21 May 2016 – by Amber Rolt Student housing developer Fusion Students has set itself a target of building a £1bn student housing portfolio over the next 10 years. Fusion, set up in 2009 by Warren Rosenberg, already has 1,050 beds across three schemes in Bristol, Cardiff and Newcastle due
Energy suppliers are looking to offer special tariffs for electric vehicle (EV) owners as demand for EVs increases in the UK. Ovo Energy said it is “absolutely looking at tariff propositions for EV drivers”, while big six suppliers EDF, Scottish Power and Npower are joined by independent
Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has started work on three new alternative provision Free School academies in Lincolnshire. The Springwell Alternative Academies project is being delivered in partnership with Wellspring Academy Trust and will create more than 180 places for students aged 4-16. The three academies consist of two brand
Watson Batty Architects has been appointed to design the new arrivals extension, departure pier and internal remodelling at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA). Last week LBA formally revealed plans for the £12.5 million investment with a three-storey new extension to its terminal building. This will include a transformed international arrivals process,
Tens of thousands of hard working British tradespeople are not being paid for the work they have done, according to a new national campaign which is gathering pace. Backed by safety workwear and footwear designers Scruffs, a petition has been launched as part of the #PayWhatYouOwe campaign, in order to
Leading plant hire provider Selwood has played a key role in the construction of a state-of-the-art sports pavilion for one of the UK’s first “green” towns. The new Bordon and Oakhanger Sports Club Pavilion is finally complete following a major build project led by Mildren Construction, one of Selwood Plant
The ballot of members on the BIFM’s proposed name change to the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management has taken place, with those who voted deciding in favour of the proposal by a margin of three to one.The vote, which took place at the BIFM’s annual general meeting in Manchester’s
Exhibiting at the inaugural exhibition of the Bristol Housing Festival in October is ZEDPods, the company behind a new high-quality prefabricated housing solution developed to address the shortage in affordable housing across the UK and the lack of city centre building spaces. People attending the festival can visit a complete
Lytag Aggregate Industries will be transforming the London skyline with the £250 million redevelopment of 100 Liverpool Street. The high-profile redevelopment is part of the wider Broadgate campus adjacent to Liverpool Street station and it involves demolishing 50% of the original building and rebuilding new infills in structural steel with
Scott Parnell, the civil engineering firm, has managed to receive registered trademark status on its TouchSafe® GRP palisade fencing, which is the only product available that is capable of completely eliminating electricity conduction. Produced using super strength, lightweight, corrosion-resistant materials and designed following years of painstaking research, TouchSafe® is unique
21 May 2016 – by Amber Rolt Student housing developer Fusion Students has set itself a target of building a £1bn student housing portfolio over the next 10 years. Fusion, set up in 2009 by Warren Rosenberg, already has 1,050 beds across three schemes in Bristol, Cardiff and Newcastle due to open this year, but plans extend its portfolio to 10,000 beds by 2026. Once it has reached scale, it will be one of the largest privately owned student housing developers in the UK. The firm is targeting major UK university towns and cities, including Edinburgh, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and London. It will consider both city centre, greenfield and brownfield sites for its schemes, which range between 300 and 1,000 beds. The group has recently hired Sam Ball from Knight Frank as head of acquisitions to drive its expansion programme. All the content from this weekís magazine, including this article, is available in the new app. Recent deals include two sites in Cardiff. It will open a 686-bed property at Windsor House in 2017 and has bought a further site for a 600-bed scheme in the city’s Capital Quarter. The group said it would add 2,000 rooms to its portfolio by 2018. Fusion is focused on providing a lifestyle brand for students and dedicates an average of 10,000 sq ft to amenities such as cinemas, games rooms and bars. James Pullan, head of student property at Knight Frank, said: “Fusion recognises that the direction of the market is now to deliver student accommodation that is driven by lifestyle, rather than by a financial model.” The company privately owns all of its properties, which it operates in a joint venture with management company Collegiate. Source link
