June 21, 2021

Evergreen Flooring Designs That are Here to Stay

Today’s homeowners are open to a plethora of designs when it comes to flooring. Updating your floor will go a long way to boost your property value significantly. It can also help you make a bold statement whether you desire a minimalistic or eclectic look.  There is a high demand

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Carbon & Power Trading Coming of Age for Energy Industry

Trading power and carbon presents on opportunity for the energy industry to capitalise on high-growth, high-value markets, in addition to the obvious benefits presented by the move to renewable, sustainable, Earth-friendly generation and decarbonisation solutions. Like any other, carbon emissions—as well as electricity—can be considered a specification for commodities and

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

June 21, 2021

Evergreen Flooring Designs That are Here to Stay

Today’s homeowners are open to a plethora of designs when it comes to flooring. Updating your floor will go a long way to boost your property value significantly. It can also help you make a bold statement whether you desire a minimalistic or eclectic look.  There is a high demand for sustainable and affordable flooring options than in the past few decades. Consequently, manufacturers are not leaving any stone unturned to meet the growing needs of consumers.  The important factors you need to consider before choosing any flooring style include your budget, safety, needs, and climate. Some flooring designs have gone into extinction, while the following remains timeless and will transform your interior.  Herringbone flooring  This flooring trend has gained widespread popularity over the years. The herringbone pattern is unique and will complement other accessories in your home. It’s suitable for the entryway, kitchen, bathroom, and dining hall.  Herringbone flooring comes in different sizes, tones, and formats. It can bring interest and depth into any room when you play around with texture. This type of flooring is budget-friendly, easy to maintain, and will give your home a modern look.  Wood flooring  Wood flooring has always been a constant trend year in and out. It’s useful for both personal and commercial property. Wood flooring is the ideal choice for individuals who want to take a break from modern living and embrace a rustic look in their homes.  This flooring often undergoes staining to get a specific finish and it’s easy to maintain. The different types include bleached and blanched wood, fumed wood, and distressed wood.  Laminate flooring  Laminate flooring is among the flooring that will stand the test of time in this decade and beyond. It can mimic materials such as stone, tile, or wood.  Laminate flooring now has the look and feel of these materials and features different types of finishes. Technological advancement is playing a major role in its design. Vinyl flooring  Vinyl flooring is gradually finding its way into modern homes. It is warm and comfortable to the feet. This flooring comes in different varieties such as tiles, sheets, and planks. Some designs can mirror the look of tiles and wood.  Vinyl flooring is water-resistant and perfect for areas with high traffic and the living room, which serves as a hub for entertaining guests. It is affordable, easy to maintain, and will take several years before fading or denting. Installing vinyl flooring is hassle-free too.  Cool tones flooring  Modern homes tend to have smaller spaces. Given this, most people prefer light-colored flooring as it can make their space appear bigger and brighter. Taking this approach can help you design a cozy space for better relaxation. The good thing is that your floor won’t look bland with this flooring option.  These are just some of the hottest flooring designs right now. The choices out there can be overwhelming, and homeowners may not know where to start. Nevertheless, Floors Direct will consider the factors that matter to you, offer insights, and help you arrive at the best decision for your floor. 

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Carbon & Power Trading Coming of Age for Energy Industry

Trading power and carbon presents on opportunity for the energy industry to capitalise on high-growth, high-value markets, in addition to the obvious benefits presented by the move to renewable, sustainable, Earth-friendly generation and decarbonisation solutions. Like any other, carbon emissions—as well as electricity—can be considered a specification for commodities and the industry is experiencing a development, acquisition, and consolidation “boom” right now. Nord Pool exchange links Norway and Britain Nord Pool, Europe’s leading power market has announced that it has received an operating license to host day-ahead power trading auctions for the first electricity cable linking Norway and Britain from this autumn, Norway’s Energy Regulatory Authority (NVE-RME) said. Much the same in principle as any British trade platform, Nord Pool offers day-ahead and intraday trading, clearing, and settlement to customers regardless of size or location. 360 companies from 20 countries trade on Nord Pool’s markets and the concession allows Nord Pool to run auctions for delivery over the new 1,400 megawatt (MW) North Sea Link cable once trial operations begin on Oct. 1. US private equity firm acquires UK renewable energy firm Anesco On the back of this news comes that of the acquisition by Ara Partners, an industrial decarbonisation-focused private equity firm, of Anesco Holdings, a UK market leader in renewable energy that develops, designs, and manages the construction, maintenance, and market optimisation of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Anesco has developed and constructed more than 115 solar farms and energy storage facilities—including the UK’s first solar farm free from subsidies—while its operations and maintenance service now has close to 1.2 gigawatt (GW) of renewable assets under management. Charles Cherington, co-founder and managing partner of Ara Partners, said, “Our focus is on accelerating decarbonisation by investing in and building ambitious companies such as Anesco that have energy efficiency and sustainability at their heart.” Mark Futyan, who joined Anesco as CEO in 2020, will continue to lead the business with the support of the senior management team. “This is a pivotal moment for Anesco, as we gear up to deliver the next wave of large scale, subsidy-free solar and energy storage capacity,” he said. Ara Partners invests in the industrial and manufacturing, chemicals and materials, energy efficiency and green fuels and food and agriculture sectors, seeking to build businesses that are focused on sustainability and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) principles. Ara Partners and Anesco are considered ideal partners owing to their strong focus on the services business model and commitment to supporting the net zero energy transition.

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Improve Your Construction Business For Clients With These Steps

Are you interested in pushing your construction business to new heights? If so, then you need to improve it for your clients. Here are some key options to consider.  Give Them More Choice First, you need to think about giving them more choice and more control over a project that you take on. When a client comes to you, they probably have an idea of that type of project that they are looking to create. You should be ready to bring this idea to fruition and keep their concept intact as much as possible. You might want to give them choices in other areas too such as providing them with more ways that they can pay for your services. For instance, you might want to let them pay with cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Ethereum Classic. What is Ethereum Classic (ETC)? It’s one of the most valuable cryptos on the market today and you will be surprised how many businesses accept it as a form of payment.  Improve Your Connections  When clients use your services, they want to feel connected to your business. They want to receive regular updates and ensure that you are constantly giving them progress reports on a project that you are working on. If you take this step, you can all but guarantee that clients will have a positive experience. You might even earn a key referral that could provide you with a future boost on the market. One of the ways that you can improve connectivity in your business is by ensuring that you invest in a cloud server. A cloud server will allow you to transfer information and docs to clients remotely, in real time. They can sign a document digitally in seconds and this is going to speed everything up at the same time.  Make Your Business More Efficient  Next, you should focus on ensuring that your construction business is as efficient as possible. In doing so, you can guarantee that you will be able to cut the costs and therefore offer your clients far better rates for your services which is always going to be hugely beneficial. Furthermore, clients are often interested in doing their part to help the environment. They want to know that they are using companies that do not have massive carbon footprints that jeopardise their commitment here.  Explore New Tech Options  Finally, you might want to think about the latest technology available on the market that you could use to improve the service that you provide to your clients. A key example of this would be virtual reality. While VR is still a rapidly evolving type of tech, it’s already being used by larger construction businesses. It gives clients a way to visualise the finished building or project in a way that is highly accessible and immersive. It could help you land a major contract with a client over a competitor that they might have been considering at the same time.  We hope this helps you understand everything that you need to think about when improving your construction business for your clients, reshaping what you can offer them on the market. 

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