The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today called on the Government to grant him additional powers so that he can effectively tackle non-road pollution sources in the capital.

Only half of the capital’s air pollution is caused by on-road vehicles and Sadiq believes London needs more powers so that it can combat pollution from the River Thames, emissions from machinery used on construction sites and pollution from the domestic burning of solid fuels.

Since becoming Mayor, Sadiq has more than doubled investment in tackling air quality to £875 million over the next five years. He has also introduced the boldest plans to tackle air pollution in the world, including a £10 Toxicity-Charge (T-Charge) which will start in October this year, the introduction of the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in 2019 (subject to consultation), and the cleaning up of London’s public transport fleets such as buses and taxis so that they lead the way in ultra-low emission technology.

Sadiq has now written to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, setting out the additional powers that he believes are required.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said “Non-transport sources contribute half of the deadly emissions in London so we need a hard-hitting plan of action to combat them similar to moves I am taking to reduce pollution from road vehicles.

“With more than 400 schools located in areas exceeding legal pollution levels, and such significant health impacts on our most vulnerable communities, we cannot wait any longer and I am calling on Government to provide the capital with the necessary powers to effectively tackle harmful emissions from a variety of sources.”

The Mayor is requesting new powers in the following areas:

Non-Road Mobile Machinery

Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) such as diggers and bulldozers are currently the second largest source of ultra-fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions in London and the fifth largest source of oxides of Nitrogen (NOx). This is likely to grow as traffic related emissions decline and as construction increases across London.

Sadiq wants greater powers for the capital to enforce the standards of the Non-Road Mobile Machinery Low Emission Zone (NRMM LEZ) – a scheme that uses the Mayors planning powers to impose minimum emissions standards for machinery used on construction sites.

Sadiq does not believe this scheme is as rigorously applied by the boroughs as it could be, especially where they already have stretched resources.

He has already invested £400,000 so that local authorities can better enforce the zone. However, he is keen to ensure that boroughs, or GLA bodies have greater ability to apply the standards.

He also thinks it should be possible for the rules of the NRMM LEZ to be applied across the board to existing planning permissions and to other users of NRMM as the current regulations mean that more than 1,000 sites are not registered and activities such as roadworks and events are not covered at all.

Sadiq also wants either himself, or another appropriate authority, to have the power to set minimum emission and technical standards for all NRMM used in London. This could be done by amending the GLA Act so that the Mayor can use his powers to regulate NRMM in the same way as he can for road vehicles.

In order to support these powers, Sadiq wants the creation and maintenance of a DVLA-style national database for NRMM.

River and canal emissions

There are currently at least five different regulators that play a role in policing emissions. In addition, current emission regulations only apply to new vessels.

With ambitious plans in the growth of traffic on waterways, unless sufficient controls are introduced, the number of people exposed to this source of pollution will only grow.

Sadiq wants to see the regulations simplified so that there is a single regulator with the ability to charge and enforce and a single emissions control framework. The body would also be able to set minimum emission and other technical standards for specific classes or types of vessels. It would also provide clarity for local, national and international shipping accessing the Thames and canals.

In the meantime, Sadiq is leading by example with the vessels that are owned or run by Transport for London (TfL). The new Woolwich Ferries that will be entering in to service next year will be some of the cleanest vessels working on the river. TfL will also shortly be retro-fitting a Thames Clipper boat with emissions-reduction technology. If successful, this could provide an important example of how existing boats can reduce their pollution.

The Mayor currently does not have any formal powers to control emissions from vessels on the River Thames or the canal network but has recently set up a Thames and London Waterways Forum, which will bring together the regulators and other stakeholders to ensure that growth in the use of London’s waterways is co-ordinated and sustainable.

Wood and solid fuel burning

Current controls on emissions from domestic burning of solid fuels like wood and coal are obsolete, with the definitions barely revised from the original Clean Air Act of 1956. For example, terms like ‘dark smoke’ and ‘smokeless’ don’t reflect a modern understanding of pollution – which can be invisible.

The Mayor’s recently published Environment Strategy set out his ambition to reduce emissions from this source, but without reform of the existing Clean Air Act this is likely to be limited in impact.

