Pod Point has completed the installation of 67 electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints for Skanska UK, one of the country’s leading contractors, at its Hertfordshire head office. The installation is believed to be one of the largest to date in Europe. The company, which employs 6,000 people in the UK, worked
AECOM is set to deliver a wide range of planning and environmental services to help communities across England develop their neighbourhood plans and shape development and growth in their local area. The four-year appointment is part of a major Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) contract that will
KNX UK, the association representing the KNX standard within the UK, has announced the findings of its recent extensive survey into the size and scope of the KNX market in the UK. The results show more than 86% of respondents are anticipating growth in 2017, with 41% expecting more than
House prices in the UK increased by 0.6% in August and are now 5.6% above a year ago, according to the latest index figures to be published. This continued growth takes the average price of a home to £206,145, the data from the Nationwide shows, indicating that an expected fall
The Office for National Statistics is investigating why its statistics are so at variance with the results of industry surveys. In particular, the monthly survey of construction industry purchasing managers conducted by economists at Markit for the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) indicates that the UK construction industry
Leanne Wood, Diversity Creative Interiors Design Director, discusses how focusing on the design detail can help you to avoid building regulations pitfalls in commercial spaces. A beautiful new office space with great furniture, stylish lighting and state-of-the-art equipment can be an inspiring place to work – boosting staff creativity, productivity
This brief article is designed to outline which specific transportation vehicle would be ideal for your moving scenario, and predominantly focuses upon ‘Industrial Plant Relocation’. The phrase itself may sound self-explanatory, and indeed many other such blogs tend to simplify the concept by likening industrial plant relocation to moving house
Roofclad Systems, Birtley-based specialists in the design and installation of roofing and cladding systems, are planning to expand into Yorkshire with the creation of an office and warehouse in Leeds. The new base will allow the company to get firmer foothold in the North of England and Yorkshire areas. Its
Mastic asphalt is a “highly relevant” building material for today, industry movers and shakers were advised at a lunch event hosted by the Mastic Asphalt Council (MAC) to celebrate the use of the product in modern construction. Green architect and TV presenter Charlie Luxton spoke to more than 40
This week is Sprinkler Week and it is ironic that the week starts with the announcement of a massive fire in Daventry that saw the total destruction of a 400,000 square foot warehouse – a warehouse that was only a matter of months old. Built at a cost of over
Pod Point has completed the installation of 67 electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints for Skanska UK, one of the country’s leading contractors, at its Hertfordshire head office. The installation is believed to be one of the largest to date in Europe. The company, which employs 6,000 people in the UK, worked with EV charging specialist Pod Point to install the 7kW chargepoints, along with the infrastructure for the solution to be scaled up to 243 chargepoints in the future. The chargepoints enable Skanska employees to charge their vehicles while they work, before returning to a fully powered battery at the end of the day. The installation is part of Skanska’s commitment to decarbonise its company fleet as fast as technology allows, and to have the lowest emissions fleet in the industry. The solution enables Skanska to control access to EV charging centrally, monitor usage and set custom electricity tariffs. Pod Point was selected following a competitive procurement process and the installation was completed within two weeks. Skanska’s Senior Project Manager Paul Jarvis said: “The installation of the EV chargepoints was a credit to all concerned. All site work was done efficiently, on time and to budget with minimal impact on a busy, occupied site.” Pod Point CEO Erik Fairbairn said: “This is the largest single site chargepoint installation that we’re aware of in the UK, but also a sign of a larger shift over the past six months, as more businesses wake up to the benefits of EVs. We’ve certainly seen a big increase in enquiries from companies wanting futureproof chargepoint installations that can be scaled up as their fleets make the switch to electric.” Along with zero carbon emissions, electric vehicles have lower maintenance costs than their petrol or diesel equivalents due to a smaller number of moving parts. There are also tax advantages, with no benefit in kind rates for charging company cars, while the BIK rate for purchases of new EVs will fall to 2 per cent in 2020/2021 compared to up to 20 per cent for petrol or diesel vehicles.
AECOM is set to deliver a wide range of planning and environmental services to help communities across England develop their neighbourhood plans and shape development and growth in their local area. The four-year appointment is part of a major Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) contract that will be led by Locality, the nationwide network of community organisations, with AECOM as its principle subcontractor. The contract follows a three-year appointment previously held by AECOM delivering neighbourhood planning services for over 500 communities across England. Under the new contract, AECOM will support the delivery of potentially hundreds of neighbourhood plans, which include the location of new housing and businesses. Neighbourhood plans that are approved in local referenda will form a crucial part of the development plan for local authority areas and have become a powerful tool when considering planning applications. The new contract will introduce a scoping phase where AECOM will help groups to identify their needs, as well as the opportunities for growth and regeneration in their communities. This information will help the DCLG and Locality determine how community groups can be best supported. Stuart Woodin, Lead Technical Director for the project at AECOM, said: “Our support provides vital evidence to a whole new generation of ‘lay planners’ from all walks of life who are grappling with the opportunities as well as the challenges presented by planning their places. We are thrilled to be involved for another four years with Locality in this unique Private-Voluntary Sector Partnership.” Carole Reilly, Locality Director of Services, commented: “Locality is committed to empowering people to shape their communities; neighbourhood planning brings statutory power for communities to do this. Our unique partnership means that we can combine AECOM’s technical expertise with Locality’s deep reach into communities to deliver expert and lasting change at the most local level. We are delighted to have the opportunity to build on our work so far and to continue our partnership for the next four years.”
KNX UK, the association representing the KNX standard within the UK, has announced the findings of its recent extensive survey into the size and scope of the KNX market in the UK. The results show more than 86% of respondents are anticipating growth in 2017, with 41% expecting more than a 10% increase in KNX business. The total size of the KNX market stands at approximately £10m. According to the research, 45% of KNX members expect growth of up to 10% in 2016, with 41% expecting growth of over 10% in 2017. This growth will be driven by an appetite and awareness of the Internet of Things, an increase in knowledge from specifiers and the KNX protocol’s proven strength as a versatile, easy to install solution for commercial and residential building control. 50% of respondents expect the use of the KNX protocol to increase in commercial properties whilst 39% anticipate growth in the use of KNX in residential applications. “The research is hugely positive for companies working with KNX, “comments Iain Gordon, KNX UK President. “This is proof that KNX has an important stake in the UK building controls sector and will continue to build on this presence moving forwards. Exciting market opportunities lie ahead, and as an association we will remain active and supportive of manufacturers, wholesalers, integrators and training establishments seeking to build on this platform.”The KNX standard provides an open, reliable and easy to install approach for controlling lighting, blinds, security, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, (HVAC), water supply and irrigation, energy management, smart metering, fault finding and remote monitoring systems as well as household appliances, audio-video technology and more. Today, over 400 manufacturers develop and supply compatible devices and technologies for over 7,000 certified KNX product groups to a customer base of more than 50,000 KNX certified installers, operating in over 125 countries across the globe. Conducted between January and March 2016, the KNX UK research was carried out by Sigma Research Management Group and surveyed 32 companies working with KNX in the UK. The Association plans to repeat the research in 2017. The complete findings of the research are available free of charge as a member benefit to all KNX UK members. Source link
House prices in the UK increased by 0.6% in August and are now 5.6% above a year ago, according to the latest index figures to be published. This continued growth takes the average price of a home to £206,145, the data from the Nationwide shows, indicating that an expected fall due to Brexit has not yet materialised. The pick up in price growth is somewhat at odds with signs that housing market activity has slowed in recent months, according to Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s chief economist, saying that this includes a softening of new buyer enquiries to the introduction of additional stamp duty on second homes in April and the uncertainty surrounding the EU referendum. Meanwhile, the number of mortgages approved for house purchase fell to an 18 month low in July. ‘However, the decline in demand appears to have been matched by weakness on the supply side of the market. Surveyors report that instructions to sell have also declined and the stock of properties on the market remains close to 30 year lows,’ Gardner explained. ‘This helps to explain why the pace of house price growth has remained broadly stable. What happens next on the demand side will be determined, to a large extent, by the outlook for the labour market and confidence amongst prospective buyers,’ he pointed out. He believes that it is encouraging that the unemployment rate remained at a 10 year low in the three months to June, though labour market trends tend to lag developments in the wider economy and it is also positive that retail sales increased at a healthy rate in