The government has been warned that it faces a major public backlash if it attempts to use an increase in domestic gas prices as a way of forcing homeowners to buy expensive low carbon heating appliances in own homes. A consultation is due to launch shortly which is believed will
Providing for the demand for industrial-chic office interiors, F. Ball and Co. Ltd.’s Stopgap 800 Wearcoat has helped to create a stripped-back warehouse feel with a visually striking floor finish in a unique London workspace. A self-levelling floor compound for upgrading and renovating new and existing internal floors in light
The UK’s hydrogen transition must comply with global gold-standard sustainability benchmarks, say GB gas network companies. The call comes ahead of World Environment Day on Saturday 5 June. The companies responsible for building the UK’s hydrogen economy should do so in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all
Sport England estimates that inactivity causes one in six deaths and costs the NHS approximately £1 billion per year. With UK sport and leisure facilities now reopening their doors, we need to consider who is using these facilities and what barriers they face. GT3 Architects, a leading architecture firm specialising
Yorkshire construction company, Harris CM has started work on a £3.4million contract to build a major new industrial development on part of the former Kellingley Colliery in Knottingley near Wakefield. The scheme will offer 11 high specification units that range from 3,000 sq ft to 4,000 sq ft and is
Even before the pandemic, every business needed to take a strategic approach to communications, and the Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) has always promoted clear and concise communication. With many disputes that arise within the construction industry being due to poor or ambiguous communication, director at Sypro and NEC4 co-author,
As a part of our ongoing commitment to reduce emissions across our businesses and to be at the forefront of the energy transition in our sector, the Sureserve Group are pleased to announce that our first batch of fully electric commercial vehicles will be on the roads in June. The investment
With SMEs most at risk according to industry experts While the UK construction sector has been one of lesser impacted industries in the pandemic, it is being hit by another ever-growing malaise – theft of plant machinery is at an all-time high according to new research. Since shocking statistics revealed
The government has been warned that it faces a major public backlash if it attempts to use an increase in domestic gas prices as a way of forcing homeowners to buy expensive low carbon heating appliances in own homes. A consultation is due to launch shortly which is believed will propose an increase to gas prices to encourage consumers to ditch their gas boiler in favour of an electric alternative, such as a heat pump. However, a new survey of homeowners has found that the public is adamantly opposed to this approach, with predictions of a public backlash made by some senior politicians, highly likely. It has found that four in ten voters (40%) would be ‘less likely to vote’ for a Government that announced an increase in the price of gas as a way of encouraging people to switch from boiler to heat pumps. In an added twist, nearly eight in ten (76%) would support reducing VAT on domestic gas, something that was promised by senior Ministers during the Brexit campaign, as European Union rules on VAT no longer apply. Mike Foster, Chief Executive of the Energy and Utilities Alliance who commissioned the online research of 2,000 homeowners, says a move to increase levies on the price of gas would be a kick in the teeth of hard-pressed consumers who are still smarting over the breach of trust around VAT not being cut. “During the referendum campaign people were promised that, if we came out of Europe, we would be able to set our own levels of VAT on domestic fuel and that this would allow the government to reduce VAT and effectively cut fuel bills. They have been let down. But to make matters worse, Whitehall officials are now planning to force the price of gas up, to encourage consumers to rip out their gas boiler in favour of a £10,000 heat pump. Some politicians get it. Others need to start taking back control from Whitehall officials who are planning to make politicians look ridiculous. Far from cutting gas bills, they are set to increase. It will be a gross breach of trust and a very reckless political move for any political party to make.” Gas is currently the most popular fuel for heating, hot water and cooking in UK homes with more 21 million households on the mains gas network. “I would remind the government that gas users are also voters. 21 million households on the gas grid, the majority of which are multi-occupancy, equates to a huge number of voters who are the recipients of heat and hot water from a boiler. The reaction from the public when the energy companies put up their prices should act as a warning to Ministers,” says Mr Foster. The research also reveals that whilst the public support efforts to combat climate change, nearly three quarters would prioritise fuel poverty over action on climate change. “I believe the public supports efforts to deal with the climate crisis but not at the expense of plunging more people into fuel poverty. If the government does force up the price of gas, it is vital that the fuel poor are supported. And if a carbon levy is placed on gas, let’s ring-fence the proceeds to make sure they are used to incentivise the investment in the hydrogen economy the government is keen to talk about.” Mr Foster concludes: “Yes, we have to deal with the climate emergency, but the public wants a thought-through strategy not a knee-jerk tweaking of gas prices that will impact the poorest in society and do nothing to encourage the uptake of low carbon heating technologies.”
