June 29, 2017

Project manager named for £80m Barking build-to-rent scheme

Construction consultant McBains Cooper has been appointed to oversee delivery of an £80m build-to-rent (BTR) scheme in Essex. Above: The scheme will provide 198 flats for rent McBains Cooper will provide architecture, project management and cost management services for the apartments, which will be built on the site of the

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Weather blamed as Queensferry Crossing delays emerge

Transport Scotland is blaming the weather after delays in the construction Queensferry Crossing emerged. Above: Live webcam footage shows the work still to be done On 21st March 2016, Transport Scotland said that the new Forth bridge was on schedule to open by the end of the year but 11

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Third Party Cookies We use a number of social media tools to enhance visitor interaction on our site. If you already use these platforms their cookies may be set through our website. Data may then be collected by these companies that enables them to serve up adverts on

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BSRIA publishes guide to indoor air quality

24 August 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal BSRIA has released a new topic guide about ‘indoor air quality’ (IAQ). It is available to download free from the organisation’s website.   The guide is aimed at those looking for introductory information about indoor air quality including definition, history and prevalence. There is

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QRL launches campaign for radiator energy labelling

QRL launches campaign for radiator energy labelling Published:  23 August, 2016 British manufacturer QRL Radiator Group has launched a campaign for the introduction of an energy labelling system for radiators – similar to the one used for boilers, renewables, hot water cylinders and other household essentials. Launched on 23 August,

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Bend it like Barnshaws, the art of UK Stadia construction

The stadia that host English premiership football matches are often seen as the physical representations of the titanic sporting and financial battles in one of the world’s most competitive leagues: the intimidating amphitheatre of the Etihad Stadium, the geometric confluence of the Emirates, the raucous intimacy of Selhurst Park and

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Food giants launch online sustainability site to meet changing consumer demands

Sustainable food news – by GreenWise staff 2nd November 2015 Bidvest Foodservice and a ‘green alliance’ made up of food industry giants, Unilever, Premier Foods, Delifrance UK, Vegware, and Jacobs Douwe Egberts have today launched plate2planet, a ‘one-stop-shop’ digital platform that aims to address the growing demand in the food sector

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LIA Held Their Annual Luncheon in May

LIA, held their Annual Luncheon in May and during this event Peter Scott officially handed over the role of President of the LIA Council of Management to Dave Ribbons of Luton EA Ltd. Te LIA, or the Lighting Industry Academy. The former President Peter Scott, of Fern-Howard was thanked by

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Expert Witness Work: building a firm foundation

In all developed systems of law the evidence of expert witnesses can be crucial to the outcome of a dispute. Nowhere is this more so than in the UK, where expert evidence has been used in court cases since at least the 15th century. Nowadays it may be required in

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BDC 321 : Oct 2024

June 29, 2017

Project manager named for £80m Barking build-to-rent scheme

Construction consultant McBains Cooper has been appointed to oversee delivery of an £80m build-to-rent (BTR) scheme in Essex. Above: The scheme will provide 198 flats for rent McBains Cooper will provide architecture, project management and cost management services for the apartments, which will be built on the site of the former Trocoll House office building in Barking. The site was acquired by Patrizia UK from Coplan Estates for the development of a 150,000 sq ft scheme comprising 92 one-bed and 106 two-bed apartments to the east of London. Construction is due to start at the end of the year. Architect is Collado Collins. Mark Leeson, director of design at McBains Cooper, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to deliver this project, based on our expertise in build-to-rent and technical capability. The project is Patrizia’s first build-to-rent investment in London, and will be the most significant development in Barking to date.” McBains Cooper has already overseen the development of the £115m Delancey and Oakmayne Properties Elephant Road BTR development in the Elephant & Castle regeneration zone in London, which will complete this autumn.     This article was published on 19 Jul 2016 (last updated on 19 Jul 2016). Source link

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Weather blamed as Queensferry Crossing delays emerge

Transport Scotland is blaming the weather after delays in the construction Queensferry Crossing emerged. Above: Live webcam footage shows the work still to be done On 21st March 2016, Transport Scotland said that the new Forth bridge was on schedule to open by the end of the year but 11 weeks later it appears to have accepted that the project is in fact running months behind schedule. The Scotsman newspaper reports that it will not be finished until well into 2017. It quotes a staff source saying: “Everyone agrees there is no chance of it finishing by the end of the year. It could be months late – maybe even the middle of next year.” Transport Scotland did not dispute the delays but said that the construction team was trying hard to meet the timetable. A spokesman said: “Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors is making every effort to open the bridge as soon as possible, despite the challenge that the weather presents.” The Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) consortium comprises Hochtief, Dragados, American Bridge and Morrison Construction. It has a £790m contruction contract.             Further Images This article was published on 6 Jun 2016 (last updated on 6 Jun 2016). Source link

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RR1036 – Rewriting the PIPIN code to use a Monte Carlo solution approach

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uses a fracture mechanics model, PIPIN (PIPeline INtegrity model), to predict the likelihood of failure if a buried pipeline is struck by machinery (known as third party activity or TPA). The existing model uses a FORM/SORM (First/Second Order Reliability Method) to solve the equations, but the model fails to produce results for some scenarios. HSE asked the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) to rewrite PIPIN replacing the FORM/SORM methodology with a Monte Carlo solution method, with the aim of reproducing the results from the existing model as closely as possible. This report details the fracture mechanics within PIPIN, the Monte Carlo method and the process used to derive failure frequencies by specified hole sizes. Results are given for two sets of tests and these are compared against the existing model. In general, good agreement is seen between PIPIN and the new Monte Carlo version of PIPIN, with just 15 pipelines (approximately 2.5% of the dataset) showing significant changes. The effect on the land-use planning (LUP) distances of the revised failure rates has also been assessed. It was found that two pipelines saw a change to the inner zone, 39 to the middle zone and 21 to the outer zone. Assistance in the use of Adobe Acrobat PDF files is available on our FAQs page. Source link

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BSRIA publishes guide to indoor air quality

24 August 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal BSRIA has released a new topic guide about ‘indoor air quality’ (IAQ). It is available to download free from the organisation’s website.   The guide is aimed at those looking for introductory information about indoor air quality including definition, history and prevalence. There is also information on types of contaminants and their exposure limits, and readers are provided with a useful site map.   Commentary is provided by BSRIA’s asset performance team leader, Blanca Beato-Arribas, who said: “People spend approximately 80 per cent of their time indoors. There is enough evidence that links poor air quality with permanent damages to health or even death. Therefore, we should be aware of the quality of the air that we breathe both at home and at work, and ensuring good indoor air quality at work should be a priority for employers.”   She added: “This guide provides a brief insight into the most common contaminants, both from indoor sources and external sources, and what the exposure limits to these contaminants are. It also provides a summary of the current legislation and a guide map of what contaminants to investigate.”   TG12/2016 ‘At a Glance’ – Indoor Air Quality is now free to download from the BSRIA website for members and non-members. Source link

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QRL launches campaign for radiator energy labelling

QRL launches campaign for radiator energy labelling Published:  23 August, 2016 British manufacturer QRL Radiator Group has launched a campaign for the introduction of an energy labelling system for radiators – similar to the one used for boilers, renewables, hot water cylinders and other household essentials. Launched on 23 August, QRL’s Don’t Omit Emitters campaign calls for the industry to join in petitioning the government to include radiators in mandatory efficiency ratings. Radiators are not currently covered by the Energy-related Products (ErP) Directive and its colour-coded energy labelling system, with efficiency bandings rated A+++ to G. This means there is no requirement for manufacturers to produce an energy label for radiators, or for installers to include radiators when producing the package label indicating whole-system efficiency. “At a time when everyone connected with the heating industry – from government right through to manufacturers and installers – is putting efficiency at the top of the agenda, it’s ludicrous that there is no energy labelling system in place for radiators,” said David Kerr, chief executive officer at QRL Radiator Group. “Of course it’s important that we focus on insulation and the heat source, but if emitters aren’t included as the third piece of the efficiency puzzle then we risk undermining the performance of the system as a whole. “We already have labels in place for boilers, heat pumps, micro CHP and hot water cylinders, so the introduction of a proper efficiency ratings system for radiators is well overdue. Our Don’t Omit Emitters campaign is aiming to make this right. While the future remit of the ErP is unclear following the result of the EU referendum, it’s likely that product energy labelling will continue in some form in the UK. At QRL, we’re urging the government not to overlook radiators any longer – and we’re asking anyone who supports more affordable and efficient heating for all to sign our petition calling for change.” In its Don’t Omit Emitters manifesto, the company argues that proper energy labelling would make it easier for people to identify high-efficiency emitters – ones that will improve heating system performance, cut costs and reduce emissions. Mike Wright, product development manager at QRL Radiator Group, continues: “Inefficient emitters are costing homes and businesses thousands, while having a massive impact on our collective carbon footprint. The introduction of clear, recognisable and universal energy labels is the most effective way for the trade (and their customers) to confidently pit one product’s performance against another’s. To make this happen, it’s up to manufacturers to lead the way – but for the government to really sit up and take notice, we need the whole industry to rally together, sign the Don’t Omit Emitters petition and make itself heard.” For more information about the Don’t Omit Emitters campaign – and to sign the online petition – visit qrl-radiators.com/petition.  Source link

