Kenneth Booth

New climate change accountability global ecosystem stands out from the crowd as it is specially selected for presentation at COP26

A new technology platform which takes a huge step towards meaningful global climate change accountability has been specially selected for presentation as world leaders gather in Glasgow for the COP26 summit next week. The New Energy Matrix is a global ecosystem software platform developed by Isle of Man-based data management

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Storage spaces – how to design cabinets

Not sure how to deal with large storage spaces in your apartment? We’ll give you some hints and tips that will come in handy when designing, whether you hire a joiner or a built-in wardrobe company. Wardrobe as a separate room or closet? The best storage solution is a walk-in

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Knight Property Group’s £20 million transformation of 4-5 Lochside Avenue sets a new benchmark for sustainability credentials at Edinburgh Park

Knight Property Group has just completed the comprehensive £20 million redevelopment and refurbishment of 4-5 Lochside Avenue in Edinburgh Park. The 43,000 sq ft pavilion-style building achieved practical completion this week and sets the standard for sustainable office redevelopment in Edinburgh Park, offering open-plan Grade A office accommodation, ranging from

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Atalian Servest wins Scottish Police Authority deal

The global FM service provider has secured a contract with the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to provide hard FM services across its property portfolio. The new appointment will see Atalian Servest deliver a full range of hard FM services across 450 buildings and 450,000 square metres of infrastructure. The services

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Quintain uses Zutec to digitally deliver landmark Wembley Park Development

Multi-award-winning developer and asset owner/manager Quintain has played a central role in the urban regeneration of Wembley, North West London, undertaking construction and management of the UK’s largest build-to-rent development, the Wembley Park Estate. Requiring a quality digital partner for the 8,500 home estate, which includes 6,044 Build-to-Rent homes to

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Celebrating construction and facilities management award successes

This month, DIO and our industry partners are celebrating several successes in prestigious award schemes across the British construction and facilities management sectors. At the 2021 Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) Impact Awards, our partners Mitie and Sodexo were recognised for their delivery of hard and soft Facilities Management (FM) services which are making a real

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Cladding tax to cost Britain’s biggest housebuilders £205m a year

The latest research from the real estate debt advisory specialists, Sirius Property Finance, has found that the cladding tax introduced in yesterday’s Budget could cost the nation’s biggest housebuilders £205m a year. Yesterday the Chancellor confirmed a new Residential Property Developer Tax will be introduced from April next year to

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Mace partners with Demand Logic to optimise HYLO one of London’s most futuristic buildings

Mace MEP has selected Demand Logic to deliver energy optimisation at HYLO, one of London’s most exciting new office buildings. Demand Logic’s Building Analytics software identifies areas of inefficient control, signaling where energy usage can be minimised. Technology will support Mace and contractors to ensure optimised performance throughout the commissioning

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Latest Issue
Issue 343 : Aug 2026

Kenneth Booth

New climate change accountability global ecosystem stands out from the crowd as it is specially selected for presentation at COP26

