Preserving Mental Health While Furloughed

Adrian Attwood, Executive Director at DBR Ltd., discusses the need for enhanced mental health protection in the construction industry.

Some of those worst affected by the pandemic have been construction professionals. Not only has the industry itself taken a hard hit, but the mental health of those who had to continue working despite fears of the virus, were furloughed or made redundant, suffered greatly too.

In fact, these fears persist six months post lockdown. Those able to return to work dread crowded public transport and potentially being involved in projects with limited opportunity for social distancing.

It’s the primary duty of construction companies as employers to protect both the physical and mental health of their employees during this difficult time and beyond. With the UK entering a second wave of the virus, this means implementing even stricter health and safety measures, and checking in with those who remain furloughed or working from home.

Fears surrounding furlough

Due to the uncertainty of COVID-19, there has been an overall fear of the unknown. It’s been a difficult time for the industry to predict not only the short-term impact of the pandemic, but how it will affect business in the future.

While the coronavirus pandemic has been tough on those working from the office or on site throughout, it has not exactly been easy for furloughed staff.

It has also been difficult for furloughed workers, as it was hard to judge at start of the pandemic where restrictions and lockdown rules would apply and how projects could continue.

Being furloughed may have initially been somewhat of a welcome respite for those who found they could spend more time on their hobbies and with their loved ones, however, as weeks turned into months, the fear of possibly losing their jobs began to set in.

Of course, the furlough scheme is important to ease financial strains, but an ever-present sense of anxiety exists among employees regarding when things will return to normal. This is set to become even more acute with the programme set to enter its final month in October.

Getting back to work

There has been a certain feeling of relief among members of staff who are going back to work. However, with the UK in recession and a second wave of the virus looming large, employers continue to tread cautiously, especially in an industry that involves regular close contact.

It’s essential that contractors and suppliers adhere to government guidelines regarding a safe working environment. This means keeping staff socially distanced from one another and providing a plentiful amount of hand sanitiser in offices and work sites as well as enough reliable PPE.

Employers also need to consistently touch base with their staff, whether they are at the office, on site or at home, and make sure all their physical and mental health needs are being addressed. For instance, at DBR, we regularly check in with all of our employees and hold socially distanced, in-person training sessions and team catch-ups.

For those members of our team who would prefer to speak to someone anonymously, we have an employee support scheme, allowing them to reach out to an independent third party for any help they may need. We also have two in-house Mental Health First Aiders who are available to discuss employees’ concerns and overall wellbeing.

We are grateful to have found ourselves in a good place to adjust our procedures and tweak them to suit the rules surrounding COVID-19. We’ve even managed to negotiate reduced numbers of workers on site with our clients. In terms of our project managers and senior executives, not having to rush to meetings or project locations on the other side of the city has helped to curb anxiety and has given us more time to complete work remotely.

A healthy frame of mind

The construction industry is accustomed to placing focus on physical safety. It’s an industry filled with risk but one of the most rewarding, as every project, no matter the size, can make such a large difference in people’s lives.

Construction workers provide shelter, create places of worship, build schools and restore national landmarks, so it’s necessary that they are provided with the care that they deserve. An already high-pressure job, filled with deadlines and a need for incredible attention to detail, it’s critical that professionals in this sector are listened to and kept physically and mentally safe, for the sake of their health and the success of the company.

Whether employees are going back to the office, are working from home or remain furloughed, there needs to be a system in place to ensure they receive the tools and support required for best performance and mental wellbeing.

This is something especially important now but which also needs to remain in place long after the pandemic. COVID-19 has made us acutely aware of the various health needs of those around us, and has shown just how vital mental wellness is.

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Construction on Affordable Homes Begins

Colchester Borough Council has moved forward on its promise to build 350 new, council-owned homes in the borough to help tackle local housing needs. The council’s ambitious building programme is being delivered in partnership with Colchester Amphora Homes ltd (CAHL), the council’s commercial housing company. It will also be working with Colchester Borough Homes (CBH), the councils affordable housing management organisation.

Amplis Construction has also been appointed to deliver a total of four houses and twelve flats throughout three former garage sites at Hardings Close in Aldham; and Buffett Way and Scarfe Way in Colchester.

Neil Coy, Managing Director of Amplis, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded these prestigious contracts, delivering high-quality affordable homes for local families. Against a backdrop of challenging times for the construction industry, Colchester Borough Council has given a significant vote of confidence with this investment in the local area and with local businesses.”

Construction has begun at Hardings Close, Aldham where 15 former garages are to make way for two 3-bedroom and two 2-bedroom semi-detached homes with allocated parking for two cars at each property, along with a garden and a shed with bike storage. The homes are scheduled to be completed by March 2021.

A second contract has been awarded to Amplis, which will shortly commence building works at six 2-bedroom flats in Buffett Way as well as six 2-bedroom flats in Scarfe Way, each with parking provision and communal gardens.

Cllr Adam Fox, Colchester Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “Every day we witness first-hand the acute need for more affordable homes in the borough, with nearly 3,000 people currently waiting for affordable homes on our local housing needs register.

“That’s why we want to ensure council-owned assets are used in a way that best maximises their benefit to the community. Transforming underused garage sites, that increasingly no longer serve the parking needs of residents, into high quality family homes has got to be welcomed.”

The programme is being funded via the Colchester Borough Council’s Housing Revenue Account, a ring-fenced account which can only be spent on improving or increasing affordable housing.

Cllr Theresa Higgins, Portfolio Holder for Commercial Services, added: “Congratulations to Amplis Construction on its appointment. Through our competitive tender process, we saw a high level of local interest in affordable housing construction and look forward to providing more opportunities for companies to bid for future contracts as we continue to build more homes. Through our building programme we can help support local employment and boost the borough’s economic recovery.”

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Work Begins at Luxury Beeston Development

North Sands Developments, a Nottingham-based luxury home developer, has started construction works on a new luxury residential development in Beeston.

Located in the Bramcote Village Conservation Area, Beeston, the new development, to be known as ‘Cow Lane’ will comprise one four-bedroom and three five-bedroom detached executive style homes. The site is expected to be completed by summer 2021, with the properties to be built in a cul-de-sac which will be accessed via a private road. There will also be landscaped gardens, open plan living spaces, spacious bedrooms, bespoke bathrooms and kitchens, as well as high spec finishings throughout.

Following the acquisition of the land, and with planning permissions being granted, demolition work begin in August 2020, with construction work commencing on 1 September 2020.

James Hartley, Director at North Sands Developments, said: “Following the success of Mulberry Close, we are excited to be designing and building more homes in this great area of Nottinghamshire, and properties have been carefully designed by architects and interior designers to fit in with the surrounding neighbourhood.

“Situated within the Bramcote conservation area in a beautifully preserved and quiet village environment, Cow Lane is nestled in one of the most desirable locations in Nottingham, providing professionals and families with spacious, quality living spaces within convenient reach of Boots HQ, Queen’s Medical Centre, the University of Nottingham and major road routes including the A52 and M1, as well as many quality schools, public parks and transport links to Nottingham city centre.

“Beeston is a fantastic town centre that is constantly evolving and improving. With plans for Beeston Square – a new cinema complex with bars, restaurants and retail outlets – taking shape, now is a great time to purchase a home for the long term, especially with the government announcement of the stamp duty holiday until March 31^st next year. Prospective homeowners that register interest early will also have the pick of our quality fixtures and fittings options, to ensure homes are built to a bespoke specification.”

North Sands Development is working in partnership with Tayton Construction, Peter Greenwood Architects and Nick Grace Planning and is to be marketed by FHP Living. North Sands has delivered high spec scheme in Nottingham, Leicestershire and Salcombe in Devon.

Steve Parker, Director of sales agent FHP Living, said: “We are delighted to be acting for North Sands Developments again on such an exciting site. This is a great opportunity for prospective buyers to work with this quality builder and developer, to have an input in choice and colours, with an independent interior designer to really put their personal stamp on these stunning new build homes. Now is a great time to talk to us and North Sands to start the ball rolling on a most enjoyable journey to your new home”.

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Green Light for New Apartments

A planning application for almost 100 new apartments at a site in Leicester has been given the green light. The land, located north of Abbey Park Road, has been earmarked for the scheme by Grange Developments.

The project, designed by rg+p, will see a total of 96 flats being constructed on the vacant brownfield site. The land was previously used as a bus depot, which has been demolished in preparation for the new build.

113 car parking spaces have also been approved.

A council document said: “The site is located in the Strategic Regeneration Area and a residential development on site would fit in with the aims and aspirations for the area.

“Given the proposal is submitted in outline the conditions attached reflect the additional information required at reserved matters stage and prior to commencement of development, to ensure that the proposal would be acceptable in terms of layout, design, heritage, amenity, highways and flooding.

“The accesses to the site are acceptable and conditions are recommended for further details to be secured.”

The applicant added: “The development will bring forward much needed housing to the area supporting the social and economic aspirations for the city generally.”

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Half a Million Builders Needed for Net Zero

New research which has been published by UK100 has shown that a ‘retrofit army’ of almost half a million builders, electricians and plumbers will be needed to meet the UK Governments objective of becoming Net Zero by 2050.

The figures have been published as a cross-party taskforce of 24 Mayors and local leaders, who represent 24 million people throughout England, have submitted a proposal to Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer. In the proposal, they are asking the Chancellor to unlock £100 billion, the finance should be predominantly met from the private sector with the Treasury pump-priming £5 billion via a Net Zero Development Bank.

A total of 455,076 jobs could be created in the construction and property sectors due to the funding the cross-party taskforce is asking for. The construction industry has been one of the hardest hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with around 90% of construction businesses having applied for the Government run furlough scheme. In total, more than 3 million jobs are expected to be in demand, or created, as part of a shift to a greener economy across a range of sectors.

Essex is the area with the highest number of potential new construction and property jobs – with a total of 12,841 roles likely to be created or in demand. Outside London (64,551 jobs) and the South East (67,467 jobs) the areas with the greatest number of new jobs are the North West (50,380), the East of England (48,427) and Scotland (42,978).

The UK Green Building Council has estimated that to achieve Net Zero carbon by 2050, we will need to improve almost all of the UK’s 29 million homes, meaning we need to retrofit more than 1.8 homes every minute between now and 2050.

The new ‘retrofit army’ would be supported to go green with incentives to switch from diesel and petrol white vans to electric vehicles, as well as seamless access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the UK. There would also be support to encourage public transport use, walking and cycling.

Although the UK100 jobs data is not time specific, a recent report by the New Economics Foundation which interviewed industry experts found that “a period of three to four years was thought to be required to train up the supply chain to full capacity.” Homes are a major source of climate change: accounting for 15% of emissions in the UK in 2018, primarily from natural gas use for heating and cooking.

The joint declaration by the 24 mayors and council leaders says: “The need for an economic recovery package that creates resilience in our communities and reduces carbon emissions has never been greater. The Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the fragility of our economic structures, their exposure to external shocks and the need to support people in our poorest communities. We must seize the opportunity to create healthier, safer, greener and more prosperous communities, building in resilience to climate change through investing in the green economy…Adequate UK government investment, ambitious national frameworks and the necessary powers to accelerate local change, would enhance our ability to act in partnership to tackle the threat of climate and to reskill our workforces to set them on a path to a flourishing Net Zero economy.”^[9]

The declaration includes a five point Resilient Recovery Declaration which is being submitted to the Chancellor’s Spending Review:

• a long-term government-led plan to retrofit homes across the country, which are some of the leakiest in Europe;
• a new duty for Ofgem to support the delivery of Net Zero as part of a renewable, locally planned electricity grid;
• creating a Net Zero Development Bank to increase private investment in renewable technologies;
• a commitment to providing seamless access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the UK; and ensure UK is world leader in developing low emissions vehicles
• new powers for mayors and local authorities to deliver Net Zero.

Polly Billington, Director of UK100, said: “From Essex to Edinburgh, the move to a greener economy will create thousands of new jobs. By unlocking private sector investment through a Net Zero Development Bank, we can reduce the taxpayer burden and ensure the money is spent prudently by disciplined allocators of capital.”

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “I have been clear that a strong economic recovery and a green recovery are not mutually exclusive but one and the same.  With green investments in jobs, skills, technology and infrastructure, we can create millions of new jobs, boost the economy, tackle inequality and unleash sustainable growth at the same time as tackling the climate emergency. I encourage the Government to do more to invest in green jobs and skills, and to help us power a recovery that leads London towards becoming a zero-carbon city.”

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Government voucher scheme is an opportunity for all businesses to grow, don’t get left behind

“The Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme is an opportunity for all businesses to expand and grow, don’t get left behind,” – Simon Ayers, CEO of TrustMark

As the evenings get darker and the temperature begins to drop, more and more people will be switching on their radiators and turning their heating up. With around 24 million homes across the country needing energy efficiency improvements, the simple action of turning up the thermostat a few notches is a detriment to our environment, after all homes – both new and existing – account for 18% of CO2 emissions and 15% of total greenhouse gas emissions.

Our commitment to reaching net zero carbon emission by 2050 is an ambitious but important one, and to reach that goal we need to act now. The current rate of energy improvements to our homes needs to drastically improve to allow us to hit this target.

The Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme (GHGVS) will help us on the journey to net-zero carbon by allowing more people to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes. Not only will it contribute to reducing our carbon emissions, the construction and energy sectors are set to benefit too as it is the perfect opportunity for businesses to develop their services and tradespeople to gain more customers, develop and grow.

By allowing householders to obtain funding for up to two-thirds (up to £5000) of the cost of the energy efficiency measures identified, lower income households could be entitled to have as much as £10,000 of the costs fully covered, the demand for the scheme is expected to increase quickly over the next few months. It is possible that over to 600,000 homes could benefit from the scheme, and the construction and energy sectors need to be ready to meet this demand.

This is an opportunity for businesses to expand, take an increase share of the marketplace and be a part of the journey to start the transition to wider retrofit markets. It is a chance to refresh our delivery practices, create jobs, develop new skills and retrain our workforce which helps to increase the number of skilled traders and technicians to deliver both existing and innovative technologies and products as they come to the market. The GHGVS will help businesses thrive during our economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

TrustMark is proud to be working with the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and industry sectors to support the delivery of the GHGVS. To ensure the work carried out under the scheme is of high quality that consumers can trust, all businesses need to be certified to install energy efficiency or low carbon heat measures to the relevant standards and be registered with TrustMark. Householders will be able to start applying for the vouchers after the scheme commences at the end of September. The time for innovation and development is with us, and businesses should take this opportunity and register with TrustMark to be part of this scheme.

The GHGVS is an important step in the economic recovery of the UK’s economy. It will boost areas of job creation, support existing jobs in the sector and see investment from government supported by private investment. We must not forget that an output of the scheme will be the delivery of lower carbon property with reduced energy costs for the occupiers.

It is good news therefore, that the work funded through the GHGVS, is a vital component of the Whole House Retrofit approach. We firmly believe it is important that a property is looked at holistically and look at the ‘fabric first’ so we can address the overall efficiency of the building. Through a whole house approach, a property owner can determine what measures are needed for optimising home energy efficiency and ensuring the best value for money.

By carrying out work under the GHGVS, businesses will be able to play their part in making our housing stock fit for the future. Collectively, we will be able to deliver low carbon homes, providing healthier and more comfortable living conditions, whilst helping reach the goal of net-zero carbon by 2050.

We would encourage businesses to register with TrustMark so they can deliver the GHGVS.

In order to install energy efficiency measures under the GHGVS, a business must also be Publicly Available Specification (PAS) standards 2030: 2017 or 2030: 2019 certified, by a certification body that has been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). More information is available on the UKAS website. To install low carbon heating measures, such as heat pumps, you must be certified with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

TrustMark is working closely with BEIS and other government departments to ensure the GHGVS delivers it goal to build back greener, support jobs, reduce energy bills and cut carbon emissions. More information on the GHGVS can be found on GOV.UK.

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Evidence of Green Shoots in Construction Sector

As the green shoots of recovery begin to tentatively appear, Simon Robinson, who founded Red Diamond Executive Headhunters a decade ago with his wife Emma, looks at how the UK’s construction sector can emerge strongly from the pandemic.

2020 has been a year like no other, with the construction sector – like so many others – devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. Alongside hospitality and education, it was arguably among the sectors hardest hit by the crisis.

Since lockdown began, activity has shrunk by around 70%, according to the construction purchasing managers’ index, with the majority of housebuilding sites and other schemes put on ice to ensure employee safety. The industry uses high numbers of sub-contractors, many of whom are self-employed and who were laid off back in March.

For this reason, the true impact of COVID-19 is unlikely to be revealed until the furlough scheme ends later this year.

However, as lockdown regulations ease and the first green shoots of recovery begin to appear, these workers are set to be re-hired as the industry begins its journey on the road to recovery. House prices climbed 1.7% during July compared with a 1.5% fall in June[1] with the average price of a home estimated at £220,936.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to scrap stamp duty on homes above £500,000 is proving to be a catalyst in getting the industry moving again. Another plus point is that the government has moved to support smaller businesses through favourable loan terms and while nobody wants to rack up debt, equally it’s vital that businesses aren’t forced to pull out of developments.

Construction companies still have KPIs to meet, particularly in the lower echelons of the market, with starter homes especially in demand. Therefore, the appetite is there to reopen the market and I would expect to see a very busy autumn of activity, albeit with changes to the number of people allowed on site to enable social distancing.

We are a proud building nation and, as we are told that people need to spend their money, what better investment is there than a house? First-time buyers especially can get great mortgage terms with no stamp duty – which means they can in turn spend more on their furniture and fittings.

The jobs market

With Brexit around the corner, more restrictions are likely to be put in place on foreign labour coming into the country, providing an opportunity for people who may have lost their jobs back in March to be rehired.

Senior management teams have taken pay freezes and even cuts to keep as many employees as possible on the books so from a recruitment point of view, there is likely to be less hiring going on further up the ladder at this stage.

However, infrastructure is a different ball game and once long-term projects begin there will be significant contracts up for grabs. The government’s hospital building programme is just one example of this, suggesting that 2021 could be a very big year for the industry.

It is unfortunate but inevitable that as a result of the pandemic, more people are likely to need to access social housing. This is another likely are for growth as the government looks to kick start more provision.

Quality, not quantity

Within the construction product industry, we now have a unique opportunity to address the issue of quantity over quality. British manufacturing is revered throughout the world and now is the time to reap the rewards of a backlash on cheap foreign imports.

The UK needs to invest now in its home-grown producers rather looking elsewhere for the cheapest option. UK-made products may cost more but it’s money well spent and the ‘made in Britain’ stamp is rightly associated with quality and longevity.

It’s time to move away from the false economy of buying the cheapest item on the market. Imagine, for instance, you fix a leaking sink with a cheap valve, then go away on holiday – you could come back to a flooded home.

In the UK, we manufacture a vast range of materials used in the construction industry, from plaster board and glass to wood products and valves. The government now needs to step up its support for the product manufacturing side of the sector – lowering tax in the long-term, for instance – to encourage businesses to invest.

Workplace diversity

Another opportunity to effect change for the better lies within the workplace itself. The construction product industry in particular is an aging one, dominated by people who have been in the trade for many years, are in their forties or fifties and know the sector inside out.

Which is great, but we need younger talent coming through – and female as well as male. In a traditionally male-dominated industry, we’ve seen that female candidates often have to be twice a good as their male counterparts. Therefore this is the ideal time to increase diversity in the workplace while discovering the leaders of tomorrow.

[1] Figures released by the Nationwide

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SMART Balustrades Expands Portfolio

SMART Balustrades has expanded its services, thanks to an increased demand for outside space from homeowners and house builders alike. The handrail and balustrades specialists have added the installation of platform balconies to its platform.

Since the Coronavirus Pandemic began in March, Staffordshire based SMART Balustrades has seen an increase in enquires for bespoke solutions. A recent report from YouGov showed that 14% of home buyers/owners now see having some sort of outdoor space as more important.

Steel frame platform balconies are subject to planning permissions, but are easy to install and can be attached to walls of properties and are a cost effective way to add additional space and value to homes.

David Hough, managing director of SMART Balustrades, said: “With housebuilding in the UK at a 30-year high and the impact of Covid-19 on our lifestyle choices, there is now a significantly increased demand for home improvements including expanding or adding outside space.

“As platform balconies are not part of the structure of a property, they do not eat into the internal space of the home, but rather create new living areas – ideal for outdoor living, entertaining and simply additional storage space.

“I think following the year we have had we are all a little more appreciative of our environment and nature, and the need to access fresh air when we can. Because of this people are looking for ways to create their own outside space at home – or even if they have an existing garden – a space they can access directly from a lounge or bedroom.

“These products are popular with both private homeowners as well as developers of residential schemes as they add coveted outside space but also increase sale value.

“The SMART Balustrades team and I are pleased to now offer platform balconies as part of our services and are already busy installing them on sites across the country.”

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Survey Highlights Skills Shortage

Stephen Whatling, Chairman at Business Critical Solutions, in this feature for UK Construction Online, he writes about the skills shortage, and how the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted on this.

The growth in demand for data centres worldwide has posed many challenges in recent years and this has now been expedited by the Covid-19 pandemic.  Following a major uplift in demand for data services since March, the need for a resilient data infrastructure has never been greater.  However, this year BCS’ independent survey shows an increase in concern about the availability of design and build staff with an 11% rise, to 75%, of respondents believing there is an inadequate supply of skilled labour. The same independent BCS survey shows that 90% of those involved in the design and construction of data centres believe there is a dearth of both design and build personnel.

As the confusion regarding exam results and the subsequent issues with university places continues to test the education system, it is a growing concern for the future supply of resources skilled in the design and build of data centres.  It is then perhaps no surprise that for the second survey running, greater industry engagement with educators is ranked as the top factor to address this identified skills shortage. This is particularly important given the tremendous competition for suitably qualified STEM staff from a wave of different technology sectors across the wider economy. Early engagement with the industry at the educational level is needed to encourage the next generation of potential datacentre professionals through providing clear routes to jobs and career advancement that exist in many of the competing industries.

Better on the job training and improved or greater incentives for apprenticeships also ranked highly in the survey as respondents acknowledged the positive impact that the education sector and businesses working in partnership can have in developing home-grown resources.  At BCS we believe that the expansion of apprenticeship places is vital to the success of the generation of UK based skills.  This year we had over 200 applicants for the apprentice and graduate scheme we operate in partnership with London Southbank University which provides funded places and, alongside studies, enables the apprentices to access every aspect of the BCS business.  From this year’s intake, Imogen Paton is enrolled on a Quantity Surveying Degree Apprenticeship at London Southbank University and will be sharing her time between studying there and getting some great practical experience with BCS over the next five years. Imogen said: “I am really looking forward to this opportunity to grow and work with both a great company and great university and can’t wait to get started!”

Many businesses might think that taking on an apprentice during the current pandemic will not bear fruit but that is not necessarily the case.  Yes, it can be harder and will require a little more care and attention but the right candidates will learn some invaluable skills during these strange times.

Ben Chappell, a BCS Apprentice Consultant from London Southbank University says he will “definitely take a new sense of confidence in working independently back to the office when the lockdown is over.”

“I’ve been balancing client tasks with Southbank University work successfully, which has given me assurance that my routine is productive. One of the lessons for my industry is that we now know that a significant amount of work can be done remotely if the circumstances require it. However, I am also very much aware of the importance of social interaction for both the office teams and client relations and I’m looking forward to getting back on site,” he said.

It is also worth remembering that the survey was undertaken at the beginning of the UK lockdown, before the length of the lockdown and subsequent travel restrictions could be fully understood.  Despite the timing, almost three-quarters of respondents believed that shortages amongst data centre operational staff was already making it increasingly difficult to run facilities well. It is now clear that the difficulties associated with international travel such as the lack of availability of flights and hotel rooms or the more recent focus on quarantine rules has made it even more difficult for the roving teams of design, build and maintenance engineers to do their jobs efficiently.  These teams are, of course, essential workers and not subject to the quarantine rules but travel, and life in general, is more difficult now, and as a result less productive.  This will mean that even more skilled engineers are required to support the existing infrastructure.

Meeting the demands for greater capacity was an issue before Covid-19 with 74% seeing higher labour costs, 55% using increased outsourcing and almost 50% seeing delays due to the shortage of available skills.  It is likely these numbers will be even higher next year. We should also take note of the likely impact of Brexit and any future immigration policy.  It is vital that any future policy recognises the importance of the data centre industry in the UK and supports it with favourable access for the skilled workers that will be needed in order to meet the existing demand.

In conclusion, the demand for UK based data centres currently outstrips supply, smart working and automated processes, and a focus on education alongside investment and support from the Government, is required sooner rather than later to ensure the UK capitalises on this opportunity.

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Northumberland Flood Scheme Begins

On Friday 11 September 2020, Hexham MP Guy Opperman visited the site where vital work is starting to improve flood defences in a Northumberland town.

The £2.7 million Ponteland Flood Alleviation Scheme is the first project in the UK to get off the ground of 22 flood defence projects to benefit from a £170 million government funding boost.

This investment brings forward work on flood defence schemes throughout the country, which will drive economic growth as well as better protecting thousands of homes, businesses and jobs from the devastating effects of flooding.

Ponteland received a £450,000 cash injection to fill a shortfall in funding, allowing the Environment Agency to start construction immediately.

Mr Opperman was joined by the Ponteland Flood Warden on the tour. Mr Opperman said: “This additional investment from the Government for flood protection here in Ponteland is fantastic and I know will be hugely welcomed by the many residents and businesses who will benefit from this crucial work. It is great to see this extra investment transfer to shovels in the ground so quickly, bringing real peace of mind and confidence to the local community.”

In Ponteland, existing flood defences on the south bank of the River Pont, between the Memorial Hall footbridge and Callerton Burn Pumping Station, will be replaced with one continuous sheet piled flood wall.

This flood wall will be built to complement the existing local environment, with a stone effect and colour, and will protect more than 250 properties in the town. The new flood defences will also be built with climate change in mind, with allowances in the foundations for the walls to be raised in future if needed.

Work started at the end of August and is expected to be completed next Spring.

The contractor, BAM Nuttall, will maintain a temporary flood defence throughout construction. Almost all of the people employed by BAM to work on the project are local.

There are also some environmental enhancements, with a re-profiling of the riverbank from the current steep gradient to a more natural stepped terrace which will be planted with native river corridor plants.

Leila Huntington, Flood Risk Manager for the Environment Agency in the North East, said: “The recent government funding boost that the scheme received shows just how vital the completion of this work is and we’re pleased to get started on the ground. We know there is a long history of flooding in Ponteland and we’re committed to ensuring the town is protected. We understand just how devastating it is to be flooded and we have consulted with the community throughout to develop a scheme which meets their needs. This project is built with climate change in mind and will hopefully bring some reassurance to residents that they will be better protected now and into the future.”

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Great Marlborough Estates Acquire Site

Great Marlborough has acquired Empire House, a vacant office building which overlooks Chiswick High Road, for redevelopment purposes.

Empire House is to be redeveloped into housing, via a deal that was negotiated during lockdown, and is one of the largest residential transactions to take place since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will see 137 new homes delivered, providing a mix of apartments and townhouses.

Great Marlborough Estates acquired the consented one-acre site from Lendlease. Essex Place is sited behind Chiswick High Road and, in line with changing consumer tastes post-lockdown, each home will benefit from private outdoor space, which will come in the form of either a balcony or garden.

Generous amenity space will include roof terraces as well as an elegant new façade being designed to complement the area’s surrounding townscape. On the ground floor there will be an additional 9,00 sq ft of retail and leisure space spread through two units.

Designed by Assael Architecture, the new development will be sympathetic to the heritage of the surrounding area and will draw inspiration from the red-brick buildings around it, as well as the greener townscape of the surrounding Chiswick High Road.

JLL advised Great Marlborough Estates on the acquisition. Knight Frank advised Lendlease.

Grant Lipton, co-founder of Great Marlborough Estates, said: “Whilst COVID-19 has undoubtedly created some uncertainty, we remain committed to the long-term outlook for London and the capital’s property market thanks to strong underlying fundamentals. London will remain a preeminent global hub for business, culture and leisure, all of which will feed into demand for housing in the city.

“Acquiring this site in Chiswick marks a significant milestone for Great Marlborough Estates, further expanding our portfolio across London. Alongside providing high quality, well designed new homes, the redevelopment of Empire House will further enhance Chiswick High Road and open up new opportunities for the local area, providing a great place for those who live, work and visit Chiswick.”

Pete Ladhams, Managing Director at Assael Architecture, said: “The redevelopment of this site presents a rare opportunity to reimagine and reinvigorate this part of Chiswick in a way that adds to the existing heritage and green space. We have enjoyed working with Great Marlborough Estates to repurpose the existing building to create a unique residential neighbourhood and a destination fronting on to Chiswick High Road. Our design has sought to remain contemporary, but sympathetic to the heritage and character situated on the bustling High Road and tranquillity of Turnham Green.”

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Protecting minds as well as bodies

Martin Shields, Head of Safety, Health and Environment at ODS, talks about tackling pandemic challenges head on and caring for the wellbeing of frontline workers.

With mental health a major issue this year, now is time for employers to ramp up communication with their teams and engender a unified front. Not doing so could lead to illness, absence and low morale sapping the energy of organisations in the months to come.

Anxiety, depression and other mental health problems are reportedly on the rise due to general fears and the unprecedented working conditions caused by COVID-19.[1] YouGov research has found that half of key workers have experienced anxiety as a result of their work during the coronavirus crisis. Over a third (37%) admitted to chronic sleeping problems.  A quarter ‘feel hopeless’.[2]

The construction industry alone has faced a myriad of mental health issues during the pandemic and as workers return to on-site jobs post lockdown. There remains great hesitation to take public transport, as well as to work closely with others on projects that leave little space for social distancing. It’s vital that employers think of ways to care for their teams’ physical and mental wellbeing and help make their return to work as smooth a process as possible.

Not all key workers have been applauded

While NHS staff, teachers and bus drivers have rightly gained national sympathy for their efforts at the frontline, other key workers  such as construction professionals, building maintenance operatives and other outdoor personnel like refuse collectors and street cleaners, have largely continued to operate without much fanfare. However, these employees play a vital role in keeping our towns and cities clean, safe and functional.

What can be done to bolster resilience in these essential teams and to reassure individuals that their day-to-day work is both safe and appreciated by their employers and the local people they serve? It’s crucial that the new challenges sparked by the pandemic are tackled head on and that new innovations are made which could lead to higher levels of employee engagement in the long term.

Looking after the people that matter

The guidance that’s come through from the government and trade bodies has often focused tightly on resource management and universal rules on COVID safety measures. Actually taking care of your people, treating them as individuals and communicating clearly and empathetically is now urgently required.

We’ve learnt that offering bespoke guidance per team which is carefully communicated through dedicated managers is vital if construction professionals are to feel reassured about health and safety today. Communication must be ongoing and achievements recognised and applauded at this difficult time.

This is particularly the case for people who are returning from work after a period of shielding. They are experiencing high levels of anxiety both about their own health and that of their families. Some workers may visit multiple homes in a day, or work in teams where travel in a vehicle cab or packed train means social distancing is impossible.

Tailor guidelines and don’t stop communicating

Our big learning is that teams have benefited from having bespoke guidelines and toolkits to carry out their unique day-to-day activities. This involves working in ‘bubbles’, having staggered start times and breaks away from other colleagues, and being regularly updated on the PPE equipment they need and the safety measures they must take.

At ODS, we also take care to overcome language barriers where workers may not speak English as a first language. We offer support to those who have pressing concerns and check in that everyone is happy with the guidance provided, asking what could be done better or where they think problems are arising.

We know that things don’t always go to plan, so we have bespoke weekly assessments in place where our managers engage in weekly one-on-one conversations with their employees, to see how things are going. One example is with a previously shielding operative who has struggled with maintaining COVID secure controls. The manager will explore with the person what steps can be taken to get back on track. This approach helps both the individual and the wider team retain confidence in our approach.

Dealing with anxiety across all teams

Connecting with people who work remotely is always harder than within the central workplace, so managerial staff have also been instructed to put aside time to check how their employees are doing. Meanwhile for office staff working from home, isolation can be a challenge for some. There is also the potential for resentment between frontline operational staff and home-based white-collar workers who are facing less risk.

New ways of working

It’s paramount that you keep your organisation united and focused on serving your customers by showing every team – and every team member – that you care about their welfare, both physical and mental.

From creating group chats on social media and socialising with the whole company, to longer, face-to-face chats and catch-ups with one person, a greater focus on communication helps to maintain morale and performance. This is a constant process of operational development to make sure everyone feels safe.

Good safety is good business, but COVID-19 has taught us that neither is possible without incredibly good communication.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/13/anxiety-on-rise-due-to-coronavirus-say-mental-health-charities

[2] https://yougov.co.uk/topics/economy/articles-reports/2020/06/16/key-workers-struggling-stress-anxiety-and-sleeping

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Willmott Dixon Secure Emergency Service Work

Willmott Dixon is increasing its tally of projects throughout the country to deliver blue light facilities. The company has been chosen to build a new £18 million custody suite for Bedfordshire Police.

Procured via Major Works England and Northern Ireland, the new facility will include a 22-cell custody block, offices for police and staff, along with parking and associated external works. Located at their Kempston headquarters, the new custody suite will replace a temporary variant and is the first major building commissioned at the site since 2005.

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Kathryn Holloway, said, “Since the old Greyfriars station in Bedford closed down because its custody suite was not fit for purpose, its replacement has been being planned. This has been a priority for me, and I’m absolutely delighted to get this build underway on my watch. This is essential as our detention staff and officers deserve to have the best working environment we can provide – and we need to remember that those in police custody have not yet gone before a court and are innocent until proven guilty.”

Chris Tredget, Managing Director of Willmott Dixon in London and the East: “We are delighted to build on our strong pedigree in the blue light sector to deliver a new state of the art custody suite for Bedfordshire Police. Having built similar facilities in the region, we are collaborating closely Bedfordshire Police to ensure that the facility will meet all of their requirements and needs, providing a state-of-the-art building and better environment for all.”

Mark Robinson, Scape Group Chief Executive, said: “Ensuring continued investment in our police services is vital to help support communities right across the UK. As the government aims to reach its target of recruiting 20,000 new officers by 2022, projects like this will go a long way to support the additional resources required.

“This new facility will enable Bedfordshire Police to build upon its existing ability to deliver efficient and effective local services. I have no doubt that the completed facility will reflect the high-quality work Willmott Dixon is delivered for police forces across the UK. We take great pride in performance managing projects like this through our framework and I look forward to seeing the array of community benefits it will bring.”

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Work Begins on Energy Efficient Housing

Work has begun at Bingham and Parkview in North East Edinburgh to build brand new affordable housing.

The development, led by City of Edinburgh Council, will be completed as early as Autumn 2021, and will be built by CCG (Scotland) Ltd. CCG has delivered a number of new homes for the Council at Leith Fort and in Greendykes, and is also progressing a major development of affordable housing in Craigmillar, which received its first new tenants this summer (2020).

The new sites at Bingham and Parkview will provide modern and energy-efficient homes for social rent as part of Edinburgh’s ambitious 20,000 affordable homes target. In addition to delivering the homes, CCG will also provide apprenticeships, engage with local schools and colleges ad will also provide community investment funds for the local areas.

Construction is currently underway in Bingham alongside Duddingston Row at the former home of Lismore Primary School. Work will also begin at Parkview next month at Peffermil Road, the former site of Parkview Care Home, bringing derelict brownfield back to life.

The homes will benefit from improved energy efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint, which will save residents on their fuel bills. They will also have access to high-quality green space. The design includes a mix of one, two and three bed flats, colonies, and houses, with 70 homes across the two sites (40 in Bingham and 30 in Parkview).

Councillor Kate Campbell, Edinburgh City Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Every new social home counts because housing need is exceptional in Edinburgh – there’s nothing better than seeing council houses being built and knowing that it won’t be long until they become people’s homes. With so many families in need of a new home, and construction so important to our economic recovery from Covid-19, the homes and jobs being delivered by our ambitious house-building programme will make a real difference to people’s lives.

“But we have to keep delivering more. We have 3,500 new homes in design development right now, with 800 homes already under construction across the city. Soon, we’ll be setting out our investment plans for the next 10 years, to make sure that we continue to provide much needed homes, create jobs and support local communities with tangible benefits like apprenticeships, community hubs, parks and improved public spaces.”

CCG Managing Director David Wylie said: “CCG’s commitment to providing quality, energy efficient homes is a philosophy shared by the City of Edinburgh Council. Our partnership has continued to deliver a lasting legacy across the region by not only supporting the supply of new affordable homes but also creating jobs, apprenticeships and localised investment.

“The commencement of Bingham and Parkview is another important milestone for us both and we look forward to working with the Council as we head into 2021 and beyond.”

The £9.5 million investment will be funded by the Council with £4.1m in grant funding from the Scottish Government.

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Are you prepared for UKCA? Important update on UKCA marking and key dates for action

All you need to know about the UK equivalent to CE marking and CPR fire testing, as exiting the European Union trade deals continue to conclusion.

The background – BASEC’s position on CE/UKCA marking

On 1st September, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) communicated the latest position regarding withdrawal from the European Union (EU) and the future position regarding CE marking under CPR.

Statutory Instrument 2019 No 465 covers all aspects of how those trading with the UK must move forward with Construction Products building market standards, for full details read more here: http:/www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/465/made

BASEC is in the unique position of having established both BASEC UK as a UKCA approval body NB 2661 and BASEC Conformity Limited (BCL) as an EU27 notified body via NB 2851.

Moving forward

On 1st January 2021, BASEC UK will cease to be an EU27 notified body and automatically gain status as a UK approved body. This will be reflected in a database for UK approved bodies similar to NANDO (yet to be published). The current intention is that the same notified body (NB) number will remain, so BASEC will be UK approved body with the existing NB 2661 number.

It has been confirmed that the UK approval scheme will be a mirror of the current CPR, all EN standards will become UK designated standards and will again be identical to the EN’s. In this way, the AVCP (testing and FPC) will be no different.

As a part of the move away from CE marking to UKCA, the government has allowed a 1-year transition period. Where until 1st January 2022, it will be permissible to use CE marked product that fulfils the below criteria and are:

• Covered by a harmonised European standard, which is the same as a UK designated standard (as noted above)
• Affixed with CE marking
• Accompanied by a manufacturer’s declaration of performance, and
• Have been assessed by an EU-recognised notified body, where third party assessment is required.

Find out more about fire cable standards, testing and certification by downloading the guide.

The action industry must take

On the surface it appears that there is a further year before definitive action must be taken, however, the below statement brings into focus some urgency, in respect to how transfer of certification between NB’s will need to happen:

“Where a UK notified body (which becomes a UK approved body) had carried out tasks or issued certification in relation to the Assessment and Verification of Performance (AVCP) for a product before 1st January 2021, then those tasks and/or that certification may be used to support affixing of the UK marking if the product is placed on the GB market after this date”

This means, for all current BASEC customers that have AVCP system 1+ with BASEC it is permissible for BASEC to use this information in support of UK marking i.e. there will be no need for additional parallel auditing/testing. Additionally, any transfers that occur before 1st January 2021 will constitute tasks and the same will apply. Anything after this date will require full parallel testing/auditing.

Under the group of notified bodies (GNB) transfer guidance, there is the possibility of cooperation with the current issuing notified body of a customer. This would involve a desktop review of all Initial visit reports, FPC, CoCP and testing. It would then be at BASEC’s discretion of how to validate this information, as it cannot simply be “taken as read”. It would be BASEC’s intention to review all documentation including CoCP and test reports for alignment with CPR requirements. Upon successful review BASEC would then establish a test programme, on a risk basis, as to how many tests would be required to verify alignment between the testing of the issuing NB and BASEC. Successful completion of this process would lead to certificate transfer.

At this stage, all system 3 documentation remains valid as previously communicated. BASEC will continue to offer classification reports for existing customers for UKCA system 3, but may wish to retest, dependent on the age of the original test.

In summary

Key takeaways for you to assess your next steps include:

• As of January 1st, 2021, BASEC will become a UK approved body and no longer an EU27 NB
• BASEC Conformity Limited (BCL) NB 2851 will offer System 1+ CPR AVCP as an EU27 notified body
• BASEC UK will offer UKCA System 1+ and System 3
• There is a 12-month transition period where CE marked product will still be allowed into the UK
• All work carried out by BASEC prior to 31st December 2020 is allowed to be used as technical information to validate UKCA marking This will include any transfers prior to 31st December 2020
• Post 1st January 2021 all UKCA work will require new testing/auditing
• Post 1st January 2021, BASEC/BCL’s service offering will allow 1 set of auditing/testing to satisfy both UKCA (System 1+ and System 3) AND CE (System 1+ ONLY) marking obligations

For any further information on the transition to UKCA marking, please contact Mark Froggatt mark.froggatt@basec.org.uk

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Can Construction Ease Back to Work?

 Ashley Doody is Chief Information Officer at the Personal Group, here he discusses how construction leaders can help with the back to work transition in a post-COVID world.

In many ways, the construction industry is the UK’s 4^th emergency service: it builds and maintains the nation’s infrastructure in good times and bad. During the lockdown, its key workers kept hospitals operational, roads open and supply chains running when we needed them most — and yet the industry has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that by May 2020, nearly half (46%) of all construction workers had been furloughed.  Thankfully, as restrictions eased in July, this figure fell to just under one in six (17%) — but we shouldn’t forget the emotional, psychological and financial stresses Covid-19 has placed on hundreds of thousands of people and their families.

As the industry re-emerges from lockdown, workers are discovering a very new and different world, with changed health and safety rules and unfamiliar working conditions. Whilst some will welcome the return, others will likely find it as daunting as furlough itself.

The challenge for companies is to help their employees readjust to the new normal — to boost productivity and bring much-needed peace of mind.

Connect the unconnected  

Any change can be worrying — and one as big as a global pandemic is likely to cause significant anxiety. People need information (and lots of it it) — not least to rediscover the sense of belonging that regular contact with colleagues brought before lockdown.

Business leaders have the opportunity to re-connect with and better engage employees, wherever they work. Clearly, the construction industry presents challenges here, with a mix of office-based and geographically diverse working environments.

Not every construction worker has an email address or access to a work computer. What virtually everyone on the planet does have, however, is a smart mobile device. Organisations can harness mobile apps as a channel to connect their previously unconnected employees.

These apps can be incredibly useful tools for employers and employees alike, acting as a home for information as diverse as guidance on new regulations, social distancing rules, access to health and employment insurance policies and staff rotas — as well as person to person communication to re-establish their workplace community.

Share your story 

When jobs have been under threat, staff need to know what’s happening and how the business is responding. If companies aren’t telling the story then the vacuum can be filled with unsettling gossip. Even when companies don’t have all the answers, regular communications dispel rumours, mean that employees know when and where an update will come from and help them to feel valued.

This is also an opportunity for leaders to become more visible and accessible, giving the company a sense of personality and approachability.  Leaders can now make sure that they remain visible and accessible – whether through one-to-one catch ups with individual team members or company-wide video and email updates.

Financial wellbeing 

Lockdown has placed huge pressures on the industry, with some of its biggest names reporting significant losses in the first half of 2020. As the ONS reports that output is close to 40% below February levels, companies are understandably focused on their own recovery strategies.

This, however, shouldn’t blind them to the challenges faced by their workers. Those on furlough have, effectively, been forced to take a 20% pay cut during the lockdown, which is a significant hit on what was likely to be already tight family budgets. Many will feel the financial fallout for months and perhaps even years.

A return to profit will rely on employees, so company and worker financial viability is inextricably linked. Personal money problems have a direct impact on employee performance, so there’s a clear incentive for companies to support financial wellbeing.

With pay rises and bonuses still likely to be some way off, there are other steps that employers can take to help workers’ financial recovery. This can include recommendations for fair finance providers, impartial financial and debt advice, as well as access to discount schemes that will make the family budget go further.

New engagement for a new world 

There are few people in the construction sector who believe the easing of lockdown heralds a return to normal. The second half of 2020 is a very different place to 2019 and, in many key areas, there’s no going back.

This undeniably presents challenges, but also real opportunities for companies to build a better industry than the one they left behind. The ability to interact and therefore see employees at an individual level allows a company to support the whole person, including their physical, mental and financial wellbeing. More effective, increasingly focused and regular employee engagement will help to shape this re-energised sector and ensure that workers are at the heart of the transformation.

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Engineers Deliver Steel for HS2 Tunnel

Another major milestone has been passed at HS2’s first tunnel site, with the completion of structural work on the temporary precast factory which will produce wall sections for the 10-mile-long Chiltern tunnels.

The tunnel precast factory, and all 2,400 tonnes of structural steelwork at the south portal site, beside the M25, will be made in the UK and will be delivered by Caunton Engineering, specialist steel fabricators, at their base near Moorgreen in Nottinghamshire.

The factory will allow HS2’s main works contractor, Align JV, made up from Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick, to cast all tunnel segments on site. This will enable the JV to avoid putting extra HGVs onto local roads.

Two tunnelling machines are due to launch next year. The 170m long, 2,200 tonne machines will spend more than three years underground and will use 112,000 concrete segments to line the tunnels, moving at a speed of 15.6m per day.

A second precast plant will also be used to cast sections of the nearby Colne Valley Viaduct. Once work is completed, the precast plants will be disassembled and the site they were on will be landscaped with material excavated from the tunnels, with trees also being planted to blend it in with the surrounding countryside.

Welcoming the milestone, HS2 Ltd’s C1 Senior Project Manager Mark Clapp said: “The pre-cast plant will play a crucial role in delivering the Chiltern tunnels. By casting all 112,000 segments on site, we can significantly reduce the number of HGVs on local roads, reducing disruption for the local community.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Align and especially Caunton for their hard work in making it happen. Caunton’s involvement shows how HS2 is delivering for companies right across Britain, creating jobs and helping the economy recover from the pandemic.”

Daniel Altier, the Align Project Director, said: “Caunton Engineering is delivering the steel for all the structural buildings at our south portal site, 15 in total. This includes two tunnel pre-cast factories, the tunnel workshop and warehouse, and the viaduct precast factory. In selecting Caunton we opted for a company that can deliver a high-quality product and value for money. The selection of key suppliers such as Caunton is essential in order that we can deliver the project on time and on budget.”

As well as the precast plant, Caunton Engineering are also delivering structural steelwork for the general warehouse, workshops, soil treatment plant and the viaduct precast plant. In total about 2,400 tonnes of steelworks will be delivered from the factory in Moorgreen to the site of the former colliery.

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APB Invest £370K to Repair River Wall

Associated British Ports (ABP) has invested £370K in a project to repair the ‘New Cut’ river wall in Ipswich, to preserve the integrity of the historic wall.

The wall was originally constructed in the 19^th century, and the ‘New Cut’ river wall used to be part of the old entrance to the Port of Ipswich Wet Dock. ABP will repair the 25-metre-long section of the wall, after it sustained damage during adverse weather and fell into the New Cut.

It is expected that the work should take around three months to complete and special attention will be paid to maintaining the overall look of the river wall as well as ensuring that the new section blends in over time. As part of the reconstruction, works will take place on site using a state-of-the-art piling crane.

ABP has appointed contractor JT Mackley to help with the repair work, as they have already carried out considerable works in Suffolk on repairs and improvements to Lowestoft’s sea defences and promenade.

Paul Ager, ABP Divisional Port Manager – East Coast, said: “We look forward to completing these repairs to the ‘New Cut’ river wall section before the winter period, so that it can continue to serve the Ipswich community as it has been doing for centuries.”

The Port of Ipswich is the UK’s leading export port for agricultural products and, together with ABP’s other ports in East Anglia at King’s Lynn and Lowestoft, contributes around £360 million to the UK economy every year.

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Winvic set to Develop AI Enabled Software

Winvic Construction Ltd is working on a second Innovate UK funded project, which aims to keep site staff even safer; the three organisations involved will together leverage the latest real-time image and machine learning technologies to detect, recognise and track hazards on a construction site, which will then alert nearby operatives via IoT enabled, GPS devices.

Dubbed as Computer-Vision-SMART, the ‘Computer Vision and IoT for Personalised Site Monitoring Analytics in Real Time’ project will run for two years. The Big Data Enterprise and Artificial Intelligence Lab (Big-DEAL) at UWE Bristol, and Bristol industrial intelligent video specialists One Big Circle are the two other organisations in the consortium that were successful in their application for an Innovate UK – the UK’s innovation agency – Smart Grant. They will share the £600,000 research pot with Winvic. Smart grant is the new name for Innovate UK’s ‘Open Grant Funding’ programme. Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £25 million in the best game-changing and commercially viable innovative or disruptive ideas through its ‘Open Grant Funding’ programme.

How the Technology Works

1. Interior and exterior site cameras will continuously capture video images.
2. Via Artificial Intelligence (AI), any hazards – from moving heavy machinery to overhead works to people operating without the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – will be identified.
3. Over the length of this project the machine learning models will be able to make an increasing number of intelligent predictions over the time of the project.
4. Safe space radii, or zones, will be predetermined and applied to each hazard.
5. Exact operator and hazard locations are understood through a geographic information system (GIS).
6. When an operator enters a hazard zone, the individual – and when appropriate other members of the site team – will receive a personal alert via an app on a wearable or mobile device. Managers can also review alerts and relevant video segments from a laptop-based app.
7. In the event of an operator being identified of not wearing appropriate PPE, the person and Project Manager will be alerted of the issue.

Each hazard radii will comprise four zones (SAFE):

• Safe: a site worker is in a safe location and won’t receive an alert;
• Alert: a site worker is alerted to a possible risk;
• Full alert: a site worker receives a consistent alert;
• Escalate: there is a site wide alert of an immediate health and safety concern.

The Requirement for Innovation

A clear need for the development and widespread use of digital technologies within construction health and safety was identified:

• Existing vision-based approaches to construction site monitoring only focus on areas such as site security, dispute avoidance and time-lapse project progress, and applications to improve people’s safety are lacking.
• Furthermore, HSEQ managers and operatives depend on self-reporting or warnings from co-workers, which can simply come too late to avoid an incident.
• Consequently to achieve a zero-harm target, health and safety best practice must be reimagined utilising effective digitisation alongside appropriate social interventions; delivering a solution where social and technical systems overlap.

Two Winvic project sites will take part in the initiative to develop the technology over the 24-month period.

UWE Bristol and Winvic are also partners on the Conversational BIM Project; another AI-enabled development to create a voice activated, BIM model connected headset, which will allow users to retrieve any and all project design and construction information with a simple vocal request.

Tim Reeve, Winvic’s Technical Director is leading the Computer-Vision-SMART project on the main contractor’s team. He commented: “Utilising intelligent digital technologies in construction to deliver projects more rapidly, cost-effectively and safely is a passion of Winvic’s and this forward-thinking health and safety initiative is truly ground-breaking. It’s a privilege to be working with UWE Bristol on a second AI-enabled project, and with One Big Circle also on-board, we have a very dedicated and eager consortium team. There is a clear gap in this area of construction safety, where social and technical efforts can successfully converge, and with the solution that has been conceived will come better opportunities than ever before to reach our zero-harm aim. It’s a very exciting time in the world of digital transformation, and our achievements over the next two years will generate a significant leap forward for safety across the whole of the construction industry.”

Olugbenga Akinade, an Associate Professor at UWE Bristol and Principal Investigator, said: “This Computer-Vision-SMART project will enable us at the Big Data Enterprise and Artificial Intelligence Lab to employ our expertise in computer vision and sensor fusion technologies to improve safety on construction sites. The project is pivotal to our strategy to push the frontiers of construction research and to address industrial needs using innovative digital technologies.

“The Innovate UK Smart grant provides us with a unique partnership opportunity with Winvic and One Big Circle to address a unique gap in the construction industry. We are convinced that Computer-Vision-SMART will deliver a step-change which will enable us to explore the socio-technical overlap of behaviour-based safety on construction sites. The project will further mature our capabilities in delivering high impact research and to establish UWE Bristol as a business-facing university.”

Founder and Director of One Big Circle, Emily Kent, added: “As specialists in intelligent video and integration our purpose is to provide digital video solutions to real world challenges, especially in industrial environments, thereby increasing safety and enhancing operations. The power of a collaboration such as the Computer-Vision-SMART group means we can steer our video and computer vision expertise according to industrial need, working closely with others who are also experts in their own fields. We have been successful with this approach in highways and rail previously and are very excited about working alongside Winvic and UWE in delivering this advanced capability in the construction industry.”

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Huge Opportunities for Industrial Construction

The huge spike in the value of major industrial planning approvals show a bright future for the industrial construction sector.

Following on from a 43% year on year drop in the value of industrial construction sector work starting on site during the three months to July, the industrial construction sector is in need of 87\some good news, and it looks like it has arrived, as there has been a huge pipeline of work approved in the last three months.

Planning approvals in the industrial construction sector grew a massive 168% year on year (YoY), with a total value of £2,863 million. This is largely due to the spike in major projects which have been granted detailed approval.

With a total value of £1,639 million, major projects gaining approval saw a huge gain in comparison to last year.

Underlaying industrial approvals also saw a jump, achieving a 15% YoY increase, and were unchanged on the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis.

In the three months to July, there was exceptional growth for industrial approvals in many regions, with five regions experiencing a triple-digit YoY growth. The West Midlands was a particular stand out for this, with the value of detailed approvals rising 680% on the previous year, to £7700 million. This figure was largely due to the approval of the £662 million West Midlands Interchange, west of Junction 12 of the M6, in South Staffordshire.

The East of England was the second most active region, which accounted for 17% of the sector. The value of approvals jumped to a whopping 244% to £494 million. The approval of the £400 million Huawei R&D and manufacturing campus located in the heart of ‘Silicon Fen’ in Cambridge helped the region’s growth.

The South East was another prominent region for industrial construction sector approvals, accounting for 14% of the sector. Approvals climbed 152% to £414 million, and include the new £200 million Amazon storage and distribution unit in Dartford.

Scotland and Wales also achieved triple-digit growth in comparison to 2019, with the value of industrial construction sector approvals rising 398% and 497% to total £221 million and £156 million, respectively. Scotland accounted for 8% of sector approvals and Wales 5% of approvals.

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Baxall Enlist Asite’s Help

Baxall Construction has chosen Asite to provide a Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solution to support their group of community improvement projects throughout the South East of England.

Baxall is a regional contractor working across London and the South East. The company designs new build, design and build, refurbishment and project management solutions to projects with a specific focus on the education, community, commercial, high quality residential, ecclesiastical, health and leisure sectors.

Baxall’s current scope of works, which Asite will support, will focus on improving education facilities, police stations and community hubs including the current Platt Church of England Primary School, Southborough Community Hub and Turnbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys projects. When they are completed, these developments will provide first-class buildings and facilities which will support local communities where they are being delivered.

As part of their PPM Solution, Asite’s Common Data Environment (CDE) will allow Baxall to configure their workspaces to best suit the projects they are working on. They will also be able to manage 2D and 3D files in secure and collaborative setting and ensure BS1192 compliance. This involves using a standardised naming convention and working through the different stages of the disciplined collaboration process.

These systems are vital for project works including the Platt Church of England Primary School project which will create a new primary school in Sevenoaks, Kent.

The Asite platform will also be deployed on the Southborough Community Hub Development project which will transform the community facilities in the town. The mixed-use community hub will include a community hall, library, town council offices, medical centre, retail unit and sports pavilion.

Rob Clifton, Asite SVP for UK and Europe, said: “Baxall Construction is transforming communities across London and the South East of England through the development of vital buildings and facilities needed to support the community. Their focus on developing state-of-the-art school facilities ensure that the future generations have stimulating and modern environments to learn in.

Here at Asite we’re proud to work on these meaningful projects and provide Baxall Construction with the tools they need to manage their projects and achieve incredible outcomes.”

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SELECT Provide Certification Services

The importance of certification has become increasingly critical in the construction industry, SELECT has been granted Ministerial approval to continue in its role of Scheme Provider for the Certification of Construction (Electrical Installations to BS 7671) scheme.

Initially introduced within the 2003 Building (Scotland) Act, the scheme allows competent individuals to be appointed Approved Certifiers of Construction or Design, giving them the authority to certify any work they undertake as part of a building warrant is compliant with building regulations.

SELECT has been a Scheme Provider since 2005, and this re-appointment means that it can continue in this role to the industry for another six years. The reappointment decision was made by the Scottish Government’s Building Standards Division (BSD) after a long application process which involved intensive data and documentation submission followed by a review from a BS appointed Certification panel.

Dave Forrester, Director of Technical Services and Head of Certification at SELECT, said: “We are delighted that the integrity and quality of the services that we have been delivering for the past 15 years will continue to be of service to the Scottish Government and the construction industry as a whole.

“Certification has never been higher on the sector’s agenda and building standards services are key to ensuring that construction schemes can help raise standards throughout the industry and deliver new buildings and improved facilities.

“The reapplication process was comprehensive and detailed, and I would like to thank key team members – Training and Development Adviser Malcolm Duncan, Training Manager Jenny Cryans and Technical Administrator Susie Liddle – who helped make it possible.”

Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, said: “Certification has multiple benefits, including improved efficiency and productivity and increased peace of mind, with the highest standards upheld.

“Along with other scheme providers, SELECT has been working with the Scottish Government over the summer to address issues raised by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and create positive outcomes for certification.

“The entire team at The Walled Garden congratulates Dave Forrester and his team who put so much effort and expertise into drafting a successful application which will allow us to continue to serve the sector in Scotland.”

The Building Standards Division manages the Certification Register, which is the only authoritative source for approved bodies and certifiers. Members of the scheme appear on this register, which is used by clients and local authorities.

To become an Approved Certifier, an individual must be a member of an approved scheme and meet rigorous standards agreed with the BSD. They must also be able to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of building regulations.

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Will COVID Change Building Design?

The impact of Covid-19 on every aspect of life is undeniable. As the pandemic began to spread throughout March 2020, no one could have foretold the ways in which this disease would change society. One industry that has remained open throughout lockdown and been forced to quickly innovate is construction – and Matt Linekar and Stephen Moore from contractor Willmott Dixon have been at the forefront.

Gone are the days where you could enjoy a concert surrounded by tens of thousands of people, or hug those outside of your household as a friendly greeting. Instead, we now live in a world of social distancing and masked outings. But the impact of Covid-19 isn’t just those changes staring us in the face. There are more subtle, underlying ramifications that are yet to be explored completely – such as alterations in building design.

The question is, are Covid-related changes we are now seeing in building design here to stay, or a passing trend as the industry attempts to guide itself back to normality when the pandemic is over?

A change in requirements

One of the biggest changes in building design is the importance that is now being placed on ventilation. The need for proper circulation and fresh air to reduce the risk of contamination has never been more prominent – especially in the education sector where large groups of students must move around the building during regular intervals. This requirement also means that designers must think about the importance of flexibility to be able to purge the air in classrooms, and also consider window patterns and wall fans and their impact on the acoustics of these rooms.

The care sector is another one that must adapt to changing times and, again, consider the importance of ventilation in communal areas or corridors that could be the hub of cross contamination. Many care homes are now drawing on primary care regimes and lobbying rooms to protect infected patients, altering facilities to increase the safety of both staff and residents.

But, with providers in these sectors already struggling to source funds and a potential vaccine set to hit the UK in 2021, many of these measures may not be instigated.

Stephen Moore, preconstruction manager at Willmott Dixon, said: “We have seen a variety in responses from our customers, with some not wanting to make significant, long-term changes to a problem that is deemed to be short-term. Cost management is key when it comes to these alterations, but many businesses are struggling to weigh up the short-term benefits with the financial impact that it can have on the outgoings of a project.

“This response is being reflected by local authorities. Spatial problems are undeniable when discussing social distancing in schools, but councils don’t have the money, space or desire to make long-term changes to facilitate social distancing measures, and we are seeing many private sector companies take a similar stance. There is a focus for adapting operational policy rather than a significant change to buildings and the way they are designed to function.”

Perfecting the process

It’s not just the elements of design that have been impacted by Covid-19, but also the process in which these designs are created. The informal nature of construction sites means that social distancing is often hard to maintain. With a mountain of competing factors to contend with – such as the need for team work, the variety of jobs that have to be completed simultaneously and strict time scales that have to be adhered to – contractors have had to make dramatic changes to ensure staff stay socially distant while working on projects.

This has meant for many firms, including Willmott Dixon, that focusing on off-site fabrication has helped the design process.

Matt Linekar, head of building services at Willmott Dixon, said: “One of the key things that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated is off-site manufacturing and the different ways in which we might be able to utilise modern methods of construction (MMC).

“MMC is already a hot topic for the industry and the pandemic has simply enhanced this – and the last few months has given us the opportunity to explore the options in more detail and will no doubt continue to play a part in construction projects in the longer-term.”

Long-term or short-term

The construction industry is one that has never stopped working, so very quickly firms were forced to adopt new ways of working to help protect their teams and prevent the spread of Covid-19, all while ensuring that essential building projects did not stall.

Matt added: “Distancing on site – and within the wider community – is probably here to stay, so as an industry we are having to find ways to accommodate that, but whether or not there will actually be long-term design implications remains to be seen.

“The short-term response has been one of meeting practical challenges on sites and moving forwards with a different way of working, but the reality is that the construction industry is a very competitive marketplace – potentially even more so as the government has positioned the built environment at the forefront of the recovery strategy.

“The government is encouraging a ‘build back better’ approach but there are inevitably cost implications associated with that and without legislation to demand improved standards and a force for change.”

Should we change the approach to building design?

There are potentially significant positives associated with a change in design focus, especially when you consider the environmental targets the UK is working towards and the impact more sustainable building would have.

Stephen added: “Moving towards a focus on whole life cost is an important first step – but that will rely heavily on customers adopting a shift in mindset, thinking about overall value rather than initial outlay. It’s challenging, especially against a backdrop of a damaged economy and already stretched budgets, especially within the public sector.

“Sustainability will be key, but that is something that has been put somewhat on the backburner for the time being as we navigate through the Covid crisis. As an industry, so often the focus is on cost and designing to meet the minimum standards rather than considering the longer-term impact of a building. Moving forwards, it would be great to see a move away from considering a higher initial cost, but a better performing building, as ‘uneconomic’ and seeing customers investing in better quality products.

“The manner in which we live and work has had to adapt to the implications of Covid-19- and design does not seem to be addressing a long-term fix at the moment but maybe this will change over time. It is arguable that we will need to accommodate less densely populated workplaces with more space for flexible working; consumers will begin to demand something different and design will change to recognise that.”

What next?

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, in the medium term at least, considerably. We have undertaken the world’s biggest remote working experiment, learned to distance from one another and change our behaviours in accordance with ever-changing regulations – but will this change the face of building design for the long-term?

Matt said: “Any real changes to the industry will take time to filter through. At the moment, we have collectively been focussing on how to keep our industry moving safely and working alongside our customers to ensure that their spaces are flexible enough to meet changing requirements.

“Whether or not there will be long-term changes to design is yet to be seen. There’s no question that we approach life in a different way, but without legislation enforcing things like changes to ventilation systems or improved environmental credentials, progress will likely be slow. There is certainly the opportunity to shift towards a whole life value approach to building in the longer term, which would undoubtedly see us ‘build back better’.”

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