Providing for the demand for industrial-chic office interiors, F. Ball and Co. Ltd.’s Stopgap 800 Wearcoat has helped to create a stripped-back warehouse feel with a visually striking floor finish in a unique London workspace. A self-levelling floor compound for upgrading and renovating new and existing internal floors in light to heavy-duty applications, Stopgap 800 Wearcoat is designed to deliver a standalone wearing surface in industrial settings where floorcoverings are not required to be installed. It is also popular for domestic and commercial projects because of its eye-catching, natural appearance, and it has been used by contractors from M.D.A. Contracts Ltd. to create a hard-wearing floor in the reception, coffee bar and flexible work area at Expressway, a community of business suites underneath Silvertown Way flyover, adjacent to the Royal Docks. M.D.A. Contracts Ltd. Managing Director, Glenn Alexander, explains the choice: “The client’s brief was an easy-to-maintain, modern, concrete look that would stand the test of time. They’d originally requested a pumped screed, but due to height restrictions, we suggested Stopgap 800 Wearcoat instead as it’s trowel applied and it’s the only product out there that gives a polished concrete look.” Upon arrival, old carpet tiles and adhesive residues had already been removed, revealing a sound, and smooth concrete substrate. Dust and debris were then cleared, before a moisture test was carried out, the results of which showed relative humidity levels were below 75%. This allowed the contractors to proceed without the requirement of a waterproof surface membrane to prevent potential floor failure. The concrete subfloor was then primed with two dilute coats of F. Ball’s Stopgap P131 general purpose primer, which is designed to prevent the unacceptably rapid drying of subsequently applied Stopgap levelling compounds and promote their adhesion to the substrate. Following this, the application of Stopgap 800 Wearcoat commenced in the 130m2 space. Owing to the removal of internal walls to create a larger reception, the product had to be applied at varying depths between 5-8mm. A spiked roller was used to eliminate entrapped air and smooth out flow lines to give a more uniform surface appearance. After the levelling compound had cured, contractors returned to seal the floor for its protection and to enable easy cleaning and maintenance. Glenn Alexander added: “The client was over the moon with the final result. They had envisaged a standard, monotone floor, so they were surprised to see the character and depth of the colour and patterns — they fell in love with it. “We use only F. Ball products for several reasons, including the fact that they are guaranteed if there are any issues, and the support you get from their team – you’ve got a trusted manufacturer you know you can rely on.”
The UK’s hydrogen transition must comply with global gold-standard sustainability benchmarks, say GB gas network companies. The call comes ahead of World Environment Day on Saturday 5 June. The companies responsible for building the UK’s hydrogen economy should do so in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all five of Britain’s gas network companies have said today, as they published a new joint commitment to them. The call comes as industry awaits the publication of the UK Government’s Hydrogen Strategy, which will set out how the country will build the foundations for a hydrogen economy to reach the country’s 2050 Net Zero target. Many experts see hydrogen as an adaptable alternative to fossil fuels. When hydrogen is burned it produces no greenhouse gases. Hydrogen blended with natural gas also has the potential to be delivered and used in the same way as natural gas, reducing carbon emissions. If a 20% hydrogen blend were rolled out across the country it could save around 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, the equivalent of taking 2.5 million cars off the road. Published as part of Energy Networks Association’s Gas Goes Green programme, ‘A Joint Commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals’ sets out how the companies are fulfilling their shared commitments to delivering the SDGs, as they manage 284,000km of gas pipelines that supply energy to 85% of homes across Great Britain. The report includes 2021 commitments from the companies to: Reduce fuel poverty amongst their customers, by supporting them in accessing affordable energy (SDG 7 – Affordable & Clean Energy) Continue to work towards ensuring their organisations better reflect the communities they serve (SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth). Reduce waste and support sustainable consumption across their businesses and supply chains, working towards a truly ‘less but better’ circular economy (SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production). Work towards the UK’s goal of Net Zero by 2050, including through the Gas Goes Green programme and gas network innovation projects (SDG 13 – Climate Action). Transition to low carbon vehicles fleets and help drive the decarbonisation of freight and heavy transport (SDG 13 – Climate Action). “For the companies who will deliver the UK’s hydrogen economy, the UN Sustainable Development Goals provide the ethical backbone for how they go about that.“Converting our safe and reliable gas network to green gases like hydrogen and biomethane will not only reduce our carbon emissions, it will also help build a more sustainable and responsible energy system, both for the people we serve and the people we employ. Today’s report sets out the steps the UKs gas networks will take to do that.” Commenting, Energy Networks Association’s Gas Goes Green champion, Chris Train says:
Sport England estimates that inactivity causes one in six deaths and costs the NHS approximately £1 billion per year. With UK sport and leisure facilities now reopening their doors, we need to consider who is using these facilities and what barriers they face. GT3 Architects, a leading architecture firm specialising in sports and leisure, has undertaken a research piece as part of its Inclusive Design series to dig deeper into the issues people face when visiting leisure centres. “As people architects, we believe that a fundamental part of our role is understanding, anticipating, and designing for the needs of our users” says Paul Reed, associate director and head of sports and leisure at GT3. “This means not only ensuring existing, active users are engaged, but also creating exciting, beautiful, and well-balanced facilities to support underrepresented groups and demographics who don’t currently feel catered for at sports and leisure facilities. At present, leisure centres only cater to 16% of the population so these issues need to be addressed if we are to get more people active. “Our Inclusive Design series forms part of a wider research and development push led by a team of architects, interior designers and engagement specialists. For our first project, we looked specifically at caregivers of young children – this was defined as any adult who had experience taking a young child to a leisure centre. “We discovered that 85% of caregivers surveyed find it incredibly difficult to deal with the challenges of a leisure centre – such as where to put a child while you get changed or how to get into the pool safely if your child cannot stand by themselves – particularly when alone. “59% of people surveyed said they are usually the only adult responsible for their child or children during a visit and the word ‘stressful’ was used frequently, with caregivers feeling that the experience is more difficult than they would like. “Encouragingly, 58% of people surveyed would like to visit a leisure centre more often. We believe that if facilities were designed with caregivers in mind, they would use the facilities more, increasing both their own and their children’s exposure to water and/or fitness activities.” According to the 2018/19 Active Lives Children and Young People Survey by Sport England, it was estimated that only 46% of the nation’s children are meeting the recommended level of activity. This has dropped even further with Covid-19 restrictions to just 19% of children being active for 60 mins per day. Paul continued: “It is critical to identify the barriers faced by users and ensure that any design meets the physical, mental, and social needs of caregivers. “By including a few simple additions – such as safe parking and access to the facility, a waiting area in reception, clear wayfinding, buggy stores near the changing rooms, and considered family changing rooms – it can have a massive impact on how caregivers use the space and ultimately create an improved experience. “Design is more than just shaping the physical environment. It involves addressing standards, practices, and behaviours as well as changing the way users are engaged. By considering space, layout, technology, and visual aspects, we can create a more family friendly and safer design that will ensure modern leisure centres are used and loved. “As an industry we need to fully understand how our designs can be used to provide more welcoming and inclusive facilities for all, improving both the physical and mental health of our communities in the process. As architects, we can play a part in encouraging activity, especially now that leisure centres are reopening, and we need to see this opportunity as a much-needed contribution to public health.” Judith Atkinson, project architect at GT3, led on the survey. She added: “This is the first report in our Inclusive Design series, so we really wanted to dig into the issues and barriers people face when attending a leisure centre. As a parent of a toddler myself, I felt it really important to highlight the difficulties caregivers often face when using facilities – it can be difficult taking a young child out of the home environment, particularly when facilities don’t meet your – or your child’s – basic needs. “Even small things – such as making sure windows are in children’s sight line and they can hold a handrail when going into the water – make a big difference. I firmly believe that by understanding these caregivers’ experiences – such as knowing that 50% consider a waiting area within the reception important or that 96% would prefer a family-friendly cubicle – we can make leisure centres more inclusive. “Our caregivers research was such a success; we’re currently doing a similar piece of research into autism and dementia. Our hope is that we will be able to provide proven design solutions for our clients, which in turn will ensure their end-users feel supported. The result will be a far more inclusive, welcoming space for the whole community, and will hopefully encourage far more people to use exercise to support a healthy lifestyle. A win-win for everyone.” GT3 Architects is currently working on its next research pieces: designing for autism and dementia in Leisure Centres. As an award-winning architecture practice, with studios in Nottingham and Newcastle, the people focused firm champions an inclusive, sustainable, and engaging way of doing business that positions people at the heart of every project. For further information visit www.gt3architects.com or join the conversation over on Twitter @_GT3Architects
Yorkshire construction company, Harris CM has started work on a £3.4million contract to build a major new industrial development on part of the former Kellingley Colliery in Knottingley near Wakefield. The scheme will offer 11 high specification units that range from 3,000 sq ft to 4,000 sq ft and is being developed by CRT Property Investments Ltd, which is wholly owned subsidiary of The Coalfields Regeneration Trust. Work will complete by the end of the year. The development, which is supported by a £1.8m grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), will offer extensive car parking with electric vehicle charging points along with high quality landscaping. The project team features the Yorkshire offices of architects, The Harris Partnership, construction consultants Rex Procter & Partners, HJ Consulting Engineers and building services and environmental engineering firm, Hydrock MRB. Jason Adlam, CEO at Harris CM, said: “This site is steeped in history and was the UK’s last deep coal mine to close in 2015. In its heyday, it employed thousands of local people and now through its regeneration, it can play an important role in the local economy once again. “This is our first project with CRT Property Investments, and it is a great opportunity to contribute to the continued regeneration of the ‘Five Towns’, on a site that is only 20 minutes away from our head office near Pontefract, which makes it a fantastic scheme to be involved with.” Shaun O’Brien, Property Investment and Development Director, from CRT Property Investments, said: “These units will appeal to a wide range of SMEs and help address the shortage of available property in the local area. Once complete, the development will offer a high-quality working environment where businesses can thrive, as well as playing a crucial role in the local economy by creating jobs and opportunities for people in and around Knottingley. “This site is a prime example of how we can create opportunities within the coalfields, and everyone involved with the development is pleased to see work starting on site.” The wider 151-acre Kellingley Colliery site is currently being transformed by Harworth Group into a large-scale development, known as Konect, that will offer 1.45m sq ft of manufacturing and distribution space. The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is the only organisation dedicated to supporting the 5.7m people living in former mining communities throughout the UK. With three priorities for action: employment, skills, health and wellbeing, the organisation redirects funds and support through a programme of activities to ensure that it has a positive impact where it is needed the most.
