UKCE Feb 2017

FEB 2017

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HIGH SPEED NORTH National Infrastructure Commission clarifies case for HS3.

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FLEET IN FOCUS Faraday Future unveils electric supercar.

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SEA CHANGE Independent review in favour of tidal lagoon power.

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WELCOME to the latest edition of UK Construction Excellence – celebrating the very best in British building.

sworn in amid a sea of protesters and early controversy.

It’s a time of political uncertainty. In a landmark ruling, Parliament is to have its say on Brexit, potentially thwarting Theresa May’s plans to trigger Article 50 before the end of the fiscal year.

And yet, the UK construction industry remains resilient in the march towards economic prosperity and future growth. Construction has a vital role to play post-Brexit, and the mood is one of optimism rather than anxiety.

In Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness has resigned as Deputy First Minister in protest of a bungled energy initiative, and triggered a snap election in the process. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump has been

With HS2 on the horizon, we look into the far-flung future of HS3 – the conceptual high speed railway linking North East and West. The National Infrastructure Commission has advised the Government to put HS3

56 Highway to BIM Innovating England’s road infrastructure.

at the heart of a ‘High Speed North’, and UK Construction Excellence finds out why.

And, as the newly-released Hendry Review makes waves, we delve a little deeper into tidal lagoon power and the arguments for and against.

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

69 The Forth Dimension The quest to digitally map Scotland’s most iconic bridge.

82 Cash for Ash Northern Ireland in crisis over bungled heating scheme.

Publications Editor Robert Atherton

General Manager Ian Parker

Designer James Ormerod

Production Manager Gareth Trevor-Jones

Publications Officer Abigail Burr Sales Administrator Sarah Livesley

Creative Digital Seamus Norton

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Construction firms “most optimistic” about economy and Brexit ACCORDING to findings in a newly published report – entitled ‘Business Census 2017’ – the construction industry feels more positive about the economy this year than other sectors, after the impact from Brexit was less negative.

The survey was carried out by the business data website Company Check, covering 1,300 firms during November and December. It revealed that a total of 66% were optimistic about the UK economy in 2017, higher than any other major industry in the survey.

The figure compared to 63% in professional services, 59% in manufacturing and 49% in tech. Only the food and drink industry was higher, yet it accounted for just 4% of all companies questioned.

A quarter of construction firms said the vote to leave the European Union had had a negative impact on their business, with 11% saying the impact had been positive and 61% saying it had made no difference - higher than any other.

Katie Deverill, from Company Check, said: “The Business Census lets us ‘take the temperature’ of the UK’s

construction industry to understand the big challenges they’re going to be facing during the next 12 months. The findings show Brexit hasn’t had the chilling effect that it’s had in other areas, with high levels of optimism for the year ahead.

of increased enquires has continued.

Most of my peers in Built Environment Professions have also reported an increase in enquiries. Our biggest concern now is finding sufficient quality staff to meet this increased demand.”

“However, there’s also high levels of disaffection with local authorities when it comes to them supporting and nurturing business growth. The powers that be should take note of these figures and recognise that something in the current system just isn’t working.”

A total of 25% of businesses said they were affected by the issue of recruitment in 2016, which was the higher than any other industry. The construction industry remains the highest in terms of recruitment concerns in 2017, although at a lower 14%.

A total of 64% of construction companies said they grew in 2016, with 74% saying that expected growth this year.

In total, 34% said the economy was the biggest concern this year, while 30% said politics. Nationally, concerns about political events almost doubled compared to 2016 for all sectors, with it being named the biggest challenge ahead by one in three (30%) - an increase of 90% on the year before.

Across all industries that figure was 73%, while just 18% said they feared economic decline next year, making construction the most optimistic industry.

Construction Industry Council Chairman Professor John Nolan has commented: “I am not at all surprised by these figures. My practice registered a substantial boom in new enquiries immediately following the EU referendum result and that level

A quarter of construction firms believe that the Government is doing a good job of supporting business growth. This compares to 44% in finance, 35% in professional services and 33% in tech.

ConQuest Estimating software tried and tested by thousands of users 4

Prime Minister unveils new industrial strategy THE Prime Minister, Theresa May, has launched the Government’s proposals for a Modern Industrial Strategy in an effort to drive growth across the country.

Infrastructure, broadband and energy will see huge investment to help Britain thrive in a post-Brexit world.

The new strategy was unveiled at the Prime Minister’s first regional cabinet meeting and clarified the need for a “hive of new industries that will challenge the companies and industries of today”.

As part of an effort to “better align central government infrastructure investment with local growth priorities”, infrastructure investment will focus on digital, energy, transport, water and flood defence.

And, to boost skills across the country, the Government will invest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths), digital skills and numeracy.

The Government will also build a new system of technical education aimed at those youngsters’ who don’t end up in higher education.

The strategy has mapped out ten points of action: • Investing in science, research and innovation.

• Developing skills.

• Upgrading infrastructure.

• Supporting businesses to start and grow.

• Improving procurement.

• Encouraging trade and inward investment policy.

• Delivering affordable energy and clean growth.

• Cultivating world-leading sectors.

• Driving growth across the whole country.

• Creating the right institutions to bring together sectors and places.

Smart energy technologies, robotics and artificial intelligence, and 5G mobile network technology are highlighted within the green paper as technologies where Britain has strengths in research and development which could benefit through the Government’s new Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

The fund is part of £4.7Bn of additional R&D investment announced by the Prime Minister in November – the largest increase in any parliament since 1979.

The Government has also announced a £556M investment for the Northern Powerhouse in effort to stimulate economic growth and create jobs with Google Intermodal Terminal linking rail, sea and road, a 21st century conference centre in Blackpool, and a new innovation fund for Manchester and Cheshire businesses amongst the projects set to benefit over the next few years.

Prime Minister, Theresa May, said: “The Modern Industrial Strategy will back Britain for the long term: creating the

conditions where successful businesses can emerge and grow, and backing them to invest in the long-term future of our country.

“It will be underpinned by a new approach to government, not just stepping back but stepping up to a new, active role that backs business and ensures more people in all corners of the country share in the benefits of its success.”

Ann Francke, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement. She said: “I welcome Theresa May’s announcement today, recognising the need to invest in the digital, management and engineering skills the UK needs to flourish as a global leader in the 4th Industrial Revolution.

“This is an opportunity for the UK to take a global lead and show what responsible capitalism can deliver.

This is all the more important given the recent insular, protectionist announcements from President Trump.

“Alongside investing in infrastructure, it’s essential we challenge the UK to accept the value of technical, high level apprenticeships. Unless we can overcome “apprenticeship snobbery” and invest in practical routes that can lead right to the top we won’t boost productivity and create the new, dynamic industries that will set the UK apart.”

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CCS course raises awareness of vulnerable road users THE Considerate Constructors Scheme has launched a new online course to increase awareness of vulnerable road users.

The course – created by the Best Practice Hub, a free online platform that allows users access for sharing best practice – is designed to increase knowledge and understanding of the risks construction activity can cause vulnerable road users and provides practical solutions which can be adopted to reduce these risks.

A key aspect to the course is that it provides users with an understanding of CLOCS, the national standard for Construction Logistics and Community Safety, and how it can be adapted for any type of construction

activity across the UK. Other learning areas include current road safety legislation, the Highway Code and details of other important road safety programmes including FORS – the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme.

The CPD eligible course is already proving popular and has seen hundreds of individuals from scheme-registered sites, companies and suppliers completing it.

As part of an effort to raise standards nationally, the Scheme has also launched a dedicated section about the CLOCS Standard on the Best Practice Hub as well as additional questions about CLOCS in the 2017 Monitors’ Checklist.

Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy said: “All types of construction activity can involve potential risks to vulnerable road users. It is, therefore, essential that the industry knows and understands these risks and does all it can to minimise them, both for the general public and the workforce.

“The vulnerable road users e-learning course and section about the CLOCS Standard on our Best Practice Hub provides an easily accessible and practical way for everyone within the industry – including site managers, contractors, suppliers and clients – to raise safety standards for every road user and pedestrian affected by construction vehicles.”

Chelsea get go-ahead to revamp Stamford Bridge CHELSEA Football Club have received planning permission from Hammersmith and Fulham Council for the proposed rebuild of Stamford Bridge.

The £500M redevelopment project, which will see stadium capacity increase to 60,000, was given unanimous backing after a hearing at Hammersmith Town Hall last month.

The Blues have called Stamford Bridge home since 1905 and have explored alternative sites to satisfy the Club’s ambition, most notably Battersea Power Station. The stadium’s current capacity is 41,663 – the seventh largest in the top flight of English football.

Passing this hurdle means the Premier

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League leaders are one step closer to the redevelopment becoming reality.

Full planning consent must yet be given and approval from Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron are behind the design of the new stadium, having worked other iconic stadiums such as the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing and Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.

The complex construction process will require Chelsea to seek a temporary home while work is carried out at the Bridge with both Wembley and Twickenham being mooted as options.

The buildings known as the Chelsea

Village will need to be demolished as part of the project. Excavation will see the pitch lowered below ground level in order to maximise capacity on the 12-acre site and walkways created to negotiate he railways lines close to the stadium.

In a statement, Chelsea said: “We are grateful that planning permission was granted for the redevelopment of our historic home.

“The committee decision does not mean that work can begin on site.

This is just the latest step, although a significant one, that we have to take before we can commence work, including obtaining various other permissions.”

Sunderland centrepiece transported to site THE centrepiece of Sunderland’s new bridge - a 100m pylon - is now at its final location, having been transported onto the construction site in the middle of the River Wear.

The structure left Greenwells Quay at the Port of Sunderland, taking just two hours to be transported by barge along a three mile stretch of the River Wear.

The new bridge is being constructed on a site between Pallion and Castletown in the City.

The pylon travelled beneath the Wearmouth Bridge, passed the Stadium of Light – home of Sunderland AFC – before negotiating a tight corner at Deptford Bend, and finally moving under the Queen Alexandra Bridge, making her way to site.

Councillor Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “It’s great to see the pylon now in its final location on the River Wear. A lot of hard work and planning has gone into building the

pylon, and getting it to site, and I think we can now begin to imagine just how impressive it will look when it’s raised into position.”

Stephen McCaffrey, Project Director for Farrans Victor Buyck Joint Venture (FVB), which is delivering the project on behalf of Sunderland City Council, said the transportation of the pylon to site had gone extremely well.

He commented: “A lot of work has been carried out on site during the last 18 months in preparation for the arrival on site of the A-frame pylon, so it’s great to get it here and focus on the next phases of the project.

“We needed to transport the pylon during a specific tidal window and unfortunately that meant taking it up the river during the early hours.

However, there will be plenty of opportunities for people to see the pylon on site in the weeks and months ahead – particularly when it is raised into place in a few weeks’ time.

“Nothing of this scale has been lifted in this way in the UK since the London Eye was raised in 1999, and it will be quite something to watch, so we will definitely be telling people when that is happening.”

The next steps will see the pylon rotated 90 degrees in the river and final engineering works to connect its legs to the giant concrete tusks fixed into the riverbed inside the cofferdam, which will support the A-frame in its final position.

Sarens, a world leader in heavy lifting and engineered transport, are transporting and raising the pylon.

The new bridge will link Castletown to the North of the River Wear with Pallion to the South, and will have dual twolane carriageways for vehicles, as well as dedicated cycle and pedestrian routes.

The bridge is due to open in the spring 2018.

ConQuest Estimating software tried and tested by thousands of users 8

Planning submission for 583-bed student accommodation in Coventry CROSSLANE Student Developments has announced the submission of its first planning application in Coventry, to deliver a 583-bed purpose-built student accommodation on Friar’s Road.

ONS: House price inflation hits highest level in over two years ACCORDING to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), house price growth picked up 6.7% in November, adding £2,000 to the cost of property in one month. In October, the figure had fallen to 6.4%, having previously peaked at 9.3% in June.

According to the ONS and Land Registry data, the average price of a UK home in November was £218,000.

Monthly growth was most rapid in London, where prices rose by 1.9% The average house in London cost £482,000 in November.

The ONS said the figures, which include cash sales, continued the “strong growth seen since the end of 2013”.

The local authority which saw the sharpest increase was Rutland, England’s smallest county by population size, where prices rose by 20.7% over the 12 months. Aberdeen and Inverclyde, to the west of Glasgow, saw the biggest drop in prices, with a fall of 7.8% Housing market experts have said they expect house price growth to cool in 2017 amid the economic uncertainty.

The average price for renting a house privately rose by 2.3% in the year to December 2016, unchanged for the fifth consecutive month. In the South of England, rental costs have been growing more rapidly, while in the North, Wales and Scotland, rental costs have risen more slowly.

According to Paul Smee, Director General of the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CMl), mortgage lending has remained resilient, despite the recent tax changes and uncertainty.

Recent figures from CML show that a total of £4.7Bn was borrowed by firsttime buyers in November - a 4% rise on October and a 9% rise compared to the previous year.

Home-movers borrowed £6.3Bn in November, down 5% compared with a year earlier but still a 7% increase compared with the previous month.

Mr Smee said: “November lending reflected stable market conditions.

Overall, 2016 did not match recent years in terms of house purchase lending growth, but lending remained resilient through regulatory and political change and aspirations for home ownership remain strong in the UK. “Our forecasts for 2017 may be less bullish than a year ago, as economic uncertainty weighs on the market, but we still predict 1.2 million transactions and a slight increase in gross lending to £248Bn.

Proposed is a new high specification 19-storey student offering, comprised of 140 studios and 443 en-suite cluster flats with dedicated communal areas. These include a common room, study room, gym, cinema and kitchendining room in addition to a private outdoor courtyard.

The development is ideally placed at the junction of Friar’s Road and St Patrick’s Road, to the South of Coventry city centre and a short walk from the Coventry University campus, the City’s main shopping centre and train station.

Coventry has the fastest growing university in the UK by student enrolment, and the University has committed to significant investment in its facilities and buildings over the next five years. Demand for student accommodation in the City continues to rise, leading to a significant supply-demand imbalance.

Mike Moran, Development Manager, Crosslane Student Developments, said: “Crosslane is delighted to have submitted its first planning application for a student accommodation development in Coventry. The proposed scheme is right in the heart of the city centre and a short walk to Coventry University. At 583 beds, the scheme would be a significant contribution to easing the supply/ demand fundamentals which persist for purpose-built student accommodation in the city.”

“Buy-to-let lending, driven by remortgage activity, saw its strongest monthly lending level since the stamp duty changes on second properties introduced last April. Despite this, we expect buy-to-let lending levels in both 2016 and 2017 to prove lower than their 2015 recent peak as further tax changes take effect.”

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MPs concerned renovation of parliament not “value for money” letter to David Lidington, Leader of the House of Commons, that the net present cost calculations do not align with the Treasury’s “green book” on best practice in discounting.

Andrew Tyrie, Chairman of the Treasury committee, said: “The restoration and renewal programme is estimated to cost between £3.5Bn and £4Bn over five to eight years. Neither the report by Deloitte nor that by the joint commission provides enough of the evidence needed to come even to a preliminary decision on these proposals.

MPs have launched an inquiry into the planned renovation of the Palace of Westminster, following a lack of sufficient evidence to justify the spending.

The committee is exploring different cost options and will suggest in a

“So the Treasury committee will attempt to collect some of it. This is why the committee has called for evidence on this massive, and hugely expensive, restoration project. The proposals certainly need thorough scrutiny.”

MPs and peers had warned the palace

risks a “crisis” without repairs. A joint parliamentary committee of MPs and peers were appointed to examine the refurbishment options, and suggested that all MPs and peers should vacate both Houses of Parliament for six years during the works, and said the plans should not be delayed any further.

It has been said that due to the age of the Grade I listed building, and the severe effects of asbestos, fragile stonework, and ageing electrics and wiring, the building would have to be knocked down if it was not protected.

Chris Bryant, a Labour MP on the committee, said: “All the evidence points to having to move out of the whole palace simultaneously. That is the lowest-risk, most cost-effective and quickest option.”

A decision on whether to press ahead with a full or partial evacuation is expected in the coming weeks.

Antarctic research facility to be upgraded A £100M deal has been struck to upgrade Rothera Research Station, the British Antarctic Survey has announced.

success of science and innovation in the UK is ensuring our world-class research sector has the tools it needs to thrive on a global stage.

The facility, which lies on Adelaide Island, is a centre for biological research and a hub for supporting deep-field and air operations. This new investment will ensure British scientists remain at the forefront of polar-based innovation and research, gaining insight into the impact climate change is having on the world.

“The Government’s £200M investment on specialist research ships including RRS Sir David Attenborough underlines our commitment to this burgeoning sector and our upcoming industrial strategy will go even further, placing science and innovation at its absolute core.”

From 2019, Rothera will become home to the RRS Sir David Attenborough, one of the most advanced polar research vessels in the world. At approximately 128m long and 24m wide the new ship will be capable of spending 60 days at sea without resupply, and have a range of over 35,000 km. It will provide a multi-disciplinary research platform to support a wide range of science and has been designed to be very quiet for environmental monitoring.

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “Key to the long-term

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The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) commissioned the partnership and their CEO Professor

Duncan Wingham said: “The Polar Regions, although geographically remote, are of equal importance in our drive to understand how the Earth is changing. NERC science in Antarctica plays an important role in meeting this challenge.

“Working with BAM and design partner Sweco, on this long-term approach to modernising our infrastructure in the Antarctic, we will jointly foster and further build the UK’s high level of expertise, experience and good practices for working in challenging design and construction environments.”

