July 3, 2020

Project Management Institute launches UK National Awards 2020

Project Management Institute (PMI) launches UK National Project Awards 2020 including recognition of the UK’s most influential Covid-19 response project PMI UK, in association with PwC, is delighted to announce the 2020 National Project Awards. In addition to eight award categories including; ‘Project of the Year’, ‘PMO of the Year’

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Offsite construction: overcoming the challenges of the building industry

Digitalisation and autonomous processes are propelling the manufacturing industry into a Fourth Industrial Revolution. With technology providing connectivity and data-driven insights  to the manufacturing sector, can it also solve challenges facing the construction industry? Here, Nick Cowley, managing director at window and door supplier to the offsite construction industry, Euramax,

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Sunderland Hotel Plans Going Forward

Proposals for a new hotel, which overlooks Keel Square in Sunderland city centre have moved forward with a deal agreed for the sale of the land for the development. The council has agreed the sale of the land to developer Cairn Group. Plans for the 120-bed Holiday Inn Hotel were

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New Conference and Exhibition Centre Revealed

More details have been revealed on an international conference and exhibition centre set to open at Gateshead Quays in 2023, including new CGI images of the development. The centre will include a 68,000 sq ft pillar free exhibition hall, with the capability to be divided into three smaller halls. Alongside

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Latest Issue
Issue 322 : Nov 2024

July 3, 2020

Seldex promises improved indoor air quality with the Novaerus air disinfection system, tested against SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19.

As the world struggles to navigate back to some kind of normality amid the Covid-19 pandemic, we are turning to innovation to help us solve some of the most pressing concerns around safety at home and in workplaces. Indoor spaces are a particular concern, being 10 times more polluted than outside air and making anywhere people gather inside, a potential risk of rapid airborne infection. Ground-breaking technology that can clean the very air we breathe, is proving to have limitless applications in the wake of Covid-19. Originally designed for use in medical environments, the Novaerus air dis-infection system is now being pioneered in spaces from offices to retailers, restaurants, care homes and schools to aid in protecting workers and clientele from airborne pathogens. Novaerus is an ultra-low energy, plasma technology for air disinfection and is safe to use around even the most vulnerable, continuously, 24 hours a day. “The Covid-19 pandemic has been a life changing event for everyone and has impacted every aspect of daily life. The reality is that airborne pathogens like Coronavirus cannot be dealt with by simply surface cleaning and hand sanitizing.  Air quality needs to also be addressed if people working and interacting in indoor spaces are to be protected,” explains Sam Allcock, Marketing Manager of Seldex, Seldex is dedicated to providing cutting edge technology in the pursuit of improving the quality of indoor air for everyone. The company has partnered with Novaerus, who developed the technology in Ireland and have completed testing in some of the world’s leading laboratories. In independent laboratory studies Novaerus products have been shown to safely and effectively reduce bacteria, viruses, allergens, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter. Some of the viruses and bacteria tested against the Novaerus systems include; SARS, measles, Influenza A, tuberculosis and several strains of Staphylococcus. In the case of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, the NV1050 unit was shown to reduce MS2 bacteriophage by 99.99% in 15 minutes. Seldex supply a range of Novaerus units to suit all indoor spaces (buildings or vehicles) which are portable, simple to use, low-maintenance and highly effective for rapid or continuous infection control, odour mitigation and particle reduction. “Novaerus plasma technology is powerful, yet gentle. With no harmful by-products, it is safe for use around even the most vulnerable,” says Sam Allcock, “We are pleased that the wider application of these products is now being realised, particularly in the fight against Covid 19 and we hope that by supplying these products, we can play our part in helping to keep more UK citizens get back to work safely.”

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Project Management Institute launches UK National Awards 2020

