February 3, 2022

ACE RESPONDS TO “MISSED OPPORTUNITY” OF LEVELLING UP WHITE PAPER

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) represents the companies, large and small, that design, deliver and manage our built environment. Its members are the delivery partners of choice for government on “levelling up” projects and programmes. Commenting on the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, Guto Davies, Head

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Association for Project Management (APM) calls for employers to invest in project management skills through apprenticeships

Survey by APM reveals that 77 per cent of project managers working in organisations offering apprenticeship programmes say they benefit project work Association for Project Management (APM), the chartered body for the project profession, is calling on employers to invest in the better delivery of projects through project management apprenticeships

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Construction Skills Fund hubs help 20,000 become site-ready

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is heralding its Construction Skills Fund (CSF) initiative a resounding success after 20,000 people became site-ready after training at its hubs; 6,000 of those from the second phase of the scheme alone. 54% of those who completed training were from groups typically under-represented in

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Suspended sentence for owner of a Merseyside roofing firm

A roofing company owner has been given a suspended sentence after a member of the public reported a concern regarding unsafe work at height. Liverpool Crown Court heard how, on 5 March 2021, company owner Phillip McGinn and two workers were replacing roof tiles on a detached dormer bungalow, in

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Can the UK construction industry weather the brewing economic storm?

In normal circumstances the construction industry is a bellwether sector for the wider economy and it’s not difficult to work out why. When homes, offices, factories, and roads are being built, it’s the most visible sign of confidence in the economy because people are funding their construction for others who

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SIKA PROVIDES WEATHERTIGHT PROTECTION FOR AWARD-WINNING OFFSITE SCHOOL PROJECT

A technically advanced, high-performance, hybrid roofing membrane from global building product manufacturer Sika, provided the watertight finish for a new school which was built using innovative offsite construction techniques. The newly-constructed King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls in Birmingham, which was designed by architect Atkins Global on behalf of

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Innovative water mist fire suppression business appoints Julian Williams as CEO

International managing director Julian Williams has been appointed as CEO of iMist, the fast-growing Hull-headquartered water mist fire suppression business. Following a £4.5m investment by private equity firm Foresight Group a year ago, the business has seen rapid growth with demand for its innovative high-pressure water mist fire suppression systems

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LCR, Peter Hawthorne – Levelling Up White Paper Reaction

LCR delivered the regeneration of Kings Cross and is currently working to deliver regeneration in Sheffield, one of the 20 beneficiaries of the Levelling Up Fund. Peter says that it’s crucial the Fund is used to realise the untapped potential of brownfield land around railway stations. Peter Hawthorne, CEO, LCR

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

February 3, 2022

ACE RESPONDS TO “MISSED OPPORTUNITY” OF LEVELLING UP WHITE PAPER

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) represents the companies, large and small, that design, deliver and manage our built environment. Its members are the delivery partners of choice for government on “levelling up” projects and programmes. Commenting on the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, Guto Davies, Head of Policy at ACE said:“While the ‘12 national missions’ are welcome to drive activity and ensure spending remains both targeted and on track, they are nothing without properly structured long-term financing for local government to realise these political ambitions. Our concern is that the current approach remains too compartmentalised to be truly effective. “We do, however, welcome the longer-term view on levelling up. The truth is there is no panacea and only sustained investment over the longer-term will address systemic and chronic issues.” “ACE is looking forward to continuing its role as a practical partner on levelling up, and will engage with the Government on the forthcoming Levelling up and regeneration bill which was previewed in the White Paper.” Commenting on the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, Peter Hogg chair of ACE’s places group, and UK cities director at Arcadis, said: “Our own proposals shared last November outlined a practical five-step process to deliver levelling up. While the White Paper has gone some way to enabling this, we still feel it is a missed opportunity for a rounded financial framework which allows all local communities to truly flourish. “The headline announcement around the 20 cities earmarked for investment, as well as the range of funds mentioned in the paper, demonstrate the core issue. While welcome for the areas lucky enough to have ‘won’, replacing competition and ring-fenced funds with consolidated longer-term funding for local government would enable a joined-up approach – crucial if we are to meet the significant challenges of building more prosperous, healthy and productive communities, while delivering a Net Zero built environment. “Additionally, smaller towns and rural areas often lack the in-house planning, placemaking and design expertise to pull together compelling strategies, build business cases, and put forward viable regeneration projects. As such, the current approach unfortunately still runs the risk of creating winners and losers, when we should be spreading opportunity more equally.” For more information, please contact James Ketchell, Head of Communications at ACE at jketchell@acenet.co.uk or 07904 276 249. Read ACE’s Five Principles for Levelling Up Success.

