Top ten national homebuilder Keepmoat Homes has signed an Armed Forces Covenant in a virtual ceremony – it is a commitment from the Doncaster-based company to support former and current serving military personnel in the workplace. The Armed Forces Covenant was signed with the Head of Reserve, Commodore Martin Quinns
The CEO of a British technology training firm and tech think tank has warned of a looming crisis facing UK laboratories – in particular those at the forefront of Covid-19 testing – due to a massive shortage of qualified and skilled lab technicians. Andy Lord, CEO of Manchester head-quartered Credersi, a tech talent training incubator
John Wesley Hyatt succeeded in creating celluloid in 1870 and only two years later also invented injection molding, though it was very limited. It wasn’t until WWII came with unique challenges that James R W Hendry stepped up to deliver the world’s first screw injection machine. With this invention, metal
Over the past few decades, businesses and individuals have been subjected to increased scrutiny by government and regulatory agencies. Over a seemingly typical course of operations, issues may arise that could potentially lead to fraud and abuse allegations. When auditors begin to arrive and investigate, it is best to have
The New Homes Index has tracked new home buyer searches across England during May, its findings reveal that first-time buyer demand for help-to-buy properties has surged by 19% since the new scheme came into effect 1 April 2021. A sign that the new help-to-buy scheme, which requires new entrants to homeownership to put down a 5% deposit, is helping first time buyers to make the most of lockdown savings to get on to
Data release today in the New Homes Index reveals that new home buyer demand across Britain has reached an all-time peak as a record-breaking total of 153,472 buyer searches are recorded during May. A sign that, as we emerge from COVID restrictions and flexible working patterns are confirmed as here to stay, home buyers are looking to upgrade to meet their changing space and lifestyle requirements. National average price of new
Not all home renovations are considered equal when it comes to the saleability of your property – picking the right improvements to increase the value of your home is vital. Some home improvements can be incredibly costly, but you might not necessarily see a return on your investment. These home
For most people, home is where they unwind, escape the world around them and enjoy times of tranquility. But thanks to design elements like open floor plans, lightweight frameworks, high ceilings and hardwood floors, today’s properties are more susceptible to noise pollution than ever before. This is a recipe for
A giant mural featuring the Roman god of the sea Neptune will appear at Edward Street Quarter in Brighton when renowned local artist Cosmo Sarson installs his work. At 10 meters high, the artwork will be one of the city’s biggest murals and looks set to become a meeting point
Business is coming out of a fallow season, as is society, and it’s bringing with it huge demands for infrastructure upgrades across energy, transport and housing. The Guardian has highlighted a sizable 6% surge in March 2021, with infrastructure pushing forward the industry alongside housing. What these figures fail to highlight is
Top ten national homebuilder Keepmoat Homes has signed an Armed Forces Covenant in a virtual ceremony – it is a commitment from the Doncaster-based company to support former and current serving military personnel in the workplace. The Armed Forces Covenant was signed with the Head of Reserve, Commodore Martin Quinns and commits Keepmoat Homes to supporting all those who serve in the Royal Naval, the Army and the Royal Air Force, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families. The Covenant details an agreement that no member of the Armed Forces community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen, and consideration that in some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate. The agreement includes a clause in which Keepmoat Homes has agreed to provide service leavers with work placement experience with the intention of assisting them in gaining future employment upon completion, or when a vacancy becomes available, supporting the employment of veterans and recognising military skills and qualifications in their recruitment and selection processes, while working with the Career Transition Partnership to support the employment of service leavers. The national housebuilder has also committed to supporting employees who choose to become members of the Reserve Forces by providing additional leave to support their training and deployment, as well as offering flexibility in granting leave for, and supporting the employment of, Service spouses and partners by signing up to the Force Families Job Site. The final clause in the covenant details that Keepmoat Homes will support employees who are volunteer leaders in military cadet organisations, granting additional leave where appropriate and actively encouraging members of staff to become volunteer leaders in cadet organisations. Commodore Martin Quinn, Head of Reserves in the Ministry of Defence, said: “The Armed Forces Covenant is a commitment that those who serve, and who have served, and their families are treated fairly and are never disadvantaged in their lives because of military service. “The support of employers is vital and making a public pledge of support makes a statement to the Armed Forces community that they are valued by society, and it encourages other organisations to do the same. “Employers can reap real rewards from employing military personnel – the skills and training they bring to civilian employers includes nationally recognised business and technical qualifications, as well as leadership, teamworking and problem-solving skills proven in the most challenging of environments. “I’d like to thank everyone at Keepmoat Homes for being supportive of the armed Forces community and, in particular, two of the pledges you have made. The first, your support to employees who have chosen to be members of the Reserve Forces, allowing an extra ten days of paid leave to support their training and deployment. And also providing service leavers with work placement experience with the intention of assisting them in gaining future employment within Keepmoat. “On behalf of the Chief of the Defence Staff and everybody here at the Ministry of Defence, I thank you and your colleagues at Keepmoat Homes for signing the Armed Forces Covenant.”
The CEO of a British technology training firm and tech think tank has warned of a looming crisis facing UK laboratories – in particular those at the forefront of Covid-19 testing – due to a massive shortage of qualified and skilled lab technicians. Andy Lord, CEO of Manchester head-quartered Credersi, a tech talent training incubator and think tank producing the data scientists, lab technicians and software specialists of tomorrow, believes the skills shortage could severely impact Covid testing laboratories – many of which are already at capacity and struggling to keep up with demand – in a matter of months. His comments come hot on the heels of the Prime Minister’s announcement last week, in which he set out plans to “cement the UK’s place as a science superpower”. Andy Lord, CEO of Credersi, said. “At the moment, there are simply not enough trained and skilled lab technicians and quality assurance (QA) technicians across the UK. This is a particularly acute problem within the Covid testing laboratory sector, which is struggling to keep up with the increasing demands on the testing system. Laboratories are understaffed and some are at crisis point; they simply cannot get enough lab technicians and QAs through the doors and into key roles. “As lockdown restrictions are lifted in areas such as travel, the level of Covid testing will begin to rise rapidly. At the same time, if we continue to have further variant outbreaks, this will put even greater pressure and strain on the testing system. This will put the laboratories under severe pressure and ultimately into a crisis situation. “This will result in test delays and a backlog in Covid tests being processed. The laboratories are a huge part of the UK’s armoury in tackling Covid, both with testing and vaccinations. “The Government and the Prime Minister need to commit funding from the new Office for Science & Technology Strategy and light the fuses of the tech training providers in the private sector to make technology accessible to all. “But most importantly, they need to allow the private sector to run with the baton and innovate a new generation of tech and lab-based talent, including data scientists.” As UK plc. navigates the unchartered waters of post Brexit, Andy Lord believes it is absolutely vital that we not only train an entire army of lab technicians, data scientists, and software devs and testers to lead UK plc., but ensure that the training they receive is fit for purpose, built by business for business and world-class. Credersi is not only developing future lab technicians, coders, testers and data scientists, but it is also doing it in a unique, immersive way using VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) technologies as a tech first in training campuses. It is converging and disrupting science and technology to make something truly unique. Credersi uses some of the best-in-class industry experts as lead instructors, all of whom are skilled practitioners in the subject matters that they teach. This enables the “talent of the future” to gain fluency and capability across many platforms with real-world simulations and exercises. The company also collaborates with leading professionals and industry experts through workshops, commercial client projects and industry think tanks. Credersi also plans to announce details of its think tank forum, through which it aims to bring experts from the worlds of science, data, technology, software and data analytics together to spark new ideas on disruptive technology and establish how Credersi can deliver that in unique tailored training programs for its tech talent incubator. Darren Coomer, an industry leading CIO & Founder of the tech and digital consulting firm The Strategy & Architecture (S&A) Group is co-founder and tech angel behind Credersi. He adds: “Manchester is the second fastest growing tech hub in Europe. We believe that, through establishing Credersi here, we can leverage the culture this great city has to help train and inspire the next generation of innovators, technicians, scientists and engineers that our economy, and indeed the world, is crying out for. If anything, Boris Johnson needs to provide even greater funding for the tech sector in places like Manchester, which is the tech powerhouse and future for UK plc. Manchester was an innovator in the industrial revolution and today it is doing the same, leading tech hub innovation alongside London on the global stage. “What we are doing with Credersi is not only disrupting education through our innovative training methods and technologies, but also converging curriculums such as science and tech to really meet the needs of individuals and industry. Our purpose is to train, inspire, incubate, develop and nurture, through our career alumni, some of the greatest minds and talents of the future. Alan Turing had long and established links with Manchester and the university, and we are looking to incubate and develop the Turings of the future; the code-breakers, vaccine developers, biological and cyber defenders, programmers and data scientists that can walk in his footsteps.” CEO Andy Lord added: “The more serious longer term issue is not just in providing the training and qualifications, but the innovation behind the tech training courses. More and more lab technicians, for example, will need to bolt on other complimentary skill sets, such as data analytics in lab testing. So, what you will get in effect is a lab technician who is also trained and qualified in key tech skills such as data analytics. This then expands the capability offering of a lab technician who can not only do lab-based testing, but also extrapolate the data sets, investigate and conclude the results. “By devising immersive training courses in tech, science and data analytics, we are also designing those courses, so they are ‘fit for industry’ and in sync with the actual needs and requirements of companies in this new, post-covid era, as opposed to giving them an irrelevant, outdated, off-the-shelf training package.” Janet Morris NED and former Director of Cambridge International Education – part of Cambridge University – which provides education programmes to over 10,000 schools around
John Wesley Hyatt succeeded in creating celluloid in 1870 and only two years later also invented injection molding, though it was very limited. It wasn’t until WWII came with unique challenges that James R W Hendry stepped up to deliver the world’s first screw injection machine. With this invention, metal components and plastic ones finally melded as one. But it’s not easy to combine molded plastics with metal inserts. Not just any metal insert will do. How can you choose the right one for your project? Keep reading to find out. When to Use Metal Inserts Metal inserts are used on a variety of molded plastics and other soft materials. Other applications for metal inserts are thin-wall products and brittle products. Whenever you have a base material that permanently deforms if overtightened, metal inserts are a good way around the problem. Threaded inserts are the most common form of metal insert used. Threaded Metal Inserts for Molded Plastics Common materials used in metal inserts for molded plastic are brass, aluminum, and stainless steel. They also are ultrasonic, thermal, molded-in, and press-in types. What is remarkable about threaded inserts, aside from their versatility, is the range of sizes, textures, and shapes they can come in to suit almost any need. E-Z LOK threaded inserts for plastic are some of the best quality, size range, type, shape, and material inserts around. What Type of Insert Should I Use? Every project is different, so you should weigh the pros and cons of using particular insert types. They’re made for specific purposes, applications, and plastic materials. Press-in inserts are installed in pre-drilled or cored holes. They’re designed for both thermoplastics and thermoset. This versatility makes them ideal in situations like 3D printing. Aside from molded-in inserts, press-in inserts tend to be a good choice with thermoset. Ultrasonic inserts are installed using a high-frequency vibration tool that causes the plastic to soften. Once it cools, the insert is permanently fixed. Similar to this is “heat staking.” The insert goes into the material using a mounting hole with a thermal press. Like with ultrasonic inserts, when the plastic cools it’s permanently in place. There are pros and cons between the two, despite their similarity in reforming plastic using heat. The Difference Between Thermoset and Thermoplastic Thermoset plastics include polyurethane, melamine, polyester, fiberglass, and other resin-injected materials. Common thermoplastics include acrylic, polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and nylon. For thermoset plastics, press-in, self-tapping, and mold-in metal inserts are best. Heat staking and ultrasonic aren’t suitable for thermoset plastics. On the other hand, they may be the best option for thermoplastic. Thermoset plastic burns rather than melts, which is the main problem between thermal insertion and thermoset plastic. Metal Inserts for Molded Plastics: The Right Choice The world of molded plastics needs metal inserts. Plastic may be one of the most useful inventions of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, but it can’t do everything. Now that you know how to choose the right metal insert for your plastic injection molding project, you may have other questions. Don’t worry, we have you covered with more manufacturing tips. Keep browsing to find more articles to get you through whatever you’re facing in your project.
Over the past few decades, businesses and individuals have been subjected to increased scrutiny by government and regulatory agencies. Over a seemingly typical course of operations, issues may arise that could potentially lead to fraud and abuse allegations. When auditors begin to arrive and investigate, it is best to have a white-collar defense team right by your side. Even if a company has not committed any wrongdoing, news of the investigation can lead to outside scrutiny, potentially causing tremendous obstacles. With an experienced white-collar defense team, a company or individual may be able to mitigate these issues, avoid additional problems, and ensure that any investigation runs as smoothly as possible. What Are Common White Collar Crimes? White-collar crime is an umbrella term used to describe a wide variety of nonviolent crimes generally committed in commercial settings for financial gains. A few examples of white-collar crimes are: Antitrust violations. Antitrust rules and regulations are set in place to protect competition within the marketplace. Examples of antitrust violations include price-fixing and bid-rigging. Bribery. Bribery occurs when there is corrupt solicitation, acceptance, or transfer of any item of value in exchange for a means of influencing the actions of an individual who holds a public or legal duty. Credit card fraud. The United States has the highest rate of credit card fraud out of any other country in the world. Credit card fraud takes place when there is unauthorized utilization of another’s credit card information. Insider trading. Insider trading happens when an individual uses nonpublic or confidential information to trade a company’s stocks or other securities. Insurance fraud. Insurance fraud occurs when a duplicitous act is performed to obtain improper payment from an insurer. Money laundering. Money laundering is a financial transaction scheme that aims to hide the identity, source, and destination of unlawfully obtained funds. One of the most common types of money laundering is tax evasion. Securities fraud. Securities fraud involves theft through market manipulation, theft from securities accounts, and wire fraud. Tax evasion. Tax evasion schemes are used as a means of avoiding tax payments. This typically takes place when an individual or company misrepresents their income to the Internal Revenue Service. Are White Collar Crimes Criminal Or Civil? The potential punishment for committing a white-collar crime is particularly harsh, as it can potentially involve both civil and criminal penalties. Although, the majority of white-collar crimes lead to civil lawsuits. These lawsuits can be brought by the federal government, state government, or the victims of the offense. In addition to civil cases, defendants may find themselves facing criminal charges. After the FBI, SEC, NASD, and other applicable authorities investigate, charges are brought by federal prosecutors against the business or individual. With the stakes high, having a white-collar criminal defense team may help a company or individual avoid hefty fines and extensive prison sentences. In fact, in many cases, regulatory bodies may choose to settle a white-collar case prematurely in an effort to avoid draining financial resources in prosecuting futile actions. This most commonly takes place in non-criminal white-collar proceedings. Bottom line: While white-collar crimes can be both criminal and civil, the majority are civil, and many cases are settled outside of court.
The New Homes Index has tracked new home buyer searches across England during May, its findings reveal that first-time buyer demand for help-to-buy properties has surged by 19% since the new scheme came into effect 1 April 2021. A sign that the new help-to-buy scheme, which requires new entrants to homeownership to put down a 5% deposit, is helping first time buyers to make the most of lockdown savings to get on to the property ladder. Help-to-buy new home demand searches jumped during May by 19%. Average help-to-buy property prices across all regions continue to stay below the government’s help-to-buy scheme price caps. This provides reassurance to first-time buyers now able to benefit from the scheme. Daniel Hill, Managing Director, WhatHouse? comments: “Spring is traditionally the new housing markets busiest time. This year, it comes after months of lockdowns and restrictions when many would-be first-time buyers have had time to knuckle down with saving for a house deposit. The help-to-buy scheme’s requirement of 5% deposit seems to be making all the difference, and we’re seeing high-volumes of first-time buyer searches as home ownership becomes attainable”. Region Price Cap Average help-to-buy new property price East Midlands £261,900 £240,213 East of England £407,400 £292,456 London £600,000 £427,800 North East of England £186,100 £134,543 North West of England £224,400 £161,113 South East of England £437,600 £316,620 South West of England £349,000 £281,996 West Midlands £255,600 £180,529 Yorkshire & The Humber £228,100 £169,170 Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman, House Builders Federation said: “Even with a lower proportion of homes being purchased with Help to Buy, builders in all price brackets are reporting very high levels of interest from consumers, demonstrating confidence in the product and the industry with consumers increasingly recognising the benefits of new homes over older properties.”
Data release today in the New Homes Index reveals that new home buyer demand across Britain has reached an all-time peak as a record-breaking total of 153,472 buyer searches are recorded during May. A sign that, as we emerge from COVID restrictions and flexible working patterns are confirmed as here to stay, home buyers are looking to upgrade to meet their changing space and lifestyle requirements. National average price of new home property coming to market is £326,660 – a slight drop from £330,463 in April (-1%). May resulted in a record-breaking total of 153,472 national new home buyer searches. During the first two months of Q2 total new home buyer searches demonstrate an increase of 58,598 (+62.7%) on Q1, with June remaining. Top three new home demand areas during May: South East of England has demonstrated the most buyer demand during May 2021, achieving 28,920 new home buyer searches during May 2021. London maintains its place in the top three for new home buyer demand, dropping from first place in April. During May London received 19,340 new home buyer searches. West Midlands achieved 19,295 new home buyer searches during May 2021, placing it in the top three for the first time in 2021. Daniel Hill, Managing Director, WhatHouse? comments: “Q2 is on track to break new home demand records as we track 153,472 buyer demand searches during May, already up 62.7% on Q1 combined. When we consider that nearly all of Britain’s top firms have announced they’re planning a flexible work-from-home model following the Covid lockdown it’s no surprise that changing space requirements continue to drive momentum. The growth in demand for new homes, in particular luxury new homes, in the South East of England points to commuters stretching the ‘commute comfort zone’, now that a two or three day office week has become the norm. We are seeing a strong desire amongst new home buyers to move to bigger properties. Britain’s more northerly regions are also experiencing a surge as the West Midlands secures its place in the top three new home demand areas during May with 19,295 searches and a 7% increase in demand for luxury new homes”. Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman, House Builders Federation said: “Demand for new build homes continues to remain extremely strong as it has done since the sales market reopened post lock down last Spring. Even with a lower proportion of homes being purchased with Help to Buy, builders in all price brackets are reporting very high levels of interest from consumers, demonstrating confidence in the product and the industry with consumers increasingly recognising the benefits of new homes over older properties. Many sites are forward sold with builders focussed on completing homes to meet the high demand levels. Decision makers in central and local government need to continue to work with the industry if supply is to meet demand and housing targets are to be met”.
Not all home renovations are considered equal when it comes to the saleability of your property – picking the right improvements to increase the value of your home is vital. Some home improvements can be incredibly costly, but you might not necessarily see a return on your investment. These home renovations can help to improve the value and saleability of your property. Bathroom suites Bathrooms are one of the most-used areas of the home, and it’s common for them to look worse for wear over time as a result. But it’s also an area of the property that buyers pay close attention to, so making improvements before you put your home on the market can help you during the selling process. Depending on how much you want to invest and the time you want to put into it, bathroom upgrades can be anything from minor refreshing through hardware and changing out the shower curtain, to a full suite renovation that can add anywhere up to over 60% in returns. Aim to create a spa-like experience in the bathroom, as this will appeal to potential buyers. Garage Garages are desirable for buyers as they offer a secure place to store vehicles and can be used as additional storage for belongings too, which can be scarce in some homes. Your garage door is important for adding kerb appeal to your home, but it is also crucial in ensuring that the garage is safe and secure, so an upgrade can help to improve the look of your home for buyers and guarantees security. Once you’ve checked your garage door is free from faults and damage, refinishing it can help to improve the aesthetic appeal it provides for a great first impression. Kitchen A popular home upgrade, kitchen renovations are often the first port of call for people looking to increase the value of their home. But how much can you really make from this home improvement project? Kitchen renovations typically do pay off in the long-run, especially if your kitchen is very dated. Even just changing the cabinetry and updating the taps can add between 2 and 3% in returns, while a full overhaul could increase your home’s value by as much as 10%. Since the average kitchen upgrade costs in the region of £10,000, this can be a significant profit overall. Loft conversion A study by Halifax found that a loft conversion offers excellent value for money in terms of saleability, adding 15% in value. What’s more, it can significantly increase the floor space of your home by up to 30%, which can be a real selling point for potential buyers. The average for a loft conversion is between £16,000 and £20,000, so it’s more of an upfront investment than some other home improvement projects, but it can offer great returns long-term. Landscaping Landscaping the outdoor spaces isn’t something that you immediately think of when it comes to renovating your home, but it can make a big difference. Gardens are sought-after, so having a beautiful lawn or pretty container plants can really boost your home’s appeal. In fact, just a bit of work could increase the value of your property by as much as 15% on average, topping out at over 40% in profit if you spend in the region of £4,000. The return you’ll see depends on how much you invest in your landscaping, but even minor upgrades and tidying can really do wonders for saleability. Flooring Flooring can do wonders for the overall feel and look of a property, and it can boost the value too. If the carpet is stained and worn, or the laminate is starting to lift, it can make your property look drab, even if other areas of the home have been refreshed. It’s one of the simplest upgrades you can make but it has an instant impact and can completely transform the look of your home. Go for something that’s easy to maintain and neutral to appeal to a broader range of buyers. Final thoughts You might be planning to move in the near future or you could be looking to make upgrades that your family can enjoy but that will pay off in the future. Whatever your situation, being thoughtful and considered in your approach to home renovations can really pay off further down the line when you put your home on the market. From the minor improvements that can work brilliantly in improving the aesthetic appeal of your home to the bigger renovation projects that can add thousands to the overall market price, think about the needs of a future buyer when you’re making changes to the property.
For most people, home is where they unwind, escape the world around them and enjoy times of tranquility. But thanks to design elements like open floor plans, lightweight frameworks, high ceilings and hardwood floors, today’s properties are more susceptible to noise pollution than ever before. This is a recipe for disaster considering the loudness of modern life. Everything from internal sounds such as washing machines, loud speakers and even the humming of the fridge, to outdoor disturbances like planes, sirens and construction work can create a cacophony of disturbance. Add noisy neighbours into the mix and you can see why homes are increasingly failing to fulfil their roles as sanctuaries. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little forethought, you can soundproof your home and make it the peaceful place you want it to be. Here’s how. 1. Sort out your walls Your first port of call should be your walls, as they are responsible for a huge chunk of the sound coming into a room. Unfortunately, most are built like drums, featuring surface plasterboard (drywall) attached to a structural framework of wall studs or ceiling joists. The spaces in between these studs or joists are usually filled with air or insulation, meaning sound is usually easily conducted through a wall. One way to reduce this is to add a second layer of plasterboard to one or both sides to give the wall surface greater mass, making it less likely to vibrate and transfer sound waves. Soundproof plasterboard will give you the best protection, though be aware of the benefits offered by different types too. Building Materials Nationwide Limited suggest using fire resistant plasterboard to offer serious insulation, or moisture resistant plasterboard for more humid places. Meanwhile, holes or cracks around areas like window frames, ventilation grates and electrical sockets can let in lots of sound. So, closely inspect your walls and repair any cracks or holes you find with caulk. However, if the damage is significant, get a professional to fix these instead, or you risk doing even more damage. Likewise, electrical switches and outlets are usually set into hollow plastic boxes in the wall, which can also help conduct sound. Installing putty pads will create an air seal and add mass to the box that noise can’t pass through. 2. Upgrade your windows Sound is also easily transmitted through windows, so this should be your next area of focus. First of all, moving to double glazing if you haven’t already is imperative. But don’t just go for any type of window — invest in special soundproofing types. These have thicker glass, more space in between the panes and stronger frames, offering much greater sound protection. As noted in The Telegraph: “Acoustic double glazed windows reduce sound by up to 40dB, which would take the loud 80dB noise from road traffic down to a quiet 40dB noise — that’s the equivalent to the sound of someone speaking in a library.” Indeed, even if you already have double glazing, you should consider upgrading it to this kind, wth sites like Windows Guide great for comparing quotes across local suppliers. On the other hand, window inserts may be the better option overall. These are custom-made to fit your window, pressing inside the frame to act as an extra wall against sound vibrations. Going down this route prevents you from forking out on entirely new windows. Meanwhile, other useful window soundproofing options include sound-blocking curtains, filling any cracks and holes around them with caulk, placing furniture near your windows to absorb sound waves, and planting shrubs outside to prevent them getting in. 3. Refurbish your doors Doors are often poor at blocking noise considering they’re usually the thinnest barrier in a wall. The first thing to consider when soundproofing one is whether it’s a hollow-core or solid-core door. The latter will do a much better job at protecting your home from noise, meaning an upgrade is essential. If you need to shop for a new door, make sure to take into account its Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating — the higher it is, the better. Hollow-core doors tend to have a STC of around 20, whereas solid-core ones are usually in the mid thirties. However, this step alone will only block sounds like low speech, and not louder noises, meaning you need to go further to give yourself the best protection. One way to better soundproof your door is to add materials like mass loaded vinyl, soundproof blankets and panels to it to block noise coming in. Mass loaded vinyl is a thick sheet that can be installed inside a door’s core, soundproof blankets go over the top of it, while panels go inside the door itself. Like with walls and windows, another way to improve things is seal any cracks or holes. You can use a door gasket to fill any that are underneath, and things like gap foam, silicone sealant or noise-reducing tape for any in the door itself.
A giant mural featuring the Roman god of the sea Neptune will appear at Edward Street Quarter in Brighton when renowned local artist Cosmo Sarson installs his work. At 10 meters high, the artwork will be one of the city’s biggest murals and looks set to become a meeting point for locals, as well as a tourist attraction in its own right. Cosmo revealed his designs in a time lapse video where he discusses the challenges of creating an oil-style painting on an epic scale. Project developers First Base with Brighton and Hove City Council commissioned the classically trained painter to deliver this vibrant addition to Brighton’s thriving street art scene after a competitive selection process. “Brighton started off as a fishing village hundreds of years ago and this area was once a thriving hub for the fishing industry. Part of the brief was to showcase its heritage. As well as marking the entrance to Edward Street Quarter, I hope this classical God of the sea creates an iconic image for Brighton, ” said Cosmo, who lives in Hanover. “It’s been a very exciting process because, while I’m known for large scale murals, I’m also known for my oil paintings. I don’t think creating a mural on this scale in the style of an oil painting has ever been done before! I’m looking forward to seeing how the brush work translates onto a larger canvas.” The time lapse video reveals a smaller version of Neptune, which will soon be printed on ceramic tiles and mounted onto laser-cut steel. The mural will then be installed on an exterior wall at Edward Street Quarter, Brighton’s newest neighbourhood, a mixed-use development under construction on the site of the former AMEX-house site. A total of 37 artists put themselves forward for the job, but Cosmo was set apart by his experience creating large-scale urban artworks and his distinctive style – dubbed ‘classic with a twist’. Cosmo created the hand painted ‘Angel of Brighton’ mural, a three-story fresco, which depicts a winged woman rising from the ashes against a glittering gold background in the North Laine. Neptune will join Cosmo’s latest cackling seagulls mural at Brighton Palace Pier which is also ten metres high and features two seagulls with human bodies in striped blue and white deckchairs, laughing and holding hands. “Brighton is well known for its street art culture and we hope Neptune will be part of the fascinating tours of the city’s best outdoor art. We also predict Neptune will soon become a local landmark and an easy place for people to meet locally – he will definitely stand out in a crowd! We can’t wait for the big unveil later this year. Edward Street Quarter will be home to creative and digital businesses, residents and cafes and shops, so this beautiful piece of art will add to the vibrancy of the development,” added Steve Eccles, Project Director at First Base. Cosmo was internationally celebrated in 2013 for his giant mural of ‘Breakdancing Jesus’ which he painted opposite Banksy’s iconic ‘Mild, Mild West’ in Bristol. As a freelance scenic artist, Cosmo’s artwork can also be spotted in blockbuster films including Dumbo, The Favourite, The Avengers – Age of Ultron, Guardians of the Galaxy and Tomb Raider.
Business is coming out of a fallow season, as is society, and it’s bringing with it huge demands for infrastructure upgrades across energy, transport and housing. The Guardian has highlighted a sizable 6% surge in March 2021, with infrastructure pushing forward the industry alongside housing. What these figures fail to highlight is the increasing rate of accidents on construction sites stemming from huge demand. ConstructionNews.co.uk has found that construction site deaths have risen by a third over the past five years. Whether proportional to the worker population or not, that’s an unacceptable increase in risk and, indeed, rate. Welding comes central to some of these figures, and even when the construction site is safe, poorly completed welding can have a disastrous impact on the eventual users of the new infrastructure. Setting principles The need for high-quality welders has been shown in the long-awaited construction of nuclear plant Hinkley C. As the BBC highlights, aggressive recruitment has been undertaken to provide workers for the construction of the cutting-edge facility, with welders in high demand. Elsewhere, in East Anglia, the approval of other nuclear projects is being met with promises of further welding professional schemes to meet demand. For welders moving into the lucrative business of high-end welding, it’s important to first establish basic safety principles. Much of this will, of course, be covered in the course of learning the necessary skills to work on professional construction sites. What they can’t necessarily provide, however, is proper equipment, and in high-pressure environments, employers often overlook the need for the best quality safety kit. A welding table is a good example, with stable, bespoke items doing a better job for the safety of the employee and their colleagues than the kit often provided on site. Of course, equipment only forms one part of the safety equation, and in high-pressure work environments, workers must be aware of their rights. Overtime and flexibility In May 2020, Yorkshire Live reported on the tragic case of Zac Payne and Michael Morris. Both welders, they had died in a fatal car crash after their parent company failed to follow internal fatigue regulations. A £750,000 fine was ordered as a result. Companies must be aware of the rules and regulations they need to follow under HSE guidelines, and workers should be aware of what they can reasonably expect to work on and how much rest they need between jobs. Fatigue is often the key factor in mistakes – when it comes to infrastructure, this can have a disastrous impact not only on the employee, but the public, too, who use the infrastructure welders contribute to. Infrastructure damage The impact of hastily constructed projects was put into tragic view in Mexico City in May 2021. As Yahoo News UK outlines, poor quality welding, among other issues, led to the collapse of an overhead rail passage. As new infrastructure to supply the UK flies up across the country, lessons like this one are vitally important for project managers and contractors to bear in mind. It’s an exciting time for new builds, and getting the country back on the road to being fully functioning will be something to stake reputations on. However, this cannot be at the cost of human safety. This is what the welding issues boils down to – human safety. There are so many risks associated with welding, from the simple danger of the tools required to the danger of the related environments; welding is often required in electrical environments, for instance. Protecting the safety of workers is protecting their ability to do good work and, ultimately, deliver high quality construction projects.