DSU insurance is a safety net for project owners, developers and construction companies that protects parties from significant financial loss in circumstances where there have been extensive delays to a project. These delays can come in a variety of forms and can lead to loss of profits and revenue streams
GMI Construction Group has completed building works for the new £35 million St James Retail Park in Norton, South Sheffield. Acting as main contractor GMI has officially handed over the site to St James Securities and NFU Mutual who have already pre-let 100% of the 146,000 sq ft scheme ahead
With the reopening of the Temperate House at Kew Gardens this month, visitors to the UNESCO world heritage site will again have access to one of the most exclusive collections of tropical plants in the world. The event also has pertinence to Barnshaws Section Benders, a Tividale based metal bending
New Scene management app from Philips Lighting allows lighting managers to control a building’s façade lighting from anywhere, at any time using a smartphone or tablet. Philips Lighting (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, announced today the launch of a new cloud-based Scene management app that enables businesses to
Contractor J Tomlinson has completed a £2 million project to replace a former sheltered housing scheme with 12 new apartments and six new houses for affordable rent. The Gedling Homes development at Ernehale Court in Arnold, Nottingham, was completed on time and on budget. The redevelopment involved the design and
This very useful two-piece wood chisel set from Kamasa (part number 56119) is suitable for softwood, plywood and hardwood. Designed for both detailed hand use and hammer impact, the metal striking head is integral with the chisel blade for precise work and long life. There are two chisels in the
The Tiverton branch of animal rehoming charity Blue Cross has been voted as a winner of RGB Building Supplies’ Well Built Community Fund and now has £1,000 to spend on building materials. Following a public poll, where Blue Cross was up against St Kew Ace Academy Pre-School in Bodmin and
Fusion Building Systems, the offsite designer, engineer, manufacturer and installer of light gauge steel superstructures can now provide its clients with ‘as manufactured’ digital models of their completed structures, thanks to its integration of MWF Pro Metal software from StrucSoft Solutions. Running as an add-on to the widely-used Revit design
Offsite construction specialist, The McAvoy Group, has handed over a new school building at West Hill School in Leatherhead, bringing the number of education projects now completed by McAvoy for Surrey County Council to more than 40. The project at West Hill – an Ofsted outstanding special school – featured
National building and engineering company, Britcon has announced that it is taking part in the Stop. Make a Change campaign across its 400-strong workforce in the UK. The initiative, driven by the Civil Engineering & Contractors Association (CECA), is a national stand down which aims to raise better awareness about
DSU insurance is a safety net for project owners, developers and construction companies that protects parties from significant financial loss in circumstances where there have been extensive delays to a project. These delays can come in a variety of forms and can lead to loss of profits and revenue streams that were contingent upon the completion of the project. In these circumstances, everybody involved is affected – from the developers themselves to contractors, suppliers and all the way back to investors. All of these parties lose out if progress is postponed, leading to the procurement of extended contracts to complete the project and additional funds to cover other requirements such as key equipment. In recent years, financial markets have become more cautious in funding large projects due to the uncertainties associated with projects at every stage of the construction process. More so than in the past, delay resulting in financial loss poses more of a threat to the survival of developers. It’s no secret that – sometimes debilitating – schedule and budget overruns are considered the norm for construction projects. Construction work requires reliable delivery of equipment and necessary materials – now, if there is an unexpected event that affects a critical piece of equipment or machinery, then there can be disastrous implications for the developer. Project delays are just the start of the issue, as the damage can extend to further expenditures, excessive loss of profits and revenue, financial penalties and damage to the reputation of the company heading the development. To combat this, DSU coverage helps to build close links between developers and insurers to minimise and manage risk factors to hopefully pave the way for a successful project that reaches completion on time. If a physical damage event does occur and the cover is triggered, the insurer will need detailed and organised scheduling of progress, deliveries, changes in plans or designs and any other vital documentation. The more thorough the evidence, the easier and quicker it is for insurers to assess, pinpoint and attribute the root causes of delay. Delays can cause significant, irreparable damage to developers. Companies that utilise debt financing to rent construction equipment may not be able to cover the payments if their project is not complete on time and revenue streams are put on hold. In public projects, such bridges, airports, and tunnels, the delays can affect multiple businesses in a wide