Accord Mortgages has announced this morning that it has launched a new range of fixed-rate products for borrowers looking to remortgage, with a choice of incentives. The intermediary-only lender, which is part of Yorkshire Building Society Group, has launched new remortgage options at 65%, 75%, 80%,85% and 90% loan-to-values (LTVs).
Savills, on behalf of Balagan Group, has let further office space at 8 Commerce Road in Lynchwood, Peterborough to the Landlord Hub. The tenant referencing company has agreed to a new lease for a further 2,488 sq ft (231 sq m) on the first floor of the two storey building.
VPS Site Security has announced that they have appointed a new Managing Director. The Security company offer a range of tailor made security solutions for large and remote sites. The company has clients from a mixture of different industries which include Construction, Events, Utilities and Highways. VPS Site Security are
Jane Embry, the Marketing Director of Wrightstyle has been looking at the light used in workplaces around the UK. Looking at the light available in work spaces was undertaken as the USE marked Workplace Eye Wellness Month, which occurred early this year. It is thought that that all workers should
In order to boost the agenda of land-based businesses in Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates has announced that they have created a new structure for the senior management in their business. The Chairman for the organisation, David Johnson attributed a number of major issues including Brexit and the Land Reform
Crosslane Student Developments have announced that they have submitted a planning application in order to build a student accommodation building in Swansea. The designs for the purpose built structure has been submitted, and the location of the prospective development is The Kingsway in Swansea. It is thought that the gross
The Camridgeshire-based company Prodata Weather Systems has announced the addition of the EnviroMonitor to their solutions. The company is one of the environment monitoring experts in the UK. The company has added the new Davis system to their collection of management solutions. The EnviroMonitor is a system that offers reliable
AECOM and IBM have revealed that they have helped with the development of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. The two companies were involved in developing the new platform for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. Initially the Disaster Resilience Scorecard was introduced as a way to
Sustainability experts at Focus Consultants have been appointed to help Nottingham’s new Digital Media Hub become one of the top three environmentally sustainable sites in the city. The £9.1 million Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies is scheduled to be the flagship part of Nottingham Trent University’s Creative Quarter Campus and
The EAUC has chaired an event that was held last week. The event was focused on examining the different approaches that are taken towards capital project delivery. The event was organised by the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick and had around 100 people attend from across the
Accord Mortgages has announced this morning that it has launched a new range of fixed-rate products for borrowers looking to remortgage, with a choice of incentives. The intermediary-only lender, which is part of Yorkshire Building Society Group, has launched new remortgage options at 65%, 75%, 80%,85% and 90% loan-to-values (LTVs). Rates start at 1.49% for a two-year fixed rate at 65% LTV. Borrowers with a 25% deposit can take advantage of 1.59% two-year fix. On offer at 80% LTV is a 1.74% two-year fixed rate mortgage, and available at 85% LTV is a two-year fix at 1.88%. All of the above mortgages come with a £845 fee, free legal service and free standard valuation incentives. David Robinson, National Intermediary Sales Manager, at Accord said: “It is proving to be a popular time for borrowers to remortgage at the moment, with many hoping to make the most of the competitive deals on offer during this period of economic uncertainty. We believe that our new remortgage options will prove popular amongst borrowers and the options across the different terms and LTV range, plus the added incentives, will allow brokers to choose the best loan to suit their clients’ requirements.” Source link
Savills, on behalf of Balagan Group, has let further office space at 8 Commerce Road in Lynchwood, Peterborough to the Landlord Hub. The tenant referencing company has agreed to a new lease for a further 2,488 sq ft (231 sq m) on the first floor of the two storey building. The Landlord Hub already occupies 2,488 sq ft (231 sq m) on the ground floor of the building and is taking the additional space to facilitate the company’s rapid expansion. Edward Gee, associate in the business space agency team at Savills Peterborough, comments: “Situated in the well established Peterborough Business Park, Commerce Road offers good quality office accommodation in a well connected location. This is the ideal space for the Landlord Hub and we are pleased to have been able to accommodate its continued growth.” Heidi Shackell, CEO of The Landlord Hub and who recently won the Peterborough Telegraph Young Entrepreneur of the year, adds: “We are so proud of our journey so far and having a lovely building to expand and grow into is the icing on the cake for us. The deal was expedited quickly at our request and we pass on our thanks to both Savills and the landlord for making it happen on time and seamlessly.’’ The Landlord Hub was unrepresented. Source link
