AUGUST 2016
Driving Efficiency: The importance of effective fleet management
Tackling the Skills Shortage: Graham HastingEvans on the industry’s ongoing skills crisis
Redefining Best Practice: Mark Bew talks digitisation and the BIM Task Group
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WELCOME to the latest edition of UK Construction Excellence; celebrating the very best in British building. Our focus this month is fleet - the commercial vehicles that keep the wheels of the UK economy turning. Industry experts from The AA, Enterprise and Case Construction, among others, are on-hand to offer their insights and experiences on the importance of effective fleet management.
Elsewhere, in a UK Construction Excellence exclusive, Graham HastingEvans - Managing Director of the National Open College Network (NOCN) - weighs in on the industry’s worsening skills shortage, while Mark Bew - Chairman of the BIM Task Group - discusses digitalisation and the sector’s progression towards full BIM Level 2 compliance. Finally, Robert Snook - Director and
66 Lessons Learned How did Newman Catholic School recover from December’s floods?
General Manager of Portakabin sheds light on the aftermath of Storm Desmond and the challenges facing one of Cumbria’s worst hit schools. All this and more can be found inside, along with contributions from guest commentators and breaking news from Great Britain and beyond. Robert Atherton Publications Editor
70 The Brexit Effect What fate awaits our foreign workers?
72 Highways England £15Bn road investment strategy continues apace
Publications Editor Robert Atherton
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HS2 Yorkshire route change could see homes bulldozed NEW plans for a HS2 route change through South Yorkshire could see a brand new housing estate bulldozed.
representatives for High Speed Two.
that’s no consolation for those people.”
“During this meeting we were informed that properties within our Shimmer development, which is based in Mexborough, will be affected by the proposed changes to the HS2 route should this updated plan be approved.
It is hoped that the Secretary of State will make a decision on the final route by the end of the year, with Mr Higgins claiming that the proposed route would save more than £1Bn and result in journey times to London of 79 minutes.
The track will run east towards the M18 before re-joining the original route south of the M62. Meanwhile highspeed trains will use existing tracks to access Sheffield, stopping at the city’s Midland station.
“We are working closely with representatives to understand proposals so that we can be clear on what this may mean for our existing and future home owners… [and] we will be doing all that we can to support them during this time.”
The proposed route would see up to two trains per hour leave the HS2 line near to Clay Cross in Derbyshire, and join the existing line into Sheffield before re-joining HS2 east of Grimethorpe.
If these plans are given the go-ahead, people living on the Shimmer estate in Mexborough have been told “some or all of their land” may be required.
A detailed plan for construction will not be developed until 2020, and would be subject to intense scrutiny before approval by Parliament.
Housing developer Strata said it was “shocked” by the news, and was still “digesting the information” on how the changes will affect people living on the estate.
David Higgins, of HS2 Ltd said: “It’s important that we give them certainty as soon as possible.
The proposed changes involve the high-speed railway going through South Yorkshire and the scrapping of a proposed station in Meadowhall in favour of a stop in Sheffield city centre.
Construction work is still underway at Shimmer estate, with several of the new properties listed as sold. Chief Executive Andrew Weaver said: “Late yesterday afternoon the Strata team met with advisors from the Department of Transport and
“If we can lift the blight from those communities then the quicker the better. “It’s always the same with any change; some people who were impacted are no longer impacted while those previously not affected will be. “There are less people impacted by this route, in terms of houses affected, but
Since plans to build at Meadowhall attracted strong criticism when first announced in 2013, HS2 now say the Meadowhall site would fail to cut journey times between northern cities – a target of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project. HS2 has also said it could create congested roads. Relocating the station has also allowed planners to re-direct the HS2 line along the M18 before heading north between Rotherham and Doncaster, and opens up the possibility of a parkway station being built to “serve the South Yorkshire area as a whole”. The HS2 report said the new route would be “easiest, result in less overall expected noise impact and be less expensive to build”.
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Philip Hammond says Hinkley Point C must go ahead
UK Construction Week launches #ConstructionRoleModel A new social media campaign #ConstructionRoleModel has been launched for UK Construction Week, designed to celebrate those who have gone the extra mile for UK Construction.
Q&A’s and talking about what it takes to thrive in the industry. Nominees will also talk about what inspired them to work in construction and give advice to youngsters who are looking at a similar career.
The Construction Youth Trust are involved in helping with the campaign, which allows those in the industry to nominate and reward their inspiring peers, as well as encouraging the next generation of construction professionals to make improvements to their workplace.
Construction Youth Trust is a charity that provides training, education and employment opportunities to young people who want to work in the industry, but may be faced with barriers such as financial circumstances, low self-esteem, lack of awareness of opportunities, gender or ethnicity.
To kick start the campaign, UK Construction Week has asked the construction industry to define what a construction role model is, highlighting examples of individuals that have done something extra in the work place. Examples include individuals who have tackled adversity or combated the skills gap. Experts and industry figureheads will deliver a series of blog pieces showcasing those who have made a positive contribution. With the concept established, UK Construction Week will open up the nomination process to the broader construction community. Inviting followers of its Twitter handle @UK_ CW to nominate themselves or others by using the #ConstructionRoleModel hash-tag. The most popular nominees will be selected by UK Construction Week, and then the chosen “role models” will have the opportunity to share their views on the sector, answering
Christine Townley, Executive Director at Construction Youth Trust, commented: “It’s a great privilege to be involved in a dynamic and positive campaign that shines a light on those doing brilliant work within the industry. Our day-to-day work focuses on helping young people with a passion for construction to get the right skills and training to make an impact in the sector. Therefore we’re delighted that #ConstructionRoleModel will raise awareness amongst the younger generation on how rewarding a career in the construction industry can be.” Nathan Garrett, Event Director for UK Construction Week, added: “We’re very excited to get the #ConstructionRoleModel campaign off the ground and look forward to seeing who people nominate for the award. I truly believe we’ve created a campaign that not only showcases the broad career opportunities within construction but also appeals to a younger generation.”
HINKLEY Point C nuclear plant is “still worth the cost”, with the new Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond confirming that the Government remains committed to building the nuclear power station. According to the National Audit Office (NAO), Philip Hammond’s vow came despite the rising cost to the Government of the electricity it will produce, saying that Hinkley was vital to a strong economy. Previously, the power station was estimated to cost around £6Bn, however a more recent estimate has seen the cost rise to £18Bn. As part of the 35-year deal signed with France’s EDF in 2013 to build the plant in Somerset, the Government agreed to pay £92.50 for each megawatt hour of electricity. Wholesale energy prices have fallen since that price was agreed, which meant the Government must now make up the difference. NAO estimated that future top-up payments would rise from £6.1Bn to £29.7Bn over the length of the contract. An Infrastructure and Projects Authority assessment was published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, which put the potential cost of Hinkley at £37Bn, with a spokesman for the Department for Energy saying that the revised estimate would not mean higher bills for consumers and that “Hinkley will generate enough low carbon electricity to power six million homes and around £10 from consumer bills will pay for it once it is up and running.” The future of the facility is in the hands of EDF and the French government. Both parties have repeatedly delayed taking a financial decision on the scheme amid mounting debt problems at the partly state-owned energy group. EDF and the Elysée have promised that a final investment decision will be taken in September.
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Major new aerospace investment announced
EU investment in UK projects: What happens next? THE EU has funded many projects to create jobs and growth throughout England, but following Brexit, what happens next? Billions of pounds of EU funding has been earmarked for initiatives across England in the coming years. According to the UK Government, over the past nine years, investment from the EU has helped kick-start almost 25,000 businesses and create 115,000 jobs. Between 2014 and 2020, the EU allocated €6.2Bn (currently worth about £5.2Bn) under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF). This was money from the EU’s budget, which the UK contributed to. The former Coalition government divided the latest tranche of money to boards known as Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), which bring together local authorities and business leaders. Places such as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly received a larger share per head than others, due to an economic performance below the 75% EU average. The funding for these places was worth £1,070 per person over seven years, which was by far the biggest share.
Sandra Rothwell, Chief Executive of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP, said: “The UK is still part of Europe and [we] still have an EU programme worth some £500M to 2020. “We will be working to ensure that this doesn’t change for at least two years while the terms of the UK’s exit are negotiated and existing treaties remain in place. “Whatever the detailed outcome of those negotiations, it is critical that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly continues to receive the same level of investment and is not short changed as a result of the referendum result.” For the next two years, it will be business as usual. Mark Hughes, Chief Executive of Manchester Growth Company, said: “The majority of our EU funding is committed for the next two to three years and this therefore means there will be little to no immediate change and we will continue in our work of delivering growth, jobs and prosperity. “The public have made the decision to leave the EU and we will now work with government to find solutions to continue to serve the people of Greater Manchester.”
THE Government has announced £365M funding for new aerospace research and development alongside a major collaboration with Boeing, which will see the creation of 2,000 jobs in the UK. Boeing and the Government will collaborate to build a new £100M P-8A operational support and training base at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, which will see the creation more than 100 new jobs. In an effort to keep UK leading the global aerospace industry, a further £365M worth of aerospace R&D projects have been approved. The projects will be jointly funded by industry and government and are a result of the Aerospace Growth Partnership, which will publish a new strategy ‘Means of Ascent’ at the Farnborough air show detailing proposals to ensure Britain continues to lead the field in aerospace. Within this is a new supply chain competitiveness charter, signed by 11 major companies across the aerospace sector. The joint initiative between Boeing and the UK will see an increase in the number of bid opportunities for UK suppliers. The US company will work closely with the Government to improve competitiveness between UK suppliers, provide a chance for them to double their supply work with Boeing, and win higher proportions of content on future Boeing aircraft.
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IEMA welcome Brexit UK energy policy inquiry THE Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA) has welcomed news that the Energy and Climate Change Committee is to launch an inquiry to investigate the impact of Brexit on UK energy policy.
leave the European Union:
The Committee has invited responses on a number of issues and set a deadline of Wednesday 14 September for replies.
• What should be the Government’s priorities on energy when negotiating the UK’s exit from the EU? What would a successful negotiation outcome look like?
• To what extent have the Government’s energy policies been driven by the EU? Are any policy areas currently at risk?
The UK energy sector is connected via trade directives and interconnection with the European Union. Although EU member states retain control over their energy mix, the EU has been a driving force for the UK’s energy policy through its directives and proposals.
• What aspects of existing EU energy policies and directives are beneficial to the UK? What should be the Government’s priorities in deciding which EU-led energy policies and legislation to retain?
The Committee will seek responses on a number of key topics in an effort to gain an understanding of the implications of Britain’s decision to
Responding to news of the inquiry, Martin Baxter, Chief Policy Advisor, IEMA told UK Construction Excellence: “We welcome the Committee’s inquiry
into the implications for UK energy policy from the UK’s decision to leave the EU. The UK’s transition to a lowcarbon sustainable economy requires long-term investment and policy certainty. “The inquiry will help to ensure that we understand the energy risks and opportunities from leaving the EU, and enable the development of an energy policy which supports the UK economy and is consistent with our national and international climate goals”. Following Brexit, IEMA called upon the Government to implement an equivalent or improved level of environmental protection and climate policy when negotiating Britain’s exit from the EU.
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CPA survey reveals more construction growth but future remains uncertain CONSTRUCTION industry growth stretched into its thirteenth consecutive quarter in Q2 of 2016, according to the latest State of Trade Survey from the Construction Products Association (CPA). However, manufacturers were downbeat on the prospects for the year ahead, despite three quarters of the survey being completed before the Brexit vote took place. The CPA survey revealed just over half of heavy side firms and 31% of light side companies said that construction product sales increased in Q2 of 2016 in comparison to the first quarter. The figures are all the more impressive considering it was against the backdrop of uncertainty caused by the EU referendum. In total, 57% of heavy side firms saw sales rise on an annual basis, though this was not the case for any light side companies, while 13% of heavy side manufacturers expected to see a drop in sales in the third quarter – the lowest balance since the fourth quarter of 2012.
On the light side of the industry, a zero balance was recorded for expectations in Q3, whilst 14% anticipated a decline in product sales over the next year. In terms of exports, 60% of both heavy and light side firms expected to see a rise in exports over the next year. According to the survey, 41% of heavy side manufacturers reported annual cost increases and 29% of those on the light side. Rebecca Larkin, CPA Senior Economist, said: “Construction product manufacturers’ sales growth strengthened in Q2, suggesting that construction activity remained resilient against a backdrop of growing uncertainty in the run-up to the EU referendum at the end of the quarter. “Compared to the first quarter of 2016, a balance of 52% of heavy side firms reported a rise in sales in Q2. This was the highest balance in a year and increased from 31% in Q1. On the light side, 38% of firms reported a rise in
quarterly sales in Q2, up from 13% in Q1. “However, pessimism prevailed in manufacturers’ views for the months ahead, even with the majority of responses coming in before the existing economic uncertainty intensified following the referendum result. For heavy side manufacturers, sentiment was the lowest in three years and 13% of those firms anticipated a fall in sales in Q3. Among manufacturing firms on the light side, forward-looking sales expectations were the weakest since the financial crisis, with a downturn anticipated for the first time in six years. “Sterling depreciated 8.4% against the Euro in Q2 compared to a year earlier, which may be one favourable side effect linked to the economic uncertainty pre- and post-referendum for product manufacturers that export to Europe. The majority (60%) of firms on both the heavy and light side anticipate an increase in overseas sales over the coming year.”
Pre-designed new schools to tackle pupil increase ACCORDING to the official forecast from the Department for Education, an extra 750,000 school places in England will be needed by 2020. It estimates that between 2016 and 2025, the state school system will see the number of pupils increase from 7.1 million to 8.1 million – an increase of 10%. Sunesis - a joint venture between contractor Wilmott Dixon and public sector organisatio Scape Group - is working to solve the issue through the use of pre-designed new schools. The designs are standardised but can also be altered and personalised to meet the demands of the client. Sunesis schools can be delivered through the OJEU-compliant Scape framework, negating a prolonged and expensive tender process, or they can be delivered through the client’s own procurement route.
Tim Carey, Product Director for Sunesis, said that the Organisation is already establishing itself as a viable option to build new schools and extra classrooms. He commented: “Pupil numbers continue to grow, and demand won’t slow down due to Brexit, so schools need to be 100% confident that if they are due to accommodate a greater number of pupils this need is met in the timescales required. “The recent report from the Department for Education projects that the next big increase in pupil numbers will be in secondary schools, which currently cater for 2.76 million pupils but will need to be able to accommodate up to 3.04 million in 2020 and 3.33 million by 2025. This means within the next decade secondary schools will have to create an extra 570,000 places countrywide.”
Crossrail now 75% complete THE Crossrail project is beginning to take shape and is now over three quarters completed, with construction well underway on ten new stations as thoughts turn towards the architectural fit-out. This includes the distinct characteristics on show with echoes of Brunel at Paddington, jewels at Farringdon and the theatres and nightlife at Tottenham Court Road. It is envisaged that the stations will be reflective of the local area’s environment and heritage. People can take a sneak peek at how the Elizabeth Line, London’s newest railway, will look in the ‘Design Line’ exhibition at the London Transport Museum. On show will be new models,
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station visualisations, archive images and artefacts from the project. A new book is also available titled ‘Platform for Design’ that explores the design of the new and upgraded stations, the new public spaces, the trains and the artworks being delivered by Crossrail.
station. Network Rail is continuing the enhancements with electrification works and station upgrades on the outer sections of the route. TfL Rail celebrated its first year of successful service on the route between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.
Crossrail’s construction programme has seen the installation of nearly 20 kilometres of permanent track inside the new tunnels, with further progress being made on the mechanical and electrical fit-out to turn them into working railways.
Up until the end of 2015/16, more than 38 million passengers used the new service on this route and experienced improvements including fully staffed stations from the first train to last. Passengers also enjoyed greater reliability and further integration into the rest of London’s public transport network.
This includes the installation of the first eight kilometres of cables between Plumstead and Woolwich
TfL Rail will continue until the Elizabeth line service takes over this route when it opens in 2018.
New Transport Secretary backs HS2 rail project THE newly appointed Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, has backed the high-speed rail project, following fears that it would be scrapped.
CBI survey points to widening skills gap ACCORDING to an annual CBI survey of 500 employers, together employing over three million people, an increasing number of UK employers are concerned that they will not be able to recruit enough highly skilled employers. A total of 69% had concerns – a rise on last year’s 55%. The results reflect a changing jobs market and show that the number of low-skilled jobs need to be cut. The survey also revealed problems with basic skills, with a third of businesses having concerns about literacy and numeracy levels of new recruits, although employers were more likely to rate attitude at work as more important than formal qualifications. Following the vote to leave the EU, skills shortages are holding back businesses across all regions and many sectors, including manufacturing, construction and professional services. The survey was completed before the EU referendum, but since the vote the urgency has been heightened. Josh Hardie, CBI Deputy General said that tackling the skills gap has become a “top business priority”. The CBI’s report on the survey results said: “Not only will we have our existing
UK skills shortages to address, but potentially reduced access to migrant skills will also impact businesses.” Neil Carberry, the business group’s Director of Employment and Skills, said it was “absolutely critical” that businesses had clarity on the status of EU nationals currently working in the UK. Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK, and co-sponsor of the survey, said: “Employers don’t just value what people know; they value what they can do. By far the most important ‘skills factor’ centres on attitudes and aptitudes such as ability to present well.” The report also discussed the Government’s new apprenticeship levy, which will see companies paying for targets for more apprenticeships, warning that employers want “better training places and do not want to pay extra for current training to be “rebadged”. Mr Hardie said the levy scheme “will need a genuine change of direction if it is to work” and warned that employers still did not have enough practical information about the proposals. “As it stands the levy system will work in Whitehall but it won’t work in Walsall,” he said.
Mr Grayling said he had no plans to back away from the HS2 project, highlighting that it was not only a speed project, but more so about capacity. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend, he said: “We have lines which have seen huge increases in the number of passengers and the amount of freight in recent years. “The West Coast mainline for example is becoming really congested. It’s limiting the capacity of services to places like Northampton and Milton Keynes. “If we’re going to build a new railway line, it makes sense for it to be fast - to reduce travel times from north to south. That’s logical. “We need a transport system for the 21st century and HS2 is instrumental to increasing capacity.” A vote for MPs on the first phase of HS2 will take place later this year. If the bill is approved, construction will start on the London Birmingham section. HS2 Ltd is set to dish out £11Bn worth of contracts in the coming months. Stop HS2 has urged Theresa May to undertake a fresh review of the rail project, after it failed a recent Department for Transport review on issues of both cost and scheduling of work.
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Britain’s infrastructure still at risk from flooding BRITAIN’S most important infrastructure - along with electricity, gas, water and internet - remain at risk from floods, a government review has revealed.
Sadiq Khan welcomes Gatwick Airport’s £1.2Bn investment plan MAYOR of London, Sadiq Khan, has welcomed Gatwick’s proposal to increase its investment by £200M as part of plans to transform the airport. Mr Khan praised the decision and urged the new Prime Minister, Theresa May, to act quickly and rule in favour of a new runway at Gatwick. The extra money will be used to transform, improve and regenerate the existing airport and will see investment rise over the next five years to £1.2Bn. Since coming under new ownership in 2009, the total amount invested in improving the airport up to 2021 will be £2.5Bn. Mr Khan said: “Gatwick is the front door to London for millions of visitors to our city and I salute their decision to spend another £200M on improvements to the airport. They have put together a formidable plan that is a fantastic display of their confidence in London. “The new Prime Minister has a very important decision to make regarding new airport capacity, and I urge her to rule as swiftly as possible in favour of a second runway at Gatwick, which would bring substantial economic benefits.”
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It is hoped these plans will help to support Gatwick’s continued record growth. Since 2009, the number of passengers has increased from 31 million annual passengers to 41 million. This is ten years ahead of the airport’s projected figures of growth. Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate said: “As Gatwick rapidly approaches full capacity, this increased investment paves the way for our second runway project. As we enter a new era for Britain, we must be agile and decisive as a country to show the world that we are open for business. “It is now clear that only Gatwick can deliver the runway Britain needs to boost international competitiveness and trading links at a time when it is most needed, and we can do that before 2025. “This investment will also make sure that we can continue Gatwick’s record growth and transformation. Our total investment since coming into private ownership now stands at £2.5Bn as we operate the World’s most efficient single runway airport.”
The review, which was prompted by December’s floods in the north of England, says rainfall should be managed from the source of the river to the sea, although critics have warned that the investigation ignores some types of flooding. The report focuses on floods effecting rivers and coasts, and does not look at those caused by rainfall failing to drain away far from watercourses or the sea. There are concerns that this might create a “false sense of security” that if you’re away from a river or coastline you are not at risk. It is said that decision-makers have not grasped the full magnitude of flood risks, and that better protection is needed for cities around the UK. Improvements also need to be made on locally significant installations. A source said: “It is clear that there is a very variable picture, with some infrastructure protected much better than others. “The Cumbria floods were thought to be a bit of a freak at the time but we now realise that we can expect to see more really extreme events in different parts of the country. “Often, the local flood records only go back 50 years, so they don’t show the full range of what might happen. Natural variability in weather is much bigger than we thought. “We haven’t found a fingerprint of climate change on recent flood events – but they are in line with what scientists say we should expect with increased warming.”
David Davis aims to trigger Brexit talks by start of 2017 BREXIT Secretary, David Davies, has called for a “brisk but measured” approach to Brexit, aiming to trigger Article 50 to leave the EU before or in early 2017. He said Article 50 should not be triggered too early, due to the risk of EU countries acting “irrationally”. Access to the single market will be an important area of negotiation, which EU leaders have said is conditional on accepting the free movement of people. Mr Davis said that the “ideal outcome” would be “continued tariff-free access” to the EU single market, adding: “Once the European nations realise we will not budge on control of our borders, they will want to talk, in their own interests. “But what if they are irrational, as so many Remain-supporting commentators asserted they would be in the run-up to the referendum?
“This is one of the reasons for taking a little time before triggering Article 50. The negotiating strategy has to be properly designed, with serious consultation.” According to David Davies, the “first order of business” should be to make deals with non-EU countries such as the United States and China, which would give Britain a trading zone almost twice the size of the EU. Mr Davis cited the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a possible blueprint for the UK’s future relationships with the EU once it leaves, which is described as a “great trades deal” but a “significantly less close relationship” than EU membership. An example is that it does not include the rights for financial firms to trade unhindered across the EU under rights known as “passporting” and has less “labour mobility” than full membership.
Digital component library launched by Highways England A new Digital Component Library (DCL) has been launched by Highways England allowing Building Information Modelling (BIM) to be stored and used on highway projects. Highways England asked Faris Madher, a Graduate BIM Technician from Costain, to compile the Digital Component Library. Over 80 digitally modelled components are housed in the library and span several design disciplines. They include things such as gantries, vehicle restraint barriers and MS4s. The library will continue to be updated as new components are brought online. The Digital Construction Library will cut the time and cost when it comes to recreating digital content on every Highways England project. It will also offer a more efficient communication tool for project team meetings; interaction with stakeholders and engagement with suppliers.
Following the BIM Level 2 mandate in April 2016, all public sector projects are required to use BIM, including those in the highway sector. The Digital Component Library is a first for the UK highways sector, although similar models has been used across various aspects of the construction industry as the digital way of working becomes more commonplace. The Smart Motorways Programme will initially adopt and pilot the library, where it will be rolled out to enable their delivery partners to choose their preference of tools when creating digital content.
the highways supply chain. “In the Smart Motorways Programme, there is a huge drive towards standardisation of assets and features commissioned within all projects. The DCL reflects this drive but it doesn’t remove the responsibility of the designer to provide a safe, innovative and buildable solution. “We are currently engaging with the supply chain responsible for delivery of the assets on the motorways and trunk roads managed by Highways England.”
Faris commented: “The aim of the DCL is to reduce the extensive effort spent recreating content amongst project teams. The value for Highways England is in generating project information models more rapidly and at an earlier stage in a project lifecycle. The DCL will act as one version of truth, through the availability of digital contents from
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Roof Solutions
Sandtoft launches revolutionary new online specification tools for roofing products Sandtoft, the roof brand of leading supplier of wall, roof and landscaping innovations, Wienerberger, has launched two revolutionary, free-to-use online tools for users and specifiers of Sandtoft products. The Sandtoft product estimator and Sandtoft’s bespoke specification clause generator, ROOFSPEC®, will ensure all specified roofs using the tools will meet British Standards.
The new product quantity estimator, which is available to be used by anyone specifying Sandtoft roofing products, generates a bespoke estimate of quantities for use within any roof design to then be utilised by a roofing contractor or builder. The easy to use and simple estimator offers 12 roof shapes/ types for the specifier to choose from and takes basic project details to generate the product quantities and materials schedule, which can then be utilised to develop a more in depth cost estimate for the project. The ROOFSPEC® tool generates bespoke specification clauses for use within the roof design, for example if a low roof pitch is specified, then the appropriate clauses for low pitch are generated, meaning the tool can be utilised without in depth roofing knowledge – making it a valuable resource for architects and specifiers. Furthermore, by using the tool, the roof is guaranteed to meet all current British Standards, legislation and guidelines. The tools have been developed by Wienerberger’s industry leading technical department at Sandtoft, with years of knowledge and expertise being utilised to design the online tools.
Founded in Vienna in 1819, Wienerberger is a leading provider of wall, roof and landscaping innovations. In the UK, Wienerberger has four showrooms, 22 factories and six distribution depots, with its head office in Cheadle, Cheshire. Worldwide, it has 230 plants in 30 countries and employs 15,000 people.
Offering in excess of 1000 products, Wienerberger’s range includes the Terca and Porotherm brands as part of its wall category, Sandtoft as its roof category and Penter as its paving category, providing a wide range of building material solutions.
For more information on Sandtoft please visit www.wienerberger.co.uk
Richard Bishop, Category Marketing Manager for Roof at Wienerberger, commented: “The new product estimator and the ROOFSPEC® tool are revolutionary new tools, which aim to support specifiers and architects to ensure the roof meets all standards and guidelines, as well as ensuring all materials and components are included for fitting and fixing the roof. The tools are perfect for those with little roof expertise, as the tools provide key information on not only the amount of product needed, but also the components needed for fitting and fixing the specified products. “By using the free tools, architects and specifiers also have access to the Sandtoft technical team for any support, and information on our wide product range. We are always looking for ways to improve our product range, and the services we offer our customers – the launch of the new ROOFSPEC® website and the two free tools should go a long way to supporting those specifying our products, making the whole process quick and simple.”
Introducing our revolutionary new tools
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To find out more about ROOFSPECÂŽ and to use the new tools visit www.roofspec.co.uk.
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Investing in a post-Brexit world THE UK's new Prime Minister made it clear during her leadership campaign that ‘Brexit means Brexit'. And with negotiations on the UK's divorce from the EU now firmly underway between Theresa May and counterparts in Germany and France, it's clear that the new leader intends to honour this pledge.
It is not just leaders in the EU who want an answer sooner rather than later. Investors too need certainty if confidence is to be maintained in the financial health of the UK and the EU.
REAL ESTATE, REAL RETURNS? The key advice for investors watching the Brexit drama unfold - and spooked by talk of possible referendums in France (Frexit) and the Netherlands (Nexit) - is that now is the time to diversify. Concerns over the economic implications of Brexit have already sent many investors to traditional investment ‘safe-havens'. The price of gold for example rocketed on the back of the UK's decision to leave the EU, and has remained high since. Likewise, the value of the dollar, despite taking a hit in the immediate aftermath of Brexit, has since recovered strongly. And with firms like Microsoft and Morgan Stanley posting better than expected results in July, the S&P 500 and Dow Jones industrials have been driven to fresh heights recently.
And, with the UK already having lost its AAA credit rating, and UK banks being downgraded by Moody's over fears about Brexit exposure, the economy is
So, could investing ‘over the pond' be a solution for those concerned about Europe's prospects? There are definite returns to be had in the US.
The quicker-than-expected formation of a new government in the UK, and the surprise decision by Mark Carney at the Bank of England to hold interest rates at current levels, have helped settle nerves in the market to some extent. Likewise, investors have been buoyed by better than expected financial data from the Bank of England. But despite the positives, there remains a great deal of work to be done and the question now being asked is: what is Brexit anyway?
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far from out of the woods and pressure is building on the new government. So, where should a savvy investor be looking in the post-Brexit world? And how are property investments likely to fare, when compared to other asset classes?
Simon Calton, CEO of the Carlton James Sky Watch Inn Group and Rycal Group, says: "During the referendum campaign much was made about the size of the market in the EU - an economy of some 550 million consumers. Let's not forget though, that in the US consumers spent around $11,372Bn in Q1 2016 alone - a huge market for those willing to look beyond Europe." Carlton James Sky Watch Inn Group holds an investment portfolio focused on the hospitality sector in the US. It has recognised the potential of the US market for many years, and used it to deliver returns for investors averaging 17% for the last five years. Calton continues: "In spite of uncertainty in the wider economy, real estate remains a solid investment. Even in the UK, the gloomiest predictions about loss of property value pale in comparison to the loss of value on the FTSE 100 and 250 following the vote to leave the EU. And with real estate experts predicting Brexit could drive demand for US real estate - now would be the time to invest and get ahead of the crowd."
Will the public sector build on the outcome of the Brexit vote? THE true impact on public sector spending and the approach to procurement as a result of the Leave vote has yet to be seen. In particular, the construction industry is seeing real uncertainty growing, with question marks about its future already appearing. Despite increasing uncertainty in the run up to the referendum, over 1,900 public sector construction tenders were published over the last six months - an increase of 29% compared to the six months prior and mirroring growth seen over the last two years - with a particular increase in tenders for roads infrastructure, renewable energy and new build housing. Thankfully, the public sector has a large and varied construction project pipeline, which includes new and ongoing infrastructure projects such as HS2 and the completion of affordable housing projects across the country, which will remain in high demand. It’s expected that regardless of the Leave vote, projects of this nature will carry on and continue to create opportunities for the time being.
Although public procurement is governed by UK regulations, which originate from EU directives, there won’t be any change for at least the next two years as the UK negotiates its exit. And the current Public Procurement Regulations will remain in force until they are repealed or revised. It seems only sensible that the Government will have much higher priorities than revising a system that works well overall. With access to the Single Market, there will be very little change to public procurement and without it, the UK will likely operate under the World Trade Organisation's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). This provides similar access to bidders from the countries that are signatories, meaning that UK construction contractors will be able to bid on contracts in Europe, whilst at the same time European contractors will be able to bid here in the UK.
In the short term, the approach from construction suppliers looking to successfully bid for public sector work will not be altered by any regulatory changes. Companies must ensure that they continue to meet the requirements set out in the tender, demonstrate efficiencies and remain competitive against the competition. So, despite a decline in confidence within the construction industry as a whole post-Brexit, there is no reason why leaving the EU should mean that the public sector ‘downs tools’ on construction projects. Continued investment in the sector will have a direct, positive impact on confidence, growth and continued recovery. By Tim Williams, Managing Director of Millstream
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KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID - "KISS" Construction is a complicated process, so misunderstood and underestimated by the glitzy programmes we see splashed all over our TV sets to keep us entertained on a cold winter's evening. If you have watched any of these programmes you will know that the projects invariably finish much later than expected by the unwitting clients and at a considerably higher cost than anticipated. Sadly, these TV exploits are closer to reality than we might wish. It is rare these days to hear tales of projects that have been completed on programme and budget but they do exist and my colleagues in our PM team love to entertain me with stories of happy clients. Unfortunately, in my dispute team we are usually
left dealing with projects that have gone wrong, more often than not because they have finished late and the Parties are left playing the "blame game". There are many reasons why projects get into delay but often they will include a misunderstanding of the interrelationship and interaction between sub-contractors, suppliers, designers and clients who insist on changing their minds part way through a project before they emit the immortal words "not me gov". There is no excuse for failing to carefully plan and programme a proposed construction project and any contractor who fails to recognise this fact of life is in for serious trouble. Most, if
not all, construction contracts contain provisions requiring the payment of liquidated damages in the event of late completion and, if they don't, then common law damages based on the costs incurred by the Employer will be payable. Add to this the additional costs incurred by a contractor who is late in finishing a project and it is not hard to see why it is so important to establish whether it is the Employer that has caused the delay and must stand the associated costs or it is the Contractor who has to take a financial hit. Without an accurate construction programme, measuring and proving liability for delay is nigh on impossible. It is against this background that
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the last twenty years has seen the rise in popularity of delay analysis and experts whose job it is to convince a tribunal that it is their opponent's client that has caused delay. The development of powerful computers and sophisticated delay analysis software has added to the price of establishing liability for delay and these guys and girls and the reports they generate do not come cheap. The stakes in the blame game are very high and Parties pay huge sums out to lawyers and experts just to get into the game! In the adjudications I deal with it is quite the norm to be presented with several files of delay analysis by an expert to convince me that it is their client that has "clean hands" and that I should decide accordingly. Regrettably, the reports produced by delay experts are increasing in size and complexity and, at the risk of being cynical, it is not unusual to come across situations where a deliberate manipulation of the project software has been made in order to get the computer to say what the expert would like it to say rather than actually proving a Client's case – leaving me to wonder whether I am dealing with an expert or hired gun. Delay analysts will tell you that there are different methods of analysing and proving delay liability, which include: a Impacted as-planned b As planned but for c Collapsed as built d Windows analysis e Time impacted analysis f As planned -v- as built
It is not for me to set out to persuade anyone which method of delay analysis is the best. The reality is that the choice of analysis will depend on when the analysis is being undertaken, what information is available, how good are the records and, frankly, what the client wants to spend! There are circumstances that would warrant all of these different approaches. However, what I will say as someone who regularly sits as a tribunal is that the drafter of any delay analysis must keep in mind why the report is being prepared in the first place. I would also suggest that any report produced for the purpose of proving responsibility for delay follows the KISS principle by, in relation to each delaying event: Explaining what was supposed to happen and when.... Explaining what actually happened in practice.... Explaining what the delay to the individual events are.... Explaining what the effect is on the project as a whole....
and argued about at a later date. The progress should be evidenced contemporaneously. For example, a simple site diary entry that records plastering starting in an area can support a watertight date achieved. It is important that the analysis reflects real life and doesn’t become a complex black art of float, criticality and mathematical calculations. There is nothing like an "as planned v as built" analysis to provide a visual representation of the effects of delaying events on a project, but pictures alone will not be sufficient to satisfy a tribunal on the merits of a particular case. There remains no substitute for concise, clear and evidenced logical reasoning to discharge the burden of proving either an entitlement to an extension of time if you are advising a contractor or proving an entitlement to damages if you are acting for an Employer. Peter Vinden is a practising Arbitrator, Adjudicator, Mediator and Expert. He is Managing Director of The Vinden Partnership and can be contacted by email at pvinden@ vinden.co.uk. For similar articles please visit www.vinden.co.uk.
