Triptych Bankside, the distinctive Southbank development, topped out by JTRE London One of the most striking developments on the central London’s skyline has reached its highest point with a topping out on the 19th floor. The £400 million mixed-use Triptych Bankside comprises three distinctive sweeping towers, with 169 luxury apartments
The largest ever intake of apprentices taken on by engineering specialist Spencer Group have all now secured full-time positions with the company. Hull-based Spencer Group hired 14 apprentices two years ago, with the full cohort of 18-year-olds coming from the city’s employer-led school, Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC). Now,
A recent blog written by the Department for Education (DfE) highlighted some key points about fire safety in schools. While the article stressed the importance of ensuring all students and staff are safe at school, the author made some interesting claims which were misleading and need clarification. As we head
Curtains come in all sorts of fabrics, colors, and sizes. While there’s a wide selection to choose from, there’s always that possibility that your choice won’t be the best one for you and your home. When you choose to buy made to measure curtains in Surrey, however, you’re opening the
Birmingham and the Midlands are to gain a major jobs boost following the start on site of one of the UK’s most significant new sustainable manufacturing and logistics schemes, delivering £355.5 million of economic value (GVA) when fully operational. The first phase of Peddimore near Minworth, is being delivered by
One of the UK’s leading specialist interior fit-out contractors has completed a milestone 16-storey contract at Edwardian Hotels’ new flagship super boutique hotel in London. EE Smith Contracts, which has been carrying out work for Edwardian Hotels Ltd for the last 35 years, opened its factories on the Clarendon Industrial
Data released today in the WhatHouse? New Homes Index reveals the hottest areas across Britain for new home buyer search with South East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands top of the list for August 2021. A sign that, post pandemic, home buyers are weighing up relocation to areas beyond the traditional Greater London commuter zone and considering a wider range of regions
SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities, has appointed Rachel Sudlow as its R&D Lead in a newly created role designed to increase digital innovation across public sector construction. Rachel joins SCAPE following more than 10 years at Balfour Beatty, where she started as a quantity surveyor
Main contractor Laing O’Rourke has awarded the £1.5m furniture and fitout contract for the first phase of the £485m 3Ts redevelopment of Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton to Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading hospital fitout specialists. Deanestor will manufacture around 17,000 items of furniture for the project and
Teachers know that many of the most important factors affecting children’s performance are invisible. Tiredness, stress, hunger: these all have a significant impact on pupils’ productivity and their ability to learn. But there’s another significant factor that most educators (and employers, for that matter) rarely consider. This is the most
Triptych Bankside, the distinctive Southbank development, topped out by JTRE London One of the most striking developments on the central London’s skyline has reached its highest point with a topping out on the 19th floor. The £400 million mixed-use Triptych Bankside comprises three distinctive sweeping towers, with 169 luxury apartments in two blocks, 80,000 sq ft of prime grade A commercial space in a nine-storey building, plus 9,900 sq ft of retail. Developed by real estate developer JTRE London and designed by internationally acclaimed architects Squire & Partners, Triptych Bankside is located at the heart of the vibrant cultural quarter on London’s Southbank. A short walk from London Bridge station, the new scheme is next to Tate Modern art gallery, Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, the renowned culinary hotspot at Borough Market and the Millennium Bridge. JTRE London was founded in September 2019 by one of Central Europe’s leading property developers J&T Real Estate, based in Slovakia. The company has over 25 years’ experience of real estate projects in nine European countries having developed and managed some 10 million sq ft of space with a GDV of over £1.4bn. J&T Real Estate Executive Director, Pavel Pelikán, said: “This flagship development is JTRE London’s most significant project to date and it is pleasing to be adding such an inspiring scheme in one of the capital’s most appealing and sought-after locations. The buildings provide spectacular views across London’s distinctive panorama including the River Thames, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the City of London financial district. The aim with all our developments has always been to create buildings that are architecturally-inspiring, add significantly to their areas and offer a spectrum of high-quality attractions to delight residents and tenants.” Attractions in the three buildings include terraces with far-reaching city views, 24-hour reception, multiple private lounges, games room, large gym, private 14-seat in-house cinema, communal landscaped gardens providing a leafy space for relaxation and 46 parking spaces. Reflecting a growing need for flexible working, a co-workspace will provide multiple plug-and-play workstations and super-fast broadband. The three buildings, as associated artistic works intended to be enjoyed together, gives Triptych its name. Juraj Marko, Managing Director of JTRE London, added: “Demand for both the residential and commercial space remains strong reflecting the anticipation for this one-of-a-kind development. Our marketing suite will offer prospective residents the opportunity to get a first-hand glimpse into the huge array of benefits that living or working here will provide. Additionally, we’re fitting out three show flats which will be unveiled next month meaning anyone interested in living here can experience the high quality of the craftsmanship in the apartment finishes in keeping with the striking aesthetic of the external impression that is inspired by the ebb and flow of the River Thames.” The office building will meet a BREEAM rating of Excellent and has nine open plan floors. The top three levels boast stunning city views with terraces and full height glazing, flooding the interior with natural daylight. Tenants will benefit from exclusive access to amenities including concierge services, a café, cycle storage, showers and changing rooms. The two residential blocks sit on 420 piles. The structure took 215,000 person-hours to complete and contains 20,000 cubic metres of concrete plus 2,700 tonnes of re-bar. Prices start from £720,000 for a studio apartment to £9,715,000 for a penthouse. Residential agents are Savills and Strutt & Parker; Bh2 and Savills have been appointed to market the commercial space.
The largest ever intake of apprentices taken on by engineering specialist Spencer Group have all now secured full-time positions with the company. Hull-based Spencer Group hired 14 apprentices two years ago, with the full cohort of 18-year-olds coming from the city’s employer-led school, Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC). Now, having completed their two-year apprenticeships, all 14 have started permanent, full-time trainee positions with Spencer Group across a range of different departments of the business. Spencer Group has also just taken on another nine apprentices, in addition to the five that were recruited last year, meaning it has hired a total of 28 under its apprenticeship programme in just two years – all coming from Ron Dearing UTC. Spencer Group, which is one of Ron Dearing UTC’s Founding Partners, is committed to taking on a new group of apprentices from the pioneering school each year as part of its succession planning and growth. Charlie Spencer OBE, Executive Chairman and founder of Spencer Group, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have taken on every single one of the apprentices we recruited two years ago in a permanent, full-time position. “Each of them has been selected by the specific team they are going to be working within and I think that speaks volumes about the quality of the apprentices we are hiring from Ron Dearing UTC. “They are all at the required academic level, have excellent technical and employability skills and, perhaps most importantly, have a brilliant attitude. “We will be taking on a new group of apprentices from Ron Dearing UTC each year as this is a proven pipeline of future talent for us as our business continues to grow.” Based at Humber Quays on Hull Marina, Spencer Group is one of the UK’s leading privately owned, multi-disciplinary engineering businesses, with a directly-employed workforce of over 250. Every apprentice that secures a permanent position with Spencer Group continues their academic development by studying up to degree level with one of the company’s education partners. They are also given the option of studying for a master’s degree. Yvonne Moir, HR Director at Spencer Group, said: “The appointment of this full cohort of apprentices to permanent positions in the company is proof that this recruitment model works. “It is crucial for us to have a talent stream that fits the specific needs of our business and Ron Dearing UTC provides exactly that. “The apprentices are all prepared for the world of work when they join us and it has been amazing how quickly they have adapted to the business. It’s as though they have been working here for years.” Sarah Pashley, Principal of Ofsted Outstanding-rated Ron Dearing UTC, said: “It’s very rewarding to see that each of our students who joined Spencer Group as an apprentice two years ago has now secured a permanent position. “It’s also really pleasing to see our latest cohort begin their apprenticeships and embark on what will undoubtedly be an exciting journey for them all. “We’re extremely grateful for the support of Spencer Group and all our employer partners, who provide our students with incredible opportunities like this.” Each Engineering Apprentice who joins Spencer Group spends time working in different areas of the business to gain a comprehensive understanding of how it operates and identify the area they are most suited to. Matthew Hunter, 21, has just begun his new role as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor after joining Spencer Group as an Engineering Apprentice two years ago. He said: “I planned to specialise in design but, having had the opportunity to experience different departments of the business, I now know this is the best fit for me. “I’m absolutely delighted to have been given this opportunity and I just want to keep developing and help Spencer Group as a business as much as I can, because everyone here has been so supportive.” Alex Burr, 18, has joined Spencer Group as an Engineering Apprentice as part of the latest intake from Ron Dearing UTC. She said: “Spencer Group were my number one choice company to work for when I was at Ron Dearing, so I’m really excited to be here. Now that I’ve started, I just can’t wait to get stuck in.” Spencer Group delivers innovative engineering and construction solutions in the rail, bridges, transport, infrastructure, materials handling, energy and industrial sectors.
A recent blog written by the Department for Education (DfE) highlighted some key points about fire safety in schools. While the article stressed the importance of ensuring all students and staff are safe at school, the author made some interesting claims which were misleading and need clarification. As we head towards the long-awaited revised Building Bulletin 100: Design for Safety in Schools, it begs the question as to why the government is looking to make a backwards step towards fire safety and not require sprinklers in all schools? The Department of Education blog post made two interesting claims, firstly that “Fires in schools are very rare and fewer than 1 in 1,000 school buildings are damaged by fire each year”. In the second statement, it said that ‘Home Office Data showing there are fewer than 500 school fires per year, with 90% of fires limited to one room or causing no damage.” So just how accurate are these figures? In the first statement, let’s look at how many fires in school premises cause damage. Using the fire incident data presented in the publicly available dataset there were 5,120 fires over the 10-year period 2010/11 to 2019/20 in schools reported to be Usually Occupied or Under Construction. Looking at the fires where the reported “Total Damage Extent” is anything other than zero square metres, there are 3,743 incidents. This would lead to an average of 374 fire incidents each year where fire damage is reported. How many school buildings? Based on the first statement, this would mean there are over 350,000 school buildings in the English Schools Estate. There does not appear to be any publicly figures published on the number of school buildings. An article from the Construction index talks to 70,000 school buildings. This aligns to the government report on the condition of schools[1]. Although this report refers to “teaching blocks” to highlight that it collected data on 22,031 schools, comprising 63,942 teaching blocks. Based on these figures it is hard to determine that there are over 100,000 buildings let alone 350,000 buildings in the English school estate. Therefore, without a clearer explanation of how they calculated this I cannot find figures to support the first statement. How many fires in schools are reported as not spreading beyond the room of origin? As noted above, there are 5,120 fire incidents recorded in the period of 2010/2011 to 2019/20. Fire impact is recorded based on the observation of the spread of fire in square metres of damage and based on a description of how much of the building is impacted. Looking at those latter descriptors for fire incidents, they indicate 4,600 incidents as not spreading beyond the room of origin. This would be 89.8% of incidents. Based on these figures the second statement is based on the fire incident data. However, having said this the room of origin could be rather bigger than one imagined. It is surprising to note that at least 5% of these incidents reported as being limited to the room of origin cause damage to an area greater than an average classroom area of 50 square metres. Impact of school fires The article states that fires in schools are rare but I cannot find evidence that convinces me of that. It doesn’t talk about the impact of a fire on a child’s education and the ripple effect. Fifteen days of a school term is 5% of a child’s learning lost for that academic year. The government acknowledges that missing lessons has an impact on attainment at key stages. They track attendance and have commissioned reports, which confirm the harmful impact. Indeed, fines of between £60 to £120 can be levied for a child missing a single day of education. The disruption caused by school fires will adversely affect the results of students, and the government’s own statistics confirm this. The BSA has always highlighted that BB100 sets the right expectations around the protection of schools and the continuity of education. It sets an expectation that the school should be fully functional within 24 hours of a fire, apart from the room where the fire occurred. The BSA wants the government to explicitly maintain these objectives and enhance the “sprinkler expectation” in the revised BB100 so that fewer schools are damaged and destroyed by fire. Fewer than one-in-six new schools have been built with a sprinkler system installed. It is time we changed that. 1Condition of School Buildings Survey – Key findings – May 2021, Department of Education
Curtains come in all sorts of fabrics, colors, and sizes. While there’s a wide selection to choose from, there’s always that possibility that your choice won’t be the best one for you and your home. When you choose to buy made to measure curtains in Surrey, however, you’re opening the door to a whole host of new options. You can choose accessories such as fabrics, for example. Made to measure curtains are cut at the right size for your windows. And, as they’re personalized, you won’t find them anywhere else. Here are five reasons why you should consider curtains. They Perfectly Fit Your Windows The main benefit of investing in made to measure curtains is the fact that they‘re cut for your window measurements. With so many curtains available on the market, finding the right size isn’t easy. When you go with a custom option, however, they’re guaranteed to fit your window. They’re Cost-Effective Made to measure curtains are made with high-grade materials. In the majority of cases, you’ll get a warranty with your curtains to give you a money-back guarantee and peace of mind should you be unsatisfied with the quality. As made to measure curtains are more durable than regular ones, they won’t need replacing as often. They might cost more in terms of the purchase price, but their cost-per-year is lower, as there won’t be a need to replace them. That makes them a great choice for the long term. One thing to note, however, is that they typically aren’t returnable. They Come in Abundance of Patterns and Colors You can have a specific style when you take the made to measure route. You’re free to blend various colors and prints in order to establish a look that showcases your individual style. You can change curtains to suit the weather with each passing season. They Help Control the Light Depending on where your windows are positioned, your made to measure curtains enable the optimum amount of light to enter your room. If you want more light, you can opt for a linen or another thick fabric. Or you can choose a thicker fabric in order to block out the light. If you want to block natural light, a thick cotton fabric lining would be a good choice. Another option are curtains with 50 SPF that are also able to block smokes and moistures. They’re Energy Efficient Along with adding elegance to your home, made to measure curtains can save you money by reducing your energy bill. The insulating properties help your curtains block outside temperatures from entering the room. They Offer Personalization Nuance is the essence of personalization. Traditional interior home decor, for example, is known for such intricate details, evergreen fabric designs like floral and damask, pleated headings, and heavier curtain fabrics. Luxury curtains enable you to personalize all aspects of fabric design, an option that is impossible with regular curtains. They Offer More Compatibility Handmade curtains are compatible with more accessories than you’d find available for regular curtains. If accessories appeal to you, such as curtain swags, curtain pelmet, or curtain valance, they work better with made to measure curtains, the quality of which enhances the effect on the other soft furnishings you have for your window decor. They Provide More Functionality With regards to the curtains’ functions, you’ll have your individual preferences. You may want your home to be of equal comfort during both summer and winter. Your curtain’s lining determines such functions. Typical lining varieties include thermal, acoustic, blackout, interlining, and standard. While lining options are available with regular curtains, it can be difficult to find a set with your preferred fabric style and required lining type together. Most of the time, one needs to either trade in fabric style for functionality or vice versa. Made to measure curtains means you don’t have to make these compromises. In Summary Made to measure curtains add to your home’s visual appeal. Not only that, but they also provide the ability to be tailor-made to your particular requirements. Think about buying made to measure curtains for a quality window dressing. The benefits they provide make for a valuable addition to your home. More and more people are choosing to go with made to measure curtains. Another benefit is that these curtains are available at various price points, much like regular curtains. So once you’ve worked out your budget, preferences, and needs, you can dress up your windows in curtains that present both style and personality.
Birmingham and the Midlands are to gain a major jobs boost following the start on site of one of the UK’s most significant new sustainable manufacturing and logistics schemes, delivering £355.5 million of economic value (GVA) when fully operational. The first phase of Peddimore near Minworth, is being delivered by IM Properties in partnership with Birmingham City Council and will see appointed contractor, Winvic Construction, begin strategic infrastructure works including a new roundabout on the A38, for a June 2022 completion. IM Properties is already in detailed discussions with an occupier who will create in excess of 1000 jobs, contributing to the thousands of direct and indirect jobs expected to be created through occupiers and related supply chains across the lifetime of the scheme. Designed to deliver a lasting economic and social benefit to the region, IM Properties has already started to deliver an extensive social value programme, supporting four social value charity partners and setting up a £270,000 Peddimore Community Fund. This has so far awarded grants totalling nearly £42,000 to 20 grassroots organisations in the surrounding area. The social value charity partners include St Basils, The Pioneer Group, JERRICHO & Witton Lodge. In addition to the main site infrastructure works and spine roads, a Green Travel District will be created promoting cycling and walking to work. Once the build phase begins, and subject to occupier specifications IM Properties will be targeting a minimum of Net Zero in Construction. These ambitions form part of IM Properties’ future sustainability strategy, with aims for BREEAM excellent ratings across buildings with a continued focus on health & wellbeing, alongside plans for climate change resilience, the use of low carbon renewable energy sources, smart grid technology and improved water efficiency across new developments. IM Properties has already committed over £30m of investment into the site infrastructure which will enable the scheme to play a vital role in Birmingham’s green recovery as its UK development director, Kevin Ashfield explains: “Peddimore represents a major milestone for IM Properties and will be a huge legacy site for all involved, creating an industry benchmark for future employment schemes from the delivery of important local social value to the sustainability ambitions for the buildings and wider site environment. ‘’From an early stage, we’ve been engaging with key stakeholders to ensure we deliver a lasting economic asset, which yields opportunities for the business community as well as those seeking employment, skills and training. “At a strategic level, this includes working alongside Birmingham City Council, the West Midlands Combined Authority, and Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. Complemented by local relationships and initiatives we’re developing a robust employment and skills plan that can endure through all stages of our delivery.” Andy Reynolds, project director for IM Properties added: “Winvic Construction is a trusted supply chain partner and equally committed to our social value and sustainability agenda. They will be working from day one to open up opportunities for local SME’s, social enterprises, young people and individuals looking to gain new skills, with on-site training facilities providing valuable experience towards achieving employment.” Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, added: “Peddimore is an exciting development for our city which will capitalise on our strategic location within the country, and create thousands of jobs in sustainable manufacturing and logistics schemes. “Birmingham’s green economic recovery from the pandemic can help to drive the economic recovery of the whole country, and Peddimore will be at the heart of this. I am proud that Birmingham City Council has partnered with IM Properties and Winvic to deliver this scheme which will provide high quality, sustainable jobs for Birmingham, and is already making a difference through the Peddimore Community Fund.” Rob Cook, Winvic’s director of civils and infrastructure, said: “Having worked with IM Properties on a number of its projects we have gained much experience of how they engage positively with local communities. We are delighted to already be working with a number of its partners to deliver our social value commitments, also donating time and money to the community and local charities.” “The programme of civils and strategic infrastructure works is significant across the 71-hectare site, however with our experience of undertaking similar projects, we are confident of delivering on budget and to schedule.”
One of the UK’s leading specialist interior fit-out contractors has completed a milestone 16-storey contract at Edwardian Hotels’ new flagship super boutique hotel in London. EE Smith Contracts, which has been carrying out work for Edwardian Hotels Ltd for the last 35 years, opened its factories on the Clarendon Industrial Estate in Leicester 24 hours a day during peak capacity to help create London’s largest new luxury hotel, The Londoner. The Londoner, which has been designed in collaboration with Toronto and New York based design studio Yabu Pushelberg, has been branded as the world’s first super boutique hotel and its highly-anticipated opening is due this month. (September) There are 350 guest suites with views over Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square over 16 storeys which also includes six food and beverage outlets. There is also a two-screen cinema, a 1,000 capacity pillarless ballroom and an event space for corporate hire or private parties with a bespoke half honed half polished green marble floor and unique, fabric clad wavey walls. The Londoner features an area called The Retreat which has a swimming pool, private cabanas, a detox juice bar, hair and nail salon, treatment rooms and a gym. There is also The Residence which features three exclusive bars and eateries which are open 24 hours a day for exclusive use to meet every hotel guest’s needs. The hotel is home to £5 million worth of art throughout the building to enhance the boutique style experience within the west end district of London. The work has involved finishes on the project from all over the world such as 350 lava stones from Italian volcanos. Neil Bottrill at EE Smith Contracts said it had been fantastic to work on helping to create The Londoner. He said: “We have continued our 35-year relationship with Edwardian Hotels by collaborating on their super boutique flagship, The Londoner. “When this first-of-its-kind ‘iceberg’ hotel opens, it will be the largest hospitality opening in London post-Covid. “This has been a very collaborative project that we were chosen for due to our in-depth understanding of Edwardians’ expectations, standards and their way of working. “There were 78 finishes schedules across the project whereas we usually have a maximum of three which highlights the scale of this project. “We have shown our innovation and adaptability in the manufacturing of bespoke joinery for each of the 350 suites which was made possible by operating 24/7 from our Leicester HQ. “Covid did interrupt completion but the finished result is absolutely stunning and the opening of The Londoner will definitely give a much-needed boost to the hospitality industry.” Krishma Singh Dear, of Edwardian Hotels London, added: “Edwardian has worked with EE Smith for 35 years on all of our refurbishments. “We therefore know that EE Smith is able to produce a high-quality fit-out that withstands the test of time. “The Londoner was a project that was extremely complicated in terms of its detailing and scale. We believe EE Smith has done a fantastic job and we are all proud of the finished product.”
Data released today in the WhatHouse? New Homes Index reveals the hottest areas across Britain for new home buyer search with South East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands top of the list for August 2021. A sign that, post pandemic, home buyers are weighing up relocation to areas beyond the traditional Greater London commuter zone and considering a wider range of regions in the hunt for greater space and value for money. In August the national average price of new home property coming to market stayed virtually static at £334,801 (£338,339 in July). Top three new home search areas during August: 1. South East of England has demonstrated the most buyer demand during August 2021, achieving 31,293 new home buyer searches. 2. West Midlands maintains second position for the second month in a row, achieving 19,921 new home buyer searches during August 2021. 3. East Midlands has secured a top three search position with 16,760 new home buyer searches during August 2021, representing a 46% increase on July’s figures. During the past six months (March – August 2021) three regions have demonstrated month on month growth in new home search. 1. East Midlands – 46% growth 2. Yorkshire & The Humber – 28% growth 3. South East England – 22% growth Daniel Hill, Managing Director, WhatHouse? comments: “Whilst buyer’s future new home needs remain uncertain – as many employers are yet to confirm if, or when, the daily commute will return – many continue to consider a move unhindered by the need to be close to traditional transport networks, and with the need for ample home working space in mind. This all points to buyer interest in new homes remaining strong across the UK, and WhatHouse? predicts higher than average Autumn search activity driven by continued buyer interest in relocation.” David O’Leary, Policy Director, Home Builders Federation said: “Buyer interest and appetite for new builds remains high with the clear focus of builders very much on finding a way through a number of thorny supply-side challenges. Materials availability continues to cause headaches and planning delays bring uncertainty and additional expense”.
SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities, has appointed Rachel Sudlow as its R&D Lead in a newly created role designed to increase digital innovation across public sector construction. Rachel joins SCAPE following more than 10 years at Balfour Beatty, where she started as a quantity surveyor but was most recently focused on innovation and research, working with bodies such as Innovate UK to drive improved digital standards in the construction industry. The new role will see Rachel work closely with SCAPE’s clients and delivery partners to develop, encourage and apply new technologies and building methods to create more innovative, sustainable buildings. Rachel will also collaborate with various private and public sector partners outside of the construction industry, including funding bodies, research institutions and academia, as it continues to help shape the public sector’s response to the climate emergency. This includes a significant focus on BIM modelling utilised by SCAPE projects across the UK, ensuring that data from partners and clients is collected and used effectively to enhance strategic decision-making, improve efficiency and environmental performance at every stage, from procurement through the full life cycle of the building. Her appointment follows the launches of SCAPE’s latest suite of net-zero-ready construction and consultancy frameworks – SCAPE Construction, SCAPE Scotland Construction, SCAPE Consultancy and SCAPE Scotland Consultancy – which incorporate dedicated tools to help public sector organisations procure projects in a way that meets their sustainability and climate ambitions. SCAPE’s suite of construction and consultancy frameworks is used by more than 1,200 public bodies across the UK. The framework provider currently operates with a buying power of £18bn. Rachel Sudlow, R&D Lead at SCAPE, said: “At a time of significant regeneration across the public estate, it’s critical that the next generation of public sector buildings and infrastructure sets new standards for construction. Innovation will play a critical role and ultimately be supported by continually striving for better outcomes through the application of R&D. “Working with our clients and partners, and the wealth of data their projects produce, we have an outstanding opportunity to stimulate truly impactful innovation and ensure that the UK continues to be seen as a centre of excellence for construction.” Rachel will report directly to Chris Clarke, Director of Performance and Improvement at SCAPE. He said: “There’s little doubt that a combination of ingenuity and resource is needed to help address the complex needs of the public sector, including the climate emergency that has been declared by organisations across the UK and the world. Rachel’s addition to the team signals our commitment to both and will further set our clients’ projects apart in terms of adopting market-leading R&D in addition to best-in-class procurement. Through digital innovation, we can ensure an even greater legacy for the wave of public sector regeneration that is currently driving the UK’s economic recovery.”
Main contractor Laing O’Rourke has awarded the £1.5m furniture and fitout contract for the first phase of the £485m 3Ts redevelopment of Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton to Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading hospital fitout specialists. Deanestor will manufacture around 17,000 items of furniture for the project and will be fitting out 2,000 rooms across the new, purpose-designed 11-storey building. Deanestor has a long-standing relationship with Laing O’Rourke and architects BDP, and this latest contract follows their successful completion of fitout projects at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre Liverpool, The Grange University Hospital in Wales, Dumfries and Galloway Hospital in Scotland, and furniture provided for a number of Nightingale hospitals in the Covid-19 pandemic. Commenting on this latest project, Will Tonkinson, Managing Director of Deanestor, said, “We are delighted to be working once again with Laing O’Rourke and BDP, and on our 18th project for Laing O’Rourke. 3Ts is a major redevelopment project, which will modernise Royal Sussex County Hospital and provide state-of-the-art accommodation to improve the patient experience and support the Trust’s roles as a district general hospital, a specialist tertiary centre, a teaching hub, and a major trauma centre.” Stage one of the redevelopment, which is being fitted out by Deanestor, will house inpatient wards on the upper floors. The majority of patients will have single ensuite rooms with sea views. The lower floors accommodate outpatients and diagnostics services in spacious, modern surroundings. Public-facing services are located on the first and sixth floors and include main reception, waiting areas, retail units, café, and welfare and wellbeing facilities. The bespoke joinery package awarded to Deanestor includes a stunning 6m diameter main hospital reception desk for welcoming patients and visitors, and using natural walnut hardwood and veneers. 35 nurse stations and staff bases with solid surface finishes and wood grain fascias will be manufactured and installed across the building, together with 40 touchdown bases providing staff with convenient additional workspaces in the clinical areas. Deanestor is manufacturing hospital furniture for all consulting rooms, patient bedrooms, and utilities, including base and wall storage units with white Formica door fronts, adjustable shelving units – some with HTM71 tray inserts, and solid grade laminate worktops to patient bedrooms. The Deanestor team will be fitting over 10,000 individual products procured by the Trust such as rack storage systems, dispensers, clocks, noticeboards, benching, and white goods. Stainless steel furniture will also be provided for the catering areas on each floor as part of this contract, which is due for completion in Summer 2022. Originally established in 1948 to manufacture hospital furniture and fittings for the newly established NHS, Deanestor has the resources and expertise to manage 5,000-room hospital projects. It offers bespoke design services to meet specific project requirements and is responsible for installation to provide a seamless approach and a single point of contact for contractors, NHS trusts and other construction clients. For further information, visit www.deanestor.co.uk/healthcare, call 01623 420041 or email enquiries@deanestor.com
Teachers know that many of the most important factors affecting children’s performance are invisible. Tiredness, stress, hunger: these all have a significant impact on pupils’ productivity and their ability to learn. But there’s another significant factor that most educators (and employers, for that matter) rarely consider. This is the most invisible element of all: the air that we breathe. But since the beginning of the pandemic, air quality in schools has been under the microscope. Yet as important as it is to reduce infections through better ventilation, this crisis presents a golden opportunity to improve concentration and performance, not just for school pupils but for every worker. Breathing new life into classrooms The annual “back to school” in September is always a stressful time for teachers, children and parents, but this year will be like no other. Everyone knows that packing children into classrooms significantly increases the risk of Covid transmission, which is why school and government leaders are quite rightly prioritising ventilation. Clean air technology has a stunning effect on reducing transmission. One school was able to capture 99.97% of airborne pathogens by implementing our air disinfection, filtration, isolation and monitoring technology. But this is an opportunity to do much more than prevent children catching Covid, as crucial as that is. The link between air quality and long-term health complications has been known for many years. The reduction in air pollution has been one of the great public health successes of the last century. What’s far less appreciated is the effect that poor air quality has on students’ productivity and concentration. Recent research has found that creating and maintaining a standard for air quality can improve productivity by 11%, and can even have a measurable effect on pupils’ strategic thinking and exam scores. In fact, one study found that spending a few hundred pounds on air filtration systems has been shown to raise test scores by the same amount as cutting class sizes by a third. By improving air quality, we can literally breathe new life into classrooms, with huge advantages for pupils and, longer term, for the growth of the UK economy. Schools can teach business a lesson It’s not just children who benefit from breathing purer air; adults experience similar performance and productivity gains from improvements to air quality. There are certainly many industries that can take a lesson from schools and hospitals on improving air quality. Research among building decision-makers into what they are doing to ensure the health of occupants found that while healthcare organisations are, unsurprisingly, leading the way in implementing clean air technology, less than half of commercial real estate respondents have done so. This presents a major opportunity for the building and construction industry. The UK’s successful vaccination programme and general levels of Covid fatigue means that stressing the virus threat will only go so far. By moving the conversation on and stressing the measurable, bottom-line benefits to businesses, we can deliver a much more compelling message. Instead of fixing a problem, the industry will be positioning itself as partners in businesses’ future success. Setting new standards In truth, the building and construction sector needs a powerful message because existing regulations fall far short of what’s needed to improve workers’ wellbeing and productivity. Currently, the HSE Approved Code of Practice states fresh air should not fall below five to eight litres of air per second per occupant, while CIBSE’s guidance suggests that buildings should have a ventilation rate of ten litres. This is far too low: testing shows that even at the rate of 12 litres per person/second, CO2 levels can still remain high, leading to drowsiness and poor concentration. It’s also too low to remove particulate matter, which contributes to long-term health complications, while exacerbating allergies that can reduce productivity even further. Ideally, the minimum standard for ventilation should be doubled to 20 litres per second per person, and that really should be an absolute minimum. But these numbers are not absolute: ventilation requirements change according to how many people are in the building at any one time. This is another area where the construction industry can play an important educational role by setting improved standards based on occupancy and air quality metrics, rather than measuring ventilation alone. This has the additional benefit of ensuring that businesses are not over-ventilating their offices, which can be detrimental to their energy efficiency and heating costs. We constantly hear that the coronavirus crisis is an opportunity to “build back better”. On air quality we have a chance to make a measurable difference to millions of people’s health, happiness, and productivity. Let’s seize this opportunity to make workplaces fit for the future by tackling what’s been so easy to ignore for so long: the air on which all life depends.