A new technology platform which takes a huge step towards meaningful global climate change accountability has been specially selected for presentation as world leaders gather in Glasgow for the COP26 summit next week. The New Energy Matrix is a global ecosystem software platform developed by Isle of Man-based data management specialists, Curtis & Associates Group, which allows citizens, institutions such as schools, companies great and small, and government regulators to post and monitor their carbon footprints and net zero targets in a transparent, fair, verifiable and immutable way. A unique validation process within the decentralised ecosystem platform guarantees that there cannot be any zero counting or double counting of net zero efficiencies, and also addresses the vexed issue of “greenwashing”, where many companies claim to be offsetting their emissions without evidence or proof. Curtis & Associates also has the credibility of practising what it preaches. While many companies have set net zero targets for dates in the future, it has become one of the few enterprises to have already achieved net zero for all *Scope emissions in 2020. CEO Jon Curtis said: “One of our most important achievements is the company Gold Teak based in Indonesia, wherein we set up at the time of the Kyoto Protocol an agro-forestry project of over 30,000 teak, mahogany, acacia, jabon and fruit trees as an ethical investment, and which to date has sequestered over 16,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent as well as funding the re-building of the local school and mosque to the benefit of the local community. “Over the years of its operation, we calculated that the cost of sequestering this carbon in the trees was only 0.3% of our total group turnover. So, it doesn’t have to cost the earth to save the earth.” Mr Curtis has a track record in data management dating back to the boom years of the North Sea energy industry. After setting up his own company over 30 years ago, he conceived and built data sharing mechanisms which have now been re-designed to use as net zero target and progress monitoring systems for any industry in any country worldwide. As one of the select group of companies chosen to present at COP26 through the Climate Chambers events between the 1st and 4th November, Curtis & Associates will demonstrate how the New Energy Matrix Ecosystem can be used by anyone and everyone to post carbon footprints and net zero targets. The ecosystem software will be free for individuals, institutions, and non-profit organisations to post a yearly set of net zero scope emission data. Companies would be expected to contribute modest fees. The transparent nature of the ecosystem, and the huge importance of our collective decarbonisation efforts means that peer pressure within sectors would encourage mutual validation amongst leading companies. The New Energy Matrix will enable the creation of Green Ecosystem Certificates of Known Origin (GECKOs). These verified and immutable certificates can be applied to any industry on a global basis. For organisations such as schools and universities, or other organisation seeking green finance, such verified information can give confidence to both government and private sector fund managers. The New Energy Matrix validation system will be open source, thereby allowing citizens, institutions, and companies to build their own solutions to use on a common decentralised framework, anywhere in the world. Mr Curtis said: “This is a major opportunity for businesses, which need to urgently collaborate with governments to address the immediate issue of climate change. “While government can regulate, without the direct involvement of business, climate action will not succeed. The fair and universal system of green certificates will enable those common objectives to become a reality. “We know that we must mitigate climate change by replacing fossil fuel sources with renewable and carbon-free alternatives and do so as rapidly as possible without destabilising industry and even entire countries. “The New Energy Matrix will be an important deterrent to greenwashing, which involves companies misleading consumers about their green credentials and their overall environmental performance.” The Curtis & Associates Group has offices in many countries across the globe. Its projects include EnergyVue, a platform for renewable energy operators. It will present at COP26 on the 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th of November in association with the British Chambers of Commerce. Jon Curtis is available for media interview by arrangement through Blueprint Media on 0330 223 4288.  *Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions. Scope 2 emissions are indirect. Scope 3 emissions relate to the supply chain.

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Storage spaces – how to design cabinets

Not sure how to deal with large storage spaces in your apartment? We’ll give you some hints and tips that will come in handy when designing, whether you hire a joiner or a built-in wardrobe company. Wardrobe as a separate room or closet? The best storage solution is a walk-in wardrobe – a separate room designed primarily for storing clothes and shoes. If you can concentrate the storage space in a room where you don’t live or sleep, this is the best solution. However, building a walk-in closet is not always feasible in terms of home space. So another solution is either wardrobes – built-in or free-standing. Wardrobe dimensions and basic design rules In order to avoid mistakes when designing storage spaces, you should be familiar with the basic dimensions you will be working with. The depth of the cabinet The depth of the cabinet is based on the width of the hangers you are using. The depth for wardrobes with wardrobe rods should be no less than 50 cm, while 60 cm is optimal. Smaller depths usually require special pull-out systems for the hangers. Wardrobe height To save space, always build wardrobes up to the ceiling. This means that dust will not settle on the top of the cabinet. Place seasonal clothes on the higher shelves of the wardrobe. The space in front of the wardrobe and the opening When designing, you also need to allow enough space for movement in front of the wardrobe. The minimum width of the space between two tall cupboards should be 100 cm, between a wall and a tall cupboard 90 cm and between a tall cupboard and a chest of drawers 70 cm. If you do not have enough space in front of the wardrobe, it is a good idea to think about the doors. Sliding doors make the handling space much more comfortable. However, you should pay attention to the depth of the wardrobe, which in this case should be greater than the stated 60 cm. The design of the sliding door alone takes up 6 to 8 cm in depth, whereas the hinge opening only takes up about 2 cm. The maximum width of the sliding door is approximately 120 cm. Wider doors require massive fittings, are heavier and harder to handle. In addition to sliding or hinge opening, you can also use folding doors. Lighting When designing, also think about the lighting in front of and inside the cabinet. Of course, good lighting is a must for closets that are in a separate room without windows. TIP: You can replace a solid wall in a cloakroom with a partition made of glass, luxfer, or polycarbonate. This will allow natural light into the space. How much space do you need for hanging individual items of clothing? The standard height for men’s shirts and jackets is 100 cm, for women’s shirts 80 cm, coats 120 to 140 cm and evening dresses 160 cm. The height of the space above the wardrobe rod should be at least 5 cm, but this depends on the type of hangers you use. The internal arrangement of the wardrobe – special fittings In addition to the classic shelves, there are various systems for organising the internal space of the wardrobe. Whether they are drawers, folding rods or a wire pull-out system. A hinged wardrobe rod is a good helper when storing clothes up high. Using a special handle, you simply fold the entire rod down. If the room does not allow you to choose a sufficient depth of the wardrobe, you can use special pull-out rods for wardrobes 40 cm deep and more. In this case, the hangers are not arranged side by side, but behind each other. TIP: If you find the inside of your wardrobe too drab, coloured shelves can brighten up a neutral wardrobe or dressing room design.

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Knight Property Group’s £20 million transformation of 4-5 Lochside Avenue sets a new benchmark for sustainability credentials at Edinburgh Park

Knight Property Group has just completed the comprehensive £20 million redevelopment and refurbishment of 4-5 Lochside Avenue in Edinburgh Park. The 43,000 sq ft pavilion-style building achieved practical completion this week and sets the standard for sustainable office redevelopment in Edinburgh Park, offering open-plan Grade A office accommodation, ranging from 14,000 to 43,000 sq ft, configured over three floors. Knight took the decision to comprehensively remodel, redevelop and refurbish the building rather than demolish it, thus supporting a ‘RetroFirst’ approach to provide fossil fuel free, zero direct emissions office accommodation, aligned to Net Zero targets and Scottish Government ‘New Build Heat Standards’. It has also achieved UK Green Building Council 2025-2030 interim targets for operational energy use. The building is the only all electric newly completed development in Edinburgh at present and features a host of sustainability and well-being enhancements, including EPC ‘B+’ rating, all electric air-conditioning delivered via air source head pump technology, 100% ventilated fresh air delivered to the working environment, solar PV panels mounted on the roof, electric car charging points and intelligent LED lighting on all floors. With workforce health and wellness firmly in mind, it has achieved best practice in terms of ‘Wellness’, offering  a safe and secure, Covid-friendly, green and sustainable environment that also features 60 bike spaces with maintenance facilities. James Barrack, Founder and Chairman of Knight Property Group said: “Our original vision was to redevelop the building to an extremely high standard, offering occupiers a contemporary and modern working environment, but crucially all set within a highly sustainable and net carbon neutral office. “We are totally committed to take action on climate change and sustainability and this is embedded in the core culture of our business and at the heart of all our developments. “4-5 Lochside Avenue is one of the strongest buildings in Edinburgh Park and achieving completion and delivering it during the pandemic is a significant milestone and we are very proud of the sustainable standards it has achieved.” Cameron Stott, Director of JLL added:  “Sustainability and wellness are quite rightly now pre-requisite requirements for occupiers and Knight really grasped and embraced this agenda throughout the development of 4-5 Lochside Avenue. “It is now one of the strongest and most sustainable properties in Edinburgh Park and we anticipate strong occupier demand for the space.” Angela Lowe, Senior Director of CBRE agrees: “We anticipate that 4-5 Lochside Avenue will be an attractive prospect for many occupiers due to the high specification, strong environmental credentials and excellent connectivity. “With immediate access to ‘The Lawn’, an attractive landscaped space and plentiful fresh air, there is ample opportunity for staff to prioritise their health and well-being.” 4-5 Lochside Avenue was originally purchased in January 2020 from LaSalle Investment Management and sits on a three-acre site in the heart of Edinburgh Park. It offers excellent access to various means of public transport, with multiple bus routes and Edinburgh Park Central tram stop being less than three minutes walk away, linking to the city centre and Edinburgh International Airport. With 11 dedicated electric car charging points and 234 dedicated car parking spaces, it provides excellent connectivity, with immediate access to the City bypass (A720), which in turn connects with Scotland’s motorway network. Edinburgh Park is home to 7,000 employees with surrounding occupiers including JP Morgan, Regus, HSBC and Royal Bank of Scotland. Edinburgh Park benefits from good local amenities, including the Gyle Shopping Centre and Hermiston Gait Retail Park. JLL and CBRE are letting agents for Knight Property Group at 4-5 Lochside Avenue. Further information on can be found at: https://knightpropertygroup.co.uk/development/4-5-lochside-avenue/ The main contractor on this project was Clark Contracts and the architect was Space Solutions. M&E design was provided by Troup Bywaters & Anders, QS and contract administrator services were provided by Axiom and the structural engineer was Christie Gillespie.

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Atalian Servest wins Scottish Police Authority deal

The global FM service provider has secured a contract with the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to provide hard FM services across its property portfolio. The new appointment will see Atalian Servest deliver a full range of hard FM services across 450 buildings and 450,000 square metres of infrastructure. The services provided include M&E, HVAC, capital projects and an inclusive package of compliance services such as pest control and fire safety management. Commenting on the new contract award, Steve Wallbanks, Chief Operating Officer, Hard Services, at Atalian Servest, said: “We are delighted to be awarded this prestigious contract, building on our proud heritage and track record within Scotland. We look forward to delivering a seamless transition of service and are committed to providing a sustainable service, which provides a high standard of technical engineering, compliance management and customer satisfaction.” The contract will commence on 1 December 2021.

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Quintain uses Zutec to digitally deliver landmark Wembley Park Development

Multi-award-winning developer and asset owner/manager Quintain has played a central role in the urban regeneration of Wembley, North West London, undertaking construction and management of the UK’s largest build-to-rent development, the Wembley Park Estate. Requiring a quality digital partner for the 8,500 home estate, which includes 6,044 Build-to-Rent homes to be managed by Quintain Living, it chose Zutec. A leading asset lifecycle information and construction management software provider, Zutec has been involved in a number of key revitalisation projects in the area, including Wembley Stadium. Zutec’s powerful technology was originally used by Quintain to review all Wembley Park’s BIM models and building information across site, to improve its knowledge of the development and be able to run it more effectively. However, the scope of work quickly evolved… An ambitious project to realise responsibly-built homes Commencing in 2005, Quintain’s highly-anticipated, and widely publicised, Wembley Park Estate is UK’s largest build-to-rent development, and a central part of the redevelopment of the Northwest London Suburb where it’s located. This new housing project, set to provide over 6,000 build-to-rent homes managed by Quintain Living, is the latest phase in a transformation project which is set to revitalise the central Wembley area. Zutec had already been involved as the construction management technology partner for the neighbouring Wembley Stadium project. Knowing the site well,it  made them a natural partner for Quintain. Further, Quintain’s Irish team had successfully worked with Zutec on other projects so a relationship was already there on which to build. Zutec delivers data accuracy according to an evolving brief Originally brought on in 2018, Zutec was commissioned by Quintain to review Wembley Park’s BIM models and building information across site. The Quintain team were impressed with the platform’s seamless functionality in its ability to collate massive amounts of data, align information to standards and regulations and categorise it according to audience. As a result, Zutec’s role would soon evolve to cover the full-lifecycle Asset Information Management (AIM) of the development. Protecting assets through information gathering Zutec was also asked to support Quintain’s objective to provide a comprehensive system for ongoing facilities management of the development. As the ongoing owner and asset manager, it was crucial Quintain delivered complete, accurate records of the construction journey to the estates team at handover. With mountains of paperwork, drawings and certifications to log, it’s a big job, but essential, to trace back every single component within the building and how it’s been installed, tested and inspected ahead of handover. The estates team would need an exact digital twin of the whole complex, codifying what materials and construction methods were used across the interior and exterior, from the apartments themselves, to the landscaping around it. Without this vital information the facilities management would immediately be compromised, exposing the asset owner and end-user to multiple-risks. Building relationships Quintain is the ongoing owner and asset manager of the majority of Wembley Park’s residential developments, so a highest-quality, seamless and meticulous O&M handover is crucial. Zutec’s proprietary document control and asset information management (AIM) platform has been central to delivering this ambition. Specifically, working closely with Quintain, the Zutec team has created bespoke rules with the AIM platform of how building information is recorded, how it’s stored, presented and archived for ease of use. This makes it easy to digest for the estates team, so they can operate according to exact requirements, giving essential peace of mind. Improving working practices and de-risking the built environment Zutec’s digital AIM tools not only improve working practices across construction, handover and future RMI, it will also drive an improvement in the quality of building inspections. This makes the 24/7 facilities inspection protocol a pain-free experience, and reporting can be logged instantaneously through a smart device synched to the platform with a dedicated app. It will also be essential to the smooth and seamless management and delivery of the scheduled renovation cycles, as well as undertaking refurbishment and refinishing between tenant leases. At a human level, Wembley Park is a perfect example of a development designed, built and handed over according to a new, more responsible and accountable way of doing business. A Holistic Solution Commenting on the project, and Zutec’s role Quintain’s Information Manager Craig Stevens, says: “Asset owners and managers, and residents for that matter, rightly want to know what’s gone into the building of their property, how it was built, how it will work and how it will be maintained. It’s crucial for compliance and de-risking the asset. This requires forensic and comprehensive information gathering, and management, throughout the planning, design, and journey to create a fit-for-purpose handover to be used for correct ongoing O&M.” To find out more about Zutec’s advanced digital systems and its work within the residential sector click here.

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Celebrating construction and facilities management award successes

This month, DIO and our industry partners are celebrating several successes in prestigious award schemes across the British construction and facilities management sectors. At the 2021 Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) Impact Awards, our partners Mitie and Sodexo were recognised for their delivery of hard and soft Facilities Management (FM) services which are making a real difference to our Defence customers. Meanwhile, two major construction projects which DIO has played a key role in delivering came top of their categories at the 2021 British Construction Industry Awards and National Environment Agency Awards respectively. Sodexo’s services at Village, Worthy Down Our partners Sodexo won the Workplace Experience category of the IWFM Impact Awards for the soft FM services they are providing for personnel at Worthy Down Station, Hampshire. Working closely with DIO and our military partners, Sodexo has created ‘Village’, a one-stop catering, retail and leisure facility which has been developed to improve the lived experience of service personnel. The facility was designed with a strong focus on wellbeing and includes a social and meeting lounge, a micro theatre and a gaming area to bring people together and encourage engagement and collaboration. With a ‘high street’ feel, Village has been specifically designed to meet the needs and expectations of the young student demographic at Worthy Down, and is an excellent example of how DIO is working with our partners to meet the current and future needs of Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force personnel. Facilities management support to Permanent Joint Operating Bases (PJOBs) DIO and Mitie won the Collaboration category of the IWFM Impact Awards, for the provision of facilities management services to British Forces Permanent Joint Operating Bases (PJOBs). Through the PJOBs Infrastructure Service Provider (ISP) contract, DIO works with Mitie and our supply chain partners to deliver facilities management services across four sites of key strategic importance: Ascension Island, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus and Gibraltar. The services provided range from ground and airfield maintenance, to accommodation and Nuclear and marine support. Operating in locations as remote as Ascension Island and the Falklands brings unique logistical and climatic challenges. To overcome these, our partnership with Mitie involves collaborative working behaviours which the judges recognised as leading the way amongst the central government and Defence community. The Northern Ammunition Jetty refurbishment project At the British Construction Industry Awards, DIO and VolkerStevin won the Upgrade and Renewal Project of the Year for the refurbishment of the Northern Ammunition Jetty in Glen Mallan, Scotland. The project, which was also awarded Best Infrastructure Project at the 2020-2021 Scottish Civil Engineering Awards, is vital to the Royal Navy’s £7bn Queen Elizabeth Carrier (QEC) programme and will help to keep our country safe for decades to come. The work included upgrades the jetty structure as well as the installation of new infrastructure, all of which will support the Royal Navy’s surface fleet and aircraft carriers in loading and unloading ammunition. In delivering the project ahead of schedule against the backdrop of challenges including harsh winter weather conditions and Covid-19, DIO and VolkerStevin set a new benchmark for collaborative working on complex Defence maritime projects. The Hythe Ranges Sea Defences project The Hythe Ranges Sea Defences project, a joint initiative between the Environment Agency (EA), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), DIO and local authorities, won the EA 2025 Award at the National Environment Agency Awards. The judges were impressed by the collaborative approach between DIO, the Environment Agency and partners, which was key in delivering the vital improvements to coastal flood defences in the area between Hythe and Dymchurch on the south Kent coast. Most of this land is owned and operated by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a live firing range, but the renovation work has also reduced the risk of flooding to 1,000 properties and protected critical local infrastructure. A huge congratulations to all of our partners and suppliers whose hard work for the benefit of the UK Armed Forces has been recognised in awards this month. The breadth of winning projects is a testament to the scope of work that DIO and our industry partners are constantly delivering for Defence across the hard FM, soft FM, construction and environmental sectors.

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Budget 2021: £5bn will be made available to remove unsafe cladding from the highest risk buildings, declares Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak has announced the Government’s £5bn commitment to remove unsafe cladding from the highest risk buildings, which he says will be partly funded by the Residential Property Developers Tax. This will be levied on developers with profits over £25m at a rate of four per cent. The news follows the Commons Housing Select Committee’s plea to establish a new, larger fund “that addresses the true scale of fire safety issues”.[1] The Government’s latest commitment is by no means the end of the post-Grenfell overhaul. The Building Safety Bill, published in July 2021, aims to transform the existing fire safety system and increase accountability, transparency, and oversight of fire safety throughout the life of a building. Under the proposals, a new national regulator will be established to maximise fire safety during a building’s design, construction, completion and eventual occupation. The Government also plans to change the law to give homeowners 15 years – rather than six – to take action against rogue developers. In addition, new British Standards Institution guidance is expected by the end of the year regarding personal emergency evacuation plans for disabled, aged, and vulnerable residents. However, there are also new intelligent ways to cut risks in social housing that can be implemented now to support the aims of the bill and Fire Safety Act 2021 and ultimately protect tenants, building managers, and landlords. By introducing connected technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), social landlords can relieve some of the burden of fire prevention and make life safer for their tenants. Post-Grenfell, more than 400 ‘waking watches’ were established around the country to monitor buildings, costing Londoners alone £145 million per year.[2] This sum is equivalent to more than a third of the London Fire Brigade’s annual budget, essential for keeping the capital safe from life-threatening disasters such as fires, terrorist threats and flooding.[3] Relying on humans for fire prevention should not be the only intervention and is not financially sustainable in the long-term. With remote monitoring and cloud connectivity of smoke detectors, social landlords can streamline fire prevention, and create an opportunity for centralised, off-site monitoring.    Nick Rutter, Chief Product Officer of fire safety technology experts FireAngel, says, “Connected technology can be installed within the parameters of an existing budget, and support waking watches in the short-term by sending instant notifications when an alarm is activated, any devices are removed from the base, or a tenant needs assistance. Looking to the future, a combination of IoT, robust fire detection and alert systems and evacuation plans unique to each resident’s needs could replace the need for on-site waking watches completely. Connection to the IoT also enables landlords to monitor essential features such as the building’s age and condition and the wear and tear of electrical appliances. This combination of IoT and AI technologies provides a 24/7 overview of buildings and their changing fire risks, collecting data that can be analysed for trends and patterns, in turn, supporting the transparency aims of the Building Safety Bill. As tenants at risk await further legislative updates, now is the time for the fire industry and social landlords to keep pace with the future of fire safety and adopt new ways of protecting resident wellbeing.” [1] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/apr/28/mps-vote-for-fifth-time-not-to-protect-leaseholders-from-fire-safety-bills [2] https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/waking-watches-costing-londoners-16000-an-hour [3] https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/waking-watches-costing-londoners-16000-an-hour

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Council leaders welcome UK government levelling up funding to help unlock further investment in £1.3bn new sustainable coastal town

Today the UK Government announced £16.482 million of funding to help the City of Edinburgh Council unlock the first phase of the £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront which will include the restoration of the B-listed Granton gas holder. Bringing this site back into public use will help deliver one of the most sustainable new coastal towns in Scotland. This project recently took a major step forward when the Outline Business Case to develop plans for a first phase of regeneration in the area was agreed. Over the next 15 years, 3,500 net-zero carbon homes, a primary school, health centre, commercial and cultural spaces, sustainable transport provision and a new coastal park are all planned. We’re already progressing with the delivery of around 660 Council-led homes and there’s been positive progress in growing a cultural and arts cluster. Council leader Adam McVey said: We are pleased to see this funding to help support our vision for a new Granton Waterfront. Our plans will enhance the City’s coastline and deliver sustainment development with culture, green space and local education and employment at its heart. Restoring the gas holder for public use will undoubtedly help attract future investment to regenerate the area and the Council is committed to continue to work with both the UK and Scottish Governments as well as other key partners in delivering the maximum benefit for our communities. Depute leader and lead on Granton Waterfront regeneration Cammy Day said:This funding is very welcome and demonstrates the momentum and progress we’re making to transform used brownfield land into a new sustainable new neighbourhood it’s residents will be proud of. It will be one where people live in affordable environmentally friendly homes, have excellent transport and active travel links and access to lots of open and green space, arts, sports and culture. In a partnership with Edinburgh College, we’ve already made sure this B-listed gas holder is a beacon of light for the area by lighting it up while work is underway on the wider regeneration of the area.

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Cladding tax to cost Britain’s biggest housebuilders £205m a year

The latest research from the real estate debt advisory specialists, Sirius Property Finance, has found that the cladding tax introduced in yesterday’s Budget could cost the nation’s biggest housebuilders £205m a year. Yesterday the Chancellor confirmed a new Residential Property Developer Tax will be introduced from April next year to ‘ensure that the largest developers make a fair contribution to help pay for building safety remediations’. Having initially announced the tax back in February, it has now been revealed that a 4% charge will be brought to profits exceeding the annual threshold of £25 million. But what does this mean for Britain’s biggest housebuilders? Sirius Property Finance analysed pre-tax profits for 11 of the biggest housebuilders to find out. The research shows that pre-pandemic (2019), total pre-tax profits for these 11 housebuilders totalled £5.4bn. Based on a £25m tax threshold this would see a potential taxable value of housebuilder profits to the tune of over £5.2bn with a 4% rate of tax on this figure requiring Britain’s biggest housebuilders to pay £205m in tax per year. Persimmon alone could be in line to pay an additional £41 million per year in RPD Tax based on their pre-pandemic performance, with Barratt, Taylor Wimpey and Berkley also paying more than £30 million. Even during 2020 when the pandemic saw housebuilder profits more than half (-52%), £2.6 billion in taxable value above the new £25 million threshold would have resulted in an RPD Tax bill of almost £103m. Managing Director of Sirius Property Finance, Nicholas Christofi, commented: “Yesterday’s confirmation of the Residential Property Developer Tax will come as a significant blow to Britain’s biggest housebuilders who have fought hard to overcome pandemic uncertainty, a decline in profits and a sharp spike in the cost of labour and materials. It’s clear that having promised £5 billion to address the cladding crisis, the government is now reliant on the nation’s housebuilders to pay the bill and it’s a little unfair, to say the least, to expect the entire sector to compensate for the poor practices of a few. It’s also likely that this latest move could inadvertently stifle housing delivery. The outcome of which is less stock reaching the market to address the current housing crisis, while high demand for those new homes that are delivered will push house prices ever higher to the detriment of the nation’s homebuyers.” 2019 (Pre-Pandemic) – Table shows the level of RPD Tax owed based on pre-pandemic housebuilder profits in 2019 Developer Profit before tax 2019 Tax allowance Potential taxable profit (+£25m threshold) RPD Tax Rate @ 4% Developer annual report sources Persimmon £1,040,800,000 £25,000,000 £1,015,800,000 £40,632,000 Link Barratt £909,800,000 £25,000,000 £884,800,000 £35,392,000 Link Taylor Wimpey £850,500,000 £25,000,000 £825,500,000 £33,020,000 Link Berkeley £775,200,000 £25,000,000 £750,200,000 £30,008,000 Link Bellway £662,600,000 £25,000,000 £637,600,000 £25,504,000 Link Redrow £406,000,000 £25,000,000 £381,000,000 £15,240,000 Link Countryside £234,400,000 £25,000,000 £209,400,000 £8,376,000 Link Bovis Vistry Group £193,800,000 £25,000,000 £168,800,000 £6,752,000 Link Miller £168,000,000 £25,000,000 £143,000,000 £5,720,000 Link Crest Nicholson £121,100,000 £25,000,000 £96,100,000 £3,844,000 Link Keepmoat £37,700,000 £25,000,000 £12,700,000 £508,000 Link All £5,399,900,000   £5,124,900,000 £204,996,000               2020 (Pandemic) – Table shows the level of RPD Tax owed based on pandemic housebuilder profits in 2020 Developer Profit before tax 2020 Tax allowance Potential taxable profit (+£25m threshold) RPD Tax Rate @ 4% Developer annual report sources Persimmon £783,800,000 £25,000,000 £758,800,000 £30,352,000 Link Barratt £491,800,000 £25,000,000 £466,800,000 £18,672,000 Link Taylor Wimpey £300,300,000 £25,000,000 £275,300,000 £11,012,000 Link Berkeley £503,700,000 £25,000,000 £478,700,000 £19,148,000 Link Bellway £236,700,000 £25,000,000 £211,700,000 £8,468,000 Link Redrow £140,000,000 £25,000,000 £115,000,000 £4,600,000 Link Countryside £54,200,000 £25,000,000 £29,200,000 £1,168,000 Link Bovis Vistry Group £143,900,000 £25,000,000 £118,900,000 £4,756,000 Link Miller £115,000,000 £25,000,000 £90,000,000 £3,600,000 Link Crest Nicholson £45,900,000 £25,000,000 £20,900,000 £836,000 Link Keepmoat -£19,500,000 £25,000,000 N/A N/A Link All £2,795,800,000   £2,565,300,000 £102,612,000              

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Mace partners with Demand Logic to optimise HYLO one of London’s most futuristic buildings

Mace MEP has selected Demand Logic to deliver energy optimisation at HYLO, one of London’s most exciting new office buildings. Demand Logic’s Building Analytics software identifies areas of inefficient control, signaling where energy usage can be minimised. Technology will support Mace and contractors to ensure optimised performance throughout the commissioning process and prior to occupation.  Mace, the global consultancy and construction firm, has selected Demand Logic to support them to deliver the energy and maintenance optimisation of one of London’s most exciting new buildings, HYLO. The refurbishment of a 1960’s building into a twenty-nine-storey landmark tower in London, boasts 270,000 sq ft of high-end mixed-use space, including 261,000 sq ft of premium office space on 28 floors and 17,000 sq ft of retail space.  Initially, Demand Logic’s market-leading insight will be utilised to support Mace and their contractors during the commissioning to ensure an optimised performance of the property before occupation and throughout fit-out periods as well as continuous monitoring. Demand Logic has been working with Mace for over several years on various projects, where the business utilised Demand Logic’s award-winning building analytics software to improve maintenance, increase occupier comfort and identify areas for energy savings across Mace’s own corporate property as well as their client’s. This new project with Mace MEP furthers Demand Logic’s long-standing partnership with the group. Chris Connelly, Operations Director – MEP (Construction): “Demand Logic are assisting Mace MEP in the drive to reduce carbon emissions throughout the life cycle of our projects. The introduction of Demand Logic on HYLO is providing our team with interpreted data to allow inefficient control of the MEP system to be identified and remedied during commissioning ensuring energy usage is minimised.  “In addition we have found the system provides a suitable overview of the BMS system commissioning allowing my team confidence when scheduling key activities.” Regarding this new project with Mace MEP at HYLO in London, Mike Darby, CEO and Co-founder of Demand Logic said: “We are pleased to be supporting Mace MEP on the commissioning of such an exciting project such as HYLO. We’re confident that through our platform we’ll be able to support Mace and their contractors to deliver an optimised property at the PC stage – utilising the market-leading insight of Demand Logic to proactively identify and resolve snags prior to occupation. It’s another strong collaboration and adds to HYLO as an exemplar low carbon iconic building.” Recently, Demand Logic announced that they’re generating 1,042,343,671 monthly data values from across their entire portfolio. The new development at HYLO will add over 40m data points to the monthly ingested data, supporting the company’s goal to contribute to improving the energy efficiency across its partners’ buildings. To learn more about Demand Logic’s building optimisation technology, visit their website.

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