With the threat of climate change being high, many people want to help in their own way. As a building owner, you are in an excellent position to make significant changes to your building. The general opinion is that integrating these innovations into the building can get expensive. However, modern
The Gasworks New Town neighbourhood is one of seven envisioned by the £4bn Victoria North masterplan It will feature nine buildings ranging from 8 to 34 storeys The 6.6-acre site has most recently been home to a car park but the green development will overwhelmingly prioritise walking and cycling over
Barings, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has announced that its 180,000 sq. ft. Landmark office development at St Peter’s Square in Manchester City Centre offers occupiers a ‘touch-free’ experience due to a host of smart technology features. Technology forms an integral part of Landmark’s design,
A key milestone has been reached by a Manchester apartment scheme ahead of its opening next month. Contractor McGoff marked the completion of Phase Two’s concrete frame with a topping out ceremony at Downtown on Woden Street. When complete, Downtown will provide 374 apartments with high end facilities and hotel-style
This year’s Offsite Construction Awards, which celebrate the best in precision building design and delivery, have recognised a project led by ISG and Manchester City Council. The Beaver Road Primary School was named Education Project of the Year 2019 at the ceremony in London. What impressed the judges the most
Building work on new council homes in Manchester has been completed by Willmott Dixon. A total of 40 new council homes in north Manchester have been handed over to tenants, while a further 20 new shared ownership homes were bought by the City Council to help residents on to the
Manchester City Council joined UK construction union Unite’s Construction Charter and now they have announced a new partnership. Both institutions will work together to stand up for the city’s construction workers and outlaw poor construction practices on building projects under its control. “By signing up to Unite’s Construction Charter, Manchester
A 1960s tower block in Manchester is to be transformed by Willmott Dixon as part of a £22.5 million residential scheme. The contractor has been appointed by Salix Homes to deliver over 100 affordable homes at the Salford Canon Green Campus development on Canon Green Drive in Trinity. New kitchens,
Over 200 social homes in Manchester have received refurbishments from one of the largest privately-owned construction companies in the UK, Wates. A total of 62 previously vacant properties were fully refurbished with a further 151 properties receiving facelift works. The revamped homes in Ben Street in Clayton have been delivered
The refurbishment of Manchester Town Hall has been handed over to Lendlease, who will oversee the project as management contractor. Under the contract, the firm has pledged to create 150 apprenticeships and 45 new jobs for local people. “Manchester Town Hall is one of the city’s most recognisable and well-loved
With the threat of climate change being high, many people want to help in their own way. As a building owner, you are in an excellent position to make significant changes to your building. The general opinion is that integrating these innovations into the building can get expensive. However, modern technology can allow the addition of renewable tech easily. Here are some tips on how to do it. Solar energy The easiest way to integrate when it comes to renewables is solar energy. First, there is the use of passive solar energy. It refers to the indirect usage of the sun as an energy source. For example, you can consider adding more natural lighting to your building as a passive use of solar energy. Instead of paying for interior lights, you can install bigger windows and mirrors for better daylight lighting that can save you a lot of money. Another passive use is solar heating through better insulation and intelligent positioning of windows. This approach can be a big help during the summer months. For a more active use of solar energy, there is the installation of solar panels for the building. It should be easy to find a solar company in Manchester that can do the installation for those based in the area. It is a great way to use the rooftop space if you don’t have a penthouse. In addition, the electricity your panels can generate will cut down on the external energy consumption of your building. Wind energy Another easily accessible renewable method for a building is wind energy. Natural ventilation through the use of wind catchers can be a good alternative to mechanical ventilation and even air conditioners. If you position them in the right places, your building will always feel like it has fresh air moving through it. A building still in the design stage could also use clever design for better air movement. For example, large spaces connected to hallways naturally draw in the air so that you can encourage natural movement. For example, you can place an atrium in the direction of prevailing winds. This position allows the surrounding spaces to have cold air because of the windows while warmer air collects in the atrium. The temperature difference then encourages the hot air to spread out into the nearby space while the colder air rushes in. Geothermal energy While many think geothermal energy requires a nearby volcano or hot spring, the earth’s natural properties can provide some renewable energy. It is because the temperature below ground is much different from above it. Using a heat pump, you can pump in cold air to push warmer underground air to heat a building. You can also do the opposite with hot air passing underground and dispersing its higher temperature so you can cool a building. It takes some planning, but this approach can help reduce HVAC costs a lot. Final thoughts Adding renewable energy to your building is not as complex as it initially appears. The pointers above should give you an idea of integrating renewables into your building’s systems. You can assure yourself that you are doing your small part in fighting climate change.
The Gasworks New Town neighbourhood is one of seven envisioned by the £4bn Victoria North masterplan It will feature nine buildings ranging from 8 to 34 storeys The 6.6-acre site has most recently been home to a car park but the green development will overwhelmingly prioritise walking and cycling over driving It will result in tens of millions of pounds being pumped into the city’s economy over the lifetime of the development Plans for a trailblazing £400million city centre regeneration scheme that will create more than 1,200 homes has been approved by Manchester City Council’s planning committee. MCR Property Group’s bold Gasworks New Town project will create 1,202 homes on the site of the former Rochdale Road Gas Works at the heart of Manchester, with a mixture of attractive townhouses and apartments. For years the 6.6-acre site has been home to a car park that added little to the public realm but that will all change over the next few years with the first residents expected to move in by the end of 2023. Not only will the huge project drastically improve the supply of housing, this flagship development will create a new centre of gravity for central Manchester that will create thousands of jobs and inject tens of millions of pounds into the city’s economy. MCR bought the site in 2015 with big plans to use it as the launchpad to rejuvenate the immediate area with a mixed-use destination development. The team, working with local stakeholders and the planning department, went through dozens of iterations to get the balance of housing provision, design and environmental amenities in perfect balance. It received approval by Manchester City Council’s Planning Committee yesterday (Thurs). The project — which will have a Gross Development Value (GDV) of approximately £400m at current prices — will include 192 sqm of commercial space and its accommodation will be provided by nine separate buildings ranging from 8 to 34 storeys in height. The scheme will be built in four phases with construction set to begin this summer, while the tallest residential tower is expected to be completed by the end of 2030. Architects, AHR, included 1,224 cycle spaces as part of a determined effort to encourage more people to walk and cycle, and help reduce the amount of traffic on local roads. Where there is underground parking, bays will have electric charging points for the next generation of environmentally friendly vehicles. Plans include a public park between Gould Street and Bromley Street as well as a pedestrian route and cycle path running east-to-west through the site. It is the most carbon-efficient development of its kind that Manchester has ever seen and will save 300 tonnes of carbon a year, exceeding the council’s target for new developments by 30%. The Gasworks New Town neighbourhood is one of seven envisioned by the £4bn Victoria North masterplan, formerly known as the Northern Gateway Strategic Regeneration Framework. This masterplan will see the entire area north of the city centre transformed over the next 20 years by the delivery of 15,000 new homes across 383 acres. The Gasworks itself will act as a key anchor for this vision, being one of the first major developments to get planning permission and sitting so close to the city centre. It is a short walk away from The Northern Quarter, Ancoats and NOMA while Manchester Victoria Train Station is only minutes away. A total of 85 affordable homes will be available through Shared Ownership — amongst the most provided by any city centre redevelopment site — and this number may increase during the fourth phase of the scheme. MCR’s team of specialist consultants on the project included planning consultancy WSP, civil engineers BDP, architects AHR, landscape architects Planit-IE and highways consultancy Curtins. MCR also worked closely with international developer, Far East Consortium (FEC), which is jointly funding and developing the Victoria North masterplan alongside Manchester City Council. Founded in Manchester in 1989, MCR Property Group has a national focus and has developed more than £5bn of residential, commercial and industrial property. Nick Lake, Asset Manager for MCR Property Group, said: “This is the jewel in the crown for MCR. We’re a Manchester-based business and this is an incredibly proud moment for the company. “We all felt a responsibility to create something spectacular on home turf and there is no doubt that the Gasworks will provide an aspirational and inspirational place to live and work. “We’re particularly proud of the project’s environmental credentials, claiming the crown for being the most carbon-efficient development of its type that Manchester has ever seen. This really is a scheme fit for the coming century, with electric charging points on every parking space and more than 1,000 cycle spaces making this one of the most bike and pedestrian friendly residential developments in the country.” Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, added: “As one of the emerging neighbourhoods of Victoria North, New Town is aptly named. The Gasworks development will breathe life into a largely forgotten corner of the city centre fringe, bringing purpose and an energy to an area that is currently characterised by surface car parks. “Residential investment at this scale should be celebrated and will contribute significantly to meeting demand for high quality homes in this part of the city. And once again, developments such as this show a real confidence in Manchester as an attractive place to invest and do business – the importance of which cannot be underestimated as we look to economic recovery following the pandemic.” Matthew Hard, Associate Director at planning consultancy WSP, commented: “We’re delighted to reach the important milestone of having Manchester’s planning committee endorse the proposed redevelopment of the historic gasworks. Gasworks New Town will be a fantastic development in its own right, and act as a catalyst for further regeneration of the post-industrial Irk Valley. “With its carbon credentials, its green infrastructure and focus on walking and cycling, I’m confident that the neighbourhood will become a future exemplar of
Barings, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has announced that its 180,000 sq. ft. Landmark office development at St Peter’s Square in Manchester City Centre offers occupiers a ‘touch-free’ experience due to a host of smart technology features. Technology forms an integral part of Landmark’s design, which is why it achieved Wired Score Platinum certification. Landmark includes a host of features such as: pre-installed ultra-fast fibre connections with Colt, Openreach and Telcom; free WiFi; intelligent destination control lifts; smart building management systems, close proximity to The Loop network, smart access control and visitor management systems; a bespoke occupier engagement app; intelligent LED lighting that responds to outside conditions; and solar panels on the roof generating on-site electricity. Recent research undertaken by CBRE, joint agents on Landmark with Colliers International, states that adoption of touch-free technology and other smart building tools will support new work practices as part of updated occupier strategies. CBRE’s 2020 Occupier Flash Survey, conducted in May 2020, concluded that touch-free technology is expected to be adopted by 45% of those surveyed with 41% reporting an increased interest in buildings with WELL or sustainable features. The survey suggests technology investment was very much at the heart of occupiers’ strategies before the protocol shifts necessitated by the pandemic, at which time 83% of EMEA occupiers reported they were intending to increase future investment in real estate technology and 21% said they were prepared to pay a rental premium of more than 20% for tech-enabled buildings. Ian Mayhew, Managing Director at Barings, said; “Having acknowledged that forward-thinking businesses want next generation office space with resilient digital connectivity, the technological infrastructure at Landmark played a vital role in the design and construction of the building. Recent events have highlighted the importance of providing occupiers with a touch-free experience in addition to the all-important ‘plug and play’ set up when they move in and the ability to work at speed on a daily basis without interruptions. “From entering the building, either on foot through the revolving doors, or by car or cycle, occupiers and visitors have a completely touch-free journey through the building to their office destination in large part thanks to the bespoke occupier app working in conjunction with smart access controls and visitor management systems” Said Mayhew. Neil Mort, Senior Director at CBRE Manchester, continued: “CBRE’s research shows that investment in technology is now an integral part of occupiers’ real estate strategies advancing beyond a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must have’ element. Digital buildings help to drive operational efficiencies and reduce costs as well as enhance productivity and improve the occupier experience, ensuring that the value of integrated technology extends far beyond the immediate health situation. Covid-19 has changed and challenged the way we work, with digital lifelines now more essential than ever. It has also presented an opportunity for companies to accelerate their digital transformation. Landmark is well placed to help a wide cross section of companies enter a ‘new normal’.” The technological infrastructure at Landmark is a key reason high profile companies such as global property consultancy JLL relocated its 170-strong Manchester team to the 10th floor; now JLL’s largest commercial office outside of London, and why strong interest is being shown in the remainder of the space. Landmark offers 14 floors of BREEAM Excellent, virtually column-free office space and was built with an offset core to enable not only large and efficient floorplates but also maximum flexibility to occupiers. This removes a design barrier in any fit-out project and enables occupiers to design their office space in a flexible way, allowing the workplace to accommodate social distancing guidelines if needed again in the future. Substantial private and public sector capital has gone into the transformation of St Peter’s Square and the Civic Quarter in recent years. This has led to a number of major occupiers relocating to the area. Landmark, which has received overwhelming support from Manchester City Council, is the concluding project for the prime St Peter’s Square business district.
A key milestone has been reached by a Manchester apartment scheme ahead of its opening next month. Contractor McGoff marked the completion of Phase Two’s concrete frame with a topping out ceremony at Downtown on Woden Street. When complete, Downtown will provide 374 apartments with high end facilities and hotel-style services including lobby with 24 hour concierge, gymnasium, spa, media room, postal room, dry and chilled storage, private dining, business centre as well as landscaped grounds and roof terraces. The first residents are due to arrive at the new development in May 2019. “The collaboration between McGoff Construction, Heyrod Construction, Alliance Investments, our legal team, architect and Wellesley has been incredible. Developing this bespoke partnership has enabled us to take advantage of Downtown impressive sales success and start build of Phase II two much earlier than planned,” said Chris McGoff, director at the McGoff Group. “As we near the end of construction at Downtown, and reflect on its success, we can safely say that our collaboration was a truly unique and refreshing way to work in the construction industry. With all apartments selling quickly off-plan, the McGoff Construction team was agile with regards to the build programme, fully supported by Heyrod Construction, which not only saved money but also allowed us to accelerate the build of Phase II without the need to negotiate based on better than envisaged sales. With such a solid partnership in place, and the results to prove it, Wellesley was happy to adapt and release funds for Phase II early. It really has been a success story with regards to both sales and construction on site,” he added.
This year’s Offsite Construction Awards, which celebrate the best in precision building design and delivery, have recognised a project led by ISG and Manchester City Council. The Beaver Road Primary School was named Education Project of the Year 2019 at the ceremony in London. What impressed the judges the most was ISG and Premier Modular’s integrated team approach to the project, which saw Beaver Road achieve RIBA Stage 5 in 19 weeks from a standing start and beat 32 other projects to win the highly-sought-after award. Volumetric, offsie manufacturing was used for the £7.2 million Beaver Road scheme to ensure the school could open ahead of the 2018/2019 academic year. This application saved at least 10 weeks against a traditional build programme. Ahead of the academic year in 2018, the ISG and Premier Modular team completed six projects for the council. This wider programme of schools was also recognised at the event, coming highly commended in the BIM/Digital Construction Award category. All six projects were to BIM Level 2, including a fully integrated asset information model. “Early engagement of the right supply chain and standard repeatable designs – informed by lessons learned from two earlier modular school schemes – allowed us to ensure design for manufacture from the outset,” said Neil Walker, framework director at ISG. “The speed of the wider schools programme, including the project at Beaver Road, was extraordinary. Together the project team delivered six schools, with a construction value of circa £31 million in just 57 weeks from a standing start.”
Building work on new council homes in Manchester has been completed by Willmott Dixon. A total of 40 new council homes in north Manchester have been handed over to tenants, while a further 20 new shared ownership homes were bought by the City Council to help residents on to the property ladder. Northwards Housing, the council’s housing management organisation, will be managing the 40, two-bed homes located across six sites in north Manchester. Developed by Willmott Dixon with support from Homes England of a £1.4 million grant funding, the rental properties will all be affordable. “The positivity and community spirit surrounding the delivery of these highly-anticipated homes is inspiring. This project represents a truly positive legacy far beyond just bricks and mortar. Throughout this project we have been focused on helping to raise the aspirations and opportunities available to the north Manchester community, providing a range of jobs and training on our sites, and we are delighted to be able to see the fantastic reactions of those moving into their new homes,” said Anthony Dillon, Managing Director of Willmott Dixon in the North. The City Council has also purchased 20 new, high-quality family homes in partnership with Taylor Wimpey at Booth Hall in Charlestown, north Manchester, that will be re-purposed to support its people onto the property ladder through affordable shared-ownership. The next phase of the North Manchester new homes project is due to be announced later this year and it will include a further 150 new homes. The affordable homes projects represent the first phase of an ambitious affordable housing investment programme that will see 6,400 genuinely affordable homes built up to 2025.
Manchester City Council joined UK construction union Unite’s Construction Charter and now they have announced a new partnership. Both institutions will work together to stand up for the city’s construction workers and outlaw poor construction practices on building projects under its control. “By signing up to Unite’s Construction Charter, Manchester City Council is making a serious commitment to securing the best employment standards for construction workers. The Charter will protect workers from poor industry practices which result in the loss of employment rights, it stops blacklisting and means workers can raise health and safety issues without fear,” said Unite’s regional coordinating officer for construction, Andy Fisher. “It’s fantastic news that one of the UK’s major cities has pledged to lead the way and demand the highest standards in construction. It means that projects across the city including the ongoing work at Manchester Airport will need to meet the highest employment standards. Unite representatives at Manchester City Council deserve a special thanks for the work they did to help get the Charter up and running,” Andy Fisher added. Manchester City Council is the latest local authority to sign up to Unite’s Construction Charter, which ensures building contractors and sub-contractors under the control of the local authority provide good jobs, good apprentice training, excellent health and safety and that they ensure workers are paid the going rate for the industry. “Manchester City Council has ambitious plans for the city and we are delighted to work with Unite to ensure that our construction projects meet the highest standards for workers and for residents. The council has a number of important development projects in progress including the renovation of Manchester Town Hall and the Factory project. The Charter means that workers and residents can be confident that these projects will move forward with ethical construction practices,” commented Councillor Carl Ollerhead.
A 1960s tower block in Manchester is to be transformed by Willmott Dixon as part of a £22.5 million residential scheme. The contractor has been appointed by Salix Homes to deliver over 100 affordable homes at the Salford Canon Green Campus development on Canon Green Drive in Trinity. New kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems, sprinkler systems and exterior re-facing and insulation will be included in the Canon Green Court tower block’s redevelopment plans. A new 11-storey apartment block within the grounds of the site, as well as complete external works on the neighbouring Westminster House apartment block will also be delivered by Willmott Dixon. “The start of work on our Canon Green Campus development marks a pivotal moment for Salix Homes and for Salford, and we look forward to seeing work progress on site over the next two years. This is the largest affordable housing development in the area and we are confident that this ambitious scheme will make a valuable contribution to delivering the high quality, affordable homes that Salford desperately needs. Canon Green Court is an iconic building on the city’s skyline, but it has suffered from lack of investment over the years. We are proud that we can now deliver on our promise to the existing residents to refurbish their homes and create modern apartments fit for the future,” said Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes. This project adds to Willmott Dixon’s success in Greater Manchester, with recent schemes delivered in Wythenshawe and Old Trafford. “With our track-record for creating new homes in Manchester, we’re proud to be working alongside Salix Homes on what is a much-needed, exciting and transformational investment for the Salford community. Together, we share a commitment to leaving a lasting legacy for existing and future residents who will continue to play a central role in shaping these plans,” added Anthony Dillon, managing director of Willmott Dixon in the North.
Over 200 social homes in Manchester have received refurbishments from one of the largest privately-owned construction companies in the UK, Wates. A total of 62 previously vacant properties were fully refurbished with a further 151 properties receiving facelift works. The revamped homes in Ben Street in Clayton have been delivered by Wates Living Space four weeks ahead of schedule. The refurbishments include re-roofing, energy efficiency upgrades, fully-fitted kitchens and bathrooms, flooring and carpeting as well as the installation of new heating systems. The facade works involved replacing all existing windows and doors with modern UPVC, improving guttering and cleaning brickwork plus the refurbishment of communal alley space and external walling. “The work delivered by the Wates Living Space team at Ben Street is truly transformative. To take homes that have laid empty for 20 years and bring them up to this standard of quality is a task of great care and expertise and it is truly heartening to see the difference that this has made to residents,” said David Morgan, Managing Director of Wates Living Space. “Our work at Ben Street was above all things about the community. The project team should rightly be very proud of the ways in which they have engaged with local residents, community groups and neighbouring schools to ensure the positive legacy of this important work becomes a catalyst for lasting community spirit for generations to come,” he added. Delivered on behalf of Manchester City Council, the refurbishments brought to life the 200 properties that are now up to decent home standards. “First and foremost, I would like to welcome the new east Manchester tenants in to their new homes. These are some of the luckiest residents in the city as the first to access the refurbished housing at the Ben Street regeneration area. Wates has done a remarkable job turning these properties into high-quality family homes,” commented Cllr Suzanne Richards, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration.
The refurbishment of Manchester Town Hall has been handed over to Lendlease, who will oversee the project as management contractor. Under the contract, the firm has pledged to create 150 apprenticeships and 45 new jobs for local people. “Manchester Town Hall is one of the city’s most recognisable and well-loved landmarks. Lendlease has a long track record of working with heritage buildings and enhancing them for contemporary use and we will bring all of this experience to bear at Manchester Town Hall,” commented Neil Martin, Managing Director, Construction at Lendlease, Europe. As part of the work done to refurbish the Town Hall, parts of the Grade I-listed building will be restored. The project aims to safeguard the building for current and future generations and improve public access, as well as enhance Albert Square. “This appointment is an important milestone in the Our Town Hall project to improve access to this icon of Manchester and safeguard it for current and future generations,” said Councillor Nigel Murphy, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council. “There aren’t many construction firms with the expertise and resources required to deliver a heritage project of this scale and complexity on behalf of the city and after a rigorous selection process we are confident that Lendlease offered the best overall value. There will also be millions of pounds worth of opportunities for local businesses and people to get involved in the project through this contract, including apprenticeships and other training opportunities,” the Councillor added.
