One of London’s largest co-living operators has revealed data that shows a marked increase in renters ditching single-lets in favour of co-living; a 312% increase recorded in the months of July and August, when compared to January and February of this year (pre-lockdown). The data, released by Built Asset Management (BAM), relates
Keeping the construction industry safe during the pandemic has highlighted the increasing benefits of offsite construction, where modular systems from bathroom pods to drainage inspection chambers can be safely manufactured away from a construction site and delivered as complete units. Driving the recovery of the construction and built environment sectors
Pre-tax profit has fallen by more than 80 per cent in the full-year results for MJ Gleeson following the impact of Covid-19 but the listed housebuilder has pledged to invest in the business to support its target of building 2,000 new homes in 2022. The company reported a pre-tax profit
A newly refurbished building in Leeds city centre has signed a six-year lease with Freeze Debt on its 1,070 sq ft on Ambler House’s third floor. Carter Towler secured the second office tenant for building in Boar Lane, opposite Trinity Leeds. “It’s really encouraging to have found such a great tenant
A £15 million investment lined up for Allerton Manor has been approved, which includes a purpose-built golf pavilion and club house comprising a golf shop, changing rooms and locker rooms, as well as an indoor practice putting area. An adventure golf course is also lined up, as is the restoration
Building materials supplier CEMEX is proud to announce that its Vertua® concrete range has been used to achieve a completely CarbonNeutral product, in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol, as part of the construction of the new Cryfield residences project for the University of Warwick. Kier chose to use Vertua Classic
The two giant greenhouses have used more glass than The Shard, and just one is one-and-a-half times the size of the O2 in London. This world-first development, project managed by Step Associates, will also be home to the largest heat pump system project in the UK. The greenhouses have been
In a bid to curb the nearly seven million workdays lost annually in the UK due to musculoskeletal disorders and to reduce the health risks to construction workers from lifting, moving and handling large amounts of plasterboard, the Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) has published a Best Practice Guide, Recommendations
Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd has taken delivery of a second unique, long-reach telescopic leader rig, with even more capabilities than its 2018 groundbreaking rig, as the company continues its march to deliver programme benefits and costs savings to Tier-1 contractors on a wide variety of projects. The new TM 20
Lutron Electronics, the global leader in lighting and shading control technology, has announced a first-ever product integration with Ring, whose mission is to make neighbourhoods safer. Now, lights controlled by a Lutron system can be set to turn on when a linked Ring device detects motion, or a Ring Video Doorbell
One of London’s largest co-living operators has revealed data that shows a marked increase in renters ditching single-lets in favour of co-living; a 312% increase recorded in the months of July and August, when compared to January and February of this year (pre-lockdown). The data, released by Built Asset Management (BAM), relates to new rental contracts taken out within co-living properties across the capital between 1st July – 31st August 2020. According to the data, there has been a 312% increase in renters coming from single-let properties, ie. those inhabited independently, signing rental contracts for a room within a co-living property operated by BAM, when compared to the months of January and February. These months were given as a comparative as they were pre-lockdown measures imposed on the rental market, therefore giving an accurate snapshot of the pre-Covid 19 co-living market. BAM asks all prospective tenants seeking co-living accommodation anecdotally for their reasons for leaving their current housing situation. According to those leaving single-let accommodation between July-August, the top three reasons given were as follows: Seeking more financially viable accommodation option – 32% Seeking co-living property to avoid feeling of isolation – 25% Seeking flexibility with a view to potentially purchasing afterwards – 20% Furthermore, the data revealed the average age of tenants ditching single-let accommodation in favour of co-living to be 36.1 years old; 8 years older than BAM’s average age of tenant of 28.2 years old. Alex Gibbs, Co-Founder and Director of BAM, explained the data: “Typically, the bulk of our incoming occupants are young professionals either moving from existing houseshare accommodation in the city or entering London’s rental market for the first time. Post-lockdown, however, we have seen a real “Covid-effect” coming into play with a huge increase in renters vacating single-let accommodation in favour of co-living, a trend which shows no signs of slowing down throughout September. Undoubtedly, changes in personal and work circumstance as a direct result of Covid-19 have led to many renters seeking a more financially-viable route in the form of shared accommodation; ultimately a more affordable option than single-lets. What’s perhaps more interesting, though, is that a relatively high proportion of our new tenants have directly cited trepidation about the feeling of isolation as their main reason for exiting the single-let market. The negative impact of lockdown on mental health appears to have had a direct effect on rental behaviour. It is also interesting to note that one in five new tenants have cited increased flexibility as a key reason for selecting this type of accommodation, with a medium-term plan to purchase a property rather than to continue renting. We will want more data in order to make stronger inferences here, however, initial signs suggest that the lockdown and the wider pandemic have caused Londoners to re-evaluate their priorities and potentially their attitudes towards renting in the long term.”
