Tolent has announced its recent contract win at Kirkstall Forge, where the team will build the site’s first residential phase, with the contract initially delivering the construction of two prototype houses. Led by CEG, Kirkstall Forge is a £400 million project in Leeds that will see over 1,000 new homes
At some point, almost all surfaces will need to be deep cleaned, especially if they outside accumulating dirt and grime every day. Two of the best options for deep cleaning are sandblasting and the DOFF cleaning system – but which one is right for you. Here we will take a
Over three quarters of company’s UK sales of RAC and PAC technologies in February 2019 were for R32 systems, reflecting a market shift towards the lower GWP product Mitsubishi Electric has said that UK demand for RAC and PAC systems has dramatically shifted within the last two years away from
National property and construction consultancy Wakemans has completed a £2.4million SuperRoom roll out programme for Travelodge, one of the UK’s largest budget hotel chains. The Travelodge SuperRoom is the UK’s first premium economy room concept within the budget hotel sector. It is designed around the ‘premium economy’ concept familiar to
BSG (Building Safety Group), the UK’s largest construction safety group, has reported a 33% year on year rise in the number of ‘Hand Arm Vibration’ breaches recorded on construction sites. The increase is based on over 42,000 independent site inspections conducted over a two year period, comparing 2017 to 2018.
The University of Glasgow has appointed architects Woods Bagot to design and deliver a new building to house its School of Engineering. The new Engineering Building is part of the University’s £1 billion Campus Development Programme, which is redeveloping the 14 acre site of the former Western Infirmary in
Michael Holmes, property expert for the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show (28-31 March, NEC, Birmingham), provides his advice on building a conservatory to withstand all weather conditions. ‘Adding underfloor heating and air conditioning can do much to make a conservatory more comfortable year round, but its more effective and ecologically sustainable to invest
HLM, a leading design and architecture practice with studios in Glasgow, has won the tender for the £45 million Sheffield Heart of the City II Block A project, staving off competition from 37 other architecture practices. The scheme will provide ground floor retail space, office accommodation, a lifestyle hotel and
Building services provider J S Wright has launched a new maintenance company to serve homeowners and property managers in London. Wright Maintenance will service and repair heating, plumbing, ventilation and electrical systems for the entire life of any residential building, whether or not the equipment was installed by J S
A look at how some building contractors may choose to hire fire fighting equipment for their future projects. Modern Sites Although it could be argued that building sites abound with potential health and safety issues for all personnel working in such areas, it has to be said that many of
Tolent has announced its recent contract win at Kirkstall Forge, where the team will build the site’s first residential phase, with the contract initially delivering the construction of two prototype houses. Led by CEG, Kirkstall Forge is a £400 million project in Leeds that will see over 1,000 new homes and 400,000 sq ft of offices, retail, leisure and community spaces being developed. The two prototype houses will be completed this summer and, once finished, members of CEG’s design team will move into the three and five-bed homes and test out the living experience. Following their feedback, improvements will be made to finesse the final product before continuing with the first phase of 112 contemporary homes, which were designed by Stirling Prize winner Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. Open plan, light and airy, offering open plan living opening out onto gardens and terraces across different floors, the homes have been designed for modern life, making everyday living refreshingly enjoyable and effortlessly cool. Regional Director for Tolent, John Currie, said: “This is another great win for the team which really shows the depth of experience and expertise we have as a national construction firm. “With such a significant and visionary project that is already winning awards, we’re looking forward to being a part of this legacy for Leeds as well as the innovative prototype housing which is something new for us.” James Shimwell, head of residential development at Kirkstall Forge, said: “This innovative way of delivering prototype housing follows the attention to detail we have paid to everything we are delivering at Kirkstall Forge. “By testing every detail we can ensure we best complement Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios’ inspiring design, which maximises the acres of green space and waterfront opportunity.” CEG’s decision to ensure Kirkstall Forge is ‘Different by Design’ has paid off to date; with the opening of a new railway station connecting this development site to Leeds City Centre in just six minutes, followed swiftly by a 110,000 sq ft office development which was 90% let less than a year from completion, securing the prestigious British Council of Offices best UK ‘Commercial Workplace’ award. Tolent, a north-east based national contractor, has been working across the Leeds and wider Yorkshire area since 1990, delivering a variety of contracts from industrial, leisure and more recently student accommodation. To find out more about Tolent visit www.tolent.co.uk
At some point, almost all surfaces will need to be deep cleaned, especially if they outside accumulating dirt and grime every day. Two of the best options for deep cleaning are sandblasting and the DOFF cleaning system – but which one is right for you. Here we will take a look at the benefits of each form of cleaning to give you an idea of which would be most beneficial to you. The benefits of DOFF cleaning The DOFF system uses steam cleaning technology. Water is heated to a temperature of up 150°C and the steam can be directed at a surface using the adjustable nozzle. The system is perfect for a wide range of deep cleaning needs, making it perfect whether you require some home maintenance or on your industrial premises. Some of the benefits of the DOFF cleaning system include: Non-abrasive – unlike many deep-cleaning methods, the DOFF cleaning system is non-abrasive, using only steam and water to clean. This means that the surfaces that you are interested in cleaning, such as brickwork or concrete, won’t be damaged, if the cleaning system is used correctly. Additionally, the DOFF system does not use any chemicals during the cleaning process, meaning that it can be used on softer materials or historic properties without fearing that the cleaning itself will cause damage. Use on a huge range of surfaces – one of the major advantages of working with the DOFF cleaning system is that it can be used on such a huge variety of surfaces. This ranges from stone, brick and concrete to softer materials such as wood, terracotta and faience. Best of all is that it can clean these more delicate materials without damage. And in spite of the fact that it can be gentle on such surfaces, it also boasts industrial cleaning power that is effective as many of its rivals. “The steam or super-heated water removes moss, algae, fungi and other biological matter and will also kill off spores. This means there is no need to use a chemical biocide during the removal process or as a protection against any further biological activity. While the temperature in the system is high, the pressure on the surface being cleaned is very gentle and the volume of water is low. The surface being cleaned does not suffer any damaging pressure, thermal shock or deep saturation and dries within minutes, making it ideal for more delicate materials.” Tony Guess, MC Property Maintenance Versatile – as you would imagine, DOFF cleaning can be used outside on all the surfaces mentioned above, however you might be surprised to learn that is have even broader cleaning potential. The steam cleaning makes it ideal for sterilising indoor environments and surfaces, including kitchens, medical facilities, toilets and swimming pools. The DOFF system can be used for cleaning in high pollution and high traffic areas with great success. The benefits of sandblasting Sandblasting is a form of deep cleaning that propels an abrasive agent (such as sand, but not always) under high pressure against a surface in order to either clean it, or smooth over a rough surface completely. One of the most powerful forms of wall cleaning systems available, sandblasting can be used at residential properties or in a variety of industrial settings. Some of the benefits of sandblasting include: Very quick and easy – sandblasting is extremely quick and easy for two reasons. Firstly, it gives surfaces a powerful and deep clean very fast. It can massively reduce the amount of time that it takes to get challenging cleaning tasks done. Additionally, it is very fast to clean up afterwards as you will need to have protected the surrounding areas against the sand. Non-toxic and environmentally friendly – despite the fact that sandblasting is an extremely powerful and intense way of cleaning surfaces, it does not use any toxic or environmentally damaging chemicals. Many cleaning products are extremely caustic and can be danger to work with. Prepares surfaces – along with cleaning surfaces extremely well, sandblasting is also useful for surface preparation. If you know that you are going to be carrying out full works on a surface – for example, repainting or decoration – sandblasting gets rid of the contaminants so that you can get to work immediately after the cleaning is done. Ultimately, DOFF cleaning and sandblasting both offer excellent cleaning, but it is important to know which is the right one for your needs. If you are still in any doubt then it is a good idea to speak to cleaning specialists about the project, what you are trying to achieve and when you need it to be completed. They will be able to provide you with the information you need.
Over three quarters of company’s UK sales of RAC and PAC technologies in February 2019 were for R32 systems, reflecting a market shift towards the lower GWP product Mitsubishi Electric has said that UK demand for RAC and PAC systems has dramatically shifted within the last two years away from use of R410A towards lower GWP R32 refrigerant. The manufacturer has said that 80 per cent of sales in these segments last month was for technology designed for R32, a product that has a lower level of flammability. During the same time last year, R32 represented 30 per cent of its RAC and PAC sales, according to Mark Grayston, product marketing manager with Mitsubishi Electric Living Environmental Systems UK. Ongoing quota restrictions on the amount of CO2 equivalent that manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Electric are able to import to the UK under EU F-Gas regulation has been a key driver in pushing the market towards lower GWP products. This has proven to be the case even with the low levels of flammability and the subsequent handling challenges that these newer refrigerant products pose that is not present in higher GWP gas. Mr Grayston said that Mitsubishi Electric’s main focus for R32 products at present was the company’s HVRF technology, where it was in the process of expanding the capacity of outdoor units to between 22kW and 56kW. He added, “We have already moved the majority of our split systems (between 1.5kW and 14kW) to R32, with further R32 releases to come in 2019.” Mr Graytson said that changes introduced in the 6th edition of IEC regulation 60335-2-40 would widening the usage envelope for low flammability refrigerant such as R32. However, he argued that the EN378 safety and environmental standard has not been amended to pick up these changes, meaning some of the challenges to expanding use of the lower flammability refrigerant remained in place. Mr Graytson said, “With good design and following the manufacturers and regulation guidelines high capacity R32 systems can be designed and installed in most commercial applications. Currently R32 HVRF allows for higher capacity systems to be installed because water is run to each fan coil and therefore we don’t need to deal with refrigerant into the occupied spaces.” “As consultants and air conditioning installers gain more experience of A2L refrigerants the wider the scope will be for bigger high capacity systems to be released into the UK and European markets.”
National property and construction consultancy Wakemans has completed a £2.4million SuperRoom roll out programme for Travelodge, one of the UK’s largest budget hotel chains. The Travelodge SuperRoom is the UK’s first premium economy room concept within the budget hotel sector. It is designed around the ‘premium economy’ concept familiar to airline users. It dials up the comfort factor for business and leisure customers who want the extra choice of a more premium room. Wakemans acted as project manager on the trial rooms, with responsibility for the procurement of the new amenities as well as fit-out, before overseeing the roll-out of SuperRooms in 48 Travelodge hotels around the UK. Nigel Himpson, Senior Associate Director at Wakemans, said: “SuperRooms are now available in some of the top locations around the country and offer an extra level of comfort to guests who opt for longer stays as well as those who choose to spend more time in the room.” A total of 296 SuperRooms have been incorporated into Travelodge’s existing city centre hotels. Scott Rutherford, Travelodge, Technical Services Director said: “At Travelodge we are all about bringing great value and choice to the budget traveller. More and more business travellers are opting for a budget hotel and last year we generated more sales from business customers than those on holiday. Our new SuperRoom adds an extra choice for customers who are spending more time working in the room, are staying longer or who just value that little bit more comfort. Alongside our recently upgraded classic room, this is another important milestone on our journey to become the favourite hotel for value.” The stylish SuperRoom has everything that you would expect from Travelodge but with lots of new additional creature comforts. It has been styled in a modern residential décor scheme, creating a home from home feel. It features a new dream-light colour scheme which includes tones of calming blue, warm beige and tranquil taupe, as well as blackout curtains, creating a relaxing atmosphere for a restful night’s sleep. The signature creature comforts in the SuperRoom include: Lavazza ‘A Modo Mio’ fresh capsule coffee machine to kick-start your day Hansgrohe Raindance 3-jet adjustable shower to leave you fully refreshed Multiple power and USB charging points at arm’s length throughout Relaxing ambient LED mood lighting Comfy armchair to relax in Larger desk area with a comfortable swivel chair Luxurious king-size Travelodge Dreamer™ bed Choice of firm and soft hypo-allergenic pillows Dressing stand with a powerful hairdryer In-room iron and ironing board Powerful hairdryer and full length mirror Samsung Slimline wall-mounted flat screen TV Hot chocolate and a KitKat for that extra treat when you need it
BSG (Building Safety Group), the UK’s largest construction safety group, has reported a 33% year on year rise in the number of ‘Hand Arm Vibration’ breaches recorded on construction sites. The increase is based on over 42,000 independent site inspections conducted over a two year period, comparing 2017 to 2018. Hand-arm vibration comes from the use of hand-held power tools and is the cause of significant ill health (painful and disabling disorders of the blood vessels, nerves and joints). Exposing workers to the risks of ‘Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome’ or HAVS can result in symptoms such as such as tingling, pins and needles, numbness and pain in the affected person’s hands. The condition can affect sleep when it occurs at night and cause difficulties in gripping and holding things. Between 2008 and 2017 there were over 7,000 new claims for HAVs according to the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB). BSG’s announcement coincides with a series of recent HSE blitzes which have focused on ‘Vibration’ in construction as a serious health risk. In many cases, HSE visits have frequently led to FFIs (Fees for intervention) penalties being imposed. A recent case saw Balfour Beatty fined £500,000 for HAVS breaches over ‘several years’*. Paul Kimpton, Managing Director for BSG commented: “Hand arm vibration can be a significant health risk wherever powered hand tools are used for prolonged lengths of time. And unfortunately, once the damage is done it is permanent.” Paul continued: “However the good news is that HAVs is easily preventable. What construction companies need to do is find out what their workers’ exposure is likely to be as part of a vibration risk assessment. The HSE advises that the employer carries out a period of monitoring to understand how long workers use particular tools in a typical day or week. Once you know enough about the work to say what the exposure is likely to be and whether it is likely to exceed either the ‘Exposure Action’ or ‘Exposure Limit Value**’, focus can shift to investigating, as well as taking practical steps to reduce the exposure and the risks.”
The University of Glasgow has appointed architects Woods Bagot to design and deliver a new building to house its School of Engineering. The new Engineering Building is part of the University’s £1 billion Campus Development Programme, which is redeveloping the 14 acre site of the former Western Infirmary in Glasgow’s West End. This marks the beginning of the next chapter in the University of Glasgow’s proud heritage of world-shaping engineering. Alongside offering innovative teaching spaces and laboratories, the vision for student learning in the new building focuses on a large, dynamic Creativity Lab. This will accommodate workshops, plus advanced visualisation and data analysis where students can develop as creative engineers, engage with industry, grow student-led engineering outreach and build teams for international engineering competitions. The building will be a living laboratory, driven by Smart Building and Smart Campus technologies, where researchers and students engage with the building’s energy and structural performance data and where new technologies can be researched and tested. Research laboratories will create collaborative interdisciplinary environments to find engineering solutions to global problems. The building will also be outward-facing, showcasing engineering at Glasgow, with facilities for industry and public engagement, and social spaces. Margaret Lucas, Professor of Ultrasonics at the University of Glasgow, who leads the project, said: “Glasgow is renowned for engineering innovation, and the discoveries made here have shaped the world around us for centuries. This is now an opportunity to change how we do engineering at the University of Glasgow, and create our future world-shaping engineering heritage. “Our vision is a building that not only supports world-class learning and teaching, but is also a collaborative and creative space, helping to drive discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship for our students, staff and wider community. “Working with the team at Woods Bagot is an exciting collaboration for us, to develop a new unique and iconic home for Engineering at the University of Glasgow.” Woods Bagot Principal Jonathan Leah said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with the University of Glasgow and its passionate and engaged group of stakeholders to provide user-centric solutions that address the Engineering Building’s needs now and well into the future.”
Michael Holmes, property expert for the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show (28-31 March, NEC, Birmingham), provides his advice on building a conservatory to withstand all weather conditions. ‘Adding underfloor heating and air conditioning can do much to make a conservatory more comfortable year round, but its more effective and ecologically sustainable to invest in design solutions that will make the climate easier to control by reducing heat gain on sunny days and preventing warmth escaping when it’s cold. Adding thermal blinds can achieve both of these aims in very effectively. Getting the conservatory design right in the first instance is the best approach, avoiding due south orientation to limit solar gain, or at least using planting to provide screening where a south facing wall is the only location option. Limiting the area of glazing to two walls rather than three and adding high levels of insulation in the floor and base walls will also help, as will choosing energy efficient double glazed units fitted with solar glass to reduce solar gain and heat loss. Reducing the glazed area of the roof will also improve thermal efficiency, which is why sun rooms, with two glazed walls but a partially or totally solid insulated roof, are becoming ever more popular. Ventilation is also a key consideration in keeping a conservatory cool, allowing warm humid air to escape through roof vents and cooler fresh air to be drawn in at a lower level. Adding a ceiling fan will also help air movement. Security, style, price, durability and thermal efficiency are all key considerations when choosing a front door, but unless budget is unlimited, these qualities can compete for priority and a compromise will need to be found to choose the right product. For a valuable high end home, it’s very important to choose a door that complements the property’s architectural style and painted timber is what most buyers would expect and will maintain the property’s value. A u-PVC door might be seen as a negative on such a property, even detracting its value if the style is wrong, despite its security and longevity. Conversely, for the typical family home, a uPVC door that will be secure, require almost no maintenance and is likely to last for years will be what most buyers expect, while a softwood timber door might well be seen as a maintenance issue and therefore a negative. An off-the-shelf door made to a standard size will usually be the most cost-effective choice. It will often be less expensive to make minor adjustments to the door opening to suit a standard size frame than to have a bespoke door made to order.’
HLM, a leading design and architecture practice with studios in Glasgow, has won the tender for the £45 million Sheffield Heart of the City II Block A project, staving off competition from 37 other architecture practices. The scheme will provide ground floor retail space, office accommodation, a lifestyle hotel and residential accommodation. It forms part of the wider Heart of the City II masterplan, one of Sheffield’s key economic projects backed by Sheffield City Council alongside its strategic delivery partner Queensberry. Designed to create a dynamic mixed-use district in the heart of the city centre, it will offer Grade A office space, two hotels, residential developments, restaurants and cafés, leisure destinations, parking and stunning public realm. Block A is the city block on Pinstone Street and is the gateway to the Heart of the City II district from the east. It sits within the City Centre Conservation Area and neighbours several historically significant buildings and public spaces, including Barker’s Pool, City Hall, the Town Hall and Laycock House. It also has a commanding presence over the adjacent Peace Gardens. HLM’s winning design draws on the romance and heritage of the site as well as the independent retail culture of the city centre and the vibrancy associated with Sheffield City of Makers. Described as calm, confident and contemporary, it stitches together different uses to create a vibrant destination within the city centre. Philip Watson, Director and Head of Design at HLM, said: “As a major UK practice which had its first base in Sheffield, being part of its regeneration is a great honour. It’s a unique project with a significance that is affirmed by the 35+ practices who wanted to be considered as part of the competition. Our successful design reflects our own understanding of this great UK city as well a quality of architecture that marries the respect of the old and the potential of the new.” Nalin Seneviratne, Director of City Centre Development at Sheffield City Council, added: “Block A is one of the most prominent blocks within the Heart of the City II masterplan. It was critical for us to bring in an architect with the vision and creativity to help us to realise the true potential of this site. With HLM Architects we are confident we have found this, as they combine international experience and expertise with a detailed local knowledge and respect for Sheffield’s heritage.” HLM offers expertise across five disciplines including Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Environmental and Masterplanning. It has studios in Glasgow, London, Sheffield, Belfast, Cardiff and Manchester, as well as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. For more information on HLM visit: www.hlmarchitects.com or follow @HLMArchitects on Twitter.
Building services provider J S Wright has launched a new maintenance company to serve homeowners and property managers in London. Wright Maintenance will service and repair heating, plumbing, ventilation and electrical systems for the entire life of any residential building, whether or not the equipment was installed by J S Wright. Landlords, property management agents, housing associations, care providers, and homeowners will benefit from 24-hour repair service and preventative maintenance and service plans delivered by mobile engineers. The Wright Maintenance management team will be led by associate director Toby Guise, head of quality Ben Wright, and service team leader Steve Brown. Marcus Aniol, managing director of J S Wright, said: “We launched our new company to build on the success of our maintenance department in meeting the many requests we were receiving from landlords and occupiers of new-build apartments across London to service and maintain the equipment we had installed and for which they had become responsible.”
A look at how some building contractors may choose to hire fire fighting equipment for their future projects. Modern Sites Although it could be argued that building sites abound with potential health and safety issues for all personnel working in such areas, it has to be said that many of the modern-day construction sites spare no expense when it comes to HSE regulations. Indeed, carpenters, bricklayers and other trades have commonly seen going about their daily tasks on new housing development or shopping mall project can rest assured that the main contractor will make sure all health and safety measures have been implemented. And just like most large building contractors or even small subcontractors will prefer to hire various equipment to get their work done such as compressors, dumper trucks or power tools as opposed to purchasing them, the same could be said for state-of-the-art fire alarms and fire extinguishing products. However, contractors that fail to consider all the options available to them with regards to wireless alarm systems and fire extinguishers, as well as related signs, could end up with inferior fire protection gear. Safety First Regardless of how much pressure a leading building contractor may be under to get their latest city centre project completed and handed over to the client, it is absolutely vital for these types of companies to ensure the safety of all people working on their sites. Of course, not only will major firms involved in various commercial and domestic construction works comply with the HSE in order to avoid being penalised or even shut down but most of these firms will do so just for ethical or moral reasons. One growing trend, however; with regard to the procurement of fire prevention is hiring the equipment for fire safety planning. Indeed, as construction sites are continuously in a state of change and development, the type of fire fighting systems needed at various phases will often be different from the start of the projects. One main reason for this is that there will be a wide range of materials not only used to carry out the work but also materials that make up the structure of the buildings. Builders that appreciate the benefits to be gained from renting fire alarm systems and associated equipment should be able to source a number of firms suitable for their needs. Expert Advice Building contractors that prefer to stick with what they know best – building properties, are likely to look for providers of wireless alarms and fire extinguishers and other health and safety products from firms that are experts in this field. Fortunately for firms in the building game that do not wish to waste time deciding on the most appropriate fire safety products for their sites, there are plenty of well-established firms with fire protection solutions that offer a consultation service for all their clients. Of course, building site managers that could do with some advice on where best to place things like fire extinguishers or fire exit points do need to ensure they get this aspect right. That being said, with today’s extremely strict HSE regulations in place, there is very little chance of a building site not being up-to-scratch regarding health and safety concerns. And just like it is very important to keep all working areas on a construction site free from hazardous materials whenever possible, building site managers would be wise to attend as many HSE workshops as they have time for. Hire Equipment Tradespeople that have used a variety of hire tools and other equipment over the years will appreciate how some of the gear they have used have not been very good due to a lack of maintenance carried out by the hire company. Of course, if we are going to hire extremely important equipment such as fire alarms and extinguishers, it would go without saying that all such gear needs to be properly cleaned and checked by the firm we deal with. There are in fact many benefits to hiring equipment for construction sites. And by looking on the internet for extremely useful resources, construction bosses should be able to get a better idea regarding the pros and cons of renting machinery and power tools as well as fire protection equipment and systems.