An extension to the British Board of Agrément’s ISO 45001 scope to include base and fabricated metal products will benefit its clients by bringing different approval processes under the remit of a single certification body. The BBA has been accredited by UKAS to extend its scope for ISO 45001 Occupational
Housing and regeneration specialist – Vistry Partnerships North East – is developing a reputation for projects in the care sector. Working with a number of major housing providers – and one of the region’s councils – the company will soon have six projects in development, from Teesside to Tyneside, with
But flexibility of the renewable heat solution is key, not just efficiency, says Kensa Heat Pumps New commitments to reduce CO2 emissions from homes by up to 30 percent over current standards has been welcomed by the UK’s leading supplier of ground source heat pumps, and UK-based manufacturer, Kensa Heat
Midas Construction has been appointed to build a new warehouse and GB headquarters for leading global power tools company STIHL. The project in will see the creation of a new 11,285m2 purpose-designed facility off the A331 in Camberley, Surrey. The investment follows a period of sustained growth for STIHL GB
THE developer behind a sustainable neighbourhood of 88 low-energy homes has been inundated with enquiries from potential buyers after the first batch of plots went on sale. Stonewood Partnerships has opened its sales office at Orchard Field in Siddington, near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, for homebuyers to book appointments, which are
Platform Housing Group has completed the acquisition of its largest land-led deal to date following the exchange of contracts for a site in Gloucestershire. The development will deliver around 270 new homes and is the seventh phase of the overall Perybrook development that has an outline consent for 1,500 homes.
The construction of the UK’s longest railway bridge took another major step forward this week with the start of work on the first of 56 giant concrete piers that will support the Colne Valley Viaduct as it crosses a series of lakes on the outskirts of London. Stretching for 3.4km,
Bridgwater’s £16 million leisure regeneration project in the town centre has celebrated another major milestone in its construction. Sedgemoor District Council and main contractor Willmott Dixon held a topping out ceremony to celebrate the final steelwork being installed at the highest point of the structure on the site ahead of
Sheppard Robson’s third visit to Brunel is marked with Kawneer glazing systems. Aluminium glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were “fundamental” in achieving the environmental performance and architectural vision for Sheppard Robson’s second revisiting of a key building at Brunel University London. Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall, AA®540 vents, and
Combining reality capture and AI to close the gap between BIM and on-site fieldwork Imerso’s smart construction monitoring platform enables true-to-life digital twins In line with Nemetschek strategy of investing in AEC/O innovators The Nemetschek Group, one of the leading software providers for the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AEC/O)
An extension to the British Board of Agrément’s ISO 45001 scope to include base and fabricated metal products will benefit its clients by bringing different approval processes under the remit of a single certification body. The BBA has been accredited by UKAS to extend its scope for ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems to cover IAF17 – Base metals and fabricated metal products following successful completion of a UKAS assessment. ISO 45001 aims to support organisations by improving occupational health and safety, reducing work-related accidents and risks and improving employee safety. The BBA is already a UKAS-accredited Management Systems Certification Body for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 across a range of IAF product sectors. Karen Maplesden, Technical Lead for the BBA’s management system certification, said: “This is an important expansion of our areas of work. We are already active in the base metals sector for ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, as well as for Factory Production Control certificates and product approvals. This extension to scope allows clients to benefit by combining their different forms of approval under a single certification body.” The first two accredited ISO 45001 Certificates by BBA for IAF17 are in the process of being issued to Celsa Manufacturing (UK) and McEvoy Engineering.
Housing and regeneration specialist – Vistry Partnerships North East – is developing a reputation for projects in the care sector. Working with a number of major housing providers – and one of the region’s councils – the company will soon have six projects in development, from Teesside to Tyneside, with a combined investment value of almost £60 million They will deliver over 400 homes, specifically designed for the over 55’s, those with age related care needs and younger people requiring supported living arrangements. New deals include a project with Beyond Housing for a 75 unit scheme, including an extra care facility, with specialist housing, flats and bungalows at Redcar. Planning consent was also recently granted for a Gateshead Council initiative for 44 homes at Wrekenton, comprising bungalows, apartments and two and three bedroomed homes. Construction is expected to be underway by summer. Nearing completion are a community wellbeing project at Lobley Hill, Gateshead, with Home Group, which will deliver 83 homes for residents requiring a broad range of support – including people with dementia – and two developments with Housing 21 – a 64 one and two bedroomed apartment complex at Tynemouth and a 71 unit scheme at Peterlee. Completing the portfolio is a three storey building, comprising 72 apartments for affordable rent at Penshaw. There would also be communal facilities including a shared lounge and an enclosed walled garden for the residents to use. Sean Egan, Managing Director with Vistry Partnerships North East, said: “Through our successful partnerships with the region’s housing associations and local authorities, we are ensuring that we are delivering modern, purpose built homes for those most in need across the North East. “These six projects are a perfect example of how construction can help build communities and not just homes, by creating specialist accommodation that will stand the test of time, whilst stimulating local economies through investment in jobs, training and suppliers. “Rather than simply being a contractor bidding for work, we are working with housing associations to create exciting opportunities driven and created by our land and development skills. We devise housing solutions which specifically meet local needs and fit the criteria of the housing organisations. We then mange the process from planning to delivery, so that during construction any new ideas, innovations and efficiencies can be adopted, benefitting the housing association, local community and ultimately the residents.” Debbie Hope, Head of Development at Housing 21 added: “Housing 21 is a leading not for profit provider of Retirement Living and Extra Care properties. As a registered provider, we are one of the largest developers of specialist housing for people over the age of 55, and the largest provider of Extra Care housing in England. “Through successful partnerships such as with Vistry, we are able to provide high quality housing and care for older people of modest means. The partnership with ourselves and Vistry has been very successful and both schemes, Poppy Dene in Peterlee and Clifford Mews in Tynemouth, will be delivered within budget. We very much hope to work with Vistry again in the near future.”
But flexibility of the renewable heat solution is key, not just efficiency, says Kensa Heat Pumps New commitments to reduce CO2 emissions from homes by up to 30 percent over current standards has been welcomed by the UK’s leading supplier of ground source heat pumps, and UK-based manufacturer, Kensa Heat Pumps. Coinciding with the manufacture of it’s 10,000th heat pump, the Cornish-based company calls for the revised Building Regulations standards for newbuild homes, due to be brought in from June 2022, to be a catalyst for flexibility to be viewed as a key factor when assessing renewable energy solutions rather than efficiency alone, and hopes for Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) ratings to reflect this following the Part L and F revisions to the regulations. Simon Lomax, CEO of the Kensa Group explains: “We welcome the launch of the latest Part L standards which will encourage more housebuilders to consider low carbon heating choices. We remain convinced that our solution – small ground source heat pumps in each dwelling, linked to a communal ground array – provides the best outcomes for the house builder, house purchaser, environment, and electricity system especially as our ‘split ownership’ model divorces the cost of the ground array from the housebuilder. To support deployment, it is vital that SAP can accurately assess the performance of emerging system architectures and technologies. Many ground arrays can utilise waste heat to bolster the source temperature to improve efficiency and reduce running costs and carbon emissions. This advantage must be reflected in SAP. Equally, the most appealing solutions, for house builders and house owners, will be heat pumps integrated with heat batteries to maximise the ability of the heat pump to operate when electricity is both low cost and low carbon. Pure efficiency is no longer the key metric: flexibility is more important to deliver the best outcomes for all stakeholders.” Kensa’s ‘split ownership’ model is currently being demonstrated through an ERDF funded scheme in Cornwall called Heat The Streets, featuring street-by-street ground source heat pump deployment delivered by Kensa Utilities. Kensa Utilities, and other entities, will fund, own and maintain the underground infrastructure in return for a small standing charge levied on each connected property. Simon says, “the superior efficiency, flexibility, reliability, and durability of a ground source heat pump will ensure total running costs and ownership costs fall below those of an air source heat pump.” Kensa’s Green Streets augmented reality experience, premiered at COP26 and modelled on the real ‘Green Street’ in Glasgow, demonstrates how a 30% reduction in carbon emissions in new builds along with the decarbonisation of heat in existing homes and business can be achieved, and the flexibility the technology brings to the electricity grid, whilst lowering environmental and societal costs. Visit Green Street here.
