Engineering students at UTC Heathrow got the rare opportunity to tour an operational CyrusOne data centre, seeing for themselves the racks of servers used to store computer data (email, website, online transactions, etc) for some of the biggest companies in the world, along with the electrical and mechanical equipment needed
A bricklayer with more than 30 years’ experience has had the chance to take a closer look at his energy-saving new house at Bellway’s Gateford Quarter development in Worksop before building work has finished. Paul Phillips, 54, has had a hand in building hundreds of houses in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire
A worker from the construction industry has continued a remarkable transformation journey this month, being named runner-up at the 2 BROS PRO Amplified Classic bodybuilding competition. Mitchell Clarke, Mobile Mini Key Account Manager, has worked for the company for nearly 4 years, initially joining as an Internal Sales Representative and
Knights Brown has been awarded the contract to build Cardiff’s new coastal flood defence system in south-east Cardiff. The scheme, on the Rover Way foreshore and the banks of the River Rhymney, has been designed to protect properties from the impact of extreme weather events, and from rising sea levels
Samsung Climate Solutions data1 reveals UK hybrid worker habits are increasingly dictated by temperatures and the comfort of office conditions Today Samsung Climate Solutions reveals the results of bespoke research[1] which finds that although almost two-thirds (64%) of workers in the UK with hybrid working patterns are planning to spend
Call for urgent action as more than one million families currently on social housing waiting lists EDAROTH (a wholly owned subsidiary of Atkins) has laid bare the extent of the current UK housing crisis in its latest white paper – New Approach, Better Homes, Brighter Future. The report demonstrates clearly
National Allotment Week (7th – 13th August 2023) does much to remind us of the value of working the land but gaining access to an allotment – particularly in London – isn’t always easy. The Association for Public Service Excellence reports that nearly 87% of local authorities are experiencing an
Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings has issued a message of advice to those working in the protection of structural steel who are affected by the new Building Safety Act 2022 as the date approaches for it to become enforceable – ensure you understand your obligations. From October 2023, all buildings
Network Rail is pleased to confirm the appointments of two regional managing directors to lead the Southern and North West & Central regions. Ellie Burrows has been appointed as the permanent regional managing director for Network Rail’s Southern region. Ellie has been in the regional managing director role for the
The latest analysis by specialist property lending experts, Octane Capital, shows that mortgage approval levels are forecast to decline by 11% annually come the end of 2023, although short-term positivity is expected with an uplift in activity during the second half of the year. Octane Capital analysed historic mortgage approval
Engineering students at UTC Heathrow got the rare opportunity to tour an operational CyrusOne data centre, seeing for themselves the racks of servers used to store computer data (email, website, online transactions, etc) for some of the biggest companies in the world, along with the electrical and mechanical equipment needed to support such important infrastructure. Shortly before school broke for the holidays, seven engineering students visited CyrusOne’s LON1 site based in Slough, where they met Jacob Dowsett, Regional Operations Director, and Steve Hayward, Vice President European Operations. Jacob was especially inspirational, telling the students about his unconventional path into his role: “What we are hoping to do is shed light on this industry and make the route for your generation more straight forward,” he said. The purpose of the tour was to support the learning these students have been doing on the data services industry as part of their Engineering BTEC course through the Digital Futures Programme. This programme, unique to UTC Heathrow, is designed to open opportunities for students to explore an array of careers within the data services industry, as well as equipping them for other technical careers. Although the programme has been running since 2021, this is the first time any of the students have visited a fully operational data centre. Having made sure that their clients were happy with the students being shown around, CyrusOne were delighted to offer the inaugural tour. CyrusOne’s Jacob Dowsett explained how vital it is for students to be able to see the workings of the data centre in person. “It’s so important for the students to be able to visualise these data centres and see for themselves. Obviously, it’s data sensitive, really high security, but without these experiences – showing the students what’s actually inside the data centre and what engineering roles there are, they’re not going to want to join the industry. They need to see things up and running and see themselves doing it.” On the day, students were shown a short presentation