THERE is no doubt that many across the construction industry expect The Construction Playbook to be a driver of truly transformational change. One thing that has resonated with national framework provider Pagabo is that ten of the 14 key policies outlined by the government fall within the first of the five phases of procurement.
In early April, when industrial fires broke out in two different locations, they both had the same devastating outcome. On the 10th April, a fire started in a furniture factory in County Antrim damaging the building. Two days later, a fire swept through a bedmaking factory in Dewsbury. Neither building
Emergency services were called to a 19-storey tower-block over the weekend when a fire broke out at New Providence Wharf development, near Canary Wharf, which reportedly had cladding similar to that found on Grenfell Tower. So far, it appears no lives were lost, but according to the London Fire Brigade (LFB), two adults were taken to
The latest research by Warwick Estates has found that detached homes have been outperforming all other property types for at least 15 years, showing that, while recent growth has indeed been strong due to lockdown, detached properties have always been central to the success of the UK housing market. The
Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, welcomes the new ‘Matter’ connectivity standard, which it will begin adopting across its connected home and buildings portfolio. Schneider Electric, recognized by Corporate Knights as the world’s most sustainable corporation, is one of the 180 most innovative companies within the Connectivity Standards
Award-winning Yorkshire housebuilder Ilke Homes has partnered with national training provider Code for a major apprenticeship programme to develop its workforce. Ilke Homes is expanding its Knaresborough-based operation with the addition of 30 apprentices, and the company is currently recruiting for its next intake of production team members. The firm,
Baseline Report for the Future Fens: Flood Risk Management programme is now available Covering the Fens within the River Great Ouse catchment, the programme aims to build a common understanding of the challenges ahead Phase 1 of the flood risk management work started three-years ago to develop a shared understanding
Work has begun on a multi-million pound ambulance service hub for West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) in Sandwell. Leading property developer Stoford is delivering the 76,000 sq ft purpose-built hub, the largest hub of its kind in the country, which will eventually house about 350 operational ambulance staff. Contractor McLaren
The employee-owned business has utilised its team of in-house experts to source the sustainable future of bottle packaging. Flexi-Hex sleeves are produced from 85% recycled paper and can be easily recycled after use, supporting the environmentally conscious technology. The pinch top box ensures a completely plastic-free design by eliminating the
When the market is hot, buyers are hungry, and properties move fast. When the market is less than ideal, some extra work may be necessary to attract potential buyers to available listings. New development and construction are no exception to this situation. Regardless, developing a system to reach potential buyers
THERE is no doubt that many across the construction industry expect The Construction Playbook to be a driver of truly transformational change. One thing that has resonated with national framework provider Pagabo is that ten of the 14 key policies outlined by the government fall within the first of the five phases of procurement. With a goal of demystifying the Playbook, Pagabo is leading on a series of webinars over the coming months – the first of which saw executive chairman, Gerard Toplass, being joined by a panel of experts, including Jane O’Leary, strategic advisor for education at ISG; Peter Masonbrook, associate director at Faithful+Gould, and Jan Grant, managing director at ProQual. As well as this, the panel was joined by Fergus Harradence, deputy director for infrastructure and construction at the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), who was involved in bringing the Construction Playbook to publication. Gerard said: “One of the key focuses within the construction industry as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic is to ‘build back better’. The Construction Playbook is just one way in which the government is showing its commitment to doing this and will be one of the most important building blocks for us to do this – but it will take a joined-up effort from the whole industry.” Cultural and behavioural change will be key Many of the policies outlined in the Playbook will be underpinned by the need for behavioural change. This was highlighted by Peter Masonbrook of Faithful+Gould when it comes to social value and a ‘whole life’ approach. These are terms that the industry is extremely familiar with at this point, but there are still attitude changes needed. There is an appetite from the public sector for social value measurement, but as professionals we need to be measuring that social impact beyond asset delivery. As we would measure ‘whole life costs’ from a capital point of view, we must be considering how the local community will benefit from our projects in years to come. The overriding driver of the Playbook is to maximise the benefit for the public purse – and the Playbook is a clear directive that this cannot stop the moment a project is handed over. There has also been a clear direction of policy set out by the government when it comes to a widespread adoption of modern methods of construction (MMC) with recent legislation, with an expectation for wider adoption to permeate throughout the wider industry. It is important to remember that MMC is not simply ‘big Lego’, but a wider term, embracing a range of manufacturing and construction techniques. Indeed, we are seeing this permeate throughout the industry – with Fergus highlighting the education and housing sectors as particularly strong but noting that other more complex areas of the industry may take longer due to their nature, such as infrastructure. However, the panel expect to see an acceleration of MMC throughout the industry – and as more clients and contractors embrace these methods, the quicker adoption will accelerate to a point where they are the primary options. Again, this leans into the cultural and behavioural changes that continue to arise in conversations around the Construction Playbook. Jane O’Leary, strategic advisor education at ISG, highlighted that contractors must make sure that their cultures work with that of the client. Flexibility to client’s requirements must go beyond the project itself and into the way in which we collaborate. The pandemic has shown that construction can prove its reputation wrong by adapting and responding very quickly when needed. A huge part of this has been thanks to digital technology and is an attitude that the industry cannot lose. As an industry, we are second only to agriculture when it comes to digitisation, and through adoption of technology we have the potential to see the kind of step change seen in the retail world during the 1990s – so we need to use the momentum built by the pandemic to drive this even further. Training for the future – Playbook and beyond It’s clear that truly delivering on the government’s agenda here goes beyond simply reading the Playbook. Fergus Harradance detailed the work being done by government to upskill people on the elements within the document to ensure that they are in the best position to adapt to it. The Playbook covers so much ground – taking you from the point where you decide what you want to build, to asset handover and beyond, as well as several key government agendas – so it’s clear that every organisation within the built environment is going to have to adapt its behaviour in some form in response. As the panel agreed, there is a huge emphasis on changing culture and behaviour in order to deliver on the aims of the Playbook, but this goes beyond projects and processes. Jan Grant, managing director of awarding body ProQual, brought a fresh perspective to the discussion, focusing on the need to not just adapt the way the industry works – but how it learns too. ProQual’s digital-led approach ties into the principles of the Construction Playbook, allowing a competency passport to be delivered that gives a visual confirmation of skills and competency, and corroborates the authenticity of an individual and their core skills. The future emphasis, however, is for organisations like ProQual to work closely with the industry to identify what skills are needed, rather than dictate this. This is the only way to develop truly fit-for-purpose qualifications that help the industry progress. This in itself creates opportunity for the industry to lead, adapt and tackle issues quickly through training. An example of this is the current need for recladding buildings following Grenfell, which is an ongoing process that would greatly benefit from more training specific to the task at hand. Through close collaboration, specific qualifications could be developed, accredited, and rolled out to deliver expertise to a specific issue. And another consideration would be to ensure that this – or any new qualification – allows for transferable skills to keep our skilled workers within the industry. Gerard concluded: “To reflect the need for industry wide collaboration to deliver on the principles of the Construction Playbook, we’re really pleased to be bringing together expert panellists throughout this series of webinars on the topic. Together we must work
In early April, when industrial fires broke out in two different locations, they both had the same devastating outcome. On the 10th April, a fire started in a furniture factory in County Antrim damaging the building. Two days later, a fire swept through a bedmaking factory in Dewsbury. Neither building contained a sprinkler system and both businesses are now counting the cost of the damage and dealing with the disruption to their livelihoods. Once again, we must question the understanding of the vulnerability to such fires and the gap in regulations. The fire at Abbey Upholsterers in Carrickfergus started in the early hours of Saturday and completely ravaged a major part of 6,000m2 industrial building, despite the efforts of 70 firefighters from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. Local roads were closed and residents were asked to close their windows due to smoke. The deputy mayor of the local council expressed his shock at the event as the business is an important local employer, supplying furnishing products to hotels across the UK and Ireland. In Dewsbury on Monday 12th April, eight fire engines and two aerial appliances from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spent several hours putting out a blaze at the 2,800m2 Matza factory, with smoke plumes that could be seen as far away as Huddersfield. The local family-run bedmaking business employed 50 workers, who like the company, face an uncertain future. In both cases, these are industrial buildings that have no guidance for compartment size limits or the need for sprinklers. The Fire Safety Building Regulations (FSBR) guidance envisages unlimited size industrial buildings. In the case of warehouses they can be 14 – 20,000m2 in footprint and in many cases up to 18m tall, without incurring guidance for subdivision or sprinklers. Such buildings are truly enormous, roughly six times the size of your average out-of-town DIY store. But the FSBR makes no consideration for the protection of property or indeed the minimising of the spread of fire within the building. The building will survive for the period it takes to get people out, after which we transition into a period where the inherent resilience diminishes. They have physical limitations when it comes to firefighting due to their compartment size. There is a twisted logic that says the building is disposable in the event of fire. Industrial fires such as these once again highlight the rationale for greater consideration of property protection alongside life safety as a reasonable requirement. Such an expectation would result in more buildings being designed to be resilient to disproportionate damage, using combinations of passive and active fire safety measures. The BSA believes that sprinkler systems would be a major part of this change and should be considered more readily as a viable option right across the built environment, whether it is a care home, block of flats, hospital, school, retail or leisure facility or a commercial and industrial building. We must always be thankful when a fire is contained and extinguished with no loss of life, but it is not enough. Lives are still affected regardless, and we must strive to minimise the effect that fire has in all circumstances. When we minimise fire spread we not only protect lives, we protect property, businesses and jobs. A properly controlled fire can be the difference between a building requiring renovation or demolition. Halting the spread of fire when it is first detected is the best way to limit damage and minimise costs and impacts. Sprinklers have been shown to contain, control or extinguish fires in 99% of cases1. The impacted business can be operational within hours, avoiding the economic and social costs. Given the availability of solutions, it begs the question as to why do we continue to repeat the same actions over and over again and expect different results? We need to break the chain and have the discussion on minimising fire damage and property protection for the benefit of our wider communities, the environment, longer-term business security, and the mutual benefits it will bring. For more information about the BSA visit the www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org 1Efficiency and Effectiveness of Sprinkler Systems in the United Kingdom: An Analysis from Fire Service Data – Optimal Economics May 2017
Emergency services were called to a 19-storey tower-block over the weekend when a fire broke out at New Providence Wharf development, near Canary Wharf, which reportedly had cladding similar to that found on Grenfell Tower. So far, it appears no lives were lost, but according to the London Fire Brigade (LFB), two adults were taken to hospital to be treated for the effects of smoke inhalation with a further 38 adults and four children receiving treatment at the scene. The fire broke out just days before the cladding had been scheduled to be removed. Roughly 22% of the building’s facade features aluminium composite material polyethylene (ACM PE) cladding panels, which were found to be a key factor in the 2017 Grenfell fire that killed 72 people. Apsana Begum, the Poplar & Limehouse Labour MP, commented: “For years now, constituents at New Providence Wharf, where there are 1,500 apartments, have been left vulnerable and unsafe due to numerous fire safety and building safety defects and the fact that ACM cladding remains on these buildings. “The fire this morning shows just how serious this issue is and why constituents have been right to continue to raise alarm bells for so many months. ‘The developer Ballymore have promised action, but to date, constituents have not received information on fire engineer reports and details of any remediation works.” In a statement, developers Ballymore said the safety of its residents was “paramount”, but argued that the cladding “played no part” in the fire: “A fire broke out in an apartment on the 8th floor of a building in the New Providence Wharf development. Thanks to the rapid and professional response of the London Fire Brigade the fire was quickly contained, with all residents evacuated from the building in a timely manner, in accordance with the building’s fire safety protocols. Due to the fire brigade response and to the performance of the fire safety systems on the building, the fire damage was contained to one apartment and to two balconies of apartments above. Although we expect most residents to return to their homes this evening, Ballymore is providing accommodation in a nearby hotel for those who require it. “We understand how difficult and distressing today has been for our residents and we are grateful for the patience they have demonstrated. Our response team on the ground will continue to support them in any way we can. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and we continue to work closely with the London Fire Brigade during their investigations. We can however confirm that the ACM cladding on the building did not combust and played no part in causing or facilitating the fire. Enabling works to remove the ACM cladding have been underway for two weeks prior to today’s incident. The works will recommence as soon as possible.” Besides the cladding, another disturbing element is that residents are reporting that there was no alarm and no reporting system. 33-year-old resident James said: “I didn’t know at first, when I opened my window this morning I could see and smell the smoke, it was thick black smoke, even at the side of the building, where I live. But what I don’t get is that there was no alarm, no alert, had I not opened my window I might not have clocked it. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, or how my flat looks, but I know for sure some people are going to be very unhappy and devastated when they see the damage to their flat.” Andrew, a 47-year old resident in the adjoining block, told reporters that he only found out when neighbours sounded the alarm from their balconies. “There was no functioning sprinkler system or fire alarm,” he said. “It was neighbours and the resident Whatsapp group which got people out. My understanding is there were one or two members of the waking watch knocking on doors, but this isn’t the solution to alerting a huge number of people to evacuate a building. We have known since 2017 that we have the same cladding as Grenfell, knowing we are risking our lives in the building.”
The latest research by Warwick Estates has found that detached homes have been outperforming all other property types for at least 15 years, showing that, while recent growth has indeed been strong due to lockdown, detached properties have always been central to the success of the UK housing market. The past year has seen property prices rise at remarkable speed and none so much as detached homes. It has been reported that the value of detached homes is outperforming all other property types as buyers seek out bigger homes with gardens as a result of being locked down for the best part of a year. However, the research by Warwick Estates shows that, while recent growth has indeed been strong, detached properties have historically outperformed all other types of home for the past 15 years. Since 2006, the value of detached homes in England has increased by 63%, equivalent to a rise of £158,165. This is more than semi-detached (60%), terraced (62%), and flats (57%), although all have proved a solid investment. With bigger rises still, the value of detached homes in Scotland has increased by 65%, or £112,410, while semi-detached (59%), terraced (58%), and flats (36%) lag behind. It’s worth noting that Scotland’s percentage rise is bigger than England’s, but due to the vast difference in property prices in each region, England’s pounds-and-pence growth is the greater of the two (£158,165). In both Wales and Northern Ireland, the trend remains the same, with the value of detached homes rising by 39% and 18% respectively, more than all other property types. Regionally, London has seen the most extraordinary price growth with a rise of 119% over 15 years, followed by the South East (81%), East (77%), South West (60%), and the East Midlands (55%) completing the top 5. One interesting point to note, and the only anomaly in the data, the value of detached homes in the South West has risen by 60%, but so too has the value of semi-detached homes. This makes the South West the only region in the UK where the rising value of detached homes has been matched by another property type. Finally, it’s hard to ignore the difference between price growth in London, number one on the list, and the North East which sits at the very bottom. With just 19% growth in the value of detached homes, the North East trails 100% behind London, further demonstrating the historic regional disparity that exists in the UK. COO of Warwick Estates, Emma Power, commented: “Detached properties appear to be flavour of the month right now with buyers keen to find bigger homes in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns. But this data shows us that the important role detached homes now have in driving our market forward is not a new phenomenon: they have long been the backbone of residential property. ”The vast gulf between growth in London and growth in the North East is, of course, concerning as it highlights, once again, something we’ve known for a long time about the very different fortunes of our northern and southern markets. But, we can feel quite optimistic that things will soon have more balance as, in recent months, the North East has shown some very strong growth while London’s market has sputtered. It won’t remain that way for long, of course, but as we move forward, I’m hopeful the gap will be somewhat narrower.” Table shows the best performing property type based on house price increase in the last 15 years Location Detached Price Change (£) Detached Price Change (%) Semi Detached Price Change (£) Semi Detached Price Change (%) Terraced Price Change (£) Terraced Price Change (%) Flat Price Change (£) Flat Price Change (%) Scotland £112,410 65% £62,960 59% £49,805 58% £29,914 36% England £158,165 63% £94,937 60% £84,137 62% £85,888 57% Wales £76,748 39% £47,342 38% £38,292 37% £16,863 16% Northern Ireland £33,058 18% £19,080 15% £8,649 9% £747 1% By Region London £532,161 119% £332,134 115% £293,223 123% £209,081 97% South East £267,909 81% £160,624 77% £124,196 75% £70,064 49% East of England £201,956 77% £134,020 75% £109,692 74% £66,130 50% South West £163,023 60% £106,604 60% £85,601 58% £47,856 37% East Midlands £109,528 55% £69,496 54% £56,347 53% £29,753 30% West Midlands region £118,046 50% £68,835 49% £54,265 47% £24,949 23% Yorkshire and the Humber £91,671 45% £53,218 42% £41,005 40% £19,705 18% North West £97,559 45% £60,447 44% £40,387 40% £26,089 24% North East £37,780 19% £21,043 18% £13,865 14% -£908 -1% House price data sourced from the UK House Price Index – Feb 2006 to Feb 2021 (latest available data)
Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, welcomes the new ‘Matter’ connectivity standard, which it will begin adopting across its connected home and buildings portfolio. Schneider Electric, recognized by Corporate Knights as the world’s most sustainable corporation, is one of the 180 most innovative companies within the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) that have contributed to the creation and testing of the new Matter standard. The industry-unifying standard builds upon market-proven technologies and best practices. It aims to simplify connected experiences and provide greater interoperability in smart homes and buildings. Schneider is consistently among the top three certifiers of CSA products, therefore well positioned to adopt the new standard. The new open-source, unified connectivity protocol, Matter, previously named CHIP (Connected Home over IP), will be applicable to many smart home and building solutions including lighting, locks, speakers, HVAC controls, security systems, and routers. With Matter, instead of being limited to only those products that work with the smart system already in place, homes and businesses will now have the choice to integrate the new Matter certified devices that best fit their needs, regardless of brand. Matter is built using IP, the native network technology of the internet and backed by major ecosystem providers. Products with the Matter mark will deliver improved cyber security, native cloud connectivity and device interoperability to consumers, manufacturers, product designers and developers alike. Additionally, with standard definitions for device models, and lifecycle events such as provisioning/onboarding, removal, error recovery, and software update, developers can also be more confident in the consistency and quality of their users’ experiences across ecosystems. Putting consumers in the driving seat in the race to net zero However, longer-term benefits don’t end there. It is estimated that electricity demand will double by 2040 if we follow the same trajectory. As digitalization becomes the norm, we are also witnessing an increased desire to produce and use more renewable energy. This is coupled with increasing regulatory pressure to make cooking, heating and car charging fully electric. Electricity is the most efficient form of energy and the best vector for decarbonization. When paired with digital, it also offers unrivalled potential to eliminate energy waste. With increased interoperability of the IoT connected devices in the smart home ecosystem, homeowners and builders can create homes of tomorrow with a flexible, future-proof architecture that leverages Matter-connected devices across ecosystems to gain reliable, consolidated and secure visibility of energy consumption. This visibility, coupled with the help of AI-enabled and software-driven smart energy management solutions, puts consumers in the driving seat when it comes to how energy in the home is produced, stored, distributed and consumed. It can also enable the smart home system to prioritize green energy, ensuring power-hungry appliances and devices, such as Electric Vehicles (EVs), consume most of their energy from solar or decarbonized energy sources in the home. This is yet another way for the consumer and the planet to benefit from this initiative. Bruno Zerbib, Chief Technology and Digital Officer at Schneider Electric, says: “As the World’s Most Sustainable Corporation recognized by Corporate Knights, it is our firm belief that the path to a net-zero future is both electric and digital. With software-based smart energy management solutions, our customers can accelerate their journey towards sustainable net zero homes and buildings of the future. “Using open, global standards is essential to achieve digital transformation. Organizations like the Connectivity Standards Alliance are key to creating such standards and we are delighted to partner with other industry leaders to develop IP-based standards, like Matter, that will increase IoT device interoperability in connected smart building ecosystems.” Open-source standards shouldn’t be limited to smart homes and buildings Schneider Electric is strong advocate of open-source standards. Matter offers adopters and developers a number of benefits, including faster time to market (by leveraging an implementation of the spec), improved quality (as code is tested early and often), and more robust security (as the full development community has transparency to identify and commit patches). Beyond homes and buildings, Schneider Electric has recently pioneered an open-source portable standard for industries of the future, calling for widespread adoption of universal automation. Schneider Electric is fully committed to long-term compatibility with its legacy platforms, whilst continually innovating and collaborating with visionary partners like CSA to ensure customers have a smart, connected, sustainable future.
Award-winning Yorkshire housebuilder Ilke Homes has partnered with national training provider Code for a major apprenticeship programme to develop its workforce. Ilke Homes is expanding its Knaresborough-based operation with the addition of 30 apprentices, and the company is currently recruiting for its next intake of production team members. The firm, which builds zero-carbon modular houses and apartments, has teamed up with Code, a national digital skills training academy based in Sunderland, which delivers apprenticeship schemes for a range of employers. It specialises in training solutions around digital skills, such as digital support technicians, cyber security technologists, software developers and network engineers. With monthly starts available from May through to July, successful applicants for the Ilke Homes scheme will be enrolled upon a 12-month recognised training and development programme. Once training is completed, apprentices can expect a permanent position with a salary of around £22,000-per-year, plus associated benefits. Code works with companies of all sizes based throughout England to upskill their staff, supporting firms to find the best way to use their Apprenticeship Levy – a government scheme introduced in 2017. Employers can benefit from current government incentives of £3,000 per new apprentice start, and will have access to funding available to offset the costs associated with training their apprentices through recognised training provider Code. Code is the apprenticeships division of Rebuyer, which works with companies across the UK to recycle their old IT equipment to protect the environment and support families who don’t have access to laptops, tablets or PCs. Simon Howatson, chief executive of Code digital skills academy, said: “Companies are increasingly recognising the value of apprenticeship programmes to upskill their workforces. “Apprenticeships are a great way for people to learn vital new skills, and they are rewarding for businesses – leading to greater productivity and allowing firms to expand their operations. “As an employer, you can also get funding from the government to help pay for apprenticeship training. “We’re proud to have partnered with Ilke Homes and look forward to helping equip their workforce with the skills of the future.” Julia Norton, head of human resources at Ilke Homes, said: “We here at Ilke Homes are delighted to partner with Code in order to bring our current recruitment drive to life. “We see apprenticeships as an integral component of our expansion plan for 2021, starting with the introduction of apprentices to our core roles within the production and manufacturing team. “We are proud of both our product and our people; with our homes being built to the highest quality and specification. “I am confident that our apprentices will bring with them a wide range of skills and behaviours needed to drive the business, and operation, forward into the future – being efficient, effective and strengthening our already industry award-winning processes.”
Baseline Report for the Future Fens: Flood Risk Management programme is now available Covering the Fens within the River Great Ouse catchment, the programme aims to build a common understanding of the challenges ahead Phase 1 of the flood risk management work started three-years ago to develop a shared understanding of the flood risk challenges in the Great Ouse Fens of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. Future activity will build on this baselining work to develop flood management options that can deliver flood and drainage infrastructure needed for future generations. This work is delivering on key commitments to the Fens as featured in the National Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy published in 2020. With one-third of the Fens currently below sea level, the area has a network of flood protection assets that are owned and managed by different organisations. Much of this infrastructure is nearing the end of its design life and will soon need significant investment. With the increasing effects of climate change, flood infrastructure is key in providing water resources, environmental, navigation and wider amenity services. Fens flood infrastructure is also important within the Oxford-Cambridge arc in enabling some of the fastest growing places in the UK to maximise their economic potential. The organisations involved in Phase 1 either own or are responsible for the area’s flood risk assets. These assets include: 138 pumping stations 24 sets of sluice gates 95km of coastaldefences and 405kmof river embankments. The Baseline Report is part of the first of the programme’s three main phases. Scenarios have been developed to describe the ‘do nothing’ and ‘do minimum’ approaches for the next 100 years across a huge geography of approximately 300 flood assets. These are owned and operated by more than 40 risk management authorities. In this area a third of land is currently below sea level and this will double by 2100 with rising sea levels. Paul Burrows, Environment Agency spokesperson for Future Fens said: “The Fens is a complex environment that has been heavily engineered over hundreds of years. Understanding how the large systems of assets work together to provide protection from flooding is difficult and being able to articulate this to inform future flood infrastructure choices is even more challenging. “That is why our early focus has been on ‘baselining’ and I am delighted that our collaborative report is now available and that ADA (The Association of Drainage Authorities) are hosting it on their website. “This work showcases the flood infrastructure within the Great Ouse Fens, explores the economics of a do-nothing and do-minimum scenario and gives a high level overview of how current government flood funding policy would play out. It presents the initial asset management and investment challenge ahead. “The next steps are to bring it to life through visualisation tools and develop the scope for the appraisal of the long-term choices for flood protection and resilience as climate change takes hold and society’s wider aspirations for the Fens become clearer.” Rob Wise, the National Farmers Union East Anglia Environment Adviser said: “The NFU has been pleased to be working with the Environment Agency and other partners on the Future Fens project given the vital national importance of food production in the Fens. “Across the Fens as a whole the food chain is worth over £3 billion and employs 80,000 people. It is crucial that this strategic UK asset and the people who are part of it are protected from future flood risk. “The project has already produced tangible benefits in suggesting new ways to value these assets to maximise government funding, but there are important conversations to be had about filling the remaining funding gaps identified in the report.” Benefits and future funding To better understand the funding position, the project has looked at the Government’s Partnership Funding policy strategically and also worked with the National Farmers Union to create an improved approach to valuing agricultural land against the traditional method. Key findings in the report are: £17.1 billion worth of benefits from the current flood risk management measures; A further £5.3 billion of benefits to the local economy over the next 10 years; £1.8 billion investment needed over the next 100 years to sustain the current standard of service from the existing flood risk management assets; To meet this level of investment there is an additional funding requirement from beneficiaries of flood infrastructure of between £611 million and £946 million, with eligibility between £722 million and £1.1 billion of government Flood Risk Management Grant in Aid funding. (NB costs are present value) Next Phases The final elements of Phase 1 will be to work with others to develop the scope for Phase 2. Phase 2 will be a long term adaptive plan for flood infrastructure in the Fens. This will build on the approaches outlined in the National FCERM Strategy and appraise the flood infrastructure choices available for decision makers and prospective funders. What happens in the meantime? Phase 2 will start to work on a long term plan. Tactical plans have been developed for the continued management of existing flood assets between now and 2031/32. These plans identify that around £230m of capital investment is required. Report availability A copy of the Baseline Report and a Summary document can be downloaded from the Association of Drainage Authorities website
Work has begun on a multi-million pound ambulance service hub for West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) in Sandwell. Leading property developer Stoford is delivering the 76,000 sq ft purpose-built hub, the largest hub of its kind in the country, which will eventually house about 350 operational ambulance staff. Contractor McLaren Construction is now on the seven-acre site in Shidas Lane, Oldbury, and aims to complete the hub, which will also include a facility for the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), fleet maintenance and vehicle preparation areas, the Trust’s Education and Training Academy and central stores, next spring. It will be open in time for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, which kicks off in July 2022, and will be used as a staging point for the Trust’s preparations for one of the world’s biggest sporting events. Tony Nash, Director at Stoford, said: “This is a significant development for West Midlands Ambulance Service and an important national infrastructure project, so we’re pleased to have made a start on delivering the scheme, just a short time after we received planning approval. “As a former quarry site that was undeveloped for 15 years, it is a technically challenging building project, so receiving financial support from the West Midlands Combined Authority to make it viable has been crucial in getting it ready for development.” Craig Cooke, WMAS Director of Strategic Operations, added: “This is an important hub for the Service not just for the Commonwealth Games but for our ongoing ability to deliver high quality care to the people of Birmingham and the Black Country. “It will also see a major upgrade in our central stores facility, which has played such a vital role during the pandemic, but also a big step forward in facilities for our Education & Training team and the Hazardous Area Response Team. “Talking to staff, they are excited to see the new building developed and we will be working with them to ensure it fully meets their needs.” The development is the first of its kind for funding partner Assura, as it continues to expand the range of local healthcare infrastructure it supports for primary care networks and NHS Trusts. Jonathan Murphy, Assura CEO, said: “This hub will provide a much-needed new base for emergency health services in the West Midlands. We are particularly proud to be playing our part in such an important piece of the health infrastructure that will sit around the Commonwealth Games, at a time when the eyes of the world will be on the region.” WMAS serves a population of 5.6 million people and covers an area of more than 5,000 square miles, comprising Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and the West Midlands. The hub will achieve the BREEAM Excellence rating and will accommodate 365 parking spaces, including ten disabled spaces and 70 ambulance spaces.
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When the market is hot, buyers are hungry, and properties move fast. When the market is less than ideal, some extra work may be necessary to attract potential buyers to available listings. New development and construction are no exception to this situation. Regardless, developing a system to reach potential buyers is crucial for your success. This article will review several strategies to help you market new development and construction properties to increase your reach and find your next buyer. What challenges do new developments and construction properties face? The U.S. Census Bureau recently released a report showing that over 1.5 million new homes completed construction in March of 2021. This represents huge potential, especially in markets with high home values. But new developments and construction may have additional barriers to selling compared to pre-owned housing. For example, while people constantly buy homes, there is a stigma attached to purchasing new construction developments because buyers can be afraid that new developments still need to have the kinks worked out. On top of that, while the market for homes is large, finding buyers interested in new development may take some extra digging. Different ways to market new development and construction If you want to reach potential buyers for new housing, having a strategic method will increase your odds of success. Below are several ideas of how to approach marketing to potential customers about new development and construction. Professional Photography Every phone is capable of taking pictures good enough to send to your mom or best friend. But to attract real attention to your new development and construction, you should highly consider using a real estate photographer. A professional photographer has an eye for beautiful and aesthetically pleasing shots. And if their goal is to sell a property with a few photos, they will get you photos that are worth a thousand words or more. But don’t just be happy with some simple photographs. To really wow prospective buyers, consider going the extra step with drone photography which provides an incredible new perspective of the property. Virtual Tours and Staging Things are ramping up again in the U.S. after the height of COVID-19, but virtual tours and staging have become a valuable tool in the realtor toolbelt. Virtual tours allow potential buyers to view homes without needing to physically step foot in the property. The tour can be viewed on phones, tablets, computers, or even in virtual reality. Virtual staging is a service to enhance the appearance of vacant properties by adding photo-realistic, virtual furniture throughout the property in photos or in virtual tours, similar to how you might purchase furniture to put in a property while doing showings. Virtual experiences for potential buyers will only become more popular, so buying into this practice now will help attract new customers. Build your brand You may work for a large agency or be a self-employed realtor. Regardless, building your brand is essential for reaching potential buyers. This may start with building a website, sharing success stories, and even blogging about different home buying experiences. Beyond that, take a deep dive into understanding your online presence. How are people finding your service and what might increase clicks on your business website? Consider location-based targeted advertising through Google or other platforms. This service will allow you to advertise content to targeted locations. More specifically, this will allow you the ability to market new construction and developments to potential local buyers. Build your network Beyond branding yourself online, make your local presence known. Visit local cafes, stores, mom-and-pop shops, and leave a few business cards with them for customers to take. Talk to local construction crews working on-site, go to trade shows, and attend local or virtually local meetups. The more people see you and get to know you, the more likely they will be to remember you and recommend you to those in the market. Social media can make a big impact on your brand. Do you only have a website? Why not utilize some free advertising by making a Facebook page of your business. Make a Twitter account and engage with other local accounts to increase your following. Post new construction and property notices on your Instagram account (with professional photographs, of course). Build empathy The best way to help potential buyers is to connect with them on a personal level. Empathize with your client and it will make the buying and selling experience much better. Think about this from the buyer’s perspective. Maybe this is the first home they’ve ever purchased, or maybe their last home was destroyed in a fire. This is important information to know and consider when assisting someone with the buying process. It may also help you understand and relay important information and considerations of buying new developments and construction. Show that you have the buyer’s best interest at heart (and you should). Tell them, honestly, about the neighborhood they’ll be moving into. Be their advocate in the buying process. Final thoughts Now that you’ve considered several ways to market new developments and properties, hopefully, you can start developing a plan to improve your practice. Although housing markets may wax and wane, a successful strategy to connect to, network with, and empathize with potential buyers to help them purchase new construction and developments will make the process much easier.