Baxi is set to unveil its district heating and thermal solutions portfolio that will help support the anticipated growth of UK heat networks at Futurebuild 2024. The exhibition, which takes place from 5-7 March at ExCeL London, is one of the built environment sector’s biggest events. The exhibition aims to
After hearing about the damage the North Nottinghamshire based animal rescue centre incurred during recent storms, local construction specialists PermaGroup, Mercial Garden Products Ltd, C Toyne & Son and Prism Construction joined forces to contribute to the rebuilding and repairs, providing materials, expertise and labour. Noting the extensive repairs required
Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, is supporting eleven organisations across the UK to investigate how quantum computing could benefit key industrial sectors, such as energy, infrastructure, and engineering. The Quantum Technology Access Programme (QTAP) assists companies in trialling novel use cases, to demonstrate the potential for
Developers leading Gloucester’s transformational regeneration at The Forum yesterday confirmed strong interest from occupiers looking to take space, with almost three quarters of available space already taken up. The Forum will be completed and open for occupiers in 2024, and the year has started positively in terms of interest expressed
GMI Construction Group has been appointed principal contractor to deliver the North East’s first Dakota Hotel. The luxury 118 room boutique hotel will transform the vacant St Anne’s Wharf at 112 Quayside, which fronts onto the River Tyne, and is scheduled for completion in Spring 2025 The development will generate
LEADING regional procurement specialist EN:Procure has announced the appointment of 100 contractors after inviting tenders for its latest installers’ framework, valued at more than £3.2bn. The procurement arm of social housing consortium Efficiency North had recently opened the bidding for the next iteration of its Installation and Repairs Framework across
New research shows that the future arrival of HS2 in the West Midlands is already driving huge investor confidence in the region, with data pointing to an economic uplift of £10billion over the next 10 years. Economic analysis of the areas close to HS2’s three hubs in the West Midlands
Construction is the largest industry in the world making up more than 13 percent of GDP globally. Despite this, it has been slow to evolve and has only recently started implementing technological changes. On top of this, the industry fears a lack of talent, with over 38,000 vacancies recorded per
The typical annual household energy bill rose in January 2024 to a high of £1,928. However, for those on a standard energy tariff, innovative heating systems can help to bring energy costs back down. Annington is helping to tackle the rising costs of heating by undertaking a substantialretrofit project on
LED Flex strip lighting from Knightsbridge – one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of wiring accessories and lighting – is ideal for creating ambient lighting in kitchens, bedrooms and other spaces deserving colourful and energy efficient accents. Flex’s low profile – from 1.5mm to 2mm – and 8mm width makes
Baxi is set to unveil its district heating and thermal solutions portfolio that will help support the anticipated growth of UK heat networks at Futurebuild 2024. The exhibition, which takes place from 5-7 March at ExCeL London, is one of the built environment sector’s biggest events. The exhibition aims to highlight the advancements in technologies and applications that can drive improved sustainability and heat decarbonisation. With no one-size-fits-all solution to decarbonising homes and buildings, heat networks have been identified as an essential part of the UK’s pathway towards its 2050 net zero commitment. On Stand K19, in Futurebuild’s Heat Network Zone, Baxi will showcase its thermal substations that can be provided along with pre-engineered low carbon packaged energy centres by its specialist prefabrication business, Baxi Packaged Solutions. Visitors to the stand will have the opportunity to discuss the full breadth of Baxi heating and hot water solutions that can be tailored to meet customer requirements to support the transition to low carbon heat. Stephen Hart, Baxi’s Sales Director – Integrated Thermal Solutions, will also take part in Futurebuild’s panel discussion on Innovations in the District Energy Sector for 2024 on Wednesday 6th March. An established champion of district heating, Stephen has 24 years’ experience in promoting energy efficient hydronic heating and cooling systems across 40 countries, including market leading control valve technology from Denmark and heat interface hardware and software from the Netherlands. He now heads Baxi’s Integrated Thermal Solutions business which combines Baxi’s wide portfolio of low carbon heating and hot water brands, its extensive service and maintenance capability and offsite manufacturing experience from its Baxi Packaged Solution division. Stephen said: “Futurebuild is a huge event within the building services calendar. It’s a fantastic chance for industry experts to discuss the latest innovations and advances as well as explore ways of partnering with companies like Baxi to accelerate the growth of heat networks. We look forward to lively discussions on the best ways of driving the energy transition and making heat decarbonisation a reality. See you on Stand K19!” To register to attend, visit Futurebuild.co.uk and to find out more on Baxi Packaged Solutions, see Baxi.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
