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In this issue...
As the industry gets to grips with the Building Safety Act, high-rise designers and engineers continue to innovate within the parameters of the new building regulations. In this issue we look at the wider implications of the legislation, together with expert opinion and innovative building products that are advancing the design and construction of superstructures.
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Cover Story
OBEX Protection explores the suggestion that some sheathing boards do not require breather membranes and highlights how application can ultimately ensure the long-term integrity and functionality of the building structure.
Industry News
Featuring headline news, corporate moves and views from across the tall buildings sector along with proposals, applications, approvals and trends taking place throughout the UK high-rise industry.
Tall Buildings Awards
The prestigious Tall Buildings Awards took place earlier this year, paying homage to the very best of our iconic structures and the people behind them.
Construction Productivity Conference
Taking place on 28 January 2025 in central London, the Construction Productivity Conference aims to tackle the UK’s ‘productivity puzzle’ head on.
Grenfell Inquiry
Health and safety lawyers, Hazel Milner and Danny McShee from Kennedys Law – consider the impact of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 2 Report on the construction industry.
Opinion Pieces
Some of the leading lights of the UK’s high-rise sector share their thought provoking opinions – Roger Ridsdill Smith, Tom Nancollas, Amanda Long and Brendan Geraghty all feature.
EXPLORING THE APPLICATION OF BREATHER MEMBRANES
OBEX Protection explores the suggestion that some types of sheathing board, or even certain brands, do not require the application of a breather membrane. But is this the case?
The Purpose and Function of a Breather Membrane
Breather membranes are included within external wall structures to increase the resistance to water ingress. Their inclusion, or otherwise, should not be dependent on the type of sheathing board being used.
Although most sheathing boards offer a measure of durability and water resistance, they are rigid panels with joints and fixings. Cement/calcium silicate boards resist water ingress, but moisture may eventually pass through if the board is subject to soaking.
Gypsum boards have a glasmat top layer which, if penetrated, even with redundant screw holes or due to damage from other trades, can lose all structural integrity if it gets damp.
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On the other hand, a breather membrane can be easily dressed, wrapped, and sealed (typically with tapes) around interfaces and penetrations, providing the structure with a much greater level of resistance to water ingress.
Even if a sheathing board, whether it be cement or gypsum, possesses third-party certification such as BBA, it does not eliminate the requirement for a breather membrane. A breather membrane uniquely acts as a barrier, preventing water from seeping inward through the wall while still allowing water vapour to diffuse outward, making it an essential element in facade through-wall systems. It’s also to be noted that applying a breather membrane does not remove the necessity for a separate interface
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sealing membrane around the windows and around the SFS / slab edge and column interfaces.
Longevity and Durability
The concern is that without a breather membrane, excessive water and moisture will enter the external wall during construction and be unable to escape or evaporate once the facade is in place. This can lead to severe deterioration of the sheathing board, SFS and insulation. This moisture in the external wall can also cause dampness and mould internally, creating irreversible damage to the building.
Performance Standards
Breather membranes, when tested, are required to achieve high levels of water resistance, such as a minimum W2 to BS EN 13859-2.
The breather membrane should satisfy several key criteria:
• It should carry suitable third-party accreditation for use as a breather membrane.
• Vapour resistance should be less than 0.6MNs/g when tested in accordance with EN ISO 12572 set C and five specimens.
• The membrane should possess a minimum B-s1,d0 fire-classification according to EN 13501-1
• It should be rated at least Class W2 to BS EN 13859-2.
• In areas of extreme exposure or anticipated liquid water penetration of the facade, Class W1 should be used.
Environmental Benefits
Breather membranes can contribute to a longer building lifespan, resulting in a lower embodied carbon footprint. The spread of embodied carbon over a more extended period reduces average annual emissions, making the buildings more sustainable and environmentally friendly in the long run. With breather membranes also contributing to airtightness, the efficiency of the building is greatly improved.
Thermal Efficiency and Temporary Protection
Most W1 breathable membranes are also airtight, improving the thermal efficiency of a building’s external envelope and providing temporary
protection from the weather during construction or repair works. This dual function enhances both the building’s energy performance and its resilience during the construction phase.
Water Resistance and Vapour Permeability
Breather membranes are waterrepellent yet vapour-permeable, also known as microporous. As a rule of thumb, they are recommended to be 20-times more vapour permeable than the internal vapour control layer (VCL). These membranes prevent any moisture, snow, wind and contaminants that may penetrate through the cladding from further entering the structure, while their vapour permeability prevents the build-up of interstitial condensation.
The correct positioning of the breather membrane is crucial. It can be located either on the outer face of insulation within the cavity or on the outside face of the sheathing board.
Summary
Installing breather membranes over sheathing boards is considered critical for superior performance in water resistance, durability, and environmental sustainability, as well as for achieving regulatory compliance with all applicable technical and performance standards. This ultimately ensures the long-term integrity and functionality of the building structure.
ABOUT OBEX PROTECTION
OBEX Protection Ltd is a global leader in facade membrane innovation, providing compliant, high-performing sealing solutions for construction projects worldwide.
For more information, visit: www.obexglobal.com
Unite Students to Build Iconic Property in East London
Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, is to build a landmark 952-bed property in east London, that will be among the biggest in its portfolio.
It has acquired the Stratford site, next to Meridian Steps near the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, and has received full planning permission for the development.
The 41-storey tower will include roof terraces and extensive study and community spaces, including a gym. The planning application was supported by University College London.
Targeted to complete in 2028, the project will also deliver around 10,000sqft of commercial space which will include workspace and a retail area. Part of the space is earmarked for Royal Docks based You Press, a social enterprise for young people and underrepresented communities.
A total of 333 beds will be let at affordable rents; 30 beds will be in self-contained studio flats while the rest are in shared flats of five to ten bedrooms. One in ten bedrooms will be wheelchair accessible.
Tom Brewerton, Group Development Director at Unite Students, said: “We are proud to announce this major new development in Stratford, which will support the local community by improving infrastructure and offering community group space. We have a strong relationship with University College London and are delighted to build our presence in Stratford, where our total planned investment is £400 million.
“We are trusted by parents, students and universities to provide high-quality, safe and affordable accommodation and this increase in bed numbers will help free up privately rented homes in the city for families.”
IMAGE: The Stratford development. Image courtesy of Unite Students.
Regeneration Plans Submitted for 1 Lancaster Circus
Following a positive period of consultation, Birmingham-based developer Sama Investment Group, has submitted plans for the transformation of 1 Lancaster Circus in Birmingham.
The proposals will see the brownfield site, which was previously Birmingham City Council’s office building, redeveloped. This will be delivered across two landmark towers of 41 and 48-storeys, on the
edge of Lancaster Circus Queensway and Lawson Street.
Alongside the buildings, the finalised plans also include a pavilion to part of the site, which will act as a focal point for the development and will allow both residents and the public to circulate through the site more effectively.
“The proposals will transform an underutilised site to deliver a flagship scheme for the local area and city. Delivering a mixed-use scheme of residential and much-needed student accommodation, the development will support the continued growth of Aston and Birmingham City Universities.
“Our plans will also help re-establish this location as a destination, offering street-level community uses and green space for residents and the wider community to enjoy, alongside a pedestrian corridor that will connect parts of the city to this area –something that has further been enhanced through the addition of a pavilion to the final plans.”
IMAGE: 1 Lancaster Circus. Image courtesy of Sama.
Unite
Bilal Ahmed, Executive Chairman and Founder at Sama Investments, said: “Following a period of consultation, we are delighted to submit plans for 1 Lancaster Circus.
Construction Begins on Europe’s Tallest Commercial Laboratory
Construction of Europe’s tallest and most technically sophisticated purpose-built commercial lab building has started on site at Canary Wharf, London.
In partnership, Canary Wharf Group (CWG) and Kadans Science Partner (Kadans) are developing One North Quay, an 823,000sqft vertical campus,
which is one of the biggest commercial developments to commence in London this year.
One North Quay will supply London with best-inclass, purpose-built lab space that will support an ecosystem of companies ranging from multi nationals to educational establishments, as well as fast growing, innovative life science and technology companies.
Trio of Companies Chosen for Bermondsey Biscuit Factory Development
It represents a significant and exciting part of London’s future as an international hub for science and innovation excellence, offering unparalleled facilities and opportunities for collaboration in the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic urban environments.
Shobi Khan, CEO of CWG, said: “One North Quay is a significant addition to the life sciences, health, and tech community at Canary Wharf. Delivering fit for purpose, flexible lab space in London that offers a broad range of state-of-the-art facilities and offerings to support an ecosystem of companies ranging from multi nationals to start-ups, as well as educational establishments.
“The vertical campus will set a new precedent in terms of scale, technology, and sustainability. Forming part of Canary Wharf’s ongoing 3.0 strategy, the scheme will create a vibrant urban mixed-use community which has 16.5 acres of green spaces and waterside living, over 350 shops, restaurants and bars as well as a growing leisure and amenities offering and a year-round events calendar.”
IMAGE: Works commence on site at Canary Wharf. Image courtesy of Canary Wharf Group.
Sisk, McLaren Construction, McAleer & Rushe have been appointed to deliver four separate buildings for the Biscuit Factory Development in Bermondsey, London.
The trio of firms have been appointed by developer Greystar for the Bermondsey Project, which will provide 1,624 new homes. The brownfield site will be transformed to include retail, leisure and office spaces, as well as extensive amenities for residents. The scheme is due for completion by the second half of 2027. Greystar’s vision for the Bermondsey Project extends beyond just housing, with an emphasis on creating a vibrant and sustainable new neighbourhood integrated into the existing community.
Sisk has been chosen to build Buildings S & T, comprising two towers of up to 36 storeys, containing 472 market-rent homes.
McAleer & Rushe meanwhile has been appointed to construct blocks 1-5, which will deliver 359 homes split between market and intermediate rent, and Building DE, a 20-storey tower with 225 homes alongside a four-storey office space.
Lastly, McLaren is responsible for creating 230 of the total 1,624 build to rent homes in the regeneration project. Block F will be a mixed-use building part of the regeneration scheme, offering new homes as well as retail spaces from the ground floor to level 2 of the building.
Mark Allnutt, Europe Investment Management Leader at Greystar, said: “We are pleased to have closed this debt facility and secured partnerships with leading contractors, who each bring unique expertise and a strong track record in delivering complex urban developments.”
IMAGE: The Bermondsey Project under construction. Image courtesy of McAleer & Rushe.
Whitbread Given Approval to Build Budget Hotel Near Nelson’s Column
Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hotel business and owner of Premier Inn, has secured planning permission from Westminster City Council (WCC) to develop a hotel at 5 Strand in the heart of central London.
The 693-bedroom hotel, which will be one of London’s largest budget hotels when it opens, will be operated under the popular ‘hub by Premier Inn’ brand on a prime site off Trafalgar Square, metres from Nelson’s Column.
Whitbread acquired the development site freehold as part of its strategy to expand its presence in the popular London market where a significant proportion of Premier Inn’s future UK rooms pipeline is located.
The £200 million plus investment, which includes construction and related costs, underlines the company’s commitment to the hub by Premier Inn brand which is designed to bring Premier Inn’s affordable hotel bedrooms into the heart of London and other major UK cities.
Fusion Group secures planning on 706-bed Cardiff student housing scheme
Group,
operators in the UK, has secured approval on its purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in Cardiff. Fusion’s Longcross Court development, located on
Newport Road near the city centre, will deliver 706 beds across 488 units. The development will also include 750sqm of internal amenities, including a wellbeing studio, juice bar and fitness suite, as well as landscaped outdoor spaces.
Mark Anderson, Managing Director for Property and International at Whitbread, said: “hub by Premier Inn was launched a decade ago in St. Martin’s Lane, a few hundred metres from 5 Strand.
“5 Strand is an excellent example of how we think the hub by Premier Inn brand can evolve in Central London. It also shows how we can use Whitbread’s strong balance sheet to acquire the best positioned, most accessible, and high-demand locations in the capital to grow our brands.
“With planning permission now secured we will move quickly to begin construction of the new hotel and deliver a true flagship location for our guests.”
IMAGE: Largest hub by Premier Inn in Whitbread’s London portfolio. Image courtesy of Axiom Architects Whitbread.
Designed by Corstorphine & Wright, Fusion will seek to deliver a BREEAM Outstanding certification for the scheme and will install renewable energy facilities through air source heat pumps and PV panels.
In 2023, Fusion entered into a forward purchase agreement with UK listed REIT, Picton Property Income to acquire the site, upon receipt of planning permission. The agreement was structured to reflect the size of scheme secured. Completion is expected before the end of the year and construction is expected to start in Q1 2025 and complete in time for the 2028/29 academic year.
Julian Evans, Land and Planning Director at Fusion Group, said: “Longcross Court is designed for positive impact: to enhance the wellbeing and student experience of its residents, to improve the public realm for the community, and to create and unlock much-needed housing for the city of Cardiff.
“Bringing a high-quality and sustainable development to a site that has been under-used for too long, this planning approval is a testament to the appetite among communities for realising the potential of city-centre brownfield sites and creating best-in-class new homes where they are needed.”
IMAGE: Fusion’s Longcross Court development. Image courtesy of Fusion.
Fusion
one of the largest privately-owned student accommodation developers and
Executive Directors to Leave Related Argent at the End of 2024
After 17 years with the company, Executive Directors Michael Lightbound and Nick Searl will be leaving Related Argent at the end of 2024.
Both Michael and Nick became partners of Argent LLP in 2012. Michael has been Finance Partner
since 2015, leading many of the financial transactions completed at the King’s Cross estate, Heart of Hale and more recently Brent Cross Town.
Nick, after a decade working in various capacities in the King’s Cross development team, has worked as a
Plans Approved to Retrofit Barbican Office Block
Plans have been approved to transform 45 Beech Street, an office building on the edge of the Barbican Estate, into 174 co-living homes with improved public realm, have been approved at Planning Committee.
The project, known as Cornerstone, is being developed by HUB, in partnership with sustainable and impact investor Bridges Fund Management. The development will introduce a new type of communityfocussed housing to this part of the City, while also delivering significant embodied carbon savings.
Designed by Stirling Prize-winning practice Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), the project will transform disused office space at the end of its life into much needed homes for City workers.
Located at the centre of the City’s largest residential area, the scheme will be more in keeping with the surrounding area and contribute to its revitalisation and activation, while benefiting from existing transport connectivity. Townscape improvements will include enhanced public realm with additional greenery, and ground floor amenities such as a cafe and co-working space that will be open to the existing community.
In alignment with HUB and Bridges' mutual commitment to reducing carbon emissions, the retrofit scheme utilises as much of the existing building as possible. This approach is projected to achieve
member of the leadership team of Brent Cross Town since 2016 and was Managing Partner of Argent LLP from 2020 to April 2024. They both became Executive Directors in 2023 ahead of the transition to Related Argent on 1 May 2024.
The ongoing Related Argent senior management team comprises Chief Executive Director, Tom Goodall, Chairman, David Partridge and Executive Directors, Morwenna Hall, André Gibbs and Oli Rifkind, as well as recently appointed Senior Advisor, John Forrester, who joined the business in May 2024.
Tom Goodall, Chief Executive Director of Related Argent, said: “I have worked with them for over 12 years and want to take this opportunity to thank them for their personal and professional support throughout this time. All of us at Related Argent, and the many colleagues they have worked with over the years across the industry, wish them the very best in their future endeavours.”
IMAGE: (L-R) Michael Lightbound and Nick Searl. Image courtesy of Related Argent.
a 34 per cent reduction in total embodied carbon compared to a new build of equivalent scale.
Additionally, the scheme will significantly improve the energy performance of the building, and targets
industry-leading sustainability standards, including BREEAM Excellent and EPC A.
IMAGE: An illustration of Cornerstone being developed by HUB. Image courtesy of HUB.
Planning Permission Secured for Bristol’s Tallest Building
Developers Olympian has received planning permission to construct what will be Bristol’s tallest building. The project, designed by architect Hodder+Partners, will redevelop a 20-storey aging hotel in the centre of the city.
Olympian Homes plans to demolish and redevelop the site into a 132 unit, 18 storey co-living tower and a 442 unit, 28-storey purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) tower.
Both buildings will provide associated amenity space with the co-living offering 878.5sqm of internal amenity and 217sqm of external amenity and the PBSA providing 647sqm of internal with 200sqm of external space.
Both buildings include communal roof terraces, lounges, gyms, cinema rooms and co-working space. Improvements will also be made to the surrounding area with the addition of 2,150sqm of public realm space. This will include a kiosk, a public café, a new park and plaza connecting to St James’ Park offering access to Bristol bus station.
Oliver d'Erlanger, Associate Director at Olympian Real Estate, said: “We are very pleased to announce that Olympian Homes have gained planning approval from Bristol City Council to redevelop the Haymarket Premier Inn.
“The consented scheme will replace the current 50-year old Premier Inn building and provide 132 co-living studios, of which 20 per cent will be affordable, along with 442 PBSA units in two towers of 18 and 28-storeys.
“I would like to thank Bristol City Council for their support in this application over the past three years as well as all the consultants who have worked hard to achieve this permission.”
IMAGE: St James House project designed by architect Hodder+Partners. Image courtesy of Olympian.
London Gives the Green Light to Cockfosters Tube Station Tower
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that a proposed development by Cockfosters tube station can go ahead, delivering 350 new homes, more green space and a boost to London’s economy. Transport for London (TfL) has now been
granted consent by the new Secretary of State to progress the plans.
The proposed 1.36 hectare car free development, which was granted planning permission by Enfield
Council in February 2022, will deliver around 350 new homes next to Cockfosters station, which sits at the northern end of the Piccadilly line.
Forty per cent of the homes will be affordable and car parking options, including for Blue Badge holders, will still be retained at the station.
The designs also improve public access to nearby Trent Park and the London Outer Orbital Path and have been designed to provide around 4,200sqm of publicly accessible open space for the community, with new trees and greenery replacing much of the current hard surface.
Mr Khan said: “After the previous government refused to approve the plans, I’m delighted that the new government has given us the green light to progress exciting plans for new homes at Cockfosters station.
“Building homes right next to public transport connections is a key part of our plans to deliver the high-quality homes Londoners need.
“This important project will deliver new commercial space, increase green space and most importantly, it will provide the affordable housing that I have pledged to deliver for Londoners.”
IMAGE: One of the four towers, set to be constructed near Cockfosters Tube Station. Image courtesy of Connected Living London.
Birmingham's Tallest Building to Be Healthiest and Safest
At 155 metres tall, One Eastside is set to become the highest building in Birmingham’s skyline when it is completed in 2026.
It will also be one of the healthiest and safest thanks to a new research partnership between Birmingham
City University (BCU) and specialist residential developer Court Collaboration, who are delivering the 51-storey property that will consist of 667 one and two-bedroomed build-to-rent apartments on behalf of specialist insurer of defined benefit pension schemes, Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC).
Planning Permission Granted for Bristol
Residential Development
Planning permission has been given for the development of three new buildings
of Bristol, including a new aparthotel and a build-torent scheme.
The plans have been put forward by development manager Marick Real Estate along with IKB Developments, and will see the construction of three new buildings comprising a 230-room hotel, a
Construction and AI experts at BCU are creating a virtual 3D model of the skyscraper – known as a digital twin – and will use this to monitor air quality and energy consumption. The goals are to ensure occupants are kept safe and to help the building run efficiently and sustainably. The project will also influence future building design.
In this project, the digital twin will use artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to analyse data from sensors within the flats.
Alex Neale, Chief Executive Officer of Court Collaboration, said: “It’s exciting to collaborate with BCU on this project. The combination of cutting-edge technology and engaging with some of our city’s brightest minds is fantastic, but to know that the work will deliver enhanced safety and efficiencies across both construction and the future life of the building, is exceptional. Thanks to the support of our funding partner, PIC, One Eastside will deliver much needed high-quality build to rent accommodation in the city centre.”
IMAGE: (L-R)Professor Maxine Lintern, BCU Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Alex Neale, Court Collaboration Limited Chief Executive Officer. Image courtesy of Court Collaboration.
170-room extended stay aparthotel, and more than 100 build-to-rent flats.
The scheme, designed by architect Sheppard Robson, will focus on a site known as Plot 3, which has been vacant for around 30 years and is owned by Homes England. It is next to the 130-hectare government funded urban regeneration initiative which aims to create a flourishing new urban quarter for Bristol.
A spokesman for Marick said: “We are pleased to have secured planning consent for 3 new buildings in Bristol that forms one of the final elements of the Bristol Temple Quarter masterplan.
“The site and its surrounding masterplan gentrification will cater for a series of mixed-use communities, including office and commercial spaces, leisure, a pedestrianised civic square, a conference centre, and student housing.
“The council’s aspiration is to build up to 10,000 new homes in the area under the plans – 2,500 of them to be located next to Temple Meads station. We are looking forward to becoming a significant contributor to the next regeneration stage with this gateway project.”
IMAGE: Concept of the development at Bristol Temple Quay. Image courtesy of Marick.
in the centre
Approval Given for Six Towers on Site of Former London Gas Works
The project, which was submitted late 2023, includes 262 new homes across six blocks, with the tallest rising to 14 storeys. Alongside housing, the development will offer 780.8sqm of commercial space and create 39
full-time jobs, with a central landscaped public square to enhance the area.
Previous proposals, which included three 15-storey blocks, were withdrawn after concerns over affordable housing and potential impacts on the nearby Grade II-listed Livesey Memorial Hall.
The updated plan addresses these concerns by designating over 25 per cent of the new homes as affordable and creating public space to separate the development from Livesey Hall.
However, one of the six-storey blocks has raised concerns about overshadowing Livesey Hall.
In October, Lewisham’s planning committee approved the application. The development is designed to be car-free, with only eight disabled parking bays, and will feature a new garden facing Alan Pegg Place.
IMAGE: dMFK’s designs for the six tower blocks. Image courtesy of dFMK.
UK’s Tallest Net-Zero ‘Aparthotel’ Given Approval for Construction in Manchester
Manchester will soon be home to the UK’s tallest net-zero ‘aparthotel’ after planning permission was approved.
Based in Piccadilly in the centre of Manchester, the plans from Lamington Group feature several key elements, including a 34-storey net zero carbon tower, which will be the first of its kind in the UK.
Integrated into the tower's south-east elevation, on-site food production will provide fresh produce for the restaurant and bar, supporting local sourcing and reducing the carbon footprint.
The project will also include a green rooftop terrace, open to the public, offering views of Manchester’s skyline and serving as a unique leisure space in the city's heart.
Additionally, a net zero lifestyle museum will be established, with an exhibition hall dedicated to educating visitors about environmental impacts, sustainability and green living.
Public spaces such as a ground-floor café, museum, rooftop restaurant, bar and the green rooftop terrace will be open to both aparthotel guests and the general public.
Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2025, with the development expected to open in late 2027.
IMAGE: A rendering of how the tower will look. Image courtesy of Lamington Group
Lewisham Council has approved plans by Barratt London to develop six mid-rise residential towers, designed by dMFK Architects, at the former Bell Green gasworks in Sydenham.
Planning Approval Given for Construction of Manchester’s Tallest Tower
and green spaces for residents. At the top of the residential tower, there will be a publicly accessible restaurant.
Additionally, a three-storey office building will be constructed. The development also includes various internal and external amenity spaces such as a sky pool, yoga studio, lounge, co-working spaces, and a gym.
A three-storey car park will be located in the basement, providing 214 car parking spaces and 642 bicycle spaces, with secure access from Melbourne Street and Great Jackson Street. A servicing and loading bay is also planned for the rear of the building.
The Lighthouse is one of several towers planned for Renaker’s ‘New Jackson’ development, which they say will ‘transform the city skyline’.
In total, the New Jackson development will provide more than 6,300 residential units alongside restaurants, cafes and local convenience stores, as well as amenity facilities to support the primary residential use, such as medical facilities, smokefree public park, primary school and a secure public car park featuring electrical charging points.
IMAGE: An illustration of the Lighthouse. Image courtesy of Renaker SimpsonHaugh Architects. Planning permission has been given for the construction of a 71-storey mixed-use tower in Manchester, making it the tallest in the city.
The development will offer a mix of one, two and three-bedroom properties. This includes a twostorey podium featuring private outdoor amenities
Approval Given for 58-storey London Tower Block
Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) has granted approval for Aldau Development’s residential led mixed-use scheme designed by Apt, providing 669 residential apartments, a 90 key hotel, hospitality and retail space at ground floor.
The proposals focus on sustainable transport, by providing a much-improved pedestrian pavement widths and better connections to the local cycle network, will ensure that the site becomes more integrated and accessible to local communities.
Bram van der Wal, Director and Project Leader at Apt, said: “We are thrilled that the OPDC has approved the proposal which has not only been configured to complement North Acton’s emerging Southern Gateway cluster but also create a new destination for the community, and we look forward to working with Aldau through the next stages of the project.”
In October the OPDC approved the new Apt redesigned scheme, marking four years since KPF’s original, controversial proposal received initial approval.
KPF, which was removed from the project in summer 2020, had originally proposed a slightly shorter design featuring two towers 44 and 55-stories high connected by a nine-storey sky bridge. This design included 702 homes and a 159-bed hotel, more than Apt’s revised proposal offers.
Aldau appointed Apt in 2022 to lead a ‘ground up’ redesign, citing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, new fire regulations, and rising construction costs as key factors.
IMAGE: Apt's Plans for the Regeneration of 4 Portal Way Action Approved. Image courtesy of Apt.
Jeremy Corbyn criticises 'inappropriate' Níall McLaughlin Islington tower
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has voiced his opposition to Níall McLaughlin Architects' plans for a 27-storey student tower in Archway, north London.
The practice, working with GRID Architects, submitted plans to Islington Council earlier this month to redevelop a disused 19th-century infirmary into a mixed-use scheme for developer Seven Capital, GRID will create 178 homes by revamping the locally listed building, while former Stirling Prize-winner Níall McLaughlin Architects is designing the controversial 82 metre tall tower housing 242 student beds and adding new lower-rise blocks with affordable homes.
Jeremy Corbyn, the now independent MP for Islington North, said in comments shared with Architects Journal and first reported in the local press, that the proposals were both 'inappropriate' and 'unacceptable' because of the size of the skyscraper.
He said: "I'm already receiving feedback from constituents in the Archway area who are appalled at this development and strongly opposed to the proposal for a 27-floor tower block adjacent to the site, which would tower over everything in the area."
Backing opposition voices including local campaign groups, Jeremy Corbyn added: "I cannot support this application in its current form." He also questioned the social housing provision on site – less than 60 units are earmarked for social rent of more than 420 new units promised in the scheme.”
Níall McLaughlin Architects stated in planning documents that the tower needed to be around 30 storeys if it is to acquire elegant proportions and sufficiently differentiate itself from its surroundings, which are up to 18-storeys tall.
The submitted scheme is already eight storeys shorter than proposals for the site put to consultation last year for a 35-storey student skyscraper.
Seven Capital snapped up the site from Peabody in 2021 after plans drawn up by Haworth Tompkins for 400 homes were not progressed.
In response to Jeremy Corbyn's criticism, a spokesperson for Seven Capital said: "Rather than making unrealistic requests which would make any scheme on this site undeliverable, we believe those who recognise the chronic need for affordable housing in Islington should be supporting this scheme, which will provide over 50 per cent affordable, including 58 actual social rented homes for people in need to live in."
IMAGE: Concept plans of the Islington Tower. Image courtesy of Níall McLaughlin Architects
Appeal Lodged Over Council Delays to Glasgow Student Tower Plans
Eric Parry Architects Post £12Million Turnover as Project List Grows
London-based Eric Parry Architects has seen its turnover and profits grow in the previous 12 months per the latest accounts.
For the financial year ending July 31, 2023, the company saw an annual turnover of £12 million, as well as a gross profit of £7.6 million and net profit before tax and interest increased to £2.5 million, compared to the previous year.
The company currently has several projects in the timeline, something it credits with helping to boost the coffers.
The report on Companies House states: “We had several major projects at key stages during this period. We started planning work for the redesign of 1US, the start of Stage 3 work for 50 Fenchurch
Street and Stage 4b for the Salisbury Square Development. The annual turnover increased to £12 million as the result of the activities on these major projects. As a result, the gross profit was higher at £7.6 million and net profit before tax and interest increased to £2.5 million.
“Our workload forecast for the coming years is strong after winning new work and we are also expecting a few key projects to move forward to their next stages. We are expecting a period of growth in the coming financial year.”
The firm has also invested in new technology and has expanded the number staff.
The report added: “In this financial year we have made a substantial investment in office furniture
Varsity Developments, the company proposing a 19-storey student accommodation scheme in Glasgow, has appealed to the Scottish Government over council delays.
Their application, filed in May 2023, sought permission to demolish parts of properties on Waterloo Street, including the popular Admiral bar, to create 350 student beds along with amenities like a cinema, sports hall, podcast studios, and karaoke room.
Varsity, part of Locate Developments Group, claims that despite the four-month statutory review period, Glasgow City Council has not provided feedback or a timeline for a decision.
Talks with the council began in early 2023, and the developers argue that the current proposal respects historical elements more than the previously approved office conversion plan.
They have pledged additional preservation work in response to Historic Environment Scotland's suggestions for a conservation-oriented approach. Aparto, a student housing operator, is set to manage the completed flats, which Varsity argues would address Glasgow’s significant demand for student accommodation.
The developers contend there is no basis for denying approval and have urged an independent governmentappointed reporter to approve the appeal.
IMAGE: Plans of the proposed student accommodation tower. Image courtesy of Cooper Cromar
and IT equipment to accommodate a growing workforce and we have upgraded our IT technology. We are expecting to take additional floor space in late spring 2024 to accommodate our expanding team and to also enable staff to have more informal meeting and social spaces.
“Our balance sheet continues to be strong with no significant debtors and a healthy cash reserve. The company does not have any long-term loans and is able to meet all financial commitments.”
POST-TENSIONING
FOR SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURES
As sustainability becomes a priority in construction, innovative techniques like post-tensioning (PT) are transforming how buildings are designed, built and maintained. Here Alessia Piras, Chair of the Post-Tensioning Association – considers the dual goals of reducing carbon emissions, en-hancing durability and the significant advantages PT offers in sustainable construction.
Reducing Concrete’s Environmental Impact
Concrete is fundamental to construction, but its production has a high environmental cost due to cement, responsible for about 8% of global CO2 emissions. By incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), a steel byproduct, concrete’s carbon footprint can be reduced considerably. Its use must be balanced with global availability constraints though, suggesting a maximum replacement of 20-30% to effectively align with global sustainability goals. However, efficient techniques like post-tensioning minimise the use of concrete in the first place, making structures both lighter and stronger.
Post-Tensioning vs. Traditional Reinforced Concrete
Compared to traditional reinforced concrete (RC), PT uses high-strength steel tendons to compress concrete, allowing for thinner, lighter slabs. Although PT concrete may initially
show a slightly higher carbon footprint due to its mix requirements, the reduction in overall concrete and steel volume balances emissions and achieves substantial carbon savings over time.
Choosing Low-Carbon Strands
The carbon footprint of PT strands can vary widely, largely depending on material sources and manufacturing methods. For example, a standard global strand may have a carbon footprint of 2.72 kgCO2e/kg, while a CARES UK-approved low-carbon strand (Electric Arc Furnace & 100% clean energy) emits only 0.39 kgCO2e/kg. Selecting low-carbon strands significantly enhances the sustainability profile of post-tensioned structures.
Post-Tensioning: Building for the Future
With its ability to reduce material use, increase durability, and lower emissions, post-tensioning aligns
closely with the construction industry’s push toward sustainable practices. By adopting PT and carefully choosing low-carbon materials, designers can contribute to a more sustainable future, ensuring that structures meet the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow.
To find out more, visit: www.posttensioning.co.uk
Images:
01. The Sankey charts illustrate a comparison of A1-A3 carbon assessments between a 240mm PT slab and a 300mm RC slab, highlighting the carbon savings associated with the PT option. For this analysis, the following materials and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) were considered: C40/50 concrete with 30% GGBS (250 kgCO2e/m3), standard reinforcement steel CARES UK industry sector average (0.787 kgCO2e/kg), and standard PT strand CARES UK approved (0.76 kgCO2e/kg).
MAXIMISING THE VIEW FROM EUROPE’S TALLEST MODULAR BUILDING
Creating a stunning statement of the dual towers that stand proud on College Road, in Croydon, the views from Europe’s tallest modular building are incredible thanks to thousands of windows interspersed with terracotta facades looking out across the South East.
The recently completed 163 metre Enclave tower, delivered by Tide Construction and Vision Modular, sees the building supersede the neighbouring residential tower on George Street as the tallest volumetric structure in the UK.
Showcasing the efficiencies that modular construction can deliver, the 35 and 50 storey buildings were completed within a total build timeframe of 28 months, which saw 1,725 units, all of which were completed offsite, installed in 40 weeks.
To create a building of this scale and ambition demanded the use of high performance products offering excellent acoustic and weather performance that also supported the stunning geometric visual aesthetic and the project’s sustainability aims.
Creating 120 affordable homes and 817 co-living apartments the build-torent project also features seven floors
dedicated to providing communal amenities for those living in the building.
As with the George Street tower, also delivered by Tide Construction and Vision Modular, HTA Design was appointed as the architect for the project, while Century Facades was engaged by the contractors and worked in conjunction with its main supply chain window fabricator, AGF (Aluminium and Glass Facades Ltd), as well as Reynaers Aluminium to engineer and fabricate SlimLine 38 (SL 38) side hung composite windows for the project.
With a strong track record for performance in high rise buildings, the SL 38 window systems meet the tough air, wind, water and acoustic requirements essential for tall buildings – as well as offering the design options needed to support a complex project, including bespoke adaptations where needed. With sustainability and quality central to the design of the College Road towers - and with the use of modular construction aiming to reduce CO2 emissions - thermal efficiency was a key factor in the design. To that end SL 38 is a thermally broken fenestration solution, delivering excellent insulation with fibreglass-reinforced polyamide strips and weather gaskets that feature ribs and hollow chambers to achieve superior thermal insulation levels.
The strength and quality of SL 38 is underlined by high levels of protection indicated by project-specific AWW testing, securing Class 4 (600Pa) for air permeability, for watertightness
9A (600Pa) and wind load resistance Class C4 (1600Pa). This was further enhanced with a safety test at 2400Pa. Meeting the stringent PAS security standard, the windows also achieve a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K to demonstrate excellent thermal efficiency.
In conjunction with AGF and Century Facades, extensive project-specific testing was carried out at Reynaers Technology Centre in Duffel, Belgium, for AWW (Air, Wind and Water), with all testing undertaken in collaboration with Reynaers’ UK technical team and witnessed and verified by an independent notified body.
Reynaers uses an extensive acoustic database to demonstrate acoustic requirements for projects such as this and has access to its own acoustic testing facility.
Produced with a bespoke outer frame the windows were developed in conjunction with Reynaers Aluminium, to ensure they worked most effectively with the specific modular details of the buildings. With a strong history of working together on large-scale projects for developers such as Tide Construction, the project demonstrates the benefits of the longstanding collaborative relationship between AGF, Century facades and Reynaers Aluminium in producing bespoke systems that deliver quality in aesthetics, performance and service.
To find out more visit: www.reynaers.co.uk
Images:
01. Creating a stunning statement of the dual towers that stand proud on College Road
Knauf ThroughWall System
■ One brand for the full system incorporating internal plasterboards, SFS, external sheating boards, and insulation.
■ BBA certified system.
■ De-risk and simplify the build.
Scan to find out more.
BEST PRACTICE GUIDANCE:
FACILITATING MOVEMENT IN DRYLINING SYSTEMS
As the construction industry continues to push the boundaries of architectural design, particularly in the realm of tall buildings, several challenges arise that require innovative solutions. One of the foremost challenges is accommodating the inevitable movement that these structures experience due to factors such as wind loads. This is where Gypframe LF Low Friction Connectors, an innovation from British Gypsum comes in.
Gypframe LF Connectors are specifically engineered to address the industry challenges, by facilitating movement. This is achieved by maintaining the integrity of the internal drylining systems, by lowering static friction between components.
Flexibility for Building Movement:
The LF Connector is designed to accommodate vertical deflection as specified at design stage. These connectors reduce the static friction between Gypframe components, facilitating movement where it is most needed.
Streamlined Installation Process:
The LF Connectors are simple to install. Their user-friendly design works with both Gypframe 'I' and 'C' studs, reducing the potential for installation errors and making quality assurance checks simple.
Enabling Movement: By supporting movement between structural and non-structural elements, the LF Connectors significantly reduce friction between elements, where movement is expected.
Compliance and Assurance: The design and performance of Gypframe LF Connectors have been tested for fire, acoustic and structural
performance in an independent facility, offering contractors’ peace of mind that their installations will meet the necessary performance requirements when built as specified.
In the face of the numerous challenges present in tall building construction, Gypframe LF Connectors provide a vital and sought after solution. By accommodating building movement, streamlining installation, and ensuring compliance with regulations, these connectors play a significant role in creating resilient, efficient, and comfortable structures. As the industry continues to evolve, innovative solutions like the Gypframe LF Connector will be essential in overcoming challenges and pushing the boundaries of architectural design.
Find out more, visit: www.british-gypsum.com Images: 01-02. Gypframe
CELEBRATING THE PINNACLE OF SUCCESS AT THE TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS
Tall buildings have a profound impact on our cities and their skylines – they shape them and reflect the aspirations of their inhabitants. The recent Tall Buildings Awards paid homage to the very best of these iconic structures and the teams behind them.
Hosted by Peter Murray OBE –co-founder of NLA (New London Architecture) the awards took place at an informal drinks reception immediately following the Tall Buildings Conference at etc.venues St Pauls, London.
With 11 categories, the Tall Buildings Awards celebrate excellence in an increasingly complex world that must respond to the issues of sustainability, mixed-use, community living, the circular economy and stringent legislation. Turning the spotlight on the architects, engineers, contractors and the clients who plan and execute tall buildings, the awards recognise the achievement of delivering projects of the highest quality. This year the judges had the difficult task of selecting 11 winners from over 100 outstanding entries.
College Road
Picking up three awards and a Highly Commended accolade, Tide and Vision were crowned ‘Winner of Winners’ on the night for College Road and their groundbreaking volumetric building system. The pioneering development in East Croydon, South London by offsite developer and contractor, Tide and its volumetric company, Vision – comprises two of the world’s tallest volumetric modular buildings delivering almost 1000 new homes. A 35-storey tower provides 120 affordable homes, and a 50-storey tower provides 817 co-living homes – one of the largest co-living developments across the globe.
The scheme won Best Residential Tall Building Project and MJH Structural Engineers and Barrett Mahony Consulting Engineers were Highly
Commended in the Best Tall Building Structural Engineer category for their outstanding work on the towers.
Tide and Vision also claimed the coveted prize for the Tall Building Technology Innovation Award for their Vision Volumetric System. This advanced offsite technology is leading the way in volumetric highrise developments worldwide. Vision operates under a vertically integrated procurement model with developer and contractor Tide. Together they have delivered almost £4 billion worth of assets. In 2023 they completed College Road – the first volumetric modular tower to reach 163 meters high, making it the tallest in Europe and the second in the world.
8 Bishopsgate
Another big winner on the night, 8 Bishopsgate picked up three awards. Ove Arup and Partners, Wilkinson Eyre, Lendlease Construction Europe and Standhope jointly claimed the trophy for Best Commercial Tall Building Project, with Lendlease also picking up the coveted prize for Best Tall Building Contractor. In addition, Arup was awarded the prestigious Best Tall Building Structural Engineer for their work on the project.
A distinctive addition to the City of London's skyline for Stanhope & Mitsubishi Estate, 8 Bishopsgate is characterised by its attention to detail, holistic approach to sustainability and rigorous integration of structure and services into the overarching architectural vision. Conceptually, the building challenges the traditional
tower by breaking the massing into smaller blocks, allowing the high-rise form to address the site constraints and bring human scale to the building.
Portlands Place
With two wins and a Highly Commended trophy, the team behind Portlands Place also celebrated a multiaward winning evening. Portlands Place takes rental living to another level. Plot N06 is the latest addition to Get Living’s East Village build-to-rent redevelopment of the 2012 Olympic Athletes’ Village. It provides 524 homes across two towers of 31 and 26 storeys, linked together with a double height skybridge, which contains the main communal amenity and rooftop terraces overlooking the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the west.
Get Living won the valued award for Best Tall Building Client of the year and Hawkins\Brown were crowned Best Tall Building Architect for the design of Portlands Place. Hawkins\ Brown were also Highly Commended in the Best Residential Tall Building Project category.
Get Living strives to create places that bring people together and that are fit for the future. Portlands Place does exactly that, with its market-leading amenity space and focus on social living. It is situated in a prime location with extensive parks and wetlands on the doorstep for residents.
DAMAC Tower
Winner of the Best Tall Building Facade & Fenestration Engineering Project for WSP and Highly Commended in the Best Tall Building Architect category for Kohn Pedersen Fox, DAMAC Tower is a vertical mixeduse community.
Offering market and affordable homes, retail, and office spaces DAMAC Tower is a sculptural composition of terra cotta, reconstituted stone and glass. The scheme consists of three distinct elements composed to create impressive views from every aspect of the development. The all-electric building features residential amenities, a roof garden and a six-storey skybridge.
Best Sustainable Tall Building Award
A ground source heat pump retrofit project by Kensa Contracting and Thurrock Council, upgraded inefficient night storage heaters to Kensa’s networked heat pumps in 273 flats across three social housing towers. This initiative will significantly reduce carbon emissions and lift residents out of fuel poverty. Winning the Best Sustainable Tall Building Award, the team delivered the large-scale renewable retrofit project, installing highly efficient ground source heat pumps. 7,166 tonnes of carbon will be saved over 25 years and residents have secured 66% savings on their heating and hot water bills.
Best Tall Building MEP Services Project 21 Moorfields is a flagship, highspecification office development
situated over London’s Moorgate underground and rail station and the Elizabeth line ticket hall. Providing approximately 55,000m² of prime office space across 14 floors, the development is supported by a substantially resilient services strategy, normally only seen in data centres. It has BREEAM ‘Outstanding’, LEED Gold ratings and is WELL ready, and will serve as Deutsche Bank's new UK and European headquarters. Winning Best Tall Building MEP Services Project for Cundall and MEP contractor Gratte Brothers – the team provided MEP, sustainability and vertical transportation analysis and design.
Recognising the UK’s Legacy of HighRise Superstructures
Now well established, the Tall Buildings Awards looks to recognise and reward innovative and proven construction technologies that will enhance and advance the design and construction of elevated structures.
Images: 01-03. Tide and Vision were crowned ‘Winner of Winners’ on the night for College Road and their groundbreaking volumetric building system.
2025 TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS ARE NOW LIVE!
The 2025 Tall Buildings Awards are now open for entries. Beyond the prestige, winning a Tall Buildings Award yields commercial reward, attracting new clients and partners who recognise the value of innovative design and forward-thinking architecture. The Tall Building Awards celebrate innovation, vision, and commitment to shaping the future of our cities. Submit your projects and join in the celebrations!
For more information on the 2025 Tall Buildings Awards or to enter, head to: www.tallbuildingsawards.co.uk
2024 TALL BUILDINGS AWARD WINNERS..
BEST MIXED-USE OR COMMERCIAL TALL BUILDING PROJECT
CATEGORY SPONSOR
BEST TALL BUILDING ARCHITECT
BEST RESIDENTIAL TALL BUILDING PROJECT
CATEGORY SPONSOR
CATEGORY SPONSOR
BEST TALL BUILDING CONTRACTOR
CATEGORY SPONSOR
BEST TALL BUILDING FAÇADE & FENESTRATION ENGINEERING PROJECT
CATEGORY SPONSOR
Ove Arup and Partners, Wilkinson Eyre, Lendlease and Standhope: 8 Bishopsgate
Hawkins\Brown: Portlands Place
WSP: DAMAC Tower
Tide & Vision: College Road
Lendlease Construction Europe: 8 Bishopsgate
Project: South Quay Plaza, London E14
At 68 storeys and 220m high, the striking SQP development includes one of the tallest residential towers in Europe. RVK telescopic connectors invisibly support precast stair landings in the concrete core. FERBOX bespoke continuity strip maintains continuity of reinforcement across construction joints in the RC frame.
Client: Berkeley
Architect: Foster + Partners
Engineer: WSP
Contractor: Expanded
Versatile and efficient products to connect precast or in situ concrete elements
Invisible Connections are the specialists in hidden structural connections for precast and in situ construction. We provide a range of ‘unseen’ telescopic connection systems for stair landings, beams and columns. We are also the manufacturers of FERBOX® made-to-measure reinforcement continuity strip.
All our products are designed to meet and exceed the highest industry demands for improved safety and construction efficiency, whilst reducing material usage and ensuring cost competitiveness.
For precast stair landings, our TSS or RVK stair landing connectors and REDiBOX® permanent recess formers offer clean architectural lines and significantly accelerate speed of construction, when compared to traditional bracketry.
For structural reinforcement continuity, bespoke FERBOX is made-to-measure, made to be safer and made to reduce wastage. Quality, reliability and integrity, built-in.
The Construction Productivity Conference will get to the core of an issue which has plagued the construction industry for decades. Taking place on 28 January 2025 in central London, the hard-hitting conference programme looks to address the UK construction ‘productivity puzzle’ head on.
28 JANUARY 2025
With rising building costs, reducing margins and increasing risk profiles – attempts to improve productivity have proven difficult in a sector too often defined by low profits, aggressive procurement practices, talent shortages and uncertain work pipelines.
But critical to ‘get Britain building again’ the construction sector must significantly increase productivity. According to government statistics, since 1997 the annual rate of improvement has been circa 21% lower than the wider economy.
The Construction Productivity Conference will take a forensic look at the issues affecting efficiency and growth rates, focusing on root causes and possible solutions – IT/digital adoption, culture and behaviour, capacity, skills and training, policy and investment, measurement techniques, resource effectiveness, and smart business strategies.
The industry has acknowledged the problem and there are various initiatives designed to drive change. In 2020 the Construction Productivity Taskforce was launched, bringing together clients, contractors, supply chains and consultants to identify and trial new ways of making the sector more productive. This has resulted in the Private Sector Construction Playbook, a measurement framework and guiding principles distilled from best practice and collective experience
from leading companies across the sector.
But four years on, are these initiatives just ramping up the rhetoric or really driving incremental change?
The successes and failures will be interrogated and debated during frank and open discussions at the conference, led by industry leading lights that are successfully challenging the status quo.
Closing the Productivity Gap
The government is reliant on the private sector to reach the stretching targets to build at least 300,000 new homes a year across the lifetime of this parliament. This represents a major opportunity for the sector but is the construction industry up to the job? More recently, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) set the
industry the challenge to close the productivity gap between construction and the rest of the UK industries by 2035. The CLC make the case that doing this offers ‘one of the biggest and most easily deliverable opportunities to grow the UK economy’ generating an additional £45billion of added value each year for the wider economy – equivalent of 2% of GDP.
Against this backdrop a recent RICS Productivity Survey found that over one in five respondents from the UK and Ireland construction sector said they never measure productivity. So how can efficiencies be made if output is not assessed? The construction sector needs to sharpen up. Can you imagine managers in the manufacturing sector saying they never measure workflows?
Key Conference Themes
By scrutinising the sum of the parts that have a major impact on productivity or the lack of it, the conference programme will take a deep dive into technological advancements, improving skills and training, streamlining collaboration and regulations, and investing in innovative offsite manufacturing and industrialised construction methods. A coordinated approach that addresses these challenges holistically can unlock significant productivity gains, driving long-term success in the industry.
The Need for Speed
The aim of the Construction Productivity Conference is to explore how offsite manufacturing and industrialised construction backed by digital technologies can in practical terms boost effectiveness. The RICS Productivity Survey undoubtedly signals that modern construction methods are very much part of the solution.
SECURE YOUR PLACE
There is clearly no ‘silver bullet’ but improving speed and quality of output through offsite construction can significantly increase productivity by shifting much of the work to controlled factory environments where production is constantly measured and scrutinised. Reducing build times by circa 30 per cent and material costs by 20 per cent, taking the construction process offsite offers vast savings in time, costs and mitigates onsite delays caused by weather and labour shortages. But traditional construction
Taking place on 28 January 2025 in central London, the Construction Productivity Conference pulls no punches and looks to address the ‘productivity puzzle’ head on. Tickets are £245 + VAT which includes access to the conference, pop-up exhibition and networking area, lunch and refreshments throughout the day.
Analysing Success
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practices will need to evolve in parallel too if the improvements offered are to be realised.
The conference will interrogate the issues affecting productivity but most importantly, will also analyse success stories. The UK is increasingly reliant on a narrow group of highperforming companies to drive its productivity growth. The most efficient 10 per cent of companies, dubbed ‘frontier’ businesses by the ONS — produced nearly four times as much output compared with those of average productivity. Scrutinising and understanding these success stories will be right at the top of the Construction Productivity Conference agenda.
For the full speaker lineup and to secure your place, head to: www.constructionproductivity.co.uk 3
Images: 01-04. The hard-hitting conference programme looks to address the UK construction ‘productivity puzzle’ head on
AVOIDING TALL TALES –TRANSPARENCY OF INFORMATION IS
PARAMOUNT
With the Building Safety Act providing more stringent requirements for higher risk occupied buildings, there is a growing demand for fire rated external wall breather membranes. When specifying fire rated products, it is crucial for the supply chain to adopt a collaborative approach. As Jim Smith, Head of Technical at Glidevale Protect explains, it is through early engagement with material manufacturers that specifiers can understand which products best meet the specific requirements of the project.
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Understanding both the fine detail and big picture
It was against a backdrop of ever evolving Building Regulations and safety legislation for developments above 11 and 18 metres that we developed our latest product - Protect FrameSafe FR – a flame retardant external wall breather membrane.
Protect FrameSafe FR features an intricately woven glass fibre fabric with a uniquely developed waterproof and fire resistant coating to help improve the fire performance of the overall wall structure. Following independent third-party testing against two industry recognised methods as specified in BS EN 13501-1:2018, it achieves a Class A2-s1, d0 rating. This means it exceeds the requirements detailed within the Building Regulations for all countries within the UK and in Ireland.
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We went above and beyond the current regulations by carrying out the same independent fire tests on Protect FrameSafe FR, both free hanging and as part of a system with laps sealed with Protect FR tape. For the system tests, the membrane was mechanically fixed to a substrate comprising a Class A1 rock fibre insulation substrate and separately, with a low-density Class A2 plasterboard. The same Class A2-s1, d0 reaction to fire rating was achieved in all cases.
Continuous product development
Having been developed for use on the external side of the frame to integrate with façade wall structures, Protect FrameSafe FR benefits from strong UV stability to withstand exposure up to six months, making it perfectly suited to high rise developments. We have also recently expanded the range
with the launch of our new Protect FrameSafe 5000 FR external wall membrane, an unprinted version of FrameSafe FR that achieves the same Class A2-s1, d0 reaction to fire.
Protect FrameSafe 5000 FR has no printed logos to the external face of the membrane, making it ideal for use on open joint façade wall structures and rainscreen cladding applications where gaps are used as part of a design feature. It has been subjected to robust testing with artificial, accelerated UV ageing for 5,000 hours followed by heat ageing at 70ºC for ninety days, in accordance with EN 13859-2. The result of the aged testing showed no significant impact on tensile strength and elongation as well no change to the membrane’s W2 watertightness rating to BS EN 13111.
Fire classification reports for Protect FrameSafe FR are available on request and our technical team is on hand to support specifiers at every stage.
To find out more call 0161 905 5700 or email technical@glidevaleprotect.com
02. Protect FrameSafe 5000 FR, an unprinted version of FrameSafe FR for open joint façades
Putting fire safety in the frame
High performance, Class A2 external flame retardant breather membrane
Fire protection in the design and construction of buildings is paramount. That’s why we’ve used our 40 year industry experience to meticulously develop a new fire rated wall membrane, exceeding Building Regulations Part B requirements.
Protect FrameSafe FR is independently fire tested and achieves Class A2 reaction to fire, both free hanging and as part of a system with sealing tape.
Providing up to six months’ UV exposure to suit all building heights, it’s time to choose the hidden protector you can trust
*For technical fixing details, fire classification test reports and substrate information for Protect FrameSafe FR, contact us on +44 (0)161 905 5700 or e-mail info@glidevaleprotect.com
www.glidevaleprotect.com/framesafe
THE IMPACT ON THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
The Phase 2 Report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry was published on 4 September 2024. It comprises over 1,600 pages and looks at events before and after the night of the fire. Phase 1 of the Inquiry, which focused on the night of the fire, was published on 30 October 2019.
Health and Safety Lawyers, Hazel Milner and Danny McShee from Kennedys Law – consider the impact of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 2 Report on the construction industry.
Phase 2 of the Inquiry into the fire of 14 June 2017 in which 72 people tragically lost their lives, focussed on: “the question that has been at the forefront of many people’s minds: how was it possible in 21st century London for a reinforced concrete building, itself structurally impervious to fire, to be turned into a death trap that would enable fire to sweep through it in an uncontrollable way in a matter of a few hours despite what were thought
to be effective regulations designed to prevent just such an event?” As the inquiry identifies at the outset of the report, there is no simple answer.
The inquiry made it clear within the report that it had become concerned that the arrangements under which the construction industry was regulated had become too complex and fragmented. It described this as a recipe for inefficiency. Within the report, the inquiry makes a number of recommendations relating to the construction industry. We refer below to a selected number of the key recommendations, from a much more extensive list.
Recommendations: Regulation
The inquiry recommends that a single independent body, referred to within the report as a Construction Regulator, be created. The inquiry envisage that the Construction Regulator would be responsible for a number of functions including, amongst others, the:
• Regulation of construction products
• Development of suitable methods for testing the reaction to fire of materials and products intended for use in construction
• Testing and certification of such products
• Issue of certificates of compliance of construction products with the requirements of legislation, statutory guidance and industry standards
• Regulation and oversight of building control
The inquiry also recommends that that the government bring responsibility for the functions relating to fire safety currently exercised by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Home Office and the Department for Business and Trade into one department under a single Secretary of State.
To assist the Secretary of State, the inquiry recommends that a Chief Construction Adviser be appointed with a sufficient budget and staff to provide advice on all matters affecting the industry. The Chief Construction Advisor would be required to have good working knowledge and practical experience of the construction industry.
It is also recommended that the definition of a ‘higher-rise building’ for the purposes of the Building Safety Act 2022 be reviewed urgently, to additionally incorporate consideration of the nature of a building’s use and the likely presence of vulnerable people, rather than being defined by height alone.
The inquiry concluded within the report that the statutory guidance in Approved Document B was poorly worded and liable to mislead designers into thinking that complying with its terms would inevitably ensure that the building would comply with the legal requirements of the building regulations. As such, the inquiry recommends that the statutory guidance generally, and Approved Document B in particular, be reviewed accordingly and a revised version published as soon as possible.
Competency of Professionals within the Construction Industry In terms of fire safety specifically, the inquiry recommends that it is
ABOUT
A member of the Health and Safety Lawyers Association, Hazel specialises in regulatory defence work, particularly health, safety and environment investigations and prosecutions, together with ancillary inquests and public inquiries across all industries. She has worked on numerous high profile health and safety matters including on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and is skilled and experienced in providing strategic advice to both organisations and individuals in a wide range of matters.
hazel.milner@kennedyslaw.com
made a statutory requirement that a fire safety strategy produced by a registered fire engineer is submitted with building control applications for the construction or refurbishment of any higher-risk buildings, and for it to be reviewed and re-submitted at the stage of completion. Such a strategy must take into account the needs of vulnerable people, including the additional time they may require to leave the building or reach a place of safety within it and any additional facilities necessary to ensure their safety.
To ensure the competency of fire engineers, the inquiry recommends that the profession be recognised and protected by law and that an independent body be established to regulate the profession, define the standards required for membership, and maintain a register of members and regulate their conduct.
Similarly, to improve the efficiency of contractors, the inquiry recommends that a licensing scheme be introduced
One of the founders of the Health and Safety Lawyers Association, Danny has been involved in some of the most high-profile health and safety matters over the last 20 years. He has acted for numerous companies and directors in highprofile and sensitive prosecutions and inquests involving fatalities and serious injuries where he has been specifically selected due to his market standing.
danny.mcShee@kennedyslaw.com
for principal contractors wishing to undertake the construction or refurbishment of higher-risk buildings, and that it be a legal requirement that any application for building control approval for the construction or refurbishment of a higher-risk building be supported by a personal undertaking from a director or senior manager of the principal contractor to take all reasonable care to ensure that on completion and handover the building is safe, in accordance with the building regulations.
In respect of architects, the inquiry recommends that it be made a statutory requirement that an application for building control approval for the construction or refurbishment of a higher-risk building be supported by a statement from a senior manager of the principal designer under the Building Safety Act 2022. That statement should confirm that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that on completion the building as designed will be as safe as is required by the building regulations.
Looking Ahead
The true impact of the report on the construction industry remains to be seen, and indeed it is not mandatory for the government to implement the recommendations made within the report. Perhaps foreseeing that possibility, the report recommends that it be made a legal requirement for the government to maintain a publicly accessible record of recommendations made by select committees, coroners and public inquiries together with a description of the steps taken in response. The report recommends that, if the government decides not to accept a recommendation, it should record its reasons for doing so.
Time will therefore tell which, if any, of the inquiry’s recommendations within the report are implemented, however it seems inevitable that changes will occur within the construction industry as a result of the inquiry, and there remains a very big pressure on the industry to affect change.
For more information visit www.kennedyslaw.com
Hazel Milner, Senior Associate, Sheffield
Danny McShee, Partner, London
THE LIFECYCLE OF A BALCONY: FROM MAINTENANCE
TO FINAL DAYS
While maintenance and repair of balconies must be considered throughout the building’s lifespan, end-of-life and disassembly also need to be well thought out. It is important to note that a balcony may have to be replaced entirely at the end of its natural lifespan. Here, Sapphire Balconies answer important questions about what happens once a balcony has reached its final days.
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What Is The Lifespan Of A Balcony?
A balcony’s lifespan can depend on several factors, including maintenance and mid-life replacement. Building structures are typically designed for 60-year lifespans and balconies should be designed to exceed this.
Some structural elements of buildings are exposed to the weather and are not protected by the facade. Therefore, careful consideration must be given to the life expectancy of balconies as an external structural element.
BS 7543 classifies balconies as ‘maintainable’ components, needing regular inspections, cleaning and repairs, with end-of-life planning being necessary, and suppliers needing to consider recycling and sustainable disposal practices.
How are Balconies Dealt With At The End Of Their Lifecycle?
Aluminium is one of the easiest metals to recycle. Companies like Sapphire design our balconies to be almost entirely recyclable.
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According to the Council for Aluminium in Building (www.c-a-b.org. uk), the recycling rate of architectural aluminium is between 92 per cent and 98 per cent. According to The Aluminium Association, a ten per cent increase in end-of-life aluminium recycling can decrease industry greenhouse gas emissions by up to 15 per cent.
Balconies need to be disassembled for the aluminium to be recycled. Thanks to demountable connections, Sapphire’s entire balcony range and connections can be removed from a building by a trained professional for repairs, maintenance, disassembly and recycling.
Demonstrating Environmentally Sound Practices?
The construction industry in 2024 demands high levels of transparency. It is the responsibility of every professional to provide clarity at every level, from early design to the very end of a balcony’s lifecycle.
For example, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) covering all stages of the lifecycle of a product, mean that customers can be empowered to make informed decisions about their own environmental footprint.
Many companies are also choosing to commit to the Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTi) and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). EPDs can thereby be used to create transparency around the balcony lifecycle.
ABOUT SAPPHIRE BALCONIES
Sapphire Balconies is a balcony manufacturer and supplier specialising in the residential construction market. Sapphire focuses on bringing lightweight, innovative aluminium balcony projects to developments across the globe.
To learn more about Sapphire Balconies, their vision for construction in the residential construction sector, or to specify the Next Generation suite, visit their website at www.balconies.global, email them at support@balconies.global or call 0344 88 00 553.
Images: 01-02. Balconies being safely installed at Wirral Waters - courtesy of Sapphire Balconies
HOW TALL BUILDINGS CAN SHAPE SUSTAINABLE CITIES
The decisions around urban planning, particularly how people move within cities, will play a critical role in shaping carbon use and sustainability in the future. Reducing the carbon impact of private transportation is a key factor in building a more sustainable future.
Tall buildings, while structurally demanding, can be more environmentally friendly compared to suburban sprawl. Efficient structural designs in tall buildings help minimise resource use, making them more sustainable.
Roger Ridsdill Smith, Foster + Partners Head of Structural Engineering, examines the relationship between form and function in modern tall building design and their impact on sustainability, especially in terms of carbon emissions.
Form and Function
The most intriguing element of modern tall building design is making form and function work in unison, rather than one verses the other. When building form is generated by its function, that is when buildings get exciting. They reflect their challenges and constraints, the way they relate to the city, and the way they are linked to the people within them.
Reducing Embodied Carbon
One of the key considerations of tall buildings today, is how people interact with them. The buildings themselves
may look visually dramatic, but a tall building is better for the environment than a sprawling suburb.
I think towers have to work structurally quite hard and I think it is valid that we have made the structure as efficient as we possibly can, because we should be minimising our resources in all buildings, but certainly in towers. Our buildings are a combination of their embodied carbon and their operational carbon use.
What is very interesting is that research in this area is quite consistent around the world and you find that consistently the highest household carbon footprints in cities are in the suburbs.
The greenest parts are the densest parts, they are the areas with the lowest household carbon footprints. The consistent piece of data from other studies shows that the carbon cost of private transport is the defining characteristic.
If you do not look at the transport and you compare a 60-story tower with a three to five-story building,
the overall carbon emissions per metre squared over its projected 60-year life, is bigger.
However as soon as you add on travel to and from the building, the picture changes and as soon as you incorporate the fact that private transport is mainly used in those lowdensity areas, that changes the overall picture.
Conclusion
The decisions we take now about how people move into urban areas and how we live in those areas in the future is going to absolutely be defined by the amount of carbon we are using. These are decisions now which are going to have a huge effect worldwide.
Follow Roger on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rogerridsdill-smith-8a5b95191
Images:
01. Roger Ridsdill Smith presenting at the Tall Buildings Conference
02. Foster + Partners’ South Quay Plaza revitalises the historic docklands around Canary Wharf 1 2
HOW THE SECTOR IS ADAPTING TO THE BUILDING SAFETY ACT
Since coming into effect, the Building Safety Act 2022 has had a major impact on the design of high-rise structures. In the report into the 2017 Grenfell disaster released earlier this year, the cause of death for each of the 72 people who tragically lost their lives was given as smoke inhalation.
So ensuring tall buildings have an effective way of dealing with smoke is now more important than ever before. David Fitzpatrick, General Manager of SMAY Ventilation Systems, certainly thinks so. He says the Building Safety Act should change the entire mindset of the construction industry, including the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) sector.
Changing Working Practices
The Building Safety Act will change the way we work in the future. Without doubt this is something the whole smoke industry should be looking at right now. People should be challenging our industry to make sure that they are getting the right information when they start looking at smoke clearance or a pressurisation system for high-rise buildings.
The Building Safety Act has taken a long time to come to fruition and it is slowly starting to be embedded into our industry, particularly from an architecture, design and development point of view. But we have got a long
way to go before it is embedded into the installation, commissioning and maintenance of the building.
The Need for Industry-Wide Education
Despite the great strides made by the introduction of the Building Safety Act, the construction industry still needs to work on embracing the changes. We have made a good start but we have an awful long way to go and there is a lot of educating that still needs to be done.
The whole point of the Building Safety Act is to help to change the mindset of the industry. If we do not change, we are going to continue to have situations where we go to site and find the system installed is very different to the one designed.
Defining Competency in Smoke Control Design
One of the key aspects of the Building Safety Act, is being able to show competency among those involved in the construction process. This is to ensure you can be confident in the
technical knowledge of those you are working with.
Construction partners need to demonstrate competency. But what does competency mean? It is very difficult from a smoke design perspective because there is no given criteria for a smoke engineer. You have fire engineers, who will be able to do the strategy for you, but often the actual design of the smoke vent goes down to the mechanical team. What the Building Safety Act does is ensure that the mechanical team has the right skills, knowledge, experience and behaviour.
Follow David on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ obviousconsult
Images: 01-02. David Fitzpatrick states the Building Safety Act should change the entire mindset of the construction industry, including the HVAC sector.
ESTABLISHING LONDON’S DEMOCRATIC SKYLINE
The City of London has dramatically changed over the past 2,000 years as the growing population and needs have evolved. But the more things change, the more things stay the same, with the London’s obsession with height as prevalent as ever.
Tom Nancollas, Assistant Director of Design for the City of London Corporation, takes a look at the past and the future of tall building design.
The City is a square mile at the heart of the capital, it is the ancient core from which the rest of London developed. For most of its 2,000-year history, it has been an international finance centre with a global reach and an impact across the London skyline in more ways than one. It is a place where the ancient and modern are always meeting.
Early Heights in the City
The City’s had an affinity with heights since the ancient times, for two very obvious reasons. Because of its financial role it had the resources to build elaborately and impressively, and
it had just a little more than a square mile in which to do it.
The Roman wall which originally stood at six metres-high very much met the Greater London Authority’s definition of a tall building, which is substantially higher than its surroundings. Height is relative of course, and it is interesting to consider what a tall building really is in the City.
Compared to the rest of London, the City was a place of spires, with 120 churches in the Square Mile alone. Less well known were the private merchants’ towers, perhaps interpreted as the forerunner of the commercial office. And then St. Paul's Cathedral which had the tallest spire in Europe we think, at least until it burned down in the 16th century.
And then speaking of fire, obviously the great fire of 1666 destroyed most of the Square Mile, and it was rebuilt on its old medieval street plan in brick and stone instead of timber. One major change was the employment of Christopher Wren and his office to rebuild the city churches.
They rebuilt fewer of them, but arguably did them a lot better, vastly increasing the skyline’s elegance. It would have looked like a series of church spires united by a common design language but each saying something slightly different on the skyline.
Sometimes it seems that our detractors wish we had stopped here, but we are strongly of the view that the City has always been defined by change and
that is at the heart of our significance, endless inventive and surprising change.
Our challenge is how you thread modern development into a skyline of this sensitivity.
The St. Paul’s Height Code
Until the 20th century or so, the city skyline was largely like this until changes to building regulations, technology and imperial levels of wealth. A particularly notorious example of this is the Faraday Building in Queen Victoria Street. Completed in the 1930s, it crashed into view of St. Paul’s from the South Bank in a way which was immediately controversial and was developed without any kind of view protection system in place.
This created the St. Paul's Height Code, which has been remarkably successful ever since at suppressing heights around the cathedral.
This started a debate about where tall buildings should be located and what kind of heights were appropriate, accelerated by the NatWest Tower. The tower was finished in 1981 and was kind of obsolete from the moment it was completed but there is something about its pinstripe elevations that give you a flavour of the rakish 1970s and 80s City at that time.
The City in its post-war decades did build towers. It just didn't build very many of them and it built them kind of badly.
The eminent architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner writing in 1973 said of views like this: “These skyscrapers are not as high as those of America and they rarely come in clusters. So the result is not dramatic. It does not remind one of New York or Chicago, but of some medium-sized city of the middle west,” which is a pretty stinging thing to say about London.
The Future of the City
So what is next for the City, what does the future hold?
In our City Plan 2040, we are putting out more detail than ever before as to how we expect tall buildings to come forward in the City over the next 20 years.
Our new city plan includes a huge amount more detail about tall building development. Previously we have tried to keep it as simple as possible and negotiate schemes on a case-by-case basis.
Whereas here we are setting out for the first time the areas where we think the maximum height should be and how the overall shape of the cluster should be modelled. The complexity
reflects the intricacy of the constraints of the medieval street planning. In the City we like to bang the drum very loudly for elevated public spaces, for viewing galleries in the tops of buildings. We think these are fundamental now going forward, to make the tall buildings socially sustainable, giving people a stake in the sky, and the usage of these spaces speaks for itself.
Since they opened last year, Horizon at 22 Bishopsgate and the Lookout at 8 Bishopsgate have seen around 500,000 visitors between them and the Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street averages 3,000 people a day.
We see an insatiable demand for these spaces. We know they are difficult to deliver in schemes, but they give back something that cannot be measured in money, a stake in the skyline for all. The city has had an ancient affinity with heights since the earliest times, but only now in recent years does it have a democratic skyline.
Follow Tom on LinkedIn: www. linkedin.com/in/tom-nancollas158b252b
Images: 01. Tom Nancollas presenting at the 2024 Tall Buildings Conference 02-03. Located on Level 58, 22 Bishops GateHorizon 22 is London's highest free viewing platform
THE IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE BUILDING SAFETY ACT
The Building Safety Act 2022 marks a pivotal moment for the construction industry, introducing sweeping reforms that have far-reaching implications across all sectors.
The Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) was established to deliver positive change in the industry with a focus on driving up standards of product information management in the construction product manufacturing sector.
Amanda Long helped established the CCPI in 2023 and since then has seen more than 60 firms join the initiative to have their product information independently assessed. In this interview with Tall Building magazine she explains some of the implications of the new Building Safety Act and how the CCPI can help.
Where do you see the largest impact of the Building Safety Act regulations and why?
The Building Safety Act of April 2022 introduces significant and wideranging changes to the construction and real estate sectors. Its impact
is profound, touching everyone involved in the manufacturing, supply, construction and ownership of property – regardless of size or type.
The scope of the Act is extensive. It includes changes to the Building Control function, the introduction of a new Building Control regime, statutory liability for breaches of building regulations, personal liability for directors, and Building Liability Orders.
The introduction of new rights of recourse, allowing individuals to sue construction product manufacturers for non-compliance with regulatory requirements, misleading statements or defective products – could prove to be a game changer.
These provisions are designed to raise standards across the entire supply chain, with direct responsibilities and potential criminal implications now focusing minds throughout the industry.
One area where we see a significant impact is in product information management. The act supports the importance of product information to be clear, accurate and up-to-date.
The establishment of a national Construction Product Regulator within the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) further reinforces the Act’s far-reaching implications.
How do you see companies reacting to these new regulations?
introduction of the first CCPI-assessed product information marks.
However, it has been seven years since the Grenfell Tower fire, a tragedy that should have triggered a wholesale cultural shift across the construction sector. While it may be said that some progress has been made, the widespread adoption of the necessary cultural change remains slow.
Images: 01. Amanda Long presenting at the 2024 Tall Buildings Conference 02. Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) was established to deliver positive change 1 2
The significance of these new regulations is gradually being recognised by the industry. At the CCPI we have seen around 60 early adopter companies initiate code assessments for specific products and the
It is crucial that the new Building Safety Regulator and Construction Product Regulator utilise the full extent of their powers to drive the behavioural changes required across the industry.
What are your overall thoughts on the Building Safety Act?
The Building Safety Act is an essential step toward. It places building safety and by extension, public safety — at the forefront. However, I am concerned that the required behavioural and cultural changes are developing far too slowly.
I urge all industry participants to be part of the solution and engage with critical initiatives like the CCPI. Whether you are a manufacturer, merchant, distributor, or on the demand side as a client, contractor, architect or specifier – the CCPI offers a means to demonstrate your commitment backed up by tangible action to prioritising building safety.
For more information on the CCPI, visit www.cpicode.org.uk
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HOW TALL BUILDINGS FEATURE
IN THE BUILD-TO-RENT
SECTOR
The build-to-rent sector has great growth potential, especially as a leader of the net-zero agenda – with high-density living, co-living and affordable housing emerging as important trends.
By providing a long-term approach, the build-to-rent model can take strategic design interventions early in the process to ensure longterm sustainability and operational efficiency.
The sector is driven by institutional investment, focusing on scale and residential tall buildings, especially in urban areas, as Brendan Geraghty, CEO of Association for Rental Living, explains.
Brendan describes build-to-rent as a maturing sector with vast opportunities, driven by long-term investment strategies, sustainability goals and a focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience.
Development of the Build-to-Rent Market
Build-to-rent is a growth industry. It is backed by institutional investors – it is about scale and about tall buildings. But it is only about housing, so any of the tall residential developments that you see around the country are likely to be build-to-rent schemes.
It has many benefits in terms of how the sector is approaching the market
and positioning itself. The market has a lot of pressure to green up their assets and to make sure they are sustainable over time. There are a lot of really positive dynamics in the build-to-rent market and I think we will be leaders in the pursuit of the net-zero agenda within the residential sector.
Urban build-to-rent is the biggest by far, followed by single family housing. Co-living is on the up, that is going to be high density with reasonably tall buildings. Later living and affordable will be new markets in the build-to-rent space.
How Developers are Viewing and Influencing the Market
The asset is owned ultimately by the institutional markets. They are looking at a 30-year hold, so they will do the repairs, refinancing and bits and pieces to get their assets to increase in value.
But what is really important to them is that they hold it for 30 years. And what that is doing within the dynamics of development is that they have realised that the ‘for sale’ approach, has not given them a product that really works in the longer term.
So we are seeing investors now making key supply chain strategic design interventions in the development brief, so that the asset is closer to getting it right first time. The predictable cost of living for management and operations is not going to cause them problems in the longer term. They do take a much more long-term view.
Boosting the Resident Experience
One of the key criteria of build-to-rent is around customer-centricity. That is where the rent revenue comes, and if you look after your residents, they will look after you.
The customer experience in build-torent starts with the kerb appeal or the need for a place to live, and then you really start the journey from there. It is no different in residential spaces, we just have not had the choices before and that is starting to emerge in the build-to-rent sector.
Follow Brendan on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ brendangeraghty
Images: 01. Brendan Geraghty presenting at 2024 Tall Buildings Conference 02. Build-to-rent is a growth industry backed by institutional investors 1 2
ADDRESSING CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGES HEAD ON
SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
28 JANUARY 2025
The Construction Productivity Conference will get to the core of an issue which has plagued the construction industry for decades. Taking place on 28 January 2025 in central London, the hard-hitting conference programme looks to address the UK construction ‘productivity puzzle’ head on.
With rising building costs, reducing margins and increasing risk profiles – attempts to improve productivity have proven difficult in a sector too often defined by low profits, aggressive procurement practices, talent shortages and uncertain work pipelines.
Anthony Impey - Be the Business, Jaimie Johnston - Bryden Wood, Hannah Vickers – Mace, Trudy Sully – Mott Macdonald, James Rowbotham - Landsec, Dick Clerkin - Lean Construction Institute, Sam Ward - Laing O’Rourke, Simon Rawlinson - Arcadis, Graham Winch - The Productivity Institute, Martin Plant - McKinsey and Mark Worrall - BBI Services
Demonstrate your authority and reputation as a business on the cutting edge of the construction sector, by joining a wealth of industry leaders at Construction Productivity Conference 2025.
Positioning your business alongside those at the forefront of innovations in products, processes and people management, the conference is currently offering a variety of exhibitor opportunities.
For more information on the Exhibition & Sponsorship Opportunities still available, contact: ellie.guest@radar-communications.co.uk
