BDC Mag 189 by Matt England

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BUILDING DESIGN &

CONSTRUCTION THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SEPTEMBER 2013 SEPTEMBER 2013 ISSUE 189

FORWARD THINKING SOLUTIONS FROM

MONTAGU EVANS

BUILDING DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

WATERSTONES

PASSIONATE ABOUT BOOKS ABB GROUP

POWER AND PRODUCTIVITY

MANAGING OUR WOODLANDS

FORESTRY COMMISSION

HOLLAND & BARRETT

THE GOOD LIFE

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

LONDON 2012 IS PAYING OFF he Olympic Games of 2012 in London was a

As well as benefiting the economy, the Olympic Games has

roaring success. Whether it was on the track, the

also inspired more people into sport (claiming that 1.4 million

field, the court, the water, the court, the pitch, the

more people are playing sport at least once a week compared

road or in the velodrome, British athletes were

to 2005), while British companies involved in the project have

winning medals in all disciplines. London 2012

seen significant foreign investment from countries wanting to

was also great for the construction industry as the Olympic

gain from their “best in class” qualities. One engineering firm

Delivery Authority wisely spent its £6bn budget on a variety of

behind the Olympic Park said the Games had boosted its sta-

key projects such as site preparation and infrastructure, venues,

tus with other countries and governments for the provision of

the international broadcast centre, and transport.

large-scale transport and urban regeneration projects.

However, the hope was for lasting benefit in bringing the

Certainly, the progress reflected in the report against the

Olympics to London – both for the city and the wider UK

commitments of the “legacy” is a promising start. However,

economy. Thankfully, a recent study has shown that £9.9bn

like Lord Coe has alluded to, there can be no room for com-

has been generated in trade and investment as a direct result

placency. It took ten years to plan, win and deliver the Olympic

of London 2012. The report attributes new contracts, addition-

Games to London, so the legacy must be seen as a decade-

al sales and foreign investment in the last twelve months to the

long plan that will bring lasting, beneficial change.

Games. The government has said the cost of hosting the

games was £8.9bn. This new report expects benefits to the UK DANIEL STEPHENS

economy to be valued at between £28bn and £41bn by

EDITOR

2020.

MAGAZINE MANAGER: KEN BOOTH TRAINING MANAGER: JONATHAN SEALE FEATURE MANAGERS: VAUGHAN WILKS LUKE ROBINSON ADAM PATCHELL WESLEY DAVIES JOHN HENSON DANIEL BEARDSLEY MARK BRITTEN MATTHEW TERRY EDITOR: DANIEL STEPHENS ART EDITOR: STEVE WILLIAMS DESIGNER: KATE WEBBER

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CONTRIBUTORS: JEFF SENIOR ROB SAMUELS MATT WARING PRODUCTION: VICKI LINDSAY LISA POLLINGER ACCOUNTS: NICK CHARALAMBOUS ADMINISTRATION: CHARLOTTE LEWIS

BUILDING DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION IS PUBLISHED BY: CPL (HUDDERSFIELD) LTD 3 Brook Street, Huddersfield HD1 1EB TEL: +44 (0)1484 411 400 E-MAIL: info@bdcmagazine.co.uk

LTD

Building Design and Construction magazine is published by CPL Ltd. Company registered in England & Wales. All material is the copyright of CPL Ltd. All rights reserved. Building Design and Construction magazine is the property of CPL Ltd. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form whole or part without the written permission of a director of CPL Ltd. Liability: while every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information herein, or any consequence arising from it. In the case of company or product reviews or comments, these have been based upon the true and honest opinion of the Editor at the time of going to press.

BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

INSIDE... SECTIONS:

NEWS PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT RETAIL GOVERNMENT SECTOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES HEALTH AND SAFETY ROSPA AWARDS SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS CIVILS, TRANSPORT AND UTILITIES HERITAGE BUILDING SERVICES

4 8 26 48 56 80 92 98 104 116 122

SUPPLEMENTS AND SPECIALS:

INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AWARDS Awarding health and safety

DALE POWER SOLUTIONS Suppliers of secure power solutions

ABB GROUP Power and productivity for a better world

IN NEXT MONTH’S

BUILDING DESIGN &

CONSTRUCTION IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THE ROSPA AWARDS WINNERS Including: PriDE (SERP) Ltd, Boulting Group, Consultant Cleaners...

...AND MUCH MORE

MONTAGU EVANS

@BDCMagazine 2

BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

WATERSTONES

FEATURES: NEWS This month’s top stories

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF CHARTERED SURVEYORS The strategic future of facilities management

MONTAGU EVANS Forward thinking solutions

THE FACILITIES SHOW 2013 London calling

ROYAL MAIL Joining forces

LTT VENDING 50 years of refreshment

RETAIL THE BRITISH PROPERTY FEDERATION Saving Scotland’s high street

HOLLAND & BARRETT The good life

WATERSTONES Passionate about books

BRITISH COUNCIL FOR SHOPPING CENTRES Shaping retail property

GOVERNMENT SECTOR FCO SERVICES A Major change

LOCAL AUTHORITIES COUNCIL PLANNING Councils fear a planning free-for-all

BARNSLEY COUNCIL Remaking Barnsley

STOCKTON-ON-TEES COUNCIL Stockton’s vision

PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL Investing in Peterborough

SCARBOROUGH BOROUGH COUNCIL Going for growth

SWANSEA COUNCIL Swansea regeneration

WAKEFIELD COUNCIL Making Wakefield a better place

ROSPA AWARDS RoSPA AWARDS 2013 Going for gold

MATRIX SOLUTIONS Building confidence

SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS RFA-TECH ‘Made in Sheffield’

PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL

106

FORESTRY COMMISSION

CIVILS, TRANSPORT & UTILITIES INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS Significant Welsh infrastructure investment needed

104

FORESTRY COMMISSION Managing our woodlands

106

HERITAGE ENGLISH HERITAGE Caring for our heritage

116

AIRPORT MANAGEMENT BRITISH CONSULTING The changing airport infrastructure

120

BUILDING SERVICES B&ES Fresh approaches

122

WOODFORD HEATING Doing things the Woodford way

124

THAMESWEY MAINTENANCE SERVICES Quality before cost

126

RIGHT MANAGEMENT SERVICES Unique mechanical services

136

NATIONAL INSPECTION COUNCIL FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONTRACTING Home of electrical contracting excellence

138

CONTRACT SERVICES From humble beginnings

140

BSRIA BSRIA and NHBC: airtight partners

144

ATLANTIC BOILERS High efficiency boilerplant

146

PROCTER BROS LTD Quality service

150

BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE

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NEWS

RENT ‘UNAFFORDABLE’ FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN THIRD OF UK A THIRD of Britain is effectively off-limits to lower-income working families because private rents are unaffordable, a new report claims. The report comes from the Resolution Foundation, which campaigns on behalf of low to middle-income families. It says most of southern England is now beyond the reach of less affluent households. The housing minister said the report was ‘factually flawed’ and failed to take housing benefit into account. With social housing usually unavailable and home ownership unaffordable for many first-time buyers, renting privately is often the only option for households on lower incomes. The Home Truths report identifies local authorities that are ‘affordable’ for a couple with a child requiring a two-bedroom property on a household income of £22,000 a year. Affordable is defined as a rent that is no more than 35% of net household income. On that basis, 125 of 376 local authorities in Britain (33%) are unaffordable for less-affluent working families. “The private rented sector is now, in large

parts of the country, the most expensive form of housing,” says Vidhya Alakeson, of the Resolution Foundation. “It is also the only option for most low to middle-income households, many of whom are faced with the unenviable choice of forgoing other essentials in order to pay for housing or living in overcrowded conditions to reduce their housing costs.” Housing Minister Mark Prisk described the report as “alarmist” as it “suggests rents are soaring when in fact they have fallen in real terms”. “And it fails to recognise that housing benefit provides a safety net which ensures that up to a third of private properties in most areas are affordable to low income families,” he said. A deposit of £10,000 is only enough to buy a two-bedroom home in 41% of local authorities, because a deposit of at least 10% is needed to get a mortgage. With a deposit of £20,000, almost 30% of the country remains unaffordable, including all of Greater London and much of the South East. Even with a £50,000 deposit, central London and areas to the south and west of the capital

ALUMASC PROVIDE QUALITY THERMAL EFFICIENCY ALUMASC’S Swisslab External Wall Insulation (EWI) system has been used at Boxtree Lane, an outstanding new residential development from Origin Housing. Affordable housing provider Origin were looking for exceptional levels of thermal efficiency and a high quality, low maintenance finish for the project. Swisslab is an insulated render system that provides outstanding energy efficiency. Insulation materials are mechanically fixed direct to a continuous substrate and faced with

a choice of traditional and lightweight renders. As a direct result of the Swisslab system, a U-value of 0.12W/m2k has been achieved, creating comfortable all-year round living conditions for residents with minimal use of heating. Boxtree Lane has been shortlisted for ‘Best Small Development’ in the UK Housing Awards 2013. The development has also become a model for zero carbon homes for Origin Housing and has achieved Code for Sustainable Homes level 3 at a very affordable cost due.

BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE

remain unaffordable. Analysts suggest recent rises in UK house prices have been driven by increases in London and the South East. Londoners say they spend half their salaries on rent “Home ownership is out of reach for the vast majority of low to middle income families because few have the savings needed for a deposit,” says Ms Alakeson. “While the crisis in London is well documented, there are affordability black spots in almost all regions of the country.” The government recently announced a Help to Buy scheme, offering loans for people moving into new-build homes worth up to £600,000. Another government scheme to assist those buying new-builds and existing homes is due to come into force next January. And shared ownership schemes provided through housing associations are also available to some first-time buyers. The housing minister said the government had put a range of measures in place to create “a bigger and better private-rented sector”, including the £1bn Build to Rent fund and £10bn in loan guarantees to build new homes specifically for private rent.

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NEWS

MANAGERS NEED TO BE MORE PREPARED DUTY holders are exposing themselves and their employees to unacceptable levels of risk and potentially breaking the law by not having a comprehensive rescue plan in place, says Eurosafe Solutions, one of the leading fall protection specialists. John Boyle, Director of Eurosafe Solutions, explains: “The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require the duty holder (Regulation 4 and 6 (1,2) to firstly ensure that the work is properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in as safe a way as is reasonable practicable; secondly they must plan for emergencies and rescue and in addition to this, a fall protection system shall only be used if the user and a sufficient number of available persons have received adequate training specific to the opera-

tions envisaged, including rescue procedures.” John continues: “Fall protection systems, when well designed and installed are often the ideal solution to create a safe means of access for a building owner. However, where a fall protection system exposes a user to a fall hazard, there is a need to ensure that rescue is appropriately planned. It is no longer acceptable to rely upon the emergency services for this rescue provision. There is a need to plan for a swift and effective evacuation of the casualty.” Eurosafe Solutions has over 20 years experience in the installation, testing, inspection and monitoring of fall protection systems. The company also provides testing and inspection services across the country.

NEW CARPET RANGE IS TOP OF THE CLASS

DEXTRA HELP BRIGHTEN UP BUSINESS CENTRE

PIC

AN ABERDEEN-BASED business centre has undergone an impressive £125,000 refurbishment, with workers benefiting from brighter working environments. Prospect Park Business Centre, currently under development, is home to four individual office sites for oil-based companies which include Blue Sky and Bibby Offshore, that offer services to both the oil and gas industry. A number of luminaires were

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installed during the project, with products utilised from the Discalo, Amenity and Solution ranges. The multi-functional Discalo can be used in numerous settings. Recessed lighting has been provided in the form of the Solution ECA. Once again, Dextra’s extensive range of popular light fittings provide brighter environments in refurbishments scaling the length of the UK.

HECKMONDWIKE FB is celebrating the huge success of its Array range of fibre bonded carpet tiles one year since its launch, which is proving a popular choice with education and commercial buildings. Renowned for its six vibrant Accent colours, Blue, Black, Red, Lime, Purple and Magenta, this range has opened up exciting design opportunities for architects and building designers with fibre bonded carpet. Its unique pattern incorporates contemporary flashes of colour across the body of the carpet, which complements perfectly the six striking colours from the Broadrib range.

One recent installation where Array is providing a striking yet durable flooring solution is The Oldham Academy North in Greater Manchester. Here, 1,400m2 of Array tiles in Purple were used to create a strong school identity throughout the new academy building, which replaces the old academy on Rochdale Road. Heckmondwike FB carpets and carpet tiles are available with full technical support, as part of the service. All fibre bonded products are manufactured by Heckmondwike FB at its base in West Yorkshire, where the company is fully certified to ISO 14001, as part of its commitment to sustainability.

REFLEX SYSTEMS GOES ALL GOLD REFLEX Systems, the specialist provider of integrated security and fire life safety systems, has secured two Gold accreditations from NACOSS (National Approvals Council for Security Systems) and BAFE (British Approvals for Fire and Equipment). The accreditations validate what Reflex Systems already does – deliv-

ering the very highest quality standards to customers requiring security and fire safety solutions. John Pye, Managing Director of Reflex Systems, said: “NACOSS and BAFE Gold provide added reassurance and confidence to customers that they are choosing a company that is committed to consistently delivering the very highest standards.

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NEWS

EXTRA CARE NEEDED IN SUMMER JOBS

WORKERS are far more likely to be injured in workplace accidents during the first few months of a new job than at any other time says the British Safety Council. With the holiday season approaching, employers are urged to pay extra attention to the health and safety of young people hired for temporary, summer work. By taking some simple steps, says Alex Botha, Chief Executive Officer at the British Safety Council, the risk of injury to young workers can be easily prevented. “Vacation jobs are a great way for young people to earn money, get some experience and develop skills but we know they can be particularly vulnerable when they start work,” he said. “There are many reasons for this: a general lack of work experience; unfamiliarity with

the workplace, machinery or work processes; a lack of physical capability to do the job or the confidence to raise concerns; a failure of employers to provide the necessary training and familiarisation.” Risk education is crucial to achieve the British Safety Council’s vision that nobody is injured or made ill at work. Its Speak Up, Stay Safe campaign highlights the particular risks that young people face and puts good communication at the heart of good health and safety. A dedicated website with information, fact sheets on the law and good practice, top tips on working with young people as well as videos and links to organisations like the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is freely available at www.britsafe.org/speakupstaysafe

INTERSERVE INCREASES MIDDLE EAST PRESENCE INTERSERVE has increased its exposure to the Middle East by purchasing Abu Dhabi-based Topaz Oil and Gas. The Reading-based construction company agreed to pay services business Renaissance SAOG a total consideration of $36m (£30m) for Topaz, which provides manufacturing, construction and maintenance services to oil fields in the Middle East. The acquisition will sit in Interserve’s international support services division. Existing clients of Topaz include Shell, Qatar Gas, ADOC, RAK Petroleum, the ADNOC group of companies and Aker Solutions.

Adrian Ringrose, chief executive officer at Interserve, said: “Interserve sees the Middle East oil and gas sector as a key growth market and this acquisition establishes our presence in the Middle East. “It also complements other acquisitions we have made, such as TOCO of Oman and Madina in Qatar, enabling us to serve clients over a wider geographic footprint.” Interserve has extensive interest in the global energy sector. In April 2013, it secured an £80m facilities management contract with Magnox, which operates ten nuclear power stations across the UK.

B&ES PROMOTES PETTIGREW THE BUILDING & Engineering Services Association has promoted its deputy chief executive to take over from Blane Judd, who quit two weeks ago after just two years as chief executive. Roderick Pettigrew takes over as chief executive of B&ES with immediate effect. President Bruce Bisset said that, having been deputy chief executive since 2008, Mr Pettigrew understood the association and its members better than anyone.

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MPS DEMAND END TO LATE PAYMENTS AN ALL PARTY committee of MPs is demanding new laws to end late payment in construction. Main contractors could also be forced to publish figures on how long they take to pay their bills. Labour MP Debbie Abrahams chaired the inquiry into late payment across all industries. It found that construction was one of the worst industries for delaying the settling of bills.

The MPs now want to see a construction code of conduct implemented which is monitored by an independent adjudicator. Retentions cash across all projects should also be held in trust. Fair payment should also be written into contracts for Government work with tier one suppliers paid within 14 days, tier two contractors within 19 days and tier three contractors paid within 23 days.

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NEWS

UK CONSTRUCTION SECTOR REVIVING, ONS FIGURES SHOW A REVIVAL in building has boosted the UK’s construction sector, says the Office for National Statistics. On a seasonally-adjusted basis construction output rose 4.6% in April compared with March, then flattened out in May, the ONS says. The figures make it more likely that the UK economy will grow in the second quarter, building on its 0.3% growth in the first three months of 2013. But output in May was still 4.8% lower than in the same month last year. This is the first time the ONS has published monthly seasonally-adjusted figures for the sector. Construction, which along with services and manufacturing is one of the three main measurements of economic

output, has long been the worstperforming sector since the recession began in 2008. Construction output has fallen 18.9%, compared with a 3.9% fall in gross domestic product (GDP) over the same period. Construction volumes fell to £23.7bn in the first quarter of 2013, its lowest level since 1999, says the ONS. Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said: “It looks highly likely that construction output made a recently alltoo-rare positive contribution to gross domestic product growth in the second quarter, thereby helping growth to strengthen and broaden from the first quarter.”

Housebuilders have been buoyed by the government’s Help to Buy scheme, with Barratt recently reporting that its sales rate was up 17.9% in the first six months of 2013, and up 34.7% since the launch of the scheme in April. House prices have also shown signs of a sustained recovery, while a recent survey from the British Chambers of Commerce said business confidence was at a six-year high. “Any positive contribution from the construction sector in the second quarter would feel like a bonus for the UK economy, given the sector’s prolonged struggle”, said Mr Archer. The UK economy is forecast to grow by 0.9% in 2013, according to the International Monetary Fund.

APPLICATIONS PILE UP PILING specialist Bachy Soletanche has already been flooded with applications for this year’s apprenticeship scheme. The scheme is in its third year and Bachy has already received more than 50 applications in the frst few days. Chris Merridew, Managing Director of Bachy Soletanche, said: “There is no denying that the ground engineering industry is short on young skilled labour and this is a huge issue that needs addressing. “Bachy Soletanche has a talented team across the board and we are keen to continue this level of expertise moving forward, which is why we

feel it is important to invest in the next generation and encourage young talent into our industry. “At present the industry has an insufficient supply of qualified personnel, it is the responsibility of industry leaders to look at ways to overcome this issue. “We are pleased to support the apprenticeship scheme for another year and look forward to shortlisting this year’s applicants.” The scheme takes two years to complete and will result in the achievement of an NVQ Piling Apprenticeship qualification.

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PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF CHARTERED SURVEYORS

THE STRATEGIC FUTURE OF

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

WITH AROUND 100 000 QUALIFIED MEMBERS AND OVER 50 000 TRAINEES AND STUDENTS IN SOME 140 COUNTRIES, RICS PROVIDES THE WORLD’S LEADING PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION IN LAND, PROPERTY, CONSTRUCTION AND ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 8

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PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF CHARTERED SURVEYORS

enior figures in facilities management and corporate real estate have taken part in a roundtable discussion in London to contribute to RICS global research into facilities management. RICS is the world's leading professional body for setting standards in the surveying industry. It has members all around the globe delivering knowledge and serving the public interest at a local level. In their work, they draw on RICS' ever-growing range of globally applicable and regionally specific standards and guidance. It was founded in London in 1868 and today has more than 100,000 members globally, with the majority of its net membership growth coming from outside of the UK. Representatives from a range of organisations including PwC, Network Rail, Yahoo and the UK Government Property Unit discussed at the roundtable discussion in London whether facilities management could ever be seen as a strategic business unit and what steps would need to be taken to ensure this happens. The discussion was part of an ongoing research project being carried out by RICS and Occupiers Journal into the future of the facilities management profession. The first report – Raising the Bar: Enhancing the Strategic Role of Facilities Management – set out the strategic barriers to facilities management. It suggests a route that can be taken to ensure facilities are seen as an essential part of business performance, that there is a clear link with employee productivity and retaining and attracting the most talented employees. These principles are now being tested in the second phase of the research which involves a series of roundtables around the world. Events have already taken place in North America, Hong Kong, China

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and Singapore and the roundtable gave London based professionals a chance to contribute to the discussions. Some very strong views were put forward on the role of facilities management and its place within business strategy. Full details of the discussion will be available in the final report which is due to be released towards the end of 2013. Further roundtables will be taking place in Toronto, Sao Paulo and Delhi over the summer with the aim of creating a truly global view of the industry and the role RICS can play in it. The RICS research report Raising the Bar provided a valuable insight into what “being strategic” in facilities management really means; and the current “state of practice” in the sector. The second report, due to be published later this year, will build on its findings based on this and the other roundtables currently underway. www.rics.org Tel: 024 7686 8555

THE RICS RESEARCH REPORT RAISING THE BAR PROVIDED A VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO WHAT ‘BEING STRATEGIC’ IN FACILITIES MANAGEMENT REALLY MEANS; AND THE CURRENT ‘STATE OF PRACTICE’ IN THE SECTOR.

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PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: MONTAGU EVANS

FORWARD THINKING SOLUTIONS MONTAGU EVANS HAS BEEN PROVIDING EXPERT ADVICE IN THE PROPERTY SECTOR FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS

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PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: MONTAGU EVANS

ontagu Evans provides the full range of services associated with property, from acquisition to disposal and everything in between. On the management side of the business, Head of Management Gregory McGonigal believes it’s crucial to focus on day-to-day operations. “The core skill set any client wants to get right from the outset is to make sure that the accounting side — rent collection, service charge, administration etc. — is all running smoothly and properly, that the buildings are being looked after and maintained and that the tenants are happy,” he says. “The next part of the equation is asset management work, which is about adding value to clients’ properties or portfolios. That is another area of our business, but the core focus is on getting the fundamentals right. If you don’t do that, you won’t have much of a chance to do any asset management work on the building because you won’t have a very happy tenant or client.” MEETING CLIENTS’ NEEDS Those clients tend to be property companies, institutional funds and private individuals. Services run all the way through from valuation and acquisition to planning, development, rating, rent reviews, lease renewals and the general management of properties. Although the company is capable of providing a full range of services, it will equally handle specific aspects to suit client needs. “We focus on what clients want us to do,” remarks Gregory. There is also an acceptance that Montagu Evans doesn’t have a large network of regional teams to handle vast portfolios across the country and so the concentration comes back to providing focused core services. “People often think we’re much bigger than we are because of the high quality instructions and the excellent client base we have,” comments Gregory. “We do what we’re good at, which is linking with clients and working closely with them on a particular remit. We have a very high ratio of partners to staff, which means that every instruction

has a partner and a very high calibre of person involved with it.” Working closely with clients is particularly important during times of economic difficulty. That generally extends to speaking with the bigger clients every week and having formal quarterly meetings where a report is issued and recommendations and observations are discussed. Sometimes those recommendations arise from meetings with tenants where concerns about the condition of certain building aspects may arise and plans need to be put in place to address them. Gregory says: “That puts us in a much better position when negotiating new terms with a tenant. We may decide to collectively put some money into improving a reception area or the security of a building, so it all comes out of communication. The key is making sure we don’t do things just for the sake of it; we do them in consultation with our client as the owners of the building, but also with the tenants as occupiers. Most of the time, they’re going to

“THE CORE SKILL SET ANY CLIENT WANTS TO GET RIGHT FROM THE OUTSET IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ACCOUNTING SIDE — RENT COLLECTION, SERVICE CHARGE, ADMINISTRATION ETC. — IS ALL RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND PROPERLY, THAT THE BUILDINGS ARE BEING LOOKED AFTER AND MAINTAINED AND THAT THE TENANTS ARE HAPPY.” GREGORY MCGONIGAL HEAD OF MANAGEMENT

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PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: MONTAGU EVANS

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PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: MONTAGU EVANS

be paying for work and so we want to make sure that they’re happy and the money is well spent.” Montagu Evans has an increasing involvement in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) sector and is working closely with Resolution Property on Triton Court on Finsbury Square, which is being refurbished and renamed Alphabeta Building to be a major attraction to the TMT sector in and around Shoreditch. Alphabeta will include a bicycle ramp access directly from Worship Street down to a 200-plus capacity store in the basement together with a very large open central atrium that will provide a central reception area, seating, breakout areas and a café to create a community feel with a modern and innovative setting. CONTINUAL DIALOGUE Meetings with tenants are crucial so the aim is to have a continual dialogue, with quarterly or sixmonthly meetings for the larger, multi-occupancy

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buildings and as part of the annual inspection for single lets. They also come up at key dates, such as lease expiry or rent review times, and can help identify tenants that are struggling to meet their commitments. “Inevitably there are several conversations that start off from a negative point of view, such as payment difficulties, that we look at in accordance with client’s instructions,” remarks Gregory. “But there are options that come from moving people around where one tenant may want to decrease the space they occupy, but someone else in the building needs more. So it’s not all negative, but certainly the context of contact with tenants has been much more focused in the last few years. It was easier when everything was going well and you expected the rent to be paid on time, you had conversations with tenants on the basis of future expansion or you spent heavily on building improvements so you could re-let or sell them”.

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PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: MONTAGU EVANS

Project work increasingly focuses on environmental issues and energy efficiency, especially when tenants and clients are signed up to the CRC scheme and have to report consumption figures. The emphasis is often on installing better lighting systems, improved controls and more efficient boilers and chillers, with refurbishments invariably incorporating more of a focus on sustainability. ENERGY MANAGEMENT A recent project at The O2 in Greenwich sought to drive down energy consumption and costs. Gregory explains: “We’re putting in an online energy management system. Tenants will be able to access data loggers for their unit and interrogate hard value

data so they can see whether they left equipment on overnight and view spikes that might indicate that something is wrong with their plant. When analysing bills, we can interrogate the system in a much more forensic sense to deliver some savings, which is essential because the electricity costs are vast.” Montagu Evans is now engaged with 26/28 Hammersmith Grove where the former owners had already embarked on a chiller replacement project. “We questioned some of the decisions surrounding the options,” recalls Gregory. “The choices were partly driven by neighbouring properties, which dictated that we needed a particularly quiet chiller so we didn’t cause a noise nuisance, but could still

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PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: MONTAGU EVANS

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PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: MONTAGU EVANS

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Montagu Evans :feature 2 22/07/2013 14:35 Page 17

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: MONTAGU EVANS operate outside normal working hours when necessary. We commissioned a full acoustic survey of the surrounding area and a chiller was selected on the basis of its performance and noise criteria. We changed the emphasis of that project and chose a different chiller due to looking at things in a different way.” RENEWAL FREQUENCY There has been a trend to shorter leases, from the 25-year leases common up to the late 1980s to less than ten yeas now. That leads to more frequent renewals, which can work in the client’s or tenant’s favour depending on the state of the rental market at the time. The economic downturn has put pressure on maximising occupancy and income, whilst at the same time minimising expenditure. “It’s a fine balancing act between having to do what you know you’ve got to do to keep the building in good condition but, at the same time, being mindful that clients are not necessarily awash with funds,” states Gregory. “I think we are beginning to see a change where more clients are now able to focus on improving property stock and so we are getting more actively involved in project and asset management work.” www.montagu-evans.co.uk Tel: 020 74934002

“I THINK WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE A CHANGE WHERE MORE CLIENTS ARE NOW ABLE TO FOCUS ON IMPROVING PROPERTY STOCK AND SO WE ARE GETTING MORE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN PROJECT AND ASSET MANAGEMENT WORK.” GREGORY MCGONIGAL HEAD OF MANAGEMENT

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BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE

FMshow:feature 2 12/07/2013 15:18 Page 18

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: FACILITIES SHOW 2013

LONDON CALLING FACILITIES SHOW CELEBRATES 15 YEARS AT THE HEART OF THE INDUSTRY WITH A MOVE TO LONDON EXCEL

ollowing another hugely successful year, Facilities Show will celebrate its 15th anniversary by relocating from the NEC Birmingham to ExCeL London in June 2014. Facilities Show 2013 took place from 14 to 16 May and was a roaring success, welcoming over 15,000 attendees through its doors, an increase of 17.25 per cent on 2012, and a fifth consecutive year of double digit attendee growth. Reflecting this success, a 3 per cent visitor increase was also seen across the whole of Protection and Management Week, including Safety & Health Expo, IFSEC International & FIREX International. Over the past 14 years, Facilities Show has truly cemented its reputation as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest dedicated facilities management event. There is no other comparable exhibition dedicated to uniting FM professionals from all sectors and geographies with suppliers, advisers and specialists offering the very

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FMshow:feature 2 12/07/2013 15:19 Page 19

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: FACILITIES SHOW 2013

“BIFM is delighted to continue to work in partnership with UBM Live to deliver Facilities Show in 2014 and beyond and we wholeheartedly support the move to London ExCeL. Facilities Show is a major industry event and a move to London seems the natural progression for the show at a time the industry itself has seen rapid growth and diversification. As the role and significance of FM continues to grow it is important that we can raise

the profile of our sector on a global scale, moving the show from Birmingham to London will help us to achieve this.” Chris Hoar, Chief Executive of the FMA added: “The Facilities Management Association (FMA) fully supports the move to London in 2014 for Facilities Show. FM plays a vital function in offices, retail centres, industrial buildings, schools and hospitals across the world, it is important that the practitioners,

latest in innovation and education. Alongside a huge increase in the number of attendees, the 2013 event also attracted more senior managers than ever with a 7 per cent increase in those occupying a senior management or board level position and a 9 per cent increase in those with a budget responsibility of over £10,000,000. A move to London’s ExCeL enables Facilities Show to continue to deliver a world-class event in a world-class venue whilst providing the perfect opportunity to introduce a range of exciting new attractions in 2014 which will be announced over the coming months. As part of the move, Facilities Show will also continue to work with the leading associations, stakeholders and partners within the FM sector including the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) and the Facilities Management Association (FMA). Speaking about the 2014 event, Gareth Tancred, Chief Executive Officer, BIFM commented:

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FMshow:feature 2 12/07/2013 15:19 Page 20

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: FACILITIES SHOW 2013 suppliers and services supporting this industry are recognised and supported. Facilities Show does a great job of bringing this dynamic industry together each year and a London location for this core event is a positive step in helping the industry to reach key decision-makers, business leaders and end-users not just in the UK but internationally.” ENTHUSIASM Exhibitors have shown equal enthusiasm for the 2014 show with many leading companies already signed-up to exhibit including show partner MITIE alongside PHS Group, Planon Software, Shred Station, De-ice Gritting, LTT Vending Group, Screwfix Direct, Euroworkspace, The PURE Water Company, e-bims and Easy Innovations. “De-ice has exhibited at the Facilities Show in 2012 and 2013 with the purpose of promoting our gritting and snow clearance contracts to FM decision makers. In our experience the show delivers on many levels and the UBM staff work tirelessly to successfully put on this ‘must attend’ event. As an exhibitor we have found the quality of the attendees

to be excellent and we win new business through contacts made here. We are able to meet with current clients and network with our own service providers and industry professionals. We look forward to exhibiting in June 2014 at ExCel and are confident that UBM will go all out to produce another successful event,” commented Victoria Lopez, Director of De-ice Gritting and Snow Clearance. Richard Davey, e-bims Manager added: “E-bims has been exhibiting at the Facilities Show in Birmingham for the past 3 years. Each year we have seen the show expand in size and grow in popularity. The Facilities Show has been key in the progression and development for e-bims attracting new clients from around the UK. We now feel that it is an ideal time for e-bims and the Facilities Show to move to London ExCel as we believe this will give us good opportunities to meet new clients from London and potentially from the global market. The e-bims team is very much looking forward to the Facilities Show 2014.” John Telling, Group Corporate Affairs Director at MITIE Group PLC and partners of the show, enthused,

“FACILITIES SHOW IS A MAJOR INDUSTRY EVENT AND A MOVE TO LONDON SEEMS THE NATURAL PROGRESSION FOR THE SHOW AT A TIME THE INDUSTRY ITSELF HAS SEEN RAPID GROWTH AND DIVERSIFICATION” GARETH TANCRED CEO, BIFM

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FMshow:feature 2 12/07/2013 15:19 Page 21

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: FACILITIES SHOW 2013

“We were very pleased with the 2013 Facilities Show and were impressed with the scale of the event..... It was the first time we had been there for many years and we are looking forward to being a part of it again next year when the show moves to London.” Echoing these sentiments, Jon Stannah, Joint MD from Stannah Lift Services said; “2013 was our second time at Facilities Show and it didn't disappoint. We came away having met some fabulous people, had an opportunity to talk to potential business partners in a lively but relaxed setting, took away loads of valuable contacts and enjoyed the ambiance of the whole event. We are now fully fledged members of the FMA, have a stand booked for 2014 and we're looking to expanding our exhibition activity at ExCeL.” “PHS Group plc is the UK’s leading provider of workplace services, so Facilities Show, for us, is a great opportunity to initiate and build relationships with key contacts within the facilities management industry. It really is a “must-attend” annual event on the calendar of most FM professionals and service providers,” added Lynda Francis, Group Communications Manager at PHS Group plc. Fergus Bird, Group Event Manager, UBM Live, said: “We have had an amazing final show at

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Birmingham’s NEC and we are delighted to be taking Facilities Show to its new home with so many of the industry already fully onboard. Next year Facilities Show will celebrate its 15th year and we look forward to growing the show and continuing to support this vibrant industry. The move will allow us to take the show to its next level where we can provide a greater experience for our exhibitors, visitors and delegates, catering for both the UK and global FM agenda. We have big plans for the event and will be investing once again to ensure we bring the facilities management sector the most comprehensive, forward thinking and industry driven show to date. ” Facilities Show 2014 will take place from June 1719 and will once again run alongside Safety & Health Expo, IFSEC International, Firex International and the recently announced Environment & Energy Expo, all forming part of UBM Live’s Protection and Management Series.

To find out more information and to register your interest in attending Facilities Show 2014 please visit www.facilitiesshow.com

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Royal Mail:feature 2 22/07/2013 10:56 Page 22

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: ROYAL MAIL

JOINING FORCES

ROYAL MAIL IS THE PREFERRED DELIVERY COMPANY IN THE UK AND PROVIDES A VITAL LINK CONNECTING COMMUNITIES, BUSINESSES AND CUSTOMERS 22

omec Limited maintains Royal Mail’s extensive estate, containing over 2,500 building assets. Romec provides all-encompassing facilities management services to Royal Mail’s property portfolio, and has a contract to do so until 2021. Real estate management services are overseen by DTZ after it was appointed to look after the entire property estate in 2012. Romec a joint venture in which Royal Mail Group and Balfour Beatty hold 51% and 49% ownership respectively, was established in 2002. Romec provides a wide range of technical and building services to Royal Mail, Post Office and Parcelforce Worldwide buildings, including electrical, plumbing, security and cleaning services, and generates approximately £150m of revenue annually. Under

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the ten-year agreement, which came into effect from April 2011, Romec provides contracted services to Royal Mail Group worth £0.9bn with further variable scope for works worth up to £0.9bn over the ten-year term. Mark Higson, Royal Mail’s Managing Director of Operations and Modernisation, said at the time of the contract being agreed: “We are very pleased to be extending our joint venture with Balfour Beatty. The provision of effective and highly efficient services in our buildings plays an important role in ensuring our people provide the best possible services at competitive prices to all our customers.” Highlighting the positive impact of Romec on Royal Mail operations is the solution it developed to make new mail processing systems at the Kilmarnock Delivery Office more efficient, cost-

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Royal Mail:feature 2 22/07/2013 10:57 Page 23

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: ROYAL MAIL effective and flexible. Romec's Manufacturing was involved in the decision-making processes at the fitout design stage, well before the building was handed over for full operation. Working with Royal Mail's Operational Planning Team, current and future equipment requirements were analysed, then Romec Manufacturing was able to prepare a quotation for both standard and bespoke equipment that was directly relevant to specific needs. SATISFACTORY COMPLETION As a result of the satisfactory completion of the project, Romec was also asked to supply Task Lighting Units and a bespoke Private Box Posting Suite. This took the total value for equipment supplied to over £150,000 and meant that Romec Manufacturing had provided not only standard equipment, such as vertical sorting frames, C5 and C4 fittings and Koffin Trolleys, but had also produced bespoke equipment mail processing tables with vertical sorting and the Private Box Posting Suite, which incorporated more than sixty individual, secure, wall mounted boxes. For its property management, DTZ was appointed following a competitive tender process conducted over a six month period in 2012. DTZ take over from former service provider BNP Paribas Real Estate which acted in this capacity for eight years. ‘DELIGHTED’ Lorna Landells, Head of London Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM) at DTZ, commented: “We are delighted to have won this contract, which incorporates the management of more than 2,000 property interests throughout the UK, and we are excited at the prospect of working with the Royal Mail team.” Martin Gafsen, Royal Mail’s Group Property Director, said: “With falling mail volumes and tough trading conditions, it is vital that Royal Mail manages its property estate efficiently and cost-effectively. We look forward to working with DTZ over the coming years to achieve this.” www.royalmailgroup.com Tel: 08457 950 950

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LTT Vending :feature 2 25/07/2013 10:52 Page 24

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: LTT VENDING

50 YEARS OF REFRESHMENT LTT ARE THE LEADERS IN TASTE TECHNOLOGY AND HAVE BEEN REFRESHING THE BUSINESS WORLD WITH DRINKS AND SNACKS FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS 24

TT Vending is the largest independently owned national operator in the U.K. and offers an innovative and quality service that, as National Sales Director Robin Turver emphasises, starts with the first meeting with a new customer: “We look at it as a consultation where we can understand the customer’s needs and fulfil them using our experience in the market.” Those customers include organisations with a workplace and higher education establishments, leisure venues and the NHS. They also include facilities managers that provide catering, which is why LTT attends the BIFM show to meet them in a relaxed atmosphere.

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The company supplies, installs and maintains large vending machines on a fully serviced basis and table top models the client fills and cleans. It’s all run from a head office near Leeds plus five branches and van-based operatives to service and fill the machines. To ensure a comprehensive service, LTT has regular suppliers for the machines, ingredients and cleaning materials with an emphasis on long-term relationships. One of the longest is with Nescafe, a supplier since the company started fifty years ago, while Mars Drinks and Britvic are key supply partners. Leasing and financial support is provided through Siemens. These relationships enable LTT to be innovative. “We were one of the first companies to introduce

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LTT Vending :feature 2 25/07/2013 10:52 Page 25

PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: LTT VENDING Fairtrade drinks machines,” remarks Robin. “We moved from seven ounce plastic to nine ounce paper cups and use premium products such as Milfresh granulated milk powder rather than whitener. Customers can have a drink comparable with a coffee shop for a much cheaper price.” There’s a focus on energy efficiency, with the company sourcing most machines from Crane or Westomatic. They’re all rated A, A+ or A++, the latter being the highest grade using the European Vending Association’s measurement system. Added to that is a Vending Miser device that saves energy. Robin explains: “If there’s no movement for a set period, which is set by the client, it powers down the machine. On a snack machine, when the cabinet temperature becomes too warm, the refrigeration unit comes on to cool it. That process saves 30% in electricity and it’s a gadget few operators provide.” Some machines offer ‘meal deals’, giving a reduced price when buying a drink and snack. Others offer Costa Express quality drinks for a fraction of the price normally paid while interactive display screens show advertisements or employee messages. QUALITY AND VALUE Besides the innovation, there’s an emphasis on quality and value. “We’ve a small management team with five directors all involved in the business,” says Robin. “If a customer has a problem, they can get through to a director. We care for our employees and customers and spend more time cleaning machines than other operators because we want them working constantly. “We use quality, branded products and, being independent, offer impartial advice. Although we work with supply partners, we’re not linked to any in particular and, if a customer wants a specific solution, we find it.” www.lttvending.co.uk Tel: 0800 9541044

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BFP:feature 2 19/07/2013 10:46 Page 26

RETAIL: THE BRITISH PROPERTY FEDERATION

SAVING SCOTLAND’S HIGH STREETS T

he Scottish Property Federation recently welcomed a Govern-ment commissioned independent report recommending local authorities adopt a town centre first policy and Holyrood takes a fresh look at business rates incentives. The National Review of Town Centres, led by architect Malcolm Fraser, recognised that the solution to ailing high streets is not just going to be retail, but a stronger mix of leisure, public facilities and homes in towns. The recommendations of the review include a "town centre first" principle whereby public bodies will consider how they can support town centres before considering development elsewhere. Other considerations involve working with housing providers to bring empty town cen-

tre properties back into use as affordable housing, as well as a town centre focus to review current business rates incentivisation schemes. In addition, it is recommended that public bodies should consider the impact of proposals to relocate services out of town centres, and broadening the appeal of town centres with a mix of leisure, public facilities and homes. David Melhuish, director of the Scottish Property Federation, said: “The issues of concern with the high street have been with us for some 30-40 years now. Put simply the high street needs to redefine itself as a destination. The fundamentals have completely shifted and we need to think differently about how we’re going to make our town centres a place for people to use going forward. “Retail isn’t the only solution. High streets rely on footfall and anything that can be done to

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drive this should be encouraged - whether this be leisure, medical surgeries or even homes. Diversification will be key for former retail units that may not be viable again as shops. “As things stand this review recommends strengthening much existing policy, such as the sequential approach to development, the business rates incentivisation scheme and the limited support available for converting former commercial premises to residential uses. We welcome however the proposal that large public sector bodies themselves should support town centres in terms of their own corporate location. Government clearly has a lot of hard work to do in pulling together an action plan in the autumn.” www.bpf.org.uk Tel: 020 7828 0111

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BFP:feature 2 19/07/2013 10:46 Page 27

RETAIL: THE BRITISH PROPERTY FEDERATION

FEWER SHOPS AND NEW USES FOR HIGH STREETS SAYS BPF

he British Property Federation today told an influential committee of MPs that in order for high streets to survive they need to contract and empty units be converted into other uses, such as residential and even community facilities like doctors and dentists surgeries. Giving evidence at the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) inquiry into the retail sector chief executive of the British Property Federation Liz Peace also highlighted the damaging impact of business rates – both to retailers and landlords in the form of empty property rates – in driving money away from where it was most needed to help maintain and regenerate high streets. Peace said: “The 20th century saw a rapid expansion of high streets that simply cannot be supported today. Even putting aside the current economic troubles, there’s less demand for high street retail and we’re likely to witness further contractions, particularly outside the retail core. “Facilitating this shrinkage while finding alternative uses for properties that clearly have no retail future is where the focus should be. And the solution isn’t necessarily retail; there are other uses, like doctors and dentists surgeries as well as resi-

Liz Peace

dential that could occupy these buildings and drive football. “With business rates in most parts of the country increasing far more rapidly than rents, and by over 200% since 1991, the burden to both retailers and landlords continues to increase. “In terms of the bigger picture it needs to be considered whether a tax that exaggerates the advantages of internet retailers over the high street is fair at all.”

REMINDER TO LANDLORDS: PROTECT YOUR MONEY AND NOT JUST YOUR REPUTATION

he British Property Federation is reminding landlords that recent legislative change forcing letting agents to join an Ombudsman Scheme will not protect their money. Letting agents are uniting for the second national SAFEagent Awareness Week to remind consumers of the importance of choosing a let-

Ian Fletcher

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ting agent which offers Client Money Protection. Agents will commonly deal with tens, or even hundreds of thousands of pounds of landlords and tenants’ money, collecting rents and deposits. It is rare, but not unheard of for some agents to abscond with their clients’ money, and very difficult to recover money in such circumstances. The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, makes it a requirement that letting agents should offer redress by being members of an Ombudsman scheme. This is in the process of being implemented and will undoubtedly have a welcome influence on raising standards in the sector. However, if landlords and tenants want to ensure their money is protected they should check that the agent they use has client money protection, by looking out for the Safe Agent logo. Ian Fletcher, Director of Policy at the British Property Federation, said: “Landlords need to be wise in their choice of letting agent. Just because the letting agency sector is facing increased regulation does not mean their money will be protected. This week is Safe Agent Week, and provides an excellent opportunity to reinforce a message that landlords still should be ensuring their agent is a Safe Agent offering client money protection.”