Project Management Institute (PMI) launches UK National Project Awards 2020 including recognition of the UK’s most influential Covid-19 response project PMI UK, in association with PwC, is delighted to announce the 2020 National Project Awards. In addition to eight award categories including; ‘Project of the Year’, ‘PMO of the Year’ and ‘Project Management for Social Good’, PMI is seeking nominations for the UK’s most influential Covid-19 response project.  “We are launching the awards at a particularly challenging time for business and recognise the importance of highlighting the outstanding work that the project profession has undertaken this year, particularly around Covid-19” explains Chris Field, President of PMI UK part of the world’s leading project management professional body “We recognise that working life is changing; our recent Covid-19 survey of the profession in the UK indicates that up to 85% of project managers are working from home during the lockdown period with just under 45% saying that productivity has increased as a result of homeworking”. Jessica Parthezius, Partner at PwC: “We are thrilled to support the PMI UK National Project Awards 2020 providing the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the projects, individuals and teams that have excelled within the project management profession.  These awards and recognition will be a platform to emphasise the value of project management and its contribution to our economy and wider society.” Peter Glynne, PMI UK Project Awards lead, explains: “We had an amazing reaction to our inaugural awards last year, with entries across all categories highlighting fantastic projects up and down the country. It’s a great opportunity to recognise excellence”. “This year we want to recognise the contribution of project management to responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our recent Covid-19 survey of the profession highlights that just under 60% of respondents believe that large scale project management to be absolutely critical to responding to and addressing Covid-19”. The PMI UK National Project Awards are open to any organisation, team or individual, without the need to be a PMI member. Projects can be of any size, type and from any industry. The judges are looking for superior performance through the application of project management;  organisational results and/or positive impacts on the community. To apply to one (or more) of the award categories, please find the eligibility criteria, judging process and key dates here: https://pmi.org.uk/awards2020 Project of the Year [Large Private Enterprise] Project of the Year [Public Sector] Project of the Year [Small & Medium Enterprise] PMO of the Year Project Management for Social Good Early in Career Project Professional of the Year Project Professional of the Year PMI UK Volunteer of the Year Special Project Award: Best UK Covid-19 Response Project (public vote) The deadline date for entries is 25th September 2020 with winners announced at a black-tie gala award ceremony in March 2021. PMI is the world’s leading professional body for those who consider project, program or portfolio management their profession.  Through global advocacy, collaboration, education and research, PMI work to prepare more than three million professionals around the world for the Project Economy: the economy in which work, and individuals, are organised around projects. PMI UK has a thriving, ever-growing community of over 3,000 members welcoming project management practitioners from across industry sectors. PMI UK provide professional development and networking opportunities through events (live and virtual), mentoring and volunteering. For more information or become a member visit www.pmi.org.uk

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Offsite construction: overcoming the challenges of the building industry

Digitalisation and autonomous processes are propelling the manufacturing industry into a Fourth Industrial Revolution. With technology providing connectivity and data-driven insights  to the manufacturing sector, can it also solve challenges facing the construction industry? Here, Nick Cowley, managing director at window and door supplier to the offsite construction industry, Euramax, explains how offsite construction allows building project managers to use the infrastructure of the manufacturing industry to overcome industry challenges. Offsite construction involves fabricating the elements of a building under controlled factory conditions, in a location away from the installation site. This approach takes advantage of the modular building method, where separate units are manufactured individually then brought to site and joined together. The modules of the building include walls, roofs, windows and doors and even entire rooms, such as bathroom pods or contained accommodation units. Offsite construction is increasing in popularity, with the Lloyds Bank annual housebuilding report finding that 68 per cent of housebuilders are investing in modular housing. With its ability to significantly shorten construction time, without compromising building quality, offsite construction has the potential to solve many of the challenges facing the building industry. Boost Productivity The main reasons for productivity difficulties in the building industry can be pinpointed to a lack of technological advancement and inefficient use of time. This has been overcome in the manufacturing industry through digitalised processes and paperless manufacturing. Many manufacturers have discarded their paper trail of information and adopted a seamless digital system, which connects all equipment and processes together. These systems can display real time data for easy monitoring and can synchronise processes to maximise productivity and efficiency. Factory workers now have a stream of data at their fingertips, cutting wasted time searching for information. In contrast, ask someone to describe the equipment of a construction project manager and common answers are likely to include a clipboard, pen and paper. In fact, around 40 per cent of construction companies still use manual recording methods rather than a digital system. This outdated process encourages mistakes and misinterpretation on construction sites, and falls far behind the advanced digital recording and monitoring systems used in the manufacturing industry. Updates to daily reports, punch lists and blueprints can get buried and lost when recorded on paper, meaning keeping track of information is a challenging task. During offsite construction, automated production techniques use advanced robotics that are connected by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in order to manufacture building parts. This allows superior monitoring of production lines, which can be used to streamline processes and keep a clear and comprehensive record, minimising mistakes and reducing production time. The Buildoffsite report found that offsite building can reduce onsite construction time by up to 30 per cent for large buildings, such as office blocks and supermarkets, and 60 per cent for smaller projects, such as schools. Increase profit margins A large number of construction companies operate on the low margin, high volume business model, with margins as low as 1.5 per cent considered a normality. This is largely driven by the fact that low offers win business, so low margins are necessary to survive in the competitive industry. With margins being so low, construction projects are commonly focused on getting the job done as quickly and as cheaply as possible. Setting unreasonably short time frames inevitably has negative repercussions. Pressurised workers can become stressed, which is not only damaging to their mental health, but also increases the chances of disrupting and potentially dangerous mistakes. Unrealistic project deadlines can cause corners to be cut, so work is of a lower quality and health and safety concerns become an afterthought. Building components of the construction project offsite can save money and in turn increase profit margins. Manufacturing facilities can use automated equipment to produce materials faster and require less manual labour. The resourceful manufacturing techniques also mean less supplies are wasted. By only transporting the constructed components to the building site when needed, the probability of damage from weather conditions or onsite equipment is also reduced. It’s important to work with a trusted supplier that can deliver high quality products to ensure a successful modular build project. Euramax is experienced in supplying quality PVCu windows and doors for modular buildings. Offering a range of products that can be transported from the factory and installed in pre-fabricated construction sites across the country, Euramax’s PVCu windows are easy to install, providing a cost effective solution that meets security and energy efficiency requirements. The construction industry is key to UK infrastructure, yet its productivity and profit margins can risk falling behind the fast pace of the manufacturing industry. However, it’s possible to merge the two. Offsite construction allows housebuilders to benefit from industry’s advancements by bringing construction to the manufacturing plant. The use of automated equipment connected to the IIoT enables faster production with a comprehensive digital record — helping boost project productivity and increase profit margins.

