A new 138-bedroom Holiday Inn Express is rapidly take shape just outside Bridgwater, Somerset, hitting its milestone topping out in just six months thanks to innovative construction techniques being used by Midas. The £10 million project is being built by Midas Construction, part of the Midas Group, on behalf of
The Christie in Manchester has seen the UK’s first NHS high-energy Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) Centre. The state of the art technology uses an advanced form of radiotherapy for the treatment of complex and hard-to-treat cancers in children and adults. Selected by the Department of Health as one of the
A new study into the installation costs of underfloor heating versus traditional radiators has shown that the underfloor heating option is far more economical than is generally perceived. The study, conducted by force drying specialist, ForceDry, was based on data from leading contractors for installations in a one, two and
A breakthrough in fire protection from Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings is offering a combination of durability and ultra-fast curing not previously possible. In most environments 20 years durability can be achieved with FIRETEX FX6002 intumescent coating, even without the need to apply a top coat. The most significant benefit
LIVERPOOL City Council has appointed a fab team to produce a landmark vision and investment strategy for the epicentre of Liverpool’s musical heritage. A team led by P-IE (Planit Intelligent Environments) has been chosen to deliver a Spatial Regeneration Framework (SRF) for the area around Mathew Street – home of
Buying a condominium is a great investment and also a means for people to become homeowners at a reduced cost – especially when people cannot afford to buy a house. So, are you looking forward to buying a condo?It is truly quite exciting and fun to be acquiring a new
A new 138-bedroom Holiday Inn Express is rapidly take shape just outside Bridgwater, Somerset, hitting its milestone topping out in just six months thanks to innovative construction techniques being used by Midas. The £10 million project is being built by Midas Construction, part of the Midas Group, on behalf of customer Zeal Hotels, and is believed to be the first in the South West to use a highly-efficient form of offsite and modular construction, delivering high quality finishes combined with considerably shorter build times. The new Bridgwater Holiday Inn Express is situated on Junction 24 of the M5 motorway and will be one of the biggest hotels in the area, featuring a bar and restaurant, lounge area, meeting rooms and parking for more than 60 vehicles. Due for completion in spring 2019, the hotel is being built to Holiday Inn Express group’s Generation 4 specifications and will provide accommodation for visitors to the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station and surrounding areas. The building features perimeter pre-cast, acid-etch external finished and sandwich-insulated concrete panels, which are manufactured off site. These are craned into place and fixed to the frame of the building – also constructed using pre-cast concrete – instantly delivering a high-quality external finish and providing an internal surface ready for decorative finishes. The windows, made by a specialist company in Bristol, are pre-glazed and installed into the pre-cast panels before being delivered to site. Bathroom pods are also manufactured locally, less than 10 miles from the construction site, before being delivered for installation. Neil Lewis, Senior Project Manager at Midas Construction, said: “Off-site manufacturing isn’t new but this particular method of construction, and the standard of finishes it achieves, is a first for Midas and, we believe, the South West. “We are subscribing to modern methods of construction and the innovative use of design and build techniques to deliver a more consistent product and finish for our customer. “We’re impressed by the results and delighted to be leading the way in developing a new approach to hotel construction in the South West, which we hope will see greater take-up in the future.” The scheme adds to a list of prominent construction projects recently completed by Midas in the region; including the award-winning National College for Nuclear Southern Hub for Bridgwater & Taunton College and Yeovil Innovation Centre for South Somerset District Council. Midas Group’s strategy is to become the contractor of choice in the areas in which it operates, by developing long-term relationships through the delivery of its vision to be leaders in customer service and performance. Midas Construction has worked closely with customer Zeal Hotels throughout the project, and representatives of both companies were on hand to celebrate topping out on 25th September as Midas marked reaching the high point of the build. Tim Wheeldon, Managing Director of Zeal Hotels, said: “I am pleased this project is proceeding well, both on time and on budget. This highly efficient form of offsite and modular construction ensures a high quality of finish and we will certainly be looking to replicate this with our pipeline of additional hotel developments. “Topping out is always a milestone and we are pleased to celebrate this today with Midas Construction along with several consultants on site.” Portfolio holder for Economic Growth at Sedgemoor District Council, Cllr Anne Fraser, said: “It is exciting to see the progress being made on this important new asset for the District. It is particularly pleasing to see how many local businesses and people have already benefitted from the construction including the two apprentices taken on. We are now looking forward to the opening next year when Sedgemoor will be able to offer a wider range and choice of accommodation for people wanting to do business here or enjoy our wonderful countryside.”
The Christie in Manchester has seen the UK’s first NHS high-energy Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) Centre. The state of the art technology uses an advanced form of radiotherapy for the treatment of complex and hard-to-treat cancers in children and adults. Selected by the Department of Health as one of the two providers of the service, together with University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, The Christie chose to deliver the construction phase through the Procure 21 framework. It worked in partnership with Interserve. “We are delighted to be able to offer this life changing treatment to patients. The delivery of this facility has been one of the most complex and precise projects within the NHS. We identified very early in the project that we needed a construction partner that could work alongside our team. The partnership approach integrated with Interserve’s technical expertise and energy to solve problems is one of the key reasons we completed on time,” said Jason Dawson, Director of Capital, Estates and Facilities of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Providing 4 treatment rooms, a patient reception, consultation rooms and public space, the five storey building is designed to be future proof with additional space for the Trust to grow into. As PBT uses a high-energy beam of protons rather than high-energy X-rays to deliver a dose of radiotherapy, the building’s concrete walls had to be up to six metres thick. The building incorporates 20,000 m³ of concrete and 1,700 tonnes of reinforcement, including steel bars up to 100mm diameter. Through this, 10 km of services pipework has been carefully threaded. The concrete itself weighs 48,000 tonnes, the equivalent of two aircraft carriers. In order to meet the building’s demanding energy needs, a new substation has been built, providing an equivalent amount of power to that needed to run the nearby Trafford Industrial Park. Starting with this autumn, the building will begin treating patients and, once fully operational, it will treat around 750 people a year.
A new study into the installation costs of underfloor heating versus traditional radiators has shown that the underfloor heating option is far more economical than is generally perceived. The study, conducted by force drying specialist, ForceDry, was based on data from leading contractors for installations in a one, two and three bedroom property. Three specifications were included: traditional radiators and 75mm sand & cement screed, traditional radiators with a 50mm flowing screed, and a 50mm flowing screed with underfloor heating. The findings showed that, for an 80m2 dwelling, installation costs for the sand and cement approach range from £3,003.72 to £3,483.10; for a 50mm flowing screed with radiators costs start at £3,163.72 to £3,563.10 and for a 50mm flowing screed with underfloor heating costs range from £3,464.63 and £4,082.30. The costs for the underfloor heating approach also includes force drying, which facilitates fast, safe drying of liquid screed floors. This approach reduces drying time typically from around 90 days to as little as 28 days, representing a significant time saving and additional cost saving in the construction process. Ross Verity, managing director of ForceDry, said: “There is a perception that underfloor heating is expensive and only practical in commercial terms for installation in higher end properties. However, our study shows that the underfloor heating method is only marginally more expensive to install than radiators, but when combined with force drying with the considerable cost benefits of the time saved factored in, the overall costs could actually be less. This means underfloor heating with a flowing screed can be a viable solution for all kinds of housing, including social and affordable.” Verity also points to the environmental benefits of using liquid gypsum screed flooring, which comprise 98% recycled waste material, require less energy to produce and, because it is thinner, uses less material. These factors result in a carbon footprint over 70% lower than that of sand and cement screeds. Verity said: “This approach is economical to install, environmentally friendly and performs very efficiently. It can save developers and property owners time and money during build and allows them to offer a superior product specification. Home owners and tenants then benefit from the comfort, economy and low maintenance this kind of system offers.”
A breakthrough in fire protection from Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings is offering a combination of durability and ultra-fast curing not previously possible. In most environments 20 years durability can be achieved with FIRETEX FX6002 intumescent coating, even without the need to apply a top coat. The most significant benefit of this new product however is the speed of curing – hard dry and handling times may be as fast as one hour. Bob Glendenning, global fire engineering manager for Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, said: “With the substantial advances we have made in intumescent coating technology, we can offer a broader range of benefits and options than ever before whether you’re an architect, a developer or an applicator. In modern construction, speed of build is critical and this product contributes to that goal. “This is game-changing technology and allows for transport of steelwork within hours as compared to days currently for conventional water-based, solvent-based and epoxy-based products. “Projects carried out using the original FX6000 product found vastly reduced damage on shop-painted steelwork once erected. The new FX6002 retains this mechanical durability while at the same reducing the required film thickness, again reducing holistic project cost due to lower material requirements and greatly reduced site touch-up requirements.” For in-shop applicators of intumescent fire protection, FX6002 has Volatile Organic Content (VOC) levels comparable with many of today’s water based intumescent products, it also dries to leave a smooth and aesthetically pleasing finish, worlds apart from that typically achieved with some other exterior durable products. Additionally, when looking to optimise project costs, in many scenarios FX6002 may be specified with or without both primer and top coat depending on the project and applicator’s requirements. Rigorously fire tested under the requirements of British Standards BS476 parts 20 and 21, and the ASFP Yellow Book (Edition 5), FX6002 can offer up to 120 minutes fire protection to traditional rolled steel elements and cell beams. When coupled with the expertise of the Fire Engineering & Estimation Team in prescriptive and fire engineered solutions, and Sherwin-Williams’ independently accredited FDE software, FIRETEX FX6002 can be fully integrated into a project’s design model and BIM operations, offering customers a safe and cost-optimised fire protection solution. FIRETEX FX6000 technology was recently applied to Whitechapel Station in London, bringing benefits in time and cost, and proving its worth for on-site application. Trials of FX6002 have already proved successful, and environmental approvals are being sought from leading organisations including building and sustainability body BREEAM. Sherwin-Williams has supplied its diverse range of fire protection coatings to a number of landmark construction and engineering projects including London’s The Shard, the Leadenhall Building and Azerbaijan’s Flame Towers. The fire protection performance of the patented FIRETEX FX6000 and FX6002 technologies are independently certified under Exova Warringtonfire’s Certifire scheme and in durability testing under ETAG 18 Part 2 it meets the requirements for Type X, internal, semi-exposed and exposed locations.
LIVERPOOL City Council has appointed a fab team to produce a landmark vision and investment strategy for the epicentre of Liverpool’s musical heritage. A team led by P-IE (Planit Intelligent Environments) has been chosen to deliver a Spatial Regeneration Framework (SRF) for the area around Mathew Street – home of the world famous music venues the Cavern Club and Eric’s. Also encompassing the adjacent Williamson Square area, the framework will enable the council to steer the future use of existing buildings and identify opportunities to attract new investment. P-IE, which has more than two decades experience working on some of the UK’s largest regeneration projects, will deploy their team – comprising urban designers; music historians; destination economists; space-programmers and Planners – to devise a spatial plan which will also embody a new vision document aimed at enhancing the quality of attractions in the area and expanding on the city’s £90m a year music heritage industry – focused around the Beatles – which currently supports over 2,000 jobs. P-IE’s previous work includes the Anfield SRF alongside the design and delivery of the restoration of Stanley Park and the public spaces surrounding Liverpool Football Club’s Anfield Stadium. Outside of Liverpool they were design lead for the award-winning Manchester Residential Quality Guidance and the city’s newest public square – Sadler’s Yard – at the heart of the Cooperative Group’s historic NOMA estate. They are currently involved in strategic and delivery projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The SRF masterplan, which will include consultation with stakeholders, local businesses and residents will explore: A more diverse mix of complimentary building uses that could operate throughout the day and evening An enhanced and more coordinated music tourism offer, focused on Liverpool’s recently awarded UNESCO World City of Music status, with enhanced visitor attractions and interpretation The redevelopment of derelict, under-used and undesirable buildings and sites A diverse and inclusive programme for Williamson Square and the Playhouse Theatre A comprehensive public art strategy, building upon the significant investment LCC has made in the public realm over the last decade A way-finding strategy to make the neighbourhood more legible and permeable Active ground floor uses to create a more vibrant and inviting environment – with an equitable focus on the citizens of Liverpool alongside our international visitors Defining a clearer network of streets and squares – focused on the pedestrian experience The report comes as figures show Liverpool’s hotel sector is also booming, with occupancy levels at record breaking levels, and the number of hotel rooms across the city set to grow by 14% to more than 9,300 over the next two years. A recent economic impact report found that the city’s Beatles related industry has been growing at 5-15% a year following the city’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008 with Cavern City Tours and the Cavern Club alone now attracting 800,000 visitors per annum and 80% of the Hard Day’s Night Hotel guests classed as international. But a tourism report has found visitors are increasingly looking for a quality experiential visit and there is a clear need to curate not just a Beatles Heritage offer, but a clearer proposition around Liverpool’s status as a city with a pivotal role in the story of popular and contemporary music. Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, who has also created a Beatles Legacy group, said: “Liverpool’s musical heritage is known around the world but we can and must do more to showcase it to visitors who travel thousands of miles from all corners of the globe because of it. “This is about enhancing and expanding what we already have, particularly around Mathew Street which has been at the heart of the city’s music scene for decades, with venues such as Eric’s and the Iron Door being as influential as the Cavern Club. “This is a unique opportunity to establish an experience no other city can offer, with high quality design which will sustain thousands of jobs in the hotel, retail and hospitality sectors for generations to come. “P-IE have a first class track record in delivering quality design and I am delighted that we have been able to secure their services to carry out this crucial piece of work.” Peter Hooton, Chair of The Beatles Legacy Group, said: “Carl Jung famously said that Liverpool is the pool of life, and it is fitting that he is immortalized on Mathew Street, which has been the beating heart of the city’s music scene for generations. “There is a huge amount of untapped potential around the city’s pivotal role in music, which is why it is vital we seize this opportunity to make the most of it.” Bill Addy, Chief Executive of Liverpool BID Company, which represents 1,500 businesses in Liverpool city centre, added: “Mathew Street is one of the city’s key assets and without doubt one of the world’s most iconic music heritage sites. “The Cavern Quarter sits within the Retail & Leisure BID. Our levy payers located there are determined to improve the visitor offer in the area and I know there has been a concerted effort over the years by the private sector to invest in projects and initiatives to achieve this. “We welcome the SRF and the opportunity it presents in working together to maximise the area’s potential for the good of businesses and visitors alike.” Pete Swift, Managing Director at P-IE, added: “We picked our team not just on their experience in producing design and planning guidance but on their knowledge and passion for Liverpool and its wider musical heritage. “We are local and global – as is the appeal of the Beatles and the immense cannon of Liverpool bands, singers and their music. For us then, this is no ordinary planning project, where we might focus on what a place will look like at the end, but rather how to control the journey along which Liverpool will showcase its rightful status as the most influential music city on the planet.
Buying a condominium is a great investment and also a means for people to become homeowners at a reduced cost – especially when people cannot afford to buy a house. So, are you looking forward to buying a condo?It is truly quite exciting and fun to be acquiring a new property, especially if you’re looking at homes for sale in Cranston. However, in order to avoid any mistake that will cost you your property or leave you in a state of financial catastrophe, take a look at these 7 mistakes to avoid when buying a condo. Not Getting Pre-Approved Getting approval is one of the most important factors to look out for when buying a condo. Some buyers can get so engrossed in the activities of buying a condo, and leave out booking an appointment with a mortgage broker to obtain a pre-approval. Not getting approval will not avail you with the exact information on what you can afford and what you cannot. Not Obtaining Buyer’s Representation Buying a condo is quite an expensive investment that needs the involvement of an experienced attorney in the area. A realtor is only there to give their fiduciary duties to the seller and not to you. So, why rely on just working with the realtor? Get an attorney to help represent your interest. Location When buying a condo, go for one with a location avails you with amenities and basic social facilities. It won’t be nice to be filled with regrets about not opting for other locations at the time of purchase. The aesthetics of a building is only secondary when choosing the perfect condo. Carry out a survey of the location and know of any long-term plans for the area. A city centre location for a condo is quite lucrative if you are looking to get a return on your investment. Say for example, Los Angeles has a lucrative real estate market. You can choose from luxury LA condos for sale. Santa Monica is a popular location in Los Angeles you can consider buying a condo. You can visit the websites of Santa Monica realtors to find so many condo units. Not Checking If the Building is Under Litigation A controversial condo can be a nightmare to buy or live in. with owners of condos suing one another, one has to be careful of the property to buy. However, a lawsuit doesn’t outrightly mean the property is useless, but there are a few matters to be taken seriously to avoid issues in the long run. As such, always involve an attorney before buying a property. This is the best way to decide whether to go ahead with making a purchase. Failure To Check The Conditions, Covenants, and Restrictions (CCRs) CCRs are the rules and regulations that the residentials living in the community abide by. These rules are created by the Home Owners Association (HOA) and outline the appropriate norms and standards for people in the community. Always read and fully understand the CCRs of any community, and know if you will be able to cope there, before buying your condo, to avoid future issues. Not Checking For The Adequacy Of Funds For Reserve Study A reserve for condos is set aside for the sole aim of preparing cost related to building expenses, replacement, and repair of parts of the building, for a particular time. From studies of the physical state of a building, and a thorough financial analysis, a reserve is set aside to make sure the project is well funded when the need for repair arises. Check if the HOA dues can cover for at least 50% of what will be needed for the project. A reserve not being available or well-funded will give you a big increment on the dues from the HOA. Buying for Beauty It is common practice for a property that is put up for sale to get a face beat before inviting buyers. Buyers can easily get carried away with the look of the property and how sparkly and bright it is, even when their criteria for a home is not met. Guess what? That is a very huge mistake to make. Sometimes, sellers can change the look of an old building by using cheap materials, just to make quick money. This is like a temporal cover up that wears off with time. Buyers should carefully look at what they are buying.