Kenneth Booth

HOW TO AVOID GRAND DESIGN HEADACHES

“People often skip ahead to their dream of what the project’s going to look like but have little understanding about the process of how to get there.” Planning and designing your own interiors on a construction project as a non-professional should come with a health warning. Dan Grimshaw says proceeding

Read More »

New CEO appointed at Scottish environmental tech firm

Scottish technology firm, Recycl8, has announced the appointment of new CEO, Mark Gillespie. The former energy executive will be working with the Recycl8 team to drive the firm’s business strategy as they enter the next stage in their development. Recycl8 founder and nationally regarded authority on waste management, Ian Skene,

Read More »

Encon Construction Products launches first edition Product Guide

Encon Construction Products, a specialist division of The Encon Group, continues to invest in growth with the launch of its first edition Product Guide. The new digital Guide includes an extensive range, helping specifiers, contractors and builders’ merchants find the right products for their building and infrastructure projects, easily and

Read More »

HENRY BROTHERS YORBUILD APPOINTMENT TO PROCURE £60M OF WORK

Contractor Henry Brothers has been appointed to Lot 2 of the YORbuild3 Minor Works Framework. The company has been successful for the South region of the framework, which covers local authorities, public sector bodies and third sector organisations in the South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, and North Derbyshire areas. Henry Brothers

Read More »

CPI AND WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION: PAVING THE WAY TOWARDS AN INCLUSIVE FUTURE

Women are significantly underrepresented in the construction industry and attracting more female talent and achieving an accurate representation of women in all roles in the sector will have a greater positive impact. Identifying and attracting the best talent is always a challenge of recruitment. At CPI, vital modifications to their

Read More »

ROLTON GROUP GROWTH CONTINUES WITH NEW NORTH EAST LOCATION

Following continued success and showing further commitment to the North East region, leading engineering consultants, Rolton Group, announce the opening of their latest new office in Newcastle. The growing Rolton Group team now includes six colleagues based in the North East, who have made themselves at home in their new

Read More »

DEVELOPER WINS APPEAL TO PROVIDE STYLISH STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

Following a successful appeal by property and development company S Harrison, planning permission has been granted for a purpose-built student accommodation scheme with 64 studio apartments. Planning consultants, Turley, managed the appeal process that resulted in a decision being issued just three months after submission.  The appeal was lodged after

Read More »
Latest Issue
Issue 335 : Dec 2025

Kenneth Booth

HOW TO AVOID GRAND DESIGN HEADACHES

“People often skip ahead to their dream of what the project’s going to look like but have little understanding about the process of how to get there.” Planning and designing your own interiors on a construction project as a non-professional should come with a health warning. Dan Grimshaw says proceeding without detailed drawings that specify how a building is to be constructed can lead to frayed tempers and out of control budgets. “Too often to save on costs or because they have simply failed to understand the whole construction process, clients opt to do without them,” said Dan, from Beam Development. “’Spec’ing-as-you-go’ can be overwhelming, with the whole construction timespan involving making thousands of decisions – from flooring choices to bedroom storage, to picture lights – on the hoof. “This will also, inevitably, involve frequent consultations with the site manager which is a drain on resources and diverts funds from the efficient running of the site. “Almost always disputes, misunderstandings and problems could have been avoided had detailed drawings been in place.” Dan, who works on premium residential projects in London, says many people are influenced by TV shows and aspirational images on social media sites like Instagram. “People often have a picture in their mind of the home they want and assume the process will be as simple as going into a shop and walking out with a product. “However, the reason these properties look amazing is because someone has spent a lot of time, effort, skill, and money – and probably quite a lot of styling – creating that image. “People often skip ahead to their dream of what the project’s going to look like but have little understanding about the process of how to get there. “They don’t really understand what architects or interior designers do and why should they. “As an industry we must do more to help people to understand the process, how to engage in it and to respect it and value it.” Dan says he would like to see more construction companies raising the issue at the tender stage and either provide costings should they wish to carry out that work themselves, or else volunteer their own recommended architect or interior designer. “The key is to identify the gap in the first place. If the client is unwilling to pay for that work, then maybe they are not prepared to pay for your time, in which case it might be better to pass on the work. It’s about finding the right fit in both directions.” Dan Grimshaw is a design and construction specialist based in Bath and London. He is a mentor to the British Library’s prestigious Innovating for Growth programme. For further information visit: www.beamdevelopment.co.uk

Read More »

New CEO appointed at Scottish environmental tech firm

Scottish technology firm, Recycl8, has announced the appointment of new CEO, Mark Gillespie. The former energy executive will be working with the Recycl8 team to drive the firm’s business strategy as they enter the next stage in their development. Recycl8 founder and nationally regarded authority on waste management, Ian Skene, will move into the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), where he will work closely with Mark and the wider team to bring their ground-breaking low carbon green concrete to market. Mark is a high-profile figure in the energy and renewables industries, having held senior executive roles across various companies including Global Marine Group, Royal IHC, Ecosse Subsea Systems as well as TechnipFMC and GE Oil & Gas. Founded by Ian Skene in 2019, Recycl8 works in collaboration with the waste-to-energy and global construction industries to transform Incinerator Bottom Ash (IBA) normally destined for landfill into a high-performing, low-carbon concrete solution.  Ian said, “I’m delighted to welcome Mark to the Recycl8 team, and have no doubt he will excel in the role. Mark’s strong track record as a leader in the energy industry, with his particular expertise in the renewables sector, places us in a very strong position to work with all our stakeholders to bring our unique product to market. By working with us, concrete manufacturers can deliver a significantly reduced carbon footprint to our ever-growing demand for concrete, and waste-to-energy facilities have an alternative, circular economy solution to sending ash to landfill. “Mark’s appointment is extremely timely. We were recently awarded patent status for our low-carbon concrete solution, which means we are the only company in the UK permitted to process IBA and transform it into our concrete mix. As we look to build on this milestone, Mark’s appointment will strengthen our team and drive our progress in this next exciting phase of the business.” Mark added, “I’m excited to join Recycl8 and work alongside Ian and the team. I’ve long admired Ian’s pioneering work in the waste management industry, and I’m passionate about helping Recycl8 in their bid to foster the circular economy and reduce the carbon footprint of the construction and waste-to-energy industries. I look forward to building on the excellent work that Ian and the team have done over the past three years.” Recycl8 is a socially and environmentally conscious company which is committed to contributing to the circular economy and to supporting businesses and communities reach their net zero goals. The company is currently exploring potential bases in the Central Belt area, in a bid to be closer to waste-to-energy incinerator plants, and to be more centrally located for concrete manufacturers and other stakeholders across the UK. Recycl8 previously secured a 7-figure investment from energy industry figures, Mike Wilson founder of Ecosse Subsea Systems and Doug Duguid founder of global engineering firm, EnerMech, as well as a 6-figure grant by Innovate UK to assist with the testing process. Since then, Reycycl8 have achieved several milestones, including being awarded their patent status for their solution, appointing Lloyd Duncan to assist with expanding into the renewable sector specifically targeting wind farms, as well as being shortlisted for Innovation of the Year at this year’s Elevator Awards. Both Mark and Ian will be attending RWM – the recycling, resource and environmental services conference in Birmingham this week (14th to 15th September). For more information visit https://www.r8iba.com

Read More »

Encon Construction Products launches first edition Product Guide

Encon Construction Products, a specialist division of The Encon Group, continues to invest in growth with the launch of its first edition Product Guide. The new digital Guide includes an extensive range, helping specifiers, contractors and builders’ merchants find the right products for their building and infrastructure projects, easily and quickly. Working with leading industry suppliers such as Ancon, Birtley/Expamet, GCP, RIW, Sika, Tecties, Visqueen and Weber, the Guide includes comprehensive product information across six core categories: Concrete & Reinforcement Accessories, Construction Chemicals, Geotechnical, Groundworking Products, Masonry Components and Waterproofing. Each category is colour-coded for ease of reference and customers can also access further information and technical data sheets online, in a newly developed area of the website. Vaughan Taylor, Strategy Director – Encon Construction Products comments: “We’re delighted to offer our first ever digital Product Guide specifically for Encon’s growing choice of construction products. We take pride in our wide range, specialist knowledge and technical expertise and feel this is truly reflected in our new Guide. We’re also extremely pleased to integrate this information into our website giving customers instant access across all our solutions and in a format that suits them best. The Guide and website also detail our growing Infrastructure support, which plays an integral role in large scale building projects.” Encon Construction Products was launched in 2019, strengthening the Group’s position as the leading distributor in specialist markets. The team has grown significantly over the last two years, underpinned by the strong demand in the sector and the company’s expert knowledge, widespread experience and national distribution. Earlier this year, the specialist division welcomed Richard Wade as its new Sales Director. Download the new Guide here or visit www.encon.co.uk.

Read More »

HENRY BROTHERS YORBUILD APPOINTMENT TO PROCURE £60M OF WORK

Contractor Henry Brothers has been appointed to Lot 2 of the YORbuild3 Minor Works Framework. The company has been successful for the South region of the framework, which covers local authorities, public sector bodies and third sector organisations in the South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, and North Derbyshire areas. Henry Brothers has been selected for the Lot that includes new build and refurbishment projects valued between £1m and £4m. It is estimated that around £60m of work over four years will be procured for the South region of the framework via the Lot. Managing director of Henry Brothers Midlands Ian Taylor said: “This is great news for Henry Brothers as we continue to expand our portfolio. “It is the eighth framework that Henry Brothers Midlands is currently on, meaning we have access to a significant pipeline of work in a range of sectors, including health, local authorities, and education. “We look forward to working in partnership with clients who procure via the YORbuild3 Minor Works Framework.” The South region of the framework is being procured by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and relates to the area covered by the Sheffield Local Enterprise Partnership. It includes the areas overseen by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Sheffield City Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Bassetlaw District Council, North East Derbyshire District Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, and Bolsover District Council. Henry Brothers is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. Henry Brothers is on a carbon reduction journey and is committed to cutting its carbon emissions by 50% by the year 2030, and to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. For more information, visit www.henrybrothers.co.uk

Read More »

NETWORK SPACE SECURES FUNDING TO DELIVER BROADHEATH NETWORKCENTRE IN ALTRINCHAM

The transformation of a brownfield site in Altrincham is being supported with a £23.25 million loan from Trafford Council. Network Space Developments is set to regenerate the former Cartwright headquarters on Atlantic Street into a mixture of high-quality refurbished space, alongside new builds, creating a modern, multi-let industrial site designed to attract a variety of businesses. Known as Broadheath Networkcentre, some 205,000 sq ft of accommodation will be delivered across 25 units, with workspace available from 2,100 sq ft to 39,500 sq ft. The development has the capacity to create upwards of 400 new jobs and provide much needed speculative workspace in the region. Regional sub-contractors will be encouraged to become involved in the scheme, as well as local training and employment opportunities being provided during construction. Once complete, the scheme will have an estimated GDV of £45 million. A highly sustainable development, the scheme will target BREEAM Very Good and EPC A ratings. Existing steel and concrete structures on site will be reused and recycled, resulting in a significant reduction in embodied carbon within the development. Individual units are designed to accommodate photovoltaic panels to support renewable energy provision and electric vehicle charging will be provided across the entire scheme. As well as supporting Network Space Developments to bring forward the scheme, the loan from Trafford’s Investment Programme includes a number of conditions to promote environmental efficiency, on-site renewable power, electrical vehicle charging points, space for SME businesses and the use of local sub-contractors and apprentices. Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration, said: “The loan fits well with Trafford’s investment strategy and wider council goals, encouraging the creation of high quality employment space in-borough while requiring high environmental standards and social impacts, as well as providing income that can be reinvested in front line services. “The proposed quality of this scheme and the demand for this type of space from a range of businesses that want to move into or stay in Altrincham gives confidence that it will perform exceptionally well.  We are pleased that the developer is re-using a number of existing buildings on site to create modern smaller units that will suit SME occupiers.” Dan Adamson, group finance director for Network Space, said: “We recognised the importance of this site to the local area when we acquired it just over a year ago. Since then, we have worked collaboratively with Trafford Council. This will be a best-in-class scheme and, together, we will maximise the positive impact of the project, delivering high quality employment space, jobs opportunities, inward investment and economic growth. “Planning consent is now in place to repurpose the existing buildings, alongside the delivery of new, energy efficient units. We have already received strong enquiries from a wide range of occupiers ranging from local businesses, trade occupiers to last mile urban logistics firms. “With a prospective occupier already in legals for the largest unit, the strength of the local market is very evident.” Network Space commenced the demolition in early May and is aiming for practical completion in spring 2023. The loan will be repaid in phases post completion. Jonathan Williams at Savills and Will Kenyon at B8 have been appointed as letting agents for Broadheath Networkcentre by Network Space. The wider professional team includes Walker Sime, project management and quantity surveying, AEW architects and Spawforths is the planning advisor.

Read More »

CPI AND WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION: PAVING THE WAY TOWARDS AN INCLUSIVE FUTURE

Women are significantly underrepresented in the construction industry and attracting more female talent and achieving an accurate representation of women in all roles in the sector will have a greater positive impact. Identifying and attracting the best talent is always a challenge of recruitment. At CPI, vital modifications to their recruitment practices and channels have been carried out to ensure a wide demographic talent pool is reached. The number of female colleagues at CPI increased by five in 2021, which is an early positive indication of change in demographic.  CPI are enthusiastic about opening up new career paths that women may not have thought of as viable options for themselves. They are delighted to have recruited their first female driver colleague and are proud to have supported an existing female colleague at Harlow through their driver academy to attain her HGV licence and take her place behind the wheel as part of the driver team.   CPI have identified barriers in their own work environment that might prevent women joining the business. Welfare, changing and shower facilities have been upgraded to ensure that they are suitable for both male and female colleagues. CPI recognise that their colleague facilities need to be suitable for the demographic needed in the business and not simply the demographic that currently exists.  The CPI range of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) clothing was initially based on a male design and sizing; however, the range of PPE has now been extended to ensure that it includes both male and female sizing and options for all relevant PPE requirements.  Gender diversity within the construction industry is astonishingly low. According to The Guardian, women make up just 11% of the entire construction workforce. The construction industry is male-dominated, and as a result, professions associated with construction are less promoted to women, leading to extremely low levels of female employees entering the sector. Moreover, women that do wish to work in construction, are sometimes met with barriers to progression resulting in them abandoning construction as a career entirely and the loss of talent from the industry.  CPI recognises that a diverse workforce leads to higher employee engagement, better decision making, and higher levels of productivity. A diverse workforce brings a range of fresh perspectives, leading to increased creativity and innovation. Perhaps most importantly, when people feel that they are welcome, accepted and valued team members, they do their best work, resulting in high levels of personal and professional fulfilment, which is why CPI believe in creating a more inclusive workplace. CPI is proud to champion its female colleagues, and the team is continually challenging their work practices to ensure an inclusive workplace is provided for all to support the ambitions in achieving an increasingly diverse and representative workforce. 

Read More »

ROLTON GROUP GROWTH CONTINUES WITH NEW NORTH EAST LOCATION

Following continued success and showing further commitment to the North East region, leading engineering consultants, Rolton Group, announce the opening of their latest new office in Newcastle. The growing Rolton Group team now includes six colleagues based in the North East, who have made themselves at home in their new office at the Cobalt Business Exchange. This is the firm’s fifth UK office, providing a fantastic meeting place and strategic marketing hub to enhance the team’s presence in the North East region. “Building on our involvement with the ongoing Britishvolt Gigaplant project in Blyth, we have been actively establishing a team here in the North East,” shares Andrew Glancey, Associate Director at Rolton Group’s new location. “Newcastle is a fantastic city that boasts ample opportunity with access to the wider North East region for building client relationships and generating new workflow. Acquiring a permanent base for our growing regional team was the next logical step and one that supports our strategic business objectives for expansion. Really exciting times and a defining moment for Rolton Group!” An SME with decades of experience delivering world-class facilities within the automotive and advanced manufacturing industry and holding a rich track record across several strategic energy projects of national significance, Rolton Group was appointed in 2020 as lead engineering consultants for the development of Britishvolt’s £3.8billion Gigaplant in Blyth. Planning approval was granted unanimously for this – the UK’s first ever full-scale Gigaplant – in July 2021, with Rolton Group’s appointment to provide multi-disciplinary engineering designs and consultancy following the practice’s provision of strategic energy advice to the UK Government, in a project assessing suitable sites for Gigaplants across the UK. Craig Smith, Managing Director of Rolton Group, said: “With such an iconic, major project ongoing and several other clients and design team partners based in the region, expanding our operations to Newcastle has been an excellent move for us; but we’re not just here for the Gigaplant. Alongside the Britishvolt project, earlier this year Rolton Group was successfully appointed on the Prosper Design and Consultancy Framework for the provision of three separate Lots; Ground Investigations & Remediation Needs, Civil & Structural Engineering, and Mechanical & Electrical (MEP) Engineering Design. Awarded via an open-market tender process in which Rolton Group scored 100% on quality criteria for all three lots, the 24-month framework agreement provides easy access to specialist design and consultancy services for members of Prosper and other Public Sector Contracting Bodies in the North East, Cumbria and North Yorkshire, for a wide variety of construction and development projects. Craig continues: “In addition to successful appointment on the Prosper framework (amongst other projects), we’ve seen the Government’s levelling up agenda – which includes 18 North East locations identified as priority category one areas – showing a renewed focus nationally on the economic opportunities that exist in towns and cities outside of the traditional financial and economic centres of London and the South East. Making our own commitment to the North East region by establishing a permanent team and office here underlines our confidence in both the future opportunities of exciting developments to come and in the talented, local individuals working in (and joining) the construction industry.” Working in partnership with Northumbria University, Rolton Group has also launched the Rolton Group Engineering Scholarships for 2022. Established to support the growth of an underrepresented group in the engineering field and worth £6,000 each, two scholarships will be awarded this September to academically gifted Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women to support their studies on one of Northumbria’s engineering courses. “Establishing a permanent office in the North East is an excellent step forward, strengthening our team to ensure we continue serving our clients and projects efficiently while maintaining a personal touch,” Craig said. “I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Rolton Group – without their continued efforts, none of this would be possible.” If you would like to meet with Rolton Group’s North East team, please e-mail Associate Director, Andrew Glancey via andrew.glancey@rolton.com. To find out more about Rolton Group, visit www.rolton.com. 

Read More »

DEVELOPER WINS APPEAL TO PROVIDE STYLISH STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

Following a successful appeal by property and development company S Harrison, planning permission has been granted for a purpose-built student accommodation scheme with 64 studio apartments. Planning consultants, Turley, managed the appeal process that resulted in a decision being issued just three months after submission.  The appeal was lodged after members of the development management sub-committee refused the initial application, going against their planning officer’s recommendation that it should be approved. Turley also provided heritage and townscape services on the project. Designed by CDA, the scheme, on East Newington Place, off Newington Road will see an old, disused commercial unit demolished and the site redeveloped into a modern, energy-efficient four storey building, with on-site management. East Newington Place is located close to the main city centre campus of the University of Edinburgh and within easy reach of the amenities on Newington Road. As well as the 64 studios, the development has separate study rooms, a multimedia room, gym, break out space, cycle storage and a south facing courtyard garden. David Clancy, from S Harrison, said: “As the universities continue to successfully attract increasing student numbers, the provision of purpose-built student accommodation like this will help to relieve the pressure on family housing stock, which is very much in line with the council’s own guidance. “It’s the ideal location for a student development, just half a mile from the George Square campus, and a ten-minute cycle to both the King’s Buildings campus and Edinburgh Napier University’s Merchiston campus. We are confident students will be attracted to East Newington Place’s position, as well as the high-quality studios and communal facilities. “City of Edinburgh Council planning officers considered there to be no material planning reasons to justify refusal and that our designs will preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area. They also stated that the development will not result in excessive concentration of students in the locality, and the planning inspector agreed with these conclusions.” With a fabric first approach, the development will have full LED lighting, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery and utilise air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels. David added: “The scheme has excellent energy efficient credentials and the high-quality building materials will reflect and be sympathetic to the surrounding buildings. Its height is also more in keeping with other buildings in the local area and it’s a positive result that will see a disused brownfield site get a fresh new future.” Demolition work will start next month, and work is due to start on site in spring 2023, with studios being ready for occupation for September 2024. S Harrison has excellent credentials in the student market. As well as developing several schemes in the north of England, East Newington Place represents the fourth successful scheme in Edinburgh, with further developments in the pipeline in the city, as well as in Glasgow. The business has also made a substantial investment in Edinburgh in recent years. In 2019 the company delivered a £25m scheme to provide a landmark boutique hotel for Malmaison in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town. The work saw the Grade A listed Buchan House, on the north-west corner of St Andrew Square, converted into a stylish 72-bedroom hotel complete with Malmaison’s renowned Chez Mal Bar and Brasserie. S Harrison also has planning permission for a stunning new hotel on Osborne Terrace.  The transformational scheme will see Osborne House, an old 1970s office building within the Wester Coates area, just West of Edinburgh’s city centre, converted into a new 157-bedroom hotel, with a restaurant and bar on the ground floor. The developer is also exploring opportunities for its 0.6-hectare site on Ocean Drive in Leith.

Read More »

NO TOWN LEFT BEHIND: KEEPING SIGHT OF LEVELLING UP AND NET ZERO GOALS

IT IS clear that the pandemic has exacerbated equality problems that already existed in many areas, meaning that levelling up is arguably even more important in those places, which construction has a key part in driving. With this in mind, levelling up cannot be on the back burner for the newly appointed Prime Minister, Liz Truss, and her new cabinet office. Adrian Ceney, partner at leading independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard, discusses the need to keep long-term challenges on levelling up and our journey to net zero front and centre. The UK is relatively small geographically, yet highly populated and very diverse concurrently, especially when it comes to economics with productivity and GDP still being very focussed in the south-east. LOCALISATION, ADAPTATION AND RATIONALISATION Throughout the country, lots of town centres have suffered through the pandemic due to low footfall – and now thanks to changing working practices, that footfall is not back at pre-pandemic levels. The drivers for bringing people into some towns have altered – meaning that more careful investment is needed in high streets. And business cases put forward today may need to look very different to pre-2020 to reflect the new normal – for example transportation patterns and requirements have changed, and thus infrastructure requirements along with them. Keeping a focus on levelling up creates opportunities for organisations to work together to deliver better for communities – with consultants like Pick Everard and the wider supply chain supporting local authorities and council bodies with the schemes they need to make a difference. And indeed, we can also be involved in their applications for funding packages, making sure they have the insight and information included in their bids to secure much-needed funds. Elsewhere, clients will be examining their assets and where they might need adapting to suit new ways of operating. This is particularly prevalent across the office sector, with rises in hybrid working meaning that many organisations have a reduced need for large physical spaces, but a greater demand for high-quality and flexibility. Meanwhile, in the public sector, lots of organisations are scrutinising and rationalising their estates to ensure they are managing their budgets – which in some cases are extremely tight – as best they can. As consultants, we make sure that valuable budgets – whether from allocated funds or not – are spent in the most effective way possible for any client. This goes beyond simple build costs to working on a whole-life cost basis – particularly as the country is facing inflation drive by rising energy prices, which impacts everything from operational overheads to material costs, which continue to rise thanks to inflated manufacturing costs. INVESTING IN THE LONGER-TERM In recent years, there has been a large effort to link London and the south-east with the rest of the country – largely focusing on the West Midlands – to bring job markets closer together in a time sense. These longer-term projects – particularly infrastructure-based ones – are going to have a really important role to play in the future. This does not just mean the finished developments will have that role to play. Large-scale infrastructure schemes are highly beneficial for the construction industry and its related sectors, providing a degree of stability over a longer period of time. They also have strong social value implications, with the benefits during the development and building process being also very valid to the end result. Whether it’s direct employment for people building the scheme, investment in training and skills, local spend on supply chains, materials and labour, or connecting people with more opportunities when complete, these large schemes allow project teams to collaborate to deliver the highest value possible to a client, end users and the local community. With large-scale operations comes even bigger opportunity to create change – social value is a hugely important part of this, allowing us to capture both quantitative outcomes, but also the qualitative ones that play into levelling up goals too. NET ZERO MUST BE AN ATTITUDE Our journey to net zero must also remain a key driver for us as an industry – but again this means working closely with clients on cost versus value elements, examining and advising clients on whole-life cost. A recent revision of the government’s Construction Playbook reflects this, with updates providing practical resources aimed at helping public sector clients and the sector at large manage carbon reporting and improve the environmental performance of projects and programmes. The revision also emphasises the importance of digital and offsite manufacturing technologies, which can go a long way in shortening on site programmes, feeding into further reduced carbon footprints. With the built environment creating a significant portion of the UK’s carbon output, consultants have a responsibility to embed sustainability at the heart of schemes. Sustainability is much more than a design function, and early engagement on projects positions us to advise on strategic sustainability elements – including a shift change when it comes to processes and practices. So, while the government is undergoing another round of leadership changes, we must as an industry keep our aims and goals firmly in the crosshairs to achieve better together.

Read More »

Leading data specialist reports 12% drop in UK construction companies in 12 months

Leading data specialists, Insight Data, reveal construction industry insolvencies have spiked in 2022. From looking closely at the total number of companies registered on the organisation’s unique Construction File database, which contains large construction firms with a turnover of over £5million, Insight Data found there has been a 12% drop this year, compared to August 20211. Research from the Office of National Statistics also supports these findings as it reported that construction industry insolvencies were 58% higher in March 2022, when compared to pre-pandemic levels2. Alex Tremlett, Operations Manager at Insight Data, said: “The construction industry has faced unprecedented times in the last few years, and unfortunately companies like Midas and many more were unable to survive the fallout caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Whether a company has folded, restructured, merged or changed strategy to stay ahead, suppliers who are active in the new build or commercial markets may find their well-established relationships could be disappearing. “Companies may find themselves unknowingly wasting time, money and resources marketing their products and services to decision makers who have changed role or organisations that may have ceased trading or merged with someone else. So, it’s more important than ever that companies use reliable prospect data to help make informed business decisions.” For those companies operating with the construction sector supplying building products, equipment, training or business services, Insight Data has developed a specialist database to make it much simpler to pinpoint high-quality prospects during these challenging times. The Construction File database has comprehensive information on over 5,000 senior decision-makers in 1,100 organisations of the UK’s largest construction firms including property developers, house builders, main contractors and property maintenance companies. To guarantee the Construction File continues to be the most reliable and accurate database ever developed for the UK building and construction industry, Insight Data’s dedicated research team work tirelessly to continuously research, update and validate the data. In fact, they make over 20,000 calls each month to ensure users have access to the latest company details, business locations, contact details for senior decision-makers as well as the most relevant website and email addresses. Insight Data is one of the UK’s leading business-to-business data providers who specialise in the wider construction sector. Its unique market intelligence enables companies to create highly targeted marketing campaigns for prospective customers and helps to build a more successful, profitable and valuable business. For more information on Insight Data and its specialist Construction File database, visit: https://www.insightdata.co.uk/marketing-data/construction-database-file/

Read More »