Teagan Hudson has been promoted to Improvement and Compliance Manager, which is a newly created role at award-winning Leeds based contractor Priestley Construction. Teagan will be responsible for updating and revising the company’s processes and systems to ensure they are as efficient and effective as possible. She will also oversee
The terms under the new Building Safety Act 2022 became enforceable from October 1st this year. Here, Bob Glendenning, Fire Design Engineering Manager of Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, examines why creating a ‘Golden Thread’ of information within the new legislation is so important for those involved in the intumescent
For those that own and manage large-scale commercial, industrial, and residential buildings, effective life safety systems are critical. Aside from legal obligation, compliant systems ensure risk is managed appropriately, particularly mitigating the threat of fire and smoke. The latter is where Colt comes in. A pioneer and market leader in
Work is complete on a stunning and luxurious new care home in Sleaford that offers 67-bedrooms alongside first-class amenities, with the first residents now moving into their new homes. Sleaford Manor is the latest development in Brough headquartered Yorkare’s portfolio of care homes which are located throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
McAleer & Rushe has been awarded the £60m contract to deliver a 196-unit residential development in London Road, Barking by Yara Capital. The vacant site and former bus depot will transform into a mixed-use development providing 125 Build to Rent and 71 affordable housing apartments. The building which will range
Despite the industry seeing real forward momentum in attracting more women into the industry, the lack of women in senior real estate roles is a worrying trend, caused by a lack of retention. For the industry to continue to move forward this must be addressed. Clare Coe and Nina Zeilerbauer,
Commercial real estate firm CBRE is in talks to acquire leading asset management firm Sovereign Centros, according to reports. Sovereign Centros says it has 12.5 million sq ft of assets under its management, with an additional 4 million sq ft in the pipeline. Its current portfolio includes a number of
SUNDERLAND’S distinctive new car park has won a national award in recognition of its excellence. Sunderland City Council’s new Riverside Sunderland Multi Storey Car Park, which provides 657 new spaces at Farringdon Row, was named Best New Car Park Award at the British Parking Awards, an independent competition created and
Applebridge Construction Ltd., the civil engineering and utilities division of the renowned construction group operating across the North of England, has grown turnover by almost a quarter (23.3%) to a record £62.5m. The latest financial results from the division has meant the Applebridge Family group is poised to exceed a
Excellent progress being made was marked by a symbolic steel signing ceremony staged onsite attended by project VIP’s. Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has today announced that a key milestone has been reached on construction of the new Moderna Innovation
Teagan Hudson has been promoted to Improvement and Compliance Manager, which is a newly created role at award-winning Leeds based contractor Priestley Construction. Teagan will be responsible for updating and revising the company’s processes and systems to ensure they are as efficient and effective as possible. She will also oversee staff training and provide inductions to new recruits spanning Priestley’s procedures and policies. In addition, she will manage the implementation of new IT solutions and software, as well as providing relevant training, to streamline how the company stores, accesses, monitors and distributes information internally and externally. She will also explore and implement new standards from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that could benefit the company. Teagan joined Priestley Construction almost 18 months ago as a buyer and estimator. Teagan said: “The construction industry is evolving fast, and companies must be as proficient and capable as possible in today’s market in order to be successful and genuinely add value to their clients and projects. This role is all about identifying and implementing potential improvements in a wide range of areas to make Preistley Construction even better at what it does. “It feels very rewarding that the directors have created this new role and given me this opportunity to drive so many positive changes forward.” Nathan Priestley, founder and CEO of the Priestley Group, said: “Teagan boasts a wealth of analytical skills and when this is combined with her superb attention to detail and overall knowledge of the construction industry, there’s no doubt this is a role that she’ll thrive in. “We’ve shaped the job around her specific skillsets, and she will now be responsible for promoting, improving, updating, revising and monitoring all of our operational and commercial processes, with the overall aim of driving continuous improvement across our business. This makes it an exciting opportunity for both Teagan and Priestley Construction alike.