Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Tue, Oct 4th 2016 After successfully completing the first two phases of a major refurbishment project for the University of Edinburgh, ISG is now preparing to commence the third and final stage of the £3.1 million redevelopment of
Installers predict bright future for renewable heating Published: 22 September, 2016 A live poll conducted among installers by Daikin UK has revealed that nearly 80% of installers predict future growth in the sector, with running cost savings highlighted as the biggest driver of the market. The survey, taken at Daikin
©Dreamstime LafargeHolcim, the newly merged Swiss-French cement group, said it remains on track to achieve its earnings and synergy targets — despite reporting a sharp drop in operating profit in the first quarter of the year. Shares in the Zurich-based company fell in early trading on Thursday after it reported
A Construction Industry Scheme contractor, Indigo Group, which specialises in the engagement of subcontractors, has appointed former practice accountant Liza Gratton as its Finance Director. Liza Gratton worked in the accountancy sector for 20 years and became a fully qualified accountant in 2005 after completing her professional exams with the
The shortlist for the Structural Awards 2018 has been revealed by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and it features 53 entries selected from 115 projects globally, including a large number of London-based projects, such as Highpoint, 168 Upper Street and the iconic Hoover Building. The prestigious annual awards are
A Reserved Matters Application has been submitted by developer Crest Nicholson for 192 homes and landscaped public open space at Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire. Located on the former airfield to the north west of Huntingdon, Crest Nicholson will become the fifth housebuilder to join the growing development of over 5,000 homes.
ZF Services Nottingham Off-Highway centre increases capacity through workshop expansion and engineer recruitment More customers to benefit from “complete range of transmission and axle solutions” Expansion reflects recent full year growth of world’s top 50 construction equipment manufacturers* ZF Services UK has expanded its capacity to remanufacture and repair transmissions,
WORK has started on the brand-new UK headquarters for award-winning international power tools manufacturer Festool. Pick Everard – the independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy – is providing a full design and project management service for the 2,800 m2 two-storey scheme. The project represents an investment of £10 million and
An initiative to address the skills shortage in the construction sector and make the industry more diverse and inclusive is calling for businesses to get involved and inspire the next generation of workers. Organised by Built Environment Skills in Schools (BESS), a series of Construction Careers Weeks are taking place this autumn
Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Tue, Oct 4th 2016 After successfully completing the first two phases of a major refurbishment project for the University of Edinburgh, ISG is now preparing to commence the third and final stage of the £3.1 million redevelopment of the Ashworth complex for the School of Biological Sciences. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Forming part of the University of Edinburgh’s King’s Buildings Campus, the five-storey Ashworth 2 building was partially upgraded in 2009 and 2013, with ISG now completing the modernisation of the remaining three floors. The scheme encompasses the reconfiguration of accommodation across these floors to create new office and research laboratory space.This final element sees ISG working across the first floor of the building, and to ensure vital research facilities remain fully operational throughout the duration of the project, ISG has carefully phased the delivery programme, adopting flexible working practices to minimise impact for university staff and students.Andy McLinden, regional managing director of ISG’s Scotland and Northern England construction business commented; “Strong collaboration has been key to the success of our first two phases at the Ashworth complex. These are extremely busy research facilities and we have worked incredibly hard with the university to mitigate the impact of our activities, while undertaking a major and transformational upgrade of accommodation.” Source link