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Holland & Barratt :feature 2 18/07/2013 12:29 Page 28

RETAIL: HOLLAND & BARRETT

THE

GOOD

LIFE

WITH 711 STORES ACROSS THE UK AND IRELAND HOLLAND & BARRETT IS EUROPE’S LEADING RETAILER OF VITAMINS, MINERALS AND HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS AND WAS AWARDED “SPECIALITY RETAILER OF THE YEAR” 2012

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Holland & Barratt :feature 2 18/07/2013 12:29 Page 29

RETAIL: HOLLAND & BARRETT

uccessful retailing is generally dependent on listening to customers and acting on what they say. That, together with a change in the market, led to Holland & Barrett embarking on a store refit programme that started with one trial location and gathered pace due to positive feedback on customer experience. The company is Europe’s leading retailer of vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements, with 711 stores across the UK and Ireland, international franchises in other countries and three other brands across Europe as part of the same group (trading as GNC, De Tuinen and Essenza). The size of the estate means a massive refit programme that, as Director of Property Gurdial Flora explains, is being undertaken through a phased approach: “It’s going to take a while to hit all the stores so we’re prioritising based on the time since the last refit, the store’s turnover and ranking. We’re also looking at when the current lease expires and whether we want to relocate or renew. It’s part of an overall strategy that covers asset management, refits, relocations, concepts, whether we want to downsize or upsize. Everything’s being looked at and we have a plan we’re managing.” FRESH IMAGE The aim is to give all stores a fresh image although a standard template isn’t being rigorously applied to each one. The general approach has been to change from a light beech finish to a dark Cordoba Olive laminate for a modern feel. Within that are three basic styles, which have been refined since the project started — standard Cordoba finish, standard plus goal posts that have zoning for particular product categories and concept stores that apply to only the biggest sites and have exclusive product lines such as jelly bean units, beauty stands, cereal and oil dispensers, and pick and mix counters. Although all stores potentially have variations, they are based on standard designs adjusted to

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individual sites. “It’s based on the store size and the area’s demographics,” recounts Head of Facilities Management Alison McHugh. “We’ll liaise with the retail, merchandising and trading teams to see if there are any special concepts they want in the store. We then use the in-house design team to design and deliver accordingly.” Since our stores aren’t especially big when compared to other national retailers outlets, each refit doesn’t have to be individually tendered. Instead, as Alison points out, contractors deliver several stores a year on a turnkey basis: “The shop fit contracts are tendered yearly to produce a list of four approved contractors to work on our stores. Because we have a fixed fit-out style and the concepts are fairly standard, it’s a process that happens once a year and approved contractors are allocated a certain number of stores.” The same principle applies to the fitting out of new stores, with Holland & Barrett having an aggressive acquisition programme aiming to add

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Holland & Barratt :feature 2 25/07/2013 11:17 Page 30

RETAIL: HOLLAND & BARRETT

BUILD YOUR BUSINESS ADVERTISE IN BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE

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Holland & Barratt :feature 2 18/07/2013 12:30 Page 31

RETAIL: HOLLAND & BARRETT

some thirty stores a year, some being relocations, with a big focus on Greater London and large cities. The emphasis is on stores that can accommodate the concept format due to feedback showing these improve customer experience and increase sales. Although there’s no preference between shopping centres and high streets, they have to be prime sites. “We’re very cautious about where we site new stores, especially with the potential demise of the high street,” remarks Gurdial. “We’re being very particular and looking at demographics, with a requirements list that’s extensive and focused, going out to agents who introduce potential units. Our Acquisitions Manager reviews these and presents the ones that are of interest at the weekly property meeting with the CEO. The opportunities that are of interest are then assessed by area sales managers and regional sales managers and then each goes through a viability assessment, based on our company acquisitions

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strategy, that includes return on investment calculations and the minimum contribution we require from the store. If it’s viable, a deal will be negotiated and we process it.” SITE ASSESSMENT There’s a regular strategy review of potential sites because a particular area or location can alter and so the requirements list changes constantly. As Alison recounts, results from the new store programme and customer feedback surveys change the company’s perception of possible sites: “We’ve gained valuable information from certain new store openings about the store layouts, size of stores, local and catchment demographics.” That’s part of the ongoing feedback that’s used to determine the retail estate strategy and is based on exit surveys and interviews, questionnaires, store performance statistics and the company’s Rewards for Life loyalty card. This provides a lot of customer

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Holland & Barratt :feature 2 18/07/2013 12:30 Page 32

RETAIL: HOLLAND & BARRETT insight in terms of who the customer is, what the average transaction value is and where customers are travelling from as well as a number of other things. That enables more mapping, analyses and understanding of the customer base. There’s a bespoke property management system that holds all data relative to the property estate and provides vital information for the various functions within the Property Department. But, as Gurdial emphasises, the various sections don’t operate in isolation: “We’re a very tightly knit department where everybody links with everyone else. Our macro property strategy feeds into the various parts of the department at micro level where everybody is talking the same language with the aid of the bespoke central property system that links into the estates management, the maintenance helpdesk, the project managers and acquisitions as well as the legal team and regulatory services. It’s a central master tool that enhances communication, improves transparency, improves efficiency and overall ensures everybody is talking the same language and actioning towards the overall property strategy.” LOCAL CONTRACTORS The central property system also helps with the sourcing of contractors for reactive and preventive maintenance, with a preference for local suppliers where possible since this helps the local economy and is generally more cost-effective. However, specialist companies are used for particular types of equipment and there’s a team of national builders and shop fitters that provide a benchmark against local firms. All the work, as Gurdial recounts, is strictly controlled: “We have a programme each year that’s based on actual spend and a forecast of major expenditure based on the number of stores we want to open. The capital expenditure budget is based on that and maintenance is based on the

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amount being spent now plus a percentage for inflation.” The budget includes environmental work, which covers a current trial of LED lights to assess the potential return on investment. That’s been complicated by a need for wall wash lighting that highlights the products but with no LED lighting equivalent available. A solution is being developed because the correct lighting is crucial to create the best shopping experience. Another environmental development is smart metering, which has so far been installed in 470 stores and is intended to be rolled out further. That’s shown improvement in some stores but not in others where equipment is being left on when not needed and the aim is to change that

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Holland & Barratt :feature 2 01/08/2013 14:18 Page 33

Holland & Barratt :feature 2 01/08/2013 14:18 Page 34

RETAIL: HOLLAND & BARRETT

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Holland & Barratt :feature 2 22/07/2013 15:30 Page 35

RETAIL: HOLLAND & BARRETT

“WE HAVE OUR PLAN IT GREEN POLICY WHERE THE PLAN IS TO REDUCE CONSUMPTION AND MAKE THE BUSINESS GREENER” ALISON MCHUGH HEAD OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

behaviour. “We have our Plan It Green policy where the plan is to reduce consumption and make the business greener,” confirms Alison. “It makes people aware of energy consumption in stores. There are hints and tips such as switching off air conditioning, only boiling half kettles, making sure heaters and lights are switched off, that sort of thing. We’re also trialling PIR switches in the back of house areas to see the outcome.” As part of the Plan It Green policy, the company is to adopt 100% sustainable power throughout its UK store estate. That’s being provided by Haven Power in the form of electricity generated from biomass, a form of stored solar energy from plantbased materials such as woodchip. That will significantly lower the company’s carbon footprint and continues its ethical approach that has included banning single use plastic bags and removing certain chemicals for toiletry products.

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BRAND IDENTITY The main plan now is to complete the store refit programme and develop and implement more concept stores. Allied to the UK programme are the new store fit-outs and the need to maintain standards in the overseas franchised store. Gurdial says: “We’re expanding globally and there’s going to be massive growth over the coming years. For the global franchising, whilst they have got their own business structure, any new shop designs have to be approved here in the UK to ensure consistency and the brand image is maintained. We take into account each country has a different style but we need to ensure that the rollout within those countries is consistent and the brand identity is maintained.” www.hollandandbarrett.com Tel: 02476 215540

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Waterstones :feature 2 16/07/2013 10:55 Page 36

RETAIL: WATERSTONES

ew owners for Waterstones provided investment and the opportunity to bring the property portfolio up-to-date after years of underinvestment. That resulted in a store refurbishment programme that started with a prototype store and is now rolling through the rest of the estate. Waterstones was founded in 1982 and took on the Dillons and Ottakar’s brands when under the ownership of HMV. The outcome is a portfolio of around 295 stores that are a diverse mixture of the original iconic and often listed properties that were a feature of both Waterstones and Dillons and smaller stores in market towns that were characteristic of Ottakar’s. The change of ownership in 2010, coupled with the appointment of a new Managing Director and the availability of investment, prompted a refurbishment programme for the store portfolio. “The early prototype was Twickenham, a small single floor store that conceptualised and pulled together the

PASSIONATE

ABOUT BOOKS WATERSTONES’ MISSION IS TO BE THE LEADING BOOKSELLER ON THE HIGH STREET AND ONLINE PROVIDING CUSTOMERS THE WIDEST CHOICE, GREAT VALUE AND EXPERT ADVICE FROM A TEAM PASSIONATE ABOUT BOOKSELLING.

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Waterstones :feature 2 16/07/2013 10:56 Page 37

RETAIL: WATERSTONES ideas from our new MD who was keen on taking us more up market,” recalls Head of Shop Development Tom Hutchinson. “We introduced wood floors, overhauled lighting and trimmed existing bookcases to add character and wood veneers and really improved the look and feel of the store. “After that, we ran a three store pilot in larger shops in Brighton, Glasgow and Norwich, then progressed from there. The lighting schemes were critical, more focused on the product, whilst lowering general light levels and using a design that in some ways hides unattractive suspended ceilings. We introduced broadloom carpets and more wood. For the display furniture, we moved away from heavy laminated MDF unitary to much more design-led pieces constructed of wood veneers or tulip wood to give anything that customers come into contact with a quality feel. Ultimately, we are making the shopping environment higher quality and one that means our customers interaction with the shop is a more pleasing experience.” Around 45 stores were completed in the first year and that figure is set to significantly increase this

year. The process, as Tom emphasises, is one of treating each store individually rather than having a standard look and feel across the whole estate: “We’re trying to create shops that fit their environment. We have many beautiful buildings and want to make the retail elements of these shops work within this often challenging space as opposed to trying to fit-out using a standard uniform format. “Our approach is therefore to look at each building individually, decide the way we want to make the bookshop work and then fit in the product. There are many more local and bespoke elements going in rather than churning out a refit product, more looking at each shop and working out what suits best its architecture, environment and customer.” BROWSING EXPERIENCE An aim of the refurbishment programme has been to create a more comfortable experience for customers to browse in a relaxed atmosphere. Part of that has been the introduction of Waterstones own brand coffee shops, Café W, whilst also continuing to work with existing concession partners such as Costa. The rise of online shopping and downloadable e-books have also been addressed by selling Kindles and related products in a dedicated, high profile area of the store. “The technology of digital reading is here to stay and many of our customers use Kindles, iPads and other

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digital reading devices,” remarks Tom. “We’re not shying away from that but accept it. Customers play with the Kindles, have a coffee in the Café W and then may buy some books.” One of the original trial stores, Norwich, is a good example of what has been achieved. It had been a traditional Ottakar's store, crammed full of bookcases and difficult to navigate due to obstacles created when the shop was originally fitted out. The solution was to reposition bookcases against the walls, creating a real sense of additional space without the loss of display space. The latest store to complete is Trafalgar Square, where the back office and ancillary space has been reduced in size and relocated into a large basement, enabling a complete refit of the store. Waterstones is working closely with Costa to integrate the coffee shop better into the overall fit-out so their space works more coherently with the book offer. It’s also introduced parquet flooring throughout the ground floor, examples of the company learning from every store it does and carrying changes through into succeeding ones. RIGHT ENVIRONMENT Tom says: “Shops are built to plan and generally look great but often arrangements of the bookcases on plan sometimes don’t work in reality. They can block natural light or visibility to a key display area

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RETAIL: WATERSTONES

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RETAIL: WATERSTONES

and we react very quickly to that. Although we might be near to completion of a site, we will rectify problems such as this which means we’re not a slave to the programme. We need to get these shops correct and fit for the future so it’s absolutely about getting the environment right.” Stores generally don’t close during refurbishment unless absolutely necessary. That may be unavoidable due to noise issues in residential areas but work is normally undertaken at night. Successful completion, as Tom points out, is based on the correct approach: “My project team works out a plan with the store manager, determining how we work with contractors and suppliers. There’s a real team approach to come up with a plan that allows trading to continue. The store team will enable contractors to empty areas so they can work on those and then move around.” That type of team working is also apparent in the approach to health and safety that has seen a gradual fall in reported accidents and a high level of

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compliance in annual audits. It starts with the prequalification process for contractors and is maintained through a strong relationship between the Head of Health and Safety and various site managers and contract managers. “We get everybody together before launching any big refit programme,” recounts Tom. “Our team working approach means all suppliers and contractors talk to each other to ensure we’re doing things correctly and not going off in different directions. Health and safety fits within there so everybody is aware of their obligations and our expectations.” SUPPLIER MIX There are regular tenders for individual supply elements such as joinery due to the constant development of new unitary. There is a conscious mixture of large suppliers to handle the high volume equipment and fittings, and smaller suppliers for other work such as surveying stores, trimming bookcases and designing bespoke units.

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RETAIL: WATERSTONES

ALL REFURBISHMENTS ARE CONTROLLED BY A PROJECT MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT HANDLES PROCUREMENT, PRE-QUALIFICATION OF CONTRACTORS, ONGOING REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE AND COST MANAGEMENT

All refurbishments are controlled by a project management company that handles procurement, pre-qualification of contractors, ongoing review of performance and cost management. Essential attributes for contractors are a proactive approach, the ability to work with other shop team members and the capacity to make last minute changes. Store refurbishments have a panel of preferred contractors that operate to a schedule of rates when the individual store situation permits. Tom says: “Due to the historic underinvestment in the estate, several things may become apparent either during survey or on-site stages and we aim to harmonise all works into one scheme. When we’re going in to refit a store, we’ll look at everything; for example, dilapidation liabilities or whether the air conditioning uses

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R22 refrigerant gas that needs changing. It’s a full picture because we’re committing to that store, investing in its future and trying to pull the whole thing together.” TAKING CONTROL Ongoing maintenance of stores is a different proposition, with an external company on a three-year tendered contract and reactive repairs and small works handled as a ‘man in a van’ service. That is unlikely to change but the taking of requests from stores, which currently goes through a third party operated help desk, is likely to be brought in-house. “The rationale is to take real control of where we’re spending money and harmonise all maintenance activity with other projects,” remarks Tom. “If we bring the

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RETAIL: WATERSTONES

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help desk element back in-house, we can see problems immediately and react to them appropriately. It’s about capturing the information and working out where we direct our resource, time and money.” Although refurbishment is the main focus, there’s also interest in new stores and relocations. It is, however, not an aggressive expansion programme and the target market is wealthy towns that can support relatively small shops. A typical example is Dorking, where the store was the subject of a compulsory purchase order, causing an outcry at the prospect of the town losing its Waterstones and persuading the company to take a temporary unit to stay in the town. Once something suitable became available, it was acquired and fitted out to the standard of the current refurbishment programme. The challenge, as Tom recounts, is finding the right property at a price that will enable a reasonable return while at the same time being aware of the company’s buildings policy: “A nice looking building would go towards us electing it. The look of the property and the status of the building in the town is something we’re mindful of.” Since Waterstones is invariably fitting out existing buildings, it can’t control a property’s environmental characteristics. Nevertheless, it is aware of its respon-

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RETAIL: WATERSTONES sibilities when fitting out a store. Tom says: “LED lighting is starting to look like a reasonable outlay with a good return on investment. We’re also looking at HVAC and where we can get a reduction in energy costs. On a significant part of the portfolio, we use an energy management company to get the store teams really thinking about energy management, how they use energy and the impact that has on the environment and the cost of running the business.” SEEING THE RESULTS Allied to the store programme, Waterstones has moved its main head office from a standard office block into space at its flagship store off Piccadilly Circus. That provided a major challenge in retrofitting the listed building then moving everyone. However, it has been a positive culture change for the teams, now working within a retail establishment and being able to see at first hand the results of its actions. Those results are starting to come though with a good upturn in sales figures for completed stores. The aim, as Tom confirms, is to continue the refurbishment programme and learn as it progresses: “We’re developing the look and feel of the brand so we’ve worked with designers to get to where we are now. We’re constantly refining various parts, particularly understanding how we want to run our cafés and what the offer’s going to be there. The next twelve months is really just carrying on with that programme of investment, building our maintenance support structure and how we’re going to harmonise this with all our other business initiatives.”

“THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS IS REALLY JUST CARRYING ON WITH THAT PROGRAMME OF INVESTMENT, BUILDING OUR MAINTENANCE SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND HOW WE’RE GOING TO HARMONISE THIS WITH ALL OUR OTHER BUSINESS INITIATIVES.”

www.waterstones.com Tel: 020 87423800

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RETAIL: WATERSTONES

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RETAIL: BRITISH COUNCIL FOR SHOPPING CENTRES

SHAPING RETAIL PROPERTY BRITISH RETAIL IS ALIVE AND KICKING AND WILL TURN OUT IN FORCE AT THE ANNUAL BCSC CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER

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RETAIL: BRITISH COUNCIL FOR SHOPPING CENTRES

ritish retail is alive and kicking and will turn out in force at the annual BCSC conference at London Olympia on 11 and 12 September 2013. For the first time, BCSC is bringing the revamped, number one event in the retail property calendar to London – minimising travel and accommodation costs for delegates while maximising business networking opportunities. BCSC Showcase has been concentrated into two days, with retailers, landlords and investors descending on the capital in what will be the largest gathering of shopping centre owners and developers in the UK. Despite a recent spate of retail administrations, there is little doubt that the industry’s vital signs remain strong. The Showcase will yet again be a hive of deal-making and networking opportunities, as the biggest decision makers in retail and property gather together. The Showcase will include thought-provoking content; direct access to unrivalled, reputable and knowledgeable expertise by bringing together exclusive, high profile speakers. In recognition of the increasing role leisure and food retail plays in the industry, the exhibition will

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feature a street scene, with a broad range of restaurants and a demonstration kitchen. There will be no fee for retailers, further reducing their costs. The Showcase will also feature a London Hub, purely focused on investment and development opportunities in the Capital. The area will allow delegates to meet away from the main exhibition area, with some of the capital’s main players; fewer seminars and the new ‘one-room’ formula will ensure there is more talking and more action at this year’s conference. Michael Green, Chief Executive, BCSC, commented: “The strength of BCSC has always been its

membership and we’ve gone away and redesigned the conference in order to facilitate the changes the members wanted to see. They wanted a condensed event, with more time and space for deal making which was at the top of our agenda. “I wanted this year’s conference to be a real change in direction, shifting the focus back on to business and ensuring that we get the right people talking. The seminars we have planned reinforce our conference as the retail property industry event of the year.” www.bcsc.org.uk Tel: 0845 270 0775

THE BCSC SHOWCASE WILL IS COMING TO LONDON IN 2013 Wed 11 - Thu 12 Sep, London Olympia This year’s Showcase is something completely new. Vibrant, exciting, different... it’s exactly what you, our delegates, have asked for. Quite simply, there’s no bigger forum in which to do business. This is the uk’s largest businessto-business networking event for the retail and retail property industry. It’s all the right people in the right place at the right time. This is business on a big scale. There’ll be 3,000 top decision-makers to make things happen.

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GOVERNMENT SECTOR: FCO SERVICES

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GOVERNMENT SECTOR: FCO SERVICES

A MAJOR

CHANGE SINCE BECOMING A TRADING FUND OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FOUR YEARS AGO FCO SERVICES HAS HAD TO ADAPT TO OPERATING IN A COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENT

t has been an “interesting and exciting” period for FCO Services, says Director of Major Projects and Client Delivery Danny Payne. Since becoming a Trading Fund of the British government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) five years ago, the organisation has had to adapt to operating in a commercial environment. “It was a major change for us,” explains Danny, “because it meant we had to learn how to develop and grow our client base just like any other commercial organisation. The result of which has seen our client portfolio strengthen and our order book filled both here in the UK and overseas.” Across four main divisions – Secure ICT, Secure Estates and Construction, Protective Security, and Secure logistics – support is provided for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s endeavours worldwide. Currently operating in 260 cities to meet the exacting needs of British and friendly foreign governments, FCO Services delivers integral support to the provision of a safe, secure global diplomatic environment.

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Part of the work FCO Services carries out is secure construction of embassies, residences and associated buildings on the government’s overseas estate. Over the last five years, around 2,500 projects have been undertaken. These range from relatively small commissions such as seismology assessments to grander schemes like enhancing a building’s security defences. Larger schemes involve complete refurbishment or renovation as well as brand new developments, and this can include multiple buildings or a complete compound. The biggest contracts will see the construction of offices, residences, staff accommodation and recreational facilities. Previous work on such estates has involved FCO Services overseeing project management, design and installation, with one such project being valued at approximately $75m. A crucial element of the organisation’s success as a commercial entity has come from its reputation, balancing professional personnel with the demands of working in international, sometimes hostile, environments. Nigel Carter, Programme Director or Wider Markets Estates and Security, believes FCO Services, in the scope and standard of its work, is one of a kind. “The service we provide has reputation and experience on its side and its capacity to carry out a number of key tasks is

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something international governments and organisations realise they cannot get elsewhere. We have a unique selling point that not only includes our expertise but significantly our global reach,” he says. Danny agrees, highlighting the availability of expertise across a number of disciplines such as architects, engineers, surveyors, project managers, interior designers, and site supervisors who all have the required level of clearance to work on security sensitive sites. FCO Services staff are all security cleared, with many of them cleared to a high level in keeping with the nature of the work – this gives current and potential clients peace of mind. Security protocol also extends to personnel safety, an absolute necessity within FCO Services’ successful operation. “We have to set up the necessary infrastructure for two governments to speak to one

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another. Sometimes these locations can be in volatile regions such as those having recently suffered military conflict. As such, these locations are inherently dangerous,” says Danny. “So we ensure the best possible practices are in place to protect our teams. To do this we hire close protection professionals for both on site protection and training so that staff are not only as secure as possible, they have the knowledge in order to protect themselves as well as the right psychological profile to work in these environments.” Certainly, FCO Services distinguishes itself by marrying high-level security clearance with the expertise to deliver its solutions. This poses a greater challenge when you are faced with working in a foreign environment, something Danny says forms the basis of the organisation’s reputation.

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“Engineering overseas is a skill we are proud of,” he enthuses. “A typical British engineer is taught the various disciplines, from structural requirements to electrical and mechanical systems, based on British principles, designs and logistics. Imagine then that the individual is sent to convert an old villa into an embassy in a country he has never visited before. We have taught our engineers how to interpret and handle foreign technologies, how to work with local contractors, and how to adapt British professional principles to the location. That means our standards never drop. Whether we are in the UK or abroad, we take our expertise and adapt it to the environment in which we are working.” This is even more important given the emphasis on sustainability. Worldwide clients are increasingly aware of their carbon footprint. Through engineering efficiency measures in the design and operation of buildings, FCO Services ensures developments

meet environmental legislation and work in the most cost effective way. Its experience in applying these standards in foreign locations is crucial to winning clients. Thus, FCO Services can adapt efficiency measures to varying regulations across the world, installing optimised building management systems tailored to individual circumstance. In its own “green” agenda, FCO Services has significantly improved its carbon footprint. For example, modernising its processes through the incorporation of programme management has brought with it a number of advantages, not least in environmental efficiency and cost reduction. Elsewhere, secure video conferencing and cloud computing has reduced flying hours and travelling between offices while increasing productivity. Overseas, its environmental management services and practical technical support have helped embassies make use of low carbon and renewable

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GOVERNMENT SECTOR: FCO SERVICES

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GOVERNMENT SECTOR: FCO SERVICES technologies, with schemes including energy control systems, remote monitoring and passive energy reduction systems such as insulation, helping clients reduce their carbon footprint. FCO Services quickly recognised that operating more efficiently was crucial in the commercial market. However, to gain new clients it knew it couldn’t stand still and rely on past success. “We have improved and modernised our technologies over the last four years so that we are fundamentally competitive,” remarks Danny. “We’ve also moved into extensive programme management, so rather than running lots of projects on a smaller scale, we’ve actually taught our clients, and taught ourselves, to have extensive worldwide programmes. This has significantly improved overall performance.” Recent projects include the restoration of the British ambassador’s residence in Moscow. The work previously required the building, located opposite the Kremlin, to be converted from a British embassy into a residential space. A particular strength of FCO Services’ refurbishment and renovation work is its ability to maintain the historical aesthetic of a building while implementing modern services and up to date security measures. “We have vast experience of dealing with both modern and historical buildings,” explains Nigel. “We have a specialist interior design team who can expertly match existing features to new updates, while we also introduce modern mechanical and electrical services into existing buildings so that they are both fit for purpose and operate as any modern, new build property would do.” Despite global economic uncertainty, FCO Services has prospered as a commercial organisation. Its world-renowned reputation has aided its growth over the last five years, but it has refused to

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stand motionless, instead it has consistently enhanced the service it provides in order to appeal to a wider clientele. “The last few years has certainly been exciting as well as rewarding,” remarks Danny. “The next twelve months promises to be even more interesting as our order book is full and we continue to extend our relations with foreign countries. This also brings opportunities for the supply chain back home in the UK and therefore very much supports the prosperity agenda of the British government.” www.fcoservices.gov.uk Tel: 01908 515789

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LOCAL AUTHORITIES: COUNCIL PLANNING

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LOCAL AUTHORITIES: COUNCIL PLANNING

COUNCILS FEAR A PLANNING FREE-FOR-ALL L ocal government leaders have criticised the government for implementing “panic measure” planning changes which will "drain the life" from communities. Under rules which come into force today, developers and businesses will no longer be required to seek planning permission to change the use of some commercial premises or to convert empty offices into flats or free schools. The measures are intended to make it easier to bring derelict premises back into use and to reinvigorate high streets which have suffered in the economic downturn. But opponents are warning that the onesize-fits-all approach risks inflicting long-term damage on already struggling towns and cities, and have urged ministers to consider an opt-out clause. The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said that the previous planning controls were “a form of democratic quality control” on commercial developments which gave residents some say in shaping their communities. But it warned that the new rules risk creating a freefor-all in which the number of betting shops and high

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street money lenders will proliferate unchecked, instead of the shops and restaurants that residents want. The LGA’s environment and housing board chairman, Mike Jones, said: “There’s a very real danger that, in chasing a short-term boost, this panic measure could end up creating real problems in our high streets and doing lasting damage to our town and cities. This could potentially drain the life from our high streets. “Planning controls are not there to make life difficult for new businesses but as a form of democratic quality control which ensures new shops and businesses will be good for the area and the people who live there. Councils are currently approving more planning applications than ever before. He added: “We desperately need to boost struggling high streets and help new businesses take over empty buildings, but a blanket national policy is not the answer.” Labour’s shadow communities secretary, Hilary Benn, also criticised the new measures. He said: “These changes, which have been pushed through without parliamentary scrutiny, weaken the ability of local communities and councils to shape their high streets and local economy in the way they want.”

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LOCAL AUTHORITIES: BARNSLEY COUNCIL

REMAKING BARNSLEY THE INNOVATIVE REMAKING BARNSLEY RENAISSANCE PROGRAMME IS REDEFINING BARNSLEY AND CREATING A THRIVING, VIBRANT AND ENJOYABLE URBAN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN LIVE, WORK AND PLAY

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any people who visit Barnsley are surprised. The Borough is well known for its strong industrial heritage as well as for Barnsley luminaries such as former Test Cricket Umpire Dickie Bird but most visitors are also delighted by the beauty of the surrounding countryside as well as the high quality of the environment – with 70% of the Borough green and rural. In fact, Barnsley’s heritage dates back to the medieval times, when the town grew into a thriving market town and a powerful industrial centre, wellknown for ironworking, then glass and linen. However, it was the rich seams of coal lying underneath Barnsley that really transformed the town and surrounding villages. Barnsley is in the great South Yorkshire coalfield and played its part in powering an industrial age. Barnsley’s coal was celebrated by many – from Sheffield Steelworks to the boilers in Buckingham Palace.

Barnsley still cherishes its industrial heritage – as evidenced by the Cannon Hall Museum and the Elsecar Heritage Centre. However the more recent focus of discussions in Barnsley have been about economic regeneration and turning the town to a 21st Century market town, inspired by some audacious thinking about “Remaking Barnsley”, which was led by the renowned architect Will Alsop. The remaking of Barnsley has already delivered a new Transport Interchange and a Digital Media Centre, new Council buildings and the rebuilding of all the Secondary schools – and these have set a new standard for architecture in the town. The most recent achievements have been the creation of a new Town Hall square and gardens with fountains and artwork by Nigel Hall and the opening in June 2013 of “Experience Barnsley” – a £4.3 million visitor museum and discovery centre that celebrates its people and history, reflecting back on its industrial and medieval heritage. Ann Gosse is the Executive Director for Development, Environment and Culture with Barnsley Council, and has been leading the transformation of the Borough since her arrival in 2008. Ann has wide-ranging responsibilities, including economic regeneration, culture and the visitor economy, town centre management, waste management, Neighbourhood Pride, Regulatory Services, Community Safety, housing, planning, business support and the development of major projects. Ann has led the regeneration of Barnsley over the last five years, following the programme concept which was outlined by Will Alsop and further developments through the Economic Growth Plan. “Remaking Barnsley” has seen the construction of a number of eye-catching, multi-million pound developments in the town-centre:- the Civic in Barnsley, the award-winning Penistone Green Oak Market – and of course the new “Experience Barnsley”. Ann will be leaving Barnsley this summer, but will have left a strong legacy of economic and

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LOCAL AUTHORITIES: BARNSLEY COUNCIL

ANN GOSSE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE WITH BARNSLEY COUNCIL, AND HAS BEEN LEADING THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE BOROUGH

cultural change. Remaking Barnsley has also been the catalyst for other ambitious regeneration initiatives in the borough’s Secondary schools through a “Building Schools for the Future” programme and supporting business growth which has led to Barnsley being the highest private sector growth of 7.2% in 2013. There are already plans to continue the redevelopment of Barnsley’s town centre – including the £125 million Market Place Barnsley programme. This ambitious programme will transform Barnsley’s retail and leisure offer – as well creating greater connectivity and improving the quality of open spaces and public realm in the town centre. The Council worked with business partners to develop the town centre over the past few years. In 2009, the Civic Theatre and the adjacent Mandela Square were transformed into a multi-functional space, and more recently, the Gateway Plaza has

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been re-developed as well as new public realm and the urban park linked to the new Barnsley College development. A further example of improvements in public realm is the Pinfold Steps, which lie between Shambles Street and Westgate, and now features a small seating area, areas of newly planted shrubs and other plants, creating a high quality space of which Barnsley can be justifiably proud. The site has a strong heritage. Its name acknowledges the pinfolds of medieval times, found mostly in the North and East and built to hold animals which had been found straying. There are also very exciting plans to prioritise and develop key employment sites in the Borough, including plans to develop strategic Business Parks off the M1. The impact of this is expected to virtually double the “Gross Value Added” (or GVA) of Barnsley’s economy and create a major increase in

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employment levels. The scale of these plans are such that they will also contribute heavily to improving Barnsley’s and Sheffield City Region’s economic performance. The plans currently being explored include the development of major employment hubs, appropriate housing mix and critical transport links to ease the flow of business into and out of the Borough. These developments aim to exploit Barnsley’s proximity to the M1 and its location between the Leeds and Sheffield conurbations, as well as to Manchester’s businesses and the international airports in Manchester, Leeds/ Bradford and Sheffield/Doncaster. Council Leader Sir Stephen Houghton comments: “This is an exciting opportunity for Barnsley to secure significant levels of growth for local residents. In recent years, we have worked with

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LOCAL AUTHORITIES: BARNSLEY COUNCIL partners to secure an outstanding transformation of the town centre. The Council is now looking to develop a strong economic legacy by developing these business parks and encouraging enterprise. We see this as an important step in “Remaking Barnsley”. The Council’s top priority is to encourage enterprise and employment. The Council and its partners have plans to increase Barnsley’s job density closer to regional and national levels. To help with this, the Council has developed an “Enterprising Barnsley” programme, building on the 2007 and 2011 Economic Masterplans. The programme encourages new businesses to start, provides incubation space for new businesses and accelerates the development of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) through coaching, networking and support from workshops. The programme has received European Funding and is delivered in partnership with organisations such as Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC). Support is provided for businesses in the priority sectors identified by ERDF-funding, which include advanced manufacturing and materials, creative and digital industries, food and drink, bioscience, environmental technologies, sports, the investor economy, social enterprise and sustainable development. The first phase of the programme ran from 2008 to 2012 and was very successful in helping 548 businesses and creating 634 jobs, as well as protecting a further 515 jobs. It is estimated that

the programme helped Barnsley’s GVA to grow by £23.6m due to direct interventions from the programme. A second phase of delivery is also now underway and in its first year, Enterprising Barnsley has already helped 210 businesses and created 320 jobs, with an estimated increase in GVA of £19.2m.

target of 20% and had already passed a 40% reduction target for 2020. Carbon reduction and the green agenda is important and the Council is currently working on a supplementary planning document to cover renewable energy. The document will aim to provide the background information for the private sector on

“I’M EXTREMELY PROUD OF BARNSLEY’S INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE AND THE OPENING OF THE BARNSLEY EXPERIENCE ALLOWS MANY MORE PEOPLE TO SHARE THAT HERITAGE” CLLR. SIR STEPHEN HOUGHTON The Council is committed to the development of its young people and – together with all its partners - has agreed to sign the “Barnsley Apprenticeship” pledge. This aims to reduce unemployment for the under 25s and encourages businesses and public sector organisations to take on more apprentices. Further support with achieving these aims is also available from the Leeds and Sheffield City Regions. Like many Councils, Barnsley is also committed to delivering a “greener” future and has been recognised as a leading low-carbon authority, particularly in the active promotion of energy efficiency. In 2011, the Council reached its energy reduction

how to engage with the planning authority in regard to matters such as wind energy and the principles of renewable energy. Cllr. Sir Stephen Houghton has the final word: “I’m extremely proud of Barnsley’s industrial heritage and the opening of the Barnsley Experience allows many more people to share that heritage. I am also very committed to working with our public and private sector partners to develop Barnsley’s potential and continue the progress we have shown in Remaking Barnsley”. www.barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 770770

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Stockton on Tees :feature 2 13/07/2013 11:02 Page 66

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: STOCKTON-ON-TEES BOROUGH COUNCIL

STOCKTON’S

VISION THE FUTURE VISION FOR STOCKTON TOWN CENTRE IS FOR A MODERN, SUCCESSFUL AND VIBRANT MARKET TOWN

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Stockton on Tees :feature 2 13/07/2013 11:03 Page 67

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: STOCKTON-ON-TEES BOROUGH COUNCIL

he future vision for Stockton Town Centre is for a modern, successful and vibrant market town with high quality public spaces and a growing retail offer that serves the needs of residents of the borough. High quality “Creative and Connected Spaces” will reinforce the town as the North East’s “Capital of Street Arts” with animated public spaces that support the town’s rich heritage in street entertainment. The local authority also aims to continue to build on the asset of the River Tees and riverside area which provides a high quality setting for new businesses, recreational activities and unique opportunities for riverside living. Currently, construction of the first phase of the £300 million Northshore development is underway. The 23-hectare mixed-use regeneration scheme will transform Stockton’s Riverside by delivering over 1.8 million square feet of offices, leisure and retail accommodation. This is in addition to high quality housing, all of which are within walking distance of the town centre.

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The multi-million pound scheme is being developed by Muse Developments in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), supported by Stockton Council. The site includes a £6 million Innovation Centre for digital service and technology businesses, and has been earmarked for new facilities required to expand the Durham University Queen's Campus. Once completed the Northshore scheme could create in the region of 4,500 jobs. The development also includes Vivo. This exciting housing development has just completed the initial phase of homes, fifty two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom houses have been built in an ideal riverside location next to the iconic Infinity Bridge. Phase two sees the development of seventy-six two, three and four-bedroom homes overlooking the iconic Infinity Bridge with many having roof terraces so residents can make the most of the stunning riverside location. Other key projects include North High Street. Opportunities exist to reintroduce short stay car parking within the High Street as part of the radical public realm initiative that will incorporate improvements to the public transport

network as part of the Tees Valley Major Bus Scheme. This introduction of short stay parking at the northern end of the high street will contribute to a total of approximately fifty new spaces on the High Street. Changes to the existing High Street layout will enhance the pedestrian experience and coupled with improvements to existing retail frontages, lighting and refurbishment of the Globe Theatre will create a vibrant gateway to the northern end of the High Street. North High Street improvements will tie into the proposals for Central Square via the new Infinity View Plaza that create improved physical linkages to the riverside with direct views of the award winning Infinity Bridge. Elsewhere, the key design aim behind Central Square is to create a piece of high quality public realm that provides a central focus for the High Street seven days a week whist improving the setting of the listed Town Hall. This central square will provide an intense hub of activity both during the day and into the evening which supports and reinforces the linkages between the two main shopping centres, Cultural Quarter and Arc.

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LOCAL AUTHORITIES: STOCKTON-ON-TEES BOROUGH COUNCIL

ONGOING £60M INVESTMENT IN BUS INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDES IMPROVED BUS SHELTERS, REAL-TIME DISPLAY AND IMPROVED RELIABILITY Although the primary function of this space is to create an all year round focus, providing informal opportunities to sit, stay and enjoy, it is envisaged that it will form an essential part of a series of flexible spaces within the Town Centre that will support the council events programme including the Stockton International Riverside Festival. The council is going to undertake a separate study to establish the exact space required to facilitate all year round events. Further opportunities exist to reintroduce short stay car parking within the High Street. This introduction of short stay parking at the southern end of the High Street will contribute to a total of approximately fifty new spaces on the High Street. Proposals for South High Street include a dedicated market space concentrated around the Market Cross and Shambles Market Hall with a new layout, stall size and design. Ongoing £60m investment in bus infrastructure includes improved bus shelters, real-time display

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and improved reliability. A new dedicated space for taxis will be provided as part of the major public realm improvements and road reconfiguration. At The Globe a £4millon plus refurbishment in 2011 saw it re-open as a 2,500 capacity touring music and live entertainment venue in 2012. Supporting the redevelopment of The Globe, adjacent properties will be brought back into use to enhance the evening and leisure offer within the Town Centre. Building on the refurbishment of The Globe, the public realm in this area will provide an attractive but functional environment to support the future use of The Globe as an entertainment venue. As part of the proposals new surfacing, street trees and drop-off bays will be provided to complement short stay parking and wider improvements to North High Street. www.stockton.gov.uk Tel: 01642 393939

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Stockton on Tees :feature 2 23/07/2013 09:10 Page 69

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Peterborough City Council:feature 2 25/07/2013 10:43 Page 70

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL

hen Primark opened its store in Peterborough recently, 54,000 people went through the doors on the first day. That’s more than the city’s population in 1950, illustrating its growth since then to around 200,000 today. Peterborough is rated the second fastest growing city outside London and Council Leader Marco Cereste believes further growth is inevitable: “Last year, there were almost 5,000 children born in Peterborough and 2,150 people died here; the majority of those people live in this city, which means we saw a net gain of almost 3,000. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to say the city might grow by another 30-40,000 in ten years.” The city is in the top fifty places to invest and do business, with 8,000 jobs generated in the last past years. However, it needs to maintain that pace and provide additional accommodation for its growing

INVESTING IN PETERBOROUGH PETERBOROUGH IS FAST BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING AREAS FOR INVESTMENT IN THE UK

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LOCAL AUTHORITIES: PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL population. The strategy to achieve that is largely based around the regeneration of the city centre. “I’m a great believer in having a city centre that is vibrant and alive because that percolates into the rest of the city,” states Marco. “If your city centre is dead, the rest of the city will die with it so we want a successful, vibrant city centre that attracts businesses and people.” The aim is to attract more people into the city centre and give them reason to remain there longer. That’s being achieved in several ways that include new public realm, providing free Wifi and increasing the amount of living accommodation in and around the centre. Businesses are converting unused office space for residential use and the council has plans to convert surplus buildings to the same purpose, which together could create accommodation for up to 1,000 families within the city centre. Marco says: “We are looking to reuse redundant buildings to create state-of-the-art city centre living and have plenty of innovative plans.” REGENERATION PROGRESS The regeneration of the city centre started around six years ago with the redevelopment of Cathedral Square and the creation of St John’s Square, and public realm works in Cowgate, all now complete. The refurbishment of the Queensgate Shopping Centre is underway, the regeneration of Bridge Street is due to finish imminently and next on the list is the refurbishment of city centre shopping street Long Causeway, which will complete the core of the city centre. After that, there’s an £9.5 million development of a community stadium incorporating a new educational facility – the Sustainable Skills Centre. The council’s also working with Sports England to create a sports village including a fifty metre Olympic pool. Housing accommodation is being further increased by the Southbank development, comprising 300 zero carbon homes that are spacious, of high quality and with estimated annual energy costs of £100 to £200. More innovatively is the possibility of houses that are suitable for building on flood

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plains. “They use bridge technology, floating up and down with the water so they aren’t damaged,” explains Marco. “They’re also a quality build, environmentally friendly and zero carbon nature. We’re trying to attract the manufacturer to build in Peterborough so it’s not just about regeneration; it’s about increasing jobs, the quality of work, the training and the skills available.” ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL That kind of innovation is evident in Peterborough’s environment capital agenda which is the city’s commitment to putting the environment at the heart of its decision-making to create a cleaner, greener, healthier city for now and the future. Since, 2005/6, 400 environmental companies have been attracted to the city. Marco says: “Businesses migrate to places where there are others they can do business with so we’ve created this cluster of environmental businesses and grown it organically. Those businesses are now spawning new ones and we’ve just won £3 million from the Technology Strategy Board, a fair

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Peterborough City Council:feature 2 25/07/2013 10:44 Page 72

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL amount of which will be used to encourage environmental innovation. We will use some of that money to help companies take projects to the market, creating new environmental businesses for Peterborough and helping it to grow.” The council has around 20 photovoltaic projects in schools and council buildings and a deal with Honeywell Building Solutions to survey council property to reduce energy use, emissions and cost. Longer term, it promotes environmental awareness from nursery right through to secondary schools, with numerous projects always running. “We put the environment at the core of everything we do and want to be able to make this city self sufficient in renewable energy within ten years,” comments Marco. That’s all tied in with £190 million investment in education that has seen every secondary school in the city rebuilt, extended or refurbished since 2007, with an extensive programme also planned for primary schools. There are in excess of 3,000 students taking degree courses in Peterborough including a centre specialising in health issues operated by Anglia Ruskin University. Peterborough also has proposals for a business school and plans are progressing to open a new teacher training college in the city centre. CHANGES ROLE In Marco’s view, the council’s role has changed since the onset of the recession, from one of simply encouraging, enabling and providing infrastructure to a more active involvement. That has included the

“WE WANT TO CREATE A PETERBOROUGH THAT NOT ONLY WE ARE PROUD OF, BUT WHERE OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WANT TO LIVE AND RAISE THEIR FAMILIES TOO. WE WANT PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL, WHETHER THAT’S ACADEMIC OR TECHNICAL” MARCO CERESTE COUNCIL LEADER council’s Local Authority Mortgage Scheme which supports first-time buyers to purchase a home with a deposit of just 5 per cent. The city council then provides a cash-backed indemnity of up to 20 per cent as additional security to meet the size of deposit that mortgage companies now require. The council then earns interest on this amount. The scheme has so far enabled 50 families buy their own homes and Marco believes it has been well worth the council’s £1 million investment. He says: “Every time a new family get onto the housing ladder, we receive council tax. “Every time a new home is built and sold and a family moves in we receive council tax. Developers can then build more houses and for every new home built we get a housing bonus from the government -that’s worth at least £2,500 per house, per year to us.”

It’s only one of the things the council is doing, with the city centre regeneration entering its second and third phases and benefits already coming through. “The city will continue to grow and offer people really high quality heritage and culture facilities and events,” confirms Marco. “We want to create a Peterborough that not only we are proud of, but that our children and grandchildren want to live and raise their families too. We want to have really good homes and quality schools. We want people to achieve their maximum potential, whether that’s academic or technical. If you come back in two years time, you won’t believe the changes in the city and in five years time you won’t recognise it.” www.opportunitypeterborough.co.uk Tel: 01733 317417

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Scarborough Council :feature 2 12/07/2013 15:56 Page 74

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: SCARBOROUGH BOROUGH COUNCIL

S GOING FOR

GROWTH

carborough Borough Council has secured a £2.6 million government grant to develop Whitby Business Park and help create more than 2,700 jobs across the Borough. Around £1 million from the Coastal Communities Fund grant will be injected in to Whitby Business Park through the council’s Going for Growth scheme, to open up land and improve infrastructure in readiness for the creation of Europe’s largest offshore wind farm near Dogger Bank and the planned new potash mine, just a few miles outside Whitby, near the village of Sneaton. Geographically, the town and its business park are ideally placed to support both industries. Plans for the potash mine will shortly be considered by the North York Moors National Park Authority, while the council and Whitby Harbour Board continue to lobby key players in the £40 billion Dogger Bank project, with a view to attracting companies likely to be involved in the operations, maintenance and supply chain associated with the construction of the wind turbines and their ongoing operation. The remainder of the grant from the Coastal Communities Fund received by the council will be used to subsidise as many as 200 apprenticeships in engineering and manufacturing in the borough; fund training and business support for enterprises linked to the potash, renewable energy and other local industries; support enterprise “boot camps”

SCARBOROUGH BOROUGH COUNCIL HAS SECURED A £2.6 MILLION GOVERNMENT GRANT TO DEVELOP WHITBY BUSINESS PARK AND HELP CREATE MORE THAN 2,700 JOBS ACROSS THE BOROUGH 74

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Scarborough Council :feature 2 12/07/2013 15:56 Page 75

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: SCARBOROUGH BOROUGH COUNCIL for young people in the borough; and help fund the second phase of the council’s Jobmatch project, which in phase one saw more than 1,000 people recruited by 300 companies. The council predicts a total of 206 direct jobs and 2,500 indirect jobs will be created in the local economy as a result of the Going for Growth project. Cabinet portfolio holder for strategic planning and regeneration, Cllr Derek Bastiman, said: “This grant represents a huge vote of confidence from The Department for Communities and Local Government in the work this council is doing to attract investment and jobs, and help retrain and upskill local people to ensure we deliver prosperity for the people of Whitby and the borough. “The potash mine and offshore wind industry have the potential to completely transform the area and bring a new dimension to the local economy which for so long has relied heavily on tourism. Investing in the business park and its infrastructure, as well as people and their skills, will help ensure we are in the best possible position to capitalise for the benefit of our residents.” Of the 20 successful grant applications announced by Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles MP, the £2,599,373 awarded to Scarborough Borough Council is the highest in England and represents around 10 per cent of the total money awarded in this current round of funding. The council also supported the bid for £800,000 awarded to the North York Moors Railway to further

“THIS GRANT REPRESENTS A HUGE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE WORK THIS COUNCIL IS DOING TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT AND JOBS, AND HELP RETRAIN AND UPSKILL LOCAL PEOPLE TO ENSURE WE DELIVER PROSPERITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF WHITBY AND THE BOROUGH” CLLR DEREK BASTIMAN develop its heritage service and create 15 new jobs on the railway, with 52 jobs in the wider tourism sector. Mr Pickles said: “It’s a missed opportunity if we don’t tap into the huge potential our coastal towns have to welcome new industries and to diversify their economies so they can become year-round success stories. The projects we’ve chosen will

create thousands of jobs and help many start-up businesses. “This money will help these towns tap into new business opportunities that will create jobs and boost skills that will benefit the whole community.” www.scarborough.gov.uk Tel: 01723 232323

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Swansea Council :feature 2 12/07/2013 15:48 Page 76

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: SWANSEA COUNCIL

SWANSEA

REGENERATION SWANSEA COUNCIL HAS SPENT £10 MILLION ON REGENERATION IN THE LAST FEW YEARS AND EXPECTS TO SPEND ANOTHER £10 MILLION IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

wansea Council has spent £10 million on regeneration in the last few years and expects to spend another £10 million in the near future. Head of Economic Regeneration and Planning, Phil Holmes, says highlights from the last year include the reconfiguration of the River Bridges. “Changing the way traffic operates there has led to a reduction in journey times on all routes across the bridges of between twenty and sixty per cent. This is hugely important because many thousands of motorists use the bridges every day either to commute back and forth to work, or to reach the city centre shops and tourist hotpots like Mumbles and Gower. The success of the project has been recognised by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).” A scheme named “Beyond Bricks and Mortar” has also been very successful. “It’s benefited over

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100 local people in the last four years and has opened up more than 2,500 weeks of training,” says Phil. “It has changed many people's lives and given them the skills to find sustainable work. This is something we’re proud of as a council and will both extend to future projects and promote our partners.” Recent developments in Swansea have improved both the city centre and key gateways in and out of the city. Working alongside its partners at the Welsh Government, significant investment has been made. This includes the refurbishment of the City Bus Station and the environmental upgrade of both the pedestrianised shopping area and the Lower Oxford Street trading area that’s renowned for the quality of its independent traders. A new, three-storey retail complex has opened on Princess Way in the heart of the city centre, and the council has been administering a scheme called the Building Enhancement Programme that’s helping

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Swansea Council :feature 2 12/07/2013 15:48 Page 77

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: SWANSEA COUNCIL businesses upgrade their shop fronts. Over £500,000 has been allocated under this scheme in recent years and many shops, hotels and other businesses have benefited. There are a number of developments ongoing in Swansea at the moment. They include the Waterfront Connections and Boulevard schemes that are generating better links between the city centre and the seafront. “We’re lucky in Swansea to have such a stunning waterfront within touching distance of the city centre, but Oystermouth Road and Quay Parade have traditionally acted as a barrier between them. The Boulevard Project, which will stretch from the River Tawe bridges to Princess Way along Quay Parade and Oystermouth Road, will improve links by introducing wide, pedestrian and cyclist friendly crossing points at key locations,” remarks Phil. “The appearance of the road will also be vastly improved with wider, shared-use pavements; a wider central reserve and the introduction of more than 80 trees along the route. These improvements, along with the introduction of public art, will help attract more investment from the private sector in future and will encourage more pedestrians and cyclists to pass between the city’s Maritime Quarter and the city centre shops.” Swansea Council is also working closely with the university to breathe new life into the historic Hafod Copperworks site in the city. This site was once at the epicentre of the industrial revolution and is of international significance in terms of its heritage. Activities for the next 12 months include protecting listed buildings, clearing vegetation, introducing walking trails, installing information panels, holding archaeological digs and staging events. The longerterm vision is to bring the site back into use as a vibrant and innovative hub for work, education, tourism and leisure. www.swansea.gov.uk Tel: 01792 636000

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wakefield:feature 2 23/07/2013 14:32 Page 78

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: WAKEFIELD COUNCIL

MAKING WAKEFIELD A BETTER PLACE

aking Wakefield in to a better place to work, live and visit is at the heart of the urban renaissance and regeneration work currently being carried out by Wakefield Council. In 2001, Yorkshire Forward (the Regional Development Agency) launched its Urban Renaissance Programme. The aim of the programme was to improve the physical and natural environments where socio-economic activities take place. Getting Connected: Wakefield Renaissance Charter was published in November 2002. The Charter's aim is to help to define new approaches to comprehensive regeneration that are centred upon the improvement of the physical environment and the direct involvement of local people in the process. The councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aims are to create a city and district where improvements will be seen in the quality and design of the built environment; transport patterns and access to public transport; the quality and design of the public spaces making them more attractive; and integrating the new developments into the existing city centre. Over the last four years the council has been working hard to deliver a number of major projects including Wakefield Waterfront, Merchant Gate and Trinity Walk shopping centre. All of which are changing the face of the city. For example, Wakefield Waterfront is a key part of the transformation of the southern gateway into

DRIVING FORWARD INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS IN CENTRAL WAKEFIELD

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wakefield:feature 2 25/07/2013 10:41 Page 79

LOCAL AUTHORITIES: WAKEFIELD COUNCIL the city, representing an exciting new cultural dimension. Construction work started on the 4 hectare waterfront scheme in 2006, and is being developed in phases over a ten-year period. On completion, it will provide around 500,000 sq ft (50,000m2) of luxury riverside apartments, office space and leisure facilities including restaurants, cafĂŠs, courtyards, landscaped gardens and public spaces. The master plan required significant restoration and conversion of some of the fine historical buildings, and integration of new buildings, including the Hepworth Wakefield, and high quality apartments and offices, whilst encouraging complimentary riverside leisure activities. Phase 1 of the development opened in November 2008 by Lord St Oswald of Nostell and included the restored Grade II listed Calder and Hebble Navigation Warehouse and new commercial and residential buildings. Phase 2, The Hepworth Wakefield, the iconic Chipperfield designed city art gallery, opened on 21st May 2011. It has attracted over half a million visitors in its first year and is expecting similar numbers in 2013. The third phase of the site comprises restoration of a large number of Victorian Mill Buildings and a Grade II listed Phoenix Mill. Work commenced in June 2011 to re-roof the Caddies Wainwright building Rutland Mills which was completed in April 2012. A further programme of works is being planned for 2013 and beyond to continue the regeneration process.

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THE MASTER PLAN REQUIRED SIGNIFICANT RESTORATION AND CONVERSION OF SOME OF THE FINE HISTORICAL BUILDINGS, AND INTEGRATION OF NEW BUILDINGS Elsewhere, the Trinity Walk Shopping Centre opened in 2011. The shopping centre is providing more than fifty large, modern retail units across a 500,000 sq ft acre site. Trinity Walk will include a line up of top high-street names including Sainsbury's, Debenhams, Next, H&M, River Island, Peacocks, ASDA Living, Pizza Express, Lush, Jack Jones, Bank, Carphone Warehouse and Orange. A 950-space car park serves both the shopping centre and the city centre. Around 1500 jobs are expected to be created as part of the overall scheme. The council has also delivered a substantial programme of high quality realm works on the adjacent streets to complement and integrate the new retailing into the existing city centre. In addition, the work at Merchant Gate will be one of the most important city centre development sites in the Yorkshire region. It comprises of a new 6.9 hectare development linking the station to the city centre and delivering 700,000 sq ft of mixed-

use development including offices, a hotel, retail/ leisure and 350 new homes. Phase 1 of development work was opened on 10 September 2010 by Sir Michael Lyons, Chairman of the English Cities Fund. The development comprises of a public square surrounded by three new buildings (offices and apartments), a 1,500 multistorey car park and a new section of the Emerald Ring, the city's inner ring road. Work commenced in August 2010 on the new council offices, and was completed in December 2011. The building will cater for over 1,000 staff and host the new city library and museum. The building will open to the public in October 2012. Phase 3 comprises of the new Westgate Rail Station. ÂŁ8.1m has been secured to build the new rail station on Mulberry Way, next to the new multistorey car park. Work is expected to be completed by November 2013. www.wakefield.gov.uk Tel: 0845 8 506 506

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ISA:feature 2 13/07/2013 11:13 Page 80

HEALTH AND SAFETY: INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AWARDS

AWARDING

HEALTH AND SAFETY THE INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AWARDS GALA DINNER CELEBRATES THE SUCCESS OF THOSE ORGANISATIONS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF THEIR EMPLOYEES

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HEALTH AND SAFETY: INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AWARDS

ealth and safety has always been an increasingly important topic in the construction industry. The British Safety Council’s role is to help member organisations, including nearly 2,000 in construction, achieve the highest standards. “Although health and safety sometimes attracts a lot of criticism, our members take it very seriously,” comments Policy Director Neal Stone. “They ensure it’s properly managed and people aren’t being injured or made ill by work. We have to stay in line with what’s happening, which includes considerable growth in the delivery of training and development online.” An important and very public aspect of the Council’s work is its staging of the annual

International Safety Awards. They recognise organisations’ health and safety achievements, reward those demonstrating a commitment to ensuring high standards and publicise best practice and particular initiatives. Neal says: “We use the event to help spread the word. It’s all well and good recognising and rewarding organisations but what they’re doing needs to reach a wider audience.” The awards, open to members and non-members, have completed their 55th year and generally attract 550-600 entrants. The latest round had 465 winning organisations, 38 achieving the highest distinction category, 241 awarded a merit and 186 gaining a pass. Results were announced at the time of the Council’s gala dinner in April, with distinction winning organisations receiving their awards on the night. Being successful in any category is quite an achievement since all applicants have to meet robust success criteria. That starts with the launch in autumn, applicants having four months to complete

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a detailed questionnaire and gather evidence to support their entry. Each application is scrutinised by an independent panel of judges comprising IOSH qualified chartered practitioners. Their main attributes are experience and knowledge in their field, a good eye for detail and the ability to conduct due diligence on evidence. MEETING CRITERIA “To get any award, you have to demonstrate to the judges you are ensuring good health and safety and meet the scoring criteria,” emphasises Neal. “The questions change every year and this year looked at not only safety hazards organisations had to manage but also the most prominent health hazards, which sometimes get overlooked. “We wanted to see evidence of senior management actively promoting safety and welfare on sites. We also looked at emergency arrangements the organisations had in place. And we asked them to set

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HEALTH AND SAFETY: INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AWARDS

“AWARDS HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY AND GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE. FOR THE WINNERS, AN AWARD IS A PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION THAT THEY’VE ACHIEVED A PRESCRIBED LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF MANAGING HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK” NEAL STONE POLICY DIRECTOR

out their objectives and priorities for the coming year having regard to the improvements they were looking to achieve.” The evidence has to match the marking criteria, which is clearly defined and provided to applicants so they know what’s expected. The structure of the International Safety Awards means entry is open to small companies and individual business units or specific projects of larger ones. That results in a mixture of winners, this year in the construction sector including Bovis Homes, Laing O’Rourke for maintenance of the Severn Bridges and ISG for the reproofing of Leeds Prison. Croudace Homes is one of few companies to win a distinction in each of the three years since categories were

introduced while Clugston Construction has been a winner for 33 consecutive years. Distinction winner Aston Martin Lagonda also won the Sword of Honour which, along with the Globe of Honour, has a separate awards ceremony. Neal says: “The Sword of Honour and Globe of Honour are only open to British Safety Council members. For both, you must successfully complete a five star audit, which for the Globe of Honour covers environmental management and for the Sword covers health and safety. It’s a far smaller pool of organisations that can enter and is on a different timescale, launched in autumn with the presentation at the end of November. For the last one in 2012,

Alex Botha, British Safety Council chief executive

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HEALTH AND SAFETY: INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AWARDS

there were 78 Sword winners and eight Globe Winners, eight organisations winning both.” HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITMENT All winners receive the benefit of publicity from the Council, in their local media and sector interest. “Organisations see this as an achievement and something that’s judged by experts who view them as being effective, committed to health and safety and have systems and arrangements in place to manage risks,” claims Neal. “Awards have a very important part to play and give the opportunity to share knowledge and expertise. For the winners, an award is a public demonstration that they’ve achieved a prescribed level of performance in terms of managing health and safety risk. It’s recognition of their success in doing that and it’s demonstrating that they take health and safety seriously.” New awards this year are the Health and Safety Champion and the Young Health and Safety Champion, which aim to recognise and reward individuals who don’t necessarily have health and safety as part of their role but have displayed by their behaviour and attitude that they care about it. Both categories are open to organisations that apply for the International Safety Awards, with individ-

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uals proposed being those who managers and colleagues see as being inspirational in raising awareness and helping and encouraging others to achieve the right standards. The nature of the International Safety Awards is they roll on year after year and develop as they do so. That reflects the work of the British Safety Council as it continues to deal with new challenges. “There are several reforms working their way through into health and safety law,” recounts Neal. “Fundamental changes are taking place, including the review of the Construction (Design Management) Regulations and the review of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. “There’s a lot of regulatory change going on and our members want us to represent their views to government and the HSE about the changes being proposed. Equally importantly, they want us help them understand the changes taking place and what the impact is going to be. If there are changes in regulations and approved codes of practice, they want to know what impact that is going to have on their business and what they need to do to prepare for those changes. We cannot underestimate the significance of the reforms taking place.” www.britsafe.org Tel: 020 8741 1231

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Dale Power Solutions :feature 2 23/07/2013 14:24 Page 84

HEALTH AND SAFETY: DALE POWER SOLUTIONS

he British Safety Council has rewarded Dale Power Solutions, a global leader in the provision of generator and UPS power products, for its efforts in health and safety. Following rigorous assessment by an independent adjudication panel, the world’s leading authority on health and safety training bestowed upon Dale Power Solutions its most coveted award. “It is valuable to have such a reward as this because it demonstrates our commitment to safety,” says business support manager Mark Carter. “It provides our customers and prospective customers an insight into our safety ethic. We were successful because we embrace continual improvement and we are working for many blue

SUPPLIERS OF SECURE POWER SOLUTIONS ESTABLISHED SINCE 1935, DALE POWER SOLUTIONS HAS BECOME A GLOBAL LEADER IN BRINGING TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING TOGETHER TO CREATE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS, PROTECTING CRITICAL POWER SUPPLIES FOR CUSTOMERS THROUGH OUR STANDBY POWER SYSTEMS.

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Dale Power Solutions :feature 2 23/07/2013 14:24 Page 85

HEALTH AND SAFETY: DALE POWER SOLUTIONS chip companies so the challenge is to be as good as they are.” Mark believes safety excellence comes from setting the bar as high as possible. “You have to aim for 100 per cent perfection, 100 per cent of the time, as an injury to someone is always avoidable.” The company has also used one of its biggest challenges – that being controlling safety under varying regulations and processes across its worldwide portfolio of projects – in a way that continually improves processes. “Having employees working in various locations in the UK and overseas that require different competencies which are market sector-led is actually beneficial. We can take the leading challenges from all of these market sectors and use these techniques to improve our performance,” says Mark.

Some of the company’s main achievements in the last year include improvement of competencies across the organisation at all levels, while maintaining an accident-free environment. This has ensured health and safety is continually improved which is crucial as some of Dale Power’s main activities are conducted on customer premises which may be unfamiliar to operatives. “It is essential we maintain a high level of competency at all times,” explains Mark. “We embed safety right from the start and it is a main feature of our award winning apprenticeship scheme. We continually update our staff with bulletins and training to keep them informed, and to measure and monitor their performance.” Dale Power Solutions’ successful health and safety procedures are indicative of the company’s reputation as a whole. Committed to high quality secure power solutions and the protection of critical power supplies for its customers, the company has been

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synonymous with technological and engineering excellence since its establishment in 1935. In the UK, the company is the largest secure power service provider with an annual turnover in excess of £31m. Complementing the products available, Dale Power Solutions provides a comprehensive, bespoke design capability service, taking initial concepts through design, project management, manufacturing, installation and commissioning processes. This is in addition to complete maintenance and servicing on a worldwide basis to more than 8,000 generators and UPS systems. GLOBALLY RECOGNISED PRESENCE Renowned for both technical excellence and operational expertise, the business has developed a globally recognised presence. Its specialism in protecting the most demanding applications in all major sectors including power utilities, oil and gas, telecommunications, medical and financial services, has

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Dale Power Solutions :feature 2 23/07/2013 14:24 Page 86

HEALTH AND SAFETY: DALE POWER SOLUTIONS

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Dale Power Solutions :feature 2 23/07/2013 14:24 Page 87

HEALTH AND SAFETY: DALE POWER SOLUTIONS seen the brand develop a reputation for outstanding service, reliability and expertise. Key to its success is the ability to increase its customer base by delivering true satisfaction to a wide range of clients and sectors. This success has been recognised by twice winning the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award, its placing as a Top 100 UK Apprenticeship Employer, and its position at 60 on the FastTrack 200 list of companies with the fastest growth in export markets. Exampling the worldwide technical expertise of Dale is, for example, the solutions it developed for the Bayelsa State Electricity Board in South West Nigeria. This remote tropical rainforest area depends on its own independently generated electricity using the abundant local gas reserves. However, the Board was concerned about the reliability of the two aging Rolls Royce 20MW gas turbines and their control systems, and required a costeffective solution to increase reliability. Work could be carried out on the SK30 turbine and the Olympus gas generator but it was not possible to upgrade their 17-year-old control systems as component parts were no longer available. The challenge was finding a partner capable of retrofitting modern control systems to the gas turbines. This would involve further concerns such as the logistical problems of getting tools and test equipment to the remote site, as well as training local operatives. Dale was assigned to replace the old analogue system with a modern integrated digital system providing the original functionality, together with an

COMMITTED TO HIGH QUALITY SECURE POWER SOLUTIONS AND THE PROTECTION OF CRITICAL POWER SUPPLIES FOR ITS CUSTOMERS, THE COMPANY HAS BEEN SYNONYMOUS WITH TECHNOLOGICAL AND ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1935 enhanced operator interface and remote monitoring facility. To begin with, Dale worked with the fuel control equipment suppliers Heinzmann UK Ltd to ensure effective integration between the turbine control systems and the fuel control equipment. Then, to overcome site constraints and logistical problems (including maintaining power supply to customers at all times), Dale supplied the first of two control systems in chassis form, tested previously on a purpose-built test rig at its facility in the UK. Two engineers from Dale then followed the delivery to Nigeria, where they worked alongside personnel who were installing the overhauled tur-

bine. Following the successful commissioning of the new equipment, Daleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engineers remained on site to train around ten site operation and maintenance operatives, ensuring they were fully conversant with the equipment before handover. The first unit began operating successfully soon after handover, significantly improving the reliability of the power supply. The operation was then repeated successfully twelve months later when the second unit was supplied and installed. www.dalepowersolutions.com Tel: 01723 583511

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ABB :feature 2 12/07/2013 15:44 Page 88

HEALTH AND SAFETY: ABB GROUP

POWER AND PRODUCTIVITY FOR A BETTER WORLD ABB IS A LEADER IN POWER AND AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES THAT ENABLE UTILITY AND INDUSTRY CUSTOMERS TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE WHILE LOWERING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

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ABB :feature 2 12/07/2013 15:45 Page 89

HEALTH AND SAFETY: ABB GROUP

“S

afety and quality control are paramount to us at all times. This has resulted in accident frequency rates on sites managed by ABB being up to twenty times below the national average,” says Steve Andrew, Leader of the ABB project team. ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. ABB in the UK operates from more than 20 locations nationally and employs around 3,000 people. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 145,000 people. Recently, ABB’s asset closure team were recognised for their safety procedures by RoSPA. The joint ABB / ExxonMobil demolition and remediation project team was awarded the RoSPA Gold Medal. This is recognised as a fantastic achievement by the project team who are setting the standard for safe demolition and remediation projects, through their leadership, dedication and commitment to delivering health and safety excellence. The work associated with the award winning project is predominantly located within city centre locations, where reducing petrol retail margins and rising land prices have made the sale of land financially attractive. To enable the land to be sold, it needs to be remediated to eliminate any potential historical environmental issues. In delivering the project ABB, as the project managing contractor, had overall responsibility for decommissioning, isolation, CDM Coordination (CDMC), land remediation and project management. ABB Consulting applied its five stage demolition methodology to the project to offer ExxonMobil a safe, cost effective and complete solution. ABB was also part of a team, which included QDS and URS, that successfully completed the in-situ remediation of groundwater, impacted with hydrocarbons, at a former petrol filling station in Battersea. The team were presented with a runners up award for best project closure at the Brown Field Briefing Awards.

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ABB is currently working on a number of other major demolition and remediation projects, including the demolition and remediation of a number of pharmaceutical, oil, gas and power facilities. ABB also has reason to celebrate this year as 2013 marks the 25th anniversary of the historic merger of Sweden’s ASEA and Switzerland’s Brown Boveri. At the start of January in 1988, both companies merged to form ABB Asea Brown Boveri & Cie, integrating 850 subsidiary companies and 180,000 employees operating in 140 countries. Much of the technology that our society now relies on was devised or commercialised by ABB and its founding companies, making ABB the largest supplier of industrial motors and drives, the largest provider of generators for the wind industry and the largest supplier of power grids worldwide. ABB’s most recent breakthrough, the development in 2012 of a hybrid high-voltage direct current (HVDC) breaker suitable for the creation of large,

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ABB :feature 2 12/07/2013 15:45 Page 90

HEALTH AND SAFETY: ABB GROUP inter-regional DC grids, solves a technical question that has mystified engineers since the “war of currents” between alternate current (AC) and direct current (DC) in the 1890s. Both companies were themselves the result of previous mergers of other pioneering ventures. As far back as 1890, Ludvig Fredholm’s Elektriska Aktiebolaget company in Stockholm, founded in 1883 as a manufacturer of electrical lighting and generators, merged with the year-old Wenströms & Granströms Elektriska Kraftbolag to form Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, later shortened to ASEA. A year later, in Switzerland, Charles E.L. Brown and Walter Boveri established Brown, Boveri & Cie (BBC), shortly to become the first company to transmit high-voltage power. Despite the miles between them, there were soon marked parallels between the two companies. ASEA’s business was “the generation and application of electric power” and their products soon ranged from steam turbines for power plants to the new, high-speed electric passenger trains. Meanwhile, BBC was producing DC and AC motors, generators, steam turbines (the first in Europe), gas turbines, transformers and electrical components for trains. In 1893, ASEA built the first three-phase transmission system in Sweden, while Brown Boveri supplied Europe’s first large-scale combined heat and power plant, which produced alternating current. And so it continued throughout the early 20th century, with both companies at the forefront of current technology. Their achievements over the following decades continued to shape the technology we have today.

In the 70s, ASEA built the first nuclear power plant in Sweden and went on to build nine of the country’s twelve reactors, as well as one of the first industrial robots; BBC built the most powerful transformer in the world (at 1,300 MVA) and by the 80s was installing its generators in the world’s largest hydro-electric power station at Itaipú in South America. In some ways it is as though the two companies, across the seas, were growing steadily outwards until it was inevitable that they met as one. By 1987,

front of technology and continued to innovate, launching products such as the Azipod electric propulsion systems in 1990 and the FlexPicker delta robot in 1998. More recent innovations reflect its growing focus on green technology, such as the world’s first commercial high-voltage shore-to-ship electric power in 2000, which vastly contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the Swedish port of Gothenburg. Further achievements in the past decade reflect the global growth of ABB. 2002 saw the world’s

FOLLOWING THE MERGER, THE NEW GROUP, NOW HEADQUARTERED IN ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, HAD BECOME THE WORLD’S LEADING SUPPLIER IN THE ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY both were of a similar size with regard to their annual sales, net worth and number of employees; both had implemented similar lines of decentralised control and their management strengths and geographical locations were a good fit. Following the merger, the new group, now headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, had become the world’s leading supplier in the electric power industry and controlled a third of Europe’s business and over 20 per cent of the world market. ABB kept ASEA’s and BBC’s respective positions at the fore-

longest underground transmission, linking the alternate current AC networks of South Australia and Victoria, and the world’s first extruded HVDC submarine transmission, between Connecticut and Long Island, US. In 2010 a 2,000 km ultrahigh-voltage direct current (UHVDC) connection was installed to link up Shanghai with the Xiangjiaba hydropower plant in south-west China. www.abb.co.uk Tel: 01925 741111

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ABB :feature 2 25/07/2013 12:35 Page 91

rospa:feature 2 24/07/2013 12:20 Page 92

RoSPA: RoSPA AWARDS 2013

GOING FOR GOLD NOW IN ITS 57TH YEAR THE ROSPA SAFETY AWARDS RECOGNISE HEALTH AND SAFETY SUCCESS AND OFFER ORGANISATIONS A PRIME OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE THEIR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO RAISING HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS

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rospa:feature 2 24/07/2013 12:20 Page 93

RoSPA: RoSPA AWARDS 2013

ating back 57 years, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Occupational Health and Safety Awards scheme is the largest and longest-running programme of its kind in the UK and one of the most prestigious in the world in any discipline. More than 1,500 awards were presented faceto-face this year, and 4,000 winners and their guests were entertained at RoSPA’s daytime ceremonies and evening banquets in May. The ceremonies took place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, just a short walk from the Safety and Health Expo show halls. The RoSPA Awards programme recognises commitment to accident and ill health prevention and is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas. It

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not only looks at accident records, but also entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement. David Rawlins, RoSPA’s awards manager, said: “RoSPA firmly believes that organisations that demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in accident and ill health prevention deserve recognition. Our winners have shown that they are committed to striving for such continuous improvement and we look forward to celebrating with them this week.” The majority of awards that RoSPA presents are non-competitive, marking achievement at merit, bronze, silver and gold levels. Organisations maintaining high standards can win gold medals, president’s awards and orders of distinction. Competitive awards are presented in more than 20 sectors, and competitive awards also recognise excellence in spe-

cialist areas, such as the management of occupational road risk (MORR). The headline sponsor for the RoSPA Awards 2013 is NEBOSH (the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health). Sponsors of the specialist trophies are: The RoSPA International Sector Award – airsweb; The MORR Trophy – Allianz; The Occupational Health Award (Astor Trophy) – BHSF; The International Dilmun Environmental Award – GPIC; The Best New Entry Trophy – Safety and Health Expo; The Workforce Involvement in Safety and Health Trophy – Springfields Fuels; and, The MORR Technology Trophy – Tesco Dotcom. Comedian Patrick Kielty provided the evening entertainment at this year’s RoSPA Awards banquets. www.rospa.com/awards

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Matrix Solutions :feature 2 24/07/2013 11:46 Page 94

RoSPA: MATRIX SOLUTIONS

BUILDING CONFIDENCE MATRIX IS A LEADING PROPERTY REFURBISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR COMBINING TRADITIONAL BUILDING DISCIPLINES WITH THE LATEST PRODUCT INNOVATIONS TO DELIVER CUTTING EDGE SOLUTIONS

ite managers spend most of their time on site and so communications can be difficult. That’s not good from a health and safely point of view and Matrix Solutions overcomes this through various methods. “We communicate closely with site managers via mobile phones, email and other means,” explains SHEQ Manager Sally Drew. “Monitoring and reviewing is important so site managers send in weekly copies of their site diaries, control of vibration forms, control of noise, all the main aspects and hazards they need to control. If a site manager doesn’t send anything one week, we’ll establish the reason because we need to know what’s happening.” Site managers are crucial to the success of projects for Matrix as a specialist refurbishment contractor. The core business has always been car park servicing, being Overall Winner in the 2013 British

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Matrix Solutions :feature 2 24/07/2013 11:46 Page 95

RoSPA: MATRIX SOLUTIONS

The nature of car park servicing in particular means much work is one-off projects although 60% is repeat business that comes from car park operators, property managers, facility management companies and retail chains with multiple sites. That requires the company to be adaptable as well as competent to overcome the special challenges car park working brings. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN “We have to maintain them as working car parks with members of the public walking and driving through,” remarks Sally. “That’s quite challenging and we need a strict traffic management plan to make sure nobody is harmed by our work. Clients often want us to take the minimum out of car parking spaces because that’s using up revenue.” Recent examples include Heathrow Airport where there were strict security and health and safety implications, and Euston Station where the work was carried out between 23:00 and 05:00 with

high levels of compensation payable should the project overrun. A £1.8 million car park refurbishment for a Leicester hospital was, as Tim recalls, particularly challenging: “It was a staff car park with high demand on spaces, a need to phase the work to avoid space loss and a restricted area to work on. Close by were operating theatres and a very sensitive environment so there were issues of noise suppression to make sure we didn’t affect the hospital workings.” To ensure its contracts run smoothly, Matrix invests heavily in training its site managers. This starts on joining when induction training is followed by a 3-4 week spell with an experienced site manager to learn the ropes. After that, there’s SMST and IOSH management training plus supplier training courses for new products. The supply chain is kept informed of health and safety requirements with sub-contractors regularly involved in training courses on specific subjects such as asbestos awareness and manual handling. Selected ones also attend site

Parking Awards, and it applies specialist waterproof coatings and undertakes concrete repairs. It uses the same techniques on flat roofs and similar areas as well as providing property refurbishments and maintenance to building exteriors. “We provide repair, refurbishment and restoration services for owners and managers of buildings throughout the UK,” recounts Business Development Manager Tim Whittaker. “We’re specialist finishing contractors and predominantly focus our services to organisations that look after and own buildings — pension funds, property managers, investment institutions and facilities management companies. We do external specialist coatings, roofing works and structural repairs to the frame of the building. Depending on the type of property, we can also fit out and handle basic mechanical and electrical work, internal decorations, toilets, partitioning and suspended ceilings that will normally be part of a larger project.”

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BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE

Matrix Solutions :feature 2 24/07/2013 11:46 Page 96

Matrix Solutions :feature 2 24/07/2013 11:47 Page 97

RoSPA AWARDS: MATRIX SOLUTIONS managers’ meetings so they’re aware of procedures and issues and can manage sites when necessary. ROSPA GOLD The emphasis on health and safety led to a RoSPA gold award after five consecutive silvers. Sally reckons that’s due to improvements made and the gaining of UKAS 18001 accreditation. She says: “Everyone worked really hard to make the accreditation happen. But it doesn’t stop there because we’re continually monitoring, reviewing and making improvements so people don’t get complacent just because we won a gold award or we’ve been 18001 accredited.” Tim has no doubts about the benefits of the award: “It proves we rate health and safety very highly. Many projects are in occupied premises and it demonstrates our competence to be able to work around the general public. We need to demonstrate we understand those implications and the health and safety issues they bring. It shows we have consistently demonstrated a level of health and safety that is recognised by RoSPA and indicates our level of competence.” Specific initiatives include a scheme where anyone can nominate a site for outstanding health and safety, with all nominations considered and the winning site gaining an award. There’s also currently a Build Safely, Build Confidence programme that seeks to improve safety statistics and move health and safety to the next level. Much of the work involves applying specialist waterproofing coatings that contain hazardous

“WE’VE HAD STEADY GROWTH IN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS BUT, CONSTRUCTION BEING AS IT IS, WE’LL FOCUS ON WHAT WE ARE GOOD AT RATHER THAN TRYING TO GROW FOR GROWTH’S SAKE. WE’LL CONTINUE TO DO A GOOD JOB FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, CONSOLIDATE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN CONSTRUCTION.” TIM WHITTAKER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ingredients when in liquid form. However, once they’re applied and cured, they become non-hazardous to users. Nevertheless, the company is constantly seeking to obtain non-hazardous and environmentally friendly materials as well as recycling waste where possible. This includes recycling aggregate that’s incorporated into the waterproof coating to give non-slip properties. STEADY GROWTH The state of the economy hasn’t helped, with project values reduced due to an understandable reluctance to spend more than the minimum needed to prevent properties and car parks deteriorating. This has, however, been offset by a tendency to refurbish

rather than rebuild and Matrix providing a specialist service not readily available, resulting in turnover growth from £10 million to £17 million over the last four years. That, believes Tim, is partly due to the company’s aims to ‘repair, refurbish, restore, protect and maintain’. He says: “We’ve had steady growth in the last three or four years but, construction being as it is, we’ll focus on what we are good at rather than trying to grow for growth’s sake. We’ll continue to do a good job for our customers, consolidate and see what happens in construction.” www.matrix.uk.com Tel: 0845 2301456

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RFA Tech :feature 2 02/08/2013 12:42 Page 98

SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS: RFA-TECH

‘MADE IN SHEFFIELD’ AS ONE OF THE UK'S LEADING SPECIALIST CONSTRUCTION ACCESSORY SUPPLIERS, RFA-TECH HAS BUILT-UP AN ENVIABLE REPUTATION FOR PROVIDING A WIDE PRODUCT RANGE TOGETHER WITH A RAPID AND EFFICIENT SERVICE

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RFA Tech :feature 2 02/08/2013 12:42 Page 99

SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS: RFA-TECH

heffield has long been a proud manufacturing city and RFA-Tech continues that tradition. It’s recently become a member of the ‘Made in Sheffield’ brand that aims to promote the quality of products produced there. The theme’s continued by the company having ISO 9001 and 14001 accreditation, CARES approval for its Startabox and Shearbox products and the latter also being certified by CARES to be fully compliant with EC2 and BS8110. Adherence to quality and service goes back thirty years to when RFA-Tech started with a small manufacturing plant producing 100-200 units each month against the 6,000 output now. The product range has expanded tremendously across two divisions. The general accessories division provides concrete, plastic and wire spacers, floor slab accessories, construction chemicals, formwork accessories, gas membranes and waterproofing products while the technical division manufactures the specialist bespoke product range, with standard products also being manufactured at the same facility. Although both divisions serve the construction industry, supplying main contractors, sub-contractors, other group companies and some merchants

ADHERENCE TO QUALITY AND SERVICE GOES BACK THIRTY YEARS TO WHEN RFA-TECH STARTED WITH A SMALL MANUFACTURING PLANT PRODUCING 100-200 UNITS EACH MONTH AGAINST THE 6,000 OUTPUT NOW. selling to smaller customers, their operational methods are different. The accessories division provides a wide range of products available off the shelf and the emphasis is on satisfying customer requirements quickly and efficiently. To that end, customers order from brochures or the website, the latter having been revamped to enable e-commerce capabilities. “It provides a streamlined service for the customer, who doesn’t have to ring in,” explains Mark Taylor, Head of the Technical Department. “It offers full account traceability and means engineers, buyers, product managers and site foremen can order material. Credit limits can be set for individuals so they can order up to that amount and non-account customers can buy our products.” Most accessories division products are procured from regular suppliers and available for next day delivery through a central hub in Lichfield and an established distribution network. The manufacturing side has a smaller range of often complex products that are supplied as standard versions through the accessories division or bespoke versions made specifically to customer requirements. COST AND TIME SAVING Those products include the Startabox system that provides reinforcement continuity across construc-

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tion joints in concrete. Mark says: “It’s a flexible system that provides significant time and cost saving on site. We have a product called Couplerbox, again a reinforcement continuity system providing a full strength threaded system to connect two bars. It reduces cost and congestion on site and there’s time saving also. The Couplerbox is offered as an alternative to Startabox where larger diameters at smaller centres are required. With Startabox, we can offer up to 16 millimetres and Couplerbox up to 25 millimetres, so it’s much more flexible.” Sheartech provides a punching shear reinforcement alternative for traditional punching shear links. The system is manufactured with grade B500C steel that is a direct equivalent of steel it’s replacing and, besides being fully CARES approved and compliant with the new EC2 regulations, it adheres to the old BS8110 specification. Under development currently is a calculation program to be made available to customers via the website, enabling a more comprehensive service than previously offered. Consulting engineers and designers will use the software at initial design stages for increased accuracy rather than RFA-Tech converting calculations later. CombiForm is a simple leave-in-place screedrail

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RFA Tech :feature 2 02/08/2013 12:42 Page 101

SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS: RFA-TECH and stopper, ideal for producing Super Flat Floors. The design boasts superior strength, allowing it to be used with all types of vibration bridges where other similar products would simply buckle under the weight. Erico Lenton Lock remedial couplers are an in-situ rebar splice system that requires no rebar end preparation. “It features a patented grip technology that provides full rebar strength and improved overall structural integrity in tension, compression, stress-reversal and dynamic applications,” states Mark. RFA-Tech has an extensive range of waterproofing products, which cover many applications and allows rapid lead times. The company also works in partnership with EPMS, which extends its range further and offers excellent customer support. BESPOKE PRODUCTS All manufactured products are available in standard and bespoke forms except Sheartech, simply because every application is different, so all items in this range are produced specifically for each job. That requires, as Mark recounts, a close association with customers: “We’ve built relationships with major contractors and we’re on good terms with their engineers, project managers and consultants. Consultancy engineers often design the product and it comes to us for a price, delivery details and manufacturing schedules. Sometimes we convert rebar schedules into bespoke products and produce drawings to get the product built.” RFA-Tech’s products are widely used in construction, with pull-out bars supplied to the Shard development in London. There’s been heavy involvement at the Aquatic Centre and Velodrome for the Olympics, the Parabola exhibition centre in Kensington, the King’s Cross redevelopment and supplying punching shear reinforcement for slabs at Heathrow Terminal 2.

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The nature of products requires the company to provide a high level of technical advice. Mark says: “We offer advice on our product and its capabilities. We have plenty experience in a wide variety of projects over the years, from hospital buildings to water treatment works.” TECHNICAL ADVICE Advice is also available through the company’s technical brochure that provides full installation details, specifications and technical data. That covers safe use of the products and RFA-Tech is also working closely with its transport network to help them gain

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SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS: RFA-TECH

FORS approval to at least Bronze standard. Although that focuses largely on reducing fuel use and emissions for transport companies operating in London, many customers specify it from a safety point aspect due to the combination of bigger wagons and the increasing number of cyclists. “We’re currently looking at a warehousing standard called 5S,” adds Mark. “It’s a Lean Management technique that’s structured to assist in the organised control of a process or operation.” Health and Safety as well as environmental issues were, as Mark points out, partly behind the development of the Couplerbox as a replacement for Startabox in certain situations: “Larger diameter bars and small centres have a big impact on manufacturing feasibility. By removing the pull out bar and using couplers, weight is significantly reduced, making the boxes easy to handle on site as well as increasing the scope of what’s possible. The longer lap lengths required by EC2 also pose a problem that the Couplerbox overcomes by allowing the bars to be screwed into place when required.”

“WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE MEANS FOR CONTINUITY SYSTEMS, REINFORCEMENT PRODUCTS AND TIME SAVING BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE SUPPLY IS OFFERED ON A TIME AND COST SAVING BASIS; THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE PRODUCTS.” MARK TAYLOR HEAD OF THE TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT POSITIVE OUTLOOK As with any company involved in construction, RFATech has seen the effects of the recent economic downturn but the business has managed very well. Through good, honest customer relations and a forward thinking procurement team, any effect has been kept to a bare minimum. As a result, it’s looking forward positively, with a recently opened second distribution centre in Reading using local transport company Rawlings Transport to better serve the London market, the recently improved website and new products being worked on. “It assures customer we are growing our business and gives them a positive feeling we’re not stuck in one place,” confirms Mark. “We’re always looking at alternative means for continuity systems, reinforcement products and time saving because everything we supply is offered on a time and cost saving basis; that’s the whole purpose of the products.” www.rfa-tech.co.uk Tel: 0870 0112881

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SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS: RFA-TECH

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CIVILS, TRANSPORT AND UTILITIES: INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

SIGNIFICANT WELSH INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT NEEDED SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN WALES’ TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED ACCORDING TO THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS (ICE) WALES CYMRU

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CIVILS, TRANSPORT AND UTILITIES: INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

ignificant investment in new and improved transport links for Wales, particularly improvements to the country’s highway network, will aid connectivity and expand opportunities for economic growth, according to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Wales Cymru. In its "State of the Nation: Transport" briefing launched in the Senedd recently, ICE welcomed improvements already made to the strategic network saying they will lead “to a safer and more reliable network”, but stressed the need for investment to continue. ICE also highlighted the M4 in the Newport-Cardiff area as a “constant concern” with peak time congestion constraining investment opportunities. The ICE briefing follows the launch of the UK wide ICE "State of the Nation: Transport" report in June. The report called for “immediate action” to improve the condition of UK roads, through commitment to a focussed, joint central and local government programme that finally clears the mainte-

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nance backlog – including filling millions of pot holes - and establishes a shift from reactive “quick fix” maintenance to planned, more cost effective regimes. The report highlighted the successful approach taken in Wales, where the Welsh Local Government Borrowing Initiative is enabling local authorities to fund highways maintenance and improvements through a £172 million three year prudential borrowing programme. It also called for transport strategies from the devolved nations to be joined up with a newly created comprehensive, long term transport strategy for England and extension of the devolved powers on transport - through the creation of more powerful, fully integrated transport authorities in city regions. ICE, which has long supported devolution at the appropriate level, said this would enable decisions and spending on roads, local rail, bus networks, ticketing and fares to be made by those with knowledge and understanding of their area. Keith Jones, Director of ICE Wales Cymru, said: “Poor road conditions are a drag on the economy,

affect our way of life – and are dangerous for particular groups of users such as cyclists. The Welsh Local Government Borrowing Initiative is an exemplar scheme - it is excellent news that Wales is leading the way and that the potential of this scheme is being recognised as a way to improve the condition of the UK’s highway network. “Many of Wales’ roads will be improved as a direct result of the scheme. Authorities have been able to invest in filling potholes - relaying road surfaces and coating pavements and roads to help prevent the formation of potholes as well as improving drainage to reduce flooding.” But Jones added the investment in the whole transport infrastructure - in addition to the highways network - must continue. “There are proven and long established links between transport provision in Wales and economic growth - we are confident the Welsh Government places transport at the heart of its policies for growth and jobs and we hope its commitment and investment continues.” he said. www.ice.org.uk

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CIVILS, TRANSPORT AND UTILITIES: FORESTRY COMMISSION

THE FORESTRY COMMISSION IS THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROTECTION AND EXPANSION OF BRITAIN’S FORESTS AND WOODLANDS

MANAGING OUR

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et up in 1919 in response to the depletion of Britain’s woods and forests during the First World War, the Forestry Commission is a nonministerial government department responsible for the protection of woodland in England and Scotland. When the commission was first established it began to buy large amounts of former agricultural land which eventually made it the largest land owner in Britain. Over the years the goals of the Commission have broadened into such areas as research and recreation. In addition, protecting and improving biodiversity across Britain’s forests are also key concerns of the organisation. The primary role of the Forestry Commission is the protection and management of England and Scotland’s woodland. As well as this, the Commission is responsible for conservation, support, and restoration. It also provides leisure and recreation that supports its key aims through interaction with the public. As the all-seeing-eye, the Forestry Commission plants many millions of trees every year, to create new woodland and to replace the trees harvested. Some of these trees will help to regenerate blighted industrial landscapes such as former coalfield communities and to bring new woodlands closer to urban areas. Crucially, the Commission sustainably harvests almost four million tonnes of wood every year from England and Scotland's public forests. That’s more than a third of total domestic production. This reduces dependency on imported wood and provides low-carbon materials for the domestic woodusing industries, and for fuel and energy. The income from timber helps to offset the costs of managing the forests in its care. As Britain’s largest land manager the Commission is custodian of 900,000 hectares of

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land including some of the best loved and most spectacular landscapes. Two-thirds of the estate lies within National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The organisation also provides grants, licences and advice to private woodland owners to encourage new tree planting and to help keep private forests and woodland under active and sustainable management. It also works in partnership with a wide range of public bodies, NGOs, small businesses and communities to respond to national, regional and local needs. Where land is not wanted, The Forestry Commission will turn it into green space for the benefit of all. Through pioneering research and onthe-ground experience, the Commission has proved it can successfully, and economically, transform brownfield sites such as old collieries and factories into usable greenspace. This improves the environment, people’s health and the local econo-

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my by restoring places that people want to work, rest and play in. Indeed, more people visit a forest than they do the seaside. The Commission offers visitors many thousands of waymarked walks and trails, cycle routes and bridle paths, open every day and free of charge. In many places, the Forestry Commission provides the only local opportunity for quiet and accessible recreation. The millions of visitors contribute almost ÂŁ2 billion annually to the economy, mostly into rural areas. Its network of visitor centres provides a unique opportunity to engage with the public. They are an ideal platform to talk to people about climate change, helping them to understand the issues, see directly how climate change is affecting our trees and woods today, what we need to do to help them

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adapt, and what actions individuals and families can take to make a difference. GREEN BUILDINGS The green agenda and operating in a sustainable manner is at the heart of everything the Forestry Commission does. This is exampled in the leisure and recreation arm of the organisation where it continues to develop its relationship with the public. A key part of this is the green technology utilised at its current and newly constructed visitor centres. For example, in 2007, a project to develop Dalby Forest near Pickering as a regional centre of excellence for sustainable activities saw the site undergoing redevelopment. This provided a new cycle centre and an area for business use. The new visitor centre with community facilities, restaurant,

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and retail and exhibition areas opened in April of that year. It also features an interactive learning centre for renewable technologies. The centre has been designed to nestle into the natural landscape, and it was constructed using the latest sustainable building methods. Dalby Forest is the largest forest in Yorkshire and a key attraction in the North York Moors National Park with 400,000 visitors per year. The forest was used primarily as a timber resource until 1960, when the opening up of a through-route brought more visitors to the area. Today, the forest plays a major role in the local tourism sector and offers a range of outdoor leisure activities including mountain biking, seasonal concerts and the high-rope course ‘Go-Ape’.

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The site of the new visitor centre was excavated using a ‘cut and fill technique’, minimising environmental impact and the amount of soil that had to be moved. The building is set on steel screw pile foundations and is fixed to the ground with 39 screws, making it easy to remove and be recycled should the building no longer be required in the future. The main structure has been constructed using premade glue-laminated frame made from certified Scandinavian hardwood. The floor, roof and walls are formed from insulated panels, creating a ‘super insulated’ external envelope. Oak was used for the internal floors, and Douglas fir for the window frames and doors. The building is clad in untreated larch harvested from the surrounding forests and locally milled. The naturally-weathered timbers pro-

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CIVILS, TRANSPORT AND UTILITIES: FORESTRY COMMISSION vide a distinctive finish. The whole structure has a negligible environmental footprint and can be completely dismantled and recycled at the end of its life. Sustainable technology within the building includes the use of wood fuel. A 50 kilowatt wood fuel boiler provides heating and hot water. The boiler is fuelled using wood pellets, made from compacted sawdust, which burn very effectively. The fuel hopper holds 5 tonnes of pellets (sourced from the UK) which provides heating for 8–10 weeks. It uses a reservoir of heated water to buffer variations in demand, with auto-ignition and the ability to slumber when required, suited to the building use and insulation performance. The building has also been designed to maximise natural light and ventilation. The central atrium provides an impressive foyer and meeting place which is naturally ventilated by single-glazed windows that automatically open and close. A‘stack effect’ (hot air rising) pulls cool air in through the lower windows during hot sunny days. An integrated building management system controls the natural ventilation systems, monitors electricity from the solar panels, wind turbine and wood fuel boiler, and manages the temperature in various parts of the centre to ensure maximum thermal efficiency. Elsewhere, you’ll find a collection of solar panels. A photovoltaic system on the atrium roof consists of 10 solar modules that contribute to the energy load. On a bright day the array can produce 1.5 kilowatts of electricity per day. A solar thermal installation provides supplementary water heating.

