After EDF Economy 7 tariff customers were left wondering how they would heat their homes this winter when the supplier almost doubled the price of its nighttime rate, Tamsin Lishman, CEO of UK based Ground Source Heat Pump manufacturer, The Kensa Group, has signalled we need to get serious about the way
Polypipe Building Services has secured it’s largest ever order to date for its fabricated drainage systems after being selected as the supplier for flagship project – Victoria Riverside in Red Bank, Manchester – part of Far East Consortium’s (FEC) £4bn Victoria North scheme, which is being delivered by principal contractor
Sentry Fire Safety Group (Sentry), the leading fire safety and security doorset manufacturer, was delighted to welcome Ed Miliband, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, to its Doncaster manufacturing facility on 12th January. Having last visited the firm in 2011, Mr Miliband toured Sentry’s newly expanded facility,
UK’s leading safety services company begins offering new option to its Rooftop Worker Scheme training course approved by the Mast & Tower Safety (MATS) Group and accredited by Energy & Utility Skills Register (EUSR). Arco Professional Safety Services has created an industry approved blended learning option to an existing working
VIVO Defence Services and its tier one supply chain partner Henry Brothers Construction have broken ground on a £6m scheme to house an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Troop at Gamecock Barracks near Nuneaton. The troop is relocating from Chetwynd Barracks, Nottingham, to Gamecock Barracks, in Warwickshire, under the Defence Estate
By David Norman, Davon For smaller and medium-sized developers, 2023 was the year that everything took longer. It took longer to find and acquire land, longer to obtain bank funding and longer to get materials delivered but most of all, it took longer to get planning permission. There was barely
Top 10 UK homebuilder Keepmoat, has announced the appointment of Neil Smith as Land and Partnerships Director for the West Midlands branch of the business. Neil’s appointment will see him work alongside the existing land team and oversee the delivery of a regional land pipeline, lead on development requirements with
Buildings that people use in their daily lives, such as workplaces, schools and hospitals are the focus of a new campaign to keep people safe from asbestos. Asbestos: Your Duty launching today, Monday 15 January, aims to improve understanding of what the legal duty to manage asbestos involves. The Health
Some of Sheffield’s leading property businesses, including Henry Boot Construction and Ares Landscape Architects, are joining forces across many of the city’s flagship public realm projects, as Sheffield City Council continues to bring its ‘Outdoor City’ principles into the region. Sheffield City Council has invested in delivering high-quality public spaces,
A big-hearted Scottish training officer has raised thousands of pounds for the industry charity which helped him face his own mental health issues. Frankie Greig, who oversees apprentices for the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT), cycled 324 miles from Venice to Milan in the Italian Lakes Cycle Event to
After EDF Economy 7 tariff customers were left wondering how they would heat their homes this winter when the supplier almost doubled the price of its nighttime rate, Tamsin Lishman, CEO of UK based Ground Source Heat Pump manufacturer, The Kensa Group, has signalled we need to get serious about the way homes are heated. Please see below her comments on this, as well as what needs to be done to protect consumers and how a ready to go energy-efficient alternative could provide a solution. As the cold snap bites, it’s time to get serious about how we heat our homes… Tamsin Lishman, CEO of The Kensa Group, said: “I was concerned to read about the changes to EDF’s Economy 7 tariff and the knock-on effect of how many would now struggle to heat their homes. It’s a desperately sad story we’ve heard again and again over the last couple of years. Economy 7 tariff customers, who relied on paying much cheaper nighttime rates to heat their homes, have been hit by the double whammy of the 5% rise to the Ofgem price cup and EDF pushing through a 91% increase in its E7 nighttime rate. “Many of those who’ll be hit by these charges are stuck with in-efficient storage heaters as their main source of warmth, and rarely by choice. Cold homes can cause or worsen many health conditions, and as the current cold period continues people in these properties will face tough decisions about how they use their heating, a choice they shouldn’t have to make. “These factors only accelerate the need to replace inefficient heating in properties like these and give consumers more control over not just when they decide to use their heating, but also how much they pay for it. Improving properties and making them more efficient as part of the Net Zero transition will have long-lasting positive effects on society, including a potential NHS saving of £1.4bn a year. “As the cold snap bites, it’s time to mention networked ground source heat pumps as a solution to our heating needs, especially for complex-to-decarbonise homes such as high-rise social housing blocks or terrace streets. Due to their discreetness, how they work, and the steady ambient temperature of