The 2023 UK Passivhaus Awards shortlist has been announced, and features an impressive selection of largescale non-residential projects. A core objective of the Awards is to showcase that Passivhaus can be scaled up and how the standard is applied successfully to any building type. Three ultra-efficient buildings have been shortlisted for the
With the current energy supply crisis and energy cost increases, coupled to our need to reduce emissions in line with net zero carbon there is an increased awareness of the importance of a properly and professionally insulated home. Spray foam insulation is an important and effective method of improving the
With an increasing volume of substandard products on the market, the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has issued a handy checklist to help specifiers and users check whether personal protective equipment (PPE) is fit for purpose. BSIF analysis carried out last year showed that much of the PPE on the
The main contractor for the University of Cumbria’s new Citadels campus project, Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), is hosting a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event on Tuesday 13 June to enable local suppliers and contractors to find out more about the project. Supported by Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and the Construction Industry
The creation of a £1.3bn connected and sustainable new coastal town at Granton Waterfront in Edinburgh has reached its next major phase. The Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to transform Edinburgh’s largest brownfield site has been published today. The plans have been developed in partnership with Cruden Homes (East) Ltd.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry (Phase 1) highlighted numerous failings, one of which was the lack of wayfinding signage in stairwell landings which meant firefighters were unable to easily identify floor numbers when carrying out their duties. As such, the Inquiry recommended (Recommendation 33.27) that the owner and manager of every
The current English planning system is not ‘fit for purpose’ to build a net zero world, restore nature or meet housing need, according to a new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). The report finds that it would take 4,700 years for England to reach the onshore
Active Travel Commissioner, Dame Sarah Storey has set out Greater Manchester’s intention to eliminating deaths and serious injuries on the city-region’s roads through ‘Vision Zero’. In 2021, 858 people were killed or seriously injured in collisions on Greater Manchester’s roads. Vision Zero is the next step in Greater Manchester’s mission
Aggregate Industries has been chosen to deliver a five-year £47m road repair and maintenance contract across 3,000 miles of highways in Leicester and Leicestershire. The leading construction materials supplier, which has its group headquarters at Coalville in Leicestershire, was successful in the joint tender bid for carriageway patching, including pothole
The Government has been given the go ahead for a new railway station to be built in Cambridge. Work has already begun on the 4-platform, fully accessible station based at Cambridge Biomedical Campus in the south of the city. The Government has earmarked £200 million worth of funding for the
The 2023 UK Passivhaus Awards shortlist has been announced, and features an impressive selection of largescale non-residential projects. A core objective of the Awards is to showcase that Passivhaus can be scaled up and how the standard is applied successfully to any building type. Three ultra-efficient buildings have been shortlisted for the UK Passivhaus Awards 2023 non-domestic category, with the winners due to be announced on Wednesday, 5 July. Entrants must demonstrate low energy bills with proven building performance monitoring – all the finalists are energy-efficient exemplars. 2023 SHORTLIST The shortlisted projects include a further education college, an NHS health centre, and a primary school, demonstrating just how far the Passivhaus standard has come in the UK and its potential benefits for a wide range of building typologies, not just houses. Erne Campus has been certified to Passivhaus Premium standard and generates four times more energy on-site than it uses. It is the world’s first educational – and currently the largest – Passivhaus Premium rated building, and the first UK building to achieve both Passivhaus Premium and BREEAM Outstanding accreditations. The pioneering Northern Ireland curved campus is a world-leading exemplar acting as a carbon cutting beacon to its students & the wider community. https://bit.ly/PHernecamp Energy efficient buildings could save the NHS millions! Foleshill Health Centre in Coventry is the first NHS building to achieve Passivhaus certification, striving to redefine healthcentre design in the UK. The award-winning building contributes to the NHS Carbon Footprint Plus ambitions, providing an affordable design framework that can be replicated at speed and scale across the whole of the NHS estate and the UK. https://bit.ly/PHFoleshill The UK’s first Passivhaus Plus school, Hackbridge Primary School in the London Borough of Sutton sets the standard for zero carbon educational buildings. This zero carbon school has a tiny energy demand, generates renewable energy, and provides a beautifully comfortable space to nurture inquisitive minds. https://bit.ly/PHhackbridge AWARDS CEREMONY 05 JULY I 14:00 – 17:00 I ONLINEDeciding on the winners can be a difficult task. You’re cordially invited to join the UK Passivhaus Awards Ceremony online on Wednesday, 5th July. Who do you think should win? Cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award.https://bit.ly/PHTawards2023Ceremony Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
