One of the big obstacles to the uptake of electric vehicles by the masses is the cost of batteries. They need to be big enough to store enough energy for hundreds of miles of driving between charges, yet light enough to not be a drain on the cars carrying them.
60 BALI members have now been informed they have won a BALI National Landscape Award, with some members successful in more than one category. This year’s Awards, in association with Horticulture Week and supported by headline sponsor Green-tech, sees 80 National Awards bestowed upon BALI members by the adjudication panel,
Northern Arc has been announced as the winner of the Hyperloop One Global Challenge. The proposal was led by both Ryder Architecture and Arup has been chosen as one of the ten winners in the global challenge. The teams had to compete against thousands of entries, submitted from around the
BAM Nuttall, the UK based supplier of civil engineering services, has opted to purchase twenty X-ECO lighting towers from the Cambridgeshire supplier, Trime (UK) Limited. In order to validate the sustainable features that the Trime X-ECO highlights and with sustainability at the heart of their operations, the company evaluated a
Delegates at SoilsCon 2017, which takes place in Henley-on-Thames on Wednesday, 18th October, will learn about the application of drone technology in site assessment, thanks to an additional presentation and demonstration organised by soil and landscape consultant Tim O’Hare for his annual soils conference. An already packed SoilsCon programme, with
As the Industrial workplace changes, the health and safety demand in the workplace will be changing with it. McCue, the industrial safety experts have been using their range of protection products in facilities around the world. The company has been working to deliver their customers the highest possible service with
AECOM, the fully integrated infrastructure asset provider, used often by governments, businesses and organisations across more than 150 countries. The company has announced that they are proud to be the headline sponsor for the first all-female team to attempt to cross the Antarctic. The launch of the team was carried
A £2.7 million improvement project carried out by APB South Wales has been completed. The work has been carried out the upgrade Green Park Weir on the River Afan, located in Port Talbot. The site was officially reopened by Aberavon AM David Rees on the 14th September. Green Park Weir
Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh was joined by all of the leaders of all of the main parties in the Scottish Parliament in order to support the annual Scottish Housing Day. This event is scheduled to take place on Thursday the 21st September. The Presiding officer was joined by the First
The Leeds-based Contractor Jet Aire Services has announced that they have recently appointed John Richmond as their new Business Development Manager. John has worked in this role at other companies in the past and has been the Business Development Manager at Sapphire Utility Solutions, based in Preston. John will no
One of the big obstacles to the uptake of electric vehicles by the masses is the cost of batteries. They need to be big enough to store enough energy for hundreds of miles of driving between charges, yet light enough to not be a drain on the cars carrying them. “For an electric car, the cost of a battery is crudely the same as the cost of the rest. That is quite the wrong proportion for it to take off. So people are desperate to find ways to supply cheaper batteries,” says Chris Wright, chairman of Faradion, the technology company researching low-cost energy storage solutions. In an interview with the Guardian, Wright explains that the motor industry needs to find a way to produce batteries that doesn’t rely on lithium, the base element of rechargeable batteries. His company’s answer is sodium – far cheaper to source and with similar energy-storing properties. It means electric vehicles could soon be a more viable option for many, including commuters and drivers who have just passed their test who are looking for an easy-to-use and affordable vehicle to put their skills to use with. “We set out to make sodium materials that worked in a simple electrochemical [battery] cell that behaved as well as if not better than some of the lithium systems,” Wright says in the interview. “We were able to produce material which outperformed lithium-ion phosphate, which has until recently been the workhorse in automotive batteries.” Although the sale of electric vehicles has risen sharply over the last year, traditionally-aspirated vehicle sales still far outweigh them. But as the cost of producing electric vehicles’ power plant drops, those savings will be passed onto the marketplace. Range anxiety – the fear of running out of power and being stranded in the middle of nowhere – is receding. Now motorists are realising how much cheaper it could be to run an electric vehicle, not to mention how much greener it is. Charging a car for a 250-mile journey could cost as little as £5. Bjӧrn Nykvist and Måns Nilsson, Swedish scientists at the Stockholm Environment Institute, predict a ‘potential paradigm shit in vehicle technology’ if the price of powering electric vehicles continues to fall at the same rate. A report on TechnologyReview.com highlights that the pair’s analysis suggests that battery pack prices are falling by about 8 per cent every year. That decline in cost could be accelerated if large-scale electric vehicle manufacturers such as Toyota, Tesla and Nissan follow through with their plans to ramp up battery pack production in the near future. In the same article, Luis Munuera, an International Energy Agency analyst, advised a note of caution with Nykvist and Nilsson’s research. The cost reductions predicted should be ‘taken with care’ he wrote in an email to TechnologyReview.com. This is because battery costs from different sources may not be directly comparable, and it is unclear exactly how far into the future such price predicting is accurate to. But he does admit: “We have seen events moving quicker than expected in lithium-ion battery technology.” Source link
