SDL Surveying, part of Nottinghamshire-based property services company SDL Group, started the year in style by hosting a 007-themed charity ball on Friday 1st February, which raised over £12,000 for its chosen charity, The Donna Louise Hospice. The glamorous black-tie event held at a local venue, The Carriage Hall, was
Promoting timber’s health and wellbeing benefits is the focus for Wood for Good’s next Marketing Summit on 12 March at CILIP in London. Christiane Lellig, Wood for Good campaign director, said: “The Summit is an opportunity to pinpoint how we can position, develop and market timber products within the health
Arena Group is thrilled to support a new initiative lead by the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and London Marathon Events Ltd with a competition for aspiring young architects to design the Mile 18 marker for the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday, 28 April. On the evening of 7
Environmental consultancy Delta-Simons is the first company to take home the trophy for Client Advisor of the Year; a new category at the coveted Lincolnshire Construction and Property Awards. The annual black-tie event, which welcomed more than 350 guests at the Doubletree by Hilton in Lincoln on Tuesday (5 February),
A purchase ‘in excess of’ £55 million has been completed for a penthouse at Clarges Mayfair, continuing a strong start to the year for the London Super Prime market. The penthouse –the largest in a 34-residency development – overlooks Green Park and was sold by agent Quintessentially Estates on behalf
A school for children with special needs in Orpington has received a nice donation which will help it to transform its outdoor play area. Riverside School, which offers support to children and young people with a range of complex needs, received a cheque from Bellway Thames Gateway to help kickstart
A slowdown in property transactions, with home buyers and sellers taking more caution amidst economic uncertainty, has been registered. This is due to the housing market being left in a state of lull because of diminishing demand among foreign buyers and pending Brexit negotiations. Compared to a year ago, homeowners
Optimism in the UK construction sector hit an eight-month high in December 2018, according to the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index. This rise in confidence came despite a slowdown in growth caused by Brexit-related uncertainties. The ongoing lack of certainty post-Brexit will likely delay decisions further, but it
BAL – market-leaders in full tiling solutions – are presenting innovative new tiling technologies including its unique Flexbone uncoupling mats on Stand 618 at the Surface Design Show from 5-7 February at the Business Design Centre in Islington. As well as discovering the latest technologies, visitors to the stand can
Businesses across the world are looking at ways they can reduce the level of waste they produce, whether that’s switching to eco-friendly packaging or incorporating greener manufacturing methods. However, this is not so simple for companies and businesses that use large amounts of packaging or physical products. A sector that
SDL Surveying, part of Nottinghamshire-based property services company SDL Group, started the year in style by hosting a 007-themed charity ball on Friday 1st February, which raised over £12,000 for its chosen charity, The Donna Louise Hospice. The glamorous black-tie event held at a local venue, The Carriage Hall, was the perfect setting for an action-packed night of entertainment, reception drinks and dinner. The headline feature of the event was its charity auction, led by SDL Auctions’ managing director and auctioneer, Andrew Parker. The charity lots auctioned were generously donated by SDL Surveying’s network of surveyors and included; two tickets to the Henley Regatta, a themed helicopter ride and four tickets to a rugby league game. The evening was rounded off with a live band and a casino, with guests using ‘funny money’ in a bid to win a new iPad, which had been donated for the event. SDL Surveying’s chief operating officer, Simon Jackson, commented:” It was a fantastic night in which we managed to celebrate the strong results we achieved with our key partners in 2018. It is their hard work, alongside the power of our people, which has enabled us to continue to be successful for 30 years. “Most importantly the night provided a platform for our chosen charity, The Donna Louise, to shine and raise more money for the fantastic work that they do for children and young adults with life-limiting conditions and their families.” Donations are still welcome and can be made via the fundraising link – https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/SDLCharityDinner/
Promoting timber’s health and wellbeing benefits is the focus for Wood for Good’s next Marketing Summit on 12 March at CILIP in London. Christiane Lellig, Wood for Good campaign director, said: “The Summit is an opportunity to pinpoint how we can position, develop and market timber products within the health and wellbeing agenda. “Our previous summit identified the opportunities and challenges for the timber market, now it’s time to look at how we get our products up to speed and ideally ‘healthy material’ certified.” The Summit will be in a workshop format with speakers including Christos Michael from CapitalHolz 100, Colin Wheatley from Medite Smartply and Kevin Underwood from the British Woodworking Federation. Christos and Colin will be sharing their experiences of bringing health and wellbeing to the forefront of their marketing and product development, while Kevin will delve into the results of BWF’s cradle-to-cradle feasibility study for joinery products. The discussion will cover the key issues raised in the previous summit including certification and the practicalities of doing this, identifying sales channels and ideas on how to promote products as healthy. On the morning of the Summit, a workshop with Wood for Good supporters will take place to discuss the next six months of the campaign’s activity. Following both events, attendees are invited to the Building Centre for the launch of the annual Wood Awards plus an opportunity to view the Forest of Fabrication exhibition. Book your space for the Wood for Good Spring Marketing Summit. www.woodforgood.com
Arena Group is thrilled to support a new initiative lead by the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and London Marathon Events Ltd with a competition for aspiring young architects to design the Mile 18 marker for the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday, 28 April. On the evening of 7 February 2019, the winning team were revealed at the Stephen Lawrence Centre in South London: Ayanna Blair-Ford, Shreeya Radia and Quincy Haynes – all Part 1 graduates from separate London architecture practices. The design, which celebrates the life and legacy of Stephen Lawrence, who was 18 when he died, will form an inspiring focal point for runners and spectators during the marathon. The competition has provided a rare opportunity for young architects to have their design built and seen by the 41,000 runners in the marathon and millions more around the world watching the race on television. The competition also reflects Stephen’s own aspiration to pursue a career in architecture as well as his love of running – he was a member of the Cambridge Harriers running club, and competed in the Mini London Marathon in 1988. Before submitting their final designs, ten shortlisted teams were invited to the Arena workshop in St Ives, Cambridgeshire to observe how the marker is constructed, and to demonstrate the need to be practical with their design concepts. For over two decades, Arena Project Director, Martin Clark has supported the Marathon with temporary structures, as well as seating for the start and finish lines. He was also invited to be part of the competition judging panel, alongside Baroness Lawrence, representatives from London Marathon Events Ltd, and the Trust’s architecture advisory board. “We are delighted to have supported the London Marathon event for 24 years. It is one of my favourite events to deliver,” said Clark, who has spent over 30 years working at Arena Group. “We organise a skilled team to tackle the logistical challenges of installing over 50 structures in just 48 hours before the event and removing them only several hours after the runners have passed, which is a pretty impressive accomplishment given we are working in the City of London, alongside open roads. “This year is very special and significant. The #BecauseOfStephenWeCan Mile Marker is going to look awesome and we can’t wait to build it with the winning designers!” Clark adds: “We are so proud to be partnering with the Trust, London Marathon Events and the winning team. Together we will be a real driving force behind this inspiring and ground-breaking initiative. “We feel incredibly privileged to be part of the competition and to have responsibility for overseeing the build and delivering the Marathon Mile 18 marker with the winning team.” The winning concept was praised for the creative way it celebrates the life and legacy of Stephen Lawrence, and will form an inspiring focal point for runners and spectators on the day of the event. The Mile 18 marker will incorporate brightly coloured plaques with quotes from young people describing the personal impact that Stephen Lawrence’s life and legacy has had on them. The structure will also project a mix of music and brief audio clips of people describing Stephen’s impact. The design is also being developed to ensure that it meets health and safety requirements which is crucial for such a major sporting event. Quincy Haynes, a member of the winning team, said “We wanted our design to acknowledge the tragedy of Stephen’s death, but also to celebrate his legacy and the work of the Trust. We are incredibly excited to see it built and hope that it will motivate runners as they reach one of the toughest miles of the Marathon.” The winners will return to the Arena workshop next week to undertake a working at height training course so they can assist with the build, and to support their career portfolio. The shortlisted designs are currently on display in a public exhibition at the Stephen Lawrence Centre until Friday, 15 February 2019.
Environmental consultancy Delta-Simons is the first company to take home the trophy for Client Advisor of the Year; a new category at the coveted Lincolnshire Construction and Property Awards. The annual black-tie event, which welcomed more than 350 guests at the Doubletree by Hilton in Lincoln on Tuesday (5 February), celebrated Lincolnshire’s leading projects and players in the construction and property industry. Headquartered in Lincoln, Delta-Simons operates from nine locations across the UK and employs more than 100 environmental professionals who specialise in health & safety and environmental and sustainability services, working on a range of premier commercial and residential schemes. At the awards Delta-Simons were up against two other impressive finalists – planning consultant Globe Consultants Limited and landscape architect Influence – for the Client Advisor of the Year accolade, which celebrates companies that provide leading support, advice and professional services within the industry in Lincolnshire. One of the firm’s recent, notable projects includes The Parklands; a new residential community in the village of Sudbrooke led by Lincoln-based Jackson & Jackson Developments. Delta-Simons provided ecological planning and design services, including arboricultural surveys, great crested newt surveys and translocations to a newly constructed pond feature. Delta-Simons also undertook geotechnical and contaminated land investigations on the award-winning regeneration project for the Lincolnshire Co-Op via chartered surveyors Banks Long and Co. At the Lincolnshire Construction & Property Awards, which are organised by the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, the judges praised Delta-Simons for its range of innovative solutions in response to difficult situations and projects. The comments included: “The judges were particularly impressed by Delta-Simons’ approach to social and economic impact on the local community. As an environmental and sustainability consultant, sustainability underpins everything they do, going above and beyond to help the team save energy and waste, for example; subscribing to the governments cycle to work scheme and offering waste and water reduction initiatives to name a few.” Paul Bennett, unit director for the Midlands region at Delta-Simons, said: “You are only as good as the team around you and the clients that you have, and this award is recognition that we have both a fantastic team and strong client base. “We are very proud to be part of a number of key projects that are transforming Greater Lincolnshire and are so pleased to have secured this accolade, which is testament to the outstanding work of our Lincoln-based teams and the support of the wider business. “Thank you to those that have passed on kind messages of support and to the judges for their praise – we will be sure to channel this positivity going forward as we continue to maintain our reputation as an environmental champion within the county.” Over £3,500 was raised on the night for chosen charity Kids – a Lincolnshire-based charity that supports disabled children, young people and their families.
A purchase ‘in excess of’ £55 million has been completed for a penthouse at Clarges Mayfair, continuing a strong start to the year for the London Super Prime market. The penthouse –the largest in a 34-residency development – overlooks Green Park and was sold by agent Quintessentially Estates on behalf on an international client. It comes after the sale of a £95 million house near Buckingham Palace two weeks ago, the most expensive home sold in the UK since 2011. US hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin purchased 3 Carlton Gardens at £30 million less than it was on the market just two years earlier. An industry-wide drop in prices across the capital has affected the prime market recently, with prices in some of the most exclusive locations dropping by up to a quarter over the past year. Nearly £500,000 has been sliced off the value of houses in Kensington and Chelsea and the City of Westminster over the 12 months to November 2018, a report from Your Move revealed last month. House prices across London’s ten most expensive boroughs dropped ten per cent on average, it said. Quintessentially Estates said that the Clarges Mayfair sale illustrates the state of market in which the lower end is cautious over Brexit concerns and increased stamp duty. Buyers at the upper end of the market, it said, are currently ‘jumping’ at the chance to invest thanks to the fall in sterling after the 2016 referendum that has added to the ‘potential windfall for dollar and Euro-denominated buyers’. Quintessentially Estates CEO Penny Mosgrove said: ‘We currently have over £200 million worth of property requests for Prime Central London from our network of over 65 offices globally and growing. ‘We are set for a significant increase in revenue from the previous financial year with our ever growing private and corporate client base globally.’ Quintessentially Estates is a dedicated global property specialist that offers expertise to a exclusive HNW clientele. Its access encompasses off-market properties in over 65 locations around the world, as well as a wide network across its portfolio which covers buying, selling, renting and managing in major international markets. The firm hand-picked the Clarges Mayfair property, and continues to see strong activity in London. ‘We are currently working on behalf of a number of high net worth individuals looking to invest in the capital, added Quintessentially Estates director Simon Garcia added. ‘Our clients are confident about the market long-term, many of whom are entrepreneurs and business owners who have or are experiencing rapid growth, with continued positive forecasts.’
A school for children with special needs in Orpington has received a nice donation which will help it to transform its outdoor play area. Riverside School, which offers support to children and young people with a range of complex needs, received a cheque from Bellway Thames Gateway to help kickstart the refurbishment of the school’s playground facilities. Members of staff at the developer’s divisional office, off New Mill Road in Orpington, raised £1,000 through auctions, raffles and dress down days. Their efforts were then matched by the housebuilder, resulting in a donation of £2,000 for the school. Sue Crane, School Business Manager at Riverside School, said: “We are so grateful that Bellway has chosen to make this generous donation to our school. “The money will help to fund brand new equipment for our outdoor learning area, which will be extremely beneficial to the children. “The children love learning in the outdoor environment, and they are already looking forward to using the new equipment when the refurbishment is complete.” Emma Hamlett, Sales Director for Bellway Thames Gateway, said: “We are so pleased to be able to help kickstart the refurbishment of the school’s new playground facilities. “At Bellway, we are committed to support the communities in which we build, so when we found out that Riverside School was in need of a funding boost, we were delighted to help.” Bellway Thames Gateway is building homes across London, Essex and Kent. More information on the homes available can be found at bellway.co.uk. CAPTIONS Getting behind Riverside School – left to right – Lynda Garwood, of Bellway, Sue Crane, Riverside School’s Business Manager, and Bellway’s Jemma Livesey
A slowdown in property transactions, with home buyers and sellers taking more caution amidst economic uncertainty, has been registered. This is due to the housing market being left in a state of lull because of diminishing demand among foreign buyers and pending Brexit negotiations. Compared to a year ago, homeowners wanting to sell their property are finding themselves having to wait a lot longer and buyers are taking more time to make decisions. At the beginning of 2016 the average buyer took 53 minutes during the viewing process to make a decision on whether or not to buy a property. However, buyers this year took an average of 65 minutes to finalise their decision, with an average of 2.4 viewings. While in 2017 it took 96 days for the ‘sold’ sign to go up, it now takes 102 days. The buying process is also taking 23% longer than it did in January 2016, with 27% of buyers now asking to view a property three times before submitting an offer. Even when homeowners have found a potential buyer, more than a third of deals have fallen through. This is perhaps down to the lack of buyer confidence in the run up to Brexit negotiations. These failed deals have cost consumers an estimated £270 million a year. Slower property transactions have also affected buyers. News of falling house prices has been met with concern from those wanting to sell their property. A cautious approach by sellers hoping to make a profit has meant that buyers are finding their bids undermined through a practice called gazumping. Gazumping is where a seller retracts an offer after receiving a higher bid from someone else. This is especially becoming an issue in Sheffield, where more than a third of buyers have reported being victims of gazumping. The south east has been most affected by this housing market lull, with house prices in London falling by 0.8% over the course of last year. The UK’s capital now has the second-slowest property market, after Blackpool. The average property in the capital now takes 126 days to finalise a deal, 15 days longer than in 2017. Further still, houses in London worth more than £1m are taking a whopping 171 days to sell. The forecast for 2019 much depends on the outcome of Brexit. The sales market, especially within the south of England, is likely to remain as it is until a deal has been confirmed.
Optimism in the UK construction sector hit an eight-month high in December 2018, according to the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index. This rise in confidence came despite a slowdown in growth caused by Brexit-related uncertainties. The ongoing lack of certainty post-Brexit will likely delay decisions further, but it shouldn’t deter construction companies from planning ahead – not least when it comes to expanding their fleets. Know Your Construction Fleet For construction companies looking at fleet expansion, a useful starting point is to know the size and composition of an existing fleet. An inventory can show up any gaps in a fleet, as well as the plant or vehicles that need replacing. It can also help you work out how big your company fleet needs to be. Leasing Options One way to expand your fleet, yet mitigate the ongoing uncertainties in the construction sector, is to lease plant or commercial vehicles. One benefit of leasing is cashflow management; there’s no major capital investment, just regular monthly payments for the duration of the lease period. Purchasing Options Leasing can be beneficial in the short-term, but expanding your construction fleet by purchasing the equipment you need can be more advantageous in the long-term. Owning assets outright is one way of investing in your company’s future and can add value to your business. It often works out cheaper to buy used equipment. Used plant and vehicles tend to hold their resale value better than their new counterparts. It’s also worth getting a comprehensive hpi check done so you can be confident that your new trade vehicle has no hidden secrets from its past. Other Considerations Other factors to consider if purchasing equipment to expand your construction fleet are the ongoing costs. Unlike leasing, your business will be responsible for repairs and maintenance. One way you can avoid any nasty surprises, however, is through preventative maintenance. Your business will also need to think about the cost implications of insuring your owned equipment, as well as the time it takes to train your staff. This is particularly relevant when you’re adding a new piece of equipment to your fleet. Fleet expansion can be an effective way to help your construction company plan for challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. By weighing up your business needs against the options available, you can find the most appropriate solution and allow your company to look ahead with confidence.
BAL – market-leaders in full tiling solutions – are presenting innovative new tiling technologies including its unique Flexbone uncoupling mats on Stand 618 at the Surface Design Show from 5-7 February at the Business Design Centre in Islington. As well as discovering the latest technologies, visitors to the stand can also pick up CPD points with RIBA-approved seminars, and talk to our team of specification experts about your flooring or tiling project. Developed to protect floor tiling from lateral movement which occurs in problem substrates – such as heated floors – BAL Flexbone uncoupling mats provide a buffer layer between tile and substrate. BAL Flexbone comes in two varieties – Flexbone VAried and Flexbone 2Easy. Unique to the UK, BAL Flexbone 2Easy is a floating mat system – where NO adhesive is needed underneath the mat system i.e. the mat is truly uncoupled. Because no adhesive is needed under the mat, preparation is reduced to a quick sweep of the floor if the surface is flat, sound and level. No removal or residue, no removal of laitance and no priming of the surface is needed. This means that contaminated and stained floors, wooden floors, bitumen, cracked screeds and mixed substrates can be tiled immediately. It can also be used direct onto difficult substrates such as bitumen, fresh sand:cement screeds or new anhydrite screeds that are not fully cured (up to 1.5% CM residual moisture). Time trials indicate the removal of subfloor preparation for installations provides a circa 50% time saving. BAL Flexbone VAried is a bonded mat system for heavily trafficked areas. Waterproof, it features patented GripLock Technology for superior adhesion and a unique bone structure for faster fixing than traditional cavity mat systems. Less adhesive is required on the mat surface, and trials indicate adhesive can be spread on the mat surface circa. 30% faster. The bonded mat is perfect for high load-bearing and commercial areas such as shopping malls, airports, car showrooms, office building and hospitals. As well as innovative products, BAL provides a full support service including free NBS specification writing, CPDs, on-site consultancy and more. www.bal-adhesives.com
Businesses across the world are looking at ways they can reduce the level of waste they produce, whether that’s switching to eco-friendly packaging or incorporating greener manufacturing methods. However, this is not so simple for companies and businesses that use large amounts of packaging or physical products. A sector that springs to mind is manufacturing, due to their usage of packaging and the waste that is often created as part of the process. Therefore, it’s not difficult to see why they aren’t typically seen as environmentally friendly or clean. That being said things have drastically changed and the manufacturing industry is now on board with the green movement more than ever. Sustainability, healthier environments and lower costs are just some of their incentives. Here, we’ve taken a look at some of the ways those in manufacturing are incorporating more eco-friendly practices. Reducing waste One of the biggest concerns for the manufacturing industry is the efficient use of raw materials. Think of wood products and the huge demand for these which has resulted in the cutting down of many forests around the world. To combat this, manufacturing companies are looking into more sustainable materials, such as bamboo which grows faster and yields a bigger crop and so is becoming more popular in the industry. Recycling In the same style as reducing waste, more and more manufacturers are adopting recycling policies as an important part of their eco-friendly process. Some are choosing to use recycled products to feature as the base of their own products, instead of raw materials. New materials that have the durability of plastic are now appearing all over the market, providing our manufacturers with a much greener option for their products and packaging. Tente is a prime example of a manufacturer who has heavily researched sustainability and developing more environmentally friendly products. Their castor wheels now emit less noise while still offering the same load capacity and their lightweight construction means companies save when it comes to operating costs, as well as carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption. Lean production The 1980s and 1990s saw a huge revaluation in manufacturing when it comes to lean production. While it’s main focus is on lowering production costs lean production has another great benefit: it’s green. Reducing waste across the board, lean production focuses on ‘just in time production‘ so that companies are only employing the number of people they need, producing and shipping only as much as they need and streamlining their process to maximise efficiency. New advances in technology make it possible for improvement across all aspects of production and makes it possible to reduce energy consumption. Updating facilities When people think of manufacturing, they often picture big factories with huge smoke stacks coming from them, by far not the greenest of images we’ve ever had. The move to greener facilities whether they’re new or refurbished means we can make this image a thing of the past. Inefficient machinery can consume 70 per cent more energy than it needs to; focusing on energy efficient plants will help manufacturers reduce their energy consumption, and bill. Other areas that are being focused upon include heating and cooling, investing in clean renewable energy, such as solar or wind power.