Construction can be broken down into key milestones and hence keeping delay analysis real is not rocket science. The analysis should be transparent. If changes have been made to the “what was supposed to happen” the analyst should declare them and avoid the fees involved in "hidden changes” being found
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CIOB calls for cross industry action to tackle modern slavery THE Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is calling for greater industry collaboration to eradicate unfair labour practices. Clients and Tier 1 organisations need to take greater responsibility for their supply chains. Priority should be given to tackling illegal recruitment fees, according to a new report 'Building a Fairer System: Tackling Modern Slavery in Construction Supply Chains'. The report - produced in consultation with a number of businesses and NGOs, including Amnesty International, Verité, Engineers Against Poverty and the Institute for Human Rights and Business - examines the root causes of slavery, and sets out priority actions for moving the industry towards greater transparency. Slavery remains a problem hidden in many sectors. The International Labour Organization estimates that there are 21 million people in forced labour around the world, generating profits in the
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private economy of $150Bn. Interpol estimates that only 5% to 10% of cases are ever reported. With its fragmented supply chains, opaque procurement processes and high demand for migrant labour, the construction sector faces a unique set of challenges in tackling human rights abuses. It is a priority area for the UK’s first Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Kevin Hyland OBE, who writes a foreword for the report. Building a Fairer System examines how workers from developing countries become tricked or coerced into paying illegal and extortionate recruitment fees, and, once in debt, become vulnerable to exploitation in their place of work. Abuses range from forced or bonded labour, late payment, unsanitary living conditions, unfair deductions from wages, withheld passports and loss of freedom of movement, lack of representation, violence, intimidation and physical abuse.
The report also examines how faults in the procurement process allow exploitative practices to remain hidden in building materials supply chains. It includes a series of case studies and recommendations from organisations that are working to shift cultural practices and norms: • How ethical recruitment firm FSI Worldwide‘s integrated cross border operations are eradicating illegal recruitment fees. • The steps that CH2M has taken to implement a new global worker welfare policy. • Hewlett Packard’s move to direct labour. • Qatar Rail’s worker welfare strategy. • Marshalls’ ten-year initiative to protect vulnerable children and migrant workers in stone quarrying communities. • Bechtel’s “bottom up” approach to tackle exploitation in metal mining.
Building a Fairer System is part of CIOB’s ongoing campaign responding to changing legislation and international protocols. The UK Modern Slavery Act, which came into force in 2015, requires UK organisations with a turnover of more than £36M to report on how they are dealing with human rights issues in their supply chains. Other forces reshaping the industry include the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010, the EU NonFinancial Reporting Directive and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2015. In parallel to the report, CIOB is collaborating with specialist providers on a series of training packages and is preparing an industry toolkit, to be launched later in the year. The CIOB is making the case that ethical innovation will be a powerful differentiator for businesses and essential for futureproofing brands as well as improving the global reputation of the sector.
Anti-Slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland OBE said: “With the culture of transparency becoming the norm in the era of globalised communication, having and showcasing sustainable and ethical practices is the only way forward and indeed an excellent market opportunity. Companies who opt for a model of secrecy will find they are no longer viable, as NGOs, journalists and consumers are increasingly able to hold them to account. Instead, those who lead the way with transparent, ethical and slavery-free supply chains will become the companies of choice and the new market leaders.” CIOB Chief Executive Chris Blythe said: “CIOB’s core values are founded on the principles of ethical business behaviour. We are calling on our thousands of members and partners to ask more searching questions of their colleagues, suppliers and clients. Strong leadership is required, as is the willingness to take more responsibility, both individually and at corporate level.
“Ethical procurement processes should be embedded into the heart of operations. Organisations need to become proactive, holding subcontractors and suppliers to account through more stringent clauses and penalties. And the eradication of illegal recruitment fees must be our priority. “Our journey towards the eradication of slavery will take decades and demands collective action, as is reflected by the multiple contributors to this report. Professional and private organisations need to come together to solve these complex problems and to make a lasting difference.” A copy of ‘Building a Fairer System: Tackling Modern Slavery in Construction Supply Chains’ can be accessed here.
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JCT Finality Provisions and Adjudication JCT contracts generally have provisions concerning the conclusive effect of the final certificate, or in the case of contracts without certification, the final account documents. A JCT final certificate is normally conclusive evidence that the correct extension of time has been granted, that the correct valuation of the works has been certified and that loss and expense (of both parties) has been correctly ascertained; and that materials and goods have been provided to a standard that meets the reasonable satisfaction of the architect. However, the JCT contracts make further provision that, to the extent that proceedings by way of adjudication, arbitration or in court have been started in time, the final certificate is not conclusive in respect of the matters raised in those proceedings. Where a challenge is validly made in adjudication, the adjudicator’s decision becomes final as well as binding unless it in turn is challenged within time, by way of starting arbitral or court proceedings. An adjudicator’s decision on a dispute arising under an interim certificate is binding on the architect at the time when he issues the final certificate. The architect’s final certificate cannot
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contradict or override the adjudicator’s decision on the interim certificate (see Castle Inns (Stirling) Ltd v Clarks Contracts Ltd (2005) and William Verry Ltd v Camden LBC (2006)). There is a qualification, that if new material has emerged since the date of the adjudicator’s decision, the architect is entitled to take that new material into account in preparing the final certificate (see Castle Inns). If any adjudication, arbitration or other proceedings have been commenced by either party within 28 days after the final certificate has been issued, the final certificate has conclusive effect, except in respect of matters to which the proceedings relate (see Castle Inns). Service of notice of intention to refer to adjudication is normally the step which triggers the exception. It is good beyond the 28 days in respect of a new adjudication brought by a referring party relating to the same dispute or difference as was the subject of earlier adjudication proceedings brought by the same party which have been rendered abortive through no action or omission of the referring party (see Bennett v FMK Construction Ltd (2005)), or through inadvertent error of the referring party (see University of Brighton v Dovehouse Interiors Ltd
The architect’s final certificate cannot contradict or override the adjudicator’s decision
(2014)). However, it is not good for all time if the adjudication is simply abandoned (see Bennett). One set of proceedings issued within 28 days is envisaged; not an initial set of proceedings (e.g. in court) in which the relevant matters can be raised, which would then permit the challenger to commence other proceedings (e.g. adjudication) outside the 28 days in respect of the same matters (see Trustees of the Marc Gilbard 2009 Settlement Trust v OD Developments and Projects Ltd (2015). There is a JCT provision that states a party may commence arbitration or legal proceedings within 28 days of an adjudicator’s decision given after a final certificate. Although this provision uses the permissive “may”, this provision imposes a strict time limit on the commencement of proceedings. If proceedings are not begun within the 28-day period specified in the clause, the adjudicator’s decision becomes final and is binding for the purposes of the final certificate (see Castle Inns and Jerram Falkus Construction Ltd v Fenice Investments Inc (No 4) (2011). By Peter Sheridan, Partner, Sheridan Gold LLP
4.45 / 5
What Brexit means for UK construction? In the aftermath of the Brexit vote, Britain has been enveloped in a tumultuous atmosphere. We have witnessed ministerial departures; a new female prime minister and a new look cabinet office dominating UK media. These changes in our political landscape have overshadowed the fallout of such a pivotal vote in the UK’s history. Prior to the vote, the Bank of England talked about raising interest rates in the event of a Brexit vote. It now seems more likely they may need to reduce it and so far it appears access to capital, will not be affected. This is welcome news as raising capital is always a challenge for SME’s in this sector. The HSBC has revised its view on next year’s economic growth, falling from 2.1% to 0.7%, which is exposed to the general economic malaise. For UK construction – for an industry that generates approximately £90 billion annually, accounts for 6.7% of the UK’s GDP, and employs 2.9 million people – a huge level of uncertainty follows. Demand for construction historically overreacts to negative sentiment, so the impact could be far worse for construction sectors than for the economy as a whole, as there may be a decline in services required.
Housebuilders may be amongst the worst affected in terms of sharp decline – as share prices in the hours and days after the referendum result dropped significantly – highlighting a dire prediction for the real estate market. Prior to the referendum, the UK Treasury suggested that house prices could fall by up to 17% due to Brexit. A group of the 17 largest housebuilders in the UK reported that Brexit would inevitably reduce the amount of housing being built – owing to labour shortages and increased import prices, together with reduced demand for property from overseas investors. IS IT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM? John Nolan, Chairman of the Construction Industry Council recently stated that leaving the EU could be great news for the UK construction industry due to the end of tendering for projects through the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) – suggesting that bid costs may reduce, and allow small and medium-sized construction firms the chance to win more projects. "Last week's referendum result heralds a seismic change in the way our country does business with Europe and the rest of the World. We have the opportunity to consign UK OJEU to the dustbin of history with its ridiculously inflated bid costs that squeeze out the SMEs and its massive
deleterious effect on the cost and quality of public sector projects.” Nathan Garnett, Event Director for UK Construction Week has a similarly positive outlook for post-Brexit UK construction: “A new dawn for UK construction begins here. It is inevitable that our industry will experience a period of uncertainty and adjustment. Leaving the EU will likely mean UK construction firms will be looking to invest in British products and services like never before.” Reports from some of the major contractors and housebuilders are across the UK show that demand remains strong. From a legislative perspective, a Brexit is unlikely to cause any immediate change, although in the future it may give the UK more flexibility and could see an increase for small to medium sized firms, whilst it remains to be seen how this will impact the workers comprising the construction industry. The immediate threat to the construction industry is widespread uncertainty, but in typically British fashion, it is important for those within to ‘keep calm and carry on!’
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Building with Bytes: How technology can transform your business CONSTRUCTION and building businesses can make life easier with computer technology, despite what the naysayers might say.
new technology at all? The answer is that there is considerable opportunity to save time (and therefore money) and to improve quality.
SMARTPHONES EVERYWHERE It’s interesting. If you see a younger person out and about – and that covers up to age 35 or so – they are most likely to be on their smartphone. Although the over 45s may be sceptical about this technology, younger people aren’t. And younger builders are no exception.
THE PLUSES OF TECHNOLOGY Computers save time when it’s less effort to produce a necessary result than paper based alternatives. It’s not an exaggeration to say that smaller construction companies hate paperwork with a passion. They generally don’t even want to spend any time thinking about it. However, if investing will yield benefits, it has to make sense. The analogy is buying great tools. All successful companies understand that investing in the right tools and training can yield major benefits.
This point about age is a generalisation, but some things are clear. Electronics has advanced steadily in all of our lifetimes, getting cheaper, smaller and faster. And each technology wave has been initially greeted with scepticism, but ended up being widely adopted. That applies to radios, TVs, PCs and now smartphones. Many of these technologies were first used by consumers and later exploited by businesses. I believe that smartphone and other mobile technologies will be no exception. ON THE MOVE Mobile technology is particularly important for field trade businesses including construction because so much happens away from the office. And this particularly applies to smaller construction companies that can’t afford dedicated admin staff. The first question to ask is why would anyone in construction bother with
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Doing paperwork on the job and on a mobile means you don’t need to do it later, getting your evenings back. Emailing paperwork means no messing with envelopes and stamps. You can find things on a computer months later, much more easily. You can re-use previous work. That’s why nowadays even sales people, previously notorious for poor paperwork, are as hooked on computers as anyone else in business. WHAT ELSE? In the last few years, there has been an explosion in systems that can help builders. Risk assessments can be done online and method statements developed. Hours can be tracked. Expenses can be recorded and
customers quoted and invoiced on the spot. OVER THE HORIZON There is a lot more to come. Speech recognition is starting to get good enough to go into general use. It might mean that in a few years all you will need to do is tell your smartphone to invoice the customer. My fellow founder is actually old enough to remember plumbers working on lead piping. Some people considered copper was new-fangled and that it would never catch on. They didn’t do well. It’s good to be cautious as there are certainly some snake oil salesmen out there. However, being too cynical can be bad, especially if you can see adoption starting to happen all around you. My hope is that there is some useful food for thought here that can inform your decisions. Benjamin Dyer CEO & co-founder of Powered Now
VISION LONDON – GAZING INTO THE FUTURE OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT For two days in June Olympia London was host to many of the key players in the future of the built environment at Vision London – from award-winning architects to cutting edge product manufacturers and from innovative contractors to academic giants. Thousands of built environment professionals were there to meet with them, to share their unique experiences and to forge new partnerships for the future. The event featured a wide-ranging programme of free educational sessions across five theatres, a series of technology talks, CPD and product presentations supported by the RIBA, Marshalls, Saint-Gobain and the BRE - an exhibition featuring hundreds of cutting edge products, several innovative features, including A Tension Pavilion, courtesy of StructureMode, Base Structures & Weber Industries and a Virtual Reality Viewpoint, hosted by TruVision plus PechaKucha
sessions curated by New London Architecture and plenty of networking opportunities. “This is a great platform to start to talk about the big leaps forward that we need to be making as an industry. The speaker line up was phenomenal. Some really, really great speakers from architects to manufacturers and suppliers”, said Emma Flynn, Associate/Research & Development Lead, AStudio following her own presentation on the potential for bioresponsive facades alongside Newcastle University’s Professor Rachel Armstrong. The theatres were packed on both days and the morning of sessions covering BIM, sponsored by the Building Research Establishment, was especially popular. “BRE gained a lot of value from attending this year’s Vision event where the focus was on promoting our BIM capability, encompassing
Training, Certification and Advisory Services. We were impressed with the quality of the visitors and were able to have many informed conversations around BIM Level 2 adoption. We look forward to supporting Vision in 2017” said James McLoughlin, Group Marketing Director at the BRE. The exhibition featured many of the major brands and lots of exciting start-ups plus several international companies who had never exhibited in the UK before. “It’s got a very professional feel. It’s very targeted and so the footfall is specifically what it says it is going to be which is architects and specifiers” commented Anna Roochove, Marketing & Business Development Manager at Scotscape who were exhibiting for the second time at Vision. Make a date in your diary for Vision 2017 - 6/7 June!
FTA has mixed feelings about Mayor’s new air quality plans THE Freight Transport Association (FTA) responded to the Mayor of London’s new consultation on air quality issues by expressing some relief but still concern that the proposals will create a significant cost burden, especially for small businesses. Sadiq Khan has launched plans for the toughest crackdown on the most polluting vehicles by any major city around the world. A £10 charge for the most polluting vehicles and an extended Ultra-Low Emission Zone form part of a major public consultation launched last month on the 60th anniversary of the Clean Air Act. FTA called for support as well as regulation to help improve London’s air quality, specifically in the form of a temporary discount on the Congestion Charge ahead of the new start date of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone in 2019. FTA’s Head of National and Regional Policy Christopher Snelling commented: “It is sensible that the initial surcharge next year will focus on much older vehicles which are disproportionately polluting – HGVs
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already work to this standard in London and, whilst it may affect some van operators, it should be manageable.
by offering a temporary discount to the Congestion Charge for compliant vehicles prior to the ULEZ starting.”
“However, the ULEZ starting in 2019 and expanding in 2020 will cause significant issues – especially in the van sector where there will only be two-and-a-half to three years’ worth of compliant vehicles in the fleet. Typically, operators who rely on second-hand vehicles buy at four years old so it will place significant cost burdens on them.”
It is the concern over the effect on small businesses and need for this support that FTA will be putting forward in its response to the consultation.
FTA estimates that to comply with these proposals will cost the average small operator with five vans more than £100,000 extra up front – more than 150% of the Company’s annual turnover. Therefore, this regulation could lock some small businesses out of the London market altogether. Mr Snelling added: “No-one disputes the need to improve air quality. What we do object to is the one-sided nature of these measures – all burden and no support. London could improve air quality more quickly, and reduce the burden on businesses at the same time
Mr Khan’s announcement has been described as the first stage of the Mayor’s Clean Air Consultation with later stages focusing on more detailed assessment around the £10 Emissions Surcharge (‘T-Charge’) and ULEZ. The next stage is due in the autumn. To view the consultation, visit www. london.gov.uk/cleanair. FTA previously warned that London’s proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was only ‘do-able’ due to the geographic area of the zone and if the six-year lead time for HGVs stayed the same, and stated that if either were to be altered due to a change of Mayor, it would cause serious difficulties for businesses.
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Transport Minister announces new industry scheme to cut emissions and save fuel in HGVs
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THE Transport Minister Andrew Jones has announced that a new scheme, developed by LowCVP members, is to be rolled out to support the introduction of lower carbon, fuel saving commercial vehicle technology.
“The UK’s low emission vehicle industry is a huge success story and a source of strength in our economy. This is further proof that the government is leading the way as global demand for these vehicles grows.”
Speaking at the LowCVP’s Annual Conference, the Minister explained that the Low Carbon Accreditation Scheme for HGV technology is designed to tackle one of the main barriers to the adoption of lower carbon, cleaner and more efficient commercial vehicles in the UK.
Commercial vehicles have been contributing a rising share of road transport emissions, and now account for over 30% of the CO2 emissions from the sector. While emissions from HGVs are down by around 9% since 1990 (2014 figs), emissions from vans have grown by 48%.
Andrew Jones said: “We are always looking at new ways to make the vehicles on our roads cleaner and this new scheme will help the freight industry to embrace the latest technology.
The LowCVP-led project has developed an accurate, reproducible and representative procedure for measuring the operations of trucks and vans used for carrying freight.
The procedure enables equipment manufacturers or vehicle operators to conduct robust, repeatable and reliable tests to validate the impact on fuel consumption and emissions of retrofit technology – such as low rolling resistance tyres and aerodynamic additions, or engine efficiency technology – under a range of representative operating conditions. The scheme will provide information on the operational characteristics of the technology, providing practical information to operators on its potential applicability. The test and accreditation scheme is to be focused on proving existing technology in a robust back-to-back comparison under realistic HGV operational scenarios.
Developed with support from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and the Department for Transport (DfT) and also drawing on European work on HGV carbon measurement, the scheme is being introduced following collaboration with key partners involved in the industry including: Horiba Mira, Millbrook, TRL, Michelin, Stobart Group, Mercedes Truck, Transport for London (TfL) and Transport KTN. The initiative aims to stimulate the development of a market for low carbon HGVs by addressing one of the key existing market failures; the fact that operators don’t have a ‘goto’ source of reliable and impartial information about low carbon, fuel saving retrofit technologies. With the launch of the scheme and publication of the testing guidance, project leaders will be engaging with UK operators and the HGV market to disseminate information about the Accreditation Scheme and associated test processes. The LowCVP Managing Director Andy Eastlake said: “Earlier work by the LowCVP identified that the absence of reliable, robust and accessible data was one of the most significant barriers to the adoption of low carbon and fuel saving technology in trucks. “Thanks to the work of many key partners and supporters we believe that this initiative will encourage the adoption of many positive innovations,
saving carbon and costs, and can form the basis for further policy support in this vital road transport sector.” David Blanchard, Performance Durability Technical Specialist at HORIBA MIRA, said: “The work that we have conducted together with the LowCVP has produced a test protocol that has proven to be robust, with excellent repeatability. We are delighted that fleet operators now have an excellent tool to validate fuel saving technology, which we hope will lead to the faster adoption of this technology – ultimately leading to a reduction of tailpipe emissions on the UK’s roads.”
“The UK’s low emission vehicle industry is a huge success story and a source of strength in our economy."
Phil Stones, Chief Engineer, Powertrain, Millbrook Group said: "Millbrook is pleased to have been working on this initiative and is proud to see it coming to fruition. We look forward to continuing to test carbon reducing technologies, from tyre technologies and aerodynamic aids to alternative fuels, under the new scheme.”
Rachael Dillon, FTA’s Climate Change Policy Manager, said: “Adopting operational efficiency measures are key for any commercial fleet operator to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. However too often it is difficult for companies to decipher what the best technologies are out there for them to utilise.
Andrew Lowery, Vice-Chair LoCITY HGV Working Group said: “With a wide range of products and services on the market all aiming to reduce vehicle emissions, it is difficult to know which are the most cost-effective solutions for particular duty cycles. LoCITY therefore welcomes the launch of this technology certification scheme to help better inform fleet operators about how to reduce emissions, cut costs and improve air quality across London and beyond.”
“We welcome and support the Low Carbon Accreditation Scheme developed by the LowCVP to help our members have confidence to invest in technologies that have been independently tested and proven to deliver fuel savings. This accreditation scheme is essential as the sector remains under pressure to reduce fuel use in order to contribute to climate change targets and reduce air pollutants.”
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5 ways effective fleet implementation can benefit your construction company ANY flourishing construction company will face an increased demand for equipment and fleet vehicles. But in a competitive sector, you need to be working smarter than the rest. Construction firms must focus on their logistics operations in order to complete tasks to deadline - by balancing ever increasing workloads and limited manpower with the need for superior customer service. There is far less capacity for site downtime due to vehicular problems, for example, or needing to manage numerous health and safety concerns within tightening legislation. Today’s construction firms need to be firing on all cylinders in order to continue winning the work. Implementing an efficient vehicle
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fleet plan in partnership with a rental provider can play an essential part in bridging the gap between increased work and staff shortages to help construction firms achieve this goal. 1 SAFETY FEATURES TO KEEP VEHICLES ON THE ROAD Ensuring driver, worker and pedestrian safety is a top priority for those in the construction industry. Unsafe situations to, from and on site could have terrible consequences, not only endangering people’s health, but ultimately the reputation and future of the company responsible. According to the Health and Safety Executive, being struck by a moving vehicle is one of the top three self-reported
workplace risks in the construction sector, accounting for around 10% of fatal injuries and 2% of reported non-fatal injuries over the last five years. It continues to be essential, therefore, that fleet and transport managers comply with the latest health and safety legislation in order to reduce this risk. Acquiring new commercial vehicles from your rental partner means your fleet benefits from the latest intuitive safety features. For example rear view cameras and sensors that help drivers avoid dangerous situations and reduce risk to others. GPS tracking solutions/ telematics can also contribute to maintaining safety on site by notifying drivers of site safety hazards like power lines or utilities.
2 ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY Construction is a resource-hungry industry, yet we live in a society which is becoming increasingly aware and concerned with environmental impact. Consequently, UK construction companies have to make sure their fleet operations are as environmentally responsible as possible - not only to meet strict legislation, but also to help provide superior marketability against competitors. As a general rule, the older the vehicle, the higher the levels of harmful exhausts emissions it will emit. The latest European exhaust emissions standard has had a staggered introduction over the past few years, based on vehicle type. Now, new cars, LCVs and HGVs bought in the UK must be Euro 6/VI compliant. This significantly reduces harmful exhaust emissions from both petrol and diesel engines. Purchasing new vehicles to comply with environmental legislation may not be financially feasible for some firms. Therefore finding a vehicle provider who can offer new commercial vehicles means your fleet can reduce its emissions, and dramatically overhaul its environmental impact and public reputation, without causing financial strain. On top of this, new vehicle models often come with the latest technologies, making them safer, more intuitive and more efficient to drive. 3 VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS SUITED TO SPECIALIST NEEDS Since 2015, all LCV conversions must now be type approved separately to the build of the original vehicle.
The type approval process ensures vehicles meet environmental, safety and security standards. Fleet operators are liable for fines and even imprisonment if manufacturers and bodybuilders fail to gain the correct approvals, which can take months to go through. Due to unique operational needs and varied workloads, construction firms have some of the most complex requirements when it comes to bespoke modifications for fleet vehicles. Vehicle leasing companies, such as Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, offer expertise, knowledge and use their buying power to reduce costs and speed up conversion timescales for customers. 4 ONGOING VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS Staying on top of fleet maintenance is an essential safety practice for construction businesses, but also represents one of the biggest costs and toughest practical challenges. Understanding the impact that different industry applications can have on a vehicle and adjusting maintenance schedules accordingly is imperative to avoid dangerous situations and prevent more time-consuming maintenance work further down the line, or unexpected vehicle downtime – which can quickly throw busy work schedules out of sync and eat into profits. This is why a lot of firms turn to the more cost-effective option of working with a good leasing provider - whose entire service is built around keeping customer fleets running. A provider with experience in the construction sector will already have established support networks dedicated to industry-specific vehicle
maintenance schedules and repairs, emergency breakdown cover and even replacement vehicle provision. 5 FAST AND EFFICIENT VEHICLE ACQUISITION Taking all these details into account, purchasing and preparing the perfect commercial vehicle fleet can potentially take a construction company anywhere from nine months up to a full year. Base vehicle models must be acquired, modifications made and type approvals delivered. For many companies, this kind of lead time just isn’t viable. Construction firms often experience peaks and troughs in business demand, according to the season, changing economic conditions and major project wins. In these cases, changing fleet needs must be met within a short timeframe in order for the company to meet work deadlines. Opting for leasing from a trusted provider, like Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, instead of purchasing enables firms to operate more cost-effectively in line with seasonal needs, reducing downtime costs. Flexibility is key to Enterprise Flex-E-Rent - the ability to deliver even the most challenging commercial fleets to clients on a nationwide basis allows construction firms to meet demanding deadlines. With efficient implementation planning, construction firms can obtain vehicles in a fraction of the time it takes to purchase, allowing you to meet your clients’ expectations, and potentially saving you months of costly downtime. To find out more about the vehicles and services Enterprise Flex-E-Rent can offer, visit www.flexerent.co.uk
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If you’re running a fleet of specialist vehicles such as courier vehicles, ambulances, ice cream vans or taxis, look out for cover that has been specially developed to meet your requirements.
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Top Ten Tips for Vehicle Recovery Selection 1. DOES THE COVER FIT YOUR FLEET? There are a variety of breakdown cover types available and not all of these may be suitable for your fleet. Vehicle weight, length and height can all be a factor, particularly when European cover is required, and some cover is tailored to a specific type of vehicle, such as minibuses, motorcycles and HGVs. It is vital to find a breakdown cover provider who can respond quickly with appropriate resources in the event of an incident. 2. WHAT ARE YOUR VEHICLES USED FOR? If you’re running a fleet of specialist vehicles such as courier vehicles, ambulances, ice cream vans or taxis, look out for cover that has been specially developed to meet your requirements. 3. BASIC COVER V. COMPREHENSIVE? Depending on your company policy, you may be looking to cover your fleet as cost effectively as possible or conversely you may be under pressure to arrange the cover with all the bells and whistles! The right cover for your vehicles will depend greatly on a number of factors: how far from base are they travelling? Where are they garaged – on one site or at the drivers’ homes overnight? Will they be travelling outside the UK? Removing services you don’t need can help to keep costs down without leaving your drivers or vehicles stranded when they need assistance. 4. HOW CAN YOU TELL WHETHER THE BREAKDOWN COVER WILL LIVE UP TO THE HYPE? With a plethora of breakdown cover options available, it can be difficult to assess how good the cover actually is – customer service, speed of roadside response and roadside fix rate are all areas that will make the difference between an excellent, satisfactory
or disappointing service. There are independent and objective measures of breakdown cover quality – whether via consumer agencies (such as Which?), industry and supplier awards, comparison websites or social media recommendations. It is worth checking a variety of sources before making your final choice.
8. CONSIDER BUYING ONLINE. Breakdown cover providers often offer special introductory deals to online buyers – and unlike buying over the phone, you can select and pay for your cover online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 9. CHECK THE SMALL PRINT!
5. DO YOU QUALIFY FOR ANY SPECIAL DEALS? Most breakdown cover providers have arrangements with selected trade organisations and business associations, offering preferential rates on breakdown cover as a benefit of membership. If your company is a member of a trade association, check with them whether they have such a scheme in place – or consider becoming a member. In some instances the breakdown cover savings can actually offset the cost of the membership. 6. COULD YOU BENEFIT FROM ‘WHOLE FLEET’ OFFERS? Some breakdown cover policies will allow you to add optional extras such as European cover or parts and labour cover to your whole fleet at a low ‘per vehicle’ cost. This is a cost-effective way of managing additional cover where you may not know in advance which vehicles may require these services. 7. DO YOU HAVE A RAPIDLY CHANGING FLEET? If you think you may regularly need to add or replace vehicles during the course of your breakdown cover period, it’s worth checking with breakdown providers whether they apply any restrictions to amendments that can be made, or whether there is a charge for vehicle substitutions. You may also want to consider setting up a Direct Debit authority to facilitate easier and more convenient payment of prorata fees during the term of cover.
Unless you are purchasing your breakdown cover on a ‘pay-for-use’ basis, it will be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the same way as any other insurance policy. This is good news for business customers as you will benefit from statutory protection if something goes wrong. This includes a 14 day ‘cooling off period’ if you change your mind after purchasing cover, a commitment to provision of full terms and conditions of cover, and strict rules around response to complaints. Remember to keep all of your policy documentation in a safe place in case of any queries. 10. WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE? As technology brings new developments to the breakdown cover marketplace, look out for additional services either as part of the breakdown package or as a bolt-on. Smartphone apps, GPS live-time tracking, telematics, online account management and in-cab entertainment for recovery vehicles could all become an integral part of the breakdown cover offering in the coming years. Check when purchasing if you can benefit from any of these enhancements, either now or in the near future. By Roger Williams, Director, AA Business Services
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CASE and Hodge Plant: A Successful Partnership CASE dealer Hodge Plant Sales Ltd is one of Scotland’s leading sales and equipment rental companies. Based in Blantyre and family-owned, the Business was founded by Alistair Hodge 30 years ago with just one machine. Today, the business has a substantial fleet of premium equipment for sale and rent and also operates Duneaton Quarry in Abington. After three decades of consistent growth, and as part of their ongoing expansion plans, the Company wanted to increase its plant sales by becoming a dealer for a premier manufacturer. In 2013 they were appointed as the CASE dealer for Scotland, a partnership which has proved to be highly successful for both parties. As part of this new business enterprise they moved into larger premises, enabling them to increase the size of their service workshops and further develop the parts facility. To provide additional support to the new venture they also appointed dedicated sales people to develop the CASE business across Scotland. The Company offers a full range of CASE heavy and compact line equipment, including the latest industry
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leading D Series crawler excavators, renowned F Series wheel loaders, plus mini excavators and skid steer loaders. Alistair Hodge explains why he wanted to work with the CASE brand: “Over the last 10 - 15 years the plant sector has become extremely competitive. With more companies now chasing the same thing, you need to be able to
offer customers a great package. We had been looking for about two years for a premium brand of construction equipment. We felt the CASE full product line was a perfect fit for our future plans for machinery sales, plus the brand has a very loyal following in Scotland. With a competitive range of machines for all types of applications,
built to be reliable, fuel efficient and offer great performance, together with excellent backup, we were confident it was the right choice. The increase we have achieved in market share over the past three years has proven it to be a good decision. “We have also attracted a lot of a big customers to the CASE brand, including Gordon Bow, Elliot Henderson and Duncan Plant. Being able to provide excellent customer service and backup is a crucial element of our business. We have five full-time fitters based at our Hamilton depot preparing new machines to go out as well as doing the day-to-day servicing work.” Moving forward, the Company has significant plans for expanding all sectors of the business. To further increase the CASE business they have recently opened a new depot in Nain, in the Scottish highlands, to support its growing customer base in this region. The new site will provide a full range of services including sales, service and maintenance. They have also recently purchased a two-acre site adjacent to their Hamilton HQ, to accommodate a new workshop, spray painting and refurbishment divisions.
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EXPERTS FOR THE REAL WORLD SINCE 1842
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Graham Hasting-Evans – Managing Director of the National Open College Network (NOCN) – speaks exclusively to UK Construction Excellence about the skills shortage, construction workers from the European Union, and the importance of giving people a chance.
CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT OF YOUR BACKGROUND? I am a chartered civil engineer and have been in the construction industry for over 40 years. I’ve worked in Europe, the Far East, the Middle East and, of course, in Britain. As Head of Apprenticeship I was responsible for employment skills during the London Olympics. I now work for NOCN, which is engaged in quite a few construction apprenticeships, and we are also working on projects such as the Hinkley Point power station. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE CURRENT SKILLS SHORTAGE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? There are three issues that I think contribute towards skill shortages. One is the industry itself. It’s a tough job; you’re out in all weathers so it isn’t as attractive as sitting in a nice warm office. By its very nature the industry will always have difficulty getting recruits. It’s a bit like coal mining and steel making in those long ago times; it’s not an attractive industry necessarily. You then add onto that the boom and bust cycle. All governments do it, whatever their political colours. If they want to inflate the economy they spend a lot on construction, particularly public sector infrastructure or housing, and then you get a skills boom. When the economy is in trouble, which happens roughly every eight years, they slam on the brakes and construction gets halted. This creates a situation where, even when you have skilled somebody up, the industry hits a recession and they are out of work. They find employment
in other sectors and don’t come back. So, you have quite a high churn rate in the industry and people are probably getting older by then too. Some do drop out, although we have a lot of skilled workers that are older and we do have a demographic problem in the industry. It is those two factors that contribute towards the skills problems within the industry, I think. I don’t believe the construction levy causes the skills problem; in fact I think that if we hadn’t had the levy for the last 50 years, the skills problem in the construction industry would be even worse than it is. That is quite an important point because the levy is under pressure at the moment with the introduction of the Government’s apprenticeship levy, which they are bringing in without sufficient thought as to what could happen. The third factor is training capacity. There is a fair amount of training capacity in the ‘biblical’ skills; bricklayers, plumbers, carpenters, and electricians - the older trades if you think of it that way. There’s not a phenomenal amount of training capacity in infrastructure type skills such as civil engineering, concreting or formworking. Plant operating is better and that is primarily due to JCB as they run a plant training skills programme and have done so since the Olympics. There are major parts of the industry where there really isn’t the training capacity, but an oversupply in capacity exists in other areas so it then becomes difficult to uniformly train to match the skills demand from in the industry. This creates a mismatch in skills in training capacity.
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HOW IS NOCN PLAYING ITS PART IN TRYING TO TACKLE TRAINING PEOPLE AND THINGS LIKE THAT? We obviously work with training providers, employers and major projects like Hinkley Point. What we’ve been doing specifically is to start to add qualifications and apprenticeships into areas that previously didn’t have them. We do the biblical training but we have put a particular focus on helping to fill in the gaps where there has been a lack of training resource or qualifications and a lack of apprenticeships. For example, on Hinkley Point we have bought in a number of infrastructure civil engineering apprenticeships working with industry and EDF. We have also worked in London with Lambeth College and with Canary Wharf to bring in reinforced concrete formwork training and apprenticeships. We are doing the same in the north around Gateshead and the Sheffield area. We perceive there to be a particular area where we can add some experience and try to help fill that gap, and it is predominately in the
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civil engineering infrastructure area; that’s where some of the worst skills deficiencies are. I’m not saying there’s not in the other areas as well but the new forms of construction is where we have been trying to plug the gap. COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE TRAILBLAZER APPRENTICE SCHEME? We are involved in quite a number of the construction trailblazers. A member of our Board of Trustees chairs all the construction trailblazers for the Government. So, we as an organisation are working ‘across the piste’; none of them are finished yet but there quite a few of them that are close to being ready for approval. Again, we have been focusing on areas where there has been traditionally no proper training, no proper apprenticeships or a poor quality of apprenticeships. This means civil engineering, infrastructure, piling, steel erections - those areas where there just hasn’t been the training or structured training and process in place so we carried through that thrust into the trailblazers. The thing that worries me, and I know
it worries lots of people, is it takes a long time to develop the trailblazer. They have been at it a few years, which to me is too long. Although I support the policy thrust of improving the quality of apprenticeships and broadening out the range of apprenticeships. DO YOU THINK ENOUGH IS BEING DONE TO ENCOURAGE MORE MATURE PEOPLE TO RETRAIN IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE APPRENTICESHIPS SCHEMES SEEM TO BE TARGETING YOUNG PEOPLE? I think they do need to encourage people and it is interesting that on quite a few of our apprenticeships we do get older people. In fact, I would say that half the people are adults that are unemployed. We as a charity started off helping the unemployed to get into work - that is why we were set up 30 years ago. I think more needs to be done to encourage adults into these apprenticeships and that can be done for people that are not just unemployed but those in the
workforce that are perhaps labourers with limited skills. They could go into an apprenticeship and become an excavator driver, a steel fixer or roofer for example. Most of the employers see upskilling the existing workforce as an important aspect. In that sense, the employers have got a different view than the Government. The Government focus is all about young apprentices. I think there should be a focus on young apprentices but not at the expense of adult apprentices. They should be encouraging upskilling in the workforce. DO YOU THINK OLDER PEOPLE GET THE OPPORTUNITY OR THERE IS A BIASED TOWARDS YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?
There is nothing in the industry that stops it. Its government policy I think, influencing where they put the money. If they put the money into younger people, it draws people in that direction. The Government has not focused enough on adult skills and they have spent too much time and money focusing on younger people. DO YOU THINK TRAINING AND EMPLOYING EX-OFFENDERS MIGHT OFFER A SOLUTION TO SOME OF THE PROBLEMS? Quite a lot of prisoners do go into construction. I don’t know the full percentage but I think about 6070% of prisoners find their way into construction because it is an open industry if you can get the skills and it is a real opportunity to upskill people.
do the work, we don’t care. There is no prejudice in the industry around that but the concern that people have got is drug taking. Most roles involve handling some type of tools or machinery, therefore they have to be clean. Otherwise, it’s a massive health and safety risk both to themselves and others. That’s the issue - they would be more worried about drug taking rather than whether you have been in prison or not. DO YOU THINK ENOUGH IS BEING DONE TO PROMOTE THE BENEFITS TO EMPLOYERS OF APPRENTICESHIPS FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MEDIA?
The industry in my experience is quite open. We even take people out of prison when other industries won’t. It is quite an open and welcoming industry, though probably not for women but that is changing.
The construction industry doesn’t have that bias as long as you are honest on the site. Obviously they won’t make you the Financial Director if you’ve been in for fraud!
I think you literally have two parts of the construction industry. You’ve got the civil engineering infrastructure part and you’ve got the building part. In the building part there has been a long history of apprenticeships so the Government almost doesn’t need to promote them; it is in the psyche.
There isn’t any problem with them taking older people; there is no issue.
In my time, I have worked with people that were ex-prisoners; as long as they
In the civil engineering infrastructure side, that’s not so true and therefore I
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think there is a need. The Government produced the infrastructure report about a year ago and talked about the skills gap in infrastructure but beyond that you don’t hear very much about it from them. DO YOU THINK IT JUST LIP SERVICE OR DO YOU THINK MAYBE THEY ARE JUST PRIORITISING OTHER AREAS? I don’t think they have followed it through. At the moment, while they can draw in skilled labour from Europe they are less worried. Following the EU referendum that may be different! At the moment the industry has been able to fill most of the skills gap from Europe and therefore there has been less spent on it. The big worry in the industry is that the apprenticeship levy is going to damage training because it is going to replace – or it is thought it is going to replace – the CITB levy or that they are not going to work well together.
Therefore the impact of the apprenticeship levy is seen as fairly negative. I know that is strange as a lot of the industry is working to improve apprenticeships. I think there are two parts of government policy here which are related but aren’t necessarily linked. To improve the quality of the apprenticeships, you could do without bringing in the levy because the construction industry could do that and keep the existing levy but the Government isn’t allowing that.
is the ECITB levy which has been in place for over 50 years. In my view, the Government should not implement the apprenticeship levy in those areas. They should keep the existing levy but bring in the new style of apprenticeships, but they are not doing that. They are bringing in the levy without any understanding and without any agreement as to how they might work with the old levy and what the future of the old levy is. That uncertainty is causing considerable concern in the industry.
They’re saying that everybody, including the construction industry, has to pay the apprenticeship levy and the way that is panning out at the moment is not being made clear. We still don’t have a clear set of information on how the levy is going to work even though it is supposed to be coming in April next year. What the construction industry has been told so far is causing considerable alarm and there are real thoughts that the number of apprentices will be cut from the construction industry, which is really worrying.
THERE ARE A LOT OF WORKERS COMING FROM EUROPE COMING INTO BRITAIN; DO WE LOSE A LOT OF OUR WORKERS GOING TO WORK IN THE EU?
It is a real worry and that is because the Government has failed, in my view, to work out how it brings the general apprenticeship levy into sectors that never had a levy before. For sectors like construction and engineering there
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Not as many as come back. No, I would say inevitably some go abroad, some go to the Middle East - the Gulf States. In fact, we train people and employers send them off to the Gulf States, so that happens and that has always happened in the industry. I did my time in the Middle East and the Far East; it is a global industry, the British construction industry. There are the opportunities to work all over the world and that has been the case for a long time. We will get some of our workers who will go and work abroad but that is
small compared to the workers coming in from Europe. They are coming in because they are better trained and they have got the appropriate skills which we don’t seem to be able to train and develop in the UK. We are back then to my point about a mismatch in training capacity and resource in the UK. We just haven’t got the training resource and capacity aligned with the demand of the industry and therefore the gap is then filled from people coming from Europe who are trained in that way and have got better apprenticeship systems. The Northern European countries - so that’s Scandinavia, Germany, the old Eastern Bloc countries - have got a good quality of apprenticeship systems as we did about 30 years ago. Unfortunately, we let ours go and we are now trying to rebuild it so our workers are able to come in and get job ready. If you’re an employer and you need somebody, you’re going to take them. You don’t have any alternative. They are European citizens so they can currently come here ready to work and they have a great work ethic. The operative level – the crafts people - are the ones coming in from Europe
and we are not growing enough of our own of those. Progressively, we’re not growing enough technicians, project managers and engineers. Perhaps in previous times we had a reasonable number of the level 4’s and above but even that now is starting to become a problem and a skills gap. So when you get in to the level 4’s and above, you are now starting to see skills gaps and people having to be brought in from Europe, and interestingly probably more from outside Europe and even from the Commonwealth. The numbers coming in are much greater than the numbers going out, and we have to bring them in because we just cannot grow or seem incapable of growing enough of own resources to fill the gaps. That leads us back to the gaps in training resource capacity. The Government is probably not making the industry attractive enough, all of these factors start hitting together, and we end up with skills gaps. WHAT’S OBVIOUS FROM YOUR BACKGROUND IS THAT YOU DON’T WRITE PEOPLE OFF AND ARE WILLING TO PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH THE SKILLS TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE YOUR ETHIC BEHIND THIS?
We are the only awarding organisation and apprenticeship assessment organisation that is a leader in diversity. Our charity started from not writing people off and giving everybody a chance. I have always believed before I joined NOCN that we should give people a chance and most people respond well. It is very rare that somebody doesn’t respond. I remember many years ago I had a gang served up to me because they were useless. I suppose they changed my mind on the training, I was a young manager at the time and I asked them why they were the lowest performers. They said they have never been properly trained. I sent them on a three-week training course and within six months they were my best gang. It was a personal experience; it taught me not to write anybody off and deal with the problem. If you train people properly, most people – in my experience – want to do a good job. It’s training, explaining, managing and all the rest of it. So, it’s in my personal ethos but it’s been ground into NOCN; it is its reason for being. Hence, it’s a leader in diversity: we don’t write anybody off.
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Redefining Best Practice:
An Exclusive Interview with Mark Bew MBE, BIM Task Group
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WHETHER we realise it or not, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is redefining industry best practice. Decades of entrenched process are being streamlined to create a more collaborative and efficient way of working, though the transition itself has been anything but easy. In a UK Construction Excellence exclusive, Mark Bew - Chairman of the BIM Task Group - offers a retrospective look at the Government’s BIM Level 2 mandate, his thoughts on Level 3 and beyond, and an appraisal of the industry’s current progression towards digitalisation. HOW DO YOU FEEL THE INDUSTRY IS PROGRESSING IN TERMS OF ITS BIM ADOPTION? HAS THE BIM LEVEL 2 MANDATE HELPED TO KICKSTART THE PROCESS? It’s very easy for those in the UK to look at what we’ve achieved, forgetting where we started from four years ago. I’ve spent a fair amount of time out of the country looking at other nations – in Europe and Australia, for example – and it’s only when you go elsewhere that you realise just how far we’ve come. Bill Gates once said: “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten”. That very much applies to BIM, I think. We’ve made a staggering improvement – a step change – but the more you look around, the more you realise that BIM and the digital transformation is happening and that we’re taking it for granted. The Government’s intervention, the technology becoming ubiquitous, the younger generations coming out of universities with an iPad underneath each arm – each of these factors have come together to form a perfect moment. If you look at our BIM journey and the mandate intervention, most surveys reckon that we’re 40% to 60% through the process. If those surveys are to be believed, we’ve moved across all of the public sector plus a lot of the private sector market. We know that there’s a massive tail in construction, from Tier 1 contractors to smaller companies, but the reality is
that it’s unlikely that jobbing builders are going join into BIM in our career lifetime because there are no barriers to entry. If, in the future, we start to see planning regulations change as they have done in Singapore – where you now have to submit a model to receive planning permission – things will move even further. Where we are right now is pretty much where I’d like to be however; probably better than I had hoped in many ways. WITH THE MANDATE NOW BEHIND US, WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE INDUSTRY IN TERMS OF BIM IMPLEMENTATION? DO YOU THINK LEVEL 3 WILL BE MANDATED AS LEVEL 2 WAS, FOR INSTANCE? We’re committed to setting a date at some point in the future, though we can’t mandate something without knowing what it is. Once I have that clarity in my own mind, along with the support of the public sector, we can make another intervention. Right now, our focus is on driving benefit from Level 2, increasing market capacity and growing exports, while also ramping up the Level 3 Digital Built Britain team. We’ve started to put that team into place and I’m hopeful that the contract for the first piece of feasibility design will be out fairly soon. Level 3 is a quantum of scale larger than Level 2. It’s going to be a lot more complex but we’ll also have five times more budget per year to ensure that it’s done professionally, as Level 2 was. Contractors often risk falling into the trap of thinking “I’m here to build this” rather than “I’m building an environment for people to thrive in”. It’s an idea that the industry has yet to get its head around. It’s not good enough to just throw buildings up. You need to build something that adds lasting value to businesses and lives. The social impact is much more critical than the cost of the building itself. I think the construction industry will have a Volkswagen moment in the next decade. The public will suddenly realise that the things we’re building don’t work very well, and there will be enough data available publically for someone to create an app and hold the industry accountable. That data will drive out bad practice.
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BROADLY SPEAKING, ARE THE ‘BIM4’ ORGANISATIONS – BIM4SMES FOR INSTANCE – SUCCEEDING IN ENGAGING THEIR RESPECTIVE SECTORS? The supply chain coming together to create the BIM4s is, in my view, essential – though it’s a shame that the big Tier 1 contractors haven’t been able to find a bit of money to engage the public and the supply chain in the process. A little investment would drive massive amounts of goodwill, I think. The BIM Task Group has spent a lot of time kickstarting and supporting the BIM4s, but it would be wrong for a public client or government to actually fund them. I’m currently working with two or three groups including the UK BIM Alliance to find out what things might look like post-September, when the market takes ownership of Level 2. At that point, there needs to be some sort of coalition inside the supply chain that can help bring together responses and messaging. Using what we’ve learnt over the last
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four years, this should be possible. ARE SMES IN DANGER OF BEING LEFT BEHIND? WHAT HAS THE BIM TASK GROUP DONE TO BOLSTER THEIR UPTAKE? We’ve spoken to people in businesses with 1 to 100 employees and their feedback is that the Government doesn’t listen, provide access or pay on time. In truth, the same is true of most clients or organisations, whether you’re a Tier 1 or a one-man band. The problem we’ve got is the impact of those behaviours on smaller businesses. Ultimately, BIM isn’t going to help with that but if we can use BIM as a Trojan Horse to articulate the problem further up the tree, we may start to see some traction. Project bank accounts have made sure that SMEs are paid on time, for example, while free access to the BIM4s has improved SME inclusion and
diversity. It’s never perfect for everyone but we’ve tried to break down any barriers where possible. HOW IMPORTANT IS EDUCATION IN MAKING BIM STANDARD PRACTICE? There are two parts to this, the first being ‘is Level 2 possible?’ In 2011, we set the standard and established our perspective on how the industry might get there. The challenge is now ‘how can we get everyone doing it?’ The major role of education is to grow capacity so that we can follow through with what we’ve set out and consistently deliver on those 15% to 20% savings. The fact that we have a clear methodology around strategy, process, training, delivery and support has given us an edge over other nations.
There is another role around education, which is research. Universities are already investigating Level 3 which is absolutely crucial. We need those brains because they will be the ones improving capacity at the bottom of the pile. We’re also on what is now our third iteration of the Learning Outcomes Framework. We’ve given complete clarity to the market as to what our expectations are for learning, and we have engaged the education sector to chair and run that piece of work with our help and support. Finally, we are looking at an
accreditation programme for all training and delivery services to maintain quality and consistency. TO DATE, BIM UPTAKE HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY THE GOVERNMENT. ENGAGING PRIVATE SECTOR CLIENTS IS CRUCIAL HOWEVER. IS THE PRIVATE SECTOR AMENABLE TO CHANGE? ARE PRIVATE SECTOR CLIENT BEGINNING TO SPECIFY BIM LEVEL 2 IN THEIR PROJECTS? For sure. We’ve worked with a lot of developers – in London especially – and, as we all know, they’re a hardnosed and financially focused bunch. They wouldn’t specify BIM without reason. According to Great Portland Estates, for every pound spent they have received two in return. That kind of commitment to BIM shows what’s possible. It’s the same with the Tier 1’s – some of them are doing spectacular things
with BIM. I was with a Tier 1 the other day and over half of their projects are now Level 2 compliant from a portfolio some three or four hundred strong. No-one – including the Government or client – is perfect at this at the moment, but we’re much better than we were four years ago and we’re going to be even better in four years’ time. That is the nature of the journey we’re on. I recently chaired a session at an ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers) event. The room was full of government clients, designers, consultants and contractors. It was amazing. That cohort of individuals would never have entertained a conversation about data two or three years ago and yet, all of a sudden, it’s at the top of their agenda. That shift has come about so quickly. It’s hugely exciting, and the fact that the UK is leading the way is a really exciting opportunity for us all.
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Construction Software: Is digitisation the industry’s newest differentiator? SOFTWARE is currently revolutionising not only the way in which buildings are conceived and constructed but also how they are operated and maintained.
Just Housing Group (JHG), an east London-based housing and support services company, is one such organisation.
The lofty concept of Building Information Modelling (BIM), first endorsed by central government in May 2011, has brought about renewed interest in 3D modelling software and the possibilities it affords collaborative thinking throughout the construction process.
Working in partnership with the Derbyshire-based social landlord Futures Housing Group, JHG has implemented an extensive procurement system which has allowed the social housing provider to make substantial efficiency savings, curtail unnecessary spend and avoid potential pitfalls in the Group’s contract management programme.
BIM is but one avenue however, and companies across the supply chain are now beginning to consider how the right software might revolutionise their business.
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The software management system integrates a full contracts register with supplier performance management
and contract compliance monitoring – effectively handling the delivery of multiple contracts across a housing portfolio some 8,000 properties strong, while simultaneously creating opportunities for increased efficiency. The results are undeniable. In recent months, Futures Housing Group has been hailed as a beacon for contract management delivery, having secured ‘Contract Management Initiative of the Year’ at the Government Opportunities (GO) Excellence in Public Procurement Awards and an ACA Annual Award for Innovation in Partnering. John Thornhill, Procurement and Contracts Manager for Futures
Housing Group, said: “We needed an uncomplicated system that would appeal to service users yet provide a robust platform of recording and monitoring contracts that leaves service users able to get on with their day jobs. “In the background, the JHG system keeps an eye on progress providing timely contractor surveys and assessments. It drives our procurement programme allowing my team to provide budget holders ample time to help us prepare for re-tender.” Ian Hippach, Partner at Just Housing Group and Head of the Group’s Systems and Technology Division added: “We are delighted to have implemented a system that has transformed the way in which Futures Housing Group works with its contractors and as such has led the housing association to now be seen as an innovative and progressive leader in the supply chain.” Elsewhere, Essential Living – a developer and operator of private rental homes in the UK – has employed similar methods to better manage its own portfolio, which includes a pipeline of 5,000 households across London and the south east. Sophisticated new procurement software has enabled Essential Living to track project spend against budget for greater control over cost and expenditure. The entire purchase to pay workflow cycle has been bolstered by a flexible web portal for invoice approval by authorised personnel, while a range of comprehensive reports offer an instant view of all business operations.
transmitted to a secure webpage where all information relating to that asset can be accessed. This information is, in turn, providing Highways England with a fuller picture of their assets as Highways England’s Project Manager, Ben Ridgeon, explains: “Managing and tagging assets using intelligent software has many benefits, not only in recording the location of that equipment but, more crucially, in monitoring that asset in the future. “With such heavy usage on our assets, wear and tear is inevitable. By using a system where we can record and maintain a large amount of data on a range of different equipment, we can improve accuracy on the condition of those assets.” Online innovation is also rationalising business process. Much has been made of cloud computing, for instance – an approach which employs a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than using a local server or a personal computer. Research indicates that 90% of all UK businesses are now using at least one cloud based service. For the construction industry, this could lead to efficiency improvements, greater flexibility throughout the supply chain and truly collaborative working. Pete Watson, CEO of Atlas Cloud – a UK firm of 3D virtualisation specialists – adds: “Cloud based software allows the site worker, the home worker, the worker on the move, and the worker at the international office to connect to a virtual workspace from everywhere. It’s a strategic fit with the very nature
of the work of the construction industry, where collaboration and communication are key. “IT was once a central overhead for construction companies. But embracing cloud connectivity could allow firms to save money, working on cost-per-user basis, dependant on the number of people working on a project.” Historically, the construction industry has been slow to embrace innovation, but these examples underscore the impact of construction software on business performance and process. When implemented correctly, the right software can revolutionise the way in which companies do business and, in a highly competitive landscape, this may prove to be the deciding factor. Conversely, if the software chosen is a poor fit for the business or implemented incorrectly, the results can be disastrous. Considerable investment is therefore critical – both financially and in terms of time, training and manpower. Such costs can easily spiral out of control however. Companies are therefore urged to exercise caution when implementing new systems. What are your requirements? What alternatives are there? Is the software being used to its fullest or is it an unnecessary drain on resources? April’s BIM Level 2 mandate marked the most recent milestone in the construction industry’s cultural shift towards digital integration. Increasingly, software is proving the differentiator, and those businesses that opt not to invest risk being left behind.
INTELLIGENT SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS Intelligent software is, of course, a natural fit for asset management. As such, Highways England has piloted an innovative new asset tool, RedBite, to better monitor the condition of highway infrastructure, such as street lighting and drainage. The trial forms part of Highways England’s £88.4M A160 Port of Immingham improvement programme, intended to upgrade access to one of the UK’s busiest ports. Using RedBite, contractors are now able to ‘tag’ Highways England owned assets. Once tagged, data can be
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WHY MODERN TECHNOLOGY IS ESSENTIAL FOR IMPROVING EFFICIENCIES WITHIN YOUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT Find out why construction software is an essential part of efficient projects.
For many construction companies, business is looking up. In particular, investment in the infrastructure, housing and leisure sectors is providing new opportunities for contractors of all sizes that could continue to 2020 and beyond. But a less competitive tendering environment doesn’t mean you can sit back and watch the profits roll in. As demand for new projects grows, day-to-day supply chain management across several jobs can become more of a challenge. Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reports that the demand for cost and project management skills is growing. After all, maintaining - and improving - efficiency and productivity is key to controlling spiralling costs and maximising profits. And with the pressure on margins resulting from high subcontractor and supplier bills, it can be difficult to identify the cash flow areas that need most attention. Eque2, leading software provider to the construction industry, believes that using specialist construction software will help your company to move forward. Wes Simmons, Managing Director of Eque2, says; “The construction industry faces many threats when it comes to cash flow. Specialist software can help budget, forecast and prepare tender documents – the only way to move forward as a company is by moving with technology.” KNOW THE MAGIC NUMBERS So why do some construction companies thrive when others dive? It all comes down to data. The 2014 IDG/Sage ‘Impact of Data Effectiveness’ study found that companies with more effective data grow 35% faster, not only in financial terms but also on other business outcomes like customer service, compliance, risk evaluation and forecasting. Improving the accessibility, usability, quality and intelligence of data has a direct and positive impact on a business’s success.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH SPREADSHEETS? Spreadsheets don’t cut it. They’re simply not designed for complex construction projects with multiple inputs and outputs - they’re basic data analysis tools, not databases, and are prone to errors. Anyone who has tried to use a spreadsheet to plan a complex project, collaborate with remote team members, or maintain transparency across the business will have struggled to meet their needs. Although spreadsheets do have their place as supporting documents, they’re not up to the job of driving your whole business. YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS ROBUST, MODERN TECHNOLOGY The solution, of course, is to invest in specialist construction software that puts essential data at your fingertips, tracks resources and cash flow in real time, and indicates where to focus your attention when it’s needed the most.
It can seem daunting to move to a technology-based solution but in reality most specialist construction software has a tried and tested implementation methodology and is easy to use, saving precious staff time as soon as it is in place while also helping a business to identify, manage and mitigate risk. SO WHAT T YPES OF SOFT WARE ARE OUT THERE FOR MAKING YOUR PROJECTS MORE EFFICIENT? 1 CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNTING AND ERP SOFTWARE When you’re managing quotes, invoices, cash flow, orders, VAT returns, bank reconciliation, budgets, reports and HMRC legislation, you’ll need real-time financial information that can be easily converted into documentation. You or your finance department know best what will suit your processes but good accounting or ERP software will improve commercial and financial efficiency throughout the contracting lifecycle. 2 HOUSE BUILDING SOFTWARE With house building beginning to thrive once more, contractors need flexible software that tracks every stage of the process, from site acquisition to after-sales care. Speed, efficiency and accuracy are key to competitive advantage and specialist house building software keeps track of both build management and sales levels. 3 CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATING, COST PLANNING AND POST-CONTRACT SOFTWARE A successful bid strategy requires a multi-user system that still keeps tight control of extensive information. Estimating, cost planning and post-contract software should help you to easily manage subcontractor bids and produce accurate and consistent tenders, budget cost plans, valuations and final accounts. Look for a solution that has been designed to ensure that your resources are maximised and your margins maintained, and to allow provision of early cost advice to your clients. The right software will give you the competitive advantage you’ve been looking for, allowing you to control costs, improve efficiencies and concentrate on the job at hand - that is, making a profit. Eque2 provides a variety of modern scalable solutions that are tailored to the construction and contracting industry and suitable for all sizes of business, helping you to more effectively manage your cash flow and improve your margins. To discuss your business or for more information contact Eque2 on 0845 080 4940, construction@eque2.com
Inside the Tornado FROM construction to the public sector, insurance to retail, virtually every organisation is looking hard at the Internet of Things (IoT) to assess opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs and enhance customer experience. The networks are in place and the devices available by the billions – but how can organisations actively make sense of the data tornado delivered by IoT to realise the benefits? These connected devices must be continuously available to drive realtime operations, from preventative maintenance to proactive customer communications. In addition to the investment in devices and networks, where is the infrastructure to store and analyse the data and then immediately deliver it back to operational systems? With many organisations yet to determine exactly where IoT will deliver financial returns, and how much, the challenge of interlinking so many complex components with no proven business case is a potential stumbling block. Yet there are serious benefits to be attained with the right approach.
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PERFECT STORM The widespread deployment of high bandwidth mobile networks in tandem with the creation of a vast array of low cost sensor devices has created a perfect storm: the IoT is now both viable and affordable. But while organisations are flocking to device vendors in a bid to get involved, there are two major stumbling blocks: defining the business outcome and creating the business case. The business outcome is, of course, easier to define in some markets than others. Within the construction industry, for example, downtime due to equipment failure can have very significant consequences, especially given the use of penalties for late completion. With projects run on very tight timelines, failure of one piece of equipment can knock out the whole schedule. The chance to leverage IoT data to embrace proactive maintenance is, therefore, compelling. With real time information from sensors measuring temperature, vibration and current, for example, an organisation can track
variances to identify likely problems and undertake preventative equipment maintenance. To realise this vision requires an investment not only in multiple sensors but also a secure wireless mesh network, database to store the information and an analytics tool that can identify trends in temperature variation and flag up those pieces of equipment at risk before they fail. In this case, replacing the traditional break/fix model with a proactive approach significantly reduces the likelihood of downtime, producing immediate savings that can make the IoT business case. QUESTIONS QUESTIONS In other markets, however, the business case is less clear cut and will demand rigorous analysis of data collected from sensors to reveal potential opportunities. How much, for example, will customers pay to sign up for a parking service that leverages IoT to both identify available parking spaces and allocate them to individuals on the fly? Is the model workable and will the demand justify the up-front investment in sensors, networks and cloud based data storage and analytics?
The insurance industry is also massively interested in the data that could be collected via IoT - most notably the wearable technologies that track everything from an individual’s blood pressure to daily activity. The potential of this information has actuaries salivating – but issues of personal data protection and data security are a concern. Again, would individuals be willing to sign up? Given the somewhat nebulous nature of many potential business cases, organisations are questioning how best to embrace IoT without incurring massive up-front costs. While individual device price is low, many IoT deployments will require hundreds if not thousands of devices. Add in the costs associated with the network infrastructure, which will require more than one network to ensure resilient 24x7 operations, plus the need for massive storage and excellent analytics to make sense of the data, and this is no simple deployment. END TO END There are growing alliances between technology vendors and a strong move
to develop IoT standards. However, the majority of organisations just want a simple, single vendor model; an approach that enables them to embrace the IoT concept without huge upheaval or investment. End to End IoT integrators will have an increasing role to play in enabling organisations to realise their IoT visions; but organisations need to make sure that this new generation of service providers can offer all the critical elements of the IoT solution – not just devices and network transport. And this is key because once the end to end IoT deployment is in place, organisations have a wealth of data that can be used to drive incremental business value. Within construction, for example, while the preventative maintenance value justifies the initial IoT deployment, the data also enables a company to gain far more insight into the overall performance of equipment within different construction environments, supporting better long term planning. Performance information can also be consolidated into Key Performance
Indicator (KPI) dashboards; to ensure everyone from maintenance experts to site managers have real time access. A concrete example is temperature sensor data collection while concrete is being poured – in order to prevent cracking, the temperature of concrete has to remain within certain ranges during the pouring process. By measuring this and producing a report, a construction company can mitigate against future liability. In addition, this information can be securely shared with relevant third parties, such as insurers, risk assessors, academics, equipment design and manufacturers, building management companies, and used by the customer services team to undertake proactive communications programmes. Given the potential business benefits on offer, IoT is the hottest tech ticket around right now for good reason. But organisations need to be aware that while data is a critical part of the solution it is just a part. Without every component of the solution in place and a trusted end to end provider, organisations will struggle to make any sense of this data storm and fail to make a compelling business case.
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Lessons learned from the Cumbria floods – how one devastated school successfully overcame the immediate challenges UNPRECEDENTED flooding across Cumbria was caused by storms and when the banks of the River Eden burst, havoc was wreaked in homes, schools and businesses, affecting around 3,000 children in the region. After tremendous effort, Cumbria County Council and the schools involved were able to ensure that all children could return to classes for the start of the spring term in either adapted buildings or interim teaching accommodation. The worst-hit school was Newman Catholic School, a secondary school and sixth form in Carlisle which was irreparably damaged – and flooded for the second time since 2005. Flood
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waters rose to 7ft, with most of the ground level rooms and facilities left under heavily contaminated water. There was extensive water damage to the science laboratories, data communications, ICT suites, chapel, main hall, sports halls, children’s work, and precious exam coursework. The teaching staff had to begin almost from scratch but the first priority was to get Christmas back on the agenda for the children, demonstrating that the school was still serving the local community, even though its building was not. The Christmas carol concert went ahead at another local school and was a resounding success.
FIRST PHASE EMERGENCY RESPONSE The Portakabin local emergency response team had its first meeting with the school within days of the disaster and plans to re-open on the site of a former primary school were put into action with additional interim classrooms being installed very quickly. This could ensure the facilities would be in place for the start of the spring term for its 650 pupils. 12 single classroom buildings were supplied complete with furniture, data communications and alarm systems as a first response to get the school up and running again while a longerterm accommodation solution could
benches laid out in islands, washing machine, tumble dryer, large freezer, dishwasher, and under work-top fridges. • The science laboratories are fitted with non-slip vinyl flooring, fume cupboards, air extraction and ventilation, gas taps, sinks, data connections, and two laboratories have adjacent preparation rooms. • The sixth form common room was supplied with a fitted kitchen area, dining furniture and soft seating. be designed and constructed. Each building provided open-plan teaching space for around 34 children to supplement the former primary school facility. A BESPOKE INTERIM SCHOOL SOLUTION 24 general classrooms and highly fitted out specialist rooms including for ICT, design and technology, food technology and science were then delivered to site to help create the interim school. The buildings totalling 2,100sq m were supplied in just 12 weeks, designed and built to permanent standards, and will be in use until a long-term solution is developed. Portakabin provided Cumbria County Council with a full service for Newman School’s new site following the flood disaster – ground works for the buildings, all fitting out, air conditioning, fire and security alarm systems, access ramps and walkways, emergency lighting, furniture, service connections and data communications. The scheme also included the provision of sports changing rooms, shower and toilet facilities, and a furnished sixth form common room. The general and specialist classrooms were configured as 12 double classroom blocks which are located on either side of a central ‘street’. Some of the buildings are linked together, and all the rooms have movement sensors to reduce energy consumption. Much of the lost equipment was replaced and fully fitted: • The design and technology rooms have air conditioning, extraction fans, a store room and laser cutting room, interactive white boards, pillar drills, and 3D printers. • The food technology classrooms have sinks and drainers, microwaves, hobs and ovens, hard-wearing work tops, work
THE PROJECT CHALLENGES This was a challenging project on a difficult site and required in a very fast timescale to minimise disruption to the children’s education: • The new accommodation had to be sited on a water-logged playing field which required gas, electric and water services bringing in. • The site was located in a constrained residential area so an access road had to be constructed for delivery of the buildings. • The construction team had to work through very poor weather conditions and still deliver the project on time and on budget. THE SCHOOL’S PERSPECTIVE John McAuley, Head Teacher at Newman Catholic School said: “The Portakabin team was incredibly fast to respond to the situation and planning meetings were held within days of the disaster. This was really important to help us manage the situation. Our priority was to ensure that our students could be taught in accommodation that was at least equivalent to what they had before. The reality is that the interim facilities we now have are in many ways superior to our original classrooms. “The building design team was able to accommodate our specific requirements, such as larger science laboratories, and worked really hard to deliver exactly what we needed in a tremendously short timescale. “The classrooms are bright, warm, airy and welcoming. Despite the terrible floods, our school has considerably improved facilities. We would absolutely recommend this approach to other schools needing emergency accommodation or classrooms for shorter-term use. We have had a fantastic experience with such a responsive team of building professionals who have been there for us every step of the way.”
THE COUNCIL’S PERSPECTIVE According to Owen David, Project Manager at Cumbria County Council: “Speed of response was exactly what we needed on this project. The Portakabin team was extremely quick to arrive on site to assess and respond to the situation. And by using a building partner who could handle everything for us, we could focus our efforts and resources in other areas that needed addressing because of the seriousness of the flooding across the county. This is just the sort of help and collaboration that schools and local authorities need in an emergency situation. We would certainly recommend the approach, which worked really well for us and the buildings that are now in use are excellent.” LESSONS LEARNED Acting quickly and collaboratively is imperative in an emergency situation. On this project, the school, Council and key suppliers worked well together and had developed an urgent first response solution within a matter of days of the disaster to re-open the school. Providing a sense of normality for the students as quickly as possible was the overriding priority. This proved to be hugely beneficial. Students are surprisingly resilient but equally, this experience has shown that it is vital for timetables to remain the same throughout to maintain a strong sense of continuity. The rooms may have changed but neither the teachers nor the subjects have, which this project has shown really helped. Forming a partnership with a good emergency response building supplier was critical, and involving the modular company immediately – and not 7-10 days after the crisis – is very important. This allows resources and available buildings to be allocated to the priority school sites. Check at the outset that the modular supplier has the capacity and building stocks required for the
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project, when the accommodation is needed – as few suppliers in the UK can offer lead times of just a few days. Does the modular partner have adequate project management resources, design expertise and site supervision in place? For disaster recovery, it is vital that buildings are delivered on time, on budget and to the required standard. Speed of response is always essential as is delivering teaching accommodation of the highest standards and in line with Department for Education guidelines. There should never be any compromise on children’s education just because they are working in interim classrooms. THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINGENCY PLANNING A key lesson learned from the Cumbria floods is that more schools need to have up-to-date disaster recovery plans prepared in advance. A detailed school inventory and a full assessment of the school’s building requirements can potentially cut an emergency response programme by up to two weeks,
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further reducing any interruption to teaching. The planning data can be stored remotely and a fully costed building proposal produced without the supplier even needing to visit the school to assess requirements. The plan should include a detailed review of the site, the school facilities to replicate, the potential areas for siting interim accommodation, ground works implications, access issues, and space planning. This preparation is invaluable in helping to ensure a school or college has the buildings needed to continue to operate in the event of a crisis situation. EMERGENCY BUILDING OPTIONS In any emergency situation, such as fire, power failure, flooding or the discovery of asbestos, schools have a number of options: • Single module buildings can be rapidly delivered, often within 24 hours, from the modular supplier’s national hire fleet, provided they carry sufficient buildings in stock. This allows core operations to be working again very quickly.
• A bespoke, longer-term accommodation solution can then be developed to the school’s exact specifications if the original building has been so severely damaged that it will be out of use for a number of months. Following a disaster, specialist building suppliers can help with generators for emergency power, furniture, connections to waste tanks if it is not possible to connect the buildings to mains services; security and alarm systems which can be an essential requirement if the interim accommodation has to be located outside the school site; access ramps; patching data communications into the main IT network, and ground works. With careful planning and collaborative working, schools can be fully operational as fast as possible to minimise the impact of any major incident on education provision. By Robert Snook, Director and General Manager at Portakabin
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The Brexit Effect: What fate awaits our foreign workers? ARGUABLY, no industry in recent memory has profited more from migrant workers than the UK construction sector. Beset by widespread skills shortages in the aftermath of the economic downturn, the construction industry has become increasingly reliant on foreign labour to alleviate mounting pressures. The British public’s shock decision to opt out of the European Union complicates matters however. Theresa May’s newly-minted cabinet will now seek to curb immigration and put to pasture the unpopular freedom of movement act advocated by EU member states. For many, the move is cause for concern. Once Article 50 is triggered, Britain will begin the arduous process of disentangling itself from the EU, meaning that previously dependable sources of skilled labour may well dry up. What’s more, there is little or no certainty for those migrants that are already in the industry. Will these much-needed workers be allowed to remain or will they instead be shown the door? It’s a fine balance. The Government must be seen to carry out the will of the electorate while also ensuring the nation’s own economic interests. Much relies on
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the coming months and years, during which the terms of separation will be agreed. If those terms are unfavourable, the Government risks compounding the skills shortage even further. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, had this to say: “The UK construction industry has been heavily reliant on migrant workers from Europe for decades now. At present, 12% of the British construction workers are of non-UK origin. The majority of these workers are from EU countries such as Poland, Romania and Lithuania and they have helped the construction industry bounce back from the economic downturn when 400,000 skilled workers left our industry, most of which did not return. It is now the Government’s responsibility to ensure that the free-flowing tap of migrant workers from Europe is not turned off. If ministers want to meet their house building and infrastructure objectives, they have to ensure that the new system of immigration is responsive to the needs of industry.” There are opportunities to be had longterm however. Brexit has the potential to kick-start the sector’s progression towards true self-sufficiency and, to that end, industry leaders are urging the Government to double down on
its commitment to apprenticeship schemes. Mr Berry continues: “At the same time, we need to ensure that we invest in our own home-grown talent through apprenticeship training. We need to train more construction apprentices so we are not overly reliant on migrant workers from Europe or further afield. That’s why it’s so important that the Government gets the funding framework right for apprenticeships. When you consider that this whole policy area is currently in flux, and then you add Brexit into the mix, it’s no exaggeration to say that a few wrong moves by the Government could result in the skills crisis becoming a skills catastrophe. The next few years will bring unprecedented challenges to the construction and house building sector, and it’s only through close collaboration between the Government and industry that we’ll be able to overcome them.” Ultimately, neither option is mutually exclusive – the construction industry can put foreign labour to good use whilst also fostering domestic talent. More important is the Government’s immediate response. The steps taken in the near future will truly decide whether the UK construction industry can stand on its own two feet.
Enhanced A1 unveiled following £61M upgrade IN July, Patrick McLoughlin – the former Secretary of State for Transport – officially unveiled a £61M highways improvement programme near Gateshead.
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Speaking during the unveiling, former Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said: “This major upgrade to the A1 is part of the most ambitious, far-reaching road investment strategy for decades.
The newly completed works will help to combat congestion and increase road capacity in the area, benefiting the 116,000 drivers that navigate the A1 each day.
“It will not only benefit those who use the road every day but deliver jobs and opportunities, benefiting families across the North of England.
This is all part of the Government’s ongoing £15Bn road investment strategy, which is transforming the nation’s transport network and improving connectivity between cities.
“Schemes like this are a crucial part of our plan to create a Northern Powerhouse, connecting our cities and towns and ensuring economic growth is spread more evenly across the UK.”
The Highways England scheme, which spans a four mile stretch of the A1 from Coal House (Junction 67) to Metro Centre (Junction 71), has enabled motorists to make use of an extra lane in each direction as well as two new local link roads. Over 300 jobs were created as part of the project, with 97% of the construction workforce required coming from the north east.
In total, eight miles of extra lanes have been added to the A1, increasing the number of lanes in each direction from two to three. Two new parallel link roads have been created along a third-of-a-mile stretch of the A1 between Lobley Hill and Gateshead Quays, while 150,000sq m of resurfacing has been carried out – the equivalent of 21 football pitches
– and 12 miles of new kerbs have been laid, made from recycled plastic bottles. Furthermore, a new footbridge has been installed over the A1 at Chiltern Gardens, suitable for cyclists as well as pedestrians, and a footpath at the eastern boundary of the bridge has been upgraded. A new 600 metre cycle track has also been created which crosses the footbridge and links up with the local cycle network. Highways England Project Manager Lynne Biddles said: “This project has taken us less than two years to complete and will provide vital transport improvements on this stretch of the A1, reducing congestion and increasing capacity. “The extra lanes will benefit the thousands of drivers who use the route every day, and the new link roads will mean local traffic will have a dedicated route between Lobley Hill and Gateshead Quays.
“We would like to thank drivers and the local community for their patience while this work has been taking place, and are pleased they can now benefit from the completed upgrade.” Nick Jones, Interim Chief Executive at Newcastle International Airport, said: “We are delighted to see the completion of this important project. “The western bypass is a key route for passengers getting to Newcastle Airport from the south of the region, so this improvement will make a big difference.”
Gavin Prior, General Manager at the Metrocentre said: “The demand for three lanes along the A1 has been evident for years, and we are delighted the works are now complete so our shoppers and retailers can start to reap the rewards. “We are confident that the improved access and egress will not only benefit our retailers and shoppers but also the wider North East in terms of vitality and viability as this is a main local and arterial route for the region.
England to minimise disruption and provide information over the course of the works. We’d like to thank our shoppers and the local community for their patience during this time.” Contractors working on behalf of Highways England will remain on-site over the next few weeks to oversee completion of a number of relatively minor works such as landscaping.
“Our management team and retailers have worked closely with Highways
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Formal Investments progress with £75M Glasgow development FORMAL Investments has appointed Gleeds as project manager and cost manager for a £75M commercial redevelopment in the centre of Glasgow. Plans for the urban block include the provision of a 12-storey new build element, incorporating 130,000sq ft of Grade A office space on Bath Street, as well as the remodelling and refurbishment of a second building, formerly home to retailer BHS. Improvements to a third premises located on Sauchiehall Street will take the total area covered to 240,000sq ft. A portion of the BHS site has been tabled for demolition to make way for the new building, with the remaining construction set to house around 80,000sq ft of office space above the existing retail offering. Interiors will be carefully designed to complement the contemporary exterior which will have an industrial feel, featuring elements of exposed brickwork. Gleeds will be responsible for assisting with the appointment of additional consultants as well as managing the entire programme of works, once planning permissions for the comprehensive scheme have been received. Commenting on the appointment, Gleeds’ Director for Glasgow, Brian Stevenson, said; “I am delighted to be working with Formal Investments on yet another largescale city centre development. This scheme has the potential to completely transform both the commercial and public realms of this part of Glasgow and represents a fantastic opportunity for business across the board.” Pending the appropriate approvals, work is expected to begin in the summer of 2017.
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ScotRail apprentices commemorate Duke of Edinburgh anniversary HRH The Earl of Wessex has met with ScotRail staff at Fort William railway station to celebrate the diamond anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) award.
anniversary, HRH The Earl of Wessex is visiting venues across the UK to celebrate the hard work of DofE volunteers as well as the successes of those taking part in challenges.
The event, hosted by ScotRail Alliance Managing Director Phil Verster, was also attended by the Lord Lieutenant Donald Cameron of Locheil and Deputy Lieutenant Iain Thornber, as well as ScotRail apprentices in customer service and engineering.
Phil Verster, ScotRail Alliance’s Managing Director, said: “I am immensely proud of our all our apprentices who have worked very hard towards attaining a gold Duke of Edinburgh’s award. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to gain invaluable skills and real life experience which will stay with them forever.
The Earl was welcomed by Phil Verster, before the two pedalled the first mile - on static bikes - of a 348-mile cycle challenge being undertaken by ScotRail’s apprentices as part of their diamond challenge. Achieving gold with the Duke of Edinburgh’s award is a key component of ScotRail’s modern apprenticeship programme, with around 40 apprentices attaining the accolade since the programme began in 2011. It consists of five elements, all undertaken throughout ScotRail’s apprenticeship programme: volunteering, physical, skills, expedition and residential. Currently 11 apprentices – six engineers and five in customer service roles – are working towards the award. As part of the DofE’s diamond
“We are honoured to welcome HRH The Earl of Wessex to Fort William to help us celebrate the diamond anniversary.” Peter Westgarth, CEO of the Duke of Edinburgh’s award, said: “As we celebrate 60 years of the Duke of Edinburgh’s award, it’s clear that the charity is an integral part of life in Scotland which has played an invaluable role in the development of so many young people in the community. It’s fantastic to see ScotRail recognised for the outstanding work it does within its communities and enormous thanks must be given to the everyone in ScotRail who works tirelessly to ensure that every DofE participant makes the most of this wonderful opportunity.”
Glasgow City Council announce next phase of Kelvin Hall enhancement THE redevelopment of one of Glasgow's most famous landmarks the iconic Kelvin Hall - is set to take a major step forward as ÂŁ8.2M worth of enhancements are brought forward by Glasgow City Council.
Glasgow City Council's Executive Committee has approved the next phase of investment works, which will include a new roof and additional improvements to areas of the building that are yet to be developed.
News of the investment arrives as the first phase of improvements to Kelvin Hall nears completion, with the venue set to re-open to the public later this summer following a major ÂŁ35M refurbishment. The project is a unique collaboration between Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life, the University of Glasgow and the National Library of Scotland.
Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "Kelvin Hall has long been one Glasgow's most iconic landmarks. Everyone has their own unique memories of the building, from attending international sporting events to exhibitions or the former Museum of Transport - it has a special place in the hearts of the people of Glasgow.
that position in the months and years to come." The first phase of improvements at Kelvin Hall will create one of the largest indoor sports facilities anywhere in Scotland, as well as a shared museums and education resource centre safeguarding the iconic building's future for years to come. As well as a state-of-the-art super gym, Glasgow Club at Kelvin Hall will also house an eight-court multi-purpose sports hall, three dance studios and a gymnastics hall - making it one of the biggest sports facilities of its kind.
"With the first phase of works set to be complete later this summer, when an exciting new shared sporting, cultural and academic development opens its doors to the public, we are now forging ahead with the next stage of the project.
A spokesman for the University of Glasgow added: "The University of Glasgow is delighted to be a partner in the redevelopment of the Kelvin Hall. Our participation in phase one will open up a huge repository of more than a million artefacts and items for study, research and teaching.
"Our planned investment will help secure this iconic building for the next generation. Glasgow is Scotland's sporting, cultural and academic powerhouse and the redevelopment of the Kelvin Hall will help us build on
"The new Kelvin Hall will create a rich and vibrant addition to the cultural life not just of the city of Glasgow, but of the whole of Scotland. We look forward to discussing our part in the next stage of the evolution of this iconic building."
