19 March 2016 – by David Hatcher Countrywide is in talks to take on up to 80 transactional staff from Deloitte Real Estate. The owner of Lambert Smith Hampton is one of three real estate advisory firms in the running for the team but is understood to be competing most
The Presidents and Directors of the five professional bodies representing architects on the islands of Britain and Ireland met in Belfast earlier this week to discuss the implications of the UK referendum to leave the European Union and have released the following joint statement. This joint statement is made on
From a restored castle with a ‘cool’ contemporary café that has brought new life to Cardigan town centre, to the bold and dramatically-lit Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre in Pwllheli and a dynamic new ‘learning village’ in Cardiff, the judges of the Welsh Architecture Awards praised the imaginative
The Housing & Finance Institute (HFI), in conjunction with Local Partnerships, has launched a major new programme to help councils build more new homes. The scheme will be called ‘Housing Business Together’ and will sit within HFI’s flagship Housing Business Ready programme, both of which are designed to help accelerate
Property, construction, residential and services group Kier has announced “significant revenue growth to £1.7 billion, up 34 per cent,” according to the firm’s full-year results. The company said that the results for the year ending June 30 this year were underpinned by “a raft of strong facilities management contract wins,
Morgan Sindall has been contracted by Heathrow Airport to carry out £7.3 million of refurbishment and improvement work to its stands, runways and infrastructure. Pre-contract enabling works have been carried out to make sure that there is no damage to underground services and the project team has already finished the
The Science and Technology Committee says that the government is “not being clear” on the benefits of smart meters. The Committee said that there are “too many objectives” for the rollout, which could hinder its implementation. The report stated that the government should be clearer about the main purpose of
A planning application has been put forward to Birmingham City Council for a third building at the Arena Central development. The joint venture led by Miller Developments, Arena Central Developments Ltd (ACDL), has submitted plans for the 14 storey office block, 3 Arena Central, at the heart of the 9.2
UK boiler manufacturing firm Baxi has championed the importance of Gas Safety Week as recently released figures revealed a 10% increase in suspected carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings. The Gas Safe Register co-ordinated Gas Safety Week, which is hosts every year to increase awareness of poorly maintained gas appliances, and the
19 March 2016 – by David Hatcher Countrywide is in talks to take on up to 80 transactional staff from Deloitte Real Estate. The owner of Lambert Smith Hampton is one of three real estate advisory firms in the running for the team but is understood to be competing most aggressively. The decision will be determined by Deloitte and senior staff involved in the transfer, considering a combination of the financial offers proposed by the suitors and the preference of staff as to where they want their futures to be. A final decision is due within the next fortnight. It is expected that as a result of the competition for the team Deloitte will now receive some payment as part of the transaction. The deal comes off the back of Countrywide attempting to buy the whole of the Deloitte Real Estate business at the end of last year. A deal could not ultimately be agreed. Countrywide has been aggressive in its expansion of LSH since it bought the business in 2013. It has looked to bulk up the operation and create scale in its commercial advisory division and has bought firms including BTWShiells, Tushingham Moore and ES Group. All the content from this week’s magazine, including this article, is available in the new app. LSH, which has its main strengths in advisory services, would see its transactional capacities neatly boosted by taking on the Deloitte staff. EG revealed that Deloitte had begun a formal strategic review of its agency and investment businesses last month (20 February, p29). Its West End and City agency and investment teams are likely to move as a result of conflicts arising due to being part of a big-four accountant. These conflicts could potentially hinder them from undertaking of transactional work. The 80 staff affected include three partners: Stephen Peers, head of transactions and West End; Jamie Olley, head of City investment; and John Rodgers, head of national investments. Source link
The Presidents and Directors of the five professional bodies representing architects on the islands of Britain and Ireland met in Belfast earlier this week to discuss the implications of the UK referendum to leave the European Union and have released the following joint statement. This joint statement is made on behalf of: Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) The Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) “The uncertainty caused by the result of the EU referendum in the UK could have a major impact on the construction industry across these islands and we know that some building projects have been put on hold. Restoring stability and confidence as a matter of urgency will enable us to maximise the opportunities presented by the UK’s new relationship with the EU and the rest of the world. It is our view that the free movement of people, goods and services throughout Europe is of paramount importance to the economic, social and environmental well-being of these islands. We call