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SUPER FAST CONSTRUCTION CREATES A STIR IN LIVERPOOL

Next phase of Liverpool student accommodation project demonstrates power of unique timber frame volumetric construction techniques in UK The latest block in a major student accommodation project in Liverpool is going on site later this month and will showcase the speed, efficiency, sustainability and safety benefits of volumetric construction using the only timber frame modules of their type in the UK. The Nordic Construction UK site at Hope Street, Liverpool is a 339 bedroom mixed use development of 10,000 sq m. It includes apartments and accessible studios, complete with fully fitted kitchens and ensuite bathrooms, in a purpose built student centre including a cinema, gym, bars and restaurants opening onto a central landscaped courtyard. The volumetric construction system being used is not usually available in the UK – highly insulated, FSC/PEFC certificated timber frame modules which are manufactured and delivered on site fully fitted, decorated to a high standard and ready wired and plumbed for all services. Similar steel frame modules have been used in the UK before, but timber frame systems currently tend to be manufactured in the UK only in separate wall, floor and roof panels rather than full modules. The Nordic Construction approach harnesses the sustainability and cost benefits of timber frame with the well-known speed and safety advantages of genuine volumetric construction. Work started on site over a year ago for foundations and is due for completion in summer 2015. Of the four blocks, ranging from four to eight storeys above the ground floor retail units, Block C was completed in October with 93 modules lifted in place at the rate of 10-12 a day to build a full floor a day. Block D is going on site this month. Adam Greenfield, managing director of Nordic Construction, says: “This site has been a revelation to the client, the construction team and the local community who have never seen a project so fast or so smart. “We have had a steady stream of developers and consultants wanting to see what we are doing here in Liverpool. Time is money, so everyone is interested in the speed of construction and how this can reduce financing costs, bring in faster rental income and so significantly improve cash flow and return on capital investment. “When all factors are included, including the design and manufacturing time, construction has already been 30% faster than traditional build techniques. Waste on site is down by 60%. Water use overall is down 35%. We have zero

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health and safety incidents on site and no problems with the public who are walking within a couple of metres of one of the biggest luffing cranes in Europe. “The knowledge transfer from a project of this type has also been important to the entire supply chain. As one of the consultants said to me the other day, the only pods he’d seen before had peas in them. Given the experience they have now had, everyone agrees that this is the future of construction for projects of this type.” Addressing any potential concerns about timber frame volumetric, Adam Greenfield explains: “Timber frame construction is already popular because of its built-in thermal performance, airtightness and carbon capture. But using these new modules, we can enjoy all the benefits of timber frame construction without the potential problems of a site this large. For example, there is a huge reduction in fire risk on site as the modules are arriving already fully built, insulated, clad and fire protected. The quality of manufacture is very high and has not suffered at all in transportation. This project has exceeded all our hopes and expectations.” Key Facts about Hope Street • Mixed use development at corner of Hope Street and Myrtle Street, Liverpool, including 339 student bedroom apartments and accessible studios • Steel frame ground floor retail units with timber frame volumetric construction above • £15.6 million construction cost • Apartments range from 15 sq m - 22 sq m each • 79 week programme in total, including all manufacturing time • 30% faster construction compared to traditional methods • Even including manufacture in the factory, water use reduced by 35% • Waste reduced on site by 60% • Each module weighs 9 -14.5 tonnes • Compliance with all 2010 Building Regulations • Wall U value of 0.21 W/m2K • Main contractor: Nordic Construction UK Ltd • Volumetric timber frame module manufacturer: Nordic Homes, Latvia • Architects: Hester Architects • Structural Engineers: Curtins Consulting • M&E Contractors: Hurstwood Environmental Engineering • Owned by Liverpool Students 2013 Ltd • Student accommodation managed by Collegiate

info@nordic-construction.co.uk

www.nordic-construction.co.uk

4 ONS Construction Output

Figures show year-on-year growth in construction output

5 Reaction to Construction Output

From Simon Rawlinson, Construction Industry Council Board Member and EC Harris Partner

6 Construction Products Association Industry activity still on the rise

7 Clearing up the construction waste rules

Direct365 provide a guide to waste management

10 National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) 2014 Infrastructure policies announced in December

14 NIP 2014 - Reaction

Mat Riley of EC Harris casts doubt on spending plans

18 Comment from Mark Cowlard, Head of Rail for EC Harris Mark spoke about need for collective regional direction

19 NHBC New Home Registrations

Public sector quarterly decrease but overall levels rise

22 Priority School Building Programme

Helping to refurbish and rebuild hundreds of schools

26 Road Investment Strategy

Government to spend £15Bn on road network

27 Road Investment Strategy - Reaction

Paul Fleetham stresses importance for attention on local roads

32 Public Sector Employment Figures

ONS figure show public sector fares well compared to others

33 Public Sector Projects and Employment - View from John Seasman Reed’s Divisional Director of Technical Services shares his thoughts

36 Careers in the construction industry - comment from Martyn Makinson Ionic Recruitment’s Managing Director explains why young people should enter the industry

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Web Editor Raimy Greenland

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ONS Construction Output

D e s p ite q u a r te r l y 2 .1 % d e c re a s e , co n s tr u c ti o n o u tp u t h a s i n c re a s e d by 4 . 8 % co m p a re d with 2 01 3 . The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released its latest construction output figures which show that between Q4 2013 and Q4 2014, there was a 4.8% increase. Defined as the amount charged by construction companies to customers for value of work, excluding VAT and payments to subcontractors, the output in Q4 of 2014 was actually down by 2.1% from the previous quarter but the 4.8% figure represented the sixth successive period of annual quarter-on-quarter growth. The fall reported in Q4 was mainly due to decreases reported in October and November. The figure in December represented a slight increase of 0.4% on November. Analysis into the different areas of construction show that this downward pressures has come from repair and maintenance (R&M) work which fell 6.3% in Q4, the largest quarter-on-quarter fall since Q4 2009, which saw an 8.9% fall. Housing and non-housing R&M reported falls of 4.9% and 7.7% respectively. The December 2014 figures increased by 5.5% when compared to December 2013, painting the picture for a year of continued growth during 2014 with the whole year figures indicating a growth of 7.4%. The December annual year-on-year increase was the 19th consecutive period of growth reported. All work types reported an increase during 2014, except infrastructure, public new work and private commercial work. Total new housing was the largest work type recording an increase with a 23% growth during Q4 2014 when compared to 2013. In 2014 as a whole, output in the construction industry grew by 7.4% in 2014 in comparison with 2013. While these figures are positive, they are still some 6.6% below the peak of 2007. Last year, all new work saw its largest rise (7.5%) since 2010 when it increased by 15.8%, while R&M increased by 7.2%. Again, this represented a significant increase the largest since the chained volume measure series was introduced in 1997. Commenting on the ONS figures released this month, Chris Temple, engineering and construction leader at PwC, said: “While Q4 2014 output decreased compared

with the previous quarter, the construction sector continues to show healthy year-on-year growth and our clients are optimistic about the year ahead, with most expecting growth in 2015 in excess of 3%. “There is still an overhang from the recession of companies bidding low rates for work. We expect this to continue in the short term but pressure from the rising costs of labour and materials mean that this is not sustainable in the medium to long term. “The outlook for jobs in the construction sector remains bright for candidates. There continues to be a skills shortage and, therefore, skilled and semi-skilled labour will continue to be in high demand, putting upward pressure on firms’ wage bills. “There is a lack of immediate starts of large infrastructure projects. Any clarity that the Government can provide in the Budget and after the General Election as to what projects will commence and when will be welcomed by construction firms.” Stefan Friedhoff is the Global Corporates Managing Director for Construction at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, and he told UK Construction Media that the impending General Election causes uncertainty and that stability is needed to help the recovery to continue. He said: “With other survey data - including the monthly PMI - suggesting a buoyant start to 2015 and with commercial construction continuing to rebound while pipelines and order books fill up at a healthy pace, the sector’s optimism is tangible. “Nevertheless, there is uncertainty over the outcome of the General Election and the prospect of a standstill in decision making in the run up to 7th May, while the cost of subcontractors also continues to rise with little sign of this relenting. “Current sentiment can be best described as cautiously optimistic and construction firms are longing for some stability to keep the recovery on track throughout 2015.”

Reaction to Construction Output Simon Rawlinson is a Partner at EC Harris LLP, and a member of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) Executive Board. He told UK Construction Media his thoughts following the publication of the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures that detail construction output from the last quarter of 2014. As reported earlier, construction output has decreased by 2.1% in Q4 2014, when compared with the third quarter. With this being the first quarterly fall recorded since the first quarter of 2013, Simon thinks it is worth looking at the data in more detail to see “whether or not this is a short term blip or whether it is a tipping point.” In 2014, Q1 saw a 0.6% growth from the final quarter of 2013, there was no growth between Q1 and Q2 of 2014, and 0.8% growth between Q2 and Q3 regarding construction output. However, when looking at Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 2014 in comparison with the same times in 2013, there have been construction output increases of 5.4%, 4.8%, 2.9% and 4.8% respectively. It backs up Simon’s belief that the decrease in Q4 won’t be the start of a slowdown. He said: “The results for the fourth quarter are more likely to represent an easing of the overall rate of growth rather than the start of a slowdown.” Throughout 2014, new build construction has continued to expand and although the Q4 figures were the weakest of 2014, there was continuing expansion in the infrastructure sector and a return to growth in commercial work. This offset a slowdown in the industrial sector which had seen rapid growth in the first half of the year, as well as stable output in the residential sector.

0.2% and 7.6% respectively in the final quarter of the year. By contrast, commercial volumes from the fourth quarter are 1.9% down from the same time in 2013, while the greatest reduction was in Repair and Maintenance (R&M), where volume fell by between 4.5% to 7.7% in Q4 2014. Simon thinks there’s a good chance that these “volumes are returning to a more sustainable, long term level.” He said: “For example, quick and easy or urgent maintenance activities may have now been completed in the early stages of the recovery, and owners are now returning to a more stable pattern of R&M expenditure, or are holding back programmes until early 2015.” Evidence that suggests the industry will enjoy good trading conditions this year include the stronger Markit PMI data published last month that showed both continuing growth and a more positive outlook for the industry. In addition, positive growth forecasts were published by Experian and CPA, with growth of approximately 6% expected this year. In the third quarter of 2014, figures showed that contractor order books grew by 5.2% quarter-on-quarter, and 3.2% year-on-year, with new orders particularly strong in infrastructure, commercial and housing. Summing up the findings, Simon believes that the Q4 2014 output figures have to be put in context alongside encouraging yearly performance and he says that the indications are that the industry can anticipate more growth this year. He said: “Wider market indicators suggest that the industry can anticipate a further year of strong growth during 2015, so long as client investment plans are not disrupted by uncertainty in connection with Europe or the UK Election. “With CBI raising its UK GDP forecast for 2015 to an above trend 2.7%, the outlook for construction continues to be very positive.”

A further breakdown of the figures provided by Simon showed that housing volumes and industrial volumes are both up 18% from one year ago, even though they fell by

Construction Products Association I n d u s tr y a c ti v it y s ti l l o n th e r i s e a s o u tp u t fo re c a s t s g i ve e n co u r a g e m e nt

Firms across the construction supply chain enjoyed growth in the final quarter of last year according to a new survey released by the Construction Products Association (CPA).

private housing and commercial this year, boosted by public non-housing as a stream of work on the Priority School Building Programme gets underway.

The Construction Trade Survey have shown that large contractors, SMEs, specialist contractors, civil engineers and product manufacturers all reported a rise in workloads, output or sales.

“Outside of these sectors, however, order books weakened in Q4, suggesting a moderation in growth in 2015. SMEs in particular reported a noticeable slowdown in new enquiries in Q4.”

It represented the seventh consecutive quarter in which construction activity grew - the strongest performance of the construction industry for more than six years. For contractors, 44% of those who responded reported a rise in output compared with the fourth quarter of 2013, though it is less than the 60%, on balance, that reported a rise in output during the third quarter of 2014. On balance, 17% of SMEs reported a rise in workloads during Q4, but this was down from 35% in Q3. Similarly, workloads were also higher for 52% of engineers, but this was also down from the 60% reported in the third quarter. Growth was mainly due to private and public housing, private commercial and infrastructure work, while future indicators suggest that order books and enquiries both experienced increases in Q4, which point to further growth throughout the construction industry in 2015. This was not universal in the industry, because on balance, specialist contractors reporting a rise in new enquiries fell from 47% to 15%. SMEs also saw a huge decrease, with just 2% of small builders reporting an increase in enquiries in Q4, compared to 35% in the third quarter. Dr Noble Francis, Economics Director at the CPA, feels some contractors can expect to see further strength in the market, but others suggest there will be “a moderation in growth.” He said: “Increased activity was led by the private housing sector, in which 53% of firms, on balance, reported a rise in output. “Output was also driven by private commercial, the largest construction sector, where 40% of firms on balance reported rising volumes of office and retail work. “Looking forward, contractors expect continued strength in

CPA also released its forecast for construction output in the next three years in February and they make for encouraging reading to the industry. According to CPA, output will increase 5.3% this year and by 17.8% by 2018, with private house building in that time expected to go up 10% this year and 20.2% in three years’ time. Breaking the figures down further, commercial offices construction can expect to see an 8% increase this year, rising to 25% by 2018, and infrastructure activity is forecast to increase 7.9% and 51.5% in 2015 and by 2018 respectively. However, CPA has warned that the uncertainty created by an impending General Election, as well as capacity constraints will more than likely see output slow down in the medium term. Dr Noble Francis, Economics Director of CPA, said: “Growth rates across most of the industry are expected to slow in 2016 and 2017 because of uncertainty regarding the General Election in May, which could give pause to both contract awards and industry investment. “Whilst this is unlikely to impact construction activity this year, due to the lag between contracts and activity on the ground, it may have an adverse effect on output in both 2016 and 2017. “The industry also has concerns regarding capacity constraints in the medium term. Whilst output in the sector during 2014 was 8.5% below the level seen in 2007, overall capacity last year was not a key issue. “However, construction output is forecast to surpass the pre-recession peak during the next 18 months, this despite the industry having lost 343,000 jobs and considerate materials capacity in the seven years following the financial crisis. “As a result, it is essential that there is significant investment in UK construction skills and manufacturing over the next few years if the growth forecast is to be achieved.”

Clearing up the construction waste rules Direct365 spoke to UK Construction Media and gave a guide to waste management on construction sites. When it comes to waste management on a construction site, the law can seem a little unclear. The Government require you to keep your site in ‘good order’, but what does that really boil down to? With the safety of staff and employees your absolute highest priority, you’ll already have a lot on your mind, but t is still your responsibility and should be taken seriously. If you don’t have an efficient strategy in place, you’re putting your staff at serious risk of harm. You may think that a hazard you’ve spotted wouldn’t cause too much harm and can wait to be cleaned away, but even the smallest accidents can greatly impact someone’s life. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), around 1,000 trips or slips on construction sites result in fractured bones and dislocated joints per year. This of course creates lasting damage and in some cases an inability to work. Never underestimate the importance of waste management in the workplace. There is no hazard too small or too big to be dealt with swiftly and safety. Here are four steps to good practise every construction manager should consider. Start from the very beginning Such an intricate operation needs detailed planning that should be outlined from the very beginning of a project. Any changes to the original plan could cause confusion and people being unclear of their role in the practise of waste management. Be assertive and ensure that everyone is taking their responsibilities seriously. Make sure everyone is aware of who to contact if there is an issue they cannot deal with and who to report an issue to. All of this should be covered in detail during site inductions. Keep a record Make sure to keep detailed reports of what issues occurred and how they were handled. Evidence of this nature could help you in a court case if an accident was to happen. Although said accident would be your responsibility, records would show how the accident was caused and what measures were taken to prevent a repeat.

They will also help you to determine if an area needs extra care and attention. Let’s say there’s a problem area on your construction site that you constantly see cropping up in your report log for bad waste management, you may want to appoint someone on your team to keep a close eye on this section and mentor those who work around the area to ensure issues do not continuously occur. Regular collection Implementing regular third party collection services should ensure a backup of waste material does not build up over time. You may be tempted to cut corners, but it simply isn’t worth it. A backlog of waste can quickly become a hazard. Perhaps a certain waste site is full and your staff decided to leave new waste in a different zone that was not identified in your original method statements, as there is nowhere else to put it. Or perhaps a waste skip became so full that it becomes a hazard in itself, with waste material balancing precariously on top. There is no excuse for waste buildup. It is there to be collected, so make sure it is. Hazardous waste Waste from on site washrooms should of course be handled with care. Harmful bacteria can easily be spread throughout your site without you even knowing and a backlog of waste material that is left to build up will only increase the risk. Whilst it might not be a nice job, you must keep all onsite facilities clean and fresh. Your staff will not feel comfortable using onsite facilities otherwise and workplace morale will surely take a nosedive. Not to mention the fact that you are legally obliged to offer sanitary conditions to staff. You may already be aware of the health hazards from inefficient waste collection, but a strong strategy for facing this issue will help you to save money, improve employee happiness and even increase productivity. Making sure all staff are aware of their role and implementing the plan across your site will ensure all employees take responsibility for the preservation of your project.

Shaping and sharing best practice in construction health and safety risk management

CDM2015 CONSTRUCTION (DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT) REGULATIONS 2015 ARE WE READY? As the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have issued the draft Guidances for CDM2015 and state that, subject to Parliamentary approval, the regulations will come into force on 6th April 2015; the question must be asked of all construction industry organisations, and the industry itself, are we ready? On Friday, 9th January 2015, the HSE issued the draft text of L153 (draft), Guidance on the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, including the draft regulations, which can be downloaded from: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/pric ed/draft-l153.pdf On the same date, the guidances produced for the five duty holders under CDM, plus the workers, were published in draft. The guidances set out, in practical terms, what actions are required of them to deliver a safe and healthy construction project. These documents have been written by the Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC). These six ‘Industry Guidances’ are available for free download, as follows: CDM15/1 Industry guidance for Clients www.citb.co.uk/documents/ cdm%20regs/industry-guida nce-clients.pdf

CDM15/2 Industry guidance for Principal Designers www.citb.co.uk/documents/cd m%20regs/industry-guidanceprincipal-designer.pdf

Training

CDM15/3 Industry guidance for Contractors www.citb.co.uk/documents/cd m%20regs/industry-guidancecontractors.pdf

Callsafe Services are currently developing the following courses, based on the draft documents:

CDM15/4 Industry guidance for Designers www.citb.co.uk/documents/cd m%20regs/industry-guidancedesigners.pdf CDM15/5 Industry guidance for Principal Contractors www.citb.co.uk/documents/cd m%20regs/industry-guidanceprincipal-contractors.pdf CDM15/6 Industry guidance for Workers www.citb.co.uk/documents/cd m%20regs/industry-guidanceworkers.pdf

Policies and Procedures CDM2015 will require all CDM duty holders to amend their policies and procedures to some extent. • Clients will need to develop their arrangements for the enhanced client duties on significantly more projects. • Those who would act as the Principal Designer (PD) will need to develop their procedures to perform these duties for all elements of design and planning, not just their design or their subconsultants’/sub-contractors’ design, but for all design, including temporary works design performed during construction. • Principal Contractors and Contractors will need to address the requirement for having a Construction Phase Plan on all works, and the Domestic Client duties if they work in the domestic client sector. • Designers have the least amendments to make, as their duties have minimal changes, unless they take on the Principal Designer’s duties.

Additional training will be required to update all of the duty holders with the amended regulations and guidances.

• CDM2015 Senior Management Briefing • CDM2015 Overview • CDM2015 Client • CDM2015 Management of Preconstruction Health and Safety ** • CDM2015 Principal Designer ** • CDM2015 Design Risk Management * • CDM2015 Reducing Risk by Design • CDM2015 Principal Contractor and Contractors * Submitted to APS for accreditation ** Being prepared for submission to APS for accreditation

If you need assistance with amending your arrangements and/or training your staff in CDM2015 , please contact the experts at Callsafe Services. Callsafe Services Limited Yardley House, 11 Horsefair, Rugeley, Staffordshire. WS15 2EJ Telephone: 01889 577701 Email: enquiries@callsafe-services.co.uk Website: www.callsafe-services.co.uk

Course Content:

Institution of Occupational Safety and Health MANAGING SAFELY IN CONSTRUCTION 5 DAY COURSE This is the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Managing Safely course, amended to make the subjects and content more specific to the construction industry, and separately accredited by IOSH. It is highly interactive and is presented by qualified and experienced construction health and safety professionals.

Intended for:

Anyone who supervises or manages designers or contractors in the construction and allied industries. Also relevant for client representatives, client advisors and principal designers.

Course Aims:

To ensure that managers/ supervisors: • Understand their responsibilities for health and safety as an integral part of their construction and other management/ supervision roles; • Are able to recognise a sound health and safety management system, including effective construction risk management; • Are able to recognise the key risks in the construction industry and understand the precautions to be taken.