With the current energy supply crisis and energy cost increases, coupled to our need to reduce emissions in line with net zero carbon there is an increased awareness of the importance of a properly and professionally insulated home. Spray foam insulation is an important and effective method of improving the energy efficiency of our homes and buildings, but as with many construction improvements, installation must be done in accordance with all necessary approvals and relevant permissions. Spray foam has been used successfully for more than 30 years in many countries from Canada to Spain (in very different weather environments). Many hundreds of thousands of properties continue to benefit from the application of spray foam, which is highly thermally efficient and extremely versatile. Once installed correctly spray foam will continue to perform as intended for the life of the building, without need for maintenance or servicing. But the need for correct installation cannot be over emphasised. Spray foam must be installed in line with the manufacturers’ instructions and be carried out by a registered and professional spray foam installer. Unfortunately, there have been some occasions in the past where correct procedures have not always been followed and unscrupulous operators have been responsible for incorrect installation, poor workmanship and false claims relating to the use of spray foam. Recent claims that any property with spray foam is unmortgageable are as untrue as they are unjustifiable which is why Insulation Manufacturers Association (IMA) along with spray foam manufacturers and installers, surveyors, valuers and lenders collaborated to develop an inspection protocol document for spray foam insulation. Inspection Protocol for building professionals who are asked to consider spray polyurethane foam that has been applied to the pitch. Alongside this collaborative protocol, IMA has also produced a Code of Practice for the Installation of Polyurethane Spray Foam (SPF) in domestic roofs which sets out the requirements for the procedures involved when specifying and installing spray foam products to the inside of roofs of domestic properties. Whilst IMA does not represent installers or contractors of spray foam, it does represent some manufacturers and distributors of spray foam products. These manufacturers and distributors only ever supply to their approved contractors and we work with these suppliers to promote best practice and highlight the correct procedures for a spray foam installation. These procedures include pre-installation surveys and roof condition analysis, moisture risk analysis, product identification and supply information, as well as the post-installation home pack and these have all been incorporated into the code of practice. All our members’ products are independently tested by UKAS accredited testing houses (either BBA or KIWA-BDA certification) and these products must always be installed in line with this certification. The two new documents can be used to guide and inform building professionals, institutional bodies and trade organisations. The protocol provides a framework to assist property professionals and residential surveyors undertaking non-invasive visual inspections of spray foam applications to the inside of pitched roofs whilst the code of practice is designed to ensure that installers following all the necessary steps to ensure that spray foam is both specified and installed correctly. Commenting Simon Storer, Chief Executive of Insulation Manufacturers Association said: “With government encouragement, many homeowners have done the right thing by investing in spray foam insulation improvements to their properties, but unfortunately, recent negative views have undermined the value of these insulation applications. Despite this, it should now be recognised that professional and accredited installations are as beneficial to a property as many other home improvements and should be considered as such. These new publications provide excellent guidance and information about spray foam insulation, which we expect industry professionals to adopt and understand, so as to bring peace of mind to the thousands of homeowners whose applications are in line with third party approval and accreditation.” To download and view the guidance click the following Code of Practice for the Installation of Polyurethane Spray Foam (SPF) in domestic roofs and Inspection Protocol for building professionals who are asked to consider spray polyurethane foam that has been applied to the pitched elevations of domestic roofs. For more information about IMA visit www.insulationmanufacturers.org.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
