The Retrofit Academy has opened its Hampshire Training Hub in partnership with workforce solutions and training specialist, SERT Training, increasing its nationwide network of training hubs to 10. As Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Homes Upgrade Grant (HUG) funding increases demand for retrofit talent, The Retrofit Academy Hampshire has
Innovative flexible office provider, Canvas Offices, has doubled its London market share over the last 12 months following a period of impressive growth. Established in 2018, Canvas has grown into one of the Capital’s leading flexible office space providers, synonymous with providing modern and authentic work environments that enable businesses
Balfour Beatty yesterday announced that it has been awarded a £67 million contract by the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver a replacement campus at Liberton High School in Edinburgh, Scotland. Balfour Beatty will be responsible for the design and construction of the new 13,470 square metre campus alongside facilities
Sussex housebuilder Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties is launching an innovative new scheme to turn renters into buyers by helping them build the deposit they need to buy whilst allowing them to live in their dream new home. The new scheme, called Rent then Buy, will allow qualifying first time
This week, the UK’s first ever International Retrofit Conference is taking place as part of BE-ST Fest, a two-day industry summit focused on zero carbon construction and organised by Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST). BE-ST Fest is the culmination of a month-long festival for the sustainable built environment, bringing together
Bellway has won a coveted national sustainability award for its work on a world-first research project aimed at creating the energy efficient homes of the future. The housebuilder won the category for the Most Sustainable Construction Project in the 2023 Building Innovation Awards for its Future Home @ Energy House
A brand new ‘Academy’ based at the Bradford College Trinity Green Campus has launched in partnership with Sheffield-based architects, Bond Bryan. The Bond Bryan Academy will see the company’s team of highly skilled professionals serve as guest lecturers, adding vital industry knowledge and perspective to Bradford College students’ learning. Bond
THE newest SEND school in Ipswich – Woodbridge Road Academy – has held its official opening ceremony, following the completion of work on site in Russet Road. The £7m new-build school is tailored for 60 children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and has been constructed under the
Leading Cheshire based glazing specialists, RED Systems have announced the launch of their new SFS Division, RED Optimal. The new division was formed following RED Systems’ acquisition of Liverpool based Optimal Building Solutions (OBS) earlier this year. Headed up by owner, Steve Williams, OBS had been operating successfully in the
The Building Centre in London is holding a free workshop with panel debates and talks led by experts across the construction industry on 15 November 2023. With the industry under more scrutiny than ever to make sure that greener practices are followed, it is important that commercial plumbing looks towards
The Retrofit Academy has opened its Hampshire Training Hub in partnership with workforce solutions and training specialist, SERT Training, increasing its nationwide network of training hubs to 10. As Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Homes Upgrade Grant (HUG) funding increases demand for retrofit talent, The Retrofit Academy Hampshire has been established to meet this demand by upskilling workforces and unlocking new career opportunities for individuals. The new training partnership will provide contractors and housing providers in the region with the highest quality training for Retrofit Advisors, Assessors and Coordinators required to work on upcoming programmes. The Retrofit Academy’s nationwide network of Training Hubs is licensed to provide leading retrofit courses curated by the UK’s experts in retrofit knowledge and skills. From The Retrofit Academy Hubs, contractors and social housing organisations around the country can access sector-specific qualifications ranging from levels 2-5, including: Successful delegates will be able to unlock new career paths that the SHDF and HUG have provided, helping contractors, local authorities and housing associations to address their practical retrofit skills gaps. As more organisations begin to understand the labour requirements that their projects present, they can now work with The Retrofit Academy to develop a workforce capable of delivering high-quality retrofit at scale. With hubs across the North East, Midlands, South East and South Wales, The Retrofit Academy’s licensing gives technical colleges and other further education centres the tools to deliver the leading, nationally recognised retrofit training. Licensed partners are granted access to a host of helpful resources and support, including a ‘train the trainer’ programme for two staff members, learner and tutor support from The Retrofit Academy’s expert team and full Retrofit Academy membership for 12 months. Mark Edwards, CEO of SERT Training, said: “We are thrilled to announce our exclusive partnership with Retrofit Academy to deliver their qualifications across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This milestone signifies our commitment to providing individuals with the skills needed to drive their own retrofit plans forward. “With our range of domestic clean heating and power courses, these qualifications will complement our offering perfectly. We are grateful for the support we have received from The Retrofit Academy, and we are excited to welcome the first cohort of learners onboard early November. Both our organisations share the same high standards in learner experience and content quality, so alignment has been very straightforward and a lot of fun.” David Pierpoint, Chief Executive at The Retrofit Academy added: “The launch of TRA Hampshire in partnership with SERT Training is another great step in extending the capacity for delivering retrofit at scale in the South East. Learners who train at The Retrofit Academy Hampshire will get access to the nation’s leading and most established training courses and graduate in a strong position to support with delivery of high-quality, large-scale retrofit across the UK. “Our work with training providers to create career paths for qualified retrofitters and bring graduates together with employers is important to address the practical retrofit skills gap for SHDF programmes. With 10 training partnerships established and over 5,500 learners having put their trust in us to date, we are keen to replicate this model other key UK regions to increase numbers and develop the workforce even further.” For more information on how to become a training partner with The Retrofit Academy, please visit:https://retrofitacademy.org/training-licence-partnerships/?utm_medium=feature&utm_source=pr&utm_campaign=pressoffice&utm_term=trahampshire Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Innovative flexible office provider, Canvas Offices, has doubled its London market share over the last 12 months following a period of impressive growth. Established in 2018, Canvas has grown into one of the Capital’s leading flexible office space providers, synonymous with providing modern and authentic work environments that enable businesses to grow and thrive. Having recently brought two additional buildings into its portfolio, Canvas now boasts over 15 office buildings in desirable locations across the City, including Shoreditch, Mayfair, Clerkenwell, Farringdon and Old Street. With two further sites under negotiation, this level of growth comes just 10 months after Canvas secured £2.5 million in debt investment from alternative finance provider, ThinCats. Having just agreed a long-term lease for its new flagship 35 000 SQM seven floor building above Holborn tube station, Canvas now has firm plans in place to dominate the flexible office space sector throughout the Capital, while driving international growth into Europe and the US. Oren Rosenblum, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Canvas Offices, confirmed: “Over the last 12 months, the Canvas team have worked incredibly hard to not only source new opportunities to grow our footprint, but to also elevate the Canvas brand and ensure it is positioned as a leading player in London’s flexible office space market, mastering the unique touch of our product at scale. I am incredibly proud of the level of growth we have achieved during this time and now look forward to the next stage in our business journey, with an immediate focus on our 35 000 SQM flagship site above Holborn tube station. ”Headquartered in Shoreditch, Canvas boasts above 95% occupancy rate across its entire portfolio, with growing waiting lists and strong occupier demand. Underpinned by a growing team of industry experts, Canvas buildings are home to ever expanding businesses from start-ups to Global HQs, including influential brands Rough Trade, Patchwork, Malin+Goetz, and Augustinus Bader, to name a few. For more information about Canvas, visit: https://canvasoffices.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Balfour Beatty yesterday announced that it has been awarded a £67 million contract by the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver a replacement campus at Liberton High School in Edinburgh, Scotland. Balfour Beatty will be responsible for the design and construction of the new 13,470 square metre campus alongside facilities for the local community including a state-of-the-art synthetic sports pitch, a library and café. As part of its sustainability strategy, ‘Building New Futures’ and its ongoing commitment to leaving a lasting, positive legacy in the communities in which it operates, Balfour Beatty will create numerous new areas for biodiversity and will also work closely with ecologists to protect existing habitats in the adjacent conservation area. Once complete, the campus will become Balfour Beatty’s first Passivhaus certified building – a quality assurance process for the design and construction of low energy buildings – and will be one of the first certified schools to be built in Scotland. To achieve the coveted rating, the building has been designed to be energy efficient and will utilize high-performance windows and doors, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery to reduce carbon emissions, improve indoor air quality, and reduce energy demand and heating bills. Hector MacAulay MBE, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s regional business in Scotland said: “At Balfour Beatty, we have a long and proud history in delivering education facilities in Scotland. “Throughout construction, we will work hard to give back to the local community, creating and delivering new construction based educational pathways which will equip students with the skills and experience they need for a lasting, fulfilling career in our sector.” Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s great to see work starting on the replacement Liberton High which is the latest school we are building for our young people. “These new school campuses are innovatively and sustainably designed so they are inspirational places for learning for the next generation of young people creating a vibrant and thriving learning environment.” Works are due to commence later this year with completion expected in 2026. At construction peak, the project will employ 120 people including a number of Apprenticeship, Graduate and Trainee positions. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Sussex housebuilder Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties is launching an innovative new scheme to turn renters into buyers by helping them build the deposit they need to buy whilst allowing them to live in their dream new home. The new scheme, called Rent then Buy, will allow qualifying first time buyers to put down just a 2.5% deposit, exchange contracts and move into their new home straight away. It is being launched initially as a pilot in the Barratt David Wilson Southern Regions across the South East at its Ecclesden Park development in Angmering, Meadowburne Place development in Lower Willingdon and Ryebank Gate in Yapton. Using the scheme buyers can spend six months renting their chosen new home while their monthly payments build their deposit up to 5%. At the end of the six-month rental period, the money they have paid in rent is counted as being the remaining 2.5% of their deposit, and they can then draw down a 95% mortgage and complete the purchase of their new home. Adrian MacDiarmid, Head of Mortgages at Barratt Developments, said. “First time buyers often tell us they can’t save for a deposit because they are already paying “their landlord’s mortgage”. This is why we are launching Rent then Buy to solve that problem for FTBs. The scheme offers an innovative way to speed up the saving process, allowing homebuyers to get started on their new life in one of our beautiful new homes across the South-East.” The new scheme, which will be available at selected homes and developments, is open to first time buyers who are buying a home to live in themselves, have saved a 2.5% deposit and are financially qualified to take out a 95% mortgage. The home they are buying must be priced at no more than £425,000. The process of buying using Rent then Buy is as follows: “With saving for a deposit becoming increasingly difficult and with rents rising fast, Rent then Buy offers homebuyers a chance to seize the moment and lock in the home of their choice,” adds Adrian MacDiarmid. “Instead of paying private rent that eats up all their savings, they can put that money to good use as part of their deposit, all while they are enjoying living in their new home.” For further information about the properties available at Barratt David Wilson Homes’ Ecclesden Park, Meadowburne Place or Ryebank Gate developments, please visit www.dwh.co.uk / www.barratthomes.co.uk or call 0333 355 8498 / 0333 355 8499. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
This week, the UK’s first ever International Retrofit Conference is taking place as part of BE-ST Fest, a two-day industry summit focused on zero carbon construction and organised by Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST). BE-ST Fest is the culmination of a month-long festival for the sustainable built environment, bringing together hundreds of professionals in construction and related sectors to showcase best practice and highlight emerging opportunities. In this interview with BE-ST, UK Green Building Council (UKGBC)’s CEO Smith Mordak digs into some pressing questions to set the scene ahead of their keynote address. What is the role of individuals, industry, and government in shifting mentalities to bring about change? We all have a role to play. We each have valid perspectives, agency, and responsibility to use whatever skills, power, and tactics we can. We also each form the context for each other. We all contribute to the wider sense of possibility. Industry can demonstrate to individuals and governments that we have the capacity and appetite for more ambitious regulation. Individuals can collectively show governments that action on the climate and biodiversity emergencies is electorally popular. Governments can show leadership both with legislation and the way they steward the public estate. This positive feedback loop can be broken when trust is broken through fragmented or stop-start legislation, or when uncertainty and scarcity make long-term thinking difficult. As with all relationships, a commitment to ongoing, honest, and transparent communication can help repair and maintain trust between us all. We can all do our part to uphold communication and trust. You’ve previously been critical of international forums and events like COP. But why do you think it’s important to continue to come to events like BE-ST Fest and the Retrofit Conference to speak? Despite some controversial noises this year, COP remains a unique gathering when our two key audiences – governments and businesses – get together to make decisions and build momentum for decarbonisation. Apparently, this is from the tv show the ‘West Wing’, but I think it holds up that “Decisions are made by those that show up”. This is why we’ll be at COP28 and BE-ST Fest and other national and international events. How do we make sure these events are focussed on progress, solutions, and acceleration, rather than barriers? We need to get into the uncomfortable conversations, to find the points where there isn’t yet consensus. We may broadly agree as a civilisation that climate change is real and needs tackling, but how this should be done, and how big the changes are that we need to see, are still far from agreed upon. We all need to show up with curiosity and willingness to approach the difficult and confronting decisions with kindness and openness, both as individuals and institutions. What is your call to action for the audience at the International Retrofit Conference? At UKGBC we are launching a major campaign, Upgrading Britain’s Homes, focused on persuading political parties to step up the investment we need to fix leaky, draughty homes across the UK. With an election around the corner, we’ll be championing the opportunities of a national retrofit campaign not just to net zero but to regeneration, the housing crisis, and health and wellbeing. I’m hoping to open a conversation about how we tackle the retrofit crisis directly, not simply through economic tools that we assume will work. In my keynote address, I’m using an analogy about how experiments attempting to detect life on earth from space have failed to demonstrate the existence of organic life, only evidence of technology. I wonder whether this is to do with the detecting equipment used and whether we’re suffering similar biases with the retrofit challenge. It will be an interesting conversation! Smith will be exploring their perspective on the retrofit challenge further during their keynote speech at the International Retrofit Summit alongside other speakers including BE-ST’s Head of Retrofit, Caitriona Jordan, Rachel Owens, Co-Director of the National Retrofit Hub and Robert Deegan, Principal Officer for Residential Energy Efficiency, Government of Ireland, among others. Find out more: http://www.be-stfest.org Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bellway has won a coveted national sustainability award for its work on a world-first research project aimed at creating the energy efficient homes of the future. The housebuilder won the category for the Most Sustainable Construction Project in the 2023 Building Innovation Awards for its Future Home @ Energy House 2.0. Paul Lawler and Jamie Bursnell of the Bellway management team collected the award during a ceremony, hosted by Build in Digital, at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester on Thursday 12 October. As part of the pioneering project, Bellway has built a three-bedroom detached house, named The Future Home, inside a climate-controlled chamber within the Energy House 2.0 facility at The University of Salford. The chamber allows researchers to test the energy performances of the building in temperatures ranging from -20C to +40C, as well as in extreme conditions such as gale force winds, rain, snow, ice and solar radiation. Awards judges praised the Bellway submission as “ground-breaking research” and “an excellent all-round entry”. One judge said: “It’s great to see Bellway considering affordability in their solutions.” The conclusion of the judging panel described the housebuilder’s work at Energy House 2.0 as “an exceptional research project that can have a sustainable impact on the wider construction industry”. Jamie Bursnell, Bellway Group Technical and Innovation Manager, said: “We are exceptionally proud of our team’s work at Energy House 2.0. It means a lot to us to have our research within the project recognised not only for the impact it will have on housebuilders and the industry in general, but also on the daily lives of consumers. “Exploring and promoting sustainability across the business is the purpose of our Better with Bellway strategy, which includes the work we have undertaken at the Energy House 2.0 facility at The University of Salford. This project is a key component of our commitment to carbon reduction – one of the core priorities of our sustainability strategy. “The Future Home is part of a truly pioneering research project which will allow us to test and evaluate, in tightly controlled conditions, new ways of powering, heating and insulating homes. This will help to make them more energy efficient and enable them to meet new standards which require a significant reduction in carbon emissions for new-build homes from 2025. “We must say a special thank you to The University of Salford, our partners including Barratt Developments and St Gobain, and our suppliers for their commitment and support for the Future Home @ Energy House 2.0 project.” Energy House 2.0 is a £16 million project part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The UK’s largest housebuilder, Barratt Developments, also built a three-bedroom low carbon home, known as eHome2, in the same climate-controlled chamber, in partnership with Saint-Gobain, the worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction. For more information about the Future Home @ Energy House 2.0 project, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/the-future-home. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A brand new ‘Academy’ based at the Bradford College Trinity Green Campus has launched in partnership with Sheffield-based architects, Bond Bryan. The Bond Bryan Academy will see the company’s team of highly skilled professionals serve as guest lecturers, adding vital industry knowledge and perspective to Bradford College students’ learning. Bond Bryan will also undertake workshops, site visits, and mentorship programmes for students across various courses in the College’s Construction & Engineering Department, immersing them in the day-to-day operations of a successful architecture firm. As part of the partnership, a specially designed Bond Bryan base room has been designed and built in the heart of Trinity Green Campus. As well as serving as a purpose-built classroom to support Design, Surveying, & Planning for Construction T Level students, architects will use the facility to oversee new estate projects on site. Bond Bryan has in-depth knowledge of the education sector and curriculum requirements at Bradford College. The team has collaborated on various successful projects to date, including the design and construction of both the College’s David Hockney Building and Advanced Technology Centre. Speaking at the launch event, Bond Bryan CEO Matt Hutton said: “Our ethos is ‘more than design’ which, for us, is about doing something with our clients and communities beyond just the boundary of the projects we’re working on. “This partnership with Bradford College] is a perfect example of how to reach students and create pathways for them into vocational courses, hopefully within this brilliant industry. It’s all about trying to show them that there are opportunities out there beyond what they’ve even considered. “We have success stories in the office of people that we’ve worked with before at colleges who are now doing really good things for us. We genuinely want to give something back and as an organisation; I want to ensure we are doing things which will make a difference, rather than just box ticking.” The launch event saw Matt Hutton visit Bradford College to deliver an insightful talk to staff and students about his route into architecture and how students will benefit from the partnership going forward. Stephen Smith, Bradford College Head of Department for Construction & Engineering, said: “We’re thrilled with the exciting new partnership with Bond Bryan. This collaboration will provide valuable opportunities for students to gain real-world experience and insight into the architecture and construction industries. “Bradford College students will develop the practical skills and network needed to excel in their future careers. We are confident this relationship, with such a respected industry leader, will greatly enrich our T Level in Design, Surveying & Planning for Construction. Our students are eager to learn from Bond Bryan’s experts and we look forward to seeing the fruits of this effort. We are also proud to deepen our commitment to preparing work-ready graduates through partnerships with respected companies like Bond Bryan.” Asa Gordon, Curriculum Vice Principal, added: “Partnerships with employers like Bond Bryan are fundamental to the College delivering our mission of working together to transform lives. Giving our students the opportunity to meet with Matt and understand the career opportunities available to them following studying with the College, is essential for meeting future skills needs. “Bradford College students will benefit from the expertise of a number of industry experts, as well as gaining access to work experience through this partnership, supporting them in their journey as the future workforce needed in the Construction industry.” Bradford College offers an extensive range of courses in Construction and Engineering for school leavers right through to degree-level and advanced professionals. Find out more about the T Level in Design, Surveying, & Planning for Construction (enhanced by the Bond Bryan partnership) by attending the next Bradford College open day on 11th November, 10am – 3pm: Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
THE newest SEND school in Ipswich – Woodbridge Road Academy – has held its official opening ceremony, following the completion of work on site in Russet Road. The £7m new-build school is tailored for 60 children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and has been constructed under the Department for Education’s (DfE) MMC1 framework. The school features 12 classroom suites and several learning resource areas, which will allow secondary-age pupils to be taught vital life skills. In addition, Woodbridge Road Academy boasts a well-equipped library, sensory rooms, main hall, dining area, and accessible bathrooms. Outside, a multi-use games area (MUGA) has been constructed for recreational activities – including use by the wider community. Beyond serving the student population, the layout of the school allows specific areas to be accessed by the community outside core school hours. This includes the main hall, accessible bathrooms, hygiene rooms and the outdoor MUGA, meaning that the wider community also benefits from the new facility. The design also incorporates a ‘community lock’ feature, with Salto door lock systems on certain doors meaning that access to particular areas can be controlled by the school, providing additional levels of flexibility and security. Architecture and interior design teams from multi-disciplinary construction consultancy Pick Everard have worked closely with design and build contractor Bowmer + Kirkland, playing a pivotal role in delivering a carefully considered design fit for both pupil and community use. Paul Knifton, director at Pick Everard, said: “As with any school project with a variety of stakeholders, collaboration was at the heart of this project’s success. We are pleased to have worked with Bowmer + Kirkland and Woodbridge Road Academy to create a new, purpose-built building that will transform the SEND provision in Suffolk. “This collaborative approach saw our team of specialists attending design meetings across all disciplines, making sure that compliance with MMC1 specifications was upheld. Through engagement with the academy, which started in March 2021, we were able to together successfully deliver designs that were operationally robust while also meeting specific needs. “Close proximity to the nearby rail track also required careful consideration, so the building itself has been strategically positioned to ensure minimum noise and vibration from passing trains – and additional elements have been added for student safety, such as tall fences. “We’ve been very pleased to bring our extensive experience from other MMC1 framework and SEND projects, ensuring the best use of project budgets and gross internal floor area (GiFA). This expertise and our collaboration have resulted in a school that not only meets, but exceeds the stringent requirements needed for SEND schools – and adds values to pupils and the community too.” For more information on Pick Everard and the services it provides, visit: www.pickeverard.