Architecture Director, Akshay Khera, has been appointed as head of the Bristol studio of global design practice, BDP. With more than a decade of experience designing buildings and spaces in Bristol, the South West and Wales, Akshay is passionate about improving the built environment in the region. He is committed
While headlines have revealed the small amount of allocated Levelling Up funding that has been spent to date, the Conservative Party has pledged a further £20m for 30 towns over the next 10 years to add to its long-term plan for levelling up. At a time when many local councils
Earlier this year, NGED, the DNO which manages electricity distribution in the south midlands, Wales and the southwest of the UK, published the statement below on their website: “The way we charge for some of our larger connections quotes is changing from 1 April 2024. Customers seeking quotations for connections
Watts Roofing Supplies is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Oadby Building Products Limited (OBP), marking a significant milestone in our company’s growth and expansion efforts. OBP will complement Watts’ existing offerings and enhance our product range, expertise, and customer base. The OBP brand will remain intact, continuing to operate
JD Sports is planning to open 200 new stores globally this financial year, despite recording a drop in profits. During the last financial year, the sportswear retailer opened 249 stores, closed 248, and disposed of 74 across all its fascias globally, bringing its total store estate to 3,317 stores. In
Panattoni, the largest logistics real estate developer in the UK and Europe, has increased its investment in its net zero carbon logistics park at Sittingbourne to £170 million with the acquisition of an additional 10-acre site at G Park Sittingbourne. Panattoni is preparing to submit a planning application for a
Baxi has added new Auriga medium temperature monobloc heat pumps, compatible cascade and hybrid controls, and a pre-contract design guidance service to its existing commercial heat pump offering. Leading heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi has announced the arrival of its new Auriga mid-temperature monobloc commercial heat pump series
Every industry is constantly looking to improve their respective sectors for great efficiency and streamlining. The construction industry is no different, as infrastructure supply chains are set for huge transformations in the coming years, thanks partly to technology and innovative strategies. But what are some trends the industry can expect
Prologis UK, a leading owner, developer and investor of logistics property has launched a market-first flexible warehouse offering, Flexxtra, at Prologis Park Wellingborough West DC4. Flexxtra, a warehouse-as-a-service offering, provides agile additional warehouse space to businesses on an as-needed, pallet-by-pallet basis. Both a convenient and flexible way to manage logistics
Urban Fox, a partnership between Balfour Beatty Investments and Urban Electric Networks, has today unveiled the UEone, Europe’s first fully retractable electric vehicle (EV) chargers, at a launch event held at the internationally renowned design museum, V&A Dundee, Scotland. Following over seven years of development and a successful two-and a
Architecture Director, Akshay Khera, has been appointed as head of the Bristol studio of global design practice, BDP. With more than a decade of experience designing buildings and spaces in Bristol, the South West and Wales, Akshay is passionate about improving the built environment in the region. He is committed to delivering sustainable spaces that create a sense of community and wellbeing designed with end users in mind. Akshay’s appointment supports the continued growth of BDP in the region as a widely respected, socially progressive practice with an embedded multidisciplinary approach across healthcare, housing, education, and workplace sectors. Akshay joined BDP Bristol in 2004 and in 2010 went on to lead the Delhi and Abu Dhabi studios where his international portfolio included notable projects such as the masterplan for the Indian Institute of Technology and the University of Birmingham’s Dubai Incubator campus. He returned to Bristol in 2019 and has brought his proven expertise in collaborative communication and design to lead a number of projects. These include the University of Bristol Dental School, projects for the University of the West of England, and the International HQ for the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts. Akshay Khera, head of BDP Bristol says: “Once again, Bristol has been named as one of the best places to live in the UK and it is known to be one of the highest-growth cities across multiple major asset classes. The opportunity for growth in the region in all sectors remains strong and as a multidisciplinary consultancy, we are perfectly placed to help our local clients understand their investment and property portfolio strategies. “By delivering designs that are contextual, sustainable, and people-centred we aim to deliver stimulating spaces in schools and universities, stress-relieving environments in healthcare facilities, a strong sense of community in housing developments and workplaces that foster collaboration and wellbeing. “With the depth of talent in our Bristol studio across sectors and professions, we are in a fantastic position to enhance our role in the region, delivering quality design projects that are inspirational, challenge the norm and are reflective of our progressive and diverse studio.” BDP is currently working on a number of projects across the South West including the innovative Gap House project in Bristol, a series of healthcare projects including the new elective care centre at Southmead Hospital, the design that won the Brighter Places/Housing Festival competition to build a 100% affordable housing development at Midland Road in Bristol and schools for the Department for Education. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
While headlines have revealed the small amount of allocated Levelling Up funding that has been spent to date, the Conservative Party has pledged a further £20m for 30 towns over the next 10 years to add to its long-term plan for levelling up. At a time when many local councils are struggling financially – with some issuing Section 114 notices, and 18 given permission by the government to sell-off assets and delay projects to release cash ahead of the general election – it may come as a surprise that projects with government funding have not yet made progress. However, there are different reasons, as well as solutions, explains Pagabo’s director of national delivery Karen Carter. A report published by the Public Accounts Committee has revealed that despite £10.47bn in Levelling Up funding coming from central government, so far only £3.7bn has been given to local authorities. Given the need for allocated funding to be spent between 2020-21 and 2025-26, there has naturally been criticism of the situation. Moreover, as of September 2023, local authorities have only managed to spend £1.24bn. In reference to the original plan, almost none of the 71 projects that were successful in the first round of funding are on track – despite being due to be complete in March. While this may paint a fairly bleak picture, it has not been smooth sailing since the first round of successful bidders were announced in October 2021. Unusually high inflation has meant project budgets set by bidders when the government funding was applied for are no longer feasible. Add to this the fact that overall council budgets have become tighter, meaning the risk of starting projects without needing to find additional funding is simply too high. Bridging the financial gap would be a solution, but a tricky task to do. 18 councils have been given permission from government to sell off assets to bridge budget gaps and avoid any further council bankruptcies ahead of the election – expected to release £1.4bn in capital resources across 2024/25. The fear here is projects being abandoned altogether, or losing funding allocation due to delays, so another – perhaps more realistic – option is to review project viability and adjust the scope where required. To do this, it’s key that the right people are on board. From procurement professionals through to contractors and consultants, collaboratively engaging on issues and presenting the problems is the only way to find meaningful solutions. With construction projects, it’s the industry experts that can advise what market opportunities could be released to make a budget work hardest. From our conversations with the public sector organisations that have secured Levelling Up funding, it’s not that the projects are completely unrealistic – but they need to be very carefully reassessed to ensure every stage from remediation through to delivery can be completed. Giving credit where its due, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has so far been flexible with projects – allowing many to start late and retain their funding – which is a big relief to local authorities. This flexibility stems from an understanding and awareness of the market changes and challenges that are impacting projects. We encourage those overseeing projects to be proactive in seeking support and to discuss the challenges they are facing. At the Pagabo Group alone, we have a huge range of resources and connections that can strengthen the position of local authorities, giving them the confidence to kick on. For example, we have multiple compliant procurement solutions covering project analysis support, cost modelling, project recovery, along with contractor and developer engagement options to fully analyse the best way forward for a project. But, if the findings from this analysis are not encouraging enough, there is the opportunity to use Loop to strategically demonstrate social value, stakeholder engagement and return on investment. Ultimately, it’s not too late for Levelling Up funded projects and it’s definitely not time to panic. The same goes for the 30 towns promised an injection of funding to support their plans for the future. It’s time for open, honest and optimistic conversations about how to mitigate the impact of current challenges and create impactful, long-lasting change for communities. For more information, please visit www.pagabo.