currently in place and estimates the level of risk for existing hazards.

Roles and responsibilities during fire safety design in buildings

During a building’s construction phase, there are several processes that must be implemented to ensure the reduced risk of fire hazards.

According to the HSE, it is the client’s responsibility to carry out a construction phase plan that addresses specific fire risks and plans thorough procedures in

FIRE RATED ACCESS PANELS

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.

the event of a fire. The client must also recruit a chief designer or contractor that has to ensure the identification, elimination and control of any potential fire risk. They must be prepared to challenge any decisions made by the building designers to fully implement the necessary measures that come with constructing with fire safety building regulations in mind.

The person or company responsible for designing the building has to be building with fire safety design in mind. This includes evaluating any potential risk of fire during the construction project’s design, including the building materials and the overall procedure of the build itself.

Designers must analyse off-site fire risks too, including the impact on neighbouring

buildings and their emergency escape routes.

From there, it is then the contractor’s responsibility to ensure fire mitigation measures are implemented on-site. They must also assess and manage fire process safety risks, such as the use of solvents for fire spread.

As much as it is necessary for those overseeing the building’s development to address fire safety design in buildings, the

construction workers must comply with the set out on-site rules and regulations to holistically carry out a safe building operation.

If every rule is followed by each member strictly from the start to the finish of the construction process, it will limit any risks of injury to fire, which is precisely why the regulations are in place.

For further information:

www.nwfiresolutions.co.uk

Safety, Security & Fire Protection: Case Study

THE PICTURE HOUSE, BRADSHAWGATE, BOLTON

The Picture House is situated on a busy thoroughfare in Bolton Town Centre. The six-storey building consists of two blocks with a central courtyard. The front and rear elevations featured timber cladding from floors one to five. Timber clad steel sliding sunscreens are also installed to all balconies.

On 15 November 2019 a fire broke out at a neighbouring student accommodation building, The Cube. The rapid spread of fire severely affected the building, which featured a High Pressure Laminate (HPL) external wall cladding system.

In response, and as part of the postGrenfell roll out of fire risk assessments on high-rise buildings, Irwell Valley Housing Association carried out thorough tests and investigations and found that the timber cladding, timber battens, breather membrane and cement particle board used in the timber clad areas were non-compliant.

The association appointed Hamilton to remove and replace the non-compliant timber decking and we worked with Wetherby Building Systems, which

produced a Project Specification for their EpsiBrick External Wall Insulation System to complement the surrounding buildings.

Our teams carried out the façade removal and replacement and a striking red brick finish, which replaced tired and faded timber, has had a hugely positive impact on the aesthetics of the building.

Hamilton Managing Director, Robert Storton, explains: “The Picture House was a rewarding project to be part of and, as Main Contractor, we successfully overcame several challenges along the way.

“The location was a logistical challenge; not only is access around the building extremely limited but it is also situated on a busy

junction with shops on the ground floor and emergency exits in the passageways between the neighbouring buildings.

Retaining constant access and protecting the residents and public was our priority so the scaffold was specially designed and adapted and the materials hoist was only used during preagreed set time periods.

“There was also a lack of storage on site and, as the stripped timber components were combustible, we implemented a robust continuous waste removal strategy.

“A final challenge was presented when we removed the façade and stripped the system back to the internal plasterboard. As can often be the case, we found multiple defects to the Steel Frame System, which we repaired before commencing the EWI system installation.

“Irwell Valley Housing Association’s investment in this safety critical project has provided a great deal of reassurance to residents. In addition, it has given the iconic building a new lease of life and complements the wider regeneration plans in the area.

“We’re delighted with the results and it is another job well done for the Hamilton team.”

For further information about Hamilton (Building Contractors) Ltd please visit https://hamiltonfirst.co.uk/, email enquiries@hamiltonfirst.co.uk or call 01274 666166

VISIONTRACK LAUNCHES GROUNDBREAKING AI-POWERED VIDEO ANALYSIS TO HELP SAVE LIVES WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

VisionTrack, the leading AI video telematics and connected fleet data specialist, is transforming construction fleet safety with the launch of a sophisticated AI-powered post-analysis solution. NARA (Notification, Analysis and Risk Assessment) will revolutionise how camera footage is assessed and help construction vehicle and plant operators to dramatically reduce road deaths and injuries.

“Our cloud-based NARA software is a true game changer in the world of video telematics as it will help save time, costs and most importantly lives, by providing proactive risk intervention and accurate incident validation,” explains Richard Kent, President of Global Sales at VisionTrack “NARA proactively removes false positives and monitors driver behaviour, without the need for human involvement. With traditional video telematics solutions, construction fleets can be experiencing hundreds of triggered daily events, so this will enable them to deliver more efficient working, whilst not compromising on road safety.”

NARA is device agnostic so can be integrated with existing connected camera technology – whether VisionTrack or

NARA proactively removes false positives and monitors driver behaviour, without the need for human involvement. With traditional video telematics solutions, construction fleets can be experiencing hundreds of triggered daily events, so this will enable them to deliver more efficient working, whilst not compromising on road safety.

third-party hardware – and adds another powerful layer of analysis to AI vehicle cameras, installed with edge-based AI technology, that are often limited by the processing capacity of the device.

NARA represents a huge step forward for video telematics as it uses ground-

breaking computer vision models with sensor fusion to assess footage of driving events, near misses and collisions. This ensures the review process is manageable and timely, while eliminating human availability or error, so construction vehicle and plant operators can make best use of video telematics insight to better protect road users and help prevent collisions.

During the testing phase, a 1100-strong vehicle fleet was found to be generating on average 2,000 priority videos a week, which would typically take someone over 8 hours to review. NARA reduced the time needed to review events that require human validation to just minutes per day. As a result, the company is now targeting more efficient risk management, whilst supporting their road safety strategy.

Advanced object recognition uses deep learning algorithms to automatically identify different types of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. With incredibly high accuracy levels, it will be able to distinguish between collisions, near misses and false positives that can be generated by harsh driving, potholes or speed humps. The software will also include Occupant Safety Rating that uses a range of parameters to calculate the percentage probability of injury and immediately identify if a driver needs assistance.

