The construction of the UK’s longest railway bridge took another major step forward this week with the start of work on the first of 56 giant concrete piers that will support the Colne Valley Viaduct as it crosses a series of lakes on the outskirts of London. Stretching for 3.4km,
Bridgwater’s £16 million leisure regeneration project in the town centre has celebrated another major milestone in its construction. Sedgemoor District Council and main contractor Willmott Dixon held a topping out ceremony to celebrate the final steelwork being installed at the highest point of the structure on the site ahead of
Sheppard Robson’s third visit to Brunel is marked with Kawneer glazing systems. Aluminium glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were “fundamental” in achieving the environmental performance and architectural vision for Sheppard Robson’s second revisiting of a key building at Brunel University London. Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall, AA®540 vents, and
Combining reality capture and AI to close the gap between BIM and on-site fieldwork Imerso’s smart construction monitoring platform enables true-to-life digital twins In line with Nemetschek strategy of investing in AEC/O innovators The Nemetschek Group, one of the leading software providers for the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AEC/O)
Oxford architecture practice Gray, Baynes & Shew has overhauled its IT infrastructure with a suite of technologies from OGL, to boost business productivity and protect its business while maintaining its position as an award-winning architectural partner. Based at St Thomas House on Becket Street in Oxford, Gray, Baynes & Shew
Personal injuries happen during car accidents, work shifts, and even on regular days at commercial properties, such as malls, parking lots, restaurants, and other similar establishments. Location-based accidents would fall as premises liability cases. Typically, injuries sustained under these circumstances can be life-threatening. If you don’t know what to do,
Environments with complex electrical systems such as manufacturing industries, residential complexes, and commercial compounds emphasise the need for protective equipment that can offer adequate support in situations of distress. Power surges, overloads, and faults are common in installations with a myriad of inputs and outputs. A motor starter is a
The construction of the UK’s longest railway bridge took another major step forward this week with the start of work on the first of 56 giant concrete piers that will support the Colne Valley Viaduct as it crosses a series of lakes on the outskirts of London. Stretching for 3.4km, the viaduct – being built as part of the HS2 rail project – will carry high speed trains travelling at speeds of up to 200mph between the outskirts of Hillingdon and the M25 on their way to Birmingham and the north. The first pier was cast by engineers from HS2’s main works contractor Align JV – a team made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick – and working in partnership with Kilnbridge. Weighing in at around 370 tonnes, the 6m tall reinforced concrete pier was cast on site by a team of engineers who used a specially-designed formwork to create the shape of the structure. This was then removed after 4 days to reveal the final product. Each pier is designed to support the full weight of the deck above and rests on a set of concrete piles going up to 55m into the ground. This foundation work began earlier this year and will require the construction of 292 piles and 56 pile caps across the whole length of the viaduct. In another visible sign of progress on the project, the team have also completed the construction of the first of four jetties across the lakes to get equipment into position to support the construction thereby taking construction vehicles off local roads. Where the viaduct crosses the lake, the piles will be bored directly into the lakebed, using a cofferdam to hold back the water while the pier is constructed. HS2 Ltd’s Project Client, David Emms, said: “The Colne Valley Viaduct will be one of HS2’s most iconic structures and it’s great to see how much has been achieved already. I’d like to thank the whole team for the huge amount of work they’ve done to get us to this point.” Align’s Project Director, Daniel Altier, added: “I have no doubt that the viaduct will become one, if not the most striking element of HS2 phase 1 once complete. The way it will be constructed is going to be equally fascinating for engineers young and old. The sections for the deck will be fabricated at our main construction site to the west of London just inside the M25, and using a huge launching girder, the deck will be formed from north to south, along the line of the route, thereby keeping unnecessary construction traffic off the roads. “I would like to thank the whole team, including our supply chain partners, who have worked very hard to enable us to meet this important milestone in the viaduct’s construction.” The design of the Colne Valley Viaduct was inspired by the flight of a stone skipping across the water, with a series of elegant spans, some up to 80m long, carrying the railway around 10m above the surface of the lakes, River Colne and Grand Union Canal. Set low into the landscape, wider spans will carry the viaduct crosses the lakes, and narrower spans for the approaches. This design was chosen to enable views across the landscape, minimise the viaduct’s footprint on the lakes and help complement views across the natural surroundings. The main deck of the viaduct – which supports the railway line – will be built in 1000 separate unique segments at a temporary factory nearby before being assembled from north to south, starting next year. As part of a push across the whole HS2 project to cut carbon in construction, the design and construction teams working on the viaduct have also cut the amount of embedded carbon in the viaduct by around a third, by narrowing the width of the structure and applying lessons for the design of highspeed railway bridges in Europe. Over the last six years, HS2 has worked closely with Affinity Water and the Environment Agency to monitor water quality and agree working methods. These are being monitored by a team of specialist engineers during construction in order to protect the natural environment.
