Browser does not support script. Contact us The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the findings of its Review of Architectural Competitions by a specially appointed Task Group after approval by the RIBA Council last month. The RIBA Task Group concluded that the RIBA should actively promote good competitions and their benefits to clients.  It made five specific recommendations in its report; to provide improved guidance and more choice for clients, open up opportunities for architects, and reduce waste through more efficient processes and use of technology as follows: Celebrate and promote the benefits of competitions for all types of buildings and structures – by demonstrating that competitions are good for all buildings and client ambitions and that they can help to achieve the beautiful ordinary, not just iconic buildings. Increase the quantity of well-managed, well regulated competitions – by investing in the growth of RIBA Competitions as market leader, greater engagement of potential clients with the assistance of newly appointed Competition Champions and developing new alternative processes to suit a wider range of clients. Provide new best practice guidance and support to clients – by providing guidance as to when and if a competition is appropriate as well as detailed guidance as to the most appropriate competitive selection process; and offering support from newly appointed Client Mentors in the early stages, who can help guide inexperienced clients through the process. Promote best practice and continuous improvement to processes –by adhering to best practice and reducing waste by limiting the amount of work required of competition entrants, providing guidance about the risks and pitfalls, making it clear that no architect will gain an advantage by doing more work than asked for and ensuring professional judges are suitably qualified and experienced. Improve the standards of other competition providers and private clients by working in partnerships with other professional associations, such as the Landscape Institute, RTPI, IStructE, ICE and RICS and potentially offering a service to promote non-RIBA competitions, provided they adhere to best practice. The Task Group comprised clients, client advisers, architects and RIBA executives, and was set up by the RIBA in 2013 to review the use of competitions in the UK. Martin Knight, Chair of the RIBA Competitions Task Group said: “Good competitions offer valuable choices to clients and opportunities to architects, whether to younger or smaller practices or established firms.  They encourage research and innovation, promote public debate and emphasise the value of good design but they often have an image problem, especially amongst practices which have been stung by poorly-run competitions, where the rules haven’t been transparent or fair and where the cost of wasted resources can be high. The introduction of an industry-wide RIBA championed ‘best practice standard’ with improved processes, additional guidance and support for clients at the outset of a project, will tackle the causes of this negative perception amongst the profession. “We need to increase the quantity of good competitions and demonstrate to clients that they are good for all projects – to achieve the ‘beautiful ordinary’, not just iconic buildings.  RIBA Competitions has a critical role to play in promoting best practice competitive selection processes.” ENDS Notes to editors: Martin Knight, Chair of the RIBA Competitions Task Group and Linda Stevens, RIBA Head of Client Services are available by telephone to discuss the RIBA Task Group Review into architectural competitions. To arrange an interview time please contact Howard Crosskey in the RIBA Press Office: 020 7307 3761 howard.crosskey@riba.org The RIBA Task Group Review of Architectural Competitions is available to read and download here: http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Competitions/Review/CompetitionsTaskGroupReport1.aspx To view case studies of previous RIBA Competitions from all sectors including Civic & Commercial, Culture & Leisure, Education & Health, Housing and Structures & Public Realm please visit: http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Competitions/CaseStudies/CaseStudiesHome.aspx    To hear previous clients discuss Competitions please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct0WxYggAI0 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 Tuesday 7th October 2014 Source link

Water companies must publish information on their indicative wholesale access charges for 2017/18 no later than October 2016, to ensure a level playing field in the non-household retail market, Ofwat has said. The regulator has set out what information companies holding appointments as water and/or sewerage undertakers, whose areas are wholly or mainly in England, will need to include. This, it said, will allow retailers sufficient time to develop their retail pricing proposals ahead of the beginning of the charging year. The publication of these charges will not only facilitate a level playing field, the regulator added, but will also provide an opportunity for any changes to wholesale access charges to be reflected in central systems handled by the market operator. Despite widespread resistance to its September 2015 proposal that charges be published in July and October, Ofwat said it expects the large water companies to publish them in October, and to notify stakeholders in July 2016 if they anticipate significant changes to their wholesale access charging structures, and what those changes may be. It said it would consult on the requirements for the publication of wholesale access charges from 2017 onwards in the coming months. The regulator has also today published guidance for those applying for water supply licences and/or sewerage licences (WSSLs) from April 2016. The market is due to open in April 2017, allowing 1.2 million businesses and other non-household customers of providers based mainly or wholly in England to choose their supplier of water and wastewater services. It will link with the existing market in Scotland, which opened to non-household customers in April 2008. Water companies continue to position themselves for market opening, with an announcement from Northumbrian Water earlier this month that it would rebrand its non-household retail business as ‘Wave’, which it hopes to establish as a “major player in the market”. Utility Week understands that Anglian Water Business and at least one other WASC are soon to follow suit. Of the water-only companies (WOCS), Affinity Water, Bristol Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water and Cholderton and District Water all tell Utility Week they plan to remain in the market, with South East Water and Cambridge/South Staffordshire Water refusing to comment. And of the WASCs, eight of nine say they will not exit the retail market, with Southern Water saying it is “undecided”. In January Portsmouth Water became the first to reveal that it would exit the business retail market when competition is introduced, handing the baton to Scottish supplier Castle Water. And, earlier this month, Severn Trent Water and United Utilities (UU) stated their intention to team up and create a new, separate, and yet-to-be-named retail business. Source link

12 September 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Support services company Engie has been awarded a five-year total facilities management contract by European defence and space enterprise Airbus Defence and Space.   The contract covers sites in Stevenage, Portsmouth and Newport in the UK. This latest award builds on an existing strategic relationship between Engie and Airbus Group at a European level.   Services to be delivered include mechanical and electrical maintenance, cleaning, catering, lift and grounds maintenance, pest control, mail room, reception and security.   110 employees from the three incumbent providers have transferred to Engie.   Nicola Lovett, Engie’s UK divisional CEO for services, said: “Our team will work closely together with Airbus to develop long-term strategic plans for each site, improving the performance and efficiency of their building portfolio while adding value to their operations.”   Engie, formerly Cofely GDF Suez, also has a number of contracts with Airbus Group in France, through its Engie Cofely and Engie Ineo businesses – providing management and technical maintenance services, electrical installation, energy efficiency services and wider facility management. Source link