Construction workers can now benefit from a free app that has just been launched to help provide mental health information and advice for those in need. The Construction Industry Helpline is a new collaboration between Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, construction software firm ‘COINS’ and ‘Building Mental Health’. “The app is
Vital Energi will deliver a £2.3m energy scheme for The West Works, Redrow’s latest development in Southall. Vital will be taking a phased installation approach to grow the solution in line with Redrow’s construction plans. Vital will be providing the design, supply and installation services for the scheme, which consists
PERFECT Circle, the consortium comprising Pick Everard, Gleeds and AECOM, has appointed Victoria Brambini as its managing director. Brambini, who has headed Scape Procure for the past two years, will take the helm of Perfect Circle from 1 January – leading the organisation to further success and developing its ambitious
Several high-value London properties are part of a major new national contract won by Principle Estate Management. Principle will be looking after a development of apartments each worth more than £1.5 million on America Street, just off Southwark Bridge Road – near the famous Borough Market, Tate Modern art gallery
Since the official turf cutting back in September 2018, significant progress is being made on the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm project managed by lead shareholder, Innogy. Construction specialist Mick George Ltd has now been appointed on behalf of J. Murphy and Sons Ltd to complete Earthworks at the main
Construction workers can now benefit from a free app that has just been launched to help provide mental health information and advice for those in need. The Construction Industry Helpline is a new collaboration between Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, construction software firm ‘COINS’ and ‘Building Mental Health’. “The app is aimed at construction workers and their families and complements our 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline. We recognise that not everyone feels comfortable talking about their feelings or personal situation, so the ‘Construction Industry Helpline’ app is aimed at people who would like to find out more information about how they can perhaps help themselves or if necessary, take the next step in seeking professional help. It is a preventative tool and aims to provide support at the initial stages of a situation so that the problem does not reach a life critical stage,” said Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Club charity. The Construction Industry Helpline will offer guidance on topics such as stress, anxiety, depression, anger and suicidal thoughts. “Collaborating with the Lighthouse Club in building this important app to help support construction workers and their families has been a privilege. It is great way for COINS to give something back to the construction industry and we look forward to seeing its widespread availability and hope that it will be a great help to both construction workers and their families when they need it the most,” added COINS CEO, Robert Brown. The app was officially launched by Lighthouse at its annual Christmas Lunch at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel in London and it is available for free on the App Store or Google Play.
Vital Energi will deliver a £2.3m energy scheme for The West Works, Redrow’s latest development in Southall. Vital will be taking a phased installation approach to grow the solution in line with Redrow’s construction plans. Vital will be providing the design, supply and installation services for the scheme, which consists of a 185kW CHP engine, three 533kW gas boilers, two 8,000 litre thermal stores, low temperature hot water system and 280m of district heating. Vital will also be responsible for supplying the heat interface units for the development which consists of 313 new homes, alongside commercial units. Vital adapted the design presented by Redrow’s consultants to provide a more financially beneficial and efficient solution. This was achieved by reducing the number of CHP engines from four with a thermal storage of 20m³, to one CHP with a thermal storage of 16m³ which not only reduces the cost of plant and maintenance, but also provides a more accurate size solution for the development’s energy demand. The energy scheme will be installed alongside the development’s construction, with the CHP engine being switched on later in the development process when there is the required demand. The project will also see Vital provide the additional infrastructure to futureproof the network by installing capped pipework to allow for the additional connections. The original intention was to install a capped district heating link from the energy centre to provide the ability to connect to the nearby Southall West Energy Centre in the future. However, this design was reassessed and adapted by Vital to supply the development and the capped link from a single district heating main which reduced the length of pipe required. Rob Callagahan, Regional Director for the South for Vital Energi, commented, “After working with Redrow on previous projects such as their Padcroft and 500 Chiswick Road developments, we are pleased that we have been selected to provide the energy scheme for this new development. We have carried out a detailed design to ensure the most financially beneficial and efficient solution has been provided and look forward to seeing the project implemented.” The West Works development comprises one, two and three bedroom luxury apartments and is due for completion late 2019.
PERFECT Circle, the consortium comprising Pick Everard, Gleeds and AECOM, has appointed Victoria Brambini as its managing director. Brambini, who has headed Scape Procure for the past two years, will take the helm of Perfect Circle from 1 January – leading the organisation to further success and developing its ambitious plans for growth. Perfect Circle was formed in 2016 to deliver the four-year £350 million National Built Environment Consultancy Services (BECS) framework for Scape Group, the public sector owned built environment specialist. To date, Perfect Circle has delivered more than 750 projects to over 220 clients. Brambini said: “I’m excited about joining Perfect Circle, and delighted to be leading the next stage of progressing the joint venture into an even higher performing and sustainable organisation. “It’s a great opportunity for me to be able to add value to the business, drawing on my knowledge and experience of working in the public sector, to ensure our clients continue to receive outstanding levels of service through the Scape BECS framework.” Brambini, who joined Scape in 2014 as head of national frameworks and later taking up the role of MD of Scape Procure in 2016, had worked ‘client side’ prior to that as director for places at Rutland County Council. Richard Whitehead, chairman of Perfect Circle, said: “This is a significant appointment for Perfect Circle. Victoria joins us at a pivotal time in our evolution, as we make plans for further expansion and continued initiatives on achieving the best value for clients. “There are tremendously exciting times ahead as we continue to build upon our excellent relationship with Scape and deliver a comprehensive suite of services. “Perfect Circle has gone from strength to strength in its success of delivering for Scape over the past two years. Victoria will assist to reinforce the Perfect Circle brand, ensure the delivery of the framework and explore new opportunities for being the trusted partner for clients.” Whitehead added: “Having worked in a local authority prior to Scape, Victoria has seen the direct benefit of framework delivery to clients – having been a client herself. “Her five years of engagement in the delivery marketplace has given her a unique look at operational delivery, as well as the benefit and huge value the BECS framework has for clients.” Perfect Circle is a consortium of leading, innovative firms with expert industry knowledge and expertise working closely with a wealth of local supply chain providers. Together it delivers the very best high quality, value for money services for clients. Whitehead said: “A regional presence across the UK has enabled Perfect Circle to engage with the local supply chain more effectively, supporting local economies and targeting more than 25% work to be undertaken by SMEs. In its first two years, the delivery teams have contributed to more than 12,000 hours in community engagement and charity work.” The services available under the BECS framework include, but are not limited to: project management, quantity surveying, building surveying, commercial surveying, architecture and design services, civil and structural engineering, highways consultancy and engineering services and strategic asset management. Perfect Circle understands public sector procurement and is able to work with any public body via the BECS framework. Through the consortium’s breadth and depth of expertise across many built environment disciplines and services, it offers the fastest route to market in public sector project procurement, delivering value for money to UK taxpayers. Through its global reach and networks, Perfect Circle also ensures UK public sector built environment projects delivered overseas are procured seamlessly.
Several high-value London properties are part of a major new national contract won by Principle Estate Management. Principle will be looking after a development of apartments each worth more than £1.5 million on America Street, just off Southwark Bridge Road – near the famous Borough Market, Tate Modern art gallery and Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Other properties in the portfolio is a mixed use development comprising a restaurant and with apartments above on Poland Street, off Oxford Street in trendy Soho; and another mixed use development with including offices and apartments in Hamond Square, near Hackney’s renowned Hoxton Street market. Principle will also look after a further mixed use building including retail and apartments on the Old Brompton Road, in the prestigious Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. Outside of Central London, the contract includes another developments in South Croydon, Crawley, Portsmouth, Slough, Wickford and Godalming. Principle’s appointment comes after the Wallace Group purchased Gray’s Inn Holdings Limited which owns 20,000 leasehold properties. The management arm of the Wallace Group, Simarc Property Management Limited, then moved to change some of the managing agents in order to ensure standards complied with their internal code for agents’ conduct. Brett Williams, managing director of Principle, said: “Mixed use buildings require a specialist management approach to ensure the needs of all users are catered for and properly balanced, and it’s this expertise that Simarc was impressed with. “I’ve known senior people at Simarc for many years and they were aware that I’d recently set Principle up. They’d also seen me attending high-level meetings following the government’s various consultations into leasehold reform.” Natalie Chambers, director of Simarc, said: “Principle has a reputation for managing properties on behalf of freeholders who need to be comfortable that their agent is on top of health & safety compliance, finance and maintenance. “We also want an agent that provides outstanding service to our customers, and we know Principle has been built to deliver that.” Principle was launched earlier this year by Mr Williams, the former head of residential property management at CPBigwood in Birmingham and an experienced chartered surveyor. Although based in Birmingham, Principle offers a national property management service and has already won a series of contracts across the UK. Mr Williams said: “This contract includes our first instructions in the capital, although we have plenty of experience of managing a national portfolio and are in London every week. We have another South East portfolio going live next year. “As for the other areas, the Surrey and Sussex properties are very close to where I grew up, while Slough is near other properties we have and Portsmouth has previously been one of our core areas. “We are experienced in managing portfolios at distance, treating them all as if they are five minutes-walk from our office and ensuring we have regular site inspections and are very contactable. “We’ve already been working on a few maintenance matters at a couple of properties ahead of our commencement as we’d rather get things moving than wait until we take over, and residents have appreciated this.” Mr Williams added: “It’s fantastic to have clients instructing us on new properties on a weekly basis. We are well set up to deal with handovers from other agents and to proactively manage properties from the outset.”
Since the official turf cutting back in September 2018, significant progress is being made on the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm project managed by lead shareholder, Innogy. Construction specialist Mick George Ltd has now been appointed on behalf of J. Murphy and Sons Ltd to complete Earthworks at the main onshore cable site off the A16 near Stickney. The firm will be stripping the easement where the cables will be placed for this 860MW project and will have the capability to transmit renewable electricity from the wind farm to more than 800,000 UK homes per year. This estimated £2bn renewable energy scheme will not be without its engineering challenges. It involves the installation of more than 57km of underground high-voltage electrical export cable in Lincolnshire. The route starts at the landfall location north of Anderby Creek, where the onshore and offshore cables connect. It runs to a new substation being constructed near Bicker, and then to the existing National Grid Bicker Fen Substation where the electricity from the offshore wind farm will ultimately connect into the grid. Both are on the outskirts of Boston More than 300 individual directional drills – a record for a UK infrastructure project – will ensure the onshore cables can be installed without obstructing any roads, highways, rivers or drains. Although the two-year onshore construction programme is underway, offshore activities are not expected to begin until late 2019. First energy generation could be as early as 2021. At the peak of the development, the project is anticipating upward of 3,000 employment opportunities. Michael George, Managing Director at Mick George Ltd commented: ‘’As a business that is well experienced in providing sustainable solutions through our waste management division, we recognise the importance of projects such as this and are excited to be involved.’’
