Erika Pärn has carried out studies to look into how construction methods that are more technologically advanced could change the industry and how they carry out mapping for entire buildings, cities and road networks. Erika is a Lecturer at Birmingham University and specialises in Architectural Technology. She has shown through
ProCon Partners is a project control consultant business that works as part of the engineering and construction industry. The consultants have announced that they have managed to win a number of new projects that will be carried out alongside Highways England and will make sure that smart motorway systems that
With an impending general election about to define the state of the UK, all campaigning parties are making promises on the number of homes that they plan to build if they are chosen to run the country. 1 million over 5 years here, 220,000 each year there – it all
The recruitment consultants, I4 Recruitment Limited is a Norwich based company that has taken over new premises within the Vulcan Road Business Zone in the City. The commercial building used to be occupied by a recycling company. Therefore, before the recruitment could take over the space the old recycling centre
Lightning Protection Systems have recently been created as part of protection and the IEC standard, the IEC 62305. The Isolated Lightning Protection System, or LPS has been created in order to offer level of protection that can gain an adequate separation distance. The protection measures could include equipment such a
It has been forecast that over the next five years there will be 179,000 new jobs created for the construction industry. This is great news as the sector is experiencing a level of growth that has not been reached since the recession. However, there has also been a number of
The EAUC has chaired an event that was held last week. The event was focused on examining the different approaches that are taken towards capital project delivery. The event was organised by the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick and had around 100 people attend from across the
In order to boost the agenda of land-based businesses in Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates has announced that they have created a new structure for the senior management in their business. The Chairman for the organisation, David Johnson attributed a number of major issues including Brexit and the Land Reform
VPS Site Security has announced that they have appointed a new Managing Director. The Security company offer a range of tailor made security solutions for large and remote sites. The company has clients from a mixture of different industries which include Construction, Events, Utilities and Highways. VPS Site Security are
The Lighting Industry Academy has launched their new course that will give information about the legislation around lighting products, Product Testing and Compliance Control of the lighting market. It is thought that this course is suitable for those in the industry that are unsure of all the different legislative requirements
Erika Pärn has carried out studies to look into how construction methods that are more technologically advanced could change the industry and how they carry out mapping for entire buildings, cities and road networks. Erika is a Lecturer at Birmingham University and specialises in Architectural Technology. She has shown through her research that technology could have a significant impact on the mapping abilities of the construction industry. It is thought that digital building techniques can be used in order to radically transform infrastructure and communities. This could be the redesigning of an international tourist hotspot or the redevelopment of slums and shanty towns. It is thought that the work in to this field that has been carried out by Erika Pärn is groundbreaking. Her research was recently presented as part of one of the major international infrastructure conferences which took place in Ghana. At this conference Erika gave the keynote speech. The speech was delivered by Erika to a large audience, among them was the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology as well as the Ashanti Minister and the Mayor of Kumasi. As part of her presentation of the conference in Ghana, Erika Pärn showed that using the technology that is slowly coming on to the market can give a clearer idea of how people use land and infrastructure in order to be cleverer with designing and create communities that are more responsive as well as delivering a number of different cost savings when carrying out schemes that ae government funded. Erika Pärn’s research focused on technologies that are currently being utilizes when creating modern commercial spaces and how they can be adapted in order to design smarter cities that are built with the proper facilities and amenities to suit the inhabitants’ needs whether they are affluent or more deprived. Technology like Building Information Modeling are usually used individually on a project, but it is thought that by merging them with other both new and established technologies can be used together in order to help decide on the best locations for infrastructure development.
ProCon Partners is a project control consultant business that works as part of the engineering and construction industry. The consultants have announced that they have managed to win a number of new projects that will be carried out alongside Highways England and will make sure that smart motorway systems that are being installed around the country are undertaken and carried out successfully and efficiently. The consultancy company that work with project controls has been awarded the contracts that have an estimated value of around £2.4 billion. The projects will cover the M4, M1, M6, M20, M23, A14, and A21. It is thought that order to help out throughout the construction of these new smart motorways, ProCon will be making use of their bespoke Live Reporting and Analytics Service. This system that will be deployed while the smart motorways are being built will allow Highways England the opportunity to improve traffic conditions for the 100,000s of different drivers that use the motorway network each day. ProCon as the project controls consultants on the Highways project will be working with the construction and planning teams that are part of the site and will be making sure that the client, Highways England, are able to follow through on the planned road upgrades in a safe and efficient manner. The company will be analyzing the project throughout to make sure the Highways England are carrying out the works that will see a larger capacity of vehicles while also keeping the volumes safe and making sure that the road users experience as little delay as possible while the work is being carried out. The analytics and observation technologies and services that can be provided by ProCon will allow those carrying out the construction work to get almost a live-feed of news regarding the construction work which will allow them to make informed and speedy decisions when faced with a challenge. The service provided by the Project controller will also forecast any problems, meaning that problems can be addressed before they arise.
With an impending general election about to define the state of the UK, all campaigning parties are making promises on the number of homes that they plan to build if they are chosen to run the country. 1 million over 5 years here, 220,000 each year there – it all sounds very impressive, and expensiv Rubber4Roofs have taken a trip into the past to see how, and how many, homes were being built 50 years ago, and how this stacks up against the promises of today. How Have Building Trends Changed? In 2016, approximately 150,000 new homes were registered, the second highest number since the economic downturn in 2008. Conversely, house prices in the UK reached a peak in December 2016 of £222,000. Rewind almost 50 years, to 1970. Houses are functional, small, and may have just had this trendy new type of window installed which had two layers of glass! One of these, on average, would have cost you a grand sum of £10,388. There was a vast supply back then, with just short of 380,000 homes built in 1970. This trend of dwindling supply matched by large price increases in housing continued through the 80s, 90s, 00s, and now the 2010s, however, our tastes have also changed. More Bang For Your Buck? House prices are higher now than ever before, but are we actually getting anymore for our money? In terms of space; definitely. In 1970, the average size of a three bedroom property was 1,200 sq. feet. Fast-forward 50 years, and the average three bed is a positively roomy 2000 sq. feet. Home-owners, in the face of rapidly increasing house prices, are choosing to extend out their existing homes, rather than move. Increasingly inventive ways of making the most out of available room are being explored with the aim of increasing space, thus value. By the age of 50, UK adults would have spent approximately £300,000 on housing costs. But with costs mounting, homeowners are looking to maximise their investment on homebuilding. That means striking the elusive balance between longevity, and cost. It’s important to know which materials and methods will save you money in the long-run, which is why, when it comes to replacing or laying your next flat roof project, you should consider using EDPM rubber Roofing. Explore the infographic below, produced by the team at Rubber4Roofs. There’s plenty of interesting facts and, stats, and a timeline of what else has happened in the past 50 years.
The recruitment consultants, I4 Recruitment Limited is a Norwich based company that has taken over new premises within the Vulcan Road Business Zone in the City. The commercial building used to be occupied by a recycling company. Therefore, before the recruitment could take over the space the old recycling centre need a bit of refurbishment. Part of the refurbishment that has been carried out includes renovation of the main floor area which needed levelling. The work was carried out by Smart Render, another Norwich based company; who used a range of Saint-Gobain Weber products throughout the project. The building was surveyed at first with the assistance of Weber’s support team, who helped to create the technical specification of the work. The substrate that was originally on the floor of the space sloped in to a central gully and the room required sand blinding in order to establish a reasonable level before the space was covered by a 100 micron weberfloor DPM. The work has been finished to a high standard and will allow I4 Recruitment Limited to apply any other floor covering on to the newly acquired space. The recruitment company are focusing on creating quality facilities for their staff members. The work carried out on the space that used to be a recycling centre was fast and efficient and has made a significant upgrade to the premises. Smart Renders began operating five years ago and the company has used webertherm External Wall Insulation as part of a number of different projects that are located around East Anglia. The business is capitalizing on the change from more typically industrial and perhaps more “dirty” practices to more technological processes, there is a demand for the workspace updates that can be offered by Smart Renders. The space at Vulcan Road is a prime example of this change as it has been transformed from a rugged and basically fitted out space in to smart and modern office space. The former recycling space at Vulcan Road will now be used as a gym and a recreation centre to allow I4 Recruitment’s staff the ability to let off a bit of steam.
Lightning Protection Systems have recently been created as part of protection and the IEC standard, the IEC 62305. The Isolated Lightning Protection System, or LPS has been created in order to offer level of protection that can gain an adequate separation distance. The protection measures could include equipment such a lightning conductor is and the Isolated LPS makes sure that there is enough electric or physical distance between what is being used to conduct the current and what is being protected. Therefore, the Isolated LPS is an effective way of reducing the impact of lightning. Another way of protecting from lightning is the non-isolated protection. These are more conventional and include equipment such as Faraday Cages that are normally attached directly on to the structure or asset that need to be protected. This process can normally be an effective form of protection as a minimum requirement however in cases where directly connecting a non-isolated LPS becomes at the least, inefficient and at most dangerous; such as when the equipment that need to been protected in flammable or perhaps explosive, an isolated LPS is recommended. Isolated LPSs makes sure that if a lightning strike were to happen, the area around the building is made safe when installing an LPS. Meaning that when protecting sites that come with disastrous consequences if lightning were to strike the surge protection is increased a lot with the use of an Isolated LPS. An important thing to consider when looking to secure any kind of building or facility is the consequence of a direct lightning strike. If the consequences could mean the ignition of flammable of explosive product, it may be worth looking in to Isolated LPS. As part of construction, the protection of the building from freak weather conditions must be addressed, and it is a wise move to consult an expert for the best way to protect a building or facility.
It has been forecast that over the next five years there will be 179,000 new jobs created for the construction industry. This is great news as the sector is experiencing a level of growth that has not been reached since the recession. However, there has also been a number of skills deficits found within the construction industry, which will increase as the industry grows. In order to combat this deficit training is being provided in order to help companies hire fully-qualified and able people to fill job roles. The current gaps that have been noted within the construction industry covers several different trades, and it is predicted that Small or Medium sized Enterprises, or SMEs could have the most challenges to deal with over the next five-year period. Within the construction industry at the moment there has been a reported lack of roofer, plumbers and other skilled workers in the industry. The training that is being offered is fully funded and will come at no extra cost to the SME, but is will help the business fill the available job spaces that they have. With predictions that the employment figures in the industry will reach 2.6 million over the course of this period of growth. This will be a 1.7% growth in the sector. Therefore, the training that has been set up by The Skills Support Workforce, or SSW, will help SMEs through their new fully funded training project to reduce the skills gap that is currently being experienced. Being able to fill in these gaps will hopefully help the business to make the most of this fruitful period for the construction industry. The increased pressure to create more and more housing in order to meet demand has been suggested as one of the reasons for the increased growth in the sector. To meet the demand for new homes, approximately 220,000 new homes would have to be constructed. This high demand has a knock on effect and increases the demand for construction trades. However, the skills gap is meaning that the number of skilled workers is being spread quite thin. Hopefully the SSW’s new project will be beneficial for the industry.
The EAUC has chaired an event that was held last week. The event was focused on examining the different approaches that are taken towards capital project delivery. The event was organised by the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick and had around 100 people attend from across the post-16 education sector as well as the construction industry. A debate took place that was facilitated by the CEO of the EAUC, Iain Patton which created the opportunity to consider the number of different possibilities and challenges that are created when operational energy performance as part of the construction process is addressed. It is thought that both colleges and Universities are stand alone in their ability to influence their operational energy performance because each of the universities and colleges around the UK are owners and managers of large, complex and ever growing estates. It is thought that making sure the post 16 educational sector is prepared for a sustainable and long lasting construction phase that future developments can avoid a pile of costs related to energy performance that could have been addressed before in the earlier stage of the construction. Other things that were looked at the chaired meeting was it is important that the basic metrics, skills procedures and other contractual arrangements are known and understood in order to allow for the proper delivery of the project. Also considered at the event as whether the sharing of best practice procedures that have come out of previous projects carried out in higher education can help with capital project delivery. The other topic that was discussed as part of the event was the risks, gaps or different opportunities that are available for the client or their supply chain partnerships in order to deliver a project that has both value and quality. By working together, the higher education sector and the supply chain can create more and more successful projects which is positive for both industries.
In order to boost the agenda of land-based businesses in Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates has announced that they have created a new structure for the senior management in their business. The Chairman for the organisation, David Johnson attributed a number of major issues including Brexit and the Land Reform (Scotland) Act has led to the restructuring. It is thought that these challenges will require Scottish Land & Estates to keep changing in order to deal with issues in the future that could have an impact on land based businesses. As part of the reshuffle in the senior management team, Sarah Jane Laing has been asked to join the Board. It is thought that a position on the Board will help Sarah enhance her role as the executive director. Sarah will be joining the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman in order to make a new senior management team. It is thought that Sarah Jane Laing will carry on her work with policy and parliamentary affairs but will also take on more responsibilities from within the organisation. The change to the senior management team will help the company as it goes forward, and it is thought that all companies need to adapt the climate in order to be successful. Sarah Jane Laing is a well-respected member of the company and hopefully she will prove to be an asset to the newly restructured management team. Sarah has already shown she has the ability to work with a variety of different stakeholders and has also managed to provide a strategy for the direction of the organisation’s policy. Sarah also played a vital part of modernizing the organisation’s communication systems and the representational activity. Hopefully the restructuring will be successful going forward for Scottish Land & Estates, and will allow the company to overcome the challenges that are facing the industry.
VPS Site Security has announced that they have appointed a new Managing Director. The Security company offer a range of tailor made security solutions for large and remote sites. The company has clients from a mixture of different industries which include Construction, Events, Utilities and Highways. VPS Site Security are also known for being one of the leading providers of remote 24/7 monitored CCTV security and are the only suppliers of the JCB Smart Tower which is an award winning device that can be deployed quickly and uses thermal cameras in order to deliver a security solution that cut down the number of false alarms and the recording capacity for up to 30 days. It has been revealed that Peter Lalor will fill the position of Managing Director of the security solutions provider. Peter will be joining VPS Site Security after working for Ursa Group, which is a company the works in Africa and offers a range of security products and services. Peter brings a wealth of experience in security operations to the security company. His security background originates from spending time as part of the British Army Intelligence Corps, which he worked as a member of for 14 years. Peter Lalor has a great deal of experience in providing a range of security systems for the intention of protecting people assets and infrastructure. He will be a valuable asset for VPS Site Security, who provide their security solutions for construction companies, remote sites, utilities businesses and rail and road builders. Over the course of his career, Peter has worked in a number of places around the world. Peter Lalor has spent the majority of his career working in locations across Africa and the Middle East. Peter has had a number of different managerial positions as well before being appointed as the Managing Director for VPS. Peter started EITZ which is a company that is based in Tanzania and has also been the Vice President for the international security company The Olive Group.
The Lighting Industry Academy has launched their new course that will give information about the legislation around lighting products, Product Testing and Compliance Control of the lighting market. It is thought that this course is suitable for those in the industry that are unsure of all the different legislative requirements before placing a lighting product on to the market. The course that is put on by The Lighting Industry Academy can be completed in a day and will cover in detail the different regulations and directives that are connected to the lighting markets. There are currently twelve different bit of legislation that are required before products go on to the markets which include the LVD, EMCD, RoHS and ERP. All of these requirements can have an impact on manufacturers, importers, and distributors of lighting products therefore it is imperative that those involved in the industry have the correct level of knowledge regarding the law around lighting. One the product complies with the requirements it then needs to undergo varying degrees of production control in order to make sure that all of the products are the same and all show conformity. The Lighting Industry Academy also has a Quality Assurance model in order to allow those in the industry to appreciate the importance for putting in to place the controls as well as making sure everything stays up to standard. Those on the course will also learn how this can affect the controls on imported goods. After the theoretical aspects of the course is complete those attending will enter the laboratories in order to allow hands on product testing which is an important part of the product conformity in the lighting industry. The attendees will be shown how to use the reliable Clare test equipment, that is the traditional way of carrying out product testing, and the HAL tester which is the cutting edge production electrical test equipment. Those on the course will have access to this modern equipment because of a partnership that has been formed between the Lighting Academy and Seaward Group.
