Civil engineering costs are forecast to rise by around a quarter in the next five years, and tender prices by around a third, according to new analysis. The latest report from RICS’ Building Cost Information Service shows civil engineering costs rose by 1.4% in the third quarter of 2015 compared with the previous quarter, but remained unchanged compared with the same period last year. They are expected to fall over the year to Q3 2016, mainly as a result of falling oil prices. However, costs could rise sharply thereafter as oil bounces back, climbing by as much as 25 per cent over the next five years. New work infrastructure output is expected to remain virtually flat this year. By 2017, output is predicted to fall, with the cycle of some major projects having passed peak as opposed to a downturn in the market. Moderate growth returns in 2018, and will slow slightly in 2019, before rising quite sharply in 2020 due to increased investment in major road schemes and a build-up of HS2 construction, assuming the project goes ahead. Peter Rumble, head of forecasting for RICS’ BCIS division, said: “With civil engineering costs set to fall over the next year, a moderate increase in annual tender prices is expected in the year to the third quarter 2016. “Over the next three years, input cost increases are likely to be the key driver of tender prices but, over 2020, the final year of the forecast period, stronger output growth, in addition to upward pressure from input costs, is expected to lead to a greater gap between costs and tender prices. “Despite new infrastructure work output predicted to stall for the duration of 2016, the five-year forecast period remains significantly stronger than pre-2010 levels, which bodes well for the economy.”

National social enterprise and procurement consortium Fusion21 has won the ‘Driving Value for Money’ category in the first Cabinet Office Social Value Awards. The awards – which recognise and celebrate best practice in commissioning and providing social value – were announced at the third Social Value Summit, on Thursday February 11, in London. Shortlisted alongside Gloucestershire County Council and Data Performance Consultancy, Fusion21 was selected for demonstrating a clear focus on achieving social value within available budgets, backed up by evidence. Through a collaborative approach with its membership, Fusion21 has delivered c£125m savings through the procurement process, created over 2300 jobs, and generated around £56m in community impact across the country. In 2014 – 2015 alone Fusion21 generated £13,901,647 of social return on investment for members – in addition to £13,243,226 in efficiency savings. Commenting on the win, Dave Neilson, Chief Executive at Fusion21, said: “Fusion21 is committed to generating social value which supports the growth, stabilisation and development of communities – whilst also delivering intelligent procurement solutions and cost savings to our members. “Our approach to social value seeks to create maximum benefit for communities at a localised level, creating a range of positive outcomes – from job creation, to training and wider community regeneration. We are really proud to have been recognised for our contributions, and winning in such a strong category.” The Cabinet Office Social Value Awards honour organisations and individuals whose activity reflects recommendations made in the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012. Fusion21 has supported this Act since its introduction, and will continue to raise awareness of the importance of social value in procurement exercises, as a part of the SEUK Social Economy Alliance.

Rope Services Direct – How to use a Ratchet Strap from Dale Shaw on Vimeo. Securing loads safely is essential – regardless of whether you’re a small business owner simply transporting loads by van, or working with larger fleets of trucks or lorries. If loads aren’t anchored correctly, the results can be damage to items, vehicle accidents, injury and even death; all it takes is the need to break sharply or a tight turn to cause havoc. This video from Rope Services Direct runs through a step-by-step guide to using ratchet straps safely, and properly securing loads for transportation. As part of their advice, they add: “Be careful not to use your ratchet strap on sharp edges”, and they recommend either using protection/cover on the webbing or simply avoiding the edges altogether. This company are one of the UK’s leading suppliers of ratchet straps, wire ropes and other related products for industry – so take note of their professional advice!

Fernhill Stone, the professional stone cladding providers show you how to apply stone cladding to walls, so that you can do it yourself in a few easy steps. Learn something new and save money at the same time! Choose your stone cladding and ensure you have the correct materials for the installation process. The tools you need include; Hand grinder Hatchet Wide mouth nippers Pointing gun Metal stick Brush Mason’s trowel Hammer Spirit level Wheel barrow Wood/ metal strike tool Tuck pointer Electric mortar mixer You must also wear the following protective equipment for healthy and safety reasons; Steel toecap boots Hi visibility clothing Hard hat Work gloves Goggles The video now shows you the step by step process. Prepare the surface with water resistant barriers from the bottom up smoothly, making sure that upper layer laps lower at least four inches. Then apply the corrosion resistant metal lath using galvanized fasteners. It then shows you how to install the mortar to the walls and clean excess mortar from the edges. Don’t forget to clean the wall with detergent and water. For detailed information on how to apply stone cladding to walls take a look at this YouTube video: Visit Fernhill Stone for more information

Incidents within confined spaces all too frequently result in fatalities. Working within confined spaces is common in many industries, posing a real issue for managers and others responsible for health and safety in the workplace, prompting the launch of a new report from specialist training provider Develop Training Limited (DTL). The report highlights a chronic lack of awareness of the dangers of working in confined spaces, or even what constitutes a confined space. This means managers can expose workers to hazards without realising it or putting adequate safeguards in place, heightening the chances an accident will happen. Employers, managers and responsible persons may face prosecution if they put lives at risk through failure to comply with current regulations. A confined space is one which is either fully or partially enclosed, and has a foreseeable risk of fire, explosion or loss of consciousness or suffocation to the entrant. Accidents like this can occur in a range of industries including construction, manufacturing, utilities and marine work, and it is estimated that between 15 and 30 deaths occur in confined spaces accidents every year. The white paper Confined Spaces: Training and Compliance for Safe Working looks in detail at the topic, considering everything from the definition and the risks associated with them, to employers’ duties and training requirements as set out in UK legislation. It concludes that greater awareness of the problem and appropriate investment in training and procedures are overdue across UK industry. Chris Wood, CEO at DTL, explains: “Companies have a responsibility to protect those working in confined spaces, and training is essential to this. Our state-of-the-art confined spaces units train delegates on how to navigate the obstacles that arise from working in dark, cramped spaces, while providing procedural guidance to help reduce the risks of the work.” The introduction of new confined spaces legislation has made this type of training more important than ever – companies including TATA global beverages, Rolls-Royce Aerospace, BMW Mini and Northumbrian Water have already taken up training. To download a free copy of the whitepaper, please click here: http://tinyurl.com/zxdr38g DTL can provide specialist confined spaces training at any one of its five training bases nationwide, and can also deliver on-site solutions through its mobile confined space training unit, which is immensely popular with clients. Visit www.developtraining.co.uk for more information.

MODERN BUILDER is bringing an exciting new campaign to Ireland – giving architects, builders and the Irish construction industry in general a unique triple opportunity to win the recognition you deserve. Modern Builder(published by UB Media)are previous winners of prestigious International Green Apple Environment Awards, and they are now sponsoring the campaign to establish an Ireland-only sector. And it is free! The Modern Builder Green Apple Awards for the Built Environment (Ireland) are open to anyone in the construction industry across the whole of Ireland. If you have any projects that benefit the built environment, we want to hear about them – and we will reward the best ones. There are three chances of Irish glory, as you can win Gold, Silver or Bronze awards. But your chance of success does not end there! Your projects will also be entered into the International Green Apple Awards, where more Gold, Silver and Bronze trophies are waiting to be won. And if you are one of the highest scorers, you could be chosen to represent your country in the European Business Awards for the Environment, as the Green Apple Awards is one of the few accredited campaigns that acts as an automatic feeder scheme into this Brussels-led initiative. If you go to Green Apple Awards at www.thegreenorganisation.info you will find a category to suit you – or you might prefer simply to submit photos to be considered in the Beautiful Buildings section. Every organisation is entitled to submit a free entry before February 28 (online, by post or email) and you can compete in more than one category if you choose to pay the Additional Entry Fee of £100 + VAT for each. Full details can be found on the website and the Green Apple Awards were initially launched in 1994 by The Green Organisation – an international, independent, non-political, non-activist, non-profit environment group, dedicated to recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice around the world. The entry form tells you what the judges are looking for and it gives you a wide selection of categories to enter. All winners will be invited to collect their trophies at a glittering presentation ceremony in Ireland, and further ceremonies will be held in London and Europe for companies who go on to further achievement at those levels. Speaking at the launch of the Modern Builder Green Apple Awards, Jasen Uprichard (Partner) said: “We are devoted to helping the Irish construction industry, and by creating an Ireland-only sector within one of the world’s leading environment awards schemes, we are giving everyone the chance to showcase their favourite projects and top achievements. “We know the value of winning a Green Apple Award and we want our readers to enjoy the publicity, increased awareness and greater business opportunities that go hand-in-hand with success at this level. “We wish them all the very best of luck.”

A campaign promoting the use of NICEIC and ELECSA registered contractors reached a record amount of people. The Stay Safe at Christmas campaign, launched during the festive period last year, warned about the additional electrical dangers that can arise at Christmas time and urged householders to call an NICEIC or ELECSA registered electrician if they had any concerns. The campaign featured on regional TV and radio. It also appeared in national and local newspapers across the UK, making it the most successful campaign by NICEIC and ELECSA to promote electrical contractors yet. In total, the campaign reached a potential audience of 55 million people. “Research carried out last year showed us that the NICEIC brand is the most recognised in the industry amongst consumers,” said Paul Collins, communications manager at Certsure, which operates the NICEIC and ELECSA brands. “It was important for us to build on this and to keep promoting the use of NICEIC and ELECSA registered contractors to homeowners. “This was the largest and most integrated campaign we have ever carried out, focussing not only on traditional media outlets, but social media also.” The Stay Safe at Christmas campaign launched with a series of radio interviews carried out by resident expert Tony Cable and DIY SOS Star Billy Byrne. The duo appeared on 57 national, regional and commercial radio stations – reaching in excess of 36 million potential listeners. A second radio day saw Darren Staniforth carry out 11 interviews on BBC regional radio stations – reaching another 1.3 million listeners. In addition, the story appeared on ITV Granada’s primetime news programme as well as being featured in the Daily Mirror and Daily Star. “Certsure is committed to promoting the use of its contractors to more and more people,” added Paul. “NICEIC and ELECSA registrants now carry out over 89% of all Part P jobs in England and Wales. That is an astonishing figure and one we are very proud of. “We know that these two brands win contractors more work and we will continue to promote our contractors and the benefits of using an NICEIC or ELECSA registered electrician to both specifiers and consumers.”

The focus on home maintenance and improvement is continuing apace, according to TrustMark, the Government-endorsed scheme for tradespeople, which has announced that it has recorded another bumper year of helping homeowners. More than 8.1 million search results were provided to homeowners who used TrustMark’s website and telephone helpline to find local firms and expert tradespeople to carry out their home improvements and repairs – an increase of 12% compared to the same period in 2014 and up 55% since 2013. Searches for interior designers, bedroom and kitchen specialists saw the biggest rises last year and have been among the most sought-after trades out of the 38 licensed trades offered by TrustMark. TrustMark is the only Government-backed quality scheme that covers all trades to do work in and around the home, from aerial installers to flood recovery specialists. Carpenters and joiners, followed closely by painters and decorators, have also seen increasing demand, indicating a continuing trend to improve rather than move. There was a 29% increase in search results provided for TrustMark-registered electricians, a 21% increase for plumbers and heating engineers, and similar demands for handymen. Search results provided for carpet and upholstery cleaners leapt by 58% in 2015. Following the major storms at the start of 2014, TrustMark-registered roofers and tree surgeons saw their busiest months during January and February. Unsurprisingly, homeowners began to focus on their gardens when the weather recovered, with fence installers (up 19%), garden landscapers (up 15%) and drive and patio contractors all seeing a significant increase on their searches during the spring and summer. Simon Ayers, chief executive of TrustMark, said, “Homeowners are increasingly understanding the importance of only using professional firms to do their home improvements and repair work, particularly at a time when people are concerned about their finances. TrustMark provides homeowners with extra security, the reassurances they are looking for and the confidence that they are working with tradespeople who are the best in the business. “We continue to work closely with our approved scheme operators and TrustMark-registered firms, as well as with influential consumer organisations such as Age UK, Citizens Advice and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. Together we are all signposting the public to TrustMark. By providing advice and a free list of reputable firms, we can guide people through finding the right tradespeople for jobs in their homes and be a trusted avenue for support as and when needed.” All TrustMark firms work to Government-endorsed standards and are uniquely checked for three cornerstones of quality – their trading practices, customer service and their technical competence. TrustMark continues to expand its database of over 13,000 individual firms in the UK, providing national coverage with more than 21,000 licenced trades searchable on its database. For further information and to stay up-to-date with developments at TrustMark, visit www.trustmark.org.uk