VPS Site Security has announced that they have appointed a new Managing Director. The Security company offer a range of tailor made security solutions for large and remote sites. The company has clients from a mixture of different industries which include Construction, Events, Utilities and Highways. VPS Site Security are also known for being one of the leading providers of remote 24/7 monitored CCTV security and are the only suppliers of the JCB Smart Tower which is an award winning device that can be deployed quickly and uses thermal cameras in order to deliver a security solution that cut down the number of false alarms and the recording capacity for up to 30 days. It has been revealed that Peter Lalor will fill the position of Managing Director of the security solutions provider. Peter will be joining VPS Site Security after working for Ursa Group, which is a company the works in Africa and offers a range of security products and services. Peter brings a wealth of experience in security operations to the security company. His security background originates from spending time as part of the British Army Intelligence Corps, which he worked as a member of for 14 years. Peter Lalor has a great deal of experience in providing a range of security systems for the intention of protecting people assets and infrastructure. He will be a valuable asset for VPS Site Security, who provide their security solutions for construction companies, remote sites, utilities businesses and rail and road builders. Over the course of his career, Peter has worked in a number of places around the world. Peter Lalor has spent the majority of his career working in locations across Africa and the Middle East. Peter has had a number of different managerial positions as well before being appointed as the Managing Director for VPS. Peter started EITZ which is a company that is based in Tanzania and has also been the Vice President for the international security company The Olive Group.
Jane Embry, the Marketing Director of Wrightstyle has been looking at the light used in workplaces around the UK. Looking at the light available in work spaces was undertaken as the USE marked Workplace Eye Wellness Month, which occurred early this year. It is thought that that all workers should be well informed and aware about eyesight issues. Workplace Eye Wellness Month was marked by the USA in March and the purpose of the campaign was to raise awareness of eye strain and injuries that can occur due to inadequate lighting. The campaign wanted to demonstrate the different thigs that could be done to alter lighting to be more beneficial and other thing that can be done by employers and employees in order to protect their eyesight. The campaign also focused on building design and the significant impact that can have on lighting. Building design has adapted over the years in order to accommodate working with computers and screens through raised floors and open spaces. However, the lighting of these buildings has changes little since office work was all paper based, despite the need for change as overhead lighting can reflect off screens and other surface and enter the workers eyes and cause a strain. A significant number of office workers have noted eye strain as a serious hazard while a work. Regulations state that the employer must supply satisfactory lighting and create an appropriate contrast between the screen and background while taking in to account the type of work as well as the visual requirements for the role. Employers are also required to reduce the possibility for glare from the screens through the positioning of the space. Sick Building Syndrome has been introduced to cover any illness that has been caused by the buildings that we work in. It has been found that there is a correlation between Sick Building Syndrome and lighting. It is thought that lack of daylight is one of the most important contributors to the Syndrome.
In order to boost the agenda of land-based businesses in Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates has announced that they have created a new structure for the senior management in their business. The Chairman for the organisation, David Johnson attributed a number of major issues including Brexit and the Land Reform (Scotland) Act has led to the restructuring. It is thought that these challenges will require Scottish Land & Estates to keep changing in order to deal with issues in the future that could have an impact on land based businesses. As part of the reshuffle in the senior management team, Sarah Jane Laing has been asked to join the Board. It is thought that a position on the Board will help Sarah enhance her role as the executive director. Sarah will be joining the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman in order to make a new senior management team. It is thought that Sarah Jane Laing will carry on her work with policy and parliamentary affairs but will also take on more responsibilities from within the organisation. The change to the senior management team will help the company as it goes forward, and it is thought that all companies need to adapt the climate in order to be successful. Sarah Jane Laing is a well-respected member of the company and hopefully she will prove to be an asset to the newly restructured management team. Sarah has already shown she has the ability to work with a variety of different stakeholders and has also managed to provide a strategy for the direction of the organisation’s policy. Sarah also played a vital part of modernizing the organisation’s communication systems and the representational activity. Hopefully the restructuring will be successful going forward for Scottish Land & Estates, and will allow the company to overcome the challenges that are facing the industry.
Crosslane Student Developments have announced that they have submitted a planning application in order to build a student accommodation building in Swansea. The designs for the purpose built structure has been submitted, and the location of the prospective development is The Kingsway in Swansea. It is thought that the gross development value of the Student accommodation project would be in the region of £24 million. The plans depict a six storey building that in one corner will reach 11 storeys. If the plans get approved, the student accommodation will provide space for 311 beds and should be completed by the 2019/2020 academic year. Prime Student Living is the student accommodation lettings and operation management aspect of the Crosslane business and it is thought that the Student Living arm will be responsible for making sure that the student accommodation reaches full occupancy before the completion of the project. The proposed site for the development is on the north west side of the city centre and it is thought that the location on The Kingsway is a short distance from the primary shopping area and the main train station. The site is currently a car ark and a restaurant, and Crosslane want to turn the site in to a high standard collection of student accommodation. The plans depict 28 self-contained studio apartments and then 283 en-suite cluster flats that will have between five and nine bedrooms. Also part of the development is a private courtyard that is expected to be landscaped as well as communal areas and a bicycle storage and reception. There will also be a retail unit attached on to the development that will open up on to the Kingsway. Swansea has around 21,000 students staying in the city and attending the city’s two universities: The University of Swansea and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Both of the universities have pledged to put investment in to expanding their campuses.
The Camridgeshire-based company Prodata Weather Systems has announced the addition of the EnviroMonitor to their solutions. The company is one of the environment monitoring experts in the UK. The company has added the new Davis system to their collection of management solutions. The EnviroMonitor is a system that offers reliable readings from a powerful and convenient system. The EnviroMonitor is also very affordable which will make the system a viable solution for a range of different companies. It is described as the user’s eyes and ears on the ground and will provide the required data to allow for recording or managing the environmental aspects of a construction site. These systems can be used on bigger or unique developments and are said to be easy to set up. The EnviroMonitor consists of a net network that has a number of different nodes. The network is self-optimizing and the gateway aspect of the equipment works to support a number of different sensors that can be increased or decreased. The Davis instruments can be connected to other third party sensors and the equipment can be used to measure water level, flow rate, water pressure, wind speed & direction as well as soil moisture, UV exposure and soil salinity. All of these different measurements can be used on a construction site in order to make sure the construction plans coincide with the environmental conditions. This EnviroMonitor can be connected to the user’s computer or smartphone in order to deliver information in real time. It is thought that the new equipment is a valuable addition to the range of Davis environmental monitoring systems used at Prodata Weather Systems. The management equipment allows for construction decisions to be more informed with the provision of environmental data. Prodata Weather Systems have also revealed that they were the only dealer that was based in the UK to be involved in the beta-testing of the EnviroMonitor.
AECOM and IBM have revealed that they have helped with the development of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. The two companies were involved in developing the new platform for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. Initially the Disaster Resilience Scorecard was introduced as a way to improve how prepared cities and governments were to reduce the risks of disasters. Now, with the help of the United States Agency for International Development and the European Commission, AECOM and IBM have developed the scorecard so that is has more information and tools that will help to reduce the risks from the after effects of any natural hazards or climate change. The new Platform and Scorecard is part of the Unite Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction campaign called Making Cities Resilient. It is thought that at the moment the scheme has 3,500 signatures from cities. It has been estimated that losses originating from disasters stemming from natural and man-made hazards are increasing. It is thought that events such as floods, storms and any impacts of climate change is costing governments on average more than US$300 billion globally every year. It is thought that the Scorecard will offer a list of different assessments that can be carried that cover a range of different aspects including policy, planning, organisation, financial, social and environments. The assessments look at these different areas in order to determine their resilience. The assessments have been designed and then led by a number of local authorities and it is thought that the Scorecard will deliver a way of monitoring and reviewing progress. The monitoring of resilience in cities is also a part of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. It is thought that the introduction of the new Scorecard is a significant step towards making cities more resilient and the infrastructure can be reinforced before an incident happened and then the impact could be reduced.
Sustainability experts at Focus Consultants have been appointed to help Nottingham’s new Digital Media Hub become one of the top three environmentally sustainable sites in the city. The £9.1 million Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies is scheduled to be the flagship part of Nottingham Trent University’s Creative Quarter Campus and the main site of the Confetti Institute. Work has just got underway on site on the six-storey building, which will connect the existing Confetti college centre on Convent Street and the Higher Education Centre on Parliament Street. Designed by award-winning architects Allan Joyce, the striking building is hoping to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, with the expectation that it will be one of the most environmentally sustainable buildings in Nottingham. Focus, which has its headquarters at Nottingham’s Phoenix Business Park, has been appointed as the BREEAM Assessor and the BREEAM Accredited Professional, providing the design team with expert advice on built environment sustainability, environmental design and environmental assessment. Senior sustainability surveyor Jessica Bullers said: “The Energy and Sustainability team at Focus Consultants has had a long-standing, close relationship with Nottingham Trent University, providing sustainability support on a number of the university’s building projects. “Working as the sustainability champion and simultaneously as the BREEAM assessor, we have established a good assessment process – leading to this latest project being potentially one of the most highly rated BREEAM buildings at the university, which is well recognised for being the UK’s ‘greenest’ university. For the past three years, NTU has been awarded first place in the People & Planet University League, which ranks all 145 UK universities on their commitment to and management of sustainability. “Focus is proud to have been appointed to the team developing the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies, which is not only a flagship part of NTU’s Creative Quarter Campus but likely to become one of Nottingham’s most environmentally friendly buildings too – an honour for a Nottingham-based company like Focus, which has been supporting the city in its development for more than 21 years.” The new hub, due to be completed by summer 2018, will feature spacious contemporary classrooms and studios, a large Learning Resource Centre with private study facilities, creative social spaces and a rooftop garden. In addition to acting as Confetti’s headquarters and main reception, it will deliver all digital media games and interactive activity. Work began before Christmas demolishing part of the existing Confetti site on Parliament Street to make way for the new build. The demolition unearthed some key archaeological findings including Medieval artefacts, caves and a 700-year old well that have helped rewrite the history of Medieval Nottingham and provide information about the way the area was used over 700 years ago. Contractor Stepnells has now begun work on site. Focus Consultants, which also has branches in Leicester, London and Boston in Lincolnshire, offers a range of support on all aspects of sustainable development, as well as services in funding and economic development, project management and building surveying.
The EAUC has chaired an event that was held last week. The event was focused on examining the different approaches that are taken towards capital project delivery. The event was organised by the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick and had around 100 people attend from across the post-16 education sector as well as the construction industry. A debate took place that was facilitated by the CEO of the EAUC, Iain Patton which created the opportunity to consider the number of different possibilities and challenges that are created when operational energy performance as part of the construction process is addressed. It is thought that both colleges and Universities are stand alone in their ability to influence their operational energy performance because each of the universities and colleges around the UK are owners and managers of large, complex and ever growing estates. It is thought that making sure the post 16 educational sector is prepared for a sustainable and long lasting construction phase that future developments can avoid a pile of costs related to energy performance that could have been addressed before in the earlier stage of the construction. Other things that were looked at the chaired meeting was it is important that the basic metrics, skills procedures and other contractual arrangements are known and understood in order to allow for the proper delivery of the project. Also considered at the event as whether the sharing of best practice procedures that have come out of previous projects carried out in higher education can help with capital project delivery. The other topic that was discussed as part of the event was the risks, gaps or different opportunities that are available for the client or their supply chain partnerships in order to deliver a project that has both value and quality. By working together, the higher education sector and the supply chain can create more and more successful projects which is positive for both industries.