After hearing about the damage the North Nottinghamshire based animal rescue centre incurred during recent storms, local construction specialists PermaGroup, Mercial Garden Products Ltd, C Toyne & Son and Prism Construction joined forces to contribute to the rebuilding and repairs, providing materials, expertise and labour. Noting the extensive repairs required to fix the centre, which was already 20 years old and had now started to leak, the quick-thinking suppliers and contractors rallied to provide the necessary materials to re-weatherproof the roof, equivalent to thousands of pounds of labour and supplies. From putting out an appeal to completion of the repairs, the project took no more than 18 days. Lee Moore, specialist products manager at PermaGroup, said: “We were more than happy to aid BARK when we heard about its unfortunate turn of luck during the storm. The work the team is doing is massively important and as part of the local community, we wanted to help. “Now, the dogs staying in BARK’s care get to enjoy a whole new roof that’s warm, dry and will last a lifetime. The project just goes to show how easily and how quickly different businesses can work together when something as important as rescue pups are at stake.” Canine champions BARK have been rescuing animals since 2005, when founders Elaine and Darren Shaw took in their first pound dogs to save them from being put down. Almost two decades on, they’ve saved hundreds of animals internationally, helping them thrive and find new homes. Emily Beatson, marketing manager at Mercia Garden Products Ltd, said: “When we saw Babworth Animal Rescue Kennels needed help after the recent localised flooding, it was impossible not to want to help. At Mercia Garden Products, employees of ours have rescued dogs from BARK and given them lifelong homes, so we know firsthand the wonderful work they do with limited funding. “The rescue required quality roofing materials to ensure the longevity of its kennels as well as timber for the structure itself. We were able to supply the timber for the kennel rebuild and knowing that our long-standing supplier PermaGroup’s EPDM would be the ideal solution, we called on the team for support. We are so grateful to Lee and PermaGroup for their generosity towards this cause.” To donate or adopt one of the animals from BARK, visit its website here: https://www.barkonline.co.uk/home To learn more about PermaGroup and its work, visit its website here: www.permaroof.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, is supporting eleven organisations across the UK to investigate how quantum computing could benefit key industrial sectors, such as energy, infrastructure, and engineering. The Quantum Technology Access Programme (QTAP) assists companies in trialling novel use cases, to demonstrate the potential for quantum technology to transform critical parts of the UK economy. The programme results will soon be shared with broader industry to promote a deeper understanding of quantum’s commercial applications. Marking a paradigm shift for the participants, the programme’s focus extends beyond theoretical understandings of quantum technology, to successfully investigate illustrations of real-world business applications for leading corporations including Arup, Airbus and the Port of Dover. These industrial applications range from Frazer Nash demonstrating the potential of quantum computers to optimise the UK energy grid to meet demand for electricity, to Tees-Valley-based SeerBI building a quantum machine learning model to predict shipments that were at risk of late arrival. Rolls-Royce aims to build small, autonomous nuclear reactors that could operate safely in remote mining colonies, the moon and on Mars. During the programme, the company used data from the Fukushima nuclear event to investigate the feasibility of a quantum machine learning model to quickly identify potentially hazardous situations; enabling the reactor to operate safely and be shut down if necessary, with minimum human involvement. Delivered in partnership with Riverlane and ORCA Computing, QTAP provides participating companies with access to the ORCA PT-1 quantum photonic computer, a team of quantum experts and ongoing technical support, establishing a first-of-its-kind commercially neutral ecosystem for businesses interested in quantum technology. Paving the way for ongoing industrial collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the participating companies, Digital Catapult’s programme exemplifies the value