‘Most Considerate Company 2015’ awarded to:  A-one+ Area 12; Devon Medical Turnkey Solutions; T. A. D. Builders; and Yarlington Property Management.      The Considerate Constructors Scheme – the national scheme established by the construction industry to improve its image – has awarded the top accolade of ‘Most Considerate Company 2015’ to four companies at the National Company Awards 2015. Award winners faced stiff competition with only the highest performing companies receiving an award this year; 20 Gold, 29 Silver and 46 Bronze Awards were presented. From the Gold Award winners, a shortlist was produced of the very highest performers and four companies received the top accolade of Most Considerate Company while seven other companies that were considered for this award were presented with the title of Most Considerate Company Runner-up. The awards recognise companies that have registered with the Scheme and have demonstrated exceptional and ongoing commitment to considerate construction and an appreciation of the impact of their work on the community, the environment and their workforce. For the first time ‘value bands’ were introduced to enable companies to be assessed based on their turnover; >£10m; £3.5m-£10m; £250k-£3.5m; <£250k. A-one+ Area 12 (>£10m), Devon Medical Turnkey Solutions (<£250k), T. A. D. Builders (£3.5m-£10m), and Yarlington Property Management (£250k-£3.5m) each received this ‘best of the best’ Most Considerate Company 2015 Award, for their outstanding achievements in exceeding the requirements of the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice. A-one+ Area 12 provide construction services to Highways England across East Midlands, Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and the North East. The company are trailblazers in safety, and were praised by the Scheme for their award-wining ‘No Strikes Safety Training Initiative’ to prevent HGV collisions with motorway maintenance vehicles, which has been replicated throughout the construction and road haulage industries. Clevedon-based Devon Medical Turnkey Solutions specialises in the construction and refurbishment of vital medical imaging facilities. The Scheme was particularly impressed with the professionalism and commitment to best practice, with systems and procedures more typically associated with the larger enterprise. T.A.D. Builders Ltd, based in Carmarthenshire, specialises in construction and maintenance contracts for local authorities and housing associations. The Scheme was particularly pleased with their level of community involvement, including meals-on-wheels to local residents and in hosting charity dinners – the proceeds from which have been used to build a new mill and a maternity ward in Uganda. From its base in Yeovil, Somerset, Yarlington Property Management provides a repair and management service for a leading housing provider. The Scheme praised the company’s truly people-orientated approach which is firmly committed to serving its community and workforce – an exceptional example of construction at its most considerate. Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy commented: “The Scheme is delighted to recognise the great achievements that the 2015 National Company Award winners have made. Over 600 companies register with the Scheme every year and this year’s competition to win an award was tougher than ever – with companies increasing their standards and performance to the next level. With such high demand for construction activity across the UK, it’s paramount that the industry works collaboratively and continues to raise standards.” Click here to find out each of the winners: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Runner-Up to the Most Considerate Company Award. Go to Twitter @CCScheme #ccsawards and the Scheme’s LinkedIn company page to see more from the awards ceremonies.  

A workshop at the Open Urban Day on 14th October – part of the 13th European Week of Regions and Cities, held from 12th-15th October in Brussels – discussed and promoted the benefits of incorporating green infrastructure in city planning. The workshop, entitled ‘Green Infrastructure – revitalizes cities and boosts sustainable territorial development’, was attended by over one hundred practitioners, experts and city representatives from across Europe, together with EU parliamentarians and EC commissioners. Neil Huck, Technical Director of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), spoke on behalf of the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) in his role as ELCA Vice President. He used his knowledge and experience of the UK’s approach to incorporating green infrastructure in urban planning to inform and illustrate his presentation. Addressing delegates at the KBC conference centre in the regenerated former industrial Canal Area of Brussels, Neil Huck explained that ELCA represents some 80,000 small and medium sized businesses operating in the landscape gardening sector across Europe. The sector currently generates an annual turnover of Euros 30 billion. ELCA has 23 European national associations as members, including BALI (representing the UK), and a further five partner associations from outside of Europe. It works tirelessly to ensure that EU legislation affecting the natural environment in which its member companies in the landscape gardening sector operate, is well thought through, practical and can be readily implemented. Continuing with the theme of the workshop, Neil Huck said that despite UN predictions that urban populations are likely to increase by 75 per cent by 2050, urban green spaces remain a relatively low priority for political decision makers. He argued that ‘green cities’ can only be considered truly ‘green’ if, in addition to incorporating ‘green’ technologies such as solar cells and electric cars, they offer a high percentage of accessible green space in the form of parks, sports grounds, playgrounds and leisure facilities to mitigate the effects of CO2 emissions and climate change. These green spaces will also benefit the health and wellbeing of those people living and working in cities and encourage flora and fauna to establish and thrive. As cities become more densely populated and green spaces are lost to the built environment, CO2 emissions are causing extreme weather events. Long, hot, dry periods of weather negatively affect those people who work and live in cities and they drain global energy resources. Heavy rainfall, storms and, in some parts of Europe, hurricanes, cause urban flooding. This can present a danger to life and damage urban economies. Neil Huck argued that investment in the construction, development and maintenance of quality urban green spaces will pay dividends by reducing particulate pollution, combating the urban heat island effect, reducing damage caused by flooding, improving climatic conditions in buildings, and improving air quality. With the case argued for incorporating green infrastructure in cities, Neil Huck asked politicians, when they are considering sustainable job creation and the ‘green economy’, to include the many landscape gardening businesses across Europe that create and maintain urban green spaces. An investment of Euro 1 billion in green infrastructure would, he argued, deliver 13,000-15,000 landscape gardening jobs and this should be considered alongside the contribution of businesses delivering low carbon technologies. Neil Huck then cited the European Commission’s recent midterm revision of its biodiversity strategy, which indicated that more work needs to be done to reach its 2020 targets. He said that ELCA strongly supported the strategy and that increasing the amount of green space in cities would make a major contribution to helping the Commission reach those targets. He also expressed ELCA’s commitment to contribute to European policy making by communicating the benefits of green infrastructure to decision makers at a European and national level at every opportunity. Through its ‘Green City’ initiative, established in 2002, ELCA has been instrumental in demonstrating how living conditions in cities can be improved by the inclusion of more public and private green space. Individual countries have subsequently adopted the initiative under their own titles. In bringing his presentation to a close, Neil Huck invited countries not currently signed up to the ‘Green City’ initiative to join and strengthen the cause for more green spaces in cities across Europe and the world.

NASC Member Interserve Industrial Services Ltd have received the prestigious ‘Sword of Honour’ from the British Safety Council – for the second time – for safe working practices in the industrial services sector. Interserve was one of 61 organisations worldwide recently achieving the coveted accolade “for demonstrating excellence in the management of health and safety risks at work.” In order to compete for the ‘Sword of Honour’ an organisation first has to achieve the maximum five stars in the British Safety Council’s health and safety management audit scheme (in the period August 2014 – July 2015). In addition, they have to demonstrate to an independent panel of experts that they are “excellent in their health and safety management” throughout the entire business. Guy Bruce,Managing Directorfor Interserve Infrastructure and Industrial said: “Health and safety is our number one priority at Interserve and we drive continuous improvement through dedicated campaigns to change attitudes towards safety. This however has to be underpinned by strong and robust safety management systems. “To receive the prestigious ‘Sword of Honour’ award for the second year in a row shows that this approach is at the heart of our business. It is testament to the dedication of our teams, as well as to our continued commitment to enhancing our safety culture across Interserve.” Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, said: “Our warmest congratulations to 61 of our member organisations who have been awarded the ‘Sword of Honour.’ These awards recognise and celebrate the excellence of the winning organisations and their employees in managing health, safety and environmental risks. “All of the Sword and Globe winning organisations share a commitment and resolve to achieving the highest standards of health, safety and/or environmental management. We are delighted that they are partners in helping achieve our vision that no one should be injured or made ill at work.” Robin James, NASC Managing Director added: “Prestigious awards like this perfectly promote and demonstrate how the NASC’s high safety standards and constantly evolving safety and technical guidance are incorporated into our members’ businesses and daily operations – helping to make a potentially hazardous working environment as safe as possible. Well done to Interserve for this fine double ‘Sword of Honour’ achievement.” For details about becoming an NASC member and to find out more about SG4;15, TG20:13 and the NASC – the UK scaffolding industry trade body – please visit www.nasc.org.uk or email: enquiries@nasc.org.uk. And for more details on CISRS training, including a list of current providers, please visit: www.cisrs.org.uk

The Considerate Constructors Scheme – the national scheme established by the construction industry to improve its image – is getting ready to reveal the UK’s top performing registered companies of 2015. The Scheme, which registers around 600 companies every year, will be hosting the National Company Awards on 5th and 6th November, at the prestigious Plaisterers’ Hall in London. Only the very highest performing registered companies are considered for the awards. Simon Carr, Chair of the National Federation of Builders, and Peter Hansford, Government Chief Construction Advisor will be announcing whether each winning company has received a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award for their achievements. There will also be Runner-up Awards and winners for the ‘best of the best’ ‘Most Considerate Company’ Awards. Due to the popularity of companies registering with the Scheme, “value bands” have been introduced to enable companies to be assessed based on their turnover. Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy commented: “Every year, registered companies raise the bar to improve the image of construction even further. This year, we have seen the introduction of a large number of new innovative initiatives by companies – striving for even better performance throughout the industry. The National Company Awards are an essential part of recognising these outstanding achievements.” Companies registered with the Scheme voluntarily agree to abide by its Code of Considerate Practice. Any company of any size can register, including trade contractors and those who work within the supply chain. Companies with a turnover of more than £3.5m and managing sites with a duration of over six weeks need to register separately under the Scheme’s Site Registration. Follow the awards on Twitter at @CCScheme #ccsawards

National contractor registers its 3000th site – marking its continued commitment to improve image of construction. Morgan Sindall – one of the UK’s leading construction, infrastructure and design businesses – has been recognised for its long-term commitment to improving the image of the construction industry. The company, winner of over 300 Considerate Constructors Scheme National Site Awards, has become the third constructor to register 3000+ sites with the Scheme. The 3000th milestone registration was for the £30m redevelopment of 55 Colmore Row – a prestigious landmark in central Birmingham. The redevelopment is expected to be completed by Autumn 2016 and will provide 160,000 square feet of Grade A office space, including three new floors added to the top of the building. Morgan Sindall strives to care about its appearance, respect the community, protect the environment, secure everyone’s safety and value its workforce – the key principles of the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice. The company was one of the first constructors to join the Scheme in 1997 and became an Associate in 2007.  Associate Members are companies who have proved their commitment to the Code through a high number of consistently high performing registrations. Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy commented: “Morgan Sindall’s milestone achievement acknowledges the long-standing commitment they have made towards improving the image of the industry. “Through supporting the Scheme and its aims, they play a pivotal role in driving the industry forward and setting the standard for others to follow. The Scheme looks forward to recognising more milestone achievements with other contractors, as the industry and public continue to realise the benefits that being part of the Scheme brings.” Pat Boyle, Managing Director for Construction at Morgan Sindall said: “I am very proud to accept this milestone award on behalf of all of our employees, which demonstrates our on-going commitment to being a considerate constructor. “As an Associate Member, the Considerate Constructors Scheme is fundamental to the way we manage our construction projects and engage with communities. We strive to go above and beyond the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice and our ultimate aim is to leave a positive Morgan Sindall legacy long after project handover.” Ben Cushway, Contracts Manager at Morgan Sindall added: “The Colmore Row project team is delighted to be the 3,000th Scheme site registration for Morgan Sindall. Given the city centre location of the project, being a considerate constructor is paramount to its successful delivery. “The Scheme provides additional focus for us to consider the project’s wider impacts on the local community, our workforce and the environment. We take pride in working with the Considerate Constructors Scheme to continually improve and develop the benefits we provide to the local and wider community by offering a positive and safe experience to all.”

Maven Capital Partners, the leading UK private equity and property manager, is pleased to announce that it has completed the purchase of a 20,000 ft2 office building in Maidenhead. It is due to undertake a complete £5.5m refurbishment of the property which will result in a Grade A modern corporate HQ for the thriving Thames Valley market, which is seeing increasing demand from blue-chip companies for highly specified office space. Located in Vanwall Business Park, the site is only around 30 miles from central London, with excellent transport links to the city. It is ideally positioned for motorway and air travel, being in close proximity to the M40 and M4 motorways and Heathrow Airport, and will further benefit from the introduction of Crossrail to Maidenhead in the next few years. This is the 11th acquisition for Maven’s burgeoning UK property business, and the second office acquisition in the Thames Valley in the past 18 months, following the c. £4.8m purchase and redevelopment of Planar House (now known as ‘Eclipse’) in Marlow in 2014. The 27,000 ft2, two-storey Planar House has since undergone a multi-million pound ‘back to frame’ modernisation, including substantial external and internal improvements, including the installation of new external cladding, floor to ceiling glazing, new plant, passenger lift and air conditioning, new LED lighting and a new feature glass reception area. The upgrade has resulted in a Grade A EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating. There is a diminishing supply of modern and attractive office space in the Thames Valley market, which has been enjoying consistent growth since the financial crisis began to ease, reflecting the improving UK economy and increasing business confidence. As a result the market is seeing growing competition among tenants and rising rental rates. Maven has a fast growing, specialist property investment and development business, with executives based across the UK sourcing attractive property opportunities for investors. During the past three years the team has deployed approximately £40m of investor funds, in transactions including the development of four hotels and three student accommodation projects. Andrew Whiteley, Investment Director at Maven, who led the deal, said: “We are delighted to have sourced another high quality opportunity for our investors, as our property investment business continues to build momentum across the UK. The Thames Valley market is in rude health, as the UK economy continues its recovery, with a notable shortage of modern office space in the area following a period of very limited development of new office space. The increased competition for high quality premises is driving rising rental levels and presenting attractive opportunities for investors with the development and investment expertise. Given the increasing focus by businesses on finding a prime location and achieving energy efficiency, this project offers the prospect of a strong investor return”.

EasyGates have produced a 3D animated video posing the question ‘Is your automated gate safe’? The 4 minute video covers some general hazard areas and structural hazards that can be avoided with correct and proper installations. At a time when it is estimated that only 30% of the automated gates in the UK are installed to regulation standards, it could mean many gates in the UK could be potentially dangerous. Following a recent manslaughter charge to a gate installer for incorrectly installing automated gates and the current focus on gate safety following the Gate Safety Conference and Gate Safety Week last week, the release of the video comes at a poignant and relevant time. The video aims to help and support owners, occupiers, landlords and installers understand and acknowledge that they have a legal responsibility for the safety of their powered gates. And that it is always recommended that a competent expert is used to check and service automatic gates on a regular basis. The video looks at a number of hazardous situations including being hit by a moving gate, being caught or trapped by moving or stationary parts and being crushed against or trapped by an obstacle. Structural hazard scenarios are also covered with focus on how the outside elements can affect structure integrity and safety. Strong wind forces, cracks, bends, defective welding, suitability in the structure, water ingress, damage to cabling, control boxes and connections between components. EasyGates Managing Director, Tony Daniels-Gooding said: ‘We felt it was important to produce this video to show some example potential hazards automatic gates have and how with the correct installation, inspection and testing, that they can be used safely and efficiently. We all have a responsibility to each other and our customers in this sector to ensure automatic gate installations adhere to and meet regulation standards. EasyGates are ASO Safety Solutions UK competence partners, supplying a number of the core safety products to the UK marketplace and providing quality, safety and technical service to a wide range of customers. [wpdevart_youtube]youtu.be/TEA3tL0llhU [/wpdevart_youtube]

The third Gate Safety Conference took place on Wednesday 14th October 2015 in the West Midlands. Attendees from numerous industry sectors including property management, gate, garage door and facility management visited the one day event hosted by ASO Safety Solutions, supported by EasyGates.   The event took place during the DHF’s Powered Gate Group, Gate Safety Week and included guest speakers from across the industry addressing the ongoing issue of gate safety awareness.   Simon Mersch of ASO Safety Solutions opened the conference with some key industry facts and figures followed by EasyGates Stuart Roddy who recapped on the two previous conferences and discussed new developments in the UK door and gate market.   Bob Perry from the Door Hardware Association was joined by Neil Sampson of the Powered Gate Group to discuss the importance of Gate Safety Week, reasons, objections and participations.   The HSE’s Stuart Charles presented a hard-hitting and emotive detailed section on possible penalties and how they can be prevented, how the safety expectations have changed within the industry and what liabilities there are.   Tony Weeks, head of Technical Services at National Security Inspectorate presented on the NSi’s involvement in the UK gate industry and developments in the code of practice.   Michael Skelding and Nick Perkins of the DHF updated on the renewal of EN 12453 and the UK’s position on the international committee for standardisation. Nick discussed practical applications of solutions and technologies.   Marcus Horstkemper of ASO then discussed the different types of force limitation, signal transmission and closing edge safety devices.   Gte’s Christian Pfeiffer presented details on force testing and its role in gate maintenance with a demonstration.   EasyGates Managing Director, Tony Daniels-Gooding said: ‘The conference was very well received and attendees have expressed how worthwhile and interesting it was. Taking place during Gate Safety Week, it was an ideal time to highlight the importance and responsibility we all have in the industry to ensure we meet the requirements of contracting, installing and maintaining safe and proper gate installations.   EasyGates are ASO Safety Solutions UK competence partners, supplying a number of the core safety products to the UK marketplace and providing quality, safety and technical service to a wide range of customers.