geographic area. The knock-on impact of these delays, as a result, can be devastating. Project monitoring can help to combat any potential pitfalls – regularly reviewing how the project changes and tracking each setback to quantify which part of the process caused damage to the development. For this to be achievable, the insured parties need to provide access every three to six months to progress reports and updates. Cover may also be taken out for the suppliers of vital equipment so that there is adequate protection in the event of an accident at the supplier’s premises, or there is prevention of access to the project site for delivery, which will, again, have knock-on consequences. In taking out DSU cover, project owners benefit by gaining clarity so that they can move forward with their project, as well as receiving reimbursement for the damage event(s). Going forward, plans can be put in place to mitigate further potential losses. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DSU INSURANCE AND WHY DEVELOPERS NEED IT, CHECK OUT OUR INFOGRAPHIC HERE
GMI Construction Group has completed building works for the new £35 million St James Retail Park in Norton, South Sheffield. Acting as main contractor GMI has officially handed over the site to St James Securities and NFU Mutual who have already pre-let 100% of the 146,000 sq ft scheme ahead of opening. Occupiers include Next, M&S Foodhall, Aldi, TK Maxx, Superdrug, Homesense, Wilko, Pets at Home, Mountain Warehouse, Shoezone, Card Factory, Specsavers, Greggs and Costa. GMI Construction created 124 jobs on the scheme during the 56 weeks construction period. Works involved full demolition of the former Norton College building and new infrastructure works for more controlled access to the site. This included adjustments and widening of the existing Meadowhead roundabout and a new traffic light system at Bochum Parkway. GMI delivered 13 high specification units, with features including live ‘green’ walls and colour coded aluminium cladding, yard space and 420 car parking spaces.” Andy Bruce, Managing Director of GMI Construction Group said, “We are delighted to complete this project working closely with St James Securities and delivery partners Whittam Cox Architects and Rex Procter & Partners. We completed the project exactly to schedule despite the challenges of working in a live environment, close to a main road, leisure centre and school, where pedestrian and traffic management were critical.” St James Securities is now working with occupiers for fit out with an official opening planned in July. A further 250 full time jobs will be created when the park is in full operation. Dan Murray, Construction Director at St James Securities, said, “The project has been a huge success achieved through a lot of hard work by all the team who should all be very proud of what we have delivered here. We have raised the bar when it comes to out of town Retail Park design making the scheme stand out against other schemes up and down the country. The first class design together with the Park’s superb ring road location has made the development very attractive to tenants allowing us to fully let the scheme ahead of Practical Completion.” Established in 1986, GMI Construction Group is a highly reputable building and construction services company offering expertise across all sectors including office, retail, leisure, industrial, residential, automotive, education and health. GMI Construction Group directly employs 80 people with 65 located at its Leeds headquarters and 15 at its new offices in Manchester. GMI is also currently delivering the new 300,000 sq ft retail and leisure park at Thorpe Park Leeds for Scarborough International Property Group and the 137-bedroom Dakota Deluxe Hotel in Manchester for Evans Property Group. @GMIConstruction
With the reopening of the Temperate House at Kew Gardens this month, visitors to the UNESCO world heritage site will again have access to one of the most exclusive collections of tropical plants in the world. The event also has pertinence to Barnshaws Section Benders, a Tividale based metal bending company that has supported Kew Gardens with high quality curved steel in the past. While the Temperate House maybe the largest jewel in the crown of this Victorian garden, the Palm House is arguably its most iconic. As much a symbol of the endeavours of the British Empire as a place of leisure for London’s inhabitants and visitors, the Palm House served as the place where British explorers collated flora gathered on their adventures from all over the world. Designed by Decimus Burton and constructed by Richard Turner in 1844, the 110.5 metre long structure borrowed wrought iron rolling construction techniques from the ship building industry of the time, with its curved exterior offering close aesthetic parallels to an upturned hull. The curved construction maximises the light exposure for the plants inside, and when it came to maintenance of the Grade 1 listed structure in the 1980s, also ensured that Barnshaws was the primary choice to replace these elements. Barnshaws was required to deliver 10,000 metres of curved stainless steel extrusions to form new glazing bars for the Palm House. Each required bending within extremely stringent tolerances, as otherwise the 16,000 glass panels that comprise the structure would not fit. However, boasting one the largest and most multi-faceted bending capacities in the world, Barnshaws was able to deliver the extrusions on time and to project specification, which enabled subsequent renovation work to be completed.
