Spitfire Bespoke Homes, the leading niche home builder, was awarded the Best Family Home under £750,000 accolade for its show home at Highworth in Broadway, Gloucestershire and Best Family Home over £1.5 million accolade for The Pemberley at Glade in The Spinney in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire at the Evening Standard
The independent plant hire firm Jarvie Plant Group is calling on construction firms to hire equipment that helps alleviate rising costs and protect their margins. At a time when the UK construction sector is facing a reduction in major public infrastructure projects, the threat of higher labour costs as a
NBS has updated its free-to-use BIM Object Standard and National BIM Library with content for use across Australia, adding to its existing UK and Canadian content. Widely adopted across the UK and used around the world, the NBS BIM Object Standard will allow manufacturers to share their product information digitally
Contractor Henry Brothers has been appointed to build a new £23m engineering facility for Nottingham Trent University. The two-storey development, in the heart of the Clifton Campus, will feature a range of engineering, teaching and research spaces, together with a large design suite, IT suite, offices and amenity facilities –
Spitfire Bespoke Homes, the leading niche home builder, was awarded the Best Family Home under £750,000 accolade for its show home at Highworth in Broadway, Gloucestershire and Best Family Home over £1.5 million accolade for The Pemberley at Glade in The Spinney in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire at the Evening Standard New Homes Awards 2018. The Awards took place at The Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane on Friday the 18th of May and were hosted by comedian Kevin Bridges. Now in their 27th year, the awards celebrate companies that strive to improve standards in all areas of housebuilding industry. “We are absolutely thrilled to have received not one but two awards at such a prestigious and highly respected industry event, the Evening Standard Awards 2018. These awards are a strong endorsement of our continued approach to building beautiful bespoke homes in outstanding locations. Highworth and Glade in The Spinney are both prime examples of superbly designed developments, perfect for modern family life,” said David Jervis, Managing Director of Spitfire. The exclusive development Highworth is located in the Broadway village and is a collection of two to five-bedroom homes which have been thoughtfully designed to complement their stunning rural setting. Each home incorporates classic architectural detailing, with authentic Cotswold stone exterior facades built using locally sourced materials. They also sell bespoke stairlifts. Occupying a secluded and leafy location in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, Glade in The Spinney is an exclusive collection of seven detached executive properties situated on a gated private road. Each home benefits from outstanding design and meticulous attention to detail. Individually designed to offer 3,950 sq. ft. of luxuriously appointed accommodation, the award-winning Pemberley show home is an executive five/ six bedroom house, providing grand and spacious living across three floors. Spitfire is a forward thinking, modern, privately-owned property development company specialising in the construction of sustainable, high-quality bespoke residences, with offices in Coleshill and Maidenhead. As a leading niche homebuilder, the company carefully considers each individual home.
The independent plant hire firm Jarvie Plant Group is calling on construction firms to hire equipment that helps alleviate rising costs and protect their margins. At a time when the UK construction sector is facing a reduction in major public infrastructure projects, the threat of higher labour costs as a result of Brexit and the after-effects of a prolonged severe winter, Jarvie Plant say they’re ideally placed to help with the unprecedented cost pressures construction firms are under. The Grangemouth-based firm has continuously renewed their portfolio of hire equipment by investing in technologically advanced plant, accommodation and vehicles that meet the highest quality and safety standards. “The construction sector is facing significant challenges on several fronts,” says Jarvie Plant’s business development director, David Jarvie. “Hiring newer equipment isn’t only the safest option, it can also be the most cost-effective overall as projects will not be negatively impacted by older machines breaking down. If a machine breaks, you need to find a replacement and that can result in time delays and significant costs. “Moreover, some of our newer equipment could help reduce fuel bills. For example, our ECO-Settler welfare accommodation units feature an automatic power management system which delivers 75% fuel savings against conventional units. In addition, our new fuel management offering is allowing our customers hassle-free hire of generators and accommodation, minimising downtime on site. Customers are also benefiting from reduced emissions from our new JS130 Excavators and 25-35m Rotating telescopic handlers.” But in addition to rising costs, the construction industry is also suffering a skill and labour shortage. The skills gap is driving up wages, which is squeezing businesses already battling higher material costs. With recruitment costs also increasing due to staff shortages, retaining existing employees is crucial. “Our customers’ staff have access to great equipment to work with and accommodation that offers them an excellent working environment, and we feel that is crucial to staff retention,” added Mr Jarvie. Jarvie Plant currently has a network of 9 hire depots across Scotland and the North West of England, with a tenth depot set to open later this year in Inverness.
NBS has updated its free-to-use BIM Object Standard and National BIM Library with content for use across Australia, adding to its existing UK and Canadian content. Widely adopted across the UK and used around the world, the NBS BIM Object Standard will allow manufacturers to share their product information digitally across all three countries, and allow designers and specifiers to download country-specific standardised objects from the NBS National BIM Library. This update from NBS who provide technical information, specification and BIM tools to construction industry professionals, was announced at the BiLT conference in Australia in May and is another step to promoting international adoption of the standard. “At NBS we were quick to recognise that the lack of an industry-wide standard for BIM objects was a significant barrier to the construction industry’s successful transition to a digital future and its adoption of BIM,” said NBS CEO Richard Waterhouse. “Setting an international standard means companies can bring efficiencies when working globally, providing a common way to talk to each other. Our vision is for the entire global construction industry to have access to BIM objects that can be used freely, safe in the knowledge that they contain the same levels of information with the appropriate geometry all wrapped up in a consistent and highly useable format; BIM objects that can deliver accurate data at the right time to inform decisions and minimise risks on any project.” The first Australian manufacturer to sign up to the NBS National BIM Library since the new update is Gunnebo, a global leader in security products, services and solutions. Global Product Manager for Gunnebo, Sergio Zanghellini, said: “BIM objects, and BIM philosophy in particular is setting a new era for specifiers, manufacturers and dealers. Anything to help simplify our job, as well as resulting in better management costs, is beneficial for everyone involved. I consider NBS an excellent and professional organization on a global scale, helping us to provide our clients with the best and most up-to-date services and tools.” In the newly-released 2018 NBS National BIM Report, over three quarters said that the NBS BIM Object Standard is useful and because objects on the NBS National BIM Library conform to this standard, their high quality is assured. In the same report 67 percent agreed that the library provided the highest quality content and 53 percent agreed that it provided the greatest ease of use. The NBS National BIM Library is already used globally but will now give manufacturers operating in Canada and Australia the opportunity to be found more easily by users of the library in the relevant countries. “Through the NBS National BIM Library we deliver rich, up-to-date and standardised product information to the designers and specifiers who need it, by working with manufacturers to describe and structure the information needed,” continued Richard. “Customers trust the quality of our data and its relevance to the requirements of designers, specifiers and other construction industry professionals around the world. BIM objects that meet the requirements of the NBS BIM Object Standard will help to realise the true benefits of digital construction – resulting in better value across the whole life of the built asset.” The NBS BIM Object Standard was published for the first time in 2014, defining clear requirements against which all BIM objects can be assessed. The first of its kind globally, the standard defines what constitutes a quality BIM object, and provides the foundations for a consistent approach that can be adopted by designers, manufacturers and BIM content developers alike and has played a major role in helping organisations implement digital processes, and get the most from digital construction. The first release of the standard was developed in consultation with companies including; AEC3 Ltd, Arup Associates, Bond Bryan Architects, Doncaster Council, Ryder Architecture and Vinci Construction. To find out more about the updated BIM Object Standard or the wider NBS product range call 0345 456 9594 or email info@theNBS.com To find out more about NBS visit www.theNBS.com
Contractor Henry Brothers has been appointed to build a new £23m engineering facility for Nottingham Trent University. The two-storey development, in the heart of the Clifton Campus, will feature a range of engineering, teaching and research spaces, together with a large design suite, IT suite, offices and amenity facilities – and has been designed to be in the top 10% of sustainable buildings in the UK, when it comes to energy efficiency. The contract is the latest appointment for Henry Brothers at an East Midlands university and follows the completion last year of the £12.5m STEMLab project at Loughborough University, which recently won the Design Through Innovation Award at the regional RICS Awards. It is the company’s first major Nottingham contract and cements Henry Brothers’ position as a key player in the city’s construction sector. Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Henry Brothers Midlands, said: “As a company, Henry Brothers has significant experience of partnering with universities to create inspiring buildings. Following the award-winning STEMLab project at Loughborough University, our team is currently on site with the same client delivering the £30m refurbishment of a 1960s building which houses science labs and teaching spaces. “We are delighted to now be working with another major university in the East Midlands, Nottingham Trent University. The prestigious new engineering building at NTU will enhance the already excellent facilities at the Clifton Campus, and we are very pleased to be part of the team delivering it.” Work on the engineering facility, which will also include the creation of a new ‘Institute of Industrial Digitalisation, Robotics and Automation’ is due to get under way in early June, with completion expected in time for the start of the 2019/2020 academic year. A strong Nottingham-based team has been appointed for the design and build contract and, along with Henry Brothers, includes project manager Edge, quantity surveyor Gleeds, architect Maber and civil and structural engineer Curtins. Henry Brothers is recognised as a leading construction company with a turnover in excess of £80m per annum and more than 200 direct employees. The business works across the UK, with offices in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Midlands office was set up in January 2015 and from its Nottingham base, the team delivers projects from £2m to £30m in value and has a turnover approaching £40m. The firm’s contract at NTU is the latest investment by the university at the Clifton Campus, and will provide an energy efficient facility with an EPC A rating and a BREEAM excellent accreditation. Only the top 10% of new non-domestic buildings are built to a BREEAM excellent rating, with the accreditation being regarded as ‘best practice’. Nottingham Trent University is one of the most environmentally-friendly universities. “We want to create inspirational, state-of-the-art facilities that inspire staff and students and demonstrate our commitment to being a major player in the STEM education of engineers,” said Professor Mary O’Neill, the Dean of Nottingham Trent University’s School of Science and Technology. She said: “This development will facilitate a culture of innovation and excellence to support project-based, industry-focused learning and highly-rated research. “It will enable us to be at the heart of developments in the emerging ‘Industry 4.0’ agenda in terms of education and skills training, as well as knowledge transfer and knowledge development and research. “The anticipated skills shortages represent a serious concern for major industries, and we want to play a lead role in training current and future workers with the digitalisation skills required for this arena, which is being called the next industrial revolution.” The development at the Clifton Campus comes after the university launched a new Department of Engineering and a range of innovative engineering courses designed in conjunction with major industry employers and experts. Henry Brothers Midlands, based at Priory Court, Derby Road, Beeston, is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors. For more information, visit https://henrybrothers.co.uk/