Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

End of Year Review 2018

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Contents December 2018

06

Offsite will play vital role in making Housing Infrastructure Fund work

10

Hanson restores rail link to Ashton-inMakerfield

11

Mecalac dealers seals multi-millionpound deal

12

GRAHAM hits Portrush Railway Station milestone

20

JCS - Putting your money where your mouth is

22

BBC One’s Mark Millar leads construction industry debate

26

LCR appoints ISG as lead contractor on major Waterloo development

30

National Flooring Equipment Surface preparation on a larger scale

34

Schöck Isokorb meets steel frame challenge

36

Aggregate Industries appoints new head of RMX and asphalt divisions

44

McBains to advise on world’s tallest modular towers in London

50

Major jobs boost for Glasgow construction company

52

Ecological Considerations Prior to Construction

54

The build-up to SPATEX 2019 begins!

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26

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Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 03

Latest News

Construction projects planned and ongoing by world’s megacities valued at US$4.2trn, says GlobalData A total of 6,645 planned and ongoing construction projects by the world’s megacities, valued at US$4.2trn and fueled by the increase in population, are sparking interest in residential and infrastructural developments, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The United Nations predicts that, between 2016 and 2030, the percentage of the world’s population living in cities with at least a million inhabitants is likely to grow from 23% to 27%, and the number of megacities is projected to increase from 31 to 41.

Following a recent assessment of project pipelines in major cities worldwide by GlobalData, a listing of 50 ‘Construction Mega Cities’, discovers they each have a pipeline of projects with an investment value above US$30bn.

The report states that Dubai tops the list with total project values amounting to US$374.2bn, just ahead of London in second place with US$328.7bn and Moscow in third with US$191.5bn. However, the Asia-Pacific region dominates the list, accounting for 25 of the 50 cities, and having a combined projects pipeline valued at US$1.7trn.

Yasmine Ghozzi, Economist at GlobalData, comments, “The ranking of Construction Mega Cities in the Gulf states shows they are spending the most on major development projects relative to the size of their populations. Dubai, for example, has a population of 3.2m, but it holds the top position in terms of the value of the construction mega-projects pipeline per capita.

“In addition, the number of people living in Doha has increased to 1.1m as the Gulf state recruits tens of thousands of workers to work on major infrastructure projects linked to the 2022 FIFA World Cup; their project pipeline valued at US$105.6bn.”

There are major differences among the 50 Construction Mega Cities in terms of the value of the project pipelines compared to the size of the economies. Visakhapatnam, one of India’s largest ports and an important industrial town and seaside resort, tops the ranking primarily owing to the government’s push on infrastructure and affordable housing.

Ghozzi continues “The two main cities in Vietnam, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, also feature in the top 10 ranking of cities in terms of the value of the project pipeline in relation to the city’s economy. Ho Chi Minh City’s economy recorded high economic growth in the first six months of 2018, with the construction industry recording growth of 7.7%.

“The city is expected to grow by around 8.8% a year, ahead of Hanoi (8%) and many other major cities in the region – outside of China and India – between 2018 and 2022.”

COUNCILS SITTING ON £443 MILLION AS LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE SUFFERS New analysis by the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) reveals that two fifths (40%) of the receipts from a levy on property developers meant for local infrastructure improvements remains unspent by councils in England and Wales.

commercial infrastructure sectors – show that despite raising more than £1.1 billion for councils across England and Wales between 2014 and July 2018, £443 million remains unspent and is currently sitting in council bank accounts.

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) was introduced in 2010 to help local councils secure the revenue needed to meet the impact of new property developments – for example improving local transport links or helping to build new schools or GP surgeries.

The research also shows that across the board, take-up of the levy remains poor, with only 43% of councils in England and Wales (148 out of 348) choosing to implement it.

Freedom of information requests undertaken by ACE – the leading business association representing professional consultancies and engineering companies operating in the social, economic and

Commenting on the findings, ACE chief executive, Hannah Vickers, said: “While councils are deciding not to implement the levy, or sitting on the funds raised, local infrastructure is bearing the brunt of increased strain whenever new homes or retail developments are green-lit. This

04 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

means more cars on our local roads, more pupils in our crowded schools and longer waiting lists at the GP. Given the current financial demands on councils this is surprising state of affairs. It’s clear that the original intention of the levy as a means of fairly raising money for supporting infrastructure is failing. The upcoming Budget is an opportunity for the government to address this imbalance and put in place a system which is simple and transparent. At the moment the system is failing old and new residents alike.”

The report, Scrapping the Levy also highlights a number of regional disparities.

More than half (56%) of unspent CIL is with councils in Greater London, while Birmingham and Newcastle have, to date, not spent any of the collected levy.

Latest News

BRICK INDUSTRY GOES FOR GROWTH The latest ONS figures for brick production in the UK reveal a remarkable story of manufacturing investment.

August 2018 saw 21% more bricks being produced in the UK compared with August 2017a. Compare the figure to August 2016 (a 39% rise) and a clear picture emerges of consistent growth in output resulting from increased capacity across the sector.

This is not just about the summer months, of course: more important for longterm planning are the annual figures. For the rolling 12-month period ending August 2018 there is a 9.4% increase over the previous 12-month period.

To put this in context, NHBC housebuilding figures show that the number of plots under construction in August 2018 is 2% up on the previous year, with the rolling 3-month figure on housing starts to August 2018 being up 6.7%. b “There has been considerable comment on brick supply issues over the last two years,” observed the Brick Development Association’s Tom Farmer. “The industry has proved remarkably responsive to increased

London councils offered more funding for planning The Mayor of London has announced £10 million for ambitious councils that want to boost their role in building new homes in the capital.

demand, with all the major players investing to increase production capacity. The supply chain is also importing stock from the EU in order to bolster supply in the short term.

“It is heartening to see UK manufacturing making longterm investments in plant, people and technology. Brave decisions were made when the housebuilding sector started to show signs of recovery and the increasing production numbers show the results of those decisions.”

In addition to increasing production volume, the BDA also points to the Mace Business School estimate of lead times for brickwork which, at 11 weeks, is well below the 28-60 week lead times quoted for other cladding materials

Building on previous positive announcements this year – small sites and SME house builder initiatives, increased transparency and engagement on publicly-owned land – the Mayor of London has announced £10 million for ambitious councils that want to boost their role in building new homes in the capital.

Councils can bid for up to £750,000 of the “Homebuilding Capacity Fund” to boost their housing and planning teams, provided they can prove the funding will deliver: • a new generation of council homes; • more social rented and genuinely affordable homes, on small sites; • proactive masterplans in areas with significant growth potential; • optimal density across new residential developments in an area.

The National Federation of

Builders (NFB) welcomes this planning fund because it shows that the Mayor is not only listening to the house building industry, but putting into action solutions to ensure the capital is able to meet its growing housing need.

The housing crisis cannot be solved unless the planning process is reformed. Local authorities, that plan our communities and implement the planning process, retain the most responsibility for addressing the housing crisis.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “The planning process remains the greatest barrier to industry growth and building new homes. Developers have already agreed to pay more for better planning and it’s fantastic to see that supplemented by the Homebuilding Capacity Fund.”

Rico Wojtulewicz, senior policy advisor of the House Builders Association (HBA), added: “This is the fourth measure this year showing the Mayor’s commitment to diversifying the housing market and fixing planning. It is welcome news for Londoners and should serve as inspiration for other regions.”

SMEs helping Openreach meet their broadband obligations NFB welcomes announcement from Openreach and hopes it will build on the promise to ensure it will reach all our communities, including those in rural locations Openreach has announced that they will reduce the price of full fibre deployment by 75% for developers delivering fewer than 30 units from November 2018.

The move hopes to encourage developers to choose full fibre, rather than the slower and now dated ADSL/ADSL2+ or VDSL2.

Kim Mears, managing director of strategic infrastructure development, said: “Our new offer provides a low cost option to house builders and we hope it will help encourage the adoption of this future-proof technology

across smaller developments so that noone’s left behind.

“We fully support the Government’s intention to make full fibre broadband mandatory on all new builds and we’re working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and house builders on how best to deliver this.”

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) welcomes the announcement from Openreach and hopes it will build on the promise to ensure it will reach all our communities, including those in rural locations.

While many small builders deliver on infill and small sites within already dense locations, many are based rurally and build close to

their head offices. However, due to cost, they often struggle to physically connect their high speed infrastructure with Openreach cabling.

This has seen a growth of partnerships with alternative providers, such as satellite and community broadband.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “This is really welcome news and evidence that Openreach are not only listening to the entire house building industry but acting to support high-speed broadband access for all.”

Rico Wojtulewicz, senior policy advisor of the House Builders Association (HBA), added: “Broadband is not just for playing games, streaming or looking up webpages.

It can tackle isolation and loneliness, set up businesses and create new communities.

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 05

Latest News

Offsite will play vital role in making Housing Infrastructure Fund work, says Actis The chancellor’s announcement of an extra £500m boost for the Housing Infrastructure Fund has been welcomed by insulation specialist Actis – but the housebuilding industry must have the capacity to actually produce the homes to populate the burgeoning new developments.

That’s the message from pan European insulation specialist Actis, a staunch supporter of the quick-to-build offsite home.

Timber framed properties can be built around 30% more quickly than their traditional counterparts – and many of the tasks taking place in the factory can be carried out by less skilled workers – an ideal solution at a time of housing crisis combined with a lack of construction artisans.

Many of the services, including insulation, are installed off site, unhampered by the vagaries of the weather, making the on site build out process a relative straightforward affair.

Large scale construction of offsite homes has indeed been championed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and Mark Farmer, author of the government commissioned Farmer Review of the Construction Labour Model, which calls on the sector to ‘modernise or die’.

Actis national specification manager Dan Anson-Hart said, while increasing the Housing Infrastructure Fund to £5.5 bn was obviously good news, there was no point in creating the new roads, schools, flood defences and green corridors it was set up

Actis national specification manager Dan Anson-Hart says comparatively quick to build offsite homes must play a vital role in helping deliver the 650,000 homes the Housing Infrastructure Fund will support

to pay for if the 650,000 houses they were designed to support were not forthcoming.

“Obviously it’s great that the extra money will enable local authorities to unlock land for housing where it’s most needed. But in order to build the number of homes this will facilitate we need to rethink our approach

to physically delivering those homes.

Otherwise we may end up with goodness knows how many roads to nowhere! The HIF funding is available until 2021. That’s a very short time frame which, in the current climate, is simply not achievable without a major change to the way in which we build our houses – and that means more offsite.”

Late Payment is not the construction industry’s model Consistent, institutionalised late payment is not an industry practice, but a business failing.

Contractors would not accept less money more quickly because it would hinder their business practice. So why do they think it is okay to offer their supply chain those terms?

Construction News has reported that Bev Dew, finance director at Kier, stated that the firm is “consistent” with its payment practices and that the onus on improvement must sit with clients.

has a negative effect on the entire supply chain, but vehemently challenges the assertion that the late payment model is a consequence of thin margins.

Kier is one of the industry’s poorest payers on the Government league table, with an average of 54 days to pay.

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) recognises that a client not paying on time

Using the supply chain’s money to play the markets, then using an early payment system that pays suppliers less than they were originally owed, is cheating suppliers twice. Consistent, institutionalised late payment is not an industry practice, but a business failing.

06 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

Neil Walters, national chair of the NFB, said: “Contractors would not accept less money more quickly because it would hinder their business practice. So why do they think it is okay to offer their supply chain those terms?

“Kier is short-changing the businesses they rely on so they can continue operating. This is neither best practice nor the construction industry’s model, simply a model Kier has chosen to adopt.”

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Latest News

UK Sector Vacancies Outweigh Student Enrolments With continuous demand for skilled employees in some of the country’s highest growth sectors, the UK skills gap is a major and wellpublicised crisis that, according to a report by Open University, costs the country more than £2bn a year.

Further findings have stated 97% of organisations working in STEM and 96% of financial organisations have had difficulty hiring skilled employees over the last 12 months. In the tech sector particularly, a 2017 report by Tech Nation revealed over 50% of business owners in the UK digital tech community reported a shortage of highly skilled employees, while a quarter said sourcing talent was a major challenge.

To find out more, the research team at Bidwells compared industry vacancies against undergrad enrolments in 2017 to uncover which areas have the most significant shortages.

A combination of valuable economic skills and high-level technical education is critical to meet the UK’s skills needs, yet despite growing student enrolments in fields like computer science and tech, new jobs in these highgrowth sectors still outweigh the number of skilled workers to fill them.

The latest British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey indicates the skills shortages are reaching critical levels, with 75% of businesses in the manufacturing sector and 71% in the services sector reporting recruitment difficulties. The Open University found 91% of organisations struggled to find skilled talent in the last 12 months, having to spend money on higher salaries, recruitment costs and temporary staff as a result.

Brexit adds a further level of uncertainty for companies and their ability to recruit the best of the world’s talent.

High Growth Sectors Facing Challenges The analysis of the university enrolments demonstrates the mismatch between market demand for skills and the future supply of talent is particularly acute in knowledge-based industries. This suggests current vacancies in professional and scientific tech positions are three times higher than the total number of university enrolments in these subjects.

Science and tech jobs are predicted to grow twice as fast as other occupations, with 142,000 new jobs in science, research, engineering and tech anticipated by 2023.

Looking further ahead, The London Datastore projects the information and communication sector will be the second highest growing sector over the coming decade in the UK, with an estimated 45% increase in employment growth by 2050.

According to the Industrial Strategy, these sectors are the most significant to the UK’s economic future, but the shortages of suitably qualified, high-skilled labour will present a brake on the UK economy unless addressed.

Investing in Local and Foreign Talent Will Heigham, Lead Partner for Science and Technology at Bidwells concludes,

Construction growth slows, says FMB Growth among construction SMEs slowed in most parts of the UK in the third quarter of this year, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Key results from the FMB’s latest State of Trade Survey, which is the only quarterly assessment of the UK-wide SME construction sector, include: • Construction SME workloads remained positive in Q3 2018 but grew at a slower rate than they did in the second quarter of 2018; • 86% of builders reported increasing material prices in Q3 2018, up from 76% in Q2 2018; • More than two-thirds (68%) of construction SMEs are struggling to hire bricklayers and 59% are struggling to hire carpenters and joiners; • More than half (58%) of construction SMEs expect salaries and wages to increase over the next six months.

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Growth among the UK’s construction SMEs slowed in the third quarter of this year. A range of factors are at work here, not least ever increasing material prices. Anecdotally, we are hearing worrying reports of banks withholding previously agreed funding for projects which is delaying start dates and dampening growth. This may or may not be related to Brexit-nerves. The construction skills shortage is also taking its toll. More than two-thirds of construction SMEs are struggling to hire bricklayers – brickies are easily the most sought-after tradespeople in the building industry currently. These latest figures match the highest we’ve noted since records began a decade ago. These skills shortages are also leading to projects being stalled because there physically aren’t enough people to build them. Worse still, the scarcity of trades means that when construction employers can find people, they are paying huge salaries which is putting further pressure on margins.”

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University Enrolments Vs. Average Industry Vacancies - Data: ONS average industry vacancies

2018 and HESA full-time, first degree university enrolments 2017.

“Having already had a major impact on employment and skills, digitisation is set to cause even more disruption in the decades ahead, making it crucial for the current workforce to embrace continuously adapting skill sets and a changing workplace landscape.

