11 June 2016 – by Janie Manzoori-Stamford and Emily Wright We have defined the term and heard those in the know talk the wellness talk. But what about the reality of the concept? Three buildings, including new kid on the block The Edge, are poised to demonstrate the powers and
Ofwat’s direct procurement reform creates the potential for water companies to win wholesale business from areas outside of their own patches, according to Pennon Group chief executive Chris Loughlin. As part of its Water 2020 reforms, Ofwat proposed that infrastructure schemes of suitably high value will be
International real estate advisor Savills, on behalf of Pears Property, has sold The Levels, Capital Business Park, Phase 2, Cardiff to Longmead Capital in a deal reflecting a net initial yield of 7.34%. Built in 2006, The Levels is Cardiff’s most successful industrial park and comprises 119,306 sq ft (11,083
The RIBA Future Trends Workload Index increased marginally this month, standing at +29 in September 2014 compared to +28 in August 2014, maintaining the consistently strong workload forecast we have seen throughout the current calendar year. Overall confidence levels about future workload prospects for architects continue to be very positive
One of the UK’s leading real estate businesses, The Crown Estate, has appointed Savills as professional advisor to its Strategic Land Portfolio. The appointment is for the project management of over 60 sites, with a capacity for 15,000 new homes and 5 million sq ft of commercial space, for a
16 September 2016 | Jamie Harris A report has found that US building owners, managers and investors are becoming increasingly interested in creating healthier buildings. The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings 2016, published by Dodge Data & Analytics with research partner the World Green Building Council, suggests that the US could be
Construction Equipment Market – Global and China Forecast, Market Share, Size, Growth and Industry Analysis, 2011 – 2017 The global construction equipment market, driven by infrastructural developments in emerging economies, is poised to grow by 6.0% to a valuation of US$192.3 billion by the end of 2017. As per a
A number of residential building projects throughout London have stalled because of rising construction costs, with numerous developers looking to renegotiate with planners due to their schemes no longer being viable. A labour shortage has pushed construction costs in London upwards, with estimates from developers and contractors suggesting a rise
In support of National Women in Engineering Day, tradesmen are being encouraged to speak with their daughters about being electricians. Electrical industry body, NICEIC, carried out a survey that showed three quarters of male electricians would be pleased for their daughter(s) to go into a career in the trade, although
Jail sentences have become the standard punishment for anyone found in breach of gas safety regulations. Once again, a plumber has been hit with a suspended prison term for carrying out gas fitting work when he was not on the Gas Safe Register. We have now seen two of these
11 June 2016 – by Janie Manzoori-Stamford and Emily Wright We have defined the term and heard those in the know talk the wellness talk. But what about the reality of the concept? Three buildings, including new kid on the block The Edge, are poised to demonstrate the powers and benefits of wellbeing Rising up like a geometric diamond on an otherwise uninspiring business park, The Edge really is just that – a building at the cutting edge of modern design, technology and wellness. Deloitte’s Amsterdam HQ also happens to be on the edge of the city, but that does not stop thousands of people from flocking to it every week. “Our staff can choose which office they work in,” says Erik Ubels, chief technology officer of OVG Real Estate in the Netherlands and Deloitte’s former chief innovation officer. “We have people who live in Rotterdam, where we also have an office, commuting here just to be in this space.” And it is not just Deloitte staff who have been inspired by the app-controlled, PLP Architecture-designed building. “Huge businesses from around Amsterdam and beyond want to book desks here,” says Thimon De Jong, a future strategist based in the city. “This is where all the corporates want to be, just to get a taste of a new way of working. And they will travel for the experience.” All the content from this weekís magazine, including this article, is available in the new app. While not officially a Well-certified building, the Edge has been designed to the very last detail with the people who spend time within its walls in mind. How they feel, the effect of the bricks and mortar (or rather glass and light levels) on their health and happiness has all been at the heart of the design process. And now the Edge is proving something crucial for the wellness agenda; that people are prepared to travel – and travel significant distances – for a better, healthier workplace. Even when they have alternatives on their doorstep. So what exactly is it about this building that is pulling in the crowds? Walking into the 15-storey atrium gives a bit of a clue. It is truly show stopping, but not just for the hell of it. It has been designed to make walking into the building as relaxing and calming an experience as possible. Mainly because it is light, but not too light: “The atrium is purposefully north facing,” explains the project architect Ron Bakker, a partner at PLP Architecture. “This means it is a daylight space, not a sunlight space so it is light but not hot. And the shape of the building has been specifically designed so that 60% of the office space gets full daylight.” As the central element of the building, the