An exciting new stage of a ground-breaking solar generation system at Portsmouth International Port has been reached, with 888 solar panels now been switched on. The scheme has been managed by Portsmouth City Council’s in-house energy services team, supported by Portsmouth International Port‘s engineering department. Installation began in February 2022 by specialist
New concrete tile manufacturing facility unlocks significant, additional capacity enabling organic growth, whilst reducing resource consumption and CO2 emissions Investment in electric kilns at an existing facility, reduces reliance on natural gas. Wienerberger is pleased to announce a significant investment in the construction of a brand-new concrete roof tile manufacturing
Henderson Park and Cole Waterhouse have appointed the McLaren Construction Group as main contractor to deliver the first phase of Konect 62, a major tri-modal logistics and industrial scheme in Yorkshire. The announcement follows the joint venture’s formal completion of the 136-acre site’s acquisition for £54 million. It has also
Offsite manufacturing specialist, McAvoy Group Limited has marked its 50th year in business with a continued return to sustainable profitability, according to its latest set of consolidated group accounts. The Lisburn-based company has reported a rise in turnover to £71.5m for the 13-month period to 31 May 2022, compared to
Work is underway on a new public square next to the #BuiltByGMI apartment block at the £200m Becketwell regeneration project in Derby city centre. GMI Construction were joined by developers St James Securities as well as representatives from Derby City Council, D2N2, and other key stakeholders at a ground-breaking ceremony
A development partner is being sought for a major, first-of-its-kind industrial regeneration scheme on the Greenwich Peninsula. The 3.38-acre site at 75 Bugsby’s Way will be transformed into one of London’s first multi-storey industrial buildings, meeting one of the Mayor Sadiq Khan’s key objectives for industrial intensification set out in the
Investment and development company Cole Waterhouse has completed the acquisition of a key development site in Digbeth, paving the way for the creation of Upper Trinity Street (UTS), a £260 million mixed-use scheme which will deliver 943 new homes and a new public park for the city. Cole Waterhouse has
The UK company behind a pioneering new building material is another step closer to mainstream production, as it gears up for growth following international notoriety and investment. Environmental innovator, Sphera, now Low Carbon Materials (LCM), is one of many companies shaping the ‘green construction’ sector as its science-based, lower carbon,
The importance of understanding the revised Code of Practice for Category 3 Control fire performance cables which reduce harmful smoke, toxic gases and flame spread in the event of a real fire cannot be stressed enough. These cables maintain the circuit integrity of a building – providing power for essential
Construction of BREEAM excellent unit is situated at PLP’s newly acquired 17-acre development site at the well-established and successful Stone Business Park in Stafford Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has today announced that it has been appointed by long term
An exciting new stage of a ground-breaking solar generation system at Portsmouth International Port has been reached, with 888 solar panels now been switched on. The scheme has been managed by Portsmouth City Council’s in-house energy services team, supported by Portsmouth International Port‘s engineering department. Installation began in February 2022 by specialist contractors Custom Solar, and incorporates roof-mounted solar panels across a number of buildings, a large battery and solar canopies. The solar panels mounted on rooftops around the port have now been switched on. They are now generating 400kWp of renewable energy that can be used to reduce consumption at the port, or can be exported back to the grid. This is just a third of the total number of solar panels installed at the port over the past year. Once they are all switched on, the power produced by all 2,660 panels will contribute around 35% of the port’s energy needs. This will be a big step forward for Portsmouth International Port’s ambition to reach net-zero by 2030. From L-R: Tony Denney, Custom Solar, Owen Hughes; Portsmouth City Council’s energy services team; Cllr Kimberly Barrett, Cabinet member for Climate Change and Environment at Portsmouth City Council and Elly Howe, Portsmouth International Port, stood in front of the equipment that turns solar energy into power the port can use When fully commissioned in January 2023, the 1.2 megawatt peak system will be the council’s largest solar and battery installation to date. The project has broken new ground for the council and in the national context. The port is the first in the UK to have solar canopies, and also recently won the ‘Commercial Solar and/or Storage Project of the Year’ award at Solar & Storage Live 2022 Awards. The system will also include a 1.5 megawatt hour battery, which is enough power to run a typical home for 4 months. It will capture green power that can then be used at the port at another time, such as to power lights at night. When complete, it is estimated that in peak conditions that 98% of the electricity consumed by the port could come from the combined solar and battery installation. Owen Hughes from Portsmouth City Council’s energy services team showing Cllr Kimberly Barrett the technology that turns the power from the sun into usable energy Cllr Kimberly Barrett, Cabinet member for Climate Change and Environment at Portsmouth City Council said: “It is the council’s priority to support clean growth. I’m delighted that we’ve met our target to begin generating clean energy at the port by the end of 2022. “I’d like to personally thank the energy services team at the council and the engineers at Portsmouth International Port for all their efforts. It shows that by working across the council, we can achieve our important ambitions. “When fully operational, the scheme will reduce annual emissions by 239 tonnes at this busy site. We’re committed to take positive action to tackle climate change, and this cut in emissions will boost our efforts to reduce carbon emissions across the city to net-zero by 2030”. James Hill, director of housing, neighbourhoods and building services at Portsmouth City Council added: “I am really pleased that our energy services team have been able to support the port with this exciting initiative. The team have gone from strength to strength with a range of services to support residents, businesses and our own local authority services to increase our use of renewable energy. “I would encourage anyone interested in their work to contact utilities@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. If you need further guidance in resident energy support, please contact energysaving@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.” This project is all part of an integrated approach at the port, that will eventually allow them to offer shore power for smaller ships, without having to take extra power from the local electricity grid. Councillors from Portsmouth City Council alongside staff from the Energy Services Team, Portsmouth International Port and Custom Solar, who all worked together to make the project a success Jerry Clarke, pilot and senior project manager at Portsmouth International Port added: “The port is owned by the people of Portsmouth, so we have an obligation to reduce the impact of our operations on the environment, whilst reaching the ambitions set out in our 20 year Masterplan. “Our team has worked incredibly hard to help enable this project to happen, and I’d also like to thank Brittany Ferries and their passengers for their patience over the busy summer months whilst the installation took place. “Combined with other sustainability initiatives, it will help us achieve our ambition of reaching net-zero carbon by 2030, and becoming one of the UK’s first zero emission ports by 2050. With government support, we really can make a clean maritime industry a reality”. The work is the latest in a series of solar and battery projects being managed by the council’s in-house energy services team. The team procured Custom Solar after a competitive tender exercise through the council’s recently established PV and Storage framework. Gary Sucharewycz, CEO of Custom Solar, said: “We are delighted to have won the award for Commercial Solar and Storage project of the year. To have been recognised at the main industry awards for such a prestige project that the team have developed from concept, is a great reward for everyone involved. “We have worked with a fantastic client in Portsmouth City Council to have successfully delivered the project through many challenges. We see this as a great case study for how solar and storage can be deployed in major operational environments, with solar car port canopy’s set to play a big role in clients generating their own power and assisting their net zero ambitions to be realised.”
New concrete tile manufacturing facility unlocks significant, additional capacity enabling organic growth, whilst reducing resource consumption and CO2 emissions Investment in electric kilns at an existing facility, reduces reliance on natural gas. Wienerberger is pleased to announce a significant investment in the construction of a brand-new concrete roof tile manufacturing facility in Kent, South East England along with the significant energy transformation of its Broomfleet factory near Hull in the North East. These exciting new plans, designed to deliver organic growth from an increasingly efficient cost base, will bring a welcomed increase in production capacity, whilst also pressing ahead with decarbonisation plans as part of its ambitious Sustainability Roadmap. The new, state-of-the-art concrete roof tile production facility will be sited next to its Smeed Dean brick factory, reinforcing Wienerberger’s commitment to UK operations and the South East in particular, where brick manufacture at Smeed Dean dates back to 1875. The business will simultaneously complete the ambitious renovation of two of its Broomfleet factory lines, making it Europe’s first-ever clay roof-tile plant to completely eliminate the use of natural gas and the associated CO2 emissions from the drying and firing process, thus reducing the carbon emissions of these lines by an impressive 75%. This announcement is representative of the company’s confidence in the market and is testament to its commitment to decarbonisation via innovation of products, services, and new methods of production. In 2021, Wienerberger UK & Ireland set out its Sustainability Roadmap ‘Let’s Build Beyond’, which outlined the vital actions the business would take to create enduring value for its stakeholders as it transitioned to a net-zero emission, nature-positive business. Keith Barker, Chief Operating Officer, Wienerberger UK & Ireland commented, “We are aware of and want to tackle the issues of climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource scarcity head-on by making sustainability the main driver of our company growth strategy. This investment demonstrates our commitment to expansion in the UK and Ireland market and, is fully aligned with our ambitions for the sustainable growth which will secure the future of our business.” The new concrete tile-making facility will significantly increase the company’s production capacity enabling it to better serve the needs of its customers, with new and existing tile formats, providing additional capacity with lower CO2 emissions per square metre of installed roof. The significant, transformational investment at its Broomfleet clay roof tile manufacturing site near Hull is driven by the desire to reduce resource consumption and CO2 output. Wienerberger has chosen the UK for the first commercial-scale implementation of electric kilns using 100% renewable energy within the clay roof-tile manufacturing sector. This is a key step towards realising its ambitious carbon reduction commitment and demonstrates consistent implementation of the Group’s ESG strategy. Simon Nevitt, Operations Director and Board member at Wienerberger UK & Ireland commented “We recognise the importance of rapidly reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and we are achieving this through both product innovation, and manufacturing methods. This particular investment in two of our existing Broomfleet production lines eliminates our use of fossil fuels from the firing and drying processes, reducing the. carbon emissions (Scope 1 tCO2e) from this production line by 75%.” The phased transition process is due to begin later this year. Going forward, customers will benefit from a range of products with reduced embodied carbon content, supporting the construction industry’s transition to a net-zero carbon economy.
Henderson Park and Cole Waterhouse have appointed the McLaren Construction Group as main contractor to deliver the first phase of Konect 62, a major tri-modal logistics and industrial scheme in Yorkshire. The announcement follows the joint venture’s formal completion of the 136-acre site’s acquisition for £54 million. It has also newly signed a development debt facility with BentallGreenOak enabling the initial phase to get underway. Phase One will see the speculative development of 1.1 million sq ft of state-of-the-art, energy efficient warehouse space across four units, all built to BREEAM Excellent sustainability standards. This will include ‘Big K’ a 735,000 sq ft unit, one of the largest ever delivered in the North of the UK, as well as three further units of 161,000, 151,000 and 55,000 sq ft, catering to a variety of potential occupiers. Konect 62 holds full planning consent for 1.4 million sq ft of prime logistics accommodation, however plans are under review to enlarge the scheme to c. 1.8 million sq ft, enabling it to better fulfil the strong occupier demand, with a further planning application for the additional area due to be submitted in the new year. David Nuttall, Managing Director of Cole Waterhouse industrial and logistics, commented: “Appointing McClaren to deliver these sustainable and high-quality units so quickly after we acquired the land and completed the construction funding is a major step forward for Konect and a statement of intent from the partners involved. We plan to be on site within four weeks with completion from Q3 2023. The range of units we are developing will appeal to a diverse range of occupiers who will bring high quality jobs and investment to the area and cement Konect as a significant employment destination in anticipation of our future phases in the coming years.” Commenting on the investment, Christophe Kuhbier, Managing Director at Henderson Park, said: “This strategically located site is optimally placed to deliver much needed capacity into the critically undersupplied Yorkshire industrial market, with local vacancy rates of 2.2%. We are confident that the sustainability and technical specifications of the scheme we are developing will appeal to the highest quality logistics operators as well as traditional industrial occupiers, who are increasingly energy conscious. We are excited to get the project underway and deliver what we believe will be an exemplary regeneration of a major brownfield site.” Gary Cramp, Managing Director of McLaren Construction (Midlands and North), said: “We are delighted to have secured the project which represents a great investment for the Yorkshire region, including plans for one of the largest units ever to be delivered here. The scale and scope of the scheme will bring abundant investment and employment opportunities to the county’s industrial and logistics market, and we are looking forward to continuing relationships with Henderson Park, Cole Waterhouse and their stakeholders.” Jim Blakemore, Global Head of Debt at BentallGreenOak, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Henderson Park and Cole Waterhouse on this project in a key logistics location in the UK. The business plan reflects our debt investment thesis which is to finance best-in-class sponsors who are creating high-quality assets in strong and sustainable locations. This investment builds on 4 million sq ft of logistics assets which BentallGreenOak have lent on in the UK and European logistics markets over the last two years.” The development represents the country’s only inland distribution park ready enabled to offer tri-modal connectivity to the UK and continental Europe via road, water or rail. The site will have a high level of power capacity for energy intensive operations allowing it to appeal to both traditional industrial and logistics occupiers. Located at the crucial axis of the M62 and the A1(M) it is positioned to address local, regional and national markets as well as international markets with a number of sea ports and main UK air freight hubs within 4.5 hours. The project team includes: C4 Projects acting as architect, project manager and cost consultant; planning consultant Barton Wilmore; XOsquare as structural engineer; Novo Integration (M&E); Terra 97 (Geo-environmental) and Axis PED (transport). DTRE and Sixteen Real Estate are acting as joint letting agents for the scheme.
Offsite manufacturing specialist, McAvoy Group Limited has marked its 50th year in business with a continued return to sustainable profitability, according to its latest set of consolidated group accounts. The Lisburn-based company has reported a rise in turnover to £71.5m for the 13-month period to 31 May 2022, compared to £23.8m for the six-month period ending April 2021. Meanwhile, the company generated an EBITDA of £6.2m for the same period, compared to £2.4m for the period ending April 2021. The company strengthened its balance sheet on 31 May 2022 with net debt of 0.8 x EBITDA and equity of £4.9m. McAvoy Group’s continued return to sustainable profitability and underlying business growth has included several key project successes including the world’s first International Baccalaureate special free school for children with autism at Cavendish, a Low Carbon Pathfinder School for the Department for Education at Redhill and the securing of a significant ten-year rental contract at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. During the most recent financial period, McAvoy Group announced a significant multi-million expansion programme that included the launch of a new SmartSpace semi-permanent modular fleet that will ensure McAvoy has one of the newest modular fleets in the UK and Ireland. The investment will more than double the capacity of the company’s semi-permanent fleet for rental and will include the creation of approximately 50 new jobs over the next three years. CEO, Ron Clarke said: “The group is experiencing robust and continued interest in its proposition, supported by favourable structural tailwinds and the Board, with the continued support of our shareholders, has embarked upon a strategic growth plan which includes the creation of a modern and highly flexible rental fleet. Designed and built to enhance energy and fire protection standards, SmartSpace provides our customers with sustainable space solutions which will allow significant scope for future value creation.” He continued: “Whilst recognising that the trading environment will remain challenged by ongoing geopolitical tensions and inflationary cost pressures, we continue to see strong underlying demand for the company’s sustainable building solutions.” McAvoy is one of the UK and Ireland’s market leaders in the precision manufacture and delivery of high-quality permanent and semi-permanent modular buildings. Its adaptable and sustainable space solutions are sought after in sectors including health, education, commercial and infrastructure. Innovation continues to be a central part of the company’s activities with several ongoing R&D projects following its involvement in Seismic I and Seismic II which developed a new componentised, platform-based approach to manufacturing and construction, which can be adopted by multiple manufacturers.
Work is underway on a new public square next to the #BuiltByGMI apartment block at the £200m Becketwell regeneration project in Derby city centre. GMI Construction were joined by developers St James Securities as well as representatives from Derby City Council, D2N2, and other key stakeholders at a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of building works on Springwell Square, which will be located on the site of the former Central United Reformed Church. Springwell Square will be the centrepiece of the #BuiltByGMI development, adjacent to the two-bedroom Build to Rent (BTR) apartments, currently being built on the site previously occupied by Debenhams on Victoria Street. The development will be operated by Grainger PLC, the UK’s largest residential landlord, and is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2023. Future planned phases at the site include new grade A offices and commercial space, 3,500-capacity performance venue, a hotel and a multi-storey car park. Delighted to see work begin on the multi-purpose square, GMI Divisional Managing Director Andy Bruce said: “Over £1m is being spent on the square and it will make a massive difference to the area, with its high-quality finish and landscaping making it a real focal point for the development. “In terms of the apartment block itself, the interior is progressing at a great rate of Knots, and it’s a job that we’re going to be extremely proud of when it’s finished. “It has really kick-started the re-development of the Becketwell area of Derby, which has been needed, and is a welcome boost to the East Midlands.” Growing their portfolio of public and private clients in the Midlands, GMI were awarded the contract worth £30m by St James Securities ahead of the demolition work, which started in March 2021. “This is yet another job we’ve secured in the East Midlands on top of those including a Bottling Plant at Dove Valley Foston, which we’re working on for a German Client,” added Bruce. “It’s a really exciting time for GMI in the Midlands.” Anticipated to create more than 2,000 jobs, the regeneration scheme has been given a ringing endorsement by Steve Hassall, Member of Regeneration, Decarbonisation & Strategic & Transport Cllr. He said: “It’s great to see the building itself going up, but it is also great to see the ground-breaking on the public square, which will be open for the public to enjoy. “For a lot of years, this particular area of the city has languished as a bit of a forgotten piece of the city, so it’s a fantastic opportunity for this site to be utilised like it has never been before. “We’ve enjoyed a great partnership with GMI throughout the process, with quality of work and timescales second to none. “It’s a real testament to everyone on site that things are on target.” The most significant development in Derby city centre since the Westfield Centre in 2007, considerable planning has gone into ensuring work is both sustainable and environmentally friendly. Strict noise, dust, vibration monitoring and environmental controls have been put in place to minimise the impact on surrounding businesses and properties. David Williams, Deputy Chair of D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said: “It’s one of those really good examples of collaborative working between the City Council, developer and contractor. “Considering this is an enormous development in the middle of quite a tight area, the impact on the city has been minimal. “I haven’t heard of any issues at all, so I think it’s a fantastic achievement.” Explaining how the square will benefit the area, Director of St James Securities Paul Morris said: “We’re delighted to see construction work start on schedule as we move to the next stage of this landmark regeneration scheme for the City of Derby. “Over the past five years, we have been real trailblazers, prepared to take on a site that has been challenged for many years and put together a scheme which will breathe new life into the area. “Springwell Square will open up land to the south and bring it back into use. It will be a place where people can meet and relax in an informal space, and it will improve the vibrancy and attraction of the city centre.”
A development partner is being sought for a major, first-of-its-kind industrial regeneration scheme on the Greenwich Peninsula. The 3.38-acre site at 75 Bugsby’s Way will be transformed into one of London’s first multi-storey industrial buildings, meeting one of the Mayor Sadiq Khan’s key objectives for industrial intensification set out in the London Plan. The Mayor is keen to attract new business to the area and create employment opportunities for the local community through the initiative. The project will be highly sustainable, serving as a benchmark for future industrial development. The successful developer will enter an agreement with Greater London Authority Land and Property (GLAP) to design, develop and build the £107 million scheme and will be granted a 250-year leasehold on the site. This new project forms part of the £8.4bn, 20-year regeneration of the Greenwich Peninsula, including the creation of seven new neighbourhoods, 17,500 new homes and 48 acres of public green space. Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, said: “The Mayor and I are committed to the regeneration of Greenwich, and other areas in London with significant potential for growth. “The regeneration of 75 Bugsby’s Way into one of London’s first multi-storey industrial buildings will be a landmark moment, transforming the Greenwich Peninsula into a thriving hub for commerce and business. This is an exciting opportunity, and I look forward to securing a partnership which brings to life our vision for a more prosperous city for all Londoners.”
Investment and development company Cole Waterhouse has completed the acquisition of a key development site in Digbeth, paving the way for the creation of Upper Trinity Street (UTS), a £260 million mixed-use scheme which will deliver 943 new homes and a new public park for the city. Cole Waterhouse has entered into an agreement with debt facility provider Ingenious to acquire the land from multiple private owners, with Auxillium Real Estate acting as the debt broker. The purchase comes after Birmingham City Council granted planning permission in July 2021 for the transformation of the industrial land into a cultural, commercial and residential scheme. It will include the creation of Pump House Park which will sit alongside the canal and the historic lock keepers cottage which will be retained. Last year Cole Waterhouse signed the first tenants at UTS including the world’s first Museum of Youth Culture, Birmingham Music Archive and Digbeth’s legendary Pat Benson Boxing Academy which together will occupy over 15,000 sq ft of space. Designed by Corstorphine & Wright, UTS will deliver a blend of rentable and open market sales homes, some with live-work space and roof gardens, a 133-bedroom hotel, 60,000 sq ft of flexible commercial space, car parking and large new areas of public realm across a network of landscaped yards, squares and hidden spaces. The development of UTS is expected to create 600 jobs during the construction phase, deliver £229.5m GVA to the local economy and will create up to 313 additional jobs once built. Phase one will see the development of a portion of the residential element of the scheme comprising build-to-rent housing. Speaking about the acquisition, Damian Flood, CEO at Cole Waterhouse commented: “With the land now successfully acquired, we look forward to the delivery of this major mixed-use scheme. Over the course of the next few months we will be tendering the construction contract for phase one, and aim to start on site by Q3 next year. We will also be appointing a real estate adviser to support us with marketing the residential offer both locally and internationally. “There has been a huge collaborative effort from the stakeholders including the City Council, the local community of Digbeth, the Canal & River Trust and our project team and I would like to thank everyone for supporting our vision and for their unwavering commitment to the delivery of UTS.” Simon Delahunty, Assistant Director Development Planning & Development at Birmingham City Council added: ““The announcement that Cole Waterhouse and its funding partners have now acquired the land to bring forward Upper Trinity Street is very welcome news for the city of Birmingham. We look forward to seeing their plans emerge and to witness the transformation of this area of Digbeth with investment for new homes, spaces for people to enjoy and places for people to work.” The value is undisclosed.
The UK company behind a pioneering new building material is another step closer to mainstream production, as it gears up for growth following international notoriety and investment. Environmental innovator, Sphera, now Low Carbon Materials (LCM), is one of many companies shaping the ‘green construction’ sector as its science-based, lower carbon, new-age building material proves real promise as a solution for the construction industry in achieving net zero emissions. The company’s flagship product, OSTOⓇ, has been technically engineered to utilise waste and by-products in its manufacture which would otherwise be destined for incineration or landfill – further reducing carbon emissions – and creating a ‘win-win’ solution for both industry and the environment twice over. Such is the radical innovative nature of the company’s approach and solution, in just a few years since its inception, it has already achieved global recognition, business acceleration support, and a string of awards, including, not least, an Earthshot Prize nomination, placing it among the 1,000 most impactful and inspiring solutions for environmental issues globally. Dr Natasha Boulding, CEO, and Co-founder of Low Carbon Materials, a purpose-led company, said: “We’re thrilled to be taking the company forward into its next phase of development, multiplying the amount of waste diverted from incineration, and helping construction companies achieve net zero – all whilst helping our planet. There is nothing more important or rewarding than that for us. “The targets set out by the UK government to achieve net zero can only be achieved with the right solutions and a new way of thinking and working. We’re scientists working with a wide range of industry specialists to realise our product plans, which once on the market, could radically redefine how we build, and significantly reduce environmental damage, particularly as concrete accounts for 8% of carbon emissions*. Globally, and working collaboratively, we have the potential to save hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2e with this approach. “LCM has enjoyed a phenomenal year, but this is only the beginning and we’ve much more on the horizon to announce”. The re-brand marks the next stage in the company’s development, with its products currently being trialled in the market, while next-stage growth plans are underway to develop and scale carbon-negative materials for the wider built environment. As part of its expansion plans, LCM is quadrupling the size of its HQ, with a move to Jade Business Park, County Durham. The site will include a state-of-the-art R&D facility and production centre to support the scaling and development of new products. LCM has also tripled its workforce in less than a year with plans to expand it further into 2023 and beyond. For more information, visit https://www.lowcarbonmaterials.com *’Making Concrete Change: Innovation in Low-carbon Cement and Concrete’ Chatham House Report, 2018.
The importance of understanding the revised Code of Practice for Category 3 Control fire performance cables which reduce harmful smoke, toxic gases and flame spread in the event of a real fire cannot be stressed enough. These cables maintain the circuit integrity of a building – providing power for essential services and fire-fighting systems – for fire and rescue services to carry out a safe evacuation in the case of life safety. AEI Cables has won widespread support for our initiative highlighting the need for only using approved cabling for the range of critical applications of Category 3 Control fire performance cables. Sharon Hodgson, Labour MP for Washington and Sunderland West, is supporting the initiative while other industry organisations have also expressed support including Electrical Safety First and national fire safety membership body The Institution of Fire Prevention Officers (IFPO). The applications of Category 3 Control fire performance cables apply to evacuation alarms for the disabled in care homes, emergency voice communications systems and voice alarm systems in relevant buildings including tall buildings, office spaces, hospitals, shopping malls and stadia. Circuit integrity The revised Code of Practice for Category 3 Control fire performance cables under BS 8519: 2020 – which covers how to select and install fire-resistant power and control cable systems – makes various amendments and requires a full understanding for those in the supply chain. The standard clearly references and clarifies the products and levels of performance that should be used. The new Code is intended to inform and guide designers, contractors, fire engineers, regulators and enforcers including building control bodies, fire authorities, Health and Safety inspectors and equipment suppliers and manufacturers. It is worth examining the standard itself. Indeed, BS 8519:2020 makes reference to the recommendations of BS 9999and BS 9991, with regard to the design and installation of the electrical distribution systems for life safety and fire-fighting equipment. It also makes reference to three categories of circuits required to maintain their circuit integrity under defined fire conditions for varying fire survival times of 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 120 minutes. Appropriate cable tests are identified for each cable category derived from applicable British Standards, assessing cable performance under conditions of fire as might be expected in an a real fire incident. Critical systems BS 8519:2020 also aims to ensure that the level of circuit fire integrity is not compromised by other components of the whole electrical distribution system, including cable glands, terminations, joints and cable support systems. The revised standard supersedes BS 8519:2010 and includes added recognition of other critical systems, other than life safety or fire-fighting applications; added information on uninterruptable power supplies and further detailed recommendations for the design and selection of the cable enclosure support systems. There are also recommendations for internal and external fire stopping to maintain the switch room fire compartmentation and the need to cater for the thermal expansion of the cable protective enclosure. It is primarily intended for use in buildings which, due to their size, height, form or use, require the installation of life safety and fire-fighting systems, for example sprinkler pumps, wet riser pumps, smoke control systems, fire-fighting and evacuation lifts or other systems as required by a fire engineering strategy. International standards AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling has been approved and certified by LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B), Category 3 Control in addition to Category 2 Control.The BS Code of Practice under BS8519 contains six categories of cables, three for power cables and three for control cables each covering survival times of 30, 60 or 120 minutes. Using the very latest in technology and science, the Firetec Total Fire Solutions range offers Mineral Insulated Cabling (MIC), Firetec Enhanced fire performance cabling, accessories and technical support from the AEI Cables distribution facility at Washington, Tyne and Wear. All AEI Cables’ products are supplied with approvals from independent bodies including BASEC and LPCB. It also holds approvals from organisations including Lloyds, the MoD, Network Rail and LUL and works to international standards around the world. By incorporating this guidance into the selection of cabling for these critical systems, those people using these striking new buildings can move about safe in the knowledge that they are safe.
Construction of BREEAM excellent unit is situated at PLP’s newly acquired 17-acre development site at the well-established and successful Stone Business Park in Stafford Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has today announced that it has been appointed by long term customer and specialist UK Logistics and industrial property business PLP to construct a 344,500 sq ft warehouse unit being developed speculatively on a 17-acre site at Stone Business Park in Stafford. The site situated on Brooms Lane will feature the redevelopment of a redundant and recently vacated data centre into a new, high specification logistics warehouse that will include over 20,000 sq ft of office accommodation. The development will also feature a separately accessed, secure service yard up to 67m deep, 300 car park spaces and the retention and enhancement of the existing landscaping belt around the perimeter of the site. Construction commenced at the beginning of September with completion scheduled for Q2 2023. To mark the start of work on site, a ground-breaking event took place on the 4th October, attended by representatives from PLP, Glencar and the wider project team. The scheme is being developed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and, as with all PLP speculatively developed properties, adhere to the UK Green Building Councils Net Zero Buildings Framework. PLP’s carbon net zero (CNZ) framework combines CNZ construction with CNZ ready design, to enable future occupiers to achieve CNZ operation by utilising built-in renewable energy features and procuring appropriate renewable energy supplies. This includes the use of solar photovoltaics, air source heating and cooling, LED lighting and electric car charging points. Future flexibility is also built into the design, with features such as a strengthened roof to enable full coverage of solar photovoltaics and underground infrastructure to facilitate 100% of all car and HGV parking spaces to have electric charging points. The project is forecast to deliver a host of significant socio-economic benefits including over 100 additional jobs during the construction phase and over 500 new permanent jobs once the scheme is occupied. The completed and occupied scheme will also contribute additional GVA of £24.5 million annually to the local economy. Commenting on the appointment Glencar Managing Director Midlands and North Pete Goodman said: “We are absolutely delighted to once again be working for our long-standing and much valued customer PLP on this incredible new speculative development. This scheme represents the fifth project we have worked on together with PLP and is typical of the strong customer partnerships we place great emphasis on building.” The PLP building specification is market leading with a host of building innovations and carbon net zero features, designed to be ‘future flexible’ to enable future occupiers to benefit from their own renewable energy sources.” Located on Brooms Road, the site is extremely prominent and the gateway to the well-established and successful Stone Business Park. It is highly accessible by road with the A34 dual carriageway adjacent and Junction 14 of the M6 motorway located only 5 miles to the south and Junction 15 of the M6 only 9 miles to the north. The project team comprises of WSP as planning consultants, PHP Architects – Architects, Knight Webb – Project Managers and Hydrok – Engineers..