This is the startling finding of a survey carried out by the Construction Knowledge Task Group. 299 practitioners from every part of the industry took part in the survey. 38.5% said they did not have easy access to all the knowledge they need to do their job. This begs the
At the start of the 20th century, there were around a million freshwater ponds in Britain, supporting a bio-diverse mix of animals, plants and herbs. By the turn of this century, half had disappeared and, according to research by charity Pond Conservation, 80% of those remaining were in a poor
Leading independent construction, property and management consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall UK (RLB UK) has brought in the new year with a new appointment with Guy Robinson being announced as National Head of Project Management. Guy is a Fellow of the RICS and has over 25 years of major project experience
FIS is the representative body for the £10 billion finishes and interiors sector in the UK and they have started 2019 by strengthening their team with the appointment of Nigel Higgins as Technical Engagement Manager. Nigel has extensive experience working across the sector for some of the most respected and
Master developer Nakheel has started constructing the rooftop infinity swimming pool at The Palm Tower, its 52-storey, luxury hotel and residential complex at the heart of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. Perched 210 metres above ground and covering 775 square metres, the infinity pool – one of the highest in the
Polished concrete floors are more popular than ever – not just in industrial environments but in homes, hotels and even restaurants. But what’s behind their popularity? The team at Total Concrete are here to tell you. Style Concrete as a material is not commonly associated with beautiful decor and surfaces,
Accuracy can be one of the most important aspects to ensuring that a construction project runs smoothly. This is especially true when it comes to measurements, as an inexact figure can negatively affect the entire process. Precise readings, therefore, could save huge amounts of time, labour and money for people
Building professionals understand that there are many steps to ensuring that the power system in a construction runs properly– but what are the essential power requirements to remember for large projects? These three tips will highlight the key areas to aim for when incorporating secure power sources and appliances into
Access to the internet has become an essential aspect of everyday life, so much so that in recent years, high-speed internet has actually been legally recognised and classified as a human right. Over the past couple of decades, there has been a fundamental shift in normal society, with much of
Jane Embury, marketing director at Wrightstyle, the advanced steel and aluminium glazing company, looks at accidental fires in the workplace …and how to avoid them. In 2017, fire crews in England attended over 560,000 incidents, 34% fewer than ten years ago. Of those, only about 170,000 were fires, and over
This is the startling finding of a survey carried out by the Construction Knowledge Task Group. 299 practitioners from every part of the industry took part in the survey. 38.5% said they did not have easy access to all the knowledge they need to do their job. This begs the question, what are they doing without, and how critical is it? Practitioners also admitted they use less-trusted knowledge sources more frequently than more-trusted knowledge sources, with web searches and free online resources accounting for almost half of all the knowledge accessed. Other key findings include: Cost and sign-up forms are significant barriers to accessing knowledge, particularly for SMEs. Practitioners are unaware of much of the knowledge that is available, they are overwhelmed by how much knowledge there is and frustrated by how fragmented it is. There is a ‘them and us’ culture separating those in the knowledge loop from those stuck on the outside. There is a need for quick and straightforward access to knowledge on demand. The survey also revealed that designers access industry knowledge up to four times more frequently than decision makers such as clients and project managers, and that the most frequently-accessed knowledge is practical, specific guidance that supports day-to-day activities. Less specific, traditional ‘learning’ material is not as popular. The purpose of the survey, which ran at the end of 2018, was to help the Construction Knowledge Task Group steer its work, improving the way industry knowledge is prepared, accessed and applied. It was distributed to the membership and other networks of the organisations that form the Task Group. Ann Bentley, Global Board Director at Rider Levett Bucknall, and Member of the Construction Leadership Council said: “The results of this survey confirm what I suspected, and should be a wake-up call for the industry. Practitioners have embraced the internet and are seeking out easy-to-access, easy-to-apply knowledge. The industry needs to make sure they find what they are looking for. This means bringing knowledge into 21st century and taking a more collaborative and systematic approach to how it is prepared and shared. BIM has shown how this can be done for data and information, but knowledge is still