Energy suppliers are looking to offer special tariffs for electric vehicle (EV) owners as demand for EVs increases in the UK. Ovo Energy said it is “absolutely looking at tariff propositions for EV drivers”, while big six suppliers EDF, Scottish Power and Npower are joined by independent supplier First Utility in saying they are “monitoring the EV market closely.” The comments follow Tesla’s UK and Ireland country director Georg Ell saying he is “engaged in conversations with an energy supplier” to try and convince them to offer a tariff for EV drivers who inevitably consumer more energy at home by charging their vehicles. It was reported by edie.net that he said energy suppliers need to “speed up with the transition.” However independent supplier Ecotricity already offers an annual discount on its own Green Electricity tariff of £40 a year for EV drivers, a discount equivalent to at least 1,000 “free miles” a year. Both big six suppliers Npower and British Gas introduced a special EV tariff in 2011 in anticipation of the growing EV market, but were forced to scrap them on the introduction of the four tariff cap in 2014. The competition and markets authority has proposed scrapping the cap in its provisional remedies, which would allow energy suppliers to reintroduce specialised tariffs. Source link
Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has started work on three new alternative provision Free School academies in Lincolnshire. The Springwell Alternative Academies project is being delivered in partnership with Wellspring Academy Trust and will create more than 180 places for students aged 4-16. The three academies consist of two brand new facilities; on New Beacon Road, Grantham and Macauley Drive, Lincoln. The third is located in Mablethorpe at the former Monks Dyke Tennyson secondary school where three existing small teaching blocks are being refurbished, remodelled and extended to create the new Academy. The academies will provide learning opportunities for children and young people who are unable to attend mainstream schools for a variety of reasons ranging from mental or physical health difficulties to behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Each academy will accommodate around 60 pupils and, in addition to specialised teaching spaces, will feature an assembly hall, SEN (Special Educational Needs) therapy room, sensory room, hygiene room, fitness suite, parents’ room and multiple use games area. Ian Dalby, framework manager at G F Tomlinson said: “G F Tomlinson has an outstanding track record in delivering educational projects for local communities under the ESFA Framework. “We are thrilled to have started on site and are looking forward to working with Wellspring Academy Trust over the coming months to deliver these new academies, giving students the chance to reach their full potential in an environment which suits their individual needs.” Josh Greaves, chief operating officer from Wellspring Academy Trust, said: “We are hugely excited that work is now underway across the three sites under G F Tomlinson’s curation, whose reputation speaks for itself. “These will be transformational facilities for the children of Lincolnshire, supporting the Wellspring’s aspiration to make a difference to the lives and life chances of all those within our care.” All three schools are expected to complete in summer 2019.
Watson Batty Architects has been appointed to design the new arrivals extension, departure pier and internal remodelling at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA). Last week LBA formally revealed plans for the £12.5 million investment with a three-storey new extension to its terminal building. This will include a transformed international arrivals process, including immigration, baggage reclaim and customs. The extension will also accommodate improved departure gates, seating areas and new retail and food and beverage outlets. Once completed in late 2019, works will then commence on re-modelling the existing terminal building to provide a new centralised security search area and a more intuitive departure lounge layout, with an expanded new retail offer. Work is scheduled for completion by summer 2020. A future phase will include the completion of the departure pier, replacing the current passenger walkway. The planned extension works will deliver additional job opportunities at the Airport for local people, including apprenticeship roles in key operational areas. The appointment follows an ongoing brief for Watson Batty to support extension works planned as part of the airports’ Route to 2030’ Strategic Development Plan. Peter White, Managing Director at Watson Batty said: “We are delighted to cement our partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport with our biggest project to date. We have worked closely with the team at LBA over the last six years, assisting with detailed collaboration and consultation, to support a series of enabling projects, both airside and landside. It is rewarding to know that our transport expertise is helping to build the future of a critical northern hub.” Watson Batty has previously assisted Leeds Bradford Airport to improve circulation and flow of passengers around the terminal. It designed the new departure lounge extension last year which provided an additional storey and mezzanine floor to Gate Five. It designed a 150-metre-long, 3-lane covered, external walkway from the terminal together with a major departure gate refurbishment. Watson Batty also re-planned the passenger scanning area, providing new feature lifts to help increase the efficiency of people movement and wheelchair access. Watson Batty has extensive transport and leisure sector experience. It has completed successful projects for West Yorkshire Combined Authority at Leeds Bus Station and Keighley Bus Station and is on the Manchester Airport Group Framework. Leisure projects also include Egham Leisure Centre, Haxby Road Sports Campus and Liverpool Hope University sports complex. Watson Batty Architects is a future focused business offering architectural, interior design and master planning solutions for all sectors. It is credited for a number of major public and private sector projects including schools, universities, leisure centres, distribution facilities, residential developments and transport hubs. For further details, visit: www.watsonbatty.com https://twitter.com/Watsonbatty