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CIVILS, TRANSPORT AND UTILITIES: FORESTRY COMMISSION The centre also uses wind power. A small wind turbine was installed as part of an educational display that demonstrates how renewable energy technologies work. In addition, a variety of recycled materials have been used for the internal fixtures and fittings. The toilet doors are made from recycled plastic bottles, toothbrushes, electrical cable casing, coffee cups and yoghurt pots, and the reception desk from mobile phones and wellies. The roofing membrane is made of recycled bicycle tyres. And, rainwater is used for flushing the toilets which reduces reliance on the village water supply. Foul waste is treated on-site with a bio-filtration system so that the clean water can be safely released into the local river. The Forestry Commission has continued to utilise green technologies in the building of its visitor centres and other construction work. Last year, Hicks Lodge Visitor Centre, near Ashby de la Zouch – built by the Forestry Commission and the National Forest Company – was opened and is now celebrating its excellent rating by BREEAM. The eco-building built on an eyesore open cast mine in The National Forest in Leicestershire has been given a top seal of approval for its green credentials - and set a benchmark for others to follow. The facility, which cost over £550,000, is the gateway to the new National Forest Cycling Centre, which offers family and multi-user trails. Forester Alan Dowell said: “This is the first Forestry Commission building to achieve this world class standard and all the partners involved in making the project happen are incredibly proud. Since we opened the public response to the visitor centre and the trails network has been beyond our wildest dreams.” Built from timber, the building has a café, bike hire, repair shop, cycle wash, toilets, shower and

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changing facilities. Featuring solar panels, wood fuel heating – with timber supplied from local woods – rainwater harvesting and movement sensitive lighting, it was designed to showcase green technologies. Just a few years ago it was all very different. Open cast mining was carried out on the site between 1980 and 2005, but since then it has been transformed from an eyesore into a vibrant beauty spot at a total cost of £1.5m. Forest chiefs also say visitor figures are set to beat original estimates, with over 6,000 people using the Hicks Lodge cycle trails in February alone. www.forestry.gov.uk Tel: 0117 906 6000

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English Heritage :feature 2 12/07/2013 15:27 Page 116

HERITAGE: ENGLISH HERITAGE

CARING FOR OUR HERITAGE

EVERYWHERE WE LOOK, HISTORY SURROUNDS US. ENGLISH HERITAGE CHAMPIONS OUR HISTORIC PLACES AND ADVISES THE GOVERNMENT AND OTHERS TO HELP TODAY’S GENERATION GET THE BEST OUT OF OUR HERITAGE AND ENSURE THAT IT IS PROTECTED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

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HERITAGE: ENGLISH HERITAGE

nglish Heritage, the public body which oversees the maintenance of Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic environment, has launched, for the first time in its history, a strategic asset management plan. The plan provides a framework for action to ensure that the important and unique National Collection of Historic Properties for which English Heritage is responsible, is conserved and supported with the appropriate professional skills. Intended to run for four years (although annually updated and reviewed), the plan provides a practical tool to help define, implement and measure how English Heritage manages five clear areas. These five areas are: investment, maintenance and improvement, cost effectiveness, development and innovation in asset management, and responding to the queries and concerns of asset managers and visitors. Crucially, the asset management plan is not simply aimed at the organisation but a wider audience.

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The plan sets the context and a programme of action for English Heritage over the medium term but is intended for an audience including The National Property Steering Group (PSG), as they are key decision makers on asset management matters. Territorial Property Steering Groups (TPSG) will support decisions on investment priorities in the portfolio, while The National Collections Group Maintenance Conservation Team and Conservation Technical Teams will support day-to-day operation as technical advisers on the maintenance of the estate. Elsewhere, the plan is aimed at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as the primary sponsoring body for English Heritage, while the plan acts as a statement of intent to the public in addition to promoting best practice. The role of English Heritage asset management is an integral part of a community and its environment. English Heritage has a specific and unique role in respect of such assets by conserving them on

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HERITAGE: ENGLISH HERITAGE

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HERITAGE: ENGLISH HERITAGE behalf of the nation, promoting access to them, informing and educating the public about them, and establishing standards for others with a responsibility for heritage assets to follow. Officially the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, English Heritage is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). It advises on the care of the historic environment in England, complementing the work of Natural England which aims to protect the natural environment. It has a broad remit of managing the historic environment of England and advises the relevant Secretary of State on policy and in individual cases such as registering listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments. English Heritage thus has a role as custodian, educator, regulator and advisor on heritage assets. The legal basis of this role was established in the National Heritage Act of 1983. It has been amplified more recently through its strategy for the period 2011-2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; English Heritage Corporate Plan, which sets out that the role of English Heritage is to stimulate a virtuous cycle of understanding, valuing, caring and enjoying heritage assets. The Corporate Plan makes it clear that the over-riding priority is to safeguard for the future the National Collection in its care through the creation and implementation of an asset management plan. English Heritage is responsible for 423 historic properties of national importance, which are dis-

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KEY FACTS: 4Over 400 sites open to the public 411 million visitors each year 4Just under 750,000 members 4Over 445,000 free educational visits a year 410 million photographs, plans and surveys publicly accessible 4ÂŁ24 million given out in grants each year 417,000 planning applications advised on each year

tributed across England. Properties are classified into one of seven types according to their physical characteristics. Amongst the 423 properties, English Heritage looks after 7 bridges, 54 earthworks or Neolithic remains, 120 extensive or substantial remains, 103 minor remains, 48 minor roofed buildings, 17 monuments or standing stones, and 74 substantial roofed buildings. Sites are sub-divided into one or more assets; with each asset being determined by having a distinctive physical (location), historical or architectural aspect, which distinguishes it from other assets on the same site. Assets are then sub-divided further into a number of elements, which are the individual building or structural components that make up the asset. Surveys to determine the condition and maintenance needs of sites are conducted at this element

level and totalled to quantify needs at an asset or site level. English Heritage is a mature organisation with a broad range of experience in protecting heritage assets. Its processes and standards have evolved over a number of years and are also well understood. However, the organisation has been subject to change in recent years which has required it to adopt a more business-like and systematic approach and move from one which has traditionally been immersed in conservation. As this process of change continues there are a number of challenges facing English Heritage with respect to its asset management policy and practice, and it is approaching these challenges head on. www.english-heritage.org.uk Tel: 0870 333 1181

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AIRPORT MANAGEMENT: BRITISH CONSULTING

Ian Kennedy is the CEO of British Consulting, a project delivery company that specialises in completing major airports and other complex infrastructure projects. He is also co-founder of a new think tank to address issues affecting the global financing and delivery of major infrastructure projects.

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AIRPORT MANAGEMENT: BRITISH CONSULTING

THE CHANGING AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY CHALLENGES IN COMPLEX AIRPORT DEVELOPMENTS

irport infrastructure projects are not what they once were. The traditional terminal of thirty years ago housed only a few discrete IT systems each operating independently and capable of installation after the terminal building was completed. Projects were almost exclusively construction orientated in their outlook with little need for the delivery team to understand how the terminal would function when delivered. Contracts and procurement strategies reflected this orientation and were designed to transfer risk to suppliers who were best placed to accept and manage it. Supplier scope and end product could be accurately defined and documented as obligations in commercial structures that facilitated supplier management by financial penalties for non compliance. EVOLVED In the last 10 years airport configurations have evolved. The traditional development has been replaced by an integrated airport and transportation hub consisting of facilities housing hundreds of interconnected systems spanning multiple modes of transportation including air, metro, rail and road. These systems support an integrated business model encompassing the airport operator, the airlines and third party service providers. Hundreds of companies with tens of thousands of employees collaborate in a complex web of interactions to enable hub airport operations. This integrated operational model not only reflects the multiplicity of ways in which airports are used but also the economic necessity of creating cost benefits through shared services and efficient operations in a business with thin operating margins. These challenges create a novel problem to the airport sponsor wishing to develop a new facility, particularly if that facility is a new terminal within an existing airport or a new airport adjacent to the current one. The principal problem is that the development project can no longer be treated as a standalone piece of scope. Instead it must be considered part of a larger complex system into which it must fit and operate optimally. For example, consider the current terminal developments at London Heathrow (UK) and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia). Both are under construction within the existing airport operational footprint.

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BY IAN KENNEDY

CEO OF BRITISH CONSULTING These projects must not disrupt airport operations during their construction which is a challenge of some magnitude given the space and security constraints of building within the secure operational environment of an airfield. When completed these terminals and their systems must integrate seamlessly with the wider airport. Consequently they cannot be considered as standalone projects when they are components of a larger system. Because these developments must be tightly integrated with their surrounding environment they carry a large degree of uncertainty, especially as their long duration means that the original end state operational model will probably change between the initial design and project completion. These changes will have many origins, including growth of airline traffic, regulatory changes and technological advancement that see systems becoming outdated within a period shorter than the delivery lifespan of the project. It is also rare for the end state business process to be fully designed by the operator and airlines during the projects design phase. Generally this is completed in the last few months before opening. The project design team must therefore make a set of initial working assumptions and this introduces significant risk. TWENTY YEARS AGO Twenty years ago this was less of a problem due to the comparative simplicity of the operation. However in modern airports business process, systems and facilities are so tightly coupled that a change to one will almost certainly have a meaningful affect on the others. Put simply, since systems and facilities enable the operation, which will evolve over the lifetime of the project, it is axiomatic that changes to project scope will occur and projects and sponsors must expect and plan for this from the outset. The level of uncertainty and the extent of flexibility required are unusual in construction projects where fixed price lump sum contracts are traditionally employed. These contracts are most suitable

where the end product can be clearly defined and the supplier is free to determine the optimal delivery process. Unfortunately this is no longer the case with airport projects. We should also consider that as construction nears completion the inevitable project delays that plague large ventures of this type will create compressed project schedules. Suppliers will therefore be under escalating pressure to deliver scope to time and cost and still produce a profit. Invariably in these circumstances suppliers become inward looking and focus exclusively on their own challenges i.e. the delivery and validation of original design specified within their contract. This means that in the latter stages of a project the objectives of the supplier are often at odds with those of the airport operator (and airline) who is concerned that the new terminal will work and support OPEX targets. CONFLICT The potential for conflict that results from the higher levels of project uncertainty means these types of complex projects are better handled through an integrated alliance contractual structure. Sponsor and stakeholders can then cooperate in formulating a solution and work collaboratively with suppliers. Where projects have commenced under a fixed price lump sum arrangement with a dominant construction supplier more innovative methods need to be employed to modify the project from its original configuration to a more incentive based collaborative delivery model. The earlier this is undertaken the better. Unfortunately, the most appropriate commercial and delivery methods needed to successfully complete these types of projects are rarely applied and consequently many airport developments run into significant problems in the last 18 months when in fact this need not be the case. This problem should reduce as integrated contract structures become more prevalent and airlines, airports and suppliers grow more comfortable with sharing risks in new airport developments. The UK is seen as one of the early adopters of this approach and many countries are looking to us for expertise, particularly given the success of the London Olympic Games, which utilised an alliance strategy with great success. www.britishconsulting.com www.infrastructurestudies.com

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BUILDING SERVICES: B&ES

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BUILDING SERVICES: B&ES

FRESH APPROACHES: HVCA BECOMES B&ES

THE B&ES IS THE PREMIER PROFESSIONAL BODY FOR BUILDING ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACTORS

he Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association (HVCA) has rebranded and is now known as the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES). The HVCA, established in 1904 as the National Association of Master Heating and Domestic Engineers, adopted the HVCA name in 1963. Bob Shelley, President of the HVCA comments, “Back then, of course, that’s exactly how the majority of the members would have described themselves – as h&v contractors – with the result that the name of their representative body accurately reflected the services they provided to the marketplace. “These days, however, things are very different. The term ‘h&v’ barely scratches the surface of the diverse, sophisticated and highly complex nature of the work our members now undertake. “Nor does it even hint at the increasingly central role they play in the integration of engineering services in buildings – and especially in the incorporation of the renewable technologies that are clearly here to stay in our increasingly environmentally-conscious age.

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“It is also the case that, today, our membership embraces many other specialisms – ventilation hygiene, heat pumps and facilities management, to name but a few – all of which sit comfortably under the ‘building and engineering services’ identity”. Looking to the future, Mr Shelley said, “Rebranding is just one element in a re-positioning exercise that will enable this Association to provide its members with a wider range of services, enhance its influence with Government, and provide a natural home for all building engineering services specialists. I am convinced that, as B&ES, we shall be ideally placed to become just such an organisation”. The B&ES identity was formally adopted in March. The organisation’s membership comprises over 1,500 companies with 2,000 offices throughout the UK, a combined turnover of in excess of £4 billion and a workforce of 55,000. Association members are subject to regular, third-party inspection and assessment of their technical competence and commercial capability. www.b-es.org Tel: 020 7313 4900

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BUILDING SERVICES: WOODFORD HEATING

hile the rising price of energy is a problem for many, for companies such as Woodford Heating it has been a positive factor. “It has helped our industry more than many,” confirms Managing Director Roy Alderslade. “There’s real focus on saving energy through ventilation systems and also heat recovery systems associated with ventilation are further means of making buildings more efficient.” Working mainly in the new-build residential sector, Woodford Heating projects typically range from 50-600 units with a dedicated team for the specialist sectors. There’s an increasing move into renewable forms of heating, such as

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Woodford Heating :feature 2 23/07/2013 11:19 Page 125

BUILDING SERVICES: WOODFORD HEATING heat pumps, solar thermal and combined heat and power systems in large scale energy centres. Solar PV has largely been dropped by the industry since the feed-in tariff changed and biomass boilers have fallen out of favour in its main London market. “We predominantly work in large blocks of flats and they’re typically fed by an energy centre with a combined heat and power unit,” says Roy. “Each flat has a heat interface unit for individual control and there’s a building management system in the energy centre to monitor the on-going performance of the system. We prefer to take on the complete mechanical project, which will include boosted water, dry risers, ventilation, public health and the complete fit out of the flats as well as the main energy centre.”

“THE MESSAGE FROM CLIENTS IS THAT OUR QUALITY PROCEDURES ENSURE WE’RE PRODUCING A TOP CLASS JOB” ROY ALDERSLADE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENERGY CENTRES Energy centres can be installed in any building as the skill set is the same, therefore Woodford Heating is beginning to diversify into commercial developments. Another growth area for Woodford is the maintenance side of the business. Roy says: “This commercial aspect is additional learning for everyone in the residential sector. The better residential developers increasingly recognise the importance of maintaining equipment and, as a result, we are offering our clients the complete package with service and maintenance of all the equipment. Residents pay a service charge that includes plant maintenance.” As regards installations, he adds: “We take the view that it makes more sense to spend money up front and reduce defects rather than spend money sorting defects out later. The message from clients is that our quality procedures ensure we’re producing a top class job.”

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TRAINING THE FUTURE WORKFORCE Maintaining quality is achieved partly through a commitment to training that has seen a constant flow of apprentices through the firm. Addressing an often voiced concern that this is not good business sense because apprentices will leave the company after completing their training, Roy states that’s not his experience: “We retain far more than we lose. Even if they leave, we’re doing our part because every business needs more skilled people and this is the best way to get them. Some apprentices that have been through the system are now project managers and may move into other roles as we continue to grow. They’re a very important part of the industry and we’re keen to make sure we get the right quality of people into Woodford Heating.” www.woodfordheating.com Tel: 020 85310004

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BUILDING SERVICES: THAMESWEY MAINTENANCE SERVICES

QUALITY BEFORE COST AN EMPHASIS ON QUALITY BEFORE COST MEANS THAMESWEY MAINTENANCE SERVICES’ CUSTOMERS OFTEN NEED TO TAKE A LONG-TERM VIEW

n emphasis on quality before cost means Thameswey Maintenance Services’ customers often need to take a long-term view. “That sets us apart but it also excludes us from some work because with quality comes a slightly higher price tag,” states General Manager Frank Martin. “If people look seven years ahead, they’ll save money but, if they look three years, they won’t. That’s the price of quality.” Saving money is one reason the company was set up in 2005 as a joint venture between Woking Borough Council and a Danish energy company. It was bought out completely by the council in late 2011 to keep in-house the renewable incentives and because it was being held back by commercial decisions. Franks says: “That has let us move forward with quality and carbon reduction in mind. The council has been very supportive, pushed us

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house building, property development and support services. Thameswey Maintenance Services’ role is to support the council, provide outsourced services that bring added value to local residents, businesses and charities, and bring revenue into the borough. Although relatively new within the group, it is increasingly involved with other members, advising and supporting the consultancy function and is set to play a big role in the energy aspects of new housing development projects. AREAS OF EXPERTISE The company, as Frank explains, provides two main areas of expertise: “We’re small power station operators, running 7MW power stations for Woking

Borough Council. These are natural gas fired engines producing heat, power, and cooling. We’re also very good at district heating networks on a communal scale rather than domestic. Our speciality is commercial and communal type heating.” The company is involved in various incentive schemes and for residential properties brings added value and affordable support on a technical level. An example is the provision of sub-metering in blocks of flats so tenants are billed individually based on actual consumption rather than having a divided bill from one main meter. However, as Frank emphasises, the service is more that just providing individual bills: “We consult, design, install, commission, read, bill and advise people on their

hard and we’ve had a big growth rate since we were acquired.” The company has more than doubled its turnover since then, with 75% of business coming from the council and public sector properties, while the rest is from the private market. It was acquired as the technical arm of the Thameswey Group, which had previously lacked technical skills and relied on using external consultants and contractors. “They now have an in-house engineering team that is well skilled, well educated and provides them with guidance and support in operations across the board,” confirms Frank. “On utility service provision, they have a lot of solar equipment, with over one megawatt from Woking alone. We fit in nicely and are the element they were lacking.” The Thameswey Group, wholly owned by Woking Borough Council, is an environmental services organisation that specialises in low carbon energy generation, affordable housing, sustainable

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energy consumption. If it’s excessive, we can tell when they’re using the electricity or heat and advise them to, for example, use their washing machine at night. “We can profile somebody’s energy usage and advise them how to reduce it. We provide the service for shops, offices, industrial units and individuals. Sometimes it’s provided directly and at other times on the back of consultancy service from within the group. “If we find high profiles of energy consumption, we’ll advise those users one on one. We’re establishing a method of policing everybody remotely and offering them advice as a group. We have fifteen minute pulses from these meters so the profiles and the information we gather are very comprehensive and accurate.”

POWER STATION OPERATION The power stations it runs are mainstream, relatively small units providing heat, cooling and electricity to specific buildings up to two kilometres away. One in Woking town centre, for example, powers particular offices, a museum, a Holiday Inn hotel and a number of other points. All stations are connected to the grid to import power in case of problems and have backup boilers to supplement heat supply. Coming up is a scheme to convert a guesthouse into nineteen sheltered apartments where Thameswey Maintenance Services is required to improve the energy efficiency of the building. That follows projects for Network Rail in Milton Keynes and Skanska in Woking where it has helped achieve required BREEAM ratings.

“WE CAN PROFILE SOMEBODY’S ENERGY USAGE AND ADVISE THEM HOW TO REDUCE IT. WE PROVIDE THE SERVICE FOR SHOPS, OFFICES, INDUSTRIAL UNITS AND INDIVIDUALS” FRANK MARTIN GENERAL MANAGER

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BUILDING SERVICES: THAMESWEY MAINTENANCE SERVICES A recent district heating programme for a local housing authority has so far retrofitted 22 of their 75 properties, with savings on gas consumption ranging from 30% to 44%. “That’s achieved by treating the systems as complete systems rather than as a plant room with the tenant being secondary,” states Frank. “We call it an energy saving retrofit system, which in truth is just doing the job properly as it should have been. We’re actually old school type fitters with an old school mentality but using modern technologies, proper condensing boilers and correct valve use.” That approach also means not using renewables for the sake of it but instead adopting the best solution in each case. In essence, it’s a low carbon

“WE TEND NOT TO WASTE ANYTHING. IF BOILERS ARE ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD, THEY’VE STILL GOT LIFE IN THEM AND IT WOULD BE WRONG TO REPLACE WITH NEW” FRANK MARTIN GENERAL MANAGER

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energy generation strategy, with each project looked at individually and a recent project evidencing the flexible attitude. Frank says: “We were asked by a client to fit a biomass boiler and, after carrying out a feasibility study, it was obvious that wasn’t practical. We’ve put in a small scale CHP plant that offers the same carbon reduction and the ability to provide the service to which they have to commit — heat and hot water on demand. So we will suggest alternatives where appropriate.” TAILORED APPROACH The tailored approach means only doing what’s necessary to achieve a stated aim. As a result, one property was a total refit to achieve a 44% saving while another, built only four years previously, gained a 30% reduction in consumption despite only having to make adjustments to a relatively modern system.

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“We tend not to waste anything,” comments Frank. “If boilers are only four years old, they’ve still got life in them and it would be wrong to replace with new. So we consider what’s installed and have a programme of, if we take a plant apart, removing pumps and other equipment that’s relatively new and shelving those until we can reuse them. That’s not recycling; it’s the sensible use of reasonable products.” That type of thinking extends to maintenance, where the emphasis is on implementing strict planned maintenance regimes to reduce the need for reactive repairs. As Frank emphasises, a big part of that is keeping everything clean: “We take manufacturer requirements to the next notch up to ensure longevity, which is by housekeeping and cleanliness. “Once a year, we’ll vacuum the sites to remove dust and debris, which wears out plant and moving

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equipment the most. So we try to keep it as clean as possible but also have a manned 24/7 immediate response that can be called upon any time. Reactive has a big price tag whereas planned is scheduled and can be easily controlled.” PROPER APPROACH The reasoning is simply that users can save on operational costs by applying proper planned maintenance and warranty implementation. That can require a difficult education programme because the practice of replacing parts when they fail without considering if they’re still within warranty and of not having a proper PPM policy are often ingrained. Following the principle of value for money, Thameswey Maintenance Services has close relationships with suppliers but isn’t committed to any. This enables it to keep informed of the latest products and technology changes while moving with the market by choosing the most suitable product with the best warranty at a reasonable price.

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“We work very closely with manufacturers on their warranties,” recounts Frank. “When we install, we talk to manufacturers about them and implement the warranties under their scheme and use it if there are any issues at all. We take the part out and get a replacement, which saves money. We take that extra step of policing and serialising all items and then following the warranty patterns.” EXPANDING SERVICES The services provided have contributed to Woking Borough Council achieving Beacon status for promoting sustainable communities. So the aim is now to expand those services to other boroughs away from the current area running up to Northampton, down to Southampton and across to London.

