Construction and Civil Engineering Issue 103 Early Edition

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Rail to use Railway Strategies Live 2014 stop Network to launch its new Product Acceptance s s e pr process for the first time in an open forum.

Conference to offer visitors access to Terence Watson, Chairman of the newly created Rail Supply Group (RSG)

RAILWAY FOR SENIOR RAIL MANAGEMENT

Live

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2014 Network Rail

Hosted in association with

Thursday May 15th 2014 Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR

l The Supply Chain of the Future

l Finding the Right Route to Market

Gold Sponsor SPEAKERS

Terence Watson – CEO, Alstom Transport UK & Ireland, Chair of the RSG Jim Carter - Head of Procurement, Network Rail James Lewis - Technology Introduction Manager, Network Rail Richard Holland - UK MD, TBM Consulting Group David Clarke - Director, FutureRailway Enabling Innovation Team, FutureRailway, hosted by RSSB Rob Wallis - Chief Executive, TRL Martyn Chymera - Chairman, Young Rail Professionals For further details of the event, email Mark Cawston: mcawston@schofieldpublishing.co.uk, for delegate enquiries, email Maxine Quinton: mquinton@schofieldpublishing.co.uk, telephone: 01603 274130 and ask for Mark or Maxine, or visit: http://www.railwaystrategies.co.uk/eventbooking.php?id=574

CONTENTS

FEATURES

Chairman Andrew Schofield Group Managing Director Mike Tulloch Editor Libbie Hammond

2

Lead story 2 The Federation of Master Builders is keen for the Government to cut the VAT on domestic building work

Major Project 6

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

New compressed air jointing systems can increase efficiency and reduce costs

Art Editor Jon Mee Staff Writers Matt High Jo Cooper Steve Nash Drew Dann

Case STUDY 10

14

While numbers of workplace injuries have been reduced in the construction industry, companies cannot be complacent

Advertising Design Jamie Elvin

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 14 A new solution is helping JS Wright & Co verify hours worked by individuals on site

Editorial Admin Emma Harris

Environment 16

Head of Research Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Gavin Watson Mark Cowles Natalie Martin Karl Riseborough Elizabeth Szabo Tony Wright

Developers need to make sure land isn’t contaminated before undertaking any work

20

EQUIPMENT 20 Collaboration can deliver projects that will drive innovation and sustainability on a global scale

NEWS 23

Sales Director David Garner

Announcements, technology and developments in the construction and civil engineering market

Sales David King Mark Cawston

ECO BUILD EXHIBITION PREVIEW 24 Collaboration can deliver projects that will drive innovation and sustainability on a global scale

Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth

Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: +44 (0)1603 274130 Fax: +44 (0)1603 274131

26

23

PROFILES

FERROBETON 26 For 58 years Ferrobeton has been at the forefront of construction and civil engineering in Europe

Landert Motoren 30 Landert Motoren AG today is one of the world’s leading companies for automatic doors

Dubai Contracting Company 33 © 2014 Schofield Publishing Ltd

Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Dubai Contracting Company (DCC) prides itself on embodying a spirit of commitment and trust that is unique to a construction organisation

Construction & Civil Engineering 1

Photos © Thomas Graham Arip

Lead story

A symbol of

London Kings Cross: Building Britain’s economy through infrastructure.

By Mike Byrne & John Turzynski

A

s we continue to see a growth in urban living, there is an increasing need for improved connectivity and the creation of sophisticated transport hubs.

Transport infrastructure is now widely regarded as a vital root of prosperity and economic growth,

2 Construction & Civil Engineering

with nations East and West prioritising its development. In December 2012 China opened the world’s longest high-speed rail line from Beijing to Guangzhou, despite many Chinese provinces still lacking basic water and sewage facilities. Meanwhile in, Germany, several projects are underway to position its place as the hub of central Europe’s transport network.

These include the $8.4 billion Stuttgart 21 rail project, major airport expansions in Munich and Frankfurt, and the new BerlinBranden Airport.

With so much activity oversees, Britain’s ongoing investment in its transport infrastructure is essential if the country is to successfully

compete for global business.

Thankfully this seems to be well recognised. Throughout the recent period of economic decline and stagnation, infrastructure spending has remained relatively well protected in Britain. The Government has developed an extensive National Infrastructure Plan, which lays out schemes averaging more than $44 billion annually. Amongst these is the $36 billion Crossrail project, which will create 55,000 jobs in the capital during the construction phase alone. This demonstrates the secondary but more immediate effect of infrastructure projects: job creation.

In developed nations, many

“King’s Cross station is now part

of the busiest transport hub in London, with 150,000 people commuting and travelling daily”

of the infrastructure projects undertaken are aimed at modernising existing facilities to accommodate ever-expanding user numbers. This is true of London, where much of the infrastructure system was designed in the 19th century and when the capital’s population was under a quarter of what it is now.

Probably the best example of this type of modernisation to date has been the restoration and development of London’s King’s Cross station. First opened in

1852, King’s Cross station is now part of the busiest transport hub in London, with 150,000 people commuting and travelling daily.

This is equivalent to 28 million a year, with millions more using St Pancras International and London Underground’s King’s Cross St Pancras.

Twenty years ago, when Arup was first engaged to support various planning applications pertaining to the station’s expansion, the necessity to increase its capacity was clear and we also had to take into account a secondary consideration. In

projects such as this, involving an existing and essential transport hub, planning, engineering and construction teams must balance the work’s urgency with the need to keep the existing transport hub operational. Without this consideration, improvements intended to stimulate economic growth will instead drive stagnation.

Partly for this reason, the redevelopment of the King’s Cross St Pancras interchange occurred in three significant stages. First, St Pancras International, which opened in 2007, followed by King’s Cross St Pancras Underground Station (2009), with the King’s Cross Mainline Station, finally completed on 19th March 2012.

Construction & Civil Engineering 3

LEAD STORY

whilst a temporary ‘quick bridge’ carried traffic over the top of the Western Ticket Hall during excavation and construction.

Project completion

Increasing capacity When the first King’s Cross station opened the terminal housed just two platforms: one for departing and one for arriving trains. Although these had been progressively added to, a drastic overhaul was essential if the station building was to meet current and projected capacity. Our design of a new 8000m2 Western Concourse was central to this. The updated station, including an additional platform, is able to accommodate 17 peak-time train movements per hour using 12 mainline and suburban platforms.

Whilst above ground, the Western Concourse was taking shape; our teams were also working on the £950m redevelopment of King’s Cross St Pancras Underground Station.

Again, the new space’s ability to accommodate increasing visitor numbers needed to be central to all plans, and effective ventilation was a crucial part of this. In order to assess ventilation designs, we created a Subway Environmental Simulation (SES) model of the entire station. Taking into account high station temperatures due to increased train and passenger numbers, this allowed engineers

4 Construction & Civil Engineering

to design and achieve solutions in accordance with London Underground standards.

Maintaining operation With so many construction elements being undertaken simultaneously, an effective construction and traffic management strategy became integral to the scheme. We developed construction techniques for the deep excavations and tunnels, which avoided damage to adjacent listed buildings and maintained the operation of railways above ground.

In addition we prepared a stageby stage construction sequence, including provision for ten, fullyassured interim stations to be delivered consecutively during the enlargement of the ticket-hall. The formulation of a traffic management scheme also minimised the impact of the construction on pedestrians,

Work continued into 2013, when King’s Cross Square, the final stage in the £550m main line station redevelopment, was completed.

The new 75,000 sq ft King’s Cross Square now provides passengers and visitors a view of the original station façade for the first time in more than 150 years. More than visually impressive, this square provides improved entrances to London Underground and, following strong responses to consultations on the subject, has been dedicated as an area for public art.

The redevelopment of the King’s Cross station area has been a catalyst for one of the largest regeneration schemes in Europe, with far reaching social and economic effects. Sixty-seven acres of brownfield land is being redeveloped, creating eight million sq ft of offices, retail space and housing. In 2011, Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design (the University of the Arts London) moved into renovated railway buildings to the north of the station and new offices for Camden council are currently under construction.

King’s Cross is now more than just a station; it is a London status symbol. We are increasingly seeing connectivity as essential for attracting businesses and talent to cities and therefore key to their success. With efficient links to continental Europe, the North of England and Greater London, King’s Cross delivers just this, reinforcing London’s position as an economic power on the global map. m

Mike Byrne and John Turzynski are directors at Arup. Arup is the creative force at the heart of many of the world’s most prominent projects in the built environment and across industry. From more than 90 offices worldwide some 11,000 Arup planners, designers, engineers and consultants deliver innovative projects across the globe.