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Sunderland Hotel Plans Going Forward

Proposals for a new hotel, which overlooks Keel Square in Sunderland city centre have moved forward with a deal agreed for the sale of the land for the development. The council has agreed the sale of the land to developer Cairn Group. Plans for the 120-bed Holiday Inn Hotel were approved in the latter part of 2019. Final agreements have now been signed with the council, meaning that work can now commence on the four-storey development. The hotel is set to create 130 jobs when it opens its doors next year. Cairn Group’s Richard Warren said: “We’re delighted to be able to push forward with the development of an exciting new addition to the city’s leisure and hospitality portfolio. We are thrilled to be part of regenerating Sunderland and remain committed to investing within the region.” Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, added: “This has been a challenging time for the city, as it has for the UK at large, so it is good to be able to announce a really positive development for Sunderland, and one that demonstrates that we are ready to emerge from this crisis on the front foot and deliver the dynamic city centre our residents want and deserve.” Cairn Group’s £18m Holiday Inn development is being part-funded by Canada Life, a commitment secured by Avison Young, and will create additional accommodation to support an increase in the number of visitors to the city. Simon Beanland, principal and head of investment at Avison Young, Newcastle, said: “This funding commitment by Canada life is another tremendous vote of confidence for the City of Sunderland, following hard on the heels of substantial funding commitments by Legal & General elsewhere in the city.” Building work will get underway over the summer, and it is expected that the hotel will complete by the end of 2021. The hotel will also comprise ground-floor commercial units.

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New Conference and Exhibition Centre Revealed

More details have been revealed on an international conference and exhibition centre set to open at Gateshead Quays in 2023, including new CGI images of the development. The centre will include a 68,000 sq ft pillar free exhibition hall, with the capability to be divided into three smaller halls. Alongside this, there will be a 17,500 sq ft conference hall, 10,500 sq ft of meeting and events spaces with views of the NewcastleGateshead quayside, and a dedicated 14,500 sq ft outdoor events space. The £260m project on Gateshead Quays will also include a 12,500-capacity arena, two hotels with 290 bedrooms, bars, restaurants, and other public spaces. In total, the international conference and exhibition centre would be capable of hosting up to 5,000 delegates. It is expected to create about 2,000 jobs, inject £60m into the regional economy each year, and attract an extra 300,000 visitors to North East. A full planning application has been submitted for the development, to be located between the BALTIC and Sage Gateshead, with a decision expected in autumn 2020. “The Quays development confirms the region’s reputation for world-class events. Gateshead Quays will capitilise on a conferencing demand that the region has been unable to meet and showcase the North East’s strengths to a global audience. The new images show just how unique and special the waterfront site is. An events setting like no other in the UK,” said Councillor Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council. Kerrin MacPhie, head of business events at VisitBritain, added: “The Gateshead Quays development will create a huge opportunity for NewcastleGateshead, increasing its global reach to attract large-scale events from all over the world. This development is great for the business events industry in the UK and shows confidence within the market. “The new centre will provide event planners with an exciting option in an already well-established destination within the business events industry and will have a positive impact on bringing more international associations and incentive groups to the area.” International venue and event management company ASM Global has already been confirmed as the operator for the venue. Global architects’ practice HOK is designing the overall masterplan for the site, international conference and exhibition centre and the 12,500 capacity arena, while AHR Architects is designing the hotel which forms part of the masterplan. The project team also includes project manager and contract administrator Legends International; Lichfields, planning consultant; Gardiner and Theobald, QS; ARUP, structural engineer/ M&E and Vectos for transport planning.

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