New Scene management app from Philips Lighting allows lighting managers to control a building’s façade lighting from anywhere, at any time using a smartphone or tablet. Philips Lighting (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, announced today the launch of a new cloud-based Scene management app that enables businesses to quickly and effortlessly change a building’s architectural lighting using your smartphone or tablet. The app, specially designed for use on smart devices, further illustrates the company’s leadership in connected lighting and lighting for the Internet of Things. With a simple tap or swipe, the Interact Landmark Scene management app enables lighting managers to manage, control and change the lighting on bridges, buildings and monuments on the fly. Spectacular light shows can be remotely programmed to commemorate special events, holidays and important civic causes. For example, managers can now respond quickly to a request from the mayor’s office to paint a bridge in pink light to support World Breast Cancer Awareness or program. “Architectural lighting is increasingly being used by businesses and cities to create a unique identity and engaging experiences. The need to be ‘on call’ and responsive to last minute requests outside of the office is a pain point for lighting managers. The app now provides them with the flexibility to change lighting scenes at any moment and anytime. It also illustrates the power of Interact Landmark to support lighting managers, simplify the management of architectural lighting and help make cities smarter and more livable,” said Jacques Letzelter, Global Business Leader Public Segment at Philips Lighting. Controlling the light, whenever & wherever Site managers may personalize their user account settings and securely access their architectural lighting system while on the go. They can change colors, trigger light shows and view schedules. As the app works via the cloud, authorized users no longer need to first log in via a VPN connection. The app is part of Interact Landmark suite of capabilities and will be available in June 2018. Live demonstrations of the Scene Management app will be on display at the Philips Lighting booth #1402 at LIGHTFAIR International taking place in Chicago, May 8-10, 2018 at McCormick Place.
Contractor J Tomlinson has completed a £2 million project to replace a former sheltered housing scheme with 12 new apartments and six new houses for affordable rent. The Gedling Homes development at Ernehale Court in Arnold, Nottingham, was completed on time and on budget. The redevelopment involved the design and build of six two-bedroom houses and 12 one-bedroom apartments, with associated communal facilities, the ground floor flats being designed to full wheelchair standard. Martin Gallagher, J Tomlinson’s managing director (construction), said: “As a company, J Tomlinson has worked with Gedling Homes on a range of schemes and we were very pleased to have been appointed to build this development at Ernehale Court in Arnold which will provide local homes to those who need them. “We believe in working with and supporting local communities, and, as a Nottingham-based building services firm with strong roots in the city and its suburbs, we are proud to have helped enhance the housing provision provided by Gedling Homes.” During the project, the J Tomlinson team took time out to visit local schools Christ the King School, Frank Seeley School, and Arnold Mill Primary School to talk about careers in construction and help with interview preparation, as well as highlighting health and safety issues around building sites. In addition, five students from Christ the King School undertook work experience at the site. Gedling Homes development manager Deborah Higgins said: “J Tomlinson had delivered a number of smaller projects for us very successfully. This – coupled with their size and expertise – was the reason for putting them on the tender list. They won the tender against four other contractors. “My experience working with J Tomlinson on the Ernehale Court development has been very positive; J Tomlinson have been very organised and helpful when it comes to refining the specification on site, particularly with complex M&E solutions. “I have been impressed by the positive attitude of all the staff working on the project; they have a general can-do attitude, even when challenges have arisen. I would recommend J Tomlinson’s services to other housing groups and associations.” During the project, J Tomlinson was able to provide value engineering by identifying and procuring money-saving products of the same quality, which led to an estimated £30,000 saving on the project for Gedling Homes. J Tomlinson, which is based in Beeston, near Nottingham, offers a range of integrated building solutions including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical services (M&E), and facilities management. The company operates primarily across the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire. It works in all sectors, including social housing, industrial, commercial, care home, health, leisure and education. Gedling Homes has a stock of more than 3,300 homes across the Gedling district of Nottingham, in places such as Arnold, Carlton, Gedling and Netherfield, ranging from studio apartments to large family houses. For more information about J Tomlinson, visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk
This very useful two-piece wood chisel set from Kamasa (part number 56119) is suitable for softwood, plywood and hardwood. Designed for both detailed hand use and hammer impact, the metal striking head is integral with the chisel blade for precise work and long life. There are two chisels in the set, 15 and 25mm wide, both with finely ground blades. The chisels have soft grip thermoplastic rubber handles and the shafts and bits are manufactured from strong chrome vanadium steel, hardened and tempered to HRC 56-62. Beautifully balanced, you’ll find them a pleasure to use. This chisel set is available now from your Kamasa stockist, and very good value, typically priced at just £17.52 for the set (price includes VAT). Further details from www.kamasa.co.uk
The Tiverton branch of animal rehoming charity Blue Cross has been voted as a winner of RGB Building Supplies’ Well Built Community Fund and now has £1,000 to spend on building materials. Following a public poll, where Blue Cross was up against St Kew Ace Academy Pre-School in Bodmin and Company Disability in Taunton, the charity received the most number of votes and was recently visited by Paul Condick, Assistant Branch Manager at RGB Tiverton. Blue Cross will be using the money to develop a large paddock at its Tiverton pet rehoming centre so it can be used to hold community fundraising events. A pathway and shelter will be added enabling the paddock to be used in all weather. Additionally, new play equipment will be built to provide additional stimulation and interest for dogs during their daily exercise and training. Louise Thomson, Animal Welfare Assistant at Blue Cross in Tiverton, commented: “Last year we saw more than 700 cats, dogs and small animals come to the centre for rehoming. We rely on donations to enable us to provide the care, veterinary attention and behaviour training needed before the animals go to their new homes, so being able to develop our paddock and use it to hold events will be extremely beneficial in helping us to raise vital funds. “A huge thank you to everyone that voted for us and to RGB Building Supplies for the generous donation of the materials.” Paul Condick added: “The aim of our Well Built Community Fund is to give local groups and charities the chance to complete projects they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. I was delighted to visit Blue Cross and see how the donation of materials will be used; I wish them every success with the project and I look forward to returning to see the transformation.” Every other month RGB will be donating £1,000 worth of building materials to help and support groups in the region. More information about how groups can nominate themselves is available on RGB’s website – www.rgbltd.co.uk.
Fusion Building Systems, the offsite designer, engineer, manufacturer and installer of light gauge steel superstructures can now provide its clients with ‘as manufactured’ digital models of their completed structures, thanks to its integration of MWF Pro Metal software from StrucSoft Solutions. Running as an add-on to the widely-used Revit design platform, Fusion has invested in MWF Pro Metal to help its construction clients achieve the highest possible degree of accuracy in their projects and have a clear understanding of the finished structure before the offsite manufacturing process begins. By using MWF Pro Metal, just about every element of the design for consideration can be reviewed in detail prior to sign off, then directly instructed to Fusion’s roll-forming equipment at its Northampton manufacturing facility, producing structures which are precise according to design. Robert Clark, Fusion head of business development, said: “For offsite methods to become widely adopted by the construction industry we need to shift from a project by project approach, to one which is led by the product. BIM is the enabler for this. “By integrating StrucSoft Solutions’ MWF Pro Metal into our design, engineering and manufacturing processes, we’re encouraging our clients to focus their attention on the overall product and in doing so, moving closer to the future of MMC.” Fusion had previously been running a bespoke software solution called FusionSoft, which was ahead of its time when first developed. Now outdated and not BIM-ready, StrucSoft Solutions’ MWF Pro was chosen as Fusion’s new platform for integration with Revit and to enable the Company to work to an enviable degree of technical accuracy. Used day to day in Fusion’s design and manufacturing processes, StrucSoft Solutions’ MWF Pro Metal will enable the automated creation of walls and floors, the accurate design of cutbacks and openings around thousands of M&E locations, structural intersections and accessories, as well as allowing Fusion’s engineers to specify directly into the Revit model. Byron Starnes, StrucSoft Solutions’ EMEA business development manager, added: “We created Fusion’s software solution just for them, tailored to the way they build and allowing them to take advantage of the most modern and up to date software solutions for their digital engineering requirements. Their investment in our product marks a revolutionary overhaul of their existing ICT solution, having an emphasis on greater design efficiencies, accuracy and collaboration – especially as it pertains to the design and manufacturing of the bespoke and patented Fusion system.” MWF Pro Metal utilises the built-in intelligence of Revit to automate the creation of light gauge steel framing across virtually any construction project. Developed in conjunction with industry experts, MWF Pro Metal’s automated tools allow users to easily frame entire projects while simultaneously creating schedules, material cut lists, framing elevations and fully dimensioned 2D shop drawings. The tool of choice for professionals framing everything from bathroom pods, right up to billion-dollar healthcare projects. StrucSoft Solutions provided Fusion with initial training on MWF Pro Metal at their Liverpool office and will continue to provide ongoing review work and updates as the solution matures. For further information visit www.fusionbuild.com and www.strucsoftsolutions.com
Offsite construction specialist, The McAvoy Group, has handed over a new school building at West Hill School in Leatherhead, bringing the number of education projects now completed by McAvoy for Surrey County Council to more than 40. The project at West Hill – an Ofsted outstanding special school – featured extensive use of BIM to help address the complexities of the site. It was manufactured offsite to reduce disruption and was ready for occupation on time and after less than eight months on site. The scheme links the traditionally-constructed main building and an existing modular classroom block on a highly constrained, fully operational school site. The new building expands the teaching spaces for children with learning and additional needs. These are to accommodate West Hill School’s conversion from secondary education provision to a 2FE primary school. An offsite solution was developed to build a teacher training centre on the upper floor as West Hill is also a Teaching School and National Support School. McAvoy has now completed over 40 education building projects for Surrey County Council – ranging from single classroom buildings to a £5m nursery, infant and junior school extension at Danetree Primary School near Epsom. Both of the existing school buildings at West Hill remained in use throughout McAvoy’s construction of the new facilities. The offsite solution avoided any disruption to teaching and the children despite the site constraints. 28 steel-framed modules were installed in just four days and McAvoy restricted working times to maintain access and accommodate the children’s arrival at and departure from school. Commenting on the project, Judy Nettleton, Head Teacher at West Hill School, said, “The offsite solution generated massive time savings which were invaluable from an educational perspective. The McAvoy team had outstanding communications throughout, and their work was well planned and highly respectful of the challenges we were facing, both as a special needs school and in the transition from secondary to primary education.” “McAvoy was able to accommodate an urgent requirement for an extra floor and our new teacher training facility is a brilliant resource. This space could easily be converted into three additional classrooms if we need to expand capacity in the future. The building has a high level of acoustics which is key for a special school to avoid disruption to children’s education, and the size of the hygiene rooms, the wider corridors and breakout spaces for individual and small group learning are all invaluable features.” Giorgia diSarno, Project Manager at Surrey County Council, said, “We had a very positive experience working with McAvoy on this scheme. Their site management was excellent and they communicated brilliantly with the school which was so important in enabling the teachers to prepare the children. This is vital when carrying out construction works at an SEN school. The finished building is great and was designed according to the special needs nature of the school. Classrooms are light, airy and welcoming.” “On this project, offsite construction allowed us to develop a bespoke building with the benefits of better quality control in a factory environment. It was essential to reduce time on site to avoid disruption to the school. A shorter construction period on site is hugely beneficial to any school but particularly to special needs children. McAvoy was also able to add value to the project and inform its design by being involved at the project’s inception. This allowed the addition of a further storey.” McAvoy made extensive use of BIM for the West Hill project to engineer an offsite solution that would accommodate a height difference of 870mm between the main school and the existing modular teaching block. Gradient differences were incorporated within corridors to avoid steps, using a specially-engineered double floor beam design which also maximised offsite construction. Challenging ground conditions required complex piled foundations and a supporting steel frame. Here 3D modelling was invaluable to better inform the groundworks and module installation phases. BIM also facilitated decision making with stakeholders, with the use of 3D models and virtual reality, rather than traditional 2D line drawings. The school was able to see each room and experience the space. It allowed teaching staff to assess how the training centre could work located as a second storey to the new classroom block rather than as a freestanding building which was originally envisaged. In recognition of its industry-leading application of BIM technology for the West Hill School project, McAvoy won the RICS BIM4SME Award for Best Virtual Reality BIM. As West Hill is a school for children with special educational needs and located near the M25 motorway network and under a flight path, the building specification demanded outstanding acoustics. McAvoy developed a twin modular wall system and a specially-designed offsite roof solution to achieve the enhanced acoustic performance. The building was also required to be mechanically ventilated and this equipment had to meet the noise sensitivities of the children. Other design features of the building to address the needs of learning and additional needs included: Wider corridors to help children who have mobility or balance issues Break-out rooms to allow different learning needs and styles to be accommodated for smaller numbers of children Hygiene rooms equipped with a hoist to assist children in wheelchairs Provision for hoists in two classrooms and for further hoists to be installed in other areas around the building Ease of access between the new building and the existing facilities, and to the external play areas A high level of acoustics to avoid disruption to children’s learning. The new facilities accommodate a food technology classroom, an open plan library, group rooms and classrooms with direct access to the outdoors. The building has created a covered and controlled link between the main building and the existing teaching block, and a new courtyard provides a secure play area where a sensory garden will be developed. McAvoy was also responsible for some alterations to the school’s existing facilities to accommodate the change from secondary to primary education. For further information about offsite solutions
National building and engineering company, Britcon has announced that it is taking part in the Stop. Make a Change campaign across its 400-strong workforce in the UK. The initiative, driven by the Civil Engineering & Contractors Association (CECA), is a national stand down which aims to raise better awareness about construction industry health and safety and mental health. In April 2017 the campaign was launched for organisations from across the UK infrastructure sector to take part. Sites, offices and production facilities stopped current works to focus on working together to build a healthier and safer industry. In 2018, the campaign expanded to the wider industry. The campaign focuses primarily on two key priorities, Mental Health and Plant Safety. Currently, one in four people will suffer from mental health issues each year, with more than 400,000 days being lost to work-related stress, anxiety and depression in construction. Construction relies heavily on the use of mobile plant to support delivery on site and with 217 people killed in the industry over the last five years and around 10 per cent hit by moving vehicles, awareness and training needs to happen continually. Paul Clarkson, Managing Director at Britcon said, “By taking part in Stop. Make a Change, we have committed heavily by signing up to cross-industry initiatives and leading our own change programmes within the company. “Through planning and organisation our Health & Safety team has developed a bespoke training programme and visited all of our current and live sites to conduct a training programme on both mental wellbeing and plant safety. Staff welfare is paramount at Britcon. CECA chief executive Alasdair Reisner commented “We are delighted by the impact that Stop. Make a Change has had in 2018. Across the country more than 80,000 people at companies like Britcon have joined forces to commit themselves to make a better, safer industry for everyone that works in it.” Britcon is committed to continue this training year-round and has also been awarded funds from the CITB to support further training which will starting in May 2018. Established for more than 26 years, Britcon is £50 million turnover business headquartered in Scunthorpe and directly employs over 100 people and more than 300 through subcontractors on its project sites across the UK. Key contracts includes a £13.5 million contract to deliver a new anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Dagenham for food waste recycler ReFood (UK) Ltd, a series of new developments, extensions and refurbishment projects valued over £10 million for Lidl, and contracts worth over £4 million for global chemicals business Kemira for which it won ‘Contract of the Year 2017 from CECA. Britcon is listed by the London Stock Exchange in its report of ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Europe’. @Britcon_Limited