stuck in the past.” Convenor of the Task Group, architect Dr Gregor Harvie said: “Construction is a knowledge-based industry. Knowledge helps spread best practice, promote innovation and prevent mistakes. But this important survey reveals that all too often practitioners are unaware of what is available, or they do not have easy access to it. As a result, knowledge has less impact on the ground than it should.” The survey suggests the future should be one in which knowledge is better integrated, less siloed, more easy-to-access and available through flexible subscriptions and intelligent search tools. The Task Group will meet in January to discuss how to drive this agenda forward. You can see the survey results in full at: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/Construction_knowledge_survey_results
At the start of the 20th century, there were around a million freshwater ponds in Britain, supporting a bio-diverse mix of animals, plants and herbs. By the turn of this century, half had disappeared and, according to research by charity Pond Conservation, 80% of those remaining were in a poor condition and most were polluted. Increased building development in the countryside and intensification of the landscape have been blamed for the decline in ponds. Agricultural chemicals from neighbouring farmlands are the main cause, leading to ponds becoming overgrown and stagnant, and the subsequent failure of the ecosystem. Ponds need clean water to thrive, but once pollutants enter the water the delicate ecosystem breaks down, leading to loss of habitat for threatened species such as toads, newts and frogs. A total of 105 rare and declining pond species are a national priority for conservation action under the Government’s Biodiversity Action Plan. To counteract the loss of ponds in the UK, the charity Pond Conservation launched its Million Ponds project, aiming to replace half a million ponds within the next 50 years and so protect freshwater wildlife. How does the pond ecosystem work? A pond ecosystem works with the natural environment to provide food and protection to the wildlife and plants it supports. Fish nibble on the plants and algae, producing waste that is broken down and absorbed as nutrients by the plants. These plants filter the water naturally and help keep harmful algae to a minimum. The importance of ponds for biodiversity has only recently been understood. Research has found that invertebrate biodiversity and abundance is greater in ponds than in rivers. Frogs, toads and newts use small ponds to breed, while large ponds can support waterfowl, including mallard ducks, moorhens and coots. The grey heron also regularly visits even the smallest ponds, feeding on fish and amphibians. Wendi O’Toole of Scott Parnell Water Management Ltd, which specialises in pond lining, said: “Ponds are now becoming increasingly commonplace on new residential developments. Not only do they provide an aesthetically pleasing landscape, but have the added advantage of handling rainwater and preventing issues with potential flooding. However, it is really important to ensure ponds are properly lined.” Lining your pond Pond liners are the ideal solution for creating a richly biodiverse and sustainable pond. Water loss is a significant issue for ponds, due to normal ground absorption and adverse weather conditions, such as drought. Liners not only significantly reduce water loss, but also minimise the amount of silt that can enter the water. For manufactured ponds created for aesthetic reasons, such as those on golf courses, less silt production will maintain water clarity. Liners also prevent water contamination by acting as a barrier against pollutants in the ground. Using geomembrane Geomembrane liners are impermeable barriers that prevent water from passing through. They are ultra-strong and durable, as well as being completely customisable – so they can be used to line a small fish pond or large man-made fishing lake, for example. The liners are flexible and resistant to punctures, and will withstand debris, such as rocks and branches. They are also resistant to temperature variations from snow and ice to drought conditions. Most importantly, geomembrane is totally eco-friendly and environmentally safe, so it is harmless to wildlife and vegetation. Wendi added: “At Scott Parnell we have developed prefabricated geomembrane panels, which can be cut to size in-house and are then heat welded at the seam by highly-qualified technicians. The panels are then folded and delivered to site and installation is carried out by our welding technicians. Upon completion of the work, warranty certificates are supplied to the client.” Safeguarding future biodiversity Phase II of the Million Pounds Project is now underway in England and Wales and will continue until 2020 when it’s hoped that 30,000 new clean water ponds will have been created. Scott Parnell specialises in the supply of groundworks and civil engineering products and services to customers across the UK. Independently owned and run, the company has five offices across the south of England and Wales with a team of highly experienced staff offering expert advice to customers. Scott Parnell prides itself on its innovative and pioneering approach to delivering high quality products from a variety of manufacturers – not just market leaders.
Leading independent construction, property and management consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall UK (RLB UK) has brought in the new year with a new appointment with Guy Robinson being announced as National Head of Project Management. Guy is a Fellow of the RICS and has over 25 years of major project experience both within the UK and internationally. His experience encompasses a variety of sectors including commercial, mixed use, residential, industrial, hotels, education, healthcare, aviation, sports and leisure. Illustrating the importance of project and programme management to the consultancy’s UK service portfolio, Robinson will lead a team of 150 project and programme management professionals nationwide that will account for over 35% of RLB UK turnover in 18/19. Guy Robinson comments, “I am delighted to be taking on this national role working with the rest of the UK team at RLB. 2018 delivered some great successes in the project and programme management side of the business working with both private and public sector clients such as AVIVA Investors, Lendlease, Taylor Wimpey, and the Department for Work & Pensions. 2019 looks to be just, if not more, exciting and I am looking forward to working with our professional bodies and industry to develop the future of project management.” Andrew Reynolds, RLB UK and Global Board Director continues, “Guy’s appointment is great news for RLB. He will draw upon his UK & international experience of working on large scale and complex projects and programmes. We see project management as a key area of growth for RLB in 2019 and beyond and consider Guy and his team to be critical to this success.”
FIS is the representative body for the £10 billion finishes and interiors sector in the UK and they have started 2019 by strengthening their team with the appointment of Nigel Higgins as Technical Engagement Manager. Nigel has extensive experience working across the sector for some of the most respected and recognisable companies over the course of his career. Iain McIlwee, FIS CEO said “we are delighted to welcome Nigel to the team, this is a new role that we have created to improve engagement, both from a supporting delivery and active listening perspective. It is vital to ensure that as many voices as possible are steering our work so that we deliver against our core values of supporting members, raising standards, improving safety, enhancing productivity and driving innovation in the finishing and interiors sector”. Nigel will be splitting his time between supporting the FIS Working Groups, expanding wider industry engagement work and most importantly helping to support the ambitious membership growth plans of the FIS. Nigel Higgins, Technical Engagement Manager said “I have spent all my working life in interiors, from a family involved in partitions, I have been proud to work for contractors, distributors and manufacturers who have fed my passion for innovation and high-quality commercial interiors. Working for the FIS will allow me to share my knowledge for the benefit of, and add value to the members, and join an organisation that is the voice of this dynamic and diverse industry”
Master developer Nakheel has started constructing the rooftop infinity swimming pool at The Palm Tower, its 52-storey, luxury hotel and residential complex at the heart of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. Perched 210 metres above ground and covering 775 square metres, the infinity pool – one of the highest in the world – borders all four sides of the building, boasting unrivalled, panoramic views across Palm Jumeirah, the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai skyline. The pool – which will hold 930,000 litres of water – is on the 50th floor of The Palm Tower. Above the pool will be a podium housing a 51st level speciality restaurant and a 52nd storey public viewing deck, 240 metres high. Construction of the rooftop dining viewing deck complex will begin soon. Located at the heart of the world-famous, award winning Palm Jumeirah, The Palm Tower comprises a 289-room St. Regis hotel, 432 luxury residences and an array of dining and leisure facilities. The hotel occupies the first 18 floors, with fully-furnished studios and one, two and three bedroom apartments on the upper floors. Currently, around 850 construction workers are on site at The Palm Tower, rising to more than 1,500 when internal fit out gets in full swing in the next few weeks. Fit out of the St. Regis – due to open later this year – has already begun. The Palm Tower is directly connected to the under-construction Nakheel Mall – the access point for the public viewing deck – and its 350 shops, restaurants and attractions. Nakheel Mall, which has its own Palm Monorail station, is due for completion this year. Several other dining, leisure and entertainment venues are nearby, including the St. Regis Beach Club, part of Nakheel’s Palm West Beach complex, to which hotel guests and residents will have priority access; Al Ittihad Park, the UAE’s first indigenous park, spanning 1.1 million square feet across the heart of Palm Jumeirah; and the newly-opened Pointe at Palm Jumeirah, with 70 seafront restaurants and shops. For more information on The Palm Tower apartments, visit the Nakheel Sales Centre, call +971 4 390 3333 or log on to www.nakheel.com
Polished concrete floors are more popular than ever – not just in industrial environments but in homes, hotels and even restaurants. But what’s behind their popularity? The team at Total Concrete are here to tell you. Style Concrete as a material is not commonly associated with beautiful decor and surfaces, however, polished concrete can be a superb surface that can complement almost any interior design. The sleek aesthetic works perfectly in kitchens and bathrooms, as well as wider spaces like hotel lobbies – it still possesses the uniform presence of concrete, but the polished aspect gives it a little more class. Longevity Providing you make sure to maintain the concrete floor as necessary, it can last for years on end. Its strength means that it can withstand even the heaviest of footfalls – perfect for busy commercial environments like shops and restaurants – and there’s no need for major facelifts or maintenance like there may be with other types of flooring. For all commercial cleaning needs contact CHOR Services. Maintenance Concrete floors require hardly any maintenance compared to other services. All you need is a pH-neutral cleaning agent, some warm water and a mop. Wiping the floor down once every so often will ensure that marks are removed and the hygiene levels of the floor are preserved. It is recommended that you re-seal or wax the concrete every two to three years to ensure it retains its water-resistance. Cost A polished concrete floor is an investment, owing to its fantastic lifespan and the lack of costs associated with its upkeep and maintenance. It’s on-trend at the moment, too, so if you were to sell a property with a polished concrete floor in it, you can be sure the pricetag of your property would benefit from its presence. Colour options The days of concrete only being grey are long gone; now, concrete is available in a spectrum of colours. There are a couple of ways concrete can be coloured; acid staining is one such method, but a modern technique is using pre-cut coloured overlays – thin pieces of concrete – and placing them on top of the floor itself. Concrete floors needn’t just be used for warehouses and and hangars, they can be used for anything – kitchens, bathrooms, shops, you name it. All you need is a trusted installer and some high quality concrete . This article is produced by Total Concrete , proud suppliers of the highest quality concrete for customers throughout Surrey, Woking and the surrounding areas.
Accuracy can be one of the most important aspects to ensuring that a construction project runs smoothly. This is especially true when it comes to measurements, as an inexact figure can negatively affect the entire process. Precise readings, therefore, could save huge amounts of time, labour and money for people in the building trade. But why exactly are accurate measurements so valuable in construction? Let’s explore the three main reasons for this. It is Easy to Do Every step is critical during construction – from area calculations to framing measurements – and the right equipment can aid the process even more. When it comes to vital elements like power sources, equipment like function generators offer a simple and effective way to test, troubleshoot and repair devices at the installation stage of construction. Spectrum analysers can be useful for testing electrical systems, too. So, identifying brands that provide effective testing equipment like MCS Test could make the measurement element of construction easier, and may even guarantee a smoother building process. It Saves Huge Amounts of Time, Money and Labour Measurement inaccuracies can often result in having to restart a building project completely. But companies that specialise in reliable tools can help to ensure that this kind of mistake is avoided. Likewise, businesses that can do this and deliver to onsite locations could save additional time for project workers by eliminating pick-up duties entirely. So, equipment providers such as MCS Test may hold the key to massively reducing the number of unrelated duties attached to the construction process. 3. It Can Support Electrical Safety Accurate measurements are also important when construction projects involve electrical installations and equipment. Reliable testing can help identify potential problems before they become more serious, particularly when equipment is being installed or maintained. Different countries use their own inspection frameworks to address these risks. In the Netherlands, for example, a Scope 10 keuring can assess electrical installations and equipment for potential fire risks. Using suitable testing equipment and keeping clear records of inspection results can make it easier for construction businesses to identify issues and take corrective action. This can help prevent avoidable delays and additional costs while contributing to safer and more reliable construction projects. 4. It May Improve Company Reputation Reducing excess labour costs and securing services for measuring equipment can lead to faster project completion. Quick completion rates and reliable infrastructure could also improve company reputation, an outcome that may result in heightened popularity, and perhaps a higher level of investment. As measuring resources can often deliver the fastest and most accurate means of ensuring successful a building process, investment could lead to a reduced requirement for staff. A decrease in staff expenses can often heighten company funds hugely, leaving more money to be spent on improving the business, its aims and its performance. Making accurate measurements is vital for ensuring that the construction of any infrastructure is successful. What’s more, understanding the benefits of accurate measurements in this area could help businesses improve and gain more outside attention as a result. The advantages to measuring precisely show that it is not only necessary, but can also maximise company spending and performance.
Building professionals understand that there are many steps to ensuring that the power system in a construction runs properly– but what are the essential power requirements to remember for large projects? These three tips will highlight the key areas to aim for when incorporating secure power sources and appliances into the process of building on a large scale. Speedy energy sources are vital for any building, especially if built to host a range of different activities simultaneously, such as an apartment block or a hospital. Cost-Effective Outlets When planning a large-scale construction, such as an apartment block or school, ensuring that energy can be consumed as cheaply as possible can help maintain the reputation of both businesses in a building partnership. This can be achieved most easily through smart planning by the building and design team, a process that benefits immensely from regular engagement with the buyer. Advice from energy-efficiency as well as financial experts may also help to produce a power source design that is affordable for both the buyer and the prospective property users and works to protect the environment through conserving energy. Locating cost-effective power sources is, therefore, an important requirement, and hugely advantageous, for a large construction project. Green Energy Sources Building regulations are greener and more sustainable than they have ever been: initiatives like the Code for Sustainable Homes ensure that a high percentage of properties built in the UK are as energy-efficient as possible – but unfortunately, this is yet to extend to all buildings. So, when it comes to large structures, it is especially important to use the greenest products on the market. Construction project leaders that locate brands offering AC-DC power supplies for multiple applications, who comply with the latest global energy efficiency standards such as XP Power, are able to power large buildings through efficient energy sources. As this benefits the reputation of a building company as well as the planet, professionals who adopt a greener power supply service may even benefit from more building business partnerships in the future. Back-up Power Supplies Once power has been installed in a large property or construction, a back-up system is necessary for making sure that operations expected to take place in the building can still function should the original supply cut out. This can be particularly critical for large buildings where supplementary power facilities can guarantee that a large number of people are not left without means to carry out essential activities like cooking when one power source fails. Power failures that have occurred in densely-populated areas like East Midlands Airport highlight how full accessibility to all power systems can help to secure the constant and reliable running of energy in a large, heavily-used area. Large Construction Projects require a huge amount of attention and consideration in their planning, particularly when it comes to power sources. However, the environmental and financial advantages that successful power systems bring to most people underlines the significant role that building continues to play in everyday life.
Access to the internet has become an essential aspect of everyday life, so much so that in recent years, high-speed internet has actually been legally recognised and classified as a human right. Over the past couple of decades, there has been a fundamental shift in normal society, with much of our infrastructure being rehomed online, meaning that functioning to capacity would be almost impossible without both computer literacy and reliable access to the web. Not just an adjustment that has been felt in our personal lives, but professionally too, businesses have had to revaluate their practices from the ground up too – including the construction industry. While in the past internet access was hardwired in much the same way other electrical outputs were, technology has long since evolved. With buildings able to be constructed in much the same way as they always have been in years gone by, with access provided either underfloor or via hollow ceilings, the process of designing and constructing was fairly settled and straightforward. However, since the arrival, growth and now near-dependency on strong, high-speed Wi-Fi access, having that same approach to constructing for business is no longer fit for purpose, as wires are no longer as central to the infrastructure as they had been previously. With so many offices vast, wide open and open plan areas with multiple high frequency and volume bandwidth users present at all times, the issue has now become how to best serve those needs via commercial networks, routers and extenders – safely and securely – without walls, distance and interference becoming an issue. In the modern office environment, portability and flexibility are paramount, with many users now laptop and tablet based, rather than traditional desktops. With many of the newest laptops not even featuring the LAN ports required to access a wired internet connection, the only option is reliable wireless coverage. Construction and design have adapted to this change by creating more open working environments, with the likes of booths, cubicles and even individual offices on their way out, so that wireless networks can be more easily accommodated throughout an area, without interruption or breakages in coverage. Without the use of Wi-Fi, we would return to an age where large reels of wire would be required to spread internet access from a central access point across a wider space, likely with outdated desktop or bulky laptop terminals attached to them at the other end – which sounds massively inconvenient, knowing what we do now.
Jane Embury, marketing director at Wrightstyle, the advanced steel and aluminium glazing company, looks at accidental fires in the workplace …and how to avoid them. In 2017, fire crews in England attended over 560,000 incidents, 34% fewer than ten years ago. Of those, only about 170,000 were fires, and over 220,000 were false alarms. Every year in the UK more than 20,000 non-residential fires are reported, with many of those happening in our workplaces. While there are a large number of reasons why fires start, many incidents could be avoided if people better understood and managed the most common causes of fire. While the overall incidence of workplace fires continues to fall, they do tend to be larger and more complex, not only potentially posing a risk to life but to the continuity and survival of the company affected. Preventing workplace fire loss requires knowledge of both the underlying ignition risks and, if fire does break out, the reasons why the fire might spread. The main element that then determines the severity of a fire is the availability of a fuel load – the combustible materials that a fire needs to develop and grow. Faulty electrics are the biggest cause of workplace fires and workplaces are legally obliged to properly maintain all electrical equipment and to conduct Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) at least annually. These tests ensure that electrical goods are fit for purpose and remain in good working order. Failure to test annually is therefore not only a fire risk in itself, but could result in legal penalty. What’s also needed is a comprehensive fire safety risk assessment, particularly vital if combustible and flammable materials are used in the workplace. That assessment will then guide a fire safety plan to ensure the most appropriate storage, handling and disposal of flammable materials. Again, failure to comply with the fire and safety regulations is a fire risk in itself and, again, could result in prosecution. But it’s not just complacency that’s the main fire risk, because accidents can happen – for example, an employee spilling liquid onto electrical equipment. What’s then crucial is that the workplace has sufficient and appropriate fire safety equipment, and that staff are fully trained in their use. But while accidents can and do happen, a bigger threat is negligence because, in the event of serious incident, the company concerned may lose any right to insurance recompense, leading inevitably to financial difficulty and possible closure. While every company must have a named person responsible for fire safety, everyone in an organisation also has personal responsibility, because everyone must be aware of fire risk, proper procedures, and what to do in the event of fire. As we also constantly point out, one of the main lessons for building designers and owners is not simply to incorporate passive and active fire systems, but to look at the whole building’s capacity to withstand a fire. That’s why advanced glazing systems are so important, either for the exterior envelope of a building or for internal screens and fire doors, providing up to 120 minutes of protection against the spread of fire, smoke or toxic gases. Advanced glazing systems also do one additional thing. By containing the fire, they minimise damage to that company’s workplace and better provide continuity of operations. It is, if you like, an investment in peace of mind.