The firm saw revenue for the six months to 30 June 2016 rise by 3.3 per cent to hit £210m, up from £203.4m in the same period a year earlier. CEO Wayne Sheppard said that current trading remained at “normal seasonal levels” despite the vote to leave the European Union,
Invisible Connection are pleased to confirm that their RIBA-managed NBS Plus data is now live. Invisible Connections, the leading manufacturer and supplier of ‘invisible’ connections for precast staircase construction and precast beam construction, are pleased to confirm that their RIBA-managed NBS Plus data is now live. NBS Plus data for
The King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership (KCCLP), advised by Savills, has let the Midland Goods Shed at King’s Cross to consumer finance provider NewDay. The deal sees NewDay relocate from Two Pancras Square and double its take up on the scheme to 30,000 sq ft (2,790 sq m). The Grade
27 July 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal NG Bailey has been awarded both the landlord and tenant facilities services contracts by Land Securities and global bank Mizuho to maintain Mizuho House, 30 Old Bailey in London. Worth more than £1 million, NG Bailey’s contracts are in addition to the company’s
Browser does not support script. Contact us Michael Maser PRIBA – portrait by Desmond O’Neill RIBA Immediate Past President Stephen Hodder said: “I am very sorry to hear about Michael Manser’s sad death. Michael designed some of the most breathtaking and inspiring one-off houses of the late twentieth century, built
4 August 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal The Home Office contract with Yarl’s Wood Immigration Centre for women in Bedfordshire is “over-engineered and creates large theoretical financial credits for even trivial deviations”, according to a new National Audit Office report. The Home Office is responsible for all aspects of Yarl’s Wood
Every year seems to bring with it an even hotter summer heatwave than the year before, encouraging homeowners to find new ways to keep their families cool. With this trend showing no signs of stopping, now could be your chance to make a huge difference to your home and install
When it comes to sewer and septic systems, most of us would rather “flush it and forget it”, and this is a technique that we adopt…….until a problem arises. When the stuff hits the fan, and you find yourself with a spongy, smelly lawn, drainage problems and slow draining sinks
A raft of revised British Standards has prompted the publication of three new technical guides from the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) for door and window hardware specialists. BS 3621: 2017 specifies the performance requirements and test methods for a thief-resistant mechanically operated single-point lock assembly. It gives ironmongers clarification
Dulux Trade Paint Expert, part of AkzoNobel, secured four accolades at the Painting and Decorating Association’s 30th annual awards ceremony, following nominations for 11 projects across seven categories. The company took home the prize in the commercial sector after working on a high school in Neston, Cheshire, where its products
The firm saw revenue for the six months to 30 June 2016 rise by 3.3 per cent to hit £210m, up from £203.4m in the same period a year earlier. CEO Wayne Sheppard said that current trading remained at “normal seasonal levels” despite the vote to leave the European Union, and added that the firm had contingency plans in place to help the firm “balance production with sales volumes as necessary” for the remainder of the year. Following the EU referendum, like-for-like brick volumes in July were at the same levels as the same month a year earlier. “The [housing] sector continues to receive focused government support, mortgage availability is good and there remains an undersupply of new homes,” he said. “Our businesses are well prepared for the challenges and opportunities that our markets may present and we look to the future with confidence.” EBITDA for the first six months of the year increased by 7.3 per cent, reaching £55.6m, up from £51.8m in H1 2015. The firm added that its brick business was seeing strong levels of activity from the housing market, which has offset destocking by UK merchants and distributors. Its concrete products business also performed strongly, receiving a boost from an increase in activity in domestic landscaping RM&I work. The brick manufacturer’s results tally with data released this week by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, which showed brick deliveries and stocks in Q2 2016 were at their highest levels for nearly three years. Source link
Invisible Connection are pleased to confirm that their RIBA-managed NBS Plus data is now live. Invisible Connections, the leading manufacturer and supplier of ‘invisible’ connections for precast staircase construction and precast beam construction, are pleased to confirm that their RIBA-managed NBS Plus data is now live. NBS Plus data for Invisible Connections can now be instantly accessed by architectural practices and other construction professionals that use NBS specification software. NBS Plus enables manufacturers to have their product information available to specifiers at the very point they need it most – when completing a project specification. It is a library of manufacturers’ technical product information, written in NBS format by their team of in-house experts and linked to specific clauses within the market-leading NBS specification software products. Using NBS Plus, designers can specify products quickly and accurately with just one click, importing the relevant product information directly into their specification. Linked to NBS specification software is the RIBA Product Selector, a heavily-used online building products library aimed at UK construction industry professionals looking to research and source products, product catalogues, technical documents and contact information from over 10,000 manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and trade associations. Invisible Connections products which can be specified include the ETA-approved range of telescopic connectors for precast concrete staircase and precast beam (frame) constructions. Also included is the FERBOX reinforcement continuity system, which is bespoke-manufactured at its Thame factory. By integrating with the NBS Plus data software and RIBA Product Selector library, Invisible Connections have made their product information instantly accessible to more than 4,000 architectural practices and other companies which use these specification software tools. Derek Brown, Managing Director of Invisible Connections, said: “We’re very pleased to announce that our NBS Plus data is now live and that our information is also available via RIBA Product Selector. According to statistics, 89% of the UK’s top architectural practices have access to NBS Plus, so we’re delighted that our technical product information can now be brought to the attention of such an influential group and be instantly accessed by them.’’ About Invisible Connections™ Invisible Connections is the registered trademark of Invisible Connections AS, Norwegian developer and manufacturer of the telescopic connectors range for 30 years. In this time, hundreds of thousands ofconnectors have been used in construction projects around the world. The ETA-approved telescopic connectors solve two key construction applications; ‘invisible’ connections for precast staircase construction and ‘invisible’ connections for precast beam construction. To enhance its offering to the UK market, Invisible Connections Ltd (UK) also supplies the popular FERBOX reinforcement continuity system, which is bespoke-manufactured for in-situ concrete connections. ProductsRVK & TSS Telescopic Connectors http://www.invisibleconnections.co.uk/product/rvk-tss-support-inserts/BSF Telescopic Connectors http://www.invisibleconnections.co.uk/product/bsf-support-inserts/FERBOX Reinforcement Continuity System http://www.invisibleconnections.co.uk/product/ferbox/ Invisible Connections Ltd Unit 6, Thame Forty Jane Morbey Road Thame Oxfordshire, OX9 3RR +44 (0) 1844 266000 sales@invisibleconnections.co.uk www.invisibleconnections.co.uk Source link
The King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership (KCCLP), advised by Savills, has let the Midland Goods Shed at King’s Cross to consumer finance provider NewDay. The deal sees NewDay relocate from Two Pancras Square and double its take up on the scheme to 30,000 sq ft (2,790 sq m). The Grade II Listed Midland Goods Shed built in 1850 has been sympathetically restored and converted into a contemporary design, led by Bennetts Associates. The building is in the heart of King’s Cross, next to the Waitrose food store and cookery school, Central Saint Martins and Everyman Cinema, which will be opening in 2017. Stuart Lawson, director in the Central London team at Savills, comments: “The deal to NewDay was agreed 10 days prior to the EU referendum and concluded only 10 days afterwards. The speed of transaction coupled with a substantial rental increase makes this a significant leasing agreement and a strong indicator of continued confidence in the central London office market.” Will Colthorpe, partner at Argent (KCCLP), adds: “NewDay’s announcement is more good news for King’s Cross. It is a testament to King’s Cross, and the ongoing success of the development, to have re-let the space so quickly to a leading consumer finance provider. By mid- 2017 we expect to have over 12,000 people working at King’s Cross, confirming its reputation as London’s new office destination and leading the way in workplace design and performance.” This deals leaves approximately 800,000 sq ft (74,320 sq m) of the 3 million sq ft (278,700 sq m) of office space available at King’s Cross.Newton Perkins acted for NewDay; Savills is jointly instructed with Cushman and Wakefield on behalf of KCCLP. Source link
27 July 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal NG Bailey has been awarded both the landlord and tenant facilities services contracts by Land Securities and global bank Mizuho to maintain Mizuho House, 30 Old Bailey in London. Worth more than £1 million, NG Bailey’s contracts are in addition to the company’s facilities services contract at 60 Ludgate Hill, which sits beside Mizuho House as part of Land Securities’ grade A office development, New Ludgate. The facilities services briefs include mechanical, electrical and building fabric operational maintenance, as well as 24-hour critical services support to occupier Mizuho through NG Bailey’s critical environment specialists and its building management systems. NG Bailey held the facilities services contract to maintain Mizuho’s previous London head office at Bracken House, near St Paul’s Cathedral. As part of this new contract, it will also provide soft landings support to Mizuho in the transition to the new building, which will accommodate more than 1,600 employees across 200,000 square feet of office space. Stuart Linington, managing director of NG Bailey’s facilities services division, said: “We currently manage eight retail centres and 40 commercial properties for Land Securities across the country and have a strong relationship with the company, built over many years, so it’s fantastic to be continuing this at Mizuho House.” Source link
