Leading wet civil and environmental engineering firm, Land & Water Group, has upgraded Berth 3 at Coldharbour Jetty, on the River Thames, to accommodate coaster vessels, used for short sea shipping, as part of a landmark development for the company. It is the first time in the Jetty’s history that
Energy and regeneration specialist, Equans, has been appointed by Cheshire West and Chester Council to transform a brownfield site in Winsford into 99 net zero carbon family homes. Equans has been granted planning consent to demolish and redevelop a former highways depot on Clough Lane, into a mixed-tenure development, where
Leading specialist plant hire firm Land & Water Plant has made the commitment, alongside the rest of the Land & Water Group, to become Carbon Net Zero by 2030. In order to do this, the firm is expanding its fleet to offer more specialist hybrid and fuel-efficient solutions that fulfil
Barhale has secured a £9 million package of schemes under Thames Water’s Raw Water Tunnel Inspection & Refurbishment programme. The civil engineering and infrastructure specialist will inspect 35km of raw water tunnels across West and North London. The Barhale teams will remove debris, silt and invasive species, such as Zebra
Rye Group, a leading provider of demolition, remediation and ground and enabling works has achieved carbon neutral status, after switching from standard red diesel to HVO [Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil] Green D+ fuel. Rye Group adheres to its own Sustainable Standard philosophy, which encompasses Safety, People, Quality, Environment and Community to
Barhale has been awarded a £4.5M contract by Thames Water to install a protective liner to minimise the impact of a third party tunnel boring machine on north London’s important Middle Level Two (ML2) Sewer. The protection liner to the ML2, part of Joseph Bazalgette’s transformative Victorian sewer system, will
When E.ON Energy, a UK power company, identified internal corrosion to water cooling lines that serviced its Connah’s Quay gas-fired Power Station in Flintshire, North Wales it called on Fyfe FRP’s UK approved applicator, Construction Composites UK (CCUK), to carry out emergency repairs. The company’s design and maintenance team had
Multi-award-winning engineering consultancy Will Rudd Davidson is nearing completion at Topgolf, a high-tech golfing experience, which is due to open its first complex in Glasgow. The company has been carrying out core civil and structural service, with the entertainment venue opening to the public imminently. Located on Duchess Place, just
Studying accessible data from the 20 largest contractors in the UK, a shocking fact emerges that wastage in the construction and civil engineering industries falls between 30% and 38%. James Maclean, CEO of leading wet civil and environmental engineering firm Land & Water, has a driving passion to reduce this
Leading wet civil engineering firm Land & Water has been awarded a place on the framework contract for the Thames Water River CP0033 Restoration and associated works. This groundbreaking project will see the implementation of river restoration and fish passage, improving available habitats and resilience within rivers. Land & Water
Leading wet civil and environmental engineering firm, Land & Water Group, has upgraded Berth 3 at Coldharbour Jetty, on the River Thames, to accommodate coaster vessels, used for short sea shipping, as part of a landmark development for the company. It is the first time in the Jetty’s history that this type of vessel has been berthed and loaded as part of an ongoing commitment towards supporting cargo deliveries in and out of London. The modifications to the berth were designed by Hewson Consulting and works were undertaken by Land & Water Services. The jetty will be operated by Land & Water Remediation, the environmental services division of Land & Water Group. Tom Melhuish, Director of Land & Water Remediation, comments, “This is an incredible achievement and one that we are immensely proud of here at Land & Water. The berth upgrade will unlock future supply chains into London whilst harnessing the River Thames as a sustainable transport system. “Land & Water is passionate about delivering innovative and sustainable logistical solutions that benefit the environment as well as the UK’s infrastructure. I want to thank the Port of London Authority, Hewson Consulting Engineers and M4S Maritime for helping to bring the berth into operation.” David Allsop, Deputy Harbour Master at the Port of London Authority (PLA), said: “It’s exciting to see the Thames’ potential being utilised to introduce a new export service. This project is another boost for the Thames Vision 2050, which we launched last year, with the aim of maximising the long-term economic, environmental and social potential of the river from Teddington in south west London to the North Sea.” Coldharbour Jetty is a marine logistics centre for shipping and barging operations, acting as an intermodal transport hub for materials and cargo’s to be imported and exported. It also handles waste spoils from construction works in central London destined for reuse at Land & Water’s Habitat Creation Scheme at Rainham Marshes. The scheme, which Land & Water will be operating until 2040, will see up to eight million tonnes of wet and dry spoil material being used to create an oasis for birds and wildlife whilst encouraging greater areas of greenery along the Thames corridor. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Energy and regeneration specialist, Equans, has been appointed by Cheshire West and Chester Council to transform a brownfield site in Winsford into 99 net zero carbon family homes. Equans has been granted planning consent to demolish and redevelop a former highways depot on Clough Lane, into a mixed-tenure development, where homes will be delivered with high environmental credentials and designed to meet net zero carbon status. Recognising both the climate emergency and cost of living crisis, the development will also provide in-use zero-carbon housing to future homes standard. This means that the new homes will not be connected to the gas network and will instead be equipped with energy-efficient insulation and heated by a low-carbon heating source such as an air source heat pump together with solar PV panels. A new pedestrian and cycle access onto Weaver Street will also enhance the connectivity and legibility of the development, encouraging sustainable travel. This builds on Equans’ presence in the area, with the developer already working on two low-carbon housing developments in Winsford. One of these – Wharton Green – is seeing 138 two, three and four-bedroom homes, constructed along with improvements to local highway infrastructure and a community open space. Five of these homes are set to be zero-carbon, a pilot which Equans will roll out across all 99 homes on the Phoenix scheme. Steven Gregory, Regional Director at Equans, said: “We’re delighted that planning permission has been awarded for this exciting scheme as it’s our first 100% in-use zero carbon homes project. It’s a pleasure to see our good work continue in Winsford and surrounding areas and to also support the Council in meeting their sustainability targets. “All stakeholders have worked collaboratively and enthusiastically to move this scheme on and I can’t wait for it to get underway.” The scheme will be undertaken with Equans as the lead contractor, in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Torus. Demolition will start on 6th March this year, and the build is anticipated to complete in May 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading specialist plant hire firm Land & Water Plant has made the commitment, alongside the rest of the Land & Water Group, to become Carbon Net Zero by 2030. In order to do this, the firm is expanding its fleet to offer more specialist hybrid and fuel-efficient solutions that fulfil its client’s needs. The firm is thrilled to have recently taken delivery of the first Hitachi ZX130-7 super long reach excavator in the UK. Land & Water Plant Hire is already home to the largest range of long reach excavators and the most comprehensive fleet of amphibious plant and road transportable marine equipment in the UK. The Hitachi ZX130-7 model is ideal for dredging rivers and lakes, as well as bank maintenance. It is exceptionally durable and stable, and does not compromise on user-friendly operation. The environmental benefits of the Hitachi ZX130- 7 include: Dan Jackson, Strategic Account Manager at Land & Water Plant Hire, said: “We strive to ensure we have the very best offering for our customer’s needs. Increasing our offerings with more fuel-efficient machines like the Hitachi ZX130-7 helps us meet our own environmental targets as well as our clients. We will continue to adapt along with the market and requirements whether it be additional hybrid, fully electric or hydrogen in the near future. “As part of our company’s drive towards a net zero future, we are committed to ensuring that our clients have access to sustainable solutions. Innovation is one of our key values at Land & Water and we are extremely proud to be bringing new environmentally conscious technology to the UK.” The construction and civil engineering industry makes up almost 40% of the world’s CO2 emissions. The Land & Water Group is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and becoming Carbon Net Zero by 2030, making it one of the industry’s key pioneers. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Barhale has secured a £9 million package of schemes under Thames Water’s Raw Water Tunnel Inspection & Refurbishment programme. The civil engineering and infrastructure specialist will inspect 35km of raw water tunnels across West and North London. The Barhale teams will remove debris, silt and invasive species, such as Zebra Mussels, which form substantial concentrations across the network. It is anticipated that in the most affected tunnels as much as 140m3 of mussels will be removed. Once cleared, the tunnels will be inspected and any structural repairs will then be carried out. As a further part of the allocation, Barhale will also carry out inspections and replacement/refurbishment of the very large (up to 2.4m diameter) internal valves at sites including: Moor Lane shaft (gate and butterfly valves); Ashford Common shaft (gate and butterfly valves); Queen Mary Outlet – Hampton Leg (gate valves); Wraysbury Shaft (butterfly valve); and Queen Mother (penstock). Two gate valves at the King George VI Reservoir will also be refurbished. The work which comprises a total of 12 schemes is being delivered under the AMP7 Lot 5 Framework. Barhale will work closely with Thames Water to manage the isolation programme. Barhale Director Phil Cull sees the programme as a key element in the maintenance and upgrade of the South East’s water supply. “This is a hugely important part of London’s water infrastructure and we are delighted to get the go ahead from Thames Water,” he said. “We have built a huge amount of expertise and experience on the Thames Water network and to be selected on this project is great vote of confidence in our team’s capabilities. “While maintaining good flows through the raw water tunnels is essential, it is also of paramount