of a community committed to exploring industrial applications of quantum, as the technology evolves. Digital Catapult and partners supported triaging and framing relevant use cases, delivering education and training on theoretical and practical aspects of quantum computing and providing ongoing technological assistance, as well as enabling opportunities for knowledge sharing between participants. This has increased the quantum readiness of leading UK companies and SMEs, such as Oxford Sigma, Neptune New Space and UKAEA, empowering them to embrace quantum technology, as new use cases emerge and capabilities increase. The programme has three streams: two on optimisation and quantum machine learning with ORCA Computing, involving simulating and running small-scale industrial challenges on the ORCA PT-1 quantum computer. The fault-tolerant stream, delivered with Riverlane, investigates the Quantum Singular Value Transformation, an algorithm that will run on the large, fault-tolerant quantum computers available in the future. During a demonstration day, participating companies including DNV Services UK Ltd, and Bahut tested their challenge on the ORCA PT-1 quantum computer, as part of the optimisation stream. The quantum computer successfully solved industrial problems, demonstrating the potential to solve more complex and sophisticated challenges in the future. Director of Innovation Practice at Digital Catapult, Katy Ho said: “The remarkable success achieved on QTAP underscores the increasing interest in quantum computing within industry. From its inception to the showcase, participating companies have consistently shown commitment to enhancing their understanding of quantum technology. At Digital Catapult, our mission is to demonstrate the value of embracing quantum-enabled solutions, and this programme will undoubtedly sharpen participating companies’ competitive edge, as quantum computers evolve and present substantial commercial opportunity.” Richard Murray, PhD, Co-founder, and CEO of ORCA Computing comments: “The results of the QTAP programme have been impressive. Participating companies have showcased exceptional dedication and commitment to exploring use cases that not only enable them to explore the potential of quantum computing technology for their businesses but also help drive progress in key sectors. For ORCA, partnering with Digital Catapult, industry experts and leading UK companies in the programme has enabled us to understand how near-term quantum devices can enhance a wide range of business use cases across different industries.” Jonathon Adams, Assistant Chief Engineer at Rolls-Royce said: “The Novel Nuclear team at Rolls-Royce is very future focussed, seeking to develop revolutionary new technologies and explore energy efficient applications for nuclear power on Earth and in Space. Quantum technologies, including quantum computing, will be an enabler for this over the next 15 years. It’s important that we develop an understanding of how and when we can adopt this technology. “The Digital Catapult Quantum Technology Access Programme has been a timely boost to this effort, and I’m delighted that Chris completed the programme, including using an actual quantum computer for a machine learning test case relevant to the nuclear industry.”Owain Brennan, CEO of SeerBI said: “The QTAP programme has proved invaluable for our team so far, we have been able to pick up new skills and interact with technology which at the start of the programme we didn’t even know existed. Applying this technology to our problem area of logistics and on time delivery classification using quantum binary classification opened our eyes to a different way of looking at problems, we would like to give out thanks to the digital catapult team for their support and Orca Computing for access to their systems and SDK throughout the programme.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developers leading Gloucester’s transformational regeneration at The Forum yesterday confirmed strong interest from occupiers looking to take space, with almost three quarters of available space already taken up. The Forum will be completed and open for occupiers in 2024, and the year has started positively in terms of interest expressed in remaining available space, Reef Group’s development director Peter Langly Smith confirmed. Across the various uses including a 4* hotel, offices, retail and café spaces, fitness space and car parking, around 70% of the space is already taken up. And Reef, who are bringing forward the development with partners Gloucester City Council, expects to confirm more new deals very soon. “It’s an incredibly positive start to an important year for The Forum,” said Mr Langly-Smith. “Companies have committed to being part of The Forum before construction completion. This is testament to the quality of this future-ready place and demonstrates the confidence these parties have in Gloucester’s future as an exceptional place to work, live and visit. “With our partners at the city council, our commitment to sustainability and low occupational