Bespoke interiors and fitout company Konstruct has completed works on the striking new flagship store for contemporary fashion label RIXO on London’s King’s Road. The 5,000 square foot store opened its doors this week to unveil a stunning, vibrant interior with features including a coffee kiosk, cocktail bar and
The London based recycling and waste management company has been measuring its Scope 1 and 2 emissions since 2020. It has set this net zero target, relative to a 2021 baseline, with interim goals of a 20% reduction in 2023, 35% by 2026 and 50% by 2030. The commitment has
Property and construction consultancy Ridge and Partners LLP (Ridge) has appointed Phil Kelly as Partner to head up its Net Zero Carbon and Circularity (NZ+C) expertise. A sustainability leader, Phil brings over 15 years of experience in building services and sustainability and is recognised internationally as a thought leader in
CBRE’s Liverpool Office Agency team has been instructed as sole letting agents by Wirral Borough Council to market 2 Grade A new build offices totalling 147,767 sq ft in Birkenhead. Currently on site, the scheme is earmarked for completion in Autumn 2023, the only new build offices completing in the
The VELUX Group and partners open the doors to Living Places Copenhagen – seven prototypes that show how we can develop sustainable buildings with a three times lower CO2 footprint and a first-class indoor climate. Living Places concept holds the lowest CO2 emissions in Denmark, demonstrating that we do not
A development of new council homes in Lockleaze has taken another step forward as the Bristol City Council seeks to secure ownership of a former pub that needs to be demolished to allow work to begin. The council hopes to build 47 homes on disused land at Branwhite Close in
Significant progress has been made on a new neighbourhood in Daventry after Midlands-based homebuilder Spitfire Homes and Crest Nicolson secured reserved matters approval to build 222 properties on land at Malabar Farm. West Northamptonshire Council’s planning committee has approved current proposals, representing the first phase of the development, which will
A new collection of high-quality family homes in the sought-after village of Felsted have come to market with award-winning property group, Beresfords. Scholars Green is located on a private turning, Watch House Green, and includes three and four-bedroom homes – with prices starting at £560,000. The properties are framed beautifully
We all know what happens whenever our AC conks out in the middle of the biggest heatwave in the summer, or the heater stops working on the coldest night of the year. The result is, it sucks, it really sucks, and then we have to wait a long time and
Bespoke interiors and fitout company Konstruct has completed works on the striking new flagship store for contemporary fashion label RIXO on London’s King’s Road. The 5,000 square foot store opened its doors this week to unveil a stunning, vibrant interior with features including a coffee kiosk, cocktail bar and bridal suite, alongside RIXO’s full range of ready-to-wear, bridal and accessories. The brand has existing standalone stores on King’s Road, Marylebone and Carnaby Street. Delivered in partnership with Gemma McCloskey of CÚPLA Studio, Konstruct oversaw the design, construction and fit-out of the RIXO project, completed within just six months. RIXO has made a bold mark in the fashion industry since its establishment in 2015. Owned by Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey, the brand’s signature hand-painted prints and exquisite dresses have taken the contemporary fashion scene by storm across the globe. The team at RIXO appointed Konstruct to lead on the development of the King’s Road store due to their expertise and experience in high quality commercial fitouts as well as their excellence in interior design. Led by partners Martin Kernan and Columb Gribbin, Konstruct originated in County Armagh, with bases in London and Dundalk, County Louth. The company has grown significantly since its inception five years ago, driven by notable projects within its commercial, hospitality and luxury residential portfolio across the UK and Ireland. Speaking about this latest project completion, Managing Director of Konstruct Martin Kernan said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with RIXO on the creation of their incredible new flagship store on King’s Road. “Henrietta and Orlagh had a clear vision for the store, which sought to really capture the essence of the RIXO brand. From day one we were focused on creating a fun, versatile, colourful space to be in with standout features such as the flooring made using leftover marble – and with additions like the bar and coffee shop, RIXO have really enhanced the customer experience. “Working with Gemma from CÚPLA Studio has been an enjoyable and effective creative partnership, resulting in a real synergy between visual design and fitout. This has been a relatively short project in terms of timeframe so our whole team has worked incredibly hard to ensure the store was perfect for its first visitors to step into this spring. “We’re very proud to have been part of that and we congratulate Henrietta, Orlagh and everyone at RIXO on this significant milestone for the business.” Henrietta Rix, Co-Founder of RIXO said: “Seeing our flagship store on King’s Road be brought to life and now open its doors has been a joy. This store has been part of our plan from the beginning. We wanted to create a beautiful space that reflects the RIXO style and also encourages our customers to relax and spend time with us. Konstruct were the perfect partners to turn that into reality. “Working closely with Orlagh’s twin sister Gemma, Konstruct were able to create a store that is welcoming, playful, inviting – and the perfect backdrop to explore our collection. This opening marks a very important chapter in the RIXO story.”Amongst several major residential projects, Konstruct is now working on the development of a premium orangery venue in the Cotswolds and a high-end restaurant fitout in London. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The London based recycling and waste management company has been measuring its Scope 1 and 2 emissions since 2020. It has set this net zero target, relative to a 2021 baseline, with interim goals of a 20% reduction in 2023, 35% by 2026 and 50% by 2030. The commitment has been registered with SME Climate Hub so as to count towards the UN Race to Net Zero. Liam Kearney, Managing Director, Powerday says: “We fully recognise the climate emergency and the urgent need for climate action. We believe that achieving net zero as quickly as possible is essential for our business, and want to ensure that our target and roadmap are robust yet ambitious. We have been working with external consultants to support our sustainability team to ensure that we build the requisite skills in-house to credibly deliver against our commitments and accurately measure our achievements.” Powerday has already undertaken significant carbon reduction measures including switching to a renewable electricity tariff for five of its six sites, ensuring the company is well on its way to meeting its first interim target for 2023. Over the next three years, the focus will be on Scope 1, and on developing a fleet and plant strategy to significantly reduce these emissions. John Kelly, Transport General Manager, Powerday says: “We know that one of our biggest challenges is going to be decarbonising our fleet. We have long been exploring alternative technologies and have run a number of insightful trials this last year, including of electric skip and dustcart vehicles. We are focused on putting ourselves in the strongest position to be able to switch our fleet and reduce these emissions as soon as is viable.” As well as continuing to take steps to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions, Powerday is starting to collate data on Scope 3 emissions this year with a view to making an equally robust net zero target for these as soon as the company can credibly do so. Powerday set out its plans to establish this net zero target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by the end of last year in its Sustainability Manifesto 2022. The annual report, published each spring, outlines the company’s targets for the year, and reports on progress for the previous year, under five sustainability pillars: employees, community, carbon management, clients, and procurement. Powerday plans to set out its net zero roadmap in the 2023 Manifesto due out in April. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Property and construction consultancy Ridge and Partners LLP (Ridge) has appointed Phil Kelly as Partner to head up its Net Zero Carbon and Circularity (NZ+C) expertise. A sustainability leader, Phil brings over 15 years of experience in building services and sustainability and is recognised internationally as a thought leader in sustainable design and strategies. Phil has led the energy and sustainability strategies for some of the most innovative and complex projects across UK commercial, education, science, and healthcare sectors. He has also led international research projects on decarbonisation and the circular economy. Based in Birmingham, Phil will deliver a cross-discipline, cross-market NZ+C offer for clients, working closely with design and engineering disciplines, sustainability teams, and social value specialists to maximise sustainable outcomes on projects. Speaking of his appointment, Phil said: “Ridge delivers market-leading sustainability strategies that touch every stage of a building’s design and operation. I’m excited to be working across the organisation to share knowledge, boost collaboration, and build a national team that will help clients meet present – and future – climate and legislative challenges. Graham Blackburn, Partner at Ridge, said: “Further strengthening our world-class expertise in sustainability and social value, we welcome Phil, another highly regarded industry professional who joins us from senior positions in Ramboll and Hoare Lea. “Phil will lead integration with our multidisciplinary professionals so we can show the way to a holistic approach that delivers sustainable growth for our clients.” Phil joins Ridge from Ramboll, where he launched its Sustainable Solutions department in 2020.