For further information visit: www.arup.com.

NEWS

New neighbourhood Developers have been given the green light to begin building the first new homes at Chobham Manor, an exciting new district for Stratford, east London, and the first new neighbourhood to be built on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Located in the north of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park between East Village and Lee Valley VeloPark, Chobham Manor will feature a mix of stylish one to five-bedroom apartments and houses which are expected to go on sale in late spring, with residents moving in by late 2015.

In E20, London’s newest postcode, work will start very shortly on the first phase of the vibrant new neighbourhood, which will also feature tree-lined avenues, state-of-the-art architecture and relaxing green landscaped areas.

Chobham Manor has been designed for a wide-range of Londoners who want to build their lives in an exciting new community. Seventy-five per cent (194) of the 259 homes will be family homes with three or more bedrooms. Twenty-eight per cent of homes across the whole Chobham Manor development will be affordable homes with the first phase delivering 31 per cent (79) of this type of property, including social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing.

New Swedish study KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden has published a paper investigating the thermal performance of radiant skirting boards using Discrete Heat’s ThermaSkirt heated skirting board as the test sample. The extensive experiment evaluated the capacity of radiant baseboards to work in conjunction with heat pumps in built environments.

The rigorous testing of both ThermaSkirt and a range of conventional radiators provided data that showed radiant baseboards had a significantly higher heat transfer ability of 50 per cent more than panel radiators.

The research also shows the compatibility of heated skirting boards and heat pumps to be more effective than using traditional radiator panels in a heat pump system.

Heated skirting boards benefit from two key characteristics, the first being their low fitted position causing a high transferred convective heat flux from the skirting board to the room air.

Secondly, due to being installed

at the base of the walls they are exposed to colder room air along their entire length which in turn increases the thermal gradient and its ability to transfer heat to the room. This results in the radiant baseboards having a much higher mean heat transfer coefficient of 12.6 W/m°C compared to the 8.4 W/m°C of conventional panel radiators.

The paper concludes that heated skirting board should be used at maximum possible height and with the current guideline value of 100 Pa/m for waterside pressure loss for the system design.

Aberdeen expansion The UNITE Group plc, the UK’s leading developer and manager of student accommodation, has announced that it has concluded conditional missives (exchanged contracts) to acquire a circa one acre development site in the centre of Aberdeen, subject to planning consent.

The 120,000 square foot scheme is expected to have a total development cost of £20 million and is expected to deliver development yield in line with UNITE’s target returns of 9.5 per cent – ten per cent yield on cost.

The city centre site is close to the University of Aberdeen and has good transport links to Robert Gordon University.

It will be transformed into a home for approximately 400 students and is targeted to open for the 2016/17 academic year. The site is currently occupied by a derelict, listed school building, and the development will include its refurbishment as part of the design of the property. The listed building, once renovated, will house 18 per cent of bedrooms.

Richard Simpson, managing director of Property for UNITE said: “This acquisition is a prime example of how we are investing the proceeds from our 2013 share placing. This site is in an excellent central location, in a market with favourable supply/demand dynamics.

By renovating and bringing back into use a listed building, we are pleased to contribute to the regeneration of this city centre location.”

Construction & Civil Engineering 5

MAJOR PROJECT

Learning to spend

wisely

Andy Newell highlights some of the challenges that are part of school and college refurbishment projects

Learning and Resource Centre Pontefract

T

he current Government initiative to allocate nearly ÂŁ500 million for college upgrades and expansions throughout the UK will surely help establishments to reach their potential. Fifty colleges are benefitting from significant investment through the third and fourth rounds of the Capital Investment Fund but will it be spent wisely?

By the very nature of evolving educational needs and budgetary constraints of local authority control, many schools and colleges in the UK are the result of a piecemeal formation over many years.

This continues to present great challenges for architects to deliver

6 Construction & Civil Engineering

against modern day requirements but equally so for the contractor that needs to consider practical solutions whilst maintaining structural integrity, safety and operational continuity.

Tackling the legacy School and college refurbishment projects require careful planning and liaison well in advance of starting works on site and consultation with the contractor is critical to this. The majority of our projects within education either involve the refurbishment of existing buildings or the intrusion into existing buildings to form extensions. Most schools have developed facilities in a piecemeal fashion over time and, as a result, individual buildings are likely

to be in different physical condition.

Issues such as space standards ease of circulation, accessibility and internal environment will vary greatly across each estate.

Successful learning establishments that have increased in size over time may suffer particular legacy issues resulting from infill development.

Refurbishment is not a simple panacea for all of these issues. The solution must be driven by the educational vision first and followed by a deep and thoughtful analysis of the existing building stock. Only then will value for money solutions emerge to deliver environments fit for 21st century teaching and learning.

For example, whilst undertaking

Successful learning establishments that have increased “ in size over time may suffer particular legacy issues resulting from infill development ”

a new single storey extension for a primary school in York it quickly became apparent that the entire drainage system had been incorrectly surveyed, thus the proposals for the new drainage system failed to tie in with the existing infrastructure. As works commenced we worked closely with the client team to resolve the issues and effectively redesigned the drainage foundations. Additional ‘arisings’ created were utilised to enhance the local landscape.

A further primary school project in Barnsley highlighted great vulnerability to fire. A thorough contractor’s assessment revealed that almost all fire security measures were being compromised. Whilst a contractor may be brought in

to deliver extended solutions, the necessary assessment of existing operations become critical to this and often impact on life threatening risk.

Minimising disruption to the curriculum Continuity is paramount for any educational establishment and whilst term breaks present obvious opportunity for works, this is intermittent and longer, more complex projects require a more militant approach to the works programme.

Necessary demolition was a particular concern for a performing arts centre in West Yorkshire with 1600 students on the campus. To mitigate this risk we undertook

demolition works during a two-week holiday period. The works were also segregated from the main College activities requiring a special licence from the local Council for access across the adjacent public park and the formation of a temporary access road.

At the primary school in Barnsley it was necessary to keep the 300-student school open during extensive works. Communication lines comprised daily briefings and detailed weekly meetings to keep the school fully aware of the construction programme. During construction works the school needed to relocate staff and pupils from the older building to the new extensions as work progressed, sometimes creating makeshift classrooms from the

Construction & Civil Engineering 7

MAJOR PROJECT

Learning and Resource Centre Pontefract

newly built rooms. This required a significant amount of planning and scheduling with the school to minimise logistical problems. Parents and children were also embraced with the process and were asked to make inventories for relocation as projects.

Prefabrication and off-site modularisation are not new to the construction industry but the increasing interest in ‘lean’ construction, the rising use of BIM technologies, and the growing influence of sustainable design have caused many practitioners to reconsider their appeal. Faced with spiralling construction costs, off-site modular construction is now proving to be a more cost efficient and sustainable alternative to ‘traditional methods’ of construction.

Prefabrication and modularisation are used in a variety of areas but most often in the building superstructure, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and exterior envelope. Offering many desirable qualities, off-site fabrication helps to reduce operative hours on site and offers a much safer approach to construction. It also helps to

8 Construction & Civil Engineering

significantly reduce waste whilst maximising quality control and together they offer a more sustainable approach to building services delivery. With the careful management of all manufacturing logistics and sequencing, off-site assembly results in high quality components, which contribute to sustainable targets without any compromise to product quality.

Integrating green initiatives and technologies Substantial effort and funding is invested into encouraging ‘green’ actions by pupils, teachers and parents and supporting initiatives are fast becoming a pre-requisite in almost all educational build programmes. The challenge is how is best integrated within a refurbishment project.

There are many opportunities to integrate cost effective solutions that also tick the ‘green’ box in even the most archaic buildings. In fact a refurbishment presents an ideal opportunity to adapt change.

For the school in Barnsley we utilised many ‘green initiatives’

within the development of the project including a biomass boiler system, under-floor heating, natural ventilation and heat recovery systems, 20,000 litres of rainwater harvesting tanks and a state-of-theart photovoltaic system comprising mono-crystalline modules secured to the south facing standing seam roof.

The use of biomass in heating systems is beneficial because it uses agricultural, forest, urban and industrial residues and waste to produce heat and electricity with less effect on the environment than fossil fuels. This type of energy production has a limited long-term effect on the environment because the carbon in biomass is part of the natural carbon cycle; while the carbon in fossil fuels is not, and permanently adds carbon to the environment when burned for fuel (carbon footprint). Historically, before the use of fossil fuels in significant quantities, biomass in the form of wood fuel provided most of humanity’s heating.

Natural ventilation is the process of supplying and removing air through an indoor space without using mechanical systems, which in turn reduces the carbon footprint of a building. At Ward Green School we used a buoyancy-driven ventilation system which works by a natural directional buoyancy

At the primary school in “Barnsley it was necessary to

Learning and Resource Centre Pontefract

keep the 300-student school open during extensive works.

Communication lines comprised daily briefings and detailed weekly meetings”

Learning and Resource Centre Pontefract

force from temperature differences between the interior and exterior of the building. The heat recovery system works hand in hand with the natural ventilation because as building efficiency is improved with insulation and weather stripping, buildings are intentionally made more airtight, and consequently less well ventilated. Since all buildings require a source of fresh air, the need for heat recovery ventilation (HVR) has become obvious.

While opening a window does provide ventilation, the building’s heat and humidity will then be lost in the winter and gained in the summer, both of which are undesirable for the indoor climate and for energy efficiency, since

the building’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems must compensate. HRV introduces fresh air to a building and improves climate control, whilst promoting efficient energy use.

The photovoltaic solar panels installed at Ward Green School were the most efficient available at the time. Monocrystalline solar cells are made out of silicon ingots, which are cylindrical in shape. To optimise performance and lower costs of a single monocrystalline solar cell, four sides are cut out of the cylindrical ingots to make silicon wafers, which is what gives monocrystalline solar panels their characteristic look.

Advantages include: l Monocrystalline solar panels have

the highest efficiency rates since they are made out of the highestgrade silicon. The efficiency rates of monocrystalline solar panels are typically 15-20 per cent. l Monocrystalline silicon solar panels are space-efficient. Since these solar panels yield the highest power outputs, they also require the least amount of space compared to any other types. Monocrystalline solar panels produce up to four times the amount of electricity as thin-film solar panels. l Monocrystalline solar panels live the longest. Most solar panel manufacturers put a 25-year warranty on their monocrystalline solar panels. l Tend to perform better than similarly rated polycrystalline solar panels at low-light conditions. m

Britcon is a member of the Hunt Group of Companies which includes Specialist Surfacing Ltd, Coldmac Ltd and Highways Alliance Ltd. Operating with its subsidiaries as well as external partners, the company offers complete turnkey solutions for almost all types of construction projects with expertise in general civil engineering, building, steel erection and highways engineering.

Specialising in design and construction Britcon works as a valued partner on projects ranging from remote quarry engineering and highways/rail infrastructure to bespoke emergency services and renewable energy schemes.

For further information visit:

www.britcon.co.uk.

Construction & Civil Engineering 9

CASE STUDY

Victorian conservatory at Wentworth Castle in Stainborough near Barnsley

10 Construction & Civil Engineering

Rebuilding

history

A pane-staking restoration in South Yorkshire has brought a Victorian conservatory back to its former glory

A

stunning Victorian conservatory at Wentworth Castle in Stainborough near Barnsley, one of the finest examples of its kind anywhere, has been painstakingly and faithfully restored to its previous splendour.

William Anelay Ltd, a building firm established in 1747, was charged with the task of delivering a complex 12 month project, in conjunction with architects Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams that involved the complete restoration of the conservatory and the construction of an adjoining new build extension with visitor area, shop and cafe facilities.

The recently completed project has already been nominated and shortlisted for an English Heritage Angels award under the category ‘Best Craftsmanship employed on a Heritage Rescue.’

Set in the rolling countryside of South Yorkshire, the grade I Listed Wentworth Castle is currently home to the Northern College for Residential and Community Education and was propelled into the national consciousness as a runner up in the 2003 BBC Restoration series hosted by Griff Rhys Jones. Previous work also saw Wentworth shortlisted in the Country Life Restoration of the Century award back in 2010.

Over the past decade a major programme of work has taken place, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, the

Country Houses Foundation, the European Regional Development Fund and the venue’s own Trust with William Anelay involved in a number of phases of the building restoration work.

The 300 square metre conservatory was constructed in 1885 by Crompton and Fawkes of Chelmsford and is thought to be the first to incorporate electric lighting.

It had fallen into a dangerously bad state of disrepair and had become overgrown with vegetation.

William Anelay worked closely with Shepley Engineering of Barnsley to dismantle and catalogue the complete structure and carefully restore each of the hundreds of wrought iron glazing bars before infillng with new glazing, sited within a 2mm seating, supplied by Bootle Glass on Merseyside.

Anelay project manager Dave Akitt explained: “This was an incredibly challenging process that started in September 2012. It was akin to an enormous Mecanno jigsaw puzzle. Inch perfect precision was required to reassemble the conservatory effectively and sympathetically. Were any of the beams just a few millimetres out then we would have had to start from scratch.

“One key aspect of the complexity lay in the way the conservatory was originally constructed with the 28 circular hollow columns also serving as rainwater down pipes.

In order to protect these Shepley

Construction & Civil Engineering 11

CASE STUDY

A stunning Victorian conservatory at Wentworth Castle in Stainborough near Barnsley, one of the finest examples of its kind anywhere, has been painstakingly and faithfully restored to its previous splendour

coated the inside with bitumen paint.

“That is why Shepley are restoring or replacing every single part of the structure and then reassembling it in full in their large workshop facility.

“The start of works involved the clearing of vegetation inside the Conservatory prior to Shepley arriving on site and carefully scheduling and dismantling the structure. The ground was excavated to form a flat terrace, level with the original floor of the conservatory with the original masonry walls being cleaned and repaired as necessary. “Now reconstructed, the conservatory has access into what was originally a potting shed. This forms part of the new build extension that includes toilets, kitchen, plant room and an interpretation area.

“The new build aspect of the project is of a timber construction with cedar cladding and a green and patent glazed roof. Both the conservatory and the extension were fitted with new mechanical and electrical services throughout,” added Dave.

12 Construction & Civil Engineering

Anelay chairman Charles Anelay concluded:

“This is undoubtedly one of the most challenging

projects we have undertaken in recent times. There was no room for manoeuvre when it came to accuracy” The rear of the conservatory features new terracing and soft landscaping with hard landscaping around the new and restored structures to improve visitor access and parking areas.

Claire Herring, director of Wentworth Castle Heritage Trust comments: “Great team work has made this project possible involving funders and our volunteers as well as the experience and skill of the craftsmen who have brought the Conservatory back to life. It’s been a real labour of love.”

Anelay chairman Charles Anelay concluded: “This is undoubtedly one of the most challenging projects we have undertaken in

recent times. There was no room for manoeuvre when it came to accuracy and it called for very close liaison with all of those organisations involved.

“The end result is a new conservatory and welcome area that will radically transform the experience for the thousands of visitors that make their way to the castle and park every year and also creates a venue that is perfect for weddings and other major events,” added Charles.

The finished Wentworth Castle conservatory reflects the very best traditions of days gone by as well as the cutting edge skills and knowledge of today. m

NEWS

Sprinkler study

Steel solution Simpson Strong Tie has kicked off 2014 with the launch of a full range of performance tested connection solutions for the steel frame construction industry. Developed for use with light gauge steel, this innovative range of time saving brackets, clip connectors and holdown systems also includes collated fastenings and heavy duty anchoring products - all fully tested and available from one source.

Head of the engineered products division at Simpson Strong Tie, Jon Head said: “We’re delighted to begin the year with the launch of a new range which we believe will save time and money for the steel frame

construction industry. Many of the products in this light gauge steel connectors range are already well established in the USA, but are now available in variations suitable for use in the UK.” Simpson Strong Tie has also developed a new line of connectors within this range especially for buildings which have ‘over sail’ structures, as part of its commitment to expand its range for light gauge steel applications.

A new brochure that includes installation advice and performance values is available as a hard copy or as a PDF download from

www.strongtie.co.uk

Structural Masonry Day The Brick Development Association (BDA) which represents the UK Brick Industry is organising a Structural Masonry Day in association with IMS (International masonry Society) on 3rd April, held at Arup as part of its annual seminar series. Leading experts in structural masonry design will be on hand to offer authoritative advice on masonry prefabrications and movement in masonry as well as case studies on innovative structural solutions. There will also be practical demonstrations on thin joint construction.

