Real estate investor and developer, Firethorn Trust, has made its first acquisition under its Living platform with the purchase of a purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) site in Leith, Edinburgh. Forming part of the Leith Walk regeneration scheme promoted by Calder Weir Properties, part of the site was purchased with
MANCHESTER City Council has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of ten derelict railway arches on Corporation Street in Manchester. Located on one of the key links between the city centre and the Victoria North regeneration area, the Corporation Street arches will be transformed by The Arch Company, following multi-disciplinary
Retrofit for Purpose – a new insight study from Siemens Financial Services (SFS) – assesses the volume of carbon emissions buildings owners could save through energy-efficiency-as-a-service schemes. Specifically, the paper estimates emissions for the world’s four highest-volume emitter geographies – USA (71.35 MtCO2e), China (71.45), Europe (52.86), and India (14.91).
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has urged the UK government to focus on ways to accelerate growth in the number of whole building retrofit projects carried out during 2024. The Association believes only “a holistic approach to building performance” will unlock the full potential of the building services industry
Network Rail is actively seeking construction and engineering partners for its ambitious £1.4 billion Midlands Rail Hub Alliance, a transformative project poised to reshape rail travel in the heart of England. Embark on a journey into the Midlands Rail Hub Alliance, an extraordinary initiative set to revolutionise rail connectivity and
East of England construction firm R G Carter is celebrating after completing a state-of-the-art commercial building at Parkside on the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus – the largest new office complex of its kind in the eastern region. Located on the Knowledge Gateway Research and Technology Park, the 41,571 sq.
HS2’s first giant tunnelling machine – which launched almost 3 years ago – broke through today at the end of her 10-mile (16km) journey under the Chilterns, excavating the longest tunnel on the ambitious new rail project. The enormous 2,000 tonne Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), named ‘Florence’, is one of
SymTerra, the digital communication tool built for on-site project teams, has announced its partnership with Google Cloud at this year’s Interchange Annual Conference in Manchester Central. The new integration on Google Cloud Marketplace offers the SymTerra tool to Google Cloud’s construction, utility and transport customers, enabling project data flow across
Birchgrove and Hybr have announced an industry-first intergenerational living scheme which will see students and key workers live alongside retirees in the same purpose-built, privately rented retirement development. Ayrton House is a new 60-apartment rental retirement community in Mill Hill, North London. When launched in October this year, 16 apartments
McLaren Construction Midlands and North has delivered phase one of Konect 62 – a speculative industrial and logistics development located in Knottingley, West Yorkshire. Comprising three sustainable units across the 60-acre first phase which are now available to let, the contractor worked together with C4 architects to complete the first
Real estate investor and developer, Firethorn Trust, has made its first acquisition under its Living platform with the purchase of a purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) site in Leith, Edinburgh. Forming part of the Leith Walk regeneration scheme promoted by Calder Weir Properties, part of the site was purchased with planning permission to create a PBSA block and three commercial units. Firethorn will develop the six-storey building to provide high quality accommodation for 230 student beds and generous amenities, including a fully-equipped gym, modern study spaces and student common rooms. The design specification, which was enhanced by Firethorn’s innovative use of AI technology, will feature sustainable elements to meet BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC ‘A’ ratings, including photovoltaic (PV) panels. The wider Leith Walk development has planning permission for two five-storey residential units that will provide a mix of build-to-rent (BTR) and affordable housing. The owner has engaged Firethorn Living along with Calder Weir Properties to assist with the delivery of these residential units. This is the first deal for Firethorn under its Living platform, which was launched in 2023 following the appointment of Marcus Weeks as Director and Head of Living. Marcus, who has more than a decade of experience in acquiring and developing PBSA assets, commented: “Previously an underutilised brownfield site, the scheme is located in an area that continues to be the focus of major investment, driven by the recent opening of an adjacent tram line, which has significantly enhanced connectivity to the centre of Edinburgh. “As our first acquisition for Firethorn Living, the scale and quality of this project represents our ambitious strategy to invest in prime university cities and help to address the growing supply and demand imbalance for modern student accommodation, whilst making a positive contribution to local regeneration. “Firethorn is very well capitalised and our dedicated, in-house Living and development teams are actively seeking more deal opportunities in the sector to add to our growing pipeline. The PBSA and BTR markets offer strong potential for growth and we look forward to expanding our portfolio with future acquisitions in prime locations across the UK.” Work on site is expected to commence in the summer and is due to complete for the 2026/27 year. For more information, visit www.firethorntrust.