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The terms under the new Building Safety Act 2022 became enforceable from October 1st this year. Here, Bob Glendenning, Fire Design Engineering Manager of Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, examines why creating a ‘Golden Thread’ of information within the new legislation is so important for those involved in the intumescent coatings industry. The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) has been developed as a new framework for the design, construction and occupation of ‘higher risk’ buildings. These buildings are defined as being a minimum of 18 metres or seven storeys in height and comprise of at least two domestic premises. These regulations required that all existing occupied high-risk buildings should be registered with the new Building Safety Regulator (BSR) from April 6, 2023 and no later than October 1, 2023. The BSR is an independent body which forms part of the Health and Safety Executive, which aims to raise building safety standards and the performance of buildings whilst also monitoring the competence of regulators and industry professionals. The reality of this new legislation is that under the terms of the Act, a Principal Accountable Person who fails to register an occupied higher-risk building ‘without a reasonable excuse’ will be liable to either a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. The Principal Accountable Person is described as the organisation or person who owns, or has responsibility for, the building. It may also be an organisation or person who is responsible for maintaining the common parts of a building, for example corridors or lobbies. The three Gateways provide evidence The Golden Thread is an information trail that runs through all of the three Gateways from the outset to completion and occupation so that end users can be assured of compliance, quality and safety and have confidence in the products used to provide fire and life safety. For the protection of structural steel with intumescent coatings, those who may need to submit information may include main contractors, architects, designers, specifiers, fabricators and applicators. Indeed, any party who is responsible for fire safety critical elements or components. Importantly, the criteria for the Golden Thread requires all relevant documents and evidence to be stored digitally to prove that adequate steps have been taken in the construction and ongoing maintenance of a building. Gateway 1 – covering the planning stage. This has been in force since August 1, 2021 and sets out the framework for the second and third stages. Applicants need to demonstrate that fire safety matters have been incorporated into the planning stage for all buildings. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who are now also the BSR, will be part of the consultation. If a fire statement is required to be submitted with a planning application it will be an issue for consideration for the Local Planning Authority (LPA) when reaching its decision on the application. Contractors should take note that if the LPA considers the statement inadequate it can refuse the application. At Sherwin-Williams, our policy of early engagement and collaboration between all parties helps to clarify any points up front before they become a problem with the subsequent knock-on effect on time and cost. It is clear that engaging multiple stakeholders – including designers, fabricators and applicators – early and consistently throughout the process is key to delivering a successful, safe and cost-efficient solution. Working together, we share knowledge and help our clients to reach their goals. After all, we are ALL now part of this renewed responsibility. We encourage and fully support this early engagement, and with the correct information from the project team we can provide information and guidance on a safe and efficient structural fire protection approach. Gateway 2 – submitting building control approval to the Regulator. This should include written declarations covering the competency of the main contractor, designer, a description of works and plans and a planning statement from Gateway 1. Importantly, there should be information about how evidence is being captured to maintain the Golden Thread. The Regulator has a 12-week period to approve or reject these building control applications or to approve subject to fulfilment of certain requirements. Any major changes at this stage will also need approval from the Regulator, and records of the controlled change – including an explanation of compliance with Building Regulations – will also need to be maintained. The categorisation of major and ‘notifiable changes’ are still subject to consultation under the new legislation. Gateway 3 – providing information to ensure the building is safe for occupation. There is a requirement to submit a completion certificate application and provide updated plans. These plans should reflect the scale of the higher-risk building, key building information, a list of mandatory incident reporting and signed declarations from the main contractor and principal designer that the works and building comply with Building Regulations. Finally, confirmation that information for the Golden Thread has been handed over to the accountable person should also be declared. There is then a 12-week period for the Regulator to approve the application for a completion certificate. We all have a role to play Remember – responsibility lies with us all. Nobody in the supply chain can absolve themselves. The Accountable Person must have assessed all building safety risks and taken all reasonable steps to control them, give the safety case report to the Regulator on request and apply for a building assessment certificate. To be clear, the information stored in the Golden Thread needs to be accurate, easily understandable, up to date and readily accessible. In echoing the point made by Dame Judith Hackitt, we at Sherwin-Williams emphasise that the Golden Thread constitutes any relevant package of information which refers specifically to a project or programme of works. This could come in various forms including a product specification, marked-up drawings, CAD data, a BIM model, a product / member DFT schedule, application records or datasheets for example. As long as it provides evidence of good practice and compliance, it is relevant. It is important to
For those that own and manage large-scale commercial, industrial, and residential buildings, effective life safety systems are critical. Aside from legal obligation, compliant systems ensure risk is managed appropriately, particularly mitigating the threat of fire and smoke. The latter is where Colt comes in. A pioneer and market leader in smoke control systems which allow smoke out of a building in the event of a fire. Having a system in place that enables smoke to escape is critical to saving lives. But it can also protect assets and reduce the degree of damage to a building. Crucially, when a fire breaks out, reducing the amount of smoke in the building helps those inside, whether they are awaiting fire services or trying to evacuate, because visibility is improved and toxic gases are reduced. Once onsite, fire services can facilitate evacuation more quickly and, with better visibility, rapidly locate the source of the fire in order to speed up extinguishing. Commonly installed in large single-storey factories and warehouses, shopping centres, multi-storey buildings, car parks, and buildings with atria, customers not only rely on Colt’s smoke control technology, but its holistic project managed approach to designing, installing, and maintaining a solution tailored specifically to each project’s need. That means everything a building needs for smoke control. As well as Automatic Opening Vents (AOVs), this also includes fully certified openable ventilators, natural and mechanical shaft systems, access hatches, smoke control dampers, smoke extract fans, smoke and fire curtains and automatic controls. Its multi-disciplined technical expertise, including in-house CFD capability, and in-house engineers mean Colt provides a full turnkey service. It’s little wonder Colt has worked on some of the most prestigious buildings across the UK as well as the tallest structures in the country. These include the 65-storey 22 Bishopsgate (London’s highest commercial building), the 56-storey 1 Nine Elms, and 68-storey South Quay Plaza. Having pioneered the science of smoke control in 1954 when it designed the UK’s first-ever smoke control system to be installed in a manufacturing plant, Colt has continued to set new benchmarks. Continuous innovation from the market leaders One of its latest innovations is the Defender F2, a smoke control damper. Certified to EN12101-8 and tested to EN1363-1 and BS EN1366 Parts 2 and 10, the Defender F2 provides a fire-rated solution when closed and a reliable smoke extract solution when open. Significantly, it has been designed to be seamlessly integrated into the surface of a wall. From an aesthetic point of view it is unobtrusive, unlike traditional louvre damper systems, providing architects greater design control. It’s an example of the wide spectrum of products and solutions Colt can bring to market. While Colt is the market leader in smoke control, as a turnkey service partner it boasts a number of other strengths from smoke and fire damper systems, pressurisation systems for stairwells, car park smoke, fume and CO extraction systems, and the servicing of solar and photovoltaic arrays, as well as brise soleil. Working in collaboration with clients from conception through to commissioning and ongoing maintenance, Colt enables owners and operators to not only address fire safety but unlock a building’s full potential in terms of energy efficiency and architectural design. Its ability to do so lies in its talented personnel. As well as employing all its own engineers, Colt’s vastly experienced design and technical team can develop bespoke solutions tailored to specific building environments and compliance requirements. It also means architects and consultants can work with Colt to identify the best combination of products and systems to achieve the desired effect and performance. Its experts use in-house computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and other design tools such as CAD and BIM to simulate airflows and heat transfer within buildings to assist with designing effective building conditions. Further peace of mind is gained from the fact Colt manufactures its products at its dedicated facility and extensively tests systems prior to installation to verify performance. Independent accredited test houses carry out fire testing, environmental testing (for wind, rain, snow) and safety testing (for load and impact). And no stone is left unturned when commissioning its systems. In compliance with BS7346-8, which is specific legislation relating to the commissioning process, Colt’s multi-stage process includes thorough static testing, functionality, cause & effect and performance testing. The final stage, System Acceptance, involves witness testing, demonstration, sign-off and client training. This is supported by independent 3rd party certification (IFC Certification) for the installation and maintenance of smoke control systems, including smoke and fire curtains – just another step in the process of demonstrating their competence and compliance processes. Colt are fully certified to ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001. They are also (uniquely for the industry), certified to the demanding ISO 37301 for Compliance Management Systems. For Colt engineers, the training never stops Never standing still, Colt continues to evolve. It has, for example, established its own dedicated Training Centre at its manufacturing plant in Havant. Designed specifically for the initial and ongoing training of its maintenance engineers, the centre is equipped with working examples of all the types of smoke control systems that engineers will encounter in the real world. This includes Colt-produced systems as well as those of other manufacturers to ensure engineers have a broader understanding in order to be able to service any system they may encounter. Ongoing training also features regulatory updates and standards in addition to fault-finding to enable first-fix works wherever possible. It guarantees Colt’s engineers remain competent and knowledgeable; ensuring clients have peace of mind that their systems are working as expected. Colt’s enviable reputation has been built on its multi-disciplined approach and almost 70 years of researching and developing systems that have made buildings safer. Its holistic solution is backed by unrivalled in-house technical expertise and highly trained engineers which ensure clients have confidence in the performance of their building safety systems. If you are working on a project that requires smoke control design expertise or manage a building where smoke control maintenance is required, get
