Unispace, the global design firm with integrated project delivery capabilities, has appointed Roz Allen as a Senior Associate, Client Relations based in its London studio in Southwark. Roz was most recently at Soho House where as Project Director she looked after commercial and project management for the UK design and
A thriving sustainability network for not-for-profit organisations has launched its new strategy, laying out plans for making its members climate-friendly, adaptive and resilient over the coming years. In 2016 the network, Fit for the Future, helped its member to save an estimated £1.2million and generate 32.1GWH of renewable energy, enough
Spiral UK, the Helston based company has been awarded two new contracts. These contracts are to install helical stairs inside The Gherkin and the Salesforce Tower. These two iconic buildings are having new stair constructions designed. The Gherkin was designed by Norman Foster, and the architecturally award winning building stands
Fully certified first aid training is being offered by Specflue, a leading supplier of flues, chimneys and renewable heating products based in Sudbury. Local facilities offering this type of training are very limited so the move is expected to be welcomed by local businesses as well as individuals. It is
Canterbury City Council has given planning permission for a new International College to be built. The building has been designed by the architectural firm, Walters & Cohen Architects. It is thought that the new college will become part of King’s School, an existing institution. Walter & Cohen have recently completed
The tallest light steel frame in the UK has reached its full height this week. The construction company working on the project, Robertson, have celebrated this milestone with a topping out ceremony which took place on the highest roof of the building. The project is being undertaken by Kier Property
Specialist ground engineering and soil stabilisation company Deep Soil Mixing Ltd has successfully completed a soil stabilisation project in Runcorn, Cheshire, for client Wildgoose Construction Ltd using the innovative Cutter Soil Mixer. Deep Soil Mixing Ltd introduced the Cutter Soil Mixer to the UK when the company worked on the
Teachers Building Society has announced today that it has launched a new 1.25% discounted variable rate Summer Special mortgage for those who work within the education industry. The product has a 2 year variable rate of 1.25% (3.74% discount from its SVR, currently 4.99%), at a maximum LTV of 60%.
There was a 0.5% rise in capital city dwelling values in June with Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart recording another substantial rise but five cities recorded falls. Higher dwelling values across Australia’s two largest capital cities continued to push the CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index to new record highs, with dwelling
Belgrade Polymer Products, a specialist supplier to the fenestration and construction sectors, celebrated the manufacture of its 20 millionth product this week – a Square External Boss End Capping for PVC-U conservatory roof systems. Belgrade Polymer Products, a specialist supplier to the fenestration and construction sectors, celebrated the manufacture of
Unispace, the global design firm with integrated project delivery capabilities, has appointed Roz Allen as a Senior Associate, Client Relations based in its London studio in Southwark. Roz was most recently at Soho House where as Project Director she looked after commercial and project management for the UK design and build element of its business. Before Soho House, Roz was at Mace where she worked her way from a graduate joiner to commercial manager working on a broad spectrum of construction projects from fit outs for JP Morgan Chase and Invesco to the large-scale refurbishment of Café Royal. Anthony Hazell, Managing Director, Europe, said: “As Unispace continues its rapid expansion across the UK and Europe, our team continues to grow – Roz is a highly talented individual with valuable experience working on the client side for a high-end design and development brand. She has been described a “star in the making” by the property press and we are very fortunate to have her on board.” Roz will be based with the client relations team in London, working on projects across Unispace’s European offices including those in Madrid and Lisbon. “Joining Unispace is an exciting prospect” explained Roz Allen. “The firm promotes an innovative, solutions focused methodology to clients that is founded on exceeding their expectations. It is great to be part of a dynamic team and delivering the best service to the industry.” “There is a real demand from the clients in the market for an alternative approach and, I believe, that Unispace is capitalising on this. The firm is challenging established conventions and bringing its singular methodology to bear on leading projects around the world.”
A thriving sustainability network for not-for-profit organisations has launched its new strategy, laying out plans for making its members climate-friendly, adaptive and resilient over the coming years. In 2016 the network, Fit for the Future, helped its member to save an estimated £1.2million and generate 32.1GWH of renewable energy, enough to power 8,834 homes for a year. Fit for the Future has attracted dozens of charities including Cancer Research UK, the RSPB, Guide Dogs, RNLI and Oxfam GB since it was set up by the National Trust and sustainability charity, Ashden in 2013. By engaging in honest and open collaboration with each other, member charities are moving forward with environmental projects and becoming leaders for the low-carbon transition in the third sector. The Network’s new strategy marks a departure from it being solely clean-energy focused. Instead it will provide its members with practical solutions to wider climate change issues with a focus on the not-for-profit sector. At a time when relevant funding for charities has largely dried up, the Network is stepping in to facilitate adaptation and resilience. Fit for the Future’s Chair, Sir Ed Davey, said: “The need to future-proof charities and make them resilient against climate-change is becoming increasingly urgent. As the not-for-profit sector strives to put environmentally friendly practices in place, it’s clear that a lot more can be achieved if we all work together. That’s exactly what Fit for the Future is about.” “At a time when it’s crucial for charities to make their donations go as far as possible, the £1.2 million saved by our members in 2016 is a significant achievement. For me it’s simple: money saved on energy and other environmental resources means more money to spend on charitable objectives.” Fit for the Future’s 2016 Impact Report revealed how Oxfam GB’s 2016 savings on mileage alone could pay for safe, clean water for 250,000 people, whilst National Trust’s savings on oil could pay for the treatment of 42 historic sculptures. Fit for the Future works as an environmental ‘match making’ service, linking those with questions about their sustainability work to those who have the knowledge and experience to provide answers. Last year, Fit for the Future arranged events, workshops, peer consultancies and site visits across the UK for more than 500 people. This network is used by hundreds from the not-for-profit sector in fields as diverse as conservation, energy management, procurement and catering. Johanna Gosling, Environmental Manager at Oxfam GB, said: “Fit for the Future is one of the most useful Networks I have been a part of. It’s accessible, targeted, relevant, and everyone is very open about sharing their learnings. Its unique selling point is that it gives you access to a network of peers who have similar challenges and work within very similar constraints. Being a member has also saved me hours of research and allowed me to regularly update my knowledge in key areas.” The Network is going from strength-to-strength as it recruits new members and helps them not only advance their environmental projects but to measure their impacts. Fit for the Future supported a 40% increase in energy reporting and monitoring amongst its members in 2016 and aims to grow that number this year. To find out more about the Network, its upcoming events and how you and your organisation could benefit from being involved, visit the website www.fftf.org.uk
Spiral UK, the Helston based company has been awarded two new contracts. These contracts are to install helical stairs inside The Gherkin and the Salesforce Tower. These two iconic buildings are having new stair constructions designed. The Gherkin was designed by Norman Foster, and the architecturally award winning building stands at 180m tall. The building is thought to be one of the most widely recognised pieces of contemporary architecture in London and is also ranks amongst Britain’s most expensive office buildings after being bought in 2014 for £700 million. The work on the new stairs at the Gherkin is expected to be completed during the Summer this year. The new staircase will be made from stainless steel and glass. The new piece is being installed on the 19th floor on behalf of one of the most elite law firms in the world, Kirkland & Ellis. Further down Bishopgate the Salesforce Tower can be located. 110 Bishopgate is the home to the biggest CRM company in the world, Salesforce. The building is 230m tall and has the title of the tallest building in London. Spiral UK are working to install a new staircase on the 31st floor. The new staircase will consist of a stainless steel framework with Oak treads and a balustrade that is made from glass. Most of the work on these two projects is being carried out at night in order to reduce the level of disruption that is caused to the workers in the building and in the surrounding area. Spiral UK had to fight of a great deal of competition in order to win these contracts and their success is a reflection of the company’s focus on quality and professionalism. These two new contracts are really good news for the company, and is a really good start to the year. Hopefully their success continues for the rest of the year.
Fully certified first aid training is being offered by Specflue, a leading supplier of flues, chimneys and renewable heating products based in Sudbury. Local facilities offering this type of training are very limited so the move is expected to be welcomed by local businesses as well as individuals. It is a legal requirement for companies to offer some first-aid provision because employers need to ensure that an employee who is injured or taken ill at work receives immediate attention. The Specflue first aid training is open to anyone over 16 years old who wishes to participate. Workplace welfare authority the Health and Safety Executive will always prosecute in cases where there is a significant risk, a disregard for established standards or persistent poor compliance with the law. Specflue can provide four levels of first aid training. The first – ‘First-Aid at Work’ – takes 18 hours and is delivered over three consecutive days. The course comprises practical and theoretical classroom work, as well as a practical assessment on CPR and first aid. It results in a qualification, valid for three years, by delivering the comprehensive set of practical skills needed by first aiders in most workplaces, enabling attendees to deal with first aid emergencies to the standards required to help comply with Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations. The course covers a range of content including head injuries; managing an emergency; resuscitation; burns and scalds; severe allergic reaction; chest pains; shock and eye injuries. The second course – ‘First-Aid at Work Refresher’ – is run over two days and enables attendees to requalify as a first aider. The aim is to update and refresh attendees’ knowledge of the First Aid at Work syllabus, while allowing time for revision and practice sessions in preparation for a written assessment. The third – ‘Emergency First-Aid at Work’ – is a six-hour course delivered in one day. The course comprises of practical work and theoretical classroom work, including practical assessment on CPR and first aid. It is designed to help attendees meet regulatory first aid requirements in smaller, low-risk workplaces. The course provides basic lifesaving first aid and workplace health and safety regulations, covering things like the role of the first aider; Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations; adult CPR; communication and casualty care; seizures; bleeding; choking, and using a defibrillator. Finally, Specflue will offer half-day first aid annual refresher training suitable for people who have completed either the three-day First Aid at Work or the one-day Emergency First-Aid at Work courses. Specflue’s David Ebbs, who will run the courses, has 29 years’ experience as a first aid trainer. He said: “It is strongly recommended that holders of a first-aid certificate should attend at least an annual update. The majority of first aiders hope that they are not going to be called upon to use the qualification, but, without practising the skills they will lose the knowledge and abilities they’ve gained. There will also be of changes in procedures to contend with. “Bearing in mind that it is a legal requirement to have first aiders at work, if nobody was available or somebody offered first aid incorrectly, then it opens up a massive potential for a law suit against the business.” Specflue can also offer paediatric first aid courses for nurseries and schools. Furthermore, automated external defibrillator courses are available at the Specflue training facility, either as standalone training or as a ‘bolt-on’ to an existing first-aid qualification. For more details, contact training@specflue.com or call 0333 9997974.
Canterbury City Council has given planning permission for a new International College to be built. The building has been designed by the architectural firm, Walters & Cohen Architects. It is thought that the new college will become part of King’s School, an existing institution. Walter & Cohen have recently completed a project at King’s School where they carried out refurbishment works on the boarding accommodation. The planned College will teach student s that are aged between 11 and 16. The College will work as a stepping stone fort students that may be entering the English school system for the first time. This project will help those that have previously been educated abroad. The work will be taking place on Malthouse Road and the building will sit separate from the main estate of the school by St Stephen’s Road as well as the River Great Stour. A masterplan was created while designing the International College in order to make sure that the building will be complimentary to the smaller scale developments taking place in the cul-de-sac. The building will sit at three storeys and will be built around a courtyard that will be available for learning and socialising. The building plans that have been approved by Canterbury City Council also includes boarding and teaching accommodation for 80 students as well as a floodlit sports court and changing rooms as well as a terrace of five two bedroomed and one three bedroom houses for staff members. The design of the building project has made sure that the International College works alongside other proposed regeneration of the Malthouse. The new sport court that has been designed for the College will be open to other schools and the community. There will also be a larger civic square on the site that will be shared by Malthouse. It is thought that the work on the College will be finished in the Summer 2018.
The tallest light steel frame in the UK has reached its full height this week. The construction company working on the project, Robertson, have celebrated this milestone with a topping out ceremony which took place on the highest roof of the building. The project is being undertaken by Kier Property and the finished building will serve as a student accommodation scheme. It is thought that the building will stand at 12 storeys tall and will, when finished, become the tallest light steel frame structure in the UK. The building is being constructed for Kier and will form one of three ongoing developments for the company that will go towards Student accommodation. This means that the company has an expanding portfolio of student accommodation that now stands at more than 1,000 beds. The new record breaking building can be found opposite the listed John Dobson House, which is on New Bridge Street in Newcastle. This project will offer 329 bedrooms that, when completed, will be a combination of studio and cluster flat accommodation. The topping out ceremony of the building marks a significant step forward in the development process. Also involved in this project is the architectural firm, Ryder and the engineering and M&E consultancy company, Cundall. These two companies have helped to design a building that is of high quality while maintaining high levels of best practice when managing the design. The lightweight steel frame idea was put forward by Robertson. Originally the building was going to have a concrete frame system. The lightweight Kingframe that was used on the project is thought to improve the programme and the buildability of the structure. This alternative also lowered the overall pile foundation loading’s by around 40% in certain parts of the building. Robertson also offered a modular bathroom pod solution that has led to a lower carbon footprint of the building as well as reducing the levels of waste as well as fewer deliverables and lowering the fuel consumption and disruption on site.
Specialist ground engineering and soil stabilisation company Deep Soil Mixing Ltd has successfully completed a soil stabilisation project in Runcorn, Cheshire, for client Wildgoose Construction Ltd using the innovative Cutter Soil Mixer. Deep Soil Mixing Ltd introduced the Cutter Soil Mixer to the UK when the company worked on the Mersey Gateway project in 2016 so using it at this Runcorn development meant it is only the second time this bi-rotational mixing head has been used for soil mixing in the UK Using their controlled soil mixing technique, Deep Soil Mixing transformed the challenging site, ensuring the extensive project could be finished to a high standard – the soil had to be stabilised and any chemicals contained in the ground locked in, before Contractors Wildgoose Construction could start work on the construction of the site which would contain a public house, restaurant, coffee house, car park and access roads. Prior to commencement on site as with all projects Deep Soil Mixing Ltd undertake rigorous testing and assessment of the ground and its suitability for soil mixing. Laboratory tests are also undertaken using samples of the soil to be treated mixed with different proportions of a wide selection of binders to select the most appropriate mix. From these results, Deep Soil Mixing Ltd then prepare a detailed specification. On the Runcorn project, Deep Soil Mixing Ltd installed soil mixing panels across the site as well as a soil mixed mattress and soil mixed wall next to a Major Accident Hazard Pipeline (MAHP), to lock in chemicals and prevent leachate to ensure the ground was stabilised for the building works to commence. “The site was heavily contaminated and situated in close proximity to a MAHP and an adjacent canal embankment which was unstable, so we had quite a challenge on our hands,” says Colin Critchlow, Director at Deep Soil Mixing Ltd. “On this project, we used a cutter soil mixing head as well as a soil mixing bucket.” A cutter soil mixing head is a machine used to mix the ground, particularly when needed at greater depths and in densely consolidated soils. It achieves a greater level of density compared to other soil mixing methods and is highly effective. In addition to installing the soil mixed panels, mattress and wall, the company also soil mixed the building foundations. “We needed to lock in chemicals within the original site as well as reduce the levels of vibrations to a nearby gas pipeline and an adjacent canal embankment which was unstable,” adds Colin Critchlow. “Thanks to our wide range of experience, we’re used to working on challenging sites like this one. “The high-pressure gas mains pipe was charged at 30 Bar and was located within two metres of the site – we used vibration monitors throughout the project to measure the frequency transfer to confirm all met National Grid safety requirements. “We’re proud of everything we achieved on this project, especially given how heavily contaminated with an assortment of chemicals the site was – not to mention unstable. Thanks to the different soil mixing techniques, we secured the site and enabled the complex of restaurant, pub and coffee shop to be built alongside a car park and access roads.”
Teachers Building Society has announced today that it has launched a new 1.25% discounted variable rate Summer Special mortgage for those who work within the education industry. The product has a 2 year variable rate of 1.25% (3.74% discount from its SVR, currently 4.99%), at a maximum LTV of 60%. Andy Yates, Business Development Manager of Teachers Building Society, said: “This mortgage has a competitive rate and is aimed at meeting the needs of a teachers looking to purchase or remortgage. With tailored lending criteria, bespoke underwriting and the ability to lend up to five times joint income (subject to affordability), we can even consider Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) working on a one year contract, or teachers working on a supply or fixed term contract (if applying jointly with another permanently employed applicant).” Source link
There was a 0.5% rise in capital city dwelling values in June with Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart recording another substantial rise but five cities recorded falls. Higher dwelling values across Australia’s two largest capital cities continued to push the CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index to new record highs, with dwelling values across the combined capital cities rising by 0.5% in June to be 8.3% higher over the past 12 months. The June results continued to show a rebound in housing market conditions after CoreLogic reported weaker results for the final quarter of 2015 when the combined capitals’ index was down 1.4%. However, the pace of capital gains in June was substantially lower than the April and May results when CoreLogic reported a 1.7%, and 1.6% month on month lift in capital city dwelling values. ‘The monthly growth rate reduction is likely to be very much welcomed by state and federal government policy makers and regulators who may be concerned about a sustained rebound in capital gains,’ said CoreLogic Asia Pacific research director Tim Lawless. He pointed out that home values in Sydney have been rising for four years, and have increased by a cumulative 59% over this time frame. Melbourne dwelling values have been rising for the same length of time and have moved 41% higher over the growth cycle to date. The combined capitals’ headline result was driven by a strong 1.2% rise in Sydney dwelling values, and a 0.8% gain across Melbourne’s housing market. Hobart values also showed strong conditions with dwelling values moving 1.8% higher over the month. A breakdown of the figure shows that in Sydney prices increases 1.2% month on month, 6.8% quarter on quarter and 11.3% year on year to a median price of $780,000 while in Melbourne they increased by 0.8%, 3.5% and 11.5% to $587,500. In Hobart growth was 1.8%, 1.9% and 6.2% to a median price of $341,500. In Brisbane prices fell 0.1% month on month but were still up 2.2% quarter on quarter and 5.3% year on year to a median price of $475,000 while in Adelaide they fell 1.3% month on month but were up 0.8% quarter on quarter and 2.2% year on year to $420,000. In Perth prices have fallen across the board, down 0.8% month on month, down 3% quarter on quarter and down 4.7% year on year to $505,000 with a similar story in Darwin with a month on month fall of 1.6% a quarter on quarter fall of 2.5% and a year on year fall of 1.1% to a median price of $510,000. Canberra is seeing prices fall for the first time in over a year. Values were down 1.1% month on month but still up 2.6% quarter on quarter and 3.9% year on year to a median price of $560,000. ‘While the higher rates of capital gains in Sydney and Melbourne can be tied back to strong economic conditions, and high rates of population growth, the same cannot be said for Hobart where economic conditions and migration rates are gradually improving from a low base,’ said Lawless. ‘The strength in the Hobart market comes after a long period of underperformance, where home values in the city increased by only 1.4% per annum over the past 10 years. Potentially, the Hobart housing market is being fuelled by the sheer affordability of housing and a renewed trend towards Melbourne and Sydney buyers unlocking their equity to make lifestyle housing purchases,’ he added. Based on the CoreLogic Index results over the first six months of the year, capital city dwelling values have moved 5.5% higher during 2016, with the most substantial capital gains located in Sydney with growth of 8.9%, Hobart up 8.5% and Melbourne up 5.8%. Source link
Belgrade Polymer Products, a specialist supplier to the fenestration and construction sectors, celebrated the manufacture of its 20 millionth product this week – a Square External Boss End Capping for PVC-U conservatory roof systems. Belgrade Polymer Products, a specialist supplier to the fenestration and construction sectors, celebrated the manufacture of its 20 millionth product this week – a Square External Boss End Capping for PVC-U conservatory roof systems. Over the past decade, Belgrade Polymer Products has expanded into a wide range of sectors, including the window industry where it is currently working with several customers on creating new products for conservatory roof systems. New foiled finishes are being developed to expand its current comprehensive range, including a new carbon fibre-effect finish in ABS. General Manager Patrick Burke commented: “Twenty million products is a significant achievement of which we’re all very proud. It seems fitting that Belgrade Polymer Products has reached this impressive milestone in its 40th anniversary year. “As a specialist manufacturer of bespoke products tailored to clients’ individual requirements, we could not have reached this important milestone without the loyal support of our customers across many diverse industry sectors,” he added. In recent months, Belgrade Polymer Products has continued to invest in new equipment, including an extruder and other improvements to its production process and rapid prototyping facilities. The company, which has been supplying vacuum-forming and injection-moulding products since 1976, grew from manufacturing components for the water treatment industry. For more information, contact Belgrade Polymer Products on 01933 222205 Source link