Iceni Homes and housing developer Lovell start construction work this month on a £6.75m regeneration project for charitable housing association Hundred Houses Society in Cambridge. The programme will regenerate Hundred Houses’s first ever neighbourhood – Eastfield in Chesterton, Cambridge. Hundred Houses is replacing 26 existing homes with 50 new-build properties.
24 June 2016 | Jamie Harris The BIFM is calling for employers to have their say on an FM supervisor apprenticeship, set up as part of the government’s trailblazer initiative. The initiative sees employer groups join in designing apprenticeship schemes. The BIFM and a number of employers have developed a facilities
Flint House – RIBA House of the Year The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is delighted to announce this evening Flint House as the winner of the coveted 2015 RIBA House of the Year award, sponsored by specialist insurer, Hiscox. The annual award was created in 2001 to celebrate
The ongoing steel crisis at Tata will not result in delays to projects, according to the British Constructional Steelwork Association. The BCSA said the UK structural steelwork sector would grow in volume terms by 4 per cent in 2016 and that there would not be constrained supply in the sector.
CITB has announced over £7.5 million in targeted project funding to address the industry’s critical skills needs. Twenty one industry-led projects have been successful in their funding bids, following the launch of CITB’s new Flexible and Structured Funds last autumn. Over £2.5 million will be used to develop an online
Iceni Homes and housing developer Lovell start construction work this month on a £6.75m regeneration project for charitable housing association Hundred Houses Society in Cambridge. The programme will regenerate Hundred Houses’s first ever neighbourhood – Eastfield in Chesterton, Cambridge. Hundred Houses is replacing 26 existing homes with 50 new-build properties. Partly funded by the Homes & Communities Agency, work is due to be completed in March 2018. Houses in the Eastfield neighbourhood, developed by Hundred Houses Society in 1935, need major upgrades to insulation and energy efficiency. While the original site only included three-bedroom homes with large gardens, the regeneration has a mix of property sizes, all designed to the ‘Lifetime Homes Standard’, which meets the needs of those with mobility issues. Hundred Houses Society chief executive Mary Gibbons said: “We are pleased to be able to regenerate this neighbourhood in a way which reflects the needs of the customers both now and in the future. This is an exciting development which delivers more truly affordable homes for Cambridge.” Iceni Homes interim managing director Phil Murton said: “We are delighted to be starting the work on site for this exciting project that we have been working with Hundred Houses on for the last couple of years. A true example of partnership working, the completed scheme will provide high-quality new homes in a modern setting, and is one of a number of projects we are currently delivering for Hundred Houses in Cambridgeshire.” Lovell regional director Simon Medler added: “This important regeneration project will create much-needed brand-new affordable properties, built to modern standards, with a strong focus on energy efficiency.” This article was published on 7 Oct 2016 (last updated on 7 Oct 2016). Source link
24 June 2016 | Jamie Harris The BIFM is calling for employers to have their say on an FM supervisor apprenticeship, set up as part of the government’s trailblazer initiative. The initiative sees employer groups join in designing apprenticeship schemes. The BIFM and a number of employers have developed a facilities management apprenticeship aimed at FM supervisors. The consultation, which was opened to responses last month, has been extended until 8 July to get as many views from employers in the sector as possible. Fraser Talbot, professional standards and education manager at BIFM, said: “Developing a trailblazer FM supervisors apprenticeship is the only way in which FM companies will be able to take full advantage of the funding from the Apprenticeship Levy when it is introduced next year. “Therefore we have extended the initial consultation deadline to ensure we have developed a framework that is suitable for industry needs. “It is crucial that employers of all sizes contribute to this process to ensure the new frameworks provide the skilled workforce the industry needs.” The new apprenticeship for FM supervisors aims to prepare an individual for managing a facilities management service, or a group of services, which can be labelled as ‘hard’ (estate/building management) or soft (catering/cleaning/administration/security). All apprentices would be required to supervise others, to understand the contractual requirements and service delivery targets between their employing organisation and the client/customer to achieve service targets. The apprentice will have to provide customer service skills and be proactive in finding solutions to problems. To participate in the employers’ consultation, visit: www.bifm.org.uk/TrailblazerFMSconsultation Download the documents here: Source link
Flint House – RIBA House of the Year The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is delighted to announce this evening Flint House as the winner of the coveted 2015 RIBA House of the Year award, sponsored by specialist insurer, Hiscox. The annual award was created in 2001 to celebrate excellence in housing design. Flint House, designed by architects Skene Catling De La Pena, was announced as the winner during a special four part TV series for Channel 4, Grand Designs: House of the Year. The series featured homes long-listed and short-listed for the prestigious annual award. Described by judges as a marvel of geological evolution and construction, Flint House is a celebration of location, material and architectural design at its best. Set in the flint-layered fields of the Rothschild’s estate at Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, the building rises from the ground as dark, fashioned flint and slowly changes in construction and texture until its refined white chalk blocks disappear into the sky. Whilst defined by its flint construction, the project is home to an intriguing and intelligent mixed application of rooftops, terraces and recesses that combine to deliver a stunning piece of liveable, provoking, modern architecture that marries into the earthly yet beautiful countryside. The Mill, a contemporary holiday home in the Scottish Borders, was this evening (EMBARGO 25 November, 10pm) announced as the final project shortlisted for the 2015 RIBA House of the Year. The full shortlist for the 2015 RIBA House of the Year award is: Flint House, Buckinghamshire by Skene Catling De La Pena Kew House, London by Piercy&Company Levring House, Londonby Jamie Fobert Architects Maghera, County Downby Mcgonigle McGrath (The) Mill, Scottish Borders by WT Architecture Sussex House, West Sussex by Wilkinson King Architects Vaulted House, London by vPPR Architects RIBA President Jane Duncan said: “The shortlist for the RIBA’s House of the Year represents a remarkable diversity of architectural skills and outcomes. I am delighted that Skene Catling De La Pena’s Flint House for Lord Rothschild has won this year’s prize. Although superbly original and unique, it continues a fine tradition of RIBA award-winning houses that provide exemplars for others: architects, clients and developers. Congratulations to all involved.” -ends- Notes to editors For further press information contact Melanie Mayfield melanie.mayfield@riba.org 020 7307 3662 The RIBA House of the Year award (formerly the Manser Medal) is awarded every year to the best new house designed by an architect in the UK. It was created in 2001 to celebrate excellence in housing design. The judges for the 2015 RIBA House of the Year award, sponsored by Hiscox, are Jonathan Manser, Chair of the jury; James Standen of Hiscox; award-winning architect, Mary Duggan; Chris Loyn, the recipient of the 2014 award and Tony Chapman, RIBA Head of Awards. Hiscox, the international specialist insurer, is headquartered in Bermuda and listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:HSX). There are three main underwriting divisions in the Group – Hiscox London Market, Hiscox Re and Hiscox Retail (which includes Hiscox UK and Europe, Hiscox Guernsey, Hiscox USA and subsidiary brand, DirectAsia). Hiscox underwrites internationally traded, bigger ticket business and reinsurance through Hiscox Re and Hiscox London Market. Through its retail businesses in the UK, Europe and the US Hiscox offers a range of specialist insurance for professionals and business customers, as well as homeowners. For further information visit www.hiscoxgroup.com The Architects’ Journal is media partner for the 2015 RIBA special awards, including the RIBA House of the Year www.architectsjournal.co.uk The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members. Visit www.architecture.com and follow us on Twitter. Grand Designs: House of the Year is produced by Boundless, producers of Grand Designs. The judges’ full citations and image links for each house commended this evening follows: Flint House, Buckinghamshire by Skene Catling De La Pena – RIBA House of the Year Winner The house sits within the grounds of a wider estate and forms accommodation for visitors who include family members as well as artists. The building is split into two parts: the main house plus an annexe. The building is constructed of masonry with flint cladding. The project is a rare example of a poetic narrative whose realisation remains true to the original concept. The site is on a seam of flint geology and is surrounded by