However, the analysis of UK university output underlines the fact that companies will need to continue to look further afield. In a survey by the British Chambers of Commerce, when businesses were asked how they would respond to a potential restriction on access to EU workers, only 43% said their business wouldn’t be affected, while some aim to pay additional costs to recruit from the EU, relocate businesses partially or completely overseas, or retain older employees. Preliminary results of our survey of major international R&D companies indicate skilled labour is the most important issue for companies when choosing sites for R&D facilities (Bidwells and Creative Places, 2018). The UK urgently needs to put in place measures to both deliver homegrown talent for the future as well as ease the process for attracting the best in class globally.”

Berry concluded: “This slowdown in growth should ring alarm bells for the UK Government and give rise to a total rethink of its misguided post-Brexit immigration proposals. Currently, the Government wants to significantly limit the number of construction workers coming into the UK post-Brexit, labelling them ‘low skilled’ and therefore somehow surplus to requirements. Migrant construction workers are indispensable with 13 per cent of our construction workers being from outside of the UK. If construction firms are unable to hire migrant workers post-Brexit, the already severe skills crisis will worsen. This will mean we won’t be able to the build the new homes the Government is keen on delivering and infrastructure projects will grind to a halt. It is imperative that the post-Brexit immigration system allows construction firms to continue to hire workers of varying skill levels. We hope the Government heeds the warning that these latest results show, before it is too late.”

Latest News

Co-living and micro-homes most popular solutions to housing crisis, new FMB research reveals Building more co-living developments and micro-homes in urban areas top the list of people’s preferred solutions to the housing crisis according to new research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), while building on the greenbelt is the least favoured solution.

The FMB asked 2,000 home owners across the UK if there is a housing shortage and if so, how best to address this shortage. The key results are as follows: • Two-thirds (66%) believe that there is a shortage of housing in the UK. • When asked for views on the most appropriate solutions to the housing shortage, the most commonly cited were as follows: 1. Build more co-living developments (33%); 2. Build more micro-homes in urban areas (31%); 3. Build more granny flats (31%); 4. Extend permitted development rights (27%); 5. Encourage more multi-generational living (24%);

6. Excavate or convert more basements underneath existing properties (18%); and 7. Build on the greenbelt (17%).

Commenting on the research, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Even the vast majority of those who are lucky enough to own their own home recognise that there’s a housing shortage. When asked about solutions to this problem, the most popular remedy was to construct more co-living developments, which are becoming more and more popular in major cities right across the globe. Building more micro-homes in urban areas was the second most commonly cited solution to the UK housing crisis. Both of these approaches would increase density in urban areas where demand is particularly high. The creation of more granny flats was the third most popular solution, which would see more elderly people moving out of their properties and living alongside children or grandchildren in self-contained home extensions. This would free up muchneeded family homes, which are being under-used by older people living on their own. Perhaps unsurprisingly, home owners,

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who are clearly already on the property ladder, see building on the greenbelt as the least desirable option.”

Berry concluded: “While these solutions are food for thought, if we want to solve the housing crisis, we need to reduce barriers to small, local building firms. Recent research from the Federation of Master Builders shows that the lack of small sites and difficulties hiring skilled tradespeople are limiting the amount of homes these firms can build. Removing barriers to SME house builders matters as in the late 1980s, two-thirds of all new homes were built by small local house builders and this was a time when house building was in step with demand. Currently SME house builders build less than one quarter of all new homes and as this proportion has declined, so too has the capacity of our industry to deliver the homes we need. Reviving the fortunes of SME builders undoubtedly has a key role to play in delivering the Government’s target of 300,000 new homes a year in England alone, and is key to solving the housing crisis once and for all.”

21/05/2018 11:20

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 09

Project News EDINBURGH MARINA SPEARHEADS GRANTON REGENERATION AS AREA-WIDE CONSULTATION OPENS City of Edinburgh Council has announced plans for the regeneration of Granton on Edinburgh’s waterfront. The project is set to transform the area with 4,000 new homes, services and retail. A public consultation for the development proposals will begin on 8 November, with members of the local community invited to help shape the future of Granton ahead of the submission of a planning application in Spring 2019.

Edinburgh Marina launched the first phase of its Royal Wharf retirement living scheme on 17 October and unveiled the new show apartment at The Old Gunpowder Store.

A selection of spacious one, two and three bedroom luxury retirement residences are now available for reservation, as well as marina berths.

Located in Granton Harbour, adjacent to

the proposed Granton regeneration area, Edinburgh Marina will see the creation of 1,850 homes for Edinburgh. The development includes a state-of-the-art marina, retirement living scheme, luxury residences, spa and conference hotel, as well as retail and leisure facilities. Phase one of the development will create over 400 permanent employment opportunities for the local community, in addition to high percentages of affordable homes.

Commenting on the announcement, Kevin Fawcett of Edinburgh Marina Holdings Ltd said: “The advancement of plans for the largescale regeneration of Granton is exciting news for the future of housing in Scotland. We have long identified this area as a hotspot for housebuilding given its proximity to Edinburgh city centre and scenic waterfront outlook. Our development, Edinburgh Marina, is already spearheading development in this region with high-quality living, leisure facilities, boating and retail; it is encouraging that City of Edinburgh Council is also looking to Granton as a potential solution to the country’s housing needs.”

“The public launch of the Royal Wharf retirement living scheme at Edinburgh Marina earlier this month demonstrated a real desire for new homes in Granton and we have received unprecedented interest and pre-sale reservations”.

Hanson restores rail link to Ashton-in-Makerfield Hanson has invested £250,000 in restoring the railway siding at its plant in Ashton-inMakerfield. It is the first-time rail freight has been run into the depot for some 10 years, and will see hundreds of lorry journeys taken off the roads each year.

Working in partnership with GB Railfreight, Hanson will run three trains a week from its quarry in Shap, Cumbria, down to its site in Ashton. It is expected that over 200,000 tonnes of material will be taken by rail each year along this new route, which saw its first service run on October 15.

Simon Day, Hanson UK’s regional general

manager for the north, said: “The investment in the site is an important part of our rail strategy. We are working to try to increase the tonnage of aggregates we transport this way across the UK. These three trains a week will take around 1,500 truck journeys off the road each year and mean that we only need to put the material onto road transport for the last 5 - 10 miles rather than the 60 – 80 miles we do now. This will reduce the distances travelled on the road by our truck fleet by around 500,000 miles per year.”

GB Railfreight’s managing director, John Smith, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Hanson on this new service,

10 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

which will be using one of GB Railfreight’s recently purchased class 60 locomotives.

“This partnership is further demonstration of the role freight can play in taking trucks off the road and reducing emissions.”

The material will be used by the company’s asphalt and concrete plants as well as supplying the construction market in the north west of England.

As well as refurbishing the rail track serving the site, money is being spent on upgrading the depot including the installation of a new weighbridge and office facilities.

Project News WSP is reappointed on North and Mid Wales transport framework Professional services and engineering consultancy WSP, which employs more than 300 people in Cardiff and Wrexham, has been reappointed by the North and MidWales Trunk Road Agency (NMWTRA) on a four-year transport framework to provide consultancy services in support of projects to maintain and improve capacity, resilience and safety across the 680 miles of strategic trunk road in the region.

The contract, which became effective in October, will involve utilising a wide range of expertise across WSP’s 2,500-strong transport and infrastructure business – which includes highways, ground, civil and bridges experts. The teams will also receive support from the environment and development teams among others.

WSP held a position on the previous fouryear framework contract won in 2014, and has provided specialist services for a range of infrastructure projects across the

region, including resilience work along 87 miles of the North Wales Expressway (A55) where the WSP team worked closely with NMWTRA to develop potential improvement interventions, including smart technologies, that could be implemented to reduce congestion in the region.

Comments Nick Heard, Associate Director in the Highways team at WSP, “This latest reappointment is testament to the fantastic work delivered by our teams in the past four years to improve capacity, resilience and safety for all road users on the A55, as well as on other strategic transport projects across the region. We look forward to continuing work with our client and partners to deliver maintenance, safety and upgrade work on this strategic road network to unlock growth and improve connectivity from north to south and east to west.”

The framework involves improvement and maintenance works as well as design

Wernick Group Invests £3 Million in New Head Office Development in Wickford The Wernick Group has announced today that it is redeveloping its Wickford premises. This will include the demolition of the existing office and the construction of two new office buildings on either side of Russell Gardens.

The current Head Office at Molineux House is used by both Wernick Hire and Wernick Buildings as a depot and Divisional office, as well as centralised Wernick Group functions such as HR and Finance.

The two new buildings will provide dedicated space for Group Head Office staff, with a separate building for Wernick Buildings and Wernick Hire staff.

The two offices will represent the spectrum of products supplied

by Wernick. While a straightforward approach will be taken in the construction of the Divisional Office and Depot, the new Head Office has been designed by Wernick’s in-house architects to push the limits of offsite construction and uses their most advanced building system. It will feature a high quality internal finish and is designed to achieve a BREEAM rating of Excellent.

Both buildings will be constructed at Wernick’s dedicated manufacturing facility in South Wales, before being transported to site and installed by the Wickford team.

services for activities including highways, civils, tunnels, environmental, geotechnical and integrated transport schemes among others.

The consultancy was successful on all three lots. NMWTRA operates on the basis of a partnership between the following local authorities; Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Powys and Wrexham.

WSP has a strong track record in delivering major projects across Wales, including the Swansea Regeneration Framework, the Green Link interconnector between Ireland and Wales and the Eastern Bay Link Road in Cardiff.

WSP is currently delivering professional and engineering consultancy services for a range of private and public-sector clients including the Welsh Government and local authorities across Wales.

Mecalac dealers seals multimillion-pound deal Northern Ireland-based Sleator Plant, a specialist capital equipment provider to the construction and materials handling sectors, has secured a record-breaking deal, worth in excess of £2 million, with multi-national plant hire firm CP Hire.

The agreement will see 95 Mecalac site dumpers added to the CP Hire fleet in 2018. Set to be rented by site professionals across the British Isles, this move will not only considerably expand fleet size, but also increase availability of the latest models and technologies.

Commenting on the deal, John Rawnsley, CP Hire (GB) Ltd Managing Director, said: “The quality and depth of the Mecalac range is very attractive. The versatility of each site dumper allows us to offer the perfect option to meet our customer’s exact needs. The support we receive from Sleator Plant is above and beyond. They work closely with us and always listen to our needs before delivering an effective solution. This working relationship has resulted in us taking in excess of 300 Mecalac units in the past four years alone.”

Jonathan Campbell, Dealer Principal at Sleator Plant, added: “Mecalac’s equipment, combined with our bespoke packages, prove a big draw in Northern Ireland. We’re proud to be able to work with CP Hire on its ongoing equipment needs.”

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 11

Project News

GRAHAM hits Portrush Railway Station milestone Construction of the new Portrush Railway Station has reached a key milestone, with Platform 2 works complete and the new station building enhancements now under way.

Contractor GRAHAM is installing three new platforms, extending the permanent way for Platform 1 and 2. Following completion of Platform 2 and switch of use, work has started on construction of the canopy and

platform works on Platform 1. This will accommodate 6-car train sets to provide increased capacity at the station. An existing boundary wall at Eglington Street has been demolished and will be replaced by a new 170m canopy with a 210m wall, containing stone cladding and perforated aluminium panels, which will display local imagery synonymous with the town and North Coast.

The £5.6 million Portrush Station project

has been led by Translink with funding of approximately £4.7 million provided by the Department for Communities (DfC) and £900,000 by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI).

The new station forms part of the wider Portrush Regeneration Programme, which consists of a number of key projects, including public realm works, a revitalisation scheme and an Urban Development Grant

Icon Industrial launches half a million sq ft warehouse development in Harlow Icon Industrial, a strategic joint venture formed by Stoford Developments and TPG Real Estate, has officially launched a 505,000 sq ft warehouse and logistics development in Harlow.

The first phase of speculative development at the scheme named Icon Harlow, is to comprise two highly specified new units of 68,100 sq ft and 96,827 sq ft. Each unit will contain up to 50m yard depths and 15m eaves height and offer two and three storey Grade A office accommodation.

Construction starts on phase one of the development next month, with the units expected to be available for occupation from Q3 2019. Phase two of the development will provide further build to suit units of up to 200,000 sq ft.

Icon Harlow - the second investment made by the Icon Industrial joint venture - was

officially launched at an event at the Ivy Soho Brasserie, in Soho, London, attended by 40 property professionals from the south east industrial market.

Tony Nash, director of Stoford Developments, said: “This is a landmark development for the north London market and also for Icon Industrial. It presents potential occupiers with an excellent opportunity to secure a striking new warehouse/logistics development that will offer exceptional quality, in a premier business location. The connectivity Icon Harlow offers future occupiers, to both greater London and the south east, makes it a hugely significant site, being just 15 minutes from Junction 27 of the M25.”

Icon Harlow is situated within the established London-Stansted-Cambridge corridor, conveniently located just 30 miles north of central London and 9 miles from the M25.

The development is in close proximity to

12 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

London Stansted Airport, M11 and M25 motorways and the new DP World London Gateway Port. Several high-profile occupiers are already based within the vicinity, including DHL, FedEx, Wincanton, GSK and Bunzl.

TPG Real Estate and Stoford Developments are well on their way to building Icon Industrial into a substantial logistics platform, acquiring and developing similarly attractive UK sites, as well as refurbishing existing buildings in prime logistics locations. TPG Real Estate has significant experience investing in logistics, while Stoford has completed more than 12 million sq ft of industrial development in the UK. Icon Industrial recently revealed plans for a new £60 million global content creation studio in Manchester for The Hut Group, providing 104,000 sq ft of office space over four floors, as well as additional content creation facilities totaling 168,000 sq ft.

Project News scheme in advance of the 148th Open in 2019.

An event was held on Tuesday 16th October to mark the completion of Phase One of the programme, with local representatives and stakeholders, including The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Councillor, Brenda Chivers, in attendance.

Portrush is one of Ireland’s most popular seaside resorts, with 620,000 journeys per year currently made at the existing station.

The new station’s increased capacity will allow for further passenger growth as well as economic benefits to the wider town.

Leo Martin, GRAHAM’s Managing Director - Civil Engineering, said: “We’re very pleased with progress at the new Portrush Station scheme, with completion of the new platforms and removal of the existing boundary wall representing a key milestone in the project. Work is ongoing on the new station building and Platform 1 canopy, which should see the station ready for spring 2019 in time for the Open.

we want to play a part in its history by supporting its regeneration and maximising visitor numbers.

“GRAHAM is proud to be delivering this project on behalf of Translink and we look forward to seeing the long-term benefits this new station will provide for the Portrush community and wider population in Northern Ireland. The town is a hugely popular seaside resort for the country and

“As with all of our projects, collaboration with other stakeholders has been key and we are looking forward to continuing to work with Translink and the DfC and DfI to complete this exciting scheme.”

The new station has been given a contemporary design to fit with the public

realm works. It will include modern facilities and enhanced passenger information as well as increased cycle storage space to encourage active travel and ‘greener’ tourism links.

Portrush Station is due to be completed in spring 2019, ahead of the 148th Open, Portrush, to be held in the town in July 2019.

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3M launches 2018 architectural finishes collection Hundreds of stylish designs have been added to the DI-NOC architectural finishes range by 3M, taking the total number in this portfolio to more than 1,000.

The science-based technology company has created 225 new finishes for its 2018 collection, all based on extensive research carried out by leading architects and designers.

In keeping with the latest design trends, each of the new films features an advanced ultramatte top coating, designed and produced at the 3M Research and Design Centre in Japan.

This creates an ultra-natural, realistic and elegant look, as well as making the products highly fingerprint and dirt-resistant.

The new designs – now available in the UK and Ireland – accurately mimic wood grains, natural stone patterns, metallic finishes, rich fabrics and leather looks, as well as including solid colours.