Tens of thousands of hard working British tradespeople are not being paid for the work they have done, according to a new national campaign which is gathering pace. Backed by safety workwear and footwear designers Scruffs, a petition has been launched as part of the #PayWhatYouOwe campaign, in order to highlight the crippling consequences of unpaid invoices in the construction industry. A spokesperson at Scruffs said: “Tradespeople are now increasingly at risk of severe financial burdens and pressure on their businesses, as invoices are delayed or disputed by customers. Imagine if your workplace refused to pay your salary. How would you pay your household bills, the mortgage and your general cost of living? “Our construction professionals work incredibly hard, through rain or shine, building our roads, fixing our homes and making our towns and cities nicer places to live – they deserve better than this.” The petition, which at the time of writing has 183 signatures and is growing, acknowledges the severity of the issue, reminding supporters of the industry’s worth, which equates to nearly £164bn in the UK alone. To enforce change, the petition seeks to provide tradespeople – particularly those who are self-employed – with more robust support. This could include establishing more rights for tradespeople, when it comes to chasing invoices long beyond their due date, and introducing enforceable fines for unpaid bills to deter any unnecessary late payments. The petition goes on to acknowledge that over the past 20 years the media has been flooded with stories of cowboy builders not completing work and letting people down. However, delve a little deeper and in the majority of cases the reality for tradespeople is completely the opposite. The spokesperson continued: “Our #PayWhatYouOwe campaign, which kicked off with a campaign video on Facebook, has already reached more than 800,000 people [21 September 2018]. It is about more than encouraging quicker payments. It’s about respect.” If you want to support the petition and help to give our tradespeople more rights, visit https://www.change.org/p/government-tradespeople-aren-t-being-paid-more-rights-as-they-appeal-to-people-to-paywhatyouowe. For more information about Scruffs and the #paywhatyouowe campaign, visit www.scruffs.com.
Leading plant hire provider Selwood has played a key role in the construction of a state-of-the-art sports pavilion for one of the UK’s first “green” towns. The new Bordon and Oakhanger Sports Club Pavilion is finally complete following a major build project led by Mildren Construction, one of Selwood Plant Hire’s longest-established customers. The project has been supported throughout with equipment from Selwood and, in just over a year, site manager Mark Hornibrook and his team at Mildren Construction have transformed the site in Hampshire to create a multi-purpose community facility. Selwood has supplied equipment from its extensive plant hire range, including three-tonne, eight-tonne and 14-tonne excavators and a six-tonne dumper. A 12-metre telehandler and 120 roller have also provided solutions for the construction team over the past year. The development of Bordon and Oakhanger Sports Club Pavilion will be one of the key facilities in the new Whitehill & Bordon development. The £1bn multi-partner regeneration project will see 3,350 new homes and a range of new facilities built on the former Prince Philip Barracks over the next 15 years. The site, transforming the garrison town into a ‘green’ town, will be one of four such towns in the UK with an emphasis on sustainability. The two-storey replacement building provides a larger sports pavilion, improved tennis courts, boules courts and a bowling green, alongside reseeded sports pitches as well as a series of community spaces for functions of varying sizes. Jason Boxall, a plant hire specialist for Selwood, said: “This was a complex construction but Mark and his team have done a fantastic job at every stage of the build and I think the result speaks for itself. They have produced a world-class building that the whole community can be proud of. “We were delighted to meet the specific needs of our long-standing client Mildren Construction and were pleased they benefitted from our extensive range and technical know-how.” Selwood has an extensive fleet of plant available for hire from its network of regional branches across England and Wales. Its teams pride themselves on an unrivalled depth of technical expertise, exceptional customer service and product knowledge.
