The Bright Futures Charity located in the South Shields area of the United Kingdom is dedicated towards supporting young mothers and giving them the chance to do not put their work at risk when they have children. With more and more zero-hour contracts being issued and with job security at
A company known as Capita Local Government has been chosen by the EFA (also known as the Education Funding Agency) for a brand new contractual deal that will last it a total of three years. During this time Capita will be expected to oversee the collection of data on the
The region on the outskirts of the area of Uttoxeter is going through a major improvement period and Sykes Pumps are in the thick of the building and construction repairs that will enable the fixing to take place. Their presence is due to the intentions of Staffordshire County Council to
Increasing land values, funding uncertainty and a move towards more design-and build-procurement has continued to put the squeeze on architects’ fees. But cutting costs dismisses the wider benefits of good design and can compromise the end result. We spoke to firms across the UK to get their opinion on what
Pending home sales in the United States were mostly static in June but the latest index from the National Association of Realtors is now at its second highest reading over the last year. However, supply and affordability constraints prevented a bigger boost in activity from mortgage rates that lingered near
The rate of house price growth in key cities in the UK is starting to plateau after a strong first half of the year with London in particular likely to see slower growth ahead, according to the latest index data. Month on month the Hometrack Cities Index recorded growth of
Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Wed, Jul 13th 2016 Stoke on Trent City Council’s deputy leader toured the Recticel Insulation factory. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Leading UK PIR manufacturer Recticel Insulation has played host to an equally leading
Morrison Utility Services (MUS) has developed an app to improve protection for lone workers. The smart phone application provides new safety measures for the contractor’s operatives working in isolation. Any MUS operative working without close or direct supervision will have an instant alarm system to produce faster assistance in the
Salford City College has appointed international real estate advisor Savills to let restaurant space in the Orange Building at MediaCityUK, Salford Quays. The 6,740 sq ft (626 sq m) fully fitted unit includes a high specification commercial kitchen and can seat up to 140 customers across the main and private
Crohn’s sufferer surmounts odds and secures apprenticeship Published: 31 March, 2016 A young Crohn’s sufferer, who was forced to miss large amounts of school, is refusing to let the disease stand in his way and is heading towards a successful plumbing career after enrolling at Leeds College of Building and
The Bright Futures Charity located in the South Shields area of the United Kingdom is dedicated towards supporting young mothers and giving them the chance to do not put their work at risk when they have children. With more and more zero-hour contracts being issued and with job security at a greater risk for mothers going on maternity leave, it is becoming harder and harder for young mothers from less advantaged backgrounds to be able to juggle the work and family balance in equable measure. Through the support of property association Isos however, the Bright Futures charity organization has been financially aided with a total of £14,700 towards it to helping it to conduct its services to young mothers in the South Shields and surrounding area. The aim of the organization is to help women aged under 25 to get reintegrated into the workforce and to help them to settle themselves back into the challenging work environment. With such services as CV writing workshops as well as helping them with childcare options that are open to them through online internet services as well as other things such as interview guidelines, the “Young Mums and Mums to be Group” dedicates itself every day for up to 10 weeks by helping mothers of a younger demographic to cope with the many 21st Century challenges that working mothers still face on a daily basis in the United Kingdom. Indeed, the opportunities that the program offers are so broad and wide that they even enable young mums to bring their children with them to the various activity sessions that are on, showing that Bright Futures cares about reducing the stress levels of young mothers in the local area. Such initiatives as these also help to build confidence in young mothers who might want to consider other options in their lives: one young woman said that the program had given her the confidence to think about enrolling in a degree at the Open University. This is a wonderful testament to the hard work of Bright Futures in tackling issues that women face in this country.
A company known as Capita Local Government has been chosen by the EFA (also known as the Education Funding Agency) for a brand new contractual deal that will last it a total of three years. During this time Capita will be expected to oversee the collection of data on the conditions of a roundabout total of 5,500 schools located around the country. This is so that the EFA will be able to find out exactly the size as well as the various demographics and education conditions of educational establishments located in the United Kingdom. Whilst Capita will be in charge of collecting forms of this data for 5,500 schools, the EFA plans to be able to find out more about a grand total of 22,000 schools in the country and this will undoubtedly aid it in assessing the various conditions of schools around the United Kingdom. This will be a first for the EFA who are hoping that the implementation of these plans will be a success so that it will be able to see the various compositions of schools all around Great Britain in what is essentially a giant, three-year long survey to find out what things need to be implemented into various schools in order that they can improve their overall performance in the future. This is something that Capita themselves are used to, having already in the past conducted assessment surveys on 5,000 educational establishments located in the Yorkshire and Humber region of the country. This scheme is all part of the Property Data Survey Program (PDSP) that is organized by the EFA in order to determine which schools require more funding in the future and it is hoped that the long-term plans of this initiative will mean that they will have a better idea of what needs to be done to improve the conditions of schools in this country than they do now.
The region on the outskirts of the area of Uttoxeter is going through a major improvement period and Sykes Pumps are in the thick of the building and construction repairs that will enable the fixing to take place. Their presence is due to the intentions of Staffordshire County Council to try and improve the often congested and oft-used A50 motorway that runs not far off from Uttoxeter, and Sykes Pumps have been commissioned to ensure that the water that the repairs produce during the digging up and refurbishments to the land do not ruin and swamp the project. In order for this to happen, an efficient pumping system needs to be put into place and it is evident that Sykes Pumps’ wide range of experience in the field of water circulation makes them perfect for the job. Indeed, their work is vital to the successful running of this enterprise which is aimed to improve the economic infrastructure of Uttoxeter and the surrounding Staffordshire environment. Indeed, it is widely hoped that this will result in the creation of over 1,000 employment opportunities that will breathe life into the local economy as a result of the building and construction works that are currently under way. One cannot dig up 11,000 meters cube without causing a little groundwater to flow, and that is what Sykes Pumps have been hired to deal with, and they have so far managed to get rid of the groundwater that could have proved detrimental to the project’s success. In fact, they also succeeded furthermore in their implementation of the pumping system, which ensured that they were able to pump the excess water successfully without causing too much noise pollution. Through this, the £27 million enterprise is still successfully under way, is not causing too much of a heartbreak for the quiet Staffordshire community, and furthermore is set to be finished by the winter months of next year.
Increasing land values, funding uncertainty and a move towards more design-and build-procurement has continued to put the squeeze on architects’ fees. But cutting costs dismisses the wider benefits of good design and can compromise the end result. We spoke to firms across the UK to get their opinion on what developers and contractors should consider when choosing their architect. Value for money When budgets are tight, the value of design can be put under the spotlight. However, an investment in high-quality architecture ticks more than just the aesthetics box as Paul Miele from Lewis and Hickey explains: “Clients must trust their professional team and the architect is no exception. Although competitive fees are often a driving factor in decision making, these are a relatively small part of an overall development. It is more important to consider how the design will maximise value for money long term rather than just the cheapest price.” Graham Hickson-Smith of 3DReid agrees: “Cutting architect’s fees can be a false economy. Saving one or two percent in fees may mean the difference between success and failure through planning or the final quality of the project and the potential rental income or end value. “Well-designed buildings have greater value and marketability. If the qualitative aspects of a scheme are stripped out to reduce construction costs, schemes will struggle to let or sell as well.” Creativity Another factor impacting design is a focus on volume but this can be at the expense of creativity. John Tehan from Smallwood Architects, says clients should take a longer-term view. “Commercial clients need to allow space for imaginative solutions. Too often the focus is on volume to try and maximise returns, but long-term a more imaginative, creative design could prove to be a better investment.” Collaboration A good architect will listen to both the client’s design and commercial needs, improving the outcome for both parties, so David Hills from RH Partnership Architects advises clients to look beyond traditional scoring systems: “While any commercial client needs to carry out due diligence and check compliance matters, scoring systems should be led by the architect’s experience, quality and a focus on the client’s needs. “Working with the right architect based on these factors will be more rewarding commercially and as a project experience, as the client is more likely to get a building that meets their specific needs.” Intelligent planning Securing an effective and transparent working relationship from the outset can also help to plan projects more efficiently as Graham Hickson-Smith of 3DReid explains. “By working in partnership with concept architects we can add value without reducing quality through better planning and reducing the unseen elements of a scheme such as utilities and structure.” The bigger picture Design fees will always be scrutinised, but it’s clear that there are many other factors for commercial clients to consider. Investing in architects that are willing to collaborate and that can create creative designs offering value for money will maximise returns in the long run. Ultimately a good architect will always save much more than they cost. Sarah Reay is Managing Director of Construction Marketing Experts, a specialist marketing consultancy for the built environment.
Pending home sales in the United States were mostly static in June but the latest index from the National Association of Realtors is now at its second highest reading over the last year. However, supply and affordability constraints prevented a bigger boost in activity from mortgage rates that lingered near all-time lows through most of the month and increases in the Northeast and Midwest were offset by declines in the South and West. Overall the NAR’s pending home sales index, a forward looking indicator based on contract signings, was up 0.2% month on month and is 1% higher than June 2015. But it is noticeably down from this year’s peak level in April. According to Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, a solid bump in activity in the Northeast pulled up pending sales modestly in June. ‘With only the Northeast region having an adequate supply of homes for sale, the reoccurring dilemma of strained supply causing a run-up in home prices continues to play out in several markets, leading to the last two months reflecting a slight, early summer cooldown after a very active spring,’ he said. ‘Unfortunately for prospective buyers trying to take advantage of exceptionally low mortgage rates, housing inventory at the end of last month was down almost 6% from a year ago and home prices are showing little evidence of slowing to a healthier pace that more closely mirrors wage and income growth,’ he pointed out. ‘Until inventory conditions markedly improve, far too many prospective buyers are likely to run into situations of either being priced out of the market or outbid on the very few properties available for sale,’ he added. One noteworthy and positive development occurring in the housing market during the first half of the year, according to Yun, is that sales to investors have subsided from a high of 18% in February to a low of 11% in June, which is the smallest share since July 2009. Yun attributes this retreat to the diminished number of distressed properties coming onto the market at any given time and the ascent in home prices, which have now risen year on year for 52 consecutive months. ‘Limited selection of homes at bargain prices is reducing the number of individual investors willing or able to buy. This will hopefully open the door for first-time buyers, who made some progress last month but are still buying homes at a subpar level even as rents increase at rates not seen since before the downturn,’ Yun explained. In spite of the slight slowdown in contract signings from April’s peak high, existing home sales this year are still expected to be around 5.44 million, 3.6% higher from 2015 and the highest annual pace since 2006 when it was 6.48 million. After accelerating to 6.8% a year ago, national median existing home price growth is forecast to slightly moderate to around 4%. A breakdown of the figures show that in the Northeast the index was up 3.2% in June and is now 1.7% above a year ago. In the Midwest the index increased 0.8% and is now 1.6% higher than June 2015.Pending home sales in the South decreased modestly by 0.6% in June but are still 1.8% higher than last June. The index in the West fell by 1.3% in June and is now 1.8% below a year ago. Source link
The rate of house price growth in key cities in the UK is starting to plateau after a strong first half of the year with London in particular likely to see slower growth ahead, according to the latest index data. Month on month the Hometrack Cities Index recorded growth of 6.9% in June and year on year growth is running at 10.2%, the same level as the previous month. The index report suggests that double digit year on year growth has been sustained by the surge of investor demand ahead of the stamp duty change in April while low mortgage rates and improving economic conditions have continued to attract households into the market against a backdrop of dwindling supply with the net result being continued upward pressure on prices. In June Bristol remained the fastest growing city with year on year price growth of 14.7% taking the average price to £253,400, followed by London with annual growth of 13.7% to £476,800 and then Cambridge up 11.5% to £411,800. The data also shows a strong uplift in price growth in large cities such as Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds where house prices are comparatively affordable and yields above average and attractive to investors.Month on month the highest growth was in Oxford at 9.6%, followed by Cambridge at 9.5%, London at 8.2% and Bristol at 7.8%. At the opposite Aberdeen has seen prices fall by 8.2% year on year but the city recorded a small uplift month on month of 0.3%. The report points out that any impact from the decision by the UK to leave the European Union will not be reflected in the index for two to three months. ‘That said, we have reported signs of slowing growth in some cities, particularly in southern England where affordability levels are close to record highs. The slowdown might have been more apparent by now had the stamp duty change not been introduced,’ it says. A new analysis looking at listings also shows that for selected cities new supply has grown faster in the last three months than the average increase in supply seen over the last 12 months. For all cities in England and Wales excluding London new supply has grown 10% faster than the 12 month average, this rises to over 15% in London.In contrast, the relative change in sales over the last three months has registered a relative fall of 8% in London meaning that 8% fewer homes sold in the last three months compared to the 12 month average. The relative change in Bristol is 0%, while in larger regional cities, where house price growth has been picking up momentum, the relative change is sales is positive at up to 7% in Manchester. ‘This analysis shows how recent sales momentum in regional cities, and higher house price growth, appears to have held up over the referendum period. In contrast, the headwinds facing the London market ahead of the vote have resulted in more supply and relatively fewer sales pointing to slower house price growth in the months ahead,’ the report says. Hometrack explains that this is something which is clearly evident at a more granular level across London’s localised markets where the highest value markets in central London are registering low single digit growth while in lower value, outer areas of London growth is still 15% to 20% per annum although showing clear signs of losing momentum. ‘While this listings analysis provides a snapshot of the last quarter, the reality is that it is still very early days to assess the true impact of the EU referendum vote on activity and house prices. Our view remains that sales volumes are likely to slow and price growth will moderate over the second half of the year,’ the report adds. ‘The severity of a slowdown will depend upon the response of consumers and businesses to the uncertainty created by the decision to leave the EU and the impact this has on the economy. The early market activity data confirms our view that London will bear the brunt of any slowdown,’ it concludes. Source link
Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Wed, Jul 13th 2016 Stoke on Trent City Council’s deputy leader toured the Recticel Insulation factory. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Leading UK PIR manufacturer Recticel Insulation has played host to an equally leading local councillor.Cllr Abi Brown, deputy leader of Stoke on Trent City Council and leader of its Conservative Group, was recently a guest at Recticel’s state-of-the-art production plant in her Meir Park ward in the city. Hosted by commercial director Kevin Bohea she saw at first hand the multi-million £ investments that have helped to keep the European Recticel group at the forefront of insulation manufacture in the UK. Cllr Brown spent time learning about the company’s development and its recent multi-million £ investment in the plant, making it Europe’s most modern PIR manufacturing facility. Part of Recticel’s investment is the creation of a new line with full rebating ability (allowing the production of even better-performing insulation) which is now fully operational. This investment has led to the creation of 30 new jobs for local people. Kevin said: “We are always keen and proud to promote the investment we are making at our UK facility. It’s very important that we engage with Government to assist with their plans for improving the performance of buildings now and in the future, to assist with reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.” ENDS Source link
Morrison Utility Services (MUS) has developed an app to improve protection for lone workers. The smart phone application provides new safety measures for the contractor’s operatives working in isolation. Any MUS operative working without close or direct supervision will have an instant alarm system to produce faster assistance in the event of an incident. Using GPS/GPRS location tracking technology, the app enables supervisors and designated alarm respondents to pinpoint a lone worker’s location following notification of an emergency situation. An accelerometer, built into the majority of smartphones issued to MUS contract teams, is designed to recognise sudden changes in movement (such as falling), as well as pre-set periods of non-movement that could signify injury or loss of consciousness. The app’s detection of an emergency incident triggers an automatic SMS alert to the MUS incident line team which operates a round-the-clock service, and up to four designated mobile contact numbers. The alert includes GPS location coordinates and an emergency message that can be set in advance. An emergency alarm can be triggered in a number of ways: • If a panic button is double tapped by the lone worker • If the app senses no movement of the device over a pre-determined period of time – each new movement will immediately reset the countdown timer • If the app detects freefall followed by a hard landing (sensitivity settings can be adjusted) • If a pre-specified timed session is exceeded. To prevent false alarms, the lone worker receives an initial alarm confirming that an alert text is set to be triggered. The alert is sent if the alarm is not cancelled within the defined 45 second response time. MUS director of safety, health, environment and quality Paul Kerridge said: “The risks associated with lone working in the utility sector are clear. With nobody on hand to assist, an operative experiencing an injury or medical emergency whilst working out of hours or undertaking lone working activities can find themselves in a difficult situation. We are fully committed to the safety and wellbeing of all our employees and this app provides lone workers across our workforce with improved safety and greater peace of mind.” This article was published on 1 Jul 2016 (last updated on 1 Jul 2016). Source link
Salford City College has appointed international real estate advisor Savills to let restaurant space in the Orange Building at MediaCityUK, Salford Quays. The 6,740 sq ft (626 sq m) fully fitted unit includes a high specification commercial kitchen and can seat up to 140 customers across the main and private dining lounges. It is situated on the first floor, overlooking the Lowry Theatre and adjacent to buildings occupied by the BBC, ITV and Holiday Inn as well as the MediaCityUK tram stop, central piazza and gardens. Nearby leisure operators include Wagamama, Costa, Dockyard and Cau. Pete Scholes of the licensed leisure team at Savills comments: “This restaurant space occupies a prime location at the heart of MediaCityUK, close to numerous office buildings and leisure operators. It is also well-placed to benefit from the plans for wider development within MediaCityUK.” Source link
Crohn’s sufferer surmounts odds and secures apprenticeship Published: 31 March, 2016 A young Crohn’s sufferer, who was forced to miss large amounts of school, is refusing to let the disease stand in his way and is heading towards a successful plumbing career after enrolling at Leeds College of Building and securing an apprenticeship. Liam Banks was diagnosed with the disease at a young age and immediately embarked on an intensive treatment programme, which meant spending long periods of time in hospital. Crohn’s disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining at a number of points throughout the digestive system. Mr Banks said: “Life with Crohn’s can be tough and it would have been easy to give in to it, but I always wanted to learn a trade, which is what attracted me to Leeds College of Building. Securing an apprenticeship requires lots of dedication and the College’s support has been invaluable in helping me to find the right opportunity with the right employer.” In 2013, Mr Banks enrolled on a full time plumbing course at Leeds College of Building. He completed his Level 1 and 2 qualifications, and was studying for Level 3 when he was invited onto an apprenticeship trial with central heating specialist Palm Yorkshire. Simon Arrowsmith, operations manager at Palm Yorkshire, said: “We firmly believe in contributing to the communities where we operate and one way of doing this is by employing local people who we can help to reach their full potential. Working with Leeds College of Building to recruit and train apprentices is a great way of finding ambitious, talented young people and after a two day trial we immediately knew that Mr Banks would be a great fit for our team.” Source link