As the countdown to Christmas well and truly begins, the two landmark dates in the sales world are fast approaching – Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Businesses widespread are gathering resources and getting their strategies ready as two of the biggest dates in the diary loom ahead. A real crucial
While you may not think it, courier companies actually provide an invaluable service to construction firms and the industry as a whole. This rule even applies before work has started on a particular site, as companies are often required to submit time-sensitive tenders to win work and often use professional
Wetherby’s newest care home, Windsor Court, welcomed the Mayor and Mayoress of Wetherby for a sneak peek of the brand new facilities last week. The 66 bed home on Sandbeck Way is coming up to completion and the Mayor marked the occasion by laying the last external ground stone on
WORK has started to deliver state-of-the-art facilities as part of a new £60 million development for the King’s School – one of the largest independent day schools in the UK. Pick Everard – the independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy – is providing full design and engineering services for the
A SUITE overlooking cathedral gardens, original fireplaces and character windows are just some of the features included in a new £1.8m boutique hotel in a historic location in Leicester. Two empty office buildings in Peacock Lane and New Street – adjacent to the site of the car park where King
Building a Legacy, a flagship news-style programme revealing how the construction industry is key to delivering forward looking, sustainable infrastructure for this and future generations, has been launched by ITN Productions, in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Presented by national newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, ‘Building a Legacy’ explores
A partnership between BRE (the Building Research Establishment) and USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) will promote the expertise of both businesses and harness their combined industry insights, in order to deliver a new industry approach to building and built environment performance, solutions and benchmarking. “BRE is the world’s leading building
Developer Crest Nicholson has launched a new dedicated training scheme for former members of the Armed Forces, agreeing to offer army veterans the opportunity to build a career in the housebuilding sector with its new scheme. “As a nation, we owe a great deal to our Armed Forces and it
The achievements of Scotland’s five, geographically-located hub organisations, the public private partnerships set up six years ago to build new community facilities across Scotland, and which have delivered 104 education-related projects across the country with a value of £1.3 billion, will be in the spotlight at the second annual Education
Winter is here. The nights are long, the days short. Getting out of bed, going out all seems more of an effort than when the days were long and the nights shorter. Now is the time to make your home as cosy as possible. Hot drinks in front of the
As the countdown to Christmas well and truly begins, the two landmark dates in the sales world are fast approaching – Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Businesses widespread are gathering resources and getting their strategies ready as two of the biggest dates in the diary loom ahead. A real crucial characteristic to expect from this year’s notorious Black Friday and Cyber Monday is the heightened emphasis on the ecommerce sector. Last year, it was found that a huge £1.4bn was spent on online sales in the UK on Black Friday which was up 11.7% in comparison with the previous year, according to online retailers trade body IMRG. However in contrast, when looking to the high street, analysis firm Springboard discovered that shopping centres and retail parks footfall figures were down 3.6% to the previous year, showing the evidential shift from bricks to clicks is taking its toll. This last week of partial normality is a time where preparation drives day-to-day business but which sector does it really ramp up the pressure in? Packaging. Everyone wants to be sending their goods inside high quality, reliable packaging that gets them to their destination in the same condition they left the warehouse in. For UK packaging supplier, Kite Packaging, the Monday before Black Friday proves to be most demanding in terms of orders as it acts as the last big order day for most businesses who are getting packing materials in ready to sell and distribute goods on Black Friday. Peak Packaging Monday is where Kite’s team sees the biggest influx of orders, ensuring their efficient pick, pack and despatch process is able to pack and distribute all packaging goods to customer doorsteps in preparation for the big day. Kite’s ecommerce division was introduced in 2004 and has been continuously evolving since. This year has seen Kite’s ecommerce specialists redevelop and evolve the Kite site to offer improved user experience such as better navigation, design advances and improved on site functionality. All of which streamlining service and making ordering on smart devices easy and clear cut for customers widespread. So what sort of packaging is really out there? Kite Packaging has introduced some new peak season additions to its online portfolio to cater for the demand from Black Friday weekend and the lead up to Christmas. Its new white mailing bags, smaller bales of wood wool, capacity book mailers and twist wraps are just some of the many types of packaging they’ve brought in that can be used to send out goods with ease. So if you want to make sure you’ve got everything you need and would like to find out more simply visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk.
