A new Ayr Academy secondary school, built by Keir Construction and delivered by construction and infrastructure-focused partnership hub South West on behalf of South Ayrshire Council, is set to open when the school summer holidays end later this month. Ayr Academy, whose origins can be traced back to 1233 but
City Facilities Management has secured its first contract in the health care sector. The privately-owned FM provider has commenced a three-year, hard FM contract with health care provider, Four Seasons Health Care, who offer a range of care for older people and are considered specialists in Dementia Care. Under the contract
Wates Smartspace (FM) has won a contract with The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) to maintain its prestigious London estate. The three-year deal which commenced on 1 August, will see Wates Smartspace deliver planned preventative maintenance services across 30 campus buildings, nine halls of residence and a
Bond Bryan Architects is delighted that its Sheffield Hallam University, Charles Street project has been shortlisted for the Brick Awards within the Education Building Award category. The prestigious awards ceremony, hosted at The Hilton, Park Lane, will take place 9 November 2017. The annual Brick Awards celebrates the use of clay
Construction of Istanbul’s 356m high Küçük Çamlıca TV Tower (KCTV), with facades devised by UK building engineering designers Newtecnic, has commenced. When the futuristic building is completed the £36m structure will be the city’s tallest replacing several unsightly existing broadcast towers. As part of its work, Newtecnic developed an innovative
Coo-Var has added a new formulation to its solar reflective aluminium paint range which now gives an even brighter sheen finish, creating considerably more dissipation of heat and reflection of sunlight. The solar reflective aluminium paint available in Coo-Var’s Specialist Paints range is a bituminous based aluminium paint that gives
ASW Property Services, a property services specialist covering Wales, the Midlands and the South West of England, has signed an agreement with Family Housing Association, a registered social landlord in Swansea, to maintain its 2,800 properties over the next four years. The deal creates job security for more than 100
21 October 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Sedentary behaviours, such as screen viewing, reading and general prolonged sitting can increase a person’s chance of getting type 2 diabetes and increased waist circumference, researchers have found. A study by academics at Western University in Canada, states that sitting typically in bouts
1 June 2016 | James Richards Medway Norse has expanded its contract to supply Medway Council with grounds maintenance services. According to a recent statement, Medway Norse now provides landscaping, horticulture, grass cutting, sports turf and vegetation management, tree assessments, monitoring and surgery – and fly tipping
The Health & Safety Executive risks pushing companies into bankruptcy by accusing firms of the committing the most serious offences when they have in reality committed lesser breaches, a leading lawyer has warned. Speaking on the eve of Safety and Health Expo at ExCel, London, Vikki Woodfine, Partner at law
A new Ayr Academy secondary school, built by Keir Construction and delivered by construction and infrastructure-focused partnership hub South West on behalf of South Ayrshire Council, is set to open when the school summer holidays end later this month. Ayr Academy, whose origins can be traced back to 1233 but did not come to be known by its present name until 1796, has moved to the Craigie Estate from its former location in the town’s Fort Street. The new Ayr Campus will cater for 1,000 school students, with the capacity for a further 300, and will create a modern and inclusive facility where students can learn in a sustainable and well-designed environment. The £25M project is a part of a £94m pipeline being delivered by the authority across South Ayrshire in the next 18 months with the aim of enhancing standards through targeted investment. During its construction the new Ayr Academy was used as a part of hub South West’s bespoke programme, ‘Your Future starts in Construction’, during which it collaborated with the Prince’s Trust and Ayrshire College to enable local youngsters to gain work experience on a live site and achieve a unique accreditation. Ayr Academy was the first project in Scotland to reach financial close post European System of Accounts (ESA 10) resolution in January 2016. Michael McBrearty, Chief Executive of hub South West, said: “Ayr Academy Campus is a wonderful state-of-the-art facility that I’m sure all students and teachers will enjoy. “It is the latest project we have delivered on behalf of South Ayrshire Council over the past twelve months andis great tribute to partnership working that we can now celebrate the finished result. The new campus will be a great asset.” Brian McQuade, Managing Director of Kier Construction’s Scotland and North-East England business said; “We are pleased to have delivered this leading, modern Academy with fantastic new sports facilities for students and the wider community to enjoy, building on our track record of delivering quality schools throughout Scotland. “Through hub South West, we have worked with local suppliers and SME’s to ensure that the project boosts the local economy of Ayr and the surrounding area, including training and employment opportunities. During the construction of Ayr Academy we have created 17 work placements, 16 apprenticeships and two graduated traineeships, giving local young people valuable experience of working in this thriving and rewarding industry.”
City Facilities Management has secured its first contract in the health care sector. The privately-owned FM provider has commenced a three-year, hard FM contract with health care provider, Four Seasons Health Care, who offer a range of care for older people and are considered specialists in Dementia Care. Under the contract terms, City are responsible for delivering a full range of electrical, mechanical, building, fabric, catering and laundry services across the entire Four Seasons estate, which includes over 260 care homes across the UK. Campbell Murdoch, Chief Operating Officer for City Facilities Management commented: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract by Four Seasons and very much look forward to working in partnership to deliver our comprehensive FM model over the next three years and beyond. “Not only will City’s integrated services provide a dedicated, 24/7 response to Four Seasons’ maintenance needs but it will provide a seamless approach to our delivery and ensure that residents continue to enjoy efficient and well maintained homes.” City’s agreement with Four Seasons includes a blend of national self-delivery and sub-contractors comprising of multi-skilled technicians across the UK and Northern Ireland.
Wates Smartspace (FM) has won a contract with The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) to maintain its prestigious London estate. The three-year deal which commenced on 1 August, will see Wates Smartspace deliver planned preventative maintenance services across 30 campus buildings, nine halls of residence and a 9.5 hectare sports ground spread across the City, from Aldwych to New Malden. The team are currently in the process of carrying out an asset and condition survey and transferring four engineers from the previous FM provider. The LSE is a globally renowned university and ranked the second in the world for social sciences. The British institution employs over 3,000 members of staff and educates around 9,500 full-time and 1,000 part-time students from over 140 countries, with an annual turnover of approximately £299 million. James Gregg, Managing Director of Wates Smartspace (FM), commented: “We are extremely proud to to be working in partnership with The London School of Economics and Political Science at such a critical and exciting chapter for the university, in the midst of a huge investment programme to create a better campus environment so that it can continue to attract some of the world’s leading minds.” The contract award follows a number of recent successes for the Wates Smartspace (FM) business with high profile, public interfacing clients including Twycross Zoo, ACCA and the Canadian High Commission in London.
Bond Bryan Architects is delighted that its Sheffield Hallam University, Charles Street project has been shortlisted for the Brick Awards within the Education Building Award category. The prestigious awards ceremony, hosted at The Hilton, Park Lane, will take place 9 November 2017. The annual Brick Awards celebrates the use of clay brick in every aspect of design and construction. Recognising the excellence of architects, developers, manufacturers and brickwork contractors, the Brick Awards has established a reputation as one of the industry’s most respected and well-attended events. Brickwork is a key component of the Charles Street project and its context; Bond Bryan approached the design and detailing of this element as an opportunity to engage with the immediate context whilst also reflecting the historical significance found within the detailing of the adjacent Grade II listed Butcher Works building. Charles Street, Sheffield Hallam University, shortlisted for Brick Awards All bricks for the project were provided and made bespoke by Forterra in the Wilnecote factory in Staffordshire and installed by Marlborough Brickwork Contractors. Working alongside the specialists, Bomd Bryan Architects utilised a pattern of projecting headers with single and double cant brickwork to create depth and to address scale and massing. The completed elevations provide a real sense of place within the city’s Cultural Industry Quarter (C.I.Q.) and ensure a distinct dialogue with the listed building.
Construction of Istanbul’s 356m high Küçük Çamlıca TV Tower (KCTV), with facades devised by UK building engineering designers Newtecnic, has commenced. When the futuristic building is completed the £36m structure will be the city’s tallest replacing several unsightly existing broadcast towers. As part of its work, Newtecnic developed an innovative facade concept that allows inhabitable spaces to be attached to the whole of the tower’s core. Newtecnic CEO Andrew Watts explained the significance of the design, “Because of the complexity and cost of building, towers of this height normally have accommodation only at the top. Using specially developed algorithms we devised a design that allows lightweight pre-fabricated glass reinforced concrete (GRC) panels to be attached all the way up the central column. These hang like a curtain and are securely clipped to the main central core to create large interior spaces”. The tower which will host 125 broadcasting transmitters is expected to attract 4.5 million annual visitors and become a new city landmark. The design which incorporates restaurants, exhibition and meeting spaces, two high level observation decks and a panoramic elevator was wind tunnel tested. This allowed Newtecnic to develop accurately sized facade components from the first stage studies. It also provided the data to optimise the envelope build-up and obtain an accurate understanding of the impact of the facade loads on the structural behaviour of the concrete structure. This was crucial to ensure integrity and long term reliability as the tower is sited on a hill and will, when complete, reach 580m above sea level. Newtecnic engineered the facade to more than double its life to 60 years. Andrew Watts Said, “The envelope system was designed to minimise installation time and uses an innovative method that integrates thin GRC rainscreen panels, stiffened by a steel frame. This is fixed directly to a backing wall that incorporates integrated glazed openings”. 3D printing was used to produce components for structural and assembly testing and Newtecnic’s Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis ensured that numerous design iterations could be quickly assessed and verified. Newtecnic’s engineering expertise is in high demand around the world and the company is currently working on several era-defining buildings for international clients. Andrew Watts concluded, “We are proud to see our work on dramatic and intriguing structures contributing prestige and value to UK export success.”
Coo-Var has added a new formulation to its solar reflective aluminium paint range which now gives an even brighter sheen finish, creating considerably more dissipation of heat and reflection of sunlight. The solar reflective aluminium paint available in Coo-Var’s Specialist Paints range is a bituminous based aluminium paint that gives a highly reflective metallic finish. It is designed to reflect and dissipate heat and sunlight on roofs resulting in a reduction of heat build-up. You can apply direct to roofs including flat roofs. Available in 5 litres and 25 litres, it is suitable for felt, asphalt, wood, brick & concrete. Ideal for large commercial contract work as well as for residential property. The new formulation helps to to decrease the need for air conditioning, fuel consumption, emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. About Coo-Var Coo-Var started manufacturing paints in 1908, initially supplying marine and industrial finishes to the industrial and shipbuilding markets. Since then the company has diversified into specialist and functional coatings; not only do they protect and decorate but also perform a specific function. For example our new Anti-condensation Paint, Antigraffiti coatings preventing permanent marking by graffiti: Anticlimb Paint, Antislip Paint, Antifouling Paint are all included in a large product range. Specific colours can be matched; specialist paints to meet a requirement can be make; Coo-Var supply problem solving products for walls, roofs and floors to enhance safety and security as well as the appearance.
ASW Property Services, a property services specialist covering Wales, the Midlands and the South West of England, has signed an agreement with Family Housing Association, a registered social landlord in Swansea, to maintain its 2,800 properties over the next four years. The deal creates job security for more than 100 staff employed by ASW, will enable the company to invest in apprenticeships and provides certainty and a quality service for the tenants of properties managed by Family Housing Association. The deal was signed this week by Anthony Thomas, managing director of ASW, and Karen Dusgate, chief executive of Family Housing Association, which develops and manages homes for thousands of people across South West Wales from Pembrokeshire in the west to Neath Port Talbot in the east. As a result of the agreement, tenants will be able to access a responsive, emergency hotline available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which they can call if they have problems in their homes. Emergencies will be attended within 2 hours by ASW. ASW will also be responsible for refurbishing void properties when tenants have moved out, making them available as quickly as possible to the next residents. Its target in terms of turnaround time is just ten days – significantly faster than the industry average. The agreement also means that ASW can invest in training a new generation of apprentices. ASW’s Thomas estimates that in the duration of the four-year deal, up to 16 apprentices will work on properties owned by Family Housing Association. He stresses that such schemes are critical when it comes to being able to invest in training a new generation of workers. ASW will also engage with the local communities providing work experience placements and supporting local community projects. Anthony Thomas said: “Agreements such as this are important to both organisations for several reasons. It gives the tenants of Family Housing Association a reliable and high quality service they can call on at any time and know they will receive good service. “For us, it allows us to plan over the next four years in terms of our workforce and training. We will be able to invest in training apprentices while offering job security to our existing staff. On top of that, all our staff live locally and therefore also spend their wages locally, keeping wealth in the area and boosting the local economy in a way that does not happen if larger companies from further afield are awarded such work.” Karen Dusgate, Chief Executive at Family Housing Association, said: “We went through a very comprehensive tender process, working closely with our tenants at all stages and are delighted to have appointed ASW Property Services to provide our day to day repairs service and empty homes repairs management. “We look forward to building on our strong existing relationship with ASW to deliver a repairs service that makes a positive difference to the lives of our tenants and the communities they live in.”
21 October 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Sedentary behaviours, such as screen viewing, reading and general prolonged sitting can increase a person’s chance of getting type 2 diabetes and increased waist circumference, researchers have found. A study by academics at Western University in Canada, states that sitting typically in bouts of 20 minutes or more can also increase risk of all-cause mortality. It suggests that increasing the length and frequency of breaks from sitting and increasing the time spent standing and engaged in light and moderate physical activity are ways to decrease sedentary behaviour. The researchers stated that while text message-based interventions [to increase frequency and length of breaks from sitting] had succeeded in aiding smoking cessation and increased both physical activity and healthy eating, they had not been shown to reduce sedentary behaviour. Increasing Nonsedentary Behaviors in University Students Using Text Messages: Randomized Controlled Trial can be found here. Source link
1 June 2016 | James Richards Medway Norse has expanded its contract to supply Medway Council with grounds maintenance services. According to a recent statement, Medway Norse now provides landscaping, horticulture, grass cutting, sports turf and vegetation management, tree assessments, monitoring and surgery – and fly tipping collection. Medway Norse managing director Ian Price said: “We are seeing a steady growth in the range of clients we service in Medway and surrounding areas. Our portfolio includes local government, the civil service, schools and academies.” He added, “In 2015, we made a £2 million investment in equipment… gearing up to provide these new services.” Under the new agreement, nine members of staff have transferred into Medway Norse from the local council and the previous supplier, “further enhancing service delivery”. This announcement follows on from a raft of new and renewed contracts for Norse in recent months. It recently extended a three-year contract with Marham Parish Council and has expanded further into Cambridgeshire, with a contract with Burwell Village College. Source link
The Health & Safety Executive risks pushing companies into bankruptcy by accusing firms of the committing the most serious offences when they have in reality committed lesser breaches, a leading lawyer has warned. Speaking on the eve of Safety and Health Expo at ExCel, London, Vikki Woodfine, Partner at law firm DWF LLP and Lead Commentator for Health and Safety professional information service Croner-i, said some companies could be forced to the wall by fines that could see medium sized firms fined up to £4m for health and safety offences. As well as potentially ruinous fines, companies were also having to bear the cost of contested cases because the Health & Safety Executive was adopting a policy of bringing cases at the highest level of culpability (and hence penalty) in “the vast majority of cases” forcing firms to go to court to argue for a lesser offence. Woodfine urged the HSE to take a “fairer” approach and a more realistic view of culpability and harm when bringing cases to court if it wanted to reduce the number of contested cases which placed a heavy burden on public funds as well as the companies being prosecuted. She also warned that, in order to secure the new higher fines, the HSE would look to charge the parent company in a larger group as well as the firm alleged to have committed the offence. “As the sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences have now bedded in and high fines are increasingly the norm, the next phase that will be interesting to watch from the courts is how they deal with group companies. It is unlikely to be long before we see a case where an attempt is made by the courts to sentence an organisation based on the turnover/financials of a “linked organisation” i.e., the Group or Parent Company.” She said: “In practice, companies are now faced with the most impossible of dilemmas when it comes to deciding whether to defend a prosecution. There has always been a fine reduction when pleading guilty and this remains the case. However, given the new fine levels, there has been an increase in the number of defended cases as companies simply cannot just accept their fate anymore given that the guidelines expose them to potentially business ending fines. “The guidelines have introduced a very real fear for small and medium-sized organisations that even if they plead guilty… they may still have to pay a fine where the starting point is £250,000 or more, which is often a prospect that could put them out of business. “Consequently, the advice to duty holders is changing, with many companies now seeking to test the prosecution evidence before a jury. While the company runs the risk of being found guilty, the judge may place the offence into a lower bracket in the guidelines, thereby reducing the overall penalty. “We are often seeing the HSE start the vast majority of cases saying that they are High Culpability, Category 1 Harm. The defence then seeks to say Low Culpability, Category 3 Harm and the hope then is that the judge will decide Medium Culpability, Category 2 Harm. But there is no certainty in this approach, and with the HSE stating cases at their highest point, companies cannot take the risk and are contesting cases “If the HSE wishes to see a reduction in contested trials (which take up significant manpower for them and a cost risk) a fairer approach from the HSE has to be adopted whereby it takes a more realistic view of culpability and harm at the outset.” Wolters Kluwer will be showcasing the Croner-i suite of products at Safety and Health Expo which runs at ExCel, London from 20-22 June. For more information go to www.wolterskluwer.co.uk DATA ANALYSIS Health and safety offences From 1 February 2016, the entire sentencing landscape for health and safety offences changed resulting in a cataclysmic shift upwards in fine levels. These changes came in through the Health and Safety and Corporate Manslaughter Sentencing Guidelines which represented the biggest shake up to the regulatory landscape in recent years, with fines up to 10 times higher (or more in some cases), than their previous levels. Not only are companies now being targeted by increased fines but individuals are being prosecuted more and we are seeing cases of imprisonment of directors and managers in cases where that would have been unheard of previously. In such cases, when considering fine levels, the company’s turnover is the relevant figure for the court to look at. The guidelines classify corporate entities by reference to turnover: micro up to £2 million; small £2–10 million, medium, £10–50 million and large more than £50 million. Very large (where judges are given discretion to move beyond these parameters) does not have its own bracket, but the guidelines suggest this would include a company with a turnover of over £900 million. This is a worrying prospect for many hauliers, given that transport is often a high turnover business, albeit with a relatively modest profit margin. Once the company size has been determined from its turnover, the guidelines then calculate a fine level (with a range of potential sentences and an indicated starting point) based on a calculation taking into account turnover, risk of harm and culpability. Importantly the guidelines do not require actual harm to have occurred (although it will be an aggravating feature), only the risk of harm. Therefore previously innocuous risks could now lead to prosecutions where a risk of serious injury or even death is proven. This is the area that often causes surprise to dutyholders now and there have been a number of cases, including cases attracting fines in excess of £1 million, where there has been no harm at all, only a risk of harm. For example, the case of ConocoPhillips where there was a risk from a gas leak, but no harm caused. This case saw a fine of £3 million imposed, (which would have been