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There’s already a satellite office in Milton Keynes but, as Frank stresses, any growth won’t be rushed: “We’ll capture geographic areas and extend from there. The reason we’re growing in that format is to avoid the cost of moving engineers, their technology and knowledge up and down the country. “We’re trying to reduce our driving patterns and fuel bills by expanding geographically one step at a time. We don't want to overstretch ourselves because response times are excellent and I'd like to hold those performance indicators. Any reduction of downtime gives excellent uptime and saves energy and money.” www.tmsl.uk.com Tel: 0845 2410204

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Right Management :feature 2 23/07/2013 11:22 Page 136

BUILDING SERVICES: RIGHT MANAGEMENT SERVICES

UNIQUE IN MECHANICAL SERVICES

RIGHT MANAGEMENT SERVICES DELIVER ON TIME, COST EFFECTIVE AND PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED

R The ‘Gherkin’ – the company’s most prestigious project to date

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ight Management Services Ltd is a specialist sub contractor in the installation of pipe services for the mechanical industry. Originally established in 1995 to project manage contracts, the company quickly grew a strong reputation for its high standards and organisational skill. Bringing the relevant expertise in-house, Right Management Services utilises its experience to deliver a full package of pipework installation including heating, chilled, gas, oil and related plumbing requirements. Major contractors familiar with Right Management Services have therefore become accustomed to a professionally installed package, delivered on time that allows the client to minimise their site management and preliminary costs. RMS Senior Estimator, James Ballard, who has worked for the company for over a decade, says the standards never drop. “We distinguish ourselves

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because of our quality, and we are very focused on delivering the best we can. The focus on quality is something that runs throughout the company, everyone who has worked with us for any length of time wants to produce something they can walk away proud of. “Many of the people who work with us have been with us a long time, so we have the experience in house to know how to do a job right. If something goes wrong, we know how to fix it. “RMS regularly take on apprentices, and have done for many years in order to retain our experience and instil our values in future generations. I myself started with RMS as an apprentice many years ago, as did two of our current management team. We are always looking at ways we might improve our service and continue to train staff and operatives to ensure we are ready for any challenge.” Primarily operating within the M25, the company has worked on many prestigious buildings in London. One of the most challenging was its

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BUILDING SERVICES: RIGHT MANAGEMENT SERVICES contract at 125 Old Broad Street where RMS worked for Imtech Meica. Overcoming some huge logistical and engineering problems at the historic building, RMS was responsible for the mechanical pipework throughout, including new basement and roof top plant rooms, risers and full fit-out. Although the contract was difficult mainly due to site logistics, it proved rewarding and remains one of its most prestigious contracts to date. Recent jobs include the installation of pipework for Imtech Meica at Croyden Town Hall and when Sir Robert McAlpine decided to replace the HVAC services at their Hemel Hempstead office, Imtech Meica employed RMS. “It is with pride we can say, we did that,” says James. PRESTIGIOUS PROJECT Possibly the company’s most prestigious project to date was carried out for Skanska Construction at 30 St Mary Axe. Dubbed the ‘Gherkin’ this building on the site of the old Baltic exchange is now one of the most iconic features of London’s skyline. “We were proud to be involved with SRW on the installation of the plumbing in 34 toilet cores together with the mechanical fit out on 14 floors. The fit out works, had to be completed within 4 months. With this short programme and each floor having a circular footprint we were required to install the heating and chilled water mains pipework in prefabricated sections around each core. The copper wastes and domestic water services were curved on site and suspended beneath to duplicate the circular section. Each stage, of each discipline, necessitated separate testing to allow for the installation of the next layer of pipework,” explains James. “It was a very challenging job. Just getting the pipework in was a task in itself, however, it proved very rewarding. While we are proud of all our work, this is definitely one of the most prestigious contracts we’ve done.” Tel: 01883 332626 www.rightmanagementservices.co.uk

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NICEAC:feature 2 23/07/2013 14:53 Page 138

BUILDING SERVICES: NATIONAL INSPECTION COUNCIL FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONTRACTING

ICEIC and ELECSA have hit back at misleading claims about the new technical requirements for Qualified Supervisors, and are reassuring contractors’ fears about the qualifications necessary to be eligible for registration. As of April 6 this year the technical competence requirements, as set out by the Electrotechnical Assessment Specification Management Committee (EAS), changed for proposed Qualified Supervisors. A new “Level 3” requirement was developed and introduced for anyone wanting to apply to become a Qualified Supervisor after April 5th. Prior to its implementation a spate of articles appeared in the media urging contractors to apply before the deadline so they could “sidestep” the new requirements.

However, following the apparent confusion this has caused, NICEIC and ELECSA have moved to allay any concerns contractors might have, citing the various routes through to qualification. “In the run up to April both NICEIC and ELECSA noticed a sharp rise in applications for its schemes as contractors sought to “beat the new requirements” – largely due to stories circulating in the media saying the new requirements would make it harder to become a Qualified Supervisor,” commented Alan Wells, Certification and Standards Director at NICEIC. “We want to let contractors know that this is definitely not the case. The new qualification was designed to produce safer working practices within the industry and those with the relevant experience and technical competence really have nothing to fear.”

There are now five different routes for domestic installer schemes through to satisfying the requirements for registration as a Qualified Supervisor, including on-site assessment, off-site assessment, a mixture of both and the gaining of appropriate qualifications. To help contractors understand the new requirements NICEIC and ELECSA have produced some handy information sheets for anyone wishing to join NICEIC or ELECSA’s Domestic Installer Scheme or NICEIC’s Approved Contractor schemes. “The routes allow flexibility for individuals who hold older qualifications or have been a Qualified Supervisor within the past two years to be assessed, as well as allowing a route for individuals who can provide auditable evidence of their knowledge and experience of undertaking electrical work,” continues Alan.

CLARIFYING THE NEW TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS NICEIC AND ELECSA SPEAK OUT ON MYTHS ABOUT NEW TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

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BUILDING SERVICES: NATIONAL INSPECTION COUNCIL FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONTRACTING

HOME OF ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING EXCELLENCE

THE NATIONAL Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting or NICEIC is one (of a number of organisations) which regulates the training and work of electrical enterprises in the UK. The NICEIC is one of only a few providers given Government approval to offer Competent Person Schemes to oversee electrical work within the electrical industry. It is worth noting that the NICEIC are a privately-owned body (the owner being the Electrical Safety Council, a Registered Charity) and not a Government organisation, as often incorrectly assumed. NICEIC is the UK electrical contracting industry’s independent voluntary body. It offers leading certification services, Building Regulations Schemes, products and support to electrical contractors and many other trades within the construction industry. Over 25,000 contractors are registered with us and take advantage of our products and services. Registration not only demonstrates to customers and specifiers your skills and professionalism, it also gives you peace of mind that our products and services are the best in the industry. Employing an NICEIC registered electrician is a householder’s best way to ensure a safe job. NICEIC helps to protect householders from the dangers of unsafe electrical installations. It provides advice on the dangers of electricity and building regulations.

www.niceic.com Tel: 0870 013 0382

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GREEN INVESTMENT NICEIC has welcomed the recent announcement by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The announcement promises the £860m to increase green capital investment by £4.5 billion up to 2020, stimulating a new market in renewable heat. DECC claims the RHI will provide an incentive to increase number of industrial, commercial and public sector installations by seven times to 2020.

A full system of RHI payments will be available to households from October 2012 and before that more than a quarter of the first year’s budget is to be guaranteed for up to 25,000 household installations through a “RHI Premium Payment” to encourage take-up. “We are delighted that the government has announced this major incentive for renewable heat,” states Emma McCarthy, chief executive officer for NICEIC. “DECC believes 150,000 existing manufacturing, supply chain and installer jobs will be supported by the incentives and NICEIC believes any boost to the trade through promises such as this are vital in the current economic climate.” “Renewable heat is a largely untapped resource and an important new green industry of the future,” says Secretary of State Chris Huhne. “This incentive is the first of its kind in the world. It’ll help the UK shift away from fossil fuel, reducing carbon emissions and encouraging innovation, jobs and growth in new advanced technologies.” The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has a huge task ahead of it; meeting the UK carbon reduction targets of 2020. The Climate Change Act 2008 set legally binding emission reduction targets for 2020 (reduction of 34 percent in greenhouse gas emissions) and for 2050 (reduction of at least 80 percent in greenhouse gas emissions), and introduced five-yearly carbon budgets to help ensure those targets are met. Renewable energy is part of the government’s solution in meeting these targets. “With householders now given the incentives to install renewable technologies, the opportunities for the electrical, heating and plumbing trades are significant and NICEIC will be at the forefront of this industry, providing certification, training and advice,” adds Emma www.niceic.com

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contract:feature 2 23/07/2013 11:35 Page 140

BUILDING SERVICES: CONTRACT SERVICES

FROM HUMBLE

BEGINNINGS ESTABLISHED BY RORY MCNAUGHTON IN THE LATER PART OF 2005, CONTRACT SERVICES HAS A CLEAR VISION TO DELIVER A QUALITY SERVICE AT A COMPETITIVE PRICE

espite the uncertainty of the economic climate, Belfastbased Contract Services has enjoyed year-on-year growth since it was established in 2005. Managing director Rory McNaughton had a clear vision of providing quality service at a competitive rate, recognising a niche in the market for the provision of comprehensive building fabric, mechanical, electrical and associated trades. Leading from the front, the inspirational managing director quickly developed a team to bring his vision into reality. Consequently, from humble beginnings, Contract Services has grown every year of its existence. Recent contract wins include a roofing contract at the University of Edinburgh, and the mechanical and electrical installation at King’s College London. The company is also pleased to continue its strong relationship with Dixon’s Retail PLC and recently took on the electrical services con-

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tract for Dixon’s refurbished retail stores throughout the UK and Ireland. Fittingly, Rory McNaughton took home the prize of Young Business Person of the Year 2012 at the Belfast Business Awards. Commercial director Paul Kane acknowledges the determination of Rory McNaughton to see his company lead the field as a principle reason behind its success. This enthusiasm rapidly filtered throughout Contract Services so that each employee was striving for the same goal. “We are fairly aggressive in the marketplace; very dynamic and proactive in what we do,” says Paul. “We saw a niche in the market and there wasn’t anybody who was performing a quality one-stop shop service. We saw an opportunity where we could offer a volume of service right across the board offering everything from mechanical, electrical and general building fabric, repairs, ongoing installation, maintenance, and design. Then we would grow the business from there.” Principally, Contract Services set out to offer customers the opportunity to make one phone call

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where all their building needs were taken care of. This would be underpinned by the highest standards of delivery, and value for money in a challenging financial period, where repeat business was encouraged. In addition, by forming partnering arrangements, ongoing commitments with customers could potentially develop long-term business rather than short-term gains. “Year-on-year we have seen successive growth,” says Paul encouragingly. “We now have an enviable list of blue chip clients right across the UK and we continue to do as we said at the start. We deliver uncompromisingly an excellent service with value for money, and, thanks to our ability to maintain that level of service, we win repeat business from the clients we have. “Crucially, we are constantly moving forward, where we want to gain market share in what we have, increase the diversity and range of services that we provide, while giving the customer value.” From beginning with a single engineer on the road, Contract Services developed with shrewd

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intelligence. Using approved subcontractors allowed the company to provide all required services during a project but as individual trades became more prominent, they were periodically brought in-house. Today, the company boasts internal capabilities throughout the whole spectrum of services including full mechanical, electrical and building fabric, as well as cleaning, air-conditioning, ground works, roofing, flooring and ceilings, maintenance, fit out programmes and through Contract Services Design Studio, interior design, complete fit-out and furniture supply. An example of the full range of capabilities is seen in the company’s project for software engineers Consilium Technologies. Appointed by Ballyrogan Group, Contract Services provided a turnkey design and build of two office floors at the company’s new head office to a very tight program. “That fit-out included two brand new workspaces which were previously just empty shells. We had to design the internals of which included mechanical, electrical and general building fabric

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BUILDING SERVICES: CONTRACT SERVICES and complete the fit-out. It also included the interior design and furniture supply,” explains Paul. “That project was done via a very fast turnkey operation where by we took possession of the building, did the design, got all the building and planning applications sorted out, completed the fit out including the furniture, and installed the lighting, heating, and IT equipment. Everything associated with that building was set up before the people moved in. “We do work very hard at what we do and ensure that we deliver and continue to deliver the services that we promise because, no matter what industry you are in, particularly in the services industry, you are only as good as your last mistake. So if you do a bad job it sticks unfortunately; you can do 100 great jobs but it is the bad one that is remembered. We work very hard at ensuring the service we deliver is as we always promised it would be.” It has been an exciting time for Contract Services. With the dedication and skill of its in-house tradesmen, and the comprehensive range of services available, the company has developed into something its founder Rory McNaughton can be very proud of. http://www.contractservicesni.com Tel: 028 90619858

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BISRIA:feature 2 23/07/2013 11:29 Page 144

BUILDING SERVICES: BSRIA

BSRIA AND NHBC:

AIRTIGHT PARTNERS

BSRIA AND NHBC PARTNERSHIP BRINGS EFFICIENT PART L COMPLIANCE TO HOUSEBUILDERS

irtightness testing of new dwellings is mandatory for developments of over two units under Part L of the Building Regulations in England and Wales and Section 6 of the Scottish Building Standards. Housebuilders are now able to benefit from a more efficient, faster onsite air leakage testing service following the announcement of a new partnership between NHBC and leading consultancy and test organisation BSRIA. NHBC and BSRIA – an organisation with over 50 years’ experience supporting and advising the construction industry, which has carried out 50,000 energy tests across the industry since 2006 – will jointly provide responsive air leakage testing as part of NHBC’s overall Part L compliance package which includes SAP and EPC’s. Richard Stockholm, NHBC Operation Manager, said: “The new partnership will result in a more cost-effective and streamlined Part L compliance solution for NHBC registered builders. A faster response time will be achieved through this new partnership, increasing capacity and resource, ultimately minimising disruption on site.”

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BY PAUL DOOLEY, OPERATIONS MANAGER BSRIA AIRTIGHTNESS Under the new arrangement BSRIA will supply all on-site airtightness testing services to NHBC clients. The new arrangement will deliver an improved and more efficient Airtightness service, with tests and full certification undertaken usually within 24 hours of booking and a reduced on-site testing time minimising on-site disruption. This will further enhance the value of the NHBC SAP and EPC assessments, Building Control and warranty service that NHBC is so well known for. Special arrangements to deliver results directly to the SAP assessor will ensure the best possible service to clients. In addition to Air Permeability tests, BSRIA can supply Part F ventilation testing during the same site visit or Part L2 testing for communal areas and non-residential properties.

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As the number and complexity of Building Regulations increases, contractors and designers need accredited bodies to prove their compliance and to guide them through the regulations to pass first time. As a founder member of ATTMA, the appointed air pressure testing organisation for the BINDT, BSRIA is UKAS accredited to test to CIBSE TM23, BS EN 13829, and ATTMA TS L1, guaranteeing certificates will be recognised by the building control officers. Through this new partnership there will be no change to the service that builder customers receive, however the onsite service will now be undertaken by BSRIA, on behalf of NHBC. Andrew Eastwell CEO of BSRIA said: “We are pleased to be forming a closer association with NHBC as we see this arrangement as a perfect fit as both BSRIA and NHBC. Both of us are committed to the implementation of best practise within the construction industry and we are both committed to offering a stress free efficient service to our customers.” For further information about energy and air leakage testing, please contact compliance@bsria.co.uk

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BUILDING SERVICES: BSRIA

ABOUT BSRIA: “WE ARE PLEASED TO BE FORMING A CLOSER ASSOCIATION WITH NHBC AS WE SEE THIS ARRANGEMENT AS A PERFECT FIT AS BOTH BSRIA AND NHBC. BOTH OF US ARE COMMITTED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BEST PRACTISE WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND WE ARE BOTH COMMITTED TO OFFERING A STRESS FREE EFFICIENT SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.” ANDREW EASTWELL CEO BSRIA www.bdcmagazine.co.uk

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Atlantic Boilers :feature 2 23/07/2013 11:39 Page 146

BUILDING SERVICES: ATLANTIC BOILERS

tlantic Boilers is a specialist in the development of highly efficient condensing boilerplant. Since the 1980s it has worked to promote the benefits of new condensing boiler systems and the associated efficiencies that can be gained. Over the years it has worked on many high profile buildings and estates including Buckingham Palace and Clarence House in the process of becoming a leader in the field. Today, operating within a number of sectors including education, leisure, social housing, healthcare and commercial, the company supplies boilers in addition to condensing and highly efficient domestic hot water generation, and back-up commissioning, spares and servicing. From wholly owned offices, workshops and warehousing in Oldham, Atlantic works across the UK. Success for Atlantic was quick to present itself. Within a couple of years of establishing the company, it was the first to sell a condensing boiler to a UK customer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in this case British Gas. Throughout the 1980s it sold large numbers of high efficiency

HIGH EFFICIENCY BOILERPLANT ATLANTIC BOILERS SUPPLY CONDENSING AND HIGHLY EFFICIENT BOILERPLANT TO MANY UNIVERSITIES, HOTELS, HOSPITALS, SOCIAL CARE BUILDINGS, LEISURE CENTRES, OFFICES AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, PLUS OTHER TYPES OF BUILDING

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Atlantic Boilers :feature 2 23/07/2013 11:39 Page 147

BUILDING SERVICES: ATLANTIC BOILERS condensing boilerplant to a number of customers across the UK, establishing strong links with the education sector. Indeed, within a decade it was working with nearly half the universities in the country. Many of these boilers - based on stainless steel condensing – continue to work effectively today. The “firsts” have continued over the last thirty years as Atlantic Boilers has remained at the forefront of development and innovation. It was the first to introduce boilers burning rapeseed oil, drawing on the surplus available from British agriculture to enhance the company’s sustainable credentials. Atlantic Boilers is also pioneering the use of combustion air, taking it to cool down the flue gases then using the warmed air to put back into the burner to continue the combustion cycle. This process has worked exceptionally well for those that have installed it. For University College London, Atlantic put together an assembly across three boilers to produce a seasonal gross efficiency of 94 per cent against the previous level of 82 per cent. Not only this but recent work has seen the use of plastic replacing steel or stainless steel within the condensing exchanges. Traditional plastic, such as that seen in building guttering, can withstand temperatures of around 60C making it unsuitable for condensing boilers. However, a Swiss company has developed a high grade plastic using waste plastic of different grades mixed with an element of metal. The result is a product that can withstand temperatures of 200C. This is beneficial for a number for reasons, not least the fact oil attacks normal steel or stainless steel over time, impacting on its lifespan and maintenance costs. In addition, there are the environmental advantages of utilising recycled material. So strong is the reputation of Atlantic Boilers, other manufacturers will often follow in its direction. Leading by example, the company has the expertise and confidence to take risks in order to put innovation into the limelight. It can take thirty years before a new boiler specification enters the main-

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stream market, thus, new ideas are often approached with trepidation. Leading manufacturers will look at the recent areas of development Atlantic are entering into and follow suit. Most recently, this occurred with Atlantic’s use of vegetable oil boilers, which tapped into a previously under-developed market in the UK. Key to the company’s ongoing progress is technical director Harry Howard. A Cambridge University and South Bank University former scholar, and a former Research Fellow of Glasgow University, Harry has also served as Chairman of the CNAA board over-seeing the development of building services degree courses. “Customers come to us with challenging projects because they realise we have the experience and expertise,” he remarks. “There are a lot of other means of producing heat today, for example heat

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BUILDING SERVICES: ATLANTIC BOILERS pumps and CHP, but we specialise in boilerplant and can provide the customer with the long-lasting benefits of this technology. “Through our ongoing development of boilers, we intimately understand the nature and possibilities of them which puts us in a prime position to evaluate the requirements of, and find the right solutions for, our customers.” CORBY ENTERPRISE CENTRE A recently completed project was the installation of dual-fuel boilers at the new Corby Enterprise Centre in Northampton. The £8.3m centre is home to fifteen workshops, thirty-eight offices and a café area, and forms a major part of the town’s regeneration programme. The centre aims to provide an environment to support and develop new and emerging businesses with space from 200 square feet to 1,500 square feet. The entire space heating requirement is met by two 90kW R-Series dual-fuel boilers – B100 biodiesel and natural gas. The R Series is a year-round high efficiency condensing boiler which bridges the gap between gas condensing boilers and bio-mass boilers by providing combustion which burns traditional fuels as well as “green” fuel. “Liquid bio-fuel boilers are at an advantage to other “green boilers” such a bio-mass boilers for several reasons,” remarks Harry. “Liquid bio-fuel is easier than bio-mass to store and feed to the boiler and produces thirty-seven megajoules of heat per kilogram against seventeen megajoules of heat per kilogram for good standard biomass. In addition, the UK has a surplus of waste and home-grown vegetable oils which the developing liquid bio-fuel boilers are ready to burn with efficiency and minimum noxious emissions.” It is therefore an exciting time for Atlantic Boilers as it continues to bring innovation to the market. With the benefits witnessed by clients recently, as well as over the last three decades, it comes as little surprise to see the company continuing to lead from the front.

UNIVERSITY OF EXETER FORUM PROJECT This project forms a new centre-piece for the University of Exeter’s famously hilly Steetham Campus. Working with nature’s features on the site, a green corridor will connect the Forum with the wider landscape. Central to the scheme is an undulating timber grid-shell roof, which shelters and unifies a series of new student-focused spaces within. The fluid form respects the views from the city to Dartmoor. Atlantic Boilers have installed two R22-225kW and one R-22-500 kW year round gas condensing pre-mix modulating boilers. All the boilers have substantial turn down ratio and low NOx levels which earn maximum points on the BREEAM scale. Alongside the boilers, are two 37kW mini-Expresso plate heat exchangers each fitted with a 2500 litre highly insulated domestic hot water storage. The installers were MJN Colston of Exeter.

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BUILDING SERVICES: PROCTER BROS LTD

QUALITY SERVICE PROCTER BROS LTD IS A LONG ESTABLISHED FAMILY OWNED AND RUN BUSINESS THAT CAN TRACE IT’S HISTORY BACK TO 1740 WHEN THE ORIGINAL BUSINESS WAS FOUNDED IN LEEDS TO MAKE A RANGE OF WIRE PRODUCTS

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rocter Bros Ltd can chart its history right back to the 1740s when it was established in Leeds to provide a range of wire products. Today, unsurprisingly, the company’s growth and diversification is highlighted through its provision of a range of products across five separate divisions. Procter aims to combine the best aspects of traditional craftsmanship and care for its customers and employees, with up to date technology and production methods, across all its divisions. The areas in which it works are: machine guarding, fencing systems, sliding entrance gates, concrete and fencing products, and cast stone. Established by William Varley, the Procter company of today has unrivalled expertise in the sectors in which it works. During the 18th and 19th centuries the business was mainly involved in the man-

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ufacture of a wide range of agricultural and domestic wire products from a number of small factories in Yorkshire. The trading name of Procter Bros was introduced in 1884 by John and Charles Procter, and it was under their control that the company really started to develop its identity as specialist wireworkers. The company today is managed by John’s great grandsons Chris and Jeremy. The business today houses its various divisions across sites at Bedwas in South Wales and Garforth in West Yorkshire. Machine Guarding is one of its most renowned divisions, providing a comprehensive service to design, manufacture and install safety guards throughout the UK on all different kinds of machinery. In the mid sixties the business was restructured to concentrate exclusively on the specialist fencing and machine guarding sectors of the industry. Today the company is a market leader with its nationwide fencing and guarding services that

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BUILDING SERVICES: PROCTER BROS LTD integrate the best of traditional skills with the latest techniques and services. Prestigious contracts in recent years include the railings and ornamental gates of Kensington Palace and major guarding projects for the London Underground Jubilee Lines and in the USA for Ingersollâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chrysler project. New products have been introduced to broaden the range of the traps department and at Garforth a range of cast stone architectural features is providing strong growth to supplement its traditional fencing products. Still very much a family firm Procter Bros recognises the need to develop its products and staff to meet the challenges of global business and to secure the future success of the business. Procterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Security Fencing division provides the supply and erection of security fencing, railings and entrance gates, mainly for schools, factories, warehouses and out of town retail sites. The Sliding Gates division designs, manufactures and installs Pro-Glide Sliding Entrance Gates in a range of styles and sizes for industrial, commercial and educational applications. And, Cast Stone designs and manufactures architectural features made from cast stone for housing and commercial buildings. Elsewhere, the Fencing Materials division manufactures and distributes concrete fence posts, gates, mesh panel fencing, chainlink and other items for sale to the fencing trade. www.procterbros.co.uk Tel: Southern Area Office 029 2088 2222 Northern Area Office 0113 287 2777

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