The saying goes that you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that’s especially true in businesses – including small business. In your personal life it’s sometimes possible to convince someone that you’re a different person from their initial impression, but an SME that creates a negative first image runs risk of leaving the door ajar for competitors and criticism on social media. Here are several ways to reduce the risk of such an occurrence.  Strong website Tens of thousands of businesses are found every minute online, through organic and paid searches – and a huge percentage of those experience a bounce rate when people leave immediately. There are multiple reasons, but one of the most common is a poorly-laid out, unattractive website that just screams ‘leave’. Thanks to platforms such as WordPress it’s easy to set up a logical, handsome site in a day or so. As you become more confident you can branch into some of the newer, more exciting products that Google and others have to offer, but for now just concentrate on a strong ‘shop front’.  Social media presence How many times have you seen on Twitter or Facebook that an interesting looking business or idea is ‘coming soon’, perhaps through people you’ve never even met? It’s a free form of advertising that will already be finding the right ears and eyes. When the SME is finally launched, social media showing offers, stock, staff, contact numbers, and maybe even short video introductions, instantly gives interested parties a heads-up. Also, if there are any problems, you can answer them quickly and smoothly.  Employing the right people Finding that perfect employee when your company is in its embryonic stages is not easy. Unless you’ve got big money behind you, you might not be able to match the salary offered by bigger, more established companies for a similar role. Even if you can, how do you measure the candidate’s employment potential from a single interview, especially if this is your first role as a boss? Perhaps finding a mentor who can advise on all aspects of the business will lessen the chance of making an error. But remember – every situation and employee is different, and this is one of those things that you’ll learn with experience. If you can find someone who is eager to learn, with good communication skills and clean references, this is a strong starting point.  Depth of knowledge Knowing the trends and competitors relevant to your company will instantly give your communications a level of expertise. One would hope that you researched the market before deciding your small business would be viable, so this knowledge should be easily to hand. When approaching potential clients, advertisers and stockists, an attractive data sheet with key take away messages showing exactly why you are a winning proposition is a good idea. Allied to this is dressing smartly and possessing an air of confidence. Consistency of branding A final tip; don’t try to be all things to all men. The tone of voice and branding should be similar or identical across your site, shop front, Ford Transit (or any other vehicle), business cards, uniforms, and anything else that represents you. Don’t deviate from the message about who you are, and what you can achieve.

The industry has a new standardised approach to Whole Life Carbon (WLC) assessments with the launch of the RICS draft Professional Statement on ‘Whole life carbon measurement: implementation in the built environment’. The consultation runs until the end of May and when published in the Autumn, the final Statement will require any RICS member offering WLC assessments to follow the new methodology. Simon Sturgis, who led the industry-wide team behind the statement, hopes that it will quickly become the wider reference point for WLC, standardising implementation and making assessment comparisons more meaningful. When applied to the design process, the methodology prompts architects and engineers to think about how their buildings will be operated, maintained and ultimately dismantled. Other standards for WLC already exist, led by BS 159878, but Sturgis suggests they have never been consistently applied. ‘In many ways the Statement is more pertinent to architects,’ explains Sturgis, who recently took over as chair of the RIBA Sustainable Futures Group. He has little doubt that WLC will increasingly change the way architects think about design in the years to come and can point to case studies where WLC thinking has already had a significant impact, such as the use of recycled materials in construction. The basic concept of WLC – that to understand a building’s total carbon impact it is necessary to look at embodied as well as operational carbon – is well understood, but not the methodology that can identify the best combination of opportunities for reducing lifetime emissions. For WLC principles to be integrated into design, procurement, construction and the entire building lifecycle, project teams need to adopt appropriate timing and sequencing of carbon assessments to identify carbon reduction opportunities and monitor a project’s progress towards achieving them. The RICS requirements and guidelines are also intended for integration with carbon measurement software tools and BIM carbon calculation procedures. It has been a busy time for the industry’s WLC champions. March saw the launch of the UK Green Building Council’s Embodied Carbon: Developing a Client Brief , another detailed and practical guide, this time aimed at empowering the client side to request embodied carbon assessments. The guide is designed to help clients write effective briefs for commissioning embodied carbon measurements. Sturgis explains that the objectives of the two guides are closely aligned, but while the UK GBC guide should help to raise the profile of WLC on the client side, the RICS Statement is the detailed working document for consultants carrying out WLC assessments. Also published at the same RICS launch event last week was Sturgis’s own book, Targeting Zero: Embodied and Whole Life Carbon Explained published by RIBA Publishing. Conceived as an accessible guide to embodied and whole life carbon, the book promotes Sturgis’s thesis that designing with embodied energy in mind offers architects the opportunity to retake the lead from service engineers in the field of low-energy design. Thanks to Simon Sturgis, managing director, Sturgis Carbon Profiling. Text by Neal Morris, © RIBA. This is a ‘Practice News’ post edited by the RIBA Practice team. The team would like to hear your feedback and ideas for Practice News: practice@riba.org

One in six British workers are dealing with mental health including; stress, anxiety or depression at any one time. People don’t like to talk about these and yet they cause an estimated 70 million sick days each year and are estimated to cost UK employers over £30 billion a year due to lost productivity, recruitment and absence. It makes sense to keep your greatest assets both physically and mentally healthy to ensure a content, productive and loyal workforce. The stigma associated with the subject of mental health means that most architectural practices have nothing in place to support those employees affected. Yet there is plenty that can be done to help employers and sufferers, and to create a healthy working environment. If an employee breaks an arm, you can empathise and understand how long they are likely to be out of action, what help they will need to return to work. etc. There is an assumption that they will recover and be able to carry on successfully as before. Mental ill-health can be less predictable and harder to understand. It is associated with vulnerability, and therefore sufferers are unwilling to discuss their mental health. Colleagues often feel awkward and reluctant to raise the subject which adds to the sense of isolation. Is there a problem? There are certain characteristics about the way architects work which can add to the likelihood that mental health issue will occur: poorly paid in general often involving long hours volatile and susceptible to ‘feast or famine’ workloads highly personal, requiring the constant commitment to and defending of a personal design potential of needing to compromise personal ethics technologically challenging (particularly for older practitioners) not ‘protected’ by a union most architects work for small practices without HR support Healthy mental wellbeing There are steps that any employer can take to help address well-being in the workplace and to make sure that people affected feel supported. These often have no cost to the practice and improve the working life of everyone. Practical steps might include: ensuring any medical or life insurance you have in place as a company has mental health cover setting up mental health first aiders – it wouldn’t occur to you not to have first aid at work educating your staff – provide access to resources, perhaps on your intranet, which will help them become more literate in mental health issues and encourage them to seek support earlier making sure HR staff, or a nominated person, have at least some basic training to understand mental health issues generally addressing work/life balance issues. Don’t contact staff on holiday and make it possible for people to take time off for personal and family commitments. Operate a no-email policy between 8pm and 8am identifying any triggers in the workplace. Survey your staff and simply ask how people are doing using the support that is already available through employee assistance programmes (EAP) to catch issues early checking out the mental health charity MIND’s website (www.mind.org.uk) for advice Contact the Architects Benevolent Society (www.absnet.org.uk) who can offer excellent support including free counselling (see What to do as an employer, below) Different types of mental illnesses Just as there are many ways that a person can me physically unwell – migraine, flu, chicken pox, broken bones, cancer – there are many mental illnesses which will be diagnosed and treated differently. MIND identifies and gives advice on dealing with: Anger Anxiety and panic Attacks Bipolar disorder Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) Borderline personality disorder (BPD) Depression Dissociative disorder Drug abuse Eating problems Hearing voices Hypomania and mania Loneliness Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Panic attacks Paranoia Personality disorders Phobias Postnatal depression Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Psychosis Schizoaffective disorder Schizophrenia Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) Self-esteem issues Self-harm Sleep problems Stress Suicidal feelings Tardive dyskinesia Signs to look out for as an employer A broken arm is reasonably easy to diagnose, but what signs could be an indication that someone is experiencing mental health issues? These do not necessarily mean that there is a problem but could indicate that someone might benefit from a friendly chat, a discussion about or gentle reduction in workload, or just benevolent closer observation: changes in people’s behaviour or mood or how they interact with colleagues changes in their work output, motivation levels and focus struggling to make decisions, get organised and find solutions to problems appearing tired, anxious or withdrawn and losing interest in activities and tasks they previously enjoyed changes in eating habits, appetite and increased smoking and drinking. Check out MIND for further information. What to do as an employer or teacher As an employer, you will not be in a position to offer advice to someone who you suspect or know to be suffering. It might be that the cause of the crisis is due to a change in personal circumstances such as money worries, relationships problems, loneliness or a personal loss. It might be that people need assistance in managing their workflow so that they feel the pressure is being shared; The simple act of listening and showing compassion can be sufficient help to get them back on track. Do not underestimate the power of listening. You can also create a culture that supports staff to be open about their mental health be open and have a conversation with someone about their mental health if you have concerns. There is help available on the MIND website regarding how to manage this offer support by having an appropriate Employers’ Assistance Plan and suggesting that the employer uses it help them with managing any time off sick and their return to work advise that they contact the Architects Benevolent Society who, through their partnership with Anxiety UK, are able to provide confidential advice, support and funding where appropriate for people experiencing anxiety, stress and anxiety-based depression. Are you suffering? It is not easy to spot (or accept) the signs that you may be suffering from mental health issues and need to make some changes. The early signs

Glashutte, France by Oswald Mathias Ungers 1985 (c) Stefan Mueller The Architecture Gallery, RIBA: 9 September 2015 – 9 January 2016#PalladianDesign The Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio is the only architect who has given his name to a style; one that is still in use around the world after nearly 500 years. From the US Capitol to a 21st century Somerset cowshed Palladian Design: The Good, the Bad and the Unexpected introduces Palladio’s design principles and explores how they have been interpreted, copied and re-imagined across time and continents from his death in 1580 right up to the present day. Focusing on his legacy, RIBA’s exhibition explores how architects such as Inigo Jones and Lord Burlington turned Palladianism into a national style. The style was adopted in the design of houses, churches and public buildings around the world from New Delhi to Leningrad. Palladianism became so widespread that it seeped into peoples’ unconscious references and desires – elements were found popping-up in American Negro Churches and terraced housing and homes in the UK. The 20th century saw a revival of traditional Palladian mansions while the 21st century has seen his design principles being utilised in a more abstract way. The exhibition asks many questions about what makes a building ‘Palladian’ – does a building have to look classical to be Palladian? Is it the design principles or the social and political connotations of tradition, power and establishment that have led to the enduring popularity of the style? The exhibition is structured chronologically around three themes: revolution, evolution and the contemporary. It includes 50 original works, including drawings, models and busts. The first part of the exhibition introduces Palladio and outlines his unique system of architecture. It charts the development of Anglo-Palladianism from 17th Century England, through to the transformation of Palladianism into a national style by the mid-18th century. It also explores the role of books in spreading Palladio’s ideas – both his own Four Books of Architecture and later publications that spread Palladian style beyond Britain. Highlights include Palladio’s A Design for a Palace (1540s) and projects for low-cost housing in Venice (1550s); original drawings by Inigo Jones include a preliminary design for the Queen’s House, Greenwich (1616); Colen Campbell’s original pen and wash design for Mereworth Castle, Kent (1723) and an original drawing of Lord Burlington’s Chiswick House (1729). The second part of the exhibition follows Palladio’s legacy worldwide in a series of themes that explore how others have either followed his guidelines to the letter or employed them more creatively. It looks at how Palladian design has been adopted for commercial viability and in the service of politics and religion – both in western countries and in colonial and post-colonial contexts. Away from the centres of power, people turned their hand to Palladian self-builds with anonymous builders using pattern books to fuse Palladian elements with local vernacular traditions. Highlights include the original 1721 model of St Martin-in-the-Fields church by James Gibbs, a perspective of Catherine the Great’s Pella Palace near St Petersburg by Ivan Starov (c.1786), a watercolour perspective of Stormont in Belfast by Sir Arnold Thornely (1927) and Palladio’s original designs for the Villa Valmarana (c.1560) and the Palazzo Antonini (c.1560). The last section of the exhibition follows the story of 20th and 21st century Palladianism. Despite the rise of modernism, Palladianism survived in Britain and America as a domestic style both for landed families and the newly rich who commissioned grand classical homes to evoke a sense of history and confer status. Highlights include a linocut perspective of Kings Walden Bury, Essex by Raymond Erith and Quinlan Terry (1971) and photographs and models of houses built since the 1960s. The exhibition goes on to explore post-modern Palladianism, where the style has been referenced historically, playfully or ironically. Key exhibits include works by Swedish architect Erik Asplund and Belgian architect Charles Vandenhove alongside other new buildings on the continent and in Canada. The exhibition ends by examining contemporary abstract Palladianism – buildings that contain no visual references to classical architecture but follow Palladian design principles in terms of proportion or planning. It asks whether a building has to look like a Palladian building in order to be one? It will include a newly commissioned film comparing Palladio’s Villa Caldogno with Brick House (2005) by Caruso St John and looks at a selection of contemporary buildings, ranging from a model of an underground house in Mongolia by OFFICE Architects to offices in Switzerland by Peter Märkli. The exhibition coincides with the 300th anniversary of the publication of two books key to the spread of Palladianism worldwide – Giacomo Leoni’s first full translation into English of Palladio’s I Quattro Libri dell’ Architettura and Colen Campbell’s survey of English architecture Vitruvius Britannicus, both published in 1715. These books paved the way for a flood of cheaper pattern books that enabled anyone, from Russian royalty to a American carpenters, to create Palladian designs. The RIBA Collections contain over 350 drawings and sketches by Andrea Palladio; the world’s largest assemblage of his drawings – 85% of all those in existence. The exhibition is designed by architects Caruso St John. The design takes its inspiration from the interior of Palladio’s villas and the way that his Four Books of Architecture have been used by generations of architects. The palette will reference Villa Caldogno’s frescos. Palladian Design is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, The Headley Trust and the American Friends of the British Architectural Library. Ends Notes to editors: 1. For further information visit www.architecture.com/PalladianDesign or contact Beatrice Cooke in the RIBA press office: beatrice.cooke@riba.org; 020 7307 3813 2. Press images can be downloaded here: https://riba.box.com/s/hss7iwdb46oihlfrp8erkcfwza6jtzmh 3. The Press View will take place at 09.30 on Tuesday 8 September at The Architecture Gallery, RIBA, W1B 1AD. Please RSVP to beatrice.cooke@riba.org 4. Palladian Design: The Good, the Bad and the Unexpected was co-curated by Charles Hind and Vicky Wilson. Charles Hind is Chief Curator and H.J. Heinz Curator of Drawings at the Royal Institute of British Architects,

16 June 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Harrow Green has signed a two-year framework contract with YPO.   YPO was established over 40 years ago by local government authorities to help combine their procurement demands and achieve efficiency savings. YPO supplies products and services, and is 100 per cent publicly owned.   The Removal Solution framework, which went live on 16 February 2016, means that Harrow Green will act as a single provider managing the provision of services relating to removals, storage, specialist disposal and associated services and trades, all of which can be accessed free of charge by public sector organisations across the UK.   Harrow Green will collaborate with the public sector to develop a local supply base and economy through engagement with ‘tier two’ local suppliers, and will act as a single point of contact between each participating contracting authority and its supply chain.   Some of the benefits for the users of the service include: social value benefits through the use of local subcontractors; access to specialist project management services; access to specialist removal services; support of environmental objectives; provision of full audit trail and reporting service to contracting authorities; access to secure off-site storage; and secure disposal of IT equipment and confidential data.   Harrow Green’s contract could be extended by a further two years.     Nigel Dews, managing director of Harrow Green, said: “This is a significant contract and we look forward to developing a very strong relationship with YPO and contracting authorities. We will be working closely with them to manage and deliver an efficient, high-quality service.” Source link

One of the leading providers of building envelope solutions, Trimo, has been shortlisted for the Offsite Construction Awards in a number of different categories. The business has managed to be shortlisted for three different categories: Best Use of Steel, Offsite Professional of the Year and Commercial Project of the year. These short listings are a credit to how hard the company is working to develop original solutions. Trimo’s most recent landmark project located at Aerospace Bristol, The Concorde Museum, is the project that has been nominated for the Commercial Project of the Year Award. The Project was designed by Purcell Architects, and Trimo’s Qbiss One created a façade that has a unique embossed image of a Concord on one side. For this detail Trimo has been nominated for the Best Use of Steel award. The Offsite Professional of the Year shortlisting is for the Key Accounts Director Mark Lewis for his part on The Concord Museum project. Lewis has worked in the building industry for the past 33 years and has been able to contribute to a number of the most pioneering construction projects throughout the UK over the course of his long career. The Offsite Construction Awards will be taking place on the 13th June 2017 and looks to recognise and celebrate the best aspects of precision building and delivery as well as looking to reward those who deliver the outstanding examples of prefabrication and a number of offsite based methods, products and systems in order to make the built environment more sustainable. Trimo being shortlisted for three prestigious accolades is great news for Trimo, as their hard work is receiving recognition and the Awards will help the company increase their profile through related publicity. The Awards event on the 13th June will be a good opportunity for companies to come together and celebrate the success of the offsite construction sector as well as the individuals and companies that are announced as winner of the awards.