On Wednesday, the 18th of April, HLM, the leading design and architecture company, will be presenting at a first of its kind ‘Fire Station Design and Construction Workshop’ at Weston in Cheshire. Professionals from the Emergency Services sector will gather together at a unique event to share knowledge in a
We don’t know just how many construction contracts end in dispute, but it’s plain to see the sector is far more prone to legal wrangling than other spheres of business. The issue was officially recognised with the launch of the Conflict Avoidance Pledge, which aims to change behaviour in the
Nixon Plant Hire have invested in a large fleet of eco-static welfare units manufactured by the Luton based company, AJC Trailers Limited. This brand new order is for AJC’s EasyCabin environmentally biased, Ecostatic 22 and 28 welfare units. Although Nixon Hire currently operates a substantial fleet of EasyCabin welfare units,
RGB Building Supplies Exeter is inviting the local tradespeople to a free decorating breakfast morning on Tuesday, the 24th of April. There will be free bacon butties and cups of coffee between 7.30am and 11am, while leading industry names, such as Crown, Farrow & Ball, Bedec, ProDec and Tembe, will
Paul Wilson has become partners with Midlands law firm Lodders. This strategic appointment will add a new specialism to Lodders portfolio and it represents an expansion of the firm’s real estate offering that complements its existing planning & highways and rights of way expertise. Wilson specialises in contentious and non-contentious
The 2 Guildford Business Park is an energy efficient 85,000 sq ft new-build will make an ideal corporate headquarters. It contains on-site amenities, including bicycle storage and showers for those wishing to take the ‘green option’ for the short trip from Guildford Station to the Business Park. The tranquil, rural
KMRE Group, Leeds based developer, has acquired a 1.5 acre site on the banks of the River Trent in Nottingham for prestigious apartments. The site will be called Riverside and it will contain 81 exclusive waterfront apartments and penthouses delivered to a high specification. The ambitious plans to expand across
Savills, on behalf of Great Portland Estates plc (“GPE”), has sold the vacant freehold of Mortimer House, 37/41 Mortimer Street, London to a private investor for a price of £26.95 million. The office property, extending to circa 23,800 sq ft (2,211 sq m) is currently vacant, and benefits
Browser does not support script. Contact us The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has named Professor Florian Beigel as the winner of the 2014 RIBA Annie Spink Award for Excellence in Architectural Education. This prestigious award is awarded biennially to an individual who has made a significant contribution to
We live in a time of great change for the construction industry and its skills requirements. The infrastructure pipeline is expanding, housebuilders are responding to the need for a million new homes by 2020, employers are developing new ways to meet their workforce needs and government reforms such as the
On Wednesday, the 18th of April, HLM, the leading design and architecture company, will be presenting at a first of its kind ‘Fire Station Design and Construction Workshop’ at Weston in Cheshire. Professionals from the Emergency Services sector will gather together at a unique event to share knowledge in a learning environment. During the workshop, design and construction professionals will carry out presentations in reference to finished and working projects. The event will provide a platform to network and discuss the challenges and opportunities of fire station design. HLM’s speakers at the event include Steven Lennon, Head of Emergency Services and Sarah Brady, Architect, who will discuss fire station design, landscape architecture and interior design. In addition, they will review the new Services Support Centres for Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service and the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service. “I am looking forward to discussing the benefits of digital design and construction techniques for clients, including BIM and virtual reality. I will also analyse what digital construction is, what the government’s vision is and the benefits it can deliver for fire and rescue services in developing and managing their estate,” said speaker Simon Bell, HLM Director. Other speakers present at the workshop include GearGrid, who manufacture PPE locker storage and specialist equipment storage for cylinders, hose and maintenance rooms, Ridge, presenting on Building Services Design and additionally Flowcrete, showcasing the importance of floor specification. HLM has assisted so far four fire authorities with the design of over twelve stations, with the NIFRS Service Support Centre, Belfast as one of its current projects. They have also completed two fire service headquarters, both with regional control centres and two detailed training facilities ranging from USAR to live fire facility. The ‘Fire Station Design and Construction Workshop’ is supported by the Fire Times publication and it will start at 10am with complimentary lunch and refreshments provided.
We don’t know just how many construction contracts end in dispute, but it’s plain to see the sector is far more prone to legal wrangling than other spheres of business. The issue was officially recognised with the launch of the Conflict Avoidance Pledge, which aims to change behaviour in the land, property and construction industry by getting firms to look at their working practices and the way they deal with disputes. I spend much of my time advising clients how to avoid disagreements by understanding their contracts and having proper administration in place, but I also spend a lot of time helping to solve cases that have reached the courts. My own experience reflects the wider picture that many of these arguments could have been settled without formal litigation, and without the associated costs. It is startling how eager developers, contractors and joint venture partners are to take each other to court, even when there are initiatives designed to encourage them to seek alternative resolutions. Both parties in a dispute are supposed to at least consider mediation before commencing proceedings, but they can circumvent the Pre-Action Protocol for Construction and Engineering Disputes by mutual agreement and routinely do so. Often, contracts stipulate that parties should seek mediation in the event of a dispute, but it’s not mandatory and generally the clause gets ignored. But look at what happens once you head for court. As the aggrieved party, you complete a form and send in a court fee. In the construction sector, we’re used to dealing with big numbers, but even a relatively modest £100,000 claim will usually mean a court fee of £5,000, and it rises proportionately. Next, you send your claim to the court. The other party responds. The judge tells you both to go to see a mediation service. Given that 90 per cent of cases get settled at mediation, surely it would make sense to circumvent the court process and, for a fraction of the court fee, go to mediation. Another huge benefit of mediating is the time it takes to resolve a case, usually only one or two days. Compare that with the average length of time it takes a case to get resolved in the UK courts, which according to one report is 12 months. In the UK, we supposedly have a fast track court process, but while it may be swifter than similar systems elsewhere, it is certainly a stretch to describe it as fast. Why are firms reluctant to mediate? One reason is that one party or another in any dispute may simply hope the problem goes away before it comes to the crunch and they have to face the judge. Another is that mediation may seem unfamiliar. Yet mediation is not uncommon in the construction industry. As I mentioned earlier, cases that reach the courts routinely wind up in mediation. This is because official guidance states that courts should encourage parties to use alternative dispute resolution, which almost always turns out to be mediation. Independent mediators are there to get a discussion going so that the parties can resolve their differences. Unlike with the brutal winner and loser scenario of a court judgement, this can enable the business relationship to continue. I fervently believe that prevention is better than cure, and I would urge contractors to get expert advice on contracts, establishing programmes and setting up proper administration. However, if things do go wrong, I would urge everyone involved in a dispute to consider mediation as the first point of call. In fact, I am so passionate about the concept that I have just become an RICS Accredited Mediator. www.mpgqs.com By Michael Gallucci LLM MRICS MCIArb MAE, Managing Director, MPG construction consultants
Nixon Plant Hire have invested in a large fleet of eco-static welfare units manufactured by the Luton based company, AJC Trailers Limited. This brand new order is for AJC’s EasyCabin environmentally biased, Ecostatic 22 and 28 welfare units. Although Nixon Hire currently operates a substantial fleet of EasyCabin welfare units, this is the first time that Nixon have opted for the EasyCabin Ecostatic range. Commenting on their latest investment, Graham Nixon, Nixon’s Hire managing director said, “The decision to upgrade and enhance our temporary accommodation fleet was driven by demand from our clients requesting eco-biased units.” “AJC EasyCabin have themselves invested heavily in innovation and green technology, therefore when we evaluated their Ecostatic units it soon became apparent that, in our opinion, these were the most environmentally advanced welfare units available,” confirmed Mr. Nixon. Lisa Gillet, AJC’s sales director added, “We are naturally delighted that a market leading temporary accommodation hire firm, such as Nixon Hire, are committing themselves to our Ecostatic range. This is a testament to the foresight and creative thinking that our design teams are applying to bring real environmental benefits to all users of temporary accommodation. Environmental, energy-saving features are at the heart of the Ecostatic range.” The Ecostatic 22 is an eco-welfare unit that provides safe and comfortable facilities for up to twelve persons. The unit features a market changing modern appearance compared to other welfare cabins in the hire industry. This modern cabin includes energy efficient technology of automatic start/stop generator functionality and battery charging, with simplistic heating controls and 12v LED slim line recessed ceiling lights. There are also useful USB sockets, external lights and a fridge. Also included is a spacious canteen, plus hygienic toilets and a handy spacious drying room. Power is delivered via EasyCabin’s unique Ecosmart technology which regulates the power usage of the generator, reducing the fuel consumption dramatically when compared to the industry standard of a continually running generator. The EasyCabin Ecostatic 28 has all the features and benefits of the Ecostatic 22; however this unit provides additional office space for two persons and is one of the most eco-friendly and efficient static welfare units available in today’s market. Founded in 1967, Nixon Hire is a family-run business employing nearly 500 people across an ever-expanding depot network. With over 50 years of experience they supply quality plant, tools, and temporary accommodation alongside portable toilet products supported by associated services. Nixon Hire currently has 13 depots in the north of England and throughout Scotland. AJC EasyCabin has recently been awarded a Green Apple Environment Award in an international campaign to find the greenest companies, councils and communities. AJC competed against more than 500 other nominations in the Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice and were presented with a trophy and certificate at an award presentation ceremony in the Houses of Parliament, London, in November 2017.
RGB Building Supplies Exeter is inviting the local tradespeople to a free decorating breakfast morning on Tuesday, the 24th of April. There will be free bacon butties and cups of coffee between 7.30am and 11am, while leading industry names, such as Crown, Farrow & Ball, Bedec, ProDec and Tembe, will be holding product demonstrations and will be answering questions. Everyone attending will receive a 10% discount on all paint throughout the day, as well as being given the chance to win a replica football shirt in a free prize draw. “Our demo morning is a great opportunity for local tradespeople and homeowners to come and hear about some of the latest decorating products and receive expert advice. We look forward to welcoming everyone along for breakfast,” commented Paul West, Branch Manager at RGB Exeter. The event will be taking place at RGB’s Exeter branch based on Alphinbrook Road. RGB Building Supplies is one of the leading independent builders merchants in the South West, operating out of 19 locations across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. The branches contain a wide array of high quality products in stock, including landscaping, plumbing and heating, decorating, heavyside and lightside and general building materials, as well as dedicated kitchen, bathroom and bedroom showrooms in many locations.
Paul Wilson has become partners with Midlands law firm Lodders. This strategic appointment will add a new specialism to Lodders portfolio and it represents an expansion of the firm’s real estate offering that complements its existing planning & highways and rights of way expertise. Wilson specialises in contentious and non-contentious construction and engineering law and has extensive experience advising and acting on behalf of lenders, developers, main contractors, specialist sub-contractors, educational establishments, professional service providers, high net worth individuals and investors, alongside his niche expertise in party wall disputes. In his new role he will work closely with the firm’s top ranking commercial property team, dispute resolution team and the real estate practice generally. “Paul’s arrival completes the range of services within our real estate offering, as we have been looking for a construction expert for the past few years. Lodders’ depth of commercial property expertise is exceptional for a regional, non-City firm, and is now supported by construction expertise that complements our existing and unrivalled planning, highways and rights of way specialisms,” commented Lodders’ managing partner Paul Mourton on Paul’s appointment.. “Not only does Paul’s appointment represent the addition of another pedigree lawyer to our heavyweight real estate practice, but his expertise enhances our development and investment specialism.” He will be based at Lodders’ Stratford upon Avon office and will work across the firm’s Midlands and South West office network, bringing in his 20 years of experience working for several of the UK’s leading law firms. “Lodders has both a wonderful reputation and existing client base. This is a rare and attractive opportunity to develop this new role which complements the firm’s existing successful commercial property, real estate, planning and dispute resolutions practices,” said Paul Wilson. Lodders is a premier law firm in Stratford upon Avon, Cheltenham, Birmingham and Henley in Arden. The firm has 25 partners and over 130 fee earners and support staff across its office network. With its portfolio of sector and market specific legal teams, the firm has recorded year-on-year growth in recent years.
The 2 Guildford Business Park is an energy efficient 85,000 sq ft new-build will make an ideal corporate headquarters. It contains on-site amenities, including bicycle storage and showers for those wishing to take the ‘green option’ for the short trip from Guildford Station to the Business Park. The tranquil, rural views from the terrace will conceal the excellent access to motorways and rail communications. The lightning within the offices and core areas will be controlled by the Lightning Controls Ltd. Network with daylight dimming and motion detectors. The area controllers will regulate the localised network zones in half floor sectors, on a floor to floor basis or across the whole building, depending on how the facility will be leased. In addition, the double-height atrium will incorporate scene set plates for easy to use local lightning flexibility. Lighting Controls Limited manufactures state of the art control equipment for commercial and high-end domestic lighting and ancillary systems. Their designers and engineers have many decades of combined experience in the field of lighting control, and these British-designed, British-manufactured products reflect this experience and the company’s commitment to reliability and ease of installation and use.
KMRE Group, Leeds based developer, has acquired a 1.5 acre site on the banks of the River Trent in Nottingham for prestigious apartments. The site will be called Riverside and it will contain 81 exclusive waterfront apartments and penthouses delivered to a high specification. The ambitious plans to expand across the Midlands and invest into major cities will see an exclusive residential development, which will form an important part of a revitalised waterside in Nottingham. To help with the scheme, KMRE has appointed Hollycroft Construction to start construction work in the summer on the former Park Yacht Club site. Meanwhile, Nottingham-based estate agent FHP Living will begin marketing the properties immediately. “We have delivered residential schemes all over Yorkshire and we are now looking further afield to create high end living accommodation. Our sights were set on Nottingham when we saw the huge potential for waterfront living in the city,” said Kam Mogul, managing director of KMRE. “We have many years’ experience of delivering great apartments and housing and we are keen to show the people of Nottingham the kind of homes of exceptional quality we have in store. The development is ideal for investors looking for a strong return on investment in a fantastic waterside location.” Richard Watson, director at Colliers International, acted for KMRE on the acquisition, while FHP Property Consultants acted on behalf of the vendor. “We are delighted to welcome KMRE to Nottingham and the Midlands. The prestigious properties will be welcomed by local people looking to buy well-appointed homes close to the city and also the desirable area of West Bridgford and Trent Bridge Cricket Ground,” said Steve Parker from FHP’s residential arm FHP Living. KMRE received planning permission on the scheme earlier this year and the deal was completed in April. The Riverside development will feature one, two and three bedroom apartments from £165,000 and bespoke interior-designed penthouses from £500,000.
Savills, on behalf of Great Portland Estates plc (“GPE”), has sold the vacant freehold of Mortimer House, 37/41 Mortimer Street, London to a private investor for a price of £26.95 million. The office property, extending to circa 23,800 sq ft (2,211 sq m) is currently vacant, and benefits from consent for a triple B1/A1/A3 use on the ground and basement floors. The buyer is a new vehicle set up by hotelier Guy Ivesha, in joint venture with Cain Hoy, who plan to operate a premium work and lifestyle concept. Paul Cockburn, director in the Central London investment team at Savills, comments: “Despite having consents in place to undertake a comprehensive refurbishment project, we advised that to capitalise on the demand for vacant redevelopment oppportunies in the West End, the asset should be sold as as a refurbishment project“ The purchaser was advised by Colliers. Source link
Browser does not support script. Contact us The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has named Professor Florian Beigel as the winner of the 2014 RIBA Annie Spink Award for Excellence in Architectural Education. This prestigious award is awarded biennially to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the ‘advancement of architectural education’ in a school of architecture anywhere in the world that offers courses validated by the RIBA. RIBA Vice-President Education and chair of the judging panel, Roz Barr said: “Congratulations to Professor Florian Beigel for receiving this award in recognition of his sustained influence on architectural education and on generations of students, architects, and fellow tutors. Over four decades of inspirational teaching, Florian Beigel has revealed an unparalleled commitment to the School of Architecture of the London Metropolitan University framed in entirely unique terms. His penetrating intelligence, generous spirit, and abundant talent as an architect make him a most deserving winner of the RIBA Annie Spink Award.” On receiving the news of the award, Florian Beigel said: “It is a real honour to be given this award and recognition for one’s role as an educator in architecture. To those whom have generously nominated me for this award and given their backing with such enthusiasm, thank you. “All through the years the aim has been to give the students a love and passion for architecture. “I am an architect that likes to build, and I believe that it is important that the architectural works that I do with my colleagues can offer insights to students. Our practice (design as research) informs the teaching, and the teaching informs the practice. In this way, there has always been a balance between practice, research and teaching. “I’d very much like to thank the many friends and colleagues who have collaborated with me and given their support in the Architecture Research Unit and the teaching through the years at the CASS. I’d particularly like to thank Philip Christou, whom I’ve taught together with and collaborated in practice for 30 years. Without him I could not have done it. It is for this reason that I’d like to dedicate this award to Philip.” ENDS Notes to editors For further press information contact Howard Crosskey in the RIBA Press Office: 020 7307 3761 howard.crosskey@riba.org. Florian Beigel’s involvement with the School of Architecture of London Metropolitan University dates back to his appointment as a design tutor in 1973 when the institution formed part of the Polytechnic of North London. His practice, the Architecture Research Unit (ARU), has operated out of the school since 1979 providing a pioneering model for the integration of professional and educational activity. For the past 41 years, ARU’s work has been published internationally and won numerous awards while many of Florian’s former students have gone on to establish distinguished careers in their own right. Guided by a poetic and politicized preoccupation to cultivate the city as a place of social encounter and charged spatial definition, Florian’s work both as a teacher and as the director of ARU has always been directed towards developing strategies by which a culture of public life might be sustained. If that endeavour initially presented a particularly radical challenge to Britain’s urban culture, it went on to shape generations of architects and find influence across the world, notably in South Korea where he has realised a series of projects and where former students and collaborators went on to operate practices of their own. The 2014 Annie Spink judging panel included: Chair: Roz Barr (Roz Barr Architects and RIBA Vice-President Education) Tamsin Hanke (Part 2 graduate Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL; RIBA President’s Dissertation Medallist 2013) Deborah Howard (Professor Emerita of Architectural History and Director of Research in the Faculty of Architecture and History of Art, University of Cambridge) Joseph Rykwert (architectural historian and critic; Professor Emeritus of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania; RIBA Royal Gold Medallist 2014) John Tuomey (O’Donnell + Tuomey; Professor of Architectural Design, University College Dublin; RIBA Royal Gold Medallist 2015) The £10,000 Annie Spink award is financed by the Annie Spink Trust Fund, which was established in 1974 by architect Herbert Spink FRIBA. He bequeathed the trust as a lasting memorial to his wife Annie, who died in 1938, and conceived it as an honour for the ‘advancement of architectural education’. For further information about the award, please visit www.architecture.com/RIBA/Becomeanarchitect/Award-winningwork/RIBAAnnieSpinkAward.aspx. For further funding information please visit the RIBA Education pages at www.architecture.com or contact John-Paul Nunes, Head of Education Projects on 020 7307 3604 or john-paul.nunes@riba.org Posted on Monday 1st December 2014 Source link
We live in a time of great change for the construction industry and its skills requirements. The infrastructure pipeline is expanding, housebuilders are responding to the need for a million new homes by 2020, employers are developing new ways to meet their workforce needs and government reforms such as the apprenticeship levy are transforming the skills landscape. CITB plays a crucial role in driving and responding to change on many fronts, including funding. We are investing in skills and expect strong returns. Our grants scheme has helped employers over many years, but it needs to change from being a vehicle that simply returns levy to employers to one that makes strategic investments in skills. More to do This year we have supported programmes that will have a major impact on the key issues facing construction, as well as smaller project grants to transform training for individual SMEs. But we need to do more. Our grants scheme must have a laser-like focus on helping employers to build a qualified workforce with the cross-industry skills that will benefit construction as a whole, now and in the future. This includes looking for new avenues of supporting employers, who will be in the driving seat on apprenticeships, but also paying for the petrol. At a time when further education will see great change, we must find new ways of ensuring that employers can access the right training provision, particularly for specialist skills. This is a big agenda, and throughout the rest of this year we will be talking with our industry about our vision of how to deliver on it. What is clear is that our funding will need to be more targeted, driven by robust evidence of where the needs are greatest, and underpinned by well-defined criteria. For example, the programmes we support must always be led by in-scope employers or the federations that represent them. Again, we expect return on our investment. So we will ensure the levy funds are invested in projects that have the potential to scale up, led by organisations that have the financial staying power to make a difference to our industry for years to come. Difficult decisions We also need to avoid financing programmes where public funding is already available. In some cases, this may mean tough choices. It may mean resisting the emotional pull of certain projects that have aims to which we can all sign up, but fail to demonstrate both that they are meeting employers’ key needs and can make a visible difference over the longer term. Our industry faces a massive skills challenge in the coming years, but we can give ourselves a fighting chance by making the right investments. About the author James Wates is the Chairman of CITB and has worked in the construction industry most of his life, starting on site as a schoolboy during holidays. He joined Wates Construction as a management trainee, progressing through line management to running sites before taking on a general manager role in 1989. Since then he has progressed to Chairman of the main Group Board. He was awarded the CBE in January 2012 for Services to Construction and the Charitable sector. Source link