FOLLOWING the deaths of several cyclists and pedestrians in collisions with HGVs on the streets of London and amid mounting public pressure, mayor Sadiq Khan recently announced a new policy to address the matter. He has proposed a rating system ranging from zero to five stars, based on the level of visibility the driver has from within the cab of the vehicle. The vehicles rated zero stars would be removed from the roads by 2020 whereas those with three or more stars would be given until 2024.

While accounting for just 4% of road miles, HGVs are involved in 25% of pedestrian fatalities in London, as well as 39% of cyclist fatalities. During the morning rush hour, goods vehicles account for an estimated 25% of traffic, this is a time when the number of cyclists and pedestrians is highest.

Construction vehicles in particular have come under heavier scrutiny in a TFL report, stating that as they

are (on average) 32% taller than normal HGVs, cyclists and pedestrians need to be 3x as far away to be seen.

While these statistics are shocking and certainly warrant investigation, the broader picture must be taken into account before such wide-reaching proposals are implemented. 90% of all freight is carried into London by the roads, construction and retail play a huge part of the economy of the city and almost every industry will rely on efficient and unhindered transport of goods. Estimates put the number of vehicles that would be banned under the new legislation at 35,000. Taking this many vehicles from the roads of London would have a devastating impact on the innumerable businesses to which road freight is critically important.

Some companies have been making improvements to their vehicles in regards to pedestrian and cyclist safety; DAF Trucks have introduced the CF Haulage 8x4 and Dennis have unveiled their Eagle

Elite tipper truck. Both vehicles feature far greater driver visibility with larger windows offering much better views from the cabin. While these improvements are certainly welcome, forcing a significant proportion of London’s HGV traffic from the roads without much time to phase in these new designs is unlikely to fully solve the problem and will just create another.

Surely it would make more sense to slowly bring in the new proposals in a way in which the repercussions will be kept to a minimum. For example, why not prohibit the lower ranked vehicles from the streets at times of peak pedestrian and cycle traffic? Lowering the risk of poor visibility vehicles encountering vulnerable road users while keeping the impact felt by the city’s businesses small. Further investment could be made in education to promote road safety for all users, wider lanes could be looked into as well as other proposals that will create a mutually beneficial outcome without the crippling impact that the proposed rule change will undoubtedly deliver.

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UK City of Culture 2021 competition launches THE search for the UK’s next City of Culture has officially been launched by the Minister of State for Digital and Culture, Matt Hancock.

Following on from the success of Londonderry in 2013, Hull was named the UK’s City of Culture for 2017 and it is predicted that this will add £60M to the local economy across the year.

It has also stimulated an estimated £1Bn investment in the City since the announcement.

Hull 2017’s launch was marked with a fireworks display which was attended by over 50,000 people and a series of further events which attracted almost 350,000 people. The key driver behind the City of Culture title is to boost tourism and attract investment primarily into the arts and culture sector.

Minister of State for Digital and Culture Matt Hancock said: “The UK City of Culture is not only a prestigious title, but as Hull has shown, it is a great opportunity to use culture as a catalyst for economic and social regeneration.

“It showcases the unique identity of our cities, helps boost tourism, and raises the profile of art and culture. I urge local authorities and partnerships across the whole UK to consider entering the competition and I hope to see plenty of ambitious, exciting and innovative bids for 2021.

demonstrating how UK City of Culture can transform the fortunes of a city.

For Hull, bidding and hosting UK City of Culture is part of a long-term plan to harness our city’s wonderful heritage and culture to change perceptions of the city, attract investment and create much-needed jobs for local people.

“Those interested in submitting bids to be UK City of Culture 2021 are invited to register with DCMS by the end of February. Bids for the 2021 competition must be received by 28 April 2017 after which they will be assessed by an Independent Advisory Panel. A shortlist will then be announced in the summer, before the winning city is announced in Hull in December.”

“Whilst culture and the arts are just one part of the jigsaw, we are already seeing huge benefits. Confidence in the city has never been higher and more than £1Bn of investment is flowing into Hull, creating thousands of new jobs. Visitor numbers are increasing, new businesses are opening in the city centre and the volume of positive media coverage Hull is enjoying in the UK and around the world is staggering.

Phil Redmond, Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel, said: “Having been on the journey from Liverpool 2008, Derry-Londonderry 2013 and now Hull 2017, I am delighted other cities will have the opportunity to bid and build upon the award for 2021.”

Councillor Daren Hale, Deputy Leader of Hull City Council, said: “Hull is already

“Winning UK City of Culture has generated an enormous sense of local pride among local people and a renewed sense of confidence and self-belief in what the city can achieve.

This started during the bidding process and is why I would encourage other councils to consider bidding to be the next UK City of Culture.”

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Bank of England say Brexit no longer biggest economic risk THE Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has told MPs that economic risks to the UK stemming from Brexit have receded.

referendum, we felt it was the largest risk because there were things that could have happened which had financial stability implications.

Mr Carney said that the Bank’s actions before and after the EU referendum in June had played a key role in helping to avert an economic crisis and could be an underlying reason why it may upgrade its forecasts in a report published later this month.

“Actions were taken to mitigate that, but having got through the day after, the scale of the immediate risks has gone down.”

The Governor said that Brexit was no longer the biggest threat to the UK’s economy and posed a greater risk to the remaining EU member states.

Mr Carney said that the Bank of England’s predictions on Brexit, which have come under heavy criticism following the better-than-expected performance of the economy, was a result of the bankers natural inclination to look on the negative side.

He told the Treasury Select Committee of MPs: “In the run up to the

He told the committee: “As you’d expect a bunch of dour central bankers

to be, we’re focused on the downside and less focused on how everything could turn out well, but what could go really wrong and where can we potentially mitigate that.

“We do have to ask ourselves continually what could go wrong. We don’t have to see a ghost behind every corner, but we do have to ask ourselves what could go wrong.”

Mr Carney backed calls for a transitional period to limit any potential instability. He said: “If there is not such a transition put in place, in our view it will have consequences. We will work to mitigate those consequences as much as possible.”

Government expands affordable housing programme THE Government’s affordable housing programme has unlocked £7Bn worth of funding, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has announced.

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the property ladder and offer support for those in need of affordable housing.

to create a better mix of homes for both affordable rent and low-cost ownership.

The scheme, set up to tackle diverse housing demands across the country, has received what the Government described as a “dramatic expansion”.

By increasing the range of tenures available – including Affordable Rent, Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy – it is envisaged that the programme will be able to help a wider array of people with disparate circumstances.

Housing providers will be able to apply for a share of the fund, which is made up from previous financial announcements, including an extra £1.4Bn at the Autumn Statement last November.

This includes homes for Rent to Buy, which will be let with rents set at or below 80% of the local market rent for a set time period, giving tenants the opportunity to save for a deposit and then the option to buy their current home.

“Our newly expanded affordable housing programme, turbo-charged by a multi-billion pound investment, will allow housing associations to build more homes in places where they are most needed, particularly for families who are just about managing.

The Government explained that in addition to this extra funding the existing affordable homes programme is being expanded to provide first time buyers with more ways of getting onto

The programme is ultimately expected to deliver over 200,000 homes as housing providers will be given more flexibility to respond to local needs and markets. They will be encouraged

“By encouraging the delivery of more homes under a variety of tenures, we can create a housing market which truly works for everyone, meeting the diverse housing needs of this country.”

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said: “This Government is committed to increasing housing supply and halting the decline in affordability.

Environment Secretary announces £120M for rural England ANDREA Leadsom – Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – has announced a sizable funding boost for rural business.

In total, £120M of funding is to be made available to support farming concerns, foster new business, and generate thousands of jobs across rural England.

Construction industry growth hits 11-month high DECEMBER saw construction industry output increase at its fastest rate since last March, according to the latest Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI figures.

The construction PMI reading for December was 54.2, up from November’s figure of 52.8 and well above the threshold for growth of 50.0.

The figures are a boost for the sector as it continues to battle against rising input cost inflation.

This unexpected growth was driven by improved order books and business conditions, as new orders reached an 11-month high.

Residential housebuilding was once again a key performer for the industry and was the best performing subcategory, experiencing its fastest growth rate since January 2016.

There was good news for the civil engineering sector too, the weakest performing sector in recent months, as projects picked up at a robust pace in December.

Staff recruitment levels were at their highest levels since May but still well down on the highs seen in mid-2013.

The mood was positive amongst respondents to the survey as almost half expected to see an increase in

business activity during the next 12 months, with only 13% predicting a reduction.

Tim Moore, Senior Economist at IHS Markit commented: “December’s survey data confirmed a solid rebound in UK construction output during the final quarter of 2016. All three main areas of construction activity have started to recover from last summer’s soft patch, but in each case growth remains much weaker than the cyclical peaks seen in 2014.

“Housebuilding remains a key engine of growth for the construction sector, with the latest upturn the fastest for almost one year. Meanwhile, commercial activity was the weakest performing category in December, reflecting an ongoing drag from subdued investment spending and heightened economic uncertainty.

“The main negative development in December was a sustained acceleration in input cost inflation to its strongest since 2011. UK construction companies noted that the weaker sterling exchange rate had resulted in higher costs for a wide range of imported materials, while some also reported that forward purchasing of inputs had led to depleted stocks among suppliers.”

According to Ms Leadsom, interested parties will be able to apply for the next round of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) shortly. To date, the Programme has played a pivotal role in getting countless rural businesses off the ground, while also assisting existing organisations with their own growth and improving access to international markets.

Already this additional funding has made a lasting difference. A Biddenden fruit handling company – recipient of a £70,000 sum – has installed specialist equipment, leading to two original products and three newly-created jobs. Elsewhere, Carvannel Free Range Dairy in Cornwall received £80,000 to diversify their business and develop a new milk processing factory.

Having attended the Oxford Farming Conference, Ms Leadsom went on to say: “A quarter of England’s businesses are based in the countryside and this funding will give rural start-ups, family-run businesses and farmers looking to diversify the boost they need.

“The Programme has already supported a range of projects, from installing cutting-edge equipment to restoring flood plains, and the next round will help create more jobs, sell more products and help us access new markets.”

This dedicated £120M sum will now sit beside funding for other RDPE projects, including woodland rejuvenation and a flood action facilitation fund.

It is envisioned that the RDPE will help protect 2.5 million hectares of farmland, create 6,750 rural jobs and contribute to the planting of 11 million trees.

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2017:

A challenging year ahead?

STAFF shortages, a weak pound and a potential technological uprising are just some of the issues facing the construction industry in 2017, according to building and rail recruitment consultancy One Way. The findings come at a time when productivity has reached its highest point in nine months and a number of major construction initiatives, including the development of a new series of garden cities, have been given the green-light.

Managing Director of One Way, Paul Payne, outlined the issues: Staff shortages – “From our perspective this will be the big one. The number of skilled professionals operating in the industry dropped dramatically during the recession and now around 22% of the workforce are in their 50s or 60s. Quite

simply, there are too many people retiring and not enough entering construction to replace them. With more projects being given the go-ahead we need to see greater focus on promoting careers to youngsters and professionals looking for a change of career before we hit a point where productivity is being affected. This needs to happen sooner rather than later.”

A weak pound – “The strength of the domestic economy will naturally impact almost every field, but it could have a particularly damaging effect in construction. A weaker pound means that import prices rise and with so many of our raw materials being brought in from overseas, this could add significant amounts to the bottom lines of builders across the country. Currently, material costs are at their highest point in fiveand-a-half-years and ultimately this could

lead to them squeezing costs elsewhere, for example in staffing, or even having to pass on certain projects.”

The rise of the robots – “The growth of AI has been more widely documented in ‘sexier’ fields like technology and financial services, but it is also having an impact on construction. Over the past 12 months or so we’ve begun to see the use of drones and other tech like 3D concrete printers become more widely adopted and it will be interesting to see the role they play by this time next year. Many have suggested that their growth could lead to jobs being cut, but realistically anything like this happening is way off in the distance. For the time being, technology promises to make many of our jobs easier, rather than taking them away.”

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£20M funding in low emission freight and logistics projects announced TRANSPORT Minister John Hayes has announced a £20M government programme that will see vans run on electric and lorries on hydrogen dualfuel in an attempt to reduce emissions.

From September 2017, new types of diesel cars on UK roads will have to meet more stringent Euro 6 emissions limits, and these limits will tighten further in early 2020.

Mr Hayes made the announcement at the Sustainable Road Transport Conference in central London, with 20 companies from over 40 applications selected for their innovative plans to deploy low and zero emission vehicles.

The Government hope that the programme will help the UK meet its CO2 reduction targets and bring its vision for all new cars and vans to be zero emission by 2040 that bit closer.

The funding for the projects is being delivered by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and Innovate UK.

It is envisaged the competition will give new technologies a platform and encourage UK fleets to embrace the introduction of low and zero emission vehicles.

The freight industry makes up around 30% of the UK’s CO2 transport emissions and the money will help fleets get their new vehicles on the

roads from mid-2017 onwards.

Transport Minister John Hayes said: “Each one of these successful projects will help cut vehicle emissions, improving air quality and reducing pollution in towns and cities.

“This is yet another important step towards this Government’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions from transport to help tackle climate change.

“We are already making headway through our investment in low emission vehicles, greener public transport and walking and cycling, as well as grants for innovative advanced biofuels projects.”

UK secures £410M Atlas aircraft contract 400 highly-skilled British jobs have been secured through a £410M contract to support the RAF’s airlift fleet.

The contract will see in-service support provided to the UK’s Atlas A400M aircraft until 2026, sustaining numerous jobs for Airbus Defence and Space at RAF Brize Norton, as well as further jobs in the wider supply chain, including Messier Dowty in Gloucester, and Thales in Crawley and GKN and Rolls Royce in and around Bristol.

With 14 Atlas aircraft in service for the RAF, and plans for a further eight

aircraft by 2019, the contract will cover all maintenance, upgrade and repair of the Atlas fleet into the next decade.

The deal follows on from a separate two-year Global Support Contract agreed with France and Spain. The £63M contract provides common support and spares service and is the first step towards a six-Nation Global Support Arrangement.

Air Marshal Julian Young, Chief of Materiel (Air) at the MOD’s Defence Equipment & Support organisation said: “The A400M Atlas will form the backbone of the Royal Air Force’s

Strategic and Tactical Air Transport capability over the next decade and beyond.

“This key contract will deliver maintenance for our A400M Atlas fleet, enabling this class-leading aircraft to support UK military operations around the globe.”

Chief Executive Officer for the UK’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation, Tony Douglas, said: “The UK’s future armed forces will be prepared to respond quickly to global developments and the delivery of nextgeneration aircraft such as Atlas is vital to the fulfilment of this vision.

“As part of the wider Atlas programme, this new support contract draws on multinational cooperation and the strong relationships across UK Defence that are delivering this remarkable aircraft to the RAF.” Investment at RAF Brize Norton has been strong this year, with the RAF receiving delivery of two new training cockpit simulators and a cargo hold trainer bringing the total of new training equipment at the site to some £141M. While elsewhere on-site, a £62M innovative hangar facility capable of housing three Atlas craft is on schedule to be fully fitted-out by early 2017.

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OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER

The UK Infrastructure Show – Constructing the Future, taking place at Olympia London on Thursday 20 April, is a must-attend event for those working in all areas of infrastructure, from construction to technology, as UK infrastructure investment is set to reach a record high of over £500bn and a building boom is under way in the UK’s large regional cities, with construction finally returning to levels last seen before the 2008 financial crisis.

Key findings from the latest Crane Survey report that the volume of office construction in London has increased by 4% over the past six months to an eight-year high of 14.8 million sq ft. Birmingham and Leeds are also building offices at the

highest rate in a decade.

Officially supported by CompeteFor – the leading infrastructure supply chain service – and many major ongoing and future infrastructure projects including HS2, Thames Tideway Tunnel and Transport for London, the inaugural UK Infrastructure Show 2017 will provide exhibitors, sponsors and delegates with a unique opportunity to engage, connect and collaborate with a vast array of key projects, a captive audience of 800 decision makers and influencers representing all areas of the supply chain.

REGISTER FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY PLACE

Make your business known, build valuable relationships and develop market insight that create lasting competitive advantage by exhibiting or sponsoring at this event. All on one day, in one place at the UK Infrastructure Show 2017.

Contact our team today to discuss how your organisation can book one of our six remaining exhibition stands. Call 0845 270 7066 or email exhibitions@ ukinfrastructureshow.co.uk.

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WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT AT THE UK INFRASTRUCTURE SHOW 2017?

KEYNOTE ARENA The Keynote Arena at the UK Infrastructure Show 2017 will showcase presentations from some of the organisations charged with setting the strategy of future infrastructure plans as well as some of the major projects currently under way across the UK. Do not miss out on this unique opportunity to hear from a range of the most important speakers in the infrastructure industry.

OPPORTUNITY AND TRAINING ZONES Designed to educate delegates on the key issues common to large-scale infrastructure projects,

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these zones will take you through all you need to know in order to make the most of the supply chain opportunities available in this sector. You will also hear from representatives from some of the UK’s leading projects, both those under way and those planned, with details of supply chain opportunities available to organisations like yours.

Delegates can attend sessions in the following zones at UK Infrastructure 2017:

enables businesses to compete for contract opportunities linked to major public and private sector buying organisations.

• Zone 1: Supply Chain Opportunities – Transport and Rail • Zone 2: Supply Chain Opportunities – Energy and Nuclear • Zone 3: Skills and Capabilities Training Zone

We are delighted to be working with some of the largest infrastructure projects currently under way across the UK.

COMPETEFOR SUPPLY CHAIN ADVICE HUB CompeteFor is a free service that

The CompeteFor Supply Chain Advice Hub is the go-to place for any organisation looking to improve their procurement capability, get a complimentary profile check-up or have your questions answered.

PROJECT PARTNER PAVILIONS

Our project partners, HS2, Thames Tideway Tunnel and Transport for London, will each have a dedicated Pavilion within the Product Showcase Exhibition. Come along and meet with representatives from these projects to learn more about the supply chain opportunities open to organisations like yours.

PRIME CONTRACTOR ENGAGEMENT VILLAGE The UK Infrastructure Show Prime Contractor Engagement Village will allow visitors the opportunity to meet directly with many of the key Prime Contractors currently engaged in the delivery of live projects, providing an insight into possible opportunities for developing ongoing working relationships.

If you wish to book an appointment for this area, visit the Engagement Village at 11am on the day of the event; bookings will be taken from 11am to 2.30pm on a first come, first served basis.

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What’s this “Connected Home” and “Internet of Things” all about?

TECHNOLOGY has transformed our world. Construction companies aren’t exempt from the impact although they may be a little removed from it. Construction is effected when it comes to high-tech gas and electrical installations, and when a build is going to be for a “Connected Home”.

Recent headlines have been full of talk about the “Internet of Things” as an attack on the internet is claimed to have been run from thousands of innocent looking home devices. While this is probably the case and there are certainly big issues that need addressing, the most important point is how this technology is already everywhere, and how cheap it has become.

MINIMAL COST, MAXIMUM POWER The truth is that most of us now carry around in our pocket what would have been considered a super computer a few years ago. And intelligent devices connected to the internet now cost a few pounds. It means they can be added all over the place for minimal cost.

The reduced cost of computing devices has driven the electronic revolution over the last few years, whether that’s the arrival of the iPhone or smart thermostats. It’s all the same trend. Bluetooth or WiFi connected devices can now be connected for so little that it is now economic to connect just about anything electrical to the internet. The reason that this is called the “Internet of Things” (IoT) is based on the idea that “things” (that is, anything) can now be connected.

THE CONNECTED HOME Most of us are probably familiar with products such as Hive, promoted by British Gas or NEST, owned by Google

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and doing something similar. These products allow a smartphone, tablet or PC to control the water and central heating system through a “smart” connected thermostat.

But there is much, much more potential and all of the following exist, even if they aren’t yet widespread: • IoT doorbells, answer your door, see people and speak to them on your smartphone from wherever you are.

• Automatically lock the doors, switch on the alarm and start recording CCTV whenever your smartphone leaves your home.

• Automatically send readings from gas, water and electricity meters to the supplier, and cut off the water if a leak is detected.

• Control the lighting, for instance to always come on when the sun sets.

This is all on top of the appliances that self-diagnose themselves and call an engineer when they are about to fail.

The scope for connectivity is huge and this is only scratching the surface.

WHO ARE THE LEADERS? A huge amount of money is being poured into the “Internet of Things” (IoT) led by the technology behemoths from America such as Apple, Google and Amazon.

The Amazon Echo, recently released in the UK, started off in the USA in 2015 and is already a best seller. This sits in your home and listens all of the time. It responds to voice commands such as “play me A Rush of Blood to the Head

by Coldplay” or “turn up the heating in the kitchen”. Asking “Who is Humpty Dumpty” also gets a surprisingly intelligent response.

Other products include Google Home and Apple HomeKit which both compete with both Echo.

The problem for established companies like Honeywell is that the new entrants are software experts, and its software that will dominate this new world. Kodak went out of business due to the digital camera and the smartphone even though they invented the technology.

THE IMPACT ON CONSTRUCTION Obviously there is an impact on builders when new builds want to be “connected”. Although this is a minority today, if the adoption of this technology follows the normal path, in a few years everyone will want it.

However, it can be argued that this is the sparks problem.

Where there is likely to be a big impact however, is in the administration of on-site paperwork. Suddenly mobile devices are hugely powerful and connected. Undoubtedly health and safety paperwork, checking CSCS cards, recording hours and much more will be done on mobile devices. What may take a little longer are devices that can look at work, compare it with the drawings and tell you whether it’s been done right. Whether that day will be welcome remains to be seen, but undoubtedly it is coming.

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Narrow Approach in Determining Concurrent Delay Claims?

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The Court concluded that Fincantieri had failed to show true concurrency of events because the effect of the delaying events was not felt concurrently.

Saga Cruises BDF Ltd v Fincantieri SPA [2016] EWHC 1875 (Comm) THE correct treatment of concurrent delay in the context of extensions of time has been the subject of considerable academic and professional debate. Where one overlapping delaying event is the employer’s risk and the other the contractor’s, a difficult question arises as to the extension of time due.

This vexed issue came before the courts again in July in Saga Cruises v Fincantieri [2016] EWHC 1875 (Comm).

In coming to her decision, the Judge adopted a narrow approach and found that Fincantieri had failed to show true concurrency and upheld Saga’s claim by awarding liquidated damages to Saga.

This case involved a contract for the refurbishment of a cruise ship. The works were scheduled to start on 9 November 2011 and to be completed by 17 February 2012. Subsequently, by agreement, the parties extended the completion date to 2 March 2012.

Due to further delays, the ship was ultimately delivered on 16 March 2012 and Saga claimed liquidated damages in respect of the delay between the period 2 March 2012 and 16 March 2012.

The main issue arising from the delay claim was whether any or all of the period of delay in question was attributable to matters for which Saga were responsible as well as matters for which Fincantieri were responsible and therefore concurrently caused. The key causes of the delay were: • Creation of new ‘Deck 10’ cabins which was not completed until 16 March 2012 for which Fincantieri were responsible for;

• Installation of a new proprietary decking system which was not completed until 12 March 2012 and also falling within the responsibility of Fincantieri; • Major problems with the weight of the lifeboats which resulted in delays between 3 March 2012 and 14 March 2012 which Saga were responsible for; and • Installation of new insulation as a result of defective flooring carried out by representatives of Saga between 2 March 2012 and 10 March 2012.

Saga argued that the completion of the works was already delayed by work for which Fincantieri were responsible and therefore the matters for which Saga were responsible did not entitle Fincantieri to an extension of time.

Fincantieri argued that the Court should approach the issue with the well-established ‘prevention principle in mind’. The prevention principle is that you cannot hold another party to a contractual completion date if you have prevented him from achieving it. They argued that where there are two concurrent causes of delay, one of which is a ground for extension of time and the other is not, the contractor is entitled to an extension of time for the period of delay of the relevant event notwithstanding the concurrent effect of the other.

Relying on previous decisions, they argued that the Court should consider whether the delaying event claimed for was an effective cause of the delay.

The Court found that Fincantieri’s approach was too-broad. She emphasised the importance of distinguishing delay events which, had the contractor not already been

delayed would have caused delay, but because of an existing delay made no difference, and those where further delay is actually caused by the event relied on.

The Court concluded that Fincantieri had failed to show true concurrency of events because the effect of the delaying events was not felt concurrently. Fincantieri were not entitled to rely on delay events for which Saga were responsible as stopping time running under the liquidated damages clause.

Interestingly, the Court focused on the timing of the delay events and appeared to place particular emphasis on the starting and finishing dates, rather than the substance of the delay event. If the approach in this case is followed in others, subsequent delay events will not be treated as a cause of delay to completion unless they increase the delay already caused by the existing event.

In conclusion, the Court found that: “A careful consideration of the authorities indicates that unless there is concurrency affecting the completion date as then scheduled the Contractor cannot claim the benefit of it. Causation must in fact be proved based on the situation at the time as regards delay.”

Consequently, this case serves as a reminder that the true causative effect of a delay event requires careful consideration and the law seems still to be in a state of development. It will be interesting to see whether the narrow approach in the Saga case will be followed in future cases.

By Pamela Chan, Irwin Mitchell

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ARBITRATION CONFIDENTIALITY In the United Kingdom, Parties entering into contracts can determine whether disputes will be decided by the Courts or elect to have their disputes decided by arbitration. As we all know, it may also be possible to adjudicate disputes that might arise under the contract either because there is a statutory right, as with construction contracts under The Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act (1996) or similar, or because the Parties elect to include a contractual provision allowing for adjudication within their agreement.

There are a number of reasons why Parties decide to choose arbitration as a means of determining disputes which might arise under a contract rather than relying on our Courts. I submit, however, that the main reasons are firstly that the tribunal will have, or at least ought to have, specialist knowledge of the issues in dispute and, secondly, to keep the fact of the legal proceedings and the resulting award private and confidential.

Once arbitration is selected as the means of resolving disputes that might arise

under a contract it is quite rare for the courts to become involved in the arbitration.

There are, however, three principal ways in which a court may be asked to intervene after the issue of the Arbitrator’s award. There may be an appeal on a point of law which is said to have been wrongly decided by the tribunal (Parties can elect to exclude such appeals if they so wish). Action may be taken in Court to enforce an arbitral award. The Court may also be asked to intervene where it is alleged that there has been “serious irregularity affecting

Regent House, Folds Point, Folds Road, Bolton BL1 2RZ t. 01204 362888 f. 01204362808 tvp@vinden.co.uk www.vinden.co.uk

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Once arbitration is selected as the means of resolving disputes that might arise under a contract it is quite rare for the courts to become involved in the arbitration. the tribunal, the proceedings or the award” [section 68 of the Arbitration Act 1996] and it is said that this irregularity undermines the very purpose and legality of the arbitration itself.

Of course, where legal action is taken in connection with an arbitration award, there is every likelihood that such proceedings will defeat the confidential features of arbitration. As we all know, it is not such a great idea to wash your laundry in public but this is exactly what Tony Pulis decided to do in what was to become a very public fall out with Crystal Palace Football Club.

In a judgement of the High Court issued on 18 November 2016, Mr Pulis was ordered to pay Crystal Palace £3.776 million pounds, interest, Crystal Palace’s legal costs and to meet payment of his own costs which, it has been speculated, could be as much as £5 million – ouch!

We only know about this because Mr Pulis and his legal

team had decided to apply to the Court under section 68 of the Arbitration Act challenging an earlier arbitration award made by a Premier League Manager’s Arbitration Tribunal conducted by three leading QCs. The judgement makes uncomfortable reading. It lays bare accusations of fraudulent misrepresentation on the part of Mr Pulis, with Crystal Palace successfully arguing in the arbitration that it paid over a survival bonus of £2 million in early August of that year which Mr Pulis was never entitled to because he had not fulfilled the second of two conditions set out in the Parties’ contract, namely that he was still employed by the Club on 31 August 2014, and because he had deceived the club into making the payment early based on untrue representations concerning a family land transaction which in reality did not exist.

brought by Crystal Palace.

I am also sure that his biggest regret is in deciding to challenge the arbitration award in Court which exposed what was supposed to be a private and confidential dispute to the full glare of the UK media. There are lessons for all of us to take from this case.

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.

I have no doubt that Mr Pulis regrets his actions and then defending the original arbitration proceedings

Regent House, Folds Point, Folds Road, Bolton BL1 2RZ t. 01204 362888 f. 01204362808 tvp@vinden.co.uk www.vinden.co.uk

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Informal Change of Contract Terms FREQUENTLY the situation arises during the course of construction projects where it is necessary or desirable to make a change to the terms of the contract originally agreed.

Normally there is a formal construction contract, which the parties have signed. One way of changing the terms would be a formal supplemental agreement but sometimes a further agreement is made informally, even orally.

Often a formal construction contract will contain a boilerplate clause of the “entire agreement” type. The wording might be along the following lines: “This Agreement is the only agreement between the parties. It can only be amended by a written document which (i) specifically refers to the provisions of this Agreement to be amended and (ii) is signed by both parties.”

What if the parties make a subsequent agreement which changes the original contract, but they do so orally, or by

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their conduct, or informally by an exchange of emails (which, let us suppose, does not refer specifically to the original contract and is not signed)?

This question, in relation to an amendment of a contract, orally or by conduct, with a clause of the type described above, came before the Court of Appeal recently in Globe Motors Inc v TWR Lucas Varity Electric Steering Ltd (2016). Previously, there were conflicting Court of Appeal decisions, so definitive guidance was now given.

On one view, a clause of the type described above means that it is not open to the parties to amend the contract orally, or by conduct, or by an informal exchange; the amendment must be in writing and signed by both parties. This type of clause promotes certainty and avoids false claims of, for example, an oral agreement. However, this was not the view taken in the Court of Appeal, whose approach was based on the principle of party

autonomy, that the parties are free to decide on their contractual terms.

Beatson LJ stated: “The parties have freedom to agree whatever terms they choose to undertake and can do so in a document, by word of mouth or by conduct. The consequence in this context is that in principle the fact that the parties’ contract contains a clause such as [the entire agreement provision above] does not prevent them from later making a new contract varying the contract by an oral agreement or by conduct.”

It is possible for the parties to waive compliance with a clause of the type described above, just as they may waive compliance with any provision of a contract. Just as the parties can create obligations at will, so also can they discharge or vary them, at any rate where to do so would not affect the rights of third parties.

By Peter Sheridan, Partner, Sheridan Gold LLP

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Common Sense Prevails: What the latest legal ruling means for construction project payments MOST of us in the construction industry consider it standard practice to obtain monthly or regular payments as work progresses. To ensure that contractors are not starved of cash during construction, Parliament previously ruled that cash flow must be assured. Following a case in 2014 (ISG Construction Limited v Seevic College [2014]) it has also become the norm that if the paying party fails to issue a timely ‘payment notice’ or a ‘pay less notice’, then they must pay the amount in the payment application, even if they consider it excessive - with no legal right to rectify any overpayment through adjudication proceedings.

Of course, the issue is that the failure to serve a notice can lead to the payer paying more than the contract price for the work. Despite a number of cases about payments, there has been little clarification of the law. But this is set to change following a court decision last month.

WAYS TO PAY The case, Kilker Projects Limited v Purton (Richmond Projects) [2016], involved a specialist joinery works where the contract between the two parties was purely oral. Purton completed the works and submitted his final account application. Kilker failed to serve either a payment notice

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or a pay less notice and did not pay the amount in the application. Purton referred the dispute to adjudication and the adjudicator decided that, because no valid payment notice or pay less notice had been served, Kilker had to pay Purton the final amount, totalling £147,223, in full - a large sum that did not reflect the true value of the work.

Kilker paid after Purton enforced the decision at Court.

However, Kilker subsequently referred the true valuation of the final account to adjudication. Purton maintained that the ISG principle (see earlier case) applied and that Kilker was deemed to have agreed the valuation of the final account by not serving a payment notice or pay less notice. The adjudicator disagreed and decided that the final account was over valued by £55,676.84 plus VAT. Purton was ordered to pay that sum back to Kilker, plus the adjudicator's costs. Kilker asked the Court to enforce the decision, arguing that legislation was only concerned with cash flow, and not with the true value of the account.

JUSTICE FOR ALL The judge confirmed that when it comes to the final account (an account when the works are completed in accordance with the contract), the law will not require a paying party to

pay more than the sum agreed in the contract. Despite having previously lost an adjudication for failing to serve the payment notice and/or pay less notice, the Court said that Kilker may nonetheless establish the true valuation of the final account at the final payment stage. The result was that Kilker recovered part of the final payment previously made.

So what does this mean for contractors and suppliers moving forward? It means that common sense has prevailed. No contractor or project owner should have to pay more than was detailed in the contract, but without the right clauses in the contract, this will not apply for interim payments – it will only apply at the final account stage.

This means that if project teams want to have the right to revalue an account at a later interim valuation date, a contract should include an express clause to do so and include the right to issue a negative valuation. Agreeing this contract change with contractors may be challenging, but it would be strange if a contractor said he wanted to be paid more than he is due, wouldn’t it?

By Roger Allsup, Head of Construction & Engineering team at SAS Daniels

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Reducing risk over the winter months DURING the construction process, buildings can be left vacant for lengthy periods of time, making them a target for thieves, vandals or even squatters. Here, James Kelly, Chief Executive of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), discusses the importance of effective vacant property protection.

Vacant or unattended properties find themselves at heightened risk from a variety of factors including fire, deterioration, fly tipping and criminal activity, particularly during the darker winter months. As such, throughout all phases of construction it is important to consider how long the building may be left unattended for and ensuring that there is adequate security in place.

After all, disruption to a building can result in delays to schedules, financial losses and even safety risks for on-site personnel.

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Discussing some of the trends for damage to vacant property, Gideon Reichental, Chairman of the BSIA’s Vacant Property Protection Section, explains: “Unfortunately, we still see a lot of metal theft, especially copper and lead. This can have knock-on consequences such as water ingress through damaged roofing, especially during the winter months.” Talking in more detail about the darker winter nights, Gideon added that “squatters and travellers are still prevalent, even though squatting residential property is illegal, it continues to take place.

Squatting in commercial property is not illegal and the cold wet weather will act as an incentive for those seeking somewhere to live.”

“Travellers continue to be a significant issue as they will occupy any vacant land, car park or field” he continued.

“This is a problem that is made more

difficult to monitor as it gets darker earlier and it is necessary to put the right measures in place to prevent access to land and property. In both cases the implications of removing squatters and travellers can range from potentially high legal costs, to lengthy project delays and massive costs to clear up and repair damage.”

“Vacant sites still act as a magnet for those with little to occupy themselves, and graffiti usually marks the beginning of a campaign of activity that can result in broken windows, general vandalism and fires being lit” said Gideon. “The darker evenings act as cover for those that will use the vacant property as a place to hang-out which, apart from being a risk to the property, also represents a public liability risk to the owners in the event that someone should injure themselves on site. From

Particularly effective forms of perimeter protection are remotely monitored intruder alarms with visual verification

this perspective, it is essential the perimeter is secure, that there is plenty of warning signage and activity can be easily monitored.”

Particularly effective forms of perimeter protection are remotely monitored intruder alarms with visual verification. Out of hours, if movement is detected, an alarm can be triggered and footage can consequently be recorded. Trained operators at an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) can then monitor the footage in real time and respond to the situation accordingly.

“For properties which are temporarily vacant, particularly during the more vulnerable winter months and over the seasonal period, using smart technologies are increasingly the norm as they become more sophisticated” explained Carlos Rosa, Sales and Marketing Director for BSIA member VPS Group. “Not only can owners

check their properties via CCTV on their smartphones and tablets, but there are some clever additional deterrents incorporated into security these days. For example, an automated verbal warning can be triggered and will often startle intruders and trespassers enough to deter them from remaining on the property. Remote monitoring centres can take that a step further and commandeer the speaker system in a property and address the intruders directly.”

If an alarm is linked to an ARC then it is important to note that as a minimum, the ARC must meet with British Standard 5979. Any ARCs applying for new accreditations are expected to meet requirements for BS8591 or EN50518, both of which replace BS5959. A compliant ARC should be in operation 24/7 and have the capabilities to reinstate services

following catastrophic events, such as a fire or flood. The standards also outline requirements for the physical security of the building, staff security vetting and call handling response times.

As always, if sourcing a security solution it is important to be aware of the British and European standards for that product or service.

Cutting corners on quality can lead to problems in the future, thus compromising the construction process further. Members of the BSIA all offer a reputable service and adhere to these essential standards. To find out more visit www.bsia.co.uk

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Delivering for the UK construction industry DESPITE being something of a tumultuous year, with June’s Brexit vote and the subsequent change of leadership at No. 10, 2016 has left the long-term prospects for the UK construction market looking distinctly positive.

In his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor delivered encouraging news for the sector, with a commitment to significant investment in new housing and local transport networks. The deal with Hinkley Point C is also now complete and other major infrastructure projects, including HS2 and the third runway at Heathrow, look set to follow suit.

There is a cloud on the horizon, however, as forecast by Cast CEO Mark Farmer in his recent governmentcommissioned report on the UK Construction Labour Model.

In his hard-hitting analysis, Farmer declared that the construction industry needs to take “radical” steps to avoid “inexorable decline” – and soon. As part of his diagnosis, he argues that the adoption of optimisation techniques commonly used in other industries has been slow; periods of under-utilisation frequently offset longer-term structural margins, and there now exists an almost accepted perception that many businesses in the sector are unable to accurately deliver to plan.

However, the many challenges Farmer raises are not insurmountable and, in my view, Third Party Logistics (3PLs) providers can deliver several immediate solutions.

SOLVING UNDER-UTILISATION I lead a team responsible for delivering more than 400,000 loads to construction and building sites across the UK every year. We deliver everything from bricks and mortar to heavy machinery and tools. My role isn’t just limited to construction, however, and I also oversee logistics operations across industrial, manufacturing, energy and defence industries.

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By working across a wide range of businesses and sectors, 3PLs are ideally placed to facilitate collaboration and integration across supply chains. We’re also an increasingly valued source of guidance for our customers; helping them to improve the cost to serve and implement new, more advantageous supply chain practices.

One way we can do this is by identifying customers that can benefit from sharing assets – even if those customers are competitors.

In construction, because so much of the market doesn’t operate in a 24/7 cycle, there are huge benefits to this approach; not least of all, by countering the negative effects of under-utilisation noted by Farmer.

Ultimately, the concept of a construction business owning high levels of its own fleet, resourced to peak, is being challenged. Whilst many construction businesses maintain a core fleet of their own, our customers increasingly expect the costs and scale of their logistics solution to be able to flex in-line with demand. This is where a 3PL can really add value to the sector.

By enabling new ways of collaborating to address periods of equipment under-utilisation and providing truly flexible logistics solutions, 3PLs can help construction businesses protect their margins and increase the profitability of their operations.

of working and building the logistics strategy into a project at the concept stage is the way forward. Unfortunately, too often logistics solutions are added on at a later stage, almost as an afterthought.

Having a single company overseeing project logistics from the very start can make all the difference and, as projects become more complex, one way to minimise on-site delays is to use consolidation centres.

These offer a faster, smarter, greener way of working with multiple suppliers, providing a centrally located facility that manages the delivery and fulfilment of building materials to nearby sites.

Virtually all the materials needed for a project arrive straight into the consolidation centre and are then delivered in smaller quantities to sites on a ‘just-in-time’ basis – with materials being centrally checked to ensure they’re on-spec and damagefree. As a result, unnecessary delays are minimised and site teams can be assured that all building materials delivered are immediately available as required and fit-for-purpose.

ADDRESSING PLANNING ACCURACY

The benefits are far reaching, not just in terms of speed and efficiency, but also carbon and cost savings. In our own experience, we’ve seen delivery reliability rise to 97% from an average of 50% and expensive downtime has been minimised as construction workers have exactly what they need, when they need it.

A staggering 70% of delays on construction sites are caused by non-availability of essential materials.

It’s these delays that push up costs and eat into profits. Unfortunately, the situation is only going to become more complex as the trend towards widescale use of sub-contracting and tiered transactional interfaces becomes more commonplace.

I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of closer collaboration to delivering construction projects. I also know the key role 3PLs can play in bringing all parties together.

By targeting best practice with minimal down time, and pitch perfect delivery to a well-defined plan, many of the challenges raised by Farmer’s Review can be tackled and all involved can look forward to a brighter future.

It’s time, perhaps, for construction to target a smarter, more joined-up way

Chris Fenton, Managing Director, Industrial and Transport, Wincanton PLC

High Speed North: The Case for HS3 DID you know, it takes longer to travel from Liverpool to Hull by train than to journey twice the distance from London to Paris?

It’s an astonishing admission, one which paints a beleaguered picture of northern rail provision and forms the basis of the National Infrastructure Commission’s recent endorsement of HS3.

According to the Commission, the North is in dire need of investment – both in the immediate and longterm future – to reduce journey times, increase capacity and improve reliability. Kick-starting HS3 – the conceptual high speed railway linking North East and West – and integrating it with HS2 is therefore a priority.

Historically, the North has often lagged behind the South in terms of productivity. In 2014 the North East, West, and Yorkshire and Humber regions all had productivity levels less than 90% of the UK average, and 30% below that of London. Poor transport links have a role to play in this, hampering the North’s ability to operate effectively as a single integrated economy.

The North makes a sizable contribution to the UK economy however, adding £209Bn of gross value annually – 13% of the UK total. As such, the Government cannot afford to let the region fall further behind.

For two decades, northern rail has experienced relatively high levels of growth – a result of its renewed importance to the UK economy.

Today, that trend looks to have plateaued. Growth has stagnated, and there is now a disconcerting lack of commuters in comparison to alternative methods of transport.

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Why is this? Performance is certainly a contributing factor. The Commission has identified several causes for commuter drop-off including overcrowding, inconsistent journey times, infrequent services, and poor quality rolling stock.

According to the Commission, these are issues that desperately need to be addressed and HS3 could well be a way of doing so: “If the North is to realise its ambitions for resurgent city centres with high concentrations of skilled workers, then better connected cities with broad access to markets and large labour pools will be necessary.

Improved rail connectivity between the northern cities will play an important part in delivering this.”

Of course, the arrival of HS2 - the high speed railway linking North and South - is already set to bring about a host of benefits. Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield will each be directly served, while Liverpool and Newcastle will both receive HS2 compatible ‘through services’.

Transport is but one avenue of the Northern Powerhouse however, as the National Infrastructure Commission was quick to point out. For the North to realise its true potential, the region must first join up with Central Government to lay the foundations for future economic growth and prosperity.

It is not enough to improve connectivity between the cities of the North, the Commission has said.

This transformation should form part of a broader strategy – one which incorporates education, workforce training, research and innovation.

Lord Adonis, Chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission, explained: “If the North is to become

a powerhouse it has to be better connected.

“Leeds and Manchester are just forty miles apart but there is no quick and easy way to travel between the two.

In rush hour it can take more than two hours by car, by train it can be almost an hour.

“So we should kick start HS3 across the Pennines and slash journey times to just 30 minutes. But we must not wait decades for change - journey times should be cut to 40 minutes by 2022.”

Outlying his vision for a more economically robust North, Lord Adonis continued: “A transformed northern rail network should include high speed connections to HS2 and the dramatic redevelopment of Manchester Piccadilly to deliver jobs and investment across the centre of the city.

“A better connected North will be better for jobs, better for families and better for Britain. The work should begin as quickly as possible.”

Whether the Government acts on this recommendation remains to be seen.

After all, High Speed North was initially commissioned by George Osborne, the now defrocked Chancellor of the Exchequer. Much has changed in the intervening months, and uncertainty persists over the spiralling cost of HS2.

Even if the Government were to factor HS3 into its future plans, there won't be much progress this Parliament.

One thing is certain however – infrastructure investment will be crucial if the North is to remain in-step with the rest of the UK. High Speed North, the National Infrastructure Commission’s in-depth findings, can be found HERE

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ACFO fall in with global Fleet Consortium Network THE Association of Car Fleet Operators (ACFO) has this month made public its membership of the newly-minted Fleet Consortium Network to promote operating best practice across the globe.

The Fleet Consortium Network is something of a passion project for the US-based Automotive Fleet and Leasing Association. To date, it is comprised of the Australasian Fleet Management Association, the Mexico-based Asociación Mexicana de Arrendadoras de Vehículos, and the China Road Transport Association.

The Indian Vehicle Operating Lease Organisation is also expected to join the ranks in the very near future.

Despite being in its formative stages, each member organisation has signed a memorandum of understanding ahead of the Consortium’s initial strategic planning meeting, to be held in sunny Florida this coming June.

Led by two ‘facilitators’, the lengthy meeting has a lofty agenda. Over the course of a day, member organisations will work to clarify the steps that must be taken to fully develop the Fleet Consortium Network and its core tenets.

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Discussing the announcement, ACFO Chairman John Pryor said: “The UK fleet market is perhaps the most mature in the world. Over the years ACFO has been contacted by fleet organisations from around the world - as well as individual fleet operators seeking help and advice. We have also hosted visits by fleet decision-makers from overseas and made reciprocal visits.

“Technology is rapidly shrinking the world and in the developing age of business mobility, connectivity, ‘big data’ and autonomous vehicles, global boundaries will increasingly disappear.

“Many of the issues confronting fleet decision-makers in the UK will be the same as those being tackled in the United States of America, Australia, Mexico, China and India, so it makes logical sense to pool our collective knowledge, experiences and advice and communicate best fleet management practice worldwide.”

ACFO, along with like-minded organisations joining the Fleet Consortium Network, has agreed to: • Support and promote each other’s conferences and educational events

to their membership.

• Exchange non-proprietary information and best practice concerning their respective fleet markets, including reciprocal links to each associations’ websites and exchange of newsletters.

• Share ‘local’ fleet market information with each associations’ members.

• Establish regular communication between the leadership of member associations.

What’s more, study tours could be held enabling fleet decision-makers to better understand ‘local’ operations.

Mr Pryor added: “The Fleet Consortium Network is in its infancy. However, ACFO believes that developing an international network of like-minded organisations to promote and share fleet operating best practice around the world can only be beneficial.

“Due to the maturity of the UK fleet market and the established standing of ACFO both domestically and internationally, I would expect ACFO to play a full part in the Fleet Consortium Network as it develops in 2017 and into the future.”

Worth the risk?

SEVERAL factors are accelerating the use of medium to long term van rental in UK construction – not least the political and economic uncertainty despite the fact that we currently live in seemingly buoyant times.

Directly or indirectly, we estimate that around two in three of the vans we rent support construction projects.

As demand for vans increases in the construction sector, so does the risk.

Driving is the number one occupational risk in the UK. Given that many people who drive as part of their construction job in the UK have no more training or guidance than the average consumer who passes their car test, risks from driver behaviour – not least their own safety and that of those around them – increases dramatically.

That’s why many of the companies we work with align our service with their rigorous risk management and health and safety plans. In some cases the t out of vans takes into account complex scenario planning: what equipment needs to be on board if there is a breakdown or accident in -10 degree temperatures, for example.

However, the level of incidents which we see reported tells a parallel story: despite the e orts of many, there is still a lot of scope to reduce incidents further.

We are working with construction industry customers – and often their

own contractors and suppliers who collaborate on projects to o set risk – to share best practice and reduce the impact of incidents that can increase downtime, cost and liability.

These incidents can have serious consequences.

Driving for business is associated with around 30% of all deaths on UK roads, and may be the most dangerous activity an employer ever asks sta to undertake on its behalf. This places a lot of responsibility onto businesses and the public sector, especially as the e ects of vehicle-related accidents are felt far beyond the road.

Working with Jim Golby’s team at Applied Driving Techniques or ADT, some of the key areas we explore are: • prioritising risk assessment planning for all drivers and creating a simple policy that captures the key areas for your business • identifying risk areas that are pertinent to the business – for example, locations visited, times of day/year, equipment carried etc.

• monitoring and recording incidents over time so that you can identify and address the most common types of accident/incident. Enabling you to target training or other corrective measures to address these issues – and sometimes, these drivers • ensuring any third parties with

To find out more about the difference we can make to your business, call 0800 328 9001 or visit flexerent.co.uk

whom your business sub-contracts have similar processes in place • creating a process for ensuring the safety of part-time employees, especially if there are seasonal peaks and troughs in work ow.

These processes deliver signi cant value for surprisingly little cost. It is important that the construction sector continues to prioritise safety and that this extends into how it cares for employees who drive for business but are not professional drivers.

We are already seeing companies deferring decisions and areas of capital expenditure due to concerns about how the economy will shape up in the coming months. Our experience is that managing the risk of company driving is often overlooked. But it is vital when it comes to ensuring that the UK construction sector retains its reputation for excellence in health and safety.

Danny Glynn, General Manager of Enterprise Flex-E-Rent

ISUZU D-MAX ARCTIC TRUCKS AT35: ENGINEERED FOR ADVENTURE THE Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 is a pick-up truck engineered to excel in the most arduous conditions, and is the result of close technical collaboration between two respected specialists. Based upon the strong and durable Isuzu D-Max pick-up, which is extensively enhanced by Arctic Trucks, a company with 25 years of heritage in Iceland and Scandinavia as a developer of 4x4 vehicles able to take on the most gruelling terrains and conditions.

The AT35 retains the impressive onetonne payload and 3.5-tonne towing (braked) capacities that have helped make the Isuzu D-Max one of the most popular pick-ups for those seeking an exceptional workhorse with low running costs. It will be the first Arctic Trucks pick-up in the UK that can be ordered directly from a vehicle manufacturer’s authorised dealer network. Available in either Double-cab or Extended-cab configurations, the AT35 is priced from £31,499 CVOTR. ENHANCED RUNNING GEAR The AT35 introduces several key hardware enhancements, ensuring extraordinary off-road capability unprecedented in a pick-up on sale in the UK. Within the Isuzu D-Max model range, suspension is re-engineered exclusively for the AT35 with Fox Performance Series dampers, which helps deliver increased mobility over even the most rutted tracks and brutal boulders.

Special all-terrain Nokian Rotiiva AT tyres endow the AT35 with improved all-round grip in the most slippery conditions. These huge 35-inch tyres

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are specifically engineered for off-road use and are fitted to 17-inch x 10-inch alloy wheels, considerably larger than those on the standard D-Max. The vehicle accommodates the larger diameter tyres and wheels within dramatically-widened wheel-arches, giving the AT35 a securely planted and powerful look.

The specification of the tyres follows Arctic Trucks’ assertion that any off-road journey can be completed without the assistance of a winch or other rescue materials. Deflation and inflation of tyres – helped by the AT35’s on-board inflation kit – should be part of the adventure. The combined effect of Arctic Trucks’ specialised suspension and larger tyres is a ride height 125mm higher than that of the equivalent standard Isuzu D-Max. With the increased ground clearance comes greater approach, departure and break-over angles. The AT35 sits 55mm higher than a standard Double-cab Isuzu D-Max, making for six degrees’ extra approach angle gain, and an added 10 degrees’ ramp angle flexibility. Furthermore, drivers and passengers benefit from improved all-round visibility, a great advantage for identifying the safest route to an ultimate destination.

COMPREHENSIVE STANDARD EQUIPMENT The AT35 can haul more than a tonne of on-board cargo and up to 3.5 tonnes in a braked trailer (where the terrain allows) – just as its Isuzu D-Max stablemates can – as well as traverse more extreme topography than ever before. Meanwhile, passengers remain

as well catered for as ever in the refined and well-appointed premium interior.

Inside the Double-cab model, the AT35 also includes a six-speaker audio package with ‘Exciter’ speaker in the roof lining, heated and folding door mirror, full leather upholstery, automatic climate control air-conditioning. Exterior standard features include projector headlamps, body-coloured front bumper, chrome trio of door handles, grille and rear bumper, LED rear lights and a rear load liner. The Double-cab model also adds roof bars and rear parking sensors for further increased practicality.