“As a true advocate of road safety, having already pledged our support to global initiative Vision Zero, we are passionate about helping the construction industry achieve its target of eliminating all traffic fatalities. Our vision is to create a world where all road-users are kept safe from harm, so we are embracing the latest advances in machine learning and computer vision to further enhance our industry-leading IoT platform, Autonomise.ai, and AI video telematics solutions,” concludes Kent.

Richard Kent

Security & Fire Protection

4 TIPS TO PREVENT FUEL THEFT IN CONSTRUCTION

Julian Free,

National Accounts Manager (Construction) Site Security at DeterTech

Almost a year ago on 1 April 2022, new legislation came into force restricting the use of red diesel on construction sites. As a result, the industry now uses the same more expensive white diesel that powers consumer vehicles.

Aside from increasing fuel costs, such a change had an undesirable effect on the construction industry. It made the fuel bowsers commonly found on construction sites a significantly more attractive target for criminals.

To mark the one-year anniversary of this change, we’d like to share 4 tips for security

managers and constructors looking to secure their fuel and protect their business:

1. Understand your surroundings: The type of risk you face is determined by the location and environment of your construction site. By staying up to date on the latest crime trends through police and media reports. You can make informed decisions when deploying solutions that can be tailored to your specific site and environment, such as physical barriers and monitoring and surveillance systems.

2. Limit entry: Physical barriers are the first line of defence against theft. Installing them at key construction site entrances can deter criminals and limit

the size of containers they can steal. Effective access control systems can also help monitor who last had access and when, should a later investigation be required.

3. Monitoring and surveillance: Deploy camera and intrusion detection systems allowing for 24/7 surveillance and monitoring. Place these units in strategic locations to deter thieves and link them to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) for added security. These systems are often available as a rapid deployment solution, on a short or longterm hire basis.

4. Forensic marking: Consider protecting fuel stores, bowsers, pumps, and tanks with unique forensic marking solutions, such as SmartWater. These solutions provide trace evidence that can be used to link thieves to the scene of the crime and deter criminals who know about the technology.

Fuel security is a significant and expensive issue for businesses, but with the right solutions in place, theft can be deterred and prevented, and construction projects can stay on track. By implementing a combined, bespoke fuel protection solution, security managers can better protect their sites and fuels from theft.

Julian Free

FOSTER + PARTNERS COMPLETES ICÔNE, A COLLABORATIVE OFFICE COMPLEX IN LUXEMBOURG

Foster + Partners has completed ICÔNE, a new office complex in Belval, Luxembourg. The 18,800 square-metre office building, filled with light and greenery, encourages a spirit of cocreation and collaboration. Its layout addresses the need for flexible and safe working environments that will emerge in the future. It also references the rich industrial heritage of Belval, revitalising the area by making a positive contribution to the site and its surroundings. The scheme is targeted to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating.

Darron Haylock, Partner, Foster + Partners, said: “We are delighted to

celebrate the opening of this landmark project for Belval, which we began designing in 2016, well before the pandemic began. Covid has highlighted the need for healthier and more flexible urban workspaces, which is exactly what this project provides. The light-filled central atrium is the beating heart of the complex, promoting collaboration and enhancing employee wellbeing.”

Geoffroy Bertrand, Country Director, BESIX RED Luxembourg, said: “As a forerunner in this field, ICÔNE is a ‘smart building’ dedicated to the wellbeing of its occupants. We have designed office space that encourages interactivity, creativity and performance, while adapting to the environmental requirements of tomorrow.”

ICÔNE is located in Belval, a new city quarter combining research, education, leisure and commerce. The scheme relates to the scale of neighbouring buildings and addresses the different characteristics of the surrounding streets. Its entrances are articulated differently in response to Porte de France, the main urban street to the west and the Place de l’Académie to the East. New shops, cafés and restaurants will bring life to these entrance elevations at pedestrian level.

Designed in collaboration with local practice BFF architectes, the building is arranged as two wings enclosing the central atrium, wrapped by a distinctive orthogonal façade and roof which emphasises the structural grid and gives

the building appropriate to its industrial setting. The historic and symbolic Belval blast furnace forms the central focus of the dramatic vista from the atrium.

Tom Beiler, Partner, BFF, said: “It was a great honor and pleasure to participate in the creation of this unique building that responds to the beacon of history, the Haut Fourneau B. During this exceptional and respectful collaboration with Foster + Partners, we were able to create a building with a pared-down design that embodies the industrial aesthetic to create a bright, transparent and relevant space.”

The fluidity of the internal space contrasts with the building’s formal exterior. The atrium resolves the level changes between the street and the plaza through a series of stepped terraces which create a spectacular arrival sequence. The open circulation adds to the vibrancy of the internal spaces, with communal green landscaped terraces for informal meetings and break out spaces at higher levels as part of a rich and varied whole.

The façade is both structural and environmentally responsive, providing an integrated solution which allows for internal column-free office spaces as well as solar shading and maximised internal daylight. The external façade benefits from a series of external green loggias, visible from both the inside and outside of the building.

Read more about this story on fosterandpartners.com

WHY CONCRETE ROOF TILES COULD BE THE BEST OPTION FOR YOUR PITCHED ROOF

Concrete roof tiles offer advantages over traditional clay, stone and slate tiles that often include cost effectiveness, durability, robustness, a long lifespan, ease of installation, range of colours, profiles and minimal maintenance.

Using latest developments in design and manufacturing the evolution of concrete roof tiles means that they are now more resilient, and sustainable than ever before. When eco-friendly credentials are important concrete roof tiles are a great choice for any roofing project.

Sustainability

In recent years, the demand for sustainable solutions in the construction industry has significantly increased. Concrete roof tiles are both durable and low maintenance.

