Work Starts On Speculative Development Of Circa 650,000 Sq Ft in Five New Industrial Units Citrus Durham (“Citrus”) has secured £75M funding to enable the speculative development of circa 650,000 sq ft of new industrial space, to be known as Connect, at the Integra 61 mixed-use project at J61 of
Caddick Construction, on behalf of Caddick Group and AAA Property Group, has completed 180,000 sq ft of commercial space at Moor Park 25, Mirfield, West Yorkshire. The second phase of this industrial and logistics development includes five new buildings ranging from 19,000-59,000 sq ft. The development at Moor Park 25,
Construction on Kangaroo Works, Sheffield City Centre’s new 14-storey residential development, reached an important milestone this week with Henry Boot Construction completing the highest point of the structure. The Kangaroo Works development on Trafalgar Street, which forms part of Sheffield City Council’s Heart of the City programme, has been gathering
Framework to deliver up to £750million of new investment in construction projects across Midlands and East of England. Eight contractors appointed to deliver community-focused public sector projects with value of up to £7.5million. Next generation framework promises to support public sector’s net zero ambitions with innovative ‘net zero ready’ feature.
There was a point in your life when a larger home was absolutely essential. Whether it was to raise a family or accommodate regular guests, there are years when a big house is full of noise and life, and even the largest of spaces still has a cozy family feel.
Paradise Birmingham, the £1.2 billion transformation project at the heart of the city, has today received its latest planning approval from Birmingham City Council. In a unanimous decision from the planning committee, permission was granted for Three Chamberlain Square, a new 10-storey, 185,000 sq ft commercial building, a key part
SOCOTEC’s Asbestos team recently supportedinfrastructure service support provider, Amey, with the asbestos decontamination of vehicles and assets at MOD Ashchurch, a primary vehicle storage and distribution site for armoured vehicles and the main Stored Equipment Fleet (SEF) storage and maintenance depot for the army in the UK. MOD Ashchurch was
Responding to measures in the Building Safety Act coming into force today where many leaseholders will be legally protected from unfair bills to make their homes safe, Cllr Darren Rodwell, Local Government Association housing spokesperson, said: “The LGA has long argued that blameless leaseholders should not have to pay for
Ten years since the start of UK production of REHAU’s RAUVITHERM pipe, the business is celebrating the market’s only UK-manufactured pre-insulated PE-Xa pipe to feed a growth in demand across renewable heat projects. Ever since its launch, RAUVITHERM has proven popular due to its combination of flexibility and low heat
Schools and colleges struggling to cope with the twin challenges of staff and pupil safety and energy efficiency can now finance ‘Clean Air as a Service’ through a new £3.5 million fund established by leading energy efficiency firm, Energys Group. Repayment costs are a little as 5p / per day
Work Starts On Speculative Development Of Circa 650,000 Sq Ft in Five New Industrial Units Citrus Durham (“Citrus”) has secured £75M funding to enable the speculative development of circa 650,000 sq ft of new industrial space, to be known as Connect, at the Integra 61 mixed-use project at J61 of the A1(M), Durham. Avison Young and Colliers acted for Citrus Durham on the funding. Connect will comprise a 342,000 sq ft industrial/logistics development of four high quality units ranging from 43,000 to 152,000 sq ft. In addition, a 298,000 sq ft stand-alone, 15 metre high bay industrial/warehouse unit will be delivered on an adjacent plot. Connect 298 will be the largest speculatively developed industrial/warehouse unit in the North East for over a decade and will fill a crucial void in the regional supply pipeline. Avison Young and CBRE will be marketing the new units to potential occupiers, helping to meet the demand for high quality new build industrial/warehouse accommodation in the region. GMI Construction has been appointed as contractor for the build and work has started on site with the Connect units ready for occupation in summer next year. The acute shortages of high-quality modern logistics/industrial supply in the North East have been analysed by the Citrus team and the units have been sized to satisfy the growing regional demand for units in this range. Integra 61 is one of the North East’s most significant regeneration projects with outline consent in place for over 3 million sq ft of employment space with the potential to create some 4,000 jobs. Already home to Amazon’s 2m sq ft Fulfilment Centre, occupiers can choose design and build packages for units to meet their specific requirements, and this speculative phase of development will satisfy those companies looking for space that is already under construction. David Cullingford, Project Lead for Integra 61 and Citrus, said; “The funding will accelerate delivery of the next phase of development at Integra 61. 2022 is proving to be an exciting year with lots of activity on-site and we are looking forward to delivering these new speculative units as quickly as possible. We have a real opportunity here to make a significant contribution to the regional pipeline for industrial/logistics accommodation and to ease the well-documented shortages in the North East. This is a thriving region with a superb workforce and businesses and we hope to bring more jobs and opportunities with this next multi-million pound investment at Integra 61.” Located at J61 of the A1(M), Integra 61 is just 4 miles away from the City of Durham and will also include circa 270 new homes, 70-bed hotel, family pub/restaurant, nursery, drive-thrus and a number of trade counter/roadside units all adding to the diverse offering.
Caddick Construction, on behalf of Caddick Group and AAA Property Group, has completed 180,000 sq ft of commercial space at Moor Park 25, Mirfield, West Yorkshire. The second phase of this industrial and logistics development includes five new buildings ranging from 19,000-59,000 sq ft. The development at Moor Park 25, located in close proximity to Junction 25 of the M62, started in 2019. Phase 1 completed in 2020 and was immediately let to Incora, the aeronautics supply chain specialist. Caddick Developments subsequently ‘forward sold’ this next phase of five units to AAA Property Group, which also purchased the Phase 1 building as part of its expansion into the industrial and logistics sector. Identified as one of 10 Enterprise Zones across Leeds City Region, it is set to inject a cash boost of up to £12.5million to the local economy. All five new units are in advanced negotiations. Caddick Construction, with support from KPP Architects, was retained for both phases and worked alongside structural and engineering consultancy Dudleys, engaged specifically to support Phase 2. Chris Wilson, Commercial Development Director, of Caddick Construction said: “It’s great to see such demand for the units resulting in the scheme being fully let well before completion. The quality of the build, its facilities and prime connectivity to the M62 corridor are all particularly sought after in the north, in a very competitive market.” Myles Hartley, managing director of Caddick Development said:“With demand for light industrial and logistics floorspace continuing to grow a-pace, we’re delighted to be delivering what growing local and regional businesses want. It’s great seeing the project come to completion, and we look forward to the benefits it will bring to the region’s economy and growth.” Anil Chima, director of AAA Property Group added:“We are delighted to have been able to work with fellow Yorkshire-based Caddick, and be able to bring forward a scheme that will contribute so positively to the local areas – particularly in light of the need for Covid-19 economic recovery. The investment into the project will provide many jobs as well as provide much-needed industrial space in the region.” The project has involved working closely with both Kirklees Council, and the Leeds City Region (LEP) in their role overseeing key strategic enterprise zones. Joint agents on the project are Avison Young and Dove Haigh Philips.
Construction on Kangaroo Works, Sheffield City Centre’s new 14-storey residential development, reached an important milestone this week with Henry Boot Construction completing the highest point of the structure. The Kangaroo Works development on Trafalgar Street, which forms part of Sheffield City Council’s Heart of the City programme, has been gathering momentum in recent months and now the building’s concrete frame has reached its highest point – 46 metres from the ground. A joint venture from US investor Angelo Gordon and real estate experts Ridgeback Group, Kangaroo Works will see an injection of 365 high-quality homes into the city centre. A mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with five commercial units included on the ground floor, the block’s design features a distinctive brick façade that nods to the site’s former industrial heritage. The stylish urban development is complemented by a landscaped central courtyard and rain garden. To celebrate the scheme’s latest milestone, the project’s Sheffield-based contractor, Henry Boot Construction, welcomed key representatives from Sheffield City Council, Ridgeback Group, David Ashley Construction, Whittam Cox Architects and Sweco on 28 June for a tour of the site and an official topping-out ceremony. Tony Shaw, Managing Director for Henry Boot Construction, commented: “This has been a challenging city centre site so we’re absolutely delighted to reach the highest point of the build on track. It’s been a great achievement by the team and today was a nice opportunity to showcase the progress we’ve made to date. Kangaroo Works is one of the largest residential schemes in South Yorkshire and, as a local business, we’re proud to be involved.” Christopher Allen, Senior Development Manager for Ridgeback Group, added: “This part of Sheffield of undergoing rapid change and it is exciting to be involved in the delivery of one of the key sites within Heart of the City. Topping out is always a significant milestone and we hope that most of the site complexities are now behind us. We are looking forward to launching 365 rental apartments later this year and welcoming new residents in 2023.” Kangaroo Works is due to be completed in the first half of 2023. The development sits alongside other key Henry Boot Construction projects within Heart of the City, including Pound’s Park, Elshaw House and Cambridge Street Collective.
Framework to deliver up to £750million of new investment in construction projects across Midlands and East of England. Eight contractors appointed to deliver community-focused public sector projects with value of up to £7.5million. Next generation framework promises to support public sector’s net zero ambitions with innovative ‘net zero ready’ feature. SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities, has announced the eight contractors that will deliver up to £750million of new investment in the public sector across the Midlands and East of England via its Regional Construction framework. Jeakins Weir, Stepnell, GF Tomlinson, Lindum Group, Ashe Construction, Conamar, Clegg Construction and R G Carter have been appointed to help local authorities and public sector organisations deliver ambitious, community-focused construction projects up to a value of £7.5million from 26 August 2022. Public sector organisations using the direct award framework will gain instant access to high quality construction contractors and an extensive local supply chain, supporting the delivery of projects that will generate social value, training, apprenticeships and leave a positive legacy for local communities whilst helping them to achieve their net zero ambitions. The new four-year framework will build on the positive impact of SCAPE’s existing Regional Construction framework which has successfully delivered 400 projects over the past four years. During this period, local spend and labour within 20 miles of each project accounted for 62% and 60% respectively of the framework’s output, with waste reduction from landfill achieving more than 96%. With an increased value banding of up to £7.5million, the next generation framework will operate under a parallel lotting structure to provide public sector clients with a greater contractor choice before commissioning a project. This is alongside a new ‘net zero-ready’ lifecycle agreement feature, which will support the public sector’s ambitious sustainability goals and provide an effective response to the climate emergency. The results of the procurement are as follows: The new £750million framework will be structured into four regions: John Simons, group procurement director at SCAPE, said: “The next four years represent a pivotal time for public sector construction across the Midlands and East of England to deliver infrastructure that empowers local communities and generates regional economic growth. “After receiving positive feedback from clients, we’ve enhanced the framework to provide our public sector colleagues with the tools to not only deliver value-driven infrastructure in their areas but support their journey toward a net zero built environment. “Aligned with SCAPE’s 15-year heritage of empowering local authorities to achieve their infrastructure objectives, the direct award framework is designed to achieve value for money, drive sustainability and deliver a local economic impact on every project.” Mark Robinson, group chief executive at SCAPE, said: “As we continue to play our part in delivering infrastructure projects across the region that are more sustainable and strengthen local communities, our new framework will help our clients meet their goals and allow local contractors to build long-term relationships to grow their business. “The addition of a new lifecycle contract form as part of the framework’s ‘net zero ready’ offering is testament to SCAPE’s commitment to supporting clients with energy conservation and the operational efficiency and performance of their assets. “The new framework will act as a vehicle for contractors to champion greener infrastructure and upskill their teams to be able to deliver on the sustainability ambitions across the Midlands and East of England.” For full details on SCAPE’s Regional Construction framework, please visit www.scape.co.uk.
There was a point in your life when a larger home was absolutely essential. Whether it was to raise a family or accommodate regular guests, there are years when a big house is full of noise and life, and even the largest of spaces still has a cozy family feel. But what happens when you’ve served your parental duties and waved off your children as they set off to start families of their own? Does all of that space still seem important to you, or are you suddenly finding yourself in a large but extremely empty space? Whatever your reasons for wanting a change in scenery, many people are downsizing into smaller, more stylish homes after they’ve made use of the larger places. If you’re considering moving into a smaller space that’s perfect for the next stage of your life, take a visit to websites like Compass.com and see the wide range of options available to you. In the meantime, keep these things in mind as you look to downsize in a new home to make your next move go as smoothly as possible. Reasons to downsize your home While no two reasons to downsize a home will ever be exactly the same, they tend to fall under some of the same broad categories. Perhaps you simply feel that the house has far too much space now the kids have moved out, and you see no point in staying there. This is a perfectly valid reason. After all, who wants to pay large energy bills and have to clean a huge house that’s totally empty? Or maybe you want to downsize to help get some money together for your retirement? Many people choose to sell up and scale down so that they can make the most of their new start in life. It could just be that you’ve never had kids but you want to experience a brand new area, perhaps away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Either way, downsizing in style is an increasingly popular venture. What will you want in the future? Downsizing your home shouldn’t feel like the end of an era. Instead, it should feel like the beginning of a new adventure. Chances are that you’ve spent the last few decades either raising a family or working extremely hard to succeed in your career (possibly even both!). Think of this as the chance to find your dream home and not a place that’s designed to please others for a change. This should be a space where you can dream big and live with an understated sense of inner happiness. Declutter to reduce moving day stresses Moving from a larger home into a smaller space requires some strict rules about what you’ll take with you and what’s going to be sold at the next yard sale. This is an opportunity to let go of some unnecessary items and random pieces of furniture in favor of taking only the essentials. You don’t want to take it all with you and make moving day an even bigger struggle. Stay realistic about what’s no longer needed in your new place, and look forward to making this smaller space your very own.
Paradise Birmingham, the £1.2 billion transformation project at the heart of the city, has today received its latest planning approval from Birmingham City Council. In a unanimous decision from the planning committee, permission was granted for Three Chamberlain Square, a new 10-storey, 185,000 sq ft commercial building, a key part of the second phase of the Paradise masterplan. Grounded in sustainability and with a unique ‘inside-outside’ ethos to the workplace, Three Chamberlain Square will be one of the most sustainable commercial buildings located in the city centre. It will be a first for Birmingham in terms of environmental standards, while offering a unique working setting for occupiers. In addition to incorporating a low carbon approach to materials, waste and construction, the design of Three Chamberlain Square builds in a low carbon future for its occupiers. With lots of natural light and ventilation, the building reflects the demands of the modern workplace and will remain sustainable. It is the fourth commercial building at the estate after One Chamberlain Square, Two Chamberlain Square and One Centenary Way. The residential Octagon tower is also currently under construction on the northern part of the estate, fronting Summer Row. The building will offer 200 bike spaces and dedicated changing facilities, all electric power and heating, and stairwell connections between floors, creating an agile and adaptive approach to the workplace. It will be a beautiful and inspiring building, promoting health, sustainability and wellbeing among those who will work there well into the future. With its prominent setting next to the Grade I Town Hall, Three Chamberlain Square will help create new connections in and around the civic heart of Birmingham and across the city centre. Designed by award-winning architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Three Chamberlain Square is a key statement of sustainability for the city and aims to be one of the greenest commercial buildings built in the UK post-Covid. The building will improve accessibility along Paradise Street and to metro and rail connections, as well as aiding pedestrian flows between different parts of the city centre. The building is a key part of Phase Two of Paradise, which includes the almost complete One Centenary Way, plus a new 17-storey hotel on the corner of Paradise Street and Suffolk Street Queensway, and three important new public spaces, Ratcliff Square, Western Terrace and Ratcliff Passage. These new, high-quality public spaces in the southern part of the Paradise estate will provide a more fitting environment for the surrounding historic buildings, as well as create new connections through to the Westside part of the city. The new public realm, designed by Grant Associates Landscape Architects, will build on the success of the refreshed Chamberlain Square, Congreve Street and Centenary Way, which form part of Phase One of the development. Rob Groves, regional development director at Paradise development manager MEPC, said: “This planning approval is another huge vote of confidence in both the city and Paradise, and its ability to attract new jobs, skills and investment to Birmingham. A further commercial building will enable us to meet market demand for space in the city centre, in a highly-sustainable, people-centred building of the highest quality. In addition to office space, Three Chamberlain Square will bring further leisure and retail opportunities to the heart of the city, with the prospect of more top-quality operators of the like we’ve already attracted to Paradise.” Chris Taylor, Chairman of MEPC and CEO of Federated Hermes Real Estate, said: “This is a significant next step in the Paradise story. Our ambition for Paradise is to deliver one of the UK’s leading business destinations by creating leading sustainable buildings set within the very best public realm, with first class retail and leisure amenities for all those who work, live in or visit the city.“We are committed to driving forward our investment in Paradise. Three Chamberlain Square will ensure that the momentum continues apace.” Neil Rami, Chief Executive of West Midland Growth Company: “Birmingham is the UK’s primary regional investment opportunity, as reflected through Paradise and other developments across the city centre.“The planning approval for Three Chamberlain Square underlines that status and demonstrates that the city and its operators are intent on bringing new high-quality buildings, public spaces and pedestrian routes into the city. “The quality of Three Chamberlain Square and its relationship to the Town Hall is exactly the kind of development we want to see in the city centre and can’t wait to see it take shape as an integral part of the Paradise masterplan.” George Wilson, Partner at architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, said: “Three Chamberlain Square will be a new type of commercial building for the city, one that has sustainability and post-Covid requirements at its core. It will be a welcoming environment, with active uses on the ground floor. “There will be an abundance of natural light and ventilation, with the building design unique in its pioneering approach to reduce both embodied and operational carbon, creating a low-energy, low-carbon workplace for the future. It will be a special addition to the city, with a real sense of arrival for both visitors and the public.” Paradise Birmingham has already completed phase one of the development, with One Chamberlain Square wholly occupied by PwC, and Two Chamberlain Square home to a mix of professional and financial services firms, including DLA Pipier, Knights Plc, Mazars, Cazenove Capital, Atkins and Cubo. Dishoom, Rosa’s Thai Café and Albert’s Schloss will be joined this summer by Yorks Café, along with wine bar and Mediterranean eatery Vinoteca. At almost two million square feet, Paradise is delivering up to 10 new flagship buildings, offering offices, shops, bars, cafés, restaurants, a high-quality hotel, and Octagon, the world first 49-storey, pure octagonal residential tower, across 17 acres in the heart of the city. Paradise is being brought forward through Paradise Circus Limited Partnership (PCLP), a private-public joint venture with Birmingham City Council. The private sector funding is being managed by Federated Hermes, which has partnered with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments)
SOCOTEC’s Asbestos team recently supportedinfrastructure service support provider, Amey, with the asbestos decontamination of vehicles and assets at MOD Ashchurch, a primary vehicle storage and distribution site for armoured vehicles and the main Stored Equipment Fleet (SEF) storage and maintenance depot for the army in the UK. MOD Ashchurch was shut down by the HSE due to asbestos-related concerns, with a programme (known as Operation Windfirm) specifically developed to allow re-entry to the site through the decontamination of buildings, vehicles and assets and the safe return of occupants. As part of the programme, asbestos control measures under CAR 2012 needed to be agreed with the HSE and implemented throughout the site. Alongside another third party, SOCOTEC supported Amey with the decontamination work and conducted the subsequent inspection and issuing of certification in line with government guidelines. Deterioration of asbestos Ashchurch comprises a 178-acre site with numerous large asbestos cement clad and roofed sheds. Over the years, these asbestos storage sheds have decayed, leading to the contamination of vehicles and the assets stored within them. The asbestos cement rooves have also deteriorated due to a combination of weather conditions and a lack of repair. This has resulted in pieces of asbestos cement being visibly strewn across floor areas. As is common with asbestos cement rooves, an abundant coverage of moss and lichens exist. When these grow on cement sheeting, their roots will penetrate beneath the upper layers of the cement and remove moisture. This plant growth will eventually cause damage, erosion and weakness to the roof surface which, in conjunction with the weather conditions, will eventually result in moss/lichens being displaced onto adjacent surfaces such as roads, walkways and grassed areas. The plant growth activity causes the cement matrix (essential for binding and holding the asbestos fibres in place) to break down and no longer be present, with the fibres loosely adhered to the roots of the moss/lichens. When these roots fall off the rooves, they leave behind an unsealed surface with loose asbestos fibres that can easily be displaced and moved across the site. Moreover, severe weather conditions meant that contamination was being walked across the site or tracked on vehicles due to the large gull colony of birds using the material for nesting. Identifying locations SOCOTEC’s Asbestos team carried out a targeted survey over a three-month period to determine the extent of the contamination at MOD Ashchurch. Over 6,000 samples were taken, 75% of which returned positive results for asbestos. Key areas where asbestos was found included: Loose debris to rooves/guttering/downpipes A contaminated drainage system Debris to grassed areas (in some cases, legacy contamination from when rooves had been replaced historically) Extensive debris and contamination to vehicles, bridging and associated equipment Contamination within the ground. Control measures Working collaboratively alongside third parties, SOCOTEC contributed to a programme involving site asbestos maintenance and designated decontamination hubs. Controls to ensure the safe, continued operation of the site included: HEPA adapted road sweepers to carry out scheduled housekeeping, protecting assets and personnel in the occupied buildings. Sweeper waste sampling results were reported back to the army, Amey and other site stakeholders on a weekly basis to act as early warnings for spikes, general high readings and seasonal/annual variations. All personnel were given asbestos awareness training, which was maintained annually Fencing to the entire perimeter of the site was covered with fine netting, preventing the spread of any asbestos from site A controlled wheel wash was installed at the exit to the site during the early phase of the work until contamination issues were brought under control Routine housekeeping within occupied buildings was carried out using type H vacuum cleaners to capture any cross contamination from external areas Control of site maintenance activities, such as grass cutting and disposal of waste Alongside site maintenance, high and low volume air monitoring took place on the site perimeter, in occupied buildings, around the site, on personnel and when project activities were undertaken To determine if airborne asbestos was present, conventional analytical methods were complemented by the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with fibre identification by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDXS) Enhanced safe systems of work and associated training for all staff and visitors to site. Two hubs were specifically set up in order to decontaminate vehicles, bridging and equipment. All vehicles and assets underwent a proof of concept to determine the safest decontamination method, ascertain the appropriately sized team for the asset and the average time taken. This process formed part of the risk assessment and method statements, which were signed by all stakeholders and used for personnel to sign onto, demonstrating a full understanding of the agreed processes. Air monitoring and inspection Of the 50,000 air tests carried out, 45,000 were static samples and 5,000 were personal air tests. All but a handful were less than the clearance limit, demonstrating tight controls and compliance with working practices throughout the duration of the project. SOCOTEC’s Asbestos team supported the Operation Windfirm programme, with all decontaminated items inspected and a certification of cleanliness produced. This included issue, TacCIS, EBS and ES Mat items, vehicles, bridging assets, as well as workshop equipment and tools. After decontamination, the vehicles and assets either went for external storage, return to unit, disposal, destruction, or remained on site. Innovation and collaboration Due to the critical nature and size of the project at Ashchurch, bespoke innovations were required to control the spread of asbestos and keep all personnel and the community safe. The two road sweepers were customised with HEPA filters to prevent the spread of airborne asbestos fibres, as a traditional filter would not have controlled the fibres. Specialist modified air monitoring pumps were commissioned, and long-life batteries were fitted to allow over eight hours of continuous monitoring at 16 litres/minute. This allowed levels of down to 0.0002 fibres/ml to be detected, well below regular monitoring levels and aligned with HSE research. Close collaboration and effective communication between stakeholders was of paramount importance, with weekly meetings and open discussions
Responding to measures in the Building Safety Act coming into force today where many leaseholders will be legally protected from unfair bills to make their homes safe, Cllr Darren Rodwell, Local Government Association housing spokesperson, said: “The LGA has long argued that blameless leaseholders should not have to pay for fire safety defects resulting from 20 years of regulatory failure and industry malpractice. We are pleased the Government has listened, although we remain concerned that the measures announced today will be insufficient to protect all leaseholders who own the freeholds of their blocks. “Government is right to recognise that the regulatory system was inadequate and operating poorly before the Grenfell Tower fire. It now needs to take responsibility for that failure by ensuring social housing tenants have the same protection that it has offered homeowners. “If councils and housing associations are not protected from the cost of fixing dangerous cladding and other fire safety defects those costs will inevitably fall on rent-payers. The Government must also exempt social housing from the forthcoming levy.”
Ten years since the start of UK production of REHAU’s RAUVITHERM pipe, the business is celebrating the market’s only UK-manufactured pre-insulated PE-Xa pipe to feed a growth in demand across renewable heat projects. Ever since its launch, RAUVITHERM has proven popular due to its combination of flexibility and low heat losses – both particularly well-suited to district heating, biomass, biogas and heat pump applications. The pipe is manufactured in REHAU’s Plant in Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales, predominantly for the UK market since 2012. Employees from the UK head office and local politicians recently visited the factory to celebrate the 10 years of producing it in the UK, as well as discussing its vast potential in the future of renewable heat. Over the years, RAUVITHERM has been installed on a huge range of high-profile projects such as football club training grounds, National Trust and Grade 1 listed country manors, farm-based anaerobic digestion systems, schools, zoos and district heating networks for luxury lodge developments. More recently REHAU has seen growth in the number of individual houses which have used RAUVITHERM to connect air source heat pumps that are located away from the property. According to REHAU, this could be for a variety of reasons – heat pumps need good air flow to work effectively, and noise can also be an issue in some cases, so situating them on the side of the property is not always feasible. Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions says: “We always knew RAUVITHERM was a great product with great potential, and it has gone from strength to strength over the years. “It was great to get together with colleagues to recently celebrate this while saying thank you for the factory’s support over this period. For example, we know the availability of pre-insulated pipe will be key to covering all bases in the Government’s heat pump rollout and enabling the wider success of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.” RAUVITHERM was initially launched in Germany in 2010, with REHAU then making the decision to invest in UK manufacturing in 2011, ahead of opening its first UK-based production line in 2012. The company held an event with customers, local politicians, government officials and key industry stakeholders in 2012 to celebrate the launch. Steve adds: “Having a locally manufactured pre-insulated pipe gives both us and our customers an estimated 29% reduction in CO2 versus importing from Germany. This is still the only UK-made pre-insulated PE-Xa pipe and helped us become the market leader for polymer district heating pipe in the UK. “Maintaining a resilient supply chain is critical to any business, so having local production where we prioritise certain pipe sizes during busy periods has really helped us grow as a company.” For more information on RAUVITHERM, click here.
Schools and colleges struggling to cope with the twin challenges of staff and pupil safety and energy efficiency can now finance ‘Clean Air as a Service’ through a new £3.5 million fund established by leading energy efficiency firm, Energys Group. Repayment costs are a little as 5p / per day per pupil on a 5-year agreement. The fund, which ‘goes live’ today (27th June 2022) is designed to be off-balance sheet; simple to administrate and apply for; and presents no commercial risk to successful applicants. Any educational establishment – local authority maintained, academy, or faith school – is eligible to apply. Independent schools are also eligible and welcome to apply. Energys Group is already well-known for its installations of energy efficient retrofit technologies including LED lighting in over 1000 schools and colleges. The Company believes its new Clean Air as a Service (CAaaS) model and dedicated £3.5m fund, will act as a much-needed driver for safer, more energy efficient schools, in line with a school’s duty of care to provide a safe environment. Well-managed indoor air quality delivers a wide range of benefits including: lower rates of sickness and absenteeism higher levels of productivity and cognition, leading to better results peace of mind to staff, pupils and other building users. Energys Group’s CAasS finance model is very similar to that used in other sectors where the upfront cost of investment in hardware is prohibitive to uptake. For a pre-agreed monthly ‘packaged fee’, a school can benefit from Energy Group’s Goji Air indoor air management technology, any ongoing maintenance and spares, plus warrantees. Energys Group calculates that, on average, the cost of monthly payment will be 5p per child, per day – averaging at £17/per month over a 5-year agreement. ‘Paradigm shift’ “The Covid-19 Pandemic has led to a paradigm shift in attitudes towards indoor air quality,” says Kevin Cox, CEO at Energys Group. “Last Autumn, we saw two things happening in the school’s market. Our customers were already struggling to cope with the rising cost of energy in a volatile market, whist Covid safety concerns led to national guidance that ‘open windows’ meant ‘safer spaces’. Of course, the truth is, open windows do not necessarily result in ‘safer environments’. Plus, of course, it creates a massive additional demand for space heating – and this is something most schools and colleges can ill afford,” he says. The company says this combination of factors and challenges has resulted in significant interest from schools and colleges in new approaches to clean air management. However, the recent and rapid rise in energy prices means many schools are simply unable to afford to invest in the available technologies. The new CAaaS model offers an easy ‘win-win’ route to safer, cleaner air – and a more sustainable approach to heating-related energy in school buildings. Goji Air technology Energys Group offers best-in-class technologies as part of its technology portfolio. Its patented technology, sanitises and protects like no other air purifier on the market. It is trusted by a multitude of businesses and facilities around the world including hospitals, schools, transport operators, wellness clinics, residential care homes and in the hospitality industry. Goji Air is also the only medical grade air purification system with NCCO Technology, proven, in laboratory conditions, to minimise the transmission of airborne viruses like seasonal flu and Covid-19 by neutralising such viruses with 99.95% efficiency. Next steps Schools and colleges interested in applying for its £3.5m fund for Clean Air as a Service are urged to act quickly – as funds will be released on a first-come-first-served basis; and demand is expected to be high. The first stage in the process is to register with Energys Group to book FREE No-obligation Trial with a Goji Air Unit. To do so, schools can contact Energys Group on +44 (0)1403 786212 or find via the web.