The City of Edinburgh Council is reminding all city landlords and homeowners that every home in the Scotland must comply with new fire safety legislation which will come into force early next year. By February 2022, all Scottish homes will need to be fitted with interlinked smoke and heat alarms
PLANS for the first phase of a 10-acre business park next to Worcestershire Parkway Station, submitted by the UK property developer, Godwin Developments, have been approved today (Thursday, 14 October 2021) by Wychavon District Council. Amended proposals for the scheme located in Woodbury Lane in Norton, Worcestershire, will see 2.5
A leading manufacturer of fire resistance cables believes building safety could remain a ‘ticking time bomb’ if product testing for fire cables is not strengthened. For many years, Wrexham Mineral Cables has been calling for more stringent testing standards as it believes too many cables are classified as fire resistant
Study Inn Group, the luxury hotel-style student accommodation owner, developer, and operator, are pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Liversage to head up the development arm of the group’s business. Simon brings over thirty years’ residential and student sector experience in hands-on delivery of development projects specialising in overall
Construction is one of the world’s most important industries. Even just one day off-track can have a domino effect on a project. When deadlines aren’t met, business is delayed, shareholders demand answers and the work environment can become stressful and chaotic. Whether it’s poor coordination or lack of resources, there
Welding plays an enormous role in many industries. It’s a necessity in automaking, construction, and aviation. In most cases, welding enables frames and connections between the metal parts. Welding’s importance reaches homes as most appliances, tools, and equipment are generally welded. Yet, welding can be challenging. Workers require time, practice,
Businesses are being encouraged to sign up and begin reducing emissions today A new sustainability platform, Zellar, has launched to enable every UK small business to reach Net Zero by 2030, well ahead of government targets. This one-stop-shop brings together everything businesses need to get to Net Zero and more
Rising costs and a shortage of skilled people are giving building services contractors sleepless nights, according to a new business survey. Members of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) said they were facing “major challenges” due to a combination of rising labour and material costs, growing lead times, shortage of
Plymouth University is piloting the use of an ancient building material called cob to construct a new generation of energy-efficient homes. They have started building a single storey 32-square-metre lab and classroom next to the university’s sustainability hub out of the material which is a mix of soil, water, straw
Waterloo have strengthened their product offering by replacing their displacement range with the full portfolio of Swegon displacement products. By integrating a range of airborne products from the Swegon group, the supplier of air terminal devices can deliver the widest range of room unit products in the UK market. The new range of displacement terminals are made to effectively
The City of Edinburgh Council is reminding all city landlords and homeowners that every home in the Scotland must comply with new fire safety legislation which will come into force early next year. By February 2022, all Scottish homes will need to be fitted with interlinked smoke and heat alarms which talk to each other – so when one goes off, they all go off. As Edinburgh’s biggest social landlord, the Council is currently working with its contractors to fit new interlinked smoke and heat alarms, so that every one of its 20,000 Council-owned homes meets the new legislation and is made even more fire safe. When this work’s done in each property, the electrical contractors will also undertake an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) if one has not been carried out recently. Older residents in particular are being asked to be aware of the new fire safety legislation. The Council’s Older People’s Champion, Councillor Catherine Fullerton, is calling on everyone who manages properties for older tenants in Edinburgh to make sure all new standards are met so everyone has the best chance of getting to safety in the event of a fire. Cllr Fullerton said… It’s absolutely vital that landlords and property management companies, particularly those that have a responsibility for older people within our communities, understand the new fire safety rules coming into force and act on them as quickly as possible. All properties, without exception, must be fitted with the new interlinking alarms, heat alarms and, where required, carbon monoxide detectors too. I’d also urge older people or people with older relatives who own their own homes to check out the Scottish Government’s dedicated ‘Fire safety for homeowners’ webpages for more details and, if necessary, to help them to get their homes fitted with the right kind of alarms. There is also clear guidance for private and social tenants as well as new build homes. I’d encourage everyone to be sure they are using a Trusted Tradesperson to change their fire alarms to meet the new law – please don’t run the risk of having faulty or non-compliant ones fitted A ‘Trusted Trader’ in Edinburgh can be found by using this website: www.trustedtrader.scot/Edinburgh/ If an older person is receiving Universal Credit, Edinburgh Care and Repair Service has been awarded funding from the Scottish Government to provide this service for free. If not, there will be a reasonable charge. You can telephone for further advice on 0131 337 111 or email reception@cre.scot.
PLANS for the first phase of a 10-acre business park next to Worcestershire Parkway Station, submitted by the UK property developer, Godwin Developments, have been approved today (Thursday, 14 October 2021) by Wychavon District Council. Amended proposals for the scheme located in Woodbury Lane in Norton, Worcestershire, will see 2.5 acres of currently vacant land transformed into two three-storey office blocks. When completed, the development will provide c. 3,500 sq. m. of grade A office space, and include 112 private car parking spaces, including seven disabled and 12 EV charging points, 80 cycle storage spaces and 15 motorcycle parking spots. The proposals also include new tree and hedge planting to increase biodiversity on site and a new footpath link to Worcester Parkway to enable convenient access to the train station. Businesses located on-site will benefit from excellent rail connectivity due to the development’s prime location next to the new train station, with direct routes into central London, Birmingham, Cheltenham, Bristol and Cardiff. Just a mile away from Junction 7 of the M5, it will also provide easy access to the UK’s extensive road network and fast transport connections into the airports of Birmingham and Bristol. Matt Chandler, development director at Godwin Developments said: “We are delighted to have secured planning approval for this commercial scheme which will provide much-needed grade A office space in South Worcestershire. As a part of the local Development Plan, which is expected to deliver 5,000 homes and 50 hectares of employment land by 2041, it will provide much needed additional space for new and existing SMEs to grow and establish their presence in the West Midlands. It will also deliver flexible remote working opportunities for larger businesses who seek to create a suitable base for remote workers, living in the area. “We would like to thank IMA Architects for designing a scheme that fits well into the local landscape, and Wychavon District Council for their support throughout the planning process.” The application for this scheme was delivered in conjunction with planning and development consultants Avon Planning Services Ltd. For further information on Godwin Developments visit www.godwindevelopments.co.uk
A leading manufacturer of fire resistance cables believes building safety could remain a ‘ticking time bomb’ if product testing for fire cables is not strengthened. For many years, Wrexham Mineral Cables has been calling for more stringent testing standards as it believes too many cables are classified as fire resistant yet are not fit for purpose in real-life fire scenarios. Under current standards, only ‘fire-resistant’ cables greater than 20mm in diameter undergo testing for direct impacts to reflect falling debris and water jet testing on a single test sample. For ‘ENHANCED fire resistant’ cables under 20mm, no direct impact test takes place, and the water test is just a spray test, whilst different stages of each test are carried out on different samples of cable. Wrexham Mineral Cables believes this is putting lives at risk. It comes at a time when London’s Fire Commissioner Andy Roe has called for urgent change in the building industry as the number of blocks of flats in London with fire safety failings is now more than 1,000. Whilst a majority of the issues are due to cladding, the remainder have other fire safety defects, and in all of these buildings, LFB has suspended its ‘stay put strategy’. Wrexham Mineral Cables Commercial Manager Steve Williams says testing needs to be strengthened for all fire-resistant cables as part of the construction industry’s wider drive to improve building safety. He commented: “ENHANCED fire-resistant’ cables play a fundamental role in ensuring that emergency and building critical systems are supportedin the event of a fire. Not only do they provide early indication of a fire, they keep them safe whilst providing extended time for rescue services to evacuate occupants and ensure critical circuits remain functional for longer periods. This is particularly critical in high rise buildings where evacuation times can be extensive or hindered due to the sheer size of the building. “The tests which construction products are subjected to need to be relevant and relied upon. It is extremely concerning that ‘ENHANCED fire-resistant’ cables most commonly being used in fire alarms, emergency lighting, extraction systems, monitoring systems or even backup generators may not survive fire, water, and direct impact. If this remains the case, building safety will remain a ticking time bomb.” Mr Williams says Mineral Insulated Copper Cable (MICC) is the only fire performance cable that, in historical testing, has survived over 1000˚C, whilst being subjected to direct hammer blows and a full water pressure test using a fire hose. Samples tested have been measured at just 5.7mm in diameter and maintained circuit integrity for over 3 hours. He added: “We remain committed to raising industry standards. And the only way to achieve this is by introducing a higher classification for such products. The Government’s review of current systems for testing construction products was a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to ensure the safety of buildings. Regardless of size or construction, if a cable is required to function in the event of a fire, each single cable sample must have to pass a true fire scenario test, helping identify those which can survive, rather than simply resist fire. Ensuring that the tests which construction products are subjected to are relevant and can be relied upon is the only way we can make buildings truly safe.”
Study Inn Group, the luxury hotel-style student accommodation owner, developer, and operator, are pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Liversage to head up the development arm of the group’s business. Simon brings over thirty years’ residential and student sector experience in hands-on delivery of development projects specialising in overall commercial management, procurement, contractual arrangements, and handover to operating teams. Commenting on the appointment, Kieran Leahy, director at Study Inn, said: “We created the Study Inn platform to deliver secure asset backed investments with strong and resilient income streams. This Senior Management Board have been specifically selected to cover our in-house activities of: Research, Acquisitions, Finance, Design, Development, and Operations, and substantially increase our capacity to deliver the Group’s objectives. We couldn’t be happier with Simon’s appointment to complete the team”. Simon added: “I am delighted to have joined such a forward-thinking company with an exceptional track record, a successful business strategy, and clear potential for growth. The Management Board are empowered to deliver and will continue the group’s objective of creating and maturing ‘best in class portfolios’ in prime UK locations.
Construction is one of the world’s most important industries. Even just one day off-track can have a domino effect on a project. When deadlines aren’t met, business is delayed, shareholders demand answers and the work environment can become stressful and chaotic. Whether it’s poor coordination or lack of resources, there are plenty of things that negatively impact construction site productivity. To help your business succeed and improve its operations, here are five strategies to explore. Take Advantage of Technology If there’s any field that can be transformed by technological innovation, it’s construction. There are many reasons that construction teams need the latest technology. Project management software can help keep a team on track, offering a clear and easy to edit timetable with daily tasks. Tracking progress through the software allows you to identify any complications and swiftly resolve any potential setbacks. Improve Site Safety Workplace injuries are harmful to both people and job outcomes. From a business standpoint, an on-site injury can result in hours or even days of missed work. In an effort to demonstrate your commitment to a safe workplace, you can invest in one platform that delivers real-time updates on your budget and time use. Greater visibility means less accidents and unexpected occurrences. This keeps everyone feeling secure, including your customers. Mandating safety training for all workers should also be at the top of your to-do list. If someone does not have OSHA certification, then they shouldn’t be allowed on a worksite. Hire Experienced Professionals Cheap labor tends to yield poorer results. If a job is done fast but poorly, you ultimately lose trust and credibility. Fixing preventable mistakes and backtracking constantly only costs your clients and business more money. Focus on building a reliable team of trained, skilled workers. While there’s nothing wrong with offering on-the-job training, you should have experienced professionals leading your teams. They are able to implement new technologies and equipment into your processes faster, which saves money while onboarding less-experienced workers. Turn Long Contracts into Short Goals It’s easy to lose track of time on a long-term project, but this can lead to a drop in output and efficiency. Make sure that you always have your team up-to-date on your current goals. This means breaking projects down into smaller objectives. Routine progress meetings give workers a sense of camaraderie and support. An open culture also ensures that you can address any immediate concerns without impeding long-term progress. When you are working on bigger projects, it’s vital that everyone feels like they’re on the same page. Members of a team don’t have to perform the same roles. They need to feel like they have the right resources to do their jobs efficiently. Divide Tasks to Appropriate Contractors Having a single supervisor or manager for a massive team will lead to burnout and oversights. Just because someone has the most experience does not necessarily mean they’re equipped for a certain task. Instead, you should look at each workers’ individual strengths. Decide who is the best fit for certain jobs and assign accordingly. When you delegate work based on ability rather than experience, you are able to get more done and boost job satisfaction in the process.
Welding plays an enormous role in many industries. It’s a necessity in automaking, construction, and aviation. In most cases, welding enables frames and connections between the metal parts. Welding’s importance reaches homes as most appliances, tools, and equipment are generally welded. Yet, welding can be challenging. Workers require time, practice, and discipline to master this craft. However, there are tips and tricks that seasoned workers apply to have excellent welds. If you’re still learning the basics of welding, take note of these secrets to have a successful welding project. 1. Incorporate Aluminum In Construction Projects One way to have a durable and outstanding welding project is by using aluminum. Although this metal is generally more expensive compared to steel, aluminum offers more benefits. It’s resistant to corrosion and easier to cut because it’s typically soft. Despite its softness, it’s very durable and lighter compared to other welding base materials. Because of it, an aluminum-based welding project requires limited energy during production and use. Hence, it’s believed to be a sustainable way to reduce emissions. If you’d use aluminum, you may use it alone or combine it with other steel materials. Either way, its strength depends on the overall quality of the project. In other words, the better the materials and welding process are, the more durable the results will be. 2. Ensure That Your Electrode Has The Precise Length You may need to select your electrode or stick’s appropriate length. In doing so, choose the type which is appropriate to your arm’s length when you weld. Or you could adjust your distance to have your desired angle. If the electrode is too long, you might melt the rod. If it’s too short, you might not weld properly, and the joined part might detach anytime soon. 3. Start And Finish Everything Cleanly Use a wire brush to remove grease, rust, and dust in the parts you’ll weld. Ensure that there’s no residue left in the metals before you try to attach them. When the dirt is infused with impurities, the welds are likely to have dust and rust, weakening the spots. If you want dirt-free welds, slow down the process to guarantee proper melting and joining. Lastly, it would be best to clean your workplace by removing burn marks and other impurities that result from your work. 4. Take A Practice Run Before The Actual Weld If you want to find your most comfortable position in welding, take a practice run. It’ll help you in determining your best angle as well as the distance to your work. Professional welders do this to start the momentum in their work. Usually, they do this by welding two pieces of metal. 5. Follow The Basics Of Welding In welding, you’d need to stick with the fundamentals to have clean and good outputs. For that purpose, here are some points that you may consider: Wrapping Up A successful welding project needs more than fundamental skills. Apart from the skills, welders need reliable tools and equipment. Yet, mastering the skills might make welding a lot easier. In addition, they shorten the time of labor and make the workpiece more efficient. Suppose you’re planning to weld your first ever workpiece. In that case, you may get back to the secrets and insights mentioned above. They may provide necessary insights for your craft and develop your welding skills. With the right skills, you’ve completed half of the requirements for a clean and successful welding project.
Businesses are being encouraged to sign up and begin reducing emissions today A new sustainability platform, Zellar, has launched to enable every UK small business to reach Net Zero by 2030, well ahead of government targets. This one-stop-shop brings together everything businesses need to get to Net Zero and more in one easy-to-use platform. Zellar makes sustainability an accessible and affordable reality for small businesses across the UK, offering a range of services from local biodiversity projects, to options for adopting green technology or energy. It brings together all the services SMEs from sole traders to medium sized organisations need to benchmark, manage, offset and promote their sustainability journey. Zellar provides the most efficient pathway to Net Zero, and costs from just £125 per year on a subscription basis. The company is also working with like-minded partners to provide the products and services SMEs need to become Net Zero businesses before 2030. These include: CCP, Coop Bank, Renault Mobilize, Onto, SSE, Tatton Estates and Biffa. Various LEPS are actively supporting their business communities and closely collaborating with Zellar in the coming months. Small and medium-sized enterprises make up 99.9% of all UK businesses and employ 60% of the workforce. Yet, 78% don’t know where to start to become more sustainable.* Whether businesses are just getting started or want more ways to improve, Zellar can help benchmark their sustainability and provide a customised roadmap. By signing up, businesses will: Help to combat the devastating effects of climate change Embrace Net Zero best practice by reducing your emissions as much as practical and offset the rest Attract the best talent in your business by showing you care about the things that matter Generate more customers and prospects as more consumers and supply chains buy from green businesses Grow your profits by transitioning to green suppliers and energy Support UK local green initiatives and encourage others to do the same – we’re all in this together Become a sustainable business, which is good for profits, customers and the climate Gary Styles, Zellar’s CEO and founder, says: “Like many parents, I worry about my children’s future in the face of the climate crisis. There’s plenty of talk but not enough action so I created Zellar to help businesses make real changes internally through reducing emissions, volunteering, behaviour change, contributing to biodiversity projects and offsetting. We’ve already helped over 50 early-access businesses significantly improve their sustainability process and we’re excited to reach thousands more companies across the UK.” Peter Charlesworth, Zellar’s COO, says “We understand that businesses face a lot of challenges in trying to reach Net Zero and it’s not always easy to know where to start. That’s why we created Zellar. While big companies often have departments dedicated to sustainability, until now small companies would have had to rely on several different consultants, brokers and apps, which is time consuming and doesn’t guarantee success. But small businesses will make a huge difference and you can’t solve climate issues without them.” Stewart Davies, COO of GG Hospitality, owners of the Stock Exchange Hotel which has a Zellar profile, says: “Over the years I’ve become increasingly aware of how I can take steps to become more sustainable and this is really important for our management of the Stock Exchange Hotel. We used Zellar to analyse our carbon emissions and discovered they are 44% better than the average UK hotel. The platform also provided a series of actions we can take to improve this further, including behavioural actions, emission reductions by moving to a low carbon energy supplier, use of green technology, offsetting and biodiversity investments. We’re excited about our next steps towards becoming a greener hotel and are committed to reaching Net Zero before 2030.” Zellar has been in development for two years and 30 Manchester-based businesses have already had early access. The platform is now available to businesses across the UK. For more information and to sign up, visit: https://zellar.com/
Rising costs and a shortage of skilled people are giving building services contractors sleepless nights, according to a new business survey. Members of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) said they were facing “major challenges” due to a combination of rising labour and material costs, growing lead times, shortage of equipment and delivery delays. Many respondents said they expected the situation to get worse before it gets better, although 80% said they expected to see growing or stable turnover levels through to the end of the year. There is a particular shortage of m&e engineers, pipe fitters, plumbers, and service technicians, according to BESA members responding to the quarterly survey, which is carried out in partnership with the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA), the Scottish Electrical Trade Body (SELECT) and the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employer’s Federation (SNIPEF). The survey, which covered the three months from April to June and asked business owners to look ahead at their prospects for the rest of the year, found that small firms are facing particular challenges. Recruiting 41% reported problems recruiting the staff they needed to keep projects going. 66% expected the situation to deteriorate during the current quarter and 13% expected the situation to remain the same. However, 32% of survey respondents did say they expected to see some improvement before the end of the year. One fallout from the current crisis is that many businesses will employ fewer direct staff, agency workers and apprentices over the next six months despite the urgent need to increase the flow of skilled people into the industry. “That is probably the most worrying message from the survey,” said BESA’s director of legal and commercial Debbie Petford. “We already have a serious skills shortage across construction and related sectors like building engineering, but it seems some employers are reacting by pulling in their recruitment horns. “This will only serve to build up longer term shortages. Without a large enough and suitably skilled workforce we will not be able to deliver on the government’s decarbonisation plans or keep the economic recovery on track. This is a global issue and I hope it will be high on the agenda at next month’s COP26 climate conference in Glasgow,” she added. www.theBESA.com
Plymouth University is piloting the use of an ancient building material called cob to construct a new generation of energy-efficient homes. They have started building a single storey 32-square-metre lab and classroom next to the university’s sustainability hub out of the material which is a mix of soil, water, straw and hemp. Principal investigator and professor of environmental building at the art, design and architecture school Steve Goodhew said: “We will create a living lab and demonstration site that will become the centre of attention for a wide range of people – from construction professionals to built environment students.” Contractor Chris Noakes and the university’s estates team are expected to complete the building in eight months. Researchers will monitor the performance of the new walling material using sensors to measure energy use, its life cycle and indoor air quality. The results will be shared with future building designers, contractors and interested stakeholders. Research set to influence industry The University’s Sustainable Earth Institute director Professor Will Blake said: “Students and visitors to the site will be able to engage with this potentially industry-influencing ongoing research project.” Interreg V France (Channel) England and the European Regional Development Fund have invested more than £3.5m in the second phase of the CobBauge project where a full-sized building will also be constructed in France. The first phase developed a new method of using cob that reduced the need for heating and mitigated overheating during warmer weather. Researchers studied a range of different soil and fibre mixes creating a double-layered composite wall combining a denser mix with a lighter weight version for strength and insulation. Brokers Hank Zarihs Associates said lenders were interested in the science of greener materials and were keen to offer construction loans to developers using low carbon emission products. Tokyo University researchers announced recently that they had developed a new form of concrete that can reduce emissions from the construction industry. Calcium carbonate concrete is made from waste concrete and carbon dioxide from the air or industrial exhaust gases. It shows promise as a future construction material, especially in places where natural resources are limited.
Waterloo have strengthened their product offering by replacing their displacement range with the full portfolio of Swegon displacement products. By integrating a range of airborne products from the Swegon group, the supplier of air terminal devices can deliver the widest range of room unit products in the UK market. The new range of displacement terminals are made to effectively discharge air at low velocity to ensure good comfort in rooms. In large spaces such as airports, theatres, factory floors, open offices, and supermarkets where a traditional mixed system can fall short; using a displacement system can have significant advantages on indoor air quality and efficiency. Rooms with high ceilings can benefit from substantial energy savings by installing the displacement terminals with Varizon®, as only the occupied zone needs to be cooled from the low level of displacement installation. Added to the lower pressure drop associated with displacement ventilation terminals, selection of smaller and slower fans is possible for a reduction in fan energy. The supply air temperature is higher for displacement systems (circa 18°C) than for an overhead mixing system (circa 14°C), meaning there is greater access to free cooling throughout the year, thus improving chiller efficiency. In general, the higher the space, the greater the payback, as consideration for cooling the whole space is not required. Another benefit of displacement is the increased hygiene factor. New air is directed straight into the occupied zone, and old air rises to be extracted through the ceiling, meaning increased ventilation effectiveness. Working on the principles of buoyancy and stratification, air is effectively supplied at low velocity to involve minimal mixing. By so doing, airborne pollutants lighter than air rise above the breathing zone, meaning the air quality in the occupied zone is superior to that achieved with mixing ventilation. Waterloo have introduced 11 models, the majority of which are complete with Swegon’s Varizon® system: offering one of the best levels of user comfort at close range on the market. The terminal can be set to move the near zone away from critical areas reducing the risk of draughts. This can be particularly effective in conference rooms with high occupancy & minimal space. The nozzles can also be readjusted after commissioning in instances of office restructure & occupant relocation. By integrating selected airborne products from the Swegon group, Waterloo is now in the position to offer the widest range of room unit products on the UK market. www.waterloo.co.uk rachel.roots@waterloo.co.uk