The Mayor wants the Clean Air Act to be amended to allow for the creation of zones where the burning of solid fuel is not allowed. These would complement his existing plans to create transport zero emission zones in small areas from 2025 onwards. In addition, the Clean Air Act should be reformed, so the Mayor can set tighter emission limits for new domestic heating appliances like wood burning stoves for pollutants such as PM10 and PM2.5 that are invisible and are known to have a detrimental effect on health.

To ensure these new zones are effectively implemented, local authorities should be given enhanced powers to ensure compliance, including the ability to inspect and enforce, such as by issuing penalty charge notices. Similar powers could also be used to address emissions from larger and commercial premises.

The Stove Industry Alliance and Woodsure, the UK’s woodfuel accreditation scheme, have recently launched their voluntary “ecodesign ready” and “Ready to Burn” labels for stoves and fuels to help consumers make the right choice in London and other smoke control areas. The Mayor believes that more should be done to empower consumers to make the right choice, including better information at the point of sale and mandatory labelling of products that are legal to use in smoke control areas.

As the Government prepares to publish its Clean Growth Plan, a major alliance has called for an ambitious new infrastructure programme to help to decarbonise the UK’s buildings and, in the process, boost the economy.

With one-third of UK carbon emissions coming from buildings, the report, “Affordable Warmth, Clean Growth”, recommends a comprehensive Buildings Energy Infrastructure Programme and dedicated delivery agency to achieve major energy savings and de-carbonise the UK heating supply. Prepared by leading consultancy Frontier Economics, it sets out an action plan to make all homes energy efficient within 20 years.

Achieving this goal will require the adoption of world-leading quality standards for retrofitting and constructing homes, area-based schemes led by local authorities, additional funding sources that won’t raise energy bills and financial incentives to encourage households to take up energy-saving measures.

Key recommendations include:

  • A target for all homes to be brought up to an energy performance rating of C (on the A to G scale) by 2035, with all low-income households achieving a C rating by 2030
  • A requirement for new homes to be constructed to a zero-carbon standard by 2020
  • Subsidies for all low-income home-owners to make energy efficiency renovations to their properties
  • A demonstrator programme to test the most attractive schemes to unlock able-to-pay households’ investment in energy saving renovations, including zero interest loans, low interest equity loans you don’t have to pay back until a home is sold and salary sacrifice schemes like those for childcare vouchers
  • Changes to Stamp Duty to encourage renovations when people move home
  • Tax allowances for private landlords and 50% subsidies for social landlords to undertake energy efficiency renovations

It also recommends strengthening regulation in the private rented sector from 2025 to prevent landlords from renting out homes which have below average energy performance, and applying sensible minimum standards when homes are sold to help address health risks and deaths caused by excessive cold. The regulations and minimum standards, properly enforced, can significantly bring down the cost of the programme to the public purse.

There are 19 million homes in the UK with needlessly poor levels of energy performance (below a C rating). Up to a quarter of the energy consumed in homes could be saved cost-effectively, with the technical potential for energy use in homes to be cut in half. Despite this, the level of funding for energy efficiency measures has been cut by 50% since 2012 and the number of major insulation and efficient heating measures being installed has crashed by 80%. The alliance is calling on the Government to reverse that fall and to make buildings’ energy performance a capital infrastructure investment priority.

The Rt Hon. Lord Deben said in support of the report: “This is market failure at its most pernicious and the Government needs to intervene to make the free market work. This is a properly constructed infrastructure programme that provides a cost-effective way of meeting our climate change objectives while significantly reducing the cost of living for a huge proportion of the population”.

Claire Thornhill, an author of the report from Frontier Economics said: “Buildings are an integral part of our energy infrastructure system. If we are to de-carbonise in a cost-effective way and keep energy bills as low as possible we need an integrated and ambitious infrastructure programme to de-carbonise our buildings.”

The Plan would require public investment in household energy efficiency to be increased by £1.1 billion per year – from £0.6 billion today to £1.7 billion. A previous Frontier Economics report that analysed Government data found that an energy efficiency programme achieves comparable economic returns to other infrastructure programmes.

