The final beam was laid on a new nine-storey building on London’s Hanover Square development; a progress celebrated by contractor Mace and Great Portland Estates with a topping out ceremony. The 1.3 acre mixed-use development – Hanover Square Estate – is scheduled for completion next year. It will provide 220,000 sq ft
A year-long refurbishment of The Green Dragon Hotel, a Grade II listed building in Herefordshire, is underway; transforming a neglected city centre gem into a stunning 83 bedroom boutique hotel. The hotel is now seeking top hospitality talent to deliver its ambitious plan to be at the forefront of the
A £102 million contract has been sealed by Balfour Beatty for the delivery of 302 Zero Carbon Homes near the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The firm will build phase one of the East Wick and Sweetwater development, which involves four mixed use buildings, including 302 apartments, townhouses and duplex residencies
Fusion Building Systems, the offsite manufacturer of light gauge steel frames has been awarded a contract by Solus Homes to provide a two-storey superstructure for the renovation of Morley Street Mill in Loughborough, Leicestershire. The former home of the Morley hosiery factory is being sympathetically redeveloped by the Loughborough housebuilder
On 5 April, British Safety Council announced the winners of the 2019 International Safety Awards, which recognise exceptional commitment to workplace health, safety and wellbeing. Hundreds of health, safety and wellbeing experts gathered at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel. Each was eager to find out if they would take home
Vinyl vs. Fiberglass Windows: The Comparison Windows are one of the most important parts of any home that we have. These windows are the ways by which you can actually see what is going on outside your home and they also provide a means for light to enter the house
The final beam was laid on a new nine-storey building on London’s Hanover Square development; a progress celebrated by contractor Mace and Great Portland Estates with a topping out ceremony. The 1.3 acre mixed-use development – Hanover Square Estate – is scheduled for completion next year. It will provide 220,000 sq ft of high quality office, retail and residential accommodation centred around a new public courtyard. “This ceremony marks a significant milestone in the construction of the Hanover Square Estate. With Europe’s largest infrastructure project directly underneath us, and operating on a constrained construction site in Mayfair, this project was always going to face challenges. I am very proud of the collaborative working we have seen from our construction team and external stakeholders,” said Toby Courtauld, Chief Executive of Great Portland Estates. 18 Hanover Square is a nine-storey building constructed above the new eastern entrance to the Elizabeth Line’s Bond Street station, and will include 126,000 sq ft of offices and 2,300 sq ft of retail space. Other projects under the development include a separate building on New Bond Street, new office space above 1 Medici Courtyard, a restored Georgian Grade II Listed building, and six new 2 and 3 bedroom residential apartments at the junction of New Bond Street and Brook Street. “When complete, Hanover Square will deliver some of London’s most enviable offices, retail and private residences. I’m honoured to be here today to mark such a significant step forward for the project. Great Portland Estates are one of the best developers operating in the UK, and we’re thrilled to have built such a close relationship with them through the delivery of three major London landmarks,” added Mark Reynolds, Chief Executive of Mace. The project team has worked closely with Crossrail, who are delivering the new Elizabeth line station at Bond Street. They are also working closely with Transport for London (TfL), who operate the adjacent London Underground station.
A year-long refurbishment of The Green Dragon Hotel, a Grade II listed building in Herefordshire, is underway; transforming a neglected city centre gem into a stunning 83 bedroom boutique hotel. The hotel is now seeking top hospitality talent to deliver its ambitious plan to be at the forefront of the regional food and drink scene. Work started this month to refurbish both the exterior and interior of this landmark building, with exciting plans to bring it into the 21st century whilst being sympathetic to its significant centuries-long history. As well as improving the building’s amenities there are exciting opportunities for hospitality professionals who have a clear passion for food and drink. The hotel is currently seeking an Executive Chef, two Head Mixologists and world-class Baristas. Managing Director Julian Vaughan comments “ We are looking to bring something different to Hereford and this major landmark deserves only the best talents we can find. Herefordshire is abundant with high-quality produce as a major farming county and it is the perfect place for an Executive Chef to maximise their talents with the best ingredients right on their doorstep. Herefordshire also benefits from a lower cost of living than major cities and is perfect for someone looking to live a more rural lifestyle.” Two Head Mixologists will be appointed to lead the hotel’s new cocktail bar which is being supported by locally produced Chase Vodka. As well as overseeing the creation of new drinks menus, the role will also include recruiting and developing new talent and brand relationships. The historic Offa bar is set to be a talking point for visitors to the hotel. It is one of the most stunning rooms in the hotel and has for decades been mothballed. Plans are set to transform it into a buzzing and atmospheric cocktail bar, adding sparkle and glamour back into the Herefordshire nightlife. The focus will be on unique serves and cocktails that celebrate Herefordshire’s finest ingredients and rural inspirations. Plans for a fast-paced new coffee shop are also underway, and there will be roles available for passionate, experienced baristas to deliver a contemporary coffee experience and manage the transition from daytime espresso to an evening wine bar, serving both hotel guests and the busy local business community.