Midas Construction has been appointed to build a new warehouse and GB headquarters for leading global power tools company STIHL. The project in will see the creation of a new 11,285m2 purpose-designed facility off the A331 in Camberley, Surrey. The investment follows a period of sustained growth for STIHL GB and will allow the business and its local workforce of 95 employees to move from their existing premises nearby in the Yorktown area of Camberley which the company has now outgrown. The Southampton-based Southern Division of Midas Construction, part of the Midas Group, is expected to begin preparatory work on site in December 2021. The project will deliver an automated industrial warehouse for storage of machines and spares with ancillary office and workshop space, as well as a retail display area and staff facilities such as canteen. New road access will be constructed from the A331 into the site, together with associated parking, earthworks and landscaping. Steve Lee, Director of Midas Construction’s Southern Division, said: “We are delighted to be working with STIHL GB and to have been entrusted to deliver this important project for the company. “As well as being a high-profile international brand, STIHL has been an important local employer in Surrey for the last four decades and we are pleased to be playing a role in this major investment by STIHL which secures its future in the area and will allow the business to continue to thrive and grow.” Kay Green, Managing Director of STIHL GB, commented: “Our new purpose-built headquarters represents a significant capital investment and is a commitment to the future for our local workforce. This cutting edge facility will allow us to plan for many years of future growth which will continue to benefit the local economy. We are looking forward to working with Midas Construction on this vital project.” The new building has been designed by architects Hale to combine contemporary materials with crisp, modern and simple detailing, creating a high-quality appearance. Extensive landscaping will include habitat creation and significant tree, native shrub and wildflower planting. The first stage of works will see Midas Construction carry out site clearance and levelling of the former Thames Water Utilities site, in readiness for a start on the main build project in February 2022. The project is scheduled to be completed in December 2022.
THE developer behind a sustainable neighbourhood of 88 low-energy homes has been inundated with enquiries from potential buyers after the first batch of plots went on sale. Stonewood Partnerships has opened its sales office at Orchard Field in Siddington, near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, for homebuyers to book appointments, which are available Monday to Saturday, so they can view in safety. “We have a fly-through video of the development to showcase what the homes will look like,” said marketing manager Jasmine Endersby. “We can also arrange plot visits when pre-booked to give our customers a feel for the beautiful views around the site and the space throughout the neighbourhood.” A range of three and four bedroom homes have been released for reservation with move-in dates estimated for next summer, with further two and five bedroom homes being released in the near future. Each Cotswold stone, red brick or rendered home on the development has been designed to meet stringent Association for Environment Conscious Building standards that demand excellent construction and low energy consumption. They have been built on a ‘fabric first’ principle – with their fundamental design aimed at making them as airtight as possible. Solar panels are embedded into the slate roof, 45cm thick walls are filled with eco-friendly insulation so the draught-free airtight interiors allow the energy-efficient heating system to cut bills by up to 70 per cent compared to standard new-built houses. The woodland-bordered site is 35 acres in total but just 11 acres will be developed. Hundreds of trees will be planted across the community, beginning with an orchard to the west of the development and dozens more lining the parkland road into Orchard Field. Two new ponds have already been built on a two-acre nature reserve away from the homes to provide a haven for Great Crested Newts, birds and other wildlife. A new dropping off point will be created for parents bringing children to nearby Siddington C of E Primary School. The new community is expected to provide at least 30 new pupils. Ms Endersby said: “We have been overwhelmed by the interest in the scheme and have made five reservations in our first week. We think we’ve had such high interest because it’s a really special development with high sustainability credentials, coupled with the design and build quality of a Stonewood home. “Cirencester’s location at the gateway to the Cotswolds makes it such a desirable place to live and we are so fortunate to be able to offer such beautiful homes all surrounded by meadows and a chance to really be part of a community. It’s something the whole team here is passionate about.” Work on the site is well under way with the homes’ revolutionary airtight wooden frames being craned into place. The frames are sealed together to form the floors, walls and roof, which not only makes the house better insulated but quicker to produce. “They effectively leave a dry shell for us to put the masonry around the outside and then fit out the inside,” said Stonewood Partnerships managing director Sam Smart. “It takes a week to erect a pair of houses when normally it would take four to six weeks. It allows us to start working inside straight away, which makes it a much quicker and cleaner process.” Ms Endersby said an increasing interest in sustainability and rising energy prices have also fuelled interest in the development. “I think people are really conscious of the environmental impact now so people are really keen to learn more about the building standards we are working to,” she said. “People have been really interested in the attention to detail we put into the energy-saving design, such as thicker walls, triple glazing, small bore pipes to reduce loss and the air source heat pumps. They are very energy-efficient but they are also beautiful.” To book an appointment to view the homes available at Orchard Field 01454 809780 or email orchardfield@stonewoodpartnerships.co.uk. Find out more about Stonewood Partnerships at stonewoodpartnerships.co.uk.
Platform Housing Group has completed the acquisition of its largest land-led deal to date following the exchange of contracts for a site in Gloucestershire. The development will deliver around 270 new homes and is the seventh phase of the overall Perybrook development that has an outline consent for 1,500 homes. The proposed scheme will feature a range of tenures for customers including rent, affordable home ownership and outright sale. Platform’s Executive Director of Growth and Development Gerraint Oakley said, “This is our first significant land acquisition of this size and highlights our ambition to develop a sustainable land pipeline as we work towards our target of providing 2,000 homes a year.” “Providing affordable homes in this way gives our customers even greater piece of mind about the product we’ll deliver. I’d like to thank all our partners that have worked so hard to get us to this point and I look forward to continuing those relationships when we start on site.” The group worked alongside agents Carter Jonas and Bruton Knowles who acted for the sellers, as well as key consultant team Shakespeare Martineau, plus Clarkebond, Pad Design, Fellows Construction Consultants, Ridge & Partners LLP and Utilities Connection Management Ltd. Michael Baggett, Regional Head of Land said, “This is an extremely exciting time for the Group, we are looking forward to progressing the planning for this site and providing much needed new homes to the area. In addition to our project team, I would also like to thank the Housing Strategy and Enabling Team at Tewkesbury Borough Council and Bryn Howells in particular, for the advice and support given on this site to date. We are actively seeking further land opportunities of similar size and nature in Gloucestershire and across Central England, with or without planning permission.” The group are anticipating a reserve matters submission in early 2022 with an estimated start on site later in the same year.
The construction of the UK’s longest railway bridge took another major step forward this week with the start of work on the first of 56 giant concrete piers that will support the Colne Valley Viaduct as it crosses a series of lakes on the outskirts of London. Stretching for 3.4km, the viaduct – being built as part of the HS2 rail project – will carry high speed trains travelling at speeds of up to 200mph between the outskirts of Hillingdon and the M25 on their way to Birmingham and the north. The first pier was cast by engineers from HS2’s main works contractor Align JV – a team made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick – and working in partnership with Kilnbridge. Weighing in at around 370 tonnes, the 6m tall reinforced concrete pier was cast on site by a team of engineers who used a specially-designed formwork to create the shape of the structure. This was then removed after 4 days to reveal the final product. Each pier is designed to support the full weight of the deck above and rests on a set of concrete piles going up to 55m into the ground. This foundation work began earlier this year and will require the construction of 292 piles and 56 pile caps across the whole length of the viaduct. In another visible sign of progress on the project, the team have also completed the construction of the first of four jetties across the lakes to get equipment into position to support the construction thereby taking construction vehicles off local roads. Where the viaduct crosses the lake, the piles will be bored directly into the lakebed, using a cofferdam to hold back the water while the pier is constructed. HS2 Ltd’s Project Client, David Emms, said: “The Colne Valley Viaduct will be one of HS2’s most iconic structures and it’s great to see how much has been achieved already. I’d like to thank the whole team for the huge amount of work they’ve done to get us to this point.” Align’s Project Director, Daniel Altier, added: “I have no doubt that the viaduct will become one, if not the most striking element of HS2 phase 1 once complete. The way it will be constructed is going to be equally fascinating for engineers young and old. The sections for the deck will be fabricated at our main construction site to the west of London just inside the M25, and using a huge launching girder, the deck will be formed from north to south, along the line of the route, thereby keeping unnecessary construction traffic off the roads. “I would like to thank the whole team, including our supply chain partners, who have worked very hard to enable us to meet this important milestone in the viaduct’s construction.” The design of the Colne Valley Viaduct was inspired by the flight of a stone skipping across the water, with a series of elegant spans, some up to 80m long, carrying the railway around 10m above the surface of the lakes, River Colne and Grand Union Canal. Set low into the landscape, wider spans will carry the viaduct crosses the lakes, and narrower spans for the approaches. This design was chosen to enable views across the landscape, minimise the viaduct’s footprint on the lakes and help complement views across the natural surroundings. The main deck of the viaduct – which supports the railway line – will be built in 1000 separate unique segments at a temporary factory nearby before being assembled from north to south, starting next year. As part of a push across the whole HS2 project to cut carbon in construction, the design and construction teams working on the viaduct have also cut the amount of embedded carbon in the viaduct by around a third, by narrowing the width of the structure and applying lessons for the design of highspeed railway bridges in Europe. Over the last six years, HS2 has worked closely with Affinity Water and the Environment Agency to monitor water quality and agree working methods. These are being monitored by a team of specialist engineers during construction in order to protect the natural environment.
Bridgwater’s £16 million leisure regeneration project in the town centre has celebrated another major milestone in its construction. Sedgemoor District Council and main contractor Willmott Dixon held a topping out ceremony to celebrate the final steelwork being installed at the highest point of the structure on the site ahead of its planned opening in Autumn 2022. Guests and children from the adjacent Northgate Primary School took to some of the steel beams with pens to sign their names to mark the occasion. In reference to a 14th century building tradition in Northern Europe, a small yew tree was taken to the top of the building for the ceremony and will be planted in the redeveloped Brewery Field later. Reaching a total height of 41.8ft, the last piece of steel was secured on the roof of the 40,000 sq. ft scheme which will be boasting a state of the art 7-screen cinema operated by WTW Scott Cinema, an 8-lane bowling alley and sports bar operated by Allstars. The development will also feature 12,000 sq. ft of flexible restaurant space in five restaurant units with outdoor dining areas, available for local, regional and national food and drink brands. Commenting on this significant moment, Cllr Alan Bradford, Chairman of Sedgemoor District Council, said; “Northgate Yard is a huge investment in the town centre and is set to be a landmark destination for both locals and tourists. We’re delighted that so much progress has been made on the construction and that we’re already at such a landmark stage in the build – it won’t be long before we’ll all be enjoying the leisure and entertainment facilities that will be on offer.” Rob Woolcock, Director at Willmott Dixon said; “The topping out ceremony marks a key stage in the construction of Northgate Yard, and we’re delighted to be working with Sedgemoor District Council to deliver this landmark project. We are committed to leaving a positive legacy in the communities where we build, so it was great to have the pupils from Northgate Primary School at the ceremony to sign the steel and be a part of this exciting development.” The scheme will also feature outdoor meeting places and landscaping. The adjacent green space, Brewery Field, will be improved and updated to feature an outdoor children’s play area and parkland with a pond and landscaped planting. Northgate Yard is the culmination of many years of planning for a central entertainment and dining hub for Bridgwater. Led by Sedgemoor District Council, Northgate Yard has been conceived with the local community and local economy at its heart. The Council have worked closely with the community to create and deliver a vision reflecting what the people of Bridgwater want to see. Widespread public support means the much-anticipated development will become a destination for the local community and visitors. For more information visit www.northgateyard.co.uk.
