Ibstock Brick has been shortlisted for two prestigious industry awards which recognise its world-class apprenticeship programme. The leading brick manufacturer, part of Ibstock plc, has been named as a finalist in the Apprenticeship Employer of the Year category at the Personnel Today Awards as well as the Best Apprenticeship Programme
The construction industry is one of the busiest in the world and that is certainly true within the USA. Indeed, the US construction industry is thought to be worth over $1 billion in annual expenditure. With the sector employing over 10 million workers and US construction firms spending more than
Visqueen has appointed Georgia Oxbrough as Business Development Manager (BDM) for the North of England and Scotland. Georgia’s promotion is the latest step in a blossoming six-year career with the gas protection and structural waterproofing specialist. It began straight from school when she applied, successfully, for an NVQ apprenticeship in
Further expansion signalled with appointment of well-known name Pat McGillycuddy. Glencar, an expanding construction company specialising in the industrial, logistics and distribution sectors has today announced the appointment of Pat McGillycuddy as Chairman. Pat McGillycuddy, a well-known name in the UK/European logistics real estate industry joins at the start of
GRAHAM is pleased to announce the official opening of a new construction training hub at its Tilbury2 site at the Port of Tilbury. The Thurrock Hub has been created in partnership with the South Essex Construction Training Academy (SECTA) for the CITB Construction Skills Fund project, led by Southend-on-Sea Borough
Willmott Dixon has created a unique programme to help the construction industry tackle its skills shortages by setting up the first of what it hopes will be a series of academies within prison environments that help former offenders find jobs on their release Willmott Dixon Building Lives Drylining Academy has
The future of the construction industry will be on show at an event next week when the hard work of some of most skilled and talented apprentices from across the region will be recognised at an awards ceremony. The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group’s inaugural awards ceremony will take place on 20
Deemed to be a national crisis by some industry experts and costing the UK economy £1.5 billion a year according to a report published in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the shortages of workers in STEM sectors are a significant point of concern. But could improving and developing STEM apprenticeships
Two new appointments have taken place at Mace as they brought from JLL two senior directors to strengthen its cost consultancy business. The new Project Directors, Darren Boyaram and Stuart Mudd, will help develop and expand Mace’s service offering. Darren brings 15 years experience in property and quantity surveying to
The world’s most widely used green building rating system, LEED, is getting updated to improve building performance and to integrate the latest reference standards. The current LEED rating system, which is LEED v4, was launched at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Philadelphia on November 20, 2013. Over the
Ibstock Brick has been shortlisted for two prestigious industry awards which recognise its world-class apprenticeship programme. The leading brick manufacturer, part of Ibstock plc, has been named as a finalist in the Apprenticeship Employer of the Year category at the Personnel Today Awards as well as the Best Apprenticeship Programme at the Training Journal Awards. Ibstock Brick offers two engineering apprenticeship programmes, both four years in duration; Advanced Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Electrical Engineering. There are currently 35 apprentices within the business, ranging from 16 to 25 years old. The main objective of its apprenticeship programme is to build on its skills base by nurturing a new generation of highly qualified employees – who will bring new skills, energy, ideas and enthusiasm to the business. Such has been the success of Ibstock Brick’s apprenticeship programme, it is being rolled out to include Ibstock plc’s Concrete division. Paula Wardle, Group Learning & Development Manager at Ibstock plc, commented: “We are delighted that our apprenticeship programme has been shortlisted for these two prestigious industry awards. It recognises the investment we have made in developing a comprehensive programme focussed on delivering world-class engineering skills and knowledge. “Our apprenticeship scheme contributes to our goal of growing the business by investing in people – from the start of their careers – and helping them achieve their potential. It also ensures that we create a pool of engineering and technical specialists who will help drive forward innovation and manufacturing excellence. We believe this approach makes an important contribution to delivering excellence in the way we operate. It is only by nurturing our future talent that we will have people with the technical expertise and skills to manufacture our products for years to come.”https://www.ibstockplc.co.uk/careers/apprenticeship-schemes