A £102 million contract has been sealed by Balfour Beatty for the delivery of 302 Zero Carbon Homes near the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The firm will build phase one of the East Wick and Sweetwater development, which involves four mixed use buildings, including 302 apartments, townhouses and duplex residencies and a number of associated commercial facilities including retail and leisure amenities. The new homes will contribute to the transformation of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, providing a new, diverse and vibrant part of East London, as well as 1,500 new homes for the community. Around 500 people are expected to be employed at construction peak, with 7% of the workforce made of up apprentices. “This contract award builds on Balfour Beatty’s strong relationship with the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the London Legacy Development Corporation, having constructed the London 2012 Aquatics Centre and delivered transformative engineering works to the London Olympic Stadium. We look forward to providing East London with a lasting legacy by creating a range of employment opportunities for local people and businesses through the development of this new and exciting neighborhood,” said Graham Hill, Balfour Beatty’s Managing Director for its London Regional construction business. This work is the first of seven construction phases for the development and is being supported by equity from Balfour Beatty Investments in joint venture with Places for People and borrowed funding provided by Homes England. Ground preparation works commenced in early 2019 with completion expected in spring 2021.
Fusion Building Systems, the offsite manufacturer of light gauge steel frames has been awarded a contract by Solus Homes to provide a two-storey superstructure for the renovation of Morley Street Mill in Loughborough, Leicestershire. The former home of the Morley hosiery factory is being sympathetically redeveloped by the Loughborough housebuilder to provide luxury apartment accommodation across six storeys, for sale on the open market. Northampton-based Fusion Building Systems’ contract is to design and manufacture offsite, the light gauge steel superstructure which will form the upper two floors of the development, to be positioned on top of the existing 18th century structure. The low weight of Fusion’s light gauge steel panelised system was one of the primary reasons it was chosen by Solus Homes, enabling the developer to retain as much of the original building construction without compromise. With individual exterior wall panels weighing up to 80% less than the same area in traditional building materials, the benefits of using a light gauge steel system are significant. This will be the first time the two companies have worked together and Solus Homes Managing Director Mark Hornsall, said: “I was aware of Fusion through industry connections and had seen some of their work locally. We discussed a similar mill restoration project they’d worked on in Leeds and after touring their manufacturing facility and reviewing their design and engineering capabilities, I was eager to see how their system could work for us.” Stewart Hackney, Fusion Building Systems Business Development Manager, added: “It’s been a pleasure to work through the plans for Morley Street with Solus Homes and as this project progresses, we hope they’ll see the benefits of working with our offsite system for themselves – through the predictability of cost, timelines and accuracy of construction.” Mark continued: “While lightweight materials are a driving factor in this project, I’m interested to see how offsite construction might speed up our site process – ultimately influencing the build quality of our developments and their commercial viability.” Demolition works at Morley Street started back in July 2018, followed by construction work in November. Fusion has an eight week build programme planned for the site and will shortly start on the design element of its work, before moving to production and then on to site in May. Solus Homes plans to reach completion by April 2020. www.fusionbuild.com www.solushomes.co.uk @FusionBuildLGS
On 5 April, British Safety Council announced the winners of the 2019 International Safety Awards, which recognise exceptional commitment to workplace health, safety and wellbeing. Hundreds of health, safety and wellbeing experts gathered at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel. Each was eager to find out if they would take home the ultimate category awards. The 2019 winners were presented awards by celebrity wellbeing campaigner and journalist, Alastair Campbell. THE ISA 2019 WINNERS IN KEY CATEGORIES Now in their seventh year, the Health and Safety Champion and Young Health and Safety Champion Awards recognise exceptional individual performance. These are people who, although not health and safety professionals, have played a significant role in keeping their work colleagues safe and healthy. For the Health and Safety Champion of the Year Award, organisations nominate employees aged 25 or over. The Young Health and Safety Champion of the Year Award is given to a worker aged 16-24. This year, the Health and Safety Champion award went to Dave Renshaw, Workshop and Warehouse Supervisor, Allied Infrastructure Management ltd, UK. The winner of the Young Health and Safety Champion award was Himanshu Yadav, Engineer, Subros Ltd, India. The International Safety Award winning organisations that were considered by the panel of judges as outstanding in their respective sectors were honoured with the Sector Awards. This year, the Sector Awards went to the following companies: Construction and property activities – MMC Gamuda KVMRT (T) SDN BHD, Malaysia Education – Kingston University, UK Financial, IT, legal, scientific, technical services and media – Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP, UK Health and Social Care – ISS Facility Services – Healthcare, UK Leisure, sport clubs, hospitality and catering – Arsenal Football Club, UK Local government, defence and public services – Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Manufacturing – Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Oil, gas, mining and quarrying – Mina Abdullah Refinery, Kuwait National Petroleum Corporation, Kuwait Onshore major hazard – Malaysian Refining Company SDN BHD, Malaysia Power and utilities – Larsen & Toubro Limited, Power Transmission & Distribution Independent Company, India Transportation, distribution and storage – Unipart Logistics, UK Wholesale and retail services – Arcadia Group Ltd, Leeds, UK The recipient of the 2019 Chief Adjudicator’s Award, which recognises an outstanding