The iconic Grade 1 Lloyd’s building in London isn’t your average tall building. To maintain the 88m tall building with its striking 4,500 linear metres of external stainless steel clad pipework and 12,000 square metres of glazing takes a lot of effort and ingenuity. In September 2020, Lloyd’s, with its
UK residential and commercial property developer Godwin Developments has yesterday (10 March 21) submitted plans for a gateway 336-apartment build-to-rent (BTR) scheme on the edge of Sheffield city centre. Located on the corner of Farm Road and Queens Road and within walking distance to Sheffield Train Station, the development –
North West construction company, HMS, is developing a £23 million housing scheme in Huyton, for growth and regeneration group Torus. Due to start on site in March, the development of two, three and four bedroom homes will dramatically improve the appearance of the part-brownfield site at the front of Knowsley
Multi award-winning industrial and logistics commercial property practice, M1 Agency LLP, has launched a new East Midlands office based in Nottingham. M1 is a niche commercial agency practice, with offices in London and Birmingham, offering specialist business space agency advice across the UK and Europe. They were recognised with investment transaction of the year in 2019 and best industrial development scheme of the year in 2018, along
The rollout of a new data-sharing agreement between the Common Assessment Standard providers means the benefits of qualifying for and specifying the scheme are greater than ever. CHAS, Managing Director Ian McKinnon explains more. What is the Common Assessment Standard? Since its launch in 2019, the Common Assessment Standard has
The idea that you could put up a skyscraper in as little as two weeks seems a little far-fetched, especially from the UK perspective, where most building projects drag on for years. But according to industry-leading consulting firms, such as McKinsey, it might be possible. The basic idea goes something
CEMEX has announced that it is investing US$25 million in a new system to replace fossil fuels at its Rugby cement plant in the United Kingdom, as part of its “Future in Action” program to achieve carbon neutrality. The new system, which incorporates the use of green hydrogen in the
National construction charity Band of Builders has teamed up with professional tools brand DEWALT in a partnership that will provide help and support to tradespeople impacted by illness, injury or financial crisis across the UK. Band of Builders (BoB) is a registered charity that aids members of the construction industry when times get
Purchasing and installing a new boiler is one of the biggest expenses that you can undertake as a homeowner. However, a majority of people prefer not to look into a boiler replacement because of the price of a new boiler. But if your boiler is old and worn out, then
The iconic Grade 1 Lloyd’s building in London isn’t your average tall building. To maintain the 88m tall building with its striking 4,500 linear metres of external stainless steel clad pipework and 12,000 square metres of glazing takes a lot of effort and ingenuity. In September 2020, Lloyd’s, with its partner Arup, commenced the annual survey of the external façade of the Lloyd’s building, aimed at identification of any defects, particularly in those hard to reach places, that require remediation. In previous years, this has been done using rope access (abseiling), however this year for the first time, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV/done) were used for 80% of the survey. Abseiling isn’t completely eliminated. Arup anticipate that 20% of the façade will still require a “hands-on” examination. Russell Cole, Leader of Façades UK at Arup said: “Arup is using VirtuLabs for the UAV flying. Essentially, a façade engineer from Arup will be viewing the screen of the drone operator and directing him. Our two engineers, Graeme DeBrincat and Mitchell Campton, will work in partnership with VirtuLabs to undertake the detailed inspection of the captured data of the façade.” Terry Blacker, Senior Manager, Facilities at Lloyd’s said: “The use of drones to survey our building has reduced the risk from abseiling and saved time and cost. The results are excellent. The fact that a Lloyd’s Lab alumni created the insurance policies to allow this to happen also makes us very proud.” The Lloyd’s Building is one of the first UAV façade surveys undertaken in the City of London and Lloyd’s themselves have enabled this innovative approach to take place. Flock, an insurtech start-up which was a part of the Lloyd’s Lab in 2019, pioneered a flexible insurance product with integrated third parties and invasion of privacy cover has allowed commercial UAV equipment to be used for this type of work. There are also strict rules in place, such as the type of drone being used which must always be in line of sight and have a predesigned automated flight plan. This is unchartered territory for Lloyd’s and the City of London as well. VirtuLabs needed CAA approval and NATS clearance. Road and pavement closure permits from the Corporation of London were also required when flying over the public realm. Finally, Arup will use the images from the drone flights to undertake the inspection of the captured images and update the existing 3D virtual maintenance model of this unique heritage asset. This digital building and conditional information model is a unique and project specific interactive tool called Arup Inspect 3D which records not only conditional observations and any change over time but also captures planned maintenance and remediation activities through the life cycle of a building or asset.
