Carillion is the main contractor on the project and has started early works on the line. The project, which enables trams to run on existing rail tracks between Sheffield and Rotherham, was scheduled to finish in 2017 but Network Rail said it no longer expects to meet that date. A “thorough review”
International real estate advisor Savills has today announced the opening of a new office in Luxembourg which, after Brussels, will be its second in the Belux region. Since 2008, Savills has established a strong reputation within Belux’s investment advisory market and has successfully developed its valuation and property management services.
Key installers predict bright future for renewable heating Published: 03 October, 2016 A live poll conducted among renewable heating installers found that nearly 80% predict future sector growth in the heat pump market, with running cost savings highlighted as the biggest driver. The survey, taken at Daikin UK’s KEY Conference,
The Glass and Glazing Federation has announced that they have recently appointed a new Head of Membership and Training. Joining the company in this new role is Richard Hearn. The Glass and Glazing Federation is the primary trade association for companies who are wanting to supply or fit flat glass
The Glass and Glazing Federation, or GGF, has relaunched two updated security glazing leaflets that have been created in order to inform members and those in the industry about the importance of selecting the correct glazing solutions. The revised “Laminated Glass: Safety and Security” and “Toughened Glass: Safety and Strength”
Building and engineering company, Britcon has completed major refurbishment works for Goole Academy high school. The project, valued at close to £1m, was awarded to Britcon by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) working with Arcadis LLP. It is part of the Government’s £4.4 billion Priority School Building Programme
NATIONAL M&E consultancy Couch Perry Wilkes (CPW) is celebrating after scooping a prestigious industry award for its work on the UK’s largest non-residential building constructed to PassivHaus standard. CPW was awarded Public Building Energy Project of the Year at the Energy Awards this month for the £42m Centre for Medicine
A planning application has been submitted for a £150m residential towers development in Salford. Above: City View is designed by Fletcher Rae The proposed development, called City View, comprises four towers ranging from eight to 24 storeys. The towers would house 488 apartments and 37 townhouses with commercial/retail and amenity
Morgan Sindall has started work on a design and build the first phase of the new £5.6m Finberry Primary School in Ashford, Kent. Above: Finberry Primary School Morgan Sindall will deliver the first phase of works at the school which will include the construction of nine classrooms, a nursery school
Perhaps it was the sight of Peabody Energy collapsing into bankruptcy, or perhaps someone had told the Rockefeller family of the terrible fate of the Nuffield Foundation, but there is something particularly poignant at their decision to sell their last shares in ExxonMobil, the business that their forebear built. Nearly
Carillion is the main contractor on the project and has started early works on the line. The project, which enables trams to run on existing rail tracks between Sheffield and Rotherham, was scheduled to finish in 2017 but Network Rail said it no longer expects to meet that date. A “thorough review” has now been ordered into the project, with a new launch date expected later this summer. This is the latest in a long list of delays to the project since it launched in 2012. It was initially scheduled to open by the end of 2015 but was delayed until spring 2016 while Network Rail tried to obtain planning permission from the Department for Transport. The completion date was pushed back again last October to 2017 because of further planning issues. A Network Rail spokesman said the project team was carrying out a thorough review of the programme. It is expected to report back to stakeholders in the summer. The spokesman added: “As we develop this new technology, we are committed to sharing our learnings with the industry in order to aid the efficient implementation of tram train schemes elsewhere in the country.” However the delays have been met with frustration by local stakeholders. A South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive spokesman said: “We acknowledge that the design, planning and construction to allow the vehicles to run on the heavy rail network is complex. “However, we are extremely disappointed in this news. All parties remain committed to the delivery of the project and to starting tram train services at the earliest possible time.” Carillion has been contacted for comment. Source link
International real estate advisor Savills has today announced the opening of a new office in Luxembourg which, after Brussels, will be its second in the Belux region. Since 2008, Savills has established a strong reputation within Belux’s investment advisory market and has successfully developed its valuation and property management services. Savills has now recruited an experienced office agency team of four and from September 2016, the new Luxembourg based team will work alongside the Belgium office to provide additional leasing advisory and tenant representation services. The Luxembourg team will be managed by Régis Luttmann, who has twelve years experience in the Luxembourg regional real estate market. Jonathan Morand and Thomas Winckel also join as account managers and will specialise in the office leasing and industrial and retail leasing markets respectively. Sophie Leblon joins as marketing and communications executive. Gregory Martin, Managing Director of Savills Belux says: “With existing vacancy levels at 4% and strategy occupier demand the Luxembourg office market has performed extremely well and many investors are focusing on this market, which offers plenty of potential. Through combining our excellent capital markets record with a highly reputable office agency team, we will offer the very best advice to our clients.” Mark Ridley, CEO Savills UK & Europe, comments: “As a key global investment centre, Luxembourg is very much on the map for our investor, occupier and landlord clients, and our entry into this market is in line with our growth strategy across Europe. Through close collaboration with our global network of specialists, we are confident that Savills will become the preferred real estate advisor in this region.” Savills Luxembourg is based in the Cloche d’Or area, 20 rue Eugène Ruppert. Source link
Key installers predict bright future for renewable heating Published: 03 October, 2016 A live poll conducted among renewable heating installers found that nearly 80% predict future sector growth in the heat pump market, with running cost savings highlighted as the biggest driver. The survey, taken at Daikin UK’s KEY Conference, revealed interesting insights into the impact of legislation and customer requirements on the current state and future direction of the renewable heating sector. Prominent industry topics were explored, such as the changing awareness of heat pump technology, perceived barriers to growth, the demand for smart technologies as well as the impact of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and the set-up of the new Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). When considering the transfer of the energy remit from DECC into BEIS, half of those surveyed felt that the change would make no difference to the market, while nearly 20% felt that the heat pump sector should be more aligned with business and innovation. Exploring the drivers of the heat pump market, 75% of respondents felt that running cost savings were the strongest incentive, with building regulations and an interest in new technology each being identified, and just 5% cited sustainability targets as the strongest driver. This response was further supported by responses to ‘how strongly has the RHI driven heat pump sales’, with more than 40% of installers saying the RHI had been a strong driver, but 35% saying it had a modest influence on sales. When asked whether awareness of heat pump technology among homeowners and specifiers had increased or decreased over the last two years, two thirds of the KEY Conference attendees believed that awareness had increased. However when asked what was the biggest barrier to selling heat pumps, 53% of installers identified the cost compared with a boiler or other renewables, while 22% said that clients’ lack of understanding of the environmental or cost benefits remained a barrier to purchase. Nancy Jonnsson, commercial director for domestic heating and renewables at Daikin UK said: “Increasing awareness of the cost saving benefits of heat pump technology is of paramount importance to ensure growth remains on an upward trajectory.” For more information on the Daikin KEY Installer Scheme visit http://key.daikin.co.uk/ Source link
The Glass and Glazing Federation has announced that they have recently appointed a new Head of Membership and Training. Joining the company in this new role is Richard Hearn. The Glass and Glazing Federation is the primary trade association for companies who are wanting to supply or fit flat glass and other related products who represent more than 60% of the industry’s turnover. The Federation has appointed Richard to the position of Head of Membership and Training due to his extensive professional background. Richard has a great deal of experience working for a range of professional membership bodies as well as organisations that focus on professional qualifications, accreditation and Continued Professional Development, or CPD. Richard has specialised in developing and implementing membership and training strategies and will be an asset to the Glass and Glazing Federation. Richard will be taking on the role of Head of Membership and Training at the Glass and Glazing Federation from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, where he worked as the Head of Member and Customer Development. In this previous role, Richard was able to transform the membership focus of the course of his three years in the role in order to increase both membership and revenues. Richard has also worked in the past at the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales. The new appointment for the Glass and Glazing Federation also has commercial experience which will benefit him in this new job, as Richard has the experience of terms at Ernst and Young law firm Taylor Wessing, when he developed customer value propositions and has also worked as a consultant for the British Retail Consortium and the Federation of Small Businesses. It is hoped that while working in this role, Richard will be able to continue to ensure that the Federation remains a focal point for best practice as well as helping to raise awareness of the many different career opportunities that are available in this industry.
The Glass and Glazing Federation, or GGF, has relaunched two updated security glazing leaflets that have been created in order to inform members and those in the industry about the importance of selecting the correct glazing solutions. The revised “Laminated Glass: Safety and Security” and “Toughened Glass: Safety and Strength” leaflets are available to be downloaded from the Federation’s website. These free to download leaflets are available on the website, and printed copies can be purchased from the GGF shop. The new and refreshed consumer leaflets are designed in order to give homeowners the basic knowledge that is required in order to know what type of glass is installed in their home and what types of glass would be more suitable. Each of the revised brochures include details of why and where, respectively, toughened and laminated glass should be installed. The GGF have said that they are consistently receiving queries from homeowners requesting information about how best to ascertain the type of glass that has been installed in their home. The publishing of these revised leaflets now give examples of markings to look for as well as what kind of information that the glazing markings should contain. The information. The collection of all of this useful information in to a free to download leaflet by the GGF is incredibly helpful and will allow homeowners to check any new and existing glazing in order to ensure compliance to Building Regulations and EN Product Standards for thermally Treated Glasses. The most recent amendments to the new leaflets included simplifying the information that is already provided in order to make the wording less technical as well as the provision of example markings and updating references for the newest versions of glazing solutions when needed. The new leaflet will be equally useful to GGF Members, who will be able to distribute them to their customers, which can help to promote their products and services as well as the importance of security glazing.
Building and engineering company, Britcon has completed major refurbishment works for Goole Academy high school. The project, valued at close to £1m, was awarded to Britcon by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) working with Arcadis LLP. It is part of the Government’s £4.4 billion Priority School Building Programme which is rebuilding or refurbishing those school buildings in the very worst condition across the country. Britcon has replaced all drainage around the complex of buildings on Centenary Road originally built in the early 1900’s. It has also completed major external works which include new hard and soft landscaping including an extensive new Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), roads, paving, planting and irrigation and fixtures such as lighting. John Whitmore, Director at Britcon, said, “The project was complex in that we have to replace critical facilities whist in a live school environment where over 1000 pupils and teaching staff are circulating. The Academy has a listed element and due to the age of the buildings the draining needed renewing. The external works also provide for a more productive environment with new class leading sports facilities and enhanced wayfinding.” Britcon has extensive expertise in the education sector. As well as the Goole Academy it has completed major building and refurbishment projects for Royds Hall School in Huddersfield, Roundhay Primary School in Leeds and Ward Green School in Barnsley Other projects include the University of York, University of Bradford, University of Huddersfield and Queen Ethelberga’s Collegiate. As a business Britcon also actively engages with all the Education establishments with whom it works to support learning practices in the construction sector, setting coursework around its projects, and providing educational site visits and placement opportunities. Established for more than 26 years, Britcon is £50 million turnover business headquartered in Scunthorpe and directly employs 90 people on its project sites across the UK. It is currently listed by the London Stock Exchange in its latest report of ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Europe’. @Britcon_Limited
NATIONAL M&E consultancy Couch Perry Wilkes (CPW) is celebrating after scooping a prestigious industry award for its work on the UK’s largest non-residential building constructed to PassivHaus standard. CPW was awarded Public Building Energy Project of the Year at the Energy Awards this month for the £42m Centre for Medicine building at the University of Leicester. The building, which was built by contractor Willmott Dixon, has been widely acclaimed for its impressive energy credentials thanks to a host of features integrated into its design including heat recovery mechanisms within the ventilation system and automated blinds to keep rooms cool. Carl Standley, director at CPW, said: “The Centre for Medicine is a truly pioneering project and we are delighted that it has been recognised through this award. The entire project team worked incredibly hard alongside the University to complete this very challenging building. “Not only is it one of the most energy efficient facilities of its kind in the country, but it has set a new benchmark for energy performance in larger buildings. Achieving PassivHaus certification is really tough, particularly with a project of this scale, and we are all very proud of it.” The state-of-the-art building comprises a number of environmental features including: a green wall made up of 75,000 individual plants, CTB blinds that track the sun and close automatically to prevent solar gain as well as a ground to air heat exchange system and solar PV panels. Researchers, staff and students have been brought together at this facility, which will transform medical teaching and improve the lives of many patients across the UK. CPW along with contractor Willmott Dixon, Associated Architects, Bidwells, Gleeds and Ramboll worked side by side with the university throughout the challenging build process to develop what is an incredibly eco-friendly building which is expected to reduce energy bills by six times compared to a conventional build. The Energy Award winners were announced at a glittering ceremony hosted in London on 6 December.
A planning application has been submitted for a £150m residential towers development in Salford. Above: City View is designed by Fletcher Rae The proposed development, called City View, comprises four towers ranging from eight to 24 storeys. The towers would house 488 apartments and 37 townhouses with commercial/retail and amenity space. The towers would be built at the junction of Oldfield Road and the A57 Regent Road, which links Salford and Manchester. The designs have been put forward by local architect Fletcher Rae on behalf of Vivere Group, the residential development arm of Bilt Group. The aspiration is to start construction in spring 2018. Fletcher Rae joint managing director Andrew Rae said: “The form of the building responds directly to the vision of the site to create a viable and sustainable regeneration development in a strategic location on Regents Road. The development will link to existing community infrastructure and adjacent developments. “This proposal is intended to repair the severed link that exists between these communities and developments and create a much-needed activity node for movement between these key places in the city.” Further Images This article was published on 25 Aug 2016 (last updated on 25 Aug 2016). Source link
Morgan Sindall has started work on a design and build the first phase of the new £5.6m Finberry Primary School in Ashford, Kent. Above: Finberry Primary School Morgan Sindall will deliver the first phase of works at the school which will include the construction of nine classrooms, a nursery school area and an SEN resource room. The firm will also deliver a main reception admin area, school hall facility and kitchen area. The school will comprise a steel frame structure and its brickwork skin will be partially clad in bright orange. Morgan Sindall will also deliver external landscaping as part of the project including; a new sports pitch, a multi-use games area, a soft play area, a habitat area and a covered outdoor learning area. The project for Kent County Council will eventually see the school transformed from a one-form to a two-form entry facility accommodating 450 pupils once the second phase of the project is complete. The new school is being built at the Finberry housing development site at Cheeseman’s Green and is the seventh school within The Stour Academy Trust, a primary sector-only Trust. Julien Jones, area director at Morgan Sindall, said: “Finberry Primary School will be unique in design and provide a modern learning space for pupils and teachers to enjoy. Morgan Sindall is well versed in delivering innovative and exciting learning environments and we look forward to handing over the new school in time for the start of the academic school year in 2017.” This article was published on 21 Sep 2016 (last updated on 21 Sep 2016). Source link
Perhaps it was the sight of Peabody Energy collapsing into bankruptcy, or perhaps someone had told the Rockefeller family of the terrible fate of the Nuffield Foundation, but there is something particularly poignant at their decision to sell their last shares in ExxonMobil, the business that their forebear built. Nearly all Nuffield’s eggs were in the basket marked British Leyland, and when it became a basket case, they broke. There are plenty of others who would like to see Exxon go the same way as BL, and who point to Peabody as a terrible harbinger. Lucky, then, that the Rockefeller family trustees can claim a convenient conflation of financial sense and ethical behaviour: “There is no sane rationale for companies to continue to explore for new sources of hydrocarbons.” The experts at Bond Vigilantes tend to agree. A cheerful post entitled “The end is nigh” warns about the credit ratings of the three-quarters of the world’s non-financial high yield debt that is issued by energy companies. The Vigilantes fear that some of the assets backing these bonds will be “stranded” between rising restrictions and falling hydrocarbon prices, to the point where it will never be worth exploiting them. Well, so far, so fashionable. Big oil cannot expect to be loved, but forecasts of the end of the oil age have been as wrong as they have been frequent. It is within recent memory that Goldman Sachs was forecasting $200 oil, and it is only a decade since the price was last under $40. The big companies have learnt to survive under feast and famine. BP has survived much worse, with the Macondo disaster demonstrating that there is a great deal of ruin a big oil company can stomach. Oil powers the world economy, and will continue to do so for decades to come, whatever the green dreamers believe. The assault on the oil companies has parallels with that on those other pariahs, the tobacco companies. They have grown used to ever-increasing regulation and tax rises, yet in the last decade, tobacco shares have more than doubled (the FTSE 100 is almost unchanged). Unlike their customers, rumours of their demise are much exaggerated. Rather like the oil companies, in fact. Maths lessons at the Treasury Mervyn King, in his post-Governorship ruminations, made much of the idea of “radical uncertainty”, a somewhat more sophisticated version of “forecasting is difficult, especially for the future”. Experience at the Bank of England had taught him, often rather brutally, that stuff happens. Surprises in economics are seldom pleasant. We should be grateful that nobody at the Treasury seems to have grasped this. Had they done so, we would not have had the entertainment of the Equation of the Week, the arithmetic gobbledegook behind George Osborne’s assertion of economic misery in 2030 if we leave the European Union. Produced by a Treasury which has proved so poor at forecasting that we need four Budgets a year, and brilliantly deconstructed by Chris Giles, the equation asserts that you trade more with countries that are nearer, with bigger populations and who speak the same language. Of course. Has anyone been to Japan? Pity the (relatively) poor chairman The season for revolting shareholders is in full swing. Last week it was Bob Dudley, this week Mark Cutifani, next month Mark Wilson, CEOs of BP, Anglo American and Aviva respectively. It is understandable that any investor unlucky enough to hold all three of these duds wants to vote down egregious pay packets, and to blame the remuneration committee for awarding them in the first place. The unfortunates who populate these committees must struggle each year to find justifications for the pay awards regardless of performance, which is why the dozen or so pages of the annual report contain explanations of metrics with all the clarity of, say, your mobile phone tariff. However, the buck should really stop with the chairmen, all done for a (relative) pittance. Lest they feel they are not getting the recognition they deserve in this debate, here are Sir John Parker at Anglo (£724,000) Sir Adrian Montague at Aviva (£481,000 for part of 2015) and that Macavity of the oil industry, BP’s Carl-Henric Svanberg (£823,000). neil.collins@ft.com Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2016. All rights reserved. You may share using our article tools. Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. Source link