on what happened at the data centre (which the students were already pretty clued up on), before starting the ‘electrical tour’. Much to the students’ delight, this involved the big switch on of a power generator. It was big and loud – the boys loved it naturally! They were shown how it worked by an engineer – but it wasn’t a passive watch. Like all good school trips, the students were armed with a clipboard containing questions they were required to answer. This meant they were actively engaged, listening to the engineers and most importantly learning. The second part of the tour looked at the mechanical side – the cooling system. Data centre servers generate a lot of heat, so all require some kind of cooling mechanism, in this case an Adiabatic* cooling system. Kitted out with boots, hi-vis and lanyards, the students got to really visualise how a data centre works. They spoke to some of the engineers, asking intelligent questions about how the equipment works and what engineers at CyrusOne do – and what the earning potential is. Something that really gave the students food for thought was the company’s vision of a sustainable future and what they could do to be a part of that. CyrusOne’s Hanna Chegrouche, Marketing Coordinator said: “I think the younger generation need to feel valued in industry and feel like they’re part of a bigger impact. So while we were talking about the now of being an engineer, we were also talking about the headwinds that we face and how engineers have a big part to play. We looked at our new facility, LON6, through a VR headset experience and I think they were surprised – it looks so different to what you perceive a data centre to look like, with the biodiverse surrounding areas and timber framed interior, you won’t even think that was a data centre city at all.” For many of the students who were already considering a career in the sector after school, this tour made them even more determined! ALET Project Coordinator Candace Rose Kumi, who is based at UTC Heathrow said: “The advice given to students was fantastic, they left feeling inspired and wanting to know more about the industry. They gained a better understanding of electrical and mechanical equipment within a data centre as well as the future works.” One of the students, Lucas, went on: “This was a great opportunity and has helped me to decide that I would love to start a career in the data centre industry. Everyone was very enthusiastic and informative, and I am very grateful to the CyrusOne team for this experience.” Summing up, another of the visiting students, Yaseen, said: “I found the trip to be fascinating because of the orderliness of such a complex operation. Everything was so under control to the point where any issue they have is predictable and resolvable in seconds, if not minutes, and I found this to be an inspiration for how I should maximise efficiency in my day-to-day life. I was surprised to see how relaxed everyone was given that if the servers were to go down it would cost them thousands of pounds, but I think they are so organised that they never need to worry. They were very welcoming and willing to explain any questions we had and went out of their way to make it a great day for us.” . Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A bricklayer with more than 30 years’ experience has had the chance to take a closer look at his energy-saving new house at Bellway’s Gateford Quarter development in Worksop before building work has finished. Paul Phillips, 54, has had a hand in building hundreds of houses in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire during his long career in construction, and recently had the opportunity to inspect someone else’s work when he was invited to a ‘pre-plaster’ visit as part of the Bellway homebuying process. It was a chance to walk around the new house before it is finished and take a look at all the elements that make it function, such as the electric, gas and water services and the internal structure, before the rooms are completed and plastered. And Paul, who has bought the property and will be moving in with his wife Debbie, 52, and son Harland, 21, was very pleased with what he saw. Paul was shown around the house by Site Manager Shaun Keown and Sales Manager Adam Champion. Shaun explained the details about how the house was constructed during the walk-through with Paul. “I thought the site manager was fantastic,” said Paul. “He was very informative, and I have to say he has built me an exceptional property. I’m chuffed to bits with it, and I’m not green at this, I know what I’m looking for and I know a good property from a bad property. “A lot of housebuilders don’t let you in before your home has been plastered. This is a novel idea to get your customers to know what their new house is all about. “I know Bellway because I’m a bricklayer and I have worked for them in the past, and I know they build a good property.” The house Paul has bought is a two-bedroom semi-detached Joiner, which features an open-plan kitchen/dining room with French doors leading out into the garden and a front-facing living room. Paul and Debbie are downsizing, having sold their four-bedroom detached house just a mile away from their new home – a move that will leave them mortgage free. They sold their old house for £250,000 and bought their new-build Bellway one for £194,950. That means that once they have used the difference to pay off the remaining £47,000 on their old place, they will have money left to pay for legal fees and to start landscaping the garden – and no mortgage to pay each month. “It’s great,” said Paul. “It will be a good feeling; in fact, I’ve got that feeling now. It’s not just the mortgage either, but other things such as the mortgage protection insurance. Overall, it’s a saving of around £600 a month.” And the couple are looking forward to enjoying the benefits of a smaller and more modern house in terms of energy efficiency and lower fuel bills. They also love the layout of the Joiner house style. Paul said: “They have maximised every inch. I love how the stairs come into the living room. It’s nice and cosy and that’s what my wife and I want – a nice cosy house in a lovely area. “We are used to having a four-bedroom property, but we will get used to having two bedrooms and at certain times in life you’ve got to make decisions for the future. There’s currently a choice of two, three and four-bedroom houses available to reserve at Gateford Quarter, with prices starting from £194,950. To find out more, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/east-midlands/gateford-quarter or call the sales team on 01909 238173. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A worker from the construction industry has continued a remarkable transformation journey this month, being named runner-up at the 2 BROS PRO Amplified Classic bodybuilding competition. Mitchell Clarke, Mobile Mini Key Account Manager, has worked for the company for nearly 4 years, initially joining as an Internal Sales Representative and being promoted to Strategic Account Representative. He has been interested in health since he was 16 years old but admits he didn’t take the dieting side of bodybuilding seriously until around 2 years ago. “I didn’t know how to structure things properly until I hired my coaches, Sam and Jack from Tathams Powerhouse Gym and Fitness in Stapleford,” said Mitchell. “Last year, Sam won a bodybuilding show and afterwards, he said he thought I had the potential to do so too if I was dedicated enough. That was all the motivation I needed to take the next step.” Mitchell followed a gruelling regime including 18 weeks of competition preparation, slowly dieting down and increasing the intensity of his cardio and weight training to at least five days per week, on top of squeezing in at least 10-15k of steps per day. “It is an exhausting challenge, especially the last 3-4 weeks when energy is low. I am so grateful for the support from everybody at work, they have never been anything but supportive and encouraging. It is so important if you have a passion or hobby, to not let this impact your working commitments, as this is a personal lifestyle choice. “Whilst I am always conscious of managing my calendar with my food and water intake, this never affects my ability to give my all to customers or colleagues. The team from Mobile Mini West Yorkshire (Wakefield) have always been accommodating, showing interest in my progress and putting up with me cooking salmon in the office! They are really mindful and flexible and it would not be possible for me to achieve these ambitions without their support and understanding.” Mobile Mini UK is one of the leading worldwide providers of portable accommodation and secure storage containers. Headquartered in Stockton-on-Tees, the company has a national network of 16 sites and over 40,000 portable units. Typical customers include construction companies, retailers, manufacturers, hospitals, schools, utility companies, distributors, local and national government, hotels, restaurants, entertainment complexes and individual households. Steve Dickinson, Mobile Mini UK Managing Director, said “Mobile Mini UK considers its people to be its number one asset and we are incredibly proud of the achievements of our employees both at work and in their personal lives. Mitchell has shown the same level of dedication, graft and commitment in his bodybuilding as he does regularly for our customers and we could not be prouder of the fantastic example he is setting to achieve dreams and promote health, fitness and wellbeing.” The 2 BROS PRO Amplified Classic competition was held at Braywick Leisure Centre in Maidenhead in July 2023. Mitchell achieved second place in the first-timers division but is keen to keep progressing and strive to become a champion, “I was a little disappointed not to have won after all the hard work and effort, but on reflection, I am proud of how far I have come and I have the confidence and drive now for the next show and to go on and win.” For now, Mitchell will be continuing to build on his successful career in construction as well as other aspects of his life, “It takes a long time to build muscle, so might be a little while before I am ready to enter the next competition at the level I want to reach. In the meantime, I am hoping to buy a house soon and I am enjoying making good progress at work. I have a really good work-life balance at Mobile Mini and I am excited about what’s to come, both at the company and on my bodybuilding journey.”