the ground, networked ground source heat pumps provide efficient, cost-effective heating (and cooling) whatever the weather. “We are seeing this transition happen and work in real life. In Thurrock, we recently completed a project for the council where we replaced inefficient, direct electric storage heaters in 273 high-rise flats, connecting them to a ground source heat network and installing a Shoebox ground source heat pump into each flat. This project has taken residents out of fuel poverty, slashed their energy bills by 66%, protected them against future price rise shocks and given every resident more control over how and when they heat their homes. This is one that I, and the entire team at Kensa, are really proud to have been a part of. “We are about to embark upon the biggest transformation in home heating since the conversion to natural gas fifty years ago, and it’s critical the poorest in our society are not left behind. Night storage heaters, and their modern equivalents, are by far the most expensive and least efficient form of heating, condemning millions to fuel poverty in this country. It’s vital that no new homes are fitted with this technology, and it’s a matter of urgency that those already in existing homes are replaced. “The introduction of an effective Future Homes Standard next year, along with a beefed up Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, are needed to pave the way for positive changes to home heating. Public debate on decarbonisation so often centres around the impacts on the poorest in our society, and we can surely all agree that no one should be left paying £2,000 a year to heat a small flat with electric heaters. Removing them and getting behind a proven alternative is surely in everyone’s interests.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Polypipe Building Services has secured it’s largest ever order to date for its fabricated drainage systems after being selected as the supplier for flagship project – Victoria Riverside in Red Bank, Manchester – part of Far East Consortium’s (FEC) £4bn Victoria North scheme, which is being delivered by principal contractor CR Construction (U.K.) Company Ltd. With the first phase complete work on a second phase has now begun, and when completed will provide a selection of one, two and three-bedroom dwellings with a total of 611 apartments and 23 townhouses and duplexes at the surrounding lower level. The development is due to be completed in January 2025. Mechanical and electrical building services contractor Briggs & Forrester Living selected Polypipe Building Services as their drainage solution supplier because of their expertise in designing, fabricating, and delivering tailor-made fabricated systems to meet their requirements. This project has specified the use of the company’s fabricated Terrain FUZE HDPE soil and vent pipes and rainwater pipes which have begun arriving to site already in a series of floor-by-floor deliveries. Robert Dunn, Key Account Director at Kent-based Polypipe Building Services, said: “We are delighted Briggs & Forrester Living approached us about this project as we have worked alongside them on many projects over the years. “We’ve already made our first delivery and as it is a city centre location and a constrained site working out a feasible delivery schedule with Briggs & Forrester has been crucial. Because of the repetitive nature of the floor shapes, prefabrication was a perfect solution for this project so installation can take place floor by floor and they are easy to hoist up all together. “By providing everything fully fabricated, measured, cut, assembled and pressure tested at our state-of-the-art facility, it also gives their installation team complete reassurance of the quality and performance of the drainage system while making it a faster, simpler, and safer process on-site. “The sustainability aspect is another benefit of prefabrication as there’s no wastage and Polypipe Building Services take any offcuts from site when we deliver materials so we can recycle them into product again, together with recycling and reusing old pallets and any plastic packaging.” Philip Ashton, Construction Manager in the Northern region at Briggs & Forrester Living, said: “We are excited to be working on this project alongside the team at Polypipe Building Services as we are very familiar with their Terrain products, which offer us greater flexibility, as they have a bigger selection of various sizes than other manufacturers. We’ve got a good system in place with the Polypipe team. We try to standardise stack types which makes the design sign off at the beginning of the project a much quicker process. “A lot of other drainage manufacturers no longer offer the option of prefabrication, but at Polypipe Building Services the process of design and sign-off with their Advantage Team is good and they’re always available if we need to work something through with them. “This site has a very small footprint meaning deliveries must be ‘just in time’ which we operate through our local merchant. This means we only have delivered to site what we need at that time which is essential and works very well. The materials are palletised to suit a floor of drainage, and this is a huge advantage when loading out.” For more information about the commercial drainage products and prefabrication service at Polypipe Building