Construction Manager March 2018

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 | WWW.CONSTRUCTIONMANAGERMAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2018 For members of the CIOB

WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION

FROM SITE TO BOARDROOM THE MANY FACES OF WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 CONTENTS

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Switchboard +44 (0)20 7490 5595 Editor Will Mann 020 3865 1032 will.m@atompublishing.co.uk Deputy editor James Kenny 020 3865 1031 james.k@atompublishing.co.uk Production editor Sarah Cutforth Art editor Heather Rugeley Community editor Nicky Roger Redesign art director Mark Bergin Advertising manager Dave Smith 0203 865 1029 Key account manager Tom Peardon 0203 865 1030 Credit control Eva Rugeley Managing director Stephen Quirke

In this issue

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Circulation Net average 30,699 Audit period: July 2016 to June 2017 Subscriptions To subscribe or for enquiries, please contact: Subscription team Tel: 020 7490 5595 Or go online at: https://constructionmanager.isubscribe.co.uk Or write to us at the address below: Construction Manager Published for the Chartered Institute of Building by Atom Publishing, 3 Waterhouse Square, 138 Holborn, London EC1N 2SW Tel: +44 (0)20 7490 5595 firstname@atompublishing.co.uk Editorial advisory board Mark Beard FCIOB, Ann Bentley, Ian Eggers, Peter Caplehorn, Harvey Francis, Professor Jacqui Glass FCIOB, Paul Morrell, James Pellatt, Nick Raynsford, Richard Saxon, Andy von Bradsky, Phil Wade Construction Manager is published monthly by Atom Publishing. The contents of this magazine are copyright. Reproduction in part or in full is forbidden without permission of the editor. The opinions expressed by writers of signed articles (even with pseudonyms) and letters appearing in the magazine are those of their respective authors, and neither the CIOB, Atom Publishing nor Construction Manager is responsible for these opinions or statements. The editor will give careful consideration to material submitted – articles, photographs, drawings and so on – but does not undertake responsibility for damage or their safe return. Printed by The Wyndeham Group. All rights in the magazine, including copyright, content and design, are owned

by CIOB and/or Atom Publishing. ISSN 1360 3566

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Prelims 04 Quality management findings 08 Modular homes boost 10 Colin Harding on productivity 11 Carillion and cashflow 12 Chris Blythe 14 Feedback: Readers’ views 16 Women in construction

22 26 28 32 38 39 40 66

46 47 48 49 51

Experts Implementing the CDM regs Prepare for PPE changes Iceberg basement planning Notifying payments due Insurance post Grenfell

52 54 62

Community CIOB conservation day Kier schools programme Me and my project

Insight • Onsite Sustainability special Performance gap Bristol’s Aurora building Timber: The rise of CLT Timber: LCC’s modular homes Timber: Wood for wellbeing CPD: Large-scale fire testing Timber: Taylor Lane at Tidworth

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08 10 11 12 14 16

Prelims THE LATEST NEWS, PEOPLE AND COMMENT

MODULAR HOMES BOOST COLIN HARDING ON PRODUCTIVITY CARILLION AND CASHFLOW CHRIS BLYTHE FEEDBACK: READERS’ VIEWS WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION

Three-quarters of construction professionals say quality management inadequate

MJ RICHARDSON

THE FINDINGS FROM THE CIOB ‘CALL FOR EVIDENCE’, WHICH WILL BE SHARED WITH THE HACKITT REVIEW AND THE GRENFELL INQUIRY TEAM, PRESENT A DAMNING PICTURE. WILL MANN REPORTS

A 2016 wall collapse at Oxgangs school, Edinburgh, was a catalyst for the Quality Commission

More than three-quarters of construction professionals believe the industry’s current management of quality is inadequate, according to new research by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

The institute’s Construction Quality Commission launched its call for evidence into construction quality in October following a series of high-profile quality failings, including the discovery of structural defects in Edinburgh PFI schools two years ago and increasing consumer dissatisfaction with new homes.

Almost 200 responses were received from CIOB members, the wider industry, other trade bodies, the insurance sector and members of the public, with the majority highly critical of construction’s quality management procedures, while also criticising building regulations, certification schemes, value engineering practices, and training and education (see charts on p5).

“This is a reality check for construction,” said Paul Nash, past-president of the CIOB and

chair of the commission. “The findings from our call for evidence show that urgent changes are required in the way quality is managed.

“Construction projects should always have sufficient resources allocated to quality management, both financial and human. But a focus on price and programme has driven the wrong behaviours, leading to quality being neglected.”

The call for evidence highlighted five key areas of concern, which centred on education and behaviours: the contractors who execute the work; the skills of the workforce; the role of designers; procurement and client-side responsibility; and governance.

“These issues are industry-wide, so any solutions need to take a holistic view and involve as many stakeholders as possible,” said Nash. “But the evidence also highlighted examples of existing processes, practices and initiatives which are contributing to good quality and which can be scaled up. The most positive aspect that shines through is

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 PRELIMS

What the CIOB found A breakdown of almost 200 responses to the Quality Commission call for evidence For daily updates on the latest news, go to constructionmanagermagazine.com

l No l Yes l Don't know

“Construction projects should always have sufficient resources allocated to quality management, both financial and human. But a focus on price and programme has driven the wrong behaviours, leading to quality being neglected”

14% 10%

76%

Paul Nash, past-president of the CIOB

a clear willingness to improve construction quality and for industry to work together to achieve this.”

Based on the findings from the call for evidence and wider research, the commission is recommending a number of measures, Nash said.

“The first will be to develop a competencybased quality qualification / certification,” he explained. “The second will be the creation of a quality code which will capture best practice and set the standards to be expected from the industry. The third will be to ensure that quality has greater emphasis in the CIOB Education Framework. More detailed proposals will be presented to members at the CIOB Members’ Forum in July 2018, along with a recommended action plan for medium to longer term activities.

“We recognise that the call for evidence has highlighted issues that will require further investigation and action beyond this year,” Nash added. “There are some issues, such as design quality, which will require collaboration with industry and other industry bodies if we are to address them.”

The CIOB will also share the findings with both the Hackitt Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry team.

The call for evidence asked for views on a range of quality issues. Respondents were particularly scathing about quality management processes within construction companies. Some 84% said sign-off procedures were not adequate, 76% said the same about

10%

supervision, while 82% felt that workmanship standards were also inadequate.

Many commented on the lack of site supervision by designers and engineers, while a lack of assigned responsibility at sign-off stage was also cited. The demise of the clerk of works position was frequently commented upon.

More than half (55%) thought that existing codes and standards, including the building regulations, were not fit for purpose, and 54% said this also applied to certification schemes such as ISO 9001. It was often described as a tick-box exercise, “focused on process rather than product”.

Some respondents were critical of the “privatisation” of building control, and the way this has introduced “an element of competitiveness into the role, based on price rather than quality”. The number of available building control personnel was also seen as an issue, along with the time allocated for inspections.

Value engineering was another area of concern, with 51% saying it was no longer adhering to its principles, defined as “removing cost that does not contribute to function”. Many believe that clients regard value engineering as “a cost-cutting exercise” and were worried that it can create “an unhealthy ethos on a project”.

Overwhelmingly, respondents were critical of construction quality training, with 74% saying it was not taught effectively by educational establishments.

Mentoring schemes and onsite workshops were suggested as possible remedies,

Do you believe that current management of quality is adequate in terms of supervision?

Do you believe that current management of quality is adequate in terms of sign-off?

6%

84%

11% 7%

82%

8%

37% 55%

22%

24%

54%

Do you think existing regulations, codes and standards are adequate to achieve good quality construction?

Are existing certification schemes and qualifications fit for purpose to achieve good construction quality?

In your experience is value engineering adhering to its principles*?

17%

32%

Do you believe that current management of quality is adequate in terms of workmanship?

51%

17% 9% 74%

*Value engineering defined as removing cost that does not contribute to function.

Do you believe construction quality is taught effectively at educational establishments?

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Call for evidence responses on…

SPECIFIC AREAS OF CONCERN HIGHLIGHTED BY RESPONDENTS

CHIRALJON

The CIOB will share the findings with the Grenfell Tower Inquiry team

“There are some issues, such as design quality, which will require collaboration with industry and other industry bodies if we are to address them” Paul Nash, past-president of the CIOB

though a typical comment was that “the contractor’s bottom line means there are insufficient resources for training”.

Technology was seen as an aid to recording work progress and improving communication in the quality management process, though one surveyor said: “My iPad helps me be more efficient, but it doesn’t do my job for me.”

There was a strong belief that the CIOB could play a significant role in making changes to the construction quality system. But most respondents recognised that there was no one simple solution. Recommendations included making quality an integral part of construction management courses and trade education.

Many called on government policy to change, including more investment in training and a compulsory requirement for a quality inspector on all government projects. A widely shared opinion was that quality management should be treated and regulated in the same way as health and safety management. ●

Warning of “huge” insurance hikes post Grenfell A leading insurance broker has warned the construction sector faces “huge increases” in premiums when policies come up for renewal next month, after last year’s Grenfell Tower fire.

“Since the tragedy, there has been huge concern in the insurance market about fire safety and the use of certain types of composite panelling and cladding on buildings,” said Ian Gregory, director at specialist insurance broker MPW, in an article for CM. “Attention is on buildings over 18m in height, with a focus on aluminium composite material (ACM) panels – the type used on Grenfell.

“Insurers are reviewing their positions and their responses are likely to include huge increases in insurance premiums.”

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has already expressed its concern about fire safety on construction projects, calling for “much greater clarity on the roles and responsibilities for all those involved” and describing the Hackitt review of building regulations as “long overdue”.

The ABI had warned ministers about the dangers of flammable cladding prior to Grenfell, in a consultation on housing, saying it “can often cause significant fire to spread upwards and between buildings”.

Insurance policies are commonly renewed in April, and Gregory said brokers are now seeing a “very cautious” approach from insurers on cladding and highrise projects.

“This includes not writing business where any level of cladding is being undertaken, excluding cladding combustibility cover, and not offering cover for contracts working above certain heights,” he explained.

“Insurers who continue to offer cladding cover now require considerably more detailed information prior to placement, which will influence the decision to offer or reject a request for insurance, and may even result in refusal to renew an existing policy.

“It is potentially a very worrying situation for policyholders in the construction industry.”

Insurance implications for cladding projects post Grenfell, p51.

Supervision “Software has been developed to make recording so easy… However, supervision and control are about being out on the workface constantly and not sitting at a computer all day.”

Sign-off “The sign-off stage needs to be quality-focused and not merely ‘get the payment and let’s hand this over’.”

Workmanship “Make it personal, generate a culture of pride.”

Regulations “Developers often use private building control surveyors to circumvent regulations. Most 1930s properties have suspended timber floors and there are thousands of these properties across London that have been split into HMOs which are now a huge fire [risk].”

Certification “[It] has led to a culture of form-filling and audits, but the industry lacks robust day-to-day checking due to the demise of the independent clerk of works role.”

Value engineering “It’s all about building to a cost rather than building to a quality.”

Education “Include a quality syllabus in existing certification schemes, such as CSCS and SMSTS.” Technology “Innovation and technology can improve the way we perform tasks or build things but [we] will still be dependent on skilled operatives with a passion to produce good quality work.”

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Green Deal reform proposal ‘will not work’

Housebuilders in offsite push as 68% of firms invest in modular OFFSITE SPENDING WILL INCREASE BY 20% UP TO 2023, WHILE LAING O’ROURKE SECURES HUGE DFMA DEAL WITH STANHOPE

Pocket Living will use offsite techniques in Croydon

More than two-thirds of housebuilders are investing in modular construction, as the sector aims to improve standards and energy efficiency, new research has revealed.

The survey by Lloyds Bank of more than 100 homebuilders found that they plan to increase spending on “innovative building techniques” from 20% of turnover to 24% during the next five years.

Modular construction leads the way, with 68% of housebuilding firms saying they are investing

in the methodology, followed by site-based modern methods of construction (61%), where components are brought together for assembly on site, and panelised systems (56%).

This boost for the offsite housing sector came as Laing O’Rourke secured a major vote of confidence in its design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) process, agreeing a partnership with developer Stanhope and housing association Network Homes to use factory-build methods for the delivery of thousands of new homes over the next five years. The contractor’s first project will be a £200m, 550-unit scheme next to Southall railway station in west London.

Also in the capital, Mayor Sadiq Khan has approved plans by developer Pocket Living to build a 21-storey, 153-home residential tower in Croydon, which will be built using offsite construction methods (pictured).

The Lloyds report said that housebuilders’ reasons for investing in offsite techniques included improving efficiency, elimination of waste, better energy performance and better construction standards.

The sector has been under scrutiny over the build standards of its new homes, with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for built environment quality criticising the 92% dissatisfaction rate in the last Home Builders Federation (HBF) customer survey (CM, January 2018).

“From exploring new methods of construction to prioritising investment in skills or diversifying their products, housebuilders are readily planning for the future,” said HBF chairman Stewart Baseley. ●

A government proposal to cap landlord contributions towards retrofitting domestic properties at £2,500 per home is flawed, a leading sustainability policy adviser has warned.

Next month, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) come into force, and will require privately rented properties in England and Wales to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E. However, it is still unclear what financial implications this will have for domestic landlords.

In December, a consultation was launched on the government’s plan to limit landlord contributions towards upgrading homes at £2,500 per property. However, the government’s own impact assessment shows that 70% of homes in the lowest two EPC bands – F and G – would not be elevated into band E with such low investment.

“The government is proposing a policy that will not work,” said Richard Twinn, policy adviser at the UK Green Building Council. “Since the demise of the Green Deal, it has been clear that a cost cap for landlords is the only effective way to implement the MEES. Unfortunately, the proposals included in the consultation risk watering down the policy.”

There are 280,000 domestic properties which are F and G rated. Under MEES, landlords are expected to use their own funds or – less likely – secure finance from the Green Deal or Energy Company Obligation (ECO).

Twinn says the cap idea is “broadly sensible”, and by making landlords bear the brunt of the retrofit cost, it aligns the domestic sector with the private commercial sector. “The problem is that it is too low,” he explained. “With a £5,000 cap, 260,000 band F and G properties would be lifted into band E. “With the current proposal, landlords will still have to make some improvements, but the properties will be less energy efficient than they would have been.”

He added: “This undermines the overall policy goals of the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy – which aims to get all properties up to band C by 2030 (the average is currently D).”

The MEES private rented sector consultation ends on 13 March.

Sustainability special, p22-25

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PRELIMS MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Colin Harding Past-president CIOB

The UK construction industry is facing its greatest challenges in 70 years. But the collapse of Carillion, the quality issues in the housebuilding sector and Scottish schools, even the awful tragedy of Grenfell Tower are symptoms, not the cause, of this crisis. That basic cause is the fragmentation of the industry, dividing construction into two adversarial parts: those on site – “real construction” – and the project managers, cost consultants and tier one contractors like Carillion who “supervise” the work – “virtual construction”.

Which is where it has all gone wrong.

This virtual construction level doesn’t even “supervise” any more, they “administrate”.

Some risk-averse contract administrators are now dumping the responsibility for doubtful or difficult details through contractor design sections in tricky forms of contract – cynically offloading their own and their client’s risks.

To compound this, some clients, contract administrators and larger contractors – not only Carillion – are specifying 90 or 120-day stage payment terms, forcing otherwise sound firms to take up credit management facilities with interest rates only just below margins.

Then there are the interminable delays in agreeing payment for variations, and even longer to release insecure retentions.

This lack of respect for real constructors is one of the principal causes of the current rash of quality, reliability and solvency issues.

Collaborative or combative?

What would make UK construction change?

The only hard evidence is 25 years old, yet is frighteningly relevant. After the Channel Tunnel project, the BRE compared French and British performance using identical administration buildings on either side of the Channel, designed by the same UK architect. The French system produced better results in all seven categories.

Design costs were 25% less. Collaborative France finished on time, combative Britain had a 28% overrun. The French contractors’ profit margin was considerably higher.

Comment

Construction should be a product, not a service CARILLION’S COLLAPSE HIGHLIGHTED THE FRAGMENTED NATURE OF CONSTRUCTION ONCE MORE. IT IS TIME TO MODERNISE AND BECOME AN INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, ARGUES COLIN HARDING

“The lack of respect for real constructors is one of the principal causes of the current rash of quality, reliability and solvency issues” The research showed that more than twice the numbers of management and supervision staff were involved in the UK process than in the more productive, profitable and competitive French industry. This is the principal reason UK construction productivity has since plummeted. The French system was and is based on a lean, collaborative and integrated management structure, without the unnecessary involvement of independent contract administrators and their lawyers.

But, like many others in construction over the last 25 years, the report, with its inconvenient truths, was quickly “buried”.

This allowed “virtual” companies to build their position as principal industry contact with government and clients, while profiting from the process now known in contracting as “design and dump”.

The solution for real construction is to escape its service provider status by becoming a modern manufacturing industry, which takes control of the design of its own products through Integrated Design and Construction – Single Responsibility (IDCsr). IDCsr is a code of practice supported by the CIOB and is a totally integrated and collaborative procurement, design and construction management system between client and IDC Constructor (IDCC).

An end to retentions IDCsr unites the real and virtual industries, with the IDCC employing or engaging all the design and construction workers to deliver the project. The development of the detailed design involves the client team and the IDCC design team, all working with the trade suppliers, cost management, estimating and delivery teams. Total responsibility for the design and quality of construction rests with the IDCC backed by insured 12-year warranties (CM February 2017).

