The advantages of using smart technology in commercial buildings

As the UK Government pledges to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the urge for sustainable buildings is stronger than ever. According to the UK Green Building Council, an estimated 40% of the UK’s carbon footprint is attributed to the built environment, half of which comes from energy used in building. Heating alone created 10% of the country’s carbon footprint.

Yet sustainability is still out of reach for many property owners and managers. Old buildings, small budgets, tenants’ varying needs – there are many factors that make it hard for a property manager to truly measure the sustainability of a building and to act upon any findings.

Considering this, Frankie Bryon, Sustainability Surveyor at LSH discusses why smart technology can help buildings improve on sustainability as well introduce other benefits that include promoting health and wellbeing and enable agile working.

Smart is sustainable

Firms’ sustainability strategies have been a major driver of the rollout of smart technology. By providing more efficient controls over energy usage, it can deliver significant reductions in energy consumption.

It is no coincidence that some of the smartest office buildings in the world are also rated by BREEAM as among the greenest. Smart systems allow lighting, heating, air conditioning and ventilation to be monitored and adjusted according to a building’s usage and occupation. Energy wastage can be minimised by turning off heating and lighting when an office is unoccupied. Intelligent building facades may also be used to control the heat and light entering the building in response to changing weather conditions.

The next generation of energy efficient smart buildings have their own sources of power generation and some are even able to generate more energy than they consume, with surplus energy going back to the grid.

Workplace wellbeing

Smart technology is increasingly recognised as having an important role to play in promoting health and wellbeing. It can help to create environments that support alert, energised workforce.

Sensors can monitor air and water quality, light, temperature and noise levels. Issues known to affect workers’ concentration levels such as poor air quality or a lack of natural light can thus be detected and fixed.

More advanced smart office technology can also make use of data from wearable biometric devices monitoring the health and comfort of workers. In fact, research by Instant Offices shows 45% of the UK workforce would feel comfortable with sharing information via wearable devices for the purpose of protecting their health and wellbeing.

Ambient conditions can be adjusted when workers show signs of discomfort, or an individual’s immediate working environment can be changed according to their personal preferences.

Work smarter

Sensors, smartphones or wearable devices may collect data monitoring environmental factors such as temperature, light, air quality and noise, as well as data on employees’ usage of the building.

The data collected can deliver building managers with actionable insights on how to improve a building’s performance, or it may feed through to automated systems controlling the office environment. With smart technology continually evolving, it is being used to support an increasingly wide range of applications, providing multiple benefits to building owners, investors, occupiers and employees.

Enabling agile working

Smart technology is providing occupiers with a better understanding of who uses the office at any given time, how they work and with whom they collaborate. These insights can enable increasingly agile, flexible working.

Some of the newest generation of smart buildings have fewer desks than workers. Instead, employees may reserve a workspace using an app, with a choice of spaces depending on whether they would prefer a collaborative workspace, private meeting area or a quiet space.

Smart systems may thus facilitate a move away from the convention of employees ‘owning’ a desk, which then goes unused for periods when they are out of the office. Flexible workspaces can be used more efficiently and may be continually adapted to changing employee demand and new work styles.

Improving workplace experiences

As well as enabling desk and room bookings, workplace apps can also be used to order food and drink, book gym sessions or reserve parking spaces. They may allow employees to control ambient settings, as well as providing new ways of connecting and collaborating with colleagues.

Workplace apps are thus developing as important interfaces between employees and office buildings, giving individuals greater control over their office experience. This will help to align the modern office with the expectations of a younger workforce for whom smart technology already plays an integral part of their lifestyles outside of work.

The benefits of being smart

Overall the advantages that smart offices offer are in terms of the following:

• Sustainability
• Employee wellbeing
• Agile working
• Workplace experience

Smart offices also aid talent attraction and retention, by creating spaces in which people want to work, while appealing to workers’ environmental values. Modern, sustainable offices can help to reinforce a company’s brand values and define a progressive, forward-thinking corporate culture.

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Shuttleworth and Stag House projects underway in Wandsworth

The construction and property company Wates has recently begun the construction of two residential developments on Shuttleworth Road in Wandsworth after being commissioned by the local council.

The Shuttleworth House and Stag House projects will entail the provision of 92 affordable homes, 71 of which will be included as part of Shuttleworth House site while the remaining 21 will be situated at Stag House, therefore increasing the number of affordable homes that are available to local people in the Central London Borough.

Wates Residential was appointed to the Shuttleworth project in July 2019, with the project itself forming part of the wider Winstanley and York Road Estates regeneration programme, and with the contractor themselves ensuring that the new homes meet the highest of energy and safety standards.

Adding to this, Wates Residential made efforts to engage with the local community by having ten local children from the Fledglings Kindergarten on Battersea High Street design the perimeter hoarding of the development with their own pictures of diggers and equipment from the site.

The Managing Director for Wates Residential, Paul Nicholls stated: “After seeing how excited the children were about work on the Shuttleworth Road site, we invited them to get involved.

“Wates Residential believes that everyone deserves a great place to live and is committed to delivering more than just homes in Wandsworth. Hopefully our work with Fledglings Kindergarten will help to inspire the next generation to consider a career in construction.”

The Manager from Fledglings Kindergarten, Sandra Prendergast added: “The children were so excited to draw pictures of the site and have them displayed on the hoarding, especially as some of their parents work within the construction industry. After the unveiling they spoke about it all day and were so delighted with the hard hats and vests that you [Wates Residential] donated too.”

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Plans submitted for Havering retirement village

Plans were recently submitted to the Havering Borough Council in London for the development of a retirement village in South Hornchurch at the site of the Solar, Serena, and Sunrise Courts, as part of the said council’s ’12 Estates’ regeneration programme.

As a part of Havering Council’s strategy to deliver more than 3,500 new homes to the North-East London Borough, plans have also been submitted for a project that will provide 175 apartments for the elderly and retired in addition to a residents’ lounge, a treatment studio for health and wellness, and a communal lounge.

Furthermore, the plans for the retirement village will likewise include provisions to create a new lawn area and social space for group activities, local projects, meetings, and functions in addition to storage areas for bicycles and, of course, mobility scooters.

The Director of Regeneration, Neil Stubbings stated: “The 12 Estates project is about creating local homes for local people. Our borough has such a diverse range of residents, so it is important we ensure our regeneration creates homes fit for everyone.

“The plans we are submitting will create a community where Havering’s elderly residents can live safe and independent lives.”

The Development Director for Wates Residential, Kate Ives added: “Working with Havering Council, our focus is on building high quality homes for Havering’s residents. Our modern retirement village will help provide safe, warm and well-equipped homes, and pleasant green spaces for local people who are approaching, or who have reached, retirement age.

“The ’12 Estates’ regeneration programme is also giving us the opportunity to deliver a borough-wide legacy as we work with local businesses like Downwell Demolition.”

Submission of these plans for a retirement village in South Hornchurch have following the recent granting of approval from the redevelopment of Napier and New Plymouth House in Rainham, which likewise forms a vital part of the council’s £1Bn ’12 Estates’ programme.

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Rosalind Franklin Institute Hub topped-out in Harwell

The company Mace has celebrated construction reaching the highest point at the Rosalind Franklin Institute Hub in Harwell, Didcot, with a topping-out ceremony that was attended by members of Rosalind Franklin’s family as well as several young scientists.

The Franklin Hub is currently under construction by Mace, working with UKRI-STFC, at a cost of £40M, with the purpose of the new development being to encourage further developments within the academic field of life sciences by offering facilities and equipment that can display cellular structure on a molecular level.

The Chair of The Franklin, Vivienne Cox stated: “We marked ground-breaking in May 2019, so to see the structure coming up in just six months is really remarkable. The teams here are building something very special, which will be a real beacon for life sciences in the UK.”

Once completed in early 2021, the hub will accommodate approximately 200 scientists from universities across the country and will feature advanced facilities for research, work, socialising, and networking, with one example being the most electromagnetically stable space on earth that is essential for developing new electron microscopes.

The Managing Director of Public Sector Construction at Mace, Terry Spraggett commented: “The project is ahead of schedule and has gone through the design phase in record time. We are pleased to be here and to celebrate the hard work of the build teams, and of the scientists who have worked together to design this unique building. We are excited for the next phase of the project.”

The Chief Executive Officer of the Education Business Partnership, Michelle Smith added: “The students were so excited to come along and see this brilliant building and learn about Rosalind Franklin herself.

“Careers in science and technology offer so many opportunities, but it is often hard for students to imagine themselves in these roles without seeing them up close. Having the Franklin on the doorstep will be inspirational, and we are excited about working together.”

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Mace Construction Manifesto published ahead of election

The international construction and consultancy company Mace has, in the build up to the UK General Election, published ‘A Manifesto for Construction and the Built Environment’ which suggests just four key policy additions, centred around nine key areas, that will allow the construction industry to prosper under the next government.

Specifically, the Mace Construction Manifesto focusses primarily upon the areas of skills, immigration, exports, innovation, procurement, infrastructure, project delivery, carbon emissions, and the planning system.

However, in regard to actual policy recommendations, there are just four suggestions as opposed to nine, including: creating a Department for Growth, ensuring the UK’s future immigration system recognises the unique nature of the construction industry, reviewing the Apprenticeship Levy and increasing the number of apprenticeships, and also tackling the low-carbon skills gap to ensure we can reach Net Zero Carbon.

The Mace Chief Executive, Mark Reynolds stated: “The construction industry is a huge contributor to the UK economy, and yet we often don’t receive the attention we deserve.

“Rarely has our sector faced such an uncertain future, and so it is crucial that during this election campaign politicians from all parties recognise that our industry is vital to the long-term success of the UK economy.

“Whoever ends up running the country in December, we know that our industry will need their support. In our manifesto, we have outlined a number of clear and straight forward policy changes that would give our sector the certainty to invest and continue to grow.”

The Director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Henri Murison added: “The importance of infrastructure to the Northern Powerhouse, playing a key part in closing the North – South divide, cannot be overstated.

“The construction sector will be critical to this and addressing the barriers to making progress need to be a question for parties at the upcoming General Election.

“From the benefits of delivering projects such as Northern Powerhouse Rail, through to capitalising on the opportunity of those growing up here today getting the highly skilled, quality jobs that will be created by building it, the size of the prize is significant.

“An incoming Government needs to address the concerns put forward here, with a Department for Growth the right partner for more powerful and empowered city region Mayors working on the ground here in the North.”

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SMEs need to grow for growth

Bibby Financial Services UK CEO Edward Winterton, shares unique insight from SMEs, including business challenges, investment opportunities and confidence level.

Our Q3 2019 SME Confidence Tracker was completed at a time of renewed external pressure on SMEs as the Government promised to leave the EU by 31st October.

Despite a Government campaign to get ready for Brexit, our research found that over half of the nation’s SMEs (54%) still hadn’t prepared for any of the potential outcomes.

On the surface this may appear reckless or ill-advised, but the likelihood is that SMEs have become accustomed to the political uncertainty and many didn’t truly believe the UK would meet its deadline.

There are other barriers that come into play when it comes to Brexit preparations. Firstly, it’s expensive. Many of the SMEs we work with are reliant on having a stable cash flow position to operate. Despite the recent publicity from the Government to get ready for Brexit with the goal posts constantly changing, not all SMEs have the cash, inclination or resources to dedicate to measures when there is no clear end date or outcome.

Supporting SMEs through Brexit

Brexit is a long-term concern for SMEs. We can only hope that in the coming months decisions are made that bring clarity for businesses, enabling them to plan for the future. We have supported UK businesses for more than 35 years, through all economic cycles. This year, we have reconfirmed this support by backing the Government’s SME Finance Charter.

As a member of the British Finance Council, alongside UK banks and finance providers, we were one of the founding signatories of the Charter, pledging to support our SME customers through Brexit. We fully back the British Business Bank’s (BBB) work to encourage and enable SMEs to seek the finance that is best suited to their needs, and to provide information about the full range of financing options available to them.

However, we recognise that access to finance is just one of the issues that SMEs may have to work through. To support businesses further, we have developed a range of educational resources including international trade workshops and regular market insight to guide them through the Brexit process and beyond.

Business as usual for UK SMEs

Our Q3 2019 research shows an SME population that is under pressure but getting on with business as usual. Most encouragingly, SMEs are continuing to trade across borders as a third (33%) exported goods in Q3 2019 and a similar amount (32%) imported from overseas – these figures have remained consistent through 2018 and the first three quarters of 2019.

Furthermore, SME confidence remains steady this quarter indicating that businesses are getting used to operating in an uncertain environment. Sales in Q3 remained consistent with the previous quarter while expectations for the future are more bullish with 43% forecasting an increase in sales. This is welcome news.

When it comes to investment, we’ve witnessed a steady decline in spend since the EU referendum. This picture has continued in Q3 2019 as the average spend has fallen to £69,000 from £81,000 in Q2 2019.  It comes as no surprise that the uncertain economic environment in the UK is the number one barrier to investment for SMEs.

Strong and resilient businesses will be more robust

During this prolonged uncertainty, SMEs will need to focus on growth, as a strong and resilient business with profitable customers is likely to be more robust in the future. Brexit isn’t going away and whatever the outcome, it is likely to have an impact on our economy and businesses for years to come.

What is key for SMEs now is having transparency of the plan so they can better prepare. We hope for greater clarity as we move into 2020 and remain optimistic for a more certain future for UK businesses and the wider economy.

Read the full Q3 2019 SME Confidence Tracker.

Edward Winterton

Author

Edward Winterton, Chief Executive Officer, UK

Bibby Financial Services

Edward is the UK CEO and is responsible for the strategic direction of Bibby Financial Services UK, heading up a team of more than 800 staff in 18 regional offices.

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Kier appointed to the Procure Partnerships Framework

The construction and property company Kier have been appointed to all of the 20 Lots outlined in the £8Bn Procure Partnerships Framework which assists public bodies with finding contractor partners across ten different regions across the country.

The Procure Partnerships Framework will be in operation for a period of four years and consists of the aforementioned ten regions with each containing two value bands, one for contracts with a value that it between £4M and £12M and another that is for contracts with a value that is more than £12M.

Kier have therefore been appointed to both Lots within each of the ten regions following their appointment to similar Lots within the pilot framework which solely took place within the North West, under the label of the Procure North West Framework.

This Procure North West Framework was similar to the Procure Partnerships Framework in that it consisted of two value bands but, in the case of the former, the value bands comprised of one that was between £5M and £15M and another that was between £15M and £25M.

The Managing Director of Strategic Framework and Alliances at Kier, Neil Pates stated: “Being appointed to all 20 Lots of the framework is great news for us at Kier. Approximately 65 per cent of our work in Kier Construction is procured through long-term frameworks and we continue to deliver exciting projects through these.

“We look forward to working on this new and exciting framework, which will give our clients a modern and flexible way of procuring public sector work nationally.”

The Framework Director at Procure Partnerships, Robbie Blackhurst added: “Kier has been a partner on the North West pilot region of the Procure Partnerships Framework for the past year and we are delighted that it has secured a place on 20 lots of the national roll out.

“The Kier regional delivery model with national governance aligns perfectly with the Procure Partnerships Framework and we are looking forward to further developing the relationship over the next four years.”

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FMB responds to the Labour Manifesto

Following the publication of the Labour Party Manifesto ahead of the December General Election, it was revealed that Labour intent to spend £75M on social housing over the course of a five year period, with the intention being to construct 100,000 council homes per year by the end of Parliament.

Although this prioritisation of housing construction by Labour can be viewed as a positive response to the British housing crisis, some industry leading figures are sceptical about the approach which the party outlined in the aforementioned manifesto, with the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) supporting the intention but doubting the execution.

The Chief Executive of the FMB, Brian Berry stated: “This country is in dire need of a housing revolution to address the critical lack of homes that is hampering the very fabric of our society.

“It is therefore pleasing that Labour are placing the delivery of housing at the forefront of their manifesto commitments. However, if supply is to meet demand, there needs to be a strong collaboration between the public and private sectors as neither can deliver the required upsurge in delivery alone.

“Labour’s manifesto places an overemphasis on the role of the state in supplying homes with very little detail on the role of the private sector in this endeavour.

“One of the primary causes for the housing crisis is the decline in the number and output of small house builders with today’s market dominated by a small number of very large players. Back in 1988, 40 per cent of new homes were delivered by small local building firms compared with a mere 12 per cent today.

“Reversing this decline and unlocking the potential of small house builders by streamlining and simplifying the planning process, improving access to finance, and freeing up small plots of viable land, would go a long way to resolve this critical issue.”

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Plans for the NMIS submitted to Renfrewshire Council

Planning permission is being sought for the construction of the £65M National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) in Renfrewshire.

The new NMIS facility will be led by the Scottish Government, the University of Strathclyde, and the Renfrewshire Council and will be situated next to Glasgow Airport, serving as a skills academy for research and innovation and also to attract investment

The Scottish Economy Secretary, Derek Mackay stated: “Manufacturing is crucial to our economy and is a sector we want to see flourish in Scotland.

“This is a notable milestone for the NMIS facility and given the importance of responding to the global climate emergency, I am particularly pleased the facility will be energy carbon neutral and it is great that the facility will lead by example and demonstrate what is possible.

“NMIS will deliver benefits for businesses across Scotland well before the building is complete including through the existing capability available at the Lightweight Manufacturing Centre which adds to the wider support available from our enterprise agencies to help companies improve their productivity.”

Furthermore, the NMIS will be comprised of two facilities the Lightweight Manufacturing Centre (LMC) and also the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC).

The University of Strathclyde Principal, Professor Sir Jim McDonald commented: “It is great news that the plans for NMIS are progressing so quickly.

“Scotland has a vibrant manufacturing sector which is well placed for further innovation and growth. To achieve its fullest potential, it needs advanced facilities, resources and equipment, for use by highly qualified and skilled staff; NMIS will offer all of this.

“At Strathclyde – and across Scotland’s world-class universities – we have the drive, expertise and track record to support this highly collaborative venture and, with the NMIS partners, support the transformation of Scottish manufacturing.”

The Associate HLM, Ross Barrett added: “The new NMIS facility is a hugely exciting project and we are really pleased to be working with all partners to respond to the ambitions for this centre.  Our thoughtful design creates an innovative, flexible and collaborative environment where knowledge and creativity can be shared.

“Inspired by the materiality and colours of the Scottish landscape, this bold sustainable building sets out to create a unique character and identity for NMIS which will inspire and attract industry partners and academics alike.”

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City of Glasgow College to adopt EMIC-GEM programme

The City of Glasgow College is scheduled to implement a new European project named Embracing Modular Innovation in Construction – Getting Education Modernised (EMIC-GEM) which will teach learners how to utilise modern methods of construction, namely that of modular building.

The new EMIC-GEM training model is scheduled to reach final development by March 2020 and will be incorporated into learning at the college for a trial period until February 2022, with the programme having been funded by Erasmus Plus.

The Project Manager for STEM and Innovation at City of Glasgow College, Linus Reichenbach stated: “The aim is to transform delivery of off-site and modular methods of construction advanced vocational education and training. Key processes will be digitalised while an emphasis will be placed on decarbonising activity, improving energy and resource efficiency, workplace safety and diversification of the workforce.”

The Head of Public Partnerships & Future Workforce, Rohan Bush added: “Moving to greater use of off-site construction is the only way the UK can meet its current housing challenges, but we need a workforce which has the skills and knowledge to do this. Working on a shared approach with education providers across Europe gives us the chance to transform the skills agenda at scale.”

Adding to this, the aims of the EMIC-GEM are to develop a ground-breaking training model and competency framework, engage approximately 2,000 individual learners, supply open online educational resources, and to raise awareness for the adoption of off-site and modular methods of construction.

The Associate Dean for Construction at City of Glasgow College, Andy Pollock concluded: “This last objective is not secondary. Up to 95 per cent of construction, architecture, and civil engineering firms are SMEs or micro-enterprises, so the need for a shift from traditional to modern methods of construction has never been greater.

“Investing in a transnational network of professionals offers the opportunity to accelerate a pan-European response to the education and skilling needs of the construction industry.”

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Embodied carbon – how much longer can we say “too difficult”?

Dan Doran, Principal Consultant at BREEAM, discusses embodied carbon in construction. He asks action should the industry be taking now to avoid overshooting the ‘carbon budget’, and what role does life cycle assessment have to play in measuring and reducing embodied carbon?

Buildings and infrastructure assets are key sources of carbon emissions that require a rapid and far-reaching transition to deliver lower emissions. This must come from the two major sources:

• ‘operational carbon’ (from heating, cooling and power during use)
• ‘embodied carbon’ (from the construction product supply chain including: Energy consumption, chemical reactions, transport and installation/construction activities)

Operational carbon is generally considered to be responsible for the biggest share of total emissions and has long been covered by regulations in most countries. As the construction industry improves performance through research, training and experience regulations become progressively tougher (although arguably not tough enough to avoid exceeding the carbon budget).

This is helped by the relatively intuitive link between design choices and operational carbon performance: Using more insulation, efficient building services and renewable energy generation will result in proportionally lower CO₂ emissions (notwithstanding the widely acknowledged performance gap between designed for emissions and real emissions).

The link between design choices and embodied carbon performance is not so intuitive. Embodied carbon emissions occur in varying ways across a plethora of complex construction products supply chains. So, life cycle assessment (LCA) calculations and a large quantity of LCA data are required. LCA is unavoidable but complex, hard to comprehend and often accused of being a(?) ‘black box’. Although there are rules of thumb, the complexity means LCA results can be unexpected and unexplained.

Achieving better performance requires all aspects of the design to be considered simultaneously. Ultimately, it is difficult to prove the accuracy of LCA – unlike operational carbon emissions there is no meter that can be read when the building is occupied.

These factors likely explain why embodied carbon is only covered by regulations in a few countries and is not widely understood or considered by the construction industry. The few construction projects that do consider embodied emissions do so voluntarily or to fulfil the requirements of a sustainability standard (like BREEAM, CEEQUAL or the Home Quality Mark).

However, standardisation of construction LCA is well underway and more user-friendly well supported LCA software for building designers has recently become available. Despite the challenges, LCA is the most established way to tackle the unavoidable problem of embodied carbon.

Acting sooner rather than later greatly improves the chances of avoiding the carbon budget and 1.5°C rise being overshot. It is this focus on early action that is of great relevance to embodied carbon but is often overlooked.

Although whole life operational carbon emissions may out way whole life embodied carbon emissions, the former occur gradually over the whole life of the building. As most buildings designed now will have a design life that goes well beyond the 2030 and 2050 timeframes, a significant proportion of operational carbon emissions occur after these target dates (notwithstanding they will still contribute to further global warming).

Furthermore, operational carbon can be reduced during the life of the building (e.g. by installing more efficient building services) and will reduce automatically as energy generation switches to renewables or nuclear. Therefore, with respect to total emissions generated up to these target dates, the balance between operational and embodied moves in favour of the latter.

Additionally, embodied carbon emissions largely occur in the construction product supply chain just before the building is constructed – so are released and use up the carbon budget immediately. Unlike operational carbon, embodied carbon emissions can’t be reduced later – they have already happened. Therefore, not taking “rapid and far-reaching” action on embodied carbon now is undeniably kicking the can down the road.

Sustainability standards for buildings and infrastructure assets typically include embodied carbon related requirements (and often other embodied impacts like water, toxicity, ozone and resource use). In light of the need to tackle embodied carbon to stay within the carbon budget, and the recent availability of suitable tools, BREEAM has begun introducing increasingly challenging LCA requirements in its standards.

With the latest version of BREEAM UK New Construction, carrying out robust LCA early in the building design process using specialised LCA software, comparing the results with a benchmark and appraising different design options to reduce impacts accounts for over half of the credits in the ‘Materials’ category of the standard. In addition, the contribution the ‘Materials’ category makes to the overall BREEAM result (its weighting) has increased to 15% – the 2^nd highest weighted category – only 1% less than ‘Energy’, the operational carbon category.

Living within our means

The 2016 Paris Agreement states that mankind should aim for a limit on global warming of 1.5°C to avoid the worst threats from climate change. A rise beyond 1.5°C will significantly increase the rate of climate change and make it even harder to adapt in time. The scientific consensus reached by the IPCC is that human activity to date has already caused 1.0°C of global warming and 1.5°C may be reached within 11 years if the current rate of increase continues.

Most greenhouse gas emissions from human activity accumulate and persist in the atmosphere for hundreds or thousands of years, continuing to cause changes to the climate and sea levels to rise. The maximum cumulative total of anthropogenic greenhouse gases required to limit global warming to 1.5°C is called the ‘carbon budget’. Exceeding the carbon budget will likely result in 1.5°C being exceeded.

To avoid overshooting the carbon budget and 1.5°C, mankind should aim for an emissions reduction pathway of 45% by 2030 (from 2010 levels) and net zero around 2050. The IPCC describes this enormous challenge as

“a rapid and far-reaching transitions in energy, land, urban and infrastructure (including transport and buildings), and industrial systems. These systems transitions are unprecedented in terms of scale, but not necessarily in terms of speed, and imply deep emissions reductions in all sectors, a wide portfolio of mitigation options and a significant upscaling of investments in those options.”

Inaction to reduce our emissions now will result in utilising the carbon budget quickly, which will require an extremely rapid rate of reduction in emissions at the end of the 2050 timeframe – a rate even less likely to be politically and economically deliverable. We cannot afford to kick the can down the road.

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FMB responds to Liberal Democrat Manifesto

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) have now responded to the recent publication of the Liberal Democrat Party Manifesto which pledges to reduce the VAT charges that currently apply to home insulation as a means of achieving their target to insulate all Britain’s homes by 2030, cutting emissions and fuel bills and ending fuel poverty.

In response to the manifesto, a representative of the FMB states that the reduction in VAT is a step in the right direction for achieving lower greenhouse gas emissions from buildings but is not enough to encourage large companies and government bodies to make similar efforts.

The FMB Senior Hub Director, Ifan Glyn stated: “The Lib Dems’ pledge to cut VAT on home insulation is a step in the right direction and is an area that we have been lobbying on for a number of years through the Cut the VAT campaign.

“However, I feel that it needs to go further and VAT should be cut on the labour element of home improvement work across the board. Doing so would simplify the VAT system and send a clear message that boosting jobs and consumer demand in this space is a priority.

“We know that homeowners are more likely to request energy efficiency upgrades as a bolt on to other building work being carried out on their homes. Cutting VAT across the board would therefore incentivise the de-carbonisation of our homes further.

“On a positive note, I strongly welcome the Lib Dems’ pledge to enforce big businesses and government agencies to adhere to the prompt payment code.

“Smaller building firms are being held back by the abuse of retentions and late payment practices that are rife. Getting tough on serial offenders will help small businesses get back to doing what they do best, which is delivering quality work and training the next generation of builders.”

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The construction industry responds to the Conservative Manifesto

Following the recent publication of the Conservative Party Manifesto, ahead of the General Election in December, various leading figures within the construction industry have come forward with their responses, with many commending the Conservative’s realistic housing targets but questioning the promise of an Australian-style immigration system.

Specifically, the manifesto pledges to spend millions more ever week on schools, infrastructure, and apprenticeships while also reiterating the Conservative target of 300,000 homes per year by the mid-2020s. However, with the simultaneous imposition of a points-based immigration system, some individuals have their doubts.

The Managing Director of McBains, Clive Docwra stated: “The industry as a whole is coping with acute skills shortages as a result of many high-skilled tradespeople from abroad who have left the sector as a result of doubts over their employment status after Brexit. Promising millions of homes will never happen unless we have the workforce to build them.”

The Founder of modular developer Project Etopia, Joseph Daniels commented: “The trap that had offered itself to the Conservatives was to enter a game of one-upmanship with Labour over house building targets and push them ever further into the atmosphere.

“Boris Johnson and his team have resisted that temptation, instead focusing on an achievable and credible number. This is a good indication that they have got to grips with the detail and challenges of what is needed to deliver homes.

“The fact that Modern Methods of Construction get a mention is no accident. Mainstream interest in MMC is established and policymakers now regard offsite construction as the lifeboat that brings a target of 300,000 new homes a year into achievable focus.”

The Chief Executive of CPRE, Crispin Truman added: “We welcome the Conservative Party’s ongoing commitment to protect and enhance the countryside next door to our towns and cities, which is a crucial resource in tackling the climate emergency and improving the health and wellbeing of city dwellers.

“Less positive is the lack of ambition in tackling the affordable housing crisis in rural communities, particularly the need to deliver significant numbers of social homes. We are calling on the next government to invest £12.8Bn a year to provide genuinely affordable homes, including homes for social rent, with a fair proportion allocated for rural communities.”

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Renton Primary School campus plans approved by the council

Planning approval has been granted for the construction of a new school campus on the site of Renton Primary School in West Dunbartonshire, a small county to the West of Glasgow in the Highlands, with the new facilities predicted to transform the education of hundreds of pupils.

According to the local council, the new Renton Primary School Campus will cost a total sum of £15.1M and will include a new Language and Communication unit, a new Riverside Early Learning and Childcare Centre, increased spaces for playing outside, classrooms linking to outdoor areas on each floor, as well as a new multi-use sports pitch and playground area.

The Chief Planning Officer at the West Dunbartonshire Council, Pamela Clifford stated: “I welcome the Committee’s decision to approve these plans. When complete this will be a modern, purpose-built campus, with the capability increase outdoor learning, support more children with additional needs and also address the future needs of the area.”

Furthermore, planning for this new development has been extensive, with the building materials for the campus needing to be of the same appearance as those used on local structures like the Smollet Monument and the local War Memorial, while parking has likewise been accounted for, with plans for a one-way drop off zone between Station Street and Back Street having also been made.

The Chief Education Officer at the Council, Laura Mason commented: “We are committed to investing in our young people by enhancing educational facilities and in turn increasing opportunities to attain and achieve. This new campus will transform the education of our current pupils by moving them to a brand new purpose-built learning environment and I know this has been welcomed by parents and carers.”

The Head Teacher at Renton Primary School, Lynne Dempster added: “I am delighted that the plans for the new campus have been approved today. There are clear educational benefits for pupils in this area to learn in such a modern building and we look forward to seeing work on the site progress.”

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DIO builds its presence at UKIS

Did you know?….. the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Defence and Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) spends circa £3Bn each year providing infrastructure and construction services to the Defence estate? 

Providing infrastructure services to the Ministry of Defence Front Line Commands (FLCs) and other Top Level Budgets (TLBs), DIO holds an annual spend of approximately £3Bn for construction and infrastructure services on behalf of its customers representing a significant opportunity for both current and potential suppliers in relation to supporting the Armed Forces.

So it is with great excitement that we can announce DIO as a Partner to the ever-growing UK Infrastructure Show.

DIO will be hosting a dedicated Procurement Pavilion allowing both buyers and suppliers to connect with key personnel and gain an insight into the latest initiatives, developments and opportunities that are currently being delivered across this evolving marketplace.

DIO plays a vital role in supporting the UK’s Armed Forces by building, maintaining and servicing the infrastructure needed to support defence, and is responsible for enabling defence people to live, work, train and deploy at home and overseas.

DIO is undergoing a commercial transformation following last year’s launch of DIO’s Commercial Strategy, which outlined the steps to be taken to make it easier for the supply chain to engage with the organisation.

Likewise, DIO’s Procurement Plan outlines its strategy on construction and infrastructure. This marks the first time the organisation has outlined its priorities to existing and potential suppliers.

Jacqui Rock, Commercial Director for DIO, will host a keynote session on the Live Stage. Jacqui’s role as the Commercial Director supports the Chief Executive and Budget Holders. She is responsible for putting in place and maintaining the commercial and procurement strategy and management control systems necessary to manage all commercial commitments made by DIO, as well as personally negotiating and awarding the largest of DIO’s contracts.

Managing its £35Bn estates through a range of term, framework, PFI and other supply contracts, DIO is one of the largest contracting organisations in Government.

Visit their pavilion to hear direct from DIO about the opportunities within defence infrastructure.

 

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PI Insurance – Not working for UK Construction

Massive hikes in Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance premiums and in excesses, coupled with changes to insurance terms – including additional exclusions from cover, the removal of existing extensions – such as fitness for purpose coverage, and the increasing of onerous conditions in P I Insurance is forcing sub-contractors to turn work down or even in some cases go out of business, according to Gerald Kelly – General Manager at Confederation of Construction Specialists.

Feedback from the Confederation of Construction Specialists members and from the wider construction industry have highlighted examples of architects, consultants and design and build contractors experiencing massive increases in premiums from their insurers. The reason for the increases is easy to understand but difficult to resolve. Insurers are progressively reluctant to entertain PI Insurance cover because of a variety of specific problems within the UK construction market. Issues around under-performing technology in waste and energy projects; construction company insolvencies; escalating risks due to onerous construction contract terms; increasingly tight margins and potential losses due to cladding exposure. Furthermore, an exodus of insurers from the PI market combined with the merger of others, and the continued reluctance of insurers to take risks because they are mindful that their reserves have been depleted by global events are adversely reducing the PI insurance market to such an extent that premiums can be driven upwards.

Not being able to obtain PI insurance is seemingly not that high up the agenda when considering the near endless list of underlying faults within the construction industry: slowdown in growth; safety issues; onerous terms and conditions; poor contract and project management administration; insanely low profit margins; poor payment and systematic late payment practices; worsening levels of insolvencies; a deepening skills crisis; recruitment image problems; Brexit uncertainty; reduction in EU labour availability; rising costs of materials; sustainability; stagnant productivity levels; self-employment; slow technology adoption, et cetera et cetera. However, although those issues are widely known and in plain sight, the significance of one aspect of the PI insurance problem has been generally unnoticed and ignored but has the potential of causing severe harm to the construction industry if it is not managed. Excessive PI insurance requirements and the increasing stringent prerequisites are causing many insurers to refuse cover for Building Inspectors. Building Inspectors need PI insurance and Public Liability Insurance to operate; therefore, without PI insurance a reduction in the availability of Building Inspectors will be noticed across the construction sector. Considering that all new buildings must be approved by an inspector to certify that building regulations have been met, it is not inconceivable to conclude that the UK construction industry will experience significant schedule setbacks and project sign-off delays at a time when it has major problems.

Additionally, the actions of Main Contractors are not helping the PI insurance problem, in fact, they are making the situation worse! Many Main Contractors are facing difficulties meeting the Employers’ Main contract requirements. Therefore, in an effort to mitigate risk, they have opted to push that risk down to their supply chain by insisting on ridicules PI insurance requirements. Stipulating £5 – 10M PI insurance coverage is becoming the norm. The assumption is that sub-contractors will cover the Main Contractor exposure by having adequate PI insurance to do so. However, as sub-contractors are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain such coverage, this is blatantly not the case! One such company (known to a confederation associate member) was asked to supply £10M PI cover for a CCTV installation with an undertaking that it has been designed with an ability to last for 25 years – just ludicrous!

Main Contractors need to understand that just passing their problems down through their supply chain is not the answer as they have the same PI Insurance issues too. Collaboration between the client, main contractor and the supply chain has to be a positive step forward combined with an understanding of how all parties conform to common risk management standards (ISO) to mitigate future claims. Moreover, the insurance industry is not working for UK Construction and is having a damaging influence on it. The government needs to investigate the insurance industry with the intention to recommend actions to propel the insurance industry to a position where it can support UK Construction and not hinder it.

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Hotel projects to surge in post-Brexit scenario

With the prospect of Brexit looming, and the subsequent fall in the value of the pound therefore imminent, many investors are readying themselves to focus upon hotel investment due to predictions of tourism surge once it becomes cheap to visit Britain.

According to recent research by Boodle Hatfield, a legal company within the private wealth sector, revealed that investors are funding and planning a combined total of 210 hotel project in London.

A Boodle Hatfield partner named Rajeev Joshi stated: “Investor appetite in the London hotel market is holding up. But investors will want to know that this new supply of hotels can be soaked up by increasing demand. For tourism to continue to grow, the UK needs to ensure that post-Brexit, we do not start to be seen as a less convenient destination for tourists from the EU or from further afield.”

Specifically, the aforementioned research identified that 48 of 210 hotels that are planned for construction in the Greater London area are based in Westminster, thus adding 6,800 new rooms, whereas the next most popular area was Hillingdon with 12 projects planned, and in third was Brent with 11.

Some examples of hotel projects that are now taking shape in London include the £470M Consort Place scheme in London’s Docklands area which is set to feature a 231-room four-star hotel as well as 370 flats, whereas a £63M Nobu Hotel has likewise been planned for construction at Portman Square.

A smaller hotel project that is planned for the capital also includes the £8M Borough High Street Hotel in Southwark which has been commissioned by the developer Raykor, with tenders now having been returned and with a decision on the contractor new imminent.

Glenigan’s own data has also lately revealed that the underlying value of hotel and leisure project starts has risen by a figure of one per cent in 2019 with forecasts showing a further increase of two per cent in 2020.

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West Midlands housing surges despite Brexit uncertainty

According to research carried out by Glenigan, the West Midlands was the leading region in the UK recent housing surge for the third quarter of 2019, with the National House-Building Council recording a 52 per cent increase in new homes starting construction, translating to a precise figure of 4,760 units.

Furthermore, Glenigan’s discovery of this recent surge in the West Midlands region is likely a product of the undertaking of the athletes’ village for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, although without including this project in the housing unit total the number of new homes being erected in the region would have still increased by a proportion of 14 per cent.

Looking further back, a grand total of 14,500 new homes were constructed in the West Midlands during 2018, with this figure being higher than the total for 2017 by a proportion of 21 per cent, while projections by Glenigan predicted that housing construction would increase in the region by 12 per cent this year, thereby weathering the post-Brexit downturn.

Some examples of housing projects that are scheduled to be undertaken in the region in question include the New Garden Square development in Birmingham, that will see to the delivery of 392 apartments commencing next spring, in addition to the Bloor Homes’ West Shottery development and the Edgbaston cricket stadium redevelopment scheme.

Fuelling this surge in housing is the recent £10Bn regeneration programme by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) which seeks to drive forward 24 regeneration projects as well as the delivery of approximately 4,000 new homes.

The WMCA Chief Executive, Deborah Cadman stated: “The investor-friendly WMCA is focused on providing our region with strategic leadership and the local knowledge needed to succeed.

“Supported by the UK Government’s ambitious Industrial Strategy, we are building tomorrow’s homes, creating vibrant and thriving mixed-use places, investing in world-class infrastructure, and transforming the West Midlands into the UK’s growth capital.”

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Student accommodation projects set to rise further

The construction subsector that specifies in the delivery of student accommodation is forecast to receive a healthy uplift in the coming months following the £1.4Bn acquisition of the student accommodation company Liberty Living by its rival Unite.

Unite’s acquisition of Liberty Living has been approved by the Competition and Markets Authority who will not intervene in the deal which is now scheduled to be passed through next month, creating a mega-client, and therefore a valuable client, within the construction sector which is expected to dominate the student accommodation market.

The Chief Executive of Unite Students, Richard Smith stated: “The enlarged group will be well positioned to meet the growing need for affordable, high quality student accommodation in university towns and cities where demand is strong.”

Under Unite’s current targets, the accommodation provider will deliver 6,000 new student beds over the course of the next three years in cities such as Bristol, Manchester, and London, with some notable projects being the construction of a £5M extension to a student block in Manchester as well as the £200M City Fringe Student Tower in London.

Meanwhile, in the Welsh market, Unite’s equivalent Watkin Jones has possessed an extremely healthy project pipeline in the past year after completing six student accommodation schemes, containing 2,723 beds, between 1^st October 2018 and 30^th September 2019, with predictions showing that the company expects to deliver 3,500 beds per year up until 2024.

However, where United and Watkins Jones handle the larger scale projects, some smaller scale accommodation providers, such as Torsion, have been equally as successfully within their respective scales.

In particular, Torsion, which is a Leeds-based company, recently commenced construction of an £11.3M project to deliver a 210-bed student accommodation development in Coventry and likewise plan to begin the construction of 403 student units in Lincoln in the spring of 2020.

Other similar accommodation projects include Danehurst’s £11.9M Harvest Road development which will accommodate 166 students and Maven Capital’s £12M Portsmouth Road Development in Southampton which will house 199 students.

According to recent market analysis by Glenigan, student accommodation construction project starts are expected to have increased by a proportion of 6 per cent in 2019.

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Over a thousand homes proposed for Goodmayes

The property development company Weston Homes and the supermarket chain Tesco have submitted a planning application for the development of nearly 1,300 homes and a new Tesco store at the current 10.4 acre Tesco store site at 822 High Road in Goodmayes, London.

According to plans for the Goodmayes development, 414 out of the 1,280 new homes will be classed as affordable, with this amounting to around 35 per cent, while development will further include the delivery of a new Tesco store, a village hall, a three-form primary school, commercial space, and several cafes.

A consultation period for the project was attended by representatives from the Seven Kings Residents’ Association, the Goodmayes Residents’ Association, Transport for London, the Greater London Authority, and the Redbridge Council, leading to various amendments being made to the initial plans, such as reduction of the initial plans for 1,400 homes and reduction of the Tesco car park by 30 spaces.

Adding to this, the new development will include school playground space, residential amenity space, landscaped roofscape, tree lined pedestrian walkways, and public open areas.

Furthermore, with this new development, infrastructure development will be made all the more necessary with the proposals also suggesting highway improvements in the High Road, including new bus lanes, widened highways, enhanced pedestrian and cycle access, and new pedestrian crossings to Barley Lane Recreation Ground.

In order for the new project to go forward the existing Tesco building in Goodmayes will need to be demolished with the new Tesco planned to be built in the current car park as the existing store remains open, with a temporary car parking arrangement.

Finally, the Goodmayes scheme will also entail the establishment of 2,500 cycle bays and a footpath and cycle link to the southern boundary, allowing for access to the adjacent Goodmayes Railway Station.

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How technologies improve infrastructure and contribute to its longevity and adaptability

Much like critical road and city infrastructure, many of the technologies that support the construction industry go unnoticed. These technologies are helping businesses to operate more efficiently and effectively, by increasing visibility into staff, infrastructure and operations. The construction industry itself is undergoing a largescale digital transformation. Given the ever-increasing consumer demand, strain on resources and complexity of projects in this sector combined with new regulations and guidelines, many are turning to technology as a solution.

Infrastructure varies greatly – from a new road to a high-tech high-rise – and as such, when it comes to technology integration and implementation there is no one-size fits all approach. One increasingly noticeable trend is that infrastructure is starting to ‘talk back’.  With smart technology, it is now possible to access live data, allowing real-time reporting of a structure’s condition, enabling managers to remotely monitor and predict routine and emergency maintenance. A key sensor can be worth a thousand visits by an inspection engineer, as it can alert to different patterns of frequency and life.

Improving longevity

There are many cases where technology improves infrastructure’s longevity. For instance, consider basic city level infrastructure in a location that is regularly affected by extreme weather. When it comes to bridges, crucial road links, and mainland connections, upkeep needs to be carefully monitored in order to keep a city running smoothly and safely. Wireless Internet of Things (IoT) bridge sensors can keep track of all aspects of a bridge’s health, collecting data in areas such as vibration, pressure, humidity and temperature. This data can be used to predict early signs of damage and deterioration. A perfect illustration of this is Greece’s Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge. Shortly after opening, the structure’s inbuilt sensors detected abnormal vibrations in the cables leading engineers to install additional weight to dampen the cables. Without the installation of smart technology, inspectors would not have been aware of the structure’s fragility.

Similarly, HiKoB IoT road sensors can be embedded to measure variables such as temperature, humidity and traffic volume. This data can then be sent via a wireless network to a server for processing and analysis, allowing road crews to prioritise maintenance during harsh weather conditions, which are responsible for almost a quarter of car accidents.[1] In one study involving Boston Taxis, wireless sensors were used to monitor the state of road surfaces, detecting the number of potholes in various roads. All of this contributes to helping teams, councils or businesses effectively maintain infrastructure, ultimately, contributing to improving their safety and longevity.

Increasing adaptability

Over the next few years, software will be increasingly incorporated into infrastructure. Sensor networks are already being deployed in tunnels to monitor air flow, visibility and a range of pollutant gases. While other sensors are measuring temperature, humidity and various parameters on highways to make them ‘smart roads’. This data helps to monitor everyday conditions that could otherwise affect road safety and usage.

The roll out of wireless sensors on roads will eventually allow the public to accurately track public transport. The powerful aspect of such a network of communicating and interoperating systems is that there is the potential to influence the traffic in real-time. This could mean navigating or filtering traffic and congestion as it occurs, as opposed to the previous historical data analysis, where implementation is entirely reliant on retrospective decision making. In fact, the value of data collected in many instances is reduced dramatically even minutes after the event.

Interestingly, smart sensors are also being implemented to make traffic light infrastructure more efficient. At present, the most common traffic signalling system worldwide is the timer-based system, which involves a predefined time setting for each road at any given intersection. Whilst this system operates day-to-day, it struggles to cater for peak periods and for busier incoming lanes. A dynamic traffic system has been proven to work far more successfully, where a variety of sensors are used to determine which routes require greater priority, ultimately, dictating a right of way to speed up traffic flows. In this instance, technology not only improves infrastructure but contributes to its adaptability and efficiency for the benefit of the end-user.

Futureproofing and visibility

Connected technologies are also helping to increase awareness and provide visibility into individual infrastructure energy and resource usage. Devices that increase visibility into usage have been proven to save money, as well as conserve precious resources. Technology is also being implemented to improve efficiency in construction planning and design. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is currently used by construction professionals to assist with project design. Combining BIM with real-time data can make it much easier for multiple parties to access and modify building plans and drawings. Virtual reality (VR) is expected to help designers and clients see 3D VR construction models with the hope of eliminating errors before building commences, where mistakes become more costly.

Building materials can also be tracked in real-time and live data can be used to determine when workers clock in or take breaks, monitoring output and improving overall productivity. Likewise, artificial intelligence (AI) can be implemented within the construction industry for predictive aspects, such as estimating the ordering of materials, the likelihood of risks or supply chain disruption and other areas where substantial quantities of data exist. These technologies may become commonplace within the industry, to boost efficiency and manage increasingly large-scale projects.

Indeed, in many areas of construction, technology is becoming increasingly influential and pervasive. These technologies are no longer a pipe dream and are being implemented in businesses in all sectors. It’s presence within construction is likely to increase exponentially. As technology continues to evolve and be applied, businesses will gain a further understanding of the efficiency and cost savings it brings in different areas, including increasing infrastructure longevity, adaptability and visibility.

Article submitted by Professor Kevin Curran, Senior IEEE Member and professor of cybersecurity at Ulster University

[1] https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S1350482799001139

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Cambridge Royal Military Hospital to be converted into housing

The property development company Weston Homes has commenced its most recent project to convert the Cambridge Royal Military Hospital, an Edwardian building in Aldershot, into 140 private-sale, premium homes.

The construction company VKE Contractors Limited have been appointed to the Cambridge Royal Military Hospital redevelopment project by Weston Homes at a cost of £60M and will last approximately three years upon its commencement in the autumn of 2020.

In terms of roles during the project, Weston Logistics will be responsible for organising the supply chain while Stansted Environment Services will provide health and safety consultancy and Adam Urbanism will be the architecture firm responsible for devising the masterplan.

Specifically, development will entail the conversion of the main hospital building into 74 homes, including both houses and apartments, as well as the establishment of commercial and community facilities, grand communal foyers, and spaces.

Furthermore, various other hospital buildings will be converted into various apartments of varying capacity, including two and three-bedroom apartments, while other modern apartments and houses will be built from scratch.

Surrounding the restored heritage buildings, semi-private gardens, courtyards, open lawns, and trees will be landscaped to provide the new residents with a beautiful setting while, between the building’s pavilion wings landscapers will deliver more private gardens and will likewise establish parking for residents.

The Chairman and Chief Executive of Weston Homes, Bob Weston stated: “Weston Homes has started construction work on the conversion of the Cambridge Military Hospital into a new residential address for Aldershot. The three year conversion project will bring a new lease of life to these heritage buildings. We will transform them into modern homes layered with the rich history and unique character of this historic site.”

The town of Aldershot is a fairly proximate commuter settlement that is 33 miles to the South-West of London.

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New category added to the National Consultancy framework

The framework management and property services company the Scape Group have announced the incorporation of a new category into their £1Bn National Consultancy framework which is scheduled to commence in August 2020.

The new National Consultancy framework category in question is named ‘Place Shaping’ and has a combined value of £150M across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland on the framework, taking the place of the Strategic Asset Management Lot.

Specifically, that projects which this new category will cover involve those which focus upon major town and city centre regeneration, the modernisation of estate and asset use, and the strategic asset interventions required for climate action.

The Scape Group Chief Executive, Mark Robinson stated: “We had fantastic attendance at our market awareness days, which provided us with essential feedback on how our frameworks can be as closely aligned to our clients’ needs as possible.

“As an organisation which continuously seeks to learn and grow, it is vital that we listen to what prospective clients and partners are experiencing on the ground and to adapt our services to reflect the opportunities and challenges that they face.

“The funding of local services is not simply a matter for technical analysis but is part of a much wider debate about the type of communities that we want to live in. As such, there is significant scope for consultancy services which enact comprehensive change to the way public bodies develop and manage Place, through short term transactional interventions and through strategic long term programme management, ensuring that maximum value for money and high quality delivery is achieved along the way.

“We are proud to be paving the way in public sector frameworks by offering this unique service to public sector bodies.”

Once the framework commences in August it will continue for a period of four years.

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New sports centre completed in Loughborough

Construction of a brand new school sports facility in Loughborough, Leicestershire, has been completed by the contractor company Stepnell following their appointment to the project by the Loughborough Schools Foundation.

The new £2.1M Parkin Sports Centre features facilities such as a sports hall, fitness suite, dance studio, changing rooms, classrooms, and reception area, with the students of Loughborough High School and Loughborough Amherst School being the main beneficiaries of these.

The Stepnell Regional Director, Thomas Sewell stated: “We are extremely proud and pleased to have completed such a stunning sports facility, creating a space for students to learn new valuable skills in an exceptional learning environment and enjoy playing sport at the same time.

“Working in a live environment is never easy and this project was particularly challenging due the central location of the new sports hall on the school campus, surrounded by occupied buildings and neighbouring boundaries. Throughout the building works, we had to ensure that our activity didn’t impact on day to day activities at the school, and we put special measures in place so that disruption was kept to a minimum.

“Our specialist sector experts understand the complexities of educational construction, and with our combination of experience and knowledge we are able to anticipate the risks and opportunities associated with educational projects and to ensure that our clients can maximise the whole life value of their investments.”

The Director of Operations at Loughborough Schools Foundation, Rob Grant added: “Loughborough Schools Foundation is very pleased to have this fantastic new sports hall which has enhanced our sporting facilities for all of our students.

“Much consideration went into the design of the Parkin Sports Centre in order to ensure the facility offered something for everyone and encouraged sports participation at all levels. We are already seeing the benefits of the new space as our students now enjoy an increased amount of sports activities during their lessons.”

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Cheadle Hulme School gains new development

Sixth Form students at Cheadle Hulme School in Stockport, Greater Manchester, have recently benefitted from the delivery of a new centre for learning and collaboration.

Construction of the £1.2M Cheadle Hulme School development commenced back in January and reached completion before the start of this academic school year, with the architects of the new building being Pozzoni Architects while the principal contractor was Seddon.

The Head of Sixth Form at Cheadle Hulme School, Nick Axon stated: “For the first time in the school’s 163-year history, our Sixth Form students have their own dedicated space, tailored to the needs of our senior learners and designed with their future work experiences in mind. Students can study independently or collaborate with others in the various spaces upstairs, whilst enjoying the comforts of a cafe and social space downstairs.

“Already, it is allowing us to deliver on the promises we make to our students as well as helping them to develop as independent, cultured, intellectually curious individuals… so far the students are making excellent use of the space and are hugely enjoying the way it has given them their own identity on the site.”

The Director at Pozzoni, Catherine Mulley commented: “We wanted the building to sit well with its surroundings at the school, but it was also really important to create a space that felt modern and new – for the sixth form students who will use it every day.

“We know that a diverse student life is not just about study; it is vital that young people also have space to interact, engage with one another and look ahead to their exciting futures. That is why we have designed spacious areas for socialising and team working, as well as rooms for private meetings – just like the facilities they will be likely to encounter in their working lives.”

The Property Services Director at Seddon, John Shannon added: “It is important that students have access to high quality educational spaces, as well as areas for some well-deserved downtime. This outstanding facility will provide those who study and work at the sixth form with a modern, enriching learning environment where they can achieve their fullest potential.”

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How will the housing crisis be handled after the election?

Britain is in the midst of a housing crisis and, with a General Election looming on the 12^th December, many housing providers are keen to hear what each prospective government’s solution will be.

Now that the election is less than one month away, political parties have begun sharing their manifestos and their policies on how best to tackle the issues of the nation.

The Labour Party Manifesto

Council housing and affordable homes have been identified as a key area of importance by the Labour Party, with their recently published Party Manifesto highlighting a key promise, to spend half of their Social Transformation Fund on housing.

Specifically, the manifesto states that Labour will spend a total sum of £75Bn over the course of a five year period on housing, increasing the number of council houses built each year to 100,000 by the end of parliament, highlighting the Goldsmith Street development in Norwich as an example of what the party hopes to achieve. The promise will see the biggest council housinjg programme since WWII.

The Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn stated: “Housing should be for the many, not a speculation opportunity for dodgy landlords and the wealthy few.

“I am determined to create a society where working class communities and young people have access to affordable, good quality council, and social homes.”

The Labour Shadow Housing Secretary, John Healey added: “The next Labour Government will kick-start a housing revolution, with the biggest investment in new council and social homes this country has seen for decades.

“Our modern council and social housing will be built to cutting-edge design and green standards providing a long-term investment in our country’s future.”

These pledges by the Labour Party contrast with the housing pledges made by the Conservative Government which has targeted the construction of 300,000 homes per year by the mid-2020s, though they have not specified what proportion of the 300,000 will comprise affordable housing.

The Conservative Government’s housing targets

As mentioned previously, the Conservative Government has previously pledged to delivery a total of 300,000 homes per year by the mid-2020s, although, with the election now on the horizon, some doubt has been cast over the progress made towards meeting these targets.

In fact, a recent report from the National Audit Office revealed that a government promise to construct 200,000 new starter homes for first-time buyers in England had failed to deliver any such properties.

The Scape Group Chief Executive, Mark Robinson commented: “While overall affordable housing provision is up, looking closely at the numbers, there are significant differences in the tenure of housing being delivered.

“Data has revealed another disastrous drop in the provision of homes for social rent under the current government. Local authorities, who are responsible for meeting local housing needs, are under increasing pressure to deliver.

“Despite the majority of funding going to housing associations, they completed just 5,447 homes for social rent during the past year. But over a million families are registered on the waiting list for social housing.

“Although the housing association model has proven itself highly effective for the management of estates, social rented homes are not being delivered at the scale and pace the country needs. Delivering a step change in providing homes for our communities demands a radical solution, and I believe the answer lies in the past.

“Councils must be given more power to build social housing themselves, as they were in the 1970s, before housing associations became non-governmental delivery agents for the provision of social rented housing. In 1977, when councils were still responsible for new social housing 121,000 homes were built.

“The last general election saw concern over housing reach the highest level amongst voters since 1974. Particularly among 18 to 34 year olds. This is a crisis that no politician should be allowed to ignore.

“Housing must be at the centre of the upcoming election and it is vital that we see an ambitious renewal of council housebuilding at the heart of every party’s manifesto.”

Achieving housing targets

It is clear that the Government is not neglecting the housing crisis as an issue, with reiterations of their housing pledges being made repeatedly and with projects such as the Northern Arc scheme in Burgess Hill, Sussex, contributing to their hefty targets.

So, if the commitment of the Government remains strong in regard to the delivery of housing, could it be construction methods which are hindering any progress? or planning issues and the release of land for development?

Executive Chairman at ilke Homes, Dave Sheridan commented: “With Labour and the Tories going head-to-head on housing policy this morning, it is evident that there is a political appetite to get Britain building and deliver housing across a variety of tenures. However, delivering those ambitions will need a step-change in how we approach construction, as traditional methods are clearly not delivering at the volume we need.

“Building more homes for all tenures has cross-party support, but with the government’s long-term targets of building 300,000 new homes a year still to be met, an innovative change in strategy is now crucial. Scaling-up modern methods of construction (MMC) will be fundamental to the next government’s success, ensuring that we can deliver high-quality, sustainable homes ready for 21st century living.”

Depending upon the results of the election, Britain could be subject to two potential approaches to housing crisis: the Labour approach, which aims to construct 100,000 council homes per year, or the Conservative approach, which aims to construct 300,000 homes of varying status per year.

Which of these strategies would be best is, quite literally, up for debate, and, following the results of the December election, the British public is sure to soon find out.

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New facility underway for Sarstedt Limited

Construction has officially commenced on a project to provide a new facility at Optimus Point in Leicestershire on behalf of the company Sarstedt Limited, a well-known laboratory and medical equipment supplier, with Gleeds having been appointed as the property and construction consultant and Winvic Construction as the principal contractor.

In particular, delivery of the new Sarstedt Limited facility will entail the construction of ancillary two-storey offices, core facilities, external parking, a service yard, and landscaped areas, with the development scheduled for completion on the 1^st May 2020.

The Group Manager for Planning and Economic Development at Blaby District Council, Cat Hartley stated: “Sarstedt’s move to Optimus Point will deliver significant and permanent economic benefits to the District of Blaby. Up to 60 jobs will be retained locally. They join other businesses at Optimus Point who have relocated or become new members of our thriving business community, making the District of Blaby a great place to live, work and visit.”

The Director of Gleeds, Anthony Cork commented: “This prime industrial and logistics space offers significant potential to satisfy occupier demand in a strategic location.

“There is no doubt that this new base will help Sarstedt improve its storage, logistics, and distribution with enhanced and modernised facilities, and it is great to be starting on site. Through our appointment as Employers Agent, we will look to use our significant skills in this sector to deliver a successful project for all parties.”

The Development Manager at Wilson Bowden, Henry Henson added: “We are pleased that another local Leicestershire based company has decided to relocate to our Optimus Point development site, following in the footsteps of DPD, Boden, Everards, James Latham and Geary’s Bakeries.

“These deals demonstrate that there has been extensive pent up demand by local occupiers, looking for high quality industrial/ warehouse accommodation within the local area and Optimus Point offers them this ideal opportunity.”

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Centre for Biomedical Sciences completed in Nottingham

The Midlands-based contractor company G F Tomlinson has successfully completed the construction of a new Centre for Biomedical Sciences at the University Park Campus of the University of Nottingham.

The new Centre for Biomedical Sciences is a five-storey, state-of-the-art building with a BREEAM rating of excellent, containing facilities such as offices, meeting rooms, and laboratories for research into Stem Cell Biology, Cancer Science, Genetics, and Pharmacology.

The Managing Director of G F Tomlinson, Andy Sewards stated: “Having worked with the University of Nottingham on a number of projects, it is incredible to see the impact that the works have across the campus and for its many students and staff members.

“Their breakthrough research into biomolecular sciences is revolutionary, and the new centre will help increase their capability as well as the profile of the University.

“As a regional contractor, delivering higher education projects is key to our business and we are proud to say we have delivered such an important facility for the future of medical research. Well done to all the team for their hard work and dedication, which has evidently paid off to deliver this amazing project within the initially predicted time-frame.”

The Director of the Centre for Biomolecular Science, Professor Chris Denning commented: “I would like to thank all the staff from G F Tomlinson who worked on this project. They displayed a huge amount of professionalism and were a pleasure to work with; accommodating our many requests for site tours and to show our funders around this incredible facility.

“This expansion provides many exciting opportunities and allows the researchers in our Centre to be at the forefront of an interdisciplinary effort to deliver our vision – that through chemical and biological discovery and engineering, we will diagnose, treat and cure disease, and provide security for quality of life.”

The Senior Capital Projects Manager at the University of Nottingham, James Hale added: “It is great to see the expansion complete and further our vital offering at the Centre for Biomolecular Sciences. The new world-class facilities will allow us to meet the demand for increased biomolecular research and strengthens the University’s strong reputation as an international centre in the field. I would like to thank all those involved in the project, including G F Tomlinson, for helping bring our plans for the University to life.”

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