Modular building specialist Integra has created new wellbeing facilities for NHS staff in Southampton, in a project made possible with proceeds from the auction of Banksy’s artwork Game Changer. The Banksy artwork was gifted to Southampton Hospitals Charity in May 2020 during the height of the Covid pandemic. Following its
AN ALL-female panel of built environment experts gathered recently for international M&E consultancy CPW’s ‘INWED 2023: Sustainability in the Second City’ roundtable to discuss the importance of retrofitting to tackle net zero and why sustainability is a significant opportunity to attract more women to the engineering industry. Held at CPW’s
Research has revealed that the cost of avoidable fire alarms, such as false alarms, are costing SMEs in the UK £696 million every single year. The figure comes from research conducted by Red Fox, a leading and independent expert in technology and B2B research, commissioned by Hochiki Europe to understand
A BRAND-NEW category C resettlement prison has completed in Leicester, delivering more than 600 permanent jobs in the local area, with a core focus on prisoner rehabilitation through skills-based training and employment opportunities. HMP Fosse Way, which was named following extensive consultation with the local community, forms part of a UK government plan to deliver 3,360 additional prison places by 2023 at Fosse Way and the recently
Work has completed on a speculative unit at the popular Worcester Six Business Park, commercial property developer Stoford has announced. Cabot 38, which comprises 34,000 sq ft of flexible commercial space and 4,073 sq ft of offices, has been specified to suit a range of occupiers and has E(g), B2
Deciding whether to use plastic or copper pipe, is one of the first things that an installer considers when tackling a plumbing project. However, regardless of the choice the installer inevitably makes, there will be others ready to sing the praises of the other system. Whilst each has its own
As a result of the development of a new industry-approved Product Data Template (PDT) for doorsets, manufacturers and distributors seeking to build confidence in their products and move closer towards implementing the ‘Golden Thread in construction’ can now supply consistent performance data to specifiers, contractors and building owners, says DHF.
Muse has been chosen by Oldham Council to develop a town centre regeneration. The partnership will involve the creation of 2,000 new homes, including a range of different types and sizes. The homes will be built on the site of the civil centre as well as at the sites of
Ashe Construction has been appointed by Milton Keynes Council to deliver £24 million in community projects. The contract covers the creation of a new primary school and community health hub off junction 14 of the M1. The scheme is part of the the Council’s MK East development, which will include
Ahead of the commencement of Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 in October 2023, the Home Office has published new guidance on the fire safety responsibilities of responsible persons (RPs). Released on 3 July 2023, the vital government guidance covers the types of buildings the new fire safety
Modular building specialist Integra has created new wellbeing facilities for NHS staff in Southampton, in a project made possible with proceeds from the auction of Banksy’s artwork Game Changer. The Banksy artwork was gifted to Southampton Hospitals Charity in May 2020 during the height of the Covid pandemic. Following its £16.7m sale at auction – a record for a Banksy artwork – Integra was awarded a contract to deliver a wellbeing hub for NHS staff working at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), one of a number of projects funded by Game Changer. The bespoke building features an open plan gymnasium, relaxation lounge, kitchen, changing and shower facilities as well as multi-purpose rooms where groups can come together to rest or take part in team building activities, which are all free for staff to use. Staff can also utilise a cycle parking area, promoting a key initiative in the Trust’s sustainability work and commitment to reduce its carbon footprint. Gary Parker, CEO at Integra, said: “The pandemic shone a very bright light on the invaluable work NHS staff across the country do every single day, saving lives and keeping us healthy. “To be awarded this contract was a huge privilege, and we’ve enjoyed working with UHS to provide staff with a relaxing environment to enjoy breaks from their hectic and challenging work. “We have a strong track record of delivering high-quality modular buildings for the health sector, and have also recently supplied an 80-plus bay hospital building for Newham University Hospital. “Our NHS staff dedicate their lives to caring for patients in their time of need, so to be able to give something small back to them feels very fitting.” Banksy’s Game Changer shows a child choosing to play with a caped toy nurse instead of more traditional superhero figures. Proceeds from its £16.7m sale were distributed to more than 40 healthcare organisations and charities across the UK, funding projects which an emphasis on mental health and wellbeing. One of those projects was the new wellbeing facility at University Hospital Southampton. Ellis Banfield, Southampton Hospital’s Charity Director, said: “We’re enormously grateful for the donation received to build a space that will enable our NHS staff to have an area to rest, recharge and reflect. “The building itself has been designed with our people in mind and will provide a lasting legacy that all of us at UHS are enormously proud of.” The new wellbeing facility was officially opened on Wednesday 5 July, as part of national celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the NHS. Throughout its 25-year history, East Yorkshire-based Integra has developed a nationwide reputation for excellence in the design, construction and fit-out of modular buildings for a wide range of uses, including education, sport, leisure, healthcare and commercial operations. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
AN ALL-female panel of built environment experts gathered recently for international M&E consultancy CPW’s ‘INWED 2023: Sustainability in the Second City’ roundtable to discuss the importance of retrofitting to tackle net zero and why sustainability is a significant opportunity to attract more women to the engineering industry. Held at CPW’s city centre office on Colmore Row, the event saw a ten-strong panel of local experts discuss a wide range of topics for International Women in Engineering Day. This included where Birmingham is on its journey to becoming net zero by 2030 and how far funding will stretch, through to the pros and cons of well recognised sustainability accreditations and how engaging with educators will help increase industry diversity. Hannah Kissick, associate in innovations and sustainability at CPW, said: “It was very inspiring to host an event attended by women with impressive and extensive experience in the built environment. The range of topics we covered and the enthusiasm for collaboration during and after the session definitely gave me confidence that more solutions can be found for our journey to net zero in Birmingham and for creating a more accessible industry. “Where there is a challenge there is always an opportunity, and this event reminded me that we can harness the interest in sustainability among the younger generation to position engineering as a key industry needed to meet sustainability targets.” The professionals in attendance explored the processes of value engineering and design, asking questions of each other about how the gap between vision and reality can be bridged. However, factors such as cost and assurance were understandably noted as potential barriers to success. Despite this, an optimistic tone was maintained throughout the event due to the shared recognition of the quality young minds that are on the cusp of bringing new ideas into the industry. Ellie Hignett, principal portfolio officer – Route to Net Zero Carbon at Birmingham City Council, said: “It’s so important that occasions like International Women in Engineering Day continue to be celebrated and events like the one hosted by CPW continue to be supported. They bring important stakeholders together and enable vital industries like engineering to debate how we can overcome shared challenges – like net zero. “While funding plays a key role in what we can achieve in Birmingham, we must also invest time in education. Without the people needed in positions to focus on net zero, there is no infrastructure to carry out the work. We must also continue to use cooperation between the public and private sector to create a baseline for what is achievable, with retrofit being a very topical example amid ongoing debate around the best approach.” The panel was hosted by CPW, chaired by Charlotte Dove (Cartwright Communications) and featured Hannah Kissick (CPW), Michelle Ward (CPW), Tiv Kaur (AA Projects), Isabel Scruby (HUB Residential), Dr Monica Mateo-Garcia (Birmingham City University), Justine Doody (Wates), Rosie Peach-Robinson (EDGE), Rachel Care (Turner and Townsend), Ellie Hignett (Birmingham City Council) and Lois Taylor (Naismiths). With more than 300 staff based across 13 offices including two international offices in Poland and India, CPW specialises in designing and integrating a full range of building services into new and existing buildings to deliver cutting edge sustainable solutions that are not only energy efficient but are both financially and environmentally sustainable for clients. For further information on CPW’s sustainability work visit www.cpwp.com or follow @CPWengineering on social media. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Research has revealed that the cost of avoidable fire alarms, such as false alarms, are costing SMEs in the UK £696 million every single year. The figure comes from research conducted by Red Fox, a leading and independent expert in technology and B2B research, commissioned by Hochiki Europe to understand the impact of false fire alarms on UK businesses. Over 300 SME businesses were asked how much they estimate an evacuation caused by an alarm not caused by an actual fire, cost their organisation and if it had a significant impact. Nine out of ten of these types of alarms resulted in total evacuation of businesses and one in every four caused significant disruption to the business, so much so that on average almost 30% of those unplanned fire incidents are costing £1000 or more in