While you may not think it, courier companies actually provide an invaluable service to construction firms and the industry as a whole. This rule even applies before work has started on a particular site, as companies are often required to submit time-sensitive tenders to win work and often use professional couriers for this purpose. Once work has commenced, couriers provide an even more invaluable service to construction firms, particularly those that are undertaking large scale projects. Here are some of the main benefits of partnering with a professional courier: Prevent Workflow Disruptions One of the biggest benefits of using a professional (and reputable) courier is that they can play a pivotal role in preventing workflow disruptions. This works in two potential ways. Firstly, it ensures that you do not have to pull an employee from one project to deliver a package to an alternative site, enabling you to optimise each individual’s productivity and overall contribution. At the same time, you can also arrange for crucial items and components to be delivered on-time and directly to the project site. This is particularly important when managing time-sensitive projects, which can easily be disrupted by delivery delays. Access a Truck Delivery Service When you hear the term ‘courier service’, your thoughts are probably drawn to small transit vans and relatively minimal hauls. However, professional services often lay on large trucks and vans too, which are capable of transporting both a high volume of items and big pieces of equipment. This is extremely important, as it negates the need to reassign employees to load and unload items when travelling between different destinations. Similarly, this also allows you to have pieces of machinery delivered on-time and anywhere in the UK, whether this is required from the start of the project or to replace a broken item. Create Additional Storage Space for Supplies One of the main issues associated with building sites is that they often become cluttered, and this can create significant issues in terms of health and safety and the integrity of expensive pieces of equipment. Professional couriers may be able to help with this, however, as they often retain additional space that can be utilised by clients for the purpose of storing supplies. This serves as a kind of logistics warehouse, which stores and organises your supplies until such a time that you need them. You should also be able to secure a competitive price and deal from your courier, especially if you have an existing relationship or have completed a lot of business with them. Another benefit of this is that it minimises the risk of materials being stolen overnight from your construction site, delivering long-term cost savings that will help the project to maintain its profitability.
Wetherby’s newest care home, Windsor Court, welcomed the Mayor and Mayoress of Wetherby for a sneak peek of the brand new facilities last week. The 66 bed home on Sandbeck Way is coming up to completion and the Mayor marked the occasion by laying the last external ground stone on the site. Councillor Galan Moss and his wife Sandra Moss donned their hard hats and high visibility jackets to take a tour of the building with Home Manager Paula Mountjoy and Site Manager Graham Frost. Councillor Moss was impressed with the spacious social spaces which once the home is finished will become bright and airy garden rooms, luxurious lounges and dining areas and an opulent cinema room. As they walked around the two storey home which is due to open in January, Paula revealed her plans for residents including clubs, trips, activities and community events. As the tour progressed to the large en suite bedrooms, Graham explained the environmental design features and sustainable aspects of the home such as ground source heat pumps, underfloor heating and LED lighting. The Mayor said, “This was a visit that I was particularly looking forward to and it didn’t disappoint. I was very impressed with the facilities and the build, but especially the jobs and community benefits that Windsor Court will bring to Wetherby. I was honoured to be asked to be a part of the build and lay the last stone and I look forward to returning to see the home once it is complete.” Paula who is dedicated to developing Windsor Court as a key part of the local community, said, “We were so pleased to welcome the Mayor and Mayoress of Wetherby to our new home. This takes us one step closer to completion and we can’t wait to open the doors to the people of Wetherby and beyond. With a luxurious, safe and innovative environment and exciting social calendar for our future residents, Windsor Court is so much more than just a care home and I know local people will be impressed.” Windsor Court will be operated by Ideal Carehomes and has been designed to embrace social activities and aspirational lifestyle choices for their future residents. The home will offer high quality residential and dementia care to older people who will live at the luxury home on an inclusive fee basis, enjoying the modern facilities without the worry of additional costs. Local people will be able to view Windsor Court from the end of December to meet the staff team, have a look round the home and reserve rooms.
WORK has started to deliver state-of-the-art facilities as part of a new £60 million development for the King’s School – one of the largest independent day schools in the UK. Pick Everard – the independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy – is providing full design and engineering services for the 80-acre, Derby Fields development in Macclesfield, which is expected to be completed in May 2020. The school’s current three sites will be united into one area, creating a new 16,000m2 academic building with 350 rooms, in addition to a new sports centre – which will include: a six lane, 25m swimming pool; a six-court sports hall and a dedicated indoor cricket centre. Externally, five new rugby pitches, one rounders field, two AstroTurf hockey pitches and six netball courts will be created. Duncan Green, managing partner at Pick Everard said: “We are delighted to be working on such a major project for both the King’s School and Macclesfield as a town. We’ve been working with the school consolidating its estate onto a single site with brand new buildings so we’re pleased that work has now begun to realise this vision.” Natalie Clemson, associate director said: “As well as including fantastic educational and sporting facilities, the new building will be highly energy efficient and sustainable with a BREEAM rating of ‘very good’. It will also score highly on environmental management, responsible construction, resource efficiency, low energy and water use with a reduced carbon footprint, as well as efficient heating and lighting systems and controls, among other sustainable features.” The new development – the most ambitious project in the school’s 516-year history –will supplement, and sit adjacent to, the school’s existing Derby Fields campus. The project has been funded by the school selling its existing two sites in Fence Avenue and Cumberland Street to housing developers, which will provide sustainable and affordable homes in the area along with retirement and assisted living options. Natalie added: “The school selling its existing sites to fund the project has freed up valuable land in the town centre for housing, which in turn will address the town’s need for additional housing and provide significant economic growth. “We also worked with the school to deliver a series of value engineering workshops, which contributed savings of up £6 million, as well as providing design solutions to maximise teaching space while meeting the client’s budget.” The King’s School, which has 300 employees, provides education for more than 1,200 students from pre-school through to sixth form. John Kennerley, chair of governors at King’s School said: “We are delighted to be able to launch our 2020 vision for King’s. It will deliver not just a fantastic campus for our pupils, but enable us to develop further community use of the school beyond the 27 organisations that already share our facilities.” Headmaster Simon Hyde added: “We are extremely keen to ensure that our legacy is a positive one both for the school and Macclesfield in general. The development of a mix of sustainable housing close to the town centre will hopefully continue to bolster the attractiveness of Macclesfield as a place to live and support the many excellent new shops and businesses currently taking root.” John Roberts, regional director at Vinci Construction UK Ltd, the project’s lead contractor, added: “We are proud to be delivering the new campus, which will provide the very best educational facilities available for the school, its pupils and for the wider community.” Pick Everard employs more than 500 staff across its 11 UK offices, providing a range of project, cost and design consultancy services.
A SUITE overlooking cathedral gardens, original fireplaces and character windows are just some of the features included in a new £1.8m boutique hotel in a historic location in Leicester. Two empty office buildings in Peacock Lane and New Street – adjacent to the site of the car park where King Richard III’s remains were discovered – have been converted into the 28-bedroomed St Martins Lodge, which opened in October. Building Services Design (BSD) provided mechanical and electrical engineering services for the Grade II* listed Georgian buildings, with many of the original features being retained – including the hallway, with its chandelier and staircase. Joel Sawyer, director at BSD, the lead designer on the project, said: “We’re delighted to be involved in a project that has created modern, elegant accommodation while at the same time, honouring the heritage of the important site and its surroundings.” As 40% of the hotel – located directly opposite Leicester Cathedral – is of listed status, all original internal cornices, ceilings and floors are having to be retained, meaning BSD had to design the building services around the structure of the existing building. Joel said: “We provided a design that is a mix of traditional and modern installation, meaning some of the building services run through the floors and into the ceiling. To meet listed status building regulations, air conditioning equipment has also been moved to the roof where it is out of sight. “In order to make the spatial challenges work, we held regular on-site visits in order to overcome and catch any potential problems before they happened.” The plantroom has been designed to fit within the existing basement, which has height restrictions due to a vaulted ceiling. Joel added: “To ensure the heating system would fit within the confinements of the basement, it has been designed as a modular system for better efficiency and ease of installation. “The domestic water and hot water systems have also been centralised in the basement and we have made provisions within the design to allow for a possible connection to the Leicester District Energy Scheme, which supplies low-cost, low-carbon energy to major buildings across the city. The future advantages of this will mean energy efficiency and lower running costs.” Richard III was buried more than 500 years ago following his death at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. His remains were discovered by archaeologists in 2012 underneath a Leicester City Council car park. The king was reinterred in Leicester Cathedral in 2015. Nick Quinn, director of St Martins House, said: “With our neighbouring conference and events centre, St Martins House, located only a few steps away, we are now able to offer a 24-hour conference rate – including overnight accommodation with breakfast – alongside our function run hire and catering facilities. “This is frequently requested by conference and wedding hosts so St Martins Lodge is now meeting a known demand and adding to the room capacity available for business and for tourism in the city.” BSD is also working with the Diocese of Leicester to bring a new monastic community – called the Community of the Tree of Life – in the heart of Leicester, next door to the hotel. For more information about BSD, please visit bsd.co.uk.
Building a Legacy, a flagship news-style programme revealing how the construction industry is key to delivering forward looking, sustainable infrastructure for this and future generations, has been launched by ITN Productions, in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Presented by national newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, ‘Building a Legacy’ explores the meaning of sustainable construction, highlights the vital role that sustainable buildings play in securing long-term environmental and social viability and hears from the masterminds behind some of the country’s most iconic structures and cutting-edge digital design technologies. “We’re were delighted to partner once again with the Chartered Institute of Building to produce a programme exploring the extraordinary role that the Construction Manager plays in the lives of us all. We hope the content can be used to share remarkable stories, highlight new innovations and look at the next generation of construction professionals,” said Elizabeth Fisher-Robins, Head of Industry News, ITN Productions. Drawing upon ITN’s 60-year heritage and expertise in storytelling, the news-style programme combines interviews and reports with sponsored editorial profiles from leading organisations: Sir Robert McAlpine, Bluebeam, Allplan and Coins Global. In an interview, Chris Blythe, Chief Executive of the CIOB, highlights how the organisation supports the success of the industry and champions the role of the Construction Manager as a key driving force in building sustainability. “Buildings are about improving people’s quality of life – they are far more than just bricks and mortar. And construction managers are key as they not only help connect the people who work in the building with those who will use the building, they connect with the local community. The shaping of the built environment plays a big part in shaping communities and working with ITN Productions has given us a great opportunity to showcase that,” said Chris Blythe, Chief Executive, CIOB.
A partnership between BRE (the Building Research Establishment) and USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) will promote the expertise of both businesses and harness their combined industry insights, in order to deliver a new industry approach to building and built environment performance, solutions and benchmarking. “BRE is the world’s leading building science centre. We have been at the forefront of developing knowledge and standards for almost 100 years. We sponsor and conduct research which continually improves productivity, quality, environmental performance, safety and well-being in the built environment. BRE’s standards, digital tools and training programs are key to equipping the industry and future generations for the global challenges of tomorrow. Our mission is to build a better world together and this partnership will enable us to substantially extend our reach and impact, around the world,” said Niall Trafford CEO at BRE. The two organisations aim to highlight the role that buildings can play in improving environmental, economic and health outcomes and to positively impact the quality of life of people around the world. Their joint vision is to create a better built environment that’s cleaner, more efficient, more sustainable and fully meets the world’s current and future urbanisation needs. “USGBC has led the green building community for nearly two decades. But there is still much work that needs to be done, and the stakes have never been higher. This collaboration allows us to leverage our tools and resources to scale-up the reductions in carbon emissions, that are associated with buildings and accelerate this on all fronts,” commented Mahesh Ramanujam, president & CEO, USGBC. The objectives that BRE and USGBC will pursue and explore together are to: Increase the level of engagement of existing buildings in the measurement, reporting and improvement of their environmental, social and wellbeing impact. Embrace a digital strategy that will raise our combined technological capabilities and establish industry-wide common data standards and protocols, to make our platforms simpler, smarter and more intelligent Conduct research to identify future transformation opportunities to improve the sustainability credentials of the world’s buildings, communities and cities. The collaboration will also leverage BRE and USGBC’s combined market knowledge, partnerships and collective tools through BREEAM, LEED and other rating systems to address all sectors: new and existing commercial buildings, new and existing homes, infrastructure, landscape, power, waste, and finance.
Developer Crest Nicholson has launched a new dedicated training scheme for former members of the Armed Forces, agreeing to offer army veterans the opportunity to build a career in the housebuilding sector with its new scheme. “As a nation, we owe a great deal to our Armed Forces and it is particularly pertinent at this time of year to reaffirm our commitment to them,” said Patrick Bergin, CEO of Crest Nicholson. “Currently, we have a number of employees across our business who have been involved with, or touched by, the Armed Forces. They bring a wealth of transferable skills, experience and values to their roles thanks to the world-class training they have received during their time with the military and we recognise the valuable contribution they can make to our business. It gives me great pride to sign the Armed Forces Covenant today and to formalise our ongoing commitment to supporting these men and women.” The agreement was signed by Patrick Bergin and Lt Col Paddy Baines MBE, who signed it on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Crest Nicholson hosted the signing event at its Arborfield Green development, which is being delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Defence on the site of the former Arborfield Garrison. “The Armed Forces Covenant relies on the people, communities, and businesses of the UK to actively support it and make a difference. Clearly Crest Nicholson PLC already recognise the benefits of engaging with defence particularly in the employment of skilled service leavers and we look forward to furthering our mutually beneficial relationship,” added Lieutenant Colonel Baines. Crest Nicholson has been building new homes for over 50 years and is firmly established as a leading developer with a passion for not just building homes, but creating vibrant sustainable communities. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities, both now and in the future, by providing better homes, workplaces, retail and leisure spaces.
The achievements of Scotland’s five, geographically-located hub organisations, the public private partnerships set up six years ago to build new community facilities across Scotland, and which have delivered 104 education-related projects across the country with a value of £1.3 billion, will be in the spotlight at the second annual Education Buildings Scotland 2018 Exhibition, Conference and Awards Dinner at Edinburgh’s EICC on 21-22 November. The event, which brings Scottish educational built environment and policy professionals together, many of whom will be looking at adding new buildings, considering refurbishing existing buildings or wishing to know more about ongoing maintenance, will be able to meet all five hub CEOs and their colleagues who will be in attendance over the course of the two days. In addition to their historical achievement, Scotland’s hubs are engaged currently on-site in education-related projects totalling £370m.There are, in addition, £539m worth of education-related projects in development. John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, who will be speaking at the conference said: “Good quality, well maintained and state of the art infrastructure is vital to ensuring we provide the very best opportunities in life for our children, young people and wider communities.” The CEOs, hub South West’s Michael McBrearty, hub South East’s Paul McGirk, hub West’s Iain Marley, hub North’s Michael Padzinski and hub East Central’s Gary Bushnell, together with their colleagues, will be networking and welcoming delegates both to the conference and the exhibition. Ten hub projects have been nominated for awards which will be announced at the Dinner. The Scottish Government is the Event’s Partner and its official supporters are Morrison Construction, Portakabin, hub South West, Velux, Scott Brownrigg, Architecture and Design Scotland, the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE) and the Scottish Future Trust. Entry to the exhibition is free to all visitors and delegates. The conference is complimentary for those directly employed in early years, schools, colleges, universities, national and local government and other public services in Scotland. Delegate rates will apply for everyone else wishing to attend the conference.
Winter is here. The nights are long, the days short. Getting out of bed, going out all seems more of an effort than when the days were long and the nights shorter. Now is the time to make your home as cosy as possible. Hot drinks in front of the fire, warm rugs and throws are becoming the order of the day. So let’s look at must have ideas to make your home cosier and more resilient to the cold weather. Fireplaces Although many modern homes do not have a fireplace you may want to install one. There is nothing quite like a naked flame on a cold night. In days of old when families used to huddle around the fireplace, there was a sense of belonging. You can recreate this with a fireplace that compliments your home. Companies such as Barbas Bellfires fireplaces have brought the concept into the 21 century. Many have clean lines and there are plenty of designs to choose from. They are both a centrepiece and yet blend in with the furniture. You no longer need an older house to appreciate the delights a fireplace brings. A hot drink is a must have on cold nights. Textiles Textiles need to feel soft and comfortable for the winter months. They should ooze cosiness. You want to avoid harsh fabrics. What you are aiming for are textiles that make you want to wrap yourself up in them like a duvet. Colour wise you want earthy colours that compliment the colours outside your window. This gives the feeling of being outside but the warmth generated by your home gives you and your family that warm sense of belonging. Lighting Cosiness and warmth is provided by the right lighting. Like fireplaces, the naked flame of candles has a hypnotic quality that when used correctly can help any home feel warm and snug. Think about lighting dark corners using candles and keeping room lighting dimmer to make your rooms feel warmer and welcoming. When choosing lighting, ensure your mood spreads from room to room. There is nothing worse than leaving a warm living room and going into a cold kitchen. Try and keep your lighting consistent for a warmer house. Bath Mats There is nothing quite like getting out of your bath after a long soak and feeling the soft warm bath mat beneath your feet. This is essential for the winter and helps to accentuate the feeling of relaxation and warmth. It also avoids walking on cold bathroom floors. Nothing compliments a relaxing bath like a great bath mat. Make sure you have slippers! A good bat mat will feel soft to the touch and make you appreciate the home and the wonders of modern living. Rugs and Throws As well as enabling you to change your colour scheme when you feel like it, good use of rugs and throws can really make your home feel warm and give a sense of belonging. Choose the right fabrics for them and they will make your whole family feel snug and are a perfect compliment for the hot drinks which are needed on those long winter nights. Rugs and throws can make quite a dramatic impact on how your home feels. They are easy to obtain and so you can do some great things with good rugs and throws. Make sure they feel soft to the touch so they generate the right mood. Books – a Bonus Must Have for you and your Home As it is cold outside here is a bonus must have for your home, books! Reading books by the fireplace is a time honoured tradition in winter, and you can recreate this by ensuring your shelves feature books. Older, hardback books work better but if you only have a selection of paperback books not to worry it all works well. Reading is a great way to pass the long winter nights. If you want a modern take on your reading, use a tablet instead of a dusty novel if you must. The art of making your home feel warm and cosy is how it feels. The lighting should generate mood, the fabrics should be soft and welcoming. Colours should be earthy but at the same time should fit in with your colour scheme. So if you need to use pinks and yellows rather than greens or browns feel free to experiment. Nature has determined some species need to hibernate for the winter and we are not that different. We need to shelter from the cold and ensure that warmth is generated through the home. Why not make this a cosy experience and a rewarding one? Best of all on long winter nights is that feeling of warmth that radiates. It makes you feel together with your family and at peace with the world.
