SEGRO continues to set new standards for sustainable refurbishment within its 106 million square feet portfolio of industrial and logistics space it owns and manages across the UK and continental Europe following the completion of a six-month long renovation of 2 Auriol Drive The 25-year-old, 33,000 sq ft industrial unit
CEG has just completed two floors of bespoke designed and fit-out space for transport, infrastructure, and engineering company SYSTRA, at the iconic 28-storey Alpha tower in Birmingham. The 10-year lease of 14,000 sq ft marks the largest custom fit deal delivered by the investment and development company to date. Richard
Following a competitive tender process, Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) is pleased to announce that it will be appointing CBRE Ltd as the new investment advisor for its Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund (GMPVF). The Fund has an £840m investment allocation to local property development, focused on the North West
The Royal Nawaab today confirms that it has submitted a planning application to Stockport Metropolitan Council for a change of use to turn the existing vacant office building into a restaurant and three banquet halls. Royal Nawaab has built a reputation for providing an unrivalled dining experience at its two restaurants
Yepic, a revolutionary new photo-based app for tradespeople, is already making life easier and simpler for the UK’s 2.5 million tradespeople. Now available in app stores, Yepic http://www.yepic.com uses your work photos taken on your smartphones to record and manage jobs and has been designed for all trades, including
Network Rail has awarded the second of two contracts to build the new railway station for Chelmsford’s Beaulieu development to J Murphy & Sons Ltd. This contract award was possible following a recent agreement between Network Rail and Essex County Council to complete the construction of the new station. The
J Murphy & Sons has been appointed to develop a new railway station for Chelmsford’s Beaulieu development in Essex. It is the second of two contracts awarded by Network Rail. The £124 million contract includes main construction work for the new station on behalf of partners Essex County Council and
Housing association B3Living has secured a £50 million sustainability-linked loan from Lloyds Bank to build hundreds of new, affordable properties. Its sustainability-linked loan facility will be measured against three KPIs, which will see B3Living receive discounted funding relative to its performance as against agreed targets. The first KPI relates to
The company is committed to community engagement worldwide In recognition of its commitment to communities and sustainability across the globe, Doosan Bobcat (Bobcat) employees and members of its leadership team have been celebrating the company’s support of nearly 100 organizations and municipalities through volunteer efforts to benefit the places where
You can use handrails in your commercial property to improve health and safety. Handrails are also beneficial for reducing the risk of slips, trips, and falls, which can lead to serious injuries. Sturdy handrails provide an anchor that workers and visitors can rely on if they feel unsteady. They are
SEGRO continues to set new standards for sustainable refurbishment within its 106 million square feet portfolio of industrial and logistics space it owns and manages across the UK and continental Europe following the completion of a six-month long renovation of 2 Auriol Drive The 25-year-old, 33,000 sq ft industrial unit at Greenford Park, has been transformed into a state-of-the-art, environmentally sustainable facility. It will be the first industrial refurbishment of this type in the world that is completed to BREEAM Outstanding standards. The building now incorporates a range of new features and technology, and is set to be net carbon zero in operation with an EPC A+ energy rating, representing an unprecedented upgrade in sustainability performance for a refurbished building. At the forefront of the refurbishment has been the installation of PV panels across 33,000 sq ft of the exterior of the building, which will save 46.12 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to planting 2119 trees. Further sustainability features include: The refurbishment is part of SEGRO’s growing portfolio of zero-carbon developments, aligning with the company’s Responsible SEGRO commitment to champion low-carbon growth and be net-zero carbon by 2030. James Craddock, Managing Director, UK, at SEGRO, said: “Wholesale, technology-driven refurbishment of older buildings in our portfolio is an integral part of the execution of our strategy to be net-zero carbon by 2030. This project represents our most sustainable refurbishment to date, demonstrating our refusal to stand still and exemplifying our own high standards to drive us forward on our low carbon growth journey. “This approach also enables our customers to reach their own sustainability goals, where operating from a sustainable workspace is critical to their business.