disruptions. This research indicates that when the statistics are broadened out to cover the whole of the UK, false alarms are indeed having a multimillion-pound impact on the economy. Businesses across a wide range of industries were interviewed, including the hospitality, leisure and travel sectors, retail and ecommerce businesses, financial and insurance arenas, healthcare, manufacturing, public sector and not for profit as well as education. When asked to think about the immediate and obvious financial impact, owners and senior management revealed that these unplanned alarms had far reaching consequences in lost productivity. Factors included interrupted meetings (33%), staff settling back down to work i.e., chatting and getting drinks etc (32%). For the manufacturing and IT sector over a quarter said the time it takes to get production processes started up again and security systems checks completed as the biggest interruption, whilst in the food and drink sector 10% said preparation processes needing to be restarted with anecdotal evidence also sighting the resulting food wastage as impact that goes beyond financial ramifications. Not all impact can be measured by numbers so respondents were also asked to describe the impact false alarms have on their business. In hotels guest relations suffered “All our guests had to leave the building, this ruined their guest experience”, children’s education was impacted “Teaching was disrupted, pupils and staff had to leave building” and it would also seem that other emergency systems can also be impacted from some of these false alarms “The unplanned alarm interrupted the day’s work and I had to call out our on-call electricians to come and fix the alarm, which had also knocked out the emergency lighting”. 64% of respondents believe that most alarms experienced in the past 12 months are false alarms. This is backed up when you look at what respondents said caused the alarms. Aside from the drills, and kitchen incidents, dust and smoke caused from building works and maintenance caused 20% of false alarms followed by equipment failures at 18%, with 12% sited as other causes or not known. So, with false alarms coming in at over half of the reasons why an alarm is triggered, this may suggest that these buildings are possibly not fitted with fire detection devices or systems that include multi-sensors, which are proven to significantly reduce false alarms triggered by factors that are not a genuine fire. Whilst half of respondents said seeing the alarm in action reassured them that the system works, the scariest figure that the research uncovered was that 56% of business owners or managers said that excessive false alarms mean that staff don’t take the alarms seriously enough, leading to alarm fatigue and complacency from staff. “The associated cost that false alarms are causing UK businesses is staggering, but the fact that false alarms are causing such complacency in staff is really worrying. For businesses who are based in multi-use buildings, or public facing such as hospitality and retail outlets, where whole fire detection systems are shared, false alarms can be a regular occurrence. If your staff are thinking “it’s just another false alarm” then you as business owner have a serious problem and this should not be ignored. False alarms can be caused by several things ranging from lack of maintenance, toast burning or building renovations causing excess dust. The good news is that all these issues can be resolved – multi-sensor technology is constantly evolving to reduce the risk of false alarms and improve fire safety. We would always recommend that the responsible person for the business, and/or the building landlord, work with professional and trusted fire safety experts to investigate the causes of repeat false alarms to get them resolved ensuring the safety of your staff, the public and the future proofing of your business.” Learn more about the survey findings and how you can reduce false alarms in your business here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A BRAND-NEW category C resettlement prison has completed in Leicester, delivering more than 600 permanent jobs in the local area, with a core focus on prisoner rehabilitation through skills-based training and employment opportunities. HMP Fosse Way, which was named following extensive consultation with the local community, forms part of a UK government plan to deliver 3,360 additional prison places by 2023 at Fosse Way and the recently opened HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough. The £286 million project will initially house 1,715 prisoners across a 16-acre site, with an additional cell block and ancillary building extension approved by Blaby District Council and Oadby and Wigston Borough Council last December, extending capacity further. Leading independent property, construction, and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard was appointed as lead designer for the project, providing architecture, interior design, civil engineering, building engineering, sustainability and energy, structural engineering, landscape architecture and interior design services. Its team has closely collaborated with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and prison operator Serco. In total, seven houseblocks and six