A school for children with special needs in Orpington has received a nice donation which will help it to transform its outdoor play area. Riverside School, which offers support to children and young people with a range of complex needs, received a cheque from Bellway Thames Gateway to help kickstart
Newly formed Linear Design & Construct (LDC) has announced significant appointments to its core team as it looks to establish a foothold in the principal contracting marketplace. John Gilchrist, MCIOB, brings 13 years of construction industry experience, the past nine of which were with Kier Scotland, to his role of
The vast majority of people love trips to casinos, whether in Sin City, Macau or anywhere else around the globe. However, what most do not seem to realize is that casinos are actually scrupulously designed mazes that effectively force people to spend insane amounts of money and lose all track
How do you future-proof your organisation? At its fourth annual conference in Dubai, the British Safety Council will explore how local businesses can prepare for opportunities and challenges ahead The British Safety Council, one of the most trusted international leaders in health, safety and environmental management, is hosting its fourth
A new publication focussing on collaboration in the design of innovative timber buildings is to be launched at Futurebuild this March. ‘Timber Design Pioneers’ is published by TRADA (Timber Research and Development Association) and supported by the timber industry’s campaign, Wood for Good. The launch will take place on Wood
Employee-owned packaging supplier, Kite Packaging, has taken its environmental waste management a step further thanks to the business’s new waste compacters. Kite’s new additions allow businesses to effectively sort waste at its source, bundling and downsizing waste levels in-house which has a knock on effect for UK waste management as
When the Cheltenham Festival begins each year, hundreds of thousands of people flock to the town of Cheltenham and, in particular, the racecourse, to catch a glimpse of what could be the next big name in horse racing. Each year jockeys and trainers battle to become the best in the
It is not very often that we hear the terms “construction” and “online business development” used in the same sentence. The main reason for this perhaps involves the fact that the construction and design industries are considered to represent hands-on ventures. Indeed, the average labourer or foreman is not likely
BAM has acquired a stake in leading modular homes provider Modern Homes Ireland (MHI). MHI constructs quality assured steel-framed homes and commercial buildings within a precision-controlled environment, with units being up to 95% constructed before leaving the factory. Financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed. BAM has taken the
Consulting engineers practice Brentwood has announced an expansion with new offices in Yorkshire and the Midlands. It has acquired new creative workspace in the Grade I-listed Leeming Building in Leeds city centre and Historic Alpha Building in Birmingham City Centre. Whilst it retains its headquarters in Harrogate, Brentwood is embarking
A school for children with special needs in Orpington has received a nice donation which will help it to transform its outdoor play area. Riverside School, which offers support to children and young people with a range of complex needs, received a cheque from Bellway Thames Gateway to help kickstart the refurbishment of the school’s playground facilities. Members of staff at the developer’s divisional office, off New Mill Road in Orpington, raised £1,000 through auctions, raffles and dress down days. Their efforts were then matched by the housebuilder, resulting in a donation of £2,000 for the school. Sue Crane, School Business Manager at Riverside School, said: “We are so grateful that Bellway has chosen to make this generous donation to our school. “The money will help to fund brand new equipment for our outdoor learning area, which will be extremely beneficial to the children. “The children love learning in the outdoor environment, and they are already looking forward to using the new equipment when the refurbishment is complete.” Emma Hamlett, Sales Director for Bellway Thames Gateway, said: “We are so pleased to be able to help kickstart the refurbishment of the school’s new playground facilities. “At Bellway, we are committed to support the communities in which we build, so when we found out that Riverside School was in need of a funding boost, we were delighted to help.” Bellway Thames Gateway is building homes across London, Essex and Kent. More information on the homes available can be found at bellway.co.uk. CAPTIONS Getting behind Riverside School – left to right – Lynda Garwood, of Bellway, Sue Crane, Riverside School’s Business Manager, and Bellway’s Jemma Livesey
Newly formed Linear Design & Construct (LDC) has announced significant appointments to its core team as it looks to establish a foothold in the principal contracting marketplace. John Gilchrist, MCIOB, brings 13 years of construction industry experience, the past nine of which were with Kier Scotland, to his role of Contracts Manager for LDC. In this role, John will be responsible for the delivery of projects to the highest standards of safety and quality. In addition, he will oversee all LDC delivery teams and the management of client relationships. Joining John is Andrew Reid, MRICS, who takes on the role of Senior Quantity Surveyor with responsibility for project commercial and contractual control, as well as cost planning, market testing and procurement. Andrew joins from Morgan Sindall where he was involved in a number of major Scottish public sector projects. Ronnie Wilkinson has also been appointed Health, Safety & Environmental Manager for Linear Group, to ensure the maintenance and continual improvement of the high level systems and culture. In this role, Ronnie will work alongside the teams in LCD and sister company, Linear Projects, to ensure the ongoing commitment to best practice and the adherence to the highest standards. Commenting on the new additions, Ryan Broadley, Managing Director, said, “As part of our growth ambitions, these appointments are a highly significant development as we focus on establishing Linear Design & Construct. John and Andrew both bring exceptional experience and track records to the team and I am delighted that we have been able to secure such high calibre talent at this early stage. In addition, having Ronnie’s expertise available to the team is a vital element of our offer and delivery.” Established at the end of 2018, Glasgow-based Linear Design & Construct (LDC) is set to provide intelligent design and construction solutions through collaboration from project inception to aftercare. As a principal contractor, the business will strive to ensure the right expertise to inform the right solution, tailored to the specific requirement of its clients. A robust approach and proven experience means LDC can minimise complexity and deliver efficiency which has long term benefit to both client and project.
The vast majority of people love trips to casinos, whether in Sin City, Macau or anywhere else around the globe. However, what most do not seem to realize is that casinos are actually scrupulously designed mazes that effectively force people to spend insane amounts of money and lose all track of time. This is actualized through clever casino planning and design. Here are some casino design elements that keep players hooked for far more than they should be. Disorienting Arrangements In most casinos, once players have stepped foot inside, getting to a restaurant, a restroom, a retail outlet or the like involves taking a convoluted route that makes it very easy to get lost. This is no accident, with the intent being that disoriented players who are unable to find their way to wherever they wish to go will choose to abandon whatever they might have previously resolved to do and instead focus on having fun at any of the numerous slot machines, craps tables and the like. However, such a trick does not apply to online casinos like https://www.jackpotmobilecasino.co.uk/. Time Flies There are never any clocks in a casino. This is because the casino does not want players bothered with the passage of time or thinking about their appointments for the day. Essentially, this leads to a suspension of both space and time, with this impression being reinforced by the lack of windows by which players can gauge how much time has passed since they sat down to gamble at a casino table. Mazing It Up There’s a reason why casinos prefer a maze design with exits and entrances that are randomly arranged, as well as narrower, shorter passages, over straight and lengthy rows with countless slot machines and gambling tables arranged in order. The reason has to do with avoiding overwhelming players with the goodies on offer and instead forming small islands where players can effectively feel at home and so spend forever playing casino games. Comfort Me Casinos go out of their way to make their players feel super comfortable. This fact can be most clearly seen in high roller rooms and suites that are designed for the utmost comfort and convenience. As can be imagined, comfortable players do not feel any need to go elsewhere and can play for long periods without tiring. Player Engagement One key way that casinos effectively prevent players from even thinking about going home is through the crafty engagement of all the senses. This includes the playing of chirpy music, displaying an array of bright lights and ensuring lots of exotic smells and scents. All these motivate players to keep on playing till the cows come home and retire for a cud-chewing session, when they should instead be thinking of quitting and coming back another day. Casinos also offer free food, drinks and the like to tired players to invigorate them and can comp a room where tired players can have a short rest. And that’s it, folks! The next time you pay a visit to a casino, do look out for all the above-listed details and disregard them at your likely peril!
How do you future-proof your organisation? At its fourth annual conference in Dubai, the British Safety Council will explore how local businesses can prepare for opportunities and challenges ahead The British Safety Council, one of the most trusted international leaders in health, safety and environmental management, is hosting its fourth annual conference in Dubai, The Future of Health, Safety and Wellbeing in the Workplace, on Tuesday, 5 February 2019, at the Sofitel Dubai Downtown. Across issues such as automation, ‘any time any place’ work, the impact of modern communication technologies and ‘flexible’ employment contracts, conference speakers will stimulate delegates to examine the present opportunities and risks for employee safety, health and wellbeing. They will also explore how excellent management in health, safety and wellbeing can transform organisations. Closely linked to that, there will be a discussion about the best approaches to promoting a positive workplace culture. The delegates will have an opportunity to sample the Virtual Reality (VR) technology which the British Safety Council uses to teach the evaluation of health and safety risks. For over 60 years, the British Safety Council has been campaigning, advising and educating workers and employers worldwide on how to make workplaces safe for everyone, as well as sharing best practice in work-related health, wellbeing and management of environmental risks. The British Safety Council has strong links with the Middle Eastern region, in particular with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and works in partnership with many leading businesses in the country, such as Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), the Ministry of Education, UAE, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and TECOM Group. Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, whose presentation will cover a number of key technological, societal and regulatory trends that will transform the workplace, said: “The world of work is rapidly changing, bringing both opportunities and considerable risks not only to businesses, the economy and the environment but also to wellbeing, health and safety of employees. It is imperative that employers gain an understanding of what’s in store and take a strategic view on how to deal with these challenges. “Over the next seven years, some commentators are forecasting that the number of connected devices will grow from less than 50 billion to over 300 billion. Penetration of smartphone use in the UAE is already 99%. The lives of people throughout the world will be affected in ways we cannot imagine. For example, the World Bank predicts that over the next 20 years, 69 per cent of jobs in India will be threatened by automation or the use of artificial intelligence. This together with the predicted growth in the gig economy, mean that workers will be at much greater risk of accident and ill-health and the always-on culture will lead to higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression. These are just some of the challenges that will pose considerable risks to companies and their workforces.” CONFERENCE PROGRAMME 10:00 Welcome and introduction: Mike Robinson, Chief Executive, British Safety Council 10:15 The importance of top management leadership: Dr Waddah S. Ghanem, Senior Director – Sustainability, Operational and Business Excellence, Emirates National Oil Company Limited (ENOC) LLC 10.45 Preparing for the future workplace: Mike Robinson, Chief Executive, British Safety Council 11.30 Virtual reality – training showcase: James Mansbridge, Head of Digital Learning, British Safety Council 12.15 Promoting positive workplace culture, Clare Solomon Creative & Commercial Director, Tribe Culture Change 12.45 Lunch 13:45 Stream 1: Main room Adopting ISO 45001: A new international standard for health and safety management, James Lewis, Head of Audit and Consultancy, British Safety Council 13:45 Stream 2: Break-out room Wellbeing in the workplace, Dr Carolyn Yeoman, Operations Director OCAID Wellbeing 15:00 Panel discussion Q&A chaired by James Mansbridge Head of Digital Learning, British Safety Council 15:30 Closing remarks: Mike Robinson Chief Executive, British Safety Council 15:40 Close
A new publication focussing on collaboration in the design of innovative timber buildings is to be launched at Futurebuild this March. ‘Timber Design Pioneers’ is published by TRADA (Timber Research and Development Association) and supported by the timber industry’s campaign, Wood for Good. The launch will take place on Wood for Good’s stand at G50 on 6 March at 4.15pm and is a one-off opportunity to get a copy of the publication in print, while stocks last. Pulling together the most successful partnerships in timber design, the publication shares the lessons learned and obstacles overcome by multidisciplinary teams which produced buildings including the award-winning Cowan Court by 6a Architects, the BREEAM excellent-rated Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care and the award-winning Vortex at Bloomberg’s new headquarters. These particular projects will be the focus of three seminars at Futurebuild offering delegates the opportunity to hear each building’s journey from design to completion from the architects, structural engineers, project managers and technical directors. Each case study explores different approaches to problem-solving and how effective collaboration led to innovative designs for timber buildings. ‘Timber Design Pioneers’ covers key themes such as wellbeing, sustainability, interiors, process, and complex briefs. TRADA’s Membership and Marketing Manager, Rupert Scott, says: ‘TRADA is honoured to collaborate with Wood for Good in producing such an indispensable publication. We hope it inspires others to work together in partnership across disciplines, so that as an industry we can continue improving the quality of our timber buildings.’ Christiane Lellig, Wood for Good’s Campaign Director, shares: ‘This project is as much about inspiring new pioneers in timber design as it is about celebrating innovation and driving change in the way projects are approached and delivered; a kaleidoscope of solutions mirroring the different perspectives in multi-disciplinary teams.’ The timber design pioneers case studies will be available for free download following the launch at Futurebuild. For more information, visit trada.co.uk
Employee-owned packaging supplier, Kite Packaging, has taken its environmental waste management a step further thanks to the business’s new waste compacters. Kite’s new additions allow businesses to effectively sort waste at its source, bundling and downsizing waste levels in-house which has a knock on effect for UK waste management as it reduces the environmental impact from businesses through minimising the waste sent to landfill. These innovative systems are the ideal economical solutions to save time, money and space for industries across the board. With four compact balers to choose from, organisations can find the machine that’s most suited to their operational requirements. The versatile range of waste balers offers efficient compaction for different volume day to day operation and thanks to their innovative features such as an integrated kicker, that extracts the bale out once it is formed, companies can reduce costs and increase profits whilst allocating less time for the job. Workforces can eradicate manually flattening and cramming waste into bins, as these balers compact the waste in one swift movement, therefore removing time-consuming inconsistencies that manual, disjointed waste management brings. They can effectively compact cardboard, plastic, paper, textile and even food waste, all into one small, compact bale which can be disposed of efficiently and in the right way, therefore also encouraging recycling in the workplace. These new waste compactors give a substantial return of investment as they can bring significant cash savings on landfill taxes and waste collection as well as reducing the manual labour costs. If you would like any more information about Kite’s new compact balers or its other products and service, visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk.
When the Cheltenham Festival begins each year, hundreds of thousands of people flock to the town of Cheltenham and, in particular, the racecourse, to catch a glimpse of what could be the next big name in horse racing. Each year jockeys and trainers battle to become the best in the business and lift the Gold Cup, seen by many as the grand prize of the festival. As the number of visitors to the festival increased year on year, the outdated facilities and layout were struggling to cope with the sheer number of people coming through the gates. With this in mind, the decision was taken to redevelop the racecourse and from 2013-2015 Kier developers were contracted to modernise the course so that it could handle the influx of people. The construction involved building a new grandstand on request of the Jockey Club, who were financing the ambitious redevelopment. The new grandstand was to replace the current “A&R” block, which was over 90 years old at the time the project was commissioned. The project comprised of 14 sectional completions and 18 separate projects, all the while ensuring that events such as the Cheltenham Festival were unaffected during the construction. It took 19 months to construct the five-and-a-half storey grandstand and it was unveiled in November 2015 by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne. The capacity of the new grandstand was increased on the previous one to 6,500 and a royal box and new hospitality boxes were included in the build. On the top floor there is a premium superclub. The redevelopment of the racecourse was not limited to the building of the grandstand as in the plans there was also a new crescent walkway which was designed to help spectators’ movement while also allowing for the spectators to have a good view of the parade ring. The total cost of the redevelopment was £45 million, £25 million of which was raised by the Jockey Club. They achieved this total through the Jockey Club Racecourse Bond, which made history by becoming the first retail bond in British sport. The remaining £20 million to fund the project came from multiple sources including HSBC, AIB and RBS as well as a Horserace Betting Levy Board capital fund loan. The Jockey Club’s cash flow and commercial deals made up the rest of the funding. People who attend the Cheltenham Festival 2019 will have the opportunity to view the grandstand as well as appreciate the facilities that were built alongside it. The Jockey Club will hope that this latest redevelopment of the facilities at Cheltenham will last for many decades to come as they have already invested £80 million in the facilities at the racecourse. As one of the most popular events in the racing calendar, the Cheltenham Festival is well worth the upgrade and with improved bar and toilet facilities as well as more public viewing areas, Cheltenham will appeal to more people and in turn, the racecourse will be able to handle further increases in spectators to one of the biggest festivals of the year.
It is not very often that we hear the terms “construction” and “online business development” used in the same sentence. The main reason for this perhaps involves the fact that the construction and design industries are considered to represent hands-on ventures. Indeed, the average labourer or foreman is not likely to have a great deal of experience within the online e-commerce sector. Things are about to change. A growing number of construction firms are choosing to market their products and services with the help of an online platform. While word of mouth is still important, these businesses appreciate that they will be able to reach a much larger audience if they are able to embrace the concept of digital marketing. This is why it is a good idea to take a look at the notion of a virtual point of sale as well as why choosing a reliable e-commerce platform is a critical component of your success. POS Systems: Providing: Streamlining the Sales and Invoicing Processes Logistics can often be complicated; particularly when you are dealing with numerous ongoing projects. It is critical that you track their progress as well as other issues such as VAT rates, outstanding payments and which orders need to be fulfilled first. Modern POS systems will provide you with thorough and unfettered access to these variables through a centralised platform. Any relevant stakeholders can likewise be included; enabling you to address any pertinent issues as soon as they become present. Flexibility is another important benefit of modern POS platforms. You will be able to access all relevant details while out and about; even when on the physical job site. In the same respect, you can accept multiple forms of payment; offering the customer a greater sense of flexibility when compared to traditional invoicing methods. If you have experienced payment-related issues in the past, it could be a good time to upgrade to a more streamlined software package. Working with the Best in the Business Most construction professionals do not possess the time to wade through inordinate amounts of coding and they are hardly likely to become involved with a complicated website design project. The good news is that modern cloud-based POS systems such as those offered by Shopify have taken the guesswork out of the equation. They can be easily implemented into your existing website and they can be customised to suit the unique needs of your firm. There are even possibilities to add bespoke branding to the payment gateway in question. This is a great way to provide a more seamless experience to the customer and to build confidence with new clients. Whether your construction firm serves the needs of a local community or you are instead focusing upon regional operations, possessing a robust POS system is essential if you hope to enjoy success during the coming year. This is why considering an upgrade is an excellent idea now as opposed to later.
BAM has acquired a stake in leading modular homes provider Modern Homes Ireland (MHI). MHI constructs quality assured steel-framed homes and commercial buildings within a precision-controlled environment, with units being up to 95% constructed before leaving the factory. Financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed. BAM has taken the strategic step with MHI, the only NSAI certified volumetric housing provider in Ireland, to enhance and maximise business opportunities for both companies in the Irish construction sector. MHI was established in 2016 and has completed more than 400 residential units since then, mainly in the Leinster area including a combination of social housing and high-end residential developments. Based in Ballyjamesduff where it employs 120 people with a current capacity of more than 500 units annually, it is led by its founding shareholder team of Joint Managing Directors Chris Curtis and Stephen McManmon and Executive Directors Adrian McNally and Brendan McNally. With the growing demand for housing, increasing industry resource constraints and the rising level of public and private investment in social and private homes, there is a significant opportunity for both to become the leaders in the use of modular construction for housing, student accommodation and hotels. These sectors are an important part of BAM’s current output. Both businesses plan to accelerate home building activity in social housing and PPP contracts as well as in private developments in large population centres. This further development in its modular approach, reflecting the change in the industry and in line with BAM’s strategy Building the Present, Creating the Future, enables BAM to offer its clients added value through high quality and rapid programmes. MHI has a unique and immediate offering of volumetric housing units and is well positioned to grow significantly in modular construction across multiple streams. They can competitively deliver high quality housing, unaffected by the construction skills shortage currently being experienced in Ireland. The benefit of off-site fabrication is a significantly faster build time than traditional construction. Following BAM’s investment MHI will further increase its production capacity in Ballyjamesduff. It will also benefit from BAM’s widespread knowledge across technical and academic fields and access to BAM’s global innovation team. This will improve its processes from a production and operational efficiency perspective, as well as being able to leverage BAM’s strong client base to enter new markets. BAM will also bring the expertise and experience which will enable MHI to bid for larger projects. This step also allows MHI access to BAM’s modular expertise in the Netherlands, where BAM Modulair Bouwen en Ontwikkelen has state-of-the art production facilities in Veenendaal to develop innovative elements for newbuild and renovation projects in both the residential and non-residential markets, thus contributing to making buildings more sustainable and circular. Confirming the investment BAM Ireland CEO Theo Cullinane said, “This is a significant strategic investment for BAM. We are cognisant of the need for an acceleration of output in the housing sector and we are happy that our investment will play a part in the solution to the current housing crisis in the country. Modular is clearly the future and this is a unique opportunity to further develop a business, not just in housing but in modular housing which aligns closely with our drive towards ‘digital construction”. Commenting on the deal, MHI Joint Managing Director Chris Curtis said, “We are very pleased to have entered into this strategic partnership with an Industry Leader in BAM, which will allow us to grow further and benefit from the vast experience that they will bring to us. This significant investment further confirms that off-site construction is the future of Housing and that our firm is at the forefront. This collaboration is the foundation for an exciting future ahead for MHI.”
Consulting engineers practice Brentwood has announced an expansion with new offices in Yorkshire and the Midlands. It has acquired new creative workspace in the Grade I-listed Leeming Building in Leeds city centre and Historic Alpha Building in Birmingham City Centre. Whilst it retains its headquarters in Harrogate, Brentwood is embarking on a national growth strategy which has already seen new office bases in Manchester during 2018. Since a senior management buyout took place in 2013 the Brentwood Partnership has changed its status to become a Limited Company to help structure for growth. It was also selected for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK Programme which identifies and gives support to small companies with a strong business model and high growth potential. Brentwood has since set out an ambitious three-year strategy to achieve 50% annual growth in both team members and turnover. It is currently on target to achieve an 80% increase in just one year as it works towards year end in March 2019. Mark Johnson, Director at Brentwood, said, “We are delighted to announce our expansion into Leeds and Birmingham. With a presence now in the three core business cities outside of London we can provide more physical connectivity with our local markets and indeed nationally. With this physical growth we are also expanding our team and capabilities having recently announced new principal specialists in lighting and building physics. “Mechanical, electrical and public health design services are at the heart of buildings, providing sustainable, controllable and appropriate environments. As a single disciplinary consulting practice, we are gearing the business to be better placed for market growth and our longer-term business plan is to increase our UK and international presence.” Brentwood is an award-winning practice which has been established for more than 40 years. It offers expertise in mechanical engineering design, electrical engineering design, lighting design, public health design, condition and site surveys, energy and communications infrastructure design, feasibility studies, planning support and post occupancy evaluation. It also has a dedicated resource to energy assessments. Key projects include the new Barbara Hepworth Building for art, design and architecture at the University of Huddersfield, The University of York’s Advanced Structural Imaging Facility, £30m student scheme International House in Birmingham, Cheshire Oaks, Mercedes Benz in Stockport and Chaucer House in Portsmouth.