Keeping the construction industry safe during the pandemic has highlighted the increasing benefits of offsite construction, where modular systems from bathroom pods to drainage inspection chambers can be safely manufactured away from a construction site and delivered as complete units. Driving the recovery of the construction and built environment sectors is a key priority of the recently released Construction Recovery Plan from the Construction Leadership Council. While it wants the recovery to be agile and fast-moving, it also advocates building safety and professionalism, and focuses on transformation, value and partnership to sustain the economic recovery. Adopting new technologies and techniques is part of this transformation and offsite manufacturing is therefore growing in popularity as its benefits begin to be really appreciated. Plastic pipes are extensively used in housing and commercial construction. As part of an innovation drive to create further value in the supply chain, manufacturers of these products are developing ‘offsite’ bespoke fabricated systems which reduce the need for often complex on-site assembly. Not only does this reduce site time, it also reduces the resources required to assemble on site, and makes the site environment safer for operatives with fewer people involved in assembly and installation. As Richard Hill of the BPF Pipes Group comments, “Traditional construction methods involve more people and are more labour-intensive on site, whether in housing or commercial developments. Using offsite construction significantly reduces both the number of people who have to be in close proximity – a key consideration at present – and saves time on site.” Examples of this growing innovative approach include the modular construction of items like bathrooms for student accommodation, or flats which are being delivered direct to site in complete pods, drainage and sewerage inspection chambers and manholes which can be constructed offsite and transported to the point of installation, and other items like water supply kits, drainage stacks for water risers and soil stacks which can be pre-assembled and supplied to site. Underfloor heating manifolds – pre-assembled for direct installation into utility cupboards – are also available, again saving labour and time on site. Benefits of this modular offsite approach include well-constructed modules developed and assembled in ideal factory conditions, whilst controlling social distancing protocols. Manufacturers of plastic pipes and fittings talk to and work with designers and contractors to configure pre-assembled units for ease of final installation. Offsite construction can deliver huge cost benefits around on-site productivity with a reduction in resources required through fewer people involved, less time to install, less equipment required on site, and fewer boxes of components to carry around the site. A flexible approach to assembly applies to sites too; an example includes work benches being set up on the ground floor of developments so as to keep the fabricating processes well away from the area being worked on, with benefits including improved productivity, social distancing and the ability to work with more complex designs. Richard Hill thinks that with the future construction industry landscape likely to be different, new ways of working including offsite fabrication will be here to stay. “The enforced changes have seen offsite benefits leapfrogging forward and huge progress has been made. This approach goes hand in hand with the digital world – it all benefits the integrity of build and investment in the right infrastructure.” The current challenges facing the construction industry – including safe access, safe ways of working, the social distancing space required on site and planning work schedules to allow for this – means benefits brought by techniques like offsite manufacturing are bound to grow in importance and popularity.
Pre-tax profit has fallen by more than 80 per cent in the full-year results for MJ Gleeson following the impact of Covid-19 but the listed housebuilder has pledged to invest in the business to support its target of building 2,000 new homes in 2022. The company reported a pre-tax profit of £5.6m for the year ended 30 June 2020, down 86 per cent from £41.2m in 2018/19. Revenue reduced to £147.2m from £249.9m. The volumes of units sold was down 29.9 per cent to 1,072 units from 1,529 the year before. MJ Gleeson said the 2020 results reflected the impact of Covid-19 on its historically critical fourth quarter. However, a strong start to 2021 had been made, with record order book and work in progress, and high levels of demand. The housebuilder emphasised it had a “strong platform for future growth” and re-affirmed target of reaching 2,000 units per annum in 2022. Chairman Dermot Gleeson said: “First and foremost, and on behalf of my board colleagues, I would like to say how grateful we are to our employees, subcontractors, suppliers and customers in helping us to respond quickly to the Covid-19 crisis. These results, whilst a significant reduction on the prior year, reflect their efforts and the overall resilience of the business. “We are currently seeing strong demand and expect this to continue through the year as the demographics of our customer base and the nature and price point of our product helps to insulate us from the impacts of rising unemployment, the end of the stamp duty holiday and the forthcoming changes to the Help to Buy scheme. “We have therefore re-affirmed our interim target of delivering 2,000 homes per annum in 2022 and will prioritise investment in the business to achieve it.” MJ Gleeson is headquartered in Sheffield with its Strategic Land division based in Fleet.
A newly refurbished building in Leeds city centre has signed a six-year lease with Freeze Debt on its 1,070 sq ft on Ambler House’s third floor. Carter Towler secured the second office tenant for building in Boar Lane, opposite Trinity Leeds. “It’s really encouraging to have found such a great tenant for Ambler House – especially at a time like this. We have all been facing new challenges and uncertainty since the onset of lockdown, but so far we’ve had an incredibly positive response to the £2 million revival of this magnificent grade II-listed building,” said Harriet Lawson of Carter Towler. “Although Freeze Debt is a relatively new company, it is already making quite a reputation for itself in the FinTech sector. The company has developed a smartphone app that helps people manage their debts more effectively and it is attracting a lot of attention. “Ambler House is the perfect location for growing companies like Freeze Debt who are looking for distinctive, high quality, centrally located offices. We have a selection of different sized suites remaining within the building ranging from 875 – 3,835 sq ft,” Harriet continued. Freeze Debt chief executive Harjit Moore also commented on the news: “It has been fantastic working with the landlord’s managing agent Petit Papillon and Carter Towler to secure these offices. We are at a very exciting stage in the growth of our business and Ambler House is the perfect base for our expanding team. It will enable us to attract the additional high calibre personnel we want to join us.” Ambler House, which forms part of the Trevelyan Square estate, is managed by Petit Papillon and Carter Towler is retained as the sole letting agent.
A £15 million investment lined up for Allerton Manor has been approved, which includes a purpose-built golf pavilion and club house comprising a golf shop, changing rooms and locker rooms, as well as an indoor practice putting area. An adventure golf course is also lined up, as is the restoration and conversion of the grade II-listed Allerton Manor, which is considered to be “seriously dilapidated and at risk”, to create a 31-bed boutique hotel, spa and function space. “I’d like to thank the professional and supportive approach we have had from the planners, and the constructive dialogue with local ward councillors,” said Green Circle property director Craig Coley. “By working together, we have been able to bring forward an exciting plan that will create a fantastic amenity for the city, whilst preserving Allerton Manor’s unique heritage and landscape.” The main aspect of the application is reconfiguring the existing nine and 18-hole courses to create a par 72 championship site with a new driving range. For this project, up to 150 jobs could be created. The plans have been developed by Liverpool Council’s operating partner, Green Circle, and will be funded entirely by private investment.
Building materials supplier CEMEX is proud to announce that its Vertua® concrete range has been used to achieve a completely CarbonNeutral product, in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol, as part of the construction of the new Cryfield residences project for the University of Warwick. Kier chose to use Vertua Classic Zero for the foundations of a new student accommodation block at the University, following the release of the University’s 2020 Carbon Management Implementation Plan. Vertua Classic is a low carbon concrete that has a 30 – 50 per cent CO2 reduction versus a standard concrete mix. Easy to use and place, it is perfect for a range of applications including structural elements, foundations including piling, light to heavy industry floors and suspended slabs. Vertua® is part of CEMEX’s ambition to deliver net-zero CO2 concrete globally to all of our customers by 2050. Alongside the reduction in CO2 afforded by the product, Kier decided to offset the residual carbon, which makes the concrete CarbonNeutral from cradle-to-customer. CEMEX works with Natural Capital Partners, experts in carbon offset solutions, to assure the quality of the emissions reductions, and invest in projects which physically remove CO2 from the atmosphere where possible and deliver added benefits such as increasing biodiversity and reducing poverty. A CarbonNeutral certificate has been issued to Kier. Matthew Doran, Sales Executive for CEMEX Materials, commented: “This was the first time Kier has chosen to use the Vertua range and it was an exciting opportunity for CEMEX to demonstrate the value of this product as both a high performance and sustainable choice. “Kier, working with its supply chain partners RO Donaghey, understood the importance of using a concrete that improves the climate impacts of construction and we are delighted that we were able to successfully meet the requirements of the job despite the challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic, all while adhering to government guidelines.” Richard Charman, operations director at Kier Regional Building Central, said: “Being sustainable is more important than it’s ever been, and to have a sustainable business is to have a resilient business. Kier is committed to preventing environmental and social harm, as well as replenishing our natural systems and renewable resources and having a positive impact on the communities and environments in which we operate.” Padraic Crehan, Operations Manager at R.O.Donaghey, added: “It is great to be at the forefront of concrete innovation in the industry, everybody needs to play their part and we are glad to be involved.” CEMEX R&D, Innovation and Business Development projects are part of the global R&D collaboration network, headed by CEMEX Research Centers, based in Switzerland.
The two giant greenhouses have used more glass than The Shard, and just one is one-and-a-half times the size of the O2 in London. This world-first development, project managed by Step Associates, will also be home to the largest heat pump system project in the UK. The greenhouses have been built next to Anglian Water’s water treatment facilities, the heat from the sewage works will be pumped into the energy centres serving the greenhouses and will provide the ideal growing temperature for growing millions of tomatoes, 10% of the UK’s homegrown tomato crop, along with peppers and cucumbers. Director at Step Associates, Mark Dykes, said “The scheme is using the UK’s largest system of heat pumps, which will channel heat from warm water into the greenhouses to help speed growth. This use of natural energy will cut carbon emissions associated with growing the tomato crop by 75%.” The carbon emissions from an on-site electricity plant will also be funnelled into the greenhouses for the plants to absorb and aid their growth. Greencoat Capital, one of the UK’s largest clean energy funds, is behind the plans and estimates that the greenhouses will produce vegetables with a quarter of the carbon footprint of regular greenhouses. The greenhouses, which are set to start growing this winter, are 7-metre tall glass structures and will allow crops to grow vertically along guide wires. They will be grown hydroponically from nutrient-rich water solutions instead of using soil. As well as providing the UK with homegrown tomatoes, the project will also create up to 360 permanent jobs in the area, and up to 460 at peak season. Mark comments: “This project has been a long and rewarding journey. The greenhouses, being a world-first in their use of renewable energy, have positioned the UK as leading the way in a low carbon solution to growing sustainably, and will hopefully pave the way for similar projects.”