ancillary buildings come together under a vision from the MoJ to transform prisoner rehabilitation in the UK. Prisoners have access to a central services hub, which includes a gym, library, educational classrooms, faith halls, as well as workshops and external horticultural areas, with the potential for Serco to work closely with local employers to deliver on-the-job training opportunities. Tim Irons, operations director at Pick Everard, said: “This is a multi-purpose, free-flow prison, that has been closely modelled on our baseline design of HMP Five Wells and will continue to be the blueprint for a further four new build prisons under the MoJ estate. “It has been planned to promote supervised interaction between prisoners, as well as several initiatives that allow them to gain new skills that will boost employment opportunities upon their release. “The interior design has been closely considered, applying biophilic and salutogenic principles to support wellbeing and strengthen the identity of each space. It is a modern, sustainable custodial estate, working to BREEAM excellent standards, which, following its planned extension, will become one of the biggest prisons operating in the UK. “We’re incredibly proud to deliver this exciting vision, which continues our long-standing relationship with the MoJ and the wider justice sector.” HMP Fosse Way has been built on the old HMP Glen Parva site, a former young offenders’ institution that closed in 2017. Its design has included several sustainable considerations, with offsite construction maintaining product quality, whilst helping reduce capital and operational costs. In addition, air sourced heating powers elements within the northern compound, while solar panels have been installed on ancillary buildings. Tim added: “Our focus was on reducing operational energy demand, with a design that moved away from direct fossil fuel energy sources to clean, onsite renewable generation. “These principles directly support net zero objectives and builds on our identified carbon reduction plan that will be carried forth throughout the MoJ prison programme.” Work on the planned extension is expected to commence in August, with the project currently at RIBA Stage 4. For more information about Pick Everard, please visit https://www.pickeverard.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Work has completed on a speculative unit at the popular Worcester Six Business Park, commercial property developer Stoford has announced. Cabot 38, which comprises 34,000 sq ft of flexible commercial space and 4,073 sq ft of offices, has been specified to suit a range of occupiers and has E(g), B2 and B8 planning consent. The unit, adjacent to ZwickRoell and Kimal, benefits from photovoltaic roof panels and has achieved an EPC A rating. Overall, Worcester Six has a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’. Edward Peel, Director at Stoford, said: “We are delighted to have completed the building, which has been funded by international private equity real estate firm Cabot Properties. The unit is our tenth at Worcester Six. It has been completed to an extremely high specification and is already attracting interest from potential tenants.” “Our significant investment in Worcester Six over the past few years has led to the creation of a high-quality business park that has attracted a number of world-class businesses to the region,” he said. “I’ve no doubt the quality of Cabot 38 will ensure another ambitious company will want to play its part in this success story. “Not only is it a success story for local business and enterprise, it is also good news from an environmental point of view as we are safeguarding the valuable green space and preserving the rich, diverse wildlife there. We’re proud to be delivering on our environmental remit, too.” Stoford has worked with Worcestershire’s Green Infrastructure (GI) Partnership to create a long-term GI Concept Plan, which will see the developer putting aside 6.55ha of the site for natural habitats and landscaping, in addition to on-plot landscaping. Worcester Six Business Park is home to Siemens, Spire Healthcare, Kimal, Kohler Mira, ZwickRoell, Alliance Flooring Distribution and IONOS. Once fully developed, it will provide 2.1 million sq ft of accommodation. For enquiries, contact Charles D’Auncey and Sara Garratt at Harris Lamb – Charles.Dauncey@harrislamb.com, sara.garratt@harrislamb.com, or Ben Wiley, Seb Moseley or Giles Thomas at BNP Paribas Real Estate: Ben.Wiley@realestate.bnpparibas, Giles.Thomas@realestate.bnpparibas, Seb.Moseley@realestate.bnpparibas For more details about Worcester Six, visit www.worcester6.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Deciding whether to use plastic or copper pipe, is one of the first things that an installer considers when tackling a plumbing project. However, regardless of the choice the installer inevitably makes, there will be others ready to sing the praises of the other system. Whilst each has its own applications, and it is best to be well-versed in both, recent technological developments have made it clear that plastic plumbing systems are progressing much faster than their copper counterparts. By taking a more in-depth look at the benefits in this blog, RWC hope to make it easier for you to decide whether plastic or copper pipe is the most appropriate system for your project. Explaining what plastic plumbing is The first thing to note is that plastic, in this case, means PEX plastic and polybutylene plastic, which despite both being a kind of polyethylene, have some differences. For example, polybutylene is a much more flexible material than PEX, due to there being less memory in the coil. Additionally, PEX is a crosslinked plastic and can therefore tolerate higher water pressures than polybutylene. While the two plastics largely serve the exact same purpose, it is still best practice to be aware of which of the two materials you are working with when using plastic pipe. Does plastic plumbing perform better than copper? Copper pipe certainly has its die-hard fans, and it’s easy to see why. Copper pipes and fittings have multiple performance benefits, most notably the fact that they are biostatic. This means that they have anti-microbial qualities that don’t allow for the growth or multiplication of any organism, but most importantly micro-organisms such as bacteria. This is the same reason that the bases of ships get coated in copper, to prevent the growth of organisms such as barnacles. However, beyond this plastic plumbing systems have multiple performance benefits. For example, Plastic pipes can easily be demounted and reconnected with residual water in the pipe. Whereas the heat of soldering wet copper pipework causes steam in the pipework, which is also a danger to the installer. A key benefit that JG Speedfit’s plastic pipes has over copper alternatives is a five-layer barrier system. This system insulates the water so that the expansion and contraction that happens as a result of natural temperature changes throughout the day, only affects the metal fittings attached to the pipe, not the pipe itself, which reduces any potential risk of air ingress into the system. equally, the minimal expansion and contraction of plastic systems reduces the noise that the system makes too. Are plastic pipes easier to install than copper? While there are certain situations where regulations dictate that copper pipe must be installed, in the majority of other situations many installers will turn to plastic fittings and pipes. And there’ll be no flirting around why either – it’s not much of a secret after all. Indeed, one of the main selling points of plastic plumbing systems is the ease of installation. Plastic push-fit fittings, such as those in the JG Speedfit Twist & Lock® range, only require a pipe cutter to make a watertight connection. Whereas copper pipe needs to be fluxed and de-burred before soldering, and then cleaned after the fact too, meaning that plastic plumbing wins from an ease of installation perspective. Additionally, some places will require a hot work permit for using the tolls needed for copper pipe, this is easily circumvented by simply using plastic plumbing systems instead. Are plastic pipes and fittings more durable than copper? On paper, you would think that copper pipes and fittings would be far more durable than their plastic counterparts, metals are typically viewed as stronger materials after all. However, many would be surprised to learn both copper and plastic plumbing systems are advertised as having similar lifespans, this of course varies based on a number of factors, such as the type of water the system is receiving, the quality of the installation, and the amount of usage the system gets. However, these factors tend to affect copper systems more than plastic ones, as, for example, copper can oxidize or corrode when used with water and air, so it is more susceptible to damage or pitting, than its plastic counterpart. Is plastic plumbing more affordable than copper? Finally, another reason why many installers prefer plastic pipe over copper is the price point. Whilst copper plumbing doesn’t cost nearly as much as other metal plumbing systems, such as stainless steel, they are still far more expensive than plastic ones. On an individual basis, plastic pipe costs less than copper pipe but typically copper fittings cost less than plastic fittings. However, many don’t consider the outside factors that negatively affect the copper price point. Firstly, when using copper plumbing systems, you will have to expend extra money on consumables such as flux, gas, and solder, which is not a requirement when working with plastic plumbing systems. Similarly, plastic plumbing systems, as an easier-to-install system, save a lot of money on labour costs overall. Plastic plumbing is progressing much faster than copper plumbing Whilst regulations dictate that copper plumbing must be used in certain scenarios and indeed it possesses unique performance benefits, innovations in plastic plumbing are making it a much more well-rounded solution. Additionally, whilst it is common to see both systems being used in conjunction with one another, with copper pipe fitting into plastic fittings and vice versa, plastic plumbing looks to be the way forwards. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As a result of the development of a new industry-approved Product Data Template (PDT) for doorsets, manufacturers and distributors seeking to build confidence in their products and move closer towards implementing the ‘Golden Thread in construction’ can now supply consistent performance data to specifiers, contractors and building owners, says DHF. The PDT is timely, following the recent publication of the landmark Morrell Review into the regulation, testing and verification of the performance of construction products. “A Product Data Template is a common way of describing essential product characteristics that can be traced to a credible source such as a product standard,” explains Michael Skelding, General Manager & Secretary at DHF. “Once a manufacturer completes a PDT, the output is a Product Data Sheet summarising the performance and other technical characteristics of a construction product. Structuring product information in this way enables more consistent, audience-specific information, and identifies all the performance information required to make informed choices about construction products.” The doorset PDT has been published by the shadow Fenestration Relevant Authority, a group of 14 organisations and trade associations that have come together to provide PDTs for the sector, which DHF is represented. This means that the industry will now be able to create a coordinated set of Product Data Sheets for any doorsets involved in their projects. Hanna Clarke, digital and policy manager at the Construction Products Association (CPA) said: “Structured product information is absolutely vital to a joined-up construction and built environment sector. But the key to arriving at this information is consensus, and the CPA is pleased to see that the trade associations in the fenestration area have come together to form a shadow Relevant Authority as per the processes identified in the LEXiCON project. “It is these consensus processes and due diligence that will allow all those using the template and resulting product data sheets to trust that the information has been appropriately considered and will have longevity in application.” “This PDT is part of an ongoing programme of works in this field undertaken by the Fenestration Relevant Authority, with window hardware as the next project. DHF is thrilled to contribute to this and future PDTs to ensure that the Golden Thread is embedded into the construction industry”, concludes Michael. The following organisations are represented on the shadow Fenestration Relevant Authority: Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI), British Woodworking Federation (BWF), Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF), British Standards Institution (BSI), Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB), Construction Products Association (CPA), Door and Hardware Federation (DHF), Association of Composite Door Manufacturers (ACDM), British Blind and Shutters Association (BBSA), National Association of Rooflight Manufacturers (NARM), British Plastics Federation (BPF), Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) Centre for Windows and Cladding Technology (CWCT) and Steel Window Association (SWA). The PDT is available to download here: https://bit.ly/DHF-GenInfo Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Muse has been chosen by Oldham Council to develop a town centre regeneration. The partnership will involve the creation of 2,000 new homes, including a range of different types and sizes. The homes will be built on the site of the civil centre as well as at the sites of several former leisure centres. The scheme will also include the development of a new town centre park. The project is the latest phase of wider improvements to Oldham including the new Spindles shopping centre and offices; a new home for Tommyfield market, a new theatre, new space for businesses, and and a restored Old Library with cultural, civic and community spaces. The new partnership could last as long as 25 years. Muse were chosen after an in-depth procurement process. They have been responsible for developing similar projects such as the Stockport Exchange, Salford Central and Lewisham Gateway schemes. Commenting on the new partnership, Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “This is absolutely fantastic news. I’m delighted that, today, we can announce that together, we and Muse will be creating a new town centre for not just the people who live here now, but for generations to come. “These new homes will create new communities right in the heart of Oldham; which is a brilliant opportunity not just for the Oldhamers who will get the chance to live there, but also for people across the borough who can enjoy greener, more attractive, and more enjoyable places to shop, eat, drink and spend their leisure time. “I know today’s announcement will also be welcomed by our fantastic local businesses, who will soon be seeing more and more people spending time in our town centre throughout the day and into the evenings, as new communities move in, settle, and raise their families. “I’m so pleased to be leading on these exciting, ambitious, and truly game-changing plans – and I’m also truly excited that we’ve secured a partner from Oldham, who knows Oldham so well, and is just as passionate as me to make our borough a better place for all of us who call Oldham home.” Reflecting on their involvement, Phil Mayall, Managing Director – North West at Muse, said: “We’re proud to have been selected by the council to deliver its ambitious vision for regeneration in the town and we’re excited to get started. “As a business, we’re all about placemaking. We create kinder places in our towns and cities that focus on quality, community and sustainability. It’s regeneration with people at its heart; that will celebrate the proud town of Oldham, its rich heritage, along with its aspirations for the future. “We’re at the start of our journey with the council and we’re very much looking forward to getting out in the community as soon as we’re able, as we build a brighter future for Oldham, together.