Costain, the infrastructure solutions company, has successfully completed works to ensure today’s entry into service of the upgraded Gatwick Airport station. The four-and-a-half-year construction and refurbishment project began in June 2019 and significantly upgrades the station’s ability to handle growing passenger numbers. Costain first delivered the planning and design stages
Bradford’s One City Park office scheme, delivered by Muse in partnership with Bradford Council, is now complete and contracts have been exchanged with a corporate anchor tenant, to be announced in the coming weeks. The landmark city centre building was delivered on schedule, a major feat for a scheme of
Mecalac is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its globally-acclaimed site dumper range. Originally licenced under the Benford brand, the company’s Coventry manufacturing operations have assembled thousands of models since the very first unit rolled off production in 1953. 70 years later, each model is still renowned for its robust design
The sustainability battle lines have been drawn – a new report has been released by the Green Building Council of Australia, a leading authority on sustainable buildings and communities in conjunction with property industry champion, the Property Council of Australia, calling for more support at a local government level for
Costain, the infrastructure solutions company, has successfully completed works to ensure today’s entry into service of the upgraded Gatwick Airport station. The four-and-a-half-year construction and refurbishment project began in June 2019 and significantly upgrades the station’s ability to handle growing passenger numbers. Costain first delivered the planning and design stages and was then appointed to deliver the improvement works. The project has created a safer, more convenient interchange between the station platforms and Gatwick International Airport. The brief included the construction of a new concourse and staff accommodation, as well as carrying out the reconfiguration of railway infrastructure. Costain has also refurbished the existing station concourse and footbridges, enhancing the one-way system between the airport and the station. There are new customer information systems, more ticket gates and significant improvements to accessibility with the installation of eight new escalators and five new lifts. Costain’s project director, Andy Hudspith, said: “We’re really proud of the work we’ve undertaken for Network Rail to upgrade the station at Gatwick Airport. The project has been complex and challenging, but we’re pleased that our work will enhance the passenger experience and improve journey times for everyone who uses and passes through the airport. The biggest challenge was to achieve the transformation without negatively impacting rail or airport operations, and with minimal impact on passengers, all while working above a live railway line and within the heart of the world’s busiest single runway airport. We’re delighted to have delivered such an important project successfully.” Gatwick airport is the UK’s second busiest airport and its station is one of the ten busiest stations in the UK outside of London, handling more than 20 million passengers a year. The redevelopment works were designed to provide crucial increased capacity to support airport growth and significantly enhance the passenger experience. The new second concourse has been built above the existing platforms five, six and seven, doubling the space available for passengers at the station. The new exit concourse measures 1727 square metres, the size of eight tennis courts and provides a spectacular new entrance space to the airport. The roof of the new concourse is formed using four clear spanning steel trusses that connect the platform and concourse environments in a sweeping arch form. The trusses are finished in gold anodised aluminium cladding, bringing warmth and prestige to the space. In between the trusses there are 945 square metres of ETFE pillows (a lightweight alternative to glazing) which floods the concourse with natural light, using the same technology as the biospheres at the Eden Project in Cornwall. Accessibility has been improved throughout, for example wheelchairs users’ access has been improved through the widening of the historically narrow platforms five and six. New tactile signage, including braille, has been integrated into the wayfinding signage strategy and there are 70 new hearing loops at key points. A 24/7 special assistance point has been created in the existing station concourse to provide additional support for passengers with reduced mobility and disabilities. As well as encouraging sustainable travel, Costain also targeted reducing carbon emissions during the building and operation of the new concourse. The project used almost 3,000m3 of low-carbon concrete, saving 517 tonnes of CO2 emissions and £12,500 in costs. LED lighting was used throughout the station, escalators were fitted with reduced speed technology to lower emissions when not in use, and high efficiency gearless lifts were installed as well as a hybrid heating and cooling system. An estimated annual cost saving of nearly £60,000 and an annual reduction of 144 tonnes of carbon emissions are expected from these features. David Taylor, Costain’s interim managing director for Transportation, commented: “The development at Gatwick transforms the existing station and provides a greatly enhanced experience for passengers. Costain’s extensive capability to deliver complex programmes has been showcased with this project; we’ve used leading edge smart technology and worked sustainably to create a wonderful new space for passengers. It’s been a particularly collaborative project which has helped enormously with its success; from an engaged and supportive supply chain to Network Rail’s invaluable assistance with possessions of the railway.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bradford’s One City Park office scheme, delivered by Muse in partnership with Bradford Council, is now complete and contracts have been exchanged with a corporate anchor tenant, to be announced in the coming weeks. The landmark city centre building was delivered on schedule, a major feat for a scheme of this scale in a prominent and extremely tight city centre location. Brought forward by national place makers Muse and in partnership with Bradford Council, the scheme offers 56,403 sq. ft of sustainable and flexible office space in the heart of the city and was delivered by main contractor Caddick Construction. Additional funding came from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Simon Dew, development director at Muse, said: “One City Park will be a catalyst for further investment in the city and signifies a newfound confidence in its commercial centre that will attract future big-name businesses. The project also demonstrates a very successful public/private partnership that will reap long-term benefits by providing incredible job opportunities for the younger, growing, population in the city.” The project is the first large capital development to complete in the city, ahead of the £23m Darley Street market scheme set to open next year, as well as Bradford Live which is currently undergoing its own multi-million-pound transformation. The city has also committed to a Walking and Cycling Improvements Scheme that is set to transform the way people get around the city centre. The £43m scheme includes the pedestrianisation and landscaping of a number of city centre streets and re-routing some buses – all aimed at creating a healthier, safer and more attractive place in which to live, work and visit. One City Park only launched to market last year and is represented by commercial agents Knight Frank and Colliers. It features five floors of workspace and a roof terrace, flexible floor plans that can adapted to accommodate more agile working practices as well as promote wellbeing. It is designed to suit a range of businesses from home grown starts-up and SMEs, through to larger organisations and multi-national occupiers. The building, which has now been formally handed over to Bradford Council as the owners, is framed by new public spaces including stepped access and attractive seating areas. Cultural assets such as the Grade I Listed City Hall, St George’s Hall and new music venue, Bradford Live, all surround One City Park and are expected to play a major role in the city’s UK City of Culture celebrations in 2025. Sustainable design elements are at the core of One City Park including high-performance glazing, photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps to make sure the building operates on renewable energy. Every car park space has an electric car charging point, coupled with secure cycle storage and changing facilities to encourage workers to take more sustainable and healthier modes of transport. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Mecalac is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its globally-acclaimed site dumper range. Originally licenced under the Benford brand, the company’s Coventry manufacturing operations have assembled thousands of models since the very first unit rolled off production in 1953. 70 years later, each model is still renowned for its robust design and class-leading performance, but now features a whole host of state-of-the-art technologies to maximise efficiency, productivity, safety and comfort for the operator. To celebrate the manufacturing milestone, every site dumper sold from stock between now and 31st December will come with £70 worth of Mecalac branded merchandise. In addition, Mecalac will donate £70 to The Lighthouse Club – a charity that provides emotional and financial support for construction professionals suffering from mental health. Heath Davies, General Manager at Mecalac Construction Equipment UK, commented: “Since developing our very first site dumper in 1953, we’ve been hugely proud to manufacture some of the market’s most acclaimed machines. Renowned for excellent build quality and unmatched performance – all at a highly affordable price point – our site dumpers are the perfect addition to any job site. “In recognition of our milestone, we’re giving away a gift for customers and a gift to charity for every stock model sold via our dealers between now and 31st December. The festive period is particularly tough for those experiencing mental health problems, especially in the construction sector. As such, we wanted to give back to the industry and give back to our customers.” Mecalac site dumpers available are from the ROPS TA range, and the MDX cabbed range, which are ready now from dealerships this year. For more information about Mecalac’s latest range of compact construction equipment, visit www.mecalac.com/en. To find your local dealer, visit www.mecalac.com/en/the-mecalac-distribution.html. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The sustainability battle lines have been drawn – a new report has been released by the Green Building Council of Australia, a leading authority on sustainable buildings and communities in conjunction with property industry champion, the Property Council of Australia, calling for more support at a local government level for the adoption of sustainable building practices. A little-known fact about the energy market is that buildings play a significant role in energy use. Data from the report cites that approximately half of Australia’s electricity use, and a quarter of its emissions, and generated by buildings. As the nation works towards evolving emissions targets, how can the private sector work with government stakeholders to forge a brave new world in construction, from the smallest of homes to those built by Australian cranes? The answer, it appears, seems to lie in the role that local government has as a stakeholder and key approver for development, whether it be residential, commercial, or industrial. Several findings on the current state of government leadership on sustainability find a range of inconsistencies around land use, poor sustainability targets, poor procurement policy, and a lack of targeted support. The GBCA report highlights that while sustainability and the built environment typically have strong regulatory representation at a state and federal level, at a local government level, that representation can be wholly inconsistent, even between neighbouring councils. This can cause problems for developers when looking to develop sustainable projects, as they suddenly must contend with a third level of regulation that may not be wholly consistent with the standards they may have previously dealt with in construction. Specifically, the report recommends streamlining planning tools across councils, working collaboratively across legislative borders, as well as with industry and the community to work towards a positive and sustainable outcome. Secondly, the report highlights that a key consideration should be the work that is done on existing and developing council infrastructure, in that it must be sustainable and work towards promoting the high energy efficiency standards that are demanded of new residential and commercial development. In particular, the sustainability leadership of the Wollongong City Council’s work on their Administrative Building – first achieving an Australian Excellence award by the Green Building Council of Australia in 2015, then working towards receiving a further World Leadership award in the years since, as they continued to reduce the amount of energy consumed and water wasted on property. The report highlights the importance of having highly performant government buildings and the range of benefits that they can bring to stakeholders in the community. Thirdly, the report highlights that poor procurement policies can often hamper efforts to work towards sustainable outcomes. It specifically notes that to be successful, national guidelines should be developed to enhance the capabilities of local government to accurately assess value-for-money and sustainability features vs the whole-of-life cost of an asset – a level of detail that local government is unable to consistently apply. Launching alongside the report was the City of Melbourne’s Retrofit Melbourne plan – a plan for the City of Melbourne to work towards driving down the 66 percent of emissions that come from buildings in the council area. In a city where major manufacturing was discontinued in the last half century, council officials are exploring new and innovative ways to improve the sustainability of the properties in their council areas, without having to demolish and rebuild swathes of apartment buildings. Highlighting the importance of working together with industry, government, and other partners, Deputy Lord Mayor, Nicholas Reece said “It’s crucial we act now – working alongside industry, government and academic partners to future-proof our city for generations to come. We need to get the balance right – protecting our older buildings which give Melbourne its character, while accelerating our collective journey towards zero net emissions.” Another theme highlighted in the report was that there was a lack of mandatory reporting for buildings, concerning sustainability practices. For those who are looking to purchase or rent a property, it’s very unlikely that prospective occupants would be able to find anything publicly listed about the sustainability features of a property – even though it is well-documented that consumers are willing to spend more if they know a property has sustainability features such as high energy efficiency. The importance of connection, and industry partnership, was highlighted as a critical theme throughout the report. Noting that little is done in isolation, the benefits of partnership and working together were highlighted in great detail, at both a domestic and international level. Much can be learned from the overseas experience – all nations are feeling the dangerous impacts of climate change, from Texas’ record-breaking freeze to the European heatwave recently named Cerberus, after the hound of Hades from Greek mythology. A sign of things to come, perhaps? While many nations are experiencing the impacts of climate change, many cities are adopting models that highlight the benefits of adopting the recommendations presented in the report by GBCA. Cities such as Chicago are working to streamline the permit approval process for sustainable buildings, and nations such as the UK are employing policies such as the UK Better Buildings partnership, collaborating with leading commercial property landlords to drive improvements in the sustainability of existing commercial stock. The challenges of climate change may seem insurmountable at times, but the work that cities and nations across the globe are doing to drive down emissions and work towards saving the world is certainly a cause for celebration. What now for the report, now that it has been released? It is hoped that the Albanese government may be able to implement some of the policies at a federal level, such as the sustainability ratings system. The Green Building Council of Australia and the Property Council of Australia remained determined to tackle the impacts of climate change in their way, presenting a gold standard for how organisations can work together to tackle the challenges of today. Now, it’s time for local government to step