The Government plans to spend £170 billion on housing, economic infrastructure and R&D programmes up until 2021/22. However, buildings energy performance does not yet feature in the Government’s infrastructure plans despite the fact that it would help households to save on average £270 every year off their energy bills, boost the economy and reduce the need for new energy supply infrastructure investment elsewhere. The Building Energy Infrastructure Programme is designed to leverage in £3.9 billion of private investment per year.

The Kingspan TEK Building System of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) has been erected in just three weeks to form the structure of a new office building at the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) flagship gardens in Wisley.

RHS Wisley is currently undergoing a major renewal programme, including re-landscaping its grounds and the construction of new laboratory and learning spaces. As part of this work, Evelegh Designs collaborated with design and build contractors, Ashley Group, to create a single storey office building for the site’s 72 staff members. Whilst the building has the appearance of a traditional barn, its construction is thoroughly modern with the walls and roof formed from 142 mm and 172 mm Kingspan TEK Building System panels respectively.

Kingspan TEK Building System panels feature an OSB/3 facing bonded to a highly insulated core. The panels were factory cut to the office building’s design, including space for the specified windows and doors. This ensured a straightforward erection programme once on-site and allowed Ashley Group to erect and weathertight the building shell in a matter of weeks.

The excellent thermal performance provided by the Kingspan TEK Building System was another key benefit as Tony Frend, Contracts Manager at Ashley Group explained: “The original tender specified that the walls needed to achieve a U-value of 0.22 W/m2.K. The Kingspan TEK Building System was our preferred specification as, in addition to providing a reliable build programme, the 142 mm wall panels also allowed us achieve an enhanced U-value of 0.19 W/m2.K on the walls. For the roof construction we were able to go one step further, installing the 172 mm Kingspan TEK Building System panels to achieve a U-value of just 0.17 W/m2.K.”

The OSB/3 facing of the Kingspan TEK Building System panels supports a wide range of façade options. To complete the barn’s rustic external aesthetic, black weatherboarding was installed on timber battens fixed to the facing of the panels, whilst clay tiles were used to clad the roof.

Kingspan TEK Building System panels also feature a unique jointing system which, in combination with their OSB/3 facing, can help to create highly airtight buildings. The manufacturing facility where the panels are produced carries both FSC® (FSC®-C109304) and PEFC Chain of Custody certification. As standard, the OSB/3 facing of all Kingspan TEK panels is PEFC certified.

For further information, please call +44 (0) 1544 387 384, email literature@kingspantek.co.uk or visit www.kingspantek.co.uk.

Armstrong Ceiling Solutions has marked the first use in the UK of its wood-effect metal baffles, alongside other innovative systems, in a prestigious £3.9 million office refurbishment.

The manufacturer’s VP-500 vertical metal baffles with a US Walnut finish were specified by frequent Armstrong users BPR architects for Blake House (formerly Teal House), a three-storey office building on Cowley Business Park, coincidentally about one mile from Armstrong’s own offices in Uxbridge, Middlesex.

The 300mm-high metal baffles bring a contemporary linear aesthetic to a new lobby extension and refurbished main stairs alongside 2,800m2 of Armstrong’s 600mm x 600mm metal MicroLook tiles in a Prelude 15mm grid in the open-plan office areas, Armstrong’s new Drywall Grid System (DGS) for plasterboard ceilings in staircase areas, and Ultima+ Vector 600mm x 1200mm mineral tiles on a 24mm grid in the core areas.

The new look for client Henry Boot Developments involved increasing the size of the 1990s steel-framed building from 22,000ft2 to 30,000ft2 by adding extra office space to the rear, remodelling the internal core layout and building a new double-height entrance lobby at the front to enhance its dated appearance and attract large corporations as lease holders.

Special attention was also given to the specification of fixtures and fittings and communal spaces, much of which feature black walnut to echo the Armstrong baffles, without over-prescribing the design.

As well as delivering an exciting architectural aesthetic, the Armstrong metal baffles enable easy integration of services and achieve the required acoustical level via the use of perforated sides and an acoustic inlay fleece. They are also highly scratch resistant, manufactured from up to 30% recycled steel and are quick and easy to install.

BPR project architect Ross McMahon said: “We used Armstrong’s wood-effect metal baffles in the new lobby extension. They soften the acoustics in the lobby and the timber effect brings the outside environment of trees inside the building. They also matched the walnut finish with ‘real’ wood used in the interior such as the doors, reception desk and hand rails.”

Ross added: “We specify Armstrong because their product portfolio is comprehensive. We have used and trusted their products over many years and so unless they didn’t provide a particular product that a client requested we would be unlikely to look elsewhere.”

For this particular project Ross added: “We have a long-standing relationship with Armstrong. The sales rep who visited us was very knowledgeable and we were impressed by him. The client likes the softening of the acoustics and is pleased with the aesthetic tying in with the real wood finishes.”

Ian Mitchell of CPC Interiors, who carried out the ceilings package of the Category A fit-out for the principal contractor, Apex Contractors, said: “Our team worked closely with the electrical contractors to ensure the Armstrong baffles and the lights were installed in consideration of the reception desk and seating.

“This was a refurbishment of an existing building to get it ready for future letting. The landlord gained planning to extend the building by approximately 30% which entailed a new escape staircase at the rear of the property. While all necessary approvals and construction of this area was undertaken, works to the existing areas had to continue to keep to the client’s programme.”

More information is accessible via the Armstrong Ceilings website https://www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-gb/ or the manufacturer’s app which is available from both the Apple store as well as the Google Play store, or by clicking on one of the links below with your mobile device www.armstrong.com/CeilingDownloads-Apple or www.armstrong.com/CeilingDownloads-Android.

Cold-applied liquid waterproofing specialist, Kemper System, has helped to preserve a grade II listed building thanks to its Stratex warm roof and Kemperol liquid roofing systems.

Because of the unusual design of St Thomas More Church in the Sheldon area of Birmingham, architects Wood Goldstraw Yorath worked in close consultation with Kemper System to enhance the waterproofing performance by addressing leaks and U/V damage to the existing substrate, whilst also improving drainage and reducing the risk of standing water on the roof.

The structure of the building with its many glass and concrete terraces, saw Kemper System’s Stratex tapered warm roof system being specified along with their solvent-free and odourless Kemperol 2K-PUR waterproofing membrane to refurbish the church’s failing asphalt roof.

The technical team at Kemper System also devised a series of drainage channels to address the volume of standing water on the roof, whereby excess water would be caught and drained off the building.

Contractors, Alliance Technical Services Ltd, a specialist conservation company, not only worked to recover the roof with Kemper’s Stratex warm roof system, but also installed new glazing to the central ribs and high level roof windows, fitted an external downpipe and drainage, and completed concrete repairs and concrete rib replacements.

For the recovering of the roofs with the Kemper designed system, operatives removed the existing chippings on the roof ready to clean and prime the asphalt substrate, and installed a hard top tapered Kempertherm PIR insulation board. This was adhered to each terrace section in such a way to create channels behind and either side of each piece of insulation.

As primarily structural engineers, Alliance Technical Services Ltd undertook thorough product and application training at Kemper System HQ in Warrington before installing the Kemperol 2K-PUR system, to familiarise themselves with the liquid waterproofing product application.

Derek Lowe, Managing Director at Alliance Technical Services Ltd, said: “This was a particularly interesting project for us as the church required remedial works to the concrete whilst also installing an alternative waterproofing solution to ensure the graded building remained watertight. The Kemperol 2K-PUR liquid applied waterproofing system was an ideal solution to work around the complicated structure of the building with its many terraces, outlets and joints. These formally weak areas were able to be fully waterproofed in one seamless, easy application.

“We undertook excellent training at Kemper’s headquarters to ensure we were able to apply the system effectively and efficiently. Thanks to the durability of the Kemperol 2K-PUR waterproofing system, the church’s heritage has been protected and can continue to be enjoyed by its many visitors.”

Technical manager at Kemper System, Ross Smith, added: “This interesting project presented design, specification and installation challenges which were easily solved thanks to versatile qualities of the Kemperol membrane.

“The wet-on-wet, cold applied liquid was the perfect solution to ensure a quick and easy installation, yet providing the reassurance of a sound, waterproof solution for many years to come. Its odourless, solvent-free qualities meant the refurbishment works created little disruption to local residents or those using the church.”

Added to Historic England’s ‘At Risk’ register in 2015, the Roman Catholic Church of St Thomas More was designed by renowned architect, Richard Gilbert Scott – who also designed the Guildhall’s West Wing and Art Gallery – with stained glass by John Chrestien.

For more information please visit www.kempersystem.co.uk.

The Infinity Solo condensing and low NOX condensing water heater is the first Rinnai product for the UK to bring together the advanced technology of its wall mounted continuous flow water heaters with a stainless steel storage cylinder in one compact footprint.

Originally envisaged as a single installation product for light commercial operations such as B&Bs, small hotels and schools, Infinity Solo is now being manifolded by installers for larger projects including a recent major primary school installation.

There is no restriction on the number of units that can be linked together as the installer can simply work out the volume of hot water required to determine the number of units required.

This versatile newcomer has also very quickly carved itself a niche in new build and refurbishment housing projects where it is being installed in larger three – and four-bed houses where specifiers have identified it as a cost effective hot water provider for a family bathroom, ensuite and a downstairs cloak room/shower.

Several of the 24kW-59.5kW Infinity Solo range are renewables compatible and supplied pre-fitted with a coil, ensuring the primary energy source will always be from renewable gains and the complementary Rinnai water heater will only apply the precise amount of gas to boost the difference in temperature.

The Solo cylinder is stainless steel, greatly reducing the weight compared to glass lined models, which makes transportation and installation a whole lot easier. The cylinders also boast extremely low heat loss (as low as 1.41kW/h day), which means the customer pays less to maintain the heat within the tank.

Rinnai’s new Solo range incorporates 35kW and 54kW appliances, ensuring that even sites with a smaller gas meter can utilise its advanced technologies.

The larger Infinity Solo model will also act as a high-efficiency alternative to other current forms of gas fired storage appliance. The cylinders also have extremely low heat loss figures (achieving 1.41kW/h day), which means the customer pays less to maintain heat within the tank.

Integral controls on the units ensure optimum performance and efficiencies whether locally or when integrated into a building management system. And there is also Legionella protection available too. Rinnai has invented technology for secondary return DHW systems in the form of additional controls which allow for safe running of water at 42°C core temperature during the day and 60°C at a time when the building is closed. By the time the building reopens, core temperature is 42°C for safe use.

The Rinnai Infinity brand carries the widest range of condensing water heaters on the market today with the most impressive efficiencies in operation, leading the field in technological innovation.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com.

Powder coated high performance fasteners from SFS intec have played a key role in enabling leading roofing and cladding contractor Roofdec to create a striking new building envelope for a major extension to the White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds.

The prestigious £13.7m project completed by Morgan Sindall for client Land Securities expands the popular shopping centre with an additional 65,000 sq ft. This space incorporates an 11 screen Cineworld cinema with IMAX technology, numerous restaurants and an extension of both the existing Primark and Debenhams stores.

Meeting the colour consistency and long-term performance brief across the various elements of the contemporary façade, Roofdec turned to SFS intec for 40 variations of fasteners, many of which were powder coated in-house to match the different forms and colours of the rainscreen exterior. This included ensuring that fastener heads complemented the building’s unique curved facias which were formed of purpose-made anodised panels in various colours.

Jon Barnes Senior, Managing Director of Roofdec, says, “For all of our prestigious jobs, we choose SFS intec’s fasteners for their excellent quality, ease of installation and value for money.  SFS intec provide excellent technical support throughout the design and construction phases of a project and with their production facilities being located in Leeds with in-house powder-coating, the logistics to get the right coloured product on-site were a breeze.

“With their unbeatable warranty, we’re confident that we will have no teething problems on site and the sustainability of the building is secure for a longer warranty period.  Once the project is finished, we can move on to our next project with total confidence in our work.”

SFS intec powder-coats fasteners, available to meet any RAL colour and in bespoke finishes, at its UK HQ and production plant in Leeds. This ensures it can provide complete consistency in fastener design, manufacture and colour-matching for total peace of mind – all within industry-leading lead times.

The company’s sales and technical teams are available to advise on how best to colour-match fasteners with panels. Currently, SFS intec’s most popular requests for powder coated heads reflect the trends in contemporary architecture, and include Goosewing Grey, Poppy Red, Light Metallic Silver, Solvent Blue, Hamlet and Sargasso Blue.

David Osborne, National Sales Manager at SFS intec says: “With architects continuously pushing the boundaries of façade design, and OEMs leading the charge with constant innovation in panel design and construction, maintaining the visual appeal of the building envelope is vital, particularly for clients in the fiercely competitive retail market.

“Our powder coated fasteners, which provide a high-quality finish for our A2 (grade 304) or A4 (grade 316) stainless steel fasteners, is the ideal way to ensure a façade retains its integrity over a long service life, without suffering significant visual defects that will inevitably impact on the visual appeal of the structure.

Powder coating is an advanced alternative to using moulded nylon heads. Finely ground particles of pigment and resin are sprayed on to the metal fastener head using an electrostatic spray process, causing the charged particles to permanently bond to the metal surface. The powder is then heated and fused into a smooth coating in a curing oven at up to 200 °C, melting the powder onto the metal, to deliver excellent weather resistance and colour stability in even the most exposed locations.

Customers can access detailed information about all the fastening solutions available from SFS intec through its 2017 Roofing and Cladding Catalogue which is accessible via the new website www.sfsintec.co.uk. Customers can also benefit from UK-wide sales and technical teams, both dedicated to providing market-leading customer service, along with extensive resources and training facilities to ensure the best possible result in the finished building envelope.

Masterminded by Niven Architects, the new Feethams leisure and retail development in the heart of Darlington has helped breathe new life into the County Durham market town.

Located on the site of a former bus depot in the centre Darlington, the new scheme has been developed by Urban + Civic and provides much needed leisure facilities, such as a new cinema and several new restaurants, which residents had previously had to travel out of town to enjoy.

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As a major regeneration project within the town, Niven has created a scheme that both modernises and complements the local landscape. The traditional style red brick arches of the lower levels give the scheme a strong foundation and serve to pay homage to Darlington’s railway heritage, with the heavily glazed middle and upper sections providing both contrast and balance. A key focal point of the development is the piazza level that evokes the traditional atmosphere of a town market square and provides a vital community space.

The challenge of delivering such a large scale project meant that the overall massing of the scheme was a key consideration as Simon Crowe, director at Niven Architects, explains: “It was vitally important that we could give the building envelope the correct sense of mass to suit the scale of the project and the chosen glazing system fitted the bill perfectly.”

The specified glazing package was supplied by Senior Architectural Systems and installed by Neu Glas Ltd and although the aesthetic benefits of the slim framed aluminium windows and dark glazing was a key requirement, the technical performance was also paramount.

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Niven opted for Senior’s patented PURe® aluminium window system, which is the first on the UK market to incorporate an enhanced thermal barrier manufactured from expanded polyurethane foam (PUR). Traditionally used in cladding and insulation products, the innovative use of PUR as a thermal barrier in windows and doors gives the PURe ® range the potential to achieve U-values as low as 0.71W/m2 K when calculated as a commercial CEN standard window and 0.93W/m2 K when calculated as a CEN standard door.

Simon adds: “Our senior architects looked at many options as part of the design and technical delivery process and Senior’s system was deemed to be the best of what was out there.”

But thermal performance wasn’t the only consideration. The specified glazing system also had to meet the specific demands of one of the landmark parts of the scheme – a new 80-bed Premier Inn hotel.

The need to ensure guests had a comfortable and undisturbed night’s sleep was a top priority as Simon explains; “The scheme is positioned next to the inner ring road of Darlington so getting the acoustic properties right was crucial to the success of the scheme.”

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The glazing package also plays a key role in unifying the various elements of the scheme across each of the different levels. To create a light and modern feel, the restaurant and retail buildings incorporate Senior’s slim line curtain walling and SPW500 doors, with the attractive curved curtain walling of the new cinema complex adding further interest.

As one of the most significant regeneration projects to be undertaken in the area in recent years, the Feethams leisure development has been designed to enhance the local landscape and satisfy the needs of the local community as well as providing a valuable boost to the town’s economy and employment.

For more information about Senior, visit www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk/pure/

The adoption of regulated internationally recognised standards can increase the UK’s ability to attract private infrastructure investment to offset the fall in public sector spending, according to a new paper which was launched by the RICS at the Labour Party Conference today.

According to the paper, the adoption of regulated internationally recognised standards can increase the UK’s ability to attract private infrastructure investment to offset the fall in public-sector spending.

Launched at the Labour Party conference in Brighton at an event attended by Shadow Housing Minister Tony Lloyd, the paper titled “Attracting Infrastructure Investment Through International Standards” sets out the case for using International Construction Measurement Standards (ICMS) to attract private investment in infrastructure projects.

Successfully enticing investors will play a vital role in Britain to mitigate recent contractions in the construction sector as Brexit discussions continue.

With the UK’s ageing infrastructure currently depleting and at capacity, and public sector investment set to fall from to 1.4%t of GDP by 2020 – from 3.2% in 2010 – the private sector has a critical role to play in updating and delivering new infrastructure.

ICMS is a key tool in managing investments, providing certainty to industry and attracting investment.

Revenue generating projects

The paper also calls on government to take a more proactive role in supporting infrastructure by identifying projects that will generate revenue, providing guarantees to minimise investor risk during the construction phase and providing certainty by seeking cross-party support for projects.

Mo Rahee, RICS Infrastructure Policy Manager said “Like the International Financial Reporting Standard, the International Construction Measurement Standard provides a level of certainty – through transparency – to investors. Effective and accurate reporting of capital expenditure can only benefit the construction sector by providing investors with accurate information that inform their investment decision process.

“Government can also support the sector by identifying projects that will generate long-term revenues and have cross-party support. This will be vital to ensure infrastructure is updated and new projects are delivered.”

Construction workers employed at Hinkley Point have overwhelmingly rejected a pay offer in the longstanding dispute over pay and bonuses on the project.

The unions concerned, Unite and the GMB, will now go ahead with notifying the companies concerned of their intention of holding an industrial action ballot and then progress to ballot members for strike action.

The workers overwhelmingly rejected the proposed pay increase, with over 95 per cent voting against the proposals in a consultative ballot. Members were told that the rejected offer was the best that could be achieved “through negotiations”.

The dispute, which has been ongoing since the spring, concerns the pay of workers engaged on civil engineering contracts at Hinkley Point which is the largest construction project in Europe. There are already over a 1,000 workers employed on these contracts at Hinkley Point.

Negotiations on the pay offer have involved the client EDF and the main contractor BYLOR (the principal contractor Laing O’Rourke and Bouygues TP) as well as the unions.

A ballot for strike action was called off in June after an interim agreement on bonus payments was agreed. The three month agreement was extended into September in the hope that a permanent deal could be made.

One of the principal issues is that the pay rates for workers on civil engineering contracts are significantly below the rates of workers covered by the mechanical and engineering (M&E) contract.

Unite national officer for construction Jerry Swain said “Members have made their views clear; the unions warned the amount of money being offered was not sufficient and this has proved to be the case.

“The client and contractors need to understand that this is a high profile, complex project, built in a tightly controlled secure zone, which is being built in an isolated part of the UK. It cannot and will not be built on the cheap.

“For too long the construction industry has treated workers on civil engineering projects as the poor relations and these attitudes are no longer acceptable. The employers have set the benchmark with the mechanical and engineering agreement they need to come forward with an offer that meets our members’ expectations.

“There is a window between now and the commencement of any industrial action to still resolve this dispute, provided the client and the contractors come back with an improved offer. The unions are fully prepared to return to the negotiating table if an improved offer is put forward.”

Phil Whitehurst, GMB national officer for construction, said “The ballot result is a clear indication that the national officers of both GMB and Unite have to get back round the table with EDF as matter of urgency.

“We will be seeking meetings with EDF as soon as possible to solve this situation on behalf of our members.”