Regional construction contractor Beard has appointed David Sershall from VolkerFitzpatrick to be its new managing director. Above: David Sershall He takes over from Mark Beard who now becomes executive chairman. David Sershall joins the family-owned business from VolkerFitzpatrick, where he was managing director of the building division. At Beard he
11 March 2016 | Jamie Harris A survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that only a third of large organisations currently conduct any analysis on the pay of men and women. The figure is just 28 per cent for all employers within the
APHC issues Legionella warning following hospice death Published: 02 August, 2016 The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) is emphasising the importance of implementing the correct measures for the control of Legionella following the death of a patient from Legionnaire’s disease at a Sydenham-based hospice. Having been admitted to
Polypipe, the UK’s leading manufacturer of underfloor heating systems, has officially launched a £250,000 training facility to inspire the next generation of budding heating professionals. The Doncaster-based firm held the official opening of the state-of-the-art Polypipe Professional Development Centre (PDC) at Kirk Sandall in the town on Tuesday, September 25.
Arthur Online – the cloud-based property management platform – has launched new integrations with Rightmove and Zoopla making property managers’ lives even easier. You can now list your vacant properties for let directly via the Arthur Online platform. Millions of prospective tenants browsing Rightmove and Zoopla will be informed as
Official statistics have been released regarding Scotland’s home builders, showing a 3% increase in new house building for 2017-18 (17,731) compared with the previous year (17,293) but highlighted a mixed picture in the detail of the figures, with 16% fewer (532) private sector-led homes completed in Q1 2018 compared with
Leading utilities and construction training specialist Develop Training Limited (DTL) has welcomed a business development specialist with extensive experience in apprenticeships and further education onto its team. Appointed as Business Development Manager based at DTL’s Derby training centre, one of seven that the company operates across England, Scotland and Northern
FabricAir’s sustainable ventilation solution has a lower carbon footprint than conventional metal ducting, as well as enabling operational energy savings of up to 40%. In fabric ventilation systems require less energy to produce and transport, while also having a much higher and more precise air distribution due to having a
Aberdeen Standard Investment’s AIPUT fund (Airport Industrial Property Unit Trust) today announces the acquisition of multinational car rental company, Sixt’s main Heathrow premises at Hatton Cross for just under £5 million. The 1.5 acre freehold site, which Sixt will continue to use for both car rental and maintenance operations, sits
A REFURBISHMENT at Lincoln’s Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has now reached completion, creating the Lincolnshire Open Research and Innovation Centre (LORIC) for local SMEs. Delivered by construction company Robert Woodhead Ltd. and architects LK2, the £4 million project has transformed the university’s 750 m2 Grade II listed St Hugh’s building
Regional construction contractor Beard has appointed David Sershall from VolkerFitzpatrick to be its new managing director. Above: David Sershall He takes over from Mark Beard who now becomes executive chairman. David Sershall joins the family-owned business from VolkerFitzpatrick, where he was managing director of the building division. At Beard he has overall responsibility for quality across the business and will also head up Beard’s Oxford construction business when regional director John Youle steps down from the role at the end of September 2016. “Beard is a highly respected, successful and forward-thinking construction business which has built its success on talented people who are committed to prompt and faultless project delivery,” the new managing director said. “I believe there’s a great opportunity to capitalise on the company’s strong reputation in both the private and public sectors and I am excited to be in a position to help deliver the next part of its growth plans across the south of England.” Mark Beard said: “David is a great fit for the business and we’re delighted to have him on board. He brings a wealth of operational management expertise to Beard, an in-depth knowledge of design management and significant experience delivering complex multi-million-pound construction projects. David also shares our passion for quality and I have every confidence that he will make a significant contribution to the continuing development and success of the company.” David Sershall is a member of the Chartered Institute of Building and the Institute of Directors. He holds an MSc in Construction Project Management and degrees in architecture and building management. This article was published on 11 Aug 2016 (last updated on 11 Aug 2016). Source link
11 March 2016 | Jamie Harris A survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that only a third of large organisations currently conduct any analysis on the pay of men and women. The figure is just 28 per cent for all employers within the survey, which questioned more than 1,000 employers and HR professionals. Only 7 per cent of large organisations (more than 250 employees) plan to conduct any analysis over the next 12 months, with almost half saying they will not. Forty-six per cent were unsure, which the CIPD suggests reflects the uncertainty over government legislation. The government’s consultation on gender pay reporting closes today, and legislation is expected to come into force later this year. The consultation sought views on how best to increase transparency on gender pay differences. Dianah Worman, diversity adviser for the CIPD, said: “The survey findings demonstrate the need for employers to act expeditiously to be able to deliver what will be expected of them, or risk damaging their public reputations as progressive employers of female talent and undermine their competitiveness in attracting and retaining it. “Overall, the CIPD believes the government proposals on the regulations, which are based on extensive consultations, are on the right track. We welcome the additional focus on publishing information on the bonus gap and quartile salary bands, which will give more detailed insights to employers on where and how pronounced gender pay differentials exist and what needs to be done to address them.” Source link
APHC issues Legionella warning following hospice death Published: 02 August, 2016 The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) is emphasising the importance of implementing the correct measures for the control of Legionella following the death of a patient from Legionnaire’s disease at a Sydenham-based hospice. Having been admitted to St. Christopher’s Hospice on 9 July 2012, the man was taken to a nearby hospital on 12 August where he died five days later of Legionnaires’ disease. It was later found he had contracted during his time at the hospice. An orderly worker also contracted Legionnaires’ disease in December 2012 while carrying out her duties at the hospice and spent 18 days in a coma before making a full recovery, Southwark Crown Court heard. HSE inspector Matt Raine said: “The risks of Legionella are well known in the healthcare industry. St Christopher’s Hospice had implemented some measures in an attempt to control Legionella, however, they failed to appoint a competent person to manage the risk of Legionella in the hospice’s hot and cold water system. “The failures in the management of Legionella led to conditions in the hot and cold water system that favoured the proliferation of Legionellae. It was entirely foreseeable that there would be risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease for patients and employees working at this hospice.” Graeme Dryden, head of technical at APHC added: “This case is another tragic example of a death that in all likelihood could have been prevented simply through the appointment of a competent person to manage Legionella risk in a public building. Our APHC Legionella Risk Assessment and Disinfection Course trains installers in techniques to minimise Legionella bacteria growth, perform a risk assessment associated with hot and cold water systems and informs them of safe disinfection methods so that deaths such as those of the St. Christopher’s Hospice patient can be prevented.” Source link
Polypipe, the UK’s leading manufacturer of underfloor heating systems, has officially launched a £250,000 training facility to inspire the next generation of budding heating professionals. The Doncaster-based firm held the official opening of the state-of-the-art Polypipe Professional Development Centre (PDC) at Kirk Sandall in the town on Tuesday, September 25. The facility features specially-designed training spaces to give trainee and experienced plumbing professionals the opportunity to improve their practical skills. It is set to become one of the UK’s leading training centres for professional heating engineers, installers, plumbers and merchants. The courses on offer at the PDC include BPEC-accredited courses on installing warm water underfloor heating, apprenticeship training and guides to domestic ventilation product installation. The PDC will also now be home to the technical design team and the new underfloor heating senior management team. Rachel Smith, Polypipe Underfloor Heating general manager, said: “We are naturally delighted to fully open this wonderful facility. We want to further strengthen our position as the market leader for underfloor heating solutions and a key part of that is the level of service and support we offer to our trade customers. Offering accredited training and development for heating professionals is a key part of that support. “The new PDC will also help us tackle the skills gap head on by working with schools and colleges to help train the plumbers of the future. It will also ensure that Polypipe continues to serve the local and national workforce by developing new talent. We hope that the centre will demonstrate just how much training plays a fundamental role in our business model for many years to come.” Dignitaries who attended the opening ceremony included Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones, Doncaster Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dan Fell and Cllr Bill Mordue, Doncaster Council cabinet member for business, skills and economic development. Mr Fell said: “It was a pleasure to be at the opening of the Professional Development Centre with Mayor Ros Jones. A great facility that demonstrates Polypipe’s massive commitment to training and people.” Tracy Richardson, president of Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), presented a plaque to commemorate the centre being granted CIPHE-accredited status. Polypipe has a strong focus on investment in professional training and development, having relaunched its Registered Heating Engineer Network (RHEN) earlier this year, which provides heating engineers and plumbers with free access to training courses and events, and helps small firms generate new business. Rachel added: “Our partnership with heating engineers, is founded on the skills, expertise and professionalism within the plumbing and heating sector and we want to support that in the best way possible. “By making the RHEN free to join we want to open our training courses and aftercare business support to a wider demographic of professionals, helping them to achieve their business goals in 2018 by offering new services to their customers.”
Arthur Online – the cloud-based property management platform – has launched new integrations with Rightmove and Zoopla making property managers’ lives even easier. You can now list your vacant properties for let directly via the Arthur Online platform. Millions of prospective tenants browsing Rightmove and Zoopla will be informed as soon as your property is available, making long void periods a thing of the past. Trouble remembering when to upload vacant properties to Rightmove or Zoopla? No problem, with its intuitive automated events feature, Arthur Online will do this for you as soon as a property is marked as “available for let”. Rightmove and Zoopla automatically pulls all the information needed for a listing directly from Arthur Online’s database including images, description, location, price, etc. meaning you only have to upload this information once. Once your new tenant has moved in they can use Arthur Online’s tenant app and web portal so that both you and your tenant can track payments, view the tenancy agreement, flag and track the progress of maintenance issues and schedule convenient times with contractors (who also have their own Arthur Online app!). Speaking of the latest integrations, Marc Trup, founder of Arthur Online says: “We’re delighted to offer our customers an even higher level of service by partnering with Rightmove and Zoopla. As a property manager myself, I fully appreciate how hard it can be to manage a property portfolio and how much time it takes up – which is why Arthur Online uses an open API so it can easily integrate with market leading websites like Zoopla and Rightmove. “The rental market is moving faster than ever, and time lost literally means money lost. With the integration of Rightmove and Zoopla, you can significantly reduce your void periods. Not only that, vital documents and information like rental agreements, tenancy inventories and images are just a click or swipe away, so you can react quickly to those unexpected changes” Arthur Online gives property managers unprecedented control of their portfolio, whether dealing with tenants, contractors, accountants or agents. Arthur Online is available as an app and desktop platform available from www.arthuronline.co.uk with a 30-day free trial. Integration with Rightmove and Zoopla can be added for an additional £5 per month to an existing Rightmove or Zoopla account.
Official statistics have been released regarding Scotland’s home builders, showing a 3% increase in new house building for 2017-18 (17,731) compared with the previous year (17,293) but highlighted a mixed picture in the detail of the figures, with 16% fewer (532) private sector-led homes completed in Q1 2018 compared with the same quarter in 2017. With the private sector playing a key role in assisting the Scottish Government to meet its ambitious affordable housing targets, Chief Executive at representative body Homes for Scotland (HFS) Nicola Barclay commented: “We are encouraged to note these latest statistics indicate a positive overall picture for affordable housing approvals as well as the wider sector. Whilst the extreme weather conditions earlier in the year made delivery challenging, it is essential that we are not complacent when it comes to our efforts to increase supply across all tenures. “As well as enabling increased activity from smaller builders, sustained confidence from investors is essential to support growth from medium to larger builders within a competitive UK environment. It is also crucial that the labour market is geared up across the sector, with skills shortages already creating challenges on sites across Scotland. “In addition to the above, the Planning (Scotland) Bill represents a key opportunity to recalibrate our planning system so it can deliver what the people of Scotland need: enough high-quality homes in the right places to meet need and demand. HFS is working hard to persuade politicians and communities that a good system is one in which we collaborate effectively in order that precious time, resource and funds can be channeled into the development of vibrant places and the delivery of more homes.”
Leading utilities and construction training specialist Develop Training Limited (DTL) has welcomed a business development specialist with extensive experience in apprenticeships and further education onto its team. Appointed as Business Development Manager based at DTL’s Derby training centre, one of seven that the company operates across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, is James Evans from Leicester. In his new role, James will be responsible for managing key accounts, including major utility and construction companies, performing skills analysis, matching DTL’s training courses to customer needs, promoting apprenticeships and offering bespoke courses. “I am excited to be joining DTL and eager to make an impact straight away, giving my accounts a thorough analysis of their training needs. I’m looking forward to learning new skills and sectors at the same time as being able to bring both DTL and the companies we work with my knowledge of training and apprenticeships,” commented James on his new appointment. Before joining DTL, James spent nine years as business development manager at an FE college where he was responsible for the quality and delivery of various sectors, managing a team of assessors as well as marketing apprenticeships across a range of sectors. Prior to that, he was an trainer assessor with a private training provider. Married with three children, James coached his son’s junior football club and is a Leicester fan. He also enjoys running and outdoor activities with his family. DTL is the UK’s leading accredited provider of compliance, technical, and safety training, supporting thousands of firms with their needs. Clients include some of the UK’s largest and best-known organisations from the utilities and construction to the defence, healthcare, facilities management and telecommunications sectors. Training programmes cover water and environmental, gas and energy, safety, electrical and mechanical, apprenticeships and management development delivered at DTL’s seven dedicated training centres in Linlithgow near Edinburgh, Romford, York, Derby, Bolton, Swindon and Lisburn near Belfast, or onsite at clients’ premises. DTL also provides bespoke and consultancy services, tailoring training programmes and initiatives to the requirements of individual clients.
FabricAir’s sustainable ventilation solution has a lower carbon footprint than conventional metal ducting, as well as enabling operational energy savings of up to 40%. In fabric ventilation systems require less energy to produce and transport, while also having a much higher and more precise air distribution due to having a textile-based ventilation rather than the conventional metal ducting. This means that ventilation solutions from FabricAir operate with a lower pressure loss and therefore require less energy to operate. The lower pressure loss can save up to 40% on the power bill. Meeting the OEKO-TEX 100 requirements, FabricAir’s textiles confirm the company’s commitment to environmentally friendly production methods and materials. The expected lifetime of a fabric duct is long; several of the original installations from the 70s are still being used in slaughterhouses around Denmark. Moreover, due to the compact nature of the ducts, they take up significantly less space than metal ducts during transport, with calculations showing that FabricAir Dispersion Systems emit 21.3% less CO2 from transport than corresponding ducts in metal. The additional advantages that come with the usage of FabricAir dispersion technology include even, draft free air dispersion and no condensation issues, which creates the ideal indoor environment. The fabrics do not corrode, which makes this technology especially advantageous in swimming pools and other highly corrosive environments. Using flow models and permeable fabrics prevents dust and other particles from settling inside and onto the duct, rendering the ducts technically maintenance-free; should there be a need for cleaning, the easy suspension methods ensure quick dismantling and reinstallation, and the ducts can simply be washed in a washing machine.
Aberdeen Standard Investment’s AIPUT fund (Airport Industrial Property Unit Trust) today announces the acquisition of multinational car rental company, Sixt’s main Heathrow premises at Hatton Cross for just under £5 million. The 1.5 acre freehold site, which Sixt will continue to use for both car rental and maintenance operations, sits directly opposite Hatton Cross Underground and Bus Station on the A30 Great Southwest Road, immediately adjacent to the airport perimeter fence. Sixt, a new tenant for AIPUT, has occupied the site for nearly 20 years. Sixt plans to take the opportunity to further upgrade its facilities and operations at its Heathrow sites as it seeks to enhance the service and product offer it offers to its customers. Commenting on the deal, AIPUT Fund Manager, Nick Smith, said: “Our acquisition of this keystone site at Hatton Cross will enable AIPUT to work closely with Sixt in supporting the growth of their operations at Heathrow, benefitting from a site that enjoys ready access to all passenger terminals, central London and the rest of the South East. “Hatton Cross is a leading asset location for AIPUT and this new property will dovetail well with AIPUT’s neighbouring airport logistics facilities, particularly the Radius Park estate. One of the fastest growing areas serving Heathrow, Hatton Cross provides an important point of access to the airport, readily supported by public transport. “The Sixt site is an excellent strategic opportunity for us, with the potential to unlock further value for its investors in the near and long-term by enhancing the use of the site. We see that it will play a valuable contribution to AIPUT’s plan to shape our real estate strategy to facilitate the continued introduction of automation and driverless vehicles in a wide range of airport services to deliver cleaner, safer and more efficient environments, as set out in our recent Airport of the Future Report.” Aaron Kedward, Senior Property Manager at Sixt, commented: “Sixt rent a car are excited to be working with Aberdeen Standard Investments as part of our ambitious expansion and upgrade plans for the UK. ”Specifically at our Hatton Cross location, we will look to capitalise on the continuing success of Heathrow Airport as the UK’s No. 1 international transport hub and strive to find ways to impress our customers and serve them better than ever.” The Airport of the Future report was produced jointly on AIPUT’s behalf by specialist UK aviation real estate consultancy, ChappellKing and Dornier Consulting International GmbH. It highlighted the scale of progress and future potential for the adoption of automated transport and logistics technology at the UK’s airports, exploring the potential efficiency gains from automation across a plethora of airport-related functions such as cargo-handling, as well as passenger transportation both to and within airports. AIPUT was represented in the property transaction by Eversheds Sutherland and Martin Campbell.
A REFURBISHMENT at Lincoln’s Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has now reached completion, creating the Lincolnshire Open Research and Innovation Centre (LORIC) for local SMEs. Delivered by construction company Robert Woodhead Ltd. and architects LK2, the £4 million project has transformed the university’s 750 m2 Grade II listed St Hugh’s building – which was formerly a ‘home for boys’ – into a cutting-edge support facility for SMEs in the region. The building will also now be home to BGU’s Business Inspiration scheme. The building has been refurbished to create a contemporary working environment whilst retaining original features, such as windows, fire places and decorative balustrades. The finished project has achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ with the addition of secondary glazing, additional thermal insulation and the use of an infra-red panel heating system which will reduce running costs as well as energy consumption. Andy Newman, associate at LK2 said: “We were delighted to work with BGU on this exciting project, which will truly have a positive effect on the local business community. We have a longstanding relationship with BGU and we were able to work alongside the university to refurbish the building in a sympathetic and modern way. “As a Lincoln-based company, we’re proud to be involved in this project, which will provide vital support services to help local small businesses thrive.” Juliet Slater, team leader for the Lincoln team at Robert Woodhead said: “We were delighted to work with BGU, along with LK2, in the early stages of this project to assist the securing of the European funding, and then to complete the process by building it out in the sympathetic manner required for the listed building that it is. Our team has really enjoyed the challenges that this historic building has thrown up and the holistic team ethos has been inspirational.” Conceived by BGU, the LORIC will provide support to businesses, public and third-sector organisations across Greater Lincolnshire by enabling connections with data specialists and researchers to bring new insights for businesses. The BGU Business Inspiration project at the LORIC will promote innovation and growth in small and medium sized businesses in Greater Lincolnshire with tailored support and grants towards specialist consultancy, graduate internship and first time attendance at trade fairs and exhibitions. Both it and LORIC highlight the commitment of BGU to developing the communities that have supported us for more than 155 years. Christopher Bridle, LORIC project manager, praised the advances the new facilities and the LORIC itself will offer: “The Lincolnshire Open Research & Innovation Centre promotes and enables data-driven innovation for Greater Lincolnshire businesses. The newly refurbished LORIC building provides a collaboration space for businesses and BGU researchers to interact, and for specialised training in the use of open data to inform decision making. LORIC links BGU researchers with relevant business and, in so doing, will drive business innovation and the translation of research into practice.” The project was awarded over £2.6 million in funding from the European Regional Development Fund to support the works. Both Robert Woodhead and LK2 have previously worked on a number of projects for BGU, including a 7,770 sq ft extension to the university’s highly commended Constance Stewart Hall. Find out more at http://lk2.co.uk/ or join the conversation at @lk2_consultants