Clean Planet Energy today announced a new joint venture with private equity firm Crossroads Real Estate to fund Clean Planet Energy’s flagship ecoPlant currently under construction in Teesside, North East England. This will be the first of 10 new ecoPlants that Crossroads Real Estate and Clean Planet Energy are jointly
With Draft List for 2023 Revaluation Due out next week , Ratings experts at Colliers say this issue can no longer be brushed under the carpet “If the Government is serious about kickstarting the economy, it can no longer afford to brush business rates under the carpet.” says John Webber,
VELUX Group and BayWa r.e. today announce a groundbreaking dual-site deal to address the world-leading roof window manufacturer’s European operations with 100% renewable electricity by 2024. The Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) will drive the development of two new solar parks in Gerena and Alhendín in Southern Spain. The Alhendín park
Studying accessible data from the 20 largest contractors in the UK, a shocking fact emerges that wastage in the construction and civil engineering industries falls between 30% and 38%. James Maclean, CEO of leading wet civil and environmental engineering firm Land & Water, has a driving passion to reduce this
LEADING housebuilder, Lovell Homes, has launched the second phase of its development in the market town of Louth. When complete, phase two of Tennyson Fields will offer 141 two-, three- and four-bedroom high-specification homes. Prices for a two-bedroom house start at £188,500 and are suitable for a wide variety of
Find more about virtual data room providers. How much does the best VDR cost? Keep your documents and files in the safest place and make use of the various features and pricing of each provider. Rules for choosing the best data room provider. Data Room Providers Compared in Terms of
Plans for the multi-million pound transformation of Stretford town centre have been approved by councillors. Aiming to boost businesses and create a ‘thriving high street environment’, the project includes a high street, improved transport links, pedestrianised streets, more greenery and open spaces, and a new town centre. The plans, developed
Clean Planet Energy today announced a new joint venture with private equity firm Crossroads Real Estate to fund Clean Planet Energy’s flagship ecoPlant currently under construction in Teesside, North East England. This will be the first of 10 new ecoPlants that Crossroads Real Estate and Clean Planet Energy are jointly seeking to build and operate across the UK. The new joint venture could see over £400m of new UK investment deployed for the future construction of these facilities to tackle the plastic waste crisis. Potential sites have already been identified in Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire, Lancashire and South Wales , with further locations and announcements to be made in the months ahead. Clean Planet Energy’s ecoPlant is a green, advanced recycling facility intended to process non-recyclable and hard-to-recycle waste plastics that would otherwise be sent to landfill. Each ecoPlant is designed to accept 20,000 tonnes of plastics each year and to convert this waste into (a) ultra-low sulphur fuels to replace fossil fuels in the transport and heavy-machinery sectors, and (b) petrochemical feedstocks, including naphtha, which can be used to make new plastic products without the need to use fossil-based feedstocks. Clean Planet Energy’s ultra-low-sulphur diesel can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 75% compared to the use of traditional diesel, while the joint venture could also lead to over 200,000 tonnes of hard-to-recycle waste plastics being repurposed for use in the circular supply chain each year. The news comes as COP27 is currently underway and where world leaders are seeking solutions to reduce global GHG emissions and plastic pollution. Data from 2021 shows that the UK still generates over 2 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, with well over 60% of this not suitable for recycling. In November 2022, the UK government’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee published a report focusing on accelerating the reduction of plastic waste, with advanced recycling identified as a key policy recommendation. By developing new ecoPlants throughout the UK, Clean Planet Energy and Crossroads Real Estate are opening a route for traditionally non-recyclable plastic waste to be repurposed into sustainable and circular-economy products; thereby cutting plastic pollution, reducing the amount of waste entering UK landfill, and also lowering greenhouse gas emissions when the waste is converted into ultra-low-sulphur diesel and used as a low-carbon fuel replacement. David Gillerman, Founding Partner and CEO of Crossroads Real Estate said, “At Crossroads, we are committed to green opportunities and impact investing as demonstrated already through our sustainable hotels strategy. We look forward to partnering with Clean Planet Energy to roll out ecoPlants across the UK, including the flagship ecoPlant already under construction in Teesside. The negative impact of plastic waste on our environment, plus the challenges we face from excess carbon emissions, made the joint venture with Clean Planet Energy a very compelling opportunity. With this investment, we have the ability to make a significant environmental and social impact across the UK.” Bertie Stephens, Group CEO of Clean Planet Energy, commenting on the extension of their vision that this joint venture enables, said, “Clean Planet Energy’s mission is to remove over 1 million tonnes of non-recyclable plastic waste from our environment, every year. This exciting partnership gives us the capacity to make a significant dent in this target. Having Crossroads Real Estate join us, not just for the development of potentially 10 new UK ecoPlant projects, but also for the construction of the current Teesside ecoPlant, means in Crossroads we have a partner who, like us, is focussed on making a sustainable difference with its investments; delivering on a vision of a greener United Kingdom and beyond. We’re now reaching out to local councils and private partners across the UK who could benefit from a reduction in plastic waste entering their landfill”. Earlier this year, Clean Planet Energy announced a 10-year agreement with global energy company bp plc to offtake its circular products from its ecoPlants into the market. Each new ecoPlant will be able to process hard-to-recycle plastics in the UK; at their peak, the facilities should create over 750 direct new jobs, and potentially thousands of indirect jobs when the ecoPlants move from development into the construction and operation phases. About Crossroads Real Estate Crossroads European Real Estate Funds have invested in various real estate asset classes throughout Europe, such as hotels, residential, light industrial, retail and co-working. Since its inception in 2015, Crossroads has generated an exposure in excess of €1.3 billion in European real assets on behalf of its various investors. Crossroads have an extensive background in growing multi-jurisdictional platforms across various asset classes and capital structures, and unlocking value from complex situations, providing both downside protection and a visible upside Crossroads’ key target markets are Germany, the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Spain, with other potential target markets being Central and Southern Europe and the Nordic countries. About Clean Planet Energy Clean Planet Energy (CPE) is a cleantech, renewable and alternative energy company, that has a special focus on converting hard-to-recycle waste plastics into naphtha, a petrochemical feedstock that can be used in plastic production to support a circular supply chain and converted into ultra-low-sulphur diesel. CPE’s mission is to remove over 1 million tonnes of hard-to-recycle plastic waste from our environment every year. It will achieve this mission by seeking to continuously devise and implement green technologies and processes (such as the Clean Planet ecoPlant) that can prevent plastic waste from entering the Earth’s environment and oceans, while also reducing the world’s demand for non-circular products. CPE’s ecoPlants aim to divert hard-to-recycle waste plastics away from the world’s landfills, incinerators and oceans, which would represent a major environmental win. CPE have operations in the UK, USA, France and South East Asia. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
With Draft List for 2023 Revaluation Due out next week , Ratings experts at Colliers say this issue can no longer be brushed under the carpet “If the Government is serious about kickstarting the economy, it can no longer afford to brush business rates under the carpet.” says John Webber, Head of Business Rates at Colliers, “ And the new Chancellor must address this question in the Budget on Thursday- particularly with the new 2023 Revaluation list being announced next week”*. The current system which provides £26 billion (net) for local authority funding is not fit for purpose and with a new Revaluation in April 2023 fast approaching, decisions need to be taken now if businesses are to be encouraged to expand and invest rather than close or downsize their bricks and mortar estate. Colliers believes the Chancellor should address the following points on business rates in his forthcoming Budget: 89% of Colliers’ snapshot survey of retail clients and contacts ( taken in April this year) said yes to a new tax- provided it took the pressure off business rates in the High Street. John Webber added, “Jeremy Hunt has long admitted that the business rates system is in need of reform and now is his chance to do something about it. The current system is over-complicated, opaque and basically too high. We need a well-managed and transparent business rates system, and we need it now. The government obviously has a multi-billion pound deficit to fill in its Budget- but continuing to strangle businesses and destroy the high street certainly won’t be the solution to the problem.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
VELUX Group and BayWa r.e. today announce a groundbreaking dual-site deal to address the world-leading roof window manufacturer’s European operations with 100% renewable electricity by 2024. The Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) will drive the development of two new solar parks in Gerena and Alhendín in Southern Spain. The Alhendín park includes BayWa r.e.’s first installation of innovative Agri-PV technology in Spain, which will allow for crops growing in between the solar panels. Bringing more renewable energy online Connecting to the grid in 2023 and 2024 the two plants will generate 167 GWh of renewable electricity every year for VELUX, equivalent to the electricity consumption of approximately 45,000 European homes. 80% of the total electricity generated by the plants will be generated due to the PPAs with VELUX. The new PPA will reduce the carbon footprint of VELUX with appr. 40.000 ton CO2e from the company`s European operations and activities on a yearly basis. Commenting on the project, Lars Petersson, CEO of the VELUX Group, said: “VELUX has always been about bringing daylight into people’s lives, and now we are very excited to apply the use of daylight, or more specifically solar power, to decarbonize our operations with renewable energy in the coming years. In our company we have committed ourselves to fight the climate crisis and show sustainable leadership. And with this agreement, we are well on our way to achieving our aim for a 100% reduction of our emissions from operations by 2030”. Pioneering solar plant symbiosis About 10% of the Alhendín solar park will be an Agri-PV installation, a new solar application that combines energy generation and food production, of which BayWa r.e. is a pioneer and leader. This installation will be specially designed with taller rows of panels, more widely spaced to allow farming to continue and modern farming machinery to pass between the panel rows, in this case to produce crops. The PV modules will also be used to collect rainwater, which will help the farmer manage the continuing risks posed by climate change and droughts in a very dry area. This PPA is pioneering the concept of solar plant symbiosis – a concept integrating solar power production with nature and community for mutual benefit. The development of both the Alhendín and Gerena plants will include a comprehensive plan and suite of community and environmental measures that will enhance local biodiversity and foster community involvement. To ensure that the parks will always prioritize their local environment and communities, BayWa r.e. will be partnering with nearby universities – namely Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Universidad de Córdoba – to form an interdisciplinary research group whose findings will ultimately inform a comprehensive and bespoke site strategy. “This project is so exciting because it perfectly embodies the synergies between new solar generation, Agri-PV, community partnerships and biodiversity. It also underlines our deep commitment to sustainability initiatives,” commented Matthias Taft, BayWa r.e.’s CEO. “Leading companies such as the VELUX Group play a crucial role in the fight against climate change and can be a game-changer in unlocking more sustainable pathways and solutions. Advancing the corporate energy transition is a huge focus for us, so it’s a major milestone for BayWa r.e. to help the VELUX Group achieve its renewable electricity targets with these PPAs.” Helping to deliver on VELUX Group’s historic carbon capture commitment Once connected to the grid, the new solar farms will enable VELUX to achieve its 2030 target to reduce emissions from its own operations and activities by 100%. This target is part of the company`s 2030 sustainability strategy commitment to pioneer climate and nature action. The commitment also includes targets to capture its historical carbon footprint since its founding in 1941 and up to 2041 through forest conservation projects with World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) and halving its value chain emissions by 2030. Schneider Electric, the leading advisor on global corporate renewable energy procurement, supported VELUX in the selection of the projects and their negotiations.
Studying accessible data from the 20 largest contractors in the UK, a shocking fact emerges that wastage in the construction and civil engineering industries falls between 30% and 38%. James Maclean, CEO of leading wet civil and environmental engineering firm Land & Water, has a driving passion to reduce this figure. As the firm looks to lead the civil engineering and construction industries in reducing their carbon footprint and become carbon net zero by 2030, he has launched a campaign “What a Waste”. James explains: “We all have the ability (at every level and within every role) to respond to waste and it’s time the industry took action in order to drive down our impacts and act with responsibility. Responsibility can be broken down into two words, response and ability and there are immediate changes we can all make.” Starting close to home by looking at its own company, Land & Water has identified eight key areas that can be tackled quickly by the sector in order to minimise time, energy and resources being wasted. These eight areas are: James Maclean says: “I’m appalled by the waste I see and what impact this is having on the environment. We need to open the dialogue of attacking waste to drive down the sector’s carbon footprint. “I just cannot understand why the construction industry seems happy to settle for net profit margins of 1-5% (data analysed from the 20 largest contractors in the UK’s published accounts), yet study after study shows the sector is hamstrung by inefficiencies of 30-38%. “At Land & Water, we pride ourselves on having conversations on anything that might make our business better which is why we’ve involved our whole team in identifying bad practices we undertake that create waste. “Our aim is to tackle these head on by putting the right solutions in place. We hope that by being honest to ourselves, showing warts and all, that this informs not only our company but our supply chain and other businesses within our sector. “It’s a really simple, triple bottom line behaviour…. Attacking wastage improves your profit, lowers your impact on the planet and makes for a happier more productive project.” James has filmed a series of videos exploring waste within Land & Water and the solutions it is putting in place to reduce its impacts and carbon footprint. The videos, which can be accessed by the public, have highlighted key impacts of waste and areas that need to be addressed: James continues, “Everyone in the construction process needs to accept their personal responsibility for planning their work effectively and using materials efficiently so we get things right the first time on projects, it breaks my heart to drive past major projects where there’s mountains to be done and people’s heads are down, looking at their phones…what a waste?”. The What a Waste videos can be accessed here: What a Waste introduction Damage and abuse Energy and fuel Planning and coordination People’s time Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
LEADING housebuilder, Lovell Homes, has launched the second phase of its development in the market town of Louth. When complete, phase two of Tennyson Fields will offer 141 two-, three- and four-bedroom high-specification homes. Prices for a two-bedroom house start at £188,500 and are suitable for a wide variety of prospective homeowners. Phase one of Tennyson Fields consisted of 100 two-, three- and four-bedroom homes – all plots are sold and completed since 2021. Robert Adams, regional managing director at Lovell, said: “The first phase of Tennyson Fields proved to be incredibly popular, with houses selling at record speed, which is why we’re delighted be expanding the development. We’re committed to creating exciting new communities as we continue to grow in the region and it’s great to see so many prospective new homeowners coming to look around.” The show homes for phase two of the development have just officially opened their doors, with tours available. Alexandrea Brown, sales executive at Lovell, said: “Tennyson Fields is a development that has something for everyone. Situated just a stone’s throw away from the Lincolnshire Wolds, Louth is a market town with a modern outlook that boasts good schools, amenities and is a foodie’s idea of heaven thanks to its weekly markets. It’s a jewel in the county’s crown. “I worked on the first phase of Tennyson Fields and, when I knew a second phase was coming, I had no hesitation in coming back. There’s something about this area that really gets under your skin, and I can’t wait for our customers to experience that and welcome new potential homeowners onto the development.” The marketing suite and show homes are open Thursday to Monday 10am till 5pm, for more information on Tennyson Fields Phase 2, visit: https://www.lovell.co.uk/developments/tennyson-fields-2-louth/ or call 01507 623 541. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Find more about virtual data room providers. How much does the best VDR cost? Keep your documents and files in the safest place and make use of the various features and pricing of each provider. Rules for choosing the best data room provider. Data Room Providers Compared in Terms of Features & Pricing What is VDR? A virtual data room is an Internet site usually set up for a specific term and for a specific purpose, that gives authorized users access to a secure database of documents, according to their access rights. Want to keep your personal files safe? Are you afraid that important company’s documents will be stolen? Or perhaps you do not trust one of your colleagues and want to prohibit viewing some secret information? Then try electronic software that guarantees safety of everything you want. No one will have access to the papers unless you allow it. Select your best provider and never worry about privacy. Who Use the Data Room Software The virtual data room is definitely an indispensable invention. To whom? What can a virtual data room be used for and how? In almost any situation where a company needs to provide simultaneous access to confidential information to several people: Domestic businesses everywhere are striving for efficiency, constantly optimizing all processes within the company. This trend extends to corporate systems, technical upgrades, and ensuring a higher level of information security. At the same time, every organization has a large proportion of office employees who are used to working “the old-fashioned way,” approving documents in printed form or by email. Very often, especially in government organizations, employees work together with colleagues to coordinate documents on paper in meeting rooms, exposing the company to risks. So data rooms are very handy. Information security managers have different requirements. The security of such virtual environments is important and is ensured by well-designed technical characteristics. The functionality of modern virtual rooms allows moderate user actions inside the system and upload activity logs. Let’s find out what the best virtual dataroom providers are and how they differ from each other. Best Data Room Price and Feature Comparison Today, you can find many software technologies such as data room solutions on the market. They can vary in terms of features offered, price, level of customer support, etc. Below you can find three of the most widely used virtual data room solutions. You can use them in any business, regardless of their scale. Check the information below to make the right decision. DealRoom dataroom software is a handy tool that helps bring all project participants together in one controlled environment. VDR allows you to conduct due diligence in a fully secure environment. You can easily collaborate with third parties by granting access to certain documents. VDR allows you to work with the most available file formats and download them in unlimited quantities. A revolutionary feature of this data room provider is that it uses machine learning, which simplifies single-type tasks and reduces errors. It is the best way to simplify and speed up the workflow. The price of this software depends on many factors, so you need to determine your needs and contact the provider to find out how much it will cost you. Want data room private equality? Then chose Clinked. It is a state-of-the-art cloud-based collaboration solution for any project. With it, you can bring all team members together in a single environment, monitor, log onboarding, collaborate with third parties, and more. It also offers JotForm integration, Google Workspace, and more. The Clinked client portal itself can be modified and tagged to suit your needs. The provider offers both a web version and downloads of the official mobile apps for Android and iOS. Clinked offers 4 pricing packages – Lite, Standard, Premium, and Enterprise. Price starts from $83- $836. Need the fastest software ever? SecureDocs online data room software provider is definitely for you. It is extremely user-friendly software with a nice design. Set up in less than 15 minutes. Data room pricing starts at $250 per month. The company has a fixed pricing model and offers a 14-day trial. How to Choose the Best Provider? So, if you do need virtual data rooms, it remains to determine how to choose a provider. At first glance, it is similar to choosing an Internet provider, so you can approach the procedure with the following criteria: Virtually all modern data room services, unlike public cloud storage, have two delivery options: hosted and on-premises, which allows you to use the solution and store data both at the service provider and within the organization. Of course, the second hosting option is more suitable for IT mature companies that are aware of the value of their data and the risks associated with its leakage. Using a secure VDR space together with invisible document labeling. Implementation of such a solution in a company will enable you to create a preventive effect and to identify the source in case of information leakage.
Plans for the multi-million pound transformation of Stretford town centre have been approved by councillors. Aiming to boost businesses and create a ‘thriving high street environment’, the project includes a high street, improved transport links, pedestrianised streets, more greenery and open spaces, and a new town centre. The plans, developed by Bruntwood and Trafford Council, include huge investment to create a new King Street Square that will provide outdoor seating areas, market stalls and spaces to host events, along with transforming the existing multi-storey car park to make it more secure. Moreover, a home for retailers, eateries and bar areas to boost the local evening economy will be built, spilling out into a new south-facing community space, which will feature a covered shopping area aimed at local independent businesses. “This first phase of development is another milestone in the redevelopment of Stretford for the local community. It’s brilliant to work closely with Bruntwood towards a shared goal, and equally so to have the community involved in the decision-making process,” said Trafford Council Leader Councillor Andrew Western. “The extensive development of King Street and the wider Stretford area will significantly increase connectivity by introducing green and open spaces where people can come together and interact. With King Street playing a large role in the plans, the wider masterplan will enhance the quality of life for Stretford residents while injecting a surge of businesses into the community to boost the local ecosystem.” The Stretford town centre development will also see a quiet service street adjacent to the mall repurposed to create the new ‘Little King Street’. This new street will create a safe and welcoming place for activities to spill into and become a destination for a variety of food and beverage offerings. Preparatory works for the transformation of King Street have begun, with development works set to start in early 2023, with completion set for Summer 2024. Meanwhile, plans for up to 800 new homes, substantial new green public open space, and a new canal-side neighbourhood are due to be submitted later this year. The King Street plans are one of the projects to receive funding from the Government’s £830million Future High Streets Fund (FHSF). Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
