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July 1, 2021

Knauf Insulation unveils new packaging and compression technology upgrade

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

New packaging design simplifies product choice Industry-leading 10:1 compression ratio upgrade makes transport, storage and handling even more efficient, and cuts products’ carbon footprint Packaging will use recycled content, less ink and is even easier to recycle Introduction of Rocksilk® as the brand for its Rock Mineral Wool range Knauf

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Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

Among the many diseases of the spine, stenosis of the cervical spinal canal is a quite serious condition. It is most common in people over the age of 50. If not treated properly, stenosis can lead to severe problems with the cerebral circulation and compression of the spinal cord.  If

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Increase your property value with garden landscaping

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

It is common for people to think that in order to increase the value of their property that they need to make internal changes or even expand the property. Whilst these options will add value, it is also possible to increase the value of your property through garden landscaping. The

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Are You Charging Enough For Your Plumbing Services?

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

How much do you charge for your plumbing services? Is it a fair rate for both parties—all things considered? Deciding on the right price for your services is one of the very important business decisions you’ll ever make. This is what will determine whether you’ll progress or fail to make

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

July 1, 2021

Prologis expands Birmingham logistics park to meet growing demand for urban logistics facilities

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

Prologis, the UK’s leading developer of industrial logistics parks, today announced plans to expand Prologis Park Midpoint, Birmingham, to provide more urban logistics facilities for customers in the Midlands. The company, which is headquartered in Solihull, recently acquired around nine acres of land adjacent to Prologis Park Midpoint and plans to develop a new warehouse facility of up to, 165,000 sq. ft on the site of the former fulfillment centre. The acquisition was facilitated by Coltham Developments who worked with Prologis to secure the land.  Speaking about the expansion, Ian Romano, from the Capital Deployment & Leasing Team at Prologis UK, said: “This acquisition presents a rare opportunity to acquire a prime site in a well-established and highly sought-after logistics location in Birmingham. We’re very pleased to have worked closely with Coltham to secure this and look forward to delivering a further phase and expanding Prologis Park Midpoint, which already holds over 1.4m sq ft in five fully-leased buildings. “The Birmingham conurbation, is the second most populated region in the UK (behind London) and has a dwindling supply of land for industrial use, largely due to a loss of space to residential development and the constraints of the greenbelt.  As a result, we could soon be facing the same problem as the capital, where there is limited space available for warehouses and distribution centres close to the businesses and homes that rely on their services. “Situated close to the M6, M6 toll and M42 motorways, and benefiting from excellent transport links for rail and air freight too, the planned new building at Prologis Park Midpoint will enable us to meet growing demand for urban logistics facilities within the UK’s logistics Golden Triangle.” Stuart Franks, Development Director at Coltham Developments Ltd, said: “Great to have completed the acquisition of this prime site for Prologis. It was a pleasure to work with Ian and his team, together with Simon Norton at Colliers CRE, who acted for the vendor, Asda. I wish Prologis every success with their proposals for the site moving forward to provide much needed logistics space within Birmingham.” Prologis Park Midpoint is one of 22 industrial parks owned and run by Prologis across the UK. Find more information about Prologis Park Midpoint here.

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Multi-million-pound Llanelli regeneration project secures Government approval

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

A landmark regeneration project on the outskirts of Llanelli has been given the go ahead by the UK and Welsh Governments, securing £40m in City Deal funding. Arup has worked closely with Carmarthenshire County Council and project stakeholders to develop a brief, explore design options and submit RIBA Stage 3 proposals for the Pentre Awel scheme which is due to start on site later this year. This innovative provision of social infrastructure will transform the post-industrial site to create a vibrant new amenity for the whole community. The Delta Lakes site, once home to a range of industries that made Llanelli prosperous in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, has remained undeveloped since the late twentieth century. Historic uses have left a legacy of contamination which this development will address as part of a site-wide regeneration to create a generous public landscape themed around health and wellbeing, while setting the context for future phases of development. The initial phase will bring together higher education and employment in life sciences businesses, community healthcare and modern leisure facilities – within a single building. The ‘one building’ solution brings together diverse user groups with the aim of improving outcomes for the Llanelli community, from health and wellbeing throughout the five life stages set out in the Welsh Government’s Wellbeing of Future Generations Act and addressing the UK Government’s post-covid ‘levelling up’ agenda in a community challenged by high levels of unemployment and chronic health conditions. This pioneering development is arranged as a series of five two and three-storey buildings connected by an enclosed street, its scale paying homage to the proportions of Llanelli’s historic core. A major driver of the design was a desire to maximise daylight throughout. Meanwhile, the landscaping seeks to bring the outside in, encouraging people to explore and remain active. It permeates into the courtyard entrances that erode the building form, and key spaces within enjoy spectacular views across the adjacent lake and west to the Loughor Estuary. A simple and robust palette of external materials have been selected to create a timeless, welcoming and low-maintenance building which responds to its context. The elevations of brick and profiled metal reflect the site’s industrial heritage, whilst the fractured massing avoids the scale of the building overwhelming its context. Roofs are profiled metal and green/brown roofs, with photovoltaic panels generating electricity which contributes to the renewable energy strategy. Sustainability is a central consideration, with a requirement to achieve BREEAM Excellent as a minimum, reducing embodied and operational energy where feasible within the budget constraints, thus minimising whole life impact. Jo Wright, Architecture Practice Leader, Arup, said: “Throughout the design process, we have adopted a holistic approach to sustainability, striving to maximise social, environmental and economic benefits in the long term. This scheme is a perfect exemplar for the post-Covid levelling up agenda, placing health and wellbeing at the heart of regeneration in one of the UK’s most deprived communities.” Carmarthenshire County Council Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole said: “Pentre Awel will be the first development of its scope and size in Wales delivering business, research, health, education and state-of-the-art leisure facilities all on one location along the Llanelli coastline. “It will generate a wide range of employment and training opportunities for local people while considerably boosting the local economy to further accelerate our economic recovery from Covid-19. “The designs showcase the council’s ambition to create a development that is landscape-led, connected to local communities and amenities and is sustainable and we are very excited that we will soon be in a position to start delivering this truly original development.” Pentre Awel is being delivered by Carmarthenshire County Council in partnership with Hywel Dda University Health Board, Universities and Colleges including Coleg Sir Gar, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea University and Cardiff University. The development will also include assisted living accommodation, along with a nursing home, a hotel, and elements of both open market and social and affordable housing.

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Decisions.city – increases citizens’ awareness for sustainable urban construction

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

Accelerating urbanization is a worldwide phenomenon. Cities produce more than 70% of global CO2 emissions. This means that the choices that cities make have huge implications for the people and for the planet. The citizens are usually not involved in making decisions about construction materials in the cities, one reason why concrete and steel predominate. To help both citizens  and decision-makers push for more sustainable urban construction Architectural Democracy, Metsä Wood, and Accenture Interactive came together to explore how to turn todays’ rigid and exclusive urban construction process to a more inclusive and sustainable one – in a digital tool called Decisions.city. “The idea behind the movement of Architectural Democracy is to move away from opaque urban planning into a more open decision making process. There is no perfect mix of construction materials, but without including the voice of citizens we will continue to use traditional emissions-intensive materials”, Pedro Aibéo, architect and civil engineer, and the founder of the Architectural Democracy organization notes. Decisions.city is a  showcase of a playful, yet informative online interaction platform that allows anyone to adjust the mix between different building materials; wood, concrete and steel – and to see the differences over time. “Decisions.city is an interactive experience that allows people to learn and understand how their city can develop in the future”, says Elliot White, Service Design Lead & Resident Architect at FJORD part of Accenture Interactive. “City structures are 90% concrete and steel, two of the single biggest emitters of greenhouse gases. Engineered wood products, like Kerto® LVL, store carbon and enable sustainable construction. We hope to increase citizens’ awareness of sustainable urban construction through participation and thereby contribute to finding new ways to make our cities sustainable, inclusive, resilient and safe”, says Jussi Björman, Director, Business Development, Construction, at Metsä Wood. Initial version of Decisions.city will be launched in conjunction with the 2021 Venice Biennale of Architecture to promote building a more sustainably, resilient and inclusive urban future. Try it out and see what the future of cities could look like: Decisions.city

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Tolent win £17m contract to deliver 113 affordable homes in West Yorkshire

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

A £17.7m contract to deliver 113 new homes for Yorkshire Housing has been awarded to contractor Tolent. The development in Menston includes a mix of two, three and four bedroom homes and will be available for a mix of tenures including shared ownership, right to buy and affordable rent. The development will be delivered on behalf of Yorkshire Housing who manages more than 18,000 affordable and social rent homes, and is supported with Homes England funding. Sian Grindley, director of development at Yorkshire Housing, said: “At Yorkshire Housing we’re passionate about building homes and communities that our customers are proud to live in and call home. Menston is a desirable location for many people and we’re proud to be able to offer a choice of homes at this site. “We’re excited about what we’re doing with smart technology here, which will benefit both the customer and the environment. We’re looking at how we can use innovative products at every stage, from the construction method itself through to the technology that our customers will use and benefit from. This is the first site that we’re looking to use structurally insulated panels for the build and we’re also considering a number of different smart tech options for the finished homes. This will mean greater resident control and it’ll also make it easier for us to monitor the energy performance of our rental homes. “Our progress means we can deliver more, much needed homes to the region and continue working towards our strategic priority of delivering 8,000 homes by 2030. We’re delighted that our hard work will give hundreds of people an opportunity to move into a high quality new home.” Tolent, who has regional bases across the North East and Yorkshire, will be using a mix of modern methods of construction (MMC) on a number of units, which would see the structure of some homes go from foundations to roof level in just one week. Other benefits of MMC ensure homes are more environmentally friendly, more energy efficient and reduces the carbon footprint of the development. Mike Brown, commercial director for Tolent said: “This is a fantastic win for us and we’re delighted to be working with the team at Yorkshire Housing to deliver this flagship scheme. “It’s a privilege to be involved in creating new, inclusive communities and we’ll also be delivering on our commitment to create employment and apprenticeship opportunities as well as engaging with local schools, colleges and universities.” Work is expected to start on site later this summer and is expected to complete in spring 2024. Tolent announced its intentions to expand its housing division further into Yorkshire in 2020 and has recently won a string of new contracts in the area. Contracts include a £2.6m project to create 14 affordable homes in Batley and a £4.1m job that will see 32 new homes delivered in Kirkbymoorside. Including work completed in 2020 and secured work into 2023, Tolent is set to deliver around 3,000 new homes covering both the private and public sector across the North East and Yorkshire.

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Knauf Insulation unveils new packaging and compression technology upgrade

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

New packaging design simplifies product choice Industry-leading 10:1 compression ratio upgrade makes transport, storage and handling even more efficient, and cuts products’ carbon footprint Packaging will use recycled content, less ink and is even easier to recycle Introduction of Rocksilk® as the brand for its Rock Mineral Wool range Knauf Insulation has launched new packaging to make it easier to choose, use, transport and handle its high-performance, non-combustible insulation products, and to further reduce their carbon footprint. The changes include new designs across the whole range, an upgrade taking its industry-leading compression technology to a 10:1 ratio, and new, more environmentally-friendly packaging. “We’ve listened to our customers, but we have also been proactive, trying to pre-empt future needs,” said Vanessa Rae, Marketing Director at Knauf Insulation Northern Europe. “We know how important it is to choose the right product for the application quickly, and move and store it efficiently, whether in-branch or on-site. We also know that sustainability matters more than ever, so we’ve taken these steps to reduce our products’ carbon footprint further so customers can rely on us to help them tick the green boxes for their projects.” The new packaging designs feature bigger and clearer product names. Products are colour-coded into thermal conductivity groups consistent across the whole Glass Mineral Wool range, and essential features such as the Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification and ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder, are more easily identifiable. The Earthwool® brand has been phased out to simplify the branding structure, and a new brand, Rocksilk®, has been introduced for its Rock Mineral Wool product range. The further upgrade of the compression technology on the Glass Mineral Wool range enables, on average, 15% more insulation per roll and 25% more packs on each pallet for slabs. Rae continued: “Space is always at a premium, whether in-branch, in a vehicle or on site, so we’ve pushed our industry-leading compression technology even further. It means less handling and transport, and more efficient storage for all our customers across the supply chain. It’s another example of how you always get more with Knauf Insulation.” These changes further reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Enhanced compression means more product per truck, fewer vehicles on the roads and less packaging is used per m2 of insulation. Knauf Insulation is also introducing a new packaging film made from a minimum of 30% recycled plastic, and the new designs use less ink, which makes the packaging even easier to recycle. This helps fulfil the commitments made in Knauf Insulation’s ‘For A Better World’ sustainability strategy. “By simplifying product choice and making our high-performance insulation more environmentally friendly, we’re ensuring our customers can focus on delivering better buildings” said Rae. To find out more, visit www.knaufinsulation.co.uk/the-best-keeps-getting-better. 

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Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

Among the many diseases of the spine, stenosis of the cervical spinal canal is a quite serious condition. It is most common in people over the age of 50. If not treated properly, stenosis can lead to severe problems with the cerebral circulation and compression of the spinal cord.  If you want to undergo examination or treatment for spinal canal stenosis, Switzerland, Germany and Turkey are the best choices. Because of the high level of medicine, these countries have a high rate of effectiveness of cervical spinal stenosis treatment. Patients from many countries around the world come here every year to receive state-of-the-art therapy. Diagnosis making The symptoms of the disease are associated with compression of the neurovascular formations in the narrowed spinal canal. In some cases, over time, an inflammatory process joins, which aggravates the situation. The main clinical symptoms are: Pain in the neck or headaches Numbness in the head, neck or upper extremities Muscle weakness in the area of innervation To confirm the cervical spinal stenosis, physicians need to perform diagnostic procedures. Today, modern hospitals abroad use magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and X-ray examination (spondylography) of the spine for this purpose. With the help of these methods the physician determines the degree of narrowing and further treatment tactics. Treatment options Therapy for spinal canal stenosis can be conservative or surgical. Medications that relieve pain, anti-inflammatory drugs, and local steroid injections are used to reduce symptoms. Exercise, physical therapy, and limiting physical activity may also help reduce pain. Unfortunately, the methods have only a temporary effect, and if the symptoms are getting worse, doctors use surgical treatment. The purpose of surgery is to eliminate the main cause – compression of the nerve roots of the spinal cord. It significantly improves the patient’s quality of life, reduces or completely eliminates pain syndrome, and restores the function of the affected extremities. Cutting-edge surgical treatment of spinal stenosis The latest endoscopic techniques for interventions on the spine are used abroad. They are minimally invasive and do not require long rehabilitation. The use of intraoperative visualization allows the surgeon to control the course of the operation better, so the risk of complications related to nerve tissue damage is practically zero. The most common treatment techniques are: Decompressive laminectomy. This is one of the most common surgeries used for spinal stenosis treatment. This method leads to the complete cure in 7 out of 10 patients with cervical stenosis. Some patients require additional spinal stabilization if there is a high risk of spinal instability. Discectomy. This method involves the removal of the damaged intervertebral disc. It is mainly used for intervertebral hernias, which often extend beyond the vertebrae and compress the nearby nerves. Treatment of stenosis during COVID-19 pandemic Despite the SARS-CoV-2 spread, many hospitals overseas continue to operate as usual and admit patients with every precaution. In order to undergo the latest minimally invasive surgical treatments, you can travel abroad. Booking Health can help arrange travel for you even during the lockdown. Nowadays it is the only way to start treatment in the best foreign hospitals. Booking Health will provide you with all the necessary information about treatment abroad during the lockdown, as well as help with the preparation of all documents. Thus, treatment abroad during the lockdown becomes a reality. Cost-effective treatment abroad Patients are sure that treatment abroad is always expensive and requires a lot of effort. However, when you cooperate with the medical tourism operator Booking Health, this becomes a myth. The company’s specialists select the best medical center for each patient, as well as provide round-the-clock support. In addition, you can save up to 50% of the initial cost of treatment. Booking Health has long worked with a huge number of foreign hospitals, so there will be no extra charges or additional fees for your medical services.

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Increase your property value with garden landscaping

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

It is common for people to think that in order to increase the value of their property that they need to make internal changes or even expand the property. Whilst these options will add value, it is also possible to increase the value of your property through garden landscaping. The garden is an integral part of the home and there is no denying that a well-designed and functional garden will add more value than a garden that is overgrown and unusable. So, what can you do to your garden to add value? Cut Back Overgrown Areas A garden that has overgrown hedges, shrubs and trees can leave a garden looking and feeling smaller. Opening up your garden and making it more inviting is easier than you might think, and it doesn’t take as much effort as you might think. By trimming and shaping hedges and removing old and dead shrubs, you can enhance space and bring in more light. Furthermore, if you have large trees that need trimming then you might want to consider calling on a team of Chelmsford tree surgeons to complete the work professionally and efficiently. Keep Your Lawn Maintained Believe it or not, a well-maintained lawn adds to the appeal of a home. A lawn that is mowed regularly and healthy will bring your garden to life. Whether it is sowing new seed or laying new turf, it is really important that you make your lawn the main focal point of your garden. This means that garden landscaping will leave it looking vivid, fresh and perfectly shaped. Shape Your Garden If your garden is a basic rectangle in shape or just basic in design, it can pay to invest in redesigning it. This means that you can install areas such as borders made from sleepers or curved pathways that are lined by shrubs and flowers to give your garden an element of character. It will allow you to get creative with the shape, creating designated areas that can be used for growing or relaxing. Add An Outdoor Space You can create designated areas that are made for use during the summer months. This can include installing decked areas or even a new and modern patio. This will add a level of practicality and functionality to your home that people will find hugely appealing. A garden that lacks any sort of seating area will become nothing more than an area that cannot be used and that will not add any value at all. Invest in New Plants The right blend of plants and flowers that bloom throughout the year will give your garden a lease of life. When the planting of flowers and shrubs is planned accordingly, it will ensure that plants can work together and create an established look that gives your garden a natural appeal throughout. Add Lighting Adding feature lighting to your garden will enable you to enhance those areas that are lacking light once the sun goes down. You can light up certain areas, add a dramatic effect and give your garden a sense of style, all of which will help to add to the value of your home.

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Are You Charging Enough For Your Plumbing Services?

Kenneth Booth July 1, 2021

How much do you charge for your plumbing services? Is it a fair rate for both parties—all things considered? Deciding on the right price for your services is one of the very important business decisions you’ll ever make. This is what will determine whether you’ll progress or fail to make a mark in the market.  It’s worth noting that overpricing and underpricing could both have the same long-term effect. For instance, when you charge very low for your services, you’re likely to be exploited but end up with very low returns. Overpricing, on the other hand, might be a dealbreaker for most of your potential customers. As such, it’s imperative that you determine a price rate that’ll be fair for you and your clients. Remember, everyone is looking to reduce the plumbing costs in their construction projects and one way of doing that is by finding an affordable plumber. So, how can you find that sweet spot? Here are a few tips to keep in mind: 1. Determine your goals The first thing you’ll need to do is determine your weekly, monthly, and annual goals. How much are you hoping to earn by the end of the year? The answer to this question is dependent on many things. First, you’ll need to consider what you made the previous year. Obviously, your target should be a little higher than what you’ve already achieved before.  Another thing that’ll determine how much you should set as your goal is the number of people you’ve employed. How many members do you have in your team? What’s their remuneration? Remember, the amount you pay to your employees will significantly affect their productivity. So, make sure to come up with a fair value. 2. What are your expenses? As a business, you probably have a lot of monthly and annual expenses. For instance, you need plumbing company software to enhance your productivity and help you track the overall performance of your team. You might also need to replace some plumbing tools or restock your accessories.  A self-sustaining business should be able to take care of all these needs without requiring you to go back to your pocket. So, since plumbing is the main source of revenue, you might want to include these expenses in your monthly or quarterly goals.  3. What’s the average price range? Remember, you’re not operating in a vacuum. Therefore, it’s important that you make all your financial decisions with your competitors in mind. As earlier mentioned, the pricing of your products will have a huge impact on your business success. Both overpricing and underpricing will affect your revenue generation in one way or another. To find the right price range for your services, you’ll need to do a little research. But first, you have to determine the value of your products and services. Keep in mind that every plumbing job is different from another. Therefore, you’ll need to categorize all your services based on their complexity and the amount of time they require. Having done that, the next step in your research is to find out how much other plumbing service providers are charging their customers. Make sure you check at least three companies or agencies within your locality before making your final decision. This way, you’ll be fair to your business, your customers and also have a better chance of remaining competitive in the market.  4. What’s your pricing model? Another thing that might determine how much you charge at the end of the day is your pricing strategy. In fact, as you do your research, it’s important to look at those companies using the same pricing model as you. For instance, if your charges are per hour, it might be quite difficult to compare yourself to those using the fixed price method.  If you’re new in the market, you might be tempted to charge a little less than the rest of the plumbers. But don’t go too low because potential clients might be skeptical about working with you since the general belief is that quality is directly proportional to the price. So, if the competitive price is USD$100 per hour, you might want to start at USD$90 rather than USD$80 per hour. Final thoughts How much you charge your customers can determine the fate of your business. Therefore, it’s imperative that you find the right pricing strategy from the word goes to avoid exploitation of either of the parties. Some of the things you’ll need to consider include your expenses, the number of employees you have, and the average competitive prices. With all these factors in mind, you can hardly go wrong with the pricing of your plumbing services.

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