The ballot of members on the BIFM’s proposed name change to the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management has taken place, with those who voted deciding in favour of the proposal by a margin of three to one.The vote, which took place at the BIFM’s annual general meeting in Manchester’s Friends’ Meeting House, was taken as a special resolution; 75 per cent of those who voted opted to support the institute’s manifesto for change, comprising the name change and the move to pursue chartered status. BIFM has called the name change a “springboard” to help “reposition FM and raise the profile of the profession”. During the four-month campaign in support of the proposals, the institute made clear that it would continue to understand and share its members’ pride in their work and status as facilities managers – “and your unwillingness to throw away the history of professional endeavour which that evokes”. Taking advantage of the ‘workplace differentiator’ would, it said, help to “improve your status as a facilities manager”. The chairman of BIFM has responded to members voting at July’s AGM in favour of a special resolution to become the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management. Stephen Roots told members that in voting for the new name, “you have also approved the direction we have set out for the next phase of our proud and progressive professional body”. The institute’s chief executive, Linda Hausmanis, (right) said that the IWFM “will be the professional body for the facilities and workplace profession – working to advance the profession representing those who contribute to workplace productivity and to operating and optimising our built environment”. During the campaign, BIFM had outlined its vision as being “the pioneering facilities and workplace management institution; the catalyst driving change for the future workforce; and the definitive voice enabling people to transform their organisations and their environments, inspiring and creating productivity and performance”. Commenting immediately after the vote at Manchester’s Friends Meeting House, Roots said: “This Special Resolution, quite rightly, required a high level of support to succeed. I want to say to everybody, whether you supported the name change proposal or not, that the board and I are absolutely committed to shaping an inclusive organisation that is fully committed to advancing the FM profession. “The Institute has a role in helping to reset expectations and forge ahead with making workplace and facilities management a career of choice for the coming generation. This mandate means we can really grasp the opportunity presented by the leading-edge associations of workplace to reposition what FMs do. “What we will now do, both in name and in deed, is to reframe expectations of the FM role, adding to it without taking anything away – and that includes our Britishness. “We are changing our name, not our geographical focus, but we do acknowledge that many of our members, including those overseas, have broader outlooks and we will continue to work closely with them as we have done for many years. “We have been preparing the ground for some time to strengthen our foundations and fit ourselves for a future of sustained development. “Our plans to refresh our brand and systems are already in progress and now that you have decided, we will adopt our new name and our new look before the end of the year.”It is expected that the new institute title will be adopted in November of this year. 1. How does all of this affect me? In summary, we aim to reposition FM as a workplace ‘interconnector’ enabling high-performing workplaces, and underlining the value, rather than the cost, of the function. By raising BIFM’s profile and the contribution of its members, we will start to produce information and tools to help members improve their personal status and skills and raise the profile of Workplace and FM more generally. During a period of transition, there will be no change to a member’s post-nominals: ABIFM, MBIFM, CBIFM or FBIFM will remain in use. We will communicate a timeline for the transition to IWFM and after that time a member’s post-nominals will change to e.g. AIWFM, MIWFM, CIWFM and FIWFM. We will communicate new post-nominals to each member at the appropriate time. In line with our pledge to minimise cost, we will send out new certificates as members renew their membership. For those working towards a BIFM qualification the title of their award will depend on the timing of their achievement in relation to the name change. The content and status of the qualification will not change, but once we become the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management on 12 November, qualifications will be named and certificates presented in the new company livery. For example, if you achieve your qualification before 12 November a BIFM Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management certificate will be issued by BIFM; if you achieve after that date both the qualification and the certificate will be IWFM Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management. Over time we’ll work to include essential workplace elements within the FM professional standards and they will become The Workplace and FM Professional Standards. Qualifications will be reviewed in 2019, which may result in a revised qualifications suite, but the structures and formats of the existing ones remain valid. Learners who complete their BIFM qualification before November will receive a BIFM-branded certificate. Learners who complete their qualification after November will receive an IWFM-branded certificate. We will announce a detailed timetable of any changes in due course. 2. When will the name actually change? We will become the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management on 12 November 2018. 3. How else will the institute change because of this vote? Things have already changed; we’ve upped our game on policy and research, improved our governance structure and strengthened the team; we’ve process engineered our internal systems to become more customer-focused and are working to develop new member benefits. This is helping us create a framework for ever greater support for FM professionals, not only in terms
Exhibiting at the inaugural exhibition of the Bristol Housing Festival in October is ZEDPods, the company behind a new high-quality prefabricated housing solution developed to address the shortage in affordable housing across the UK and the lack of city centre building spaces. People attending the festival can visit a complete ZEDPod starter home that comes fully fitted, ready for immediate occupation. The pods offer a high-quality housing solution that can be erected within days and generates more energy than it uses. Designed by RIBA award winning architect Bill Dunster, the zero-carbon ZEDPods are prefabricated homes with a difference, offering almost instant housing solutions without the land and site issues associated with conventional new build. “Importantly the ZEDPod concept decouples housing provision from land prices using air rights over car parks. This enables affordable, quality city homes where land is scarce or expensive to be put up quickly, helping keyworkers to live near their work and at the same time maintaining precious parking spaces,” explained Bill Dunster. Small but perfectly formed, each ZEDPod is a fully ‘Space Standards’ compliant home, providing a high performance, low energy housing solution, delivered at a fraction of the cost of comparable solutions, with minimal demand on existing services and infrastructure. Features include photovoltaic roof panels, integrated battery storage and heat pumps for domestic hot water, together with super insulated construction and triple glazed windows. Each unit incorporates its own front door and private balcony area. Inside is a fully fitted kitchen and dining area and a lounging space with TV. Stairs lead to a mezzanine floor with home office desk, double bed, good sized bathroom, wardrobe and storage space. The ZEDPod homes come in a variety of design options and can be tailored to a range of accommodation needs. They are ideal for city centre organisations including City Councils and Housing Associations, colleges and universities, hospitals and emergency services, as well as other private sector companies with extensive city centre car parking assets.
Lytag Aggregate Industries will be transforming the London skyline with the £250 million redevelopment of 100 Liverpool Street. The high-profile redevelopment is part of the wider Broadgate campus adjacent to Liverpool Street station and it involves demolishing 50% of the original building and rebuilding new infills in structural steel with the addition of three new floors to a create modern, mixed-use space. A key requirement for the main contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine, was to source a concrete solution which would enable more floors to be cast without compromising the dead load of the overall structure. The obvious choice, then, was to use Lytag from Aggregate Industries’ highly innovative lightweight aggregate solution, which can effectively reduce the composite deck concrete slab load by approximately 25% over normal weight control while offering the same level structural performance – enabling 100 Liverpool Street to – literally — reach new heights. In addition, Lytag is made from secondary aggregates; therefore offering a much more environmentally friendly alternative to standard concrete. Thanks to its unique properties, it can help to significantly reduce the amount of material required on a project, along with the associated carbon emission produced in delivery. “The redevelopment of 100 Liverpool Street is a major milestone in Broadgate’s evolution into a world-class, mixed-use destination for London. This project wouldn’t have been structurally or architecturally possible without Lytag and its unrivaled capabilities. Not only did it enable us to take the project from conception to construction, and create a superior sustainable high rise structure but it was also instrumental in helping the building to achieve an Excellent rating in BREEAM,” said Barry Mellor, Commercial and Technical Manager for Lytag. Working with its specialist London Concrete unit, Aggregate Industries has supplied 5000m3 of Lytag to the project, with the building featuring an array of sustainable features that complement the significantly reduced carbon footprint. As a result, 100 Liverpool Street is expected to receive an Excellent rating in BREEAM.
Scott Parnell, the civil engineering firm, has managed to receive registered trademark status on its TouchSafe® GRP palisade fencing, which is the only product available that is capable of completely eliminating electricity conduction. Produced using super strength, lightweight, corrosion-resistant materials and designed following years of painstaking research, TouchSafe® is unique because it doesn’t contain any metal components, ensuring total safety from possible electrocution incidents. “We wanted to make a product that would make incidents such as electric shocks and electrocution a thing of the past whilst removing the need to earth or bond the fence. This further reduces risk on site and increases commercial efficiencies,” said George Woollard, Design & Specification Manager at Scott Parnell Rail. “A lot of hard work has gone into designing our TouchSafe® palisade fencing and making it the best product it can be. We believe TouchSafe® represents the future of palisade fencing and we’re extremely proud that it has been granted trademark status,” George added. Scott Parnell’s palisade fencing is used for screening off electricity installation areas by a variety of industries, including rail networks and electricity supplier organisation. The product is also ideal for the aviation sector as the composite materials are radar-neutral; therefore not disrupting radar signals. Moreover, the fencing is well suited to marine environments as the non-corrosive materials are able to withstand saline damage. All dimension specifications comply to BS accreditation standards. Unlike many fencing products, TouchSafe® is supplied in fully-assembled panel form, making it easier and quicker to install on site. The Scott Parnell story started in 2012 when friends Dave Scott and Steve Parnell spotted a gap in the market for an independent merchant and decided to go into business together. With 70 years combined experience in the drainage and civil engineering market they wanted their company to be a smaller, independent merchant, specialising in groundworks and civils – helping it to stand out in the marketplace.