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Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee: Decarbonising heat in homes

The Heat Pump Federation and its members are delighted to see the publication of the Select Committee report, not least because it very much mirrors our own thinking on what needs to be done to decarbonise home heating. Bean Beanland, the HPF’s Director of Growth & External Affairs said: “Whether on consumer awareness, skills & training, investment, future funding (affordability), the need for urgency, or the need for massive cooperation between both central and local government and industry, we agree, almost without exception, with the Select Committee’s findings and recommendations.” “Their report makes clear that rapid development of a Heat Decarbonisation Sector Deal must be a priority. This needs to include policy direction for the thirty years through to Net Zero 2050 and a domestic heat technology roadmap that has been developed in full collaboration with industry and crucially consumer groups.  Consumers need to be positively involved in the Net Zero journey.” Future interventions need to be decades long to deliver the stable policy environment that will allow investment in capacity, training and skills to thrive. The recent Heat Pump Demonstrator programme found that “heat pumps can be successfully installed in homes from every style and era”, but this awareness needs to be coupled with ongoing investment in home energy efficiency to drive down operating costs of all heat technologies. The call for the Future Homes Standard to be brought forward is very welcome. Avoiding the unnecessary cost of upgrading new build homes will be of massive benefit to consumers. In-home thermal storage and consideration of heat networks are both critical elements in this segment. Operational costs have to be addressed through the rebalancing of taxation on electricity and fossil fuels that reflects the relative carbon and other emissions, but at every stage, consumer affordability has to be central to policy development so that the transition can be fast, but fair. Bean Beanland added: “The Government aspirations and the CCC targets for heat pump deployment are challenges that grow day by day, but if this Select Committee report can provide the springboard that launches an immediate redoubling of government effort against all of the recommendations, then the Federation and its members stand ready to share the burden.”

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Association for Project Management (APM) calls for employers to invest in project management skills through apprenticeships

Survey by APM reveals that 77 per cent of project managers working in organisations offering apprenticeship programmes say they benefit project work Association for Project Management (APM), the chartered body for the project profession, is calling on employers to invest in the better delivery of projects through project management apprenticeships schemes for their staff and new apprentices. The call comes ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, taking place from 7-13 February 2022. This follows a recent APM survey of over 1000 project professionals (with research company Censuswide), which reveals that of the respondents who say their company runs project management apprenticeships, the majority (77 per cent) consider apprenticeships to be beneficial to project work within their business1. In the construction sector*, of the respondents who said their company runs apprenticeship programmes for project professionals, 55 per cent said they help the whole team develop themselves, 50 per cent say they bring new ideas into the organisation and 45 per cent who say that apprenticeships are a good way to recruit and retain talent. Commenting ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, Jackie Martin, director of education and lifelong learning at APM, says: “Now more than ever, businesses and communities depend on talented project professionals, as projects and project‑based working are here to stay. We would urge employers to invest in developing skills through apprenticeships for the value they can bring and for the long-term benefits to project delivery. “As the chartered body for the project profession, we are committed to promoting and encouraging better skills development and training. The growth of the “projectification” of work means more project professionals will be needed to help organisations succeed. Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to help plug the gap since they blend a professional qualification with supported learning and development while in a full‑time role.” For further details about project management apprenticeships, APM has a dedicated page on its website apm.org.uk/qualifications-and-training/apprenticeships/national-apprenticeship-week APM also offers free Student membership to students and apprentices aged over 16. Student members can benefit from a range of online resources, networking opportunities and events. Visit apm.org.uk/membership for further details. 40 per cent of survey respondents working in the construction sector stated that their company runs project management apprenticeships ​

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Construction Skills Fund hubs help 20,000 become site-ready

