Futurebuild postponed to March 2022

To deliver an event where the built environment industry can connect in the most effective way, Futurebuild 2021 has been postponed. Following consultation with our community, we have decided that the event that was due to run on 02-04 March 2021 will now go ahead from 01-03 March 2022 at the ExCeL London. The event will elevate innovation, showcasing the products, solutions and ideas that will deliver the transformational change needed to address climate change.

The 2022 event will be laser focused on the most pressing industry issues, which were identified based on feedback from previous audiences. The event’s six spotlights and Arena programme will cover the fundamental issues currently facing the built environment industry — digital impact, whole house retrofit, circular materials, district energy, future installer and intelligent buildings.

To continue to offer a platform for the built environment industry to connect, Futurebuild will host a range of both physical and digital events in the lead up to 2022, putting a spotlight on the key issues the industry currently faces and present game changing solutions.

“We know that manufacturers and specifiers come to Futurebuild for a purpose — to showcase, see and purchase the products they can use to make a real difference,” explained Martin Hurn, Event Director of Futurebuild. “We want to do what is best for our community, and our planet, and we know how important it still is for us to connect and continue to foster key relationships. We’ve consulted our exhibitors, attendees and our team, and the community feels that Futurebuild will best serve its purpose if it goes ahead in 2022.”

Futurebuild will launch its digital offering Game Changers LIVE series, starting in December, to provide more opportunities to engage with industry influencers and manufacturers about current issues and innovation. This event will connect innovative brands with forward-thinking specifiers to cover trends such as clean energy, digital twin and circular materials.

“The pandemic won’t pause our progress,” continued Hurn. “We’re taking this challenge as an opportunity to provide more support to the industry. Our regular webinar panels and digital programme offers the community practical advice and opportunities to connect so that they can start implementing the changes needed to address climate change now.”

This decision has been made following consultation with the construction industry and due to the ongoing unforeseeable, unavoidable and unprecedented global scope of the Coronavirus pandemic. This has led to the Government implementing ongoing measures to maintain social distancing and reversing its decision to allow live events to run from 1 October 2020, further contributing to the continuing Force Majeure situation.

Futurebuild provides a platform for industry to come together, connect with people from across the entire supply chain and find the products and solutions needed to address the climate crisis.

Phase one of major student accommodation

Leading consulting engineer Howard Ward Associates (HWA) has assisted in the completion of phase one of The Oaks – a significant student development close to the University of Warwick.

The building, known as Oaks 1, is located less than a kilometre from the University of Warwick to the south west of Coventry city centre, and was developed by McLaren Property, together with project managers Stace and Corstorphine + Wright Architects . The project was forward funded by Student Roost who now operate the Accommodation.

Formerly the site of an office building, Oaks 1 brings 378 new student rooms to the area in a mixture of 288 cluster bedrooms and 90 studios, which are within convenient walking distance of the university’s main campus.

The scheme also benefits from over 6,800 sq. ft. of amenity space; comprising an open plan common room and games room, gym and virtual training areas, study areas and social spaces, and has provided significant contributions towards the sustainable transport infrastructure in the area.

HWA supplied civil and structural engineering services from feasibility and planning stages to phase one of the project. Phases two and three which include two further buildings - Oaks 2 and Oaks 3 - is currently under construction, and would deliver a total of 1,000 student rooms and studios.

The Oaks is the only purpose-built student accommodation scheme adjacent to the University of Warwick.

Demolition works for phase one began in September 2018, with McLaren Construction starting the main build contract the following month. Completion was ahead of the expected completion date – ready for the 2020/21 academic year.

Dan Bailey, director at HWA, said: “We are pleased to be continuing our long-standing working relationship with McLaren Property and the rest of the supply team on this significant project in Coventry.

“As the only purpose-built, large-scale student accommodation in the area, this will provide much-needed, quality rooms and studios for students to enjoy as they attend the University of Warwick. The accommodation couldn’t be in a better location, bordering the main campus with everything students need within easy reach.

“We’re proud to be continuing our work in the Midlands, particularly in these challenging times, and look forward to seeing the next phase of the project progress.”

From its head office in Nottingham, HWA delivers construction engineering consultancy services across a range of sectors, including education, healthcare, emergency services, commercial and residential across the country.

Works underway on new specialised teaching facilities at Polesworth School Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson progressing on the external envelope delivery for students. The project has been selected by the Department and internal partitions. team is ensuring that all COVID-19 for Education (DfE) to design and working guidelines are adhered to, build the new Bramcote Building, Once finished, the building will cater to ensure safe working and social a specialist teaching block for The for Design and Technology teaching distancing on site. Polesworth School in Tamworth, Staffordshire. The school is a mixed gender secondary school with pupils aged 11-18, and it is part of the Communities Academies Trust - a multi-academy trust comprising 17 schools in the West Midlands region. The Bramcote Building replaces five existing teaching blocks which are nearing the end of their usable spaces, ICT teaching rooms, science laboratories and staff spaces, allowing the school to continue delivering the curriculum in a safe and quality environment. The project also includes the resurfacing of an existing 2,135m2 multi-use games area (MUGA) with new fencing and lighting, marked out in accordance with Sport England specifications for five-a-side football, basketball and netball. In addition to the operational school, the site is located in a built-up residential area, bounded by Birchwood Primary School, the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association and Polesworth Sports Centre, and close liaison with all neighbours has been paramount to agree shared access routes through to the construction site, to minimise the impact on the surrounding area and maintain access at all times. life and will be demolished by G F In line with G F Tomlinson’s Tomlinson following completion of the Expected for completion in autumn commitment to social value, the new building. 2021, the works are being undertaken project will maximise opportunities within a live school site and have for training and skills for local Construction on the new three-storey been carefully planned to minimise young people, and five apprentices 2,479m2 teaching block started back disruption to ensure the school is have already benefited from being in June, and the steel frame and roof able to maintain continuity of the engaged during the design and preare now complete, with works curriculum and extra-curricular construction stage.

This will be the first project that G F Tomlinson has completed for The Polesworth School and Community Academies Trust, and the 12th project for the DfE framework.

Chris Flint, director of G F Tomlinson, said: “We are delighted to have commenced works at The Polesworth School to deliver much needed modernised teaching spaces which will enable the school to continue providing an excellent standard of education. This project is part of the DfE framework’s schools investment programme which aims to address urgent requirements for the replacement of buildings to provide improvements to the quality of teaching and learning environments.

“The buildings being demolished and replaced were nearing the end of their usable life and the planned works will allow for the school to continue teaching in certain buildings, whilst we construct the new facilities ensuring there is no disruption to the day-to-day curriculum. The works will provide high quality, optimised teaching and learning spaces for staff and students, improving the overall educational experience of children at the school. “It has been an honour to engage with DfE again for another project, taking our total projects for the framework to 12 in six years.” G F Tomlinson is working alongside Bond Bryan (architect), BSP Consulting (engineer) and Anderson Green (M & E services) to deliver this project.