Nick Child

Malta Becomes the First EU Country to Legalize Cannabis

European Union’s smallest member state is on the verge of becoming the first on the continent to allow adults to grow and possess small quantities of cannabis for personal use. On Tuesday, members of the parliament voted on the proposal, and the president is expected to sign it into law

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Austin Bail Bonds 4 Tips On Handling Bail

As with other states and counties, a person arrested for a crime in Texas is often taken to the local county jail. There, the defendant will spend time waiting for a meeting with the judge, who will set a bail amount for the defendant’s temporary release.  While the court acknowledges

Read More »

Personal Injury On Commercial Property: 4 Steps To Take

Personal injuries happen during car accidents, work shifts, and even on regular days at commercial properties, such as malls, parking lots, restaurants, and other similar establishments. Location-based accidents would fall as premises liability cases.   Typically, injuries sustained under these circumstances can be life-threatening. If you don’t know what to do,

Read More »

Electrical 101: The Importance of Investing in a Quality Motor Starter

Environments with complex electrical systems such as manufacturing industries, residential complexes, and commercial compounds emphasise the need for protective equipment that can offer adequate support in situations of distress. Power surges, overloads, and faults are common in installations with a myriad of inputs and outputs. A motor starter is a

Read More »

What is Jira and Why it Can Benefit Your Property Business

Project management is an essential process for many organisations and, for anyone working in the property sector, the management side can be especially complex. Managing property development on all scales often brings together architects, developers, designers, sales & marketing professionals and more.  In order to keep projects running smoothly, however,

Read More »

Gold caps off successful awards season for Panthera Group

As we head into the festive season, there was one more award ceremony to attend this year for our Managing Director Neal James and the team from Panthera Group’s Hoarding division. The SME Award Finals were held at Wembley Stadium on Friday 3rd December and this time the team came

Read More »

Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Fix Foundation Leakage

If you notice any cracks on your wall, bulging on your floor, or experience difficulties closing your doors, you may be facing a serious foundation leakage problem. You shouldn’t wait till the signs erupt into a disaster, or you will end up spending too much money doing the repairs or

Read More »

Is carbon neutral construction by 2030 a realistic goal?

One of the UK’s leading construction companies caused a stir this year, when it announced that it was planning to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Galliford Try, an Uxbridge-based firm that is one of the largest companies in the industry, revealed that it had ‘pledged to achieve Net Zero carbon

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Latest Issue
Issue 334 : Nov 2025

Nick Child

How To Make Direct Marketing Work For Your Construction Business

Is your construction business slowing down because of many reasons? If you think that marketing strategy is not up to par And it is failing your business big-time, it is time to go back to the basics. The truth is that direct marketing can still work wonders in this age where people depend on the internet for almost everything. How Direct Marketing Can Work? Using an envelope supplier, you can start with direct marketing for your construction business. Email addresses are flooded with spam and most people do not read all the emails they get. But direct mailing can work a lot when it is done properly. Sending your business materials by mail can do a lot for your business. Ways To Make It Work For Construction Businesses People Want Quality When it comes to construction work they want to get done, most people want quality every step of the way. And it all starts with how you reach out to customers for the first time. With quality customized envelopes you can get your company logo embossed and then use it to send the marketing materials by direct mail. This will ensure that customers understand that your business is all about quality. It also is important that customers who want to buy luxury homes see the quality you offer them. Remain Local Another reason why direct marketing works so well for construction businesses is that it helps you stay as local as possible. Emails and online methods of marketing may be effective, but they can take away that ‘’local;’’ feeling that most people want when they are dealing with a service provider. Make sure that your construction company gets the best of the local market by remaining local. Address your customers by direct mail so that they know that you are an essentially local company. Use High-Quality Envelopes Direct mail does not always work. However, if you do it correctly, it can work very well. Use high-quality envelopes that are customized for your construction business. Hire a reputed envelope printing agency for the job so that you get envelopes that will speak up for your business. Strong Promotional Material For your marketing to work, the promotional material that your company writes up should be strong, clear and concise. This is super essential because unless the material is good, it is not going to show your business in a positive light. So make the effort to come up with great promotional material. Get Involved In Community Affairs To promote your construction business, it is a good idea to become involved in community matters. Whether you are a business owner that builds houses or does renovation work for existing houses, getting involved in local affairs will help people get to notice you. For this, you may have to spend some money making donations to local charities but it will be money well spent. To Conclude Choose your marketing strategy well and make sure you keep in mind that what people want most is the feeling of connection. Your business should be able to provide just that.

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Malta Becomes the First EU Country to Legalize Cannabis

European Union’s smallest member state is on the verge of becoming the first on the continent to allow adults to grow and possess small quantities of cannabis for personal use. On Tuesday, members of the parliament voted on the proposal, and the president is expected to sign it into law by weekend. Not For Profit The language of the bill allows anyone aged 18 years or older to grow up to 4 plants from cannabis seeds at their place of residence. It will be also legal to store at home up to 50 grams of finished product. As for public possession, the rules are going to be much stricter—you’ll be allowed to carry only 7 grams of dried flowers on your person. Personal cultivation will not be the only legal way to obtain the substance. The proponents of the initiative did their best to come up with a working system of legal distribution. It will be similar to that of Spain where there are numerous associations of smokers providing their members with cannabis. It should be noted that in Spain these associations, also known as cannabis social clubs, have quickly morphed into a kind of cafes, virtually open to everybody, including tourists. The Maltese government obviously hopes to maintain stricter control and not let social clubs turn into for-profit businesses. According to the law, the members of a club will have a right to obtain up to 7 grams at a time but no more than 50 grams per month. Some members of the club will be charged with growing the needed amount of cannabis for other members. Opposition Was Fierce While in many other countries and states that have legalized marijuana or only think about it the economic incentives play major role, authors of the legalization bill in Malta have always stressed that it wasn’t about the money. Instead, they have been touting the harm-reduction argument. Owen Bonnici, the country’s minister for equality, research, and innovation, said in an op-ed in the Sunday Times of Malta that the initiative is not meant to promote cannabis culture or the recreational use of the substance. The government is still committed to helping adults make healthier choices. However, legalizing the drug may resolve some issues associated with illegal trafficking. But the opposition wasn’t convinced. Malta’s Nationalist Party voted against the move, drawing on support from medical associations and the church. They complained that their requests to water down the proposal were ignored. Despite the strong opposition, the bill passed in the Parliament with 36 votes in favor and 27 against. Playing Into the Hands of Albanian Mafia? The critics of the new law also express doubts that it will help curb illegal trafficking. If anything, they insist, it can make life easier for organized crime. It is doubtful that any substantial percentage of cannabis users will decide to grow their own supply. On the one hand, it’s relatively simple, and a modern strain of cannabis grown from Gorilla Glue seeds for example can easily bring the 50 grams permitted by the law. On the other, it’s even easier to buy from someone else, and with laxer possession standards, the police will find it much harder to control illegal trafficking. Currently, the black market in Malta is dominated by Albanian gangs that smuggle cannabis through Sicily. They cultivate the plant in remote mountainous regions from Tropoje to Nivica, but have also created a network of grow operations in warehouses throughout Europe. Despite many high-profile busts of drug-trafficking rings in recent years, the police in Malta admit that the majority of illegal shipments find their way into the country. It remains to be seen whether criminal organizations find their place in the cracks of the new legal system or lose their profits and move elsewhere. More Legalization Efforts Expected in EU Next Year With its legalization initiative, Malta has beaten Luxemburg at the post, another tiny European state that wanted to be the first to enact reform. Now, Luxemburg will probably do it in 2022. And, more importantly, the new ruling coalition in Germany has announced its plans to legalize the adult use of cannabis and regulate and tax its sales in the nearest future. When enacted, the proposed law will create the largest legal market in the world, surpassing in size both Canada and California. Switzerland has also announced similar plans for 2022.

