Leading Shropshire building contractor, Morris Property, has completed two more industrial units at Hortonwood 7 on the popular Telford industrial estate. The two new steel framed buildings have created 635 m² of warehouse storage and office space for their client, Swancote Energy. The units are clad and roofed using composite
As part of the Government’s plan to cut carbon emissions and hit its net zero climate targets, it has produced a new mandatory Building Regulation that sets out a new requirement to install electric vehicle (EV) charging points or cable routes to new or existing buildings that is due for
Westbrook Partners has agreed to forward-purchase two BREAAM ‘Very Good’ urban logistics portfolios for £172.5m from Chancerygate and Bridges Fund Management. The first portfolio, which was wholly owned by Chancerygate, is called Urban Portal and comprises three multi-unit logistics developments located in Aston Clinton, Brackley and Leicester. The schemes will
Roche Diagnostics UK has partnered with Bouygues Energies & Services (Bouygues E&S) to deliver a total FM contract for an initial 5-year term beginning 31st January 2022. The partnership will see Bouygues E&S bring together a number of individual services under an umbrella Total FM contract, with a strong drive
VISION One of the most significant challenges architects can face is regenerating an area full of personality, but in desperate need of renovation. The challenge can be even more demanding if the project involves changing the purpose of the site. But that’s precisely what the architects in charge of the
Baxi apprentice service engineers took part in a week-long team building course this month, designed to develop the next generation of installers with activities focusing on personal development and problem solving. The programme was tailored to Baxi’s visions and values, with apprentices undertaking team-based exercises linked to their Level 3
Wates Group, one of the UK’s largest family-owned built environment, residential development and property services companies, has secured a £90m sustainability-linked loan (SLL) from a three-bank syndicate led by Lloyds Bank. The facility, for which Lloyds Bank also acted as the Sole ESG Coordinator, will help Wates achieve its ESG
New 6.5 acre park opening in autumn will be an urban oasis Re-use of materials, tree planting and sustainable irrigation to save hundreds of tonnes of CO2 MAYFIELD, Manchester’s landmark regeneration development, is setting a new standard for sustainability, helping the city meet its ambitious target of becoming zero
Leading engineering specialist, SES Engineering Services (SES), has announced its appointment to deliver an £84 million new development at the University of Glasgow. The Adam Smith Business School and Postgraduate Teaching Hub is the fourth major development to commence as part of the University’s Campus Development Plan. Appointed by Multiplex
South Coast Science supplies ambient air quality monitors to the Ports of Felixstowe, Harwich International and London Thamesport. 2 Praxis/Urban instruments have been supplied to each port for immediate deployment for measurement of NO2, SO2, PM1, PM2.5, PM10, temperature and humidity. Each is equipped with a solar power supply and data is transmitted via
Leading Shropshire building contractor, Morris Property, has completed two more industrial units at Hortonwood 7 on the popular Telford industrial estate. The two new steel framed buildings have created 635 m² of warehouse storage and office space for their client, Swancote Energy. The units are clad and roofed using composite cladding panels and include both pedestrian and roller shutter doors for easy access together with glazed areas to enhance the working environment. Externally there is a tarmac car park and delivery yard, landscaping and new drainage. Swancote Energy, which produces renewable energy from a combination of commercial food waste and purpose grown energy crops, commissioned Morris Property to build the unit due to an increase in demand for its services. The company has invested around £700,000 in the new premises. The Morris Property team are working on a growing number of commercial, residential and education sites in Telford, employing a range of sub-contractors and trades from the local area. Steve Flavell, Construction Manager, said: “We feel privileged to be working in Telford and securing ongoing contracts with both the public and private sector. We wish Swancote Energy all the best in their new premises.” Morris Property is part of a fifth-generation family business group which has been building, restoring and leasing property for over 150 years.
As part of the Government’s plan to cut carbon emissions and hit its net zero climate targets, it has produced a new mandatory Building Regulation that sets out a new requirement to install electric vehicle (EV) charging points or cable routes to new or existing buildings that is due for implementation in June this year. Approved Document S: Infrastructure for the charging of electric vehicles, applies to new residential and non-residential buildings; buildings undergoing a material change of use to dwellings; residential and non-residential buildings undergoing major renovation; and mixed-use buildings that are either new, or undergoing major renovation. The approved document does not apply to work subject to a building notice, full plans application or initial notice submitted before 15 June 2022, provided the work is started on site before 15 June 2023. The new regulations include specific criteria for each type of building that a developer needs to consider on a new or existing site, as Jamie Mitchell, Associate Electrical Engineer at Whitecode Consulting, explains: “A new housing scheme that requires 100 new car chargers can result in large infrastructure upgrade costs if the existing network is unable to deliver the required power. The new regulations include an average connection cost* cap of £3600 (excluding VAT) per electric charge point. “If the developer can prove that the connection costs exceed £3600 per electric charge point, they will only be required to install the maximum number of charge points until this cost is reached. The developer is then required to install cable routes only** which can be accessed in the future when the infrastructure is upgraded.” To show that the connection cost is greater than £3600 at least two formal quotes must be given to the building control body during the notice/plans stage of a project. At least one quote should be from a distribution network operator. The quote must clearly show the maximum number of EV charge points that can be installed before the extra grid connections costs exceed £3600 per charge point per dwelling. Whitecode Consulting offers a full utility service which includes applications to energy providers. As technical engineers with a team of expert statisticians on hand that are experienced in negotiating with energy suppliers and providing the required technical guidance if a load is going to exceed its cap. As a specialist consultancy, Whitecode provides its clients with three quotations for every project, so it is already exceeding the standards asked for by the regulators in this instance. The engineers at Whitecode have also developed schemes with Dynamic Load Management Systems that can measure the real time power usage of EV chargers on site and can use the capacity of other loads on an installation when they are not in use. This allows for the total capacity on a site to be maximised to provide EV chargers with the total amount of power possible without compromising power quality throughout the site. These will no doubt become more widely implemented as more large-scale car charger installations are required in the future. With the Government planning on banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 there is a real possibility that there will not be enough charger points to meet demand. If the regulations do not go far enough to entice the construction and utilities industries to upgrade infrastructure and provide EV charging points, the move to electric could stall altogether. In a mixed-use development the problem could be exacerbated if service vehicles that may need charging more regularly are competing with residents for access to chargers. Figures published just last month (January 2022) by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), showed that in 2021 plug-in vehicles accounted for a record one in six registrations, while battery electric cars alone rose to one-in-nine, with more registered last year than 2016-2020 combined. The ratio of vehicle charge points to electric vehicles needs to also grow to match this trend. It comes as no surprise that Shell has opened its first electric vehicle charging hub in Fulham, London. It is the first time the company has converted an existing fuel station into one catering solely for electric vehicles. These charging stations will become more common in the future if people are unable to charge their vehicles at home. The new regulation also differentiates between covered and uncovered car parks. There is not as much provision required for covered car parks. Mitchell believes that this is down to the costs associated with upgrading the infrastructure in the future in covered car parks compared to open car parks where the process would be simpler. For new residential buildings, if all car parking spaces sit within a covered section (this excludes garages and car ports), cable routes for chargers must be installed in all spaces if there are 10 or more spaces, or installed in the total amount of spaces per dwelling if there are less than 10 spaces, or all spaces if there are fewer spaces than dwellings. In new buildings other than residential or mixed-use buildings where all parking spaces are within a covered car park, the requirement to install an electric vehicle charge point does not apply. However, cable routes must still be provided for a minimum of one in five parking spaces. “We have worked on a number of large developments over the last few years that have underground basement car parks with a significant amount of car chargers. It’s clear this section of the regulations does not specifically cater to this type of development. This could result in an increased demand for housing with EV chargers in town and city centres.” Mitchell reasons. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson, when announcing the new laws, said the force driving change would not be government or business, but young people who can see the consequences of climate change and will demand better. Mitchell doesn’t believe it is that simple. He said: “Although this new regulation is a significant improvement on the allocation of EV chargers,
Westbrook Partners has agreed to forward-purchase two BREAAM ‘Very Good’ urban logistics portfolios for £172.5m from Chancerygate and Bridges Fund Management. The first portfolio, which was wholly owned by Chancerygate, is called Urban Portal and comprises three multi-unit logistics developments located in Aston Clinton, Brackley and Leicester. The schemes will total 347,177 sq ft across 45 units and all three are set to practically complete in the next 12 months. The second portfolio, called City Gateway, comprises three multi-unit developments in Edinburgh, Leeds and Peterborough. The three schemes were jointly owned by Chancerygate and Bridges, who have a long track record of successful collaboration on sustainable industrial developments. The City Gateway portfolio will total 485,389 sq ft across 61 units, providing 43 industrial/warehouse units, 16 trade counter units and two drive throughs. The three schemes are set for practical completion in the next 24 months. In total, the portfolios comprise 832,000 sq ft over 42 acres, with each of the six schemes being acquired on a forward-commitment basis. All the newly built units will have market leading green credentials and will be constructed to the highest specification. Commenting on the deal, Mark Donnor, managing principal of Westbrook Partners, said: “We are delighted to have concluded the deal with Chancerygate and Bridges Fund Management, in such a timely manner. “The 832,000 sq ft of Grade A stock is already receiving strong occupational interest for a variety of units. JLL is instructed to pre-lease the portfolio.” Chancerygate managing director, Richard Bains, said: “Our strategy of focusing on acquiring urban logistics sites and delivering Grade A schemes benefiting from strong environmental credentials has been borne out by the very strong interest we received for these portfolios. “We are very pleased to have concluded the deal with Westbrook Partners in a very swift timescale. The funds from the disposal will be used by us to invest in further strategic speculative development opportunities as Chancerygate continues to expand throughout the UK.” Guy Bowden, partner at Bridges Fund management, added: “We’re delighted to complete this forward-purchase, which we think is testament to the strong demand – from both investors and occupiers – for high-quality highly sustainable logistics developments. Bridges’ sustainable logistics portfolio continues to deliver both attractive financial returns for our investors and superior environmental outcomes.” Tudor Real Estate represented Westbrook. JLL advised Chancerygate and Bridges Fund Management. You can learn more about Chancerygate’s live developments here.
Roche Diagnostics UK has partnered with Bouygues Energies & Services (Bouygues E&S) to deliver a total FM contract for an initial 5-year term beginning 31st January 2022. The partnership will see Bouygues E&S bring together a number of individual services under an umbrella Total FM contract, with a strong drive to continuously improve the user experience. Headquartered in Burgess Hill, Roche Diagnostics UK is part of the world’s largest biotech company and a world leader inin-vitro diagnostics tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a frontrunner in diabetes management. The services Bouygues E&S are delivering include: mechanical and electrical building fabric; cleaning, security; grounds maintenance; pest control services; waste management; stores and post services; caretaking services and gymnasium service. Bouygues E&S will also use the first year of the partnership to map out a carbon reduction plan for the client. Emmanuel Chautemps, Executive Director at Bouygues E&S said, “After more than 18 months developing our relationship with Roche Diagnostics UK, we have started in earnest delivering our total FM solution. Our journey to become part of their DNA begins and it is time to deliver on our commitments. “I want to take this opportunity to welcome to our family, the 18 employees who all chose to transfer. Finally, I am very proud of the work our business development, mobilisation, operations and support services teams have achieved together.” Martijn van den Raad, Head of Facilities and Lyndsey Courtney, Building Services Manager at Roche Diagnostics UK said, “We want to convey our sincere thanks to Bouygues E&S and their team for their attention, professionalism, and commitment to the mobilisation process. They have gone above and beyond and given us great confidence in their team and their solution. We look forward to a successful partnership in the coming years.”
VISION One of the most significant challenges architects can face is regenerating an area full of personality, but in desperate need of renovation. The challenge can be even more demanding if the project involves changing the purpose of the site. But that’s precisely what the architects in charge of the Primrose Hill project in London, had to face. With a project value of approximately £16m this project required a highly sensitive design solution to address a complicated urban context involving 28 neighbouring residential and commercial properties. The transformation visioned by PKS Architects, and developed by main contractor Knight Harwood, involved converting some of the buildings into high-quality apartments and high-specification offices using Kawneer’s solutions. The task was immense and involved six neighbouring commercial properties. The goal was achieved using multiple high-performance Kawneer products. TRANSFORMATION Through site-specific technical visits and studies, Kawneer specified and costed various façade packages and options. The lack of natural light was one of the many problems that needed to be rectified. It was solved using Kawneer’s AA®100 sloped rooflights. Additionally, GT70S windows were specified to replicate the building’s original steel windows to compliment the building aesthetics. For the entrance and balcony doors, the chosen product solution was Kawneer’s AA®720 doors with Glass Balustrading, thanks to the products superior aesthetics and thermal performance. For the curtain wall specification, the natural choice was AA®100 SSG, since it has smooth and seamless glass-to-glass joints without external capping. REALISATION The resulting specification helps to enhance the aesthetics of the building façade and increase the energy performance of the building whilst meeting the cost requirements of the build with Kawneer’s market-leading product range. Shortlisted in the 2017 BREEAM Awards, this development sustainably refurbishes and reimagines a group of six buildings to create 3,500m2 of high specification office space and four new luxury flats. The impressive results haven’t gone unnoticed. The Primrose Hill project won the 2020 GGP’s Best Commercial Installation, by Kawneer’s customer and specialist facade subcontractor, JPJ Installations Ltd. Find out more about Kawneer’s products at www.kawneer.co.uk
Baxi apprentice service engineers took part in a week-long team building course this month, designed to develop the next generation of installers with activities focusing on personal development and problem solving. The programme was tailored to Baxi’s visions and values, with apprentices undertaking team-based exercises linked to their Level 3 Domestic Service Engineering apprenticeship scheme. During the week spent at SKERN Training & Skills in Devon, apprentices experienced climbing, rafting, and tunnelling. Each practical exercise was designed to help the apprentices improve teamwork, leadership, risk assessment and communication. Krystal McKinnell, Apprenticeships Coordinator at Baxi Heating, said: “Investing in apprenticeships is vital for tackling the skills gap in the UK heating sector. By supporting and training individuals throughout their professional journey, we hope to make a difference and give people a head start as they join the industry.” Baxi apprentice, Liam Bate, said:“I really enjoyed the course and built a good rapport with the other apprentices in my group, which is useful as I may end up working alongside them in the future. We all worked well together as a team and identified each other’s strengths and points for development. Apprentice, Madison Dowding, said: “I enjoyed the teamwork aspect of this course and learned to take other people’s ideas into consideration. I kept my learning log up to date throughout the week and will apply what I learned in my apprenticeship end point assessment.” As well as offering entry-level apprenticeship schemes, Baxi also supports qualified heating engineers with training courses tailored towards the introduction of low carbon systems. For more information about Baxi’s training opportunities, visit: www.baxi.co.uk
Wates Group, one of the UK’s largest family-owned built environment, residential development and property services companies, has secured a £90m sustainability-linked loan (SLL) from a three-bank syndicate led by Lloyds Bank. The facility, for which Lloyds Bank also acted as the Sole ESG Coordinator, will help Wates achieve its ESG objectives and see it work towards three ambitious KPIs to achieve margin discounts on its funding. HSBC and AIB also provided equal funding on the deal of £30m each. The three-year facility is believed to be the second largest SLL provided in the sector. The first KPI is that 35% of Wates’ top 200 suppliers have Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) approved targets in place by December 2024. This is linked to the company’s Scope 3 emissions. These currently make up around 98% of its greenhouse gas emissions. Wates’ second KPI is to create nearly £370m of social value over the next three years. To achieve this objective, it will create jobs, support growth and promote healthier lifestyles in the communities it operates in. Finally, the business will continue to aim for more balanced representation as part of its existing inclusion and diversity strategy by improving the number of women in senior leadership positions. Wates employs around 3,800 people across its divisions. In 2020, it set out its ambitious strategy to eliminate waste and be carbon neutral from its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025, alongside enhancing the natural environment of the communities it operates in. Recently, to mark its 125th anniversary, Wates also announced a programme to open doors for more women into construction across all levels, over and above its existing recruitment schemes. Philip Wainwright, chief financial officer at Wates Group, said: “Sustainability is a key element of our Guiding Framework – that’s why we launched our 2025 sustainability goals in 2020. “We are continually reviewing how we can embed sustainability into what we do and we’re pleased that we have been able to identify and agree on three additional metrics with our lenders that will drive sustainability outcomes and demonstrate our commitment around Scope 3, social value and diversity. “We already have a close working relationship with Lloyds Banking Group through the Wates Innovation Network and it’s encouraging to not only have the support of three banks, but also to see them being prepared to increase their level of exposure, which is a real vote of confidence in our ability to meet these KPIs.” Max Jones, relationship director in Lloyds Bank’s construction and infrastructure team, said: “Now’s not the time for firms within the built environment to rest on their laurels when it comes to creating a greener, more welcoming industry. Wates have long been a leader for sustainability in the industry – we’re looking forward to helping them reinforce and build upon that position.”
New 6.5 acre park opening in autumn will be an urban oasis Re-use of materials, tree planting and sustainable irrigation to save hundreds of tonnes of CO2 MAYFIELD, Manchester’s landmark regeneration development, is setting a new standard for sustainability, helping the city meet its ambitious target of becoming zero carbon by 2038, 12 years ahead of the Government’s target for the rest of the UK. Analysis commissioned by The Mayfield Partnership reveals the positive environmental impact the development is already having on the city centre, and which will only increase over time. The biggest environmental gain so far has been achieved through recycling and reusing materials during the construction of Mayfield Park, which has saved between 230-240 tonnes of CO2 alone. One tonne of CO2 is the equivalent of driving more than 3,700 miles in a diesel car, or a single flight from Paris to New York. The project team has reused the steel from a former concrete culvert over the River Medlock to make one of the three pedestrian bridges in the Park. In addition the use of reclaimed bricks, structural steel beams and river walls has also contributed to the saving. Around three quarters of the 140 new trees have now been planted at the 6.5 acre Mayfield Park, which is the due to open this autumn. The new mature and semi-mature trees which are creating a stunning, biodiverse natural landscape in an area of the city where few trees have ever been grown before, will remove more than three tonnes of CO2 (equivalent) from the atmosphere per year. The amount of carbon annually captured will increase over time as the trees grow and flourish in the Park. Re-using water from the Victorian wells, discovered during the construction of the Park, as a sustainable source of irrigation for trees and plants will also make a significant contribution to Mayfield’s sustainable credentials, saving approximately 1 tonne of carbon per year and up to 3 million litres of water per year. The 10-year, £1.4bn project to transform the previously run-down 24-acre industrial site near Manchester Piccadilly Station into a thriving urban neighbourhood, is one of the North’s largest regeneration projects, comprising 1,500 homes, 1.6m sq ft of market-leading commercial space and 300,000 sq ft of retail and leisure facilities. Arlene Van Bosch, Development Director at regeneration company U+I, which is delivering the Mayfield project alongside its partners Manchester City Council, developer LCR and Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “Mayfield Park will be a beautiful, green haven in the city centre and ahead of the formal opening later this year, we’re very pleased to be contributing to Manchester’s low carbon agenda.. “We have worked incredibly hard with our contractors and with the Environment Agency to make Mayfield an exemplar in sustainability as well as a place for all to enjoy and it’s great to see wildlife such as Canada Geese and Kingfishers returning to the riverside after many years of pollution and dereliction.” Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council who recently planted a tree at Mayfield Park said: “As a local authority we are planting more than 1,000 trees across the city this year. Mayfield Park will be an amazing addition to our city centre and I am delighted to see how sustainability has been such a focus as we collectively rise to the challenge of addressing the climate crisis.” During the Industrial Revolution Mayfield was at the beating heart of Cottonopolis – as Manchester was then known. High levels of pollution from coal-burning cotton mills and workers’ homes at Mayfield meant the area was inhospitable to trees and most plant life. Alongside the new trees in the Park, I40,000 bulbs, shrubs and bushes are being planted and the new lawns have been laid. In 2020, the UK Government pledged £23m of investment from its Getting Building Fund – one of the largest investments in any single project – to Mayfield Park. This investment, delivered through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, is part of the Government’s strategy to support ‘shovel ready’ schemes that will help to drive economic recovery following the COVID-19 crisis
Leading engineering specialist, SES Engineering Services (SES), has announced its appointment to deliver an £84 million new development at the University of Glasgow. The Adam Smith Business School and Postgraduate Teaching Hub is the fourth major development to commence as part of the University’s Campus Development Plan. Appointed by Multiplex following a competitive tender, this latest project enables SES to draw on its recent experience gained on the University of Glasgow’s James McCune Smith Learning Hub which completed in early 2021 and was the first building to be delivered as part of the masterplan. Working again with main contractor and Programme Delivery Partner, Multiplex, SES will be providing a full MEP service, adopting the same strategy utilised when working on the Learning Hub including the production of a full BIM Level 2 model, which will essentially simplify building maintenance in the future. Once operational, the six-storey building, which has a gross internal floor area of 11,600m2, will provide specialised teaching, research and collaboration space for the University’s postgraduate taught student community, whilst delivering state-of-the-art premises for the world-leading business school.
South Coast Science supplies ambient air quality monitors to the Ports of Felixstowe, Harwich International and London Thamesport. 2 Praxis/Urban instruments have been supplied to each port for immediate deployment for measurement of NO2, SO2, PM1, PM2.5, PM10, temperature and humidity. Each is equipped with a solar power supply and data is transmitted via 4G cellular communication, as well as being stored on the device. The instruments will be used to start new air quality monitoring programmes which are linked to the Port Air Quality Strategy for each site (The air quality strategy for the Port of Felixstowe is published here.) UK Clean Air Strategy and Ports Following the UK Government’s Clean Air Strategy, published in January 2019, major ports in England were asked to develop air quality strategies, including plans to reduce emissions. In terms of emissions, the impact of SO2 generated by shipping is significant as are the NO2 emissions of dock-side mechanised handling equipment like cranes, forklift trucks and vehicles. For these kinds of projects, it is vital that all air quality benchmarking is done using products developed with academic rigour, as this ensures that all subsequent measurements are sound. The latest advances in low-cost sensor technology are now opening up access to air quality monitoring in a commercial context. It is now possible to gather real-time data from instruments whose accuracy has been independently certified. “At South Coast Science we’ve spent nearly four years working to improve sensor performance in our Praxis range of products, to provide a service that meets the commercial needs for reliable devices in a sometimes harsh environment. We’re very pleased to be working with Hutchison Ports.” – David Johnson, Sales Director at South Coast Science Real-world solutions for air quality monitoring A major blocker for large-scale, meaningful air quality monitoring in industry has been a lack of affordable devices which are known to produce reliable data. Low-cost sensors have historically had issues with variable performance in outdoor environments. Devices like the Praxis/Urban and Praxis/OPCube that offer validated monitoring data and operate reliably with minimal supervision, give much needed real-world solutions. This new generation of third-party certified monitors finally provides a commercially viable way to quantify which air quality interventions are likely to be most impactful and track progress. For more information about the Port Air Quality Strategies, please visit each site’s individual web pages. Visit the South Coast Science website for information on its monitoring products, or contact David Johnson, Sales Director.