A SIGNIFICANT housing project has been announced as the first large-scale project procured through national framework provider Pagabo’s Developer Led Framework. Southwark Council has selected Linkcity as developer for its Tustin Estate scheme, which will feature nearly 700 new homes. This includes 200 replacement council homes, around 50 shared equity
Designer Contracts, the UK’s largest flooring contractor, is spearheading a new industry initiative aimed at reversing the crisis level shortage of skilled fitters. On January 17, 2022, the company took on its first cohort of 10, 16 to 18-year-old apprentices under a new block release training scheme launched as a
Doncaster MBC has granted Leeds based Wilton Developments Outline Planning consent for up to 3.52 Million sq ft of Logistics and Industrial space on 180 acres adjacent to Junction 6 of the M18 at Thorne, Doncaster. Elsewhere in South Yorkshire Wilton Developments has recently completed its c. 300,000 sq ft
With increasing demand across the construction sector for products that offer reduced, or are completely free of, plastic components, a leading manufacturer of fire resistant mineral insulated cables says specifiers and building designers can have the best of both worlds when it comes to building safety and environmental credentials. Wrexham
The COP-26 summit in Glasgow has led the world to think more deeply and more urgently about climate change, and how we must all live and work more sustainably to combat it. Clark-Drain is no exception – and we are stepping up to the mark, as we have done in
Building Transparency is proud to partner with The Passive House Network (PHN) and the Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) for the US launch of the PHN PHribbon, a toolbar add-on for Excel. Developed in association with the PHN, AECB and Building Transparency, this add-on enables Passive House designers to calculate the embodied carbon of a given
As we collectively attempt to create a greener planet, businesses across all industries are looking to reduce their carbon footprint. The construction industry hasn’t always been so green, but luckily there are many sustainable solutions available to us today. There are lots of benefits of sustainable construction, including reduced costs,
The world population is projected to grow to more than nine billion by 2050. This means that agriculture needs to increase production to meet the growing demand. In the context of climate change, this task can become a serious challenge. Climate change negatively affects agriculture and leads to crop loss
A SIGNIFICANT housing project has been announced as the first large-scale project procured through national framework provider Pagabo’s Developer Led Framework. Southwark Council has selected Linkcity as developer for its Tustin Estate scheme, which will feature nearly 700 new homes. This includes 200 replacement council homes, around 50 shared equity properties, around 220 additional council homes including keyworker homes, and around 220 homes for sale. A Pre-Construction Services Agreement is set to be signed to kick off the process. The project also includes a central park, several refurbishments of existing council homes and at least 1,800 sqm of commercial floorspace. Linkcity, part of the Bouygues Construction group, will work with the authority over the coming months with a view to signing a full development agreement in summer 2022 with Bouygues UK as the main contractor for the scheme. Construction will begin late 2022 and is planned to complete in summer 2028. Pagabo’s £47bn Developer Led Framework was the first framework of its kind when it launched to the market in December 2020, with 29 companies appointed across nine lots to deliver projects across a huge variety of development sectors. Jonathan Parker, head of construction at Pagabo, said: “I am thrilled to have been involved with the procurement of a developer for the Tustin Estate low rise redevelopment programme, which will provide much needed improvement and expansion of Southwark Council’s existing social housing provision, as well as upgrading the facilities for people in the area. “The Developer Led Framework was launched as a unique market offering to help procure significant projects that make a huge social difference, and Tustin Estate is exactly that. Having been heavily involved from the outset, we’re really excited to see this project come to fruition over the coming years.” As part of the framework and procurement process, Pagabo assisted with the procurement advice, development’s business case, early engagement, expression of interest, formulating the invitation to tender, quality scoring and tender moderation, tender summary report, and notification letters. Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for Council Homes and Homelessness, said: “We are delighted to welcome Linkcity to the Tustin Estate and look forward to working with them and our residents to build quality new council homes. Southwark has one of the most ambitious council house building programmes in the country and the work on Tustin Estate will not only help us reach our aim of providing new housing but also enhance the estate for current residents.” As part of the initial phase of development, Linkcity will create around 200 new homes to rehouse current tenants of the estate. In addition, the developer will deliver 440 homes across two further phases over the next three years, through its construction partner Bouygues UK, with at least half of these designated as affordable housing. Tom Jackson, development director at Linkcity said, “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Southwark Council and the Tustin Estate residents to deliver the first project on Pagabo’s Developer Led Framework. It’s a great opportunity to provide social and economic value through local employment and education opportunities, as well as new homes for this thriving community.” For more information about Pagabo please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/.
