As the first set of wiring regulations to focus on energy efficiency, Bureau Veritas is calling on the industry to embrace appendix 17 of the 18th edition – with the guidance helping to usher in a new ‘greener era’ that will be critical to meeting the UK’s environmental targets. Earlier
THE STEEL frame of the University of Nottingham’s new £13.5 million Power Electronics; Machines and Control (PEMC) research facility is now in place as Woodhead Group progresses with one of its largest builds to date. After being appointed as the contractor for the new building earlier this year, Woodhead Group
A new housing development is set to launch near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, later this month, bringing 192 homes to the area. Crest Nicholson’s Alconbury Weald development comprises of a collection of one and two bedroom apartments and two, three and four bedroom houses. It also forms part of the 5,000 new
Leading independent construction, property and management consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall UK (RLB UK) has announced the appointment of Matt Sharp as the firm’s first Chief Digital Officer with immediate effect. Matt will lead RLB UK’s digital transformation strategy as part of the company’s ambitious ten-year growth plans outlined in November
The new iteration of the former Galliford Try Partnerships has landed its first contract. Now known as Vistry Partnerships following its acquisition from Vistry Group, the business has won a contract for a £66 million project at the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark. This will see the company build new high
As the first set of wiring regulations to focus on energy efficiency, Bureau Veritas is calling on the industry to embrace appendix 17 of the 18th edition – with the guidance helping to usher in a new ‘greener era’ that will be critical to meeting the UK’s environmental targets. Earlier this year, the UK became the first nation to enshrine into law the net zero target, committing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by “at least” 100 per cent below 1990 levels in 20501. And to meet these obligations, drastic action will be needed in the way buildings use energy, says electrical safety expert Bureau Veritas – encouraging businesses to adopt key energy efficiency measures raised in the 18th edition. This includes appendix 17 of the IET Wiring Regulations, which came into force on January 2019. Appendix 17 offers expert guidance on the lessening environmental impact of electrical installations, through measures such as replacing traditional standard filament, halogen and fluorescent lights with super-efficient LEDs and using smart controls is one of the easiest ways to cut energy costs. Also as noted in appendix 17 on-site renewable energy sources and other local production sources such as solar PV and wind energy production don’t themselves increase the efficiency ‘use’ of the electrical energy however they do reduce the overall public electricity network losses which can be considered indirect energy efficiency measure. According to Bureau Veritas, appendix 17 is set to rise in prominence in the coming years, playing a fundamental part of the next major amendment to BS 7671, expected in 2022. Michael Kenyon, Technical Manager at Bureau Veritas, said: “Given the escalating calls to take action on sustainability and drastically reduce our energy consumption, it’s no surprise that appendix 17 is lighting the way for a new greener era for improving energy efficiency in buildings. “Although at present, many of the suggested changes are just recommendations rather than mandatory requirements, we’d encourage businesses to take heed now and ensure that each and every installation is completed as safety and sustainably as possible. Not only will this help organisations to stay ahead of regulatory compliance – we expect many of the appendix 17 guidance to become mandatory in the next major update – but it will also cut operating costs while going a long way in helping our society meet the UK’s net zero pledge.” One such measure that can be adopted to improve energy efficiency is power factor correction, which can achieve significantly reduced consumption and CO2 emissions, along with lower electricity bills. However, the focus on energy efficiency is also likely to widen its scope to address other challenges such as unclean distorted electrical supplies, states Bureau Veritas. Michael adds: “It’s likely that as appendix 17 develops into part 8 in the next significant amendment, there could be greater guidance on where electronic equipment creates an unclean distorted electrical supply (harmonic distortion) and can damage equipment by creating heat/overload. “As an industry, we still have a huge job to do in terms of not just meeting carbon reduction commitments but ensuring a sustainable infrastructure; which Part 8 will hopefully help to more adequately address. Indeed, it may mean more change for a number of sectors to get to grips with but it is an important step forward not only in tackling climate change but also in creating new opportunities for electrical contractors.” Bureau Veritas offers a range of testing and certification services to support customers in managing compliance around electrical safety in general for new and existing installations or for specific areas, such as electric vehicle charging points. For further information, call 0345 600 1828 or visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
THE STEEL frame of the University of Nottingham’s new £13.5 million Power Electronics; Machines and Control (PEMC) research facility is now in place as Woodhead Group progresses with one of its largest builds to date. After being appointed as the contractor for the new building earlier this year, Woodhead Group has led construction of the University’s entire Research and Innovation Centre for Power Electronics and Machines, which when completed will be home to the PEMC research group. As the largest-ever contract secured by Woodhead, the research and innovation centre will join a host of their other high-profile collaborations between Woodhead Group and the University, including the BREEAM Excellent rated Ingenuity Lab and the Research Acceleration Demonstration (RAD) building. The two- storey, 60,000 sq ft PEMC research facility, part-funded by Research England’s UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and the Wolfson Foundation, will be located on the University of Nottingham’s Jubilee campus. Once completed in 2020, the PEMC building will provide office and research accommodation for the world-leading Power Electronics, Machine and Control research group which sits within the faculty of engineering at the university. It will host academic offices, three laboratories for high power, power electronics and drives and will also contain open-plan research space, seminar rooms and exhibition spaces. There will also be a workshop and office space for 144 researchers and PhD students, further supporting the University’s dedication to cutting edge innovation. Commenting on the progress of the project, Robert Martindale, Project Manager at Woodhead Group said: “We’re very pleased with the progression of the PEMC site. The site team also applaud the relationship with the University team and their assistance whilst working on this demanding project. “The space is going to create such a great opportunity to grow and expand on some of the world’s leading research and engineering research for the University, and we’re incredibly pleased to be the main contractor working again with the University of Nottingham on such a ground-breaking research facility. “The University and Woodhead Group have developed a great collaborative relationship over the years. We’re dedicated to upholding its world-class reputation as an innovative leader in its field through the transformation of their campus.” Richard Wigginton, Head of Capital Projects at the University of Nottingham said, “We are pleased to see this key milestone has been reached, demonstrating the work towards an important facility that will be home to revolutionary research, helping to shape the future of the UK manufacturing industry.” Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation said, “It is excellent to hear that the steel frame structure is now in place for the Power Electronics, Machines and Control facility. This is a step closer to the development of this research environment which will address the hugely important area of technological advancements in industry and science, and the decarbonisation of energy”. Working alongside Woodhead Group will be architects Bond Bryan and cost consultants Turner and Townsend. The project is managed by Aecom. To find out more, contact Woodhead Group atwoodhead-group.co.uk or join the conversation @WoodheadGroup.