CBRE’s Liverpool Office Agency team has been instructed as sole letting agents by Wirral Borough Council to market 2 Grade A new build offices totalling 147,767 sq ft in Birkenhead. Currently on site, the scheme is earmarked for completion in Autumn 2023, the only new build offices completing in the Liverpool City region this year with some of the highest ESG and EPC credentials. The scheme, being developed through the Wirral Growth Company, a 50:50 partnership between Wirral Borough Council and Muse will deliver 2 Grade A, BREEAM Excellent office buildings extending to a total of 147,767 sq ft. Wirral Borough Council will be occupying 65,447 sq ft of Building One, leaving part ground and whole of the 1st floor available extending to 24,144 sq ft. Building Two, comprising 58,176 sq ft of office space is also available. The assets are being built to the highest specification and will provide column free floorplates from 12,500-19,400 sq ft and include VRF air conditioning, metal tiled suspended ceiling, LED lighting, full access raised floor, floor to ceiling glazed elevations, 2.8m floor to ceiling heights, feature reception, showers and cycle hub facilities and will also achieve an EPC ‘A’ rating. Neil Kirkham, Senior Director at CBRE commented “CBRE is delighted to market this truly high quality asset on behalf of Wirral Borough Council. The scheme will be the only new build office completing in the Liverpool City region this year and will provide the quality of product that is missing and in high demand in the market currently. “These are exciting times for Birkenhead, following developments at Wirral Waters, together with the numerous projects Wirral Borough Council is delivering within its Birkenhead 2040 vision including Dock Branch Park, Hind Street Urban Garden Village and further commercial district development such as a new ‘repositioned’ Birkenhead Market. “Not only will the new offices benefit from the highest quality finishes and amenities, they will also achieve some of the highest ESG credentials including BREEAM Excellent, EPC A, Well Gold and Wired Score Gold. From an occupier perspective, this development offers all the key attributes employers and employees are currently seeking, with high quality national retailers and F&B offerings in the adjacent Grange Shopping Precinct and Pyramids Shopping Centre, together with unrivalled transport connectivity, The adjacent bus terminus, Conway Park and Birkenhead Central train stations also provide a two stop service to Liverpool with direct access to the wider Borough and Chester, together with 3 multi-storey car parks within 200m. “Birkenhead has not seen a speculative office scheme in the town centre for 20 years and we are therefore fully anticipating these buildings are going to satisfy a lot of pent up demand for space in the market.” David Hughes, Director or Regeneration and Place for Wirral Council said: “This scheme represents an exciting opportunity for businesses looking for modern, sustainable, first-rate office space in the Liverpool City Region. “These buildings will make a positive contribution to the regeneration of Birkenhead, which is currently undergoing significant transformation through a range of other projects. This development is a testament to our commitment to delivering high-quality assets that meet the needs of businesses and the wider community. “I look forward to working closely with CBRE to bring these buildings to market and to welcoming new tenants to this vibrant and dynamic area of Wirral.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The VELUX Group and partners open the doors to Living Places Copenhagen – seven prototypes that show how we can develop sustainable buildings with a three times lower CO2 footprint and a first-class indoor climate. Living Places concept holds the lowest CO2 emissions in Denmark, demonstrating that we do not have to wait for future technology to build more sustainably. The building industry accounts for 34% of the global energy consumption and 37% of the global CO2 emissions, and in the latest report from the UN’s climate panel, it is clear that low carbon solutions must be scaled and implemented – also in the building industry. One of those solutions can be experienced in Copenhagen from today. With the groundbreaking project Living Places Copenhagen, the VELUX Group and its partners, demonstrate how to build homes with a CO2 footprint of 3.8 kg/CO2/m2/year – three times lower than the current Danish legislation of 12 kg CO2/m2/year – and to a price that matches the market price for a one-family house or rowhouses at scale. Furthermore, Living Places Copenhagen is designed with a strong focus on creating a healthy indoor climate using daylight and fresh air and it delivers best in class indoor climate. “As part of an industry that accounts for a large part of the global CO2 emissions, we wish to take responsibility for finding ways to build more sustainably. With this project, we show how it can be done already today. I’m very proud of the results we have created with Living Places Copenhagen together with our partners. This project is a good example of how building more sustainable, healthy homes can both address climate challenges within our industry and improve peoples’ health. After all, we spend 90% of our time indoors, so a healthy indoor climate in our home is crucial,” says Tina Mayn, Executive Vice President for Products at the VELUX Group. Living Places Copenhagen is the first prototype showcasing the overall concept – Living Places – which was initiated by the VELUX Group, EFFEKT and Artelia. The vision is to lead the way within the building industry and show how rethinking buildings can help solve some of the global climate and health challenges. The concept is based on five key principles: homes should be healthy, affordable, simple, shared over time and scalable. These principles can be applied to new or existing buildings and communities. The materials, solutions and knowledge are already here As a part of The Living Places Copenhagen project, the VELUX Group, EFFEKT, Artelia and Enemærke & Petersen, have carried out a complete Life Cycle Assessment. This means that each material, design and building technique has been carefully considered and mapped in terms of the emissions they project compared to a typical Danish household. Based on this, the partnership have built prototypes, showing that we do not have to wait for future technology to build homes that benefit both people and the planet. “The monitoring and thorough assessment of every product and process has been crucial to reach the results that we are able to present with this project. The fact that we have been able to reach these record results with Living Places Copenhagen is proof that we don’t have to wait for future technologies to build more sustainable buildings. The materials, solutions, and knowledge are already here – we just need to enable and scale them. I hope that we can inspire the building industry to follow,” says Lone Feifer, Director of Sustainable Building at the VELUX Group. Living Places Copenhagen showcases a total of seven prototypes – five open pavilions and two completed full-scale homes which open to the public on Earth Day on the 22nd April. As an official partner to the UIA World Congress of Architects in Copenhagen, Living Places Copenhagen will host a programme of debates and activities designed to drive and accelerate change in the building industry. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A development of new council homes in Lockleaze has taken another step forward as the Bristol City Council seeks to secure ownership of a former pub that needs to be demolished to allow work to begin. The council hopes to build 47 homes on disused land at Branwhite Close in Lockleaze. In order to get the development site ready, the council has been working to acquire two buildings: the former pub on Gainsborough Square and a privately owned home on Branwhite Close. The site previously had council homes on the land which were demolished some years ago as part of a redevelopment project. Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) have been secured for both sites, and barring any further legal challenges, it is hoped work can start onsite later this year. Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes, said: “We are committed to doing everything we can to tackle the housing shortage in the city, and making sure that this affordable council-owned housing scheme, which will provide homes to 47 families, can be delivered. These will add to the 474 affordable homes built in Bristol in 2021/22. “It is not just about the number of new homes we build; we are committed to developing mixed and balanced communities, working hard to make sure any new homes are suitable for the surrounding local area. Lockleaze is going through a big transformation at the moment, and we are working hard to make sure all the developments complement each other, as well as bringing forward additional amenities for community members to use. “As well as enabling the housing development, the demolition of the pub will come as a relief to local people, as it has become an eye sore, and a target for fly tipping and graffiti in recent years. “I look forward to finally being able to break ground on this site, hopefully later this year.” The pub on Gainsborough Square has been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair for many years. The owner of the property was recently fined after failing to take care of the site, along with two other buildings in the city that they also own or manage. Several approaches were made to buy the property at full market value. However, the owners were unwilling to sell, so in order to progress, the council made a CPO to acquire the property. The owner objected to the CPO and an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State was asked to consider the objection and decided that the CPO should go ahead. If there are no further legal challenges, the council will be the legal owners of the pub in late August. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Significant progress has been made on a new neighbourhood in Daventry after Midlands-based homebuilder Spitfire Homes and Crest Nicolson secured reserved matters approval to build 222 properties on land at Malabar Farm. West Northamptonshire Council’s planning committee has approved current proposals, representing the first phase of the development, which will comprise a mix of one- to five-bedroom homes, 65 of which will be affordable. The wider scheme will also incorporate more than 20 hectares of public open space, a new primary school, nursery and community centre, alongside food and retail units. Located on the western edge of Daventry, the 50-hectare development already has outline planning permission of the neighbourhood for up to 1,100 new homes, meeting rising demand for homes due to employment growth, investment activity and strong connectivity links in the area. Defined by its West Northamptonshire countryside setting and strategic location at the heart of the national road network, Daventry provides a rare and sought-after balance of urban and rural lifestyles. Ben Leather, Managing Director at Spitfire Homes, said: “Daventry is a growing market with house hunters looking for accessible country living and an attractive work-life balance. Strong transport links and employment opportunities in the area make it particularly attractive for new home buyers, so we expect to see a lot of interest in these homes. “We’re committed to meeting the rising demand for new homes across the Midlands region, supporting our vision to deliver high-quality, future-proofed homes fit for modern living. We recently made our debut in Northamptonshire, with work well underway at our nearby development in Kislingbury, so we’re really excited this scheme has also taken a positive step forward.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new collection of high-quality family homes in the sought-after village of Felsted have come to market with award-winning property group, Beresfords. Scholars Green is located on a private turning, Watch House Green, and includes three and four-bedroom homes – with prices starting at £560,000. The properties are framed beautifully in the exquisite village where Felsted’s beautifully maintained 16th-century buildings and historic independent school founded in 1564 resounds to the knock of willow on leather, and on the other by open fields and ancient farmland. The development’s name acknowledges the heritage of the school and the verdant area. Scholars Green has a broad sense of open space and mature trees and planting, which characterises this collection’s countryside setting. The contemporary design of the family homes nod to a traditional style and across the collection, subtle variations in design and tone feature to give each its own distinctive character, with a much of the design influenced by modern living and working practices adopted in very recent years, including dedicated spaces to accommodate remote working, an open orchard space and local variety fruit trees in each garden. The properties of course have high-spec fittings throughout including bespoke well-designed kitchens fitted with boiling taps, downlighters, high grade appliances and premium granite surfaces. Rated outstanding by Ofsted, Felsted Primary is just a short walk away from the development or Felsted School Prep for the gateway to Felsted public school. Great Leighs Primary and Ford Church of England Primary are just four miles away from the site. A short drive from the A120, M11 and just 13 miles from Stansted Airport, Scholars’ Green is well positioned for commuting further afield. “Scholars’ Green brings a unique opportunity for families to find their dream home, in a peaceful setting next to open farmland, but within a vibrant village location. The exclusive development truly emerges itself within the area’s impressive heritage and the surrounding countryside and I’m sure these homes will attract great interest,” said Aaron Breakwell, director of new homes and land at Beresfords. A Coronation Orchard Planting ceremony will also be taking place at the development, on Thursday 20 April at 3pm, where the developers, the development’s financers, key stakeholders involved, and current residents of Scholars Close are invited to see trees planted at the site. “We’re delighted to be welcoming everyone to the official tree planting ceremony, ahead of King Charles’ Coronation. The ceremony will mark the official completion of Scholars Green and an opportunity to say thank you to those who have helped to get this development on the map! We look forward to seeing you all there,” concluded Alex Woodfield, managing director of Welland Partners Development. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
We all know what happens whenever our AC conks out in the middle of the biggest heatwave in the summer, or the heater stops working on the coldest night of the year. The result is, it sucks, it really sucks, and then we have to wait a long time and pay through the nose to fix it! However, when the air conditioner has big problems, that often means that there were plenty of smaller issues that could have been fixed months ago to mitigate this. So whenever you detect some of these early warning signs, you need to focus on calling maintenance and getting your AC unit checked out. It will cost you some money and time, but at least you will have a fully working AC system all year round! A Little Air Flows Out Of The Vents If you turn your air conditioner on and notice that a lot of air is starting to flow through the vents, then your AC system is probably fine. However, if a very weak airflow comes from the vents, then you might want to call some Memphis HVAC experts such as Conway Services to take a look at fixing it. A weak airflow is going to be too weak to effectively cool down a room, and by making the air conditioner work harder to compensate, you will effectively be damaging the parts that make your air conditioner work effectively. In order to prevent your unit from getting damaged and your electrical bills from shooting up, you need to contact a professional so they can inspect the unit. Your Other Senses Get Involved Typically you will feel cold air coming from your AC unit, and that is about all you need to feel. However, if you notice your other senses getting involved when you turn on your AC unit, you might be getting a signal of some trouble. For example, if you hear the sounds of grinding, squealing, scraping, or other loud noises coming from your AC unit, then that likely means that something is out of place and is also causing damage to the other parts of your unit. Additionally, if you notice a strong burning smell or a moldy odor coming from your unit after you turn it on it could be a signal something is wrong. While some burning smells can occur if you have turned on an older unit after a period of time (as dust is being burnt off) if the smells keep on occurring then you might have a burned out wire inside of the unit or some mold. In either case, you need to have the unit professionally checked out. Water Leaks Around Your AC Your air conditioning unit shouldn’t be leaking any moisture at all, and if you find that the area around the air conditioning unit is leaking, then that means you have an issue with it. You should contact a professional if Freon is leaking out of the unit because that substance can be very poisonous. However, water can also leak out of your AC, and you could have a broken or blocked tube as well, especially if you see ice forming inside or around your unit. In either case, you need to contact a professional to make sure that the leak is repaired. Be Attentive About These Early Warning Signs Don’t be afraid to check your AC unit several times a year to make sure that these early warning signs are caught and fixed, because they will save you quite a lot of time and money! Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
