First Company In UK To Launch Valuation Tool to Enable Sustainable Development Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister company to Yorkshire Water, has unveiled its ambitious plans to help solve Yorkshire’s housing crisis and ensure fast delivery of sustainable communities by introducing a pioneering
Building materials supplier CEMEX presents VIAPATH™, a premium single layer asphalt solution for cycle lanes and footpaths, which has been expertly developed with speed of construction in mind. VIAPATH can be laid between 25mm and 70mm thick, eliminating the need for multi-layer surfacing which can be costly – both in
Sogevinus has announced the acquisition of the historic Quinta da Boavista from Lima Smith, an 80-hectare property that was part of the first delimitation of the Douro region carried out by the Marquis of Pombal in 1756. Located on the right bank of the Douro River, in the heart of
If you’ve ever wondered how commercial buildings vary from residential ones, the differences discussed below might provide some insights. Here are the basics: commercial buildings are used to operate commercial ventures (schools, offices, supermarkets and similar businesses) while residential buildings are basically homes where families reside. Before commencing your construction
If you are considering having a new construction built, it is easy to feel excited and overwhelmed. Buying a home is a big step, but supervising the new construction of your own home is even bigger. There are many choices and the scheduling and decision making can seem overwhelming. While
First Company In UK To Launch Valuation Tool to Enable Sustainable Development Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister company to Yorkshire Water, has unveiled its ambitious plans to help solve Yorkshire’s housing crisis and ensure fast delivery of sustainable communities by introducing a pioneering new housing delivery model. In a first for the UK, the model will be underpinned by a set of environmental, social and financial measures which will be tracked by a unique valuation tool. After more than twenty years regenerating redundant land for Yorkshire Water, Keyland has spent the last five years extending its services to other landowners through its Planning Promotional Agreement (PPA) initiative, resulting in eight residential developments which will bring forward over 4,000 homes around Yorkshire. With the PPAs now forming half of Keyland’s residential business, the team is focussing its next five-year business plan on growing this side of the business by working with major landowners, including local authorities and other public landowners, to bring forward land to help unlock the housing crisis. Keyland claims that the current UK model of volume housing delivery doesn’t support sustainable housing delivery or the requirements of individual councils to meet demand for different types of homes. Therefore, the Company set about devising a way to ensure new homes are procured in a way that creates truly sustainable communities, with a key focus on improving energy efficiency and water resilience. To create a blueprint for sustainable development, Keyland will be the first company in the UK to use a valuation tool to calculate direct, indirect and enabled value delivered from its developments. The tool will be based on the organisation’s ‘Six Capitals’ model and cover natural, social, human, intellectual, manufactured and financial value. Utilising this pioneering tool – created by leading sustainability consultants 3ADAPT, with support from Yorkshire Water and other world leading institutions – Keyland will be able to measure its ‘Total Value’ as a company, addressing its ambitions to deliver exceptional places and enable sustainable living. To overcome the challenges it sees in the current UK housing delivery model, Keyland will take on a master developer role to work with housebuilders and organisations such as housing associations and later-living housing providers to create a more organic mix of houses, incorporating where appropriate self/custom-build homes. Keyland will pursue more prescriptive planning permissions and incorporate the ‘zoning’ of its sites to ensure that these innovative new communities will be realised. Peter Garrett, Managing Director of Keyland Developments, said; “This is an incredibly exciting time for Keyland. Having successfully built our PPA business over the last five years, we now have bold ambitions to be the development enabler of choice for both private and public sector landowners both across the County. It’s our view that the existing model of housing delivery simply will not solve the housing crisis in Yorkshire as it does not support council policy, nor will it easily deliver truly sustainable development. By implementing our ‘Six Capitals’ model and evaluating the non-financial values alongside the financial, we can take a more holistic approach and ensure that the total value of a development is explicitly considered. Crucially, our master developer role will address the mix of uses being delivered and incorporate the self/custom-build model which we see as being increasingly important to the future of residential development. In short, we’re looking to change how houses are built and how they are bought. “The expert team at 3ADAPT have devised the valuation tool, which we understand is the only one in the UK to take into account indirect and enabled as well as direct impacts, making it a truly pioneering and unique resource and one new to the property industry. We are incredibly proud to be at the forefront of residential development innovation and, whilst they may be ambitious, our aspirations to help solve the housing crisis for Yorkshire while facilitating sustainable developments of excellence are wholly deliverable. We are in a privileged position in that we have a strong reputation based on trust and we want to build on that to change the face of housing delivery for the better.” From now