Browser does not support script. Contact us The RIBA has today, 14 April 2015, responded to the launch of the Conservative Party’s 2015 General Election Manifesto. Discussing the issues of Housing, Planning, Schools Building and Flood Defences – all key components of the RIBA’s #BuildaBetterBritain Campaign – RIBA President Stephen
The University of Leeds is seeking a contractor for the development of its North East Quarter. The project, which has an estimated value of £60m to £65m, involves the creation of a new multi-disciplinary teaching and research facility for disciplines including computing, physics, astronomy and materials. The new accommodation will
The millionaire philanthropist founder of construction company Lakehouse has been told by the company board that he lacks the skills to make any meaningful contribution to the business any more. Above: Steve Rawlings Steve Rawlings founded Lakehouse in 1988. After former Mears chief executive Stuart Black took a minority stake
Browser does not support script. Contact us The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) today announced the winners of a new bursary scheme supporting students of architecture looking to embark on an RIBA-validated Part 2 course within the UK. The inaugural RIBA Part 2 Bursaries scheme is the most generous
Jodie Pope accepted the Technical Assistant role for Bewley Homes. Bewley Homes is a developer that is based in Berkshire. Following her appointment as Technical Assistant, Jodie has undergone a development all her own, as she displayed hard work and dedication in order to overcome all challenges she has faced
The leading chartered surveyors and estate agents, Flick & Son have recently appointed Paul Gray as their Managing Director. This appointment has been made by the business in order to expand their residential sales, lettings and management activities. Flick & Son is known for being one of the longest established
The Construction Industry Training Board, or CITB have been given their last chance by the Federation of Master Builders, or FMB. Members of the FMB are divided in regards to their opinions on the future of the CITB. Some members would like to see the training board continue, while others
Makita has released two new versions of their 10.8V Brushless CXT Jigsaw. The company have announced that they will be extending their cordless range, introducing new CXT jigsaws. Both of these new products have brushless motors and have a 90mm cutting capacity in wood. These newly released models are thought
Browser does not support script. Contact us The RIBA has today, 14 April 2015, responded to the launch of the Conservative Party’s 2015 General Election Manifesto. Discussing the issues of Housing, Planning, Schools Building and Flood Defences – all key components of the RIBA’s #BuildaBetterBritain Campaign – RIBA President Stephen Hodder said: On Housing: ‘It is vital that the pressure to tackle the housing crisis doesn’t lead to sub-standard homes. The RIBA supports the principle of more low cost homes on brownfield sites but high quality design and infrastructure are essential if these homes are to meet the needs of communities now and in the future.’ On Planning: ‘The next Government should review the National Policy and Planning Framework (NPPF) to ensure that it balances both economic sustainability and social and environmental factors. We remain deeply concerned by the loss of expertise from local authority planning teams and its impact on the quality of new developments.’ On Schools Building: ‘We hope that the Conservative’s commitment to school funding will enable improvements to the quality of the UK’s school buildings. We face a growing shortage of school places, and 80% of our school buildings are in poor condition, failing the students and teachers trying to learn and teach in them. Well-designed buildings improve well-being and cut maintenance costs – vital to the long-term future of the UK’s education system.’ On Flood Defences: ‘We welcome the party’s announcement that they will build 1,400 new flood defences. However, we need to go further. The next Government should provide real security for communities in areas affected by flooding by introducing legislation committing successive UK governments to build flooding resilience as a strategic priority for the long-term. There should also be a guarantee that new homes won’t be built on flood plains.’ ENDS Notes to editors: 1. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members www.architecture.com 2. Follow us on Twitter for regular RIBA updates www.twitter.com/RIBA 3. For more information or interview requests, members of the press should contact: Gagandeep Bedi, Press Officer, RIBA: gagandeep.bedi@riba.org 020 7307 3814 Posted on Tuesday 14th April 2015 Search architecture.com just start typing and hit enter again × Browser does not support script. Browser does not support script. Source link
The University of Leeds is seeking a contractor for the development of its North East Quarter. The project, which has an estimated value of £60m to £65m, involves the creation of a new multi-disciplinary teaching and research facility for disciplines including computing, physics, astronomy and materials. The new accommodation will provide facilities for research and student education. It will include new laboratory space designed for the high-specification equipment that is required to undertake today’s research. Details in The Construction Index Contract Leads section (link opens in new tab). This article was published on 18 Aug 2016 (last updated on 18 Aug 2016). Source link
The millionaire philanthropist founder of construction company Lakehouse has been told by the company board that he lacks the skills to make any meaningful contribution to the business any more. Above: Steve Rawlings Steve Rawlings founded Lakehouse in 1988. After former Mears chief executive Stuart Black took a minority stake in 2007, the company grew significantly on the back of acquisitions. Steve Rawlings took a back seat, giving Stuart Black day to day control. He eventually left the board in advance of the company’s 2015 stock market flotation. However, Mr Rawlings still owns 15.5% and he is unhappy with how his old company is now being run. He has joined with Slater Investments, which with 6.04% is the second biggest shareholder in Lakehouse, to try to oust the board. They have called a meeting of shareholders to vote on a resolution remove the non-executive directors. Mr Rawlings and Slater Investments want the current non-executives to be replaced by Robert Legget, the former WS Atkins finance director Ric Piper, and Mr Rawlings himself. The meeting is set to take place on 19th April 2016. The Lakehouse board has today issued a notice to shareholders urging them not to support