Services go to www.polypipe.com/this-is-our-terrain Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Sentry Fire Safety Group (Sentry), the leading fire safety and security doorset manufacturer, was delighted to welcome Ed Miliband, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, to its Doncaster manufacturing facility on 12th January. Having last visited the firm in 2011, Mr Miliband toured Sentry’s newly expanded facility, chatted to staff, learnt about the company’s transformation and impressive growth trajectory, and saw first-hand how Sentry is leading the way in sustainable manufacturing. Sentry manufactures compliant, certified timber fire safety door sets for use in social housing, education, healthcare, care, and commercial environments, from a 35,000 sq. ft factory in Adwick le Street. It works closely with social housing and other sector providers to replace unsafe fire doors and advance the aims of the Fire Safety Act, which has become an important focus following the Grenfell tragedy. Investment in new facilities and state-of-the-art machinery Following its partnership with strategic advisers Cairngorm Capital in 2019, Sentry has benefited from a £2m investment in new facilities and state-of-the-art machinery and equipment, and investment in a new ERP system to streamline procurement and automate the ordering process and contribute to ongoing staff training. The company has also gained a second facility in Birmingham following its acquisition of Knowles in August 2022, a move which saw Sentry become the UK’s leader in fire safety and security doorsets market. Employee numbers have increased from 28 in 2019, to 200 today across both the Doncaster and Birmingham factories and has been supported by investment that has been made in staff training. Overall, this investment has resulted in an astonishing 100% increase in turnover and profits. A sustainable approach to manufacturing As Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Mr Miliband was particularly keen to find out more about Sentry’s sustainable approach to manufacturing, which guides everything that the firm does from product design to selecting their supply chain. Sentry leads the way in sustainable doorset production, through a variety of initiatives. For example, sawdust created during the production of Sentry’s timber fire doorsets is recycled by a local mill and the warehouse is heated using a return air duct from their extraction system. Sentry’s Birmingham factory is proud to hold IS0 14001 certification and FSC Certification, and the company is a strong supporter of green initiatives including Trees for Cities. Ty Aziz, Sentry’s CEO who spent time with Mr Miliband during his first visit, commented: ‘We were delighted to welcome Mr Miliband to our facility once again, we thoroughly enjoyed his company and welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate the transformation in our business and the growth that we’ve achieved since he was last here. It was also great to discuss our various ESG initiatives with him and be able to introduce Mr Miliband to some of the people that make Sentry the fantastic, forward-thinking business it is today.” Following his visit to the Sentry Doors facility, Mr Miliband commented: “I’m delighted to visit Sentry again and witness the growth in the business that has occurred since I was last here. Sentry provides jobs for local people and is a great example of how quality companies can thrive with committed partners. I look forward to Sentry continuing to support local people’s livelihoods for many years to come.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
UK’s leading safety services company begins offering new option to its Rooftop Worker Scheme training course approved by the Mast & Tower Safety (MATS) Group and accredited by Energy & Utility Skills Register (EUSR). Arco Professional Safety Services has created an industry approved blended learning option to an existing working at height training course. The course aims to provide delegates with the skills and experience required to safely access flat roofs in protected and unprotected areas. The blended option allows delegates of the course to complete the educational section of the course online, previously the entire course had to be completed in-person in a structured one-day session. This blended learning version of the Rooftop Worker Scheme provides a flexible learning approach with bespoke integrated virtual reality exercises. It is also more cost effective than the traditional course at a 20% reduced rate while offering the same quality of learning, experience and certification. As a blended learning course, participants will be required to complete seven online modules and a practical training and assessment session at one of four possible sites. The online portion of the course has training material that can be accessed by delegates as often as required. Once completed, candidates have 90 days to attend a practical assessment at one of Arco’s state of the art Safety Centres in Stafford, Bracknell, Trafford or Linlithgow (Scotland). Topics covered in the Rooftop Worker Scheme syllabus include: • Legislation for working at height• Risk assessment awareness• Rooftop hazards and control measures• PPE – pre use checks and fitting harness, helmet, fall arrest and work positioning lanyards• Safe use of portable ladders• Edge protection• Horizontal and vertical systems (fixed and temporary)• Climbing techniques using harnesses, lanyards, and fixed systems• Awareness of emergency procedures Falls from height continued to be the number one cause of work-related deaths in 2023 according to the latest statistics from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). Steve Dawson, Manager – Working at Height Training at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “When it comes to working from height, regard for safety is paramount. We’re proud to be able to offer this brand-new training course carefully designed with the considerations to keep people safe when working on rooftops. As industry leaders in working at height practices, Arco understands the necessity to provide these learning opportunities with specialist support to ensure the safety of workers where it matters most.” This course is designed for all personnel that are required to access flat roof areas using a variety of access systems and harness-based fall protection equipment during their duties. The Rooftop Worker Scheme certificate will be valid for three years upon completion of the course. To find out more about this course, see upcoming course dates and to enquire about booking, visit: https://www.arcoservices.co.uk/training/course-finder/working-at-height-training/rooftop-safety-training/rooftop-safety-blended-learning Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
VIVO Defence Services and its tier one supply chain partner Henry Brothers Construction have broken ground on a £6m scheme to house an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Troop at Gamecock Barracks near Nuneaton. The troop is relocating from Chetwynd Barracks, Nottingham, to Gamecock Barracks, in Warwickshire, under the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Army Programme. Henry Brothers has been selected by client VIVO Defence Services to deliver the new building for the troop. It will feature space for offices, garages and stores, and will be built at the Southern edge of the base. Joined by representatives from the DEO Army Programme, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), Gamecock Barracks and construction partners William Gough, VIVO and Midlands-based Henry Brothers Construction have now broken ground on the scheme. Warren Webster, Programme Director for DIO Major Projects (Army) said: “This is another demonstration of our commitment to increase the pace, quality and volume of Defence infrastructure delivery, by doing things differently. “We are working closely with our colleagues in DIO Regional Delivery and their long-term partner VIVO and its suppliers, to build this important capability. Collaboration remains at the heart of our delivery intent, and when completed, Gamecock Barracks will provide first class Explosive Ordnance Disposal facilities for the central region.” Managing director of Henry Brothers Construction, Ian Taylor, said: “Henry Brothers is very pleased to be continuing the successful relationship with VIVO Defence, which follows delivery of a new dye pod facility recently at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. “This development at Gamecock Barracks will rehome an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Troop – giving them modern, purpose-built, secure facilities as part of the MOD’s investment into the armed forces. “Henry Brothers has significant experience of working within MOD sites across the UK, helping to improve and upgrade key military resources, and we are delighted to have now broken ground and started work on this latest development.” Jerry Moloney, Managing Director of VIVO Defence Services, added: “It is great news that work is now underway to build this important new facility at Gamecock Barracks. “We look forward to delivering it with our supply chain partners to the troop and are proud to work so closely with the UK military on developing new important infrastructure for them.” Belinda Lunn, Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Army Programme Director said: “I am delighted to see this significant project get off the ground, expanding our ongoing programme of investment and construction across the UK, to benefit Army personnel and support military capability. “I look forward to working with all partners involved in this project and to seeing the new infrastructure at Gamecock Barracks take shape over coming months.” The scheme for EOD Troop at Gamecock Barracks is due to be completed by the end of the year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
By David Norman, Davon For smaller and medium-sized developers, 2023 was the year that everything took longer. It took longer to find and acquire land, longer to obtain bank funding and longer to get materials delivered but most of all, it took longer to get planning permission. There was barely a day all year when I didn’t have a discussion with a client involving planning. The industry’s frustration with the ponderous UK system is palpable. It’s particularly galling for the SME residential developers who are typically our clients because they have fewer resources to deal with the bureaucracy and face more intense financial pressures than the big hitters, notably on cashflow. When you are stretched on a project having shelled out for a parcel of land, planning delays pile up your bank interest. Time is money. And it is not just delays that eat cash. Even a small development of, say, two houses can incur upfront costs of £30-50,000 in planning and professional fees. For more complex projects, that number can easily top £100,000 when you factor in consultancy fees for a broader raft of planning hurdles such as right to light and environmental studies. Another big-ticket pre-planning bill can be option fees for the landowner. Unfortunately for developers, banks dislike lending against developments pending planning applications as there are no assets in the project, which means the developer must find the cash. These pressures have had a cataclysmic effect on smaller to medium residential developers. According to the Federation of Master Builders, 40 years ago SME house builders delivered 40% of our homes. Today, this figure is just 12%. Planning is not the only culprit. The FMB says the sector has been hit hard by successive recessions. They report that SME and custom builders say they struggle to access finance and land, but right up there on their list of complaints is the difficulty of navigating Britain’s complex planning system. Our experience at Davon talking to SME residential developers throughout last year bore that out, so we were pleased to give our support to the FMB’s campaign for: For years, successive governments have promised action to tackle the housing shortage and streamline the planning system. Yet the industry sees little or no progress and has become at least sceptical if not cynical. The latest government initiative is the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act which became law in October 2023. It is supposed to speed up the planning system, hold developers to account, cut bureaucracy, and encourage more councils to put in place plans to enable the building of new homes. The Act promises that new developments will be more attractive with better infrastructure such as GP surgeries, schools and transport links. Development will be shaped by local people’s democratic wishes, enhance the environment and create neighbourhoods where people want to live and work. That all sounds great, but will it happen? One feature of the Act that caught my eye is to give councils the power to work directly with landlords to bring empty buildings back into use by local businesses and community groups, “breathing life back into empty high streets”. Many people in the property and construction world will tell you that converting offices and retail premises into residential is fraught with difficulty, but it can be done successfully. Take our client, Barker Homes for example. We have provided mezzanine finance for a series of their conversion projects, the latest being a £10.5 million redevelopment to transform a town centre commercial building in Hemel Hempstead into 40 luxury apartments. If planning policy changes can smooth the path for more of these and other kinds of conversion of redundant buildings, that would be welcome. It will be necessary if the Act is to deliver on its objectives, which include directing growth to support the regeneration of brownfield sites and renewing and levelling up towns and cities with more homes in Britain’s largest urban centres including in the North and Midlands. The government says that this will not only make the most of brownfield land but also maximise the use of existing infrastructure, taking advantage of structural change in urban land use and reducing the need for unnecessary travel. One criticism we often hear is that national and local planning is not joined up. To some extent this is addressed in the Act with new joint spatial development strategies to bring together planning authorities across boundaries where there are strategic reasons to do so. But at the local level where our clients operate, it is the promise of a speeded up, streamlined planning service that is most appealing. Previously mooted planning overhauls have met with reticence from the planners themselves but this time, at least publicly, they are being supportive. The Act has been backed by the planners’ professional association, the Royal Town Planning Institute, although its chief executive, Victoria Hills, said if it is to be successful, the government must engage frequently with planners to ensure that new regulations and policy work as intended and deliver on those promises. To me, that is the crux of the matter. There have been too many initiatives for change in the system that have fallen by the wayside as well as promises to deliver on housing and regeneration that have been little more than re-hashed versions of existing policies. What the industry desperately needs is action, and that means ensuring that planners are on board with the spirit of the new law. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Top 10 UK homebuilder Keepmoat, has announced the appointment of Neil Smith as Land and Partnerships Director for the West Midlands branch of the business. Neil’s appointment will see him work alongside the existing land team and oversee the delivery of a regional land pipeline, lead on development requirements with a focus on partnerships, progress local opportunities, and support the team to achieve further organic growth across the Midlands. Neil brings 17 years of experience in all aspects of land acquisition to the homebuilder, including previous roles across affordable housing, development management, funding and consortium management – most recently working for developer Vistry Partnerships. In addition, Neil was previously a Head of New Business across all regions at Orbit Homes, a role which saw him supporting regional teams with land, large bulk deals, and external third party service contracts. Commenting on his appointment, Neil said: “I am thrilled to have been appointed by such a well-established, national homebuilder and I’m looking forward to working with the West Midlands team to continue building on the region’s track record and growing our land pipeline. “I am proud to be part of Keepmoat and I align with the overall values of the business. I’m really looking forward to getting involved and growing the division, whilst delivering good quality housing and utilising the best skills and resources from the public and private sectors.’’ Amanda Bishop, Regional Managing Director for Keepmoat’s West Midlands region, added: “I’m really pleased that Neil has joined the West Midlands team and I look forward to working with him to further strengthen our land pipeline and support the planned growth of our business. “Our West Midlands team is currently delivering 10 operational sites and has created 594 new homes in the last year. We specialise in developing brownfield land, most recently with West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Homes England, and other partners, where we committed to building 4,000 future homes with net carbon zero emissions. I’m excited to see Neil push forward our goal to regenerate areas through our partnership model and drive relationships with landowners to create thriving, sustainable communities.” Keepmoat is a top 10 UK partnership homebuilder with a track record of delivering quality homes in regions across the UK. To date, Keepmoat has built over 35,000 homes, transforming brownfield sites into thriving new communities. Keepmoat has achieved five-star builder status in the National Home Builders Federation Award, receiving a rating of at least 90% in the National New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Buildings that people use in their daily lives, such as workplaces, schools and hospitals are the focus of a new campaign to keep people safe from asbestos. Asbestos: Your Duty launching today, Monday 15 January, aims to improve understanding of what the legal duty to manage asbestos involves. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) wants anyone with responsibilities for buildings to do everything they must do to comply with the law and prevent exposure to this dangerous substance, which was widely used in post-war construction before it was completely banned in 1999. The legal duty to manage asbestos covers a wide range of buildings such as museums, schools, hospitals, and places of worship, as well as workplaces like offices and factories. Businesses and organisations responsible for premises built before the turn of the century, and especially those between 1950 and 1980 when the use of asbestos in construction was at its peak, must carry out the necessary checks and understand their legal responsibilities. People who visit or work in these buildings will not be exposed if asbestos is properly contained. But it can become dangerous when disturbed or damaged. Updated information, new templates (including an asbestos management plan template), and explanatory videos can be found on HSE’s website to help anyone who is unsure of their legal duties – or just need to refresh themselves – on what they need to do. HSE will check how asbestos is managed when visiting a range of buildings – like schools and hospitals – requiring those responsible for managing asbestos risks to ensure they have the right arrangements in place. Sarah Albon, HSE’s chief executive said: “To keep people safe from the harms of asbestos, a culture of safely managing asbestos is needed in our building industry and among those responsible for buildings. “Asbestos exposure in Great Britain is still the single greatest cause of work-related deaths due to exposures decades ago. “Together, we must protect people in the workplace and reduce future work-related ill health.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Some of Sheffield’s leading property businesses, including Henry Boot Construction and Ares Landscape Architects, are joining forces across many of the city’s flagship public realm projects, as Sheffield City Council continues to bring its ‘Outdoor City’ principles into the region. Sheffield City Council has invested in delivering high-quality public spaces, including the award-winning Grey to Green scheme in Castlegate, Fitzalan Square, Pound’s Park and Charter Square. To do this they have procured businesses rooted in Sheffield. Having worked together previously on Sheffield’s Olympic Legacy Park, Henry Boot Construction and Ares Landscape Architects have just completed work on the city centre’s landmark 14-storey apartment block Kangaroo Works, on Rockingham Street. The client, Ridgeback Group, commissioned 365 new homes – a mix of one, two and three-bed apartments, which forms part of the wider Heart of the City masterplan. The stylish complex is complemented by a landscape design creating a split-level central courtyard, roof terraces, new streetscapes and rain gardens. Central to the success of these spaces is a considered planting palette, providing residents with a lush, verdant environment, long floral displays and a ‘closeness to nature’ not always possible within an urban setting. Once the plants have fully established this summer, they will perform more than one function. Whilst aesthetically pleasing, many of the planted areas fulfil a role in storing stormwater and are resilient to drought and heavy rainfall. Craig Finn, Director at Henry Boot Construction, said: “There is a benchmark being set for public realm in the city and, as a business that calls Sheffield its home, we are proud to be playing our part in the transformation. “With major ambitions to bring more and more homes into the city centre to help support local business, protect the green belt and drive economic growth, it is vital that local authorities, developers, architects and contractors all work closely together to create attractive, accessible and multi-functional outdoor spaces – enabling people to live healthy and vibrant lives.” Discussing the collaboration on Kangaroo Works with Henry Boot Construction, Ares Landscape Architects Director, Ben Handley, added: “Landscape design can sometimes be an afterthought on developments, but at Kangaroo Works, it has been integral to the scheme from day one. We collaborated closely with Henry Boot throughout the construction phase. They remained flexible whenever challenges arose and, ultimately, reflected our vision and completed the work to an incredibly high standard. “There is a shared understanding within the property sector in Sheffield that outdoor public space is our city’s true unique selling point. It is something we need to continue pushing forwards and matching the lofty standards that have already been set on Grey to Green and Heart of the City.” Henry Boot Construction has delivered three adjacent schemes in the Heart of the City masterplan – Elshaw House, Cambridge Street Collective and Pound’s Park. Ares Landscape Architects is working on the Council’s major public realm makeover of Fargate – backed by the Future High Street Fund. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A big-hearted Scottish training officer has raised thousands of pounds for the industry charity which helped him face his own mental health issues. Frankie Greig, who oversees apprentices for the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT), cycled 324 miles from Venice to Milan in the Italian Lakes Cycle Event to raise money in aid of the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC). The dad-of-three, who looks after young learners at West College Scotland, Paisley Campus, said he undertook the gruelling challenge to repay the charity after it helped him with his own wellbeing. Frankie, 41, said: “The EIC is all about helping people when they need it most and I’ve benefited from their support as I suffer from poor mental health. “I know that the EIC has also done a lot for my apprentices as well as some of the adult trainees at West College Scotland so I’m delighted I can give something back to the charity for its support.” During the five-day challenge in October, Frankie said he learned quickly to go at his own pace and the tactic worked as he successfully completed the trek, raising £2,880 for the EIC. He revealed: “There was a big hill every day and they ranged from not bad to really steep then on to pretty vicious. I think the first day was the worst as the road just kept on climbing for seven miles. “However, it was the best feeling when we got to the top and could then freewheel down the other side at 30-40mph giving your legs a welcome rest.” He said: “Personally, I got a great deal from my experience in Italy and although I was slower than the rest of the guys and struggled more on the hills, I got over the finish line and I’m proud of that. “It made me realise I shouldn’t have worried about too many things – I just needed to focus on what’s important, rather than worry about all the miles ahead. “There were times I doubted I could complete the challenge but every evening I was buoyed up by the messages of support on social media from my family, colleagues and friends in the industry. “I would encourage anyone in the electrical world that has considered taking part in one of these challenges to sign up and help the EIC continue the amazing work they do. “I would like to thank SELECT and the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) and all their members, and everyone who sponsored me and supported me through this challenge, not forgetting SECTT. I couldn’t have done it without them. “It was an amazing trip and I saw some beautiful sights, but I can assure you it was anything but a holiday.” Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, said: “Many congratulations to Frankie in completing this exhausting challenge. We applaud too his personal courage in being willing to speak out about issues which sometimes, tragically, remain hidden. “The electrical sector, and the construction industry as a whole, has become much more aware of the importance of mental health, especially since the pandemic, and has redoubled its efforts to support our people and maintain their wellbeing. “I’m sure Frankie’s story will be an inspiration to many in the industry and the money will be used by the EIC to support others needing help.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
