The Community Land Trust Network has published a new report, launched by the Secretary of State Michael Gove MP in Parliament, which finds that industry partnerships could help communities to build at least 278,000 homes through replicable project types. It is estimated that 80% of these homes would be additional
Jo Gilroy, Group Sustainability Director at Balfour Beatty, shares an update on the company’s ongoing journey towards the Zero Carbon Construction Site of the future at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh We have some exciting news to share. For the first time on a live Balfour Beatty site, we’ve gone
Work at 1000 Discovery Drive, a new multi-let laboratory and office space at Cambridge Biomedical Centre has reached a significant milestone. To mark the occasion, Prologis UK, developer of the life sciences project, and main contractor SDC hosted a Topping Out ceremony on 21 March. The ceremony, which marked the
Prologis, the UK’s leading developer of logistics property, has signed an agreement with Hankook Tyre UK Ltd, to provide a new build-to-suit unit at Prologis Apex Park, in Daventry. Hankook Tire & Technology is one of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers and its UK subsidiary has used the location of
SOCOTEC UK’s Monitoring team were approached to provide a temporary/rental system to monitor the railway assets adjacent to the temporary works on a railway bridge, located on River Way, Harlow, Essex. The client, Essex Highways, and Network Rail required assurance that any structural movements were in-line with predicted ground movements
Throughout the construction industry, there has been more variety in projects over recent years, with many businesses focusing on investing in newer tools to get better results. Construction businesses specialising in the B2B industry must be ready to meet modern demands and be prepared to understand niche project ideas. Following
The Community Land Trust Network has published a new report, launched by the Secretary of State Michael Gove MP in Parliament, which finds that industry partnerships could help communities to build at least 278,000 homes through replicable project types. It is estimated that 80% of these homes would be additional and only made possible due to the involvement of a CLT. The market opportunities to scale proven models are: These figures would see the notional value of CLT assets rise from £550 million today to £47 billion. The State of the Community Land Trust Sector 2023 report, which was launched in Parliament on Thursday 23 March with Secretary of State, Michael Gove MP and Danny Kruger MP speaking, explains how the market opportunities can be delivered through a pattern book of replicable models. The charity is calling on housing associations, councils, developers and other landowners to work with them and partner with more CLTs. The report collates key data on the current CLT sector: Tom Chance, CEO of the Community Land Trust Network, said: “Communities want to play their part in getting affordable homes built. They want to be clients, not consultees; partners to developers, not opponents; and campaigners working with councils, not against. “With the right policy and industry support there are clear opportunities to significantly scale up to develop 278,000 community led homes. This kind of agency for communities could become commonplace. “We are piloting a new growth programme and we want to work with housing associations, developers, local authorities and other landowners to advance the pattern book for delivery approaches.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Jo Gilroy, Group Sustainability Director at Balfour Beatty, shares an update on the company’s ongoing journey towards the Zero Carbon Construction Site of the future at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh We have some exciting news to share. For the first time on a live Balfour Beatty site, we’ve gone all electric. For a duration of six weeks, our team working to deliver our Edinburgh Biomes project at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh recently trialled a fleet of all electric plant, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and familiarising ourselves with the next generation of telehandlers, excavators, dumpers and wackers. One of the key challenges that we have faced revolves around electric vehicle charging infrastructure and availability of viable charging stations. As you can imagine, most battery-powered plant is considerably smaller than diesel plant and therefore only offers enough power for around four-to-six hours of work before it needs recharging. In addition, as with electric cars and vans, electric plant is far more expensive to hire or purchase than traditional diesel machinery. However, reduced fuel costs and maintenance requirements can make it considerably more cost-effective in the long run. We must also consider that upfront costs are only going to reduce as the industry climbs aboard the electric bandwagon! There is no doubt that the switch to electric will require changes to the way in which we plan and manage our sites on day-to-day basis. We’ll need to take action and ensure that we’re charging our electric plant overnight and utilising our Power Profiler tool – which recommends the most cost and carbon efficient site compound set up, wherever possible. So undoubtedly, there are compromises and hurdles to overcome. However, clearly, one of the main advantages of electric over diesel plant is that they produce zero emissions. This is not only a clear step in the right direction for the construction sector, but it also means that they can operate in enclosed spaces or on smaller sites without additional ventilation and carbon monoxide monitoring. We have also noticed a clear difference in terms of air quality, and noise pollution too. In fact, the machinery is so quiet during standard operations, our operating procedures and safety training will need to be updated to keep our workforce safe! However, in spite of all these benefits, all-electric plant isn’t yet a realistic option for our bigger sites, or for heavy plant. The required infrastructure does not currently exist to accommodate a fully electric fleet on a large scale, without a mains grid connection. That’s why our view is that, for heavy plant, the priority for the industry has to be to accelerate the energy transition to hydrogen rather than rely on electric providing the solution. We are leading the way in making combustion engines work with hydrogen fuel for medium-sized plant such as telehandlers and traditional diggers, through our partnership with JCB and Sunbelt Rentals. We are also working with GeoPura and Siemens Energy on hydrogen fuel cells to generate power without an electrical