Maximising space in the workplace is a pressure that all businesses face, as space has an impact on many things, including productivity and staff happiness. It’s easy to fall into routines and stick with an office design and features that have been unchanged for year; therefore these 10 tips will
A two-story building in Brinkburn Street Byker in Newcastle, which has stood empty for almost two years, is to be converted into a new homes development. The building was used as a central design hub by architect Ralph Erskine and his team to coordinate the transformation of the Grade-II listed
Washroom Washroom, the innovative washroom designer, manufacturer and installer, has expanded its product range, offering concrete vanities as part of Arpeggio vanity units, which also includes solid surface Corian, granite, zodiaq and glass. As the ideal solution for those seeking to create on-trend industrial-inspired washrooms, concrete is hard-wearing, easy to
Most hotels want their guests to spend time in them; however, for millennial travellers, the priority is to get out and experience the city. Assembly is a new hotel brand from Criterion Capital, designed to inspire people to make the most out of their trip. Branding agency Ragged Edge partnered
JLL’s H1 2018 UK Big Box Industrial & Logistics research has been published, revealing that over 12 million square feet of logistics properties were let in the first half of 2018. Logistics companies were the most active source of take-up in H1 2018, at 38% of the total whilst the
The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey found that the total carriageway maintenance expenditure across England and Wales in 2017-2018 was around £1.93 billion — an increase on the previous year’s £1.66 billion. The rising cost of highway repair and maintenance could be reduced by local authorities with the
A new Specification Sales Executive has been appointed by tile distributor Ceramique Internationale for the Northern region. Michelle Foreman joins the senior sales team with a specific remit to work with housebuilders and developers across the region. She will be responsible for building Ceramique Internationale’s sales, nurturing the company’s existing
Kennington Tube station has seen the installation of Off Grid Energy’s largest and most powerful temporary power hybrid – the gridtogo™ – a battery that helps tackle air and noise pollution levels in construction. The installation is part of the Northern Line Extension plans, which will extend the London Underground
The £56 billion UK construction products manufacturing industry has started its catch-up activity lost during the first three months of the year due to adverse weather conditions, show the Construction Products Associaton’s (CPA) State of Trade Survey for 2018 Q2. “These results fit the profile of construction catch-up from a
The University of Southampton and dormakaba, the access and security solutions manufacturer, have agreed on a new three year service contract, which will see the company provide its 5 Star service programme to access systems throughout the campus. Having the contract under one provider, as well as having valuable technical
Maximising space in the workplace is a pressure that all businesses face, as space has an impact on many things, including productivity and staff happiness. It’s easy to fall into routines and stick with an office design and features that have been unchanged for year; therefore these 10 tips will help you create a better environment for your employees. 1.Maximise light and open space As natural light is a well-known mood booster, it is important to remove items from window sills and any other light blockages. By doing so, the room will be brighter and will give everyone the feeling of extra space. If the office has a limited amount of natural light however, the best way to attract it is yo rearrange the desks so that more are positioned close to windows. Avoid heavy furniture Heavy furniture, such as desks, are not necessary in the modern day because people do not use them for storage that much anymore. Even though the classic large dark mahogany desk may appear trendy, when it comes to optimising a space, they are troublesome. Where possible, heavy, traditional desks should be switched with furniture that is lighter in terms of colour and weight. 3.Multipurpose spaces These spaces can accommodate almost anything, from catch ups with clients to group meetings. In an open plan office, a meeting pod can give privacy without needing another room and can double up as a semi-permanent working space or meeting room. 4.Hot-desking Hot-desking involves the removal of personal desks and the introduction of large, communal desks. These are assigned each day on a first come first served basis. From folding tables and laptop tables, there is quite literally a space-saving option to suit any space for hot-desking workers, while also encouraging creativity. 5.Declutter Having a space that is clear and organised makes productivity much easier, so encourage employees to be ruthless with what is kept in the office. 6.Rethink the corridor Make use of every space in the office, including the corridor and the staircase and turn them into productivity-boosting activities, such as phone booths for making calls away from the hustle of the main office area. 7.Sit-stand desks Sit-stand desks are invaluable for productive working as they not only aid health benefits by increasing standing, but are also useful for meetings within an office space. 8.Quiet zones Open-plan offices are becoming a norm; however, it is important to design a quiet zone for those that needs to work with no distractions. 9.Bring nature inside An office full of pictures and accessories spoils productivity and creativity. Fix this by adding a few plants and indoor trees around the office, which will boost productivity long-term. 10.Store files offsite/online An office full of unordered files piled together all over the place makes it look stressful and cramped. Choose to share to-do lists and post-it notes as a spreadsheet and store files on a cloud-based system.
A two-story building in Brinkburn Street Byker in Newcastle, which has stood empty for almost two years, is to be converted into a new homes development. The building was used as a central design hub by architect Ralph Erskine and his team to coordinate the transformation of the Grade-II listed Byker Wall Estate, which is the reason why the development will be named ‘Ralph Erskine House’. The building will be converted into four two-bedroom apartments by the Byker Community Trust (BCT) housing association, which owns and manages over 1,800 homes on the Estate. BCT, which acquired the building from Newcastle City Council, is investing £393,300 in the housing scheme, expected to be completed by November 2018. An Empty Homes Grant of £120k was also awarded by Homes England to support the initiative. As part of the conversion, BCT is searching for a local artist to take the lead on recreating a mural of Erskine’s visual signature – a hot air balloon – on one of the outside walls of the building. “Walking around Byker you realise that Erskine’s vision was to create something of social worth. He was revolutionary in his time, by basing himself on the Estate to consult with people face to face and ensuring that they were at the heart of his design plans,” said Jill Haley, Chief Executive at Byker Community Trust. “Continuing in the spirit of community involvement, we wish to invite local artists to be a part of an exciting project. We are looking to recreate Erskine’s iconic hot air balloon visual signature on the side of his old office, as a tribute to him. It will be a great opportunity for a local person to make a lasting impression, a gesture that I’m confident Ralph Erskine would have liked,” Jill added. Originally built as a funeral parlour in the 1900s, the building was converted into an office in 1969 to facilitate redevelopment of the Byker Estate. The office acted as main focal point between Newcastle City Council, the Byker community and Erskine’s design team.
Washroom Washroom, the innovative washroom designer, manufacturer and installer, has expanded its product range, offering concrete vanities as part of Arpeggio vanity units, which also includes solid surface Corian, granite, zodiaq and glass. As the ideal solution for those seeking to create on-trend industrial-inspired washrooms, concrete is hard-wearing, easy to maintain and can create a stylish high specification design, which is the reason this material is becoming more popular for varying applications. Washroom Washroom has recently refurbished an office, manufacturing bespoke vanity units with cast polished concrete tops manufactured by MASS Concrete to create a contemporary washroom space. “Keeping a close eye on current and future trends and product developments is something we pride ourselves on so we’re always on the look-out for the new materials and finish options to offer,” said Trevor Bowers, director at Washroom Washroom. “We’re excited to extend our standard range, but that’s by no means the end of the story as our design team are always happy to discuss your specific requirements for bespoke projects in order to deliver the unique finish you expect from a Washroom Washroom project,” he continued. Washroom has also created a brand-new product option to add to its integrated glass Concerto duct panelling range,meaning that the manufacturer can now supply glass duct panels complete with unique metal mesh inserts for a truly unique finish. These panels can be seen at the new Saneux showroom in Clerkenwell. Established in 2001, Washroom has grown to become one of the leading providers of high specification commercial washroom, toilet and shower cubicles, vanities, lockers and benching together with a bespoke joinery service for sectors including commercial, health leisure, education and the public sector. The company has successfully built on its philosophy to design, manufacture and install high quality and innovative washrooms, leisure and changing facilities on time and to budget for projects as diverse as the Shard, one of London’s most iconic landmarks to the Aldar HQ, the first circular building in the Middle East.
Most hotels want their guests to spend time in them; however, for millennial travellers, the priority is to get out and experience the city. Assembly is a new hotel brand from Criterion Capital, designed to inspire people to make the most out of their trip. Branding agency Ragged Edge partnered with Criterion to define a proposition aimed at young urban travellers, and bring it to life across every touchpoint, from identity right through to the customer experience. The first Assembly hotel opened last month on Charing Cross Road. A single-minded focus In today’s ultra-competitive hotel market, affordable hotel chains must achieve 97% occupancy to succeed. This drives many of them to try to be all things to all people. Criterion saw the market differently, aiming to deliver a compelling offer for a specific audience of experience-hungry travellers with distinctive wants and needs. Out went mini bars, towelling robes and tvs, in favour of the things that really matter – best in class beds, showers, sound-proofing and wi-fi and most importantly, a unmatched location to go and explore the city. Get up and go “Young travellers don’t come to the West End to hang out in a hotel room,” said Max Ottignon, Ragged Edge Co-founder. “So we set out to fuel their sense of adventure. The brand idea – Get Up and Go – reflects Assembly’s disruptive approach, and informed every element of the offer, from identity through to customer service.” An adventurous identity founded on a bespoke typeface The identity was designed as the antidote to the inoffensively bland aesthetic favoured by other millennial-focused hotel brands.It was built around ‘Assembled’, a bespoke typeface designed to reflect the diverse range of experiences on the hotel’s doorstep. The eye-catching letterforms are used playfully throughout the customer experience, scattered across layouts in a visual representation of the brand idea. Bringing the brand to life The agency delivered a full range of assets, from room art, purchased from locals in the area, right through to disruptive takes on the expected suite of hotel collateral. They also designed and wrote a website that aims to capture the energy of the hotel experience, far away from templated feel adopted by much of the category. Built to scale “We’ve created a powerful proposition designed to meet the distinct needs of young, urban travellers. That single-minded focus has allowed us to create a brand that combines an incredible location, affordability and comfort, without compromising on character or excitement. Assembly has already been a resounding success in London, paving the way for planned new sites in some of Europe’s most vibrant cities,” said Asif Aziz, Criterion Capital.
JLL’s H1 2018 UK Big Box Industrial & Logistics research has been published, revealing that over 12 million square feet of logistics properties were let in the first half of 2018. Logistics companies were the most active source of take-up in H1 2018, at 38% of the total whilst the growth of online retail has continued to generate new demand for warehousing with retailers accounting for 34% of demand. Moreover, Grade A availability increased over the first six months of 2018 to 20.2 million sq ft, following a pick-up in both new and good quality second hand supply. Nationally, the vacancy rate rose from 6% at the end of 2017 to 7% at mid-2018. Distribution rents are also forecast to grow by 3.4% this year throughout the UK. “Take up in the occupational market was exceptionally strong in the first six months of this year, indeed it was one of the strongest half yearly levels on record and 27% higher than the five-year half yearly average, H2 2013 – H1 2018 (9.7 million sq ft). The sharp rise is partly attributable to a number of large transactions, that had initially been expected to complete last year, rolling over into 2018. Of the 12.3 million sq ft taken up in H1 2018, around 9 million sq ft comprised new units, with the remaining 3.2 million sq ft consisting of good quality second hand space,” said Richard Evans, director Industrial & Logistics. Regionally, the research revealed that the East Midlands accounted for the largest share of take-up of new floorspace in H1 2018 at 45% of the total. This was followed by the Greater South East (South East, East and London) which took a 16% share and the West Midlands, which accounted for 15% of total demand. “Despite the likelihood of slow economic growth this year and continued uncertainty over Brexit, we remain positive about the logistics market in 2018. With over 4 million sq ft of logistics space currently either under offer or expected to complete in the short-term we expect a robust level of take-up this year, potentially around the 20 million sq ft mark which would be above the five-year annual average,” said Jon Sleeman, director Industrial & Logistics research. “With more speculative development taking place nationally we also expect to see a change in the take-up of new space with speculative product eating into the dominant built to suit (BTS) share. Based on our monitoring of the supply pipeline, we expect speculative development to continue to rise, including larger units,” Jon concluded.