Day 1 • Introduction and Setting Course Objectives • Principles of Good Safety Management • Legal Foundation for Health and Safety • Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide • Safety Management on Construction Projects Day 2 • Understanding the Legal Framework for Safety and Health at Work • Accident Causation and Accident Prevention • Applying Management Principles to Health and Safety Day 3 Key Legislation, Commonly Occurring Hazards and Their Controls: • The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 • Working time • First aid • Reporting of accidents • Fire • Safety signs and signals • Electricity • Display screen equipment • Manual handling • Chemicals/Hazardous substances • Personal protective equipment • Work equipment and Machinery • Traffic management Day 4 Construction Related Legislation, Commonly Occurring Hazards and Their Controls: • Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007, Part 4 • Lifting operations and equipment • Noise • Vibration • Lead • Asbestos • Confined spaces • Pressure systems • Radiation • Elevated working places • Safety in earthworks • Flammable liquids and gases • The construction working environment Day 5 • Human Behaviour in Accident and Ill-Health Prevention • Effective Communication • Control of Contractors • Training

• Course Assessment (A 30 minute test paper, similar in format to mock assessments performed during the course) • Course Discussion and Completion (Including the introduction to the Course Project, which is an inspection and risk assessment performed by the delegates of their workplace. This is performed subsequent to the course and submitted to the course tutor for marking)

Maximum number of course delegates: 16

Public Courses

This course is offered as a public course, for individuals to book and attend.

Course Cost: £820.00 per delegate, plus VAT (Discounts for multiple bookings) Currently programmed public courses are: • 28, 29, 39 April & 6, 7 May 2015 (Staffordshire) (Ref: IMSC150428)

In-house Courses

This course is also offered as an in-house course, where an organisation can book the tutor for the 5 days and the course is presented within the organisation’s own premises. This option can reduce the course cost and the travel/accommodation costs where the organisation has a number of their staff requiring this training. A lump sum price can be provided for in-house courses. Further details of this, and other, courses can be found at: www.callsafe-services.co.uk, or by contacting Gemma Esprey at: gemma.esprey@callsafeservices.co.uk or by phone on: 01889 577701

National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) 2014 T h e G ove r n m e nt h a s re l e a s e d d e t a i l s of it s N ati o n a l I nf r a s tr u c t u re P l a n ( N I P) 2 01 4 , w h i c h g i ve s d e t a i l s o n p o l i ci e s , i nve s tm e nt s a n d re co rd s o n i nf r a s tr u c t u re d e l i ve r y si n c e 2 01 0 . The NIP has detailed delivery plans through to 2020 in key economic infrastructure sectors, such as new capital spending plans for roads and flooding, while an updated infrastructure pipeline, published alongside the document, provides details of planned projects and programmes across the public and private sectors to 2020 and beyond. Vital to the long term economic plan is improving the UK’s productivity because high quality infrastructure helps to boost productivity and competitiveness, allowing businesses to grow and reach suppliers. This in turn, deepens labour and product markets, and attracts inward investment. NIP 2014 sets out an ambitious vision for the next parliament and beyond, underpinned by a pipeline of more than £460Bn in planned public and private investment. Infrastructure is crucial in helping to unlock economic potential in different regions, which provide growth and opportunities throughout the country. Infrastructure investment is also a key part of ensuring

that the Government can deliver new housing and business development where it is most needed. According to figures released by the Government, since 2010, 55 major roads and local transport projects have been completed, over 500 flood and coastal erosion defence improvement developments have finished, and work has commenced on huge transformational projects such as Mersey Gateway and the Northern Hub rail upgrade. In addition, £38Bn has been spent on railways during Network Rail Control Period 5, while construction will be undertaken on more than 1,400 flood schemes with £2.3Bn capital investment. Announced in December, Chief Executive to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, outlined defence projects that will provide better protection to 300,000 homes. Promising £2.3Bn on the face of it, is some commitment. However, it is expected to save approximately £30M of economic damage. As part of the flood defence investment, £80M will be spent

on the Humber Estuary, over £17M for Tonbridge, Yalding and the surrounding communities, £196M for the Thames Estuary programme, £73M for the Boston Barrier/Barrage, £47M for the Rossall Coastal Defence Improvement and £42M will be spent on the Oxford Western Conveyance. During the winter of 2013/14, storms caused horrendous damage that even saw some parts of Somerset under water for more than a month. Coastal rail links also suffered at the hands of poor weather, which meant some areas were unreachable because of the destruction of train tracks. In addition to this £2.3Bn, the Government will spend £15.5M on f lood defences in Somerset during the next six years. The result will be protection of 7,000 properties, while the Somerset Levels and Moors will see a £4.2M investment, forming part of the Government’s plans to commit at least £35M to Somerset by 2021. Danny Alexander described the importance of this ‘vital’ investment. He said: “We all saw the destruction and heartache caused by flooding last year and that is why this investment is vital to build Britain’s defences for the future. “The projects we are announcing will protect some of the country’s most at-risk locations, ensuring that we will be as prepared as possible for future severe weather.” The plans have not been without criticism however, and while BRE Centre for Resilience welcomed the announced investment, “a more adoptive flood management approach” was urged. Dr Stephen Garvin, who heads up the Centre for Resilience, said: “There are 5.2 million homes at risk of flooding. This investment will protect 300,000 of these but a new approach to flood management is needed to reduce the risks further. “The Centre urges the Government to think about the rise in surface water flooding, prevalent in urban areas as this requires a more adoptive flood management approach. “Our urban environment continues to grow apace - surface water management needs to be embedded in the new developments we construct with things like sustainable urban drainage systems, green roofs to decrease water run off as well as localised flood resilient technologies.” Meanwhile, Shadow Environment Secretary, Maria Eagle, doesn’t believe that the money announced is new. She said: “Communities at risk of flooding won’t buy Government spin on what is simply a re-announcement of capital funding confirmed a year ago. “This is not new money. At the beginning of this parliament, David Cameron, cut the flood protection by over £100M a year. “As a result, we are playing catch up on flood defences. The Committee on Climate Change has already said the Government’s plans could leave 80,000 additional properties at serious risk of flooding.” As part of NIP 2014, the Government also announced a new approach to housing, including proposals for the Government to masterplan, directly commission, build and even sell new homes.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) will be involved in the process, which has seen a pilot programme put in place on the former RAF base in Northstowe, where 10,000 homes will be completed twice as fast as conventional approaches. Described as a ‘crucial element’ to society by Danny Alexander, this is the first time in a generation that the Government has owned and developed land on this scale. He said: “New houses support economic growth and are a crucial element of a fair society, so I’ve prioritised the investment of almost £2Bn to ensure we can build on average 55,000 new homes a year until 2020. “Combined with other measures, we will vastly increase supply by providing funding certainty, unlocking capacity in housing associations and kick-starting stalled regeneration projects.” The housing support measures are accompanied by a package that will help to increase access to affordable housing. This package includes additional support for Bicester’s plans to become a garden town, and the construction of up to 13,000 homes in the town, approval of London’s Grahame Park, Blackwell Reach, Aylesbury Estate and New Union Wharf projects that will be funded under the £150M estates regeneration programme. There is also a commitment to release public sector land with a capacity for up to 150,000 homes over the next parliament. A consultation will tackle streamlining of selling shared ownership homes and also ways to increase borrowing capacity of housing associations in relation to the valuations of properties transferred from local authorities. The housing strategy was praised by Bill Price, WSP Director, who praised the Government’s “outside the box” thinking. He said: “We have a serious housing shortage but our recent report showed that there are solutions out there if we could all just shift our perception of how and where houses are built. “So it is encouraging that the Government seems to be thinking outside the box on this issue, this is exactly the kind of innovative and proactive thinking we need to start plugging the housing gap because the status quo is certainly not going to work.” Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), is pleased with how housing is at the heart of the Government’s long term plan. “Given the scale of the housing crisis we face, I’m encouraged to see housing considered alongside long term infrastructure planning. “It is more pleasing still that housing delivery is being viewed in a much more comprehensive way than we have seen before. “As well as announcements on major developments, like a new garden town at Bicester, determination to speed up planning and releasing more public land, there is an equal focus on the importance of small developments in meeting long term housing need.” Read more on page 12

National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) 2014 continued

Ra i l m a k i n g p ro g re s s , with a m b iti o u s p l a n s fo r th is to co nti n u e Rail is also covered extensively covered in the NIP 2014, and it’s another area where the Government has reported significant progress in the last five years. This includes improvements to more than 400 stations across the country, with significant development work to upgrade King’s Cross Station, unlocking 2,000 new homes. Crossrail tunnelling is 90% complete and flagship stations have benefited from construction, while development has also commenced on the transformational Northern Hub rail upgrade. Vital to the UK’s economic prosperity, more than four million journeys are made by rail every day and in the last ten years, passenger journeys have increased by 57%. Long distance travel has also increased, with 129 million long distance journeys made in 2013/14. Therefore, it is wholly expected that the Government’s objectives for the rail network will include increasing rail capacity, particularly applicable to major cities. This will strengthen connectivity and the Government is also striving to reduce journey times and improve reliability, safety and the whole passenger experience. In order to achieve this, the rail sector approach will improve passenger experience by enhancing and redeveloping stations, supporting growth in rail freight by strengthening the Strategic Rail Freight Network, enabling a franchise-led programme of progressive investment in rolling stock, and building new lines along with improving existing ones with electrification and better signalling. Providing better links to major cities is a key reason as to why the Government is investing in High Speed 2 (HS2), the biggest transport project of a generation that will link eight of Britain’s ten largest cities, serving one in five of the UK population. With better connectivity and quicker journeys, it will also be an engine for economic growth, generating jobs and helping to rebalance the economy between the north and south of the country. Crossrail will see significant investment too, the result being it will change the way people travel around London,

improving journey times across the capital, easing congestion and offering better connections. For the first time, Crossrail will deliver a direct connection between all of London’s main employment centres, linking Heathrow with Paddington, the West End, the City and Canary Wharf. This work on the rail network throughout the UK represents the biggest modernisation programme for more than 100 years. Between now and 2020, £38Bn of expenditure by Network Rail will see electrification start on routes such as the Great Western Line, TransPennine and Midland Mainline. Key stations in Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester will be developed, and the European Rail Traffic Management System to improve line capacity will be implemented. At present, work is going ahead on Manchester Victoria and Birmingham New Street stations. Both should be completed this year. The Government has also given backing to develop proposals for a new High Speed 3 (HS3) rail connection for northern cities, anticipated to reduce journey times significantly around the region. Transport for the North has been created to work with other authorities and stakeholders, which will allow the north to speak with one voice on the big decisions to benefit the regions as a whole. This is made up of the main northern city regions. Other milestones in the coming years will see Phase I of HS2 begin in 2017, and that same year, Crossrail tunnel and station fit outs will be completed with the first rolling stock in use. Network Rail Control Period 6 Delivery Plan is due to be published in 2019, by which time full Crossrail services will be operating from Heathrow & Reading to Abbey Wood & Shenfield. With this level of detail to improve the rail network throughout the country, it is hoped that industry costs will be reduced by up to £3.5Bn.

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ECOLOGY FORESTRY FENCING Three Shires Ltd are the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading specialist contractor with divisions in the Ecological, Fencing, Landscaping and Invasive Weed Control sectors

NIP 2014 - Reaction In December 2014, the Government pledged a series of investments to improve infrastructure in the UK. Prior to the Autumn Statement, the National Infrastructure Plan 2014 (NIP 14) was released, setting out an ambitious infrastructure vision for the next parliament and beyond, underpinned by £460Bn of planned public and private investment. It is following on from the Government’s plan of prioritising the public funding of infrastructure, putting in place the right policy framework to give investors the confidence to commit to long term projects, and ensure the supply chain has the certainty and tools needed to deliver projects effectively. There is also a recognition that the fundamentals need to be in place; so key projects and programmes should be delivered on time and within budget, while addressing integration, resilience, skills and sustainability. While this commitment - which also saw £15Bn promised to provide road improvements - seems positive, not all are as overwhelmed as the Government. Mat Riley is Head of Infrastructure at EC Harris and he has concerns about the likelihood of this investment going ahead because there is no formal commitment, and with a General Election on the horizon, he feels it casts further doubt on NIP 14. “The announcements made last year around infrastructure in the UK – both in the National Infrastructure Plan and the Autumn Statement – all seemed positive at first glance, with promises of project deliveries and investment from the Government. But delve deeper into the specifics and it’s clear that the impending General Election means these plans represent only an ‘intention to spend’, rather than a formal legislative commitment.

“The problem lies in the fact that, if the Coalition is not in government after the election, any future regime could cancel or change these plans, which scuppers one of the key purposes of the National Infrastructure Plan: to provide a secure pipeline of work for the construction industry. “The Government’s pledge to put £15Bn into funding 80 new road projects is the most promising news. Historically, similar programmes have been cancelled due to political inertia but this announcement shows that the scale of behind-the-scenes activity by the government has been genuine. The challenge will be to ensure that the £15Bn can be delivered efficiently so that as little impact as possible is felt by the driving public. But the £4Bn cut to local authority funding, announced in the Autumn Statement, will cause considerable unease about how local highways authorities will cope. “The National Infrastructure Plan finally addresses the historic underinvestment in energy infrastructure. Energy efficiency, saving and heat, have all been rightly prioritised. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the next government, given that investors are acutely aware that much is dependent on the outcome of the Election this year. “Investment decisions for future projects need to be made now but bank lending figures suggest this is not happening. Yet, in parallel, the Government is criticising the industry for not recruiting and investing in new talent to meet demand. With this approach, the Government has effectively created its own state of ‘purdah’ for the construction industry as nobody fully trusts its announcements or is willing to invest as a result. “Underpinning all of this is a lack of confidence; the Government simply can’t commit investment when a General Election could wipe it all out. It is, therefore, proving difficult for the industry to trust in the various ‘commitments’ set out in December.”

info@gravitasint.com

DELIVERING A NEW DATA RICH ENVIRONMENT The concept of BIM is remarkably straight forward; build a 3D model of what you plan to construct, review and check the model to make sure it works in a virtual environment and then construct it. In addition, we can extend the functionality to facilitate the downstream operation and management of the asset by providing access to essential information at the point of use.

Our opportunity through BIM remains; to reduce the waste in what we do by rationalising the process of achieving the outcome, as well as finding new opportunity from a better understanding and alignment of the end product with the initial requirements. This ideal remains at the heart of the BIM journey.

Extract from Bew-Richard 2008

Many saw the opportunity, but it commendably took Government to lead the charge and deliver the well-known route map and ingredients to reach the first milestone, level 2 BIM by 2016, nevertheless level 2 BIM is only the start of the end game.

The opportunity is significant; • Involve technology – to fundamentally enable the opportunity. • Cause us to change our processes – to realise the opportunity and, most importantly of all • Involve the engagement of people – to embrace and deliver a new outcome. Needless to say these changes should not be restricted to visual representation alone. Leveraging the intelligence of the objects that we use to create the 3D virtual model allows us to count, measure, attach information and link to associated information.

With all this information connected through a virtual model of our assets in which information and knowledge can be displayed in many different forms to support our decision making, we start to replicate the simplicity and access we now see in many aspects of everyday life.

Whilst the use of technology and the internet have become part of our everyday lives, it has also become an influencing factor in the way that we work. BIM and the Cloud are starting to do the same, but there is a way to go until we repeat the same physical and behavioural impact that has happened in our daily lives. So what needs to change to this people, process and technology infusion to reach the sweet spot of real success and make this happen? We know real success will need to come from open easy sharing of transferrable information. At Clearbox we believe the initial stepping stone comes from how easily we can access and manage the information to allow our teams to work together, this is

the true simplicity of the common data environment (CDE) referred to in PAS 1192 Pt2.

What are Clearbox doing to support this transformation? At Clearbox we see this issue wrapped up in the difference between a model centric approach to BIM and a data centric approach. Ultimately our issue is to ensure that our ease of sharing and access to common data is delivered through a visual interface that allows us to see the outcomes we need at the required level of definition to suit the type of device we are using. For us, the architecture of the product is key. When we search on Google Earth we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t load the detailed the model of the world as a multitude of small models. The world is loaded at a level of detail and information pertinent to the view we need and the view is then refined and the data we have access to updated as we proceed. When we access a retail website, on our smartphone the view is tailored to suit the device and the information we need, and while that view is rarely fully customisable, it is inevitably likely to be pre-customised to suit the view we require while providing access to other information should we need more. We see that the management of the data is the mechanism to control the visual interface. While we at Clearbox have made best use of existing industry tools, our opportunity to step up our offering for users has been rate limited by the products currently on the market and we have long recognised that we

require a simpler, faster, more robust and scalable viewer that connects to the data environment contained in our core product BIMXtra. We have also recognised that such a viewer needs to be supported by the data as opposed to being completely standalone in order to manage very large projects and we have now built an exciting new viewer, based around the type of technology that powers gaming, while providing the simplicity of the interfaces and access arrangements we see in everyday life. Our approach is to make best use of and connect to, best in class tools, wherever they exist, and where they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, develop our own to allow the sharing of intelligent data and information based around industry standards. This is a fast evolving environment but we know from the world around us that data is the new oil, and that a data centric approach to managing BIM is critical to the simplicity, scalability and future-proofing of our BIM solutions, just look at the road mapâ&#x20AC;Ś level 3 is next. Graeme Forbes is the Managing Director of Clearbox, a specialist digital information solution provider that is focussed on bringing game changing solutions to the construction industry and other asset intensive industries based around BIM based processes.

Access to Clearbox website can be found at www.clearboxbim.com

www.clearboxbim.com

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Comment from Mark Cowland, Head of Rail for EC Harris Mark Cowlard, Head of Rail for EC Harris spoke to UK Construction Media about the Autumn Statement and discussed his belief that collective regional direction in infrastructure and rail will bring about economic benefits in the North quicker. “In December’s Autumn Statement, George Osborne put great emphasis on creating a ‘Northern Powerhouse’ as a counterweight to the dominance of London: this mode of thinking must be welcomed.

“Investment in infrastructure contributes to GDP growth in a way that few other investments are able to achieve, and the proposed rail upgrades set out in the National Infrastructure Plan will have an enabling effect on the regional economies. However, a lengthy decision making process on important and inevitable infrastructure projects is preventing any local and national economic benefits these schemes will bring from being realised. “The National Infrastructure Plan and Autumn Statement did not reveal anything new; the re-franchising of Northern Rail and the TransPennine Express, and replacement of ancient Pacer trains are already well underway. With a General Election approaching this year, what is really needed now is cross-party support to realise these plans, accelerate the schemes, and to deliver any resulting economic and passenger benefits as early as possible. “Public consultation on big infrastructure decisions is important, but it often leads to unfortunate delays for schemes that have clear economic benefits locally. Other democracies are able to move from concept to operation far quicker than the UK. We have the skills to put these plans into place but we need to accelerate our decision making process. Where schemes are badly needed and inevitable from a planning point of view, we should be able to move much more quickly to development. All interest groups have reason to support this, as local and national economic benefits will be delivered more rapidly. “For now, focus must remain on the big schemes. HS2, including its second phase, is critical and the calls for a further trans-Pennine route (HS3) are also welcome. The connection of these schemes to local needs through connectivity and economic growth is vital to driving plans from conception to operation. Cities therefore need to think carefully and quickly about how national projects fit into local transportation plans, how they will make the case for investment, and how they speed up the decision making process. “How much of the Autumn Statement and National Infrastructure Plan is really just electioneering? Political developments, including the rise of UKIP and Ed Miliband’s uncertain stewardship of the Labour Party, mean that the result of the General Election is even harder to call. All parties, and particularly the Conservative-led Government,

need to court the northern electorate and the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ rhetoric certainly plays to this – indeed, for all of George Osborne’s fanfare, no new announcements were actually made. So, with such a frustratingly slow decision making process, the tangible benefits of northern infrastructure remain a long way off. “Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool – the cities that will most obviously benefit from the proposals, have worked hard independently of one another, maximising the opportunities presented by the Government’s localism agenda. But it is my view that whilst cities need to respond with their own local plans to national investment opportunities, collective regional direction would help speed up the crucial decision making process and deliver economic benefits much more quickly. The delivery of HS2, HS3 and the modernisation of the trans-Pennine railways are critical and inevitable regional developments, and regional leadership is therefore required to turn electioneering into genuine local benefit. “Will these schemes lead to a rebalancing of the economy? They won’t do so on their own, but improved infrastructure through national and local railway projects will unlock invaluable human resource benefits for the regional economy.” Mark Cowlard Head of Rail, EC Harris Mark Cowland

NHBC New Home Registrations

P u b l i c s e c to r re g is tr ati o n s d ow n i n th e ro l l i n g q u a r te r b u t ove r a l l l eve l s i n c re a s e Figures released in February from NHBC has shown new home registrations have decreased in the period between November 2014 - January 2015 compared to the year before. During this time, public sector registrations went from 9,240 at the same time last year to 7,955 now - a 13% decrease. In January, 2% less new homes were registered in comparison to last year, with the public sector down by 22% to 2,541 from last January. The private sector between November 2014 and January 2015 flourished, increasing by 23% and overall for the rolling quarter in question, 35,836 new homes were registered in the UK, up from 31,852. Figures released relate only to new homes registered with NHBC for its ten-year warranty. However, with approximately 80% of all new homes registered, these figures are an accurate measure of the housing sector. The most established standard setting and home warranty provider, NHBC supports the industry in maintaining and improving the build quality of new homes for homebuyers through a wide range of activities including technical support and insurance. As the largest building control body in the UK, NHBC has 12,000 builders on its Register and there are 1.6 million homes with Buildmark home warranty. NHBC Chief Executive, Mike Quinton, was pleased with the performance. He said: “Following on from our annual registration figures, the rolling quarter shows that the overall new home volumes are ahead of 12 months ago, with the private sector quite clearly the main driver of growth. “Even though January was slightly down, we must remember this after the extremely strong figures for December. “We anticipate an important couple of months in the run-up to the General Election with housing likely to be at the forefront of political debate in an effort to increase overall levels of new homes that the country urgently requires.” This follows on from the yearly figures, which showed a decrease in public sector new home registrations in 2014.

And although public sector housing registrations decreased in 2014, Mehban Chowdery, Head of Social Housing at NHBC, put it down to changes in the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP). He said: “The UK social housing numbers were slightly down by 4% for 2014 compared to 2013. “The change in funding for the Affordable Hoes Programme (AHP) mechanism from a one stage to a two stage model for 2015-2018 has contributed to this dip on public sector registrations. “However, we expect numbers to begin to pick up during the first few months of 2015 and the recent announcement that the AHP will now be extended to 2020 will hopefully provide a further boost for the sector.” In June 2013, the Government pledged £3.3Bn of public money which, alongside £20Bn of private investment, will support the delivery of 165,000 additional affordable homes from April 2015. AHP looks to increase the supply of new affordable housing for affordable rent and affordable home ownership. It will address demographic challenges facing social housing, maximise delivery within the programme period, and encourage providers with capacity who do not currently develop or who could do more, to bring that capacity into use, utilising the skills and expertise of existing delivery partners as appropriate. The number of new affordable homes delivered with the available grant funding will be maximised, supplemented by bidders’ own contributions. It is for this reason that NHBC is still positive about public sector housing and its annual report also showed the number of detached houses accounted for 26% of new home registrations - an increase of 24%, while semi-detached homes went up by 12%.

Overall, there were 145,174 new homes registered in 2014, which is up by 9% from 2013. However, the rise was mainly attributed to the private sector, which is up by 110,403 homes. The number of new home registrations in 2014 was 34,771 in the public sector. The comparative number in 2013 was 36,271 - a decrease of 4%. NHBC statistics are a unique source of up to date information on new home construction and the housebuilding industry. All UK sectors except one saw a year-on-year increase from 2013 and the level of new registrations has reached its highest level since 2007. While this is still below the levels enjoyed before the recession, it is close to the average of 153,000 recorded over a period of four decades.

ESTIMATING & VALUATION SOFTWARE Part of the Cruden Group, Cruden Building & Renewals is an innovative construction company with operations across the west of Scotland and has built or modernised over 130,000 properties. Cruden has many years’ experience in delivering high quality housing Robert Dickson, projects for local Chief Estimator at authorities, housing Cruden associations and co-operatives. For many years they have priced every job on the ConQuest Estimating System. Robert Dickson, Chief Estimator, has been with Cruden for 28 years. Originally a surveyor, he became an estimator after a football injury made him realise that his days of climbing up ladders were over. Robert says he has seen ConQuest grow and develop from the original DOS Based system to the slick modern Q Series, and believes it has maintained its position as the UK’s leading estimating system throughout that period. Robert was heavily involved in the choice to partner with ConQuest all those years ago and he explained it did need to be a partnership. Robert has taken some time out of his busy diary to tell us about estimating with ConQuest in the social housing market.

New build Golspie Street, Govan, Glasgow Value £12.8M - Social Housing - Govan Housing Association

‘’The right people to take us forward were people we could partner with. We wanted something that was going to continue, something that was going to be developed constantly. ConQuest had, and still has, forward vision. At the time they had the largest market share. Many years later we are glad we made the right choice. ‘’The answers we get from ConQuest are consistent, across my whole team. Estimating is about getting the dependable answers every time and knowing exactly what your base costs are. ConQuest allows us to achieve this much faster. We have adapted the database, the library and the rates. Everything is unique to us.’’ Cruden Building & Renewals has grown massively even through the recent challenging times. ConQuest was installed 12 years ago and in the last ten years their turnover has gone from £25M to £85M. Robert explained that they are dramatically more productive than they were before ConQuest. ‘’My overall view is that we are doing more than three times the turnover we did ten years ago and ConQuest has enabled this. We are doing this larger turnover with the same size department. In fact there are less people in estimating than there were and we are still doing 3 times more! We are

comparing quotes faster, pasting them directly into comparisons, pumping out rates from our library, the surveyors use it for valuations, the buyers use it and our accounts team also use it. In fact, from the very first day the job comes in, to it being finished one-and-a-half to two years later, ConQuest is involved in the whole process.’’-

New Build Govan Gateway, Glasgow Value £10.0M - Social Housing - Govan Housing Association

ConQuest is packed with features to make the tendering process a smooth flowing one. However Robert shares ConQuest’s core belief that “the absolute top priority for estimating software, is that it works reliably and consistently, adds up properly and doesn’t break down. You can have buttons for this and buttons for that but if they don’t work every time I don’t want them’.” We wanted to ask Robert specifically how a main contractor having ConQuest benefits the client and the subcontractor. He said: ‘’Winning the job is one thing, then it goes to contracts and it needs changing quickly. This is where using ConQuest is not just a massive benefit to us but to the client also. If the client is over budget we need to work together to make it work for them. ConQuest is so robust and easy, we can change materials quickly, look at other jobs and take rates and resources from them to help clients achieve their goals, and it can all be done quickly. ConQuest lends itself very well to the way we need to tender for government funded projects.’’ Cruden Building & Renewals Ltd attributes pioneering construction technologies and management systems as being key to its continued growth and success. They have recently moved over to ConQuest’s cloud-based enquiry management system to help them send out subcontractor enquiries faster and to make life much easier for their supply chain. After three years of development, ConQuest launched ‘On Line Enquires’ which is a fully integrated module. There are now over 50,000 subcontractors using On Line Enquires with over 150 new subcontractors joining every day. It enables you to create trade abstracts and tender enquiry documents at the touch of a button. Subcontractors and suppliers click one button on the automated email link and are directed instantly to the ConQuest cloud where all the project documents for their trade are already organised. No passwords, no problem with file sizes, no need to send every supplier every document, and extremely fast and easy to use. Through the live tracking system, ConQuest users can see who has received the enquiry, who is interested, who has declined and which subcontractors have responded with a price. There are options to communicate with your supply chain

through a built-in email system and options to paste subcontractor rates directly back into ConQuest. Robert and his team at Cruden Building & Renewals used ConQuest’s old CD based enquiries system for many years. Robert admits he was reluctant to change the process as it worked very well. They were finally pushed into making the move to cloud based enquiries when his CD replicator broke during a very busy period! ‘’We had no choice but to put all our eggs in one basket and go live with On Line Enquires. Everything about it was very positive. I sent an enquiry out and had a response within 5 minutes! The easier we make it for the subcontractors and suppliers, the more likely they are to price the work for us. We like to look after our suppliers and make the information available to them quickly.”

New Build Harrhill Street, Elderpark, Glasgow Value £12.3M - Social Housing - Elderpark Housing Association

“The hit rate has increased; we are definitely getting a better response. We have had no negative feedback from the subbies about the system, just a little bit of education and once they understand it, it’s fine. The amendments side of it is really easy, no more waiting for two days for the post. The time saving with On Line Enquiries is very important.” ‘’Looking at the actual enquiry side of estimating, I would say it takes half a day. You could do the material enquires in a couple of hours. It actually takes more time to choose the right trades to do the work than to send the enquiry and that is nothing to do with ConQuest.” ConQuest’s development team has not slowed down. In fact the team is growing and the development of ConQuest it’s faster than ever, with plans to make enquiries easier still for contractors, subcontractors and suppliers.

01204 669689 sales@conquest.ltd.uk

THE ESTIMATING SOFTWARE PEOPLE

Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) we are reducing the regulations and guidance governing school premises. “This encourage lower cost build processes to be designed-in from the start.” The schools within the PSBP are spread across the country and are grouped together in batches. These batches have been put together with geography, commercial viability and condition need all taken into consideration, and if there is more than one batch in a particular area, EFA sought to prioritise schools in the worst condition for the first batch. Companies listed on the EFA contractors framework were invited to bid for each of the PSBP capital batches, with bids reviewed and evaluated before two contractors were shortlisted. A further period of competition followed and resulted in the appointment of the successful contractor.

Launched in 2011 to meet the needs of school buildings in most urgent need of repair, the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) will result in the construction and refurbishment of school buildings in a more cost effective manner.

One of these batches included six schools in the Midlands. At a cost of £36M, this batch has already seen success, as Whitmore Park Primary School in Coventry became the first school to be rebuilt as part of the PSBP.

Through the programme, a total of 260 schools will either be rebuilt or have their condition needs met by the Education Funding Agency (EFA).

Opened in May 2014, pupils and teachers have had a dilapidated building replaced completely as part of the £2.4Bn programme.

The origins of the scheme go back to July 2010 when the Government launched its Capital Review to look into all capital investment funded by the Department.

Costing £5M, this project comprised of a new primary school for 630 pupils as well as a 39-place nursery. It is complete with two wings that share a central hub comprising the entrance, studio and hall.

results showed that some schools were in a poor state of repair and needed urgent repair to renew them. Because of this, the PSBP was set up through a privately financed public private partnership (PPP). A strategic outline business case supporting the PPP option was approved by the Major Projects Authority in October 2011. Those schools in urgent need of repair were invited to bid and in May 2012, it was confirmed by the Secretary of State that 261 schools would be rebuilt or have their condition needs met by the PSBP.

Wates Construction won the contract to build this school and the other five included in the batch, and Stephen Beechey, Managing Director Education and Investment at the Company, spoke about the programme’s success. He said: “The Priority School Building Programme is proving itself an extremely successful means of ensuring new school facilities result in inspirational learning environments that encourage educational excellence.

Overall, 587 schools applied for the programme and at the time the successful schools were announced, Michael Gove said that “the condition need of some schools is so severe that urgent action is necessary.”

“This can clearly be seen in the delivery of Whitmore Park. Wates has maintained a close working partnership with Education Funding Agency throughout the design and build programme to maintain cost and time efficiency, leading to completion of the first school under the programme.”

He continued: “The PSBP will build on the progress we have already made in delivering a more efficient, faster, less bureaucratic approach to building schools.

A second phase of the programme was announced last year with a value of around £2Bn.

“We are determined to reduce the wasteful processes of the past. That is why we have developed new baseline designs which will speed up the process and increase efficiencies and

Schools built through capital funding are also in batches, with 33 arranged geographically, starting at different times. Capital funding projects already allocated encompass regions all over the country, totalling more than £500M.

The 260 schools already underway will be completed in 2017.

Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) continued

N ew s c h o o l p ro j e c t s s t a r t a s th e G ove r n m e nt a n n o u n c e d P h a s e I I of th e p ro g r a m m e Official ceremonies took place in February to mark the start of work on schools that are part of Phase I of PSBP. In the north west, the rebuild of Mesne Lea Primary School is one of 39 in the area that are benefiting from the £2.4Bn programme which will address the needs of 260 schools in the worst condition. Two schools in Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire have also hosted official turf cutting ceremonies to mark the start of work. Part of ten schools within the first phase of work, Francis Askew Primary School and Eastfield Primary School will cost £4.2M and £5.4M respectively. Francis Askew Primary School will see its existing buildings demolished, to be replaced by a new two-storey school. The existing dining block is being retained. At Eastfield, a new two-storey school that is fit for purpose will benefit the pupils and teachers attending the school, while in Salford, work at Mesne Lea Primary School will includes a new building to improve outdated facilities. Costing £3.9M, the two-storey new school will include a large multi-purpose hall and a shared teaching space between reception and nursery for combined groups. Schools Minister David Laws said that the construction of these schools marks a ‘key milestone’ for the programme in the north west and east Yorkshire, as well as moving onto an exciting phase in the development of all these schools. He said: “Delivering great new schools will help to build a stronger economy and a fairer society so that every young person across the region can get on in life. “Vital building work is taking place at schools in the worst state across the country. We are making good progress with 16 school buildings now open - 55 are under construction and the remaining projects are well into the development or planning stages.” Staff and students at all three schools were joined by respective council dignitaries, representatives from the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and the contractors for each scheme for separate turf cutting ceremonies to celebrate the start of work.

standards of school buildings are improved, providing high quality classrooms for pupils and giving teachers access to the best facilities, which is vital for the Government’s plan for education. Julie Finlay is the headteacher at Mesne Lea Primary School and she said: “The children, staff and governors are working hard to becoming an outstanding school. “This new school building will help us to achieve this. The children are excited to see the start of the works and are looking forward to watching the building take shape.” Interserve is the contractor for this scheme and Sid Wallace, Contract Manager, added: “Interserve is very pleased to be back in Salford, delivering the new school. It’s the second school in the programme of seven, with the first project due to complete in two weeks.” Work at this school is due for completion in September 2015. Elsewhere, work on the building at Eastfield Primary school is scheduled for completion by December 2015, with the whole project complete in June 2016, and Francis Askew Primary will be complete in October 2015 and fully operational in April 2016. The start of these three schemes follow quickly from the announcement by the Government of a second phase of PSBP, worth approximately £2Bn which will see another 277 school buildings rebuilt or refurbished. Over the life of the programme, this will bring the total of schools built or refurbished to 537. When the scheme was announced, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, described education investment as ‘crucial’. He said: “It is crucial that we invest properly in education, so that every child has a fair start in life. Thousands of pupils will benefit from better, brighter, warmer classrooms thanks to this funding. “To create a stronger economy we have to invest in a fairer society so that our young people can be successful in the future.”

The work on all projects through PSBP will ensure that the

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Road Investment Strategy Much progress has been made on improving the road network in the UK since 2010, and further investment was announced at the end of 2014, through a £15Bn Road Investment Strategy.

The work includes a £1.5Bn cash injection to add an extra lane onto key motorways to turn them into smart motorways, thereby boosting connectivity between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Yorkshire.

Announced by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, the Strategy will include more than 1,300 new lane miles on motorways and trunk roads, which will help tackle congestion and fix some of the most notorious and longstanding problem areas.

In the south west, there has been a commitment of £2Bn to transform the entire A303 and A358 into a dual carriageway. This plan includes the creation of a tunnel at Stonehenge and will allow road users coming from London to travel on dual carriageways all the way to within 15 miles of Land’s End.

This Strategy is well placed to keep the Government’s record on road development intact, which since 2010 has seen 14 major road projects completed and another 14 commence in construction. There have been 200 smaller improvements delivered around the country, and £400M invested in the development of ultra low emission vehicles. New Smart motorway lanes have been opened too, on the M1, M6 and M25.

Meanwhile, in the north east, £290M has been set aside to complete the dualling of the A1 all the way from London to Bellingham, which sits 25 miles from the Scottish border. Transport links between the north west and Yorkshire will benefit from the smart motorway scheme along the M62 from Manchester to Leeds, which will drive forward the vision of the Northern Powerhouse Governments Vision. Improvements to the transpennine route between Manchester and Sheffield will see the route increase in capacity for the first time in over 40 years.

Through the £15Bn investment, it is hoped a new strategic highways company will be created, along with new ‘expressways’ to link under-served areas such as the A303 and A1 north of Newcastle, and up to 80% of the strategic road network will be resurfaced. The road network is absolutely crucial to the economic sustainability of the UK because well connected road infrastructure allows people to travel for work, leisure and businesses to move goods.

The east-west connection to Norfolk in the east of England will have £300M improvement funding resulting in the dualling of sections of the A47, as well as improving connections to the A1 and A11.

More than 65% of freight movements and 90% of passenger miles are made by road and the long term pattern shows that road traffic in the UK is growing year-on-year. In 1949, the number of vehicle miles travelled was 28.9Bn. The same statistic in 2013 had risen to 303.7Bn vehicle miles.

Elsewhere, one third of the junctions on the M25 will be improved in London and the south east, and the M42 to the east of Birmingham will be improved to aid connectivity to Birmingham Airport, the NEW, the local enterprise zone and pave the way for the expected High Speed 2 interchange station.

This new investment, between 2015-16 and 2020-21, will be the biggest programme of road investment since the 1970s, with major projects taking place in every region.

Patrick McLoughlin said: “Roads are key to our nation’s prosperity.For too long they have suffered from underinvestment.

The aim is to create a national road network that is fit for the 21st century, improving economic productivity while also supporting jobs and growth across the country.

“This Government has a long term plan to secure the country’s future and this £15Bn roads programme is demonstration of that. Better roads allow us to travel freely, creating jobs and opportunities, benefiting hardworking families across the country.”

It will also increase capacity, tackle congestion, support development, strengthen connectivity, improve reliability and resilience, and ensure a road network of the best possible quality.

A commitment has been made to improve links to the Port of Liverpool, while in the south east, £350M has been allocated to improve the A27 along the south coast.

Road Investment Strategy - Reaction

P a u l Fl e e th a m of L af a rg e C o ntr a c ti n g s tre s s e s i m p o r t a n c e of l o c a l ro a d s In the run-up to the Autumn Statement at the end of last year, the Government, through Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, announced a £15Bn Road Investment Strategy. Promising to benefit more than 100 new road schemes, the investment is undoubtedly good news for the road network. But Paul Fleetham, Managing Director at Lafarge Tarmac Contracting, spoke to UK Construction Media about his concerns that the announcement will neglect ‘integral’ local highways. “The UK roads network is vital to socio-economic prosperity and it is good that infrastructure is high on the political agenda. “The announcement of over £15Bn investment in the strategic highways infrastructure is welcome news that will help improve capacity and connectivity. More than 80 big ticket schemes, including a long-awaited plan to tunnel under Stonehenge, have been earmarked by the Chancellor which Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary, hailed as a transformation of “some of the country’s most important strategic routes.” “Set against this optimism, it is important not to lose sight of some key facts. Whilst clarity of the project pipeline is very welcome, transport budgets are not protected and the ‘deliverability’ of these projects need to be assessed in the cold light of day. Historically, investment in roads has been the first victim of austerity measures and there is concern about whether the funding will survive as a new or re-elected Government grapples with increasing economic challenges. “Secondly, big ticket projects and major infrastructure spending initiatives must be underpinned by wellmaintained local roads, which account for 98% of the UK’s highways network. Strategic routes are undoubtedly important; but local roads are not the poor relation - they

play a vital role in supporting the strategic network and wider UK regional development. The Department for Transport (DfT) found that there has been a big increase in the number of local roads that require repair since 2010. And overall, more than 17% of our local roads - over 19,000 miles - require maintenance work. The figures also show that real-term spending on all maintenance on local authority minor roads has dropped by 20% since 2010 (from £2,221M to £1,782M). “A recent report by the Local Government Association has shown how the Government has earmarked £1.4M per mile for maintenance of the strategic roads network over the sixyear period to 2021, but only £31,700 per mile for local roads over the same period. On current projections, principal roads on the local network have to wait on average 33 years to be resurfaced. “So, what must be done? Delivering a strategic plan for both strategic routes and local roads is vital to the long term efficiency and sustainability of our roads, and to supporting the UK’s ongoing economic recovery. A piecemeal, shorttermist ‘stop-start’ funding cycle must be replaced with a long term strategic approach to proactively maintaining and improving our vital local road asset. “One way of doing this is adopting an asset management approach to local roads and plan for their upkeep over a much longer period of time, rather than a five year term of government. We must increasingly use data to understand road conditions, plan effective asset management and spend budgets more effectively. This must be matched by adequate funding for local roads. “Overall, we simply cannot afford to neglect local highways. They are integral to the UK infrastructure network and, in fact, sustain the regions and support local economies. Local roads must not be overlooked and remain a priority on the political agenda.”

Speed Measurement Systems “We use the same basic radar for all our radar guns because it is tried and tested and has been approved by the Home Office. “

S p e e d a r Ltd

A dedicated campaigner for road and site safety, Speedar Ltd is a leading provider of cost effective solutions for the measurement of speed. UK Construction Media spoke with Ron Edwards, Commercial Director of Speedar, about the company and its success in the UK marketplace and beyond. Could you provide our readers with a brief introduction to Speedar? When was Speedar established and what would you describe as being the aims and objectives of the company? Speedar products have been designed since 1997, when the authorities changed the waveband for radar speed guns in the UK. This significant change provided an opportunity to develop an innovative new range of products. The products themselves were designed and manufactured by our Managing Director through a separate company – Ottery Electronics – until 2004, when Speedar Ltd was formed. All manufacturing and marketing activities then transferred from Ottery Electronics to Speedar, leaving Ottery to concentrate on software, design and development. Speedar’s objective is to provide cost effective speed measurement equipment and to continue to develop our range of products i.e. networked speed guns and wireless transmitted speed guns. Being the only UK manufacturer of handheld direction sensing radar guns, Speedar is no stranger to innovation. How did the company identify the potential for speed guns in the UK marketplace? Speed gun technology has really been driven by the US marketplace – radar and then laser – with European

companies following suit. Radar is not very prominent in Europe. They use roadside radar, as we do in this country, for cameras but lasers are used for handheld equipment. In fact the radar market in Europe is, as far as we’re concerned, non-existent. Within the UK we sell to a few Police forces but, on the enforcement side, our market now tends to be Community Speed Watch groups situated in various counties. The commercial side is really where we are developing our products at the moment – primarily in the construction, transport and mining sectors. Anywhere you would want to control speed on a large site for safety reasons rather than enforcement. Does the UK marketplace have an appetite for radar? I think radar has had its day in this country as far as the Police are concerned. Unless someone is able to come up with a new form of technology that beats laser, I don’t see that changing. Radar does have an application for Community Speed Watch groups because it is cheap. A radar gun can be bought for £700–£800, while you might spend £2,000– £2,500 on a laser gun. If, for instance, you have a county with a lot of villages and you want to control speed by placing a speed gun in each village, it is far cheaper to use a radar gun than it is a laser gun. Besides cost, radar guns are easier to operate as you don’t need to focus on the target. Radar is also particularly suited to low traffic volume, making villages and country roads ideal.

In which countries does Speedar’s products currently operate? Is any expansion planned? Our only manufacturing unit is here in the UK but we have exported to over 30 countries. Obviously, that might be one gun or it might be several hundred. We have in the past shipped 200–250 SpeedVision guns to the Indian Police. Different guns have also been shipped to gold mining companies in Tanzania, Ghana and Burkina Faso. We have gone to some fairly inhospitable places with our kit. Our work with mining companies, on large sites and in places like Australia, is why we started looking at wireless technology. A contact has also seen a potential for this technology being used in oil refineries, but of course with oil refineries you need to look at them being intrinsically safe. You need to ensure that there is not going to be a spark that sets the plant on fire. This is something that we have not looked

at yet but it is an area earmarked for investigation. Its tidbits like this that make us think that there is a potential market there. Our strongest overseas markets are probably the African countries, where we are starting to get a lot of interest, and India. We were very strong in India going back about eight years ago, though it eventually tailed off. We’ve since changed distributors out there and the market is beginning to increase again. While our new distributor is involved in different market sectors, our previous was purely Police and just as radar has had its day with the Police here, I think it has also had its day with the Police there. We are now picking up other sectors like industrial. How do you see Speedar continuing to develop in the future? We will work in any sector that has vehicles that are likely to exceed the speed limit. We have been asked to do all sorts of things. We did have an enquiry from Crossrail in London for instance. They wanted to measure the speed of equipment moving underground but they needed to be at around four miles per hour which is below what radar can do. We have since looked at this and, while it is too late for that contract, we do have some idea as to how we can modify one of our Vascar systems to measure literally any speed you like. Speed is a function of distance over time. If you have a predetermined distance and you can measure the time then it doesn’t matter whether it is doing 100 miles per hour or one mile per hour – you can measure the speed.

For more information please call 01892 655909 or visit: www.ukconstructionmedia.co.uk/ebooks/speedar-ltd

How will Speedar’s products continue to develop and improve upon its existing product range? We use the same basic radar for all our radar guns because it is tried and tested and has been approved by the Home Office. This has been coupled with what we consider to be good quality products such as Sony cameras and suitable wireless equipment for transmission. The data from the radar – date and time, speed and direction – can be overlaid on the picture and stills can be taken from the video. A still can be taken at a particular point in time, of a particular vehicle – including the date, time, speed and direction – and it is irrefutable.

SpeedVision – the next generation of Speed Monitoring Following the success of the SpeedVision versions SV1 and SV2, Speedar Ltd has now extended its SpeedVision range. These new models not only meet the requirements of traditional speed monitoring and enforcement, they also provide solutions to the demands of the construction industry. The increasing demand for the construction industry to improve health and safety on sites has created an interest in the monitoring of speed to reduce injury and death from speed related accidents. There is also an increasing requirement on main contractors to be responsible for the actions of their sub-contractors. Traditional methods of handheld or tripod mounted speed equipment does in itself create a risk to ‘road side’

operators of the equipment, particularly in the environment of a construction site where terrain, vehicle size and driver visibility are factors. The use of ‘road side’ portable equipment also has a manpower and cost implication. There is also a need to control speed on large commercial and industrial sites such as processing, oil and gas, power industries and transport depots. Whilst VAS signs (Vehicle Activated Signs) are appropriate in some situations they do not in themselves present a deterrent as they have no record of offenders and are therefore often ignored by drivers.

THE LEADING EUROPEAN MANUFACTURER OF HANDHELD DIRECTION SENSING RADARGUNS ALSO KNOWN AS SPEEDGUNS

SpeedVision SV3R

SpeedVision SV3W

The SV3R is a modified version of the SV2 with the same radar technology and high quality camera, but with the flip up screen removed.

The SV3W is the same camera unit but with wireless transmission of the video up to a distance of 3km dependant on ‘line of sight’ This enables several cameras to relay to a central office where all monitoring can be carried out. This has the benefit of minimizing labour requirements and cost.

Additional is the aluminium housing containing an 8” screen, and Motion JPEG recorder recording to a CF card. The recording software is specific to the recorder thus recordings can only be replayed on a computer having this dedicated software.

On completion of a site, the equipment can be removed and moved to the next location / contract.

The SpeedVision unit can be tripod, wall or post mounted and the screen housing can be handheld or mounted ‘in vehicle’ when tripod mounted or wall or desk mounted in fixed applications.

SpeedVision SV3N

The video contains colour clips of the vehicles violating the speed limit together with the vehicle speed, speed limit, date and time. Vehicle registration plate and other vehicle markings will also be evident. Such information provides the evidence for disciplinary or exclusion measures as is deemed appropriate. Still photographs can be extracted from the video and printed.

Speedar Ltd is currently developing a Speedvision version to transfer speed data and video over a network. It is envisaged that this will be beneficial where buildings prevent ‘line of sight’ for the wireless version and where a network may already exist on the site. This will centralise monitoring and recording into one location.

Speedar Limited 45 St Richards Road, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 3AS Telephone: 01892 655909 Fax: 01892 655909 Email: sales@speedar.co.uk www.speedar.co.uk

Public Sector Employment Figures The latest figures that detail employment in the public sector were released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) at the end of last year and like most areas, construction saw a decrease when compared with the 12 months before.

HM forces employment fell by 0.6% when compared to Q2 of 2014, and in the 12 months as a whole, there was a 6.4% fall which, when converted into numbers, shows an 11,000 drop. Again there is a general trend of a fall in employment in this sector.

However, as will be shown later, the rate of employment in the public sector with regards to construction is actually very steady and shows little fluctuation from its current level.

When the construction sector is compared to the others, it actually fares quite well.

Taken from the findings from the third quarter of 2014, the figures represent the lowest level on a headcount basis since the start of this series in 1999. In comparison with the second quarter of last year, total employment in the UK sector is now 5.412 million, which represents a decrease of 7,000. The theme is similar when the same quarter of 2013 is used in comparison. The latest figures show a decrease of 302,000. At 5.4 million, the level of public sector employment represents a 15% drop from the peak level which was last achieved in the third quarter of 2009. The construction sector had no control over the reasons for this drop. Indeed, the move of Royal Mail and Lloyds Banking Group over the past four quarters into the private sector has played a big factor. Like the construction sector, many others have experienced a decrease in employment. However, the others have seen big falls at certain points over the last four years, whereas the construction sector has only seen a gentle decline. Covering the other sectors first, other health and social work - which covers all health work not under the NHS - saw a 5,000 fall on the previous quarter, and one of 22,000 from the same time in 2013. This represents a drop of 7.7%. While employment in the Police force between the second and third quarters of 2014 remained the same, those in this profession fell by 3,000 in the 12-month period and since the end of 2009, the decrease in employment has been a trend.

In the year from the third quarter of 2013 to the same time in 2014, there were only 1,000 less public sector jobs in the industry. In the quarter set out by the ONS report, employment remained unchanged. As with the vast majority of sectors, construction has seen an overall fall and a consistent downward trend was recorded from 1999 to 2012. From having more than 100,000 public sector employees in 1999, that number had more than halved by the first quarter of 2012. It is perhaps understandable given that after 2008, the construction sector suffered more than most because of the recession. However, that 13-year period characterised by a steady trend of decreasing has made way for almost two years where the rate of employment has remained stable and shows very little change from quarter to quarter. That is shown on the ONS report where the accompanying graph displays very little fluctuation. The greatest fall in public sector employment has been in both the south west and Scotland, who now have 39,000 less employees in the year to Q3 2014. Northern Ireland has the greatest number people working in the public sector with more than 25,000. Wales, the north east and Scotland follow. Further statistics regarding the level of public sector employment that will monitor Q3 to Q4 2014 are expected to be published in March 2015.Â

Public Sector Projects and Employment View from John Seasman. John Seasman is the Divisional Director of Technical Services at Reed - the leading UK recruitment consultancy. He spoke to UK Construction Media about the parts of the public sector that are flourishing in construction, and the skills shortage facing the industry. Construction, like with any industry sector, is currently enjoying success in some areas, while others are not as vibrant. The public sector can be categorised in terms of public sector projects and public sector employment. An example of how this works is that local authorities will have public projects such as filling potholes on roads in the area, but rather than conducting this work, will subcontract it to a private business. John managed to get hold of latest figures that displayed the approval rating for projects in the last three months of 2014, which are compared to the same period in 2013. In the last quarter, private sector housing saw an increase of approval and planning on projects by 25%, whereas in comparison, planning approval for social housing developments decreased by 27%. However, as John pointed out, the results are ‘mixed’. He said: “But what is interesting, if you look at all parts of the public sector, it’s quite mixed. Education planning approval is up by a third, the health side is up by 50% but the infrastructure side is down by 50%.” In construction, projects can be split to show those that have planning approval and those that have started. In the last quarter, the latter figure was declining in relation to school/college/university projects, while the former figure increased. Therefore, we can expect to see an increase in the first quarter of this year on the number of education sector projects that start.

are in social housing, but could be those interested in health and education.” Projects on the civil sector of the industry have decreased too, but with AMP6 set to begin in the next month or so, it will ramp up because there will be many projects getting signed off and ready to go in preparation for this. Another issue highlighted by John is the skills gap that is still in place because of those trades lost to the industry in the aftermath of the recession. After the dramatic dip in the market in 2008, the next year saw the number of jobs advertised in the industry across the public and private sectors dip by over 50%. And while things have picked up since this ‘nadir’, there is a problem with the loss of skilled employees. John said: “It (employment) has gradually picked up and we’re at the point now where it’s at 2007 levels. “So, while the market has regained traction, the big issue, particularly at the skilled trade side of the market bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, and plasterers - is that many of those workers found other employment at the height of the recession and were lost to the industry.” This ‘genuine shortage’ of skills is having a ‘detrimental effect’ on projects, causing the speed of development to be slower. Many public sector projects, particularly in health and education, have shown buoyancy and the next three months, when civil projects accelerate, will see more public sector developments start. But despite this, the industry must be guarded against the skills shortage and find a way to remedy this.

In healthcare, the number of projects were 20% up on the previous year, while those that are approved increased by 50%. Is politics are factor for such a spike? With May’s General Election set to be the closest-run in years, it is not a stretch to suggest this much. In 2010, the Conservative Party replaced Labour as the Party with the majority of seats in parliament but at 306 MPs, could not secure an overall majority. Therefore, construction approvals on health and education could be a key decider in securing marginal voters. Similarly, where there has been a decrease in approvals, such as social housing, the likelihood of the people benefiting from these homes being supporters of the Government will be less than those benefiting from health and education development commitments. John said: “It’s difficult not to think of politics because you look at the social housing side; does the Conservative Party have many votes from the people going into social housing. “On the health and education side, those projects are growing. The Conservative core vote won’t be those who

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British Gypsum Off-Site Solutions With off-site manufacturing showing continued growth within the UK, British Gypsum continues to develop its off-site solutions range to meet the exacting manufacturing and assembly requirements whilst ensuring that sustainability remains key. British Gypsum highlights the latest product and system innovations it has to offer for the off-site industry.

“Sustainability is a priority for almost every building project. As the first in the industry to achieve BES 6001 ‘Excellent’ for a plasterboard and metal partition systems, we are able to further support our customers in achieving the required BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes standards.”

Off-site manufacture is not as new as many think, but the methods of project delivery via off-site are evolving and becoming much more efficient. Manufacturing buildings in a factory environment using engineering principles can drive efficiencies in waste, labour, CO2, time and ultimately, cost. With such benefits it is no surprise that within the construction industry, many companies are now developing capabilities in off-site construction.

Rigidur H Rigidur H is a gypsum fibreboard available in bespoke sizing to the nearest mm, (including sheet formats of up to 6000mm x 2500mm, allowing whole wall panel assembly and negating a high level of taping and jointing) offering enhanced fixing capability and increased mechanical strength, removing the need for any pattressing behind in many cases.

Within UK off-site, there are some key sectors of growth with High Rise Multiple Occupancy (HRMO) leading the way. Used in hotels, student accommodation, affordable housing and apartments, HRMO lends itself particularly well to modular (3D) and panellised (2D) system methodologies. MoD accommodation remains a strong advocate for off-site project delivery, whilst both education and health sectors are now adpoting off-site wherever feasible.

Rigidur H meets and in many cases exceeds regulatory performance requirements for fire, acoustics, duty rating and moisture resistance.

Andy Higson, Off-Site Market Development Manager at British Gypsum said: “With the UK construction market coming into recovery and concerns regarding labour availability, any method of project delivery — such as modular or panellised — that can accelerate project completion and therefore ROI, whilst meeting the highest levels of build quality and performance levels, has to be taken seriously. Many of our existing customers are developing their own off-site strategies. We have recognised this trend and have worked extensively with them to ensure our products, systems and associated services are developed to add value to their new methods. “The growth in off-site — as with any shift in building technology — brings new challenges and performance requirements for products and systems alike. British Gypsum offers a range of innovative off-site solutions and associated services whilst maintaining focus on the next generation of intuitive innovations to meet our off-site customers’ evolving needs.” As markets and activities evolve, it is also important that companies remain cognisant of their responsibilities around sustainable manufacture and procurement. It is for this reason that British Gypsum is pleased to announce that it has become the first manufacturer in the industry to achieve a BES 6001 ‘Excellent’ rating for its UK manufactured Gyproc plasterboards, Glasroc specialist boards, Thistle plasters, Gypframe metal and Gyproc Cove. “Construction professionals are under pressure to demonstrate sustainable practices and procurement whilst maintaining cost efficiency,” said Paul Campbell, Commercial Sector Manager at British Gypsum.

British Gypsum’s off-site solutions range includes:

ACTIVair ACTIVair technology absorbs formaldehyde, a common volatile organic compound (VOC), before converting it into inert compounds, preventing its re-emission. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) concerns about formaldehyde in relation to human health are well published (WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: selected pollutants; 2010). The ACTIVair range encompasses Rigidur H, Gyproc Duraline and the Gyptone acoustic ceilings ranges. Glasroc H TILEBACKER Glasroc H TILEBACKER is suitable for use as a tile backing board in areas subject to high levels of moisture such as kitchen and bathroom pods or modular shower cubicles and wet rooms. The yellow pre-primed acrylic surface resists water, and provides an optimum surface key for direct tiling, decoration or bonding of decorative surfaces. Gyproc SoundBloc F Gyproc SoundBloc F features a high density noiseinsulating core that reduces the transmission of sound between rooms, boosting the building’s overall acoustic performance whilst providing 60 minutes of fire resistance in a single layer to either side of the partition. This single product can be used to achieve both fire and acoustic requirements. It achieves a ‘Heavy Duty Rating’ in accordance with BS 5234: Part 2: 1992, offering excellent durability. Thistle Magnetic Plaster This innovative plaster provides a smooth, high quality surface, creating an interactive wall that attracts magnets, making it ideal for meeting rooms, classrooms, office and home environments. The product is applied in the same way as standard British Gypsum Thistle Plaster, and can be decorated with paint or wallpaper without loss of magnetic effect.

Rigidur H

Glasroc H TILEBACKER

Gyproc SoundBloc F

Glasroc F

FIRECASE / MULTIBOARD

ACTIVair technology

High performance solutions For off-site applications We offer a range of off-site solutions for commercial and residential developments; from our robust and mechanically strong Rigidur H board available in standard sizes and XXL sheets up to 6m x 2.5m for whole-wall panels, to Glasroc H TILEBACKER, a specialist board designed for use in areas subject to continued moisture and humidity. Our Gyproc SoundBloc F offers improved acoustic and fire performance to internal lining applications, and our products containing ACTIVair technology improve indoor air quality by removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde. For more details about our complete off-site solutions range covering products and systems, technical services and plasterboard recycling to Timber Frame, Closed Panel, Sips, Modular and Pods, please visit our website.

british-gypsum.com/sectors/offsite Email: bgoffsite.enquiries@bpb.com

Careers in the construction industry - comment from Martyn Makinson Ionic Recruitment specialise in helping to match the best people in the world of construction to the best permanent, temporary and contract jobs. People at all levels of the construction sector can feel sure that they will be placed in jobs that are suitable, with this young business already assisting hundreds of candidates in their quest to secure exciting new roles at leading construction companies, house builders, specialist subcontractors and local authorities. Ionic delivers results because of its highly skilled people who are dedicated to a particular sector, ensuring that their knowledge of that specific market as good as it can be. The Company specialises in delivering construction jobs to people by working in close partnership with various construction companies to make sure that understanding of the business and exact needs are high. Along with this, Ionic gets to know the individuals recommended to companies, so their skills experience, ambitions, personality are all taken into account. Martyn Makinson is the Managing Director of Ionic Recruitment and explained how now is a great time for young people to consider embarking on a career in the construction sector. “Recent research from totaljobs.com examined employment rates for ‘entry-level’ candidates who have gained a qualification and left education in 2014, and the research highlighted a positive change in attitude toward skilled, bluecollar workers. “Overall, 15% of entry-level candidates were jobless a year after finishing their studies or training. However, among those who had completed apprenticeships, just 5% were unemployed, far less than the number of unemployed graduates. This suggests that vocational training is more desirable within the job market than ever before, and young people can benefit from this by choosing a career in construction. “The construction industry is currently experiencing a very strong period of growth, which can be attributed, in part, to a strong demand for new projects across the entire construction sector. The industry’s rapid expansion is responsible for creating a wealth of employment opportunities. “As market conditions have improved, people have become more confident about changing jobs and the companies who haven’t acted fast enough to implement retention strategies have ended up losing their ‘top talent’ to competitor

businesses. This has created employment gaps, which companies are keen to fill with apprentices. “With the construction industry continuing to boom as we head toward 2015, candidates can be selective about the companies that they choose to work for. It’s currently very much a candidate-driven marketplace, and so recruitment agencies are more necessary to clients than ever before in order to both identify and attract the best talent. “At Ionic, we are predicting a 45% increase in enquiries from prospective employers in the first quarter of the year, as companies look to recruit new talent. Companies need to work hard to attract the best talent and entice candidates to join the business, and agencies play a key role in the process. “We expect market conditions to steadily improve in the year ahead, with the job market continuing to be buoyant; this means that contractors are forced to change their approach when it comes to competing for the best talent and more importantly, retaining their own staff. “With the current employment gaps and shortage of construction tradespeople, as well as the recent findings from totaljobs.com highlighting the growth in opportunities for apprentices, now is an opportune time to consider a career as a tradesperson within the construction sector.” www.ionic.jobs

Martyn Makinson, Ionic Recruitment Managing Director

Callsafe Services Ltd

Call: 01889 577701

CALLSAFE SERVICES LIMITED Q.

Are you sure that you understand the duties and requirements of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and other health and safety requirements?

Do your policies and procedures reflect the current legislation and practices?

Are your employees competent to perform their duties?

Do you select competent organisations to work with you?

Do you manage your organisation and projects without copious amounts of paper?

If the answer to any of the above questions is no, you need to consider training and advice to achieve legal compliance and develop best practices. Contact the experts David Carr PgD, FIIRSM, DipSM, RFaPS, Managing Director Callsafe Services Limited. Yardley House, 11 Horsefair, Rugeley, Staffordshire. WS15 2EJ Email: enquiries@callsafe-services.co.uk Web: www.callsafe-services.co.uk