New research conducted by YouGov and commissioned by BECG’s new Building Safety Unit, has found that 75% of people believe the government could either have done more (17 percent) or has not done enough (58%) to ensure the removal of flammable cladding from residential buildings since the Grenfell Tower tragedy
Portable test enables testing to take place across 100 UK development sites Tests to be conducted in-house by Keepmoat’s nine regional Health and Safety Business Partners with results available on-site within minutes “The Intelligent Fingerprinting drug testing system is a stand-out product, and adopting it is an easy decision for
Panattoni, the largest industrial developer in Europe, is underway with its second speculative development at Crewe set for completion in Autumn 2021. Winvic Construction have been appointed main contractor to develop the 305,000 sq ft speculative unit and will be starting works on site imminently. Panattoni’s first development on the
Construction business solutions company, Indigo Group, has passed a meticulous review of its services to achieve its Freelance and Contractor Services Association (FCSA) Accreditation for umbrella employment and CIS/self-employed payroll services. The FCSA is the UK’s leading membership organisation that works to raise standards in the temporary labour market by
It’s no secret that malls haven’t been doing well in recent years, with many malls dying due to the rise of online shopping. Nonetheless, people still enjoy visiting a shopping mall in real life when the time is right and the experience itself is pleasant. If you want to keep
Buying a fixer-upper can be extremely tempting since it outlays the perfect opportunity to purchase a house at a much more discounted price than that of a brand-new home. . The opportunity presents itself after the purchase, since you can improve the property and sell at a higher profit once
New research conducted by YouGov and commissioned by BECG’s new Building Safety Unit, has found that 75% of people believe the government could either have done more (17 percent) or has not done enough (58%) to ensure the removal of flammable cladding from residential buildings since the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017. Almost two thirds (64 percent) of people, including 56 percent of Conservative voters, back further Government support for funding to carry out works on any residential building, privately or publicly owned, to bring them in line with current fire safety regulations. This includes the removal of unsafe cladding on buildings under 18 meters, with 63 percent of people believing that the height-based allocation of funding thus far has been unfair. The research also reveals that 62 percent of Londoners think that the cladding scandal has affected public confidence in new build housing, compared to just 40 percent of people in the North of England and 37 percent in the Midlands and Wales. Jennifer Riddell Carpenter, Director of the Building Safety Unit at BECG, commented: “These results demonstrate the scale of the challenge for Government as it addresses the systemic failings in the building control system over multiple decades. The Government’s latest package of support, announced on 10th February, extended the funding to remove cladding from buildings over 18 metres to £5bln, but did not cover buildings beneath this height. “This polling, conducted after the extension of funding was announced, demonstrates that the public remain concerned about the fairness of a scheme that does not cover lower rise buildings whilst supporting further Government funding being made available.” The research has been led by BECG’s new Building Safety Unit, which brings together an award-winning multi-disciplined team, dedicated to providing strategic counsel to clients affected by the fire and building safety agenda across the UK. The Building Safety Unit will provide strategic counsel and leadership to integrated support across crisis communications, specialist resident and community engagement, media relations, communications and government relations. Talking of new Building Safety Unit, BECG CEO Stephen Pomeroy said: “Building safety is one of the most prominent issues facing our clients and the sector. Our dedicated team are expertly placed to help organisations navigate this difficult landscape, providing expert counsel and award-winning communications support.”
Portable test enables testing to take place across 100 UK development sites Tests to be conducted in-house by Keepmoat’s nine regional Health and Safety Business Partners with results available on-site within minutes “The Intelligent Fingerprinting drug testing system is a stand-out product, and adopting it is an easy decision for Keepmoat Homes in light of the significant benefits: non-invasive, easy to use, rapid and accurate!” – Nick Martens, Keepmoat Homes Keepmoat Homes, one of the UK’s top 10 builders of high-quality homes, has started to use fingerprint drug testing across its 100 UK construction sites. The Intelligent Fingerprinting test analyses fingerprint sweat to detect drug use, and will be used by Keepmoat Homes’ Health and Safety Business Partners to manage risk in the area of safety-critical plant operations. Keepmoat Homes will test its building site plant operators – both employees and contractors – who operate safety-critical machinery on the company’s building sites, including cranes, diggers, dumpers, and telehandlers. It takes less than a minute to collect fingerprint sweat samples onto the Intelligent Fingerprinting drug screening cartridge ready for testing. Results are delivered on-site in around ten minutes using the portable reader. Keepmoat was particularly impressed by the Intelligent Fingerprinting system’s shorter window of detection that – at around 16 hours – provides a quick and dignified way of identifying potential drug misuse in the period immediately prior to the test. A positive result indicates recent drug use, and therefore suggests a greater risk of impairment at the time of test. This approach aligns with TUC guidance on drug testing in the workplace. Nick Martens, Health, Safety and Sustainability Director at Keepmoat Homes said: “After looking at all the different drug test approaches available, we felt that the Intelligent Fingerprinting method proved itself as a stand-out technology. Compared with urine and saliva tests, the fingerprint drug testing method is non-invasive, easy-to-use, rapid and accurate. The decision to adopt fingerprint-based testing was an easy decision for the Keepmoat Homes ‘Executive HSS Committee’. We can collect the samples ourselves and manage the entire process in-house, testing at planned intervals and for cause. “We have equipped each of our nine Health and Safety Business Partners who support our regional businesses and cover all of our UK sites, with an Intelligent Fingerprinting reader and supply of test cartridges. They have been trained to use the fingerprint testing approach, so that Keepmoat Homes retains full control over the end-to-end drug testing process. As a result, they will be able to reach any of our 100 UK sites quickly, should a test be required. Due to the system’s portability, samples can be taken from our workers on-site, so there’s no need to lose working hours. We can take a sample very quickly with minimal interruption. “We are also impressed by the robustness of the process. In comparison to urine tests, for example – where facilities need to be provided and monitored to prevent sample tampering – the fingerprint test requires no special preparations. Our regional team of Health and Safety Business Partners don’t need to be medically-trained to carry out the process. We see the fingerprint testing process as transparent. Our employees and sub-contractors need to be able to see and discuss their results there and then with the Health and Safety Business Partner conducting the test. We are really looking forward to putting the fingerprint testing approach to work,” continued Nick Martens. Intelligent Fingerprinting’s Dr Paul Yates added: “during demonstrations, companies are often very surprised and impressed with how simple the fingerprint drug testing process is and how, with simple remote training, anyone can take samples and operate the system. In the pandemic – and beyond – the ability for organisations to take in-house control of drug testing to ensure compliance with their policies and manage risk is increasingly important, yet easily achievable with the Intelligent Fingerprinting approach – just like Keepmoat Homes has decided to do.” Fingerprint-based drug testing – how it works Intelligent Fingerprinting’s drug testing system features a small, tamper-evident drug screening cartridge onto which ten fingerprint sweat samples are collected, in a process which takes less than a minute. The Intelligent Fingerprinting portable analysis unit then reads the cartridge and provides a positive or negative result on-screen for all drugs in the test in ten minutes. An introductory video demonstrating fingerprint-based drug testing in action is available here.
Panattoni, the largest industrial developer in Europe, is underway with its second speculative development at Crewe set for completion in Autumn 2021. Winvic Construction have been appointed main contractor to develop the 305,000 sq ft speculative unit and will be starting works on site imminently. Panattoni’s first development on the Park, a 240,000 sq ft speculatively developed warehouse, was let to NWF Group Plc last year for a 12-year term. Once built, the site is expected to provide around 300 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs, in addition there will be over 70 during the construction phase. The development will add £3 million each year into Crewe’s local economy. Crewe 305 will be one of the biggest speculatively developed building in the town for over a decade. It will be built to BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ and an EPC rating of ‘A’, along with sustainability features such as low energy office lighting and 15% roof lights. It will also have 15m clear internal height, 27 dock doors, five level access doors and a 50m yard with parking for 49 HGVs. It will also have 13,864 sq ft of office space and parking for 213 cars and up to 1.5 MVA of power. Crewe Commercial Park is a significant and established logistics development situated on the A500 dual carriage way, just five minutes’ drive to junction 16 of the M6. The West Coast Mainline runs alongside the site as it approaches Crewe station. Earlier this month, it was confirmed that HS2 will extend to Crewe, transforming connectivity in the region. “After the success of Crewe240, we are delighted to be back on site in Crewe and it is exciting to see construction underway again. This is a well-established logistics location at one of the region’s most sought-after warehousing and distribution centres,” said Dan Burn, Panattoni Development Director. Legat Owen, Burbage Realty and CBRE are the letting agents on the scheme.
Construction business solutions company, Indigo Group, has passed a meticulous review of its services to achieve its Freelance and Contractor Services Association (FCSA) Accreditation for umbrella employment and CIS/self-employed payroll services. The FCSA is the UK’s leading membership organisation that works to raise standards in the temporary labour market by promoting supply chain compliance. To be a fully accredited member, the company had to have its business and financial stability assessed, as well as demonstrating that it complies with the FCSA’s strict codes of compliance – which are some of the most stringent in the industry. The accreditation is reviewed annually to ensure continued compliance and standards. “Achieving this accreditation is a testament to the hard work and dedication that the team here at Indigo Group puts into their work. It was a stringent and in-depth assessment process, and we are over the moon to have passed with flying colours. This is a significant milestone for us a business, as it reaffirms our commitment to our clients as a trusted partner who works to the highest standards in the industry,” commented Ian Cole-Wilkins, CEO of Indigo Group, on the Accreditation award. Gaining this accreditation demonstrates to clients and contractors that Indigo Group is a company that operates the highest industry standards for the protection and benefit of the employment supply chain. “It is fantastic news that The Indigo Group has been able to meet the extremely high standards required to become a fully Accredited Member of the FCSA. It is no mean feat passing our rigorous assessment process. The Indigo Group has proven itself to be a fully compliant business, operating to the gold standard demanded of FCSA member companies and I look forward to continuing working with Ian and his management team to raise standards in our sector,” added Phil Pluck, the FCSA’s Chief Executive. Established in 2007, the Indigo Group is a leading provider of connected and technology-led supply chain assurance solutions. Its services to the sector include digital onboarding, compliance solutions, commercial contracting, outsourced payroll and professional employment solutions. Indigo’s range of services helps its customers and clients meet the commercial, legislative and compliance challenges of an ever-changing business environment.
It’s no secret that malls haven’t been doing well in recent years, with many malls dying due to the rise of online shopping. Nonetheless, people still enjoy visiting a shopping mall in real life when the time is right and the experience itself is pleasant. If you want to keep your mall alive, you need to make the user experience better than ever before. There are many ways to get more people into your mall and improve the experience, but some may be more obvious than others. Whether it’s advanced indoor mapping software or taking advantage of people’s desire for Wi-Fi, there are many tricks you can pull with your design to make your space more attractive to shoppers. Here are 5 ways to design your mall for a seamless shopping experience! 1. Make use of indoor mapping software Modern shopping malls are using interactive maps to improve shopper experience in malls. These maps, usually found at kiosks throughout the mall, are designed to increase shopper efficiency and help people get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Mapping software can show a shopper the most direct route from their location to the store that they desire, making for a more seamless shopping experience and better foot traffic flow overall… there’s nothing worse than a lost shopper standing in the way of other people. This software can also be used to help understand how customers use your mall and what stores they frequently visit. This way, you can make data-informed changes and advertise discounts, sales, and deals in the mall to shoppers as they browse for directions, maximizing your chances of making another sale. 2. Become an entertainment hub The mall is more about the experience rather than a necessity these days. Stores alone are not going to cut it – the mall needs to be a place where people can laugh, relax, dine, drink, shop, and be entertained. Consider cinemas, event spaces, food courts, and other forms of entertainment that could get people walking through those doors. If they’re already in the door, they’re more likely to spend that cash. 3. Use free Wi-Fi hotspots If you’re looking for an easy way to improve people’s experiences and get people in through the door, try putting free Wi-Fi hotspots in your mall. Not only does this make your shoppers happier, but it may encourage people nearby to visit if they’re in need of Wi-Fi. Either way, it’s a relatively cheap and easy addition to make with nothing but upsides. You can also request that people sign up to your email list when logging on, giving you more chances to promote the mall and make a sale via their inbox. 4. Install greenery and water features Sometimes your mall just needs to look nice. In the days of Instagram, making your shopping mall seem visually appealing is definitely a huge advantage. Add some fountains, water features, and greenery into the space, making it more aesthetically pleasing and relaxing for shoppers. The nicer your environment, the more likely they are to return. 5. Make some relaxing areas It doesn’t need to be “shop shop shop” non-stop! Try making some dedicated relaxation areas where guests can get away from the hustle and bustle, sitting down to have a nice quiet moment to themselves. While these areas don’t help you to make money directly, they improve the shopper experience so they’re more likely to return in the near future. Whether you use indoor mapping software or you incorporate relaxing areas into your mall, we hope you find the solution you need to improve the shopping experience for all. Good luck!
Buying a fixer-upper can be extremely tempting since it outlays the perfect opportunity to purchase a house at a much more discounted price than that of a brand-new home. . The opportunity presents itself after the purchase, since you can improve the property and sell at a higher profit once you’ve done the house up, another factor adding to its appeal. However, this easier said than done, and there are many factors worth considering before diving headfirst into a fixer-upper project. Ultimately you want to ensure that you are getting your time and money’s worth when making this purchase. Outlined below you will find a few useful tips that will lead you in the right direction. Research the market One other factor to take into consideration when choosing whether to purchase a fixer-upper is the market in that specific area is to research the market. What is meant by this? Let’s say you are looking for an incredible deal for a fixer-upper in a particular area of Australia. You should do some research into the current and future buying potential/interest for that given area before jumping to make any payments. This is where a good real estate agent would really come in handy, and https://www.top10realestateagent.com.au/ recommends some of the best if you’re in Australia. A real estate agent will be able to tell you if the price value of houses in that area will decrease soon, which let you know whether it’s worth making this purchase. On the other hand, if looking to buy a fixer-upper home in an upmarket residential area, chances are you can probably raise your selling price based on the other luxury homes around you. You can use this information to make your price more affordable in comparison to some of the other brand-new properties for sale. Bargain! Cosmetic improvements Essentially your ideal fixer-upper house would be one that only requires cosmetic improvements, not any drastic foundational ones. These pertain to any interior and exterior damages that require an easy, affordable, fix such as broken windows, peeling paint, patchy walls, faulty door hinges, or missing floor tiles. Such problems can easily be improved with a flick of paint, or with floor replenishes for example. When looking out for cosmetic improvements that need to be done, it’s imperative to know that these don’t include the expensive core/foundational fixes such as replacing a new roof, water systems, electrical rewiring, etc. Taking on the work of replacing such damage is extremely costly, and thus probably isn’t worth the investment. It’s important to be aware of the different rooms in a house that are the most worthwhile to fix, for example, the kitchen. This is often one of the most used spaces in a home, so do check out for things such as easy to replace cupboards and handles, kitchen location, etc. Bathrooms are another particular room that add or decrease value, so make sure to give them a thorough inspection too. The location Ever heard the expression: location is everything? When purchasing a fixer-upper, the purpose of fixing up the home is to resell it at a better/higher value in the future. Location plays a pivotal factor in deciding where to purchase any home for that matter and there are various elements that you should consider when thinking about location, especially when it comes time to sell. Is the house close to schools and supermarkets? Is it conveniently placed within the CBD? Are there effective transport systems close by? Realistically, location not only affects the price value but also the likelihood of your fixer-upper house being bought. Calculate the cost Following on from the previous tip, even if it is simply cosmetic improvements that are necessary when purchasing a fixer-upper and no work is needed to the foundation of the house, the total cost of these improvements should still be calculated as accurately as possible. This allows you to gain a rough estimate of how much needs to be spent in total, and if the purchase is then worthwhile or not. Essentially a fixer-upper will always cost less to purchase than that of a home in perfect selling condition, but it’s still beneficial to gain an idea of just how much extra you will be spending. After purchasing the initial property, you now have to make the fixes and renovations to the house, and according to the Housing Industry Association (HIA), on average buyers end up spending between $40,000 and $200,000 (Australian) on these changes.
