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Make your voice heard: Take part in the new NBS Digital Construction Survey

Make your voice heard: Take part in the new NBS Digital Construction Survey

BDC News Team July 19, 2023

NBS, the platform for connected construction information, has launched its annual Digital Construction Survey giving designers, specifiers, manufacturers, contractors, clients and others working in the built environment the chance to have their voices heard. The results of the survey, which is the most comprehensive in the sector, enable those working in the construction

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Retrofit skills gap threatens UK’s net-zero target

Retrofit skills gap threatens UK’s net-zero target

BDC News Team July 18, 2023

Retrofit recruitment must triple if UK is to reach net-zero by 2050, new data shows  Today Reed in Partnership has launched Reed Environment to address the UK’s net-zero skills shortage. It will create a newly trained green workforce to help the UK meet its net-zero targets and spread economic opportunity

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Fire safety experts offered chance to protect public buildings

Fire safety experts offered chance to protect public buildings

Kenneth Booth July 12, 2023

FIRE safety businesses across Scotland are being offered the chance to bid for potential work worth up to £20 million to support a wide range of public bodies.  A leading Scottish procurement firm has invited businesses to apply for it its new fire safety framework, which launches in early 2024.

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Is Net Zero key to Unlocking Engineering Diversity asks Expert Panel?

Is Net Zero key to Unlocking Engineering Diversity asks Expert Panel? 

BDC News Team July 10, 2023

AN ALL-female panel of built environment experts gathered recently for international M&E consultancy CPW’s ‘INWED 2023: Sustainability in the Second City’ roundtable to discuss the importance of retrofitting to tackle net zero and why sustainability is a significant opportunity to attract more women to the engineering industry. Held at CPW’s

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How To Lower Commercial Insurance

How To Lower Commercial Insurance

Joffrey Symons July 6, 2023

There are many expenses related to running a business. They include paying for your team members’ salaries, benefits, and so on, utility bills for office electricity, water, and the like, and many more. Among that is paying for commercial insurance. What’s commercial insurance? It’s a type of insurance coverage targeted

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OFR and STA clarify CTL fire compliance for industry

OFR and STA clarify CTL fire compliance for industry

BDC News Team July 4, 2023

Leading fire engineering consultancy, OFR Consultants working in collaboration with the Structural Timber Association (STA) is offering the wider industry valuable clarity on the fire safety design of mass timber buildings. Publishing its research into cross laminated timber (CLT) compartment fire behaviour in Volume 6 of the STA’s Fire Safety

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Issue 331 : Aug 2025

Business : Testing, Certification & Business Tools News

Make your voice heard: Take part in the new NBS Digital Construction Survey

Make your voice heard: Take part in the new NBS Digital Construction Survey

BDC News Team July 19, 2023

NBS, the platform for connected construction information, has launched its annual Digital Construction Survey giving designers, specifiers, manufacturers, contractors, clients and others working in the built environment the chance to have their voices heard. The results of the survey, which is the most comprehensive in the sector, enable those working in the construction industry to better understand the development of their industry, including deep-level insights into the rate of digital adoption. This year’s survey includes a renewed focus on new technologies and innovation, seeking to understand how digitisation, the likes of cloud computing, digital twin software, VR, and AR are being utilised, and to what extent this and the use of AI is shaping outcomes. NBS continues to track how widely BIM (Building Information Modelling) is being used by industry professionals but with some minor changes to the questions – reflecting the evolving landscape. NBS’ 2021 Digital Construction Survey found that 71% of industry professionals were using BIM and that a quarter (25%) were expecting to use it within the next five years. The report also flagged that BIM remained popular with larger businesses yet smaller firms were less likely to use its processes. The last survey also shed light on the growing use of construction data – some 81% of specifiers wanted manufacturers to provide information as BIM or digital objects. What’s more, 90% of medium-sized organisations preferred to receive information in that way. This year’s survey will cover attitudes towards MMC and off-site construction, which is now receiving government backing as part of its five-year strategic plan to build affordable homes. This is against a backdrop of regulatory change in-line with the Future Homes Standard. The survey also looks to the industry to reflect on claims that it has been historically slow to digitise, addressing the challenges that are driving today’s construction industry to adopt advancing technologies. The survey asks for insight from industry professionals about the effectiveness of these new technologies, the rate of adoption, and the potential opportunities. NBS Research Manager David Bain said “Our annual Digital Construction Survey has become a benchmark for industry insight and opinion. As always, the report will cover the topic of BIM, which NBS has become synonymous with thanks to its legacy BIM reports. “This year’s focus will be on emerging technologies – we want to find out which innovations are striking a chord and how industry professionals expect to see digital technology and AI expanding in their sector. “This is an exciting time for construction – which is currently in the midst of a digital revolution. Deeper understanding of these touch points is always an eye opener and we hope that built environment professionals join the conversation to ensure their voices are heard.” This year’s NBS Digital Construction Survey, can be accessed here. For every completed response, NBS will donate £1 to the charity Crash, which uses construction expertise to help homeless charities and hospices with vital construction projects. The survey should only take 10-15 minutes to complete.  A pre-release report is sent to all participants, so those taking part will be among the first to access the findings. To find out more about NBS, visit www.thenbs.com.

