GLOBAL leader in sustainability solutions, SLR Consulting, has provided a wide range of its extensive services to Eren Holding for the £1bn transformation of Shotton Mill Limited. SLR is providing a substantial suite of its long line of services, including planning and EIA teams, GIS, ecology, hydrology, transport, landscape, air quality,
Nottingham based construction management consultancy, Cube, is celebrating its five-year milestone with the launch of its new construction management software, Milestone. November 2024 marked a milestone in more ways than one for construction management consultants, Cube, as it celebrated a significant business anniversary and unveiled its latest project, Milestone, on
Leading property and construction consultancy CHPK Group has launched a new Façade Design service offer that responds to industry demand for an independent, all-encompassing service supported by chartered fire engineers. Developed to further support building owners, architects and contractors, the new service is headed by Chouaib Lekmiti, director of external wall
Leading decentralised energy consultancy HermeticaBlack have appointed Jason Robinson as Strategic Director for Real Estate and Regeneration. Aligning with HermeticaBlack’s industry leadership in the investment, development and asset management of energy and infrastructure, Jason will boost the company’s real estate practice in embedding net zero into development planning and delivery. Jason
LEADING engineering consultancy Rodgers Leask has brought its multi-disciplinary offering to the Cotswold Canals Connected project, playing an important part in helping restore the ‘missing mile’ of the Stroudwater Navigation. This ambitious award-winning restoration is the largest, and most complex National Heritage Lottery Funded project in the South-West. Driven by Cotswold
Duncan Scott has been appointed to the Board of Directors at chapmanbdsp, a leading provider of building services and environmental consultancy. Duncan joined the firm in 2002 as an intermediate mechanical engineer. Since then, he has gained a vast amount of experience over more than twenty years. He has an
A North Wales-based engineering, environmental, and planning consultancy’s expertise is a catalyst for an increased workload and subsequent recruitment drive. Caulmert, which has offices in St Asaph, Bangor, Altrincham, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Kent, is providing a vast array of services in a variety of sectors across the UK as it
Geotechnical and geoenvironmental ground investigation services company Structural Soils will carry out site investigation work as part of a feasibility project supporting the Future Circular Collider study at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. CERN’s Large Hadron Collider has a circumference of 27 km. The Future Circular Collider is
GLOBAL leader in sustainability solutions, SLR Consulting, has provided a wide range of its extensive services to Eren Holding for the £1bn transformation of Shotton Mill Limited. SLR is providing a substantial suite of its long line of services, including planning and EIA teams, GIS, ecology, hydrology, transport, landscape, air quality, noise and vibration, sustainable waste management, permitting, safety advisory and process engineering. The consultancy was the first to be appointed to the project after being initially contacted by Eren Holding back in March of 2020, tasked with identifying sites that would be suitable for a UK paper manufacturing facility. After scoping out numerous locations, SLR then facilitated an introduction to the previous owners of the chosen site and acted as a trusted advisor during the sale, before providing various due diligence and looking at the potential environmental impact of the site. The planning in particular required an innovative approach, with SLR splitting the planning into separate applications so the project itself could be delivered at the pace to meet necessary deadlines. Paul Wright, EU regional sector leader, industry & technology at SLR and the project delivery director, said: “The Shotton Mill project is not only a clear indication of how SLR can act as trusted advisors for the entire duration of a project, but also the wide range of services we have available. “The brief itself started off with finding suitable locations for the paper mill, but this quickly grew into a substantial service offering, with Shotton Mill Limited enjoying an ‘all under one roof’ type service. Working in this way allows our clients to enjoy an integrated service and great value for money. “With sustainability at the heart of what we do, this project also aligns perfectly with us as a business as the facility will significantly improve recycling levels in the UK. Previously, the UK has exported significant quantities of our recovered fibre, but Shotton Mill will enable the UK to change that and drastically reduce exports of recovered fibre and imports of finished products in the process creating value in the UK.” Dan Johnson, general manager at Shotton Mill, said: “SLR has provided great support for the duration of this project. The consultancy has helped us navigate the planning and permitting processes related to this development with great skill and efficiency given the scale and complexity of this brownfield redevelopment.” Formerly used to produce newsprint paper employing more than 500 people in the 1990s, the facility will now be turned into one of the UK’s largest containerboard and tissue production facilities – with an aim to start operating in 2025. The project itself is considered to be a significant infrastructure project in the UK and the first phase, once completed will create approximately 400 jobs and produce up to 750,000 tonnes of containerboard and 67,000 tonnes of tissue annually. For more information on SLR Consulting, visit slrconsulting.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Nottingham based construction management consultancy, Cube, is celebrating its five-year milestone with the launch of its new construction management software, Milestone. November 2024 marked a milestone in more ways than one for construction management consultants, Cube, as it celebrated a significant business anniversary and unveiled its latest project, Milestone, on its mission to build best practice into every element of construction. The past five years has seen construction experts Nicola Slater and Mark Johnston, MCIOB, NECReg working with some of the biggest names in the construction industry. Combining their 60+ years in the sector, the entrepreneurial duo has helped regional and tier 1 contractors complete significant projects on time, protect margins, reduce client frustrations and mitigate project risk. Now, they have captured their extensive, hands-on construction expertise into a construction management software platform, Milestone, designed for construction professionals by construction experts. Milestone, Cube’s Building Safety Act compatible construction management software, is a real time, digital solution which helps contractors manage every stage of a construction project from award, through design to project delivery, completion and aftercare. Co-founder and construction consultant, Nicola Slater shares: “From a standing start, with no clients and little industry recognition of how construction management consultancy could help make a difference to the successful outcome of construction projects, we set up Cube. “Fast forward five years and we’ve captured our expertise into Milestone, a robust digital tool to help construction managers maximise their efficiency in managing projects and meeting targets.” The simple to use software includes all the tools construction managers need to reduce risk, ensure consistent work and allocate processes and projects to team members. Through a real-time online dashboard, Milestone gives instant access to project information for the whole team whether on-site or off, enabling issues or remediation actions to be proactively managed. Initially they set out to provide business development support, process improvement reviews, construction expertise and training and mentoring services to the building and construction sector. And, while much of this is still part of what they do today, the pair have learned to evolve and adapt as new opportunities presented themselves. Milestone being the latest in a string of construction management projects. Another proud moment for Cube, in 2021, it became a Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Chartered Construction Management Consultancy, further demonstrating to clients and partners its ongoing commitment to the principles and values of best practice, ethical standards and professionalism. Co-founder and construction consultant, Mark Johnston, Vice Chair of the CIOB Nottingham Hub adds: “Having got the business off the ground from a standing start and weathered the storm of a global pandemic, we found ourselves working with some of the biggest names in the construction industry, providing construction management consultancy on projects such as the regeneration of an enclosure at London Zoo and a listed building at a historic university campus”. “More recently, The Building Safety Act (BSA) has become a significant focus for us. Holding multi-disciplinary workshops in London and Nottingham has embedded us firmly in the discussion about where the industry is heading in terms of competency and best practice. We’ve incorporated that into Milestone software so it is a practical tool to help firms meet their obligations under the Act, demonstrate competency and provide a digital ‘Golden Thread’ of project information.” For more details on Cube’s construction management consultancy and software, Milestone, visit: https://www.cube-cc.co.uk/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading property and construction consultancy CHPK Group has launched a new Façade Design service offer that responds to industry demand for an independent, all-encompassing service supported by chartered fire engineers. Developed to further support building owners, architects and contractors, the new service is headed by Chouaib Lekmiti, director of external wall and façade, and the wider CHPK Fire Engineering experienced team of chartered fire engineers and structural fire engineers, including façade designers and specialist structural façade engineers with the added benefit of academic architectural training backgrounds. The team provides comprehensive design solutions for remediation projects and new builds. It covers all cladding systems and is designed to prioritise safety, aesthetics and structural integrity simultaneously. With safety, a top priority and key driver for the launch of the new service, fire safety and risk mitigation strategies are integrated into the design process from the outset to ensure compliance with local regulations and international standards. The service provides a holistic, full-service approach across the complete lifecycle of buildings. This, alongside the latest technologies available, not only provides consistency with a single point of contact from start to completion but also streamlines and speeds up the project process. With new projects underway for Telford Homes and others, the team has been brought in to design façades on remediation projects. They use their extensive knowledge and skill to ensure the building retains its original design and style whilst replacing unapproved insulation and building products with approved materials. Chouaib Lekmiti said, “This service is a direct response to the urgent need for independent, accredited fire engineering advice to deliver fire safety compliance in façade design. Alongside the obvious safety and structural demands, we also know that façades play an important role in placemaking and must support quality architecture, design, and sustainability. With our new Façade Design service, we aim to offer comprehensive design solutions that meet all these priorities. “Working with architects, developers, and building owners on commercial high-rise buildings, residential complexes, and institutional buildings, we are excited about the opportunities to safeguard and optimise projects that this new service presents.” By fostering open dialogue and cooperation, the team works closely with clients, utilising other CHPK Group services to become a single solution. For more information about CHPK Group’s Façade Design service, please visit www.fire-engineer.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading decentralised energy consultancy HermeticaBlack have appointed Jason Robinson as Strategic Director for Real Estate and Regeneration. Aligning with HermeticaBlack’s industry leadership in the investment, development and asset management of energy and infrastructure, Jason will boost the company’s real estate practice in embedding net zero into development planning and delivery. Jason joins HermeticaBlack from his role as Director of Special Projects at London’s largest new regeneration scheme at Old Oak Common. While at Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), he led the commercialisation and preparation for delivery of a new district heating network that will capture low carbon heating from data centres. The project has recently been named as one of the Government’s six new UK heat network zones and HermeticaBlack are key advisers. Across a successful career in the property sector, Jason has played an intrinsic role in leading large urban regeneration projects, including the successful environmental and social legacies of two Olympic Games – most recently the trailblazing regeneration scheme in Stratford that accompanied London 2012. He has also led the delivery of major regeneration projects in Australia and the Middle East. He will use this expertise to support HermeticaBlack’s clients across the real estate and infrastructure sectors, in embedding decarbonisation into their development and asset management strategies. His work will allow them to translate broad net zero objectives into effective and practical development approaches, whilst navigating their implications on project strategy and delivery. Jason’s appointment comes alongside a period of expansion for HermeticaBlack as they support increased decarbonised energy activity in the real estate and investment markets, and respond to the growth of higher standards in sustainable investment and adoption of net zero policy. Chris Holmes, Managing Director at HermeticaBlack said of Jason’s appointment: “We’re thrilled to have someone with Jason’s expertise, commitment and background delivering world-class urban developments join the HermeticaBlack team. “Jason’s passion for high quality urban design alongside decarbonising the property industry aligns with HermeticaBlack’s leading position in developing and delivering energy efficient projects, and we’re looking forward to seeing him bring his considerable skillset to bear.” Jason Robinson, Strategic Director for Real Estate and Regeneration at HermeticaBlack said: “It’s fantastic to be joining HermeticaBlack, whose commitment to decarbonisation in the real estate sector and more widely, aligns with my own dedication to high quality regeneration and delivering social and environmental value alongside the economic. “With the new UK Government coming in full of ambition for the low carbon energy and housing sectors, it’s clear the future of real estate and regeneration is to bring high quality development in line with net zero and social aims from the very outset – something I saw first-hand at OPDC. “For me, HermeticaBlack is the ideal organisation at which to progress this ethos and exercise my expertise in originating, planning and delivering large-scale regeneration. Exciting times lie ahead and I look forward to leveraging my expertise to help our industry solve our net zero challenges.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
LEADING engineering consultancy Rodgers Leask has brought its multi-disciplinary offering to the Cotswold Canals Connected project, playing an important part in helping restore the ‘missing mile’ of the Stroudwater Navigation. This ambitious award-winning restoration is the largest, and most complex National Heritage Lottery Funded project in the South-West. Driven by Cotswold Canals Connected, a partnership led by Stroud District Council and Cotswold Canals Trust, it aims to re-establish a section of canal that was filled in during the creation of the M5 motorway in the 1960s Led from their Bristol office, Rodgers Leask’s civil, structural and geo-environmental engineering teams bring a multi-disciplinary approach to the project, in which they are working closely with the charity’s project delivery team to meet the challenging technical, budgetary and delivery demands of the scheme. The team is designing a replacement aqueduct that will allow the canal to cross over Oldbury Brook once again. The work involves developing an initial concept for the aqueduct and adjoining John Robinson Lock and detailing key components such as a triple pipe culvert arrangement and protective cover slab. Retaining walls have been designed using modular bag units to fulfil the design brief for a sturdy but simple solution that will allow the charity volunteers to actively participate in construction. By simplifying material choices, the engineering consultancy has been able to keep construction costs low while ensuring the project meets the high standards that it sets itself and end users of the canal would expect. Dave Bathurst, regional director for Rodgers Leask in Bristol, said: “The solutions being developed are a blend of technicality and practicality, which wouldn’t be possible without determined coordination and collaboration with Cotswold Canal Connected and enthusiasm for design excellence within our team. At the heart of this project is a sense of social value that will be returned to an impressive but long forgotten connection to our industrial past. Once restored the canal will take on a new, but no less important purpose, as an amenity for local people. Trading its initial use for transporting coal and other important goods, for one that will facilitate leisure and tourism. “For Rodgers Leask, this project represents another successful example of our growing portfolio of canals and waterways projects that also includes recent involvement in the restoration of Chesterfield Canal.” The `Missing Mile’ is a key part of the second phase of the Cotswold Canals Connected project. It promises numerous benefits for the region including the creation of a new community-led wildlife corridor with conservation and biodiversity projects. In addition to these environmental advantages, the restored canal is expected to become a vibrant tourist destination, celebrating the area’s rich industrial heritage and boosting the local economy. Chris Mitford-Slade, project manager at Cotswold Canals Connected, said: “The restoration of this section of the canal is an exciting step forward for both the local community and the environment. It will create a space that blends heritage and habitat for the benefit of all.” The Cotswold Canals Connected project is enabled by the work of the charity Cotswold Canals Trust. For further information, membership enquiries and volunteering opportunities, visit https://cotswoldcanals.org/ For more information on Rodgers Leask, visit https://rodgersleask.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Duncan Scott has been appointed to the Board of Directors at chapmanbdsp, a leading provider of building services and environmental consultancy. Duncan joined the firm in 2002 as an intermediate mechanical engineer. Since then, he has gained a vast amount of experience over more than twenty years. He has an extensive background in workplace strategy, guiding occupiers in sectors such as legal, financial and tech in terms of real estate strategy and building design. As well as maintaining exemplary client relationships, his successful track record of strategic leadership makes him a valuable addition to the company’s culture and future growth in both existing and emerging markets. He will also continue to look at process-driven efficiencies, underpinning this with chapmanbdsp’s commitment to sustainable practices, as well as supporting colleagues to reach their full potential in delivering world-class projects. Commenting on Duncan’s appointment, chapmanbdsp Chief Executive Ray Upjohn, says, “With a dedicated tenure of over twenty years at chapmanbdsp, Duncan has made a significant and growing impact on our organisation’s success. This promotion to the Board of Directors is testament to Duncan’s outstanding contributions and exceptional leadership over the years.” Duncan Scott adds, “I am delighted to be part of this Board, especially during such an exciting period of growth for the business. Maintaining a strong, client-centred approach has always been a priority, as well as fostering an environment where our people have every opportunity to succeed.” Duncan Scott’s appointment, effective immediately, strengthens the Board’s depth and range of experience, positioning chapmanbdsp for continued success and resilience in a challenging and competitive market. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A North Wales-based engineering, environmental, and planning consultancy’s expertise is a catalyst for an increased workload and subsequent recruitment drive. Caulmert, which has offices in St Asaph, Bangor, Altrincham, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Kent, is providing a vast array of services in a variety of sectors across the UK as it marks 15 years in business. The 50-strong workforce is lending its knowledge and skillset in activities including civil engineering, geotechnical, structural, planning, project management, compliance and permitting, and land assessments. As part of its bid to double turnover to more than £8m in the next five years, Caulmert is undertaking activity on numerous schemes, including for Morgan Sindall Infrastructure as part of Merseyrail’s desire to improve several train stations. Under the Access for All initiative, the consultancy has completed detailed designs, with work including installing lifts and creating improved access staircases, raised walkways, footbridges, and associated retaining walls. Activity at St Michaels and Hunts Cross has already been completed with Rock Ferry, Aigburth, and Sandhills currently underway. Design work at ENGIE’s Dinorwig Power Station involves proposals for a new drainage system in the main inlet valve is also ongoing, whilst Caulmert’s team of planning experts are combining on the Bala Lake Railway Trust’s idea to extend the line into the town centre. Supporting the Manx government’s challenge to uncover a strategy for the disposal of 3,000 tones of sediment that settles in a harbour each year, as well as providing structural and geotechnical support on the Vale of York Motorway Services Area, have also been projects of note. Amongst Caulmert’s clients are the National Trust, Tiger Tim, Alun Griffiths Contractors, Ellis Williams Architects, Deeside Power (UK) Ltd, C2 Construction Ltd, Cartrefi Conwy, Plastecowood, and KDM Group. The workload has also led to a double-digit number of job opportunities throughout the consultancy as Caulmert bids to strengthen its talented team. Founder and managing director Mike Caulfield said: “Our expertise is evident to all employees, but it is only when you take a step back and look at the variety of projects and sectors in which we work that you appreciate the scope. “We have a hugely talented workforce which continues to evolve and grow to meet the demands of each and every scheme we have the pleasure of being a part of. “The future looks to be a bright one. Businesses have had to navigate a difficult landscape in recent years, so to be positive about the coming weeks, months, and years is wonderful. “We’ve set impressive progression plans around turnover and further strengthening our team of experts.” Helping to shape the future of Caulmert, which has acquired Sheffield-based Crowley Associates, is a new-look board that features business development manager Ffrancon Williams and director of planning Susan Crowley. Founded in 2009, Caulmert is on track to meet an ambitious growth and development plan. Its expertise in a variety of engineering, environmental, planning, and project management disciplines is supported by its use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to a level two standard on many of its projects. For more information visit www.caulmert.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Geotechnical and geoenvironmental ground investigation services company Structural Soils will carry out site investigation work as part of a feasibility project supporting the Future Circular Collider study at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. CERN’s Large Hadron Collider has a circumference of 27 km. The Future Circular Collider is expected to be 91km – more than three times the size of the current Large Hadron Collider. The work at CERN, which was established in 1954, aims to “uncover what the universe is made of and how it works”. CERN, the world’s biggest particle physics laboratory, does this by providing a unique range of particle accelerator facilities to researchers to advance the boundaries of human knowledge. Remaining at the forefront of scientific excellence and reinforcing European leadership in particle physics, an international collaboration is conducting a feasibility study for the Future Circular Collider (FCC), a proposed next-generation collider for the post-LHC era. This study, mandated by the update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics, explores the potential of the FCC to push the boundaries of high-energy physics. Structural Soils, an RSK Group company, has been tasked with carrying out site investigations for CERN in France in the Haute-Savoie area, south of Geneva, Switzerland. The work will examine the geology of the area with the enhanced level detail required to support the goals of the feasibility study. Structural Soils Director Mike Williams said: “The site investigation will examine critical areas to reduce any uncertainty surrounding the geological conditions. The emphasis for our team is to review and quantify potential construction risks. This includes a focus on identifying suitable, consistent tunnelling strata, investigating potential high water pressures in the strata and ascertaining the levels of natural gas in the ground. “The Structural Soils team is incredibly excited about the opportunity to contribute its ground investigation skills to such a globally important and prestigious project. We are collaborating with two companies as part of a joint venture to deliver this work for CERN: Smart Seismic Solutions (S3), a French geophysics company, and Geotec SPA, an Italian firm specialising in deep drilling. Together, we form the consortium known as SGS3.” The project began in late September and will run for six months on-site, with associated lab testing, monitoring and reporting being carried out over a further six-month period. Mike said: “Our work involves a wide range of ground investigation techniques, including project management of a large-scale site investigation, in-situ testing, geological logging and sampling, geophysical surveys, and laboratory testing – all conducted by our expert team at Structural Soils. As the lead contractor within the consortium, we are also coordinating the efforts of our partners to ensure the project runs smoothly. “Our work will be crucial in terms of reducing the construction risk for underground works, but also the environmental aspects. It will be important for Structural Soils to work with the larger team to confirm the ground conditions to aid with the design of the best tunnel footprint alignment to advance further studies at CERN. We are committed to performing this work with minimal disruption to the local population and in strict compliance with environmental standards. Drawing on our previous experience with similar projects and working closely with local and regional stakeholders, we ensure that all activities are conducted responsibly and sustainably, with safety and environmental care as top priorities. “As part of this process, we will be producing a realistic geological underground model along with a geological profile for every location. This will hopefully provide a template for future main site investigations and our work will support plans for future civil engineering underground works. This will all contribute to the input required for the next European Strategy Update for Particle Physics in 2026/2027.” Mike said that additional RSK companies will support the project, with CAN assisting with the supply of equipment, RSK Acoustics carrying out noise/vibration monitoring, Central Alliance tasked with mobilisation planning, Drilling Supplies providing consumables and RSK France giving health and safety support. CERN France ground investigation facts: Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