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is heralding its Construction Skills Fund (CSF) initiative a resounding success after 20,000 people became site-ready after training at its hubs; 6,000 of those from the second phase of the scheme alone. 54% of those who completed training were from groups typically under-represented in construction.  The project, delivered on behalf of the Department for Education, also saw just under half (2,934) of those trained in the latest phase find *sustainable employment in the industry.   The second phase ran between March 2020 and September 2021, where training took place at 14 CSF hubs across England. They were based within construction sites, so that entrants could become employment and site-ready as quickly as possible.  CITB’s Strategy and Policy Director, Steve Radley said: “The numbers reflect a fantastic achievement. We also exceeded our target in encouraging people who had not previously considered construction to make a career change. We were looking at 15% coming in from outside the industry to learn site skills instead this was 46%. The figures are boosted by many people being made redundant throughout the various lockdowns and looking for a new job.  “Despite what the pandemic threw at the hubs, they’ve managed to get more skilled people into the construction industry when it needed them most.”  Thanks to the CSF, Natalie Visser, 33, went from being a dissatisfied care worker, who struggled to get out of bed in the morning, to becoming a machine operator thriving in the great outdoors.  Reflecting on her career change, mum-of-three Natalie, from Petersfield, near Portsmouth, says: “The CSF course changed everything. I used to lie in bed not wanting to get up. That’s all gone now. I come in to work happy and go home happy. It has been life changing. I’ve found my feet in my new career and I’m so grateful to my housing association (Abri) and CSF for this.”  As DFE’s project finishes, CITB has established its own network of 13 Onsite Experience hubs in England and Wales, with more hubs planned in Scotland later this year.  Building on the knowledge gained from the demand for the CSF hubs, the Onsite Experience hubs offer hands-on site experience and employment-related certifications needed by local employers.  13 hubs have been approved for £9.5m of CITB funding to give over 6,800 people the opportunity to become employment and site-ready and enable at least 3,300 of these to secure sustained employment within the next three years. This will contribute towards CITB’s target of equipping 16,000 people with hands-on site experience, enabling at least 4,800 to secure sustained employment in construction by 2025.   Rohan Cheriyan, CITB Commissioner for this programme added: “Our Onsite Experience hubs are providing a one-stop recruitment solution for construction employers. By linking together employers, training providers, local authorities, LEPs, community agencies and other partners, hubs enable the development of employment and site-ready people from local communities.  “These well-suited candidates are then linked to employers’ vacancies, and because they have gained  initial site experience and have the necessary introductory training and health & safety credentials, they are ready to hit the ground running and are proving a real success with the employers who recruit them.”  Between 2021 and 2025 CITB aims to increase Great Britain’s construction talent pool through these Onsite Experience hubs, creating a skills pipeline to meet the needs of construction employers and enabling career opportunities for people from local communities.  CITB encourages anyone considering a construction career to find out more about the Onsite Experience hubs across England and Wales. Scotland will join the scheme during 2022. 

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Suspended sentence for owner of a Merseyside roofing firm

A roofing company owner has been given a suspended sentence after a member of the public reported a concern regarding unsafe work at height. Liverpool Crown Court heard how, on 5 March 2021, company owner Phillip McGinn and two workers were replacing roof tiles on a detached dormer bungalow, in Lydiate on Merseyside, without any scaffolding or edge protection in place to prevent them from falling a distance liable to cause personal injury. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Phillip McGinn had failed to take suitable and sufficient measures to ensure that work at height was carried out safely. He had failed to provide sufficient work equipment to prevent a fall or to minimise the distance or consequences of a fall. The court also heard that this was not the first time that HSE had encountered poor working practices from Phillip McGinn. The HSE took previous enforcement action and prosecuted Mr McGinn for a similar offence in 2012. Phillip McGinn of Lydiate, Merseyside, was found guilty to breaching Section 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. He received a thirteen-month suspended prison sentence, 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £1,000. After the hearing, HSE inspector Anthony Stuart Hadfield said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standard”.

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Can the UK construction industry weather the brewing economic storm?