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Bend it like Barnshaws, the art of UK Stadia construction

The stadia that host English premiership football matches are often seen as the physical representations of the titanic sporting and financial battles in one of the world’s most competitive leagues: the intimidating amphitheatre of the Etihad Stadium, the geometric confluence of the Emirates, the raucous intimacy of Selhurst Park and the traditional fortress that is Old Trafford. All of these arenas share at least one aspect of their construction – they all incorporate curved structural steel from metal bending and fabrication experts, Barnshaws Section Benders. Supplying steelwork for stadia is one of the most demanding applications for structural steel. The high safety requirements place stadia at CE Execution Class 3, one of the highest quality certifications for structural steel. Furthermore, due to their size, a large capacity is required to deliver typically hundreds of tonnes of sections to what are often exacting deadlines on each project. Stadia builds and upgrades are usually required to be finished before major events or at the beginning of a season, so that the investment made by clubs can be quickly recouped. Barnshaws Section Benders offers both high capacity and extensive production expertise which has enabled the business to service a wide range of stadium requirements, helping to deliver the world class facilities that the sport demands. Greg North, Commercial Director at Barnshaws Section Benders, explains how the demands are managed: “Most building projects are managed to strict timescales; new builds have investors to satisfy, refurbishments have shutdowns and redirects contributing to the cost and time pressure. Stadia however are a little different, if the ground isn’t finished the game won’t be played there, as football fixtures won’t wait. Our focus on precision and on-time delivery means that, like a top player, we can add value to a team effort and ensure a good result is delivered.” Projects for Premier League sides have included developing the roof over what is now known as the Sir Alex Ferguson stand at Manchester United’s Old Trafford; fabricating the cones for Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and supplying roof tees for Arsenal’s Emirates – all in conjunction with contractor Severfield. Furthermore, Barnshaws aided in the redevelopment of Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park roof with contractor Archbell Greenwood, a stadium that is regarded as one of the most atmospheric in the country. Recent projects include the relocation of West Ham to the ex-Olympic London Stadium including its 6,000 tonne roof and elements for the new Spurs ground adjacent to the original White Hart Lane. In addition, Barnshaws has been involved with a number of renovations for Championship and Football League sides, including Bristol City, Cardiff City, Coventry City, Ipswich Town, Maidstone Town, MK Dons, Nottingham Forest and Wigan Athletic. What differentiates Barnshaws contribution is the variation of the projects, ranging from supports for new floodlights, to terracing and roof structures – displaying the wide ranging expertise and experience inherent in the business. Barnshaws is regarded as the world’s most capable metal bending company, specialising specifically in precision curving of ferrous and non-ferrous products. Based in the Midlands, but with operations in the North of England, Scotland and in Europe, the business has supported the civil engineering, power generation, offshore, oil and gas, industrial, commercial vehicle and construction sectors since 1969. Stadiums have become as much an embodiment of the power of modern day football clubs as the accolades they accumulate. Every football club wants to present their home as a fortress to the away side, an atmosphere that owes much to the aesthetic capabilities of structural steel. Top clubs are in a financial as well as sporting battle, one which can be tipped by new stadiums or ground redevelopment to achieve maximum profitability. However beyond this, the lesson of modern football has been that world class facilities raise the standards of the sport, whether in the upper echelons or grassroots of the game. To service these projects requires the utmost expertise, capacity and flexibility – which has allowed Barnshaws to bend the rules when it comes to full service structural steel supply. With innovative suppliers helping to achieve these flagship engineering projects, the sport can be given further room to breathe and develop, which has seen the English Premier League eclipse its foreign competitors. This provides the perfect pedestal for what is the most competitive league in the world and one of the most passionate sporting cultures found anywhere – something that players, managers and most importantly fans, can all revel in every weekend.

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Food giants launch online sustainability site to meet changing consumer demands

Sustainable food news – by GreenWise staff 2nd November 2015 Bidvest Foodservice and a ‘green alliance’ made up of food industry giants, Unilever, Premier Foods, Delifrance UK, Vegware, and Jacobs Douwe Egberts have today launched plate2planet, a ‘one-stop-shop’ digital platform that aims to address the growing demand in the food sector for useful and practical information about sustainability. “Our customers, and those of our plate2planet partners, care deeply about sustainability and operators across the industry are taking measures to tackle the challenges,” said Shirley Duncalf, head of Sustainability at Bidvest Foodservice. The platform will share green knowledge, including ‘how to’ guides, case studies, handy tools, supply chain stories, guidance on regulations and best practice examples for those working in the industry. Duncalf said plate2planet’s collective wealth of knowledge was “unparalleled” in the industry. “Our aim, in sharing these resources in a single space, is to support the entire industry to make small but effective changes which can ultimately have a huge impact on a global scale, and on profit margins. Our message is that by working together we can truly enact positive change,” she said. A recent survey by the Sustainable Restaurant Association revealed that 83 per cent of consumers said sustainability directly affects their dining choices. Bidvest said making sustainable business choices is a challenge for caterers to navigate, who face ever-evolving changes to sustainability policy and regulation as well as to consumer demands. “Caterers are looking to drive successful green initiatives that truly add value to their own community, customers and their bottom line but many of them tell us they do not have the resources to research trends, find new suppliers or dissect complicated reports and Government documents,” Duncalf said. Commenting on the launch, Sarah Robb, channel marketing manager at Premier Foods, said: “We are thrilled to be involved in this initiative. At Premier Foodservice we believe we have a crucial role in helping to build a sustainable future for the industry and we’re continually looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and minimise our impact; whether that’s through the sourcing of local ingredients, reducing emissions or buying responsibly to ensure the upmost quality and authenticity of our products. We believe this is an excellent platform for the foodservice industry to share best practice and work collaboratively in driving the sustainability agenda forward.” Peter Bolger, national account controller for Bidvest at Unilever Food Solutions, added: “The launch of the new digital platform platetoplanet.co.uk is perfectly in line with Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, which is our blueprint for sustainable business. “We are excited and pleased to be associated to this initiative and to join hands with Bidvest to create a space where people can share and learn about news and opportunities around sustainability.” Also partnering on the site is Planet First, the sustainability consultancy that provides The Planet Mark a certification for organisations that want to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to sustainability. Bidvest is the first food service company to sign up to The Planet Mark and is keen to see its suppliers adopt the ‘kitemark’.  Steve Malkin, ceo Planet First and founder of The Planet Mark, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering on Plate2Planet. 90% of BidvestFoodservices’ customers claim sustainability is important to their business and at Planet First and The Planet Mark we believe every organisation can be sustainable and can contribute to a planet where everyone can thrive. Like this story? Please subscribe to our free weekly e-newsletter at the top of the page for more content like this. Related content: Related links: Source link

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LIA Held Their Annual Luncheon in May

LIA, held their Annual Luncheon in May and during this event Peter Scott officially handed over the role of President of the LIA Council of Management to Dave Ribbons of Luton EA Ltd. Te LIA, or the Lighting Industry Academy. The former President Peter Scott, of Fern-Howard was thanked by the new President on the LIA for all of the hard work he had put into the role throughout his tenure at the position. The LIA is an association and training academy that is considered to be the largest Trade Association in Europe, joined by a range of different lighting specialists and people operating in the lighting sector such as manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers and designers. The aim of the LIA is to make sure that a high standard of professionalism is upheld across the sector. This objective has been continued while Peter Scott acted as President of the LIA Council of Management and this will no doubt continue while Dave Ribbons occupies this position. The new President of the LIA Council of Management has been mentored by his predecessor before he started in the new role. Dave has been a central aspect of his LIA member company Luton EA since 2013 when her was appointed as the Director of Sales for Europe and Africa. In this position he has to lead and manage a diverse range of different team members. This experience with management will be an asset to him in his new role as President of the Trade Association. Dave has worked with R&D teams in order to develop technology for the future of lighting controls as well as working with Specification, OEM, Distribution and Residential CI channels. Dave Ribbons is a well regarded figure within the lighting industry and is also a graduate of the certification course now known as the LIA Certificate Course. Dave will hold all of the necessary characteristics to be a successful President and undoubtedly his time in this role will be as successful as his predecessors.

