Robinson & Lawlor believe their skills add real value to projects that will allow them to continue their growth into 2016 and beyond, despite the unpredictable future of renewables. The renewable energy sector continues to experience highs and lows with a reduction in costs being been offset by the withdrawal
10 March 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Support services provider Churchill has extended its partnership with ZSL Whipsnade Zoo to carry on delivering general cleaning services at its 243-hectare site in Bedfordshire. The original contract started November 2011 and has now been extended for a further three years.
The final two contracts have been awarded as part of Highways England’s new delivery arrangements in the East Midlands. This means all key Area 7 contracts are now in place ahead of Highways England bringing asset and operational management functions back in house in the region from 1st July 2016.
Horizon Nuclear Power has appointed a US-Japanese consortium of Hitachi, Bechtel and Japanese engineer JGC to build the planned £14bn Wylfa power station in Anglesey. The joint venture is called Menter Newydd, meaning New Venture in Welsh. Horizon Nuclear Power was formed in 2009 to develop new nuclear power stations
Latest workload survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors shows growth continuing to soften as EU uncertainty delays investment. Private commercial and industrial sectors saw the most significant slowdown in the second quarter of 2016, RICS members report. House-building has also slowed, it said. Workloads and employment are projected
Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Fri, May 13th 2016 A variety of glazing systems by Kawneer feature on a new criminal justice centre. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Curtain walling by Kawneer completely wraps a new judiciary building that
23 July 2016 – by Alexander Peace The London office market saw one of its worst quarters for seven years in the run up to the referendum as tenants shied away from taking large spaces, EGi research has found. For the first time since 2009 , there were no deals
AECOM Director Ant Wilson has been awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours 2017. Ant, who has worked at AECOM for over 37 years, received the Member of the Order of the British Empire for his services to building and engineering. Ant is a Director in AECOM’s building engineering
A £1.2bn Cardiff city region infrastructure improvements deal has been given a boost after local council leaders backed the plans. Ten local authorities backed a report outlining a future economic strategy for south-east Wales. Recommendations in the report included more collaboration between local councils to support public and private investment
Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop has today confirmed a £6.6 million capital boost to support investment in conservation work, repairs and visitor facilities at several of Scotland’s iconic heritage sites and monuments. The announcement follows the publication today of the most comprehensive conservation assessment ever undertaken on the properties in care
Robinson & Lawlor believe their skills add real value to projects that will allow them to continue their growth into 2016 and beyond, despite the unpredictable future of renewables. The renewable energy sector continues to experience highs and lows with a reduction in costs being been offset by the withdrawal of government subsidies for green energy. With further subsidy reductions expected in 2016, how will the renewable energy sector remain competitive? Electrical contractors, Robinson & Lawlor feel they can use their expertise to weather the storm in this continuously changing landscape. 2015 has seen the company diversify their skill set; having worked on one of the largest solar farms in the UK, helping complete one of the few UK gas-to-grid anaerobic digestions systems and installing hydro power to the iconic Cragside House. Although they’ve diversified, creating value for clients through quality workmanship at affordable prices has been a focal point throughout, regardless of the type of project, from 50MW solar farms to testing commercial properties. This focus on providing real value has resulted in a 35% jump in turnover from the previous year, with profit margins mirroring this. Like many businesses within the sector, Robinson & Lawlor have felt first hand the impact of the Government’s decision to cut subsidies with many partners now struggling to find funding for projects. This is particularly frustrating as countries such as Germany and Denmark are setting records for meeting their national energy demand through renewable energy alone on certain days. Energy Secretary, Amber Rudd is set to cut subsidies for renewables once again, with wind and solar being hit the hardest. In spite of this, there are still huge opportunities in the renewable energy sector. Robinson & Lawlor’s ability to work with a number of different technologies has meant they’ve naturally adapted to the way the market has shifted and been able to take advantage. Peter Robinson, Director at Robinson & Lawlor, said: “We completed work on one of the largest solar farms in UK as recently as March, but since the election, things have changed drastically. The government wants to stop onshore wind farms while also cutting back on solar. As frustrating as this is, we don’t see it as a negative and instead we’re focusing on the positives and the opportunities it creates for other renewables. We’re taking on a lot of Hydro and Anaerobic Digestion work now, that’s why it has been so important to be able work with a number of different renewable technologies. We’ve made sure all of our eggs aren’t in one basket.” Working with a vast range of local and international partners, the Blackburn based firm can offer a