As with all products in the DI-NOC architectural finishes range by 3M, they also adhere to both smooth and rough surfaces bubble-free. This makes them ideal for everything from renewing furniture to covering interior and exterior walls to create unique architectural focal points.

The new products in our 2018 collection represent a major design trend towards ultra-matte finishes, making them a fantastic addition to our ever-expanding portfolio and giving users more creative freedom and control than ever before.

The products’ durability and weather resistance mean they are also suitable for external applications including shop fronts, awnings, pillars, signs and even curtain wall renovations on commercial buildings.

Pen Webley, marketing manager for the 3M Commercial Solutions division, said: “Architects and designers are increasingly recognising the benefits of using architectural finishes for their projects. Not only can these products save customers money, they can also create stunning looks that could not be achieved using the real material – whether that means wrapping a chair in ‘marble’ or covering an entire wall with a metallic finish.

“At 3M, we combine science and creativity to make architectural finishes that give the ultimate appearance and performance. The new products in our 2018 collection represent a major design trend towards ultra-matte finishes, making them a fantastic addition to our ever-expanding portfolio and giving users more creative freedom and control than ever before.”

For more information, visit www.3M.co.uk/graphicsolutions

14 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

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Latest News

Builders back the high street, says FMB The Chancellor Philip Hammond has today taken positive steps to address the housing crisis and breathe new life back into our high streets, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Commenting on the Budget 2018, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “It is important that the Chancellor has recognised the importance of investing in our high streets. He has announced a £675 million Future High Streets Fund to allow councils to rejuvenate town centres.

It is estimated that as many as 300,000 to 400,000 new homes alone could be created by making use of empty spaces above shops on our high streets. This is space just waiting to be turned into residential accommodation.

There is a pressing need to re-invent many of our town centres in light of changing patterns of retail and leisure.

The Government should be applauded for its ambition to safeguard the life of our high streets.”

Berry continued: “We would urge councils to take this opportunity to look again at how they can work with local builders and developers to make better use of existing town centre building, and facilitate the development of wasted space above

shops. A recent report titled Homes on our High Streets from the FMB puts councils at the heart of the solution and suggests some practical ways for them to facilitate the development of wasted space above shops. Retail will always be an important element of vibrant high streets, but there is plenty we can do on a small scale to help convert unused and under-used space in to attractive residential units. This will both boost the supply of new homes and help breathe new life back into our high streets. What we must avoid is perfectly good space lying empty and achieving nothing in terms of boosting the local economy or housing individuals.”

Berry concluded: “We are also pleased that the Chancellor has today announced £1bn to guarantee capacity to support lending to the SME housebuilding sector. This will be implemented by the British Business Bank, working with Homes England. Many small scale house builders continue to experience real difficulty in accessing the finance they need to build homes, and it is often the smallest scale builders that experience the greatest problems. This new funding will help to speed up the delivery of homes and lead to a more diverse and resilient housing supply.”

Construction firms at risk of cyber attacks after half a million login credentials found on dark web More than 600,000 breached company email credentials from the UK’s leading construction, architecture and property firms are readily available to criminals on the dark web, cybersecurity firm RepKnight has found.

The credentials were found using RepKnight’s dark web monitoring tool BreachAlert, as part of the company’s campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of the dark web among enterprises.

Over 450,000 of the breached credentials were from the UK’s leading construction firms.

110,000 were linked to top UK architecture firms and just over 47,000 were associated with property developer firms.

These breached credentials can be used by cybercriminals to gain unauthorised access to a host of sensitive corporate information, including tenders, proposals, plans, drawings and client data, which could severely damage a business.

Cybercriminals can also research the compromised credentials against public information such as LinkedIn profiles, to identify strategic targets within an organisation. Then, accessing the target’s email without having to change passwords or raise suspicion enables cybercriminals

to redirect (exfiltrate) internal and external emails to an account under their control. For example, RepKnight recently assisted a large client who had over five thousand emails re-directed to an unauthorised person in a five-day period.

Patrick Martin, cybersecurity analyst at RepKnight, said: “With the growth in digital information sharing across the construction project lifecycle, the possibility of a data breach occurring at some stage becomes ever more real.

“Because of this, these firms must ensure that they have ‘high visibility’ of their data at all times and have safety measures in place to protect it — especially because most of their sensitive data often lives outside the firewall. Monitoring for cyberattacks or data breaches inside their corporate network is no longer enough, as it is possible that a breach can happen anywhere across the entire supply chain of your business.

“As such, dark web monitoring technology is crucial to dealing with the threat of data breaches – giving firms the ability to monitor millions of dark web pages and associated dump sites, and acting as a ‘burglar alarm’ for their data.”

Engineering skills course gives learners springboard into industry careers Industry giants Sellafield, BMW and Airbus are among the major engineering companies to recruit talent from a training scheme to prepare learners for a career in the engineering construction industry.

92% of the 154 participants completing the ITEC, many more are set to progress into work, apprenticeship or higher education. Last year, 69% of ITEC learners progressed into related jobs or further training.

The ECITB’s Introduction to Engineering Construction Course (ITEC) is a 10-month programme preparing learners for apprenticeships and other roles in the industry. Funded by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) and delivered by 11 colleges and training providers across England, the ITEC equips young people with the skills, qualifications and behaviours to prepare them for employment.

Chris Claydon, Chief Executive of the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board, said: “The number and stature of the companies recruiting from our pool of graduates show the value of the ITEC course to industry and is a ringing endorsement of the work of our training providers.

Since successfully completing the ITEC in June, more than fifty learners have already progressed into apprenticeships. And with

“The programme gives youngsters a solid grounding to commence a career in a wide range of engineering disciplines, and we want more engineering construction employers to benefit from this talent pool. The demand for new recruits to the engineering construction workforce is set to rise significantly over the

16 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

next decade and the ECITB ITEC Programme will pay its part in helping to fill that skills gap.”

Donna Connor, Head of Education and Skills at Sellafield Ltd, said: “Having access to ITEC learners broadens our recruitment options, and a real plus point is these young people now have a better idea of what type of engineer they want to become.”

Launched in 2015 to offset the drop in apprenticeships offered across the industry, the ECITB ITEC offers all of the year one components of a formal apprenticeship and is equivalent to the first year of a Level 3 apprenticeship. Learners gain a nationally-recognised engineering knowledge qualification, 10 weeks of practical skills training and the industry standard CCNSG safety passport.

Latest News

Letwin Review: SMEs are crucial to solving the housing crisis The Review focuses almost entirely on large sites and the volume developers overlooking best practice already carried out by SMEs The Letwin Review rejects criticisms of landbanking and welcomes calls from industry bodies to diversify the housing market and speed up house building on large sites.

Small and medium-sized (SME) house builders have previously told the Government on repeated occasions that large sites which deliver standardised design, do not lead to good master planning and sustainable property sales.

The Review states the need to build on sites of all sizes, as well as identifying the lack of skilled workers as a major barrier to house building.

Letwin has made the following recommendations, suggesting they come into force in 2021: • introducing new planning and funding rules for large sites in high housing

demand areas; • forming a national expert committee to adjudicate disputes; • creation of a ‘flash’ skills programme to be delivered by major house builders; • increasing compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers.

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) welcomes the Letwin Review’s conclusion on the skills challenge, the benefit of splitting large sites, and the importance of small sites.

While the NFB agrees with Letwin on the challenges and conclusions, the Review focuses almost entirely on large sites and volume developers. It therefore overlooks best practice already carried out by SMEs. SMEs have a long history of building diverse housing on sub-divided large sites. They tackled Britain’s post war housing crisis in the 1950s and built the numerous 1980s estates. Planning policy may not need to change to promote diverse housing types.

SMEs train 66% of construction apprentices, employ within 15 miles of their head offices, and are the predominant rural employer.

Excluding them from any ‘flash’ skills programme would be highly imprudent.

Statistics show that we rely on large sites and not small or medium sites to meet housing need. With the Government keen to encourage greater housing diversity, the industry should redouble efforts to enable more small sites and infill.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “The Letwin Review recognises that developers would rather build and sell, than not build at all. Its recommendations will help build sites more quickly. It also needs fine tuning to build the right homes and train skilled workers in the right places.”

Rico Wojtulewicz, senior policy advisor for the House Builders Association (HBA), added: “SMEs have a bigger part to play in implementing Letwin’s recommendations than the Review itself concludes. We welcome the review period before the Government publishes its final response.”

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Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 17

Growing Trend: UK Redevelopment Programmes Replace Concrete Recess Covers with Safer GRP Composite Alternatives This year, UK manufacturer Fibrelite has seen a growing trend of a wide range of facilities choosing to upgrade from the concrete recess access covers traditionally used in favour of bespoke composite alternatives.

Risks are exacerbated if the covers become damaged, which concrete and metal are susceptible to when exposed to adverse weather, heavy traffic loads, high temperatures, or corrosive chemical materials.

According to Fibrelite, the primary drivers of this change are initiatives around reducing manual handling risks and increasing efficiency, together with increased industry knowledge of GRP composite products.

The Benefits of Using GRP Composite Access Covers

This trend has been observed in a diverse range of industries including utilities, water, ports, power and substations, stadiums, tunnels, airports and many more. Fibrelite has seen their covers increasingly specified for both new and retrofit work in a variety of industries in over 80 countries. A recent example is Lindley Oil Refinery, who specified Fibrelite’s GRP trench covers as part of a largescale renovation project.

In contrast to conventional covers, GRP composite access covers are drastically lighter (approx. 1/3), and if highly engineered (like Fibrelite’s), have a far longer lifespan, unaffected by adverse weather conditions, extreme temperatures and most chemicals.s are exacerbated if the covers become damaged, which concrete and metal are susceptible to when exposed to adverse weather, heavy traffic loads, high temperatures, or corrosive chemical materials.

Custom Fibrelite GRP trench covers installed at Lindley Oil Refinery

Recent Project: Lindley Oil Refinery As part of a complex large-scale renovation project at Lindley Oil Refinery (near Hull), custom Fibrelite composite trench covers were installed over steam pipes.

“This project came with its own unique challenges”, said Fibrelite Technical Director David Holmes. “We visited the site at critical points during the design and installation, engineering custom covers to fit the unusual trench dimensions within the tight delivery timelines (5 weeks). The corrosion resistance, anti-slip, and heat resistance unique to Fibrelite covers were also key for this installation.”

Concrete Recess Access Covers The concrete recess covers conventionally used are very heavy, especially at high load ratings, posing manual handling risks for operators while time-consuming to remove and replace, often requiring expensive specialised lifting apparatus. The surface can also cause slip hazards for pedestrians.

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Bird Control - Pebble Ballast Netting Systems What’s the Problem with Pebble Ballast Roofing?

Client Comments

“We had issues with the birds dropping pebbles on parked cars and smashing our sky light glass, they also used to nest on the roof. Since we had the ballast netting installed we have had no further issue with the birds.”

Gull and Crow problems can be quite common on ballast roofing as the birds will often pick up the large pebble ballast, mistaking the pebbles for food they will drop the stones from a great height in an attempt to open them. This is behaviour they copy from observing their parents, occurring all year round and each pebble should be logged as a “near miss” incident.

Falling pebble ballast is an obvious Health and Safety risk to the general public and all who use the buildings and surrounding areas such as car parks and outside space areas on a daily basis - as an example the most attractive ballast size found dropped measures between 20mm -100mm.

What can be done to Control the Risk?

Increasing the ballast size to greater than 100mm will make most ballast to large for birds to lift but the gaps between the pebbles poses a fire cinder risk to the roof system.

Using smaller ballast will reduce the destructive power of the dropped pebble but sizes smaller than 16mm can be scoured by high winds.

Swapping pebbles for pavers is a partial solution but they are costlier to supply and fit and will not remove the need for ballast in all situations.

The Solution: Use 14mm or 19mm Eco Pebble Ballast Netting directly over the ballast to prevent Crows or Gulls from picking up the ballast.

- Dave Stiffard of Skanska in relation to our solution at Brunel Academy – Bristol.

This system is more cost effective and flexible than installing pavers.

Case Study: Skanska – Brunel Academy, Bristol

No mechanical fixings are required so this system is an ideal bolt on sale for roofing contractors which can be installed after the roof package has been delivered with zero risk to the roof warranty.

Eco Environmental worked closely with our client and design team to ensure that the most appropriate Ballast System be installed.

Eco Pebble Ballast Netting is unique because it successfully passed the BRE fire tests as part of an inverted ballast roofing system in March 2018.

Eco Environmental were asked to prevent birds from picking up the Pebble Ballast, potentially dropping it through glass atria shattering dangerously on to people below. Another risk discussed was the potential for the Pebble Ballast being dropped from height on to cars or pedestrians in the surrounding areas.

The solution required had to be fully compatible with the roofing system used, specifically that no mechanical fixings were to be installed through the roof make up - this was achieved by Eco Environmental supplying and installing our own discreet Ballast Netting System to include for all materials and nonmechanical fixings.

Are you currently working on any roofing projects that may benefit from a Ballast Netting System – if so call us at Eco Environmental on 01752 669009 or contact us @ www.ecoltd.net Further Bird Control information can be found by visiting https://www.ecoltd. net/news/reduce-impact-residual-riskinstalling-ballast-netting

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 19

Putting your money where your mouth is JCS are the UKs leading manufacturer of worm drive hose clamps but since the introduction of their unique TamperResistant clamps in 1997 many of their products never come into a contact with a hose.

Tamtorque tamper-resistant clamps are an evolution of the JCS Hi-Torque clamp which themselves have built an unrivalled reputation for strength, durability and quality across a number of demanding industries.

Fitted with a hardened stainless steel screw featuring a unique seven sided socket head along with the patented tail buckle, Tamtorque offers unrivalled levels of security strength and ease of use in comparison to all band type installation products. Tamtorque was predominantly designed for use in

the sign installation market and as such is approved and specified by many councils and highways agencies. Other uses include the installation of street furniture and valuable security equipment such as CCTV cameras. As the list of applications grew people were using Tamtorque for larger, heavier and more expensive equipment.

The question was asked how much can Tamtorque actually hold?

testing and destroying lifting equipment used on North Sea oil and gas rigs.

The first tests conducted at the JCS factory were a somewhat crude arrangement with a fork-lift truck and a roll of steel however it was quickly realised for the clamps to be tested to their full capabilities a more controlled environment was required.

Tom comments “Having confidence in your product is one thing but trusting it enough to hang your pride and joy off really is putting your money where your mouth is�

Independent lifting services in Great Yarmouth were chosen to conduct the tests using their 150 ton press normally used for

Having confidence in your product is one thing but trusting it enough to hang your pride and joy off really is putting your money where your mouth is

20 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

The results were better than expected and installed an even greater level of confidence in their product for JCS staff, non-more so than their Sales and Marketing manager whos own vintage tractor you can see in the pictures dangling from one Tamtorque clamp.

The tests at independent lifting services showed Tom really had nothing to worry about as all the Tamtorque clamps failed at least 1.6 tons and the tractor comes in at just under 1.2.

Although in the real world Tamtorque clamps will never be used for such heavy applications its reassuring to know a simple-to-use, reliable and safe product is available and could possibly be the solution to one of those on-site problems.

www.jcshi-torque.co.uk Photography: Š Robert Foyers

Ferguson Tractor:

Like JCS clamps the ferguson tractor is a success story of british manufacturing. Starting production in 1946 (the same year JCS started manufacturing hose clips) the ferguson TE20 quickly became the tractor of choice for farmers in the UK and overseas. The TE20 was the brain child of Harry Ferguson and was the first tractor to be fitted with a hydraulic 3-point linkage on the rear which allowed implements to be attached to the tractor itself rather than just towed behind it. This system changed the face of farming forever and is still fitted to all tractors today.

