Browser does not support script. Contact us RIBA North West today announced that it has shortlisted seventeen new and exciting projects which will compete for a coveted RIBA North West Award in April. Over the coming weeks the RIBA judging panel will be visiting a range of high quality buildings right across the North West region; from a private house in Cheshire by local practice GA Studio, to the building at the cultural heart of one of Manchester’s largest areas of development, HOME by Mecanoo. As well as the prestigious Building of the Year Award, which The Whitworth and architects MUMA collected in 2015, the shortlist will also produce a Small Project of the Year Award for a project costing less than £500,000. The jury panel will also be on the lookout for Project Architect of the Year, which is awarded to the architect who stands out as having significantly contributed to an award-winning project. The winners will be announced at an evening event at The Bluecoat in Liverpool on Wednesday 20 April 2016. Further information and the opportunity to purchase tickets will be available soon. ENDS Notes to editors: 1. For further press information and access to high res images of each project please contact RIBA North West on 0151 703 0107. 2. RIBA North West Awards shortlist in full: 60 Carrwood, Cheshire by Stephenson Studio Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool by BDP HOME, Manchester by Mecanoo Library Walk Link Building, Manchester by Simpson Haugh + Partners Littlewoods Bunker, Liverpool by shedkm Liverpool Philharmonic, Liverpool by Caruso St John Manchester Central Library, Manchester by Ryder Architecture Mellor Primary School, Stockport by Sarah Wigglesworth Architects Motel One, Manchester by Hodder + Partners National Graphene Institute, Manchester by Jestico + Whiles Private House, Cumbria by Bennetts Associates Private House 1109, Cheshire by GA Studio Architects Sevendale House, Manchester by Stephenson Studio Southern Street, Manchester by Cartwright Pickard Architects Waitrose, Chester by Broadway Malyan Wirral Metropolitan College, Birkenhead by Glenn Howells Architects Withington Girls’ School, Manchester by Levitt Bernstein 3. The RIBA Awards have been running continuously since 1966 and are judged and presented locally. No matter the shape, size, budget or location, RIBA award-winning schemes set the standard for great architecture all across the country. RIBA awards are for buildings in the UK by RIBA Chartered Architects and International Fellows. 4. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members. www.architecture.com. 5. The RIBA Awards 2016 are kindly sponsored by   Posted on Thursday 3rd March 2016 Source link

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A 12MW solar farm in Shropshire has become the first solar project in the UK with a contract for difference (CfD) to be connected to the grid. Charity Farm solar park in Shropshire Charity Farm was one of five solar projects to be awarded the subsidy in the first auction in 2015; two of the four others have since been scrapped. The farm won the contract with a strike price of £79.23 per megawatt hour (2012 prices). Supplier Axpo UK will buy all of the electricity generated by the farm for seven years in a deal worth £7.5 million. The project will provide enough power for more than 4,000 homes – it was constructed in just over two months. Chief executive of developer Lightsource Renewable Energy, Nick Boyle, said: “A truly competitive system is fair to all concerned, but there has been no new round of auctions announced for solar as yet and, if the UK is serious about the future of its energy security, it is important that this is addressed. Great strides have been made in the industry and we firmly believe that solar has a significant role to play in the overall UK energy mix.” Three further contracts for difference auctions are scheduled to take place during the current parliament. The first is due by this year – only less-established ‘Pot 2’ technologies such as offshore wind will be eligible. It’s not yet clear when the other two auctions will take place, or what technologies will be eligible to bid in them. Source link

Vacancy – Regional Manager – South West Published:  08 July, 2016 Market leading Pipe Clip, Cover Profile and Fixings manufacturer Talon has a vacancy in the South West of England covering a mature patch that has had representation for many years. The role covers day to day support of Independent and National Merchant accounts along with interaction between Contractors and Specifiers. This is a business development position but also includes support and development of the existing customer base. Applicants should ideally be from the plumbing/heating or building services markets with experience of similar associated products. A competitive remuneration package is on offer with usual benefits expected from this type of position – car – laptop – phone etc. Send your CV to sales@talon.co.uk Please note that you will be contacted within 7 days of receipt of your email if you are to be called for an interview Source link

Renewable electricity generation increased 6.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2016 compared with the same time last year, producing a total of 23.22 TWh. The government statistics show that solar PV generation increased the most (40 per cent) of all renewable sources, to 1.34 TWh. Bioenergy electricity generation also increased significantly to 8.26 TWh, up 18 per cent on the same period the year before.  Onshore wind was the only renewable to reduce generation in Q1 2016 to 6.43 TWh, 10.5 per cent less than the previous year. But offshore wind generated 5.14 TWh, increasing 10 per cent. Hydropower generation saw a small increase, producing 2.05 TWh. Renewables share of total generation also increased in the first quarter of this year to 25.1 per cent, which the report says “mostly reflecting increased capacity”. The contribution of renewable electricity to the UK’s energy mix was up 29 per cent, showing significant growth from quarter 1 in 2015 when it was up 19 per cent. The figures come after comments from Renewable UK chief executive Hugh McNeal last month calling for confidence in onshore wind investment and opportunities in renewables. Source link

Barclays has announced that it is offering a three-year fixed rate deal at 2.99% for buyers with no deposit but who earn more than £50,000. The lender said it has made changes to its Family Springboard Mortgage in celebration of the third anniversary since it was first launched. The mortgage, which became available in 2013, previously required borrowers to put down a deposit of at least 5%. Sound too good to be true? As part of the deal, family or friends of the borrower will have to deposit the equivalent of 10% of the property’s purchase price in a savings account and keep it there for three years. They will receive the money back at the end of the three-year period with interest equivalent to the base rate plus 1.5%. Jody Baker, Head of Money, comparethemarket.com, had this to say: “The government’s commitment to building new starter homes,‎ the introduction of the Help to Buy ISA and changes to stamp duty, has shown its’ efforts to make housing more affordable to first time buyers and it is encouraging to see the industry getting in on the act too. Whilst Barclays’ move adds a viable option for those looking to buy a home, there is, of course, a note of caution. Loans of this sort require prudence on the part of the borrower, ensuring that they have not over-extended themselves. We would always recommend to anyone that is taking a mortgage works out a detailed budget of their monthly household expenses and assesses in some depth their incomings and outgoings. Equally, we would expect these products to remain few and far between at the fringes of the mortgage lending universe by necessity – after all, it was riskier lending which caused the financial crisis in the first place.” Henry Pryor, a buying agent and housing market commentator referred to the new product as a “financial grenade”. Source link