RIBA Council has endorsed the findings of the International Task Group and agreed the development of a detailed plan for RIBA’s role in engaging with international communities facing natural disaster, civil conflict and human rights violations. The International Task Group, chaired by RIBA Vice-President Peter Oborn and endorsed by RIBA’s Council, Board and International Committee, was also tasked with considering the implications of the RIBA Council resolution concerning the Israeli Association of United Architects, and coordinating RIBA’s engagement and dialogue with all sides on this complex issue. The International Task Group report endorsed today (4 December) included the following key findings: Natural disaster – the RIBA should develop a programme of engagement with the humanitarian sector including acting as a conduit between key organisations and RIBA members, providing a forum and advocacy to support stakeholders in the field, helping to identify opportunities for members and encouraging the development of skills / building capacity in this area Civil conflict – the RIBA should develop ‘rules of engagement’ for the RIBA and its members, including defining the role of the architect in the area of contested space and promoting dialogue amongst stakeholders Human rights and ethical standards – the RIBA should engage by joining the UN Global Compact and the International Ethics Coalition Resolution concerning the Israeli Association of United Architects – the motion calling on the International Union of Architects to suspend the Israeli Association from the UIA was not in furtherance of the charitable objects of the RIBA and should not have been placed before RIBA Council Governance – the RIBA should strengthen governance procedures including the introduction of processes for Council motions to improve scrutiny RIBA President Stephen Hodder said: “I am pleased that today, guided by the work of our expert International Task Group, RIBA Council has agreed the development of a constructive plan for the RIBA to support the built environment needs of international communities.  I welcome our newly-agreed clarity on how the Institute should manage its involvement in humanitarian and diplomatic matters in future, and I am personally keen to see architects engaging positively with these issues. “RIBA Council has an important role to play in engaging with difficult and controversial issues. However it is a widely held view that the resolution passed in March concerning the Israeli Association of United Architects did not make a constructive contribution to the current situation. While there should be no doubt concerning the seriousness of the issues facing communities in Israel and the West Bank, the Task Group has established that the resolution was not in furtherance of the charitable objects of the RIBA and should not have been placed before Council. For the Institute to have engaged in this issue in a confrontational way – by seeking suspension of the Israeli Association of United Architects from the UIA – was wrong. These recommendations supersede the previous Council resolution of 19 March 2014 and as a result that policy is now rescinded. “We are strengthening  our governance procedures and will put in place measures to ensure that RIBA Council is able to have informed debates with due consideration of the issues involved and within the parameters of our Charter and Charity Commission guidance. “I would like to congratulate the International Task Group for their rigour, expertise and diligence and look forward to seeing detailed plans in due course.” The RIBA International Task Group report can be downloaded from: http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Working%20internationally/Assets/Files/Internationaltaskgroupreport.pdf   Notes to editors   For further information contact RIBA Press Office pressoffice@riba.org 020 7580 5533   The International Task Group consisted of: Peter Oborn, RIBA Vice President International (Chair) Sir Brendan Gormley MBE, External member, ex CEO DEC Angela Brady, RIBA Council and PPRIBA, (left 09/09/14) Sumita Sinha, RIBA Council Chris Williamson, RIBA Council Richard Brindley, RIBA Executive Director   Posted on Thursday 4th December 2014 Source link

Five regions in New Zealand saw median sales prices hit a new record high but overall the median price nationals fell by 1% in June, the latest real estate index shows. The median sales price now stands at $500,000 with the Waikato/Bay of Plenty region recorded its fifth record median sale price for 2016, reaching $438,000, while the median price in Auckland reaching $821,000. The data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) also shows that Northland recorded a new record median of $360,000, while Otago reached $295,000 and Central Otago Lakes hit $730,050. The index figures reveal that sales fell 13% month on month which is in line with the general trend at this time of the year although an increase of 6% was recorded in June 2015. ‘Although the onset of winter means that June is generally a quieter month for the real estate market, there has been no let-up in the rate of price increases across the country, with five regions recording new record median prices,’ said REINZ spokesperson Bryan Thomson. ‘Although there is much discussion about the housing market and increasing new build supply, the fact remains that the vast majority of the supply comes from the sale of existing properties,’ he added. The data also reveals a rapid declines in the volume of properties available for sale right across the country, with a number of regions, such as Wellington and Hawke’s Bay, recording very low levels of properties for sale. Thomson pointed out that while Auckland continues to be the largest single region, its influence on the national picture is waning due to its own weaker sales and strong growth in sales in other regions, particularly Waikato/Bay of Plenty and Northland. Auckland’s peak share of national sales was 39.7% in January 2014, however, its share is now just over 33.8%. Over the same period Waikato/Bay of Plenty’s share of national sales has increased from 14.3% to 19.0%. A breakdown of the figures shows that Central Otago Lakes recorded the largest percentage increase in median price compared to June 2015, at 42%, followed by Waikato/Bay of Plenty at 26% and Otago at 19%. The number of properties available for sale across all regions in New Zealand has continued to fall between June 2015 and June 2016. Wellington has the fewest properties for sale with just over seven weeks of supply, closely followed by Hawke’s Bay with nine weeks supply and Auckland with just under 10 weeks of supply. The number of days to sell has only improved by three days at the national level over the past 12 months, although the regions have seen some significant improvements with nine regions seeing a decrease of 20% or more in the number of days to sell. Auckland was the only region to see a lengthening of the number of days to sell over the past 12 months. Between June 2015 and June 2016, the number of homes sold for more than $1 million increased by one third. The proportion of sales of homes under $600,000 has declined from 66.4% to 60.6%, a drop of 5.8%. The proportion of sales of homes under $400,000 declined by 6.1% year on year. Source link

The group saw revenue rise to £176.1m for the year to 31 December 2015, up from £147.2m in its previous results, while group profit before tax rose to £32.4m, up from £28.3m over the same period. Land development was the firm’s strongest performing division, posting a pre-tax profit of £19m on a revenue of £47m. In its previous results, the division had posted a pre-tax profit of £13m and a revenue of £39m. During the year the company sold sites at Biddenham, Chellaston, Cranbrook, Edinburgh, Frome, Haddington, Nuneaton, Pontefract and Repton. A total of 1,763 plots were sold, representing a 59 per cent increase on the 1,107 sales recorded in 2014. The company has sold 180 plots in Alton during 2016 to date and 2.8 ha of employment land have been unconditionally exchanged in Lutterworth. The group’s property investment arm saw a pre-tax profit of £3.5m, down from £4.6m a year earlier, which it blamed on “revaluation losses” on a number of retail sites. “The retail sector was more subdued with little demand for new retail space, particularly from the large foodstore operators, giving rise to property revaluation losses on a number of sites,” the company said. “We found that it took longer than expected to contract with retailers on two retail warehouse developments in Belper, Derbyshire, and Livingston, Scotland, even after agreement of terms.” Major schemes in the property investment arm included a £300m development of an exhibition arena and conference centre complex, which is pre-let to Aberdeen City Council. The scheme received detailed planning approval at the end of 2015 and is on target to proceed with a construction partner in mid-2016. Henry Boot’s construction business posted a revenue of £79.5m for 2015, down slightly from the £82.4m reported a year earlier. Consequently, pre-tax profit slipped to £9.9m, down from £10.1m in its previous results. The firm said it “still remains cautious regarding labour and supply chain price pressures”, but added that it was carrying a “strong order book” into 2016. Chairman Jamie Boot, who stepped down from his role as chief executive last year, said: “I have taken over as chairman with the business in excellent shape and with our people energised to deliver significant growth in activity. I look forward to reporting on progress through 2016 and beyond.” Recent contract wins for the firm include the £36m revamp of Barnsley town centre.         Source link

The Royal Institute of British Architects is pleased to announce that Esther Everett and Eleanor Fawcett, who head the Design and Physical Regeneration team at the London Legacy Development Corporation, have been appointed Creative Directors of the 2015 RIBA conference, Guerrilla Tactics. As Creative Directors, Esther and Eleanor will develop the 2015 theme and deliver a curated programme for the two-day event. They will work closely with RIBA small practitioners Chris Bryant of Alma-nac, Rachael Davidson of HUT Architecture, Jake Edgley of Edgley Design, Barbara Kaucky of Erect Architecture, Cassion Castle of Cassion Castle Architects, Marco Ortiz of Emergent Design Studios, and Amy Frearson, Deputy Editor at Dezeen. Chris Bryant, Chair of the RIBA Small Practice Group, said: “We are delighted to have Esther and Eleanor on board. They bring significant experience from the client’s perspective and have a track record for supporting innovation and creativity.” Esther Everett, Head of Physical Regeneration and Design at the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), said: “I am honoured to be appointed joint Creative Director of Guerrilla Tactics 2015. We will explore the client’s perspective, from getting a commission through to gaining recognition and with all the hurdles in between. The day will be a forum for exchange, offering strategies from behind the scenes that will help build successful small practices.” The Guerrilla Tactics conference has grown rapidly since it was established in 2004 and is now one of the largest events for RIBA members. The informative two-day programme, designed to develop business and management skills, has become a must-attend event in the annual calendar of small practitioners. The Guerrilla Tactics conference programme will be launched in September 2015. – ends – Notes 1. For further press information contact Gagandeep Bedi, RIBA Press Office 020 7307 3814 gagandeep.bedi@riba.org 2. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members www.architecture.com 3. Follow us on Twitter for regular RIBA updates www.twitter.com/RIBA Posted on Friday 15th May 2015 Source link

Winder Power, a UK manufacturer of power and distribution transformers, has been shortlisted by the Living Wage Foundation for the Living Wage Champion Awards 2016 in the Yorkshire & Humber region.   The awards recognise Living Wage Foundation employers that have made great contributions to communities and industries by implementing and celebrating the Living Wage, an hourly rate set independently by the Foundation and updated annually, calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet, and Winder Power has been a proud supporter of the initiative since 2014. There are currently over 2,700 accredited Living Wage Foundation employers across the UK, all who have signed up voluntarily, who recognise that adhering to the Government’s national living minimum wage is not good for business. As a living wage employer, this commitment means that every employee at Winder Power, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors; receive a minimum hourly wage of £8.25 – significantly higher than the Government’s national living wage of £7.20. Speaking following the shortlist announcement, Laurence MacKenzie, group chief executive of Winder Power, said, “We’re absolutely delighted to have been recognised by the Living Wage Foundation and to have been shortlisted for their Living Wage Champion Awards. Making a public commitment to be a responsible employer is important for Winder Power as many Winder Power staff are from the local community and we are a proud British manufacturer producing all of our products in Yorkshire. We are committed to ensuring that we provide this community, and the UK, with sustainable employment and maintain, and indeed create, jobs in this country; and we believe the Living Wage Foundation accreditation aids us in this objective.” Living Wage foundation director, Katherine Chapman said, “I would like to offer huge congratulations to Winder Power on being shortlisted for the Living Wage Champion Awards. The commitment of Living Wage employers like Winder Power to responsible pay makes a life changing difference to families and communities across the UK. We look forward to celebrating this even more when announcing the winners of the regional awards during Living Wage Week which will begin on October 31st.” The award winners will be announced during Living Wage Week, with one winner announced for each region of the UK: Scotland; Wales; Northern Ireland; the East Midlands; the West Midlands; the East of England; Yorkshire and the Humber; North East England; North West England; South East England; South West England; and London. The awards are judged by an independent panel of community leaders from Citizens UK; national community organising charity and home of the Living Wage campaign. Source link

ClickGreen 19th October 2015 Developers of the shelved Navitus Bay windfarm have confirmed they will not challenge the decision by Energy Ministers to reject planning permission for the £3.5 billion project. The Department of Energy and Climate Change confirmed in September that planning permission had been refused for up to 194 turbines on the site off the south coast of England that would have generated 970 megawatt (MW) of green energy. A proposal for smaller alternative project of 105 turbines was also turned down. Today’s announcement marks the end of a five-year-battle and defeat for the Navitus Bay scheme, which was a 50-50 joint venture between Eneco Wind UK Ltd and EDF Energy Renewables, and would have been located off the Dorset and Hampshire coasts, to the west of the Isle of Wight. In a statement released today, Stuart Grant, Project Director at Navitus Bay, said: “After careful consideration, Navitus Bay has chosen not to challenge the decision by the Secretary of State to refuse consent for the proposed wind park. We would like to thank the communities on the South Coast and all our stakeholders for their engagement throughout the project. We would also like to extend a thank you to the potential suppliers, who worked incredibly hard to inform our proposal. “Over the course of the project we have gathered data from a wide range of offshore surveys and studies. This wealth of information includes environmental material such as bird and mammal surveys, human activity evaluations including shipping, navigation and archaeological data, and physical environmental detail like geotechnical data and sediment sampling. “We recognise that this marine data is valuable and can provide a legacy by helping to stimulate research, support academia and contribute towards the sustainable management of the seabed. We will therefore by making this data available in 2016 via The Crown Estate’s Marine Data Exchange. Like this story? Please subscribe to our free weekly e-newsletter at the top of the page for more content like this. Source link

Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Fri, Apr 8th 2016 Underwoods motor group is the largest independent dealership in Essex and Suffolk. The group is celebrating the opening of its impressive Peugeot new car showroom in Sudbury, which has been fitted with ROCKFON® acoustic ceiling tiles to help create a stylish interior design to show the cars to best effect whilst also creating a comfortable, welcoming environment for customers. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Managing Director of Underwoods, Gerry Wiggins specified ROCKFON® Color-all® ceilings tiles in a Concrete colour for the showroom and is delighted with the results. “I was looking for an alternative to a white ceiling and I like the dark grey of the ROCKFON tiles; I knew they would fit the modern design we were looking for. The team at ROCKFON were very helpful, providing advice on installation and the tiles arrived on time. I was very impressed.”Underwoods wanted an interior design that would achieve superior functionality and outstanding customer experience. The showroom is fitted with full-height glazing so the ability for the ceiling to contribute toward controlling solar glare was an important requirement.Mike Strain, MD of motor trade architectural consultants Scaramanga Design, emphasised the importance of colour and durability within the specification. “Having worked with ROCKFON before, I had confidence their products would deliver. We worked with their team and chose ROCKFON Color-all in the ‘Concrete’ surface colour as this dark tone helped control light reflecting off the polished cars, enabling customers to view the vehicles in their best light whilst creating the right mood.”As well as fulfilling the aesthetic requirements, ROCKFON Color-all delivered the required Class A sound absorption needed to control noise levels in this large open-plan space. For added peace of mind, the tiles provide the highest fire safety (A1) and up to 100% relative humidity, guaranteeing longevity. ROCKFON Color-all is a range of ceiling tiles and wall panels that have a stone wool core with a smooth, matt fleece offering long-lasting colour. The range is available in a choice of 34 inspirational colours making it easier to create your individual interior design.The ceilings in Underwood’s showroom are fitted with an exposed Chicago Metallic® T24 Click 2890 grid in a matching Concrete colour to create an almost continuous appearance. Color-all ceiling tiles are available in exposed, semi-concealed or concealed edges in a large variety of dimensions giving architects and interior designers total design freedom.The offices in the dealership are fitted with ROCKFON® Artic™ to give a light, spacious feel to these rooms. ROCKFON Artic is an affordable range of 15mm thick, smooth, white tiles in semi-concealed and visible grid options. The smooth white surface is ideal for reflecting light back into the room, helping to reduce energy bills. The tiles are cost-effective and offer good functionality for a variety of areas requiring minimum Class C sound absorption.CCF Basildon supplied all the ceiling tiles and suspension grids for the showroom. ROCKFON works closely with CCF to ensure their products are widely available in all branches across the country.If you’re looking to create an imaginative interior and want a ceiling that will enhance your interior design scheme, visit www.rockfon.co.uk for more information on ROCKFON Color-all and the wider ROCKFON range. Source link

On 23 November, the British Coatings Federation (BCF) picked up a third major award this year, winning the Industry Leadership award at the fourth British Standards Institution’s (BSI) Awards. As described in the BSI’s citation, ‘This award recognizes exceptional support for standards-making by a trade association or professional body or an individual company. The recipient will have demonstrated how they have supported and enabled committee members to actively participate in standards-making and how, as an organization, they have constructively engaged in standards-making and supported the benefits of using standards’. BCF members have actively been involved with standards development for many years, and most recently contributed to BS EN 16623:2015, BS 8001:2017, the recent revision of BS EN ISO 12944  and the current work on BS 6150. BCF members are also taking the lead in reviving a key committee associated with aerospace coatings standards development, in particular in order to meet the key challenges arising from the REACH authorisation of chromate pigments. This latest achievement is the third high-profile Award win for the BCF in 2017, with the Federation presented with a double win at the Trade Association Forum earlier in the year for ‘Marketing Initiative of the Year’ and for their top honour as ‘Trade Association of the Year’. Commenting on the BSI award, BCF’s Regulatory Affairs Manager Trevor Fielding said “We are extremely pleased to have received this Award on behalf of all our members involved with standards work. We are delighted to see that BCF member participation in standards-making has been recognised by the BSI and we look forward to continuing to lead the way in standards development for the paint, coatings, inks and wallcoverings sectors in the coming years, at both national and international level.”

Outstanding building and structural projects that contribute to the design quality of Aylesbury Vale have been celebrated at the annual Aylesbury Vale District Council Design Awards, supported by Durkan UK. The Plaque for Outstanding Design 2017 was presented to Francis Jackson Homes and MSquare Architects for The View, Dadford. Overlooking the Grade 1 listed Stowe House and gardens, The View was designed to replace four dilapidated cottages with housing that respects the local context and enhances the site. During the awards ceremony the development was described as “a scheme which truly delivers a contemporary take on the vernacular”. Councillor Carole Paternoster, Cabinet Member for Growth Strategy, commented: “Aylesbury Vale is one of the fastest growing areas in the UK, however, it’s important that we continue to encourage high-quality developments showing innovation and good design, and which complement our environment and heritage. These awards demonstrate the diversity of developments across the Vale and our commitment to securing a high level of design along with sustainable growth.” Now in their 24th year, the Design Awards brings together designers, architects, builders and contractors to showcase their excellence. Entries are welcomed from developers across Aylesbury Vale and nominations can also be submitted by residents. Each of the shortlisted projects are then judged against six key criteria: quality of design/construction, fitness for purpose, sustainability, accessibility, attractiveness and innovation. The shortlisted projects for the 2017 Design Awards were: 4 Great Western Street, Aylesbury Pochard Fishing Lodge, Great Brickhill The View, Dadford Upper Hayne Farm, Shabbington Stoney Furlong, Chearsley The Dove House, Haddenham White Hart Barn, Haddenham Walton Court, Aylesbury Goldswain End, Aylesbury