July, up almost 6% compared to the previous year, even though consumer confidence fell sharply during the month. ‘However, business surveys suggest that the manufacturing, services and construction sectors all slowed sharply in July, and, if sustained, this is likely to have a negative impact on the labour market and household confidence,’ he said. ‘Most forecasters, including the Bank of England, expect the economy to show little growth over the remainder of the year. Indeed, these concerns prompted the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to implement a range of stimulus measures at the start of August, which will provide support to economic activity and the housing market. Monetary policy measures will provide some support for households and the housing market,’ Gardner commented. ‘The MPC’s decision to lower UK interest rates from 0.5% to a new low of 0.25% will provide an immediate benefit to many mortgage borrowers, though for most the boost will be fairly modest. The MPC’s stimulus measures will also provide indirect support to the housing market, and not just by boosting wider economic activity,’ he added. According to Nicholas Finn, executive director of Garrington Property Finders, the data reveals a property market that is still unsettled rather than upbeat. ‘On the front line we’re seeing some strong intent but a lack of clarity among buyers. The cut in interest rates and resilient levels of consumer confidence mean there are some determined buyers, especially among those who sat on the fence in the run-up to the Brexit vote,’ he said. ‘There’s a growing sense that this is a buyer’s market with the more bold frequently asking for substantial discounts but many are still being cautious as the dust has yet to settle. August is traditionally a slow month among buyers, but as the summer lull ends there is a good chance that momentum will pick up,’ he explained. ‘Crucially, sellers have battened down the hatches rather than abandoned ship. Price growth has eased, and among the top tiers of the market, prices have returned to more genuine market levels. Buyers who had been waiting for the post-Brexit slump to bottom out should act fast, or they risk missing the boat,’ he added. Russell Quirk, chief executive officer of eMoov, believes that the housing market is in a stronger position than it was in August 2015 and he believes that with the school holidays now over the market will kick it up a gear in September. Even more optimistic is Rob Weaver, director of investments at property crowdfunding platform Property Partner, who thinks it is increasingly likely that the predicted collapse of the property market post-Brexit may not happen. ‘The property market has stood up to a strong headwind of political and economic uncertainty, and prices haven’t collapsed as many said they would after the UK voted to leave the EU. The sheer lack of supply has counterbalanced the fall in demand over the summer months,’ he said. ‘There have been seasonal, political and Stamp Duty related reasons for the fall in demand, but the extreme lack of supply has evened things out. The interest rate cut earlier in the month has given the market a confidence boost and eased any post-Brexit jitters. The jobs market has remained strong so far but its performance between now and the New Year will be crucial,’ he explained. ‘It’s still too early to know what the full impact of Brexit will be on the housing market but for the time being, property prices are showing a degree of resilience. If the Bank of England’s chief economist says that owning property is a better bet than a pension, that’s a vote of confidence for the stability of the property market. At the very least it reinforces how many people gravitate towards bricks and mortar in times of economic or political uncertainty,’ he pointed out. ‘Moreover, the government is readying a multi-billion pound package to support housebuilding and stimulate the economy, which demonstrates the importance of the housing market, and further strengthens its longer term prospects,’ he added. Graham Davidson, managing director of Sequre Property Investment, also believes that continued house price growth is further proof, if needed, that the referendum announcement has done little to curb growth. ‘The market is in good health overall, boosted by the recent Bank of England interest rate drop which has helped, however modestly, those on tracker mortgages, including buy to let
The Office for National Statistics is investigating why its statistics are so at variance with the results of industry surveys. In particular, the monthly survey of construction industry purchasing managers conducted by economists at Markit for the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) indicates that the UK construction industry has now grown every month for the past 35 months. But according to the government’s own Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, also based on sample surveys, construction output has been much more up and down, falling in May 2015, November 2015, January 2016 and February 2016. In fact, in May 2015 the industry was officially in recession, according to ONS economists. The ONS has now produced a report* comparing its own data with the purchasing managers’ index (PMI) produced by Markit/CIPS. ONS says that “the Markit’s PMI is the more timely estimate, but our slower release of data enables us to provide a more comprehensive coverage of the industry”. It adds: “There are clear conceptual differences between the underlying methodologies of the two measures that make a direct comparison very difficult but, post 2013, both show an underlying upwards trend for output in the construction industry.” ONS said that it would now explore the differences further to determine why the ONS headline and Markit PMI month-on-month measures have diverged so much since 2013. In particular, it is going to explore the relative weighting given to the responses of different sized firms in each survey. It is also going to “take a wider look” at other sentiment surveys on the construction industry, such as the state of trade survey published by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). * Output in the Construction Industry: A comparison of construction output and Market CIPS data […click to view] ONS Monthly Business Survey month on month diffusion index compared with Markit construction PMI, 2010 to 2015 Great Britain (MBS), UK (PMI) Source: Office for National Statistics Further Images This article was published on 18 Apr 2016 (last updated on 18 Apr 2016). Source link
Leanne Wood, Diversity Creative Interiors Design Director, discusses how focusing on the design detail can help you to avoid building regulations pitfalls in commercial spaces. A beautiful new office space with great furniture, stylish lighting and state-of-the-art equipment can be an inspiring place to work – boosting staff creativity, productivity and not least the feel-good factor. However, renovation is a time-consuming and costly business and companies always aim to keep staff downtime and disruption to an absolute minimum. The last thing the manager of a busy workplace needs to hear once their staff are settled at shiny new workstations is that the business is in breach of building regulations. As well as having to start from scratch, you could face a fine or even prosecution. So, what can you do to ensure you don’t run into any problems? Keep reading to find out more. Make building regulations a key part of the design process Building regulations are minimum standards for the design, construction or alteration of almost any building. They are designed to ensure the health and safety of people in and around buildings. Diversity Creative Interiors work with clients from the very beginning of any refurbishment or renovation project to ensure this crucial aspect of design detail is spot on. Planning permission and compliance with building regulations are always given absolute priority in the design process. Leanne says: “Getting the basics right at the very start of a project is fundamental to its success. Cutting corners to race ahead and save money can be false economy and have disastrous implications longer term.” “We work on the client’s behalf to ensure that renovation plans adhere to building regulations from the offset. At Diversity Creative Interiors we manage the whole process from start to finish, working closely with local authorities. This gives our clients peace of mind that their project has the building regulations stamp of approval.” Having worked in the industry for eight years, Leanne finds that the same stumbling blocks come up time after time when clients want to renovate a commercial space. For example, building stud walls are great for partitioning and re-allocation of space, but they can create building regulations problems. The fitter must consider a raft of issues such as ventilation – as you are creating a new room you must take into account the need for adequate ventilation in the new space you have created. Fire safety and soundproofing are also frequently overlooked when constructing a stud wall. For example, it is important to use fire-resistant plasterboard, and you must ensure there are suitable escape routes and that the new wall does not block access. The other issue with building new stud walls is overcrowding the space with too many desks and too much furniture. Leanne adds: “You may have a beautiful new office, but the space may not be functional or safe. And, it might not meet building regulations or work effectively for the staff actually using the space.” Disabled access and fire safety are often overlooked in renovations Appropriate access for disabled users is another area this is often overlooked at the start of the design process. Designs often fail to allow for the 1500mm turning circle required for wheelchairs, and there must be room for movement between corridors, desks with chairs pulled out, and also within disabled toilets and doors. Additionally, if someone using a wheelchair is working at first floor level, having enough fire doors between a fire and where the person is located is critical. Provision must be made to ensure the person can wait safely until the fire brigade can extinguish the fire or help the person get out of the building. General fire safety is often not given enough consideration, despite being a key part of building regulations. Renovators must design in signage, extinguishers and correctly-located smoke alarms as well as clearly indicating exit routes. Protect period detail in older properties Older properties are most often in need of renovation. And, if you’re working on the renovation of an older property, attention needs to be paid to preserving and protecting the building’s period details. Removing period details can destroy the character and the market value of a property. In period property refurbishments it is worth observing the techniques and materials used in the building’s original construction. Always try and repair, or replace sympathetically, on a like-for-like basis. If you do this, conservation is both cost-efficient and environmentally-friendly. If they are still intact, you can preserve internal original doors, floorboards, fireplaces and plaster mouldings. It is also important to remember that features are not always purely decorative, but often have a practical and structural purpose. Removal may only necessitate an alternative solution. You should also keep in mind that work involving drainage, heat-producing appliances, cavity wall insulation and electrics generally requires approval. So, for your peace of mind, to ensure the wellbeing of your workforce, and to keep on the right side of building regulations, Diversity Creative Interiors advise that you start with the basics. If you’re embarking on a renovation project in a commercial space, build on these common sense and solid foundations. For further advice or to discuss you project visit www.diversitycreativeinteriors.co.uk or call 0115 967 3767.
This brief article is designed to outline which specific transportation vehicle would be ideal for your moving scenario, and predominantly focuses upon ‘Industrial Plant Relocation’. The phrase itself may sound self-explanatory, and indeed many other such blogs tend to simplify the concept by likening industrial plant relocation to moving house – but on a larger scale. However, this analogy does not capture the complexity of the operation. Industrial plant relocation is an incredibly complex process involving expensive machinery, and potentially dangerous objects if not handled correctly. In order to smoothly and successfully carry out this transition one will need high quality specialist equipment, operated by industry professionals. In the following paragraphs we have carefully selected examples of such equipment and highlighted their specific uses. The Liebherr LTM 1100-5.2 An innovative and global leader in mobile crane technology, the Liebherr LTM 1100-5.2 is an extremely useful transportation vehicle to deploy during your plant relocation. Firstly, it has the obvious advantage of being a mobile crane – which means more than mere mobility: a mobile crane takes less time to set-up than a tower crane. Meaning if you are on a strict schedule for your industrial plant relocation, the Leibherr LTM 1100-5.2 can be quickly utilised and works well in a compact space. The optimisation of space will prove vital on a site in the midst of relocation, what’s more, this mobile, compact crane can lift up to 100 tonnes on its 52 metre telescopic boom – making this mobile crane one of the most versatile pieces of equipment available to heavy machine movers in the UK. The Spierings SK599-AT5 If your needs are somewhat smaller, then the Spierings SK599-AT5 may well be the ideal crane to assist your relocation. An extremely compact mobile tower crane, the Spierings has a tower height of 34.6 metres and can lift up to 9 tonnes – one of the major advantages of this crane is its ability to operate not just in extremely tight spaces, but also at half its tower height if necessary. A more compact option, which will no doubt prove especially useful for relocations that consist of lighter loads in smaller spaces. The Versa-lift 25-35 Chart Of course, cranes are not the only means of heavy lifting, and cannot reach every area in your current plant layout – the Versa-lift 25-35 provides an effective solution for transportation in tight quarters, usually within a warehouse itself. The Versa-lift carries up to 25,000 lbs with its base retracted or up to 35,000 lbs with its base extended. As well as being ideal for reaching congested areas cranes wouldn’t have access to, the Versa-lift is (as its name implies) incredibly versatile and would be useful for scenarios on a scale smaller than industrial plant relocation, such as the moving of heavy gym equipment – a service many professional machine movers offer. To Summarise… We highly recommend you enlist the services of professional machine movers when undertaking large scale industrial relocation projects, relying solely on in house equipment and staff could potentially cause unnecessary strain on resources, and possibly incur further costs that specialist equipment (like the examples above) could have otherwise saved.
Roofclad Systems, Birtley-based specialists in the design and installation of roofing and cladding systems, are planning to expand into Yorkshire with the creation of an office and warehouse in Leeds. The new base will allow the company to get firmer foothold in the North of England and Yorkshire areas. Its turnover is set to exceed £6 million and it has more than 50 full-time staff. Over the last year, Roofclad has continue to pick up a number of major roofing contracts in the Yorkshire area, with the most recent one being a £250,000 roofing contract for Rosti at Stamford Bridge. “We get a lot of enquiries from Yorkshire and beyond which, until now, we have serviced from our base in the North East, so it just makes sense to set up an office further South,” said Alex Tilley, managing director. The new office will offer Roofclad 900 sq ft office space and 2,500 sq ft warehouse space. “The office is in a far better location than our Birtley base in terms of its access to motorways, being located south of Leeds and near the M62/M1 corridors and it is also big enough to give us scope for future expansion,” explained Alex. Speaking of the future, Alex added: “We are committed to creating new jobs – starting with a contracts manager, an office administrator/secretary and some direct operatives, which we hope to appoint in the not so distant future, depending on new projects coming in.” Roofclad has completed several contracts in the area, including one at Matthew Charlton in Hexham for a roof-over cladding contract, new build works at Bridge End Industrial Estate in Hexham that involved a new roof and wall cladding and a felting contract for Newcastle City Council at Hawthorn Primary School.
Mastic asphalt is a “highly relevant” building material for today, industry movers and shakers were advised at a lunch event hosted by the Mastic Asphalt Council (MAC) to celebrate the use of the product in modern construction. Green architect and TV presenter Charlie Luxton spoke to more than 40 architects and contractors in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral where mastic asphalt was used on the refurbishment of the dome gallery. At the event he told the audience he was using mastic asphalt on the construction of his own home. Specifically on the build of a complex stair detail where the stairs descend through a flower bed. Mastic asphalt was used to form stairs, upstands, sumps and drainage outlets – a “hugely complex 3D object,” according to Charlie. “This is what mastic asphalt can offer – waterproofing, a durable surface, even a decorative finish,” he said. “In some ways mastic asphalt might be perceived as an old fashioned building material. But there is a reason it has been around so long. Many of you probably don’t even think about it as relevant to you in modern practice but like many long-lasting, tried and tested materials it is being re-imagined and modified and re-examined as a highly relevant building material for today.” When introduced by MAC chairman Keith Collins, Charlie admitted: “When asked to do this talk I was relieved because sometimes I’m asked to talk on things I know nothing about, and more importantly have no opinion about. But in this case I am a paid-up member of the mastic asphalt fan club.” Building his own house has become a journey to embrace re-imagined older materials. “Increasingly as I detail my buildings I am looking always for the most robust way of achieving beautiful finishes. Mastic asphalt is tough, with a long life span, and repairable. If the integrity of the covering is compromised or if you want alter and make changes to the building over time you can easily repair with it and this makes it eminently suitable for the realities of building,” said Charlie. At the event, Charlie referred to the environmental credentials of mastic asphalt. “Mastic asphalt is 100% recyclable and inherently efficient to install. It has been an eye opener on my build recently. The mastic asphalt guys used what they needed and took back what they didn’t, to reheat and reuse. No waste at all. Many alternative materials such as complex multi-layered roof membranes can be incredibly difficult to recycle and this is not likely to change anytime soon. We need to reduce waste first. Waste during build is hard to control but waste before installation is a huge issue too, with 10% of materials coming to building sites leaving in a skip,” he said. Guests at the MAC lunch were advised by Charlie to try to use more simple, less refined, inert products like wood fibres, lime and timber. “Because well-installed, you know deep down they will last hundreds of years. For me, mastic asphalt sits right up with that group of materials. It is very inert and through the work that MAC and the industry has done, carbon neutral. All of which is a huge achievement.” Passionate about sustainable architecture since he was a fresh-faced student in the early 90s, Charlie said urban areas, suburbia and gardens are all oases of bio-diversity and to support this green roofs played a huge role. “I used to be sniffy about green roofs in the countryside but increasingly we are looking at their role to provide habitat. In towns they reduce the heat island effect, reduce particulates and provide much-needed wildlife refuges as well as reduce solar gain and control temperature fluctuation through the thermal mass they can provide. “The big issue with green roofs is longevity and robust construction. Mastic asphalt with its longevity and robust nature is a great material for these green roofs. Buried under a few hundred millimeters of soil the life span of mastic should be impressive.” Guests at the MAC lunch were also treated to Charlie’s personal take on skills shortages. “The big issue is getting people who know how to install systems and materials well, whether it be MVHR, EDPM or tape and fill plasterboard. In principle they are all good but installed wrong they become a huge problem. “I am increasingly aware of just how much time site issues can cost a practice. You can be very disciplined and smart through the design stage, planning, detailing and 95% of construction just to lose your hard-won profit when an installation goes wrong and you get into the quagmire of the blame game. “Specifying robust materials that have a guaranteed level of craft from the people fitting them, especially when it comes to roofs, can be invaluable. Watching the team install the mastic asphalt on my own build was fascinating. Seeing 15-20 mm of the black stuff going down and being sculpted into a stair and upstand was incredible.” And on value-engineering. “It’s about accepting that buildings have to last a long time. We need to be thinking about finishes that last 100 years, not 20. To need minimum maintenance over the long term. Clearly this has a cost implication but to fully understand this we need to think in terms of life cycle cost not just installation cost. And the life cycle cost of mastic asphalt is much lower than its competitors.” As well as its robustness and longevity, Charlie said he also specified mastic asphalt for his own home for its versatility. “It’s a material that can be a roof finish, a floor finish, deal with the complexities of stairs, is robust enough to be the stair finish itself, even in my case if just while construction is in process, and can then take a screw being dropped on it and trampled into the surface again, again
This week is Sprinkler Week and it is ironic that the week starts with the announcement of a massive fire in Daventry that saw the total destruction of a 400,000 square foot warehouse – a warehouse that was only a matter of months old. Built at a cost of over £15million and designed with sustainability in mind (it achieved the global sustainability standard, BREEAM), it begs the question, why were sprinklers not included? To top it off, the week also ends with yet another fire at a builders merchants in Brighton. The issue with fire is that all too often we think it won’t happen to us and when it does it is too late to do anything about it. We also don’t always appreciate the impact it can have – but inconvenience is something that we are all too quick to react to. It was only a few weeks ago that many of us were struggling with the snow. When schools close due to bad weather for a couple of days it means disruption. Imagine if your child’s school closed due to fire damage. Imagine the disruption a long term closure or relocation will have on your child’s education? But then there is a double standard when you consider local authorities across England and Wales have fined parents more than £24 million for taking their children out of school during term time but don’t appear to mind if schools are disrupted in the event of fire. It has been estimated that fires in UK schools disrupt the education of 90,000 children and students every year. Who is picking up that tab and what are we doing about it? Well not enough. In 2016, only 30% of new schools were built with sprinklers. Sprinkler Week marks the launch of the NFCC’s (National Fire Chiefs Council) longer term plan to push for legislative change. It is also an opportunity to educate building owners and designers by dispelling the many myths surrounding sprinklers and help people understand their many benefits. Sprinklers save lives and reduce injuries. They protect firefighters who attend incidents and reduce the amount of damage to both property and the environment from fire. In fact they are so good at protecting property that many business that experience a fire and have sprinklers fitted, are able to be back up and operational within days if not hours. Clear evidence that sprinklers work. In fact, the NFCC and the National Fire Sprinkler Network (NFSN) have worked together to investigate the effectiveness and reliability of sprinkler systems. Evidence shows that sprinkler systems operate on 94% of occasions demonstrating very high reliability. Furthermore, it is evident that when they do operate they extinguish or contain the fire on 99% of occasions. Fire doesn’t discriminate; it doesn’t distinguish one building type to another. Its one constant, is that it wrecks lives. The devastating effect of fire was brought into sharp focus with last year’s Grenfell tragedy. As a result, it looks like regulatory change is on its way but the question I am currently finding myself asking, is this change going to be enough? Since Grenfell the weaknesses in our system of fire regulation has been exposed. This has been reinforced in Dame Judith Hackitt’s Interim Report into the Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety calling it “not fit for purpose”. The concern is that we are now in the position of expecting a massive step forward in terms of regulatory guidance and if the rumours are to be heeded, we may just get cosmetic improvements. This isn’t enough. What we need is a wide and deep review of the current Regulations and Guidance – something which many in the Fire Sector have been highlighting to Government for many years. We need this review to consider how we make our buildings resilient. Yes life safety is important, but we need to consider property protection too. Sprinklers provide property protection and I am in no doubt that if the project design team or consultant had recommended sprinklers or the client had insisted on sprinklers, the fire earlier this week in Daventry would not have had the devastating impact it has had. Not only has this fire had a massive financial impact in terms of an insurance claim, jobs will be at risk, the local economy will be affected and there is the environmental impact that removing a fire damaged building and rebuilding it will have. Sprinklers would have helped to create a resilient building and the owners would not be facing the challenges that now lie ahead for them. Sprinkler Week is important. It’s important that we understand the effect fires have and the benefits that sprinklers have. It is also important that we keep pushing for the regulatory change that is so needed. Sprinklers are an effective part of an overall fire safety solution. They can be used efficiently to improve fire safety in a range of new and existing buildings. They save lives, they save property. For more information about the Business Sprinkler Alliance visit www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org