ploughed fields where the flint sits on the surface. The building is conceived as a piece of that geology thrusting up through the flat landscape. The innovation and beauty of the scheme is particularly evident in the detail of the cladding that starts at the base as knapped flint and slowly changes in construction and texture until it becomes chalk blocks at the highest point. This gives both a feeling of varying geological strata with the building dissolving as it reaches to the sky. The architects worked with a number of specialist and skilled craftsmen to achieve the end result. The development is part of a wider artistic project that has involved engagement with artists, photographers and musicians. Internally the spaces carefully frame the landscape and provide a rich sequence of spaces including a small rivulet of water that snakes under part of the main house. Given the nature of the client and the brief, one might suggest that the project was able to push boundaries that many architects and clients would not be able to. But conversely, patronage has often been crucial in allowing the development of the arts and architecture. The building is an example of an innovative piece of architecture that suggests a typology for the one-off house that is not an object in the landscape but is of the landscape; yet is not so deferential to nature, that it isn’t challenging, dramatic, and most of all poetic. Flint House stood out
The ongoing steel crisis at Tata will not result in delays to projects, according to the British Constructional Steelwork Association. The BCSA said the UK structural steelwork sector would grow in volume terms by 4 per cent in 2016 and that there would not be constrained supply in the sector. It cited a report from KPMG, which found that the UK’s constructional steelwork capacity lies between 1.14m and 1.34m tonnes against forecast demand for constructional steelwork of 1.05m tonnes in 2019. A spokesman said: “BCSA and the UK constructional steelwork sector support UK Steel’s calls for a level playing field for UK steelmaking and the government’s new steel procurement requirements. “A UK supply of high-quality steel creates a competitive and efficient market, and supports the UK economy.” Tata Steel will begin the formal process to sell its UK plants by Monday, according to business secretary Sajid Javid. Mr Javid was speaking in India where he had been meeting Tata chairman Cyrus Mistry. The business secretary said there had been interest from a number of parties in acquiring Tata’s UK operations. Source link
CITB has announced over £7.5 million in targeted project funding to address the industry’s critical skills needs. Twenty one industry-led projects have been successful in their funding bids, following the launch of CITB’s new Flexible and Structured Funds last autumn. Over £2.5 million will be used to develop an online learning centre that helps construction firms build the skills of their supply chain. A further £2.7 million will fund a Homebuilding Skills Partnership, to bring the whole homebuilding sector together for the first time to tackle the skills challenge in housing. Close to £350,000 will fund a project that aims to increase the number of females working in social housing maintenance. More than half of the funding (£4.5 million) will be accessed by 16 projects led by federations. Employers are directly leading the remaining five projects at a total of £3.1m, of which four are collaborative proposals. The projects, run from locations across Great Britain, will focus on key areas that are stunting the growth of the industry, such as careers guidance, upskilling existing employees, recruiting new talent and encouraging diversity within the sector. Geeta Nathan, Head of Economic Analysis at CITB, commented: “This exciting range of projects will help build a well-skilled workforce, boosting the industry for the long-term. Employers have identified the key issues affecting the construction industry and these funds will help provide the skills and training necessary to overcome them. “This is the first funding announcement since we changed the way we target employer funding and the way firms can access it. The application process is now much more transparent and rigorous. We are now working much more closely with our industry to understand why the programmes are needed and what impact they will have. And we will monitor them closely to ensure they remain on course. Having moved from over 40 funding pots to two clearly defined funds, industry should now reap the benefits of clearer and more targeted funding.” CITB’s Funding Team are currently working with bidders on the second round of funding. Applications for the third round of funding will be accepted from April 19. To find out more about CITB’s Flexible and Structure Fund please see: http://www.citb.co.uk/funding/flexible-and-structured/ Source link
