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June 1, 2022

Warning as three-quarters of fire doors fail inspection

Kenneth Booth June 1, 2022

One of the UK’s leading fire door inspection organisations has warned of a “tragedy waiting to happen” after it revealed three-quarters of the fire doors inspected in the UK by its approved inspectors did not meet the required standard. The Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS)’s data, based on more than

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Partnership is key to asset management  

Kenneth Booth June 1, 2022

As we embrace post-pandemic life, social landlords as well as focussing on building new homes are also putting repairs and maintenance of existing stock at the top of their priority list.  This drive to make significant improvements to tenants’ homes relies on key partnerships with contractors.We had to postpone some

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Bouygues UK’s Leigh Hughes Highly Commended at IoD Wales Awards

Bouygues UK’s Leigh Hughes Highly Commended at IoD Wales Awards

Cristina Diaconu June 1, 2022

Bouygues UK’s Business Growth and Social Value Director Leigh Hughes has been awarded Highly Commended at the IoD Wales’ Director of the Year Awards. The awards, which were held at the International Conference Centre at the Celtic Manor Resort, celebrate leadership talent, success, and highlights business excellence and significant contributions

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7 Signs Your Property Has A Gas Leak

Nick Child June 1, 2022

The gas serves an important purpose in households and even in commercial establishments. It’ll enable you to utilize several appliances in your home, such as the furnace and cooker. However, unmanaged gas is hazardous with exposure to the atmosphere. This exposure happens due to leaks through gas pipes. You must

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Issue 323 : Dec 2024

June 1, 2022

THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL: MARRYING THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH TOURISM TRADE IN LEISURE CENTRE DESIGN

Kenneth Booth June 1, 2022

SPORT and leisure specialist GT3 Architects has completed the first phase of a striking new destination leisure centre in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, which combines the needs of local residents and nationwide visitors to create a leisure hub for all.  The first phase of the £22m flagship scheme features leisure slides and splash pads alongside more traditional swimming provisions and fitness equipment to supply a dual-purpose scheme for both fun and fitness.  The facility features flexible community spaces and a 100-station gym to support the health and wellbeing of local residents, with memberships as cheap as 85p per day alongside pay-as-you-go options. As well as meeting the existing needs of the local community, the scheme includes facilities designed to incentivise footfall and tourism, including a thermal spa experience, saunas, aromatherapy steam room, spa pool, and experience shower with heated benches. The centre also features an indoor, four-rink bowling green and Hive café, offering a range of hot and cold food and drink, as well as a children’s soft play area.   GT3 Architects – which has studios in Newcastle and Nottingham – has acted as lead designer on the leisure centre, covering both the interior and exterior architecture to deliver this complex project.  Paul Reed, associate director at GT3, said: “From the very beginning, this project has had a true community feel, and it was vital that the design was rooted in the local area. We wanted to create something that was visually striking and took strong cues from its surroundings, such as the Royal Border Bridge and the town’s ancient walls.  “We replicated the elevational rhythm of the bridges but broke it down into individual forms to create a dynamic image with mixes of glass and green-wall. The local colour palette evokes rich warm tones in its hues, which led us to create the dynamic stainless steel shingle façade. It shimmers gold and purple depending on the light, linking to the local architecture as well as creating a beacon to local residents and tourists alike.”  The new centre is situated next to the existing leisure centre at Tweedmouth and was completed in phases so facilities could be preserved for residents throughout the build. With the completion of the wet side facilities, work on the second phase has now begun, replacing the existing pool hall on the site with a new four-court sports hall, as well as completing car parking and landscaping.  Paul added: “Berwick is a fairly isolated town so it was important that leisure provisions were always available through a seamless transition from old to new. The health and wellbeing of residents remained a central part of the project, balanced with building an attractive tourism offer to boost the local economy.  “Designing a facility that covers the needs of both local residents and the town’s tourists has provided an interesting challenge, but by working closely with Active Northumberland, we have been able to ensure that the design covers the requirements of the differing user types. This includes a flexible leisure water zone that can expand into the adjacent learner pool during busy periods and an increased café capacity to cover visitors.  “By doing this, we have helped the local authority meet multiple targets on tourist investment and the health and wellbeing of residents.”  GT3 is also designing Berwick’s sister project, Morpeth Leisure and Community Hub, for Active Northumberland, which started on site in 2021. Along with wet and dry leisure facilities, the scheme will feature a large library, flexible community space, and adult learning services.   Mark Warnes, chief executive at Active Northumberland, said: “The atmosphere in the centre is fantastic. It’s a high-quality, welcoming, and modern environment. It’s full of great areas where local people can come together, socialise, have fun and be more active and we are very excited about the future and the importance it will play in the local community.”   The project was funded by Northumberland County Council, with Tolent Construction acting as lead contractor.  For further information visit www.gt3architects.com or join the conversation over on Twitter @_GT3Architects   Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News   