In a bid to curb the nearly seven million workdays lost annually in the UK due to musculoskeletal disorders and to reduce the health risks to construction workers from lifting, moving and handling large amounts of plasterboard, the Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) has published a Best Practice Guide, Recommendations for the Safe Ingress of Plasterboard. The guide was produced by members of the Plasterboard Material Handling Group, which comprises representation from key suppliers, specialist and main contractors in the finishes and interiors sector and the Home Builders Federation (HBF), and is chaired by FIS Technical Director Joe Cilia. Created on behalf of the Health in Construction Leadership Group (HCLG), the Best Practice Guide looks at ways to improve safety when planning for the delivery and movement of plasterboard at each stage and how risks can be reduced. Commenting on the launch of the guide, FIS chief executive Iain McIlwee said: “Musculosketal disorders (MSDs) cost construction employers £646 million a year and is one of the most common causes of sickness absence and productivity loss at work. The FIS Best Practice Guide, Recommendations for the Safe Ingress of Plasterboard provides clear recommendations on ways to reduce the risk of injury and improve productivity and working conditions on site.” The aim of the guide is to improve health and safety when plasterboard is delivered, moved and stored. It covers material-handling arising from the journey that plasterboard takes when delivered to sites that include homes, commercial, high-rise multi-occupancy, new builds and refurbishments. The guide is broken down into stages from planning to engagement with manufacturers and distributors, delivery and offloading, storage, vertical and horizontal movement, storage of off-cuts and finally the removal and egress of waste. “Training, planning and good working practices will ensure that people can work in the industry until they wish to leave it with good health and not have to leave the industry because of debilitating musculoskeletal problems,” added Professor Anthony Woolf of the Bone and Joint Research Group at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, who provided expert advice to the group. Ian Strudley, who is Chair of the HCLG MSD Task Group and Occupational Health and Hygiene Specialist at Balfour Beatty, said: “This comprehensive guide to the movement and handling of plasterboard will help consolidate the effort to achieve further improvements in musculoskeletal health, and therein achieve additional risk reduction and greater productivity.” A spokesperson for the HSE said: “Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are one of the most common work-related ill health conditions. Reducing the incidence and impact of these on workers’ health is a strategic priority for HSE. Poor materials handling commonly results in MSDs as well as more acute injuries. The construction sector has one of the highest rates of MSDs, and they are amongst the most common cause of sickness absence. HSE acknowledges the launch of the HCLG’s report and guidance on reducing MSD during the delivery and movement of Plasterboard, and supports the collaborative work of the industry in reducing the incidence of MSDs.”
Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd has taken delivery of a second unique, long-reach telescopic leader rig, with even more capabilities than its 2018 groundbreaking rig, as the company continues its march to deliver programme benefits and costs savings to Tier-1 contractors on a wide variety of projects. The new TM 20 long-reach telescopic leader rig joins the already unique TM 12/15 long reach rig within Sheet Piling UK’s fleet, giving the steel sheet pile specialist two rigs that are peerless within the construction sector. The TM 20 LR boasts the same long-reach capabilities of its slightly older sister rig, being able to reach a full three metres further than anything else on the market when accessing the pile line. However, it can install and extract longer piles – up to 20 metres in length rather than 16 metres. This enables the two rigs between them to tackle any sheet piling project with ease, proving their huge financial worth in scenarios where an expensive and project-delaying temporary platform would typically have to be built, just to allow the sheet piling rig to reach the desired pile line. Other enhancements have been added to the TM 20 LR, including an increase in the size of the vibratory hammer, remote control unloading and loading function, which allows the operator to rig and de-rig the machine working with unhindered visibility on the ground, and a hydraulic rapid-changing docking station. The latter allows for timely interchanging of machine attachments, with any working at height eliminated. A fixed boom hinge fabrication has been added to the centre slew of the base machine, in order for the long reach capability to be achieved, and the rig comes with a unique infrastructure mode for reduced machine footprint. Specially designed vertically stacked counterweights also reduce machine overhang. Sheet Piling UK’s managing director, Andrew Cotton, and plant manager, Bill Lloyd, took over possession of the TM 20 long-reach telescopic rig from the managing director of ABI Equipment UK, Mark Lee, at a handover at ABI Equipment UK’s Northamptonshire base. The rig was manufactured to Sheet Piling UK’s specification, at ABI’s base in Germany. It was then transported to the UK. During the week of handover, the company’s plant fitters and operators underwent familiarisation training with their new giant of a rig, with the Sheet Piling UK order book already impressively full. The rig is now fully commissioned, with a full order book until mid-November and started its first project on September 8 2020). Its first projects will be the A421 upgrade scheme for Morgan Sindall, a permanent basement construction project for McLaren Construction, at a manufacturing facility in Warwickshire and the A19 improvement scheme for Balfour Beatty. Tier-1 contractors working on road and rail infrastructure, marine and river and general construction projects are all likely to benefit from significant time and cost savings, if incorporating the rig’s use into the sheet piling phase. Any type of project normally requiring temporary enabling works can benefit from erasing those from the schedule of works, whether the ultimate project purpose is rail infrastructure widening, SMART motorway Emergency Rescue Area installation or the building of a new quay wall. The TM 20 and the TM 12/15 LR rigs are both seen as having potentially enormous positive impacts on HS2, the SMART Motorway Alliance project and the Road Investment Strategy (RIS2). Andrew Cotton says: “The demand for our first long-reach rig, the TM 12/15 has proved so great that it quickly became apparent that we would need to secure a second long-reach machine. We are a forward-thinking business and so the decision to commission the TM 20 LR was almost inevitable. “We studied the key performance attributes of the first rig, to further enhance the benefits that can be delivered, and believe we now have two superb long-reach rigs, not just unlike anything else in the construction sector but also as suited to delivering on the requirements of Tier-1 contractors as they can possibly be. “We have already demonstrated that we can save around £40,000-£60,000, on average, per Smart motorway ERA where a 100-metre sheet pile installation is required. That is just one example of the financial benefits these rigs can deliver to contractors. At a time when costs are under such scrutiny, it makes no sense to ignore these benefits and stick to old and expensive ways of dealing with earthwork stabilisation, groundworks and infrastructure widening.” Sheet Piling UK says it wishes to engage further with the construction industry, to make these benefits more apparent and is not ruling out further rig commissioning, if demand continues to be as intense as it has been over the past two years. The rig’s design is patented by Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd within the UK.
Lutron Electronics, the global leader in lighting and shading control technology, has announced a first-ever product integration with Ring, whose mission is to make neighbourhoods safer. Now, lights controlled by a Lutron system can be set to turn on when a linked Ring device detects motion, or a Ring Video Doorbell is pressed. Adding lighting to these events adds another layer of security and furthers the impression that someone is home. The new integration is supported by Lutron’s RA2 Select smart lighting control system and compatible Ring devices. The Lutron and Ring alliance combines the best of both brands, offering users peace of mind, added convenience, and a welcoming environment for family and friends. Homeowners can set Lutron-controlled lights to turn on when motion is detected outside, have their front door and entry lights turn on when someone rings their Ring Video Doorbell, or utilise advanced motion settings to welcome guests to their family home with just the right light as they approach the front door. “Lutron is thrilled to launch this integration with Ring, which brings together two leaders in their industries – Lutron as a leader in smart lighting control and Ring as a leader in smart video doorbells and security cameras. At Lutron, we are committed to bringing our European customers seamless integrations with market-leading products to make life simpler and more comfortable,” said Nate Hagemeier, Lutron’s Senior Director of Sales – Europe and Africa. “A homeowner who has Lutron and Ring devices in their home can now have Lutron-controlled indoor and outdoor lights respond to a doorbell press or motion detected by a compatible Ring device, giving families personalised control and added peace of mind.” The Lutron and Ring integration is easily customised, allowing homeowners to decide which lights are connected to their Ring devices and which ones will turn on during a Ring event. For example, when the Ring Video doorbell rings, the porch light and living room light can be set to turn on, but when the driveway Ring Security Camera detects motion, users can set the lights in the backyard and patio to turn on. Homeowners can also customise their settings based on the time of day, so lights only go on during an activity between sunset and sunrise. Customisation is easily done through the Lutron app, available for iOS and Android devices and the Amazon Fire tablet.