Knights Brown has been awarded the contract to build Cardiff’s new coastal flood defence system in south-east Cardiff. The scheme, on the Rover Way foreshore and the banks of the River Rhymney, has been designed to protect properties from the impact of extreme weather events, and from rising sea levels for the next 100 years. The scheme adheres to Cardiff Council’s adopted shoreline management plan of “hold the line” and has been approved by The Welsh Government via the coastal risk management programme. Now this process is complete with the contract awarded, work is expected to start on site later this year and will take approximately 3 years to complete. The total cost of the project is expected to be in the region of £35 million, with the majority of funding provided by Welsh Government. When built, the scheme will deliver: And it will: The scheme will deliver an effective flood defence while minimising impact on wildlife and improving the walking route forming part of the Wales Coastal Path, which links to existing public rights of way. Cllr Caro Wild, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change has welcomed the progress of the scheme, and said: “Cardiff is already starting to feel the effects of our changing climate and as a coastal city flooding has become an increasingly significant risk as sea levels rise and extreme weather events become more frequent. “Enhancing our coastal flood defences is a key priority, especially in areas where residential properties are potentially at risk. “Through our One Planet Cardiff strategy, we’re making good process on reducing the Council’s own carbon emissions, ensuring we’re playing our part in limiting global temperature rises, but proactive steps like this scheme on the foreshore and River Rhymney, are also essential if we are to ensure Cardiff is resilient enough to cope in years to come.” The One Planet Cardiff strategy sets out a range of ways in which Cardiff is moving towards being carbon neutral, including: reducing energy consumption and energy efficiency in council buildings, increasing the supply of renewable energy, shifting to more sustainable and active modes of transport, reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from purchased goods and services, making smarter choices to waste less and recycle more, and increasing opportunities to absorb emissions through green infrastructure and tree planting. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Samsung Climate Solutions data1 reveals UK hybrid worker habits are increasingly dictated by temperatures and the comfort of office conditions Today Samsung Climate Solutions reveals the results of bespoke research[1] which finds that although almost two-thirds (64%) of workers in the UK with hybrid working patterns are planning to spend more time in the office in 2023 than in 2022, 66% would be deterred from heading to the office if the air conditioning wasn’t working or was of their opinion low quality. Against a backdrop of increased levels of office occupancy from previous years, and temperatures remaining at record levels in the UK, the need for quality climate control within the working environment will be a key factor for attracting more of those who want to be back with their professional peers in the office. Among those putting in more days in the office, the difference from 2022 is considerable with the average being 9.2 extra days per month in 2023. This is particularly important to 18 to 24-year-olds of which 81% of those surveyed said they were planning more face-to-face days with their co-workers, highlighting the increasing importance of in person work and collaboration. Almost half (46%) of those surveyed planned to take advantage of office air conditioning if there is a repeat heatwave this summer. It is clear to see how many hybrid workers appreciate a cool working environment as 35% said they go in when the weather is hot to make use of the air conditioning. Given this demand, the quality of office environments is more vital than ever. 24% of hybrid workers were not satisfied with their office air conditioning, and of those 40% reported that it is often not functioning properly. Interestingly, almost a third (31%) of hybrid workers who have experienced problems with air conditioning say the problem is cold draughts. Steve Fleming, Head of Climate Solutions UK & Ireland, commented: “As the UK adapts to changing working patterns and changing weather patterns, the importance of advanced technology in cooling will only increase. Businesses looking to attract workers into the office on a regular basis will gain significantly from quality climate control technology in the months and years to come. Such technologies include Samsung’s WindFreeTM cooling, which disperses the cool air evenly through an office without the stereotypical cold draughts that people complain about. There is a huge opportunity here to cope with demand as people return to the office to make our working and social spaces as comfortable as possible.” Furthermore, control systems will have a key role in office comfort. The research reveals that just under half (42%) of hybrid workers in the UK have had a dispute about the air conditioning. A third of respondents (34%) have argued with colleagues about what temperature the room should be set at and just under a quarter (24%) have complained about the temperature going up and down due to people constantly altering it. Interestingly, the most common trigger for the dispute is individuals setting the thermostat to suit themselves (37%). Over half (55%) of hybrid workers say that their offices have a single control system to manage the temperature for the whole working space. Only a third (36%) have systems that allow them to control the temperature by office area and only a quarter of offices have a democratic approach to controlling the temperature in their workspace, allowing each employee to cast an equal vote. However, this progressive approach doesn’t apply everywhere. 15% of respondents stated that in their offices, the boss will be in charge of setting the temperature. As the hybrid working landscape changes, workers are adjusting their lifestyles to best suit their work-life balance, especially as the UK climate changes too. This is changing our expectations of public spaces, from offices to gyms, as more than half (57%) of hybrid workers in the UK (rising to almost two thirds (62%) among women) would avoid a gym where the air conditioning wasn’t up to their standard. Almost a half (45%) say they’d avoid a restaurant or pub with a similar problem and almost a quarter (24%) would side-step a shop. Building cloud management services, such as Samsung’s b.IoT interface which allows remote, zoned control for commercial buildings, will enable companies to manage office environments for the benefit of all employees. Technology is rapidly advancing to best suit the needs and demands of the changing climate and this data illustrates the importance of climate control for the modern hybrid worker. About Samsung Electronics Air Conditioner Europe B.V. (SEACE) Since introducing its first air conditioner in 1974, and its first heat pump in 2012, Samsung Electronics has been redefining indoor climate comfort for decades. Operating from Samsung Electronics Air Conditioner Europe B.V. (SEACE) which opened in 2017 in Amsterdam, SEACE aims to harmonize activities across more than 30 European countries, offering ongoing technical training in climate and smart building solutions as well as after sales and technical support for its industry partners. Backed by Samsung’s quality reputation and leading-edge innovation, including digital connectivity solutions. SEACE goes beyond convention to provide innovative cooling, heating, domestic hot water, refrigeration and smart building solutions to fulfil the needs for both the commercial and residential market. [1] Samsung Climate Solutions survey of 500 hybrid working adults in the UK on their attitudes towards air conditioning and the comfort of office conditions. Conducted by Samsung research partner.
Call for urgent action as more than one million families currently on social housing waiting lists EDAROTH (a wholly owned subsidiary of Atkins) has laid bare the extent of the current UK housing crisis in its latest white paper – New Approach, Better Homes, Brighter Future. The report demonstrates clearly how unlocking dormant brownfield land to develop for affordable homes, could have a dramatic impact on social housing waiting lists across the country. Analysis of data from the Brownfield Register and the latest available social housing waiting lists, illustrates how capacity for building new homes outstrips the waiting list demand in many parts of England. And, as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has re-stated his commitment to building more than one million homes before the next general election, EDAROTH has called for action to unlock brownfield land and promote more effective use of modern methods of construction, as a realistic solution to meeting that demand. Not only would unlocking brownfield sites help create the necessary capacity for social housing, but it would also drastically reduce the cost of keeping people in temporary accommodation. Currently around 95,000 households are in temporary accommodation which is costing the Government up to £1.6bn. In addition, according to data released in April by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) for 2022, affordable rent costs were double the equivalent social rents in some parts of England. Mark Powell, managing director at EDAROTH (an acronym of Everybody Deserves A Roof Over Their Head) says: “The number of people identified as living in temporary accommodation had risen by an alarming 74% in the last ten years***. Of that total, more than two-thirds had been living in temporary accommodation for more than a year. “By transitioning households from temporary accommodation into social rented homes, we estimate local authorities across England could save in excess of £1bn. This saving could then be used to offset the delivery of up to 14,000 new social and truly affordable homes each year. “To beat the social housing emergency, I believe we must drive market reform and speed up planning with a presumption in favour of net zero compliant homes. “If we do this, we will be able to accelerate the delivery of energy-efficient, truly affordable homes. However if we continue to rely on traditional methods and approaches, I believe the housing crisis will deepen, with low-income households and the most vulnerable in our society feeling the harshest effects.” The affordable homes developer which uses modern methods of construction (MMC) to create sustainable, thriving places, says that low-income and vulnerable households will remain trapped in unaffordable, insecure and, in some cases, unsafe homes without a new approach in place. EDAROTH entered the housing market three-years-ago, to help local authorities and the Government address the shortage of social housing. However, according to the new report very little has changed in that time. The Government’s most recent affordable housing statistics show there were 7,500 new social homes delivered in 2021-22. But with more than one million households currently on social housing waiting lists across England, this build rate falls woefully short of widely-accepted estimates that at least 90,000 new social homes need to be built every year. How brownfield can meet demand Unlocking under-utilised brownfield sites, often overlooked by large-scale housebuilders could help local authorities find suitable locations for new social housing. The data shows that councils across England from Bournemouth to Birmingham, and Norwich to Newcastle, would be able to dramatically reduce housing waiting lists if brownfield sites were developed. EDAROTH has analysed the potential capacity for homes on brownfield land from the Brownfield Register, and calculated the percentage of social housing waiting lists it could absorb. The results are revelatory as our table below illustrates. For example in Manchester, the waiting list from 2022 was 14,912, while the estimated number of homes that could be built on brownfield sites stands at 75,585 In Birmingham, the waiting list figure is 21,867, yet there is capacity to build 54,304 homes. And in Bournemouth it’s a similar story with a waiting list of 1,180 which could disappear within the potential 18,036 homes that could be built on brownfield sites. The overall national percentage impact that brownfield land could have on housing waiting lists is now 109.9%. Local authority (England only) Hectares of brownfield available Social housing waiting list 2022 Total minimum net dwellings on brownfield Impact on waiting lists Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole 202.1 1,180 18,036 1528.5% Birmingham 629.6 21,867 54,304 248.3% Manchester 483.3 14,912 75,585 506.1% Newcastle-upon-Tyne 185.1 6,149 10,958 173.9% Leeds 801.6 26,241 29,527 112.1% Nottingham 194.6 8,207 11,698 142.5% Norwich 158.6 3,906 9,184 235.1% Lewisham 110.8 10,183 12,572 123.4% Basingstoke & Dean 114 4,061 5,497 135.4% The white paper report outlines how modern methods of construction can make a significant contribution to solving the housing crisis by providing low energy, affordable and sustainable homes quickly, driving economic regeneration to support the levelling up agenda and meet Net Zero goals. This is supported by analysis published on behalf of the Local Government Association (LGA), National Federation of ALMOS and Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH) in September 2021– estimating that building 100,000 new social homes each year could contribute £15bn to the UK’s economy. Call to action: In order to shore up demand and support the MMC sector, the EDAROTH white paper is calling for increased incentives for local authorities, public sector bodies, and housing associations, to vastly increase the supply of social housing at scale, utilising MMC. EDAROTH believes there is a strong argument for the urgent prioritisation of Government and local authority-owned brownfield land to deliver new homes which demonstrate clear societal and economic value. It will also be imperative to go further than the current approach of one-for-one replacements of homes sold if social housing demand is to be met, waiting lists reduced and households to be lifted out of temporary accommodation – according to the report. Mark Powell adds: “To beat the social housing emergency, I believe we must harness new
National Allotment Week (7th – 13th August 2023) does much to remind us of the value of working the land but gaining access to an allotment – particularly in London – isn’t always easy. The Association for Public Service Excellence reports that nearly 87% of local authorities are experiencing an increase in demand for allotments. Demand in the London Borough of Brent, for example, is so intense that there is an expected waiting time of up to two years for plots, with the waiting list closed to new applicants. In Wembley Park in the heart of Brent though, residents at Quintain Living’s Canada Gardens have found a way to beat the wait. Canada Gardens is a family-focused development of 743 apartments to rent, ranging from studios to four-bedrooms homes. In addition to extensive grounds dotted with BBQ areas, designer work-from-home sheds, a pirate ship playpark and even its own clubhouse, the development features 18 hireable raised growing beds. The Canada Gardens growing beds were conceived during the design phase of the site, way back in 2016. The London National Park City campaign, with which Quintain’s Head of Masterplanning & Design, Julian Tollast, was heavily involved, was influential in the thinking behind the resident amenities. Tollast and the Quintain Living team drew upon the campaign and their own passion for allotments by providing the raised beds and a greenhouse as part of the overall podium garden design for Canada Gardens. Since the development opened its doors in 2021, residents have grown a range of fruits, vegetables, and herbs on-site. In addition to the raised beds, residents have use of a greenhouse and tool shed, while Quintain Living – award-winning management company which oversees the rental of more than 3,650 apartments in Wembley Park including those within Canada Gardens – also provides information on seasonal planting and growing tips. A new composter has recently been added to convert green waste from the 85-acre Wembley Park estate into nutrient-rich compost and liquid fertiliser (leachate). Demand for the raised growing beds at Canada Gardens is strong and sustained. All 18 beds are currently in use, with a variety of salad crops and vegetables enjoying this summer’s signature combination of interspersed sunbursts and rain showers. Younger residents have been racing each other growing sunflowers and delighting in munching on bright, super-sweet strawberries. Fragrant herbs scent the air while cucumber vines are climbing up canes. In the greenhouse, the summer’s first tomatoes are just ripening, poised to provide the residents growing them with a sudden glut – perfect for sharing with fellow gardeners. Indeed, not only do residents enjoy the opportunity to grow their own food – a win in sustainability terms by cutting out both food-to-table miles and packaging – but many are taking advantage of the social connections that growing food on-site provides. Residents Shamir and Reschma Jetha have enjoyed using both the Quintain Living Resident App and resident events such as gardening workshops to connect with their neighbours. Mother-of-two Reschma comments: “Quintain Living arranged for a local community garden manager, Jim (or ‘Jim the Farmer’ as the kids call him) to teach us how plant everything properly. We planted lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, herbs and many more plants that day. It was really nice, we were all doing it together, everyone was so kind, so dedicated. ‘Jim the Farmer’ taught us so much about plants, when to sow them and how to care for them.” Having never gardened before, Reschma was nervous that it would be complicated in an apartment, but the Quintain Living experience has shown her how easy it can be – and what a great social experience. She continues: “It’s so easy and really gives us peace of mind to care about nature. Since we started gardening in the allotments, we’ve joined a Quintain Living residents allotment WhatsApp group. We let other members of the group know when we are coming down to the allotments in case they might like to join, and we can help each other take care of the plants.” National Allotments Week 2023 is focused not just on growing produce but also on the importance of understanding the role of soil health in increasing yields and supporting biodiversity. Tending raised growing beds such as those at Canada Gardens is one way that families can pass this hugely important knowledge down to the next generation. The Royal Horticultural Society provides plentiful advice when it comes to caring for soil. Its three top tips for working allotment plot soil include carrying out a soil pH test to understand whether any nutrients are lacking, adding organic matter by digging and rotovating and using a crop rotation plan. As part of such a plan, there is still plenty of planting to be done in August, from spring onions, radishes, lettuce and rocket to winter salad leaves such as mizuna and mibuna. “Growing your own food is a fantastic way to enjoy fresh produce at its best while reducing your carbon footprint. Little tastes better than food you’ve grown yourself and picked just minutes before eating. There’s also plenty of fun to be had pickling and preserving the fruits of your own labour as well as getting to know your neighbours better by gifting them some of your homegrown produce.” Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living
Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings has issued a message of advice to those working in the protection of structural steel who are affected by the new Building Safety Act 2022 as the date approaches for it to become enforceable – ensure you understand your obligations. From October 2023, all buildings must be registered with the newly established Building Safety Regulator (BSR), and those of at least 18 metres in height or with at least seven storeys containing at least two residential units will be deemed ‘high risk buildings.’ The registration must be made by the organisation or person who owns or has responsibility for the building, to be known as the Principal Accountable Person, who could include contractors, building managers, building owners and housing associations. The Act requires the Principal Accountable Person to show that the building was compliant with applicable building regulations during its construction and provide evidence of meeting the requirements of the new building control route throughout the design and construction and refurbishment of a building. A Principal Accountable Person who fails to register an occupied higher-risk building without a ‘reasonable excuse’ will be liable to either a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. Bob Glendenning, Fire Design Engineering Manager for Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine, said: “This area of knowledge is becoming increasingly important. All of those in the supply chain including building managers, asset owners, contractors, specifiers and designers need to understand the impact of this legislation and the issues surrounding it. “We can help our customers to capture relevant data on the use of our intumescent coatings so that they can provide data on safety and quality to their own customers and those people who move about in these buildings. “This important data validates each key stage of a new build and is known as The Golden Thread. This needs to be packaged in a digital format which may differ depending on the software being used such as Building Information Modelling. “We should emphasise that it is the responsibility of each Principal Accountable Person to provide the right information to the supply chain – including those bidding the intumescent fire protection package – who in turn are then responsible for all information being passed onto us being accurate.” In addition to registering the building, the Principal Accountable Person must have assessed all building safety risks and taken all reasonable steps to control them, give the safety case report to the BSR on request and apply for a building assessment certificate when relevant. The BSR is an independent body which forms part of the Health and Safety Executive, and aims to raise building safety standards and the performance of buildings whilst also monitoring the competence of regulators and industry professionals.
Network Rail is pleased to confirm the appointments of two regional managing directors to lead the Southern and North West & Central regions. Ellie Burrows has been appointed as the permanent regional managing director for Network Rail’s Southern region. Ellie has been in the regional managing director role for the Southern region on an interim basis since January this year. Ellie Burrows said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been appointed as the permanent managing director for Southern region. I’ve had such a warm welcome since starting on an interim basis in January and I’m really grateful to have been involved in some exciting industry achievements, including the King’s coronation, the celebration of 75 years of Windrush, the 175th anniversary since London Waterloo station first opened and lots more. “We’ve overcome some significant challenges over the past few years and my focus is on working with our industry partners even more closely to make sure we’re investing our money wisely, so we can give our passengers a safe and high-performing railway that they can rely on. “I’m committed to making Southern region a safe, caring and inclusive place where our people are proud to work.” Eastern region managing director Rob McIntosh has been appointed as the new regional managing director for the North West & Central region. Rob will move over to the region on 4 September, and the recruitment process for a new Eastern region managing director is progressing well. Rob McIntosh said: “I’m very much looking forward to working with colleagues, partners and stakeholders to deliver a better service across the North West and Central region. “Whilst running a safe, reliable service for passengers and freight is at the core of what we do, our commitment extends beyond that to making a real difference to the communities and economies we serve.” Andrew Haines, chief executive, said: “Many congratulations to Ellie on her permanent appointment. Ellie is a fantastic leader in Network Rail and has done a great job during her seven months in leading Southern, including building deeper relationships with the regions stakeholders. “I am also really pleased that Rob has agreed to transfer to our North West & Central region. Rob has valuable experience across the industry and I know he will provide excellent leadership to regional colleagues as they navigate their future challenges as well as continue to work with partners in strengthening regional connectivity. “Wishing both Rob and Ellie the best of luck in their roles and I look forward to continuing to work closely with them as we all work to deliver a safe and reliable rail service across Britain.”
The latest analysis by specialist property lending experts, Octane Capital, shows that mortgage approval levels are forecast to decline by 11% annually come the end of 2023, although short-term positivity is expected with an uplift in activity during the second half of the year. Octane Capital analysed historic mortgage approval data from the Bank of England, looking at how the market is currently performing, as well as where it may stand come the end of the year. The latest figures show that 54,662 mortgages approved in June of this year, not only marking a 7% increase on the previous month but the second consecutive month approvals have climbed. Current mortgage approvals levels also sit some 37% above the market low of 39,825 seen in January of this year. But even with recent positive growth considered, the number of mortgage approvals seen during the first six months of this year totalled just 291,578, 29% less than the 410,244 approvals seen during the first half of 2022. The good news is that this uplift in mortgage approval market activity is set to strengthen, with Octane Capital forecasting that monthly figures could hit 69,034 by December of this year. This would signal a return to the previous highs of last year before September’s mini budget rocked the boat and could see the total number of mortgage approvals seen during the second half of 2023 hit 377,927 – a 30% increase versus the first six months of the year. However, despite this late rally during the second half of the year, total annual mortgage approvals are estimated to sit at 669,550 come the end of the year. This would mark a 11% year on year decline, following 2022 which also saw total mortgage approval levels fall by 20% versus the previous year. CEO of Octane Capital, Jonathan Samuels, commented: “The upward trajectory of interest rates and the resulting reduction in buyer activity are expected to see total mortgage approval levels dip for a second consecutive year in 2023. That said, it would seem that the worst is behind us and we are now starting to move away from the market lows seen earlier this year, with positive growth expected to materialise over the remaining six months. While this short-term positivity won’t be enough to bring about an annual increase in total mortgage approvals, it does set a very firm foundation for further positive growth in 2024.” Data tablesData tables and sources can be viewed online, here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals