Barbour ABI has released its latest snap analysis of construction contract awards and planning applications for February, noting a disappointing month for awards value. Residential awards were a key driver, with a 43% monthly fall. Residential planning approvals and applications are currently weak, suggesting trouble ahead for housebuilding targets. This
Phase One of Guinness Homes’ shared ownership development, Points Cross, is nearing completion ahead of its projected Autumn 2023 target. The development brings 193 properties to the Leeds South Bank area and is comprised of one, two, three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom duplexes, which are now available for reservation. Shared ownership
Civil engineering specialist GRAHAM has delivered a new multi-million-pound footbridge in Peterborough, ensuring that members of the public can continue to cross the A47 easily and safely. GRAHAM was appointed by National Highways, which needed to replace Longthorpe’s old bridge as it approached the end of its life. Now operational,
Following a year of unprecedented growth and success in 2022, leading innovators in offsite modular solutions – VOLUMETRIC™ are celebrating after being crowned ‘Innovation of the Year – Wellbeing’ winners, at the 2023 CIBSE Building Performance Awards. The VOLUMETRIC™ team picked up the trophy for SOLOHAUS™ in the MODULHAUS™ range.
Timber Development has unveiled a comprehensive Timber Skills Action plan in partnership with the HCI Skills Gateway, aimed at equipping the UK construction industry with the necessary skills to increase the use of timber and achieve net-zero targets. With the construction industry responsible for almost 40% of global emissions, and
Repton Gardens has opened its doors to new residents in London’s Wembley Park. The homes, which sit across three new buildings are leased and operated by Quintain Living, the award-winning management company now overseeing the rental of more than 3,650 apartments in London’s most exciting new neighbourhood. The newly launched
Humber-based firm Hobson & Porter has been selected by RWE to complete the construction of its new operations & maintenance facility known as the Grimsby Hub. The multi-million pound contract includes an extension to the existing Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm operations base located at Grimsby’s Royal Dock, and includes
Nicola Sturgeon has officially opened City Building’s new state-of-the-art training college. Its design utilises solar panels which will provide sufficient energy to power the entire building, with any surplus energy being used for Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries (RSBI’s) adjacent manufacturing site to help reduce costs. The building has also been
Hockley Croft, Harron Homes’ development of stunning four and five-bedroom houses in Boroughbridge, has proven popular with buyers, with less than a quarter of the homes left to buy. Among the home styles remaining is the Lumsdale, a stylish and spacious four-bedroom property which offers versatile living over three floors.
DIGITAL construction platform Construct.id has announced a strategic partnership with its first national framework provider, Pagabo, in an effort to raise standards and drive betterment among contractors on national construction frameworks. Being offered first to the 94 contractors on Pagabo’s new Medium Works Framework, the digital credential platform will be
Barbour ABI has released its latest snap analysis of construction contract awards and planning applications for February, noting a disappointing month for awards value. Residential awards were a key driver, with a 43% monthly fall. Residential planning approvals and applications are currently weak, suggesting trouble ahead for housebuilding targets. This is driven by the Bank of England’s decision to increase the base rate to 4% suppressing demand from potential buyers. Increased energy and material costs are also increasing the cost of construction, making residential developments less viable in the current climate. Infrastructure also produced a disappointing month in terms of contracts awarded, despite continued government support for national projects. However, an 85% increase in planning approvals suggests a positive outlook thanks mainly to windfarm and road project approvals, alongside large applications for solar farms and battery storage facilities. Barbour ABI Chief Economist Tom Hall commented: “So far, 2023 appears to be ushering in a more subdued planning environment. Contract awards disappointed with £5.2bn in February, a monthly fall of 30%. The commercially sensitive sectors appear to be on lower paths compared to 2022. “The residential sector, in particular, has seen large falls, with a 43% monthly fall and a third less than the 2022 monthly average. The infrastructure sector produced a rare disappointment with £1.1bn; this was only the second month below the long-run average since Autumn 2021. “More positively, the healthcare sector had another exceptional month with £500m. Three of the last six months have been around the half-billion mark. And education is showing some small improvement, also seeing £500m in February – so far, 2023 is 20% up on 2022. “Meanwhile, planning approvals staged a partial recovery in February thanks to stronger infrastructure, warehousing and healthcare numbers – but commercially sensitive sectors stayed subdued. And planning applications got off to a satisfactory start to the year, again thanks to strong infrastructure and healthcare activity.” Find out more at https://barbour-abi.com/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Phase One of Guinness Homes’ shared ownership development, Points Cross, is nearing completion ahead of its projected Autumn 2023 target. The development brings 193 properties to the Leeds South Bank area and is comprised of one, two, three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom duplexes, which are now available for reservation. Shared ownership offers an alternative route to homeownership, particularly for first time buyers, as it allows prospective homeowners to purchase a percentage of a property from the housing developer, with a monthly rental payment to be made on the unpurchased shares. With prices starting from £89,500 for a 50 per cent share in the property, shared ownership is often more affordable due to the lower deposit that is required upfront. Over time, owners have the opportunity to purchase more shares in their property, building up the percentage that they own in a process known as ‘staircasing’, which in turn reduces the monthly rental cost to the developer. Points Cross is strategically located at the edge of Leeds city centre and is only a 10-minute walk from Leeds Train Station. Local to Leeds City College campus and within walking distance of Crown Point shopping centre, the development is ideally situated in the heart of a vibrant community. Amy Gooder, North Regional Sales Manager at Guinness Homes said: “We’re very excited to open the first phase of the development to the public and have started to invite the community to view the show home and marketing suite. The completion of Phase One marks a major milestone in the development’s progress, and we’re well on track for our projected completion in Autumn 2023 “Shared ownership can make home ownership more affordable, especially for first time buyers. At Guinness, we’re passionate about being able to help so many people achieve their goal of getting on the property ladder with our properties and we can’t wait to welcome prospective buyers into our latest development at Points Cross.” The marketing suite and show apartment are now open at Points Cross for viewings between Thursday to Monday 9am-5pm. For more information about the apartments at Points Cross Phase One, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Civil engineering specialist GRAHAM has delivered a new multi-million-pound footbridge in Peterborough, ensuring that members of the public can continue to cross the A47 easily and safely. GRAHAM was appointed by National Highways, which needed to replace Longthorpe’s old bridge as it approached the end of its life. Now operational, the new 30-meter-long structure (which is located just five meters from the site of the old bridge) was designed to be more accessible for cyclists, pedestrians, and wheelchair users. It was delivered as part of a £250 million package of National Highways projects, geared towards improving safety on the A47 between Peterborough and Great Yarmouth. To ensure no biodiversity has been lost as a result of the bridge build, four hundred new trees will be planted locally to replace those it was necessary to remove as part of the project. Wood chippings produced were donated to a community garden in nearby Ravensthorpe and wood from pallets, which had been used to deliver materials to the site, were also given to the community garden where a volunteer transformed them into a model of a steam train. This was subsequently donated to a school nursery. Andrew Harmon, Contracts Manager for GRAHAM, commented: “We’re proud that National Highways appointed GRAHAM to deliver these essential improvements to the major road network. GRAHAM strives to make a difference to communities, and the new footbridge will improve accessibility in the area, making it safer for everyone to cross the A47.” As part of the project, GRAHAM demolished the old arched concrete footbridge, which was built in the 1970s and failed to meet current industry standards. The new structure was constructed whilst keeping the old footbridge open, complete with reinforced containing walls and pre-cast concrete bridge beams. The new bridge also features shallow access ramps for enhanced accessibility, two abutment walls, CFA piling, and a luminated handrail. Its retaining wall contains Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA), a unique, sustainable material. GRAHAM worked to minimise disruption, managing two full weekend closures, and shutdowns of the A47 for the bridge beam delivery and demolition phase. The old bridge was kept open for the duration of the works, with a minibus service provided for members of the public. GRAHAM’s team could only gain access to the site via the A47, as residents live on either side of the structure. GRAHAM have programmed works in April and May to carry out improvement works upgrading central reservation vehicle restraint system and streetlighting Addressing attendees at the bridge opening, Chris Eglinton, National Highways Project Manager for the bridge build, commented: “This is a fantastic day, and I am delighted for everyone whose hard work and professionalism has got us to this point. “Improving the major road network and making it safer – including how you cross over it – is what we do. This new bridge will make that much easier. Whether you’re on a bike or perhaps pushing a pram, I’m sure people will notice the difference.