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Warning as three-quarters of fire doors fail inspection

Kenneth Booth June 1, 2022

One of the UK’s leading fire door inspection organisations has warned of a “tragedy waiting to happen” after it revealed three-quarters of the fire doors inspected in the UK by its approved inspectors did not meet the required standard. The Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS)’s data, based on more than 100,000 fire door inspections carried out by its approved inspectors in 2021, found that 75% of fire doors failed to meet the required standards, putting lives at risk in the event of a fire. Alarmingly, buildings that had the highest number of fire door inspection failures included healthcare buildings, local authorities and housing associations, and private housing. Given that these buildings’ fire doors are subject to higher use and traffic than other building types, regular inspection and maintenance is key to ensuring they remain fit for purpose throughout their lifespan. Louise Halton, FDIS Scheme Manager, said “With the vast majority of fire doors in the UK failing inspections, it’s sad to say that a tragedy is simply waiting to happen, especially so in buildings that are home to vulnerable residents. But this situation is entirely preventable and, at this stage, still reversible. A fit for purpose fire door can save lives, so now is the time for all of those responsible for fire safety to urgently inspect fire doors in their buildings and act immediately if faults are identified. “It’s crucial that reputable and trained fire door inspectors, such as those approved by the FDIS, carry out fire door inspections. However, the ongoing reporting of maintenance issues with fire doors is a role for us all – every building user should play a proactive role in reporting any faults to ensure they are quickly addressed so that the building’s safety is maintained.” The most common reasons for inspection failure – which can be a result of one or multiple issues – were excessive gaps between the door and the frame (77%), care and maintenance issues (54%), and issues over smoke sealing (37%). In almost a third (31%) of cases, inspections failed due to improper installation – meaning those doors were never fit to perform the task of holding back fire and smoke. The inspection data also revealed inspectors’ top three fire safety concerns as a lack of fire door maintenance, and poor knowledge of fire safety responsibilities and a limited understanding of the role fire doors play in keeping people safe by those responsible for building fire safety. “The issues surrounding the understanding and knowledge of those responsible for fire safety was also highlighted in the FDIS’ inspection data released in 2020 as a key concern,” added Ms Halton. “This clearly demonstrates the need for individuals throughout the building safety sector to have access to quality training, assessment and examination to ensure their knowledge is up to date, and that they understand the fundamental role of a fire door – which is only fit for purpose if it is maintained correctly and inspected regularly.” The positive news is that there is a will to improve. Since the introduction of the Building Safety Bill (now the Building Safety Act 2022), 77% of FDIS inspectors have seen an increase in demand for fire door inspections. This indicates the importance and effect of the legislation in encouraging building owners and fire safety professionals to take a more proactive approach to fire door safety and maintenance. The FDIS certified inspectors are uniquely trained to undertake fire door inspections and improve building fire safety. All approved inspectors have completed the FDIS certificated inspector training and onsite assessment, which provides an understanding of fire doors and their components, including testing and certification, regulations and standards, inspection, and maintenance. For more information about the FDIS and to find an approved FDIS Inspector, visit: https://fdis.co.uk/ Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News

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Energys Group welcomes positive impact being made by Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme

Kenneth Booth June 1, 2022

Energys Group, one of the UK’s leading decarbonisation delivery companies, has welcomed the positive impact being made by the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), and believes it is playing a critical role in delivering decarbonisation across the public estate. In announcing the latest round of successful projects to be awarded funding, the Government also revealed that the implementation of affordable, low carbon heating and energy efficiency upgrades across public sector buildings – including hospitals, schools, libraries, museums and leisure centres – will save local authorities and taxpayers an average of £650 million per year on energy bills over the next 15 years. The first round of funding allocated through Phase 3 of PSDS will provide grants – totalling £553 million – to 160 public sector organisations across England, forming part of £1.425 billion that will be issued through Phase 3 until 2025. As well as cutting the use of expensive fossil fuels and saving millions of pounds on energy bills, the scheme provides a major opportunity on the path to reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75%, compared to 2017 levels, by 2037. Whilst the primary objective of PSDS is to help decarbonise heating, the scheme has also made funds available for other energy efficient technologies that can make a real difference to carbon and energy cost reduction – including LED lighting. Energys Group calculated that it has been responsible for the delivery of approximately 20% of the total spend on lighting upgrades as part of the PSDS, having been involved in over 70 projects that were given the go-ahead under PSDS equating to a total value of around £6m. Kevin Cox, Managing Director of Energys Group, commented: “The announcement of the expected savings local authorities will make as a result of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding clearly shows the positive impact it is having across the public estate. By boosting the implementation of energy efficient and low-carbon technologies, it is providing a major opportunity on the path to realising the UK’s 2050 Net Zero emissions targets. As Phase 3 of the scheme continues to roll out over the next three years, it is critical that public sector organisations continue to take of the funding being made available. For anyone looking for advice on how they can benefit from the scheme, Energys Group is on hand to provide specialist support and guidance.” Guidance on how to apply for Phase 3b will be published in July, with the next round of applications expected to open in September. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News

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Partnership is key to asset management  

Kenneth Booth June 1, 2022

As we embrace post-pandemic life, social landlords as well as focussing on building new homes are also putting repairs and maintenance of existing stock at the top of their priority list.  This drive to make significant improvements to tenants’ homes relies on key partnerships with contractors.We had to postpone some investment during the pandemic and are now playing catch-up by investing more than ever before in the maintenance and improvement of our housing stock. The Caledonia Group this year alone will be investing over £8m improving more than 30% of our existing 5,500 homes, however this will be challenging as we deal with a perfect storm of supply chain issues, including availability of materials and resources, leading to spiralling costs.Whilst we are weathering the storm, as a landlord and client, we recognise that in order to deliver this investment we need to have robust long-term contracts in place with trusted contractors and suppliers to partner with us to improve tenants’ homes. This process of good relations starts with clear client requirements, a fair procurement process and negotiated contract terms.  With this in mind, quality as well as cost are key factors in our procurement process. Our network of contractors plays an integral role in our asset management, and we have a policy of introducing quality as a prerequisite when selecting contractors, looking in detail at the expertise, approach, and contractors’ ways of working, as well as the price. We also want to make sure any contractors who have responded to a tender have done so in a way that is sustainable for them. We have already seen a price rise of over 10% for kitchens, bathrooms and windows, and other raw material costs are also still on that upward trajectory.    Experience tells us that prices seldom come back down, therefore it is important for us that we choose contractors who are building sufficient resource into their initial responses to the tendering process. There is also an imperative on us to be a good business partner.   Last year, 175,000 people left the UK construction industry.   We can see there is a shortage of contractors and the current boom in the construction industry means that the clamour to respond to tenders is no longer a reality.   Furthermore, tenders may only have a short shelf life due to cost volatility.  We therefore need to be responsive and agile as social housing partners to get the best deal and service for our tenants.   Our Asset Management team and network of Neighbourhood Officers are the main contact points for tenants with regard to the work in their homes.  However, once appointed, the contractor is also providing a service in Caledonia’s name. We therefore have to trust our contractors crossing the threshold into our tenants’ homes to uphold Caledonia’s values and play a significant role in the successful delivery. We want our tenants to feel comfortable about contractors being in their home and, whether they are replacing their kitchen, bathroom or heating system, our reputation is in their hands. Our aim is therefore to create long-term partnerships.  Ideally, we want our contractors to understand how we do business and be sensitive to the needs of our tenants and their families. At the same time, we need to understand the pressures contractors are under themselves, and the difficulties that they encounter in managing our expectations in an incredibly challenging environment.  This requires us to work closely together as we constantly manage all projects – from small refurbishments to larger capital improvement programmes.   On the ever-increasing number of priorities on our asset management teams’ to-do lists, fostering partnership and building positive relationships with our contractors is crucial to delivering our ambitious investment plans. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News

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Bouygues UK’s Leigh Hughes Highly Commended at IoD Wales Awards

Bouygues UK’s Leigh Hughes Highly Commended at IoD Wales Awards

Cristina Diaconu June 1, 2022

Bouygues UK’s Business Growth and Social Value Director Leigh Hughes has been awarded Highly Commended at the IoD Wales’ Director of the Year Awards. The awards, which were held at the International Conference Centre at the Celtic Manor Resort, celebrate leadership talent, success, and highlights business excellence and significant contributions leaders can make to the social and economic prosperity in the community. Leigh achieved recognition for his work in helping Bouygues UK achieve its mission to deliver a sustainable built environment and demonstrate its social, economic and environmental commitment to support the communities it works in. Social value is a major strategic priority for Bouygues Construction UK and Leigh, who is also the Welsh chair of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Chair of the Employment and Skills Board and a member of the Economic Growth Partnership at the Cardiff Capital Region, has helped implement many social value initiatives around the UK. Bouygues UK has introduced many education construction initiatives, such as GoConstruct Education – a collaboration between industry and education partners to include construction resources into the Welsh school curriculum in a bid to get more youngsters considering a future career in construction. Bouygues UK also imbeds social value into every project it works on, such as Cardiff University’s Cardiff Innovation Campus which has so far provided nearly 190 weeks of work experience for local people, supported 3,099 apprenticeship weeks, created 545 local jobs and spent more than £74million in the local economy from the project. Leigh also spearheaded Bouygues UK’s sponsorship of the Wizard’s League in schools in Port Talbot to increase sports participation and health and wellbeing in students – a partnership which has now been going for six years. During the pandemic, Bouygues UK shifted its CSR and ESG focus to focus on people, particularly its student and community ambassador schemes around the UK, as well as supporting those most in need to deliver maximum benefit. It also targeted its social value activities around social groups who were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, this included donating PPE to health care workers and the vulnerable and working with young people with little or no qualifications to help them into work, such as gifting laptops and desktop computers. Leigh, who has worked at Bouygues UK for 11 years, said of the award: “It’s an honour to be Highly Commended for Corporate Social Responsibility at the IoD Wales awards. Social value is in the DNA of Bouygues UK and is a major driver and priority for us as a business and an integral part of what we do. To be even named a finalist, never mind be highly commended in this category was such an honour. It is great to be able to fly the flag for construction in Wales in this area and show how innovative and committed we as an industry are to social value. “Bouygues UK has a highly skilled workforce, working on some of the most exciting building projects in the country, but we never stop in trying to increase the social and economic benefits we make on these projects and these communities we work in, as well as imparting the knowledge, excellence and skills we have to others.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News

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Keeping construction skills up to date – CLF introduces new suite of CPD courses

Kenneth Booth June 1, 2022

Digital construction, net zero and retrofitting are key issues for the construction sector. In recognition of the importance of career progression, industry collaboration body the Scottish Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) has worked to develop a new suite of free-to-use continuing professional development (CPD) modules. Working with Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), formerly the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), the CLF is aiming the new modules at educators, who will cascade the information to a wide variety of different learners. The modules, which have just been launched today (Tuesday 31st May) can be found on the BE-ST Learning Management System, will focus on key areas of the recovery and transformation of the construction sector. They are free to use and include an understanding of digital construction by BE-ST: building a net zero environment with a focus on retrofitting by the Association for Environment Conscious Building; and a course on timber technologies and innovation by Edinburgh Napier University. Kirsty Duncan, Associate Impact Manager at BE-ST, said: “The construction sector is increasingly seen as a very attractive career option and CPD is an important part of that. “These new digital assets and resources will be used by educators to enhance learning provision and will be hosted on our learning management software, requiring only a username and password. “The courses will be short and to the point and will include case studies, videos and real-life scenarios. They will be free of charge and users will be able to do them at their own pace, coming and going as they choose. Certificates will be awarded on completion.” The CPD plan is the latest initiative from the CLF, which recently launched a revolutionary new data dashboard to collect and disseminate statistical knowledge, creating greater openness, transparency and information exchange in the construction industry in Scotland. It has also introduced the Built Environment Workforce Development Portal, a new guide which will provide a breakdown of re-skilling and up-skilling courses by theme, occupation and region across Scotland. The CLF was established in March 2019 to develop and implement a Recovery Plan of actions aligned with Government policies and the Construction Scotland Industry Strategy.  Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News

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7 Signs Your Property Has A Gas Leak

Nick Child June 1, 2022

The gas serves an important purpose in households and even in commercial establishments. It’ll enable you to utilize several appliances in your home, such as the furnace and cooker. However, unmanaged gas is hazardous with exposure to the atmosphere. This exposure happens due to leaks through gas pipes. You must take note of these leaks and have experts look into them and perform repairs. Leaks could lead to explosions should someone unconsciously light a matchbox or start a fire. How will you know there’s a gas leak?  This article highlights the tell-tale signs of gas leaks on your property; read on and look out for these signs: Odor Like any other gas, all gases in your home are colourless and have no smell. Due to the dangerous nature of natural gas and propane in your home, manufacturers have developed ways to help you identify a gas leak by smell. They add a sulphurous substance known as methyl mercaptan. This substance gives the gas a Sulphur or rotten egg smell.  Therefore, should you encounter this smell in your home, seek emergency gas repairs services. As you wait for their arrival, leave your home for safety. Hissing Sound In general, a hissing sound is a sign of leakage. You’ll experience a hissing sound if you blow air into a pipe or straw with an opening. A gas leak also presents itself by hissing as it flows through your gas pipes.   The hissing sound originates from the speed at which gas is flowing. If the sound is loud, it’s a possible sign of an extensive leak. Whether loud or mild, you need to be wary and call in the experts for an inspection. Dying Plants Plants require oxygen and water to grow. They’ll start deteriorating, dry up, and eventually die without these. How will your plants show you there’s a gas leak? If your plants suddenly start dying, yet you’ve done your part in taking care of them.   To rule out other causes, look out for patterns. For gas leak causes, you’re likely to see only a given area experiencing drying up, with the surrounding areas having healthy plants.  Dying plants in a given area show there’s an underground gas leak. The gas absorbs any oxygen and moisture from the soil. It causes the drying up of the plants. Another tell-tale sign is if the plants turn yellow or rusty brown.  It’s good to note that you can also use your indoor plants to detect gas leaks. Here, you’ll also experience the sudden death of your potted plants for no reason. Most will wither and turn brown.   Bubble Formation There are situations when you can’t identify any tell-tale signs of a gas leak in your home. Therefore, you can perform certain tests regularly to check the condition of your gas pipes. One of the common tests used for gas leaks is the bubble test.  Start by making a mild soap solution; dishwashing soap is preferred. Take a sponge, dip it in your solution, and wipe your gas pipes’ surfaces. After doing this, watch out for any bubbles that’ll form. Bubbles are an indication of a gas leak. Once you note this, take the necessary precautions like leaving your home and calling in experts. Dry Patches On The Ground Dry patches on the ground can help you identify gas leaks if you live in an area prone to rain. In such an area, the ground is always wet most of the time. Therefore, if you start observing dry patches on normally wet ground, consider performing an inspection on your underground gas pipes.  As previously stated, gas will absorb moisture from its surroundings. For this reason, you’ll witness the dry patches.    Health Complications Natural gas isn’t only harmful to plants; it’s also harmful to human beings and animals. Therefore, excessive exposure to natural gas in your home can lead to certain health complications.  One tell-tale sign is frequent headaches and dizziness. As previously stated, gas tends to absorb any oxygen in an area. It’ll do the same in your space, which causes headaches and dizziness. How do you distinguish between gas leaks and normal health issues? It’s simple: if you leave your home and the headache and dizziness stop, it shows your home is the issue.  Besides dizziness, the gas is also likely to affect your skin. Prolonged exposure to harmful gases can cause you to develop pimples, which might become blisters with time.   Discoloured flames Your home’s gas furnace relies on natural gas to heat your home. When functioning normally, your furnace ignites with a luminous blue flame.   Your furnace will burn with a yellow non-luminous flame if there’s a gas leak. Since this is hardly noticeable without being keen, observe your furnace as you utilize it regularly.   Conclusion The content above has discussed ways to identify gas leaks on your property. And with the sensitivity of gas leaks, consider adopting the tips to keep your property safe. As good practice, it’s best to perform gas pipe inspections every six months, whether or not there are signs of gas leaks. Also, refrain from handling any gas leaks independently. Please leave the work to the experts for safety reasons.  

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