With an increasing volume of substandard products on the market, the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has issued a handy checklist to help specifiers and users check whether personal protective equipment (PPE) is fit for purpose. BSIF analysis carried out last year showed that much of the PPE on the market fails to match up to the advertised protection. It completed tests on 127 non-member products, which included checking their compliance with relevant standards and testing whether they perform as claimed. Only 18 (15%) of these products were fully compliant. This means 108 products (85%) failed to meet the regulatory criteria, many of which are still for sale to unsuspecting users. The findings around non-member products contrast with the results of tests on products supplied by BSIF Registered Safety Suppliers, whose products are tested annually as part of the scheme’s audit process. Of 387 tests completed on Registered Safety Suppliers’ products, 332 (86%) passed immediately, and of the 55 (14%) that initially did not meet the test criteria, all issues were subsequently resolved. The new BSIF PPE checklist has been created to help specifiers and users ensure that PPE complies with the law and conforms to PPE Regulation 2016/425. It presents a series of questions to ask when purchasing PPE, which are divided into sections for ease of use: Product Markings, Required Documentation, Product Condition, and Storage. Examples of questions included in the checklist are: • Does the PPE have a UKCA, UKNI or CE Mark applied to it? • Was the PPE issued with User Instructions included? • Is there a Declaration of Conformity with the PPE • Is the PPE clean, undamaged and suitable for use? • Was the PPE stored correctly, according to the User Instructions? If any questions present cause for concern, users are advised to seek support and guidance from their company’s health & safety advisor and the manufacturer of the PPE. The BSIF can also provide general guidance. BSIF CEO Alan Murray says: “This checklist is a reminder that while anyone can sell safety, you shouldn’t buy safety from just anyone. Failing to check your PPE is fit for purpose could leave you or your employees, for whom you have a duty of care, vulnerable and unprotected, and also expose your organisation to the risk of prosecution. The easiest way to check your PPE is compliant is by only buying from a Registered Safety Supplier.” The checklist can be downloaded for free at: Check-your-PPE.pdf (bsif.co.uk) The BSIF also offers an‘Is it Genuine – Certification Checklist’ that providesfurther advice on how to check if the supporting documentation for your PPE is genuine and what to do if you are concerned. It can be downloaded athttps://www.bsif.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Is-it-Genuine-2023.pdf Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The main contractor for the University of Cumbria’s new Citadels campus project, Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), is hosting a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event on Tuesday 13 June to enable local suppliers and contractors to find out more about the project. Supported by Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the SRM project team will be on hand during the event which is being held at the Carlisle Station Hotel between 9am-2pm. Planning permission for the new campus development, which will be delivered in two phases, was granted in August 2022. The new campus is on track to open in August 2026 and prebuild site investigations for phase one will begin later this year. Partner discussions are ongoing to explore how to deliver best value for money for the c£78m first stage of the development, particularly to maximise the amount (and utility) of space which can be built and refurbished as part of the full campus design plans. The first phase includes the development of a gateway building on English Street as the main entrance to the university campus and a new teaching block, along with the repurposing of the Woolworths and Burton’s buildings. Phase One development will also include external works, car parking around the development and the introduction of an amphitheatrical courtyard area. SRM are keen to meet with local suppliers and contractors to discuss the exciting collaboration opportunities related to the project and SRM Project Manager, Mark Robson said: “Given the phased nature of the project, combining elements of new build, refurbishment and works to heritage structures, there are many opportunities to take part in this exciting scheme and we would emphasise it is particularly relevant to small and medium enterprises across a variety of trades. “As a leading contractor we work closely with our supply chain partners to develop skills and competencies, building strong relationships for the long term, and we are keen to work with small and medium enterprises aligned with our inclusive values, willing to make a positive impact on the local communities and environment.” Following the opening of phase one in August 2026, the university’s Fusehill Street campus will remain in operation for a period to be determined, as well as providing the first home to the Cumbria School of Medicine. Due to open in 2025, the graduate entry medical school being developed in partnership with Imperial College London aims to encourage more doctors to stay and work in Cumbria. University of Cumbria vice chancellor, Professor Julie Mennell DL said: “A truly transformational project, the new Citadels campus will increase the accessibility, reach and impact of our academic offer and stimulate greater vibrancy, footfall and investment in our city. “As with any project of this size and type, there are always challenges and issues to deal with, exacerbated most recently by inflationary pressures. “The new Citadels Campus is just one part of the successful delivery of our Towards 2030 Strategy, ambition and objectives and we are keen to fully develop the site in the longer term.” The first stage of the project is being enabled through funding secured from the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal (£50million), Carlisle Town Deal Fund (£5million) and university funding.