Designer Contracts, the UK’s largest flooring contractor, is spearheading a new industry initiative aimed at reversing the crisis level shortage of skilled fitters. On January 17, 2022, the company took on its first cohort of 10, 16 to 18-year-old apprentices under a new block release training scheme launched as a joint venture between FITA (Flooring Industry Training Association) and Webs Training Ltd. The apprentices, based around the UK, will attend the FITA training centre in Loughborough for practical training for one week in every eight. In between – over the course of the three-year apprenticeship scheme – they will train with one of Designer Contracts’ employed or sub-contract fitters FITA is also creating a bespoke Designer Contracts’ training standard so the company can assess and further develop its trained, employed fitters. The move follows a growing labour gap and skills crisis over the past two to three years which has seen the emergence of a ‘bidding war’ for the shrinking pool of available fitters. Said Louise Walters, commercial director for Designer Contracts: “The decision to take on 10 apprentices – with plans for a further 10 in 2023 – represents a significant moment for us as a company as well as the new industry training initiative. “Apprenticeships and further training are one way in which we can tackle the chronic skills shortage. As a company we have also been recruiting and directly employing more fitters rather than relying solely on contractors. Over the past two years we have taken on more than 25 fitters, many of them in the past 12 months – and going forward our plan is to directly employ even more. “We still have around 300 contract fitters on our books but as many in the industry will know, accessing this pool of trades people has become increasingly difficult over the past three years. “The CFA has been leading this drive for more training and, through FITA, started delivery of apprenticeships in Loughborough in May 2021 with its first intake of 20 apprentices “We are delighted to be supporting this industry initiative with the largest single intake of apprentices by any one company in the country. It represents a real investment in and commitment to the future of the industry and, as a CFA director and committee member, we are fully behind this scheme.”
Doncaster MBC has granted Leeds based Wilton Developments Outline Planning consent for up to 3.52 Million sq ft of Logistics and Industrial space on 180 acres adjacent to Junction 6 of the M18 at Thorne, Doncaster. Elsewhere in South Yorkshire Wilton Developments has recently completed its c. 300,000 sq ft Enterprise 36 scheme at Tankersley (J36 of the M1), delivering four warehouse and industrial units to occupiers including Williams Rowland, Dura and USL Group. Two of the buildings were acquired by CBRE Investment Management for one of its discretionary funds. Wilton is active across the north of England specialising in office and industrial development and investment. Jason Stowe, Managing Director of Wilton Developments, comments: “We are looking forward to bringing forward this key employment site within the Northern Powerhouse. We are programmed to be on-site later this year with delivery of the first buildings in 2023. Further detail and updates on our plans will be available shortly”.