on the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as it negotiates the UK’s exit from the European Union, to protect free movement.” Additional comment from each individual professional body RIBA President Jane Duncan said: “UK architecture is a resilient, flexible and innovative profession with a long and proud history. I’m confident that architects, along with our partners in the wider creative and construction industries can help deliver strong economic growth for the UK during and after Brexit. As we look outwards to the world, we will continue our work with the UK government to address the challenges and support the opportunities that arise from Brexit, including pressing for continued free movement so vital for architects’ practices in the UK and the EU, and mutual recognition of qualifications.” Paul Crowe, President of RSUA “Unlike in other parts of the UK, the level of investment in Northern Ireland’s built environment was still significantly below pre-recession levels even before Brexit. The modest recovery we were experiencing is now in jeopardy. There are concerns that Brexit might hit Northern Ireland harder than elsewhere in the UK and we believe there is an onus on the UK Government to take account of this as it rolls out measures to mitigate the impact of Brexit. Looking ahead it is essential that some way is found to maintain free movement and free trade across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.” Robert Firth, President of RSAW “The Royal Society of Architects in Wales fully supports the Welsh Government in its demands that Wales should not lose out on projects and funding that would previously have resulted from our position as a region of the EU. Architects want to play a key part in creating better places for everyone – and to engage with the Welsh Government to achieve its aims of a sustainable, vibrant country through the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. Wales is a small nation with an international outlook so our cultural and economic connection with Europe will be vital for students and practitioners of architecture in the future.” Carole Pollard, President of RIAI “The Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland is the representative body for architects throughout the island of Ireland. There have always been strong connections between the architectural profession in Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. That connection has been built on a long tradition of movement of the profession between both jurisdictions and the cyclical nature of the construction industry has ensured a constant flow of architects throughout these islands. Free movement of people and services, particularly via the open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, is essential for a healthy and sustainable construction sector.” Willie Watt, President of RIAS “Our Festival of Architecture, celebrating the RIAS’ centenary this year, has reaffirmed that Scottish architecture has been greatly enriched by our close trading and cultural relationships with the UK and Europe. We join with our colleagues from throughout the UK and in the Republic of Ireland in seeking to retain and strengthen those ties.” ENDS Notes to editors: For further press information contact Howard Crosskey in the RIBA Press Office howard.crosskey@riba.org +44 (0)20 7307 3761 The latest policy documents from RIBA on Brexit and the implications for architects in the UK can be found here: https://www.architecture.com/Brexit The Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. www.architecture.com Posted on Friday 29th July 2016 Source link
From a restored castle with a ‘cool’ contemporary café that has brought new life to Cardigan town centre, to the bold and dramatically-lit Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre in Pwllheli and a dynamic new ‘learning village’ in Cardiff, the judges of the Welsh Architecture Awards praised the imaginative approach of the architects and clients whose buildings have enriched and revitalised communities across Wales in 2016. The Welsh Architecture Awards are presented by RSAW (Royal Society of Architects in Wales) as part of the UK-wide RIBA Architecture Awards (Royal Institute of British Architects) which in turn lead on to the RIBA Stirling Prize, awarded to the building with the most influence on the evolution of architecture in 2016. Jury Chair Chris Loyn of Loyn & Co Architects, himself a winner of the 2015 Manser Medal (RIBA House of the Year) said that the positive relationship between architect and client was a key factor in the winning formula for all five projects, demonstrating that good design and successful buildings are achievable within tight budgets. Chris Loyn said the jury particularly noted the important role played by local authorities in this year’s winning schemes: “It was great to see local authorities taking such an imaginative approach, playing an active role in the design process, recognising the importance of achieving excellence in design within the inevitable budget constraints facing all councils.” The jury was also impressed by how clients such as Welsh Water, Gwynedd Council and Carmarthenshire County Council had shown a clear commitment to community involvement and to community use that went “way beyond” the obvious primary purpose of the brief. Praising the contribution of volunteers in several schemes, the Jury Chair commented: “It is fair to say that many of these buildings would not have been realised without the tremendous effort and energy of local people. At Cardigan Castle, for example, without the will and passion of this active and determined community, the castle wall and associated buildings would almost certainly have been lost.” The 2016 Welsh Architecture Awards were presented at a ceremony in the Temple of Peace, Cathays Park, Cardiff, on Wednesday 27 April. As well as awarding five Welsh Architecture Awards, the jury recognised outstanding achievement in five categories, awarding special prizes to: RSAW Building of the Year – sponsored by Marley Eternit: Llandegfedd Visitor Centre and Watersports Centre RSAW Client of the Year: Gwynedd County Council (YGC) for the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre, Pwllheli RSAW Conservation Award: Cardigan Castle RSAW Sustainability Award – sponsored by Sika: Burry Port Community Primary School RSAW Project Architect of the Year – sponsored by Tarmac: jointly awarded to George Mikurcik, Architype and Andrew Tidy, Carmarthenshire County Council, for Burry Port Community Primary School. Details of all winning schemes: Llandegfedd Visitor Centre and Watersports Centre Architect: Hall + Bednarczyk ArchitectsClient: Dŵr Cymru Welsh WaterContractor: Anthony A Davies Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre, Pwllheli Architect: Ellis Williams ArchitectsClient: Gwynedd Council (YGC) with acknowledgement to Plas Heli CyfContractor: Wynne Construction Cardigan Castle Architect: PurcellClient: Cardigan Castle Building Preservation TrustContractor: Andrew Scott Ltd Burry Port Community Primary School Architect: Architype and Property Design, Carmarthenshire County CouncilClient: Carmarthenshire County CouncilContractor: WRW Construction Cardiff and Vale College, New City Centre Community Campus Architect: BDPClient: Cardiff & Vale CollegeContractor: Willmott Dixon Ends Notes to editors: 1. Welsh Architecture Awards jury 2016 The 2016 jury was chaired by Chris Loyn of Penarth-based Loyn & Co Architects; the RSAW representative was Kay Hyde, Hyde + Hyde Architects; the lay assessor was Menna Richards. 2. Sponsorship The National Sponsors for the RIBA Regional Awards 2016 (Welsh Architecture Awards) are Tarmac, Sika and Marley Eternit. Tarmac, the UK’s leading sustainable building materials and construction solutions business, sponsors the RSAW Project Architect of the Year Award. www.tarmac.com Sika, a speciality chemicals company which pioneers sustainable solutions to global challenges, sponsors the RSAW Sustainabilty Award. www.sika.co.uk/sustainability Marley Eternit, a leading roofing and facades manufacturer, sponsor the RSAW Building of the Year Award. www.marleyeternit.co.uk 3. RIBA Awards history The RIBA Awards were set up 50 years ago to champion and celebrate the best of architecture in the UK and around the world, no matter the form, size or budget of the project. The Welsh Architecture Awards were introduced in 2012, to form the first stage of the RIBA Awards process. Winners of Welsh Architecture Awards may go on to be shortlisted for the RIBA National Awards, which in turn lead to the RIBA Stirling Prize. Named after British architect Sir James Stirling and launched in 1996, the prize is awarded to the building which has made the greatest contribution to the evolution of architecture in the last year. In 2016 the Stirling Prize is sponsored by Almacantar. 4. Royal Society of Architects in Wales The Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) represents and supports 700 Chartered Architect members of the Royal Incorporation of British Architects (RIBA). Through our members’ expertise and our advocacy work in government, public and private sectors, we champion well-designed buildings and places across Wales. Contact:Mary Wrenn, Director RSAWT: 029 2022 8987 E: rsaw@riba.orgwww.architecture.com/wales Posted on Wednesday 27th April 2016 Source link
The Housing & Finance Institute (HFI), in conjunction with Local Partnerships, has launched a major new programme to help councils build more new homes. The scheme will be called ‘Housing Business Together’ and will sit within HFI’s flagship Housing Business Ready programme, both of which are designed to help accelerate house building in the UK. The national Housing Business Together scheme will be delivered to councils throughout the country to help them with their housing strategies. Senior council officers and council leadership will work with the HFI team to carry out an intensive strategy assessment, using shared techniques and tools to improve delivery. Already, the Housing & Finance Institute has worked with more than 30 councils on the HBR scheme to help them better monitor, assess and build the homes needed to develop and sustain their communities. Natalie Elphicke OBE, Chief Executive of the HFi, commented: “The HFI is delighted to be working with Local Partnerships to jointly deliver the Housing Business Together programme. “The programme aims to give councils support and strategic clarity in their growth and housing agendas. By helping local government devise a more effective housing strategy that collaborates closely with the private sector, we will continue to deliver the homes that we need across the country.” Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of Local Partnerships, Sean Hanson, said that the UK is facing significant challenges in the delivery of housing that is needed for the future. Hanson continued that the majority of the councils they currently support are becoming more actively involved in housing delivery, with many considering implementing housing delivery vehicles of one form or another. He added: “Local Partnerships and HFI are currently developing a support package that will take local authorities through the process as well as including guidance and common templates. The ‘Housing Business Together’ programme is a logical extension of the Housing Business Ready scheme and Local Partnerships is delighted to support HFI with this programme.”