The event will be held at Arup, Shear & Emmerson Room, 8 Fitzroy Street W1T 4BQ from 10am to 4pm. Tickets cost £75 (plus VAT) including lunch and refreshments and can be purchased by visiting the BDA’s website:

One in five warehouses in England will have a fire requiring the attendance of fire fighters each year. The total annual cost to the UK economy of fires in English warehouses without fire sprinklers is £232 million.

The main finding from a three-year study conducted independently by BRE Global and commissioned by the Business Sprinkler Alliance has shown that sprinklers are, on average, a cost effective investment for warehouses with a floor area above 2,000 m2, with the greatest benefit arising from the reduction in direct fire losses.

Dr Debbie Smith, director of fire science and building products at the BRE, said: “Despite a year-on-year decrease in the number of commercial fires, the estimated annual cost of these fires is rising along with related societal and environmental impacts. This project has broken new ground in terms of evaluating these broader sustainability impacts of fire in warehouses and demonstrating that, on average, sprinklers can be shown to deliver a net benefit.”

Iain Cox, BSA Chairman said: “The findings of this study scratch the surface in terms of the return fire sprinklers bring to business. What is clear from the current research is that insurance alone is not enough to fully protect companies from the long-term impacts of fire. We urge the government to do more to encourage the installation of fire sprinklers in commercial premises and promote a better understanding of the positive impacts of physical resilience.”

www.brick.org.uk/2013/10/bda-structural-masonry-day/.

Construction & Civil Engineering 13

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Looking after the

pennies With margins ever tightened, ensuring projects run to budget is crucial for any construction company.

Simon Eyre discusses the tools available to help firms maximise the impact of every pound spent

A

ccording to research

by Barbour ABI in November 2013, although the housing and commercial sectors are driving UK growth between Q2 and Q3, analysis of construction output shows that levels are still 13.3 per cent below the pre-recession peak

14 Construction & Civil Engineering

showing difficult times for the industry. These figures prove that the construction sector remains under pressure, with companies fighting tooth and nail for every contract.

The biggest challenge for many businesses is managing costs – they continue to rise, and many companies simply do not have

the systems in place to manage them. Too many businesses rely on disparate systems providing different data from a range of departments, leading to inefficiency and confusion over what are the true costs of the project.

Construction companies need to better understand that organisation of their data is the most effective way to keep projects on track, through an integrated ‘one version of the truth’ view of projects.

What can companies do to mitigate risks?

Historically the construction industry has been slow to adopt new technology, and many companies still use paper based systems and spreadsheets. But such is the pace of systems advancements, providing businesses with real competitive advantage, the opportunities presented by automating processes are hard to ignore.

Indeed with an ever growing volume of restrictive regulation on workforce management, health and safety, waste management and environmental control, construction companies need to take control of their data and have a holistic view of the performance of every area of the business to create one version of the truth.

Critical data that needs to be captured includes tender figures, including anticipated tender margin, forecast figures at completion for cost and value together with, the current payment applications by the contractor, the current certified value, an account of any period adjustments or provisions against cost to date and the cash received to date including the retention deducted and certified sums unpaid.

Having a centralised view of data across all departments significantly helps to close the gap between ‘budget’ and ‘actual’. Despite best efforts to control costs, companies are prone to budget overruns owing to the time lag between when a

financial commitment is made and when cost is accrued.

Traditional cost control mechanisms focus on establishing cost to date, with manual reconciliation back to budgets. This process typically starts following finance closing the purchase ledger, and effectively means that, at best you know where you ‘were’ several weeks after the event. This can lead to overstated budget balances and subsequently to overspending.

Any orders, invoices or adjustments impact the budget, but intelligent systems track commitment against budget to help avoid overspending, immediately highlighting buying/value gains/ losses. Commitment and accurate cost to date help predict the final cost and value at completion, and therefore the anticipated margin at completion.

“Having a centralised view

of data across all departments significantly helps to close the gap between ‘budget’ and ‘actual’ ” overview of performance can be gleaned and then acted upon. It is here that the greatest opportunities are being realised, with technology no longer being regarded as simply a number cruncher, but as a strategic management tool that will enable construction companies to grow. m

Knowledge where it’s needed The prevalence in smart phone and tablet usage has led to an increased demand for information at the point of need. Increasingly professionals need access to project information, whether on site or away from their usual workstation. It’s vital therefore those systems are robust enough to deliver real time information across departments whenever it is required.

Leading by example As margins are ever more squeezed and management teams wonder if the information they receive is an accurate view of reality, more and more businesses are relying on software to bring together the established totals for cost and value to illustrate the profitability of a contract. Thus ensuring that contract profits shown in company accounts are accurate and are supported with complete details of all transactions and reconciliations.

While individual managers and departments need greater visibility of activities for which they are directly responsible, it is only at senior management level that a true

Simon Eyre is managing director of construction software specialists Xpedeon.

Xpedeon builds software solutions for the construction industry and is a leader in helping companies to maximise margins in a dynamic and ever changing business environment.

Xpedeon has been built by collaborating with some of the largest companies in the construction business.

Its integrated solutions are therefore purpose built for the unique requirements of building contractors, civil engineering contractors, specialist contractors and housebuilders using industry best practice and easy to access data.

For further information, visit:

www.xpedeon.com.

Construction & Civil Engineering 15

ENVIRONMENT

Healthy

building The Passivhaus Trust gives an overview of the ‘Passivhaus’ standard

Award-winning Lancaster Cohousing Community self build Photo: Jon Sear

16 Construction & Civil Engineering

P

assivhaus is the leading international low energy, design standard. With over 37,000 buildings having been designed, built and tested to this standard worldwide it offers a robust, proven and cost-effective method to reducing energy use and carbon emissions from buildings in the UK, as well as providing high standards of comfort and building health. Passivhaus buildings provide significantly draft

free environments, which provide improved indoor air quality along with lower heating bills. Through improved fabric and services, Passivhaus can achieve real energy demand reductions below the level proposed by building regulations.

Passivhaus buildings are built with meticulous attention to detail and rigorous design and construction, according to principles developed by the Passivhaus Institut (PHI) in Germany, and can be certified

250 riverfront apartments at Carrow Quay in Norwich, believed to be the largest scheme in the UK designed to Passivhaus principles

“ Passivhaus: A building in which thermal comfort can be

achieved solely by post-heating or post-cooling the fresh air flow required for a good indoor air quality, without the need for additional recirculation of the air ” Passivhaus Institut (PHI)

cooling demand of less than 15 kWh/ m2 year or a maximum heating and cooling load of 10W/m2 l A maximum total primary energy demand of 120 kWh/m2/year l An air change rate of no more than 0.6 air changes per hour @ 50 Pa. The Passivhaus refurbishment standard, EnerPHit, is slightly more relaxed when the existing architecture or conservation issues mean Passivhaus is not feasible and requires: l A maximum space heating and cooling demand of less than 25 kWh/m2.year or a maximum heating and cooling load of 10W/m2 l A maximum total primary energy demand of 120 kWh/m2/year + heat load factor l An air change rate of no more than 1.0 air changes per hour @ 50 Pa.

To achieve the Passivhaus Standard in the UK typically involves: l Very high levels of insulation l Extremely high performance windows with insulated frames l Airtight building fabric l ‘Thermal bridge free’ construction l A mechanical ventilation system with highly efficient heat recovery. m

The Passivhaus Trust is an independent, nonprofit organisation that will provide leadership in the UK for the adoption of the Passivhaus standard and methodology. Its aim is to promote the principles of Passivhaus as a highly effective way of reducing energy use and carbon emissions from buildings in the UK, as well as providing high standards of comfort and building health.

www.passivhaustrust.org.uk.

Chester Balmore – Camden, London.

Large scale residential development Photo: www.chesterbalmore.com/the-apartments/ through an exacting quality assurance process. Key principles state the building must be able to achieve excellent airtightness levels and this must be confirmed using on site air leakage tests and commissioning of mechanical services. Excellent onsite workmanship and attention to detail is crucial to achieving the required standards.

The new-build Passivhaus Standard requires: l A maximum space heating and

Construction & Civil Engineering 17

ENVIRONMENT news

Efficient apartments Norwich based architects Ingleton Wood has achieved reserved matters planning approval for 250 riverfront apartments at Carrow Quay in Norwich, believed to be the largest scheme in the UK designed to Passivhaus principles.

