FMs involved in or in charge of construction sites can refer to advice issued by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) regarding temporary closures during the Covid-19 outbreak. Although the government has said that construction can continue if public health requirements and site operating procedures are followed correctly, many have shut.
Poly UK has appointed Bennett Construction as the main contractor for a development project in Mill Hill, London. The £380m Plaza Collection scheme will deliver 257 homes. The company has also secured planning permission for an additional 82 homes. Plaza Collection will mark Poly’s entrance into the UK market, after
VINCI Facilities, a major provider of FM to the NHS, has announced it is diverting volunteers from its mobile repair teams (MRTs) to support existing facilities management services across several hospitals in the North West, Midlands and South East. As well as supporting with the ongoing repair and maintenance of
Sooner or later, you will end up having to deal with some sort of plumbing problem. Knowing what to do and how to fix some can help you save hundreds of dollars. Plumbing disasters can always happen. Unfortunately, most homeowners do not know anything about plumbing work. Obviously, you can
Design & Build Developer, Northern Developments (Cumbria) Limited, based in Carlisle, have been announced as a finalist in the National Building & Construction Awards 2020. They have been shortlisted in the £10M-£25M Category for the M-Sport Evaluation Centre (MEC) project at Dovenby near Cockermouth for M-Sport Limited. Northern Developments’ projects
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems must be allowed to play their important role in helping essential services deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the UK’s F Gas register REFCOM. It refuted rumours that air conditioning and ventilation could help to spread the virus adding that these were
During digital transformation, taking advantage of new technology will involve increasing the cyber-attack surface of your business. With that said, you do need to ensure that you act with necessary caution. Worst case scenario, if an attack is successful, the downtime could spell financial disaster for your organisation. With cyber-attacks
The ExCeL Arena in London, often used for exhibition events such as The Facilities Show, is being converted into a hospital to help the capital city deal with the expected peak in cases for coronavirus over the coming weeks. The conference centre, to be renamed NHS Nightingale Hospital, will initially
The UK’s housing crisis has well documented in the media, by both journalists and politicians, but could the rise of garden villages tackle this major issue that we are facing as an overcrowded country? Arbordeck, a UK provider of timber decking, investigates what regional implications these villages might have but
Today marks the beginning of a new streamlined structure of governance at RICS. In a world where trust is being eroded, our new boards will further enhance public trust by introducing more diverse and global expertise, alongside increased independent-led oversight of our standards and their enforcement. We believe these changes
FMs involved in or in charge of construction sites can refer to advice issued by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) regarding temporary closures during the Covid-19 outbreak. Although the government has said that construction can continue if public health requirements and site operating procedures are followed correctly, many have shut. Some of these are expected to open in the near future, as a number of companies have reported that closures will end when all compliance measures are in place, according to Infrastructure Intelligence. The CLC joined with the Construction Coronavirus Taskforce to create the Advice on temporary suspension to sites guidance document. It is designed to assist those in charge of construction sites to ensure that the correct measures are in place to make them safe and avoid issues occurring during their closure. In addition to safety, the document provides guidance on security, environmental protection, commercial considerations and hired plant. Site operators are provided with a checklist of tasks to follow to assist with temporary site closure. The council has also stated that additional guidance will be published to ensure that safe working practices are followed when sites reopen. Those wishing to download the guidance document can do so here.
Poly UK has appointed Bennett Construction as the main contractor for a development project in Mill Hill, London. The £380m Plaza Collection scheme will deliver 257 homes. The company has also secured planning permission for an additional 82 homes. Plaza Collection will mark Poly’s entrance into the UK market, after having success in China, Australia and America. The development scheme is part of the wider Millbrook Park transformation — a new 2,000+ home development on the site of the former Inglis Barracks. Poly UK will deliver in total 700 residential units, a landscaped plaza and 1,400 sqm of associated commercial and retail space over four phases. May Zhao, executive director at Poly UK, said: “As this is Poly’s first residential project in the UK, it is imperative that we have the best-in-class project team, from initial design to delivery, to meet our vision of creating standout homes. “Bennett Construction has a first-class track record in delivering large scale projects of this nature, making it an ideal partner to take the first phase of the site forward.”
VINCI Facilities, a major provider of FM to the NHS, has announced it is diverting volunteers from its mobile repair teams (MRTs) to support existing facilities management services across several hospitals in the North West, Midlands and South East. As well as supporting with the ongoing repair and maintenance of hospital wards and essential services to keep wards going and back up clinical staff, VINCI Facilities engineers and teams are going to be working to help with reconfiguration of other wards in the hospitals to re-purpose them to support the effort against COVID-19. Its teams will be bolstered by the engineers that usually work in the retail sector supporting charity and large chain store contracts bringing with them much needed extra help in maintaining electrical services and systems, air conditioning, heating and ventilation as well as building repairs and joinery work. The MRTs will be providing cover for staff who are unable to attend work through illness or self-isolation as well as add depth to the existing numbers of engineering staff giving further, much needed support.
Sooner or later, you will end up having to deal with some sort of plumbing problem. Knowing what to do and how to fix some can help you save hundreds of dollars. Plumbing disasters can always happen. Unfortunately, most homeowners do not know anything about plumbing work. Obviously, you can always contact a plumber East Melbourne specialist, but you can save a lot of money when you get some work done alone. While many plumbing tips can be offered, some that should be considered as being essential have to be put at the top of the list. This includes the following. Always Check Your Water Main The water main stands out as the very first access point water has when it reaches the home. Usually, this is inside the basement, close to a water heater. You need to identify the access point because there is a shutoff valve there. It is going to completely stop water flowing into the home. Whenever a large plumbing project is started or there is a burst pipe, you want to shut off the main water line. This is always the very first step to take. Dealing With Clogged Drains It is inevitable to eventually have to deal with a clogged drain. As you take a shower, your hair falls out. This builds up as time passes. The first instinct when a clog appears is to use some sort of liquid drain cleaner. Unfortunately, this is usually a very big mistake. At first glance, this seems to be a very easy fix to a problem that is quite annoying. However, the liquid in such products will harm the infrastructure. When the tub or the sink keeps backing up, use a snake to remove blocked debris. This should be the very first thing you do. Monitor Water Pressure The plumbing system cannot be healthy when water pressure is low. Always monitor pressure. Do it as often as you can. It is very easy to buy and use a home pressure gauge. This is available at any home improvement or hardware store. When a more modern, accurate solution is desired, use a smart water monitoring system. This notifies you when there is a leak and water usage is tracked. Use A Pressure Reducing Valve Besides low water pressure, another common problem is having to deal with high water pressure. Whenever this is identified, pressure needs to be taken down. This is possible by installing pressure-reducing valves (commonly known as PRV). When your home is attached to a municipal supply, the pressure reducing valve is particularly important. Municipal water companies always pump water at very high pressure so that high-elevation homes, high-rise buildings, and fire hydrants can be serviced. Usually, the pressure is higher than 100 psi. Home fixtures are designed to deal with the pressure of around 50 psi. Properly Take Care Of The Toilet You should never flush anything besides waste and toilet paper. Things like baby wipes, cotton swabs, and paper towels can easily be caught inside the pipes. Clogs would eventually appear. If there is no plunger in your home, buy one since we all eventually get a clog. The toilet needs to work properly. When the toilet is running, it is a clear sign that some of the toilet tank components have to be replaced. Also, it is possible that the toilet leak is very small. You do not even realize you have one. The best thing you can do is to add some food coloring inside the tank. Wait for 30 minutes and then see if the water inside the bowl changed colors. If so, there is a leak present.
Design & Build Developer, Northern Developments (Cumbria) Limited, based in Carlisle, have been announced as a finalist in the National Building & Construction Awards 2020. They have been shortlisted in the £10M-£25M Category for the M-Sport Evaluation Centre (MEC) project at Dovenby near Cockermouth for M-Sport Limited. Northern Developments’ projects are primarily their own developments across industrial, commercial, residential and purpose built student accommodation (PBSA); the only exception being their long term relationship with M-Sport for whom they have carried out all developments for on their Dovenby Hall Estate site, since it was procured in 1998. Whilst many major national companies are amongst the finalists, Northern Developments are a regional and very professional team, initially established in 1985 then working throughout the UK as Main Contractor; around the start of the new millennium becoming Developer / Contractor. Proud of their Cumbria roots they have, over those 35 years, completed several high-profile projects including multiple PBSA schemes exceeding £50million. They normally design “in-house” architecturally and usually only use external consultants for engineering, M&E, acoustics and specialist services. The MEC project combines large civils & external works alongside high-quality high-tech design and build all within the setting of a Grade II listed building, delivered to the highest standards in a relatively short time frame. The MEC will provide M Sport with the ability to further expand into the wider automotive R&D sector. Northern Developments managed the construction of the existing site facility back in 1999, and it was not long before M Sport were looking to expand further. The new building is more than twice the size of their existing production facilities, providing significant expansion and creating over 100 new jobs in the process. The first phase of the project, now complete, comprised the design and construction of a 2.5km test track. The civils works to facilitate this involved moving 200,000 Tonnes of earth, whilst ensuring a cut and fill balance to ensure that no materials needed to be removed from site. Ground stabilisation techniques were employed to mitigate import of excessive quarried materials. 6.5km of drainage to the track links to several balancing ponds to ensure no negative impact on the local watercourse. An approved scheme of woodland management was deployed at the outset, protecting certain areas of historic interest, with planting of trees and grassland to enhance the habitat across the site. Eddie Ward, Commercial Manager said, “We have worked in deep collaboration with the client for ten years now, to ensure that we deliver a solution to meet their business needs. At the early stages this involved the building element of the project evolving in numerous forms and growing significantly. Drawing on our experience and knowledge combined with our supply chain we were able to deliver significant value engineering solutions, whilst still meeting the business needs.” The groundworks for the 111,000ft2 production facility commenced in May 2019, and construction is now well underway, within six months of commencement over 550T of structural steelwork had been manufactured and erected, roofing complete, all external precast concrete walls installed, and a significant amount of high level M&E works commenced. The next significant milestone being in the installation of the specialist concrete slab. Malcolm Wilson OBE, Managing Director at M-Sport, said “It’s always been important for me to keep the business in Cumbria, and with the help of Cumbria LEP we’re seeing the growth of more and more businesses in our region. The M-Sport Evaluation Centre will provide a unique centre of engineering excellence – allowing world leaders in automotive technology to follow their concepts from design and development, right through to production. Our region is fast becoming a great place for business, and we’re proud to be a part of that.”
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems must be allowed to play their important role in helping essential services deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the UK’s F Gas register REFCOM. It refuted rumours that air conditioning and ventilation could help to spread the virus adding that these were completely unfounded and not backed up by any scientific evidence. Speaking on a webinar hosted by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), Head of REFCOM Graeme Fox, said cooling and ventilation systems were not the problem, but rather they were part of the solution. For example, by switching air handling units to full fresh air mode and temporarily disabling recirculation with heat recovery, facilities managers could ensure contaminated air was not recirculated in occupied spaces. “Health is more important than energy efficiency right now,” said Mr Fox. “It is also important to keep up air change rates – even in partially occupied buildings – to minimise the risk of moisture, which could contain the virus, settling on internal surfaces.” Public Health England stated that transmission of the virus is thought to occur mainly through respiratory droplets generated by coughing and sneezing, and through contact with contaminated surfaces. It has not recommended any special cleaning measures for ventilation and cooling systems. Mr Fox said scaremongering was unhelpful to those trying to understand the threat. Crucial “The truth is that HVAC systems perform a crucial role in keeping essential services like hospitals, supermarkets, care homes and schools operating – this is going to be more important than ever over the coming weeks and months,” he said. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is also urging the industry to keep up its vital work for the NHS, food suppliers and other essential services. During another BESA webinar last week, an official from BEIS confirmed that building maintenance should continue as normal, subject to compliance with Public Health England guidance, the government’s social distancing policy and the site operating guidance published by the Construction Leadership Council. “Building maintenance is helping to save lives,” he said. “People who fix crucial safety issues in buildings…must be able to keep working. They are carrying out important work”. REFCOM’s position is also supported by guidance from REHVA, the European Federation of HVAC associations, which said humidification, air conditioning and duct cleaning had no practical effect on the transmission of the coronavirus. It said Covid-19, unlike some other viruses, is largely resistant to environmental changes and is susceptible only to high relative humidities above 80% and temperatures above 30degC. It is recommending that heating and cooling systems are operated normally to ensure buildings can continue to support critical activities and maintain the health and wellbeing of occupants. www.refcom.org.uk ENGINEERS ON THE FRONTLINE Josh Emerson from Swegon shared pictures with BESA of two of the firm’s service technicians attending a critical breakdown at an NHS hospital. “I know there has been plenty of negative political and social media messaging with regards to the construction industry,” said Mr Emerson. “I am sharing a few pictures that show building services in a positive light. The industry is on the frontline, facing Covid-19, and going to great lengths to keep our hospitals operational to support the NHS.” PIC Caption: Two service engineers from Swegon attending a critical breakdown at an NHS hospital.
During digital transformation, taking advantage of new technology will involve increasing the cyber-attack surface of your business. With that said, you do need to ensure that you act with necessary caution. Worst case scenario, if an attack is successful, the downtime could spell financial disaster for your organisation. With cyber-attacks against UK organisations increasing in 2019, your business can’t afford to take risks. Ransomware attacks have hit some sectors harder than others, including finance, construction and professional services, at a high rate, hackers are targeting all industries with the file-encrypting malware (Datto). Read through our guide below, created to lend you some insight into how to adopt new technologies whilst keeping your business data as secure as possible. Focus on anti-ransomware solutions With the introduction of GDPR legislation, hackers know that encrypted or stolen data could land a business in hot water with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which could lead to fines in the tens of millions. They’ll use this to their advantage to extort ransom payments out of you. It’s never advisable to pay the cybercriminals, as it’s rare you’ll get your data back. Additionally, hackers will identify your business as a guaranteed pay-out and will continue to target you. With ransomware attacks increasing exponentially in recent years, security organisations have created solutions which specifically protect your systems and data from ransomware. Intelligent solutions like Intercept X will prevent ransomware at the point of infiltration. Or, if your business has already fallen victim to this file-encrypting malware, it’ll reverse the damage. You’ll also get access to features like root cause analysis, which identifies how the ransomware got into your business so you can bolster your systems going forward. A business continuity plan is paramount If, like many businesses, you host all of your critical resources on one server, an attack or failure on this system could bring your business down. For years, organisations have been backing up their files and data either on physical devices or into the cloud. But now it’s not enough to simply back up data. Forward-thinking business continuity and disaster recovery solutions will not only back up your data, but back up your entire IT estate,, whether that’s physical, virtual or in the cloud. Say, for example, a key server in your business goes down – that could be due to a malicious attack, an electrical failure or a flood. You can use your business continuity solution to spin up your server virtually and be back up-and-running in no time. A managed IT services partner can help you implement the most suitable solution. With proper training, staff can help to protect your business data Even with the advent of innovative technologies, your biggest attack surface is still your employees. Email is by far the most popular vector to launch a cyber-attack, with an estimated 91% of cyber-attacks starting with an email designed to harvest login credentials (PhishMe research). The phishing emails of the 2010s are significantly more targeted and harder to spot than old-school email scams. Hackers are impersonating the business software you use (including purporting to be Microsoft to get your email credentials), your suppliers and even your colleagues, and they’re more convincing than ever. Ensuring your staff are not only provided with training opportunities, but are continually upskilled in spotting suspicious content, is essential to keeping your business safe. Additionally, you can use tools which simulate phishing attacks to benchmark the existing knowledge amongst your employees and track progress against your training. Bio: Natasha Bougourd is a Lead Applications Writer at TSG, offering managed IT support in London, with expertise across a range of areas including Office 365, Dynamics 365, document management and business intelligence.
The ExCeL Arena in London, often used for exhibition events such as The Facilities Show, is being converted into a hospital to help the capital city deal with the expected peak in cases for coronavirus over the coming weeks. The conference centre, to be renamed NHS Nightingale Hospital, will initially provide 500 ventilator- and oxygen-equipped beds when it opens at the beginning of next week. This capacity is likely to increase to several thousand as and when the city requires it. National newspapers, The Metro and the Guardian, are reporting the ExCeL will be the first of several crisis centres across the United Kingdom to help with the Covid-19 pandemic. Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said: “In the face of this unprecedented global emergency, we are taking exceptional steps to increase NHS capacity so we can treat more patients, fight the virus and save lives. I applaud the NHS, engineers, and the military for their continued work on setting up the new NHS Nightingale Hospital so it is ready to open its doors next week – a remarkable feat in these challenging circumstances. “Military personnel have been involved in the planning stages and continue to support NHS England by providing infrastructure, logistics and project management advice.” Defence Secretary Ben Wallace added: “Our military planners and engineers are working hand in hand with the NHS to support their development of the NHS Nightingale Hospital. The armed forces have already been distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet the increased demand and we stand ready to assist further in any capacity needed.” Sir Simon Stevens, NHS Chief Executive, said: “Under these exceptionally challenging circumstances the NHS is taking extraordinary steps to fight coronavirus. That’s why NHS clinicians and managers are working with military planners and engineers to create, equip, staff and open the NHS Nightingale London, and we’re very grateful for their support. “This will be a model of care never needed or seen before in this country, but our specialist doctors are in touch with their counterparts internationally who are also opening facilities like this, in response to the shared global pandemic. “Despite these amazing measures, the fact is that no health service in the world will cope if coronavirus lets rip, which is why NHS staff are pleading with the public to follow medical advice – stay at home, stop the virus spreading, and save lives.”
The UK’s housing crisis has well documented in the media, by both journalists and politicians, but could the rise of garden villages tackle this major issue that we are facing as an overcrowded country? Arbordeck, a UK provider of timber decking, investigates what regional implications these villages might have but also what they might look like for new buyers. Garden villages: explained A garden village is a piece of brownfield land used to create housing for new communities. They are usually smaller projects and can contain from 1,500 to 10,000 homes. Often, garden villages have their own facilities — such as schools, shops and transport stations — which makes this type of living space perfect for families and first-time buyers looking to lead the picture-perfect life. There is no definitive way to describe garden villages, as they allow the communities that live there to establish their own identity and set out their own rules. However, there are a few ways to identify them. They must be a settlement outside of an existing town or city and not closely attached. The British government is currently supporting 17 locations around the country, with £6 million expected to go towards funding 14 new garden villages and £1.4 million to support three garden towns (which are similar to garden villages, only larger). There are set to be garden villages established in Cumbria, Lancaster, Cheshire East, Merseyside, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Stratford-on-Avon, East Northants, Oxfordshire, Essex, Devon, Runnymede and Surrey Heath, Hampshire, and Cornwall. Plans are also in place to build garden towns in Aylesbury, Taunton and Harlow, and Gilston. These towns are anticipated to provide an extra 200,000 homes. What are the regional implications? As garden towns and villages will supply Britain with more than 50,000 homes, we will see a rise in manual work in these regions as a result of the large development projects. This will help to boost the economy, as it will provide people with more jobs in the area. Also, these regions will become more populated as people will be purchasing these new homes. There is a popular misconception that this will put a strain on the resources of current residents nearby, such as school places for their children and obtaining doctor appointments. However, this is not the case, as garden villages are built with their own facilities including schools and general practices. In turn, this will also create more jobs in the area of development. Garden villages are usually built with their own transport links for easy commuting in and out of the area, although more traffic on the roads could be a problem. How will these garden villages look? With garden villages being built on brownfield areas, we know that there will be a lot of greenery around the new homes and that these will likely have garden spaces of their own. With everything looking brand new, there will be a need for updated garden furniture and other outdoor products — but what are the current trends? Composite decking is one of the biggest trends at the moment. With the weather at a constant change, composite decking is weather-resistant and very low maintenance, which means you don’t need to worry about repairing or repainting. Another garden craze that everybody is talking about is the rise in popularity of hot tubs, whether you’re renting them or buying them. Over the past few years, it seems like more and more people are purchasing hot tubs for their gardens. In North Wales, a businessman has even had to double the size of his hot tub showroom this year to keep up with demand! These are a great addition to any garden, especially if you have a rural view of the surrounding countryside. What about other outdoor trends? According to Andrew Hartley, research director at market research company, AMA; garden buildings including sunhouses have “high potential growth” in the industry. Sunhouses are great for maximising your garden space and creating an extra room for your family without having to pay for an expensive house extension. Typically, these are small and easy to fit into your garden with enough room for a few chairs and a table to unwind with drinks and food. Sunhouses infuse your garden with character and are excellent refuges for reading, relaxing and socialising, so these are ideal for new garden village homes. Another great trend in gardening right now is artificial lawns. Slashing the time we have to spend maintaining our outdoor spaces and beautiful to look at from season to season, fake grass is a high-demand gardening commodity. If you’ve decked much of your back garden, you can add colour by creating a small space of artificial grass on the ground level, or putting a full artificial lawn at the front of your home that you don’t have to keep weeding and watering. Lighting is another outdoor feature set to be big for people setting up new homes. From hanging Chinese lanterns between decking posts to placing LED fairy lights into vintage jam jars, how you illuminate your garden is going to be in focus. Speaking of vintage, garden furniture is set to head back in time when it comes to design and textures. We’ll see more natural, traditional materials used for tables and chairs — such as teak and rattan — to create a more rustic look, as well as a rise in woven and crochet techniques for the retro effect. Needless to say, garden village homeowners will have a lot of inspiration for their green spaces. It’s expected that the rise of garden villages is set to alleviate the pressures of the housing crisis in the UK. Even with the few points for concern, such as a rise in local traffic, this is potentially a huge boost for families, communities and the entire UK economy.
Today marks the beginning of a new streamlined structure of governance at RICS. In a world where trust is being eroded, our new boards will further enhance public trust by introducing more diverse and global expertise, alongside increased independent-led oversight of our standards and their enforcement. We believe these changes are further evidence that RICS and the profession is doing everything it can to live up to its 150-year-old Royal Charter to advance the public interest in all that it does. The governance changes are part of a package of reforms voted on by the profession in 2018 which aim to advance societal trust, positioning the body to draw more effectively on the leadership and strategic oversight required to shape a forward-looking agenda for the profession. A new Governing Council is announced today, and RICS welcomes the new professionals who have been elected with record turnout across 12 regions globally. Governing Council, RICS’ highest level governance body, also includes individuals bringing expertise from six strategic areas of the profession as well as the ambassadorial positions of RICS President, President-Elect and Senior Vice-President. The governance modernisation has also established a new Standards and Regulation Board, with its Chair and the majority of its members being independent from the profession to provider greater confidence in our assurance regime. This Board will provide assurance across all RICS standards and how they are enforced globally. Under the reforms, the previous Conduct and Appeals Committee has been renamed the RICS Regulatory Tribunal to better reflect its important role in holding the profession to account for operating to the highest standards that society would expect. Sean Tompkins, Chief Executive Officer at RICS commented: “These reforms, endorsed by the profession, directly respond to the need for us to evolve our governance structures to continue to retain high levels of public trust and confidence in our profession and in RICS as a global professional body. “Our profession is at the forefront of some of the biggest challenges facing the world and our next generations – from the need to consider climate change in all that we do, through to embracing digitisation, and responding to a rising population and the pressures this brings for our cities and natural resources. “The strategic oversight our governance bodies provide is critical to ensuring RICS can continue to deliver confidence and lead positive change in the built and natural environment. “I welcome all the new board members to our governance bodies from both within and outside of our profession. Their experience and leadership will be invaluable – both to the way we continue to qualify professionals, in ensuring we set and enforce the highest standards, as well as offering the thought leadership needed to tackle the major challenges that our next generations will face.”