Building News is an information portal for all professional building specifiers. Here you can find all of the latest construction news from around the UK and the rest of the world.

 ADSA Celebrates Dual ISO Accreditation Achievement


The Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) has secured not one but two ISO accreditations – 9001 45001– a significant achievement that underscores its commitment to excellence in both quality management and occupational health and safety.

ISO 9001 certification is a globally recognised standard for quality management systems (QMS). It demonstrates an organisation’s ability to consistently provide services that meet customer and regulatory requirements while striving for continuous improvement. In achieving this, ADSA has validated its robust processes and dedication to delivering superior value to its members and stakeholders.

Likewise, ISO 45001 is the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS). It provides a framework for organisations to manage risks and improve health and safety at work, reducing workplace incidents and enhancing employee well-being.

“Achieving ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certifications is a testament to our unwavering commitment to quality and safety,” said ADSA MD Ken Price. “These accolades reflect our dedication to maintaining the highest standards in our operations and our ongoing efforts to promote safe and responsible practices within the automatic door industry.”

He highlighted that ADSA had embarked on a “rigorous journey” to achieve these standards:

“It has been a challenging process which has taken more than a year to achieve. We have held up a mirror to our own processes, identified gaps and areas for improvement, and put improvements in place. As an organisation that helps establish and maintain quality and safety standards in the automatic door industry, we felt it was important to apply the same level of scrutiny to our own operations.”

ADSA’s ISO journey involved a comprehensive evaluation of its management systems, including audits by an independent certification body. The association’s adherence to these standards, ensures that it operates with efficiency, consistency and maintains a focus on continuous improvement.

This dual certification not only strengthens ADSA’s reputation as a leader in the automatic door industry but also provides significant benefits to its members. It assures them that the association operates with a strong emphasis on quality and occupational health and safety, fostering trust and confidence in its services and initiatives.

As ADSA moves forward, it remains committed to upholding these standards and driving positive change within the industry.

CLICK HERE For more information on ADSA membership and training

 

or phone us on 01827 216136.

 

 

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West Fraser panel products are the natural choice for Cambridge workshop business

A Cambridgeshire based couple with a burgeoning woodworking business have established a reputation for precision made products, based on basic flair, topflight equipment and buying high quality performance board products from the West Fraser range.

Natural Workshop began trading back in 2013, when Michelle Elener wanted to get back into the workplace after having the couple’s third child and began producing table mats and artwork using a technique known as pyrography – burning images into wood with a soldering iron.  And despite the cost of initially buying small blanks of birch plywood from high street art shops, increasing demand soon saw her partner Josh Anders getting involved.  Since then, they have moved premises twice, with the current one in the town of March turning out everything from chopping boards and pottery stands to bespoke speaker cabinets and kitchen units.

Josh Anders recounted:

“Michelle was selling a lot of her pyrography on eBay but also began producing bespoke sections of ply for other businesses. When we got more space in 2019, we installed an 8 x 4 CNC router as well as a laser cutter and began diversifying further.  Up until Covid hit, we were doing a lot of work for the hospitality industry – making coasters and menu boards etc – but when that industry was shuttered by the lockdowns, we began working with interior designers and specialist joinery companies.  Most recently I have been building some exhibition stands for a new client, using the SterlingOSB Zero on a timber frame.

“Unfortunately, apart from the economic ups and downs of recent years, we have also had some bad experiences with very poor quality boards so we started buying West Fraser’s CaberMDF Pro some 18 months ago. This is a quality product which cuts and engraves really well, while we also use the MDF to make our router templates for shaping beech chopping boards.  I now go out of my way to purchase West Fraser products, currently getting them from Travis Perkins – in a world where so much seems to be being dumbed down and inferior, it is great to know there is material you can buy which won’t cause you stress.”

The premium grade CaberMDF Pro is part of a range of high quality, medium density boards widely used in shop-fitting, furniture manufacturing and other applications where accuracy and sharpness of cut are crucial.  The range also includes the CaberMDF Trade and CaberMDF Trade MR options, the latter being ideal for making kitchen and bathroom units where the enhanced moisture resistance is required.   Being precision-made in the UK means less waste onsite and the associated costs of disposal to landfill, plus lower transportation charges.  As well as guaranteeing a more secure supply in a currently challenging global market, specialist manufacturers, fit-out contractors or other customers can specify West Fraser’s well proven MDF options with total confidence.

Josh and Michelle are meanwhile in the process of designing a new range of precision made marking and measuring tools which will be sold in MDF presentation cases, and they are also planning to invest in a computer-controlled ACC machine which features an automatic tool-changer so they can produce more complex fabrications.

For further information call 01786 812 921

OR CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WEST FRASER WEBSITE

 

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Delegates Call for Policy Certainty

 

Social housing providers are at the heart of two political hot potatoes in the United Kingdom: the ongoing housing crisis and, with registered providers’ 4.4m homes contributing significantly to the nation’s carbon emissions, the drive to net-zero by 2050. Bringing up the quality of homes through retrofit also alleviates the burden on the NHS and social services.

The challenges faced by social housing providers were recently expressed during a roundtable meeting of senior social housing representatives co-hosted by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Chartered Institute of Housing as part of CIOB’s Client Strategy.

The roundtable delegates confirmed the variety of ages and types in their portfolios of homes makes the task of upgrading them complex. Because of this, making efficient and effective progress along the path to net-zero is tricky, especially when some of the technology has yet to mature and past government policy (on gas boilers, for example) has wavered.

The complexity for providers is compounded by conflicting priorities, not least to do with health and safety, innovation, the need to adapt to climate change, and meeting Decent Homes standards. As one delegate put it, putting these pieces of this policy jigsaw together at the moment is like “trying to pin jelly to the wall.”

Cash of the sort provided by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) isn’t all that’s needed to greenlight decarbonisation work. Housing associations frequently have overriding commercial pressures. Take homes featuring older, solid-wall construction, for example. Insulating them as part of a fabric-first solution is not only comparatively expensive but runs the risk of actively damaging the assets’ value, making the work hard to justify in the business case.

Even when SHDF cash does greenlight retrofit work, structural barriers in how the fund works make it less efficient and cost-effective than it could be. Instead of piecemeal upgrades around the country, the money could be better spent funding regional partnerships of providers for joint procurement of work focused on single areas, perhaps governed by the relevant local authority.

Not only would this lessen the resource-intensive administrative burden of running multiple contracts – lowering prices and achieve economies of scale – but it would also encourage a greater emphasis on placemaking (in line with the Building Beautiful Places plan and the National Policy Planning Framework). The resulting pipeline of work would encourage industry investment in recruiting labour and upskilling in retrofit work, which are currently in massively short supply. According to the roundtable delegates, though, making it happen requires a more “grown-up strategic partnership” between the social housing sector and government.

Despite these barriers, there is goodwill in the sector and, indeed, progress towards net-zero is already well underway. Housing providers are reskilling, reorganising and reprioritising their investment goals with the help of carbon literacy training and better data. The forthcoming UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard is providing a robust benchmark and springboard for agreed cross-sector action.

Importantly, providers are increasing their focus on social tenants by paying due attention to their justified anxieties about work that disrupts daily life and might tip them into, or further into, fuel poverty without competent technical oversight.

Asked about their hopes and aspirations for the UK’s new government, the delegates were unanimous in wanting adequate long-term funding, a national retrofit strategy, reform of town planning and, especially, relief from policy uncertainty. These should, perhaps, feature in the new Labour government’s housing policy.

 

Source: The House

 

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Recycled bricks: Decarbonising the Construction Industry

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The embodied carbon of K-Briqs is less than 5% of that of standard bricks

 

Scottish firm Kenoteq has developed recycled brick tech — called K-Briq — to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry.  The company aims to reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials and address the issue of construction waste, which accounts for about 40% of the world’s waste.  Brick manufacturing also accounts for 2.7 per cent of global carbon emissions.

About K-Briq: K-Briqs — made from plasterboard, brick, mortar, rubble, and stone — have a carbon footprint of less than 5% compared to that of standard bricks, Kenoteq’s head of business development Lucy Black said, this is achieved by recycling materials destined for landfills, reducing the need for energy and carbon-intensive raw material extraction and mining.

What’s next? The bricks are currently certified for interior use, with the company in the final stages of securing certification for external applications in the UK, Europe, and the US. The company also supplied bricks for the Dubai Holding exhibition space at COP28 and held meetings at the summit to drum up interest in the region.

Source: Enterprise

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Reducing Carbon in Historic Buildings

Historic England has produced a new Advice Note to provide clarity and support consistent decision-making for proposals to reduce carbon emissions and improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings whilst conserving their significance and ensuring they remain viable places to live in the future. It reflects current national planning policy.

As historic buildings continue to change and evolve, they need to contribute to a greener future and be fit for purpose for the people who live in, experience and care for them. If done thoughtfully and carefully, changes to historic buildings can achieve the complementary goals of protecting our heritage and adapting to climate change. Keeping historic buildings in use, through sensitive repair, maintenance and adaptation, can help to reduce carbon emissions, reliance on fossil fuels, and energy costs.

The Advice Note provides:

  • Advice on advice on what permissions, such as listed building consent, are needed for some of the common changes required to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings
  • Advice to assist local planning authorities – and other parties involved in the planning process – in determining proposals to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings to enable positive climate action. Some typical building adaptations in response to climate change impacts are also included
  • Signposting to other relevant information, advice, and guidance.

Whilst primarily aimed at a specialist audience (such as local planning authorities, heritage consultants and those involved in the planning process), it will also be useful to building owners and occupiers.

The Historic England Advice Note Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency has now been published.

This Advice Note is mainly for a specialist audience, but it will also be helpful to building owners and occupiers.

 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

 

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King’s Speech, Get Britain Building

In the King’s speech, King Charles reinforced the government’s plans for a Planning and Infrastructure Bill to get Britain building through planning reform and accelerate the delivery of high-quality infrastructure and housing. The King also outlined Labour’s focus on sustainable growth by encouraging investment in industry, skills and new technologies.

Kelly Boorman, national head of construction at RSM UK, said: ‘The government has made its commitment to restimulating the housing market clear by reintroducing mandatory housing targets, planning reform and investing in infrastructure to deliver on 1.5m homes in the next five years. We’re already seeing this in action with the new housing task force to tackle stalled housing schemes. Further investment in industry, skills and new technologies to ensure sustainable and long-term growth is also encouraging for the construction industry, especially given workforce shortages and productivity issues. We’re going to see a major shift in the labour profiling and skills required in construction over the next two decades, so government’s investment in new technologies will ensure there are more opportunities for people with different skillsets.’

She added: ‘However the housing sector still has a number of unanswered questions. While there’s a drive for building and planning reform for economic growth, there remains concerns about the lack of detail about the provision of affordable and social housing. Government has pledged to “get Britain building”, but there is no indication as to how housing delivery and first-time buyer incentives will encourage more households to flip from rental to owners. Although government will strengthen tenants’ rights to challenge rent increases and landlord discrimination, further clarity is needed on how government will incentivise first-time buyers trapped in the rental market, as well as addressing social housing shortages and making housing more affordable.’

 

Source: RSM

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‘Get Britain Building Again’, but we need Clarity on Water

 

Chancellor wants to “get Britain building again”, but Wavin says not without clarity on water

In her first speech as Chancellor, Rachel Reeves laid out plans to rebuild Britain, starting with an end to the effective ban on onshore wind farms, and an overhaul of planning restrictions, with a promise to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years.

Emphasising that ‘there is no time to waste’, one of the key things on the to-do-list is a reform of the National Planning Policy Framework, with ‘a new growth-focused approach to the planning system’.

Reacting to the speech, a leading solution provider for the building and infrastructure industry across multiple continents, Wavin, has welcomed the news, but is urging for clarity when it comes to water regulations, if we’re to build homes that can be resilient to extreme weather.

Martin Lambley, Global Product Manager for Urban Climate Resilience at Wavin, said:

“Clarity on water needs to be a top priority in planning reform if the new government wants to repair the UK’s broken relationship with our most precious resource. 

“In her first speech as Chancellor, Rachel Reeves promised to overhaul planning restrictions as the new government set about getting Britain building again. The industry will welcome this ambition, but everyone needs clarity on water regulations if we want our new developments to be resistant to the extreme weather that we’re likely to see more of in coming years. 

“Water regulations that affect the planning process have been dripping through over the past decade, as the Flood and Water Management Act is slowly implemented in inconsistent chunks. We need this legislation, but the lack of clarity on when and how it needs to be executed means that its positive impact is being severely limited.  

“We’ll only get the best from technologies such as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) if developers are clear on their responsibilities well in advance – having to comply halfway through a project or a design always leads to an imperfect solution.  

“The new government has introduced ambitious new housebuilding targets. This is a significant opportunity to repair our relationship with water, and start using it as a resource, rather than funnelling it out of town as fast as possible. Ultimately, planning reforms announced by the new Chancellor on Monday need to tackle the growing water challenge made more drastic by the changing climate.” 

Source: Water Magazine

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Jump in Housing improves UK Economy

UK economy grew by more than expected in May, helped by house-building

Over the three months to May, the economy expanded by 0.9%

Britain’s economic output rose by 0.4 per cent in May, a bigger rise than expected and helped by a jump in housing construction, according to official data that will be welcomed by the new government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to a 0.2 per cent increase for monthly gross domestic product in May.

The data from the Office for National Statistics revealed a broad-based increase in economic output, with the services, manufacturing and construction industries all growing, the latter up by 1.9 per cent on the month, driven by the housing sector.

Over the three months to May, the economy expanded by 0.9 per cent, the strongest reading since the three months to January 2022, compared with the consensus forecast for a 0.7 per cent expansion.

The Bank of England last month said it expected the economy would grow by 0.5 per cent over the second quarter.

“The economy grew strongly in May, with all the main sectors seeing increases,” ONS Director of Economic Statistics Liz McKeown said. “Many retailers and wholesalers had a good month, with both bouncing back from a weak April.”

Source: Business Times

COMMENT:

Fraser Johns, finance director at Beard, said: “While the three-month picture is a little more shaky, we can be really encouraged by a strong upturn in output in May – especially as it was seen across almost all sectors. Although more recent PMI data shows just how volatile the sector is, the news that both private and public new housing is leading this charge will be welcome to the many that rely on this sector. It is a real example of the resilience we continue to see from firms across UK construction.

“Until we see output and new orders increasing consistently month-on-month, we shouldn’t take anything for granted though. With the election now settled, the hope is we can all pick back up and continue to build momentum during the second half of the year. As we see borrowing conditions improve, with a potential base rate cut in the near future, this will certainly enable more clients to push ahead with plans.

“From our perspective at Beard, the construction sector remains really buoyant with our secured orders at a record high. We continue to prioritise close partnerships with both our clients and our supply chain, as well as a clear focus on both our approach to tendering and our cost plans.”

 

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HOUSEBUILDING BOOM FOR YORKSHIRE BUILDERS

Mayor Tracy Brabin has vowed to deliver a “new dawn” for housebuilding across West Yorkshire, by working in lock-step with local housing providers and the new government in Westminster.

The West Yorkshire Housing Strategy 2040, the first of its kind for the region, has been unveiled on a visit to Saxton Lane in Leeds, where 204 affordable apartments are being developed by WDH.

The strategy identifies untapped potential for new housing across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield, where over 38,000 new homes could be built on previously developed land.

For the first time, the plans will bring together the five local authorities of West Yorkshire to deliver across four core missions – boosting housing supply, building affordable homes, improving existing homes, and creating vibrant communities.

The strategy aims to build on the progress made since the devolution of the £90 million Brownfield Housing Fund to the region, which has helped to deliver more affordable homes than at any other time since the global financial crash, including 1,500 in the year 2022-2023.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

“Our fifteen year housing strategy gives us the long-term, joined-up approach we need to tackle this intolerable housing crisis, ensuring that everyone has a safe and secure place to call home.

“Growing up in a good quality council flat we didn’t have to worry about unaffordable rent, mould on our walls or the looming threat of a no-fault eviction, and no one else should have to either.

“Housing is a basic human right and the foundation for a good and healthy life. By working in lock-step with the new government and our brilliant local housing partners, we will deliver a new dawn for housebuilding across West Yorkshire.”

The launch of the West Yorkshire Housing Strategy follows a speech made earlier in the week from the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP, who vowed to “get Britain building again”.

To help deliver 1.5 million new homes by the end of the parliament, the Chancellor and MP for Leeds West and Pudsey has pledged to work closely with Mayors and local leaders, restore housebuilding targets, and reform planning rules whilst bolstering planning teams.

According to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, there are approximately 85,000 people and families on waiting lists for a council home across the region, with house prices reaching six times the average annual wage, as compared to only three times the average annual wage in 2002.

Private renters have also been hit hard by the “double-whammy” of high inflation and poor conditions, with rents in Leeds, Kirklees and Wakefield rising by around 20% since 2018, and two in five privately rented homes failing to meet the government’s definition of a “decent home”.

To address rising fuel poverty, the Combined Authority and its partners have committed £40 million to modernise social homes with solar panels, heat pumps and better insulated walls and windows. The new housing strategy sets out an ambitious vision to create greener and more secure communities, driving down energy bills across West Yorkshire.

Cllr Denise Jeffery, Leader of Wakefield Council and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Place, Regeneration and Housing Committee, said:

“Thousands more families are living in safe, secure and affordable homes because of the decisions of our West Yorkshire Mayor in partnership with local councils. We’ve really made the most of the powers and funding devolved to our region so far.

“But now we need to accelerate this work even more. For too long, strict Government rules over where our brownfield housing fund is spent have blocked our plans. This has limited too much of what we’ve been able to achieve to places where land values are already high.

“With the backing of a new Government, and the promise of greater flexibility in how we can make decisions, we can build 38,000 new homes. That is at the heart of delivering a region which everyone can be proud to call home.”

Andy Wallhead, Chief Executive Officer of WDH and Chair of the West Yorkshire Housing Partnership, said:

“Housing associations are already leading the way on housebuilding in West Yorkshire, with our partnership members collectively providing a fifth of all homes across the region.

“But, by working with the new Government and continuing our close collaboration with the Mayor, we’re determined to do even more and will keep on building to provide the affordable and sustainable homes needed to unlock West Yorkshire’s true potential.”

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London railway arches transformed for industrial use

 

Boost for local economy as London railway arches are transformed into high-specification, modern industrial space

Stephen George + Partners (SGP) is thrilled to announce that completion has been reached on the transformation of six vacant railway arches into high-specification commercial premises for light industrial use, located just 16 minutes away from the City of London. Benefitting from good loading/parking facilities, the design and style of the refurbished arches on Witan Street, Bethnal Green, create an on-brand aesthetic for light industrial use which should prove attractive to potential tenants in the current marketplace.

Josh White, Architectural Technologist at SGP says: “As design architect for the scheme, we have drawn on both our technical expertise and proven track record delivering industrial buildings to create contemporary spaces to suit a variety of industrial occupiers. Part of the development challenge from an architectural perspective has been to maximise the tenantable area and we worked closely with The Arch Company to deliver modern industrial spaces that allow maximum flexibility for future tenant fit-out.”

SGP Studio Director Alan Soper comments: “Urban industrial property can play a vital part in local economies, yet good-sized, modern industrial space close to central London is often difficult to find. That’s why we’re delighted to be working with The Arch Company on the transformation of these arches on Witan Street into vital commercial spaces that will suit a variety of industrial occupiers and support their daily operations in a location close to the heart of one of the busiest cities in the world.”

Following comprehensive surveys of the arch structures and original brickwork, new internal linings and concrete floor slabs have been installed, alongside glazed infills and electric roller shutter doors, LED lighting, 3-phase power and a WC facility in Unit 216a, with capped services for potential kitchen/WC in other units. The design incorporates high-quality materials and restores the appearance to the elevation at this location on Witan Street and further enhances the commercial appeal of the surrounding neighbourhood.

The Witan Street project forms part of Project 1000, The Arch Company’s £200m plan to bring a thousand empty or derelict spaces into use across England and Wales by 2030. It is just one of over ten such projects for which SGP has been commissioned to develop designs. Elsewhere in London, work has commenced on the refurbishment of four disused and dilapidated railway arches on America Street, Southwark, into spaces for restaurants, cafés and bars.

Dave O’Sullivan, Senior Project Manager at The Arch Company, said: “We’ve enjoyed working with SGP on our scheme at Witan Street in Bethnal Green which has transformed six previously empty and derelict arches into a new and improved single multipurpose rental property. Demand for our spaces in Bethnal Green is high and the arches there play host to a range of different businesses, each serving an important role with the local and wider London economy. We look forward to working with SGP on other upcoming projects to create more economic activity in previously unused and underutilised spaces.”

Multi-disciplinary consultancy, Pick Everard, provided structural, civil and building engineering services on the site, working in close collaboration with key partners.

Santosh Patel, Strategic Account Director at Pick Everard, said: “From concept to completion, we were able to advise and coordinate with SGP to allow efficient structural and drainage solutions to be designed. This collaborative approach has delivered exceptional results that utilises the unused archways into modern industrial units, creating spaces that are both functional and versatile. With every inch of space in London highly valuable, the regeneration of the arches grants exciting new opportunities. It’s been a rewarding experience to once again collaborate with SGP and The Arch Company on a development that will support local businesses and enrich the urban area of Bethnal Green.”

Alan Soper concludes: “Like much of our industrial heritage, refurbished and repurposed railway arches present significant opportunities. If refurbished correctly, they create a long-term, sustainable solution to the economic vitality of our towns and cities. Witan Street, with its nearby transport links to central London, is perfectly located for commercial businesses to thrive and it’s incredibly gratifying to have refurbishment work complete and see these arches back in productive use.”

 

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