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May 20, 2022

Johnson Controls calls for stronger fire safety compliance across high rise residential development during Home Fire Sprinkler Week

Kenneth Booth May 20, 2022

Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, is calling for organisations to take urgent action for safety compliance across high rise residential development during Home Fire Sprinkler Week. Now more than ever, the need for fire suppression and general safety in high-rise residential buildings is indisputable.

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How to Estimate the Storage Unit Size You Need

Nick Child May 20, 2022

If you need a storage unit, you will have to determine how much space you need. You will rarely have the chance to take accurate storage unit measurements. Therefore, you will have to estimate how much storage you will need, which is tricky.  The storage space will determine the storage

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Issue 327 : Apr 2025

May 20, 2022

Johnson Controls calls for stronger fire safety compliance across high rise residential development during Home Fire Sprinkler Week

Kenneth Booth May 20, 2022

Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, is calling for organisations to take urgent action for safety compliance across high rise residential development during Home Fire Sprinkler Week. Now more than ever, the need for fire suppression and general safety in high-rise residential buildings is indisputable. We need look no further than the cladding crisis to see the urgent need for legislation, building regulations, and standards to be upheld and revised where required. Keeping people and facilities safe from fire is a requirement for every building, facility, and premise, including high rise buildings. As with any built environment, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Developers need to find the right fire suppression solution to match the risk of a particular building, and the right partner to support this process. If these suppression solutions, such as sprinklers, are not properly installed and maintained, then they aren’t reliable to spring into action when an emergency strikes to save stock, equipment, and most importantly, lives. “We are seeing a cultural and regulatory shift, but there is still work to be done in not only setting standards, but also striving to exceed them. Ultimately, more needs to be done to raise awareness of the range of fire suppression solutions available and what they can do. The right solutions will not only add value to buildings, but also save lives.” said Adrian Kay, UK Head of Technical Compliance & Quality, Fire Suppression at Johnson Controls Ensuring fire safety compliance and suppression in even the most complex of high-rise residential developments may seem like a daunting task, but a safe building is one that brings multiple levels of safety and security together, at all times, in all places. Johnson Controls has put together the following five tips for good fire safety practice, and effective fire suppression: The Need to Use Experienced Engineers: Using experienced engineers and contractors is paramount, as a poor supplier choice leads to inexperienced sub-contractors carrying out work they cannot deliver safely, resulting in delays and potentially serious compliance risk. The Correct Contractor: When choosing a contractor, it is important to choose one that services to recognised standards and carries one of the industry-approved third-party certifications within its scope: LPS1048, FIRAS or IFC. Adhering to Regulations: Sprinklers in new high rise residential buildings over 11m is now a requirement, and every commercial or industrial property must have an individual who is responsible for fire safety, and it is their responsibility to make their premises compliant. Effective Installation: Many contractors are not used to high rise buildings and the complexity required in sprinkler installation, and this kind of expert knowledge is where third-party accredited contractors are essential. Sprinkler Maintenance: Best practice for sprinkler maintenance starts with weekly or monthly checks in-house, with experts employed on a quarterly, six-monthly or annual basis to ensure that systems are cared for and in good Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News

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First firms selected to join new £600m offsite DPS for social housing sector