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MANCHESTER City Council has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of ten derelict railway arches on Corporation Street in Manchester. Located on one of the key links between the city centre and the Victoria North regeneration area, the Corporation Street arches will be transformed by The Arch Company, following multi-disciplinary services provided on-site by property, infrastructure and construction consultancy Pick Everard. The railway arches are to become new destinations for food and drink, leisure and retail businesses to occupy. This will include new glazed frontages, new services and drainage and internal lining to make the accommodation dry and ready for new businesses to occupy. The design incorporates high-quality materials that will restore an attractive appearance to the elevations on Corporation Street, creating a ‘street’ of arches that will appeal to potential tenants in the current marketplace. Pick Everard provided structural, civil, mechanical and electrical services on the site, working in close collaboration with partners such as Stephen George + Partners. Santosh Patel, strategic account director at Pick Everard, said:“Manchester is famously proud of its industrial heritage, and this project not only maintains and celebrates that history, but rejuvenates it in an exciting and innovative way to bring added social value to the city’s modern landscape and its residents. “Seeing this project to completion will bring a new offering to Manchester, further regenerating its town centre in a way that makes sense within its larger community. The new spaces present a great opportunity for independent retail, restaurant, and other leisure businesses to develop in an area that will grow and thrive with them.” The design of the new arches has sought to overcome a number of technical, environmental and planning constraints that are inherent within existing urban infrastructure of this type. There are, for example, substantial level differences from the front to the rear of many of the units, which have required both the creation of new slab levels and ramps to ensure full accessibility. As the rear of the units back onto the River Irk, their layout has required clever design to orient them to the front, with elevations to include fire door escape and flexibility for mechanical system and ventilation provision via louvred or knock-out panels in the frame. Alan Soper, studio director at SGP, said: “By any standards, arches are not a ‘normal’ building type and each can differ considerably in height, depth and shape; realising the potential of these previously overlooked spaces takes experience and good technical know-how if we are to refurbish them to modern occupancy standards. “Our previous experience with old, historic or Listed properties, and the ability to work within the existing building fabric, has proved invaluable in realising some of these schemes, as too has our technical knowledge of building regulations, particularly in relation to ventilation and fire security.” Corporation Street is the latest arch scheme in Greater Manchester on which SGP has been working with The Arch Company. It joins previously approved plans to turn ten neglected railway arches in Norton Street, Salford, into a thriving hub of bars, restaurants and cafes. The arches are located in Greengate, an area of the city currently experiencing a period of intensive development activity and growth. Both the Manchester and the Salford projects form part of Project 1000, The Arch Company’s £200m plan to bring a thousand empty or derelict spaces into use across England and Wales by 2030. Corporation Street and Norton Street are just two of over ten such projects for which SGP has been commissioned to develop designs. In London, four of SGP’s schemes have already received consent – Witan Street, America Street, Salamanca Street and Crucifix Lane. Alan added: “We are delighted to be working with The Arch Company on their ambitious programme, bringing these derelict arches back to life so that they can be appreciated and used by a new generation. “If refurbished correctly, they present a long-term, sustainable solution to the economic vitality of our towns and cities, where a diverse mix of businesses can thrive, local employment is boosted and communities are transformed.” For more information on Pick Everard, visit https://www.pickeverard.co.uk/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Retrofit for Purpose – a new insight study from Siemens Financial Services (SFS) – assesses the volume of carbon emissions buildings owners could save through energy-efficiency-as-a-service schemes. Specifically, the paper estimates emissions for the world’s four highest-volume emitter geographies – USA (71.35 MtCO2e), China (71.45), Europe (52.86), and India (14.91). Given these four areas are responsible for the majority of global CO2 emissions,[i] this equates to more than 8% of global annual CO2 emissions reduction targets, as defined by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Renovating existing building stock to a zero-carbon-ready level is a key priority for achieving the sector’s decarbonization targets. However, rising inflation, hardening interest rates, increased fuel costs, and supply chain disruption are all factors negatively impacting adoption rates. The report therefore evidences the enabling role of flexible private sector financing arrangements to maintain crucial investment momentum, drawing on many real-world examples of implementation from around the globe. Comprehensive retrofits of commercial buildings – including offices, hospitals, factories, warehouses, and educational establishments – can reduce their energy use by up to 40 percent but are not happening anywhere near the scale needed to meet climate goals, notes the report. This is likely due to the considerable investment required to retrofit new technologies. That’s where arrangements known as energy-efficiency-as-a-service are helping private and public sector organizations to retrofit the existing non-residential building stock in an affordable and cash-flow friendly way. These innovative financing schemes can secure operational cost reductions without putting pressure on capital resources, avoid putting capital at risk, and ensure expected savings are realized. At the technology component level, financing tools are available to help vendors and distributors add value with cash flow capabilities for their buyers. For larger installations or systems, smart financing arrangements can be flexed and tailored to align costs with the rate of benefit gained from the energy-efficient technology. “With climate targets looming large, it’s important we continue support and enable the decarbonization of buildings. Not only are they a serious contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, if left unchecked these emissions are projected to double by 2050,” says Toby Horne, Siemens Infrastructure Financing Partner, Siemens Financial Services, UK. “Specialist finance solutions are intelligently designed to factor in savings, making them budget-friendly enablers of the green transition.” Methodology Data from national/regional statistical institutes on annual energy consumption by non-residential buildings built prior to 2010 was used to model CO2 emissions of buildings likely to benefit from deep retrofit for energy-efficiency. This was then reduced by highest likely implementation levels of such deep retrofit. Likely energy savings from deep retrofit were calculated using the lowest end of official average ranges. The resulting figures provide a highly conservative annual estimate of the energy savings achievable through deep retrofit, which can be financed through energy-efficiency-as-a-service financing techniques. Download a copy of the Whitepaper: www.siemens.com/smart-buildings-retrofit Visit for further information about SFS: www.siemens.com/finance Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/showcase/siemens-financial-services [i] https://www.visualcapitalist.com/carbon-emissions-by-country-2022/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has urged the UK government to focus on ways to accelerate growth in the number of whole building retrofit projects carried out during 2024. The Association believes only “a holistic approach to building performance” will unlock the full potential of the building services industry to cut carbon emissions, improve energy security, and reduce consumers’ bills. BESA welcomed the allocation of an extra £1.5bn to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), as part of a wider £6bn push to improve building energy efficiency but said the Future Homes and Buildings Standards, due to come into force next year, should be more focused on whole building solutions. The Association also sought to downplay the potential of hydrogen for heating buildings saying it only had “limited feasibility” due to a range of financial and technical difficulties. “There is a danger that hydrogen becomes a damaging distraction because of vested interests trying to keep it in the decarbonisation picture, but it will only play a very minor role in buildings long-term,” said BESA technical director Graeme Fox. “It certainly could play some part in industrial and transport sectors, but not home heating – the infrastructure issues are too complex and the costs too high,” he added. “We need to keep focused on full building retrofits that make best use of energy efficient design and existing low carbon heating and cooling solutions.” Uplift There was a surge of applications for heat pump installation grants in late 2023 following the uplift in the BUS scheme to £7,500 per installation. The Association also welcomed the addition of a £400m energy efficiency grant, set to launch in 2025, which is intended to help households in England make wider improvements to their homes including installing larger radiators and insulation. A total of £1.545bn was added to the BUS fund to run from 2025-2028, but BESA said this could be bolstered with some additional funding for 2024 to keep up the momentum in the heat pump market. Over 4,000 contractors are now certified to install heat pumps and manufacturers’ efforts to improve the effectiveness of the technology are bearing fruit with more high temperature models coming onto the market, the Association added. The government is also consulting until March 6th on proposals for the upcoming Future Homes and Buildings Standards, which would, in effect, outlaw the use of gas boilers in new homes from 2025 onwards. It is also inviting feedback on proposed changes to the Building Regulations and calculation methods. “The government consultation pretty much rules out hydrogen-ready boilers too, but there are a number of exciting developments with heat pumps, including new high temperature models that could unlock further potential in that market,” said Fox. “The new funding and standards are a great opportunity to cement whole building retrofit as the way forward. The debate needs to move beyond individual technologies to the holistic approaches that make the best of the practical solutions we already have.” BESA also believes that ESG (environmental, social and governance) reporting will have an impact on building energy efficiency this year as clients come under pressure to be fully transparent about their net zero strategies to bolster their corporate reputations. In addition, all newly leased commercial buildings will need to achieve EPC ratings of C or higher from 2025 – with existing leases required to meet the same target by 2028 – and the Association said this could unlock greater investment this year as landlords seek to meet the deadlines. “2024 could be a big year for accelerating whole building retrofits to drive better energy performance, and the consultation is another opportunity for the government to send positive and supportive signals to the market,” said Fox. “Let’s turn the Boiler Upgrade Scheme into the Building Upgrade Scheme.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Network Rail is actively seeking construction and engineering partners for its ambitious £1.4 billion Midlands Rail Hub Alliance, a transformative project poised to reshape rail travel in the heart of England. Embark on a journey into the Midlands Rail Hub Alliance, an extraordinary initiative set to revolutionise rail connectivity and economic prosperity across the region. Explore the key advancements and innovations that promise to bring unprecedented efficiency and growth. Picture a future where the pulse of England resonates with the smooth glide of trains along modernised tracks, fostering connectivity and driving economic expansion. Network Rail is set to realise this vision through a monumental £1.4 billion project that aims to overhaul the railway infrastructure in the Midlands. The Midlands Rail Hub Alliance represents a pivotal moment in the region’s transportation evolution, heralding an era of elevated connectivity and economic advancement. A Revolutionary Partnership More than just an infrastructure endeavour, the Midlands Rail Hub Alliance is a bold initiative reshaping the future of rail travel in the Midlands. Network Rail, in collaboration with a consortium of multidisciplinary partners, leads this ambitious venture. Together, they are crafting a series of enhancements, including new platforms and sidings, the introduction of up to two new chords into Birmingham Moor Street, and the expansion of an existing viaduct. But the transformation doesn’t end there. Upgrades to the power supply, new freight loops, and the implementation of new overhead line equipment (OLE) are also on the agenda. These changes, coupled with comprehensive signalling works, promise to optimise operations like never before. Innovative Collaboration through Alliance Contracts At the heart of this monumental undertaking is a commitment to collaboration and efficiency, epitomised by the use of a modified NR35 alliance contract. Built on the NEC4 alliance contract framework, this strategic move aims to cultivate a sense of cooperation and shared responsibility among all involved parties. By entering into a single alliance contract, Network Rail and its partners commit to working together, ensuring precision and harmony in every aspect of the project. This innovative approach not only sets a new standard for project management but also underscores the collective dedication to achieving a common goal: a revitalised and thriving Midlands rail network. Navigating Towards Progress As the Midlands Rail Hub Alliance gains momentum, the project’s impact extends beyond the tracks. This endeavour is about more than just enhancing railway infrastructure; it’s about unlocking the region’s full potential. Improved connectivity signifies more than just reduced travel times; it represents strengthened local economies, increased accessibility for communities, and a greener, more sustainable mode of transportation. By laying the foundation for a modernised rail system, Network Rail and its allies are not just reshaping the Midlands landscape; they’re paving the way for a brighter, more interconnected future. The road ahead is marked with challenges and opportunities, but one thing is certain: the Midlands Rail Hub Alliance serves as a beacon of progress and innovation. As we gaze towards the horizon, the commitment to a revitalised rail network inspires hope and anticipation for the transformative future that lies ahead. For more details on this groundbreaking project and its mission to redefine travel in the Midlands, please visit the official Network Rail website. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
East of England construction firm R G Carter is celebrating after completing a state-of-the-art commercial building at Parkside on the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus – the largest new office complex of its kind in the eastern region. Located on the Knowledge Gateway Research and Technology Park, the 41,571 sq. ft. office complex, which is already 25% let, offers a host of new possibilities for businesses seeking top quality workspace and advanced facilities. Ewan Dodds of Whybrow, joint agent for Parkside with Carter Jonas, commented that the development was the largest speculative office building in the eastern region and features many unique qualities. “Parkside represents the pinnacle of modern architecture and business innovation, offering a range of flexible spaces to suit diverse business needs, from single suites from 2,000sq. ft to single floors of just under 11,0000sq. ft.” Ben Le Coq of Carter Jonas added: “The strategic location near major transport links like London Stansted Airport and major regional cities positions Parkside as an ideal hub for businesses targeting regional expansion from a high quality and energy efficient building.” James Wilson, Director and General Manager at R G Carter, the main contractor for the new building, said: “We are delighted to have worked in partnership with the University of Essex to deliver this exciting flexible office development on its ever-growing campus. We look forward to seeing the positive impact the completed project will now have in supporting future business and wider economic growth in the county.” University Registrar Bryn Morris said: “This is a stunning landmark building which will provide a fantastic base for companies keen to move onto our Knowledge Gateway research and technology park and join our thriving business community. “The completion of the building also marks an exciting new era for the Knowledge Gateway. From this spring the ground floor will be home to our Public Health and Wellbeing Hub, which will deliver new services for the public in partnership with the NHS, drive forward our research agenda and offer fantastic new training opportunities.” The new office complex is not only equipped with premium amenities, including 24-hour CCTV, advanced air conditioning systems, passenger lifts, and showers, but it also proudly boasts a ‘very good’ BREEAM rating and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A. BREEAM, which stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, is a leading global sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure, and buildings. While an EPC is a document that rates the energy efficiency of a building on a scale of A to G, with A being the highest possible score. These ratings underscores Parkside’s commitment to environmental performance, making it an ideal choice for businesses invested in sustainability. In addition, Parkside offers an optional concierge service, on-site parking, and access to an outstanding-rated children’s nursery. It is also on the doorstep of the 18th century Wivenhoe House Hotel, which offers an ideal environment for business dining or accommodation. For further information about Parkside and the Knowledge Gateway, visit www.knowledge-gateway.co.uk For more on R G Carter, visit www.rgcarter-construction.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
HS2’s first giant tunnelling machine – which launched almost 3 years ago – broke through today at the end of her 10-mile (16km) journey under the Chilterns, excavating the longest tunnel on the ambitious new rail project. The enormous 2,000 tonne Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), named ‘Florence’, is one of 10 machines excavating the 32 miles of tunnel on the new railway linking London Euston with Birmingham and was the first to launch, in May 2021. The breakthrough is a major milestone for the HS2 project, which will almost halve journey times between Britain’s two largest cities, while freeing up space for more local services on the most crowded part of the existing West Coast Main Line. Two identical TBMs were used to create the twin-bore Chiltern tunnel, which stretches from the South Portal near the M25 to South Heath in Buckinghamshire. Parallel tunnels will carry north and south bound trains with a second TBM, named ‘Cecilia’, due to breakthrough in the coming weeks. Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “This ground-breaking moment for HS2 demonstrates significant progress on the country’s largest infrastructure project, with ‘Florence’ paving the way for faster, greener journeys between London and Birmingham while supporting hundreds of jobs and apprenticeships along the way. “Today’s breakthrough of HS2’s longest tunnel highlights the momentum behind the project and the achievement is testament to the hard work and dedication of the 450-strong team helping deliver the line that will transform rail travel for generations to come.” Designed specifically for the geology under the Chilterns, each TBM is an underground factory – excavating the tunnel, lining it with 56,000 pre-cast concrete segments and grouting them into place as it moves forward at an average speed of 16m per day. Four similar TBMs are being used for the London approach tunnels, while another two will work on Birmingham’s Bromford tunnel. Preparations are also underway for the launch of two more machines to excavate the Euston tunnels. The breakthrough comes a week after HS2 published new research which shows how the impending arrival of high speed rail will drive a £10 billion economic boost for the West Midlands during the next 10 years, with a huge increase in new development around the two station sites. HS2 Ltd Executive Chairman, Sir Jon Thompson, said: “Today is an incredible day of HS2 and I’d like to thank the hundreds of people who’ve worked so hard over many years to make it happen. Once complete, HS2 will dramatically improve journeys between our two largest cities and also free up space on the existing mainline for more local trains. “We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but historic moments like today really underline the huge amount of progress that’s been made and the fantastic engineering skills we have on the project.” Both machines launched from the South Portal and are operated by HS2’s main works contractor, Align – a joint venture formed of three international infrastructure companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. The machines are made by TBM specialists Herrenknecht, in Germany. Each TBM is operated by a crew of around 17 people, working in shifts to keep the machines running 24/7. They are supported by over 100 people on the surface, managing the logistics and maintaining the smooth progress of the tunnelling operation. In total, more than 450 people have worked on the tunnels and in support teams on the surface over the last 3 years. This includes a dedicated team which produced 112,000 precision-engineered, fibre-reinforced concrete tunnel wall segments at a purpose build temporary factory at the South Portal who completed their work just before Christmas – and a team processing the spoil from the tunnels. Align’s Project Director, Daniel Altier said: “The typical drive for a TBM is 5-6km and therefore the challenges in completing at 16km drive should not be underestimated. “Florence and her sister TBM Cecilia were designed in partnership with Herrenknecht. They incorporate a number of innovations and technologies that have been introduced on TBMs in the UK for the first time, to enhance performance and safety. This includes ‘semi-continuous boring’, allowing our TBMs to build the rings that line the tunnels without pausing. “The mining of the tunnel is a fantastic achievement for not only the Align tunnelling team but also the earthworks team who have managed chalk excavated from the tunnels and placed on site, along with many other supporting functions. I would also like to acknowledge our supply chain partners, including TGT that provided the teams to operate the TBMs and MS with whom we designed and operated the slurry treatment plant, with 24 filter presses it is the largest in the world.’” The 3 million cubic metres of chalk and other material removed during the tunnelling is being used to create an ambitious grassland restoration project at the south portal, which will include 127 hectares of new landscaping, wildlife habitat and biodiverse chalk grassland. The chalk, which is pumped back through the tunnel in a slurry mixed with water, is processed at a slurry treatment plant at the south portal site where the flint is removed and water extracted before it can be reused in landscaping. Chalk grassland – a type of calcareous grassland – is habitat of international conservation importance mainly found on limestone and chalk valleys of south-east England and the Isle of Wight. Lime-rich, but low in nutrients, the thin soil holds little water and heats up quickly. These conditions encourage a huge variety of smaller herbs and wildflowers and over 40 species can be found in one square metre of grassland, including some of the UK’s rarest orchids and invertebrates. Only 700 hectares of chalk grassland exist across the whole of the Chilterns AONB. At its deepest point, the tunnel is 80m beneath the Chilterns and passes under the M25, local railway lines and twice under the River Misbourne. Extensive water quality, groundwater level and surface water flow monitoring was put in place prior to the start of construction, and
SymTerra, the digital communication tool built for on-site project teams, has announced its partnership with Google Cloud at this year’s Interchange Annual Conference in Manchester Central. The new integration on Google Cloud Marketplace offers the SymTerra tool to Google Cloud’s construction, utility and transport customers, enabling project data flow across supply and labour chains for more effective site and project reporting. SymTerra’s record-right-first-time site reporting tool captures data at the point of work, to eliminate risk and hidden costs that result from reporting inaccuracies, difficulty accessing historical data, and weak chain of evidence required for commercial defensibility. By putting digital tools in the hands of those on site to capture data at point of work, SymTerra eliminates the industry’s over-reliance on consumer communication tools, to make absent, incomplete, outdated & incorrect data a thing of the past. In the construction, rail and water industry, effective communication is paramount to enabling data flows across supply and labour chains. The foundation of every project, and fundamental to every business, is robust data; and yet many project teams are forced to rely on consumer messaging tools for site reporting and asset updates because other options are simply not fit for purpose. SymTerra co-founder Sarah Crawley commented; “Data is critical to the commercial resilience and viability of the transport and infrastructure sector, with access to open data standards empowering the entire supply chain; democratising data is one of the foundations on which the future of multi-modal transport will be built. None of this can happen without site teams having direct access to digital tools that capture real time data, updates and reporting from site, which is why this strategic partnership with Google Cloud is such an important catalyst for the integration and digitisation of transport infrastructure. “We’re looking forward to meeting Google Cloud partners at this year’s Interchange Conference, and helping more Google Cloud customers deliver projects with better reporting for future resilience.” “Bringing Symterra to Google Cloud Marketplace will help customers quickly deploy, manage, and grow its digital communications platform on Google Cloud’s trusted, global infrastructure,” said Anne-Marie Lamb, Director, Manufacturing & Industrial, UKI, Google Cloud. “SymTerra can now securely scale and support customers on their digital transformation journeys.” As a Google Cloud partner, SymTerraoffers customers the ability to: The new integration with Google Cloud launched on Wednesday 28 February 2024 at Google Prism, the interactive immersion zone focused on data and AI in transport, where SymTerra is speaking, alongside infrastructure specialist D2 Global, on ‘building the data pipeline for lost assets’. Catch SymTerra on the Google Prism stage on Wednesday 28 February at 10.20am. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Birchgrove and Hybr have announced an industry-first intergenerational living scheme which will see students and key workers live alongside retirees in the same purpose-built, privately rented retirement development. Ayrton House is a new 60-apartment rental retirement community in Mill Hill, North London. When launched in October this year, 16 apartments across the third and fourth floors will be offered exclusively to trainee doctors and nurses from the local hospital, university post-graduates and graduate scheme students. The scheme has been designed to generate a vibrant community by harnessing the benefits of intergenerational living, with several pieces of research highlighting how the model is physically and mentally beneficial for both the young and the elderly. A 2019 UCL study highlighted how increased social contact for elderly people is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia, while an Ageing Research study has highlighted how intergenerational living benefits the elderly by giving them a greater sense of purpose and combatting loneliness, in turn leading to a greater life expectancy. Further research has also demonstrated how younger people benefit from living with elderly people – by enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of the older generation and increasing their tolerance, empathy and understanding. The students will live at Ayrton House on short-term tenancies running until June 2025, sharing communal facilities with the development’s retirees – including full access to the gym and the same subsidised rates in the restaurant. Furthermore, the rent on the 16 student units will be approximately 50% of the market value. The project therefore means that students will have access to affordable, high-quality accommodation at a time when nearly two-thirds of all students are struggling to pay their rent. At the end of the tenancies in June 2025, the 16 student units will be vacated and restored to first-use state, before being let to retirees. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McLaren Construction Midlands and North has delivered phase one of Konect 62 – a speculative industrial and logistics development located in Knottingley, West Yorkshire. Comprising three sustainable units across the 60-acre first phase which are now available to let, the contractor worked together with C4 architects to complete the first phase for joint venture partners, Henderson Park and Cole Waterhouse. With a capability of providing over 1,500 jobs, phase one units include 161,000, 151,000 and 61,000 sq. ft options alongside a 30-acre service plot, which was delivered with utilities and access to accommodate several Build-to-Suit options. The entire Konect 62 development, which will include multiple phases, will be adopting low carbon building design and technology to target a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. McLaren Construction Midlands and North inducted 1,350 people during the delivery of the first phase, and a combined total of 138,200 work hours were required for the build. The Konect 62 site is located on the previous site of Kellingley Colliery, the last deep mine in the UK which opened in 1959 and closed in 2015. Gary Cramp, Managing Director of McLaren Construction Midlands and North, said: “We’re pleased to have delivered phase one of this landmark industrial and logistics hub, for joint venture partners Henderson Park and Cole Waterhouse, of which we’ve received excellent feedback. “Our dedicated team and subcontractors worked exceptionally hard to ensure the quality, sustainability and timeliness of the phase, which was completed in 12 months, using predominantly local labour from the surrounding community. The scheme will provide essential jobs and opportunities for the sector in a prime location.” David Nuttall, Managing Director of Industrial & Logistics at Cole Waterhouse, said: “McLaren has delivered an excellent first phase at Konect 62, exactly 12 months from signing the build contract. The three units and 30-acre plot set the tone for the remainder of the site and firmly establish Konect 62 as a genuine business location. A year ago, the site was featureless, and all traces of the former mine had been cleared. The change today is dramatic, and it is now a first-rate logistics park offering a variety of existing units and Build-to-Suit opportunities.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