60 BALI members have now been informed they have won a BALI National Landscape Award, with some members successful in more than one category. This year’s Awards, in association with Horticulture Week and supported by headline sponsor Green-tech, sees 80 National Awards bestowed upon BALI members by the adjudication panel, which is chaired by landscape consultant and former senior lecturer in landscape studies at Writtle College, Greg Allen. Following a summer of visiting every entry, Greg and his team of six judges – John Melmoe, Richard Barnard, Jason Lock, Robin Templar Williams, Steve Roberts and Andrew Legg – met at BALI Landscape House in late August for the adjudication process that selects the award-winning schemes. Deliberations over the 115 entries took three days, at the end of which the list of winners was confirmed. Reflecting on this year’s process, Greg said: “As BALI Awards judges we all see this task as a privilege, even when the heavens open and we are faced with challenging weather, as we experienced quite frequently this year. We are rarely disappointed by the standard of workmanship, horticultural knowledge and design expertise we are asked to judge – the hardest task is in sticking to our stringent criteria, which demands we only reward real excellence across the board, with no quarter given when an error, however insignificant, compromises the overall scheme. We are not here to reward achievement of the standards we expect of a BALI member, rather to recognise when members have really excelled and their work represents outstanding delivery. We have been delighted to judge this year’s entries and I congratulate every winner, who can be enormously proud of their achievements.” BALI’s Chief Executive Wayne Grills is an observer during the final adjudication and knows only too well the work and time each of the judges puts in to ensure the entries are given their full commitment and consideration: “I would like to express my very sincere thanks and the thanks of the entire BALI membership for the dedication the adjudication panel shows to this important task. The esteem that the wider industry has for the reputation and expertise of each judge ensures that the BALI National Landscape Awards remain the most sought after and respected awards in the landscape industry. I am privileged to witness the panel at work during the adjudication process and I can assure every award winner that they have every right to be extremely proud of their achievements. Congratulations to them all and I wish them well at the Awards Ceremony on 1st December when they will find out whether they have won a Principal, Special or the Grand Award.” This year’s Awards Ceremony, to be held at the Grosvenor House on 1 December, will be hosted by BBC journalist and Breakfast business presenter Steph McGovern. The following BALI members are 2017 BALI National Landscape Award Winners: 2017 BALI National Landscape Awards National Award Winners The 2017 National Award winners are: Domestic Garden Construction – cost between £30k – £60k – sponsored by Hedges Direct City Gardens for Private Residence in Exeter Cube 1994 for Our Space Spruce Landscapes for The Eco Garden Domestic Garden Construction – cost between £60k – £100k – sponsored by Johnsons of Whixley The Landscape and Garden Company for Private Residence in Enfield Bowles & Wyer for A Regent’s Park Garden Designscape for Private Residence in Staffordshire Skidmores of Hertford for Private Residence in Kings Langley PWP Landscape Design for Contemporary Garden Graduate Gardeners for Private Residence in Hatherop Domestic Garden Construction – cost between £100k – £250k – sponsored by Makita UK Windsor & Harris Landscapes for Private Residence in Shepperton Graduate Gardeners for Private Residence in Chedworth Cube 1994 for Light on Water Creative Landscape Company for A Riverside Garden PWP Landscape Design for Urban Courtyard Bowles & Wyer for Private Residence in London Domestic Garden Construction – cost over £250k – sponsored by Europlants UK Outdoor Options for Private Residence in Cobham Baikie Landscape Construction for Private Residence in Goring-on-Thames Outdoor Creations for Private Residence in Betchworth Outdoor Options for Private Residence in Richmond PC Landscapes for Arle House Domestic Garden Construction – Soft Landscaping – Unlimited Cost NT Killingley for Private Residence in North Yorkshire Soft Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) Cost under £300k Elmtree Garden Contractors for Bath Western Riverside Podium Garden Bowles & Wyer for St Peter’s College, Perenco, Phase 1 In-Ex Landscapes for Woodberry Down, Block 1 Soft Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) Cost between £300k-£1.5m – sponsored by Todds Nursery Grace Landscapes for Glasgow Fort MSCP and Retail Units In-Ex Landscapes for Providence Tower Kingston Landscape Group for Dickens Yard Hard Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) Cost under £300k sponsored by Vander Moortel NV In-Ex Landscapes for Woodberry Down, Block 1 Hard Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) Cost between £300k – £1.5m – sponsored by Quinton Edwards Endrick Landscapes for Horatio’s Garden, Scotland Total Protection T/A Total Protection Landscaping for Dollar Bay Blakedown Landscapes (SE) for St Mary’s Churchyard idverde UK for Gateway, University of Salford NT Killingley for Fielding Johnson Square Hard Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) Cost over £1.5 million – sponsored by NatraTex by BituChem Elite Landscapes for Chelsea Creek Blakedown Landscapes (SE) for Shadwell Estate Improvements Maylim for One Tower Bridge Maylim for Paddington Central, Phase 2 Community and Schools Development – sponsored by Brett Landscaping Northumbrian Landscaping for A Homecoming Prayer Elmtree Garden Contractors for Happy Dayz Pre-School Scandor Landscape Contractors for Porchester Community School Baylis Landscapes for Dulwich Prep School, Early Years Playground Development Garden Club London for Merchant Square Floating Pocket Park Glendale for Monmouth Road Open Space Regeneration Scheme over £500k Talbot Farm Landscapes for Hyde Park Parade Ground Reinstatement Works idverde UK for Houghton Hall Park In-Ex Landscapes for London City Island Grounds Maintenance – Free Public Access – sponsored by Harrowden Turf Ground Control for Royal Museums, Greenwich idverde UK for Manor Gardens Turfsoil for Greenwich Park Grounds Maintenance – Limited Public Access – sponsored by Reesink Turfcare Ground Control for HM Tower of
Northern Arc has been announced as the winner of the Hyperloop One Global Challenge. The proposal was led by both Ryder Architecture and Arup has been chosen as one of the ten winners in the global challenge. The teams had to compete against thousands of entries, submitted from around the world. The Hyperloop One Global was an ideas competition that looked for a range of innovative opportunities where practical application of the evolving Hyperloop technology could be explored. The Northern Arc’s idea was an economic opportunity to widen the concept of the Northern Powerhouse in order to include the Scottish Central Belt, and in doing so, linking a wide range of major cities located across the North of England. Hyperloop is an innovative technology that will allow passengers to travel between all cities in a little over 45 minutes, according to The Northern Arc’s ideas. This could lead to the creation of a Pan-Northern City region, with a population in excess of 10 million people and the ability to compete on the world economic stage. Hyperloop, when teamed with other improvements to the transport network that are currently underway could keep future generations moving. The Northern Arc team is committed to be at the front of the innovation as other similar technologies to Hyperloop are developed. One of the partners at Ryder, Paul Bell has expressed the team’s excitement to be a part of the proposal and collaborating with Hyperloop. Hyperloop One is at the moment working in Nevada on a proof of concept work. The developments being made with this technology are taking place at a significant rate and the technology could offer a new transport innovation. the north of the UK was pivotal with providing railway technology to for the world, and The Northern Arc are committed to making sure that the north is at the forefront of the next transport innovation.
BAM Nuttall, the UK based supplier of civil engineering services, has opted to purchase twenty X-ECO lighting towers from the Cambridgeshire supplier, Trime (UK) Limited. In order to validate the sustainable features that the Trime X-ECO highlights and with sustainability at the heart of their operations, the company evaluated a demonstration unit during a series of extensive field trials over a six week period. Following the conclusion of this trial period, BAM Nuttall’s plant manager, Andy Haythorne said, “We were extremely impressed with the ease of operation of the X-ECO, Trime have succeeded in combining an evident reliable and robust machine with sustainable features and fuel saving capabilities.” “This is our first venture into LED lighting for our sites and we needed a set that helps to maintain our strong commitment to becoming a more sustainable and responsible business, in keeping with our Beyond Zero programme,” added Andy. With storage and delivery facilities at capacity during peak operations, the compact size and relatively low weight of the X-ECO will bring immediate benefits to BAM Nuttall logistics operations. Up to thirteen X-ECO sets can be loaded on one single truck which, potentially, means an increase in their transport vehicle fleet utilisation Trime engineers have calculated that the X-ECO uses approximately £336.00 less in fuel each month when compared to many lighting sets currently available. These savings equate to a reduction in C02 output by around 888kg per month. The Trime manufacturing plant is based in Cassinetta di Lugagnano, near Milan and Trime UK Limited is headquartered in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. In 2016, BAM Group UK (legal entity comprising of BAM Nuttall and BAM Construct UK) were awarded the CEMARS gold standard for achieving significant carbon savings year-on-year over a six-year period by following a systematic carbon reduction programme that have resulted in a reduction in emissions of 17.72% when compared with baseline data. CEMARS is the Carbon Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme and refers to ISO14064-1:2006. This achievement has been accomplished by the implementation of several energy saving initiatives across both organisations. The sourcing of more efficient plant and equipment is also a key part of the BAM Sustainability Strategy as we work towards challenging 2020 targets for carbon reduction.
Delegates at SoilsCon 2017, which takes place in Henley-on-Thames on Wednesday, 18th October, will learn about the application of drone technology in site assessment, thanks to an additional presentation and demonstration organised by soil and landscape consultant Tim O’Hare for his annual soils conference. An already packed SoilsCon programme, with speakers including Phil Askew, Carolyn Willitts, Tim and other leading industry experts, will now benefit from an additional presentation by Peter Wilder, who specialises in the integration of surface water management into urban and residential masterplans. Peter’s interest in terrain modelling and hydrology led him to establish his expertise in drone survey in 2015. With the ability to map, model and design the landscape, he has established himself as one of the leading land planners in the UK. An associate and consultant to BRE and a visiting lecturer on SuDS and landscape technology at the University of Greenwich, Peter will speak at SoilsCon 2017 about the integration of drone technology into land planning, and the many applications for which this equipment can be used; weather permitting he will also conduct a demonstration of one of his drones during the conference lunch break. This year’s SoilsCon will be the third soils conference to be organised by Tim O’Hare, and it promises landscape architects, contractors, garden designers, developers, topsoil manufacturers and other industry professionals a day of invaluable professional development, discussion and debate. For the first time a Soil Surgery will be run during the conference by members of the Tim O’Hare Associates team to help delegates with their specific soil issues. Go to www.toha.co.uk to book online
As the Industrial workplace changes, the health and safety demand in the workplace will be changing with it. McCue, the industrial safety experts have been using their range of protection products in facilities around the world. The company has been working to deliver their customers the highest possible service with protection products for decades. McCue has been selected to create walkway protections for a high profile customer. The Research and Development team at McCue have developed a new solution for the client that will protect walkways from potential danger of protruding ground level forklift truck forks. The result is a Polyethylene pedestrian barrier that is now becoming a vital part of the intelligent health and safety procedures being used in a number of different facilities. The barriers are low maintenance and easy to use to organise a facility and segregate pedestrians from the moving vehicles. The research and development team also offered a solution for if the forklift forks protrude under the barriers and onto the walkways by delivering an ultra-strong and multifunctional FlexCore Guard Rail. The reinforced ground level rail is fitted with hidden hardware and offers an extra strong level of protection and the ability to deflect any intrusive forks in order to make sure that pedestrians are kept safe. It is great to see the company listening to their customers in order to manufacture safety solutions that are needed and effective. The FlexCore Guard Rail has been manufactured with a wide range of applications and can be combined with a range of McCue’s products in order to offer their customers an extensive safety solution across their entire facility. The new safety products that have been created by McCue will be showcased at the Health & Safety North Trade show between the 10th and the 11th October and at Manufacturing Management on the 22nd and 23rd of November.
AECOM, the fully integrated infrastructure asset provider, used often by governments, businesses and organisations across more than 150 countries. The company has announced that they are proud to be the headline sponsor for the first all-female team to attempt to cross the Antarctic. The launch of the team was carried out by HRH The Countess of Wessex. No team of women, from any nation has managed to complete this grueling challenge. The official launch was held at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Camberley, with the expeditions set to take place in October. The ICE MAIDEN challenge will see the team of six women from the Regular Army and Army Reserve attempt to cross Antarctica via the South Pole. During this expedition, the women will ski a total of 1,700 KMS, which is the equivalent of travelling from London to Gibraltar. The team will be using only muscle power to pull sledges that will have all of their equipment and enough food for 30 days at a time. The challenge is expected to take three months, and the Ice Maidens will have to fight 60 mph winds as well as temperatures that could drop as low as -40℃. The aim of this expedition is to be a source of inspiration for women and girls of all ages and abilities, to be more active. Six women were selected to take part in this Ice Maiden challenge, Major Nics Wetherill, Royal Army Medical Corps; Major Natalie Taylor, Royal Army Medical Corps; Major Sandy Hennis, Royal Signals; Lieutenant Jenni Stephenson, Royal Artillery; Lieutenant Zanna Baker, Royal Artillery; Lance Sergeant Sophie Montagne, Honourable Artillery Company. The two Army doctors are the leaders of the expedition, and the training for the challenge has allowed all of the women to gain new skills and be inspired to organise their own expeditions. A call for candidates was made, with the only condition being that the women were serving in the Army, Regular or Reserve. The applicants underwent training processes, where the final six were selected.
A £2.7 million improvement project carried out by APB South Wales has been completed. The work has been carried out the upgrade Green Park Weir on the River Afan, located in Port Talbot. The site was officially reopened by Aberavon AM David Rees on the 14th September. Green Park Weir was in need of the major renovation work in order to rebuild the Weir as it has been deteriorating year on year since the 1890’s. The improvement project has taken place as a result of a collaboration between members of the River Afan Water Management Group, who have been working together for a number of years in order to deliver more sustainable natural resource management at the site. The group working on the natural resource management has brought together a number of key stakeholders. The River Afan Water Management Group consists of Associated British Ports, Natural Resources Wales, Tata Steel, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and the Afan Valley Angling Club. The renovation work will see that they security of the river as well as the long term ability to supply the steelworks is assured going forward. Green Park Weir has been a complicated renovation project because the whole of the Weir needed to be refurbished while also working within the river itself. The River is known to be very important for the local environment as well as being a vital component of the local industry. It is great that the River Afan Water Management Group managed to complete the upgrading project in such a way that benefitted all of the stakeholders that use the river as well as the making sure that the river is around for many more years to come. The design of the newly refurbished Green Park Weir is attractive and a tribute to all of the hard work and dedication of those involved to complete such a complex project to the highest standard. The refurbishment of the River is also a milestone for the Afan Valley Angling Club, and their recovery. The club is grateful to all of those who worked on the project, from inception to completion.
Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh was joined by all of the leaders of all of the main parties in the Scottish Parliament in order to support the annual Scottish Housing Day. This event is scheduled to take place on Thursday the 21st September. The Presiding officer was joined by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as well as Ruth Davidson, the Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Willie Rennie the Leader of the Scottish Lib Dems, The Scottish Greens Co-Convener Patrick Harvie and the Scottish Labour Shadow Community Minister Pauline McNeill. The first Scottish Housing Day was held in September 2016, and this year the aim is to give the public easier access to the resources needed to make properly informed decisions about their housing. A large number of housing associations have signed up to host events on the 21st September in order to raise more awareness about the different housing options available as well as the hard work that is put in by those working in the housing sector. A key theme of this year’s Scottish Housing Day will to look at the challenges and aspirations faced by younger people when it comes to accessing housing. This will look at a wide variety of products such as mid-market rent, help to buy and housing supply. The Day will also put time aside to look at the challenges that are faced by parents who have grown up children living at home. There will be a range of other areas also looked at as a part of the event including older people looking to live longer in the right kind of home and the positive impact that legislative reform and the improvement of standards has had on the private rented sector. Scottish Housing Day 2017 will be led by a range of different housing sectors including the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland, who have formed a partnership with a number of different organisations from the housing sector in order to support the event.
The Leeds-based Contractor Jet Aire Services has announced that they have recently appointed John Richmond as their new Business Development Manager. John has worked in this role at other companies in the past and has been the Business Development Manager at Sapphire Utility Solutions, based in Preston. John will no doubt be an asset to Jet Aire Solutions and has an exemplary track record for boosting substantial revenue growth for companies operating in the drainage and utilities sectors. John has developed a wealth of experience within the industry, including three years working as a Business Development Manager at the Glasgow based company, Euro Environmental Solutions and three years working for Lanes for Drains. John has joined Jet Aire sales team with a view to further improving the company’s presence in the industrial and domestic markets. Jet Aire has been in operation in the UK for more than 30 years offering their customers a variety of professional drainage solutions. Over the years, the company has expanded and also has locations in Aberforth and Middlesborough. The industry accredited company has also been investing into fleet technology in more recent years. These investments made by Jet Aire Services includes their first recycler, which has allowed the company to offer an unrivalled level of service capability in their region of the UK. The company has also expanded their service and sales staff, with John Richmond’s appointment being the latest arrival. The experience that is on offer through the appointment of John will deliver Jet Aire Services the boost needed to drive growth across a number of key business sectors such as chemical, manufacturing, construction, environmental, highways and utilities. The appointment of John Richmond as the new Business Development Manager will offer John a great opportunity to gain more experience and further develop his career, and Jet Aire Services will gain expertise that will help with business development and growth.