LOW RUNNING COSTS Despite being the most capable pick-up ever to be launched onto the UK market, buyers and operators will benefit from the same ultra-low running costs that all Isuzu D-Max owners enjoy. This is thanks to a competitive 42E insurance rating, low-cost finance packages and a comprehensive five-year / 125,000-mile warranty package. In addition, costs are kept low by 12,000-mile or 24-month service intervals, three years’ recovery and assistance cover, a three-year paint warranty, and a six-year anti-corrosion warranty.

EXPLORE WITHOUT LIMITS With the superb handling and mobility of Isuzu D-Max combined with the agility of an Arctic Truck, The Isuzu D-Max Artic Trucks AT35 sees the pickup, reimagined.

To find out more visit www.isuzu.co.uk/isuzu-dmax-at35

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BVRLA offer practical advice to leasing beginners THE British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has responded to the publication of in-depth motoring statistics, courtesy of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

In a retrospective mood, BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney commented: “2016 was another great year for the automotive industry, with nearly 1.5 million new cars registered to fleets and businesses. BVRLA members buy many of these vehicles, and while these sales will be classed as fleet registrations, they are often leased to consumers.”

Mr Keaney added: “Personal contract hire (PCH) is an increasingly popular way for consumers to get behind the wheel of a new vehicle. BVRLA members are responsible for more than 1.4 million vehicles on personal contracts, and the BVRLA has been representing the sector for 50 years.”

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For the uninitiated, leasing requires a payment upfront followed by regular monthly instalments over a fixed period of time. Typically, it is a cheaper alternative to financing a vehicle outright as the customer is effectively renting a car from the leasing company direct. At the end of the agreed term, the driver can simply hand back the vehicle and start a contract anew.

In light of this growing trend, the BVRLA has drafted the following guidance for those considering leasing their next car: 1 Use a BVRLA member: An obvious starting point. The BVRLA logo is a sure-fire indication that you are dealing with a quality assured company - one that adheres to a mandatory code of conduct.

Membership also allows you to make use of the BVRLA's Conciliation Service in the unlikely

event of a dispute.

2 Do your homework: If you rely on a price comparison website to gather quotes, pay close attention to what isn’t included in the cost.

Some quotes may not include VAT, for instance. This is because they are available to business customers only. All personal contract hire payments include VAT, and all will include the cost of the road tax for the period of the contract.

3 Understand what the different contract lengths are: When looking for a deal, you’ll no doubt see such baffling figures as 3+35 or 6+23.

These refer to the payment plan.

The larger figure relates to the length of the agreement in months, while the smaller is the multiple of the monthly cost that you’ll need to pay upfront. For example, 3+35 would require you to put down three times the monthly cost as a deposit and 35 monthly payments.

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Get 2 months’ FREE breakdown cover + FREE Onward Travel* Having a vehicle off the road could cost your business more than £500† a day. That’s why it’s important to be with a provider who is properly equipped to get you moving again.

With RAC Business Breakdown, you’ll get Roadside, Recovery and At Home cover for 12 months, including 2 months’ FREE. And, if your vehicle can’t be fixed at the roadside, our FREE Onward Travel cover will provide you with a van-for van replacement vehicle – keeping your business on the move.

Call 0330 159 0794 to join today Every mile matters †Research conducted by 3Gem on behalf of RAC Business, among 500 UK business decision makers, April 2016. *2 months free RAC Business Breakdown cover and free Onward Travel terms and conditions. £41 saving is based on the purchase of RAC Business Breakdown + Onward Travel cover for a fleet size of 1-2 vehicles. The offer is for 2 months free business breakdown cover and free Onward Travel for the first 12 months of cover purchased on an annual subscription basis. The 2 months complimentary cover are included in the contract term. Valid for a fleet size of 1-99 vehicles from 25/01/2017 until 30/04/2017 and available on quotes given before 30/04/2017 and purchased within 30 days of the quote received date. Free Onward Travel is only available when purchased with RAC Business Breakdown cover within the promotional period. The offer price is based on the advertised web price of RAC Business Breakdown Cover as at 31/10/2016. The 2 months free and free Onward Travel offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer and may be withdrawn at any time. Onward Travel is valid for cars and vans (less than 3.5 tonnes) only. The offer is available to new RAC Business Breakdown customers only. No cash or other alternatives available. Taxis and minibuses excluded.

03 numbers are charged at national call rates and included in inclusive minute plans from landlines and mobiles. Calls may be monitored and/or recorded. Business breakdown provided by RAC Motoring Services, Registered No 01424399 and/or RAC Insurance Ltd, Registered No 2355834. Registered in England; Registered Offices: RAC House, Brockhurst Crescent, Walsall WS5 4AW. Arranged, sold and administered by RAC Motoring Services who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of insurance mediation activities only. RAC Insurance Ltd is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. 1216152014-2

4 Decide if you want to take out a maintained contract: On top of your monthly fee, you can also pay a fixed amount to cover your lease car’s maintenance. This not only includes the cost of all routine services, but also the tyres, battery, and exhaust. You’ll be able to replace a tyre when one wears low, for example. Handy!

5 Be honest about how far you drive each year: In order to determine your monthly payments, a contract hire arrangement must be agreed.

You’ll be driving the vehicle over a specific distance and for a specific period of time. It is therefore vital to accurately estimate your annual mileage. The most common contracts are for 8,000, 10,000, 12,000 and 15,000 miles per annum.

Devote time to working out how far you drive each year, and pick the leasing deal that’s right for you.

6 Know about your excess mileage charge: In the event that you exceed the agreed mileage, you may have to pay a penalty for the additional distance. This will no doubt be covered in your contract.

If you’re mid-way through your lease and think you may exceed your limit, start putting aside a small amount each month to cover the cost at the end of the contract.

7 Read the rest of the paperwork: Make sure you read and understand fully the terms and conditions of your contract with the leasing company. If you’re booking via a leasing broker, make sure you understand their role and who you need to contact.

8 Remember that you don’t actually own the vehicle: Personal contract hire is effectively a long-term rental agreement - the vehicle belongs to the finance company.

This means that you cannot modify the car without their permission. You’ll need to speak with the leasing company before you fit a tow bar, for instance.

Furthermore, if you wish to take the vehicle abroad, you’ll need a VE103 certificate to prove you’re entitled to drive the car in Europe.

9 Hand it back in good condition at the end of the contract: Leasing companies calculate your monthly

cost on the proviso that the car will come back to them in a good working order. The BVRLA has produced a guide to help you understand the difference between fair wear and tear and unacceptable damage. You can request a copy of this from your leasing company before returning the vehicle.

10 Know what to expect when the vehicle is collected: Some leasing companies may arrange a full vehicle inspection and condition report once the car is collected, while others will collect the vehicle and carry out an inspection later at a nominated site. Either way, you should be present when the vehicle is collected, as you and the leasing representative must evaluate and agree on the vehicle’s condition.

All readily apparent damage will be noted on the vehicle’s collection form, which both of you should sign.

To learn more about vehicle leasing, please visit: www.bvrla.co.uk

® © 2015 TomTom Telematics B.V. TomTom ® and the logo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by TomTom N.V. and its affiliates. Our limited warranty applies to this product. You can review it at www.business.tomtom.com/legal

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Flat Pack BIM Standards ANYONE who has had any contact with a BIM professional in recent weeks will have noticed a wild look about their eyes. This, and probably steam coming out of their ears, is down to the release of new drafts to two of the ‘pillars’ of BIM standards, which are currently out for review. It’s fair to say the BIM focussed corner of the Twittersphere aren’t overly impressed. PAS1192-2, focusing on the project team, and PAS1192-3 which addresses the client side of the level 2 BIM process are key documents in the delivery of BIM projects, from respective positions from either side of the contract line.

The 2013 versions of these publicly available specification (PAS) are widely heralded as landmark documents in putting the UK at the top table of global BIM. Even so, those who have studied them carefully through application and academic research have found areas that don’t quite align between the two, and their relationship with other standards also has some quirks that are difficult to reconcile in reality. Despite these problems, most of those in BIM roles have become conversant with these standards and spent so much time working with them since their publication that they are a lot like old friends now. We love them despite their quirks.

For those not aware of the difference in the British Standards Institute publication; PAS documents are fasttracked and sponsored to fill a need in the industry. This doesn’t mean sloppy,

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but they don’t have the robustness expected of a formal British Standard, but to balance that they can offer more informal and informative advice and diagrams. PAS1192-2 remains the best place to start reading about Level 2 processes. The PAS approach has a maximum limit of refreshing the document every two years, which makes sure it continues to offer a highly relevant approach to serving the needs of the industry. With the appearance of the drafts coming a few days before Christmas in 2016, they were pretty late as gifts, as we should really have seen them over a year before.

It’s easy to be critical and not acknowledge how much effort is going into taking these landmark documents on the path to ISO. Great work is being done, but it hasn’t helped that the drafts appear to have regressed in some areas, nor that despite their lateness the pre-release checking process appears to have been rushed.

When Prince Charles attended the RIBA 150th anniversary bash to say ‘What is proposed is like a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much loved and elegant friend’, he was unabashed in his criticism of a proposed extension to the National Gallery in London.

Many of those who have reviewed the drafts are feeling that same passion and mood and speaking out candidly about the failings of the drafts they are reading. Those working at the sharp end of BIM really do care deeply about this kind of thing.

What is important and so very valuable here is that there is a review process that dozens of informed industry leaders working hard within, to make sure the issues are caught and the quality improves. We live in hope that those responsible for the draft spend more time reviewing the comments delivered through the BSI website than they spent on spell checking.

The whole UK BIM standards journey is reminiscent of the evolution of the flat pack furniture. The idea was patented in 1878, and at the time it was known as ‘knock-down furniture’.

The concept really hit the UK with a bang in the late 80’s, and much like the BIM mandate announcement in 2011, things changed. In those early years, the products had potential to be innovative and of good quality, yet the assembly instructions were the source of much frustration and plenty of ridicule. With the best will in the world, we were left holding 13 spare dowels, finding screw holes with no screws left and yelling our most vicious insult combinations at random planks of chipboard that did not resemble the complex diagrams insisting part 15a should simply fit snugly into hole 72c. It was a great example of how developing technology, processes and guidance at the same time is incredibly difficult. With early examples needing four people, enough space to swing a bison, a full joinery toolkit and the patience of the Dalai Lama to assemble a modest bookcase, we stood back to see the wobbly bookcase and those

instructions mocked us viciously. As the range of flat pack furniture grew, there was a period where the instructions just got worse, before they got better.

For flat pack furniture to evolve it needed the development of new tools, like those wonderful little cam lockbolts, for the processes to be vigorously tested by customers and fed back to the designers, and for those crafting the instructions to really be embedded in the design process rather than trying desperately to document something that was designed by somebody else. The journey from ‘knocking-down’ existing furniture solutions, to designing furniture specifically with the DIYer experience in mind from the first pencil line has

taken time and plenty of iteration.

Kudos is due, flat pack furniture is no longer torture delivered by a tiny unusable bottle of wood glue and an assortment of non-standard hex keys.

In an afternoon, we can assemble solid, attractive furniture which does exactly what the instructions say it should. And it works.

The BIM standards are currently in that awkward stage of being needed for some of the most complicated and ambitious construction project in modern history, when they simply haven’t had the time yet to incorporate market experiences and evolve to the point where they are fit for purpose. The UK BIM standards are rightly regarded as the best in the world, but they are not

finished yet and even the 2017 drafts don’t change the reality of the situation that there are a number of years ahead of us where we will need to deploy plenty of pragmatism to their use to make projects run smoothly and deliver the benefits of Level 2 BIM. The learnt wisdom will increase as we deliver more BIM projects and the standards will be able to absorb the lessons learnt and eventually become ready to be used by all projects without the need for special BIM process knowledge.

Compared to many other sectors, construction is late to the digital revolution party. Taking a step back though, we can learn from those other industries that have modernised and become slicker quicker than construction, and take encouragement from their results. In the meantime, just like a flat-pack versus a pile of timber and some old-school joinery, the alternative is to BIM is more expensive, takes more time and has inherent inefficiencies which most customers can’t afford to pay for; it’s unwise to dismiss using BIM processes on a project simply because the instruction manuals aren’t perfect yet.

We stuck with that famous Swedish flat-pack company and watched them improve. Let’s do the same with BIM and support those who are working so hard to deliver the guidance required to digitise an industry as complex and fantastic as construction.

By John Adams, Head of BIM Services for BIM Strategy Ltd

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The time has come for electrical contractors to gear up for BIM – and make the most of it. Chris Quirk of, Trimble MEP, explains how BIM can be combined with scanning and field positioning technologies in refurbishment and new build projects In recent years we’ve been in receipt of considerable information and discussion around the subject of Building Information Modelling (BIM). However, many people less familiar with how other, complementary, technologies can be used alongside BIM to deliver tangible benefits to electrical contractors – even when refurbishing existing buildings.

Refurbishment is an important source of work for contractors, as so much of the UK’s existing building stock is here to stay for a long while yet. There may be a perception, though, that BIM is confined to new build projects.

Thanks to advanced laser scanning techniques, this is not the case.

Whether working on a newbuild or a refurb, 3D scanning enables contractors to make significant savings in both time and manpower expenditure while guaranteeing an incredibly high standard of accuracy. Data can be captured at a speed of up to 4,000 points per second and only one engineer is required to do the job where, traditionally, the task may have required two or even three. Remarkably easy to use and simple to setup, the scanners feature integrated self-levelling and

positioning technology.

Crucially, the point cloud data can also be exported to CAD or BIM packages for estimating, detailing and collaboration with other disciplines.

To ensure outstanding accuracy scanners utilise on-board inclinometers to automatically level the instrument before scanning, while an integrated altimeter assigns elevation to each scan.

Coupled with savings in time and manpower, this means that scanner converts typically see a very rapid return on their hardware investment.

BIM TO FIELD Once the contractor has an accurate model to work with, either created through scanning or supplied by the project design team, it makes sense to gain maximum benefits from it. One obvious area is in the layout of electrical and other services, again by combining BIM with other technologies. In this case a robotic total station (RTS).

Traditional layout of mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) services requires a crew armed with the building drawings, a tape measure and sometimes a piece of string. Height or elevation is measured with a level, and a theodolite is used to measure angles. Errors are common with this traditional approach and can prove to be very costly.

Another benefit of layout with an

RTS is that it can make working in awkward or tight spaces immeasurably easier – which is a blessing for MEP contractors in particular! Furthermore, because an RTS uses the same drawings or models as other trades remedial working, due to clashes, can be avoided.

The RTS tablet is loaded with a 2D or 3D building model. Site survey points generated in the model are used to easily locate the RTS on the project site. Once located the operator can select the points to be marked, such as hangar locations. The RTS will guide the user to the point (if using a stake) or using visual layout the RTS will mark the point with a highlyvisible green laser. Each point is marked within a few millimetres of accuracy.

Another key feature of the RTS and BIM to Field is ‘Roundtrip capability’. The information of staked points is collected by the tablet software. This as-built data can be imported back into the original model ensuring it is kept up to date.

SUMMARY BIM is an example of how technology is coming to play an ever more important role in construction and those contracting companies that don’t embrace it will be left behind. When it comes to working with BIM it makes perfect sense to align it with complementary technologies that will help to improve

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The BIM Proposition:

An exclusive interview with David Philp

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE SCOTTISH BIM PROGRAMME? A key recommendation within Scottish Government’s Construction Procurement review was the implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to Level 2 by April 2017. The review set out the following recommendation which was endorsed by Scottish Ministers: ‘The use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) should be introduced in central government with a view to encouraging its adoption across the entire public sector. The objective should be that, where appropriate, construction projects across the public sector in Scotland adopt a BIM Level 2 approach by April 2017.’

The Scottish Future Trust (SFT) are supporting the delivery of these

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requirements and have created a BIM Implementation Plan, Scottish BIM Delivery Group to support procuring authorities within Scotland to implement BIM Level 2 from April 2017.

This roadmap sets out a combination of focused actions including:

• Pathfinder Projects, • Guidance, • Training, • Research

DOES THE UK’S BIM MANDATE MAKE IT EASIER IN A SENSE TO GET SCOTTISH FIRMS ON THE BIM JOURNEY? Undoubtedly the HM Government mandate and the creation of the BSI suite of BIM standards has helped create a firm foundation for industry.

The BIM requirements of the Scottish Government will further advance

this journey in Scotland and create appropriate digital journeys for the Scottish Public Sector procurer.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT HOW SCOTTISH BIM IMPLEMENTATION WILL PRACTICALLY BE APPLIED? We have developed a three stage approach to implementation in Scotland. Firstly the public sector client will, early in the procurement process, utilise the SFT BIM Grading tool to determine the appropriate Level of BIM maturity for their project, either Level 1 or 2. Secondly they use the Return on Investment (ROI) calculator to help inform the business before finally the “How?” which is informed by our departmental specific BIM navigator portal.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE

TO SCOTTISH FIRMS LOOKING TO TAKE THEIR FIRST STEP ON THE BIM JOURNEY BUT AREN’T SURE WHERE TO BEGIN? Get to know the British Standards in relation to BIM, they are free to download and are available via http:// bim-level2.org/en/. Make sure that you target Level 1 BIM maturity as your first milestone, it is imperative that this foundation is in place before proceeding towards Level 2.

Benchmark where you already are in your journey. The SFT are promoting the BIM Compass http://bim. knowledgesmart.net/sft/ as a useful and agnostic way of doing this. Have a strategy based upon where BIM will give you and your customer’s added value.

IS IT THE CASE THAT BIM IS AS MUCH ABOUT CHANGING PEOPLE’S MIND-SETS AS IT IS ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY? Yes, it is important that BIM implementation is seen as much about improving behaviours and ensuring better ways of delivery than it is about the technology. Creating more collaborative ways of managing

what plays you need, create a functional requirement and work from there.

ARE THERE ANY NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT YOU HAVE SEEN RECENTLY THAT HAVE GOT YOU EXCITED? I have seen a lot of improvement in AR/VR offerings which is great.

However, I have witnessed some incredible examples of machine learning and cognitive workflows especially around generative design that got me real excited. and delivering information is at the heart of BIM. BIM in its various guises is becoming a metaphor for industry change. The client “pull” is helping drive innovation and set a compelling vision of what a digitised sector would look like using computer readable data.

That said, the technology is the vital enabler and should be given equal consideration. It should however always be appropriate to the outcomes that an organisation wishes to achieve – don’t by authoring tools when all you need is a free viewer. Understand

BIM Energy Efficient Façade Design

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION WEEK (DCW) AND WHAT INVOLVEMENT DID YOU HAVE? I was doing a talk on the improved functionality that Level 3 might offer and the benefits that it could enable especially in the operational delivery and how real time data and analytics can support. It was noticeable at this year’s DCW that as well as the BIM discussions there was more of a wider zoom out and embracing of a general digitisation of construction, which was refreshing.

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Highway to BIM: Innovating England’s road network WHEN we think of Building Information Modelling (BIM) most minds alight on the obvious; buildings, and the myriad ways in which BIM is revolutionising both their conception and construction. BIM has broader applications however, and the industry at large is beginning to feel the benefit.

First and foremost, what is Building Information Modelling? In broad strokes, it is a method of managing project information in a more collaborative and cost-efficient way – collaboration being the operative word.

When properly implemented, BIM is able to create a single shared source of information to ensure all parties are working from the same page. It’s a more flexible and reactive way of working – one which might just iron out inefficiencies and bad practice further down the line.

If the industry is to deliver a more sustainable built environment in-step with the Government’s aspirations, BIM will no doubt have a role to play.

This is especially true of highways infrastructure, which has already made significant efficiency gains thanks to the implementation of BIM. In April of last year, the Government’s long-awaited BIM Level 2 mandate arrived, bringing with it a requirement for BIM to be used on all public sector projects, regardless of size.

As a member of the Government

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Construction Board responsible for the strategy, Highways England also agreed to roll-out BIM across all centrallyprocured projects. Its vision? To “make informed decisions and achieve excellence in delivery with visible benefits”.

The Organisation – which operates, maintains and improves England’s motorways and major A roads – has thrown considerable support behind the BIM initiative, having launched a sector-specific Digital Component Library (DCL) last July. Compiled by Costain Graduate BIM Technician Faris Mahder on behalf of Highways England, the DCL houses a variety of 3D BIM models – from gantries and vehicle restraint barriers to MS4 variable signs and signals - for use on upcoming highways projects.

Faris was on-hand to explain more: “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 the highways supply chain.”

Though the concept of a digital component library is well-established, the DCL has broken new ground in the UK highways sector. What’s more, it

demonstrates how Highways England is working to arm delivery partners with the tools necessary to make BIM uptake that much easier.

Both BIM and the DCL are set to play a pivotal role in the ongoing delivery of Highway’s England’s hugely ambitious smart motorways scheme. This transition forms part of a £15Bn government investment, to be managed by Highways England between now and 2021. In total, 292 additional miles will be added to England’s existing road network through the conversion of the hard shoulder into an active traffic lane.

Innovative new technology will tell motorists what speed to drive at, if lanes are blocked or closed, and about any incidents up ahead.

Faris added: “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.”

There’s still work to be done, of course.

SME uptake of BIM has long been a bone of contention, and more must be done to engage the highways supply chain in the process. But the message is clear. BIM is making a difference, and it might not be long before its use is standard practice.

“The aim of the DCL is to reduce the extensive effort spent recreating content amongst project teams.

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sh detection Reinforcement cla

Cassidy Forsythe are experts in the 3d modelling of highway schemes to the BIM protocols.

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We can create 3d models for you which comply with the BIM principles.

These models will show all 3d elements, such as pavement layers and street furniture, allowing quantities to be extracted directly from the model and 4d schedule simulation to be carried out. The models created will capture the design intent and will facilitate clash detection.

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WHY SHOULD I DO BIM ?

In the article following I am going to demonstrate to you why you need to adopt the BIM principles as soon as possible. I’ll start with getting your reasons for not adopting BIM out of the way.

These are some of the common reasons I hear all the time about why an organization will not embrace BIM :

– looks okay I hear you say, until I show you an extract from the 3d model I created from the client’s drawings. The model below was created using Bentley Microstation, however other software packages could have been used.

• It's all about software and we can't afford it.

• This is the way we've always done it • My guys won't change • Why should we change ?

• It's too complicated Let’s talk about cost first – I am currently working on a billion pound contract building a new bypass with numerous bridges. I can comfortably say that by bringing BIM to this project the savings are in the order of £10 million. So even if I was employed for 2 years my fees would never get anywhere near £10 million.

So where do I get the figure of £10 million from? Well, I am going to show you one small example below.

This is the same area modelled in 3d.

So, now you can see that by creating drawings in 2d you aren’t able to show the laps in the reinforcement. The gap in the reinforcement between the links is about 25mm, so how do you get the concrete between the bars and how do you get a poker in to compact the concrete ?

Obviously, this area needs to be redesigned, but it was not immediately obvious from the 2d drawings.

So where are the cost savings – well think about the costs of having steel fixers turn up to fix the reinforcement as designed.

Also, think about the costs of the other people on site at the time, together with crane hire and other plant. Then think about the delays to the programme created by having to re-design the reinforcement.

The picture above shows an extract from one the client’s 2d drawings. This client has previously gone on record to say that they don’t do BIM and don’t see the need.

The drawing is showing a section of the bridge beams with the infill reinforcement

Now can you see where the cost savings are ?

It’s a false economy to save on the modelling costs – this is exactly what BIM is all about – if you don’t believe me take a look at the Government’s website at http:// www.bimtaskgroup.org/

T 0191 466 1296 E INFO@CASSIDYFORSYTHE.COM

Ireland’s BIM Journey: An interview with Enterprise Ireland’s John Hunt UK Construction Excellence catch up with John Hunt from Enterprise Ireland to discuss the Irish construction industry and how it is faring on its BIM journey.

support the National Infrastructure Delivery Plan with capability, capacity and innovation from Ireland and to support the industry’s transition to digital tools and processes.

John is a Senior Strategic Advisor on the Built Environment and is passionate about realising the benefits of Building Information Modelling.

COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE ROLE ENTERPRISE IRELAND PLAYS IN ENCOURAGING RESEARCH AND INNOVATION?

WHEN WE LAST SPOKE, ENTERPRISE IRELAND HAD LAUNCHED ITS STRATEGY FOR 2016. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE PROGRESS MADE SO FAR? IS IT TOO EARLY TO SAY WHAT IMPACT BREXIT MIGHT HAVE?

The application of research and innovation to business challenges is critical to the success of the Irish economy. We provide a wide range supports for both companies and researchers in Higher Education Institutes to develop new technologies and processes that will ultimately lead to our clients successfully differentiating their products or services across global markets. In addition to own programmers we provide expertise and access to funding and research partners across Europe.

Projections for 2016 were overwhelmingly positive from the internationally trading organisations in the construction sector at the end of 2015. The US, UK, Netherlands and Belgium markets in particular all looking to make significant contributions to exports. In Q1 2017, we issue an annual business survey and from the collective responses it will be possible to make a firm assessment of the impact the UK Referendum result has made.

Certainly, the health of the UK construction sector is closely related to the growth and success of the companies Enterprise Ireland represent. The impact of cost inflation and of demand uncertainty are the immediate concerns. With a view to the longer term, we are keen to

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ON A PERSONAL NOTE, HAS THERE BEEN ANY PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY YOU HAVE SEEN RECENTLY THAT EXCITED YOU WITH REGARDS THE DIFFERENCE IT COULD MAKE TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? Recent progression in VR and AR technologies are well on the way to improving how the industry communicates and collaborates internally and externally and have incredible potential. For me, I’m seeing first-hand how generative design is beginning to impact on waste and

inefficiency and to optimize design and design review. An emerging company called ‘Trupivot’ optimise the cost, carbon and design of concrete structures, by comparing hundreds of alternatives and input variations in seconds. A process that could take weeks and months if done manually.

HAS THE PASSING OF THE BIM LEVEL 2 MANDATE IN APRIL RESULTED IN MORE BUSINESS FOR THE COMPANIES YOU REPRESENT? The contract requirement for BIM by a number of UK clients both public and private in the past two years has certainly led to more business for the early adopters. Nonetheless, we anticipated some inertia between scoping and supporting a central requirement through to developing the Employers Information Requirements – so we didn’t expect a step change for the supply chain immediately.

IS IRELAND STILL A MAGNET FOR OVERSEAS INVESTMENT AND IS THIS THE MAIN DRIVER OF BIM IN IRELAND? No, it’s not the main driver, I think the drivers are largely threefold. The State Departments that are constructing new Health and Social Infrastructure remain the largest clients of BIM in Ireland. Similarly, there is no doubt that the UK’s mandate and the wider recognition of BIM across the EU has been highly influential.

Ironically, it now looks to be the Irish supply chain that are promoting the benefits of BIM to the large US hi-tech companies that continue to invest in Ireland. “BIM beyond design”, delivering efficiencies through the construction and in the operation and monitoring of the asset are new areas of value add.

DO YOU THINK THERE IS GROWING AWARENESS OF BIM OR THE DIGITAL PROCESS? Last month Enterprise Ireland and CitA published our second national AEC survey measuring BIM adoption in Ireland and reported that 76% (67% 2015) of respondents possessed confidence in their organisation’s BIM skills and knowledge. 79% of the sample also reported an increase in demand for BIM in Ireland.

ARE WE ANY CLOSER TO SEEING IRELAND INTRODUCING A BIM MANDATE? We are certainly seeing significant progress in the role of Public Leadership in Ireland and confident we will see a more formal adoption strategy by Q2 2017.

DO YOU SEE ANY PARALLELS WITH SCOTLAND AND THEIR BIM JOURNEY? Many, and would certainly recognise the Scottish Futures Trust as being at the forefront of developing highly innovative tools and supports for wider BIM adoption across the public sector.

The challenges and opportunities of both markets are similar and as a member of Ireland’s National BIM Council, I can say the shared learnings from SFT have certainly helped to inform the Irish journey.

HOW WELL POSITIONED WOULD YOU SAY IRELAND’S SMES ARE ON THEIR BIM JOURNEY? As you’d expect, we see variation on individual BIM journeys, but variation is determined more so by the sectors the SMEs operate in rather than the scale of their organisation. Strong evidence suggests that digital tools in particular have enabled small and medium sized companies to compete as if they were much larger entities both in domestic and international markets. An SME designer form Cork for example, EDC, are providing detailed design for M&E services for significant developments

in Nigeria. Collaborating through a central BIM has enabled them to provide a far deeper level of design (and larger fee income) than would have been feasible traditionally. From a sector perspective those end users and clients who have recognised the value of the asset information or have identified early challenges in the Design and Build that can’t be ‘derisked’ with a traditional approach have certainly been the earliest adopters.

DO YOU THINK WE HAVE REACHED THE POINT OF NO RETURN YET IN IRELAND WITH REGARDS TO BIM? The tipping point. I’d be very surprised to see a large new build hospital not adopting BIM in Ireland today, so yes, in sectors such as health, we may well have passed the point of no return. By contrast, sectors such as commercial, or small to medium scale private residential still have some way to go.

I think what we can say with some certainty is that technology will continue to address some of the fundamental inefficiencies of our industry. Combined with increasing global competition and consolidation, I see little opportunity for a backward step.

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And there’s an app for that: The opportunity exists for geometrically and geographically accurate 3D mapping to transform any mobile device into a pocket-sized construction control centre.

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ENSURING the construction industry has the right digital foundations continues to present an exciting challenge for the technology industry at large. The UK Government mandate for Building Information Modelling (BIM) is making its way through different stages, from task-force to meeting the required accreditation milestones.

but at other levels of large scale projects, there is still a substantial opportunity to support sites where traditional methods prevail. That’s where innovative and cost-effective mobile solutions can accelerate change.

BIM has changed the face of many public sector infrastructure projects,

The ability to map 3D structures onto a site-friendly device, like a tablet or

DEVELOPMENTS IN PLANNING, VISUALISATION AND MODELLING

mobile represents a wide open door for construction teams, surveyors and civil engineers.

At the start of the process, visualising the building within a 3D geospatially accurate context means a range of options can be set out before work starts. This has very practical realisations and ultimately reduces the risk of the inevitable scope-creep.

With a malleable and fully

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Saves our customers time and repetition of re-entering data or needing to rely on multiple spreadsheets.

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proposed developments works layered in over the existing infrastructure. ARUP created its own app, which resulted in a cost effective way of engaging both clients and the public.

PROVIDING ADDED VALUE What’s particularly interesting in this space is the capabilities for accurate interior modelling. This goes beyond the design aesthetics and extends to integrating the data and content generated through the lifetime of a build.

programmable 3D mapping tool there is great flexibility in its application. For some, it is vital to be able to track which products and materials are going to be used where, so cost savings can be realised. For others, perhaps in large urban settings, site safety and the flow of heavy construction traffic will be a concern and consideration, and this can be accurately mapped and planned.

of view of the construction industry, shared 3D mapping data means planners will be able to get hold of more real-time content to inform their decision making.

Future-proofing is also a benefit.

Having a robust and accurate tool that can integrate extensive data on electrics and plumbing into the plans, at an early stage, is an important investment that can be used throughout the build.

As an example, ARUP, the architectural practice responsible for Manchester’s inward regeneration and building development, recently used 3D mapping to showcase its development plans for the city.

This made it easy to help a range of interested parties visualise new buildings, and developments, as well as allow ARUP to deliver real information about the transport implications and how

Overlaying relevant digital content on the visualisation of a building or site offers a powerful connection between the desired end result and the data.

Perhaps most importantly it provides an easy check for any building project, as it ensures all components of the build are easily, clearly and costeffectively remembered and recorded for later on.

COMMUNICATION FLOWS The communication flows linked to urban and building planning continue to be disrupted by technology. Endlesscommittees, hand drawn diagrams, processes have previously made it a hard, and ultimately frustrating experience to get involved with.

Here, digitisation has been an extremely positive force as it means that more automated intelligence can be applied to the planning process. From the point

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The broader communications piece is naturally around the bigger impact of significant changes caused by urban developments.

A first stage of any project is a digital representation, or models, of how things would look to the prospective buyer.

With 3D mapping it is possible to take this much further. In a diverse global economy potential buyers are often internationally based, and as well as showing off a building, it is increasingly important to be able to provide an convenient, easy to view summary of the entire build – and all its data. With this in mind, the world of 3D mapping offers the construction industry a powerful tool that can be adapted for numerous situations and projects.

Complex data sets on efficiency, compliance and resource usage can be built up over time, and presented in easy to read charts or graphs.

Digitisation using 3D mapping on the construction site goes beyond the build itself. The future is for it to be integrated into the life of the building, enabling all interested parties to work quickly and effectively together on site, from planning through to sale.

By Ian Hetherington, CEO, eeGeo

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Culture Secretary pledges £6.6M to support heritage estate CULTURE Secretary Fiona Hyslop has confirmed a £6.6M sum to support muchneeded investment in conservation, maintenance and visitor facilities at some of Scotland’s most iconic heritage sites.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of the most comprehensive conservation assessment undertaken in Scotland to date.

Commissioned by Ms Hyslop, the landmark study provides a fuller picture of 300 or more properties under Historic Environment Scotland care, and sets out precisely what is required to address the impacts of deterioration and climate change.

According to the report, £65M will be required over a ten year period to shoreup heritage sites for future generations.

The newly-announced funding will

enable preliminary work to begin at such priority sites as Doune, Stirling and Edinburgh Castles.

During a recent visit to Doune Castle, Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “From Doune Castle to Skara Brae, these iconic buildings and monuments represent more than 6,000 years of Scottish history and include a number of internationally significant sites that attract thousands of visitors every year.

“But by their nature they are often difficult to care for and require specialist expertise to repair. Adding to this challenge, it is well understood that climate change is speeding up the natural process of decay at heritage sites across the world.

“Historic Environment Scotland’s new conservation study gives us a detailed

understanding of the impact on our own heritage sites and tells us what is required to protect and preserve them for the future.”

Dr David Mitchell, Director of Conservation at Historic Environment Scotland, added: “This report is a milestone for Historic Environment Scotland, a year on from the merger between Historic Scotland and The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

“It is a significant piece of work, unprecedented for this estate, that will provide a basis for investment decisions over the next decade and determine how we will manage over 300 of Scotland’s most cherished places and associated collections for future generations.”

Jobs and infrastructure boost for Scottish cities SCOTTISH Economy Secretary Keith Brown has confirmed that City Region Deals will boost jobs, infrastructure and economic performance in Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth and Stirling.

The Scottish Government intends to invest £760M over the next 20 years in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness through City Region Deals with regional partners, with the Glasgow and Aberdeen deals alone set to deliver over 32,000 jobs.

Those regions facing economic hardship are also being encouraged to

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identify and deliver plans for inclusive growth, starting with proposals being developed by the three Ayrshire Councils on their Ayrshire Growth Deal.

Mr Brown stated: “We are already seeing the success of city region deals in Aberdeen where we’re supporting its position as a global oil and gas hub, and in Glasgow where investment will improve infrastructure and business innovation.

“We have been consistent in our support for city region deals for all our cities and I look forward to working with Stirling and

Clackmannanshire, Edinburgh & South East Scotland and the Tay Cities Region in the coming year.

“We know that all areas of Scotland need to flourish if we are to deliver on our economic ambitions to increase inclusive growth.

“That is why we have committed to working with regional partnerships such as the three Ayrshires on their Ayrshire Growth Deal. The deal will identify how best to deliver inclusive growth, unlock investment and boost infrastructure.”

South Ayrshire Council move to tackle fuel poverty Plans to deliver a major facelift for more than 300 properties are now being put into place. South Ayrshire Council is taking forward a programme of works designed to tackle fuel poverty by driving down the cost of annual bills.

Network Rail award £49M electrification contract NETWORK Rail has announced that Carillion Powerlines has won a contract to deliver the electrification of the Shotts line between the Holytown and Midcalder junctions.

The £49M contract will deliver 74km of electrified railway as part of a wider £160M Scottish Government investment in the lines linking Scotland’s largest cities.

Carillion will oversee the physical delivery of all elements required to electrify the line. This will be carried out in tandem with a raft of bridge improvements as part of a route clearance programme to ensure power cables can run underneath structures on the line.

“This work contributes to the transformation of services across the central belt as part of the wider package of investment to enhance rail travel between the country’s two biggest cities, meaning passengers will see shorter journey times, increased capacity and better reliability.

“This contract award is a major step forward in the delivery of the electrification programme and rail passengers across North Lanarkshire and West Lothian will feel the benefits for many years to come with an improved service on the line.”

Electric services will be introduced on Edinburgh-Glasgow Central via Shotts following its completion in 2019 and will offer improved reliability and increased capacity for passengers.

Iain McFarlane, Head of Programme Management for Network Rail, said: “This contract is a significant milestone for the delivery of the Shotts electrification project and further underlines our commitment to investing in and enhancing our infrastructure as part of our UK-wide railway upgrade plan.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: “The Scottish Government’s funding of the electrification of the Shotts Line, and our overall £5Bn package of investment in our railway, demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the Scottish rail network.

“Throughout this project we will work closely with contractors, train operators and other stakeholders to deliver in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible while minimising disruption for both lineside communities and passengers.”

£1.4M is being invested to improve energy efficiency by replacing external household cladding in Wallacetoun, Ayr; Woodpark in Prestwick; and at Troon Harbour that are difficult to adapt internally. The six month programme of work is being funded by South Ayrshire Council and the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland.

Tenants and residents will benefit from greater insulation at no personal cost, with savings of £200 per year expected through improved energy efficiency.

Councillor Philip Saxton, South Ayrshire Council's Portfolio Holder for Housing and Customer Services said the investment was very welcome: "As work gets underway in the three towns, people will soon be enjoying the benefits of warm, dry, energy efficient homes that will be cheaper to run in the long-term.

"The new cladding will help to reduce fuel poverty, make the properties more attractive places to live in the long term, while enhancing the local area.

"I look forward to seeing the work being completed this summer, with this programme of works helping to bring wideranging benefits that will breathe new life into hundreds of homes across the local communities."

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£500M of new healthcare facilities to go live in 2017/18 NEARLY £500M has been announced, through Scottish Government investment, to fund two new healthcare facilities in Scotland.

The two new NHS and local council facilities will provide patients with first class healthcare in a purpose-built, 21st century setting. Both are expected to open to patients in 2017/18.

Last month, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited the site of the new £212M Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary to view progress so far. Her appearance marked the first in a series of engagements with a specific focus on investment in Scotland’s health service.

This is one of four schemes set to open over the next financial year and forms part of a programme of capital investment in the NHS estate worth over £2Bn between 2013/14 and 2017/18.

The programme has seen the completion or expected completion of six new health and social care facilities in 2016/17, including a new community hospital in Ayrshire & Arran, two health centres in

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Glasgow, and a new national centre for Scotland’s blood transfusion service.

Projects due for completion in 2017/18 are: • A new Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, to provide 344 single bedded en-suite rooms, purpose-built wards and theatres, using the most advanced technology available. The £212M facility is anticipated to open by the end of 2017.

• A new Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, based in Little France in Edinburgh. The £230M NHS Lothian project will open to patients in early 2018.

• The refurbishment and upgrade of seven operating theatres and a new Intensive Care Unit at Monklands Hospital.

The £20M initiative is being managed by NHS Lanarkshire and is expected to complete in early 2018.

• Three new health and care centres in Blackburn, North West

Edinburgh and Firhill, providing new facilities for local healthcare and council-run services in the community. The £25M scheme will likely to complete in 2018.

Health Secretary Shona Robinson said that continued investment in healthcare facilities would ensure NHS Scotland remains at the forefront of providing effective and high-quality care.

Ms Robinson said: “As we enter a new year, it seems apt to reflect on the significant progress made in delivering some key new facilities, which are already beginning to transform the care thousands of patients receive every day.

“Looking ahead, nearly half a billion pounds of hospitals and health centres will be completed in 2017/18 – making care more effective, efficient and safe.

“Our investment in these new facilities will help us to achieve our ambition of transforming the way health and social care services are delivered, keeping NHS Scotland at the forefront of delivering world-class care.”

Welcome to the Forth dimension DETAILED 3D scans of the Forth Bridge are to form the basis of an interactive gaming range promoting engineering skills for school children, it has been revealed.

First announced in 2014, the £300,000 project has the distinction of being one of the most challenging digital scans ever undertaken. A datacloud consisting of many billions of dimensionally accurate points has been amassed, comprehensively mapping the structures of the Forth Bridge, Forth Road Bridge and the as yet unfinished Queensferry Crossing.

Now, a further £425,000 grant – courtesy of Transport Scotland – has enabled digital heritage specialists to begin work on learning games, augmented reality apps, real-time interactive models for virtual headset tours, and video fly-throughs for release in 2018 – all aimed at nurturing STEM skills among Scottish pupils.

Transport Scotland funded the initiative on behalf of the Forth Bridges Forum, with the sterling laser scanning and digital development work carried out by the Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualisation (CDDV) – a partnership between The Glasgow School of Art’s School of Simulation and Visualisation and Historic Environment Scotland.

Beginning in May 2015, the laser scanning required a total of 90 days digitally documenting the bridges on foot, and from ropes, vehicles and boats.

Mobile mapping was also undertaken in partnership with Leica Geosystems UK. Together, this has created a huge point cloud mapping the structures and their overall physical footprint over a 3.6 square kilometre area.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf commented: “The Forth Bridges represent Scotland’s industrial past, creative present and our dynamic and innovative future. They are the pinnacle of world-leading design and engineering and its right that we conserve and protect them and also seek to inspire and educate the young engineers of the future.

Alastair Rawlinson, Head of Data Acquisition at The Glasgow School of Art and CDDV said: “Laser scanning each of the three bridges has posed unique challenges for our team.

“If the bridges are a globally unique showcase of Scotland’s world-class engineering skills, this amazing 3D scanning project also showcases the world-leading design, research and innovation in our Higher Education institutions.

“The possibilities for this comprehensive digital data are almost endless. It allows the production of detailed information and tools for conservation, educational resources, improving accessibility and delivering virtual records to help health and safety training as well as promoting tourism.”

We have had to use our combined experience, gained through digitally documenting globally iconic structures such as the Sydney Opera House and Mount Rushmore to create innovative methodologies to allow us to capture these incredible bridges in great detail.

“We will now use this specialised 3D dataset to develop interactive learning resources based on advanced gaming technologies and virtual reality to make the information accessible to school children across Scotland and beyond.”

A panel of experts - including school teachers, Napier University, and the Institute of Civil Engineers - will now help CDDV to develop options for the data. The fruits of these labours are likely to be rolled-out in mid-2018.

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KEEP THE HEART OF YOUR BUSINESS BEATING WITH UPS SYSTEMS Are you protecting the heart of your business?

What would happen if the mains power at your site stopped?

Should you consider a UPS solution for your premises?

Winter season is here and it is the crucial time to revisit the backup power strategy at your offices and other critical business facilities. Why should you add an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) solution to your IT infrastructure? Here are a few good reasons why: Mission-critical data can be lost in the event of power outages • E-commerce and other revenue generating activity would be stopped resulting in a loss of revenue • Employees can’t carry on with their tasks while still on the clock • Company reputation could be damaged • Critical equipment may get harmed • UPS – Uninterruptible Power – every business will have something that should have a constant supply of energy

WHAT CAN UPS PROTECT UPS system can protect everything from emergency lighting and production lines to IT servers and medical equipment. Whether you need numerous hours of battery back-up or just a short period to permit processes to be shut down securely, an uninterrupted power supply is your first and most important line of protection.

SOME SAY BUYING A UPS CAN BE EXPENSIVE What is the cost of your downtime? How much does this mean to your company in lost productivity and revenue?

A common misconception is that some people assume it has to be a very

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expensive solution to deploy UPS. It is important that you speak to a certified supplier who will take into consideration your power requirements. Then they should specify a suitable UPS system for your exact needs.

The units on offer will naturally differ in quality and price. Buying the right uninterruptible power supply – not one that is over or under specified for your requirements – will save you money in the long term and you can rest assured that your critical equipment always stays protected.

WHAT UPS BRANDS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED You should choose one of the reputable UPS brands on the market such as APC

by Schneider, Riello, Eaton or Eltek/Delta.

There are cheaper solutions from lesser known brands but at what cost?

It is always important to keep in mind you are protecting something that is important and valuable to your business. It is not a good idea to save money on the first line of defence for your critical infrastructure.

Certified resellers may offer more than one brand and should tell you about different options and specifications.

a team of trained engineers to provide you with the installation service so make sure you check this at the time of buying the hardware units.

HOW LONG WILL UPS LAST The UPS system can run reliably and safely for 15 years and beyond. Standard batteries have a design life of 5 or 10 years and can be replaced independent of the UPS.

It is important to remember that most UPS units as well as the battery packs will need regular servicing and maintenance. The best way of getting a service plan is before the 12 months’ warranty runs out. Most reputable service plans contain an annual preventative maintenance visit (PMV) and they will offer different response times in case of emergency.

By regularly servicing your UPS you will keep it running smoothly for longer. You will be preventing the back-up system from potential mechanical failures and most importantly protecting your critical IT infrastructure from unexpected power outages.

HOW TO MAKE UPS WORK Although some single-phase UPS solutions are easy to connect or even plug & play, most UPS units will need a qualified electrician to provide you with a proper UPS installation. Not all UPS vendors will have

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Severn Crossing toll reduction welcomed by FTA THE Freight Transport Association (FTA) has cautiously welcomed an announcement from the Department for Transport that tolls payable at the Severn Crossing are to be reduced.

the £63M debt and introducing lower charges. Realistically, the FTA is keen to see out of hours travel permitted free of charge, as well as incentivisation for the take up of the TAG system.”

The reductions, to be introduced in 2018, are intended to save drivers and businesses money, and thus help to boost the economy. However, the Freight Transport Association, which has lobbied the Government to either remove the tolls altogether or introduce a maintenance cost only, is disappointed that the consultation has not gone further.

The lowered fees will be applicable to drivers paying by cash or the electronic TAG system. However, benefits for fleet operators using the TAG will only apply after 20 crossings.

Commenting on the announcement, Ian Gallagher of the Freight Transport Association said: “While the reductions are welcome, the Government had a real opportunity to provide a boost to the Welsh economy by scrapping

“Making 20 crossings or more is a significant monetary commitment for fleet operators,” continued Gallagher, “and one which the Association will continue to lobby Government on, to ensure the threshold is revisited at the earliest possible opportunity.”

The consultation also looked at the introduction of Free Flow technology

across both East and West routes.

“We welcome the commitment to halve the tolls again if charging is introduced both ways,” said Gallagher. “At a time of continuing economic uncertainty, when businesses are already facing increased pressure on turnover thanks to changes in currency values, these reductions are, on the whole, very welcome indeed.

"However, the Association will continue to lobby for further reductions and incentives for hard pressed operators.

The Severn Crossing is a vital artery linking Wales with England and trading routes on into Europe, and these savings will ensure that businesses on both sides of the Severn can continue to trade at the most competitive rates with their customers.”

Further £40M for green growth initiatives THE Welsh Government is set to invest a further £40M over the next four years to strengthen the energy efficiency of up to 25,000 homes across Wales and support other green growth initiatives.

The funding will target low income households or those in deprived communities, to help heat their homes at a more affordable rate and improving overall health and wellbeing during the winter months.

It will also go towards further green growth initiatives, building on the Welsh Government’s ongoing energy and carbon saving commitment.

Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths had

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this to say: “Rising energy costs are a concern for far too many families and householders during the winter months.

Since 2011, we have invested more than £217M in the Welsh Government’s ‘Warm Homes’ scheme and improved the energy efficiency of more than 39,000 homes.

“I am delighted the additional £40M announced today will help us to take direct action to reduce peoples’ energy bills and improve the energy efficiency of up to 25,000 more homes as well as supporting innovative green growth measures. This is excellent news for our communities in some of Wales’ most deprived areas this winter.

“At the same time, we will continue to

work with the Welsh public sector to implement initiatives which enable the sector to reduce budget pressures from their energy bills, as well as making carbon emission savings.”

The Welsh Government’s ‘Warm Homes’ initiative takes a ‘whole-house’ approach to enhancing energy efficiency, through such means as insulation, heating controls, replacement boilers and draught proofing.

As well as significantly improving the health of those currently struggling to heat their households, the ‘Warm Homes’ initiative also works to reduce energy emissions and generate jobs and opportunities for local companies in the energy efficiency industry.

Almost £2M in CITB funding awarded to SMEs CLOSE to £2M in CITB (the Construction Industry Training Board) funding has been awarded to small, medium and micro-sized construction firms over the last 12 months.

A whopping 442 SMEs across Great Britain have successfully applied for £1.9M in funding, with an increasing number of firms from Scotland and Wales, including some in Gateshead, Aberystwyth and on the Scottish islands.

Education provision under scrutiny in Bangor GWYNEDD Council has been successful in its recent bid for Welsh Government funding to invest in education within the Bangor catchment area. The Government has agreed in principal to contribute £6.3M from its 21st Century Schools Programme towards a wider financial package of £12.7M, which will include a contribution from the Council, allowing the authority to review and improve education provision in Bangor.

Housing developer Redrow has also pledged an unspecified amount as part of an agreement relating to the new Goetre Uchaf development at Penrhosgarnedd. This funding acknowledges that the development, which includes 245 new homes, has the potential to house more than 90 primary school-age children and 70 secondary school-age children.

With some primary schools in the area already over capacity, and the potential for a further increase in the number of pupils in the future, the Council has concluded that primary education in Bangor needs to be reviewed.

Councillor Gareth Thomas, Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “Following the Council’s

Cabinet’s approval to carry out a review of primary education in the city of Bangor, local discussions will now get underway with headteachers, staff and governors of the catchment area’s schools, as well as the City’s local members. There will be an opportunity to review primary schools across the catchment area by considering different options in order to secure the best possible education for the children and young people of Bangor.

“This substantial investment enables us to look at the primary education provision in Bangor. This will enable us to begin a local discussion to secure the best options about the way forward for us to improve the provision and offer education of the highest possible standards to all of the city’s children.”

With the support of the Council’s Cabinet, local discussions on reviewing primary school education in Bangor will begin. The next step will involve the creation of a Catchment Review Panel to identify and discuss viable options before a decision, which will meet the area’s educational needs for the future, can be agreed upon. A detailed business plan will also be presented to the Welsh Government for consideration.

The recipients have successfully applied for the Skills & Training Fund, which grants up to £5,000 for levy payers with fewer than 50 employees, to provide skills and training to their workforce. Over 1,000 construction workers have received training through the Fund.

Horizon Civil Engineering is a wellestablished SME based in South Wales. The Firm will receive £5,000 upskill its staff to complete two new business activities.

Jere Burridge, Senior Manager at Horizon Civil Engineering, commented: “At Horizon, we pride ourselves on quality, health and safety and sustainability. We recently introduced two new activities to grow the business – developing commercial industrial units and installing digital signs. We therefore need to upskill our existing workforce so we have the skills required to complete these activities, and we will be using the funding from CITB to do so.”

Geeta Nathan, Head of Economic Analysis at CITB, concluded: “Small, medium and micro-sized businesses make up a huge proportion of the construction industry and it’s vital that we support their training and skills needs. It’s so great to see so many firms successfully applying for the Skills and Training Fund – £1M is a milestone we should all be proud of – and I’d encourage every levypaying SME to do the same.”

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€4M of EU funding for coastal and heritage sites in Wales and Ireland MORE than €4M of European Union (EU) funding is to go towards safeguarding heritage and coastal tourism sites in Wales and Ireland from the risks of climate change.

The amount will also provide muchneeded stimulus for marine-based economic growth in both countries.

Funded through the EU’s Ireland-Wales programme, the CHERISH project (Climate, Heritage and Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands) will enable specialist organisations to analyse the coastal and island archaeology and maritime heritage sites most affected by climate change, coastal erosion and rising sea levels.

The sum will fund new excavations, environmental studies, marine mapping and landscape modelling. It will also support future strategies for climate change by providing a deeper understanding of longer-term changes to Wales and Ireland’s heritage and coastal environments, which attract thousands of tourists each year.