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Earlier this year, NGED, the DNO which manages electricity distribution in the south midlands, Wales and the southwest of the UK, published the statement below on their website: “The way we charge for some of our larger connections quotes is changing from 1 April 2024. Customers seeking quotations for connections greater than 250kVa at high voltage will be required to pay for them when they are issued” DNOs have always been entitled to charge for grid connection applications but have historically avoided doing so. As demand for new and larger grid connections has increased in line with the electrification of industry and the rapid deployment of renewable energy systems, it seemed almost inevitable that DNOs would start charging at some point. How much the charges will be remains to be seen, and there is no standard answer because charges vary by area within DNO regions and the type and size of the application. Charges are likely to be linked the kVA size but also to the amount of work the DNO must do to create the grid offer for the customer, meaning larger connections could see significant sums needing to be paid. NGED is the first DNO to introduce charges for commercial grid applications and it makes sense from their perspective. The volume of connection applications has increased tenfold over the last 5 years and, since not all applications proceed to connection, the DNOs have incurred significant costs, which they have passed on to all electricity consumers. The introduction of grid connection application charges should limit the number of speculative applications and reduce overall costs. But for building and renewable energy project developers looking for suitable sites, where a suitably sized grid connection is essential, the new charging regime will be highly detrimental. Fortunately for project developers, of any kind, Vattenfall IDNO’s new Grid Connection Consultancy service provides a way to minimize costs and avoid being charged wherever possible. Vattenfall IDNO is an Independent Distribution Network Operator, meaning the company can connect projects anywhere in the UK. As an IDNO Vattenfall can also adopt some of the essential infrastructure that is required for large, commercial grid connections, and will pay developers an Asset Adoption Value for these, which directly reduces grid connection costs for the developer. To support developers further, Vattenfall has now developed a data platform to help clients understand where, and how much, grid capacity is available across the UK. By working with Vattenfall developers can avoid the need for multiple speculative connections in different parts of the UK – and the associated costs which DNOs might charge and get real time assessments of the available capacity at their preferred project locations before submitting applications. Vattenfall IDNO will also pay any grid connection application charges upfront on behalf of the developer, further assisting cashflow, and will only charge a developer if the project does not go ahead. At the moment NGED have limited the charges to larger schemes of 22kV and above, stating: “We will review the success or otherwise of our targeted approach which will inform our decision on the application of connection offer expenses in the future.” Whatever they decide in the future it seems that grid connection application charges are set to stay and that it is only a matter of time before the other DNOs follow suit and introduce their own charges per region. Understanding the variable nature and timing of the introduction of these costs will create additional work for developers, further highlighting the benefits of working with a grid connections specialist, like Vattenfall IDNO, who can manage part, or the whole process, of securing a grid connection on behalf of clients so they can concentrate on what they do best – building the infrastructure for a net zero future. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Watts Roofing Supplies is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Oadby Building Products Limited (OBP), marking a significant milestone in our company’s growth and expansion efforts. OBP will complement Watts’ existing offerings and enhance our product range, expertise, and customer base. The OBP brand will remain intact, continuing to operate independently from its site. About Oadby Building Products Limited Founded in 2008 by Mehul Somani, OBP has been a trusted name in the supply of building products to various sectors, including Newbuild, Selfbuild, Social Housing, and Domestic Refurbishment and Maintenance. The company began as Oadby Building Plastics and expanded significantly after moving to a purpose-built 25,000 square foot warehouse and office space in January 2014, located on Kenilworth Drive in the Oadby industrial estate. OBP is renowned for its exceptional customer service and comprehensive product range. The company offers express service at its trade counter and a convenient multi-vehicle free delivery service. With a wealth of industry knowledge and a commitment to finding cost-effective solutions for projects of all sizes, OBP stands as a one-stop shop for building products. Simon Lock, the manager at OBP, brings 26 years of industry experience, having progressed from a yard person at Asphaltic to his current role. His 11-year tenure at OBP has been marked by his extensive knowledge and dedication to the company. About Watts Roofing Supplies Founded in 2010, Watts Roofing Supplies is one of the fastest-growing independent roofing merchants in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The company grew from a single branch in Baldock covering the local area to a three-branch roofing merchant with hundreds of suppliers and many happy long-term customers. It currently has branches in Baldock, Stevenage, and Cambridge. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
JD Sports is planning to open 200 new stores globally this financial year, despite recording a drop in profits. During the last financial year, the sportswear retailer opened 249 stores, closed 248, and disposed of 74 across all its fascias globally, bringing its total store estate to 3,317 stores. In the UK and Republic of Ireland, JD Sports opened 21 new stores and closed 13, increasing its store portfolio by a net eight stores. This included the relocation and expansion of its Birmingham Bullring store, as well as new stores in Coventry and Bedford. After the period ended – at which point the retailer operated 454 stores – JD Sports also opened a flagship store at Westfield Stratford. The group also expanded its JD Gyms estate, opening in eight locations during the period. JD now operates 85 gyms in its principal UK market. This comes as the group releases its results for the 2024 financial year, during which its revenue increased by 2.7% to £10.4 billion. However, growth was negatively impacted by a number of disposals made during the period, which comprised the 52-week period ending 27 January. However, profit before tax and adjusting items fell by 8% to £912.4 million, which JD Sports attributed to increased investment. Régis Schultz, chief executive officer of JD Sports, said the strong revenue performance was “delivered in a challenging market.” He added: “We have started the new financial year with Q1 in line with our expectations in a volatile market and we are on track to deliver our profit guidance for the full year. Looking further ahead, we have a strong business model and a clear strategy to deliver long-term growth and value creation for our shareholders.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Panattoni, the largest logistics real estate developer in the UK and Europe, has increased its investment in its net zero carbon logistics park at Sittingbourne to £170 million with the acquisition of an additional 10-acre site at G Park Sittingbourne. Panattoni is preparing to submit a planning application for a 128,050 sq ft unit on the new site. Construction of this second phase of development is expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year, with completion due in the third quarter of 2025. Panattoni is already under construction with the 645,000 sq ft first phase of development at the park, comprising two units of 440,000 sq ft (S440) and 205,000 sq ft (S205). Completion of these two units is expected in March 2025. Panattoni Park Sittingbourne, which will total 773,000 sq ft on 36 acres, is targeting net zero carbon development with an expected BREEAM sustainability rating of ‘Excellent’ and an EPC rating of ‘A’. All units are to be developed with enhanced sustainability measures within the base specification, including the installation of roof-mounted photovoltaic panelling and electric vehicle charging points. Panattoni Park Sittingbourne is strategically positioned between London and Dover, four miles north of junction 5 of the M2. The development provides convenient access to major national and international transport routes, with the port of Dover less than an hour away and easy connectivity to the M2, M20 and M25 motorways. Major occupiers in the area include Morrisons, Amazon, Evri and DHL. Tony Watkins, Head of Development for the South East and London at Panattoni, said: “This expansion of our site at Sittingbourne reflects theattractiveness of thelocation, which is suffering from an acute supply-demand imbalance. It is part of our strategy to acquire land in undersupplied markets in London and the south east that offers value-add opportunities”. Panattoni was advised by JLL. The vendor, GLP, was advised by Avison Young. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Baxi has added new Auriga medium temperature monobloc heat pumps, compatible cascade and hybrid controls, and a pre-contract design guidance service to its existing commercial heat pump offering. Leading heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi has announced the arrival of its new Auriga mid-temperature monobloc commercial heat pump series with compatible cascade and hybrid controls. Baxi’s expanded commercial heat pump offering, now backed with a design guidance service from its technical solutions team, will be supported by a high temperature R290 (propane) heat pump range later this year. Baxi’s new air to water Auriga Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) series can achieve temperatures of up to 60°C with reduced global warming potential (GWP) due to the R32 refrigerant. Available in single outputs of 20 kw, 26 kW, 33kW and 40 kW, with cascade options of up to 320 kW, the new Auriga series offers design flexibility for commercial buildings of all sizes. As part of the new Auriga range, Baxi has launched a series of Auriga-compatible cascade and hybrid controls to maximise system efficiency. The new Baxi Commercial HVAC (CHVAC) Manager offers modular and flexible control of hybrid heating systems, with the option to cascade up to eight heat generators (either eight ASHPs or a combination of ASHPs and boilers). The new Auriga indoor controller is designed for simple ASHP cascade system control. The new Baxi VM-T controller can be used as an extension to increase the number of secondary zones controlled. The CHVAC Manager also enables connection to a BMS through Modbus or 0-10V for full remote monitoring and system optimisation. James Matthews, Director of Building Solutions at Baxi, said: “Our new Baxi Auriga ASHP has been designed with efficiency, occupant comfort and design flexibility in mind. Its excellent seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) of up to 4.83 at W35 is combined with quiet operation and sound power of less than 65 dBA. “To help tackle the decarbonisation challenge and ensure optimal whole-life benefit from ASHPs, we have evolved our commercial customer support service as well as our heat pump range. At the outset, our technical sales team work collaboratively with our customers to understand their project goals, scoping out potential solutions and feasibility studies. “Following this initial assessment, our newly formed technical solutions team support our customers with system design, system sizing and simulation testing to assess solution suitability against the project requirements. “By partnering with customers at the early stages, we can not only supply the required ASHP system components, but the precise, validated advice, backed with predicted energy and carbon savings and capital expenditure modelling, that will help make the switch to ASHPs more seamless.” Designed, manufactured and tested at Baxi’s dedicated commercial heat pump facility in Vilafranca, Spain, Baxi’s new Auriga series comes with full Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) to help customers assess the embodied carbon of their projects. The Auriga is backed with a Parts and Labour warranty of up to 5 years when commissioned by Baxi or a Baxi-authorised engineer. The Auriga is available to quote now, for July delivery. Features and benefits at a glance Dimensions For more information, visit: https://www.baxi.co.uk/lp/baxi-auriga-air-source-heat-pump Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Every industry is constantly looking to improve their respective sectors for great efficiency and streamlining. The construction industry is no different, as infrastructure supply chains are set for huge transformations in the coming years, thanks partly to technology and innovative strategies. But what are some trends the industry can expect for future changes throughout the supply chain? Wincanton, experts in logistics management in construction, have offered an insight into some things that will drive change within the infrastructure supply chain. Sustainability An area of supply chains across various industries that will see rapid changes in their future (as well as their present) is sustainability. Between consumers and clients on construction projects, there’s a greater emphasis on companies within the industry to be more eco-conscious and put sustainability at the heart of their mission. This is one area where integrated logistics being involved in projects from the outset can be hugely beneficial and could assist in a more sustainable future for the industry. This is due to integration that reduces the number of vehicles needed for deliveries by consolidating those travelling to project sites. In addition, this allows companies to optimise deliveries to be more sustainable. Looking at alternative methods of transport is one area where the industry is likely to move forward positively. With further advancements in charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) and compressed and liquified natural gases (CNG and LNG) becoming more common as alternative fuels, the industry will likely see a reduction in emissions due to a grander scale move to these different fuel types. Visibility and reporting Having so many moving parts during infrastructure projects, such as deliveries of materials, machinery, and equipment, it’s important to have full visibility end-to-end of where everything is so that your project stays on schedule. One future trend that could help shape infrastructure supply chains is using a dedicated logistics provider to offer great visibility on materials. This can be done using emerging technology like the Internet of Things (IoT). This single system acts as a network for multiple devices for a singular truth by tracking and communicating with each other. This tracking can display full tactical information on the items ordered, the estimated time of arrival, and their current location. This information will also have visibility on any issues or delays to the delivery so expectations on scheduling can be set. Other data, including compliance and reporting, can be included and held in this single system, making product traceability even more visible. Transparency is a hugely important consideration in infrastructure as it can establish trust between stakeholders and project managers by putting everyone on a level playing field. Giving everyone involved the ability to trace the journey of materials and orders throughout the supply chain with a ledger that acts as a point of authority can help ensure compliance with regulations and standards. More cost-effective budgets One of the key challenges within infrastructure is keeping within budget restraints, which is where optimal logistics can see huge effects. A good logistics partner can identify how to save on costs by consolidating deliveries, identifying where overordering occurs, and helping improve productivity across teams. Wincanton has found that logistics can occupy around 6% of a project’s value, meaning that a £1 billion infrastructure project would spend £60 million on logistics. This is where the future of logistics could benefit from integrated approaches, with further statistics finding that savings of 20% can be made on this, thus keeping larger and more costly projects within budget and preventing overspending or reallocating funds. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Prologis UK, a leading owner, developer and investor of logistics property has launched a market-first flexible warehouse offering, Flexxtra, at Prologis Park Wellingborough West DC4. Flexxtra, a warehouse-as-a-service offering, provides agile additional warehouse space to businesses on an as-needed, pallet-by-pallet basis. Both a convenient and flexible way to manage logistics needs, Flexxtra enables customers to react quickly to market conditions and manage peaks in demand, without the long-term commitment of traditional leasing. The all-in-one turnkey solution acts to simplify leasing by taking the operational responsibilities off the customer. The Flexxtra service will be fulfilled at Prologis Park Wellingborough West DC4, a new building which has been fitted out to accommodate 70,000 pallets. As part of the service, Prologis UK has appointed Kinaxia Logistics, working alongside Visku and their Pallet Hotel platform to manage inbound receipts, insurance, and outbound fulfilment for customers so that they have a seamless experience. Visku, a well-established supply chain solutions provider with in-depth experience and strong sector relationships, will oversee the day-to-day customer management. Building on its existing relationship with Prologis UK, with its flagship site located at DIRFT, Kinaxia Logistics, a leading logistics group operating in the transport, warehouse and fulfilment sector, will oversee operations on site. DC4 is strategically located between London and the Midlands, providing an ideal location for businesses looking to strengthen their supply chain operations and is ideally positioned for access to the port of Felixstowe, a major gateway for imports into the UK. The unit is expected to be able to support between 10 and 30 customers at one time. James Hemstock, Capital Deployment & Leasing Director at Prologis UK said: “Flexibility is something that we know businesses of all shapes and sizes are looking for when they lease warehousing space, especially to help with demand spikes throughout the year. Flexxtra is something we’ve been working with Visku on for quite some time and we’re certain it’ll bring something new – and much-needed – to the logistics property market. We hope to be the incubator space for UK PLC’s next big success story.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Urban Fox, a partnership between Balfour Beatty Investments and Urban Electric Networks, has today unveiled the UEone, Europe’s first fully retractable electric vehicle (EV) chargers, at a launch event held at the internationally renowned design museum, V&A Dundee, Scotland. Following over seven years of development and a successful two-and a half-year trial, 18 new Mk5 UEone chargers have been installed by Urban Fox across nine locations in Dundee, on behalf of Dundee City Council. Designed with accessibility in mind, the award-winning, 7kW on-street charge points are the first of their kind to the market. The UEone effortlessly rises from the ground to an accessible height, and when not in use, auto-retracts flat and flush underground, leaving pavements clutter free and more accessible to pedestrians, when compared to other available EV charge points. By simply downloading the Urban Fox App, members of the public can easily summon the UEone to rise from the ground, power their EV and track their usage. At the launch event, Smart UK, a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz Group and Geely Holding, presented one of its latest award-winning electric models, the Smart #1. A compact SUV designed for urban environments, yet offering up to 273 miles of range, the #1 represents the kind of EV that can take full advantage of improved on-street charging. Oli Freeling-Wilkinson, CEO of Urban Fox, said: “After more than seven years of intensive development and testing, we are immensely proud to unveil Europe’s only flat and flush charging solution that complies with the highest accessibility standards. At Urban Fox we are passionate about addressing the pressing need for near-home EV charging infrastructure across the UK, to ensure that no one is left behind on the road to net zero.” Gavin Russell, Chief Executive Officer of Balfour Beatty Investments, added: “Today’s launch marks a significant milestone in the UK’s journey to achieving net zero. The launch at the renowned V&A museum in Dundee highlights how innovative technology can significantly enhance, not detract from urban spaces and living.” Dundee City Council Fair Work, Economic Growth & Infrastructure Convener, Councillor Steven Rome, marked the launch of the UEone chargers in Dundee by saying: ”I am pleased to see Dundee City Council invest in low-emission transport, further proving that we are continuously making progress towards achieving our net-zero targets. Dundee City Council believes that it is important to deploy charge points that are as accessible as possible to deliver equitable access to EV charging solutions, and this innovation helps cater to the needs of our communities.’’ Jason Allbutt, Chief Executive Officer of Smart UK, added: “As manufacturers like Smart continue the drive to make the UK’s transition to electric mobility a success, it is vital that our products are supported by a robust and reliable charging network. The development of innovative yet practical near-home charging solutions is therefore vital to ensuring that as many people as possible can benefit from the cheap, clean and convenient transport provided by electric vehicles.” Urban Fox, voted Top 6 European Cleantech Start-up by Climate-KIC – the EU’s innovation agency – combines Urban Electric Networks’ innovative and entrepreneurial spirit with Balfour Beatty’s unmatched scale, skill and capabilities in delivering infrastructure in the heart of local communities, building on the company’s experience and longstanding relationships with public realm services and local authorities. For further information on Urban Fox’s innovative on-street charge point, for product demonstrations or discussions on how Urban Fox can support your area to deploy charge points, please contact enquiries@urbanfox.network Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