full range of electrical engineering expertise from 33,000 volts to extra low voltage, high contestable works to balancing of the plant. They offer a full service package that has the expertise to undertake all electrical aspects of a clients project. They provide complete design, supply, install, management and certification in all types of complex electrical installations for the renewable sector. Originating from the North West, Robinson & Lawlor have over 58 years experience in industrial electrical engineering and are supported by a wealth of knowledge that their staff have gained from working with long term clients such as Rolls Royce, Michelin and Smith & Nephew. Over the last 7 years they have made a gradual transition from industrial engineer to renewable engineer. Their history as electrical engineers gives them a distinct advantage over their rivals in the renewable energy sector. This has been an important factor in their recent successes as many new businesses have identified opportunities in sustainable energy and looked to exploit them without the necessary experience that is crucial with this type of work. Steven Robinson, Managing Director at Robinson & Lawlor, was initially surprised by the standard in the industry: “The renewable sector seems to have all the prerequisites for our industrial electrical engineering experience. Being able to work on the full range of systems from high voltage to process control means we are confident we can offer clients high quality, reliable services together with cost reductions. We were initially surprised on some of the larger projects by the amount of unskilled and semi skilled staff employed, and by the lack of quality control and management expertise exhibited by a lot of sub contract companies working in the sustainable sector. We feel its important when investing in renewable energy that reliability and quality are primary goals, as these are long term projects that need to stand the test of time in order to be beneficial and profitable. With our long-term experienced staff we are able to offer quality whilst also driving down costs for this client. This is something we feel is currently missing and one of reasons we’ve won contracts on some of the largest scale projects in the UK.” The electrical engineering specialists have continued to take advantage of gaps that have appeared in the renewable energy market. They’ve gone on to secure 15 solar projects across the UK, ranging from 4MW up to 19MW, all to be completed before March 2016. How have they managed to secure such a large volume of work in a ‘slowing’ market? By identifying what their clients need and providing a solution, in this instance acting as the engineering procurement contractor, EPC. Being an internationally recognised EPC means that Robinson & Lawlor can oversee all electric and civil engineering aspects of large scale projects, with so much at stake their clients want reassurance from a trusted contractor to oversee fundamental elements. Robinson & Lawlor have benefitted from partnering with leading experts in the renewable energy sector such as Biogas Hochreiter and Anaergia, both world leaders in the biogas sector who design and install anaerobic digestion plants. Partnering with world leaders requires working to the highest possible standards in the industry. As a direct result, Robinson & Lawlor recently secured work on 11 solar farms across the country due to the impeccable work they’ve previously
10 March 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Support services provider Churchill has extended its partnership with ZSL Whipsnade Zoo to carry on delivering general cleaning services at its 243-hectare site in Bedfordshire. The original contract started November 2011 and has now been extended for a further three years. Service delivery includes cleaning and periodic deep cleaning, and additional ad hoc cleaning. As part of the contract improvement process, Churchill will be introducing two electric vehicles to the contract to reduce emissions. The organisation is also implementing a three-level staffing structure to correspond with seasonal patterns, with increased levels in place during the summer months. The zoo is owned by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) – a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. ZSL also owns London Zoo in Regent’s Park. The contract follows other wins so far this year for Churchill, with North Herts College, Arts University Bournemouth, Luton College, Surrey Heath Partnership, and a partnership with Skanska, Woking Borough Council, and Kent County Council. Source link
The final two contracts have been awarded as part of Highways England’s new delivery arrangements in the East Midlands. This means all key Area 7 contracts are now in place ahead of Highways England bringing asset and operational management functions back in house in the region from 1st July 2016. The contract for structural inspections has been awarded to Derby-based Rogers Structural Inspections, which was acquired by Aspin in October 2014. This has an estimated value of up to £3m, running for up to five years. The contract for weather forecasting has been awarded to the Met Office. This is expected to be worth £1m and run for a minimum of three years. The signing of these two latest contracts follows the appointment of suppliers to the new framework for delivering construction works in the East Midlands last month. The framework provides for a range of services, including pavement, drainage, landscaping and general civil engineering. To mark the changes in delivery, Highways England recently held a launch event with its supply chain at its new office in Mansfield. Alongside the newly appointed construction works contractors, the event was attended by representatives from the maintenance and response contractor, Amey, and the design services contractor, Kier (Mouchel). David Poole, director for commercial and procurement at Highways England, said: “Working with our supply chain partners to establish the community will be pivotal to the success of the new approach to asset maintenance and delivery in the East Midlands. I am looking forward to working collaboratively with our new colleagues from the supply chain over the coming months and years.” The appointed contractors for the Construction Works Framework are: Lot Description Preferred Bidder(s) 1 Specialist Surface Treatments Eurovia Infrastructure 2 Corrosion Protection Taziker Industrial 3 Road Lighting and Electrical Works J. McCann & Co (Nottm) 5 General Civil Engineering Carnell Support Services North Midlands Construction Interserve Construction 6 Structures Waterproofing and Expansion Joints VolkerLaser 7 Landscape and Ecology Ground Control 8 Road Markings Jointline Wilson & Scott (Highways) WJ North 9 Pavement Tarmac Aggregates Hanson Contracting 10 Road Restraint Systems (Vehicle and Pedestrian) Joe Roocroft & Sons H W Martin Safety Fencing 11 Structural Concrete Repairs VolkerLaser Balvac 12 Technology J. McCann & Co (Nottm) 13 Temporary Traffic Management Chevron Traffic Management H W Martin (Traffic Management) Carillion Traffic Management 14 Specialist Drainage Carnell Support Services Forkers This article was published on 16 Jun 2016 (last updated on 17 Jun 2016). Source link
Horizon Nuclear Power has appointed a US-Japanese consortium of Hitachi, Bechtel and Japanese engineer JGC to build the planned £14bn Wylfa power station in Anglesey. The joint venture is called Menter Newydd, meaning New Venture in Welsh. Horizon Nuclear Power was formed in 2009 to develop new nuclear power stations in the UK. It was acquired by Hitachi Ltd of Japan in November 2012. The company is developing plans to build at least 5,400MW of new nuclear power generation plant at Wylfa and at Oldbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire. Between them, the Menter Newydd partners have been involved in the delivery of more than 170 nuclear power stations. Hitachi Nuclear Energy Europe draws on Hitachi’s 50 year history of boiling water reactor deployment, including four advanced boiling water reactors, the technology that will be built at Wylfa Newydd, whilst Bechtel last year completed construction of the first nuclear power station authorised to operate in the USA this century, at Watts Bar in Tennessee. Horizon CEO Duncan Hawthorne said: “This is an important step in any large, complex infrastructure project and it adds to Wylfa Newydd’s growing momentum. “The depth and breadth of expertise Hitachi Nuclear Energy Europe, Bechtel and JGC bring to the Menter Newydd venture will help us ensure the timely delivery of our project, which will be vital for meeting the UK’s energy gap and boosting the local economy in North Wales for decades to come. We look forward to working with the team and continuing to make great strides with our plans.” Menter Newydd will be managed via a joint programme management office (JPMO), led by Hitachi’s Malcolm Twist. It will be based in Gloucester, with an increasing presence at Wylfa Newydd in coming years, Horizon said. Project director Malcolm Twist said: “This is a very strong team. All the partners are proven at the highest level, and I’m delighted we’ve established the balance of expertise to safely deliver for Horizon, on-cost and on-schedule. We expect to begin firming up relationships with our main subcontractors – many of them British – very soon.” Bechtel’s Mike Robinson, deputy project director for Menter Newydd, said: “This is an exciting project and a major milestone for low-carbon energy and future jobs across Wales and the UK. As part of Menter Newydd, Bechtel will bring Wylfa Newydd safely into delivery to cost and budget in collaboration with local communities and our partners.” JGC’s Tsuyoshi Iwasaki, also deputy project director for Menter Newydd, added: “We are pleased to be here on the Isle of Anglesey, working on a project which will contribute so much to local communities, as well as to the wider UK. We bring significant expertise, accumulated through our global experience of EPC delivery, and look forward to helping ensure the safe, on-time, on-cost delivery of Wylfa Newydd.” Hitachi-GE, which has been operating under a FEED contract to Horizon for more than three years, will continue to provide the UK ABWR technology, under subcontract to Menter Newydd. Site development work is also continuing and the UK ABWR remains on track to complete its regulatory generic design assessment by the end of 2017, Horizon said. Energy minister Andrea Leadsom indicated that the government remained committed to the development of nuclear power, despite the apparent slow progress being made on the various projects in the works. “I am pleased to see that Wylfa Newydd in Wales is progressing,” she said. “We have to replace our ageing energy infrastructure and new nuclear is an essential part of our plan to power the country now and for the next generation. “Keeping the lights on is non-negotiable, and new nuclear is the only proven low carbon technology that can provide clean, continuous power, irrespective of whether the wind is blowing and the sun is shining.” Suppliers interested in any aspect of Menter Newydd scope are advised to register details at www.hitachi-hgne.co.uk. This article was published on 20 May 2016 (last updated on 20 May 2016). Source link
Latest workload survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors shows growth continuing to soften as EU uncertainty delays investment. Private commercial and industrial sectors saw the most significant slowdown in the second quarter of 2016, RICS members report. House-building has also slowed, it said. Workloads and employment are projected to continue growing but more slowly than previously anticipated. RICS said that a positive net balance of 17% of respondents reported a rise in activity over the previous three months compared with 28% in the first quarter. For the second successive quarter, the biggest constraint on output according to respondents is finance, with more than two-thirds of respondents highlighting this as the principal challenge. Planning and regulatory delays also remain a key issue, with 60% of respondents citing that these are constraining growth. Despite the slowdown in activity, skills shortages remain a problem with 56% reporting that a lack of appropriately skilled labour was a constraint on growth. Bricklayers and quantity surveyors remain in particularly short supply with 59% and 57% of respondents citing difficulties in these areas. On average, contributors foresee their workloads increasing by 1% over the coming 12 months, down from the 2.8% growth predicted three months ago. Expectations for employment growth have also moderated significantly with a rise of 0.6% anticipated, down from 2% in the previous quarter. However, numerous surveyors said that the EU referendum made it difficult or impossible to predict future workloads. “Due to the EU referendum result, we have entered a significant period of uncertainty. It is too early to estimate or forecast with confidence what impact Brexit will have on construction and when any effect will be felt,” said William Waller of Arcadis. “Brexit is likely to be biggest factor going forward which will make forecasting and business planning even more challenging,” said David Holmes of Carillion. “The unstable political situation following the referendum will undoubtedly have an effect over the next few years,” said consultant QS Harry Davies. “Let’s wait to see the impact, but we anticipate surge in labour and material costs impacting ability to complete existing jobs,” said Roger Arnold of Martin Arnold Ltd. Stephen Friend of Uttlesford District Council was more certain, however. “Leaving the EU will slow a lot of private industrial and housing activity for at least three years,” he said. RICS head of UK policy Jeremy Blackburn said: “As ministers move to lay out a timeline and ambition for negotiating Brexit, construction will need clarity particularly on the nature of our future access to the EU single market for capital, materials and labour.” Source: RICS UK Construction Market Survey Q2 2016 Further Images This article was published on 28 Jul 2016 (last updated on 28 Jul 2016). Source link
Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Fri, May 13th 2016 A variety of glazing systems by Kawneer feature on a new criminal justice centre. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Curtain walling by Kawneer completely wraps a new judiciary building that is as stunning as it is secure. The manufacturer’s AA®100 zone-drained curtain walling, with 50mm sightlines, horizontal face caps and gaskets to vertical glass and glass joints at mullion locations, has been used on all four elevations of the £14 million Aberdeen Criminal Justice Centre designed by frequent Kawneer specifiers Ryder Architecture. The curtain walling is complemented by thermally-enhanced top-hung casement windows as inserts on the south and west elevations, AA®110 dry slope rooflights with 65mm sightlines, and series 190 heavy-duty commercial entrance doors, all installed by Kawneer-approved specialist sub-contractor Linn-Tech Scotland for main contractor Balfour Beatty. The 4,518m2 building for Police Scotland via North Hub Scotland comprises a 60-cell custody facility with offices and virtual courts for the criminal justice department and space for an integrated local policing team. The custody facility is placed on a precast concrete plinth which merges with the landscape (former railway sidings) while the office space and local policing team are located in the steel-framed pavilion above – the element wrapped in the Kawneer curtain walling. Ryder architectural director Chris Malcolm said: “The Kawneer systems play a significant part in the project as we needed to have a very clean glazed façade. Aluminium is just recognised as a standard acceptable finish in terms of sustainability but the SG system allowed us to express the horizontality of the façade. “The glazed elements were integral to the concept of a solid base below and lightweight transparent pavilion above. The Kawneer systems interface simply but well with the other materials used on the project. The curtain walling is continuous round all four sides of the building so is held between the concrete panels underneath and the roof plane above.” ENDS Source link
23 July 2016 – by Alexander Peace The London office market saw one of its worst quarters for seven years in the run up to the referendum as tenants shied away from taking large spaces, EGi research has found. For the first time since 2009 , there were no deals of more than 100,000 sq ft completed in a quarter, only three above 50,000 sq ft – the lowest since 2011 – and only one above 80,000 sq ft. According to London Office Markets Analysis, just 2m sq ft was let overall in Q2, a 44% decline on Q2 2015, and a 34.1% fall on Q1 this year. David Hanrahan, co-head of London offices at Colliers International, said: “With that decision hanging out there, a lot of people were waiting to see the outcome. “If you did not have to, you did not make a decision.” All the content from this weekís magazine, including this article, is available in the new app. Q2 take-up in the City market fell by 52% year-on-year and by 32% in the West End. Stephen Down, head of central London at Savills, said: “There has been a slowdown in the past 12 months, as the cycle has matured, which has been exaggerated by the lead up to the referendum. “The vote coincided with a slow point in the year, and I expect this will exaggerate the take-up levels in Q3.” Investment volumes continued to decline during the period. Some £3.3bn was spent on London offices in the second quarter, 31% less than in the same period last year, and a two-year low. In the first six months of the year, investment levels across London have totalled £6.8bn, compared with £9.7bn in H1 2015. Source link