atrium does not just deliver on sustainability targets – this building was awarded a BREEAM score of 98.4%, the highest ever until last month – but also on wellness. “A really clear step on from sustainability is wellness,” says Bakker. “The Edge leaves people feeling energised. Deloitte tells me people will travel for miles to work here and I think a lot of that is down to the fact it is also a smart building with an app that people can use to create their ultimate working environment.” The app works in a number of ways, all of which are designed to make navigating the building a better experience. From guiding staff to particular workspaces which will best suit their plan for the day or the week, to navigating people from space to space based on their calendars and diaries. And with an emphasis on new, exciting work stations – a working deck which juts out into the heart of the atrium and suspends in mid-air is the most booked space in the building – The Edge has been meticulously planned to keep its occupants energised, engaged and on the move. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Click here to read more about The Edge, and other buildings demonstrating the power of wellbeing Source link
Ofwat’s direct procurement reform creates the potential for water companies to win wholesale business from areas outside of their own patches, according to Pennon Group chief executive Chris Loughlin. As part of its Water 2020 reforms, Ofwat proposed that infrastructure schemes of suitably high value will be opened up to competition. It said this ‘direct procurement’ approach would require water companies to secure services from a third party for a project over £100 million whole-life totex, as was taken in the case of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. Loughlin told Utility Week: “There are opportunities if you are an efficient company, and we think we are, if you can deliver capital schemes efficiently, which we think we can, and focus on what customers need. There are opportunities out of that as well as concerns.” He said the fact this will apply on a whole-life totex basis would “reduce the threshold for what schemes will be caught by this new arrangement”. “The whole-life costs include the operating costs for the whole life of the assets, so it isn’t £100 million capex, it might be £50 million or something even less than that,” he said. “That means there will be a lot more schemes potentially open to this new arrangement.” He added that it was “an interesting proposition” from Ofwat, but would need further consideration. “It does mean there is potential for companies who are efficient and can deliver schemes well to be able to win some of the wholesale business from areas outside of their own patch,” he added. Ofwat said a possible consequence of direct procurement is that water companies may not design, build and finance as many large projects or operate the new assets as they would under existing methods. Consequently, water companies and their shareholders may feel they are losing out, the regulator said, “but this will be offset by gains for other private companies and customers”. The regulator estimates the net benefits of a direct procurement approach to be between £400 million and £850 million. Source link
International real estate advisor Savills, on behalf of Pears Property, has sold The Levels, Capital Business Park, Phase 2, Cardiff to Longmead Capital in a deal reflecting a net initial yield of 7.34%. Built in 2006, The Levels is Cardiff’s most successful industrial park and comprises 119,306 sq ft (11,083 sq m) across 26 units in a site area of approximately 7.18 acres (2.904 hectares). The scheme generates an annual rental income of £369,632 per annum with current tenants including national occupiers such Fed Ex, National Grid and Panalux Ltd. Ross Griffin, investment director at Savills Cardiff, comments: “Having originally purchased The Levels in 2014 from AXA Insurance, our client has successfully asset managed the scheme to create the best multi-let industrial park in Cardiff. This was reflected in the strong yield, which is the sharpest multi let industrial yield seen in Cardiff for almost a decade.” Longmead Capital was advised by JLL. Source link
The RIBA Future Trends Workload Index increased marginally this month, standing at +29 in September 2014 compared to +28 in August 2014, maintaining the consistently strong workload forecast we have seen throughout the current calendar year. Overall confidence levels about future workload prospects for architects continue to be very positive across the whole of the UK. Northern Ireland and the North of England, which were the slowest to show signs of recovery, are currently the most confident about an increase in work in progress in the next quarter, returning balance figures of +80 and +46 respectively. Small practices (1 – 10 staff) remain positive about the outlook for future workloads (with a balance figure of +28), medium-sized practice (10 – 50 staff) are more confident (balance figure of +37), and large-sized practices (51+ staff) are the most optimistic about the likely shape of their medium term order books (with a balance figure of +60). The private housing sector forecast recovered the ground it lost in August, rising from +23 to stand at +30 in September 2014. The commercial sector forecast fell back from +23 in August to +19 this month. However both the public sector forecast (balance figure +5) and the community sector forecast (balance figure +7) saw modest increases this month. RIBA Director of Practice Adrian Dobson said: “Although the private housing and commercial sectors clearly offer the best current prospects, there is a sense of greater stability in public sector workloads, with larger practices in particular becoming more optimistic about a more predictable pipeline of public sector construction expenditure, and modest signs of increasing activity in the community sector.” The RIBA Future Trends Staffing Index increased this month, rising to +15 in September 2014 compared with +13 in August 2014, remaining strongly in positive territory, with only 2% of practices predicting a decrease in overall permanent staffing levels over the next quarter. However, this confidence is not yet manifesting itself in a significant increase in aggregate staffing levels across the profession, although we are beginning to receive reports of practices experiencing difficulties in recruiting staff with particular skill sets, especially in London and the South of England. In September 2014, the percentage of our respondents reporting that they had personally been under-employed in September 2014 was 17%, up from 13% in August. Dobson added “Our anecdotal commentary from RIBA members suggests that the overall market outlook for architects’ services continues to improve, with many practices reporting a sustained increases in their overall work levels. However, there remains significant competitive pressure on fees and whilst aggregate turnover is rising, profit margins on projects often remain very tight.” ENDS Notes to editors For further press information contact the RIBA Press Office: 020 7307 3761 pressoffice@riba.org The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members. Completed by a mix of small, medium and large firms based on a geographically representative sample, the RIBA Future Trends Survey was launched in January 2009 to monitor business and employment trends affecting the architects’ profession. To participate in the RIBA Future Trends Survey, please contact the RIBA Practice Department on 020 7307 3749 or email practice@riba.org. The survey takes approximately five minutes to complete each month, and all returns are independently processed in strict confidence The Future Trends Survey is carried out by the RIBA in partnership with the Fees Bureau. Results of the survey, including a full graphical analysis, are published each month at: http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Professionalsupport/FutureTrendsSurvey.aspx The definition for the workload balance figure is the difference between those expecting more work and those expecting less. A negative figure means more respondents expect less work than those expecting more work. This figure is used to represent the RIBA Future Trends Workload Index, which for September 2014 was +29 The definition for the staffing balance figure is the difference between those expecting to employ more permanent staff in the next three months and those expecting to employ fewer. A negative figure means more respondents expect to employ fewer permanent staff. This figure is used to represent the RIBA Future Trends Staffing Index, which for September 2014 was +15 Posted on Wednesday 22nd October 2014 Source link
One of the UK’s leading real estate businesses, The Crown Estate, has appointed Savills as professional advisor to its Strategic Land Portfolio. The appointment is for the project management of over 60 sites, with a capacity for 15,000 new homes and 5 million sq ft of commercial space, for a three year period. The Crown Estate manages a portfolio of over £11bn assets, including a core focus on actively promoting land for development through the planning process, taking a considered and long-term approach to support the delivery of high quality, desirable places for people to live and work in. Last year The Crown Estate secured consent for 7,000 homes across the country. As well as a dedicated project management team, Savills will assist with the promotion of sites through the planning process, securing planning permissions, land acquisitions and disposals. Key sites in the portfolio include: • Hemel Hempstead – a potential urban extension to the east of the town that could deliver up to 2,500 hew homes and 55 hectares of employment land.• Bingham, Nottinghamshire – a major strategic site to the north of the town with planning permission for 1,050 homes and 16 hectare of employment land.• Luton – a potential urban extension to the east of the town for up to 2,100 in conjunction with other developers.• Knutsford, Cheshire – potential releases of land for housing on the north western side of the town. Steve Melligan, Strategic Land Manager, The Crown Estate said: “Savills’ expertise and experience will make a valuable contribution to the development and growth of our strategic land portfolio, where we take a considered and collaborative approach to bringing forward the right sites, in the right places, for much needed new homes and where people are proud to live.” Peter Blake, Director in Savills Funding & Development Team, who is leading on the project, said: “We’re delighted to be working with The Crown Estate across their strategic land portfolio, and look forward to securing planning permissions to unlock much needed housing across the country and great places for people to live and work in. They have a significant appetite for new acquisitions, so our 650 strong development division will be on the look out for new opportunities”. Richard Rees, Savills Executive Director and Head of Development says: “This is a fantastic instruction for Savills and we are delighted to be involved in this really important portfolio’ Source link
16 September 2016 | Jamie Harris A report has found that US building owners, managers and investors are becoming increasingly interested in creating healthier buildings. The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings 2016, published by Dodge Data & Analytics with research partner the World Green Building Council, suggests that the US could be set to adopt building practices that prioritise the well-being of occupants. On surveying 671 owners, architects, interior designers and contractors in the US, the study notes that occupant health and well-being was becoming a more important factor in influencing design and construction decisions. Two-thirds of building owners cited this factor as important, while architects placed more emphasis on the occupants’ welfare (74 per cent). Better lighting and daylight exposure, spaces that enhance social interaction, and enhanced air quality are all currently building features high on the agenda for respondents. But the research also found a gap between what building owners want and what architects and contractors set out to achieve. Three-quarters of owners want to achieve improved employee satisfaction when they invest in healthier buildings, but only 68 per cent of architects, 51 per cent of contractors, and 41 per cent of interior designers see this as a top goal for their clients. Despite an improved focus on well-being initiatives in the built environment, more than half of building owners surveyed did not know the impact of these investments on their organisation, and a quarter did not know the impact on employee satisfaction. The report was published in the same month that a British and International Standard that prioritises employee well-being was launched. BS ISO 27500 was developed with input from BSI’s ergonomics standards committee. It sets out to help businesses achieve a ‘human-centred organisation’ and act in socially responsible ways. The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings 2016 report can be downloaded here. Source link
Construction Equipment Market – Global and China Forecast, Market Share, Size, Growth and Industry Analysis, 2011 – 2017 The global construction equipment market, driven by infrastructural developments in emerging economies, is poised to grow by 6.0% to a valuation of US$192.3 billion by the end of 2017. As per a recent market research report, the global construction equipment market amounted to US$143.6 billion in 2012. Emerging Economies Contributing to Construction Equipment Market India, China, and Brazil are some of the major emerging economies, contributing to the growth of the global construction equipment market during the forecast period. The Brazil construction equipment market seems to be well placed with infrastructural advancements, political stability, and economic growth. The Middle East and Africa are expected to exhibit promising growth in their construction equipment market, as new construction OEMs are ready to enter the market. Increase in infrastructural developments have led to better contribution from these countries. China leads the market with a 40% share of sales in the global construction equipment market. In China, the construction equipment market is projected to develop at a CAGR of 10.1% in the period from 2012 to 2017. Irrespective of import restrictions in countries such as India, Brazil, and China, their economies are steadily growing. Get Sample Report Copy at –http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=110 Demand from the construction equipment market in Europe will be average in upcoming years. Growth in public development projects such as roads, railways, schools, and water systems, will help China grow faster during the forecast period. Compared with other regions, Asia has been the promising market for global construction equipment. Asia will continue to lead the global construction equipment market in coming years. India, along with China, has driven the market due to improved performance of the mining and construction industries. Wheel loaders and excavators are the two dominant product segments of the entire construction equipment market. Factors driving the construction equipment market The global construction equipment market is driven by investments in infrastructural development. Volvo, Caterpillar, and Komatsu have evolved as key players in the manufacture of construction equipment. By rapidly implementing technology advancements in the manufacturing process of construction equipment, these players are setting perfect examples for others. Growth in investments by the government in several infrastructural activities has helped the developed countries to contribute further. Support from the government in the form of eliminating current tax compulsions and lowering the tax burden has helped the players implement technology advancements with minimal inconvenience. Additionally, increasing demand from the industrial and real estate sectors has played a major role in developing the construction equipment market globally. Lease-based equipment assists the construction equipment market to overcome the market challenges. With the help of market opportunities such as global expansion by acquiring infrastructure advancements, demand from real estate, and focus on research and development, the global construction equipment market is ready to overcome the challenges it faces. Some of the challenges that the construction equipment market needs to tackle are differences in restrictions and import duties, security concerns, and strict emission regulations. The overall market is segmented into construction equipment market, construction vehicles market, and agriculture equipment market. The global construction equipment market is forecast to grow faster by applying new marketing strategies such as brand value creation, value addition to the customers, new product development, and globalization with marketing tie-ups. Browse Market Research report athttp://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/construction-equipment-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company’s exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR’s experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. TMR’s data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Source link
A number of residential building projects throughout London have stalled because of rising construction costs, with numerous developers looking to renegotiate with planners due to their schemes no longer being viable. A labour shortage has pushed construction costs in London upwards, with estimates from developers and contractors suggesting a rise of up to 10% in the last year. One consultancy firm, Arcadis, said that they are now the second highest in the world behind New York. A private developer with £3.6 billion worth of projects under construction, Galliard Homes, said that its Capital Towers development in East London is no longer viable in its current incarnation due to the high build cost inflation from 2014 to 2015, with certain works packages rising by a significant amount above the average increase rate. The developer has applied for a reduction in the payments it has to make to the local authority in terms of affordable home construction. This cut in the mandatory payment will aim to restore the company’s profit margin. Another developer building 71 apartments, Loromah Estates, secured concessions from the London borough of Lewisham at the end of 2015 on its construction of affordable homes, on the basis that the projects were no longer viable due to ‘abnormally high construction costs.’ In May this year, a 34 unit scheme in Woolwich also secured similar concessions, also citing high construction costs. Essential Living, another developer that builds homes for rent, scrapped its primary contractors on a London Docklands project earlier this year as part of a wider company effort to control finances. However, the scheme is still without a start date, even though it was due to begin in 2014. Chief Executive of Cast (a planning consultancy), Mark Farmer, said that the issue is widespread throughout the industry and pointed out some schemes that may no longer go ahead due to these issues.
In support of National Women in Engineering Day, tradesmen are being encouraged to speak with their daughters about being electricians. Electrical industry body, NICEIC, carried out a survey that showed three quarters of male electricians would be pleased for their daughter(s) to go into a career in the trade, although a similar number also stated that they believe women would be discouraged from doing so due to old fashioned attitudes in the trade. The results also showed that just one in five daughters had received any advice from education services on careers in the trade. The ‘Jobs for the Girls’ campaign led by the NICEIC was established to encourage more women to take up a career in the trade and in the process plugging the growing gender and skills gaps. NICEIC’s Chief Executive Officer, Emma Clancy, said that dads can play a very significant role in shaping their daughters’ career decisions, in particular in the trades sector where children historically follow in their father’s footsteps. Ms Clancy hopes that National Women in Engineering Day can act as a catalyst for more and more women to take up a career in the industry, with encouragement from their fathers. The ‘Jobs for the Girls’ campaign was first launched five years ago and since then more women have taken up a career in the industry, although numbers are still very low. The survey asked over 100 electrical contractors their opinions about women in the sector and found that 90% of fathers feel it is their responsibility to give their daughters advice on career decisions. However, only 20% of dads believe their child has received sufficient information from careers advice services or schools about opportunities in the trade. Meanwhile, a quarter of the electricians surveyed said that their daughter has considered becoming an electrician, which is a significantly higher number than women entering the trade.
Jail sentences have become the standard punishment for anyone found in breach of gas safety regulations. Once again, a plumber has been hit with a suspended prison term for carrying out gas fitting work when he was not on the Gas Safe Register. We have now seen two of these cases in the last two weeks and it seems evident that the courts are showing no leniency to people who choose to ignore the regulations of gas safety. Christoher Dignam is the latest to face the consequences of breaching the law, as his advertisements in local publications were accompanied by a Gas Safe Register logo and a fraudulent registration number. He was trading in the Manchester area under the name ‘Blue Flame Plumbing & Heating Services.’ Some of the work he carried out was found to be faulty and he is not registered on the Gas Safe Register and never has been. Living in Middleton, Dignam pleaded guilty to two breaches of Regulations 3 (3), and also for being in breach of 3 (7) and 26 (1) of the Gas Safety (Instillation and Use) Regulations 1998. His sentence was 12 months in custody, suspended for two years, as well as being ordered to pay £460 and £400 in compensation to two home owners along with £3,000 in costs. This latest case comes just a week after Alan Nicholas Price, a plumber from Walsall, was sentenced to a nine month prison term, suspended for two years, also for carrying out work when not registered by Gas Safe. Earlier in the year, a man from Darlington was sentenced to an 18 month jail term for pretending to be a Gas Safe engineer, as well as signing official records in the name of a registered gas engineer. The Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI as Great Britain’s gas registration body in April 2009.