on, Keyland intends to apply the ‘Six Capitals’ approach across the land that it owns, as well as helping inform its work with partners and local councils to fully realise its ambitions of creating truly sustainable neighbourhoods. Keyland owns 1,300 acres of land across the Yorkshire region and is currently involved in promoting over 8,500 homes and 4.5million sq ft of commercial space – the most in its history. This aligns with Yorkshire Water’s emerging Land Strategy which considers how it can collectively give back and enhance its land in the face of the challenges it faces. Gaynor Craigie, manager of land and property at Yorkshire Water said: “We are delighted that Keyland Developments Ltd has adopted the Six Capitals approach across the land it owns and promotes. The Six Capitals provides a strong model of sustainability which places an emphasis on living within the limits of the natural environment and developing strategies that grow all capitals. These support Yorkshire Water’s overarching ‘total impact’ philosophy. The aim is to improve natural, social, human, intellectual, manufactured and financial capital and deliver benefits to its customers and stakeholders across Yorkshire.” Yorkshire Water is one of the largest landowners in the region, through its soon-to-be launched Land Strategy it is a holistic and long-term approach to land management. Gaynor said; “Our new Land Strategy aligns closely with national and regional policies: clean growth; education, skills & work; housing; innovation; transport and trade & investment and support the region to address the climate emergency and improve health & wellbeing. By aligning our respective strategies, Yorkshire Water and Keyland can work together to achieve their goals within Yorkshire, ensuring unified vision for how we can support the North’s potential to be unleashed.” Keyland is also one of only three Land Brokers, and represents Yorkshire as the only northern partner, on the public sector land delivery framework, Land Solve,
Building materials supplier CEMEX presents VIAPATH™, a premium single layer asphalt solution for cycle lanes and footpaths, which has been expertly developed with speed of construction in mind. VIAPATH can be laid between 25mm and 70mm thick, eliminating the need for multi-layer surfacing which can be costly – both in terms of the materials and labour required. It also presents significant time savings, which helps to limit the disruption to pedestrians and other road users and achieve a faster rate of job completion. In addition, multi-layer construction can often lead to damage in underlying layers resulting in further delays and spiralling costs. For those looking to incorporate more eco-friendly products into their construction projects, VIAPATH offers real sustainability benefits. It achieves a carbon footprint reduction for a project by requiring less fuel use during the paving operation, less tack coat/bond coat and lower on-site wastage. A further benefit of this single layer solution is that it addresses a common cause of potholes caused by traditional pavement construction. Typically, a horizontal joint would be required between the binder course and surface course layers which presents an inherent risk to the ingress of water. With VIAPATH this joint is eliminated, thus improving the overall structural durability of the pavement. Martin Ashfield, Technical Manager for Asphalt & Paving, CEMEX Europe, commented: “As more and more of us adapt to new ways of sustainable travelling that also eases pressure on public transport, the development of cycle and footpaths is critical. “Fortunately, VIAPATH is a premium-quality asphalt solution that has been specifically designed to replace surface, regulating or binder courses in a single pass. This will allow our customers to quickly meet government demands for fast pop-up solutions, while also being cost-effective and minimising disruption to pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.” CEMEX R&D, Innovation and Business Development projects are part of the global R&D collaboration network, headed by CEMEX Research Centers, based in Switzerland.
Sogevinus has announced the acquisition of the historic Quinta da Boavista from Lima Smith, an 80-hectare property that was part of the first delimitation of the Douro region carried out by the Marquis of Pombal in 1756. Located on the right bank of the Douro River, in the heart of the Cima- Corgo, it was owned by the emblematic Baron of Forrester in the 19th century. A geometric panorama of hand-built schist terraces (up to 8m in height), combined with specific climatic conditions, make Boavista’s terroir unique. Of the property’s 80 hectares, 36 ha are vineyards, with Donzelinho, Tinto Cão and Touriga Nacional varieties planted. The estate also has a large area of Vinhas Velhas, responsible for the production of several award-winning wines, such as Quinta da Boavista Vinha do Oratório and Quinta da Boavista Vinha do Ujo, awarded 94 and 95 Robert Parker points, respectively. This acquisition allows Sogevinus to strengthen its position in the still wine market, following the strategy of focusing on this category, and bringing to its portfolio two new brands – Boa-Vista and Quinta da Boavista – high quality wines and internationally recognized which complement its presence in the premium segment. “With a historic legacy in the Douro and following the strategy of consolidating still wines, we believe that the acquisition of Quinta da Boavista will decisively strengthen our portfolio of DOC wines, particularly in the premium segment. Quinta da Boavista has been very successful in recent years in the development of internationally recognised wines and our expectation is to continue to produce great wines here,” commented Sergio Marly, Sogevinus Group CEO. Sogevinus thus reinforces its position in the Douro with the acquisition of another emblematic farm, joining Quintas de S. Luiz, Arnozelo and Bairro, further cementing its 500-year-old legacy.
If you’ve ever wondered how commercial buildings vary from residential ones, the differences discussed below might provide some insights. Here are the basics: commercial buildings are used to operate commercial ventures (schools, offices, supermarkets and similar businesses) while residential buildings are basically homes where families reside. Before commencing your construction project, it’s important to hire an experienced contractor with an enviable track record in providing quality construction for commercial buildings. Conducting some thorough research beforehand is also essential. Here are 5 major differences between commercial construction and residential construction: Construction materials used The materials used to construct commercial buildings are slightly different from those used to build residential houses. They both have different structural needs: residential buildings are often smaller than commercial ones, hence require less reinforcement. For commercial construction, you will require sturdy steel and concrete framing that guarantees better fortification. You’ll also need to consider three-phase electricity installation during the design phase. Residential construction is less complicated. Timber framing and single-phase electrical designing will usually suffice. Building regulations and permits Another key difference between commercial and residential construction is in their permits. Commercial buildings usually attract stricter regulations than residential houses. Regulations may vary from design to materials and plumbing systems used. If you wish to succeed as a commercial contractor, ensure you learn the ropes as far as permits and regulations are concerned. The biggest perk of residential construction is the lenient regulations employed by the government. Most residential buildings are small and incorporate simple designs, making them less problematic to erect. Construction timelines Every construction project must have a unique set of timelines. However, residential construction typically has longer and more flexible timelines than commercial construction. Homeowners prefer taking their time when building their dream home. This provides them with more freedom to make vital construction decisions as and when they deem fit. Commercial builders, on the other hand, desire to complete the project as quickly (and as efficiently) as possible. Commercial contractors often have to deal with smaller budgets and stricter timelines. Machinery required for construction Large scale commercial buildings require the utilization of heavy machinery such as bulldozers, earth movers and forklifts. Such machinery has to be operated by experienced personnel in order to optimize quality and maintain relevant safety standards. Residential buildings, on the other hand, don’t require heavy machines or specialized skills. Smaller DIY building projects can even be learnt online and completed successfully if you have the time. In addition, accidents that occur during residential construction are easier to fix and rarely end up in lawsuits when compared to commercial mishaps. Warranties and insurance covers Commercial properties generally require more insurance than residential buildings. As a commercial contractor, you’re required to comply with all state and national certifications to avoid getting slapped with penalties. Commercial contracts are usually lengthier and more complex than residential ones. Warranties and surety bonds are essential elements of every commercial construction contract, especially when you’re dealing with government work. These are just some of the key differences between commercial and residential construction.
If you are considering having a new construction built, it is easy to feel excited and overwhelmed. Buying a home is a big step, but supervising the new construction of your own home is even bigger. There are many choices and the scheduling and decision making can seem overwhelming. While the general contractor will handle the big steps involved in home construction, there are plenty of things you will need to take care of to ensure the process runs off smoothly. Make Sure Your Finances are in Order Home construction has a lot of variables built into it. You want to be sure there is some wiggle room in your budget so you are not blind-sided if things go wrong or some unexpected problem develops. The builder will give you a cost to construct what you have in mind, but problems with the site or issues with suppliers are just two of the issues that can drive the cost up once construction begins. One way to ensure you have the money you need is to lower your monthly expenses. As you begin the building process, you may want to temporarily lower your discretionary spending. There are also things you can do to lower your monthly expenses. Consolidating your student loans at a lower interest rate can save you money each month over the life of your loans. Choose a Builder You Can Trust The builder you choose is going to be in charge of what is probably the largest investment you have made up to this point in your life. Choose someone with experience, who you trust, and who has a solid reputation. If you have friends who have recently had homes built, hearing who they used, and the good and the bad related to that, can help you make up your mind. The bank who is handling your mortgage may also be willing to provide the names of some they have experience working with. Once you have a shortlist of who to talk to, you should discuss your plans, get an estimate, and hear what type of schedule you are looking at. You should feel comfortable talking to the builder you choose. A builder can have a great reputation but still not be the best choice for you. Make Smart Choices Whether you are building this with the idea that it will be your forever home or you know you will be moving on eventually, it is important to consider that one day the house will be sold. Make sure that the choices regarding building make sense for your family and situation, but understand that anything particularly niche or extreme will make it more challenging to sell later. There are things you can do that will make the home easier to sell if and when the day comes, and that also make the home more livable for you. Building in compliance with ADA standards, for example, takes nothing away from the home aesthetically but increases comfort and livability. An experienced builder can help guide you with these choices.
