Working on projects in a greenhouse is extremely enjoyable and can be a very rewarding past time. With so many different things to do and tasks to complete, you can set yourself some challenging yet achievable goals and teach yourself something new every day. From growing your favourite veg, to
Entries are now open for the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards supported by Headline Sponsor Green-tech. The largest landscape industry awards in Europe returns on Friday 6 December at the JW Marriott, Grosvenor House, Park Lane London and BALI Registered members can now download the 2019 Entry Guidelines at baliawards.co.uk
PJ Plumbing Heating & Maintenance Ltd benefited from a total floor solution from Gaia, including insulation and screed works, to a new sports facility in Norwich. The sports hall, built at the Hewett Academy, is expected to be used by Jane Austen College, the Hewett Academy, Charles Darwin Primary, and
For eager and entrepreneurs and potential investors the construction industry has never been more profitable, and with more demand for better infrastructure in cities with growing populations, the number of firms working in the UK has been rising according to the Office of National Statistics. A significant increase of 6.2%
A contract at a £600m scheme in London has been won by a Worcester-headquartered residential and mixed-use property management specialist. Mainstay has been appointed to manage the first two phases of Hallsville Quarter, Canning Town. Part of the £3.7bn Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Programme, Hallsville Quarter will include
Concrete brings both practicality and beauty to any garden, if used in the right way. While it’s primarily known for being a high-strength material that does the ‘grunt work’ of a garden, concrete can also be used in the creation of stunning statement pieces. In this article, we explore five
IronmongeryDirect, and sister company ElectricalDirect has completed a major expansion project, to house 1000’s more new products whilst expanding its customer proposition. Part of the Manutan European Group, IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect is the UK’s largest supplier of ironmongery and electrical products to the trade. A new 100,000 sq ft warehouse,
Employee-owned packaging supplier, Kite Packaging, has taken its environmental waste management a step further thanks to the business’s new waste compacters. Kite’s new additions allow businesses to effectively sort waste at its source, bundling and downsizing waste levels in-house which has a knock on effect for UK waste management as
Recofloor is celebrating in 2019 ten years since it started recycling waste vinyl flooring. The Take Back scheme was first set up back in 2009 by Altro and Polyflor and it has now recycled a total of 4,300 tonnes of waste vinyl material. “Plastics are hot news at the moment and
To promote period dignity for female workers in the construction industry, a campaign led by UK construction union Unite has been launched. Unite conducted a survey of its women construction members, which identified a lack of facilities, when women were having their periods, as a major issue for many workers. Unite is asking
Working on projects in a greenhouse is extremely enjoyable and can be a very rewarding past time. With so many different things to do and tasks to complete, you can set yourself some challenging yet achievable goals and teach yourself something new every day. From growing your favourite veg, to experimenting with seasonal plants, you can get lost in your own world of gardening and put your energy into something fantastic. For greenhouse beginners, it may seem like a minefield, with lots to know and even more to remember, but that’s not necessarily the case. If you start as you mean to go on and prepare properly, you’ll have everything you need to succeed with your greenhouse projects! 1. Light Sources First things first, before you get stuck into planting seeds, you need to ensure you have the right lighting. Lighting is an essential feature within the greenhouse, as you need both artificial and natural light to help your plants grow to their full potential. During the spring/summer time, you want as much natural light as possible flowing through into the greenhouse, however autumn/winter often requires a little more artificial light if you want to continue your projects into the colder seasons. There are lots of greenhouse lighting products available on the market, so it’s best to do a little research to find the best type for your greenhouse. 2. Greenhouse Heating Another essential feature within the greenhouse is heating. There are so many benefits to having heating in your greenhouse, especially during the winter months, but it’s important to know which is best for you. Professional gardeners would often recommend using electric heaters, as you find that they’re the most efficient and easiest to use. Depending on the size of your greenhouse, you need to ensure that you have the right amount of heating flowing through, to ensure you’re getting the most from this feature. Image Source: Two Wests & Elliot 3. Seeds to Start With After a few months of having your greenhouse, you’ll realise just how beneficial it is when it comes to growing certain produce and plants. Greenhouses come with many benefits, especially when the colder weather sets in, so it’s worth taking advantage of this and using your greenhouse to its full potential. For a beginner, the best seeds to be planting in your greenhouse are potatoes, broad beans, runner beans and peas. These will also be the most rewarding, as there’s nothing quite like growing your own produce and then going on to use it in your cooking. It’s important to remember, before you begin to plant your seeds, that you need to have the right equipment in order to do so. Stock up on containers, fertiliser, soil and the necessary gardening tools to ensure you have everything you need for the projects ahead! 4. Watering Schedule One thing that many greenhouse beginners often forget is when to be watering the seeds. Whilst it goes without saying that you need to water your plants frequently, it’s actually extremely beneficial to create a watering schedule. Having something to work with as a constant reminder will really help you to get into the routine of watering your plants on time and at the right times, as different plants can require different watering times and amounts. Image Source: Better Homes & Gardens
Entries are now open for the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards supported by Headline Sponsor Green-tech. The largest landscape industry awards in Europe returns on Friday 6 December at the JW Marriott, Grosvenor House, Park Lane London and BALI Registered members can now download the 2019 Entry Guidelines at baliawards.co.uk and enter their scheme(s). BALI Registered members can take advantage of this year’s Early Bird discounted rates, with the first deadline for Registered Contractor, Registered Designer and Group members set for 24 April 2019. The Early Bird deadline for International, Affiliate Exceptional Service and Employer Excellence categories is 5 June 2019. For 2019, one new category has been introduced, International Award – UK-Based Registered Member, which is for BALI Registered members who are registered in the UK but have delivered a landscaping scheme overseas. Along with a number of band changes in other pre-existing categories, the exciting introduction and revisions were based on feedback from members and the BALI Awards adjudication panel. The 2019 BALI National Landscape Awards is expected to be as big and as grand as previous years with over 1,000 members, guests and VIPs attending the 2017 and 2018 ceremonies. Adjudicators, led by the Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe, will be visiting eligible schemes between June and August and the 2019 BALI National Landscape Award winners will be announced in September. Final adjudication to determine this year’s Principal, Special and Grand Awards will take place at BALI Landscape House at the end of August. Commenting on this year’s Awards, former Managing Director of six-time Grand Award winner Willerby Landscapes, John Melmoe, said; “The BALI Awards ceremony in 2018 was a runaway success and now the team at BALI Landscape House are turning their focus to 2019. It is credit to the members of BALI who have made the Awards into the most prestigious event in the industry calendar. A key way to showcase your company’s capabilities is to submit an entry into this year’s Awards. The entrants should be fully focused on submitting flawless projects, highlighting the significant contribution of your staff and the underlying desire for your company to excel. It would give me and my fellow adjudicators great pleasure to see you at this year’s Awards in December. Good luck with your entries.” BALI Chief Executive Wayne Grills is also looking forward to seeing if the high bar already set on quality can be raised even higher in 2019; “Ever since the Awards were first launched over 40 years ago the standard of entry has improved tenfold. This is testament to the quality of work delivered by our BALI Registered members, and, the overall quality of judging which helps BALI identify which individual or company is deserving of a prestigious BALI National Landscape Award.” BALI would like to thank those sponsors who have already committed to this year’s Awards: Green-tech Bourne Amenity British Sugar TOPSOIL CED Stone Group Crowders Nurseries Derbyshire Aggregates Easigrass Europlants UK Fresh Horticultural Careers Green-tree Topsoil Ground Control ICL Group idverde Johnsons of Whixley Landscape Institute MCM (SE) Provender Nurseries Ransomes Jacobsen Reesink Turfcare Van Den Berk Nurseries To view and/or download this year’s Entry Guidelines, check all Early Bird deadlines and enter a scheme visit baliawards.co.uk.
PJ Plumbing Heating & Maintenance Ltd benefited from a total floor solution from Gaia, including insulation and screed works, to a new sports facility in Norwich. The sports hall, built at the Hewett Academy, is expected to be used by Jane Austen College, the Hewett Academy, Charles Darwin Primary, and the new Wherry School, an independent specialist free school. “This is a great new facility for both our students and those from Hewett Academy, and a great example of how our schools work together across the Inspiration Trust,” said the head of Jane Austen College David Thomas. The company supplied tamper-proof room thermostats, a popular product in schools and public areas to the new facility. Named after Eileen Ash, a pioneering female test cricketer who lives in Norwich and is now 107 years old, the facility was officially opened in Autumn last year. Since then, the sports hall has been kitted out with new equipment, supporting a range of sports offered at the schools including netball, cricket, trampolining and basketball. “The Hewett Academy already has some of the best sports facilities in the city and we regularly welcome pupils from nearby schools for swimming, hockey and football. This brilliant new centre is a great way to continue that tradition,” commented Academy Principle Rebecca Handley Kirk of Hewett Academy. The system installed was Gaia Wet Underfloor Heating into screed, and placed in the changing facilities and lobby areas. “We worked closely with a trusted screeding contractor to deliver the total package including screed laid to falls in the shower areas. The project was a joy to work on, and there was great communication from PJ Plumbing and the main contractor from start to finish,” concluded Senior Account Manager William Theobald, who oversaw the project for Gaia.
For eager and entrepreneurs and potential investors the construction industry has never been more profitable, and with more demand for better infrastructure in cities with growing populations, the number of firms working in the UK has been rising according to the Office of National Statistics. A significant increase of 6.2% in 2017 was recorded, meaning that there were 314,590 active in the UK. With increased earnings, the rising value of new construction orders and highest level of employment to record the numbers sound evermore impressing. The industry does encounter some downfall however, even with these numbers, the delivery from the client can be impacted. A whole development plan can need changing if there are hazardous materials detected on building sites. This costs the business time and money, which might not be an option for them. Environmental consultants are now being invested in by construction developers as they realise that this type of waste needs to detected early and removed as soon as possible. Hazardous waste, what is it and how can you handle it? Hazardous waste is when it contains harmful substances to human health or the environment, even if it does not have an immediate effect states The Health and Safety Executive. Whether the business is a producer, carrier, consignee or holder they’re responsible for handling the hazardous waste. The most common types of hazardous waste are: Asbestos Chemicals Batteries Solvents Pesticides Oils Various equipment that include ozone depleting substances and general hazardous waste containers — which can be quite common in construction. Excavated soil or demolition materials contaminated with any of the above The above hazardous substances can come in solid, vapour, micro-organisms, liquid and gas forms. Some of the substances can appear in more than one of these forms at the same time, therefore businesses handling these must be properly equipped to do so. Each year globally, we produce 400 million tonnes of hazardous waste, that’s around 13 tonnes every second. This figure has increased massively over the years and businesses are pressured by the governments around the world to ensure they keep their waste levels to a minimum through The Waste Hierarchy, which is to prevent, reuse, recycle, or recover waste in that specific order. General waste and hazardous waste must be stored differently, with security, safety and environmental protection being the main focuses. A good understanding of Hazardous properties such as flammable, ecotoxic, explosive and carinogenic are important to allow you to segregate or store wastes properly with the security, environmental protection and safety in mind. Making sure that your waste is labelled appropriately so there’s no mix up in identifying it and making it secure is key. This prevents your construction site from contamination and waterproof covers are also recommended to make sure there are no waste run offs to contaminate other areas. Records must be kept so that everything is accounted for alongside taking the correct physical precautions. You must fill out a consignment note before your waste management company comes for collection, this is required when: Collections from businesses that are registered waste carriers. Movements from one premises to another within the same organisation. When another business has produced waste, movements from customer premises. The consignment note is not needed when: The movement of domestic hazardous waste – other than asbestos. Waste has been imported and exported under international waste shipment controls that require a different movement note. All this paperwork should be kept on file, in some cases for several years. EA (in England and Wales) and SEPA (in Scotland) deal slightly differently with Hazardous wastes. Development projects require a lot of thinking when it comes to hazardous waste. Making sure you’re well prepared for your next build by analysing the site you’ll be working on before getting plans put in place or having environmental consultants in is a necessity. Sources: https://www.gov.uk/managing-your-waste-an-overview http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/hazardous-substances/key-points.htm https://www.gov.uk/dispose-hazardous-waste https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/constructionindustry/articles/constructionstatistics/number192018edition http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/waste_pollution_facts/hazardous_waste_statistics
A contract at a £600m scheme in London has been won by a Worcester-headquartered residential and mixed-use property management specialist. Mainstay has been appointed to manage the first two phases of Hallsville Quarter, Canning Town. Part of the £3.7bn Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Programme, Hallsville Quarter will include a new town centre, public realm, co-working space and mixed-tenure housing. The first phase completed in 2015; phase two in 2018 and a planning application was granted in June 2018 for phase three, with a start on site scheduled for 2019. With the two initial phases comprising more than 550 homes, the appointment means that Mainstay now manages in excess of 40,000 residential properties. Charles Lucas, technical director at Mainstay, said: “We are delighted to be appointed to manage this landmark scheme for East London. “Mainstay Group has seen continued growth in recent years, and this latest win – after a vigorous tender process – is testament to our reputation as a quality and trustworthy managing agent. “We look forward to working closely with Linkcity to bring this exciting project to life.” Linkcity was selected as developer by the London Borough of Newham (LBN) to deliver the £600m scheme. Simon Rosenberg, development director at Linkcity, added: “When the Hallsville Management Company board undertook the selection process, we were keen to choose a partner who we felt would share our values in terms of quality and attention to detail. “As a company with two decades’ worth of experience and a proven track record in delivering excellence, Mainstay felt like the natural choice.”
Concrete brings both practicality and beauty to any garden, if used in the right way. While it’s primarily known for being a high-strength material that does the ‘grunt work’ of a garden, concrete can also be used in the creation of stunning statement pieces. In this article, we explore five uses of concrete in the garden – ranging from the expected to the unconventional. 1. Quirky furniture & features Concrete is commonly associated with practical purposes, but did you ever consider that it could be used to craft an elegant water feature, a decorative candle holder, or even an al fresco table and chairs? If you’re DIY savvy, you may want to have a go at being creative and making your very own pieces to suit your space. Concrete moulds are available online, helping homeowners across the country transform their spaces. The choices are endless – bird baths, benches, dining tables, clocks, wood burners, and more. Just get on Google and see what ideas are out there. 2. Sculpture Perhaps your garden could benefit from an artistic touch? One increasingly popular idea is to use imprinted stencils to create statement pieces or paving stones, such as leaf and flower designs or shaped stones. Whether left bare or painted, these can bring a decorative touch to any garden and become a talking point for visitors. Why not try crafting concrete globes using an inflated balloon? Simply put the wet concrete mix around as much of the balloon as you wish (leaving a gap can transform them from globes into planters), wait for it to set, and then pop the balloon. 3. Footpaths, paving & stepping stones The sturdy, durable nature of concrete makes it ideal for surfaces experiencing high foot and vehicle traffic. As concrete can be shaped easily in its liquid state, you can experiment with a range of different footpath, paving or stepping stone styles . You can keep it simple with evenly-sized stones, or create a mismatched, tumbledown look for a more quirky feel. Stepping stones don’t have to be plain, though; why not adorn yours with decorative jewels or stencilled patterns? 4. Driveways & parking spaces High-strength and robust, concrete is the ideal material to withstand your vehicle’s comings and goings. You may be tempted to opt for a gravel driveway, but the strength would not be at the same level – plus, gravel scatters easily. Concrete therefore has an edge when it comes to durability and longevity. 5. Raised beds & planters Concrete can play a big part in greening up your garden. Combining the urban character of concrete with the natural look of plants makes for a memorable contrast that adds a stylish touch to any garden. Planters and raised beds can be easily constructed from concrete, but the design and layout is totally up to you. Get your project off the ground and contact your reliable local concrete supplier.
IronmongeryDirect, and sister company ElectricalDirect has completed a major expansion project, to house 1000’s more new products whilst expanding its customer proposition. Part of the Manutan European Group, IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect is the UK’s largest supplier of ironmongery and electrical products to the trade. A new 100,000 sq ft warehouse, which is the equivalent of two football pitches, will now house over 30,000 products for both IronmongeryDirect and its co-brand ElectricalDirect all available for next day delivery. The new facilities will also have 2,000 pallet storage locations. Managing Director of the Manutan Traders Division, Wayne Lysaght-Mason, commented: “We took the decision to double the size of our warehouse in order to continue our 20% year on year growth, cement our market leading proposition and drive ambitious range extension. Whilst giving our sister brand ElectricalDirect a strong base for growth. “At the same time, we have expanded our call centre, while all other departments have been moved into modern, purpose-built office space.” The new warehouse officially opened on Thursday 17th January by Xavier Guichard, Chief Executive Officer at Manutan Group and Wayne Lysaght-Mason. They were also joined by the rest of the Manutan Group Management Board, along with over 200 staff to celebrate this significant landmark. Wayne added: “IronmongeryDirect will now benefit from an upgraded and expanded distribution centre, enabling an improved customer experience. The expansion will improve all areas of the business, providing a major boost for our revenue and profitability growth.” The expansion also allows the organisation to bring in the fulfilment of ElectricalDirect orders under one roof, enabling the service and product range to be greatly improved. Wayne concluded: “Our customers can expect to receive the same great service, ordering up to 8.00pm 7 days a week for next day delivery, but with the addition of a number of new and exciting products which will further complement our already market leading range”. In 2019 IronmongeryDirect is also celebrating its 50th year supplying architectural ironmongery to tradespeople. Starting out as a traditional ironmongers, today customers can browse over 17,500 products in the catalogue and online. With the UK’s biggest range of quality products in stock for next day delivery as standard, an award-winning service and low trade prices, IronmongeryDirect is proud to be the masters of their trade. Orders can be placed as late as 8pm for next day delivery from Sunday through to Friday and by 4pm on Saturdays. Free, no quibble returns are available on all products. For more information, visit IronmongeryDirect.com or call their team of specialist advisors on 0800 168 28 28.
Employee-owned packaging supplier, Kite Packaging, has taken its environmental waste management a step further thanks to the business’s new waste compacters. Kite’s new additions allow businesses to effectively sort waste at its source, bundling and downsizing waste levels in-house which has a knock on effect for UK waste management as it reduces the environmental impact from businesses through minimising the waste sent to landfill. These innovative systems are the ideal economical solutions to save time, money and space for industries across the board. With four compact balers to choose from, organisations can find the machine that’s most suited to their operational requirements. The versatile range of waste balers offers efficient compaction for different volume day to day operation and thanks to their innovative features such as an integrated kicker, that extracts the bale out once it is formed, companies can reduce costs and increase profits whilst allocating less time for the job. Workforces can eradicate manually flattening and cramming waste into bins, as these balers compact the waste in one swift movement, therefore removing time-consuming inconsistencies that manual, disjointed waste management brings. They can effectively compact cardboard, plastic, paper, textile and even food waste, all into one small, compact bale which can be disposed of efficiently and in the right way, therefore also encouraging recycling in the workplace. These new waste compactors give a substantial return of investment as they can bring significant cash savings on landfill taxes and waste collection as well as reducing the manual labour costs. If you would like any more information about Kite’s new compact balers or its other products and service, visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk.
Recofloor is celebrating in 2019 ten years since it started recycling waste vinyl flooring. The Take Back scheme was first set up back in 2009 by Altro and Polyflor and it has now recycled a total of 4,300 tonnes of waste vinyl material. “Plastics are hot news at the moment and we are proud to be instrumental in recycling our waste vinyl flooring. We, as well as Altro, invest significant amounts of time, energy and money into the scheme,” said Bob Smith, Polyflor’s Technical Director. Barry Hall, Altro’s Manufacturing and Technical Director also commented: “Companies working with Recofloor are leading the way in terms of resource recovery and circular economy. This takeback scheme is helping Altro in terms of its sustainability programme and ambitious growth plans.” With more than 700 collectors throughout the UK and Ireland and more than 60 drop-off sites accepting waste vinyl flooring, the scheme sees smooth and safety vinyl offcuts and roll ends, uplifted smooth vinyl, luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and loose lay being recycled back into new products, including flooring manufactured by Altro and Polyflor. “We are truly proud of our achievements over the past decade and certainly credit is due to all our members – flooring companies, contractors and distributors – who continue to work tirelessly to support the scheme. Everyone deserves a big pat on the back for their efforts and enthusiasm,” said Recofloor’s Project Officer Joe Gardner. Recofloor made an impact right from the beginning, winning several high-profile environmental and innovation awards for its recycling achievements within the scheme’s first five years. More than 450 tonnes were collected solely during 2011, and in 2013, the scheme was recognised with a Green Apple Gold Award for Environmental Best Practice. By the time Recofloor reached its fifth birthday in 2014, the scheme had toppled a 2,000-tonnes collection milestone. 2015 saw over 100 new members join Recofloor and by that year, the scheme had saved more than 2,000 tonnes of CO2. Further awards recognition was to come, including the Letsrecycle.com Award for Excellence in Recycling & Waste Management in 2016. The following year, Recofloor broke through the 3,000-tonnes collection total and had more than 1,500 Twitter followers.
To promote period dignity for female workers in the construction industry, a campaign led by UK construction union Unite has been launched. Unite conducted a survey of its women construction members, which identified a lack of facilities, when women were having their periods, as a major issue for many workers. Unite is asking companies to sign up to the campaign and deliver four initiatives: • Ensure each site or depot has a designated female toilet, which is always accessible, regularly cleaned and lockable • Handwashing facilities with running water and soap are provided in all welfare facilities • Sanitary bins are provided and they are cleaned and emptied regularly • Sanitary products are provided in a dispenser in a discreet location, free to workers. “Unite is asking construction employers to sign up to four basic demands which will ensure that women workers can experience period dignity,” said Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail. “With ever growing skills shortages in our industry, it is absolutely essential that construction becomes more attractive to women workers. A small step in achieving this is to ensure that women construction workers can have period dignity at work. Unite welcomes Multiplex’s role as a trailblazer in signing up to the campaign and will continue to highlight other sites and companies which also sign up in the future,” Gail added. The first site to sign up to Unite’s campaign is the Glasgow University Campus development which is being built by Multiplex. Other sites are expected to sign up in the coming weeks.
