The UN Climate Neutral Now initiative is making waves across the world with the first UK architectural practice officially committing to the scheme. Assael Architecture has signed up to calculate and disclose the current carbon footprint of the practice, including international air travel, and show a clear pathway to reducing it year on year. “Climate change is here and it’s now. The effects and implications of our carbon emissions are clear to see, with many parts of the world already feeling the full force of climate breakdown. And as the social tide begins to change in support for more radical climate action, it’s our duty as a business to set an example to our staff and the communities we operate within. We want our clients to know that our activities will not contribute to their carbon footprint and that sustainability is embedded into everything we do as a practice, including design, and not bolted on as an afterthought,” said Rory O’Hagan, director of Assael Architecture. “By making the UN Climate Neutral pledge, we are committed to being a Net-Zero Carbon organisation now, not in the future. As a practice, we understand the urgency of action required to tackle climate breakdown and will continue to push ahead of the UK’s legislated targets, providing a clear path for other businesses to follow.” The current carbon emissions of the practice are then offset financially using UN certified emission reductions (CERs), where Assael Architecture can choose specific projects to support. The offsetting project that Assael has pledged to support through the CERs programme is the creation of a hydroelectric power station in Chile, South America. “Climate action is urgent. We are facing a civilization-ending threat. If we are going to succeed against this challenge, we need to incorporate sustainability into everything we do. That includes the design of the buildings we live in, the public spaces that we use and any other built environment. That is why we are glad to have Assael Architecture joining the Climate Neutral Now initiative. We invite them and every other designer around the world, regardless of their field of expertise, to prepare their proposals with full consideration to the climate and sustainability requirements to help our society succeed,” added Niclas Svenningsen, Manager, Global Climate Action, UN Climate Change.

Mid Group is proud to have partnered with AquAid to provide water coolers to its offices and construction sites. AquAid has been the biggest corporate supporter of Christian Aid for more than 15 years. AquAid is also the founder of The Africa Trust, a charitable organisation created in 2010 to provide sustainable solutions to poverty in Africa, including water, sanitation, education and employment. AquAid donates £50 to Christian Aid for every water cooler purchased and is currently helping 14,000 people in Malawi and Ethiopia access clean drinking water by providing local water pumps and constructing a man-made pond capable of supporting 1.5 million livestock animals. This 2.7 million litre pond enables 28 communities to more easily feed and water their herds. The Mid Group is committed to supporting AquAid’s goals and in June 2019 the first elephant pump funded by Mid Group finished construction. The elephant pump is a hand- or pedal-powered pump able to lift 60 litres of water a minute. This design is much cheaper and easier to build and maintain than existing alternatives in rural Africa and can be built using local materials by local workers, providing valuable skills and employment. Since 2010, AquAid has enabled the construction of more than 5,000 water pumps, and donations from AquAid and its customers have also helped fund solar-powered irrigation systems, conservation technologies and crop diversification in Malawi to help farmers in the region resist the effects of climate change. In partnership with the Africa Trust, construction of water pumps funded by Mid Group and other AquAid customers has helped provide local employment as well as clean water, and the Africa Trust has been able to give better prospects to former child soldiers in Liberia by providing the skills and training to build pumps, toilets and other facilities. It has also funded business skills training and loans to help local entrepreneurs build businesses and provide employment. The Mid Group is one of the UK’s fastest growing construction businesses and has delivered a number of major projects across the South East. Established in 2014, The Mid Group provides specialist contractors and consultants, Building Information Modelling expertise, and land development services. Sahel Majali Chairman Sahel Majali currently acts as Chairman for the Mid Group; you can read more about the Group by visiting Sahel Majali’s bio.

The kitchen is one of the most essential rooms in a home because it is used for preparing countless meals, storing food items, keeping utensils and kitchen appliances, among other things. Therefore, it is important to upgrade the kitchen and make it one of the best rooms in your home. Cleaning, decluttering, and remodeling are some of the ways that can make your kitchen look organized and stylish. Remodeling the kitchen is a bit expensive, but there are inexpensive ways that can be used to make a kitchen look stylish and more expensive.  To learn these ways, continue reading. Upgrade Hardware Cabinet handles, knobs, and drawer pulls get old with time because they get scratches or discolored after some time. If you want to give your kitchen a new look, it is essential to update all cabinet and drawer pulls. This is the first step in giving the kitchen a new look. Old cabinet doors, as well as drawers, will look new when old handles and knobs are replaced. The most important thing here is to pick a trending style that is less expensive. By getting modern and stylish handles, knobs for cabinets, and drawers, the kitchen will look more expensive than it is. Upgrade the Sink and Faucet A sink is an important part of the kitchen. Sinks and faucets are used for all washing needs in the kitchen. How the sink looks like determines how people see the kitchen. Therefore, you should upgrade it at a lower cost and your kitchen will have an expensive look. Faucets are essential when cleaning utensils and even washing hands. For that reason, you should pick a unique faucet that is easy to use and install. Picking and installing one of the best kitchen faucets on the market is one of the big steps of improving the kitchen appearance. A new faucet and refurbished sink will definitely give your kitchen an elegant look. Paint Using Costly Colors You can give your kitchen an expensive look by painting it using unique colors. Whether modern or traditional, you just need to pick unique colors that complement each other. Creams and beiges will make a kitchen look stylish and expensive.  Furthermore, dark colors, such as black or grey, can be used in modern kitchens.  Dark colors make a kitchen look lavish and extravagant. White is also not a bad color if you complement it with metallic highlights and some wood. Don’t forget to paint old cabinets and drawers. It is important to note that costly colors make strong statements in the kitchen. Bright colors will make the room appear larger than it is. Also, bright colors such as white reflect light, and that helps to hide scratches and dents on old cabinets, walls, and the ceiling. Therefore, pick the right color combination that will make the kitchen look elegant and expensive. Update the Kitchen Floor The floor of your kitchen tells people more about your home. Therefore, upgrading the floor will show a good image of the house. There are many flooring options on the market today. Most of the best flooring options for the kitchen are easy to install, durable, washable, and look stylish. The most important thing is to pick a flooring style that compliments the colors of the cabinets, walls, backsplash, countertops, as well as kitchen appliances. A stylish floor with unique colors will give your kitchen a new and expensive look. Add Some Artwork Having plain walls and ceiling in your kitchen is boring. Adding artwork to your kitchen walls or ceiling is a good move. It will not only make your kitchen look elegant but also expensive. However, you have to pick the right artwork. Great artwork will make a kitchen look bigger and smarter than it is. One can choose big and bold artworks, but the most important thing is to pick an artwork that goes well with fixtures, flooring, ceiling, appliances, and the general color of the kitchen. On top of the artwork, molding on ceiling or baseboard will make the kitchen look more expensive than it is. Declutter and Arrange Items in the Kitchen Keeping a kitchen organized and smart creates a good image. Removing small appliances and hiding them in the cabinets is a good move. These appliances include toasters, coffee pots, kettle heaters, and blenders. This leaves countertops clear, and the kitchen looks orderly and stylish. When things are well arranged, one can add a centerpiece in the kitchen. Changing a table setting and adding a centerpiece with fresh-cut flowers on the table makes the kitchen look extravagant. You must ensure that the centerpiece and flowers look beautiful for the kitchen to look expensive. Upgrade Kitchen Lighting When you want your kitchen to look more stylish than it is, you have to upgrade the lighting in the room. Therefore, installing stunning hanging light fixtures do not only brighten the kitchen but also make kitchen space seem larger. There are so many options ranging from sizes to styles one can consider. Just pick a style and size ideal for your kitchen. Display Your Utensils Collection with Open Shelves You want to show people how expensive your kitchen is. For that reason, it is important to invest in open shelves. Open shelves are essential in showing off your dish collection. The shelves make your kitchen look stylish and provide a more storage option than traditional cabinets. Replace Old Decorative Elements A kitchen with old decorative elements may not seem expensive. Therefore, it is essential to replace old decorative elements such as fruit bowl or ginger jar with new ones. You need to pick a stylish decor element that can completely change the appearance of your kitchen. The complete renovation of a kitchen to make it look elegant is very expensive. However, with these inexpensive ways such as changing the lighting and improving kitchen flooring, a kitchen can look stylish and expensive. Therefore, try the above inexpensive ways of making your kitchen look more expensive than it