This collaborative research has the potential to protect coastal and

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heritage sites from the risks of climate change and minimise negative impacts to local economies.

The scheme will also provide information to support the development of tourism opportunities through training and public events.

Tourism and heritage sites, such as the Pembrokeshire islands and the Llŷn Peninsula in Wales and the islands off the south and east coasts of Ireland, will be the focus of the collaborative research.

Welsh Government Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said: “This project brings Wales and Ireland together to tackle some of our shared challenges around climate and environmental changes in our coastal regions.

“It’s very important that heritage sites and assets under threat from climate change are protected, and I’m pleased this investment will also support new opportunities for the tourism sector in both nations.”

The five-year project will be led by

the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, in partnership with Aberystwyth University, the Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland, and the Geological Survey of Ireland.

In addition to €4.1M of EU funds, CHERISH has been co-financed by €1.1M from each participating organisation.

Christopher Catling, Secretary of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, said: “This is an exciting new project.

CHERISH brings a strong partnership of archaeologists, geoscientists and maritime specialists to bear on the significant challenges posed by climate change to the historic environment.

“The project will also enable us for the first time to undertake fieldwork on some of Wales and Ireland’s richest archaeological landscapes, which we believe will open up many new and exciting opportunities for coastal and heritage tourism across both nations.”

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THE UK health and fitness industry is continuing to grow with every 1 in 7 people now a member of a gym. For Gyms and Leisure Centres this means competition is rife, after the membership fee the top consideration for many is the facilities on offer, both the fitness and the changing / washroom area.

Changing rooms and washrooms should not only be functional, they also need to enhance the overall user experience. Whether you are starting from scratch or refurbishing an existing area, getting the correct design in place and choosing the right materials is imperative to ensure happy customers and for the area to remain usable for many years to come.

DURABILITY The durability of a gym changing room is a huge consideration for clients. It is important that any products used are tough, sturdy and able to withstand a great deal of wear and tear. Interplan’s Solid Grade Laminate (SGL) products are robust, vandal and water resistant making them an excellent choice for leisure environments. The stunning Splash range in SGL is ideal for high footfall changing environments. It is versatile and has been specifically designed to perform brilliantly in either wet or dry environments. Both water and impact resistant, Splash can be used across the board for washroom, shower and changing cubicles. With matching ducting and vanity units available Splash is an excellent all round solution.

FUNCTIONALITY Ensuring that changing rooms are functional is critical. Determining the flow of the changing area and getting the layout right is key in contributing to a positive experience. Well thought out facilities keep your clients moving around with ease. Design features such as ensuring the lanes around the area are comfortably wide enough for two users and that there are enough lockers and benches are extremely important and can make a huge difference as to whether people decide to join and return time and time again.

Manufactured from SGL, Interplan’s Aqua range has been designed specifically to satisfy the requirements of the sport and leisure sector. Available in a range of 36 colours, Aqualine cubicles have a rigid frame construction that allows for freestanding installation, helping space to be used more effectively.

ensuring that the right level of privacy is available where required. The decision between whether to have floor to ceiling units, offering complete privacy or cubicles that offer ceiling level space to enable emergency access and prevent antisocial behaviour will often depend on the profile of the user.

All these points should be considered alongside ease of maintenance when embarking on the initial design process.

Interplan’s Coolite range is both stylish and versatile, allowing clients to make a clean visual statement with their design choice. With Coolite you can achieve the lightness and adaptability of glass with a contemporary, tough finish that provides a high level of privacy.

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The Hendry Review:

A sea change for the UK energy sector?

FORMER Energy Minister Charles Hendry made waves last month with the publication of a much-anticipated independent report endorsing tidal lagoon power in the UK. Eleven months in the making, the newly-released Hendry Review was commissioned by the Government to determine whether, and in what capacity, tidal lagoons could contribute to the UK’s bustling energy mix.

As such, Mr Hendry and his team considered the cost implications, potential methods of financing, and opportunities for scale in the UK. Visits were made to those places most affected – Swansea, Cardiff, Newport, Liverpool, Bristol and Sheffield – while the Review itself received almost 200 responses to a Call for Evidence.

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In basic terms, tidal lagoons harness the natural ebb and flow of the tides, capturing and channelling sea water through submerged turbines to generate electricity. For many the UK coastline is a hitherto untapped energy resource, though concerns persist over practicalities and wildlife impacts.

carbon power in a way that is very competitive with other low carbon sources.”

Clarifying his position, Charles Hendry said: “I believe that the evidence is clear that tidal lagoons can play a cost effective role in the UK’s energy mix and there is considerable value in a small (less than 500 MW) pathfinder project. I conclude that tidal lagoons would help deliver security of supply; they would assist in delivering our decarbonisation commitments; and they would bring real and substantial opportunities for the UK supply chain.

“Most importantly, it is clear that tidal lagoons at scale could deliver low

He said: “The aim now is that we should move to secure the pathfinder project as swiftly as possible, so the learning opportunities it offers can be maximised. I have, however, also concluded that the smaller pathfinder project needs to be operational before we move to larger scale projects.

This means that a clear long-term Government strategy in favour of tidal lagoons will be required if the full supply chain and cost reduction opportunities are to be realised.

While Mr Hendry gave his consent, he also urged caution – favouring a smaller “pathfinder project” over a large-scale tidal lagoon to iron out best practice.

“The costs of a pathfinder project would be about 30p per household per year over the first 30 years. A large scale project would be less than 50p over the first 60 years. The benefits of that investment could be huge, especially in South Wales, but also in many other parts of the country.

Having looked at all the evidence, spoken to many of the key players, on both sides of this debate, it is my view that we should seize the opportunity to move this technology forward now.”

The Review made a further 30 determinations including a competitive tender process for large-scale tidal lagoons, and the creation of a new governing body – dubbed the Tidal Power Authority – to regulate future development.

Reaction to the Hendry Review has

been broadly positive. Among the first to welcome Charles Hendry’s recommendation was Mark Shorrock, Chief Executive of Tidal Lagoon Power.

You may recognise the name - his is the organisation behind the hugely ambitious Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.

Mr Shorrock stated: “The Hendry Review has set the final piece of the jigsaw in place: a watershed moment for British energy, British manufacturing, British productivity and our coastal communities. We look forward to working with ministers and officials to bring this new industry to life.”

The Wildlife Trust was less effusive however, airing concerns over the potential impact to Swansea’s salmon and sea trout populations.

Sarah Kessell, Chief Executive of The

Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales, said: “We firmly believe that renewable energy needs to be ‘right technology, right place’. The development of renewable energy should not be at the expense of biodiversity. The State of Nature report showed 60% of our wildlife is in decline. We cannot accept further loss of important habitats or species.”

Of course, the Hendry Review is little more than a recommendation.

Responsibility for the best course of action now rests with Energy Secretary Greg Clark and the UK Government.

Mr Clark concluded: “The Government’s energy planning is focused on ensuring affordable, secure, lowcarbon energy. We will now consider recommendations and determine what decision is in the best interests of the UK energy in the long-term.”

To read the Hendry Review in full, please visit: The Role of Tidal Lagoons

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Irish construction activity continues to rise THE Irish construction sector ended 2016 on a rather positive note, with activity continuing to rise amid a faster expansion of new orders. Rates of job creation and growth of purchasing activity remained substantial and firms were strongly optimistic that activity would increase further in 2017. That said, the rate of input cost inflation accelerated sharply to the strongest since March 2007.

The Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – a seasonally adjusted index designed to track changes in total construction activity – posted 58.9 in December, down slightly from 59.8 in November but still indicative of a substantial monthly increase in activity.

Construction activity has now risen in each of the past 40 months, with panellists linking the latest expansion to higher volumes of new work.

Commenting on the survey, Simon Barry, Chief Economist Republic of Ireland at Ulster Bank, noted that: “The December results of the Ulster Bank Construction PMI survey indicate that Irish construction firms continued to experience sharp increases in activity last month. The headline PMI was recorded at 58.9 in December, down slightly from November’s 59.8 but still signalling robust expansion of activity.

Both the residential and commercial sub-sectors remain particular sources of strength for survey respondents, with activity in both categories continuing to rise at rapid rates, albeit slightly less rapid than was the case in November. Civil engineering remains an area of weakness, however, with activity here decreasing for the second month running.

recovery for Irish construction firms, with the PMI consistently pointing to ongoing healthy expansion throughout 2016. Moreover, momentum behind the sector’s recovery continues to look encouragingly solid, with a marked pick up in new orders in December indicating that activity trends look set to remain positive in early 2017.

Furthermore, firms themselves remain strongly optimistic about the coming year with almost two thirds of respondents expecting further growth in activity in the coming 12 months. While a notable late-year pick up in input prices points to increased challenges on the costs front, positive sentiment about the year ahead is being underpinned by signs of improving conditions in both the construction sector itself and the wider Irish economy.”

“Overall, the December survey results round off another strong year of

UTV Business Eye Awards crown ‘Best Company’ THE Keystone Group has won ‘Best Company’ at the 2016 Ulster Television / Business Eye Awards.

Founded in 1989, the Cookstownbased Company is led by Chairman Sean Coyle and Chief Executive Eithne Kelly. The Group consists of Keystone Lintels, IG Lintels, Keylite Roof Windows, Smartroof, IG Masonry Support Systems and IG Elements, and currently employs over 1,000 people across manufacturing plants and offices in Cookstown, South Derbyshire, Cwmbran and Poland.

Currently, the Keystone Group is the UK and Ireland’s largest steel lintel manufacturer and Europe’s fastest

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growing roof window manufacturer.

Speaking after picking up the award, Chairman Sean Coyle said that it had rounded off an outstanding year for the Company and its staff: “2016 has been an outstanding year for the Company, and winning this major award is the icing on the cake. The development of new product ranges and entering new markets is a key factor in the success of the Keystone Group.”

Mr Coyle continued: “Our philosophy of constant innovation and huge commitment to customer care has seen us in good stead in recent years, where we have more than doubled our workforce to over 1,000 people in the last three years.”

Richard Buckley, Editor of Business Eye Magazine added: “The Keystone Group impressed the judging panel with a detailed entry which painted a comprehensive picture of an extremely dynamic indigenous County Tyrone company. Clearly it has grown in impressive fashion from its roots as a small-scale supplier of steel lintels to become a major employer and one of the most driven and innovative companies in Northern Ireland as a whole.”

Public realm investment announced for Londonderry

Temple Crossroads completes ahead of schedule NORTHERN Irish Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard has welcomed the completion of a £1.2M road enhancement scheme at Temple Crossroads in County Down.

close to local bus stops, has also completed. It too is ahead of schedule and now offers more people the opportunity to access sustainable transport on this key route.

A new four leg roundabout at the junction of the A24 Carryduff Road and B6 Saintfield Road is now in operation, two months ahead of schedule.

The Minister concluded: “I would like to thank motorists and local residents for their patience while this much-needed improvement was completed.

Chris Hazzard said: “The completion of this roundabout is good news for the 10,000 motorists who use this road every day. The A24 is one of the main links between South Down and Belfast. This significant investment improves access from the Saintfield Road across the main A24 Carryduff Road and is already providing safety benefits for road users at this busy junction.”

“The growth of our economy depends on having good infrastructure in place to meet the needs of our people. The benefits of the upgrades to the Temple Crossroads go towards helping meet these needs and improving transport connections for people, goods and services.”

Work on a new Park and Share facility sited on the western boundary of Saintfield Road,

According to the Contractor, some landscaping has yet to take place, all of which is dependent on favourable weather conditions.

TransportNI will keep the public informed of any change.

THE Department for Communities is to invest £380,000 to upgrade the footpaths surrounding the Grade B+ listed St Eugene’s Cathedral in Londonderry, Communities Minister Paul Givan has announced.

The works will include the upgrade of 2,214sq m of footways.

Infirmary Road, Francis Street, Creggan Street and upper Great James will all be enhanced with grey granite stone, to provide a high quality finish. New pedestrian railings will also be installed and the paving on Creggan Hill will be upgraded. The works come following the recent £5M Brooke Park Regeneration Project, which will be complimented well by the new investment.

Minister Givan said: “I am delighted to announce my Department’s funding in this historic conservation area of Londonderry.

The new high quality paving will complement the recently renovated Brooke Park as well as public realm works carried out by my Department in nearby streets.

“Many towns and cities have recently benefited from regeneration projects like this and I look forward to seeing a similar transformation in this part of the city, making it a more attractive, welcoming place to live, work and visit.”

The project is funded by the Department for Communities and will be delivered by TransportNI, where the work will be carried out by a Measured Term Contractor.

The scheme is expected to complete by the end of March 2017.

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Contractor appointed for £105M Leisure Transformation Programme THE appointment of a main contractor for the delivery of the next phase of the £105M Leisure Transformation Programme.

Heron Bros. Limited will now begin work on the largest single capital contract ever let by the Council.

This involves the construction of three new leisure facilities across the City, replacing existing facilities at Andersonstown Leisure Centre, the Robinson Centre, and Brook Activity Centre.

The two stage Design and Build contract was awarded following a competitive tender process.

Preparatory works are already underway at the Robinson Centre, with building also scheduled to start this summer at Andersonstown and Brook. All three new centres are due for completion by summer 2019.

In line with the Council’s ‘Social Clause Policy’, Heron Brothers will also be required to deliver the contract in

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such a way so as to maximise social, economic and environmental benefit for Belfast and its people. This will be accomplished through training and employment opportunities and, where possible, using local suppliers for goods and services.

Discussing the award, Councillor John Hussey - Chair of the Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee - stated: “The delivery of this phase of the Council’s Leisure Transformation Programme will result in three new, state of the art, leisure facilities for the City. This contract represents a major investment by the Council and underpins our commitment to ensuring that everyone across the City has access to modern, fit for purpose leisure facilities.”

Each centre will have a unique selling point, with the Andersonstown Leisure Centre focusing on family fun and leisure, the Robinson Centre becoming a new aquatic hub for the City, and the new Brook Leisure Centre targeting

outdoor sports provision. Each will also have a range of associated facilities such as fitness suites and exercise studios.

These redevelopments represent the next phase of the £105M Leisure Transformation Programme, which is designed to transform the Council’s ageing leisure estate and ensure everyone in the City can enjoy the benefits of a more active and healthy lifestyle.

This announcement coincided with the official opening of the new leisure facility at Olympia. The new centre on Boucher Road is the most modern and advanced leisure facility in Northern Ireland. In total, £2.75M was provided by the Department for Communities as part of the NI Executive’s Stadium Redevelopment Programme. This is the first phase of the £21.75M Olympia Sports Village development.

Cash for Ash: Northern Ireland in crisis over RHI scheme NORTHERN Ireland is in political tailspin. Last month, a defiant Martin McGuinness declared that he would resign as Deputy First Minister – a post he had occupied for almost a decade – in protest of the Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) questionable conduct regarding the now infamous Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme.

In accordance with Northern Ireland’s power-sharing model, Arlene Foster is First Minister no longer – leaving the country rudderless – and, in the acrimonious days since, a snap election has been scheduled for 2 March 2017.

It’s an incredible turn of events, and at the centre of it all is an unassuming and well-intentioned energy initiative.

Launched in 2012 by the former Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI), the RHI was to offer a financial incentive for businesses and non-domestic users to install alternative forms of heating – biomass boilers, solar thermal and air/ground source heat pumps, to name a few.

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in three short months – a response no doubt to the Department’s plans to cut the rate of subsidy.

This surge in applications raised eyebrows, as did the allegations of an unnamed whistleblower. The RHI was vulnerable to exploitation, she said – indeed, it was being exploited thanks to a single bewildering oversight. No upper limit on the amount of subsidy was ever set – meaning the more heat generated, the more subsidy paid.

According to the whistleblower, one opportunistic farmer expected to reap £1M over a 20 year period by heating a vacant shed. Elsewhere, previously unheated factories made full use of the RHI to install biomass boilers, the intention being to leave them running all year round and pocket an estimated £1.5M.

Crucially, Arlene Foster headed the DETI during the RHI’s formative years.

In total, 1,946 applications were approved under the RHI. And though the scheme is now closed to new applications, payments to successful applicants must still be honoured.

As such, an eye-watering £1Bn is to be doled out over the next two decades.

Of that amount, £600M will come from the Treasury, leaving the taxpayer to foot the rest of the bill.

Initial uptake was quite modest.

During the 2014/15 financial year, the Department underspent by £15M due to an apparent lack of interest. Take up spiked in late 2015 however, during which 984 applications were received

And so, the question remains – who is responsible? In his resignation letter, Mr McGuinness lay the blame squarely on the First Minister herself: “She was the minister responsible for the RHI scheme at its inception. No

cost controls were put in place and warnings were ignored. This has led to an enormously damaging pressure on our public finances and a crisis of confidence in the political institutions.”

Arlene Foster responded: “I am of course disappointed that Martin McGuinness has chosen to take the position he has today. His actions have meant that, at precisely the time when we need our government to be active, we will have no government and no obvious way to resolve the RHI problems.”

“Sinn Fein’s actions are not principled,” Ms Foster later cautioned. “They are political.”

Despite offering a full and frank apology, Ms Foster has come under-fire over a number of key considerations.

Did she ignore the early warning signs? Has the DUP sought to distance her from the RHI, as former minister Jonathan Bell has alleged? Such questions will have to be answered if the First Minister is to regain her footing, though the blame game is secondary to the issue at hand.

For now, Northern Ireland faces a second election – a mere ten months after the last. As Ms Foster concluded: "At a time when we are dealing with Brexit, needing to create more jobs and investing in our health and education system, Northern Ireland needs stability."

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