Building Engineer- March 2022

the journal of the chartered association of building engineers

March 2022

buildingengineer March 2022 | www.buildingengineer.org.uk

A head start

A change of scene

Design for life

Unlocking the gates

Understanding the value of welcoming neurodiversity to the industry skill mix

How biophilic design affects human psychology, and why it should be built in

Developing inclusive design in creating homes for those with dementia

Is coded gender bias in language a barrier to diversity?

A question of access Will the focus on Part M highlight accessibility issues?

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MARCH 2022

CONTENTS

building engineer WELCOME 05 Welcome Retiring Learning, Education and Academic Director John Barfoot FCABE looks back

22 Stemming the tide Firms should do more to attract STEM students

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23 Green as they come Is CABE doing enough to attract student members?

INFORMATION

24 A different view More young people should apply for degree apprenticeships

06 The briefing News and views INTELLIGENCE 10 Crowd Control The Protect Duty needs to consider how people behave in an emergency 11

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13 Apollo protocol A new digital twins project looks at language barriers between industries

28 A change of scene How does biophilic design change human psychology?

30 A head start Understanding neurodiversity is vital in building inclusive teams

14 Design for life How to develop inclusive housing design for people with dementia

INSIGHT 35 A question of access Will the renewed focus on Part M move accessibility issues up the agenda?

18 Future proof Technology should not be an afterthought in older people’s housing

40 Unlocking the gates Understanding the fundamental barriers to attracting gender diversity

20 Opinion Pagabo’s Gerard Toplass on the industry’s encouraging steps towards ED&I 21 Suffering in silence Suicide rates in male construction workers points to a need for change

Building Engineer is published on behalf of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

by Redactive Publishing Ltd Tel: 020 7880 6200 Email: info@redactive.co.uk redactive.co.uk

Printed by Warners

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CROSS UK Report 1015: safety issues when adding PV panels to existing roofs

26 Knowledge is power Data collection and analysis can help build shockresistant communities

MARCH 2022

25 Inspiring women CABE is excited to announce the launch of CABE for Women

Publisher: Aaron Nicholls Editor: Rebecca Davies-Nash Email: cabe-editorial@redactive.co.uk Designer: Joe McAllister Picture researcher: Claire Echavarry Sub-editor: Rob Loveday Production: Aysha Miah-Edwards Email: aysha.miah@redactive.co.uk Tel: 020 7880 6241 Advertising: Email: cabe-ads@redactive.co.uk Tel: 020 7880 6206

COMMUNITY

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Volume 97 No 3 March 2022 The Official Journal of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers Chief Executive: Dr Gavin Dunn Patron: The Earl of Lytton President: Stewart McArthur Email: info@cbuilde.com cbuilde.com

Subscription Rates: UK and Ireland £85.00, Overseas £120 (per annum, 10 issues a year, sterling).

44 People News 46 Association Update 48 CABE Focus

Building Engineer has been carefully prepared but articles are published without responsibility on the part of the publishers or authors for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of any view, information or advice included therein. Articles published in Building Engineer do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE), nor do CABE, the publishers, or authors endorse or accept any responsibility for any claims made by advertisers. Advertisers are responsible for ensuring that the material submitted for inclusion is accurate and free from error.

ISSN: 0969-8213

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Embedding Sustainability Resort, 13-14 October Celtic ManorNewport

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discussions & Insights

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Climate Energy Impact Climate change has a direct impact on the built environment. By examining its effects, we discuss how to create buildings fit for the future.

Reducing the Impact of Construction How can the government’s net zero carbon targets and upcoming regulations be met? By sharing expertise and insights we discuss different ways to reduce construction’s impact on the environment.

Wider Climate Risks and Opportunities How does the wider economy assess risks, liabilities, and opportunities? Looking to the finance and insurance industries we discuss their influence and impact on the construction industry.

#embedsustainability

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JOHN BARFOOT

WELCOME

Welcome

ILLUSTRATION: SAM KERR

“One of the legacies I am most proud of is CABE’s now firmly established network of academic partners”

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the accreditation and reaccreditation of more than 150 courses, CABE is helping to meet the skills gap. In fact, by May 2023 more than 230 new apprentices will have become building control officers through a CABE/ University of Wolverhampton apprenticeship scheme.

One of the legacies I am most proud of is CABE’s now firmly established network of academic partners. CABE is in a privileged position to join the dots between academic and industry partners and add a unique value.

CPD and competency remain the biggest challenge in the construction sector post Grenfell. Having been involved with member development and CPD, I urge members to prioritise both to stay ahead of the curve.

Speaking of challenges, I’m proud to say CABE was able to support members through the pandemic via the Community and the Benevolent Fund; through the hundreds of Zoom presentations, I certainly felt we were able to connect with more students than we might ordinarily have done. Also, CABE has developed a significant academic and professional presence in the Asia Pacific region thanks to Vivian Sie and the CABE Hong Kong/Malaysia Chapters.

I’m looking forward to the second Malaysia virtual academic conference in May. It’s been great to know that this work will continue in the safe hands of Alison Duckles and her team. I consider CABE colleagues and members as friends and will continue my support in any way I can. I look forward to what the next five years has in store.

MARCH 2022

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s you read this, I will be enjoying the first month of my retirement. I have been privileged to have been part of the CABE team for five years, first as a non-executive on the board representing academic partners and latterly as Learning, Education and Academic Director.

I first encountered CABE when I was head of Design and the Built Environment at Solent University in Southampton. I could see the impact that working with professional bodies had on my students, helping them to see the opportunities beyond university and the value of being part of a thriving professional organisation. Clearly there is also a huge benefit to CABE to connect with students as early as possible in their studies and to build strong academic partnerships.

When I joined CABE, the focus was on supporting full-time academic students at university. This has been broadened and now includes parttime courses, apprenticeships and independent training providers. This has given CABE a wider reach, creating opportunities to support research and academic publication as well as involvement in international academic conferences. It has helped CABE set up an academic route to chartered registration status and a highly effective Engineering Council Academic Panel, chaired by Dr Ramesh Marasini of Buckinghamshire New University and supported by Dr John Littlewood of Cardiff Metropolitan University, Dr Sharifah Fairuz Syed Fadzil of Universiti Sains Malaysia, and Tim Bennett of University College of Estate Management.

In the past two years, student members have increased from 1,400 to more than 2,300; 160 of them gained through working with SAVA, the leading training provider for residential surveyors. Through

John Barfoot FCABE Chartered Building Engineer

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INFORMATION

The briefing

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE INDUSTRY

Slow safety culture change

MARCH 2022

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BUILDING ENGINEER

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ame Judith Hackitt has vented her frustration at the industry’s lack of leadership and slow progress towards bringing about a cultural change in building safety following the Grenfell disaster.

As Construction Enquirer reports, in her third report as chair of the Industry Safety Steering Group, she accuses firms of hiding behind trade associations and preferring to wait for laws to dictate safer practices.

“It would be an unacceptable failure of industry if the culture, which only it can change from within, remained the same and it continued to be solely reliant on regulations or assessors to catch them out or highlight grave errors, rather than embedding building safety as an essential and intrinsic part of the entire process,” Dame Judith writes. “This will only ever foster a culture of low-level compliance rather than the innate safety-first mentality which is fundamental to rebuilding trust in the industry.”

The report highlights examples of good practice such as the Considerate Constructors Scheme, which has established both the Building a Safer Future Charter and working with the Construction Products Association on the Code for Construction Product Information. However, it says this does not indicate a “groundswell of action across industry to suggest there is significant momentum on culture change”.

At the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s National Conference for Electrotechnical and Building Safety Competence, Dame Judith stressed again the need for competency, accountability and responsibility to be at the heart of the new building safety system. Explaining how legislation will encourage the take-up of professional registration, which in turn will help to demonstrate competency, she stressed how the focus must be on delivering quality buildings that are safe, with genuine engagement with residents needed to rebuild trust.

Speaking at the same event, Engineering Council Chief Executive Alasdair Coates said his organisation was developing a contextualised standard for engineers working on high-risk buildings – a version of the UK Standard for Engineering Competence and Commitment (UK-SPEC) 4.0.

Read Dame Judith’s third ISSG report at bit.ly/Hackitt3

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EnvCast CABE Chief Executive Dr Gavin Dunn has taken part in a podcast for the Society for the Environment. Listen at socenv.org.uk/page/ Podcast

85%

OF 1,600 RESIDENTS SURVEYED ACROSS THE NORTH OF ENGLAND BACK PLANS TO BLEND HYDROGEN WITH NATURAL GAS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS

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THE BRIEFING

Global disaster preparedness

Jobs for women

A team of students from Coventry University have developed a concept for a house that can float whenever a flood approaches and shelter people for at least six weeks during catastrophic weather. The house is attached to four anchoring steel pilings that fix the structure in one place. The walls and roof are constructed using galvanised metal sheets, while multiple recycled plastic barrels are tied underneath the ground floor and act as floatation devices.

The team, comprising Duc Toan Nguyen (pictured), Oluwadamilola Gbuyiro, Jesse David Mamodu, and

Pauline Nalumango, with Dr Mehul Chhatbar as their academic lead, entered the concept in the HUMLOG Challenge global disaster preparedness competition and made it to the final round.

For more on the HUMLOG Challenge, visit bit.ly/ HUMLOGchallenge

MARCH 2022

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Education buildings

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Women in Construction week

he McAvoy Group is delivering three new educational facilities valued at £40m on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE). One of these, the Cavendish School near Cambridge, will provide a much-needed specialist school for children with autism.

It will be the world’s first International Baccalaureate special autism school, with a range of new facilities including multi-functional learning areas, calm and sensory spaces, and a horticultural room.

As off-site manufacturing and modern methods of construction specialists in the UK and Ireland, the McAvoy Group has retained a place on the latest version of the DfE’s £7bn four-year Construction Framework for the delivery of school buildings in England.

Celebrating women in construction, WIC week runs from 6-12 March. Join the conversation on social media with #wicweek2022. Turn to page 25 for more on women in the industry.

Air leakage testing

IMAGES: ALAMY, NOUN PROJECT

Find out more at nawic.org/ nawic/wicweek

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BUILDING ENGINEER

emma Harris, Regional Sales Director for Actis and a Women in Construction ambassador, has been inspiring young women to reject stereotypes and follow their dreams of careers in male-dominated professions. Giving a talk to Year 11 students at a school in Hull, she shared her own career path working in two traditionally macho environments – the Royal Navy, where she worked as a weapons engineer, and construction – and gave advice on how to overcome the obstacles she and other women face.

“I had to work that bit harder than the boys, particularly on board a ship. I was promoted later than others because I was a girl,” Jemma said. “I was overlooked for certain positions. These obstacles didn’t deter me from my goals – they made me more determined to succeed and prove myself to be just as good.”

Following her talk, 87.5% of the young women said they were interested in pursuing different careers as a result.

CIBSE has released a webinar on testing for air leakage – the uncontrolled movement of air through a building envelope or component due to the porosity of building fabric materials, interfaces between materials and components and imperfections in the construction of the building.

TM23 Testing buildings for air leakage (2022) addresses testing

non-domestic buildings and dwellings. It describes the two main test methods: fan pressurisation and low-pressure pulse. It intends to provide the methodology principles and framework for regulatory compliance purposes.

For more information, visit bit.ly/CIBSEairleakage

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INFORMATION

Calling climate trailblazers

MARCH 2022

Royal rewilding

BUILDING ENGINEER

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Springwatch’s Chris Packham and the rewilding campaign group Wild Card have asked the Crown Estate to consider pledging a portion of its 615,000 acres to wild nature.

Wild Card also asked if the Crown Estate would convene a discussion with other major landowners such as the Church Commissioners, the National Trust and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge to discuss rewilding and nature recovery on their land. Wild Card also asked it to consider undertaking opportunity mapping to calculate the optimum areas of its landholdings to return to nature – for example, areas between two nature reserves that could join up natural landscapes.

The Crown Estate manages a £14.1bn portfolio, which includes Windsor Great Park, urban areas such as Regent Street in central London as well as 264,000 acres of farmland, woods and uplands.

An independent commercial business, it hands all its profits to the Treasury, which passes on 25% of profits – with a twoyear time lag – to the Queen through the Sovereign Grant.

“It has enormous potential for rewilding, and they recognise that,” said Packham.

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trained workers in low-carbon jobs are particularly encouraged to apply.

Entries close on 15 March 2022. Winners will receive a grant of up to £25,000 and will be announced in the autumn. Last year’s UK winners include Carbon Co-op, for achievements training builders to create energy efficient homes across Manchester, and Kensa Group – creators and installers of innovative groundsource heat pumps as an alternative to mainstream heating run on gas, electricity or oil.

Find out more at ashden.org/awards

Best new building The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the winner of the world’s best new building. The Friendship Hospital in Bangladesh, designed by Kashef Chowdhury/URBANA, will be awarded the RIBA International Prize, the global accolade for design excellence and social impact.

The remote community hospital was commissioned by the NGO Friendship and provides a medical lifeline for thousands of people from Satkhira, an area of Bangladesh that was heavily affected by a major cyclone in 2007. It was described by the grand jury as an “exemplar of innovative architecture that addresses critical global issues – unequal access to healthcare and the crushing impact of climate breakdown on vulnerable communities”.

For more, visit bit.ly/RIBAawards

IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES, ISTOCK, ALAMY, SHUTTERSTOCK

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limate solutions charity Ashden has called on climate trailblazers to apply for the 2022 Ashden Awards, entries for which are now open.

The six awards this year focus on climate action at work, accentuating green jobs and skills.

They also aim to accelerate innovative climate solutions in the public, private and community sectors – with three awards recognising work in the UK. Three more awards will be awarded to initiatives in low-income countries.

For UK applicants, the categories include: Energy Innovation, which will highlight organisations creating new and better jobs in green industries or enabling the decarbonisation of existing carbon-intensive industries such as construction; Skills in Low-Carbon Sectors, which will focus on making homes more energy efficient, restoring nature, and fostering reuse and repair across society; and Greening All Work, focusing on small or medium-sized enterprises helping employees develop skills for zero-carbon work.

Applicants for the 2022 Ashden Awards focusing on creating jobs and increasing

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THE BRIEFING

EPD tool available worldwide

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he Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has announced the global verification of its Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) 3.1 software tool, which will help cement and concrete manufacturers better understand the environmental impact of their products and processes while enabling designers to design the lowest-possible whole-life carbon buildings and infrastructure.

EPDs are independently verified and provide registered documents that communicate transparent and comparable information about the lifecycle environmental impact of products in a credible way. This formal and independent verification enables companies across the

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world to compare cementitious products across key environmental indicators, and includes evaluation of the natural CO2 uptake of a cementitious product to provide a complete environmental picture.

Designers can then use this information as part of a wholelife carbon impact evaluation of their whole project.

Users enter key information on the constituents, processes and energy needs to manufacture a product, together with information about the product during its use and end of life stages. The tool then outputs data that supports development and can be used to secure an EPD from a third party.

The Global Research and Innovation in Plastics Sustainability (GRIPS) conference, exhibition and showcase runs from 15-17 March 2022.

The event will feature 50 innovative exhibitors and interactive sessions from 80 sector experts. Online sessions will showcase the latest thinking, research and technologies in plastics sustainability from both industry and academia on how we can make plastics less likely to reach landfill, end up incinerated or become released into the environment.

Register for GRIPS 20222 at bit.ly/GRIPSregister

STAR APPRENTICE Leeds College of Building apprentice Michael Richardson has won the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation Apprentice of the Year Award 2021.

Michael is a Level 3 Transport Planning Technician Apprentice at Tees Valley Combined Authority involved in transport improvements such as electric vehicle charging points, cycling and walking projects as well as exploring how digital schemes can improve transport.

PLUGGING INTO THE FUTURE

9 BUILDING ENGINEER

amongst electric vehicle (EV) users”.

The National Highways scheme forms part of the Government’s goal of introducing around 6,000 high-powered chargers on the motorway network by 2035. The systems store energy in quiet periods and then provide rapid high-power charging at busy times. Using battery storage also paves the way for service stations to become prosumers (both producers and consumers of energy) through the installation of solar technology, which could generate, store and use solar energy for EV charging, creating a more sustainable future.

PLASTIC FANTASTIC

MARCH 2022

New regulations for all new homes and buildings in England to have electric vehicle charging points installed as standard come into force from 2022. These include supermarkets, workplaces and buildings undergoing major renovations. Together with new homes, this could result in up to 145,000 charge points being added each year over the next decade. England is the first country to mandate such building regulations.

Michael Kenyon MIET, Head of Electrical Technical Development at Bureau Veritas Group, said the regulations were a positive move but did not address the need to ensure existing buildings have the same requirement. He also welcomed the investment by National Highways for energy storage systems in giant batteries at service stations where the grid supply is not enough for rapid charging infrastructure as “an excellent way to tackle range anxiety

NEWS IN BRIEF

Electric dreams

A report from the NHBC Foundation, written by Cutland Consulting Ltd, provides guidance for house builders and developers on ensuring buildings are future proofed.

Download the report, titled Plugging in to the future: electric vehicle charging and new homes (NF90), at bit.ly/EVHomeCharge

GET INVOLVED Building Engineer prides itself on presenting high-quality technical information and industry insight, and would like to showcase the expertise of the members themselves. Do you have specialist knowledge of an area that’s not being covered, or insight in an area that is? Would you be willing to submit a feature or be interviewed?

If so, e-mail the editor at cabe@redactive.co.uk

More details at bit.ly/EPDtool

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MARCH 2022

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BUILDING ENGINEER

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rom February to July 2021, the UK Government consulted on proposals for the Protect Duty, whereby certain venues and organisations would be required to consider terrorist threats and reasonable mitigations to these.

In January 2022, the government published a document outlining the responses to the public consultation.

There was broad support that those responsible for public places should take appropriate and proportionate measures to protect the public from attacks, and to prepare their staff to respond appropriately.

“Most felt venue capacity should determine when the duty applied,” notes Mark Smulian at Local Government Lawyer, “while ‘very strong views were expressed regarding the need for accountability, such as the need for clear roles and responsibilities, particularly amongst event organisers, and those at senior level within venues and organisations’.” He notes too that “local authorities were considered the leading organisation to bring together security partnerships, receiving three times as many nominations as the emergency services.”

Councillor Nesil Caliskan, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “Introducing a new Protect Duty will require significant resource and capacity to ensure that those within its scope are aware of their responsibilities and comply.

This must be supported by full funding and time to allow for communication, preparation, guidance and training, and

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

recruitment of specialised staff before implementation can begin… [It] will also need to take a risk-based approach to introducing new measures that does not allow terrorism to disrupt normal life and inhibit our freedoms to enjoy the places and spaces that are a critical and muchloved part of local communities.”

While the government’s response is a positive step forward, there’s an opportunity to go even further by making sure legislation encourages individuals and businesses that have a Protect Duty to employ emergency systems that are more adaptive and interconnected so that people are alerted to threats and guided away from them more quickly and safely.

The bystander effect We know that inaction, or the bystander effect, is a real issue in attacks that happen in high-density venues – with some people not responding to alerts. The first 60 seconds of an alarm sounding are the most critical; the time it takes people to recognise a threat is the greatest variable in evacuations. In such cases, shortening the response to an evacuation

or stay-put strategy can save lives.

People respond more quickly when they are given rich information and when a physical reaction is stimulated – for example, through live directives telling people about the nature of the threat and pulsating emergency lighting drawing people to safe evacuation points.

Animating exit signage and making it as visible as possible is also crucial to help people with hearing disabilities, who might otherwise not be able to hear audio directives. Evacuation technologies must work for everyone.

The interconnected technology exists to adapt to threats in real time – for example, to direct people away from routes where incidents have taken place. The safest exit isn’t necessarily the nearest one.

As any future legislation makes its way through parliament, I hope that the opportunity is taken to encourage businesses to implement layered, connected and adaptive emergency systems that will optimise the safety of their venues.

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

INTELLIGENCE

For more, visit eaton.com

Crowd control The government’s response to the Protect Duty Consultation also needs to consider how people behave in an emergency, says Eaton’s UK and Ireland Managing Director Siobahn Meikle

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INTELLIGENCE

CROSS UK

Report 1015 Safety issues when adding PV panels to existing roofs

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reporter’s organisation has recently been involved in reviewing calculations for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on numerous public sector buildings and schools. Concern was raised about the lack of structural engineering knowledge and dangerous assumptions used in the assessments. The reporter has seen/reviewed calculations from multiple organisations, mainly solo practitioners and small building surveying firms.

A summary of the main issues encountered are: details of the existing structure and loading arrangement not included in calculations details of the proposed PV and loading arrangement system not being provided the weight of supporting frames and ballast to anchor the panels have not been included in calculations for additional loading to the roof no back-checking/assessment of existing structural members, liner trays or purlins to check they are adequate for the proposed loads offsetting the roof access loads without consideration of snow loads in some instances, the full access load has been offset, raising the question of how the panels are to be installed or maintained no consideration of localised snow drift caused by the panels creating new obstructions on the roof uplift wind forces on the panels are often ignored completely mixing of design codes, for example using Eurocode loading with British Standard member design and vice versa

no checks on serviceability criteria for the roof, for example that no ponding will occur; and eroding the partial factors for loading as a way to justify the new loading.

The reporter has come across calculations using assumed values to offset the load. For example, a recent project had assumed the roof had a ceiling and services allowance of 0.25kN/m2, thinking this was an industrystandard value, and then used this to offset loading.

There were no existing load plans available to validate the ceiling and services allowance for this project.

They also report that wind uplift forces, which could be critical in non-ballasted installations on lightweight roofs, are often ignored and most engineers’ reports only check for gravity load combinations.

Another concern is that the ballast arrangement on the roof is frequently being ignored or not properly considered in design. Typically, PV suppliers will concentrate ballast around panel edges due to high uplift forces. Most structural reports ignore this and average the total ballast load over the whole PV installation.

The reporter has recently seen several proposed installations where panels are to be attached to an existing timber roof with gang-nail-type trusses.

While a global check is often performed on the roof structure, checks on the fixings between the roof structure and PV mounting frames are often omitted.

The reporter has often found this detail to be critical in terms of fixing layout and edge distances as highlighted in BRE Digest 489 Wind loads on roofmounted photovoltaic and solar thermal systems.

Issues have arisen where clients were not advised on the risks that need to be included in the building’s Health and Safety file – for example, advising the client that roof access must be limited or that no additional services can be supported by the roof.

They have also noted that some reports contain statements/assumptions that they believe to be unsafe or dangerous. The following were contained in a recent report: “Given the roof is only loaded with snow for short periods, we do not consider the loadings to be an issue”; and “To summarise, the structure has a comfortable factor of safety built into its design and a sufficient capacity for any minor overloading scenarios which may occur.”

MARCH 2022

Concerns over the knowledge and assessment standards for the installation of solar panels for multiple public sector buildings and schools

CROSS UK

Comments It is good to see this reporter’s firm is checking calculations for such installations, although worrying to observe the number and extent of the problems found. There have been a number of previous CROSS reports on PV panels, and these can be found on the CROSS website along with a SCOSS Alert issued in 2016: Photovoltaic installations – structural aspects (bit.ly/PV_Installation).

BRE Digest 489 Wind loads on roof-mounted photovoltaic and solar thermal systems (bit.ly/ PVWindLoad), as referred to above, provides very useful design guidance, based on EN 1991 and the UK NA, for calculating wind forces. Contractors may be familiar with electrical installation, and there are

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MARCH 2022

INTELLIGENCE

BUILDING ENGINEER

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CROSS UK

guides on this – for example, Guide to the Installation of Photovoltaic Systems (bit.ly/PVInstallGuide) from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. This guide does not cover the structural implications for the roof. The Scottish Government published Low carbon equipment and building regulations – a guide to safe and sustainable construction – Photovoltaics (bit.ly/ScotPVGuide) in 2012, which also contains advice on installation.

Given the growing practice of installing panels and the generic faults in design and construction, there should be a structural engineering guide, and possibly a Code of Practice, for the design and installation of such panels. This should cover both new buildings and retrofits on existing buildings.

After installation, there should be a certificate to confirm compliance with guidelines.

Note should also be taken of the risks with the manual handling and work at height issues associated with installing and maintaining solar panels. There have been numerous incidents of workers falling through, or from, roofs during such work. Roofs must be left in a state where maintenance can safely be undertaken. HSE in Northern Ireland have a web page on installing solar panels safely (bit.ly/SafeSolarInstallation), which gives helpful information. The Working at Height Regulations – and, by implication, compliance with BS 5975 for temporary works – are also relevant.

Generic faults in design and installation appear to be widespread, with structural safety and

Key learning outcomes For civil and structural design engineers: structural design must comply with Approved Document A load effects of snowdrifts and wind uplift forces on the roof structure should be carefully considered BRE Digest 489 Wind loads on roof-mounted photovoltaic and solar thermal systems provides very useful design guidance, based on EN 1991 and the UK National Annex for calculating wind forces; and there have been a number of previous CROSS reports on PV panels, and these risks were highlighted in a Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS) Alert in 2016: Photovoltaic installations –

structural aspects.

For the building team: on existing roofs, make sure that the structural aspects have been considered be aware that panels can add load to existing roofs be aware of the risks of working on existing roofs; and inspection by a competent person should be carried out to ensure the works are installed in accordance with the design intent.

For industry: note that CROSS recommends there should be guidance upon structural design and installation of PV panels for both new and existing buildings.

maintenance issues that may be costly to resolve in future. With increased attention on the green agenda, the use of – and associated potential problems with – these installations may be expected to increase.

CROSS UK

Report 1004 Collaborative reporting for safer structures.

Report 1004: Structural corrosion in a swimming pool building causes concern

The reporter’s firm conducted intrusive opening up works that involved breaking out parts of the concrete floor slabs around the column bases. It was discovered that the repair plates had not been welded to the columns in these locations. The reporter believes this would render the repairs ineffective in providing any structural remediation, i.e. an alternative load path for the columns around the corroded area.

The survey findings were reported to the owner along with a recommendation that the building is unsafe, uneconomic to repair and should be demolished. It is understood that the building is now no longer in use.

Comments A survey showed severe corrosion of previously repaired steelwork columns adjacent to a public swimming pool

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his report is from a structural engineer who was commissioned to conduct a visual inspection of a swimming pool building.

Their concern is about the stability of the pool hall’s structural steel frame, which has undergone numerous repairs over the years.

The reporter says the state of repairs made to the steel columns is a problem. Some of these have corroded significantly close to the poolside level.

Ultrasonic testing showed corrosion has caused considerable loss of section to the columns.

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All structures deteriorate over time and swimming pool environments promote corrosion. Corrosion of steelwork and other structural elements around swimming pools is a common problem and there have been collapses of pool roof structures. Other CROSS reports indicate worrying degrees of deterioration in such structures.

Experience suggests that where corrosion is extensive there may be hidden areas that are badly affected, and these may govern structural capacity.

Hence intrusive investigations are advisable.

To subscribe to the CROSS UK newsletter (structural and fire safety concerns), visit cross-safety.org/my-account

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INTELLIGENCE

DIGITAL TWINS

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IMAGE: NASA

Missed opportunities Rick Hartwig, IET Built Environment Lead, says: “Digital twins offer huge benefits for society but only a co-ordinated approach to the language used will allow those benefits to be realised. There are many steps to improving information management – from the manufacturers and their product information and frameworks to technology companies

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A new digital twins project looks at language barriers between industries to find some common ground producing in the digital twin space that need the availability of data to construct models.

“It goes much further than just the manufacturing, built environment and technology industries – policymakers will only meet their sustainability goals if they can provide clarity during procurement for the market to respond effectively, so it will take a whole-system approach.”

Professor Rab Scott, Head of Digital at the AMRC, part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, agrees: “We have built a unique team that brings together the manufacturing, technology and built environment sectors together

13 One small step for digital twins might be one giant leap for the building industry

BUILDING ENGINEER EER

Apollo Protocol

MARCH 2022

ore than 50 years ago, NASA used digital twin technology to plan and effect the rescue of the three astronauts trapped aboard the crippled Apollo 13 spacecraft.

By using simulators and their associated computer systems on the ground, it was the first instance of creating a digital twin to diagnose issues in a site that couldn’t physically be reached – in this case, 210,000 miles away from Earth. Although the process wasn’t called digital twinning at the time, it bears a clear resemblance to this familiar modern technology and was crucial to the success of the Apollo programme in bringing the three astronauts home safely.

But while different sectors have embraced the usefulness of digital twins, it seems there is little consistency between them. At present, the manufacturing and built environment sectors, for example, are developing their concepts of digital twins separately. So, leading voices from the construction sector and beyond have come together to explore the language problem with digital twins that arises from a lack of co-ordination and consistency between sectors.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), together with the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), the Construction Leadership Council and the Centre for Digital Built Britain, as a partner in the Construction Innovation Hub, techUK and supported by the Alan Turing Institute (the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence), have launched the Apollo Protocol.

The Protocol’s aim is to help different industries to communicate more effectively, reducing silos and improving co-ordination for more collaborative and sustainable outcomes. The Protocol will investigate the language barriers between the digital twins of different sectors and develop recommendations to increase the interoperability between sectors.

in a way never seen before. We want to ensure our sectors are being proactive in meeting the challenges ahead of us in terms of climate change and ensuring resilience of products that operate in the built environment.”

Neil Thompson, Co-Chair of the Built Environment Panel of the IET, says: “I’m excited to embark on the next phase of our transformation journey as a sector. Building an internet of twins that integrates seamlessly into our built environment is a challenging but worthy cause. We realise that we cannot do this alone and depend on our digital connections to the manufacturing and technology sectors.”

The project team will bring together experts in the field and intends to publish a white paper in autumn 2022 identifying some of the challenges.

For more information, contact sep@iet.org with the subject ‘The Apollo Protocol’.

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INTELLIGENCE

Design for life

MARCH 2022

Barbara Balocating Dunn PhD(c), Professor Sue Hignett, Professor Malcolm Cook and Dr Ellen Taylor discuss the development of inclusive design for people with dementia

D

ementia is a growing challenge and is one of the most important health and social care issues facing the world. The Alzheimer’s Society has forecast that the number of people diagnosed with dementia in the UK will reach two million by 2051 – double the current total. Projections by the Office for National Statistics have long shown that the UK’s population is ageing, and that by 2035 approximately 25% of its inhabitants will be over 65 years old.

Longer life expectancy, the increasing prevalence of dementia and the fact that more and more people wish to age in place – that is, remain living at home and in the community with some level of independence for as long as possible rather than in care – suggest that designing and building homes that will allow people to live independently for longer is vitally important.

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INCLUSIVE DESIGN

In addition to internal physiological conditions, external factors can influence health and wellbeing.

The largest, most visible external factor is the built environment where we spend most of our time, and our research specifically investigates the design of the home. The home environment embodies many activities of daily living involved in normal self-care, such as preparing meals, sleeping, dressing, entering/ going out of the home, watching TV, personal hygiene and general housekeeping.

If a person has to adjust to a new way of living that will affect their movements, hearing, vision, speech, or cognition with varying degrees of difficulty, it can be challenging and frustrating. It can be even more difficult for them to carry out their activities of daily living with the same ease and familiarity they are accustomed to, especially if the difficulties are

brought on by a life-changing cognitive condition such as dementia.

Design for dementia considerations

by 2035 around

25%

of the uk’s inhabitants will be over

65

years old

The housing stock in the UK is one of the oldest in the world – if not the oldest. Many UK houses are not easily accessible, are generally darker (with insufficient natural lighting), lack a ground floor toilet, have narrow halls and stairs, have floors that are uneven throughout, and offer limited or no physical and/or visible access to a secure garden space.

For example, common examples of poor design for those suffering with dementia involve front entrances, which should have a level approach and an internal ground floor level similar to the external ground level; this helps support all people with

MARCH 2022

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Open spaces, spacious downstairs bathrooms and rooms that can be easily partitioned for one-floor living can make homes more amenable for people with dementia. Images from the dementiafriendly demonstration home at the BRE in Watford (Loughborough University, Halsall Lloyd Partnership and Liverpool John Moores University)

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14/02/2022 17:13

INTELLIGENCE

Understanding dementia The UK’s Alzheimer’s Society list four key points to understand about dementia:

1

Dementia is not a part of natural ageing; over 40,000 people under 65 in the UK have early onset dementia.

2

MARCH 2022

Dementia is caused by several diseases that affect the brain in different ways. The four most widespread causes (in order of frequency) are Alzheimer’s disease,

BUILDING ENGINEER

16

vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy Bodies and frontotemporal dementia.

3

Dementia is not just about losing one’s memory – it can affect the way people think, speak, feel, perceive things and behave.

4

People can still live well with dementia.

mobility issues, not just with dementia. If steps are necessary, an alternative inclined approach should be provided.

Visual mistakes are common for people with dementia, particularly those with vascular dementia.

Dark, narrow staircases are commonly mistaken for a cascading waterfall. Providing lighting directly above staircases and natural lighting at the top and bottom will help.

Too many doors can be confusing for a person with dementia; an open-plan layout would be beneficial here. Typically, ground-floor WCs are accessible off a narrow corridor or small hall. They can be difficult to locate for someone with dementia because the line of view is limited. This could lead to incontinence issues.

Those in wheelchairs can struggle. Internal doorways are often not wide enough to enable wheelchair access, particularly with a ground-floor toilet (if one is available). Also, the presence of thresholds or level changes increases the risk of falls and makes manoeuvring a wheelchair challenging.

Depending on the person’s preference regarding stairlifts and lifts, stairs are often not structurally designed or there is insufficient space to install a stairlift. Sometimes a lift is the better option, but space can be too limited to do so. Plus, installing smart technology for assistive devices might not possible due to the layout of many homes, especially older ones.

Despite these common problems, there are many design considerations that can help support those living with dementia. For example, it can be beneficial to increase acoustic insulation in the walls and ceilings – noises such as those from a washing

“The principles for designing for dementia ideally include principles that are applicable for the ageing population in general”

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machine can be a negative and painful experience for those with dementia. Ground-floor bathrooms with good visibility and access from main living areas provide sufficient space to enable a caregiver to provide assistance, and have the design capacity for future wet-room facilities to be installed.

Access and view(s) to a secure garden improves wellbeing (by providing direct sunlight and fresh air, improving sleep cycles and moods), encourages social interactions and enables people with dementia to better orient themselves in relation to place and time, as well as a temporary distraction from fixations.

The same is true for views of green space: if windows are enlarged, those with dementia experience the benefits of natural light, which supports the human body’s circadian rhythm.

Advice and guidance for adapting a home for a person living with dementia are widely available.

However, there is conflicting information between documents, and recommendations appear to be based on an insufficient evidence base. A systematic literature review examined whether research has been carried out to establish a need for an approved set of inclusive design for dementia standards, and has confirmed that one does not exist.

Research aims To address the need for a UK standard guideline for designing for dementia (as one does not exist), we have instigated a PhD research project, which aims to: 1. explore this gap in guidance by investigating the UK Building Regulations Part M: Access To and Use of Building and its accompanying Approved Document M since this document is the only one approved for accessibility that exists 2. collate design principles and evidence(s) that have been researched and reviewed in recent studies; and 3. develop a set of inclusive design guidelines for new build homes in the UK, enabling future home adaptations that will support people living with dementia. For this study, housing adaptation refers to modifications of permanent physical features in the indoor and immediate outdoor environment to reduce environmental barriers and restore independent living.

The research plan consists of four studies, which commenced in October 2021.

Study 1 investigated the interpretation and understanding of Part M and Approved Document M (ADM) by currently active housing professionals via online interviews and a questionnaire. Participants for this study included architects, building control, technical policy and national standards officials, housebuilders and occupational therapists. The objectives of Study 1 were: a) to understand participants’ interpretations of certain aspects of Part M and its associated Approved Document relating to inclusivity, home adaptations and varying (physical versus cognitive) health considerations; and b) to acquire participants’ thoughts and recommendation(s) for the inclusion of design for dementia into Part M/Approved Document M.

14/02/2022 17:13

INCLUSIVE DESIGN

Hierarchical organisation Category 1 (M4(1)): Visitable Dwelling

(1) Reasonable provision must be made for people to:

1(a) gain access to; and

1(b) use the dwelling and its facilities.

(2) The provision made must be sufficient to:

Standard

Optional

Optional

PART M Access to and Use of Buildings

Category 2 (M4(2)): Accessible & Adaptable Dwellings

1(a) gain access to; and

1(b) use the dwelling and its facilities.

1(a) gain access to; and

1(b) use the dwelling and its facilities.

2(a) meet the needs of occupants with differing needs, including some older or disabled people; and

2(b) to allow adaptation of the dwelling to meet the changing needs of occupants over time.

2(a) allow simple adaptation of the dwelling to meet the needs of occupants who use wheelchairs; or

2(b) meet the needs of occupants who use wheelchairs.

Barbara Balocating Dunn is in the second year of a threeyear PhD in Human Factors and Ergonomics at Loughborough University’s School of Design and Creative Arts. The title of her PhD is Development of UK inclusive design for dementia standards: enabling future home adaptations to support people living with dementia.

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Would you like to be involved in this research?

Study 2 is currently in progress and is investigating retired people who are ageing in place, in homes of differing ages and characteristics. It is also evaluating the aspects of their homes that have been adapted or that require adapting, and identifies plans, if any, for future adaptation(s). The university is recruiting retired people to take part in this study .

Studies 2 and 3 focus on home environments to better understand which environmental features and strategies are effective and perceived as helpful to different forms of dementia, as well as to support carers; for example, open-plan layouts versus closed rooms, or flexible space arrangements. Further studies aim to identify when (ie., at what stage in the course of dementia) these strategies should be implemented.

Study 3 will gather stakeholder feedback for Version 1.0 of the IDDS via questionnaires. Study 3 aims to recruit people with dementia living in their own home and undertake data collection and analysis via the same methods used in Study 2. The results will be used to inform IDDS Version 2.0.

Study 4 will take place in two phases to evaluate and test two versions of the IDDS (Versions 2.0 and 3.0) at either a dementia-friendly test location(s) or the homes of participants/people with dementia. The first phase will introduce IDDS Version 2.0 and gather stakeholder feedback. Study 3 participants with dementia (in addition to new recruits) will be invited to test IDDS Version 2.0, and the results will be used to inform Version 3.0. This cycle will be repeated for the second phase of Study 4 with IDDS Version 3.0, and the final analysis and results will be used to design the final set of IDDS Version 4.0.

We hope this research will contribute to the knowledge base for the design of mainstream housing that considers dementia and cognitive health, assist in improving future-proofing the quality of the UK’s housing stock, and support the UK’s ageing population to live well independently.

MARCH 2022

Study 1 only concluded at the end of February 2022, but ongoing analysis highlights three issues: firstly, front-door access requires significant improvements to enable a person with dementia to identify their home, approach with confidence and enter with ease.

Secondly, providing a wheelchair-accessible groundfloor bathroom with space to accommodate at least two people minimum (thereby giving space for a carer) that can be redesigned to become a wet room with a level-access shower is a necessity.

Finally, ground floor layouts need to be flexibly designed to accommodate someone living solely on the ground floor; in other words, spaces such as dining rooms or a study can be converted into a bedroom, or a new internal partition constructed within a large spacious room to create a bedroom.

People with dementia are subject to the normal ageing process, such as mobility issues, and deterioration in vision and hearing. Consequently, the principles for designing for dementia ideally include principles that are applicable for the ageing population in general.

As the Inclusive Design for Dementia Standards are being developed, we are looking for stakeholders familiar with Part M/ADM (Vol. 1) to provide feedback and recommendations.

Please register your interest by contacting Barbara Balocating Dunn through the CABE Community, LinkedIn or by emailing b.b.dunn@lboro.ac.uk.

Category 3 (M4(3)): Wheelchair User Dwellings

For more, visit lboro.ac.uk/research/dementia

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14/02/2022 17:13

INTELLIGENCE

MARCH 2022

Future proof BUILDING ENGINEER

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B

uried on page 226 of the government’s recent Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper is an important announcement: a new taskforce is soon to be launched “to look at ways better choice, quality and security of housing for older people can be provided.

For older people trapped in non-decent or unsuitable accommodation, the UK Government will work to increase the choices available to them.”

The pledge is welcome news for Jeremy Porteus, Chief Executive of the Housing, Learning and Improvement Network (Housing LIN), who is only too aware that providing better and more suitable housing provision can enable people to live more independently for longer.

Housing LIN has been pushing for such a taskforce for some time, citing the need for government to tackle issues of design quality, service quality and supply of housing for older people, and to make all housing more adaptable.

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By 2030, one in five people in the UK will be aged 65 or older. But society is failing to keep pace with the types of homes best suited to them. “While 10% of housing in Australia is designed for the older population, and 17% in USA, in the UK it’s about 5%,” Jeremy points out.

What’s more, half of the specialist housing we have was built more than 30 years ago and much is no longer fit for purpose in a digital age without extensive renovation.

And there’s another lost opportunity too: while technology has advanced in leaps and bounds over the past decade, this is not being harnessed to create smart living environments that can enrich the lives of older and disabled people, Jeremy says.

Up to date The practical adoption of connected technology and how housing can be wired for its use is the subject of Housing LIN’s latest enquiry: Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI). The TAPPI panel interviewed 30

experts and consumers over six months before publishing its recommendations in October 2021. It called for any project across the housing, health and/or adult social care sectors to incorporate a tech strategy so that older residents are not digitally excluded.

Jeremy is hoping TAPPI will have the same effect on housing as its 2009 report, Housing our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (HAPPI), which provided the design blueprint for the majority of new housing for older people built over the past decade or so.

Housing developments harnessing HAPPI principles are full of daylight, both in the homes and in shared spaces.

They also incorporate balconies or other outdoor space, and have shared gardens with plants and trees. Though these elements seem nothing out of the ordinary in what we might expect of new homes, they were often missing in older persons’ dwellings.

The TAPPI panel drew up ten key

IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES, NOUN PROJECT

Is technology in older people’s housing an afterthought? The Housing, Learning and Improvement Network is trying to ensure no one is left behind

14/02/2022 17:14

TECHNOLOGY

it is now paramount that older generations are not left behind.

These aims are supported in the white paper, where digital equality is a key strand, and also dovetails with the sentiments set out in the People at the Heart of Care: Adult Social Care Reform white paper published in December. The social care white paper’s vision is to embed housing as part of the local health and care system, make it easier for people to adapt their home so they can live independently and safely for as long as possible. It also calls for an increase in the supply of specialist housing; £210m has been allocated to help.

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“While technology has advanced in leaps and bounds, this is not being harnessed to create smart living environments for older and disabled people”

30

MARCH 2022

principles for new housing. Included in these are: all housing should be able to adapt to meet changing user needs and technological advances; digital, health and income inequalities should be reduced to enable active involvement in home, local community or networks; health and wellbeing should be improved to raise quality of life or maintain independence; and people must be empowered to cocreate solutions to how they want to live their lives.

Jeremy points out that Covid-19 has accelerated how society is using technology to communicate, connect and experience health and care support. But

provide a test bed for how mainstream technologies can be used to support people with learning disabilities. They have incorporated a variety of affordable mainstream half of the consumer technology, from specialist voice/video-activated devices housing to others controlled using built more gestures, while also using the than Internet of Things. Research found that people’s health and wellbeing improved when using these mainstream years ago technologies to support their is no longer daily living. fit for Jeremy says that making purpose in homes more adaptable might a digital age mean having to install futureproof cabling, interoperable tech platforms and multiple power supplies or adaptors. He wants to explore TAPPI recommendations how this could be accommodated in The TAPPI report makes a number off-site homes, which could be designed of recommendations that would see and manufactured in a way to incorporate widespread use of technology in new technology later, such as fully electric housing design and construction, as hoists or sensors. well as upgrading and adapting existing “Whatever the spec, by hard-wiring housing. These include: digital into homes, people can connect establishing a clear minimum digital the gadgets they want to use. And as living standard that works as a someone’s needs change and technology benchmark alongside industry codes advances, their home adapts too, and charters, setting out what is needed supporting not only the latest mainstream to live well and safely in a digital society consumer devices but more specialist as part of a national digital strategy telecare or telehealth systems,” he says. for transformation, create a housing, The report suggests TAPPI provides care products and services marketplace a benchmark that should encourage platform that will enable easy consumer the housing sector to apply the panel’s access to relevant digital products principles when designing, developing, and services managing or marketing homes. review and update planning policy The next phase of the work will be and guidance as well as the regulatory launched at the TEC Services Association’s framework for housing so that smart International Technology Enabled Care technology infrastructure is built into conference in Birmingham this month new homes, making them adaptable to and will set out plans to develop the the needs of an ageing population; and TAPPI framework. This includes receiving futureproof government guidance on bids to recruit live test beds across up to Disabled Facilities Grants so the scheme four localities. Successful schemes will supports retrofitting and adaptations of win a share of funding from sponsors the homes for an ageing population with a Dunhill Medical Trust. new Technology Facilities Grant.

“My ask,” says Jeremy, “is that all The report also highlights a number housing is digitally accessible, it can of projects where technology is being accommodate the future needs of used to help residents. One of these residents and is care-ready, and that has been trialled by the Innovate Trust, strong partnerships across housing, health which has developed smart houses that and social care are forged. This will be vital to support our ageing population – and the levelling up agenda.”

Find out more at housinglin.org.uk Read the TAPPI report at bit.ly/TAPPIreport View the HAPPI report at bit.ly/HAPPIreport Read the social care white paper at bit.ly/SocialCareWP

14/02/2022 17:14

OPINION

MARCH 2022

INTELLIGENCE

INDUSTRY OPINION

There’s no golden bullet for fixing decades of limited progress on ED&I, but the steps being made in the industry are encouraging, says Pagabo’s Gerard Toplass

E GERARD TOPLASS, Executive Chair of Pagabo Framework provider Pagabo aims to make procurement quicker, easier and more effective. The company provides UK public sector organisations with EUcompliant framework agreements, dynamic purchasing and bespoke consultancy.

quality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) has long been a topic that has dogged the construction industry. Anyone that works in property and construction will tell you that there is not enough diversity in the industry.

Despite great progress made over the last decade, just one in eight people working in the industry are female, while a 2018 report on diversity showed that just 5.4% of workers in the sector are Black, Asian or minority ethnic.

As Amos Simbo, founder of the BPIC Network, noted on Pagabo’s Building Blocks podcast, the fact that the topic of ED&I – or lack thereof – is even being discussed shows how things have progressed and how seriously it is now being taken in the industry.

But just discussing isn’t enough: there are decades of poor practice on this front that need to be undone, and it’s no easy task. The experiences of former Faithful+Gould employee Ella Sanders – who was actively discouraged from a career in construction while at school – illustrate this.

Given the industry’s historically poor performance around ED&I, it’s especially important that we benchmark ourselves against other industries, see how we stack up and learn from their approaches where appropriate.

Jenny Hinde – who as Executive Director of The

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IMAGE: ISTOCK

BUILDING ENGINEER

20

Clear Company works in ED&I across several industries, including construction – has said that there is a real push from people working within the industry to get things right on the ED&I front, but this is largely coming from the bigger organisations. These companies are looking to take the lead in embracing ED&I rather than be driven by their clients. However, this initiative doesn’t yet seem to be permeating down to small and medium-sized companies to the same extent, and getting this to happen is an important stage on the journey.

Dara Jafari, Associate Director and ED&I lead at Faithful+Gould, has pointed out that there is an important distinction to make between the professional side of the industry and the site work side. While both face similar challenges in terms of ED&I – and there has been a genuinely positive shift towards embracing the importance of a diverse workforce – the approach to tackling this can’t be one size fits all.

It’s important not to forget the inclusion element of ED&I. Jenny touched on the use of divisive language – blue collar and white collar being a prime example – and even the difference between the terms of employment for on- and off-site workers as key indicators of the lack of inclusivity.

However, the shift is happening. Those on the podcast who deal with public sector clients agreed they have seen a greater focus on ED&I in bid documents – and, importantly, that clients had progressed from questions about simple compliance to ones asking more about how it is being delivered in practice. Most impressively, there also seems to be a desire from those clients to learn more about that delivery, and how they can replicate it within their own structures.

As Dara pointed out, it’s one thing for a board of directors to identify that they potentially have improvements to make where it comes to ED&I, but it’s quite another for them to recognise that – for that very reason – they themselves may not be best placed to solve the problem.

It’s a long road, but the positive steps being taken across the industry show us that we are moving in the right direction.

Listen to Pagabo’s Building Blocks podcast on Anchor at bit.ly/PagaboAnchor and YouTube at bit.ly/PagaboYouTube

14/02/2022 17:15

INTELLIGENCE

WELLBEING

Suffering in silence EqualEngineers’ research into suicide rates in male construction workers points to a need for change in the industry

S

Sign up at equalengineers.com to read the results of the 2021 survey To read the 2019 report, visit: bit.ly/EqEngMasculinityReport

21 BUILDING ENGINEER

uicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 50, and male construction workers are almost four times more likely to take their own life than those working in any other industry or profession. The situation is bleak – particularly among the engineering and technology industry, where men comprise more than 89% of the workforce and more than one in five in this sector reporting that they have lost a colleague to suicide.

These findings were uncovered

by EqualEngineers in its Masculinity in Engineering survey in 2019. The organisation was set up to make the engineering and technology sectors more diverse and inclusive, because this is proven to increase performance, growth and innovation as well as improve health, safety and wellbeing. EqualEngineers hopes to increase the sector’s diversity by connecting inclusive employers with diverse talent in the sector, and through providing training, consulting, recruitment and events.

and we need to ensure everyone feels included, and is able to find their voice as part of the diversity narrative.”

Dr Rhys Morgan, Director of Engineering & Education at the Royal Academy of Engineering, agrees: “It is vitally important that we try to capture the voices of everyone working in engineering as we work to create a more inclusive profession. Engineering has a first-class reputation for creating a culture where safety is at the heart of what we do, and we now need to extend this to consideration of psychological safety.”

Simon Blake OBE, Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid England, believes the research will help shape workplace policy and recruitment: “This survey will help develop understanding of the impact of gender expectations on men in the engineering profession so everyone can thrive and get the help and support they need, when they need it.”

The results from the EqualEngineers Masculinity in Engineering survey will be released in spring 2022.

MARCH 2022

too great? Does this manifest itself as a macho culture in the workplace or on-site that prevents an inclusive culture?

The Masculinity in Engineering surveys are the brainchild of EqualEngineers Managing Director Dr Mark McBrideWright, who set up the company after years of working in the sector. As a gay safety engineer, he understands not only the challenges the lack of diversity can bring, but also the risks: “For me, inclusivity in the workplace is a health and safety issue.

If you are not being able to be open about who you are, the attitudes and a lack of diversity around you can lead to mental health issues and decreased wellbeing.

“Our 2018 research found that one in five engineers had lost a work colleague to suicide, and a similar number had self-harmed or had suicidal thoughts themselves. We need to rapidly overhaul the way in which we approach culture change programmes within our industry,

IMAGE: ISTOCK

Landmark survey The 2019 survey also showed that more than one in ten respondents expressed an opinion that men should view women as property or objects; or express themselves through aggression (verbal, physical or sexual). Building on these findings, EqualEngineers ran a second survey from October to November 2021. It explored whether the culture of engineering is affected by the stereotype of what an engineer should be, and how men are expected to behave. Do men feel included or excluded in the push to increase diversity? And why do men feel pressure to behave a certain way in the workplace?

Are men able to be open about their mental health challenges, or is the stigma

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15/02/2022 11:14

INTELLIGENCE

I

MARCH 2022

t’s no secret that the industry is facing a huge skills shortage over the next five years and the industry urgently needs to attract fresh blood if it is to continue to flourish. It is currently struggling with the worst staff shortages since the late 1990s amid the rush to reopen from lockdown and a sharp drop in overseas workers as a result of Covid-19 and Brexit.

In fact, a report published by the Construction Skills Network in June 2021 predicted the construction sector will need 216,800 new workers by 2025 to meet demand. In addition, we currently have an ageing workforce. As workers reach retirement age, fewer people are entering the industry to replace them, meaning that the sector is experiencing a shortage of young talent.

Although the order books may be

BUILDING ENGINEER

22

Construction firms should be doing more to attract young people taking STEM subjects at school says Beam Development’s Dan Grimshaw

EDUCATION

full now, for the industry to prosper post-Brexit it must do more to sell itself to young people while they are still in secondary education to attract the school leavers and graduates of the future.

With this in mind, Beam Development is holding what I hope will be a series of educational visits to the company’s construction sites, inviting a group of physics students from Harris Sixth Form in East Dulwich, London to visit a new build eco-friendly home in nearby Forest Hill.

Behind the hoardings When I walk past a building site, I’m always trying to get a look through the cracks in the hoardings to see what is going on.

Mostly construction sites are suspicious of onlookers, and essential health and safety protocols mean they are generally inaccessible. In reality, behind those closed doors hides a plethora of exciting, interesting and innovative activity. The range of materials and processes on a construction site is enormous, and so many specialists are key to the overall project.

I hope the visits will spark the imagination of the students and give them an insight into some real-world activity. After the first visit, they asked some excellent questions and started some really interesting debate, so we are looking forward to meeting the next group of students.

Harris Sixth Form physics teacher Ben Hodgson, who accompanied the group, said learning more about specialists with STEM skills who contribute towards the final innovation of buildings was a real eye-opener for his students.

“Seeing the different innovations that go into designing, materials, manufacturing and testing modern construction techniques and products made them aware of the multi-disciplinary and diverse careers that constitute modern construction and design.

“In terms of their STEM studies, the students saw first-hand how innovation in design, technology and the science behind those technologies is making a tangible difference outside of a traditional laboratory setting.

“It was fascinating to learn just how much technology and science goes into constructing new buildings and meeting challenges around energy usage, airflow, planning regulations and the thermal profile of the building at the same time as creating a well-designed space.”

I believe that we could and should be doing more to woo young people taking STEM subjects at school to our amazing industry.

Find out more about the initiative at beamdevelopment.co.uk

Stemming the tide The Harris Sixth Form students on-site with Dan Grimshaw (at right)

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INTELLIGENCE

STUDENT MEMBERSHIP

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

C

ABE and its members should be stepping up their efforts to attract more students and get them actively involved with the organisation, says John Hassett. He adds: “Young people are the lifeblood of CABE. Our organisation depends on young people coming forward and sowing the seeds of greatness in CABE, but are we doing enough to bring them into our organisation?”

He believes young people studying courses such as civil and structural engineering or quantity and building surveying should be targeted when they are in their first year. “I think CABE should be more industrious in its efforts to get students on board. I remember as an engineering student, I was pleased to be invited to join a professional body. Students, be they in Britain, Ireland or elsewhere in the world, want to belong and be affiliated to a professional body.”

CABE has two levels of student membership: free Student Membership, which provides students with access to many of CABE’s activities, including professional guidance; or Spotlight Membership, which costs £25 per year and gives free entry to many CABE events. Student numbers are growing steadily, but converting these numbers into full Chartered Membership and committee positions is paramount.

Talking of his experience in Ireland, John acknowledges that CABE is already making “great

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23 BUILDING ENGINEER

John Hassett FCABE, committee member for CABE’s Southern Ireland region, asks if we’re doing enough to encourage students to join

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Green as they come

headway”. His region, the Southern Ireland Regional Committee, awards bursaries of €250 to five students each year. Each student is chosen as the best firstyear student by their educational institution, and the bursary and certificate of achievement are usually awarded at the buildeng Northern and Southern Ireland conference, which this year will take place in Athlone on 25 March. The award goes towards each student’s education and to help with the cost of books, tuition and so on.

The five educational institutions are: GalwayMayo Institute of Technology, Limerick Institute of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Munster Technological University and the University of Limerick. The Southern Ireland Regional Committee is the only committee that gives out bursaries regularly.

However, John notes that there is ample room for improvement at the local regional level, where students on regional committees are virtually non-existent: “It makes so much sense for regional committees to reach out. Getting students involved in their activities brings so many benefits. Knowledge sharing and networking is fundamental to our youth.”

For their part, students will bring new ideas and new energy. They can also provide useful feedback on CABE initiatives and how they could be changed and improved. “If we don’t do that and actively seek to bring in young people – particularly young women, who are leading the way in engineering at the moment – we’re missing out on that energy. All regions are doing fantastic work – but we should be laying down the foundations of the future in the UK and Ireland, and around the world including places such as Malaysia, China and Hong Kong and America,” John says.

The good news, he observes, is that social media means interaction between members has never been easier, with the CABE Community and LinkedIn group connecting building engineers across the globe. Attracting student involvement on regional committees is the best way to energise the organisation and ensure its valuable work continues well into the future.

Access the CABE Community at cbuilde.com For a user guide, visit bit.ly/CABEUserGuide

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INTELLIGENCE

EDUCATION

heart now. There’s also been a big push towards sustainability over the last decade.

So many problems can be solved with good architecture, and sustainability is definitely one of them – making a building more efficient and using the latest technology to reduce our carbon footprint.”

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Route in

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Priyanka’s Ethnological Expositions Collage examines the principles of enclosure design and the relationship between inhabitants and spectators

A different view P Aspiring architect Priyanka Shah is calling on more young people to apply for “amazing” degree apprenticeships

Inset: Priyanka Shah, studying towards a Level 7 Architecture Apprenticeship at Ingleton Wood, was a finalist at the 2021 RIBA President’s Medals international student awards

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riyanka is studying towards a Level 7 Architecture Apprenticeship, equivalent to a master’s degree, at property and construction consultancy Ingleton Wood and London South Bank University. In 2021, she was a finalist in the Royal Institute of British Architects’ President’s Medals for her dissertation entitled London Zoo: The Display of Animals Within the Anthropocene. As part of her research into the development of animal enclosures over the past century, she studied the zoo’s Gorilla Kingdom and Penguin Beach – “the dysfunction of postmodern architectural idol enclosures” – and how they relate to the “principles of the human-centralised environment”.

She comments: “Architects leave their imprint on the planet. It’s really close to my

Priyanka is on track to complete her apprenticeship and become a fully qualified architect in 2022 – as part of the UK’s third cohort for the new qualification.

Launched in 2015, this type of degree apprenticeship allows apprentices to study at university and work part-time without paying tuition fees. However, the apprenticeships have been struggling to take off because of the outdated stigma over vocational qualifications.

However Priyanka’s success shows they are a valuable route into the industry, and Priyanka herself would like to see more degree apprenticeships to be introduced. “It’s been a challenging but amazing experience, and I wholeheartedly recommend this pathway,” she said. “I get to work at Ingleton Wood four days a week and attend London South Bank University one day a week. I get the best of both worlds while earning a salary.”

Having previously gained an undergraduate degree from Norwich University of the Arts, Priyanka is able to compare the two experiences. “The quality of my work has vastly improved through being surrounded by Ingleton Wood’s teams, who give me constant feedback and encouragement. I’ve got experts with 20 years of experience who can answer my questions and help me get over hurdles much quicker,” she notes.

“At university full time, you’re all in the same boat with the same level of knowledge, and while you can design great concepts, will they work in reality? Creativity is important, but you need to know how things are built. That’s also what sets us apart. Getting heavily involved in real-life projects and getting that insight has been so beneficial in this way,” Priyanka adds. “I’ve also built up my confidence after presenting to clients and I’ve developed my time management skills by having to organise my weekends and evenings to study. I’d really like more young people to consider this alternative, amazing pathway.”

To see Priyanka’s dissertation entry, visit presidentsmedals.com/Entry-17610

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INTELLIGENCE

Inspiring women As we celebrate Women in Construction Week from 6 March, CABE is excited to announce the launch of CABE for Women

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Andrea White IEng C.Build E MCABE As a fire safety consultant at A W Fire Ltd, Andrea supports designers and developers. She is proud to be a registered Incorporated Engineer via the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) and an IFE-registered Fire Risk Assessor.

Her background is in fire safety enforcement, consultancy and the insurance industry; she has a particular interest in timber construction.

Lindsay Richards C.Build E MCABE A chartered quantity surveyor, Lindsay is Managing Director of her own practice, The Richards Partnership, and works as a part-time senior lecturer at the University of Wales Trinity St David. She has also worked with the Construction Wales Innovation Centre, where she was appointed as project director for Wales, and has previously lectured at the University of Glamorgan.

Jayne Hall PPCABE C.Build E FCABE A principal building control surveyor at Cook Brown Building Control, she previously managed the built environment enforcement service at a unitary authority. A CABE Past President, she was elected the first woman president of Local Authority Building Control in 2015. Jayne is passionate about improving diversity in the construction sector.

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You can find the CABE for Women LinkedIn Group at linkedin.com/ groups/9153598/

CABE for Women members

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C

ABE for Women has been established to encourage and support member progression and development in a collaborative environment. We hope the group will provide a platform within CABE where members can discuss and debate with their peers, ask questions, share knowledge, highlight opportunities and build a supportive network.

We are grateful to the four CABE members – Andrea White, Lindsay Richards, Jayne Hall and Elizabeth Williams-De Four – who have volunteered to form the inaugural group.

CABE for Women has the following objectives: establish a platform that promotes female role models share insight and experiences with members provide a safe place to discuss barriers to diversity provide support and mentoring to women in construction establish links with other organisations and groups promote the construction industry as a career provide networking opportunities; and share industry best practice regarding gender diversity.

There are initial plans to run regular online events on relevant topics and potentially host an annual in-person event – please join the group and see the LinkedIn page for further details or contact a member of the committee. The group is open to anyone keen to support gender diversity within the built environment.

DIVERSITY

Elizabeth Williams-De Four ACABE As a Senior Development Manager for PA Housing, Elizabeth is passionate about the built environment and people, encouraging and facilitating co-operation between construction professionals across disciplines and genders. As CABE Southern Regional Treasurer, she has had the opportunity to represent and promote woman in the industry.

14/02/2022 17:18

INTELLIGENCE

uncertainty of climate change in a variety of ways. For example, GHD’s teams have mapped wildfire activity encroaching on rail assets, drawing on a mix of networkwide and hyper-local geographical information systems data to provide railway operators with comprehensive situational awareness of new or emerging threats. The same could be done for mapping and predicting flooding in residential areas as extreme weather conditions become more frequent.

Preparedness for climate threats can be vastly improved through quality data.

Movement Strategies, a people movement and crowd dynamics consultancy, applies analytics of movement data to understand pedestrian and traffic dynamics in order to better understand and improve emergency evacuation performance. Movement Strategies is developing research tools to assess community vulnerability – taking into consideration local wildfire risk, the physical environment, the population and the traffic response that might inform disaster preparedness strategies.

Integrating tools, based on contemporary data, can better capture and interpret underlying dynamics to better support complex climate emergency planning.

Water infrastructure In one case study, a client’s ageing water main infrastructure faced potential lead exposure as a result of leaching caused by corrosion. With more than 900 miles of infrastructure, an estimated 40% of the client’s pipelines were lead service lines (LSLs), which needed replacement.

Moreover, the recently promulgated lead and copper rule revisions meant the client needed a detailed location and material inventory of each service line – the client had 35,000-45,000 service lines that had been installed prior to modern record-keeping and asset management processes, meaning their location and material composition were unknown.

To mitigate excavation costs and improve health and safety, GHD Digital helped the client understand where the LSLs were located without having to

IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

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P

rolonged droughts, wildfires, flooding and environmental degradation are having a devastating effect on communities worldwide. With growing climate uncertainty, pressure to strengthen infrastructure for climate resistance is at an all-time high. Fast and intuitive access to high-quality geographic data and information will become increasingly critical for decision-makers in every industry. And by identifying future climate events and mitigating factors, the risks can be better understood.

These advanced digital tools will be used to create a cohesive, interconnected understanding of the effects of climate change on local environments. Technology such as aerial lidar, photogrammetry and other methods help build a digital twin of the Earth to model structures, land, water levels, forests and predict changes. This will help plan climate resiliency responses.

Using predictive analytics based on large volumes and multiple sources of data, helps manage the complexity and

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Knowledge is power GHD’s Suna Taymaz, Simon Babes and Steve Gwynne discuss how using emerging data collection and analysis technology can help build shock-resistant communities

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DIGITAL TOOLS

break ground. Excavating each service line to identify the material alone would have cost approximately $3,000 per excavation. However, through data and document mining, pattern recognition, predictive analytics and dashboarding, the programme was able to develop an inventory of the LSLs and create a cost analysis of their replacement. This was overlaid on current capital projects planned throughout the city.

The team determined that if the client chose a randomly selected area, it would cost thousands of dollars to replace each service line. However, with the same budget using the analytics, costs can be reduced by approximately 20%. Ultimately, the analytics mean the client does not have to excavate simply just to identify which lines are LSLs. Instead, the client can target future service line upgrades based on the predictions, and any regular maintenance and updates beyond LSL replacement can be informed by the data.

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“Data analytics will help lift the veil on the climate and carbon impacts of all our choices”

Find out more at ghd.com

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To better support communities during an unprecedented wildfire season, GHD developed a location-based solution: a wildfire bulletin, which shows the location of assets relative to encroaching wildfires. The solution has two parts: an interactive map and an automated briefing document.

dedicated to tracking could be allocated elsewhere by the time manual tracking was complete. Using the automated and digital solutions, the team has improved resource efficiency and taken the guesswork out of tracking assets during natural disasters.

Building on our capacity to model, analyse, interpret and predict, data in all its forms can be used to bring about important change. In the next decade, as both individuals and organisations seek to operate differently, data can provide the clear and compelling evidence needed to motivate a new climate-conscious mindset. It’s a complicated path to net zero, but knowledge is power. Every decision – from personal consumption choices to multi-milliondollar investments – will need to be based on an accurate understanding of the real environmental cost of that decision. In this way, data analytics and intelligent interpretation will help lift the veil on the climate and carbon impacts of all our choices, large and small.

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Understanding wildfires

The interactive map plots and displays wildfires nearest to clients’ assets using a digital portal. The maps illuminate important details, such as how a fire has changed from the preceding days, its last reported conditions, a list of government classifications of intensity, individual fire IDs with location and size, and nearest towns.

The automated briefing document sends a daily information summary and a detailed fire map for individual wildfires, which are viewable on the ground, offline, or in remote locations.

GHD Digital is developing several layers of efficiency that can be applied on a massive scale across operations to improve the likelihood of protecting assets. In many cases, manually tracking information on this scale takes a significant amount of effort. Each day, teams would have to target a location, track an individual fire and analyse information based on a single asset, then repeat this process for thousands of other assets.

To complicate matters, a wildfire can change course rapidly; the information could be out of date, and resources

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INTELLIGENCE

What is biophilic design, how does it change human psychology and why is it necessary to consider it as part of the built environment?

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A change of scene

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T Being in or around nature makes us feel good; our physical and mental wellbeing depends on us spending time in a natural environment

he concept of biophilia has been around since the 1970s and there is a great deal of evidence for its significant effect on wellbeing in the living and working environment. It was a term coined by the psychologist Erich Fromm, but became well known following the publication of Biophilia by Edward O Wilson, an American biologist.

Biophilia literally means a love of life and living things. Planteria Group describes humans’ intuitive desire to be around nature as “the reason that we have thrived as a species – it’s helped us to locate the most fertile land and cultivate food.”

Our relationship with nature is key to our survival, so much so that it’s part of our DNA. We’ve evolved so that only sensory information relevant to our survival makes it to the brain – for example, only a specific part of the light spectrum is visible to our eyes to help us distinguish the edible from the poisonous.

Biophilia is just as relevant today, but in ways we are only just realising. In our drive to build shelter and shape our environment, humans have inadvertently

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caused ourselves a great deal of stress and poor health both physically and mentally. That’s because the need to be in contact with nature is also psychological.

“Researchers have found that more than 90% of people would imagine themselves in a natural setting when asked to think of a place where they felt relaxed and calm,” the Planteria article continues. “Being in or around nature makes us feel good; our physical and mental wellbeing depends on us spending time in a natural environment.

Studies have shown evidence of positive benefits of human interaction with nature, such as improved productivity, lower levels of stress, enhanced learning and even improved recovery rates following illness.”

There are huge economic benefits too, as Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta’s report for the UK Government, The Economics of Biodiversity, laid out in stark terms: “Our economies are embedded within nature, not external to it.” Research from Dr Craig Knight at the University of Exeter showed that when plants

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NATURAL DESIGN

“Biophilic design isn’t just about bringing a few plants into the living or working environment. It also incorporates natural elements, such as maximising daylight”

IMAGES: ISTOCK.COM, SHUTTERSTOCK, NOUN PROJECT

So what is it about nature that evokes such a strong neurological response that hospital patients have experienced quicker recovery times and a reduced need for pain relief when exposed to biophilic design?

Architect Marta Delgado Lombardo writes at Senses & Spaces that all sensory information passes from the centre of the brain to the outer cortex, where it is processed by the visual, auditory, somatosensory, olfactory and gustatory cortex. “Processing the information means that groups of neurons will fire selectively for different perceived characteristics; that could be the colour, shape, orientation, location, or intensity of the stimuli,” she says. New signals are then sent to different parts of the brain until they end up in the middle parts of the brain again for evaluation and to generate a response, such as conscious attention.

Marta continues: “Throughout the neural paths of the brain, electricity is transmitted from neuron to neuron through neurotransmitters, tiny particles that cross the synaptic valleys from the many neurons’ endings to other neurons’ receptors to transmit the electrical current. This system allows neurons to be selective to certain neurotransmitters. Among the basic neurotransmitters released to signal information, neurons release one type – opioids – that is received by neurons connecting to the pleasure centres of the brain involved in reducing pain and producing reward. Therefore, there is a certain degree

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employees were

15%

more productive when workplaces have just a few houseplants

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Neurological response

of pleasure just in processing information. “[Neuroscientists] Irving Biederman and Edward Vessel found that the sensory areas of the brain release more opioids the more they are engaged with a stimulus and the more complex it is. Because neural activity produces learning, which is a basic function to an organism’s survival, novelty, variability and complexity are rewarded by this brain’s system.

Based on the evidence, it is a plausible hypothesis to think that due to our evolutionary biology, the natural complexity of other organisms and landscapes became pleasurable (interesting) enough to our neural systems to reinforce our preference without being overwhelming. Therefore, we are not only biologically driven to certain types of natural stimuli, but also to certain types of combination of stimuli that appear in the natural world.”

This idea that we experience a pleasurable, chemical neurological response to nature because of its complexity is appealing. Vanessa Champion of the Journal of Biophilic Design commented at the Planted Cities event in September 2021 that if people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are in an environment where they can see or touch nature, they find it calming because it stimulates all the senses. Similarly, she said her work with the Hearing Conservation Association has made her aware of the acoustic differences of the natural environment.

“Obviously, nature doesn’t have walls – it creates an environment that is acoustically better, so we have to look at the environment we are creating and mitigate the noise levels that cause stress.”

Biophilia seems inextricably linked to our innate survival mechanisms; through biophilic design, we can undo a lot of the damage our modern environments are doing to our mental and physical health.

Dr Alia Fadel of Leeds Beckett University notes that “understanding that biophilic design can interrupt the accumulative nature of stress is empowering”. She urges designers, planners and creators of the built environment to embrace the dependent yet beneficial relationship humans have with nature.

Our early instinct when building shelter was to shut out nature because it was dangerous, but we’ve now come full circle in recognising that we’ve also cut ourselves off from something that we need.

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were brought into offices – even with just one plant per square metre – employee performance on memory retention and other basic tests improved substantially and that employees were 15% more productive when workplaces have just a few houseplants.

Of course, biophilic design isn’t just about bringing a few plants into the living or working environment. It also incorporates natural elements, such as maximising daylight, views of nature, natural materials, shapes and images that replicate nature, and indoor planting and water features.

In a talk at the Planted Cities event in September 2021, Roddy Langmuir of Cullinan Architects noted “It’s not just about nature; it’s about patterns which affect psychology. So, looking for refuge spaces, giving long views – buildings don’t have to be enclosing, or barriers, they can project long views, which release the mind and the spirit out of the building.”

FURTHER READING The Senses & Spaces blog: bit.ly/SensesAndSpaces Planted Cities event: bit.ly/PlantedCities The Economics of Biodiversity (the Dasgupta Review): bit.ly/Dasgupta_Review Biophilia at Planteria: bit.ly/BiophiliaPlanteria

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INTELLIGENCE

MARCH 2022

W

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hen Graham Chapman’s character addresses the crowd that has sheepishly followed him in The Life of Brian, he urges the multitude: “You’re all individuals, you’re all different.” They parrot back in one voice of agreement: “Yes, we’re all individuals, yes, we are all different.” And then, one lone voice retorts: “I’m not!” before being silenced by the mob.

Besides being possibly one of the most eloquent jokes ever performed on film, it is a profound reflection on popular perceptions of difference and conformity.

Difference has never been more openly celebrated than today; we mostly agree, at least in the abstract, that difference is good. But in reality, there is often a gap; our practices in the workplace don’t always marry up with the inclusive rhetoric. And when differences are not visible, it is harder to notice and understand them.

In the broader conversation about inclusion, neurodiversity is often an area overlooked. Yet it is a particularly pertinent issue to engineering, where neurodiverse minds have plenty to offer.

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity refers to variations in the way the brain works and interprets information. It often affects an individual’s sociability, attention, learning, mood and other mental functions. Examples of

Understanding neurodiversity and recognising the value that neurodiverse minds bring to the skill mix is vital for establishing inclusive teams, says James Cash

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IMAGE: STUART KINLOUGH /IKON

A head start

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NEURODIVERSITY

“We are a business that sells advice and expertise. Engineering is often a magnet for neurodivergent individuals, as you often find people with good numerical ability and attention to detail. Getting the best out of people is just something we do as standard. All people are different, regardless of neurodiversity, and managing people can be pretty challenging. From a performance perspective, I believe everyone has a strength. You just have to find it.”

Playing to strengths

“From a performance perspective, I believe everyone has a strength.

You just have to find it”

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BB7’s approach to professional development is to focus on building those strengths rather than concentrating on weaknesses, where gains might be marginal. Ben believes that if people are underperforming, the firm needs to go above and beyond to work out where their skillsets lie and how it can support individuals in their roles to improve performance.

For example, some people might have exceptional accuracy, attention to detail or error detection skills but feel less confident writing up reports or presenting findings.

“We offer computational fluid dynamics modelling services, which is mathematical, and sometimes people with neurodiverse conditions are well suited to that type of engineering analysis. But their spelling or grammar might be a weaker element, so then we would partner them with someone strong on those reportwriting elements,” Ben says.

But to identify strengths and weaknesses, it is also helpful for employers to know and understand various conditions. Some people are very open about their situation and want to discuss it, and this can be helpful to propelling a discourse and understanding about neurodiversity in the workplace.

Conversely, where knowledge about the various conditions is low, it can be more challenging for individuals to talk about their cognitive differences and inform

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neurodiversity include dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Tourette’s syndrome.

Some may have a combination of conditions that manifest slightly differently, creating a vast and complex spectrum.

When we refer to people as neurotypical, it generally means people whose brains function and process information in a way that society expects.

According to ADHD Aware, between 30% and 40% of the population are neurodiverse, with the remaining majority classed as neurotypical.

The challenges neurodivergent individuals encounter vary enormously, but they will often also have spiky cognitive profiles, which means they have standout strengths and natural abilities.

Those abilities will also vary widely but can include creativity, problem-solving, analytical skills, the ability to discern hidden patterns, and thinking outside the box. To an industry that requires all of the above, engineering teams have much to gain by embracing neurodiversity and raising awareness of the various conditions.

Ben Bradford CEng PPCABE FCABE is Chief Executive of BB7, one of the UK’s largest independent fire consulting businesses.

“My interest in neurodiversity was sparked when it became clear our son is on the autism spectrum. Then, as a leader in a people-based business, I realised neurodiversity was all around me, and I’d been interacting with neurodiverse people long before my son came along,” he says.

Ben says he then realised that as an employer of more than 130 people, it was inevitable that between 10-20% of them might be neurodivergent in some way.

BB7 currently employs a range of neurodiverse individuals with formal diagnoses of dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorders and ADHD (the conditions the firm is most familiar with), and some of those people are at director level. “We’re a professional services firm,” says Ben.

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INTELLIGENCE

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Shaped by dyslexia

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“I always used to be ashamed to even discuss dyslexia with people, let alone put it on a job application form” Construction Director Luke Birkett

managers. Engineering businesses and organisations, their managers and employees need to understand the benefits neurodiverse people can bring to the industry but also the challenges they face. “There is simply not enough awareness about neurodiversity in the workplace,” Ben says.

“This is about management and leadership. We need leaders and managers to understand the opportunity in neurodiversity. It’s not something taught on technical academic programmes, but I think there is a place for this to be brought into business education or management and leadership programmes,” he adds. “If you’re in a people management role in any industry, you must have a basic level of awareness of neurodiversity and neurodivergent conditions in the workplace.”

Homogenous teams can have blind spots, while diverse groups are

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benefited the academic training, making me more well-rounded individual in that profession.”

Luke has now nearly completed a Level 8 in Global Strategic Direction and Leadership, equivalent to a doctorate.

“By having a learning difference, you can definitely become a lot more driven to achieve what you’re trying to do. But your brain is working much harder through certain processes than perhaps most other people.

“I tend to say that my brain is wired differently, not wrongly. I was always creative and that mixes with problemsolving skills; I’m always thinking outside the box and that brings different perspectives on things.”

But Luke cautions it also comes with distractions. “My mind is always thinking about the next thing. It’s like you have to put more effort to stay focused. And this can also be channelled into an advantage always to be planning ahead.”

“I always used to be ashamed to even discuss dyslexia with people, let alone put it on a job application form,” says Construction Director Luke Birkett, MCABE MCIOB MAPM CMgr MCMI .

Having left school with low GCSE grades, Luke felt few teachers fully understood how best to teach students with dyslexia. He required more blended learning to nurture and keep his interest.

Subsequently, he struggled and found himself in trouble and got expelled at one point before being allowed back.

And with renewed determination to get through school.

“I was always a practical learner,” he says. “If I were in a practical situation, I would always be among the quickest to Thinking outside the box pick up whatever we were trying to learn.”

The construction and engineering Luke’s dream was to build his own industry needs to do more to better home. To get to that point, he wanted understand conditions such as dyslexia to build houses for other people. He and other neurodiverse areas. It needs recognised the apprenticeship route to embrace and harness the benefits of was the best path for him and started individuals already working within the as a bricklayer’s apprentice. built environment who think differently, While he received an excellent onsite and support their career paths. apprenticeship with Taylor Wimpey, Luke “At trade level, dyslexia is very says he was still growing up, and again common,” notes Luke. “Dyslexia or almost got kicked off the course. But something similar is more accepted. But he radically turned himself around and when I got into management, I would became supremely dedicated, submitting actually hide it. In management roles, exemplary portfolio work and gaining Best dyslexia is still being understood. And Apprentice of the Year award in the South the industry mustn’t give people the of England. disadvantage of thinking that Luke started up his own they’re not capable because small construction company, of their dyslexia. As we know, but following the financial they are often very practical, crisis in 2008 he decided it problem solvers and good was a good time to go back to with people. construction college, where “It’s about understanding he began a succession of what people are good at and courses enabling him to work giving them roles that play to according his way up the construction their strengths.” to adhd management career ladder.

At the same time, the aware, “Because I always struggled industry has a role to play in between with dyslexia, I was determined encouraging and inspiring to bridge my weakness gap. I students and young people was going into a management with dyslexia to consider a career world, and many career in construction and and others had more academic engineering. Luke has spoken backgrounds with degrees. But widely about his experiences they didn’t have the site and and visits schools speaking of the practical experience that I had.” to students with a similar population background to his own. By Luke says. “I became addicted are neuro- helping to provide direction to the training, and my practical thinking and knowledge really and a vision of what can be diverse

30% 40%

IMAGE: DIANE AUCKLAND / FOTOHAUS LTD

less vulnerable to groupthink. But neurodiverse people also need a safe space to speak up, feel understood, and not be ignored or shut down – like the lone voice in the crowd outside Brian’s bedroom.

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NEURODIVERSITY

achieved and removing any sense of shame in dyslexia, a new generation of talent can bring their valued perspectives into the industry while reducing some of the challenges they face.

Designing for diversity

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Building with neurodiversity in mind will become increasingly important in creating inclusive workplaces. In its role as the UK National Standards Body, in October 2020, the BSI announced a new project to establish the initial guidance for the design of the built environment to include the needs of people with neurodivergent conditions.

PAS 6463 Design for the mind – Neurodiversity and the built environment – Guide, which was put out for consultation in November 2021, will be published this spring. The standard will provide information for designers, planners, specifiers, facilities managers and decisionmakers on specific design features that can make buildings and public spaces more inclusive for everyone by reducing the potential for sensory overload, anxiety or distress. It is hoped the standard will address design considerations such as lighting, acoustics, flooring and decor, and will be developed by a steering group of experts in the built environment, transportation, planning and neurodiversity fields.

Rob Turpin, head of healthcare

the P1 Compound last year, a pilot project introducing various neurodiverse elements into construction site cabins.

The design of the cabins includes acoustic panels to reduce echo and absorb sound reflection, dimmable lights to allow easy control of lighting levels, and considerate fabrics on furniture that take into account people with sensory processing disorders.

Meanwhile, the University of the West of England (UWE) opened its new state-of-theart School of Engineering in November 2021 to support the next generation of engineers. As well as being equipped with the latest engineering technology, the building was designed to attract a broad range of students standards at BSI, said: “Neurodivergent and particularly break down barriers for people face daily design-based students with neurodiversity and those challenges living and working in the built with different learning styles. Alongside environment. PAS 6463 will take the first the traditional large workshops, there are step to help address these challenges by smaller spaces for people to work in small developing authoritative guidance on how groups or on their own. They also adapted to create mindful, modern and inclusive the lighting to make it more controllable environments that recognise the diverse to suit the needs of the occupants. needs of individuals.”

Professor Lisa Brodie, head of the department of engineering design and mathematics at UWE Bristol, said: “This Neurodiversity and education is really important because if we want to Meanwhile, new buildings and facilities solve the challenges we face as a society, in the industry are already emerging we need to attract different types of for individuals with neurodivergent people into the engineering discipline. We conditions. For neurodivergent individuals, need to embrace different ways of thinking being under- or over-stimulated can be and doing, and to celebrate differences. problematic. National Grid launched Our mission is to change the perception of the roles that engineers fulfil and raise aspirations in underrepresented groups.

“If we carry on seeing the same intake entering the profession, we will continue to come up with the same old solutions.

With this in mind, we are aiming to produce more non-standard engineers in the coming years.

Engineers will need to think differently and be far more creative and innovative over the next decade, particularly with The University of the some of the challenges we West of England’s new state-of-the-art School face in areas such as the of Engineering was climate crisis. We aim to designed to cater for be the difference.” neurodiverse students

14/02/2022 17:59

Time to progress your career?

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10/02/2022 18:09

INSIGHT

ACCESSIBILITY

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35 BUILDING ENGINEER

IMAGE: ISTOCK.COM

O

wners, designers and developers of buildings have a responsibility to ensure that they are accessible to everyone.

This means anyone with a mobility or other impairment, whether permanent or temporary, including: wheelchair users and people with walking difficulties; people with prams, pushchairs and small children; those with hearing and/or sight impairments; people with co-ordination and respiratory ailments; and the increasing number of elderly citizens.

For the English and Welsh Building Regulations, Part M and Approved Document M: access to and use of

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A question of access Will the renewed focus on Part M move accessibility issues up the agenda? And in turn, will that raise the profile of access consultants, who have hitherto been more involved with Equalities Act compliance, asks Andrew Pearson

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MARCH 2022

INSIGHT

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buildings set out the minimum access requirements for new buildings and work on existing ones. Minimum standards for accessibility have been mandatory in England and Wales since 1998. Since then, the regulations have been revised several times; the last significant update was in 2015, when Part M was modified to promote a more inclusive approach to access in dwellings. This revision also resulted in the document being split into two parts: one focused on dwellings, the other on buildings other than dwellings.

In 2020, the government commissioned a “full review” of Part M. This involved a research programme on “the prevalence and demographics of impairment in

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England and ergonomic requirements and experiences of disabled people”.

The review also included a consultation on “raising accessibility standards of new homes”. It appointed PRP Innovate, the research arm of PRP Architects, to carry out the research. The findings were published in January 2021 and make interesting reading.

The initial research In keeping with the format of the regulations, PRP Innovate published its finding in two parts. Part 1 focused on dwellings, while Part 2 focused on buildings other than dwellings.

In Part 1, the research identified the

delayed hospital discharges cost the nhs about

£285m

per year, and the evidence suggests that up to

14%

of these can be reduced by accessible housing

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ACCESSIBILITY

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and “those with multiple and complex impairments, bariatric people, those of smaller or taller stature or people with cognitive impairments”. PRP Innovate’s assessment was that there is insufficient data to enable the design of accessible toilets to be more inclusive; they stated: “ergonomic, anthropometric and space requirement data for all of these types of users will be needed if the guidance is to be developed further to meet these needs”.

Meanwhile, the reviewers found the guidance on visual- and hearing-impaired users is still fit for purpose.

PRP Innovate also sought stakeholders’ views on the effectiveness of Approved Document M for buildings other than dwellings. It carried out research through a series of stakeholder discussions and workshops as well as through online reviews of firsthand experiences.

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following benefits of accessible housing: delayed hospital discharges cost the NHS about £285m per year, and the evidence suggests that up to 14% of these can be reduced by accessible housing through the reduction in the need to adapt homes (3%) and the need to supply assistive equipment (11%) avoidance of temporary residential costs associated with re-ablement care reductions in the need for residential care reduced incidences of housing-related trips and falls, which cost the NHS £291m per year, and visual impairment related incidents, which cost an additional £130m reduced costs associated with the need for aids and adaptions and the cost of removing these; and reduced admin costs associated with rehousing, estimated to be up to £30k per incidence.

The authors also identified gaps in “robust quantitative evidence” on the benefits from building accessible homes.

They commented: “there was a great deal of data on the benefits of adaptations, but much less on benefits derived from designing homes to be more accessible from the outset”. They recommended “further dedicated research to understand the benefits of more accessible housing”.

The Part 2 research examined the effectiveness of Part M for buildings other than dwellings. The research highlighted the need to update the anthropometric data for wheelchair users. “Our literature survey indicates that most studies carried out to establish spatial, structural and functional anthropometric data for wheelchair users date back to the last millennium” and that the most recent study in 2005 “looked only at dimensions of stationary occupied wheelchairs but not at the abilities and characteristics of users”. The authors concluded that this survey may need to be updated “to take account of the increased use of electric scooters and powered wheelchairs”.

The researchers also found that evidence for sanitary facilities highlighted that a more inclusive approach for unisex accessible toilets was needed to meet the needs of independent wheelchair users

The exercise identified key issues, including: a need to identify how to ensure good levels of compliance with the regulations; the need to consider changes in demographics resulting from an ageing population; and a need to cater for the increase in obesity and the bariatric population.

The stakeholders also highlighted the need for guidance to be updated to reflect current technological advances, particularly in relation to “lift and automatic door design and digital communication aids and navigation systems”.

While the researchers acknowledged Part M will always need to address the most common needs in a shared built environment, the overriding conclusion of the research was that there was a desperate need for up-to-date data. In addition to the need for improved data on wheelchair users to take account of the increased number of electric wheelchairs and scooters, the authors called for “a wider study” looking at anthropometric and ergonomic data “to update the evidence base supporting guidance in Approved Document M as well as the needs and capabilities of disabled users across the UK”. The document said this

MARCH 2022

IMAGE: ISTOCK.COM

“The overriding conclusion of the research was that there was a desperate need for up-to-date data”

CABE Inclusive Engineering CABE is committed to promoting higher standards of inclusion in the built environment to ensure that everyone in society has the opportunity to access activities, communities and facilities on an equal basis.

While compliance with the minimum requirements of the building regulations and the equality act are the least that building engineers should seek to achieve, CABE wants to push promoting inclusive design best practice further. To achieve this, CABE is planning two key changes to the governance and membership structure.

Firstly, CABE is introducing a defined set of key principles of inclusive design into its competence frameworks to help guide building engineers to contribute to improving inclusivity in the built environment.

Secondly, CABE will be shortly be launching a tailored route for access consultants and specialists in inclusive design to access membership. Further details will be provided over coming months, but the aim is to provide a home for construction professionals with expertise in inclusive design within the engineering professional community.

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INSIGHT

data may be helpful in establishing an upto-date basis “on which the guidance can be developed further”.

MARCH 2022

The latest research

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Following the initial fact-finding exercise, the government took onboard the authors’ recommendations. In June 2021, the government subsequently commissioned a second tranche of Part M research, which is under way. This study involves a sample set of around 1,000 disabled people. It also incorporates anthropomorphic research to provide a more up-to-date evidence base to ensure future designs are more inclusive.

However, the minster responsible for the Building Regulations, Lord Steven Greenhalgh, has yet to commit to a publication date for its findings, although they are expected to be published this year. In answer to a recent parliamentary question, Lord Greenhalgh said: “In June 2021, we commissioned research on the prevalence and demographics of impairment in England and ergonomic requirements and experiences of disabled people. Work is under way to develop robust data and evidence to help government consider what potential changes can be made to statutory guidance covering access to and use of buildings. The research work is due to complete in 2022.”

Findings from the research are expected to be incorporated into Part M, where they are set to lead to significant revisions to the regulation to ensure greater inclusivity.

Disabled access The current research and subsequent changes to Part M are expected to have wide-reaching impact. “I think that the research [that the current Building Regulations is based on] is so old that the publication of this new research will help inform best practice,” says architect and access consultant Jane Simpson, Director of Jane Simpson Access.

As an access consultant, Jane says the question most often asked of her company is: “do I have to do it?”. If Part M is revised to be more inclusive, that may make it easier to ensure a higher value of inclusivity.

“It is quite difficult to explain to people that the regulations are a minimum standard even though that is clearly stated in the Building Regulations”

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ACCESSIBILITY

From her perspective, one of the biggest challenges access consultants face is in explaining to people that, as with all Building Regulations, Part M only sets a baseline standard. “It is quite difficult to explain to people that the regulations are a minimum standard, even though that is clearly stated in the Building Regulations themselves,” Jane explains.

Jane is keen to point out that while compliance with Part M is a legal requirement, a Part M compliant building will not necessarily meet an occupier’s broader equality duties. There is an anticipatory duty that access consultants can assist with. “As the Approved Document makes clear, compliance with Part M of the Building Regulations does not signify compliance with the much broader obligations and duties of building occupiers set out in the 2010 Equalities Act,” she says.

Access consultants can provide advice to both designers and occupiers.

They have an in-depth knowledge of planning and equality legislation. They can provide access appraisals of new build architectural plans with the aim of identifying potential issues to avoid the risk of non-compliance under Part M and the anticipated obligations of the Equality Act. They can also provide access audits of buildings before and after refurbishment and more general advice on the compliance with the Equality Act. “Because equality legislation hasn’t got a technical standard attached to it, it is effectively a civil rights piece of legislation, so it can be quite difficult for some designers to get their head around,” Jane adds.

Jane describes the requisite skills needed by an access consultant as: “having knowledge of equality legislation, regulation and best practice guidance, combined with innovative analytical design skills”. They also “need to be cognisant of the diversity of people and experienced in consultation and access group working to ensure that designs are inclusive and meet anticipated demands, not just now but in the future”.

The expectation is that the current research will result in changes to Part M and that this will inform best practice. We should all be striving to make our built environment as inclusive as possible so as to meet the needs and capabilities of all users, disabled or otherwise. The hope is that the work currently under way on Part M will help make that happen.

For more, visit bit.ly/PartMResearch

14/02/2022 17:21

Fire Courses

MARCH 2022

39 BUILDING ENGINEER

Given the current focus on, and the significant changes to, the fire safety standards it is essential that professionals ensure that their knowledge of the latest legislation and guidance is up-to-date.

To help you, CABE runs a series of Fire Safety Standard courses:

NEW – Principles of Fire Risk Assessment in Purpose Built Flats This two-day course will provide an understanding of how to interpret and apply in a practical way, the Fire Risk Assessment in Purpose Built Flats Guide. Touching on relevant British Standards including BS 9991 and approved guidance.

£540 CABE Members* | £700 Non-members* Other fire courses include: | Principles of Fire Safety | Fire Safety Practitioner Certificate | Fire Safety in the Design Management & Use of Residential Buildings: BS 9991 | Fire Safety Codes for Building Design: BS 9999

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10/02/2022 18:12

INSIGHT

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If we want to attract greater gender diversity to the field then we have to understand what the fundamental barriers are, says James Cash

I

mproving gender diversity in engineering and construction is a marathon, not a sprint. It involves firms attracting female candidates today, but also requires a generational effort to foster a diverse, willing and capable pool of candidates for tomorrow.

According to the Women’s Engineering Society, women make up 14.5% of the UK’s engineers; this represents a 25.7% increase since 2016. The UK falls behind many other countries in terms of gender equality in engineering occupations. It has the lowest proportion of women in engineering of any European country; in fact, India, Malaya and some countries in the Middle East have more women engineers than the UK does.

The fact that the numbers are rising so slowly has left industry and government bewildered as to why the UK lags behind in attracting more women into the sector.

A stereotypical work culture is often blamed, with perceived pro-masculine and inflexible work structures that put off many women. But the issue is also thought to begin with how girls and boys perceive engineering at school. Society sends mixed messages about what different genders can and can’t do.

To rectify this, several organisations are targeting girls to promote the benefits of studying and pursuing a career in engineering. Early Years Engineer is one organisation that talks to girls as young as three, to confound the male stereotype at the earliest stage.

EngineeringUK says the evidence shows a gender difference in the understanding of engineering interests and perceptions of self-efficacy and identity, which are likely to be critical factors when making subject and career choices. Only 60% of girls aged

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IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

MARCH 2022

Unlocking the gates

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DIVERSITY

MARCH 2022

41 BUILDING ENGINEER

11-14 think they could become engineers if they wanted to, compared with 72% of boys. This falls to 53% in the 16-19 age range, where only a quarter of girls say they would ever consider a career in engineering.

Changing the language One area of study is unconscious bias and how language can attract and repel different groups.

In 2020, Openreach researched its use of language in a study to analyse the impact of latent bias in its recruitment adverts. Led by Dr Chris Begeny, a Research Fellow in Gender and Organisational Psychology at Exeter University, the main objective was to compare the level of interest in two different methods of advertising a job opportunity.

Different wording was used in the two adverts; Advert A was written in a consciously unbiased way and made no reference to Openreach, while Advert B was written in a more traditionally masculine way and referenced Openreach.

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MARCH 2022

INSIGHT

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ADVERT A – UNBIASED

ADVERT B – BIASED

Trainee Network Co-ordinator

Openreach Engineer – Trainee

Could you help us create the networks that bring people together? Keeping families in touch, making sure businesses continue working, helping kids learn and play.

It’s all in a day’s work for our network co-ordinators. Here’s an idea of the kind of person we’re looking for. If any of this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you: I’m comfortable talking to people at their home or at work I’m great at multitasking and managing my time I get things done, and people know they can rely on me I love that feeling of sorting something out for someone I want to work in a role that keeps me interested. I like finding out how things work and learning how to fix them if they’re broken I’m comfortable using smart devices, and I’m always happy to learn about new systems and tools to help me do my job better I’d like a mix of working indoors and outdoors – I don’t want to be stuck behind a desk all day and I’m not afraid of heights I’d love a job that keeps me fit and active, and I don’t mind if it sometimes involves getting a bit dirty.

We’re looking for people who are: keeping families in touch, making sure businesses continue working, helping kids learn and play. It’s all in a day’s work for our network co-ordinators.

What does a Network Co-ordinator’s day look like?

You might start your day in a customer’s home reconnecting them to the world. Then you’re off to fix a network problem at a local business. Next, you could be unscrambling the innards of a street cabinet on a village high street or bringing new smart technology to vulnerable households to help them stay in touch. Each day will be different. You’ll solve different problems for different customers, in different places, and you’ll get to know your patch really well. There is a true sense of community in what we do, so people who connect easily with others and take care to do the best job possible are our perfect match. No qualifications or previous experience are needed to apply. You will get all the training you need from us, with a manager and specialists at the end of the phone to support you throughout. Not to mention the colleagues you will be working alongside who’ll quickly become friends and even a second family. Both men and women, from all walks of life, work in this role and we are extremely open-minded about experience. We are really looking for people who feel they might have the skills and attitudes above so, even if you are a little uncertain, we would love to hear from you and help you find out more.

Able to make a connection with our customers in their workplaces and homes Happy working outdoors. Whether it’s glorious sunshine or bracing British weather, our engineers are out connecting people Open to new technology. Nothing too scary and we’ll always support you, but you need to be comfortable using smart devices and ready to learn as new tools emerge Ready to give their best. The sort of person who always sees a job through and takes pride in doing it properly Physically fit. You don’t need to be a marathon runner but will need to be fit enough to safely climb a telephone pole and carry a ladder Prepared to roll up their sleeves. Working in the great outdoors on our network means getting your hands dirty from time to time Able to manage their time as well as their workload.

This is critical, our customers rely on us and we need individuals who are truly committed to delivering service.

What does an engineer do?

As one of our engineers you could be responsible for building our network or installing and maintaining broadband for our customers – covering residential customers as well as businesses on behalf of a variety of communication providers. This isn’t an office job so you won’t be tied to one location. Instead, you’ll be on the road, in your van and out in the fresh air. You’ll be visiting lots of different places and working in all kinds of buildings including our telephone exchanges – our central hubs for connecting customers. You might find yourself working at a street cabinet, up a telegraph pole or in the customers’ premises. The type of work you’ll be carrying out will be physical, for example you might be required to climb a telegraph pole and work at height. This is a customer focused role so quite a lot of the work is done alone, but you’re never really alone as you’ll be interacting with customers, getting together with your team and there’s always people for support at the end of the phone - from your manager and team mates to dedicated teams there to help.

The study also explored reasons for the level of interest shown in the two advertisements, and how people perceived their suitability for men and women as well as the company advertising the position. The survey also examined attitudes to job searching and the extent to which respondents had been affected by the pandemic or changed their attitude to job searching as a result.

The research into language indicated that it plays a significant role in the recruitment process, with women 50% less likely to consider roles that appear to have a coded gender bias.

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However, when they were presented with the genderinclusive advert, women’s interest in the role increased by more than 200%, with 60% confirming this was because of the way the advert had been written.

Coded gender bias A majority of respondents believed the company described in each advertisement appeared to definitely or somewhat value gender, diversity and equality. However, considerably more respondents felt this was definitely the case in respect of the genderneutral advert (47%) compared with the traditional

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DIVERSITY

applicants could positively confirm. This included statements such as “I’m comfortable talking to people at their home or at work” and “I get things done, and people know they can rely on me.” This is in contrast to the biased advert, which asks candidates if they are “able to make a connection with our customers in the workplace and homes”.

The unbiased advert is also much more explicit about gender diversity and the broader diversity of the teams. The description openly declares: “Both men and women, from all walks of life, work in this role and we are extremely open-minded about experience.”

What happened next?

women are

50%

Subconscious discrimination The study uncovered three key areas for improvement in job descriptions. These included looking at latent gendered phraseology, the use of active versus passive sentence construction, and key skillset descriptors. While differences in job specifications were subtle, the results were clear, demonstrating that language plays a critical role in bringing more women into engineering and other industries.

The consciously unbiased advert in the study does not refer to the role of engineer anywhere in the job description and the role is entitled Trainee Network Co-ordinator – implying that the word engineer is perceived as being very male-oriented, which may have put off some female applicants.

The unbiased advert also provides statements that

“The consciously unbiased advert in the study does not refer to the role of engineer anywhere in the job description”

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less likely to consider roles that appear to have a coded gender bias

Openreach HR Director Kevin Brady adds: “Whether it’s overt discrimination or more subtle forms of bias, maledominated industries such as engineering have traditionally been challenging for women. Our engineers aren’t defined by their gender, they’re defined by what they do, and this research is incredibly important in helping us to develop ways to redress the balance.

We were amazed to see just how much of a difference language makes and have started the process of assessing and changing all relevant language to help overcome the challenges of diversity recruitment. We hope that this will be the catalyst for helping to break down barriers stopping women from considering a role in engineering.”

In 2021 Openreach had a record year for hiring women, and in February 2022 it announced that it would create more than 4,000 jobs during 2022, including 3,000 apprenticeships. Last year, the company attracted 600 women into trainee engineering roles – more than double the previous year. This is thanks in part to the new gender-neutral language being used in its job descriptions and adverts, based on the research with Linguistic Landscapes and the University of Exeter. Openreach said this helped to achieve last year’s target of 20% female recruits – ten times the firm’s past levels – and something the business wants to repeat in the coming years.

Hilary Leevers, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK says: “Engineering is a varied, stimulating and valuable career and it’s really important that we present it in ways that make it accessible and attractive to as diverse and insightful a workforce as possible. The findings of Openreach’s research will help. Its commitment to review, learn from and improve its own practices in this area is also highly commendable and something I’d encourage everyone working to inspire young people into engineering to do.”

Society sends mixed messages about what’s expected of different genders, and while research shows that there is still a long way to go to achieve a more equally gendered workforce, it does show that using the nuance of language is a powerful tool in decoding gender bias and attracting more women into engineering roles.

MARCH 2022

advert (26%). “The findings are extremely exciting as they demonstrated such a clear discrepancy between the two adverts and suggest that the latent barriers to application remain, illustrating how gender-inclusive ads could be vital to bringing more women into a range of sectors similarly viewed,” Chris says.

Openreach then looked at the language it uses across its recruitment channels, working with Chris and linguistic specialists Linguistic Landscapes.

The team developed a consciously unbiased job description for the company’s entry level engineering role – with the language of the new advert carefully crafted so that it would appeal to men and women equally. At the same time, it actively combated many of the challenges women face in the preapplication phase.

Chris says: “All too often the rhetoric around issues of under-representation and improving women’s experiences in male-dominated sectors emphasises the idea that women need to lean in and overcome their own internal barriers. It implies overcoming that lack of confidence or lack of perceived fit for a position that might lead women to pass up an opportunity or a particular job. Yet these strategies, often espoused as a method of empowerment, can perpetuate victim blaming. They reinforce the belief that the problem exists squarely within the individual, and so it is their responsibility to fix themselves.

“This of course misses the fact that women’s internal barriers often exist because of external barriers – such as exposure to subtly biased language, stereotypes and discriminatory treatment – that lead women and other marginalised groups to question their suitability for a job and thus their tendency to pursue that opportunity.”

For more, visit linguisticlandscapes.com

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COMMUNITY

Industry movers and shakers PEOPLE NEWS

Professional honour

MARCH 2022

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He received Fellow status as a result of his outstanding contributions to the field of structural engineering, his inspirational teaching and leadership as well as his ongoing commitment to continuing professional development. FIStructE status makes him an ambassador and spokesperson for the industry as well as a valued expert advisor.

“I feel very honoured to have received this recognition from my peers and colleagues,” Peter said. “I remain committed to contribute the best I can in the industry and help to inspire young professionals to pursue a career in the field of structural engineering.”

eter Dixon, a Director of structural and civil engineering consultancy Dudleys, has been recognised as a Fellow of the Institute of Structural Engineers (FIStructE). The FIStructE grade is the highest honour in the industry and recognises exceptional ability, experience and professionalism.

Peter, who studied engineering at the University of Leeds, has been with Dudleys for nearly ten years. Previously he was a Visiting Teaching Fellow in Engineering Design at the University of Bradford. Peter is also a marking and chief examiner for the IStructE CM examination since 2012.

New CEO for iMist

J

ulian Williams has been appointed as Chief Executive of iMist, the Hull-based water mist fire suppression business. Julian, who was previously the company’s International Managing Director, further strengthens the iMist board following the appointment of Haydn Mursell, former Kier Group Chief Executive, as Chair last March. The business has seen rapid growth, with demand for its innovative high-pressure water mist fire suppression systems increasing as local authorities, developers and property professionals have sought new active fire suppression solutions following the Grenfell disaster.

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WeMaintain continues expansion WeMaintain has appointed Sabina Enu-Kwesi, formerly of Otis Elevators, as its new Customer Success Manager. Sabina, who has a first-class degree in Business Psychology and trained as a lift engineer, will be supporting WeMaintain’s active maintenance contracts to deliver smart solutions across the built environment.

WeMaintain takes care of regulated maintenance through technological solutions that improve the user experience and give managers or owners greater knowledge of buildings. Originally serving elevators and escalators, WeMaintain now also supplies fire systems monitoring.

Jade Francine, WeMaintain’s Co-founder, said: “We welcome Sabina to our diverse team and we’re always keen to encourage more women into engineering and management positions. Sabina has the skills and experience to bring the best out of people and technology throughout our operations.”

HS2 senior hires Ramboll has made two new senior hires in its Rail division. Trina Minchella (above) from Network Rail is Director of Rail Infrastructure and Helena Turner from Jacobs will lead on HS2.

14/02/2022 17:22

INDUSTRY MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Gleeds Executive Director Steven Mason has joined the international property and construction consultancy Gleeds as Executive Director, based at its London headquarters. He previously spent 20 years as a Managing Director at Mace.

With more than 35 years as a practising surveyor in the public and private sectors, Steven has worked extensively in London and the southeast across a range of areas, including new build, refurbishment and alterations to historic and modern residential and commercial buildings for various public sector and private clients.

New faces at Buro Happold

I

an Redmayne (right) has joined global engineering, consultancy and advisory practice Buro Happold as Partner. Ian, who was formerly Managing Director at Atkins, will be based in Riyadh and will manage an existing client portfolio while driving growth across Buro Happold’s Saudi Arabia business. Ian brings over 30 years of global and regional experience to his new role. He spent the past decade in the Middle East, predominately in Saudi Arabia, where he led the delivery of a number of world-class projects such as King Abdulaziz International Airport. He said, “I’m excited to be working alongside world-class experts with such a passion for innovative, sustainable design.”

Buro Happold has also appointed Christian Ulrich as its new Managing Director of the company’s expanding

European business. He was previously Chief Operating Officer of Arcadis in Central Europe and will be responsible for leading Buro Happold’s growth and service offer across the region.

Managing Partner at Patrick Parsons Patrick Parsons, provider of multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy services to commercial, industrial and residential developers, has promoted Chief Operating Officer Neil Hobbs to Managing Partner. He takes over leadership of the business from Gail Bamforth, who completed the successful implementation of a two-and-a-half-year strategy to reshape the business for future sustainable growth. She takes on the role of Non-Executive Director and advisor to the business.

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New Chair of DHF

New board member at Nexus

N

exus Infrastructure is pleased to announce the appointment of Clare Lacey to the board as an independent Non-Executive Director. Clare is a partner at QMPF, an Edinburgh-based infrastructure advisory business, where her focus has been on the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors.

Richard Kilner, Chair of Nexus Infrastructure, said: “Clare brings extensive experience across the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors that will be valuable to our board discussions as the business meets the high demand for our multiutility services, electric vehicle and renewable infrastructure expertise.”

Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) has announced Paul Browne as its new Chair. Paul, who was formerly Assa Abloy UK’s Chief Technology Officer & Business Development Director, has been involved with DHF since 2006 and has been on the company’s board since 2007. In 2011, he joined the Board of the European Hardware Association and was active in European and UK standards development.

45 BUILDING ENGINEER

Legal & General Affordable Homes (LGAH) announces the appointment of Chris Hewitt as Financial Director. Chris has been brought in to lead the development of LGAH’s corporate structure as the business continues to scale up its different funding streams to achieve additionality within the affordable housing market.

Ben Denton, LGAH’s Chief Executive, said: “His appointment will support the continued growth of the business and demonstrates our commitment to deploying institutional capital at scale into this sector, to deliver the volumes of affordable housing which society desperately needs.”

MARCH 2022

L&G Finance Director

President of BPF Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, has been appointed President of the British Plastics Federation’s Pipes Group, taking over from Richard Hill of ACO Technologies.

Land Director for Rockwell Oliver Barrett joins Rockwell as Land Director, having previously helped build the Amazon Real Estate Team and having held the role of Head of Property at Lidl GB. He brings significant large-scale acquisitions experience and expertise to his new role.

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COMMUNITY

Association update Spotlight on excellence

MARCH 2022

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ubmissions are now open for the CABE Built Environment Awards.

Every year, CABE honours the construction industry’s finest with the presentation of the awards, which give projects and individuals recognition for their excellence and are an acknowledgement of the exceptional standards that are being achieved.

CABE Members are some of the most competent individuals in the construction industry; with their knowledge and expertise, they help to shape the industry for the better.

This year, we are delighted to introduce two new award categories – Building Engineer of the Year and Young Building Engineer of the Year – to give members the opportunity to celebrate their recent achievements and hard work.

Alongside these new awards are six project categories that cover a wide range of developments

JUDGING PANEL The Built Environment Awards are judged by a panel made up of a team of industry experts.

This year’s panel includes CABE Patron and chartered surveyor Lord John Lytton; Liz Male MBE, Chair of the National Energy Foundation and a lay member of the Architects Registration Board; and CABE Past-President David Taylor PPCABE FCABE, who is also a chartered architectural technologist.

including new builds, renovations and preservations. To win, the nominated project must demonstrate how the structure delivers a public benefit, drives innovation, meets the needs and expectations of the client, and how design or performance has raised the quality of the final build.

Last year’s winning projects showcased some truly exceptional work, including new build award-winner the University of Wolverhampton for its School of Architecture and the Built Environment. The design of this flagship project preserved the site’s architectural legacy while creating a state-of-the-art, purpose-built teaching facility for its students.

Alongside the University of Wolverhampton, the Daniel Connal Partnership won the Facilities Management or Refurbishment Award. The winning project, the Wells Maltings Renovation and Extension, undertook the conservation of a 19th Century Grade-II listed building and saw not only the preservation of the building’s heritage but also created a versatile community space for all.

Submissions for this year’s awards are now being invited and we would love to hear from you. Do you know a worthy winner? Then please take the time to enter the awards and make sure that this year’s winners continue to highlight the best the construction industry has to offer.

To enter, visit cbuilde.com/ awards2022

MEMBER NEWS CABE is delighted to welcome the following into membership: CHARTERED FELLOWS R Hulls – Okehampton TF Wong – Hong Kong CHARTERED BUILDING ENGINEERS CY Chan – Hong Kong LK Chang – Hong Kong WT Cheung –Hong Kong J Collins – London D Hones – Mepal S Karuppan – Oman H Lam – Liverpool TK Lam – Hong Kong F Lo – Hong Kong W Lui – Hong Kong E O’Leary – Ireland SH Shiu – Hong Kong F Tang – Hong Kong SY Tay – Singapore J Winstanley – Houghton-le-Spring KK Wong – Hong Kong CHARTERED MEMBERS P Driver – Ireland KH Ho – Hong Kong ASSOCIATES S Adam – Croydon S Bissell – Bridlington E Bosworth – Lincoln R Caldicott – Exeter K Datoo – Coventry D Gibbs – Bedford S Holmes – Feltham T Hughes – Winscombe D Jones – Castle Cary E Khoury – London M Lannaman-Ferreira – Oxford D Maguella – Ireland D Matthews – Hull S Mckay – Brighton A Mcnally – London O Olaoni – London V Rose – London C Smith – Harwich M Solomon – Haverfordwest U Tariq – London GRADUATES D Darbyshire – Worsley J Gandolfi – Milton Keynes R Heaslip – Tralee R Kenth – Solihull K Rutter – Plymouth J White – Wirral TECHNICIANS A Brewster-Brown – Hove L Proctor – Hull Members who have achieved a higher grade: CHARTERED FELLOWS A Hatfield – Willenhall L Lee – Walsall CHARTERED BUILDING ENGINEERS R Brunton – Broxbourne WH Leung – Hong Kong

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ASSOCIATION UPDATE

CHARTERED MEMBERS T Casson – London N Charlery – London R Egbe – London L Fairall – Cannock E Keegan – Birmingham R McCormack – Colchester D Mc Laughlin – Rathmullan M Whittaker – Stockport S Whittaker – Nr Coleshill ASSOCIATE L Williams – Port Talbot To find out if you are eligible for a higher grade, send CV to membership@cbuilde.com for review We welcome back into membership: CHARTERED BUILDING ENGINEER C McGoldrick – Treharris ASSOCIATE A Knight – Toronto GRADUATE K Loughton – Shipley

We regret to announce the death of the following member: Michael Andrew Callinicos C.Build E MCABE b. 1938 ad. 1995 Region: Southern For membership information, contact HQ on +44 (0)1604 404121 or e-mail membership@cbuilde.com The above membership information is taken from 10 January to 3 February 2022.

CABE Board Elections The Board is run by CABE members: it is their experience and knowledge that shapes the Association. Following the recent AGM, the results of the elections are as follows: Vice-President – Richard Flynn CEng CEnv C.Build E FCABE Richard is a consulting chartered building engineer at Flynn & Shaw. He is Chair of CABE’s Membership and Professional Standards

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Committee (MPSC) and until now has been an ordinary Board member. His role on the MPSC has given him a far-reaching understanding of CABE’s management practices and governance.

Ordinary Board Members – David Courtney CEnv C.Build E FCABE and Lindsay Richards C.Build E MCABE David Courtney is a building surveyor, environmental and project management consultant. A former Chair of the Southern Ireland Region, he has previously been an ordinary Board member. His knowledge of CABE and his experience from the regions means he will be a great asset.

assistance should be sought from a senior professional or specialist.

To ensure you have the correct fire safety knowledge to undertake this course, we recommend you enrol in the Principles of Fire Safety course to ensure you have a base familiarity with fire science and behaviour, and human behaviour in a fire.

This new course complements CABE’s existing fire safety training, which includes: Principles of Fire Safety Fire Safety Practitioner Certificate Fire Safety in the Design Management and Use of Residential Building: BS 9991; and Fire Safety Codes for Building Designs: BS 99999.

47 BUILDING ENGINEER

The following members have achieved additional registrations: CHARTERED ENGINEER M Frioni - Qatar

Given the current focus on – and significant changes to – the fire safety standards, it is essential that professionals like yourselves ensure your knowledge of the latest legislation and guidance is up to date.

To help support you, CABE has been working with Steve Willett, Head of Specialist Training at Part B, to develop a new course – Principles of Fire Risk Assessment in Purpose Built Flats.

Developed for professionals working in fire safety assessment and inspection, the new course will guide you through Fire Risk Assessment in Purpose Built Flats, discussing how the guidance should be applied with the aid of practical examples and case studies.

The objective of the course is to ensure you understand the basic principles behind supporting a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for purpose-built flats, and that sure you understand your limitations, recognising when

MARCH 2022

CABE is pleased to welcome the following new partners: Building Consents Ltd SelectSurv (London) Ltd

New fire safety course

More information at cbuilde.com/firesafety Discover more at cbuilde. com/page/principlesoffire riskassessmentinpurpose builtflats

Lindsay Richards is a chartered quantity surveyor and Managing Director of her own practice. She is also a part-time Senior Lecturer at the University of Wales, Trinity St David. Lindsay believes there should be more collaboration across the professions, and this will help CABE to be a unifying voice in the construction industry.

We welcome them all to the Board from June 2022.

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COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

CABE FOCUS

5 minutes with...

Alison Duckles, CABE’s new Professional Development Director, received the CBE in the New Year honours list

Q

What drew you to this career?

From a learning and development perspective, it’s the opportunity to see people grow. It’s a privilege to be able to support that.

From a construction perspective, it’s the chance to improve competence, standards, skills and professionalism.

MARCH 2022

Q

BUILDING ENGINEER

48

What was your route into the profession?

After my A levels, I worked in a family-owned business that dealt with supplying the licensed trade. I set up a procurement system because there was no price negotiation going on. I moved to Eastern Electricity just before its privatisation and was involved in business process re-engineering.

That entailed facilitating the redesign of business processes that would be fit for the future. During my time with Eastern Electricity, I worked in training and marketing and then in the business improvement team. I became Training Manager at the Institute for Waste Management before moving to Laing O’Rourke, first as Business Improvement Head and then various roles in learning and development before becoming Head of Learning and Development. I think it shows that transferable skills and the right mindset are welcome in any industry.

Q

Did you face any challenges because of your gender?

Yes, but not hugely. There were odd throwaway comments from colleagues that sought to undermine my skills

and dedication simply because I had childcare responsibilities.

Q

How important are apprenticeships and vocational training? Do you think the routes in are clear and appealing enough?

With apprenticeships, there was a mismatch between what was needed and what was available. Over the past ten years, I’ve been heavily involved in developing apprenticeships for the sector to meet the skills demands and to deliver different qualifications fit for the industry now and in the future. Apprenticeships are a great opportunity to reach a more diverse proportion of the population, and that’s certainly what the industry needs.

Further Education colleges have done lots of good work over the years in vocational education; the challenge is converting those people on full- and part-time vocational qualifications to working in the sector. The construction sector has always had challenges in attracting diverse talent, and with the skills shortages we are facing this is going to be a priority for us all.

roles and the environments they want to work in – and to be able to demonstrate it to their stakeholders.

I want CABE to be viewed as a leader in high standards of professional competence.

Q

What question do you get asked most often?

Where do I go next? Or, how do I move my career forward? The advice I always give is to first understand your own aspirations, skills and values because construction is so broad and there are so many opportunities that sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees.

Q

What inspires you?

Being able to make a difference.

Supporting and watching individual growth – it’s a privilege.

Q

What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?

Believe in yourself. Challenge yourself. Don’t compromise what you believe in.

Q

What do you hope to achieve in your role at CABE? There’s a perception that the industry isn’t doing enough to improve standards, competence and confidence; this has been exacerbated by the events of the past few years.

I see my role as enabling CABE members to have more ability to demonstrate competence in their

“Apprenticeships are a great opportunity to reach a more diverse proportion of the population, and that’s certainly what the industry needs”

48 CabeFocus_03 Mar 2022_Building Engineer.indd 48

14/02/2022 17:23

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Our mission is to be the most agile, positive and proactive risk management company within the latent defect insurance market. We protect our insurers from claims and our developers from disputes through world class risk management and technical standards. Our structural warranties are supported by a risk management site inspection regime throughout the build process. Working alongside developers and builders to help them get things right on-site, ÄYZ[ [PTL PZ ^OH[ THRLZ \Z [PJR 0[ [HRLZ KLKPJH[LK Z[HɈ MYVT H YHUNL VM KPZJPWSPULZ [V LUHISL us to do this. @V\ ^PSS IL LUJV\YHNLK [V ÄUK [LJOUPJHS ZVS\[PVUZ MVY V\Y J\Z[VTLYZ HUK Z\WWVY[LK PU `V\Y work with the latest digital tools and our commitment to continuous learning, all underscored by our core values. We would love you to join us on our journey.

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CABE.MAR22.050.indd 50

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14/02/2022 12:26

Come along to your local buildeng conference and exhibition: buildeng Northern & Southern Ireland

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Webinar Wednesdays

iMIST Fire Suppression Systems 16 March 2022 | 1 hour CPD Presented by Eddie Sibley, CPD Manager at iMIST Join us as we take a look at: •

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Register your Free Attendance at cbuilde.com/webinars

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If undelivered please return to: CABE Lutyens House Billing Brook Road Northampton NN3 8NW

Championing Excellence in the Built Environment tĞ ŚĂǀĞ ƐĞǀĞƌĂů ĞdžĐŝƟŶŐ ũŽď ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ŶŐůĂŶĚ ĂŶĚ tĂůĞƐ͗ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ŽŶƚƌŽů DĂŶĂŐĞƌ Ͳ ŝƌŵŝŶŐŚĂŵ

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tĞ ĂƌĞ ĂůƐŽ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ƚŽ ĞdžƉĂŶĚ ŽƵƌ ĞdžŝƐƟŶŐ ŽĸĐĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĞĂƚĞ ŶĞǁ ƚĞĂŵƐ ŽĨ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ŽŶƚƌŽů ^ƵƌǀĞLJŽƌƐ͕ DĂŶĂŐĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ŽŶƚƌŽů ƐƐŝƐƚĂŶƚƐ ŝŶ ŽƚŚĞƌ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ŶŐůĂŶĚ ĂŶĚ tĂůĞƐ͘ tŝƚŚ ĂŵďŝƟŽƵƐ ƉůĂŶƐ ĨŽƌ ϮϬϮϮ͕ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƌŝŐŚƚ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ƚŽ ũŽŝŶ ƵƐ͘ tĞ ǁŽƌŬ ǁŝƚŚ ŐƌĞĂƚ ƉĞŽƉůĞ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ĞdžĐĞůůĞŶƚ ƐĂůĂƌŝĞƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ƐŽŵĞ ĂŵĂnjŝŶŐ ƐƚĂī ďĞŶĞĮƚƐ͘ /Ĩ LJŽƵ ǁĂŶƚ ƚŽ ũŽŝŶ ŽƵƌ ƚĞĂŵ͕ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ŐĞƚ ŝŶ ƚŽƵĐŚ͘

tĞ ĂƌĞ ƐĞĞŬŝŶŐ ĂŶ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ŽŶƚƌŽů DĂŶĂŐĞƌ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂů ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƚŽ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉ ŽƵƌ ĞdžŝƐƟŶŐ ƉŽƌƞŽůŝŽ ŽĨ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŽ ůĞĂĚ ŽƵƌ ŝƌŵŝŶŐŚĂŵ dĞĂŵ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶ ĂŵďŝƟŽŶ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉ ĂŶĚ ŐƌŽǁ ƚŚŝƐ ĂůƌĞĂĚLJ ĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚĞĚ ŽĸĐĞ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶ͘

&Žƌ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ĚĞƚĂŝůƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŽ ĂƉƉůLJ͕ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ĞŵĂŝů ũŽďƐΛĐŽŽŬďƌŽǁŶ͘ĐŽ͘ƵŬ Žƌ ǀŝƐŝƚ ǁǁǁ͘ĐŽŽŬďƌŽǁŶ͘ĐŽ͘ƵŬ Part of

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