Bridgwater’s £16 million leisure regeneration project in the town centre has celebrated another major milestone in its construction. Sedgemoor District Council and main contractor Willmott Dixon held a topping out ceremony to celebrate the final steelwork being installed at the highest point of the structure on the site ahead of its planned opening in Autumn 2022. Guests and children from the adjacent Northgate Primary School took to some of the steel beams with pens to sign their names to mark the occasion. In reference to a 14th century building tradition in Northern Europe, a small yew tree was taken to the top of the building for the ceremony and will be planted in the redeveloped Brewery Field later. Reaching a total height of 41.8ft, the last piece of steel was secured on the roof of the 40,000 sq. ft scheme which will be boasting a state of the art 7-screen cinema operated by WTW Scott Cinema, an 8-lane bowling alley and sports bar operated by Allstars. The development will also feature 12,000 sq. ft of flexible restaurant space in five restaurant units with outdoor dining areas, available for local, regional and national food and drink brands. Commenting on this significant moment, Cllr Alan Bradford, Chairman of Sedgemoor District Council, said; “Northgate Yard is a huge investment in the town centre and is set to be a landmark destination for both locals and tourists. We’re delighted that so much progress has been made on the construction and that we’re already at such a landmark stage in the build – it won’t be long before we’ll all be enjoying the leisure and entertainment facilities that will be on offer.” Rob Woolcock, Director at Willmott Dixon said; “The topping out ceremony marks a key stage in the construction of Northgate Yard, and we’re delighted to be working with Sedgemoor District Council to deliver this landmark project. We are committed to leaving a positive legacy in the communities where we build, so it was great to have the pupils from Northgate Primary School at the ceremony to sign the steel and be a part of this exciting development.” The scheme will also feature outdoor meeting places and landscaping. The adjacent green space, Brewery Field, will be improved and updated to feature an outdoor children’s play area and parkland with a pond and landscaped planting. Northgate Yard is the culmination of many years of planning for a central entertainment and dining hub for Bridgwater. Led by Sedgemoor District Council, Northgate Yard has been conceived with the local community and local economy at its heart. The Council have worked closely with the community to create and deliver a vision reflecting what the people of Bridgwater want to see. Widespread public support means the much-anticipated development will become a destination for the local community and visitors. For more information visit www.northgateyard.co.uk.
Sheppard Robson’s third visit to Brunel is marked with Kawneer glazing systems. Aluminium glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were “fundamental” in achieving the environmental performance and architectural vision for Sheppard Robson’s second revisiting of a key building at Brunel University London. Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall, AA®540 vents, and series 190 and AA®720 doors were specified by the regular Kawneer users for the latest redevelopment of the Wilfred Brown Building at the university in Greater London. The mullion-drained capped and SSG (Structurally Silicone Glazed) curtain wall forms a new sawtooth façade to the first and second floors and is complemented by the AA®540 window vents which are top-hung and also Structurally Silicone Glazed, series 190 heavy-duty doors to the main entrance, and the thermally-superior AA®720 doors. Sheppard Robson had been working with Brunel since first master planning the campus in the early 1960s, designing the Wilfred Brown Building in 1968, and then adding a rooftop extension to the structure in the 1990s. This latest revisiting creates a new identity for the recently formed College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences and comprises the £13.8 million external and internal transformation of the 4,710m2 building to create a new gateway at the western boundary of the university. The primary driver in the development of the new Kawneer façade was the response to local environmental conditions – the west elevation employing the ‘sawtooth’ arrangement using clear glazed panels to the north west-facing elements, offering views out, and interstitial mesh to the west and south west-facing elements, to control solar gain. The building was originally designed to accommodate university administration facilities and as such was previously heavily cellularised, with a double row of central columns. It abuts, but previously did not engage with, the adjacent Michael Sterling building to the east and unsuccessfully linked to the adjacent double-height council chamber via a single-storey circulation link, previously cut off from the ground floor by a small courtyard space. Sheppard Robson Associate Neil Price said: “We specified Kawneer’s curtain wall as a simple and elegant response to renewing the Wilfred Brown Building. It forms most of the building envelope and the sawtooth façade arrangement to the west elevation in particular was key to achieving the architectural vision for the project. They were fundamental in achieving both the environmental performance and architectural vision for the project.” He added: “The glazed elements and their sawtooth arrangement to the west elevation are key to the architectural language of the Wilfred Brown Building, enabling the existing 1960s structure to be adapted and reused, whilst creating a distinct and modern identity for the scheme.” As part of the university’s Transformational Project (TxP) programme, and supported by the successful award of capital funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), Wilfred Brown has now been reinvented to create a new ‘front door’ for the college. Internally, the ground floor has been opened up and a new double-height atrium constructed to the north, infilling an existing, underused courtyard and connecting the buildings to create a STEM learning centre. This is a cutting-edge teaching facility aimed at engaging young learners through workshops with London schools. ‘INSPIRE – The Brunel STEM Learning Centre’ aims to engage learners from key stages one to five in science, technology, engineering, the arts, maths and medicine – areas in which the UK economy is forecast as having a future skills shortage. The programme is delivered through a series of unique STEM workshops that are research inspired, curriculum linked and industry relevant – an innovation hub comprising part of the suite of technology-led learning spaces. Three storeys of modern, open-plan academic workspace are housed on the upper floors to support progressive ways of working for students and 141 members of staff, ranging from academics and lecturers to heads of department. At third floor, a large open-plan PhD research office is provided alongside communal staff facilities. Formerly housing the university’s senior leadership team, department of estates and facilities management services, the Wilfred Brown Building has been reinvented as a modern, vibrant, student-focused teaching and learning facility. Key learning spaces for the Department of Computer Science are delivered across all levels in the building, including a 60-seat IT laboratory, a digital technology workshop and two technology-rich digital economy laboratories, which are connected via a retractable wall. Several research labs are distributed across the upper floors, while a dedicated cyber security laboratory is created at third floor in support of current research projects. Initial appraisal of the existing building, alongside interrogation of the university’s aspirations for the project, quickly established the need to replace the previous envelope with a modern façade system. Crucial to this decision was the need to significantly upgrade the performance of the external fabric, coupled with the aspiration to deliver a ‘world class’ gateway building, marking the establishment of a new college and the strategic objective to enhance provision of STEM outreach facilities. The facade strategy was conceived as an environmentally driven design response to the building’s orientation and its influence on the required performance of the façade. The completed facade achieves a significant improvement in performance through the enhanced thermal properties of the envelope, exceeding current air tightness requirements, improving the efficiency of the building services installation, and addressing solar energy transmittance through the installation of high performance glazing in response to site conditions. Alongside the wider sustainability strategy, enhancement of the envelope contributes to an improvement of 31.8% over Building Regulations Part L requirements, while the improvement over a baseline case representing the existing building is estimated to be 49.7%. Central to the viability of the project was the retention and alteration of the existing structural frame. Being marginally larger in plan, the façade extending a metre outwards of the existing footprint to the west, and with the addition of an extra storey at roof level, the structural capacity of the existing frame was maximised, the existing frame containing very little redundancy in its original configuration. Through thoughtful reuse of the existing building
Combining reality capture and AI to close the gap between BIM and on-site fieldwork Imerso’s smart construction monitoring platform enables true-to-life digital twins In line with Nemetschek strategy of investing in AEC/O innovators The Nemetschek Group, one of the leading software providers for the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AEC/O) industry, has led a financing round for Imerso AS. The Norway based deep-tech company is offering a next-generation platform to automate construction quality monitoring through a combination of advanced artificial intelligence (AI), reality capture, and BIM technologies. The solution enables easy, everyday use of industry grade 3D scanners on site. The scanners capture the as-built status throughout the construction phase with point clouds – a collection of 3D data points that accurately digitize real-life physical spaces, such as a building, a floor, or a room. Imerso’s cloud-based platform automatically analyses the captured 3D scan data against the plan in BIM. Combining AI and advanced computer vision, it highlights and lists in real-time any relevant work deviations or issues, so these can be resolved efficiently through re-planning or fixes on site. By connecting the BIM model directly to the as-built snapshot on site, Imerso delivers an efficient roadmap for accurate, as-built digital twins – with great benefits across the entire building life-cycle. “Imerso is a perfect fit to our goal of helping our customers worldwide shape the world,” says Dr. Axel Kaufmann, spokesman and CFOO of the Nemetschek Group. Tanja Kufner, Head of Start-ups and Venture Investments at the Nemetschek Group, explains further. “We see great synergies, particularly with our brand Solibri. Both companies are on a mission to improve the quality of construction and to create better buildings. Customers can accurately monitor the project’s progress and efficiently improve the results,” she says. Combining the technologies of Solibri and Imerso will generate significant opportunities for owners, engineers, and contractors. They can monitor the progress and quality of work on site at a detailed level and produce reliable final client deliverables for the management of the facility. “This is a tremendous step in our journey, as we continue scaling our solution with some of the leading players in our industry. Partnering with the Nemetschek Group is rocket fuel for us to leverage their deep roots in the construction sector and in-depth knowledge, and to accelerate the go-to-market strategy of our technology,” says Frederico Valente, founder and CEO of Imerso. The Norwegian start-up has been developing its solution in collaboration with leading research institutes and some of the largest industry players in the Nordics. Seven million square meters of floor have already been captured in the platform across several customer projects. Imerso is currently being used on some of the largest and most ambitious projects in Scandinavia and central Europe. The investment in Imerso is a strong continuation of the Nemetschek Group strategy of supporting young companies to shape the future AEC/O market and drive innovation. See also our recent announcements regarding the start-ups Sablono and Reconstruct.
Oxford architecture practice Gray, Baynes & Shew has overhauled its IT infrastructure with a suite of technologies from OGL, to boost business productivity and protect its business while maintaining its position as an award-winning architectural partner. Based at St Thomas House on Becket Street in Oxford, Gray, Baynes & Shew (“GBS”) took advantage of a free network appraisal which uncovered some concerning weaknesses and cyber threats. The firm works across a range of business sectors including education and healthcare to create buildings for learning, healing, resting, playing or for worshiping. It is on Oxford University’s Capital Projects Framework and has completed projects at a number of colleges including Corpus Christi and Lady Margaret Hall. Poor IT is the last thing any business wants, but it’s especially true of architects that use high-intensity CAD software (computer aided design) for their design work, which demands a powerful, well-managed and well-maintained infrastructure. Realising that its incumbent supplier was not proactive or delivering the level of IT service the practice required, GBS asked OGL to conduct a free network appraisal. This audit is used to establish a company’s baseline security and identify where gaps lie, which is how OGL uncovered some concerning weaknesses and cyber threats. The network appraisal examined every one of the firm’s network assets, from physical servers, virtual servers, network-attached storage (NAS), to firewalls, workstations, printers and much more. The result was an extremely detailed and valuable third-party perspective for the firm’s IT team. “I knew our infrastructure needed work following the shift to more home-working during and since the pandemic, but I was shocked to be shown the extent of its weaknesses and gaps. To hear that a relatively simple check by OGL uncovered our login credentials and passwords had been compromised and were on the Dark Web was a huge eye opener,” explains Tony Stewart, IT Project Manager at Gray, Baynes & Shew. GBS appointed OGL as its IT partner after discovering that its legacy IT infrastructure needed an overhaul and recommended a suite of technology products and services that included server configuration, Synology storage and cloud sync, firewall security, anti-virus, SaaS backup, remote monitoring and patch management. The patch management service is now the firm’s first line of defence. It blocks unwanted traffic, whether that’s protection from emails with very large file sizes or executable files which autorun. While Synology storage helps GBS to manage, secure and protect its data. “IT and cyber security is so important these days, it must be resourced and financed accordingly. Tony was realistic about the work needed to get the network to a good, robust place, following years with an IT provider that didn’t appear to be pulling their weight any longer,” concludes Matt Thorneycroft, Business Development Manager at OGL.
Personal injuries happen during car accidents, work shifts, and even on regular days at commercial properties, such as malls, parking lots, restaurants, and other similar establishments. Location-based accidents would fall as premises liability cases. Typically, injuries sustained under these circumstances can be life-threatening. If you don’t know what to do, you might worsen your condition and be unable to file for financial compensation from the at-fault party. Here are four steps to take if you’ve sustained a personal injury on commercial property: 1. Seek Medical Attention Immediately Several types of injuries are associated with accidents on commercial properties, such as puncture wounds, traumatic brain injury, broken bones, neck injuries, and cuts and abrasions. Whatever type of injury you sustained, it’s crucial to get yourself checked immediately. Sometimes, the injuries that occurred in a commercial property aren’t visible right away. It might take a few days or a week for the symptoms to appear. Hence, you need to seek immediate medical care to get the proper treatment and obtain documentation about your injury. Aside from recovering from your injuries, seeking medical attention can improve your chances of getting a favorable outcome from your case. In a personal injury claim, you’re asking the responsible party to cover costs such as medical expenses, lost wages, and damages for pain and suffering. Therefore, evidence like medical records are crucial to substantiating your claim. They can demonstrate your injuries’ severity, medical treatment costs, and the impact of the injuries on your life. 2. Report The Accident To The Property Manager Or Owner It’s also essential to report the accident to the property manager or owner after sustaining an injury on commercial property. Doing so can help notify the persons in charge of the premises about the incident and what they can do to prevent reoccurrence. Under premise liability laws, a commercial property owner is responsible for making their premises safe for their employees, customers, and visitors. Moreover, reporting the accident to the property manager or owner will require documentation, which might be helpful when claiming compensation. Otherwise, you’ll jeopardize your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome for your case. 3. Seek Legal Assistance Generally speaking, you might have no idea who to turn to after getting hurt on commercial property. Thus, if you’re looking to protect your rights after the incident, working with an experienced lawyer is an excellent idea. Such lawyers have experience handling premise liability cases, like a slip and fall accident on commercial property. Hence, they can evaluate the facts of your case and recommend the legal options available to you. Moreover, hiring a specialized legal professional like a premises liability lawyer would make a lot of sense since premise liability law, including slip and fall cases, can be complex to deal with. They also have valuable expertise in handling these certain types of cases, so they can also help build a strong case and receive the compensation you deserve. For instance, they can help you obtain the proper evidence you need to substantiate your claim against the party at fault. The common types of evidence you should have in your favor may include: There are several pieces of clear and convincing evidence you need to gather to build your case. If you need help procuring these documents, your lawyer might be the right person to call. Lawyers have professional connections to help you obtain evidence as quickly as possible. For example, if you want to establish the proximate causation between the injury and the accident, an expert doctor could testify in your favor. They can help prove that the accident on a commercial property due to someone else’s negligence was the proximate cause of your injury.For these reasons, it’s best to get a personal injury lawyer who can handle your case more effectively. However, when choosing a legal representative, check your prospect’s years of experience and track record of winning personal injury cases. Schedule a free consultation so you can ask your potential lawyer as many questions as you want. Then, analyze their responses to help you decide whether they fit your situation perfectly. 4. File A Personal Injury Claim If you’re injured and want to seek compensation for your injury, you need to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party. When it comes to personal injury cases, proving negligence on the part of the property manager or owner plays a critical role in the success of your claim. Thus, you need a lawyer’s expertise to help you establish the liability of the responsible. You can improve the odds of having a successful case if you can prove the following: By demonstrating the existence of these requisites in your case, you’ll have a better chance of winning your case and receiving monetary compensation for your losses. Typically, there are two main types of compensation available for personal injuries. First is the compensation for economic losses, or those which can be easily quantified, like medical expenses and property damage. Second is the non-economic losses or those which can be difficult to quantify, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment in life. However, it’s essential to note that the amount of damages awarded may depend on the specific facts of your case and other factors like the severity of injuries and the length of time the injuries will last. Moreover, it’s also important to be mindful of the statute of limitations when filing a personal injury claim. Working with a legal professional is essential in this situation because they know when you should initiate a case to recover compensation. This way, you can ensure your claim is filed within the time limits required by your state laws. Bottom Line Being injured on commercial property due to someone else’s negligence can be a frustrating ordeal. With the physical, mental, and financial effects of the accident and the injury, your whole life might change forever. Therefore, keep the steps mentioned above in mind if you want to safeguard yourself from these
Environments with complex electrical systems such as manufacturing industries, residential complexes, and commercial compounds emphasise the need for protective equipment that can offer adequate support in situations of distress. Power surges, overloads, and faults are common in installations with a myriad of inputs and outputs. A motor starter is a piece of protective equipment that is used to save a motor from electrical overloading. It controls the power that is used to start a motor and can also be utilised to stop the electricity supply or reverse it. In this article, we will be emphasising the importance of investing in a high-quality motor starter for your establishment. The Types of Motor Starters As a piece of essential protective equipment, motor starters are available in several specifications that widen their use across different infrastructures. Here is a detailed overview of the types of motor starters available in the market: Magnetic motor starters: Operated electromagnetically, magnetic starters start or stop the connected motor load with the help of a voltage that is lower than the motor voltage. It consists of an overload relay and an electrical contactor to offer maximum protection during overcurrent or heat. Manual motor starters: As the name suggests, manual starters are operated manually and are simple to operate. It consists of a rotary knob that can be turned by the user to turn the equipment on or off. The Importance of Motor Starters Safety measures are integral in all forms of electrical systems to avoid any damage to the asset or human life. A lot of electrical systems skip a starter for a simple disconnect switch. This might work in small establishments but can rarely offer the required protection in huge spaces. The primary components of a motor starter solidify its importance in any environment. The presence of a contactor manipulates the current that flows into the motor and can either make or break the circuit; furthermore, an overload relay offers effective protection against overcurrent and heat. The Uses of Motor Starters While primarily used as a piece of protective equipment, a motor starter offers even better value with a variety of other uses. Let’s discover some of the independent uses of motor starters in detail: Protection against overload: An excess of current flow can severely damage a motor. The motor starter’s relay detects overcurrent and immediately opens the circuit. This protects the motor from burning out or overheating. Protection against short circuits: In environments having a high load, the current can exceed the thousand-ampere mark. Short-circuits in such situations can cause significant damage to equipment or any other asset. The existence of circuit breakers in motor starters can disconnect power supply before any damage takes form. Circuit breaks: Avoiding inadvertent restarts during routine maintenance necessitates a circuit breaker that can open the circuit and isolate power until the task is complete. A motor starter can be used to effortlessly disconnect. Power control: The contactor in a motor starter helps in controlling in the opening and closing of the circuit. The main poles of the contactor are used to control power through an energised electromagnetic coil. Get your Hands on a Quality Motor Starter It can be concluded that motor starters are worthy investments that offer several useful benefits ranging from protection to optimal circuit breaking. In order to get your hands on the best quality motor starter, we would advise you to connect with a reputed electrical service provider. Their expert team would comprehend your requirements and offer the best possible product recommendation that fits your establishment.
