“There is no doubt from the recent announcement there is a divide on the future of energy costs and security between what is needed and what is being delivered. The Government has set out a series of measures which will limit household energy bills to £2,500, with additional measures for
Chalk excavated from the Chiltern tunnels being used to landscape the site which is set to become a 127 hectare wildlife haven featuring new chalk grassland, woodland, wood pasture and wetland habitats. The transformation of HS2’s largest construction site into a haven for wildlife reached a major milestone this week
The new partnership will give building owners and operators real-time data-driven insights into their assets to make better decisions and reduce costs Asite, the world’s leading data platform for the built environment, is delighted to announce a new partnership with SmartViz, an intuitive digital twin platform that boosts the performance
Solihull-based affordable housing specialist Living Space has promoted its commercial manager Steve Oldacre to Commercial Director, in recognition of his valuable contribution to the company. Among Steve’s enhanced roles will be to focus on the importance of a strong pipeline, identify opportunities for growth as well as developing and driving
Greyfriars Project Management have stepped in to assist a Norwich school in finishing a development project in time for pupils to start in September. The construction works were undertaken to ensure Angel Road Infant School could house pupils from the neighbouring Angel Road Junior School, following its closure in June
Global construction cost consultancy, Soben has expanded its senior management team with the appointment of Pieter Schaap as Director. Pieter is the sixth director-level appointment to be made at Soben this year, with further growth planned in the coming months. Pieter joins award-winning Soben from Yondr Group, where he was Supply Chain Director
Contractor and developer G F Tomlinson has completed the renovation of the historic, local building Tunstall Town Hall, together with the Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The two have uncovered, repaired and preserved some of the original heritage features of the Grade II Listed building. Built in 1885, Tunstall Town Hall was
“There is no doubt from the recent announcement there is a divide on the future of energy costs and security between what is needed and what is being delivered. The Government has set out a series of measures which will limit household energy bills to £2,500, with additional measures for heat networks and oil users. All businesses, charities and public users will also benefit from similar support. There was however further announcements regarding energy generation and security. There were positives – unlocking the potential for nuclear and small modular reactors plus the removal of the price cap for electricity generated from gas – releasing cheaper forms of energy generation could really be game changing for those businesses and households which rely on electricity only. Again it was pleasing to hear the commitment to Net Zero by 2050. But what was troubling to hear was the ‘dash for gas’ – increasing licences for the north sea oil and gas, but worryingly the ending of the moratorium on fracking if there is local support for the scheme. Fracking is notoriously unpopular, it will not be swift, and it will be expensive. There needs to be more alternative sources of energy to ensure we are delivering the country’s energy needs in a cost effective and environment effective way. This should be a golden age for onshore wind, solar, tidal, hydro, hydrogen and nuclear – not for the oil and gas industries. These are the most cost efficient ways of energy generation and we should be doubling down on these methods to provide security to both supply and costs. Again there was no mention from the Government about reinstating insulation and energy efficiency methods. Does this miss the opportunity to develop better ways of insulation and energy efficiency? Today’s announcement just keeps the status quo and an additional reliance on fossil fuels. So the divide is clear to see. And who pays for this? Seemingly households over a prolonged period of time, with no windfall tax on the reported super profits of £170 billion of the oil and gas companies. And no real detail on how we can deliver more energy from alternative sources in the future.