The construction industry is one of the busiest in the world and that is certainly true within the USA. Indeed, the US construction industry is thought to be worth over $1 billion in annual expenditure. With the sector employing over 10 million workers and US construction firms spending more than $10 trillion annually on goods, it is clear how important this sector is to the whole economy. Of course, the construction industry itself is only able to play this important role due to the many contractors it uses. Past figures from the US Bureau of Labour showed independent contractors make up 6.9% of total employment across the country and construction certainly sees its fair share. Why do contractors play such a major role within construction? With the number of contractors active in construction, it is obvious how important they are in facilitating its smooth operation and in getting projects completed on-time. But just why have contractors become so powerful? It is because of the flexible access to specialist skills that they offer. A construction company may have won a project to build a housing development but lack the skills required to complete key elements, such as installing next-gen acoustic solutions or specialist drainage work. Rather than missing out on the project or doing a poor job, construction companies use independent contractors to do the work. Of course, independent contractors also help companies to save money. By allowing them to only hire the particular skills they need for a set time, a lot of money is saved on employing permanent staff who may only be needed a few times each year. This combination is what gives contractors a lot of power within the whole industry. After all, without them, a lot of projects would not be able to be completed and a lot of construction companies would not be able to stay operational. Tips for independent construction contractors If you are a contractor in this sector, then it is always wise to get a few tips on how to become even more successful. A great idea is to use an umbrella company. They effectively act as your employer rather than the actual client that has contracted your services. Why is this a good move? In short, it sees the umbrella company handle your payroll, sort out any tax deductions each month and produce a payslip. They will also submit timesheets for you, handle any admin queries concerning payments and generally make this side of your business less hassle. For more details on umbrella companies, Crystal Umbrella information about umbrella companies is worth looking at. Network, network, network Another great tip for any construction contractor is to always be networking. While this can sometimes seem hard to do when busy with projects, even chatting with other companies on-site can lead to new opportunities. If you do get time, networking online via sites like LinkedIn is also a good way to forge new partnerships in the construction sector. Keep gaining new skills and equipment As you will be aware, construction is an ever-changing industry with new skills required constantly. A great tip to have more success as a contractor is to always be learning new skills so you and your team can offer more to potential clients. As well as this, it is also worth keeping your equipment up to date, so you are not left behind by competitors when tendering for jobs. Keep an eye on the law As well as new skills being in demand all the time, the US Government is prone to making law changes to building regulations at times. To make sure you are fully compliant on any job you take, ensure you are always working in accordance with the latest legal advice. If you do not then you may be kicked off a job or even be sued if you build something wrongly which then causes an accident. Umbrella companies can help partly here as they will always be working to the latest laws around your tax requirements. This means you do not have to worry about keeping up with those! For the rest though, you must make sure you pick up on any current regs to comply with. Contractors hold the power To get an idea of how much power contractors hold within the construction industry, you only have to imagine there not being any. It would leave a huge skills gap in the industry and have a big impact on the ability big construction firms have to operate. This leaves working as an independent contractor in construction as a great career choice and one that will always be in demand.
Visqueen has appointed Georgia Oxbrough as Business Development Manager (BDM) for the North of England and Scotland. Georgia’s promotion is the latest step in a blossoming six-year career with the gas protection and structural waterproofing specialist. It began straight from school when she applied, successfully, for an NVQ apprenticeship in business and administration. Since then Georgia has risen through the ranks from Key Accounts Support & Development Executive to Senior Specification Support & Development Executive, then Construction team leader looking after a team of 10 people. As a BDM, she will have a more external role, with duties including building close relationships with merchant customers, distributors and end-users to increase awareness and ensure the message gets across that it pays to invest in quality solutions and products. “There are tremendous opportunities for growth in the sector,” she said. “I have already gained experience working with customers in the North in a previous role, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to build on that with a broader remit covering Scotland.” Laura Guy, National Sales Manager for Visqueen, said: “As a company, we are committed to investing in our people as well as in the development of our range of market leading products. “That includes creating a pathway for talented employees such as Georgia, who joined as an apprentice and whose hard work has been recognised with her appointment as BDM for the North and Scotland.” Visqueen is the market leader in the manufacture and supply of structural waterproofing and gas protection systems. Visqueen offers complete support at every stage in the specification process and supply chain. This includes a comprehensive range of advanced products, a dedicated technical support team of specialists – offering specification, design advice and a best in class level of customer service. With a team of highly trained and experienced technical experts offering the highest level of support to our customers, including, architects and specifiers, contractors and merchants – all of Visqueen’s technical team have been awarded the CSSW award (certified surveyor of structural waterproofing), a nationally recognised professional qualification – aiming to promote excellence within the industry, improving consumer confidence and encourage professional development.
Further expansion signalled with appointment of well-known name Pat McGillycuddy. Glencar, an expanding construction company specialising in the industrial, logistics and distribution sectors has today announced the appointment of Pat McGillycuddy as Chairman. Pat McGillycuddy, a well-known name in the UK/European logistics real estate industry joins at the start of July following over 30 years at the helm of leading European Logistics developer Gazeley. At Glencar, Pat will work together closely with co-founders Edward McGillycuddy and Chris Gleave to spearhead the company’s further expansion and reinforce the customer service ethos that was the basis of many successful programmatic partnerships in his previous roles. Speaking about his appointment, Pat McGillycuddy said: “Glencar has traded successfully for three years and is growing at a steady rate. Eddie and Chris have an outstanding pedigree in the management and delivery of large-scale industrial developments throughout the past twelve years. Over the past three years they have grown Glencar’s capability steadily on several industrial projects. We are very firmly committed to a strong customer service ethos as the basis for building strong partnerships with our customers and supply chains. We believe that this enables better service and ensures the same consistent level of quality and service is delivered right across our operations. I look forward to developing upon that further and supporting Glencar’s continuing expansion”. Glencar Managing Director, Eddie McGillycuddy also went on to say “From years of construction industry experience, we knew there was a better way to do things and that’s what we have set out to achieve with Glencar. Our clients, partners and suppliers tell us they are feeling the benefits of our proactive and diligent approach and we will work hard to continue to build and improve on the excellent standards which we have already set ourselves. We look forward to welcoming Pat into the business and benefitting from his years of knowledge and abundant experience.”
GRAHAM is pleased to announce the official opening of a new construction training hub at its Tilbury2 site at the Port of Tilbury. The Thurrock Hub has been created in partnership with the South Essex Construction Training Academy (SECTA) for the CITB Construction Skills Fund project, led by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. The official opening ceremony of the new hub was held at the Tilbury2 site on Tuesday 25th June. Representatives were in attendance from Port of Tilbury, Essex County Council, Thurrock and Tilbury Council, while GRAHAM also welcomed the Mayor of Thurrock, Terry Piccolo. Hyla Grimwade, SECTA Project Manager commented: “SECTA is pleased to be working in partnership with leading UK contractor GRAHAM. GRAHAM has kindly agreed to host the Thurrock hub for this CITB Construction Skills Fund project. The hub allows people to have first-hand experience of visiting a live construction site and will host training as part of the SECTA project. Clients using the hub have already felt the difference from a normal classroom compared to this hub as it allows them to relate their learning to a real-world experience.” Tilbury2, situated on the north bank of the River Thames, is a nationally significant infrastructure project involving the delivery of a new multi-million pound port terminal. The site will host and facilitate training as part of SECTA, which has been developed to support 650 people from the south Essex region into the construction industry. Students at the Thurrock Hub will receive ongoing training on a live constitution site, with support from qualified construction professionals to provide an improved learning experience that brings the subject to life. The CITB Construction Skills Fund supports the development of onsite training hubs. It has been set up to help train people who are looking to make a career change into the construction industry as well as others not currently in employment. The fund’s objective is to increase the number of people trained in construction skills to create a workforce to meet the needs of the sector. Thomas Craven, GRAHAM’s Tilbury2 Contracts Manager, said: “We’re thrilled to be playing host to this new construction training hub at Tilbury2 and look forward to working with the new trainees over the duration of the project. “At GRAHAM we understand the importance of skills development in our industry and the need to provide high quality training to fill the growing demand for workers in construction and bridge the employment skills gap. “By providing hands-on teaching and exposing trainees to this huge, live port construction site, we will offer the best environment possible for them to learn the trade and gain the skills needed to make them employment and site ready at the end of their training.” Peter Ward, Commercial Director, Port of Tilbury said: “It’s great to partner with SECTA and GRAHAM on this construction academy. Training and skills development is a key part of our business and it is only fitting that as part of the construction of our new port, Tilbury2, that this plays a major role in the project. The Construction Academy will ensure that people are skilled for not only the T2 project but for future work opportunities which help our local and wider economies. Tilbury2 is a significant project for our business, our customers and the local communities and we look forward to it being operational next year.” When operational in Spring 2020, Tilbury2 will be the UK’s largest unaccompanied freight ferry port, the country’s biggest construction processing hub and will see the creation of a new significantly larger rail head which can accommodate the longest freight trains of 775m. GRAHAM is delivering both the Terrestrial and Marine packages of work and is currently underway with works including Roll-On/Roll-Off (RoRo), highway works, the relocation of the existing railhead, and a fixed structural steel bridge to the linkspan. SECTA is supporting businesses and residents across south Essex, with hubs in Southend and Basildon as well as Thurrock. For details about SECTA visit www.sectatraining.co.uk or call 01702 212856.
Willmott Dixon has created a unique programme to help the construction industry tackle its skills shortages by setting up the first of what it hopes will be a series of academies within prison environments that help former offenders find jobs on their release Willmott Dixon Building Lives Drylining Academy has teamed up with HMP Elmley to provide offenders with drylining skills and a CSCS card to help them move straight into employment when back in the community. It comes after the CITB’s annual Construction Skills Network report recently predicted approximately 168,500 jobs will be created in construction over the next five years to meet demand. The launch was made possible after Willmott Dixon and its supply chain converted a warehouse inside the prison into a drylining academy facility. They have also equipped prison officers with accredited skills necessary to deliver six week long in-house courses for prison residents, a sustainable and replicable training model believed to be a UK first. The academy aims to upskill over 100 HMP Elmley residents each year so they are ‘job ready’ on release and ready to find careers in construction. Willmott Dixon’s supply chain partners and local job agencies are part of the process to help them find work, which is important as it is estimated that only 17% of former offenders quickly get work on release, with re-offending more likely for those who are unemployed. This is the third Building Lives Academy launched by Willmott Dixon within the last 12 months. Its academies in Croydon and Kingston, based adjacent to construction projects being delivered in these two London boroughs, have already equipped over 150 young unemployed people with key construction skills. Candidates who attend at Croydon and Kingston get a Level 1 Certificate in Construction Operations, Level 1 Certificate in Health and Safety at Work, plus a CSCS card. Afterwards, candidates are supported to apply for work with Willmott Dixon, supply chain partners or other construction opportunities advertised by a local employment service. The academies are part of Willmott Dixon’s ‘purpose beyond profit’ ethos to play an active role in strengthening the well-being of society through the contribution of its people. Last year, four out of five Willmott Dixon people undertook a community-related project as part of the company’s volunteering policy. Willmott Dixon’s regional head of legacy, Richard Pickett, said: “It’s a logical step to tap into the potential of people who are in prison but keen to find a sustainable and rewarding job on release. Our industry needs to constantly think of imaginative new ideas if we are to attract the people we need and this is a very replicable model that’s easy to migrate to other UK prisons.” Andy Davy, HMP Elmley deputy governor, said: “HMP Elmley and the Reducing ReOffending team are excited to be working in partnership with Willmott Dixon. Being able to better prepare our residents with the appropriate skills to transition straight into employment upon release is a priority for the Prison. Employment is a definite contributor to the reduction in offending behaviour and helps to build stronger family stability.”
The future of the construction industry will be on show at an event next week when the hard work of some of most skilled and talented apprentices from across the region will be recognised at an awards ceremony. The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group’s inaugural awards ceremony will take place on 20 June at the Village Hotel, Swansea to support and recognise the achievements of new entrants, apprentices and future talent within the construction industry in the South Wales region. The awards ceremony, which will be hosted by Swansea legend Kev Johns and includes a three-course meal, is also part of an overall objective to promote the construction industry’s image and showcase the benefits of considering the construction industry as a career path, and what skills individuals can gain from this profession. The evening will see awards presented to nominated apprentices from member companies of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group, including: ASW Property Services; John Weaver; Cyfle Building Skills; Hale Construction; Craftsman Flooring and V&C (SW). There will also be awards for the Best Overall Apprentice and Best New Apprentice. The awards ceremony is sponsored by AB Glass, Peter Lynn & Partners and Barry Training Services. Anthony Thomas, chairman of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards, said: “The construction industry is often overlooked by young adults about to leave school who are considering what career path they want to embark on. The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards will allow us to not only reward the hard working and dedicated apprentices who work for our members but will also allow us to spread the word and positivity about the opportunities available to other young individuals who are weighing up their options. “We look forward to celebrating the achievements of the nominated apprentices during the ceremony and hope that we continue to do so every year going forward.” Gemma Mineur, training officer at NPT Group, said: “It is a pleasure to organise the first Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards to showcase the achievements of local people beginning one of many career paths available in the construction industry.” Alan Brayley, managing director of AB Glass, comments: “We are thrilled to be supporting the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards and all those who have been recognised for their achievements in the construction industry. Encouraging new entrants and young people into this sector is incredibly important to the future of the construction industry, as it welcomes new talent and helps to build upon the unique skills and confidence of young people to the benefit of the sector in Wales. These awards will showcase the many opportunities and fulfilling career paths the industry can offer. We look forward to meeting the rising stars of construction in Wales at the awards ceremony.” Darren Lewis, partner and commercial property solicitor at Peter Lynn & Partners, comments: “We work with a wide range of businesses in the construction sector from individual tradespeople to multi-million-pound property developers, and we are proud to support this excellent event which recognises excellence within the sector.” Sean Boyle, director of Barry Training Services, said: “We are very pleased to be able to sponsor this event, which recognises the valuable role in which apprenticeships offer to the workplace and given the number of construction related courses we offer to this industry, we can see the value in developing these skills for the future.” During the evening, there will also be an auction and raffle to raise money for local charity Hands Up for Downs. This support group brings families, parents, carers and children with Down Syndrome together to share advice and support, and as a group ensure that children living with Down Syndrome are given access to services they need. Sam Fisher, a founding member and trustee of Hands Up for Downs, said: “At Hands up for Downs, our main mission is to bring together families with children who have Down Syndrome across the Swansea Bay area, ensuring they are united and supported, promoting inclusion and raising awareness so that our children can flourish.” “We are extremely appreciative of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group for choosing our charity to raise funds for during the evening and would like to thank everyone who donates in advance. These funds will go towards continuing to provide support for our members and their families, ensuring children with Down Syndrome are given access to the services they need to ensure they reach their full potential.”
Deemed to be a national crisis by some industry experts and costing the UK economy £1.5 billion a year according to a report published in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the shortages of workers in STEM sectors are a significant point of concern. But could improving and developing STEM apprenticeships be the solution? Apprenticeships are rocketing as a recruitment option for most UK industries. But perhaps due to their focus on offering hands-on and practical learning processes, apprenticeship programmes are ideally suited to STEM — science, technology, engineering, and maths — sectors. Alongside engineering firm, Houghton International, which specialises in high voltage coil, we’ll explore the statistics behind this nationwide problem and look at how employers, organisations and the government can boost STEM apprenticeship enrolments and reduce the pressure on these industries’ workforces. The scale of the STEM skills gap So just how problematic is the STEM skills gap at present — and how much worse could it become in the future if not remedied? According to a response by the Royal Academy of Engineering, more than half of engineering companies say they have had problems recruiting the experienced engineers they need. This demand for skilled and experienced engineers is set to increase considerably over the next three to five years — 90% of engineering, science and hi-tech businesses expect this to be the case. But what is causing this gap? STEM businesses suffer greatly from an aging workforce. As skilled and experienced engineers retire, it is increasing vacancies across thousands of engineering roles. Putting a more exact figure on this is EngineeringUK, which — through detailed analysis — has determined that there are annually 29,000 too few workers with level 3 skills and an even greater shortage of more qualified engineers — 40,000 of those with level 4 and above skills. With a skills shortage already evident, businesses have another worry to consider — Brexit. As uncertainty remains, the UK’s exit from the European Union could create an even bigger headache for those in STEM sectors. A key action point for businesses hoping to close the STEM gap is to encourage more diversity. At present, under 10% of the engineering workforce is female, while those from minority ethnic backgrounds make up just 6% of the workforce. STEM companies have roles to fill — so could apprenticeships be the answer? Apprenticeships in the UK In the past, you left school and got a job. Nowadays, students have a wealth of opportunities to choose from, whether it’s A-levels, BTECs or apprenticeships — and the latter is growing in popularity. In the 2016-2017 academic year, 491,300 people started an apprenticeship, with almost a quarter of those under the age of 19. Each month, an average of 23,000 apprenticeship opportunities are listed on the government’s Find an Apprenticeship site, while organisations — such as WISE, which campaigns for gender balance in science, technology and engineering — are continually driving initiatives to help grow the number of apprentices in these sectors. However, a report by Financial Times makes for more negative reading. Between May and July 2017, parliamentary statistics show that only 43,600 people began an apprenticeship, which is a 61% reduction from the 113,000 that started in the same period in 2016. This has been largely accredited to an apprenticeship levy that was introduced in April 2017, which every employer with a pay bill of more than £3 million a year must adhere to if they want to employ apprentices. But has this affected the level of apprentices specifically in the engineering and related sectors? Apparently not. In 2016/17, 112,000 people started a STEM apprenticeship — up from 95,000 in 2012/13. This growth is impressive and may be a sign that STEM employers are taking on board the warning that they must be creative with their recruitment processes. Rod Kenyon, former director of the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network, once said: “The traditional recruitment pool is diminishing at the same time as work-based learning routes are facing increasing competition from alternative post-16-year-old provision. Employers wishing to attract quality applicants in sufficient numbers to meet their skills requirements have to look beyond their traditional sources.” But are STEM employers simply not focusing on demographics that could significantly reduce their skills gaps? Overall, women account for 50% of all apprentices in the UK. However, for STEM apprenticeships, they make up just 8%. STEM employers are overlooking a great talent pool if they don’t concentrate on encouraging women into their companies. According to WISE, 5,080 women achieved a Core-STEM apprenticeship in 2016/2017, while 62,060 men accomplished the same in the same period. What makes this statistic even more concerning is that, according to an Apprenticeships in England report published by the House of Commons Library, 54% of overall apprenticeships starts were women in 2016/2017. Evidently, women are opting for apprenticeships in different fields, which means that STEM industries are missing out on thousands of potential workers if they don’t try to make their apprenticeship programmes as attractive to women apprentices as they clearly are to men. How to improve STEM apprenticeships and reduce the skills gap The government has an aim of achieving three million apprenticeship starts by 2020 — so does this mean we can expect more initiatives that encourage programmes like these in all sectors, including engineering? Possibly, but more work must be done to hit this lofty figure. Apprenticeships in STEM industries must be advocated and discussed in schools in order to instil a sense of enthusiasm from a younger age. Career advisors should make it clearer to kids that a university degree is not the only avenue to success and that the same level of fulfilment and opportunity is available with STEM apprenticeship programmes. Perhaps this means a stronger relationship between STEM firms and educational establishments, which can grant more opportunities for schoolchildren to get first-hand experience of how these companies work in practice prior to having to make an official decision. Already, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) offers around
Two new appointments have taken place at Mace as they brought from JLL two senior directors to strengthen its cost consultancy business. The new Project Directors, Darren Boyaram and Stuart Mudd, will help develop and expand Mace’s service offering. Darren brings 15 years experience in property and quantity surveying to the role, working across the entire development lifecycle, in both the public and private sector. Underpinned by his wider sector experience, Darren specialises in providing cost advice for education, commercial new build and commercial refurbishment projects. He will be helping Mace Cost Consultancy to grow these areas of the business and build on an already impressive portfolio of schemes, including 100 Liverpool Street and the Old Admiralty Building in Westminster. Stuart will help to drive wider business development, while also taking on a more focused brief, drawing on 20 years’ experience at firms including JLL, Gleeds and Franklin + Andrews. He specialises in cost advice for mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) projects and, before joining Mace, was leading an MEP cost team across a number of heavy engineering and datacentre schemes. “These appointments are fundamental to the growth of Mace Cost Consultancy. Not only do Darren and Stuart bring specialist insight, their 35 years of combined sector experience and knowledge adds to our unique, integrated cross-disciplinary service, and will be invaluable as the team continues to develop. It’s exciting to have two people who have hit the ground running and are already making a difference to the business through their ideas and unlocking new opportunities,” commented on the appointments Steven Mason, Managing Director of Mace Cost Consultancy.
The world’s most widely used green building rating system, LEED, is getting updated to improve building performance and to integrate the latest reference standards. The current LEED rating system, which is LEED v4, was launched at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Philadelphia on November 20, 2013. Over the last years, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) was working on the LEED rating system to integrate the lessons learned from the green building projects. With LEED v4.1, the green building projects will be able to make a bigger contribution to reducing the global climate change, improve building performance, as well as expanding activities that positively impact human health and well-being. On March 2018, registration for the beta version of the LEED Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M) rating system was launched. As of January 2019, the registration is open for the LEED Building Design + Construction (LEED BD+C) and the LEED Interior Design + Construction (LEED ID+C) LEED v4.1 beta rating systems. The beta versions will be available throughout 2019 and with the feedback received from the green building projects that pursue LEED v4.1, the updated rating system will be launched after public commenting and the approval phase. People that are planning to take LEED exams are also curious about this change and want to know when the LEED credentialing exams will be effected with this change. The LEED credentialing exams like LEED Green Associate or LEED AP BD+C, will be untouched throughout the 2019 and continue to be based on LEED v4. Once the beta rating system launches on 2020, the U.S. Green Building Council will start updating the LEED exams to reflect the LEED v4.1 with a prior notice. Even though the exact dates are not yet announced by USGBC, the LEED exams will be based on the LEED 4.1 version by the end of June 2020. The current beta rating systems are not yet finalized and will definitely see some revisions. With those revisions, the USGBC will start updating the LEED reference guides which will include the finalized v4.1 rating system. At that point, the LEED credentialing exams will be updated with a prior notice. USGBC will allow for a specific period of time for test-takers to take the LEED v4 exam as they had started their studies while the LEED v4.1 was still in beta. During this time frame, LEED exam prep providers (like us) will also be able to update their LEED courses, LEED practice tests, and study guides. What’s New in LEED v4.1? First of all, LEED v4.1 is not a full version change, rather it is a critical update to reflect the lessons learned from the LEED v4 rating systems. For LEED BD+C projects, there are some revisions on credit requirements to streamline the certification process, and credits like Low-Emitting Materials, Daylight, Rainwater, and Heat Island Reduction are more impacted with this change. The credits that were tested through the LEED Pilot Credit Library are expected to become actual credits in the newer rating system. The performance thresholds of some credits have been updated to be more straightforward. Additionally, with LEED v4.1, the international projects will have easier time achieveing the LEED certification as it will contain more options on complying with the project’s local standards. From the beta version we can also say that not all of the prerequisites and credits are impacted with this change. Approximately one-third of all the LEED BD+C prerequisites and credits are expected to stay as is. In summary, with these revions we can say that LEED v4.1 will be more performance based and is more focused on implementation. LEEDUCATE Inc. | LEED Exam Prep Provider