AECOM Director Ant Wilson has been awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours 2017. Ant, who has worked at AECOM for over 37 years, received the Member of the Order of the British Empire for his services to building and engineering. Ant is a Director in AECOM’s building engineering team, leading the company’s sustainable development, advanced design and applied research work. A prominent building services engineer, he promotes low energy and low carbon design, innovation and sustainable construction, improving the energy performance of buildings for clients across the UK. Ant has worked on the development of the Part L ‘Conservation of Fuel and Power’ Building Regulations since 1998 and the delivery of the 2002 Approved Documents, as well as subsequent versions in 2006, 2010 and 2013 for the relevant Government departments. Committed to the promotion and advancement of engineering and sustainability, Ant regularly lectures at a number of universities and visits schools to encourage young people to consider a career in engineering. He has been a STEM Ambassador since 2002 and is a member of the steering group for the London-Loughborough (LoLo) EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Energy Demand, a research centre that aims to inspire the leaders and innovators needed to transform the UK’s buildings and energy sector. Ant is involved in a number of industry associations and institutions. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), the Energy Institute and the Society of Façade Engineering. He is also a council member of the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA), a member of the British Council for Offices (BCO) Technical Affairs Committee and a member of the Society of Light and Lighting. I am honoured to receive an MBE. Commenting on his award, Ant said: “I am honoured to receive an MBE. The recognition it brings raises the profile of engineering and will help me encourage more people to join the industry. Throughout my career I have had the privilege to work with so many brilliant people, both at AECOM and in the wider industry, who have mentored and encouraged me. I would like to thank all them for their support over the past 40 years.” Patrick Flaherty, Chief Executive – UK and Ireland, AECOM, said: “We are extremely proud of Ant’s achievement in the New Year’s Honours, which is recognition for his tireless contribution and commitment to the engineering profession. Since starting his career with AECOM, Ant has remained at the forefront of efforts to reduce energy consumption and carbon usage in buildings.” The New Year’s Honours recognise outstanding achievement or service to the community. They are awarded every year on 1 January by Her Majesty The Queen.
A £1.2bn Cardiff city region infrastructure improvements deal has been given a boost after local council leaders backed the plans. Ten local authorities backed a report outlining a future economic strategy for south-east Wales. Recommendations in the report included more collaboration between local councils to support public and private investment in infrastructure and to develop housebuilding and regeneration plans around the region. The £1.2bn investment fund includes £325m committed to the Valley Lines Electrification programme and more than £400m allocated to the south-east Wales Metro scheme. Some £50m will be invested in constructing a new technology centre and the Welsh Government will work in partnership with local authorities in the region to regenerate the area. The Cardiff city region deal is expected to create a further £4bn of private investment in the region. City of Cardiff Council leader Phil Bale said: “The leaders welcome the commission’s report, and work has now begun to include recommendations […] within the CCR city deal implementation plan, which will be considered by all the councils concerned in the near future.” Both the UK and Welsh Government will contribute £500m to the city region deal, with the 10 local authorities in the Cardiff Capital Region contributing a minimum of £120m over the 20-year period of the fund. The government recommitted to implementing the Cardiff city region deal in last year’s Autumn Statement. Chancellor Philip Hammond said the agreement “remains at the heart” of the government’s strategy to develop local regions. Interested in this article? Read more at Construction News.
Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop has today confirmed a £6.6 million capital boost to support investment in conservation work, repairs and visitor facilities at several of Scotland’s iconic heritage sites and monuments. The announcement follows the publication today of the most comprehensive conservation assessment ever undertaken on the properties in care of Scottish Ministers. Commissioned by Ms Hyslop, the study provides for the first time, a comprehensive picture of the condition of more than 300 properties managed by Historic Environment Scotland on behalf of Ministers, and sets out the work required to address the impacts of deterioration and climate change. The report estimates conservation and repair work to the value of £65m is required over ten years to restore and protect heritage sites for future generations. The additional funding announced today will enable conservation work to start at priority sites including Doune, Stirling and Edinburgh Castles during 2017 – the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology. Ms 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. Interested in this article? Read more at Scottish Construction Now!