Thinner leading-edge concrete roof tiles are a specifically sustainable solution. These tiles use 15 per cent less raw materials than a standard concrete roof tile and the product also has a reduced depth. This means that around 20 per cent more tiles can be packed onto a pallet, reducing transportation and thus resulting in a lower carbon footprint The materials used to manufacture concrete roof tiles, means that the lifespan of the tiles lasts at least 50 years.

The process of manufacturing concrete roof tiles also requires considerably less energy, as they are cured at a much lower temperature for only a short amount of time, whereas clay tiles (for example) require extensive power as they fire clay in a 1,000+ºC kiln for up to 48 hours.

Russell Roof Tiles has reported a 30 per cent energy saving during manufacturing when compared to the process of manufacturing clay roof tiles.

Versatility

A key focus when working to add value to a project whilst maintaining an authentic, regional aesthetic, concrete roof tiles are a great choice.

Designed and made with durable, reliable materials and manufactured with modern techniques, concrete roof tiles can provide superior strength while still maintaining unique characteristics that

can be selected to complement a specific aesthetic.

A variety of colours and profiles that replicate traditional clay, stone and slate tiles, concrete roof tiles offer a long-term investment that can withstand even the harshest weather conditions, which is worth considering if your project is being built in an exposed area that is prone to colder weather and winds.

Installation

Concrete roof tiles, many of which feature an interlocking design that allows for a fast and reliable installation, are an excellent option for those seeking to save time during the installation process.

Interlocking large format tiles that lock together, are a perfect solution fast and reliable roofing solutions. Concrete roof tiles are cost-effective compared to other materials on the market, making them an ideal choice for those who don’t want to sacrifice style for affordability.

Peace of mind

Many concrete roof tile manufacturers provide guarantees on their products, which give all parts of the supply chain with assurance that they are receiving a viable product from a credible company.

For example, guarantees provided where the specification has been followed and detailed in accordance with its advice provided in the fixing specification and instruction are a great choice to consider. By having guarantees in place, builders and contractors know the manufacturer is committed to providing a high-quality product.

As a leading UK Manufacturer of Hybrid Sealants, Bond It, have successfully established their “next generation” Hybrid Liquid Roofing Membrane well and truly on to the roofing market.

Roof Seal, an easy-to-apply one coat liquid roofing membrane, is a modern alternative to traditional GRP, PU and bitumen roof coatings. It is highly reflective, solvent-free, non-flammable waterproof barrier formulated for professional roofing applications and requires no special training to apply. Roof Seal is designed to be used on its own, however, in more demanding situations it can be used in conjunction with a bleed blocker primer, accelerator (for sub-zero temperatures), reinforcement mat (for increased durability) and edging and trimming sealer, the system offers a high performance, permanently flexible, watertight, durable, weatherproofing barrier for all existing roof substrates.

Providing primerless adhesion on a wide variety of building and roofing substrates, it has excellent resistance to ageing, ultraviolet and discolouration. It also provides water vapour permeability, allowing the surface to breathe. Under test conditions, Roof Seal was shown to have superb cool roof thermal properties outperforming black bitumen by 36% at just 0.8mm thickness. It was also 11.3% more efficient than solar reflective paint all helping to reduce energy costs.

Based on advanced hybrid technology, Roof Seal remains permanently flexible.

It does not harden or soften under extreme weather conditions with very high stability to temperature variations (from -500C to +1200C), to UV radiation and to external chemical attack. It offers many benefits including ease of application, fast curing times, no solvent and virtually odourless and can even be applied on to damp surfaces . Available in grey in 2.5L, 5L and 20L eyecatching tins.

For more information on Roof Seal visit www.bonditgroup.com

CONSTRUCTION STARTS ON NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TO TRANSFORM DISUSED LAND IN LEEDS

Top ten homebuilder, Keepmoat, has commenced construction of its new housing development, Synergy, at Rathmell Road and Kendal Drive in Halton Moor, which is to be built on unused brownfield land in Leeds.

The project will deliver 109 new homes to the area and will consist of two-, threeand four- bedroom properties, of which a percentage will be available for affordable housing provision though Leeds Federated Housing Association.

The Keepmoat Yorkshire West team hosted a sod cutting ceremony at the site to mark the commencement of construction, with many guests in attendance, including Councillor Debra Coupar, deputy leader of Leeds City Council and executive member for resources, and Councillor Helen Hayden, the council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate.

The development is the last site to be built as part of the Leeds City Council Brownfield Land Programme, which is designed to support the city’s growth and will provide over 1,000 new homes across 13 housing developments in East Leeds.

This programme will not only deliver much needed new homes but will also improve the communities and neighbourhoods within the local area.

The homebuilder has also made commitments to the local community, with plans to work with local schools and employment groups to recruit young people through apprenticeship schemes, with two local apprentices already recruited to start their homebuilding careers at the Synergy site.

The project is being delivered in partnership with Keepmoat and Leeds Federated Housing Association. The first of the new homes are expected to be complete by April 2023 with overall completion estimated for June 2025.

MORRISON ENERGY SERVICES DELIVERING OVERHEAD LINES REFURBISHMENT FOR NATIONAL GRID

Morrison Energy Services’ Transmission Networks team is proud to announce it has secured a contract with National Grid to refurbish the southern section of the 4VK line between Cottam and Wymondley.

The work involves carrying out essential refurbishment works on 170km of overhead line between Cottam Power Station, Nottinghamshire and Wymondley, Hertfordshire.

The project team will upgrade overhead lines that have been in service since the mid-1960s.

This work will provide a safe and reliable electricity supply to homes and businesses in the area for years to come.

Phase one, completed in November, involved replacing the conductors that run between the pylons on the 90km stretch between Cottam and Ufford, near Peterborough.

The next stage, taking place in 2023, requires the team to upgrade the next 80km of overhead line, which includes replacing the conductor and fittings between Peterborough and Wymondley.

The 4VK line project has a number of high-risk, complex crossings including railways, dual carriageways and high voltage third party power lines. To understand the extent of these crossings and the detail on each site, the project team will be using drones to provide 360o visibility.

