Gripple’s innovative Fast Trak pre-fabricated bracket solution has been specified for One Cambridge Square, a new office and retail space within the heart of Cambridge North. Working alongside main contractor Wates and subcontractor PA Collacott & Co, Gripple supplied its innovative rapid fit trapeze system Fast Trak to suspend electrical
Huntsman Building Solutions, a leading manufacturer of spray foam insulation, has launched a brand-new training programme to support surveyors and construction professionals to build their knowledge of the insulation material. Spray foam insulation is growing in popularity in the UK as more homeowners look to home improvements in response to
Southern Housing has confirmed its first major asset acquisition since registering as a housing provider in December 2022 following the merger of Southern Housing Group and Optivo. The first tranche transfer of 694 homes from L&Q, which completed today, builds on Southern Housing’s already significant presence in Surrey, England. Richard
With energy transition and energy security rising to the top of the agenda for Government and businesses across the UK, the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) Forum convenes in London on 1-2 March 2023, bringing together industry experts to provide the latest updates on new energy projects, changing infrastructure policy
Cyril and Louis Keller, the brothers who invented the world’s first compact loader (later named the Bobcat skid-steer loader), have been selected as 2023 inductees for the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) in the USA. The NIHF annually recognizes inventors, promotes creativity and advances the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Global water technology leader Xylem will showcase new technologies and solutions for building services at ISH 2023, a leading trade fair for HVAC and Water taking place in Frankfurt, Germany, from 13 to 17 March 2023. The company is seeking long-term partnerships to tackle the world’s most pressing water and
Barratt Developments has built 721 new homes in the Hampshire region in the last 12 months and has brought more than £46 million to local communities. The leading developer, which is bringing its Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes developments to the county, also provided 179 affordable new homes, sold
Innovative approach to ‘wrap’ Brent Cross Town’s new electrical substation creates one of the UK’s largest public artworks and a new landmark for London Brent Cross Town, one of the largest urban regeneration projects in Europe, today unveils a new 21-metre-high and 52-metre-long permanent public artwork. The artwork has been
Wolseley, the leading trade specialist, today launched an innovative component recycling/reconditioning scheme aimed at reducing the environmental impact of maintaining gas boilers by driving a more circular economy in the domestic heating sector. The scheme will allow heating engineers to return faulty Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), diverter valves and fans
We often talk about why the industry needs to embrace cultural change and what it can do to facilitate this change. But with this, it is easy to forget to recognise the steps that have already been made in the right direction. Therefore, we wanted to focus on some of
Gripple’s innovative Fast Trak pre-fabricated bracket solution has been specified for One Cambridge Square, a new office and retail space within the heart of Cambridge North. Working alongside main contractor Wates and subcontractor PA Collacott & Co, Gripple supplied its innovative rapid fit trapeze system Fast Trak to suspend electrical containment throughout each floor of the 94,000 sq ft building. Fast Trak was chosen as it offers speed, flexibility and efficient use of space and is renowned for being six times faster to install than traditional methods. Gripple’s Fast Trak also enabled PA Collacott & Co to overcome challenges on the site, including the fact that the cable baskets and trays had to navigate through different heights and levels on each floor, whilst retaining an uncluttered appearance and not compromising safety. Fast Trak was the ideal solution as it benefits from tool-free easy adjustment capability, where the bracket can be quickly moved up and down the track in 10mm increments, before being locked securely back into place. This meant that if the baskets needed to be raised slightly to run underneath or through a steel beam, then this could be done quickly and easily. An electrical supervisor from PA Collacott & Co said: “Fast Trak has definitely helped us to deliver this project much more quickly. We had some tricky steel beams to get through which Fast Trak helped overcome, with its quick adjustment mechanism – which would have been difficult and time consuming with traditional methods. A whole floor took two installers four days to complete – the same space using traditional methods would have taken at least three weeks, saving a great deal of time and labour!” As One Cambridge Square is BREEAM Excellent rated, it was an added bonus that Fast Trak offers carbon savings over traditional methods. Fast Trak helped to save 4,464 kg of embodied carbon on-site – this is equivalent to driving 15,338 miles. An MEP Site Manager from Wates said: “The fact that Fast Trak is pre-formed and arrives on site ready to go means we’ve seen no wastage at all. In the past we have used wedge anchors, threaded rod and channel on a project like this. Fast Trak by comparison is a lot quicker and has eliminated the need for hot works and permits The tracks can be bent easily in the bracket. We have had some great feedback from the installers, who carried out the project really quickly. We’ve also seen no real waste on-site. It has been fantastic.” With fire safety in buildings becoming more important following the recent update to Approved Document B of Building Regulations, Gripple has secured independent test data for Fast Trak, which confirms that the entire system meets the fire performance requirements associated with BS EN 1363-1:2020. Gripple’s Area Sales Manager Josh Bloomfield, explains: “The fact that Fast Trak achieves F120 accreditation was essential on this project. It made a big difference to health and safety on-site and also reduced labour by 17 weeks.” Fast Trak is a pre-fabricated, trapeze bracket, which enables efficient, flexible and safe installation of electrical containment, ductwork, pipework and other mechanical services. Fast Trak comprises metal tracks, from 200mm to 1,500mm in length, accompanied by mounting brackets, from 170mm to 1,470mm wide and is designed to suit a wide range of installations from high-rise office blocks, hotels, hospitals, open retail spaces, residential buildings, or transportation hubs. Fast Trak is extremely versatile as the four-sided bracket provides suspension points on each face. Thanks to its ‘channel style’ return, Fast Trak can be used with standard channel nut fixings along with Gripple’s range of fixings and accessories. All Fast Trak pre-fabricated tracks and brackets are organised in user friendly packaging, with a handle, making it easy to carry on-site. The system can also be moved onto and around site easily and stacked tidily on-site to reduce storage requirements. Instructions for Fast Trak are included on the packaging, with a QR code link, which removes the need for further paper usage. Gripple is committed to providing customers with greener solutions that reduce carbon and maximise use of recycled materials. For contractors and developers, use of Fast Trak offers minimal waste due to the fact that 95% of packaging is FSC cardboard, which is recyclable. For more information about the Fast Trak™ system visit the websitehttps://www.gripple.com/fast-trak Please see the below video on the YouTube channel… Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Huntsman Building Solutions, a leading manufacturer of spray foam insulation, has launched a brand-new training programme to support surveyors and construction professionals to build their knowledge of the insulation material. Spray foam insulation is growing in popularity in the UK as more homeowners look to home improvements in response to the ongoing energy crisis. According to government figures which state that 54% of UK homes have an energy efficiency rating below C1, millions of homes in the UK could benefit from improved insulation, helping to save occupants money on their heating bills and making homes more energy efficient. A key driving force behind the upcoming ECO+ scheme, improving energy efficiency will help to curb growing emissions from the UK’s housing stock. While more people are turning to spray foam insulation, research carried out by Huntsman Building Solutions found that more than half of UK surveyors are unfamiliar with spray foam insulation and have a limited understanding of this product. As well as limiting their ability to properly assess homes with spray foam insulation installed, this lack of understanding is compounding the reluctance of mortgage lenders to finance homes which have improved their performance with spray foam. The research, which sought the opinions of a cross-section of UK-based surveyors*, found that 41% of surveyors possess limited knowledge of spray foam and 17% know nothing at all about this insulation solution. Simon Baker, President of Huntsman Building Solutions (HBS), says: “While the performance of spray foam insulation is proven with BBA certification, we recognise the urgent need to support professionals to strengthen their knowledge of the material. In turn, we can correct the misconceptions around the insulation material and enable more UK homes to benefit from its performance. “Our brand-new training modules represent our starting point on this journey. Designed specifically for surveyors, our technical department will help surveyors in understanding how to assess an installation, identify the differences between correctly installed and poorly installed spray foam, and its benefits in comparison to traditional insulation methods. Equipped with a rounded understanding of the material, professionals can make more informed decisions, in turn supporting homeowners to maximise the performance of their homes – safe in the knowledge they’re doing so for the long-term.” For UK homeowners looking to improve energy efficiency through a properly insulation loft space, Huntsman Building Solutions recommends the use of open-cell spray foam insulation and states the product should only be installed by trusted and trained professionals. HBS Authorised Installer Network provides a way to source qualified contractors, ensuring safe, correct and fully documented installations. Training modules on spray foam insulation will run throughout the year, with the first session taking place on Friday 3rd February. The training is free to attend, and tickets can be reserved here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hbs-university-virtual-training-uk-surveyor-training-tickets-492919173517 Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Southern Housing has confirmed its first major asset acquisition since registering as a housing provider in December 2022 following the merger of Southern Housing Group and Optivo. The first tranche transfer of 694 homes from L&Q, which completed today, builds on Southern Housing’s already significant presence in Surrey, England. Richard White, Executive Development Director at Southern Housing said: ‘We are thrilled to have successfully completed a stock acquisition of this scale during what is an exciting time for Southern Housing. ‘It provides a timely boost for the new organisation and represents our forward- looking approach to being a strong, well-resourced local provider of homes. Strengthening our presence across key local authorities will allow us to achieve our ambition of deepening our ties with communities, being a stronger partner with local authorities and creating better housing for local people’. The newly acquired homes are located within eight local authorities, Guildford; Mole Valley; Runnymede; Rushmoor; Reigate & Banstead; Surrey Heath; Woking; and Wokingham. Southern Housing’s significant and pre-existing presence has been built up over several decades. The acquisition of almost 800 former L&Q properties is wholly aligned with the strategy of the new organisation. Emmanuel Thiagaraj, Senior Stock Acquisitions Manager at Southern Housing said: ‘This is our first stock transfer completion under the Southern Housing banner. We are delighted to share its success so soon after the start of the New Year and the new organisation. The acquisition epitomises Southern Housing’s vision as a creator of communities where everyone has a safe, secure home in a place where they’re proud to live. ‘Creating areas where we have a high concentration of homes, allows us to wield more influence and focus more resources, which will enable more positive change on behalf of our residents’. The acquisition will take place in two tranches with 694 homes transferred today, with the rest in March 2023. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
With energy transition and energy security rising to the top of the agenda for Government and businesses across the UK, the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) Forum convenes in London on 1-2 March 2023, bringing together industry experts to provide the latest updates on new energy projects, changing infrastructure policy and plans to speed up the process. The NSIPs Forum provides a wonderful opportunity for industry leaders to network and share ideas concerning some of the biggest issues currently facing planning for major infrastructure. This year’s event will provide updates on ‘Project Speed’ – a key initiative in the sector – and a focus on the impacts of increased number of energy schemes, including new energy projects incorporating hydrogen and solar. Among the keynote speakers at this year’s forum will be Jenny Preece, deputy director of planning at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. She’ll deliver updates for delegates on Project Speed, key policy changes and the progress of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. Other speakers include Matthew Scriven, joint operations lead for NSIP Reform at the Planning Inspectorate, who will give the very latest guidance on making applications in 2023, and Jamie Baldwin, development project director at Ørsted – the largest energy company in Denmark, who will provide valuable insight into how to successfully deliver offshore wind and the lessons to be learned from new developments. A panel comprising Chris Taylor, head of planning and consents at Progressive Energy,Colin Turnbull, Partner at DWD, Karen Barclay, head of major infrastructure – planning and stakeholder engagement at Anglian Water, will explore the types of infrastructure of infrastructure needed including water and the latest energy projects incorporating floating offshore wind, nuclear, solar and hydrogen, and how to deliver projects at speed. While another panel discussion involving John Twomey, head of customer management at the National Grid, will look at the challenges facing the grid in view of the ever-increasing number of energy infrastructure projects. The two-day event will be chaired by Gideon Amos OBE, the former planning inspector, UK Infrastructure Planning Commissioner and head of the Town and Country Planning Association, now managing director of Amos Ellis Consulting. As a current Council member of the National Infrastructure Planning Association, Amos keeps a close eye on policy and practice developments and feels it is vital for the industry to come together at this crucial time, as we emerge out of the pandemic. Mr Amos, said: “The NSIPs Forum provides a perfect opportunity for industry leaders in national infrastructure projects to reflect on the past year, provide practical advice on planning and delivery, and help pinpoint the opportunities for organisations to make efficient progress during a period of economic instability. “In the last 12 years, the NSIPs regime has delivered consents to more than 100 of the UK’s most important, complex, and valuable projects, but we now face unprecedented challenges, including infrastructure delivery, how the economy – and its different sectors – will recover after the pandemic, all in the context of climate change. “This year I’m delighted our programme will span across a range of live renewable energy schemes involving hydrogen, solar, wind and water, biodiversity, nuclear and National Grid connection projects. “As ever, there will be practical advice and guidance covering topics like National Policy Statements, climate change, stakeholder engagement and public consultation. However, answering the critical questions surrounding how to accelerate national infrastructure to meet the climate and energy challenges, while properly taking into account the interests of developers, local authorities, communities, and the environment, will always be at the heart of the NSIPs Forum.” The 11th Annual NSIPs Forum will take the form of an in-person event, held in at the Congress Centre in London. The event is organised by Waterfront Conference Company, which delivers physical and virtual policy conferences for the planning, energy, rail, ports and maritime sectors. For more information and to register for NSIPs Forum 2023, visit the event website at https://waterfront.eventscase.com/EN/NSIPs23 or for other Waterfront events, visit https://www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Cyril and Louis Keller, the brothers who invented the world’s first compact loader (later named the Bobcat skid-steer loader), have been selected as 2023 inductees for the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) in the USA. The NIHF annually recognizes inventors, promotes creativity and advances the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. How it all began In the 1950s, brothers Cyril and Louis operated a small machinist-blacksmith shop in Minnesota together, building and repairing machinery for local farmers. A farmer approached them with a need for a self-propelled loader light enough to be lifted to the second floor of a turkey barn and small enough to clean around the barn’s upright poles. In response, in 1957, the Kellers built a three-wheeled loader with two drive wheels in front and a caster wheel in the rear – the predecessor to the modern skid-steer loader. The loader came to the attention of Melroe Manufacturing Company (now Bobcat), which invited the Kellers to demonstrate their invention in their booth at the Minnesota State Fair in 1958. After a successful demonstration at the fair, the Melroe Manufacturing Company was awarded exclusive manufacturing rights to the machine on a royalty basis and hired the Keller brothers to refine the design and put the machine into production. World’s first true skid-steer loader To improve on the design of the loader, a second set of drive wheels was added to the back of the loader in 1960. With this four-wheel drive, the M400 became the world’s first true skid-steer loader. ‘Skid-steer’ describes the unique steering system, which enables the machine to turn within its own length. Later, the Bobcat brand name was established because of the machine’s toughness, quickness and agility. Joe Keller, son of Louis, said, “The Bobcat loader has positively impacted the lives of thousands of employees who have worked for the company, dealers who sell the machines, and customers who use the equipment every day to build their livelihood. While we may not always realize its impact, it is an integral part of our everyday life—from supporting farm operations that result in food on our tables to hauling materials around a jobsite building our homes and offices.” Sixty-five years later As Bobcat celebrates 65 years since the invention of the machine that created the compact equipment industry, it has continued to forge the future of the industry through innovation and forward-thinking. Bobcat now offers more than 100 products in the compact, grounds maintenance and industrial equipment industries, and produces more than 150 families of attachments. Other awarded inventors Other NIHF 2023 inductees include Rory Cooper, who invented wheelchair technology; Luis von Ahn, who co-created the website security program reCAPTCHA; Angela Hartley Brodie, who discovered and developed a class of drugs called Aromatase Inhibitors that stop the production of hormones that fuel the growth of cancer cells; and 14 other innovation pioneers. This year marks the 50th anniversary event of NIHF’s founding in 1973, when Thomas Edison was the sole inductee. Acknowledging the award on behalf of his father and uncle, Joe Keller said, “This recognition is a great honour to dad and Cyril’s families, but it is not just for us. It is a recognition for all of the early and current Bobcat employees who have helped bring our little ‘Keller loader’ to be the Bobcat machine it is today. It has been a great honour to have had a front-row seat watching this invention revolutionize the way work gets done around the world.” For more information about Bobcat and Bobcat products, visit the website www.bobcat.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Global water technology leader Xylem will showcase new technologies and solutions for building services at ISH 2023, a leading trade fair for HVAC and Water taking place in Frankfurt, Germany, from 13 to 17 March 2023. The company is seeking long-term partnerships to tackle the world’s most pressing water and energy challenges – particularly within the building sector which is one of the EU’s major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. “The rate at which we decarbonize the building sector will have a crucial impact on whether we achieve our climate goals” said Victor Ferre, Senior Director, Business Development & Vertical Marketing Building Services at Xylem. “Whether you are a facility manager, a heat pump manufacturer or an HVAC installer, Xylem can help reduce the carbon footprint. Our intelligent pumps, monitoring software, reliable heat meter, and accurate water meters are already saving 50,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year – that’s the equivalent to taking 20,000 cars off the streets.” The race to zero has started and Xylem sees building sustainable partnerships as the foundation for long-term success. The company is looking for like-minded partners that lead the energy transition in the building services sector: consultants, OEMs, contractors, installers and operators. At ISH 2023, Xylem will showcase its latest product innovations to accelerate its customers’ digital transformation, including: pump management solution hydrovar nexusTM; cloud-based plant monitoring Avensor; new high efficiency OEM circulator range eco2 designed for optimized integration in all kinds of HVAC applications; and DomoJet water meters – compliant with the European Energy Efficiency Directive. Visit Xylem’s booth B81 in hall 9.0 to explore potential new partnerships and to learn about the latest Xylem and Manchester City campaign that will be launched during ISH 2023. In addition, Xylem will be hosting an initiative through the company’s social responsibility program Watermark. For each participant that pledges to take an impactful water-related action, Xylem will donate to projects supporting UNICEF’s global WASH and education efforts. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Barratt Developments has built 721 new homes in the Hampshire region in the last 12 months and has brought more than £46 million to local communities. The leading developer, which is bringing its Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes developments to the county, also provided 179 affordable new homes, sold at 54% below the average price of a private new house. The figures are obtained from the company’s annual socio-economic footprint and highlight how much local economy benefits from the building of new homes thanks to a combination of programmes that form part of each new housing development. With investment into the local community a top priority, Barratt spent £30.1 million on physical works to improve highways, local outdoor spaces, and community facilities. A further £10.1 million came from a boost to local spending, supporting trade through spending in shops and services, which has in turn supported 98 retail and service-related jobs. In addition, almost £6.2 million has been contributed to organisations local to each of the developments in the region. These include supporting local authorities, schools, community groups and charities to strengthen local communities. A well as financial investment, the housebuilding supply chain has contributed £123 million through its total value spend with suppliers and sub-contractors, working with 607 supplier and sub-contractor companies, as well as supporting 1,552 jobs and 13 places for graduates, apprentices and trainees. Barratt holds sustainability high on its priority list too. An impressive 3.96 tonnes of construction waste has been diverted from landfill thanks to responsible management – a 44% reduction against the company’s 2015 benchmark of 7.09 tonnes. The equivalent of 12 football pitches worth of public and private green space has been created (8.7ha), with 54% of developments designed with landscape-led, above ground, sustainable urban drainage systems. James Dunne, Barratt Developments Managing Director, Southampton Division, said: “Despite the nation facing uncertainty with the cost-of-living crisis, we have prided ourselves on continuing our commitment to building strong, sustainable communities. “The local areas we work in benefit from jobs, community development and support for local business as well as a collection of brand-new homes. It’s so important for us to leave a lasting legacy in and around these new neighbourhoods, and I’m very proud of the positive impact we have, both at the time of construction, as well as in the years after.” The socio-economic footprint report highlights several other key figures and benefits generated through the building of Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes in 2022: The report on Barratt’s socio-economic footprint in 2022 was carried out by independent experts who analysed socio-economic impacts through the delivery chain for new housing based upon Barratt Developments datasets, published research and national statistics. For full details, visit: https://www.barrattdevelopments.co.uk/building-sustainably/our-publications-and-policies/publications Barratt Developments is currently selling a variety of properties across Hampshire, including at Harbour Place in Bedhampton, Saxon Corner in Emsworth and Forest Walk in Whiteley. To find out more, please visit www.barratthomes.co.uk or www.dwh.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Innovative approach to ‘wrap’ Brent Cross Town’s new electrical substation creates one of the UK’s largest public artworks and a new landmark for London Brent Cross Town, one of the largest urban regeneration projects in Europe, today unveils a new 21-metre-high and 52-metre-long permanent public artwork. The artwork has been created by celebrated London-based artist Lakwena and architects IF_DO, and is formed of a ‘wrap’ around the new electrical substation for Brent Cross Town. The exuberant colour scheme and vast scale of the artwork, which at its highest point is taller than the Angel of the North (at 20 metres), ensures that it will become a new local landmark. The artwork, titled “Here we come, here we rise”, sits next to London’s A406 North Circular at the junction with the M1 motorway, and adjacent to both the Thameslink railway line that connects central London with the home counties north of the city, and the new Brent Cross West station, which is due to open this year. It is estimated that some six million people each year will see it from the road and rail alone. Lakwena, who is known for her joyful technicolour murals and graphical text poetry, has applied her signature colour, pattern and language to the design. The inspirational statement “Here we come, Here we rise and shine” reflects the ambition to inspire and bring people together in the local community. Working with Lakwena, IF_DO created a unique structure and façade design comprised of four undulating bands and triangular-shaped “lenticular” panels that create a kaleidoscopic visual effect to emphasise the idea of movement as viewers move around the structure. Lakwena and IF_DO drew on influences as varied as Eadweard Muybridge’s motion studies and historic forms of roadside structures, such as billboards, funfairs and industrial sites that make use of a skeletal frame supporting a brightly coloured skin. Brent Cross Town, which is being delivered in partnership by Related Argent and Barnet Council, is being designed to be a net zero carbon development by 2030, and investment in efficient new infrastructure is a key part of this. The substation will supply electricity to all of Brent Cross Town, including the 6,700 new homes, 3 million sq ft of offices and new retail and leisure spaces, as well as to the low-carbon district heating/cooling networks operated by Swedish energy company Vattenfall. Brent Cross Town will source all electricity supplies within its control from 100% renewables sources. In addition to being a colourful and dynamic beacon for north London, the electrical substation is also notable for its sustainable innovations. Global engineers, Arup, led the design team with a focus on minimising the environmental impact of the structure. The project puts circular economy principles into action with circa 50% of the structural steel being salvaged from unused oil pipelines, reducing embodied carbon emissions by over 40%. The concrete used is a combination of low cement concrete and the new ‘Earth Friendly Concrete’ – a cement-free concrete. Using these alternative concrete mixes saves up to 33% and 70% of embodied carbon respectively compared to standard mixes. Galldris were the main contractor responsible for the delivery of the overall project, undertaking the civil engineering, working with Bourne Group, the specialist technology-led construction engineering company, to deliver the wrap. Bourne Group also worked closely with Arup to progress the design philosophy into a solution that could be efficiently fabricated and constructed, and undertook the project’s steelwork construction. TPS Project Management, acting as project manager, supported on delivery overseeing design management and construction of the wrap, substation and off-site reinforcement. Lighting plays a key part in the design of the artwork and specialists Michael Grubb Studio designed the lighting scheme to be discreet and attract attention to the artwork during the day and at night. The lighting creates a halo around the façade’s wrap which filters down through the structure, allowing the light to fade away at lower level. The project has also brought back to life a piece of brownfield, ex-industrial land with the creation of a newly landscaped embankment designed by Gillespies Landscape Architects. Newly planted trees and wildflower meadow provides a naturalistic setting to the artwork, as well as increasing site biodiversity, enhancing local wildlife corridors and tying in with the wider network of green infrastructure within the masterplan and surrounding area. The launch of the new public artwork adds to the growing momentum behind Brent Cross Town with affordable, student and homes to buy all under construction, and the recent announcement that Sheffield Hallam will open its first campus outside of Sheffield at the new town. Nick Searl, Partner at Related Argent, commented: “This amazing piece of public art, designed in collaboration between artist Lakwena and architect IF_DO, is set to become a great landmark for London in this highly visible location. It sets the tone for the wider Brent Cross Town neighbourhood and demonstrates our commitment to art, culture and low carbon development. It would have been easy to take the more traditional route of enclosing the substation in a nondescript box and to miss the opportunity that is now so evident. Instead, we have demonstrated that even the most functional pieces of infrastructure can play an important role in defining place and lifting the spirits.” Councillor Barry Rawlings, Leader of Barnet Council, said: “We are investing in public art across Barnet because we recognise the potential to improve the wellbeing of our people and its positive role in building a sense of place. Not only will this iconic large-scale artwork put Brent Cross Town on the map, but it also showcases a talented London artist, and wraps an important piece of sustainable infrastructure that is key to meeting Brent Cross Town’s aspirations to achieve net zero Carbon by 2030 – this really is green innovation and creativity at its best.” Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Lakwena has created an incredible artwork that brings together creativity and sustainability and will be enjoyed by millions of people. London is a world
Wolseley, the leading trade specialist, today launched an innovative component recycling/reconditioning scheme aimed at reducing the environmental impact of maintaining gas boilers by driving a more circular economy in the domestic heating sector. The scheme will allow heating engineers to return faulty Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), diverter valves and fans from some of the most popular domestic boiler manufacturers and receive a small payment per component. The faulty components will then be returned to a specialist refurbishment company, where they will either be refurbished and offered back into the market or recycled where the product is beyond economic repair. Wolseley customers will be able to purchase a selection of kitemarked refurbished products with a two-year warranty and at a much-reduced price than buying the part new. More than 1.5 million boilers are changed every year and some estimates put the number of those repaired as high as 3 million, but most faulty parts are currently recycled as other materials or go to landfill sites, rather than being reused to extend their working life. Wolseley is introducing the new service on a test basis to understand the attractiveness to the customer base of returning parts for refurbishment as well as their willingness to purchase parts that have been reconditioned using a BSI Kitemark certified process. The test comes at an apt point in time given the cost-of-living crisis and the requirement to mitigate outgoings, as well as providing customers with a financial incentive to participate in a positive environmental trial. Emma Conroy, Proposition Development Director, Wolseley Plumb & Parts, said: “We want to help drive a more circular economy in the domestic heating sector and believe there is customer appetite for reconditioned parts as an alternative to new ones. This new service amounts to testing the water at scale, at a time when many UK households need help with reducing costs. “Evaluating this scheme with our installer customer base, with benefits for householders, the trade and the environment, will allow us to understand the potential for developing it further and extending it to other product categories,” she said. Wolseley is partnering with Heating Trade Supplies Group (HTS) to deliver the service. HTS is the UK’s only boiler parts specialist to have attained a BSI Kitemark for remanufacturing of components. Wolseley will take in faulty parts at its branches before sending them for repair by HTS engineers. The circular scheme also enables heating installers to offer a new kind of service to domestic customers, and provide advice around how to get best value when a boiler fails. Wolseley will give customers up to £4 per part when bringing in faulty parts to a small number of selected branches. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
We often talk about why the industry needs to embrace cultural change and what it can do to facilitate this change. But with this, it is easy to forget to recognise the steps that have already been made in the right direction. Therefore, we wanted to focus on some of the positive changes that have already taken place in the industry and to celebrate the successes of all parties, from architects to installers, in coming together with a newfound hunger to make a positive change to construction. Construction is a tough job. But it’s also a rewarding one. And there is plenty to be proud of! Although the Building Safety Act got off to a somewhat shaky start with the industry still trying to ‘cut corners’ and ‘game the system’, it is now starting to wake up and welcome the changes in legislation. The Building Safety Act is bringing much needed change to construction for example, the introduction of the Gateway regime and the Golden Thread of Information. The Gateways (1,2 & 3) work to make sure that fire safety is considered from the design and build stage through to the completion and occupation of a building. They essentially ensure that a building is compliant. The Gateways also help to form part of the Golden Thread which is both: In a similar way, the industry is seeing the introduction of schemes such as the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and BSI Identify. The CCPI will help ‘organisations drive higher standards in the presentation of construction product information, prioritising building safety’. It is built around five acid tests concluding that product information must be accurate, up to date, accurate, accessible, and unambiguous. Further to this, BSI Identify also works to support the Golden Thread of Information by supporting ‘product identification and traceability in the Built Environment’. While legislation change, in some cases, forces people into doing the right thing, it has been great to see an increase in authentic talk around competency, trust and collaboration. For example, at London Build Expo, the UK’s leading construction show that took place in November 2022, most panel discussions on the fire safety stage had an overarching message of compliance and creating a safer future for residents of high-rise and multi-occupancy buildings. What is really enthusing is that the industry is not only talking about the need for these values, but taking action too. Firestopping is of a smaller value compared to other packages such as the M&E package. Therefore, historically, it was not considered until months after the start of a project which, as many tragedies have demonstrated, is far too late! However, in more recent years, there has been a shift in attitudes and practices when it comes to early engagement in firestopping. It is starting to be common, yet important, knowledge that firestopping needs to be considered as early as the design stage, ensuring that a building is built around the test evidence that is available. Individuals are now taking a more proactive approach by asking what do we want to build, how do we want to build it and what tested solutions are available. We have seen this through the influx of design meetings and increased interest in webinars, CPD and toolbox talk training. These are just some of the ways that the industry is showing that it is dedicated to fire safety and to doing it right the first time around. There has also been an increased demand for more educational content across the industry ranging from new tested detail information to how-to videos to longer, more in depth articles. We, as manufacturers and suppliers of passive fire protection, feel that with a little push from the Building Safety Act, as well as the strong desire within organisations to do the correct thing, the industry is now starting to actively utilise manufacturer’s guidance and technical support. The world of construction is changing, and it is time that we all take a closer look at what the future holds for us. This year may have felt challenging for those embracing change, but it has also shown us that the only way to succeed is to work together and collaborate, encouraging compliance and competency across all parties! By doing this, we are making a difference in the world, one building at a time. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals