A digital workspace centralizes all the assets, applications, and data of a company around a technology framework, which also enables employees to work remotely. The world is going digital, and everyone has to evolve with it. Businesses, specifically, have to adapt faster to stay relevant; otherwise, their competition will throw
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry (Phase 1) identified numerous failings including compromised escape routes and fire doors that did not, through damage and/or disrepair, act in the way that they should to prevent smoke and gases from spreading. As such, the Inquiry recommended (Recommendations 33.29 (a) and (b)) that the owner
A plethora of world-class seminars, CPD sessions and presentations – as well as a newly-created Culture Change Hub – are all in store for visitors heading to UK Construction Week London (UKCW London), which returns to London’s ExCeL from 2nd to 4th May 2023. Organisers of the UK’s largest event
![[World Day for Safety at work] Spring safety tips for construction workers](https://bdcmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/mk460-768x513.jpg)
Maintaining a safe worksite is vital all year round, but different seasons bring with them a variety of different safety concerns. And with World Day for Safety and Health at Work taking place on the 28th of April this year, what better time to evaluate the conditions of your construction
A new report, published by the Supply Chain Sustainability School, reveals that 9 significant opportunities exist for offsite manufacturers to help their clients in their drive for low carbon construction projects, both new build and in the retrofitting of existing buildings. The built environment industry needs to rapidly decarbonise existing
To foster cross-sector industry alignment on solutions to ensure the widespread adoption of large-scale mass timber offices, the Built by Nature Fund has awarded a €200,000 grant to a diverse UK consortium focused on unlocking the barriers to structural timber through the development of a technical Commercial Timber Guidebook. The
Research by Fourth Wall Building Consultancy has found a 53% increase in UK Google searches for the query ‘What is a house survey’ in the last month. Searches spiked for this phrase between March 16-22, the days following the Budget. The most commonly asked question on the topic on Google
David Johnson, UK Pre-construction Director at Volumetric Building Companies, shares his thoughts on the future of offsite construction in the UK and the urgent need for change. The UK Government has made no secret of the need for faster, higher quality, and more predictable construction solutions in every sector –
Taking on any home improvement project comes with a set of jargon not many new homeowners know of. Among the different terms present, the most important one is “roofing square.” The roofing industry uses this as a unit of measurement. Don’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with the measurement process. We’ll cover
With an increase in the built urban environment over the UK and plans to build 300,000 new homes every year, the permeable land across the country is diminishing, meaning surface runoff water is overwhelming drainage pipes. What, if anything, can new homes and commercial property developers, local authorities, and planners
A digital workspace centralizes all the assets, applications, and data of a company around a technology framework, which also enables employees to work remotely. The world is going digital, and everyone has to evolve with it. Businesses, specifically, have to adapt faster to stay relevant; otherwise, their competition will throw them out of the industry. You don’t necessarily need to build a large entire resource planning system to digitize your workspace. A simple time tracking software can do almost all of the important tasks with much more efficiency. Before we get to how time tracking software can help digitize your business processes, let’s discuss why digitization altogether is important. Why is Digitization Crucial? Digitization is not a trend; it’s a need. It was introduced and adapted because of its irreplaceable benefits. The change might be a bit expensive at first, but it saves you a lot of money in the long run by reducing operational costs. It improves productivity and efficiency and increases flexibility in your work. Communication becomes much faster, transparent, and secure when you digitize your workspace. This communication is different from chat applications that have no accountability. You will notice that the job has become much easier for each employee, and all the redundant processes have been removed. Implementing tools like project management software or HR management software can transform how your team operates. These systems streamline task management and human resources processes, allowing for more organized and efficient workflows. With everything centralized, it’s easier to track projects and deadlines, manage staff details, and keep everyone on the same page—reducing miscommunication and overlap in tasks. This level of organization not only makes each job easier but also cuts down on time wasted, helping the whole company move forward more smoothly. This increases the performance of each team member, improves their satisfaction and experience, and gets you a higher return on investment. How Time Tracking Software Promotes Digitization? Now, to continue our point, you should know that a single time tracking software can help build a digital workspace. Although it’s just one tool, it will still eliminate several redundant processes and make sure that all employees are able to work productively. It is particularly very helpful when you have employees working remotely. No More Paperwork or Excel Sheets There is usually no need left for writing documents and managing Excel sheets when you have installed time tracking software. With a digital employee timesheet, you can track hours and analyze the performance of everyone on your team. As the timesheets are automatically saved in a central location and easily accessible, it saves you time and reduces the risk of human error. Automated Management and Notification System Only employees authorized with a login ID and password will be able to access your system. You will also be able to see which employees started working on time and who were late. You can set different alert systems that automatically notify your employees when they are not doing something according to standard operating procedure. Furthermore, employees can request time off that you can approve and reject with just a few clicks. Get More Transparency in Processes Time tracking software makes processes more transparent for the employees and the employer. The employee would know if they haven’t completed their productive hours, and the employer can also generate detailed HR reports. Whether the employee was on vacation or working extra hours, everything will be recorded. The employee will also be able to see his transparent payroll process that is calculated automatically according to their hours and work days. To Conclude this Discussion It’s important for every business to digitize its workspace if it wants to stay relevant. You can create a digital workspace with just proper time tracking. If you use the right time tracking software, you will be able to keep the processes transparent, automate several redundancies, and save many hours of work every week. As all the data is automatically stored in a centralized location, it’s much safer from outside threats and from human errors.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry (Phase 1) identified numerous failings including compromised escape routes and fire doors that did not, through damage and/or disrepair, act in the way that they should to prevent smoke and gases from spreading. As such, the Inquiry recommended (Recommendations 33.29 (a) and (b)) that the owner and manager of every residential building containing separate dwellings carry out an urgent inspection of all fire doors to ensure compliance with current legislative standards and that regular (no less than every three months) checks be carried out to ensure all fire doors are fitted with an effective self-closing device which is in working order. The Inquiry also recommended (Recommendation 33.30) that all those who have responsibility for the condition of the entrance doors to individual flats in high-rise residential buildings (with unsafe cladding) be required by law to ensure these doors comply with current standards. As a direct result, Article 24 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 introduces enhanced fire safety regulations. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 were published on 6 December 2022 and came into effect in England from 23 January 2023. The regulations introduced changes with regards to fire doors which have an impact for the Responsible Person. They require responsible persons in multi-occupied residential buildings which are classed as high-rise buildings, (defined in The Fire Safety (England) Regulations as a building at least 18 metres in height or at least seven storeys), and also those above 11 metres in height in an identical use of multi-occupation residencies where communal areas and escape routes exist, to provide new additional safety measures with regards to the periodic and ongoing inspection of fire resisting doorsets. Quarterly inspectionsIt is now a legal requirement in high-rise buildings and multi-occupied residential buildings more than 11 metres in height to undertake quarterly inspections of fire resisting doorsets (including their self-closing devices) in the common areas, as these doors are subject to considerable use and subsequent failings or damage. This includes (but is not limited to) cross-corridor fire doors, staircase enclosure fire doors, and fire doors of protected lobbies and higher risk rooms such as plant rooms, riser shafts, and storage areas. Annual inspectionsThe new Fire Safety Regulations also state that it is now a legal requirement to carry out annual checks of fire resisting entrance doorsets to apartments or flats on a ‘best endeavours’ basis, with a procedure identical to the above, identifying and recording findings and actioning any remedial works required to return the door to a compliant nature. Information for residentsThe Responsible Person must also now provide residents with information relating to the significance of fire doors to a building’s fire safety, highlighting the importance of not removing or disconnecting self-closing devices, keeping fire doors closed, and immediately reporting any faults or damage to doors. This needs to be documented to ensure all residents are provided with the directive to protect the entire building and its occupants. Residents must receive this information when they move into a multi-occupied residential building, and on an annual basis thereafter. As a fire risk assessor inspecting such premises, there exists a requirement to evidence these practices, to identify failings, and make suitable and sufficient recommendations in the remedy of such failings. Fire risk assessmentsThe Fire Safety Act 2021 also states that ‘the effect of the Act will be to require fire risk assessments of buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises to be updated to take account of doors, if they have not already done so.’ This is detailed in section 9 as affecting ‘all doors between the domestic premises and the common parts (e.g. entrance doors to individual flats which open to common parts).’ This means that the Responsible Person should regularly review the fire risk assessment of their building(s) to ensure compliance, particularly if there is reason to believe it is no longer valid, or if significant change in the matters to which it relates has taken place. If these measures have already been considered within the existing current fire risk assessment, it is not necessary to have another fire risk assessment carried out whilst it remains compliant with this directive. Fire door inspection surveysWhilst a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment typically involves a review of the condition of existing fire doorsets, it is unlikely that it will extensively cover all fire doors and frames so a fire door inspection survey may be required. At the FPA, our fire door inspectors conduct comprehensive, non-destructive fire door surveys and deliver detailed reports on the condition of the entire doorset. Find out more about the FPA’s fire door inspection survey service. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A plethora of world-class seminars, CPD sessions and presentations – as well as a newly-created Culture Change Hub – are all in store for visitors heading to UK Construction Week London (UKCW London), which returns to London’s ExCeL from 2nd to 4th May 2023. Organisers of the UK’s largest event for the built environment have announced that the packed programme of seminars will focus on a myriad of important industry topics, complemented by 150 hours of dedicated CPD opportunities over the three-day show. Themes up for debate and discussion across the show’s seven dedicated stages include: Net Zero; business and innovation; building safety and regulation; mental health and wellbeing; quality control; digitalisation in the industry; women in construction; developments in timber and concrete; supply chain and procurement; updates on major infrastructure projects such as HS2 and more! The line-up of speakers for this year’s education programme feature industry leaders from Building People, BuildOffsite, Offsite Alliance, HS2 Ltd, BSI, Future Homes Hub, Federation of Master Builders, Waterman Group, CEMEX UK, The Building Safety Regulator, Women in Property, Miller Homes, Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) and the UK Government. UKCW London 2023 has an even stronger emphasis on future development in the industry, with the continued theme of Celebrating Culture Change in Construction present in all elements of the show. The organisers have also announced a dedicated Culture Change Hub that will deliver daily programmes by The National Federation of Builders, Building People and The Women in Construction Awards, on topics that focus on improving inclusivity within the built environment, wellbeing and mental health, and professional development. Rebecca Lovelace, Founder at Building People said: “Building People’s involvement at UKCW each year is a huge part of our calendar. We’re taking over the Culture Hub to deliver ‘how to’ expertise in cultural inclusion, in building diverse teams and in embedding equity, diversity and inclusion actions into meaningful procurement. UKCW is a fantastic opportunity to meet the organisations in our network that have the reach into the under-represented groups our sector needs, and we absolutely look forward to bringing people, needs and opportunities – and driving change – together at UKCW.” Michaela Wain, Managing Director at Design and Build UK, said: “Design and Build UK are so excited to be taking over the culture hub stage talking to industry experts about all topics around EDIB in construction. We do not focus on the people within our industry enough, we jump through hoops for all kinds of regulations but no one is regulating our people. It’s time we started talking about how we can improve the lives and careers of everyone in construction. How we can plug the skill gap, where we should look for new talent, how to up-skill and attract people with transferable skills and hear from the people who are working on site everyday. UKCW has given us a space to discuss not just the problems the industry has but the solutions which have been tried and tested and need to be rolled out. Anyone in construction should check out the panels we have on throughout the day, everyone will learn something.” UKCW London is expecting around 25,000 attendees and is co-located with Concrete Expo, The Offsite Show as well as the UK’s premier event for the self-build sector, Grand Designs Live. It is the must-attend construction event with over 10,000 products on display from over 300 exciting exhibitors from as far afield as Australia, China, India, Norway, Turkey and the UAE. Visitors will be able to find sections dedicated to Digital Construction, Infrastructure, Offsite, Surfaces, Net Zero including Renewables, HVAC, Energy Management; Build Show including Roofing, Cladding and Insulation; Tools; Health & Safety; Fire Prevention; Future Lab; and a Careers Trail. Register for UKCW London for free at ukcw-london-2023.reg.buzz/cab-campaign-pr Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Maintaining a safe worksite is vital all year round, but different seasons bring with them a variety of different safety concerns. And with World Day for Safety and Health at Work taking place on the 28th of April this year, what better time to evaluate the conditions of your construction site? To help you and your employees get prepared for the lighter evenings, warmer days, and those inevitable April showers, industrial tool and PPE supplier Zoro have shared their top tips for creating a safer, more supportive worksite this spring and summer. Expect the unexpected While the weather might finally be turning, the Great British springtime can still be notoriously unpredictable as we make the transition from a long, cold winter. It’s therefore important to keep a close eye on the weather forecast while running a worksite, even if conditions seem to be fairly stable or mild for the time being. As well as keeping up with regular, reputable weather forecasts, be sure to keep your winter or wet weather equipment on stand-by, stored in a convenient location. This allows you to be prepared for all eventualities and means that you and your employees won’t be caught off-guard by a sudden turn in the weather. Working through cold, wet conditions with insufficient clothing and PPE can leave workers vulnerable to illness as well as make your worksite liable to accidents. Slip hazards You’ve probably heard of the term April showers, and this is a real weather phenomenon that means there are a higher number of sporadic rain showers throughout April. They might be lighter and shorter than standard rain, but these showers result in frequently changeable conditions for outdoor vocations like construction. As the rain isn’t heavy enough to postpone work onsite, this often means that workers must adapt to some on-and-off wet conditions throughout the day. Light rain like this can make surfaces much more slippery than usual, meaning that one of the key hazards of springtime construction is slips, trips, and falls. It’s important that every worker is provided with the proper equipment to help prevent this, such as good-quality boots with sufficient traction, wet floor signs, and tools with textured, non-slip handles. Keep walkways free of standing water and remind your team to be extra-cautious when positioning ladders or scaffolding, as these can become even more dangerous in wet conditions. It’s also important for workers to stay visible with bright, reflective clothing when working in fog or grey, rainy weather. Uneven surfaces In spring, the ground gradually thaws after winter due to a slow rise in temperature. This might make breaking ground easier for your construction company, but it’s always wise to proceed with caution in between seasons. This is because thawed ground or even melted ice can lead to uneven, unstable surfaces for builders to work on. Clearly communicate to everyone in your team that they must check the stability of the ground before using any heavy machinery, positioning ladders, or even just digging the soil — especially on slopes or key parts of the foundations. Sun protection and hydration As we edge into the summer months, onsite health and safety should shift to beating the heat. By its very nature, the majority of construction takes place outside and it is an inevitably physical career. So, when temperatures begin to rise, it’s vital that all the workers on your site are equipped with everything they need to stay cool, hydrated, and protected from the sun. Firstly, ensure that there is a supply of fresh drinking water onsite at all times, so that workers can take as many drink breaks as they need throughout the day. They are likely to lose plenty of water through sweat, and it’s important that this is replaced in order to avoid dehydration or even heatstroke. Secondly, on particularly hot days, sites should also encourage breaks in the shade, so that no-one becomes overexposed to the sun. If you don’t have an existing spot of shade available, an affordable and effective solution would be to erect a gazebo or add an awning to the site of the building, where workers can take a moment to cool down before heading back to the task at hand. It’s also wise to remind employees about using suncream to prevent getting burned, or even provide some for them onsite. “Onsite safety is paramount all year round, and as World Day for Safety and Health at Work is taking place on the 28th of April, it’s the perfect time to assess whether your construction zone is ready for the change in seasons. Lighter evenings and warmer temperatures might be more comfortable to work in than ice or snow, but spring and summer bring their own set of challenges to a worksite. “The changeable British springtime means a sunny day can quickly turn blustery, and April showers can add extra slip hazards to a busy construction site. In the height of summer, you will also require measures to protect staff from sun exposure and dehydration. Providing your workers with adequate PPE and clear communication about the right safety measures for the season is vital to keeping everyone within the construction industry safe and healthy.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new report, published by the Supply Chain Sustainability School, reveals that 9 significant opportunities exist for offsite manufacturers to help their clients in their drive for low carbon construction projects, both new build and in the retrofitting of existing buildings. The built environment industry needs to rapidly decarbonise existing and new buildings, as well as reduce embodied carbon produced in production of building materials and elements, construction, and maintenance of assets. The ability of offsite construction processes to reduce whole life carbon is often expressed, but evidence of this has been patchy. Drawing on the experience of more than 40 organisations working across homes, commercial, public and infrastructure, the new report, ‘Whole Life Carbon Guidance for Offsite Construction’ highlights opportunities and challenges for carbon management and reduction for the offsite sector. This includes common benefits around the material and resource efficiency of premanufacture, reduced fuel and energy use in logistics and on site, as well as greater confidence in operational energy performance with standardised designs. Some of the strongest evidence for carbon reductions exist in energy and fuel use for transport and construction processes, with studies finding savings of 30-40%, even when factory energy use is included. However, most of the embodied carbon within construction projects comes from materials and manufacturing: the product stage. The report proposes that there is a big opportunity for Design for Manufacture and Assembly to drive emissions savings in this stage, sharing evidence for this across homes, schools, and commercial projects. It recommends early collaboration between manufacturers and design teams in order to fully realise low carbon design options. This collaboration will also aid robust whole life carbon estimates, which are likely to become mandatory in the coming years. The report also encourages manufacturers and contractors to embed processes for the collection and communication of activity data. Andrew Shepherd, Managing Director at TopHat Communities, said “We all know carbon is a problem, but without knowing how much of a problem, it is very difficult for us to start addressing some of the key problem areas. This report provides guidance on how to start assessing whole life carbon and understanding the impact each stage of the development cycle has on the environment about us.” Naomi Pratt, lead author of the report and Consultant at Action Sustainability, said: “It’s been really encouraging to see projects cutting embodied carbon through offsite techniques. What these have in common is a design approach driven by material and carbon efficiency. What we need to see now is more organisations adopting this focus and sharing data.” Ian Heptonstall, Director of Supply Chain Sustainability School, said: “The good news from this report is that yes, Offsite and MMC (Modern Methods of Construction) can help us tackle the climate emergency. However, as the evidence suggests, we are currently missing many opportunities and it’s clear as an industry we need to think and act differently. My challenge to those not at the forefront of tackling carbon is: will you act now and make a difference, or be left behind whilst your customers transition to a low carbon economy?” The examples of best practice highlighted in the report are crucial for whole life carbon reduction and the journey to net zero. The authors encourage organisations working within the sector to show leadership, take advantage of the opportunities, and share data and experiences. Download the report from the Supply Chain Sustainability School website here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
To foster cross-sector industry alignment on solutions to ensure the widespread adoption of large-scale mass timber offices, the Built by Nature Fund has awarded a €200,000 grant to a diverse UK consortium focused on unlocking the barriers to structural timber through the development of a technical Commercial Timber Guidebook. The project lead is engineering consultancy Elliott Wood, joined by implementing partners Waugh Thistleton Architects, fire engineers OFR Consultants and insurance specialists Lignum Risk Partners – technical and design experts in the built environment known for their advocacy of structural timber. The development of the Commercial Timber Guidebook has additional backing and input from some of the largest investors, developers and asset owners in the UK including Stanhope PLC, Related Argent, Lendlease, British Land, Derwent London, Landsec, MUSE, Berkeley Estate Asset Management (BEAM) and Hines. The involvement of developers is significant, as the Guidebook seeks to show that a wide-ranging coalition of the biggest industry stakeholders in the UK can reach consensus on how to mitigate risks of large and complex timber developments, while demonstrating the industry’s technical competency to insurers and developers. The Guidebook will establish common ground and a realistic route for the wider adoption of structural timber in commercial buildings through consensus on defined design principles, mass timber building typologies and technical design measures. With agreed guidelines and clear framework in place as to how risk can be quantified and mitigated, the Guidebook can address the challenges and costs around insuring timber structures, the single largest barrier to mass timber construction in the UK. The project will also complement existing projects targeting insurance barriers through direct engagement and leverage recognised industry networks such as the UK Green Building Council, Better Buildings Partnership and the Institution of Structural Engineers for dissemination of the Guidebook. Built by Nature CEO Amanda Sturgeon said, “This is an exciting, important project given the scope of its cross-sector collaboration and the involvement of major UK developers. The Guidebook can be a milestone on the roadmap to wider acceptance of timber by creating a clear, peer-reviewed framework for overcoming the insurance barriers. And by securing the endorsements from major developers, asset owners and designers in the UK, we can create better policy conditions for mass timber offices and bring the market significantly closer to large-scale insurability.” According to James Souter, Structural Engineering Director at Elliott Wood, “There is a clear need for a collective voice on the subject to agree consensus on good practice and to educate the industry, to unlock the barriers to adopting structural timber. The scale of the opportunity we’re addressing is huge, and we need to bring all the right people together to address the different facets collectively. Gaining the backing of Built by Nature is a major step forward in making the guide a reality, we’re over the moon to be taking this project forward.” ABOUT BUILT BY NATURE Built by Nature is a network and grant-making fund accelerating the timber building transformation, connecting key actors across the built environment and forest communities to spark city-scale projects and amplify stories of ground-breaking timber and biobased projects and solutions. Through collaboration with its major partners and frontrunners, Built by Nature aims to change perceptions around timber construction and reshape the built environment system. The Built by Nature Fund awards grants to the teams and solutions that can increase the uptake of sustainable timber and improve its climate impact, overcoming some of the most challenging barriers. ABOUT ELLIOTT WOOD Elliott Wood is an engineering consultancy driven by a deep-rooted purpose of Engineering For almost 30 years, we have focused on both small details and bigger ideas, revealing the hidden opportunities and potential that can allow a project to prosper. As Engineers, it’s our job to constantly study and evaluate, so we always look at the bigger issues. We know we can engineer better buildings, why not also apply our imaginations to society, culture and beyond? From there we can materialise new ideas for a much greater impact. Click here to read about our project at 38 Berkeley Square, a project on behalf of BEAM; the first exposed timber project in London to achieve SWECO Building Control compliance since fire regulations became more stringent in 2020. www.elliottwood.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Research by Fourth Wall Building Consultancy has found a 53% increase in UK Google searches for the query ‘What is a house survey’ in the last month. Searches spiked for this phrase between March 16-22, the days following the Budget. The most commonly asked question on the topic on Google was ‘how much does a house survey cost’ suggesting confusion around home surveys extends to pricing as well as its value in the homebuying process. Joshua Weston, Director at Fourth Wall Building Consultancy and recent winner of The UK RICS Young Building Surveyor of the Year 2022 commented: “It is likely that the return of first-time buyers to the market since March’s budget accounts for a large proportion of these Google searches, but ignorance and misconceptions about the role of a survey are on the rise. It’s so important for buyers to understand surveys and ask the right questions early on, in order to avoid costs later down the line. “Recent studies by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed that buyers who opt not to have a survey done when purchasing a property are faced with an average of £5,750 worth of repairs and works when they move in, due to issues they were not aware of. Many buyers, particularly young or first-time buyers, believe the valuation completed by their mortgage lender gives them all the information they need on a property, but this simply isn’t true. A survey must be completed by a qualified surveyor and is undertaken in order to identify potential issues that could cause problems during or after the purchase. “At Fourth Wall, we also ensure you get visibility on budget costs as standard: we provide detailed advice on condensation, damp, building regulations and planning, EPC and energy efficiency, and any structural issues which may affect the property – all things you would want to know before purchasing a home.” Fourth Wall are award-winning Chartered Building Surveyors working with commercial, residential and heritage clients across the UK. Aligning all the benefits of a traditional surveying practice with the pace, flexibility and market-leading knowledge of a dynamic consultancy, Fourth Wall ensures all their clients move forward with confidence. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
David Johnson, UK Pre-construction Director at Volumetric Building Companies, shares his thoughts on the future of offsite construction in the UK and the urgent need for change. The UK Government has made no secret of the need for faster, higher quality, and more predictable construction solutions in every sector – from schools and hospitals to housing. And there is a considerable drive for a unified platform design and a greater level of standardisation across the modular industry. In recent years, there have been multiple attempts to drive standards in offsite construction with the use of specialist MMC procurement frameworks developed by the Department for Education, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice. Whilst these client-led attempts to introduce standardisation have been very welcome, they just haven’t gone far enough. Too many requirements have been left open to interpretation, leading to the introduction of a host of similar but different types of building solutions. To exacerbate the problem, as each scheme percolates through the various stages of procurement, the sustained tinkering by building designers, cost consultants and local authority planners and building control, combine to completely erode the strategic ambition for an increased level of standardisation to improve the efficiency and quality of project delivery. Traditional in-situ methods of construction have to adhere to standardisation through compliance with Building Regulations. This gives clients the vital confidence that the contractor will deliver the project to the required standard – and if not, that it will be rectified. The offsite sector absolutely MUST come together to agree a truly universal standard against which compliance can be measured and assured. Many modular manufacturers are simply selling their own ‘platform solutions’ in an attempt to ‘capture the zeitgeist’, when in fact they are promoting their own system completely independently and calling it a platform. A genuine platform solution has to embrace and represent the whole MMC sector. How to Foster Greater Confidence in Modular Technology With the unfortunate demise of some big industry names in recent months, the time for pride and individual business trailblazing has passed. We need to come together as an industry and provide a unified solution that will foster a much great level of confidence in modular technology and in the built solutions. And if we don’t achieve this? The UK Government will lose faith and volumetric MMC as a viable building solution will be set back 20 years. Let’s be honest, what we do is not rocket science. We do not use space age materials or really cutting-edge technology. What we do is apply well-managed processes and robust control systems to the historically chaotic and continually bespoke world of construction. Eroding Strategic Ambition There are many other intrinsic benefits of modular solutions that provide really persuasive arguments for its use over traditional in-situ building methods – from reduced material waste, improved safety on site, consistent delivery on time and budget, shorter build programmes to less disruption and enhanced thermal performance. However none of these advantages are dependent on the need to protect new or innovative technology. Beyond the box, it really doesn’t matter what happens inside. Does the colour of the seat fabric or the quality of an in-car entertainment system affect the legal compliance or reliability of a new car? Is it really worth the effort of protecting a particular modular solution that is only a slight variation on a theme? Our industry has to pool its expertise and collaboratively develop a regulatory compliant genuine ‘white box’ standard that we can all support, promote and take to Government as a truly game changing platform design solution. Without that, we risk remaining a niche specialism rather than a universally adopted construction standard. www.vbc.co/uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Taking on any home improvement project comes with a set of jargon not many new homeowners know of. Among the different terms present, the most important one is “roofing square.” The roofing industry uses this as a unit of measurement. Don’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with the measurement process. We’ll cover everything you need to know about roofing squares and how you can calculate the square footage of your roof using this measurement process too. Whether you want to invest in a new roof or want to get a free estimate for a roof repair due to severe storm damage, knowing what the total square footage of your roof is can save you a lot of time and money. What Does a Roofing Square Mean? In the roofing industry, a roofing square is a common unit of measurement used to calculate the number of shingles needed for a roof repair project. In general, one roof square equals 100 square feet (10 x 10 feet). It doesn’t matter whether you have a gable roof, hip roof, low slope roof, or pitched roof – this measuring method works for all of them! Best of all, it will save you a lot of time and money since you don’t always have to rely on roofing companies, even for the most basic tasks. How to Determine Total Square Footage of a Roof First things first, make sure you can safely get to your roof alone. If that’s not possible, contact us, and we’ll have a professional roofer sent to your house. Next, you’ll need to gather a few supplies to measure your entire roof: Every roofing system has a particular number of planes covering it per square foot. Calculate the roof planes – flat roofs have only one, a gable roof will have two, and so on. Hip and ridge shingles usually have four planes. In general, the more details your roof area has, the more planes it will have too. Next, you have to measure the length and width of each plane and then multiply the two numbers to get the square footage of that specific plane. Use an online calculator to calculate the length and width to get accurate results. Here are two examples: Multiply the length and width of each plane first (for the entire roof). Once you’re done multiplying, add the total square footage of all the roof planes together. This is what it should look like: This part is for figuring out exactly how many squares your roof already has. Once you’re done adding the totals together, divide the result by 100. In this case, 2,304 square feet of roof area divided by 100 equals 23.04 squares. On the other hand, 2,520 square feet divided by 100 equals 25.2 squares. It’s important to check the type of roof slope of your property to see how steep the structure is. In general, the steeper the roof, the more squares and roofing materials you will need to get. As a result, the cost will increase too. You can run the numbers through a shingle calculator to determine the vertical rise of your roof’s surface. Typically, a roof rises upward for every 12 inches it expands horizontally. In this case, if the vertical rise in your roof is 5 inches, the roof slope will be 5:12. It’s always a good idea to add 10% to your roof’s total calculations just to make up for errors during installation. Do You Have to Calculate the Number of Roofing Shingles Too? Many homeowners think they have to calculate the number of shingles per square if they need a new roof replacement too. However, we’re here to demystify that. In reality, you can find high-quality shingles in packaged bundles in different hardware stores. You can also contact a reliable roofing company to see if they offer such products. Roofing experts can also tell you how many shingle bundles you might need to cover per square foot/area. In general, three large bundles of asphalt shingles usually make up a single roofing square. Contact a Roofing Company for Expert Advice There’s no need to worry if you can’t calculate the square footage of your roofing structure. First-time homeowners might struggle more than others, which is why it’s essential to contact a professional for the job. Expert roofing contractors can do the hard work for you while also teaching you how to conduct roof maintenance effectively. They will also be able to tell you whether your roof needs a general repair or a complete replacement following the aftermath of a serious storm. Our company, for example, can provide you with the following services: In short, having an expert team of roofers to measure your roof can save you time and money. Also, a professional contractor will have the necessary tools and know-how to accurately measure your roof and provide you with a precise calculation. Additionally, by working with a certified roofer, you will be able to benefit from regular professional advice and recommendations to help you maintain your roof’s health and stability. Conclusion Figuring out the exact square footage of your roof is not as difficult as it seems. The key is to be precise with measurements and to use the right calculation technique. Contact our team for a free estimate, and let us know what you need for your home improvement project. We are committed to providing unparalleled service to all our clients! goldenheightsroofing.com can also help you choose the best roofing materials and repair or replace your roof quickly and efficiently. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, and we’ll be more than happy to help. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
With an increase in the built urban environment over the UK and plans to build 300,000 new homes every year, the permeable land across the country is diminishing, meaning surface runoff water is overwhelming drainage pipes. What, if anything, can new homes and commercial property developers, local authorities, and planners be putting in place to alleviate the strain? Here Raj Somal, Director at the sustainable engineering consultancy, Dice, explores why the UK needs to invest in SuDS. Over the last six years there has been considerable investment in protecting property from the risk of flooding. Government investment between 2015 – 2021 of £2.6 billion has seen over 314,000 homes become better protected with more than 850 new flood and coastal erosion defence projects completed. It’s suggested that this work is estimated to have reduced national flood risk by five percent. But for homeowners living in at risk areas, does this offer enough reassurance that the issue of flooding is being taken as seriously as it should? And is investing in SuDS, Sustainable Drainage Systems, the way we should be going? SuDS mimic natural water systems and are an efficient way to manage surface water drainage. Here at Dice, we’re committed to the UK investment in SuDS. SuDS are designed with four key components in mind – water quality, water quantity, amenity, and biodiversity. By designing SuDS which follow these four pillars, they will effectively be used to control, absorb, and treat surface runoff. They are specifically designed to not cause an eyesore to the area, and are integrated through strategic development and planning into the local landscape. SuDS can be underground and overground, but it’s those on the surface which provide the most opportunity and benefits for treating surface runoff within the built environment. There are several different types of SuDS which are slowly being implemented across the UK, for both larger and smaller scale projects. For example, detention basins are storage basins covered in vegetation to capture and store run-off which is then slowly discharged via a restricted outfall, reducing the impact on drainage features downstream. On a smaller scale, swales are shallow, flat bottomed, vegetated open channels designed to convey, treat, and often attenuate surface water runoff. But why do these urban drainage systems need to be as sustainable as possible? We recognise the importance of protecting our natural environment, and it is becoming increasingly obvious that the UK must protect its existing resources. One of which is water. Implementing SuDS into the UK’s built environment will allow us to truly make the most of surface water run-off which would otherwise be wasted. SuDS offer great advantages to the local landscape, vegetation, and wildlife, whilst also helping to reduce the impact of ever growing concerns of flooding. . SuDS can provide better quality spaces to the newly built environment whilst simultaneously being advantageous for the climate and biodiversity of the UK by managing, absorbing and controlling water surface run-off. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
