With the demand for purposed-built student accommodation (PBSA) predicted to soar, a new report from the British Association of Reinforcement (BAR) explains ‘Why Reinforced Concrete Makes the Grade for Student Accommodation’. The latest student population data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that for the 2021/22 academic year
Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities and injuries in the UK, accounting for an alarming 30% of all deaths in 2022/2023¹. In order to gather more comprehensive data on the underlying causes and circumstances of falls from height, the No Falls Foundation, the first and only
Half of tenants vacating a property last year had to do so because their landlord wanted to sell their property, according to a new survey. In the latest Rental Confidence Index report, published by PayProp – an automated rental payment and client accounting platform, ‘Landlords selling the property’ was cited
A £4 million scheme to revamp the main high street in Anfield, creating a greener and safer experience for residents and visitors, is to be the focus of a public consultation. Liverpool City Council is to launch the consultation next week (Wednesday, 22nd May) with a hat-trick of public events
Meet the must-have furniture pieces assortment that will be a revolution in the way we design and decorate our homes. Embrace a new era of style and functionality with these hand-picked essentials from a London interior design studio catering to the demands of contemporary living spaces, upholding comfort and aesthetic
289 Homes, Commercial Space and ‘Sizeable’ Green Space to be Created Next to Famous Salt Mills World Heritage Site in Shipley. Construction of ‘Saltaire Riverside’ – a vibrant new residential neighbourhood composed of 289 sustainable homes, commercial space and a large riverside park on the edge of the Salts Mills
Wolseley Infrastructure prepares to unveil its Fusion Utilities brand new and highly anticipated Horizon 29 site in Chesterfield. With the final stage of fit-out underway, the countdown has officially begun for the opening of the new fulfilment centre in June 2024. The new facility will allow the brand to accommodate
Siemens Building Products has won the ‘Technical Innovation of the Year’ category in the biggest Awards scheme for the building controls and BEMS (Building & Energy Management System) industry. Siemens Wireless Room Solution won the hotly contested product category, sponsored by CIBSE, as one of six finalists at the BCIA
Project management specialists, Greyfriars, have relocated to new offices in Norwich city centre – and marked the occasion with an opening event attended by colleagues, friends and clients. The move is a result of the company’s rapid growth and the need for a bigger space to accommodate its expanding team
The complex multi material roof at Lucent W1, behind the Piccadilly Lights, has won Best Multi-discipline Project over £250k at the national Roofing Awards. The project was a collaborative venture between AccuRoof, roofing contractor E J Roberts and main contractor Wates Group. This mixed-use development behind the Lights at Piccadilly
With the demand for purposed-built student accommodation (PBSA) predicted to soar, a new report from the British Association of Reinforcement (BAR) explains ‘Why Reinforced Concrete Makes the Grade for Student Accommodation’. The latest student population data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that for the 2021/22 academic year the number of full-time students rose by 4%, to over 2.26 million. Meanwhile, the number of international students from India and China has more than offset the fall in EU students in the wake of Brexit as the UK continues to be one of the key global destinations for students looking to study abroad. Between 2019/20 and 2021/22, the number of full-time international students rose by 117,500. The increase in student applications and numbers is set against a growing shortage in student accommodation. This shortage is being exacerbated by the falling supply of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) resulting from landlord regulation and tax changes. Since 2017 there have been over 300,00 buy-to-let mortgage redemptions which has reduced the number of 5-plus bedroom rental properties by 31% since 2019. The reduced supply of private landlord HMO’s is increasing the demand for PBSA particularly from overseas students. To address the disparity between supply and demand more PBSA needs to be constructed. Reinforced concrete offers a wide range of inherent and free performance benefits that are particularly suited to building student accommodation. These include built-in fire resistance, significant noise and vibration reduction, thermal mass for energy efficiency and long-term robust finishes. Steve Elliott BAR Chairman explained: “Reinforced concrete offers a number of unrivalled performance benefits that means it should be awarded a 1st class degree with honours for the construction of PBSA. These concrete benefits are inherent and built-in. There is no need for any additional products, finishes or chemical preservatives. This significantly reduces both initial capital and the ongoing maintenance costs.” With regards to long-term sustainability reinforced concrete again gets top marks. The issue of sustainability is important for PBSAs. Students are some of the most motivated in tackling climate change reducing CO2 emissions. Elliott said: “Admittedly, the use of concrete construction raises questions concerning the level of construction embodied CO2 when compared to other structural materials such as timber. However, if you have to mechanical ventilate and cool a lightweight timber or steel building then the resulting operational CO2 emissions, over the lifetime of the building, will far outweigh any initial construction embodied CO2 savings.” He continued: “Similarly, concrete does need additional fire proofing, sound insulation, wall finishes, flood resilient materials. All of these additional materials have an additional CO2 impact for their manufacture and installation. With concrete construction all of the above performance benefits are provided without any further environmental or financial cost”. He added that all the reinforcement made in the UK is made from recycled scrap steel using the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) process which consumes only a third of the embodied energy, emits one sixth of the CO2 and produces approximately half the amount of co-products (waste) compared with the traditional BOS blast furnace steelmaking process. Reinforcing steel can be recovered, recycled and re-used at the end of a building or structure’s service life. To download a copy of ‘Why Reinforced Concrete Makes the Grade for Student Accommodation’ visit: www.uk-bar.org/publications Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities and injuries in the UK, accounting for an alarming 30% of all deaths in 2022/2023¹. In order to gather more comprehensive data on the underlying causes and circumstances of falls from height, the No Falls Foundation, the first and only UK-based charity devoted exclusively to the work at height sector, is embarking on the largest study of its kind in the UK to date. Released to coincide with the charity’s safe work at height campaign, No Falls Week, the UK falls from height research study is aimed at anyone who has experienced, witnessed, or investigated falls from height. Year on year, falls from height statistics show little improvement, with up to 425,000 non-fatal falls estimated to have occurred over the past decade, according to the Labour Force Survey. And behind every statistic is a human story. No Falls Foundation ambassadors Jason Anker MBE, Paul Blanchard and Dylan Skelhorn’s stories serve as stark reminders of the long-term and life-changing consequences of a fall from height; mental health problems, financial worries and long-term care needs. While ‘Abbi’s Story’ highlights the wider reaching implications of loved ones. The effects for all can last a lifetime. Along with the lives, families and businesses affected by these accidents, up to 992,000 working days were lost through non-fatal falls from height in Great Britain last year alone². Not only that, the total cost of falls from height in 2022/23 is estimated to be over £847 million³, made up of costs to the employer and the individual, government tax losses and benefit payments. Despite statistics provided by the Health and Safety Executive and a call from industry to introduce a simplified system of reporting to more accurately reflect the cause of workplace accidents, there is still a lack of data available surrounding falls from height at work and at home. Hannah Williams, Charity Manager at the No Falls Foundation said, “Current reporting focusses on the type of incident, as opposed to what caused it in the first place. We want to gain insight into the root cause which will inform future research projects and focus resources to prevent falls from height. “We encourage anyone who has experienced, witnessed, or investigated a fall from height to participate in this important research survey to help us ensure everyone who works at height comes down safely.” Take part in the UK falls from height research study: https://nofallsfoundation.org/index.php/research/study/ Sources ¹ RIDDOR – Kind of accident statistic in Great Britain, 2023 ² Labour Force Survey ³ Labour Force Survey Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Half of tenants vacating a property last year had to do so because their landlord wanted to sell their property, according to a new survey. In the latest Rental Confidence Index report, published by PayProp – an automated rental payment and client accounting platform, ‘Landlords selling the property’ was cited by 50% of property professionals surveyed as the primary reason for tenants moving. By contrast, eviction was cited by just 11.3% of those surveyed. Tenant rights organisation Generation Rent has warned about the major impact of landlords selling up on homelessness. Sold properties lost to the PRS The survey also found that more than 54.5% of landlords were in the process of selling properties last year at the time of the survey. PayProp UK managing director Neil Cobbold said: “We know from our survey that the majority of homes sold by landlords (66.7%) are purchased by first time buyers. So, every time a landlord puts a house up for sale, it will generally be permanently lost to the Private Rented Sector (PRS). “These buyers are generally also the more well-off tenants who are best equipped to deal with the steep PRS price increases we are seeing. That loss of stock and well-financed tenants puts the PRS under pressure, with fewer homes to rent and lots of pent-up demand from less well-off tenants, which in turn can lead to higher rental prices as they compete for the remaining properties. “The question we should be asking is ‘Why are so many landlords selling properties?’” Feeling squeezed? “One reason may be the age of the average landlord, which according to the latest English Private Landlord Survey was 58 in 2021. By now, they may be thinking about retirement and taking the money they have invested in property as an annuity. “However, in other cases, a lack of profitability will be an issue. A number of factors – an absence of tax reform to address mortgage costs; higher buy-to-let mortgage rates; increased regulation: and the headlines around the abolition of Section 21 evictions – have all combined to make life uncomfortable for many landlords. “If this trend towards fewer PRS properties is going to be reversed, the Government has to find a way to keep landlords in the PRS and encourage more investors to join the sector. If not, supply will remain under pressure and rents will continue to rise, making life more difficult for tenants who are already feeling squeezed.” The government heralded their Renters (Reform) Bill as the most radical reform of the PRS in a generation, and it has dominated coverage in the trade press. Among its proposals are: After passing its Third Commons Reading last month, the proposed legislation has now progressed to the House of Lords. Expertise on hand from agents Given the scope of these changes to the PRS, it is not surprising that the vast majority of respondents (97.6%) were aware of them. There was also a significant drop in very negative sentiment about the current state of the industry (down 13.1% on 2022), perhaps because of the amendments to address the Bill’s perceived imbalance between the rights of the tenant and those of the landlord to gain repossession of their property. The largest group expressed a ‘neutral’ view (46.8%). However, with the upcoming changes to the Renters (Reform) Bill, the survey found that property professionals were a little more optimistic about the future of the PRS than in 2022. More than half (51.6%) felt either positive or very positive about the rental industry’s prospects. Even so, fewer respondents could see themselves working in the sector in five years’ time with 12.9% saying it was ‘unlikely’ or ‘very unlikely’. PayProp’s full Rental Confidence Index 2024 can be read here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A £4 million scheme to revamp the main high street in Anfield, creating a greener and safer experience for residents and visitors, is to be the focus of a public consultation. Liverpool City Council is to launch the consultation next week (Wednesday, 22nd May) with a hat-trick of public events showcasing how the main road – and connecting streets – leading to Liverpool FC’s iconic stadium is to be upgraded. This project is the latest element in a £300m investment programme in the Anfield area, which first began in 2014. Over the past decade this has led to the creation of more than 600 new and 500 refurbished homes, a revitalised Stanley Park, new shops, environmental street works, improved community facilities and upgrades to the stadium itself. For the new High Street scheme, the Council is working in partnership with AECOM whose brief has been to design a visually more appealing and healthier public street scene with a priority to improve pedestrian movement and safety. The focus will be on highway and public realm upgrades along Walton Breck Road, Oakfield Road, Pulford Street, Back Rockfield Road and Gilman Street. As part of the initial design stage, the current proposals aim to improve walking routes, create wider footpaths, install new landscaping and public realm features, as well provide new trees and new underground bins. A key proposal is a suggested reduction in speed limit on Walton Breck Road from 30mph to 20mph, between the junctions of Blessington Road, and Kemp Avenue to improve safety for pedestrians. The highways element will also include new improved carriageways and crossings, as well as providing new on-street and resident parking bays with a focus on rationalising car parking, bus stops and taxi ranks. And there’s a proposal to close access to Back Rockfield Road from Pulford Street, including a safe area for vehicles to turn around. The outline designs will be on display at a trio of public drop-in events, at The Liverpool Lighthouse, Oakfield Road, L4 0U, on: The online consultation also goes live on 22 May and will be open for feedback until Friday, 14 June. Feedback will help shaped the outline designs and a report to the Council’s cabinet will be submitted in the Autumn with a view to appointing a contractor to begin delivering the scheme next Spring. Feedback from the public consultation about the future for Anfield Square, and a planned way forward will be publicised in the summer. REACTION Councillor Dan Barrington, Cabinet Member for Transport and Connectivity said: “The redevelopment of Anfield stadium has understandably received global attention, but the works to improve the surrounding community are more important in many ways. “Creating a healthier, greener, safer and more visually appealing high street will have a major impact on the day-to-day quality of life of our residents in this community, who have already seen a lot of improvements over the past decade. “I hope everyone in the neighbourhood gets to visit our public consultation events and gives their feedback. Their views are vital to ensuring this scheme works and delivers long-lasting improvements to living in, working in and visiting Anfield.” Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: “Enhancing the public spaces along Oakfield Road and Walton Breck Road is a vital aspect and a longstanding goal of the Anfield regeneration programme. “Importantly, these proposed improvements to the high street will connect various regeneration projects in the surrounding area. “This investment will also provide a boost to the existing businesses and those looking to invest and grow here, and there’s more improvements to come once plans for Anfield Square are formalised.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Meet the must-have furniture pieces assortment that will be a revolution in the way we design and decorate our homes. Embrace a new era of style and functionality with these hand-picked essentials from a London interior design studio catering to the demands of contemporary living spaces, upholding comfort and aesthetic appeal. The Perfect Sofa: Elevate your interior with the perfect sofa. Find peace in the flawless work of art and comfort in the luxury of a contemporary sofa. Our collection ranges in preferences from peace in sleek minimalism to the strong, bold statement pieces that will actually transform living rooms into captivating oases. Give an experience that nobody else does: Wow your guests with a dining table that screams sophistication and elegance. Our collection goes from slick, extendable designs to organic shapes inspired by nature that surely will set the stage for memorable get-togethers and intimate dinners. Update your bedroom sanctuary: Rest and rejuvenate in style with a bed frame oozing modern sophistication. Sleek designs and innovative materials melt into your decor, giving you the best support and comfort needed for recuperative sleep. Release your creative potential with a multifunction desk: Be it for working at home, following a passion, or anything else this is the need of the hour. Our extended, handpicked collection is a symbiosis of advanced design and the latest functionality that guarantees a big workspace and ergonomics to boost your productivity. Rekindle the art of lounging with snug armchairs: Curl up with your favorite book or just unwind after a long day in a cushy armchair that wraps you with comfort. Designs very from classic to more modern designs, all to fit your very own taste in creating a snug and cozy corner for relaxation. Stylish Shelving Units: Improve your storage solutions with shelf units keep in perfect order while not looking out of place in modern interiors. Stylish with versatile designs and clever storage compartments, units like these offer the perfect solution for displaying your most cherished possessions and reducing clutter. Turn your outdoor paradise into the perfect escape: Expand your living space beyond the four walls with this amazing outdoor furniture that offers both comfort and style. From weather-resistant loungers to elegant dining sets, our alfresco must-haves set the scene for memorable moments in the great outdoors. Media Consoles: Elevate an entertainment area with a modern design fused with practicality. Media Consoles set at the heart of a sitting room, boast glossy finishes and enough storage not only to showcase your collection but to add flair to your aesthetics as well. Add the final touches with accent chairs and tables: Accent your space and add character to your home with our accent chairs and tables that make any space great. Whether you’re looking for some sizzling designs or some statement-making pieces, our collection boasts the best accents to infuse character into your space. Sleek and Minimalist Sofas for Contemporary Living Spaces For modern living rooms, it is all about creating a clean and uncluttered look with furniture. The right sofa can do so much to develop style and ambiance in a contemporary home. Clean lines, simple forms, and underplayed elegance give any slim and minimalist sofa a real obligation to those seeking a refined and contemporary look. Elevate Your Space with a Streamlined Design The clean design is what underlies the essence of a sleek, minimalist sofa. Most of these sofas have clean straight lines without too much detail or decoration. They emit a minimalist design, emphasis on function and simplicity. Install one in your living space and get an instant design upgrade, thus creating a sophisticated ambiance. Embrace Neutral Colors and Versatile Materials In sleek and minimalist sofas, the choice of coloration and materials is vital. Neutral colors – white, gray, and black – are pretty typical in them, which makes them easily blended within many different interior styles. Besides, such material as leather or high-quality fabric would add to the luxurious and durable appearance of the sofa, guaranteeing its longevity and timelessness. Sleek and Minimalist Sofa Styles Description Mid-Century Modern Inspired by the aesthetics of the mid-20th century, mid-century modern sofas feature simple yet stylish designs, often with tapered legs and a low-profile silhouette. Scandinavian Scandinavian sofas are known for their sleek lines, light colors, and organic materials, creating a harmonious and calming atmosphere. Contemporary Sectional Contemporary sectional sofas offer flexibility and adaptability, allowing you to configure the seating arrangement according to your living space and personal preferences. Minimalist Futon Minimalist futons combine the functionality of a sofa and a bed, featuring a sleek design that seamlessly transforms from seating to sleeping space. By incorporating these sleek and minimalist sofa styles into your contemporary living space, you can achieve a cohesive and visually pleasing environment that exudes modernity and sophistication. Versatile Coffee Tables that Combine Style and Functionality In a modern room interior, coffee tables make a statement. They are versatile in that they serve the dual function of blending style and functionality for an element of room aesthetic and further practicality. These key pieces of furniture serve as a platform for treasured accessories and, at the same time, give a convenient spot for drinks, books, and conversation. They are available in a number of shapes, sizes, and designs that can give a homeowner versatility and functionality with their coffee tables. Coffee tables can be really minimalist and slick, glamorous and gaudy, or fall somewhere in between. The materials in use – glass, wood, and metal or the mix of these – greatly determine the aesthetic impression created by the table. Some could prefer a table made of glass with a contemporary touch, while others will go for a rustic wooden table with intricate details and warm tones. No matter what your taste may be, the style of a coffee table is able to modify the ambiance of a room drastically and work either as a statement piece or intermingle with the rest of the interior. Functionality is yet another important
289 Homes, Commercial Space and ‘Sizeable’ Green Space to be Created Next to Famous Salt Mills World Heritage Site in Shipley. Construction of ‘Saltaire Riverside’ – a vibrant new residential neighbourhood composed of 289 sustainable homes, commercial space and a large riverside park on the edge of the Salts Mills World Heritage Site in Saltaire, Shipley – is on track to start in early summer. Urban regeneration specialist Artisan Real Estate is currently progressing the homes-led transformation of the 11-acre site sandwiched between the River Aire and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, which was formerly home to an HMRC office complex that closed in October 2021. Demolition of the existing buildings on site – which mainly consist of two large five-storey hexagonal office blocks – is expected to be completed in the coming six weeks, followed by ground preparation works in advance of construction. Material from the demolition will be recycled and used to raise the levels of the site as part of major flood defence works, which will immediately follow the demolition programme. Welcoming the progress on site, James Bulmer, Managing Director for Leeds-based Artisan Real Estate England, said: “Our local contractor, Metropolitan, has been doing excellent work of taking down the existing buildings, and we will soon be moving to processing materials which will be crushed and recycled for re-use on site as part of the forthcoming construction project. We are now hosting regular design team meetings, working on the detailed technical drawing requirements needed to turn our ambitious vision into a reality. Our commercial teams will shortly be going out to tender to find suitable trade sub-contractors to partner with for the project.” Michael Hirst, Managing Director at Metropolitan added: “This has been a great project for Metropolitan. The former HMRC building was a substantial reinforced concrete structure, but our highly skilled teams have been effective, diligent and professional throughout. Artisan is an important client to us and we are working with them on multiple developments across England and Scotland. We look forward to a long lasting relationship.” Artisan’s plans for the new Saltaire Riverside development include the provision of 289 new homes, more than 5,000 sq. ft. of commercial office space designed for flexible working and a café facing on to a new ‘pocket’ park and piazza. A sizeable riverside park will seamlessly link the development to the River Aire, providing woodland, grasslands and lawns to act as a natural flood water storage area whilst pedestrian links will provide direct access to Saltaire Rail Station and the canal towpath. Looking forward to the forthcoming launch of the first new homes phase at Saltaire Riverside, Mr Bulmer confirmed that a new Saltaire Riverside home-sales website will be launched shortly, allowing potential purchasers of to register their interest. He added: “We are excited about starting our initial homes phase, which will deliver a mix of apartments and townhouses to create a much needed sustainable and low carbon residential community. “Our completed development will become a modern interpretation of the adjacent Saltaire Village, bringing much needed sustainable family housing in an accessible, well connected and environmentally responsible setting. It will spectacularly open up a large riverside area, bringing interest and investment to the area and providing a natural, contemporary extension to the existing Saltaire footprint. This is a genuinely groundbreaking homes-led project in an area that is regularly voted as one of the best places to live in the UK.” The neighbouring Saltaire Village is named after Sir Titus Salt who built a textile mill known as Salts Mill and the supporting village overlooking the River Aire in the second half of the 19th century. Designed by architects, Lockwood and Mawson, Saltaire has beautiful Italianate architecture and a rich history and was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001. The village was recently named as one of the 72 best places to live in the UK by the annual Sunday Times ‘Best Places to Live Guide’ for 2024. The Sunday Times’ expert judges visited all the locations and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street. Describing Saltaire Village, the judges said: “It was a model village when it was built and two centuries later, Saltaire is a model address for 21st-century living. Now it’s all about artisan coffee hang-outs, cool cafés and restaurants in atmospheric surroundings, along with a snappy commute to the centres of Leeds and Bradford.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Wolseley Infrastructure prepares to unveil its Fusion Utilities brand new and highly anticipated Horizon 29 site in Chesterfield. With the final stage of fit-out underway, the countdown has officially begun for the opening of the new fulfilment centre in June 2024. The new facility will allow the brand to accommodate an extensive range of utilities products so that customers have access to stock when and where they need it. Situated at junction 29A of the M1, the site’s prime location means it offers excellent accessibility to customers across the country, ensuring Fusion’s commitment to excellence in customer service and operational efficiency well into the future. The new state-of-the-art facility spans an impressive 149,113 square feet, seamlessly integrating warehouse and office space for optimised efficiency and service quality. Enabling Fusion Utilities to revolutionise operations in the industry whilst ushering in a brand-new era of seamless service and support for its valued customers to ensure their infrastructure projects continue to be a success. Simon Dennis, National Operations Director at Wolseley Infrastructure said: “We are thrilled with the progress of our new Horizon 29 site. The investment in this site underlines our dedication and unwavering commitment to adaptability and excellence in customer service delivery. “This investment is about ensuring we remain agile and responsive to the evolving needs of our customers, unlocking endless possibilities to better serve them and the delivery of their projects. The Horizon 29 design reflects Fusion Utilities’ commitment to environmental sustainability. The new site boasts environmentally friendly features such as a green exterior, large recycling centre, EV charging and solar panels that future-proof the site and is part of Wolseley’s wider strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and committing to more sustainable practices. With the finishing touches going into the final phase of the project, the landmark development highlights Wolseley Infrastructure’s commitment to delivering excellent customer service and continued innovation in the utilities sector. To find out more about Wolseley Infrastructure and its brands, visit here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Siemens Building Products has won the ‘Technical Innovation of the Year’ category in the biggest Awards scheme for the building controls and BEMS (Building & Energy Management System) industry. Siemens Wireless Room Solution won the hotly contested product category, sponsored by CIBSE, as one of six finalists at the BCIA (Building Controls Industry Association) Awards dinner at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham on 2 May, 2024. It was the first time the Awards have been presented at this venue which saw almost 500 people attend the annual celebration of innovation, product development, project delivery and training in this important sector of the construction industry. The Wireless Room Solution from Siemens features three new sensors as part of the company’s ongoing development of the company’s expanding IoT range. The battery-operated sensors allow quick and easy installation to provide important monitoring of indoor air quality (IAQ), with three options available: temperature only; temperature and relative humidity; temperature, relative humidity and CO2. With buildings being repurposed and reconfigured, the capability for ease of installation or relocation of sensors to meet new requirements without damaging walls and ceilings through re-wiring is a particular advantage. With CO2 being an excellent indicator of IAQ, the new sensor offers a measurement accuracy of +/-2%. Open interfaces are key in enabling more intelligent room devices and building solutions. The new sensors communicate wirelessly through Thread – an open source, mesh networking, IP-based protocol – meaning they operate seamlessly, either with Siemens own BMS, such as the popular Desigo system, or with those of other manufacturers. Entrants were required to provide a testimonial from a product user and the comment on the Wireless Room Solution recognised that it was “…fast and easy to deploy with continuous data reporting capabilities, automated alarms and no line of sight required…enabling installation of 20 room sensors in a single day.” The Awards were hosted by comedian Ellie Taylor, with funds raised for Carers UK, the charity nominated by new BCIA President, Stacey Lucas. Sachin Penukonda from Siemens was also one of the nominees in the ‘Apprentice of the Year’ category which was ultimately won by Anya Turner of Schneider Electric. Commenting on the award, Ron Purcell, Product Manager for Siemens Building Products, UK and Ireland, said – “we are naturally delighted to win such a prestigious award. Innovation is so important in continuing to drive forward improvements in creating healthy, energy efficient and productive building environments so to win this category is particularly pleasing.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Project management specialists, Greyfriars, have relocated to new offices in Norwich city centre – and marked the occasion with an opening event attended by colleagues, friends and clients. The move is a result of the company’s rapid growth and the need for a bigger space to accommodate its expanding team – and expanding client portfolio. Held on Friday 19th April, the event welcomed guests to the firm’s new Queens Road offices to celebrate their move. “It’s brilliant to bring everyone together and mark the start of a new chapter in our company story! It seems like just yesterday that we moved to our previous offices, but having expanded to a team of 15, this move is much-needed!” says Jon Barnard, Director of Greyfriars Project Management. Greyfriars Project Management – who work with big name clients in the public, private and charity sectors – have quadrupled in size in just four years and aim to target sustainable growth of 50% over the next three years. Their new office provides ample space to accommodate the company’s increasing staff and support its commitment to providing top-tier project management services to its clients. Since the business was founded in 2018, the project management specialists have worked with big names, including National Highways, National Trust and Norfolk County Council. But, Greyfriars’ director Jon Barnard is keen to state that none of this would have been possible without the dedicated support of the Greyfriars team. “The excellent support of the Greyfriars team has been instrumental to the business’s success! This office move is part of our continued commitment to investing in our people. We’ve invested in a bigger space, as well as the equipment and infrastructure needed to support a growing team and provide everyone with the tools and training they need to do a fantastic job for our clients and the community!” adds Jon. Greyfriars Project Management are unique in that they only work on projects which deliver genuine community value. “The central location of our new office is perfectly situated to allow us to get even more involved in community-engagement activities. Plus, it means we’re easily accessible on foot and via public transport, which is not only good for staff and visitors, but kinder to the environment too” concludes Jon. Greyfriars Project Management provide independent, professional project management support services for all types of building, transport and placemaking projects. They’ve successfully delivered projects throughout the UK and pride themselves on their flexible approach to providing services which suit their clients’ requirements. To find out more about Greyfriars Project Management, visit https://greyfriarspm.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The complex multi material roof at Lucent W1, behind the Piccadilly Lights, has won Best Multi-discipline Project over £250k at the national Roofing Awards. The project was a collaborative venture between AccuRoof, roofing contractor E J Roberts and main contractor Wates Group. This mixed-use development behind the Lights at Piccadilly Circus in London’s West End has one of the most complex roofs ever to be built in the capital across an almost complete city block. Designed by Fletcher Priest Architects, the project unified thirteen different buildings including several historic facades and the treatment of the new roof was integral to their design. AccuRoof were commissioned by Wates Group to design the complex folding roof to meet the architects’ original design intent, plus targets of BREEAM Outstanding and the Gold WELL Building Standard. The solution was to design in planes of natural slate, but stringent environmental and fire safety requirements ruled out the use of hot works or lead flashings. The solution the AccuRoof came up with, their design office detailed and E J Roberts executed, is a roof comprised of three different roofing systems. Planes of Cwt-y-bugail Natural Slate make up the bulk of the roof, elZinc Lava zinc provides flashings, gutters, balcony edges and cladding, and IKO Permatec Hot Melt inverted roof system is used for the flat roof areas, the 22 terraces and behind the iconic Lights. The design challenges on the project were many and included: coordinating the interfaces between slate, hot melt and zinc; facilitating the shedding of rainwater from complex interlocking roof planes, some of which fold down the side of the building, and designing to a steel frame which required up to 20mm movement both horizontally and vertically. Altogether the design team produced over 300 details. The construction challenges included: building a massive test rig to test the roof design and construction to European standards for weathertightness and up to 100mph winds; operating in one of the busiest parts of the West End with limited access and two flagship retail stores kept open; storing all the slates on the incomplete roof after the crane was dismantled half way through the package, and implementing dozens of reworked details that would frequently occur between the rebuilt historic facades and a new steel frame. All the roofing materials were supplied through SIG Roofing’s extensive supply chain, via its Kentish Town outlet and a separate holding area near the site. All materials were craned on site, but a tight programme meant that the crane was dismantled part way through the roofing package and all 28,000 slates had to be stored on top of the building weeks before their installation. E J Roberts Roofing is an experienced multi-disciplinary roofing contractor registered with AccuRoof’s ACIS Contractor Installer Scheme. The firm has over sixty years’ experience and their slaters alone who worked on this project have over 100 years’ joint experience in slating. AccuRoof’s registered contractors receive priority training, technical and on-site support from experienced field technicians, allowing the AccuRoof design team to take on the design liability for certain projects and ensure the project receives a reliable warranty. Emerson Bennett, Managing Director at E J Roberts Roofing said, “We are absolutely delighted to have been recognized by the Roofing Awards. It is testament to our many decades of experience in roofing and the collaborative way in which this complex project was approached that we were able to bring out the very best in our team and deliver to such a high standard.” Chris Lodge, Managing Director of SIG UK Exteriors agreed. “Only a single roofing design specialist and a single roofing contractor in a collaborative relationship could have successfully delivered this project. The teamwork of AccuRoof and E J Roberts to deliver on this project was fantastic and showcases the unique multi-solution and end to end value of the AccuRoof offer. Expertise in design, over multiple covering solutions, supported right through to distribution service from our specialist SIG Roofing branch network, in this case the team at our Kentish Town branch.” The judges said, “A final product of the highest quality was delivered by the install team.” Read an article about how the complex roof was designed and built: https://accuroof.co.uk/article/lucent-w1-how-the-complex-roof-was-built/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