Whilst Ingleton Wood’s Planning Consultants have negotiated some flexibility in the planning approval as to how a fabric first approach can be achieved through construction, Carrow Quay will potentially be the first high-density development in the UK built to the Passivhaus standard.

The scheme, designed on behalf of local housing association Broadland Housing Group, marks the culmination of three years of research by Broadland and its consultant team.

As an organisation responsible for 5000 homes across East Anglia, Broadland Housing Group has made a commitment to target building fabric performance in an attempt to minimise fuel poverty for its tenants, having recently completed its first rural Passivhaus scheme in North Norfolk.

Ingleton Wood’s architects, specialists in sustainable residential design, have worked closely with German Passivhaus experts Herz-Lang GmbH to develop the principles of the building’s thermal envelope.

Project architect Chris Stammers commented: “Carrow Quay is a project driven by a client that’s extremely passionate about creating great environments for its tenants.

18 Construction & Civil Engineering

Windows certified Green Building Store has launched its Passivhaus certified Ecocontract ULTRA timber window range. The new insulated frame version of the Ecocontract ULTRA range offers whole window U values of 0.68 W/m2K and has received certification as a Certified Component from the Passivhaus Institut.

The Ecocontract ULTRA range has been developed by Green Building Store in response to specifier demand, and is designed to help fill a gap in the UK Passivhaus and low energy market. Ecocontract ULTRA’s outward opening style is available in a suite of insulated or solid frame versions to give a very high level of design flexibility. In the timber window market, outward opening windows are more familiar to the British public (and building professionals), but have been hard to source for Passivhaus projects in the UK. Chris Herring, director of Green Building Store, said: “We are delighted to have received Passivhaus certification for the new insulated version of the Ecocontract ULTRA timber window. Now the Ecocontract ULTRA range will be able to give designers working on Passivhaus and low energy projects greater design flexibility.

Passiv pool The municipal swimming pool operator in the German city of Lünen ventured into unchartered terrain when it decided to build its indoor swimming pool to the Passive House Standard some years ago.

This courageous step has now paid off, as recent monitoring results have shown. The savings in terms of energy consumption, for heating as well as for electricity, are substantial compared with other swimming pools. The monitoring carried out by the Passive House Institute also shows that even further optimisation is possible during the building’s use.

The beacon in Westphalia thus forms an outstanding basis for subsequent projects. Details on this will be presented by Jessica Grove-Smith from the Passive House Institute at

the International Passive House Conference in Aachen, taking place from 25 - 26 April 2014.

Swimming pools are extremely energy-intensive. Since many swimming pools in Germany were built in the 1970s, there is a great need for refurbishment on a broad scale. “There is a huge potential for savings – and the data from Lünen clearly shows that Passive House is a practicable solution here as well,” explains Søren Peper, scientific advisor at the Passive House Institute.

One of the key requisites for achieving the Passive House Standard, also in the case of indoor swimming pools, is a high-quality building envelope, including the glazed areas. This not only helps significantly improve thermal comfort, but also allows for the pool to be operated at higher levels of indoor air humidity without causing condensation. Higher levels of indoor air humidity means reduced evaporation from the water surface, thus resulting in lower heating requirements for the pools.

Further savings can be achieved with the ventilation system. Heat losses are reduced by the use of high quality heat exchangers and adapted ventilation regulation.

Smaller air quantities and the use of energy-saving devices provide for significantly lower consumption.

Improved swimming pool technology with energy-efficient electrical systems and recycling of filter backwash are other key aspects in this concept.

FEATURE

Part L sustainability &value

Part L may often be discussed but is it understood?

David Bownass sheds some light on the regulations

P

art L Conservation of Fuel and Power, is the foundation of UK sustainability regulation.

It’s the minimum standard for new build, the reference standard for building refurbishment, the benchmark for planning carbon policy and the ‘cornerstone’ for BREEAM Excellent and Outstanding ratings. It’s oft quoted though understood by a relative few practitioners.

Given its status within the UK sustainability agenda it’s worth understanding a little more about how it works and consider if it represents good value in its current form. In this context value doesn’t just equate to cost, though clearly Part L has financial consequences, but more a broad public confidence in its use and application.

To start its worthwhile understanding what Part L ‘is’ and in this context I mean Criterion 1 of Part L2A. It’s a carbon emissions calculation methodology. The results then allow you to benchmark and compare regulated carbon emissions between new buildings and compare your actual building to the required Part L standard. Regulated carbon emissions include emissions from lighting, auxiliary equipment (fans and pumps), heating, cooling and hot water. Equipment plugged into the smaller power network, process loads, lifts and computers are excluded. Furthermore to allow a

fair comparison between buildings, occupancy profiles are standardised so it doesn’t consider the real occupancy of the building.

With this simple introduction it’s evident that a Part L calculation will not provide a realistic indication of a building’s true energy consumption, as it doesn’t consider all the energy uses and it’s unlikely a user will mirror the standard occupancy profile (see CIBSE TM 54: 2013 evaluating operational energy performance of buildings at the design stage for more details).

If we understand that Part L simply calculates the carbon emissions for a new building’s regulated load, does it do this accurately and fairly? Let’s examine a few of the anomalies: l It’s a one off calculation based on current data. No cognisance is made of the building’s operational carbon or energy use over its lifespan.

In theory grid electricity carbon content will reduce to around 50 g/kWh in 2030, currently the figure is 517 g/kWh. This will lead to completely different technical solutions to those promoted today. l Energy associated with LTHW and CHW pumping is modelled as a fixed figure. While small adjustments can be made for pump control (three options are available) if the building has one or 1000 pumps it makes no difference to calculation. l A heat network with a remote energy centre containing a gas-fired

chp is modelled using a different methodology than a building containing the same technical solution in a local plant room. An efficient chp in a building with a large heat demand will result in a much better result than the same building served with the same chp from a heat network. l Heat network connections normally ignore the significant pump energy used to distribute the hot water round the network to the building. l Lighting is assessed by how efficiently it is supplied not how much you use. So if you lower the lighting level in a space it will not make an equivalent improvement in Part L. The origins of the Part L calculation as a simplified energymodelling tool didn’t envisage its current day use or the need to demonstrate continued carbon improvement. As we progress to zero carbon buildings or more immediately address the GLA planning policy target of a 40 per cent improvement in Part L 2010 we need a more precise, flexible methodology with the ability to take a longer term view. m

David Bownass is sustainability director at professional consultancy WSP. WSP is a leading professional services firm in the UK providing consultancy services to all aspects of the built and natural environment working with governments, planners, developers and architects.

The firm has been involved in many high profile UK projects including the Shard, Crossrail, New South Glasgow Hospital, the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham and the re-development of London Bridge station.

For further information visit:

www.wspgroup.co.uk.

Construction & Civil Engineering 19

EQUIPMENT

A

hire purpose Mark Rooney reflects on the last five years within the construction industry and how the downturn has helped the equipment hire market become more customer centric and focused on innovation

L

ike most sectors in the UK over the last five years, the construction industry has felt the impact of the economic downturn, which has inevitably affected the equipment hire market. There have been fewer projects and opportunities and this has undoubtedly led to tougher competition for the work that has been available. Hire companies have had to look at how they operate in detail to ensure they provide the best value for money and levels of service to remain competitive and win repeat business. As a result, the most successful companies have become more customer focused, leaner and more efficient. As such the ones that have flourished through the recession are now likely to be much better placed as the economy and general construction industry starts to recover.

In terms of the construction industry, the good news is that we have been starting to see a definite increase in activity over recent months. There is a lot more optimism in the market and significantly more work. As always, this has pulled through into the hire industry with more requirements for equipment and increased levels of

20 Construction & Civil Engineering

business. It is still nowhere near the highs reached in 2006/07 but the level of work available is much higher than it has been for some considerable time. London and the South East in particular is a vibrant market at the moment with many new projects underway and significant investment in construction and infrastructure.

The rail industry is also busy with Crossrail investing heavily.

Demands for more efficient solutions The above-mentioned economic climate had the effect of forcing construction companies to look at

how efficiently they were working. This placed the onus on equipment hire companies to look at the products and solutions they were offering. It is no longer enough to simply provide the same tried and tested solution when a more efficient way of working may be available. This has given rise to a number of new products focused on improving site efficiency.

Saving time on site is one of the major cost savings available and companies will often pay more for a piece of hire equipment if the time savings are great enough to outweigh the additional hire costs.

In addition, by working closely

with the customer, hire companies can help to improve efficiency in a number of other ways aside from new products. Improved levels of service, accurate delivery and collection times and reduced lead times have all become key to the customer when they are choosing an equipment provider.

Hire companies can provide innovative solutions to customer problems on site but only if they are aware of what the problem actually is. The nature of the hire industry is that we are often quite removed from where the product is being used and so it’s vital to work closely with the customer to understand their problems and issues to enable hire companies to develop the best

solutions in conjunction with the customer. It is far better to develop a solution with a client to solve their exact problem than design a product or solution in isolation and then try to convince the client it is what they need.

Introducing new technology The construction industry has traditionally been conservative and slower than some industries to embrace new technology. Again the economy has changed this outlook, with companies constantly looking for an edge and turning to new technology as a potential source for this. Similarly in the equipment hire arena development

has sometimes been slow due to the risk of redundancy that introducing new technology can bring. This attitude has changed in recent times and is gathering momentum with new technology becoming more prevalent.

The main place where technology has been embraced has been in the area of communication and the provision of information. The explosion in the use of smartphones has enabled companies to find new more efficient ways of working. For example, product user videos can be viewed on a phone anywhere in the field. Similarly, phone apps can provide customers with realtime account information or the facility to place an order quickly

Construction & Civil Engineering 21

EQUIPMENT

“Sustainability remains high on the agenda and hire companies are obviously naturally good in this area due to the continued reuse of their equipment ”

and efficiently. This is a constantly changing area and companies need to be continually up-to-date with new innovations and how these may be used to improve the customer’s experience.

Hot topics and trends Rightly so, health and safety is always a hot topic, the UK leads the world in the provision of a safe working environment and our construction industry benefits from a continually improving health and safety record. This area retains a high priority in equipment hire with new innovations hitting the market on an increasingly regular basis.

Previously introduced ‘nice to haves’ have now, in many cases, become prerequisites on site as legislation tightens and standards improve.

Another trend in the nonmechanical hire industry is towards lighter equipment, which still performs as well as traditional methods. Lighter products enable contractors to use lighter machinery to handle them and also reduce the impact on the environment through reduced size transport and lower fuel usage.

To facilitate this, companies will need to consider new materials for products and smarter methods of manufacture.

Sustainability remains high on the agenda and hire companies are obviously naturally good in this area due to the continued reuse of their equipment. However, consideration needs to be given to such things as transport routing to minimise the impact on the environment. m

Mark Rooney is managing director of Mabey Hire. Mabey Hire Ltd is part of the family owned Mabey Group of companies. It employs 430 staff, including 40 engineers, across 17 depots nationwide. With a turnover in excess of £42 million, the company offers hire products to the construction industry including: groundworks, formwork and falsework, propping and jacking, temporary bridging, and contract services.

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

22 Construction & Civil Engineering

NEWS

Finance offer

£46m Uni library Willmott Dixon, one of the UK’s largest construction companies, has been awarded a design and build contract to construct the University of Bedfordshire’s new library building in Luton.

Spread over seven floors, the iconic building will become a landmark in the town centre incorporating 7400 sq meters of space, connecting to the rest of the University’s Luton campus via a bridge link.

“The appointment of Willmott Dixon to build our new library is great news,” said the University’s Vice Chancellor, Bill Rammell.

“This move further underlines our ambitions for current and future generations of students at Bedfordshire. The fantastic new facility will further enhance the students’ learning experience, offering the latest digital learning technologies, an expanded space for print resources and flexible study space for individual and group study, which will be open

24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Chris Tredget, managing director at Willmott Dixon, added: “We are delighted to be involved and look forward to delivering this superb new library for the University of Bedfordshire. As a local company, with an office in nearby Hitchin, Herts, and staff living across Bedfordshire, we are naturally very proud to be responsible for an important addition to our community. We will also buy local construction materials whenever possible to support jobs and companies in the local area.”

Fleximize, a newly launched finance company, will provide SMEs in the construction sector with an innovative and flexible source of financing – a revenue advance.

Max Chmyshuk, founder and managing partner at Fleximize said: “Revenue-based financing (RBF) is often viewed as ‘the best of both worlds’ sitting between debt and equity investment. The value of monthly repayments fluctuates with the performance of the client’s business so they pay more in good months and less in bad ones. This can be attractive for many SMEs in the Construction sector, particularly in the current uncertain economic environment.

“We feel that our revenue-based financing solution is significantly less risky for a business than other forms of more mainstream financing usually involving fixed regular repayments. There is a natural alignment of interests between us and our clients.”

Series rollout Caterpillar has rolled out the M Series 980 and a new addition to the Cat Medium Wheel Loaders Line, the 982M. The new 980M and 982M Wheel Loaders have EU Stage IV ACERT engines equipped with a combination of proven electronic, fuel, air and aftertreatment components.

Applying proven technologies systematically and strategically lets CAT meet its customers’ high expectations for productivity, fuel efficiency, reliability and service life.

Deep system integration results in reduced emissions, improved performance and improved fuel economy without interrupting machine performance making it seamless to operators.

Construction & Civil Engineering 23

ECOBUILD EXHIBITION PREVIEW

Building

success

The Ecobuild exhibition is the world’s biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment and the UK’s largest construction event of any kind

E

cobuild (www.ecobuild.co.uk) is returning to London’s ExCeL, 4th–6th of March.

Now in its 10th year the event connects industry professionals in order to help them network, learn, and discover new products and innovative business solutions.

Championing the business case for more sustainable buildings, Ecobuild connects the entire built environment supply chain and helps professionals to respond to complex and demanding legislation.

This year’s Ecobuild will feature an unrivalled information programme comprising of an exciting mix of industry experts, ministers and celebrities. The event will also play host to the most comprehensive showcase of sustainable construction products in the world. To ensure that visitors can make the most of their

24 Construction & Civil Engineering

visit, the event has been divided into three core areas; Sustainable Design & Construction, Energy, and Future Cities.

The Sustainable Design & Construction zone focuses on the topic that has been at the heart of Ecobuild since its inception. This is the area where visitors can learn about the latest design ideas, future construction materials, lighting and technical solutions to sustainable construction challenges.

The area will feature three unique seminar streams focusing on key issues facing the industry today; Build Performance & BIM, Design, and Refurbishment & Retrofit. Sessions will feature experts delivering insight and case studies exploring themes such as Government Soft Landings, the latest development in Passivhaus, the Green Deal, ECO, and individual

versus neighbourhood solutions.

Professor David Philp, Head of BIM, Mace, and Head of BIM Implementation, Cabinet Office will chair a seminar updating visitors on the Government BIM Task Group’s work on the Tuesday of the event, and a further session on the Thursday will explore how to get the best value from BIM in all phases of a project.

Exploring effective refurbishment and retrofit strategies will see a focus on accessing funding as well as a practical assessment of how the latest retrofit innovations, technologies, and materials performing in a controlled whole house environment.

Alongside the education programme there will be an array of exhibits and interactive attractions. Within the Sustainable Design & Construction zone area

the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) will be holding membership clinics.

The clinic will be open to both members and non-members who want advice on joining, upgrading, level of membership, completing applications, and any other general enquires.

Exploring the ever-evolving ideas surrounding the use of timber in construction, the Ongreening Timber Pavilion (S840/41) will include a green lounge, allowing visitors to take a break from exploring the show. The Timber Pavilion will also play host to screenings of Ongreening’s exclusive interviews with inspiring green thinkers and an exciting showcase of impressive and innovative sustainable projects and best practices.

Suppliers such as Fluke UK (N2426), Grant Engineering (N2230),

Ashwell Biomass (N2311), and Lafarge Tarmac (N320/21) will also be exhibiting in this area.

The Energy section of the show will play host to the most comprehensive display of sustainable construction products in the world and will include a range of features on renewable energy, resource management and energy efficiency, as well as hundreds of the latest energy innovations. Two hugely popular features will return in this area: Practical Installer and the Solar City. Plumb Center’s Practical Installer will bring together 17 of the industry’s leading manufacturers to give live demonstrations and installation advice on solar thermal and heat pumps. The flagship Solar City, in association with SMA Solar features seminars and practical demonstrations covering all aspects of the solar PV market

in the UK. The Future Cities area will incorporate a range of topics from biodiversity to technology, infrastructure to water and waste. It will also house the Natural Building Materials stand, providing visitors with an opportunity to see natural materials in use through a variety of demonstrations and talks on reclaimed timber, wattle and daub, straw bale, clay and lime rendering, hemp and cob and sheep wool insulation. Exhibitors such as Bauder (S1311), Alutec (S1711), Kemper (S1520/21), and Carlisle Construction Materials (S1720/21) will be exhibiting in this zone. m To explore what the zones and the conference programme have to offer in more detail, and to register for your free ticket visit:

www.ecobuild.co.uk.