In normal circumstances the construction industry is a bellwether sector for the wider economy and it’s not difficult to work out why. When homes, offices, factories, and roads are being built, it’s the most visible sign of confidence in the economy because people are funding their construction for others who are willing to pay to live in them, use them or employ people to work in them. But circumstances are nowhere near normal, and they haven’t been for some time. Just as the effects of Brexit are starting to kick in, the stop-start impact of the Covid pandemic has made predictions about the health and even the direction of the construction industry – and the wider economy – extremely difficult to make. Just as new figures appeared to show signs of supply shortages easing, Omicron emerged, threatening to scupper any progress made in unblocking bottlenecks. Added to that are soaring energy costs – with warnings that fuel bills could rise by 50% by the Spring ­– which have contributed to inflation rising to levels not seen since the start of the 1990s. With those external pressures bearing down on the sector, it’s understandable that forecasters are expecting material shortages to drive up tender prices this year and next. According to global construction consultancy Mace, UK tender prices are expected to be 4.5% higher this year, compared with last, and 2.5% higher than it predicted last September. While Mace expects inflation to slow next year, tender prices will be 3.5% higher than in 2022 and even the elimination of Omicron and the smoothing of Brexit related road bumps are unlikely to alter that. The main short-term issue for the construction industry continues to be widespread material and labour shortages, which is driving price growth. Last month Arcadis warned that rising energy costs could push construction tender prices up by between 4% and 5%. News from the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) at the start of the month that timber supplies and costs are expected to stabilise – due to more regular demand for housing and imports increasing to pre-pandemic levels – will be of little comfort. Price volatility always leads to delay and inaction, as project sponsors and developers hold off on inviting tenders, more in hope than expectation that the picture in six months or a year will be clearer. Contractors across the UK have already had to contend with rising tender prices caused by higher material costs, with some projects being halted and retendered. According to the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s latest snapshot of 150 construction companies across the UK, many are reporting delays to decision making by clients, contributing to the slowest sector growth for three months. There was some good news with the number of firms reporting supplier hold-ups falling from 47% in November to 34% in December, as fewer shortages of building supplies improved delivery times, but there’s no guarantee that trend will continue. However, those forecasts don’t take account of measures that can be taken by the industry or government to assist. As the recent vaccine rollout demonstrated, we are at a stage far in advance of where we were at the start of the pandemic in dealing with and working through the pandemic. Business resilience and continuity plans are more developed, allowing companies across the supply chain to work through the imposition of restrictive measures with less disruption. Last year companies were hampered by the triple whammy of fuel supply, lorry driver shortages and supply chain delays while also dealing with the impacts of Covid, Brexit and labour shortages. Many have learned from the experience and put in place contingencies to ensure those factors can be dealt with more efficiently and expeditiously. As costs for fuel, energy, labour, and materials rise, bidders are altering their commercial assumptions, insisting on more flexible change control provisions in contracts, with clearer and more detailed clauses that reflect the potential for external factors to cause disruption and delay. Amid this uncertainty cost consultants are proving their worth by providing valuable insights into likely market rates and supply trends as well as offering advice on cost saving and adding value to projects. Governments are playing their part with the commissioning of public sector infrastructure projects and long-term housebuilding targets. Governments at Westminster and Holyrood have long championed small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) enjoying a greater share of public procurement business but this needs more urgent attention. It’s clear from research and anecdotal evidence that SMEs find the public procurement process challenging and many need additional support with bid submissions. Brexit and the Covid pandemic have introduced changes to the way everyone does business and the construction industry is no different. Given its importance to the economy, it is monitored and used as a gauge of how the wider economy is performing and the message, we should be sending out is that the future can be a lot brighter than current statistics suggest. Ryan Gilluley is managing director of GCM Ltd, a Lanarkshire-based firm of cost consultants, claims and disputes experts for the construction and engineering sectors.

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SIKA PROVIDES WEATHERTIGHT PROTECTION FOR AWARD-WINNING OFFSITE SCHOOL PROJECT

A technically advanced, high-performance, hybrid roofing membrane from global building product manufacturer Sika, provided the watertight finish for a new school which was built using innovative offsite construction techniques. The newly-constructed King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls in Birmingham, which was designed by architect Atkins Global on behalf of client Acivico Group, replaces Turves Green Girls’ School. The original establishment was in a poor state of repair and following consultations with the local authority, it was agreed constructing a new school building represented a cost-effective alternative to refurbishment. The new school includes contemporary classrooms, a dance studio, sports hall and a purpose-built library. The building’s airy feel is created by its wide corridors and stairways which are filled with natural light. This will help to inspire a calm and pleasant environment for staff and students. To meet performance and programme goals for the building’s construction, a hybrid design was devised by offsite construction and modular specialists, Innovaré. Such innovation was recognised at the annual Offsite Awards, with Innovaré – in a joint submission with Sika – winning the ‘Best Use of Hybrid Technology’ category for its successful Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) delivery of the King Edward VI Northfield School construction project.Innovaré’s hybrid system included integrated BBA-Certified i-SIP panels, hollow core concrete plank floors, and a lightweight timber cassette roofing system. This hybrid method of construction, which meant most of the new school structure was manufactured offsite, offered a radically quicker speed of build, reducing preliminary and overall costs. It also ensured the building’s performance and programme goals were met. As a global building product manufacturer with a wide range of products and technical expertise to offer, Sika is ideally placed to support offsite construction projects. Its Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Division is specifically tasked to work with offsite manufacturing and assembly companies to consider how Sika products could be used as part of the building process in this fast-growing sector. Sika’s 4mm elastomeric and plastomeric bituminous hybrid membrane, SikaBit Pro 940®, provided the watertight finish for the new building’s energy-efficient roofing system, which integrates timber cassettes with i-joists.SikaBit Pro 940® combines the advantages of APAO and SBS-modified bitumen, allowing two different compounds to work together. The upper layer comprises APA-modified bitumen, offering excellent heat resistance and durability. The under layer is SBS-modified bitumen, providing increased elongation, improving flexibility and excellent resistance to thermo-oxidative aging which will last longer than traditional membranes and reduce ongoing maintenance. SikaBit® has been developed to comply with the NFRC’s Safe2Torch Guidance to help specifiers prioritise safety at the design stage of roofing projects. The specification of SikaBit Pro 940® as part of the school’s energy-efficient roofing system contributed to the building’s fabric achieving required levels of thermal, airtightness, acoustic and maintenance performance. In terms of the roof’s construction, Innovaré manufactured large-format structural timber roof cassettes, ensuring that the structural members and deck went into place quickly. RLW Roofing, one of Sika’s Certified Roofing Contractors, were responsible for the design and installation of the roofing system. In addition, RLW Roofing completed façade works, using Sika Parex Historic Mortar KL. “We are proud that in collaboration with RLW Roofing, our products and expertise were used to successful effect in the delivery of this wonderful school, RLW’s skill and expertise were instrumental in delivering a technically robust solution” Simon Griffiths Head of Sales, Offsite Construction at Sika, said. “The hybrid method of construction implemented by Innovaré for this project aligns perfectly with Sika’s promotion of sustainable development within the construction industry.” Now fully opened, the King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls will begin its purpose to serve as a catalyst to transform opportunities, build aspiration and further develop academic success for its 750 students. It’s a huge ambition that Sika is delighted to help fulfil.

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Innovative water mist fire suppression business appoints Julian Williams as CEO

International managing director Julian Williams has been appointed as CEO of iMist, the fast-growing Hull-headquartered water mist fire suppression business. Following a £4.5m investment by private equity firm Foresight Group a year ago, the business has seen rapid growth with demand for its innovative high-pressure water mist fire suppression systems growing post-Grenfell as local authorities, developers and property professionals have sought new active fire suppression solutions. Founded in 2015, the iMist range has been designed specifically for domestic and larger residential properties and offers a number of benefits over traditional fire sprinkler products including more efficient use of water as it uses 80% less, ease of installation as it runs off the mains and cost effectiveness as it does not require a tank. With 35 years’ experience across a number of senior commercial roles, Julian specialises in driving dynamic growth in all sizes of organisations from fledgling SMEs to blue chip multinationals. He has worked in a diverse range of sectors including property services, consumer durables, retail and strategy consulting. As well as having a solid grounding in sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing, latterly Julian has focused on the digital space and the application of technology to make companies more productive and more effective in connecting with customers.  Julian further strengthens the iMist board following the appointment of former CEO of Kier Group, Haydn Mursell, as chair last March. He comments: “With his broad management skills, passion for developing talent and impressive track record of growing businesses, Julian is exactly what we need at this exciting point in iMist’s development. As the company scales up, he will also help to put in place the processes and systems as well as the experienced people we require to ensure a smooth transition. “Over the last year, with the backing of Foresight Group, we have seen the business continue to grow as fire suppression has remained high on the public agenda. As well as seeing increasing numbers of public and private sector specifiers here in the UK recognising the benefits of fire mist systems and turning to iMist’s unique range, we also have ambitious plans to explore overseas opportunities and Julian’s international experience will be invaluable.”  Julian adds: “As a PE-backed business with a good, solid funding base, iMist is in a fantastic position to realise its growth potential. Having developed its own proprietary misting system, the company’s mission is about saving people, saving property and saving water and I am proud to be part of that cause. Tony Sims, engineering expert and founder of iMist, will continue to lead the company’s investment in R&D and he comments:  “With our strong focus on R&D, iMist has developed an outstanding product which we believe can become the market leader in its field. We see Julian as someone who can help the organisation develop and lead iMist to the next level on its growth journey.”

