Creative Build Magazine - October Issue by Ryan Leon Media

October Issue Construction comes to the rescue of lost new talent

‘Governments for decades’ at fault on fire safety

Climb the construction ladder and springboard your career!

Pages 14-15

Pages 38-39

Pages 41

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Contents 4

Project costs could rise due to UK fuel crisis

Future Homes Sustainable Cities

One of the UK’s best workplaces for women

How can we reduce plastics in construction?

Schöck and CHC collaborate on environmentally improved debris screens

Warning to world leaders ahead of COP26 and urges action “before it is too late”

Construction comes to the rescue of lost new talent

The hidden cost of ignoring health and safety

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Project costs could rise due to UK fuel crisis As the UK public continues to panic buy fuel the risk of project costs rising is incredibly likely. There have already been cases since the disruption began and contractors are starting to request additional funds for commutes to site along with requesting additional project time extensions. It is a crisis that affects us all and some garages have limited fuel to emergency services only at times. The disruption may get worse before it gets better however and with reports of people waiting hours for fuel to arrive in the early hours of the morning these past few weeks have been a warning of what may be to come! This frustration is adding additional stress to everyday life which also has affect on working relationships as employees are unable to get to where they are needed. The longer this disruption continues - the more likely it is to affect us all in every possible way.

It seems that we cannot escape the obvious issues with the UK supply chain at present, whether it be the lack of HGV drivers transporting food, supplies or materials all the way through to the fuel availability. Delays in most cases lead to more time required on site, which in turn will usually lead to more money required for the

project. Funds will either be coming out of the contractors pocket or the client’s. This problem will only get worse until the dust settles and the unnecessary panic buying stops. A lack of fuel availability means less vans on the road - less vans on the road means less money being made in all aspects of life. Could we be in for a tough Winter as the furlough help scheme rattles to an end?

Materials crisis continues to curtail UK builders’ recovery, says FMB Builders’ recovery from the pandemic is being curtailed by a long-lasting crisis in the price and availability of vital building materials, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to UK Construction PMI data released. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Builders throughout the UK, particularly smaller firms, are struggling to recover from the pandemic as a result of the continued materials crisis. For some time now, demand for building materials has been outstripping supply, with this month’s data representing the secondfastest rate for input cost inflation since recording began. The FMB’s latest membership survey revealed the prevalence of this crisis within the sector, with 98% of FMB members experiencing price increases for building materials.

It’s vital that transparent allocation and pricing policies are implemented to help enable SMEs to have continued and stable access to materials. The Government should also re-evaluate their position with regard to issuing temporary visas for EU HGV drivers, to better enable the delivery of materials.” Berry continued: “Notwithstanding the wider economic impact risked by

consumers choosing not to undertake building projects as a result of delays, there is also a real risk that the current environment is exploitable by cowboy builders. Builders are working hard to stick to agreed timelines, but consumers must be cautious about promises to complete jobs quickly and cheaply. All too often these will be too good to be true, and could well leave households at the mercy of unscrupulous cowboy builders.”

Fibrelite Custom-Engineers Heavy-Duty GRP Trench Covers For Precast Concrete Troughs At Airport Maintenance Facility A third-party engineering and construction company contacted Fibrelite to provide a bespoke GRP composite trench covering arrangement to fit precast concrete service trenches at a UK airport maintenance facility. The concrete troughs had already been sourced, and sizing and specification finalised, making a custom Fibrelite covering solution ideal. Problem The fact that the concrete troughs had already been acquired prior to Fibrelite’s involvement in the project presented a number of design challenges, as well as those related to the nature of the application.

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Key design challenges: - Custom cover dimensions to fit existing troughs. - E600 ‘Super Heavy Duty’ load rating essential due to frequent high wheel loads. - Every third cover required 140x50mm apertures for access to compressed air lines. - Non-standard colour pigment requested. In addition to the above, a strict construction programme was mandated.

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Solution derutcafunam otsuc eb ot dah snoisnemid revoC snoisnemid hguort gnitsixe t ot Fibrelite proposed a custom, retrofit GRP composite trench cover design which Results would fit directly into existing troughs. This Fibrelite covers enable easy safe manual design was approved by the client shortly access to trenches, eliminating the need after submission. for specialist personnel or machinery during maintenance or operation (and Key features: resultant costs). - Custom covers, dimensionally consistent 6 E nA 00 saw gnitar d ol ’ytuD yvaeH r puS‘ to all details provided by the client, allowing Key benefits of Fibrelite covers: sdaol e hw gih tneuq rf eht o eud laitnes them to be fitted immediately into existing - Strength to weight ratio: all Fibrelite trench trough rebates upon delivery. covers are designed to be safely and quickly - Covers stepped from 40 to 65mm deep in order to accommodate the E600 load rating required.

removed by two people using their FL7 lifting handles.

- Every third cover modified with 140x50mm ‘mouse hole‘ aperture to enable easy access to compressed air lines.

- Fit-and-forget corrosion-free long-term solution.

- Covers manufactured using custom light grey colour pigment. Covers were manufactured and delivered before the project deadline.

- Easy access to trench services.

Click here for more Fibrelite case studies Every thi d cover was m di e w th a 140x50mm‘ousehl‘aprtueonabl easy c to mpres d ai l nes

IronmongeryDirect named as one of the UK’s best workplaces™ for women Leading specialist ironmongery supplier and online retailer, IronmongeryDirect, has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ For Women 2021, by Great Place to Work®. The accolade follows the company’s recent success in placing 58th in the overall medium sized, UK Best Workplaces™ 2021. To determine the Best Workplaces™ for Women, the Great Place to Work® institute assessed feedback from anonymous employee surveys from 114 UK organisations, which measured the extent to which women across the organisation reported a consistently great workplace experience. Representing employees in the UK, the survey considered factors such as their daily encounters of innovation, inclusivity, company values, and leadership. Of the companies shortlisted, Essex based employer IronmongeryDirect ranked 32nd in the medium-size category of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ For Women. “It is an honour to be recognised as one of the Best Workplaces™ for women to work in the UK by Great Place to Work®,” says Lea Stevens, Head of HR & Communication at IronmongeryDirect.

“As a business, we are committed to ensuring all our employees are able to reach their full potential, no matter who they are or what they do. We continue to create an inclusive working environment that is accessible and beneficial for everyone who works at IronmongeryDirect, and we are delighted our workforce feels valued, supported and part of a truly great place to work. “It’s a wonderful achievement to receive this award as a result of our employees positive experiences and follows two consecutive years placing within the UK’s overall Best Workplaces™ Awards for medium-sized companies in 2021 and 2020.” IronmongeryDirect is the UK’s largest supplier of architectural ironmongery with next-day delivery available on over 18,000 products. Based in Basildon in Essex, IronmongeryDirect also has a trade counter that’s open six days a week and offers same-day delivery to select Essex postcodes as well as a Click & Collect network that includes over 6,000 pick-up points nationwide. To find out more about IronmongeryDirect please visit: www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk.

West Fraser - the fewer carbon emissions a building or building product creates, the better it is for the planet West Fraser (formerly known as Norbord), the UK’s no.1 producer of engineered wood panels, is committed to playing a big part in reducing carbon emissions in all its manufacturing processes. Being carbon neutral just wasn’t enough for the company; carbon negative was the goal. Today, West Fraser has been independently audited and verified so that all the portfolios of engineered wood panels have been certified as being net carbon negative. This means that the company locks up more CO2 in the boards than it emits making them. “We are committed to helping UK construction drive down carbon emissions; while also helping our customers comply with net zero targets” explains Andrew Francis, Sales Director, West Fraser.

produces lumber, engineered wood (OSB, LVL, MDF, plywood, particleboard), and other products including pulp, newsprint, wood chips and renewable energy. West Fraser’s products are used in construction, repair and remodelling, industrial applications, papers, tissue and box materials. West Fraser’s product range now holds a net carbon negative status, locking up more CO2 than it emits. Leading the way in tackling the issue of climate change, the company’s four European sites and three product ranges sequester a total of 1.1 million tonnes of carbon annually. For further information call 01786 812 921 or visit Uk.westfraser.com

West Fraser is a diversified wood products company with more than 60 facilities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe. From responsibly sourced and sustainably managed forest resources, West Fraser

New BoilerMagXC compact heating system filter launched Spear & Jackson has launched a brandnew magnetic domestic heating system filter, the BoilerMagXC. Competitively priced, the compact filter incorporates “Dual Flow” technology to pack a lot of performance into a compact space. Endorsed by the world-renowned Spear & Jackson brand, BoilerMagXC customers can rely on the same brand values of quality and reliability. The BoilerMagXC’s patented “DualFlow” technology means system water is exposed to the magnetic core twice on a single pass, allowing for the length of the extraction chamber to be minimised whilst retaining extremely high levels of iron oxide extraction. Featuring simple “in-line” installation, the BoilerMagXC comes complete with high-quality isolation valves. With its neat, retail-friendly packaging, this attractively priced domestic system filter promises to be a fast-moving item. National Sales Manager for BoilerMag, Craig Worth, said: “We’re excited to launch the brand new BoilerMagXC,

it’s the ideal filter for those looking for system protection in restricted spaces at an attractive price. We identified a gap in our range by listening to our customers and installers, responding accordingly with a product we believe will add value to merchants as well as being popular amongst installers. The response to date has been overwhelming”. The brand-new filter can be fitted on either vertical or horizontal pipework, it features a non-block magnetic circuit and satisfies a requirement of BS7593:2019. Servicing can be done in a matter of minutes, by simply removing the core cover and rinsing. BoilerMagXC extends the established BoilerMag system treatment range further, offering more choice for domestic installations. The full range includes the high-performance BoilerMag Domestic, treatment chemicals, scale reducers and heating system filters for industrial and commercial properties. To find out more about the BoilerMagXC, or BoilerMag’s other products, visit www.boilermag.com or call the team on 0114 225 0624

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Schöck and CHC collaborate on environmentally improved debris screens An innovative Bury based civil engineering and building contracting firm, Cheetham Hill Construction (CHC), are collaborating with Schöck to improve the environmental performance of culvert debris screens. Traditionally these would be steel reinforced constructions, but the versatile Combar glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) product from Schöck is a welcome alternative. This is a ribbed reinforcing bar made of corrosion resistant glass fibres, bound by a vinyl ester resin. The high quality components and the unique manufacturing process result in an outstanding material which is highly durable, corrosion resistant and much stronger than steel, but significantly lighter. First debris screen for Combar Combar has been used for the first time in the construction of the debris screen structure at Torkington Park, in Hazel Grove, a suburb of Stockport. The brook that flows through the park is culverted

under a road from the downstream end, Heavy rain in the past had caused the debris screen located at the culvert inlet to became blocked, causing a local flood event. As a result the Environment Agency (EA) took the decision to rebuild and upgrade the downstream debris screen to reduce the risk of future flooding. CHC hold a place on the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Risk Management Operational Framework (FCRM), created to deliver design, civil engineering, culvert clearance and maintenance works in the river, coastal and estuary environments. The company was also successful in its application for funding from the Environment Agency Net Zero Carbon Innovation Pathway Fund (2021/22) – and it is this that led to the collaboration with Schöck.

Other benefits are that it is significantly lighter than steel, so the health and safety benefits involving manual handling are significant. The GFRP reinforcement doesn’t rust either. So the finished structures are more durable and require less maintenance, while still achieving an expected design life of 100 years. The Torkington Park debris screen reduces the risk of flooding to the surrounding houses and its design results in less visits being necessary by the EA to clean out the screen debris. We are looking to incorporate Combar more widely in future designs and anticipate using the product again very soon”.

Ticking the boxes CHC Site Manager, Lee Farrar takes up the story: “Using the Schöck Combar

Part of the Combar range 12

product ticked quite a few boxes. Being a GFRP reinforcement, it offers a reduction of up to 80% of embodied carbon when compared to traditional steel reinforcement.

For Combar enquiries visit www.schoeck.com or contact the company on 01865 290 890

The completed project

Torkington Park debris screen under construction 13

Construction comes to the rescue of lost new talent The jobs market might be booming, but young adults express concerns about their ability to find suitable career opportunities post-pandemic. New Government-backed scheme launches to help young people find apprenticeships and first jobs in construction – an industry fighting hard for new recruits In the wake of official statistics showing job vacancies hitting the highest levels since records began, a new survey of young adults looking for work in the UK reveals that just 14% are very confident of finding suitable career opportunities this year and 46% believe that it is harder now to find such opportunities compared to before the pandemic. The research suggests a generation of young people who might not get to see the best career options available to them – a problem that the UK’s fast-growing

construction industry in communities across the UK is determined to tackle. Launching today (21 September 2021), Talentview Construction (TVC) is an early careers initiative supported by Government, the Construction Leadership Council, universities, colleges and construction industry employers, and funded by the industry CITB levy. Entirely free for all to use, Talentview Construction makes it easier for those searching for a career in construction and the built environment to join the sector and take advantage of an exciting array of opportunities, reflecting the importance of construction to the UK’s economic recovery. Construction is a very varied sector, employing about three million people and providing multiple career paths. Even without the growth of ‘green jobs’, it is estimated that the construction industry

needs to recruit more than 217,000 new workers between now and 2025 to support its current activity, including the development of exciting new careers in digitalisation and sustainability. This demand is only likely to accelerate, as an estimated 500,000 UK-born workers are likely to leave the sector in the next 10 years as they come to retirement age. Despite these trends, careers advice to young adults is falling far behind industry needs. Just 16% of respondents to the survey said they had received any information about the wide variety of careers in construction and the built environment when they were at school or college. Sarah Beale, co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council’s skills workstream and outgoing chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), says: “For anyone not sure of where to go in their career or for anyone who already knows they want to help shape the built environment of tomorrow, construction will welcome you with open arms. “It’s an industry like no other, with a wide range of opportunities now available in one place – Talentview Construction. This is the place to come to find a route into construction, first jobs and experiences on offer, including apprenticeships and roles to suit everyone – from outdoorsy, practical work-with-your-hands types to technically minded digital experts, environmentally focused designers and engineering enthusiasts as well as people leaders. We need you all.” Recent apprentices in construction are also quick to offer encouragement to their peers. Millie Rooker, a technical apprentice at Barratt Homes in Bristol, says: “Getting an apprenticeship in construction means I can learn about something I want to make a career out of and get paid and gain valuable reallife experience, which is the perfection combination.

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You can do your A Levels and then go on to get the job you want, but it’s only then you may find you don’t actually like it. You can learn just as much by doing an apprenticeship and, more importantly, get a clear picture of the work that’s involved. “All of my friends stayed on at school to do their A Levels, which meant my first few weeks as an apprentice were lonely and I had to get used to working long hours and being with new people. But in the long run, it’s 100% worth it because you’re getting paid to learn and I get to see my friends at the weekend. My work are paying for me to do my HNC and degree, which means I’m not starting my career with a student loan to have to pay back.” Talentview Construction helps candidates to browse opportunities by signing up to alerts for job and training opportunities and building their own online profile so employers can find them more easily. Employers can use it to showcase their business to talented new recruits on the TVC site, and upload all their early career vacancies, including traineeships, apprenticeships and graduate jobs. They can also search for suitable candidates and directly contact students and apprentices, as well as connecting more closely with schools, universities and construction colleges.

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Talentview Construction is the newest offering from the Construction Talent Retention Scheme (CTRS) which was established by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Construction Leadership Council last summer. Together with complementary sites like CITB’s Go Construct, TVC and CTRS help to create a ‘one stop shop’ sector talent hub for the attraction, development and retention of people and skills within construction and the built environment, as part of the Government’s broader support to business on skills.

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Futurebuild webinar series asks are we ready for COP26? As we approach COP26, the impacts of climate change and the ecological crisis are clear, with the IPCC report described by the UN Secretary General as the ‘code red for humanity’. To give the built environment the knowledge it needs to take action now, sustainable construction event Futurebuild has partnered with The Edge to ask — are we ready for COP26? This series of three lunch-time webinars, taking place on September 9, September 23 and October 7 will explore how we can engage better to address the political, economic, environmental and cultural issues so that we can act with both urgency and agency for the transformational change that is needed. Sign up for the webinars here. In November 2021 the COP26 summit will bring the parties together to accelerate action towards the net zero emissions goal. However, the built environment is aware that it cannot wait until COP26 for answers, it must act now. In this webinar series a wide range of specialists including Baroness Kate Parminter, Chair of the Lords Select Committee on Environment and Climate Change, Julie Hill MBE, the Chair of the Institution of Environmental Sciences and Matt Browne, Advocacy Lead, Wildlife and Countryside Link will share their expertise and discuss what actions we can all take now. For each session we have also invited a practitioner to explain what the industry is doing. “COP26 is a critical focal point, but the outcome of the IPCC report shows that we cannot hesitate,” explained Martin Hurn, event director at Futurebuild. “We believe that the best way to take action is to collaborate with experts from inside and outside the industry, inviting them to share their understanding about how we can address key industry issues. By inviting speakers from the political arena, wildlife organisations and academia, alongside practitioners, we can exchange ideas for the urgent and necessary transformation of the built environment and the way we live in it.” The first webinar on September 9, will explore how the built environment can engage better with politics and 16

economics to promote rapid industrial change. Over 200 top UK firms have called on the government to make a Covid-19 recovery that prioritises the environment. Aligning what the industry needs to do and government legislation is an ongoing challenge that needs to be addressed. The second webinar in the series on September 23, considers how we can protect and enhance the natural environment right now. Our environmental specialists will discuss the impact of climate change and the urgent need for adaptation, the decline in the UK’s biodiversity and the policies and regulations that we need to reverse this situation. We all need to understand the impact of our actions and the changes that we must make to protect our natural environment.

The final webinar on October 7 will discuss how the UK can engage with climate change and find a solution now. 70 per cent of people in the UK support action on climate change but how much action are people willing to take and how could they be inspired to do more? The panel will discuss how a more sustainability-focused culture would help, the degree of change required and the urgency to make this cultural shift. Why wait until COP26 to start your discussions about a more sustainable built environment? To register for the webinar series for free please visit the Futurebuild website: www.futurebuild.co.uk

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7th October 2021

Kent Event Centre, Detling

Bringing the construction industry back together in a face-to-face environment this October

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Kent Construction Expo delivers a multi-track conference programme, over 150 market-leading exhibitors, and a unique opportunity for the construction sector to come together for an invaluable day of networking and innovation. The packed programme also includes over 600 free Meet the Buyer appointments, a Big Networking Breakfast and Gala Dinner.

2021 Speakers: Ben Cheeseman

Fergus Harradence

Dr Paul Toyne

Lee May

Pip Lawrence

Sarah Collins

Ricky Hemmings

Julie Putman

Commercial Director, Harwood Building Control

Deputy Director, Infrastructure & Construction, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Partner, Brachers LLP

Sustainability Practice Leader, Grimshaw & London Sustainable Development Commissioner

Technical Director, RIFT R&D Tax Credits

Wellbeing Director, Wellbeing People Ltd

Oliver Heath Founder & Director of Oliver Heath Design

Managing Director, Ardula Group Limited

Opening Keynote

Regional Manager - South, CIOB

Valuing & Implementing Health and Wellbeing in the Built Environment

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Future Homes Sustainable Cities Around a third of all our energy use in the UK is used in our homes. With the majority of this energy used in heating, this equates to about forty MTOE (million tonnes of oil equivalent) used every year. The UK Government have some ambitious plans to cut energy usage by 2050 in many sectors. Glasgow will be hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), from 31 October to 12 November 2021 and the UK is striving to take a global lead to drastically cut carbon emissions. The last change to our legislative window U-values for new homes was implemented in Approved Document, Part L in 2013. Little has changed since then, but, that is all set to change following the Government’s recent Future Homes Standard Consultation. The updated Part L will likely be finalised and released at the end of 2021 to be introduced into legislation early in 2022. This will likely mean the introduction of window systems having to meet a lower U-value of 1.2 W/m2K (in England) for the ‘notional’ building and the possible introduction of triple glazing. Following this change, it is likely that Part L will be further revised in 2025, possibly taking window U-values down to 0.8 W/ m2K. The changes are the result of the Government mission to achieving netzero carbon by 2050 and ensuring that new homes are built to be “zero-carbon ready” as the National Electricity Grid decarbonises. With the introduction of revised air tightness requirement, down from the limiting value of 10 m³/h.m² at 50Pa to 8 m³/h.m² at 50Pa (with 5.0 m3/h. m2 at 50Pa for the notional building) using the ‘blower door’ test method or a new ‘Pulse’ test method, our building structures are likely to become even more airtight. It is suggested that a house achieving an airtightness of 5 m³/h.m² will use 40% less energy on space heating than a house built to 2013 standards of 10 m³/h.m². With stricter airtightness, this calls into question how we can retain heat in our buildings in winter whilst maintaining healthy indoor air quality for well-being with controllable natural ventilation. 20

Will the change in thermal requirements in Part L and the revised guidance in Approved Document L Volume 1 change the material of choice for specifiers? Probably not, as both of the predominant materials chosen for new construction, aluminium and PVC, can achieve the U-values required, albeit they will be thicker, more thermally efficient and may carry triple or quadruple glazing, consequently products will become more expensive. Balancing this increased cost will be increased product quality which is likely to offer products an increased inuse life, possibly up to twice the current life expectancy. There are three areas of carbon emissions we have to remember; the production and installation of a product, what the product can save (or use) during its useful life and what value it has at its end of life, or how it can be reused or recycled. Reducing the rate of replacement will significantly reduce carbon. In the future, we may be required to prove a carbon payback if a lesser performing product is to be replaced with a newer carbon saving product.

Aluminium has proven its almost 100% recycling ability with no loss of structural strength, however, with long life comes the shortage of end of life recycling and currently, we can only supply up to 50% of the global demand for the material. Product recycling and sustainability are crucial if we are to ensure cyclical ‘cradle to cradle’ material resources in the future. Specifying aluminium will ensure its continued use for generations to come. 75% of all aluminium ever produced since 1880, when it became commercially viable, is still in use today. There will likely be a move to adopting differing designs of windows and doors in the future to make the most of high insulation glazing, such as reducing sightlines to a minimum. This may mean a move to sliding systems for large glazed opening doors and the adoption of tilt turn window systems. Will this herald a move away from the UK’s love of the outward opening ‘casement’ window? What does seem to be missing in this rapid move towards increasing thermal efficiency and airtightness in our future builds is the need for air ventilation,

particularly in our homes. This is crucial for our well-being and continued health. We know that sealing up a small dwelling will eventually lead to condensation appearing on the coolest elements in the room, sometimes a wall or an abutment with a ceiling, where dampness can turn quickly into unhealthy mould growth. This is particularly relevant in social housing where occupants may be reluctant to ventilate due to the cost incurred in reheating. It, therefore, seems logical for future legislation to include mechanical ventilation with efficient heat recovery, or indeed cooling of incoming fresh air depending on the time of year. Another issue that we do need to attend to as an industry is the robust detailing of interfaces between windows and doors and the building structure. Cold bridges often decrease the claimed efficiencies within a building construction that can reduce the effectiveness in use of a designed build by up to 50% of its claimed thermal efficiency. As an industry, should we be doing more to incorporate or encourage the specification of interface designs that reduce cold bridging to an absolute minimum? Here at Aluprof we already have an approved range of high-efficiency windows, doors and curtain walls which all meet Passivhaus accreditation. As a member of the Passivhaus Trust in the UK we are supplying systems for new and refurbishment properties whilst working closely with the trust regarding installation. In each of our technical manuals, we show how our products can be installed to ensure the minimum of cold bridging. Our team of engineers are also on hand to work with architects and designers to help detail thermally efficient interfaces for Aluprof windows and doors into any structure. Since setting up the Aluprof Office at the Business Design Centre in London, the company has rapidly grown their specification influence in the UK with their high-performance architectural aluminium systems. Further expansion of the company’s headquarters in Altrincham now provides specifiers with meeting facilities and an extensive showroom of commercial systems to view. With overseas growth across Europe spreading into the Middle East and firm roots already in the East of the USA, the company is becoming a global player in facade supply. Further information is available on the company’s website at www.aluprof.co.uk or direct from their UK head office in Altrincham on 0161 941 4005. 21

How can we reduce plastics in construction? Every year, the UK consumes over five million tonnes of plastic, and the construction industry accounts for nearly a quarter of that. Whilst fossil fuels deplete and our plastic waste piles up, the construction industry needs to dramatically reduce its reliance on plastics. James Ayres, co-founder and operations director, Lime Green Products Ltd, explores how we can minimise plastics in construction and makes his predictions for its future within the industry.

This shocking amount of plastic waste, and its associated negative environmental impact, make it both urgent and crucial for the construction industry to put measures into place to reduce its plastic consumption.

Over recent years, the adverse impacts of plastic waste on our environment has been frequently discussed. As a result, there has been a global effort to reduce the use of single-use plastics and increase the use of bioplastics, recycled plastics and recyclable plastics. This has led to an environmental spotlight being placed on the UK construction industry, which creates an astonishing 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year. The majority of this waste is incinerated, emitting toxic fumes into the environment, and the remaining 40% is sent to landfillas it cannot be recycled.

In 2018, the UK government introduced A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment, a policy which aims to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. The plans involve extending supplier responsibility, potential bans on certain materials, additional research and development, and greater recycling efforts.

Existing targets and guidance

The Resources and Waste Strategy, published in 2018, is the blueprint for removing all avoidable plastic waste over a 25 year period.

Reducing plastic use 1. Design with the circular economy in mind During the design process, think about how materials will be disposed of at the end of their lifecycle. This may involve thinking about waste from packaging. It could also include considering how building materials that include plastic will be disposed of once they come to the end of their lifecycle in years to come. For example, petroleum based insulation systems, such as polyurethane foam products, are very difficult to dispose of. However, natural insulation systems, such as those comprising woodfibre and lime render have much simpler and greener end of life disposal options. 2. Use alternatives to plastics Wherever possible, try to use healthy and sustainable materials that can be easily disposed of. This may include using

healthy materials in the construction itself, such as lime, woodfibre or wood. For packaging, this could involve choosing a product which is packaged in recycled or recyclable materials, rather than singleuse plastic. 3. Dispose of waste well Waste is unavoidable on any building site. However, how that waste is disposed of can either support or damage the environment. Try to recycle anything that can be recycled. If you’re unsure, contact suppliers to find out whether materials can be recycled or not, and they may even be willing to collect any waste to dispose of it themselves. If materials can’t be recycled, you can send them to a licensed waste management contractor, as they will know the safest method for disposing of any unrecyclable waste. You could even develop a waste management plan, which will not only reduce your environmental impact, but it could result in substantial cost savings too. The benefits of reducing plastic use 1. Natural alternatives are healthy in use and disposal Natural alternatives to plastic can be simply disposed of, and some can even naturally biodegrade overtime. Natural alternatives are made up of safe and

healthy polymers, meaning they don’t emit toxic fumes into our atmosphere throughout use or disposal. 2. Natural alternatives have the same strength as plastics The easy disposal of natural materials does not deplete their strength, as many benefit from the same rigidity and weather-resistance as traditional plastics. 3. Protect our fossil fuel supplies Plastics use fossil fuels, which are being used up at an alarming rate. By using alternatives to plastics, we can minimise our fossil fuel consumption. 4. Reduce toxic fumes in our atmosphere With many plastics being incinerated at the end of their lifecycle, decreasing plastic waste in construction can help to minimise the amount of toxic fumes released into our atmosphere. 5. Minimise plastic waste in our landfills Disposing of plastics safely or recycling them can minimise the amount of the material that is left in our landfills. The future of plastics Creation of hybrid materials It may not be possible to entirely remove plastics in construction, however we may

see the emergence of hybrid materials, made up of around 95%+ natural materials and a small quantity of plastic polymers. Healthy plastics will find their place in construction It’s likely that plastics will continue to be developed so they are sustainable and healthy for use in construction. This could include the advancement of plastics so they are 100% recyclable, or the more common use of regenerated plastics for alternative uses, such as plastic roads or plastic concrete. Emergence of more bioplastics The bioplastics industry is continuing to develop, with the material frequently being found in modern packaging. These plastics contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions and decrease demand for fossil fuel consumption. It’s likely that the construction industry will create alternative bioplastics or adopt their use for the packaging of construction materials. For more information about natural alternatives to plastic in construction, visit the Lime green website at www.lime-green.co.uk or speak to a member of the team via 01952 728 611.

Londoner’s take on a ‘big city mindset’ and care less about saving wildlife, so long as the buildings are built London is home to hundreds of construction sites at any one time. With each new project comes building on green space, carbon emissions, water, noise and air pollution, all of which are harmful to the environment. Construction has a direct impact on wildlife, and it is therefore vital all projects are undertaken with care to help with wildlife and nature conservation.

Greater Manchester has 37.7%, whereas London has only 34.2% natural land cover. 39 of the top 100 construction projects in 2021 are set to take place in London, whereas only 5 are planned in Yorkshire and The Humber.

Each year, thousands of acres of natural, green land are uprooted to make way for the construction of new buildings. In England, public parks and garden – personal and public - count for the largest proportion of green space.

The survey revealed 28.67% of people living in the south, excluding London, are concerned about the destruction of animal habitats and 40.76% are worried about the loss of green space. Compared to London, only 19% of the respondents said they’re worried about animal habitat destruction and 38% are worried about the loss of greenspace.

West Yorkshire has 45.8% natural land cover – shrubbery , fields etc.

However, the South exc. London, do care about conserving wildlife and nature

The results suggest people living in London take on a ‘big city mindset’ whereby they rarely see green space and wildlife, and therefore become desensitised due to a lack of it. So they don’t prioritise the the environment as it doesn’t impact their daily lives. What can we take from this? London’s priority is to remain a business and culture capital, and that means continuously constructing and evolving the skyline. The London mindset is completely different to rest of the country who are more conscious about conserving nature and wildlife. For more information please visit: www.elliottuk.com

Actuate UK issues climate warning to world leaders ahead of COP26 and urges action “before it is too late” With six weeks to go until COP26, engineering alliance Actuate UK has issued a stark message to world leaders gathering in Glasgow, urging them to tackle the climate crisis now “before it is too late”. The body, which represents eight of the UK’s major engineering services trade bodies, says the construction industry is committed to helping in the fight against global catastrophe – but leaders must have “the courage and vision” to make it happen. And it has repeated a call from its recent manifesto for the widespread rollout of renewables technology to reduce the carbon impact of buildings across the globe. Leaders will meet for the UN Climate Change Conference – also known as

COP26 – from October 31 to November 12, to discuss how to hit climate change targets, including securing net zero by mid-century and keeping global warming to below 1.5 degrees. Julia Evans, CEO of BSRIA, a member of Actuate UK leading on its Net Zero policy area said: “To achieve the demanding net zero reductions they aspire to, it is vital for leaders at this upcoming summit to understand what it takes to turn their vision into a practical reality. “Together, we must tackle the climate crisis before it is too late – and that means cooperating and collaborating like never before to find real and practical solutions to reducing the carbon impact of buildings across the world.