Kenneth Booth May 20, 2022

Building Better, an alliance of 29 housing associations and councils, supported by the National Housing Federation, has appointed an initial six manufacturers to its new dynamic purchasing system (DPS) for MMC category 2 construction systems. Future Built, LoCal Homes, Project Etopia, Roe Timberframe, Sigmat and Starship Homes are the first firms selected by Procurement for Housing and Building Better to provide 2D panelised systems, assembled on-site. The DPS is worth £600m over four years and will run in parallel with Building Better’s first MMC framework which launched in July 2021 and covers category 1 volumetric 3D systems. The alliance aims to give members access to a range of different MMC solutions so they can find the right one for their site. Building Better took the decision to create a DPS, not a fixed framework, so panelised manufacturers can join at any point during the term of the DPS. The category 2 segment of the offsite market is evolving rapidly with new products and manufacturers emerging all the time. By setting up a DPS, social housing providers can access the latest solutions and suppliers as they come to market. Over 215,000 homes are managed by the 29 housing associations and local authorities that make up Building Better. Since the launch of its volumetric framework in 2021, alliance members have put nearly 40 schemes through it, getting costs on over 900 MMC homes. With the launch of its DPS, Building Better will help the social housing sector to produce around 5,000 MMC properties by 2026. Manufacturers wanting to join Building Better’s DPS must first be certified by the Buildoffsite Property Assurance Scheme (BOPAS) or assessed by building warranty provider the National House Building Council (NHBC) and their products must aim to meet the Future Homes Standard. Once they have passed an additional selection procedure, looking at their commercial, social and sustainability credentials, manufacturers can bid for opportunities via a tender call-off. This process has been streamlined for social housing providers too, with members receiving a tender template pack and hands-on support from Procurement for Housing. Trina Chakravarti, Project Director of Building Better said: “The emerging nature of this part of the MMC marketplace means that social housing organisations have, to date, been wary of category 2. Some told us they were anxious about committing to a panelised manufacturer; not knowing if the company or even this form of MMC would be around in four years. Because of this, we knew a different procurement approach was needed; one that would still provide high standards and ease of access like our category 1 framework, but a solution that didn’t ‘clip the wings’ of manufacturers operating in such a fluid environment.” John Bellamy, Category Manager for Construction & Sustainability at Procurement for Housing (PfH) said: “A major benefit of setting up a DPS is the learning. As an alliance, we’ll be able to grow our understanding of what housing organisations actually require with category 2 and the technical solutions they gravitate to. Creating a framework now would have meant guessing the answers. But a DPS allows us to gather data and feedback on products and manufacturers, educating ourselves and helping us to normalise offsite and use it at scale across the sector.” For further information about using Building Better’s MMC Category 2 DPS, click here For manufacturers wanting to join Building Better’s MMC Category 2 DPS, click here Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News

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UKREiiF: Shadow Chancellor sets out Labour’s mission to grow economy and boost British construction businesses

Kenneth Booth May 20, 2022

As she gave the UKREiiF keynote this Thursday (19 May), Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said a Labour government would get the economy firing on all cylinders – and backed the British construction industry to help forge that path towards a stronger economy. Speaking at the Royal Armouries Museum as part of the three day conference hosted by the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum, she told attendees ranging from investors, developers and occupiers of real estate, how Labour’s plan to grow the economy and bring jobs and prosperity to all parts of the country. And she said the party were committed to support businesses and the industry with the huge challenges facing them from rising inflation and supply chain problems. She said that a partnership between government and business lies at the heart of Labour’s plan for growing the economy, and laid out the party’s key plans to: Buy, make and sell more in Britain Introduce a Climate Investment Pledge to leverage in massive private investment into the economy, boost businesses and create jobs across all parts of the country Create an Industrial Strategy that will help grow the economy and help British industries lead the pack Scrap business rates and replace them with a fairer and more modern form of business property taxation Introduced on the levelling up stage by director of Built Environment Networking Ltd, Phil Laycock, Reeves said that Labour will always be proudly pro-worker and proudly pro-business party. And she noted that “as we rebuild after the pandemic, transition to a low-carbon economy, and meet the challenges and opportunities of the future, businesses large and small will be an essential part of that collective national effort.” Speaking about levelling up, she said “As every one of you will know, a real plan for growth needs to be a plan for growth felt in every part of the country. In too many parts of our country, confidence in the future does not yet match pride in the past. “If we are going to fix that, it will take much more than a cosmetic levelling-up, it will take a real plan for widely-shared prosperity. “For Labour, this means: “First, bold investment to allow us to seize the opportunities of climate transition. “Second, getting serious about industrial strategy – and that is inseparable from a serious regional strategy. “And third, a government providing responsible and open leadership, to create an environment in which business leaders can have confidence and certainty.” Speaking about Labour’s plans for an industrial strategy, Reeves said: “We need a serious industrial strategy fit for the 21st century. “Where the Conservatives scrapped their own Industrial Strategy Council, Labour will create an industrial strategy built on an ethos of cooperation across the public and private sectors, employers and workers. “It will bring local, regional and national leaders together with businesses, trade unions and universities to unlock the brilliance of our leading businesses and entrepreneurs in every part of Britain.” On what Labour would do right now to help businesses facing soaring costs, Reeves said: “We would support energy intensive firms with £600 million of emergency funding to get them through this crisis. “We would cut Business Rates in the short term, providing much-needed relief while overhauling the system in the longer term to make it fit for the 21st Century. “And we have consistently opposed the National Insurance rise. It is a tax on working people and business at exactly the wrong time. “This is a time when working people and the great majority of businesses need a government that is on their side and a Labour government would always strive to be that.” On Labour’s Climate Investment Pledge to supercharge industry, Reeves’ said: “Over the next five years, we are forecast to have a near £800bn investment gap compared to other OECD countries. “I agree with the director of the CBI, Tony Danker, who says this calls for ‘catalytic public investment’. “That is what Labour’s Climate Investment Pledge – £28bn invested each year for the rest of this decade – is about: unlocking the private investment we need to get our economy firing on all cylinders. “Labour will invest in the green industries of the future, working closely with industry – including our construction industry – to build Giga-factories to make batteries for electric vehicles, a thriving hydrogen industry, offshore wind with turbines made in Britain, and flood defences, working closely with, and supporting industry – including our construction industry. “There is a global race on for the jobs of the future, and it calls for active government and business working in partnership.” On Labour providing certainty for British businesses, Reeves said: “It is vital that government provides certainty and transparency in policy decisions so you can know it is safe to invest and plan ahead, without fear of erratic decision-making or policy decided behind closed doors which then falls apart upon contact with the real world. “A Labour government will take a long term view, working with business, in a spirit of cooperation and transparency, to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the future.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News

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Scaffolding Association welcomes CITB plan to invest over £233m to support construction throughout 2022/23.

Kenneth Booth May 20, 2022

The Business Plan which was published on 18th May responds to the estimated demand for an additional 50,000 workers every year and is primarily focused on securing construction’s talent pipeline. CITB will run and support several initiatives to inspire people outside of the industry to choose construction as their career and to upskill and retain existing talent. Skills Demands The plan details how CITB will invest in supporting apprenticeships and building bridges between further education and work to get more learners into construction. It intends to create more accessible routes into construction, focusing on apprenticeships, alongside on-site experiences, and future rollout of occupational traineeships. A total of £60.3m in direct grants will be made available to employers who take on apprentices, supporting the industry to address its current and future need for a skilled workforce. Capacity and Capability of Construction Training Provision £25.9m will be invested in direct training delivery to enable the continuation of core skills training and training provision in niche and at-risk skills through CITB’s National Construction Colleges. The plan will support over 300,000 Health Safety & Environment tests over the coming year, ensuring there is good availability of tests in as many locations as possible, bringing assurance to employers that their workforce can keep themselves and those around them safe. Future Skills Needs The plan describes how CITB will help to address longer-term challenges such as net zero, digitisation and modern methods of construction. £2.1m will be invested into research to better understand construction’s changing environment to help focus CITB’s work on interventions that will have the greatest impact and shape new training and standards development. In a statement, Tim Balcon, CITB Chief Executive, said; “While progress has been made, the construction industry has faced significant challenges in recent years, including inflation, rising fuel prices, the pandemic and Brexit, to name a few. In many ways the industry is still experiencing and feeling the impact of these events, which we know has shifted priorities greatly and pushed the demand for skills to the forefront. It’s essential now more than ever that efforts are focused on helping to alleviate those pressures and address the key needs of industry.” Robert Candy, Scaffolding Association Chief Executive, said; “It is welcome news that CITB are investing levy payers’ money into the areas that need it most. Skills shortages and training provision that is fit for purpose and accessible are shared priorities of the Scaffolding Association. Tim is speaking at our conference in September and we look forward to working with him and his team in addressing the skills shortage”. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News

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Further growth forecast as expanding homebuilder reports £24m rise in revenue post-Covid

Kenneth Booth May 20, 2022

A HOUSEBUILDER is celebrating a major post-Covid recovery after seeing annual revenues grow by more than 200 per cent. After posting revenue of £37m for the 2021/22 financial year – a rise of nearly £24m from the previous year – Cumbrian-based Genesis Homes is anticipating another successful 12 months as it looks to nearly double the amount of new homes it builds. The company, which acquired fellow Cumbrian homebuilder Russell Armer Homes in April 2021, legally completed on 96 new homes during 2021/22 and is well on track to achieve or exceed its current build target for 2022/23 of 176 units. Nicky Gordon, the company’s Managing Director, said: “Whilst 2021/22 has proven to be the most challenging year so far in the housing industry with ongoing supply chain issues, labour shortages and the inflated cost of materials a constant challenge amidst the effects of a global pandemic, Genesis Homes is well placed with a strong and experienced senior management team and positive momentum for further disciplined growth and success. “Our team has remained lean, but we have increased by strengthening in key areas of construction, sales, development and customer service in particular, and by merging the existing teams following the acquisition of Russell Armer Homes. The way the team members have settled in and integrated has played a key part in contributing to our success this year. “I’m delighted with the performance of the company during what can only be described as the most difficult of times, and I’m hugely grateful to all team members and stakeholders for their commitment and hard work to ensure we are in such a strong position.” The upcoming 2022/23 financial year promises to be another busy one for Genesis Homes as it is currently operational across eight developments, with a further two to begin later this summer. Among the developments under construction at the moment is the pioneering EcoGen development in the Cumbrian village of Calthwaite which will see the company build 16 carbon net zero emitting homes. All homes will be fully powered by renewable energy sources and controlled by smart technology as part of Genesis’ ongoing commitment to significantly reduce household emissions. In total, all 10 developments will amount to 757 new homes once completed with an estimated revenue value exceeding £235m. Nicky said: “The upcoming year is very exciting for all involved in Genesis and we are all looking forward to what this next year and future years hold for us. “We have great ambitions to continue growing the business and keep building top-of-the-range new homes for our customers to thrive in. “The EcoGen project is a development of huge significance as we lead the way in sustainable housing, and we hope this can help pave the way for a more environmentally friendly approach to home building across the UK.” Nicky founded Genesis Homes in January 2017 and the company has quickly grown into one of the largest homebuilders across Cumbria. Throughout 2021/22, five site acquisitions were successfully completed by Genesis’ land and planning team with a further four sites under company control, equating to an estimated 600 new units in total.

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How to Estimate the Storage Unit Size You Need

Nick Child May 20, 2022

If you need a storage unit, you will have to determine how much space you need. You will rarely have the chance to take accurate storage unit measurements. Therefore, you will have to estimate how much storage you will need, which is tricky.  The storage space will determine the storage you need and the price you pay. Trying out every possible storage will take too much time and is not a viable option.   When estimating the storage unit size you need, the following are tips that will help you:  Check Your Inventory If you are looking for a storage unit, you already know what you want to move into, especially if you are decluttering and organizing your living room or house. It would be best to have an inventory list. It will help you keep track of your belongings as you move them and determine how much storage space you will require.  You should group all the items in one place as it will help you get a more accurate picture of the volume they occupy and hence the storage space you will need.  Find Out Storage Unit Sizes Storage units come in different sizes, so you should know the available sizes if you are storing your possessions in one. Your storage search will begin by evaluating security, rental agreements, and price features. However, after you narrow down your options, you will also have to know the available sizes for San Antonio Texas storage units.  Storage unit sizes can range from 5*5 (25 sq ft) to 20*40 (800 sq ft). You should ask storage companies for size guides to help you know the type of storage units they have. Understanding the storage unit sizes will help you determine the size you need as you are limited to the available units.  Use A Moving Truck You will probably be moving your stuff to the storage unit using a moving truck, whether moving permanently or for renovations. Therefore, the vehicle is an excellent tool for estimating the size of the storage unit you will need. If you can fit the stuff into the truck, they will probably fit in a storage unit of the same size.  However, a moving truck only has to transport your goods to be as tightly packed as possible. So, when using the truck to estimate storage unit size, consider adding a size to allow for better organization and ease of movement.  Visit The Unit Many people use the internet to hire a storage unit which has its disadvantages though it might be quick and convenient. You will not be able to get an accurate picture and estimation of the storage unit’s size.  Therefore, the best way to estimate the size of a storage unit is to visit the unit in person. Bring a tape measure with you and get accurate unit measurements. You can get a better fit if you can compare the unit’s actual size against the volume of your possessions.  Go Big If you are in doubt about the storage you will require, it is best to go bigger rather than smaller. The last thing you want is to underestimate the storage size and have some of your belongings not fit into the unit.  A bigger storage unit will be more expensive, but the margin of safety it allows you and the piece of the mind are worth the price. You will also have the opportunity to add stuff to the storage unit if the need ever arises.  Choosing a storage unit is challenging, and estimating your storage needs is even more complicated. If you want to get an accurate estimation, you should check your inventory, find out available unit sizes, use a moving truck, visit the unit, and go big when in doubt. If you follow these tips, you will get a storage unit that meets your needs.

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