Construction National Autumn 2011

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COVER STORY

CONTENTS Apartment block sets record for timber construction At eight stories and providing 41 apartments, Bridport House in Hackney, east London is the largest timber building in Europe, possibly the world. read more on p13

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NEWS 4 4 5 5 6 6 13 15 15 23

Communities left stranded by Government’s approach to regeneration, say MPs United clinch the double Network Rail unveils development plan for major Derby site ‘Outstanding’ centre is healthcare first Edinburgh plan raises eyebrows Winning pylon design announced Low energy house uses body heat Improved safety should be part of London 2012 legacy Concrete waves its sustainability flag Asbestos in buildings

ICOM ENERGY ASSOCIATION 7

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Adapting to change has been ICOM’s trademark – and there are more changes afoot

TECHNOLOGY 9 9 9 11 12

Thinner, leaner, fitter: building technology marches on Awards recognise computing in construction Government adopts BIM timeframe RedSky IT customer day sees product updates and new product launch Isn’t BIM just 3D CAD?

TRANSPORT 16 17 17 17

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MC Truck Rental – building a future with the construction industry ALLMI manager training expands to help PUWER compliance Truck company is in the pink Agreement reached on red cards

TRAINING 19 19 21 21 21 22

NCC redevelopment finally gets underway SuDS and SABs for LAs, by CIRIA PM’s call for more apprenticeships applauded by CITB Funding will benefit female construction workers Concrete competition A safe pair of hands

NHBC PRIDE IN THE JOB AWARDS 25

NHBC recognises those who take Pride in the Job

CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIES 35

SALES ENQUIRIES: Paul Houldsworth Tel: 0161 850 1676 Wayne Taylor

Tel: 0161 850 1678

Phil Wharton

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Classified supplies listing

For editorial and all other enquiries: Tel: 0161 850 1680 Fax: 0161 850 0918 Email: editorial@dmmonline.co.uk Suite 2, 61 Lower Hillgate, Stockport SK1 3AW Editor: Chris Stokes Copyright Construction National.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior permission of Construction National. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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CHP

Communities left stranded by Government’s approach to regeneration, say MPs Ministers have no adequate strategy to address problems n In a new report into the Government’s handling of regeneration funding, a committee of MPs has criticised ministers for having “no adequate strategy to address the complex problems faced

by England’s most deprived communities.”

The Communities and Local Government (CLG) Committee has warned that: “If further resources for regeneration are not found, there is a risk that major problems will be stored up for the future.”

Launching the report of an inquiry looking closely at the Government’s approach to regeneration, the committee’s chair Clive Betts MP said: “The Government has cut public funding for regeneration programmes dramatically and has produced no adequate ‘strategy’ for regeneration sufficient to tackle the deep-seated problems faced by our most deprived communities.”

He criticised the Government for relying on private-sector investment to address the problem, adding: “There is no sign that the private sector is filling the gap as public resources are being withdrawn. Indeed, private investment is only likely to be attracted in partnership with public funding. Without further investment targeted at those places most in need, Ministers will store up serious social, economic and environmental problems for the future.”

In the report, published on 3 November, the CLG Committee also warned that the cancellation of Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder funding had impacted profoundly upon the lives of people across the North and the Midlands.

“We saw and heard for ourselves what happens when the Government stops investing in regeneration,” said Mr Betts. “In Rochdale, we found row upon row of boarded up houses, the direct result of the withdrawal of Housing Market Renewal Funding. We met a family trapped in a halfabandoned street after the promise of a new home was not fulfilled.”

The report calls on Government to publish a national regeneration strategy that specifically targets the country’s most disadvantaged communities. It should be based upon a detailed understanding of what worked or failed in the past, incorporating lessons from places like Hulme, where a successful regeneration scheme has transformed a deprived area into a thriving community.

“The City Challenge initiative, under which much of Hulme’s transformation took off, secured investment from both the public and the private sectors, encouraged high levels of community involvement and concentrated dedicated resources upon a specific area. It addressed a full range of issues including housing, education, employment and the quality of life,” continued Mr Betts. q

United clinch the double n Social housing contractor and developer United House has won two new contracts in London worth over £11m.

Poplar HARCA, a registered social landlord which owns and manages around 8,500 homes in East London, has appointed United House to carry out large-scale upgrade work on its homes on the Brownfield Estate in Poplar. The contract carries a value of £4m and will involve more than 300 maisonettes in 13 blocks. The work will include external fabric repairs and internal improvements.

Externally, the building envelopes will be repaired, new roofs fitted, windows replaced and balconies renovated. Cladding and roofs

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will be insulated to improve warmth and energy efficiency.

Internally, the communal areas will be refurbished and door entry systems fitted to improve security. IRS will also be installed for TV to eliminate the need for individual satellite dishes. Work is due to start in November and take 56 weeks.

Notting Hill Housing Trust has also signed up United House for an external envelope contract valued at over £7m. The contract will involve work on properties in Hammersmith and Fulham.

External and internal refurbishments will include communal hallways, roof repairs,

roof and cavity insulation, window and door repairs and replacements as well as upgrades to steps, balconies and fencing.

The work is due to start in November and continue until May 2016.

Jeffrey Adams, group chief executive of United House, said: “We take pride in our reputation for delivering quality work on major works refurbishments on time, on budget and at a competitive price. Both Poplar HARCA and Notting Hill Housing Trust have recognised our commitment to customer service and we look forward to starting work on these two important London projects.” q

‘Outstanding’ centre is healthcare first

Network Rail unveils development plan for major Derby site n In October Network Rail announced it was actively seeking a development partner for a 70-acre brownfield site in Derby, known as the Chaddesden Triangle, on the edge of the Pride Park football stadium.

The land, which is owned freehold by Network Rail, is the largest brownfield site in the city – long known as a railway town for its engine works. It has been identified by Derby City Council as a strategic development site and regeneration priority.

Network Rail will work with the selected development partner from the production of a master plan, through the planning process, to completion of the site and the securing of occupiers for individual plots. Proposals for the site will be considered on the grounds of overall benefit to Derby as a whole.

Stuart Kirkwood, head of development for Network Rail, said: “We are always working to identify development opportunities where we can work in partnership with the private sector to develop non-operational land.

This site offers the potential to create new employment opportunities and support the wider regeneration plans for the area.”

The leader of the council, Cllr Philip Hickson added: “The council has been working with Network Rail for many months to bring this site to market. The site is a regeneration priority in the saved local plan in an area which focuses on business uses. The Chaddesden Triangle is part of the River Derwent corridor, where recreational and leisure facilities are being enhanced. There are opportunities to deliver key regeneration benefits, taking advantage of this major river frontage, for the area and for the city. ” George Cowcher, chief executive of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the news. “This is something that the chamber is fully supportive of. The Chaddesden Triangle is a huge swathe of land which at the moment is not realising its full potential, so anything which can be done to not only redevelop it but also create jobs, encourage enterprise and boost growth has to be a good thing, particularly in the current economic climate.”

BNP Paribas Real Estate Birmingham has been appointed by Network Rail to identify a development partner. The deadline for initial responses is 18 November, with those shortlisted invited to make final bid stage tenders by next January. It is anticipated that final developer selection will take place in March. q

n The Houghton-le-Spring Primary Care Centre in Sunderland has been confirmed as the first healthcare building in the UK to achieve a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating. In doing so it has exceeded the Department of Health’s requirement for new buildings to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’.

The centre was designed by architect P+HS, working with contractor Willmott Dixon, mechanical and electrical consultant Mott MacDonald, building services contractor LJJ and structural engineer Cundall Johnston.

The building has been equipped with such sustainable features as photovoltaic and solar thermal panels, ground source heat pumps, rainwater harvesting and natural ventilation and cooling. It is laid out around a central two-storey atrium which contains the main circulation space, leading to a sports and leisure centre and the primary care centre. A 24-bed rehabilitation ward is on the first floor and there are facilities for other services such as GP consulting and diagnostics.

Stephen Naylor, head of estates at NHS South of Tyne and Wear, said: “We now aim to achieve the ‘Outstanding’ rating on all new projects, wherever the physical constraints of the site make this possible.” q

• Network Rail is one of the largest land and property owners in the country and will generate over £1bn in the next five years from commercial activities. All profits generated are invested in future rail projects helping to reduce the cost of rail to the taxpayer. www.constructionnational.co.uk

Edinburgh plan raises eyebrows O In October the City of Edinburgh Council unveiled proposals for its Local Development Plan (LDP), at the same time launching a consultation exercise around the proposals.

