Commercial real estate investor and developer, Firethorn Trust, has broken ground at Link Logistics Park, its landmark 42-acre development in Ellesmere Port. More than 760,000 sq. ft. of industrial space will be created on the former brownfield site, including a single unit spanning 655,000 sq. ft., making it the biggest
Revisions to Part L of the building regulations, which come into force in June, are the subject of a new CPD devised by insulation specialist Actis which is due to be launched to the industry in a few weeks’ time. Tomorrow’s Insulation Solutions for Future Homes Standards is currently awaiting
Work is on schedule at the £54million Glass Futures Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens with the steelwork structure now completed. Contractors Bowmer + Kirkland, who started on site in January, say the next phase of the scheme is already underway with the cladding and external elevations expected to
The Government has committed to hydrogen heating for UK homes in a landmark speech by one of the key ministers responsible for energy strategy. In a debate on the potential for hydrogen and a new HyNet Hydrogen Village trial at Whitby near Ellesmere Port, which is running alongside the Hy4Heat
Commercial real estate investor and developer, Firethorn Trust, has broken ground at Link Logistics Park, its landmark 42-acre development in Ellesmere Port. More than 760,000 sq. ft. of industrial space will be created on the former brownfield site, including a single unit spanning 655,000 sq. ft., making it the biggest single cross-docked warehouse being developed in the UK this year. The first phase of development is set to be available for early occupation in Q4 2022, and is being delivered by Winvic Construction Ltd. The contract is the second awarded to Winvic by Firethorn, following the delivery of Ascent Logistics Park in Leighton Buzzard. Delivered to net-zero carbon construction, and BREEAM Excellent, the scheme’s highly-specified design is at the forefront of the market. The scheme’s base specification includes 15% rooflight coverage, Photovoltaic arrays, and is 100% commercial electric vehicle ready including 32 electric vehicle charging points. Up to 25MV of power will also be available from a local carbon-neutral ‘Waste to Energy’ facility. The design also incorporates features to help occupiers reach their own operational sustainability and wellbeing targets, with future full PV coverage, and battery ready features allowed for within the design, as well as WELL ready accreditations. Chris Webb, Partner at Firethorn Trust, said: “We’re delighted that work is now underway to deliver this landmark development, which is one of the largest speculative projects across the country to be built this year. Link Logistics Park is a prime example of our commitment to creating modern and sustainable logistics spaces, offering excellent connectivity, market-leading specification and best-in-class design features. “The scope and scale of this development is reflective of Firethorn’s growing ambition and it’s a hugely exciting addition to our expanding national portfolio. We look forward to working closely with Winvic to bring the project to completion.” Danny Nelson, Director of Industrial, Distribution and Logistics at Winvic, added: “Following the completion of the enabling works at Link Logistics Park in Ellesmere Port, we’re delighted to be able to start on site to create over 760,000 sq. ft. of net zero carbon industrial space. Having worked with Firethorn Trust to deliver Ascent Logistics Park – an eight-facility net zero carbon project – in less than 12 months, we have a fantastic relationship with their team and aim to exceed their expectations delivering this landmark 42-acre development.” Immediately adjacent to Junction 7 of the M53 and within a 45-minute drive of Liverpool and Manchester airports, the multi-modal industrial development lies in close proximity to the Manchester shipping canal, just 22 miles from the Port of Liverpool, offering exceptional transport links to the UK logistics network. All enquiries should be directed to the scheme’s letting agents, CBRE, B8 and Moriarty & Co. For more information on Link Logistics Park, and to watch live progress on-site, visit https://linklogisticspark.co.uk/ Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Revisions to Part L of the building regulations, which come into force in June, are the subject of a new CPD devised by insulation specialist Actis which is due to be launched to the industry in a few weeks’ time. Tomorrow’s Insulation Solutions for Future Homes Standards is currently awaiting certification by the Construction CPD Certification Service and will become the fourth in Actis’ series of popular professional CPD certified training programmes. Other sessions are the RIBA-approved CPD on addressing the performance gap with reflective insulation, a CPD module on building regulation compliance and a mini training course specially designed for use at LABC roadshows on the new SAP 10. The new CPD, aimed at architects, specifiers, builders and building control officers, looks at how the changes will impact the industry and how to ensure professionals meet the targets laid down in the revised building regulations. With new build homes obliged to see carbon emissions reduced by 31% over the current levels after June 15, the Actis CPD will explain the importance of focusing on ‘fabric first’ to help achieve this goal. There will be a one-year grace period for projects currently going through the planning process. Actis UK and Ireland technical director Thomas Wiedmer explained: “In order to achieve this 31 per cent uplift over current regulations we have to focus on ensuring the fabric of the building is the main driver of energy efficiency. This will need to be combined with more use of efficient building technologies. “Energy efficiency standards should always be based on reducing the need for energy first and in particular limiting the heat loss through thermal elements – that is through achieving excellent U-values, reducing thermal bridging and improving air tightness – the fabric first principle.” The CPD will look in detail at ways to improve U-values, reduce thermal bridging, address the performance gap and improve air tightness while ensuring there are no issues with overheating. Thomas added: “Ensuring insulation is continuous, with no gaps, plays a vital role in reducing thermal bridging – and this is one area in which the Actis Hybrid range excels, with its flexible nature and ease of cutting and moulding into corners, gaps and awkward junctions.” The CPD will also look at SAP 10, the latest update to the Standard Assessment Procedure, which is incorporated within the revised Part L regulations, and which is designed to ensure correct thermal modelling junctions are used. The Part L changes are a stepping stone towards the far more stringent energy efficiency requirements for new homes to be laid down under the forthcoming Future Homes Standard, which should be in place by 2025. That in turn will play a key role in enabling the UK to meet its 2050 net zero target. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Work is on schedule at the £54million Glass Futures Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens with the steelwork structure now completed. Contractors Bowmer + Kirkland, who started on site in January, say the next phase of the scheme is already underway with the cladding and external elevations expected to be completed on the 165,000 sq. ft facility by the end of the summer. B+K’s work on the scheme is expected to complete in January 2023, ready for fit-out by Glass Futures. The facility has been pre-let to St Helens Borough Council on a 15-year head lease and will be sub-let to Glass Futures which will occupy and manage the building to deliver industry and government backed research and development projects focused on decarbonising glass production. It will also provide a platform for the industry to access an experimental scale furnace to test and run trials for implementation at commercial scale on a state-of-the-art line, both collaboratively and individually. Delivery of the project was conceived and is being managed by landowner and developer Network Space Developments (NSD), on behalf of a partnership including not-for-profit research organisation Glass Futures , St Helens Borough Council, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and UKRI (UK Research & Innovation). NSD will continue to manage the delivery of the project through to practical completion. Earlier this year the building was presold by NSD to global investor Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust, part of abrdn, to secure forward funding and conclude a viable delivery strategy. Catherine Chilvers, Development Director at Network Space, said: “We’re delighted with the progress so far on site with a completion date of January 2023 still very much in our sights. The outline structure of the facility is now visible and symbolises the scale and ambition of both St Helens Council and the Glass Futures project to bring significant investment and skilled jobs back into St Helens and the wider Liverpool City Region economy. She added: “None of this would have been possible without the exceptional partnership formed between NSD, Glass Futures, St Helens Borough Council, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and UKRI. The partnership is proud to see the noticeable progress being made on site following the tremendous efforts to achieve this key milestone.” David Baker, Project Manager on the Glass Futures’ site for B+K said:“We’re making significant progress on site with the steel frame now completed and roofing works commenced. The B+K team is proud to be part of this iconic build for St Helens and its future role in glass manufacturing and development in the area. The scheme is transformational in every sense, not just for the town but also for its future contribution towards zero carbon production in the global glass industry.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
The Government has committed to hydrogen heating for UK homes in a landmark speech by one of the key ministers responsible for energy strategy. In a debate on the potential for hydrogen and a new HyNet Hydrogen Village trial at Whitby near Ellesmere Port, which is running alongside the Hy4Heat programme, the Rt Hon George Freeman, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, welcomed the trials as a vital first step towards gathering the necessary evidence for a wider roll-out. “We want to make sure that the trials lay the foundation for a wider nationwide roll-out.” He continued: “The BEIS-funded Hy4Heat programme has shown that the use of 100% hydrogen can be made as safe as natural gas when used for heating and cooking in the types of houses that were studied.” “[The trials] are designed to provide the Government with the necessary evidence to take big strategic decisions on heating within a matter of two or three years. I know the ambition that colleagues have shared today to go further and faster is shared by the Secretary of State, The Minister for Energy and the Prime Minister. It is not lack of political will that is holding us back.” Responding to the Minister’s comments, Mike Foster, Chief Executive of the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), commented: “The government’s endorsement of a hydrogen future using our world-class gas distribution network is a tribute to the hard work of the heating industry in developing hydrogen technologies.” Mr Foster also praised the commitment of boiler manufacturers to provide hydrogen boilers at no greater cost than current technologies – a commitment that was brokered by the EUA. “The Big Four boiler manufacturers price promise was noted by BEIS and has proven to be a decisive factor in the government’s commitment to a hydrogen future. The benefits for the climate, consumers and the heating industry have been made very clear and the government has responded.” He continued: “This is also very good news for the UK’s installer base, whose knowledge and expertise will be needed to roll-out the installation of hydrogen boilers across the UK. I am glad that the EUA’s representations to government about the importance of having a ready-made workforce, skilled in the installation of gas technologies, has won the argument.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