Work is complete on a stunning and luxurious new care home in Sleaford that offers 67-bedrooms alongside first-class amenities, with the first residents now moving into their new homes. Sleaford Manor is the latest development in Brough headquartered Yorkare’s portfolio of care homes which are located throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The £6 million development was built by Yorkshire and Lincolnshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter, and is the seventh project the company has completed for Yorkare since 2015. Located off London Road, Sleaford Manor’s spacious bedrooms are all fully furnished with their own en-suite bathrooms. Those on the ground floor have private patio areas and there are also premium suites, with their own lounge areas, which often appeal to couples or siblings. Facilities include an in-house bar, restaurant standard dining rooms, a full beauty salon and hairdressing room, a cinema, private dining rooms and outdoor terraces on each floor. The development is surrounded by landscaped gardens with private seating areas, as well as a bowling green and allotments. Nicola Anderson, marketing and community engagement manager, from Yorkare, said: “Sleaford Manor is our tenth care home, which is a major milestone for us, and it’s already proving very popular with people in and around Sleaford who are looking for a special place to start the next chapter of their lives. “We’re already welcoming our first residents to Sleaford Manor and would urge anyone who would like to find out more about the outstanding levels of care offered and the luxury facilities, to get in contact with us.” Mark Smee, director at Hobson & Porter, said: “We’re very pleased to complete work on this latest development for Yorkare, which follows a string of successful projects in Louth, Cottingham, Cleethorpes Beverley, Hessle and Hornsea. In addition, we’re currently working on another project for Yorkare at Haxby, which will complete next year. “Yorkare has established a strong reputation for pushing industry boundaries, when it comes to the design and luxury fit out of its homes. This translates into exceptional homes in prominent locations and Sleaford Manor, which is much more akin to an up-market hotel than a care home, offers a stunning living environment where residents will aspire to live.” Sleaford Manor sits in a prominent location next to a Co-op supermarket, a community centre, and a newly developed coffee shop. For more information about the development visit yorkarehomes.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McAleer & Rushe has been awarded the £60m contract to deliver a 196-unit residential development in London Road, Barking by Yara Capital. The vacant site and former bus depot will transform into a mixed-use development providing 125 Build to Rent and 71 affordable housing apartments. The building which will range in height from 9 to 22 storeys will feature a mixture of studios, one, two, and three bedroom apartments and will be complemented by generous amenity space. The development will include two commercial units on the Ground Floor and two roof terraces offering panoramic views overlooking the Abbey Green parkland and long views towards central London. Situated on a prominent corner location at the edge of Barking Town Centre, construction will commence in November and will be partly funded by BeFirst, the urban regeneration arm of Barking & Dagenham Council, with a targeted completion date of June 2026. Commenting on the appointment Mark Diamond, Senior Director at McAleer & Rushe said, “As the trusted Construction partner for key investors and developers in the industry, we are committed to delivering homes across a mixture of tenures including build to rent, private for sale, affordable housing and co-living. This latest residential contract, which is one of 8 currently under construction in the greater London area, underpins our strong client relationships, our vast skill set and proven track record in delivering high quality city centre residential schemes. We are looking forward to working in partnership with Yara Capital and BeFirst to bring forward modern and sustainable housing in the historic heart of Barking.” At 22-storeys the Western block is the tallest and will be orientated to acknowledge the Abbey Grounds directly to the South West of the site. The development will also provide 286 no. secure bike parking spaces, 4no. car parking spaces and a number of public realm improvements. Patrick Houghton, Yara Capital “Working in conjunction with BeFirst and the local authority we will provide a scheme that delivers a significant amount of affordable housing as well as rejuvenating the site and enhancing the surrounding area. We’re delighted to appoint McAleer & Rushe as our Construction partner, who have the expert knowledge and experience in the Residential sector, and together we are committed to delivering a regeneration scheme that will make the Borough a great place to live, work and socialise.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Despite the industry seeing real forward momentum in attracting more women into the industry, the lack of women in senior real estate roles is a worrying trend, caused by a lack of retention. For the industry to continue to move forward this must be addressed. Clare Coe and Nina Zeilerbauer, the co-founders of Madison Berkeley are often approached by women in the industry for advice on how to progress. Nina says: “What we hear is that women still face equity barriers to staying in the industry. Often that involves issues arising from the lack of networks and flexibility afforded to them within the industry. The gender gap is still very much a ‘thing’ in real estate.” Madison Berkeley has joined forces with Adina David, Executive Director at MGT who heads up the networking organisation Ladies in Real Estate to start the conversation about what can be done to improve female retention in our sector. As part of the Empower Equity 2023 campaign, we will be publishing a new 30-minute reverse mentoring audio interview each day for 5 days in the week of 25th September 2023 on the Madison Berkeley https://www.madisonberkeley.com/news/ and LiRE sites as well as promoting them on social media. These insightful recorded sessions allow up-and-coming junior females in Real Estate to interview and question senior figures in the industry. These sessions aim to tackle questions around how to achieve eventual leadership roles from newly qualified status; as well as recognising that senior leaders can learn much from younger generations in the industry. We have ladies involved from many of our major real estate companies such as Savills, JLL, Argent and Cushmans. Those involved all have a mix of surveyor specialisms. The sessions make for really interesting listening with those involved not holding back. The main issues that arose were difficulty in females knowing what their roles are worth in pay terms and it being incredibly hard to find out. The other one was a lack of flexibility in terms of WFH. This seems to be swinging back in the favour of a return to the office policy which makes the industry much less attractive for females. Madison Berkeley: Madison Berkeley is a real estate recruiter co-founded by Clare Coe and Nina Zeilerbauer. They set up the company in 2017 with the aim of changing the face of the real estate sector from a recruitment POV. They were clear that they wanted to stop ED+I from being simply a tick-box exercise and they continue to work hard to effect change in this area (winning awards and recognition for their work along the way). Within their first 18 months of trading, they had managed 50% female placements in an industry that at that time reported just 14% female representation. Ladies in Real estate: Ladies in Real Estate was founded by Adina David, Executive Director at MGT to provide informal networking opportunities for women at all levels working across the sector. LiRE was formed out of the desire to encourage women to build personal relationships and support each other on their career journey. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Commercial real estate firm CBRE is in talks to acquire leading asset management firm Sovereign Centros, according to reports. Sovereign Centros says it has 12.5 million sq ft of assets under its management, with an additional 4 million sq ft in the pipeline. Its current portfolio includes a number of shopping centre and retail park assets, including Gateshead’s Metrocentre, Merry Hill Shopping Centre in Dudley, and Basingstoke’s Festival Place. The firm also works with a number of global institutions, pension funds, and public bodies on various town centre projects with partners such as Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, and BNP Paribas. It also works with Tesco and Frasers Group. CBRE operates from over 500 offices in more than 100 countries, working across multiple facets of real estate, including investment, planning, design, and portfolio management. The firm was recently appointed as investment advisor for the Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
SUNDERLAND’S distinctive new car park has won a national award in recognition of its excellence. Sunderland City Council’s new Riverside Sunderland Multi Storey Car Park, which provides 657 new spaces at Farringdon Row, was named Best New Car Park Award at the British Parking Awards, an independent competition created and presented by Parking Review magazine to recognise the leading examples of car park management, enforcement, design and teamwork. The MSCP – which was designed by the architectural firms Ryder Architecture and Tonkin Liu, and constructed by Sir Robert McAlpine – beat off strong bids from provision across the country and was recognised alongside facilities in Chester and Stevenage to scoop the urban car park title, the latest in a string of awards for Riverside Sunderland developments. Councillor Kevin Johnston, dynamic city cabinet member, said: “This is yet another award for Riverside Sunderland, which we know is world-class development that is transforming the cityscape with developments that will create jobs and opportunities for our residents. “We are proud to be leading on developments that are of a standard and quality that leads to national recognition. It is what the city and our communities demand of us and deserve.” The new facility opened earlier this summer and is split over 11 levels. It features a striking design that is illuminated on an evening, with two living walls constructed with over 50,000 plants some of which are native to Britain and were carefully selected for their ability to thrive in the local climate. The walls are located on the north and south sides of the car park, the impressive structure spans a staggering 200,000 sq ft and will provide a stunning new gateway to Riverside Sunderland. The quality of the design fits with the ambition of Sunderland City Council to deliver exceptional buildings that raise the bar of the built environment. The car park is one of a number of new buildings emerging at Riverside Sunderland and is part of a plan to boost the number of people living and working in the heart of the city. The ambition is to double the resident population of the city centre from 2,500 to 5,000 and increase employment by 50% to 18,000. For the latest developments from Riverside Sunderland, visit www.riversidesunderland.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Applebridge Construction Ltd., the civil engineering and utilities division of the renowned construction group operating across the North of England, has grown turnover by almost a quarter (23.3%) to a record £62.5m. The latest financial results from the division has meant the Applebridge Family group is poised to exceed a record breaking £100 million in turnover for the first time in 2023. The Middlesbrough-headquartered contractor has put its success down to a continued commitment to its core ideals, providing quality services and building lasting relationships with clients. Testament to its ideals the group and its component companies have seen significant growth, including a 300% increase in turnover to £30m in 2023 for its earthworks contracting firm ZTL following larger project wins such as Konnect 62 – one of the largest ever warehouse spaces constructed in the Yorkshire region. In 2021, Applebridge Group introduced Applebridge Utilities as an independent entity, and in just two years, it has flourished into a company with a £5 million turnover in 2023. In addition, AD Plant Hire, which supports the component companies with vehicles and plant, is projected to reach circa £6 million in 2023. Applebridge Founder and CEO Donny Hughes said: “We are incredibly proud of how our component companies have thrived and propelled the Applebridge Family towards this remarkable milestone of surpassing £100 million in turnover. “Our journey has been fuelled by the dedication of our remarkable team and our unyielding commitment to quality, relationships, and innovation. As we move forward, we remain devoted to delivering excellence in every project, strengthening client collaborations, nurturing our team’s professional growth, and driving innovation throughout the construction industry.” With its component companies having received several accolades – including CECA training Company of the Year Award 2020, Constructing Excellence North East’s SME of the Year in 2021, Department for Education 4th best SME Apprenticeship Employer in the UK 2022 – the group continues to go from strength to strength, building key relationships and winning projects of increasing sizes. With an increase in its capacity and capabilities, in recent years Applebridge has sought to diversify its revenue stream by placing an increased focus on frameworks and has most recently been appointed to; Northern Education Trust procurement framework in 2020, Virgin Media O2’s Network expansion framework in 2022, Teesworks Reactive framework at the start of 2023, and YorCivils awarded earlier this month. Mr Hughes adds: “By consistently exceeding client expectations and maintaining the highest standards of craftsmanship, we have been able to earn a reputation for excellence in the construction industry. As Applebridge looks towards the future, we remain committed to delivering exceptional projects, forging strong relationships and investing in the next generation.” To find out more about the Applebridge Family visit https://applebridgefamily.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Excellent progress being made was marked by a symbolic steel signing ceremony staged onsite attended by project VIP’s. Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has today announced that a key milestone has been reached on construction of the new Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) at Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire with steels now rapidly rising out of the ground. To highlight the key milestone a symbolic steel signing ceremony was staged onsite attended by representatives from Harwell, Moderna, Glencar and the scheme architects Scott Brownrigg. A steel beam from the building itself was signed by VIP’s from the three companies before being lifted into place where it will remain as a lasting memento and legacy to the project for many years to come. Talking about the event Glencar Chairman Pat McGillycuddy said: “It’s fantastic to be here onsite today and to see the excellent progress that the team has made with these incredible steel structures rising from the ground. We are delighted to be working alongside the teams from Harwell and Moderna and to celebrate this important milestone today. As Darius said today these buildings and this project is a part of all of us as future vaccines to protect public health will have been directly manufactured within these fantastic facilities. Glencar is proud to have been trusted to deliver this project and we will look forward to further updates as we work towards PC in the summer of next year. Stuart Grant, CEO of Harwell Campus adds: “The steel rising event is another significant milestone and step towards the completion of the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre. The Centre will sit at the heart of our thriving health tech cluster at Harwell and will play a key role in strengthening UK vaccine development and global pandemic resilience.” Darius Hughes, General Manager Moderna also went onto say: “We are witnessing a historical moment that affects us all. From this building we will manufacture mRNA vaccines, including for Covid-19, keeping us safe and protecting the UK population from emerging respiratory health threats. “We are very happy to see steels rising and the work that Glencar have undertaken to date. We look forward to watching the construction progress and seeing this building rise out of the ground”. Moderna is the latest organisation to join Harwell’s thriving Health Tech cluster which has grown to over 70 life science organisations since it launched in 2016. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals