LEADING management and compliance software company Sypro has revealed an exciting rebrand to reflect the business’ modern software solutions and people-first approach, along with its company values and vision. Hard-wired into Sypro’s DNA is creating software that makes life simpler, happier, and easier. Its original branding was designed with the
The UK became the first major economy in the world to pass into law that it will bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Quickly following suit, we have seen many developers, contractors, engineers, and local authorities all pledging their commitment to ‘Net Zero’ with targets ranging
The online casino industry has been growing steadily over the last few years and shows no signs of slowing down. In 2019, the market was worth US$58.9 billion worldwide; by 2020 this was US$66.7 billion, and is expected to grow by 50% to almost US$93 billion by 2023. This growth
There is much more that goes into a building than its design. Choosing the right type of brick is crucial as it adds to the structure’s aesthetic beauty and effect. You need to take the utmost care and attention when deciding the type of bricks you want. Eventually, it can
Construction project managers can have a hard time on their hands with the sheer amount of variables and tasks they have to handle within any single project. The budget, the schedule, and change orders all have the potential to tie up and undermine the project, especially if a change in
The easing of lockdown came right on time for the official rededication of a restored World War One Memorial in the Midlands – exactly 100 years after it was first unveiled. It ensured the perfect finale to a painstaking two and a half year quest by Leicestershire builder and developer
Osprey Group is delighted to work with Orbital Marine Power to aid in the final planning stages of its ground-breaking tidal turbine, the Orbital O2 2MW. Orbital’s marine technology has the potential to unlock a new source of clean, predictable power for millions of people, homes, and businesses around the
Ventilation systems manufacturer EnviroVent has launched its new MEV 160 and MEV 300. These are versatile, compact, high performance mechanical ventilation systems ideal for houses, apartments and other communal residences, such as care homes and student accommodation. The MEV 160 and MEV 300 are designed to significantly enhance indoor air
W M Donald Ltd, based at Netherley, Stonehaven and Inverness are the first Civil Engineering Contractor in the North of Scotland to achieve carbon neutral status. With over 160 employees, and a fleet of 100 vehicles, W M Donald are widely recognised as industry leaders in civil engineering construction. Their
The UK’s slow-to-change-its-ways construction industry needs to harness the power of technology to flourish in a post-Brexit world, according to one industry specialist. Dan Grimshaw says unless the majority of future new homes are constructed off-site, the government is unlikely to achieve its pledge to reach net zero carbon by
LEADING management and compliance software company Sypro has revealed an exciting rebrand to reflect the business’ modern software solutions and people-first approach, along with its company values and vision. Hard-wired into Sypro’s DNA is creating software that makes life simpler, happier, and easier. Its original branding was designed with the construction industry in mind, but as services have expanded beyond this one sector, the visual branding has been evolved to reflect the technology expertise of the company with a refined and more sophisticated appearance. Dr Stuart Kings, technical director at Sypro, said: “This is a really exciting time for the team, with our rebrand including a new logo, website and refreshed brand identity. The strength of our people and our quality services is what defines us, and we now have a distinct personality to take us further as we continue to grow the business and develop our offerings further. At the core of what we do is innovating and collaborating to ensure that we are always moving forwards, finding new and better ways to make work easier for our clients. “Our products are designed to give support in industries where life can get very complicated, very quickly – and if the past year has taught us anything, it’s that harnessing the power of technology will drive us into a more flexible, efficient and productive future, which isn’t limited by where we work.” Made up of a team of 20 talented software developers and business management professionals, the Hull-headquartered company has been providing management software solutions since its inception in 2008. It now has more than 5,000 software users and having a track record of delivering projects across the globe with a combined value of more than £30 billion. Sypro’s range of services includes Contract Manager – the award-winning construction management software tool – and Total Risk Manager, which helps organisations run more effectively and actively identifies and helps to eliminate all aspects of operational risk. Stuart continued: “2021 has been off to a really strong start for Sypro, with the overall volume of contract requests being raised through our Contract Manager tool so far this year rising by more than 50 per cent on the same time in 2020. Added to this, the total project value of those projects has risen by more than 360 per cent to total more than £630 million. “Over the past 13 years, we have been proud to support clients as they have grown from small businesses to being some of the UK’s biggest organisations. The key to our success is our focus on people. This stretches beyond our product solutions and our own team, to encompass absolutely everything we do, including our support of local charities and our part in the Pagabo Foundation, raising awareness of mental health within the construction industry. “We’re proud to have grown from our humble Humber beginnings to the business that we are today and look forward to expanding both our teams and services in the future – all from our central Hull headquarters.” For more information, please visit https://www.sypro.co.uk/
The UK became the first major economy in the world to pass into law that it will bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Quickly following suit, we have seen many developers, contractors, engineers, and local authorities all pledging their commitment to ‘Net Zero’ with targets ranging from 2030 to 2050. As the transition to a zero-carbon economy accelerates, how will the supply chain from policy makers, to architects to waste management services impact how these targets are met? Use and re-use first If we look at the waste hierarchy, the last line of defence before landfill is to recycle and recover waste. However, this course of action still takes resources, costs, and consumes energy. Businesses need to evolve their thinking and actively reduce the amount of waste going through traditional routes of waste disposal, such as skips, bins and cages, in the first place. There needs to be a shift in focus from recycling to waste prevention – if a waste material isn’t going through existing methods of waste disposal and being reused or repurposed, should it actually be classed as waste at all? Construction companies should be identifying opportunities to reuse items prior to strip out and demolition stage. These items can then be matched with charities, social enterprises or local organisations in need. Also, for any ‘clean’ excess materials, these can be exchanged or bid for by other construction sites. There are tools available such as Project DIVERT and MATExch online platforms that have been established to facilitate this and provide data on the carbon outcomes based on the decisions that are made. Stay local If there is a carbon measure against every project, then ‘off setting’ is simply not the answer. While planting trees is a good thing, it is not the solution. We need a full carbon track and tracing system that is adopted from the outset of a design through to completion. This will make sure all decisions throughout the project are made with the intention to keep carbon to a minimum. An easy example of this is to source local suppliers and local products. For waste items identified as reusable, we can facilitate the diversion of these to the local community such as libraries may need floor tiles, local colleges may need construction sand for building courses, and homeless shelters may need cutlery and white goods. This stops the waste items going through the traditional routes of waste disposal and contributes social value and community legacy in the area. Early intervention is key Architects and design teams will play a huge role in assisting construction contractors address the carbon potential at the design stage. If projected carbon data around waste away services is calculated in the ‘project planning and design’ phase (ideally RIBA Stage 2) of a building refit or refurbishment project, a pre-construction and environmental audit (PCEA) can be implemented to influence the decisions being made by the designers and environmental teams, with actual carbon data to reference. Within that calculation, we must also include the embodied carbon. If materials can be reused, less will be manufactured and this is a huge carbon saving when you see it on paper. With this intelligence, the waste management plan can identify opportunities for: Putting these processes in place will mean there is actually minimal waste going into skips, to Materials Recycling Facilities (MRF’s) or EfW (Energy from Waste) Plants. Construction companies are responsible for the environmental impact of their site, therefore in order to meet standards, gain certification or meet council regulations, they must demonstrate they are making improvements to become more sustainable. However, it is not acceptable for companies to accept on behalf of their clients a blanket 98% recycling rate from the waste supply chain. This is not ‘their waste’ but that of all waste received to one destination. Construction companies can demonstrate, if planned and forecasted correctly, 100% end destination, 100% re-use, and a 100% recycle rate depending on the where the waste/ resource has been sent to. If your waste target for zero carbon is ‘zero waste to landfill’, then it’s already not good enough. We have found that while targets are in place within environmental audits to lower the carbon impact of waste materials, few have the data measurements and importantly the carbon track and trace methods which can help reduce carbon through the project life cycle. The fact that no one collates this data is a problem in itself and one we are currently trying to solve using our carbon track and trace technology. A worrying issue raised by the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) in a survey published last year was that almost half of local authorities in England did not know their carbon footprint, while 47 per cent said they did not have a plan in place for reducing the carbon emissions resulting from their built assets. If you don’t know what your carbon footprint is in the first place, how can you implement dynamic plans to reduce it? This means there must be a huge push towards calculating carbon savings and implementing carbon saving initiatives in the early stages of a project to have any chance of meeting the zero carbon targets set.
The online casino industry has been growing steadily over the last few years and shows no signs of slowing down. In 2019, the market was worth US$58.9 billion worldwide; by 2020 this was US$66.7 billion, and is expected to grow by 50% to almost US$93 billion by 2023. This growth has been driven by a number of factors, including the advent of the smart phone, changing player habits, the rise of the casual and hyper casual gamer, and, perhaps most importantly, advances in technology. The advances in technology have allowed for operators to design ever more engaging and complex games to attract and retain players, as well as making devices more affordable for players, and on the go connectivity more prevalent. Gone are the days that players had to go to a physical location to play; anyone (of age!) can now access all sorts of different types of games at the touch of a button, from the comfort of their own homes. But what is needed to build a successful online casino? Random Number Generators This is the foundation of any casino game. Without a reputable RNG, there is no way to reassure players that the games are fair, and no matter how good a game is, a rigged game will never be successful. Any reputable online casino will ensure they have a RNG; Virgin Games for example uses an industry certified Random Number Generator that is regulated and audited by the UK Gambling Commission in all its games. Variety of type of Software The more successful casinos use a variety of different types of software, some developed in-house, the majority from third parties (which is why there may be similar games in different casinos) to provide a range of types of games to suit different playing styles, as well as for compatibility across different devices. 1- Downloadable Software This is usually only compatible with PCs (although with mobile devices becoming more powerful some newer models may be able to run this type of software), and allows players to download once, and from there just log in and go! 2- Instant Play Software This type of software is very common in online casinos, as it allows players to open and play, without having to download anything, making it a popular option for mobile gamers, despite still being browser-based. 3- Mobile Apps This is by far the most compatible option for mobile gamers. Rather than accessing the casino through a browser, players simply download an app to their phone and click and play. It also means that the content is optimised for mobile devices, meaning that text can be read easily and games fit the screen! Variety of Software Developers There are a large number of different third party software developers who sell their products to many casinos online. Whilst it may feel that this will reduce the variety for players, they work closely with their clients to build bespoke games with individual themes and house rules. It does also mean that players can be assured that when they are playing a game that there is consistency across the market and they aren’t going to be ripped off! 1- Net Entertainment This is one of the most well established and reputable casino game developers in the world, having won a large number of awards over the years. They primarily focus on slots, though have branched out into other casino games, including live dealer games. Virgin Games has tapped into their expertise in the world of slots, with 36 slot games offered that have been created by NetEnt, including top ones such as Gonzo’s Quest, Starburst, and Twin Spin. 2- Microgaming Around since 1994, Microgaming is one of, if not the, oldest casino game developer. Dominating the market with over 600 different games in their portfolio, Microgaming provides some of Virgin games most popular offerings, including slots and blackjack. They are also leaders in the usage of new technology and are currently working on an Oculus Rift compatible roulette gaming, taking steps into the use of Virtual Reality in the world of online casinos. 3- Evolution Gaming Evolution gaming is an innovative developer which provides the majority of all Virgin Games Blackjack and Roulette games, including 10p Roulette, Instant Roulette Live, and Phoenix Roulette. As well as working with operators to develop bespoke games, they also have their own original games, setting the apart from the competition. Additionally, they are experts in Live Dealer games and specialise in creating Game Show Category Games, such as Monopoly, also available on Virgin Games and hugely popular with the more casual gambler. Stable Platform The final key to a successful online casino is to have a stable platform to host all the games. Virgin Games ensures this by using Unity. Unity provides support to ensure the consistent and constant delivery of the service to players, as well as offering high quality graphics and integration capability, and interactive tools to make changes easy and in real-time, allowing operators to react to needs in real time. There are a number of different elements to take into consideration when building an online casino, from the target demographic, the types of games, and, hugely important, the foundations, of software, security, and fairness to the player. Without these, no matter how attractive the games and offers, no online casino could succeed in the market.
There is much more that goes into a building than its design. Choosing the right type of brick is crucial as it adds to the structure’s aesthetic beauty and effect. You need to take the utmost care and attention when deciding the type of bricks you want. Eventually, it can prove extremely costly if as an architect, your client doesn’t like the aesthetics you choose for their building after a few years. Are you among those who think brick is a brick? There is more to choosing a brick than what the ordinary homeowner thinks. This article will look at brick selection, choosing your brick colour, and the mortar variations. In reality, there is more to bricks – facing bricks or engineering bricks. Once you know about this, you can decide on the right brick for your building. Brick Selection Brick selection is the first and most important aspect of our building construction. Here, you can choose between facing bricks and engineering bricks. The particular type you choose would depend on your location and budget. For instance, if you want a more water-resistant type of brick, the best option would be engineering brick. However, for an aesthetic effect on your wall or building, facing brick will serve that purpose. Furthermore, if you decide to use facing bricks, you also have to choose from soft mud or extruded bricks. For engineering bricks, you can opt to use either class A or B engineering bricks. All of these come in different colours and shapes. Nevertheless, for a smoother and smarter brick, you can use machine-produced extruded brick. Choosing Brick Colour We have building bricks of different colours for you to choose from. Besides the stress of selecting the right brick, you also need to find the perfect colour to match your building. For most people, a major consideration is the colour and texture of bricks. To help you, here are a few colours to choose from for your building project. Your location would depend on the brick colour you choose. For instance, in London, yellow bricks are common, whereas deeper reds are used in north England. However, those in the Midlands usually use an orange tone colour. Mortar Variations The particular mortar you use would depend on the project and the design specification. Mortar r of different types such as N, O, S, and M. Each of these have specific areas where you would use them. For instance, they are used below grade, manholes, sewers, and retaining walls for mortal type S. You need to ascertain the project you are working on to determine the mortar type you choose. Conclusion The choice of brick for a building project can make the project a success or failure. If you choose the wrong brick, it could spell a resounding failure. Selecting a brick is beyond the colour and size; you also have to determine the type of brick to use for your project. With MGN Builders Merchants online store, you can get a variety of facing bricks for your building. Interestingly, you have everything within the swap of your finger.
Construction project managers can have a hard time on their hands with the sheer amount of variables and tasks they have to handle within any single project. The budget, the schedule, and change orders all have the potential to tie up and undermine the project, especially if a change in one part of the process manifests a widescale change in the whole. However, there are tools and tips that project managers can implement to improve that construction process, some of which we’re going to take a look at now. Plan More Effectively The problems that lead to change orders and schedule changes typically happen in the planning stage of the project. As such, it’s important to work with project planning tools that allow you to more accurately gauge what resources you are going to need to complete a project, what processes are part of that project, and what equipment and skills are needed to complete those processes. Otherwise, if you later find out that you are missing the materials, equipment, people, or information that you need, you’re going to have to halt or slow the project in order to try and find them. Train Your Team to Work with Better Project Standards We’re going to assume that you have already found a team that is well-trained in operating their equipment and providing the labor that you need them to provide. However, they need to be more than experienced in their roles during a construction project. Your team should be trained to collaborate and communicate more effectively as possible. Training them to break down the end goal of processes, to create and follow check-off goals, and to use any workflow planning software that allows them to update project plans when they have complete a process within it can allow them to help you keep better track of project process. Supervising your team so that you are able to correct them on any incorrect methods during projects is crucial, too. Eliminate Change Orders as Best as Possible Change orders, as most will know, are work processes that are added or removed from the scope of a project, and often they cost time, money, and bring problems to projects that were not part of the original design. There are two main types of change orders, the first being owner-initiated changes which are typically unavoidable (unless you can advise the project owner otherwise), but there are also change orders caused by design omissions and errors, which can definitely be prevented. Project management software can play a huge role in lowering change orders. It can help better define workflows so that omissions are easier to notice, use reminders to keep you on track, and provide an audit trail so you have evidence on project planning and changes all the way through. Get Your Team Involved in the Project Planning If you trust that you are working with a competent team, especially those that have technical expertise that you may not, then it’s a good idea to get their opinion on project plans. You may, for instance, choose to share plans with them ahead of time, to see if any of those with plenty of experience in the field highlight something that the plan may be missing. Even when the project is underway, you should ensure that your team is given the confidence to speak up if they think something is going wrong with the project. One person `cannot spot every potential difficulty; those working on the project every day might easily spot something that you miss. Keep the Crew Accountable While your team may be a crucial asset that can provide more insight than you are currently gathering from them, they can also be responsible for the mistakes and under-performance that can lead to schedule and budget changes. The right key performance indicators (KPIs) can help you keep track of how they are doing within a project, highlight problem areas in advance, and providing the training, advice, or restructuring where it might be needed. You can tie performance measurements and record-keeping to rewards, such as bonuses, so your workers are better incentivized to help you accurately keep records on them, too. Keep your bottom line intact, avoiding schedule delays and projects going over budget as best as you can with the tips above. You can’t control every aspect of the construction process, but you can make sure that you have the right systems in place to prevent major disruptions.
The easing of lockdown came right on time for the official rededication of a restored World War One Memorial in the Midlands – exactly 100 years after it was first unveiled. It ensured the perfect finale to a painstaking two and a half year quest by Leicestershire builder and developer Adrian Burr to renovate the desecrated and damaged monument in time for its centenary. Burr, chairman of award-winning developers Springbourne Homes in Market Bosworth, discovered the overgrown and abandoned memorial shortly after acquiring the site for his current Hornsey Rise development in Wellsborough, Leicestershire. He explained: “It was covered in brambles and weeds, its plaque had been stolen and it was in a very sorry state. “Clearly it was a monument but it wasn’t until I launched a nationwide appeal for information that I finally discovered its full story and significance.” That appeal went out in November 2018 and proved a resounding success. The archives at a London Library revealed that the Memorial had been erected in 1921 in memory of 380 members of the NATSOPA printers union who were killed in WW1 between 1914-1918. Old photographs showed it had been the centre piece of a Remembrance Garden at the former NATSOPA Memorial Care Home which had once stood on the Wellsborough site. A book charting the history of the NATSOPA union also provided all the names of the 380 victims. Burr immediately commissioned the renovation and relocation of the imposing granite relic into a new Peace Garden at Hornsey Rise and held an uplifting rededication ceremony on Monday March 29, fittingly on the centenary of the opening of the old Memorial Home. He added: “We desperately wanted to celebrate the Memorial’s restoration and relocation on its centenary but the Covid restrictions had us really sweating over whether the timing would be right. “It turned out to be perfect and I’m so happy and relieved that we managed to make it happen exactly 100 years after it was first unveiled. “At Springbourne Homes we always strive to do the right thing which is why we’re so pleased to have been able to safeguard an important part of the history and heritage of our Hornsey Rise site.” BBC TV filmed the rededication ceremony which included VIP guests Tony Burke, Assistant General Secretary of the Unite Union, which absorbed Natsopa, David Humberston from the At Risk War Memorials Project and Valerie Jacques of the Western Front Association. Ann Field, from London’s Marx Memorial Library, whose research was so valuable to the restoration project, also attended alongside local historian Nigel Palmer from the Market Bosworth Society. Unite union chief Burke said: “It is wonderful to see this memorial restored and resplendent again so we can once again commemorate the sacrifice of the NATSOPA print workers who sadly lost their lives in the first world war.” Humberston said: “Far too often we hear of memorials being lost forever and far too rarely do we hear of companies or individuals investing both time and money to preserve the history of a Memorial and the memory of the men it commemorates. “The role of Adrian Burr and his company Springbourne Homes in both reconstructing and researching this NATSOPA Memorial is therefore exceptional and worthy of the highest praise.” Burr has even acted to ensure the full history of the Memorial, the NATSOPA Care Home and the Hornsey Rise site is now accessible to all via a QR code situated in the Peace Garden. For more information visit: www.springbournehomes.co.uk
Osprey Group is delighted to work with Orbital Marine Power to aid in the final planning stages of its ground-breaking tidal turbine, the Orbital O2 2MW. Orbital’s marine technology has the potential to unlock a new source of clean, predictable power for millions of people, homes, and businesses around the world. Moored via anchors in powerful tidal stream or river currents, the tidal turbine’s underwater rotors capture the hugely dense, predictable, renewable energy that flows in the world’s ocean and river currents. As a team, Osprey’s 25-year marine heritage provides the transferrable skills necessary to deliver an end-to-end project plan incorporating inland water, onshore, and offshore specialist logistics. The Orbital O2 turbine itself is being assembled in Dundee. A line-configuration of Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) will be used to move the equipment from its construction site to a launch site, where it will be loaded onto a barge. In a world’s first, the barge will then be taken to the float-offsite and submerged to a depth of seven metres, from which point the O2 will be floated off and tugged out into position. Nigel Fletcher, CEO, Osprey: “The innovation behind our logistics lets us develop new methods of logistics’ deployment, and it enables us to transfer those techniques from one sector to the next. We’ve been working with all kinds of renewables’ clients for 25 years. We’re thrilled to win this contract and be delivering these services to a client that has the same shared ethos and values – validating the benefits for the planet of combined engineering expertise and a commitment to delivering cleaner energy.” The O2 tidal turbine will be installed in Spring, 2021 at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. Images and footage will be available.
Ventilation systems manufacturer EnviroVent has launched its new MEV 160 and MEV 300. These are versatile, compact, high performance mechanical ventilation systems ideal for houses, apartments and other communal residences, such as care homes and student accommodation. The MEV 160 and MEV 300 are designed to significantly enhance indoor air quality with multiple extract points to simultaneously draw moisture-laden air from the wet rooms, whilst minimising the migration of humidity to other rooms. They have airflow rates up to 74l/s for the MEV 160 and 111l/s for the MEV 300 and can achieve extremely low Specific Fan Powers down to 0.19 W/l/s , suitable for applications with a kitchen plus six additional wet rooms. These systems are extremely compact with a low profile of 16cm, making them perfect for areas where space is restricted. They can be wall, floor or ceiling mounted, horizontally or vertically with just four fixing points. The MEV 160 and 300 have also been designed to connect to either standard 125mm rigid ducting or 75mm/90mm Fast Track range of ducting as an option. EnviroVent’s innovative Fast Track Ducting range ensures rapid installation, up to twice the speed of traditional screw and glue and provides a sustainable airtight connection. Rory Percival, Head of R&D and Technical at EnviroVent, explains: “These are two extremely high performance MEV systems, which will prove to be very effective in improving indoor air quality. They have been designed to be very user-friendly and with ease and flexibility of installation in mind and feature six twist, fix and release entry points. They are also very compact and have minimal noise levels, making them ideal for domestic ventilation projects.” Weighing just 5 kg, they are simple and quick to install by one person, featuring an easy push button commissioning pad, enabling the installer to correctly set the required airflow rate quickly and effectively. The MEV 160 and 300 run continuously at a low level to ensure good indoor air quality. Intellitrac® humidity tracking comes as standard, which constantly monitors the humidity level, meaning no user intervention is required. Use of Intellitrac® means that as humidity rises and falls, the motor speed responds in direct correlation to control condensation quietly and efficiently. The MEV 160 and 300 can also be connected to the AirSens® range of Indoor Air Quality Sensors. These provide an easy-to-read colour coded display, showing the current air quality at any time. AirSens® is available in three different models to detect Carbon Dioxide, Volatile Organic Compounds and Relative Humidity. EnviroVent is a Harrogate-based manufacturer of residential ventilation equipment, employing over 230 people across two sites. The company has over 25 years’ experience in delivering sustainable products that are built to last the life cycle of a building. For more information on improving the air quality in your home, find your local EnviroVent Specialist Ventilation Advisor, via the website www.envirovent.com or by calling 0345 27 27 807.