Payment terms of the IDCsr product sale agreement are based on pre-agreed stage payments through project bank account, made within three days of authorisation – subject to confirmation by the joint client and IDCC quality managers that the relevant stage has been satisfactorily completed in accordance with the BS:EN 9001 compliant project quality plan. Retentions are therefore not required. IDCsr collaboration is by far the better way to do away with retentions than any legislation. ● Colin Harding is past president of the CIOB and author of Integrated Design & Construction – Single Responsibility: A Code of Practice.

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Industry chiefs push for retentions reform after Carillion collapse

“It may be time for the government to introduce a construction supply chain code of practice, to ensure all suppliers are treated fairly”

Would project bank accounts have helped Carillion’s suppliers?

PROJECT BANK ACCOUNTS WOULD CHANGE THE BUSINESS MODELS OF TIER ONE CONTRACTORS, BUT THEY MAY NOT PROTECT ALL COMPANIES IN THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS. WAYNE LORD EXPLAINS The demise of Carillion has had a profound impact on its supply chain through what may be concluded to be persistent late payment or non-payment practices.

While government investigations seek to apportion most of the blame for Carillion’s demise, and the subsequent impact on its suppliers, at the doors of its directors, managers and advisers – some commentators may place at least some of the blame on the supply chain itself.

Could the supply chain have protected itself better by making sure that cashflow – or the lack of it – was managed better? The Construction Act and the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act includes measures to enforce payment and discourage late payment. Or do fair payment charters and project bank accounts offer a better way forward?

While the use of project bank accounts may have made a difference to Carillion’s fortunes, it is debatable whether they would have made much difference. Successive governments

have sought to drive the construction industry to lower and lower costs with the consequent downward pressure on margins.

To combat this downward pressure, tier one contractors find that getting cash in as soon as possible from their clients and holding on to it for as long as possible makes a significant contribution to their bottom line.

Extensive use of project bank accounts would probably deny tier one contractors the opportunity to generate profit by using cash in such a way. If they had been widely used on Carillion contracts, the company’s collapse may well have occurred sooner, but there would have been some security of payment for its subcontractors.

For the system to work, clients may need to accept that margins must rise for tier one and tier two contractors who are parties to a contract’s project bank account.

But what if some firms in the supply chain are not covered by the project bank account?

They may be unwilling or fearful of relying on their statutory rights under the Construction Act and late payment legislation, and for these companies a different remedy may be needed.

The retail sector is regulated by the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, the purpose of which is to ensure that the UK’s largest supermarkets – with groceries turnover exceeding £1bn – treat their direct suppliers fairly. The Groceries Code Adjudicator has the power to undertake investigations, make recommendations and impose a financial penalty up to 1% of relevant turnover. Tesco was investigated and found in 2016 to have breached the code.

Maybe it is time for the government to introduce a similar code for the construction industry – but covering all suppliers. A construction supply chain code of practice, and a construction code adjudicator to enforce it, may ensure that all companies supplying services on a construction contract are treated fairly. ● Wayne Lord is a barrister and senior lecturer in construction law at Loughborough University.

ELLIOT BROWN

Comment

CONSTRUCTION BODIES BACK PARLIAMENTARY BILL

Pressure on the government to end construction’s cash retentions system is growing following January’s collapse of Carillion, with lobbying from most of the industry’s major trade and professional bodies.

The liquidation of the UK’s second biggest construction group left behind an estimated 30,000 creditors, predominately small businesses.

M&E groups the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) and the Building Engineering Services Association (the BESA) submitted an “action plan” last month, which included findings from a joint survey in late 2017, showing 92% of members had faced retentions during the last three years, representing 5% of contract value on average.

The organisations back the Bill presented

by Conservative MP Peter Aldous to Parliament on 9 January, which they describe as “a stepping stone… to full abolition of retentions in the near future”.

ECA director Paul Reeve said: “Prompt and fair payment is essential for industry collaboration, increased productivity and investment. It would help the industry not just to survive, but modernise and deliver on the new sector deal.”

Build UK, the Civil Engineering Contractors’ Association (CECA) and the Construction Products Association (CPA), in response to the government consultation on cash retentions, have called for legislation to abolish the system.

The CIOB backed the call, saying in a statement: “The CIOB support the Build UK, CECA and CPA ambition to move towards zero cash retentions by the year 2025.

There are clearly significant benefits for the culture of the industry, its clients and stakeholders, which could be realised by removing retentions.”

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Chris Blythe

Chief executive CIOB

“This morning a series of delusional characters maintained that everything was hunky-dory until it all went suddenly and unforeseeably wrong,” said a statement from co-chairs Frank Field MP and Rachel Reeves MP after the board of Carillion appeared before both the Work and Pensions and Business Select Committees.

If such delusional behaviour is possible in one company, is there more of it about and who else is deluded? The companies stuck in a business model that does not work?

Governments which think every complex project can be done on a competitive tender, lowest-price model? MPs who have never made a mistake?

In the Carillion case, the tragedy becomes very personal; it’s the many thousands of people who will be affected either through impaired pensions or unemployment, as well as the users of hospitals, roads and schools which Carillion used to manage.

It seems everyone “knew” that Carillion was in trouble, except the deluded few at the top. It’s easy to be critical. A time comes when any rescue plans have to be abandoned and salvage plans put in place. That time was well past in Carillion’s case, as evidenced by the drop straight into liquidation, rather than administration. The taxpayer will have to pick up the tab.

Notwithstanding what everyone knew or did not know about Carillion, everyone is agreed that construction is not working.

CIOB Benevolent Fund offers help to Carillion-hit members WELFARE GRANTS CAN COVER HOUSEHOLD AND TRAVEL COSTS

Comment

End the delusion of competitive contracting THE CARILLION COLLAPSE IS A REMINDER THAT EVERYONE LOSES FROM LOWEST-PRICE TENDERING – CLIENTS, CONTRACTORS, SUPPLY CHAIN AND WORKERS

Other major companies around the world are experiencing problems.

Competitive contracting is a mug’s game, where everyone loses money eventually. It’s akin to gambling – only worse: it’s a bet for the client, a bet for the contractor, a bet for the supply chain and a bet for the workers too.

Without doubt a culture change is needed in construction, but how? Some would argue that we don’t have enough good people in the industry – with the right skills and right attitude.

The CIOB is reminding members affected by the Carillion collapse that they can seek support through its Benevolent Fund.

It estimates that over 200 members worked for the contractor at the time of its liquidation.

Terry Watts, managing director at the CIOB, said it is important the institute supports members’

The Hackitt Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety criticises the culture of the industry and the competencies within it. As an industry awash with professional bodies, way more than any other industry, there seems to be a significant difference between being competent, being qualified and being professional.

Professionalism can be hard to define but you know it when you see it, and there are plenty of competent people out there who operate very professionally but who do not have a string of letters after their name.

Professionalism is not a question of whether you get fees or a salary, or whether you are trade or white collar.

Taking steps to change behaviours In terms of culture change, the common factor across the world is the relationship with the biggest client: government. Projects are getting bigger, taking longer, with wider scopes and more complex supply chains and relationships. It’s equally delusional by governments to think they can continue as they have always done.

Unless governments take meaningful steps about how they behave and manage risk, then there is the very real prospect that if they want construction done they will have to do it themselves. Competitive contracting is fast becoming a lose-lose game; we need to make it a win-win. The alternative is to continue the collective delusion. ●

welfare as well as development of their skills and knowledge.

“It was for situations like this that we set up our Benevolent Fund in 1992,” he said. “Our fund secretary, Frank MacDonald, is a trained counsellor who offers advice on issues ranging from career development to employee rights and benefits.

“If you’re struggling at work or at home, please don’t stay silent. We are here to help.”

Grants from the fund can cover household costs, travel to work and supporting families.

Cases are handled swiftly, sensitively and in confidence.

For details, contact Frank MacDonald on 01344 630780 or email fmacdonald@ciob.org.uk.

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The offsite specialist planning to build 10,000 homes a year, p38

Feedback A selection of readers’ comments about news and issues in the industry from www.constructionmanagermagazine.com CM09/02 Heathrow reveals potential offsite hubs Doug Waters

I wonder where the expertise is going to be found to review the sites and the companies, to understand their suitability for carrying out offsite manufacture, and then to manage the processes needed for offsite manufacture.

This type of work is very different to onsite construction and has only been carried out by a small number of organisations in the UK to date. Heathrow in the guise of BAA has carried out offsite work before but not on this sort of scale and few of those involved at the time still work at Heathrow.

Martyn Archer

The committee must have considered the impact on the local infrastructure.

The M25 will need to divert because of the new runway. Plus, all these extra articulated lorries from other counties coming in to service the contract.

I live under the flightpath (through choice) and I have to leave the area every day for work, I know how congested it already is. Why wasn't Gatwick, with its roads and rail

links, selected for an extra runway – perhaps open fields for hundreds of acres were more important than destroying a small village and its community?

13/02 O’Rourke ties up huge offsite deal with Stanhope

Tony Callaghan

I find it disconcerting that the words quickly and cheaply are used so often in this and other similar construction articles, very rarely mentioned by other sectors. Does this equate with best value and the legacy this generation is leaving?

Steve Townsend

Sounds like a good way forward, but the quality of design must be outstanding if this is to be a flagship OSM project. Let’s try to avoid “egg-box” design and build a harmonious sensitive infrastructure that people actually want to be part of. Sustainable socially effective design, please.

CM 30/01 Carillion collapse Gary Smy

As a small company we have been the victim of late payments for many years from large companies. There is no care about the people that supply the skills and materials to deliver these projects.

Roger Ward

Carillion Canada was able to operate under the Canadian payment terms for subcontractors and suppliers – which are far tougher than the UK – for nearly 20 years.

It often had to provide both 50% labour and material payment bonds as well as a 50% performance bond. This is the norm for the Canadian industry. The UK appears to be still in the dark ages.

Marcel Cooper

To outlaw retentions would leave main contractors with a far greater problem when a subcontractor’s work was found to be deficient.

The subcontractors who will really suffer as a result of the collapse of Carillion are those poor souls who have just sent in their initial invoices.

What will they be paid by the receivers, a few pennies in the pound if anything?

CM 23/01 Bricklayers and carpenters in short supply Richard Simmons

There is no incentive to become a bricklayer or any tradesman as there is no holiday pay, pension sick pay or loyalty.

Having been a bricklayer for 20 years, prior to working in the warranty business, I have witnessed first hand how difficult it is to get by financially being self-employed. Umbrella companies appear to take a percentage out of your wages without giving back any of the aforementioned benefits.

The industry needs a regulator and all tradesmen should be on PAYE with full benefits. The only people making money are the contractors and subcontractors – the site men are not getting a fair deal. There are limited opportunities to learn a trade, which is affecting workmanship on site.

Richard New

All this talk of steep wage rises is laughable. As a bricklayer, considering the

shortages, I should be on megabucks but we only get wage rises at irregular intervals. Our last one was three years ago and that did not get us back to the pre-crash years.

We work in appalling conditions, safety is a joke, and all the site agents are interested in is getting roofs on to get their bonuses. The main brickie contractor is now whinging his profits are not enough.

Apprenticeships are an excuse to get a cheap labourer – these onsite NVQs are a joke. We have just got an apprentice in his second year and he has hardly laid a brick before joining us.

So show us why we should encourage youngsters into this industry, when the last time an agent spoke to me was to tell me brickies were two a penny.

I have been bricklaying over 20 years and all the men I work with agree that workplace conditions are getting worse.

For more comments and updates on issues and events in the industry, updated daily with the latest news, go to

www.constructionmanagermagazine.com

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Jen Kelly, industrial abseiler Abseiler Jen Kelly has worked around the globe on construction projects over the past decade. “The highs of the job – excuse the pun – are wonderful and you have access to incredible structures and views, sometimes hundreds of metres up in the air, that people would pay money to enjoy,” she says. Kelly is also founder of the Women In Trades Network Ireland, which she says is “a way to enjoy and support one another relating to these challenges and experiences”.

The many faces of women in construction A NEW PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT AIMS TO HIGHLIGHT THE MANY DIFFERENT ROLES OF WOMEN ACROSS CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING THEIR VIEWS ABOUT WHAT INSPIRES THEM, AND THEIR THOUGHTS ON INDUSTRY ATTITUDES TO DIVERSITY, AHEAD OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY ON 8 MARCH.

Rachael Butler, executive coach & leadership trainer Rachael Butler works for Scaffold Leadership Coaching, which provides services to major construction companies such as Skanska. Her advice to women starting out in a career in construction is to “play the long game and don’t take other people’s actions personally”. She says: “In my early career, I was hungry for new challenges and a bigger pay packet. In my haste for quick promotions, I left organisations that I loved working for.

If I had my time again I’d focus on the good people and turn a calmer, blind eye to the bad.”

‘The Image of Women in Construction’ is a collaboration between NAWIC (the National Association of Women in Construction) London and South East and photographer Morley Von Sternberg. The project aims to inspire the next generation by providing an insight into the women working across the industry, in many different roles and helping to shape the built environment.

As well as a portrait, each of the women featured have their own narrative, which explains what made them choose a career in construction, what inspires them in their current roles, and how the industry can change its attitudes to diversity. Over 150 women have been photographed to date for the project and a selection of them are featured here in CM. As it progresses, the project can be followed on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #imageofwomeninconstruction or at @nawicLDN or @morleyvon. ●

Carmen Jaimez, structural engineer, and Vikki Klette, associate structural engineer Carmen Jaimez (left) and Vikki Klette both work for engineering consultancy BWB. An architecture graduate, turned mechanical engineer in the car industry, Klette studied part time to become a chartered structural engineer. “I now run a team of structural engineers and technicians, delivering multi-million pound projects and offering a mentoring role to the junior members of the team,” she says.

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 PRELIMS

Elise O’Donovan, structural engineer A structural engineer with HTS, Elise O’Donovan says climate change is central to her vision for the future of her profession. “We as engineers, and humans, need to respond to climate change through responsible design,” she says. “I believe that buildings of the future can and should be formed with natural building materials – such as timber and straw.

My dream is that natural building materials will change from a niche to become the first option considered for a building project.”

Helen Gregory, assistant project manager Civil engineer Helen Gregory works for Transport for London on some of the biggest infrastructure projects in the capital. “My biggest motivation working in engineering and construction is seeing delivery and progress resulting from my personal efforts,” she says. “I worked on Tottenham Court Road Station Upgrade and I get a thrill every time I walk through the station remembering it as a construction site and comparing it to the modern, functioning station it is now.”

Patrizia Pierazzo, heritage consultant

Katrina Dowding, executive vice president Katrina Dowding is executive vice president at Skanska, with responsibility for the firm’s building operations, and has seen construction attitudes towards diversity and inclusivity change during almost three decades in the industry. “The industry has come on in leaps and bounds – the opportunities are much wider for lots of different skill sets,” she says. “It has also become far more connected with the customers and end users and the diversity and inclusion agenda, alongside ethics, has really come to the forefront.”

Patrizia Pierazzo works for design and engineering consultancy Alan Baxter as a heritage consultant and historic buildings archaeologist.

“My job is pivotal in providing help with the management of heritage assets and preserving the knowledge of historic buildings for the future,” she says. “I hope the passion I have for heritage will transpire in the writing of my reports – inspiring and unlocking the past for modern readers.”

Daniela Catalano, Krishna Mistry, Myrto Skreta-Krikou and Stephanie Christofi, lighting designers and engineers The Buro Happold lighting team includes building services engineer Daniela Catalano, project lighting designer Krishna Mistry, and lighting designers Myrto Skreta-Krikou and Stephanie Christofi.

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PRELIMS MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Liz Hirst, historic building conservator and Anna Webster, architectural designer Liz Hirst (left) is a historic building conservator who set up her own consultancy, Hirst Conservation, in 1986, while her daughter Anna Webster is an architectural designer at architect Interrobang. Hirst says she was inspired in her career choice by her uncle and aunt, who were also conservators, and is “delighted that my daughter is an architect, continuing the family passion for the built environment”.

Webster believes that “role models are extremely important” and adds “it’s natural for young people to look to those they can identify with from generations above them for inspiration. My mum certainly influenced my choice of career.”

Marian Ferguson, building services engineer and partner A partner with consultant Energylab, Marian Ferguson says that when she began working as a building services engineer more than 30 years ago, the construction industry’s culture was very different. “I found the predominately male teams worked in a very traditional way, almost telling clients what they wanted rather than listening to their needs,” she says. “Now, I champion our early involvement in projects to ensure M&E aspects can be integrated into the process, rather than forced into an already fixed design.”

Puja Bhardwaj, Selina Elmasry, Sarah Harrington, and Jo Hoggins, site managers and surveyors Four members of Bam’s site team on the Royal Festival Hall redevelopment project in London, clockwise from the left: Puja Bhardwaj, site manager; Selina Elmasry, senior site manager; Sarah Harrington, work placement student; and Jo Hoggins, assistant project surveyor.

Wendy Lancaster, associate landscape planner An associate at Barton Willmore, Wendy Lancaster's passion is “being a part of the early design process, working alongside masterplanners and other specialist consultants to get the best out of a place”.

Natalie Holness, approved building control surveyor Natalie Holness is a building control surveyor with engineering consultant MLM.“I get to be involved in building design and I work with rules and regulations that make the built environment safe and accessible for people” she says. “I get to interact with all the different professionals that take a building from a concept on paper, to walking through its doors on completion. It’s a unique and satisfying profession to be in.”

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 PRELIMS

Martine De Flander, architectural documentary photographer

Amrit Seera, architecture student

A multi-disciplinary creative, Martine De Flander works with photography agency m-ART. She feels architectural photos should be “bright and alive” and says: “I explore a building intuitively by seeing it from unusual perspectives, a more close-up shot where the viewer takes an active role in coming along this exploration with me.”

Amrit Seera is an MArch architecture student at the University of Greenwich. “I’ve always been interested in the design and creative industry, so I chose architecture – and fell in love,” she says. “In my Part I placement, my involvement in the design and construction of a small school extension project solidified my passion – there’s nothing like seeing a project go from Stage 0 drawings to completion. Also, I think it’s important for women to understand they are just as valid in such male-dominant industries.”

CIOB marks International Women’s Day

Thomasin Renshaw, director of development Thomasin Renshaw is currently leading a major mixed-use scheme in Mayfair for Grosvenor. She believes “true diversity” is key to the future of the sector. “I would like to see people from all walks of life in our industry,” she says.

Michelle Hands, construction site engineer and project manager Michelle Hands has had a 10-year construction career working in sectors including infrastructure and residential, with her most recent role as project manager for P&C Advisory Services. “I have been offered many opportunities to work for different companies in challenging roles,” she says. “I have been surprised at how quickly I have been able to progress in my career based purely on my experience and ability.”

On International Women’s Day, 8 March, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) will be highlighting the importance of diversity and the role of women in the built environment. This includes a guest article on the Institute’s website from Construction Manager of the Year 2017 winner Margaret Conway, and other members of her team at McAleer and Rushe.

Also, in recognition of the skills shortage in the construction industry, the CIOB is joining in the online discussion for National Careers Week and National Apprenticeship Week (both 5 to 10 March), to showcase the industry as an exciting career option for young people. Throughout the week there will be a series of blogs on the Institute’s website from members, scholars, and CIOB leaders, alongside facts, figures, resources, and quotes from members about what makes our industry great.

The campaign is encouraging other construction professionals to use the hashtag #ThinkConstruction and contact the CIOB Twitter account – @theCIOB – to share their own advice, resources and tools to inspire the next generation of construction professionals throughout the week.

CIOB president Rebecca Thompson will be speaking at a free conservation event the Institute is running at Somerset House in London, on 12 April. The speaker line-up includes experts from across the field, speaking on the latest conservation thinking, innovation and project case studies.

Further details, p52.

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The UK's best read digital construction resource.

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Exclusive news, views, interviews, debate and case studies on all the latest digital technologies from 3D printing and robotics to off-site manufacturing and virtual reality.

How digital technologies are creating efficiencies and productivity for firms across the supply chain from designers to contractors and product manufacturers.

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Every part of the BIM journey provided by industry experts, software developers and industry bodies.

Project stories and case studies to guide you through BIM adoption.

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40_41.New BIM ad 2018 DPS final.indd 41

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INSIGHT• ONSITE MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

22-43

Insight • onsite TAKING AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT CURRENT ISSUES AND PROJECTS

The UK Green Building Council’s offices reflect its values

IS THERE STILL LIFE IN THE GREEN BUILDING AGENDA? THE ENVIRONMENT HAS SLIPPED DOWN THE POLICY PROGRAMME IN RECENT YEARS, SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR CONSTRUCTION? CM SPOKE TO A RANGE OF KEY SUSTAINABILITY VOICES FROM ACROSS THE SECTOR, STARTING WITH UK GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL CHIEF EXECUTIVE JULIE HIRIGOYEN

26 28 32 38 39 40 66

PERFORMANCE GAP BREEAM IN BRISTOL TIMBER: CLT COMES OF AGE TIMBER: LCC MODULAR HOMES TIMBER: WOOD AND WELLBEING CPD: FIRE SAFETY TESTING TIMBER: TAYLOR LANE AT TIDWORTH The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has just entered its second decade, and it’s fair to say Westminster attitudes towards environmental policy are a little different today than they were in 2007 under a green-leaning Labour government – before the economic crash and then Brexit.

Recent years have seen the Green Deal collapse – it is currently undergoing a debatable reform (see Prelims p8) – and the Code for Sustainable Homes scrapped. The government now has other priorities.

Despite this, the UKGBC chief executive Julie Hirigoyen is largely upbeat about Westminster policy, though she sees a stronger environ-mental drive coming from devolved regional authorities.

She also thinks contractors and their clients could step up to the plate more.

“It’s clear the government has recently taken some positive steps to refocus on the need to cut carbon emissions and protect our environment,” she says.

“There is certainly recognition of the economic opportunity presented by green growth – including jobs, skills and exports – the latest ONS figures show that UK low carbon sectors are growing at almost treble the rate of the wider economy.

“Late last year, they published the Industrial Strategy and Clean Growth Strategy, which contained some ambitious measures, including a clearer

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 INSIGHT• ONSITE

Barr Gazetas’ design for the UKGBC offices had the lowest recorded embodied carbon footprint for an office refurb

“We need these ambitions to be reflected in building regulations and we need a bold new Environment Act for when we leave the EU” Julie Hirigoyen, UK Green Building Council

longer-term trajectory for improving the energy-efficiency standards of existing homes and a commitment to support modern methods of construction through public procurement. In January, the 25-year Environment Plan was launched.”

That said, Hirigoyen is frustrated by two “big issues”.

“Firstly,” she says, “these plans and strategies don’t commit an awful lot to law; we need these ambitions to be reflected in building regulations, and we need a bold new Environment Act for when we leave the EU. “Secondly, the government’s own independent advisor, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), states that the measures are not enough to bridge the current policy gap and put us on track to meet our fourth and fifth carbon budgets.

“So, we absolutely need to see bolder action from government.”

However, Hirigoyen is encouraged by the lead taken by some UK local authorities.

“In the absence of strong policy measures from central government, city regions and local authorities are taking it upon themselves to show leadership and specify higher standards for their areas,” she says.

“We’re seeing fantastic leadership f ro m t h e n e w m e t ro m a yo r i n Manchester, Andy Burnham, who has

set an ambitious aim to make Greater Manchester one of the leading green cities in Europe. In March he will hold a Green Summit to accelerate the city’s progress towards carbon neutrality. “ O t h e r re g i o n s, f o r ex a m p l e Cambridge and Milton Keynes, are going beyond national minimum standards, by requiring greater levels of carbon reduction than Part L.” Hirigoyen also points to the London Plan, the capital’s statutory spatial development strategy, which requires major developments to be net zero carbon and achieve a minimum onsite carbon reduction of at least 35% beyond the building regulations. The mayor’s London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) – which includes Hirigoyen as one of its commissioners – promotes sustainable development and provides independent advice.

“What local authorities and city regions are realising is that building to minimum standards produces low quality housing stock, and this creates legacy problems for the council and the community, such as higher energy demand and heating bills,” she says.

At construction industry level, Hirigoyen sees “huge opportunities for contractors to improve the sustainability of their operations”, but believes more can be done to reduce and reuse waste.

“The quantity of reused materials in construction has decreased

Jon Eaglesham Managing director, Barr Gazetas Architect Barr Gazettas worked on the office refurbishment and retrofit for the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) London headquarters at The Building Centre.

When the project was completed in 2016 it had the lowest embodied carbon footprint ever recorded for an office refurbishment in the UK, and referenced elements of the BREEAM, Well Standard and SKA accreditations.

The practice was also behind the design of 7 Air Street, for the Crown Estate, a central London office refurbishment which

was awarded BREEAM Outstanding with a score of 94% – the first “Outstanding” rated listed building against UK BREEAM NC 2011.

Managing director Jon Eaglesham says government legislation still drives environmental strategies in the built environment sector, but the industry’s best sustainable design practice comes from far-sighted clients, often far exceeding requirements of the existing building regulations.

He explains: “The majority of our clients always ask for more, setting benchmarks that are challenging for the industry, not just ticking boxes. The intentions at the outset of a project comes from thinking about the occupiers’ needs and the community that the project will influence.”

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INSIGHT• ONSITE MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Landsec’s new London offices by ISG achieved a 92.3% BREEAM score

Caroline Hill Head of sustainability, Landsec Landsec, the UK’s largest commercial property developer, has walked the walk on sustainability. The fit-out of its new 4,666 sq m office in London’s Victoria

by ISG, completed last October, achieved BREEAM Outstanding at design stage, with a score of 92.3%.

Caroline Hill, head of sustainability, says this is a “top-down mandate”: “Our CEO [Robert Noel] is passionate about the agenda and has publicly said he wants us to be a leader. For us it’s about future-proofing the business and also being ahead of our customers.”

Bevan Jones Managing director, Sustainable Homes Consultant Sustainable Homes works chiefly with clients in the social housing sector on their carbon reduction strategies.

Managing director Bevan Jones says recent years have been “grim” for the green building agenda.

“Some of the faults in the sector can be traced back to 2010, when there was a loss of talent and skills at local authority level during the recession,” he says. “We’re feeling the effects of that now.”

Housing associations and councils have a reputation for building energy-efficient homes, but Bevan says this

Landsec is aiming to reduce carbon intensity (kg CO2/m2) by 40% by 2030.

In December 2016, it became the first real estate company to have its strategy approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, a partnership between charity the Carbon Disclosure Project, UN Global Compact, the World Resources Institute and the WWF. BREEAM remains the most popular environmental rating system but Hill says the score should not be a distraction.

“We’re trying to improve and move away from the mentality that it should all be about the BREEAM rating,” she says. “That should be the outcome rather than the goal.

If you focus on planning and building a sustainable, longlasting building, BREEAM will automatically fall out of that.”

has come under threat due to social rent drops and falls in government grants.

“Build quality, and in turn sustainability, has fallen down the agenda,” he says.

“The scrapping of the Code for Sustainable Homes and incorporating it into the building regulations was a mistake. Housebuilders and developers can effectively do what they want now – the building regulations are so low when it comes to carbon performance.”

Jones would like to see more focus on the performance gap of completed buildings, and suggests a retentions-style payment system for the project team tied to energy performance.

He also argues that post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) should be mandatory.

“If you focus on planning and building a sustainable, long-lasting building, BREEAM will automatically fall out of that” Caroline Hill, Landsec

since 1998, and few contractors are designing out waste,” she says.

This year, the UKGBC has set up a forum for its contractor members, with the aim of “identifying and openly discussing sector challenges”, Hirigoyen says.

She believes offsite manufacturing represents a huge opportunity for construction to drive down waste, but says: “It still represents a very small proportion of the market. It is important that we look to make our industry more resource efficient and embed circular economy principles across projects.

“We also need to look at how clients can set meaningful targets for contractors and measure progress against agreed metrics to deliver sustained and demonstrable progress towards the decarbonisation of the sector.”

That also applies to housebuilding, Hirigoyen adds: “The government plans to increase housing delivery to 300,000 homes a year; but what is vital is that we achieve this sustainably, ensuring that a push for numbers doesn’t jeopardise the quality of houses being produced.

“Obviously, the carbon emissions associated with this level of construction are very significant. Again, housebuilders need to be thinking beyond compliance to deliver homes that are fit for the future and won’t need to be

James Willcox Principal sustainable development lead, Willmott Dixon Contractor Willmott Dixon has been at the forefront of the green agenda, building the UK’s first zero carbon school in Islington, north London (pictured), and several BREEAM Outstanding projects, including the first office outside of London (see p28).

But James Willcox, principal sustainable development lead, feels that current government policy needs a sharper short-term focus.

“The 25-Year Environment Plan has just been launched but we need more achievable, short-term goals,” he says.

In particular, Willcox sees the need for more focus on retrofitting and addressing the performance gap of existing building stock. He is also critical of the “unsuccessful” Green Deal and current attempts to revive it.

“The messages we get from clients are they are concerned about the energy performance of existing buildings, and we have been working with them to help reduce the running costs of their estates and make them more energy efficient,” he says.

Additionally, Willcox says clients are now “connecting the dots” between sustainability and wellbeing and see it as increasingly important for end users.

“It has been driven partly by corporate responsibility and also companies realising the productivity benefits of a healthy and happy workforce,” he says.

Willmott Dixon’s Ashmount school in Islington is the first zero carbon school

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 INSIGHT• ONSITE

retrofitted in a few years’ time to meet our carbon reduction ‘trajectory’.”

Hirigoyen notes that the 25-Year Environment Plan sets out an aim for new developments to demonstrate an environmental net gain to the area in which they are built.

“The environmental consequences of building houses go beyond carbon emissions – there are depletion of natural materials for construction, generation of waste and pollution from site activities, and the destruction of green spaces and loss of biodiversity,” she says.

“Some more forward-thinking companies are already integrating the ‘net gain’ principle into their projects – Berkeley Homes, Barratt Developments and Skanska are showing leadership in this area. The Wildlife Trusts has published new Kirsten Henson Founder, KLH Sustainability

KLH Sustainability is an environmental consultant which has worked with architects and contractors to achieve high sustainability ratings on major construction projects.

Its portfolio includes the St James’s Market mixed-use development near Piccadilly Circus in central London, where it worked alongside Balfour Beatty for client the Crown Estate. The project achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating at both design and construction stage.

Founder Kirsten Henson says that one of the dilemmas faced by clients is whether retrofitting or new-build offers the more sustainable approach.

“Retrofitting and refurbishing an existing building can work where the structural frame is architecturally appropriate, with the right floor-to-ceiling

guidance for developers, Homes For People And Wildlife, so there is momentum building for naturefriendly development at the moment.

“We’re also seeing more consideration of the wider socio-economic and health and wellbeing benefits associated with considerate placemaking,” Hirigoyen continues.

“We should be asking: are the housebuilders creating a legacy of sustainable communities where they’re building houses? Is there access to green space for residents, is the development designed with air quality, access to light and air quality in mind?”

She describes the 25-Year Plan as “a very good start” but warns, “the next step to prove that the government is serious here is to see this commitment reflected in the review of building regulations and a new Environment Act”. ● heights and column spacing, and where the facade is in good condition,” she says. “But we have yet to see a major retrofit that has a full life-cycle carbon analysis associated with it.

“It would be beneficial to know if the incremental performance improvement possible through new build [over the whole life cycle] offsets the additional embodied carbon created in the build compared to a retrofit.”

KLH’s work extends to sustainability in the supply chain. “The Modern Slavery Act has increased awareness of supply chain transparency and responsible sourcing within the industry, with most medium and large firms having a modern slavery statement, not just those required by legislation,” she says.

“While many contractors already do quality checks on their supply chain, it makes sense that buyers take a personal interest in the fair sourcing of construction products, rather than relying on external certification of their supply chain partners.”

Emma Nicholson Founder, Women in Sustainable Construction and Property

“We have yet to see a major retrofit that has a full life-cycle carbon analysis associated with it”

Kirsten Henson, KLH Sustainability

Emma Nicholson, who sits on the CIOB Sustainability & Environment special interest group, works as a senior project manager for property design and management services company NPS Leeds.

She is based in Leeds, one of the UK’s large regional cities where the local authority is seeking to drive environmental performance.

Nicholson cites the city’s Temple Green and Elland Road park and ride projects, developed by NPS Leeds with Leeds City Council, as examples of sustainable schemes – reducing air pollution in the city by taking cars off the road.

At the Temple Green park and ride, the entire length of the building’s canopy generates electricity through solar panels. Both park and ride schemes are self-sustainable in terms of energy with surplus supporting the electricity needed for electric charging points in the car park.

Currently shortlisted for RICS 2018 Awards in the categories of infrastructure and community benefit, these schemes contribute to the City of Leeds’ vision for a smart city for the future, through the use of electric charging points and solar PV panels.

“Leeds wants to create healthier, more productive environments across housing, education and commercial projects and be a high-ranking sustainable city,” she says.

“The Climate Innovation District, the largest sustainable development in the UK, is another example of this.”

This city-centre development, by local developer Citu, will deliver low carbon homes, plus leisure, offices and climate-resilient public spaces, and aims to build a healthier, smarter and better-connected zero-carbon hub in the city.

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INSIGHT• ONSITE MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

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COST, CLIENTS AND SKILLS TO BLAME FOR ‘PERFORMANCE GAP’ BUDGET PRESSURES, LACK OF CLIENT INTEREST AND POOR INSTALLATION SKILLS WERE CITED AS THE CHIEF CAUSES OF THE ‘PERFORMANCE GAP’ ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, A SURVEY BY CM AND RECTICEL DISCOVERS. The ‘performance gap’ – the difference between the designed and as-built energy performance of a building – has long vexed construction project teams, not to mention clients and occupants.

A survey by CM of nearly 200 industry professionals in partnership with insulation specialist Recticel has attempted to find the causes of the performance gap, and possible remedies.

Overwhelmingly, respondents pointed to ‘build cost pressures’ as the most significant cause. Almost 89% agreed that this was one of the main causes of the performance gap, followed by the client’s lack of knowledge or concern (75%) and poor installation and construction (also 75%). Another 55% agreed that the architect’s design was the main cause, while advice of engineers (33%) and advice of manufacturers (29%) were seen as less important.

When attempting to address the performance gap through retrofitting, respondents again saw build cost considerations and the client as top of their priorities. Some 83% agreed that cost was the biggest influence on choice of product, ahead of client’s requirements (75%).

Asked what would help inform their choice when specifying products to address the performance gap, 92% said “more information on performance outcomes of products”, just ahead of “better training for installers and constructors at site level” (91%). Some 79% said “site visits and toolbox talks from manufacturers”.

Finally, the survey asked what the key obstacles were to solving the per formance gap problem.

Again, cost was considered the most important issue, according to 89% of respondents, followed by client

Performance gap causes

0%

What do you regard as the main causes of the performance gap? (on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree)

n Strongly disagree n Disagree n Neutral n Agree n Strongly agree

reluctance or lack of awareness (82%), and lack of installation skills (81%). Insufficient product information from manufacturers was considered an obstacle by 71% of respondents, just ahead of architects (68%) and government policy (66%).

Kevin Bohea, commercial director for Recticel, said "The survey shows that cost is a major prohibitor to buildings performing as designed. It could be argued that it has never been easier to build a low-energy home, what with increasing availability of products and systems manufactured to exceed regulatory levels of thermal performance. However, meeting the bottom line, rather than ensuring an airtight build appears to be the main consideration of developers.

“A lack of installation skills has also been cited as a major obstacle to addressing the performance gap.

This shortfall of experienced insulation engineers tallies with the current skills shortage across the construction industry. As for the aforementioned cost concerns – quality materials come at a price. However, they pay dividends in the long-term in helping create buildings whose thermal performance results in lower fuel bills and comfortable, healthy interiors for the occupants’ wellbeing.” ● 100%

Client’s lack of knowledge or concern Architect’s design Engineer’s advice Manufacturer’s advice Poor installation / construction Build cost considerations

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Right: The glass and aluminium facade incorporates vertical fins for solar shading

BRISTOL’S LEADING GREEN LIGHT THE FIRST BREEAM OUTSTANDING OFFICE OUTSIDE LONDON IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN BRISTOL – THE AURORA. JAMES KENNY MET UP WITH THE WILLMOTT DIXON SITE TEAM AND DEVELOPER CUBEX

Office developments which push the envelope environmentally have, to date, been chiefly found in the UK’s capital.

But that’s changing, and West Country property firm Cubex is one of the developers leading the charge.

Its flagship site is the 1.9ha Finzels Reach mixed-use regeneration scheme in the heart of Bristol, where the jewel in the crown is Aurora, a new 8,825 sq m Cat A office building – and the first office

Above: Installing exterior glazing was complicated by the need to safeguard protected London plane trees

outside London to achieve a rating of BREEAM Outstanding.

Bristol was the first UK city to win European Green Capital in 2015, and the seven-storey development was originally designed to comply with the local council’s requirement to achieve BREEAM Excellent. But developer Cubex made the decision early to push on and target Outstanding – demonstrating a performance level that is

reached by less than 1% of the UK’s new non-domestic buildings.

Gavin Bridge, director at Cubex, explains why: “Being a regionally focused developer, we are looking to continually improve the design and efficiency of our buildings to deliver London-quality developments in the region. Increasingly, businesses are looking to relocate all or part of their staff from central London and, so to promote cities like Bristol to those businesses as a place to relocate to, we have to offer the very best space.”

To this end, as well as BREEAM Outstanding, the design targeted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold accreditation, and full compliance with the British Council of Offices (BCO) 2014 specification.

Bridge adds: “Sustainability through BREEAM, healthy buildings through the Well standard and smart-connected buildings through the Wired certification [a commercial property rating system for digital infrastructure] are the three benchmarks that are needed to stand out from the competition.”

Designed by local architect Bush Consultancy, the seven-storey development has floor plates of just over 1,400 sq m and a central glass atrium.

As well as basement car and bicycle parking, it offers unusual features which have an eye on emerging technology, such as a rapid electric car charging facility on the ground level and a drone landing pad on the roof.

The £17.5m construction contract was awarded to Willmott Dixon in July 2016. Operations manager Gareth Williams says the BREEAM Outstanding requirement “focused minds” early in the design stage.

One of the earliest activities was a life-cycle assessment of the building.

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Project Aurora, Bristol Client Cubex Main contractor Willmott Dixon

“Consideration was given early in the design phase as to possible uses the office could later provide, such as change of use to hotel or residential units” Jonathan James, Bush Consultancy

Architect Bush Consultancy Building services engineer Hydrock

This combination of energy performance measures has enabled the building to provide a 37% energy saving against Part L Building Regulations, saving on operating cost and carbon.

In addition, a climate change adaptation and resilience strategy was developed by evaluating the potential effects of climate change and the impact of extreme weather conditions.

Structural engineer Hydrock Quantity surveyor Dickson Powell Partnership

Value £17.5m Programme July 2016 to June 2018

“This was probably the biggest design challenge,” says Jonathan James, architect from Bush Consultancy.

“Consideration was given early in the design phase as to possible uses the office could later provide, such as multi-tenant occupancy, change of use to hotel or residential units.”

Throughout the design and construction process, the health and wellbeing

The superstructure was built around a central atrium stretching the building’s full height

CUBEX

The BREEAM process includes a functional adaptability assessment which considers the ability of the structure to accommodate future change of use. Both concrete and steel framing options were considered and, after a carbon assessment was carried out, the concrete option came out on top.

Williams explains: “We carried out the assessment and it verified our decision to replace the steel frame with a concrete frame – it demonstrated that around a 20% carbon saving would be achieved over the whole life cycle of the building.”

The energy strategy was also addressed in the early stages of the project. Energy-efficiency measures include a rooftop-mounted array of photovoltaics which will generate 29,800kWh per year of renewable energy, a sophisticated building management system to manage plant and building performance, and intelligent LED lighting with daylight and sensor controls. The thermal mass of the concrete frame will provide daily and seasonal temperature regulation, minimising peak loads.

Water-saving technology, including low-flow sanitaryware, leak detection and flow control devices, means a 59% reduction in water consumption is forecast for the Aurora, compared to a typical office building.

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of the office’s eventual occupants has been a central concern. As Alex Roberts, sustainability manager for Willmott Dixon, explains: “When people think of sustainability, they mainly consider energy or ecology. But health and wellbeing are as important as energy. We know that health and wellbeing play a huge role in the success of a company now and that a happier workforce means increased productivity and happier customers.”

In order to achieve this, a healthy building environment is being promoted, with optimised thermal comfort, high acoustic performance and glare control. Natural light connects the building’s users with the outside.

“A key factor in the design of the building was light levels,” James says.

“With triple glazing-like performance, a near 100% glazed facade allows significant penetration of daylight on to the floor plate, thus improving daylight autonomy – the ability to operate without the lights on. The solar control glazing, with external fins, allows visible light in while blocking the entry of infrared and UV light. Low U-values hold the heat in during winter.”

James says his design approach used a “fabric-first” ethos, meaning that material selection has been based on best performance, such as insulation

“When people think of sustainability, they mainly consider energy or ecology. But health and wellbeing are as important as energy” Alex Roberts, Willmott Dixon

values, recycled content and life-cycle costing. Products and materials have followed responsible sourcing and chain of custody policies, including FSC and BES 6001 certification.

However, even the most carefully executed design comes up against unexpected complexities on site and Willmott Dixon’s construction methodology has been complicated by the Aurora’s city centre location.

The brownfield site, previously a brewery, was remediated prior to the redevelopment. Made ground runs 4m below ground level, overlying 9m of alluvium above sandstone rock. After excavation of the basement, some 194 CFA piles were installed, 600mm in diameter and typically 12m long.

Work on the superstructure started in February 2017. It is designed around the central glass atrium which extends the full height of the building, and is accessed through a double-height reception. This lobby area was perhaps the most significant structural engineering challenge on the scheme.

Dave Berry, technical director at structural engineer Hydrock, explains: “The entrance lobby has a doubleheight, column-free zone, so all the structure above this area had to span 16.5m. This isn’t practical with concrete flat slabs, so we introduced a 3m-wide downstand beam at each floor level from second to seventh.

“However, due to height restrictions and ceiling zones, the overall depth of the downstand beams needed to be restricted to 750mm. Because of this relatively shallow depth, we introduced several interventions: the adjacent slabs became ribbed slabs to reduce the self-weight of the structure; a back-span was introduced for the downstand; and the beam and adjacent slabs were pre-cambered

The glazed facade allows natural light to penetrate the workspace, while the concrete frame regulates temperature

due to the instantaneous dead load deflection. Finally, columns were reintroduced above the second floor, so that all floors above could load share.

He continues: “By introducing these higher-level columns, a temporary column (and jack) was required below the second floor to transfer loads to foundations during construction. This prevented a build-up of stress in the second floor downstand beam as the floors above were constructed.”

Construction of the glazed facade, which also features vertical fins serving as solar shading, was complicated by the proximity of London plane trees.

Williams says: “The trees are protected by tree preservation orders, so we had to take great care to avoid coming into contact with them. There simply wasn’t enough room to use a mast-climbing work platform, for installing the large glazed panels, so cherry-pickers were used to complete the task instead, without having a detrimental impact on the programme.”

Achieving a score of 87.6%, the building received its BRE design-stage certification for BREEAM Outstanding in February 2017, and completion is scheduled for this June. Aurora was developed speculatively but is already about 45% pre-let – a clear sign of the growing appetite for office developments with strong environmental credentials. ●

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The Future of the Construction Manager The lives of construction managers across the UK are rapidly changing as technology transforms how buildings and infrastructure are designed and built. We call this the Era of Connection. Find out how the trends will affect you in a new video made in conjunction with CIOB, and discover how you can stay ahead of the curve.

Watch the video at www.autodesk.co.uk/campaigns/eoc-video-study

www.autodesk.co.uk @AutodeskAEC @Autodesk_UK #eraofconnection Call us at: +44 (0)203 893 2902 Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or a liates in the USA and/ or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifi cations and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. © 2017 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

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DANIEL SHEARING X2

CLT panels with window openings are used at Waugh Thistleton’s Dalston Works building in east London

When cross-laminated timber (CLT) first hit the UK scene, back in 2003, it was a little-known, niche material – but its environmental credentials and rapid speed of erection soon grabbed the headlines.

But it wasn’t until around five years ago that engineered timber really started to take hold and, thanks in part to falling prices, it has now become a vital component in shaping our cities.

CLT is a proven solution for low and medium-rise residential buildings and schools, but it is now also being applied to other building types, such as office blocks, swimming pools, gymnasiums or light industrial buildings.

Architects and contractors are pushing creative and technical boundaries to build increasingly challenging CLT structures. The world’s largest timber building, by volume, is Dalston Works, a 33m-high, 121-unit residential block at Dalston Lane in east London, which was handed over to client Regal Homes in December. And there are now increasing examples of CLT being used to construct skyscrapers, with Norwegian timber specialist Moelven claiming the material can be used for high-rise buildings over 150m tall, as well as large-area “groundscrapers”(see boxes on p35-36).

CLT has many advantages over steel or reinforced concrete alternatives. The prefabricated panels are quick to install – some projects can be completed six times faster than a standard build, and require drastically fewer lorry deliveries and workers on site. The structure is lightweight, minimising the size of foundations and site preparatory work, and its low embodied carbon ticks boxes on sustainability.

There is also a human side to working with the system that should not be underestimated, says Christiane Lellig,

IS CLT COMING OF AGE? THE WORLD IS WAKING UP TO THE SPEED, QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF CROSS-LAMINATED TIMBER, BUT WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS AND IS IT REALLY AN ALTERNATIVE TO CONCRETE OR STEEL? STEPHEN COUSINS REPORTS

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Why use crosslaminated timber?

CLT frames offer a number of advantages through the life cycle of a project, writes Christiane Lellig, campaign director at Wood for Good director of timber industry campaign group Wood for Good: “This is a material that can make your builders happy, they really seem to like working with it. A project manager on site at the Yoker building, a seven-storey housing project recently built in Glasgow by contractor CCG, looked at the finished structure with tears in his eyes and talked about it as if it was a beautiful woman.”

But CLT does have some limitations.

Long uninterrupted spans are difficult to achieve and questions have been raised over the long-term recyclability of the panels, which are bound together with polyurethane adhesive. Then there are the broader concerns regarding how the requirement for early specialist involvement in design impacts on project procurement and tendering.

The lightness of CLT allowed Dalston Works to be built over Crossrail

Timber time?

CLT is a mass-produced timber product comprising multiple layers of softwood timber laid across each other and glued at right angles. The lamination process reduces sensitivity to moisture content and therefore warping and distortion, and provides each panel with exceptional dimensional stability.

The inherently high strength-toweight ratio enables it to perform more like steel than regular wood panels or beams. The production process is highly automated and can provide ready-to-use CLT elements with lengths up to 16m and widths up to 3.5m.

Construction has suffered numerous false dawns around offsite and Modern Methods of Construction, now sometimes labelled Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA). Could CLT be the first methodology to deliver projects faster with higher quality and greater cost certainty?

“When you take into account the speed of erection and lower preliminary construction costs there is possibly a cost advantage on the right project” Adrian Campbell, Changebuilding

“A useful reference is how well CLT fits in with the targets the industry set itself under the 2025 construction strategy,” says Adrian Campbell, director at engineering consultant Changebuilding who has been working on sustainable building projects for over 20 years.

“It is partly about faster construction and lower emissions – embodied carbon is becoming more important as people look at overall carbon scoping. The system is probably cost neutral at the moment (compared to other materials), but when you take into account the speed of erection and lower preliminary construction costs there is possibly a cost advantage on the right project.”

Speed, sustainability and cost benefits were realised at Dalston Works, where the entire structure, including the stairs and lift cores, was built from CLT. The project required just 111 deliveries to site, versus an estimated 800 deliveries for the equivalent concrete frame, according to its architect, Waugh Thistleton.

The lightness of the structure made it possible to build safely over the top of Crossrail, in the process fitting in an extra 35% of homes, while removing the need to drill piles.

Waugh Thistleton has been on a long journey with CLT since completing Murray Grove in Hackney in 2009 – the first ever tall urban housing project built from 100% prefabricated timber.

Design stage

lS implicity of design and

BIM integration lL ow carbon form of construction lL ightweight, which minimises

foundations l Improved air tightness lS trong thermal properties,

reducing cold bridging lR esource efficient, as the exposed

structural timber reduces finishing costs.

Construction stage

l Speed of construction lL ess weather dependent than

traditional forms of construction lM inimal trades required during

erection of the frame lW aste minimisation through

offsite manufacture lC leaner working environments.

Operational stage

lE xposed timber has warm and

tactile properties l Energy efficient.

Shifting targets “For us the whole narrative of ‘can we be more sustainable?’ by using CLT has turned into we can do it quicker, make it lighter, to better quality, and simultaneously create a nicer environment for people to work in,” says David Lomax, senior associate with Waugh Thistleton.

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Below: Now under construction, Waugh Thistleton’s office building at Orsman Road is a hybrid structure of steel and timber Bottom: Engineered timber was used for the swimming pool at Freemen’s School at Ashtead in Surrey

highlighted how not enough people are entering construction and we are losing staff overseas. Nobody wants to work in the rain and mud anymore, they want to be engineers working with high-tech machinery like at RollsRoyce or Boeing,” he says.

CLT’s focus on DfMA and clean, quick assembly on site underpins that possibility.

The environmental and aesthetic merits of engineered timber appear, in some cases, to have been eclipsed by the structural benefits of the technology. CLT panels used to build the seven-storey block of affordable rented accommodation attached to Highpoint Tower in Southwark, south London, are entirely concealed from view behind facade cladding and interior finishes.

The developer for the scheme, Mace, is one of a number of firms testing the waters with the material. Others include Lendlease, Willmott Dixon and housing developer Swan Housing.

Adam Coleman, who project managed the use of CLT for Mace on Highpoint, tells CM: “The original driver was to use engineered timber to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes criteria, but other benefits emerged as the project progressed. The cladding came up very fast behind the live CLT floor compared to using traditional concrete frame

JACK HOBHOUSE

“We had just eight guys installing on site, compared to a concrete gang of about 25 and an army of steel-fixers, concrete formwork chippies and back-propping gangs” Guy Hunt, Mace

which requires two floors of back-propping on the floors below. CLT lightened the loads, the slabs were thinner, the foundations didn’t need piling.”

Although the system required more upfront design work and involvement from the CLT supplier and installer Eurban, and also the M&E and facade specialists, once the team pushed the button for manufacture, the eight-week lead time made it possible to focus on completing the ground floor slab.

Guy Hunt, Mace’s project director for Highpoint, adds: “CLT goes up so quickly and cleanly compared to concrete. We had just eight guys installing on site, compared to a concrete gang of about 25 and an army of steel-fixers, concrete formwork chippies and back-propping gangs.”

Overall, Mace has calculated that using CLT saved the project around £500,000, compared to concrete frame.

No magic bullet But before we get too doe eyed about CLT, as with any material, there are technical limitations. The frame may go up fast, but some developer clients have expressed concern about the time required to line internal walls and floors.

Floor slabs must often be thicker than concrete to achieve the same strength and may require a screed finish for acoustics. For example, the Highpoint block required a double skin of plasterboard to meet acoustic performance criteria.

Timber must be kept dry, so tight envelope and waterproofing systems are a prerequisite, while the Grenfell Tower tragedy has underlined the need for clear and appropriate fire protection strategies, especially when building high with timber.

Protecting the installed product should be a key consideration, says

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Building high… timber skyscrapers

Norwegian timber specialist believes timber towers could hit 150m as the technology develops Kevin Mallon, project coordinator with Gilbert-Ash for the Freemen’s School project in Ashtead, Surrey, which features an engineered timber swimming pool.

“We erected exclusion zones to protect the frame,” he explains. “We also avoided wrapping the product in protection as we understand from our experience that this affects the moisture levels on the timber surface and subsequently causes the surfaces to change colour due to the exposure of external elements.”

Examples of 100% CLT structures for high-rise building are still comparatively unusual, and most towers above nine storeys are hybrids using a concrete core for stability and sometime additional steel structure.

It can also be tricky to achieve long continuous spans, says Changebuilding’s Campbell: “If looking to do 12m to 15m floor spans, it is probably not your first choice. Beyond 9m the material’s lightness starts to impact on the strength and dynamic performance of the floor.”

However, architects and specifiers are increasingly using CLT in combination with other wood technologies, such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL) or glulam, to achieve bigger spans and new spaces. The recently completed factory headquarters building for Vitsoe in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, is the first structure in the UK made entirely of a newly developed beech LVL. Other innovative timber systems on the market include Kielsteg, a form of hollowcore timber deck designed to achieve long spans, and a glue-free form of CLT, produced by German firm Thoma, that uses super-dry wood dowels to bond the laminate together.

“Changing the methodology changes the way you have to procure and sequence the following trades” Jonathan Fovargue, Eurban

The claim to be the tallest timber tower in the world currently belongs to Brock Commons, a 53m-high student residence at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada. It will, however, shortly be eclipsed by other structures rising in Europe.

Brock Commons, like other high-rise buildings with timber structural components, in fact uses a hybrid construction methodology. The 18-storey tower uses glulam columns which support CLT floor panels, with steel connectors at the intersections, plus a concrete foundation and two concrete stair cores.

Meanwhile, the two towers of the HoHo building in Vienna will rise to 24 storeys and a height of 84m on completion later this year.

Around three-quarters of the structure is being constructed from timber, with wood-composite floors secured to central concrete cores, and supporting timber columns around the building’s perimeter.

External wall modules, made from concrete shells and solid wood panels, form the building’s facade.

In December, Norwegian timber specialist Moelven announced it is building Mjøstårnet, an 81m-tall mixed-use tower in Brumunddal, 100km north of Oslo, though again it is a hybrid.

Director Rune Abrahamsen – also

Views from the ninth floor of Moelven’s 81m Mjøstårnet responsible for the residential development Treet in Bergen, which was constructed in 2015 and previously held the world record for the tallest timber building at 51m – believes that timber skyscrapers can go past the 150m mark.

The Mjøstårnet structure will be built using CLT, glulam and laminated veneer lumber.

Abrahamsen explains that because Mjøstårnet is a narrow building, with a width of just 16m, Moelven is using concrete slabs for the top seven floors.

“Tall wood buildings sway more than those built from steel and concrete due to a far lower weight, and swaying at high winds

has been calculated to be around 14m at the top,” he says.

“The effects are the same with or without concrete slabs, but the greater weight towards the top means that swaying will be slower, thus preventing ‘seasickness’ among residents.”

With a larger building footprint, Abrahamsen believes that it will be possible to build timber buildings considerably taller.

“It’s mainly the width that determines how tall we may build a timber building,” he says.

“Greater width means the building sways less.

A wider building would make it unproblematic to build higher than 100m, and even perhaps 150m.”

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Building wide… a timber ‘groundscraper’

A giant futuristic business complex in the Netherlands is set to make the most of CLT

CLT use will cut the Dutch Mountains’ carbon footprint The capabilities of CLT will be stretched, in the horizontal plane, with construction of the Dutch Mountains – a 440m-long “groundscraper” that will be almost as long as the Petronas Towers are tall – due to be built near Eindhoven in the Netherlands early next year.

The 80,000 sq m complex, located in the town of Veldhoven, is conceived as a futuristic Google-style HQ with an open-plan layout designed to maximise interaction between tenants which currently include electronics giant Philips and the Brainport Experience Center, a showcase for pioneering technologies.

The detailed design is being developed by a team including architect Studio Marco Vermeulen, property development consultant Urban XChange, creative development agency BLOC, and consulting engineer Arup.

The building’s structural frame is likely to be built from 100% CLT as part of ambitious long-term environmental targets.

Marco Vermeulen, director of Studio Marco Vermeulen, tells CM: “A full CLT structural frame should not be too difficult because, at 11 storeys high, this is not a high-rise. The use of timber is expected to have an enormous impact on the carbon footprint, mainly due to the amount of CO2 sequestered in the wood.”

An innovative circular economic financing model will see building services and systems leased to the Dutch Mountains service company by manufacturers, rather than sold as a one-off purchase.

This will enable various components, including facade systems and interior luminaires, to be removed and updated or replaced, using simple click-on/ click-off systems, roughly every 10 to 15 years, as the technology advances.

“The model is very interesting because will it give the manufacturer an incentive to update systems to make them more energy efficient, enabling us to increase the amount of energy harvested,” says Vermeulen.

CLT does have proven eco credentials.

Wood is sourced from sustainably managed EU forests, the adhesives are non-toxic and comprise just 2% of the product. But more could be done to research its long-term impact on the environment, says Campbell.

“The industry hasn’t quite taken it to the next logical step of a full product lifecycle, detailing what happens at the end of life, whether that means dismantling buildings and reusing the product or using the material for biomass energy release,” he says.

Bigger picture A change in structural material is always a challenge contractors, but perhaps more significant are the implications for project procurement and construction methodology. The advance of the offsite agenda and closer integration

with BIM make CLT an attractive option, but this places a focus on early design and integration; if a project team tries to shoehorn in engineered timber at RIBA stage 4, it is likely to miss the value available in stages 2 and 3.

Eurban has been working in 4D BIM with developers, creating animations of work sequences to help them align the programme with the high speed at which the structure is erected.

“Changing the methodology changes the way you have to procure and sequence the following trades,” says director Jonathan Fovargue.

“Those that get that are the ones who will really get the maximum benefits out of CLT as a structural system. If you just think of it as the same as a concrete frame and flood the project with workers doing the fit out, you’re not going to capture the full value.” ●

Precut CLT sections are craned in at Mace’s Highpoint, south London

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M an ag in - d g su yn rfa am ce ic wa so te lu r n tio e ns ed fo s sm rn a ow rt St an des o wi rm d ig W fo n t f ew ro h e Br rt i m x he or n x h tra a m ke fu d ns nc an tu in e po d ag re th rta co es e fo e ns in t i r e ng on tr fi W as in to uct ltra e e o ee co ion tio kn r f i ns a n a ow co ng tru nd n ns th c t pe d a tru e ed rf tte di c t ffe in orm nu io te a at n re gr n io nc ity ce n e be it ne m ak fit s, es

Water Management StormBrixx

M R O ST

XX I BR

K .U O C O. C .A W W W

INSIGHT• ONSITE/TIMBER MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Structural insulated panels used by Low Carbon Construction

lM aximum dimensions 1.2m by 6m l External and separating walls 175mm thick, internal walls 100mm thick l Faced with 15mm oriented strand board (OSB) grade 3 l Polyurethane insulation core l Maximum weight 25.5kg/m2 l U-value of 0.18W/m2k l CE, BBA and BM Trada certified

At Portsmouth SIPs modules were used to add top-floor apartments

LOW CARBON, HIGH AMBITIONS DEVELOPER-CONSTRUCTOR LOW CARBON CONSTRUCTION PLANS TO BUILD 10,000 AFFORDABLE HOMES A YEAR USING ITS MODULAR SIPS SYSTEM. OWNER SIMON ALLSO EXPLAINS HIS AMBITIONS AND HIS THINKING TO WILL MANN For a new developer to target building 10,000 affordable new homes a year is ambitious. To do this using modular and eco-friendly methods takes this ambition to even greater heights. But that’s the goal of Simon Allso, owner of Hampshirebased Low Carbon Construction (LCC), a developer-constructor which focuses chiefly on new-build affordable housing.

The company uses a modular building system, based on structural insulated

Simon Allso: “It is a scalable model, so we could have 1,000 sites and 1,000 factories”

panels (SIPs), which was devised by Allso in 2010.

“I wanted to work with lightweight materials that could be used for volumetric construction,” he says.

“The Hemsec SIPs can be used for floors, internal and external walls (loadbearing and non-loadbearing), and are up to 6m long so can create double-height spaces. We can create flat or pitched roofs, the advantage of SIPs being that they create an open roof void in pitched roofs as we don’t need trusses.

“We can use the SIPs to create any bespoke modular building, and have done schools and commercial buildings, but our focus is on affordable housing.”

Allso initially set up a modular factory in Portsmouth. But after a strategy reappraisal, he closed it in 2015, deciding the future lay in smaller scale onsite assembly plants.

“Fixed factories restrict volume housebuilding,” he says. “They put a cap on output, and are also not environmentally sound, as the homes manufactured have to be put on a low loader and transported to the housing development. Instead, we have localised factories on site. It is a scalable model, so we could have 1,000 sites and 1,000 factories.”

Projects to date have included smallscale schemes, such as an extension to a three-storey art deco building in Portsmouth, where 20 SIPs modules were craned in to create an extra floor of nine 70 sq m apartments. Its biggest development to date is for 850 homes at Parc Emlyn near Llanelli, ranging from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom detached houses. Allso’s ambition is to tackle mostly larger schemes of “100 to 150 units upwards” to give economy of scale for the factories.

“The factories are demountable and reusable, built from SIPs and a steel

frame, and sited on piles,” he says.

“They are 10,000 sq ft to 15,000 sq ft [930-1,400 sq m] in area and can be erected in five days.”

The onsite-offsite factories, as Allso calls them, assemble components from LCC’s 58 supply chain partners into modular sections. Workers come through labour supply companies registered with Constructionline, with an emphasis on local resourcing. “If we have a site in Swansea, for example, we will go to a local labour supply company and recruit six electricians to work that site for four years,” says Allso. Project management is also supplied externally,

by Hertfordshire-based CLPM. The work itself is done almost entirely inside the factories. “We use BIM, and design tolerances are accurate to 2mm, so there is minimal cutting at the sites,” says Allso. “There are very little wet trades, apart from things like fitting brick slips to the facades.

“It takes around 150 workers to deliver one complete house per day.”

The houses are typically two storeys and have a 9m by 5m footprint, though Allso says LCC is capable of building to a 17m by 10m footprint. The largest to date is a 720 sq m house on three floors.

Allso says his SIPs system could go up to six storeys. “Any higher requires a transfer plate and steel frame,” he says. “But we do not generally believe in high-rise living. We want to create family homes.”

As LCC’s name suggests, it has a strong sustainability focus. “Our homes have solar panels which effectively makes them zero carbon,” he says.

“But EPC ratings do not include solar, so they currently achieve EPC grade B. “The running costs of the homes are very low, in line with our affordability focus. These are the most efficient built

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 INSIGHT• ONSITE/TIMBER

Iain McIlwee

British Woodworking Federation

“The factories are demountable and reusable, built from SIPs and a steel frame and sited on piles” Simon Allso, Low Carbon Construction

by any national housebuilder, and we would like to force standards upwards.”

Unsurprisingly, he is scathing about housebuilding policy: “Government wants more affordable homes, but doesn’t deliver it. Major housebuilders are trying to build the least number of homes possible. Right to buy has destroyed affordable housing for councils.”

LCC is not a registered social landlord because, Allso says, “we don’t want to be subject to Right to Buy”. He adds: “We have discussed with housing associations the option of buying up to 10% on a site, but no more. The buyers will be mostly private, and we have a separate group company, LCC Finance, which offers mortgage assistance.”

Interestingly, Allso plans to “protect” the affordable status of the homes: “The owners will not be allowed to own any other home and, even though freehold, the covenant on the property will restrict the resale value of the house to no more than the original price plus inflation.”

It sounds pioneering, which is exactly how Allso sees his company. However, he declines to comment on LCC’s costs or its margin. The firm has 6,900 individual plots across 12 sites, either “under option” or with “heads of terms”, and by the end of 2018 aims to have 30,000 plots awaiting or with planning permission.

It forecasts delivering 10,000 homes a year from 2019/20. ●

IMPROVING WELLBEING WITH WOOD WITH GROWING FOCUS ON THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF BUILDING OCCUPANTS, INCLUDING THE EMERGENCE OF THE WELL STANDARD, TIMBER’S STRONG BIOPHILIA CREDENTIALS ARE GETTING RECOGNISED, SAYS IAIN MCILWEE

Over recent years there has been a global movement to design buildings that are not only functional and practical, but that also aid the health and wellbeing of their occupants. This involves considerations such as indoor air quality, level of light and colours used, as well as the role of biophilia.

Biophilia is the affinity that humans have towards the natural world. As the physical environment has become increasingly urban, the connection to the environment has deteriorated. This is often seen in buildings where natural light, greenery and organic materials are replaced with artificial alternatives.

A study by business psychologist Robertson Cooper found that employee wellbeing was 15% higher in office spaces where natural elements such as plants and sunlight were incorporated.

Another study, by the US Green Building Council, concluded that buildings that incorporate nature-resembling colours, such as green, blue and brown, have a positive impact on wellbeing.

In 2014 the Well Building Standard was launched to validate buildings aiming to advance human health and

The Bartholomew Barn at King’s School Worcester uses timber to boost wellness

“A survey found that 47% agreed that natural materials in the home made them happier than artificial materials”

wellness. Currently 708 projects across 32 countries have achieved the standard, including 22 Bishopsgate in London – the UK’s first Well-certified building. The standard measures a building’s impact on its occupants’ health against several factors: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, mind and innovation.

Timber is one natural material which can encourage a positive biophilic response. For instance, a survey by the Wood Window Alliance (WWA) found that 47% of those surveyed agreed that having natural materials in their home made them feel happier than artificial materials.

In addition, a joint report by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) and sustainability consultant SGS Search found that a WWA standard window meets the health elements required of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Standard Silver level.

This holistic design concept aims to create building systems that are efficient, healthy and essentially waste-free, and bans chemicals and substances that accumulate in the environment and lead to irreversible negative health effects.

A recent example of a project incorporating timber to promote health benefits is King’s School Worcester’s multi-purpose Bartholomew Barn.

Completed in 2016 to Passivhaus standards, it is based on Passivhaus patron Saint-Gobain’s Multi-Comfort standard, which focuses on thermal comfort, acoustic comfort, indoor air comfort and visual comfort.

The barn has a glulam structure, and timber enhances acoustic performance.

Saint-Gobain says pupils describe the building as “light”, “warm”, and “modern”.

Iain Mcllwee is CEO of the British Woodworking Federation.

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/CPD MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Below: Manchester Northern Quarter Skyline Central has its cladding removed after Grenfell fire

Large-scale system testing

Putting the envelope to the test LARGE-SCALE TESTING TO PREDICT PERFORMANCE IN REAL FIRES IS A VITAL SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THOSE CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS SPECIFYING AND INSTALLING CLADDING AND FACADE SYSTEMS, SAYS ALAN SCUPHAM

The Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety due to be published in spring 2018 is long overdue. However, until any changes are implemented, the situation leaves construction professionals uncertain about where to turn to for clear guidance, especially when it comes to specifying and installing cladding and facade systems.

One way to gain a good understanding of how a specific cladding system will behave in a fire is to look at whether it has undergone a large-scale test. This CPD sets out to provide evidence of the validity of using large-scale testing to predict cladding system and building envelope performance in real fires.

This approach is cited in the current regulatory guidance as providing a route to compliance for facades on buildings with a storey over 18m. The performance-based route is referenced in Approved Document B2 (England & Wales), Technical Handbook 2 (Scotland) and BCA Technical Guidance Note 18 – Issue 1 June 2015, and the assessment criteria are set out in BR 135: Fire performance 40

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 INSIGHT• ONSITE/CPD

Sponsored by

of external thermal insulation for walls of multi-storey buildings. BR 135 sets the required performance criteria of the complete assembly comprising the external cladding system when tested to BS 8414.

BR 135 to BS 8414 The BS 8414 test is a large-scale assembly test measuring fire spread and flame propagation on a rig representing a typical high-rise building geometry and cladding installation.

It replicates a fire starting inside a room, breaking out through a window and exposing the external facade to fire.

Figure 1 (see box, right) shows the configuration of the rig. A wooden crib is located in the 2m x 2m combustion chamber.

Once ignited, the crib can reach a peak heat release of 3MW, replicating a severe fire.

The marks indicated in grey and green are thermocouples, located 2.5m and 5m above the combustion chamber, which are used to measure temperature during the test.

BR 135 sets three performance criteria: external fire spread, internal fire spread and mechanical performance. To comply with the Building Regulations, using the performancebased route to compliance, the thermocouples cannot exceed 600°C for a period of at least 30 seconds within 15 minutes of the start time.

Products which are successfully tested as part of complete cladding systems are deemed compliant in the specific configuration in which they were tested. In other words, if any part of the system is to be altered, it should be retested or assessed.

Why not just use ‘non-combustible’ materials?

Despite the importance of understanding how the whole system will behave in a fire, there currently exists another route to compliance for high-rise buildings that relies on the basic classification of products as “non-combustible” or “of limited combustibility” (in England and Wales).

These product or material classifications use

small-scale laboratory tests, such as BS 476-4 and BS 476-11, that do not reflect real-life fire situations or establish how various products perform together when installed as a system.

It is important to remember that, in the case of insulation materials, even products that are classed overall as “non-combustible” can contain varying quantities of binders and other elements that will burn. A rainscreen facade will also contain any number of combustible elements, regardless of the classification of the insulation and facade material. These include membranes, gaskets, sealants and fillers.

Other factors, such as cavity sizes, quality of installation and the overall design of the facade can have an impact on whether and how easily a fire can spread. This is why it is crucial to test the whole cladding system on a realistic scale, not simply consider the performance of individual components in isolation.

Large-scale insurer-backed testing Insurance companies have long recognised the limitations of the small-scale testing required for many aspects of Building Regulations compliance, and have devised their own – generally far more rigorous – test and certification regimes to provide an assurance of asset protection, regardless of the height of the building.

At a time when insurance premiums are becoming more of an issue for contractors and building owners, it is helpful to understand what these tests are, and which systems to look for that have insurer-rated test approval.

UK insurance requirements In the UK the loss prevention certification board (LPCB) has specif ic insurance requirements, and has developed the relevant test standards for the building envelope: l LPS 1181-1 for exterior walls and roofs l LPS 1181-2 for interior walls and ceilings l LPS 1208 for external walls and internal walls and ceilings.

“It is crucial to test the whole cladding system on a realistic scale, not simply consider the performance of individual elements in isolation”

Figure 1: BR 135 to BS 8414 l 9m test rig l Resembles two floors above the combustion chamber l The fire will release approximately 3MW during its peak heat release l Incorporates system-specific details, cavity barriers and fire stopping l 30 minute flame exposure

Level 2

Level 2add

Level 1

Level 1add

Wing Main face

Combustion Chamber

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/CPD MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

4471

4880

Right: Each of the FM standards deals with different panel applications

4881

4880 4880

4880

4880

4880

Real fire case study: Wharfedale Hospital Large-scale testing provides a very good indication of how products are likely to perform, but the real test is how closely insulated panel systems live up to their results when exposed to a real fire A fire broke out at Wharfedale Hospital in Leeds in 2003. The building, which was steel framed with concrete floors, was under construction and was partially clad.

The first and second floors had been covered with PIR core insulated panels approved by LPCB to EXT-B of LPS 1181 Part 1. However, the ground floor glazing had not yet been installed and this level had been left open-sided.

It is thought the fire was started deliberately, by igniting adhesive stored on the ground floor. Security alerted the fire service, bringing it under control within 40 minutes.

The heat was significant, with 10m high flames impinging directly on the PIR core panels. The concrete floor cracked and the steel beams – protected with a fire-resistant intumescent coating – distorted.

Firefighters cut into the insulated panels, exposing the steel columns for inspection (pictured left). The PIR core revealed appears unaffected by fire. The fire service found light smoke but no fire spread on upper floors.

An independent report concluded that the PIR core of the insulated wall panels did not ignite, and did not promote fire spread within the core or to the eaves.

A series of real fire case studies has given similar conclusions demonstrating that PIR cores char, fire is not propagated in the core, and there is no evidence to demonstrate that insurance industry approved panels increased risk of fire spread.

See www.epic.uk.com for details.

“Evidence may be seen of the protective black char which typically forms on exposure and self-extinguishes once the fire source has been removed” LPS 1208 focuses on various periods of fire resistance, whereas LPS 1181-1 and 2 focuses on reaction to fire tests and can also make provision for a period of fire resistance.

LPCB LPS 1181-1: Large-scale external wall and roof test This is designed to determine a number of key performance requirements: l Flashover l Internal surface flaming l External surface flaming l Concealed burning l Burning brands l Damage The configuration of the test is as a “garage” test consisting of a structure that is 10m by 4.5m wide and 3m high. The test is designed to measure fire spread and propagation.

A large wooden crib is located on a steel table inside the garage test. At 1.5m from the centre of the crib is a vertical red line on both adjoining walls and the ceiling, indicating a failure point for horizontal flame spread – flames must not spread beyond 1.5m from the centre of the wooden crib on either the walls or the ceiling.

After the test has been completed, the independent testing lab will remove the insulated panels from the test rig. These are then examined for evidence of concealed burning and damage. On the exposed side of insulated panels with the internal steel sheet removed evidence may be seen of the protective black char which typically forms

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 INSIGHT• ONSITE/CPD

Below: In a room test a vertical red line on walls and ceiling indicates a failure point for flame spread

upon exposure of high-performing PIR insulation to fire, and which self-extinguishes once the fire source has been removed.

FM 4880, FM 4881, FM 4471 While LPCB is known and accepted in the UK, it is far less well known on the world stage.

FM Global, on the other hand, is a worldwide insurance and risk management enterprise.

FM Approvals,a member of the FM Global Group, is an international third-party testing and certification service. It tests property loss prevention products and services for use in commercial and industrial facilities, to verify that they meet rigorous loss prevention standards of quality, technical integrity and performance. Its FM Approved mark is recognised and respected worldwide.

The FM suite of testing can include elements such as: l Factory auditing l Combustibility from inside and outside l Wind uplift l Foot traffic l Hail resistance The most relevant standards for assessing the fire performance of insulated panel systems are: FM 4880, FM 4881 and FM 4471. Each of these deals with different panel applications (see image top left). l FM 4880 is for Class 1 fire rating of building panels or interior finish materials. It deals with internal applications only. l FM 4881 is for Class 1 exterior wall systems l FM 4471 is for Class 1 panel roofs, relating to the fire and spanning performance of exterior roof panels only.

An important point to consider is that for the external envelope to comply with FM requirements it needs to meet both FM 4880 and FM 4881.

A range of fire tests are performed in order to achieve FM Approval. These include tests on the insulation core and large-scale system tests which can include the FM 50ft Corner Test. In this test, the two wings/walls are 15.2m

(50ft) high, and 6m (20ft) in width. The fire ignition source is 345kg of dry oak.

Based on the performance of the insulated panel system you can get the following classifications: l Class 1 with no height restriction l Class 1 to a 50ft (15.2m) max height l Class 1 to a 30ft (9.1m) max height Another test in the FM suite which is applicable for FM 4880 and FM 4881 is the UBC 26-3 room fire test. It is essentially a room test with a wooden crib in the corner of the room, measuring flame spread and fire propagation.

Conclusion Contractors and specifiers are coming under increasing pressure to specify roof, wall and facade systems that have been rigorously tested, irrespective of the amount of combustible or non-combustible products used.

We know from research, testing and observation of real fire case studies that it is possible for systems incorporating “combustible” insulation (for example, products that achieve a Euro Classification of B to EN 13501-1) to perform extremely well, and in some cases to outperform equivalent systems with non-combustible (for example, products that achieve Euro Classifications A1) insulation.

Design considerations should be based on large-scale system testing rather than individual product classifications, as it provides high-quality evidence of performance, offering peace of mind for building owners and assurance for insurers, helping to keep clients happy, tenants safe and premiums low. ● Alan Scupham is design manager at Steadmans and EPIC Management Committee representative.

Visit www.constructionmanagermagazine. com/cpd-articles to test yourself on the questions on the right and to see past CPD articles.

CPD: Large-scale system testing 1. What does BR 135 relate to? a) Internal panel applications b) External cladding systems for buildings with storeys over 18m c) Individual facade components 2. What does BS 8414 measure? a) Surface spread of flame b) Fire resistance c) Fire spread 3. What is LPS 1181-1? a) Small-scale combustibility test b) Large-scale insurer test for exterior walls and roofs c) Large-scale insurer test for interior walls and ceilings

4. Failure of the BR 135 requirements is established when thermocouples exceed a specific temperature for a period of at least 30 seconds within 15 minutes of the start time. What is the lowest temperature at which it will fail? a) 900°C b) 750°C c) 600°C 5. Which is a relevant FM Approvals Standard for exterior wall systems? a) FM 8440 b) FM 4881 c) FM 4477

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

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Established for over 20 years, Premier Guarantee has covered over £57 billion of properties across the UK, Ireland and Europe with multiple offices across England and in Europe.

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Have you ever considered what else our surveyors get up to apart from pointing things out on site? What do surveyors look for? We can safely say very few sites are the same and this question is not simple to answer.

From basements to roof structure, first fix to completion, façade cladding and fire safety elements. Our surveyors look at it all.

Our teams aim to visit three to four sites every day. A warranty surveyor will be looking after a mixed variety of sites from single self-build properties to larger mixed developments being built in phases up to six storeys in height. Our surveyors are responsible for discussing site progress with

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the site manager to ensure it is being built in accordance with Premier Guarantee’s technical standards, and to answer any technical queries they may have.

Our surveyors are home based and after site visits, there is another side of the role to complete which includes producing a technical report for each site inspected. This is distributed electronically to the customer via email and extranet access. Warranty surveyors also undertake technical audits on design packages, evaluating the key risks that may cause a future claim against the insurance policy. There are also the telephone calls to clients, arranging the next day’s visits, reading CPD material or discussing an issue with colleagues to be undertaken. When a warranty risk surveyor is not in the field they may be found attending in-house training courses, team meetings or on holiday!

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l Company funded annual Benefit

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19/02/2018 18:12

EXPERTS MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

46-51

Experts KEEPING YOU IN THE KNOW ON LEGAL, TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

48 ICEBERG BASEMENTS 49 PAYMENT DUE NOTIFICATION 51 INSURANCE POST GRENFELL

Regulations

Why are the 2015 CDM Regs being ignored?

ALMOST THREE YEARS ON FROM THE CDM 2015 REGULATIONS, THE CHANGES THEY HERALDED ARE YET TO TAKE ROOT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. JOANNA MANTELL EXPLORES THEIR POOR INTEGRATION TO DATE

Joanna Mantell LHS Solicitors

The changes to the Construction, Design and Management (CDM) Regulations which came into effect in 2015 were generally seen as logical.

Under the old legislation, there were problems with interpretation, levels of bureaucracy, and onerous competency assessments.

Significantly, there appeared to be a real lack of co-ordination in the pre-construction phase, put down to late appointment of coordinators, lack of resources and failure to fully embed coordinators into the design team.

In response, the CDM 2015 regulations were devised. These aimed to: l Address concerns that health and safety had become a specialism of health and safety co-ordinators and bring it back to the designers and client who influence a project from the outset. l Reduce the trend for multiple safety accreditations through the removal of the Approved Code of Practice. l Align the UK regulations with the European

Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Temporary or Mobile Construction Sites Directive. l Embed CDM principles into smaller projects, where the majority of accidents occur, by requiring a construction phase plan.

The CDM Regulations 2015 came into force on 6 April 2015. Under the new regulations, decision-makers in the construction industry have to be aware of the duties ascribed to each person involved in a project, and when a project becomes notifiable to the relevant authority.

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 EXPERTS

Preparing for the new PPE regime Construction companies need to ensure their equipment remains compliant under the new EU PPE Regulation coming into force this April. Warren Lynes explains

“Breach of the regulations is a criminal offence punishable with unlimited fines and, for individuals, imprisonment” Where a project is notifiable, notice must be given in writing to the HSE (or other relevant enforcing authority) as soon as possible and before construction begins, where the project is either scheduled to last longer than 30 days and involves 20 or more workers at any one time, or is scheduled to exceed 500 person-days.

A further change introduced in the new regulations was the removal of the role of CDM co-ordinator. A new role, that of principal designer, was defined as taking on the planning, monitoring and coordination of health and safety in the pre-construction phase and liaising with the principal contractor in the construction phase.

It is the responsibility of the principal designer to help clients prepare the pre-construction information and ensure it is received promptly by the designers and principal contractor. Unfortunately, this key change, which came in with the CDM 2015 Regulations, has not become reality on construction projects.

The intention was that the principal designer role would be assumed by the architect or lead engineer. However, in practice, these professionals have proved reluctant to take on this role directly, often discharging their duties by hiring a CDM adviser. This is simply adding cost without achieving the aims of the new regulations.

Also, we are still seeing businesses having to obtain various accreditations to tender for work. Clients regard this as an easy route to compliance under CDM 2015 – a tick-box exercise for health and safety, where the

relevant accreditations are regarded as a guarantee that the contractor is competent.

The failure to properly understand and integrate CDM regulations into the working practices of those operating in the construction industry is a considerable problem – not least because breach of the regulations is a criminal offence punishable with unlimited fines and, for individuals, imprisonment.

Increased penalties The new sentencing guidelines introduced two years ago increase penalties imposed for health and safety breaches and, where there is an intentional or persistent failure to comply, they can be intended to bankrupt a company.

Clearly then, it is important to improve both understanding of, and adherence to, the CDM 2015 Regulations across the industry.

For current understanding and implementation to be improved, change must come from the top, with clients and principal designers looking at the intentions of the legislation rather than simply the strict letter of the law. Health and safety needs to be a serious consideration from the beginning of any project, and competence for each role must be properly considered and monitored.

Health and safety should be considered as an important part of the design stage, rather than as an afterthought. If a change in attitude towards CDM 2015 can be achieved on major projects, then it will break down resistance on the smaller projects that were a target of the changes. ● Joanna Mantell is a lawyer at LHS Solicitors.

The new PPE Regulation which comes into force next month has significant implications for construction companies.

PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 takes effect on 21 April, following a two-year transition period. Replacing the 1992 PPE Directive, the regulation is designed to ensure fair competition across the EU and to bring personal protective equipment in line with current legislation.

Products certified to the 1992 Directive can still be sold up until 21 April 2019, but manufacturers must certify products to the new regulation after that date, to ensure they can still be sold. The regulation will apply to the entire supply chain, with manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers having the same obligations.

One key change is that hearing protection will move from PPE Category II to Category III, to become Complex PPE. As well as being examined by a notified body, such as BSI Group, which will issue an EC Typeexamination certificate for each product, Category III products must be manufactured under a quality management system, to ensure production performance. This system must be assessed yearly by a notified body.

According to the latest figures from the HSE, based on figures from the Labour Force Survey between 2014/15 and 2016/17, an estimated 20,000 workers suffer from workrelated hearing problems caused, or made worse by, their working environment.

The new PPE Regulation will not change employers’ obligations to measure noise levels, provide medical check-ups for workers, or supply them with hearing protection.

However, construction firms will now need to check their suppliers’ product certification and ask for details on manufacturing processes and quality assurance systems.

Reputable manufacturers, suppliers and distributors should be happy to share this information and support clients, with PPE audits for example, to reassure them that their PPE meets the latest standards.

It has always been important that PPE is tested to current standards. In coming years, it will be equally important to ensure this equipment continues to be compliant and that supply chains are ready for the changes brought about by the new PPE Regulation.

Warren Lynes is managing director of OnSite Support.

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EXPERTS MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Salvatore Amico Attwaters Jameson Hill

In today’s modern cities space is at a premium, which is why the extending of residential properties has become the norm.

While many look to add structures to the back or front of a property or consider a loft conversion, there is a growing trend for the construction or conversion of basements. In fact, recent research shows that in the last decade the number of planning applications in the UK for the addition of basements to an existing home has soared by more than 183%.

London and its upscale areas, such as Kensington and Chelsea, have seen some of the largest growth in basement developments, with the top 16 local authorities for basement planning applications all within the capital.

Due to this sudden surge in interest, the planning regime has had to constantly evolve, as councils and the courts draw different interpretations for current legislation.

While conversion of an existing basement into a living space is not likely to require planning permission, problems arise where homeowners go further and instead excavate under their homes and gardens in order to build new basements or extend existing ones.

This requires substantial engineering work and can cause significant disruption to neighbours, as well as putting their properties at risk from damage, which is why it will usually require a planning application or at least discussion with local planning authorities.

In the past, most councils allowed for the creation of new basement space under permitted development rights. However, since the decision in Eatherley v London Borough of Camden in 2016 – which centred on whether engineering works were a necessary part of the basement development or a separate activity – most councils have made it compulsory to submit a planning application when extending a basement.

In this case the claimant, Michael Eatherley, challenged the decision by Camden Council to grant a certificate of lawful development for a single-storey basement extension under

Development

How iceberg basements have changed planning considerations THE SUBTERRANEAN BUILDING BOOM HAS REQUIRED A CHANGE IN APPROACH FROM LOCAL AUTHORITY PLANNING OFFICERS. SALVATORE AMICO EXPLAINS

Digging deep: excavation under way on a basement project in Hampstead, London

the permitted development rules. He argued that Camden Council had confused itself by believing that the engineering operations were “necessary” for the basement development to occur and would automatically fall within the scope of Class A of the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO).

The judge in the case found this approach to be inconsistent with case law, which stated that an activity could be a “separate activity of substance” even if necessary for, and integral to, the development authorised under the GPDO. This means that most basement developments do not in fact fall under permitted development rights, as previously thought, but should instead require planning permission.

This is not to say that all builds will need permission, but it does mean that most local authorities now require permission to be granted before work can go ahead.

Where permission is definitely required in all cases is where the basement exceeds more than one storey. This comes after the High Court clarified planning legislation by ruling that a person can extend their house under permitted development rights by adding a basement, as long as it is only one storey.

Additionally, a subterranean development cannot extend beyond the boundaries of the property in to another property owner’s land, with or without permission.

Most local councils will also stipulate that you can’t excavate a basement more than three metres beyond the back wall of a house. This is true whether the build requires permission or not, apart from in a few exceptional cases.

Policy on the creation of new living spaces within basements is constantly changing and is full of grey areas, so it is essential that architects, builders and developers are properly advised when working on subterranean extensions to ensure they operate within the law and the conditions of the relevant local authority. ● Salvatore Amico is head of town & country planning at Attwaters Jameson Hill.

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 EXPERTS

Theresa Mohammed Trowers & Hamlins

Legal

Understanding correct payment due notification THE RECENT CASE OF SYSTEMS PIPEWORK V ROTARY BUILDING SERVICES ILLUSTRATED THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEARLY NOTIFYING THE AMOUNT DUE ON A CONTRACT.

BY THERESA MOHAMMED

What constitutes a “proper” notification of the amount due on a contract? The recent case of Systems Pipework v Rotary Building Services highlighted this issue.

Rotary engaged Systems to supply and install mechanical and electrical systems at the Davidstow Creamery in Cornwall. The subcontract required Systems to submit its final account within four weeks of completion. In return, Rotary was to value the amount due and notify Systems. If Systems wished to dissent it had 14 days, failing which the figure notified would be deemed to be agreed and binding.

Clause 28.5 of the subcontract required the subcontractor to submit to the contractor its proposed final account within four weeks of completion of the subcontract works.

Clause 28.6 provided: “The contractor shall assess the proper amount due for payment in respect of the subcontractor’s final account based on the information submitted in accordance with clause 28.5 and shall notify the subcontractor accordingly within 13 weeks

of receipt of the subcontractor’s proposed final account or such longer time as would be reasonable in all the circumstances.

“In the absence of a proposed final account submission from the subcontractor in accordance with clause 28.5, the contractor may value the proper amount due for payment in respect of the subcontractor’s final account on a fair and reasonable basis and notify the subcontractor accordingly. In either case, if such notification is not dissented from in writing by the

“The court emphasised that a notice that has a draconian effect must make it clear what clause it has been issued under and must set out the sum that is due”

subcontractor within 14 days, then the notified figure will be deemed to have been agreed and will be binding on the parties.”

Systems carried out the works referred to as DC1 and DC2 and submitted a “revised final account for DC1” and asked for “review and comment”. On 22 May, it made an interim application for the DC2 works. That was not paid.

On 2 September 2016, Rotary provided Systems with “our final account assessment”.

This identified Systems’ figure of £3,284,424.62, while Rotary’s figure was £2,643,212.58. On 16 September 2016, Systems started an adjudication in respect of payment for the works and Rotary started an adjudication to say that Systems was bound by the final account assessment. Systems lost the adjudication, so applied to the court for a declaration as to whether the documents sent

by Rotary amounted to a proper notification of the amount due and if this was binding.

The court held that Rotary’s notice fell short of what was required. Neither the accompanying letter nor the document attached stated it was the notification of an amount due. Both were described as a “final account assessment”. It was emphasised that, under a clause that provides for a deemed agreement that binds the parties unequivocally, it is a prerequisite that the sum due and the clause are clearly set out in the relevant notice. It was held that it was not good enough to say the recipient could have worked it out or relied on other documents provided later.

The court emphasised that a notice that has a draconian effect must make it clear what clause it has been issued under and must set out the sum that is due. Rotary’s correspondence did not state it was the notification of the amount due, failed to refer to the contractual provision and was just an assessment of the value of works.

As such, it was not binding upon Systems. In any event, Systems had started an adjudication which prevented the sum being the subject of actual or deemed agreement. This meant the binding provision did not come into force. ● Theresa Mohammed is partner in dispute resolution & litigation at Trowers & Hamlins.

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20/02/2018 15:54

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JUNE 2017 For members of the CIOB

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23/01/2018 14:07

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 EXPERTS

Ian Gregory

director MPW

The Grenfell Tower fire was always likely to have significant consequences for cladding contractors and their professional services providers. And one of them is the likelihood of huge increases in their insurance premiums, specifically for professional indemnity insurance.

Since the tragedy, there has been huge concern about fire safety and the use of certain types of composite panelling and cladding on buildings. Attention is on buildings over 18m in height, with a focus on aluminium composite material (ACM) panels – the type used on Grenfell. Insurers are reviewing their positions and their responses will not be particularly comfortable for the policyholders.

Insurance brokers are already seeing reactions from insurers which include: l Not writing business where any level of cladding is included in the activities being undertaken; l Placing endorsements on the policy which completely exclude cladding combustibility cover; l Offering cover with restrictions; and l Not offering cover for contracts working above certain heights.

Regarding risks specifically involving cladding and associated activities, there is now a very cautious approach across the insurance market.

Those insurers who continue to offer cladding cover now require considerably more detailed information prior to cover placement and during the pre-renewal period. The information provided will influence an insurer’s decision to offer or reject a request for insurance, and may even result in refusal to renew an existing policy.

Typical questions asked by insurers include: l Is there any involvement with high rise buildings? l Are façade and insulation materials fire resistant or non-combustible? l Will the building benefit from a sprinkler system? l Do all materials comply with building regulations?

Remains of exterior cladding on Grenfell Tower following last June's fire

Insurance implications for cladding projects post Grenfell INSURERS HAVE BEEN TAKING AN EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO WRITING COVER FOR CLADDING AND HIGH-RISE PROJECTS SINCE THE GRENFELL FIRE, AND PREMIUMS ARE CLIMBING. IAN GREGORY EXPLAINS.

“Some insurers have decided not to write business where any level of cladding is being undertaken” Ian Gregory, director, MPW

l Will all materials be installed according to the manufacturer’s recommended use of the product?

If it is considered that there is exposure to any of these risks, insurers could impose higher policy excesses and restrict indemnity limits.

Additionally, insurers will recommend construction firms review past work carried out, to ensure policy cover is adequate.

Insurers will need to be informed of works that have previously involved materials now considered to be of concern, as this may well impact on the cover provided at future renewals. Policyholders should remember that, following the Insurance Act 2015, they have a duty of “fair representation”, which means they must provide insurers with clear, correct and up-to-date information. A failure to identify and disclose potential risks, including those from historic works, may well affect cover, and the policyholder will find that future insurance claims could be repudiated.

What does all this mean for contractors?

What is apparent is that insurers are dramatically increasing premiums, which have seen a marked uplift across the sector. It is potentially very worrying for policyholders.

Ignoring the need for basic business protection cover, professional indemnity insurance is usually a contractual requirement, not only for the duration of the contract, but often for 12 years if the contract is written under ‘seal’ (which means it has been signed by all the parties, witnessed and executed as a deed).

However, building contracts such as JCT will normally contain a proviso that cover may be purchased at the limits or indemnity stated, subject to the premiums quoted being available at commercially reasonable rates.

The situation is currently uncertain. Over the next 12 months and beyond, claims arising from cladding design and installation are likely to remain at in the spotlight. The approach from insurers will continue to be very cautious. ● Ian Gregory is a director at chartered insurance broker MPW, part of the Clear Group.

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COMMUNITY MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

52-63

Community WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL BODY

Event

Big ideas and great minds gather for conservation event LEADING EXPERTS AND CASE STUDIES LINED UP FOR SOMERSET HOUSE DAY

53 58 59 59 62

The CIOB is hosting a day event focused on heritage and conservation, boasting a line up of some of the best minds and practitioners on the topic.

The ‘Successful Management of Conservation Works’ will be held in collaboration with the National Trust and Somerset House, the venue for the event. Held on 12 April it will focus on re-use, innovation and sustainability in the built environment. The conference follows the success of last year’s event and will include a series of interactive case studies and real life examples of innovative and effective methods for restoring the UK’s building stock.

The rich line up of speakers includes Julian Flannery, architecture lead, Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme; Ror y Cullen, the former head of buildings for the National Trust and chair of CIOB’s Conservation Special Interest G ro u p, a n d d i re c to r o f C u l l e n Conservation; John Edwards, director Edwards Hart Consultants, Professor on Practice University of Wales Trinity St David and former assistant director of Cadw, the Welsh Government's Historic Environment Service; and Rebecca Thompson President, CIOB and founder and director of Thompson Heritage Consultancy.

By providing an overview of the materials and methods required for effective retrofit and the challenges

KIER'S SCHOOL PLAN BOOK FOR WEMBLEY VISIT THAMES TIDEWAY TALK MEET A MEMBER RENOVATING A ROYAL PALACE

“Heritage projects require a high level of collaboration.

There is no 'top table' as on some projects" Rebecca Thompson

left to right: Rebecca Thompson and Rory Cullen will be key speakers at the event

associated with inclusive design, the event will provide a forum to discuss conservation principles and provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the issues facing professionals in the sector.

The cost is £95+VAT per person. ● To register and for more details visit https://events.ciob.org/ ehome/200176014/200412910/

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 COMMUNITY Community is edited by Nicky Roger.

Please send member and HUB news to nicky@atompublishing.co.uk

Left to right: Scholars Alex Stephens (left) and George Holder

Scholarships

Fresh thinking for construction CIOB SCHOLARS' RESEARCH DELIVERS NEW IDEAS I m p l e m e n t i n g i n n ova t i o n a n d delivering new technologies were the topics of focus at a recent CIOB scholarship presentation.

George Holder from Costain and Alex Stephens from Bouygues UK were awarded the Sir Ian Dixon Scholarship (SID) to produce and present findings to benefit the construction industry, themselves and their company.

The scholarship, delivered by the CIOB in partnership with the Worshipful Company of Constructors, is a £3,000 one-year research fund focusing on any area of construction management with support from a company mentor.

George Holder focused his project on innovation management, a relatively new and yet vital concept to the construction industry. The research examined the current use of innovation management standards and the role that these standards could play in SIGs

Special Interest Groups gather speed

CIOB'S NEW SIGS MAKING THEIR MARK

improving how projects are delivered.

The findings showed that standards are critical when creating an environment to support innovation and organisations benefit from implementing them.

Innovation has led to the use of new technologies in the construction industry, an area that Alex Stephens chose to research for the year. His project looked at the use of additive manufacturing technologies (technologies which build 3D objects by adding layer-upon-layer of material) in construction through literature review and case studies. More demanding construction programmes are driving the industry to seek alternative methods to build and his findings show that these new technologies can produce complex geometries at a relatively low cost compared to conventional processes.

“These research projects reflect the changing landscape of construction as we learn to imagine, invent and implement new ways of working and building,” said Bob Heathfield, Past President of the CIOB and chair of the SID Scholarship Panel. “We need to continue, as an industry, to be forward thinking. We need to make space for new ideas and innovations to streamline our processes and improve the quality of the built environment.” ●

CPD

CIOB Academy offers online site management qualification NEW COURSE ON SITE MANAGEMENT WILL DELIVER SKILLS AND CERTIFICATE The CIOB Academy is offering members a new online Site Management Certificate. It aims to provide candidates with all the tools and knowledge to gain a recognised professional qualification as well as the skills to manage people, activities and processes on construction sites.

Candidates should have at least one of the following to start the course: l Two years’ experience on site with some general management responsibility l Completion of a NVQ level 3 in a relevant industry subject l Completion of CIOB Site Supervisory course Those who pass the course and gain the certificate will be eligible to apply for the CSCS black card.

The course is developed by hugely experienced construction professionals, and the lead trainer is Dr. Mike Hammond FCIOB. Dr Hammond holds a PhD in Education Policy, as well as a degree in quantity surveying, an NVQ5 in management and leadership, an MA in quality management, and a degree and masters degree with Distinction in Law. I have been a full member of the CIOB since 1996 and

became a fellow in 2016.

Dr Hammond has also worked for a number of large consultancies including Turner and Townsend, and as a lecturer and manager in construction in further education. Before building his own consultancy, he worked as head of research at SummitSkills the Sector Skills Council for the Building Services Engineering Sector.

“The CIOB Site Management course is an ideal course for those people in management or aspiring to be in management who have not been in formal education for some time, or who are looking to develop their skills,” says Dr Hammond. “The course seeks to give learners academic knowledge, while at the same time being grounded in actual practice on site. It therefore is designed to give learners the academic skills that they require to progress to higher qualifications, while giving employers a return on the learners investment.”

The course is four assessed units and taught in four week blocks and costs £995+VAT. Book online at https://www.ciobacademy. org/course/level-4-sitemanagement-certificate/

CIOB Special Interest Groups continue to develop apace. The Diversity group held its inaugural meeting in January; the Sustainability & Environment SIG is working to ensure the upcoming building and planning regs reviews don't overlook sustainability; the Digital & Asset Management SIG has begun work to inform construction managers about digital tools available throughout the project lifecycle; and the Contract and Procurement chair Francis Ho is speaking at a joint CIOB/CIArb event this month on alternative dispute resolution. See CIOB events page for details.

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COMMUNITY MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Policy

CIOB backs skills summit propositions Professional bodies identify forward steps to tackle skills shortages The inaugural Built Environment Skills Summit, which drew together the sector’s leading professional bodies and key policymakers, has called for a more unified approach to tackling construction’s pressing worker shortage.

The University College of Estate Management (UCEM) summit gathered together representatives from the CIOB, RICS, CITB, BRE and the Cabinet Office to discuss the current skills challenges.

The resulting report identified a lack of joined-up thinking and the absence of an overarching leadership body for skills as key issues to be addressed.

Suggested next steps include: An integrated holistic picture of the built environment l A longer-term, industry-led, integrated and sustainable vision l A unified careers and qualifications competence model l An interface communications group l An ongoing quality mark for skills certification including a “licence to practice” l A unified core curriculum across professional bodies, institutions and providers Terry Watts, managing director at the CIOB, said: “Developing the skills of the workforce is one of the most pressing challenges facing the built environment today. As highlighted in the new UCEM report we need a multi-pronged approach to tackling the crisis, from attracting new entrants from diverse backgrounds to ensuring life-long learning to examining the ways that businesses collaborate and utilise labour.

SITES OPEN DOORS TO PUBLIC The annual Open Doors initiative is taking place across the UK from 19-24th March.

This popular event offers interested parties and those potentially interested in a career in construction a unique chance to see behind the scenes at major ‘live’ construction sites, learning how the buildings and structures are constructed and find out about the diverse range of skills and professions needed on site.

The most recent Open Doors event saw over 3,000 bookings across more than 130 construction sites from major contractors including BAM Construct UK, Galliford Try, Willmott Dixon.

Morgan Sindall and Skanska To find a participating site log on to http:// opendoors. construction/

Wales

Kier's schools plan to drive uptake of construction careers CONTRACTOR’S WELSH EDUCATION PROGRAMME DESIGNED TO CREATE ASPIRATIONS AMONG STUDENTS Kier has launched a pan-Wales education programme to engage and inspire students to consider the many different career opportunities that construction offers to people of all academic abilities. It will also build the knowledge of educators, advisers and parents so they can deliver activities and encourage aspirations of young people between 7 and 18.

Th e c o n s t r u c t i o n c o m p a n y ’s programme is a consortium-led: a network of stakeholders includes CIOB, the CITB and University of Wales and 50 companies from the Kier supply chain. Everyone will work to create meaningful links with local schools, champion construction and deliver activities. The plan is to produce an activity toolkit to be rolled out with all schools engaged in the programme

by September 2018; to offer 44 work experience opportunities with Kier;

and share insight widely - – producing evaluation reports, survey analysis and case studies. Schools will have access to FREE advice, STEM-based activities and Construction Ambassadors to inspire and enhance the ‘world of work’ learning experience and careers support The construction industry needs 400,000 recruits each year, but drawing new talent into an industry, that as research shows, is still misperceived as ‘muddy’, ‘manual’, ‘male dominated’, ‘poorly paid’ and ‘ largely non-academic’, is a fundamental challenge. Kier understand that schools and colleges alone do not have the time or resource to provide comprehensive and persuasive careers advice, and have a vital role to play in changing mind-sets, reducing stereotypes, providing training and bridging the gap between the next generation and the construction industry. ●

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19/02/2018 09:56

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 COMMUNITY

Obituary

Nick Fayers 1961 to 2017

Members of the committee of the Highland Construction and Property Dinner 2017, with event host Nicky Marr (left) pictured at Inverness Kart Raceway handing over cheques to the three charities who benefited on the night.

Fundraising

Highland dinner raises £10,200 for local charities COLLABORATIVE CHARITY EVENT DELIVERS FRUITS OF FUNDRAISING Members of a committee of volunteers from the Highland Construction and Property Industry swapped hard hats for crash helmets at Inverness Kart Raceway recently, to hand over cheques totalling £10,200 to charities from Inverness and Ross-shire.

The cash was raised through a raffle and auction at the sixth

MD of Barnes Construction

annual Highland Construction and Property Dinner which was held in the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness at the end of last year.

Three charities were chosen to benefit from the fundraiser: Day 1, a mentoring scheme which teams young people up with the support they need to improve self-confidence and improve their education and career prospects, and which operates Inverness Kart Raceway as a social enterprise; the Rheumatology Unit at Dingwall Hospital; and Inverness -based suicide prevention charity, Mikeysline.

The Highland Construction and Property dinner is a collaborative charity event involving the CIOB, RICS and Scottish Building Federation. ● Event

Expert talk on high buildings liability

NORTH EAST: BOOK NOW FOR ANNUAL DINNER

POST-GRENFELL SEMINAR OFFERS ADVICE TO HAMPSHIRE MEMBERS The CIOB is hosting with Blake Morgan, risk and procurement experts, a high buildings seminar discussing, postGrenfell, the liability of organisations who own, occupy, manage or are liable for such buildings.

Edward McMullen from the firm will host the event; James Bessey, a partner (pictured), will cover topics such as lessons learnt, how the regulatory framework will move and

tips for addressing potential risks; and Chris Blythe OBE, CIOB chief executive will attend a panel Q&A session. ● The seminar takes place on 24 April at 7.30pm at Blake Morgan New Kings Court, Tollgate, Chandler’s Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire. To book email Caroline Benjamin at cbenjamin@ciob.org.uk

The Newcastle HUB is taking bookings for its annual dinner on 14 September. To be held at the Crowne Plaza Newcastle, Kevin Keegan will be the guest speaker.

Sponsorship packages and tables are now available.

Book online at https:// eu.eventscloud. com/200175518

As a leading personality in the local business community and managing director of Barnes Construction, Nick Fayers had a real passion for the construction industry and his passing will be felt by all those that were lucky enough to know him.

His 34-year history with Barnes Construction started in 1983 when at 22 years old, he was employed as an assistant quantity surveyor. He rose up the ranks quickly and was promoted to head up Bower Fuller, the M&E division of The Barnes Group in 1990 aged only 29.

In his 10 years he built a small business into a strong and highly successful medium-sized business and laid the foundations for the leading business in its sector that it is now. In January 2000, he returned to Barnes Construction as managing director, a position he held for 18 years until his death on 20 December 2017.

In his tenure as MD, Nick helped strengthen and develop new business streams in education frameworks, in leisure and health, and geographically in Essex, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. He also played an active role in the industry locally and believed passionately in training and promoting the career opportunities to young people.

His commitment to his business and the industry was such that he remained involved until just a few days before his death, the result of a long-standing condition called MEN1, for which the family and the business will now work to raise funds to support research and advice to sufferers.

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19/02/2018 09:56

Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow The CIOB Academy delivers high quality education and training for the construction industry.

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Certifications

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If you have experience in construction but lack an Honours degree level qualification, our Chartered Membership Programme is your springboard to MCIOB.

Boost your career by gaining industry-recognised certification in BIM, Conservation or Site Management.

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To find out more, visit www.ciobacademy.org, call us on 01344 630810 or email academy@ciob.org.uk

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20/02/2018 09:42

Skills development

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We offer topics covering construction contracts, management, finance, technology and planning.

We offer flexibility when it comes to your companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training requirements and can tailor bespoke courses to suit your needs.

Visit our dedicated CPD portal. Find a mix of industry-relevant webinars, videos and documentation to aid your professional development.

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20/02/2018 09:42

COMMUNITY MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

“Sisk has delivered eight successful projects to date at Wembley Park and has been a trusted partner for 12 years. I am delighted to continue our partnership with Sisk by awarding them our biggest ever construction contract" Quintain chief executive Angus Dodd

Site visit

Event

Act fast to see Canada Gardens

Scientist to give Grenfell talk on materials

LIMITED PLACES ON SITE VISIT TO WEMBLEY SCHEME

LANCASTER LECTURE TACKLES TECHNICAL ISSUES

The CIOB London HUB is organising a site visit to the Sisk £215m Canada Gardens scheme on 21st March, the flagship residential developments at Wembley Park (pictured right).

It consists of seven plots for varying height buildings for the planned 743 apartments. Points of interest include an energy centre, the brick/ glass external facade and CFAr/ rotary piles, with an in-situ concrete frame. The project also includes a 3.38 acre park with feature water ponds and extensive public realm space.

It is a full BIM level 2 project, where they have undertaken the logistics and programming in synchro, so they will be able to give a digital presentation on the project, which is due to complete in 2020. ●

A joint lecture hosted by the Institute of Physics at Lancaster University will see Professor T Richard Hull – professor of chemistry and fire from the University – talk about the Grenfell Tower disaster from the point of view of the combustibility of the materials used in the building cladding. He will discuss the history of the regulations that have been developed by the Government regulators and try to explain how this tragedy occurred from the perspective of a fire scientist.

This is a joint lecture hosted by the CIOB, the Institute of Physics, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and the Institute of Civil Engineers. It is on 15 March at 6.30pm Lakes College, Lillyhall Business Park, Workington, CA14 4JN. ●

To book email Alejandra Bernal at abernal@ciob.org.uk

Register at https://localevents. theiet.org/9f7f9c

Novus

Rev up for karting fun in Kent Maidstone Novus Kent construction karting cup

Entries are now open for Maidstone Novus Group’s annual go-karting event, to be held this year on 21 June.

This popular annual competition is once again taking place at the Bayford Meadows Karting Circuit in Sittingbourne, sponsored

by Teampol.

It is an ideal evening to network with colleagues

while competing in a friendly (hard fought!) race on one of the country’s premier outdoor floodlit kart circuits. Individual entries or teams of three are welcome.

To book contact Beverley Lawrence on blawrence@ ciob.org.uk /01344 630861 or online at https://events. ciob.org/200176435

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 COMMUNITY

Members

Meet a member

Julia Allen MCIOB, Founder of JaBd Event

‘Disruptive innovator’ talks sewer

THAMES TIDEWAY MANAGER PLANS TO DELIVER OFFBEAT EVENT London Novus is hosting an informal CPD event about the Tideway project. The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a major new infrastructure project that will help tackle the problem of overflows from the capital’s Victorian sewers and will protect the River Thames from increasing pollution for the next 100 years.

The evening will be led by Tideway’s head of innovation, Paul Morris, who claims he is ‘proud to be disruptive in a conservative industry’. Morris is always on the lookout for new technologies to adopt and ensure Tideway is a safer and more sustainable project.

Trained in town planning, he spent six years at London 2012 in a variety of design and integration roles, previously innovating at Crossrail and designing at Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. He will discuss Tideway, the concept of innovation, the Professional Development Network (PDN) and various surprises along the way with a focus on fun and inspiration. ● The event takes place at Chambers Wharf Site, 19 Chambers Street, SE16 4XR at 6pm on 15 March 2018.

To book visit https://events.ciob. org/ehome/200175183

STUDENT RESEARCH HELP Got two minutes to assist with a student dissertation?

Florin Istratoiu, a third year student in site management, is asking for members to answer questions/ statements on Green belt: solution or barrier to housing crisis.

Find the link to the survey via Linked In.

Why did you choose construction?

At the age of 16 a careers advisor suggested I should be a librarian! This made me absolutely livid and I walked out of the meeting thinking ‘I’ll show you what I’m really capable of!’

At the end of my first year at sixth form I applied to an architect’s practice for work experience. After just one week there the head architect asked me to stay on for the summer, so I worked for the practice for three months and during this time I decided I wanted to pursue a career in the construction industry. I was accepted at Nottingham Trent University to study Construction Management and graduated with a 2.1 in 1992. I have a skilful aptitude for the cohesion of land, development and buildings and working in the construction industry combines these together for me as an individual.

What are you working on at the moment?

I run my own design and planning consultancy, managing generally 20-25 projects at any one time all in the design and submission process. We have three applications going to planning committee this month so I have some important representations to prepare for over the next couple of weeks. On the design side I am currently working on a seven-bedroom domestic renovation project of a 19th century rectory. We are working on restoring the Victorian gable roof arrangement, the top floor attic rooms, designing a large two storey extension and an annex.

Working predominantly within the Derbyshire Dales and Peak District National Park, conservation areas and on listed buildings, it is of no surprise that we are waiting for the bat activity season to commence again in the spring before we can submit for planning approval.

On the commercial side I have recently seen the completion of a new dog rescue and rehoming centre for the charity ‘Just For Dogs’, providing state-of the-art glazed sound proof kennel pods, isolation kennels, dedicated kitchen, laundry, treatment rooms and exercise areas at the rear of their existing boarding kennel facility in Derbyshire.

As a CIOB Nottingham Hub committee member I am actively working on

delivering the ‘Think Construction’ initiative to local schools and academies across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

I am passionate about raising the profile of the construction industry and believe that there are a wide range of interesting and varied careers of which many students have no knowledge. It is an extremely rewarding and worthwhile initiative, creating the opportunity to talk to students about their future career choices to inspire the next generation of construction professionals.

What do you love about this industry?

Having worked in this industry for over 30 years now the one thing that I absolutely love is the level of adaptability that is required.

Being an expert in my field of planning and design I have to adapt ‘the product’ to meet each client’s requirements for their business or domestic needs, to fit within the environment and landscape, within planning policy and to budget. I love the challenge! www.ja-bd.co.uk

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Margaret Conway: Constructed a brand new 100,000 sq ft turnkey city centre office for Belfast City Council within tight space and budget constraints.

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Meet Margaret Conway.

CMYA Winner 2017.

Created a brighter future for the whole of Belfast.

WITH A BUILDING. Realise how extraordinary you are.

Enter the Construction Manager of the Year Awards 2018: cmya.co.uk

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JAYKROW

COMMUNITY MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

By royal appointment SENIOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER IN CHARGE OF THE REFURBISHMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THE HISTORIC HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE PROJECT, KEN SMYTH FCIOB, TALKS US THROUGH THE CHALLENGES OF RENOVATING A HERITAGE ROYAL PALACE

This prestigious project, which has been sub-divided into a number of individual projects spread across 100 acres, is located in County Down and is the home of the British royal family and secretary of state for Northern Ireland, when they visit the province.

It also hosted the famous peace talks, which led to the historic “Good Friday agreement”.

The project is estimated to cost around £20m and has a completion date of early 2019. It includes a 14,000ft2 new build visitor facility, restaurant and gift shop. The new build visitors facility has been designed and developed with a sympathetic approach and has been built with hand-made bricks and using old traditional materials including lime mortar, slate and stone, to keep the historic theme. Careful consideration has been given to the conservation of historic walls and listed buildings throughout the project to ensure that

Development of Hillsborough Castle poses challenges associated with heritage projects

the history of the Castle and surrounding buildings is preserved.

Alongside the building and conservation elements of the site I have been overseeing other tasks such as an extensive landscaping scheme, the re-creation of the 19th century walled garden, ecology including tree root protection, Japanese knotweed removal, newts, bats and badger relocation and a major structural and civil engineering element of works, including a 'green' carpark with Golpla geo textile surface. On top of all this there is also the strip out and refurbishment of the listed stable block, which is to be used as a coffee/gift shop, a restaurant and classrooms.

This has been a challenging project in terms of the extremely high expectations of the client, budget, unknown services and the awareness of potential archaeological finds and difficult ground conditions. The use of traditional construction methods has been delayed by bad weather and the conservation of listed buildings and walls and the methodology needed to execute this work have all added to the level of temporary works designs and input from specialist consultants.

The level of stakeholder involvement and input has been challenging and continually needs input and managing.

“Careful consideration has been given to the conservation of historic walls and listed buildings throughout the project to ensure the history is preserved ” Ken Smyth

It is a project which is heavily constrained with handover dates: there will be official openings planned well in advance and it will be opening to the public as a tourist attraction in 2019. ● Ken was senior construction manager with Lougherne Construction. He finished at Hillsborough Castle in February and emigrated to Nova Scotia in Canada to oversee the redevelopment of Province House on Prince Edward Island. This is a Canadian National Historic building, not dissimilar to Hillsborough. It is known as the birthplace of Confederation and the seat of Prince Edward Island’s provincial legislature since 1847.

Ken will be working alongside Tate Engineering Inc and PCL Constructors Canada Inc.

DAVID IN LISBURN

Me and my project

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | MARCH 2018 COMMUNITY

Membership affiliations Membership of the CIOB brings with it many benefits, including exclusive access to discounts and special deals on products and services that could enhance your professional development, help your business or boost your earning power

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Subscribe to the CIS today to: l Ensure design compliance and sustainability l Innovate designs and construction methods l Support construction lifecycle from start to completion l Complete projects accurately and on time l Keep pace with new technological advances l Receive automated document change alerts l Use project folders to help you manage your documents l Link from CIS to NBS Specification products l Access our collection of UK construction catalogs, equipment information and CAD drawings

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Many CIOB members have succeeded in the CMYA awards using Powerproject to manage their projects.

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RECRUITMENT

Project Manager, Hotel & Leisure, Shoreditch, London £Negotiable | London Rusupo is seeking a Project Manager for new build and refurbishment contracts within the hotel & leisure sector Rusupo provides specialist advice to Developers and Contractors, primarily working in the Hotel, Retail, Commercial and Leisure sectors.

We give assistance from concept and feasibility, through to final delivery and beyond. Our priority is Client satisfaction leading to repeat business.

Rusupo have developed considerable

experience dealing with Town and Country Planning Authorities and have been instrumental in securing a number of valuable planning consents.

We are currently looking for a Project Manager to work Client Side predominantly London and City based.

Our current contract values are £10 - £80 million in the hotel and leisure sector.

Must have good knowledge of: l D&B Form of Contract. l Contracts Administration. lP lanning and use of Programming and Planning Software ASTA and/or MS Project. l Commercial Management/ QS Processes.

Working as part of a small team from our offices located in Shoreditch.

Salary package negotiable.

Visit: http://www.ciobjobs.com/job/806185/Project-Manager-Hotel-Leisure-Shoreditch-London

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Get a global view of the built environment Global Construction Review tracks the complex flows of money, ideas and talent to provide a world view of the built environment business.

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/TIMBER MARCH 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

TIMBER FRAME MEETS DEFENCE REQUIREMENTS The Taylor Lane kits arriving at Tidworth and being assembled and erected (above and bottom)

A MAJOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FOR THE DEFENCE INFRASTRUCTURE ORGANISATION IN WILTSHIRE IS USING TIMBER FRAME KITS TO HELP SPEED UP THE PROGRAMME.

A timber frame system is being used to construct 322 homes on a defence accommodation project in the garrison town of Tidworth in Wiltshire.

The system, supplied by Herefordshire-based timber frame specialist Taylor Lane, was selected by housebuilder Hill, working for client the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, because of the speed benefits it offered to the programme.

“We required quick design, mobilisation and delivery to ensure that we achieved the project completion date,” says Ryan Harris, project director at Hill.

The development encompasses a mix of three and four bed houses, with five different house types. Hill engaged early with the Taylor Lane in-house team to develop the designs for the timber frame kits, which comprised ground and first floor open panels, which were pre-insulated offsite, floor cassettes and roof components. Insulation for the external walls was also fitted in the factory.

“The timber frame designs were fundamental to early commencement of site

operations,” explains Harris. “We needed to know the line loads of the timber frame to design the foundations, so we could secure firm costs and make an active start on the ground.”

The houses use strip foundations and Nu-Span precast insulated floor slabs. The thermal performance of the properties will be strong.

Taylor Lane’s Thermaline insulation system, used for the Tidworth development, features 120mm-thick PIR (polyisocyanurate) insulation board and foil-faced reflective breather membrane, to achieve a U-value of 0.19 W.m2K.

“The timber frame designs were fundamental to early commencement of site operations.”

Ryan Harris, project director, Hill

The timber kits were manufactured by Taylor Lane, delivered to site and erected over a period of 13 months, with 10 units completed per week over a phased programme. The firm worked on a just-in-time basis, generally working back one week from the delivery date, with the manufacturing process taking 12 to 15 hours per unit.

Taylor Lane contracts manager Liam Hale supervised the delivery and erection of the timber frame kits, managing a team of up to 25 erectors and 300 labourers.

“The greatest challenge for the team was the erection of a pair of three-bed semi-detached houses in one day,” he says. “The build was time-critical as the only available crane position for the plots blocked the main site entrance, and this could only be closed for one day.

“Working with a team of six erectors and one crane, we constructed these houses from three delivery loads – one with the ground floor and first floor panels, the second with the floor cassettes, and the third and final load, with the roof components. All were then assembled onsite prior to erection.”

For the roofs, lifting straps were attached to longitudinal trusses in the pre-assembled structure, which was then craned in to position.

“These longitudinal trusses also serve as part of the roof bracing,” explains Hale. “This approach helped us achieve the build in the limited timeframe.”

The homes will be faced with red brickwork and traditional roof coverings to match the surrounding villages. The project is due for completion this spring. ●

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YOU DELIVER FOR OTHERS. WE DELIVER FOR YOU. T O G E T H E R W E G O F U R T H ER.

£222 P E R M O N T H

F O RD T R A NSIT 290 B A SE OV ER 4 Y E A RS . A DVA N CE O F 6 M O N T H LY REN TA L S O N F O RD CO N T R AC T HIRE . B USIN E SS USERS O N LY.

FORD TRANSIT 290 BASE L2 H2 FORD ECOBLUE 2.0 TDCi (105 PS) FWD. FROM £222 PER MONTH OVER 4 YEARS ON FORD CONTRACT HIRE FROM FORD LEASE. ADVANCE OF 6 MONTHLY RENTALS. BUSINESS USERS ONLY. TO FIND OUT MORE, VISIT FORD.CO.UK

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Ford Transit Base 290 L2 H2 Ford EcoBlue 2.0 TDCi 105PS FWD shown: urban 37.2 (7.6), extra urban 43.5 (6.5), combined 40.9 (6.9). Official CO2 emissions 180g/km.

The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

Finance subject to status. Guarantees/indemnities may be required. You will not own the vehicle at the end of the agreement. Examples exclude VAT and are based on 48 month non-maintained agreements, profile 6+47 payment in advance of 6 monthly rentals, followed by 47 monthly rentals, with a mileage of 10,000 miles per annum. Vehicles must be returned in good condition and within agreed mileage, otherwise further charges will be incurred. Prices correct at time of going to print and are subject to change without notice. Subject to availability at a Ford Authorised UK Dealer for vehicles with finance accepted and vehicle contracted between 22nd January and 31st March 2018. Not available with any other promotion. Ford Lease is provided by ALD Automotive Ltd, trading as Ford Lease, BS16 7LB.

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