Robert Palmer – General Manager, EMR Reusable Steels… Businesses across the construction industry have embarked on a shared mission to embed sustainable practices and ensure the resilience of this vital sector. This is inspiring innovation on multiple fronts, but material selection has emerged as a pivotal tool for architects, engineers,
Balfour Beatty, the UK’s largest infrastructure company, in partnership with National Highways, reopened the M25 over seven hours ahead of schedule, following the second full weekend closure. The M25 between Junction 9 and 10, was closed at 9pm on Friday 10 May until approximately 11pm on Sunday 12 May, to allow
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
Robert Palmer – General Manager, EMR Reusable Steels… Businesses across the construction industry have embarked on a shared mission to embed sustainable practices and ensure the resilience of this vital sector. This is inspiring innovation on multiple fronts, but material selection has emerged as a pivotal tool for architects, engineers, and developers to reduce environmental impact as it can be a relatively quick win, with readily available options. Along with concrete, plastic, and fertiliser; steel is one of the four supporting pillars of today’s society, and a fundamental component of contemporary construction. In response to this sector-wide mission, steelmakers, stockholders, and metal recyclers are all adapting and evolving their offerings to include more sustainable methods of steel production. If this industry transformation is to be successful, everyone needs to understand the benefits and practical applications of each approach. There are currently three main approaches for procuring steel for use in construction projects, each with their own distinct advantages, uses and carbon impacts: 1. REUSABLE STEEL Arguably the best option in terms of carbon and circularity performance, reusable steel is a previously fabricated and installed material which has been harvested from an existing structure and has experienced what can be termed as a “loaded life.” Reusable Steel extends the lifecycle of steel components within their highest level of utility. This post-consumer material boasts an extremely low carbon intensity, as it avoids the energy intensity of the melting processes associated with the production of new steel products. The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for EMR’s Reusable Steels reports a carbon intensity of 47 KgCO2e/t, which is 97.5% lower than an average new or surplus steel product. 2. NEW STEEL New steel is produced through either a Blast Furnace-Basic Oxygen Furnace (BF-BOF), or an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF). Both processes can use recycled metal as an input, with the EAF process capable of using up to 100% recycled metal. The addition of recycled metal not only helps to lower the carbon intensity of new steel production, but it also prevents the need to extract primary metals for manufacture. This provides further practical benefits as it is much easier to decarbonise electricity through renewable generation, than it is to capture and sequester carbon from BF-BOF. Depending on the new steel production method and the level of recycled metal input, new steel carbon intensity can range from approximately 2300 KgCO2e/t to 350 KgCO2e/t with a global average of 1910 kgCO2e/t. 3. SURPLUS STEEL Surplus steel includes steel sections which have either been procured for a project, or are no longer suitable stock for stockholders, but have never been used in a structure. Common reasons for surplus steel include project over-ordering, design changes, loss of certification or traceability, minor damage, and project cancellations. The use of these materials is highly resource efficient, presenting an opportunity to avoid buying new production materials. However, as these materials have never been used, they fall into the category of “pre-consumer” and their carbon intensity is the same as new steels i.e. between ~ 2300 KgCO2e/t to 350 KgCO2e/t. The construction industry will need to utilise each of these different steel products as it transitions towards its net-zero targets. It’s important to be clear about, and account for, the relative benefits and carbon intensity of each material, so that the true environmental impact of a project can be calculated. The actual carbon intensity for a specific steel product can be defined by its EPD, providing confidence and clarity for the end user. Integrating all three approaches into construction practices maximises the environmental benefits available to new projects. Reusable steel provides an unparalleled advantage in carbon efficiency. New steel – and particularly new steel with a high recycled content – delivers both carbon savings and efficiency, whilst surplus steel aids in waste reduction. By strategically blending these alternative materials, companies can achieve a balanced approach that aligns cost-effectiveness, resource efficiency and environmental responsibility. Understanding the distinctions between these approaches, especially in terms of carbon, is crucial for making informed decisions in construction projects. Transitioning to lower carbon construction will require a multifaceted approach and collaboration between stakeholders. By leveraging the advantages of each method, we can pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient future for the construction industry. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Balfour Beatty, the UK’s largest infrastructure company, in partnership with National Highways, reopened the M25 over seven hours ahead of schedule, following the second full weekend closure. The M25 between Junction 9 and 10, was closed at 9pm on Friday 10 May until approximately 11pm on Sunday 12 May, to allow for the installation of 72 beams which will form part of the M25 East Bridge as well as a new gantry, spanning the entire width of the M25 carriageway. Specialist lifting gear was needed to move the beams into place, some of which weighed 40 tonnes each. The closure marks the second of five intentional motorway closures planned and builds on the success of the first closure during which Balfour Beatty successfully demolished the Clearmount bridleway bridge and installed a large gantry weighing in at 128 tonnes and spanning 63 metres. Howard Williams, Balfour Beatty Project Director, said: “We are pleased that we have been able to complete this essential and complex work early and reopen the M25 to the travelling public ahead of schedule. “Works are progressing well on this critical scheme, and we remain on track to complete in Summer 2025. On completion, the project will significantly improve traffic congestion in the local area whilst also making journeys safer.” The M25 Junction 10 improvement scheme will increase the number of lanes to make journeys safer and to improve traffic flow; in turn, reducing the pollution caused by traffic build up. Balfour Beatty and National Highways will also install the UK’s first ever heathland bridge, connecting Ockham and Wisley commons and providing a safe, natural corridor for local wildlife. For more information about the scheme visit the National Highways website Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
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. 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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