With increasing demand across the construction sector for products that offer reduced, or are completely free of, plastic components, a leading manufacturer of fire resistant mineral insulated cables says specifiers and building designers can have the best of both worlds when it comes to building safety and environmental credentials. Wrexham Mineral Cables produces what it describes as the only true ‘fire survival’ cable. Offering the highest levels of fire performance, the company says it is also seeing an increased interest in the environmental benefits of its products. Government data recently revealed that plastic waste from the construction sector had risen by 46% in just two years. It follows on from comments made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson that recycling plastics ‘doesn’t work’ and the industry needs to ‘cut down our use of plastics’ to solve the problem. In order to reduce plastic within the supply chain, Wrexham Mineral Cables believe that by focusing on the green credentials of products, plastic waste can be significantly reduced. For example, MICC cable is a NON-AGEING product, and does not use any plastics to aid fire performance. WMC’s bare MICC cable option consists of just two materials: Copper & Magnesium Oxide. Neither will burn, and both elements are inorganic and non-carcinogenic. This results in no added smoke or toxins in a fire situation – creating no harm towards the natural environment. The copper used in the cables is 100% recyclable. By comparison, the majority of other cables on the market require plastics or polymers to protect the conductors. A standard SWA 4 core 4mm cable can contain around 270g of plastic per 1 metre length – the equivalent of 54 plastic bags being sent to landfill. Huw Williams, Factory Manager at Wrexham Mineral Cables, comments: “Reducing plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues in recent years. As a responsible manufacturer, we understand the role we can play in reducing the impacts our products have on the world around us. “Although recycling efforts are changing, cables that contain artificial fire retardants are still extremely difficult to recycle, potentially resulting in tens of thousands of tons of unrecyclable plastic being sent to landfill. “With our MICC Cable we don’t need polymer covers to aid fire protection. Our bare cable option consists of just two inorganic materials, where the copper element is 100% recyclable. The result is a totally inorganic and silicone free cable that maintains integrity in extreme fire conditions, whilst offering an environmentally friendly solution.” For more information, visit www.wrexhammineralcables.com/environment
The COP-26 summit in Glasgow has led the world to think more deeply and more urgently about climate change, and how we must all live and work more sustainably to combat it. Clark-Drain is no exception – and we are stepping up to the mark, as we have done in the past. We are proud to announce that we signed up to the Government’s Climate Change Agreement (CCA) scheme back in 2018, which commits us to environmental targets over time. It was an important step forward, and complements the many other measures we have already taken, and continue to take, to reduce resource consumption, pollution, and climate change impacts. From the market’s first fully recycled and recyclable channels and chambers, to efficient drainage that increases hydraulic performance using less material, to lightweight designs that use less fuel to transport and install, Clark-Drain has always put sustainability high on its agenda. And with our CCA commitment, our long-established, family-run business is shifting its environmental conscience up a gear. So, what exactly does CCA deliver, how, and what are the benefits? Measure, report, hit the mark – consistently Primarily, CCA is about reducing our energy use and carbon emissions to agreed levels. Energy consumption is the cause of much of the world’s carbon emissions, and carbon itself makes up 80% of the greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change, so cutting down on both energy use and carbon emissions is a no-brainer. As part of our commitment to CCA, we must measure and report our energy consumption and emissions over periods of two years, until the end of March 2025, and must hit the agreed targets throughout that time. The measuring and reporting are rigorous, comprising both absolute and relative measures of energy consumption and carbon emitted. The targets, which are defined by the Government based on the industry sector we operate in, are calculated relative to a past “base year”, and are both absolute and – necessarily – challenging. In short, with the CCA scheme we are doing in environmental terms what we have always done elsewhere in our business: championing transparency, learning lessons, aiming high, and delivering a better outcome. But what’s in it for us – and our customers? CCA: making environmental and economic sense Like all the best environmental initiatives, CCA incorporates sensible financial incentives to help offset the costs to the business of managing the scheme, and potentially deliver some residual economic benefit, both of which ultimately drive uptake. By hitting the CCA targets, businesses like Clark-Drain benefit from significant reductions in the Climate Change Levy (CCL) that we currently pay as part of our electricity and fuel bills. Ultimately, we are free to deploy any surplus however we think it will benefit our customers most – in new product development, operational and customer service investment, price or quantity incentives, and so on. It’s the proverbial win-win situation, three ways: we reduce our impact on the environment, we lower our costs, and we free up funds to better serve our customers. Transparency and credibility: going public One thing that COP-26 has taught us all is that lip-service just doesn’t cut it anymore. Environmental commitments must be visible, and they must have teeth. The CCA scheme addresses this not only through its extremely specific targets, conditions, and measurement, as described above (a much fuller explanation of which is given in the various technical documents here), but also in the fact that it maintains a completely public register of businesses that continue to meet the targets and be eligible for the CCL discount. This register (called the Reduced Rate Certificates spreadsheet) is available to download here, and makes successful CCA commitment a matter of public record. Our customers can therefore be sure they are dealing with a business that has not only signed up to the CCA scheme, but is actually delivering on it. Critical changes, manageable progress As the great and the good head off from Glasgow, leaving a legacy of urgent environmental action in their wake, the ball is very much in our court – the millions of expert, specialist businesses that, across the globe, sell the things the world can’t do without, but at an environmental price it soon won’t be able to afford. Our commitment to the CCA scheme is one more demonstration of our determination to deliver products and to work in ways that are more sustainable, bit by bit, day by day. At Clark-Drain, we’re proud that what we produce is, as we always say, “grounded in expertise”- but now, more than ever, we want to make sure that how it is produced is grounded in environmental good sense.
Building Transparency is proud to partner with The Passive House Network (PHN) and the Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) for the US launch of the PHN PHribbon, a toolbar add-on for Excel. Developed in association with the PHN, AECB and Building Transparency, this add-on enables Passive House designers to calculate the embodied carbon of a given design within the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP), an easy-to-use planning tool for energy efficiency. Integrated with the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3), PHribbon gives users unparalleled power to forecast the carbon emissions impact of their designs. Tim Martel, Certified Passive House Designer, Chartered Architectural Technologist AECB expert and course tutor on the AECB CarbonLite ™ Retrofit Course wrote PHribbon. It is an Excel add-on that makes using PHPP quicker and easier and draws on existing national and global database information for materials and products’ environmental impact. It estimates cradle-to-grave carbon emissions, helps users build PHPP models, and includes several useful tools and features. The PHPP energy balance design tool contains everything necessary for designing a properly functioning Passive House, a building standard that is energy efficient, comfortable, affordable and ecological. The program prepares an energy balance and calculates the annual energy demand of the building based on the user input relating to the building’s characteristics. Ken Levenson, Executive Director of PHN said: “As more leaders across the building industry are prioritizing a positive climate impact for their structures, by utilizing the PHribbon, designers can tackle both operational and embodied building carbon emissions within the PHPP tool, and comprehensively push for carbon neutral and negative buildings across the US.” PHribbon leverages existing information beyond just energy, pulling from Building Transparency’s EC3 database, and EPA carbon figures for electricity, the end-of-life of materials, and the end-of-life pathway. Stacy Smedley, Chair and Executive Director of Building Transparency said: “Building Transparency’s mission is to provide the open access data and tools necessary to enable broad and swift action across the building industry in addressing embodied carbon’s role in climate change. Partnering with PHN to support programs like the PHribbon furthers that mission. We are proud to work with PHN to integrate EC3’s 50,000 materials records into the tool to help clarify whole life carbon emissions for a building’s design and influence positive procurement decisions.” Andrew Simmonds, CEO of AECB said: “Collaboration with PHN and Building Transparency marks a step-change in the AECB’s strategic goal to build more and stronger international partnerships. We enthusiastically welcome the positivity and synergy that is already flowing from this joint initiative.” For further details please contact: Sue Garland, AECB Development & Communications Manager – sue@aecb.net
As we collectively attempt to create a greener planet, businesses across all industries are looking to reduce their carbon footprint. The construction industry hasn’t always been so green, but luckily there are many sustainable solutions available to us today. There are lots of benefits of sustainable construction, including reduced costs, and healthier buildings. According to Alphin, ‘greener building portfolios have better operating performance and they are exposed to less market risk.’ To practice more sustainable construction in 2022, take a look at the following options. 1 . Sustainable materials Clients, builders, and architects can support sustainable construction by choosing green and local materials. There are plenty of different sustainable materials that can be used for sustainable construction, including: Bamboo When constructing flooring, bamboo is a great choice. The material is renewable, durable, and lightweight. Bamboo is self-generating, so it doesn’t need to be replanted after the harvest. Surprisingly, bamboo offers a better compressive strength than concrete. Recycled Metal Using recycled metal is a great way to practice sustainable construction. Recycled metal helps to reduce how much energy is consumed in the construction process overall. Metals tend to keep the same characteristics, even if they’ve been recycled plenty of times. Whether you’re sourcing corrugated roofing sheets or eave struts, ensure that you choose sustainable suppliers. There are plenty of green materials to build sustainable homes or commercial buildings. If you’re interested in a sustainable project, you’ll need to perform plenty of research to find the right contractor. 2. Reduce waste Reducing waste is a critical component of sustainable construction. There are plenty of ways that you can reduce waste on a construction site, including: Project organization: Ensuring that your projects are properly organized is the best way to limit waste production. Order the exact amount of materials that you need, and carry out regular inventory checks. Choose deconstruction instead of demolition If you opt for demolition this can make it difficult to salvage old materials. Deconstructing your site makes it easier to keep materials for reuse. Donate materials If you have any materials that can’t be recycled, ensure that you donate these. You might be able to give your unused items to charity projects. 3. Digital solutions With the help of digital tech solutions, businesses can focus on more sustainable building practices. For instance, using IoT and AI, construction workers can predict and assess the way that sites are managed, and the resources they need. To improve the efficiency of projects, there are plenty of different types of tech software. Companies might use ‘Life Cycle Analysis’ tools, or ‘Building Information Management’ software. 4. Net-Zero Construction In 2022, net-zero construction is growing in popularity. So what does this mean? Net-zero buildings are buildings that consume the same amount of energy that they put out. These projects can be used to reduce water consumption, carbon emissions, and waste. To construct a net-zero building, contractors need to focus on renewable energy. Examples might include solar energy, wind farms, or hydropower. Practices like these can help contractors to access all the benefits of sustainable construction. Green properties are in high demand both in the residential and commercial sector. Learning more about sustainable options can help construction companies to improve their practices and enhance their reputation.
The world population is projected to grow to more than nine billion by 2050. This means that agriculture needs to increase production to meet the growing demand. In the context of climate change, this task can become a serious challenge. Climate change negatively affects agriculture and leads to crop loss due to disease, pests, drought, soil erosion, and other problems. In addition, food security will be challenging for some regions in the face of extreme environmental shocks. South Asia, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East are in the most challenging environmental situation. As a result, a total of 5 billion people could be food insecure in 30 years. Food insecurity will lead to mass displacement of people, an increase in the influx of refugees to developed countries, and competition for resources. Emerging diseases The fight against disease-causing organisms or pathogens is a characteristic feature of agriculture. There are also current concerns, such as the spread of wheat rust fungus. The disease spreads from Africa to the Middle East and affects current wheat varieties that are not resistant to this pathogen. New species of fungus are also destroying banana plantations, the production of which is an essential part of the economy of many countries. Scientists are working on a solution to this problem. Perhaps these pathogens can be defeated by supplying crops with R-proteins that activate defenses from various pathogens. Growing population Ensuring food security for a growing population means that agriculture will need to increase production by 30-50%. It is the main task for the agricultural sector for the next three decades. In addition, climate change requires agriculture to apply sustainable practices that will help reduce the negative impact on the environment. Climate change Climate change, which is evidence of the disruption of the natural balance, poses the greatest threat to food security. Today, it is impossible not to notice the changes, as weather conditions become unstable and extreme weather conditions become more frequent. It leads to rising sea levels and changing landscapes. Plants do not have time to adapt, and therefore the yield of crops decreases. Flattening yields For several decades, agriculture has seen an increase in yields. However, production hit the ceiling due to the limitations of photosynthesis itself. Japan experienced an increase in rice yields from the 1880s to 1996. Then the growth stopped, and it became impossible to harvest from the previously used plots. Soon, China may face a similar problem. Salty soils Substances in water, including sodium and calcium salts, remain in the soil after watering. Salts accumulate in the ground and affect crop yields. Plants that are in extreme conditions are in symbiotic relationships with fungi. In some cases, treating plants with fungi helps to make them more resistant to extreme conditions. For example, rice treated with mushrooms from plants taken from coastal areas with saline soil becomes salt tolerant. Mushrooms from plants growing in the Yellowstone National Park’s geothermic soil make plants resistant to temperatures up to 50 ℃. Fertilizer dependence Fertilizers provide plants with the nutrients needed to increase yields. However, the manufacturing process damages the environment due to high temperatures. In addition, chemical fertilizers harm the microorganisms that inhabit the soil. The process leads to massive greenhouse gas emissions and increased global warming. Urbanization Cities occupy only 3% of the Earth, but more than half of the world’s population lives in them. Living in a small area of millions of people leads to a large concentration of poverty and malnutrition due to low income. People with low incomes do not have much choice and buy processed foods, and any price increase negatively affects their lives. Final thoughts The growing population of the planet requires agriculture to increase production. It is a real challenge for the agricultural sector, as climate change entails unstable weather conditions. Agricultural production and food security are affected by many factors, but shifting to more sustainable production and developing genetic engineering solutions can help combat potential problems.