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Expert Witness Work: building a firm foundation

In all developed systems of law the evidence of expert witnesses can be crucial to the outcome of a dispute. Nowhere is this more so than in the UK, where expert evidence has been used in court cases since at least the 15th century. Nowadays it may be required in civil, family and criminal proceedings, as well as in arbitrations, before specialist tribunals, and for public or parliamentary inquiries. Within the construction and engineering industries claims are commonplace, and expert witnesses play an important role in settling disputes and enabling projects to move forwards. The construction and engineering industries represent two significant sources of expert witness work, with claims centring on standards of workmanship, materials selection, costs, time delays, contract infringement, etc. The role of expert witness is a natural yet challenging extension to any consultant’s practice… so long as the necessary personal skills and knowledge of relevant legal processes are in place. If you are unsure about what’s required, contact the UK Register of Expert Witnesses for access to all the essential support and guidance for getting started as an expert witness or keeping up with the changes. Let’s take a look at what’s involved in tackling this specialist role. Experts and expert witnesses An expert is anyone with knowledge or experience of a particular field or discipline beyond that to be expected of a layman. An expert witness is an expert who makes this knowledge and experience available to a court to help it understand the issues of a case and thereby reach a sound and just decision. There is, currently, no precondition imposed by English law on the qualities required of an expert witness. It is for the courts, on a case by case basis, to make a judgment of the individual’s qualities and to weigh the expert’s evidence in accordance with this judgment. What is expert evidence? The fundamental characteristic of expert evidence is that it is opinion evidence. Good quality expert evidence must provide as much detail as is necessary to allow the judge to determine that the expert’s opinions are well founded. It follows, then, that it will often include: factual evidence obtained by the witness which requires expertise in its interpretation and presentation factual evidence which, while it may not require expertise for its comprehension, is inextricably linked to evidence that does explanations of technical terms or topics, as well as opinions based on facts adduced in the case. Duties of an expert witness The overriding duty of an expert witness is to the court – to be truthful as to fact, thorough in technical reasoning, honest as to opinion and complete in the coverage of relevant matters. This applies to written reports as much as to evidence given in court. At the same time, the expert assumes a responsibility to the client to exercise due care with regard to the investigations carried out and to provide opinion evidence that is soundly based. To fulfil these duties adequately, it is vital that the expert should also have: kept up to date with current thinking and developments in his or her field familiarity with the provisions of the various court rules1. Qualities required of an expert witness Expert evidence should be – and should be seen to be – independent, objective and unbiased. In particular, an expert witness must not be biased towards the party responsible for paying the bills. An expert’s evidence should be the same regardless of who is paying for it. Clearly, too, an expert witness should have: a sound knowledge of the subject matter in dispute, and, usually, practical experience of it the powers of analytical reasoning required to fulfil the assignment the ability to communicate findings and opinions clearly and concisely the flexibility of mind to modify opinions in the light of fresh evidence or counter-arguments the ability to ‘think on one’s feet’, especially important on those rare occasions one is faced with cross-examination, and a demeanour that is likely to inspire confidence, particularly in court appearances. Lastly, an expert should be wary of expressing any opinion on whether allegations of negligence on the part of anyone, professional or otherwise, who may be involved in a dispute have been proved. The opinions given should relate solely to the facts of the case: it is for others to apportion blame. Fees The fees experts charge are, in large part, market driven. However, fees charged in cases that are paid for from public funds are subject to Ministry of Justice (MoJ) caps (see Table 1)2. This means they are around half those charged habitually in civil cases. The UK Register of Expert Witnesses3 conducts a biannual survey on expert fees (next survey due summer 2017) amongst its members. Its current average hourly report writing rates for non-legal aid work (2015 data) in construction and engineering are shown in Table 1. Table 1 Hourly report writing fees (£) Professional group Report writing in civil claims (£/hour)a Suggested MoJ maximum rates for publicly funded cases (£/hour) Non-London London Engineering 142 (n = 51) 72 54.40 Surveying & Valuation 188 (n = 20) 85/40b 115/40b Architecture & Building 150 (n = 23) 79.20 72 aValues for n relate only to the 2015 fee survey conducted by the UK Register of Expert Witnesses3 (www.jspubs.com). MoJ figures have no value for n published. Indeed there is no clear indication as to how these figures were defined in the first place! bFirst value is for housing disrepair claims, second is for non-housing disrepair claims2. Conclusion Expert witness work can be a rewarding adjunct, both intellectually and financially, to an existing professional workload. However, anyone considering entering the fray should take care to understand the nature of the role and the expert’s duties and ethical considerations therein. For free access to lots of expert witness support and guidance, visit www.ukrew.org.uk and subscribe to the UK Register of Expert Witnesses’ free e-wire service. There are more than 100 issues to browse through, as well as monthly updates. About

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