20 October 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Take-up of London office space rebounded in the third quarter of 2016 after a weak second quarter, according to the latest market report from global real estate adviser CBRE.    During the second quarter of 2016 heightened uncertainty, partly because of the pending referendum, take-up for London office space fell 22 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 2.4 million square feet.    In contrast, the third quarter of the year saw a quarterly increase of 21 per cent, with a total of 2.9 million sq ft of office space acquired. Lettings were therefore close to the 10-year average of 3.1 million sq ft.   Take-up in the quarter was driven by two major deals, notably the letting of 467,300 sq ft at Battersea Power Station, and a 220,700 sq ft owner-occupier acquisition at 33 Central, King William Street. The deal at Battersea Power Station meant that the creative sector represented the largest proportion of take-up in the quarter; constituting 33 per cent of the total.   An increase in take-up coincided with an increase in availability for the sixth consecutive quarter, driven principally by 534,000 sq ft of additional secondhand space. Consequently, availability rose by 3 per cent to stand at 13.7 million sq ft, yet remains 6 per cent behind the 10-year average of 14.5 million sq ft.   The amount of space under offer in Central London fell by 23 per cent over the course of the third quarter to three million sq ft following the signing of these large transactions.    But the amount of space under offer remains above the 10-year average of 2.8 million sq ft and active demand in London remains high. At the end of Q3 2016, there were 14 requirements for space of more than 100,000 sq ft. Source link

At your new house, keep your cat indoors for a minimum of two to three weeks before letting them out Barratt Homes teams up with the RSPCA to provide pet owners with advice on making moving home as stress-free as possible for their animals. Alison Raine, Sales Director at Barratt Homes Northampton, said: “Moving to a new home can be a worrying experience for pets, who often get overlooked during this busy time. We want our customers’ moves to be as stress-free as possible, and that includes keeping their pets happy! That’s why we’ve teamed up with the RSPCA to ensure a happy move all round.” Rachel Butler, spokesperson for the RSPCA, said: “Moving house can be a stressful time for everyone, and that can include pets as they get used to settling into their new home. If you have a pet and are moving house, we strongly suggest that you plan ahead and take the time to think about the best way to move your pet in a way which will minimise as much stress as possible.” Here are the RSPCA’s top five tips for a happy move: 1. Plan your journey Make sure your pets are fit to travel and if in any doubt, contact your vet. If you own an animal that is pregnant, seek advice from a vet before transporting her. Plan your route to minimise journey time and maintain suitable comfort and environmental conditions. Never leave an animal unattended in a vehicle. 2. Reduce stressful situations Try to keep your pet away from the all the commotion of the packing, unpacking, moving and cleaning to help reduce their stress. 3. Ask your vet about calming products Speak to your vet about artificial pheromone products, for example Feliway for cats and Adaptil for dogs – these may help to make your pet feel more secure and settled in their new home. 4. Update your details Update your contact details with your pet insurers, vets, microchip and any ID tags. You may need to register with a new vet, depending on how far you are moving. 5. Keep a routine When in the new house, try to keep to the same routine with your pets as you had in your previous home. Rachel continued: “Cats in particular may find a house move stressful as they can become attached to where they live. At your new house, keep your cat indoors for a minimum of two to three weeks before letting them out. This gives them time to get to become familiar with the new house. When you first let them out make sure it’s before their meal time – if they are hungry you should be able to call them back for their favourite food. Let them go out for short periods to start with and build this up, as this will allow your cat to become more confident. With dogs, as it is now a legal requirement to have your dog microchipped, it is so important to make sure you update your address details on the microchipping database. On moving day, pack all your dog’s things – including food and water bowls, food, bed and toys – into one clearly-labelled box so that you can find it easily when you arrive at your new home. Getting out things that they are familiar with will help minimise their stress.” Source link

Green gas ‘could deliver decarbonised heat to the UK’ Published:  07 July, 2016 The Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) has responded to the annual Future Energy Scenarios (FES) publication from National Grid, and called for more to be done to decarbonise UK heating by directly injecting green gas into the national mains-gas grid. Isaac Occhipinti, head of external affairs, said: “We welcome this report from National Grid as it acts as a catalyst to start a stimulating and thought provoking debate, using four possible energy scenarios. EUA recognises that decarbonisation will continue to drive the agenda, with heat and power being joined by the transport sector as a target to drive down emissions, while still maintaining security and affordability. We need a clear pathway to decarbonise heat, one which recognises that behavioural change and cost are integral factors to achieving the required outcomes. “We believe that gas will remain the primary heating fuel beyond the 2040s. The fact that the gas grid currently delivers gas into the homes of over 85% of the UK population, coupled with the very large investment needed to change this, suggests that gas, albeit green gas will be a vital component of the UK’s energy infrastructure for many years to come. “The opportunity afforded by injecting green gas directly into the grid – whether biomethane, synthetic natural gas or hydrogen – will allow the gas grid to be decarbonised without homeowners needing to take action and with little additional investment.” The EUA also highlighted the government’s recent adoption of the fifth carbon budget, which sets new and legally-binding emissions reduction targets for 2030. In order to achieve this, Mr Occhipinti said the industry needs a strong commitment and a robust policy framework in place. “EUA and its divisions will continue to work with DECC to identify an action plan and also overcome the current challenges,” he said, noting that the budget has suggested the existing Renewable Heat Incentive tariffs offer little help to tackle the upfront costs of installing renewable technologies. “We also need to support the research and development of ‘mainstream’ green gas as a low carbon alternative fuel source. Injecting green gas directly into the gas grid is the best and most cost effective way of decarbonising heat. There is little appetite to simply abandon gas and start again with a new system, not to mention the enormous costs involved, so green gas, whether biogas, bioSNG or even hydrogen offers a very real solution to delivering seasonable heat demand in a low carbon way.” The EUA comprises six organisational divisions – Utility Networks, the Heating & Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC), the Industrial & Commercial Energy Association (ICOM), the Hot Water Association (HWA), the Manufacturers’ Association of Radiators and Convectors (MARC) and the Natural Gas Vehicles Network (NGV Network).   Source link