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CEG has just completed two floors of bespoke designed and fit-out space for transport, infrastructure, and engineering company SYSTRA, at the iconic 28-storey Alpha tower in Birmingham. The 10-year lease of 14,000 sq ft marks the largest custom fit deal delivered by the investment and development company to date. Richard Brookes, investment manager at CEG, explains: “Most companies don’t employ experts at design and fitting out workspace. They have a business to run and staff to manage, so a landlord willing to deliver this, especially one that will amortise the costs within the lease, can help clinch the deal. “SYSTRA were already located on one floor, but as they swiftly grew, they wanted bespoke, contemporary workspace befitting the expanded team. We agreed a deal over two floors, with a full design and refit package, providing 160-strong workspace, meeting and board room and kitchenette facilities – all designed to retain and attract the best talent. “Our in-house team of building and project managers know Alpha better than anyone and were able to design the most efficient space, working in harmony with existing pipework, air/cooling system and fire constraints. We managed the process from end to end, meeting SYSTRA’s goals from design and layout to productivity, health and sustainability, with the client also making cost savings thanks to our supply chain buying power.” In recent years, CEG delivered a £16.6 million refurbishment of Alpha, creating a contemporary and collaborative working environment for corporates wanting space floor by floor to Let Ready fully furnished flexible studio space for smaller and growing companies. As a result, the building is now 85 % let. John Porter, facilities manager at SYSTRA said: “Alpha is well located within central Birmingham close to New Street station, which makes it really accessible for the team. The recent refurbishment has also provided some of the highest quality space in the city, and the Let Ready studios were ideal. “The ability to accommodate our fast growth within custom-designed space be-fitting of our brand was perfect, and the fact that it could all be delivered by the landlord at no risk to us was even better. “We have a well-motivated team which loves coming to work in our new workspace. they benefit from the café, wellness studio and gym on site, and the Life by CEG app is great for keeping everyone up to date with events and offers.” Since early 2022, CEG has delivered more than 150 Let Ready Custom Design + Fit Out deals, with the help of its UK network of agents. By the end of this year that is likely to grow to more than a 100 deals per annum, creating bespoke workspace for thousands of people. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Following a competitive tender process, Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) is pleased to announce that it will be appointing CBRE Ltd as the new investment advisor for its Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund (GMPVF). The Fund has an £840m investment allocation to local property development, focused on the North West and West Yorkshire. The prestigious seven-year mandate will see CBRE provide strategic advice to the Fund to help it invest in direct and lending opportunities across the full range of commercial and residential property sectors, whilst meeting its other core investment objectives. These include generating income for the Fund whilst contributing positively to the economic growth and environment of the region through the generation of employment opportunities, improving long-term job prospects, advancing environmental and residential living standards, stimulating further investment, and regenerating urban areas. GMPVF has invested in property development across the North-West for over 30 years, both as a developer in its own right, and also by providing development debt and equity, alongside other developers in the region. Notable developments supported by GMPVF over recent years include: One St Peter’s Square, 8 First St, Airport City, Circle Square, Manchester New Square, Leonardo Hotel, Crusader Mill, Colliers Yard, Mailbox Stockport and Island Manchester. Colin Thomasson, Head of Northern Investment, CBRE commented: “We are honoured to have been appointed to service this significant mandate on behalf of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund. The investment potential across the north of England is exceptional and the scope of this investment programme will enable us to draw on the full power of the CBRE platform, bringing together experts from our Capital Markets, Asset Management, Development Advisory, Lending and Direct Investment Advisory teams to deliver significant value to the Fund over the next seven years. We are excited to build a powerful partnership with GMPF that will drive social, economic and community impact.” Will Church, Executive Director, Lending, CBRE added: “Our Lending team within Capital Advisors has originated and deployed over £1.6bn into debt investments across the North West and Yorkshire in the last 12 years, and manage some of the most successful Impact Funds in the UK. We consider GMPF’s ability and commitment to invest in schemes that benefit local communities to be fundamental to the ongoing success of the region and we are delighted to be able to build on our track record of delivering impact outcomes.” Councillor Gerald Cooney, Chair, GMPF added: “On behalf of the Fund, we would like to acknowledge the contribution made by the retiring manager, Avison Young (formerly GVA Grimley), in the successful expansion and deployment of the GMPVF allocation over the past 15 years. We now look forward to building a strong and effective partnership with CBRE to successfully deliver against our strategy and drive social, economic and community impact through our real estate investments across the north of England.