W M Donald Ltd, based at Netherley, Stonehaven and Inverness are the first Civil Engineering Contractor in the North of Scotland to achieve carbon neutral status. With over 160 employees, and a fleet of 100 vehicles, W M Donald are widely recognised as industry leaders in civil engineering construction. Their team played an important role in servicing the majority of the recent key infrastructure projects in the North East, including AWPR, Counteswells, Chapelton of Elsick, Grandhome, Kingsford Training Facility, and Nigg Bay Harbour. The company has already achieved ISO accreditations 9001, 14001, 45001, and operates from a newly constructed “low carbon” office built to the best practice standards for environmental performance through design, specification, construction and operation (BREEAM). The building has many low energy elements including Air Source heat pumps for heating and hot water and 100 kW of Photo Voltaic panels to offset electrical demand. Achieving Carbon Neutral Status was just one of many objectives that the W M Donald senior management team have set out to demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvement, and to protecting the natural world. Aberdeen-based consultants, Carbon-Zero, were responsible for carrying out the review of W M Donald’s practices, and highlighting ways of reducing their impact on the environment. Current initiatives being rolled out by W M Donald include installation of 4 nr 21KW electric car charging points, electric pool cars and purchasing of green electricity units, with several more already planned or in the early stages of implementation. Ewan Riddoch, Managing Director, W M Donald said: “Everyone from Directors to Site Teams are extremely proud of our carbon neutral status. It clearly demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement. Embracing new and improved ways of working is at the heart of everything we do, and it has been brilliant to see our whole team get behind the process of achieving this standard. “The team from Carbon-Zero have been an incredible support, especially as most of this assessment was carried out during Covid-19 restrictions. With their continued guidance we are now working on additional environmental initiatives that our team and clients will also benefit from.” Brian Johnstone, Business Development and Assessor, Carbon-Zero said: “In the efforts they have made in establishing their low carbon operations base, and their ongoing carbon management commitment, WM Donald are an example to all businesses of what can be achieved in reducing their carbon emissions. They should be commended for their foresight and congratulated on becoming a Carbon Neutral business.”
The UK’s slow-to-change-its-ways construction industry needs to harness the power of technology to flourish in a post-Brexit world, according to one industry specialist. Dan Grimshaw says unless the majority of future new homes are constructed off-site, the government is unlikely to achieve its pledge to reach net zero carbon by 2050. “Brexit was hailed as a means of transforming the UK into a technology superpower and that same ethos needs to carry on through into home building,” said Dan, from Beam Development. “To meet the government’s net zero carbon promise and 300,000-homes-a-year target, the focus needs to be more on prefabrication and factory-based methods. “The construction industry still has an old-fashioned way of doing things with practices leftover from the past. It’s going to have to keep up or we’ll get left behind. “Building onsite means juggling with challenging time schedules and so many variables: the weather, the quality of the people, the different materials, to name but a few. “And what’s more, you couldn’t even get a mortgage on a timber framed house until quite recently, which has also slowed down the pace of modernisation. “By contrast, off-site construction is about quality control, and being able to build things in a managed environment rather than being out on a building site. “Ultimately the big players in the industry will have to move to off-site construction and there will then be a sea change – as was the case with electric cars – then it will all become normal.” Earlier this month’s the Government announced it is set to establish a Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) taskforce to accelerate the delivery of MMC homes in the UK. Dan says the advantages of MMCs can be seen across the spectrum of specification. “Where homes are constructed along a production line in a factory setting – rather than on a building site – makes sense and creates huge carbon savings,” he added. “Modular homes can be installed within days and are high-tech, hard-wearing and provide a contemporary solution to traditional construction problems. “A streamlined process that can be repeated time and again for each project means costs are saved through economies of scale and lowered design costs. “The buildings are designed in panels, so simple designs can be achieved easily, while more complex ones which involve more work, take a little longer. “Houses or sections of a house will come on a lorry from the factory, pre-assembled, and with everything installed including a boiler, and delivered to the site. “All of the electric components just need to be clipped and connected together by a house assembly team and the whole thing can be ready in days. “There will still be specific skills needed in the design and in manufacturing of course, but these will be done in the factory under more controlled conditions.” In Europe Estonia-based Kodasema is the world’s fourth-largest exporter of MMC houses, with Germany’s Huff Haus the high-spec market leaders, and BoKlok, meanwhile, a joint venture between Scandinavian giants Skanska and Ikea, caters for the mass market. As part of the Future Homes Standard, the government has outlined plans to reduce carbon emissions from homes by almost a third. Dan Grimshaw is a design and construction specialist who has worked on premium residential projects for more than 15 years. Dan believes in the importance of nurturing talent and is a mentor to the British Library’s prestigious Innovating for Growth programme. For further information visit: www.beamdevelopment.co.uk