Over the 10-year production run over ½ million TE20 were built at the factory in Coventry many of which are still working hard for their living today or being cared for by enthusiasts.

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Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 21

Answering the skills SOS: BBC One’s Mark Millar leads industry debate at construction event A collaborative construction event aimed at overcoming the industry’s growing skills shortage has been held with support from a well-known TV personality.

national supplier Jewson, and is supported by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

industry panel which unanimously called for collaboration to overcome the skills crisis in the construction industry.

Foundations Live 2018, the regional construction careers event for Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, took place for the third year running at Bishop Burton College on Wednesday 10th October.

This edition was the biggest yet, with in total more than 1,000 people in attendance throughout the day, including over 70 companies exhibiting and hundreds of students and industry professionals from across the region.

The event is a collaboration between Hobson & Porter, Bishop Burton College and

Headlining the exhibition, Mark Millar, from BBC One’s hit TV show DIY SOS, chaired an

The debate was held at a time when recently published ONS data published revealed that construction has fallen out of the top 10 most popular professions for 22-29 year olds, dropping from 7th to 12th in the space of six years. It is estimated by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) that more than 9,000 jobs will be available in the construction sector in the next five years in the Yorkshire and Humber region, with total growth forecast at 1.1%.

Mark shared his fears for the future of the industry, citing that hundreds of the skilled tradespeople who come forward to support the BBC show are either close to retirement or have no succession or training plans in place, meaning that many micro or SME organisations will be gone forever unless the industry pulls together to help one another solve the growing issue.

Following the panel debate, Mark said: “The game has changed in the era of management contracting. The blue-chip organisations people associate with the construction industry are often national contractors, supported by a vast supply chain of SME organisations to deliver the physical aspects of a construction project.”

22 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

Mark continued: “We’ve created a situation where the companies most in need of skills are actually those who find it most difficult to recruit, train and retain new tradespeople.

For example, if I am the owner of a brickwork contractor employing less than 10 people, I’d naturally be thinking in the short-medium term, wondering where our next project is coming from and how I’m going to find time to issue invoices or price the next job.

Have I got time to set aside the time, costs and resources associated with training and development in the long-term? Construction can be very hand-to-mouth and as such, long-term vision is often neglected.”

“As a sector, we owe it to each other to collaborate and safeguard the future of our great industry. Also forming panel was a group of industry professionals including Efficiency North’s Mark Scott, Hobson & Porter managing director Richard Hunter, Bishop Burton course leaders Jeremy Hara and Chris Dodsworth, and CITB representative Lynne Allison and Chris Carr, Managing Director at Carr & Carr (Builders) Ltd, representing CITB England Nation Council.

Lynne Allison, CITB Local Manager for the North, said: “SMEs make up the vast majority of our industry and that’s why CITB has got a range of funding and training opportunities available to them. These can be simple to access and can really help a small business to grow and thrive. That’s

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why we are happy to raise awareness through events such as Foundations Live to make sure that smaller firms in our region can take advantage of what’s on offer.”

Richard Hunter, managing director for Hobson & Porter, said: “We created the Foundations initiative to educate four distinct groups of students- primary, secondary, further education and adult re-trainers- on the wide-ranging potential careers available in construction. It’s about changing perceptions to show there are hundreds of career options, from planners and architects to landscape gardeners, not

everyone in construction lays bricks on a building site. While schools and colleges have a big part to play in promoting careers, their advisors can’t possibly have an indepth understanding of every role in every industry. If we want to raise awareness of the great opportunities construction can offer, we must paint the picture ourselves and proactively engage with learners. SME organisations in our sector must come together to tackle the skills shortage issue, and Foundations Live has provided the perfect platform for these discussions to take place.”

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Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 23

Project News

£3.6M ‘STATE-OF-THE-ART’ LEISURE SCHEME STARTS ON SITE WORK on a ‘state-of-the-art’ £3.6m leisure development in Grantham, Lincoln, has begun on site with a ground-breaking ceremony. The 20,000 sq ft site, once completed, will house a five-screen, 650 seat cinema which will be operated by Savoy Cinemas, as well as two retail units.

The development forms part of the wider regeneration of Grantham town centre and will include the provision of improved public realm.

Leading property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard is acting as quantity surveyor and NEC contract supervisor. The project has been procured via the Scape Regional Construction framework, with construction company G F Tomlinson delivering the build.

Work on the public realm and building shell are due to be completed by Christmas 2018

to allow interior fit-out work to take place. It is expected that the development will open to the public next Easter.

Javeed Virk, director at Pick Everard said: “We are delighted to be working on this scheme; the project is an important part of the wider regeneration of Grantham, which is currently seeing significant investment to revitalise the town through a range of different schemes.

“We are very pleased to be involved in delivering this scheme that will bring brand new retail and leisure facilities to the town centre. Pick Everard is involved in delivering quantity surveying and overseeing the running of NEC contracts, ensuring that all parties work together to deliver the project on time and on budget. This is something we have a great deal of expertise and experience in, and we look forward to taking this exciting project to completion.”

James Collington, MD of Savoy Cinemas, added: “We look forward to the building being handed over to us in December, in readiness for us providing a state-of-the-art multiplex cinema for Grantham in Spring 2019.”

Victoria Brambini, managing director of Scape Procure, commented: “It’s exciting to see our partners delivering such a state-of-theart project in the midst of the regeneration plans in Grantham. Scape’s commitment to delivering social value through our Regional Construction framework will ensure the local economy feels the benefits throughout the project’s lifetime and beyond. By engaging the local supply chain, the scheme will create important local employment and training opportunities, and once complete the whole community will benefit from the improved public realm. I look forward to seeing the project progress over the coming months.”

GMI HANDS OVER THE SPRINGS AT THORPE PARK LEEDS GMI Construction Group has completed building works for the much-anticipated new 350,000 sq ft retail and leisure destination at Thorpe Park Leeds.

Phase two at Thorpe Park Leeds, including The Springs, is being developed by Scarborough International Properties

Limited (SIPL), the UK and international real estate developer and its joint venture partner Legal & General.

‘The Springs’ launched last week to high praise as a much needed, high quality new retail and leisure offering for East Leeds. It forms a part of a wider 1.35

million sq ft development plan in phase two development at Thorpe Park Leeds.

As principal contractor GMI delivered the entire project in a complex 80-week phasing programme to coincide with a gas main diversion and major civils work being carried out on adjacent plots.

The Springs is occupied by M&S Foodhall, H&M, Next, TK Maxx, Outfit, Boots and leisure brands including Nando’s, Gino D’Acampo’s My Restaurant and Pure Gym. A 44,000 sq ft, 10-screen ODEON offering state of the art screen and audio technology and luxury seating, is also due to open in Spring 2019 with other high street leisure and retail occupiers due to be announced over the coming weeks.

Simon Marshall, Joint Chief Executive at Scarborough International Properties, said, “We were delighted to launch The Springs last week in partnership with a great team at GMI Construction. With historical knowledge of the site, which wasn’t without its challenges, GMI has shown great tenacity and outstanding flexibility in accommodating the demands of the project and its many changes to deliver a project

24 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

Project News

FINAL STEEL ADDED TO LEEDS GOVERNMENT HUB Developer and asset manager MEPC, has this week celebrated the topping out of Buildings 7 & 8 with a steel signing event – marking a major milestone in the build of one of the city’s most anticipated new commercial properties.

Once finished, the modern, fit-for-purpose office space will accommodate HM Revenue and Customs and NHS Digital. The two organisations will share the space as part of the Government Hubs Programme to transform the Civil Service into a modern employer.

Attended by representatives from HMRC and NHS Digital in addition to contractor, Wates Construction, and the team at MEPC Wellington Place, the celebration marks not only the completion of the steel frame construction, but also the start of the next phase of the build with the installation of the façade, helping to visually cement its position in the Leeds city skyline.

Once built, 7 & 8 Wellington Place will become home to the brand new 378,000 sq. ft. Government Hub, which holds the record as the largest ever office pre-let in Leeds.

The move is part of the Government’s plans for building a strong Civil Service base across the UK, with the Leeds hub accommodating multi-departmental workforces.

Paul Pavia, Head of Development at MEPC, said: “The steel signing is always a significant milestone in a building’s development, as it is at this point we can truly see the scale of what’s to come. We’re incredibly excited to be welcoming the new regional government hub, and this celebration marks the next phase in its completion. Not only is it fantastic news for Wellington Place, but also the wider city, with the move expected to welcome 6,000 civil servants to the development.”

of exceptional quality that sets a precedent across the UK. GMI had also worked closely with our team to exceed our commitment to creating new jobs and inspiring careers for young people in the region.”

Gordon Aitchison, Director, Head of Transactions at LGIM Real Assets, said: “The Springs looked amazing on opening and my thanks have to go to the team at GMI Construction who worked tirelessly from start to finish. We were very clear from the start that we wanted The Springs to stand out as an out of town retail and leisure destination of the future and GMI have played a critical role in helping us achieve this vision.”

Andy Bruce, Managing Director of GMI Construction Group said, “We are delighted to complete this project on budget and on time, despite the many challenges along the way, which included the diversion of a highpressure gas main serving East Leeds.”

Dorothy Brown, HMRC’s Senior Sponsor for the Leeds development, continued: “This is a significant milestone in the creation of HMRC’s Leeds Regional Centre. In the space of one year, we have gone from a hole in the ground to a seven storey building and can now start to visualise how the space will work for our people. The modern and bright environment will mean they can work collaboratively with other teams, to increase our effectiveness in collecting taxes. In addition, they will also benefit from a great range of facilities and additional activities, which are available to members of the Wellington Place community. I am confident this will become a great place to work.”

Carl Vincent, Chief Financial Officer at NHS Digital, added: “We are hugely excited about our move to the new hub in a couple of years’ time and this is a significant milestone towards that. As one of Leeds’ major digital

employers, having the opportunity to consolidate our estate and have our people working collaboratively together under one roof that is designed for modern technology delivery, will provide big opportunities to make us an even more effective and efficient organisation, delivering transformational digital change for health and care.

“We’re proud to be part of this significant investment which underlines our long-term commitment to Leeds.”

Meanwhile, work continues across the development, with 4 Wellington Place now on site. 4 Wellington Place is due to complete in November 2020 and will offer a further 156,000 sq. ft. of prime commercial office space to the city. 4 Wellington Place will finalise the eastern part of the wider Wellington Place masterplan, as the ninth building on the development.

We were delighted to launch The Springs last week in partnership with a great team at GMI Construction. With historical knowledge of the site, which wasn’t without its challenges, GMI has shown great tenacity and outstanding flexibility in accommodating the demands of the project Historically GMI Construction has delivered all buildings, with the exception of the hotel, in phase one at Thorpe Park Leeds which includes 800,000 sq ft of office accommodation.

More recently, in phase two, it has delivered Paradigm, a 37,650 sq ft Grade A office scheme in the park which is now fully let, as well as all infrastructure and enabling works for the retail and leisure park.

Established in 1986, GMI Construction Group is a highly reputable building and construction services company offering expertise across all sectors including

office, retail, leisure, industrial, residential, automotive, education and health. GMI Construction Group directly employs 100 people with 65 located at its Leeds headquarters and 35 at its new offices in Manchester.

GMI is also currently delivering the 137-bedroom Dakota Deluxe Hotel in Manchester for Evans Property Group, a 91unit apartment scheme in Piccadilly Basin for Belgravia Living Group and 2,500,000 sq ft industrial space at Follingsby Max in Gateshead for Highgrove Group.

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 25

Project News

Southern Regional College appoints O’Hare & McGovern Ltd to build new £15m Banbridge campus Southern Regional College has appointed O’Hare & McGovern Limited as the main contractor to build a new, state-of-the-art Further and Higher Education campus in Banbridge, creating 150 jobs on site.

by Southern Regional College and the Department for the Economy aimed at dramatically improving local educational provision and facilities across the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council area.

Based in Newry, O’Hare & McGovern Ltd (OHMG) is an established contractor with more than 40 years’ experience in delivering quality construction projects across the UK and Ireland and is currently completing Allstate’s new headquarters in Belfast City Centre and a new School of Biological Sciences facility at Queen’s University, Belfast.

The new 4,500m² building will incorporate outstanding new learning facilities, including a dedicated Learning Resource Centre and an innovation hub. The campus will house a dedicated centre for multimedia and digital design offering a wide range of full time and part time courses through to degree level.

The existing campus and sports facilities, which are based nearby on the same Castlewellan Road site, will continue to operate as normal during construction.

The contract award marks a significant milestone in the progress of the project and represents an investment of up to £15 million.

The Banbridge campus, which is on track to open in 2020, is part of a wider, ambitious £95 million investment programme led

Southern Regional College’s Chief Executive, Brian Doran, said: “The new campus will provide a clear and visual statement that represents ambition, commitment and opportunity and which will build on our close links with the community and employers

across the region. SRC is a leader in the provision of quality, focused professional and technical educational opportunities, including targeted apprenticeship and business support programmes which are tailored to business and personal needs.

Our investment and plans, in partnership with the Department for the Economy, demonstrate our commitment to delivering a real impact on people’s lives, enhancing opportunities and ensuring our local and regional economy has the right skills, talent and know-how to deliver a real and positive impact.”

A landmark new £35 million campus is already under development in Armagh under the stewardship of local contractor Felix O’Hare and Company Limited, which was appointed last year. A further £45m campus is planned for Craigavon.

Welcoming the appointment, Beverley Harrison, Director of Further Education at the

LCR APPOINTS ISG AS LEAD CONTRACTOR ON MAJOR WATERLOO RETAIL AND LEISURE DEVELOPMENT Developer LCR has appointed construction services company ISG as lead contractor on its £200 million retail, leisure and cultural development at Waterloo.

The £40+ million contract will see ISG transform up to 135,000 sq ft of space at the former Waterloo International Eurostar Terminal into a major new retail and leisure destination in central London.

Forty new glass-fronted units will be created across three floors, including a new mezzanine level, and will sit below the existing platforms.

The scheme forms part of the wider redevelopment of Waterloo Station, where Network Rail is increasing capacity by bringing five former Eurostar platforms back into use for suburban trains, enabling more services to run from the station, whilst LCR’s retail project will create new entrances towards the South Bank to accommodate the station’s growing passenger numbers.

Work will begin onsite in April 2019, with completion expected in early 2021. The scheme is anticipated to create around 700 full-time equivalent jobs.

The development sits adjacent to the first phase of LCR’s Waterloo masterplan, the regeneration of Leake Street Arches, where LCR has created a vibrant creative and leisure destination including bars and a music venue, soon to be complemented by a microbrewery.

The wider project team includes Arcadis as project managers, contract administrators and structural engineers; Corstorphine + Wright as architects and lead designers; QODA as services engineers; and RPS as cost managers.

Featuring one of the UK’s only legal graffiti walls, the scheme has breathed new life into the network of street tunnels underneath Waterloo station, while preserving its longstanding reputation as an important destination for graffiti and street art. The

26 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

Waterloo masterplan is being delivered in collaboration with the Department for Transport and Network Rail.

LCR is a property and regeneration company with a 20-year track record of creating new homes, jobs and economic growth from railway assets, and is UK Governmentowned. Its previous schemes include the multi-billion-pound mixed-use developments at King’s Cross and Stratford City – two of London’s most successful regeneration stories.

Project News

Department for the Economy, said: “With real economic benefits, this investment will support the direct delivery of high quality professional and technical education and new employment opportunities for citizens, which in turn will help local businesses source the skilled staff they need.

“Construction of the new campus will create new local employment opportunities within the community, including apprenticeships and work placements which will also benefit the local economy. Further and Higher Education is a core part of our economic infrastructure, generating employment, output and earnings and I’m delighted

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that our investment will make a dynamic contribution to the growth of the area and the region.”

Designed by WYG, the new campus is set to become a specialist hub for digital media and design, promoting learning excellence and skills development with the latest technology and educational resources. The Banbridge campus will also feature a design centre where students can experience a real working environment, taking on industrial design briefs and projects which reflect best practice.

OHMG Managing Director, Martin Lennon

said that in addition to providing work for up to 150 people as part of the development, the company was supporting multiple apprenticeship opportunities and work placements as well as programme support for long term unemployed people.

Martin added; “We are a local company with a strong track record of success and we are proud to have been appointed as the main contractor. This project represents a significant educational investment in the area and in Northern Ireland and we look forward to working with Southern Regional College and all its partners and stakeholders to bring this project to fruition.”

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Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 27

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Events News

Hackathon brought together architects, students and wood construction professionals to compete Thirty people met at Linnaeus University for a hackathon initiated by Metsä Wood. The challenge was: how could you construct a property at a specific building site using modular wood? The winning project, “Box”, was an innovative but simple solution based on wooden modules and clever connections.

The Open Source Wood Hackathon on October 23 attracted close to thirty architects, researchers, students and wood industry representatives. During an intense day, they had to collaborate as well as compete in creating innovative wooden buildings.

The event was initiated by Metsä Wood and organised at Linnaeus University in Växjö, Sweden, in cooperation with the departments of building technology and mechanical engineering, the Smart Housing Småland innovation environment – that work with construction and housing in wood and glass – and Växjö Municipality, one of Europe’s leading municipalities in wood construction.

The challenge was, within five hours in groups of five people, to design a building with laminated veneer lumber as a major structural material.

The building was to be located at an existing site in Växjö. It should be modular, built offsite and assembled on-site, easy to modify according to use, and also (preferably) relocatable. The winning team called their project “Box”, an innovative but simple solution based on wooden modules and clever connections.

“The Open Source Wood Hackathon in Sweden proved again the power of collaboration. The enthusiasm and dedication of both the organising parties and the participants were admirable, and the atmosphere during the day was open and inspiring”, says Tuukka Kyläkallio, business development manager at Metsä Wood.

“Our aim is to be a creative part in sustainable social development, so it was self-evident for us to host this hackathon.

We have a large network in the building trade through Smart Housing Småland and Växjö Municipality, and collaborate with many actors through various initiatives and projects”, says Tobias Schauerte, senior lecturer at Linnaeus University.

It was the third time Metsä Wood arranged a hackathon and the first time in Sweden.

The event is part of the company’s Open Source Wood initiative, a platform where knowledge about how to construct and build using modular wood is shared under a Creative Commons license. The word hackathon is a combination of hack and marathon, where hack originally refers to programming. The goal of a hackathon is to have a product or solution ready at the end of the event.

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Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 29

Surface preparation on a larger scale DAVE BIGHAM, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTS AT NATIONAL FLOORING EQUIPMENT

How contractors can improve productivity on larger sites According to Business Insider, 95 per cent of the 1,507 miles of public roads in Washington DC are in a poor condition.

Repairing these roads will take time and disrupt many commuters. However, surface preparation equipment can help reduce facility downtime in larger applications like this. Here Dave Bigham, director of national accounts at surface preparation equipment manufacturer, National Flooring Equipment explains how contractors in larger applications can improve productivity with the right equipment.

Large surface preparation applications, such as highways, parking structures and airport runways, require constant maintenance. Poorly maintained surfaces in these applications can be dangerous for the people using them. The surfaces also need constant renovation because they degrade quickly from changing weather conditions or wear from vehicles. For example, ship decks need frequent renovation, as salt water and asphalt damage the floors and make them uneven after heating and cooling in changing temperatures.

However, public roads such as those in Washington remain in a poor condition as

30 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

these areas are used frequently and any downtime will result in many disruptions for users – we have all experienced the stress of roadworks when commuting to work.

Facilities managers in these applications want contractors to work during later hours to reduce disruption to commuters on highways or planes landing on airport runways. Contractors also need to be prepared to clear the site quickly to reduce facility downtime or to make way for a landing plane or a car on a highway.

However, for contractors working in these conditions, it is not always as easy as starting up a machine, completing the work and then leaving the jobsite. Contractors require surface preparation equipment, a power source, safety equipment, extra tooling and more to successfully complete the job.

All in one Contractors working in these facilities require a machine that is compact yet powerful. To manoeuvre around the facility, contractors should only look at machines that are fuel-powered rather than battery powered or connected to a power source or generator. All three power sources are efficient for completing work but cords constrict contractors and slow down their work in larger areas.

Propane-powered shot blasters allow contractors to quickly start the machine and easily move around the site. They can also bring extra fuel to site to run the machine until the work is complete, with little time taken to refuel. A cordless machine will also improve efficiency when moving around the site. For example, in a car park, the contractor can move the shot blaster from one level to the next without having to remove wire and reattach it at the next floor, decreasing the time taken to complete the job.

As contractors in these applications work later at night, they must consider how they can increase visibility on site. Contractors should choose a machine that is fitted with lights to see the area where they are working without adding extra, bulky equipment that will increase site downtime.

Safety is an important consideration for contractors in any surface preparation job, particularly in larger applications.

Crystalline silica is a basic component of concrete and is released into the air when the material is cut. Airborne silica dust is harmful when inhaled and can cause health issues, such as bronchitis. To reduce the amount of dust around construction workers, contractors must attach dust collectors to their equipment. However, in applications such as highways, contractors need to bring only the required equipment to prevent disruption to drivers.

A12 RIDE-ON SHOT BLASTER

Contractors can rent large shot blasters for these applications. While these are more restricting, they will be more productive in the long run as the machine has everything it needs. National Flooring Equipment recently released the A12, ride-on shot blaster to provide contractors with a compact machine, perfect for these applications.

This shot blaster has an industry approved built-in dust collector, LED headlights and is propane powered. This shot blaster also has rear wheel drive to help contractors easily manoeuvre around the site and reduce downtime for facilities managers.

Contractors in large applications will benefit from this machine as it is compact to work quickly around larger facilities. The A12 is also fitted with a dust collector with a high efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filter to reduce dust exposure without adding more equipment.

It may be difficult to quickly and efficiently repair all of the roads that are in poor condition in Washington or further afield.

However, surface preparation equipment is developing to provide more for contractors and facilities managers working in areas that require quick solutions and little downtime.

For further information, please visit www.nationalequipment.com/en

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 31

Awards News

National Awards for highest-performing construction companies and suppliers coming soon!

Excitement is mounting as the highest performing Considerate Constructors Scheme registered construction companies and suppliers get ready for the 2018 National Company and Supplier Awards.

The Awards will take place on 15-16 November at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) prestigious landmark headquarters in central London.

Every company and supplier registered with the Scheme had their performance against the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice assessed between 1 August 2017 and 31 July 2018. Only the very highest performing have now been selected to be eligible to win this year’s prestigious awards.

Industry leaders, Brian Berry (Chief Executive at the Federation of Master Builders) and Shaun McCarthy OBE (Chair of the Supply Chain Sustainability School) will be announcing whether each winning company or supplier has received a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award for their achievements. Runnersup and the winners of the highly acclaimed ‘Most Considerate Company’ and ‘Most Considerate Supplier’ Awards will also be announced at the ceremonies.

Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy comments: “Scheme-registered companies and suppliers play a crucial role in promoting a positive image of our industry, with the standards of best practice and general consideration shown within these organisations increasing significantly year on year. The commitment and a sustained effort to continuously improve by top performing companies and suppliers are truly incredible.

“On behalf of the Scheme, I would like to offer my congratulations to every registered company and supplier winning an award, as competition gets tougher each year with more organisations registering and performing to ever higher standards.

“We look forward to recognising and celebrating the success of every 2018 awardwinning company and supplier at our National Company and Supplier Awards in November.”

Considerate Constructors Scheme’s ‘Spotlight on…Women in Construction’ campaign wins prestigious industry award The Considerate Constructors Scheme has triumphed at the London Construction Awards, winning the ‘Women in Construction’ Award for its national ‘Spotlight on…women in construction’ campaign.

The award recognises the Scheme’s exceptional efforts to boost the much-needed industry effort to attract more women into the construction industry, through its highly regarded ‘Spotlight on…women in construction’ campaign, launched less than a year ago. It was produced to address the concerning findings from a national survey,

which revealed that women represent just 11% of the entire industry workforce and only 1% of the total workforce on site.

The Scheme received the award at the prestigious London Construction Awards ceremony held on 23 October at the Royal Garden Hotel, London.

‘Spotlight on…women in construction’ is hosted on the Scheme’s Best Practice Hub – the industry’s free-to-use online platform.

The campaign is the essential go-to resource providing practical information, resources

and real-life case studies of women working across the industry, helping to address this issue in the short, medium and long term.

So far, the campaign has been viewed over 11,000 times and its more recent e-learning course has been taken by over 2000 people.

Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy, said: “The Scheme is thrilled to receive the ‘Women in Construction’ Award. It is only through the hard work, determination and enthusiasm of our team, and the many contributors to the campaign that has made this achievement happen.

My congratulations to everyone involved in producing such an influential campaign.

“The Scheme was shortlisted among some extremely impressive finalists, so to be chosen as outright winner by a panel of highly respected industry leaders is a huge honour.

“The Best Practice Hub is at the very core of helping to spread practical guidance, resources and case studies for all and I would encourage everyone to use our Hub’s vast free resources.

“This achievement reinforces how important it is to work together as one industry to make long lasting change to improve standards in considerate construction right across our industry.”

32 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

Awards News

A FIRST IN SECURITY: STANLEY SECURITY ACHIEVES BIM LEVEL 2 ACCREDITATION STANLEY Security, is delighted to announce it is the first security company to achieve BIM Level 2 accreditation in the UK. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a shared knowledge resource, providing all of the information about every component of a building, in one easy to access place. It enables construction professionals to digitally model a building and use the BIM data to reduce the risk of mistakes or discrepancies at an early stage, making for more cost-effective, safe construction, improved carbon performance and predictable planning.

As one of the UK’s leading security companies, STANLEY Security’s customer base extends from small businesses with a single intruder alarm system through to large integrated security systems operating across multiple sites in the commercial and public sectors. Achieving BIM Level 2 accreditation has become increasingly important not only for full participation in public sector projects – construction suppliers tendering for centrally procured government projects must be working at BIM Level 2 - but for organisations in the commercial sector looking to reap the benefits of this advanced approach to construction.

Jason Wescombe, Design Manager – GB at STANLEY Security, explains: “From early in 2017 we noticed increasing customer enquiries relating to BIM services, ranging from design and construction, including COBie, to the provision of BIM Object Libraries.

There was also increased PreQualification Questionnaires relating to BIM Level 2, which was very much a

new turn of events. STANLEY Security is a proactive company that has its finger on the pulse of the security sector to identify where the market is going. We very much focus on identifying technology solutions that minimise financial outlay for a client; in this sense we are very much aligned with the BIM philosophy.

“We went out to the market to actively engage customers on the subject of BIM and it quickly became clear that BIM Level 2 capabilities had to be developed to meet future client requirements, and not just in the public sector.”

STANLEY Security worked with Excitech, a technology solutions and services provider to the construction sector, to undertake a BIM Level 2 Accreditation GAP Analysis and provide consultancy and training in BIM Level 2. The transition to BIM Level 2 processes was achieved over a period of 18 months and, following a full Lloyds Register BIM Level 2 Assessment to ensure all processes were in place, understood and adopted, culminated in full accreditation.

According to the BSI, BIM Level 2 facilitates well-informed decision making for greater clarity, better communications and better efficiency.

Cost savings of around 33% across CAPEX and OPEX are possible by following a Level 2 BIM process. As the cost of operating and maintaining buildings and facilities can represent up to 85% of the whole-life cost, savings can pay back any upfront premium in construction expenses in just a few years.

Sulzer shortlisted for three awards Talent and investment recognized by AEMT awards panel Sulzer recently submitted four nominations to the AEMT and all of them have been shortlisted for awards. Both Leeds and Falkirk have been nominated for Service Center of the Year; the Falkirk HV testing facility is up for Project of the Year and Tom Ison is in line for the Rising Star Award.

The judging panel at the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) has shortlisted Sulzer in three categories, with two service centers, that recently expanded their facilities, up for the same award.

Service Center of the Year Leeds Service Center, which has extensive experience in the repair, refurbishment and retrofitting of a wide variety of pumping equipment, has recently invested in additional tooling and equipment to enable it to also repair rotating equipment including motors, generators, compressors and turbines.

Falkirk Service Center offers specialized services for all electrical and mechanical rotating equipment, supporting the oil and gas, hydro power, petrochemical and other industrial sectors. The recent investment to expand the capacity of its high voltage test area has delivered considerable benefits for customers as well as OEMs that are partnered with Sulzer. Falkirk has also helped many young engineers with its continued support of apprentices, many of whom have achieved an excellent career progression through the company.

Project of the Year Sulzer’s investment in a new high voltage test facility at Falkirk has also been recognized as a potential Project of the Year for its successful installation and the greatly improved customer service that it will offer. The new facility offers data trending, improved condition monitoring, including advanced vibration analysis, and partial discharge analysis as well as remote monitoring of the testing process for all customers unable to attend in person.

Rising Star Award Finally, Tom Ison has been instrumental in implementing the new, state-of-the-art balancing software as part of the high-speed balancing facility upgrade project in Birmingham. His in-depth knowledge and understanding ensured that all the challenges were overcome quickly and effectively, ensuring the project was completed on time and within budget.

Tom was also involved in the project to expand the high-voltage test bed in Falkirk, providing essential technical support to ensure the fully automated test bed was properly equipped and commissioned.

Chris Powles, Head of Electro Mechanical Services EMEA, commented: “These nominations recognize just a fraction of all the hard work and investment that we make in improving our customers’ experience.

Nonetheless, it is a great tribute to all those involved, and we wish them all the best at the awards ceremony.”

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 33

The elegant new Sir Kenneth Wheare Hall designed by BGS Architects

Schöck Isokorb meets steel frame challenge at Oxford Brookes University Support for the external cladding is Oxford Brookes University is one of the UK’s top modern universities. A local, national and international reputation for teaching and research excellence and traces its roots to 1865 when it began as the Oxford School of Art. Recent significant investment in the estate has already resulted in multi awardwinning facilities and this development is continuing with a ten-year, £220 million estate investment plan. One recently completed facility has seen the former Main Hall demolished and replaced with the Sir Kenneth Wheare Hall, an elegant building, designed by BGS Architects. A tribute to one of the most influential figures in the University’s history; and creates a multi-use space for teaching and other key university events, including graduation ceremonies, where it can accommodate over 600 guests.

provided by cantilever connections to the universal columns

Schöck Isokorb structural thermal breaks at strategic connectivity points

Steel frame and cladding mean high thermal conductivity Steel has a high thermal conductivity compared with many other construction materials and this means that both the structural steel frame and steel cladding system must be designed to minimise any unwanted heat flows. Steel elements must not be continuous through the cladding system. With the Sir Kenneth Wheare Hall, support for the external cladding was provided by cantilever connections to the universal columns and it was critical to provide a structural thermal break at strategic connectivity points. The Schöck Isokorb for steel-to-steel connectivity was the ideal solution. By thermally separating the exterior steel structure from the interior steel structure, these modular thermal insulation elements with their stainless steel components and Neopor® insulation, reliably mitigate the risk of condensation, mould formation and corrosion, The units are also able to withstand extremely demanding loads and are effective against both bending moment and shear force.