Browser does not support script. Contact us Michael Maser PRIBA – portrait by Desmond O’Neill RIBA Immediate Past President Stephen Hodder said: “I am very sorry to hear about Michael Manser’s sad death. Michael designed some of the most breathtaking and inspiring one-off houses of the late twentieth century, built in his pure, modernist style. He championed well-designed housing throughout his career, encouraging the public to demand and mass house builders to supply better designed homes – for many years the RIBA presented an annual housing prize in his name, the Manser Medal. Michael’s work is an inspiration to so many and he will be greatly missed. I for one will miss his wonderful anecdotes, his wise counsel and warm smile.” Tony Chapman FRIBA, former RIBA Head of Awards said: “The sad death of Michael Manser marks an end point in British modernism as applied to domestic architecture. The best of his houses from the 60s, 70s and 80s with their rational plans and brave use of generous near-frameless glazing showed him to be the English heir to Mies. Michael continued to be as excited by new ideas in architecture as he was angered by bad ideas and bad buildings. He took the subject seriously, never more so than when judging houses for the prize on his name. He was generous and encouraging to younger architects, particularly those on whom he detected some sign of the same spark that drove his own young projects. For all that his modernism was rooted in the past, in the classicism of the eighteenth an early nineteenth centuries. Those of us who spent much time on his company – and what a pleasure that was – heard his views on the primacy of proportion in Regency architecture hundreds of times. But equally he admired those who pushed against the rules, particularly when laid down by planners. His other bete noir was the British Housebuilder and he saw at one of the major tasks of his later life to reward examples of the work good architects who set higher benchmarks for all housing. “We will probably not see his like again.” ENDS 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 Wednesday 8th June 2016 Source link
4 August 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal The Home Office contract with Yarl’s Wood Immigration Centre for women in Bedfordshire is “over-engineered and creates large theoretical financial credits for even trivial deviations”, according to a new National Audit Office report. The Home Office is responsible for all aspects of Yarl’s Wood except healthcare, which is now the responsibility of NHS England. The report into the management arrangements of the new contracts between the Home Office and Serco, and NHS England’s deal with G4S, was published last month. The report highlights the following example of ‘over-engineering’: If the Yarl’s Wood gym is opened five minutes later than agreed, this could generate a service credit. But if the gym is kept open for an extra five minutes at the end of the day, this would be “acceptable mitigation and the service credit would not be imposed”. The Home Office has imposed £56,000 of such service credits out of a total of £585,600 credits generated, because it considered that there were mitigating circumstances for the vast majority of them. The Home Office, says the report, is now in the process of reducing the number of performance indicators from 120 to around 30, “so that it can focus on any serious problems rather than requiring Serco to report every technical deviation from the contract and the mitigations it put in place”. It also states that G4S has been “slow to meet its contractual obligations for training”, noting that the contract was required to provide training to all staff at Yarl’s Wood on mental health issues. Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said: “It is important that services for vulnerable people, like those at Yarl’s Wood, are delivered ‘right first time’ and this did not happen at Yarl’s Wood. We do though give credit for the work that is now taking place to address the problems.” Serco was re-awarded the Yarl’s Wood contract in 2014 after emerging as the preferred contractor “following a comprehensive re-tendering process”. A report on an unannounced inspection of the Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) for women, published last year, stated that the running of the centre was “improving, although significant concerns remained”. Source link
Every year seems to bring with it an even hotter summer heatwave than the year before, encouraging homeowners to find new ways to keep their families cool. With this trend showing no signs of stopping, now could be your chance to make a huge difference to your home and install a Dream pool. Swimming pools are fun for the whole family. Kids of all ages are more than happy to spend their entire school holidays splashing around, while parents can enjoy a refreshing dip without having to brave the local lido or queues for the beach. If you’ve been toying with the idea of installing a pool in your garden but aren’t sure where to start, here are the five essential questions to help you work out the best pool for your family. Who is it for? The first question you have to ask yourself is simple: who will be using the pool the most? If you’re thinking about using it as a way to keep growing children throughout the summer, you should be looking at very different design features than if the pool is intended for fitness. When it comes to designing your pool (and the area around your pool), use the people who will be swimming in it the most to inform any features you might want to install for safety or convenience. For example, if you have little ones running around then a high fence and a lockable gate is a must. You will also want the pool to be in an area of the garden that can be easily supervised. On the other hand, a deep pool will be better for older children, and a pool in an adult-only residence can afford to be a little more design-led and hidden away from the rest of the building. What is it for? Similar to the first question, considering what the pool is intended for will dictate certain factors like its size, depth and leisure accessories. A pool for children should have a generous shallow end, multiple exit points and a hand or foot-hold around the edge. If you want to use your pool for entertaining, you may want to incorporate luxurious features like a tanning ledge, jacuzzi area or in-built parasols. Fitness pools will be focused towards performance – you could even opt for a lap pool, as size and depth are less of an issue. Where is it going? Choosing a location for your pool is important. Not only do you need to take into account obvious factors like its size and shape, but you will also need to think about how its sun exposure and how its position will impact the safe use of the rest of your outdoor space. Ideally, you want your pool to catch as much sun during the late morning and throughout the afternoon. This will make the water slightly warmer during use and make it a refreshing place to take a dip during the warmest parts of the day. Don’t forget to think about the dry areas you want around the pool, for lounging, dining or entertaining. Will you be building a designated pool area, where you can store accessories, toys and any drinks and snacks you might want when you’re lounging? If not, think about your route back to the house or shed and whether there’s an efficient pathway you could build. How quickly do you want it? Above-ground pools might not look as streamlined as an in-ground design, but they will be much, much quicker to install. Additionally, the larger and deeper you expect your pool to be, the longer it will take to construct, and certain materials are faster to install than others. With this in mind, think about how much you are willing to compromise in terms of build schedule, price and aesthetic in order to get your pool installed quickly. You may want to consult with a specialist firm who use the latest technology to reduce installation times, with carbon ceramic materials and fast pool builders. How much upkeep are you prepared for? The depth and size of your pool usually correlate to the amount of upkeep it’s going to require, although its construction material will be a factor, too. Vinyl pools are inexpensive and easy to keep clean, but are prone to leaks and will need replacing every 3-7 years. Concrete is a porous material so, if you leave it unfinished, your pool will need to be kept meticulously clean to prevent bacteria growth. Fibreglass is a popular option for both affordability and ease of maintenance. Pool types that require less maintenance include lap pools and natural pools. Lap pools are simply easier to manage due to their modest size, while natural pools utilise a reed-based filtration system that keeps water clean without using chemicals. If you don’t want the upkeep of a regular pool, consider these options. Building a pool is an investment and may not suit every household, particularly in the UK. However, their contribution to fun, fitness and leisure means that once you take the plunge, you’re sure to love your pool for years to come.
When it comes to sewer and septic systems, most of us would rather “flush it and forget it”, and this is a technique that we adopt…….until a problem arises. When the stuff hits the fan, and you find yourself with a spongy, smelly lawn, drainage problems and slow draining sinks and hard to flush toilets, your septic situation has reached its breaking point, and it’s time to call in experts for drainage help and repair, which can be quite costly. To avoid a huge septic system overhaul and a resulting large bill in your future, consider some simple things you can do at home–routine maintenance, if you will–to prevent septic disasters from happening in and around your home. How Do I Know When I Have Septic System Issues? Here are some telltale signs that your septic system needs some extra attention: Gurgling pipes. If your pipes sing more than you do in your morning shower, chances are that you are experiencing a backup somewhere along the line. Healthy pipes are quiet pipes; have this issue looked into as soon as possible. Slow flushing toilets. The occasional bathroom clog is to be expected, but a toilet that is regularly backing up and not flushing without the assistance of a plunger is a sign of a larger problem. Slow drains. Slow draining sinks, baths, and showers are an indicator that your system is draining slower than usual. Making sure that extra items don’t accidentally find their way into your sewer system, like children’s toys, excess food and trash, and bathroom waste other than septic approved toilet paper will ensure that you maintain a good healthy flow away from, not into, your house. Water backup. Water backup anywhere in the house, in a sink, tub, shower, or in the floor drain near the washing machine is an indication that something is plugged and failing to drain. This is one of the worst symptoms of system failure; contact an expert for excavation as soon as possible. Bad odors. Do you smell rotten eggs in the basement? Something’s not right, and excessive odors can lead to respiratory problems if not addressed. Greener grass near the drainage tank. Greener grass means that those patches are getting the benefit of extra “fertilizer”, which is an indication that there may be a leak in your septic system. Standing, smelly water. A spongy lawn or patches of standing water on the lawn are a sanitation issue, and these patches must be drained and cleared off so that your septic system can function normally once more. What Can I Do to Prevent Disasters? There is no need to experience these