On the ever growing journey to create a greener world, Architecture firms across the globe are raising the stakes in green design implementations. Sustainability is being taken to new heights across an array of cities and countries, with New York and San Diego standing amongst a growing number of jurisdictions
Huge current debate for architects and designers in the education sector surround what can be done to ensure schools are created with safety at the heart of the design, as school shootings continue to rise. Despite ideas for metal detectors, more resources offices and even calls for teachers to be
A major new survey on the impact of Brexit on the building services engineering (BSE) sector has been launched by the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and leading Scottish electrical trade body SELECT. The survey aims to identify the key issues within the sector following
The winning contractor will deliver at least nine primary schools, with the potential to build further schools to reach a total project value of £95m. Two reserve contractors will be appointed onto the four-year framework. A second procurement process within the framework will be set out to build the additional
Savills Studley has announced three senior retail appointments at its New York headquarters, further bolstering the company’s retail services. Susan Kurland joins the firm as executive vice president and co-head of Studley’s Global Retail Services Group having previously been executive vice president of CBRE’s New York Tri-State Region Retail Services
Uncertainty, risk and endeavour. The prospect of fame and a rich bounty. The Stage development in Shoreditch, EC2, has all the makings of a dramatic Shakespearean tale. The post Raising the curtain on Shoreditch’s theatre development appeared first on Estates Gazette.com. Source link
Commercial Secretary to the Treasury Jim O’Neill, the minister responsible for infrastructure, PFI, public private partnerships, the Northern Powerhouse initiative and business regulation, has quit not just the government but the Conservative Party to boot. Above: Jim O’Neill Jim O’Neill, former chief economist at Goldman Sachs, was recruited by the
Browser does not support script. Contact us The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has launched a new supporter scheme, ‘RIBA Friends of Architecture’. For the first time ever, people with a non-professional passion for design and architecture can now become a ‘Friend’ of the RIBA and enjoy an exclusive
MPs have criticised the government for failing to do enough to protect communities at risk of flooding. In a report published today (9 June), the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) criticised the ‘reactive’ approach to flood incidents and said there was not enough long-term planning aimed at future flood prevention. It
International real estate advisor Savills, on behalf of SVP39 Limited, has let two suites in 39 St Vincent Place in Glasgow to Encompass Corporation UK Limited. Software Company Encompass Corporation UK Ltd has taken the third floor North and South Suites, equating to 2,028 sq ft (188 sq m) and
On the ever growing journey to create a greener world, Architecture firms across the globe are raising the stakes in green design implementations. Sustainability is being taken to new heights across an array of cities and countries, with New York and San Diego standing amongst a growing number of jurisdictions looking to expand the scope of energy and water use requirements in new construction projects. San Diego is now dedicated to all new buildings being created to reach net energy standards. Meaning each new build should theoretically produce more energy than it consumes. Requirements surrounding energy efficiency are now tougher to comply with than ever. Proposals and strategies that used to be optional are no longer so, and buildings have to account for certain codes regarding energy usage if we are to tackle the energy crisis successfully. Staff members of FX Collaborative, an architecture firm in New York City, are pro-actively involved in a variety of task forces that relate to green building codes and ethics. A recent focus has been on energy use intensity and the city has passed a law that grades a buildings performance, requiring the building’s owner to post an energy grade into public view. This will allow for the buildings efficiency to be publicly known and noted, which should hopefully help older, more energy consuming buildings to contemporize their features. Specific goals for future design projects include aspects of energy regulations, such as solar carve outs – which set goals for solar panels to generate certain amounts of Eco-friendly electricity. A variety of cities are now using modern standpoints as realities, over guidelines, to implement a green future sooner rather than later. The District of Columbia have proposed an ambition that will see the equivalent of 5% of its buildings energy consumption to be generated completely by solar before 2032. Building Green is no longer a simple matter of discussion. In the policy climate of the modern day, Building Green extends long beyond the reduction of a building or structures carbon footprint, and emits into the greater catalysts of larger conservations in terms of both water and energy efficiency. With so many architectural firms already taking huge steps to create a better future through green buildings, it would seem that the next decade could show immense success in aiding the world to recover from generations of global damages. This is refreshing news for an industry that has remarkable potential to help determine a stable environmental future.
Huge current debate for architects and designers in the education sector surround what can be done to ensure schools are created with safety at the heart of the design, as school shootings continue to rise. Despite ideas for metal detectors, more resources offices and even calls for teachers to be armed and students to carry bulletproof backpacks, these security steps do not address the fundamental dilemma. This dilemma lies in the overall layout of a building, in how a school works, and how students and teachers within that school, college, or university need to be protected inside it. Architects across America are now looking to their own expertise to help defuse the situation. Although an issue that sounds almost incomprehensible, school shootings are ripe. Putting incredible amounts of students and teachers in danger everyday. As of October 4th (2018), 65 shootings had taken place in school campuses across the United States (figure released by non-profit organisation: Everytown for Gun Safety). This stands as a large percentage of the 297 mass shootings in the US so far this year, and already matches the amount of school shootings that took place in 2017. Everytown for Gun Safety define a school shooting as any time a firearm discharges a live round inside an educational building, within the campus or on faculty grounds. Conventional thinking on improving school safety at first conjures images of prison like security systems, including extensive bag checks and closed circuit cameras, maybe even with armed police roaming the halls. This however, is the exact opposite of what architects in the sector are proposing. It has to come to the attention of many experts in the field that a school needs to be of course safe, but also not become a prison like institute. Reports have shown that both safety and a welcoming feel are integral areas of understanding for the future of educational design. New design proposals include the notion of: One way in – more ways out. Door control is a huge issue in school shootings, and facilities with ample entrance ways are thought to be easy targets. New buildings are being devised with a single point of entry that all visitors, teachers and students must enter through, and anyone entering can easily be viewed on their arrival. Ensuring visitors go through an office before entering the main grounds is also a huge area of design discussion, to keep those inside the building, safe. Having more than one exit not only offers safety in the case of attack, but also complies with fire safety laws and other emergency situations. Contemporary facilities are also being designed with wider, more open hallways that provide clear lines of sight. Giving people the ability to stand and monitor with ease and allow for CCTV to have clear vision without nooks or crannies blocking surveillance. Open hallways have the potential to be sealed off in the case of emergency, creating an extra layer of security and potentially creating a barrier against an intruder. The general overall idea behind the hallways are to create a collaborative environment of learning that can function as a security zone until the correct authorities arise to defuse a situation. Some schools have strengthened the glass on doors and windows to reinforce buildings as harder to attack. This robustness emits the idea that the school can be safe without being too threatening and intimidating in appearance. Although not bulletproof, reinforced doors and glass can withstand certain amounts of stress, much like those in a car windshield, so intruders cannot easily shatter glass and have access to a facility. The overall landscaping of learning institutions are being redesigned. Having a visible parameter with nowhere to hide, such as through a single pathway or small short shrubs means that intruders can easily be seen from a distance. This, in practise, funnels visitors through one main entrance point and anyone of suspicion can be seen before they have the chance to implement a shooting or create an emergency situation. Designers and Architects are taking matters of security extremely seriously, and although school security is more than the threat of active shootings, experts are offering some of the best known solutions to a currently out of hand problem. The newest of school designs account for not only the threat of active shootings, but aid to help bullying, stop sexual assaults and be equipped for weather emergencies. With supervision, communication and prevention, teamed with some of the greatest designers in America, Architects are hoping that contemporary safety measures in buildings can create a safer year for schools in 2019 and beyond.
A major new survey on the impact of Brexit on the building services engineering (BSE) sector has been launched by the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and leading Scottish electrical trade body SELECT. The survey aims to identify the key issues within the sector following the UK’s landmark decision to leave the European Union. The survey covers the likely implications of Brexit for the sector, including the UK Government’s exit negotiations with Brussels. The results of the survey will inform the representational work of the ECA, BESA and SELECT as the Government develops its Brexit negotiating position and establishes new approaches to domestic and international policy and legislation. According to Paul Reeve, Director of Business Services at the ECA: “The Prime Minister has famously said that ‘Brexit means Brexit’. She quickly added that the UK is going to ‘make a success of it’, and so it’s now up to our sector to help shape UK government policy and to identify the opportunities, and solutions to the challenges ahead.” Rob Driscoll, Director of Commercial and Legal at BESA comments: “The referendum vote has created business uncertainty and knocked confidence just when the economy was showing signs of gradual recovery after the financial crash. However, there is a lot of misinformation and scaremongering out there – the UK is in danger of talking itself into a recession. “It is vital, therefore, to gather good quality, accurate market intelligence at a time like this so businesses can make investment and recruitment decisions based on what is actually happening. We need to build up a picture of what Brexit could really mean for our sector and which issues most concern our members so that we can provide useful advice and guidance.” Newell McGuiness, Managing Director of SELECT, adds: “Now that the outcome of the EU referendum is known, the role for SELECT and our colleagues in ECA and BESA is clear, and that is to do whatever we can to support our members so that they can cope with any fallout. “This survey will help us more clearly understand the concerns of businesses in the BSE sector so we can concentrate our representative activities in the areas of most importance to them.” Reeve concludes: “This important survey will allow the BSE sector to identify its strong preferences or even red lines in the run up to eventual Brexit, and beyond. We will be actively representing members’ interests, but our message to government is that we are also a key provider of the solutions it will be looking for.” The BSE sector ‘Brexit’ survey has just 12 questions and will usually take around 5 minutes to complete. It is open to all contractors in the BSE sector, and most notably ECA, BESA and SELECT members. The survey findings will be shared with member-firms and key stakeholders from across the industry, this autumn. The Brexit survey, which runs until Tuesday 6 September, can be accessed here. Source link
The winning contractor will deliver at least nine primary schools, with the potential to build further schools to reach a total project value of £95m. Two reserve contractors will be appointed onto the four-year framework. A second procurement process within the framework will be set out to build the additional schools, which will be open to the two reserve contractors. Contractors who make it through pre-qualification will be invited to tender in October. The schools will be built across England. Source link
Savills Studley has announced three senior retail appointments at its New York headquarters, further bolstering the company’s retail services. Susan Kurland joins the firm as executive vice president and co-head of Studley’s Global Retail Services Group having previously been executive vice president of CBRE’s New York Tri-State Region Retail Services Group. Prior to this she worked as an executive director with Cushman & Wakefield’s retail group in New York. Susan, who specialises in developing and executing real estate strategies for major retailers, will work closely with Savills retail leadership teams in North America, EMEA and Asia Pac to expand the firm’s brand worldwide. David Gialanella and Victoria Oliva also join Savills Studley as executive managing director and managing director respectively. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, David has held senior leadership roles at Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE and DTZ. At Savills Studley, he will focus on building the multi-market and cross-border business to develop new clients and expand existing relationships. Victoria was previously a senior associate at CBRE, where she developed local, national and global retailing strategies for multi-national organisations. Her focus at Savills will be to provide consulting, advisory and transaction services as part of the Savills Studley Global Retail team. Michael Colacino, President of Savills Studley, says: “Savills Studley has developed an unparalleled breadth of advisory services, which is emphasised by the addition of these experienced and talented retail professionals. This team’s broad global experience fits into our plans to integrate our U.S. offering with the international platform of Savills.” Susan Kurland adds: “The Savills Studley brand is defined by innovation and creative problem solving, something we are very much akin to what we see is important in the retail business.” In addition to these new appointments, Bill Bauman who is based at the firm’s Los Angeles office, will take on the role of co-head of Savills Studley’s Global Retail Services Group alongside Susan. Bill currently leads a full service West Coast based team offering a wide range of services including national retail tenant representation, retail land planning, developer consultation and investment sales. Sean Gillies, executive director and head of UK retail at Savills, comments: “I look forward to working closely with Susan and Bill’s teams to find ways we can best serve our client’s needs around the world. As Savills continues to grow its capabilities worldwide, having such an experienced team on the ground in the U.S. is a tremendous asset.” The new hires come closely on the heels of Savills Studley’s significant expansion of its North American operations, highlighted by the establishment of four new offices in U.S. and the opening of the company’s first office in Canada, as well as the acquisition of several key new hires and services lines across the country. Source link
Uncertainty, risk and endeavour. The prospect of fame and a rich bounty. The Stage development in Shoreditch, EC2, has all the makings of a dramatic Shakespearean tale. The post Raising the curtain on Shoreditch’s theatre development appeared first on Estates Gazette.com. Source link
Commercial Secretary to the Treasury Jim O’Neill, the minister responsible for infrastructure, PFI, public private partnerships, the Northern Powerhouse initiative and business regulation, has quit not just the government but the Conservative Party to boot. Above: Jim O’Neill Jim O’Neill, former chief economist at Goldman Sachs, was recruited by the then chancellor George Osborne in 2015 to join the government. He was given a seat in the House of Lords as Baron O’Neill of Gatley. Lord O’Neill has now resigned after just 16 months in the job, for which he drew no salary. He has also resigned the Tory whip and will sit in the Lords as a cross-bencher. His resignation follows a decision by new prime minister Theresa May to drop plans to put the National Infrastructure Commission on a statutory footing. [See previous report here.] Under the new post-referendum regime, the so-called Northern Powerhouse project appears not to be quite the priority it was when Chancellor Osborne was spearheading it. He has been replaced in the Treasury by Lord Young, who as Sir George Young was transport secretary in the 1990s and occasionally known as ‘the bicycling baronet’. BBC business editor Kamal Ahmed speculated: “I doubt Lord O’Neill felt all that comfortable in a May-led administration, evidenced by his decision to quit the Conservative whip in the Lords and become a cross-bencher.” This article was published on 23 Sep 2016 (last updated on 23 Sep 2016). Source link
Browser does not support script. Contact us The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has launched a new supporter scheme, ‘RIBA Friends of Architecture’. For the first time ever, people with a non-professional passion for design and architecture can now become a ‘Friend’ of the RIBA and enjoy an exclusive package of special benefits, including behind-the-scenes access to RIBA’s globally significant collections. For £45 per year for an individual subscription or £80 for a joint subscription, RIBA Friends’ benefits include: discounted access to the RIBA’s public programme events access to special Friends-only events, including architectural walking tours, visits and private tours of exhibitions a biannual Friends magazine – A Magazine for RIBA Friends – offering in-depth features exploring architecture, design, homes, interiors and the environment through the RIBA’s world-class collections a 10% discount in the cafe/bistro and bookshop at RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London, W1 a quarterly Friends e-newsletter Gift subscriptions are available. RIBA President Stephen Hodder said: “Since our foundation in 1834, we have built an unrivalled collection of over four million architectural objects, with each item telling its own story of the past, present and future of our world. We are delighted to launch this fantastic new scheme to help people to explore, enjoy and discover more about architecture and design, by providing special access to RIBA’s unrivalled collections and knowledge.” Further information at www.architecture.com/friends or email friends@riba.org Notes to editors For further press information and for access to images of the RIBA collections please contact RIBA Press Office pressoffice@riba.org 020 7580 5533 The RIBA is a charity championing better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture. As a registered charity, the RIBA relies on income and support from its members, individual donors, corporate sponsors, and trusts and foundations to fulfil its charitable remit and maintain and preserve its world-class collections; RIBA Friends of Architecture will help to provide vital support for the Institute. The RIBA has one of the world’s finest architecture collections. Highlights include the world’s largest collection of drawings by architect Andrea Palladio, the largest body in the world of British architectural drawings: by Inigo Jones, Christopher Wren, Pugin and many others, the archives of prominent architects and architectural practices, a collection of printed books dating back to 1478, complete runs of major journal titles and the largest holding of architectural photographs in the world (1.5 million). Our collections have formed the basis of major exhibitions around the world. The collections are constantly expanding and in 2013 Charles Correa, India’s greatest living architecture gave his archive. In 2006 our collections were designated by the Museums Libraries and Archives Council as being of ‘outstanding national and international importance’; in 2010 the same body awarded the RIBA Accredited Museum status. Our collections can be seen at the RIBA’s headquarters and the RIBA Study Rooms and Architecture Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum, or by attending one of our talks, exhibitions or learning events for children, students and adults. In February 2014, we opened a brand new museum-quality Architecture Gallery in our Grade II* listed Art Deco HQ. Through regular, free exhibitions that explore the past, present and future of our built environment, the gallery helps visitors discover and explore architecture. Posted on Monday 8th December 2014 Source link
MPs have criticised the government for failing to do enough to protect communities at risk of flooding. In a report published today (9 June), the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) criticised the ‘reactive’ approach to flood incidents and said there was not enough long-term planning aimed at future flood prevention. It urged the government to maintain steady annual spending on flood defences, rather than allowing spending to fluctuate, and said it should pay for the upkeep of existing flood defences in addition to investing in new ones. The report follows the storms that hit the UK between December 2015 and January 2016, causing flooding in the north of England and Wales, as well as parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Storms Desmond, Eva and Frank caused estimated damage of £1.3 billion and flooded 16,000 households. The government is committed to spending £2.3 billion on building new defences and that it will protect 300,000 properties during this parliament, but the EAC said it was ‘sceptical’ that this would be achieved as it depended on optimistic forecasts of efficiency. Committee chair Mary Creagh MP said: “We know that flooding is projected to get worse and occur more frequently because of climate change, so it just isn’t good enough for government to react to flooding events as they occur. Communities at risk deserve certainty from government.” The committee also said it was surprised to learn the extra £700 million funding for flood defences announced in this year’s budget was based on a “political calculation” and may not be allocated with the same strict economic criteria as the £2.3 billion. The report said that could lead to inefficiencies in flood investments, poor decision-making and outcomes that were potentially unfair to some regions. Failing to maintain existing defences would lead to an “unacceptable risk to local communities in flood prone areas”, said Creagh. In response, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that the national flood resilience review launched by the government in January would be published shortly and that the government’s six-year capital investment programme for flood defences would end the year-on-year fluctuations in spending. There will also be a 25-year environment plan published later this year that will set out “a new approach to managing our rivers” to keep homes safer from flooding. Commenting on the EAC report, AECOM director of Water Jon Robinson said: “Mitigating the impact of climate change necessitates new ways of thinking, underpinned by a sustained stream of funding. The government’s six-year capital investment programme for flood defences, delivered by the Environment Agency and its partners, should help address the stop-start approach to funding. “It allows schemes to be packaged, which enables more efficient delivery by both the client and suppliers. There is a clear delivery route with money directed with due consideration of benefits. “But it is important the programme is not back-end loaded with the bulk of construction occurring in years five and six. Design, maintenance and construction must be a continuous process in order to achieve the required outcomes. “Changes in our climate are only likely to increase pressure on flood defences over the coming decades. Ultimately, funding may therefore need to be increased in order to meet the escalating demand.” A version of this article first appeared on wwtonline Source link
International real estate advisor Savills, on behalf of SVP39 Limited, has let two suites in 39 St Vincent Place in Glasgow to Encompass Corporation UK Limited. Software Company Encompass Corporation UK Ltd has taken the third floor North and South Suites, equating to 2,028 sq ft (188 sq m) and 2,247 sq ft (209 sq m) respectively, and totalling 4,275 sq ft (397 sq m) for a five-year term on confidential terms. St Vincent Place links St Vincent Street and George Square and is one of Glasgow’s premier business addresses, with nearby office occupiers including Clydesdale Bank, Hiscox Insurance and Nationwide Business Finance. Existing occupiers include William Hill and Digital Barriers. Jacqui Morton, associate at Savills Glasgow, comments: “Our deal to Encompass Corporation is hot on the heels of Ofcom’s sub-let to Thornton Tomasetti Ltd and SPV Ltd are pleased to welcome these types of companies to 39 St Vincent Place. We are about to commence a comprehensive refurbishment of the common parts, and we hope that this as well as the letting to Encompass will continue the momentum to let the three remaining vacant suites.” Encompass Corporation UK was advised by Edgar Property Solutions Ltd. Source link