importance that works are delivered efficiently and on time to ensure that there is no unnecessary pressure on the system. “We have been working closely with the Thames Water team to optimise isolations and are bringing a great deal of new thinking developed through the maintenance of the Thames Water Ring Main to the Raw Water programme. We will again be collaborating to minimise the length of isolations and to maximise what is achieved during each one.” Barhale Regional Manager John Prendergast adds, “This award builds on the successful delivery of the first three years of the Thames Water AMP7 Tunnels and Aqueducts programme in which Barhale has already completed monitoring and maintenance on almost half of the length of the Thames Water Ring Main tunnels and a further 9km of raw water tunnels.” Work is expected to complete in 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Rye Group, a leading provider of demolition, remediation and ground and enabling works has achieved carbon neutral status, after switching from standard red diesel to HVO [Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil] Green D+ fuel. Rye Group adheres to its own Sustainable Standard philosophy, which encompasses Safety, People, Quality, Environment and Community to ensure all projects are delivered to the highest possible standards, while positively impacting its clients and society as a whole. As part of this Standard, the Group pledged in August 2021 to reduce carbon emissions from all site equipment by over 90% within the following two years. In working closely with national fuel and lubricant provider, New Era Fuels, Rye has successfully replaced the use of diesel fuel with HVO within all site plant and machinery, and across its entire fleet of company vehicles. As result, it has reduced its annual carbon emissions figure from 3,065 tonnes to 135 tonnes within just 12 months. This represents a reduction of over 92% in just one year, demonstrating what is possible with decisive action. To then obtain carbon neutral status, Rye Group offset the residual emissions via two VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) schemes that focus on forest protection in Brazil and Colombia, whilst addressing ten of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Discussing this impressive result, Simon Barlow, Managing Director of Rye Group, said: “When we launched our Sustainable Standard framework in 2020, we set out a clear vision to build on our existing recycling and reuse rates and to lead the demolition industry by example. The results of our latest carbon audit are just excellent and showcase what can be achieved with decisive and impactful changes, like the replacement of diesel with HVO fuel. We are delighted to have exceeded our initial emissions reduction timeframe by 12 months and to have already reached a carbon neutral status. We will now work hard to maintain this and hope to inspire other industry representatives to make this much needed and positive change.” Made of used cooking oil and supplemented with an organic additive, HVO reduces carbon emissions by 90% and NOx emissions by 30% when compared to diesel. New Era’s HVO Green D+ was chosen by Rye Group due to the sustainable nature of its production. The fuel is fully certified back to source to ISCC standards, in line with the Renewable Energy Directive. The first demolition contractor to roll out HVO across its fleet, Rye Group is at the forefront of the green agenda within the demolition and construction industry. In May 2022, it was awarded ‘Sustainability Champion’ at the prestigious NFDC Awards in recognition of its efforts in addressing climate change and taking a proactive approach to reducing carbon emissions. In November 2022 Rye Group also presented its experience of running carbon audits in demolition at the World Demolition Summit in Vienna, with the aim of encouraging other demolition organisations around the world to pursue a similar path. For more information, visit: https://www.ryegroup.co.uk
Barhale has been awarded a £4.5M contract by Thames Water to install a protective liner to minimise the impact of a third party tunnel boring machine on north London’s important Middle Level Two (ML2) Sewer. The protection liner to the ML2, part of Joseph Bazalgette’s transformative Victorian sewer system, will see civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale install a 75 metre length of non-structural liner. It will protect the 2 metre sewer while the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) for HS2 pass beneath. The relining will take the form of a series of steel hoops installed at 600mm intervals internally to the existing sewer with additional supports and bracing added between. Access to install the liner will be provided by two shafts – one existing and one new. The latter will be constructed at a point where the route of HS2 will be in closest proximity to the sewer to optimise monitoring. The shaft will be constructed as a caisson but installed using underpinning from the collar rather than by jacking so avoiding pressure on the 19th Century, brick-constructed sewer. ML2 carries third party cables and additional measures have been put in place to ensure they are not disturbed. Steve Hills, Contracts Manager at Barhale, said that the work was an important measure. “The ML2 has been an important part of the capital’s infrastructure for more than one hundred years,” he said. “While it has more than stood the test of time, it is prudent to make sure that it is fully protected as HS2’s TBMs pass below. “Every element of these works has been carefully planned and designed so that there is the least impact on the sewer through construction and the maximum protection afforded for the future. “That design philosophy of minimising impact has also extended above ground where we have planned to minimise disruption as we negotiate an historic part of London around Regents Park.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
When E.ON Energy, a UK power company, identified internal corrosion to water cooling lines that serviced its Connah’s Quay gas-fired Power Station in Flintshire, North Wales it called on Fyfe FRP’s UK approved applicator, Construction Composites UK (CCUK), to carry out emergency repairs. The company’s design and maintenance team had carried out internal surveys of the lines and learned that the concrete encased steel pipes were corroded internally to a point where an exposed section of the pipe, that sat above the ground was at risk of failing. The team understood that was a clear risk of failure if repairs were not immediate to the 900mm diameter cooling water lines. These lines are used to carry water from a nearby river to the condensers at the power plant. If left to fail the power plant would be forced to halt operations resulting in a lengthy disruption to the power supply of E.ON’s residential and business customers. The company would also be faced with a costly bill to replace the condenser lines all together. The corrosion was likely caused by decades of continuous use; for large diameter pipes made from steel, ductile iron, or concrete, corrosion can lead to deterioration – threatening the structural integrity of the networks. CCUK worked with E.ON’s technical team to design an external composite wrap system that was able to take the full pressure of the line should a fail occur. Using a combination of bidirectional and unidirectional composite Fyfe FRP strengthening system, an emergency repair was carried out. A section of the pipe was excavated to allow surface preparation including crack repair works to the host pipe and the formation of a smooth transition where pipe diameters reduced using specialist epoxy mortars. All works were carried out during planned shutdowns and each repair took days under reduced pressure without significantly affecting the running of the station. The power station now has a fully encapsulated high pressure repair, complete with UV stable coating in place, that is deigned to take the full water pressure within the line. CCUK’s Operations and Marketing Director, Jamie Dempster said: “Our specialist repairs team was called to survey the 900mm diameter cooling water pipes, owned by E.ON Energy. We quickly determined that Fyfe’s carbon fibre strengthening system would be the quickest and simplest way to repair the pipes. “It took one week for our team to strengthen and restore the pipes, allowing them to regain their original structural integrity and continue normal function”. Jamie said the UK power and water industries are in need of innovative solutions which will provide structural strengthening, the upgrade of internal pressure capacity and a significant extension to the service-life of these structures. “Time and cost-effective technologies are required, while minimum disturbance and disruption of everyday operations during any repair work are necessary,” he added. Fyfe’s FRP system is extremely lightweight, versatile, and stronger than steel and being a carbon fibre product, it is environmentally friendly, making it a well-suited repair solution for the UK energy giant, whose ethos states “we’re taking action for climate”. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Multi-award-winning engineering consultancy Will Rudd Davidson is nearing completion at Topgolf, a high-tech golfing experience, which is due to open its first complex in Glasgow. The company has been carrying out core civil and structural service, with the entertainment venue opening to the public imminently. Located on Duchess Place, just off the M74, the multi-level complex spans 45,000 sq ft and is seen as an integral part of the ongoing regeneration in the city’s east end. “It’s great to see this magnificent project now ready to open. I am incredibly proud of the team for all of their hard work in delivering what will likely be a popular leisure destination for people from all across Scotland and further afar,” said MJ O’Shaughnessy, Managing Director, Will Rudd Glasgow and Ireland. “Given the site’s complexities, it was really important that we worked closely with all of the design team and contractors to deliver what was required, especially in relation to the complex drainage network. For us, it was a great opportunity to showcase the broad range of skills Will Rudd has to offer and it is excellent to see it reach completion,” MJ added. The firm’s Glasgow division were able to utilise many of its in house specialisms at Topgolf, including their façade engineering and contractor design experience to deliver the project that includes a complex series of multiple façade types, ornate stairs design and curtain walling along with an intricate underground drainage network. Established in 1982, Will Rudd Davidson is a multi-award-winning engineering consultancy providing civil, structural and conservation engineering in the UK and Ireland. Operating from two practices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, the expert team delivers engineering and design services, working collaboratively with clients to deliver creative and innovative solutions across a range of sectors including conservation, energy and renewables, transportation and infrastructure, healthcare, and education, and residential and hospitality including large masterplanning developments. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Studying accessible data from the 20 largest contractors in the UK, a shocking fact emerges that wastage in the construction and civil engineering industries falls between 30% and 38%. James Maclean, CEO of leading wet civil and environmental engineering firm Land & Water, has a driving passion to reduce this figure. As the firm looks to lead the civil engineering and construction industries in reducing their carbon footprint and become carbon net zero by 2030, he has launched a campaign “What a Waste”. James explains: “We all have the ability (at every level and within every role) to respond to waste and it’s time the industry took action in order to drive down our impacts and act with responsibility. Responsibility can be broken down into two words, response and ability and there are immediate changes we can all make.” Starting close to home by looking at its own company, Land & Water has identified eight key areas that can be tackled quickly by the sector in order to minimise time, energy and resources being wasted. These eight areas are: James Maclean says: “I’m appalled by the waste I see and what impact this is having on the environment. We need to open the dialogue of attacking waste to drive down the sector’s carbon footprint. “I just cannot understand why the construction industry seems happy to settle for net profit margins of 1-5% (data analysed from the 20 largest contractors in the UK’s published accounts), yet study after study shows the sector is hamstrung by inefficiencies of 30-38%. “At Land & Water, we pride ourselves on having conversations on anything that might make our business better which is why we’ve involved our whole team in identifying bad practices we undertake that create waste. “Our aim is to tackle these head on by putting the right solutions in place. We hope that by being honest to ourselves, showing warts and all, that this informs not only our company but our supply chain and other businesses within our sector. “It’s a really simple, triple bottom line behaviour…. Attacking wastage improves your profit, lowers your impact on the planet and makes for a happier more productive project.” James has filmed a series of videos exploring waste within Land & Water and the solutions it is putting in place to reduce its impacts and carbon footprint. The videos, which can be accessed by the public, have highlighted key impacts of waste and areas that need to be addressed: James continues, “Everyone in the construction process needs to accept their personal responsibility for planning their work effectively and using materials efficiently so we get things right the first time on projects, it breaks my heart to drive past major projects where there’s mountains to be done and people’s heads are down, looking at their phones…what a waste?”. The What a Waste videos can be accessed here: What a Waste introduction Damage and abuse Energy and fuel Planning and coordination People’s time Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading wet civil engineering firm Land & Water has been awarded a place on the framework contract for the Thames Water River CP0033 Restoration and associated works. This groundbreaking project will see the implementation of river restoration and fish passage, improving available habitats and resilience within rivers. Land & Water will develop small and large scale solutions to improve the waterways, mitigate the impact on the environment and enable Thames Water to meet regulatory requirements as part of the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP). As part of the overhaul and improvement of the waterways, work will include weir removal or modifications, channel bed re-profiling, riverbank re-profiling and replacing banks with softer, natural options. Barriers to fish passage will also be overcome, with pass channels and other solutions such as rock ramps and in-channel gravel (to allow fish to lay their eggs). Having successfully worked on other environmentally sensitive sites, Land & Water is an expert at implementing ‘soft’ nature-based engineering solutions and is experienced in dealing with regulators and local communities. It has previously restored hundreds of miles of waterways throughout the UK for the Canal & River Trust, building solid working relationships with the Environment Agency, Natural England, land owners and local stakeholders. Fiona Moore, Divisional Business Manager, said: “We’re very excited to bring our wealth of experience to developing these projects over the coming years. “The result will be a transformation and improvement of the Thames Waterways, reducing the impact on the environment and meeting its obligations under the Water Framework Directive. “As custodians of the environment, it also ensures that we are safeguarding habitat for the flora and fauna for years to come.” Thames Water is the UK’s largest Water and Wastewater services provider, serving 15 million customers, supplying more than 2.6 billion litres of drinking water on average, per day to 9 million drinking water customers and recycling waste from 15 million people safely back to the environment. A key driver for the river restoration programme is to mitigate the impact from abstractions. However, the complexity of river systems means that reducing abstraction alone may not address all of the pressures in the impacted area, and therefore there needs to be improvements throughout the river environment. The scale of the framework will see the works varying from small local projects which can be delivered manually and with minimal mechanical input, through to larger scale schemes.