Construction & Civil Engineering 25

PROFILE: Ferrobeton

concrete foundation A

For 58 years Ferrobeton has been at the forefront of construction and civil engineering in Europe, with a rich history and an expansive and diverse project portfolio

T

he name Ferrobeton first appeared during 1991 when a Dunaújváros based factory split from the BVM Concrete element group to begin a separate venture. The full heritage of the company however, can be traced as far back as 1955 during a tenacious moment

26 Construction & Civil Engineering

in Hungary’s history when the government of the time decided to construct a large iron factory to support the nation’s industrial sector. In a bid to spur the growth of central Hungary’s manufacturing capacity a new town, Dunaújváros began construction during the same time. It was these events that would drive the formation of the predecessor of Ferrobeton as it is recognised today.

Ferrobeton celebrated 50 years in operation during 2005 and as of 2008 is part of the CRH Group, which employs as many as 76,000 staff worldwide in 3500 locations

throughout 35 nations. Ferrobeton itself currently has a core work force of around 430 and works closely with trusted temporary workers during peak capacities and larger projects. It is one of Hungary’s largest concrete and reinforced concrete fabrication companies and has completed a far-reaching breadth of projects within the residential, commercial and infrastructure sectors. Solutions are provided in both turnkey design applications and standardised prefabricated products depending on the needs of the client.

Commenting on the diverse nature

Bridge beam

aújváros

Factory Dun

of the projects that Ferrobeton has executed, CEO Zoltan Vass states: “We build factories, halls, storage and warehouses as well as shopping malls, schools, football stadiums and many other types of construction. Ferrobeton has been involved in projects with companies like Audi, Hankook, Mercedes and Lego in Hungary encompassing

over 70,000m3 of concrete.”

Infrastructure is a key market for Ferrobeton, where it produces beams and bridge parts for motorways as well as railways.

Telecommunication applications have also added to the portfolio of projects undertaken by the company, which has benefitted from its ability to service multiple markets in the face of the global economic downturn. While the slowdown in construction throughout Europe saw its output of concrete elements fall from 140,000m3 to 70,000m3 in the years following 2007, investment

in infrastructure by the Hungarian government has enabled Ferrobeton to weather the crisis.

Its industry-leading reputation in the field of concrete fabrication marked the company as an obvious choice in renewing the nation’s public infrastructure and as such the company today enjoys capital of around 2.5 BN HUF and an annual production, not including ready mixed concrete of around 70,000m3.

From its base in Hungary, Ferrobeton provides services throughout Europe. While eastern regions including Slovakia, the

Construction & Civil Engineering 27

PROFILE: Ferrobeton

Ukraine, Romania and Hungary represent its traditional customers the company is keen to provide solutions to its clients wherever they are. For example, within its native Hungary it has been involved in the construction of facilities for some of the world’s most recognisable brands, the improvement and building of highway bridges across the country and the supply of the prefabricated concrete structure of the prestigious Ferencvárosi soccer stadium in Budapest. Further afield in Romania, Ferrobeton is proud of its Mihai Bravu – Vacaresti overpass bridges and in the Ukraine the prefabricated structures of the Arena Lviv soccer stadium.

Serbia is becoming an increasingly important market for Ferrobeton and as it develops its strength in the region the company will rely on its proven track record

and comprehensive industry experience to help it deliver projects to new customers, as Zoltan explains: “Our work is our marketing.

You will hardly find a project with prefabricated structures where we are not involved. We are just at the

beginning of our Serbian expansion and last year we created Ferrobeton Serbia with a small sales office. We are currently learning our way in the Serbian market and are looking to build extensive client relationships.”

Strong customer focus

The biggest PC strand and wire manufacturer in Central-Eastern Europe Wire Products for the building industry Stabilized prestressing strands and wires for the construction of pre- and post-tensioned concrete structures Steel wire fibres for strengthening concrete structures (industrial floors, tunnels, concrete pillars)

28 Construction & Civil Engineering

D&D Drótáru Ipari és Kereskedelmi Zrt. H 3527 Miskolc, Besenyői út 18.

Tel: (+36) 46/519-100 | Fax: (+36) 46/519-155 | contact@drotaru.hu | www.drotaru.hu

represents one facet of what gives Ferrobeton its competitive edge; this along with its ability to innovate bespoke solutions in tandem with prefabricated structures, interoperability and high production capacity makes it a leading player in the concrete market. Additionally, the advantageous geographic location of its factories leads to a reduction in freight costs for both ready products and raw materials.

“Our strong production capacity allows a reduction of the lead time of projects and that is a significant competitive advantage,” says Zoltan. “Of course the support of the CRH Group in terms of finance and expertise allows for a calm operation.”

Ferrobeton constantly seeks to modernise its product portfolio to deliver market-leading designs to its clients. A recent example is the application of a 44 metre bridge beam, able to span a six lane

motorway without intermediate supports. The benefits of this design are that it is more cost effective all in all, needs no supplementary protection due to intermediate columns and results in a shorter construction time.

Moving forward, Ferrobeton has a solid foundation on which it can build a solid platform for growth.

Having restored profitability in

the face of the global downturn throughout the construction market, the company will use the lessons and indeed the strengths it has taken from the crisis and seek to extending its holdings within its current markets and beyond. m

Ferrobeton www.ferrobeton.hu Construction & Civil Engineering 29

PROFILE: Landert Motoren

Drive for success Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2014, Landert Motoren AG today is one of the world’s leading companies for automatic doors

A

ctive on all five continents, independent Swiss family firm Landert Motoren AG has a long tradition of manufacturing specialist industrial products to find the best solutions for its customers.

Split into two divisions: TORMAX, for cutting-edge door automation solutions, and SERVAX, for the manufacture of customised electric motors, Bulach headquartered Landert Motoren AG has more than 700 dedicated employees at its 14 group companies throughout the world.

Speaking to Construction and Civil Engineering magazine

30 Construction & Civil Engineering

about the history of Landert Motoren AG, CEO Sonke Bandixen states: “Landert was founded in 1924 in Bulach, near Zurich,

by Heinrich Landert, a young Swiss entrepreneur who was fascinated by the opportunities that electrical motors offered to deliver new industrial solutions.

Since then Landert has developed and produced electrical drives for special purpose and for high efficiency applications of machine manufacturers in many industrial branches. It was in 1951 that Landert pioneered the use of automatic driven doors with the installation of Europe’s first electro-hydraulic swing door; we have since grown

constantly out of our home base in Switzerland and today have reached a turnover of CHF 120 million. Anja Landert, the granddaughter of the founder is chairwoman of the board of directors.”

As the original business of Landert Motoren AG, SERVAX is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of customised electric motors, a reputation gained from a focus on developing high quality, innovative products and its dedication to forming close working relationships with customers. Through retaining these integral strengths, SERVAX creates outstanding solutions for challenging machine drives that offer impressive performance, a

long life cycle, simple maintenance, safe operation and reliability.

“We are not competing in the wide segment of mass produced standard drives and differentiate ourselves through technology and quality,” highlights Sonke.

“This commitment to quality over quantity has resulted in SERVAX developing drives for the major machine manufacturers in Europe and North America.”

With a mission to provide ‘peak performance for life-long contented customers’, Landert Motoren AG’s second division, TORMAX, is based on the company’s own electrical drive developments. As the sole engineers and designers

aújváros

Factory Dun

of all electrical drives used within its automatic doors, TORMAX base a large part of its installed drives on the external rotor motor principle; this offers significantly longer service cycles than standard DC drives. Represented in five continents and boasting a finely interlinked international network of more than 500 local sales partners and subsidiaries, the division ensures availability of its high quality products and services in over 50 countries. “TORMAX is a pioneer and specialist for advanced door automation solutions; we believe in our capability to generate customer benefits through cleverly engineered drive and control technology as well as the tight management of a world-wide supply chain,” states Sonke.

With a core product range that includes sliding doors, swing doors, revolving doors and folding doors, TORMAX products can be used as fire and smoke doors,

safe emergency exits, effective protection against burglary and vandalism and also offer barrierfree access that removes some of the restrictions faced by handicapped people. In addition to standard applications, TORMAX can manufacture customised doors and hermetic doors that are equipped with a circumferential hermetic sealing system for use in laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry or clean-room production.

Through the operation of two distinctive brands, the company has developed a strong foothold in strategic locations around the world and can rely on the diversity of its product range to

Construction & Civil Engineering 31

PROFILE: Landert Motoren

market share on a moderate scale.

Meanwhile, in North America and Asia/Pacific we are growing double digit per cent per annum and are therefore focusing our growth initiatives to these markets. The swing door applications are growing stronger than the slider segment,” explains Sonke.

Operating in a period where demand for electrical motors continues to grow and the door automation market continues to be driven by mega trends, Landert Motoren AG benefits from spikes in demand that stem from changes in regulations and increased attention to the accessibility requirements of more vulnerable members in society. “The CO2 reduced energy usage will require millions of specially engineered and produced electrical motors around the world for decades to

ensure continued growth when certain economic markets become challenging. “The European markets are currently somewhat flat; however with special offerings we can still grow and expand our

We live Aluminium Our products and services are as varied as aluminium in its applications.

We produce extrusions, including both unprocessed semi-finished goods (solid and hollow profiles, pipes, forged bars) and processed system components.

Secondly, we produce slugs from continuous casting and rolling, sheet metal blanks or profiles and bars.

Aluminium-Werke Wutöschingen AG & Co.KG P.O. Box 11 20 79791 Wutöschingen Germany Phone Fax E-mail Internet

32 Construction & Civil Engineering

+49 (0)7746/81-0 +49 (0)7746/81-217 info@aww.de www.aww.de

come. Meanwhile, an increased need for automated solutions for the elderly and handicapped as well as a constantly growing population of value added buildings in emerging markets means our markets are closely bonding with the cyclical construction industries,” says Sonke.

Despite these opportunities in the market, the company faces challenges as larger conglomerates continue to acquire smaller door automation firms in Europe and Asia/Pacific, which causes constant pressure on prices and forces manufacturers to find innovative ways to optimise their supply chain.

To ensure continued growth and success Landert Motoren AG is relocating its central production and logistic operations from Switzerland to a new plant in Prague, Czech Republic, as Sonke concludes: “This move will generate cost synergies and will allow us to optimise our supply chain further. With new products for sliding and swing doors applications we are supporting our growth plans and are envisioning a continuous above average growth rate.” m

Landert Motoren AG www.landert.com Services: Develop and produce special purpose electrical drives

PROFILE: Dubai Contracting Company

Enviable reputation Established in 1962, Dubai Contracting Company (DCC) is today a leading middleeastern construction company

Construction & Civil Engineering 33

PROFILE: Dubai Contracting Company

I

t prides itself on embodying Bridge beam a spirit of commitment and trust that is unique to a construction organisation, and it has established an enviable reputation through three generations of leadership in the same family.

Today DCC specialises in building residential, commercial and mixeduse buildings and hospitality and leisure complexes, and is focused on projects that are designed and built to the highest quality standards available in the industry.

The collective portfolio of DCC projects has grown rapidly in the past few years and includes some of the finest landmarks in the Gulf region. These include the 21 storey AD-1 Tower in Abu Dhabi, the Trunk of Palm Hotel, Jumeirah, Dubai, and the mixed-use 63 storey Rolex Tower, in Dubai.

Furthermore, its impressive order book for the future contains several new and prestigious projects, such as the Brightstart beach resort and the Kingdom of Sheba mixed use residential and leisure luxury resort that is situated on the Crescent of the Palm in Jumeirah, Dubai.

In addition to the growth in the portfolio of its buildings, it has also enjoyed a significant expansion in the geographical base of its operations both within the UAE and further afield in Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

The company has also developed the scope of its services beyond standard contracting to include complete turnkey solutions.

For example, in 2012, it signed a turnkey contract for Saraya’s W Amman hotel and tower project in Amman – Jordan. The project is located in the Al-Abdali development area in downtown, which is considered to be Jordan’s new financial and commercial district. The hotel consists of 36 floors with commercial and retail amenities. The W hotel is a five-star luxury hotel operator that is part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts worldwide. The civil works

34 Construction & Civil Engineering

commenced during the first half of 2013 with an expected completion date towards the fourth quarter of 2015.

However, although the work undertaken by DCC has grown significantly, it still retains the original dedication to quality that has been the hallmark of the company since the first day. By applying industry-leading standards to its projects, DCC ensures that both the company and the client are proud of the final product. Attention to detail permeates throughout the entire organisation, and strict adherence to proven international standards and procedures have allowed DCC to build a reputation as one of the best contractors in the Middle East. Such adherence to quality also means DCC is able to deliver projects on time, and on budget. DCC’s continuous dedication to quality is inextricably linked to its commitment to integrity, honesty and transparency.

This steadfastness has played a key role in driving its process, and is intrinsically part of every DCC activity.

It is also applied to and expected from all of DCC’s stakeholders, including its partner companies,

suppliers and subcontractors.

Indeed, by never compromising on these principles, the organisation has been able to surround itself with a loyal group of companies, creating a team of organisations able to tackle the most complex projects.

These partners are very carefully chosen for their expertise and dedication to quality, and they include Al Bonian, OPTC, ITWORKS and Studitalia. To assure that its clients have preferred access to these services, DCC has strengthened its ties to these companies by making them official associates.

DCC’s approach to its projects is also another aspect that sets it apart from the competition.

Visitors to a DCC site won’t find the usual mayhem of a construction site – the company prides itself on maintaining a prevailing air of organised workflow, cleanliness and order. This had become a visible manifestation of DCC’s disciplined attitude to the construction process and it is enabled by a toolbox of construction resources that always contains the latest and best in technology and expertise.

In addition, it constantly hones this edge by perfecting its competitive, cost-effective construction processes. Clients reap the benefits in buildings that are built on time and on budget, and reflect the overall attitude - they are testaments to quality, in steel, concrete and glass.

It would not be possible for DCC to maintain its position as a quality leader without the right team of staff on the ground and back at headquarters. Recruiting the right people is of paramount importance, as is the constant upgrade of the skills of its people to assure that their expertise is first class. The company advertises vacancies on its comprehensive website, and its requirements for the right qualifications are stringent and highlight its focus on a quality end product.

DCC also recognises that continuous employee improvement is only one part of being a responsible company, and that means it directs attention to being a contributing member of the community as well. This programme

VingCard Allure by VingCard – The first “no lock on the door” electronic locking solution with a unique concept, design and exceptional features has been recently introduced by VingCard Elsafe.

It removes the electronic lock reader from the door, providing extreme minimalism and flexibility while adding other key in-room management functions, like Do Not Disturb (DND), Make-Up-Room (MUR), Room status, number display, and Door Bell into the same sleek designed wall panel.

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includes environmental preservation principles, and DCC also regularly provides extensive support to education courses and charitable entities in its operating environment.

The company has spent the past five decades building a company that truly reflects its founder’s ambitions. As Abdallah H. Yabroudi, CEO states on www.dcc-group. com: “Our vision has been clear and consistent from day one. DCC built its reputation on quality. In pursuit of that goal we have worked with discipline and dedication to continually raise the bar on our quality standards. Today we have reached the highest level of professionalism in the construction industry and have been rewarded by our clients’ trust and ongoing satisfaction.” m

www.dcc-group.com

Construction & Civil Engineering 35

Rail » Highways » Utilities » Local Council Industrial Coating Services Limited Work to stringent HSQE guidelines and act as a sub-contractor for companies throughout the Highways, Local Council, Utilities and Rail sectors.

I S

Industrial Coating Services www.industrialcoatingservices.co.uk

Industrial Coating Services are a Midland Based Company, operating throughout the UK, specialising in Abrasive Blast Cleaning and application of protective coatings, works also including: Intumescent Coatings, Decorative Painting, Ultra High Water Jetting (UHP), Stone and Brick Cleaning, Graffiti Removal, Graffiti Coatings.

Accreditations IS0 9001 | ISO 14001 | NHSS 19A BS OHSAS 18001 | UVDB | Link-up

Call 01543 450167 or 0845 474 0007 Email enquiries@industrialcoatingservices.co.uk

Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Team

+44 (0) 1603 274130 Schofield Publishing 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU