Building Design and Construction Magazine

The Importance of Safety Shoes in the Workplace

We often don’t realize the importance of safety shoes, until we hurt ourself. There are so many dangers lurking around in the workplace. On a construction site, various objects left on the ground can end-up puncturing one of your feet, and in some food preparation manufacturing site, slippery floors can

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This year’s construction benchmarking report finds industry delivered over £1bn in social and local economic value

The second annual social value benchmarking report has revealed that over £1bn of economic, social and environmental improvements were made by the UK construction industry last year.   The Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report was compiled jointly by social value measurement consultancy, Social Value Portal and SCAPE, one of the

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Balfour Beatty joins forces with Aker Solutions to collaborate on UK offshore wind opportunities

Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, today announces that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Aker Solutions – an integrated solutions, products and services provider to the global energy industry – to deliver end-to-end design and construction solutions for the concrete floating and gravity-based UK offshore wind industry.

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Latest Issue
Issue 331 : Aug 2025

Building Design and Construction Magazine

Developers needed for a £100m commercial complex on Greenwich Peninsula

An opportunity to build a £100m industrial or logistics scheme on land in a prime spot south of the river Thames is up for grabs. The Greater London Authority, GLA’s development arm, Land & Property, is looking for a developer-led team to build on two freehold sites on 75 Bugsby Way on Greenwich Peninsula. London’s mayor Sadiq Khan said: “The site has the potential to deliver three-storeys of industrial accommodation. Soft market testing has demonstrated a strong interest in the site from potential partners.” Scheme to offer jobs boost for area The multi-storey development would need to have a wide range of unit sizes and types including SME space providing employment opportunities for the local community. A façade design reflective of the innovative nature of the building would be needed as well as sustainability during and after construction. Achieving the commercial value of the site as well as meeting prospective tenants’ demands are among the key procurement objectives. Menzies Distribution centre is currently based on the 3.38-acre site, but the GLA believes there is potential for more intensive industrial or logistic activity. Khan said a preferred development partner would be selected in spring next year and would be invited to negotiate a 250-year leasehold to the land. A target start date of the summer of 2024 is expected for the project. The successful developer would need to find tenants to generate a return and would be asked to pay at least half of the total £106,943,267 value upon completion. The remaining amount would be due as a variable payment to be settled within five years of finishing the scheme. Development finance intermediary Hank Zarihs Associates said the spot was in a key London location with strong links to central London and the M25 making it attractive to development finance lenders to back.

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Prologis announces major speculative developments across three strategic locations

Following a recent flurry of acquisitions within the UK, Prologis, a leading owner and developer of logistics real estate, has announced three strategic developments across the Midlands and the South East. The projects at Prologis Park Midpoint, located in Birmingham, Prologis Park West London and Prologis Park Brooklands in Weybridge , bringing the total amount of land under development by Prologis UK for the logistics industry to 2.4 million sq. ft. Ground has been broken at Prologis Park Midpoint, one of the UK’s most successful logistics parks, with the new unit, DC6, under construction as part of a speculative development project. On completion, the new 163,754 sp. ft. distribution centre will bring the total floorspace of logistics properties at the park to over 1.6 million sq. ft. Prologis Park Midpoint is situated in the logistics “Golden Triangle” in the Midlands – a prime location to support growing supply chain needs. The park is situated just eight miles from central Birmingham and has access to 11 motorway junctions within five miles, providing vital accessibility for national and urban distribution.  As demands within the ecommerce sector continue to grow, there has been an increased focus on the need for more high-density urban hubs to provide greater last-mile capabilities. In response to the growing needs of the industry, Prologis has broken ground on two key development areas within Greater London. Strategically positioned to ensure access the major consumer markets within West and Central London, and Thames Valley, Prologis Park West London is located on the doorstep of Heathrow Airport and within four miles of the M25. The two new units, DC5 (195,719 sq. ft.) and DC6 (143,849 sq. ft.), are due to finish construction in Spring 2023. Likewise, Prologis Park Brooklands DC1 is situated in a proven last-mile delivery location, serving Central and South London, with easy access to the M25, M3 and A3. The new 124,401 sq. ft. logistics facility draws upon a large and skilled labour pool from Weybridge and surrounding areas. Both Prologis Park West London and Prologis Park Brooklands are designed and built to meet the demands of high-performance operations. As well as being Grade A logistics and manufacturing facilities,all three developments will be certified net zero carbon in construction, with the new facilities targeted to achieve BREEAM-rated ‘Excellent’, a mark of Prologis’ ongoing environmental credentials. In addition, the units will be kitted out with EV infrastructure for the benefit of customers with green fleets. Paul Weston, Regional Head at Prologis UK, said: “Our development projects benefit from the excellent support of local councils and other stakeholders right from the start. Not only do these speculative developments show the strength and confidence we have in the sector, but also the exemplify the innovative ways in which the industry can support its ongoing growth. We’ve listened to the market, and to our customers, and are actively pushing forward development plans to support areas of growth, such as last-mile and urban delivery. “We’re immensely proud of the development projects that are ongoing across the country, and these new units are expected to generate a high level of interest and bring an array of benefits for the local economy and communities.” 

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PAGABO PUTS SUPPLIERS ON NOTICE FOR £1BN REFIT AND REFURBISHMENT FRAMEWORK

LEADING national framework provider Pagabo has today, (5 October 2022), issued a prior information notice (PIN) for its latest construction framework – the second generation of its Refit and Refurbishment framework. The new generation of the framework will run for four years from April 2023, taking place of the current iteration, which expires in February. It will provide a compliant and collaborative route to market for public sector clients to procure refurbishment works valued at £50,000 and above. With a total value of £1 billion and to meet the demand for Pagabo’s ever-growing base of national clients across all major business sectors, the framework will be split into five value-based lots as follows: Lot 1 – £50k to £500k Lot 2 – £500k to £1m Lot 3 – £1m to £5m Lot 4 – £5m to £15m Lot 5 – £15m+ Under these lots, up to nine contractors will be allocated to regional sub lots, comprising six core and three reserve suppliers. A number of these places are reserved for SMEs to ensure fair access for organisations of any size, to provide ample choice for clients, and to ensure the generation of maximum positive social impact for communities. Jason Stapley, managing director at Pagabo, said: “The performance of the original Refit and Refurbishment Framework shows that there is a definite requirement for this type of procurement solution, and after lots of work we are now pleased to be inviting suppliers to submit tenders. “As this is a second-generation framework, we have liaised with the contracting authority, existing client organisations and potential suppliers to gain feedback on the current version. This has allowed us to examine what has worked well, and where through changes more organisations can benefit from use of the framework – along with any changes to keep our processes at the forefront of the procurement golden standard and adherence to the Construction Playbook. “As always, social value remains at the centre of our actions. Both client organisations that use this – and our other frameworks – and the appointed contractors will have access to a free version of Loop’s social value software for all Pagabo procured projects. This access will allow them to report on and demonstrate the social value being generated by the project and their actions.” Client organisations will be able to both direct award and further compete their requirements. Suppliers on the core list will be eligible for direct appointments and further competitions, and those on the reserve list will only be eligible for direct appointments. However, they will be included in further competitions should not enough from the core list respond to a further competition expression of interest. Red Kite Learning Trust (RKLT) will be the contracting authority for the new agreement, continuing its role from the current iteration of the framework. A pre-market engagement webinar will be held on 10 October, with interested parties able to register using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zKWywFVJQGWdKGFiqMs5WQ For more information, please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/

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IG Masonry Support becomes first masonry support manufacturer in UK to achieve EPDs

IG Masonry Support has become the UK’s first masonry support supplier to issue Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) on its products according to the GreenBook Live EPD system. This is a significant achievement for the offsite masonry support manufacturer, demonstrating its commitment to fact-based sustainability reporting and reduced carbon emissions across its business and product range.   Jemma Ison, Sustainability Manager at Keystone Group, of which IG Masonry Support is a division, said: “By declaring the environmental impact of our products through EPDs we provide transparency of our systems to deliver responsible solutions to our customers as we support the decarbonisation of our sector. This also demonstrates our commitment to sustainability, as well as the social responsibility we have as a business. We aim to supply trustworthy, high-quality products at a low expense to our environment.” IG Masonry Support is committed to becoming a net-zero carbon business in line with the Science Based Targets Initiative. It is also in the process of submitting its targets for verification and public declaration to reach the global net-zero goal. The company’s securing of EPD provides full clarity of the sustainable credentials of its product range that includes advanced brick slip soffits and stainless-steel masonry support systems. A Type III environmental label, an EPD is generated using data obtained through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This is performed via a peer reviewed Product Category Rules document (PCR) in line with EN 15804 (the European Standard for the generation of EPD for construction products), ISO 14025, and other related international standards. IG Masonry Support is already ISO 14001 certified for Environmental Management. As a carbon neutral business, it is continuously improving its sustainable working practices. The company’s next target is to utilise the results from the EPDs to minimise the environmental impact of its full product range. IG Masonry Support remains on track to reduce Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 76% by 2025, and is ambitiously taking strides in tackling Scope 3 emissions. All IG Masonry Support’s EPDs have been launched in collaboration with the Building Research Establishment (BRE), which is internationally recognised for its expertise in construction-based LCA.   To discover more about IG Masonry Support’s sustainability journey, visit: https://igmasonrysupport.com/ig-masonry-support-about-us/sustainability/

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Prologis UK and Planet Mark celebrate 15-year sustainability partnership

Over the past 15 years, Prologis UK has achieved a reduction in carbon emissions of 476,819 tonnes (tCO2e) across a total of 74 projects. This represents an average reduction in whole-life carbon emissions of 25 percent, benefiting many Prologis UK customers seeking to reduce their emissions impacts The company has also recently submitted its goals to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 to the Science Based Targets initiative for validation Prologis UK has mitigated remaining embodied carbon emissions of 879,158 tCO2e by supporting the charity, Cool Earth, in its work to protect at risk rainforest. A new report about the 15-year partnership sets out a model for emissions reduction and mitigation, for others in the logistics property and construction industry, based on a programme of measurement, stakeholder engagement and communication Prologis UK, a leading owner and developer of logistics property, is celebrating a successful 15-year partnership with Planet Mark, a sustainability certification body serving organisations across industry sectors, which has seen the company significantly reduce its carbon impact. In 2022, Prologis announced a goal, which will be submitted to the Science Based Targets Initiative for validation, to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. This is consistent with the company’s longstanding focus on ESG. Over the past 15 years, Prologis UK, with Planet Mark, has put sustainability firmly at the forefront of its development activities; embedding it into the design and construction process from start to finish. An example of such initiatives is the work Planet Mark undertake with Prologis UK to engage the full construction supply chain, including all contractors, to ensure end-to-end visibility of carbon emissions, thereby identifying opportunities for reductions. To mark the 15-year partnership, Prologis UK and Planet Mark have published a joint report about Prologis UK’s industry-leading approach ton reducing and mitigating carbon emissions, along with some facts and figures about its sustainability achievements. A key finding of the report is that based on 74 projects, spanning more than 19 million sq. ft. of development over a 15 year time period, Prologis UK has achieved a reduction in carbon emissions of 476,819 tCO2e. This represents an average reduction in whole-life carbon emissions of 25 percent. Simon Cox, Head of Development Management at Prologis UK said:  “This has been a ground-breaking programme, implemented at a time when the measurement, reduction and mitigation of carbon emissions was new to the real estate sector. Through our work with Planet Mark, we have gained invaluable experience and expertise, which will enable us to better serve our customers as we pursue of our newly published 2040 net zero goals.” Steve Malkin, CEO Planet Mark said: “Over the past 15 years our work with Prologis UK has put sustainability firmly at the forefront of their developments. By striving to reduce embodied carbon in every building, engaging with communities and their supply chain, and mitigating unavoidable emissions by protecting endangered rainforest, they have stretched way beyond compliance to set a new standard for best practice. We recognise that net zero is imperative and definitions are rapidly evolving alongside innovation, and we look forward to embracing this evolution together.” The whole-life carbon emissions of each project are measured using a Lifecycle Carbon Assessment (LCA), which follows recognised standards (BS EN 15978:2011) and methodologies, including the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors’ Whole Life Carbon Method, 2017. As it is impossible to eliminate all embodied carbon emissions when constructing new buildings, Prologis UK and Planet Mark also created a bespoke carbon mitigation scheme. While it was put in place several years earlier, the approach to carbon emissions reduction, elimination and mitigation employed by Prologis UK and Planet Mark aligns closely with the UK Green Building Council’s recently published framework definition for net-zero buildings. Prologis UK’s innovative carbon mitigation scheme has proved particularly successful in mitigating unavoidable carbon emissions through investment in large-scale rainforest protection programmes to avoid deforestation and lock-in carbon. These activities have been implemented in partnership with the global climate change charity, Cool Earth. The report quantifies the positive impact this scheme has had over the past 15 years; mitigating total embodied carbon emissions of 879,158 tCO2e  through the protection of 17,683 acres of ‘at risk’ rainforest. This has prevented the loss of 4.1 million trees to deforestation, which would have resulted in potential emissions impact of 4.8 million tCO2e. The whole-life carbon emissions of a typical distribution centre are typically 30 per cent operational and 70 per cent embodied. Operational emissions can be reduced through energy efficient design and onsite renewables. Although embodied carbon can be reduced through careful material selection and detailing it can never be entirely eliminated. The sustainability model put in place by Prologis UK and Planet Mark has been successful in mitigating – 100 percent of the unavoidable, embodied carbon emissions for all 74 projects assessed. The report highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement and quantifies the social impact of the 74 projects surveyed. There is a community engagement programme in place for each of the projects assessed. This has included sustainability workshops through which  for 63 local primary schools and 68 schools and colleges have achieved Planet Mark certification. To view the report jointly produced by Prologis UK and Planet Mark visit here.

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Bouygues UK reaches highest point of £46 Million build at Peckham Flaxyard

Bouygues UK has celebrated reaching the highest point of the development build at Peckham Flaxyard, a mixed-use, residential-led scheme in the heart of Peckham. The Bouygues UK team, along with Southwark Council, who are delivering the project, marked this milestone on 21st September with a traditional ‘topping out’ ceremony. The event was opened by the joyous sound of the brass band from local primary school, St. James the Great. Once complete in late 2023, the £46.8m scheme will deliver 120 new, affordable homes. This will include 96 council homes for social rent as part of Southwark Council’s commitment to tackling the housing crisis locally by building thousands of new council homes across the borough, and 24 shared ownership homes. The scheme will also include disabled car parking, cycle storage for residents and commercial space on the ground floor together with landscaping of the surrounding areas. The scheme is bordered by the library, leisure centre, high street, a number of primary and secondary schools and existing homes. It involves close collaboration with the local community and key stakeholders. Bouygues UK has already delivered over £3m in social value including: 158 hours volunteering in the local area; over £29,000 donated to local charities; and 21 training and employment sessions given to local unemployed residents. In order to keep carbon emissions on site to a minimum, Bouygues UK has partnered with Gaia to identify, monitor and reduce the power consumption, using AI and motion sensor software. In August this year alone, this has reduced CO2 emissions by 1,497kg. Rob Bradley, CEO of Bouygues UK, said: “I’m so pleased to be here to celebrate the progress we have made on this important scheme which will make such a positive difference to the local area and increase the availability of affordable housing. It’s fantastic to be helping Southwark Council with their goal of building thousands of new council homes across the borough.” Cllr Darren Merrill, Southwark’s Cabinet Member for Council Homes and Homelessness, said, “I’m delighted to see the building works progressing so well here on such an important council homes site in the heart of Peckham. This site will provide 120 desperately-needed new homes for local people, all of which will be genuinely affordable. With such enormous demand for housing in Peckham, I know that these new homes will represent hope, stability and security for so many in our community.”

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QUELFIRE – We won Supplier of the Year and Fire Safety Solution of the Year at the London Construction Awards 2022!

About two months ago, we shared the good news that Quelfire had been shortlisted in two categories of the London Construction Awards. On Friday 23 September, when the awards ceremony took place, we asked you to keep your fingers and toes crossed for us. Over 350 guests from all sectors in the industry came together including suppliers, contractors, architects, civil engineers, developers, housebuilders, local authorities and more. The event was a celebration of the achievements, development and innovations of companies and individuals, and their contribution to moving the construction industry forward, over the course of the year. Winners from twenty categories were announced by award-winning comedian Simon Brodkin and it was said that “the range of companies that entered were incredibly diverse and reflected the strength of the London construction industry.” We are delighted to announce that we won in both of our categories: Supplier of the Year and Fire Safety Solution of the Year 2022! Supplier of the Year category: This award category was aimed at any supplier in the built environment that has demonstrated success, innovation, or notable achievement in the past 12 months. This is what the judges had to say about why they selected Quelfire as the winner: “We were impressed with this submission as they weren’t just shouting about good customer service (surely every supplier should be doing this?). They also spoke about putting profit back into research and development, the tech support they offer and how they educate the industry. The latter is significantly needed. Quelfire is operating successfully in one of the most contentious ends of the industry. Where many have shied away from fire-related matters and insurers exclude many companies from operating in this sphere, Quelfire is providing a solution with not only their products but also with training, thereby raising the competency of the industry.” Fire Safety Solution of the Year category: This award category recognises excellence and innovation in solutions for fire safety. The judges notes for this category read: “Quelfire provided a great submission for their QuelStop Firestopping system. Their submission talked about their solution, what it does and what makes them different from their competitors. This is really important when submitting something like this as there were lots that didn’t stand out from the crowd. The QuelStop System is different as it offers a wide range of tested details; it has value-added services; and an early engagement approach to help clients design and install the system in a compliant way.” We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all the judges, who recognised how passionate we are about contributing to a positive cultural change and safer buildings by providing primary test data for real life scenarios; providing support for compliant design and installation of our firestopping solutions; educating the industry and, as we are known to say, ‘doing it right, the first time around!’ And, a huge well done to all other winners and deserving nominees. The whole team at Quelfire, from management to production, are equally passionate about what we do, which is Protecting People and Property. We could not be any prouder of this fantastic team and achievement!

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The Importance of Safety Shoes in the Workplace

We often don’t realize the importance of safety shoes, until we hurt ourself. There are so many dangers lurking around in the workplace. On a construction site, various objects left on the ground can end-up puncturing one of your feet, and in some food preparation manufacturing site, slippery floors can cause you to fall down. These are but two situations in which you will want to wear the right pair of shoes, at work. Here is more on the subject. Why wear Safety Shoes? The main reason why anyone should wear safety shoes is for their protection. Accidents happen quickly, and hurting your foot can be a real issue for your future. It will also unable you to continue working, which will cause you salary loss. Protective safety shoes from retailer like Engelbert Strauss will save you from all these troubles and most importantly will keep you from harm.  You need to choose a pair of safety shoes that will be adapted to your work environment. But whatever it is, you cannot compromise on them being comfortable. Walking around, all day, in shoes that don’t fit right, that are too heavy, or that cause you pain in certain parts of your feet, is to be avoided, at all costs. That in itself can be the cause of health issues, in the short and mid-term. Often, there are rules relating to what you need to wear in the workplace. However, even if there isn’t, you shouldn’t thread lightly when it comes to the security of your feet, anyway. Which safety shoes should you choose? Before, when you mentioned safety shoes, you immediately thought of the big strong work boots, with a metal cap on them, to protect your toes. Today, there are almost as many styles of safety shoes than in the regular fashion world. It makes a lot of sense as well, as they are meant for different situations, that will call for various looks.  For example, you may want to choose lace up safety boots, if you need your safety shoes to be well adjusted. It can be very important in some situations, to make you more secure on your feet. That would be the case, if you work at high altitude. If you cook in a kitchen, where humidity can accumulate everywhere, even on the floor and where you have to move fast, you will need to look at safety shoes with a bottom that will ensure that you do not slip. It can literally save your skin, when you are carrying a pan full of boiling water, as it will protect you from an accident that is just waiting to happen.  In extreme conditions, you will certainly need shoes that can keep you warm and dry. That will be the case, if you work outdoors, throughout winter time, with your feet in the snow constantly. But it would also be true, if you have to work under rainy conditions. Safety shoes are a must to protect your feet, from your toes to your heels. It is certainly not worth saving a few dollars, leaving them without safety.

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This year’s construction benchmarking report finds industry delivered over £1bn in social and local economic value

The second annual social value benchmarking report has revealed that over £1bn of economic, social and environmental improvements were made by the UK construction industry last year.   The Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report was compiled jointly by social value measurement consultancy, Social Value Portal and SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities. Released annually, the report sets a precedent for how the construction industry should be tackling social and economic value on its projects.   This year’s report found that the construction industry achieved £1.08bn of social and local economic value in 2021, through significant investment in local communities. In comparison, last year’s report found that the delivery of social and local economic value was £949m for 2020, highlighting a 14 per cent increase in 12 months.  Almost 20 per cent of total spend on projects was invested in social value initiatives, valuing £1.8bn. The North West far outperformed other regions in terms of social value delivery and was second highest after Scotland on local economic delivery. The South West had the lowest social and local economic value investment. However, geographical location and total number of projects will have impacted these figures.   The report includes three case study examples from SCAPE framework partners delivering a variety of social value activities ranging from employing ex-offenders, and delivering a 100% spend with SMEs, to donating staff hours to local charities. All activities have been measured using the National TOMs standardised framework.  Social Value and Performance Manager Alison Ramsey at SCAPE, said: “For publicly funded projects, improvement of the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of the relevant area is an important procurement consideration. We undertake this benchmarking report as a vital investment in measuring success, helping organisations to understand what is being achieved today and what can be achieved in the future.  “It is encouraging to see that the delivery of social value across the construction industry continues to improve and that contractors are supporting local communities for clients investing in the built environment. Not only does this report highlight what excellent work has been achieved so far, but it demonstrates how we can all build on these foundations to further improve performance in this area.”   Nathan Goode, Chief Strategy Officer at Social Value Portal, added; “It may be a little early to talk about trends as such, but seeing year on year progress in social and local economic value delivered by the construction industry is a great start.   “As the largest industry in the UK, employing over three million people and responsible for a large proportion of the UK’s carbon emissions, it is imperative that the sector leads the way in improving society, both in terms of tackling the climate emergency as well as improving the lives of the people who reside in the communities in which they operate.  “The strongest argument for committing to social value generation could be financial: we all want a better world and a better future and delivering more social and local economic value will lead to a more prosperous future. I look forward to seeing further improvement in next year’s report.”  Download the report. 

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Balfour Beatty joins forces with Aker Solutions to collaborate on UK offshore wind opportunities

Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, today announces that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Aker Solutions – an integrated solutions, products and services provider to the global energy industry – to deliver end-to-end design and construction solutions for the concrete floating and gravity-based UK offshore wind industry. The partnership will see the companies’ complementary skills, resources and experience combined to offer a whole life solution: Balfour Beatty has an extensive track record of executing complex civil engineering works for complex infrastructure and energy projects across the UK, whilst Aker Solutions has a long history of delivering concrete structures for marine environments globally. Stephen Tarr, Chief Executive Officer of Balfour Beatty’s Major Projects business, said: “We are delighted to partner with Aker Solutions to respond to this requirement for increased offshore generation.  This builds on decades of experience of constructing complex structures, most recently demonstrated by the production of large marine concrete components for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.” Jason Brown, Aker Solutions’ Head of Renewables in the UK said: “Offshore wind has a pivotal role to play in increasing our use of renewable energy, which in turn is essential to achieving energy security and reducing carbon emissions. Only by moving further out to sea in deeper waters, can we achieve the UK’s ambitious 50 GW target for offshore wind deployment.” “Concrete floating and gravity-based foundations are an excellent solution for offshore wind in the North Sea. They provide the level of performance needed in challenging sea conditions, demand high levels of local content and can be less carbon intensive than other go-to foundation solutions”. The partners have established a joint taskforce with key personnel from both organisations responsible for identifying future opportunities.

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