The creation of a £1.3bn connected and sustainable new coastal town at Granton Waterfront in Edinburgh has reached its next major phase. The Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to transform Edinburgh’s largest brownfield site has been published today. The plans have been developed in partnership with Cruden Homes (East) Ltd. They include plans for over 700 net zero homes, of which at least 35% will be affordable, capacity for a primary school, commercial units, active travel routes and other sustainable transport infrastructure as well as attractive public and open space. The Council would like to find out what people think about the plans for Phase 1 and have organised in-person events: Tuesday 13 June from 4pm to 7pm and Saturday 17 June from 11am to 2pm at the Granton Station building, 1 Granton Station Square. People will also be able to share their views online. An online event will be held on Thursday 22 June from 6pm to 7.30pm and a ‘You Said, We Did’ event will be held in person on Wednesday 23 August from 4pm to 7pm at 1 Granton Station Square. The City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Cammy Day, said: “It’s great to see that plans have now been submitted for the largest regeneration project of its kind in Scotland at Granton Waterfront. The PAN is for the first phase of this ambitious and exciting £1.3bn regeneration project for the city. “Sustainable regeneration like this is so important as we transition towards a greener economy in our Capital. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here to build a 20-minute neighbourhood completely from scratch with affordable net zero homes, shops, cultural and leisure and education facilities all close by. “We’ve been consulting with people at every step of the way during this project so please be a part of this transformation of the north of the city and give us your views either at one of our events or online. This will help us to make sure we get it right for those who will be living in, working, and visiting this new area as well as everyone currently living in the many established communities nearby.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry (Phase 1) highlighted numerous failings, one of which was the lack of wayfinding signage in stairwell landings which meant firefighters were unable to easily identify floor numbers when carrying out their duties. As such, the Inquiry recommended (Recommendation 33.27) that the owner and manager of every residential building containing separate dwellings carry out an urgent inspection of wayfinding signage to ensure it is visible in low light or smoky conditions and that flat and floor numbers are clearly identified in the stairwells of relevant buildings. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 came into effect in England from 23 January 2023, making it a legal requirement for all high-rise residential buildings in England to install wayfinding signage in their buildings, including clear markings identifying floor and individual flat numbers to assist the Fire and Rescue Service in navigating their way around, even when visibility is low. The regulations require Responsible Persons in multi-occupied residential buildings which are classed as high-rise buildings, (defined in The Fire Safety (England) Regulations as a building at least 18 metres in height or at least seven storeys), and also those above 11 metres in height in an identical use of multi-occupation residencies where communal areas and escape routes exist, to provide additional safety measures with the provision of wayfinding signage directly reflecting the building plans, which are required to be made available in a secure information box on site. Existing duties under the Fire Safety Order will make sure that this signage is maintained throughout the life of the building. As part of the best endeavours of the Responsible Person, it would be pertinent that this signage is inspected regularly to ensure it is still in place, legible, and correct in the information it provides. Signage should conform to the specifications and locations set out in paragraphs 15.14 to 15.16 of Approved Document B Volume 1 edition, which incorporates the 2020 amendments, namely firefighting shafts and protected stairways, as well as the individual dwellings. Fire safety signs As it is estimated that a large number of buildings will not have this signage in place, a signage survey should be carried out with immediate effect and any findings should be remedied, with all missing signage put in place. The FPA supplies fire safety signage which can be delivered directly to site for fitting. Find out more about the FPA’s fire safety signage here. FPA Members will receive a 20% discount on all fire safety signage. Not an FPA member? Find out more here Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The current English planning system is not ‘fit for purpose’ to build a net zero world, restore nature or meet housing need, according to a