Fast-growing office fitout and design company Saracen Interiors has won the contract to transform part of a major office building into co-working space at the heart of Dundee’s £1 billion waterfront regeneration project. Dundee One is a 50,000 sq ft landmark building, where work is due to start on Phase
Design Brighton, a four-day festival celebrating revolutionary urban design, has announced new dates of 01-04 April 2020. Festival Co-Director Sophie Law Smith explains: “Our original concept was to hold the festival in October this year, but a number of factors have led to us needing to change the dates to
As its environmental drive continues to flourish, employee-owned business, Kite Packaging, has developed a new gummed paper tape dispenser to add to its online offering. The new machine is another innovative addition for the Kite team, one that enables its customer base to seal cartons with eco-friendly paper tape, therefore
The University of Brighton is hosting an international exhibition and seminar aimed at stepping up future efforts to eliminate waste in the construction industry. The Waste Zone, an integral part of this year’s FutureBuild at ExCel London from 5 to 7 March, is being curated by University Senior Lecturer, architect
The owners of a custom-built property on a prestigious Tees Valley development have been handed the keys to their exclusive new home. Developments by Joseph Homes is now set to start work on its fourth custom-built and bespoke property at Wynyard Park in just over 12 months, with housing experts
In high value industries like construction, there’s a growing emphasis being placed on energy-efficiency and the use of sustainable materials. Despite this and the fact that renewable energy sources are growing at an incredible rate, it’s estimated that fossil fuels will still account for a 77% market share by the
Northern Ireland based developer and contractor McAleer & Rushe has announced that it has just secured planning permission to develop two multi-million-pound hotels located in Birmingham and Glasgow City Centre, representing an investment of c. £85 million. Combined, the two hotels will deliver a total of 630 bedrooms and will
Ahead of High Speed Two (HS2) Limited beginning construction of a train maintenance depot in Washwood Heath, demolition of a former railway works in Birmingham is now well underway. The demolition covers a site larger than 110,000 square-metres and is being carried out by HS2 Ltd alongside their early works
The Government has announced today that it has committed an additional £6m to the community led housing sector, supplementing the £163m Community Housing Fund which was launched last year. Hundreds of community-run housing organisations will benefit from this brand new Government-funded community led housing programme which will provide funding, training
The word ‘office’ has long been heavily associated with skyscrapers and modern complexes. These days, however, many businesses have expanded their geographical reach – with many opting to work outside of the city. Firms located in rural areas can avoid high rent costs, busy commutes and –unsurprisingly – can enjoy
Fast-growing office fitout and design company Saracen Interiors has won the contract to transform part of a major office building into co-working space at the heart of Dundee’s £1 billion waterfront regeneration project. Dundee One is a 50,000 sq ft landmark building, where work is due to start on Phase One, the fit-out of 8,800 sq ft on the top floor, this month (February) with completion expected in May. Saracen Interiors has been involved in space planning the project for the past six months. The interiors company, which saw a 30 per cent leap in sales in 2018, was approached to space plan the new co-working space for owners Jute Properties. Saracen worked closely with the Jute team and residential interior specialist Salvesen Graham to create high quality thoughtful, design-led co-working and private office space, coupled with stunning views over the River Tay. Michael Page, Director at Saracen Interiors, said: “We are extremely proud to be involved in this huge and inspiring regeneration project for Dundee One. We have been heavily involved both in the space planning and in delivering the overall functionality of the space, and we were delighted to then be appointed to complete this exciting build.” The Grade A office building is a prominent feature on Dundee’s waterfront, whose regeneration has included a new rail station and a V&A Museum, officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in January this year (2019). The transformation of Dundee City Waterfront, which encompasses 240 hectares of development land stretching 8km alongside the River Tay, is a 30-year project that began in 2001. Its vision is to transform the City of Dundee into a world leading waterfront destination for visitors and businesses through the enhancement of its physical, economic and cultural assets. Forward-thinking Jute Properties completed the purchase of the building in February 2018 recognising Dundee’s potential, with plans to create a mix of traditional leased offices and flexible serviced offices, redefining the workplace to create an environment suited to modern working lifestyles and agile business. They are well on their way to achieving their targets with several new high-quality international tenants taking occupation and demand and pre-lets for their co-working space high. Private fixed office spaces for concentrated bursts of work and a series of formal meeting rooms and phone booths sit alongside luxurious social spaces designed for engaging with both colleagues and clients. Beautifully designed breakout areas and a coffee bar, with views over the dramatic waters of the Tay, allow you to step away from your desk, and generate the great ideas which will drive your business forward. Combined, all this adds up to an agile work environment where businesses thrive, and employees can truly feel at home. The owners announced they were responding to growing demand for co-working spaces and serviced offices. The co-working and flexible serviced office sector is the fastest growing commercial property sector worldwide and this will be a first Grade A serviced office for Dundee. Saracen is working on similar projects in other UK cities, as office building owners and co-working companies move towards more flexible workspaces. Demand for refits to respond to the growth in flexible working has been one of the reasons that the interiors company has grown rapidly in recent years. It is forecasting turnover in 2019 that will be close to double its sales volume last year. It is working on projects across the UK from its head office in Aldershot, Hampshire, and its growing northern division managed from its Manchester office. The company’s northern division has seen rapid growth with projects in Leeds, Sunderland and other locations in the north of England as well as Scotland. Saracen Interiors is the official workspace partner for clients including Dimension Data, Aggreko in London and Newsquest Media Group for whom it has worked on projects nationwide. Other large clients include Creative Foods Europe and Tata Communications. www.saraceninteriors.com
Design Brighton, a four-day festival celebrating revolutionary urban design, has announced new dates of 01-04 April 2020. Festival Co-Director Sophie Law Smith explains: “Our original concept was to hold the festival in October this year, but a number of factors have led to us needing to change the dates to April 2020. One element influencing the decision was to wait for the restoration to be completed at our host venue, Brighton Dome’s Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre. “We’ve been delighted with the response from sponsors, partners and collaborators and we’re excited to be able to announce several elements of the festival – our programme is shaping up nicely!” Andrew Comben, Chief Executive, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, said: “We are pleased to be working with Design Brighton on their inaugural festival. As Brighton’s leading event for the urban environment, we are keen to accommodate Design Brighton and we look forward to welcoming them into our newly refurbished space next year.” Two key partners have been announced for the festival; mixed-use developer First Base, owners of the Edward Street Quarter development in Brighton, and Building Live, which will host an industry specific event during the festival. Barry Jessup, Director of First Base, said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Design Brighton. The city is undergoing a huge amount of development and this festival will help to not only put Brighton’s world class urban design on the map but will also bring together visionaries to discuss how we can all collaborate and share knowledge to improve the built environment for all.” One of the exhibitors already confirmed is a new building system by ICF Southern dubbed the ‘Naked House’ which will showcase fixtures, fittings and products and act as a networking hub for attendees throughout the festival. The programme will include: Wed 01 – Thu 02 April: Exhibition at Brighton Dome Corn Exchange plus two conference sessions per day focused on the history of urban design and how that can shape current challenges faced by cities across the world. Fri 03 April: The day will kick-off with a networking breakfast followed by a panel of speakers discussing the future of urban development with a Q&A session. Sat 04 April: The exhibition will be open to the public on this day, with the aim to provide information regarding home renovation and showcase local companies. This day will also include an educational element to engage children in the construction industry. For more information, please visit www.designbrighton.org.
As its environmental drive continues to flourish, employee-owned business, Kite Packaging, has developed a new gummed paper tape dispenser to add to its online offering. The new machine is another innovative addition for the Kite team, one that enables its customer base to seal cartons with eco-friendly paper tape, therefore reducing the amount of plastic waste produced from other traditional tapes. Its manual design makes it ideal for light to medium volume packing operations and its compact sizing offers the ultimate table top sealing solution for small to medium distribution businesses across the country. This dispenser has been designed with time-saving in mind as its large water tank and fill chamber ensures water is always topped up. It’s also equipped with long and effective brushes which moisten and coat the tape quickly, thus eliminating the need for a water heater. Kite’s new machine can help companies achieve efficiency in the smaller, manual workspace whilst strengthening their environmentally-friendly characteristics to their brand. Packaging tape plays a pivotal part in safeguarding products throughout transit, gummed paper tape is an excellent option as it provides a tamper-evident, temperature tolerant solution that does not harm the environment. For more information about Kite’s gummed paper tape dispenser or about its products and services, please visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk
The University of Brighton is hosting an international exhibition and seminar aimed at stepping up future efforts to eliminate waste in the construction industry. The Waste Zone, an integral part of this year’s FutureBuild at ExCel London from 5 to 7 March, is being curated by University Senior Lecturer, architect and author, Duncan Baker-Brown, the man behind the University’s award-winning Waste House. Duncan said: “Climate change is at the top of the political agenda and we are encouraging as many people as possible – including our students – to attend so they can learn more and spread the word about the urgent need to boost the circular economy.” Duncan’s Waste House was constructed on the City Campus mostly from materials that otherwise would have found their way into landfill sites or incinerated. It was built with thrown-away materials including timber, 20,000 old tooth brushes and carpet tiles, and on the principal that there was no such thing as rubbish “just things in the wrong place”. Duncan said: “In the last ten years the construction industry has nearly halved the amount of construction and demolition waste it creates, and it is also exceeding EU waste reduction targets. “This is great news but there is lots of room for improvement as this sector still creates 120m tonnes of waste a year. In 2017 London Waste and Recycling Board identified that by 2036 a circular economy could provide London with net benefits of up to £7bn per annum, with up to 12,000 new jobs. “I feel that the construction industry is very well placed to take advantage of this, and with over 50 per cent of the world’s population now residing in cities, they are now the main driver for economic growth and have the potential to power a successful circular economy. “So I have invited as many designers, consultants, constructors, thought leaders, and suppliers as I can think of to share their knowledge and hopefully inspire visitors to FutureBuild 2019 to take advantage of the financial and employment benefits a circular economy will provide.” The Waste Zone will include an exhibition showing how waste can be a valuable resource for the construction industry, and invited suppliers will get the opportunity to show their innovative closed loop products. And there will be a central seminar space where over 40 speakers will be invited to discuss the challenges and opportunities the circular economy presents. They will include Cat Fletcher, Reuse Manager for Brighton & Hove City Council and who sourced much of the ‘rubbish’ used to build the Waste House, sustainable material and product designer Nick Gant from School of Architecture & Design, and Professor Michael Braungart who will be launching a new edition of his seminal book ‘Cradle to Cradle: remaking the way we make things’. Futurebuild is the leading built environment event for industry professionals, developed in conjunction with industry partners and where visitors will be urged to take action on the most pressing challenges. The Waste Zone is being led by Duncan Baker-Brown, Senior Lecturer at the University of Brighton’s School of Architecture and Design and co-founder of architects BBM, and the event is supported by the University’s Responsible Futures which aims to contribute to a more just and environmentally-sustainable society through the development of research and enterprise collaborations with local, national and international industry partners. Other speakers include Professor Michael Braungart, world authority on the circular economy and author of ‘Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things’; Dr Zoe Laughlin, co-founder of the Institute of Making and presenter of TV programmes including ‘The Secret Life of Landfill: A Rubbish History’ for BBC4; and Mark Miodownik, co-founder of the Institute of Making and presenter of TV programmes for Sky and BBC. To register for free, visit: www.futurebuild.co.uk/register.
The owners of a custom-built property on a prestigious Tees Valley development have been handed the keys to their exclusive new home. Developments by Joseph Homes is now set to start work on its fourth custom-built and bespoke property at Wynyard Park in just over 12 months, with housing experts predicting the rise to prominence of custom-built homes this year. Lloyds Banking Group head of housing development, Douglas Cochrane, recently predicted the Government will heavily advocate custom-build housing as a way of increasing the UK housing supply in 2019. Joseph Musgrave, director of Developments by Joseph Homes, believes more and more people are seeing the benefits of choosing to have their homes custom-built and being able to have such an input into the build of their new homes. He said: “We are thrilled we were able to give these clients the home of their dreams at Wynyard Park and hope they enjoy their new home Meadow Cottage. “Custom-build properties – in which we specialise – are increasingly popular with house buyers as it gives them the benefits of a self-build property whilst freeing those with busy lives of everything from planning and surveys, through to design and project management. “We work through every stage of the house build with the owners, giving them the different options to customise their homes and inject creativity, then we look after the whole process. “Meadow Cottage is a testament to the kind of property we can custom-build for house buyers. “The £1.1m home boasts stand-out features such as a tailor-made kitchen hand crafted by a local company, suspended oak beams, double sided open fire with exposed brick chimney breasts, double height glazing, dropped ceilings with recessed lighting and a range of other high end fixtures and fittings.” In some European countries 80% of homes are custom-built, compared to less than 10% in the UK – but that figure is expected to rise with Mr Cochrane pointing to an existing register of 90,000 people in the UK currently interested in such projects at a New Build and Housing Delivery seminar. Joseph added: “As well as the outstanding results custom-building can provide, the Wynyard Park location is also a big draw with stunning landscaping, round the clock security, a bourgeoning community and outstanding local schools including Wynyard Church of England Primary.” Developments by Joseph Homes offers a selection of designs for customers to choose from, or works with purchasers to produce bespoke designs to create the home of their dreams within their budget. The purchaser has the opportunity to make individual changes to match their particular requirements, while it project manages the custom-build on behalf of the customer. For more information about a custom-build project with Developments by Joseph Homes – or to view Poppy Cottage, the Developments by Joseph Homes show home – contact the Developments By Joseph Homes Sales Suite on 01740 618 888 or email info@josephhomes.life.
In high value industries like construction, there’s a growing emphasis being placed on energy-efficiency and the use of sustainable materials. Despite this and the fact that renewable energy sources are growing at an incredible rate, it’s estimated that fossil fuels will still account for a 77% market share by the year 2050. Much of this has to do with the numerous challenges surrounding renewables, particularly in terms of widespread adoption and considerable fluctuations in terms of energy sources. We’ll address these challenges in the article below, while asking how these may be resolved in the years to come. The Implementation of Effective Energy Storage In the case of traditional fossil fuel plants, these outlets operate at a pre-mitigated level and produce a consistently reliable source of energy. The same cannot be said for renewables, however, which represent a much more unreliable source that can be impacted by a diverse array of different factors. The energy output from a solar farm can be suddenly reduced by heavy clouds, for example, while wind farms are also impacted by speed and variable forecasts. To counter this, researchers and developers are investing heavily in energy storage systems for renewables, while also innovating as a way of optimising capacity for renewable sources like hydropower. In terms of the latter, firms like Weir have developed advanced flow controls that optimise capacity while also minimising waste, without compromising on the reliability of the power source. 2. The Combination of Distributed Systems On a similar note, control software is also an obvious solution to better monitor and manage the output of renewable power sources. However, we must recognise that the vast majority of renewable energy generation sites are distributed across a diverse geographical area, making it extremely difficult to regulate and oversee outputs with the existing range of software options. In order to manage large, global offshore wind farms (and indeed similar power sources), companies must leverage intricate data sets from each location and combine these into a single report. Further innovation is planned in this space, in a bid to develop software that can manage this complex process across various items of distributed equipment. We’ll have to watch this space for now, but we’re sure to see some advancement sooner rather than later. 3. Tracking and Reporting on Renewable Energy Sources The next stage in the process is accurately tracking renewable energy output and reporting on this. However, this crucial task is proving extremely difficult at present. After all, while effectively controlling and monitoring renewable energy is crucial to future efficiency, it’s also imperative that companies are able to harness the data generated by their equipment if they’re to optimise the value that they offer. The software used to manage renewable energy sources should be able to visualise and capture huge swathes of real-time data, while being able to present this in a way that analysts can easily comprehend. This requires a focus on smart and intuitive software, with initial options like Zenon Analyser enabling firms to generate several different reports across an array of data sets. Ultimately, the goal must be to build on this innovation and improve the level of data capture over time, without compromising on visibility or ease of use.
Northern Ireland based developer and contractor McAleer & Rushe has announced that it has just secured planning permission to develop two multi-million-pound hotels located in Birmingham and Glasgow City Centre, representing an investment of c. £85 million. Combined, the two hotels will deliver a total of 630 bedrooms and will be operated by Ireland’s largest hotel operator, Dalata Hotel Group (“Dalata”), under its four-star Maldron brand. McAleer & Rushe Contracts UK Ltd are scheduled to commence construction on both hotels this summer, with practical completion anticipated within two years. Maldron Hotel Glasgow The 300-bed 4 star hotel in Glasgow, the first Maldron Hotel for Dalata in Scotland, will be located on Renfrew St, close to Buchannan St and employ c. 100 staff. It forms part of a wider masterplan by McAleer & Rushe to include c. 100,000 sq.ft of Grade A offices. Maldron Hotel Birmingham The 330-bed Maldron Hotel in Birmingham is prominently located in the city centre 5 minutes walk from New Street Station and will be delivered in advance of 2022 Common Wealth Games, employing up to 105 staff. The development which is regenerating a derelict site, will feature a business centre, ground floor bar and restaurant with guest rooms arranged over 10 uppers floors. Commenting Stephen Surphlis, Property Director, McAleer & Rushe said, “The development of the two new Maldron Hotels are very exciting initiatives for both cities with the projects strategically located, catering for both business and leisure users. Glasgow has one of the fastest growing economies in the UK and Birmingham continues to secure a range of inward investment projects, with the opening of the HS2 high speed rail network in 2026. “We’ve been encouraged by the support shown by both Local Authorities in processing the applications in a professional and timely manner allowing construction works to commence in the coming months and we look forward to working with in partnership with Dalata once again.” Dermot Crowley, Deputy CEO, Dalata Hotel Group commented: “We are delighted that planning permission has been granted for these two prime sites in Birmingham and Glasgow that will deliver 630 rooms across both cities and supports our goal to become the leading 4-star operator in 20 target cities across the UK. This will be our first Maldron Hotel in Birmingham, where we currently operate a 174 bedroom Clayton hotel. In addition to the Maldron Glasgow, we will deliver a 4-star 294 bedroom Clayton hotel in Glasgow in early 2021. We look forward to working with McAleer and Rushe on these developments, who have proved to be an excellent partner on previous projects.”
Ahead of High Speed Two (HS2) Limited beginning construction of a train maintenance depot in Washwood Heath, demolition of a former railway works in Birmingham is now well underway. The demolition covers a site larger than 110,000 square-metres and is being carried out by HS2 Ltd alongside their early works contractor, Birmingham-based LM JV. The site at Washwood Heath was originally home to a depot that measured 782,622 cubic metres of buildings and structures, and these are now in the process of being demolished. This has yielded a total of 412,464 tonnes of demolition materials – the equivalent weight of 68 Birmingham BT Towers – and this will be predominantly reused on site, significantly reducing the need for landfill and lorry movements. Mike Lyons, Programme Director of Phase One in the Midlands said: “As we prepare for the construction of HS2, there is a huge amount of work going on at sites in the Midlands, including land clearance, habitat creation, tree planting, demolitions, archaeology, road improvement works and utility diversions. “We currently have 62 live sites across the whole Phase One route, servicing over 250 work locations. Over 7,000 jobs are supported by HS2, and over 300 companies in the Midlands are already working on the project.” HS2 trains will be maintained at Washwood Heath, and activities at the facility will include cleaning, servicing, and routine repairs of the new high-speed fleet. The depot will employ up to 500 staff working in shifts, either in jobs within the depot, maintenance and support workers, or train drivers who will start and finish their day there. It will be HS2’s only rolling stock maintenance depot for Phases One and 2a of the UK’s new high-speed rail network. Formerly known as the Washwood Heath Railway Works, the site was last used by Alstom. It is the preferred location for HS2’s future depot because it is centrally located in relation to the completed HS2 network, which will extend to Leeds and Manchester.
The Government has announced today that it has committed an additional £6m to the community led housing sector, supplementing the £163m Community Housing Fund which was launched last year. Hundreds of community-run housing organisations will benefit from this brand new Government-funded community led housing programme which will provide funding, training and specialist advice. Community led housing is a way that communities can come together to solve their own housing challenges and provide high quality and affordable homes. It is estimated that over 5,000 community led homes will be built in the next five years. Through the Community Led Homes Programme, which is managed by a consortium of four housing charities, community groups can apply for up to £10,000 seed-corn grants to cover start-up costs including legal incorporation fees. Over £3.5m will also be invested into the growing network of community led housing enabling hubs that provide groups with technical advice and support. This latest funding comes just weeks after the Mayor of London announced his own £38m Community Housing Fund. Sadiq Khan has pledged to support 1,000 community led homes in the capital by 2021. More information about community led housing, including how to apply for a grant, can be found at www.communityledhomes..org.uk Samantha Jones, Head of Community Led Homes, said: “Communities want to play their part in tackling the country’s affordable housing crisis and many are forming community led housing groups to do so. In the next five years the movement will build over 5,000 affordable homes. We’ve created the Community Led Homes programme to help this figure increase further still, and in time, for community led housing to become a mainstream housing option. “This programme is the culmination of a huge amount of work from the four organisations involved and demonstrates our belief that in partnership we can support more communities to imagine and realise the affordable housing they so desperately need. Together we are committed to building a lasting legacy for community led housing.”
The word ‘office’ has long been heavily associated with skyscrapers and modern complexes. These days, however, many businesses have expanded their geographical reach – with many opting to work outside of the city. Firms located in rural areas can avoid high rent costs, busy commutes and –unsurprisingly – can enjoy major health benefits. Those based in the countryside typically work from converted buildings, like barns and lofts. As with any indoor area, safety compliance is key. If you want to transform an old building into an office, look no further: our guide can help you to achieve this. Determine Property Age Do you seek to convert an old building – like a barn – into a working space? If so, it may be worth determining its age before you decide to buy. Often, it can be slight harder to obtain planning permission for properties that were built before a certain period than more modern constructions. Farm buildings pre-dating July 1948 may be determined by the same rules that are applied to the updating of listed buildings. To avoid any legal disputes, it could be worth identifying its approximate age. Census returns, local history societies, and online sources can help with this. In doing this, you can make sure that any space older than 71 years old will apply to all safety compliancy laws once it has been modified. Consider Company Type What kind of business do you own? Do you provide face-to-face customer service? Or does client work happen outside of the office? In the UK, Health and Safety regulations are universal. But particular ones can apply to certain workplace environments. On-Site construction may entail additional regulations that are specific to that industry, for example. If craftwork – like carpentry – will take place within your desired barn or coach house, you must consider how its layout can protect workers from harm. Single story buildings with a wide surface area often present a less hazardous environment. To maximise the safety of your converted space, identify any industry requirements regarding safety laws. Guarantee Consistent Safety Safety compliance is an ongoing task. But with the right equipment, you can easily maintain a comfortable, healthy space. Devices like automatic smoke ventilation systems can detect any issue before it arises. As a result, you can confront it quickly and effectively. Additionally, health and safety compliance involves comfort. If it is not dealt with, discomfort can seriously affect our emotional and physical wellbeing. Exposure to intense cold may lead to hyperthermia and confusion. Equally, without proper ventilation, heat exhaustion can occur in offices. A manual window opener can enable you to eliminate either of these risks. With this tool, everyone in your converted business space can manage heat levels directly. Therefore, you can all work together to make it as comfortable and safe as possible. A business relocation to the country could heighten the overall performance of your team and firm. Better still, it will deliver fantastic views. It may even improve staff members’ health. Now that you know how to optimise safety within your new office, you can create the ideal home for your company.