Sheppard Robson’s third visit to Brunel is marked with Kawneer glazing systems. Aluminium glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were “fundamental” in achieving the environmental performance and architectural vision for Sheppard Robson’s second revisiting of a key building at Brunel University London. Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall, AA®540 vents, and series 190 and AA®720 doors were specified by the regular Kawneer users for the latest redevelopment of the Wilfred Brown Building at the university in Greater London. The mullion-drained capped and SSG (Structurally Silicone Glazed) curtain wall forms a new sawtooth façade to the first and second floors and is complemented by the AA®540 window vents which are top-hung and also Structurally Silicone Glazed, series 190 heavy-duty doors to the main entrance, and the thermally-superior AA®720 doors. Sheppard Robson had been working with Brunel since first master planning the campus in the early 1960s, designing the Wilfred Brown Building in 1968, and then adding a rooftop extension to the structure in the 1990s. This latest revisiting creates a new identity for the recently formed College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences and comprises the £13.8 million external and internal transformation of the 4,710m2 building to create a new gateway at the western boundary of the university. The primary driver in the development of the new Kawneer façade was the response to local environmental conditions – the west elevation employing the ‘sawtooth’ arrangement using clear glazed panels to the north west-facing elements, offering views out, and interstitial mesh to the west and south west-facing elements, to control solar gain. The building was originally designed to accommodate university administration facilities and as such was previously heavily cellularised, with a double row of central columns. It abuts, but previously did not engage with, the adjacent Michael Sterling building to the east and unsuccessfully linked to the adjacent double-height council chamber via a single-storey circulation link, previously cut off from the ground floor by a small courtyard space. Sheppard Robson Associate Neil Price said: “We specified Kawneer’s curtain wall as a simple and elegant response to renewing the Wilfred Brown Building. It forms most of the building envelope and the sawtooth façade arrangement to the west elevation in particular was key to achieving the architectural vision for the project. They were fundamental in achieving both the environmental performance and architectural vision for the project.” He added: “The glazed elements and their sawtooth arrangement to the west elevation are key to the architectural language of the Wilfred Brown Building, enabling the existing 1960s structure to be adapted and reused, whilst creating a distinct and modern identity for the scheme.” As part of the university’s Transformational Project (TxP) programme, and supported by the successful award of capital funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), Wilfred Brown has now been reinvented to create a new ‘front door’ for the college. Internally, the ground floor has been opened up and a new double-height atrium constructed to the north, infilling an existing, underused courtyard and connecting the buildings to create a STEM learning centre. This is a cutting-edge teaching facility aimed at engaging young learners through workshops with London schools. ‘INSPIRE – The Brunel STEM Learning Centre’ aims to engage learners from key stages one to five in science, technology, engineering, the arts, maths and medicine – areas in which the UK economy is forecast as having a future skills shortage. The programme is delivered through a series of unique STEM workshops that are research inspired, curriculum linked and industry relevant – an innovation hub comprising part of the suite of technology-led learning spaces. Three storeys of modern, open-plan academic workspace are housed on the upper floors to support progressive ways of working for students and 141 members of staff, ranging from academics and lecturers to heads of department. At third floor, a large open-plan PhD research office is provided alongside communal staff facilities. Formerly housing the university’s senior leadership team, department of estates and facilities management services, the Wilfred Brown Building has been reinvented as a modern, vibrant, student-focused teaching and learning facility. Key learning spaces for the Department of Computer Science are delivered across all levels in the building, including a 60-seat IT laboratory, a digital technology workshop and two technology-rich digital economy laboratories, which are connected via a retractable wall. Several research labs are distributed across the upper floors, while a dedicated cyber security laboratory is created at third floor in support of current research projects. Initial appraisal of the existing building, alongside interrogation of the university’s aspirations for the project, quickly established the need to replace the previous envelope with a modern façade system. Crucial to this decision was the need to significantly upgrade the performance of the external fabric, coupled with the aspiration to deliver a ‘world class’ gateway building, marking the establishment of a new college and the strategic objective to enhance provision of STEM outreach facilities. The facade strategy was conceived as an environmentally driven design response to the building’s orientation and its influence on the required performance of the façade. The completed facade achieves a significant improvement in performance through the enhanced thermal properties of the envelope, exceeding current air tightness requirements, improving the efficiency of the building services installation, and addressing solar energy transmittance through the installation of high performance glazing in response to site conditions. Alongside the wider sustainability strategy, enhancement of the envelope contributes to an improvement of 31.8% over Building Regulations Part L requirements, while the improvement over a baseline case representing the existing building is estimated to be 49.7%. Central to the viability of the project was the retention and alteration of the existing structural frame. Being marginally larger in plan, the façade extending a metre outwards of the existing footprint to the west, and with the addition of an extra storey at roof level, the structural capacity of the existing frame was maximised, the existing frame containing very little redundancy in its original configuration. Through thoughtful reuse of the existing building
Combining reality capture and AI to close the gap between BIM and on-site fieldwork Imerso’s smart construction monitoring platform enables true-to-life digital twins In line with Nemetschek strategy of investing in AEC/O innovators The Nemetschek Group, one of the leading software providers for the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AEC/O) industry, has led a financing round for Imerso AS. The Norway based deep-tech company is offering a next-generation platform to automate construction quality monitoring through a combination of advanced artificial intelligence (AI), reality capture, and BIM technologies. The solution enables easy, everyday use of industry grade 3D scanners on site. The scanners capture the as-built status throughout the construction phase with point clouds – a collection of 3D data points that accurately digitize real-life physical spaces, such as a building, a floor, or a room. Imerso’s cloud-based platform automatically analyses the captured 3D scan data against the plan in BIM. Combining AI and advanced computer vision, it highlights and lists in real-time any relevant work deviations or issues, so these can be resolved efficiently through re-planning or fixes on site. By connecting the BIM model directly to the as-built snapshot on site, Imerso delivers an efficient roadmap for accurate, as-built digital twins – with great benefits across the entire building life-cycle. “Imerso is a perfect fit to our goal of helping our customers worldwide shape the world,” says Dr. Axel Kaufmann, spokesman and CFOO of the Nemetschek Group. Tanja Kufner, Head of Start-ups and Venture Investments at the Nemetschek Group, explains further. “We see great synergies, particularly with our brand Solibri. Both companies are on a mission to improve the quality of construction and to create better buildings. Customers can accurately monitor the project’s progress and efficiently improve the results,” she says. Combining the technologies of Solibri and Imerso will generate significant opportunities for owners, engineers, and contractors. They can monitor the progress and quality of work on site at a detailed level and produce reliable final client deliverables for the management of the facility. “This is a tremendous step in our journey, as we continue scaling our solution with some of the leading players in our industry. Partnering with the Nemetschek Group is rocket fuel for us to leverage their deep roots in the construction sector and in-depth knowledge, and to accelerate the go-to-market strategy of our technology,” says Frederico Valente, founder and CEO of Imerso. The Norwegian start-up has been developing its solution in collaboration with leading research institutes and some of the largest industry players in the Nordics. Seven million square meters of floor have already been captured in the platform across several customer projects. Imerso is currently being used on some of the largest and most ambitious projects in Scandinavia and central Europe. The investment in Imerso is a strong continuation of the Nemetschek Group strategy of supporting young companies to shape the future AEC/O market and drive innovation. See also our recent announcements regarding the start-ups Sablono and Reconstruct.