Chalk excavated from the Chiltern tunnels being used to landscape the site which is set to become a 127 hectare wildlife haven featuring new chalk grassland, woodland, wood pasture and wetland habitats. The transformation of HS2’s largest construction site into a haven for wildlife reached a major milestone this week with the millionth cubic metre of chalk laid out around the south portal of the Chiltern tunnel. The ambitious environmental project will eventually see 2.6 million cubic metres of chalk excavated during the construction of the 10 mile long tunnels used to create one of the largest areas of chalk grassland in the Chiltern hills. Instead of removing the material by road, it is being used to landscape the site as part of plans to create 127 hectares of new chalk grassland, woodland, wood pasture and wetland habitats. Welcoming the news, HS2 Ltd’s Environment Director Peter Miller said: “The south portal project is one of the most important parts of our Green Corridor programme to establish better connected, sustainable and biodiverse landscapes along the route of the new railway and will contribute substantially to HS2’s carbon reduction target. “It’s great to see how much chalk has already been laid on site and I look forward to seeing the site completely transform over the coming years.” Chalk grassland – a type of calcareous grassland – is habitat of international conservation importance mainly found on limestone and chalk downlands of south-east England and the Isle of Wight. Lime-rich, but low in nutrients, the thin soil holds little water and drains well. These conditions encourage a huge variety of smaller herbs and wildflowers and over 40 plant species can be found in one square metre of grassland, including some of the UK’s rarest orchids as well as highly diverse invertebrate populations. Only 700 hectares of chalk grassland exist across the whole of the Chilterns AONB. The plans have been developed by HS2’s main works contractor, Align – a joint venture formed of three international infrastructure companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick – working with its design partners Jacobs, Rendel-Ingerop, and LDA Design, that form Align D. Chris Chantler, Align D, Design Director “This innovative, multi-discipline project is providing a unique opportunity to create a huge expanse of new grassland using chalk being excavated from the Chiltern tunnels. With the first million cubic metres of chalk having already been placed to create the grassland, we are well on the way to creating a landscape which will be both rich in diversity and a place for people to explore and connect with the natural environment.” Two giant tunnelling machines – named Florence and Cecilia – are currently around 4 miles into their journey under the Chilterns. The material they excavate is mixed with water to form a slurry before being pumped out of the tunnel. It is then processed at a slurry treatment plant at the south portal site where the flint is removed and water extracted, to leave chalk cake which is then carefully laid out on site – together with recycled concrete and aggregates from construction works – in order to create a naturalistic landscape with all the temporary construction buildings removed. Ninety hectares of chalk grassland will be seeded into re-profiled soil layers. This will sit alongside new areas of woodland, wood pasture and wetlands, including almost 65,000 trees and shrubs of 32 species and nearly 3.5km of new hedgerows. Around 4.5km of new footpath, cycling and horse-riding routes will give the public areas to large parts of the site, which sits between the Colne Valley Regional Park and the Chilterns AONB. Field trials are in preparation ahead of final seeding, and planting of trees and shrubs in 2025.
The new partnership will give building owners and operators real-time data-driven insights into their assets to make better decisions and reduce costs Asite, the world’s leading data platform for the built environment, is delighted to announce a new partnership with SmartViz, an intuitive digital twin platform that boosts the performance of assets. This new partnership will expand operational capabilities available to asset owners. It will also enable outcome-driven digital twins through real-time data and occupancy analytics, simulations, and visualizations for asset performance optimization. Building on a combined experience of over 40 years, the new Asite and SmartViz partnership will unlock a range of benefits for the AECO industry and open a new world of digital possibilities for the future of work. Nathan Doughty, Asite CEO, said: “We are incredibly excited about this new partnership with SmartViz and the world of opportunity it opens for us and the built environment as a whole. Digital twins are transforming the AECO industry and the world as we know it, ushering in a new and exciting digital era. We are proud to be at the forefront of this technological advancement and reinforce our reputation as one of the industry’s most forward-thinking and innovative service providers. The Asite Platform connects our growing ecosystem of partners through standardized interfaces, consolidating our strengths to unlock everything digital twins have to offer.” Dr. Shrikant B. Sharma, Founder & CEO at SmartViz Ltd, said: “This is an exciting moment for SmartViz and our industry. SmartViz’s innovative digital twin application together with Asite Platform can truly empower our clients to boost building performance and user experience. It’s just not acceptable that buildings still consume 3.5x more energy and release 3.8x more co2 than they should. This needs to change. For that we need to break data silos, and make it accessible, insightful and empower everyone from the COO and CFO to the estate directors, facilities managers and end users. That’s what this partnership delivers by enhancing space utilisation, saving energy and supercharging the productivity and wellbeing of people – all highly relevant issues in light of the climate challenges, net zero goals, and post-covid world adapting to hybrid working.” The new partnership is a testament to Asite’s promise to support sustainability in the built environment in the move to Net Zero. Through this partnership, real-life, real-time digital twins will be created and will be used to make more effective decisions by turning data into insights and outcomes. Asset information—CO2, light, humidity, and occupancy levels—can be aggregated from a myriad of IoT sensors and smart building systems, and visualized on an asset model in real-time to determine where energy is being lost within the asset and if space is being used efficiently. The partnership provides the tools necessary to build more productive and energy-efficient assets, improving building performance and sustainability while helping reduce costs. To find out more about innovation at Asite, please contact sales@asite.com.
Solihull-based affordable housing specialist Living Space has promoted its commercial manager Steve Oldacre to Commercial Director, in recognition of his valuable contribution to the company. Among Steve’s enhanced roles will be to focus on the importance of a strong pipeline, identify opportunities for growth as well as developing and driving the commercial function of the business. He brings to the senior role more than three decades of commercial experience, and says he is looking forward to the challenge ahead. “We have a tight-knit team here at Living Space,” said Steve, “and I am absolutely committed to retaining and strengthening the strong relationships across our commercial, construction and sub-contractors’ teams. Ensuring we are all fully integrated and tuned in to the needs of each department is key to an effective and productive good working practice.” Steve, who is MCIOB chartered, started his career at the age of 16 at J. Hickman & Sons, as a trainee QS, before beginning a five-year period at Bromsgrove builders Weavers – a career path move that he credits with providing and cementing some of the key skills of his professional life. After working for himself for a number of years, Steve joined Mansel PLC as a senior quantity surveyor where promotions followed through from managing quantity surveyor up to divisional manager. In 2013 he left the company to take up the position of Regional Commercial Manager for United Living Group in Wolverhampton where he stayed for eight years. He joined Living Space in 2021 following a spell at Vistry Group where he was Group Senior Surveyor. Paul Breen, Managing Director of Living Space, said: “Steve has played a pivotal role in developing our supply chain strategy, driving efficiencies, and developing our processes to improve supplier performance. In his 12 months as Commercial Manager, he demonstrated a professionalism and eye for detail that brought real value to our business. “This is well-deserved recognition of Steve’s contribution to Living Space Housing and the wider group and is a timely promotion as we accelerate our ambitious growth plans.” The overall value of Living Space’s development portfolio is now approaching £200million, which equates to 950 affordable houses, apartments and bungalows. The company is on track to deliver at least 20 developments over the next two years. It is the partnership arm of the WhatHouse? ‘Housebuilder of the Year’ Hayfield. The vast majority of the homes Living Space builds are delivered to Registered Providers (RPs) for affordable rent and shared ownership. Living Space sources the land, achieves planning consent and builds the homes for the RP, enabling them to focus on the funding and management of high-quality homes for their residents. For more information, visit www.livingspace.co.uk
Greyfriars Project Management have stepped in to assist a Norwich school in finishing a development project in time for pupils to start in September. The construction works were undertaken to ensure Angel Road Infant School could house pupils from the neighbouring Angel Road Junior School, following its closure in June 2021 over safety concerns. Construction started on the shared site in spring 2022 with Greyfriars Project Management coming on board in May amid pressures to meet the tight September deadline. With the works completed on time, all pupils started at the school for the new term as planned. “It’s been a race to finish by the autumn term – and we’ve succeeded. With new mobile classrooms and outdoor spaces, the school is ready for pupils to use” says Jon Barnard, Director of Greyfriars Project Management. Working with the Evolution Academy Trust, the project management specialists delivered a range of vital services which accelerated the works, including risk management, financial tracking, regular reporting, programme support and design support. “We provided procurement support for most of the works which sped up the process. We also delivered masterplanning services, one result of which will be the creation of a new access stair-come-amphitheatre” adds Jon. Alongside relieving short-term accommodation pressures, longer-term aspirations were tackled too, such as improving the flow of people around the school and renovating outdated areas to create a better environment. Improvements included realigning fencing, installing mobile classrooms, building a new walkway, upgrading the early years playground and installing CCTV among other changes. “We were involved in the management of key enhancements, including the creation of four classrooms and inspiring outdoor spaces. Being part of this project has been incredibly rewarding and we’re thrilled the children are enjoying the upgrades” concludes Jon. Based in Norwich, Greyfriars Project Management specialise in providing expert project management support across the UK and help deliver development and infrastructure projects of all sizes for both the public and private sector. With a strong focus on community interest, they are often involved in projects which aim to provide real public benefit. To find out more about Greyfriars Project Management and their services, visit: https://greyfriarspm.com/
Global construction cost consultancy, Soben has expanded its senior management team with the appointment of Pieter Schaap as Director. Pieter is the sixth director-level appointment to be made at Soben this year, with further growth planned in the coming months. Pieter joins award-winning Soben from Yondr Group, where he was Supply Chain Director for the APAC region. He brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise, including in oil and gas, petrochemical, and data centre sectors, and has a strong background in mission critical environments. Pieter’s initial key responsibilities include the formation of supply chain workstreams, sustainability transformations and organisational changes, and creating development activities that relate to Soben’s key clients. Pieter, born and raised in the Netherlands, and a master’s graduate of the University of Groningen, said: “Having the opportunity to work with clients around the globe and add real value to our industry is something I have always enjoyed. “Soben is enabling me to do what I love, and I am looking forward to making a strong impact.” Scott Smyth, Soben Founder and Group CEO commented: “I am delighted to welcome Pieter to the Soben team and know he will do an excellent job in overseeing the development of our global supply chain. “Pieter’s extensive leadership and knowledge in driving successful procurement strategies will benefit our clients and their stakeholders tremendously. “He also has fantastic relationship-building skills, which will help to further cement our strong ties with our current client base across the world. “I believe Pieter’s hire is a real statement of intent and perfectly demonstrates our underlying ambitions to build and develop a global company that offers the marketplace something different.” Soben has further plans for expansion, targeting 1000 people globally by 2027 to support growth in current locations and expansion into additional territories.
Contractor and developer G F Tomlinson has completed the renovation of the historic, local building Tunstall Town Hall, together with the Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The two have uncovered, repaired and preserved some of the original heritage features of the Grade II Listed building. Built in 1885, Tunstall Town Hall was brought back to life with the transformation of the double flight staircase, the Victorian cabinet, beautiful plaster covings, original men’s toilets, original woodwork including the etched doors, skirting and architraves and the record of Tunstall council members, which had previously been mothballed. A new chequerboard was also installed, along with re-carpeting the stairs, removing the ‘later’ modern extension at the front to return the Town Hall to its original frontage, using skilled stone masons. “We’re incredibly proud to have completed work on the historical Tunstall Town Hall and to see it in its former glory. We have extensive experience delivering heritage projects of this nature, which has seen us working collaboratively with Stoke on Trent City Council to successfully restore and re-model Longton Town Hall prior to commencing on Tunstall. The restoration has breathed life back into the building, which will enhance the local area, and we look forward to seeing the doors reopen again soon,” commented Chris Flint, Managing Director of G F Tomlinson. With the investment that went into the restoration of Tunstall Town Hall, the council has demonstrated its commitment to heritage in the city, as showcased by the recent Heritage Congress and plans to establish a preservation trust. The investment also includes Stoke and Longton Town Halls, with Tunstall Town Hall being the most ambitious refurbishment to date. “Improving Tunstall Town Hall and moving much needed services into one building is a great start to improving the area. The project shows the council cares about its historic buildings and their significance in communities and is another example of the council being trusted to deliver heritage led projects of this nature,” said Councillor Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member for regeneration, infrastructure and heritage. “The building was in a much worse state of repair than first thought. The front elevation was rotating towards the street and some of the roof tiles had perished and after decades of limited investment, a lot of the structure had become a concern, with one of the first tasks to peel as much of the plaster and finishes to expose the structure. The heritage improvement works for a beautiful building have helped us uncover some incredible features and really capture the craftmanship of historical architectural roots with in the city,” Daniel concluded. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
