Construction employers are being encouraged to rethink how they attract their workforce as competition for skilled workers gets more intense. The industry faces a tough challenge to meet its recruitment needs in a labour market that is running hot and with new CITB research showing that just two per cent of those
Chris Johns And Gaynor Carpenter Appointed As Directors Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has announced the expansion of its Board with the appointment of two new directors, Chris Johns and Gaynor Carpenter. The new appointments come as Keyland prepares for
Leading UPS manufacturer, CENTIEL UK, has been named as a finalist for the Tomorrow’s FM Awards 2022. The awards, which have been running for more than a decade, recognise the finest solutions and products the industry has to offer. CENTIEL has been nominated for its complete containerised UPS solution which
A £1.5bn home building fund offering loans to SMEs to help them deliver 42,000 new houses across the country has received a lukewarm response from the construction industry. The National Federation of Builders, NFB, has said the loan scheme would only be of any use if smaller housebuilders could borrow
Modular carpets, typically called carpet tiles, are an interesting flooring option. Carpet tiles have become more popular in recent years, and there are a few reasons why. In this blog post, we will discuss what carpet tiles are and whether or not they are a good choice for your home
The larger the project, the more difficult delivering it on time will become. So many things can happen that will slow down the site, throughout the building phase. Thankfully, there are tools and other ways to keep track of what is going on, so your project will not be delayed.
Cavanna Homes has secured land in the village of Collaton St Mary near Paignton where it will be building new family homes close to local amenities, schools and the South West coastline. The Westcountry homebuilder, whose current developments can be found in Exeter, Newton Abbot, Tavistock and Bude has acquired
Works of art and antiques are really delicate elements that must be taken care of in a very specific way to keep them in good condition. These pieces of great value are very delicate and require a series of special care to be taken into account, especially when organizing exhibitions
Construction employers are being encouraged to rethink how they attract their workforce as competition for skilled workers gets more intense. The industry faces a tough challenge to meet its recruitment needs in a labour market that is running hot and with new CITB research showing that just two per cent of those outside construction see it as their preferred industry to work in. Yet the research also shows that construction could be more successful if it aligned its recruitment approach to values where it scores highly. These include stability & security, the variety of work, the opportunity to have a positive impact and the chance to specialise and become an expert The industry also needs to widen its net to recruit the tens of thousands of new workers it needs. Currently, women only make up 14% of the workforce and workers from ethnic minorities just 6%. Fixing this isn’t just about changing the culture, it’s about making the opportunities much more visible and accessible. The Rethinking Recruitment research shows that people outside or who have little contact with the industry often have limited knowledge of what construction can offer, while negative perceptions and misconceptions surrounding culture and behaviours persist. The report also found only three-in-ten (30%) outsiders feel construction is ‘for someone like them’. However, the Rethinking Recruitment research shows construction has the chance to address these perceptions and appeal to a much wider group. The industry is described by those inside as somewhere that offers generous pay, opportunities for progression and a varied working environment. “‘There will always be opportunities in construction, and that is quite a reassuring thing to have” Female, 22, white, Professional Insiders also report it to be diverse, flexible and aligned to their values, but many outside industry are unaware that construction can offer them this. Steve Radley, CITB’s Strategy and Policy Director said: “This report is aimed at helping the industry take a fresh look at how it attracts its future workforce. Construction has massive strengths such as the ability to make a positive impact, including its contribution to Net Zero. And it scores highly on the variety of work and the opportunity to specialise, become an expert and progress your career. “Construction’s challenge is to bring the knowledge and understanding of insiders to those outside of the industry and to celebrate what is good about it. We need to fire up their enthusiasm and make it the career of choice for thousands more potential new workers. “ Informal and word-of-mouth recruitment used by the bulk of construction employers is affecting the industry’s opportunity for creating a more diverse workplace If workers without the right personal contacts don’t get a chance to apply, industry misses their talent. The research pointed to the benefit from employers highlighting, in recruitment advertising, the values important to them to help candidates identify common ground. Other points include using key strengths as identified by insiders in recruitment material, such as the stability of the job and job satisfaction from creating something – making a difference to other people’s lives by building homes – and career progression through training. Steve added: “There are some useful conclusions in the report and we hope with the widening skills gap that employers will benefit from these suggestions. “Construction has a lot to offer but the message isn’t as yet getting out to those who are looking for a career change or where to start with their career and that needs to change.” Other suggestions to improve recruitment outcomes and fix incorrect stereotypes include companies making more of ambassadors – presenting role models from their own workforce and offering site taster days and easier to access work experience. Firms are encouraged to link up with CITB’s onsite training hubs and to get in touch with their regional engagement office to take up training opportunities for staff. You can read the Rethinking Recruitment report here.
Chris Johns And Gaynor Carpenter Appointed As Directors Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has announced the expansion of its Board with the appointment of two new directors, Chris Johns and Gaynor Carpenter. The new appointments come as Keyland prepares for a busy year ahead following the launch of its UK-first Valuation Tool and its innovative Six Capitals approach to development, which aims to change the way that developments are delivered across the Yorkshire region with sustainability at its core. Chris Johns joins the Board alongside his current role as Chief Financial Officer at Yorkshire Water. Chris joined Yorkshire Water in 2021 from his former role as Finance Director of Northumbrian Water Limited. Also strengthening the Board is Gaynor Carpenter who joins alongside her current role as Head of Land & Property at Yorkshire Water. Chris and Gaynor will sit alongside existing members Liz Barber, who is Chair and Chief Executive of Kelda Group, Peter Garrett, Managing Director of Keyland and Luke Axe, who took his place on the Board last year following his promotion to Land and Planning Director for Keyland. Liz Barber said; “We are delighted to welcome Chris and Gaynor to the Board, who both bring a wide amount of experience with them in their roles providing strategic and practical leadership to a number of businesses. These latest appointments are designed to strengthen the Keyland Board as we look to expand the business beyond our traditional residential and industrial sectors and build on our Six Capitals approach to development, which now sees us promoting more than 9,000 residential units and 4.5 million square feet of commercial development.”
Leading UPS manufacturer, CENTIEL UK, has been named as a finalist for the Tomorrow’s FM Awards 2022. The awards, which have been running for more than a decade, recognise the finest solutions and products the industry has to offer. CENTIEL has been nominated for its complete containerised UPS solution which can be used both inside and outside buildings to deploy self-contained mini datacentres rapidly. Louis McGarry, sales and marketing director, CENTIEL UK confirms: “It is a great honour for the containerised UPS solution we offer to be named as a finalist for these prestigious awards. Instead of incurring the significant cost of a new building, uniquely, we can convert a 20-foot shipping container and supply this as a secure UPS plant room. No planning permission is necessary, and installation can occur quickly: in around a month, but in less than a week if necessary. A containerised UPS offers a pay-as-you-grow approach and containers can be used like Lego blocks to expand as required. “The containerised UPS solution can be equipped with Centiel’s industry leading true modular UPS CumulusPowerTM known for its industry leading availability of 99.9999999%. Centiel’s modular UPS takes full advantage of floor to ceiling space and also allows the inclusion of an input terminal to accept cables from above via steel wire armored (SWA) to utilize every inch of space. Bespoke battery rack design also ensures ease of access and maintenance. Where space is a premium, a purpose-built shipping container can provide a complete, customised, rapid and cost-effective solution to power protection needs.” “The final winners will be decided by public vote, so we’d like to invite everyone to support CENTIEL’s nomination for our containerised UPS solution, by casting your vote by 14 March 2022: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GBWF6Z5” CENTIEL is a Swiss-based technology company designing, manufacturing, and delivering industry-leading power protection solutions for critical facilities. Its three-phase true modular UPS, CumulusPowerTM known for its 99.9999999% (nine, nines) availability has now been installed in datacenters and comms rooms in over 60 countries across five continents. More than 50 MW of critical power loads are now protected with CumulusPowerTM in locations across the world including: the UK, Singapore, Australia, Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, and the Channel Islands. For further information please see: www.centiel.co.uk
A £1.5bn home building fund offering loans to SMEs to help them deliver 42,000 new houses across the country has received a lukewarm response from the construction industry. The National Federation of Builders, NFB, has said the loan scheme would only be of any use if smaller housebuilders could borrow prior to gaining planning permission. NFB housing and planning policy head Rico Wojtulewicz said: “The government has promised this level of funding previously but as it has not understood the planning and lending process, so the money has not gone in the right places such as the southeast where there are more barriers to gaining planning permission despite acute housing shortage need.” The new fund is part of the government’s initiative to rebalance the economy more equally outside London outlined in its Levelling Up white paper to be released next week. Levelling up secretary Michael Gove said: “We are on a mission to regenerate the nation, transforming derelict areas in our towns and cities into thriving places people are proud to live and work in.” Former industrial revolution hotspots to benefit Wolverhampton and Sheffield are among 20 places to benefit from the government’s £1.5bn brownfield fund to transform derelict sites in town and city centres. Homes England will spearhead the £4.8 bn levelling up fund partnering with local leaders, the private sector and community groups to deliver new housing and associated infrastructure. Homes England chair Peter Freeman said: “Our expanded mandate will allow us to further support ambitious local leaders in delivering placemaking and regeneration alongside a wide range of public and private sector partners.” Seven mayoral combined authorities in the North and Midlands are to receive £120m to deliver 7,800 homes on disused brownfield land. The councils receiving the funds are the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Liverpool, South Yorkshire, North of Tyne and Tees Valley. A further £30m is to go to Greater Manchester, Tees Valley and West Midlands combined authorities to regenerate disused brownfield land. And £8m from the brownfield land release fund will go to 13 councils to release land for a further 898 homes. Property finance brokers Hank Zarihs Associates said investment to make derelict land easier to build on with sites earmarked for SME housebuilders would be welcomed by development finance lenders.
Modular carpets, typically called carpet tiles, are an interesting flooring option. Carpet tiles have become more popular in recent years, and there are a few reasons why. In this blog post, we will discuss what carpet tiles are and whether or not they are a good choice for your home or business. We will also explore the pros and cons of this type of flooring and help you decide if it is right for you! What are carpet tiles? Carpet tiles are squares of carpet. The size of carpet tiles can vary, but they are typically around 18 inches by 18 inches. Carpet tiles are made from a variety of materials, including wool, nylon, and polyester. They come in a wide range of colors and styles. What is the difference between carpet tiles and regular carpet? The main difference between carpet tiles and regular carpet is that carpet tiles can be installed in a variety of ways. You can use them to cover an entire floor, or you can use them to create custom designs. Regular carpet must be installed in one continuous piece, so it is not as versatile as carpet tiles. How are carpet tiles installed? Carpet tiles can be installed in several different ways. The most common way to install them is to use adhesive to attach them to the floor. You can also use a tackless strip to hold them in place. Carpet tiles can also be installed as a floating floor, which means they are not attached to the floor and can be lifted up if needed. What are the pros and cons of carpet tiles? There are several pros and cons to consider when deciding whether or not carpet tiles are right for you. Pros: Versatility – Various styles/colors of carpet tiles can be used to create unique floors. Durability – Carpet tiles are made for heavy wear and tear. Easy Maintenance – Carpet tiles are easy to clean and can be vacuumed or swept. Price – Carpet tiles are typically less expensive than regular carpet. Cons: Installation – Carpet tiles can be installed in a variety of ways, but the installation process can be tricky and it is important to follow the instructions Color selection – Though carpet tiles come in a wide range of colors, there may not be enough options to match your decor. Lack of sound absorption – Carpet tiles do not absorb sound as well as regular carpet, so they may not be ideal for a home with children or pets. Not as soft as regular carpet – Carpet tiles are not as soft as regular carpet, so they may not be ideal for areas where you want to walk barefoot. How long do carpet tiles last? Carpet tiles typically last for 20 to 30 years. This is much longer than regular carpet, which typically lasts for about five to seven years. How much do carpet tiles cost? Carpet tiles typically cost less than regular carpet. The price can vary depending on the type of material and the size of the tiles, but you can expect to pay around $0.50 to $0.75 per square foot for carpet tiles.
The larger the project, the more difficult delivering it on time will become. So many things can happen that will slow down the site, throughout the building phase. Thankfully, there are tools and other ways to keep track of what is going on, so your project will not be delayed. Here are a few of them that will help you out on your next construction site. Time lapse Cameras If you are looking for a tool to keep track of all that is going on, on your construction site, then what you need to do is to use a jobsite camera for your time lapse. Maybe you have never thought about this before, or you did not know that such a professional camera existed today, but either way, the time lapse camera is the only solution that will enable you to know exactly what is going on, on a daily basis, and if the work rhythm is as it should be.Most importantly, if the work is not getting done on time, you will be able to easily figure out the source of the problem, giving you the possibility to act on it immediately and stop the waste of time. It is also the best tool to help you get better in the future, as you can watch the whole time lapse, at the end. This way, you will understand the weaknesses and strengths you have had on this site, so that you can adapt next time, by solving issues and keeping the best methods that have worked well this time around. Make Sure that Information flows on Site, all the Way to Management Trust is not a word that should be used on a construction site. You need results. And to get them, you should ask for everyone on site to report to base, through the head of each department, daily. Anything that you postpone tomorrow, could cost you one or more days of delays, in the end. Managers are there to read the info that they receive from the people on the ground and determine if all is going as planned.If it is not the case, it is also their job to react and change whatever needs to be, so that the work can get back on track. Sharing knowledge and receiving input from the people on site regularly, is also a way to get everyone involved and to benefit from any great idea one might have to accelerate the proceedings or to make the site safer for employees, as well. Acquire Digital Tools to maximize Your Efforts We live in modern times, where almost everything that we do can be helped through the use of digital tools. If we don’t keep up or use them to the maximum of their capacity, then we lose on efficiency, which we will probably end-up paying in time-loss on the site, which will translate into fees related to a late delivery. Digital tools offer a comprehensive platform for information to be translated into better management techniques and decisions. It should be used in every aspect of decision-making, when it comes to a construction site.
Cavanna Homes has secured land in the village of Collaton St Mary near Paignton where it will be building new family homes close to local amenities, schools and the South West coastline. The Westcountry homebuilder, whose current developments can be found in Exeter, Newton Abbot, Tavistock and Bude has acquired a site with planning permission for 100 new homes, with 30 percent marked as affordable housing for local people. The land located on the north of Totnes Road, includes a hectare of brownfield land and more than half of the site will be retained as open green space and for agricultural purposes. “Acquiring 11 acres with planning consent close to our Head office is fantastic. Our last new homes development in the vicinity was in Paignton on Brixham Road which completed in 2020, so we’re looking forward to delivering more high-quality, family homes in the Torbay area,” said Cavanna Homes’ Director of Land & Design, Michael Newman. As part of the firm’s community contributions, Cavanna Homes will be providing funding towards local highways infrastructure and education facilities. Measures to protect the Greater Horseshoe Bat population will also be implemented by the construction of a new bat barn, as well as enhancing the landscaping and outdoor space for new and existing residents to enjoy. The forthcoming homes will be a mixture of detached, semi-detached and terraced properties and designed to suit all buyers’ requirements. Cavanna Homes is preparing for its centenary in 2023 where the Cavanna family and employees will be celebrating 100 years of the firm building high-quality, family homes across the South West. Cavanna Homes’ land team are actively seeking more land in areas across the Westcountry to bring forward exceptional homes and new communities for families and local people.
Works of art and antiques are really delicate elements that must be taken care of in a very specific way to keep them in good condition. These pieces of great value are very delicate and require a series of special care to be taken into account, especially when organizing exhibitions in art galleries. Whether they are paintings, sculptures or relics, they must be protected from dirt and the passage of time so that they do not lose their value. Art is also an investment of great value for many that require large amounts of capital on many occasions. How To Preserve Your Works Of Art And Antiques Based on expert advice, here are a few tips to safeguard those wonderful collectibles that would make anyone proud: 1. Avoid Direct Sunlight Direct exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays has a great impact on almost anything, especially antiques and collectibles. This is why you should avoid locating a piece of art outside or in any place where it receives direct sunlight. Similarly, these delicate pieces should not be placed near any type of heat source. If it is a painting, exposure to high temperatures can damage the frame, weaken the colors and lead to condensation on the back. 2. Beware Of Humidity The level of water in the air can affect the condition of your artwork or antique. That is why it is essential to control the humidity of valuable parts by means of a humidity meter. Convelio UK experts recommend maintaining a temperature between 65 and 75 °F (18 and 24 °C) and a relative humidity between 55% and 65%. You should also be careful when moving works of art from one place to another, as sudden changes in temperature can cause damage. 3. Choose A Safe Location If you decide to fix the artistic element or antique to the wall, you must choose solid and quality anchors to hang the frames. Remember to position it at a high height to prevent it from being within the reach of potential accidents. 4. Frame It In Acrylic, Not Glass An effective protection measure is that the work is framed within an acrylic with UV filter. Some people choose glass to care for their valuable pieces, but this will not prevent discoloration or yellowing caused by contact with sunlight. 5. Do Not Use Cleaning Products Works of art and antiques are usually delicate, so soap or other products that can damage them should not be used when cleaning. Simply remove the dust with a feather duster or fine bristle brush. To clean the glass or acrylic that protects your piece, use a microfiber towel or soft, non-abrasive cloth. You could also buy a glass cleaner without ammonia. 6. Install Water Detectors To prevent your works from being damaged by a flood, we advise you to install water sensors next to any water source on the site. If a leak occurs, you will immediately receive an alert on your smartphone. 7. Protect Your Hands You should avoid handling paintings and even very old frames without wearing cotton gloves. This is to prevent the grease from your fingers from wearing away the colors and even the composition of the canvas. 8. Keep a Separation Between Each Work If you have multiple works of art in storage, be it paintings or antiques, it is important to place a two or three layer cloth between each piece to prevent bumps, dents and tears. 9. Do Not Leave Paints In Tubes If you’re not ready to hang your art yet, don’t leave your rolled paintings in the protective cardboard tubes for too long. Acrylic or oil paint stored in tubes is at risk of staining, cracking, or dullness if stored for months. 10. Pay Attention To Transportation Certain precautionary measures must be taken when transporting works of art and antiques. You should know that many of the accidents and damage to these pieces occur when they are moved to the collector’s home, the auction house and the galleries. For greater security, you could hire a company specialized in the transport of valuable pieces. These companies have the appropriate protection materials to move the works from one site to another without causing any damage.