The first key stage of preparing the plan is a Main Issues Report, which suggests options for change and asks for comments. The consultation will last for three months until 27 January 2012 and will consist of a series of exhibitions and events across the city, together with online feedback opportunities.

The council’s planning chief, Cllr Jim Lowrie, said: “It’s vital we plan for the future so we can continue to support the growth of Edinburgh’s economy. Key to this is what the public think, so we need their views.

“How do they want their city to grow over the next 10 years? What facilities do we need to provide? What do they think makes Edinburgh a fantastic place to live in? How can we improve things?

“Consultation is an important part of this plan and by listening to our communities they will help us shape the future of this great city and ensure it remains one of the most sought after places to live in the United Kingdom.”

The proposals have already caused controversy, with The Scotsman reporting proposals to free-up green belt land for at least 4,500 homes.

According to the paper, up to 2,400 properties would be built close to Edinburgh Park (pictured) and at least 2,000 homes would be built near to the BioQuarter at Little France.

It quotes Labour councillor Angela Blacklock as saying: “We do need

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more housing and we are required to find this. However, it’s our preference not to use the green belt land and we had to approve this to meet the government requirements.” R

Winning pylon design announced O It doesn’t look particularly impressive as a structure – indeed that is part of the reason this design for a new electricity pylon could make it the most familiar object in our lives in the near future. It is the ‘T-Pylon’, designed by Danish engineers Bystrup and unanimously agreed by the judging panel as the winner of the competition run by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), National Grid and the Royal Institute of British Architects to find a new design to replace the pylons that are so familiar in our countryside.

The winner will receive £5,000 prize money and five other shortlisted finalists will each receive £1,000.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne said: “This is an innovative design which is simple, classical and practical. Its ingenious structure also means that it will be much shorter and smaller than existing pylons and therefore less intrusive.” R

Adapting to change has been ICOM’s trademark – and there are more changes afoot

by ROBERT BURKE, director and chief executive of ICOM Energy Association n Members of ICOM Energy Association – the trade association for the industrial and commercial energy sector – have a long history of working together, a tradition that has developed over many years.

Since the association was first formed in 1933 as the British Oil Burner Manufacturer’s Association, its members have seen many changes. It is, of course, inevitable in a changing world that products will evolve to suit changes in regulations, standards and technological developments, and ICOM has itself developed over time in line with changing technologies.

Following the discovery of natural gas in the North Sea the association’s membership was widened to include manufacturers of both boilers and gas burners. It then became the British Oil and Gas Firing Equipment Manufacturer’s Association. In 1974, solid fuel manufacturers were welcomed into the association, which then became the British Combustion Equipment Manufacturer’s Association. ICOM Energy Association, as we know it today, came about after its scope was widened further to embrace all aspects of the commercial and industrial energy-related sector.

In 2003 the association took on the ICOM name.

More recently members of ICOM Energy Association have seen significant changes in its organisation. Earlier this year its technical director took on a new position outside ICOM, leaving a vacancy which I was pleased to take on. Not only was there a change in technical director, however, but the association’s chief executive had planned to retire and stood down on 30 September. Having spent a few months getting to know the workings of ICOM, I was very pleased when the ICOM council voted for me to also take over Peter McCree’s role.

It was clear to the council that one person couldn’t take over the roles of two previous employees and ideas were explored on how to provide extra support. Fortunately, for several years ICOM had worked closely with SBGI

– the Society of British Gas Industries – which provided management services and meeting facilities for ICOM. There was a great deal of synergy between the two associations with HHIC (the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council, a division of SBGI) representing the domestic heating industry alongside ICOM, which represented the commercial and industrial heating sector.

Here was an ideal opportunity for ICOM and SBGI to come closer together and council members were in full agreement that the best solution was for ICOM to become a division of SBGI. Moves are now in place for ICOM to move its operation fully to SBGI at the start of next year.

Both ICOM and SBGI look forward to working together and are sure there will be significant benefits to both parties. Working together on common projects and having a better understanding of both the domestic and commercial heating industries will allow us to hone regulations and standards that are fair to both sectors, rather than disadvantaging one sector against the other.

The change in status for ICOM will hopefully be a seamless transition without adversely affecting the work of the association. Members’ meetings will continue as normal, though there are a few significant changes planned for communicating the work of the association. A new website will be created early next year with its members’ area becoming the focal point for all the necessary information on regulations, standards and other issues affecting the commercial and industrial heating sector.

Over the years ICOM Energy Association members have invested heavily in the development of safe standards and regulations.

More recently we have worked with government to raise the efficiency of heating products. The move towards energy efficiency has culminated in member companies pushing the development of heating products towards the limit of efficiency, with almost all of the fuel being converted to useful heat. To increase

efficiency further requires not only an efficient boiler, but also an efficient heating system and controls. It is expected that in the future the focus will be on the design of the complete heating system.

The coming years will be a challenging time for ICOM members. Proposed changes coming from both European and UK regulators are set to generate a significant amount of work for the commercial and industrial heating sector. Government initiatives such as the Renewable Heat Incentive and the Green Deal are set to require a higher level of training and registration for installing contractors.

Training programmes need to be refined to suit the proposed schemes. Competent person schemes, currently commonplace in the domestic heating sector, need to be created for the commercial and industrial sector. ICOM members are committed to producing the necessary training schemes to work with the government’s proposed initiatives.

From Europe the Energy Related Products Directive, together with the Energy Labelling Directive, will impact significantly on commercial and industrial heating products.

Fortunately, our members are actively involved in the development of all the regulations and are working hard to ensure they will not adversely affect a safe, reliable and efficient UK heating industry.

The future will be challenging for all industries, but the commercial and industrial heating sector is well placed to both stay informed and shape the regulations that come from European and UK governments. Working as a division of SBGI, ICOM will have a much stronger support network that will help to shape and influence future standards and regulations that affect our industry. q • For more information contact ICOM Energy Association, Camden House, Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 1TH. Tel 01926 513748, Email robert@icome.org.uk or visit www.icome.org.uk. www.constructionnational.co.uk

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Thinner, leaner, fitter: building technology marches on CHRIS STOKES finds that the way forward is tablet-shaped n It’s a classic comic scene: two men on a building site are struggling to look at a plan when a gust of wind whisks said plan out of their hands and into the air. Cue chase and plan finding its way into ever-sillier places.

Men looking at plans are also a powerful identifying image for various construction professions – however, it’s a sight that is becoming increasingly rare on site. Burly men in bulky high-vis jackets and hard hats are now to be seen walking around site carrying – iPads! The city’s ‘must have’ toy has become a ubiquitous tool on the building site.

The industry has been quick to adopt Apple’s latest gadget (or its ‘not quite but nearly’ cousins) as a lightweight, efficient and above all almost unquenchable way of carrying around plans, specs, risk assessments, contracts – you name it.

It has surprised those outside the industry – as recently as November last year a contributor to the online forum MacRumors replied to an enquiry about using the device in construction with the dismissive comment: “I would think the only use would be some simple spreadsheet calculations you write yourself. Either the iPad is not powerful enough to run engineering software, or developers would not be willing to put their efforts into a very limited market.”

It comes as no surprise to those involved in construction that the industry is at the sharp end of technology. It always was. From finding innovative ways of piling blocks of stone on one another to build a pyramid to the myriad uses of glass in buildings and ways of constructing ever-higher buildings.

Today’s construction industry is more than ever constrained by documentation, meaning even the smallest job is fenced around with a sea of what used to be paper – to mix a metaphor. The iPad makes all of this accessible and portable.

In an article on his website ‘Wood on Fire’ about timber in green building, Greg Branecky writes: “In green building, a device like the iPad makes perfect sense. For one thing, it allows for reducing or even eliminating paper altogether.”

Since the first app for iPad appeared last year the industry has seen hundreds become available, from the comprehensive suite available from Vela Systems to the bespoke apps for individual companies to dedicated apps such as the Site Audit Pro health and safety app from Veam Studios.

An article by the Federation of Master Builders states: “Many now see the iPad as an alternative to the Notebook or laptop and the use of iPads in construction is increasing. The physical size and light weight gives the iPad a significant advantage in terms of portability. Architects and builders are now using the device as an ‘on the road filing cabinet’ for important documents, construction drawings, photos etc.”

In the steady advance of technology the new ‘tablet’, the iPad, is superseding paper in the same way as paper itself replaced the tablet of stone. q

Men in hard hats and high-vis jackets are now to be seen carrying iPads (pic from Vela Systems)

Awards recognise computing in construction n November sees a red letter day for IT in construction with the staging of the 6th Construction Computing Awards,

by Construction Computing magazine. Affectionately known as ‘The Hammers’, the awards ‘…showcase and reward the technology, tools and solutions for the effective design, construction, maintenance and modification of commercial buildings, residential and social housing and civil engineering projects of all sizes’.

