Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

JUNE 2019

CONSTRUCTIONMAGUK.CO.UK

Willmott Dixon Interiors launches training first at Kent prison

Gleeds to project manage Birmingham’s iconic million brick ‘Wall’ monument

GRAHAM to carry out design and build of new Oxford Brookes University facility

IDOM PAVING THE WAY ON MANCHESTER SCHOOL PROJECT

Williams Rail Review: IS ‘MOBILE’ AN ANSWER TO DRIVING DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY?

Rail suppliers should be central to delivering a better rail network in the future

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Contents June 2019

04

Construction sector earnings edged downwards in April

05

Councils sell over 200 sites to community led housing groups

10

Interview: Sander van de Rijdt & Ibrahim Imam, PlanRadar co-founders

14

Is ‘mobile’ an answer to driving digital construction and productivity?

16

Local firm to kick-start huge new global facility in Cambridge

17

Milestone reached at new city centre development in Norwich

18

Priestley Construction completes £1million mixed-use development

20

Three colleagues each win individual RoSPA awards for inspirational safety

26

Polymeric emulsions and the barriers to getting more traction in the UK

36

Amey safety research programme graded as ‘Outstanding’

38

Willmott Dixon launches training first at Kent prison

40

A futuristic approach to safety work wear

Our front cover image is courtesy of Sky Revolutions: www.skyrevolutions.co.uk

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Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 03

Latest News

CONSTRUCTION EARNINGS EDGE DOWN IN APRIL Weekly earnings for freelance tradespeople in the construction sector edged downwards last month, according to latest figures released by Hudson Contract. Analysis of April payroll data for more than 2,200 construction companies in England and Wales reveals a 1.6 per cent fall to an average of £885.

In the regions, Wales saw the biggest decrease between March and April, slipping 4.1 per cent to £789, followed by the East of England, down 3.8 per cent to £928, and Yorkshire and the Humber, down 2.7 per cent to £819.

The marginal decline in weekly earnings is in line with the subdued construction activity reported by purchasing managers in recent months, which has been attributed to Brexit-related delays in decision making by businesses. The figures are also likely to reflect the impact of freelance tradespeople taking time off for Easter holidays.

Ian Anfield, managing director at Hudson Contract, said: “Our analysis shows that weekly earnings for freelance tradespeople fell by 1.6 per cent to £885 in April. While the figures will reflect some seasonal influence, there is little doubt that Brexit uncertainty is causing some businesses to hold back on new investment. The weak pound, a sign of this uncertainty, is increasing the cost of importing steel, concrete, plaster and plastic building products, which is leading to input inflation. We are also seeing smaller firms pricing up work for the larger contractors to reflect the risk of dealing with the financially troubled outsourcing sector. Whatever happens with Brexit and the wider economy, the construction industry will continue to rely on selfemployed tradespeople and their ability to supply specialist labour. Their overall rise in earnings over the last year highlights the general shortage of skills in the sector and good financial incentives for young people to learn the trades.”

Region

April 2019 Average

Month on Month % Change

Year on Year % Change

North East

£764

-2.1%

7.6%

North West

£837

4.5%

18.1%

Yorkshire and the Humber

£819

-2.7%

5.3%

East Midlands

£902

-1.1%

9.6%

Specialist tradespeople had the best month for weekly earnings, enjoying an 11.7 per cent rise in April to an average of £1,056. Shop fitters, meanwhile, saw their weekly earnings fall 9.4 per cent to an average of £1,111 during the month.

West Midlands

£934

-2.1%

7.1%

Wales

£789

-4.1%

7.9%

East of England

£928

-3.8%

7.8%

Hudson Contract delivers the most accurate indication of subcontractor pay trends across the construction industry, using payroll data for more than 2,200 construction companies to publish the average pay for a spectrum of 17 different trades split across ten regions in England and Wales.

London

£899

-0.4%

10%

South East

£886

-1.9%

9.9%

South West

£787

-3%

5.2%

Freelance civil engineers saw weekly earnings fall by 2.8 per cent during April, mirroring the decline in civil engineering activity reported in the monthly PMI published on May 2. The North West was the only region to see growth in weekly earnings, rising 4.5 per cent to £837 month on month. All regions experienced solid year-on-year growth, led by the North West (18.1 per cent), London (10 per cent) and the South East (9.9 per cent), reflecting the strong demand for skilled trades.

04 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

Latest News Councils sell over 200 sites to community led housing groups Research undertaken by the National Community Land Trust Network has revealed that a third of local authorities in England are now supporting community led housing development.

• One in six councils have policies to support community led housing • One in three councils have given grants or loans for community led housing • At least 208 public sites have been sold or leased to community led housing groups The information has been compiled following Freedom of Information requests to all councils in England in December 2018.

Despite central government forecasting that 300,000 properties need to be built each year until the mid-2020s, housing starts are falling short. And while local authorities will benefit from the lifting of the Housing Revenue Account borrowing cap, they are still facing an £8bn funding gap during the same period.

This research highlights some of the ways that local authorities are starting to embrace new community led solutions in

an effort to get new homes built or bring properties back into use.

Community led housing is a way that people and communities can come together to solve their own housing challenges and provide high quality and affordable homes.

The homes are managed or owned by the community in the way they want.

Funding available for community led housing is at record levels and includes the Government’s £163m Community Housing Fund. This followed a first year of the Fund (2016/17) when £60m was granted to 148 local authorities based in areas where the number of second homes is high.

There are more than 196,000 community led homes in the UK, the majority being housing co-operative homes that were built in the 1970s and 80s. But in recent years the movement, which also includes community land trusts and cohousing has seen a surge in interest. It is expected that 5,000 new community led homes will be built in the next five years.

Tom Chance, Director at the National Community Land Trust Network, said: “Our research highlights the growing interest in community led housing in local government.

With budgets stretched more councils are looking for new ways to solve local housing problems and help their neighbourhoods prosper. It’s fantastic to see that one-third of councils of all political colours have now used either policy, grants, loans or land disposals to help community projects to succeed. While some see this as a distraction or competition with their own housing plans, more are seeing how community led approaches can complement and strengthen other aspects of their housing strategy.”

Andrew George, Director at Cornwall Community Land Trust, said: “Putting the community in the driving seat not only helps to ensure we get the homes the community wants and needs, but they’re protected to benefit future generations in perpetuity too. Community led housing works. In Cornwall, over the past ten years, 23 projects have developed 241 homes. !We’re fortunate to have full backing from Cornwall Council. Without this, we would not be as successful as we are. From professional support to political backing and the availability of a £4 million Community Land Trust Revolving Loan Fund to bankroll the development phase. It makes a big difference to know the council is right behind what we’re doing.”

BRICK MANUFACTURING OFF TO A BUMPER START IN 2019 Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show domestic brick manufacturing continuing to rise further, easing any concerns over product shortages.

Production numbers for March 2019 show a 6.4% rise over the same month in 2018, and a 7.8% increase on a rolling 12-month comparison to the preceding period.

The Brick Development Association’s (BDA) Keith Aldis stated: “It has been a fantastic start to the year for the Brick industry; we continue to meet the growing demands of the UK house building sector.

According to the NHBC the number of new homes registered by the UK’s housebuilders and developers in the first three months of the year reached more than 37,500 – a 3% increase on the same period in 2018. We are delighted to be matching the growth with brick production figures putting to rest any fear of shortages: dispatches are up 10.2% compared to March 2018

“According to the NHBC the number of new homes registered by the UK’s housebuilders and developers in the first three months of the year reached more than 37,500 – a 3% increase on the same period in 2018. We are delighted to be matching the growth with brick production figures putting to rest any fear of shortages: dispatches are up 10.2% compared to March 2018.”

Brick numbers are set to rise further. With the recent news that hot-on-the-heels of the new IBSTOCK factory opening another BDA member, Forterra has announced a major £95m investment to double production capacity at the company’s Desford plant.

With a current output of 85 million bricks per year, the Desford plant’s production capacity is set to double in the next three years as a result of the investment to 180 million bricks annually – enough to build 24,000 average-sized family homes.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 05

Latest News

Williams Rail Review: Rail suppliers should be central to delivering a better rail network in the future The Williams Rail Review, being led by former British Airways Chairman Keith Williams, must take greater consideration of rail businesses that build, maintain and enhance the UK rail network, according to the Railway Industry Association (RIA), the trade body for the rail supply community.

In its submission to the latest Review consultation, which closed on 30 April, RIA highlighted a number of areas that need to be considered, including: • Providing a 30-year rail strategy with visibility of future infrastructure work, to ensure businesses can plan, invest and hire with confidence in future activity; • Removing ‘stop-start’ workloads in rolling stock, infrastructure and electrification projects, which can increase the cost by up to 30%; • Understanding the importance of the supply chain in improving efficiency and performance;

• Ensuring the Review does not throw the industry into stasis whilst it does its work; • Better collaboration between the supply chain, Network Rail and Train Operators (e.g. around the track access process); • Attracting more private sector investment into the rail network; and • Promoting a more collaborative industry culture.

Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), said: “The Williams Review is an opportunity to improve the UK rail network, taking a longterm holistic look at how it can best deliver for passengers, freight and the economy.

Whilst it is clearly right to consider the best operating model for the railway, the Review should also investigate how we can optimally build, maintain and enhance our railways in the future too. In the recent Evidence Reports, published by the Review in February, there

was only limited consideration of how the rail supply sector can support the Review’s work.

Yet whatever the eventual model, this cannot be delivered without all parts of the railway - infrastructure, train operators and suppliers - working together. The Railway Industry Association and its members are committed to making that happen. For suppliers to play their part, rail businesses need to see greater visibility of upcoming work, understand how the private sector can get more involved in financing rail improvements, and they need consistency in workloads, including infrastructure, rolling stock and electrification, which is the optimal solution for intensivelyused rail lines. Delivering on this brings significant cost reductions, better efficiency, and ultimately better services for passengers and freight, the central focus of the Review. So we urge Keith Williams and the Review team to give greater priority and consideration to the key role rail suppliers will play as they seek to develop their findings.”

Mineral Products Association publishes ‘Sand Supply – a UK Perspective on a Global Issue’ The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has published a briefing ‘Sand Supply – a UK Perspective on a Global Issue’ as a contribution to the current global debate regarding the availability, access to and consumption of sand.

In recent years there has been increasing attention on the demand for sand, the potential for global shortages and the consequences of unregulated extraction as the link has been made between the societal demands for homes and infrastructure and the associated pressures that this can place on finite mineral resources, particularly at a local scale. While the references to resource pressures have typically focussed on ‘sand’, what is usually being referred to are construction aggregates more generally, and particularly sand and gravel supply.

The MPA briefing complements a new UN Report in which Joyce Msuya, the Acting Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme writes “we now find ourselves in the position where the needs and expectations of our societies cannot be met without improved governance of global sand resources”. The MPA’s new report clarifies that the UK is not running out of sand and construction aggregates, has robust regulatory systems and industry operating standards are generally high, which enables the delivery of a sustainable supply of aggregates from extracted and recycled sources.

Key points in the new MPA briefing include: • There will remain significant UK and international demand for aggregates and other mineral products such as concrete and asphalt which rely on aggregates, because these materials are essential to provide safe, resilient and sustainable housing and infrastructure.

• Sand is also extracted and used for a range of high-quality non- construction uses such as glass manufacturing.

• Population growth, greater affluence and more urbanisation

06 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

and development are driving large increases in global demand for materials and mineral resources including sand and other aggregates.

• In some parts of the world, the regulation of natural resources is inadequate and can be associated with illegal harvesting/ extraction and environmental degradation.

• The need for resource-efficient urbanisation and development globally, together with the implementation of effective regulations for sustainable construction and minerals/natural resources supply are key issues.

• Linked with regulation and corporate behaviour, there needs to be greater transparency about the governance and activities of minerals and other natural resource industries and the revenue flows associated with industry activity. The international Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is designed to increase such transparency and create a platform for debate about the governance of the sector.

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PlanRadar Interview

Sander van de Rijdt and Ibrahim Imam are the co-founders of PlanRadar, the web-based application that offers a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution for construction and real estate projects.

The company, which has recently launched in the UK, now has more than 3,500 customers from 43 different countries.

How was the idea of PlanRadar born?

Rijdt: Despite construction being worth roughly 6% of global GDP, it still hasn’t undergone any significant digitalisation. If you look at the bigger picture, worldwide, the average big construction project takes 20 per cent longer to complete than planned and runs a staggering 80 per cent over budget. Between internal and external project teams and various specialists, it’s just too easy to end up with planning chaos and gaps in information, PlanRadar wants to put an end to all these scenarios.

What makes PlanRadar unique or different?

Imam: Flexibility is our key strength. There are no chargeable services with PlanRadar.

We offer a complete real estate life cycle

that helps developers, planners, architects and construction contractors seamlessly communicate with each other. They can identify and flag defects and tasks on digital blueprints, manage projects on time and within costs, and ensure quality control throughout.

As we are cloud based, there is no installation required. PlanRadar can be accessed anywhere, anytime and also offline. There isn’t any training required and a new project can be setup by the user in under 10 minutes. On average, a PlanRadar customer needs less than an hour of customer service a year as the user face is so straightforward to use. If you can use a tablet you can use PlanRadar.

What do you see for the future in regard to construction and technology?

Rijdt: Like many other industries, construction’s relationship with technology is really only at the beginning. The difference in construction is that roughly 60-70% of companies are still not dealing with digitalisation at all, even though those in charge are more than aware that they need it to succeed in a market this competitive.

Megatrends like AI and IoT are beginning to reach the construction and real estate industry and obviously have the potential to radically increase efficiency. However, it will be a few years before solutions are applicable in the day to day operations of companies on site. The benefit of working with web-based technologies like PlanRadar, though, is they can be updated instantly anywhere. This means these advances can more easily be assimilated into existing processes.

Do you feel that the construction sector is becoming much more technology based?

Imam: Technology has always driven construction forward. It has made construction sites safer and more efficient. It is only in recent decades that companies have been slow to adopt technology. Now however, new technologies are being developed at breakneck speed. There is a lot of focus right now on 3D printing, augmented & virtual reality and commercialisation.

08 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

PlanRadar Interview

However, the optimisation of processes inside construction projects that don’t involve B2C aspects are often overlooked, despite the fact they have so much more potential. On-the-ground technology like PlanRadar tackles inadequate organisation, communication and performance management to save time and money three areas highlighted as the most harmful to productivity by the recent McKinsey & Company research.

Are there benefits to this? If so what are they?

Rijdt: With PlanRadar, users are already realising time savings of seven working hours per week on average. That’s roughly around 18% of their working time.

There are even bigger advantages when it comes to transparency, communicating on site and the avoidance of subsequent errors caused by defects in the projects.

A survey conducted among our users and average personnel costs found a 900% ROI when using PlanRadar. We’ve also come to appreciate how the technology helps solve the issue of proving claims, which can run into the millions on bigger projects. A stored data path is clear proof in court of the issue you are claiming for.

What are digital blueprints and how do they work?

Imam: Documentation takes place directly on site or in the building, via your smartphone or tablet. It’s just one step to enter an image, text, date, voice memo and position into the digital plan – even if your device is offline. Simply press a button and defects or orders are forwarded directly to the responsible contractor, along with resolution deadlines and priorities. The software puts the entire documentation process on a screen as digital blueprints and floorplans. It then integrates voice recognition, HD photos, configurable PDF reports and easy ticketing for the construction workers on site,

while contractors and clients are notified immediately about changes and new information dedicated to them.

Is it important for the construction sector to welcome new innovation?

Rijdt: The overwhelming consensus is that the construction industry is lagging behind other industries when it comes to the pace of innovation. If we compare the last three decades for example, productivity in the aerospace and automobile industries has roughly doubled. In the UK’s aerospace for example, it has risen by more than 50% since 2009.

However, this is not a story shared by every company in these industries and that is the important thing to remember. Companies that fail to invest in innovation are at a serious disadvantage and will likely fall behind or fail. Of course, the construction industry should welcome innovation, but it is the companies prepared to invest in it that will be the real success stories. Then the industry will benefit as a whole.

Talk us through one of your recent projects using Plan Radar and how it helped the process?

Imam: Our more than 3,500 clients work on more than 10,000 projects every week. We see usage among the entire building lifecycle and value chain – banks, developers, architects, engineers, general contractors and subcontractors or later on asset, property and facility managers.

It’s every time about documentation and communication in a fast and easy way to avoid lost information, opacities and misunderstandings which lead to increased effort for all project stakeholders.

Also the size of projects where PlanRadar is used varies from small projects, where specialised one-man-shows document their work up to multi-billion projects by companies like Siemens, Bosch, CBRE or Strabag, where many companies and

people are involved and track their work and progress according to their roles and rights in the project. Everybody is working on the same information source and nothing can be lost or forgotten.

Will new technology replace Project Managers?

Rijdt: Debates about future of work always seem to portray technology as the villain that has come to automate jobs. Designing solutions that can really impact the construction industry has never been about replacing people but giving them tools that help augment their current processes.

Skilled workers are the most important asset you can have on a construction site.

New technology should be about making their lives easier and improving outcomes for everyone. Project managers and technology both have an essential role to play in delivering that.

Is technology in your opinion a necessity, and is there more of a demand for it in the construction sector?

Imam: The construction industry is one of the last to be modernised with technology.

In the UK, productivity in the sector has been stagnant for decades, where over a third of construction projects overrun on time (40%) or on budget (35%). Closing this productivity gap should be a necessity to any developer or general contractor, which should create a real demand for new technologies that can assist in improving these outcomes.

Because every construction site is different and has a unique set of challenges, it has always been more difficult to streamline processes like in other industries such as retail and manufacturing. Positively, innovative technologies that can close those gaps, as well as funding in Contech projects, are growing rapidly. It could spark the beginning of an exciting era for the industry.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 09

People on the move Scott Parnell secures first accreditation with Constructionline Scott Parnell has secured its first accreditation with Constructionline – the UK’s leading procurement and supply chain management service.

once they have demonstrated that they meet a set of rigorous assessment criteria, has awarded Scott Parnell with a Silver Accreditation.

Constructionline, which only allows companies to become certified members

In order to achieve a Silver Accreditation, Scott Parnell had to submit and verify a

number of documents. These covered company details, financial and insurance information, business and professional standing, health and safety, business services, and any mandatory licenses or accreditation requirements it holds.

STEPNELL EMPLOYEE CROWNED CONSTRUCTION MENTOR OF THE YEAR KAREN Ryan who spent 15 years of her career at Stepnell has been crowned Mentor of the Year at an annual award ceremony which recognises the very best in construction excellence within the West Midlands.

The award recognises an individual who has shown a commitment to developing the future leaders of the industry and has invested their time in nurturing people to help them reach their full potential.

She was instrumental in implementing Stepnell’s top-performing trainee and apprenticeship scheme which has boosted Stepnell’s workforce to include 10 per cent of apprentices, trainees and graduates and she chaired the Midlands Construction Training Group, helping other firms to upskill and train their workforces.

Before retiring in the same week that she was presented with the award, Karen’s construction career with Stepnell has seen several successful partnerships forged

with the CITB and schools and colleges across the Midlands which has resulted in young people joining the industry and becoming award-winners themselves.

She said: “It was a huge compliment to be nominated for this award by my colleagues and receiving the award is an honour.

“We’ve had so many young people join the business 15 years ago who are still with us now. I’ve seen them progress into senior positions, grow as professionals and have their own families.

“These people are the life blood of the business. It’s built on investing in the next generation and that’s what Stepnell is all about. When I started there was less than 100 people, now there’s around 450, but the ethos of supporting staff and helping them grow is still the same.”

Mark Wakeford, joint managing director from Stepnell said this award was a testament to Karen’s passion and

dedication to mentoring within the industry.

“Karen’s infectious enthusiasm to develop individuals within the construction industry has reaped dividends. At Stepnell we are committed to investing in the next generation of young talent and Karen paved the way by developing a hugely successful trainee and apprenticeship scheme,” he said.

“Her work has been instrumental in helping us to exceed the industry’s “five per cent club” and we are proud to have apprentices, trainees and graduates making up at least ten per cent of our workforce.

Lendlease announces Laure Duhot as new Head of Investment & Capital Markets One of the property sector’s leading experts in fund management, investment and capital markets has joined Lendlease.

Laure Duhot brings more than 30 years of experience to her role as the international property group’s new Head of Investment & Capital Markets for Europe.

Lendlease has asked Laure to build on a track record that has seen her close more than £16.5bn of property transactions over the course of her career. She will lead on the execution of transactions, identify and implement funding strategies, negotiate investment partnerships with potential capital partners and establish new fund products across Lendlease’s European pipeline.

Laure’s experience of leading real estate transactions across Europe make her an ideal candidate to join an international property and infrastructure group that already operates on major projects in both the UK and Italy. Globally, Lendlease has AUD$34.1 billion funds under management, and invests on behalf of organisations including pension and sovereign wealth funds.

Tom Mackellar, Chief Financial Officer for Lendlease Europe, said: “Laure brings a wealth of expertise to our team and a history

10 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

of delivering astute investment strategies throughout her career. That will be of huge benefit as we deliver our pipeline of major projects around the UK and continental Europe.”

Laure’s career has so far included 10 years in private equity, investment banking, corporate lending, and project finance, before she came to specialise in the property sector 20 years ago. Former employers have included Grainger PLC, where she was the Managing Director who established the firm’s PRS fund management business, Sunrise Senior Living Inc where she co-led the firm’s fast UK expansion in high end assisted living sector, and Macquarie Capital Partners (now M3) where she was a founding partner and principal of the firm and led its European investment banking advisory business. Laure has also served on various company boards, including Thames Valley Housing and The Guinness Property group. She is currently a non-Executive Director for PHP plc and for InLand Homes plc.

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Project News

STORNOWAY PORT AUTHORITY AWARDS DEEP WATER PORT DESIGN CONTRACT Stornoway Port Authority has awarded a major contract to design one of the biggest projects ever undertaken in the Hebrides.

Marine consulting civil engineers Wallace Stone have been chosen to take forward plans for Phase 1 of a deep-water port, which is

part of the Port Authority’s 20-year Master Plan and aimed at creating significant economic growth for the islands.

The development has the potential to create more than 200 jobs throughout the Outer Hebrides and have a major impact on tourism in the islands.

The contract award was announced during a visit to the port

by Aileen Campbell, the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government. She said: “Our coastal seas are a central feature of Scotland’s economy and our plans for job creation and economic growth. Remote communities in particular benefit from marine tourism which generates additional business, jobs and prosperity. The creation of a new deep-water facility, which will allow cruise ships to berth alongside, will have a positive effect on the wider economy for years to come.

Through the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, the Scottish Government has contributed £1.75m to the marina project. We are fully supportive of the ports industry, and we recognise the hugely beneficial impact Stornoway Port Authority (SPA) has on both the local, regional and national economy.”

Councils sell over 200 sites to community led housing groups Research undertaken by the National Community Land Trust Network has revealed that a third of local authorities in England are now supporting community led housing development.

• One in six councils have policies to support community led housing • One in three councils have given grants or loans for community led housing • At least 208 public sites have been sold or leased to community led housing groups The information has been compiled following Freedom of Information requests to all councils in England in December 2018.

Despite central government forecasting that 300,000 properties need to be built each year until the mid-2020s, housing starts are falling short. And while local authorities will benefit from the lifting of the Housing Revenue Account borrowing cap, they are still facing an £8bn funding gap during the same period.

This research highlights some of the ways that local authorities are starting to embrace new community led solutions in an effort to get new homes built or bring properties back into use.

It is hoped construction on the deep-water port could start early in 2020, with a target for completion by mid-2021.

The development is crucial to accelerate local growth in the burgeoning cruise business, by providing improved facilities for larger ships that cannot currently berth alongside. At present, Stornoway attracts relatively few large cruise vessels, as those over 156 metres in length are unable to berth alongside, and passengers are brought ashore by small tender.

To maintain and grow the cruise market, Stornoway needs a facility for berthing cruise ships up to 350 metres long. This would attract an additional 35-40 vessels a year, creating a significant number of business opportunities throughout the island as visitor numbers entering through the port continue to increase.

The project also includes a new deep-water berth for a freight ferry and for larger cargo vessels; berthing and unloading facilities for renewable energy components; development land for a range of uses, including industrial, storage and decommissioning activities; and a new link road along the foreshore to Arnish fabrication yard.

The works will include land remodelling, dredging, land reclamation, a new quay, finger pier and linkspan and associated civil engineering works.

Last month the port authority announced that a £5 million contract to create a new marina at Stornoway as part of the Master Plan had been awarded to RJ McLeod Contractors Ltd. The upgraded marina will see the creation of 70 new berths for leisure craft, a marine engineering workshop and infrastructure to support future development, including business/industrial and leisure.

A turf-cutting ceremony was attended by Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy Kate Forbes and representatives from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council), Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Stornoway Sailing Club.Through the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, the council and Scottish Government are contributing £2.75 million to the marina project, while HIE has approved £3.5 million.

12 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

Project News Crosslane Student Developments Crosslane Student Developments (“Crosslane”), part of the Crosslane Property Group, celebrated the topping out of its latest Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (“PBSA”) development in Coventry on 29 April 2019, which will open on time and on budget for the start of the 2019/20 academic year following a tight construction timetable that began in January 2018. The new 614 bed development has an expected gross development value of approximately £55 million upon practical completion.

The ceremony was conducted by Mike Moran, Development Manager for Crosslane Student Developments and Graham Taylor, Project Manager for the RG Group, and attended by the team of agents, contractors and professional partners working on the project, as well as the Prime Student Living team - the student accommodation lettings and operational management arm of the Crosslane Property Group, who are responsible for achieving full occupancy prior to practical completion and will continue to manage the building thereafter.

The new development called ‘Trinity View’ on account of being able to see the infamous three spires of Coventry from the 10th floor rooftop terrace, is located to the south west of the city centre, at the junction of Friars’ Road and St Patrick’s Road, within the Coventry Ring Road. It is conveniently placed, less than ten minutes’ walk from the main campus of Coventry University and less than five minutes’ walk to the city’s mainline train station, which offers regular bus services for students attending Warwick University.

The development comprises six new residential blocks, each at different stepped heights of three, seven and ten storeys, rising to a 20-storey tower in the south-west corner of the site. The building is laid out in a V-shape to form a large, private outdoor landscaped courtyard, within which residents can study, collaborate, socialise and relax.

Students are able to choose from one of the 135 high specification self-contained ensuite studio apartments, or from the 479 shared ensuite flats, available in clusters of between two and six bedrooms.

This arrangement encourages students to live in groups, make new friends and provide cultural opportunities as part of their university experience, as well as providing rooms at more affordable rent prices.

Cluster flats will share a spacious lounge, kitchen and dining area including a free to use washer/dryer, which has proved particularly popular in other properties Crosslane has developed. High quality communal facilities will be available on the ground floor, such as a large common room including a games area, TV snug, study hub and onsite gym. Meanwhile the 10th floor will boast a skylounge, cinema, luxury entertaining kitchen and dining entertainment facility, along with a roof top terrace providing impressive views across the city skyline. Students will also benefit from secure cycle storage and superfast 100Mbps broadband and Wi-Fi throughout the building to provide residents with a first-class experience.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 13

Feature Is ‘mobile’ an answer to driving digital construction and productivity?

By James Summers, CEO and founder, Conker In the last few years, the UK government set out numerous strategies to improve construction productivity. This includes the Construction 2025: strategy and the recent Industrial Strategy, Construction Deal, which states that, “construction underpins our economy and society,” and that the government will, “create an economy that boosts productivity and earnings.”

This strategy is built on five foundations: ideas, people, infrastructure, business environment and places. To support this strategy the government plans to lead the charge on the use of AI and ‘data’ based technologies (digitalisation) and the future of mobility. Similarly, according to a study

by NBS, 77% of construction professionals in the UK agreed that ‘digitalisation’ will improve the productivity of the construction sector.

Clearly, this implies a strong need to assess how to improve construction employees’ productivity through technology. Within an industry where collaboration, transparency and Business Information Modelling (BIM) is increasingly important, technologies such as AI, the cloud, mobile apps and business rugged devices can improve collaboration, project management, business processes and productivity, and all combine to drive growth. So, how can construction firms use mobile apps and devices to improve productivity?

BIM and digital construction BIM has become an important driver behind the digital construction movement. It has driven a major paradigm shift across the construction sector, especially since the government made it mandatory for public sector projects to adopt this technology in 2016. In addition, the European Parliament also encouraged BIM adoption, as a way to modernise the project management and procurement processes to ensure greater transparency and efficiency across the sector.

To put it in context, in the past, the construction process consisted of a collection of multi-stage drawings and specifications that were shared among

contractors, from the conceptual stage all the way to the final product. The approach was siloed. BIM has improved this process by allowing a greater collaboration and more transparent approach to information/ data management.

With BIM in place, each party adds their information to the BIM model, so that everyone has a comprehensive source of data and information associated with a particular construction project, covering all aspects of a built asset. Further, most BIM-based software includes a cloud-based mobile app component, meaning processes can be mobilised for mobile workers.

Therefore, to harness technologies such as BIM, it then becomes even more important for firms to consider the tools that their staff use to access their information effectively. You wouldn’t provide your construction team a flat blade screwdriver when a crosshead screwdriver is required.

In mobile terms, this translates to ensuring that your team is equipped with the right kind of fit-for-purpose, business rugged mobile devices (tablet, laptop or smartphones) that are capable of running the software applications that your team uses on a daily basis.

‘Mobilising’ business processes for digital construction BIM aside, there are multiple business processes within construction that can be improved with digitalisation. For example, mobile apps can replace paper-based systems. Field staff management can also be improved through apps. Processes such as timesheets and time keeping can be ‘mobilised’, holding staff accountable for their work via smartphones. Equipment management can be more effectively dealt with. Senior management teams can use their smartphones on site to access drawings and other BIM reliant technologies. The possibilities are almost endless, but are totally dependent on accessing a mobile device to use them.

Developing a business rugged mobile strategy Within construction, many organisations typically equip their mobile workforces with consumer devices that are incapable of thriving under harsh conditions. In construction, especially, there is no shortage of these. So it is necessary to consider using business rugged devices to help firms avoid the expensive replacement and maintenance costs associated with broken devices.

When a device breaks it often has negative repercussions. Productivity for end users and IT teams is affected. This has a further negative effect on the total cost of ownership of their mobile strategy

14 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

too, raising a critical question about what construction firms and their IT teams should consider as they develop an effective mobile strategy?

Tip 1: what business processes can be mobilised? In light of today’s mobile and technology led movement, has your firm investigated where productivity is failing?

Has it considered how to improve or modernise it? For example, can it develop or acquire a new mobile app?

Tip 2: are your existing applications mobile ready? Determine what mobile applications your employees require access to across your organisation on a daily basis in order to effectively do their jobs. Do these apps function on a mobile device – in a mobile world, if not, why not?

Tip 3: do you have a fit-for-purpose, business rugged fleet of devices? All too often the cheapest mobile device is selected. This approach is wrong. Select a device that is business rugged and capable to withstand construction environments.

‘Break and replace’ delivers false economies of scale as firms buy poor quality devices in bulk that are ineffective in the long term.

Tip 4: are your suppliers easy to work with?

Choose a supplier that offers great support, device repair and replacement procedures.

Many suppliers out there are eager to help in the beginning, but what about through the entire buying process, beyond the sale? Finding an easy to work with partner these days is dream, especially one with a responsive and strong support team.

Tip 5: do you have a device downtime strategy? All devices are bound to break at some point. When this happens, what does your downtime strategy look like? Have you tested it and how well do your IT team and device suppliers come to your aid when there is a problem?

Conclusion According to Market Research Future, “the global market for BYOD and Enterprise Mobility is expected to grow from USD 39.04 billion in 2017 to USD 94.41 billion by 2023.” Construction firms are part of this trend, making it crucial for them to factor mobile apps and fit-for-purpose business rugged mobile devices into their digital construction plans.

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Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 15

Project News

Jones Homes reveals new development in Harworth Jones Homes has revealed how its new Simpson Park development on the former Harworth Colliery site will look.

The computer-generated image shows how the street scene will appear when some of the first homes are built and occupied.

Local firm to kick-start huge new global facility in Cambridge

Jones Homes is building 71 homes on land off Scrooby Road.

It is the company’s second development in Harworth, having completed work at Woodland Grange in Scrooby Road in April 2018.

Having been granted Section 6 planning permission in 2018, works on a new 200,000 sq.ft research and development headquarters to host major technology companies is set to get underway on units 1-21 Cambridge Science Park.

Simpson Park opened to visitors in February and Jones Homes has begun taking reservations. Two show homes will open at the development during the summer, when the first residents are also due to move in.

Local construction firm Mick George Ltd will shortly commence bulk-earthworks for the project on behalf of principal contractor SDC Builders Ltd. The construction will be situated on the TusPark area of the site and forms part of a £200million investment by the Chinese Science Park body of Tsinghua University in China.

Positioned on the gateway to the Science Park, the scheme is anticipated to overcome the lack of high-class commercial space needed to support the City’s long term sustainable economic

growth, while continuing to attract national and global companies.

The development will play a major role in strengthening the City’s proposition as a leading player in the bi-science sector, bringing together world-class university, research institutes, and creative science and technology organisations, writing a new chapter in the success of the Science Park.

Jayne Swift, Sales and Marketing Director for Jones Homes, said: “Jones Homes is now an established name in Harworth. Our previous development, Woodland Grange, was extremely popular, so our early purchasers were confident that we would deliver the same high standards at Simpson Park. It is always exciting to see how the homes will look and then to watch the street scene taking shape. We have been proudly showing computer generated images to our visitors and they have been enthusiastic about the designs and how the house types fit together. “

Michael George, Managing Director at Mick George Ltd commented: ‘’We’ve worked in combination with SDC Builders Ltd on numerous occasions, including the Bradfield Centre at Cambridge Science Park, one of the UK’s largest innovation facilities. The fact that both contractors have been recognised to complete similar works for yet another high-profile build at the same site, is testament to the quality previously delivered.’’

IDOM Paving the Way on Manchester School Project Leading international engineering company, Idom Merebrook Ltd (IDOM), has started work on a project to clean up and regenerate sites for new academy buildings for two schools in Cheetham Hill, Manchester.

The £45 million programme, which is sponsored by the Department for Education, was established to address the needs of schools urgently requiring repair and to improve the overall standard of school buildings in the UK by creating environments which are conducive to learning.

Working in partnership with Wates Group, leading education provider and Principal Contractor on the project, IDOM’s team of environmental engineers has been tasked to undertake a geotechnical and environmental assessment of the land and provide a remedial strategy to create a safe space upon which to build the new schools.

The application for the proposed development includes re-profiling of the site and remedial ground engineering works to allow construction of school buildings and associated infrastructure with access roads, parking and playing fields for new girls and boys schools for the Star Academy Trust.

Historically, from mid-19th century to the post-war the site was subject to clay extraction for brickmaking.

engineering issues and risks posed by the land.

Reporting will include the validation procedures and techniques to be employed to ensure that the remedial works are effective. It will also set out the required acceptance criteria for site-derived soils and imported soils and identify soil resources and suitable future uses within the proposed development.

Following this, the site and surrounding area was used for the disposal of construction and municipal waste, as well as housing railway lines and dye works.

The research will also detail environmental controls to be implemented during the works to manage contamination issues and safeguard the wellbeing of the construction team and local residents.

To ensure the site is developed to be fit for purpose as a school and community hub, the meticulous remediation works will be based upon the findings and recommendations of IDOM’s environmental report, which will highlight any ground

Simon Edwards, Regional Director Idom Merebrook Ltd commented: “Landfill sites pose some of the most challenging issues for environmental engineering, so it is heartening to know that the effective remediation and regeneration of this land can fulfill the need

16 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

Project News Milestone reached at new city centre development in Norwich Broadland Housing has celebrated a significant phase of their new housing development in Norwich City Centre.

Built by construction company, R G Carter, the first structure of the Canary Quay regeneration project has been completed with internal fittings taking place ahead of families moving in later this year.

To mark this important milestone Broadland Housing, chief executive Michael Newey and executive development director Andrew Savage, were joined by James Carter, Director of RG Carter, and representatives from architects, Ingleton Wood and consulting engineers, Rossi Long on the roof of the 60 new flats.

Speaking at the event, Michael Newey, Group Chief Executive of Broadland Housing, said: “This is an exciting day for Broadland. We will be providing high-quality homes for people who need them the most, at rents they can afford near to the City centre.

Canary Quay will transform a space that was neglected and derelict into a vibrant new living quarter for Norwich.

“We have been particularly delighted with our enduring partnership with R G Carter for over 50 years and this scheme is another great example of how working together we are able to improve lives for people in Norfolk.”

Mario Rackham, Director and General Manager at R G Carter, said: “After months of building at Canary Quay, the topping out ceremony is a great opportunity for us to welcome local stakeholders to enjoy a first look at the progress that has been made, and

for more community living space and in this case space for young people to learn. At IDOM we have a strong track record in the regeneration of land and brownfield sites, so this brief is entirely within our skillset. Our team looks for forward to delivering a strategy that will transform this part of Manchester into a useful and safe environment for the community.”

to thank everyone involved. We look forward to completing this fantastic project, which will help transform the riverside area, as well as provide highquality housing that will serve the local community for years to come.”

The 1 and 2 bedroom apartments were partly funded by Norwich City Council, with proceeds of Right to Buy sales. By spring 2020 Broadland will have built a total of 323 homes at Canary Quay, a mix of affordable/ intermediate rent and open market properties.

Additionally, an active system to prevent ground gas accumulation beneath building footprints will be installed, and a programme of post-installation performance testing will be put in place.

For the all-weather surfaced pitches and playing fields a formation layer shall be underlain by a geotextile marker to

prevent contact with made ground during future maintenance, and to allow suitable drainage. A soil cover will be placed upon a woven geotextile layer, which will serve as a marker layer and inhibit mixing with underlying made ground. Other areas will be covered with buildings, hardcover and all-weather pitch formation to break exposure pathways.

From a technical perspective, there are several phases and complex investigations which require completion before a single brick is laid. The remediation of the site will include cleaning of the soils and ground extraction of metals, gas and any asbestos.

The site will be stripped of vegetation and invasive weeds. Any contaminated ground water will be treated and there will be bulk excavation of the site and materials processing, including the segregation of geotechnically unsuitable materials.

A system will be designed to break pollutant linkage pathways between landfill materials and the bedrock aquifer.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 17

Project News GRAHAM to carry out design and build of new Oxford Brookes University facility GRAHAM has been selected to carry out the £18.1 million design and build of a new, interdisciplinary technology and creative industries building at Oxford Brookes University’s Headington Campus as part of a framework to support the delivery of its 10-year estate investment plan.

GRAHAM will construct a new-build facility which will bring together the University’s courses in the arts, architecture,

computing, engineering and the built environment.

Sitting to the east of Headington Hill Hall, within the protected Headington Hill Conservation Area, the new structure will replace the existing Helena Kennedy building. Creating purpose-built labs, workshops and studio spaces, the new building will be a hub for research and teaching, encouraging collaboration between these practical disciplines.

GRAHAM was selected as part of the Oxford Brookes University framework panel in 2016 to deliver projects worth over £5 million.

The estate investment programme is upgrading facilities on the University’s campuses as well as some residential accommodation.

The works, comprising the design and construction of the new building including all enabling works, external works and drainage, will be carried out over a 64week programme. It is anticipated to start in May 2019.

Community groups in Chelford benefit from Jones Homes’ £270,000 cash injection Community groups across Chelford will benefit from a cash injection of more than £270,000 from Jones Homes. The developer is building 94 homes on the former Eddie Stobart haulage depot off Knutsford Road. Construction work is now in the final stages.

Jones Homes is investing the funds as part of its planning agreement for the scheme, known as Cricketers Green.

A community pot of £75,000 will be allocated to local groups. This could include local community centres, youth clubs and possibly creating new community facilities. A further £195,000 has been allocated as an investment in education and local schools. A further contribution to improve off-site open spaces could benefit sports facilities in Chelford.

Gemma Pownall, Sales Director for Jones Homes North West, said: “Cricketers Green is a fantastic example of how brownfield sites can be transformed to help meet the needs of local people. The development has been extremely successful and is becoming an attractive and popular place to live. Jones Homes is a local company and we always work to embed our new homes firmly within the existing community. In the case of Cricketers Green, we are pleased that our planning contributions are being invested in good causes in the village and supporting education, so the whole community will experience some benefit.”

Jones Homes is building three to five-bedroom homes at Cricketers Green and the last few homes are now available for sale. A stunning new show home, five-bedroom detached The Latchford II, is open daily. Within the development there will be a large open space which the whole village will be able to use. It will have a play area for children and a free-play space, with footpaths and seats also provided.

Priestley Construction completes £1million mixed-use development in Bradford Construction work has completed on the redevelopment of a former office building in Bradford into 31 studio apartments and ground floor commercial spaces.

Priestley Construction, the contracting arm of Leeds-based Priestley Group, has completed the £1million transformation of the 4,257 sq. ft. building, located on James Street in Bradford city centre.

All apartments have been designed to the highest specification, creating luxury, contemporary living spaces. Prices start from £49,995.

New residential homes occupy the top three floors of the fourstorey former office block. The three existing ground floor commercial spaces have been retained, with current tenants still in situ. Priestley Construction has also upgraded fire systems in these units to improve safety for all occupiers.

Prospective residents will benefit from being ideally situated in close proximity to Bradford’s main shopping district.

The scheme is also 700 metres from Bradford Forster Square and half a mile from Bradford Interchange rail stations.

Priestley Construction is currently on-site delivering a number of residential and mixed-use schemes across Bradford, including the award-winning renovation of the Grade II listed building, Conditioning House on Cape Street.

18 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

Imperial matches bricks for stunning restoration of Quarry Bank Mill Imperial Bricks has supplied bricks for a new structure within an 18th century National Trust listed property. Quarry Bank Mill in Styal, Cheshire, was a complete industrial community built around a cotton mill in the Cheshire countryside. In November 2017 the mill was closed to allow refurbishment, including construction of a passenger lift to give access to the whole site for people with mobility issues. It re-opened to visitors in summer 2018.

Contractor HH Smith and Buttress Architects in Manchester were responsible for Quarry Bank Mill’s £9.4 million restoration and renovation. The whole project took close to four years and was funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund and thousands of generous donors. It is one of the biggest projects in the National Trust’s history, an important step in the conservation charity’s continuing commitment to bringing the stories of its properties to life.

To keep the authentic look of the mill, it was essential that the new structure blended seamlessly into the old. Imperial Bricks was approached to provide bricks for the new lift shaft to match the existing brickwork around the lift

shaft area. Brick matching is a service offered by Imperial – if stock bricks can’t offer a close match, it’s possible to have a custom product created. The brick matching service will compare colour, size, texture and weathering to produce an exact match.

Imperial’s expert brick match team visited the site to record the colour and size of the old bricks.

Jason Hughes, Managing Director comments: “It’s the kind of project we love! We visited the site to photograph the existing brickwork, then had sample brick boards made up in various shades so the architect could select the best match. After careful matching, 8,000 3” Reclamation Handmade bricks with a bespoke weathered finish were supplied. It’s a rustic red multi brick that’s particularly suited to old Cheshire buildings and has been a very popular choice for matching period properties across the North West. It was a very rewarding project and it’s a privilege to be able to contribute to the renovation and improvements of such a historic property.”

The Mill at Quarry Bank was closed during the building work but the rest of the properties on the site and the grounds remained open to the public.

Access to the site is shared by the visiting public, staff and construction traffic so deliveries from Imperial Bricks had to carefully schedule deliveries to comply with robust health and safety requirements.

During construction the public was still admitted to the grounds and other buildings on the site, so their safety was a high priority.

Imperial Bricks works closely with contractors, planners and conservation officers to ensure the most suitable bricks are used in heritage projects. There is always a solution, even for the most unusual sites: even if there is no suitable brick from stock, our free brick matching service will produce a bespoke blend.

It’s even possible to correct past mistakes; existing brickwork can be tinted to make sure the end result is right. Ask your local merchant for their regionally-appropriate handmade brick selection, and test panels for heritage projects can be delivered on-site.

For more information on the traditional handmade, waterstruck, wirecut and pressed bricks and services available visit www.imperialbricks.co.uk.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 19

Awards News

Three colleagues each win individual RoSPA awards for inspirational safety Three colleagues working for drainage and utility specialist Lanes Group plc have each won national awards for their inspirational dedication to the health and safety of others, including saving the life of a baby.

Jack Gale, Kelly Hansford, and Andy Brierley have won RoSPA Inspiration Awards which recognise the exceptional contribution that individuals make to occupational health and safety.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is one of the UK’s leading health and safety organisations.

GEZE UK sets new standards GEZE UK is setting new standards having achieved the ISO 45001:2018 accreditation for Health and Safety – one of the first in the industry to gain the new award. The company is also the first of GEZE’s worldwide subsidiaries to gain the accreditation.

ISO 45001 is an international standard that specifies the requirements for a management system that uses robust and effective processes for improving work safety in global supply chains and is also the world’s first international standard for occupational health and safety.

Designed to help organisations of all sizes and industries, ISO states that the new international standard is expected to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses.

The four-stage process presents a vigorous certification route to document the company’s efforts towards implementing change and applying checks and balances to ensure that standards are met.

The achievement follows the company’s previous successes when it achieved ISO 9001 – quality and the ISO 14001 environmental standards.

Said Kaz Spiewakowski managing director of GEZE UK: “This is a huge achievement and it should be acknowledged that this was achieved through the efforts, hard work and determination to improve the business by every member of the company. It is only through this constant desire to improve and excel, that GEZE UK continues to change for the better ensuring that the safety of our people, assets and anyone we work or interact with is a priority.”

All three colleagues work for Lanes Utilities, which is responsible for surveying, cleaning, unblocking and repairing drains, sewers and wet wells for Thames Water.

Jack Gale has been awarded the RoSPA Inspiration Pride Award which recognises ‘acts of heroism’ in a life-threatening situation, while campaigning for health and safety, or when selflessly helping others. The wastewater engineer, aged 22, saved the life of a one-year-old baby boy who had stopped breathing. The lifeless child had been carried into the street by his distraught mother.

Jack, a former British Army battlefield medic, with experience in Afghanistan, took the correct emergency action needed to revive the baby, who made a full recovery.

He said: “It feels great to be recognised for helping others. With the right training, other people could have done what I did. I hope this shows the value of getting first aid skills through work. If have the chance to get first aid training, I’d say take it.”

Kelly Hansford is to receive the Influencer Inspiration Award, which recognises individuals who have made the biggest impact on health and safety in the previous 12 months. She is both a mental health practitioner and a trauma risk practitioner who works on a pioneering Lanes initiative to support the wellbeing of colleagues.

A wellbeing app monitors employee happiness and puts Kelly in touch with individuals who want help with any problems. At any one time she is supporting around 40 colleagues with issues that include mental illness, personal debt and family disputes. She is also helping to develop a support network of voluntary groups.

Kelly said: “It’s fantastic to be given such a wonderful award. It wouldn’t be possible if Lanes wasn’t so forward thinking. I work with lots of people who are very committed to building strong and caring teams. We all need help at different times in our lives.”

Andy Brierley is the lead director of Lanes Utilities, which employs 1,400 people, and carries out 1,400 jobs for Thames Water every day. He is also chair of water company’s health and safety leadership team.

Since Lanes started working with Thames Water in 2012, he has devised, inspired and championed a string of pioneering and award-winning health and safety initiatives.

This includes the introduction in 2018 of the world’s first 360-degree video training theatre with virtual reality capability, allowing groups to interact together during highly-immersive safety training.

20 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

Awards News

East Midlands fit-out firm wins People Development Award at 2019 Celebrating Construction Awards Commercial fit-out and refurbishment specialist Butler & Willow has been awarded the People Development Award at the 2019 East Midlands Celebrating Construction Awards.

The awards, which took place on Friday at the Nottingham Belfry, honour the best of the region’s built environment and are open to both public and private sector organisations/projects.

Butler & Willow – which operates from its fully working showroom, mid-way between Nottingham and Derby in Long Eaton – received the People Development Award as recognition of the company’s commitment to developing and supporting its team and attracting new entrants to the industry.

The firm impressively demonstrated the different ways in which it invests in and develops its workforce, attracts new talent, works with the community and champions equality and diversity.

James Willow, managing director of Butler & Willow, said: “We promote

time and time again that our team is our best asset. We’re committed to delivering impressive results and exceeding our clients’ expectations each and every time, but you can’t deliver excellence without an exceptional highly performing team.

“This award is especially important to us since our main priority is making sure our team feels supported and empowered. We recognise that investing in our amazing people, continually aiding development and providing encouragement creates a fulfilling working environment and a happy, motivated workforce which consistently upholds our values alongside our renowned reputation.

“It’s been extremely rewarding watching each member of the team grow, seeing how committed they are to their own development, generating opportunities for themselves and the company.”

The firm recently announced a number of new project wins, including for the UK’s largest independent car retailer Motorpoint, business advisory firm Smith Cooper, global logistics provider DSV, law firm Elliot Mather, and talent recruitment firms Talk Staff and SF Group.

Serving both large multi-national and independent enterprises for over the past 25 years, Butler & Willow designs and installs tailored, effective workplaces that are more than just ‘places to work’ but places ‘people want to be’.

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FORMICA GROUP BRINGS PRE-PACKED SCANDI-STYLE CLADDING TO UK SHELVES Formica Group, a leading global manufacturer of surfacing products continues its innovative approach to rainscreen cladding, with the introduction of new VIVIX® Lap high performance exterior weatherboard cladding. VIVIX Lap is a modern alternative to wood and fibre cement plank cladding, providing great looks, quick and simple installation and requiring little ongoing maintenance.

Pre-cut VIVIX Lap planks are applied in an overlap arrangement, providing a classic cladding style, with a modern twist. Aimed at residential and commercial audiences, including installers and selfbuilders, VIVIX Lap planks can be applied to everything from new build housing and renovation projects, garden offices, sheds and garages, to commercial business parks and retail outlets.

VIVIX Lap comes in packs of four, 2990mm (length) by 180mm (height) planks, in a 6mm thickness, which can be applied directly onto the cladding support frame or cut to size/site modified if required, with minimal dust or mess.

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VIVIX Lap is a complete weatherboard cladding system.

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Project News

Willmott Dixon lands second Winchester project Willmott Dixon has added to its workload in Winchester by securing a £8.35 million contract from Hampshire County Council to build Barton Farm Academy, the town’s first primary academy school.

The company recently started on site with the new Winchester Sport and Leisure Park to replace the River Park Leisure Centre and now adds to that presence in the town

with its role to build the 420 place academy for children aged 4-11 at the Kings Barton housing development site.

The single storey two-form entry school features a main hall, holistic music and drama studio, ‘discovery point’ library, staff room and workspace, administration offices and parent waiting rooms. The decision to have the school was in response to 2,000

new homes being built on the Barton Farm site so creating a need for further school places. The school will target a BREEAM Excellent energy efficiency rating to provide a sustainable learning environment when it opens in September 2020.

Barton Farm Academy has been designed

by Hampshire County Council’s in-house team of architects and landscape designers and meets the highest standards for environmental sustainability and will provide inspiring and creative learning spaces for children to flourish. The new school forms part of the County Council investment in new school places across Hampshire.

Richard Poulter, managing director of Willmott Dixon in the Central South said: “Willmott Dixon is delighted to be involved in this project. The new school will provide muchneeded inspirational learning spaces. We are always delighted to play a part in supporting the learning of the next generation. As will all our projects we aim to leave a positive legacy in the local community and are targeting 140 apprenticeship weeks on the project.”

HIGH FIVE FOR STEPNELL AS IT COMPLETES TWO MORE LIDL STORES CONSTRUCTION firm Stepnell has delivered two Lidl stores within the Midlands as part of its role in the supermarket’s nationwide expansion.

The new stores – in Loughborough and Droitwich Spa – are the fourth and fifth delivered by Stepnell through the global grocery chain’s UK construction framework.

The twin projects follow on from successful builds in Birmingham, Oakham and Bedford.

Designed by John Roberts Architects, the supermarkets feature full-height glazed façade and a modern interior, as well as on-site bakeries, management offices and welfare facilities for store employees.

The 2,460 square metre Loughborough site has been built on a brownfield area and the steel-framed Droitwich Spa store sits on the Droitwich Spa Retail Park on the edge of the town centre.

As well as its work with Lidl GB, Stepnell has also delivered construction projects for well-known brands such as Costa Coffee.

Stepnell East Midlands regional director Tom Sewell said: “This latest store takes us to five delivered through the Lidl GB framework and illustrates our ability to deliver high-quality, contemporary supermarkets on tight schedules for one of the country’s leading grocery chains. This continued success highlights our strong track record in retail construction and our ability to deliver challenging projects to the highest level of finish.”

Stepnell West Midlands regional director John Rawlinson said: “We are delighted that the Droitwich Spa store is a continuation of our successful association with Lidl GB. “As a complete construction partner, we have worked alongside Lidl to ensure a high quality of build that has used local construction workers and suppliers throughout. The store is a testament to our great working relationship with Lidl GB and we hope to partner with them on further stores in the future.”

John Roberts Architects director Richard Mair said: “These projects are always high-pressure and need a well-organised contractor to deliver them to the very tight programmes, so we were happy to work with Stepnell again for our fourth Lidl store together.”

22 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

Project News

Gleeds to project manage Birmingham’s iconic million brick ‘Wall’ monument The winning design for a ground-breaking new national ‘landmark of hope’ in the Midlands, on which international property and construction consultancy Gleeds is appointed as principle client advisor and project manager, has been announced at an exclusive ceremony at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre, in Birmingham.

Over 130 architecture practices from 28 countries submitted their concepts for The Wall of Answered Prayer to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), with just five making it onto the shortlist for the second round of judging. Marc Chapman, director at Gleeds, was asked to lead a technical team to assess the viability, cost and practicality of build for each of the finalists and, after lengthy consultation, a design by Hampshire-based Snug Architects was selected and secured the contract.

Described as a visionary, thought provoking initiative from a group of Christians across the UK, The Wall of Answered Prayer is to be a lasting monument and piece of public art incorporating part of the client’s requirement for a million bricks – each representing an individual story of hope and faith – to feature in the design. The 50-metre high, arching structure which dominates Snug’s design will be situated on

a strategic 10-acre site between the M6, M42 and HS2, and is expected to be seen by more than 300,000 people every day.

Following Marc Chapman’s technical guidance during the judging process, Gleeds has been appointed to manage the ambitious scheme moving forward.

Commenting on his involvement, he said: “I’m extremely proud to have been asked to join the panel entrusted with assessing the entries for this one-of-a-kind project.

Each of the finalist’s designs were of an exceptionally high standard so selecting a winner was no mean feat. Gleeds will now be leading the project team taking The Wall through to completion and bringing Snug’s inspired concept to life. I am looking forward to starting work on this national monument”.

Richard Gamble, Chief Executive with The Wall of Answered Prayer went on to add: “The Wall has been a dream for 15 years but moved into the realms of reality following a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.

In an effort to give back to the communities who have supported us in getting to this point, we will also be donating one million bricks to social housing projects across the UK. “I have been blown away by the incredible imagination demonstrated in each of the

designs put forward but Snug’s entry was truly awe inspiring and, under Gleeds’ stewardship, I am confident that the finished article will be equally impressive”.

The winning submission was commended for its unique interpretation of the brief and appropriately challenging design, featuring complex angles and a stunning representation of a möbius strip – a nonorientable surface which seemingly has no beginning and no end.

The mature and experienced team behind the design had confidence during the judging period and this contributed to its ultimate selection.

Speaking about the practice’s selection, Paul Bulkeley, Design Director at Snug Architects said: “It is an honour to have been chosen to design and deliver this project of national significance.

“We are excited by the vision behind this ground-breaking design and are looking forward to working with the team. At Snug Architects we believe this will be a structure that both inspires and engages visitors for many years to come.”

It is hoped that The Wall will be completed in time to launch with the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 23

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Feature

Polymeric emulsions and the barriers to getting more traction in the UK Why aren’t polymers more widely used in paving?

Is the reason environmental? With so much in the news about the damage that plastic is causing to our oceans and the marine life that lives there, it is tempting to write off all polymeric substances as a nuisance.

When plastic was pioneered, with so many applications in both the household and industry, it was hailed as a miracle material due its seeming indestructibility. However, it is now undisputed by the scientific and environmental communities that plastic’s greatest strength is also its biggest weakness. Construction and infrastructure, however, are sectors in which the use of polymers is entirely appropriate and beneficial to the environment. We don’t need immortal plastic shopping bags, but we do need enduring roads.

How is polymeric paving kinder to the environment?

Roads that require less maintenance, less quarrying and less transportation of aggregate are more environmentally friendly than those that use traditional construction techniques such as bituminous surfaces.

Unlike asphalt, polymeric processes are nonheated, which means fewer CO2 emissions into our atmosphere. In fact, when it comes to paving and soil stabilisation, some polymeric substances have the highest green credentials. These highly engineered glues bind aggregate and native soils together, without the use of harmful chemicals and the subsequent leakage of toxic contaminants to the ecosystem.

After hurricane Katrina, lots of small lumps of bitumen were dumped indiscriminately all over the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.

This was a major issue for both the native wildlife, as well as for bare-footed tourists exposed to the jagged edges of this micro rubbish spread across the beaches. This is why LANDLOCK Natural Paving, Inc. was certified by the US Department of Fish and Wildlife – the solution that holds the road together and better controls the infrastructure impact after major weather events. With more extreme and random weather predicted, this is worth bearing in mind for Northern Europe. Though perhaps we don’t have as many beach goers.

This rural, gravel road built in Uganda is still going strong 7 years later.

What is the evidence for durability?

When medicines were being used in Victorian England, heroin and cocaine were widely used to quieten babies and alleviate toothache respectively. However, we didn’t let a lack of knowledge and some bad practitioners stop us from developing and using penicillin. Likewise, in the polymer business, a few cowboys use waste stream by-products to create under-performing or failing surfaces. This has led to questions about durability in general, however, when a polymer is custom-engineered with high levels of virgin, prime ingredients, the strength gains significantly exceed the load bearing capacity of a Portland cement treated material. Of course, in dry climates polymers can be used for dust and erosion control too, as a much longer lasting, and often more environmentally-friendly solution than simply spraying a surface with water. But let’s look at more universal applications – farm to market roads and heavy haul roads: Is cost the issue?

Asphalt surfaces have been around for decades, but it is often a prohibitively expensive material. Furthermore, asphalt roads are only as good as the base upon which they sit, and thus considered to be ‘floating’ surface. Once the ever-constant forces of erosion reach the base, it’s only a matter of time before the asphalt begins to see cracking and pot-holing, which then requires costly repairs and maintenance.

Polymeric-treated surfaces on the other hand create a root-system that connects the surface to the base, making base failures less likely. This means less cracking, pothole, and repair work.

Additionally, when it comes to more heavily trafficked roads in urban settings, polymers can be used to reduce the overall profile of design, and create a better support system for a minimal asphalt cap. This ultimately accomplishes two things – it reduces the total amount of aggregate needed to build, thereby reducing material and transportation costs, and it results in a longer lasting asphalt (wear course) because it eliminates erosion at the base level, thereby reducing maintenance and repair expenses.

An asphalt recycled & reclaimed surface in Phoenix that was constructed in 2009

26 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

A sub-base stabilised road in Illinois that was built in 2014 Lastly, polymers can be used to recycle failing asphalted surfaces, providing an alternative to the traditional approach of ‘remove and replace’. Again, the less material you have to import or export, the more you can save and the faster you can rebuild. As always, cost savings will vary from location to location and from project to project.

Maybe people just don’t like change Why then, in the UK, are polymers not the first choice when it comes to sub base stabilisation and rural road paving? Given that emulsions are cured more quickly by the sun, Northern Europe may not seem like a suitable region. However, LANDLOCK has proven successful in cooler, less sunny environments. Additionally, after further testing, UV lighting could be used as an alternative to sunlight to harden and bind the surface at a more rapid pace. This curing solution will also better control and manage wet weather conditions.

Perhaps a bigger barrier to successful market entry is that, as with any mature industry, there is a resistance to new technology that could upset the normal way of doing things, and of course upset the established players. This is especially true in the public sector. Risk, whether falsely perceived or real, is an uncomfortable feeling for those charged with building safe and permanent structures. The age and continuing high performance of polymeric stabilised surfaces in the USA and around the world should, however, provide reassurance. For those that do have an eye on the future, there are huge rewards in store, in the shape of avoiding the waste of time, money and the environment that traditional road building techniques are inherently plagued by.

Patrick Bremer is Vice President of Business Development for LANDLOCK® Natural Paving, Inc. and explores the current issues in the waste disposal industry and the innovative developments required for long-term sustainability. LANDLOCK is a global leader in the development of Smarter Infrastructure.

LANDLOCK’s proprietary, polymeric emulsions reduce the waste of time, money and the environment commonly associated with traditional construction. Patrick can be reached at patrick@landlocknaturalpaving.com or visit www.landlocknaturalpaving.com.

Company News DULUX ACADEMY HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH FOR TRADES PROFESSIONALS Research from the Dulux Academy reveals that decorators are amongst the least open trade profession when it comes to discussing mental health, despite 1 in 2 admitting to having been affected at some point in the past five years.

In a survey carried out by Dulux Academy with 1,000 trade professionals, builders topped the table as most likely to suffer with mental health issues, despite being the most likely to ask for help. In contrast, almost half (45 per cent) of professional painters and decorators wouldn’t be open to asking for support.

Overall, professionals highlighted the rise in mental health issues as a challenge for the industry, with a staggering 84 per cent having experienced the impact of mental health struggles in the job, and 75 per cent admitting to having personally battled with mental health conditions.

The results show that addressing mental health in the professional trades sector is an industry-wide challenge, yet 50 per cent admitted they wouldn’t feel confident in speaking up if they were struggling, with 42 per cent feeling that even if they did it would make no difference and a significant 45 per cent revealing that they wouldn’t know where to turn for help and advice.

In response to the research, Dulux Academy is set to launch a number of

initiatives including a Mental Health First Aid course, designed specifically to provide trades professionals with the basics on how to identify and support those who could be affected by mental health challenges.

“The Mental Health First Aid course will enable those who attend to leave with new practical skills to face an ever-growing industry challenge and give them a better understanding of how best to support their peers when it comes to mental health.”

Announced to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week which runs from 13th to 19th May 2019, the course will allow professional decorators to arm themselves with the skills to help those who may be fighting a silent, secret battle.

The study also revealed that the stigma attached to discussing mental health is the main barrier to asking for help, with 66 per cent citing this as the reason they’d keep quiet. However, more than half (52 per cent) also admitted that if education was more widely available, they would undertake a course in order to best support their colleagues.

Vickie Mather, Dulux Academy Lead comments: “The Academy was founded in order to help professional decorators to enhance their skills, especially in areas where emerging trends require professionals to stay ahead of the curve.

“We employ the best trainers and provide the highest standards of teaching to meet the demands of an ever-changing industry - this isn’t our usual kind of training course but arguably will become one of our most important.

Dulux Select Decorators also took part in the research to understand mental health awareness in the professional painting and decorating industry. Of those who took part, almost two thirds (63 per cent) felt that the industry does not currently provide enough support for mental health conditions, with only 30 per cent feeling as though they would be equipped to provide help and support to peers struggling with their mental health.

Meanwhile, 80 per cent called for more support to be made available.

Mather continues “The research didn’t tell us anything we didn’t know, but the scale of the issue was quite staggering. Results confirmed that this is a nationwide challenge, which is why the course will be just the first of a number of new initiatives to be launched, to make sure we are supporting our industry as much as possible.”

28 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

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Interview

Construction UK Magazine spoke with Dr Jane Perera from the Cardinal Clinic about Mental Health and the Construction Industry Tell us about the Clinic and its aims: Cardinal Clinic is an independent psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of Windsor. The Clinic was founded in 1976 and remains privately owned. This means we do not have corporate shareholders to satisfy and allows us to make the best decisions for our patients and to provide the highest level of care. Our core values are to provide better mental health care in a safe, welcoming and therapeutic environment. We have a clinical body of around 50 consultant psychiatrists and psychotherapists.

What is your job role?

My role as Medical Director involves overseeing all the clinical care we provide and ensuring we adhere to all guidelines and best practices applicable to a mental health setting. As a Consultant Psychiatrist, I also see patients for assessment and diagnosis and then work with them to agree a care plan with the goal of recovery. This journey can take various routes; some patients will require an intensive approach to treatment and will be admitted as an inpatient whilst others will attend the Clinic on an outpatient basis. It’s about the right care plan for each patient.

Do you feel it is important for employers to recognise and implement strategies for mental health?

It is important for employers to recognise and implement strategies for mental health so there is parity with physical health. Stress is the number one cause of long-term work absence and the number two cause of shortterm work absence in the UK. Providing an environment which is conducive to positive mental health wellbeing is critical to today’s employers. Not only there are legal and moral implications for a company if they fail to do so, the commercial implications are significant as well. It is estimated that the cost of mental ill health to UK companies is between £33 and £42 billion per year.

It is imperative to change work cultures to ones where discussing mental health and

wellbeing difficulties at work is a normal conversation; where open and honest conversations about working practices are commonplace and where employees do not feel the need to hide mental ill health for fear of compromising their careers.

Do you think there has been a rise in the number of people across the UK suffering with mental health? Have you seen many more people through your doors?

It is estimated that one in six people in the past week experienced a common mental health problem. This figure is certainly greater than it has been in the past. We too are seeing our referral numbers increase, however, this may not just relate to an increase in mental ill health. Other factors may be influencing this increase; for example, increased awareness of mental health conditions by GPs and the general public accessing information online about how to access care.

Do you feel there is a stigma for mental health especially within specific work sectors such as construction? If so, do you think it is important to try and break this stigma?

There has been a great deal of effort to reduce the stigma attached to mental health, but unfortunately it still exists. Some of this can be attributed to lack of understanding, so education is paramount. Male dominated environments such as construction do tend to have less discussion and awareness around mental health as it can still be perceived as sign of weakness – “pull yourself together” and “man up” are not conducive to good mental health, or indeed physical health. In a macho environment there is often little room for peer-support when a person is facing difficulties and there is evidence that men are less willing to seek professional support. We all have mental health so we all need to look after it.

What can employers do to ensure that their employees feel supported?

It is critical that employees feel supported if poor mental health is experienced.

This requires appropriate policies at the

organisational level as well as supportive behaviours from line managers. There must be visible leadership from the senior management team on mental health issues and education for all staff and managers throughout the company.

Trust is key to wellbeing and performance in the workplace; staff need to know that any disclosures won’t affect their position within the company both professionally and amongst their peers. Senior management need to introduce and visibly support the new ‘mental health aware’ culture.

Changing culture is extremely challenging and takes time and investment. This is not a change that will happen overnight.

Despite mental health being a lot more spoken about in recent years, do you feel there is still a silent epidemic of mental health within the construction industry?

Mental health problems are influenced by many factors and some of these may be specific to the construction industry. Factors such as the pressure to meet deadlines, peaks and troughs in demand or short-term contracts may all increase the level of stress for employees. However, other industries face similar pressures and stressors and show different levels of mental ill health occurrence.

There is a link between manual work where there is physical pain and strain put on our bodies which if left untreated can affect our mental health.

What may be a more significant factor in the construction industry, is the culture. The level of peer-support amongst employees, the macho environment and the perception of poor mental health being a weakness could be preventing employees seeking support when it’s needed.

30 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

Interview With male and female suicides rising yearly, is it time for employers to do a lot more in your opinion? How can people boost their wellbeing at work?

In 2017 there were 5,821 suicides in the UK, this equates to one death by suicide every two hours. Men are three times more likely to take their own lives than women and the highest rate of suicide is in men aged 45-49.

One reason that more men are likely to complete suicide may be because they are less likely than women to ask for help of talk about depressive feelings. Employers should do more and implement cultural changes, provide training including mental health first aiders who provide support as well as signposting to external resources.

Employers can boost wellbeing in the workplace by: • Culture of openness • Two-way communication • Robust and supportive return to work policy • Work/life balance • Learning and development • Peer support, buddy systems and mentoring • Positive working relationships and social activities

You work closely with construction organisations to support staff members and help them implement strategies to create

a resilient workforce, tell us about these strategies and how they help.

right now and feel as though they are unable to speak out due to the stigma?

At Cardinal Corporate we have decades of experience of looking after employees’ mental health and wellbeing. Our expert team of psychologists have written and delivered training programmes to many organisations, across many topics. These include: • Resilience for Managers • Resilience for Teams • Assertion Training • Mental Health Stigma Busting • When Cracks Start to Appear (spotting signs of mental health problems)

In the first instance, we would recommend making an appointment to see their GP. Think of mental health in the same way as we do physical health – you would go to the doctor if you were unwell. The GP will discuss how they are feeling and refer to the relevant services as appropriate. Sometimes it might be easier, in the first instance to talk to a family member or close friend. In a crisis they can contact NHS 111, call 999, visit A&E or call the Samaritans on 116 123.

Alongside formal training we have worked with individual organisations to determine their needs. We can then support them through bespoke training.

Resilience helps us to understand how and why the body reacts to cortisol, the stress hormone that determines “fight or flight”. It also helps us recognise personal thinking patterns which impact on us negatively and to understand our authentic empathy level and the impact this has on our work environment. Finally, creating a personal plan to build and increase reliance for a better work life performance and relationships at home.

What would your advice be for anyone within the construction sector who may be struggling

It would be really good if an employee feels, at some point, confident to speak to their line manager about their difficulties and be offered some guidance and support; this could be suggesting seeing their GP or an appointment with occupational Health.

Dr Jane Perera Medical Director & Consultant Psychiatrist Cardinal Clinic is a leading private mental health clinic based in Windsor. With over 40 years’ experience, the company is dedicated to helping people struggling with mental health issues by providing treatment plans tailored to each patient’s needs to help them on their road to recovery. Cardinal Corporate was launched to help businesses support staff members dealing with mental health issues and implement strategies to ensure the overall well-being of their teams. www.cardinalclinic.co.uk/ccorporate

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Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 31

Go Develop

100% full funding and support for 27 superb apartments in Solihull A successful housebuilder approached Go Develop for 100% joint venture funding to cover the entire cost of a high quality, residential development in Solihull, Birmingham.

With planning permission in place, demolition and replacement began on the exiting property to construct a new apartment block comprising of 27 two-bedroom apartments with associated infrastructure, parking, bin and cycle storage and served by a new access point.

COMPLETION SUMMER 2019: 27 fantastic two-bedroom apartments with 50% already sold off plan. Visit www.parkviewshirley.co.uk to book a viewing.

32 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

Solihull - Case Study IN CONSTRUCTION - Go Develop are experts in property and take care of the legal work, surveying, and all the time draining paperwork to allow our partners to build.

Full funding certainty was provided covering everything from land and build to stamp duty and soft costs – no fees or deductions, to the total of £4996,090 over 18 months. The developer was impressed with Go Develop’s professional approach, speed of funding and hardworking team.

The people at Go-Develop are amazing, the knowledge and experience within the team is second to none. They provide the highest level of expertise and talent, and I’m so grateful to be working with some of the best and most wonderful people in the Industry, thank you -R. Lewis, housebuilder.

92% of Go Develop partners return with further projects, impressed with the fact that there is no outlay with funding, no debt servicing as all costs are rolled up to the end of the project, and no red tape or U-Turns. The support given to housebuilders from their initial plans right through to the sales and marketing of the finished product is second-to-none.

The criteria is kept simple: for full funding there needs to be planning permission in place, with a project that’s up to 24 months duration and a GDV between £2-£15million, it should involve a multi-unit

residential new build or conversion. There also needs to be a margin of 25% on GDV pre-finance.

In the Solihull scheme, a new ‘SPV’ was set up the same day for the developer, to hold the project until it was finished and sold, and a profit share contract was created for both parties, with the developer getting the lion’s share.

The result is a superb modern development ideal for first time buyers and downsizers alike, with fabulous views overlooking approximately 37 acres of open parkland. With light and spacious interiors, these attractive apartments benefit from open plan living and generous living spaces that enhance a sense of wellbeing.

Working in partnership, Go Develop assisted with an entire marketing suite including brand, brochure and website design for the development, CGIs and drone photography, sales progression and exit, hoardings and promotions. Taking on the strain and drain, they went beyond 100% funding to ensure a successful and profitable outcome.

With over 1,100 units currently being built across 29 partnerships it’s worth taking a look at why Go Develop are fast becoming known as the funder who make projects happen. Why not take a look at

a selection of case studies on go-develop.co.uk

or email joinus@go-develop.co.uk

THE SITE – Developer approached Go Develop for 100% joint venture funding to cover the land, build, stamp duty and project costs.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 33

TIMBERMARK Timbermark supplies high resolution inkjet printing equipment.

The company’s focus is on sawmills and pallet manufacturers, but the product range is equally suitable for other industries, such as the manufacture of concrete, plastic and metal products.

The high resolution inkjet equipment is ideal for printing bar codes, providing a cost-effective alternative to labels. Using hand-held printers, large structures can be marked in several places with machine-readable product information, which is unlikely to be dislodged.

Handjets are available as large-character, dot matrix printers for rough surfaces, or as fine, HP-quality printers for bar codes and small text. Both have scan-to-print functionality, allowing accurate and efficient data transfer from system to printer.

Marking systems for construction materials including timber, plasterboard, concrete & plastic 0870 803 1877 www.timbermark.co.uk

Other developments include a controller for external data applications, meaning factory data such as serial numbers or batch codes is available at the point of identification, and a UV-curing system to apply hard-wearing, pigmented white ink onto smooth surfaces such as plastic pipes. www.timbermark.co.uk

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The warmer weather will bring a need for professional craftsmen and women to be cool and dry - to maintain wellbeing and working efficiency on site.

That’s why Snickers’ new Topwear for the summer uses 37.5® fabric technology, which is really good at ‘wicking’ moisture away from the body and keeping you dry.

There’s stylish new Shirts, Hoodies and Sweatshirts in a range of styles and colours that are super-light and quick-drying with advanced ventilation to keep you cool in the heat.

They’ve all got superb, body-mapping designs for an amazing fit, outstanding functionality and long-lasting comfort – all day, every day.

Getting information on the Snickers’ Summer Workwear range is easy.

You can call the Snickers Helpline on 01484 854788. You can check out the website and download a digital catalogue at www.snickersworkwear.co.uk or email info@snickersworkwear.co.uk 23/05/2019 12:56:33 2019 34 Construction UK Magazine - June

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Company News Amey safety research programme graded as ‘Outstanding’ A three-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme between leading public services provider Amey and Leeds Beckett University has been graded as ‘Outstanding’ by Innovate UK, one of only 10% of projects to get this accolade.

The behavioural safety research project, SafetySmart, has led to the development of a unique measurement tool to assess the impact employee behaviours and attitudes have on safety incidents. The tool is now being used in Amey’s Consulting and Rail Business.

Rob Doyle, Director of HSEQ for Amey Consulting and Rail said: “We are particularly proud and honoured to achieve a grading of outstanding for our ambitious and complex KTP. It has certainly challenged, yet supported our approach in developing a tailored behavioural safety framework which has been invaluable.”

Dr Jim Morgan, Principal Lecturer at Leeds Beckett said: “As advocates of the KTP initiative, we are privileged to receive

this outstanding rating from Innovate UK in recognition for the school’s capability in the application of psychological theory and methods to improve real world safety management.”

Dr Russ Bromley, Knowledge Transfer Advisor for the Knowledge Transfer network, added: “Impacting and improving the collective and individual behaviours of a large company can be difficult to achieve.

The KTP delivery structure and three-year project timeline allowed Amey’s Consulting and Rail business to conduct an in-depth evaluation of company practices on how it uses employee reporting tools and data for reporting safety incidents, and identify gaps and opportunities for improvements.

“This project has made a welcome contribution to the avoidance of accidents and the methods used have won the admiration of the academic community through associated publications and conference proceedings. Simply, but profoundly, it adds up to a win-win KTP project of which I am most proud to have facilitated”.

Pete McMutrie has been appointed as Sales Director of Obart Pumps Ltd Pete joins Obart from a major distributor of construction equipment, where for 20 years he was the national and key account sales manager for many high profile customers in the UK and across Europe. He was responsible for selling construction and groundcare products for global brands such as Honda, Stihl, Husqvarna, Saint Gobain , Yanmar , JCB and many other well known manufacturers.

Commenting on the appointment, Managing Director, Matthew Hill said, “We have admired Pete for some time and been aware of his growing reputation and popularity within the industries we are active in.

“With his experience and success of supplying equipment to the UK’s hire industry, builders merchants and civil engineering contractors, Pete has the knowledge and expertise to build help grow our business”.

Pete said “joining Obart is a natural progression for me, having sold Tsurumi pumps for many years I was well aware of the quality and durability of the pumps and the recognition they had earned as being the best pumps on the market.

“I’m really excited about representing the company, developing the Tsurumi brand further within the industry and helping Obart continue with their ambitious expansion plans for the future”

36 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

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Willmott Dixon launches training first at Kent prison Willmott Dixon has created a unique model to help the construction industry tackle its skills challenge by setting up the first of what it hopes will be a series of academies within prison environments that help former offenders find jobs on their release.

The company has teamed up with HMP Elmley in Kent to launch the Willmott Dixon Building Lives Drylining Academy to provide residents with drylining skills and a CSCS card to help them move straight into employment when back in the community. It comes after the CITB’s annual Construction Skills Network report recently predicted approximately 168,500 jobs will be created in construction over the next five years to meet demand.

The launch was made possible after Willmott Dixon and its supply chain converted a warehouse inside the prison into an academy facility. They have also equipped prison officers with accredited skills necessary to deliver six week long in-house courses for prison residents, a sustainable and replicable training model believed to be a UK first.

The academy aims to upskill over 100 HMP Elmley residents each year so they are ‘job ready’ on release and ready to find careers in construction.

Willmott Dixon’s supply chain partners and local job agencies are part of the process to help them find work, which is important

as it is estimated that only 17% of exoffenders quickly get work on release, with re-offending more likely for those who are unemployed.

This is the third Building Lives Academy launched by Willmott Dixon within the last 12 months. Its academies in Croydon and Kingston, based adjacent to construction projects being delivered in these two London boroughs, have already equipped over 150 young unemployed people with key construction skills. Candidates who attend at Croydon and Kingston get a Level 1 Certificate in Construction Operations, Level 1 Certificate in Health and Safety at Work, plus a CSCS card. Afterwards, candidates are supported to apply for work with Willmott Dixon, supply chain partners or other construction opportunities advertised by a local employment service.

The academies are part of Willmott Dixon’s ‘purpose beyond profit’ ethos to play an active role in strengthening the well-being of society through the contribution of its people. Last year, four out of five Willmott Dixon people undertook a communityrelated project as part of the company’s volunteering policy.

Willmott Dixon’s regional head of legacy Richard Pickett, who helped set up the drylining academy, said, “It’s a logical step to tap into the potential of people who are in prison but keen to find a sustainable and

38 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

Company News rewarding job on release. Our industry needs to constantly think of imaginative new ideas if we are to attract the people we need and this is a very replicable model that’s easy to migrate to other UK prisons.”

Andy Davy, HMP Elmley deputy governor, said, “HMP Elmley and the Reducing ReOffending team are excited to be working in partnership with Willmott Dixon. Being able to better prepare our residents with the appropriate skills to transition straight into employment upon release is a priority for the Prison. Employment is a definite contributor to the reduction in offending behaviour and helps to build stronger family stability.”

Willmott Dixon managing director in South London and southern Homes Counties, Roger Forsdyke, added: “Our company is committed to transforming 10,000 people’s life chances by 2020 and this academy is very much aimed at delivering this promise.”

Willmott Dixon’s focus on contributing to society’s well-being recently saw the company achieve Britain’s most prestigious title, winning a 2018 Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its approach to promoting opportunity through social mobility.

Specialist workwear business launches Apprentice Fund for building and construction industry customers A leading supplier of personalised workwear has launched a fund to support apprenticeships in SMEs, providing branded uniform for new starters in the building and construction industry this summer.

The Workwear Express Apprenticeship Fund is giving away £1,000 in free, branded workwear to small and medium sized employers from its range of uniform starter packs, put together with building trades and construction business in mind.

The initiative forms part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to apprenticeships providing the opportunity to be awarded one of four packages of head to toe branded clothing to the value of £250 which could clothe up to 10 new starters or existing apprentices.

Applications by employers are now being accepted for the Apprenticeship Fund and will run until midnight on 21 June 2019. To apply, visit https://www.workwearexpress. com/apprentices/.

General Manager Simon Maw, who was the firm’s first ever apprentice, 13 years ago, has first-hand experience of the benefits that an apprenticeship can bring: “The value of apprentices to a growing business like ours are huge. We have a number of apprentices in a variety of roles within our business, we’re essentially

developing our staff to meet both our current and future needs from day one on the job.

Our business is built on protecting your brand. We know that having appropriate, high quality branded uniform for apprentices and new starters ensures that they are giving your customers the right impression of your business from the day they arrive on site.”

Speaking on a video made by Workwear Express’ own apprentices to promote the fund, Mark Collins, an apprentice in the Key Accounts Department says: “Having the correct branded uniform makes apprentices like us feel like part of a team and it also helps your business to look professional, because we can be professionally clothed ambassadors for your business.”

The fund is open to businesses that would like to benefit from a financial boost to pay for workwear for new starters, students and apprentices. Four grants of £250 will be awarded, covering a variety of workplaces including logistics and transport, manufacturing and facilities management, construction, catering and hospitality, healthcare, business and office work.

and welcome gifts to all new starters to our core company. We often make very large orders through to the team here at Workwear Express and some of the call out points I would like to make about the treatment we receive are as such: Beth and the team are always timely, warm and supportive – we have great conversations over the telephone and the rapport between our business and Workwear Express is top notch! The quality of the products are very good and the prices are in line with what we can afford within our budget spending.’’

Workwear Express is leading supplier of personalised workwear, uniform and promotional clothing. A full-service company, it has more than 100,000 active customers across its three divisions – e-commerce, key accounts and international. It offers services including embroidery, print and transfer all under one roof.

Workwear Express customer Michael Oakley, Operations Manager from process services company Conduent said: ‘’I have been using Workwear Express to create and provide incentive based prizes

Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 39

Company News

A futuristic approach to safety work wear In its quest for zero harm, Amey is trialling an innovative robotic exosuit with operatives working on the Forth Bridges in Scotland, which aims to reduce the risks posed by manual handling tasks.

In partnership with Amey, Transport Scotland has purchased the suit to be trialled in its Forth Bridges Unit. The first of its kind in Scotland, the EksoVest is a new piece of safety work wear that sets out to reduce the likelihood of on-the-job injuries.

The EksoVest is an external metal frame that mirrors elements of the human skeletal structure. It is powered by a series of springs and supports workers’ arms to assist them with tasks ranging from chest height to overhead, providing between 2.2kg to 6.8kg of lift assistance per arm, making lifting objects easier.

The tasks that the operatives undertake on the Forth Bridges predominately require the use of the upper body. The EksoVest is lightweight and has been deigned to alleviate strain on operatives’ arms who are working on tasks above chest height. Weighing 4.3 kilogrammes, the EksoVest is comfortable for operatives to wear in all conditions whilst still enabling them the freedom to move.

Mark Arndt, Operating Company Representative for the Forth Bridges Unit, said: “Integrating technology into everyday tasks to reduce the risk of on-the-job injuries to my operatives, is the driving force behind trialling the EskoVest. The motorised skeletal vest not only has the capability to physically enhance the safety of our people, but it aims to lessen fatigue which will lead to an increase in productivity and a reduction in sickness absence. Our operatives have been wearing the vest to carry out a range of tasks including overhead grinding and welding to repair joints in the Forth Road Bridge, installing underdeck access, installing streetlighting and laying out and removing traffic management. These tasks require our operatives to manually handle weighted objects, so by providing them with a robotic vest that supports their skeletal structure and arms, I’m hoping that we can reduce the weight that they are managing and therefore the potential for injuries. We are still at the early stages of this exciting trial which began at the start of April 2019 but we’re hopeful that this wearable technology will enhance the wellbeing of our staff by making their jobs easier. This complements the range of other technological improvements being rolled out at the Forth Road Bridge as part of Transport Scotland’s drive for new innovations, including high definition VR models, wearable inspection tech, real-time big data harvesting and machine learning.”

Through advancements in robotic innovation, the EksoVest aligns to the principles set out by Amey’s Vision 2030 to remove people from harm. By embracing and utilising this technology on the Forth Bridges, improvements can be made to the safety and wellbeing of operatives undertaking physically challenging and manual tasks.

Kenny Horn, a welder/fabricator at the Forth Road Bridge, also commented: “I found the EksoVest to be helpful when grinding above head height, although I eventually did get pins and needles in my arms after using it for a prolonged period!”

The feedback gained from this trial will help to refine new technologies in a way that sees Amey’s front line operational staff aiding in the development process.

The EskoVest trial is being watched with anticipation by other businesses within Amey to see the potential for utilising it for other tasks, such as waste collection and the installation of scaffolding.

40 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

NOVUS APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY Contractor Novus Property Solutions has appointed Adrian Honeywell as its new Head of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ).

Adrian has over 20 years’ experience as a senior health and safety professional in the construction industry including roles at Wrekin Construction, Nationwide Safety Services, May Gurney and Interserve Construction. During this time he has led health, safety and environment functions on frameworks for reactive and planned works, capital programme works and new-build developments. At Novus, Adrian will report into chief executive Alan Nixon and work with the company’s senior leadership team to devise and implement a long term SHEQ strategy.

Novus has 27 offices across the UK with clients in the social housing, education, healthcare and hotel and leisure sectors.

As well as leading the contractor’s nine-strong SHEQ team, Adrian’s appointment is designed to cement Novus’s health and safety and environmental performance on projects – maintaining its track record while also improving the SHEQ support to operational teams and the wider business.

Alan Nixon, chief executive of Novus Property Solutions, said: “Health and safety has always been a business priority for us and as a contractor that works in live environments that are often sensitive, delivering great quality outcomes while ensuring the safety of everyone on our sites is imperative for both us and our clients.

This new role combines these business support functions – helping us to achieve high performance standards while exceeding client expectations. Adrian’s experience at some of the largest players in the sector and his track record of helping build SHEQ into organisations’ cultures means he’s perfect for the role.”

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Company News

HANDYMAN SECURES STARRING ROLE A self-employed general maintenance handyman from Nottingham has been given a starring role in a brand’s new mini-movie.

Keith Dean (62), of Keith Dean Fixit, features in a new campaign just launched

by Van Vault, the originators of in-vehicle secure storage. The video celebrates both handymen and other tradesmen – the real people who work day and night, completing jobs, responding to call outs and are on-call 24/7.

Keith, who has been in the business for 30 years, comments: “Having the chance to star in this film was fantastic – I felt like a film star! My friends and family can’t wait to watch the finished result with some popcorn in hand.

“I’ve been lucky enough to never have experienced tool theft during my career, however I still think Van Vault products are great, both for general storage and for security purposes. In particular, I really like the products that have the drawer function, as this allows for easy access to the tools.”

Deborah Hunt, Marketing Manager at Van Vault, comments: “We wanted our new mini-movie to represent and celebrate the everyday tradesmen, which is why we selected real people to play starring roles in the video.

“We chose tradesmen in different industries to show how our products are used differently by various trades, reflecting their

real needs and requirements with securing and storing tools.”

Celebrating its 21st anniversary this year, Van Vault is the UK’s number one brand for storing and securing tools in vehicles.

Its range is available in a variety of sizes, each designed for use in different types of vehicles.

IGEM announces creation of new Executive Board The Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers (IGEM) is pleased to announce the creation of a new Executive Board, which it believes will help the institution be more agile in its strategic decision making.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Neil Atkinson announced the board at the institution’s 156th Annual General Meeting, at the London Hilton on Park Lane today (Wednesday, 15 May).

The agreement to establish the board follows an intense review of IGEM’s governance arrangements, which commenced in June 2018, and comes into effect immediately.

The new board will primarily act as a steering group to Council and will streamline decision making. In addition, it will have responsibility for monitoring the overall performance of the institution.

IGEM’S CEO Neil Atkinson said: “These strengthened governance arrangements will help free Council for greater discussion of strategic matters by ensuring membership and learned society matters can be discussed more fully. This improvement to our organisation’s structure and processes will in turn aid the delivery of the institution’s public benefit obligations. The expertise of our membership extends right across the gas sector and IGEM must leverage this to the full at this time of huge change for the energy sector.”

The following officers will serve on the new IGEM Executive Board:

Antony Green, who was elected as IGEM’s President for 2018-2019 at the same meeting, added: “I am really excited to see all this hard work come to fruition. Executed well, our Council will not just be able to perform with excellence its primary collective accountability for governance, but will now have a greater focus on delivering what matters for the institution and its members.”

Phil Jenkins, GATC, representing Industrial Affiliates members • Martin Alderson, NGN, representing the gas networks • David McLeod, ULC Robotics, representing IGEM’S Young Persons Network

42 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

• • • • • •

President Antony Green Vice President Duncan Wong President Elect Ben Clarke Past President Steve Edwards Honorary Secretary Gordon Davies CEO Neil Atkinson

In addition, following elections, Council has appointed the following trustees to the Board:

There will also be two co-opted advisers, to be announced in due course.

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Company News World’s First Safety Helmet With MIPS Brain Protection System Released The Swedish brain protection brand, MIPS, announces Guardio as its first partner in the industrial safety helmet industry.

MIPS, the leading brain protection system company, today announces its partnership with Swedish industrial safety company, Guardio, and the development of the first MIPS-equipped industrial safety helmet, slated for release this month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “the construction industry has the greatest number of both fatal and nonfatal traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) among U.S. workplaces.”

It further states that from 2003 – 2010, 25% of all construction fatalities were caused by a TBI. By partnering with MIPS to create the Armet helmet, Guardio is poised to build a safer environment for workers around the world.

The MIPS brain protection system is designed to reduce the rotational motion transmitted to the brain from angled impacts to the head. Rotational motion can affect the brain and increase the risk for minor and severe brain injuries.

MIPS’ added protection system has been proven to reduce the rotational motion when implemented in a helmet by absorbing and redirecting energies and forces otherwise transmitted to the brain.

“We are very excited about the partnership with Guardio which means that we now can add protection to safety helmets as well,” says Max Strandwitz, CEO of MIPS. “This is a new category for us but a category that MIPS have been looking at for a long time. Guardio is a partner that shares our values and we are looking forward to when the helmet will be released on the market.”

STRONG FIRST QUARTER WITH OVER £23M CONTRACT WINS Leading interior fit-out specialist, Linear Projects has kicked off 2019 with an impressive haul of contracts totalling over £23m across Scotland and the North of England.

In Scotland, works are continuing on The Event Complex, Aberdeen (TECA) the £300m venture by Robertson Group to replace the existing Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) at Dyce, Aberdeen. Linear Projects has been awarded a multi-million package to deliver fit out expertise across the Hilton Hotel, the Exhibition and Conference Centre and the Marriott A-Loft Hotel. Utilising their extensive knowledge and skills, the

team have assisted in designing specific elements to meet the particular acoustic criteria as well as providing ceilings, partitions with joinery packages involving installations of all internal doors and a number of bespoke joinery and FFE fit out requirements to specialist finishes.

In Glasgow, the team have begun working on The University of Glasgow’s new Learning Teaching Hub (LTH) as part of a major redevelopment programme which will result in a significant upgrade of facilities within the campus. The LTH covers seven floors with capacity for over 2,500 students and includes a lecture theatre to accommodate 500 students. Linear Projects are delivering a multi-package solution, valued at £3.8m, incorporating SFS, partitions, ceilings, smoke curtain, IPS, insulation to façade and door sets installation.

Meanwhile, the thriving Manchester office has been awarded a vital project for Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, an

44 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

11-floor specialist cancer hospital located next to The Royal Liverpool University Hospital which will provide specialist chemotherapy and other drug therapies.

Working collaboratively with Laing O’Rourke and architects BDP, Linear Projects will install over 18,000 square metres of suspended ceiling products Ecophon DS and Rockfon Medicare systems to meet the specific needs of the facility. In addition, ensuring adherence to rigorous hygiene specifications and acoustic suspended ceiling requirements.

Commenting on the year’s success so far, Stephen Holmes, CEO of Linear Group said, “2019 has got off to an incredible start and we are confident this is a sign of things to come this year as we continue to grow and thrive. The team continue to work exceptionally hard to deliver the very best project management and client support and this success is testament to the strong work ethic, commitment and quality approach that the business is built on.”

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Company News

FIDIC teams up with the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association to launch new tunnelling and underground works contract International engineering federation FIDIC (the International Federation of Consulting Engineers) and ITA-AITES (the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association) have teamed up to publish a new form of contract for tunnelling and underground works, The Emerald Book.

With underground construction a fast-growing market sector due to the increasing demand for use of underground space for infrastructure, the new Conditions of Contract for Underground Works (The Emerald Book) should be widely used. Underground construction is highly dependent on the geological, hydrogeological and geotechnical properties of the ground, which have a defining influence on the methods required for the successful implementation of the works. In addition, the difficulty in predicting ground behaviour and foreseeable conditions implies an inherent uncertainty in underground construction which gives rise to unique contractual risks regarding construction practicability, time and cost.

These risks are addressed in the Conditions of Contract for Underground Works (The Emerald Book), which is being launched on Tuesday 7 May 2019 at the World Tunnel Congress 2019 in Naples. The launch follows several years of intensive work by a joint task group of representatives of FIDIC and ITA-AITES who identified several issues that the new standard form of contract should address to promote equitable risk allocation and the effective dealing with conditions typically unforeseeable in such projects.

as a result of space shortages in cities due to population increases, take-up of the new Emerald Book contract is expected to be widespread.

Tarcisio Celestino, president of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, commented: “The Emerald Book will bridge an important gap. Despite all the technological developments of equipment and techniques in the field, many underground construction projects end up unsuccessful because of contractual disputes. The book brings together the result of the expertise and respectability of ITA-AITES and FIDIC in the fields of contracts and specificities for underground constructions.”

These issues include the following key areas, all of which have been specifically addressed in the new contract.

• Allocation of risk.

• Disclosure of all available geological and geotechnical information.

• Inclusion of a contractual geotechnical baseline.

• Inclusion of a tailored “Unforeseeable Physical Conditions” clause.

• Implementation of a ground classification system and of supporting particular conditions that properly reflect the effort of excavation and stabilisation.

• Time for completion is largely influenced by ground conditions.

• Provision of a flexible mechanism for remuneration according to ground conditions, foreseen and unforeseen.

With working underground a growing market in a number of areas including energy, transportation, urban infrastructure and

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Construction UK Magazine - June 2019 47

Company News

New appointment to grow Atkins’ masterplanning offering in the UK Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has appointed Colin James as Technical Director to lead its growing masterplanning practice in the UK.

transformed an employment area into a high-density mixed-use waterside neighbourhood delivering over 1,500 new homes.

Colin joins Atkins from WYG where he established the firm’s national urban design and masterplanning business unit. He brings over 25 years’ experience of delivering projects from small scale regeneration to significant international urban schemes.

Declan O’Carroll, National Director for Atkins’ Architecture and Masterplanning Practice, said: “Colin’s appointment is an important part of continuing to build our masterplanning practice in the UK. Our aim is to play a meaningful part in helping to address the challenges faced by UK cities by providing solutions that create lasting social, environmental and economic value.”

Colin’s previous work includes the Baldock Masterplan for Hertfordshire County Council, an innovative scheme around a new railway station which will deliver over 2,000 homes, new employment and a range of new community facilities.

He led the Brookfield Garden Village Masterplan for Broxbourne Council, as well as the Canalside Masterplan that

Atkins’ masterplanning work in the UK includes the Leeds Integrated Station Masterplan that provides the blueprint for the station’s ambitious transformation and integration of national, regional and local transport services with HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.

HAKI grows training portfolio with CISRS Operative Training Scheme (COTS) System scaffolding and temporary access provider, HAKI, will start delivering the popular 1day CISRS Operative Training Scheme (COTS) to customers from June 2019 onwards.

The COTS course, accredited by CISRS, enables people who are new to scaffolding to learn about basics of the industry and how to work safely with scaffolding and access equipment.

Knowledge is then assessed at the end of the course through a short test paper.

All delegates who successfully complete the practical & theory assessments of the scheme will receive a CISRS Certificate.

HAKI will also apply on their behalf for the CISRS Scaffolder Trainee or CISRS Scaffolder Labourer card, allowing them to take further training and progress their scaffolding career.

HAKI technician and trainer, Chris Partridge said: “The addition of the COTS course to our training portfolio is just another example of HAKI’s dedication to providing safe working conditions, by helping train

scaffolders to high standards at an early stage of their career.

“It’s also great that we can help get more people working in the scaffolding industry by delivering entry-level courses, like COTS, too.”

The COTS course will be delivered at HAKI’s CITB-accredited training centre in Milton Keynes.

For more information or bookings, please visit HAKI.com

48 Construction UK Magazine - June 2019

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