Working with the project’s archaeologists, the team will avoid interfering with

important historical sites while carrying out the work.

In line with Morrison Energy Services’ sustainability strategy, the team has been consulting the project’s ecologists on environmental elements. Any species found to be near the line will be carefully monitored with strict controls put in place to make sure they are safe and undisturbed.

Additionally, the team is looking to reduce its carbon usage at all stages of the project by using alternative fuels, solar powered products and sourcing circular materials to reduce waste.

David Maddocks, Managing Director for Morrison Energy Services Transmission Networks, said: “We are proud to be delivering this project for our client which we have been working with for over 30 years.

“Around 170 of our people will be helping to deliver reliable electricity to National Grid’s southern customers.”

WORKS NOW UNDERWAY ON NEW 340,000 SQ FT LOGISTICS DEVELOPMENT IN BARNSLEY

Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has confirmed that it has broken ground at Barnsley 340, a 24acre strategic logistics development under development for leading midbox warehouse logistics developer Firethorn Trust at a strategic logistics site in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

At 340,300 sq ft Barnsley 340 sits within the Gateway 36 development – an established industrial scheme, located just a two-minute drive from Junction 36 of the M1.

Construction is expected to take six months with the unit available for occupation from Q3 2023.

The development is being built to netzero carbon construction and will also boast BREEAM “Excellent” and EPC “A” ratings, with 15% rooflight coverage, 32 EV parking points and LED lighting featured throughout. A Photovoltaic ‘ready’ roof structure will also provide capabilities for 100% PV coverage.

Talking about the project appointment, Pete Goodman, Glencar Managing Director Midlands and North, added: “Barnsley 340 is the third high profile project appointment Glencar has received from Firethorn Trust in the last 12 months and we are absolutely delighted to once again be working in partnership. With a best-in-class specification, BREEAM excellent target rating and delivered as net-zero in construction the development will deliver a prime logistics site that is built for the future and the varying needs of a broad range of occupiers.

“Observing here today you can see the high-quality nature in terms of how the site is being developed with steels starting to rise out of the ground very soon. We very much look forward to working with the full project team and delivering an outstanding result”.

Also commenting Paul Martin, Development Director at Firethorn Trust, said: “Barnsley has become a highly sought after area for growing logistics businesses, and we are proud to be delivering another modern, market-leading scheme that will support economic growth, whilst improving connectivity across the region. Having formally marked the beginning of works on site with Glencar, we are now looking forward to unlocking the site’s full potential and swiftly bringing the project to completion.”

Less than one mile from J36 of the M1, Barnsley340 fronts the Dearne Valley Parkway, providing direct motorway access to Leeds, Doncaster and Sheffield.

FIRST SPADE HITS THE GROUND FOR BEAUTIFUL NEW

AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT

IN RADSTOCK

Radstock will soon benefit from an ecobuilding project that will provide 15 new affordable homes on Bath Old Road.

The new homes are being developed by social housing provider Alliance Homes and will be built by Hawkfield Homes.

Work officially began on site this week with Hawkfield’s Director, Mike Kilmartin putting the first spade in the ground. He was joined by Helen Napierski, New Homes Manager at Alliance Homes and his fellow Director at Hawkfield, James Kilmartin.

Helen from Alliance commented: “I’m so pleased to see this site get underway. At Alliance we’re committed to not only building new homes but ones that are green too. These properties will all be EPC band A and they’ll also be heated by air source heat pumps. These homes are going to be warm, easy to heat and with renewable electricity they’ll create fewer carbon emissions. To have all this on a development that will provide 100% housing is something we’re proud of.”

Mike from Hawkfield Homes added: “Hawkfield has a reputation for building great quality homes and this mix of two and three bed houses will be delivered to meet our exacting standards.”

Councillor Tom Davies, cabinet member for Council House Building at Bath & North East Somerset Council said: “We’re really pleased to be working with Alliance Homes and Hawkfield Homes to build these 15 new affordable homes in Radstock. They will help to meet the local demand for affordable housing and by being built to the highest energy efficiency standards will help to reduce energy and carbon usage in line with the council’s climate commitments.”

WILLMOTT DIXON LANDS SECOND PASSIVHAUS PROJECT IN 2023 WITH £57M SCHOOL FOR WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL

Willmott Dixon has secured its second Passivhaus project this year, a new £57m secondary school for West Sussex County Council. It follows its appointment last month by University of Exeter for the Multi-Faith Centre.

Construction of the 900-pupil school in Burgess Hill, named The Bedelands Academy, is set to start later this year. It will provide high quality secondary places for families living in the nearby new Brookleigh development as well as across the wider Burgess Hill area.

West Sussex County Council has committed nearly £40m of funding to design and create the new school, in what is the council’s single largest school investment in the last decade.

Around £18m is being contributed by developer contributions. The school is designed to be net carbon-zero in operation, with the aim of creating the first West Sussex school to achieve Passivhaus accreditation.

Willmott Dixon has developed a lengthy track-record of building Passivhaus projects in recent years. Alongside the recent appointment by the University of Exeter, other Passivhaus projects include Spelthorne Leisure Centre for Spelthorne Borough Council, student accommodation at St Peter’s College at the University of Oxford, Hackbridge Primary School and Harris Academy, both in Sutton, and the George Davies Centre for University of Leicester.

A 16-place Special Support Centre has been incorporated within the school for children with special educational needs and disabilities, along with high quality sports facilities that will be available for community use.

The project underlines the Council’s commitment to significantly reducing carbon emissions in our Climate Change Strategy, with climate resilience built into the designs to ensure the school:

• Is highly energy-efficient in operation

• Provides an inspiring and welcoming, inclusive environment for learning, following best practice standards

• Generates its own energy on site without using any fossil fuels, producing an estimated 296,000 kWh of energy a year from around 1,000 solar photovoltaic panels

• Retains and enhances the existing areas of biodiversity within the site, including the mature oak trees that are home to rare bats, and the hedgerows that provide habitat for dormice.

• Stays a comfortable temperature in all conditions using fresh air ventilation, supporting staff and pupils’ wellbeing

The secondary school will be named The Bedelands Academy as part of an ‘all-through’ primary and secondary school run by the University of Brighton Academies Trust. The primary school is being developed and funded separately by Homes England, the Brookleigh master developers, on a nearby site. Homes England is contributing £18m and the land for the secondary school project. The secondary school is expected to open to its first pupils in September 2025.

Images: © Darcstudio

ROTAIR APPOINTS UK & IRELAND SALES LEADER AS PART OF REGIONAL GROWTH STRATEGY

Christian Vaughan to oversee growth in ROTAIR portable compressors, hydraulic breakers and multifunctional dumpers expansion in dealer base across the United Kingdom and Ireland

ROTAIR SPA, a leading company in the design, manufacture and distribution of high technology portable air compressors, multi-functional dumpers and hydraulic breakers for more than 60 years and a brand of ELGi Equipments Limited, announced today the appointment of its first UK and Ireland sales leader, Christian (Chris) Vaughan to oversee the region’s growth strategy.

Having grown significantly in key European markets including Italy and Spain in the past two years, the company is now focused on achieving its ambitious growth plan for the UK and Ireland. The company’s three-part growth strategy in the region includes increasing the number and market coverage of dealers, growing its sales for the rental market and increased sales across its entire range of portable compressors and hydraulic breakers.

“We are honoured that Chris has joined the ROTAIR team with a remit to strengthen our presence in the United Kingdom and Ireland by building strong customer relations and a strengthened dealer network,” said Giuseppe

Donadio, managing director of ROTAIR S.p.A. “Chris’ appointment comes amid and will reinforce an exciting growth period for ROTAIR in the UK and Ireland in the past two years, especially of our VRK Fibre and Fibre Plus units which are specifically conceived, designed and manufactured for fibre optic cable laying.”

Chris’ proven track record in customer relations and sales growth and more than a decade working in the construction sector will prove pivotal to the company’s UK and Ireland growth strategy. Chris specialises in customer engagement, business development and people management and has built his career on establishing and maintaining a loyal client base through understanding and delivering on customer needs and building strong personal relationships.

“I’m excited to be able to bring my skills and experience in construction and business development to achieve ROTAIR’s ambitious growth strategy for the UK and Ireland,” said Chris Vaughan, Sales Leader UK and Ireland. “Growing our entire UK and Ireland sales base with a focus on actively growing our dealer base and tightening our customer relationships, particularly in civil engineering, construction, sandblasting, fibre optics and the agricultural sectors will be key to our success.”

DM HALL APPOINTS DAVIDSON AND ELSBY TO PARTNERSHIP

DM Hall, one of Scotland’s largest independent firms of chartered surveyors, has appointed two new Partners.

Martin Elsby, formerly Director of the firm’s national Building Consultancy and Ian Davidson, formerly Director of DM Hall’s East of Scotland commercial agency arm, join the firm’s 126-yearold partnership, taking its number to 26.

Martin, who joined the firm in July 2019, is a Chartered Building Surveyor with over 20 years’ experience gained across a broad range of property sectors throughout the UK including commercial, industrial, retail, leisure, healthcare, education, transport and utilities. His Building Surveying experience includes project management, contract administration, pre-acquisition surveys, building condition surveys, dilapidations and related legal, technical and statutory advice to property owners, occupiers and investors. He said: “DM Hall is a great Scottish firm with a proud record of achievement over the past 125 years and I am proud to have been appointed a Partner. I will continue to do my utmost to maintain and, if possible, enhance the firm’s nationwide reputation for integrity, professionalism and client service.”

Ian qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 2001 and worked for a two year spell at DM Hall in 2005-2007 before leaving to join Lambert Smith Hampton where he ultimately became Head of Office. He re-joined DM Hall in December 2020.

“I have long admired DM Hall’s culture and approach to business and am delighted to have been invited to join the partnership of such a highly respected firm.”

PROACTIVE ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

By Mark Rushton, CEO, STC INSISO

The concept of incident prediction is fraught with controversy and a topic which is guaranteed to generate debate. The notion that you could predict precisely where and when an incident will occur is equally flawed, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t valuable insight that can be gleaned through better understanding of leading indicators.

Incidents don’t flag the time of their arrival, but do they offer signals that we miss. Have we, despite our vast range of preventive measures, simply become incident blind?

The investigation of many serious and fatal workplace incidents over years reveals an unfortunate pattern where almost inevitably the words “if only” surface:

“If only we had picked up on this issue earlier.”

“If only we had acted on the audit findings.”

It’s doubtful there has ever been an incident where no warning signals were present.

Conversely, well investigated incidents reveal latent issues that pre-existed but were somehow missed or seemingly went undetected. These inevitably lead to further incidents with consequence if left unaddressed over time.

This break in the causal chain between proactive assurance activity and reactive incident investigation is endemic across most industries and worryingly, it is seemingly accepted as the norm. This doesn’t have to be the case.

Key to bridging this proactive/ reactive gap is talking the same root cause language. Understanding the causation

behind audit and inspection nonconformance and having the ability to compare this to investigation root cause outcomes is fundamental. Without this, organisations will continue to live with this damaging blind spot.

STC INSISO acted to develop a solution capable of meeting this challenge. COMET Assured is an innovative and gamechanging feature of the COMET Ecosystem, allowing you to plan, build, and execute audit and inspection activities and root cause analyse your priority findings.

We work with construction industry clients such as Mace Dragados and McDermott to understand proactive/reactive root cause relationships and diagnose compliance gaps before they result in harm.

For further information: www.cometanalysis.com/cometassured

KIER CONSTRUCTION APPOINTS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR

Newly created role boosts Kier’s strategic capability in growing sector

Lee Sturdy has joined Kier as science and technology director for its Construction business, underlining Kier’s strong commitment to delivering for the UK’s science, technology, and research & development (R&D) sector.

In the newly created role, Lee will lead on Kier Construction’s life sciences capability, setting the strategic direction as it expands its work in this rapidly growing, specialist sector. With a national focus, he will work with existing public and private sector clients, supporting the delivery of the UK’s leading position for R&D, science, technology.

A chartered engineer, Lee has over 30 years’ experience in the science and health sectors, across main contractor, consultancy and specialist M&E services. Before joining Kier, Lee was at John Sisk & Son, where he was sector

leader for life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

Louisa Finlay, managing director of Clients and Markets at Kier Construction, said: “The science and technology sector is where public and private investment and expertise meets, making it an important area of focus for Kier.

“As a sector that is growing and evolving rapidly, Lee’s expertise will be crucial as we deliver this type of specialist construction for our clients. I’m delighted to welcome him on board, helping to further strengthen our capabilities in a sector that is so vital to the UK’s economy.”

Lee Sturdy added: “With Kier’s bold plans for growth in the science and technology sector, this role was natural fit.

I’m delighted to be able to build on Kier’s existing success in the life sciences, linking this to our strong expertise in health and education, to ensure our capability across all vital sectors of the UK.”

Lee Sturdy

NORTH WEST TECH FIRM SECURES EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY BACKING TO PROTECT UK UTILITIES

MGISS, one of the UK’s leading geospatial technology companies, has launched a new project, part-funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), to help minimise nationwide disruptions to gas and water supply.

The project, Interruption Prevention Alert Service (IPAS), will use cuttingedge technology to identify and locate development risks within close proximity of critical utility assets.

Gas and water outages caused by developments are a growing problem and IPAS will offer a preventative solution, using satellite data and services to automatically detect changes to the built environment.

The challenges that utilities providers face are also likely to intensify with the Government’s anticipated easing of UK planning laws as part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, along with proposed additional investment in infrastructure and housebuilding.

To ensure that these relaxations do not negatively impact on critical utility assets, a robust, platform-based risk alert service is required to support gas and water providers in minimising supply disruptions.

It is expected that the IPAS project will also deliver added-value outcomes to utility suppliers, including cost savings and a reduction in carbon emissions, supporting the development of a sustainable utility network.

The €1m project, supported by €500,000 of match funding from ESA, will run for an initial two years to test its technical and commercial viability, and to develop a go-to-market plan.

MGISS is heading up the project in collaboration with data partner, Geospatial Insight; client partners, Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) and Northern Gas Networks (NGN); and funding partners, ESA and the UK Space Agency (UKSA).

The launch of the pilot project follows a joint workshop with ESA at Northumbrian Water’s 2020 Innovation Festival, and two years of collaboration with NWG and NGN.

Michael Darracott, Managing Director at MGISS, said: “I’m looking forward to working with our partners to promote the value of capturing, using, maintaining, and leveraging accurate and reliable geospatial data.

We already have a significant amount of interest from operators within the water and gas sectors, and we envisage wider potential in other sectors of the UK and global economies.

Mike Cooper, Innovation and Strategy Manager at MGISS, commented: “We’ve been successfully supporting our utility partners for several years, helping them to

build richly attributed and accurate asset records.

“This solution will enable utilities providers to leverage investment in those data records, combining them with change-detection data from satellite services to enable them to avoid supply disruption via a preventative insight service”.

Clive Surman-Wells, Innovation Partnerships Manager at Northumbrian Water Group, added: “Building works on or near our strategic mains pose a very real threat to the resilience of water supply to our customers.

“It’s very challenging to detect and intervene early because our network covers such a huge geographical area. The IPAS project offers an ‘eye-in-the-sky’ solution, leveraging satellite data and combining it with our own asset data records to proactively identify risks sooner.

“Our operations team at Essex and Suffolk Water will be working with MGISS and Geospatial Insight on the initial test area, and we are planning to expand the trial across all of our regions by 2024.”

The IPAS project is part of a growth strategy for MGISS, enabling the creation of high-quality jobs in the North West region. The project has also allowed MGISS to sponsor a PhD student at the University of Liverpool’s Data Science department for four years.

Find out more by visiting www.mgiss.co.uk

DIGITISATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: FORGING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Matthew Jones, Founder of Open ECX and WebContractor

In this article, Matthew Jones, Founder of Open ECX, discusses the growing demand for environmental and economical sustainability across the construction sector and how technology can help us achieve both.

As it stands, construction of the built environment and ongoing building maintenance is responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that there is mounting pressure on the notoriously energy-intensive construction industry to closely scrutinise its environmental impact.

At present, innovations in technology are already fulfilling an integral role in the sustainable improvement of the construction sector, however these need to be adopted on a significantly wider scale if businesses are to wholeheartedly commit to reaching their Net Zero targets.

A digital solution to the typically timeconsuming process of payments within the construction industry creates an altogether smoother process. It allows businesses clarity on their bottom line, helping them to understand what they can afford to invest in sustainable initiatives, whether that’s locally-sourced materials or upskilling their workforce in sustainable construction.

While it is highly important to streamline payments, it’s essential to consider the entire purchase to payment process - from requesting and receiving, to paying and accounting for goods - and how this can be digitised. A holistic approach to digitising the entire process means transaction efficiency is increased. Real-time product and pricing information is provided for buyers, resulting in a fully integrated cloudbased platform for the wider construction sector.

Furthermore, reducing paper use is one of the most fundamental steps a construction business can take when it comes to becoming more sustainable. eInvoicing involves submitting invoices from suppliers to the company whose services they require, and later onto the accounts payable departments. It is the first port of call when a business is looking to minimize negative environmental impact caused by deforestation and the creation and use of landfills.

It has to be said that digital ordering services may not be the first thing companies think of when looking to improve sustainability. However, the impact it can have on emissions, and therefore their carbon output, can be significant.

Traditionally speaking, the construction industry has always been face-to-face in nature. It was largely accepted that customers would have to drive to suppliers to source materials, place orders, or chase up invoices in person.

eOrdering removes the need for travel, therefore eradicating emissions as it does so.

Again, a positive environmental impact is also achieved as a paper-based system is moved online.

Encouragingly, these digital solutions demonstrate the construction sector’s innate ability to adapt to the challenges it faces. However, it must be said that the only way for companies to tackle sustainability issues head-on

VOLUNTEER TRADESPEOPLE COMPLETE PROJECT FOR PARALYSED BUILDER IN HEREFORDSHIRE

A group of volunteer tradespeople have completed a project at the home of a Herefordshire builder – who was left paralysed after a fall – in a bid to help him gain greater independence.

Band of Builders (BoB) finished the first phase of the project in October 2022 to level the flooring on the ground floor of the Almeley home of Martin Wilks. Volunteers also widened doorways to make it easier for him to move around in his wheelchair.

Recently, up to a dozen volunteers from the national construction charity – which completes practical projects to help members of the UK construction industry who are battling illness or injury –returned to install new flooring and tiling, carry out electrical work and decorate over the course of two weekends in January.

This has been the third time that BoB volunteers have answered the call to help Martin – who was left paralysed from the chest down after falling off a stepladder in June 2018 and hitting his head on a concrete planter, causing a severe traumatic brain injury.

He was initially put in an induced coma and also suffered strokes, seizures, infections, pneumonia and a lung abscess while in hospital. The 68-year-old finally returned to his home in Almeley, Herefordshire, in February 2019 after regaining some of his independence following a long period of rehabilitation. In the same year, a team of BoB volunteers travelled to the general

builder’s home to install a new woodburning stove to replace an unsafe and impractical open fire.

After the initial project, Martin’s family and friends crowdfunded to build an extension and specialist wet room to help him regain his independence and live comfortably at home with his wife.

Speaking about the project to BBC Midlands Today, Martin said: “I would like to thank the wonderful team of people at Band of Builders for the changes they have made to this house – and to our lives. It is amazing, and I’m overwhelmed by the team, who have come from as far afield as Newport,

Somerset, Norfolk and Devon, as well as local people from Hereford.”

Martin’s daughter Hannah said: “We can’t thank BoB enough for its life-changing help for my dad – as he can finally regain some independence and relieve mum of her wheelchair-pushing duties. Both their day-today lives will be vastly improved. It’s amazing what Band of Builders does.”

This was th29th project that the charity has completed since it was founded in 2016, and is sponsored by Tarmac, the UK’s leading sustainable construction materials and building products business.

Garry Gregory, Packed Products Director at Tarmac, said: “We are always proud to get involved with and support the important work of Band of Builders. The life-enhancing projects they are delivering on behalf of those who work in the industry and their families are making a real impact where it’s needed most. It’s an honour to work with Band of Builders again, and we look forward to being involved in many more projects to come!”

Jake Anderson, a longstanding BoB volunteer and the project lead for this phase of Martin’s project, said: “It’s a real privilege to be going back to do more for Martin. His family and friends have made an amazing effort to ensure he’s got the space and facilities to allow him some independence, and we’re hoping some of the changes we’re making will add to that and make him even more comfortable. We can’t wait to get cracking.”

The charity is also backed by other major names within the construction industry, including Jewson, Gibbs & Dandy, V12 Footwear, Talasey, Resideo and Haemmerlin.

Anyone who is interested is encouraged to find out more about the charity on its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ bandofbuilders/

THE DUTY TO MANAGE ASBESTOS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND TRAINING IS A KEY COMPONENT TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE

With less than one per cent of all asbestos training being for the Duty to Manage course, the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) has raised serious concerns that businesses and individuals are not taking their health and safety responsibilities seriously.

UKATA-approved training providers delivered asbestos training to 185,000 delegates over the last 12 months. Of that figure just 1,843 undertook the Duty to Manage course.

Craig Evans, Chief Operating Officer of UKATA, said: “These figures have not been skewed by the pandemic, they are reflective of the wider picture, particularly in the public sector. As a leading authority on asbestos, we flagged our concerns in 2018 that the training numbers are just not stacking up. It is clear that there is a lack of compliance by dutyholders and we need to educate from the top down.”

Regulations require the dutyholder to ‘be aware of any asbestos containing materials (ACMs) on the premises, to review and keep up-to-date records of said materials, assess and manage the risks of the materials and provide the necessary information regarding the materials to those liable to work on or disturb them.’

The policing of the regulations could now get harsher following a recent Parliamentary Inquiry to examine the current risks posed by asbestos in the workplace, the actions taken by HSE to mitigate them and how its approach compares to those taken in other countries.

These figures have not been skewed by the pandemic, they are reflective of the wider picture, particularly in the public sector. As a leading authority on asbestos, we flagged our concerns in 2018 that the training numbers are just not stacking up. It is clear that there is a lack of compliance by dutyholders and we need to educate from the top down.

Dutyholders need to use asbestos registers and plans and the information contained in them to protect the people using the building.

The UK death rate from asbestos-related diseases is the highest in the world with more than 5,000 people in the UK continuing to die each year.

Because of its resistance to heat, corrosion and electricity, asbestos was used widely in construction for 100 years prior to its ban in 2000. It is estimated that there are six million tonnes of the highly toxic material buildings in around 15 million buildings the UK today.

The Committee for Work and Pensions raised concerns in 2020 with the Government about the UK’s policy on managing asbestos in buildings, following the publication of a report by think tank Respublica.

The report argued for the reform of the Health and Safety regime around the management of in-situ asbestos to accurately reflect the risk it poses to the people who work in and attend public buildings. It showed that the UK’s current asbestos monitoring standards fall significantly short of other European nations and called for parity with these standards to better protect teachers, nurses and other members the UK public.

The concerns prompted the Parliamentary Inquiry by the Committee of Work and Pensions to review the effectiveness of the regulations for managing asbestos.

Taking place on 15 December 2021, the inquiry heard from asbestos industry experts, including Graham O’Mahony, Chair of UKATA.

Mr O’Mahony told the Inquiry: we must do is better police the legal responsibility of the safe management of asbestos in buildings by dutyholders.”

He added: “There is often the mistaken belief that the dutyholder is the chief executive. This is not always the case. The responsibility could be passed down in the chain of command.”

Over 5,000 people die in the UK each year due to asbestos related diseases.

It is a legal requirement that all who may come across asbestos in their day to day work have been provided with the relevant asbestos training.

Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 requires dutyholders to identify the location and condition of asbestos in nondomestic premises and to manage the risk to prevent harm to anyone who works on the building or to building occupants.

Have you received duty to manage asbestos training?

UK Asbestos Training Association “UKATA” set standards in asbestos training and ensures that its members meet those standards through quality assurance processes and audits.

Book with a UKATA approved training provider using the nationwide directory online at www.ukata.org.uk or call 01246 824 437.

A STRONG FUTURE FOR SCOTLAND’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

East Lothian’s newest school has welcomed its first students – seven months before the building is due to open.

The Regional Construction Skills Academy is part of the new £47.2m Wallyford Learning Campus, which is currently under construction. While the building won’t open to learners until August 2023, the Academy is already up and running in the campus’ grounds with students benefitting from the opportunities access to a live construction site offers. As soon as the building is completed, the Academy will move into a purpose-designed space as an integral part of the Campus.

A Construction Skills Network report found that the construction industry needs more than 25,000 new workers in Scotland to meet demand for growing output from 2022-2026. The industrial sector is expected to have the highest annual average growth over this period.

East Lothian Council Leader Norman Hampshire visited the Regional Construction Skills Academy to meet with course leaders and young people who were completing a tiling project as part of their course.

Councillor Hampshire said: “Demand in the construction sector is in evident within a short distance of Wallyford Learning Campus with a number of major housebuilding, local authority and infrastructure projects.

“This includes a new settlement at Blindwells, the A1 junction at Queen

Margaret University and the development of schools at Whitecraig, Old Craighall and Blindwells. We want to make sure that such major investment delivers a range of benefits to our economy and our communities.

The new Wallyford Learning Campus has been designed to offer spaces for collaboration that will benefit learners and our wider community, and the Regional Skills Academy is part of this aspiration. It’s a great example of council, further education and industry working together and we are pleased to be in partnership with Edinburgh College and Morrison Construction to offer such valuable opportunities through this facility.

The Regional Construction Skills Academy will support the progression of skilled workers into the industry, contributing to growth both within the region and across Scotland. Edinburgh College is currently delivering two courses at the campus: NPA Construction Craft Level 4 and Introduction to Construction.

Jonny Pearson, Vice Principal at Edinburgh College, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Wallyford Learning Campus, East Lothian Council and Morrison Construction to deliver introductory Construction skills and principles to young people in East Lothian, giving them a taster

of life in the industry. We are committed to supporting the skills needs of our region across all industries and this partnership is aimed at providing at encouraging young people to consider Construction as a career choice.

“We’re looking forward to August 2023 when the new building opens and we can develop the programme further in a stateof-the-art facility.”

The courses encourage students to undertake work placements within industry to offer improved awareness of the market and their employability skills. Morrison Construction is supporting Edinburgh College with opportunities on site to enhance learning. Along with school visits and talks, the firm has also offered placements for pupils from Ross High School, East Lothian Works and Dunbar-based project The Ridge. This has already resulted in permanent job offers.

Jim Johnstone Head of Communities and Social Impact at Morrison

Construction said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with East Lothian Council and Edinburgh College in this innovative programme to shape and prepare tomorrow’s talent for Scotland’s construction industry. This project will deliver tangible and meaningful opportunities for young people to perceive construction as a viable career path to follow, allowing all participants an insight into the opportunities that exist now and in the future within the industry. We see this as a vital service for not just young people but for the wider community.”

“CABE are very supportive of the work Sava has been doing in bringing much needed new talent into the building professions and creating opportunities for people who might not otherwise be able to access a professionally-recognised qualification.

Anecdotal feedback about Sava graduates is very positive and employers are delighted with the knowledge and skills that they bring”

Dr Gavin Dunn Chief Executive Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

ENJOYED TEACHING APPRENTICES? BECOME A TEACHER AND SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS!

Have you recently mentored a young person in an apprenticeship program and enjoyed the experience? It may be a sign to consider a teaching career and improve the quality of future construction workers. Transitioning from mentor to teacher can be easier than you think.

Realising that you have the right skills and expertise to become a teacher is the first step to starting a new chapter in your career. As a trade expert, you can share your knowledge, life experience and industryrelated examples with your students. You can teach part-time, full-time or on an ad-hoc basis. Our team will assist you every step of the way if you need it.

Finding good quality teachers with the right technical skills to train new students has become more difficult. Our mission is to find the right talent to inspire and mentor the next generation of the construction sector, and this can be you.

Who are we looking for?

Our team works closely with further education colleges across the UK, and they are always looking for new teachers, lecturers, and assessors to cover the following sectors:

• Civil Engineering

• Electrical Installation

• Plumbing and Gas

• Carpentry & Joinery

• Bricklaying

• Trowel trades

Guess what? You don’t need qualifications to teach!

Most colleges in the UK do not require teaching qualifications or a degree to get started.

If you are a good communicator, like working with young people, have extensive trade experience and good organisational skills, you have everything you need to become a teacher. Anything else you can learn on the role.

Why work with OmniaPeople?

We know the industry and have the experience to help you move into teaching whether this is on a part-time or full-time basis. With a designated construction team of specialists who have long-standing relationships with colleges nationwide, we will be able to advise you which one would be the best one to meet your expectations and fit your lifestyle.

Transitioning from mentor to teacher can be easier than you think.

The team is led by our director Amy Savva, who has been working in the education recruitment industry for many years and will be able to discuss your options.

Aaron Shaw and Cameron Fisher work closely with part-time and contracted candidates.

Beth Dunstan looks after the full-time construction roles.

Do not hesitate to reach out for an informal chat and start your teaching career in 2023!

Call us on 0203 011 0044 or, alternatively, visit our website www.omniapeople.com