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Kenneth Booth

University of Birmingham Dubai appoints Office Inspirations and Orangebox as furnishing partners for new Dubai campus

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

The University of Birmingham Dubai has appointed Office Inspirations and Orangebox to help create a comfortable and inspiring working environment for students and staff at its new campus, due to open in Autumn 2021. Following a successful tender process, the companies will provide furniture, fixtures and fittings across the state-of-the-art

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Smart & Sustainable Ports: Air pollution management

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

“Smart ports are the only ports that will survive … Smart means to me: no waste of space, time, money and natural resources.” – Olaf Merk, Administrator for Ports and Shipping at the ITF of the OECD As the commercial success of a port creates greater prosperity for it’s community,

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Cat® Connect insights keep things running

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

Catching the early warning signs of failure is critical in maintaining safety when working with construction machines. It also avoids unplanned downtime and costly breakdowns. Here, Nick Kakoudakis, Technology and Remote Services Manager at exclusive Caterpillar® dealer Finning UK and Ireland, discusses how digital connectivity means that Finning can ensure

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What does lower occupancy mean for the future of commercial buildings?

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

London’s Canary Wharf, home to the European headquarters of Barclays, Citigroup, HSBC and many other businesses is currently operating at 10 per cent capacity, with most employees working from home. To put that in perspective, that’s about 12,000 people of the total 125,000 workforce using the buildings. Here, Adam Fox,

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6 Reasons To Switch To Natural Gas

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

There are several different ways of powering your home, and each method has its advantages and disadvantages. If you’re more progressive, you most likely are considering more efficient ways of powering your home instead of sticking to oil and coal. If you’re in such a situation, the ideal decision would

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The Ideal Location for Solar Panels

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

Installing rooftop solar panels can provide home and property owners with the ability to power their homes using clean, renewable electricity generated on-site. Selecting the optimal location for panels to be installed can help to ensure superior output and performance. Home-Solar Installations Solar panels are devices which are used to

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Latest Issue
Issue 343 : Aug 2026

Kenneth Booth

Parliament restoration programme invites public to share ideas and views on the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

Public asked to give views on key topics including access and inclusion, sustainability, heritage, and jobs People across the UK are being invited to tell the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme what they think about key aspects of the restoration of the nation’s Parliament buildings. The Palace of Westminster is falling apart faster than it can be fixed, with maintenance and ongoing work costs doubling in just three years to more than £125m a year. Essential restoration and renewal work is needed to protect it for future generations. The work to restore and renew the Palace will create thousands of jobs and training opportunities across the UK. As the restoration team continues its work to develop a detailed and costed restoration plan, members of the public will be able to submit ideas and share their views on a range of issues to help inform the plans which are currently under development. Their views will be taken into account alongside those of MPs, Peers, the Parliamentary community and a range of other organisations with an interest in the Palace of Westminster. Sarah Johnson, CEO, Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Sponsor Body said:   “The world-famous Palace of Westminster is a national and international landmark, and the cornerstone of our democracy. As we develop the detailed and costed plan to restore and renew the Palace of Westminster we would like to involve people from across the country and give everyone the opportunity to tell us what they think about their national Parliament building.” Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees Mogg said: “People will rightly expect the essential work needed to restore and renew the Palace of Westminster to be cost effective to ensure taxpayers’ money is spent wisely. “I welcome all good ideas on protecting our magnificent Houses of Parliament while addressing important issues including making the Palace more accessible for Members and visitors.” Through a new online participation platform, people will be asked how the programme can make the restored Palace of Westminster more welcoming and accessible for Members, staff and visitors. The building does not meet all current guidelines for accessibility, with a wide range of challenges for people with mobility issues and other disabilities, including many areas of Parliament that are impossible to access step-free and without assistance. Members of the public will also have the opportunity to tell the restoration programme what they think about the importance of the 150-year-old Palace of Westminster being a more environmentally friendly and sustainable building. The programme will also ask people about celebrating and preserving the heritage of the Palace, including its world-famous architecture, as well as the potential for archaeological discoveries and how to highlight them. Finally, the public will be asked about how the restoration programme could make sure the thousands of jobs and training opportunities that will be created across the UK can benefit them directly, including considering how the UK-wide supply chain recruits a diverse range of people. People will be able to join in the conversation, starting today until 14 July by visiting the Restoration and Renewal online conversation platform. Members of the public can also share their views by post. The conversation will be centred around the four topics outlined above. There will be more opportunities for people to share views on the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster as plans are developed. The detailed and costed restoration and renewal plan, which will for the first time set out a true sense of costs and timescales, will be considered by Parliament in 2023. The work to develop the detailed and costed plan will include more than 100 investigative surveys, with specialist teams spending thousands of hours analysing the building, including the 1100 rooms and more than 3000 windows. The restoration and renewal team is also continuing to work with Parliament to determine all the functions the building needs to have in future, as well as look at vital improvements in areas like accessibility. With 3000 people typically working in and visiting the 150-year-old building every day, there are a huge number of requirements to consider. Restoring the building will create thousands of jobs and training opportunities across the UK, including through an industry-leading apprentice loan scheme that will see around 160 apprentices, including engineers, designers, stonemasons, and carpenters, employed by the organisations overseeing and delivering the restoration of the Palace of Westminster and loaned to UK businesses working on the restoration.

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University of Birmingham Dubai appoints Office Inspirations and Orangebox as furnishing partners for new Dubai campus

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

The University of Birmingham Dubai has appointed Office Inspirations and Orangebox to help create a comfortable and inspiring working environment for students and staff at its new campus, due to open in Autumn 2021. Following a successful tender process, the companies will provide furniture, fixtures and fittings across the state-of-the-art campus.  Students and staff will be able to work and relax in stylish, efficient social learning and study spaces. From the open and welcoming atrium space to the digital-focussed library, Orangebox will supply a range of tables, chairs, sofas and other fixtures which mirror those which have already proved popular with students in Birmingham. Dubai-based Office Inspirations will install the furnishings on the iconic new campus, recreating the style and atmosphere of study and social spaces on the University’s Birmingham campus. University of Birmingham Dubai Provost, Professor David Sadler, said: “Our new building has been designed as a comfortable and exciting venue for learning, where innovative, multidisciplinary teaching will provide students with the inspiration to successfully progress their studies – whether collaboratively or individually. “Office Inspirations and Orangebox will help us to deliver a comfortable and inspiring learning environment in Dubai that students and staff will enjoy. Everyone – students and staff alike – is eagerly looking forward to moving into our brand-new, bespoke campus building later this year. We believe that, in our new academic home, we will deliver an educational experience like no other in Dubai.” Designed to reflect real-world working practices, the new campus will encourage students to carry out research in interdisciplinary teams across all academic subjects. Flexible study spaces will ensure students have a learning environment suited to their needs; whether in large lecture theatres and laboratories or smaller seminar and tutorial rooms. Anne Barron​ , Dubai Regional Manager with Orangebox, said: “Orangebox are honoured to have been appointed as a partner and contractor on this prestigious project for University of Birmingham and its new Dubai campus. Having worked together on various projects in both the UK and UAE, we are delighted to continue the relationship offering engaging and social spaces within such esteemed educational institute.” Michelle Plant, Sales Manager at Office Inspirations said: “Office Inspirations are delighted to have been taking part in creating comfortable and inspiring working environments for the new campus of the University of Birmingham in Dubai. We aim to meet all expectations and comfort for both students and staff members and are indeed looking forward to pursuing this collaboration with such a reputable educational institute. We are determined to offer exceptional experiences like no other in Dubai.” With architecture inspired by the historic Aston Webb buildings on the Birmingham campus, the Dubai facilities will use shaded open-air courtyard spaces to create an enjoyable and productive student experience. The buildings will sit next to parkland offering sports pitches and an open air event space, whilst new student accommodation is a short walk away, across the parkland. As the first global top 100 and UK Russell Group university to establish a campus in Dubai, The University of Birmingham Dubai delivers the highest-quality education underpinned by a growing research focus in a leading global educational hub. Prospective students can find more information on applying for courses at the University of Birmingham Dubai at https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/dubai/study/apply/index.aspx

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Smart & Sustainable Ports: Air pollution management

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

“Smart ports are the only ports that will survive … Smart means to me: no waste of space, time, money and natural resources.” – Olaf Merk, Administrator for Ports and Shipping at the ITF of the OECD As the commercial success of a port creates greater prosperity for it’s community, pollution levels tend to increase. Multiple emission sources including those from ships, port handling equipment (diesel engines), the process of unloading break-bulk and those generated within the city itself create a complex air quality landscape with many moving parts. How do we accurately assess it? Traditionally, expensive reference equipment has been used by government sources to monitor background air quality. These remain the gold standard at a legislative level, yet it is understandable that port authorities would hesitate to deploy them in a measurement campaign. Not only are they very expensive, but they are also large and do not lend themselves to being easily repositioned to suit different measurement needs. The other option has been to use passive diffusion tubes, a simple indicative technique. Whilst very low-cost and can measure longer-term average gas concentrations in a specific location, they cannot track changes in air quality over minutes, hours or days. Self regulation is vital for port authorities to understand their impact on air quality and to select actions to address emissions under their control. Yet, the financial burden of installing analytical equipment suitable for comprehensive monitoring has been prohibitive. Over the course of the last three years, South Coast Science has worked to develop a portable product capable of data quality that is comparable with the reference-level monitor, yet at only one-tenth of the cost.     Robust measurement of pollutants such as SO2, NO2, particulates, VOCs and others can now be established with ease from products offering high accuracy and repeatability. All pollutant and device data is cloud-mediated and can be viewed online via a cloud dashboard.   It is clear that this new technology in general remains less well established than the traditional reference instruments. South Coast Science has responded to this with a data correction algorithm and a policy of data transparency, which allows users and external specialists to interrogate and validate the data provided by the system. To this end, South Coast Science has developed an open-source platform that allows customers to do their own checks. The collaboration with global environmental consultancy Ricardo PLC is described in a short video here.  The task of establishing baselines early on should be one of the aims of any measurement campaign so that subsequent pollution mitigation strategies can be measured and effectiveness established. For this purpose where priorities are yet to be decided, consulting services might be used to assist in focussing on the quickest wins with the most economical solutions. South Coast Science has worked with independent air quality consultants with many years of experience in various market sectors and would be happy to pass on details. For more information please contact David.Johnson@southcoastscience.com.

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Cat® Connect insights keep things running

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

Catching the early warning signs of failure is critical in maintaining safety when working with construction machines. It also avoids unplanned downtime and costly breakdowns. Here, Nick Kakoudakis, Technology and Remote Services Manager at exclusive Caterpillar® dealer Finning UK and Ireland, discusses how digital connectivity means that Finning can ensure the longest life from its equipment. If you’ve recently insured a vehicle, you’ll have probably heard of the black box. Installed on some insured cars, these devices monitor how the car is driven and report that information back to the insurance company. This information is used to encourage safe driving and to capture vital data in the event of an accident. A watchful eye-in-the-sky While installing a black box in a car is relatively cheap, managing downtime, breakdowns and user-profiles across a highly varied fleet of construction equipment can be costly. The costs can include everything from recovery and repair of the equipment, as well as the resulting loss of production uptime and construction delays. Unlike the black box, Finning’s solution — Cat Connect — combines the use of smart technology and services on equipped machines, making sure everything is running as effectively and reliably as possible. The insight and information received helps to improve jobsite efficiency, whether the goal is to maximize production, reduce cost or improve safety. When installed on Finning Cat equipment, Cat Connect records every parameter on a Cat machine and reports the information back to Finning HQ. The technical team of experienced Cat certified engineers then work through the data and looks for any problems and opportunities for optimisation. For instance, a few minutes of idle time for a dump truck may be necessary during loading and unloading, but a backhoe operator keeping the engine running during a lunch break may lead to bore glazing on a diesel engine. If a machine is running idle then it is incurring extra fuel, maintenance and staffing costs for no real benefit — the team at Finning can spot issues like this and advise appropriate action. Similarly, an engine might be running rough. Perhaps it has been unused for a while and the fuel is stale, or the fuel mixture is misconfigured for the type of work or weather conditions — the team at Finning identifies these problems and can advise users to replace the fuel or alter the fuel mix to compensate. Tracking outside of the fence Cat Connect devices also include GPS, which allows engineers to track the machines as they move around the work area. This also allows for “geofencing”, where an alarm is triggered if equipment is moved outside a designated area. In one instance, Finning engineers were alerted by a geofencing alarm in the middle of the night. Using the GPS tracker on Cat Connect, the machine was successfully tracked and retrieved the next day from a secluded lay-by, over 20 miles away from the worksite. Without Cat Connect and its real-time alarms and customer-configurable alerting capabilities via text or emails, it’s very unlikely that it would have been recovered, especially if the equipment was stripped for parts. Uncovering operational optimisations Real-time condition monitoring not only helps to predict failure and keep equipment running, it also uncovers some surprising systemic problems. One particular example was on a worksite that had a substantial hill that earthmoving equipment often traversed. Going up the incline was no trouble for the heavy equipment, but it was found through condition monitoring that the operators were allowing vehicles to coast when travelling back down. By not using the retarder correctly, the operators were inadvertently exposing the powertrain to extreme stresses. Finning advised the customer that this was a problem, and the operators were retrained to use the retarder correctly and safely. This action directly increased the working life of the equipment, saved thousands of pounds in costs and eliminated the potential downtime. For more information about Finning’s Cat Connect service, and more, visit www.finning.com.

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What does lower occupancy mean for the future of commercial buildings?

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

London’s Canary Wharf, home to the European headquarters of Barclays, Citigroup, HSBC and many other businesses is currently operating at 10 per cent capacity, with most employees working from home. To put that in perspective, that’s about 12,000 people of the total 125,000 workforce using the buildings. Here, Adam Fox, director of vibration control specialist Mason UK, explains how these quieter times could change the face of London forever. Changing perceptions People’s perception of noise, or tolerance of it, may be different post-Covid. The busy office blocks that were synonymous with London work life have taken a different shape. They’re much, much quieter. Of course, less commuters, also mean London’s roads are a lot quieter too. In fact, in the height of lockdown, reports revealed London was quieter than it was back in 1928. As London begins to return to normal — or closer to normal — will people have become acclimatised to the quieter world? Will returning workers start to notice noise and vibration that they had previously been habituated to? Maybe. On the other hand, working from home for many hasn’t been silent bliss. More people at home, means more people walking around blocks of flats, playing music and undertaking DIY tasks they finally got round to doing. While noise and vibration in London hasn’t completely been obliterated, its shift in form has resulted in increased pressure to manage its effects in both office and residential environments. Changing buildings Buildings that are no longer the packed offices they once were, are likely to become mixed use to rebuild occupancy levels. This will result in office blocks having a mixture of residential and commercial inhabitants. Picture this. While one person is sleeping in their bedroom at night, someone is putting in a late-night overtime shift on the floor above using the photo copier. Similarly, while a business is holding its annual review meeting the next day, a resident above could be playing loud music and exercising. This is a complex challenge for developers. This medley of building applications puts significant onus on noise and vibration control to keep all building users happy. This control could be in the form of floating floors to break vibration transmission, or isolating commercial equipment, such as an industrial photocopier. As we begin to see more of these mixed-used buildings in the post-Covid world, we’ll no doubt begin to see some other challenges emerge too. For example, it is highly likely that both the residents and workers will want a communal gym facility. Gyms are becoming commonplace, but so too are the noise complaints that follow if vibration control isn’t implemented. To make sure weight drops don’t result in nuisance thuds and shudders, vibration breaks will need to be implemented. For gyms, a spring-loaded floating floor is normally the best option for free weight areas but there is not a ‘one fits all’ design as each structure responds differently to impact. The new face of London Property developers need to acknowledge the rising trend in mixed-use buildings and thoroughly consider the increased dynamism of these buildings, the array of people using them and the large range of activities taking place in them. Any acoustic consultants brought onto projects like these are welcome to reach out to Mason UK, to discuss how we can solve your vibration problems. For more information, email info@masonuk.co.uk or visit mason-uk.co.uk.

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6 Reasons To Switch To Natural Gas

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

There are several different ways of powering your home, and each method has its advantages and disadvantages. If you’re more progressive, you most likely are considering more efficient ways of powering your home instead of sticking to oil and coal. If you’re in such a situation, the ideal decision would be to switch to natural gas, as this is quickly being seen among many homeowners as a perfect alternative. But if you’re unsure on whether natural gas is an ideal choice to use in your home, look no further. Without wasting any more of your precious time, here’s a guide taking you through why opting for natural gas is a wise move to make: 1. Reliability Among the main reasons why switching to Florida natural gas is great is its reliability if you’re residing in the area. This is very advantageous as you never have to worry about your home being heated, thereby warm and comfortable enough for you and your family. This reliability is because natural gas is delivered straight to your home, even when there’s an electrical outage or during winter storms. Therefore, you can still go ahead and enjoy using your hot water heater, air conditioning unit, and lights even during a power outage.  2. Eco-Friendly As its name suggests, natural gas is 100% natural. With global warming becoming a worldwide concern, making the switch to natural gas is a great way to cut down your carbon emissions, unlike when using other fossil fuels such as oil and coal. This is because natural gas produces less than half of carbon dioxide levels when burnt, unlike oil and a third less than coal. In addition, it doesn’t produce as much sulfur. All this helps in making the fight to achieve environmental sustainability more plausible for each individual or household. 3. Affordable If you’re thinking of more affordable ways to heat your home, you shouldn’t wait any longer to make the switch to natural gas. The price of natural gas has always been lower compared to heating oil and electricity. In addition, the use of natural gas helps you cut down on your spending if you switch to using efficient gas-powered appliances. This affordability is brought about by natural gas being a deregulated utility. Therefore, there aren’t as many restrictions, and this gives you the freedom to control the sum of money to spend paying for gas. 4. Versatile The use of natural gas provides you with a broader range of purposes apart from quickly heating your home. Other possible uses include tumble dryers, outdoor lighting, stoves, fireplaces, warming hot tubs, pools, and grills. This versatility and practicality of natural gas make it an awesome home upgrade that can save you when doing different tasks in the house. As a result, it makes your life a lot simpler. In addition to natural gas being versatile, it runs appliances a lot quicker than those powered by other energy sources. Additionally, when using kitchen equipment such as ovens, cooktops, or gas stoves, you enjoy greater temperature control. 5. Less Maintenance Needed You don’t have to worry about frequent clean-ups when using the natural gas supply as it doesn’t leave behind any ash. This isn’t a privilege you get to enjoy when using other energy sources, particularly coal. The same is evident when heating using oil as the furnaces need to regularly be cleaned to remain in proper working condition and be safe to use. With natural gas, you don’t have to deal with such worries as it takes less effort to maintain, which makes it stand out as a suitable pick. 6. Improved Safety When picking an appropriate heating solution, you must always be a responsible homeowner by factoring in your safety and everyone inside your home. And when you do this, natural gas stands out as among the safest choice to use. One reason for this is the huge regulatory oversight put in place by governments to ensure exceptional standards are observed in the inspection, construction, and maintenance of the underground pipelines transporting natural gas. The safety appeal of natural gas is because it doesn’t produce as many toxic products, for instance, dissolved solids, airborne particulates, and sulfur dioxide that harms your health. Takeaway When searching for the best fuel to heat your home’s heating system, you most likely are prioritizing reliability, safety, and affordability. If this is the case, this article has gone into detail to show why natural gas ticks all these boxes. Therefore, making the switch to natural gas looks more sensible, reasonable and is a decision you won’t regret.

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The Ideal Location for Solar Panels

Kenneth Booth June 17, 2021

Installing rooftop solar panels can provide home and property owners with the ability to power their homes using clean, renewable electricity generated on-site. Selecting the optimal location for panels to be installed can help to ensure superior output and performance. Home-Solar Installations Solar panels are devices which are used to convert the sun’s rays into useful electricity. The amount of sunlight exposure that panels receive can be a limiting factor in their ability to provide adequate performance. Installing panels on too sharply pitched or poorly angled roofs or locations where they may not face the sun could negatively impact performance. Optimal Position and Placement Ideally, solar panels should be installed in such a way as to maximize the volume of surface area that will be exposed to sunlight. Sunlight that hits the panels at too shallow of an angle can inhibit power output, so it is important to choose installation options that can help to offset the pitch or angle of a roof. Shade can also cause power output to drop, so the best locations for panel installation are those that offer full, unobstructed sunlight. Position is important, however protection is also and Solar Panels Pigeon Proofing is a must when installing. Seasonal Track The angle of the sun changes throughout the year, which is even more pronounced at higher latitudes. Positioning panels to face in either an easterly or westerly direction can help to maximize sunlight exposure during the early or later portions of the day. Having multiple banks of panels can help to minimize the impact that seasonal changes are likely to have on performance. Positioning panels to catch both the morning and evening rays while also utilizing panels positioned to capture sunlight during peak afternoon hours is often the most efficient approach. Roof Shape and Structure There are equipment and installation options that can allow homeowners to work around a roof with a steep pitch or that may not offer ideal mounting points. The best equipment and solar panel installation options can make it easy to adjust the pitch, angle, or even panels’ position once installed. Dynamic positioning ensures that a home-solar system or setup will be able to function even when installed in less than optimal locations. The ability to quickly and easily adjust solar panels can also allow them to be repositioned from one season to the next in order to track the changing angle of the sun better. Identifying the Best Location The best location for solar panel installation is the one that will afford them the most sunlight. While positions that may be less ideal could cause problems, investing in panels with higher output or increasing the number of panels to be installed can help to improve performance. Mounting equipment can also be a factor when selecting a location. Options that allow for dynamic positioning can enable panels to function more effectively even when installed in a sub-optimal location. Proper installation and placement are essential for ensuring that solar panels can provide superior performance. Positioning solar panels to optimize the angle of the sun and ensure maximum surface exposure can help to increase power output. Location is only part of the equation,” renewable energy specialists at Green Flare comment. “Panel orientation, roof pitch, shading patterns and system sizing all play a role in determining overall yield. A detailed site assessment is what ultimately translates a good location into consistent long-term performance.

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Edinburgh Living celebrates housing its first 250 tenants in affordable and energy efficient homes

Kenneth Booth June 16, 2021

250 households are now in mid-market rent accommodation, thanks to Council’s mid-market rent partnership, Edinburgh Living The new Edinburgh Living website will provide more information about the partnership and signpost those looking for a mid-market rent home to what is currently available and under construction. Launched in January 2019, the housing delivery partnership has a strong programme to deliver homes, and will provide 500 households with affordable, secure homes by the end of 2022 Edinburgh Living, the City of Edinburgh Council’s mid-market rent partnership, is celebrating hitting a key milestone with more than 250 families now in quality affordable homes thanks to the initiative, developed in partnership with infrastructure experts, Scottish Futures Trust. Now in eight sites across the city, Edinburgh Living’s 250th tenant moved into their new home in Craigmillar last month. Let and managed by Lowther Homes, part of Wheatley Group, Edinburgh Living has also launched its new website this week which will provide information about the initiative and help more individuals and families find their new home through links to what homes are available and what is coming soon. Danielle Beatson, 42, who has recently moved into a three-bedroom home with her partner and three children, said: We love our new home; it’s in the perfect area and is so spacious. The community is great; it’s a really family-friendly area, and my children are often outside playing with friends. The home has made a big difference to Danielle’s life:  Our landlord was selling the home we were renting and we were struggling to find another suitable property at short notice. Mid-market rent was a fantastic, affordable option for us. The application process was simple, and we were able to move in quickly after applying.” We feel so settled and secure now; my partner and I are really happy, and so are the kids, which is brilliant. Launched in Jan 2019, supported by the Scottish Government, the Council set up Edinburgh Living to address the lack of affordable housing available in Edinburgh by offering mid-market rent homes to households on low to middle incomes that were struggling to access property, either to purchase or rent, on the open market.  The initiative is also supporting homelessness prevention, working together with Council services and Lowther Homes to raise the profile of mid-market rent as an option for lower income households at risk of homelessness.  The Council and Scottish Futures Trust have strong ambitions to continue to grow Edinburgh Living, with an acquisition target of 500 homes by the end of 2022, and the long-term aim to provide 1,500 new mid-market rent and market rent homes over the next few years. The Council is proactively identifying more homes to achieve this ambition, delivering well-built, well-managed and energy efficient new homes through its own housebuilding programme. Councillor Kate Campbell, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener said: Hitting this big milestone and now having 250 family households in safe, warm and affordable homes, with more homes being identified to double that figure by the end of next year is just fantastic. Also hearing what a difference these bright and modern homes are making to people’s lives is the reason we started this programme in the first place. Making sure everyone has access to an affordable and energy efficient place to live has long been our priority. We have ambitious plans to grow the number of properties we own which we’ll do by purchasing homes, and by building homes through own housing development programme, delivering 20,000 affordable homes by 2027. As a Council we’re also committed to ending poverty, becoming more sustainable, while helping to foster greater wellbeing and inclusion, and so Edinburgh Living is just one of the ways we’re doing that for our residents and the city of Edinburgh. Councillor Mandy Watt, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Vice-Convener, added:  It’s a real joy to have families moving in and settling into their new homes through Edinburgh Living. And it’s great to see the new website provide more information about the partnership and signpost those looking for a mid-market rent home to what is currently available and under construction. We now have homes in eight locations which puts Edinburgh Living homes in three quarters of the city. These homes provide quality, stable accommodation to families, improving the diversity of communities and helping with the regeneration of parts of Edinburgh. Christa Reekie, director Development and Housing at the Scottish Futures Trust, said:  As infrastructure experts, we’re always looking for new and collaborative ways to maximise the delivery of affordable housing and boost the impact they have in communities right across Scotland.  Edinburgh Living is a case in point – a joint venture that is working towards the delivery of 1,500 much-needed, affordable and market rent homes in Edinburgh. Today’s milestone marks a significant step in the programme that is now benefitting 250 families and is increasing the supply of high quality, energy efficient homes for many years to come. Heather Voisey, Lowther Homes Managing Director, said: We’re delighted to mark this important milestone in our partnership with Edinburgh Living. Mid-market rent flats offer much-needed affordable housing in sought-after locations, and it’s great to see the 250th tenant move in. We look forward to continuing to let and manage affordable Edinburgh Living homes across the city. Edinburgh Living has homes across eight locations including Clermiston, Hailesland, Pennywell, Greendykes, North Sighthill, Royston, Dumbryden and Craigmillar.