A new housing development is set to launch near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, later this month, bringing 192 homes to the area. Crest Nicholson’s Alconbury Weald development comprises of a collection of one and two bedroom apartments and two, three and four bedroom houses. It also forms part of the 5,000 new homes being delivered in the wider redevelopment of RAF Alconbury. The contemporary homes have been thoughtfully designed to reflect the character of the natural surrounds, with many overlooking the newly launched cricket pitch and linked to nearby cycle and walking pathways. Residents will also have access to a range of existing amenities, including a brand new primary school, café, gym and cricket pavilion. Building work for a secondary school is also currently underway, with an anticipated opening date of September 2022. Alongside various shops and services, there will also be new health and community centres, with 1 million sq ft of business space already completed. David Hnyda, Sales and Marketing Director at Crest Nicholson Chiltern, commented: “We are delighted to announce that Alconbury Weald will be launching in the new year, along with the unveiling of the marketing suite and brand new show home. The development will offer purchasers the opportunity to be part of a thriving, tight-knit community, with a range of amenities on their doorstep. The scheme involves the regeneration of a former WWII RAF base, making this is a particularly exciting project for Crest Nicholson; we look forward to welcoming residents to their new homes from March 2020.” A preview event for Alconbury Weald will take place on Saturday 11 January between 11am – 3pm, held from Crest Nicholson’s other nearby development, Mandeville Place in Brampton. The event will give purchasers the opportunity to secure their home of choice before the development is fully launched and take advantage of exclusive preview pricing.
Leading independent construction, property and management consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall UK (RLB UK) has announced the appointment of Matt Sharp as the firm’s first Chief Digital Officer with immediate effect. Matt will lead RLB UK’s digital transformation strategy as part of the company’s ambitious ten-year growth plans outlined in November 2019. He joins with a wealth of digital expertise gained in a number of high-profile roles where he has led major digital transformation teams with organisations including – Marks and Spencer, Westfield, AECOM and Sovereign Housing Association. Matt is an active contributor to cross industry groups and in 2017 became the first member of the British Computing Society to represent IT professionals on the Construction Industry Council. Andrew Reynolds, Chief Executive at RLB UK said: “A key priority for RLB UK is the focused development of our digital capability and transformation to provide better outcomes for our clients and industry as we build for the future. I am delighted to welcome Matt Sharp to the team as our first Chief Digital Officer. The combination of Matt’s digital capabilities and his industry relationships and insight will be an enormous asset as we drive the delivery of our digital strategy.” Matt Sharp, Chief Digital Officer, RLB UK added: “Joining RLB UK as its first Chief Digital Officer at such an interesting time in the industry’s technical transformation is very exciting. I am really looking forward to working with the team to further develop our digital capabilities and optimising technical solutions for our clients as well as contributing to wider industry collaboration and debate in this fast moving and vital area.” In November 2019, RLB UK announced the appointment of Andrew Reynolds as its Chief Executive as part of structural changes to the business and ambitious targets for the next ten years including growing its turnover to £150m (2019 £80m) and achieving sustainable profit margins whilst remaining an independent employee-owned organisation.
The new iteration of the former Galliford Try Partnerships has landed its first contract. Now known as Vistry Partnerships following its acquisition from Vistry Group, the business has won a contract for a £66 million project at the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark. This will see the company build new high quality community spaces in the area, including a brand new public library, health and early years’ facilities plus commercial space as well as more than 120 new homes for rent. A new civic square has been designed to serve as a central hub for the neighbourhood, with improved public space and a water feature acting as its centrepiece. Notting Hill Genesis has appointed Vistry Partnerships to deliver the project, with work expected to begin in early 2020. Ken Baikie, interim director of regeneration (Aylesbury Estate) for Notting Hill Genesis, said: “We are pleased to appoint Vistry Partnerships to build the new homes and community facilities on Plot 18, the next phase of the Aylesbury regeneration to be built. Their experience and high standards will help to ensure that this neighbourhood hub will be a real asset for the community.” Ray Toft, managing director for Vistry Partnerships, London, added: “Our business has an excellent track record in delivering mixed-use regeneration schemes, combining the delivery of high quality community facilities, alongside much needed affordable housing throughout London, and we are delighted that Notting Hill Genesis has entrusted us, once again, with delivering this next phase of construction works at their site within the Aylesbury Estate. “We look forward to working with both Notting Hill Genesis and their partner Southwark Council to support the ongoing regeneration within this area.”
