McLaren Construction Midlands and North has announced the commencement of works on Omega West Unit 4, a £28million major industrial and logistics (I&L) development within the Omega Business Park, in Warrington. Due for completion at the end of June 2025, Unit 4 follows the successful completion of Units 2 and
Edinburgh Airport has awarded Mitie a new five-year contract for grounds maintenance across its airfield and terminal buildings. As part of this contract, Mitie will provide essential landscaping services at Scotland’s busiest airport, which handles over 14 million passengers travelling to 152 destinations annually. The services will include lawn care,
Demolition of the former Riverside shopping centre and medical practice is underway, kickstarting the transformation of the Smithfield Riverside area in Shrewsbury town centre. To mark this significant milestone, Shropshire Council is asking for the public’s help in compiling a history of the area over the last 50 years. Named
Top 10 UK housebuilder, Keepmoat, has committed to regenerating nearly seven acres of unused land in Milton Keynes to build 115 new homes – 50 of which will be built to the anticipated Future Homes Standard. With a planned total build budget of £21.5million, the project is due to be
The Council has begun gathering feedback around the transformational proposals being developed for Holt Town, east Manchester as consultation opens today. Holt Town presents an opportunity to create a new town within the city, developing 74acres (30ha) of underused, brownfield land that has the potential to deliver thousands of new
Bicester Motion, the 444-acre future mobility estate in Bicester, Oxfordshire and Skyports Infrastructure, the leader in vertiport infrastructure for the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry, have been given the green light to build the UK’s first vertiport testbed for the electric air taxi industry. The application for the new vertiport
SP Energy Networks is investing nearly £20 million to modernise the electricity network in South Lanarkshire and expand opportunities for renewable energy in the region. This significant investment includes key projects at Brokencross Wind Farm, Elvanfoot substation and a proposal for a new high-voltage grid substation, Coalburn North. The projects
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has announced the appointment of six companies to a new alliance to build Single Living Accommodation (SLA) for the Armed Forces. The six companies – Bowmer and Kirkland, ExtraSpace Solutions, Kier McAvoy, Kier Metek, Laing O’Rourke and REDS10 – will be awarded contracts through an
Sustainable housebuilder Cora Homes has partnered with a carpet manufacturer to fit its new homes with eco-friendly flooring – saving thousands of plastic bottles from landfill. Furlong Flooring will be fitting its high-quality EcoSense Enchantment Elite and Luxe carpet lines to Cora’s new homes, starting at Lancaster Gate in Bedfordshire.
Safety and sustainability are top priorities for the UK construction industry with significant efforts being made to improve safety standards and sustainable practices, including the use of products specifically designed to meet on-site safety requirements and help the industry reduce its environmental impact. The development of an innovative new product,
McLaren Construction Midlands and North has announced the commencement of works on Omega West Unit 4, a £28million major industrial and logistics (I&L) development within the Omega Business Park, in Warrington. Due for completion at the end of June 2025, Unit 4 follows the successful completion of Units 2 and 3, also on behalf of Omega St Helens Limited, but with a fund managed by Blackstone as the purchaser. The unit is to be a 420,000 sq. ft. development featuring state-of-the-art facilities, including two-story offices, extensive warehouse space, a hub office, car park facilities, and comprehensive external works and landscaping. The team has worked to tackle challenging elements of the site including an existing watercourse along its southern and western boundaries, which requires an eight-metre buffer zone to maintain construction safety. Additionally, a 132kva cable diversion below ground on the northern boundary will necessitate careful planning to ensure safe excavation and groundwork activities. In line with McLaren Construction’s sustainability commitment, the development will incorporate 10% natural roof light implementation, future capacity for EV charging, and a full cut and fill balance of the existing ground to reuse all on-site cohesive materials. The site will also include a wild meadow planting arrangement and increased green space areas through extensive landscaping. During construction, all generators and plant machinery will run on alternative fuels, and all site waste will be managed through an online data system, Smartwaste, with recycling targets monitored monthly. The project will utilise locally sourced materials and suppliers, wherever possible, to support the local economy. Upon completion, the development is expected to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and an EPC rating of A. With careful consideration of the local community at its heart, throughout the project McLaren Construction Midlands and North will continue to regularly engage with local schools and colleges, including job fairs and mock interview sessions, to promote industry opportunities for young people. For the wider community and stakeholders, monthly meetings with the local council and planning teams will be hosted, presenting newsletters and updates to keep the entire community informed. Gary Cramp, Managing Director of McLaren Construction Midlands and North, said: “We are excited to start work on Unit 4, building on our successful track record at the Omega Business Park. Our team is dedicated to delivering a high-quality, sustainable project while continuing to engage and support the local community.” David Milloy, Managing Director of M2 Group (owner of Omega St Helens), added: “We are very pleased to continue our partnership with McLaren Construction on this pivotal development. Their commitment to quality and community engagement aligns with our values and vision for Omega Business Park.” The commencement of Omega West Unit 4 underscores McLaren Construction Midlands and North’s ongoing dedication to fostering sustainable growth and innovation in industrial and logistics infrastructure. With a steadfast commitment to quality, environmental responsibility and community engagement, the contractor is poised to deliver a project that not only meets the highest standards of construction excellence but also contributes positively to the Warrington community and beyond. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Edinburgh Airport has awarded Mitie a new five-year contract for grounds maintenance across its airfield and terminal buildings. As part of this contract, Mitie will provide essential landscaping services at Scotland’s busiest airport, which handles over 14 million passengers travelling to 152 destinations annually. The services will include lawn care, tree and shrub maintenance, litter collection, and weed control across the entire airport estate, from the terminal front to the airfield. The team will also be responsible for mowing and maintaining approximately 2 million square metres of grass—a space equivalent to 280 football pitches. In addition to landscaping, Mitie will provide winter maintenance services at the airport. This will involve gritting car parks, walkways, and roads across the site, as well as supporting the maintenance of taxiway systems when needed. Given the harsh winter weather often experienced at the airport, ensuring the grounds remain safe and accessible for passengers and staff is a crucial responsibility that Mitie will undertake. Sustainability is a key focus of the contract. Mitie plans to use white marine salt, derived from evaporated seawater, for gritting, rather than salt obtained through mining. The company will also aim to eliminate the use of plastic and is working on several initiatives to introduce more sustainable planting and wildflower areas at passenger entrances to enhance biodiversity at the airport. This contract further strengthens Mitie’s presence in the UK aviation sector, where the company already provides a range of services, including cleaning, engineering, and waste management, as well as baggage security, at major airports such as Heathrow, London Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, and Belfast City. Tim Howell, Managing Director of Mitie Landscapes, commented: “We are delighted to partner with Edinburgh Airport to deliver grounds maintenance services over the next five years. Our experienced team is dedicated to maintaining the airport’s extensive grounds using the most sustainable methods available, ensuring they remain safe, functional, and visually appealing throughout the year.” Brian Anderson, Head of Engineering at Edinburgh Airport, added: “Effective grounds and winter maintenance are crucial to the airport and our daily operations, and we are pleased that Mitie will be working with us on this over the next five years. Their experience and expertise, along with their plans for future improvements, will help ensure the best service for passengers and staff across the campus.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Demolition of the former Riverside shopping centre and medical practice is underway, kickstarting the transformation of the Smithfield Riverside area in Shrewsbury town centre. To mark this significant milestone, Shropshire Council is asking for the public’s help in compiling a history of the area over the last 50 years. Named ‘Riverside Remembered,’ the social history initiative will see Shropshire Council and the Shropshire Archives work together to curate a collection of memories from the area between the years of 1974 and 2024. Members of the public are encouraged to submit their photos online at smithfieldriverside.com for inclusion in the project. For those with physical photographs, videotapes or even mementos, a drop-in event will be held at Shropshire Local in the Darwin Centre on 5th September from 9am – 3pm. On 1st October, an event will be held at Shropshire Archives on Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, which will include a display of images submitted, and screening of a film about the historical development of Raven Meadows. The demolition marks the first visible sign of change as part of the wider Smithfield Riverside regeneration scheme – an ambitious plan led by the Council and its development manager, RivingtonHark, to revitalise the area between the River Severn, The Darwin centre, Roushill and Raven Meadows in Shrewsbury town centre. Funded by £19 million from the UK Government, the demolition – carried out by specialist demolition contractor Cawarden – is expected to take around three months. Once the site has been cleared, work can begin on the first phase of the Smithfield Riverside project – the creation of a landmark park adjacent to Roushill. This attractive green space has been designed to help breathe new life and vibrancy into the area, as well as improve biodiversity and flood resilience in the town centre. It will feature play equipment, accessible facilities for visitors of all ages, and a dedicated events and performance area. Mark Barrow, Shropshire Council’s Executive Director of Place, said: “This is a significant moment for Shrewsbury. The start of demolition at the Riverside site is the first step in an exciting period of change for this area of our town centre – one that will ultimately help us attract new visitors, residents, businesses and jobs. We’ve been working hard with the project team towards this moment for many months, so it’s truly fantastic to see the project now officially moving forward. “The Riverside area has a rich history going back centuries, and for many people in Shrewsbury and across Shropshire the old nightclubs and shops in this area held a wealth of happy memories. Riverside Remembered is the perfect way to celebrate those memories and mark the beginning of a new chapter for this part of the town centre” Spencer Winter, Project Director at RivingtonHark, added: “Seeing work start on site is naturally an exciting moment for ourselves, having been involved in the project since 2022, but it is truly a testament to the hard work of Shropshire Council and the entire project team over the last 12 months. “This is the beginning of a transformational journey for Shrewsbury town centre. Phase One of the project is taking full advantage of the Levelling Up funding by delivering a high-quality public space that reflects the town’s character, but also creating the right conditions and environment to drive forward further regeneration as part of the Smithfield Riverside masterplan.” The next planning application for Smithfield Riverside will be submitted later this year, introducing ‘outline’ plans to the develop three plots located between Smithfield Road, Raven Meadows and the new park. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Top 10 UK housebuilder, Keepmoat, has committed to regenerating nearly seven acres of unused land in Milton Keynes to build 115 new homes – 50 of which will be built to the anticipated Future Homes Standard. With a planned total build budget of £21.5million, the project is due to be completed in March 2026, and will provide a range of high-quality, multi-tenure homes to add to the thriving community already in the area. The housebuilder will also create multiple types of housing for residents at the site to be named Haworth Place, including much-needed affordable housing stock through a local housing association. The development is located on the edge of Milton Keynes and is close to a variety of amenities such as shops, parks and transport links. The Future Homes Standard legislation update, which is due in 2025, requires all new homes to reduce 75 percent of the carbon emissions and is set out to replace traditional Building Regulations for new dwellings. Keepmoat has invested in new research and development to create an advanced delivery programme of new builds called ‘Echo’ homes, equipped with air source heat pumps, solar PV panels, increased levels of insulation and EV charging points to reduce carbon emissions from the homes. These new technologies will be rolled out across key selected developments in the house builders’ portfolio to begin the advanced delivery project, including within 50 homes at the development in Milton Keynes. Ian McFaul, Interim Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat, South Midlands, said: “We’re thrilled to be regenerating this underdeveloped piece of land in Milton Keynes to deliver 115 high-quality, multi-tenure homes for the local area, including much-needed affordable housing options. The project is also creating a raft of new local jobs, training and apprenticeship opportunities, further boosting the local economy and the industry’s future workforce. “As the project continues into the next phase, it’s extremely rewarding to see the excitement about the plans to deliver these homes in this fantastic new town. We’re also proud to be delivering homes featuring anticipated Future Homes Standard technology ahead of the Government-enforced delivery model set to come in next year – a further step in our mission to create sustainable communities for the future.” Keepmoat is a top 10 UK partnership homebuilder with a track-record of delivering quality new homes across the UK at prices people can afford. To find out more about Keepmoat, please visit: www.keepmoat.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Council has begun gathering feedback around the transformational proposals being developed for Holt Town, east Manchester as consultation opens today. Holt Town presents an opportunity to create a new town within the city, developing 74acres (30ha) of underused, brownfield land that has the potential to deliver thousands of new homes – including significant affordable housing – alongside an exciting new cultural offer, new high quality green and play space, and new commercial space. Bound by the city centre one side and Sport City and the Etihad Campus the other, major investment in this area will finally create a link between these two key economic drivers for Manchester and continue the long-term regeneration of Ancoats and New Islington into east Manchester. Holt Town transformation in numbers: The Council is also exploring how digital technologies can be embedded into the fabric of urban regeneration projects to modernise the way residents can access public services – from traffic management, waste collection and neighbourhood management to health and social care. The Neighbourhood Development Framework (NDF) has been produced by a multi-disciplinary team led by Studio Egret West that will help guide investment in the Holt Town area over the next decade. Consultation details: The consultation will be open for six weeks from 19 August to 29 September 2024. Respondents can provide feedback via www.holttownwoodtown.com Local people can also attend two in-person drop-in events at Church of the Apostles & St Cuthbert’s, Ridgeway Street, Miles Platting, Manchester M40 7FY. Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said: “We have big ambitions for Holt Town and it’s not an exaggeration when we say we are creating a new town in our city, transforming an underused part of our city centre to create a new community, thousands of new homes, new commercial space and new jobs – all within a sustainable, green and safe neighbourhood. “As ever, we need the insight from local people to feed into our long-term vision. Feedback from local people is really important as it helps guide our investment in neighbourhoods, with perspective from the people who know the area well. “It’s easy to take part online – or drop-in to one of our in-person events. We look forward to seeing you.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bicester Motion, the 444-acre future mobility estate in Bicester, Oxfordshire and Skyports Infrastructure, the leader in vertiport infrastructure for the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry, have been given the green light to build the UK’s first vertiport testbed for the electric air taxi industry. The application for the new vertiport to be built at Bicester Motion as part of its strategy to continue to be at the forefront of flight to welcome past, present and future technologies to its airfield, has been approved by local planning authority Cherwell District Council. The vertiport, positioned adjacent to Bicester Motion’s existing general aviation grass runways, will continue the airfield’s long history of aerospace innovation. It will include a compact 160 sq m passenger terminal which will be a critical facility for testing ground infrastructure and flight operations and will play a significant role in enabling the next generation of electric, low noise aviation in the UK. Skyports Infrastructure has partnered with Vertical Aerospace, a global aerospace and technology company pioneering zero-emissions aviation through electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. New designs have been unveiled to showcase Vertical Aerospace’s latest VX4 prototype which will be the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to fly at the Skyports vertiport. The VX4 is designed to be piloted, carry four passengers and have a range of up to 100 miles. The aircraft successfully completed its first tethered piloted flight in July and is now progressing through its robust piloted test flight programme. Vertical will use the Skyports vertiport to conduct demonstration flights and test key procedures ahead of commercial launch. The new renders have depicted the vertiport’s interior, which will be equipped with Skyports’ proprietary vertiport technology solutions, which include its Resource Management and Scheduling System (RMSS) and Vertiport Automation System (VAS). Daniel Geoghegan, chief executive, Bicester Motion said: “This is a significant moment for Bicester Motion and the future of aviation here. The former RAF Bicester was born in a period of intense technological innovation and played its role in 1938 when the Halifax prototype L7244 flew its maiden trail flights from Bicester. “Today, we continue to welcome aircraft from all eras including new mobility technologies to provide a viable future for our historic airfield through such pioneering partnerships as Skyports. The vertiport green light enables us to continue to host such aviation innovation and advance a world where sustainable and accessible electric aviation is in reach for all, with Bicester Motion at the centre.” Duncan Walker, chief executive, Skyports said: “With the green light from Cherwell District Council, now begins the exciting stage in vertiport development: building it. The tests and trials we conduct at this facility will be instrumental to the future of quiet, electric, vertical flight. Our vertiport at Bicester Motion will facilitate important learnings and demonstrations that advance the adoption of AAM. We are proud to be playing a pioneering role in shaping the future of this exciting industry in the UK.” The vertiport is being developed as part of the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium: a group of leading British aviation, technology and transportation organisations pioneering AAM in the UK, backed by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Flight Challenge. The vertiport will serve as a key node for the Consortium’s wider testing programme, including demonstration flights, ground operations, aircraft integration, and public and stakeholder engagement. Michael Cervenka, chief commercial & technology officer, Vertical Aerospace, added: “The Skyports vertiport is a critical piece of infrastructure, helping to get our VX4 aircraft up into the air and demonstrate to the world that the future of flight is electric. We’re excited to see what the UK’s first permanent vertiport will look like as we move into an important phase of the industry – making this real. The tests we carry out here in Bicester with our VX4 will advance our understanding of electric aviation and revolutionise how we travel – paving the way for zero emissions, quiet flight.” James Richmond, head of future flight, consortium lead AtkinsRéalis, said: “The vertiport living lab will go beyond demonstrating flight procedures and will validate the entire ecosystem the partners have created from the ground up. Gaining planning consent was a critical milestone and provided important learning for all stakeholders involved, helping to enable and scale advanced air mobility in the UK.” Construction is due to start in the Autumn. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
SP Energy Networks is investing nearly £20 million to modernise the electricity network in South Lanarkshire and expand opportunities for renewable energy in the region. This significant investment includes key projects at Brokencross Wind Farm, Elvanfoot substation and a proposal for a new high-voltage grid substation, Coalburn North. The projects aim to help harness South Lanarkshire’s abundant wind resources by providing the infrastructure needed to connect and support more renewable generation in the area and accommodate the rising demand for green technologies such as electric vehicles and heat pumps for local customers. SP Energy Networks has recently invested £11 million into Elvanfoot Substation to improve network infrastructure and increase opportunities for clean energy generation. This investment includes the introduction of new technology, such as the installation of two new transformers to efficiently manage and distribute electricity generated by wind power. These upgrades, carried out by specialist contractors, including Kolektor, RJ McLeod and Kirby Engineering, are on track for completion by the last quarter of 2024. The leading energy network provider has also successfully completed a £7 million upgrade to its substation at Brokencross Wind Farm. As part of this initiative, SP Energy Networks installed a collector substation, which takes wind-generated energy and feeds it into the wider network. This upgrade will harness the power generated by 10 new wind turbines and channel it into Coalburn Grid Substation, providing energy to power up to 50,000 homes each year. Recognising the increased demand for renewable connections in the area, SP Energy Networks is also proposing the construction of a new high voltage grid substation near the existing Coalburn Substation, located south of Lesmahagow. This new development, named “Coalburn North,” will be essential for bringing more renewable energy to local communities, providing a cleaner, more reliable power supply. As part of the planning process, SP Energy Networks’ planning officers and members of the project team held consultation events in the village of Coalburn. These drop-in sessions provided the local community with detailed information about the new substation proposal, offering opportunities for comments and feedback. Pearse Murray, SP Transmission Director at SP Energy Networks, said: “We are delighted to announce a significant investment in South Lanarkshire’s energy infrastructure to boost renewable energy and support the uptake of green technologies, like heat pumps and electric vehicles. “The completion of our Brokencross Wind Farm connection project marks a major milestone in our journey in the area. This initiative, alongside our other local projects, promises substantial benefits for the local community. It will ensure a more secure energy supply regardless of network demand and support the local adoption of renewable energy. We want to thank the community for their ongoing support and collaboration throughout these projects and look forward to seeing the tangible benefits as they come to fruition.” The project aligns with SP Energy Networks’ commitment to ensuring energy security for the UK, supporting job creation, the supply chain, and the broader economy. It supports communities in the shift towards low-carbon technology and achieving net zero emissions. For more information about the project, SP Energy Networks and its services, visit: spenergynetworks.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has announced the appointment of six companies to a new alliance to build Single Living Accommodation (SLA) for the Armed Forces. The six companies – Bowmer and Kirkland, ExtraSpace Solutions, Kier McAvoy, Kier Metek, Laing O’Rourke and REDS10 – will be awarded contracts through an existing Crown Commercial Services framework. Each company submitted a tender to be considered for the new alliance, which was rigorously assessed on a range of requirements by DIO and their technical support provider, Arcadis. The alliance, which will run for six years, will see 16,000 new bedspaces built as part of a wider MOD plan to build or refurbish 40,000 SLA bedspaces over ten years. The work will improve the lived experience for service personnel occupying those rooms. The appointment of the six companies is part of DIO’s new Programmatic Approach for SLA, which is intended to improve the delivery of new accommodation by finding efficiencies and improving value for money. A library of SLA designs has been created, providing a common base design with variations and flexibility to adapt according to the needs of the site and its personnel, such as the number of rooms required. The design can be used for accommodation intended for short-term occupancy, such as recruits undergoing initial training or for personnel are on exercise on the Defence training estate, as well as permanent accommodation in military bases. While the SLA design catalogue allows for different construction methods, providing flexibility for all accommodation requirements, the SLA Programmatic Approach focuses on Modern Methods of Construction with new blocks built off-site in sections. This should improve the speed of manufacture and reduce the time spent on site, minimising disruption. The designs were created with sustainability in mind and will contribute to the Government’s Net Zero Carbon strategy. The alliance will champion collaborative behavior and innovation to improve delivery, learning from each completed project and using that knowledge to improve the next. Charlie Hoskins, DIO’s Director of Major Programmes and Projects, said: “I am convinced this new alliance using a programmatic approach will be crucial to improve our broader delivery of Single Living Accommodation. These blocks are one of the Armed Forces facilities we build the most and this approach will ensure we can safely build blocks faster, to a common design ensuring consistency of standards, and drive better value for money. Ultimately, this is about improving the living conditions for our Armed Forces personnel and every one of our suppliers is motivated by this aim.” Over the next two years, a hybrid approach will be adopted with the full new approach being used for all projects from 2026 onwards. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Sustainable housebuilder Cora Homes has partnered with a carpet manufacturer to fit its new homes with eco-friendly flooring – saving thousands of plastic bottles from landfill. Furlong Flooring will be fitting its high-quality EcoSense Enchantment Elite and Luxe carpet lines to Cora’s new homes, starting at Lancaster Gate in Bedfordshire. The 100% recycled carpets, which are made from recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets, save around 9,600 plastic bottles from landfill per home carpeted. Matt Wright, Commercial Director at Northamptonshire-based Cora Homes, said: “At Cora Homes, our goal as a housebuilder is to create amazing places. “We strive for excellence, producing high-quality homes in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way. “The idea of having recycled carpets, saving plastic going into landfill, was a huge selling point for the flooring – it fits in perfectly with our ethos of sustainability. “The flooring has been a hit. We have received some great feedback from customers on how good the carpets look – most are really surprised, and very happy, to hear they are recycled.” Furlong Flooring use ethically sourced, internationally credited 100% recycled plastic bottles which are then processed into yarn – with 50,000 bottles used per tonne. Not only do the carpets save this plastic from landfill or being dumped in the ocean, it saves another 100 litres of oil from producing a traditional carpet. The flooring is being laid by carpet fitters Saint Group, which uses its own brand 84% recycled underlay with every carpet laid. Simon Brown, National Housing Sector Manager at Furlong Flooring, said: “We are very excited to partner with Cora Homes, who have a shared vision towards the environment and sustainability. “As a leading UK carpet manufacturer, Furlong Flooring take great pride in being at the forefront of designing and producing carpets made with 100% recycled yarns. “We have always strived to constantly decrease our impact on the environment and that’s why all our ranges use recycled materials in the production of the backing and are manufactured using renewable energy at our UK-based factory. “Cora’s commitment to our Enchantment Luxe carpet range will result in over 2.5 million plastic bottles being recycled every year.” Alan Honeyman, Head of Commercial (South) at Saint Group, added: “Sustainability is a core part of our business ethos here at Saint Group. “We now recycle over 250 tonnes of clean carpet waste every year, saving it from going to landfill. “We ensure all our waste is removed from site and disposed of in a way that minimises our carbon footprint, acting as an extension of our client’s sustainability agenda.” For more on Cora and Lancaster Gate, see cora.uk/development/lancaster-gate Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Safety and sustainability are top priorities for the UK construction industry with significant efforts being made to improve safety standards and sustainable practices, including the use of products specifically designed to meet on-site safety requirements and help the industry reduce its environmental impact. The development of an innovative new product, called the Rebar Buddy, mitigates some of the risk of injuries caused by exposed reinforcement bars – or rebars for short – and signifies a step in the right direction for the industry, especially as its designed to be fully recyclable to meet contractor demands for sustainability. The Rebar Buddy, which is distributed exclusively in the UK by Selkent, represents a significant improvement on existing methods of nullifying the hazards posed by the exposed ends of protruding rebar sections. Rebars play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity of buildings. Typically, made from steel, a rebar is used to strengthen concrete structures by increasing its tensile strength. However, they can cause safety issues for those working on site, with protruding rebars causing a potential for injury or trip hazard. And while the use of a rebar protector isn’t new, the material composition of existing rebar mushroom caps and their likeliness of becoming contaminated with concrete means they can’t be recycled and therefore don’t meet sustainable standards of construction today. Shaun Bushnell, Managing Director at Selkent explains the thinking behind the development process: “Rebar Buddy is a great example of how incremental improvements can be made to existing components, when you apply careful attention and some up-to-date, expert knowledge. “Rebar end caps, or mushrooms, have been used for years, and do a job, but with some drawbacks. They suffer from frequent wear and tear by being taken on and off the rebar and can become loose and often be blown off by moderate winds. With large sites sometimes having thousands of protruding ends, using a more flexible and sustainable material just made sense.” Rebar Buddy is constructed from a PTE thermoplastic elastomer that is perfectly suited to its application. Combined with a smart 3D design, the material offers a stiff elasticity which endures with repeated use, delivering a strong grip while allowing easy application. The addition of a linear version, where each piece covers multiple rebar protrusions, allows far quicker application saving valuable time. Crucially, these designs also have the toughness and durability to offer the physical protection required and last much longer than existing products. Rebar Buddy products are also fully recyclable, this combines with their reusability to offer impressive sustainability performance. It was this that led to the product being recognised by the Environment & Sustainability Award at the 2023 CONSTRUCT Day Awards. UK Port Sustainability awards also. Shaun continue: “In the grand scheme of a construction project the impact of a relatively small amount of plastic waste didn’t used to come up on the project manager’s radar, but that has changed. Now, the industry recognises that we need to move to cradle-to-cradle solutions wherever we can, and Rebar Buddy offers that opportunity”. You can find out more about Rebar Buddy here Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