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Retrofit skills gap threatens UK’s net-zero target

Retrofit skills gap threatens UK’s net-zero target

BDC News Team July 18, 2023

Retrofit recruitment must triple if UK is to reach net-zero by 2050, new data shows  Today Reed in Partnership has launched Reed Environment to address the UK’s net-zero skills shortage. It will create a newly trained green workforce to help the UK meet its net-zero targets and spread economic opportunity across the country.  Reed Environment’s ambition is to create one of the largest networks of green skills training providers in the UK. It will begin by delivering retrofitting training at scale and creating a recruitment pipeline for retrofit. It estimates that this new workforce could reduce the carbon footprint of millions of UK homes, which are responsible for around 20% of the country’s carbon emissions.  Reed Environment has today shared new research which lays bare the urgent need to turbocharge retrofit training and recruitment in the UK. Its modelling estimates that current rates of retrofit recruitment must triple if the country is to meet its 2050 net-zero target. If these rates don’t increase, then the UK won’t achieve its target number of energy efficient installations to meet its net-zero goal until 2105 – a further 55 years beyond 2050*.   James Reed CBE, Chairman of Reed in Partnership,said: “The UK is in a race to reach net-zero by 2050. Meeting this target quickly is not only key to protecting the environment, but it is also a huge economic opportunity to create highly skilled jobs. A lack of skilled workers means we are currently falling behind.  “Nowhere is the UK’s green skills gap more apparent than in the retrofitting of our ageing housing stock. Currently, there is a serious shortage of retrofit training and recruitment pathways, meaning we are unable to embark on the retrofitting revolution that needs to happen. We need urgent action if we are to meet our net-zero targets and that’s why we’re launching Reed Environment to help address this problem.”  Reed Environment has invested in the Oxford Energy Academy, the highly-rated OFSTED training provider, to initially offer training for two retrofit assessment courses – the Domestic Energy Assessor and Retrofit Assessor – both of which form the foundation for undertaking a retrofit project.   Reed Environment will add over 1000 new retrofitters to the market each year when at full capacity – a 94% increase on current yearly recruitment levels**. It will connect the newly trained workers to job opportunities with Local Authorities, Housing Associations, and private landlords.  Reed Environment will combine its experience in delivering training programmes quickly at scale, with the Oxford Energy Academy’s technical expertise and track record of offering courses covering a broad spectrum of the energy industry.   Between now and 2025, Reed Environment will expand its reach by opening new Energy Academies across the UK to broaden the net-zero skills training it offers, including new retrofit courses, as well as solar, Electric Vehicles and heat pump training.   These Academies will provide first of its kind training at scale, job opportunities, energy advice and consultancy solutions to propel the UK along its trajectory to net-zero. These will be created in areas that are most in need of net-zero skills training to ensure access is spread equally.   Reed in Partnership is part of Reed Group, the largest family-owned recruitment company in the world.  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

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Fire safety experts offered chance to protect public buildings

Fire safety experts offered chance to protect public buildings

Kenneth Booth July 12, 2023

FIRE safety businesses across Scotland are being offered the chance to bid for potential work worth up to £20 million to support a wide range of public bodies.  A leading Scottish procurement firm has invited businesses to apply for it its new fire safety framework, which launches in early 2024. Potential suppliers include consultants, assessors and experts who can install safety measures from fire doors and alarms to sprinkler systems.  It also covers vital remedial cladding for public buildings – a significant issue felt nationwide in the wake of the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy which claimed 72 lives.   Interested firms and experts have until August 24 to lodge applications with the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA), the country’s largest, free-to-join procurement organisation for public sector buyers.  Lesley Anderson, Regional Director at SPA, said: “Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, fire safety has become a paramount concern for local authorities and social housing providers. They are prioritising the preparedness of buildings in the event of a fire.  “We’re extremely proud of this important evolution of our fire safety framework, which will give public organisations peace of mind. They can be assured that any works or services they are undertaking will be delivered by proven and fully-qualified experts to meet the most exacting, current standards.”  Known as FS2, it combines two previous SPA frameworks while adding in a host of active fire safety measures including sprinklers, wet and dry risers, emergency lighting, domestic alarms and waking watch services.  It also covers fire panels, automatic opening ventilation (AOV) and – crucially in the wake of the Grenfell disaster – cladding assessment and remedial work. It was developed with input from experts to meet post-Grenfell building safety legislation, introduced on both sides of the border.  Lesley added: “This is an outstanding opportunity for businesses with expertise and capability in fire safety. They have a chance to put themselves in front of the public bodies who need their services.  “With an emphasis on local suppliers, FS2 aims to ensure that vital contracts are delivered efficiently and to benefit the local economy. It offers Scottish SMEs a chance to increase their business opportunities creating jobs and employment across the country.”  SPA works with 120 public sector organisations and its frameworks offer an efficient and compliant route to market for the construction, refurbishment and maintenance of social housing and public buildings. Partners include councils, housing associations, blue light services, the NHS, further and higher education providers and many other public bodies.  Currently, SPA has 600 live projects totalling £1.1bn in contracts covered by its 17 frameworks – from new build housing, modular construction, to asbestos services, energy efficiency and construction consultancy services.  As part of FS2, there will be eight workstreams, covering Fire Consultancy; Fire Risk Assessments; Waking Watch; Installation and Remediation of Passive Fire Protection; Installation Servicing and Maintenance of Active Fire Protection; Installation, Servicing and Maintenance of Fire Suppression; Cladding Remediation; Multi-Disciplinary.  SPA advise that bidders must be able to demonstrate a minimum turnover of £250k to be awarded to the framework, which will cover North-Eastern Scotland, Highlands and Islands, Eastern Scotland, West Central Scotland and Southern Scotland.  The framework is split into lots by region. Bidders can apply for regions that best suit their capabilities/focus.  As a proud not-for-profit, SPA reinvests its surpluses into Scottish communities through its Community Benefit Fund (CBF) by working with its dedicated charity, Lintel Trust. Since 2017, the CBF has allocated over £1.7 million in grants and match funding to support 102 community groups, charities, and causes.  Projects have included Holiday Hunger programmes, community gardens, digital and social inclusion, employability initiatives, apprenticeship support funds and specialist mental health services. They have helped improve the lives of at least 19,000 people, while delivering social value of more than £3.9million.  Interested fire safety experts can find out more details here – https://in-tendhost.co.uk/lhc/aspx/ProjectManage/15 For more information on the Scottish Procurement Alliance, visit https://www.scottishprocurement.scot/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

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Is Net Zero key to Unlocking Engineering Diversity asks Expert Panel?

Is Net Zero key to Unlocking Engineering Diversity asks Expert Panel? 

BDC News Team July 10, 2023

AN ALL-female panel of built environment experts gathered recently for international M&E consultancy CPW’s ‘INWED 2023: Sustainability in the Second City’ roundtable to discuss the importance of retrofitting to tackle net zero and why sustainability is a significant opportunity to attract more women to the engineering industry. Held at CPW’s city centre office on Colmore Row, the event saw a ten-strong panel of local experts discuss a wide range of topics for International Women in Engineering Day. This included where Birmingham is on its journey to becoming net zero by 2030 and how far funding will stretch, through to the pros and cons of well recognised sustainability accreditations and how engaging with educators will help increase industry diversity. Hannah Kissick, associate in innovations and sustainability at CPW, said: “It was very inspiring to host an event attended by women with impressive and extensive experience in the built environment. The range of topics we covered and the enthusiasm for collaboration during and after the session definitely gave me confidence that more solutions can be found for our journey to net zero in Birmingham and for creating a more accessible industry. “Where there is a challenge there is always an opportunity, and this event reminded me that we can harness the interest in sustainability among the younger generation to position engineering as a key industry needed to meet sustainability targets.” The professionals in attendance explored the processes of value engineering and design, asking questions of each other about how the gap between vision and reality can be bridged. However, factors such as cost and assurance were understandably noted as potential barriers to success. Despite this, an optimistic tone was maintained throughout the event due to the shared recognition of the quality young minds that are on the cusp of bringing new ideas into the industry. Ellie Hignett, principal portfolio officer – Route to Net Zero Carbon at Birmingham City Council, said: “It’s so important that occasions like International Women in Engineering Day continue to be celebrated and events like the one hosted by CPW continue to be supported. They bring important stakeholders together and enable vital industries like engineering to debate how we can overcome shared challenges – like net zero. “While funding plays a key role in what we can achieve in Birmingham, we must also invest time in education. Without the people needed in positions to focus on net zero, there is no infrastructure to carry out the work. We must also continue to use cooperation between the public and private sector to create a baseline for what is achievable, with retrofit being a very topical example amid ongoing debate around the best approach.” The panel was hosted by CPW, chaired by Charlotte Dove (Cartwright Communications) and featured Hannah Kissick (CPW), Michelle Ward (CPW), Tiv Kaur (AA Projects), Isabel Scruby (HUB Residential), Dr Monica Mateo-Garcia (Birmingham City University), Justine Doody (Wates), Rosie Peach-Robinson (EDGE), Rachel Care (Turner and Townsend), Ellie Hignett (Birmingham City Council) and Lois Taylor (Naismiths). With more than 300 staff based across 13 offices including two international offices in Poland and India, CPW specialises in designing and integrating a full range of building services into new and existing buildings to deliver cutting edge sustainable solutions that are not only energy efficient but are both financially and environmentally sustainable for clients.   For further information on CPW’s sustainability work visit www.cpwp.com or follow @CPWengineering on social media.   Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

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False fire alarms are costing the UK economy almost £7million every year

False fire alarms are costing the UK economy almost £7million every year

BDC News Team July 10, 2023

Research has revealed that the cost of avoidable fire alarms, such as false alarms, are costing SMEs in the UK £696 million every single year. The figure comes from research conducted by Red Fox, a leading and independent expert in technology and B2B research, commissioned by Hochiki Europe to understand the impact of false fire alarms on UK businesses. Over 300 SME businesses were asked how much they estimate an evacuation caused by an alarm not caused by an actual fire, cost their organisation and if it had a significant impact. Nine out of ten of these types of alarms resulted in total evacuation of businesses and one in every four caused significant disruption to the business, so much so that on average almost 30% of those unplanned fire incidents are costing £1000 or more in disruptions. This research indicates that when the statistics are broadened out to cover the whole of the UK, false alarms are indeed having a multimillion-pound impact on the economy. Businesses across a wide range of industries were interviewed, including the hospitality, leisure and travel sectors, retail and ecommerce businesses, financial and insurance arenas, healthcare, manufacturing, public sector and not for profit as well as education. When asked to think about the immediate and obvious financial impact, owners and senior management revealed that these unplanned alarms had far reaching consequences in lost productivity. Factors included interrupted meetings (33%), staff settling back down to work i.e., chatting and getting drinks etc (32%). For the manufacturing and IT sector over a quarter said the time it takes to get production processes started up again and security systems checks completed as the biggest interruption, whilst in the food and drink sector 10% said preparation processes needing to be restarted with anecdotal evidence also sighting the resulting food wastage as impact that goes beyond financial ramifications.   Not all impact can be measured by numbers so respondents were also asked to describe the impact false alarms have on their business. In hotels guest relations suffered “All our guests had to leave the building, this ruined their guest experience”, children’s education was impacted “Teaching was disrupted, pupils and staff had to leave building” and it would also seem that other emergency systems can also be impacted from some of these false alarms “The unplanned alarm interrupted the day’s work and I had to call out our on-call electricians to come and fix the alarm, which had also knocked out the emergency lighting”. 64% of respondents believe that most alarms experienced in the past 12 months are false alarms. This is backed up when you look at what respondents said caused the alarms. Aside from the drills, and kitchen incidents, dust and smoke caused from building works and maintenance caused 20% of false alarms followed by equipment failures at 18%, with 12% sited as other causes or not known. So, with false alarms coming in at over half of the reasons why an alarm is triggered, this may suggest that these buildings are possibly not fitted with fire detection devices or systems that include multi-sensors, which are proven to significantly reduce false alarms triggered by factors that are not a genuine fire. Whilst half of respondents said seeing the alarm in action reassured them that the system works, the scariest figure that the research uncovered was that 56% of business owners or managers said that excessive false alarms mean that staff don’t take the alarms seriously enough, leading to alarm fatigue and complacency from staff. “The associated cost that false alarms are causing UK businesses is staggering, but the fact that false alarms are causing such complacency in staff is really worrying. For businesses who are based in multi-use buildings, or public facing such as hospitality and retail outlets, where whole fire detection systems are shared, false alarms can be a regular occurrence. If your staff are thinking “it’s just another false alarm” then you as business owner have a serious problem and this should not be ignored. False alarms can be caused by several things ranging from lack of maintenance, toast burning or building renovations causing excess dust. The good news is that all these issues can be resolved – multi-sensor technology is constantly evolving to reduce the risk of false alarms and improve fire safety. We would always recommend that the responsible person for the business, and/or the building landlord, work with professional and trusted fire safety experts to investigate the causes of repeat false alarms to get them resolved ensuring the safety of your staff, the public and the future proofing of your business.” Learn more about the survey findings and how you can reduce false alarms in your business here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

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Government release new fire safety guidance for responsible persons

Government release new fire safety guidance for responsible persons

BDC News Team July 10, 2023

Ahead of the commencement of Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 in October 2023, the Home Office has published new guidance on the fire safety responsibilities of responsible persons (RPs). Released on 3 July 2023, the vital government guidance covers the types of buildings the new fire safety requirements apply to, the duties for all RPs and those RPs of buildings that contain two or more sets of domestic premises, and other changes to fire safety legislation. Its purpose is to ensure that RPs have the necessary information in which to prepare for the changes that will come into force later this year. In particular, the guidance highlights the requirement for RPs to keep a record of a full and completed fire risk assessment; the fire safety arrangements within their premises; and, in buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises, provide residents with relevant fire safety information in a format that can be easily understood: “You should make available as much information as possible about fire safety in your premises. This new requirement replaces the previous requirement to record only the significant findings of the risk assessment. It also removes the previous limitations on the circumstances within which you are required to record both the risk assessment and the fire safety arrangements at your premises, such as only being required to record this information if there were five or more employees or where subject to licensing or an alterations notice.” As outlined in the guidance, “These requirements apply to all non-domestic premises, such as where people work, visit, or stay, including workplaces, and the non-domestic parts of multi-occupied residential buildings (e.g. communal corridors, stairways, plant rooms). The requirements do not apply within individual domestic premises.” The Home Office adds that a competent person must be appointed by the RP to make or review the fire risk assessment, adding that the legislative requirement for this will be “brought into force at a later date”. “In the meantime, if you do appoint a fire risk assessor, our recommendation is that you ensure they are competent to do so, in terms of having sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities. It remains the case that the Responsible Person has a duty to make sure that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is completed.” Briefly, the duties to be taken up by RPs include: RPs of buildings that contain two or more sets of domestic premises are also required to provide necessary information to residents. The full guidance can be accessed here.

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Aggregate Industries plays a key role in new landmark carbon calculation reporting solution

Aggregate Industries plays a key role in new landmark carbon calculation reporting solution

BDC News Team July 6, 2023

Aggregate Industries has proven its unrivalled technical prowess once again having played a pivotal role in the development of a landmark new solution designed to provide automated, real-time reporting of embodied carbon emissions. Formed in Spring 2022, the Scope 3 initiative aims to drive real climate action by providing detailed, scientific embodied carbon emission calculations for the first time, as part of the automated invoice process. Headed up by construction software leader, Causeway Technologies, the project, which is due for completion next year, is being developed in collaboration with Balfour Beatty, Galliford Try and Morgan Sindall, alongside Aggregate Industries as major supplier. Dr Adam O’Rourke, Causeway’s emerging technologies consultant, comments: “As the net zero mandate grows, it’s vital that construction begins to tackle embodied carbon emissions head on. Unfortunately though, embodied carbon is incredibly difficult to measure and track due to the vast variants involved – the result being a lack of confidence in the various measurement systems available with firms often overestimating it as a precaution. “This Scope 3 initiative seeks to address the challenge by developing a solution which is able to provide wholly accurate, scientifically-led embodied carbon measurement in real-time reporting across projects as part of the invoice process.” In initial tests, Causeway worked with samples of 25,000 invoices from all involved stakeholders focusing on materials with the highest carbon impact. Crucially, Aggregate Industries’ unique Your Carbon Report provided a best practice example as part of the process – the system being capable of addressing embodied carbon figures down to the line-level items such as distance to plant, plant energy and distribution. Dr O’Rourke adds: “Aggregate Industries’ carbon reporting played a pivotal role in informing some of the strategic decision-making, thanks to the sheer level of detail and accuracy. While some suppliers tend to offer a standard carbon factor metric, with Aggregate Industries the measuring covers everything from the individual components of each different product and plant through to the distance to plant, raw material values, plant energy and distribution to site – and all in real-time.” Due for a formal launch next year, the Scope 3 initiative’s new software solution will offer a credible, verifiable, efficient and scalable way to measure Scope 3 emissions in real-time, using invoice data automatically extracted from Causeway Tradex. The companies collaborating on the initiative are currently engaging with suppliers, as well as validating and testing elements of this software. The project is also being supported via a knowledge partnership with the Engineering Department at the University of Bath. Kirstin McCarthy, Sustainability Director at Aggregate Industries, comments: “Talking to our customers, we know that sustainability is a priority and that they want to take progressive action in their approach to embodied carbon. However, we also know that the current way of doing things can be daunting and difficult. “With this, we purposely developed Your Carbon Report to provide our customers with the industry’s first true ‘cradle to grave’ measurement tool so they can see the embodied carbon impacts of their material choices quickly and with ease. “We are very proud to have been so heavily involved in the Scope 3 initiative, with our tool and our technical expertise helping to shape this important solution and we look forward to helping bring it to market in due course.” Aggregate Industries’ Your Carbon Report is the very first carbon reporting tool that enables customers to access a ‘cradle to site’ assessment to calculate, track and report embodied carbon with ease. The result is that construction professionals can easily access and view exacting material carbon-emissions data for products by manufactured Aggregate Industries, thus enabling carbon-smart choices during design and procurement. For further information, please visit www.aggregate.com.

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How To Lower Commercial Insurance

How To Lower Commercial Insurance

Joffrey Symons July 6, 2023

There are many expenses related to running a business. They include paying for your team members’ salaries, benefits, and so on, utility bills for office electricity, water, and the like, and many more. Among that is paying for commercial insurance. What’s commercial insurance? It’s a type of insurance coverage targeted toward companies. Commercial insurance coverage varies depending on the insurer.  If your business has commercial insurance, you must pay your premiums obligation regularly to stay protected. With the high inflation rates these days, unfortunately, your company may find it challenging to keep up with high premiums.  Are you tired of paying high premiums for your commercial insurance? You’re not alone. Many business owners seek ways to reduce their insurance costs without sacrificing coverage. Luckily, this post will discuss some effective strategies for lowering your commercial insurance premiums. Read on to learn more.  Work With A Licensed Insurance Broker One of the best ways to reduce commercial insurance costs is to work with a licensed insurance broker. Say you want to switch to a new insurer. Licensed insurance brokers have access to multiple insurance companies. They can aid you in your quest of finding the best coverage at the most competitive price.  In case you’re content with your current commercial insurance but want to lower your premiums, licensed insurance brokers can help you identify any overlapping or unnecessary coverages, which can save you money. Before working with a specific insurance broker, check their license number to verify if they’re allowed to provide insurance services in your area, membership with different commercial insurance broker associations, and the like.  Shop Around For Different Insurance Options If you’re looking for commercial insurance, don’t settle for the first quote you receive. Instead, shop around and compare rates from multiple insurance companies.  Inquire and get in touch with various insurers, licensed insurance brokers, insurance sales agents, and the like for information such as insurance policy terms and conditions, quote on premiums, and others. You may be surprised at how much you can save by simply taking the time to compare prices. Buy Package Policies Another way to pay for lower commercial insurance is to buy package policies. These policies combine multiple types of coverage into one policy at a much lower cost. This move is more economically sound than purchasing individual coverage separately.  A clear example of a bundled commercial insurance policy your business can avail of is the business owner’s policy (BOP). It typically includes coverage for commercial property insurance, general business liability, and business income insurance. Increase Your Deductible Increasing your deductible can also help lower your commercial insurance premiums. What’s a deductible, you may ask? It pertains to the money that you’re willing to pay with your own pocket prior to your insurance kicking in. By picking a higher deductible, you’re assuming more risk, which can result in lower premiums. Focus On Safety Did you know that focusing on safety can help reduce your commercial insurance costs as well? Implementing safety measures in the workplace like employee training, regular maintenance, and safety equipment can help prevent accidents and injuries, resulting in much lower premiums. Classify Your Workers Correctly Make sure your workers are classified correctly. Misclassifying workers as independent contractors instead of employees can result in more expensive insurance premium payments. Be sure to review your worker classifications regularly to ensure they’re accurate and adhere to your current commercial insurance terms and conditions. Pay Your Commercial Insurance Premiums In Advance Paying your premiums in advance can help lower your commercial insurance costs. Many insurance companies offer discounts or other incentives to business policyholders who pay their entire premium upfront. Inquire with your insurer about their policy regarding advanced premium payments and how your company can take advantage of it.  Review Your Coverage Regularly It’s important to review your commercial insurance coverage regularly to ensure it meets your needs. As your business grows and changes, so do your insurance needs. Make sure your coverage is up-to-date and reflects the current state of your business. Get your whole team onboard to figure out how insurance helps them with their work and how it can be used to forward their goals.  In Conclusion These days, many businesses find themselves having a hard time meeting their premium payments. Luckily, an entrepreneur like you need not worry about paying for an arm and a leg for your business’ insurance coverage. There are many effective strategies for lowering your commercial insurance costs. By working with an insurance broker, shopping around, buying package policies, increasing your deductible, focusing on safety, classifying your workers correctly, paying premiums in advance, and reviewing your coverage regularly, you can reduce your premiums without sacrificing the quality and scope of coverage that you get from your commercial insurance provider.

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Attention Fire Safety Experts: Join the £140m Framework for Enhanced Public Safety

Attention Fire Safety Experts: Join the £140m Framework for Enhanced Public Safety

BDC News Team July 5, 2023

A new and exciting opportunity awaits specialists in the field of fire safety as they are encouraged to participate in a groundbreaking framework aimed at supplying fire safety measures for the public sector. The Fire Safety (FS2) Framework, established by the LHC Procurement Group, is now open for applications from prospective suppliers nationwide until mid-August. With a substantial allocation of funds, this framework holds significant value, with £105m allocated for England, £20m for Scotland, and £15m for Wales. Each regional area will have six available spaces per lot, ensuring ample opportunities for successful applicants. The FS2 framework encompasses a broad range of services, including the provision of new or replacement passive and active fire protection measures for both domestic and non-domestic buildings. Additionally, it covers fire suppression, consultancy services, waking watch services, and cladding remediation. Compliance with all current legislation, such as the Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Act 2021, and Fire Safety (England) regulations 2022, is a crucial aspect of the framework. Dean Fazackerley, Head of Technical Procurement at LHC, expressed the importance of fire safety in light of recent events, particularly the Grenfell Tower tragedy. He emphasized that local authorities and social housing providers are now prioritising the preparedness of buildings in the event of a fire. In response to these urgent concerns, FS2 represents a significant advancement from its predecessor, FS1, by expanding the range of fire safety measures available. The framework has been meticulously developed in collaboration with expert consultants, ensuring comprehensive coverage of current legislation. By aligning with regulations and industry best practices, it offers clients peace of mind. Fazackerley further highlighted the value and expertise that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bring to the field. By tapping into their knowledge and capabilities, the FS2 framework aims to provide a wide array of national and local organisations capable of undertaking specialised projects. This approach will undoubtedly offer distinct value and tailored solutions to meet the diverse needs of clients. If you are a fire safety expert seeking to be part of this groundbreaking framework and make a significant impact in the field, we invite you to find out more about FS2 and apply by clicking here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

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OFR and STA clarify CTL fire compliance for industry

OFR and STA clarify CTL fire compliance for industry

BDC News Team July 4, 2023

Leading fire engineering consultancy, OFR Consultants working in collaboration with the Structural Timber Association (STA) is offering the wider industry valuable clarity on the fire safety design of mass timber buildings. Publishing its research into cross laminated timber (CLT) compartment fire behaviour in Volume 6 of the STA’s Fire Safety in Use Guidance, OFR has shared the findings of its study which set out to establish the relationship between different building heights, uses and consequence classes as well as performance expectations of structures in the event of fire. Recognising that the main challenges for the industry in delivering mass timber buildings has been due to confusion on the routes to compliance with the Building Regulations, in addition to what evidence designers should provide when seeking to demonstrate how they comply, the new revised guidance provides important information for designers and building control bodies. It allows parties to approach the design of mass timber buildings with consistent expectations of what types of solutions and analysis should be expected based on a building’s height and use.  Speaking about the project, OFR Technical Director and co-lead author Dr Danny Hopkin explained: “OFR is the lead research partner delivering the STA special interest group (SIG) project on cross laminated timber (CLT) compartment fire behaviour. The study identified that higher consequence buildings should survive the full duration of a fire, whilst lower consequence buildings should survive long enough to facilitate the escape of occupants and fire service activities. Understanding this distinction is important in ensuring engineers develop the correct evidence to support their designs when demonstrating compliance with the Building Regulations. “We’re thrilled that this study has been developed into industry guidance via Volume 6 of the Fire Safety in Use Guidance. Working with my co-lead author and OFR colleague Research Leader, Mike Spearpoint, we advise that the guidance should be considered on a project-by-project basis, considering the specific fire safety strategy for that building and the input of all key stakeholders.” Andrew Orris at STA added: “This new guidance encourages dialogue with approving authorities to establish the structural fire performance objectives, considering fire strategy first principles, such as the evacuation mode, fire service provisions, and the inclusion of additional fire safety systems such as sprinklers. It also provides an appendix of application examples to aid designers in their use of the guidance.” Once completed, the guidance was independently reviewed by a stakeholder review panel. Building on two and a half years of use by designers, the STA has updated the document to incorporate feedback from users. OFR has retained oversight of these changes to ensure that the document aligns with the original intent, and by reviewing and editing the second edition. The standardVolume 6 of the fire safety in use guidance can be accessed here: https://www.structuraltimber.co.uk/libraries/technical-documents/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

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