approach to risk management and employee engagement, was Sharkey SE, UK. The award also acknowledged Sharkey SE’s impressive leadership philosophy and demonstration of ‘safety first’ principles. Last year, the British Safety Council introduced two new award categories which reflect the changing nature of workplace health and safety. The winner of the Wellbeing Initiative Award was A. Schulman Inc Limited, UK, while the winner of the Innovation in Occupational Health and Safety Award category was L&T Construction, India. Also for the second time, British Safety Council granted the Outstanding Bravery Award. Its recipient was Fazal Ahmad, HSE supervisor, at PakArab Fertilizers Ltd, Pakistan. He was identified in the adjudication process as deserving a special recognition for his selfless act of bravery in the face of great danger. Congratulating all the winners of the 2019 International Safety Awards, Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of British Safety Council, said: “We are here tonight to celebrate the achievements of 507 winning organisations and our joint efforts to improve health and safety standards around the world. “The British Safety Council is continuously striving to increase its impact. Last month, working closely with King’s College London, we launched Canairy. This unique app provides outdoor workers with information to help them reduce their exposure to air pollution and employers with intelligence to protect the health of their workers. Together with the app, the British Safety Council launched a UK-wide Time to Breathe campaign with a publicity event staged in Oxford Circus, central London, on 12 March. This event has demonstrated our campaigning zeal, reminiscent of the times of our founder James Tye. We are now calling on London-based employers to trial Canairy and help us build an accurate picture of the exposure faced by outdoor workers. “Last year saw a significant investment in our new range of mental health training and digital learning products. This year, mental health training will account for almost one quarter of all the training we deliver. We have also introduced both virtual and augmented reality into almost all of our courses delivered from our office in Hammersmith. “In November 2017, we opened our first non-UK office in Mumbai, and our Indian business is going from strength to strength. This year, nearly one third of all International Safety Award applications came from Indian companies. We’ll continue to expand our international reach, and later this year, we hope to launch our first charitable initiative outside the UK. It will be aimed at improving safety awareness of Indian schoolchildren.” Lawrence Waterman, Chairman of British Safety Council, concluded: “At the time when our country, communities and families are divided by political events and hostile attitudes of groups and individuals with entrenched views, it is important to focus on what can draw us together. The principal role of health and safety is ensuring the welfare of people, all people, while the aim of environmental management is to protect our planet. “We’re now hearing less about a race to the bottom and reducing health and safety standards after Brexit. But we need to stay on our guard since there are politicians and executives who think worker protection is worth sacrificing for trade deals. That’s why we need to stay focused and keep improving our workplaces to make them healthy, safe and productive. That’s why we also need to keep campaigning. “Creating safe and healthy workplaces can be profitable, effective and productive. That’s why whole organisations, from directors to the shop floor, celebrate the International Safety Awards.”
Vinyl vs. Fiberglass Windows: The Comparison Windows are one of the most important parts of any home that we have. These windows are the ways by which you can actually see what is going on outside your home and they also provide a means for light to enter the house as well. So, there is no doubt that choosing the perfect type of windows is really important. You need to weight your choices in order to come to a decision. Both fiberglass and vinyl windows are very popular choices amongst the builders and homeowners. Here we are going to build a comparison between these two materials. Appearance When it comes to window frames, vinyl and fiberglass might seem a bit similar. However, the vinyl windows come along with a proper join line which is situated in the corners. But then fiberglass has more of a wooden window look and appeal. The vinyl windows are mostly plain looking. When it comes to fiberglass, the color and style options are plenty as well. Installation The material vinyl is a pretty flexible one which can easily contract and expand as well. So, due to the flexibility, they are much easier to install and can be done quickly. Fiberglass tends to be a bit rigid and hence the installation is a bit difficult and it takes more time as well. You can choose Legacy Windows Service in New Jersey for the installation of windows in your home. Costs When it comes to the cost comparison, vinyl tends to be a little cheaper than the fiberglass material. So, most builders and homeowners who are in a tight budget can choose the vinyl windows for installation purposes. Durability And Strength Fiberglass is about 8 times stronger than the material vinyl. So, there is no doubt that it will be able to last a bit longer than vinyl. While vinyl windows can last until 30 years, fiberglass windows go up to 50 years and even more if necessary. The makeup of fiberglass windows is the reason for the strength. The fiberglass windows have glass fibers and that is what provides the strength to the material. Energy efficiency We have already established the fact that fiberglass has glass fibers in it which means that the material will not be able to expand or contract. So, it doesn’t conduct cold and heat. So, it is a better form of insulation than vinyl. Vinyl Windows Pros and Cons Pros Cheaper material No need to paint Doesn’t fade in sunlight Installation is easier Easily available Increase the value of the home Cons It will warp in the hot temperature Temperature fluctuations may cause expansion and contraction Poor air sealing Less insulation Fiberglass Windows Pros And Cons Pros The frames are thinner and have more glass fibers The insulation is a lot better for noise and energy control Doesn’t warp, expand, or contract Appearance is a lot better Increases the value of the home Cons It is an expensive material The installation process is difficult and takes more time Needs frequent painting Can fade in the sunlight So, that is all that you need to know about fiberglass and vinyl windows. Make your choice wisely!