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Austin Bail Bonds 4 Tips On Handling Bail

As with other states and counties, a person arrested for a crime in Texas is often taken to the local county jail. There, the defendant will spend time waiting for a meeting with the judge, who will set a bail amount for the defendant’s temporary release.  While the court acknowledges that there’s no need to keep the accused in jail until proven guilty, the defendant has to provide a bond to regain freedom. Spending jail time can be overwhelming, and family members often don’t know what to do once they are caught up in the situation. Apart from approaching a lawyer, it’s in the defendant’s best interest to seek help from a bail bondsman in Austin, TX, and similar companies. Bail bond companies stand as guarantors before the court, providing the necessary funds needed to release a defendant as soon as possible. If someone you love is facing jail time, it’s imperative to know how bail bonds work and how to handle this legal option properly. Read this guide to help you navigate through the bail bond process with more confidence.     1. Choosing A Reputable Bail Bonds Company  The bail bond process starts after an Austin court judge sets the bail amount. Families can choose whether to pay on their own or seek the help of bond companies such as bailbondsbros.com. When working with the latter, families don’t need to worry about paying the bail amount in full. Bail bonds will only ask for a premium, typically anywhere from 10% to 20% of the total amount. This fee isn’t refundable. Additionally, some may ask a defendant to provide collateral to represent the entire cost.  These practices are standard in the industry, so don’t be surprised if you’re asked for these things in exchange for jail release. However, some do exploit the bail bonding system to engage in fraudulent transactions. Before committing, families must have due diligence. Visit the company’s office and ask for licenses or certifications. Like other states, cities, and counties, Austin bail bond companies operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  2. Making An Estimate Of The Bail Amount  Some states, like Texas, have a bail bond table, where a defendant can check the possible cost of bail. Information may be available on the state sheriff’s official website or you can ask the jail for more information. Generally speaking, bail bonds in Austin are not cheap. As expected, the more serious the charges are, the higher the amount you’re expected to pay.    If you’re facing drug possession or trafficking charges, your bail amount will depend on how many illicit drugs were recovered. In some cases, the court may ask you to produce as much as USD$250,000 for a drug trafficking case. Conversely, bail bonds in Austin for misdemeanors, like driving under the influence, can cost anywhere from USD$3,000 to USD$7,500.     3. Understanding How The Bail System Works   The court dictates bail bond amounts and the statutes applicable in your area. Texas law stipulates that the court must set the cash bail amount within 24 hours for misdemeanors and other minor offenses and 48 hours for severe offenses, which may include a personal injury lawsuit. Some states have a bail schedule or a list of the pre-set bail amounts for each violation.  In some locations, the judge is authorized to set an amount that’s higher or lower than the rate. The magistrate may even refuse bail by looking at the person’s criminal record and risk to the community.   Presenting bail bonds before the courts in Austin isn’t a form of payment. Instead, it’s a form of collateral, assuring the court that the defendant will show up during the trial schedules until the case is closed. Once a decision is reached, the court will return your bail amount, less the administrative fees.        4. Knowing Your Options  Austin bail bonds can take various forms. Apart from cash and credit card payments, the court may accept a valuable asset as collateral and a surety bond. In some instances, the judge may consider a “release on one’s recognizance.” If you don’t have enough cash, this may be the best option for you. Under this scheme, the court waives the bail amount, so you don’t have to pay for anything for your temporary freedom. The defendant will only have to sign a document assuring a diligent court appearance. This option is entirely up to the judge to decide. While a subjective exercise, magistrates look at critical factors in granting this release option. Factors may include a defendant’s criminal history (or ideally, the lack of it), community and family support, gainful employment, among other social aspects. In cases where the judge rejects a request for own recognizance release, the person in question can request a reduced bail amount. In Conclusion The bail bond system is a legal remedy that an accused person can avail of while the case is ongoing. By securing temporary freedom, the defendant can go on with their lives while waiting for the court’s decision.  Following the release, the defendant must comply with all the legal conditions to avoid problems down the road. Failure to do so could forfeit the bail amount and assets used as a surety bond. 

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Personal Injury On Commercial Property: 4 Steps To Take

Personal injuries happen during car accidents, work shifts, and even on regular days at commercial properties, such as malls, parking lots, restaurants, and other similar establishments. Location-based accidents would fall as premises liability cases.   Typically, injuries sustained under these circumstances can be life-threatening. If you don’t know what to do, you might worsen your condition and be unable to file for financial compensation from the at-fault party.   Here are four steps to take if you’ve sustained a personal injury on commercial property:  1. Seek Medical Attention Immediately  Several types of injuries are associated with accidents on commercial properties, such as puncture wounds, traumatic brain injury, broken bones, neck injuries, and cuts and abrasions. Whatever type of injury you sustained, it’s crucial to get yourself checked immediately.   Sometimes, the injuries that occurred in a commercial property aren’t visible right away. It might take a few days or a week for the symptoms to appear. Hence, you need to seek immediate medical care to get the proper treatment and obtain documentation about your injury.   Aside from recovering from your injuries, seeking medical attention can improve your chances of getting a favorable outcome from your case. In a personal injury claim, you’re asking the responsible party to cover costs such as medical expenses, lost wages, and damages for pain and suffering. Therefore, evidence like medical records are crucial to substantiating your claim. They can demonstrate your injuries’ severity, medical treatment costs, and the impact of the injuries on your life.   2. Report The Accident To The Property Manager Or Owner  It’s also essential to report the accident to the property manager or owner after sustaining an injury on commercial property. Doing so can help notify the persons in charge of the premises about the incident and what they can do to prevent reoccurrence. Under premise liability laws, a commercial property owner is responsible for making their premises safe for their employees, customers, and visitors.   Moreover, reporting the accident to the property manager or owner will require documentation, which might be helpful when claiming compensation.  Otherwise, you’ll jeopardize your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome for your case. 3. Seek Legal Assistance    Generally speaking, you might have no idea who to turn to after getting hurt on commercial property. Thus, if you’re looking to protect your rights after the incident, working with an experienced lawyer is an excellent idea. Such lawyers have experience handling premise liability cases, like a slip and fall accident on commercial property. Hence, they can evaluate the facts of your case and recommend the legal options available to you.    Moreover, hiring a specialized legal professional like a premises liability lawyer would make a lot of sense since premise liability law, including slip and fall cases, can be complex to deal with. They also have valuable expertise in handling these certain types of cases, so they can also help build a strong case and receive the compensation you deserve. For instance, they can help you obtain the proper evidence you need to substantiate your claim against the party at fault. The common types of evidence you should have in your favor may include:  There are several pieces of clear and convincing evidence you need to gather to build your case. If you need help procuring these documents, your lawyer might be the right person to call. Lawyers have professional connections to help you obtain evidence as quickly as possible. For example, if you want to establish the proximate causation between the injury and the accident, an expert doctor could testify in your favor.  They can help prove that the accident on a commercial property due to someone else’s negligence was the proximate cause of your injury.For these reasons, it’s best to get a personal injury lawyer who can handle your case more effectively. However, when choosing a legal representative, check your prospect’s years of experience and track record of winning personal injury cases. Schedule a free consultation so you can ask your potential lawyer as many questions as you want. Then, analyze their responses to help you decide whether they fit your situation perfectly.    4. File A Personal Injury Claim    If you’re injured and want to seek compensation for your injury, you need to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party. When it comes to personal injury cases, proving negligence on the part of the property manager or owner plays a critical role in the success of your claim.    Thus, you need a lawyer’s expertise to help you establish the liability of the responsible. You can improve the odds of having a successful case if you can prove the following:  By demonstrating the existence of these requisites in your case, you’ll have a better chance of winning your case and receiving monetary compensation for your losses. Typically, there are two main types of compensation available for personal injuries. First is the compensation for economic losses, or those which can be easily quantified, like medical expenses and property damage. Second is the non-economic losses or those which can be difficult to quantify, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment in life.  However, it’s essential to note that the amount of damages awarded may depend on the specific facts of your case and other factors like the severity of injuries and the length of time the injuries will last.  Moreover, it’s also important to be mindful of the statute of limitations when filing a personal injury claim. Working with a legal professional is essential in this situation because they know when you should initiate a case to recover compensation. This way, you can ensure your claim is filed within the time limits required by your state laws. Bottom Line  Being injured on commercial property due to someone else’s negligence can be a frustrating ordeal. With the physical, mental, and financial effects of the accident and the injury, your whole life might change forever.   Therefore, keep the steps mentioned above in mind if you want to safeguard yourself from these

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Electrical 101: The Importance of Investing in a Quality Motor Starter

Environments with complex electrical systems such as manufacturing industries, residential complexes, and commercial compounds emphasise the need for protective equipment that can offer adequate support in situations of distress. Power surges, overloads, and faults are common in installations with a myriad of inputs and outputs. A motor starter is a piece of protective equipment that is used to save a motor from electrical overloading.  It controls the power that is used to start a motor and can also be utilised to stop the electricity supply or reverse it. In this article, we will be emphasising the importance of investing in a high-quality motor starter for your establishment. The Types of Motor Starters As a piece of essential protective equipment, motor starters are available in several specifications that widen their use across different infrastructures. Here is a detailed overview of the types of motor starters available in the market: Magnetic motor starters: Operated electromagnetically, magnetic starters start or stop the connected motor load with the help of a voltage that is lower than the motor voltage. It consists of an overload relay and an electrical contactor to offer maximum protection during overcurrent or heat. Manual motor starters: As the name suggests, manual starters are operated manually and are simple to operate. It consists of a rotary knob that can be turned by the user to turn the equipment on or off. The Importance of Motor Starters Safety measures are integral in all forms of electrical systems to avoid any damage to the asset or human life. A lot of electrical systems skip a starter for a simple disconnect switch. This might work in small establishments but can rarely offer the required protection in huge spaces. The primary components of a motor starter solidify its importance in any environment. The presence of a contactor manipulates the current that flows into the motor and can either make or break the circuit; furthermore, an overload relay offers effective protection against overcurrent and heat. The Uses of Motor Starters While primarily used as a piece of protective equipment, a motor starter offers even better value with a variety of other uses. Let’s discover some of the independent uses of motor starters in detail: Protection against overload: An excess of current flow can severely damage a motor. The motor starter’s relay detects overcurrent and immediately opens the circuit. This protects the motor from burning out or overheating. Protection against short circuits: In environments having a high load, the current can exceed the thousand-ampere mark. Short-circuits in such situations can cause significant damage to equipment or any other asset. The existence of circuit breakers in motor starters can disconnect power supply before any damage takes form. Circuit breaks:   Avoiding inadvertent restarts during routine maintenance necessitates a circuit breaker that can open the circuit and isolate power until the task is complete. A motor starter can be used to effortlessly disconnect. Power control: The contactor in a motor starter helps in controlling in the opening and closing of the circuit. The main poles of the contactor are used to control power through an energised electromagnetic coil. Get your Hands on a Quality Motor Starter It can be concluded that motor starters are worthy investments that offer several useful benefits ranging from protection to optimal circuit breaking. In order to get your hands on the best quality motor starter, we would advise you to connect with a reputed electrical service provider. Their expert team would comprehend your requirements and offer the best possible product recommendation that fits your establishment.

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What is Jira and Why it Can Benefit Your Property Business

Project management is an essential process for many organisations and, for anyone working in the property sector, the management side can be especially complex. Managing property development on all scales often brings together architects, developers, designers, sales & marketing professionals and more.  In order to keep projects running smoothly, however, it’s vital that teams have a tool to organise their work and for many property developers, Jira is the ideal solution to this need. But, what is Jira and how can businesses use it effectively?  What is Jira? Jira is a project management software that was initially created to enable software developers to track issues. There are now three different packages with this software: a basic project management platform project management with Agile functionality, and  a service desk solution which is designed for IT professionals.  With so many teams involved in large-scale property projects, many of which may be planned and discussed remotely, being able to collaborate effectively and track projects from start to finish is essential. Jira is a tool that can help with this and bring projects to fruition more efficiently through iterative development (or repetition of a process).  What can it be used for? Jira has evolved over the years to encompass a range of tasks and types of project management, from software development and bug tracking to content management and marketing. It can be used for flexible Kanban boards to give users complete visibility of projects so that staff can prioritise work for greater productivity, as well as Scrum software development.  Over 65,000 companies globally now rely on Jira in some capacity to manage their projects, in no small part because of the flexibility it delivers. For project management teams, software developers and DevOp teams alike, Jira provides a host of integrations and capabilities.  Jira cloud deployment is also used by thousands of teams around the world to handle various aspects of running a business, with a range of diverse roles. Cloud migration provides numerous business benefits, from lower costs and greater security to scalability and the ability to work on the go, so it’s no surprise that so many companies are choosing to adopt this technology.  How can property businesses benefit from Jira? Customisable  Property businesses can benefit from using Jira in a number of ways, starting with its customisability for integrating different teams and site requirements. It’s an industry leader in agile software and the ease with which users can set up, share and customise dashboards and workflows is a key reason for this. Jira is quick to install and configure, and it’s entirely browser-based which makes it a convenient and flexible option.  Scalable Jira is also incredibly scalable and has virtually no limits in terms of number of users or projects, making it suitable for everyone from small two-person teams through to global businesses. One of the biggest advantages for businesses is that the system doesn’t depend on SQL knowledge – it has a simple ‘What You See Is What You Get’ or WYSIWYG interface for querying tickets which results in a user-friendly platform that doesn’t require intensive training or specialist skills.  Easy collaboration For collaboration, Jira is an industry-leading software that enables teams to work efficiently together. It’s one of the primary benefits of using Jira for businesses. This permission-based tool provides joint-editing tools and monitoring capabilities to enable colleagues to see progress and updates for each task. Tasks can be arranged in priority order so that employees can tackle tasks in terms of necessity and productivity, to deliver the best result for customers or clients.  Cloud integration Cloud technology has completely transformed how businesses operate and share data, streamlining workflows and helping teams to adapt more quickly. Cloud software offers several benefits – it reduces IT costs, improves productivity and makes teams more efficient, but it also boosts security and reduces the risks of a data breach. The ability to integrate these two tools, along with many other apps, makes for a central solution that can be tailored to your needs.  Jira is one of the best tools for issue and project tracking, making it ideal for overseeing large-scale building designs or construction projects. It provides incredible agile support for teams, bringing together professionals from across the property business who may have merged together on one specific build. There are countless plugins to extend the capabilities of Jira and the ability for cloud migration makes it a versatile solution for property businesses looking to manage projects and track issues more efficiently. 

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Should You Do A Remodeling Of Your Home In The Coming New Year?

The new year brings with it a lot of hope and joy. It is the time of new beginnings for all and it is the time to make improvements happen in life. That is why a lot of people think about new year’s resolutions! A great way to start the new year is also by starting a remodeling project for your home. Maybe you have always thought about it for some time, and this may be a great time to get started! An online home store may be the perfect place to start your remodeling and renovating work. Here are just some of the reasons why a remodeling project can be a great idea. It Will Help You Increase Your Comfort Whether you are changing the light fixtures of your home or remodeling your kitchen completely, it can go a long way in increasing the comfort you feel. Your own comfort and peace of mind matter a lot and that is a good enough reason to get started. And what better time to do so than the new year? To make Your Home Safer It is very important to make your house as safe as possible. Newer improvements may be needed for this to happen and new construction work may have to be planned. This way your home will be safe for everyone. If your home is older, it may require changes and fixes to be made to it. For this, ensuring that you get the right professional building help is important. To Increase The Resale Value Of A House If you have plans to sell your house anytime in the future, then doing remodeling work can help increase its resale value. Buyers love new kitchens and bathrooms and by getting the remodeling project underfoot, you can attract them. Even if you have no plans to sell in the future, keeping an eye on the property market and helping your home be on par with the best is a smart thing to do. Increase The Functionality Of The Home Simple construction projects can increase the functionality of your home. For example, adding a pantry if you don’t have one can make cooking a breeze for you. Going Online In today’s times, when people go online for most things, choosing to shop for your home online can be a great idea. It can be fun and convenient to do so as well. When you choose an online store, make sure that you get all manner of home things easily. From wreaths to cushion covers to curtains, you must be able to lay your hands on things that you can use in your house. Conclusion Remodeling or renovating your house does not need to be a huge project. If you can afford it, then great. If not, there are smaller things you can do to make sure that your home is cozier and more comfortable than before.

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Gold caps off successful awards season for Panthera Group

As we head into the festive season, there was one more award ceremony to attend this year for our Managing Director Neal James and the team from Panthera Group’s Hoarding division. The SME Award Finals were held at Wembley Stadium on Friday 3rd December and this time the team came away with a well-deserved GOLD award in the sustainability category for their NetZero Carbon hoarding solution, EnviroHoard™. The SME Awards are open to small and medium sized enterprises with less than 250 employees and are designed to celebrate the success of these industrious, hardworking and enterprising companies.  SMEs are widely acknowledged for driving innovation and competition in many economic sectors and the quality of entry into the 2021 awards clearly supports that. Categories included Business Innovation, Best New Business, Family Business of the Year and individual business leader awards, amongst many others. In a year where the Environmental Agenda has become so important, arguably the Sustainability Award is and will be one of the key awards going forwards. Neal used the quieter period over the first lockdown to bring his vision for a completely new product design to life. EnviroHoard™ is the first ever NetZero Carbon hoarding solution with the a bespoke-designed support frame and low carbon concrete block to complement the uPVC recycled and recyclable panels. He is delighted at the recognition the product has received since its launch in early 2021; “We have never entered any awards before this year, so to walk away as the Winner of the Construction News Specialists Awards, Silver in the National Building & Construction and Design Awards and Runner-up in the Kier Green Dragon Awards – all in one season – was already pretty overwhelming. To cap this with the Gold Award in the National SME Awards – which are designed to recognise businesses of our size – is the perfect end to the year for us.” For more information about the multi award-winning EnviroHoard™ please visit: www. pantheragroup.com/sustainable-construction-site-hoardings/

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Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Fix Foundation Leakage

If you notice any cracks on your wall, bulging on your floor, or experience difficulties closing your doors, you may be facing a serious foundation leakage problem. You shouldn’t wait till the signs erupt into a disaster, or you will end up spending too much money doing the repairs or lose your home altogether. When you notice the tell-tale signs, contact foundation repair contractors immediately and explain to them your situation. They will send experts to examine your house and propose the most plausible solutions at an affordable cost. Even then, here are some of the reasons you should not wait till these leakages need fixing. The Longer You Wait, the More the Damage Just like any other damage that occurs around your home, the longer you postpone repairing those damages, the bigger the issue will be. If you notice these foundation risks early enough, it becomes easier and cheaper to repair them. However, if you ignore them, you will spend a great deal of what would have been otherwise a small fix. Increased Water Damage Water damage is the last thing you would want to occur in your home. The more you put off repairing foundational leakages, the more you put yourself at risk of having such damages. If these leaks grow larger, then you will end up with a situation where you have water leaking into your house, and especially your basement.  This water can cause massive damage to your floors, carpets, and other items in your house. It will also cause mold and mildew to grow leading to a foul smell within your home. It could easily drive you out of your house if you do not take measures early enough. Spending More Money It is rather obvious that you will end up spending more money if you are forced to repair major damages. If you notice foundational leakages and ignore them, you will certainly be forced to repair them at one point or another. The earlier you do so, the less you will spend. However, if you continue waiting you will have a serious problem on your hands. You could even end up tearing down the entire floor and rebuilding again. This type of repair could set you back a couple of years in terms of your finances. You Open Your Home to Pests Cracks and gaps in your walls and floors are avenues or gateways for pests such as rats and mice to invade your home. These pests take advantage of such leaks to find better shelter and food. You will even start having dangerous animals such as snakes. The pests can cause serious sanitary problems in your house that can cause serious ailments. Furthermore, they can also cause further damage by urination, chewing, and nesting within your home. Getting the services of an exterminator to get rid of such rodents is just wasting time and money. You can avoid all that by simply repairing minor damages when you notice them.

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Is carbon neutral construction by 2030 a realistic goal?

One of the UK’s leading construction companies caused a stir this year, when it announced that it was planning to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Galliford Try, an Uxbridge-based firm that is one of the largest companies in the industry, revealed that it had ‘pledged to achieve Net Zero carbon across its own operations by 2030, and Net Zero across all activities by 2045 at the latest’.  There is no doubt that this has to be lauded. It has never been clearer that there is a true climate emergency, and businesses need to be doing everything they can to minimise their carbon footprint moving forward. Construction businesses certainly needed to count themselves amongst this effort.  The company claims that it has managed to achieve a 62% reduction in its carbon emissions over the period of 2012 to 2020. But now it wants to push on to the ultimate goal of being carbon neutral. But there is no doubt that this has been controversial in the industry.  Some wonder whether it is truly realistic for construction companies to achieve net zero carbon in such a short amount of time. So, here we take a look at what this would actually mean for businesses, as well as the steps that companies across the industry are taking, to establish whether this is a realistic goal.  Why construction needs to go green According to the UK Green Building Council, the built environment is responsible for around 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint. That’s a huge amount, and it really puts a focus on construction companies to do better with the buildings that they are creating. If they can be built to be eco-friendly, it could make a massive difference to the UK’s carbon emissions.  But it’s not just the completed buildings that contribute to the carbon footprint. In fact, the building process has a huge toll on the environment. For example, the machinery used in construction actually emits a huge amount. Diesel engines in non-road mobile machinery (such as bulldozers, construction machinery, industrial trucks, forklifts and mobile cranes) alone contributes to 15% of NOx emissions in London.  As such, we need to think about carbon neutral construction from two perspectives. The first is the actual methods of construction being eco-friendly. The second is ensuring that the buildings that are constructed do not damage the environment. These are known as ‘carbon neutral buildings’ and it’s important to understand them.  What is a carbon neutral building? It’s all well and good talking about carbon neutral buildings as a goal for the industry – but it’s important to actually define what is meant by the term. Indeed, if 2030 is to be a realistic goal, construction companies need to be in agreement in what they are working towards.  Carbon neutral buildings should use less energy than their traditional counterparts, that much is clear, but how exactly do you create buildings that don’t damage the environment?  There are actually a number of factors in creating carbon neutral buildings. The first is something known as passive design, which is a method of using the natural surroundings of a building to the best possible effect. For example, it could involve drawing energy from solar panels or wind energy – but it might mean utilising natural shade to minimise heating in the property.  How can it be achieved? Carbon neutral construction will take effort on the part of construction companies and will naturally involve some change in operations.  Galliford Try, the company that has committed to carbon net zero by 2030, has provided insight into what it is doing to achieve it. Some of the measures that the company is taking have included: The use of renewable energy sources  Encouraging the use of electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles The use of electric and alternative fuelled plant equipment A focus on connecting sites to the grid as soon as possible to minimise the use of diesel generators Maximising the use of technology to reduce travel  So, is carbon neutral construction realistic by 2030? Ultimately, it has to be said that with a combination of changes in business practice in terms of working on construction sites, alongside smarter eco-friendly building design, carbon neutral construction can be rolled out quickly.  As with all green efforts, it will take businesses being motivated to change their ways. But given the improving technology across the industry, 2030 could certainly be possible. 

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