This year new categories will reflect the changes in the industry over the past 12 months. Some will be decided by a panel of judges, while others are decided by readers of the magazine.

Featuring over 20 categories the Construction Computing Awards allow companies from every sector of the industry to seek recognition for their efforts over the past 12 months. q

Government adopts BIM timeframe n In March the government’s chief construction advisor presented the final report to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) of an industry working group on BIM (building information modelling). The report provides government clients with a suggested roadmap and strategy to enable the progressive use of BIM on government building programmes, as well as providing a framework for procurement and delivery standards. It also considers the training and support required to enable the industry to rise to the BIM challenge.

According to BIS: “Building Information Modelling and Management BIM(M) is a managed approach to the collection and exploitation of information across a

project. At its heart is a computer-generated model containing all graphical and tabular information about the design, construction and operation of the asset.

“In addition to design and build benefits, one of the main value-added applications of BIM(M) is in the post-construction phase, through the on-going management of assets for optimum value in space utilisation, running costs and energy/carbon reduction.”

The Government Construction Strategy was published by the Cabinet office on 31 May. The report announced the government’s intention to require collaborative 3D BIM (with all project and asset information, documentation and data being electronic) on its projects by 2016. q www.constructionnational.co.uk

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RedSky IT customer day sees product updates and new product launch nA

customer day held by construction computing specialists RedSky IT on 6 October was an exciting event for all the company’s customers. At the event, held in Hinckley, Leicestershire, RedSky IT announced major new updates of its Summit applications and launched its new Summit Analytics module.

RedSky IT offers industry-focused operational and accounting software to all parts of the construction and AEC professional services industries. Its products help manage every element of a construction project – from design to build to maintenance.

For over 30 years RedSky IT and its predecessor companies have been providing the industry with its unique solutions. Now, over 100 staff provide support and development services to its large international customer base, supporting the business-critical software systems of more than 1,300 organisations in the UK, Ireland, Middle East, Caribbean, US, Africa, Asia and Australia.

The system is designed and built for: • Architects • Construction companies • Consulting engineers • M&E contractors • Civil engineers • Housebuilders • Specialist sub-contractors such as painters and decorators, plasterers, roofers and electricians

Summit 3000-5000 gets a makeover RedSky IT has launched a new web interface that allows full access to all Summit functions, including process, enquiries and reporting. The improved user interface includes: • Quick search – as soon as the word is typed the search • results are displayed without the need for a for a new search • window to open • The Enquiry screens now have an ‘Excel’ look and feel • A new Ribbon toolbar, with a new icon set, removes the need • to right mouse click to access features (see screenshot right) • Expanded text entry is in place, rather than a separate popup • window

New product launch: Summit Web Analytics At the October customer event RedSky IT launched its new Business Analytics module, available to all customers of Summit 3000 or Summit 5000 with prebuilt ‘dashboards’. The new module allows customers to produce role-based or individual dashboards easily and

with full security control, as set up within Summit.

A primary goal of the system is to make the user interface quick, direct and intuitive – allowing new ways to understand, analyse and visualize data. Filtering, formatting, grouping, drilling and charting are all directly accessible and all views can be saved for later access.

Dashboard can take the place of ‘monthly reports’, instead giving a live view of data without all the effort involved in report production and distribution (see screenshot left).

Analytics is a pure web application meaning that it requires no plug-ins/addins for the browser and is a true ‘zero-installation’ client platform, compatible with all major browsers.

• For more information on RedSky IT and • its systems, visit www.redskyit.com

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Isn’t BIM just 3D CAD? The benefits gained from Building Information Modelling (BIM) correspond to the quality and depth of information in the model. Dr Stephen Hamil, director of design and innovation at National Building Specification (NBS), explains how BIM is not just 3D CAD and how master specification systems make a huge contribution to the ‘I’ in BIM. O When analysing the benefits of Building Information Modelling it is often worth taking a step back and looking at a very simple example. Consider an external wall, as illustrated in Figure 1. Within the latest CAD systems walls are now three-dimensional objects. The wall ‘object’ is then broken down into the key products that make up its structure, for example render, external brick leaf, cavity insulation, internal block leaf and plasterboard dry lining.

Each of these is an object itself allowing the creation of automatic schedules and quantity take-off. For example, within a click of a button the number of bricks or the sheets of plasterboard within the building can be calculated. In addition to automatically generated quantities, 3D CAD models from different disciplines can be combined for clash detection.

Users can add quite complex constraints, so that the objects interact as expected – and, of course, spectacular visualisations can be created. However, can the full benefits of BIM be realised in these present 3D CAD models?

Consider the same external wall in a master specification system, for example NBS Domestic Specification, our product for domestic new build, refurbishment and alteration work. Figure 2 displays the template description of the wall as a system in NBS Domestic Specification.

Immediately it is apparent that, in addition to the key materials such as bricks, blocks and insulation, there are a number of other products that are not described as objects in the 3D CAD model. The external wall in NBS describes wall ties, cavity trays, weep holes and lintels.

It is also evident that key products vary above and below the damp-proof course.

Figure 1 Products that make up this wall’s structure in 3D CAD

Figure 2 External wall description in NBS Domestic Specification

Product definitions Below this system description of the external wall, each of the products that make up the wall may be defined in greater detail, as for blocks in Figure 3. In the vast majority of cases that detailed information would not be in your 3D CAD model – for example, what standard a particular product must comply with or what its compressive strength and thermal conductivity is.

Workmanship A true BIM must contain all the information required to build and maintain the building.

The expected standards for workmanship are a crucial part of that. Figure 4 displays a sample of the level of detail required to specify workmanship for our external wall.

Performance requirements and their verification In modern procurement the designers quite often produce outline schemes and describe the included systems in terms of their performance requirements.

For instance, our external wall will not be specified in terms of the materials it is made from, but in terms of its structural, acoustic, thermal or aesthetic performance. However, listing performance requirements is only half of the picture; how those requirements are to be verified once the wall is complete is also essential. Master specification systems worldwide are increasingly providing and maintaining that content. The information must now be linked to the corresponding objects in 3D CAD systems.

Figure 5 is an illustration from the very first edition of NBS in 1973. It shows the information on the drawing co-ordinated with the specification, quantities, standards, regulations and manufacturer information. Technology is now allowing us to co-ordinate that information accurately and more efficiently. The process has adopted the buzz word ‘BIM’.

The 3D CAD example that has been considered in this article is a simple wall, but multiply that across all of the systems and products that make up a building and its surrounding landscape and it is clear that integrating CAD and specification information is a vital step to truly adopting BIM. R • For more information please visit www.theNBS.com/BIM

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Figure 3 Specification clause for one of the many products that make up the wall

Figure 4 Specification clause to ensure high quality workmanship

Figure 5 Co-ordinated project information

COVER STORY

Apartment block sets record for timber construction

O It may look unprepossessing: it is, after all, an apartment block in Hackney, east London. It is also, however, the largest timber building in Europe, possibly the world.

At eight stories and providing 41 apartments, Bridport House is constructed from solid cross laminated timber (CLT) and represents a carbon saving of 892 tonnes over traditional building methods. If the sequestered carbon locked up in the timber is included the saving is 2,113 tonnes.

The building was handed over to Hackney Council by main contractor Willmott Dixon in October.

According to the builder: “Using CLT as the main structural material helped meet sustainability objectives for the project. By building with timber, Bridport House offset the carbon emissions resulting from the construction process, as timber acts as a carbon sink. Each of the 41 homes contain approximately 30-40m3 of timber which is

equivalent to over 50 tonnes of CO2.”

Designed as the first phase of the regeneration of the Colville Estate, Bridport House was commissioned by Hackney Council to replace a 1950’s block with two blocks, one eight storeys high and the other five storeys.

Nowhere else in Europe are there building codes for constructing timber buildings so high.

At nine storeys, nearby Stadthaus is taller than Bridport House, but it has a concrete core.

One of the reasons for using timber was weight. The site is above a Victorian storm sewer, which may not have sustained the mass needed for a traditional structure of the size required. Not only is the whole building lighter, the CLT panels are placed so as to spread the load.

Speed of construction was another benefit, in addition to the sustainability benefits.

The project was designed by Karakusevic Carson Architects, while the timber engineering was carried out by Eurban using CLT made of spruce from Stora Enso of Austria, where regrowth would have begun within hours of felling. R

Low energy house uses body heat O The Larch House, one of four prototype homes at The Works in Ebbw Vale, has been declared the winner of the Low Energy Project award at the Sustainable Housing Awards 2011.

The three-bedroom house was built as a prototype at the former steelworks site in Ebbw Vale, now known as The Works. The property has no need for a conventional gas-fired heating system. Air is heated through the house’s large, triple-glazed windows and by objects which are themselves warm, such as the oven, electrical appliances, lights, hot water and the occupants’ own bodies. During winter the house is completely draught-free once the windows are tightly closed and the air is circulated and kept fresh by a low-energy ventilation system that saves 10 times more energy than it uses.

The Sustainable Housing Awards celebrate projects and organisations that are at the vanguard of housing sustainability best practice.

The Larch House is part of the Welsh Future Homes project at The Works, Ebbw Vale. The other three prototypes are: • The Lime House – a two-bedroom, Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5 Passivhaus that has been built using predominantly Welsh skills, suppliers and products.

• Ty Unnos – a two-bedroom house designed by the Welsh School of Architecture and constructed from the Ty Unnos post and beam system.

• Dragon House – a three-bedroom house made from a single material for the internal and external building that is energy efficient, inexpensive, durable, quick to erect and is virtually fireproof, weatherproof and flood resistant.

Cllr John Mason, leader of Blaenau Gwent Council said: “Sustainability is a major part of regeneration projects at The Works and I am delighted that this has been recognised with yet another award for the Welsh Future Homes. This win is due to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved, and it is thanks to this partnership working that The Works is fast becoming known as a project truly committed to sustainability, green living and changing the way people think about energy efficiency both at work and in the home.” R • There is no truth to the rumour that Dragon House is heated by the breath of a mythical beast! www.constructionnational.co.uk

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Improved safety should be part of London 2012 legacy n The construction industry should learn from the London 2012 construction project to improve its safety record, according to the HSE. A report by the HSE, published in October, shows how the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has adopted an inclusive ‘no scapegoating’ approach to managing risks that could be adapted to any project – irrespective of its size or budget. The report forms part of the London 2012 Learning Legacy programme.

The London 2012 construction project has shown that carrying out projects on time and within budget does not mean compromising on the health and safety of workers. HSE has received reports of only 114 injuries and eight dangerous occurrences that occurred during the 66 million hours of work up to October.

Stephen Williams, HSE’s Director for London 2012, said: “The report shows how strong leadership and worker involvement are key to a safer working environment. The ODA’s creation of a ‘no scapegoating’ culture allowed workers to raise issues without fear of reprisal, learning lessons to apply across the site and reducing the risk in hazardous activities.

“The construction industry has for many years been one of the most dangerous in which to earn a living. London 2012 is important

Concrete waves its sustainability flag

because it shows it doesn’t have to be that way. No matter what size your organisation, no matter what size your project, small changes in the way you operate can have a huge impact on the health and safety of your workers. I want the rest of the construction industry to follow London’s lead.” q • In February the new chief executive of the ODA, Dennis Hone, launched a new health and safety campaign on the Olympic Stadium site (pictured).

n The recently-published Concrete Industry Sustainability Performance Report sets out the progress made on a wide range of sustainability targets during last year. It is the fourth report since a 2008 agreement between nine sectors in the concrete industry and their signing-up to a pan-industry sustainability strategy.

Key findings of the new report include the fact that 88% of concrete production is responsibly sourced to the BRE-developed responsible sourcing standard BES 6001 – Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products. That makes concrete the leading responsibly sourced construction material, according to The Concrete Centre.

The report shows that the industry has made good progress towards its 2012 target of 85% of production sites having UKAS certified Environmental Management Systems (EMS) – in 2010, 84.8% of sites were certified.

“EMS are the cornerstone of a sustainability strategy and a key element in the certification to responsible sourcing schemes, as they help to deliver performance improvements at each site and so drive forward the performance of the industry as a whole,” says The Concrete Centre in its review of the report. The figures also show a 60% reduction in the amount of waste sent to landfill compared to the 2008 baseline.

Commenting on the new report, Andy Spencer, chairman of the Sustainable Concrete Forum, said: “The concrete industry should be proud of its progress to date. It is developing its strategy and working practices even further to facilitate continuous improvement.

This will ensure that the concrete industry is best placed to support the government and client aspiration towards achieving sustainable design and construction of the built environment.” q www.constructionnational.co.uk

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MC Truck Rental – building a future with the construction industry n MC Truck Rental specialise in bespoke vehicle design and in conjunction with Volvo and Thompson bodies have invested in new Volvo 8x4 FMX’s, complete with Epsilon Crane and Thompson tipper body.

As the rental division of MC Group Ltd, MC Truck rental supply all types and makes of vehicle, particularly trucks, with a current portfolio of 900 vehicles nationally. The bespoke service offered allows customers to specify vehicles to their exact requirements without the hassle of fleet management, variable maintenance costs and disposal risks. Current vehicle types in the fleet already include tippers, tipper grabs, mixer and hook loaders. The new addition of the FMX’s will broaden the scope and flexibility for customers and will be particularly beneficial to companies specialising in emergency utility repairs, amongst others.

MC Truck Rental is aiming to supply more business solutions to the construction industry with the introduction of Volvo’s FMX, which is built specifically for heavy construction tasks. In a tough business and tough times they note the importance of providing something extra. The new FMX from Volvo Trucks provides that extra. Not only is it fuel efficient and payload friendly it also has rugged driveline for outstanding performance, the efficient I-shift gearbox, high clearance chassis and world class safety systems. The FMX has received considerable acclaim from the media.

Brian Weatherley of BigLorryBlog says, “When it comes to existing out on the road in real life, this truck will last.” His thoughts were echoed by Steve Hayes, editor of Trucking magazine, who says, “It’s a very, very good truck – it’s right up there with the best.”

Together with an excellent service network MC Truck Rental has all the support needed to build the most effective business when the going

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is tough. They work alongside MC Truck & Bus, the Volvo Truck and Bus and Isuzu Truck dealer for the South of England, under parent company MC Group Ltd. This means in addition to the supply of vehicle by sale, contract hire or operating lease they offer a full aftermarket support service. Add to this the ability to offer a full fleet management service with fixed maintenance costs and customers can benefit from the infrastructure of the entire MC Group. q • For further information please contact MC Truck Rental T: 01622 710811 E: contactus@mcgroupltd.co.uk W: www.mcgroupltd.co.uk

ALLMI manager training expands to help PUWER compliance n ALLMI – the Association of Lorry Loader Manufacturers and Installers – has expanded its range of courses for managers to include the subjects of lorry loader operation, slinging/signalling and the role/responsibilities of the appointed person.

The courses form part of the association’s on-going efforts to raise the level of knowledge, awareness and competency within the lorry loader industry. They will assist companies to comply with the requirements of PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations) 9.2, which states: “Every employer shall ensure that any employees who supervise or manage the use of work equipment have received adequate training for purposes of health and safety, including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment, any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken.”

The courses now available are: • Lorry Loader Operator • Slinger/Signaller • Thorough Examinations and Load Tests • Appointed Person ALLMI’s executive director Tom Wakefield commented: “For some time now we’ve been encouraging companies to put their relevant managers through ALLMI’s various training courses wherever possible. However, we fully appreciate that some managers will not meet the entry criteria for the courses, or they might not be in a position to take time off from their dayto-day role for the full duration of the training.

“With this in mind, we’ve abbreviated the ALLMI courses already in place into one-day training sessions, which cover all of the same topics as the standard courses and which include an element of the practical training as well. While we’re obviously not certificating the candidates as competent in these areas, the result is that the managers in question gain a much better understanding of the technical, legislative and operational issues relating to an area of the business for which they are responsible, whilst at the same time, and in accordance with the requirements of PUWER, companies are able to demonstrate that they have further complied with the law.”

Agreement reached on red cards n ALLMI and CPCS have come to an agreement that allows ALLMI cardholders to apply for red CPCS cards, providing the cardholder has passed the ConstructionSkills health and safety touch screen test within the two years before application.

ALLMI cardholders using that route will then have until the end of the life of their red CPCS card to achieve the relevant S/NVQ which will qualify them for the blue CPCS card.

ALLMI executive director Tom Wakefield said: “We’re very pleased to have reached this agreement.

It represents significant progress and it demonstrates the strength of the relationship between ALLMI and CPCS. The next step in this process is to form a working group consisting of ALLMI, ConstructionSkills and industry representatives, with a view towards further aligning the two schemes and formulating a permanent arrangement.” q

Picture courtesy of HIAB UK

Sauce for the goose ALLMI itself certainly takes the requirements of PUWER seriously. At the recent ‘Vertical Days’ event, the Operator of the Year competition was won by the association’s own technical director Alan Johnson.

The competition involved entrants testing their operational ability in terms of accuracy, speed and safety, while negotiating the specially designed course. Alan’s winning time was 6mins 39secs. q

Truck company is in the pink

n On 28 October the staff of vehicle sales and rental specialist MC Truck Rental were certainly ‘in the pink’ as they joined in a breast cancer awareness day, raising nearly two-and-a-halfthousand pounds in the process. There were pink balloons decorating the company’s eight depots and pink cakes and lollies to tuck into on the day. Even customers joined in – at West Thurrock the Ford Motor Company came along with their pink car transporter and haulier Dager Transport brought their truck painted with the familiar breast cancer ribbon logo (pictured).

The event was organised by Nicola Brown, based at MC Group head office in Maidstone, who is herself recovering from breast cancer. She said: “The wear-it-pink day was a fun and easy way to get everyone involved in a charity that I and so many others are committed to. Particularly in our industry it was great to see the trucking world turn pink for the day!” q www.constructionnational.co.uk

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The NCC’s Andy Walder gets to grips with the redevelopment accompanied by Alison Webster of funding body SEEDA and Gavin Napper of contractor Morgan Sindall.

NCC redevelopment finally gets underway n The long-awaited modernisation of the National Construction College (NCC) – the training arm of CITB-ConstructionSkills – is finally underway after funding was secured for the redevelopment of its East Campus in Bircham Newton, Norfolk.

The project officially started in November with the construction of two new accommodation blocks of 80 en suite rooms, complete with wi-fi access, and an on-site energy centre housing a sustainable biomass boiler that will power the new buildings.

The first £5.2m phase of redevelopment is planned to come to an end next summer and it is hoped to carry out further redevelopment in the future, with the possibility – if funding can be secured – of adding: • An additional accommodation block • A youth welfare block • Sports facility

• Constructionarium (hands-on construction experience for students and young professionals) There are also plans to refurbish existing learner and visitor accommodation, including the Birches Hotel.

Funding for phase one has come from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), which is contributing £1.7m and the Skills Funding Agency (£1.7m). The balance (£1.8m) is being met by CITB-ConstructionSkills. Morgan Sindall has been appointed to deliver the build programme.

The redevelopment is at the heart of the college’s ‘20/20’ vision to offer facilities that are more suited to 21st-century learning, while enhancing overall student experience and ensuring that the NCC – which is Europe’s largest construction college – continues to provide specialist training as the industry emerges from the recession and embraces

innovative methods of construction.

The NCC East Campus will be the specialist hub for the National Skills Academy for Construction (NSAfC), providing world-class training for managers, graduates and trainees in specialist construction skills. Mark Farrar, chief executive of CITB-ConstructionSkills, said: “We need to build a construction college that has facilities to match the high standard of training provided and the project will regenerate the college’s infrastructure to that of a modern, firstclass training institution.”

NCC director Andy Walder added: “This redevelopment has been a long time in the planning and it’s fantastic to finally begin work on this long-awaited programme for the college.

To get us to this stage has taken lots of hard work with dedicated partners, and the benefits to our students will be visible from as early as next year.” q

SuDS and SABs for LAs, by CIRIA n The Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) has introduced a one-day in-house SuDS and SABs facilitation workshop for local authorities, aimed at helping them deal with their new responsibilities under the Flood and Water Management Act. The Act introduces a range of responsibilities for local authorities regarding Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), with new legislation due to come into place next year. ‘Lead Local Flood Authorities’ – county councils and unitary authorities – will become responsible for SuDS Approval Bodies (SABs), which will evaluate and approve SuDS in all new developments as well as adopt and maintain SuDS serving more than one property.

Local authorities will need to ensure that they are able to resource and deliver the new requirements, while minimising future maintenance risks and delivering the best schemes possible for their local area. The CIRIA workshop, which is only available in-house, aims to work alongside relevant departments and individuals in local authorities, bringing together the right stakeholders while developing appropriate processes, skills and standards to ensure they get the greatest local benefit from the new legislation. q •To find out more, or book a workshop for your authority, contact Nipa Patel at nipa.patel@ciria.org. www.constructionnational.co.uk

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PM’s call for more apprenticeships applauded by CITB O Calls from the Prime Minister urging businesses to boost apprenticeship numbers to avoid a skills shortage have been welcomed by CITBConstructionSkills. Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester in October, David Cameron said the government had provided extra funding and support to enable employers to provide apprenticeship places, but firms had not increased numbers in return.

He said in his speech: “When a balanced economy needs workers with skills, we need to end the old snobbery about vocational education and training.

We’ve provided funding for 250,000 extra apprenticeships, but not enough big companies are delivering. So here’s a direct appeal if you want skilled employees. We’ll provide the funding and we’ll cut the red tape, but you’ve got to show more leadership and give us the apprenticeships we need.”

Responding to the speech, ConstructionSkills chief executive Mark Farrar said: “We are delighted that the government shares our view that creating a pipeline of new talent into business is key to economic recovery and growth. Of course this requires new projects to be available for the construction industry to access, to ensure the employment opportunities exist for prospective apprentices.

“The government’s plea to take on more apprentices comes at a crucial time for the construction industry. With one in six workers in the construction and built environment industry due to retire in the next decade, we are facing a retirement time bomb. The challenge faced – as outlined in our labour market intelligence, the Construction Skills Network – is to bring 200,000 entrants into the construction sector by 2015 to meet predicted skills needs.

“Although CITB-ConstructionSkills grant supported new starts are up on last year, apprenticeship starts across construction and the built environment in the UK have declined overall. It is therefore imperative that measures are taken now to ensure we have the right skills for future growth, both nationally and locally.” R

Funding will benefit female construction workers O The National Construction College (NCC) has been funded to train up to 350 female construction workers between now and next March, on its Women and Work training courses. Women who wish to take the courses can apply now to find out whether they are eligible for funding.

The programme has been designed by CITB-ConstructionSkills and aims to support the retention and progression of women working in the construction industry by encouraging employers to invest in the skills development of their female employees.

Courses are designed to develop a range of skills for women, from those who are new to the industry through to aspiring managers. Some women may wish to add new skills to their CVs, while others may have ambitions to climb the corporate ladder. The courses also offer valuable networking opportunities with other women in the industry.

Emma Newbold, who works as a commercial manager for Wates Living Space, commented: “I have without doubt used the learning from this course within my role and believe it has assisted me to gain the promotion and career path I now have.”

• For further information about the Women and Work programme and to check if you are eligible for funding, contact 0344 994 4433 or visit www.cskills.org/coursebooker. R

Concrete competition O A student competition, Structural Concrete 2012, has been launched by MPA The Concrete Centre. The competition is open to all students studying structural design as part of a UK university BEng, MEng or MSc degree course in civil and/or structural engineering.

This year’s brief is to design a four-star hotel which is to be constructed as part of the redevelopment of a former dock area, close to the centre of a large UK town. From the first floor of the six storey building a feature restaurant will project 20m out from the face of the hotel over the water in the dock basin.

The structure must also allow for future alterations of the width and mix of room compartments. The client has commissioned an initial structural design from a firm of consulting engineers. Entrants must respond as if they are part of the consultant’s team. R • A full brief and entry form can be downloaded from www.concretecentre.com. www.constructionnational.co.uk

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A safe pair of hands n Health and safety has never been more important than it is today. There are constant reminders in the media of the devastating consequences to people, and to businesses, when companies fail to meet legislative requirements.

Fortunately most employers are conscientious when it comes to making the workplace a healthy and safe place for their staff. And one of the best in the business for delivering excellent health and safety training is Berkshire based Nimrod Training & Assessment Providers Ltd. That’s because Nimrod proprietor Brian Middlemiss not only has excellent qualifications in health and safety, but his experience in this area is very difficult to match. His credentials include: • Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building.

• Associate member of the Institute of Safety and Health (Tech IOSH).

• General Certificate in Health and Safety (NEBOSH).

• Certificate in Construction Health and Safety (NEBOSH).

• Certificate to teach in the life long learning sectors (CETLLS).

Brian has been admitted into the Institute for Learning which now allows Nimrod training to deliver additional accredited courses. He is also a member of the Thames Valley Branch of the Institute of Safety and Health so, all things considered, you know you’re in safe (and healthy) hands when you call upon him for advice and training.

An active member of the Surrey branch of the Chartered Institute of Building, Brian’s experience does not only lie within the field of health and safety.

“Developing client training needs and plans, assessing operatives for their all-important qualifications, delivering PASMA training and British Ladder Manufacturers training are all part of our services,” he said.

Also keeping the Nimrod team busy is training in safety harnesses,

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working at heights, hot works, risk assessments, abrasive wheel training and manual handling.

If you’re worried about having to attend a certain course on a certain date, that’s not a problem as far as Brian is concerned. “We provide ‘tailored’ courses for many clients and will provide on-site or in-house training to suit timescales and workloads,” he said.

Convinced that Nimrod might be just the team to help you and your business through these tricky times? Then give Brian a ring – you won’t be disappointed. q • For further information contact Brian Middlemiss on 07791 377559, fax 01344 429071, e-mail info@nimrodtraining.co.uk or visit www. nimrod-training.co.uk.

Asbestos in buildings n Recently the HSE launched their ‘Hidden Killer’ campaign to highlight the danger of exposure to asbestos fibre, particularly to maintenance and other tradesmen when working in buildings. This high profile campaign graphically indicated that around 20 tradesmen per week die as a result of exposure to asbestos and that tradesmen are still being exposed to these risks, even today, mainly due to the fact that they are unaware of the presence of asbestos in their workplace.

The Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2006 places an explicit duty on those responsible for buildings to manage the risk from asbestos in their property, not only for their own employees but for anyone who may come into contact with it including, of course, any tradesmen employed to carry out any work within the property.

A major requirement of CAR 2006, and subsequently any asbestos management plan, is to inform anyone who may come into contact with it of the presence of asbestos

containing materials within the property and to give those people adequate training in how to manage the risk of exposure. Tradesmen are of course under greater risk as they may inadvertently disturb asbestos during the course of their work.

In February 2010 new guidance to replace MDHS 100 was introduced by the Health & Safety Executive. Titled, Asbestos: The Survey Guide HSG 264, this new publication reduced the number of survey types from three to two and placed more emphasis on the client for the selection of the survey scope.

There are now just two types of asbestos survey – Management and Refurbishment.

Management replaces the old Type 2 Survey and Refurbishment replaces the old Major Refurbishment/Demolition Survey.

The starting point of any management plan is to find out if the building contains asbestos materials, to record its location, extent and type and to assess the risk of exposure to asbestos materials on the long term health of anyone who may come into contact with it.

To be sure that you are getting a fully HSG 264 compliant report, only those companies accredited by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) for both Inspection ISO/IEC 17020 and Testing ISO/IEC 17025 should be commissioned to undertake the work.

A management survey will give you all the information you need to produce your management plan and to risk assess all asbestos containing materials detected in accordance with an internationally recognised algorithm assessment method, as detailed in HSG 264, together with recommendations as to what is required to make the material safe and protect your workforce from dangerous and unnecessary exposure to asbestos fibre. q Alan Peck, Chief Executive Tersus Consultancy Limited

• For More Information: Tel: 0121 270 2550, Fax: 0121 707 2060, E-mail: info@ tersusgroup.co.uk, www.tersusgroup.co.uk.

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NHBC recognises those who take Pride in the Job The hunt is on for the UK’s top site managers n Every year for over three decades the housebuilding industry has recognised the skills and dedication of the people on the ground at sites throughout the UK in the NHBC’s Pride in the Job awards. The PiJ’s – as they have become known – are awarded to site managers, not the sites or the developers they work for. As such they are keenly contested among the managers of some 13,000 sites registered with NHBC. This year just over 400 awards were given in the first round of the competition, the Quality Awards.

Announcing the PiJ 2011 Quality Award winners NHBC chief executive Imtiaz Farookhi said: “By adding a competitive element to housebuilding through the recognition of exceptional site managers, Pride in the Job promotes best practice in housebuilding, thereby continually bettering the construction quality of new homes year on year for homeowners and their families.

“Winning a PiJ award at any level has become an accolade well worth having, marking the recipient out as a top performer. All the shortlisted site managers have shown true diligence and commitment to producing the best quality homes possible.”

From those 400 or so, around 100 will go on to receive a Seal of Excellence at one of the nine regional award ceremonies, at which the Regional Award winners are announced.

Regional Awards are given in four categories reflecting the size and type of developer: Small Builder, Medium Builder, Large Builder and Multistorey.

PiJ was created in 1981 by the then-incumbent chairman, Andrew Tait OBE, who died in March aged 88. Under Tait's leadership, NHBC embarked on a historic drive to raise housing standards to protect homeowners.

Now, 31 years later, the ultimate accolade in any site manager’s career is the coveted Supreme Award given in each of the categories at a gala awards dinner in held in London. This year’s event will be on 13 January at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel and will mark the culmination of the NHBC’s 75th anniversary. q

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There’s plenty of talent ‘up n The iconic new Hilton Hotel on Manchester’s Deansgate was a fitting backdrop to the North West regional award ceremony for the NHBC’s Pride in the job competition. With its futuristic ‘shard-like’ appearance it complemented perfectly the new sustainable techniques being employed by today’s housebuilders.

In particular, the Buckshaw Village development in Chorley is paving the way for the future and Miller Homes’ new phase, Whittle Le Park, has earned its site manager Bill Hughes the accolade ‘Best in the North West’ in the Large Builder category.

Bill, an Evertonian, has won countless awards over the years – including an incredible four years in succession as Supreme Winner in his category, from 2003 to 2006. He also took the regional award in 2008 and in 2009, when he was runner-up in the final.

This time he has taken the top prize for his effective management of a fastmoving, mixed-type site which includes both low-rise residential homes and apartment blocks.

Another ‘serial winner’ is George Lattimer, of family business Lattimer Homes.

George won the Small Builder category for his development, Sheila Fell Close in Wigton. George is Pride in the Job's most prolific winner, having gained over 50 awards in the Small Builder category over a 15 year period.

David Williams, of Morris Homes (North) Ltd, won the Medium Builder category for his work on his Upton Dene site in Chester. A keen golfer and

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North’

theatregoer, David is another consistent performer in Pride in the Job, having worked his way up in the industry from finishing foreman to senior site manager.

Paul Morris, of Taylor Wimpey North West, completed the quartet, with another gong in the Multistorey category for The Deck in Runcorn.

Paul started out in the industry in 1971 as an apprentice bricklayer.

He still strives for further success and particularly enjoys the problem solving elements of his job as a Bill Hughes of MIller Homes – Winner of the ‘Best in the North West’ accolade site manager, which enable him to in the Large Builder category maintain and better the quality of his builds.

Meanwhile, across the Pennines, the North East region announced its winners in October. A 300-strong audience at York Racecourse saw the awards presented by Richard Tamayo, NHBC’s commercial director, and Geoff Egginton, the regional director of the North East region. Entertainment was provided by the after dinner speaker Garry Richardson.

The winners were: • Richard Bettison, of Risby Homes Ltd. Richard won the Small Builder category for his Beehive House development in Keldgate Bar, Beverley. Working on a tight development of well-crafted houses, Richard demonstrates an eye for detail in his work and is personally involved in the design of the site as well as the build process.

• Andrew Dawson, of Barratt and David Wilson Homes North East. Andrew won the Large Builder category title for his Burton Woods development in Spennymoor. A regular award-winner over the past five years, Andrew says he enjoys working with his team to produce the best quality possible, and shows attention to detail in both the build and management processes.

• Gary Williams, of Frank Haslam Milan & Co Ltd. Gary won the Multistorey category for his work on The Crossings in Hull. A hostel for people recovering from alcohol and drug misuse, The Crossings is a high-specification, citycentre development next to the River Hull, on a difficult site requiring extensive remediation, complex foundation work and a mix of building methods.

No regional winner was announced in the Medium Builder category for the North East. q

Tony goes for a fourth!

O Tony Armson, of William Davis Ltd, is on his way again! Last year Tony completed a hat-trick of Supreme Winner titles in the Medium Builder category of the PiJ – now he’s off to London again to try to make it four, having triumphed again in the West region.

Tony’s was one of three Regional Awards to be announced at an awards ceremony at Birmingham’s ICC in September. He won it for Cawston Fields and Cawston Chase in Rugby.

The other winners in the West region were Geoff Hale of family business

Firstpost Homes Ltd, who won in the Small Builder category for his development, The Rocklands, in Lichfield, and Simon Jones of David Wilson Homes Mercia, whose Churchfields site in West Bromwich netted him the Large Builder prize.

Geoff, another regular at the PiJs, is a small developer who concentrates on building large, detached luxury homes featuring excellent brickwork detailing. Simon, who was also last year's regional winner, oversees a fast moving site notable for its outstanding substructure work. R

Peter gets a resident’s thumbs up O “There’s a real sense of community at Caldecott Manor and it didn’t take us long to get to know our neighbours.”

That quote from homebuyer Vicky Kendrick in Rugby possibly sums up what PiJ award-winning site managers are striving for. It marks the culmination of all their efforts.

Caldecott Manor is a Taylor Wimpey development to the north of the Warwickshire town which has earned Peter Biggs a Quality Award in this year’s competition. Peter also sums up the kind of people who turn their sites into homes that people want to live in. He started as an apprentice carpenter before spending six years in the trade and then moving on to learn site management.

He says that the award demonstrates “…appreciation of all the hard work, especially when you look at the competition and the high standards.”

Caldecott Manor is a brownfield site, which meant a variety of foundation designs had to be employed for the mix of houses and apartments.

What probably means even more, though, is the appreciation of residents like Vicky. R

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Out of the East came Bellway’s magnificent six plus one! n In the East region, one housebuilder with more to shout about than most was Bellway. The company boasted no fewer than six Quality Award winners, one of whom has gone on to contest the finals as a Regional Winner, plus one cross-border winner from the West.

Six are managers with the company’s East Midlands division. They include Regional Winner in the Large Builder category, Gary Sidney.

Gary won the very hotly-contested title for his Poppyfields site in Newton, Nottinghamshire which has been the backdrop to many historic events as an RAF base and command headquarters. Now, as Poppyfields – a collection of two-, four- and five-bedroom homes in the hamlet of Newton – it is still making news, but for different reasons. Disappointed not to win an award last year after taking over and improving an existing site for his new company, Gary has made up for missing out by ‘going all the way’ to the finals in London.

Another of the ‘magnificent seven’ is Neil Emmerson, whose Byron’s Place site in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, has been described as “…an

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exceptional choice of one-, two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes offering spacious plots in a village location surrounded by countryside and farmland yet in easy reach of city life.”

A new showhome, the five-bedroom Alcester, has recently been unveiled. A beautifully proportioned home built on three levels in the Georgian style, with a price tag of £299,950, the Alcester is the jewel in the crown of Neil’s empire.

Fellow East Midlands winner Wayne Hayward from the Waterside development in Leicester, spoke for his colleagues when he said: “I am delighted to receive this recognition, it is very much a team effort and reflects well upon everyone on site. It provides added confidence to our buyers that they are investing in a first-class product.”

Wayne is pictured (far right standing) with Gary and Neil (crouching left and next to left), Jason Oakley of Grange Park, Oadby (crouching right), Richard Burke of Earlswood, Mansfield Woodhouse (standing left) and Steve Clarke of Sunbeam Gardens, Coventry (third from left at the front).

Although Steve works for the East Midlands division of Bellway his site is in the West region of the NHBC. Also pictured are Bellway’s construction director Lee Wilkinson, flanked by contracts managers Richard Dawson (left) and Mark Rogers.

The award-winning Poppyfields development

Completing the roll of honour for Bellway is Les Petty, from the Northern Home Counties division. Les, has worked for Bellway for the past 10 years and has recently completed work at the company’s Aqua development in Fenny Stratford, Milton Keynes, where he is pictured.

Bellway’s award winning scheme, nestling between the Grand Union Canal and River Ouzel, offers a stunning range of apartments and threeand four-bedroom houses. Outside work Les is a keen breeder and shower of racing pigeons.

Commenting upon his award, Les said: “I am delighted to receive this recognition, it is very much a team effort and reflects well upon everyone on site. It provides added confidence to our buyers that they are investing in a first-class product.” He added that, as he is due to retire in the autumn, it is “…a great way to go.”

Bellway Northern Home Counties sales director Chris Edginton commented: “The NHBC Pride in the Job campaign is a real mark of building excellence. The award reflects the high standard of craftsmanship and management skills required to run an efficient and safe building environment.” q

There’s no mystery about these Eastern winners: they’re simply the best n On 21 October the sixth of the nine annual Pride in the Job regional events was held – this time to celebrate the best site managers in the NHBC East region. The event, held at the Athena in Leicester, crowned not only the four Regional Winners, but also a further 19 Seal of Excellence recipients.

The 600-strong audience saw faces new and old from the industry receive their awards from Richard Tamayo, NHBC’s commercial director, and Richard Hartshorn, regional director of the East region.

In addition to Bellway’s Gary Sidney – one of the company’s ‘magnificent seven’ – the Regional Winners were Kevin Shaw of Fielden Ltd, for Church Farm Rise in Aldburgh, Martin Bottomley of William Davis Ltd, for Morledge Farm in Matlock, and Terry Huntington of Crest Nicholson Eastern Ltd, for Kaleidoscope in Cambridge.

While Martin and Terry are not strangers to the finals, Kevin Shaw, Martin Bottomley, Gary Sidney having represented the region and Terry Huntington show off their on previous occasions, this is Regional Awards Kevin’s first Regional Award, having scooped his first Seal of Excellence last year. Similarly, for Gary it is what he hopes will be the first of many. q

Award winner Les Petty at the Aqua development in Milton Keynes

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West Country is first to showcase its winners n The awards ceremony for the South West region took place in September at one of Bristol’s most celebrated buildings – Brunel’s Old Station, the Grade One-listed Victorian structure that was designed by the master architect himself.

The event was the first of this year’s regional events. From the 16 Seal of Excellence winners were picked the four category winners to represent the region in the national final in January.

For the second year in succession the Large Builder category was won by Mike Crawford, of Taylor Wimpey Exeter for his Warleigh Village build in Plymouth. A driven individual, he was unlucky not to be named the national Supreme Winner last year.

On the other hand, Steve Ames collected his first regional title for his work on the Royal Clarence Marina in Gosport, Hampshire, in the Multistorey category. Describing his project as a ‘happy ship’, Steve has worked for Berkeley Southern for 19 years.

The Small Builder category sometimes comes up with an awardwinner who is also part of the business. Such is the case with Philip Voisey, of family business NT Voisey & Co Ltd. Philip won the category for his Apple Hayes Rise development in Easton-in-Gordano, near to Bristol itself.

It is unsurprising to see Philip himself named as the successful site manager as the company promises that kind of personal attention with all its developments.

Showing off their Regional Awards are (from left to right) Philip Voisey, Jason Hockey, Mike Crawford and Steve Ames. Looking on are NHBC regional director Jim Lyons (far left) and its finance director Sandra Kelly

“A member of the family will personally undertake much of the craftsmanship that goes into each home,” says the company’s literature, “someone who can offer flexibility where possible. Each of those working on the house will be skilled staff of known competence.”

The NHBC said of Philip that he has “…shown a continued commitment to improving build standards on site.”

Apple Hayes Rise comprises just nine homes, including the flagship Apple Hayes House.

The flagship Apple Hayes House

Another winner from previous years was Jason Hockey, of CG Fry & Son Ltd, for Old Kelways in the intriguingly-named village of Huish Episcopi near Langport, Somerset. The company has figured consistently in the awards. Jason’s colleague took the regional award for the company’s Poundbury development, while Jason himself

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Manx duo lead the way for Scotland, Wales and NI O There were joint winners of one of the Regional Awards in the Northern Ireland and Isle of Man region. On 4 November the region’s winners were announced at the Culloden Hotel in Belfast and the award for Medium Builder went to Conor McVeigh and Mark Patton of Heritage Homes Ltd, who both manage Ballanard Woods in Douglas, Isle of Man. The other regional winners were Ricky Morrow of Vaughan Developments Ltd, for Limetree Manor, Lisburn, Co Antrim (Small Builder), and Stephen Orr of Fraser Homes Ltd, for Sandown Manor, Belfast (Multistorey).

Early in October the regional winners for Scotland and Wales were announced. Firstly, on 7 October at a ceremony held at the Hilton in Glasgow, we learned who will travel south to London to represent Scotland. They are: • Alan Robertson, of Perthshire-based family business A & J Stephen Ltd. Alan won the Small Builder category for his Balgarvie site in Scone. It is Alan’s first Seal

of Excellence and Regional Award. His site is currently in its sixth phase of building and has already delivered 250 new homes.

• Stuart Gillespie, of Mactaggart & Mickel Homes Ltd. Stuart won the Medium Builder category for his work on the Marr Meadows site in Barassie, Troon. A three-time Seal of Excellence winner and regional champion last year, Stuart has worked the entirety of his 20-year housebuilding career with the same company.

• Patrick Malyn, of Miller Homes Ltd (Scotland East). Patrick won the Large Builder title for his Doune Riggs development in Doune, Stirling. Also a defending champion, Patrick’s site will deliver 103 new homes.

• Scott Brown, of Miller Homes Ltd (Scotland East). Scott won the Multistorey category for his work on the Varcity development in Edinburgh. Again, Scott won the category last year at regional level, having worked on the site since it started in 2007.

He is now overseeing the final phases, which will result in 344 new homes in Edinburgh.

scooped a number of Seals of Excellence for Wyvern Park in Exeter. Now he is hoping for multiple success with Old Kelways.

As with many of C G Fry’s developments, Old Kelways is a village rather than an estate. It is being built within the listed walls of what was once part of the Kelways Royal Nursery. The detached and terraced homes are ordered into streets and squares rather than ‘closes’, and the development includes light commercial buildings, recreating the atmosphere of many local small towns.

That traditional feel is enhanced by the use of natural stone, brick, render and weatherboard, together with traditional-style chimneys. R

The following week, on 14 October, it was the turn of Wales to announce its regional winners, at a ceremony held at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff. The winners are: • Michael Thomas, of South Meadow Homes Ltd. Michael won the Small Builder category for his Gibbas Way development in Pembroke.

A regular face at Pride in the Job, Michael has won the regional award in the category 10 times in the past 11 years.

• Steven Wyman, of Anwyl Construction Company Ltd. Steven won the Medium Builder category for his work on the St Francis Park site in Prestatyn. Steve worked hard on a tricky mixed-tenure site to deliver much-needed social housing to the community as a priority.

• Syd James, of Redrow Homes South Wales. Syd won the Large Builder title for his Glynderwen Meadows site in Oakdale, Gwent.

Syd is a manager who constantly develops new ideas to help his team deliver homes of excellent quality, and the foundation and substructure work on his new site is the best ever seen in the region by the judging panel. R

The award winning Old Kelways in Huish Episcopi, near Langport

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A classic quartet grace Eamon strikes the Brighton stage Olympic gold! n September saw the announcement of the top managers in the in the South East in the four NHBC Pride in the Job categories, at a ceremony held at the prestigious Hilton Metropole Hotel in Brighton. They will now represent London and the South East on ‘home turf’ at the grand final on 14 January, hoping to secure their place as the nation's best housebuilder.

The ‘fantastic four’ are Robert Baldock of Millwood Designer Homes Ltd in the Small Builder category, Jamie Howe of Hopkins Homes Ltd (Medium Builder), Roberto Rosenberger of the Berkeley Group (St James) in the Large Builder category and Damian Barden of Telford Homes (Creekside) Ltd (Multistorey).

Two of the award-winning sites are in the capital itself. Roberto Rosenberger’s Queen Mary’s Place is an exclusive development of new apartments built in the grounds of the historic, Grade One-listed Roehampton House. It is Bob’s first regional title and in its report the NHBC said of him: “…he exemplifies what Pride in the Job is all about, improving standards on site every year.”

Also in London is the Creekside Village West development in Deptford, which is the site of Damian Barden. The Creekside West development is part of the regeneration of one of the most rundown areas of London. The NHBC said of Damian: “He is proud to help enhance his company’s brand through his build quality and achieve high levels of customer satisfaction.”

Jamie Howe’s site is the Hopkins Homes Bells Grange development in Bocking, the ancient northern part of Braintree, Essex. Bells Grange features just 18 homes ranging from two to six bedrooms and including three sympathetic restorations. This regional title marks a hat-trick of PiJ wins for Jamie.

The regional title in the Small Builder category went to Robert Baldock for Cooden Place in Cooden, near Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, a bespoke development of just seven five-bedroom homes by The Belfry at the award winning Cooden Place the coast. The development is in a private setting and each home has a large garden.

The small builder category is in many ways the most satisfying for its winners as it puts on the national map a local company that is often a family-run business. Such is the case with Millwood Designer Homes, whose founding directors John and Jeff Elliott live in their own ‘designer’ homes.

The company draws on traditional ‘Yeoman’ farmhouse styles of Kent and Sussex for their beautiful and substantial houses, which have won them many awards over the years. Robert’s success adds yet another accolade to the company’s portfolio.

When he’s not building ‘classic’ homes, Robert is keen on classic motorcycles and American cars. It seems build quality is in his blood. q

George the Conqueror is back! n The only time in the past five years that George Coleman hasn’t won a PiJ award was last year – when he wasn’t working on site! This year George is back on site and back on the winning trail.

The site in question is the Jones Homes (Southern) development at Mayfield Heights in St Leonard’s-on-Sea, near Hastings.

Mayfield Heights is a collection of stylish new three- and four-bedroom homes in a popular location close to the new St Leonards Academy.

George jokes that the development “…is coming along nicely and will look lovely when it’s finished.”

On a more serious note he paid tribute to his colleagues on site. “I consider the award very much a team award,” he commented. “I generally use the same tradesmen that I’ve worked with previously, particularly an excellent forklift driver who has been a massive help. I know that the team I have will ‘knuckle down’ and do the best they possibly can to ensure that the build quality, the site and, indeed, the health and safety aspects are the best they can possibly be.”

Those previous contacts have done well for George: in 2007, 2008 and 2009 he won NHBC awards for the Chatsworth Strand site in Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne. q

n With nearly a year to go before London 2012, already the accolades and prizes are being awarded. One of the first on the podium is Eamon Cussen of Ardmore Construction, which is constructing Plot No2 of the Athletes’ Village in East London.

Eamon has scooped a Pride in the Job Quality Award for the site.

The site comprises seven blocks of twostorey structures which will deliver 1,784 beds for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

After the Games the units will be converted for occupation by some of London’s key workers and have been designed to Lifetime Homes standard.

The quality of work and the efforts to promote sustainability on the site had already been recognised earlier in the year, with two accolades going to the site – from the National Skills Academy for Construction and CITB-ConstructionSkills.

The first award – the Women into Construction Award – was presented to Ardmore for providing employment opportunities for women and for creating opportunities to gain experience in the construction industry. The second – Outstanding Apprenticeship Achievement Award – was presented to Leon Grant, who is now working as mechanical supervisor on site.

Additional recognition went to Ardmore for its contribution to employment, training and skills and to Ardmore apprentice, Samuel Asare, who is also working at the Athletes’ Village. q

Two awards, but just one Conetta! n When the winners of the Quality Awards in the London and South East region were announced there was an uncanny sense of déjà vu for those who had seen the results of the NHBC Health and Safety Awards earlier this year.

The name Danny Conetta was once again in the limelight. Danny won his PiJ this year for his Centro site in London’s Ealing Common. In May the Linden Homes site manager had collected the national award in the Large Developer section of the Health and Safety Awards – only then it was for Orchard Grove in Ruislip! Could Danny be the only site manager to win two NHBC awards in the same year for two separate sites?

For him, though, the important thing is to be recognised for all that hard work. He said of his PiJ: “…it shows that we are building our project to a very high standard and correctly…someone enjoys the project as well as myself and hard work pays off.” q www.constructionnational.co.uk

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Ron’s new community gets the green flag n One of the most exciting developments to be featured in this year’s Pride in the Job awards has earned a Quality Award for Ron Eagle of Asprey Homes. The development is known as the Bromley Common Project and, as its name suggests, is more than just a housing estate. The 24-acre development will feature a medical centre with doctor’s surgery, shops, leisure facilities and a substantial area of public open space.

The 800-plus new homes include those for private sale, shared ownership, affordable housing and two ‘extra care’ housing facilities comprising individual apartments for the over-55’s. The first of those is already complete and 28 apartments are occupied.

Asprey Homes land director Elliott Bance said: “The Bromley Common project is designed to the highest quality and has been commended for its architectural style by the local authority. Our approach to the aesthetics of the site was to ensure that no difference can be seen between the affordable phases, accessed from Turpington Lane, and the private phases at Crown Lane. The result can be seen in the completed street scene which uses a variety of materials, including slate roofs with interesting

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roof lines and pitches, rural brickwork and weatherboarded elevations with Juliet balconies set within landscaped grounds.

“This project is a symbol of the growth of Asprey Homes and our plans for the future. Our plans for Crown Lane will develop as the site evolves, but we know the project will play an important role within the local community, bringing much needed new family homes to a popular and well located area.”

The project is also notable for its low-carbon features. It has been awarded Level 4 status of the Code for Sustainable Homes and in principal should attract low-carbon funding. The first two phases will offset around 20,000kg of CO2. A three-part renewable energy project is being designed and installed for Asprey Homes by renewable energy provider Ecolution. It includes the first use of photovoltaics by the developer, in an apartment block, one of the extra-care facilities and a number of houses.

The success of the efforts to create a complete community in harmony with the local area and the environment are evidenced by the Pride in the Job award banner proudly displayed at Ron’s site. q

INTERIOR FURNISHING & SUPPLIES

LANDSCAPING

WEB DESIGN

SCAFFOLDING

SURVEYS

TRAINING & ASSESSMENTS

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