new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). The report finds that it would take 4,700 years for England to reach the onshore wind capacity called for by government advisers, at the current rate of development. Without this the UK will fail to become fully energy secure in a net-zero world. Progress in England was stalled in 2015 when planning laws were changed to make it more difficult to gain permission for new onshore wind turbines – in what was effectively a ban. Since then only 17 new onshore wind farms have been approved, generating just 6.7 megawatts of power – equivalent to just 0.02 per cent of the on-shore total needed in England based on National Grid estimates. The IPPR report calls for restrictions on onshore wind and solar power to be reduced and for local authorities to be compelled to identify land suitable for onshore wind and solar generation. The report calls for a complete reset of the English planning system to ensure that many more houses are built, while also moving faster to meet net zero targets. That will mean linking decisions on new home building into plans for low-carbon transport networks, it says. Between them, housing and transport account for over 40 per cent of total emissions, but since 1990 emissions from both sectors have barely declined. The report also sheds fresh light on the critical failures of the current system. These include the lack of clear rules for developers and local authorities on when planning permission should be granted, leading to uncertainty and speculative buying of land. It argues that local authorities should be compelled to draw up detailed plans for development in their areas that integrate environmental targets, to provide greater certainty. It proposes that if a planned housebuilding project meets new net zero targets alongside other local requirements, it should be given an automatic green light, removing much of councils’ discretion from the system. But the report calls for the public to be given a more meaningful say over the future of their local areas than they do at present. It calls for national and local housebuilding targets to be reinstated so that councils can be compelled to enable more homes to be built. Under the IPPR proposal new neighbourhoods should be compatible with net zero, contribute to restoring nature and be attractive communities to live in. Maya Singer Hobbs, IPPR senior research fellow and lead report author, said: “None of the failures of the English system are inevitable. The de facto ban on onshore wind, the lack of coherence in environmental regulations and the lack of good quality housing are all solvable by reforming the system.” Luke Murphy, IPPR associate director for energy, climate, housing, and infrastructure, said: “The current planning system in England is not remotely fit for purpose to build a net zero world, restore nature, or meet housing need. At current build rates, we’re as far from delivering the onshore wind we need for energy security as we are from the start of construction of Stonehenge in 2,500 BC. “Fundamental planning reform is needed to accelerate efforts to reduce emissions and restore nature, rollout renewable energy generation, and to deliver the level of housebuilding that the country so desperately needs. “Without a reset of the planning system all the main political parties will fail to deliver on their key objectives, from economic growth to energy security, and addressing the climate and nature crises.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Active Travel Commissioner, Dame Sarah Storey has set out Greater Manchester’s intention to eliminating deaths and serious injuries on the city-region’s roads through ‘Vision Zero’. In 2021, 858 people were killed or seriously injured in collisions on Greater Manchester’s roads. Vision Zero is the next step in Greater Manchester’s mission to reduce the number of deaths or serious injuries caused on the city-region’s roads, and in turn make it a safer, healthier and more sustainable place for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and motorists. By taking decisive action, around 3,800 unnecessary deaths and serious injuries could be prevented by 2040. On Monday (5th June) Dame Sarah was joined by Greater Manchester’s Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt and other key stakeholders at the Big Active Conversation in Tameside to announce the start of a detailed programme to fully develop Greater Manchester’s Vision Zero approach, with the aim of presenting a unified strategy with a shared ambition of zero deaths and serious injuries on Greater Manchester’s roads. Road danger reduction experts, Agilysis, has been commissioned to develop the strategy in the coming months, with a first draft expected in Autumn. As part of this work Agilysis will identify and engage with key stakeholders, including Greater Manchester Police and other emergency services, with a view to consulting with members of the public next year. The strategy will then be adopted subject to agreement with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Active Travel Commissioner Dame Sarah Storey said on Monday: “Any death or serious injury on our roads is one too many, and these collisions are already devastating people’s lives. “It’s heart-breaking to learn of a fatal or life-changing collision and sadly there has been some horrendous incidents very recently right on our doorstep. These incidents are neither acceptable or inevitable, and we should all be doing everything we can to prevent them. “Back in November I launched a refreshed mission for Greater Manchester’s active travel programme and within that I recommended the region adopt Vision Zero. “Today’s announcement is the first step on making that a reality and I hope the work that now follows will pave the way in making everyone feel safe when they take to the roads, whether that be in a car, on foot or on a bike. “Getting it right will require a collective effort and commitment by everyone, which is why I am delighted to have Agilysis on board as we start our journey today.” As well as stamping out serious injuries and deaths on Greater Manchester’s roads, Vision Zero will help tackle the impact on the emergency services and the cost to public finances, with the potential to save the city-region’s economy more than £4.5billion over the next 20 years. The strategy will draw on best practice from other cities around the world and across the UK with Vision Zero strategies in place, including Stockholm, Oslo, London and Bristol. Some of the effective measures to have been introduced include 20mph speed limits, safer junctions and segregated lanes for people to walk, wheel and cycle and increased enforcement for speeding vehicles. Greater Manchester’s Vision Zero plan will also build on the existing work of the city-region’s Road Danger Reduction Advisory Group and Greater Manchester Police, which has already been bolstering operations to keep people safe when they are using the region’s transport and highways network. Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt said: “Commitment to Vision Zero in cities and regions across the UK and overseas has resulted in a significant reduction in death and serious injury on the roads. “We look forward to the outcome of the work by our road danger reduction experts to see the potential for similarly positive outcomes in Greater Manchester, building on the work already undertaken by districts, TfGM, the police and other partners.” Greater Manchester is already taking steps to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads, with improved walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure as it builds the largest active travel network in the country as part of the Bee Network. In addition, GM boroughs have been trialling new schemes to boost active travel participation in a safer environment, such as the School Streets pilots and the introduction of 20mph zones. In Greater Manchester there were 28 pedestrians killed and 217 serious injuries as a result of road collisions in 2021. Meanwhile, there were five cyclist fatalities and 129 serious cyclist casualties in the same period, plus 10 motorcyclist deaths and 106 serious casualties. In addition there were 29 fatalities amongst car occupants (which includes drivers and passengers of private vehicles, taxis and minibuses) along with 305 casualties suffering serious injuries. Drivers failing to look properly remains one of the top contributory factors recorded for collisions between a person cycling and drivers, as well motorcyclists. In the top five driver manoeuvres which cause injury to Greater Manchester cyclists, three are associated with turning, and not looking and seeing properly including; turning right; driving ahead right-hand bend and turning left. Superintendent Gareth Parkin of GMP’s Transport Unit added: “We are committed to Vision Zero for Greater Manchester. Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that deeply effects our community. “With our growing Roads Policing team, we will continue to increase our capability to enforce, educate the public, and work with stakeholders to eliminate preventable collisions.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Aggregate Industries has been chosen to deliver a five-year £47m road repair and maintenance contract across 3,000 miles of highways in Leicester and Leicestershire. The leading construction materials supplier, which has its group headquarters at Coalville in Leicestershire, was successful in the joint tender bid for carriageway patching, including pothole repairs, for Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council. It is inclusive of all required works including excavation and milling, removal of road planings, provision of material and the machine laying and compaction of asphalt materials – these may include a range of Aggregate Industries proprietary products, Aggregate Industries is the sole provider for the contract, which initially runs from July 2023 to July 2024, with an optional extension period of four years to be run over 12-month incremental periods. As part of the agreement, Aggregate Industries will be working in partnership with both local authorities to reduce carbon and help support their net-zero ambitions. Materials and delivery of works will be supported by the company’s Leicestershire plants at Bardon Hill and Croft. Jonathan Falls, Midlands Area Manager for the company’s Surfacing Solutions division, said: “This is fantastic news and a great recognition of the quality of our approach and service delivery for customers. “This forms core business for our Midlands team. We’re really proud to be chosen to repair and maintain the roads of Leicester and Leicestershire, especially with it being right on our doorstep and having worked with both authorities as customers for well over 30 years. “We will work collaboratively with both councils, with an important part of the contract delivery focusing on the need to help deliver low carbon solutions to support the city and county’s net-zero strategies. “This is something that really resonates with Aggregate Industries and we’re pleased to be able to provide a circular approach by recycling planings from areas of carriageway we repair back into the network. Having big local sites at Bardon and Croft also means less journey time and less emissions.” As part of our social value commitment under the contract agreement, Aggregate Industries will use low-carbon materials and carbon usage reporting. The company will be dedicating volunteering hours to support Leicestershire community organisations and supporting young people’s access routes to work as well as providing educational opportunities to local schools/colleges to attend local Quarry and Technical Laboratory visits. Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, Leicestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “This contract arrangement is a good fit for us, with the company’s head offices local to Leicestershire and they will also deliver carbon-reduction innovations which is a nod to our wider net zero pledge.” Councillor Adam Clarke, Deputy City Mayor for Transport, Clean Air and Climate Emergency said: “The work carried out under this contract will be maintenance and repair schemes in local neighbourhoods, which are an important part of our ongoing investment in the city’s highways.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Government has been given the go ahead for a new railway station to be built in Cambridge. Work has already begun on the 4-platform, fully accessible station based at Cambridge Biomedical Campus in the south of the city. The Government has earmarked £200 million worth of funding for the project which is due to be completed in 2025. The construction of the station is expected to create 300 new jobs and when completed, will provide links to Stansted Airport and the Eurostar. It’s expected to receive 1.8 million passengers a year. Unveiling the plans, Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “This brand-new station will not only benefit local passengers but deliver a major boost to the entire city, improving connectivity to a world-leading academic hub while unlocking local business and growth opportunities across the region. “This is just another step in our efforts to create a thriving, well-connected, passenger-focused rail network to support communities for generations to come.” Reacting to the announcement, Katie Frost, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “It’s an exciting time for the railway in Cambridgeshire with a green light to deliver a new station that will serve the vitally important and growing biomedical campus. “Rail continues to be an environmentally sustainable form of transport and I know the minister’s announcement will be welcomed by the customers and communities we serve across Cambridgeshire and beyond.” One of the main beneficiaries of the project, Kristin-Anne Rutter, Executive Director at Cambridge Biomedical Campus Limited, said: “We are delighted that the Cambridge Biomedical Campus is to get its own railway station in less than 2 years’ time. Better public transport links will be critical in fulfilling our vision of a more sustainable campus. “Currently, there are around 5 times as many visits to the site as there are car parking spaces. We have to find ways of making it easier for the thousands of staff, NHS patients and visitors arriving daily to get here without needing to use a car. “This is a campus dedicated to improving human health, so anything that has the potential to cut air pollution and take pressure off our local roads is also very welcome. Coupled with the recent approval of the East-West Rail route directly linking Oxford with the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, we believe we can create a successful yet sustainable health and life sciences cluster that can both grow the economy and save lives.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