“Climate change is no respecter of boundaries and will affect us all if we don’t act now, and those who work across the built environment are ready to play a massive part if they are given the right tools to do so.” Fiona Hodgson, CEO of SNIPEF, another leading Actuate UK member, echoed the call for immediate action, saying it was vital for leaders to commit to action now. She added: “There is no doubt that the construction industry has the skills and innovation at its fingertips – we just need those in power to have the courage to make the green revolution a reality and agree to roll out such innovation on a mass scale. “Without the vision to look ahead and recognise that we need these solutions

now, nothing will change and we will plunge our planet even further into crisis, endangering our environment and populations for generations to come.”

existing buildings through retrofit activities, and to assist with the uptake of low-carbon technologies across government, industry and operators.

Alan Wilson, Managing Director of electrotechnical trade association SELECT, said any potential action should follow the net zero pledges contained in the Actuate UK manifesto, which was published earlier this year. He said:

“In addition, we are committed to demonstrating how carbon emissions from the materials, construction and the use of a building over its entire life, including its demolition and disposal, will comprehensively affect standards, quality, education and training. Such examples can, and should, be followed by others around the globe so we can make a difference together.”

“We have already called for efficient heating and cooling in buildings, improved indoor air quality and a fast vehicle charging infrastructure – all things that are within reach and can bring about change if we are bold enough to make them happen. “Actuate UK itself is committed to making a difference, with our members pledging to see net zero targets achieved in

Chris Yates, CEO of the Federation of Environmental Trade Associations, another leading Actuate UK member, said it was also vital for the industry to make its views known to bring aboutchange. He added: “Climate change isn’t something that’s going

to happen in ten or 20 years’ time – it’s real, it’s happening now and we don’t have a second to spare if we are to stop it getting worse. “All of us who work in the engineering services have a duty to make our voice heard and repeat the message that the technology and techniques that can make a difference to tomorrow are already here and need to be rolled out today. “Without these voices being heard, and our leaders making real change at COP26, we will just continue to sleepwalk into disaster and leave a legacy that no one will be able to repair.” Formed in February 2021, Actuate UK bridges the gap between products, installation and end use. It demands decision makers to listen to the professionals whose skills turn vision into a practical reality for everyone.

Sustainable roof option for new green cruise terminal in Southampton Hunter Douglas Architectural provided a sustainable ceiling option for a £55 million cruise terminal in Southampton that boasts a host of environmentally friendly features. The Association of British Ports’ fifth terminal in the port city is a two-storey building located at Berth 102, adjacent to City Terminal, and has roof-mounted solar power as well as shore power connectivity. Renewable materials include precast piling and associated foundations. And to complement the sustainability aims, Hunter Douglas Architectural, the global architectural products company, was specified to supply 1249m2 of its 100% recyclable HeartFelt® panels. Made of non-woven thermoformed PES fibres, the award-winning HeartFelt® is increasingly in demand from architects and designers who are looking to install an innovative ceiling with superior acoustic properties. The architect, Stride Treglown Solent, specified the panels

in 40mm x 55mm and a module of 50mm, selecting dark brown (7578) and these were fitted between sweeping wood panels in the main terminal space. Acoustic pads were added to achieve a Class A acoustic rating.

“It was a short programme of 21 weeks, but it was a great project to work on. Brymor Construction was a pleasure to work with, and from the outset we were one big team. All the parties involved did a great job and the building was also handed over early.”

Juliette Halliday, national sales manager at Hunter Douglas Architectural, which worked with main contractor Brymor Construction, said: “Wood was originally specified for the scheme but we suggested HeartFelt® as it is ideally suited to a large terminal building.

AT Jones has installed a number of Hunter Douglas ceilings, although this is only the second that Gordon has installed, having already worked on a wood ceiling for Edenbrook Leisure Centre. “Both the timber product and HeartFelt® are good, with stunning results on completion,” he added.

“Not only is it lightweight, it has great acoustic properties, which is essential for comfort in this type of environment. Of course, ease of installation and cost were also important considerations and HeartFelt® ticked all the boxes.”

HeartFelt® is a linear ceiling system with open joints between the panels. The boxshaped panels are available in heights of 55mm, 80mm and 105mm, while the round panels are available in a height of 64mm.

Gordon Butler, contracts manager at AT Jones, which installed the ceiling, said: “The process was challenging in places due to access and the height, as it was 12 metres above moving escalators, but the installation was easy.

The panels have a maximum length of 6000mm, while the 105mm version has a maximum length of 4000mm and it is available in modules of 50mm to 200mm in increments of 10mm. The product is Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM Bronze.

Nursery swaps toy diggers for real ones as Winvic puts on a playground construction show Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, along with national plant hire company, Flannery, has put on an exciting show in the playground of Footsteps Nursery inspiring a future generation of construction workers. The Minworth nursery is adjacent to IM Properties’ Peddimore site – where Winvic is delivering the civils and infrastructure work for the 71-hectare employment park – and the visit is part of Winvic and IM Properties’ proactive community engagement programme with local educational settings and schools. Flannery heard how the nursery children had been fascinated and excited by the construction machinery they could see from the nursery window, so it took the

opportunity to get in touch with Winvic and arrange a visit to the playground so the children aged two to four get handson. The youngsters eagerly donned hard hats and hi-visibility jackets to join in with a behind-the-scenes show where Flannery’s digger was the highlight of the day. The children watched in awe throughout a digger demonstration, they were then shown how the machinery works and they were all given the chance to sit in the cab and give the horn a toot. As with all of Winvic’s education initiatives, the visit was designed to teach the young people about site safety and to give them some insight into the construction sector and the wide range of jobs that are available. Therefore, the dangers of diggers and construction sites were explained in a child-friendly way by the

Winvic site team. The visit ended with a special construction book, story-time. Emma Rhymes, Winvic’s Social Value Manager, said: “These visits not only continue to strengthen Winvic’s relationship with the local communities in which we work but they are also a fun and engaging way to teach site safety. It also gives us the opportunity to showcase the wide range of career options available to young people within construction and engineering sectors, and while you may think nursery children are too young to be thinking about a job, we were surprised and delighted at how many inquisitive questions we received about the jobs we do. It was magical to see how excited the children were during the visit and we look forward to meeting more children who live close to the Peddimore site.”

Chris Matthew from Flannery said: “Flannery are pleased to continue to support the local communities that we work within and are really keen to encourage any initiative that helps young people feed their enthusiasm for construction whilst offering them some guidance on the potential dangers that our machinery may pose. The children at Footsteps Nursery were incredibly engaging and curious. From their questions to their willingness to sit in the cab of the machine (and press every possible button – ignition disabled of course!). And as for the welcome the delivery driver received – I’m not sure so many smiling faces and waving arms is all that common on the rest of his rounds!” Louise Humby, Footstep’s Nursery Manager, said: “Over the past few weeks our children have been watching the developments on the site adjacent to our nursery and have loved watching and learning all about the construction site and their vehicles. We were so excited to invite Flannery and Winvic into our setting and the children all enjoyed the learning opportunities provided by the team and especially loved getting into the cab to press the horn! Following the visit, our children continued to extend their learning in the role play areas inside and were treated to lots of new diggers to play with. Thanks very much to the teams at Winvic and Flannery, and for the little goody bags and toys they left with us!” To find out more about local community engagement, plus other social value opportunities in conjunction with Peddimore Site, please visit www.impeddimore.co.uk. For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn.

How the timber industries can help solve the housing crisis Recognising that the UK must build more homes, quicker, while reducing carbon emissions, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries has launched with a new report that aims to provide solutions to the UK’s housing and climate crises. The report, titled ‘How the timber industries can help solve the housing crisis’, calls on the Government to support the use of wood in construction through policy and procurement, as well as introducing legislation to regulate embodied carbon – starting with mandatory, standardised carbon measurement on all government projects. Launched today (16 September) at the inaugural general meeting for the APPG, the report makes a series of key recommendations devised to help the Government reach its target of building 300,000 more homes per year, while also significantly boosting the trajectory

towards net zero carbon. Crucially, the recommendations call for a new focus on whole life carbon emissions within the Building Regulations and the introduction of thresholds for embodied carbon within construction. The report urges the Government to give preference to low carbon materials and building solutions for all government projects, pointing to the economic benefits that scaling up the timber and forestry industries would bring. Calls are also made in the report for a more joinedup approach to working with the timber industry to develop an industrial strategy that can align with government policy.

Finally, the report highlights that while the Government has – quite rightly – made building safety a top priority in the wake of the Grenfell fire, the regulations around combustible materials have not always reflected the realities of safe construction using timber. A fundamental differentiation must be made between cladding and structural elements, and the report points towards an evidence-based approach to safety regulations. David Warburton, MP for Somerton and Frome, and chair of the APPG, commented: “We are at a vital junction, where the imperative to build more homes is converging with the urgent need to reduce carbon across all of our markets. Now is the time to put forward policies that will enable us to build a more productive and low-carbon housing sector. “By levelling-up the existing timber and forestry supply chain, and making greater use of modern methods of construction, we can deliver more quality homes – and we can do this sustainably and at pace.” Over the next Parliamentary session, the APPG for the Timber Industries will undertake a programme of activity to enable the timber industries to work with Parliamentarians to raise awareness of the vital contribution that the industries make to the UK economy and UK trade. It will also focus on the importance of the timber industries achieving net zero 2050 and the opportunities which exist to support sustainable timber construction in the UK. For more information and to download the report ‘How the timber industries can help solve the housing crisis’, please visit www.cti-timber.org

How construction employers can protect their staff’s eye health The construction industry has weathered the demands of the coronavirus pandemic, and now there are more projects to complete than ever. Health and safety is even more important when you are busy and the number of people on site is increasing, and you’ve probably planned for most of the major obstacles. With National Eye Health Week taking place this year from the 20th to 26th September, it’s a good time to draw attention to eye safety in your company. Protecting your employees’ eyes when they are working on-site is required by UK law, but you might not be aware that there are many steps you can take beyond workers wearing goggles and glasses. Construction sites can present a variety of hazards for worker’s eyes, including falling debris, wood splinters, and flying nails. So it’s very important to plan adequate eye protection measures for your employees.

Here, equipment supplier Zoro outlines how you can protect the eyesight of your staff. Provide suitable PPE for the eyes The first important measure to take, is to make sure you are providing adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to workers. Indeed, the NHS information on eye safety lists not wearing the correct protective equipment as one of the first reasons for injury. Adequate PPE includes helmets and gloves, but specifically for eye protection, they will need durable goggles that enable good vision while also protecting their eyes from dust and falling objects. Goggles with anti-fog ventilation and anti-scratch materials will offer protection and good vision in changing environments.

The use of goggles can also combine with the use of safety glasses. Safety glasses are useful to have as an option when the eye area does not need to be completely covered, and can still offer protection against impacts from anything flying through the air. Offering both to your staff is the first thing that you can do to protect their eyes. If there are dangerous flying particles around, the last layer of protection is a face shield, so you should have these on-hand if your staff will be working with metal. Conduct regular tests on PPE and other equipment Even if your PPE and machinery is all of good quality, it will need checking, maintaining, and then possibly repairing or replacing. Introduce a system of regular checks to keep all your equipment working well, and repair or replace anything that is faulty.

Making sure that your equipment is safe will reduce accidents and make it easier to work in a safe way. It’s also worth introducing cleaning rotas for equipment, as goggles, glasses, and face shields need to be cleaned regularly to maintain good vision through them. Cleaning other equipment will reduce the possibility of debris and dust causing eye issues. Maintain consistency in your health and safety It’s important to have consistency in your health and safety measures, so that employees all know what the policy is, and know what to expect when they are at work. Your company should have clear protocols for assessing and protecting against dangers on construction sites, and these should always be maintained. When starting a new project or construction site, you should also conduct an assessment of what hazards might be present, and develop protections in a health and safety plan. Every project will be different, so it’s important to take a step back and think what your staff might need on each project. You should also recommend that your employees get regular eye tests — most often, we don’t go and get our eyes tested until we sense that something is wrong. If any of your employees work with screens, you are required by law to arrange eye tests for these staff members if they ask for them, according to the UK government website, so it’s worth having a process for arranging this. But catching preventable eye problems early can greatly help to mitigate them, and encouraging your staff to get eye tests every year can go a long way to preventing larger issues. Communicate health and safety policies clearly All your health and safety policies should be backed up with clear and consistent communication with staff. When health and safety plans for new sites are drawn up, make sure employees are aware of all the protocols you’ve put in place. This will help avert accidents, and ensure that

if accidents do happen, staff understand how to respond to them. Clear communication on-site will also ensure that employees feel empowered to step in if they see a situation that they are worried is unsafe. It will also mean everyone is aware of what’s happening throughout the construction site, and can therefore don appropriate PPE. Training staff to help them reduce risks on-site When you have clear protocols developed to avoid and deal with hazards while working, make sure that you train your employees to work safely and consistently. If you take on new employees, make sure to give them sufficient training so that they are comfortable with any equipment they will be using, and understand all of your company’s safety procedures. This will also ensure that employees understand what things are within their remit, and what they need to escalate to management and more senior staff. Having a system in place, and having everyone adequately trained on both machinery and procedures, will ensure that everyone is safer and more efficient on-site. “Construction sites do present risks to those working on them, but by putting some basic health and safety measures in place, you can ensure that your staff will be safe throughout completing their projects. “Having adequate PPE and training can ensure that staff will have their eyesight protected. Look for good quality goggles, glasses, and face shields to make sure your workers are all protected from flying debris on-site. “With the right equipment and some well-designed safety protocols, you can ensure that all your construction sites are running safely and efficiently.” — Kelly Friel Zoro To find out more visit: www.zoro.co.uk

The hidden cost of ignoring health and safety in the workplace revealed Over a third of manual and semi-skilled construction workers in the UK believe their employer is putting profits before people, according to a major new study. Across all sectors, 37% agreed that their workplace focuses more on making money than keeping people safe, but that was 2 percentage points lower for those in construction. Almost one in ten from the sector who took part in the survey, carried out by YouGov on behalf of global workplace safety leader A-SAFE, also said they feared for their safety every day at work. The research also found a perception that the focus on Covid-security has compromised other measures designed to keep workers safe. Global workplace safety leader A-SAFE, based in West Yorkshire, commissioned the survey as they launch a worldwide campaign to highlight the risks being taken in some factories, warehouses and distribution centres, and the important safety measures that can be put in place to reduce them. 2,019 manual and semi-skilled workers from across the UK were questioned. Among them were workers from the construction sector – among the key findings from that group: 35% believe that profits are put before people in terms of ensuring the right health and safety measures are in place where they work. 37% say the focus on creating Covidsecure environments has led to the neglect of other health and safety measures – compared to the national average of 33%. Almost a quarter (23%) do not think their employer is dedicated to keeping them safe and they do not trust them to protect workers. Taken together, this leads to almost one in ten (8%) of those surveyed saying they go to work every day not feeling safe in general.

Analysis of the official RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) shows that, on average, at least 136 workers have received fatal injuries in the workplace each year since 2016 with 70,000 receiving injuries. One in five of those deaths came from being struck by a moving vehicle. It is feared that many non-fatal injuries go unreported by workplaces who choose not to notify the HSE of accidents and near misses under RIDDOR. James Smith, co-owner and director of A-SAFE said: “I know that for some construction businesses health and safety becomes a chore with red tape, ticking boxes and endless bureaucracy. But when there are failures, the results can be catastrophic - lives can be changed and families devastated in an instant. it is time this hidden cost of going to work is highlighted, and that is what this survey and our campaign aims to do. “Protecting the health and safety of employees is an essential part of a company’s risk management and must be led by its leadership team. People are at their most vulnerable in industrial workplace environments, where vehicles and pedestrians are working in proximity, and yet more could be done to protect employees at work. The new campaign from A-SAFE will show these risks and highlight one story in particular – that of Lisa Ramos, a mumof-one who lost her leg after being struck by a forklift truck. A gritty and emotional short film, titled Amputee, follows the traumatic impact of limb loss on Lisa and her family, and shines a harsh spotlight on the hidden cost of workplace safety. The safety barrier manufacturer is calling for stricter standards to be put in place to reduce injuries, protect workers and ensure that everyone who goes to work at the start of their shift is able to go home when it ends. A-SAFE is now calling for businesses to adhere to PAS 13 in

workplaces. PAS 13 is guideline for organisations to follow which reduces the risk of collision accidents and ensures protection is fit for purpose and has been published by the British Standards Institution (BSI). James Smith adds: “Our survey serves to encourage business leaders to make better decisions and improve legislation, and the findings indicate that more needs to be done to tackle some the industry’s most pressing health and safety challenges. Ultimately, failure to include health and safety as a key business objective can have catastrophic results. James Smith adds: “Our survey serves to encourage business leaders to make better decisions and improve legislation, and the findings indicate that more needs to be done to tackle some the industry’s most pressing health and safety challenges. Ultimately, failure to include health and safety as a key business objective can have catastrophic results. James Smith adds: “Our survey serves to encourage business leaders to make better decisions and improve legislation, and the findings indicate that more needs to be done to tackle some the industry’s most pressing health and safety challenges. Ultimately, failure to include health and safety as a key business objective can have catastrophic results. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) welcomes A-SAFE’s work to draw attention to the importance of good health and safety management and the need to follow guidelines in the workplace. Dr Karen McDonnell, occupational health and safety policy adviser, head of RoSPA Scotland, commented: “The research highlights that during the pandemic, there has been a shift in attitudes towards health and safety – businesses faced pressure to be covid-secure and continue to operate. It also shows the worries, fears and anxieties that many of us face in a working environment. www.asafe.com/thehiddencost

Firefighter union leader tells MPs that “governments for decades” at fault on fire safety Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack has told a cross-party committee of MPs that “governments for decades” have been responsible for reducing emphasis on fire safety, in a session on post-Grenfell building rule changes yesterday. He said there had been a period “where the endless mantra… from… government ministers, of both parties… had been that fire is a declining risk and therefore we can afford to reduce our emphasis on fire safety. That was very clearly a theme we heard for more than a decade”. He concluded that “there has been a deep, deep complacency about fire safety that has emerged… and Grenfell hopefully is a major turning point on that”.

He went on to lay out the impact that weak fire safety standards can have, saying that “We have had incidents where our own members have died and it has emerged that the fire risk assessor for the building concerned had no qualifications, and so I think that’s quite shocking and that’s a sign of a deregulated sector”. During the session Wrack highlighted falls in fire safety inspector numbers as a key part of the “financial pressure on fire and rescue services”. He said that “I do not see how you can cut in the London Fire Brigade, for example, 25% of your fire safety inspectors and not think that that will have implications for public safety. Something like 20% to 25% of fire safety inspecting officers have gone over the past 11 years, and something like 40%over the past 20 years”.

Wrack was appearing in front of the committee of MPs tasked with scrutinising the Building Safety Bill, the most significant piece of post-Grenfell legislation to date. Wrack criticised the bill for allowing the new Building Safety Regulator to potentially turn to the private sector for assistance if fire and rescue services were stretched. He said that, under the proposals, if a fire and rescue service “could not provide that assistance [to the Building Safety Regulator], the regulator could… go to the private sector, and we would object to the role of private sector provider within that. If we’ve got a problem with resources in the appropriate public service then those resources should be provided”.

He was asked by MPs whether height was the best measure of risk – the bill stipulates a higher level of regulation for buildings over 18 metres. Wrack said “We don’t agree with the 18 metre cut-off… If there is to be a height measure then a more logical one would be 11 metres”. The union argues that 11 metres has more logical link to fire service procedures and equipment. He also said that “we have questions about resources” in relation to the new Building Safety Regulator, which will sit in the Health and Safety Executive. He said that there were “concerns about the scale of reductions in Health and Safety Executive inspectors, reduced by something like a quarter”. He also highlighted “fire and rescue services

being subject to unprecedented cuts in staffing numbers over the past decade, and that will raise questions about resources in their ability to cooperate with the requests of the regulator”. He concluded that “while we welcome the move towards regulation, that regulation has to be resourced adequately”. For more information, or interview with a spokesperson, contact Ben DuncanDuggal on press@fbu.org.uk or call 07825635224.

In support of fire door safety week, IronmongeryDirect strengthens its fire safety resources Pledging its support for this years Fire Door Safety Week, specialist ironmongery supplier IronmongeryDirect has added to its library of fire safety resources. Aiming to stamp out the legacy of fire door neglect, the company has produced a series of videos and guides on fire door compliance that are free to view and download from its website.

The series of videos will cover products that must be accurately specified, installed and maintained to help safeguard the performance of a fire door.

IronmongeryDirect is raising awareness of the importance of fire door hardware during Fire Door Safety Week and will be sharing advisory content on its blog and social media channels. During the week long campaign, a series of videos that provide a visual checklist of the five essential fire door components will be released to support tradesmen responsible for fitting these products.

Commenting on the company’s support of Fire Door Safety Week, Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect says, “Improperly fitted or neglected fire doors are all too often the cause of casualties during fires and in many cases, individuals are simply unaware of the serious and devastating consequences this can have on the safety of building occupants.

The videos join an extensive suite of fire safety resources offered by the ironmongery supplier, including its Fire Protection and Fire Door Closer guides.

“As an annual supporter of Fire Door Safety Week, we view it as our responsibility to spread the word and help educate our customers on the legal compliance and specification of fire door hardware through our guides and videos, to help ensure protection and in turn, save lives.” Running from 20th - 26th September, Fire Door Safety Week is an awareness campaign designed to increase public understanding of the vital role that fire doors play in saving lives and protecting property. From the 20th of September the fire safety guides, and video will be available to view on the IronmongeryDirect blog at: www.IronmongeryDirect.co.uk/blog

Climb the Construction ladder and springboard your career! There has never been a better time to invest in your future, to chase that dream and take complete ownership of your future. We, at Astutis, are delighted to introduce the brand new NEBOSH Certificate in Health and Safety Management for Construction. And until the 01 November, we are offering you 20% off this qualification. Will a professional qualification give you better job prospects and allow you to climb the career ladder? This course will give you the ultimate training experience in health and safety construction management. The certificate covers 13 critical areas engineered to turn learners into leaders. The updated course is tailored to maximise interactivity and learner engagement, with the option to study this qualification as an Online course at your own pace and time or as a Virtual Classroom option with a live tutor. Astutis succeeds with excellent pass rates above the national and international average, with an 82% pass rate in our June/July exams. Astutis promise to always support learners - with expert tutors and a wealth

of knowledge in the construction industry; there’s no wonder 1 in 5 customers in the UK choose Astutis as their training provider. Rated 4.4 on Feefo, as an Astutis learner, you can be confident and assured with our international reputation as a leading health, safety and environmental training provider. The newly updated course requires approximately 116 hours of study, ensuring minimal information and work overload. Our goal is to provide learners with a world-class experience whilst ensuring that the training is not too intensive and overwhelming. The beauty of the course is its accessibility. Learners are not required to have any previous knowledge or experience. Ensuring our courses are achievable for all remains one of our most important goals. The course will train learners on crucial areas such as the risks presented by fire, electricity, chemical and biological agents. The course will provide a comprehensive understanding of areas like health and safety culture, excavation, demolition, work equipment and working at height. Make no mistake; this course covers

everything you would need to know to make the transition into management. With the ever-changing workplace landscape, having compliance in the construction industry is critical. In this arena, accidents often need more than just a plaster to help remedy and heal. Preventing accidents and minimalising risk usually means saving lives. In an industry where teamwork is never overstated, ensure your colleagues get home safe with this accreditation. Astutis are delighted to spread awareness for this life-changing and lifesaving qualification. When people ask us what we do, we tell them we help people save lives; let us help you. As well as our NEBOSH Certificate in Health and Safety Management for Construction, we also offer the IOSH Managing Safely qualification and IEMA Sustainability Skills for the Workforce. Both of which are ideally suited for professionals working within the construction industry. For more details on all our courses, please visit www.astutis.com

High quality, environmentally friendly paint finishes There’s a growing interest in environmentally friendly paints, but how do you assess a product’s sustainability? Breathable Paint When we talk about paint breathability, we mean how much air and water vapour can easily flow through its surface. Older properties were built using materials that were designed to promote this airflow. Using paint with a high level of breathability, coupled with breathable building materials, means that moisture doesn’t become ‘trapped’ beneath the surface of the paint. Using a non-breathable paint can cause problems with the fabric of the building if left. Trapped moisture can lead to damp walls, causing the paint to bubble, peel and eventually blow completely. It can also contribute to a harmful living environment. Earthborn Claypaint is highly breathable, but that’s easy to say and proof is needed. Paint breathability can be

measured in a couple of different ways by the Steam Diffusion (SD) value and the moisture vapour transmission rate (MVTR). Claypaint’s breathability has been proven by both measures - check the product data sheet on Earthborn’s website.

High levels of VOCs generally are associated with oil based paints, but they are found to varying degrees even in water based paints. It is advisable to seek out those containing a maximum of just 0.5g/L VOC.

No Harmful Ingredients

The easiest way to ensure you’re creating a sustainable, environmentally sound specification is to check the paint is Ecolabel approved. This stringent standard covers every aspect of a product’s manufacture, use and disposal.

Conventional, acrylic based paints contain two potentially harmful components: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and acrylic softeners. Both escape into the atmosphere during painting and for many years after application, contributing to greenhouse gases. These toxic ingredients can also find their way into drains and groundwater when washing out brushes and disposing of paint tins in landfill. They can cause chest complaints, aggravate allergies and cause sick building syndrome.

Earthborn paints have achieved this demanding standard. Earthborn Claypaint has no oils, no acrylics and a negligible VOC content – less than 62 parts per million! Legislative recommendations mean manufacturers should not claim paints to be 100% VOC free so we honestly describe our products as virtually VOC free. All this technical data simply means they do not give off any toxic emissions, so are much better for the environment as well as the health of building occupants. No Sacrifices Ease of use, high covering power and lack of harmful emissions make Claypaint an ideal option for any decorator looking for a sustainable and environmentally friendly paint, but product performance does not have to be sacrificed to safeguard the environment. Available in a beautiful palette of 72 shades this deliciously thick and creamy paint goes on like a dream and often requires fewer coats than conventional emulsions. All this and no horrible smells or emissions. Earthborn’s new colour card showing all 72 colours in the classic range is now available and is itself 100% recyclable, including the adhesive and the paint chips that use real Claypaint.

Breathable walls are essential in properties old and new 42

For more information please visit: www.earthbornpaints.co.uk

More choice with IronmongeryDirect Leading specialist ironmongery supplier, IronmongeryDirect has introduced further lines to its diverse range of over 18,000 products. The new additions include stylish new door furniture as well as kitchen splashbacks and balcony kits. Create a buzz with attractive door furniture Adding to its core range of ironmongery and door furniture is a new range of unique bumblebee door knockers. Offering customers an eye-catching centre piece, the new bumblebee door knockers are manufactured with superior quality, solid brass casting and are available in a range of modern finishes such as matt black, and polished copper.

aswell as flexible delivery options and competitive prices, so that customers can get the products they want, when they want. IronmongeryDirect’s sister site, ElectricalDirect, has also expanded its portfolio with air conditioning units, patio heaters and an extended range of lighting solutions for both commercial and household projects. To find all the products mentioned and more, visit www.IronmongeryDirect.co.uk.

Continuing with trend-driven finishes, an attractive range of knurled hardware from UK-based designer and architectural ironmongery manufacturer, Carlisle Brass is now in stock. A complete range of knurled T-Bar cabinet knobs, cabinet pull handles, door handles, escutcheons and turn and releases are available in six different finishes including contemporary matt black and satin nickel. More choice IronmongeryDirect has extended its core ironmongery collection to include complementary products suitable for a variety of projects. Its kitchen splashback series has been broadened to offer customers a wider choice in a range of sizes and colours, and for convenience, self-adhesive options are available to save time on site. For outdoor projects, a new collection of glass Juliet balcony sets are available for quick and simple mounting on stone, concrete, and steel. Commenting on the new additions, Scott Copeland, Category Manager at IronmongeryDirect said: “We pride ourselves on being ‘trusted to deliver’ and this includes ensuring our product range meets the needs of our professional and trade customers. With our extended ranges, we hope to further support tradespeople in a variety of projects by providing more choice, 43

Artificial Plants & Trees for Businesses At Just Artificial, we work with interior designers, decorators, set dressers, architects and more to set your premises apart from the rest. Our artificial plants, flowers, and trees are highly realistic to look and touch, as well as being durable and attractive.

Our master craftsmen construct each bespoke order with painstaking care and attention, to create an exceptionally ‘real’ artificial showpiece, and we offer bespoke solutions to suit the needs of your space, business and tastes.

Who Have We Supplied?

Whether you need simple plants and trees that don’t need tending to or you’re going for a full artificial landscape with turf, hedges and more, we have existing products and the capacity to create custom designs for any need and budget.

We’ve also sold to house builders, zoos, hotels, restaurants, shopping centres, theme parks, colleges and schools, cruise ships, theatres... the list goes on! We have tens of thousands of satisfied customers in the UK, in Europe, and across the World.

We’ll offer a no obligation quote to help you plan your projects and we can tailor our service to ‘fir’ your needs. Full Support Whatever your choices, we have the design experience and know-how needed to make you stand out. We can work with your design to make your premises look incredible, whatever the space and whatever the industry. We can even help you develop the design, drawing on years of experience. Call us today on 01524 858888 or email: sales@justartificial.co.uk – Browse our Web Store online for our full stock range and more info on our bespoke solutions on offer. www.justartificial.co.uk

Major companies in many industries including ITV, BBC, Channels 4 and 5, Mulberry, Innocent Drinks, Monsoon, Bella Italia, Tescos, Big Brother, The Only Way is Essex, Coronation Street, Dancing on Ice, Park Resorts, Volkswagen, and more.

We can provide offers for procurement managers and corporate buyers on bulk orders and or trade, to help you finalise your design. Our quotes are no obligation - so call us today. We look forward to working with you!

UV protected and Fire Retardant ranges in stock!

Benetti Home green walls for dining places with green appeal Vertical gardens and moss walls are green elements that can give a renovated look to a bar or a restaurant, creating a suggestive atmosphere and unique interiors with a touch of greenery. Benetti Home, a young and dynamic Italian company, has developed a product with unique characteristics, both from a technical point of view and for the fantastic aesthetic impact, which effectively solves the critical issues that make the use of indoor ‘green’ uneasy. Benetti MOSS in restaurants and bars Each space is different and has its own personality. Benetti Home offers products of great versatility, from lush gardens to simple yet elegant moss walls with a wide range of color options. In particular, Benetti MOSS is a zero-maintenance vertical garden realized with stabilized lichen easy to manage and to install. Moreover, it can be installed during the design of a project or in spaces already furnished. Green walls for a new look A vertical garden can help to give form to a restaurant shaping its identity. An original use of greenery can be combined with lighting to create unique suggestions and a more appealing look. For more information about Benetti Home please contact Mrs. Vittoria Vicini: info@ogs.itor ph. +39 023450610 All images credit to Benetti Moss - Italian design emotion

Smart Buildings Show announces full conference programme for 2021 Smart Buildings Show, the UK’s leading, dedicated smart buildings event, has unveiled its 2021 conference programme. The event, supported by headline sponsor Bluetooth, will take place at ExCeL London on 6-7 October 2021, featuring industry-leading speaker sessions from some of the sector’s most renowned brands, including Bluetooth, Johnson Controls, Microsoft, Schneider Electric, Siemens Smart Infrastructure and Vodafone. John Hatcher, Conference Director at Smart Buildings Show commented on the announcement: “We are truly thrilled to have so many leading names from the sector joining us this year. Across the four theatres, we are confident that every single attendee will come away from the event having enjoyed the opportunity to network, learn and engage with new content and thought leaders. Our thanks, as always, go out to all of our sponsors and exhibitors who help enable the show to become the success it is today.” The conference sessions will be spread across four dedicated tracks with the CPD-accredited Training Theatre returning once more, allowing delegates to boost their industry credentials by joining select sessions. - Connected - Management Theatre which will look at how smart building are managed and how the workplace has changed post-covid - Connected - Control Theatre which will look at physical devices in smart buildings - Connected - Spaces & Infrastructure Theatre which will focus on smart buildings, wellbeing, networks, connectivity, and power - Training Theatre which will offer visitors the chance to enhance their industry credentials via CPD-accredited presentations. Claire Hatchett, Sales Manager, of Smart Buildings Show, said, “Anticipation for the 2021 event continues to grow 48

significantly. Due to high demand, we’ve secured more floor space for exhibitors and registrations are ahead of those from 2019. With the conference programme now live, it’s clear to see why Smart Buildings Show is the UK’s cornerstone, industry event.” Opening the events keynote sessions at 10:00am on day 1 is Paul Price, Business Development Director at Tridium Europe Ltd. The session entitled ‘Integrated Building Management – Insights and Trends’ will take place in the Connected Management Theatre, enabling delegates to understand how our industry is transforming, and how best to ride the crest of the wave in the smart buildings revolution. Leading the charge in the Connected – Spaces & Infrastructure Theatre at 10:00am on day two is Jamie Cameron, Director of Digital Solutions at Johnson Controls, whose session will focus on ‘Tales from the Frontline of Smart Buildings’. Across the two days, other speaker sessions include ‘Marking Smart Smarter’ by Brett Spindler, Building Enterprise Solutions, Senior Director at Schneider Electric, ‘How to Make Buildings Smarter with Location Based Services’ by Fabio Belloni, Chief Customer Officer & Cofounder at Quuppa, and a panel debate hosted by Mark Tyson, Head of Property Operations, Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) Real Assets, focusing on healthy buildings and Net Zero objectives. Smart Buildings Show is the leading UK event for smart buildings, connecting visitors to the latest information and technology in the smart buildings industry. Growing year on year, the show returns in its biggest format yet. This year’s Headline Sponsor, Bluetooth SIG, is joined by Platinum Sponsors; aico/ HomeLink, The DALI Alliance, Sauter Automation and Schneider Electric. To ensure you don’t miss out on our industry-leading conference line-up, register for your free ticket today, or visit www.smartbuildingsshow.com For more information on exhibiting and sponsorship, please contact Claire Hatchett at c.hatchett@turretgroup.com or 07976 613352. 49

Applying the tiles to façades Thanks to the excellent technical performance of porcelain stoneware, both the large tiles in the Atelier and Metropolis collections and the stoneware decorations in the range Brickworks (Muretto,NuancesandPetra) can also be applied to the external coverings of all kinds of architectural constructions, from public buildings and industrial complexes to residential buildings. Innovative covering systems with glued ceramic tiles, ventilated walls or cladding systems allow for the installation of ceramic materials with top-quality characteristics, able to offer important advantages for buildings in terms of thermal and acoustic insulation, as well as boosting hygrometric performance. Applying tiles to building façades protects the masonry structure and eliminates the thermal bridges that cause heat dispersion, thus offering significant energy savings. These façade coverings also eliminate surface condensation and localised mould, thus enhancing the appearance of the building and preserving its aesthetic and technical characteristics.

Thanks to Bios Self Cleaning technology, significant advantages can be obtained in terms of reducing cleaning and maintenance times and costs, as well as an authentic improvement in air quality. The superhydrophilicity of the Bios Self Cleaningceramic surface is able to eliminate the pollutants present in the air and to break down the dirt that settles on the surface of the tiles, so it can be washed away by rainwater. The active oxygen produced by the cladding covered with Bios SelfCleaning® oxidises the Nox (nitrogen oxides), one of the main causes of air pollution, which poses a constant threat to both human health and the environment, thus making an appreciable contribution to improving the quality of the environment in urban areas. It is sufficient to consider that 1000 m2 of façade covering treated with Bios SelfCleaning® has a capacity to purify the air comparable to an area of woodland the size of a football pitch, or the capacity to eliminate the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted by 70 motor vehicles in the course of an entire day.

The Bios Self-Cleaning® process is completely natural, as well as ecosustainable, because it uses solar energy to activate the photocatalytic reaction, while exploiting the washing action of rainwater to remove dirt. The main cause of deterioration of building façades in urban and metropolitan environments is attributable to the concentration of organic deposits (oily stains, dust, soot) generated by oils and exhaust gases emitted by motor vehicles, boilers for heating and industrial systems. Thanks to the Bios Self-Cleaning® treatment, these deposits are first broken down naturally and then easily removed by rain, thus drastically reducing the cleaning and maintenance operations required for the surfaces and therefore saving both money and resources. From small villages to huge cities, each building can thus help improve the appearance of their surroundings and boost energy saving.

Ledvance introduces complete package for road and parking lighting The new Streetlight Flex range delivers safe, well-lit roads and car parks, combining bright light quality with modern design and convenient installation

(DIN) EN 13201. Delivering 1650lm to 24450lm, the LED lamps are available in colour temperatures of 27000K, 3000K and 4000K with efficiency ratings up to 155lm/W.

Warrington, 20 September 2021 LEDVANCE has extended its range of LED luminaires, advanced LED lamps, intelligent Smart Home and Smart Building solutions, introducing a complete package for road and parking lighting.

The Streetlight Flex family provides energy-saving solutions across a wide variety of applications where uniform light distribution is crucial, whether for streets, car parks or outdoor urban areas. Options include small, medium and large luminaires, all with a choice of two uniform light distribution patterns.

The Streetlight Flex range allows mounting the luminaires in either a side-entry or post-top positioning. There is the additional option of adjusting the luminaire head’s angle by +/– 15° without opening the luminaire. Additional possibilities include adapters for 76mm diameter poles and reduction adapters for 46mm cantilever arm masts.

Models RW25ST are designed for normal roads with single side placement, 1m overhang and up to 10 degrees incline of the luminaire head. These units provide ideal illumination for rectangular parking areas in front of the pole, whilst the RW35ST version enables two-sided installation with offset luminaires, and

Installation is extremely easy, and the mains connector box provided ensures tool-free, fast and convenient installation. LEDVANCE lighting solutions come in environmentally friendly cardboard packaging with all relevant product information immediately visible on the outside of the box.

Available with two beam angles, three light colours and seven LED configurations, the Streetlight Flex range from LEDVANCE offers a matching solution across a wide variety of applications. These include parking areas and motorised traffic areas (M class), conflict areas (C class) and pedestrian and low speed areas (P class), according to the European road lighting standards

cares for dual carriageway roads up to 17m wide using 10m poles. These deliver a square illumination footprint ideal for carpark installations and area lighting.

With offices in more than 50 countries and business activities in more than 140 countries, LEDVANCE is one of the world’s leading general lighting providers for professional users and end consumers. Having emerged from the general lighting business of OSRAM GmbH, LEDVANCE offers a wide-ranging assortment of LED luminaires for a broad spectrum of application areas, intelligent lighting products for Smart Homes and Buildings, one of the largest LED lamps portfolios in the industry, and traditional light sources. In fiscal year 2017, LEDVANCE achieved a turnover of around 1.9 billion Euro. Based on an agreement with OSRAM, LEDVANCE will continue to use the trusted OSRAM brand for many of its products (SYLVANIA for the USA and Canada). Further information can be found at www.ledvance.co.uk.

Expert insights from Detail Lighting: A guide to lighting Experts in LED lighting, Detail Lighting offers beautiful, functional lighting solutions to help deliver extraordinary schemes. From achieving the right ambience to task lighting and illuminating the outdoors, lighting design should be considered carefully within any project. A well-planned lighting scheme will transform the look, feel and function of a space. With over 30 years of experience in the lighting sector, Director of Detail Lighting, Piero De Marchis, provides expert advice on all things lighting design from the bedroom to the bathroom. Lighting in the Kitchen A kitchen has a number of different functions, from cooking to entertaining, and it’s important to make sure your lighting reflects the purpose of each area.

feature, but it’s important to be careful not to create shadows over the cooking and prep area. To make sure this doesn’t happen, we would normally advocate decorative lighting ‘filled-in’ and supplemented with focused spotlights to eliminate any shadows or dark spots. By opting for this combination, you will then have a ‘cooking mode’ where all the lights are on and then a more relaxed mode when you can turn off the spotlights and dim your decorative lights.” “Under cabinet lighting is ideal for boosting light levels where it’s needed, however it must be concealed and ideally dimmable, as these can have a second function as calming night-time lighting. If there is no switch, then a sensor with a variable time setting is a good alternative.” Bathroom Lighting

“If you have the luxury, consider the circuits used in your kitchen – perimeter lighting should be separated from the centre of the room, and the island or dining area should be on its own circuit – this allows you to change the mood easily.”

Bathrooms are multi-functional spaces and as such demand multiple lighting types, so don’t worry about adding more lights into what might seem like a small space.

“When it comes to kitchen island lighting, decorative pendants are very popular as people want to make a statement and

“From a practical point of view, it’s wise to opt for low-level lighting in the bathroom, ideally on a movement sensor, as this

means you won’t be blinded by bright overhead lights at night-time. If you’re able to, incorporate Bluetooth control lighting into your bathroom, this allows you to easily control the light level or set the ‘scene’ depending on whether it’s the kids’ bath time or you’re in pampering mode.” “To achieve a spa-like environment, integrate hidden low-level lighting in the floor behind your bath, across the shower tray and have LED strip lighting in all your nooks and niches. For the ultimate relaxing ambience, have uplighting bouncing off the ceiling for a glare-free atmosphere.” “If the bathroom is the main place where you get ready and apply make-up, the best lighting solutions are lights mounted on or next to the mirror with vertical light hitting the face, as edge lighting around the mirror will not provide adequate light. Alternatively, opt for two direction spots on the ceiling to even out any long shadows on the face.” Bedroom Lighting “One of the most important things to consider when planning lighting in the bedroom is glare. Avoid positioning lights that will be glary when you are lying in bed, ideally do not position any lighting over the bed area if you can avoid it for this reason.” “Bedrooms should be calming spaces and so we always recommend opting for dimmable lighting, this allows you to dim lights to create a warming and welcoming atmosphere, this is easily achieved with LED lighting. If you are a frequent reader in bed, consider a table lamp or reading light with its own switch so as not to annoy your partner. And finally, it’s much easier and more accessible now to control your lights from your phone or tablet so you can set the mood just right when propped up in bed. Bluetooth lighting controls are low cost and can be retro-fitted to existing wiring and so are definitely worth considering!” detaillighting.co.uk

Luxury living in Chelsea with Gira smart home solutions Gira, one of the world’s leading full-range suppliers of intelligent system solutions for commercial and residential property, bring the latest technology to a truly iconic new build property in London, designed by Nick Shipp Architects and located on the iconic Kings Road in Chelsea. Setting a landmark design standard, Essoldo House is a corner building on Chelsea’s cosmopolitan high street, which boastseleven extraordinary homes, in addition to a remarkable roof terrace, cinema and three retail units on the ground floor. This luxurious high-rise building is situated on the south side of Kings Road, no. 279, which sits right between Old Church Street andPaultons Square and close to the world-famous Bluebird restaurant and café. Vibrant, contemporary and highly sophisticated, Chelsea is one of London’s hot-spots with Kings Road being regarded as the suburbs beating heart brimming with restaurants, bars, designer shops and art galleries. On the corner of Old Church Street, aformer vintage cinema has been transformed into a fourstorey property called Essoldo House. Designed by Nick Shipp Architects, this property defines the overall streetscape with its striking contemporary design and distinct tower-like bay window. The eleven residential units comprise of three maisonettes and eight apartments, ranging from around 70-145 square

metres in size. They all combine 21st century design and comfort with the character of traditional Chelsea, offering at least one balcony or roof terrace with views over the Borough. The building has underground parking and, of course, offers a concierge service for residents. The absolute commitment to luxury in Essoldo House is visible in every detail with solid, high-quality oak floors, Carrara marble in all the bathrooms, and Porcelanosa kitchens, fitted exclusively with the latest generation of Miele appliances, including wine fridges and boiling water taps. The building services are also state-of-the-art: all functions, from the air conditioning and lighting to the Sonos wireless sound system installed throughout and the security system, are interconnected and can be controlled using an iPad, ensuring a smart home in its purest form. Behind the scenes, a user-friendly Gira KNX system works in tandem with the Gira X1 mini server and the Gira S1, remote access module to ensure equally smooth and secure networking and control wherever the homeowner is.

The switches and socket outlets of the Gira E2 design line in stainless steel also match the high-quality elegance of the interior in a special building – truly London’s finest – and all Gira products were installed by specialist system integrator Marquee Home Limited, part of theGira System Integrator Partner Program. Jacob Muijnck, Managing Director at Gira UK says, “We are absolutely delighted to offer practical and intuitive solutions for today’s luxurious city living from sockets and switches to the latest smart home servers which will take care of everything from lighting and heating to security. Our award-winning Design Lines are specially designed to give interior designers and architects the ultimate in flexibility and functionality when it comes to providing the essentials in terms of controls and power points.” The minimalist Gira E2 range is made of ultra-durable shatter-proof UV-resistant plastic in a variety of finishes including pure white glossy, grey matt, and black matt, alongside aluminium, anthracite and stainless steel colours, which bring an ontrend industrial feel to Essoldo House. Homeowners can easily access and control the functions of their KNX installation remotely by using the Gira X1 app, so they can dim and switch lights, and adjust shutters and blinds, heating control, value transmitter, scenes, timer and much more. Camera images can also be accessed ‘live’, plus there are customisation options that include home screen personalisation so it’s even easier to keep an eye on the home, safe in the knowledge that all data is protected and encrypted by our Gira S1. It is essential that this fashionable address enjoys the most innovative and

accessible technology, so Gira has included the following intelligent solutions: - Gira E2 Design Line - this streamlined socket and switch series works in tandem with the Gira System 55, which offers up to 500 different functions, so that can be easily managed with easy-clean controls that complement a restrained pale interior palette, which highlights luxurious finishes and sumptuous comfort. - Gira X1 - a compact smart home server which makes automating a single-family home with a KNX system convenient, easier and economical with remote access, control and monitoring for the height of security. Quick to install, the Gira X1 provides a stress-free start-up and configuration for straightforward, undemanding intelligent build technology and is compatible with Amazon Alexa for voice control and Sonos wireless speakers for excellent sound quality. Gira X1 can be operated on any smart device, tablet or phone via the Gira X1 App for remote access with the ability to handle up to 250 functions as standard, with the option to encompass 125 or 250 with paid-for updates to optimize modern living. - Gira S1 - a remote access module which ensures complete data encryption when accessing the smart home. Simply start the Gira X1 App and Gira S1 will take care of the rest in cooperation with the Gira device portal. The server for the Gira device portal is located in Germany and is subject to German data protection laws. This ensures that stringent German data protection standards are applied so all Gira customers are fully protected with safe and secure technology. - Gira KNX Pushbutton Sensor 3 - the latest sensor technology controls lighting and blinds and ensures room temperature can always be comfortable. Residents in Essoldo House can easily create the perfect backdrop for entertaining friends or a romantic dinner with mood scenes consisting of light, blinds and music.

Rotpunkt launch new Real Wood Nature kitchen door New Real Wood Nature Black Line kitchen with New York Glass fronted cabinets & drawers: showing Zerox furniture Rotpunkt, award-winning zero carbon manufacturer of German kitchen furniture has updated its popular Black Line door series withthe launch of seven solid oak finishes, with the first being Real Wood Nature. Transforming a classic-style kitchen option into a cutting-edge urban landscape, new Real Wood Nature is a solid oak hybrid door solution by Rotpunkt, which combines real wood veneer alongside matt black zero-joint edging known as Black Line.

ductwork and suspended pendent lights, you will be able to give a modern perspective on a classic wood kitchen. Real Wood Nature is made of solid wood and presents natures best imperfections with an uneven surface texture characterised by wild knots and deep wood grain” says Matt Phillips, Head of UK Operations at Rotpunkt. This contemporary kitchen concept by Rotpunkt is interchangeable, so you can fuse your favourite 2021 innovations as you wish, just choose from:

For added gravitas, this industrial-style kitchen concept also features the newly launched New York glass furniture: a brand new collection of glass-fronted storage by Rotpunkt, with 20mm or 50mm black framed Crittall-style door and drawer units designed withpartitioned safety glass.

Real Wood Nature: a highly desirable solid oak veneer that is new for 2021/22 and one of seven new finishes available forBlack Line, a matt black zero-joint edged door that offers a subtle Trompel’œil effect by framing the kitchen door and drawer fronts. This new realwood finish is also available across the company’s full height one-piece doors that measure an impressive 2340mm high, seen here with the new cast iron vertical black handles that run end-to-end.

“By seamlessly pairing matt black design elements with timber finishes and industrial-style hardware like exposed

New York Glass cabinets: embrace the charm of Crittall-style home interiors and create a kitchen that is edgy,

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Kevin Sulca’s Ventanilla House wins the 7th annual sterlingOSB zero/RIBAJ competition Now in its seventh year, the hugely popular RIBAJ/Norbord Europe (now part of West Fraser) competition is designed to encourage architects to push the creative boundaries when considering the use of SterlingOSB Zero. The competition, where the winners enjoy cash prizes, industry acknowledgment, and much coverage in media channels, has seen some incredibly innovative creations in its time; each year poses a different challenge which is designed to reflect real-life topics in the architectural world. The 2021 challenge, named “Off Grid 2030”, saw RIBAJ asking entrants to design a family home of no more than 200m² GIA that adheres to the RIBA’s 2030 Climate Challenge principles. SterlingOSB Zero was to form the mainstay of the material’s palette, and designs had to look at the board’s capabilities, limitations and intrinsic properties. The home could accommodate either single or extended families in urban or rural contexts while attempting to meet the demands of the 2030 Climate Challenge, such as minimal operational energy use and water consumption, non-reliance on fossil fuels, limited waste, and offset residual carbon emissions.

“Different levels of society could live in these houses”, applauded judge Kristofer Adelaide, architectural director of KA-A. Close runner-up, Naturehaus, was universally described as ‘beautiful’ by the agonised judges. “Naturehaus has a large footprint and we are trying to push compactness”, conceded Kucharek eventually, referring to the size of the plan. “But this doesn’t take away from the fact that it is a very strong concept and, as a proposition, it is really considered”. Recognising its inclusion of a huge range of sustainability measures, both in construction and operation, Adelaide aptly described Hilton’s proposal as “a breath of fresh air”.

Jason Scoot (Scoot Studio) LatticexLivexWork DarX (Arper and Yegana Dilek) - SelfSufficient Zero Longlisted: The Rain Catcher - Davide Roth Off Grid 2030 - Angus Eitel, Isabella Hicks, Josh Smith and Olivia Laughlin The Matchbox Townhouse - Hon Yen Chong and Chen-Yong Tan Mitre House - Peter Dagger

Winner: Kevin Sulca - Ventanilla House

For more information on the winners and runners-up, please visit www.ribaj.com/off-grid-2030

Commended: Rob Hilton (Hilton Barnfield Architects) - Naturehaus

For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit Uk.westfraser.com

The 2021 winner is Kevin Sulca’s Ventanilla House - a modular solution to the unique challenges of living in Lima, Peru - only narrowly beating Rob Hilton of Hilton Barnfield Architects’ Naturehaus to the top spot. Sulca’s design was praised for its compactness,scalability and polemical stance against the poor living conditions of Ventanilla’s inhabitants, given the district’s humidity, precarious housing and lack of green space. David Connacher, marketing manager of Norbord Europe, praised the way that “it fit the brief in terms of different generations comfortably living in the same house”, while RIBA Journal’s deputy editor, Jan-Carlos Kucharek, described it as a “simple but tangible, robust proposal”. In particular, its provision of housing to people across the social spectrum was commendable. 59