The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey found that the total carriageway maintenance expenditure across England and Wales in 2017-2018 was around £1.93 billion — an increase on the previous year’s £1.66 billion. The rising cost of highway repair and maintenance could be reduced by local authorities with the employment of simple preventative solutions. The survey, published by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, also highlighted a gap of £3.3 million between the funds that local authority highways teams in England and Wales received in the last 12 months and the amount needed to keep the carriageway in ‘reasonable order’. One in five of local roads in the UK is now deemed to be structurally poor, meaning it has less than five years of life remaining. “Anything that represents a more permanent repair — rather than patching — is a good thing: the taxpayer benefits, the local authority can spend money on more road maintenance or infrastructure projects, motorists face fewer repairs to their cars, and the total economic impact is ultimately reduced,” said Jochen Bromen, Application Technology Manager, Asphalt Systems, at pavement reinforcement specialist Tensar. Following a winter of severe weather conditions, the Local Government Association claims that funding “will provide just over 1% of what is needed to tackle our current £9.3 billion local roads repair backlog”. With these results, it becomes clearer and clearer that innovative approaches are increasingly needed to further safeguard the UK’s highways. “The technology combines the reinforcing function of a grid with the stress-relief and interlayer barrier function of a paving fabric,” Bromen explained. “This type of maintenance solution is simple and economical and can extend the operating life of a road, reducing whole-life costs.” Moreover, the survey also found a huge disparity between recommended frequency of road resurfacing work and the current reality. It is advised that resurfacing should occur every 10 to 20 years. However, the reporting of such activity has plummeted to once every 92 years in England. “By taking a whole-life approach to road maintenance and investing in the correct technology to extend their lifespan, local authorities will realise huge long-term savings,” concluded Bromen.
A new Specification Sales Executive has been appointed by tile distributor Ceramique Internationale for the Northern region. Michelle Foreman joins the senior sales team with a specific remit to work with housebuilders and developers across the region. She will be responsible for building Ceramique Internationale’s sales, nurturing the company’s existing accounts and furthering relationships in the housebuilding sector. Originally from Leeds and currently living in Bradford, Michelle joins the Ceramique Internationale team from PID systems where she dealt exclusively with housebuilders across the North on their onsite security systems. She is an experienced professional with over 20 years of experience in sales, having had established a successful history of new business wins and consistently maintains fantastic customer retention levels. Although new to the tile industry, Michelle has spent time at leading European tile shows Cevisama in Valencia and Cersaie in Bologna, where she has established strong connections with leading figures in the industry. “We are delighted to welcome Michelle to our team. With her extensive sales experience and outstanding customer network we believe that she represents a perfect fit for the company, enabling us to continue our growth and ensure our products reach an even wider audience,” said Director of Ceramique Internationale, Cameron Fraser. Ceramique Internationale employs 18 people, six of whom have been with the company for more than 20 years. The Leeds warehouse holds 100,000 square metres of tiles in stock at any one time, comprising hundreds of styles of floor and wall tiles, mosaics and associated products. The company started as a tile fixing company in Bradford in 1974 as part of the Ibmac Group, owned by Robert J Ibbitson, who quickly recognised greater profitability in importing and selling tiles and so joined forces with two factories in France. The company grew quickly, opening showrooms in Bradford and on the affluent Kings Road in London, plus an export office in Singapore and architectural office in Northern Ireland.
Kennington Tube station has seen the installation of Off Grid Energy’s largest and most powerful temporary power hybrid – the gridtogo™ – a battery that helps tackle air and noise pollution levels in construction. The installation is part of the Northern Line Extension plans, which will extend the London Underground (LU) network from Kennington to Battersea Power Station via Nine Elms. “Our hybrid power system delivers a cost saving, cleaner solution that also significantly reduces noise pollution in a sensitive residential area and is the biggest hybrid system for temporary power we have supplied,” said Danny Jones, CEO at Off Grid Energy. The gridtogo™ battery storage solution has a power output of 195kVA, which reduces generator running hours, which consequently results in an improvement in fuel efficiency and a substantial reduction in polluting emissions, CO2 and noise pollution. Its storage capacity of 350kwhrs also sets the bar for energy storage technology in temporary power. “With a power output of 195kVA and storage capacity of 350kWhrs it is conceivably the most powerful temporary power hybrid unit in the UK with the largest battery storage capacity in the UK for temporary power. The added flexibility that comes from dual power supply and improved power quality means that the solution delivers a multi-layer win: lower cost, cleaner air, less CO2, elimination of noise and greater power supply resilience,” said Danny. When the battery located inside the unit is charged and the demand for power is low, the generator can automatically turn off and the energy stored in the battery is used to supply the load. The features of the gridtogo™ help considerably cut running costs, CO2, noise pollution, and air quality levels while simultaneously reducing carbon footprint. Due to the residential location of the station, the contract required a silent solution in order to continue construction work during unsociable hours. By implementing the Off Grid Energy silent high power gridtogo™ system along with a modern super silent generator it allowed full power demand to be met 24/7, reducing the need to run the generator, enabling construction work to continue.
The £56 billion UK construction products manufacturing industry has started its catch-up activity lost during the first three months of the year due to adverse weather conditions, show the Construction Products Associaton’s (CPA) State of Trade Survey for 2018 Q2. “These results fit the profile of construction catch-up from a weather-affected Q1. As we’ve moved from a freezing Spring to a hot Summer, groundworks and work on external structures has been able to resume, and this has been reflected in increased sales for heavy side manufacturers,” said Rebecca Larkin, CPA senior economist. Acting as an early indicator of wider activity in the supply chain, construction product sales are very important and the results of the survey signpost to a rise in total construction output levels over the next 12 months. An increase in activity was also reported by heavy side manufacturers, with sales in Q2 rising for 40% of firms, following two previous quarters of falling sales. A decrease of 29% was reported by the light side manufacturers, which was the weakest performance since 2012 Q3. This reflects the lagged impact of the industry’s decline in Q1, as light side products such as insulation, boilers, glass and lighting tend to be used at the end of the building process. “The disruption in Q1 is likely to have delayed interiors and finishing works starting on site, which is evident in the decline in light side sales during Q2,” said Rebecca. “Manufacturers’ product sales, capacity utilisation and new hiring are all still expected to increase over the next year, but price pressure is coming from all directions across fuel, energy, raw materials and labour, which is likely to be felt throughout the construction supply chain.” A return to growth is anticipated by manufacturers, with 43% of heavy side firms and 27% of those on the light side expecting an increase in sales over the next 12 months. Input cost inflation continues to persist, however, particularly for the energy-intensive heavy side, which is experiencing the pass-through of rising global commodity prices on fuel and energy costs.
The University of Southampton and dormakaba, the access and security solutions manufacturer, have agreed on a new three year service contract, which will see the company provide its 5 Star service programme to access systems throughout the campus. Having the contract under one provider, as well as having valuable technical expertise, will massively benefit the University. The University of Southampton has been looking into combining all access solutions, new installations and service maintenance programmes with one company for a while. Due to dormakaba’s quality access solutions and deep knowledge of the site, the University trusted its ability to provide an excellent service by warranting a three year contract. Dormakaba understands the importance of systems and access solutions working efficiently, safely and remaining compliant with building regulations, which is why they provide a bespoke, web-based integrated management system that delivers less breakdowns, extended operation life, low rate of repairs and increased security and safety. Its contracts are also tailored to suit the specific requirement of the business, including how frequently the buildings are used and plans for future modernisation. The 5 Star contract includes a full year’s servicing for one price, planned preventative maintenance (PPM), call-outs within working hours and all labour and parts free of charge for necessary replacements. The maintenance of all the access systems covering Southampton University’s campus is conducted by dormakaba’s accredited and fully trained engineers 24/7. Moreover, the contract includes the servicing of both dormakaba and non-dormakaba equipment, allowing all access needs to be met by one sole supplier.This is a crucial benefit for the university as its complex campus is spread across the city. Facilities management are able to save time, foresee complications and manage expenses easily by dealing with one single supplier who is familiar with the site requirements. The company has had a working relationship with the University for over a decade, having a detailed knowledge of the campus and its specific needs. Nick Hopkins, Project Sales at dormakaba, said they were “really proud” of its relationship with the University of Southampton and given this new service contract is the first to be renewed under dormakaba, it shows they are “able to offer the highest quality technical support and expertise.”