Scottish Water has appointed two joint ventures to a £120m six-year technical consultancy framework. One venture between Atkins and RPS JV and one other between Mott MacDonald and MWH have been chosen to supply project management, design and development work in addition to feasibility studies to assist Scottish Water’s building partners. A joint venture between Morrison Utility Services and Aecom and the BBV Alliance, a partnership between Black & Veatch and Byzak (a part of Amey), have also been named as Scottish Water’s development companions in 2014. The new deal will end in 2021, however there may be an choice for Scottish Water to increase the contract to 2027. Scottish Water’s Director of Strategic Customer Service planning Simon Parsons mentioned: “ARC (Atkins and RPS) and m² (Mott MacDonald and MWH) possess a level of expertise which supports the delivery of our new investment programme. “The new investment programme will help support vital employment in the Scottish economy while enabling Scottish Water to build on the significant improvements made to water and waste water services in recent years.” ARC Chief Operating Officer Paul Aitken also mentioned: “Our mission is to [help] Scottish Water improve its service to customers and communities across Scotland by promoting more effective, resilient and efficient asset and operational solutions.” Judy Anderson, Framework Directior for the Mott MacDonald/MWH JV, mentioned: “I believe that m2 brings the right combination of talented and experienced people, to complement and support Scottish Water’s own resources in achieving its vision to be Scotland’s most valued trusted business.”

Hornsea Project One wind farm will see 174 turbines – each taller than the Gherkin – built 75 miles off the coast of Grimsby, spanning an area five times the size of Hull. The world’s biggest offshore wind farm is to be built 75 miles off the coast of Grimsby, at an estimated cost to energy bill-payers of at least £4.2 billion. The giant Hornsea Project One wind farm will consist of 174 turbines, each 623ft tall – higher than the Gherkin building in London – and will span an area more than five times the size of Hull. Developer Dong Energy, which is majority-owned by the Danish state, said it had taken a final decision to proceed with the 1.2 gigawatt project that would be capable of powering one million homes and create 2,000 jobs during construction. First electricity from the project is expected to be generated in 2019 and the wind farm should be fully operational by 2020. The wind farm was handed a subsidy contract by former energy secretary Ed Davey in 2014 that will see it paid four times the current market price of power for every unit of electricity it generates for 15 years. The National Audit Office was highly critical of the way in which the contracts were awarded without competition, concluding ministers had paid too much as a result. It estimated that the Hornsea One project would require a total of £4.2 billion in subsidies, an average of about £280 million per year. Consumers will be on the hook to pay subsidies to make up the difference between the market price of power – currently about £35 per megawatt-hour – and a guaranteed price, of £140/MWh. These will be funded by households and businesses through green levies on their energy bills. The market price of power has fallen significantly since the NAO made its estimates, suggesting the true cost may be even higher. Less than a year after the contract for Hornsea was awarded, other proposed wind farms were forced to compete for subsidies, resulting in much lower prices. The cheapest came in at less than £115/MWh, fuelling concerns that the Hornsea contract and other earlier deals may have been significantly too generous. Dong Energy declined to reveal the total cost of construction of the project, while the Department of Energy and Climate Change declined to provide an estimate of its impact on a household energy bill. Amber Rudd, the energy secretary, announced last year that the Government would make funding available for up to another 10 gigawatts of offshore wind farm capacity to be built in the 2020s, subject to cost reduction conditions. These conditions have not been disclosed but Ms Rudd has vowed there will be “no more blank cheques” for offshore wind. Welcoming the construction of Hornsea, Ms Rudd, said: “Thanks to Government support the UK is the world leader in offshore wind energy and this success story is going from strength to strength. “Dong Energy’s investment shows that we are open for business and is a vote of confidence in the UK and in our plan to tackle the legacy of under-investment and build an energy infrastructure fit for the 21st century. “This project means secure, clean energy for the country, jobs and financial security for working people and their families, and more skills and growth boosting the Northern Powerhouse.” Brent Cheshire, Dong Energy’s UK country chairman, said: “Hornsea Project One is a world-leading infrastructure project being built right here in the UK. It is ground-breaking and innovative, powering more homes than any offshore wind farm currently in operation. “We are making a major financial investment to construct this giant wind farm and this underlines our commitment to the UK market. Hornsea Project One will support the supply chain and help create local jobs. “To have the world’s biggest ever offshore wind farm located off the Yorkshire coast is hugely significant, and highlights the vital role offshore wind will play in the UK’s need for new low-carbon energy.”

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is predicting that tender prices on infrastructure and civil engineering projects will rise by around a third over the next five years as the cost of oil bounces back from its current low value. According to the latest report from RICS’ Building Cost Information Service (BCIS), oil prices will have a key impact in both the short and medium term for the infrastructure sector. In the short-term, it is forecasting that costs, which rose by 1.4% in the third quarter of 2015 compared with the previous quarter, will fall “principally as a result of falling oil prices”. However, the report says that after the third quarter 2016 costs are expected to rise quite sharply as oil prices bounce back, albeit from a low base. This recovery in oil prices will result in civil engineering costs rising by around a quarter in the next five years. This increase will be the key driver of increased tender prices for the industry. Brent oil prices 1987-2016 Peter Rumble, head of forecasting, RICS’ BCIS division, commented: “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.” Infrastructure output is expected to remain fairly flat throughout 2016 and by 2017 it is predicted to fall, due to the cycle of some major projects having passed peak as opposed to a downturn in the market The RICS believes that moderate growth will return 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 this goes ahead. Rumble continued: “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.”

Thomas Whiffen, Senior Energy Specialist, National Energy Foundation thomas.whiffen@nef.org.uk Photo caption: Thom is a specialist in the sustainable built environment and combines a keen interest in energy use with a depth of knowledge from his process engineering background and years spent researching sustainable energy technologies for the non-domestic built environment. Thom has experience of industry and academic collaborations, publishing and presenting work in international journals, and at conferences.   If anyone needs convincing of the value of ESOS, we have the evidence. Over the course of the first tranche of ESOS compliance, we worked with a number of organisations and identified hundreds of energy-saving opportunities, the potential value of which was millions of pounds of savings.   Using half-hourly energy data, utility bills, finance records and mileage claims, we identified energy savings totalling 29 GWh per year, the equivalent of £12.5 million per year off fuel and utility bills. One particular situation we experienced among our site visits and examination of various plant rooms across the country was at a commercial site where they had an onsite combined heat and power plant. Although they were using the power, they were dumping the heat into the atmosphere, only to use lots of energy heating hot water for their industrial washing facility. On top of that, there was no space heating in their centre during winter. The solution was to re-engineer the systems to produce space heating during the winter and deliver low-carbon pre-heating for the industrial washing facility. Together, these two solutions are set to save £40,000 and 1.7 GWh per year.   Our experience and top 12 insights: There was positive engagement from the organisations we audited. The ESOS process improved energy-use record keeping. ESOS also improved energy awareness, and improving the visibility of their energy consumption helped organisations identify energy-saving opportunities. Major energy-saving opportunities were identified through behaviour change initiatives in both buildings and transport – in the case of the latter through reducing the number of miles driven and incentivising improved driving techniques. Major energy efficiency improvements were achieved through modernising the technology used to monitor and control energy, especially in areas of high energy demand. There was scope for energy management behaviour to be improved in all the buildings we audited. Likewise, there was room for all organisations to improve the support they provided to their staff through awareness and training initiatives. Lighting upgrades and boiler replacements reduced lighting and heating demand by 25-50%. Those organisations using fuel card systems were able to provide energy consumption data for their transport systems more easily, and the availability of driver fuel-use data made it easier to undertake behaviour-change programmes. The true benefit and power of ESOS compliance will be in the number and value of energy saving opportunities that are actually implemented. Over the next few months, we’ll be consulting with our clients, revisiting our original audits and working on strategies for implementing the savings we identified. We’ll also consider doing similar work for other ESOS-compliant organisations. The next stage will be to measure the savings and, finally, to prove the business case.   Looking ahead, the National Energy Foundation is leading on a new standard (ISO 17747: Determination of Energy Savings in Organizations) which is now at Final Draft International Standard stage. Once approved, it will provide us with a standardised and an internationally recognised method for measuring energy savings, and give us the ability for improved reporting to our clients.

The reconstruction of the 1920 vintage wooden rollercoaster, a hugely important piece of the Margate regeneration programme is completed. Dreamland finally closed its doors in 2006 and now after many years of campaigning, this nostalgic vintage amusement park finally reopened this summer. If Dreamland is to help breath life back into Margate, then the scenic railway will be the heart that makes it beat. Built in 1920 and damaged by fire in 2008, the wheels on the oldest wooden rollercoaster in the UK have now once again started to turn. Topbond PLC, the Sittingboune based civil engineering specialists were given the task of reconstructing the structure that was Grade II listed in 2002 and Grade II* listed in 2011. Topbond MD Glenn Springett says “It hasn’t been without its challenges. Constructing ‘like for like’ to maintain its Grade II listing whilst complying with current design standards naturally resulted in conflict. Working closely with English Heritage during the project we have overcome those challenges”. The 14m high timber construction is not fixed to its new concrete foundations. Instead it sits on neoprene pads that will absorb shock loadings – gravity holds the structure in place. In all, there is 930m of track around the ride. 300 tons of Spruce will replace the existing softwood used, a very durable timber, which was sourced from Germany. The plantation was chosen for its fairly constant climate. The timber was sawn, then graded to C24 requirements before being shipped to the UK where it was double vacuum treated and checked for adequate penetration of the preserve. A dynamic analysis was undertaken to provide the worse case loadings at each tressle location around the ride. This included loadings on both horizontal and vertical curves together with canting around the bends. This enabled Topbond to structurally analyse every timber component on the job. The geometry of the ride means that every support trestle is different, so each one had to be detailed separately.   John Riddle Topbond’s senior structures engineer said ‘I take my hat off to the original team that built this structure without the technology which is available to us today – It has certainly stood the test of time, being in daily use for most of its 90 years is testament to their engineering capability.’   Bolts have replaced nails to provide more secure fixings for all the bracing. There are in excess of 30,000 bolts used on the whole project. The original train had a ‘Brake Man’ operating a brake to control the speed of the train that speeded up when raining and windy – It was also affected by the number and weight of the passengers. Current regulations will not allow total dependence on a brake man to control the speed, so magnetic brakes will be installed at strategic locations around the ride.   This scheme is a first for Topbond, who are delighted to have been involved with this fabulous re-creation of the original timber scenic railway structure. Director of Community Services for Thanet District Council, Larissa Reed said: “We’re delighted that the Scenic Railway is open for the public to ride once again. Breathing new life into Britain’s oldest surviving rollercoaster has been an immense challenge, but the time, dedication and attention to detail taken by our contractors to replicate an authentic heritage experience has been worth the wait. I’m sure the sights and sounds of the iconic Scenic Railway will evoke many happy memories from the community who have been so passionate and patient with this journey. The launch marks another positive step forward in the continued regeneration of our original seaside town. A big thank you to our partners, the community and Topbond for helping this ambitious vision become a reality.”       

During periods of cold and windy weather, why allow the temperature in your lobby to drop? Just because it is chilly outside, doesn’t mean your reception area should be cold too.   The revolving door has become a significant choice for many architects and facilities managers due to the way they naturally help to keep out draughts and reduce energy loss within a building.   The cost saving decision to install a revolving door not only reduces your monthly energy bills but it is also more eco-friendly for the environment due to the reduced amount of hot air that leaves the building with every door rotation.   Still feeling the cold? Why not consider adding a Boon Edam heater onto your door?   On occasions when the weather is windy, cold air can sometimes become trapped within the seperate compartments of a revolving door and subsequently forced into an internal area, normally the reception area. By combining a Boon Edam heater with a revolving door system this cold air is negated and prevented from entering the building.   When installed, the main body of the heater unit is strategically mounted above the revolving door and using curved air outlets, creates a warm barrier around the inner opening of the doorway which counteracts any cold air infiltrating through the door.   With the option to add a Boon Edam heater either from new or as a retrofit, we can ensure that your lobby area is kept at a comfortable climate at all times whilst not impacting on the aesthetics of your entry point.   Not sure which heater to choose? At Boon Edam, we understand that our clients’ needs are as varied as they are which is why each of our heaters are created to match the curvature of each specific revolving door type. We are proud to offer a range of air curtains which can be made bespoke for all commercial, corporate or industrial requirements.   For more details on the heating solutions offered by Boon Edam, please contact the Repairs and Retrofits team on 01233 505 900 or by emailing repairs@boonedam.co.uk

Kirkby in Ashfield based metal railings and gates manufacturer, Alpha Rail has supplied pedestrian guardrail for a £50m road widening scheme in Northern Ireland. The widening project involved upgrading a 3.5km stretch of carriageway on the A2 Shore Road between Jordanstown Road and Seapark to dual carriageway standard.  Improvements also included four new roundabouts at Shore Avenue, Shorelands, Station Road Greenisland and Seapark junction. Phil Ball, Alpha Rail Sales Director, Phil Ball said, “Over a three-month period, Alpha Rail has supplied large quantities of various types of pedestrian guardrail to Maghera Fencing, who were appointed to manufacture and erect other security and industrial fencing systems on the project. The pedestrian guardrail was installed along kerbways to guide people on foot and cyclists to safe crossing points.” Commenting, Finbar McGilligan from Maghera Fencing said, said, “The work required to successfully deliver this major scheme had a significant impact on the local community so it was important that everyone involved in the project finished on time and within budget. The best thing about dealing with Alpha Rail was that they gave a date for delivery and stuck to it and this helped us to meet our project deadlines accordingly.” The A2 Shore Road is a vital link in the strategic road network between Belfast and Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, carrying on average around 35,000 vehicles each day. GRAHAM Construction commenced works on the scheme in March 2013 and the new dual carriageway became fully operational in December 2015, when it was officially opened by The Northern Ireland Transport Minister, Michelle McIlveen.

McLaughlin & Harvey and Buckingham Group Contracting join Whitemountain as principal contractors on the airport’s redevelopment   London Luton Airport (LLA) has confirmed McLaughlin & Harvey, a UK-wide building and civil engineering company with headquarters in Northern Ireland, will be the principal contractor on an £51million project to redevelop and expand the airport terminal.   LLA also confirmed Buckingham Group Contracting secured an £8million contract to construct a new 1,700 space multi-storey car park at the airport. Whitemountain was announced as the first principal contractor in November following a £12million tender to build a new bus interchange, improved drop-off facilities and airport road upgrade.  Future development works to the airport’s taxiway network will also commence later this year with final completion in 2026.   The contractors have been confirmed on the day the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin MP, visited London Luton Airport to mark the official ground-breaking of the combined £110million project. A recent report by independent consultancy Oxford Economics* predicts the works will add an extra 10,000 jobs and £1billion per year to the economy by 2030.   The transformation now underway at LLA will not only significantly improve the experience for passengers, but also increase annual capacity by 50% from 12 million to 18 million passengers by 2020. LLA saw the fastest rate of passenger growth of all major London airports in 2015, up 16.9% in its busiest year on record.   McLaughlin & Harvey, whose previous infrastructure experience includes projects at Aberdeen, Prestwick and George Best Belfast City airports, will be responsible for delivering the terminal redevelopment. The work will see the internal layout significantly expanded and remodelled to increase capacity. When fully complete in 2017, the redevelopment will deliver: A brand new canopied entrance and exit plaza for protection against the weather Expanded security search, baggage reclaim and immigration areas equipped with the latest technology for speedy passenger processing Double the amount of retail and dining space. A tendering process is underway for 47 units covering Luxury, Affordable Luxury, High Street and Food & Beverage brands Extra comfort and capacity with improved departure gates and a new passenger boarding pier Extensions of the airfield taxiways to improve operating efficiencies   Nick Barton, CEO of LLA, said: “The appointments of McLaughlin & Harvey and Buckingham Group Contracting, alongside Whitemountain, represent a significant milestone for LLA. With construction now well underway, passengers will quickly see the airport being transformed.   “As the Transport Secretary made clear at today’s ground-breaking event, expansion at LLA is strategically vital to ensure that we can meet rapidly rising demand for air travel in the SouthEast. Our £110 million transformation is also set to give a huge boost to the local economy and will create thousands of new jobs for local people.”   David Larmour, Construction Director at McLaughlin & Harvey, said: “McLaughlin & Harvey is delighted to have been awarded this prestigious contract in what is one of the UK’s top airports. The works, which are to meet the increased demand from passengers, will last approximately two years and will reorganise the existing facilities and add additional space to retail and airside passenger capacity.”   Ian McSeveney, Managing Director Civil Engineering at Buckingham Group Contracting, said: “We are delighted to have secured this important aspect of the transformation at London Luton Airport. We are looking forward to working with the Airport Team and other contractors to deliver a scheme that will benefit passengers and support the creation of new jobs for local people”

Asset International, producer of Weholite large diameter plastic pipes, is set to deliver a large number of new AMP6 projects in order to help improve the water infrastructure of the UK. As a key player in the water management industry, one of the first projects Asset International have helped to implement is the upgrade of Heage pumping station in Derbyshire, which is owned by Severn Trent Water. Asset has a long history of delivering successful projects for all the UK water companies and were the natural choice for a project that came with a number of complexities, principally that space was extremely limited on site, with restricted storage capacity space for construction materials and waste. Additionally, the pumping station is adjacent to an area of ecological importance, and so green credentials were key. The refurbishment of the Heage works is being led by principal contractors Nomenca, who were charged with the role of upgrading existing facilities at the pumping station. Heage is just one of hundreds of pumping stations across the UK that will be undergoing remedial works as part of the AMP6 investment programme, as water companies look to update the country’s aged water infrastructure. Having previously worked with Asset on a number of projects, Matt Bates, Project Manager at Nomenca, knew that the site’s unique requirements could be met by Asset, whose innovative,  approach to solving construction problems, by utilising modular techniques, appealed to the contractor. Part of what the site required was a wet well pumping chamber that could be lowered vertically into the ground, to a depth of approximately 4m, in one lift. To meet these conditions Asset manufactured a 3.5m diameter by 4m long chamber, which was prefabricated and tested at their Newport factory, before being delivered and installed on site in just a few hours. It is believed that adopting such an approach saved Nomenca almost a month on programme and as a result had a major reduction on associated costs. Additional benefits to the contractor were the reduced health and safety risks and environmental impacts.   Matt Bates from Nomenca commented: “This contract at Heage SPS was a great example of Production Control. All parties from design, supplier, construction team and the client worked collaboratively to deliver success. The Weholite packaged pump station is the largest size that has been installed at present within STW and achieved the AMP6 goals of 30% quicker, 20% more efficient and 30% more productive. “NMCNomenca are promoting Weholite packaged station within the STW Framework to include both Infrastructure and Non-Infrastructure work streams.” Shaun Kalies, Sales Director at Asset said: “Thanks to our superb design team and manufacturing expertise we are able to fabricate products off site and supply them in modular form so they can be installed safely and efficiently on site. This enables us to deliver one of our key client promises – better value. “We have worked with Nomenca and Severn Trent Water for many years. They have an innovative and forward thinking approach to project management and were early adopters of Weholite technology. We look forward to working with them throughout the ongoing AMP period.” For more information about Weholite call Asset International Ltd 01633 273081 or visit www.weholite.co.uk.