costs has encouraged early agreements and driven high levels of tenant interest. The Forum will offer cost savings for fit out and running costs for tenants, achieved via market leading design. We understand that the way we work has changed since the pandemic, and The Forum provides high quality space that speaks to innovative businesses and projects. “The year has started with a high number of enquires, which have quickly progressed to detailed and advanced negotiations for the space. We hope to be able to make some further announcements in the coming months”. Strong interest in The Forum To date, the space already taken on The Forum includes: Gloucester City Council leader councillor Richard Cook added: “The huge investment into Gloucester’s city centre is setting the city in good stead for a bright future. To see such confidence from businesses in The Forum before construction completes is most welcome. “As we move towards a Gloucester that is focusing on leisure and business excellence, we are thrilled that The Forum is paving the way for its future, with appropriate office space to put Gloucester on the map.” This news comes as the commercial property market is predicted to rally in 2024, with experts * saying that occupiers are focusing more on spaces with sound environmental and sustainability credentials and strong energy efficiency. A sustainable, connected place The Forum will provide the city’s cutting-edge hub for business, innovation and technology. The site is due for completion later this year – and has already secured strong interest from businesses. Designed with connectivity and sustainability in mind, The Forum will be built to a BREEAM rating of Excellent and will be net-zero carbon in operation. It has been built to comfortably last 150-200 years. Thanks to smart building technologies, the space will provide flexibility for companies to adapt their work environment as teams grow. To promote sustainable travel, The Forum is situated adjacent to the Gloucester transport hub, including the £6.4m new bus station and the train station, as well as providing bicycle parking on-site. The 398-space car park, operated by Q-Park, will include 39 spaces with electric vehicle charging points. The building is part of Gloucester’s £200m regeneration project, which includes the University of Gloucestershire’s City Campus development on Kings Square and Kings Square itself. Bruton Knowles and JLL are the letting agents for the office space and are working with partners to bring new occupiers to Gloucester’s flagship development. Dorian Wragg, a partner at Burton Knowles, said: “The office elements of the scheme, 1 and 2 Cathedral Walk are flying up. Now the distinctive external cladding is being installed and the shape of the buildings is much easier to see, we are getting lots of calls about the availability of desk space. We hope to announce a significant letting shortly.” For further information about The Forum, visit www.forumdigital.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GMI Construction Group has been appointed principal contractor to deliver the North East’s first Dakota Hotel. The luxury 118 room boutique hotel will transform the vacant St Anne’s Wharf at 112 Quayside, which fronts onto the River Tyne, and is scheduled for completion in Spring 2025 The development will generate 150 new jobs and provide an additional 65,000 visitor nights per year, creating an estimated £1.5m boost to the local economy. The contract win sees GMI Construction Group continue its strong relationship with the lifestyle luxury brand – having previously completed three Dakota Hotels in Manchester, Leeds, and Glasgow. The UK hotel chain, which also has hotels in Edinburgh and Motherwell, regularly welcomes celebrity guests. The contemporary hotel will retain much of the building’s current features and details, complementing its architectural heritage, while a new-look entrance lobby, reception and signature ground floor Bar & Grill. An existing courtyard at the front of the Quayside property will be reconfigured to provide a vehicle drop off area, while the first floor will feature bedroom terraces. In addition, PV panels and Air Source Heat Pumps will be installed to provide renewable energy. The building previously held a number of tenants, including law firm Womble Bond Dickinson. It had been based on the Quayside since 1998 until relocating its 400 staff into the Spark building at Newcastle Helix. Gary Oates, GMI’s Regional Director, said: “We are delighted that GMI has once again been chosen as principal contractor to deliver what will be our fourth Dakota development, and the first in the North East of England. “This project will regenerate and upgrade what has been a vacant landmark building, transforming it into a deluxe hospitality venue that will further bolster Newcastle’s national reputation as a destination city.” Marc Banks, Evans Property Group said, “We are incredibly proud to be delivering another synonymous for style and impeccable service, into the heart of Newcastle’s famous and bustling Quayside.” “Our commitment is to create not just a building, but a luxury hotel that encapsulates the city’s dynamic spirit, setting new standards in style and contemporary hospitality excellence”. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
LEADING regional procurement specialist EN:Procure has announced the appointment of 100 contractors after inviting tenders for its latest installers’ framework, valued at more than £3.2bn. The procurement arm of social housing consortium Efficiency North had recently opened the bidding for the next iteration of its Installation and Repairs Framework across 36 lots for social housing projects in Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands and the north west. It will run from 26th February 2024 to 25th February 2028. The winning contractors will carry out a wide range of social housing repairs and installation work including electrical, heating, roofing and brickwork. Around 85% of the contractors are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), reflecting EN:Procure’s commitment to providing fair access to organisations of any size. More than £272m of repairs, maintenance and installation work has been delivered by the current version of the framework since its launch in 2019. A further £2m was gifted to members to fund social value initiatives for local communities, with £1.5m being given through EN:Able Communities since 2015. The new framework was procured under EN:Procure’s latest Gen-4 generation of tenders, incorporating the FAC-1 Framework Agreement and dynamic models for ESG delivery, reflecting many of the themes in the government’s Constructing the Gold Standard report. It will provide a wide range of social, economic and environmental benefits for communities served by Efficiency North’s membership of social housing providers. Emma Mottram, director of operations at EN:Procure, said: “We’re excited to announce the successful bids for our latest framework process – it has been a big effort from everyone involved. We wanted to give as many businesses as possible the chance to take part and the tenders were of an extremely high standard. Congratulations to all those appointed. “The framework was structured to encourage SME engagement and so we are delighted that a large proportion of them are from that sector. We will be supporting them on their journey to delivering robust ESG targets. “The successful applicants are keen to deliver outstanding installation and repairs works, while also matching Efficiency North’s commitment to training and skills development, including the use of apprenticeships.” Emma added: “This has been one of the first iterations to be procured with our latest generation of framework agreements. The Gen4 frameworks will provide a higher level of transparency and underline the power of collaboration. “It will also pave the way for the social housing sector to achieve decarbonisation targets and improve sustainability.” EN:Procure has supported social housing landlord members to deliver nearly £1bn of works through its frameworks and DPSs since 2014. Full list of appointed contractors: ENP Installers framework GEN4 2024 Contractors.pdf To find out more information about EN:Procure and the framework including contractors appointed by lot visit: https://www.efficiencynorth.org/procure/frameworks/refurbishment-and-improvements/installation-servicing-repairs-maintenance Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New research shows that the future arrival of HS2 in the West Midlands is already driving huge investor confidence in the region, with data pointing to an economic uplift of £10billion over the next 10 years. Economic analysis of the areas close to HS2’s three hubs in the West Midlands – Curzon Street Station in central Birmingham, Interchange Station in Solihull, and the Washwood Heath Depot and Network Integrated Control Centre – shows dramatic increases in regeneration and investment in the last six years. Since Royal Assent was granted for the railway in 2017, the number of planning applications seen in a 1.5 mile radius around these three major HS2 hubs has increased by two-thirds. Over the same timescale, the area of total planned floorspace – including commercial and residential – has increased by 200%, and the planned number of new homes has increased by almost 500% – from 10,000 to 55,000 homes. According to independent research commissioned by HS2, this increase in investment activity far outstrips any rises in planned development outside of HS2’s impact zones and has occurred despite economic shocks caused by the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate of increase in planned housing within HS2’s impact area has been 14 times greater than elsewhere in the region, with the uplift in total planned floorspace over four times greater. Since 2017, the construction value of major new projects in HS2’s three impact zones has increased by 240% – from £4.5bn to £15.4bn. This is further evidence of increased investment and activity around the three HS2 hubs. This building boom is contrary to activity outside of HS2’s impact zones, where the construction value of new planned projects has decreased by 16% in the same period – from £19.3bn to £16.3bn. The numbers and values of projects since 2017 are also much higher compared to an equivalent period before HS2 was given the green light in Parliament. Within its three impact zones, it is estimated that HS2 will be responsible for the generation of 41,000 additional homes, 704,000 square metres of new floorspace and 30,835 new jobs. Putting this in the context of the whole country, since 2017 the West Midlands has been the highest performing attractor of inward investment outside London and the South East, with the number of projects it attracted in 2022/23 second only to the capital. Sir Jon Thompson, Executive Chair at HS2 Ltd said: “This new research provides evidence that HS2’s future arrival is already driving transformational regeneration and investment in the West Midlands. It shows that investor appetite, regeneration and investment close to where we’re building our three key assets in the region has surged in the last six years. “Driven by the promise of enhanced connectivity and heightened investor confidence, HS2’s arrival is spreading prosperity and opportunity to the communities it touches for generations to come.” Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “This research demonstrates that HS2 has delivered substantial investment and development opportunities in our region in recent years. “Whether it’s urban regeneration, improved local transport connections, increased housing provision and of course new jobs, HS2 is benefitting local people, businesses and our wider economy. “It’s vital that local people see the tangible benefits of major schemes like this.” Regeneration in places like Digbeth, Washwood Heath and Birmingham Eastside is already clear to see, with multi-million-pound development projects set to deliver new homes, venues, offices, public spaces and leisure facilities. Digbeth Loc. Studios is the brainchild of writer, director and Peaky Blinders creator, Steven Knight. In partnership with TIME + SPACE, a specialist asset management company who are developing the studios, he is converting 80,000 sq. ft of abandoned Victorian and industrial buildings into a cutting-edge film and TV studio and flexible workspace venue. The studios aim to generate 760 local employment opportunities, fostering the growth of the next wave of creative talent. Steven Knight CBE said: “As a proud Brummie, it’s brilliant to see that the tide is turning in Digbeth, with creative businesses, animators, agencies and filmmakers creating a community and drawing investment and talent out of London. “The upcoming arrival of HS2, and the transformational connectivity it will bring has no doubt accelerated this renaissance. I can’t think of anywhere in the world I’d prefer to set up Digbeth Loc. Studios. “I look forward to creating world class films and television here, working alongside local crews and telling our stories to the world. With plans underway for thousands of new homes, tram extensions, better leisure facilities, the best is yet to come.” Located in the centre of Birmingham, and on the northern edge of the city’s £1.2 billon Paradise development, that is bringing ten new commercial buildings to the heart of the city, the 49-storey residential Octagon development features 370 Build to Rent apartments and will stand 155 metres tall, making it the city’s tallest building. The scheme is backed by global real estate investor City Developments Limited (CDL) of Singapore and is designed by local firm Howells Architects. Developed by MEPC and delivered by contractor Midgard, Octagon is due to complete in 2025, setting a new standard for UK residential development in a regional setting. Ross Fittall, Commercial Director at MEPC – the firm leading Birmingham’s Paradise redevelopment, said: “Construction of this key development is well underway and marks an essential part of the £1.2 billion mixed-use Paradise masterplan that includes up to ten new buildings alongside the city’s civic heart. Every day we move closer to the completion of a unique, world-class landmark for Birmingham as part of this wider investment. “There’s no doubt that the arrival of HS2 is having a significant influence on the increase in large-scale commercial and residential development investment, bringing high quality commercial, residential and leisure facilities to the city.” At HS2’s Interchange Station site in Solihull, Arden Cross is one of the UK’s most significant regeneration opportunities, with links to Birmingham International railway station, the NEC and Birmingham Airport. The 140-hectare site will support
Construction is the largest industry in the world making up more than 13 percent of GDP globally. Despite this, it has been slow to evolve and has only recently started implementing technological changes. On top of this, the industry fears a lack of talent, with over 38,000 vacancies recorded per quarter in construction in the UK alone. To tackle this challenge, Richard Clement, Deputy General Manager at Smart Construction, discusses how the construction industry can implement changes using smart technology to help alleviate the labour skills shortage. Why is there a labour skills shortage in the construction industry? Clement says: ‘’The construction industry is known to be behind the times in terms of digitalisation, however, companies such as Smart Construction are part of the 1 per cent of those capitalising on developments in technology. The lack of digital awareness, along with an ageing workforce, contributes to why many young workers don’t see an appeal to join the industry.’’ There has been a dramatic fall in 16-30-year-olds entering the construction industry meaning a less agile and a less digitally literate workforce at a time when the industry is trying to focus on digital revolution. How has this impacted the construction industry? As of January 2023, research found that 80 per cent of construction firms found it difficult to recruit qualified workers. This demographic trend poses a real challenge for maintaining the industry’s vitality and finding a future workforce. Governments recognise this impending shortfall and are prioritising the skills shortage in Europe with several national and European policies setting new environmental targets that require investment in construction. Estimations indicate that the green transition could lead to the creation of between 1 and 2.5 million additional jobs overall by 2030, a positive outlook for the industry. However, companies would therefore need to have access to a qualified workforce to handle this increasing demand. Clement says: “Smart technology is crucial for the future of construction, given a push on new government initiatives, the ageing workforce, and the industry’s move towards tech solutions to alleviate the shortage of lower-skilled workers and attract younger ones.’’ How can Smart Technology and digital solutions help alleviate the labour shortage? Over the next five years, 95 per cent of UK construction companies plan on investing in tech, with the hope of driving more talent into the industry. “There are multiple benefits to investing in smart technology and digital solutions. From upskilling the workforce, reducing the amount of time required at site or remotely to gather information and communicate changes, to providing tracking data to the customer,’’ Clement explains. Smart technology and digital solutions can upskill current workers, whilst alleviating pressures on personnel from all stages of the process. Even individuals who don’t consider themselves tech-savvy can benefit from digital solutions – teams across Europe have found the data easy to analyse and interpret. This means less pressure on workers as the load is shared at the job site. Chris Horn, Technology Manager at HB Golf, offers some insight on how digital solutions have benefited his team on one of his projects in the Czech Republic: ‘’Smart Construction’s Dashboard has allowed me to regain time which was previously lost to surveying and doing invoices. These are tasks my site managers can now pick up, upskilling the existing workforce, making them more versatile, especially at a time when it has been hard to find qualified managers.’’ Smart Construction in action: What is 3D Machine Guidance, how does it work, how does it benefit? Smart Construction’s 3D Machine Guidance system is an easy-to-use machine guidance solution that enables excavator operators to dig with centimetre precision. The system provides instant feedback on the screen, which helps operators to reduce over-digging and rework. It also eliminates the need for extra surveying work as operators can check the accuracy of their own work and visualise the finished product with the model on the screen. Adrian Binkert, owner of Binkert Baggerarbeiten in Switzerland says: “The 3D Machine Guidance system from Smart Construction has proven to be an incredibly cost-effective solution that competes with more expensive systems in terms of performance. Since we fitted the kit on our Volvo EC220, it has been working non-stop. Now the operator can work on-site alone, with no extra surveying work needed.’’ Besides being a standard machine guidance system, 3D Machine Guidance works as an IoT device automatically collecting terrain and payload data, which can be analysed using Smart Construction solutions and expert advice, enabling data-driven decision-making. What’s next? There are many ways smart technology can help alleviate the labour skills shortage. It’s essential that the industry and employers recognise what the future could look like for the industry and try to make a change, alongside the efforts to alleviate the pressure of an impending shortage of workers. Clement explains: ‘’As smart technology develops it can act as a buffer for the challenges the construction industry could face in the coming decades. It will also help to upskill workers in the future, which is essential, and allow less technically confident workers to enter the industry.’’ For more information visit smartconstruction.io. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The typical annual household energy bill rose in January 2024 to a high of £1,928. However, for those on a standard energy tariff, innovative heating systems can help to bring energy costs back down. Annington is helping to tackle the rising costs of heating by undertaking a substantialretrofit project on five former Officer’s houses on Marlborough Close in Devizes. The wider retrofit is designed to bring these substantial homes to EPC A rating, and each property will include an air source heat pump, solar panels and an innovative AI-powered Mixergy hot water cylinder. The Mixergy tank will provide heating and hot water, powered by free, clean energy harnessed by the solar panels. By monitoring how much energy the house uses compared how much is produced by the solar panels, the Mixergy tank can divert any excess energy to the immersion heater instead of sending it back to the grid. The Mixergy tank’s AI-powered system will track how much energy is used in the home and when, so that it can anticipate demand and supply heating and hot water exactly when it is needed. The tank monitors energy prices 24 hours a day, and when excess energy beyond what is provided by the solar panels is required, it will purchase energy at a cheaper rate (usually overnight) to heat up the hot water cylinder in preparation for heating the property. Jane Harsham, Sustainability Manager at Annington, comments: “The wider retrofit at Devizes has delivered homes refurbished to an EPC A rating, the highest energy performance possible, and one which many new builds fail to achieve. Incorporating smart energy designed to optimise the heating process, greatly improved internal and external insulation and a host of other energy efficiency improvements means that for purchasers, energy consumption is more efficient and has the potential to deliver overall lower utility bills, greater occupier comfort and a more sustainable lifestyle.” Annington’s newest sustainable development of just five four-bedroom homes is close to the historic market town of Devizes, described as the West Country’s “best kept secret” by The London Economic.* Just ten minutes’ walk from the Kennet and Avon Canal, the homes on Marlborough Close benefit from direct bus links to Swindon and Pewsey Station, providing access to London Paddington Station in just over a hour, is less than ten miles away. Annington’s newest sustainable development of just five four-bedroom homes is set to launch in Spring 2024, with prices starting from £565,000. To find out more and register your interest please visit www.marlboroughclose.co.uk To find out more about Annington, visit www.annington.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
LED Flex strip lighting from Knightsbridge – one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of wiring accessories and lighting – is ideal for creating ambient lighting in kitchens, bedrooms and other spaces deserving colourful and energy efficient accents. Flex’s low profile – from 1.5mm to 2mm – and 8mm width makes it ideal for hard to access, space-constrained locations, while its 3Mself-adhesive backing tape provides a robust and durable fixing. Waste is kept to a minimum because installers can cut the LED Flex to fit at 50mm intervals and use the excess elsewhere, re-connecting it to other strips of product where necessary. Both single and four colour (red, green, blue and white) versions are available, supported by dedicated drivers, controllers and profiles that offer a quick solution to most indoor installations. The colour-changing RGBW LED Flex are available with smart technology so they can be controlled through Knightsbridge’s proprietary SmartKnight app. The company has also introduced ‘COB’ single colour seamless strip lighting. COB stands for Chip on Board, meaning the LED diodes are built directly into the printed circuit board. The seamless strip lighting is ideal for illuminating indoor spaces since it offers a larger lighting area than traditional alternatives, resulting in no dark spots and perfect colour consistency and uniformity. The COB strip lighting is supplied with 150mm of cable and is dimmable with the appropriate control. Rated IP20 for indoor use, the 12V single colour range offers colour temperatures from 3000K to 6500K and light outputs from 510lm per metre upwards in white only. Its 24V equivalent is also for indoor use, but available in various colour temperatures of white as well as red, blue and green. The colour-changing models are rated at IP20 for indoor use and IP67 options are also available. The Flex collection encompasses 52 versions in 12V and 24V, in lengths from one metre up to 50 metres, depending on voltage and colour; all with a three-year warranty. A full range of accessories – from aluminium mounting profiles through to controllers, connectors and drivers – is also available. For further details of the Knightsbridge innovative wiring accessories and lighting products, please visit www.mlaccessories.co.uk or call 01582 887760. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
