Kajima Properties Europe Completes 405-Bed Student Housing Development
Kajima Properties Europe (‘Kajima Properties’ or ‘KPE’), the vertically integrated investment, development and asset management subsidiary of the NIKKEI-listed Kajima Corporation, has completed the expansion of its existing 466-bed Student Depot residence in Poznań, transforming it into two interlinked buildings with 871-beds, the largest in Student Depot’s operational portfolio. This milestone marks Student Depot’s first-ever extension of a fully occupied building, demonstrating its ability to deliver complex projects while maintaining uninterrupted service for existing residents. Delivered ahead of schedule and under budget, the new extension introduces a wider variety of room types and standards at different price points, giving students in Poznań greater flexibility and choice. The development is already in use, with most residents having moved in for the start of the academic year. The existing building has also been upgraded with thoughtfully designed common areas that support both academic and social life. These include dedicated study zones, fitness facilities, a cinema room, and gaming spaces. As part of the investment, the building’s façade was renovated and thermally insulated to enhance energy efficiency. Each Student Depot residence is professionally managed in-house, offering 24/7 staffing, controlled entry, CCTV monitoring, and on-site management to ensure a safe and supportive living environment. The Poznań extension strengthens Student Depot’s presence in a key academic hub, opening at over 93% occupancy in response to strong demand for modern PBSA in Poland. According to Savills’ latest market research, there are more than 1.2 million students nationwide in Poland, but only 1.5% can secure a place in modern private dormitories. Poznań was the first asset in Student Depot’s portfolio, acquired in 2014. Following an initial investment from Kajima Europe (‘Kajima’) in 2019, Student Depot has since established itself as Poland’s largest PBSA platform by units under management. The platform now operates over 4,500 beds across nine PBSA assets in Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Łódź, Lublin and Poznań, with a secured pipeline of more than 1,000 additional beds. Jan Trybulski, Head of Poland at Kajima Properties Europe, said: “The extension of our Poznań asset, combined with the upgrade of the original scheme, marks a significant milestone for Student Depot. Delivering such a complex project on time, within budget, and exceeding our targeted occupancy level is a testament to the team’s capability and commitment. “Student Depot’s market-leading position and deep operational know-how enable us to enhance the offer continually, from diversified room types and upgraded amenities to improved building efficiency, ensuring we remain the first-choice private student accommodation in Poland. “Our strategy focuses on investing in high-quality, well-located residences across undersupplied academic cities. With over a decade of operational experience, we are uniquely positioned to identify the right locations and structures that deliver strong long-term performance. We see a significant opportunity to continue expanding across Poland’s major university hubs, supported by a secured pipeline of over 1000 additional beds.” Michał Obara, CEO of Student Depot, said: “The successful delivery of the Poznań extension is a very important step for Student Depot – not only because it enhances our offer in one of Poland’s most important academic cities, but also because it was our first ever expansion project delivered within a fully operational and occupied building. It was a highly complex challenge, but thanks to excellent planning and execution, we completed it with minimal disruption to residents. “This success would not have been possible without the continued support and engagement of our investor, Kajima. Their long-term commitment, expertise and trust in our team have been crucial in helping us grow into Poland’s largest PBSA platform, with even more projects in the pipeline.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bellrock appoints Dan Weiss as Managing Director of Consulting
Experienced property leader is charged with leading Bellrock’s ambitious growth plans as the company continues to shake up the sector Property Management industry disruptor Bellrock has appointed Dan Weiss as Managing Director of its Consulting business. In his new role, he will be responsible for developing Bellrock’s property consulting services, leading acquisitions to expand the business, and providing strategic leadership and structure for the team. Weiss is a highly-experienced property leader with 25 years’ experience in the industry. He joins Bellrock from Sodexo, where he was Chief Growth Officer for the £2bn / 30,000-person UK & Ireland business. He previously spent 11 years at Atkins and four years at Faithful+Gould, where he ran the company’s Strategic Asset Management practice. Other leadership roles include Chief Operating Officer of a £120m / 3500-person delivery business and Managing Director of Sodexo’s Property Professional Services division. Dan Weiss said: “It is a privilege to join Bellrock at such a pivotal time. As a private equity-backed business with ambitious growth plans, Bellrock is not only scaling rapidly but doing so with purpose – disrupting the market, investing in cutting-edge technology like Concerto and Mobiess, and positioning itself as both a trusted advisor and an employer of choice. I’m looking forward to working with the team to build on that momentum and deliver even greater value to our clients.” Weiss’s appointment comes at a time when Bellrock’s disruptive approach is making waves in the sector. The company was recently ranked in Building magazine’s league table of the UK’s top 150 consulting firms for the first time, placing in 29th position, and is seeking to improve on that ranking in 2026. Bellrock’s consulting services are powered by cutting-edge technology, ensuring clients benefit from real-time insights and seamless compliance management. Its Concerto platform centralises property, asset and risk data into one secure system, delivering complete visibility and control across estates. Paired with Mobiess, Bellrock’s mobile solution for on-site data capture, the company provides accurate, audit-ready information that drives faster decisions and closes the loop from inspection to resolution. This integrated approach means Bellrock clients gain not only expert advice, but also a future-ready digital ecosystem that cuts through the noise to transform complexity into clarity, compliance, and long-term value, at speed. “Bellrock is on a growth mission, and we couldn’t have hired anyone better than Dan to help us meet our ambitious targets,” said Carlo Alloni, CEO. “Our strategy is focused on delivering excellence to our clients, scaling through targeted acquisitions and organic expansion on the back of great service, enabling us to broaden our capabilities, deepen our sector expertise and deliver even greater value to our clients. Dan will help us deliver on that. Backed by incredible talent and driven by innovation, we’re building a disruptive, technology-enabled platform that positions Bellrock as both a trusted advisor and an employer of choice in the property and risk management space.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Driving net-zero through governance and retrofit
Introduction The construction industry is facing constant and growing pressure to deliver projects faster, greener, and more responsibly. It is said to be accountable for 40% of carbon emissions in the UK, and even more surprisingly, 28% of all emissions globally. The sector has faced increased pressure to reform its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards in order to create a more sustainable approach to the built environment. Although ESG commitments might look good on paper, in practice they are complex and long-winded to implement, and at times, can be viewed as a simple brand exercise or tickbox. But today, a strong ESG strategy is imperative. It not only reduces risk and meets increasing regulatory and investor demands within the sector, but also creates long-term value for businesses and their wider sustainability goals. Mark Garry, Watts Group Associate, and member of their public sector department delves into how retrofit is a key part of governance in action, ensuring that sustainability translates into tangible performance outcomes. Of the three key ESG pillars, governance is often the most misunderstood and underutilised. When in actual fact, strong governance is the enabler and key driver of innovation and sustainability in construction, particularly through the growing demand for retrofit. Defining governance within ESG In plain terms, governance refers to how decisions are made, who is accountable, and whether those decisions align with ethical, transparent, and responsible practices in a business or project. In construction, strong governance is applied practically through various processes such as procurement, supply chain oversight, and risk management frameworks. These factors guide everything from contractor selection to compliance, and allow for transparency, accountability and overarching commitment to sustainability targets. Without strong governance, environmental and social goals fall apart, and even the best ESG intentions lack structure, consistency, and credibility in the long run. How governance drives innovation in construction Today, strong governance frameworks are essential to accelerating innovation and responding to evolving regulatory, environmental, and societal expectations. While it may not sound as exciting as engineered timber or robotics, which focus on transforming how we deliver projects, governance ensures that innovation is implemented responsibly, supporting long-term sustainability and resilience. Governance also reinforces compliance with UK employment legislation, safeguards against unethical employment practices, and ensures ethical standards are upheld across construction supply chains. It provides the structure needed to implement circular economy principles, prioritising resource efficiency, waste reduction, and lifecycle value across the built environment. All of which are elements to a successful ESG strategy. At its best, governance acts as the bridge between vision and implementation, and supports faster, more accountable decision-making. It aligns ESG targets with commercial business objectives, and gives investors, clients, and the wider public confidence that technological and environmental progress will be delivered with transparency and sustainability in mind. Governance’s role in retrofit Retrofit, or the process of improving energy performance in existing properties and buildings, not only improves a buildings lifespan, it is one of the most practical demonstrations of governance in action. Britain has some of the oldest, and least energy-efficient housing stock in Europe and only a campaign of mass retrofitting will allow the UK to reach the government’s target of net zero by 2050. Strong governance determines how decisions are made, and whether they align with transparent, ethical, and responsible practices. In retrofit, governance underpins the framework that ensures retrofit measures are delivered to the highest standard, safeguards occupant safety, and embeds accountability across contractors, supply chains, and funding bodies. Under PAS 2035:2023, governance is built under every stage of the retrofit process from the initial assessor conducting a detailed energy assessment of the property, to the evaluator monitoring and verifying performance outcomes. Why governance matters in retrofit In retrofit, the industry is faced with various challenges; from skills shortages and fragmented supply chains to inconsistent standards, policy uncertainty, and the persistent performance gap between design and delivery. From a retrofit coordinator perspective, governance provides the framework that ensures retrofit measures are delivered to the highest standard. It safeguards against shortcuts that compromise energy efficiency or occupant safety, and embeds accountability across contractors, supply chains, and funding bodies. Strong governance also guarantees that carbon reduction targets translate into measurable improvements in building performance, rather than unverified claims. In this way, governance is the safeguard that transforms ambitious environmental goals into lasting outcomes for clients, investors, and communities alike. The foundation for lasting impact Strong governance is what turns ESG ambition into real-world outcomes. It provides the structure, accountability, and clarity needed to deliver innovation, secure investor trust, and stay ahead of regulatory and reputational risks. Without it, environmental and social goals remain ungrounded. With it, the construction industry can lead the transition to a more sustainable and resilient built environment through better decisions at every level. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Planning for growth at speed – will root and branch reform deliver?
By Joanne Neville, National Director of Planning at Harworth Group Plc One area in which the government cannot be criticised for lacking ambition is reform of the planning system. With a commitment to 12 new towns – construction on three supposedly starting within this parliament – and ambitions to ‘build, baby build’ alongside recent additions to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, there is a clear commitment to get things moving. Delivered through two pieces of primary legislation, the proposed planning reforms are broad in scope. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will see all areas in England covered by a strategic authority. Separately, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will mandate these authorities to develop spatial development strategies – bringing the rest of England in line with Manchester and London, which have had these in place since 2024 and 2004 respectively. Sweeping reform is complicated and will take time to have effect, but the government hopes these bills will work in tandem to support development and bolster economies. Strategic thinking for strategic planning England’s planning system will work better if we can move away from what can be an overly politicised process, towards a spatial system that facilitates effective cross-boundary working. This would enable a decision-making framework capable of tackling difficult decisions about how growth is distributed and infrastructure delivered – leaving local planning authorities to focus resources on specific sites. Despite the benefits on offer, this will be a new way of working for most of England’s planning system and require significant attention and resources to establish. Greater Manchester’s adoption of its regional plan was a gargantuan effort but much needed. I hope that with support from central government, other combined authorities will achieve the goal quicker. Some, such as West Yorkshire Combined Authority, have already begun work on a plan and will be hoping this will help make the case to government for investment in the region’s proposed mass transit system. The key to delivering an effective spatial plan is starting as early as possible and establishing a shared vision through consistent communication and engagement. Some worry that strategic planning will result in the displacement of planners from local authorities, thereby compounding current resourcing challenges. The acute shortage of planners is a concern to us all – there is no obvious solution to this other than the requirement for more planners in the system. Developing a way of working that streamlines systems to ensure work is not duplicated at a local level is also key. A move to unitaries: simplicity is sophistication Putting an end to the current patchwork of administrative make-ups and moving away from two-tier authorities throughout England should, in time, simplify the planning process and largely standardise our political map by bringing all of England under unitary authorities. At our Skelton Grange site, having a strong unitary authority was critical. Collaborative promotion between Harworth, Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority helped gain interest from globally significant occupiers, with Microsoft ultimately committing to the site. Microsoft’s plan to build northern England’s largest data centre puts Leeds firmly on the map of this booming industry. Skelton Grange shows the power of strong alignment and clarity of purpose between local authorities, regional authorities and the private sector. The former power station site presented some of the most challenging ground conditions we’ve dealt with – and that’s saying something when you look at the type of the former industrial land we specialise in. Less than four miles from central Leeds, regeneration of the site is really significant to the city. Greater Manchester and West Midlands are oft-cited examples when it comes to devolution, but we’re also seeing the transition to a major unitary authority play out in North Yorkshire. This is a particularly interesting example when you consider the challenge and opportunity of creating fertile ground for investment across a large scale and predominantly rural geography. Time will tell on the specifics, but it’s hard to argue the logic of streamlining eight councils into one, ultimately ensuring planning decisions on housing and employment can be made in the same town hall as transport, waste and social care strategies. Decisions, decisions… A recent report by Lichfields found it now typically takes two years for major applications to secure permission, with just 4% being determined in the statutory timeframe. The longest wait in 2014 (660 days) was shorter than the average in 2024 (710 days). In 2008, I was the case officer for a major EIA development with a 112-day (16 week) timeframe. I was able to determine the application (complete with a signed S106), within the target. The ingredients that enabled this included a local authority planning department with a strong chief planner at the helm – a role that the RTPI is campaigning to be commonplace across planning departments. I was empowered to make a recommendations as planning officer in the planning balance. Plus we had a pragmatic, solution-based relationship between local authority and applicant. On top of this was a planning committee with a strong chair which recognised the allocation in the local plan and, despite objections, was strong enough to realise the principle of development was not up for debate. Planning professionals are all too familiar with decisions being made at committee against officer recommendation, often leading to delays and costs in bringing forwards new homes and jobs. Recently consulted on reforms to committees include a national scheme of delegation, limiting their size to 11 members and the introduction of mandatory training. Like the government, I hope a clearer scope and increased professionalism will help to put an end to rolling the dice with committees – particularly where allocated and policy compliant sites are concerned In my opinion, these proposed reforms are a significant step in the right direction to achieving decisions within sensible timeframes again. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good Planning systems and local government are not a perfect science; we are constantly adjusting to the technological, social and economic conditions around us. With
Sustainable packaging for construction materials: how leak testing helps reduce waste
The construction industry has been pushing so hard towards sustainable packaging, and it is all for a good cause. The sector handles, stores and ships a lot of materials every day. So, reducing waste at the packaging level is a low-hanging fruit as far as efforts towards sustainability are considered. In this article, we will cover how leak testing reduces waste in construction materials and why it is arguably the easiest way to enhance sustainable packaging efforts. Why Compromised Packaging is the Real Problem Before we get to the importance of leak testing, it is essential to find out more about compromised packaging and how it weakens sustainability efforts. Issues like a puncture or a leak in the material’s packaging can cause plenty of problems, including the following: In general, compromised packaging can lead to losses, environmental damage and slow down the efforts to make construction packaging more sustainable. And that is why leak testing has become such a crucial part of the materials packaging process. How Leak Testing Can Help Reduce Material Waste Catches Problems Before Materials are Shipped Leak testing is one of the primary steps in the quality testing process, which is done before the materials leave the manufacturing floor. As such, it helps you catch any problematic packaging before they are shipped to a warehouse or the construction site. If you had to rely solely on visual inspection, there are plenty of compromised packages that could easily slip through the quality control process. These are the ones that slowly let the elements in or leak the material out, leading to unnecessary damage to both the products and the environment. Leak testing allows you to assess the packaging integrity. And, any packaging that doesn’t meet the standard can easily be redone or entirely replaced without damaging the product. Increases Shelf Life Not all construction materials produced are used immediately. In fact, most of them are stored in warehouses for months or even years before they are supplied to construction sites. And, without proper packaging, there is a great risk you will be counting losses within a very short time. Once the packaging is compromised, the product starts deteriorating slowly. You will notice things like moisture traces in dry products like cement and air damage in sealant barrels. Leak testing can significantly increase the shelf life of your materials. In other words, you will toss out a few (if any) products when it’s time to make supplies. Conclusion In the end, sustainable packaging can only work if the packaging itself actually does the job. And leak testing is the best way to ensure that. It protects the materials, increasing shelf life and minimising unnecessary waste. So, if you want to reduce waste and prevent your sustainability efforts from falling apart, the first place to start is investing in leak testing solutions designed for construction materials.
The Pros and Cons of Investing in California Real Estate
Investing in California property has always felt a bit like hopping onto a roller coaster. Exciting, full of potential, occasionally nerve-racking, and sometimes a little unpredictable. Still, people are drawn to the state’s real estate market for good reason. Whether you are new to property investing or you have been doing this for a while, it helps to take a clear look at both the upsides and the drawbacks before diving in. Why California Continues to Attract Investors California has an undeniable pull. Some of the biggest reasons investors explore the market here come down to population, job opportunities, and long term appreciation trends. Cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco offer strong demand for rentals, and that naturally keeps property values sturdy most of the time. Another perk is the diversity of markets within the state. You can find everything from luxury coastal homes to more affordable inland properties. This gives investors at different levels room to find something that fits their budget and goals. There is also something reassuring about investing in a state with such a strong economy. Even when one industry slows down, others tend to pick up the slack. Tech, entertainment, agriculture, tourism, and biotech all help keep demand stable. The Potential Downsides to Keep in Mind Of course, no market is perfect. California has some challenges that deserve attention. The first and most obvious one is the cost of entry. The state’s median home prices are much higher than the national average. Many investors find themselves needing larger down payments or partnering with others to make deals work. Another factor that surprises newcomers is the regulatory landscape. California has strict tenant protections, environmental rules, and building codes. These rules are designed to protect residents, but they can add complexity to property management. It is not impossible, but it is important to understand the rules before you buy anything. Then there are the taxes. Property taxes, combined with state income taxes and potential capital gains taxes, can feel heavy unless you plan ahead. This is why many professionals recommend learning about tax strategies early on. The right structure can make a noticeable difference in your yearly returns. Opportunities for Growth Despite the Challenges Even with the obstacles, California still offers opportunities if you know where to look. Some investors focus on long-term rental markets. Others explore short term rentals, although cities vary widely in their rules. There are also pockets of the state that have been growing rapidly, such as the Inland Empire and parts of Sacramento. This is where strategic planning matters. For California real estate investors, understanding how to maximize tax benefits and depreciation can go a long way. Many turn to cost segregation because it can accelerate deductions and improve cash flow. Is California Still Worth It? The big question everyone eventually asks is whether buying property in California still makes sense. The honest answer is that it depends on what kind of investor you are and how much uncertainty you are comfortable with. Some people enjoy the challenge. They like the idea of owning something in a place that stays busy and full of life. Others want a calmer market where the numbers feel predictable from day one. If you lean toward long-term thinking, California can still be appealing. Housing demand rarely takes a real break, and the state keeps drawing new residents thanks to its job market and lifestyle. Even when prices wobble, they tend to settle in a stronger position over time. That steady pressure on demand is one of the reasons people keep coming back to this market. What really matters is finding a strategy that fits your goals. For some, California is a long game. For others, it is a market they admire from a distance. There is room for both approaches, and neither one is wrong.