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Royal Nawaab today confirms that it has submitted a planning application to Stockport Metropolitan Council for a change of use to turn the existing vacant office building into a restaurant and three banquet halls. Royal Nawaab has built a reputation for providing an unrivalled dining experience at its two restaurants in the South East close to London in Perivale and Ilford. The planning application submitted includes a restaurant with a capacity of 350 covers, three banquet halls that will range from a small, with a maximum capacity of 150 covers; a medium sized banquet hall with a maximum capacity of 300 covers and a large banquet hall with a maximum capacity of 700 covers. Royal Nawaab’s sites are more than just a restaurant, they offer space, amenities and logistics to handle large corporate events, parties and awe-inspiring weddings. The Pyramid in Stockport is where they are hoping to start their new chapter. Mahboob Hussain of Royal Nawaab said: “After much speculation in the media, we can confirm that we have submitted our planning application to Stockport Council. We are hoping to breathe much needed life into this iconic building and bring with it a significant investment and job creation into the Stockport and Greater Manchester region. “We have received a positive reaction to our plans from local people and media. It truly is an iconic building that has put Stockport on the map. We now want to bring it back to life with a truly unforgettable dining experience for diners across Stockport, Greater Manchester and beyond.” Fozia Alharby from Eamar Developments told us: “The owner Dr Abdullah Alnaeem is delighted that Royal Nawaab is now able to share their plans for the Pyramid. We have long been fans of the brand and we wanted to ensure that we brought something special to Stockport, they are the perfect fit. The plans for the space will offer so much more than a restaurant, it presents a destination to bring more people to Stockport.” Part of the ethos behind Royal Nawaab’s approach is to work with locally based businesses to bring the project to fruition. The team has worked with NK Architects based in Cheadle, Stockport to submit the planning application. To review plans please visit DC/089342 | Change of use of existing office building to Buffet Restaurant, Banquet Halls and storage with ancillary offices | The Pyramid Kings Valley Yew Street Heaton Mersey Stockport SK4 2JU Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Yepic, a revolutionary new photo-based app for tradespeople, is already making life easier and simpler for the UK’s 2.5 million tradespeople. Now available in app stores, Yepic http://www.yepic.com uses your work photos taken on your smartphones to record and manage jobs and has been designed for all trades, including electricians, plumbers, builders, decorators and joiners. Rapidly gaining momentum within the construction trades sector since its full launch in May this year on mobile and desktop, Yepic and its new pay-for upgrade, Yepic+ have a user-friendly, intuitive interface designed to empower the country’s tradespeople. Leeds-based Yepic is the brainchild of former electrical contractor and tech entrepreneur Sam Overment from East Yorkshire, who has been backed in his vision by a multi-million-pound investment from Labora, the parent company of City Electrical Factors’ (CEF). “Yepic is so easy to get started – all tradespeople need is a phone number and the app downloaded,” said Sam. “When you take a photo on your phone, the app captures the exact location and creates a ‘job’ in the app. You can add a caption like a customer’s name, and include notes and tasks to help manage the job, while choosing to have every visit you make and every photo you take automatically added using GPS, accurately recording addresses, eliminating time-consuming manual data entry.” Automatically finding all job photos on your phone, Yepic allows tradespeople to quickly sort and categorise thousands of images into job albums, tracking hours spent at each job capturing precise arrival and departure times. The Yepic app is free and has so far been downloaded by more than 12,000 tradespeople with a target of 50,000 downloads by the end of the year in what is one of the UK’s largest sectors by employment, including 800,000 self-employed tradespeople among the 2.5 million people employed across the country’s construction trades industry. “It’s a massive market and every tradesperson has the problem of needing to record their work movements and jobs with many relying on their memory alone, adding stress to their workday,” added Sam, who brings industry expertise and a deep understanding of tradespeople’s needs having spent years as a time-served electrician. “Yepic’s real USP is about putting tradespeople at the centre of everything we do. It enhances tradespeople and has no real barriers to allowing people to use it.” The proof is in the pudding, and Yepic has certainly struck a chord with users. Kai Fletcher, 19, is from Wellingborough and a second-year electrical apprentice on a four-year course at Northampton College’s Booth Lane campus. Working for Appleby Electrical, a family-owned firm from the town, he first caught sight of Yepic on TikTok, and he says, ‘I’ve been on it ever since.’ The young electrician’s workload is a lot of solar PV installations, so panels, batteries and meters, as well as domestic rewires and new boards. And he says he’s finding Yepic really useful for tracking his jobs, creating portfolios for his college course and supporting his employer’s clients. “Yepic is very easy to use. It has a brilliant interface and shows me what jobs I’ve been working and lets me select, add and keep new job-specific photos in one place. I’ve been using it every day for things like keeping track of what cables have been installed behind what wall board or floor. “It’s also helping me with my college portfolio by keeping jobs together, showing ‘before and after’ photos.” Kai has shown his employer, mentioned it to his course tutor and shared it with his apprenticeship course mates. Kai’s experience is echoed elsewhere across the country as tradespeople have discovered how easy to use – and useful – Yepic is to them. Simon Bowler, a joiner and landscape architect from near York, has been using the app for the last couple of months. “We’ve just finished a compositie decking job in Harrogate and throughout that project we’ve been using Yepic to help us track what we’ve been doing and when we’ve been doing it, adding photos, notes and tasks. “Yepic is going to help us tremendously on future projects.” Yepic’s Chief Technology Officer, Gary Worthington, feels that Yepic’s automatic visit tracking is a key feature that will attract tradespeople. “Although [automatic visit tracking] is a highly technical solution, it is really simple for our users to make use of. When people see it in action, you can see that ‘magic’ moment when they realise how useful it will be,” said Gary. This is being born out in the workplace where Michael Abbott, who runs Relyon Gas Services in Ilford, Essex, and has found Yepic’s photo location feature particularly useful. “One of the best things about Yepic is that you can go about your business, take photos and just set up the job when you want to, at the start or at the end when you’re going out the door. You can also automatically migrate all your photos from a specific job from your phone’s gallery into Yepic.” Successes like these have encouraged Sam and his team of Leeds-based app developers and designers to launch new, advanced features which are now available in the pay-for upgrade to the app, Yepic+. Yepic+ has additional functionality and advanced features that include job sharing, videos, timesheets and job reports and is available on either a monthly or annual paid subscription*. Yepic’s App Tester, Ash Winter, said: “The Yepic+ job reports function has something for loads of different Yepic+ subscribers. If you are a sole trader looking to showcase work or working on a big site and you need to export your time. Even for students with assignments to pull together. “We have built it to be flexible, so you can access time on the job, photos, notes and tasks. It’s something you can use for your needs, rather than what we think your needs are.” To
Network Rail has awarded the second of two contracts to build the new railway station for Chelmsford’s Beaulieu development to J Murphy & Sons Ltd. This contract award was possible following a recent agreement between Network Rail and Essex County Council to complete the construction of the new station. The £124 million contract includes main construction work for the new station on behalf of partners Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council. This phase of the work includes the construction for the new station facility, the associated infrastructure, and progress towards opening to train services for the benefit of passengers. As part of a wider regeneration scheme, the new station has been designed to support the economic development of the Beaulieu area and its construction will include: Beaulieu Park station is currently expected to be completed by end of 2025. Once open, the station will be managed by Greater Anglia and served by its fleet of new trains with services into London. Katie Frost, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia said: “J Murphy and Sons have made an excellent start with the enabling and civils works and this contract award will allow us to seamlessly continue to deliver this amazing new station for Chelmsford without pause. Beaulieu Park station is an excellent example of what the railway industry can do when working in partnership with local organisations to improve the railway for the benefit of communities and businesses by delivering a new station for the Beaulieu community.” Chris Cayton, Managing Director – Transportation, J Murphy & Sons Ltd “We’re very proud to be continuing our long partnership with Network Rail through the construction of Beaulieu Park station, a major enhancement to the transport network in Chelmsford. Significant progress has been made by the Murphy team over the past few months, including modification to the rail systems, groundworks and piling for the station building. “In the coming months residents will see their new station take shape, as the platforms are constructed, and the steelwork is erected, ahead of major commissioning of the railway infrastructure at Christmas.” For more information about the Beaulieu Park station project please visit our project webpage: www.networkrail.co.uk/beaulieu Follow us on Twitter @networkrailANG using the hashtag #BeaulieuParkStation Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
J Murphy & Sons has been appointed to develop a new railway station for Chelmsford’s Beaulieu development in Essex. It is the second of two contracts awarded by Network Rail. The £124 million contract includes main construction work for the new station on behalf of partners Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council. This phase of the work includes the construction for the new station facility, the associated infrastructure, and progress towards opening to train services for the benefit of passengers. As part of a wider regeneration scheme, the new station has been designed to support the economic development of the Beaulieu area and its construction will include: Beaulieu Park station is currently expected to be completed by end of 2025. Once open, the station will be managed by Greater Anglia and served by its fleet of new trains with services into London. Katie Frost, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia said: “J Murphy and Sons have made an excellent start with the enabling and civils works and this contract award will allow us to seamlessly continue to deliver this amazing new station for Chelmsford without pause. “Beaulieu Park station is an excellent example of what the railway industry can do when working in partnership with local organisations to improve the railway for the benefit of communities and businesses by delivering a new station for the Beaulieu community.”
Housing association B3Living has secured a £50 million sustainability-linked loan from Lloyds Bank to build hundreds of new, affordable properties. Its sustainability-linked loan facility will be measured against three KPIs, which will see B3Living receive discounted funding relative to its performance as against agreed targets. The first KPI relates to retrofitting existing stock to ensure the housing association is going above and beyond the current minimum regulations to bring all of its properties up to at least EPC C by 2028. T B3Living supports around 12,000 people in 5,000 homes among communities in Broxbourne and the wider south east Hertfordshire area and is currently rated as ‘Silver’ via the SHIFT sustainability framework (which amalgamates 15 separate ESG KPIs into one overarching score). Its aim is to enhance its SHIFT score year-on-year with the ambition of achieving a stretching SHIFT “Gold” status in 2024, and continuing to target a further numerical uplift in following years. Finally, B3Living aims to build at least 50 energy-efficient, affordable new build homes a year by 2028, of which 70% will be in Broxbourne to help tackle the ongoing shortage of affordable housing in the borough. Alex Shelock, B3Living’s executive director for finance, said: “In this current operating environment of high inflation and interest rates coupled with political and economic uncertainty, organisations like ours have a tough balancing act in terms of protecting financial resilience whilst delivering for our customers and communities. “The transition towards net-zero carbon is a key strategic priority for B3Living, and this type of flexible and incentivised loan is an excellent avenue for us to stretch our ESG ambitions and deliver benefits for existing customers as well as those yet to be housed. It also strengthens a nearly decade-long partnership between Lloyds Bank and B3Living.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The company is committed to community engagement worldwide In recognition of its commitment to communities and sustainability across the globe, Doosan Bobcat (Bobcat) employees and members of its leadership team have been celebrating the company’s support of nearly 100 organizations and municipalities through volunteer efforts to benefit the places where Bobcat employees live and work. On 12th September 2023, more than 1000 employees in 12 countries across Bobcat’s global footprint participated in company-organized projects, volunteering thousands of combined hours. “As an organization, we aim to create positive social impact to enhance the communities where we live and work, as well as benefit our neighbours,” said Scott Park, Doosan Bobcat CEO. “Our community engagement initiatives are a company tradition, and over the years, we have supported hundreds of organizations with thousands of volunteer hours all with the goal of creating a better tomorrow.” Impactful community projects across EMEA region In Dobris in the Czech Republic, where Doosan Bobcat’s headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) are located, 179 executives and employees participated in activities including a city and forest clean-up project; bush and tree planting; fence painting and preparing a surface for a children’s playground. Volunteers used a fleet of Bobcat equipment including skid-steer, compact track and wheel loaders with various attachments to help in the projects making tough jobs easier, while increasing efficiency and productivity. Representatives of the town of Dobris and community employees joined Bobcat staff in these volunteer efforts. The Mayor of Dobris, Pavel Svoboda, commented: “With so many people involved at once and with the equipment used, we can really conduct meaningful and impactful projects in a short period of time to benefit all the residents and make our town an even better place. I am grateful for any helping hand.” Projects varied across all 15 of Bobcat’s EMEA business sites and involved 407 employees serving a combined total of 949 hours on behalf of their local communities. Their tasks included recycling projects, litter picking and a wildflower meadow restoration project, as well as various donation projects such as blood donation, food donations for charity organizations and money donations to fund local fire brigades. Bobcat employees from around the world participated in the initiative, encompassing the Europe, Middle East, Africa, North America, Asia, Latin America and Oceania regions. The global effort supports Bobcat’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments to community engagement, sustainability and responsible growth as an organization in the communities where its employees live and work. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
You can use handrails in your commercial property to improve health and safety. Handrails are also beneficial for reducing the risk of slips, trips, and falls, which can lead to serious injuries. Sturdy handrails provide an anchor that workers and visitors can rely on if they feel unsteady. They are great aids for older adults with limited mobility or individuals who are struggling to navigate your premises. You can get a wide range of different types of handrails nowadays. Each one offers unique benefits and functions that you should consider before installing any on your commercial property. One of the most common types of handrails used in commercial buildings is the free-standing handrail. Knowing where to place free-standing handrails is essential for providing the safest and most convenient environment in your building, provided they meet building safety standards. The question is, ‘Where are the best places to install free-standing handrails?’ One of the most crucial handrail locations on your commercial property is by entrances and exits. Free-standing handrails enable your employees and visitors to enter and exit your building safely, avoiding accidents and injuries that could lead to costly compensation claims. Entrances and exits are high-traffic areas, and handrails provide support and stability during peak times for people with a wide range of needs. They also enhance the appearance of your building’s exterior by framing the doors and increasing professionalism. Stairways can be some of the riskiest areas in a property because there is a higher risk of slips, trips, and falls. Placing free-standing handrails along stairs on your property, both indoors and outdoors, provides stability and minimizes injury risks as people maneuvre around your building. Similarly, you can also use free-standing handrails along elevators and escalators in case people require additional support when standing on them. Ramps are necessary as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which requires you to make your property accessible to individuals with disabilities. Ramps enable those in wheelchairs to get into and out of your building easily. Free-standing handrails are the best choice for ramps that aren’t placed directly next to a wall, as they don’t require an anchor to be fitted. You should install handrails along the entire length of the ramp so your employees and guests can ascend or descend the ramps without injury risks in the office or on the shop floor. Long corridors and hallways can be daunting for people with mobility or balance issues, especially if there is nothing to grab onto as they are walking from one room to another. Installing free-standing handrails provides support along passageways so everybody can stay safe, and you can avoid any personal injury claims. Consider installing wall-mounted handrails along narrower corridors and hallways to save floor space and ensure every area of your property is accessible for those with wheelchairs.