unsavory conditions in and around your home; implementing a few simple preventative measures will ensure that your septic system maintains its integrity in between professional cleanings: Pump it out regularly Routine pumping is essential to clear the way for new waste. There will ALWAYS be an abundance of waste, so maintaining the health of your system by pumping it out every one to three years will keep things “moving along the pipe”. Responsible flushing Perhaps the biggest culprit to a faulty septic system function is the disposal of improper items down the toilet. Items like cosmetic and baby wipes, cotton balls, feminine hygiene products, and paper towels should never be flushed. Use only septic system approved toilet paper, and keep a close eye on those little children’s toys–they are sneaky! Inspect your drainage field While your grass in the drainage field may be a lovely shade of green, that is not an indicator of septic system health. Areas that are soft, spongy, and contain standing water indicate that there are issues with the system. Odors accompanying excess moisture are also an indicator that trouble is brewing; at the first sign of a spongy lawn or offensive odor, call in septic experts to assess the problem. Add an automated detection system Installing a liquid level sensor in your septic tank will allow you hands free monitoring of your septic tank. When the liquid reaches dangerous levels, your system will indicate to you that attention is needed. Providing an early detection system will give you time to plan your cleanup strategy. Keeping on top of your septic system by looking for signs of slow drainage, leakage, or damage to the drainage field will ensure that you maintain its integrity for years to come. When in doubt, call in the experts for an assessment of your system and its unique needs.
A raft of revised British Standards has prompted the publication of three new technical guides from the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) for door and window hardware specialists. BS 3621: 2017 specifies the performance requirements and test methods for a thief-resistant mechanically operated single-point lock assembly. It gives ironmongers clarification on how to conform to BS 3621 and the classification for locks in respect of other British and European standards. BS 8613: 2017 covers Finger Protection Devices for Pedestrian Doors. It will help specifiers, architects, facilities managers, health and safety and risk assessment professionals to select the appropriate finger protection products to prevent entrapment at the hanging stile of doors. In January 2018 BS 8300 was revised and the 2009 version was withdrawn. The 2018 version was split in to two standards, one covering the design of an accessible and inclusive built external environment and the other on the design of an accessible and inclusive built internal environment. The Guild’s new technical guide on this particular standard focuses on the second topic as it is the most relevant to the architectural ironmongery industry. It gives an overview of the history of accessibility legislation and goes on to give further detail about specific ironmongery products to which this that this standard applies. Douglas Masterson, GAI technical manager, says: “Architectural ironmongery companies play a crucial role, working with architects, contractors and others to schedule and specify the hardware for every door and window in a building and to produce a full fixing schedule of hardware items. So it is important that our members are up-to-date with the latest standards.” To access the latest technical briefings, go to the membership area of the GAI website: www.gai.org.uk For further information, contact Douglas Masterson on technical@gai.org.uk.
Dulux Trade Paint Expert, part of AkzoNobel, secured four accolades at the Painting and Decorating Association’s 30th annual awards ceremony, following nominations for 11 projects across seven categories. The company took home the prize in the commercial sector after working on a high school in Neston, Cheshire, where its products transformed the school. Moreover, the global paints and coating manufacturer was awarded for its role in the reinvigoration of St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Oldham, Greater Manchester, with its products having been specified by Bernard Watson and his team to carefully and sensitively redecorate the church, which dates back to the 1800s. The third accolade was won in the Residential category, in which Dulux Trade was specified by the Caring Homes Group for the redecoration of a social housing project in Cheltenham. The firm transformed a space using colour beyond aesthetics, allowing Ian Williams Ltd to create an environment that will enhance the lives of residents, with the right colour palettes, design and tonal differences to meet the needs of those who live in and use the space. The fourth and final win was offered for its work on the American Embassy in London, which has moved to Nine Elms, where the stunning piece of architecture now overlooks the River Thames. After partnering with Wokingham’s AC Beck Contracts Ltd on the new build project, the award was presented to the project partners in the New Build category. “Putting colour into people’s lives goes far beyond what is in our paint tins. For all of us at Dulux Trade, it’s about enriching and improving lives through enhanced environments, and partnering with our valued Contractor customer to achieve these outcomes. Being recognised in this way alongside our contractor customers is testament to the work that the entire team does day in, day out,” said John Kourtoulos, Sales Director, across contractor and specifier markets at AkzoNobel, who was there to collect the awards.