Installers predict bright future for renewable heating Published: 22 September, 2016 A live poll conducted among installers by Daikin UK has revealed that nearly 80% of installers predict future growth in the sector, with running cost savings highlighted as the biggest driver of the market. The survey, taken at Daikin UK’s first ‘Key Conference’, revealed a number of insights into the impact of legislation and customer requirements on the renewable energy sector, including the changing awareness of heat pump technology, perceived barriers to growth, the demand for smart technologies as well as the impact of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and the set-up of the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). When considering the transfer of the energy remit from the Department for Energy & Climate Change (DECC) into BEIS, half of those surveyed felt that the change would make no difference to the market, while nearly 20% said the heat pump sector should be more aligned with business and innovation. Three-quarters of respondents felt that running cost savings were the strongest driver for the market, with building regulations and an interest in new technology each being identified by 10% of voters. Just five percent identified sustainability targets as the strongest driver. This response was further supported by responses to the question ‘how strongly has the RHI driven heat pump sales?’, with more than 40% of installers saying the RHI had been a strong driver, and 35% saying it had had a modest influence on sales. When asked whether awareness of heat pump technology among homeowners and specifiers had changed over the last two years, two-thirds of the KEY Conference attendees believed that awareness had increased. However, when asked what was the biggest barrier to selling heat pumps, 53% of installers identified it as the cost compared with a boiler or other renewables, while 22% said that clients’ lack of understanding of the environmental or cost benefits remained a barrier to purchase. Discussing the results, Nancy Jonnsson, commercial director for domestic heating and renewables at Daikin UK, said: “At Daikin UK, we believe in listening to the market and encouraging input from our KEY Members, Partners and Associates. So it is a hugely positive sign that nearly 80% of our top installers anticipate either major or modest levels of growth in the coming years. “However, increasing awareness of the cost saving benefits of heat pump technology is of paramount importance to ensure growth remains on an upward trajectory. By delivering extended warranties, free training and marketing support through the KEY Installer Scheme, Daikin UK is fully committed to ensuring the success of our KEY Members, Partners and Associates.” Source link
©Dreamstime LafargeHolcim, the newly merged Swiss-French cement group, said it remains on track to achieve its earnings and synergy targets — despite reporting a sharp drop in operating profit in the first quarter of the year. Shares in the Zurich-based company fell in early trading on Thursday after it reported that adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation had fallen by a larger than expected 21.5 per cent, to SFr824m ($851m), during the quarter, compared with a year earlier. More On this topic IN Construction LafargeHolcim blamed the fall largely on pricing pressures, as well as one-off effects that had flattered the comparable period a year earlier. Eric Olsen, chief executive, said the group had already secured price rises in two-thirds of its markets this year — including Nigeria and India, where price falls were particularly severe in 2015. However, prices are still lower than at this point a year ago. Mr Olsen added that he expected to see “momentum building through the year”, and noted that the construction industry in North America and Europe is often hit by bad weather in the first quarter, meaning results are “not indicative of our full-year performance”. LafargeHolcim’s share price is now down almost 40 per cent in 12 months, amid investor fears about its ability to deliver merger benefits in tough global economic conditions. Thursday’s results added to these concerns, said Phil Roseberg, an analyst at Bernstein. “Investors were anticipating a bad result,” he pointed out, “but not to this extent.” Acknowledging a need to do more, Mr Olsen said he was accelerating programmes to reduce expenditure. “I have sent out internal targets for our organisation to cut much deeper into costs,” he told the Financial Times. He noted that in China LafargeHolcim has managed to cut costs faster than prices. “So we actually made more money in China in the first quarter versus the first quarter of last year,” he said. Mr Olsen also expected the global economic environment to become more favourable, with demand for cement picking up. Combined with the benefits of lower energy costs, he said this would enable LafargeHolcim to achieve “at least a high single-digit” like-for-like increase in adjusted operating ebitda in its full-year results. In Europe, during the first quarter, the group experienced falling levels of activity in Russia and Azerbaijan, but found that France and Switzerland showed signs of improvement. In the UK, activity slowed at the start of 2016, but Mr Olsen said he did not believe it was caused by uncertainty over the country’s referendum on membership in the EU. “I don’t see the direct link,” he said. “Big infrastructure projects or big commercial expansion projects — these are all things that are planned well in advance.” LafargeHolcim was created last July through the €41bn merger of the French and Swiss cement companies Lafarge and Holcim, after they overcame a series of regulatory and management hurdles. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2016. You may share using our article tools. Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. Source link