Totally verifiable performance The product type used at Oxford Brookes is for steel-to-steel, but the comprehensive Isokorb range from Schöck also offers solutions for concrete-to-concrete, concrete-to-steel and – and even a maintenance free alternative to wrapped parapets. When any Isokorb product type is incorporated into residential buildings or public buildings, the required fRsi value – the temperature factor used to indicate condensation risk that must be equal to or greater than 0.75 – is always comfortably met.

The range also complies with the Government

34 Construction UK Magazine - December 2018

Standard Assessment Procedure, SAP 2012, concerning CO2 emissions from buildings and respectively heat losses through non-repeating thermal bridges. Products meet full compliance with the relevant UK building regulations, have NHBC approval and offer LABC Registration.

There is also the security of independent BBA Certification.

Contact Schöck on 01865 290 890; or visit the website at www.schoeck.co.uk for a free copy of the Schöck Thermal Bridging Guide; the Schöck Specifiers Guide and to view the full range of downloadable software.

Developing risk professionals

Risk Management for Infrastructure An IRM training course delivered in conjunction with

Learn to apply risk management principles to infrastructure projects with the IRM’s latest training course. The Risk Management for Infrastructure one day course will teach you how to develop a functioning risk management strategy tailored to the infrastructure industry.

Sign up now for our first London session, 13 November 2018 Find out more at www.theirm.org/infrastructure We also offer a Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management “The risk management field is gaining in prominence within the Infrastructure industry and clients have developed a very high expectation of the risk management function. IRM qualifications are a necessary quality benchmark.”

Companies we have worked with:

Vinay Shrivastava, Group Chair of the IRM Infrastructure SIG Director, Turner & Townsend Infrastructure

“In business you are surrounded by professional people with qualifications in their specialisms and having a formal qualification in risk management reinforces that it is a vital component of successful business.”

Phil Parratt, CIRM Risk Manager, Kier Group

Keep up with the IRM’s work in the infrastructure sector by joining our dedicated Special Interest Group www.theirm.org/infrastructureSIG

People on the move Charcon Strengthens Specification Team Charcon Hard Landscaping, a division of Aggregate Industries, has strengthened its specification team with new appointment, Oli Magnuson, who boasts over fifteen years’ experience in the landscaping industry.

An experienced Landscape Architect and Design Manager, Oli brings with him a wealth of experience across design and architecture. Reporting to the National Specification Manager, Clinton Young, Oli will be responsible for managing specifications for existing clients and developing new relationships.

Commenting on his new appointment, Oli says: “I’m extremely excited about the new role and to be working for a well-respected industry leader. I’m looking forward to meeting people with a similar professional interest to myself, as well as being involved with a variety of projects at any one time.

I’m hoping my background in design and

architecture will be enormously valuable to my clients when it comes to product specification and I hope to exceed their expectations on every aspect of their project.

“It was an easy decision to join the Aggregate Industries family and the Charcon team. There is huge potential to grow within the business and learn from highly-respected individuals within the organisation. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in over the next 12 months.”

Mark Barter, Sales Director for Charcon, comments: “We are delighted that we’ve got Oli on board and have no doubt that with his design and landscape experience he will be a valuable member of the team. We have heavily invested in a robust specification and territory sales team over the years which now operate across the UK, reflecting our commitment to offer a more dedicated and personal service to our clients.”

Aggregate Industries means business with new head of RMX and asphalt divisions Leading construction materials supplier, Aggregate Industries has strengthened its asphalt and ready-mixed concrete division with the high-profile appointment of new Head of Business Development, Joanne Wilkins.

A rising star in the construction industry, Joanne brings with her an extraordinary track record of successfully delivering product development and growth strategies, having spent over 11 years with construction giant Carillion, most recently as Product Development Director.

Already active in her new position at Aggregate Industries, Joanne is tasked with driving sales and development of the firm’s market leading asphalt and concrete performance products, as well as spearheading the growth of value added services.

With Aggregate Industries recently named as ‘Endorsed Employer of Women’ by WORK180, a pioneering jobs platform that pre-screens employers to ensure they support women’s careers, Joanne is passionate about supporting the company’s

ambitious plans to build a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

Gallagher Group appoints Lance Taylor as new CEO The Gallagher Group has appointed Lance Taylor as its new Chief Executive Officer to lead the next phase of development at the Maidstone-based family-owned firm. He will start with the firm on 1 November 2018.

He joins from Persimmon, where he was previously Regional Chairman with responsibility for operations across London & South East, South Coast, Wales, St Modwen/Persimmon national Joint Venture, and a 400-person strong civil engineering and groundworks business. Together these businesses delivered a turnover in excess of £1bn per annum.

Prior to joining Persimmon, Lance Taylor spent over a decade at international cost, project management and property consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall, where he was Chief Executive from 2007 to 2014. At RLB he was

36 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

involved in a range of major infrastructure and energy projects such as supporting LOCOG on the 2012 London Olympics and nuclear decommissioning work at Sellafield.

He began his career in a range of onsite engineering, contracts and project management roles at Tarmac, Birse, and Sisk, before moving into project management at PCM and Head of Project Management at GVA. Outgoing Gallagher CEO, Nick Yandle will remain with the Group to facilitate a two month handover, departing at the end of this year as planned.

The Gallagher Group has expanded from its Kent base to create a very strong presence across the South East of England around its four principle areas of operation: building, civil engineering, aggregates and property development.

People on the move Swaged Square Aluminium Downpipes Now in Stock

MCBAINS ANNOUNCES SENIOR MANAGEMENT CHANGES Leading property, construction and design consultancy McBains today announced a number of changes to its senior management structure to take immediate effect. These are: • Michael Thirkettle, currently Chief Executive, will take a non-executive senior advisory position with McBains; • Clive Docwra, currently Director with responsibility for Project Management and Surveying Services, will become Managing Director; • Mark Leeson, currently Director of Design, will become Operations Director; • Gareth Hird, currently Commercial Director, will be joining the holding company RSBG Infrastructure to become Development Director, overseeing strategic development for the group of companies, including McBains.

Tushar Prabhu, Chairman of McBains and CEO of RSBG Infrastructure said:

xxx

Rainclear Systems, the UK’s leading stockist and online retailer of metal rainwater systems is now stocking contemporary aluminium, swaged square downpipe in matt black for next day delivery.

“RSBG Infrastructure’s acquisition of McBains has enabled the company to increase the strength and depth of its service range, resources and the breadth of its professional services. Today’s senior management changes build on this and will mean McBains can further improve its high quality service to existing and new clients.I want to thank Michael Thirkettle for his leadership and vision over the last 15 years which has seen McBains cement a reputation for excellence and become a leader in the field of collaborative working. McBains will continue to benefit from his experience through his involvement in a non-executive capacity.

Congratulations to Clive, Mark and Gareth too, whose appointments will strengthen the collaborative working across the group but also, along with Michael’s continued involvement, maintain continuity within the company and ensure a seamless transition to the new management structure.”

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Rainclear have taken the 76x76mm downpipe in Matt Black into stock for Next Day Delivery to mainland UK addresses. Another 26 standard RAL colours are available on a 10–15 working day lead-time.

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Floodcheck® ‘AUTO’ Unfortunately the vast majority of homes worldwide have absolutely no form of water leak prevention or detection installed, leaving them open to huge damage should a leak or flood occur.

Typically, such devices are only installed after an incident of water damage has occurred, often at the insistence of insurers.

It is anticipated in the future, all new properties will come with a leak detection/prevention device fitted as standard, in much the same way as electrical fuse boxes are installed now; more importantly older homes will require systems to be retrofitted, to protect home owners, investors and insurance companies from the huge costs and devastation that water damage can cause.

We strongly believe that the Floodcheck® range of products (and associated services) can be deployed to properties all over the world, ensuring that they are safe from leaks or floods, providing one less stress for their owners.

The Floodcheck ‘Auto’ valve is a flood prevention device, that monitors the water supply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year, to minimise internal water damage caused by leaks or floods, protecting your property from internal flooding by monitoring the water usage and automatically ®

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switching off the mains water supply if the device detects any of the following: • A water leak (or forgotten running tap) • An excess flow of water (e.g burst pipe) • Low temperature (to prevent frozen pipes) • Zero water usage (e.g vacant property or owners away) • Floodcheck® Auto is available in UK and EU 15mm & 22mm and USA 1/2” and 3/4” sizes.

Suitable power supplies are also available/ supplied for these countries.

BREAKING NEWS!!

UK BUILDING REGS NOW INSIST THAT ALL NEW BUILDINGS ARE FITTED WITH A PROVEN DEVICE LIKE FLOODCHECK TO CONSERVE WATER AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. HEAVY PENALTIES CAN BE ADMINISTERED FOR NON COMPLIANCE.

Protect your property against floods and leaks Floodcheck® will automatically turn your water off if: there is a tap left on or water is continually running, most probably a leak no water is used for 24 hours the temperature where the Floodcheck® is installed goes below 3 deg Celsius there is a sudden unusual or abnormal demand on the water supply, a burst pipe

Contact us using enquiry code: FCCON0418 www.floodcheck.co.uk

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 37

“ We puchased a Bay-Lynx mixer because it had the best quality of all the mixers we looked at. In addition their support and follow up are second to none. �

-Dominic Avelli, Avelli Construction

Made with either steel or aluminum, Bay-Lynx volumetric concrete mixers are tested and proven to be able to withstand all the physical tolls of working on a concrete job-site.

Bay-Lynx mixers are extremely precise for mix design with accuracy unparalleled in the industry. Controlling your concrete has never been easier.

Unlike other mixers, we are the only manufacturer to offer the Ultralite mixer with an aluminum aggregate bin that provides weight savings, improved aerodynamics, and will not rust.

Combining the Ultralite advantages with the mechanically linked cement metering system, the Bay-Lynx volumetric mixer will transform your business.

Contact our UK office to find out how we can provide the right solution for your business.

www.BayLynx.co.uk Phone: 0161-403-0003 Unit 6 Aragon Court Manor Park Industrial Estate Runcorn, Halton, WA7 1SP United Kingdom

THE EXACT RIGHT MIX

Stylish hoarding perfect for London development thanks to Plasloc A ground-breaking hoarding solutions specialist has provided a major regeneration project in the heart of West London with its stylish hoarding.

Plasloc, which specialises in supplying unique hoarding solutions for major infrastructure and construction projects, was asked by The Berkeley Group to supply and set up their innovative hoarding at their White City Living project to allow the sale of its Phase 1 apartments.

Designed by Patel Taylor and set within eight acres of green open spaces, it offers more than 1,400 new homes, including suites, apartments, penthouses and duplexes, as well as boutique shops, bars and restaurants, all within 15 minutes of Central London.

the hoarding had to be cut into the stairs.

Secondly, we had to go over some raised planters to follow the clients specified hoarding line, which we overcame by creating an extended bay out of system scaffold which cradled the lifted bed.”

Designed for quick installation and easy removal, Plasloc’s environmentally friendly hoardings appear clean and light and can be customised with corporate colours or printed graphics.

“We are extremely proud of our product’s ability to adapt and thrive in challenging environments.

“Working with such a unique product truly sets us apart and the industry has really embraced what we do.”

After the screens at White City are removed they, like all Plasloc’s other partitions, will be recycled to produce more Plasloc. This process creates zero waste and sets Plasloc apart from other hoarding and screening solutions companies.

Plasloc has been an essential component in more than 5700 different projects and is a recognised brand amongst the UK’s leading retailers and building contractors and Leigh commented:

For more information please telephone 01626 356 995, email info@plasloc.com or visit www.plasloc.com.

White City Living is the next chapter of the highly-anticipated White City regeneration development and it was an exciting project for Plasloc to be a part of, despite its challenges.

Leigh Mathews, Director of the Newton Abbot-based company, commented: “We’re thrilled to be involved in a project as ambitious as White City Living, but there were a couple of challenges Plasloc faced on this project which we needed our in-house design team to overcome.

“Firstly, we had to overcome the incline over newly built steps, which meant that

TARGET TIMBER SYSTEMS Traditional Values using Modern Methods of Construction

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We offer a professional service which includes fully certified design and engineering, supply and erect of factory insulated panels, engineered floor beams and floor deck, roof trusses and bracing along with full chain of custody certification.”

For further information please contact Gary Gooch or Nick Whittle on

01403 782600 or email

info@targettimber.com

Target Timber Systems Ltd, 29 High Street, Billinghurst, West Sussex RH14 9PP TTS advert 160x122mm.indd 1

40 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 xx

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MULTI MARQUE PRODUCTION ENGINEERING LTD

Refractory Mixers supplied to Pyemetric Ltd

Multi Marque Production Engineering Ltd are based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire and have been manufacturing Pan Mixers and ancillary equipment for 27 years under their LINER brand name. The range includes roller pan mixers, forced action mixers and multi-purpose mixers.

The Liner roller pan units are used for recycling and mixing lime based building materials and consist of two road towable diesel models, the DM220 and the DM100, along with three static electrically driven machines, the FE50, FE100 & FE220.

Making up the Liner forced action range are two road towable diesel models the MFA400 and the MFA1000 as well as two static electric mixers the FA500 and the FA1000. These mixers are used to mix a wide range of modern building products.

The road towable Liner Contractor completes the offering with its interchangeable mixing elements enabling it to mix all types of construction products. www.multi-marque.co.uk | 01924 290231

MFA400 for concrete repairs at Universal Sealants Ltd

Liner MFA400 Limecrete Mixer for UK Restoration Ltd

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 41

DERBYSHIRE SPECIALIST AGGREGATES – NO STONE LEFT UNTURNED

For the past 34 years, Derbyshire Specialist Aggregates has been at the forefront of the specialist aggregates industry, supplying a wide range of materials, bespoke mixes and blends for an ever-increasing range of projects in the construction industry.

We are involved in a variety of sectors ranging from resin bound to decorative aggregates, pre cast and decorative concrete to pebble dashing, flooring to roofing, anti-skid and thermoplastic road surfacing to coloured quartz.

The company works closely with, construction companies, contractors, surfacing companies, architects and specifiers and can meet the most specialised of briefs or challenging of timescales.

the changing trends and requirements of customers. For example:

RESIN BOUND Today, the company is witnessing rapid growth within resin bound, the fastest growing surfacing solution in the last 5 years. Driven by government legislation, resin bound provides a permeable, fully SUDS compliant solution for driveways, paths and patios. It does not require planning permission, making it ideal for new builds and renovations. It is also suitable for car parks, parks, station platforms and swimming pools.

Sam Buckley, Managing Director of Derbyshire Specialist Aggregates comments: “Our business is built on a reputation of problem solving and we go the extra mile to help our customers source the unusual or to process difficult materials. By working closely with customers, we can, when required, help develop new products, solving any issues at the design stage.

Derbyshire Specialist Aggregates is the manufacturer of high quality DALTEX dried aggregates and supplier of DALTEX UVR resin.

DALTEX dried aggregates offer the widest choice of colours and sizes in the UK and, keen to promote the highest standards of installation, the company also runs one day resin bound training courses. Sample boxes are available on request and more advice is available from the resin bound helpline: 01629 636500.

The company has invested heavily in the latest machinery and continually adapts to reflect

For more information: resinbondedaggregates.com

THERMOPLASTIC AND ANTI-SKID Our range of high quality aggregates used in thermoplastic road markings and anti-skid applications are immediately recognisable.

They are used extensively in towns and cities in the UK and Europe on traffic calming schemes, cycle ways, bus lanes and many other projects which require a high friction surface and decorative coloured finish that delivers real visual impact.

DECORATIVE AND PRE-CAST CONCRETE Long gone are the days of boring, plain, grey concrete! Pre-cast and decorative concrete is being increasingly specified in a wide range of new buildings including commercial and civic office schemes, residential, retail and leisure developments as well as hospitals and schools.

Our extensive product range, with its choice of colours and textures, provides versatility, durability and affordability for all uses.

Technical and operational support is available for all sectors so if you would like to discuss a project, why not give us a call on 01629 636500? We would love to help.

For more information: www.derbyaggs.com

42 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

WE COVER ALL THE BASES! Resin Bound & Resin Bonded The widest range of colours in the UK

Decorative Aggregates

Coloured Quartz

Decorative Concrete

Cobbles, pebbles, granite, slate and garden features

Bespoke grades and mixes available

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Flooring/Terrazzo Flooring

Skid resistant aggregates in many colour combinations

Bespoke industrial aggregates with flexible production capacity

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The ideal range for playground and landscaping applications

Decorative and technical designs and coatings for substrates and roofing construction

Washed and graded specifically for external building finishes

Come direct to the UK’s premier manufacturer of specialist aggregates

TECHNICAL HELPLINE Tel: 01629 636500

derbyaggs.com

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Project News

WSP to rebuild vital lifeboat station in North West Wales Professional services consultancy WSP will provide engineering and design services on the development of Pwllheli Lifeboat Station, on the Llyn Peninsula.

As part of a wider £2.5m framework with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the station will be fit to house the new, state of the art Shannon-class lifeboat, developed to save more lives at sea.

The new Shannon-class lifeboat and rebuilding of Pwllheli Lifeboat Station will allow the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) reach 90% of all casualties within 10 nautical miles of the coast within 30 minutes of launch in all-weathers.

As the current station is unable to facilitate the new lifeboat, WSP is providing structural, civil, ground risk and mechanical & electrical services to build a new boathouse and launch ramp on a new site in Pwllheli. WSP is also leading on all investigations for the new facility including planning application, visual intrusions, ground and noise surveys.

An experienced ecologist will supervise all

site activities including the removal of nearby vegetation, to minimise the risk of harming local wildlife such as the hedgehog and reptile population. This phase of the project will also be carefully planned and executed to avoid disturbing birds during the nesting season.

Additionally, the team has ensured major considerations are taken to achieve a carbon neutral building through the use of sustainably sourced materials and renewable energy technology for heat and power. A ground source system will cater for the building’s main heating requirements, whilst solar panels will be placed on the roof’s south side to provide electricity.

embrace the latest technology and renewable energy, assisting in achieving a carbon neutral development to help the community long into the future.”

Teams from WSP’s Manchester, Fareham and Southampton offices will collaborate on the project, which is expected to start in May 2019 and culminate in September 2020.

Brian Hillman, WSP technical director Buildings, Maritime & Historic commented: “We’re delighted to be assisting the RNLI in carrying out such a critical project to the local area. As the only safe harbour in the north Cardigan Bay region, it’s vital these works are done to provide a facility that is capable of supporting the RNLI’s lifesaving requirements.

“Whilst safety of the people remains the priority, our design will enable the building to

Specialist consultants McBains to advise on world’s tallest modular towers in London Recent appointment takes specialist due diligence and monitoring services team to over £9bn construction in UK. Leading consultant McBains has been appointed by the bank providing senior debt to oversee the development of the world’s tallest modular towers in Croydon, South London – which means the construction value of projects it now provides monitoring services on exceeds £9bn in the UK. Focusing largely on strategic advice and technical due diligence, McBains is currently providing monitoring services on high profile UK developments, including Battersea Power Station; Royal Albert Dock; Shell Estate, Silvertown, Harbour Central, London City Island, Wardian and Embassy Gardens.

The development at 101 George Street, Croydon, is a Greystar build to rent (BTR) scheme. It will comprise two towers of 37 (115m) and 44 stories (134m), housing 546 apartments, and, on completion, will hold the title of the first and second tallest modular buildings in the world.

Rather than the buildings being fully constructed on-site, modular construction means the developers, Tide Construction and their associate company, Vision Modular Systems, will construct the modules for the buildings in a controlled factory environment

in Bedford to ensure a higher quality finish. This method will produce 80% less waste and mean that fewer workers are needed on-site. It will also provide greater certainty on costs and time. Greystar and Tide have partnered on several schemes to date, including student accommodation at Chapter Lewisham, Chapter White City and Chapter Highbury II, the latter two being projects on which McBains were also involved.

Situated directly opposite East Croydon train station, the towers will provide an excellent base for residents, with this station averaging 600 London-bound

44 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

trains on a typical weekday – with the fastest taking just 16 minutes. Croydon, with its sprawling shopping district and thriving leisure economy, has become one of the largest commercial enclaves outside central London. It has also been dubbed the “Silicon Valley of South London”, due to its growing tech and start-up scenes, and is fast-becoming an attractive area for young professionals and families.

Work on the new development is due to be completed over a 24-month period – with residents moving into the towers in the early part of 2020.

Project News Planning goes in for 10 & 13 storey office development set to change Nottingham landscape & create thousands of jobs THE MOST transformational office development scheme to happen in the East Midlands in more than a decade has been submitted to Nottingham City Council, creating thousands of jobs – and setting a ‘cornerstone’ for the city’s Southern Gateway.

Developers Peveril Securities and Sladen Estates have lodged a planning application to bring 62,022 sq m of Grade A office space to Unity Square, the 1.14 hectare site in Queensbridge Road, opposite Nottingham Train Station.

The eagerly anticipated scheme will advance the £250 million Southern Gateway regeneration project – creating a new business district within an area of the city desperately in need of redevelopment.

The planning application encompasses two office buildings – the first being ten storeys and the second being 13 storeys high.

The build will be in two phases with landscaping and an attractive urban space connecting Unity Square and the station, creating a stunning entrance to this part of the city. The height and scale of the office buildings, along with urban spaces is set to create a brand new city landscape.

Peveril Securities and Sladen Estates purchased Unity Square in 2015 and demolished the derelict car park buildings last year. Unity Square is seen as a crucial area of redevelopment with huge potential – and a cornerstone of Nottingham City Council’s vision for the city’s Southern Gateway, said Ralph Jones, MD of Peveril Securities. Today’s planning application hails the next step of the Unity Square story – and development is likely to commence early in 2019. The contractor is Bowmer & Kirkland.

Based in the East Midlands, and headquartered in Derbyshire, Peveril Securities and Sladen Estates have an established background in the regional

commercial property market. They have a track record of delivering large-scale developments across the UK. Over the last 20 years, they have jointly completed projects worth more than £500 million in sectors including office, industrial, leisure and student accommodation. Peveril Securities and Sladen Estates have a portfolio with a development end value of around £750 million.

Peveril Securities and Sladen Estates bought the Unity Square site from Peel Land and Property Group in 2015 for an undisclosed sum. The site came with planning approval for a mixed use scheme of office, hotel, retail and leisure. This new planning submission will supersede the previous application.

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14/11/2018 13:35:58 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 45

AB Heritage

Managing Historic Environment Project Risk as part of Successful Developments At several recent networking and trade events, AB Heritage have had the pleasure of speaking with planners, architects, developers and their agents, who were attracted by displays of our photographs of archaeological excavations and historic maps but were quick to emphasise that the appeal was ‘personal interest’ rather than in any professional capacity. During our conversations about the role of AB Heritage in the construction industry it became clear to many that the services and products we provide would benefit their company and / or a particular project they were working on - not just because it ‘sounds interesting’ but because the protection of the historic environment is underpinned by legislation and ignoring the potential risks of encountering heritage issues on a site could lead to costly delays to the project programme and even in a few cases, prosecution.

HERITAGE LEGISLATION When progressing any development, the first step is to understand the key legalisation covering the Historic Environment in the UK. In relation to archaeology, the backbone of legislation is the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

This provides for the legal protection of important and well-preserved archaeological sites and monuments through their addition to the Government’s ‘schedule’ of archaeological monuments.

The Act empowers Local Authorities to require that developers investigate any site ‘that contains or [and this is the key part] is likely to contain anything of archaeological of historic interest which will be disturbed, damaged, destroyed or removed without proper archaeological investigation if operations are carried out on the site.’ Such remains, where they survive, may then be scheduled for statutory protection should they be of national significance or, more often, mitigated to enable development.

Likewise, structures are afforded legal protection through their addition to ‘lists’ of buildings of special architectural or historical interest. The listing of buildings is carried out by the Government’s DMCS Department under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, 1990. The main purpose of the legislation is to protect buildings and their surroundings from changes that would materially alter the special historic or architectural value of the building, or its setting. This necessitates the granting of formal Listed Building Consent for all works undertaken to or within the designated curtilage of a Listed Building. This legislation also allows for the creation and protection of Conservation Areas by local planning authorities to protect areas and groupings of historical significance.

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Further categories of heritage assets with consideration in planning have been extended in recent years, and now includes Registers for Parks and Gardens, and Historic Battlefields; while these forms of heritage asset are not statutorily protected by designation, registration is a ‘material consideration’ in the planning process. A very similar situation pertains to UNESCO World Heritage Sites and their settings – though these usually contain one or more designated Heritage Assets.

NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK (NPPF) Revised in 2018, NPPF sets out the Government’s planning policies for England. Section 16 details the protections afforded to heritage assets and their settings: ‘In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting... Where a site on which development is proposed includes, or has the potential to include, heritage assets with archaeological interest, local planning authorities should require developers to submit an appropriate desk-based assessment and, where necessary, a field evaluation.’

THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM! Early consultation is paramount for successful management of a site with built heritage or archaeological constraints. Engaging with recognised heritage consultants such as AB Heritage at the outset of a project, will identify archaeological risk and provide advice to help avoid potential hurdles later in the planning process.

Additionally, if site works are required

AB Heritage - these can be timetabled early in the development process to avoid costly delays to the programme. Our professional heritage consultants monitor site works to ensure that fieldwork is delivered on time and within the agreed scope of works.

No scope creep = no delays = no spiralling costs.

A range of professional assessments and reports are available to suit various planning requirements. Examples of some of our products are given below.

Our Initial Site Heritage Appraisals have been designed to provide a broad assessment of heritage risk on any land being considered for development, even prior to purchase. This pre-planning report will not only outline options for further works that may be required but will provide useful data for risk registers and purchase negotiations as part of your decision-making process.

An Archaeological Desk Based Assessment focuses mainly on assessing the below ground archaeological factors associated with a development, providing a clear and impartial assessment of the potential impact associated with a development and how best to avoid them.

These are undertaken to inform a planning application, or as an information gathering tool to help advise on site design and layout. The work includes data orders of the local Historic Environment Record; a site visit and review of data held at the Local Record Office; a detailed impact assessment; and recommendations for appropriate investigation or mitigation works, where required.

Heritage Statements are required for Listed Building Consent Applications

and to support applications affecting Conservation Areas, the setting of Listed Buildings and other surviving heritage assets. These reports establish the history and development of a building or site, to better understand the historic significance of such features and allow the most effective design works to take place to help achieve planning consent.

A Detailed Heritage Settings Assessment follows a step-by-step procedure to assess the historic setting of a building or site. By understanding specific factors related to the historic setting of a site it is possible to assess potential impacts and benefits associated with a proposed development at the earliest possible stage, allowing heritage consultants to guide planning works to a successful conclusion. These are typically required for larger developments which have the potential to impact the setting of a number of heritage assets in the vicinity of the site, such as housing developments or infrastructure projects.

Often stipulated as a condition of planning, an Historic Building Recording Survey is used as a tool to understand a structure’s historic significance and development over time. There are four levels of survey as set out in Historic England’s guidance document Understanding Historic Buildings: A Guide to Good Recording Practice (2016).

These range from a high-level and scene setting appraisal (Level 1), through to a high detailed / measured survey of the building (Level 4). Whichever level of survey is required for your project they all play a specific role in assessing, managing and recording the structure as part of the redevelopment of a site. Your Heritage Consultant will help guide you on the most appropriate level for your needs.

Construction UK Readers offer To claim your AB Heritage discount of 5% off any standard Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment or Heritage Statement commissioned before the 21st December 2018, call 03333 440 206 or email info@abheritage.co.uk and quote CONUK18. T&Cs apply.

AB Heritage is a professional commercial archaeology consultancy and a registered organisation with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.

Operating across the UK, the company helps clients to manage historic environment project risk as part of successful developments. www.abheritage.co.uk

By Chloe Smith, Heritage Consultant, BA MA ACIfA

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 47

heightec.com

© Image courtesy of Nick Croudace

Integrity Excellence Innovation ROTOR rescue and evacuation descender

heightec is a leading authority within the professional height safety and rescue industry, designing and manufacturing innovative equipment and delivering specialist training.

Their mission - to be the most sophisticated supplier for specialist work at height, by joining these values of elegant, innovative products and expertise in methods of use. heightec was founded in 1997 by people with extensive practical experience of rope access, caving

and mountain rescue. It was clear existing equipment for work at height was not sufficiently adapted for more technical or industrial applications.

The first significant innovation was the Phoenix advanced rescue harness designed for UK Fire & Rescue Services and industrial rescue teams. The Phoenix earned a UK Design Council Millennium Award for innovation and remains the most widely used harness by UK fire services. heightec has since developed the most advanced combination of height safety rescue systems available anywhere. The Rotor automatic rescue and evacuation descender was developed for demanding environments and is a core product in their Rotor Tower Crane Rescue System. The Rotor is designed for self-evacuation or recovery of a casualty from a tower crane cab, jib or ladder. heightec benefits from extensive technical design, development and production teams complete with CAD, material simulation, rapid prototyping, 3D printing and test facilities complying with international standards.

ROTOR Tower Crane Rescue System

Keith Jones, Managing Director, stated “Our approach is to work very closely with customers to ensure designs achieve exactly what they need to in terms of functional performance.

For heightec, innovation is not merely

a route to new products but a core competence at the heart of everything we do. This is a continuous challenge for our design team. Our strength as a manufacturer lies in our ability to respond rapidly to users’ needs and changes in industry. We continue to pursue excellence at every opportunity, ensuring our products go above and beyond the norm where performance and safety are concerned.” heightec is also the largest provider of height safety and rescue training delivered via their UK national network of centres based in Aberdeen, Kendal, Leeds, Birmingham, London. They launched their specialist Tower Crane Rescue course over a decade ago, it is their most popular course for the construction industry and remains in high demand for delivery on client sites.

Subsequently heightec supported the CPA’s (Construction Plan-hire Association) Tower Crane Interest Group by contributing to the development of the Technical Information Note on “Rescue of Personnel from Height on Tower Cranes.”

This document provides guidance on the planning for rescuing persons from height on tower cranes.

The company continues to work closely with the construction industry, offering tailored solutions for specialist work at height and rescue.

heightec.com

Company News xxx GROUNDWORKS COMPANY, MACKOY, LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE TO DRIVE GROWTH Groundworks and civil engineering company, Mackoy, has launched a new website as part of a comprehensive brand rejuvenation aimed at driving recruitment and further growth.

Working across the South East of England, the Hampshire-based company is regularly seeking groundworkers and site managers for its numerous projects. The improved functionality of the new website means that searching and applying for jobs with the company is easier and quicker than before.

The website has also been optimised for search engines in order to increase traffic.

Once there, the company’s project work across the region is showcased, spanning the seven years it’s been in operation.

This provides prospective clients with an understanding of the company’s vast expertise and experience, which it hopes will help generate more business.

Michael Mayock, Managing Director of Mackoy, said: “We’ve set our sights on maintaining our growth over the next few years and recognised that investing in our

website was key to this. It’s now optimised for search engines, driving more traffic to the site and new pages have been added to suit the needs of our stakeholders.

“Hand-in-hand with our improved digital presence is our continued focus on looking after our employees, investing in training and one-to-ones to help maintain our high standards across all of our sites.”

In addition to the website, Mackoy has begun using social media as a further tool to communicate with employees and potential clients and has also developed a new Good Practice Guide for the teams working across its sites.

Visit www.mackoy.co.uk www.facebook.com/mackoyltd

DS Smith supports local scout sleepouts with recyclable cardboard shelters DS Smith Kemsley supported 400 Scouts from Gillingham, Sittingbourne, and Teynham in a sponsored sleep-out to raise awareness and funds for Porchlight, a homelessness charity working in Kent and the South East.

The Kent Scouts Big Cardboard Sleep Out was organised by Porchlight to mark World Homelessness Day (Friday 12th October).

Around 3,000 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and Explorers in 22 separate locations put themselves in the shoes of someone who’s homeless by sleeping outside with nothing but cardboard for protection.

To support the sleep out, DS Smith printed cardboard ‘tents’ for Gillingham District Scout Groups, 1st Teynham Scouts, and Sittingbourne District Scout Groups, which are led by Kemsley employees Adam Fowler and Dan Egginton.

As well as providing the fully recyclable, prism-shaped boxes to function as tents, DS Smith collected and recycled every box after the event.

“We were delighted to join this fantastic

initiative to help raise funds and awareness of homelessness across our local areas,” said Adam Fowler, Operations Improvement Engineer at DS Smith Kemsley Paper Mill, and Scout leader of the 17th Gillingham Scouts. “This has been an eye-opening experience for our Scouts, impressing the importance of supporting local charities and being a responsible neighbour on our young people.”

Porchlight is a homelessness charity that offers advice and support for 5,000 people a year. Last year, Porchlight worked with over

50 xx Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

800 people sleeping on Kent’s streets, with the charity’s helpline taking 16,942 calls.

Rachel Van Hoven, Community Fundraising Manager at Porchlight, said: “Despite our best efforts, homelessness will still affect future generations. The money raised from the sleep out will allow us to continue running life-saving services for people who are living on the streets right now. We are grateful to DS Smith for supporting this initiative and look forward to working with them on future fundraising events.”

Company News

Major jobs boost for Glasgow construction company Glasgow-based construction and manufacturing company CCG (Scotland) Ltd has welcomed 35 new members to its offsite manufacturing business, CCG OSM, in response to growing demand for its energy efficient timber systems.

CCG OSM – located in Cambuslang - is one of the UK’s leading manufacturing facilities in the production of enhanced panel timber frame systems for residential and nonresidential properties and already supports 57 employees. Starting this month, the

business’s 35 new recruits will support the establishment of a second shift pattern in the OSM factory that will enable CCG to increase production to 1,300 homes each year.

Established in 1974, CCG has secured a strong reputation for producing high-quality, energy efficient housing and is currently delivering 1,400 homes across Scotland with a confirmed project pipeline to 2021.

CCG Chairman and CEO, Alastair Wylie, said: “Housebuilding currently accounts for over 75 per cent of CCG’s contracts and thanks to a number of strategic partnerships with major local authorities - including East Ayrshire, West Dunbartonshire and Perth & Kinross – we have a guaranteed housebuilding programme for the next four years making it essential to increase our production capacity. This represents a win-win situation for CCG as we are able to service the demand from our clients and retain quality standards whilst creating a number of skilled jobs and delivering a boost for the regional economy.”

Jeremy Corbyn & Gloria De Piero officially open Van Elle’s new Training Centre in Kirkby-in-Ashfield In recognition of Van Elle’s investment in the training, development and upskilling of its workforce over the past year, Jeremy Corbyn visited Van Elle’s office in Kirkby last week, accompanied by MP for Ashfield, Gloria De Piero, to officially open it’s new state-of-theart training centre.

lives, which was really important for us to hear. Listening to the good experiences that Van Elle’s apprentices are having was really interesting and uplifting and Jeremy and I took a lot of useful information away with us from that conversation. Thank you to everyone at Van Elle for making us so welcome.

Both took time to speak with some of Van Elle’s workers and apprentices and listened to their opinions on the learning experiences and the opportunities the training centre offers.

“As well as self-delivering an even larger proportion of our internal training requirements, we are now able to offer training and assessment services externally to Clients and other industry professionals” says Senior Group Director, Mick Mason. “The training centre is a £1m investment to the company and showcases our commitment to making sure that the training needs of

Gloria De Piero said “It was great to visit the wonderful Van Elle in Kirkby with Jeremy Corbyn. The workers and apprentices all spoke frankly about the issues affecting their

the Van Elle and Construction Industry’s workforce are met”.

Up-to-date construction based training courses, supported by an outdoor CPCS area and rail test track, are also now offered externally to companies and individuals as well as internally to Van Elle’s own staff.

Core training courses are on offer such as: • CPCS • NPORS • NVQs • Site Safety Plus • Health and Safety • First Aid • Driver CPC

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 51

Ecological Considerations Prior to Construction In the October issue, we looked at the early stage involvement of ecologists when designing and planning construction projects (First Steps in Ecological Assessment for Construction and Development). For many in the construction industry, the first involvement with an ecologist will come later in the project, once planning permission, or other relevant consent, has been obtained, and works are about to start. So, what are some of the ecological considerations prior to construction, and which actions can be taken to ensure your project runs smoothly and complies with wildlife legislation?

Great Crested Newt

Complying with conditions For projects which have planning consent there may be conditions which are required to be discharged. This could be the production of specific ecological mitigation plans, or compliance with plans already produced.

Typically documents such as Biodiversity Mitigation and Enhancement Plans (BMEPs) or Landscape and Ecology Mitigation Plans (LEMPs), outline the steps required to ensure ecological mitigation and enhancement measures are implemented, and wildlife legislation adhered to. Some of the recommendations may include: • Areas to be safeguarded during demolition and construction (e.g. tree and watercourse protection measures) • A work schedule ensuring ecological impacts are avoided (e.g. removal of nesting bird habitat outside of the bird nesting season) • Sensitive methods of works (e.g. hand removal of roofing materials) • Wildlife exclusions (or translocations) • Supervision of works by an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) • Requirement to create new habitat (e.g. creation of ponds or installation of bird and bat boxes) • Sensitive lighting plans to avoid disturbance to nocturnal species during construction • Control or eradication of invasive plant species

Wildlife licensing In addition to plans for ecological protection and enhancement measures, specific wildlife

licences may be required. These are typically issued by the relevant National Agency (e.g. in England this is Natural England). Wildlife licences are mostly issued for certain species where an activity is identified to breach wildlife legislation (such as damage of a bat roost). Licensing procedures cover various pieces of legislation and an array of protected species, including bats, great crested newts, dormice, water voles and badgers.

Usually, licences allowing activities to take place during construction are only granted once planning permission (or other relevant consent) is obtained. The licence may stipulate works are undertaken using specific methodologies or at certain times of year to avoid harm and will often ensure suitable habitat remains for that species (sometimes through provision of replacement habitat).

Licences are legal documents and following their terms of issue is important to ensure the project and those involved are legally compliant.

The importance of good communication Whether the ecological considerations prior

Installing swift nest bricks on a construction site

to construction are covered by planning conditions or wildlife licences, it’s important ecological requirements are properly programmed within construction timetables, communicated to all parties involved and managed throughout the project.

Construction projects (even small-scale) will involve multiple disciplines and trades who may be involved in delivering successful ecological mitigation and enhancement; such as demolition and groundwork contractors, landscapers and builders. It’s extremely important the relevant ecological information from documents and licences reaches those delivering the works ‘on the ground’. The importance of ecologists being on site to deliver toolbox talks, install information posters and check ecological mitigation measures is of great value.

Key considerations • Understand the ecological requirements of your project ensuring consents are complied with • Schedule applications for wildlife licences and seasonal mitigation works in advance • Communicate ecological requirements effectively to all involved Actioning these considerations will result in a project that is compliant with consents or licences and delivered on time. Crucially it will ensure the project has meaningful benefits to biodiversity, by implementing effective protection and enhancement measures.

Adam Bratt – Principal Ecologist

Translocating grass snake

52 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018

T

ECOLOGICAL CONSULTING Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEA) Protected Species Surveys Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) Protected Species Licensing Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) Wildlife Translocations BREEAM & Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH)

Ask us for Advice

Call 01404 891188 www.blackdownenvironmental.co.uk

SPATEX 2019

The build-up to SPATEX 2019 begins!

As the UK’s only dedicated wet leisure Exhibition, SPATEX 2019 is designed for all building and construction industry supply chain professionals involved in swimming pools, spas, saunas, spas, enclosures and the world of water leisure in its widest context.

SPATEX 2019 at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena (Tuesday 29th to Thursday 31st January) will feature over a hundred exhibitors drawn from the world’s leading wet leisure manufacturers and suppliers.

As an eye-catching shop window, showcasing all the latest innovations, it is the UK’s biggest gathering with enormous international appeal.

Where there’s water there’s money!

Wellness and making people feel good is what it is all about when it comes to water leisure. Adding the X factor and making the customer feel relaxed and de-stressed is what wet leisure facility is all about. A large part of that success begins at the planning and design stage which is why attendance at SPATEX is so crucial.

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Wellness and making people feel good is what it is all about when it comes to water leisure. Adding the X factor and making the customer feel relaxed and destressed is what wet leisure facility is all about. A large part of that success begins at the planning and design stage which is why attendance at SPATEX is so crucial.

SPATEX 2019 The best of water leisure under one roof SPATEX features everything under the wet leisure umbrella from wet and dry safety flooring, spas, water play features, pool enclosures to energy saving chemical control and heating and ventilation units.

A vast proportion of the many innovative new products launched at SPATEX are geared towards the commercial sector and are seen for the very first time. It’s a fantastic opportunity to catch up on new technologies and energy saving innovations. For instance, Unipools is using SPATEX as the launchpad to the European market for the ingenious LevelSmart Wireless Autofill System.

Enhance your skills Aside from offering a glittering showcase, SPATEX also hosts a free-to-attend double seminar programme on all three days, featuring a diverse range of topics that everyone involved in water leisure build and design is interested in. CPD points and a certificate of attendance are available for all attendees of the Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers (ISPE) seminars in Arena 1. This year, there are 22 different sessions running throughout the three days of the Show including 18 NEW titles. There’s something for everyone! The talks cover every aspect of water leisure and cater for professionals from every discipline and sector, both domestic and commercial.

There’s also hands-on practical demonstrations. Tuesday and Thursday lunchtimes will see the return of the popular ISPE ‘Mega-Demo’ which will feature various aspects of water testing, allowing delegates to get ‘hands-on’ with equipment, alongside experts demonstrating the dos and don’ts. In addition, there will be a live demonstration, with commentary, of how to install, service and repair, both filters and pumps for domestic pools on the Tuesday afternoon.

In addition to the ISPE workshops, in Seminar Arena 2, SPATEX offers a parallel free-to-attend seminar programme on all three days, featuring a diverse range of new topics for example: Wednesday January 30th 14.00-14.30 – Grow Your Business Without spending £1000s on traditional advertising by Deborah Ekins of Eagle Leisure.

Visit www.spatex.co.uk to see SPATEX’s impressive list of exhibitors, details of the free double seminar programme and register for FREE.

Aside from offering a glittering showcase, SPATEX also hosts a freeto-attend double seminar programme on all three days, featuring a diverse range of topics that everyone involved in water leisure build and design is interested in. CPD points and a certificate of attendance are available for all attendees of the Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers (ISPE) seminars in Arena 1.

SPATEX 2019, Tuesday January 29th to Thursday January 31st Ericsson Exhibition Hall, Ricoh Arena, Coventry. The Ricoh Arena is easy to get to - just 500 yards off the M6 and within two hours commuting time of 75 per cent of the population, it offers 2,000 free on-site car parking spaces.

For further information please contact Michele or Helen.

Tel: +44 (0) 1264 358558 www.spatex.co.uk

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 55

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Refurbishment

CARBON FIBRE STRENGTHENS CASE AS STEEL ALTERNATIVE IN STRUCTURAL REFURBISHMENT - By Jamie Squires, Product Manager for Carbon Strengthening at Sika Refurb As a solution, rather than use steel reinforcement to strengthen columns, beams, slabs, walls and the like, contractors are turning to carbon fibre. Flexible and versatile with a superior strength-to-mass ratio than traditional reinforcing methods, carbon fibre allows for a significant increase in performance without adding additional dead load.

Carbon fibre fabric wrap, which is mainly used on column strengthening, is comprised of woven or stitched, unidirectional, carbon and glass fibre fabrics. It is increasing in popularity as a proven solution for reinforced concrete, steel, wood and masonry load-bearing structures this is due to its lightweight, easyhandling ability, durability, superb adhesion and rapid installation where the downtime of a building is in short supply. Its flexibility makes it ideal for a range of existing buildings and civil engineering structures including bridges to enhance bending, shear or impact resistance.

For external and internal use, its performance helps safeguard a building against issues such as long-term fatigue and artificial ageing.

Carbon fibre strengthening, as well as offering greater weight resistance than traditional refurbishment processes, is also kinder to the environment. It requires fewer materials, less energy, labour and machinery to install than steel reinforcement. The prospect of future corrosion and costly, time-consuming refurbishment is also eliminated with the use of carbon fibre strengthening. Without heavy plant-based processes required to install it, fabric-based solutions are safer for onsite teams to apply.

Having established CFRP’s properties and uses, what is its market availability? Sika provides a range of structural strengthening solutions and integrated systems to suit almost any project and site requirement. Sika’s structural strengthening systems have been tested extensively internally and externally under many different conditions to ensure long-term performance in different environments for:

Jamie Squires The Sika® Carbodur® System is one of the most established and proven carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) based structural strengthening prefabricated plate solutions in the world. It consists of Sika Carbodur® CFRP plates and rods, plus the structural epoxy resin-based adhesive Sikadur®-30. This simple and reliable, high-performance system is easy to apply and provides outstanding long-term durability.

It is the ideal externally-bonded flexural strengthening solution for concrete, steel, timber, masonry and cast iron structures.

The range also includes the Sika CarboShear® System, a unique solution for external shear strengthening of beams. Its L-shaped CFRP profiles, which are bonded onto a beam with Sikadur®-30 structural epoxy resin-based adhesive, significantly increasing the capacity of reinforced concrete-beams to highly-effective and efficient shear strengthening.

For structural column confinement, strengthening of weaker concrete, masonry, natural stone and timber structures; the SikaWrap® Fabric Strengthening System offers outstanding performance when applied to irregularly-shaped structures and substrates to enable enhanced load-carrying capacity or ductility.

Case Study - Craigston Junction Bridge Sika provided carbon fibre strengthening for the long-term protection of a remote Scottish island’s vital transport link.

Craigston Junction Bridge in Barra, an island in the Outer Hebrides, was showing signs of chloride–induced deterioration - due to its proximity to the sea - with cracks and spalling appearing in its soffits and beams.

Urgent repairs were needed, along with a protection programme to safeguard the 15-metre bridge against the harshness of its surrounding environment.

Following crack repairs, Sika® CarboDur® plates and CFRP laminates were bonded onto the structure as externally-bonded reinforcement using Sikadur®-30 structural adhesive. This simple, effective and environmentally-friendly supportive system helped increase the bridge’s capacity to bear more traffic. Its rapid installation ensured the bridge’s refurbishment was completed within the agreed 12-week timeframe and to the client’s full satisfaction. The island’s vital transport link reopened a betterprotected and strengthened structure thanks partly to the robust, reliability of Sika’s carbon fibre solution.

Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review 2018 57