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ashe Construction has been appointed by Milton Keynes Council to deliver £24 million in community projects. The contract covers the creation of a new primary school and community health hub off junction 14 of the M1. The scheme is part of the the Council’s MK East development, which will include the creation of 5,000 new homes. The MK East school project, located on the A509, is valued at around £14.5m, and will provide 39 nursery places and 630 primary places. The 3400sq m school will have 21 classrooms and two halls and will be of steel frame construction with brickwork and cladding. Plans for the development include provisions for the creation of a future secondary school further down the road. The sports facilities at the new school will be made available for use by the public. The community health hub is valued at around £9.5m, and will provide a range of primary care, community health and other community-based services. The 1900sq m building will accommodate a community use hall, offices, meeting rooms and children’s centre. Commenting on the plans, Cllr Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for Children and Families at MK Council said: “We’re excited to have taken the first major step in this process. The new school will be the first planned primary to be built in the area and we expect it to become an all-through school, providing 630 pupil places and 39 nursery places to an exciting new community. This means no stressful transitions for children as they remain there for both primary and secondary education. With an all-through school, the parents get to build a really strong relationship with the school over that period.” Reflecting on their involvement, Ian Robbins Ashe Construction’s managing director said: “We are very experienced in creating modern education and health facilities and this prestigious project will provide the focal point of a brand-new community. We are excited to be playing our part in delivering high quality facilities that will stand the test of time, for the families who will make the area their home for many years to come.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ahead of the commencement of Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 in October 2023, the Home Office has published new guidance on the fire safety responsibilities of responsible persons (RPs). Released on 3 July 2023, the vital government guidance covers the types of buildings the new fire safety requirements apply to, the duties for all RPs and those RPs of buildings that contain two or more sets of domestic premises, and other changes to fire safety legislation. Its purpose is to ensure that RPs have the necessary information in which to prepare for the changes that will come into force later this year. In particular, the guidance highlights the requirement for RPs to keep a record of a full and completed fire risk assessment; the fire safety arrangements within their premises; and, in buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises, provide residents with relevant fire safety information in a format that can be easily understood: “You should make available as much information as possible about fire safety in your premises. This new requirement replaces the previous requirement to record only the significant findings of the risk assessment. It also removes the previous limitations on the circumstances within which you are required to record both the risk assessment and the fire safety arrangements at your premises, such as only being required to record this information if there were five or more employees or where subject to licensing or an alterations notice.” As outlined in the guidance, “These requirements apply to all non-domestic premises, such as where people work, visit, or stay, including workplaces, and the non-domestic parts of multi-occupied residential buildings (e.g. communal corridors, stairways, plant rooms). The requirements do not apply within individual domestic premises.” The Home Office adds that a competent person must be appointed by the RP to make or review the fire risk assessment, adding that the legislative requirement for this will be “brought into force at a later date”. “In the meantime, if you do appoint a fire risk assessor, our recommendation is that you ensure they are competent to do so, in terms of having sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities. It remains the case that the Responsible Person has a duty to make sure that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is completed.” Briefly, the duties to be taken up by RPs include: RPs of buildings that contain two or more sets of domestic premises are also required to provide necessary information to residents. The full guidance can be accessed here.
