Cornish developer Treveth has been awarded the prestigious, and globally recognised, B Corporation (B Corp) certification after taking the lead on bringing sustainable new build homes and commercial developments to Cornwall, for Cornish people. Just four years after its launch, Treveth has become one of the first developers in the
Tunley Engineering, a leading name in engineering solutions, is thrilled to announce its rebranding as Tunley Environmental. This strategic move reflects the company’s commitment to empower sustainable solutions and accelerate sustainability globally. With a renewed vision and mission, Tunley Environmental aims to revolutionise the industry by offering comprehensive services and
The extent to which Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) is present in residential buildings and the risk levels presented is currently unclear, and we appreciate that media coverage, conflicting reports and misinformation may be leading to questions and concerns from clients and residents alike. RAAC is a form of lightweight
Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence Division has unveiled the latest release of its flagship product, CADWorx® 23 Plant Design Suite, a comprehensive solution that addresses the challenges faced by industries in computer-assisted design (CAD) and engineering (CAE). The suite enhances productivity through improved compatibility and optimised workflows. The CADWorx Design Suite is
Network Space Developments (NSD) has been appointed as Development Manager by St Helens Borough Council for a prime edge of town centre, five-acre site. Located adjacent to the recently completed £54m Glass Futures initiative, the site was recently purchased by the Council with assistance from the Liverpool City Region Combined
A provider of rented retired homes has acquired an apartment development in London. Birchgrove has bought a total of 78 apartments in Hampton Court growing its portfolio across the South-East. The £39 million deal has been completed with Octagon Developments, who design and build high quality homes throughout Southern England.
Each year, there are thousands of workplace fires recorded across the UK — many of which could have been avoided if the correct fire safety procedures were followed, and the right passive fire protection products were in place. From faulty electrical equipment to careless handling of hot substances, there are
Cornish developer Treveth has been awarded the prestigious, and globally recognised, B Corporation (B Corp) certification after taking the lead on bringing sustainable new build homes and commercial developments to Cornwall, for Cornish people. Just four years after its launch, Treveth has become one of the first developers in the UK to achieve the rigorous requirements of the respected B Corp certification. Businesses that are certified B Corps meet the highest standard of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. Applicants are required to exceed a benchmark score of 80 out of 200, Treveth secured an overall score of 95.2, a significantly high score for a business working in the property and development industry. Tim Mulholland, Managing Director at Treveth, commented: “We’re delighted to announce that we are among just a handful of UK developers that have achieved the B Corp certification. Furthermore, we believe Treveth is the first local authority owned company to achieve B Corp status. This highly regarded certification is an acknowledgement of our company’s strong environmental and social ethos and our brilliant team, who work really hard to bring these values to life across all our activities.” Managed by B Lab, the internationally recognised certification process measures a company’s entire impact across five key areas of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers. It also verifies socially and environmentally responsible practice from energy, water and waste to diversity, transparency and staff support policies. Based in Truro and operating under a ‘Profit with Purpose’ ethos, Treveth builds high-quality new build homes, sustainable communities, and commercial developments in partnership with Cornwall Council to benefit people who live and work in Cornwall. The firm has made impressive progress in ensuring that all aspects of the business operate in a sustainable way. Tim continued: “Since Treveth launched in 2019, sustainability has been at the core of everything we do. Our objective has always been to leave behind a positive legacy of sustainable residential and commercial developments that are valued by their communities. We are also driving forward meaningful action on decarbonisation in full alignment with Cornwall Council’s ambition for Cornwall to be carbon neutral by 2030.” Treveth is leading the way on delivering low carbon developments and strives to achieve challenging carbon emissions targets set for 2030. Launched in 2021, Treveth’s new homes scheme Gwel Basset at Tolgus is at the forefront of low carbon developments. All 185 new build homes at this site are designed to meet challenging operational and embodied carbon saving targets and use up to 73% less energy a year compared to an average three-bedroom house in the UK. Environmental measures include using air source heat pumps in place of fossil fuelled boilers, carefully integrated walking and cycle routes as well as easy access to bus and rail infrastructures, planting of edible landscapes and working with local suppliers. Earlier this year, at Treveth’s Bodmin site, Park Lanneves, Treveth has set new benchmarks for sustainability by avoiding the removal of a significant amount of soil from the site which would have equated to 1,300 lorry movements. By working with the existing ground levels and reducing the need for retaining structures, it has been possible to avoid taking any soil off site. This will result in an overall carbon saving of at least 700 tonnes of CO2e, equivalent to approximately 700 passenger return flights from London to New York. The commercial arm of the business is also looking at new ways in which it can bring workspace opportunities to Cornwall whilst managing its environmental impact. Currently under construction, Treveth is retaining and reusing the foundations and steel frames on site at Pool’s Dudnance Lane to reduce both the amount of waste generated from site and new materials needed for rebuilding. Tim added: “With this certification, Treveth becomes a part of the global B Corp community which allows us to connect with other like-minded brands and businesses that measure social and environmental impact. We have learnt a considerable amount throughout the B Corp process and will use the assessment to keep strengthening our approach in the years to come.” The B Corp certification applies to all companies under the Treveth umbrella, including Perran Housing. All certified B Corps are required to undertake the assessment and verification process every three years to retain their B Corp status. Treveth plans to continue its sustainability journey to ensure that it enjoys B Corp status for years to come. The next step in Treveth’s carbon neutrality journey is to look at the provision of smart grids that will enable the use of renewable energy opportunities on Treveth’s sites to be maximised. For larger scale developments, Treveth is in the process of developing alternative renewable strategies that take advantage of Cornwall’s natural geology to provide decarbonised heat. The Cornish developer is also in the process of having its first carbon inventory developed which will identify measurable targets for further annual reductions. For more information on Treveth, visit www.treveth.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Tunley Engineering, a leading name in engineering solutions, is thrilled to announce its rebranding as Tunley Environmental. This strategic move reflects the company’s commitment to empower sustainable solutions and accelerate sustainability globally. With a renewed vision and mission, Tunley Environmental aims to revolutionise the industry by offering comprehensive services and expertise in carbon reduction assessments and carbon training courses. These offerings are specifically designed to enable businesses to make a genuine and lasting sustainable impact, reducing and offsetting their carbon footprint. Tunley Environmental’s team of dedicated scientists brings extensive knowledge and experience in the field of environmental sustainability. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovative methodologies, they provide high-quality carbon reduction assessments that identify potential areas for improvement within businesses. These assessments serve as a roadmap for organisations seeking to implement effective sustainability strategies. In addition to carbon reduction assessments, Tunley Environmental offers specialised carbon training courses. These courses are designed to empower businesses and individuals with the knowledge and skills required to navigate the complexities of carbon footprint management successfully. By equipping professionals with the necessary tools, Tunley Environmental aims to create a global network of sustainability champions who can drive positive change within their organisations. “We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter as Tunley Environmental,” said Dr William Beer, CEO at Tunley Environmental.” Our rebranding reflects our unwavering commitment to empower sustainable solutions and contribute to a greener future. Through our carbon reduction assessments and training courses, we aim to provide businesses with the necessary expertise to make tangible and meaningful changes towards sustainability.” Tunley Environmental invites businesses, media outlets, and sustainability enthusiasts to join them in their mission to accelerate sustainability globally. By collaborating and sharing knowledge, Tunley Environmental believes that the collective effort will lead to a more sustainable world for generations to come. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The extent to which Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) is present in residential buildings and the risk levels presented is currently unclear, and we appreciate that media coverage, conflicting reports and misinformation may be leading to questions and concerns from clients and residents alike. RAAC is a form of lightweight concrete sometimes referred to as panels. It was used primarily in roof planks of some public buildings built between the mid-1950s and mid-1990s. The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) in conjunction with the Cabinet Office and other government departments have set up the RAAC Industry Response Group. The group met up for the first time yesterday in early September 2023 and over the coming weeks will investigating scale and risks and developing further guidance. We are pleased to report that The Property Institute and our sector is represented on the group by Mark Snelling, our health, safety and fire consultant. Whilst further investigation is carried out into the scale and risks, and guidance for the residential sector is developed, please be assured that The Property Institute is engaging with our technical colleagues and industry peers to help shape guidance specifically for managing agents, landlords and residents, which we will share with you as soon as any is available, particularly in relation to high-rise buildings and the Building Safety Act 2022. We are also in communication with the Building Safety Regulator at the HSE on this issue, so please look out for further updates. Please ensure that, if you are undertaking any investigate or survey work, you seek advice to ensure that such costs incurred are reasonable and proportionate. It would be useful if you could inform us whether you have completed any structural surveys in relation to an HRB and if so, whether the presence of RAAC was a consideration in the survey, and whether any RAAC was found. Please email jthorburn@tpi.org.uk with your findings. There has been extensive media coverage on this issue, particularly for schools and other public premises, and whilst technical guidance is being formed, we wanted to provide you with some existing and updated sources of information and guidance from relevant and authoritative bodies and organisations, which may be helpful. GUIDANCE FROM THE INSTITUTION OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), who are leading on the technical aspect of the Industry Response Group’s response, have issued guidance about RAAC to enable building managers and their consultants to manage the situation, established a RAAC working study group, and created a list of professionally qualified structural engineers (Chartered or Incorporated Members) who have declared their experience in providing technical solutions for managing RAAC planks. In a statement issued on the 1st September 2023 IStructE have said: “If properly designed, manufactured, in good condition and with good bearing, RAAC installations are considered safe. However, the panels can creep and deflect over time, and this can be exacerbated by water penetration. A more recent incident indicated that if they have insufficient bearing and their structural integrity is compromised, they can fracture and collapse with little or no warning.” Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK (CROSS-UK), a confidential reporting system which allows professionals working in the built environment to report on fire and structural safety issues, have recently issued a report about a RAAC assessment that was carried out by persons who did not appear to have appropriate experience, potentially putting building users at risk of harm. The Key Learning Outcomes in the report for building owners, managers, surveyors, and other persons responsible for the safety of buildings are: STRUCTURAL SAFETY GUIDANCE & REPORTS Below, we’ve collated the most informative resources and guidance on RAAC, from The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), The Department of Education (DfE) and Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures (CROSS): Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence Division has unveiled the latest release of its flagship product, CADWorx® 23 Plant Design Suite, a comprehensive solution that addresses the challenges faced by industries in computer-assisted design (CAD) and engineering (CAE). The suite enhances productivity through improved compatibility and optimised workflows. The CADWorx Design Suite is a comprehensive software series for plant design that offers integrated intelligent drawing/database connectivity, advanced automation capabilities, and user-friendly drafting tools. This new release empowers engineers and designers with an optimised and efficient CAD experience, seamless compatibility and enhanced functionality. Key Highlights of CADWorx 23 Plant Design Suite Include: Unrivalled compatibility: The CADWorx Plant Design Suite allows users to immediately leverage the benefits and advancements of the latest CAD platforms without any delays and is fully integrated with BricsCAD® v23 and AutoCAD® 2023 and 2024. Functional enhancements: various modules see significant improvements: These enhancements empower engineers and designers to create more intricate and accurate designs that meet industry requirements. Enhanced usability and configuration: this new release offers new capabilities to automate workflows further: Efficiency in design processes: responding to user feedback, this new release adds the ability to inherit process line numbers from PIDVIEW to Plant Modelling, reducing manual effort and ensuring design coherence. Additionally, the PIDVIEW module lets users insert components that match specific types and selected property values, to enhance productivity and accuracy. Wally Elarusi, Product Owner, CADWorx, said: “In today’s competitive landscape, industries face numerous challenges when it comes to CAD design and engineering. This release of CADWorx 23 Plant Design Suite aims to deliver an enhanced CAD environment, addressing industry pain points and empowering engineers and designers with increased compatibility, stability, and optimised workflow capabilities.” Peter Van Der Weijde, Vice President EMIA, Hexagon CADWorx and Analysis Solutions: “This new release fully reflects Hexagon’s customer-centric approach to development. Our customers are allowed to vote to prioritise features we should develop. As a result, we were able to incorporate new, high-value features, provide unrivalled compatibility and place a strong emphasis on responding to customer feedback and addressing bugs or issues promptly, across a large range of industries, for a more reliable and efficient experience.” For a deeper dive into the functionalities and innovations packed in CADWorx 23 Plant Design Suite, Hexagon invites all to join the “What’s New in CADWorx 23: Driving Continuous Improvements in Designs” webinar. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Network Space Developments (NSD) has been appointed as Development Manager by St Helens Borough Council for a prime edge of town centre, five-acre site. Located adjacent to the recently completed £54m Glass Futures initiative, the site was recently purchased by the Council with assistance from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Strategic Investment Fund, for an undisclosed sum. Forming part of Glass Futures’ 15-month construction programme, the land is now serviced and development-ready with access roads constructed and remediation works completed. The appointment marks the second development management role that NSD has secured from a North West local authority this year, following its appointment by Stockport Council to lead the design and delivery of Cheadle Eco Business Park at Bird Hall Lane. The proposed environmentally exemplar, industrial employment scheme is central to the Cheadle Town Investment Plan, which will unlock the town’s economic potential and drive clean growth and secured £4.4million of Towns Fund support. Councillor Richard McCauley, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, said: “Based locally in Newton-le-Willows, Network Space has an excellent track record on overseeing successful developments in our borough – from the top-class, award-winning Mere Grange to Glass Futures, a state-of-the-art, globally significant project which will once again put St Helens at the forefront of glass innovation. “I’m delighted that we will be working with them once again on this exciting new project on our journey to drive forward inclusive growth – providing contracts for local suppliers as part of our commitment to social value, as well as creating job and training opportunities for local residents, all while ensuring our borough maintains its position as a global centre of excellence.” Catherine Chilvers, Development Director at Network Space Developments, said: “We are delighted to once again be working alongside St Helens Borough Council to support their ambition to advance a new phase of development at this strategically important site for the Borough and build upon the success and momentum of the recently completed Glass Futures facility.’’ “Two development management appointments by ambitious local authorities this year demonstrates our long-standing expertise in delivering property led regeneration projects on behalf of a public private partnership. NSD has shown itself to be a trusted partner, with the commercial expertise to guide and accelerate delivery to facilitate new jobs and investment opportunities, and this latest role gives us a further opportunity to do just that.” NSD has already created and modernised almost 10 million sq. ft of multi-unit industrial workspace across the north of England, attracting a variety of global and UK-based businesses. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A provider of rented retired homes has acquired an apartment development in London. Birchgrove has bought a total of 78 apartments in Hampton Court growing its portfolio across the South-East. The £39 million deal has been completed with Octagon Developments, who design and build high quality homes throughout Southern England. Octagon Developments will deliver the apartments on a turnkey basis by 2025. This is Birchgrove’s eighth development with their equity partners Bridges Fund Management and follows the successful exit of its first two neighbourhoods to M&G last year. The debt is provided by Beaufort Capital and is their fourth deal with Birchgrove. The project’s GDV is forecast to increase to £68m once all units are fully let. The development will provide 78 contemporary, self-contained assisted living one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments available to independently minded renters aged over 65, together with extensive communal facilities including a restaurant, club room, licensed bar, wellness suite, library and landscaped gardens. Honor Barratt, Chief Executive, Birchgrove said: “Our new site at Hampton Court will encapsulate all the benefits of the Birchgrove offering: beautiful, purpose-built apartments, a flexible rental model, publicly accessible communal spaces and a development that frees up homes for local families. Imagine being able to sit on your balcony and look over the Thames into the back garden of Henry VIII – who wouldn’t want to live like that? “With more and more retirees looking to rent, London is firmly in our sights to expand our portfolio, and having secured sites in Chiswick and Hampton Court we look forward to announcing further exciting news in the capital soon.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Each year, there are thousands of workplace fires recorded across the UK — many of which could have been avoided if the correct fire safety procedures were followed, and the right passive fire protection products were in place. From faulty electrical equipment to careless handling of hot substances, there are plenty of potential causes of workplace fires — but what are the most common outliers? As one of the UK’s leading providers of fire door and passive fire protection products, we were curious to find out exactly what the top causes of workplace fires were. So, we looked at official Government data from 2010 – 2022 showing primary fires in non-residential buildings by cause of fire to find the following results. Here is an even more detailed breakdown of the findings: Deliberate: 82, 268 Other accidental: 70, 612 Faulty appliances and leads: 63,723 Faulty fuel supplies: 50,806 Misuse of equipment or appliances: 49, 008 Careless handling of fire or hot substances: 46,887 Placing articles too close to heat: 41, 433 Chip/ fat pan fires: 37,795 Playing with fire: 27,787 Unspecified cause: 27, 529 Shockingly, the most common cause of fires in buildings not marked as ‘dwellings’ on Government records is ‘deliberate’. After this, there is a large unspecified group of ‘other accidental’ causes of fires. This could be anything from smoking near flammable substances or not correctly extinguishing sources of fire. Regardless of specifics, the sheer number of these accidental causes suggests a greater need for improved fire safety training – and a larger number of fire protection products in workspaces, to reduce the impact of fire-related accidents. The large number of causes relating to faulty appliances, leads, fuel supplies, and misuse of equipment also implies that fire safety audits and routine inspections are not carried out nearly enough. Fore more fire safety guidance, head over to our advice centre or contact us with any questions. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