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LCR, Peter Hawthorne – Levelling Up White Paper Reaction

LCR delivered the regeneration of Kings Cross and is currently working to deliver regeneration in Sheffield, one of the 20 beneficiaries of the Levelling Up Fund. Peter says that it’s crucial the Fund is used to realise the untapped potential of brownfield land around railway stations. Peter Hawthorne, CEO, LCR said: “The recognition of the vast untapped potential of the under-used land surrounding our railway stations is exciting, because this is so crucial to unlocking the regeneration of place that is a cornerstone of this Levelling Up strategy. “We’ve seen this potential realised at Kings Cross, as Michael Gove has mentioned before. And will soon see it in cities like Sheffield, where the Levelling Up Fund’s investment into maximising the potential of reduced rail travel times to London will help to bring forward the Sheffield Midland and Sheaf Valley Regeneration Framework, which we have worked on alongside our partners in the city and the wider region.   “While funding is one part of the puzzle and no doubt the focus of much of the feedback on today’s announcement, the other critical element is collaboration between devolved authorities, councils, transport executives, government agencies and landowners. This strategy provides the framework and impetus for this to take place.”

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Daikin Altherma 3 WS heat pump now works up to 16 bars, meeting high-rise building requirements

Daikin Europe unveils the latest update on Daikin Altherma 3 WS, an innovative solution to decarbonizing apartment buildings. The indoor water-to-water heat pump now works up to 16 bars and therefore meets high-rise building requirements. Decarbonizing the European building stock, and more specifically apartments, is an important step towards a greener future, since the building sector accounts for 40% of the energy used in Europe. With more people living in flats in urban areas, Daikin Altherma 3 WS offers the perfect solution to decarbonize apartment buildings. Innovative heating and cooling solution for all apartment buildings Daikin Altherma 3 WS is an indoor water-to-water heat pump with an integrated domestic hot water cylinder. It provides heating, cooling, and domestic hot water. It is part of a larger solution for apartment buildings, called “water loop system”. The system consists of a central heating generator working on renewable energy that pre-heats the water and distributes it to individual heat pumps, installed in each apartment. Daikin Altherma 3 WS heats it up a second time to meet individual needs. Its minimal footprint and silent operations make it as discreet as possible in the apartment. In 2020, Daikin Altherma 3 WS was introduced as an innovative solution to decarbonizing apartment buildings. It reduces the energy needed to produce water temperature, the heat losses during the transport and the insulation on the piping system in the building. Thanks to the update on Daikin Altherma 3 WS, the heat pump can now work up to 16 bars. It now meets the requirements for high-rise buildings, on top of it being suitable for other apartment buildings already. One step closer to a decarbonized future Numbers from Eurostat show that in 2020, 72% of the EU population in cities lived in a flat. In towns and suburbs, this is 41%. The large number of people living in apartment buildings in urban areas raises a challenge. Apartment buildings are significant contributors to energy consumption and CO2-emissions. The challenge lies in building environmentally friendly apartment buildings. Daikin Altherma 3 WS and its latest update to meet high-rise building requirements are a step in the right direction to a decarbonized collective housing market. Patrick Crombez, General Manager Daikin Europe Heating and Renewables: “At Daikin, we always aim to further innovate our existing products, with one clear goal: strengthen decarbonization. Daikin Altherma 3 WS was launched in 2020 as a sustainable solution for greener apartment buildings, and now, less than two years later, its update also meets high-rise building standards. This shows that faster decarbonization is possible within the European building sector, which represents 40% of the energy used. We are looking forward to continuing our efforts for a sustainable building stock in Europe.” Daikin Altherma 3 WS  product specifications Available in heating only and reversible Dimensions (HxWxD): 1891 x 597 x 666 mm A+++ energy performance (space heating) A+ energy performance (domestic hot water) 16 bar pressure rating (water loop side) Cloud ready

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