The Jeju Dream Tower is one of the most exciting new builds in South Korea. Designed by Siaplan architects, this building was opened only this year, after a long five years in construction. There were several major setbacks along the way and one still in progress now, but the hotel
Commercial trucking is big business. At any moment, tens of thousands of trucks are at work all over America, hauling goods from place to place. They’re often active at all hours of the day and night. Trucking has existed for many decades, and it will doubtless continue to do so.
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, remote work has become increasingly popular globally. Likewise, most companies’ policies on remote work have changed as a result of multiple lockdowns. But, like your clients, you can keep your staff and remote teams happy through brand promotion even during this critical phase. Give them
LOVELL TOGETHER, the joint venture between leading national housebuilder Lovell Partnerships and Together Housing Group, is celebrating the launch of its latest partnership site as sales for Saddlers Grange go live. When complete, Saddlers Grange will offer 175 three- and four-bedroom homes in the town of Howden, 131 on the
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
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
“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,
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
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,
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
The Jeju Dream Tower is one of the most exciting new builds in South Korea. Designed by Siaplan architects, this building was opened only this year, after a long five years in construction. There were several major setbacks along the way and one still in progress now, but the hotel and dining elements of the building have been open to travelers for almost a month now and are receiving positive feedback. We take a look at the design of the building and the facilities available inside. Jeju is a volcanic island with pillar and hexagon shaped rock formations. From this natural inspiration came the formulation of the building itself. The facade of the building is created with strong hexagonal pillars, each with a hole right through the center. These holes allow the building to take on a totally different feeling depending on the light conditions. Owing to the curved surface of the hexagon, these holes can reflect the colour of the sky on their inner walls. A dramatic sunset is made even more dramatic with its colours echoed by the pillars. In the same way, the twinkling city lights occasionally catch the building at night, creating a dreamlike effect. The folding of the facade into neat ‘pleats’ creates an interesting effect to the holes when viewed from certain angles, they appear as hearts. This effect was not accidental, but rather an homage to the core of the building, the Jeju Dream Casino. Whether the casino will be accepted into the final design of the building is a contentious issue at the moment. With new online casinos opening all of the time, that are available for South Koreans to play, it seems an unusual attitude to lobby for the removal of the casino from the Jeju Dream Tower. The current design really puts the casino at the beating heart of the building, right in the midst of a space so obviously designed to work around it. If it does happen that the opening of the casino is put on the back burner then there’s no reason not to enjoy some time in the Jeju Dream Tower and opt for an online casino experience instead. With very generous deals for new players, it might end up giving you more play time for your money anyway. Of course, the casino is not the only form of entertainment that guests can expect. Perhaps the most spectacular part of the building is right at the very top. At 38 stories high, Jeju Dream Tower is the tallest on the island, so it made sense to give guests the maximum benefit of the incredible views. Super-fast elevators transport guests up to the Sky Lounge, where they can choose from three different restaurants, all offering a complete rooftop view of the surrounding island. Whether it’s fine dining, cocktails, or bar snacks that guests fancy, they can take in the incredible natural scenery of sky and mountains, as well as watch the busy city below. The building also boasts not one, but two spas, as well as a relaxing indoor pool. One of the spas has a modern international feel, whilst the other, the Jimjil spa, is traditionally Korean. The design of the jimjilbang is incredible. Each of the four rooms is made with a different material, all of which promote a different area of wellbeing. The red clay room is entirely clad in red clay bricks, it is hot and humid, helping the body to sweat out toxins. The cypress room is panelled in cyprus with a wide open roof letting in lots of natural light. It is cool, relaxing and gently scented thanks to the natural wood. The next two rooms are ice and salt, cooling and healing respectively. It is clear that the interior of the tower has been given just as much thought as the exceptionally complex exterior. A day spent in the spa here really is an induction into traditional Korean wellness culture and will leave even the most frazzled of travelers feeling rejuvenated. Finally, probably the most important part of any hotel project are the bedrooms. The Presidential Suite is the largest and most exclusive in the tower. Making the most of the incredible views it boasts floor-to-ceiling windows with a 180 degree view of the city skyline. The interior of the space is designed in a classic contemporary style, with largely European furniture, but an impressive collection of modern Korean artwork. The bedrooms and kitchen area are both as elegant as you would expect, but the marble bathroom is a touch of luxury that would leave even the most discerning of guests impressed. This development has perfected the feeling of luxury, without ever feeling ostentatious. Thoughtful and painstakingly accurate design has gone into creating a soothing space in a bustling city.
Commercial trucking is big business. At any moment, tens of thousands of trucks are at work all over America, hauling goods from place to place. They’re often active at all hours of the day and night. Trucking has existed for many decades, and it will doubtless continue to do so. There are self-driving trucks in the works, but for the moment, companies need human operators to drive these big rigs and get them safely to where they’re going. Technology is always coming out that can help truck drivers, and GPS is the perfect example. Let’s take a closer look at truck driver GPS and what it can do for the modern trucker. History vs. Today Before we get into what you want to look for in the best truck driver GPS, you should know about the not-too-distant past out of which truck driver navigation comes. Not many years ago, truck drivers would rely on paper maps to get around. They would stop to consult them at diners and weighing stations, sometimes taking into account construction projects and road closures. A trucker would have to learn the country pretty quickly. They would need to know how to shave minutes off their routes and what roads to take if construction closed a particular one. It was an imperfect system, but the average trucker did the best they could with it. They had no viable alternative. The Onboard Infotainment System Many vehicles these days feature infotainment systems, not just commercial trucks. These systems usually have GPS capabilities. However, the companies did not create all of them equally. Some of them can instantly find routes to virtually any destination within the continental United States. Others are slower, and truckers probably won’t care for those as much. Truckers make their living delivering their payloads as quickly as possible, and they chafe whenever they encounter a delay. The best onboard infotainment system that also includes a GPS feature is the one that allows a trucker to plug in the coordinates and hit the road with no delays. They should see a clear route materialize on the screen in front of them. They should never have to do anything more than glance at that screen to see where they need to go next. What Else Might a Trucker Expect from a GPS? The GPS should also give the trucker instructions on when and where to turn in a clear, understandable voice. If it speaks with a thick accent or garbles some of the words, that’s not helpful. The best unit will also feature information about where commercial trucks can and cannot go. In that respect, trucker ones differ from systems that someone driving a family sedan would most appreciate. A trucker’s GPS should feature real-time traffic information. If the GPS knows that there’s a traffic jam up ahead, it might be able to instruct the driver on where they can go to avoid it. Are There Any Other GPS Features a Trucker Might Want? Some truckers may also look for trip logging capabilities. If the GPS can log a trucker’s route before they leave, they will know approximately what to expect along the way. The trucker’s company can also refer back to the trip log if they want to know what route the trucker took and how long it took them to get to their destination. The screen size can be a more critical issue than you might think. Some GPS screens are relatively large, and that can distract a trucker and cause an accident. Commercial trucks are enormous, so distracted driving is not something the trucker or their company will ever want to occur. The screen should not be too small, either. If the trucker has to squint at it to make out when they should turn and where, that can be just as lethal as having too large of a screen. Some GPS options show places where a commercial truck can stop and refuel. Most truckers considered that to be advanced technology not long ago, but now, it is much more common. Knowing where to stop and gas up can save lots of time and trouble on a long trip from coast to coast. What most commercial truck drivers come to realize is that there is no single answer regarding what GPS to use. They may have to experiment with a few different ones before coming across the ideal model for their needs.
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, remote work has become increasingly popular globally. Likewise, most companies’ policies on remote work have changed as a result of multiple lockdowns. But, like your clients, you can keep your staff and remote teams happy through brand promotion even during this critical phase. Give them some practical and impressive promotional items. Such products will make your remote workers feel valued. Once they feel valued, they will work with increased enthusiasm and drive to take your company forward. Below is a list of some of the best promotional items to give your staff and remote teams. 1. Coffee Mugs and Tumblers Almost everyone needs a cup of refreshing coffee in the morning. Your employees will enjoy having it in an oversized coffee mug and tumbler. You can give away coffee mugs in a variety of colours, shapes, and sizes. In addition, a custom, double-wall insulated coffee tumbler can keep beverages hot/cold for even 6 hours. 2. Personalized Office Supplies Your remote workers tend not to have an entire set of ready office supplies. So, you can supply all-inclusive office kits as promotional itemsto customers, employees, and the target market. They consist of every small thing that your employees might need to be effective and organised throughout the entire working day. A stationery set can be a great option as it usually contains a notebook, touch pen, paper clips, small binder clips, and medium binder clips in different colours. Your workers can even fit it inside purses, tote bags, backpacks, handbags, and oversized pockets. You can imprint every set with your brand logo design. 3. Wholesale Desk organisers Remote working can be relaxing but also disorganised for some employees. They may even misplace or lose small items. You can mitigate these risks by giving them desk organisers. Employees can use them on their tables to keep an organised environment. In addition, desk organisers significantly decrease clutter because they come with different storage compartments and are ergonomically designed. This way, your remote workers get a storage place for small, medium, and extensive office supplies. They can keep sticky notes, scissors, paper clips, rulers, pens, pencils, compasses, highlighters, phones, business cards, and calculators closely. As they are available in a wide variety of colours and sizes, you can easily win over remote workers by giving them away as promotional items. 4. Mobile Phone Stands and Chargers Mobile phone technology is omnipresent. Almost everyone uses a mobile phone these days. You can get your employees promotional cell phone stands and USB or lightning charger cables. These come in various colours, shapes, sizes, and styles. These will also help boost employee productivity. The phone stand helps people use phones when charging them. There are personalised phone stands and chargers that are compatible with almost any USB port, meaning people can use them with any laptop they have at home. You can imprint each of them with a logo to make them unique to your business. 5. Ear Buds and organiser Kit Remote working comes with another big challenge, i.e., staying productive in a homely ambience with plenty of distractions. Earbuds or headphones are a perfect solution to this problem. They come in various colours and sizes so you can make your whole team feel special. When you give away earbuds as promotional items, workers can hook these up to their mobile phones or computers, helping them focus on their work better. No employee likes to have background noise distracting attendees from listening to what they have to say on a conference call, and no employee likes getting too distracted by background noise to listen to what someone is saying. Earbuds solve both problems. The earbuds are small enough to perfectly fit in a small tote bag, pocket, desk drawer, and purse and are thus an excellent item to use in a home office. You are fortunate to have a skilled team of remote workers during this global Covid19 pandemic. Giving them promotional items is one of the best ways for you to express your gratitude. As they strive hard to deliver their best performance and take your company forward, giving them something makes them feel special and valued. Giving away promotional itemsto your staff and remote workers can be a grand gesture of employee appreciation. As an added bonus, it also helps in brand promotion and keeps your business in their mind and the minds of their friends and relatives when they see what you’ve done for your employees.
LOVELL TOGETHER, the joint venture between leading national housebuilder Lovell Partnerships and Together Housing Group, is celebrating the launch of its latest partnership site as sales for Saddlers Grange go live. When complete, Saddlers Grange will offer 175 three- and four-bedroom homes in the town of Howden, 131 on the open market and 44 affordable homes through Together Housing Group, with show homes due to be ready for viewings in early October. Heading up sales at the development is sales advisor Jade Banks, who has spent the past two years working at Lovell Homes’ Willow Grange site in Doncaster, which has sold up ahead of time with just a few homes remaining on the market. She said: “I’m incredibly excited to start working on Saddlers Grange after a successful stint at Willow Grange. This will be the first Lovell Homes development that I will be working on from the very beginning, so I’m looking forward to starting from scratch and building a rapport with our new customers as we prepare to launch show homes in autumn.” Jade joined Lovell Homes after working in estate agency for eight years, giving her a unique approach when getting to know new developments and supporting clients during the purchasing process. She added: “With any development I work on, I always touch base with the local estate agents to find out as much as I can about the area. Howden is such a lovely town and, while I don’t live too far away, there are certain things that only a true local would know. These points can make all the difference when it comes to supporting the customer in the purchase of not only a home, but the location as well. “My background has also given me a valuable insight into what our customers are looking for. Our developments have something for everyone, but being able to pinpoint their particular wants and needs efficiently is incredibly beneficial. This new development is going to create a fantastic community within the town and has already gathered high interest from prospective homeowners.” Lovell Together aims to build 3,000 new homes across the north in the next five years to help tackle the housing crisis, with several other strategic opportunities currently in the pipeline. Robert Adams, regional managing director at Lovell, said: “We’re thrilled to have launched this brand-new development in Howden, which is a crucial part of the ongoing Lovell Together partnership, and we’re equally very excited to bring Jade onto the site. She’s had an incredibly successful couple of years in Doncaster and we’re looking forward to seeing her continue to thrive at Saddlers Grange.” Kevin Ruth, deputy chief executive at Together Housing Group, said, “We’re delighted to be working with Lovell Partnerships on this great new development in Howden. Through this partnership, we can increase the supply of high-quality homes for affordable rent in the area and help local people to find a home that’s right for them.” A selection of three- and four-bedroom homes have now been released, the Newbury, Tattenhoe and Southwold, all of which are detached houses with prices ranging from £245,000 to £375,000. The scheme is due to be completed in the next few years with the first phase of homes ready to welcome residents in autumn this year. The marketing suite is not yet open at Saddlers Grange, however sales executive Jade will be based at Willow Grange in Doncaster for all appointments. For more information on Saddlers Grange, or to book an appointment, please visit: www.lovell.co.uk/developments/saddlers-grange-howden/ or call 01430 670 868.
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.
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
“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.
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.
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.
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.