connection. The potential of this work is huge. Replacing diesel generators with hydrogen would see a significant reduction to our carbon footprint, given that 46% of our sites sampled use diesel generators to power temporary accommodation units on site. Decarbonising the plant used on construction sites is an area that is moving quickly. The giant leap of faith we have just taken at the Zero Carbon Construction Site is one that has been challenging but more than worthwhile. Using smaller and medium sized electric plant is definitely something we will continue to pursue, utilising a mix-and-match approach to help determine the best possible solutions for the future. Read the latest diary entry in full here Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Work at 1000 Discovery Drive, a new multi-let laboratory and office space at Cambridge Biomedical Centre has reached a significant milestone. To mark the occasion, Prologis UK, developer of the life sciences project, and main contractor SDC hosted a Topping Out ceremony on 21 March. The ceremony, which marked the exterior completion of the building and was held in honour of the occasion, included a speech by SDC Contracts Manager and Director, Dan Changer, who discussed the next stage of the building’s construction. The speech highlighted the benefits to the community the project will deliver upon completion at the end of 2023, such as increased job opportunities and continued growth for companies in the region and locally. Situated at the geographical heart of life sciences in the Cambridge region, Cambridge Biomedical Campus is home to world leading hospitals such as Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth. It is also co-located with the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine and provides facilities for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. The 103,000 sq. ft. five-storey building, being developed on the southern edge of the Campus, is set to form part of the expanding ecosystem of clinical, academic and commercial excellence through targeting a range of growing biotech and life science businesses. Since development began in June 2022, Prologis UK has received numerous expressions of interest in the new development. This is in part due to the location of the space meaning that prospective occupiers will benefit from being near the nation’s leading scientific minds from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology as well as rubbing shoulders with big businesses such as AstraZeneca, Abcam and the university. Andrew Blevins, Head of Life Sciences at Prologis UK, commented: “This is a momentous occasion for the campus, as we are one step closer to delivering one of the highest-calibre life sciences properties in the country. SDC has been imperative to the successful design and construction of 1000 Discovery Drive, and we’re proud to be creating a space for research-led businesses to brush shoulders with leading academic researchers, life science businesses and clinicians in a way that is unprecedented in the UK.” Dan Changer added: “As we continue to develop 1000 Discovery Drive, we edge closer to providing the region with a true hub of excellence with the sole purpose of serving the life sciences sector. Not only will the development enable careers development and business growth for companies in the region, but it will also be the pinnacle of discovery and attract the nation’s finest talent. We’re proud to be part of the journey which will see Prologis help to grow the UK’s life sciences industry.” The design of 1000 Discovery Drive forms part of the emerging Cambridge Biomedical Campus’ 2050 vision, focused on improving connectivity with the surrounding community. Not only will it offer laboratory and office space in a variety of sizes and specifications but will also deliver important amenities for the wider campus and community, such as a café and open-source community centre, to create an environment that is both socially inviting and explorable. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Prologis, the UK’s leading developer of logistics property, has signed an agreement with Hankook Tyre UK Ltd, to provide a new build-to-suit unit at Prologis Apex Park, in Daventry. Hankook Tire & Technology is one of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers and its UK subsidiary has used the location of Daventry, including Apex Park, as its main distribution hub. The company has agreed terms to take DC9, a brand new, high spec unit comprising 357,221 sq. ft. on a 22-acre site on the park. Construction is scheduled to complete in early 2024. Since entering the highly competitive UK tyre market in 1993, Hankook has been recognised as an industry leader – in product performance, innovation, productivity and sustainability. This new development forms part of the organisation’s plans to continue to grow its UK business. Prologis Apex Park is part of a thriving employment area on the northern edge of Daventry in Northamptonshire. The site, which sits within the logistics ‘golden triangle’ at the heart of the UK’s motorway and rail network, has convenient access to the A45, M1 and M45, as well as the rail freight facilities located at nearby Prologis RFI DIRFT. Other Prologis customers at Apex Park include Toolstation, JD Wetherspoon, Hellmann Logistics, Optima Logistics and Cummins. Construction of DC9 at Apex Park for Hankook is another example of Prologis’ ability to offer customer-centric development – with the unit size and specification tailored to meet Hankook’s requirements from the outset. James Straw, Associate, Capital Deployment and Leasing at Prologis UK, said: “Hankook has been a customer of ours at Apex Park for a number of years and so it’s fantastic to be able to work with the business to provide a new state of the art logistics facility for their future growth and expansion. At Prologis we have a strong track record of delivering build to suit projects and are constantly looking at ways to improve our buildings. We are delighted to be delivering a building which will meet Hankook’s high expectations both operationally and from a sustainability perspective. Construction will soon be underway and like Hankook, we can’t wait to see DC9 come out of the ground.” Chang Yool Han, Managing Director of Hankook Tyre UK, said: “Apex Park was the obvious choice for our growth as it meant we were able to provide continuity for our existing staff, and execute our growth in the utmost sustainable and ecofriendly manner plus it serves as an excellent central location for the UK market that we supply. We have been working with our advisors Drake & Partners and Excello Law for a significant period to understand our current and future requirements to grow the business and Prologis have also worked closely with us to accommodate what we need. Moving into DC9 is a significant step on our growth journey and we are looking forward to working with Prologis further”. DC9 at Prologis Apex Park is due to start imminently, with completion expected in early 2024. Prologis were advised by ILP Partners, Cushman & Wakefield and Colliers. Hankook was advised by Drake & Partners. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
SOCOTEC UK’s Monitoring team were approached to provide a temporary/rental system to monitor the railway assets adjacent to the temporary works on a railway bridge, located on River Way, Harlow, Essex. The client, Essex Highways, and Network Rail required assurance that any structural movements were in-line with predicted ground movements and that any significant movement trends could be identified at an early stage. SOCOTEC UK’s Monitoring team proposed a monitoring system that included 75m of track tilts installed at 3m c/c spacing on each line, critical rail thermometers, both tilt and vibration monitoring on the bridge piers, and tilt monitoring on the surrounding OHLE supports. SOCOTEC’s scope also included baseline and close-out track geometry surveys, with additional surveys as required if any significant movement had been detected by the automated system. This provided further assurance to the client and Network Rail that all movements were being accurately reported. The installation works and initial track geometry survey were completed over a single possession lasting 5.5 hours. The data was hosted online, giving the client and Network Rail live access to the data and direct email alerts if any trigger values were exceeded throughout the duration of works. SOCOTEC UK’s temporary monitoring system provided assurance to the client and Network Rail that any structural movements were in-line with predicted ground movements and that any significant movement trends could be identified at an early stage. This allowed for quick response times and corrective action if needed, minimising potential downtime or disruptions to train services. SOCOTEC UK’s monitoring system provided effective and reliable monitoring of railway assets adjacent to a temporary worksite. The automated system allowed for a quick and accurate reporting of any significant movement trends, providing assurance to the client and Network Rail that their assets were being monitored and protected. If you have a monitoring project to discuss, please get in touch. Contact us. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Throughout the construction industry, there has been more variety in projects over recent years, with many businesses focusing on investing in newer tools to get better results. Construction businesses specialising in the B2B industry must be ready to meet modern demands and be prepared to understand niche project ideas. Following the reopening of businesses and stores after the pandemic, many construction businesses have found that they are needed once more. These projects could include helping a business expand or renovate its old premises. There are plenty of B2B projects that your construction business could assist with, depending on the requirements. You just need to ensure you have the tools to complete the job and the right team in place. It is an exciting time for construction businesses to dust off their old client list, and work with businesses in the local area once more. However, issues such as the cost-of-living crisis and increased pressure on the economy mean that your business will be looking for ways to cut project budgets and timelines. At the same time, your construction-based business still needs to have the same high standards. As you look to get in contact with other businesses and clients once more, you’ll need to find ways to reduce costs and reduce timelines where possible while still delivering a result that will boost your reputation and allow you to make great business connections. To help you work well within the B2B construction industry, we’ve put together this guide on some of the latest tools and hardware products on the market today. These cutting-edge solutions could streamline your upcoming projects for your team while still giving your clients the same high-quality results they expect. Self-Tapping Screws For projects that involve fastenings, self-tapping screws are the perfect alternative to wall plugs and traditional screws. These unique fastenings can tap their own threads into a wide range of materials. So, your team won’t need to use a plug and a screw that fits; instead, they can use one fastening for each hole. You can even get durable self-tapping screws for metal, improving efficiency and reducing the number of resources the business has to use on each project. Electric Screwdrivers The employees within your business should use modern tools to prevent hand cramps. Consider an electric screwdriver to prevent your employees from tiring and getting hand cramps. These tools are smaller than drills, so they’re easy to carry around in pockets or toolboxes. Most come with adjustable heads in various sizes and types to suit all shapes of screw, so you can use them to save time and reduce fatigue on fiddly projects. When you are using these tools, the businesses you’re working with will likely take note that you are using modern tools and that your company is applying modern methods. Laser Levels Traditional spirit levels are out, and high-tech laser levels are definitely in. These unique tools use lasers to check that structures are level, and if they’re not, they can tell you how much of an angle they currently sit at. There will likely be many B2B projects that will benefit from modern laser levels. Laser levels are often more accurate and easier to read than traditional spirit levels, so they save time and give your construction business a better result. Explore the best laser levels for construction on the market right now to find one that will suit your team and be a great addition to their toolbox. Laser Measures Another great way to use lasers is to choose a laser tape measure. These work similarly to laser levels, in that they shine a beam over a specific area until they hit a barrier. They then measure the distance for you, so there’s no leaning over and holding out a tape like with a traditional tape measure. Many laser measures can also give you measurements in multiple units of measurement, so you can adjust to meet any brief quickly. The construction industry is constantly evolving, and these innovative solutions should help you to reduce your workload and improve your output. It’s always best to contact the businesses you’re working with to find out what they expect from the project. This could dictate what tools are needed.