A Construction Industry Scheme contractor, Indigo Group, which specialises in the engagement of subcontractors, has appointed former practice accountant Liza Gratton as its Finance Director. Liza Gratton worked in the accountancy sector for 20 years and became a fully qualified accountant in 2005 after completing her professional exams with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Liza has been member of the ICAEW for more than a decade. In recognition of dedication to the industry and continuing professional development, she is now recognised as a fellow member, FCA. After dedicating her early career to working in practice, Liza stepped into industry in 2012 providing accountancy and advisory services to range of businesses, but with focus on the construction and staffing sectors. Liza was appointed as Finance Director in July bringing a different dynamic and additional experience to the existing team of James Smith and Ian Cole-Wilkins. “The Indigo Group is at the start of its recently agreed 5 year plan. A plan that is set to see group turnover exceed £500m. Liza is vital to us delivering on this goal, her track-record in the sector is excellent and her accountancy skills beyond doubt, but it is her commercial appreciation and drive that sets her apart from many of her peers,” commented on the appointment Indigo Group CEO, Ian Cole-Wilkins. In preparation for leading Indigo’s financial team, Liza was invited to take part in the ICAEW Network for Finance Leaders (NFL) programme, designed to help participants understand and develop their strategic leadership style, generate new ideas and contribute to the growth of a business. Liza graduates from the programme in October. The Indigo Group has more than 40 years’ experience in the contracting, outsourced payroll and umbrella industries and provides end to end solutions for contractors, freelancers and agencies.
The shortlist for the Structural Awards 2018 has been revealed by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and it features 53 entries selected from 115 projects globally, including a large number of London-based projects, such as Highpoint, 168 Upper Street and the iconic Hoover Building. The prestigious annual awards are now in their 51st year running, celebrating the world’s best engineering structures and demonstrating the diversity of structural engineering. The shortlisted projects highlight the ingenuity and creativity of these forward-thinking professionals and honour today’s most cutting-edge examples of engineering. The list of finalists includes Louvre Museum, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE, from structural engineer BuroHappold Engineering; Tamina Canyon Crossing, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland from structural engineer Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner Beratende Ingenieure VBI AG; The Hoover Building, London, UK from structural engineer Interrobang; and Haiti Chapel from structural engineer Webb Yates. “This year we’ve received an unusual and imaginative collection of entries, from sculptural monuments by renowned artists through to a cricket stadium which has been dubbed the ‘Lord’s of East Africa’. The shortlist gives a fantastic overview of what’s going on in the structural engineering community on a global scale, highlighting the ambition, imagination and expertise of our profession. We’re delighted to have seen many more new firms entering their work for consideration in our unique celebration of structural engineering excellence,” said Chair of the awards judging panel, Professor Tim Ibell. Shortlisted entries were selected for excellence, creativity and innovation, as well as elegance and detailing, sustainability, economic viability and value for money. “Structural engineers remain the guardians of public safety who ensure any structure can withstand all kinds of stresses and strains. Given that 2018 is ‘The Year of Engineering’, our awards are more relevant than ever. They prove just how innovative our industry is in bringing truly ambitious and monumental projects to life,” said Martin Powell, Chief Executive of The Institution of Structural Engineers. The complete shortlist can be viewed at www.structuralawards.org. The winners will be announced at the awards dinner and ceremony, which will take place on Friday, the 16th of November 2018 at The Brewery, London.
A Reserved Matters Application has been submitted by developer Crest Nicholson for 192 homes and landscaped public open space at Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire. Located on the former airfield to the north west of Huntingdon, Crest Nicholson will become the fifth housebuilder to join the growing development of over 5,000 homes. The new homes benefit from a prominent location on the central hub of the first phase, having been carefully designed to reflect the character of the local area. The green spaces around the homes will be connected by safe cycle and walking routes and a number of public amenities along the Linear Park, including orchards, outdoor table tennis and other games will also be delivered. The houses at Alconbury Weald will be a mixture of one & two-bedroom apartments and four-bedroom townhouses along the green Boulevard. The cricket pitch will be surrounded by townhouses with balconies, while semi-detached and mews properties frame the Linear Park, which follows the line of one of the former airfield’s taxi-ways, creating a safe walk and scoot to school route. Crest Nicholson chose to design the homes with contemporary buff-coloured brick and red brick in order to denote distinct character areas within the development, while being complemented by blue brick and render detailing. Internally, the homes will be light and spacious, and finished to a high specification. “We are excited to have secured the opportunity to become the latest housebuilder to join the growing Alconbury Weald community. With over 5,000 homes, an enterprise zone and a variety of public amenities – including new schools, sports pitches and a health centre – this is truly a visionary project for the wider Cambridgeshire area. Our plans are to deliver a mix of 192 high-quality homes and we look forward to working with Urban&Civic bringing this vision to fruition,” said Toby Lambert, Development Director at Crest Nicholson Chiltern. The application comes forward under the Planning Framework and Design Code set in place by the Outline application for Alconbury Weald. The Crest Nicholson team is working closely with the master developer behind Alconbury Weald, Urban&Civic.
ZF Services Nottingham Off-Highway centre increases capacity through workshop expansion and engineer recruitment More customers to benefit from “complete range of transmission and axle solutions” Expansion reflects recent full year growth of world’s top 50 construction equipment manufacturers* ZF Services UK has expanded its capacity to remanufacture and repair transmissions, axles and gearboxes for off-highway applications, covering construction, agriculture and material handling. In response to an upsurge in market demand, the company’s Nottingham-based repair centre has been developed to ensure customers further benefit from a complete range of support solutions from repair and remanufacture, to parts and technical support. The expansion includes a dedicated axle repair and remanufacture work area, with additional technicians recruited to meet the increased demand, now trained to deliver ZF OEM standard transmission and axle workshop repair and reman solutions. The centre also stocks and distributes genuine ZF parts, as well as providing a non-ZF gearbox remanufacture and reverse engineering service. The recent expansion has also led to further recruitment in other areas, with growth in the sales team. Boosted field service support Field service support has also been boosted by the recent expansion, allowing more certified ZF trained technicians to carry out diagnosis, health checks and commissioning of gearboxes in many demanding, often extreme off-highway environments. This enables even more ZF Aftermarket customers to gain full advantage from improved service performance, efficiency and cost reductions, through simplified access to service, repair and maintenance of gearboxes, as well as product support and technical advice, all in one place. Larger capacity, stronger offering Fully ISO accredited, the ZF Aftermarket Repair Centre is a dedicated, modern facility and boasts a 6500m² workshop area to further underline the company’s position as a leading industry specialist. Its industry-dedicated workshops with multi-brand capabilities uses only industry trained technicians who are multi-skilled and work to OEM standards. Every component is tested to original ZF factory specification, with ZF product updates made on every remanufactured production, all backed by a 12-month, 1500-hour warranty for off highway applications. Each part is remanufactured to original specification and upgraded to the highest level where possible. Gavin Donoghue, Business Manager – Off-Highway, said: “The top 50 construction equipment manufacturers experienced significant growth in 2017 and nearly all OEMs reported double digit growth*, which is reflected in our own aftermarket business, in particular in Off-Highway at the moment. “The recent expansion of ZF Services ensures we’re more than primed to keep up with this demand.” For more information about ZF Services UK, please visit www.zf.com/uk.
