Leading accrediting body warns of high HSE conviction rates and ever-bigger fines facing those in construction sector CFTS — the UK accrediting body for Thorough Examinations (LOLER and PUWER) — is warning those in the construction sector that they face record fines should they be convicted following a prosecution brought
Moving and handling heavy or bulky objects on construction sites is needlessly harming the health of tens of thousands of workers every year. Working in construction is a physically demanding job and many construction workers’ health is suffering due to pain in muscles, bones, joints and nerves that affect every
Balfour Beatty today announces that it has partnered with the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) – a new and innovative Higher Education Institution that is revolutionising engineering degree education in the UK. Based in Hereford, NMITE has designed its curriculum to mirror real-world working environments with students
SIX students gave up time in their summer holidays to take part in an engineering sustainability challenge which has inspired them to pursue future employment opportunities. The aspiring engineers, all from West Cumbria and either at college or having just sat GCSEs, spent eight days on a project looking at
3t Energy Group, the global training powerhouse that provides the highest-impact learning solutions for safety-critical industries, has secured a contract with gas distribution firm, Wales & West Utilities. The seven-figure contract will run for three years and provide a complete workforce management solution for Wales & West’s 1,900 colleagues. It
The gap between leaving university and starting out in industry can seem a daunting one for many graduates. But for 23-year-old Josh Steadman, from Faversham in Kent, the process from a construction management degree to graduate trainee with Bellway was plain sailing. Josh, who is currently working on site at
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has agreed a new skills partnership with The Retrofit Academy with the aim of fast-tracking the careers of 230 local retrofitters as the region looks to ramp up the number of homes is it making more energy efficient. The new partnership follows the WMCA’s
CITB is piloting changes across a series of plant training standards and grants, implemented from 31 July to help standardise plant training and testing requirements across the construction industry. The first set of new standards have been developed in collaboration with industry working groups, made up of employers, providers, and
Engineering students at UTC Heathrow got the rare opportunity to tour an operational CyrusOne data centre, seeing for themselves the racks of servers used to store computer data (email, website, online transactions, etc) for some of the biggest companies in the world, along with the electrical and mechanical equipment needed
As the construction industry is responsible for 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, national practice GSSArchitecture is continually striving to help reduce these statistics and as part of a wider sustainability strategy, have appointed an in-house SKA Assessor. Eleanor Lee has been appointed as the SKA assessor for the
Leading accrediting body warns of high HSE conviction rates and ever-bigger fines facing those in construction sector CFTS — the UK accrediting body for Thorough Examinations (LOLER and PUWER) — is warning those in the construction sector that they face record fines should they be convicted following a prosecution brought by HSE. “The most recent statistics make sobering reading,” says Geoff Martin, Chairman of CFTS. “Construction is an exceptionally hazardous industry with a non-fatal injury rate of 59,000 per year – that’s 76% higher than the all-industry average. Even more disturbing is the fact that if you work in construction, the chances of you dying are four times the all-industry average. “In addition to the human cost, employers also face increasingly severe financial penalties and an exceptionally high probability of conviction.” As has been well-publicised, courts are now adopting a very robust approach towards offenders. Since the introduction of the Health and Safety Guidelines in 2016 the average fine has more than doubled, with judges handing out punishments intended to have a significant economic impact on the businesses concerned. Looking at the most recent figures, the average fine has increased from £107,000 in 2019/2020 to £145,000 in 2020/2021 — an increase of 35%. What’s more, 7 of the cases sentenced in 2020/2021 resulted in a fine of £1 million or more. ** “The chances of being found guilty have also increased,” continues Geoff Martin. “Recently released statistics reveal that if a case is brought by HSE, then the probability of conviction is significantly greater than for other criminal cases with 94% of those prosecuted being found guilty… compared with 83.6% for general convictions. “As a result, we are urging all employers in construction to review their health and safety procedures – and that starts with ensuring equipment is regularly inspected to certify it is safe and fit for purpose,” emphasises Mr Martin. “It makes complete financial sense, not just because of the risk of prosecution but because of the importance of protecting your investment in expensive plant. “That means carrying out routine pre-use checks and underpinning those with Thorough Examinations that cover both the lifting components (as required under LOLER regulations) but also the brakes, steering and other safety-related parts (covered by PUWER). “The incentives for employers to ensure they are fully compliant when it comes to safety have never been greater, with conviction a near certainty if an accident results in a prosecution. “CFTS can offer advice on what should be covered in a Thorough Examination to comply with HSE requirements and the intervals when it should be carried out.” For more information visit www.thoroughexamination.org * Health and Safety Executive Annual Report and Accounts 2022/23 ** https://dwfgroup.com/en/news-and-insights/insights/2022/1/hse-statistics-and-falling-prosecutions Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Moving and handling heavy or bulky objects on construction sites is needlessly harming the health of tens of thousands of workers every year. Working in construction is a physically demanding job and many construction workers’ health is suffering due to pain in muscles, bones, joints and nerves that affect every aspect of their lives and in many cases their ability to work and earn a living. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning construction workers that the long-term impact on their health can leave them struggling to stand, walk, or sit down. From 4 September 2023, HSE inspectors will be carrying out inspections of construction sites, focusing on the health risks of moving and handling materials on site. Supporting the inspections initiative is HSE’s communications campaign ‘Work Right Construction. Your health. Your future’ (LINK), to raise awareness of the risks when moving and handling materials on site and provide advice for employers and workers. Inspections in 2022 found widespread methods that can protect workers such as the use of mechanical equipment to handle large glazing panes, using small inexpensive air bags to help to position heavy doors when being installed, and the use of all-terrain pallet trucks to move blocks and brick-lifters to carry bricks around site. However, inspectors also found many examples of poor practice, some of which resulted in enforcement action, such as a worker lifting an 80kg kerb on his own without any assistance from machinery, lifting aids or colleagues, and a 110kg floor saw that had to be moved into and out of a work van by two operatives at a street works site. The law requires employers to control the risks of ill health of their workers, which includes pain in muscles, bones, joints and nerves that can develop over time, known as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). However, in the most recent period an estimated 42,000 people in the construction industry suffered from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder, which can cause years of agonising aches and pains. This amounts to 53% of all ill health in the construction sector. If moving and lifting is managed properly, a physical job on a building site should not disrupt every part of workers’ lives. Before work starts, moving and handling risks should be considered and prevented where possible at the design stage. Once on site, employers should talk to workers about controlling existing risks and make sure appropriate measures are in place, such as the right training, aids and equipment. Matt Birtles, principal ergonomist at HSE, said: “It is important that the issue of manual handling is not downplayed. Serious aches, pains and strains should not be accepted as routine when working in construction. These can dramatically affect every part of someone’s life – with sufferers struggling to get themselves dressed and undressed, and unable to pick up their children or grandchildren. “The culture of a site may mean many people feel uncomfortable talking about these issues but if your back has gone or if you’re in agony whenever you move your arms, measures need to be put in place to address the causes.” HSE’s Acting Head of Construction Division Mike Thomas said: “MSDs affect the lives of tens of thousands of construction workers and can lead to a lifetime of suffering. However, there are simple measures that can be taken to prevent this. “Everyone involved in construction has a role to play in keeping people safe and healthy. We want everyone in the industry, from designers to contractors and their workers, to be aware of the risks associated with any moving or lifting task and put appropriate measures in place. “The health of workers must be considered when planning construction work so that they can carry out their jobs without fear of injuring themselves or developing aches, pains and strains, including being provided with the correct equipment to lift and move materials safely.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Balfour Beatty today announces that it has partnered with the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) – a new and innovative Higher Education Institution that is revolutionising engineering degree education in the UK. Based in Hereford, NMITE has designed its curriculum to mirror real-world working environments with students engaged in projects to enhance their practical experience, arming them with critical skills and industry knowledge. With an innovative accelerated degree programme and more flexible entry requirements which includes no prerequisites of Maths or Physics at A-level – this is embedded within the curriculum and students are taught what they need to know – the forward-thinking institution opens the doors for a broader and more diverse range of students to pursue careers in engineering. Currently comprising 60 students, NMITE has ambitious plans to grow its student body to approximately 300 by 2027, having received vital funding from the UK Government in 2017. Through the partnership, Balfour Beatty will actively contribute to the NMITE curriculum, ensuring a seamless integration of industry expertise with academia. The collaboration will see the company provide industrial placements for students on some of Balfour Beatty’s most exciting and inspiring projects across the UK, as well as host seminars that provide technical insights into the construction and infrastructure industry. Paul Raby, Balfour Beatty Group HR Director said: “We are thrilled to join forces with NMITE and contribute to their ground-breaking approach to engineering education. By combining our industry expertise with NMITE’s innovative curriculum, we can empower the next generation of engineers to excel in practical skills and meet the evolving demands of the construction industry. “With this partnership, we can open doors for a diverse range of young people to enter the construction industry by catering to a variety of learning abilities that equips students with a well-rounded skillset.” James Newby, Chief Executive at NMITE, comments: “Our breakthrough, interdisciplinary model of higher education involves, at every stage, engagement with employer partners and work on real life projects. What better experience for our students to have than to hone their skills with a partner of the calibre of Balfour Beatty? Joining forces with this leading international group will be another fundamental part of shaping tomorrow’s engineers so that students leave NMITE not only work ready but as true game changers.” This latest partnership is a further example of Balfour Beatty’s commitment to attracting the next generation of talent, with 6.5% of the company’s UK workforce now made up of Apprentices, Graduates, Trainees and Sponsored Students as part of its membership of The 5% Club – a dynamic movement of employers committed to providing ‘Earn & Learn’ positions.
SIX students gave up time in their summer holidays to take part in an engineering sustainability challenge which has inspired them to pursue future employment opportunities. The aspiring engineers, all from West Cumbria and either at college or having just sat GCSEs, spent eight days on a project looking at ways of reducing carbon emissions at Sellafield Ltd’s Engineering Centre of Excellence at Cleator Moor. The summer sprint project was the first of its kind and was set up by Lorna Devine, Sellafield’s Engineering Development Solutions Lead, in collaboration with Lakes College and the Centre for Leadership Performance. For the project the students were given a £250,000 budget and asked to recommend the most effective ways to lower carbon emissions at the Engineering Centre of Excellence and contribute towards Sellafield Ltd’s long-term goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The students spent a week on the project at the Engineering Centre of Excellence, working with the Sellafield team and gaining personal development coaching from the Centre for Leadership Performance, followed by three days working on the project at Lakes College. The students researched and evaluated their solution options by focusing on three categories: At the end of their eight days of project work the students presented their findings to Engineering Centre of Excellence’s senior managers at a specially-arranged project outbrief event held at Lakes College on Wednesday (August 23). Those attending were presented with the following recommendations by the students to deliver to the brief most effectively and within budget: roof insulation; tinted/stained windows; double/triple glazing; wind energy; and signage with carbon reduction messaging. The students – Jackson Benn, from Moresby (who attended Lakes College); Dylan Penn from Cleator Moor (St Benedict’s); Dylan Stalker, from Egremont (Lakes College), Harley Berragan from Cleator Moor (West Lakes Academy); Aaron Currier, from Whitehaven (Lakes College); and Keegan Holliday from Workington (Workington Academy) – all explained how they had learned from the pilot summer sprint experience. As well as enhancing their technical skills, the students were asked what personal development they had gained from the project. They said it had improved their communication skills, ability to develop ideas, time management, ability to work independently, adapt to working in a new environment and with new people, learning from experienced engineers, improved their knowledge of what working on a project involves and enabled them to work as a team. Craig Branney, Sellafield Ltd’s Head of Off-Site Developments said the next step from the pilot project was to ensure there were career pathways into employment for those who took part and others in the area interested in pursuing engineering qualifications. Craig said: “This is our first summer sprint working with Lakes College and the Centre for Leadership Performance and it has been a really positive experience. What is crucial now is how we work together to make sure there are job opportunities for them in the supply chain. “We have given them their first taste of what an engineering career involves. For me now it’s vital we find out how we complete the loop and get them into employment. “This is only the start. What would be great is to develop this first summer pilot into a full six-week sprint project in future years involving several supply chain companies as well.” Lorna Devine said: “It’s been great to work with students who have all volunteered to be here. They are such a great mix with some looking to start on engineering degrees, others looking for an apprenticeship and they have all come together to work really well as a team and have been inspired about a career in engineering which is great.” Sharon Baillie, Lakes College Business Engagement Manager, said: “The students have shown fantastic commitment to take part in the sprint and develop their skills in their own time. This is going to stand them in good stead when they are looking for employment.” Sophie Reynolds, Centre for Leadership Performance’s Workplace Programmes Manager, said; “It was really interesting to see such a big change in the students from the start of the project to the presentation just ten days later. They have all come a massively long way.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
3t Energy Group, the global training powerhouse that provides the highest-impact learning solutions for safety-critical industries, has secured a contract with gas distribution firm, Wales & West Utilities. The seven-figure contract will run for three years and provide a complete workforce management solution for Wales & West’s 1,900 colleagues. It will leverage 3t’s capabilities across its industry-leading businesses including the UK’s number one energy training provider, AIS Survivex, leading utility training specialist, Utilities Construction Training (UCT) and software and technology firm, 3t Transform. Wales & West Utilities operates the gas distribution network for 2.5m homes and businesses and more than 7.5m people across Wales and South West England. It also provides the gas emergency service whilst investing £2 million a week to ensure communities receive a safe and reliable gas supply in those areas. Practical training in safety-critical areas will be delivered through AIS Survivex and UCT, and key contract partners. The training contract will also include 3t Transform’s cloud-based training management platform and digital learning technologies such as eLearning, with a view to incorporating more blended learning such as virtual reality and gamified learning in the future. These solutions will help digitise and streamline the management of training for Wales & West Utilities. Charlie Guthrie from 3t Energy Group said: “Winning this contract is fantastic news and represents a significant strategic step forward as our first truly integrated contract combining the expertise of AIS Survivex, UCT and 3t Transform. “AIS Survivex has more than a decade of experience delivering training for high-risk, compliance-led industries such as oil and gas and renewables and UCT is one of only a handful of providers to offer training across the entire utility sector and is unique in delivering apprenticeships to new utility industry entrants. 3t Transform is also market-leading having won a number of awards for its innovative workforce management software and digital learning solutions. Together we will focus carefully on providing a complete workforce development package with technology-driven solutions to ensure we maximise efficiencies for the team at Wales & West Utilities.” Rhiannon Williams from Wales & West Utilities said: “Following an extensive tender process, we are delighted to award our provision of training services contract to AIS Survivex. The Group demonstrated an in-depth understanding of our needs and offered flexible and innovative solutions which will help our workforce operate at the very highest levels of safety, competency, and efficiency.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The gap between leaving university and starting out in industry can seem a daunting one for many graduates. But for 23-year-old Josh Steadman, from Faversham in Kent, the process from a construction management degree to graduate trainee with Bellway was plain sailing. Josh, who is currently working on site at the Bellway at Rosewood development in Maidstone, joined the housebuilder’s Graduate Programme nine months ago straight after graduating from Leeds Beckett University. He had discovered the opportunity online while in his final year of study. He said: “It was a fairly simple transition from leaving university to being a Bellway graduate. I knew Bellway was a major employer in the industry, and after a friend of mine completed summer work experience and had a good experience, it made me want to choose Bellway.” During his degree, Josh learnt about the various aspects of what a career in construction management entails, from managing contracts to recognising the regulatory and economic environment the industry operates in.But it was only after getting his job at Bellway that he could apply his academic knowledge in the real world. He said: “In these nine months I have already learnt so much. My role requires me to manage projects and sub-contractors, order materials and enforce health and safety regulations on site. I really enjoy taking on this responsibility.” Josh has weekly catch-ups with his graduate mentor, Contracts Manager Mark Baldwin, who supports him with guidance about his job and his career progression. Although Josh has so far been based at solely at Rosewood, the scheme will give him the opportunity to rotate departments, gaining experience in commercial, technical, buying and more to get a better understanding on how the business as a whole functions. He said: “I feel like the scheme is well-rounded and I feel supported in my role. The team at Rosewood really appreciate my contribution, which is something that I feel particularly proud of.“One day I aspire to run a site on my own. I feel that the scheme makes this goal attainable and I feel grateful to Bellway for giving me this opportunity. “I would most definitely recommend the graduate scheme to friends and family and will always be thankful for Bellway for helping me start my career in the construction industry.” Bellway is part of the 5% club, a nationwide movement of employers committed to having five per cent of their workforce in ‘earn and learn’ positions, including apprentices and graduates on formal training programmes. Applications for Bellway’s 2023 graduate cohort has now closed, but for more information on other career opportunities with Bellway, visit https://www.bellwaycareers.co.uk/. Bellway is building a range of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes at Bellway at Rosewood, with more information available at https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway/bellway-at-rosewood. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has agreed a new skills partnership with The Retrofit Academy with the aim of fast-tracking the careers of 230 local retrofitters as the region looks to ramp up the number of homes is it making more energy efficient. The new partnership follows the WMCA’s successful bid for new Government funding, which will see a total of £34 million allocated from the Homes Upgrade Grant (HUG) and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). The funding, which will be matched by a further £35 million from registered social housing providers across the region, will see around 3,000 homes retrofitted with better insulation, new doors and windows, and greener heating systems. The WMCA’s Skills for Life Bootcamp offers funded flexible courses taking up to 16 weeks, to provide prospective retrofitters with sector-specific training on how to sustainably upgrade buildings in the form of level 3, 4 and 5 qualifications in domestic retrofit. Funding is available for those that live or work in the West Midlands to complete the following: The courses aim to address the retrofit skills gap posed by a rise in demand for energy efficiency measures following the allocation of the SHDF and HUG funding. They are available for a range of individuals, including locals currently employed by social housing providers or contractors, self-employed professionals, people currently out of work and those looking for a career change. The Skills for Life Bootcamps are designed to upskill people from both an industry and non-industry background to increase the number of professionals qualified to conduct retrofitting in the West Midlands. For self-employed professionals or those currently out of work, the partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority provides fully funded training and a resulting career change opportunity through The Skills for Life Bootcamps. David Pierpoint, Chief Executive at The Retrofit Academy commented: “It is great to be establishing a partnership with a forward-thinking region for training that directly supports with the decarbonisation of homes in the West Midlands. Working together with regions across the UK to train up a large workforce of qualified retrofitters is going to be key to fulfilling SHDF and HUG programmes and achieving the net zero goals. “In partnership with the WMCA, we can offer interested individuals across different regions in the UK with the opportunity to gain qualifications in retrofit, helping us reach those targets. This means the social housing providers, local authorities and contractors can have the best talent to support them delivering programmes across the region. For people in the West Midlands, it will also be providing people with skills to take up the new green job opportunities and equip them to improve homes for hundreds of residents in the region.” The news of the skills partnership comes following the announcement that The Retrofit Academy has enrolled its 5,000th learner to its training courses from across the country. Alongside this, those who complete the course will have access to the organisation’s new Careers Hub, designed to bring new talent and employers together. With its goal of training 200,000 retrofitters by the end of the decade well underway, the new additions to the workforce will lead the sustainable upgrade of UK homes. David continued: “The Skills for Life Bootcamps provide those taking part with the opportunity to gain vital industry knowledge from our trained professionals that they can apply to future retrofit projects throughout the West Midlands. As we continue to drive large-scale, high-quality retrofit, those who qualify will play a key role in leading the charge in the West Midlands.” For more information on the Skills Bootcamps, please click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CITB is piloting changes across a series of plant training standards and grants, implemented from 31 July to help standardise plant training and testing requirements across the construction industry. The first set of new standards have been developed in collaboration with industry working groups, made up of employers, providers, and federations. These new standards represent a real change in the way that plant training and testing is delivered, streamlining the system, and making grants more accessible. With plant operators in high demand, these changes will have a wide-reaching impact. They will ensure employers see a return on their investment by producing competent, work-ready plant operators, who have received training from experts, including learning on new technologies and the eco operation of plant. The first phase of the changes will see new standards introduced for the following: Alongside the new standards, the grant rates for plant training and tests will also be changed and improved. Currently, three smaller grants are available for practical test, theory test and short course training, which employers can apply in different ways. Under the new changes a single grant will be available for all CITB registered employers. A transition period is in place for two months, allowing employers to still receive grant for either the old or new standards while the process is embedded. After September, grants will only be available against the new requirements for the training and testing of the eight categories under review. To ensure grant eligibility, they will have to: Going forward, employers will need to provide their CITB registration number to an ATO, who will apply for the grant on their behalf. Any other plant training that is separate from the new standards will remain eligible for grant and employers can apply for this in the same way they currently do. A separate, higher “novice” grant rate will be available for employers who are putting staff through plant training, who have never had experience in the type of machinery they are being trained in. This is to help respond specifically to the industry’s need for more people to become highly skilled and competent plant operators. Peter Brown, PSRO Secretariat, said: “The Plant Sector Representative Organisation (PSRO) – consisting of seven major construction plant-user federations – was set up by employers and their representative bodies to drive consistency for operational standards and certification through card schemes. Through its competency framework, the PSRO recognises the importance of the introduction of these CITB training standards and their role in ensuring high-quality and consistency of learning, coupled with robust quality assurance processes, that is required for the skills and knowledge for the safe operation of plant. “The PSRO is pleased to have been given the opportunity to provide CITB with overarching delivery advice and guidance through its Technical Review Group and supports the use of the standards within the construction sector.” Tim Brownbridge, Academy Manager at BAM Nuttall Ltd., said: “Since early in 2022 I have been involved in a voluntary industry group developing the CITB Plant Training Standards. The various plant and activity categories have been reviewed and developed by specialists with both experience and expertise relevant to the training required. The groups have been representative of all stakeholders in the use of plant from employers to trainers, owners, and operators, and I believe the end result will be of great value to industry providing a current, balanced and robust standard for training. “I am confident our ongoing investment by industry stakeholders will be well received and the standards will define the required training and assessment requirements for many years to come.” Christopher Simpson, Head of Quality and Standards at CITB, said: “I’m delighted we have introduced these new standards, which will improve plant operations throughout England, Scotland, and Wales. These changes will help standardise and improve the quality and consistency of plant training; increase the amount of plant training that takes place before testing; and increase the number of people trained in plant operations, particularly new entrants to construction. “I’d like to thank everyone involved in the changes made, who are helping to make a real difference in this area. By responding to the changing needs of the sector, we continue to focus on our priority of supporting the construction industry to have a skilled, competent, and inclusive workforce now and in the future.”For further information, visit CITB’s Grants and Funding page. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Engineering students at UTC Heathrow got the rare opportunity to tour an operational CyrusOne data centre, seeing for themselves the racks of servers used to store computer data (email, website, online transactions, etc) for some of the biggest companies in the world, along with the electrical and mechanical equipment needed to support such important infrastructure. Shortly before school broke for the holidays, seven engineering students visited CyrusOne’s LON1 site based in Slough, where they met Jacob Dowsett, Regional Operations Director, and Steve Hayward, Vice President European Operations. Jacob was especially inspirational, telling the students about his unconventional path into his role: “What we are hoping to do is shed light on this industry and make the route for your generation more straight forward,” he said. The purpose of the tour was to support the learning these students have been doing on the data services industry as part of their Engineering BTEC course through the Digital Futures Programme. This programme, unique to UTC Heathrow, is designed to open opportunities for students to explore an array of careers within the data services industry, as well as equipping them for other technical careers. Although the programme has been running since 2021, this is the first time any of the students have visited a fully operational data centre. Having made sure that their clients were happy with the students being shown around, CyrusOne were delighted to offer the inaugural tour. CyrusOne’s Jacob Dowsett explained how vital it is for students to be able to see the workings of the data centre in person. “It’s so important for the students to be able to visualise these data centres and see for themselves. Obviously, it’s data sensitive, really high security, but without these experiences – showing the students what’s actually inside the data centre and what engineering roles there are, they’re not going to want to join the industry. They need to see things up and running and see themselves doing it.” On the day, students were shown a short presentation on what happened at the data centre (which the students were already pretty clued up on), before starting the ‘electrical tour’. Much to the students’ delight, this involved the big switch on of a power generator. It was big and loud – the boys loved it naturally! They were shown how it worked by an engineer – but it wasn’t a passive watch. Like all good school trips, the students were armed with a clipboard containing questions they were required to answer. This meant they were actively engaged, listening to the engineers and most importantly learning. The second part of the tour looked at the mechanical side – the cooling system. Data centre servers generate a lot of heat, so all require some kind of cooling mechanism, in this case an Adiabatic* cooling system. Kitted out with boots, hi-vis and lanyards, the students got to really visualise how a data centre works. They spoke to some of the engineers, asking intelligent questions about how the equipment works and what engineers at CyrusOne do – and what the earning potential is. Something that really gave the students food for thought was the company’s vision of a sustainable future and what they could do to be a part of that. CyrusOne’s Hanna Chegrouche, Marketing Coordinator said: “I think the younger generation need to feel valued in industry and feel like they’re part of a bigger impact. So while we were talking about the now of being an engineer, we were also talking about the headwinds that we face and how engineers have a big part to play. We looked at our new facility, LON6, through a VR headset experience and I think they were surprised – it looks so different to what you perceive a data centre to look like, with the biodiverse surrounding areas and timber framed interior, you won’t even think that was a data centre city at all.” For many of the students who were already considering a career in the sector after school, this tour made them even more determined! ALET Project Coordinator Candace Rose Kumi, who is based at UTC Heathrow said: “The advice given to students was fantastic, they left feeling inspired and wanting to know more about the industry. They gained a better understanding of electrical and mechanical equipment within a data centre as well as the future works.” One of the students, Lucas, went on: “This was a great opportunity and has helped me to decide that I would love to start a career in the data centre industry. Everyone was very enthusiastic and informative, and I am very grateful to the CyrusOne team for this experience.” Summing up, another of the visiting students, Yaseen, said: “I found the trip to be fascinating because of the orderliness of such a complex operation. Everything was so under control to the point where any issue they have is predictable and resolvable in seconds, if not minutes, and I found this to be an inspiration for how I should maximise efficiency in my day-to-day life. I was surprised to see how relaxed everyone was given that if the servers were to go down it would cost them thousands of pounds, but I think they are so organised that they never need to worry. They were very welcoming and willing to explain any questions we had and went out of their way to make it a great day for us.” . Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As the construction industry is responsible for 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, national practice GSSArchitecture is continually striving to help reduce these statistics and as part of a wider sustainability strategy, have appointed an in-house SKA Assessor. Eleanor Lee has been appointed as the SKA assessor for the Practice, having successfully completed her SKA training and assessment modules earlier this month. SKA assessments are a sustainable initiative focused on the refurbishment and remodelling of existing buildings, which is a crucial part of the sustainability strategy that GSS promote with their clients. The assessments themselves help building owners, landlords and tenants assess remodelling and refurbishment projects against a series of sustainability best practice criteria. As an organisation, GSS is committed to promoting the efficiencies and sustainable outcomes that can be achieved by reusing or repurposing existing built assets. The practice would like to see an increase the current 11% of UK construction spending on fitouts and refurbishments, rather than building new. GSS are involved in numerous fit-out and refurbishment projects across the country, and, because of the appointment of an in-house SKA Assessor, they can enhance their client offer by supporting sustainable assessments whilst also delivering effective designs. The SKA assessment has a strong focus on realistic steps to improve environmental impact, as well as health and wellbeing measures, and is a Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors initiative. Eleanor has already led the client and design team at Durham University through two schemes, successfully achieving a bronze and silver certification respectively. Jonathan Hunter, Partner at GSS, said, “We are proud to have Eleanor as part of our team and our clients are already benefitting from the skills she has gained from the SKA Assessment training. At GSS, we are proud to encourage and empower the next generation of designers to lead a more sustainable future and we are looking forward to seeing where else we can drive improvements in the sustainability of the construction industry.” Eleanor Lee said,“When 80% of buildings which will be occupied in 2050 already exist, it’s becoming increasingly important that we review and improve existing buildings. Having interacted with the SKA Assessment from the designer’s perspective, it’s inspiring to see an assessment methodology encourage realistic steps towards sustainability, in a way that works with designers, clients, and contractors alike. I’m really pleased to have had this opportunity and I’m excited to take this forward in future projects.” To find out more about GSSArchitecture, and their research and stance on sustainability and net zero, or to view their extensive range of projects in a variety of projects across the UK, please visit www.gssarchitecture.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