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading Cheshire based glazing specialists, RED Systems have announced the launch of their new SFS Division, RED Optimal. The new division was formed following RED Systems’ acquisition of Liverpool based Optimal Building Solutions (OBS) earlier this year. Headed up by owner, Steve Williams, OBS had been operating successfully in the SFS and fit-out sectors for over 20 years. Steve Williams will now join the RED team as Managing Director of RED Optimal, to help integrate the new division into the company and provide invaluable expertise in the SFS space. By combining their market-leading expertise in commercial glazing, curtain walling and SFS, the RED group will now be able to offer a single, competitively priced solution for two critical path packages, which in turn will improve envelope procurement and delivery for their clients. The wide-ranging benefits of this approach for the main contractor includes less packages to let, one design solution, fully covered by PI, with coordinated delivery on site that is all fully Building Safety Act compliant. Speaking about the new venture, Mike Green, Managing Director of RED Systems said: ‘This development will offer huge benefits for our clients here at RED. The advantages of appointing a single contractor to deliver the combined SFS & Glazing package are massive in terms of logistics, programme delivery and cost and we are delighted to be working with Steve and the team on this new venture.’ RED Optimal will offer complete building structure and shell solutions. Driven by early engagement, the team will provide a full design service at pre-construction stage, working in tandem with the glazing team to provide a full scope review of projects I order to deliver the most appropriate solution. RED Optimal Managing Director, Steve Williams commented: ‘By combining our expertise, we will be able to offer clients a speedy, accurate, compliant and cost-effective solution, with one point of contact, which will add value of every stage of project delivery.’ The RED Optimal partnership has already been successful in delivering a full glazing / SFS, dry envelope solution for the high-profile Stockport Interchange scheme. Working with colleagues from Willmott Dixon, the team installed 3,570 m2 of windows and curtain walling, utilising Metal Technology products including: 5-35 hi+ glazing system and System 17 for the curtain walling aspect. Feedback from colleagues at Willmott Dixon was universally positive with Principal Surveyor, Michael Blackburn commenting: “From our perspective, RED Systems performance on Stockport Interchange was exemplary. The quality of in the installation, the attitude of their supervisor, the productivity on site as well as how they worked with us on any programme or commercial matters and their knowledge of wider issues in the industry, such as Reg 38, meant for us, they were one of our highest performing Supply Chain Partners on the project. Combining the SFS and Curtain Walling packages with one partner worked fantastically well for us. It allowed for greater co-ordination on site and gave us tangible programme benefits. The use of protection screens meant that the sequence between trades was critical, and RED pulled out all the stops for us.” The RED Optimal team have also been successful in securing the SFS and glazing package for the new Manchester College City Campus (Phase 2) at the former Boddingtons Brewery site on Great Ducie Street. ‘Early engagement and helping educate our clients on the benefits of full envelope procurement is key,’ commented Mike Green. ‘We have been delighted with the feedback from our key clients so far and look forward to working on some exciting schemes over the next few months and beyond.’ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Building Centre in London is holding a free workshop with panel debates and talks led by experts across the construction industry on 15 November 2023. With the industry under more scrutiny than ever to make sure that greener practices are followed, it is important that commercial plumbing looks towards the future to find efficient and productive ways of reducing its carbon footprint. Potential methods of which include the use of bio-based polymers and new pipework materials. Visitors to the event, titled ‘The Future of Sustainable Plumbing’, will be able to network and discuss ways that the industry can continue to strive for a sustainable future. Alongside this, expert speakers will be discussing many of the current hot topics that are currently important within the space. These expert speakers will be covering a wide array of topics, including Laing O’Rourke’s Jim Jaffa and Christos Pavlou highlighting the latest design trends in piping installations that are striving to make products more efficient. Franz Huelle from REHAU will be discussing the latest innovations in pipework solutions in the industry, whilst Andreas Frank from Borealis will present about renewable feedstock for polymers, which sees vegetable oils being used as a bio-based polymers feedstock. Alongside this, Julia Torrubia and Margarita Kobrina from Atelier Ten will be talking about the impact of plumbing on the whole life cycle of carbon, an important part of the wider picture of sustainability. Other speakers at the event include Lucy Sherburn from Fairheat, who will give an overview of the new technical requirements set to be introduced under upcoming heat network regulations and Hydrotec’s Amar Lakhani will discuss the chemical-free disinfection of plumbing pipework. Located within the Building Centre in Central London, REHAU’s hub will play host to the event, with a variety of products and solutions on show. There will be an opportunity to experience some of these solutions for today’s challenges being faced in the commercial plumbing industry right now. The event is completely free to attend and looks set to be an insightful meeting of many key industry people and companies, who can look to come together to help guide the commercial plumbing industry into the future. To register for the event, CLICK HERE. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals