As she gave the UKREiiF keynote this Thursday (19 May), Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said a Labour government would get the economy firing on all cylinders – and backed the British construction industry to help forge that path towards a stronger economy. Speaking at the Royal Armouries Museum as part
· L&G makes seven-year multi-billion-pound landmark investment commitment to help the West Midlands Level Up · Includes support for provision of housing of all tenures, including social and modular; commercial property and urban regeneration across multiple sites · First project for the partnership will deliver new affordable homes in the
The Belfast region’s world-class cleantech sector and strong talent pool will allow Wrightbus to flourish, the company’s chief executive officer has said. Speaking at UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), Buta Atwal also said Northern Ireland’s unique position in the wake of Brexit makes his and other companies
The impact of inflation across the construction supply chain fuelled by energy increases has led one of the UK’s largest buying groups to call for “realism” in pricing negotiations. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is forecasting an inflation peak of 9% this year which is driving material costs up
Roann Limited, the granite and quartz worktop supplier, celebrated a record-breaking month in February, reaching a sales total of £1,102,060. The Wakefield-based business secured three six-figure project deals with credible housebuilders and construction businesses which contributed to this sales peak, including Midgard Construction, Hill Partnerships and Vistry Partnerships. The news
Building output was boosted by sustained rise in new work across the board according to the Construction Purchasing Managers index for March. The latest reading of 59.1 was unchanged from February and well above the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction. The index revealed the joint-fastest rate of output
Amazon Property, the leading London investor-developer run by CEO Charles Gourgey and COO Chris Lanitis, has committed, via Amazon Capital (the group’s private equity division), a £250 million real estate fund to invest in joint venture opportunities in the logistics, managed office solution, PBSA, Life Sciences and retirement sectors. Amazon
ISG has acquired a majority shareholding in ESS Group – the modern methods of construction (MMC) specialist headquartered in Dublin and Manchester. The investment underpins ESS Group’s ambitious growth strategy, and further enhances ISG’s leadership role transforming the construction industry through smart innovation and pioneering delivery approaches and methodologies. Founded
NHBC, the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK, has announced that Roger Bullivant’s RBeam precast concrete foundation system has been officially welcomed to NHBC Accepts. NHBC Accepts is an all-inclusive, end-to-end service that helps to build confidence in innovative construction and enable innovative products to be fast-tracked
Insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting firm Gallagher has introduced RiskTalk, a voice-operated risk assessment tool for construction businesses – the first of its kind in the UK The app is suitable for phones or tablet devices, and removes the need for construction firms to complete lengthy paperwork and enter
As she gave the UKREiiF keynote this Thursday (19 May), Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said a Labour government would get the economy firing on all cylinders – and backed the British construction industry to help forge that path towards a stronger economy. Speaking at the Royal Armouries Museum as part of the three day conference hosted by the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum, she told attendees ranging from investors, developers and occupiers of real estate, how Labour’s plan to grow the economy and bring jobs and prosperity to all parts of the country. And she said the party were committed to support businesses and the industry with the huge challenges facing them from rising inflation and supply chain problems. She said that a partnership between government and business lies at the heart of Labour’s plan for growing the economy, and laid out the party’s key plans to: Buy, make and sell more in Britain Introduce a Climate Investment Pledge to leverage in massive private investment into the economy, boost businesses and create jobs across all parts of the country Create an Industrial Strategy that will help grow the economy and help British industries lead the pack Scrap business rates and replace them with a fairer and more modern form of business property taxation Introduced on the levelling up stage by director of Built Environment Networking Ltd, Phil Laycock, Reeves said that Labour will always be proudly pro-worker and proudly pro-business party. And she noted that “as we rebuild after the pandemic, transition to a low-carbon economy, and meet the challenges and opportunities of the future, businesses large and small will be an essential part of that collective national effort.” Speaking about levelling up, she said “As every one of you will know, a real plan for growth needs to be a plan for growth felt in every part of the country. In too many parts of our country, confidence in the future does not yet match pride in the past. “If we are going to fix that, it will take much more than a cosmetic levelling-up, it will take a real plan for widely-shared prosperity. “For Labour, this means: “First, bold investment to allow us to seize the opportunities of climate transition. “Second, getting serious about industrial strategy – and that is inseparable from a serious regional strategy. “And third, a government providing responsible and open leadership, to create an environment in which business leaders can have confidence and certainty.” Speaking about Labour’s plans for an industrial strategy, Reeves said: “We need a serious industrial strategy fit for the 21st century. “Where the Conservatives scrapped their own Industrial Strategy Council, Labour will create an industrial strategy built on an ethos of cooperation across the public and private sectors, employers and workers. “It will bring local, regional and national leaders together with businesses, trade unions and universities to unlock the brilliance of our leading businesses and entrepreneurs in every part of Britain.” On what Labour would do right now to help businesses facing soaring costs, Reeves said: “We would support energy intensive firms with £600 million of emergency funding to get them through this crisis. “We would cut Business Rates in the short term, providing much-needed relief while overhauling the system in the longer term to make it fit for the 21st Century. “And we have consistently opposed the National Insurance rise. It is a tax on working people and business at exactly the wrong time. “This is a time when working people and the great majority of businesses need a government that is on their side and a Labour government would always strive to be that.” On Labour’s Climate Investment Pledge to supercharge industry, Reeves’ said: “Over the next five years, we are forecast to have a near £800bn investment gap compared to other OECD countries. “I agree with the director of the CBI, Tony Danker, who says this calls for ‘catalytic public investment’. “That is what Labour’s Climate Investment Pledge – £28bn invested each year for the rest of this decade – is about: unlocking the private investment we need to get our economy firing on all cylinders. “Labour will invest in the green industries of the future, working closely with industry – including our construction industry – to build Giga-factories to make batteries for electric vehicles, a thriving hydrogen industry, offshore wind with turbines made in Britain, and flood defences, working closely with, and supporting industry – including our construction industry. “There is a global race on for the jobs of the future, and it calls for active government and business working in partnership.” On Labour providing certainty for British businesses, Reeves said: “It is vital that government provides certainty and transparency in policy decisions so you can know it is safe to invest and plan ahead, without fear of erratic decision-making or policy decided behind closed doors which then falls apart upon contact with the real world. “A Labour government will take a long term view, working with business, in a spirit of cooperation and transparency, to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the future.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
· L&G makes seven-year multi-billion-pound landmark investment commitment to help the West Midlands Level Up · Includes support for provision of housing of all tenures, including social and modular; commercial property and urban regeneration across multiple sites · First project for the partnership will deliver new affordable homes in the Black Country · Strong innovation focus to drive economic growth across the region West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Mayor, Andy Street, and Legal & General (L&G) CEO, Sir Nigel Wilson, have today signed a partnership agreement with L&G committing to invest £4bn in regeneration, housing and levelling up across the West Midlands. The landmark agreement, L&G’s first with a combined authority, sets out a commitment to a seven-year programme of L&G investment, building on the region’s 2022 Investment Prospectus. The programme is designed to create vibrant, dynamic communities in the region which, by providing attractive environments for people to work, live and play, will further enhance the West Midlands as a driver of UK economic growth. This builds on similar partnership agreements the WMCA has signed since 2018 with organisations such as Lovell and St Modwen. The clear statement between both organisations combines the respective strengths of the WMCA and L&G. The Combined Authority has a clear and ambitious vision for the region with a strong commitment to Levelling Up, net zero, brownfield regeneration, affordable housing, inclusive growth and devolved powers to deliver on issues from land assembly to infrastructure, both physical and digital. L&G, which manages £1.4 trillion as the UK’s largest investor, has financed over £30bn of regeneration in UK towns and cities outside London, and wants to repeat the scale of this investment. It has already invested over £2bn in the WMCA’s region, including the £210m Birmingham Health Innovation Campus and multiple housing projects. The 2022 West Midlands Investment Prospectus launched in March provides a range of possible development opportunities spread across the region which L&G and other investors can invest in. These prioritise creating thriving and more prosperous places and communities, including “corridors” and city and town centre development. Alongside investment into new commercial developments, the agreement envisages a major contribution by L&G into climate-friendly projects, local communities and social and affordable housing, including build-to-sell and build-to-rent – providing high-quality homes across the range of tenures. The agreement will also support the region’s target to deliver 215,000 new homes by 2031, as set out in its ground-breaking Housing Deal with Government in 2018, and the WMCA’s drive for wider inclusive growth. Since the Housing Deal was signed, the West Midlands has secured upwards of £600m from Whitehall to drive regeneration with new housing and commercial schemes focussed predominantly on derelict or vacant urban sites, often referred to as brownfield land. Using a nationally leading ‘brownfield first’ approach, WMCA investments have unlocked scores of disused industrial sites for new homes and jobs with developers required to make at least 20% of those new properties affordable under the WMCA’s own locally applied definition, linked to real world local wages rather than property prices. The first scheme for the partnership will be The Junction, a brownfield site in Oldbury which has lain empty for over 20 years. The site will be brought back into economic use through the investment of L&G. The development will deliver 234 energy efficient new homes of which nearly 50% will be for affordable housing under the WMCA’s local definition. Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said: “The unveiling of this £4 billion partnership agreement with L&G is a prime example of how the West Midlands is getting on and delivering Levelling Up. This major investment will help regenerate long neglected areas across the West Midlands, provide affordable homes in the communities where the need is most felt, and supercharge economic growth in the years ahead. “The scale of the ambition L&G is showing is evident in both the huge sums involved and the breadth of projects envisioned. It is a tremendous vote of confidence in the future of our region from one of the world’s biggest investors, and I am delighted L&G came to the table and agreed such a monumental commitment with us. “I cannot wait to see this investment rolled out, projects underway, and the lives of our residents changed for the better.” Sir Nigel Wilson, CEO of L&G, added: “We have been investing across the UK in partnership with cities and universities for a decade. It’s part of our ‘Inclusive Capitalism’ approach and has delivered terrific economic and social results. With Andy and his colleagues as ambitious partners at WMCA, we can take this to a new level. “The West Midlands’ economic plan, resources and skills make it an attractive destination for trade and investment from across the world; our role in this is to put UK funds including pension savings to work here so UK savers benefit from UK prosperity.” Cllr Mike Bird, WMCA portfolio holder for Housing and Land and leader of Walsall Council, said: “There’s no doubt that Covid has been hard on our regional economy but this partnership brings together public and private sector investment and skills on an unprecedented scale in the West Midlands. “It also shows how our determination to press on and continue making key investments throughout the pandemic, bringing solid delivery on the ground, has been critical in driving private sector confidence and trust. “The level of investment that L&G has set out will be an incredible shot in the arm for the West Midlands as we continue our recovery, helping to bring sustainable economic growth that benefits all our communities and supports our ambition to be a net zero region by 2041.” L&G’s Director of Levelling Up, John Godfrey, adds: “Towns, cities and regions across the UK can do much, much better – this is the essence of the levelling up agenda. This framework agreement with the West Midlands enables political will to combine with financial resource so policy intentions become deliverable realities. We fully expect
The Belfast region’s world-class cleantech sector and strong talent pool will allow Wrightbus to flourish, the company’s chief executive officer has said. Speaking at UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), Buta Atwal also said Northern Ireland’s unique position in the wake of Brexit makes his and other companies in the region ideally positioned to trade across both the UK and EU. Combined with a flourishing cleantech sector, which has the support of partner companies, local government and academia, he said the Belfast region has created an environment which will nurture innovation in the space and help companies like his become world leading. Mr Atwal said: “It is no coincidence that Wrightbus is regarded as a leader in hydrogen bus technology. Since first entering passenger service in 2020, our StreetDeck Hydroliners have clocked up a million miles, preventing 1,700 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere on those bus journeys. “We have been able to lead the field in hydrogen bus technology in large part as a result of our location in Ballymena. It has afforded us access to a world-class cleantech skills base, one which will be further enhanced by the Hydrogen Training Academy planned under the Belfast Region City Deal, and the i4C Innovation & Cleantech Centre. “And, as our orders grow around the world, our unique position here in Northern Ireland, with a foot in both the UK and EU markets, offers us the chance grow exponentially.” Mr Atwal was speaking during the Belfast Region – A £1bn Decade of Opportunity session at the inaugural built environment conference held in Leeds. The session was organised by Renewed Ambition, a partnership focused on positioning Belfast and the wider city region to take advantage of the opportunity to drive residential and commercial real estate investment and support inclusive economic recovery. Also speaking at the event was founder of HemingwayDesign, Wayne Hemingway, who said that the Belfast region has a wealth of untapped regeneration and tourism potential. He underscored the importance of regeneration in creating a region where people want to live, work in and visit, highlighting the Bangor Waterfront project and his vision to make it to Belfast what Brighton is to London. Both Mr Atwal and Mr Hemingway also took part in two respective panel discussions, along with senior leaders from councils within the Belfast region, focusing on the significant potential for the cleantech and innovation sector and for tourism and regeneration. The session also focused on the two major initiatives which will rubber stamp the Belfast region’s potential; the Belfast Agenda with its target of attracting 66,000 people to live and work in the city and 31,600 homes by 2035 – and the £1 billion Belfast Region City Deal, which will deliver innovation and jobs for a new economic era. John Walsh, Chief Executive of Belfast City Council, said: “We have come to UKREiiF with a very clear message: the Belfast region is primed for investment and offers a unique set of opportunities which are unmatched the world over. Through the £1 billion Belfast Region City Deal and the Belfast Agenda, we have set out the pathways for inclusive growth across all areas of our economy and are intent on creating the conditions for businesses to flourish. “As a standalone opportunity, the Belfast region’s offer is impressive. Combined with the support of initiatives, such as the Belfast Region City Deal and other funding opportunities, it offers a compelling investment proposition which has and will draw international attention.” UKREiiF was attended by senior leaders from global investment funds and property companies, UK public sector bodies, government and the third sector. The event focuses on levelling up across the UK and in particular cultivating the development of greener, smarter, healthier places while driving inward investment; how the built environment can play its part in creating net zero UK; and facilitating shared learning across the real estate industry on how to embed social value within the private sector. The Renewed Ambition partnership – including local government, occupiers, developers, the supply chain and more – will deliver a collaborative programme of activity to help ensure strong recovery and growth in Belfast and across the wider region by highlighting its compelling investment proposition globally. It is made up of the councils of Belfast, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ards and North Down, Mid and East Antrim, Newry, Mourne and Down and Lisburn and Castlereagh City. It aims to shape how the future of the city is reimagined and will act together to deliver that ambition in the months and years ahead. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
The impact of inflation across the construction supply chain fuelled by energy increases has led one of the UK’s largest buying groups to call for “realism” in pricing negotiations. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is forecasting an inflation peak of 9% this year which is driving material costs up along the length of the construction supply chain. Whilst able to accept reasonable cost pressure, National Buying Group (NBG) is increasingly concerned that price changes must be justified and be proportionate with transparent detail to support any changes. Nick Oates, Managing Director at National Buying Group says the market is difficult for everyone: “We understand this is a very challenging market and that is being reflected in our negotiations. However, there is a real danger that if prices increase too much, we will impact demand from the end consumer, which could ultimately kill the market. We need to spread the inflationary impact across the supply chain.” For the merchant, passing price increases on to the end user is increasingly more challenging, because they must also factor in the greatly increased cost of delivery onto any product price changes, says Nick. “Merchants are arguably the most vulnerable portion of the supply chain to this ‘double squeeze’ from both material and fuel pricing. In effect, merchants must find an extra circa 5% on top of the increase in material prices to cover the cost of delivery.” Nick says suppliers to the merchant sector can help in two ways – by looking at their stock levels and asking for “realistic” price increases. “We’re asking Suppliers to be reasonable about when they ask for price increases. If a Supplier is sitting on many months of stock, there is no need to ask for a price increase today. “Secondly, prices need to be more dynamic and reactive to commodity price changes. When commodity prices come down, Suppliers need to react as quickly as when they go up. That is only fair.” He concluded: “NBG and its Partners have always prided themselves on building strong relationships with their Suppliers. We understand that suppliers cannot absorb all the increase in cost and a proportion needs to be passed on, but independent merchants are also being impacted and their margins eroded by the cost of delivery, so we must take a longer-term balanced view.” For more information on National Buying Group, including how to join the premier buying group for independent merchants, visit https://www.nationalbuyinggroup.com/.
Roann Limited, the granite and quartz worktop supplier, celebrated a record-breaking month in February, reaching a sales total of £1,102,060. The Wakefield-based business secured three six-figure project deals with credible housebuilders and construction businesses which contributed to this sales peak, including Midgard Construction, Hill Partnerships and Vistry Partnerships. The news comes shortly after the business reported a record-breaking year in 2021, with a total sales value of £6,440,579. Following this profitable month, Roann Limited is seeing higher than ever before production figures and anticipates an average of £200,000 per week, in the very near future. “We’re thrilled with the results in February here at Roann Limited! These projects have been in the pipeline for over a year, and we’re delighted that we have now secured them all. We’ve been experiencing a large period of growth over the past two years, and it’s only set to continue. We’re really excited to get started on these new projects and continuing to expand our business growth,” said Scott Wharton, Sales Director at Roann Limited. Established in 1990, Roann Limited specialises in manufacturing, supplying, and installing high-quality granite and quartz worktops within the house building, property development and construction sectors. With more than 30 years’ experience, Roann Limited is dedicated to procuring stone worktops that help developers significantly reduce costs on their projects by selling direct to them. Roann Limited’s purpose-built factory in Wakefield houses more than £2 million worth of state-of-the-art stone manufacturing machines and equipment, enabling the business to fabricate more than 15,000 worktops every year. The company proudly holds accreditations with many of the industry’s leading health & safety schemes, including SSIP certification, and is also ConstructionOnline Gold Approved. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
Building output was boosted by sustained rise in new work across the board according to the Construction Purchasing Managers index for March. The latest reading of 59.1 was unchanged from February and well above the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction. The index revealed the joint-fastest rate of output growth since June 2021 boosted by the highest level of new orders since August last year. Commercial work was the best-performing segment with an index reading of 60.8 due to projects restarting following the roll back of pandemic restrictions. Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply group director Duncan Brock said: “But residential building became the laggard of the pack as affordability concerns were a factor in holding back progress particularly in new housing and refurbishment work.” Recoveries in residential work lost momentum in March with a reading of 54.9 and 56.3 for civil engineering. Deliver wait times climb A third of supply chain managers reported longer wait times for deliveries and sharp inflation rises as transport and raw material cost went up. The overall rate of input price inflation accelerated sharply since February and was the highest for six months. “Construction companies are braced for more disruption on the horizon as a result of the Ukraine conflict. The rise in purchasing demand fed into higher costs for materials already in short supply as energy hikes also impacted on business costs,” said Mr Brock. Input buying rose at the steepest pace since July 2021, driven by a combination of stronger demand and efforts to build stocks where possible. S&P Global economics director Tim Moore, whose company compiles the survey, said: “Business optimism slipped to its lowest since October 2020 on concerns that clients will cut back spending in response to rising prices and heightened economic uncertainty.” Property finance intermediary Hank Zarihs Associates said despite economic uncertainty tender opportunities and resilient customer demand meant development finance lenders were keen to offer construction loans to builders.
Amazon Property, the leading London investor-developer run by CEO Charles Gourgey and COO Chris Lanitis, has committed, via Amazon Capital (the group’s private equity division), a £250 million real estate fund to invest in joint venture opportunities in the logistics, managed office solution, PBSA, Life Sciences and retirement sectors. Amazon Property built its strong brand reputation for quality and fine attention to detail through delivering some 80 mixed use developments such as The Hempel Collection with British Land, The Park Crescent and The Soho Works Estate and acquiring over 3 million square feet of development and investment assets. The group’s success over a 25 year period is its operational flexibility in being able to consider a wide variety of asset classes, with varying degrees of complexity, and delivering best-in-class projects, this agility has been the hallmark of the brand. Over the last two years Amazon Property has focused on joint venture investments and trading assets and is now set for further expansion with a new wave of private equity funding and entry into the rapidly expanding care/retirement sector under Amazon Care. Amazon Capital has committed £100 million of equity and debt/bank funding, to raise the £250 million which will be used to provide private equity funding to joint venture partners/development managers and asset managers in the alternatives sectors including logistics, managed office solutions, PBSA, Life Sciences and retirement care. Chris Lanitis, COO of Amazon Property & Founder & CIO of Amazon Capital says: “Amazon Capital is a bespoke private equity operator who understands the real estate market and as a JV partner we offer long-term support, flexibility, innovation together with streamlined and fast decision making. We have committed £250 million of fresh funding and are seeking new joint venture opportunities across London and the UK with other talented entrepreneurs and sector leaders. We are able to make fast investment decisions, as opposed to prolonged board committees, and are committed to forming equity platforms and repeat deal flow in line with our partners’ long term business endeavours.” In logistics Amazon Capital will focus on funding or entering joint ventures (£5 to £30 million investment value schemes) for acquiring or developing 2nd generation estates of between 5 acres to 20 acres in size, typically providing 200,000 sq ft to 500,000 sq ft of warehouse accommodation. Previous funding by Amazon Capital has been used to acquire jv assets including the 17 acre (400,000 sq ft) Sirdar Business Park in Wakefield, the 15 acre Swan Lane Industrial Estate in Wigan and the 6 acre Moss Electrical Estate in London’s Dartford and most recently a 210,000 sq ft single let warehouse at Wakefield 41 Industrial Park, located at the intersection of the M1 and M62 motorways. In the managed office solution market, Amazon Capital will look to acquire landmark office buildings, with acquisitions from £5 million to £50 million, in locations including Central London, Greater London and the Home Counties. With the acquired office buildings Amazon Capital is offering a bespoke approach leasing floors to tenants and providing a Cat A plus plug-and-play office setup. The Conran Building in Shad Thames is an example of a currentjoint venture acquisition undertaken. In the student accommodation sector Amazon Capital will provide funding for acquiring PBSA sites without planning, providing 300 to 500 beds, in key university centres such as London and regional cities. In medical research hubs such as Cambridge, Oxford, Stevenage and London Amazon Capital will partner with global Life Sciences companies to provide funding for real estate infrastructure such as laboratories, R&D plants, medical/medicine manufacturing plants, drug/medical warehousing and scientist office spaces. In the care sector Amazon Care will be developing a collection of care homes of between 25,000 sq ft to 70,000 sq ft in size, providing between 25 to 150 suites, complete with luxurious lifestyle amenities operated through a private-rented-sector model with a focus on dementia care. Amazon Care are currently developing in Belgravia under the Loveday brand (fifth central London site) and are in the process of acquiring a number of sites in Zones 2 and 3.
ISG has acquired a majority shareholding in ESS Group – the modern methods of construction (MMC) specialist headquartered in Dublin and Manchester. The investment underpins ESS Group’s ambitious growth strategy, and further enhances ISG’s leadership role transforming the construction industry through smart innovation and pioneering delivery approaches and methodologies. Founded in 1989, the ESS Group employs more than 280 staff based in four offices and three manufacturing facilities across the UK and Ireland. The Group, which includes the ESS Modular and Spatial Initiative brands, specialises in delivering MMC solutions for clients in the public sector, healthcare and commercial markets. The financial strength and backing of the ISG business will enable the independently operating ESS Group to support its ambitious growth plans across the UK and Ireland, with a core focus on generating increasing opportunity across current and target public sector frameworks. The acquisition brings additional MMC capability and expertise to the wider ISG business, while maintaining the firm’s agile and responsive approach to client-led demand for innovative construction solutions. Paul Tierney, CEO at ESS said: “The ISG investment is a pivotal moment for the ESS Group, giving us a solid financial platform for our continued growth plans. We passionately believe in a better way and have been working for the last 30 years to bring our high-quality offering to clients. We are looking forward to what we are sure will be an exciting time for the industry as we see MMC continue to transform customer outcomes and expectations in the drive towards a net zero future.” Matt Blowers, CEO of ISG, commented: “Greater integration and collaboration are two ways that our industry can accelerate its performance to meet the growing demand for net zero construction solutions. The ESS Group brings a wealth of expertise, talent and innovation into ISG and enables us to collectively fast-track our journey developing and implementing leading-edge built solutions that are rooted in operational performance and the highest sustainable and ethical outcomes.”
NHBC, the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK, has announced that Roger Bullivant’s RBeam precast concrete foundation system has been officially welcomed to NHBC Accepts. NHBC Accepts is an all-inclusive, end-to-end service that helps to build confidence in innovative construction and enable innovative products to be fast-tracked for NHBC warranty. As part of the new service, detailed and robust technical reviews of design, manufacture and construction results in provision of a certified usage licence for a bespoke NHBC Accepts logo and website listing. The RBeam is a factory produced reinforced precast concrete foundation system for low-rise developments. The system is used with a range of piled foundation techniques catering for many different soil types and ground conditions including clay heave situations. “Following a thorough approval process we are delighted to welcome Roger Bullivant Limited to NHBC Accepts,” said NHBC’s Innovation Manager, Richard Lankshear. “An NHBC Accepts certificate is a way of demonstrating that innovative products or systems have already been reviewed thus reducing the risk of delays on site. NHBC Accepts will play a critical role in ensuring developers, manufacturers, lenders and consumers have faith and confidence in the quality of new homes built with innovative forms of construction.” Richard Taylor, Bullivant’s Foundation Systems Director, added: “This approval brings customer confidence and improved productivity on site. We also recognise it as an important achievement in the progression of offsite manufacture in the residential market.” Bullivant’s Foundation Systems Technical Manager Nigel Rake said: “Roger Bullivant Limited has been designing, manufacturing, and installing precast foundations for many years. The RBeam system is a category 3 pre-manufactured component under the government’s MMC definition framework and we are very pleased that this has been given a seal of approval for NHBC Accepts. This will provide further assurance in our RBeam system to all our customers and the wider industry.”
Insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting firm Gallagher has introduced RiskTalk, a voice-operated risk assessment tool for construction businesses – the first of its kind in the UK The app is suitable for phones or tablet devices, and removes the need for construction firms to complete lengthy paperwork and enter data manually when carrying out risk assessments, with users conducting the process through recording voice notes The tool cuts down on the time and effort required by construction businesses to undertake health and safety duties with the average UK firm currently spending the equivalent of 36 days a year completing risk assessments However, despite this time commitment and the associated cost, many UK firms (49%) admit they are concerned they are not carrying out risk assessments thoroughly enough Two thirds of businesses (68%) claim the current manual way of completing risk assessment is complicated, leading to concerns they may not have an adequate defense in the event of an incident Failure to complete comprehensive risk assessments can lead to significant Health and Safety Executive (HSE) penalties for construction firms – with £64 million worth of fines paid by businesses in the sector over the last five years[i] – [i] https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/tables/prosecutions.xlsx Insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting firm Gallagher has introduced RiskTalk – a user-friendly voice-operated risk assessment app – to help construction businesses cut down on the time and expense of undertaking workplace safety assessments, and benefit from increased reporting reliability. The health and safety app helps construction businesses perform fast and efficient risk assessments to manage the risks on site to the health, safety and welfare of their employees and visitors to their premises. The app allows users to record observations and report hazards by simply speaking into their phone or a tablet device – removing the need for completing lengthy paperwork. Through a set of prescribed questions, RiskTalk guides users through the process of assessing and identifying risks present in the work environment, and detailing how they will control them. RiskTalk also makes theprocess much easier for managers to review risk assessments. Users can take photos in-app and send recorded voice memos straight to a cloud storage system, with managers able to approve assessments by using a voice sign-off feature. Reports can be generated via the app avoiding the need for a lengthy data entry process which can then be converted to PDF files if hard copies are required. In-built speech recognition technology can understand and process recordings in 220 languages to ensure it is accessible for a wide range of users. All entries are time, date and author stamped – making it easy in the case of a health and safety-related incident to locate risk assessments to prove they were completed in full prior to the event occurring. The app works offline – allowing users to conduct risk assessments and store data while working in areas with limited or no network coverage. Undertaking risk assessments is a significant time commitment for businesses and research commissioned by Gallagher, conducted last month among 200 UK firms, found that one in two companies (49%) are concerned they are not carrying out risk assessments thoroughly enough to protect their organisation, employees and clients – potentially leaving them without a strong defence in the event of legal actions, insurance claims and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforcement action. Cost was highlighted as another frustration among businesses regarding the completion of risk assessments. Over two fifths of firms (45%) feel that completing risk assessments is an expensive process – costing their business an average of £1,500 a year. This could be due to paying wages for employees undertaking assessments or for contractors who need to be paid to do them. Neil Hodgson, Managing Director of Risk Management at Gallagher, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing this innovative risk assessment tool to UK construction businesses. It is easy to use, makes the process of undertaking risk assessments quicker and more reliable, and firms within the sector will benefit from increased peace of mind that in the event of an incident they are more likely to have a robust defence. “This is particularly important when you take into account that half of UK firms are unsure whether they are completing the risk assessment process correctly. Evidence of risk assessments carried out and the steps taken to mitigate any identified risks can be crucial for construction firms in the defence of an insurance claim for personal injury or illness, or intervention by the HSE or other regulatory authority. Penalties can be severe – with the average fine paid by construction businesses across the past five years costing £86,000.” For further information, visit https://www.ajg.com/uk/risktalk/