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Planning reforms will strengthen Scottish housing provision
THE Scottish Government will reform planning to help deliver more homes and speed up the planning process, Housing and Planning Minister Kevin Stewart has announced. Building on the momentum gathered by the independent planning review panel, the Scottish Government has identified ten immediate actions including: • Extending permitted development rights, where planning permission is not needed, to more types of development. This could mean removing uncontroversial minor developments from the system, as well as using permitted
development to encourage schemes which support low carbon living and digital infrastructure. • Strengthening skills and capacity, and consulting on enhanced fees to guarantee planning authorities are better equipped to deliver more homes. • Improving planning performance, ensuring users of the system receive a better service. • Introducing pilot simplified planning zones for housing so that planning permission is granted up-front, allowing developments to progress more quickly and flexibly. • Identifying how digital transformation of the planning service can be taken to another level, using tools including the web and 3D visualisations to make information about how our homes will evolve over time much easier to access and understand. The Scottish Government will now work with local authorities, developers and community groups to develop more detailed proposals for reform, which will be fully consulted on later this year. This will pave the way for a new Planning Bill to be brought forward to the Scottish Parliament in 2017. Mr Stewart said: “Planning affects everyone’s lives, from ensuring that we have enough of the right types of homes
in the right locations, to driving forward regeneration and supporting business development which provides jobs. “It is clear from the recommendations of the independent panel, and the feedback from local authorities, developers and communities, that our planning system can do more for Scotland. “I firmly believe that Scotland's planners can lead the delivery of great places, empower communities and provide a stable environment for investment through the uncertain times we live in. “I welcome the positive report produced by the panel and am impressed that public and private interests in planning are willing to work together and with government to make changes happen. We must now work together to ensure our planning system is best placed to support economic growth and housebuilding, whilst protecting and enhancing the quality of life of all our communities. “We will now develop proposals for further reform of the planning system over the coming months and will bring forward consultation proposals by the end of the year. The review’s proposed outcomes – including strong and flexible development plans, more high quality homes and collaboration rather than conflict – are all aims we share.”
Financial support to be provided to low carbon initiatives THE Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP) has announced the launch of funding support aimed at the delivery of largescale transformational low carbon infrastructure projects based in Scotland. The available funding will provide financial support of up to £20M per project where this represents no more than 50% of the total capital value of the project. Programmes of smaller scale that can demonstrate a transformational impact on the way that Scotland generates and uses energy are also welcome to apply. By making this funding available,
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LCITP aims to stimulate commercial interest and investment and maximise Scotland’s vast potential in the low carbon sector. The successful projects will be innovative in design, incorporating one or more low carbon technologies, and have the ability to demonstrate tangible economic, social and low carbon benefits for Scotland. They will also showcase commercially viable technologies and encourage wider uptake and replication in communities across Scotland. Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Keith Brown said: “The Scottish Government is committed to growing Scotland’s low carbon economy, creating jobs
and delivering on climate change ambitions. All communities across Scotland can benefit from these opportunities. “The estimated market value of sales in Scotland’s low carbon and renewable sector in 2013/14 was £5.6Bn, with around 8,000 businesses employing 21,500 people. “This fund is another example of the benefits of Scotland remaining in the EU and the single market as The Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP) is supported by the 2014 – 2020 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).”
Water of Leith Flood Prevention Scheme commences CONSTRUCTION is now underway on Phase II of the multi-million pound Water of Leith Flood Prevention Scheme (WoLFPS). Contractor McLaughlin and Harvey (McL&H) is already on-site along the river’s edge and has begun work on 1.2km of flood defences - to be built adjacent to the Water of Leith at Murrayfield and Roseburn. Construction will include the erection of new walls, embankments and floodgates beside the waterway, in addition to two bridges over the river at Baird Drive and Saughtonhall Avenue. Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, was joined by Martin Curran, McL&H Contracts Manager, to mark the beginning of the WoLFPS construction works in Roseburn Park.
Councillor Hinds commented: “We have been working closely with the community and local stakeholders to ensure they are well aware of the work taking place, and to ensure the process goes smoothly. It’s been great to visit the site to see construction begin, and I look forward to all the benefits these improvements will bring to the area.” Martin Curran added: “We are delighted to be working alongside the City of Edinburgh Council in the delivery of this essential scheme. Having recently undergone a period of detailed design, we are glad to say that the main construction works have begun in various locations throughout the project. “We are making excellent progress to date which has been aided by the cooperation of the stakeholder groups, local
residents and the general public at large. Stakeholder management is fundamental for the project, we are actively engaging with the local residents and business on a daily basis keeping them up to date with our work activities. “We hope to achieve successful delivery of this project over the coming months with as minimal disruption as possible to the local residents and businesses. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the local residents for their continued support.” Scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2018, the defences will protect local homes and businesses against flooding. Roseburn and Murrayfield were some of the worst-hit areas during severe floods in 2000.
National Museum of Scotland unveils new galleries £80M Masterplan to transform the museum and showcase the breadth of its world class collections.
TEN major new galleries have opened at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, following a £14.1M redevelopment in its 150th anniversary year. The new state-of-the-art galleries, which are dedicated to decorative art, design, fashion science and technology, are the latest phase in an
Each of the innovative new galleries, created in collaboration with awardwinning practice Hoskins Architects and exhibition specialists Metaphor, encourage visitors to take a journey of discovery. The redevelopment of the magnificent Grade A listed Victorian building restores the Museum’s original layout and sightlines. Over 3,000 objects are now on display across the new galleries, three-quarters of which have not been shown for at least a generation. Visitors will experience the collections like never before, with in-depth information provided through a network of digital labels, audio visual programmes, a wide range of interactive exhibits and original
working machines – totalling over 150 interactive exhibits. Gordon Rintoul, Director of National Museums Scotland, said: “It is fitting that in this, our 150th anniversary year, we unveil the latest phase in the transformation of the National Museum of Scotland. These ten major new galleries aim to excite and engage our visitors both today and for generations to come. I look forward to welcoming people to the galleries and hope they will enjoy their visits and be inspired by our exceptional collections and innovative displays.” This project is supported by Heritage Lottery Fund, Wellcome and the Scottish Government, as well as other major trusts, foundations and nearly 800 generous individual donors.
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Alun Cairns considers life outside the EU ALUN Cairns has set out his vision of a confident Wales preparing for life beyond the EU - with a warning to politicians not to “talk down” the future. The Secretary of State for Wales told assembly members that “the people of Wales and the UK have spoken” and it was time to act on their instructions. “We need to show strong leadership and instil confidence in businesses and investors,” he said.
community in Wales. Phrases such as ‘business as usual’ and ‘re-birth of businesses’ came out of a recent briefing session I held. One exporter told me: ‘Entrepreneurs thrive on change’.”
Responding to the referendum, Alun Cairns held briefings on the implications of an EU exit with leaders from business, charities, local authorities, higher education and the third sector.
“We are leaving the institution of the EU, not turning our backs on our friends, neighbours and trading partners in Europe. I am optimistic about our future and of the Wales and Britain we must create outside the European Union.”
“Talking negatively doesn’t help anyone. I am hugely impressed by the response from the business
Mr Cairns also told the assembly that a strong British economy stood the country in good stead for future growth.
The Secretary of State added that the Wales Office had asked both the
UK trade and industry department and the Foreign Office to help Welsh companies. Assembly members were told that the Wales Bill currently passing through its committee stages would deliver “clarity and accountability”. Mr Cairns concluded: “Constitutional Bills are not what comes up on the doorstep but it will allow the Welsh government and the assembly to focus on things that matter to people who live and work in Wales. Tax levels, the economy, health policy and education, energy projects and regeneration. “We must now all work together, both governments, to deliver a prosperous, unified future for Wales.”
Contracts signed for £20M Cardiff student accommodation scheme WORK on one of Cardiff’s largest ever student accommodation developments will begin shortly. The Wales division of Midas Construction has been awarded the contract to convert four buildings at Fitzalan Court on Newport Road into student halls of residence. The accommodation will open in summer 2017, and will include an innovatively designed two-storey roof extension as well as a new courtyard area and the re-modelling of an existing basement car park to provide additional space for facilities and parking. Derek Quinn, Executive Director at Midas Construction’s Wales division, said: “I am delighted that Midas Construction has been awarded the contract to develop the Fitzalan Court site in Cardiff. This is another significant
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project for the Group in the city, following on from the £12M student accommodation project we are currently delivering in Cardiff’s Oxford Street.” The Fitzalan scheme is a joint venture between McLaren Group and Cardiffbased developers PMG. Other key members of the team include Cardiffbased quantity surveyors Chandler KBS, Holder Mathias Architects Ltd and structural engineers Shear Design Ltd. Cardiff is currently witnessing thousands of new student rooms being built as the city looks to accommodate an increasing number of students moving into the city. It is expected that nearly 6,000 rooms will be developed over the next few years, with the aim of freeing up more privately owned and rental properties in the city for residential use.
Swansea University appoint contractor for £31M Computational Foundry Swansea University has appointed Willmott Dixon for the preconstruction stage of its worldclass computer science facility. The £31M Computational Foundry at the University’s new Bay Campus will become a beacon for research collaborations, attracting leading academics from around the world to Wales and placing Swansea at the heart of a growing ecosystem of digital companies and research.
Northern Powerhouse to provide new possibilities for North Wales INFLUENTIAL business leaders and politicians from both sides of the Welsh border have met to discuss how economic opportunities from the Northern Powerhouse Region can be maximised for North Wales.
Speaking ahead of the event, Welsh Office Minister, Guto Bebb said: “This summit reflects the importance of North Wales and the role it plays in its connection to the Northern Powerhouse.
The cross-border summit, held at Coleg Cambria in Flintshire, was intended to drive focused discussion and raise business awareness on how cross-border economic development can be accelerated by a range of mutually-advantageous initiatives. These include modernising the transport network, maximising on energy sector opportunities, a clear cross-border economic development strategy and a strong cross-border economic team.
“We are very pleased to be here working side by side with the Welsh government, which only helps us to achieve more for the area. In wake of the EU referendum result it is critical that we look to all opportunities that can strengthen our economy. Securing a growth deal will most certainly help build the region’s economy and maximise on the connections to the Northern Powerhouse. We welcome the Chancellor’s commitment and cross-border collaboration. This is very good for news for North Wales.”
Wales Office Minister Guto Bebb, together with the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure Ken Skates, were joined at the Northop campus by representatives from a range of business organisations including the Institute of Directors, Federation of Small Businesses, CBI, the WLGA, the North Wales Business Council, Welsh Enterprise Zone chairs, the Cheshire and North Wales Chamber and the Mersey Dee Alliance.
The North Wales Summit follows publication of The Northern Powerhouse Independent Economic Review, which highlights areas in which the north is a world leader. It also identifies the measures needed to bring about improvements to the region’s economy concluding radical change is needed to close skills and productivity gaps but that such changes could potentially result in 850,000 jobs by 2050.
It will build on Swansea’s existing achievements of being the top ranked university in Wales for the quality of its computer science research by the Research Excellence Framework. Facilities include space for over 150 researchers in laboratories that support industrial proof-of-concept and prototyping work, stimulating commercial opportunities, entrepreneurship and job creation. Backed by a £17M from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), it will also feature world-leading experimental set-ups, equipment, devices and prototypes to accelerate innovation. The building will be operational and welcome staff and students from September 2018. Neal Stephens, Managing Director at Willmott Dixon in Wales and the west, commented: “We’ve a proud track record in the education sector and are extremely pleased to have been chosen to construct this important building as part of Swansea University’s ambitious campus development programme. We’re looking forward to delivering an outstanding research and teaching facility that will benefit the university and Swansea City Region for generations to come.”
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Government must ensure free movement of vehicles, says FTA Ireland FREIGHT Transport Association Ireland (FTAI) will focus on maintaining free movement of vehicles across Ireland’s border with the UK following the ‘Leave’ result of June’s referendum. Ireland is the only country that shares a border with the UK and FTAI is keen to ensure that mutual arrangements continue as they have done for almost 100 years once the UK’s membership of the EU ends. Neil McDonnell, General Manager of FTAI, said: “It now falls to the Irish Government to ensure that Ireland maintains the free movement, commercial, legal and social arrangements with Northern Ireland and Great Britain that it has enjoyed since 1922. “The UK is Ireland’s largest mutual trading partner and FTA Ireland will do all it can to support this objective. Nothing will change immediately, despite the current market turmoil, and we will be working hard in the coming months to make the transition as smooth as possible for our members.” Former Prime Minister David Cameron announced his intention to stand down after “steadying the ship” in the wake of the ‘Leave’ vote. He said it would be up to his successor, Theresa May, to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, and negotiate the UK exit from the EU. Once Article 50 is invoked, there will follow two years of negotiation between the remaining 27 countries and the UK about the totality of relations between the EU and UK.
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£135M funding package unveiled by Clanmil Housing Group SOCIAL landlord Clanmil Housing Group has confirmed a £135M finance agreement with three lenders in Northern Ireland. The package will underpin plans to build 2,500 new social homes over the next eight years, in addition to a modernisation of existing housing stock. Loans from Danske Bank (£60M), First Trust (£50M) and Ulster Bank (£25M) will enable Clanmil to access grants from the Department for Communities, combining public and private funding to create a total investment of some £315M. It is estimated that the investment will generate up-to-500 construction jobs and support 400 associated roles throughout the supply chain. Steve Amos, Chair of Clanmil Housing, said: “Deals of this volume and with three lenders represent a strong vote of confidence in the social housing sector and our ability to deliver on ambitious targets. This funding package will allow Clanmil to continue our programme of development, helping reduce the housing waiting list by building high quality homes in areas where they are needed most and strengthening those communities by creating great places to live. “It is good to see banks investing with confidence in large social programmes like ours and we’ve worked smartly to
secure a mix of funding that will yield a range of positive results, including jobs and homes, over the next decade. The deals represent good business for Clanmil and also for the public purse, making the public money available for new homes go much further. “We are particularly excited to make this announcement so soon after the £280M EIB deal secured by our colleague housing associations Choice and Apex. Together these investments demonstrate that in addition to our social contribution, the social housing sector in Northern Ireland is playing an important role in bolstering and growing our economy.” Minister for Communities Paul Givan welcomed the announcement: “I am once again pleased to be able to congratulate another housing association in obtaining a significant financial package, which along with investment from my Department, will assist in delivering much needed social housing in Northern Ireland and contribute to the local community through the creation of employment opportunities. “This announcement is another clear statement that both the Executive and local housing associations are determined to deliver high quality, energy efficient homes for those in greatest need across Northern Ireland.”
Ireland to unlock potential as ‘Digital Frontrunner’ DARA Murphy – the Minister of State for European Affairs, the EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection – has said that a fullyfunctioning, open and competitive Digital Single Market will be a win-win for consumers and SMEs across Europe, and will allow Ireland to unlock its potential as a ‘Digital Frontrunner’. The Minister spoke following a roundtable event, Digitizing Ireland, hosted by Google. At the event, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) estimated that up to 140,000 jobs could be created in the Irish economy over the next four years and annual GDP growth almost doubled, if Ireland seizes emerging opportunities in digital. The research is an extension to an earlier piece of work on Digitizing Europe, which identified Ireland as one of Europe’s ‘Digital Frontrunners’. Commenting on the research findings, Minister Murphy said: “Ireland is in the vanguard of European countries pushing for an ambitious Digital Single Market. A fully-functioning, open and competitive Digital Single Market will be a win-win for consumers and SMEs across Europe. For Ireland, it will allow us to unlock our full potential as a ‘Digital Frontrunner’ as our economy
and society embrace ever-greater digitisation. “BCG’s research findings highlight the clear transformative potential of greater digitisation for society, for our SMEs and for job creation. Building on our existing strengths, Ireland is well-positioned to take full advantage of opportunities from the transition to digital. Domestically, we have already made great strides in this transition, as highlighted in the European Commission’s Digital Economy and Society Index 2016, which places us ahead of the EU average. But we cannot be complacent. “Now, more than ever, Europe needs to focus on areas where it can deliver tangible benefits for citizens and small businesses. The flagship Digital Single Market Strategy is one such area, and a priority for Ireland. It’s about bringing the Single Market into the 21st century and making it easier to do business digitally and across borders. Having the right EU framework in place is critically important for Ireland if we are to realise our full potential in digital. We will continue to work closely with our EU partners to ensure swift and determined progress in completing the Digital Single Market by 2018."
Sullivan Upper improved under School Enhancement Programme EDUCATION Minister Peter Weir has visited Sullivan Upper in Holywood to view a £2.9M improvement project provided under the School Enhancement Programme (SEP). The project will provide a 3G hockey pitch with floodlighting and a stand-alone two-storey pavilion, which will include a gymnasium and space for drama and dance. Speaking at the event, the Minister said: “I am delighted to be here today to view progress of the improvement works being carried out at the school. The proposed new facilities provide much needed new and modern facilities that the pupils can benefit from now and into the future.” During the visit, the Minister met with staff and pupils. He added: “It is always a pleasure to meet with staff and pupils of a school as they provide an insight into the school life. These new facilities will help improve their educational experience for many generations to come. In addition to the positive impact on education, investment in the schools estate continues to provide a welcome boost to the local construction industry.” The School Enhancement Programme (SEP) is targeted to meet the immediate and pressing needs in schools where major capital works are not deemed deliverable. SEP projects cost between £500,000 and £4M. The Minister concluded: “I congratulate all involved with the project for getting it to this stage and I look forward to seeing the new facilities on completion. I wish everyone connected with the school best wishes going forward.”
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