MORE than 20 senior delegates gathered in Leicester ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD, 8 March) for a round table event which explored the challenges faced in achieving true gender equality. Hosted by property, construction and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard, the event considered how a balanced workforce can be created
A record number of over 400 construction professionals gathered at ExCel, London to celebrate the 2019 Offsite Awards. As one of the most vibrant industry networking events of the year, the Offsite Awards celebrate product and service innovation, engineered by the pioneers who are taking the offsite construction industry to
Arthur Online – the cloud-based property management platform – has made property management simpler by integrating with Advanced Tenant Referencing and Signable. You can now manage the tenant onboarding process from end-to-end using the Arthur Online app or desktop platform, without a single piece of paper exchanging hands. This new
Aggreko, the leading supplier of temporary power, heating and cooling solutions, has made a positive start to 2019 by achieving the new ISO 45001 international standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S), less than one year after the accreditation was first announced. Demonstrating the company’s robust health and safety management
Property services company, SDL Group, has been named as one of Europe’s fastest growing companies by the Financial Times, in its recently announced FT1000 2019. The list, compiled by the Financial Times in collaboration with Statista, outlines the top 1,000 European companies ranked in terms of revenue growth. SDL Group’s
To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2019 (4 – 8 March), an international engineering association announced it is forming the first ever academic partnership agreement with a further education college in the UK. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), which has 92,000 members globally, attended the Hunslet Campus of Leeds College of Building yesterday
Hale Construction, part of JG Hale Group, is celebrating having won Best Small New Housing Development award at the respected LABC Neath Port Talbot Building Excellence Awards 2019. The Neath-based company won the award for their development of seven properties in Waunsterw, Pontardawe, with a total value of £1.1 million.
National Apprenticeship Week runs from 4 to 8 March and this year the theme will be Blaze a trail – Fire It Up, showcasing how apprentices bring new energy and passion into any businesses. Yorkshire Housing will celebrate the success of their apprenticeship programme by showcasing apprenticeships as a pathway to a
Within the UK, the construction sector loses £400 million per year on average due to theft of site equipment and other crimes. According to research into construction site crime held by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), around 92% of site managers report facing issues with theft on a weekly,
Eco-friendly homes are all the rage right now, with many consumers attempting to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle long-term. Helping the planet is about more than just recycling and refusing to buy single-use plastics, and those taking it seriously have already started incorporating environmentally conscious practices into their home design
MORE than 20 senior delegates gathered in Leicester ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD, 8 March) for a round table event which explored the challenges faced in achieving true gender equality. Hosted by property, construction and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard, the event considered how a balanced workforce can be created and what practical steps can be taken to achieve this. “We discussed a range of topics – from gender stereotypes acquired by children and women taking career breaks to have children, to hiring policies and the importance of positive female role models,” said Aarti Raj, director at Pick Everard. The round table was held yesterday (Weds 6 March) to celebrate IWD, which is an annual campaign. This year’s IWD theme is ‘balance for better’. Aarti continued: “This is Pick Everard’s second round table event. We focussed on the theme ‘balance for better’ this year, so invited men into the discussion. This created a balanced perspective on an issue that’s not just a female issue – it’s a business issue. “It’s not just the construction industry which has a gender imbalance, so we were pleased to welcome representatives from the professional services, education and legal sectors to provide their thoughts and experiences on the topic. “We considered how the private sector can learn from the public sector in terms of a closer integration with society and communities, reflecting society’s diversity in the workforce. By sharing our experiences across various different industries, we can continue to develop a better understanding of best practice – which will ultimately benefit us all.” Duncan Green, managing partner at Pick Everard added: “We know that the construction industry has some way to go to achieve real equality. At Pick Everard, we aspire to be a positive force within the sector and are committed to doing as much as we can – through events like this – to promote opportunities available in construction, facilitate stronger industry connectivity and celebrate female role models. “Thank you to everyone who attended.” To join in the conversation on social media, follow @PickEverard on Twitter and use the hashtags #IWDPerspective #BalanceForBetter. Visit www.pickeverard.co.uk to download the full podcast of the event.
A record number of over 400 construction professionals gathered at ExCel, London to celebrate the 2019 Offsite Awards. As one of the most vibrant industry networking events of the year, the Offsite Awards celebrate product and service innovation, engineered by the pioneers who are taking the offsite construction industry to new heights. The Structural Timber Association (STA) is proud to have been announced winner of the Health & Safety Award for the organisation’s Site Safe Policy. The award acknowledges outstanding health and safety disciplines, which empowers and protects construction professionals while enabling healthy onsite environments. Offsite Award judges were impressed by the policy strategy, which is mandatory for all STA members and is independently audited for the reassurance of insurance companies, customers and third-party warranty bodies. The policy stipulates information provision at tender stage and ensures that manufacturing members, suppliers and erectors of structural timber building systems work closely with customers to provide clear, concise information and health and safety guidance on all building sites. Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of STA adds: ‘We are delighted to have won such a prestigious award for health and safety in the offsite construction industry. Safety is paramount in manufacturing, and an easily-accessible health and safety policy that’s flexible to different company needs is pivotal to the wellbeing of providers and service users.’ The Site Safety Policy offers stand-out flexibility: the guide is divided into seven key requirements, each of which can be applied in numerous ways to enhance health and safety procedures. This means that members have the freedom to implement the key requirements in ways that suit their business models for easy integration. STA has also recently updated the policy to ensure that that the requirements are flexible and appropriate for all buildings, regardless of size and location. The policy applies to all structural timber building system members, including offsite manufacturers, fabricators, contractors and installers who work with principal contractors. Members are audited to ensure they are achieving the functional requirements of the Site Safe Policy. Both the policy and the audit process have been developed over many years to support members and provide professional building system provider services. By following the policy, members can engage with customers and enable the best project outcomes. The strategy creates a clear distinction in the expected health and safety processes of members and non-members within the offsite manufacturing sector. To find out how STA membership could benefit your company go to: http://www.structuraltimber.co.uk/members/benefits
Arthur Online – the cloud-based property management platform – has made property management simpler by integrating with Advanced Tenant Referencing and Signable. You can now manage the tenant onboarding process from end-to-end using the Arthur Online app or desktop platform, without a single piece of paper exchanging hands. This new integration enables you to swiftly and securely complete your tenant reference check and update your account with the new tenant’s details. Your prospective tenant can even sign all documents via the app. Arthur Online’s integration with AdvancedRent, a market leader in tenant referencing, allows for efficient management by seamlessly moving data from one software to another, saving time and money. With a simple push of a button, the information from the prospective tenant is sent out for referencing. Our tracking system allows you to easily track the progress of the reference. When complete, Arthur Online will notify you, your team, the owner and the tenant of the outcome. And, if anything needs to be signed, the Signable integration means that the tenancy agreement can be completed in minutes. Marc Trup, founder and CEO of Arthur Online, says: “Paperwork used to be the bane of property management, especially when it comes to HMOs. The paperwork and checks for just one building could zap a whole day. But now, with our integration to Advanced Tenant Referencing you only have to put the tenant’s information in once to get it checked, issue the tenancy, file the details with the accountant and deal with any issues that arise. At Arthur Online, we are all about enabling our clients to navigate the minefield that is property management, and Signable and Advanced Tenant Referencing are the latest of a number of leading tools we use to do just that.” Arthur Online gives property managers unprecedented control of their portfolio, whether dealing with tenants, contractors, accountants or agents. Arthur Online is available as an app and desktop platform from www.arthuronline.co.uk , you can sign up for a free 30-day trial today.
Aggreko, the leading supplier of temporary power, heating and cooling solutions, has made a positive start to 2019 by achieving the new ISO 45001 international standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S), less than one year after the accreditation was first announced. Demonstrating the company’s robust health and safety management system, the new accreditation is a direct replacement for the existing OHAS 18001:2007 standard. Following a stringent audit process, where companies require senior management teams to actively demonstrate commitment to OH&S, Aggreko showcased its company-wide knowledge of OH&S processes to ensure a safe workplace environment is maintained. By achieving the new standard, Aggreko will ensure that its OH&S performance will continue to improve, its OH&S management system will fulfil legal requirements, as well as achieve agreed OH&S objectives. For its customers, this standard stretches to Aggreko’s systems, providing further reassurance that its power, heating and cooling solutions are of the highest industry quality. ISO 45001 is applicable to any organisation looking to establish, implement and maintain an OH&S management system. After being awarded with the standard less than a year after it was first introduced, Aggreko has shown its commitment to maintaining its high OH&S levels, eliminating hazards and minimising risks. The news completes a successful 12 months for Aggreko, after it was awarded both the updated ISO quality management and ISO environmental management standards in 2018. The company’s latest accreditation emphasises its continued and unrivalled focus on quality, health and safety and environmental (QHSE) procedures across the sector. Martin Williams, Head of QHSE at Aggreko, said: “This achievement firmly establishes Aggreko as leaders in risk management within our sector. It demonstrates the emphasis, importance and commitment we place on the environment, quality management, and health and safety across our businesses. “We are delighted that our strong leadership values around these important areas have been officially recognised, giving our customers assurance that risk is managed and minimised prior to arrival and installation.” For more information, please visit www.aggreko.com/extra.
Property services company, SDL Group, has been named as one of Europe’s fastest growing companies by the Financial Times, in its recently announced FT1000 2019. The list, compiled by the Financial Times in collaboration with Statista, outlines the top 1,000 European companies ranked in terms of revenue growth. SDL Group’s position at 454th in the rankings puts the business in the top 50% of organisations featured, with the company being only one of a handful of property experts to make the list. An achievement highlighted by the high bar set this year, where even the lowest ranked company achieved a growth rate of 37.7%, SDL Group’s 2018 growth rate was 69.2%. Commenting on the achievement, SDL Group’s chief financial officer Colin Anderton said: “Earning a position in the FT1000 is an outstanding achievement for us, as it provides public acknowledgement of our excellent performance in all areas of our business. “Our revenue increases are attributed to success across multiple teams, where we have tried to do things differently in 2018, including SDL Surveying and Stonebridge, where we’ve managed to increase our market share as a direct result of the excellent service we provide. SDL Auctions had an incredible year with 40 auctions held in 2018, as well as creating an online auction business that serves over 500 partners. We’ve also worked tirelessly within SDL Property Management to provide a better service for our customers while growing our PRS proposition. Reflecting on the success over the past year, Colin continued: “None of it has been easy, but all of it has been important, and being recognised for our revolutionary approach and significant growth is amazing. All this would not be possible if it weren’t for our brilliant, hard-working, talented people we have here at the SDL Group.” The rankings were announced by the Financial Times on 1st March 2019 and are available in full via the following link: https://www.ft.com/content/238174d2-3139-11e9-8744-e7016697f225
To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2019 (4 – 8 March), an international engineering association announced it is forming the first ever academic partnership agreement with a further education college in the UK. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), which has 92,000 members globally, attended the Hunslet Campus of Leeds College of Building yesterday (Tuesday 5 March) to launch the partnership. The agreement, usually reserved for higher education institutions, is designed to advance the capabilities of the next generation of engineers. Until now, ICE academic partnerships have allowed undergraduate and postgraduate students, both on-campus and globally, to complete part of their professional engineering training while studying at university. Now, students at a further-education level will be able to access the same pathway to attaining a professional qualification and have the opportunity for broader connections with employers. During the launch event, five ICE ‘QUEST Technician Scholarships’ were awarded to top Apprentices at Leeds College of Building (Ruth Watson, William Rose, Tim O’Connor, Joshua Clarke, and Chris Meredith) and one to a student from Leeds Beckett University (Amy Farrell). These highly sought-after and well-respected Quest Scholarships are considered in industry to be a benchmark of excellence and are only awarded to candidates who display exceptional abilities and potential. Penny Marshall, Regional Director for ICE Yorkshire and Humber, said: “This exciting new agreement opens up opportunities for students to engage directly with industry. QUEST Scholarships are a sign of true excellence. Winners need to be both good leaders and team players; with ambition, determination and the ability to act and think independently. The 2019 scholars are all very talented and deserving winners. Their enthusiasm, determination and dedication clearly impressed the panel of judges. There’s no doubt they all have promising careers ahead of them.” Vicky Patterson, Curriculum Manager for Technical and Professional Apprenticeships at Leeds College of Building, said: “Since being named as BTEC Apprenticeship Provider of the Year in 2018, Leeds College of Building has solidified its position as a leader in the sector. Now, getting chosen by ICE for the first ever UK college academic partnership agreement, we are in a better position than ever to go above and beyond our normal duties to enhance the Apprentice’s experiences and ensure that we produce the most creative and brilliant young Technicians and Engineers of the future.” To find out more about Apprenticeship opportunities, visit the Apprenticeship Open Event on Thursday 7 March, 5-7pm, at the Leeds College of Building North Street Campus.
Hale Construction, part of JG Hale Group, is celebrating having won Best Small New Housing Development award at the respected LABC Neath Port Talbot Building Excellence Awards 2019. The Neath-based company won the award for their development of seven properties in Waunsterw, Pontardawe, with a total value of £1.1 million. The LABC awards are the largest business to business awards within the building control sector. The recent ceremony at The Towers Hotel recognised achievements from the area of Neath Port Talbot ahead of the South Wales regional awards, which will be held on 12 April 2019 at the Vale Resort, Hensol. The winners of the regional awards are automatically shortlisted for the UK final in London later this year. Johnathan Hale, chairman of JG Hale Group – the umbrella company that Hale Construction and also Hale Homes is a part of – commented: “It is a great honour for Hale Construction to win the Best Small New Housing Development award. This award is a testament to how hard our teams work – across JG Hale Group, and more specifically in this case, Hale Construction. “I am extremely grateful to all of our employees for making this happen – as without them, we would not be able to deliver on this scale. I look forward to the year ahead for JG Hale Group– our goal is to continue growing and developing and keep doing what we do best.” The winners will now go on to be entered into the Welsh regional Local Authority Building Control (LABC) awards which will be held in the Spring.
National Apprenticeship Week runs from 4 to 8 March and this year the theme will be Blaze a trail – Fire It Up, showcasing how apprentices bring new energy and passion into any businesses. Yorkshire Housing will celebrate the success of their apprenticeship programme by showcasing apprenticeships as a pathway to a great career. A great example of the passion apprentices can bring to a business is Hannah Harrison who works the reception at Yorkshire Housing, she made a short film about her experiences for National Apprentice Week. Hannah started as an apprentice in 2016 with Yorkshire Housing. By her own admission was quite shy, so her team suggested that working on reception could boost her confidence and help with her personal development. With help and support Hannah started on reception and quickly began dealing with a wide range of people in person, which really helped her to develop her confidence. After Hannah’s apprenticeship ended, she got the receptionists job at Yorkshire Housing permanently. Hannah Harrison said: “I was really glad to start my apprenticeship at Yorkshire Housing, it really helped my personal development I love working with Yorkshire Housing, it’s such a family environment and I’d recommend anyone to get an apprenticeship with Yorkshire Housing.” As part of the National Apprentice Week Yorkshire Housing apprentices will be taking part in a wide range of activities. Our apprentices will be going back to their old schools to talk about their experiences and recruit potential apprentices of the future. Muhammad Uddin will also be representing Yorkshire Housing at Parliament at a specially organised National Apprentice event. Our apprentices will also be taking part at the Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair in the First Direct Arena on Monday 4 March. Since opening its doors to its first apprentice in 2007, Yorkshire Housing has seen over 100 apprentices working with us, with over 70 percent securing fulltime positions. This year, a variety of opportunities including construction-based roles in building services, gas and electric as well as office-based jobs, will be available. Apprentices can gain a fully funded nationally recognised qualification as well as real work experience in teams across Yorkshire. Senior people development coordinator Kiran Olak said: “Yorkshire Housing’s apprenticeship programme has seen apprentices develop, grow and progress within their chosen career, providing a pipeline of skills and talent to meet current and future business needs. As a top 100 apprenticeship employer our apprentices are proud to work for us and we’re passionate in supporting the success of our apprentices.” If you or someone you know is looking for an opportunity to shine, point them in the direction of Yorkshire Housing’s apprenticeship scheme where they can grow their skills, gain a professional qualification, earn above the national minimum wage and build a firm foundation for the start of a new and exciting career. Applications will be accepted between 18 March and 29 April. You can find out more on our apprenticeship pages.
Within the UK, the construction sector loses £400 million per year on average due to theft of site equipment and other crimes. According to research into construction site crime held by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), around 92% of site managers report facing issues with theft on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis. Theft within construction is, therefore, a continuing problem, and smart site managers should be trying their best to address the issues and put the correct preventative measures in place to protect high-value plant and equipment. More often than not, theft is an opportunistic crime, which is why it is frequently carried out by onsite staff. Here, Millennium Security discusses several ways in which employee theft on construction sites can be minimised. Check certifications thoroughly Certified staff should be the only people able to work on a construction site, both for health and safety and security purposes. Carrying out frequent, full background checks will help ensure that every member of staff, contractor and supplier entering the premises has the correct accreditations to do so. Issuing smart CSCS cards guarantees that access is granted only to certified employees, and is an industry-recognised certification scheme within the construction sector. For added security purposes, many site managers choose to hire manned guards to watch over the site 24/7. If doing so, it is important to ensure they are correctly certified by the industry-known Security Industry Authority (SIA), which means they have been through proper training and can guard a site to the necessary standard. Report crimes promptly If a theft has taken place, it must be reported to the authorities as soon as possible, since the likelihood of finding stolen goods is higher when reported quickly. Moreover, reporting a theft is usually an obligatory step in the insurance claims process. Mark high-value plant and equipment Unsurprisingly, the recovery stats for stolen equipment are particularly low, and this is especially true where equipment is not easily identifiable. Characteristic values, therefore, enable police to better identify stolen goods. Marking equipment, noting down serial numbers and creating an on-site inventory, are all sensible ways to help identify and account for valuable tools and machinery. Moreover, there is now a central database which is run by the Construction Equipment and Registration Scheme (CESAR) and encourages site managers to tag all equipment and add it to the database, allowing for easier recovery when goods are stolen. By having identifiable features on all high-value equipment, you may also dissuade light-fingered employees from attempting to steal goods, as they may fear being caught. Restrict and monitor access Monitoring who is physically entering a construction site at all hours of the day is important, as it safeguards against unauthorised people gaining access. Manual checks can be time consuming and are often inefficient, particularly on large sites with a significant number of people coming in and out. As such, many site owners have now started investing in modern access control systems, which ensure that only the people who have authority to enter a site can do so. These systems are very advanced and also log how long a member of staff has remained on site, as well as whether a person is using an expired or fake CSCS card to try to enter. Other security systems which can be used to monitor staff access are CCTV and wireless video detection, both of which help maximise security and can assist in identifying crimes rapidly.
Eco-friendly homes are all the rage right now, with many consumers attempting to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle long-term. Helping the planet is about more than just recycling and refusing to buy single-use plastics, and those taking it seriously have already started incorporating environmentally conscious practices into their home design and buying choices. Here, we discuss several ways in which to make a kitchen more eco-friendly. Responsible shopping habits Purchasing kitchenware and furniture in materials such as wood and stone can prove to be a far more eco-friendly alternative over plastic, and is actually just as robust and long-lasting. Natural materials make a home have a lovely, rustic feel and can work perfectly for flooring, kitchen countertops and furniture. When designing a new kitchen or renovating an existing one, it is important to keep sustainability in mind. Purchasing from a local retailer not only allows you to support the small high street stores, but also means you will be reducing your carbon footprint. There are plenty of independent UK and London kitchens specialists out there, many of which focus on maximising eco-friendliness. Durable furniture Kitting out the home certainly does not come cheap, and many of us will actively purchase low-priced furniture, knowing full well it is not likely to stand the test of time. Unfortunately, this is what is known as a “false economy”, and the cost spent replacing poor quality items throughout the years tends to offset the initial expenditure we could have used to purchase durable, high-quality pieces that last for many years, if not decades. Replacing furniture every few years is simply not sustainable or cost-effective, so be sure to think carefully about the materials, brand and quality you are choosing when buying furniture. Alternatively, there are plenty of second-hand auction sites and car boot sales in which people are selling their unwanted furniture for a small fee (and sometimes completely free!), many of which are still in excellent condition. This helps keep the pieces in rotation for as long as they are fit, preventing them from ending up in a landfill. Energy efficient appliances Appliances with energy efficiency built-in are becoming more and more prevalent, as savvy consumers seek to lower their energy bills and go greener at the same time. There are plenty of models on the market that meet this growing demand, such as cookers with low-heat settings, ECO kettles and energy efficient washing machines. Before making any purchase, simply take a look at the appliance’s energy star rating, which indicates how environmentally-friendly it is. The Energy Saving Trust notes that around £30 per year on average is wasted by households leaving their appliances on standby mode. As such, turning off appliances when not in use helps both the planet and your wallet! Changing our habits Making small, positive changes to the way we live can steadily impact the earth around us. Beyond buying choices, there are several things we can all do to make the home more eco-friendly: Bulk cook and plan ahead to save on food and packaging waste, as well as reducing carbon footprint from travelling to and from the supermarket via car. Use glass containers over plastic, which is much harder to recycle. Purchase from local, independent shops or food markets. Have a separate recycling bin and educate other people living with you on which materials belong in which bins.