Even before the pandemic, every business needed to take a strategic approach to communications, and the Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) has always promoted clear and concise communication. With many disputes that arise within the construction industry being due to poor or ambiguous communication, director at Sypro and NEC4 co-author, Dr Stuart Kings, examines why the cloud-based leap is central to better contract communication. Despite construction projects being valued in the millions, many project managers and construction teams still rely on managing contracts in the old-fashioned way – i.e. complicated spreadsheets, lots of paper, unrecorded phone calls, and large email chains. With poor contract management being a major source of disputes between a client and contractor, the value of clear communication is evident. The move from NEC3 to NEC4 was labelled as an ‘evolution, not a revolution’, meaning that it built on and improved what we already had in place. The NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC3) required all communication to be in a form that could be read, copied and recorded, and notified matters communicated separately. This means those using a paper-based system find themselves inundated with intensive admin – plus will have faced the associated problems of managing physical paperwork caused by a sudden move to homeworking during the pandemic. This approach to communication is a key difference in Version 4, which states that ‘If the Scope specifies the use of a communication system, a communication has effect when it is communicated through that system specified in the Scope’[i]. In contract speak, this means that communication only has effect when it takes place within the specified system – no other communications would have effect. This essentially advocates a cloud-based operation, with no need for paper-based registers or huge logs of communications – and this is the direction the industry needs to go towards and is why systems like Sypro’s Contract ManagerTM not only exist, but also thrive. The last thing any business has needed during the past year is to deal with a dispute that was ultimately avoidable. The whole premise of systems like Contract Manager is to run projects more efficiently, with everything you need in one place, thereby allowing teams to move to working remotely quickly and simply, with no loss of information or the all-important project communications. Due to the long-term nature of construction projects, we must also keep in mind that every file, piece of data, and communication will need to be accessible for years to come. This is another benefit to cloud-based systems, as this information will be stored in a compliant manner and will accommodate for any future circumstances like office moves or staff changes. This, in itself, can help prevent any issues from escalating into full disputes, allowing information to be gathered clearly and quickly to evidence the situation. Throughout the pandemic – with staff on furlough and unable to meet physically – information could easily be forgotten, lost, or miscommunicated, and so the benefits of cloud-based systems have become even more apparent. The industry was certainly working towards better use of technology for our everyday processes, but the pandemic has accelerated this further and systems like Contract ManagerTM don’t simply streamline communications but cover all facets of the contract from the Early Warning Register, management of Defects, and payments. It’s easy to see where cloud-based management systems benefit project managers when we examine the number of communications that go through Sypro’s Contact Manager, which is used on some of the biggest construction projects across the country. For example, in the first quarter of 2021, more than 15,000 communications of various types took place via the tool across live projects. This is more than 15,000 opportunities for miscommunication, which would be at much higher risk of happening if these communications were not streamlined through a central system. A final obvious benefit to a cloud-based system is just that – it is cloud-based. This means that information is stored digitally, and we are able to save physical storage space in our offices and reduce the amount of paper we use within our businesses. Many companies are working to reduce their carbon footprint and work in a digital first manner – and cloud-based systems will help any construction company (or client) to reduce physical paperwork. Our overall move towards digitisation in the industry will be crucial in the coming years. It will improve transparency, information exchange, payment performance, and contract management across the sector for all parties – and will ultimately help us collectively deliver on several of the key principles outlined in The Construction Playbook, which makes it clear that government strives to see this transformational change in the sector. For more information, please visit https://www.sypro.co.uk/
As a part of our ongoing commitment to reduce emissions across our businesses and to be at the forefront of the energy transition in our sector, the Sureserve Group are pleased to announce that our first batch of fully electric commercial vehicles will be on the roads in June. The investment will start the next stage in our journey towards a greener and more economical fleet, and is one aspect of our planned improvements ahead of the Department for Transport’s ban on sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030. The Sureserve group currently operates 1600 light commercial vehicles and 60 company cars across the UK. Each vehicle is assigned by job role and vehicle requirements and wherever possible we look to use the smallest, most efficient vehicle to carry out the job required. Currently 87% of the vehicles in the Sureserve Group fleet are the most efficient Euro 6 diesel available, with an average CO2 per vehicle of 141gCO2/km (The average CO2 emissions from new vans in 2019 was 158.4 gCO2/km). Dean Williams, Group Fleet Manager said “I’m delighted to be able to confirm the next step in our journey to make our fleet as efficient and sustainable as possible in the years ahead. As a national business we’re mindful of our environmental impact on the communities we work in, and this is one part of our ongoing commitment to carbon reductions and sustainable practises across the Group.”
With SMEs most at risk according to industry experts While the UK construction sector has been one of lesser impacted industries in the pandemic, it is being hit by another ever-growing malaise – theft of plant machinery is at an all-time high according to new research. Since shocking statistics revealed that plant and tool theft increased by 50% in the first few months of the pandemic shut down periods1, according to leading GPS vehicle tracker installer Trackershop construction businesses are continuing to face increased levels of plant and machinery theft; and more businesses are now taking matters into their own hands to stop the thieves in their tracks by installing state-of-the-art tracker technology. Faced with shocking figures which show that on average less than 10% of plant machinery is ever recovered (if not fitted with a tracker)2, and with statistics showing thefts are on the rise, Trackershop-uk.com has seen enquiries rise by 80% over the past 12 months3. In a further survey by the company, more than three-quarters of Trackershop customers said that they think machinery theft is more of a threat now than before the pandemic, and two out of three say the problem is showing no sign of decline. According to Trackershop owner Shaun Carse, this is forcing plant owners into safeguarding their equipment with sophisticated trackers rather than relying on law enforcement or other previously used security measures, which are not proving effective. He commented: “Plant machinery theft has always been a huge issue for the construction industry, with some reports claiming more than £400 million worth of machinery is stolen in the UK every year. But the events of the past 12 months have created a perfect storm – giving organised crime gangs more opportunity and impetus to target construction sites, which can often leave themselves vulnerable compare to, say, sports vehicles of the same value. “Rather than the number of thefts decreasing since lockdown has eased, we are hearing that this continues to be a growing problem and the industry is struggling to protect itself from criminal activity. “Plant machinery is hugely expensive, easy to sell for profit and, historically, has been difficult to track and recover. Thefts within the sector are seen as a relatively low risk gamble due to the pitifully small percentage of equipment that is ever recovered. “The Police do a brilliant job in trying to retrieve stolen vehicles and having the correct identifying marks, installing CCTV and tight security are all good measures to reduce loss of equipment, but adding a tracker means there is an immediate response activation – and with advancing technology this is fast becoming the most effective way to combat burglaries of this type. “Trackers with in-built immobilisation heightens security further than any other safekeeping measure. It enables the customer to immobilise their machinery remotely from their tracking app at any time. They then override it through the same process when they need to use it again. Many customers implement this when they are leaving plant/machinery on-site or in storage unattended. If anyone moves equipment illegally (by lifting onto a flatbed or towing away with the ignition off) site owners receive an instant notification or automated phone call to alert them. “Thankfully today’s technology means that we can win the war on organised crime gangs targeting the industry, but more still needs to be done to make sure that businesses are not leaving themselves vulnerable to theft. “Overall, it’s estimated that the UK construction industry loses more than £800 million per year due to machinery theft, taking into account all associated costs. These include the cost of plant replacement, hire of replacement equipment, loss of business and increased insurance premiums. “While theft has a detrimental effect on all size of business, given the knock on – it’s smaller to medium sized enterprises that face the biggest risk, often leaving them struggling to survive.” Trackershop customer, a construction and groundworks company based in the South East of England, explains the impact of machinery theft on his business: “We didn’t anticipate how the pandemic would make our plant machinery so vulnerable. On the day that we downed tools and shut our site during the second lockdown, we had a digger stolen. In fact, CCTV later showed that the thieves had entered our site within five minutes of us locking up and leaving- they were clearly waiting in anticipation of us vacating. As this kit did not have trackers installed, we had absolutely no way of recovering them. “We have, however, had Trackershop trackers in our fleet of vans for over five years now. This is mainly for monitoring from a logistics standpoint during the working day. What has proven to be invaluable is the additional security they bring – as we were recently able to recover two stolen vans instantly, using the live tracking information. “Based on the success rate and effectiveness of our Trackershop devices used in our vans, we are in the process of rolling out the same trackers across all of our new plant when they arrive next week. “Plant trackers were just never something that we had considered before now. However, it now seems thieves are making a beeline for diggers and plant in general. “Due to our success so far, and the overall quality of service we have received from Trackershop, we will feel a lot better about leaving our machinery unattended now with tracking devices installed.” Shaun continues: “When you consider that plant machinery trackers start at £54.00 with a rolling monthly subscription of less than £10 per month, it is clear why this is fast becoming the go-to security measure of the industry with the potential to save businesses losses that could amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds.”