Property, construction, residential and services group Kier has announced “significant revenue growth to £1.7 billion, up 34 per cent,” according to the firm’s full-year results. The company said that the results for the year ending June 30 this year were underpinned by “a raft of strong facilities management contract wins, worth a total of around £100 million.” The results also showed that underlying profit from operations of £150 million increased by 44%, including a full year’s contribution from Mouchel, an increased share of post-tax results of joint ventures in the property division and margin recovery supported by cost efficiencies. Underlying earnings per share were up 11 per cent at 106.7p, it added. Kier FM and business services operations have been brought together under one division, Kier Workplace Services, which launched on July 1 this year and provides end to end workplace solutions for private and public sector clients, encompassing FM, property and asset management and business processing. Steve Davies, managing director, Kier Workplace Service, said: “The provision of a broader FM offer provides enhanced opportunities with local authority clients, while the combined expertise and experience of our FM and business services teams means we can provide public and private sector clients with an end-to-end solution for their business processes, leaving them free to concentrate on their core business.” Kier has also announced two further contract victories with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Imperial War Museums, worth a total of £13.2 million over the terms of the respective three and five year deals. The group welcomed the government’s final go-ahead for the £18bn Hinkley project. It said that the decision marks “a major step in the UK’s nuclear renaissance” — Whitehall has said it wants to build enough new nuclear reactors to meet about a third of the UK’s energy needs by 2030.
Morgan Sindall has been contracted by Heathrow Airport to carry out £7.3 million of refurbishment and improvement work to its stands, runways and infrastructure. Pre-contract enabling works have been carried out to make sure that there is no damage to underground services and the project team has already finished the first phase of the scheme, which involved resurfacing the T5 end of the southern runway. The runway was resurfaced with a new polymer modified bitumen (PMB) asphalt, designed to use specifically in airports because of its high levels of strength and crack resistance. The next stage of the project will involve working directly in front of the British Airways Engineering line maintenance base to replace underground stone water-drainage pipes. The site team will work through the night and has constructed a purpose-built route to allow aircraft to reach the base, therefore minimising disruption to one of the busiest areas of the airport. Morgan Sindall is one of four contractors on the Q6 framework, appointed to deliver a £1.5 billion upgrade and improvement framework at Heathrow Airport by 2019. Keith Cannin, managing director of aviation at Morgan Sindall, said: “We have a long standing relationship with Heathrow Airport and a track record of successfully delivering this kind of work. Our site team understand the pressures and considerations involved working in a live airside environment and always take the necessary measures to mitigate interruptions at the airport.” The work is due to be finished by the end of next year and comes after the refurbishment and resurfacing of the airport’s Sierra Taxiway as part of a £16 million contract completed last year. Last month, Heathrow has suffered its worst August for four years, with traffic growth practically coming to a standstill at Britain’s biggest airport last month. The west London hub handled 7,338,852 travellers during the peak summer month, which although a fresh record was just 5,752 more than August last year, a rise of less than 0.1pc.
The Science and Technology Committee says that the government is “not being clear” on the benefits of smart meters. The Committee said that there are “too many objectives” for the rollout, which could hinder its implementation. The report stated that the government should be clearer about the main purpose of smart metering and use this to drive evaluation of the project. It added: “Smart meters need to be clearly understood by the consumer and provide information in a format that the customer finds helpful. In order for consumers to benefit directly from smart metering there will need to be appropriate investment in customer engagement, given that this is being introduced in an era of low public trust in utility providers.” The government has listed 11 different objectives for the scheme, including saving money for customers’ energy bills, despite the amount of money saved by individual consumers set to be small. The report says that the major benefits will be in paving the way for a smarter energy system where to enhance energy security and reduce pollution. However, the report supports the use of in-home displays are part of the rollout as they provide a “necessary feedback mechanism” on energy consumption, despite some stakeholders criticising this. They also discussed smart meter security and members met with the government’s security experts from GCHQ which have the Committee “confidence that security is being taken seriously.” Tania Mathias, Interim Chair of the Committee, commented: “It would be easy to dismiss the smart meter project as an inefficient way of saving a small amount of money on energy bills, but the evidence suggests there are major national benefits, including establishing a smarter, more energy secure grid. “The smart meter mass rollout has been delayed, but the government and suppliers must not skimp on engaging with customers in the rush to fit 50 million more meters by 2020. The evidence shows that homeowners and businesses need to receive tailored advice about how they can benefit from smart metering.”
A planning application has been put forward to Birmingham City Council for a third building at the Arena Central development. The joint venture led by Miller Developments, Arena Central Developments Ltd (ACDL), has submitted plans for the 14 storey office block, 3 Arena Central, at the heart of the 9.2 acre development site. Architect Make Architects has designed 3 Arena Central with the outside of the building clad in a geometric pattern of hexagonal metallic panels. The Arena Central development is next to Centenary Square and the Library of Birmingham and fronting Broad Street. In all, there is outline consent for over a million sq ft of commercial space, which includes the 135,000 sq ft 1 Arena Central and 210,000 sq ft 2 Arena Central, which will be HSBC’s banking division’s new headquarters on completion in 2017. ACDL said that “with the right occupier interest” 3 Arena Central could be delivered by the first quarter of 2019. Make Architects founder partner Ken Shuttleworth said: “As a Birmingham native, I’m delighted that Make is able to contribute in such a big way to the emerging Arena Central masterplan. 3 Arena Central, Make’s third office building in the masterplan which we also designed, is at the forefront of placemaking and will be a new destination at the heart of Arena Central.” Jonathan Wallis from Arena Central said: “Our decision to submit these plans for 3 Arena Central demonstrates the confidence that we feel in the occupier market post-Brexit. “By looking to secure planning consent now, we are minimising the lead-in time to the delivery of the building which, with the right occupier interest, could be delivered by the first quarter of 2019. “The property sector in the West Midlands is fast-moving, with a sustained focus on the city as a prime business destination and we want to be in a position to offer the best possible commercial opportunities to ensure that the city and wider region remains a viable and attractive proposition, contributing to a truly first-class city centre commercial development.”
UK boiler manufacturing firm Baxi has championed the importance of Gas Safety Week as recently released figures revealed a 10% increase in suspected carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings. The Gas Safe Register co-ordinated Gas Safety Week, which is hosts every year to increase awareness of poorly maintained gas appliances, and the seriousness of the associated consequences. Gas safety is more relevant that ever this year, with the research showing a 10% rise in suspected CO poisoning cases over the last two years. Head of product management at Baxi, Jon Phillips, commented: “Every day, four people will go to hospital with CO poisoning, which is a deeply worrying statistic. Gas Safety Week is an opportunity to consider how we can reduce gas related incidents through taking every available precaution when it comes to installing and maintaining gas appliances. “For gas installers, CO is an all too familiar risk. As industry experts out on the front line they are ideally placed to help hammer the message home and raise awareness of safety standards across the board. Gas safety is about educating both the industry and the general public, and the awareness raised by Gas Safety Week is vital to that.” There are several simple ways that installers can help to pass gas safety advice onto others, where it be a new installation, general call out or an annual service, every job is an opportunity to educate customers on the dangers of CO and the steps they can take to stay safe. For properties with fuel burning appliances installed, such as a gas boiler or wood burning fire, it is best practice to make sure that every floor is fitted with at least one CO alarm, and the boiler should be regularly serviced by a Gas Safe registered heating engineer. Along with protecting against the risk of CO poisoning, carbon monoxide alarms can provide an early warning sign of failing gas appliances, which makes them a key tool in improving gas safety.