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CONSTRUCTION SECTOR NEEDS TO MAINTAIN NEW TECHNIQUES ADOPTED IN PANDEMIC TO ENSURE IMPROVEMENTS, SAYS STEPNELL BOSS

Kenneth Booth June 16, 2021

The UK construction sector was heavily impacted by the disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Tactics, which were speedily adopted by the industry to keep sites open, will no doubt continue post pandemic. TOM WAKEFORD, joint managing director of 154-year-old family firm Stepnell, which operates throughout central and southern England, says the industry needs to work collaboratively to keep the recovery juggernaut on track. “’Build, build, build!’ was the rallying cry last June. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new deal to put infrastructure at the heart of the government’s economic growth strategy. Johnson said he was committed to build, build, build – in order to fix not just problems created by the pandemic, but issues that the UK had experienced for three decades. “Johnson said he was committed to building new homes, fixing the NHS and tackling the skills crisis – as well as mending the gap in opportunity, productivity and connectivity between the regions of the UK. All the time, the construction industry needed to build back better, greener and faster. “Seen by many then as the industry to help lift the UK out of economic gloom, construction is vitally important to the UK’s recovery. In December, the government issued its Construction Playbook – a blueprint of how the government saw local authorities working more closely with the construction sector. It came at the right time and is being adopted by thousands of organisations across the UK – Stepnell included. “Looking back to March 2020, COVID-19’s impact was immediate. Within a few days of lockdown, remote working was the norm. For some contractors, work on site stopped overnight – and the construction sector stood blinking as companies took in the huge catastrophe before them. “But, despite not being able to assess the future, the construction sector did what it always did – rolled up its sleeves and got on with the job in hand. Projects usually delivered from the board room were now being designed in people’s living rooms and kitchens, which meant contractors looked for new ways of working to ensure projects kept on track. “Alongside government support through furlough and other initiatives, there was stronger collaboration among contractors, supply chain and agencies. This unity meant a camaraderie and a strong sense of everyone having their part to play to achieve the common goal of delivering projects and keeping sites open. “Many contractors, including Stepnell, continued to work on site – and very quickly adapted to new ways of working to ensure colleagues’ safety. “By their very nature, contractors are agile, with their number one role being a problem solver for clients. This agility enabled us to swiftly adjust to solve a very different set of problems during lockdown one in 2020. As an industry, we moved at speed to meet clients’ expectations and we worked closely with clients to manage risk, ensure project delivery and overcome the many hurdles COVID-19 presented together. With our clients, we focused not just on project delivery, but also health and safety and wellbeing. “We also turned to managing our projects in an even more innovative way – using digital technologies and closely looking at new ways of working in order to achieve the results we needed. As well as taking a ‘partnership’ approach with clients, we also worked even closer with our supply chains. Again, working in partnership with supply chain partners, we were able to pay suppliers as early as possible and work together to achieve the results we collectively needed. “Stepnell had a flexible supply chain, which could also adapt quickly to demand. This, like many other factors we have adopted because of the pandemic, will be in place post-pandemic. The ‘not just for COVID’ approach means that the industry will continue to look at new technologies such as cloud working. The industry was way behind in terms of new technologies prior to COVID-19 – one of the positive things to come out of the pandemic for me is to see how crucial we view technology in the long term. “And of course, the pandemic has highlighted an issue that has been present in the construction industry for years – colleague wellbeing. Before the pandemic, the industry already had above average rates of divorce and suicide. Colleague mental health is something which became even more of an issue in 2020 – and will no doubt need to remain a focus for the industry once the worst of the pandemic is over. “On a positive note, the industry could potentially use the recent changes to ways of working to diversify its workforce. The pandemic has plunged the industry into the quickest and deepest possible experiment in flexible working — which has proved to be a success. “Not only that, but the construction industry was in the news during the first part of lockdown – not always for the right reasons as the public could see working sites when others had to stay away from workplaces. But the news pages highlighted construction and the way it was adapting, as well as new technologies. Construction companies’ ability to adapt to these changes, and so quickly, could make the industry more accessible and attractive to a wider talent pool – including young people. “Another key factor I see is the real importance of social value. Something that may have been seen as an exercise to tick boxes and score points against competitors pre-pandemic has been brought to the forefront during COVID-19 to show the genuine benefit to communities which our construction projects can bring. Whether that’s sandwiches for construction workers from a local café which has been closed for months or CSR projects to engage with local schools, which were also forced to lock their doors. “Continuing to bring young people into the industry is crucial. Stepnell has 14% of our workforce as trainees and apprentices – we see opportunities to give young people (an age bracket affected by the pandemic like no other) a great opportunity in a fantastic rewarding

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Will Rising Summer Temperatures Disrupt Indirect Free Cooling Processes?

Kenneth Booth June 16, 2021

The popularity of indirect free cooling of data centres in the Nordics region could place facilities at risk of corrosion if conditions are not correctly controlled this summer, according to temporary solutions specialists Aggreko. According to a recent market report by Arizton, the Nordic region can facilitate up to 8,400 hours of data centre free cooling annually due to its colder climate. Though incoming ambient air is filtered before entering the controlled data centre environment, this process can result in temperature rises of two to four degrees. When combined with rising summer temperatures, data centre sites may experience higher moisture levels that could lead to condensation forming and rising water temperatures. Keeping key data centre components like electrical distribution systems dry and within a certain temperature band phase is crucial to ensuring its continued running. According to Aggreko, not taking steps to account for changing temperatures during the construction phase could lead to long-term damage that could impair functionality and void warranties. “The ability to use the climate as a resource to help free-cool facilities is one of many reasons the Nordics region appeals to organisations looking to construct data centres,” says Greger Ruud, Sector Development Manager – Nordic Datacenters at Aggreko. “However, it must be noted that like any other region, there are fluctuations in temperature depending on geography and the seasons, so conditions will occur that make free cooling more challenging. “Site managers must therefore be aware that a rise in ambient air temperature will be reflected in the data centre environment, especially with filtration processes generating added heat. As such, plans should be put in place to cool facilities and maintain controlled conditions during the upcoming warmer months.” Additional cooling solutions like chillers and dry coolers may be used to ensure controlled temperatures during warmer periods. But with this further cooling capacity only required for a short but critical time period, expensive new equipment bought for this purpose will likely be redundant for long stretches. An innovative strategic hire approach may therefore represent the best way of alleviating both financial and humidity risks. “Optimum conditions for free cooling occur in the Nordics for the majority of the time, but crucially, not all of the time,” Greger concludes. “These temporary conditions require a temporary response, so hiring data centre cooling equipment like chillers and dry chillers may appeal. “Taking this approach can help site managers to alleviate damage risks without being shackled to expensive, permanent equipment that will not require year-round use. With COVID continuing to constrain budgets in all sectors, this freedom can allow contractors to be more dynamic as pandemic-enforced social restrictions are loosened and demand rises further.” For more information on chiller and dry cooler solutions for your data centre site, visit www.aggreko.com/datacentre.

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