Mr Rawlings. The board says: “Steve Rawlings’ lack of involvement in the group and track record as a director since 2012, together with his lack of experience as a director of listed companies, does not suggest that he has the necessary skill set to be able to provide a meaningful contribution to the board or the group going forward.” It adds: “Although nominally ‘Chief Executive’, Steve Rawlings did not attend a single board meeting during the three years prior to the IPO and did not have any involvement with the board decisions taken relating to the strategic direction of the group and its day-to-day operations. “The group has grown significantly and is now very different to when Steve Rawlings was actively involved in it: he has played no part in developing and executing the strategy that delivered that growth. “He has limited experience of the two main, higher margin, growth areas of the group’s business, compliance and energy services, and has had little involvement in the construction and regeneration divisions for nearly five years.” Lakehouse chairman Chris Geoghegan, who Steve Rawlings wants to vote out, told shareholders: “Your board is particularly concerned that the requisitionists [Rawlings and Slater] have not provided any information in relation to their strategic vision for the company. Their silence on this important matter is especially concerning given they are asking to remove every single existing non-executive director and to replace them with their own candidates. “The requisitionists’ proposals would reduce the level of independence on the board, damage the company’s compliance with the UK Corporate Governance Code and result in all the non-executive directors representing only one particular group of Lakehouse shareholders in preference to other Lakehouse shareholders.” This article was published on 24 Mar 2016 (last updated on 24 Mar 2016). Source link
Browser does not support script. Contact us The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) today announced the winners of a new bursary scheme supporting students of architecture looking to embark on an RIBA-validated Part 2 course within the UK. The inaugural RIBA Part 2 Bursaries scheme is the most generous award made to students in financial need. In 2015, up to five bursaries of £6,000 will be available to support five Part-2 students for the academic years 2015/16 and 2016/17. Successful students will receive £1,000 a term throughout their Part 2 course (for up to a maximum of six terms). The inaugural RIBA Part 2 Bursary recipients are: Jordan Green (Part 1 graduate, University of the West of England) Thomas Hardwick (Part 1 graduate, University of Lincoln) Jack Marston (Part 1 graduate, University of Portsmouth) Andre Rocco Matta (Part 1 graduate, University of Sheffield) Simeon Shtebunaev (Part 1 graduate, University of Sheffield) The bursaries aim to support students experiencing financial hardship who otherwise may not continue with their architectural studies. They have been made possible by the W J Parker Trust, which is funded by the bequest of Walter J Parker, who left a legacy to support students experiencing financial hardship to enter the architectural profession. RIBA President Stephen Hodder said:‘I am absolutely delighted that we have a scheme in place to support students in continuing on to their Part 2, and I am sure that these inaugural scholars will do the scheme justice. It is vital that we support and retain talent within our profession.’ Andy Beard, Chair of the RIBA Education Trust Funds Committee, said:‘This is only the first year of the bursary scheme, and we received many applications from students who had graduated with high grades but who will struggle to find the necessary finances to continue their studies to Part 2 level. The fact that applications came from 29 students who completed their Part 1 at 17 different Schools of Architecture demonstrates how widespread the financial difficulties facing students of architecture are. The judging panel faced some very challenging decisions on the day, but we are really pleased to be able to support five students who have particularly difficult circumstances, and we are confident that they all have the potential to become valuable members of the profession when they complete their training.’ More information can be found at: www.architecture.com/Part2Bursaries ENDS Notes to editors 1. For further press information contact the RIBA Press Office: 020 7307 3761 pressoffice@riba.org 2. The judging panel consisted of three members of the RIBA Education Trust Funds Committee: Andy Beard Diana Leitch Katie Wilmot 3. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members www.architecture.com Follow us on Twitter for regular RIBA updates www.twitter.com/RIBA Posted on Friday 6th February 2015 Source link
Jodie Pope accepted the Technical Assistant role for Bewley Homes. Bewley Homes is a developer that is based in Berkshire. Following her appointment as Technical Assistant, Jodie has undergone a development all her own, as she displayed hard work and dedication in order to overcome all challenges she has faced in the past year. Working as an Assistant to the Technical Team, Jodie had a wide range of different responsibilities to carry out. Jodie has been involved with the implementation of new developments and has seen projects through from inception to completed and sold. Part of her role has found Jodie managing a range of different tasks at once, as part of a roe that has offered diversity and pace. Bewley Homes has been working to support Jodie throughout her first year as she develops her knowledge base. The experienced team working at Bewley Homes have been on hand throughout in order to support and mentor Jodie throughout the initial steep learning curve and as she takes on different tasks and challenges as a part of her role as Technical Assistant. The hard work that Jodie has put in since she started has paid off, as she has been promoted to Technical Co-ordinator. In this new role Jodie has been given full responsibility of the management of two dedicated Bewley Homes projects as well as working to assist with any requirements that have come from the commercial, sales and construction teams. Next, Jodie is about to begin her Masters in Construction Management at the University of Reading. While Studying, Bewley Homes is supporting Jodie, allowing her to study part time. Bewley Homes have published Jodie’s story in order to demonstrate to other young people who are wanting to begin a career in the construction industry how to work hard and succeed. Highlighting Jodie’s story in particular shows the rapid progression of a woman in this industry, which will hopefully be a positive example for other young women considering this area for a career.
The leading chartered surveyors and estate agents, Flick & Son have recently appointed Paul Gray as their Managing Director. This appointment has been made by the business in order to expand their residential sales, lettings and management activities. Flick & Son is known for being one of the longest established independent estate agents in Suffolk. The company has their roots in Saxmundham and as far back as 1833. The company has expanded and opened new offices in Aldeburgh and Leiston in 1900 with more recent expansion into Southwold and Halesworth. Paul Gray has gained more than 20 years of experience from working in the industry and has spent the last five years working as a Director at Ludlow Thompson, known for being one of the most respected and successful independent estate agents in London. Paul has said that he was drawn to Suffolk by the beautiful coastline, the inland towns and villages and the mixture of modern and period property around the region that is available to purchasers. Paul accepted the move to Flick & Son as the company is a widely respected brand that Paul can make his mark on and help to grow their market. Paul wants to consistently proving the benefits of dealing with a team of staff in a number of high street offices that are dedicated to delivering great customer service. Moving house is well known for being one of the biggest and most stressful life challenges and it is vital for Flick & Son to develop their excellent reputation for personal service to help their clients and make the whole process slightly easier. Paul’s experience will be an asset to the company and he will, no doubt, ensure that his team continue to deliver first-class customer service to their clients and uphold the ethos of the company in his new role as Managing Director.
The Construction Industry Training Board, or CITB have been given their last chance by the Federation of Master Builders, or FMB. Members of the FMB are divided in regards to their opinions on the future of the CITB. Some members would like to see the training board continue, while others feel that the organisation should be completely scrapped. Despite the split decision about the training organisation’s future, it has been agreed upon by members of the Federation that the CITB does not work for smaller firms operating in the construction industry. The call has been made by the FMB for the CITB to carry out significant reforms in order to deliver quality training on a large scale in the smaller firms of the construction industry. The FMB has made the decision to support the continuation of the levy. However, they have explicitly stated that this continuation of support is not an agreement with the status quo, and feel that the CITB is broken, and support is needed from the industry in order to make sure that in the future the levy works for everyone. It is thought that unless the changes are put into place there could be an impact on the construction skills crisis, which will continue to get worse. If a transformation of the CITB isn’t carried out and the skills crisis get worse, the Government will fail in their house building and infrastructure ambitions. It is vital that, for the CITB to succeed, there needs to a review into how the organisation is structured. The CITB Board at the moment only contains one representative from SMEs in the construction industry. This needs to change to ensure more impact and lead to better changes to benefit the smaller companies in this industry. The reforms need to spread further than the CITB according to the FMB with other changes suggested including making the grant scheme more simple, allowing SMEs to claim back CITB grants.
Makita has released two new versions of their 10.8V Brushless CXT Jigsaw. The company have announced that they will be extending their cordless range, introducing new CXT jigsaws. Both of these new products have brushless motors and have a 90mm cutting capacity in wood. These newly released models are thought to challenge the higher voltage cordless products that are available to the in the market at the moment. The new Makita JV102D has a barrel grip and a raised front pommel, offering two-handed control of the machine. The other Makita cordless product is a JV103D and is a top handle model that is used most often for single hand operation. Makita is a world class brand of professional power tools, accessories and work wear. The company has a reputation for delivering products that are a high quality, offer high performance and are durable even against the most rigorous industrial use. Makita has been in operation for 45 years in the UK, with offices located in Milton Keynes. The company have an extensive catalogue of more than 620 products and accessories including a range of corded drill/drivers, cordless combination drills, percussion drills, angle grinders, jigsaws and sanders. Both of the new Makita 10.8V jigsaws can run up to 3,000 strokes per minute and has a 23mm stroke length as well as a tool-less blade change to be used for the B-type bayonet blades. The cordless jigsaws have been fitted with integral dust extraction as standard as well as a range of other features that makes these new tools compact and lightweight. The tools have a variable speed dial and an electric brake as well as constant speed control. There is a LED job light and has a bevel capacity of 0° – 45° left and right. Both of these new models released by Makita are available as body only machines or with two 10.8V 2.0Ah batteries, a fast charger and a Makpac case.