WORK has started on the brand-new UK headquarters for award-winning international power tools manufacturer Festool. Pick Everard – the independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy – is providing a full design and project management service for the 2,800 m2 two-storey scheme. The project represents an investment of £10 million and will be completely electric, with energy provided by photovoltaic cells. Festool’s 55 UK office-based employees will move from their current office to Suffolk Business Park once work has completed in 2019. The new headquarters will include meeting rooms, office space, a service centre, demonstration facilities, warehouse, cafe and show zone. Paul Darlow, regional director at Pick Everard said: “We are delighted to be working on such a flagship project that will continue employment growth within the technology industry in the area. “Festool’s current lease was ending so we were appointed to evaluate a number of options for the potential relocation or renovation of its current UK headquarters. “During this process it became clear that Festool would require a purposely designed building to meet its needs and the Suffolk Business Park, promoted by Churchmanor Estates Company PLC, provided the ideal opportunity. “Being the first company to consider moving to the park provided Festool the opportunity to select the most suitable plot.” The building work, which is being carried out by Ipswich-based Barnes Construction, is expected to be complete in March 2019. Paul added: “Festool tools have a reputation for being reliable, durable and intelligently designed, and our brief was to deliver a building that conveyed these brand qualities. “The new building also had to be an aesthetically-pleasing, high quality development. Furthermore, the set BREEAM target – which assesses and rates the sustainability of buildings – for the build was ‘excellent’ to reflect Festool’s approach to reducing CO2 emissions. “Due to a number of constraints, we have a tight timeline in which to design and deliver the project. But, as a result of working closely with all parties, in particular the local planning authority, the project is expected to be delivered ahead of schedule. “Festool’s investment is great news for Bury St Edmunds, which will result in a building that provides a sustainable and modern environment in which the company can continue to grow.” Suffolk Business Park, which is around 57 acres, is a new gateway development creating an extension to the prime commercial area of Bury St Edmunds. Councillor John Griffiths, leader of St Edmundsbury Borough Council said: “This is brilliant news. The borough council played a lead role to secure the eastern relief road and through that, the delivery of Suffolk Business Park. “This development will enable local businesses, such as Festool, to further their commitment to the area and create new opportunities for employment.” Ole Held, UK manging director at Festool said: “This is a very exciting project for us and long overdue. For us, Bury St Edmunds is our UK home and we are delighted to expand our operation in a building fit for purpose. “Pick Everard has worked with us for a number of years to identify and secure this opportunity and they are doing an outstanding job in designing and delivering the project on our behalf.”
An initiative to address the skills shortage in the construction sector and make the industry more diverse and inclusive is calling for businesses to get involved and inspire the next generation of workers. Organised by Built Environment Skills in Schools (BESS), a series of Construction Careers Weeks are taking place this autumn in Greater Manchester, Birmingham and London. The weeks aim to take positive steps in helping to reduce the skills shortage by informing and inspiring young people – with the help of businesses and employers – so they have a better understanding of their built environment, and the varied careers contained within it. Manchester Construction Careers Weeks will start 24 September, focusing on diversity and gender, with the Inspire Summit at the Bridgewater Hall on 25 September a key date. Barbara Res – the first woman to oversee the construction of a major skyscraper, Trump Tower, is the headline speaker. As well as encouraging schools, colleges and universities to register and bring students, the Inspire Summit organisers are keen to get relevant businesses involved with speaking opportunities, exhibition spaces and attendance. In Birmingham, the careers week will start 8 October, focusing on the future of construction and tech, with a number of activities taking place at UK Construction Week at the NEC Wednesday 10 October. Finally, London Construction Careers Week will takeplace from 15 October and focus on past, present and future. Additional activities will take place at London Build Wednesday 24 October. With thousands of students across the country expected to take part, BESS is urging businesses to get involved. Businesses can get involved by demonstrating how tech such as virtual reality is used in the industry, site tours, classroom demonstrations and digital broadcasts. Previous years have seen digital broadcasts from railway lines and from the top of a crane. Kathryn Lennon-Johnson, founder of BESS, said: “Last year we held Construction Careers Week in Birmingham and had over 400 students take part in all kinds of activities. When we first met the students, on average only 2 per cent stated an interest in a role in construction and less than 10 per cent could name job roles other than architect or bricklayer. After meeting with businesses and employers, 60 per cent of students said they were surprised about the breadth of opportunities. “Meeting and engaging with the students, whether on site or through the use of technology, is a vital step in attracting more young people into the sector, as well as making it more diverse and inclusive. With many schools and colleges across all three regions taking part this year, it’s important we have as many different businesses on board.” For more information, visit the BESS website and Inspire Summit website.