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Following a year of unprecedented growth and success in 2022, leading innovators in offsite modular solutions – VOLUMETRIC™ are celebrating after being crowned ‘Innovation of the Year – Wellbeing’ winners, at the 2023 CIBSE Building Performance Awards. The VOLUMETRIC™ team picked up the trophy for SOLOHAUS™ in the MODULHAUS™ range. Designed to help overcome the homelessness crisis, these single person modules offer a safe, independent and innovative interim housing solution which helps former rough sleepers find the stability they need before making the transition to a permanent home. The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) celebrate projects that offer actual, measured performance outcomes through their awards. Finalists were invited to attend the prestigious awards ceremony, held at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London. Judges were impressed with the low-energy and cost-efficient modular homes and described MODULHAUS™ as a ‘stand out’ winner of the Innovation of the Year award. The judges praised the initiative commenting: “VOLUMETRIC™ has made a significant contribution to wellbeing, due to the close partnership with Hill Group, to design and manufacture the bespoke single-person homes, with 200 being gifted to homeless charities and councils across the country.” Trevor Richards, Director, VOLUMETRIC™ said: “To gain another award win is a fantastic way to start 2023. It is particularly rewarding that the judges not only commented on the sustainability and performance benefits of the range but also recognised the important role our modular homes have in combating housing shortages in areas of urgent need. The team are delighted and want to thank the judging panel for their positive comments.” The MODULHAUS™ range includes single-occupancy SOLOHAUS™, DUOHAUS™ for double-occupancy, and the latest addition, FAMILYHAUS™ – designed to meet all interim housing needs. All VOLUMETRIC™ homes use sustainable technologies to offer exceptional airtightness for minimal heat loss and to reduce carbon emissions. Modules are BOPAS Certified, LABC Assured and are fully fitted with high-performance, low-energy white goods and are designed to surpass the Future Homes Standard. VOLUMETRIC™ has received significant industry recognition over the past twelve months, having won the Product Innovation Award for the DUOHAUS™ model at the 2022 Offsite Awards. The team also achieved a regional winner title for Best Purpose-built Accommodation at the LABC Building Excellence Awards and the wins culminated at the NCE Techfest Awards where VOLUMETRIC™ picked up the trophy in the Offsite and Modular category. Trevor Richards added: “This has been a period of achievement and growth for VOLUMETRIC™. We have improved our product range and our manufacturing facility. The team has been working with several councils, local authorities, and charities to deliver modular housing across the UK, tackling the housing shortage head-on.” For more information on SOLOHAUS™, DUOHAUS™ or FAMILYHAUS™ go to www.volumetric.co.uk Call 01743 290020 or email info@volumetric.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Timber Development has unveiled a comprehensive Timber Skills Action plan in partnership with the HCI Skills Gateway, aimed at equipping the UK construction industry with the necessary skills to increase the use of timber and achieve net-zero targets. With the construction industry responsible for almost 40% of global emissions, and half of all materials extracted from the environment, experts have identified the use of timber as a key solution to significantly reduce carbon emissions. Engineered products like Cross-Laminated Timber can capture and store carbon in the built environment, resulting in a net benefit of 754CO2/m2 reduction compared to other forms of construction. The Timber Skills Action plan provides an industry-agreed breakdown of the skills and knowledge required for building with timber. This will aid the development of training programmes and support Continuing Professional Development (CPD) progression, enabling built environment professionals to confidently incorporate timber into building designs. David Hopkins, Chief Executive of Timber Development UK, said: “Our ambition is to support every built environment professional to identify and address timber skills and knowledge gaps so the industry can make the best use of timber in construction. “The construction industry faces a steep climb to achieve net zero targets as one of the worst-performing industries. Timber provides a ready-made solution that doesn’t rely on greenwashing, speculative innovations, or progress in other industries to deliver genuine carbon savings in the short and medium term. We now need the construction sector and government to hear this call to action.” To address the skills gap, Timber Development UK has built a coalition across industry, academia, and funders, creating the competency framework at the heart of the plan. The framework already underpins a set of short, practical courses developed by NMITE’s Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) in partnership with TDUK. The Timber TED (Technical Engineering & Design) courses provide comprehensive and flexible training for modern timber construction methods, enabling professionals to upskill and reskill in this critical area. Kirsty Connell-Skinner, Programme Manager at the HCI Skills Gateway, said: “This plan, led by HCI Skills Gateway using Scotland’s best practice, is an important step in the development of the UK-wide timber construction trade, as it allows us to set a national mission for the industry. “The four UK nations have achieved different standards and progress within the sector, but this action plan has been built on the best practice, learning and thorough research by a strong group of partners, and serves as a collaborative way of moving forward.” Timber is lightweight, easily workable, and can be processed efficiently using modern methods of construction, reducing waste and improving productivity. This provides solutions for affordable, energy-efficient housing, national retrofit targets, and net-zero public sector buildings. With the launch of the Timber Skills Action plan, the UK construction industry can take a significant step towards achieving its net-zero targets and reducing its impact on the environment. For further information, please visit Timber Development UK. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Repton Gardens has opened its doors to new residents in London’s Wembley Park. The homes, which sit across three new buildings are leased and operated by Quintain Living, the award-winning management company now overseeing the rental of more than 3,650 apartments in London’s most exciting new neighbourhood. The newly launched development, which is already so popular amongst new residents that it is outperforming leasing expectations, comprises three buildings, Cherry House, Birch House, and Aspen House. The apartments have been designed with families and sharers in mind, with the building featuring a range of spacious three- and four-bedroom apartments, as well as studios and one- and two-bedroom homes in range of layouts. Altogether, Repton Gardens offers 396 rental homes, spread across 40 different layouts, 1,000sqm of ground floor retail space and 1,200sqm earmarked for a GP surgery. The varying apartment designs encompass features such as half bedrooms for guests, work-from-home studies, recessed shelving, breakfast bars, a choice of U-shaped and L-shaped kitchens, studios with bedrooms separated by doors and more. “Our goal with Repton Gardens is to support a wide range of renters to access the outstanding lifestyle on offer in Wembley Park. We’re here for individuals, couples, families with children, sharers, multi-generational families… our wide range of homes means that everyone can find something that suits their individual circumstances.” Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living Quintain Living’s most sustainable homes to date, the design concept for Repton Gardens has focused on natural, earthy colours and the use of natural products. Botanical living brings the outside in, with plants delivering enhanced air quality and a connection with nature throughout the building. In the podium garden, mounded groundworks have allowed for the planting of large, mature trees and shrubs, to support biodiversity. The tree species in the gardens (cherry, birch and aspen) mirror the buildings’ names. “The design of Repton Gardens focuses on forward-thinking ideas about urban living. Life in the heart of a bustling urban area can still deliver that all-important connection with the natural world. You can see and feel this in action as you move through Repton Gardens.” Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living Repton Gardens is named after Humphry Repton, who was hired by the wealthy Page family back in 1792 to landscape their estate. It was on Repton’s advice that the family named the estate ‘Wembley Park’. Now, over two centuries later, Repton’s own name is being honoured in Repton Gardens – along with Humphry Repton Lane, which runs south of the development. Repton’s landscaping work remains influential to this day, inspiring the landscaping at both Repton Gardens and nearby Union Park. At Repton Gardens, Cherry House is home to the main entrance lobby. It also houses 10 work-from-home offices and a meeting room. These rentable ‘third places’ make up the largest work-from-home area on the Wembley Park estate so far, with Repton Gardens’ design factoring in new ways of living and working. Other on-site amenities include a club room with pool table, soft seating, TV area and bar with beer tap and wine. There’s an 1,150 square foot gym overlooking the podium garden, while the garden itself includes four covered, hireable BBQ areas, two play areas and a lawn area. Cherry House and Birch House also feature roof terraces, including paved areas, artificial grass, sun loungers and seating. Individual apartments are furnished in one of two palettes: garden and natural. They feature a mix of natural materials and shades of green, deep blue, grey, brown and stone. John Lewis & Partners has curated a special sustainable collection of furniture, including ‘sustainability hero’ products. These items, which include sofas, coffee tables, beds, bar stools, dining chairs and mattresses, were selected following a stringent review of characteristics such as origin of manufacture, material construction and recycling potential. The resulting selections are predominantly sourced from the UK or Europe using sustainable fabrics and/or processes. In particular, handmade rattan armchairs, side tables and coffee tables contribute to a unique design within the homes. Rattan is an excellent choice in sustainability terms, as well as being a stylish and durable material. Due to its fast growth and harvest time, plus the fact that every part of the rattan vine is used, rattan outperforms more traditional woods used in furniture production and is an excellent companion crop. Floors in all apartments are cedar plank effect Amtico in kitchens and living areas, with grey ceramic tiles in bathrooms. Walls are neutral throughout each home, with a feature wall to add colour and depth. Kitchens feature natural oak laminate worktops with cabinets all in green in the natural palette homes and in green and grey in the garden palette apartments. The design of the apartments creates a strong sense of bringing the outside inside. It also serves, along with the layout of the three buildings, to build a sense of the podium garden being the epicentre of the community. For more information on Quintain Living or to book a viewing, visit www.quintainliving.com, @quintainliving on Instagram or call 020 3151 1927. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Humber-based firm Hobson & Porter has been selected by RWE to complete the construction of its new operations & maintenance facility known as the Grimsby Hub. The multi-million pound contract includes an extension to the existing Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm operations base located at Grimsby’s Royal Dock, and includes the creation of a new Centralised Control Room (CCR) to oversee the operation of the vast majority of RWE’s UK Offshore portfolio, helping to cement Grimsby’s role as a leading location for the UK’s offshore wind sector. “We are thrilled to have Hobson & Porter onboard to complete the extensive construction works required to extend the existing Triton Knoll facilities. It is great to have been able to award the contract to a local firm which brings a wealth of experience to the project. We can’t wait for construction to finish and provide even more locally based, skilled jobs for the region,” said Guy Middleton, RWE General Manager for the Grimsby Hub. RWE announced the creation of the Grimsby Hub back in 2021, marking a major strategic commitment to the UK’s east coast. As well as Triton Knoll, RWE’s 1.4 gigawatt (GW) Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, currently under construction, will also locate its operations and maintenance activities to the new hub in the future. In total, RWE expects the new facility will accommodate around 140 RWE employees, with potentially around 70 new local jobs created, plus indirect jobs required in support. The Grimsby Hub will also enable the company to strengthen its relationship with the region’s businesses and local communities, by committing to a longer-term presence in the area. The location of the Grimsby Hub was chosen because of its proximity to existing and future projects and its deep-water quayside, which is suited to the use of Service Operations Vessels (SOVs). Construction is due to commence shortly and will take around one year to complete. Once construction has finished, the new facility will include a joint control room offering 24/7 monitoring of multiple sites, new shared office space, and separate warehouse facilities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Nicola Sturgeon has officially opened City Building’s new state-of-the-art training college. Its design utilises solar panels which will provide sufficient energy to power the entire building, with any surplus energy being used for Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries (RSBI’s) adjacent manufacturing site to help reduce costs. The building has also been installed with air-source heat pumps which will provide low-cost, environmentally friendly heat, making it one of the country’s most sustainably built and operated colleges. The college will house up to 250 apprentices across a range of disciplines. Alongside newer trades and skills within the renewable and technology sectors, traditional trades such as stone masonry, brickwork and wet trades will also be taught which will be vital to the restoration and maintenance of many of Scotland’s historic buildings. This diversity of skills deployed by City Building is a core reason for the new college which will become one of Scotland’s largest teaching centres for trades learning and development. The building was constructed entirely by staff and apprentices of City Building. The First Minister met some of those involved to learn more about how the college will be developing the workforce which will drive the country to net zero by 2045. Alan Burns, Executive Director of City Building said: “It is fantastic to welcome the First Minister here today to officially open our new training college. “The college is a significant investment for our business and will form the basis of our skills agenda for decades to come. “If the country is serious about achieving net zero then it will be these young men and women who will be critical to delivering this goal, and with this new facility we are also preparing them with lifelong skills. “City Building takes enormous pride in being Scotland’s largest apprenticeship employer and the new facility demonstrates our commitment and ambition as a business. Up to 250 apprentices will learn their trades here, every single year, and develop the skills the construction industry needs for now and in the future. “As a former apprentice myself it is a very exciting time to be a part of City Building.” The state-of-the-art facility was officially opened at the start of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, which is taking place from 6 to 10 March to put a spotlight on the positive impact work-based learning has on businesses, people and the Scottish economy. First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon said: “The Scottish Government recognises the role apprenticeships play in unlocking potential for the benefit of Scotland’s economy. Growing our workforce is crucial, which is why we must continue our work to increase opportunities for young people by providing them with quality work-based training. “Apprenticeships also support economic renewal and key priorities, including our net zero ambitions. Facilities like this will be critical in building the next generation of workers who will deliver the vast change needed, not just across the construction industry but across our entire workforce. “Whether it be installing new renewable energy sources such as solar panels or repairing and maintaining brick work in some of Scotland’s most historic and treasured buildings, the skills these young people learn in this very college will be used to deliver net zero for the entire country.” Scotland’s skills agency, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) administers Scottish Apprenticeships and co-ordinates Scottish Apprenticeship Week. Chair of Skills Development Scotland, Frank Mitchell, said: “Designed by industry, for industry, apprenticeships not only help the economy but also create sustainable jobs across all parts of Scotland. These opportunities have been taken by individuals from across society, including many young people traditionally with restricted opportunities to progress who have gone onto flourish in the workplace. “These are real jobs backed by employers who contribute £10 for every £1 spent by government, and at the same time apprentices contribute by paying their taxes. “Creating a diverse and inclusive workforce through work-based learning is benefiting employers as apprentices enable them to adapt and sustain their business.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hockley Croft, Harron Homes’ development of stunning four and five-bedroom houses in Boroughbridge, has proven popular with buyers, with less than a quarter of the homes left to buy. Among the home styles remaining is the Lumsdale, a stylish and spacious four-bedroom property which offers versatile living over three floors. The Lumsdale offers plenty of family space with bedrooms spread across two floors. Three of the bedrooms are found on the first floor, along with the family bathroom which benefits from both a bath and shower, as well as one of the bedrooms being equipped with a private en-suite ideal for guests. The main bedroom, with the luxury of its own private en-suite, spans the entire second floor and comes with Hammonds wardrobes, its own dressing area, and has room for seating, a real luxury retreat away from busy life. The arrangement of bedrooms on the first floor provides families with plenty of options of how to use the rooms whether to be used as guest rooms or to fit individual needs. The added living space could be transformed into an office for comfortable home working or a space to use as a crafts room for creativity to flourish. Another function for more social gatherings could be using the space as a games room or extra living room. On the ground floor at the front of the house is the spacious living room, ideal for entertaining. The modern fitted kitchen and dining area makes the most of its position at the rear, with French doors that open out onto the garden ideal for those family gatherings. There is also a downstairs cloakroom accessed from the hallway, and a detached single garage on a block paved driveway which can be used for extra storage. Hockley Croft is set in a friendly, historic market town, home to independent shops and Georgian buildings. The river Ure is nearby for tranquil morning walks along its banks. Alternatively, there are hiking trails in the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors, both less than 30 miles away. With the A1 on Boroughbridge’s doorstep the town is ideal for commuters. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
DIGITAL construction platform Construct.id has announced a strategic partnership with its first national framework provider, Pagabo, in an effort to raise standards and drive betterment among contractors on national construction frameworks. Being offered first to the 94 contractors on Pagabo’s new Medium Works Framework, the digital credential platform will be introduced to all the provider’s existing construction frameworks retrospectively and added to new framework terms and conditions from April. The partnership aims to result in every skilled worker attending a Pagabo procured project to be registered with Construct.id by the end of 2023. Martin Ward, co-founder and managing director of Construct.id, said: “Having Pagabo on board as an early adopter of Construct.id is a big step in the right direction for the construction industry. It’s a framework provider with significant influence and a large network of suppliers – all of whom will benefit from the savings and improved compliance that our platform provides. “The Pagabo team has been supportive of our vision from day one and is equally driven by breaking boundaries that have held back the construction industry for too long. We have a shared understanding on the importance of industry wide adoption of Construct.id and will be working very closely together to ensure the benefits are maximised for everyone across supply chains.” Serving the entire construction community with an independent, single source of trusted and verified identity, skills and competency data for each skilled worker, the Construct.id platform seeks to empower all corners of the construction supply chain. Contractors are given the ability to set site standards across their supply chains, while subcontractors gain greater visibility of these standards and of their workforce. Timely alerts and notifications on any credentials that have expired will improve governance, but skilled workers can prevent this independently by managing one digital platform holding their right to work and credentials – which can be used anywhere. Jason Stapley, chief procurement officer at The 55 Group, Pagabo’s parent organisation, said: “Our frameworks are designed to create competition and ensure the most suitable supplier is assigned to each job, but in some areas of the construction industry consistency and equally high standards are needed. Through Construct.id, our ecosystem will now be better positioned to tackle shared issues such as modern slavery, data duplication and digital transformation. “Whether it’s increasing site standards or reducing admin and paperwork, Construct.id is a shining example of how technology can remove human error from important processes so that the safety and security of everyone is upheld.” Gerard Toplass, group CEO at The 55 Group, said: “We are constantly seeking ways to support initiatives that we feel are for the betterment of the industry and those that work within it. Data-driven decision making is vital for the healthy future of the construction industry and we see Construct.id as a building block on the journey. “We must reform the construction industry, using data to make us stronger, faster and greener – supporting key motivations such as removing modern slavery, improving the wellbeing of skilled workers, increasing productivity and achieving net zero.” With Pagabo and Willmott Dixon already announced as partners, more Construct.id ambassadors are set to be confirmed soon. For more information visit www.construct.id or follow the business on LinkedIn. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