UK residential and commercial property developer Godwin Developments has yesterday (10 March 21) submitted plans for a gateway 336-apartment build-to-rent (BTR) scheme on the edge of Sheffield city centre. Located on the corner of Farm Road and Queens Road and within walking distance to Sheffield Train Station, the development – named The Meridian – proposes the creation of one, two and three-bedroom modern open-plan apartments, 94 of which will include private balconies. The contemporary 23-storey building will incorporate a substantial amount of flexible ground floor space to provide residents’ facilities such as a concierge reception, co-working spaces, residents’ lounge and a gym, as well as extensive cycle storage and car parking. It will also feature a landscaped roof garden available exclusively to residents and will be complemented by a new external plaza fronting onto Queens’ Road. The Meridian, a major residential development in the Sheffield Midland Station and Sheaf Valley Development Masterplan, will contribute significantly to the housing requirements of central Sheffield. The scheme will support the regeneration of this important part of the city, also improving public spaces through landscaping and design, attracting significant economic, social and environmental benefits to Sheffield and promoting its reputation as a leading national destination. James Mulcare, head of residential capital markets at Godwin Developments, said: “We are really pleased to have reached this key milestone in the delivery of our ambitious BTR scheme in Sheffield. The Meridian is a forward-looking development designed around the requirements and lifestyles of city centre residents. Today more than ever they need their home to be a multifunctional place – not only for living but also for working, relaxing and socialising. That is why the building’s design emphasises wellbeing, light, quality materials and finish, as well as access to private and shared outdoor space and community focused amenities – all within easy access of the nearby transport, parks, culture and entertainment. “By understanding and delivering to residents’ aspirations we are seeking to create highly desirable Build-to-Rent schemes across key UK regional markets – building homes in both urban and suburban hotspots and generating positive outcomes for investors, local communities and economies alike.” The Meridian will redevelop a prominently located 1.1-acre brownfield site, which has been vacant for many years. Once complete, the scheme will be situated just a five-minute walk from Sheffield’s Midland Station and a ten-minute walk from the city centre including Sheffield’s main shopping and entertainment districts, with parks, outdoor spaces, and both Universities also nearby. The location is currently easily accessible by road and public transport, with proposed walking, cycling and tram routes expected to enhance sustainable mobility in the near future. Ketan Patel, senior development manager at Godwin Developments, added: “We have worked closely with the planning department at Sheffield City Council since we acquired this highly prominent site last year. We extend our sincere thanks for their support and guidance to-date, resulting in the creation of a clean and stylish design that celebrates quality, detail and craftsmanship with a simple but effective execution of brick and glass. In doing so we believe we have created a building of distinction and sense of place that adds positively to the city’s skyline and sets the benchmark for revitalised public spaces. “The Meridian will also be an environmentally responsible development, shaped with low energy design principles in mind and supported by a range of strategies to naturally reduce its carbon footprint over time. “The proposal has been prepared by local architects Bond Bryan whose vision and expertise have been essential in delivering a scheme of exceptional standard. Our extended leading consultant team include planning specialists Urbana Town Planning, cost advisors Rider Levett Bucknall and engineers HSP Consulting.” Bond Bryan associate, Tomasz Romaniewicz, commented: “We are delighted to be supporting Godwin Developments in preparing the design for The Meridian in what will be a contemporary and robust BTR product for the Sheffield market – and one which supports and promotes a new lifestyle choice. The resilience of BTR has been highlighted during the pandemic; with the UK investment hitting a new record high in 2020, The Meridian will undoubtedly form an essential component within the next chapter of the Sheffield City Centre.” News of the submission follows Godwin’s recent planning success for its suburban BTR scheme in Doncaster, which will see the creation of 60 BTR homes, as well as planning approval for two residential schemes in Nottingham which will provide 102 family homes. For more information about Godwin Developments, visit www.godwindevelopments.co.uk.
North West construction company, HMS, is developing a £23 million housing scheme in Huyton, for growth and regeneration group Torus. Due to start on site in March, the development of two, three and four bedroom homes will dramatically improve the appearance of the part-brownfield site at the front of Knowsley Lane and Astley Road and provide local people with an affordable way to step onto the property ladder through the popular Rent to Buy scheme. The 131-unit project will be HMS’ largest to date and builds on the organisation’s successful completion of award-winning projects such as the restoration of the Grade ll listed Tobacco Factory, Ogden’s, in Everton and Notre Dame – its landmark scheme in Walton, Liverpool. Demonstrating HMS’ ability to build widely recognised developments and upscale quickly, this scheme is expanding its construction portfolio, seeing the company take on larger scale projects. Due to complete in 2023, this development contributes to HMS’ growth plans and goal of building 200 units per annum by 2020/21. Upscaling not only its construction activity, but investment in local communities, as all commercial profits generated from this development will be reinvested in meaningful social projects. Discussing the project, HMS’ Construction Director, John Barrow, said: “In recent years, we have actively been focusing on growing our construction activities and have already completed a number of high-profile projects across the North West. “Growing both the size and scale of our construction activities has prepared us to undertake this latest build and along with the increase in activity, comes an uplift in our financial and social investment in Huyton’s local community. “As an organisation, we reinvest 100% of our commercial profits into social projects and with the ongoing impacts of Coronavirus seeing a decline in employment opportunities across the region, we will actively create training opportunities on site to support the regeneration and growth of the local economy.” Continuing, Director of Development & Sales at Torus Developments, Steve Alcock, said: “As a Group, Torus is committed to investing into the growth of communities across the North West and working with contractor partners that share that those values. “This is one of ten projects currently onsite with HMS and the largest to date. We’re delighted to be working with HMS on the development, assisting with their expansion as a new home builder of scale. This latest scheme will build on the Group’s investment in Knowsley, following the completion of our Extra Care scheme, The Maples, and will further bolster access to affordable housing in the area.
Multi award-winning industrial and logistics commercial property practice, M1 Agency LLP, has launched a new East Midlands office based in Nottingham. M1 is a niche commercial agency practice, with offices in London and Birmingham, offering specialist business space agency advice across the UK and Europe. They were recognised with investment transaction of the year in 2019 and best industrial development scheme of the year in 2018, along with various other credits from Costar for leading transactional volumes. The business continues to perform well having recently sold a site recently for £92 million on the M1 and advised on a £310 million development funding in the West Midlands, reinforcing their strong market position Its new East Midlands office will be led by local team of Matthew Smith and James Keeton, who have both left JLL to join M1 Agency at a very exciting time for the business. The agency’s new East Midlands office will operate across a range of commercial sectors with key instructions within industrial and logistics across the region including HBD’s 39-acre New Horizon scheme, Verdant Regeneration’s 200-acre site, as well as advising on major office schemes. M1 in Nottingham will also support student and strategic development alongside unrivalled development funding and investment expertise. Matthew has left his role as Head of the JLL Nottingham office, while James leaves his position as a Director in its Agency team, to lead M1’s new East Midlands offering. Richard Moffitt, Partner at M1 Agency, comments: “We have been looking to expand the operational coverage and expertise within the East Midlands and further north following a period of highly successful growth. Matthew and James are two of the highest profile agents with a proven track record within that market place and with the opening of a new office now it will give us the ideal platform to strengthen our position and drive forward our continued growth within these markets.” Matthew said: “We’re thrilled to be joining M1 at such a pivotal time for the business, opening a new office to enhance and expand the strength of advice the agency is known for nationally. “This is a really exciting new venture for James and I. M1 Agency are a recognised agency and consultancy practice with an excellent client base. They bring together a powerful brand and team that we are delighted to now be part of.” James added: “With a focus on leasing, development funding and investment, M1 Agency are a highly successful and agile business that deliver both the platform and expertise to grow. We will be combining our respective clients bases to create a new and successful East Midlands office for the business. Having worked together for over 15 years, Mat and I are now raring to go on this next career chapter.” M1 Agency East Midlands will operate from a new Nottingham office, building on a great business, offering agency services, development funding and investment advice across the East Midlands and North.
The rollout of a new data-sharing agreement between the Common Assessment Standard providers means the benefits of qualifying for and specifying the scheme are greater than ever. CHAS, Managing Director Ian McKinnon explains more. What is the Common Assessment Standard? Since its launch in 2019, the Common Assessment Standard has fast become the construction industry’s gold standard for prequalification. Led by Build UK, with the support of CECA, the scheme has been designed to replace multiple assessment schemes with one comprehensive industry-agreed questionnaire, based on existing prequalification questionnaires, including PAS 91. Previously the PQ system was complex and repetitive, with an estimated 180,000 specialist contractors required to produce over two million pieces of paper every year for 5,000 contractors at a cost of up to £1 billion. The Common Assessment Standard cuts through this inefficiency while helping the industry manage risk across a wider range of criteria such as sustainability, modern slavery and financial performance. Who specifies the Common Assessment Standard? As the Common Assessment standard is resetting a long-established system, a phased approach is being taken to its rollout. This allows companies to adopt the Common Assessment Standard at a time that suits them; however, it has already gained strong support from both the public and private sectors. The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) requires that contractors appointed to its seven-year framework assess their supply chains using the Common Assessment Standard, and it is expected to feature in the details of the Government’s new Construction Playbook. The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) also supports the scheme. Many major contractors have also moved swiftly to specifying the new standard, with this figure expected to rise now that the data-sharing agreement is in place. What’s the relevance of the data-sharing agreement? CHAS was the first accreditation body to offer the Common Assessment Standard in 2019 via the CHAS Premier and CHAS Premier Assured packages. Although contractors could now take the assessment with other approved assessment bodies, the data-sharing agreement means the details of everyone who passes the assessment can be accessed via any of the providers, regardless of which assessment body carries out the audit. For CHAS contractors, this means they only need to complete the Common Assessment Standard once a year with CHAS to qualify for a wide range of work rather than having to sign up to multiple schemes – saving time and money. Meanwhile, clients looking for pre-qualified contractors simply specify the Common Assessment Standard to find contractors accredited to a single, consistent industry-agreed standard. Clients can access a database of these contractors via the services of any of the assessment bodies – such as the free CHAS Client Portal. Why choose CHAS? As well as being the founder of third party accreditation and a trusted authority on supply chain risk management, CHAS is renowned for providing a friendly and efficient service and high customer satisfaction levels. CHAS contractors receive additional benefits such as access to e-learning resources, discounted fuel and shopping schemes and business insurance. CHAS is also committed to helping contractors who are not yet ready to complete the Common Assessment Standard to work towards higher levels of accreditation. Meanwhile, it is free, quick and easy for clients to sign up to the CHAS Client Portal where they will also find a suite of complimentary supply chain management and procurement tools. How can you find out more? To find out more about qualifying for, or specifying, the Common Assessment Standard, visit www.chas.co.uk or call 0345 521 9111
The idea that you could put up a skyscraper in as little as two weeks seems a little far-fetched, especially from the UK perspective, where most building projects drag on for years. But according to industry-leading consulting firms, such as McKinsey, it might be possible. The basic idea goes something like this: you construct big pieces of buildings in a factory at high speed. You then ship them out to construction sites and use cranes to lift them into position. Then it’s just a matter of slotting everything together, like Lego. There is very little manual work to be done on the ground. And the tasks that do exist are predictable and repetitive, increasing efficiency. A company called Broad Group operating out of China already put this business model into practice. The firm currently has some world record-breaking feats under its belt, including the building of a fifteen-storey hotel in less than a week. And now it plans to roll out its business model to more parts of the world. The benefits of the firm’s approach are considerable. It potentially means that the economy can become a lot more flexible. If you can throw up a large building in just a few days, city centres don’t actually have to remain in the same geographic location. You could, essentially, create new centres in a matter of months, and shift people around, according to the need. Even more excitingly, you might actually be able to reuse buildings. Instead of leaving large tower blocks vacant, you could simply deconstruct them with cranes and then put them up, piece by piece, somewhere else. Challenges Facing Today’s Infrastructure Industry The challenges facing today’s infrastructure industry are considerable. As a whole, the sector is underperforming, failing to bring new technologies onboard to improve the rate at which buildings go up. Health and safety are improving all the time, but the pace of technological innovation is slowing. Companies like Broad Group are trying to change that by rethinking the construction process. Instead of getting an architect to design every building project from scratch, they’re offering templates that commercial investors can just buy and erect in a few weeks, getting people renting properties in as little as seven days. The problem with the industry at the moment, though, is the mindset. Construction managers assume that there’s just “one way to do things,” and that technology doesn’t have the power to change the industry. Now that flat-pack building concepts are getting off the ground, though, the old ways of working can’t last. It’s just so much cheaper to get a factory to assemble buildings in pieces and then ship them to the site instead of workers doing all the fabrication on the ground. The construction industry is inherently forward-thinking. Once a building goes up, the consequences last for decades – perhaps hundreds of years. So the challenge is to create buildings that can adapt to changing times. And that’s precisely what the modular approach offers. How Can The Industry Change Its Thinking? The construction industry, though, isn’t going to change overnight. This massive component of GDP comprises tens of thousands of companies and few communally-accepted standards. Perhaps the biggest impetus for change is what’s currently happening in the developing world. Cities are growing at their fastest rates in history, doubling in size every ten years or so. New accommodation needs to go up and long-term planning needs to take place. But old construction methods are low and lack responsiveness. City planners require better solutions. Perhaps the best approach is to make the entire city more modular, allowing buildings to go up quickly, without damage to the surrounding land and environment. How Antiquated Is Construction Industry Technology? While there are some innovators in construction, they are relatively few and far between. The vast majority of companies are doing things the way they’ve always been done, updating their methods every twenty years or so. In today’s fast-paced world, the opportunity cost of this slow and steady approach is considerable. There are now so many incredible technologies out there that ignoring them seems like a tragic waste. The construction industry could transform itself overnight if it chose to do so. Even today with all the modern technologies at our collective disposal, it can still take more than five years to complete a skyscraper. You would hope that the process would happen more rapidly than that. But due to reliance on old-fashioned technology and regulations, time horizons continue to stretch. What’s strange about this is that the rate at which we construct buildings is actually slowing down. The 370-metre Empire State Building took just 13 months to build in the 1930s. But a similar downtown Manhattan skyscraper today takes more like 60 months because of all the inefficiencies and rules. What’s The Alternative In The West? The alternative seems to be just what companies like Broad Group are proposing. Given the obsession with health and safety in the modern world, companies need to develop efficient ways of dealing with it quickly. That’s why constructing buildings to set templates in factors and then constructing them in the real world is such a game-changer. You’re no longer relying on a site-by-site adherence to policies. Instead, you’re getting most of that out of the way at the factory itself, covering all bases predictably. You’re then just assembling the project in a few days on the ground before fitting it out methodically. Why Are Sustainable Skyscrapers Important? New flat-pack skyscrapers also offer an opportunity to make cities more sustainable. Construction companies are increasingly paying attention to things like recycled materials, air quality and energy conservation. But completing a regular skyscraper comes with tremendous external costs. Construction companies foul the air and use virgin materials because the costs of recycling are too high. Factory production, however, eliminates many of these problems. Construction companies can produce building elements inside, cutting the needs for sawing, drilling and heavy machinery throwing out dust on-site. And they can take full control
CEMEX has announced that it is investing US$25 million in a new system to replace fossil fuels at its Rugby cement plant in the United Kingdom, as part of its “Future in Action” program to achieve carbon neutrality. The new system, which incorporates the use of green hydrogen in the production process, is expected to be fully operational in June 2021. Once completed, it will have the capability to operate at 100% with alternative fuels. This important investment is designed to reduce the site’s consumption of fossil fuels. CEMEX is one of the largest contributors to the circular economy and a leader in using alternative fuels with over 60% use across its European operations, significantly higher than the industry average. In the UK, CEMEX also obtains 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. The project, which is part of a US$100 million investment program in the UK that has contributed towards reducing CO2 emissions from European operations by 35% from 1990 levels, 10 years ahead of its global business target, is instrumental towards reaching its commitment of at least 55% CO2 reduction in European operations by 2030, in line with the European Commission´s aspiration for all its member states. “We believe that this very significant investment in this upgraded facility supports CEMEX’s position to minimise the use of fossil fuels for both environmental and economic reasons. It will enable the Rugby plant to consistently operate with up to 100% alternative fuels, which will contribute to our climate action targets,” said Sergio Menendez, President of CEMEX Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia.
National construction charity Band of Builders has teamed up with professional tools brand DEWALT in a partnership that will provide help and support to tradespeople impacted by illness, injury or financial crisis across the UK. Band of Builders (BoB) is a registered charity that aids members of the construction industry when times get tough through hands-on support, as well as providing help and advice through its extensive online community. The organisation was founded by tradesman Addam Smith in 2016 to assist his friend and fellow builder, Keith Ellick, after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Addam recruited volunteers from around the country to ensure that the home renovations Keith had originally commenced were completed for his family. Since then, the charity has undertaken numerous projects throughout England, Scotland and Wales to support trade professionals facing adversity or hardship. “We’re excited to welcome DEWALT as a partner this year. Having the backing of a global brand in this way will undoubtedly strengthen our profile and drive awareness on a larger scale than ever before. Our aim is to reach as many construction workers across the country as possible and having DEWALT championing our cause will enable us to communicate our message to a significantly larger audience. Most importantly, it will also allow us to help a greater number of beneficiaries over the coming months and years,” said Gavin Crane, chair of the Board of Trustees at Band of Builders. “The pandemic has hampered many of our fundraising activities and projects over the last twelve months, with countless events postponed or cancelled. With DEWALT’s support, we will be able to resume work almost immediately, and our goal is to complete many more projects throughout 2021.” As part of the collaboration, DEWALT will supply tools and equipment for volunteers to use during construction or renovation projects, and the company will also engage in a programme of activities throughout the year to raise vital funds and drive awareness of the charity’s essential work. “We are passionate about supporting the professional trade community and are eager to start work with Band of Builders – a hugely inspiring charity that is run by tradespeople, for tradespeople. This partnership is an important opportunity for DEWALT to give back to individuals within the industry who have backed our brand for many years. Our teams are extremely keen to participate on a personal level, to boost awareness and fundraising efforts, and provide a helping hand to professionals through the toughest of times,” Chris Wayne, group marketing manager at DEWALT, added.
Purchasing and installing a new boiler is one of the biggest expenses that you can undertake as a homeowner. However, a majority of people prefer not to look into a boiler replacement because of the price of a new boiler. But if your boiler is old and worn out, then getting a new one is a no-brainer. This means that you will have to put some money to the side for you to afford it. Experts at iHeat confirm it. You can save more by making a simple decision today rather than postponing the inevitable. A new boiler will not only serve you better but will also allow you to enjoy your home even more. So, how can you afford a new boiler? Here’s how to do it: Put money aside If you feel like your boiler is getting to the end of its lifespan, it may be time to make some gradual savings. Do not ignore problems with your boiler until it’s broken down and dysfunctional. If this happens then it will be impossible to get a new boiler, especially if you are on a tight budget at home. However, putting money aside now means that you can afford the boiler at the end of the year. Before setting your savings to the side, go on a research spree to find out the prices that you are looking at. Do not purchase the first boiler that you come across. Take time to shop for boiler prices as well as suppliers. By doing it this way, you are bound to save a boiler that fits your needs and your budget. Go for boiler finance Boiler financing is just like financing a car or washing machine. It means that you can have your boiler installed without paying an upfront cost. Unfortunately, a majority of people are unaware of this option and try to pay for a new boiler out of pocket. The good news is that there is an array of financing options to choose from. Take time in examining your options as well as the interest rates that are associated with the financing options. By choosing boiler finance, you will make the most of a brand new boiler without having to fully pay for it right off the bat. When Should You Get a New Boiler? If your boiler is still functioning well, then there is no need to consider a new one. However, if you are constantly paying someone to come and carry out repairs then it could be a good time to invest in a boiler. Also, if your current boiler system is not giving you control over your heating systems (for example, your heater control can no longer be adjusted), a new boiler will improve your family’s comfort. Bottom Line If you are looking to buy a new boiler and replace your old one, the aforementioned tips will help you afford it. Do not forget to do your research as it will help you find the perfect boiler for you. Once you’ve carried out your due diligence and purchased the boiler of your choice, you can invest in a boiler cover that will come in handy whenever repairs are needed.
