Cyberhawk has signed an agreement with Shamal Technologies to digitally transform the way major construction projects are managed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Shamal Technologies is a leading geospatial company that delivers end-to-end data acquisition, visualization and analytics solutions that can reduce operational risk. The company is the first
Westcountry homebuilder Cavanna Homes has been presented with top industry accolades at the Devon Building Excellence Awards 2022 for its Kings Orchard development in Stoke Gabriel, near Totnes. The 53-home Kings Orchard scheme was shortlisted for Best Large Development by Devon Building Control and picked up the gold award on
Enel Global Infrastructure & Networks will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide reliable and sustainable power across its networks in Italy and Spain thanks to the installation of ABB’s innovative SF6-free Ring Main Units (RMUs), specifically designed for Enel’s requirements. The project represents an important step towards delivering increasingly sustainable
Keystone Group has appointed Jemma Ison as Group Sustainability Manager to help build decarbonisation into all business operations. Jemma, who has been with the Group for five years, has played an integral part in developing Keystone’s sustainability strategy, which is based on three key sustainability pillars: ‘Our Nature’, ‘Our Resources’
Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings has announced that it will open an OpenBlue Innovation Centre in its global HQ at One Albert Quay, Cork, Ireland. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Cork aims to create a future-ready built environment for both local and global customers
The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) is co-ordinating the industry response to the recent UK Health and Safety Executive (UK HSE) mast-climbing work platform (MCWP) safety alert, following a meeting of its UK & Ireland MCWP Work Group on 11 May. Angel Ibañez, IPAF’s Representative for MCWPs and Related Products,
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast will play an integral role in a new £7.7m collaborative project, aiming to change how important parts of the UK’s infrastructure are monitored and maintained. Healthy infrastructure, which includes bridges, telecom masts and wind turbines, is critical to ensuring the continued functionality and growth of
Yorkshire-based worktop supplier, Roann Limited has secured a £140,000 project deal with Hill Group to supply kitchen worktops for the new Lampton Parkside development in Hounslow, West London. In a joint venture with the award-winning house builder, Hill Group and leading housing association, Notting Hill Genesis, Lampton Parkside will be
With the help of funding from reward Finance, a Yorkshire property developer has created a new social hub in Castleford. The new Livelihub on Methley Road, close to the town centre, is the brainchild of entrepreneur Craig Mitchell, owner of Carter & Co Property Solutions. It features an artisan coffee
Keepmoat Homes, one of the UK’s leading partnership home builders has completed the purchase of land at French Street, Dalmarnock, which will see 48 new energy-efficient homes built over the coming months. The range of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses will have enhanced insulation and solar PV panels, as well
Cyberhawk has signed an agreement with Shamal Technologies to digitally transform the way major construction projects are managed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Shamal Technologies is a leading geospatial company that delivers end-to-end data acquisition, visualization and analytics solutions that can reduce operational risk. The company is the first in Saudi Arabia to develop solutions that integrate artificial intelligence technology with unmanned systems. Cyberhawk is a world leader in visual data solutions for energy infrastructure and capital projects. The UK firm captures images of critical infrastructure using drone technology, which is analyzed using Cyberhawk’s cloud-based visualization software, iHawk. As part of the agreement, both parties will combine data acquisition and analytics expertise to launch a powerful Visual Intelligence solution for major capital projects in Saudi Arabia. Shamal Online, the name given to the new data management and visualization platform, will be powered by iHawk. Cyberhawk will also provide technical knowledge transfer support and scale up drone surveying operations for planned construction projects within the region. The construction monitoring solution will support project managers to track milestones, coordinate vendor activities, and schedule future onsite work. The fully enabled IoT solution will empower project managers to make evidence-based decisions by integrating seamlessly with third-party sensors and APIs. Geospatial information, including imagery acquired from ground cameras, CCTV, drones, and autonomous technologies will form data layers for analysis on an unprecedented scale. The agreement was signed during a ceremony held at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) which is an institute focused on driving innovation, economic development, and social prosperity in Saudi Arabia. The partnership is aligned with the Saudi 2030 vision to form strong international alliances and invest in a highly trained Saudi workforce to develop progressive industries and futureproof the economy. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Westcountry homebuilder Cavanna Homes has been presented with top industry accolades at the Devon Building Excellence Awards 2022 for its Kings Orchard development in Stoke Gabriel, near Totnes. The 53-home Kings Orchard scheme was shortlisted for Best Large Development by Devon Building Control and picked up the gold award on the night. Cavanna Homes was also recognised for having the Best Partnership with a Local Authority for its liaison with South Hams District Council on the same project at the Awards. “This is the ultimate endorsement which has been earned by everyone who worked on the site from beginning to end. The location, how the development process was run, and the quality of the homes we delivered have contributed to this award,” said Mark Wyatt, Build Manager for the Stoke Gabriel scheme. Categories were assessed on compliance, quality, accessibility, energy conservation and sustainability of their projects, and recognised for the outstanding contributions of their teams who achieved the highest standards of construction. “We are incredibly proud to have received the gold award for our homes at Kings Orchard, and to have been nominated and awarded for the partnership formed with South Hams District Council. This is a very well deserved recognition of our hard work, attention to detail and collaboration with communities,” added Cavanna Homes’ Managing Director, Keith Miller. Winners of the Devon Building Excellence Awards will now be put forward for the regional LABC Building Excellence Awards with the potential to go through to the LABC Grand Finals which will take place next year. Cavanna Homes has a been building beautiful new homes across the Westcountry for almost 100 years and is currently bringing forward new communities in Hemyock, near Cullompton, Exeter, Newton Abbot, Tavistock and Bude. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Enel Global Infrastructure & Networks will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide reliable and sustainable power across its networks in Italy and Spain thanks to the installation of ABB’s innovative SF6-free Ring Main Units (RMUs), specifically designed for Enel’s requirements. The project represents an important step towards delivering increasingly sustainable power grids, as ABB’s low pressure 24kV solution has the same footprint, safety and reliability as traditional SF6 solutions. The pilot installation involves 20 new ABB SafePlus AirPlus™ Medium Voltage (MV) RMUs in Enel’s secondary substations across Italy and Spain and will contribute to minimize their global warming potential, while making switchgear operation and maintenance safer for personnel. Gas insulated switchgear, widely used in MV secondary substations, conventionally contain SF6 – which has excellent dielectric and arc extinguishing properties, but at the same time is the world’s most potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential 25,200 times that of CO2. The new SafePlus AirPlus, part of ABB’s ecoGIS family of products, features innovative Load Break Switches (LBS) optimized for SF6-alternative gases. Unlike traditional alternatives, the switch is based on puffer interrupter technology and functions as both a load break and disconnector switch for maximum safety. ABB’s SafePlus AirPlus low-pressure design with its 0.4 bar relative pressure, reduces the risk of leaks and accidents due to electrical arcs and makes it very safe to operate, even in the case of abnormal gas leakages where high pressure alternatives would need be switched off immediately. Therefore, in the unlikely event of a leakage, ABB’s low-pressure design based on AirPlus as an eco-friendly SF6 alternative, ensures highest availability and reliability of the network. Alessandro Palin, Division President of ABB Distribution Solutions, comments: “The installation of the world’s first SF6-free SafePlus AirPlus™ Ring Main Units is another example of ABB working in partnership with customers to create sustainable solutions that are better for our planet and our society. With ongoing political discussions about a complete ban of SF6 in new installations, including the EU’s latest proposal, this proves that migrating to a more certain future with SF6-free alternatives, which practically offer the same known and proven benefits, is possible, and possible now.” “To reach our Net-Zero goals, sustainability must be at the core of our present and future business. For this reason, at Enel we started integrating new principles in all our processes, including sustainable specifications together with technical and economical parameters already in place,” added Francesco Amadei, Head of Engineering & Construction, Enel Global Infrastructure and Networks for Enel. “The collaboration with innovative partners such as ABB is key to accelerating the delivery of sustainable grids worldwide, a challenging path forward that must include all components and assets of the value chain. Innovative solutions like ABB’s SF6-free technology will help us to minimize our global warming impact and support our commitment to the 13th SDG goal – Climate Action. They will also help to make our networks increasingly safe and reliable, ensuring continuity and quality of the electricity supply to our customers.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Keystone Group has appointed Jemma Ison as Group Sustainability Manager to help build decarbonisation into all business operations. Jemma, who has been with the Group for five years, has played an integral part in developing Keystone’s sustainability strategy, which is based on three key sustainability pillars: ‘Our Nature’, ‘Our Resources’ and ‘Our People’. In her new role, Jemma has been invited to join the NHBC Foundation Expert Panel and also to work with BSI to support the development of sustainability criteria for construction materials. This will provide clarity to the industry of high quality but low environmental impact products. Under the Science Based Targets Initiative, a global organisation responsible for setting the world’s targets to ensure a more sustainable future, Keystone has embarked on a journey of monitoring and improving its carbon emissions and has committed to the ambitious target of becoming Net Zero by 2050. As part of this journey, Keystone’s Sustainability Taskforce, comprised of a ‘Sustainability Champion’ from each business, is working through the identification of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions to provide clarity on the environmental impact of Keystone Group operations and raise opportunities for carbon reductions throughout the organisation. As the first step towards the creation of this strategy, Keystone’s Sustainability Taskforce is currently working with Carbon Footprint to help measure the scope of carbon consumption across the Group. Once this is determined, Keystone will affectively measure improvements against this benchmark going forward. Jemma Ison, Keystone Group Sustainability Manager, says: “Sustainability is a topic I am extremely passional about – both professionally and personally. Keystone is committed to reducing the environmental impact of all Group operations through continued reduction of its carbon footprint and I am focussed on helping the business achieve Net Zero by 2050. “In 2021, I led the implementation of IG Masonry Support’s sustainability strategy by looking for ways to decarbonise our operations as well as offsetting our emissions to achieve carbon neutral status. I am looking forward to drawing on the learnings of last year to help support all Keystone Group brands on their sustainability journeys.” Sean Og Coyle, Keystone Group Commercial Director, adds: “Due to the fantastic progress of IG Masonry Support in its sustainability objectives and the leadership Jemma has shown in the area of sustainability, I am delighted to add the title of ‘Keystone Group Sustainability Manager’ to Jemma’s current role. “We hope this latest appointment exemplifies Keystone’s commitment to lead the way with innovation in construction and sustainable performance. The Group is passionate about investing in our sustainability strategy and implementing affirmative action, to safeguard our future for all.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings has announced that it will open an OpenBlue Innovation Centre in its global HQ at One Albert Quay, Cork, Ireland. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Cork aims to create a future-ready built environment for both local and global customers and is part of an international network of OpenBlue Innovation Centres working to pioneer new ways to provide smart, healthy and sustainable spaces for customers. “We are very pleased to be launching our OpenBlue Innovation Center in Cork. This centre will be focused on working with our customers to identify solutions for them to hit decarbonisation and renewable energy goals while optimising building performance,” said Tomas Brannemo, vice president and president, Building Solutions EMEALA at Johnson Controls. “This centre will serve as our regional centre of excellence to bring clients to see Johnson Controls’ latest cutting-edge innovations on how to solve for net zero”. Fitted with the most advanced Johnson Controls building technology solutions, the OpenBlue Innovation Centre will be a showcase of the latest and most innovative solutions from the company in a live environment. The research and development grant Johnson Controls received from the Irish government will support engineering activities at the centre, including developing a professional services hub for the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America region over a two-year period. Johnson Controls’ research and development presence has grown substantially in recent years and it is expected that 18 new research and development roles will be created as a result of the OpenBlue Innovation Center, in addition to 40 roles already in place working on the next generation solutions for Johnson Controls and its customers. Research and development at the OpenBlue Innovation Centre will focus on the global priority to reduce carbon emissions in the building sector. The building sector accounts for nearly 40 percent of global annual CO2 emissions, making it a key focus area in the pursuit of a net zero world. “Our partnership with the Irish government through IDA Ireland shows how governments and industry can drive real change. The financial support will allow us to increase our headcount, which will contribute not only to the local economy, but also to the development of our OpenBlue net zero solutions globally to have a positive impact on climate change,” said Eamonn Hughes, vice president and general manager, Digital Solutions EMEALA at Johnson Controls. Welcoming the investment, IDA Ireland’s Head of Engineering and Green Economy, Eileen Sharpe added: “IDA Ireland is committed to supporting the work of world class companies such as Johnson Controls to utilise the latest developments in AI, Data Analytics and Cloud Architecture to build new technologies to enable a more sustainable world. This is a most welcome investment for Cork and for Ireland and is in line with our strategy aim to develop Ireland as a leading location for Sustainability Engineering solutions.” OpenBlue, Johnson Controls’ suite of connected solutions, is a key enabler changing the face of sustainability for customers today, through smart buildings technologies designed for operational energy efficiency, occupant comfort and sustainability. Cutting-edge solutions such as OpenBlue Net Zero Buildings can help drive significant improvements in energy efficiency and corresponding carbon emissions. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Cork will launch on May 12, 2022. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) is co-ordinating the industry response to the recent UK Health and Safety Executive (UK HSE) mast-climbing work platform (MCWP) safety alert, following a meeting of its UK & Ireland MCWP Work Group on 11 May. Angel Ibañez, IPAF’s Representative for MCWPs and Related Products, who convened the meeting, comments: “The meeting of IPAF’s UK & Ireland MCWP Work Group was attended by more than 30 participants and sought to formulate a response to UK HSE BSCD1-2022 issued this month. “That the meeting was so well attended is testament to the significance and gravity with which MCWP rental companies, manufacturers and equipment end-users in the UK are addressing this safety alert. The group is clear that a co-ordinated response is required, with short, medium and long-term corrective actions agreed.” Among the actions agreed by the meeting was a resolution to urge all users to continue to adhere to a rigorous policy of risk assessment when installing MCWP equipment, which should conform to industry safety standards including EN1495. MCWPs should be subject to recommended maintenance, inspection and thorough examination. IPAF continues to recommend that installers, demonstrators and operators of MCWPs should be trained and familiarised on the machines being used, and thorough pre-use inspections must be routinely carried out. The MCWP Committee also requested IPAF to convene an urgent meeting with equipment manufacturers, including IPAF members and non-members, with a view to discussing the safety alert and developing understanding of its implications. IPAF will also seek to make collected representations to the UK HSE in order to establish maximum clarity about the safety alert and the ramifications for the MCWP sector. Ibañez adds: “IPAF seeks to aid and assist all users of MCWP equipment in understanding and reacting appropriately to this UK HSE Safety Alert, to ensure that the sector continues to maintain the highest possible standards of safety. We also wish to assure end-users of this equipment that it remains one of the safest ways to conduct work at height. “Furthermore, it was resolved that IPAF and its MCWP members stand ready to assist in the urgent review of the relevant industry design and safe-use standards, including both BS 7981 and EN 1495. We acknowledge that MCWP equipment has been subject to a number of technological advances in this past 20 years, and it is important that the relevant standards reflect this. “IPAF and its members can offer significant technical expertise in respect of the use of MCWPs; we emphasise our collective commitment to assisting the wider industry to respond proactively to this UK HSE Safety Alert. All machines must conform to relevant design and engineering standards and good safety practice should be adhered to at all times when using this equipment.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast will play an integral role in a new £7.7m collaborative project, aiming to change how important parts of the UK’s infrastructure are monitored and maintained. Healthy infrastructure, which includes bridges, telecom masts and wind turbines, is critical to ensuring the continued functionality and growth of UK society and the economy. Unfortunately, monitoring and maintaining the buildings and transport network is expensive. In the UK, a backlog of maintenance works, which were identified in 2019, will cost £6.7 billion. With bridges, inspection is usually carried out visually by human experts. However, resources are stretched, so mistakes can be made. In a few extreme cases structural failure can result in fatalities. Collapse is not the only problem; extreme weather events driven by climate change can also test the performance of infrastructure beyond its limits. The offshore wind (OW) sector is another area for concern. OW has driven down energy costs and increased power output, pioneering a global change to clean energy. The UK leads globally in OW energy, providing almost one third of the UK’s annual electricity demand and helping meet the UK’s net-zero-by-2050 target. The drive for turbines in deeper water demands new ways of asset management, controlling and limiting operation/maintenance lifetime costs. As turbines increase in numbers, size, and capacity, these issues become even more important. To address the challenge and come up with innovative solutions, Queen’s University experts have joined a collaborative team of researchers and will work with the University of Sheffield, University of Cambridge and the University of Exeter, as well as key industry partners, including Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure, Translink, Arqiva, Cellnex (UK) and Siemens Gamesa. The ROSEHIPS (Revolutionising Operational Safety and Economy for High-value Infrastructure using Population-based SHM) project aims to solve the infrastructure asset management problem in the UK for maintaining our infrastructure, such as bridges, via transformative new research to automate health monitoring. Instead of expensive scheduled inspections, diagnoses can be provided economically by permanently-installed sensors, collecting structural data continuously and interpreting it via computer algorithms. The researchers from Queen’s will focus on developing novel sensing – this will be customised for infrastructure and will help to overcome obstacles to the real-world implementation of the research. The project brings together expertise on bridge structural health monitoring from Dr David Hester and Professor Su Taylor from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s and sensor and embedded AI expertise from Professor Roger Woods in the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Dr David Hester comments: “Our initial work developing innovative sensing solutions and our considerable body of bridge monitoring experience has provided a critical practical platform for this project. Through cutting-edge research, experts at Queen’s are continuing to develop solutions to real world problems on our doorstop, which has a positive impact right across the globe.” Professor Keith Worden, from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, says: “Population-Based Structural Health Monitoring is a game-changing idea, emerging in the UK very recently. It has the potential to overcome current technological barriers and transform our ability to automatically infer the condition of a structure, or a network of structures, from sensor data.” Professor Gerard Hamill, Head of the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s, said: “Queen’s University has a strong track record of undertaking world-class research applied to the solution of practical engineering problems. This project has the potential to radically change how we undertake structural health monitoring, with direct application to infrastructure in Northern Ireland through our links with asset stakeholders.” The EPSRC project will extend and exploit Population Based Structural Health Monitoring (PBSHM), which allows data from one structure, where its state is known, to be used to make inferences about another structure. The project will also develop machine learning, sensing and digital twin technology for automated inference of health for structures in operation now, and drive new standards for safer, greener structures in future. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Yorkshire-based worktop supplier, Roann Limited has secured a £140,000 project deal with Hill Group to supply kitchen worktops for the new Lampton Parkside development in Hounslow, West London. In a joint venture with the award-winning house builder, Hill Group and leading housing association, Notting Hill Genesis, Lampton Parkside will be located by an idyllic 40-acre park close to Hounslow Central tube station. Roann Limited will be responsible for providing 202 quality kitchen worktops in 20mm Caesarstone quartz in colour Snow as part of the new contemporary development. Scheduled for completion in September 2023, the site will combine a collection of studios, one, two and three-bed apartments and three-bedroom houses. Discussing the project, Scott Wharton, Sales Director from Roann Limited, said: “Working on the Lampton Parkside development is an exciting opportunity for us, we are delighted to have secured this city-fringe project in London with Hill Group and Notting Hill Genesis. We are looking forward to installing Caesarstone and seeing the completed project. “The Caesarstone Snow kitchen worktop brings a clean and refreshing style with a polished finish – a perfect addition to any kitchen.” Established in 1990, Roann Limited specialises in manufacturing and supplying granite and quartz kitchen worktops for new build and high-rise developments in the UK. Based in Wakefield, their purpose-built factory has over £2 million worth of state-of-the-art manufacturing machinery. Roann Limited fit 15,000 per year and have worked with clients such as Taylor Wimpey, Bellway and Sir Robert McAlpine. With over 30 years of experience, Roann Limited proudly holds accreditations with many of the industry’s leading health & safety schemes, including SSIP certification, and is also ConstructionOnline Gold Approved. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
With the help of funding from reward Finance, a Yorkshire property developer has created a new social hub in Castleford. The new Livelihub on Methley Road, close to the town centre, is the brainchild of entrepreneur Craig Mitchell, owner of Carter & Co Property Solutions. It features an artisan coffee shop and sandwich bar, as well as a hair and beauty salon. The new venture, which has created four new jobs, was brought to fruition through funding of £100,000 arranged by Reward Finance Group. Reward Finance Group, which was introduced to Carter & Co by Brian Snape, owner of Mighty Oak Business and Property Finance, enabled Mitchell to bring his development plans to fruition with a short-term bridging loan. Craig Mitchell, director at Carter & Co Property Solutions, who will manage the Livelihub business as part his business portfolio, said: “It is fantastic to be able to realise our ambitions for this prominent site in Castleford and create a social hub unlike anything else in the town. The new salon is an exciting venture too, offering a high specification space in a superb location that immediately attracted hairdressing professionals who loved the concept of working within Livelihub. “Being able to access £100,000 on a short-term basis through Reward has been really beneficial to the project. Their approach is refreshing and one that I haven’t previously experienced from the major banks, with a great dedication to getting to know my business and understand what we need to grow and thrive.” The funding allowed the conversion of the former workshop and storage space to be completed in as short a timeframe as possible, preventing any delays in the opening of Livelihub. “Craig has identified an excellent business opportunity here with Livelihub given the growth in café culture and the demand for high quality commercial premises in smaller town communities like Castleford. We are delighted to be able to support the business through our Business Finance product, which is ideal for clients like Carter & Co who require a short-term working capital facility to be able to progress with their growth plans whatever they may be,” added Karen Paige, Reward Finance Group associate director. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Keepmoat Homes, one of the UK’s leading partnership home builders has completed the purchase of land at French Street, Dalmarnock, which will see 48 new energy-efficient homes built over the coming months. The range of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses will have enhanced insulation and solar PV panels, as well as energy efficient designs for a lifetime of low energy bills. The development, Arrolbridge, will also be connected to a District Heating Network, and will be the first residential properties to connect to this network. The development is located in the heart of Dalmarnock and will encircle a central green providing public open space, with play facilities. It is based less than three miles from the bustling city centre of Glasgow, with many historic public parks located in the vicinity. Named after Sir William Arrol & Co, the developments pays tribute to Dalmarnock’s industrial past. Derek Wilson, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes said: “We’re thrilled to have secured this site, which is an exceptional location for homeowners, just a couple of miles away from the City Centre of Glasgow. We are looking forward to providing much needed family homes to the area. All of the homes have energy saving and environmentally friendly features for our customers, as well as being connected to the wider district heating network.” “Our Arrolbridge development has been designed for a new era of living, with innovative and flexible home office spaces included in each property.” The land was acquired in March 2022 by Keepmoat Homes from urban regeneration company, Clyde Gateway, on a partnership basis, enabling the homes to benefit from its District Heating Network that will be connected to each home. The District Heating Network is a new system that will supply low carbon heat to the full Central Dalmarnock area where the site is located. Ian Manson, Chief Executive of Clyde Gateway said: “We are pleased to be able to meet the growing demand for homes in the Clyde Gateway area with more and more people recognising the East End as a desirable place to live and work. “Dalmarnock is perfectly located for local communities to have quick access to the city centre and first-class green spaces right on their doorstep. These quality new homes from Keepmoat Homes are a very welcome addition and we are particularly pleased that they will be connected to our new district heating network.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
