New Offsite Show at London’s ExCeL on 4-6 May 2021 

The new Offsite Show will be organised by Industry Expo, a Media 10 Group company, in partnership with Buildoffsite and will be co-located with UK Construction Week London (UKCW), four dedicated UK Construction Week Summits and Grand Designs Live.

Whilst being an independent and vertical event, specifically for the offsite market, it will benefit from the added interest from the expected 38,000 visitors to UKCW; which will include not only others with an interest in offsite, but new potential contacts in all fields of construction.

 

 

Paul Shelley, Director of organiser, Industry Expo said “Both Eddie Milton and I will be calling on all our experience and contacts, having launched and managed a similar event until 2018. We are very excited about the co-location, as it means it not only helps to deliver an event the industry needs, but opens offsite up to a whole new audience, ensuring we are not just ‘singing to the choir.” 

Our partners Buildoffsite will be hosting a program of free to attend seminars and workshops with support from key industry stakeholders and Government departments.

Joe Dyde, Business Manager at Buildoffsite, said “The last few months have highlighted that we live in an increasingly remote, digital age, so all physical events will become increasingly important in 2021 and beyond. There is simply no substitute for meeting people in person and networking with peers, suppliers and customers, and we hope the Offsite Show will provide us all with the earliest opportunity to do just that”.

The underpinning theme of the event will be about the opportunities created from utilising offsite solutions and provide a showcase for a new and burgeoning market which is a vital component within the “Roadmap to Recovery”.

The Offsite Show will be the only vertical UK event that brings together the client and supply chain for all aspects of the rapidly expanding offsite construction sector, with the added benefit of targeting a wider, relevant audience, whilst flying the flag for offsite.

Nathan Garnett, Event Director of UK Construction Week also commented:

“We are delighted to be working with Industry Expo and Buildoffsite on this exciting launch alongside UK Construction Week London. Their aims and strategies align so well with ours and our partners on UKCW. It will be a real catalyst to drive demand as part of the recovery effort and placing offsite construction at its heart.”

The Offsite Show is for all sectors and will provide a business-to-business networking opportunity for those funders, clients, designers, constructors, and suppliers who wish to improve the quality, performance in use, asset value and value of construction – both building and civil engineering.

This will be the biggest event, of its kind, in Europe, at a major venue in London, supported by key industry figures.

 

You can register for the show by clicking here

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Brace yourselves for Brexit

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The UK was originally due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019. But a few extensions, a pandemic and over four and a half years after the referendum, and there’s still no clear sign of a done deal. Since the initial shock following the referendum it was one of the only things the construction industry can think about… until the Covid pandemic. What will Brexit really mean for construction? We have been plunged into the unknown and understandably concern and fear has arisen. However, it isn’t all doom and gloom for the construction industry going forward, and regardless of your opinion on Brexit it is everybody’s responsibility to roll up their sleeves and help make it work.

Strength in unity

After 52% of UK voters deciding to leave the European Union back in 2016, organisers of the UK’s largest construction event called for a united front in the industry to face the challenges and opportunities ahead.

 

Nathan Garnett, Event Director for UK Construction Week at the time commented “A new dawn for UK construction begins here. It is inevitable that our industry will experience a period of uncertainty and adjustment, but the construction sector has proved time and time again to be incredibly resilient. Now the result of the referendum is clear, we, as an industry, must move forward together with confidence. Leaving the EU will likely mean UK construction firms will be looking to invest in British products and services like never before.

 

“The UK boasts many long-term infrastructure projects and the Bank of England have made sound contingency plans for leaving the EU. The UK also has the foundations for a boom in house building, and the industry must and will be committed to meeting the national need for housing. Leaving the EU will inevitably attract new investors to our shores offering new opportunities, and that will happen sooner rather than later. The last few weeks and months have been uncertain for the UK construction industry, but now is the time to embrace the change and these new opportunities.”

 

“Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated”

Social media reverberate rumours that the bottom has fallen out of the industry and the wider economy overall, many are actually quietly reporting that both the overall uncertainty and the subsequent result of the referendum have actually had little to no impact on their business activity.

In a year-end trading statement released by Redrow housebuilders at the end of last year, Chairman Steve Morgan indicated that annual profits were expected to be at the upper level of city expectations of £240m. “Although it is too early to tell whether Brexit will have any effect on future sales, initial feedback is that sites remain busy, reservations continue to be taken.”

David Orr, Chief Executive at the National Housing Federation highlights the importance of a strong stance as an industry. Speaking on behalf of the Federation, he said “We recognise the uncertainty that Brexit has brought to the sector and we are working with our housing association members to support them to continue delivering the homes and services this country needs. Whatever happens there is still a housing crisis and we remain committed to ending it.”

David Brown, the head of agency Marsh & Parsons, addressed the widespread moral panic gripping the housing sector in The Guardian. He pointed out that regardless of the result of the referendum there was still plenty of pent-up demand in the UK housing market “leaving the EU doesn’t change that overnight.”

He added: “When you think back to before the financial crisis and the volume of transactions we were witnessing on an annual basis, there’s clearly scope for further improvement. The decision to leave doesn’t alter the fact that plenty of people have to and still want to move.”

 

One reason perhaps that indicates that Brexit will not impact the construction industry quite as heavily as other sectors is that many construction companies work exclusively within the UK. A recent CBI study into the implications of British withdrawal from the EU, showed that construction is the second most domestically focused major UK sector, surpassed by a hairs breadth by Government. “It’s a domestic market, so while there are some that operate internationally, what really affects them is what they do in the UK,” says Suzannah Nichol, chief executive of Build UK.

Home-grown talent

Whilst the skills gap is likely to worsen in the short term, Brexit is perhaps the catalyst for change long term regarding the training and retention of a better homegrown workforce. According to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) The UK construction industry has been heavily reliant on migrant workers from Europe for decades now – at present, 12% of the British construction workers are of non-UK origin.

 

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said “we need to ensure that we invest in our own home-grown talent through apprenticeship training. We need to train more construction apprentices so we are not overly reliant on migrant workers from Europe or further afield. That’s why it’s so important that the Government gets the funding framework right for apprenticeships – when you consider that this whole policy area is currently in flux, and then you add Brexit into the mix, it’s no exaggeration to say that a few wrong moves by the Government could result in the skills crisis becoming a skills catastrophe. The next few years will bring unprecedented challenges to the construction and house building sector, and it’s only through close collaboration between the Government and industry that we’ll be able to overcome them.”

In summary

In summary, the biggest immediate threat to the construction industry following our departure from the EU is widespread confusion, stalling due to a feeling of insecurity and failure to act going forward. All this will undoubtedly be exacerbated by the ever unfolding Covid phenomenon.

It is a true testament to our industry that amidst such chaos demand remains strong as shown by reports from some of the major contractors and housebuilder’s across the UK. The construction sector remains strong but we need to keep moving and resist succumbing to hype in order to ensure it stays this way. It has to be business as usual. Keep calm, carry on and brace yourself for Brexit!

 

by Joe Bradbury

 

 

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CBI – A new approach to build back better

REVIVING REGIONS: NEW APPROACH TO LEVELLING-UP CAN ENABLE A SUSTAINABLE POST-COVID REBOUND Long-term regional inequalities must end if England is to build back better

Targeted action to boost skills, develop physical and digital infrastructure and attract fresh investment will be vital if all parts of England are to build back better from the economic ravages of coronavirus, says a new report from the CBI.

The CBI’s Reviving Regions paper, sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group, highlights long-standing regional inequalities across England which limit growth and opportunity and inhibit productivity.

It says the disparities in economic performance are large, both across England and within regions, and warns they are at risk of widening further if Government levelling-up ambitions falter in the wake of Covid-19.

The paper calls for a long-term strategic vision which can guide the country through a vital post-Covid recovery and towards long-term prosperity by addressing key challenges in growing skills, enhancing connectivity and attracting investment.

Underpinning all of this is a call to empower local and regional leaders to create a culture where businesses can operate, invest and grow with confidence.

The report’s recommendations include:

  • Building vibrant local labour markets​: including increasing local capacity to deliver back-to-work programmes alongside a long-term focus on the devolution of adult skills to meet our growing skills and retraining gap.
  • Transforming local infrastructure to facilitate new ways of working​: including a focus on the future of towns and cities, improving digital connectivity, and a wholesale reform of regional funding to ensure a strategic approach to future investment.
  • Inspiring world-class, innovative businesses to invest in the regions​: including short term interventions to help businesses grow, locally designed and delivered business support with a focus on access to exporting opportunities, and interventions to close the gap in regional R&D funding.

The CBI believes the actions outlined in Reviving Regions can mitigate the regional impact of the pandemic and ensure no towns or cities are left behind as the nation looks to rebuild.

However, it stresses that a ‘one size fits all’ approach cannot succeed in combating issues which are unevenly spread, and advocates actions being locally and regionally led to ensure they are appropriately targeted.

Matthew Fell, CBI Chief UK Policy Director, said: 

“The twin threats of Covid-19 and a potential no-deal Brexit have created a devastating and unprecedented economic challenge. Building back quickly and effectively is essential, but a recovery driven only by limited pockets of productivity is far from a real recovery, and hardly the basis for a brighter future.

“Businesses in every corner of England stand ready and willing to play their part in the economic rebound, but too-often see their efforts hampered by inadequate infrastructure and limited access to skilled workers.

“The Government must therefore prioritise long-term investment in the critical structures, training, and innovation needed to support jobs and quality of life around the UK. This long-overdue levelling-up can lay the foundation for a better, greener and fairer economy for all.”

Jo Harris, one of Lloyds Banking Group’s ten Ambassadors for the nations and regions of the UK, said: 

“Every part of the UK has a vital role in rebuilding the economy and our communities in the wake of this pandemic.

“The CBI’s Reviving Regions report is an important contribution to the debate about how we boost jobs, drive growth and attract investment to our towns and cities so they can play their full part in supporting the national  and regional recovery.

“Lloyds Banking Group is committed to helping every part of the UK build back from the effects of the pandemic and many of the themes highlighted in this report echo what we have heard through The Big Conversation, our own programme which brings together political leaders, businesses and policy experts to explore the best road to recovery across the UK.”

 

 

CBI.org.uk

 

 

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COMMITTEE RESOLUTION SECURED FOR RANDALLS WAY IN MOLE VALLEY

LONDON, 17.11.20: Award-winning planning consultancy, Nexus Planning, has secured Committee resolution to grant for Randalls Way, the first Build to Rent (BTR) development in Mole Valley. Recommended for approval by Mole Valley District Council planning department, the MVDC Development Management Committee upheld the Council’s recommendation (subject to conditions and a s106 legal agreement) at their November 2020 meeting.

As a BTR development with 214 units, the Randalls Way scheme will consist of a mix of unit types and sizes, including 36 affordable rented homes. The development, by urban residential development specialists Titan Property Developments, will provide 3,378sqm of communal open space and play space. In addition, on-site communal facilities will include a gym, post-room, residents lounge and car club.

With planning by Nexus Planning, the Randalls Way scheme has been designed by award-winning international architects, Broadway Malyan, and in consultation with the region’s leading built environment design support experts, Design South East.

Heidi Duncan, Principal Planner at Nexus London, comments: “We’re delighted to secure the Committee resolution to grant for Randalls Way. The BTR scheme has been developed in response to the soaring demand for high quality, rental housing. New BTR developments also reflect the changing needs and priorities of modern renters in the UK – now more than ever. These include enhanced landscaping and green space, increased residential facilities, and an improved sustainable transport offer. Following the s106 legal agreement, we look forward to the Randalls Way scheme delivering on all of these aspects for the residents of Leatherhead.”

Steve Summers, Director and co-founder of Titan, comments: “Heidi and the Nexus team have worked tirelessly with our operational lead, Ben Hughes and other key design team members, to achieve consent for our development proposals at Randalls Way. As can be seen from our approved plans, we’re aiming to significantly enhance the local built environment by replacing a large, derelict brown field site with landmark residential property. When occupied, it is easy to see how the residents will be able to re-energising local commerce in support of the Council’s own vision to Transform Leatherhead. We’re already looking forward to next phase of delivering this project so that all the local benefits can be realised.”

 

About Nexus Planning

Nexus Planning is an award-winning, independent consultancy operated and managed by Chartered Town Planners with offices in London, Reading and Manchester. Its highly skilled team of planning and regeneration consultants provides market-leading planning, regeneration and development advice to both the private and public sectors. Nexus was established in 2013 and won RTPI Planning Consultancy of the Year 2020 earlier this year. Recently, five Nexus consultants were appointed as Experts by the High Streets Task Force.

www.nexusplanning.co.uk

 

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Digital Expo to Define Construction Sector’s Next Normal

As the world prepares for the next normal, so does the construction sector. Today, the sector’s big players are tasked with not only navigating through an ongoing crisis but also to accelerate an impending disruption, which will be crucial for the recovery of an industry accounting for 13% of the world’s GDP.

From November 23 to 26, industry leaders from around the globe will meet online at The Big 5 Digital Festival to address digitisation, sustainable practices, and new business models among others, to drive impact, boost recovery efforts, and build the construction industry of the future.

World-famous organisations including Autodesk, Caparol Paints, Emirates Steel Industries, Etisalat Facilities Management, Ferroli SpA, Lenovo, Masdar City, Raknor LLC, RAKTherm, and UD Trucks are among the over 500 brands represented by exhibitors in the digital event.

Showcasing their latest innovations, industry leaders will connect with old and new clients through an AI-powered matchmaking software with the objective of relaunching business and partnerships, said the event organiser, dmg events.

Alongside thousands of products and solutions for the construction and infrastructure sectors, the four-day “Redefining Construction” programme will provide strategic insights, analysis, global case studies, and inspiration from over 120 world-renowned experts and decision-makers.

Including leaders such as Sami Ahmad Dhaen Al Qamzi, Director General, Department of Economic Development of the Government of Dubai, Gil Kelley, General Manager of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability of the City of Vancouver, Marius Sylvestersen, Smart City Program Director of City of Copenhagen, Pratap Padode, Founder & Director of India’s Smart Cities Council, and Scott Henshaw, Buildings and Places Executive Director of the Red Sea Development Company, Saudi Arabia, the impactful programme is set to help shape the future of the construction industry post Covid-19.

Josine Heijmans, the VP at dmg events, said: “We are thrilled to bring such a strong line-up of speakers from around the globe for four days of discussions, networking, and unique learning opportunities.”

“The construction industry has played a crucial role in the first Covid-19 crisis response, including building hospitals in record time, but it has also been strongly affected by operational restrictions, disrupted supply chains, and financial loss over the past months,” observed Heijmans.

“We are grateful to the many industry leaders, from both the public and the private spheres, who have positively responded to our call to convene at the end of this challenging year in order to find viable solutions to support the largest ecosystem in the world’s economy,” he added.

 

 

Speaker Mina Hasman RIBA, Lead Sustainability and Wellbeing Operations at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), said: “In the midst of the coronavirus global pandemic, as its consequences continue to unfold, we have a renewed understanding of the significant role the buildings play in promoting public health and wellbeing.”

“Now more than ever, we have a profound opportunity to re-dedicate our focus in design, and harmonize health, energy efficiency, equity, and resilience to build healthier buildings and thriving communities into the future,” she noted.

Yewande Akinola, Innovation Lead at Laing O’Rourke, who will also speak at the event, said: “We are living in unprecedented times, and this year has especially been very challenging for the construction industry. We have been trying to work out how to deliver our projects in a safe manner for the people who are working onsite and for everybody involved.”

“Now, moving forward the question is, how can we transform the construction industry to leverage and harvest all the technologies available? I’m really looking forward to sharing ideas about this at The Big 5 Digital Festival,” he added.

Built on the 40+ years’ heritage of The Big 5, the leading event for the global construction industry in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, the Digital Festival offers four days of product showcasing, networking, and live premium content, said the organisers.

The inspirational agenda will explore market outlook, project management, smart & digital, sustainability, architecture & design, and facilities management strategies through interactive panel discussions and keynote presentations, they added.

 

You can register here:

 

 

 

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New extension meets the growing demand for places at Dean Trust Ardwick

A £4.5 million project to provide space for 150 more pupils has concluded on schedule, despite coronavirus restrictions.

Dean Trust Ardwick has served the local area since 2015 and was originally built with space to accommodate 1,200 pupils.

However, the school identified the need to extend its existing learning environments to take on more pupils from Ardwick.

A report by Ellis Williams Architects, designers of the project, revealed that the existing site fell short of the government’s mainstream school requirements by 400m2 and, in response, The Dean Trust appointed Seddon to extend the school estate to increase capacity to 1,350 pupils.

Seddon has constructed a new two-storey teaching block and extended the current dining area to allow for 120 more pupils.

The project also included the refurbishment of existing classrooms and modifications to landscaped areas for parking.

Construction began just before the national coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, and continued as planned throughout the lockdown.

Social distancing practices and improved hygiene measures were put in place to protect Seddon, the faculty and the children of key workers who attended throughout.

Work concluded on time in November 2020, with the finished buildings and refurbished spaces handed over for staff and pupils to enjoy.

Tarun Kapur, CEO of The Dean Trust, said: “Working in partnership with Manchester City Council, this project has supported the growing need for school places in the city. The development will provide additional accommodation both for our pupils and staff, as well as for the wider community that it serves. It will enable local children to attend a local school, delivering a first-class education and learning environment which we believe the community rightly deserves.”

John Shannon, divisional director at Seddon, said: “This project will allow the school to provide places for more local children than ever before. High quality schools are vital for growing communities, while creating opportunities for young people to thrive and forge their futures.”

 

The new accommodation will help Dean Trust Ardwick meet demand for school places, which continues to grow across all wards in Manchester, as the city’s population expands in line with the creation of new homes and job opportunities.

At the 2011 census, the population of Ardwick was 19,250, but significant investment into the area – driven in large part by the adjacent Mayfield Strategic Regeneration Framework – means that this figure is likely to increase exponentially.

 

For more information, visit www.seddon.co.uk 

 

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Suppliers Seletected for £60m Egham Gateway Project

A GROUP of North East businesses is celebrating after securing major contracts on a huge regeneration project.

Artech Lighting and Apex Core – part of the Apex Group of companies – were selected as suppliers for the £60m Egham Gateway project, in Surrey.

The major regeneration project is part of a £200m scheme by Runnymede Borough Council to develop the area, which is 19 miles outside the capital.

It will see the construction of over 100 homes and over 100 student apartments, with communal breakout and study areas.

The Apex businesses will supply lighting fixtures and fittings and prefabricated utility cupboards – which provide a central hub for heating, ventilation, electrical, communication and metering services – to the project.

Apex Managing Director, Dave Lewis, said: “This is a really satisfying win for the Group and reflects the team effort adopted when targeting these large-scale regeneration projects across the country.

“In the last few months, we’ve put a great deal of effort into developing innovative products that not only help speed up the construction process, but also help to make the project Covid-safe.

“Our Core Utility Cupboards are perfect in aiding socially-distanced installation and also reduce program times by days, if not weeks, as they make traditionally time-consuming processes incredibly quick.”

Artech Lighting will supply its Tenus, Flowline and Prolight fixtures to the project as well as developing a couple of feature lights for the common areas.

While Apex Core will deliver hundreds of their prefabricated utility cupboards to the Egham Gateway.

 

 

Apex Group Sales Director, Paul Hopps, said: “It’s great to secure this work and again helps raise the profile of the of Apex Group businesses.

“There are also significant programme and commercial benefits we can pass on to our client when we win group deals of this nature.

“It’s even more satisfying to see projects like this continuing as we look at how we rebuild the damaged UK economy.

“UK businesses must back each other if we are to successfully bounce back from the rigours of the Covid lockdown.

“It’s not going to be quick and it’s not going to be easy, but if projects like Egham Gateway continue to appoint British suppliers and buy British products, we’ll help bring some stability back to the economy.”

The Egham Gateway scheme is just one of a series of project wins secured by the Apex Group in 2020, which company management believes is down to industry recognising the benefits of using modern methods of construction to reduce on-site worker interaction in the post-Covid world.

 

Source: The Northern Echo

 

 

 

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Smart building conversion could save billions

Smart building conversion using smart finance could save billions

It is widely accepted that smart buildings add value by delivering agility and flexibility in the “new normal”
Only smart buildings can fully support returning occupants in the face of myriad pressures including hygiene, safety and environmental regulations
In a budget constrained environment, energy efficiency savings are increasingly seen as the ideal starting point for smart buildings transformation
New research from Siemens Financial Services (SFS) estimates the cost of official targets for buildings energy conversion to 2040 in five sectors across 14 countries. These are: offices ($62 billion); hospitals ($14.4 bn); manufacturing ($33.9 bn); public buildings ($6.2 bn); and education ($74.8 bn)
Smart financing solutions play a major role in enabling future savings which can be used to finance the cost of conversion

Siemens Financial Services (SFS) has released a new insight study which estimates the cost of official buildings energy conversion targets to 2040. The model covers five sectors in fourteen countries: offices; hospitals; manufacturing; public buildings; and education.
The paper, entitled Smart buildings: driving value in the “new normal”, identifies energy efficiency savings as the ideal starting point for smart buildings transformation (either as a single investment or as a series of incremental projects), with smart financing techniques playing a major role in enabling those future savings to finance the cost of conversion.

 

Among the key drivers currently accelerating smart building conversion are: 1) pandemic pressures, which require intuitive capabilities to protect occupants’ safety and justify the retention of the asset; 2) economic drivers – heightened by the pandemic – are driving the search for cost efficiencies in buildings, especially through energy efficiency; 3) patterns of work, affecting building demand and use; 4) added value, not only do smart capabilities tangibly add to buildings’ rental and asset values, buildings which do not convert to smart may become obsolete and radically depreciate.
There are 2 main types of smart financing techniques, which enable energy efficiency conversion and smart implementation. First, there are whole building arrangements, where energy savings are harnessed to fund the cost of a complete retrofit. Second, building efficiency and smart buildings projects may be undertaken in smaller incremental steps. Here the cost of conversion can be spread over a financing period – managing cash flow by aligning expenditure with the rate of energy savings.
“The way official buildings are used has shifted dramatically across sectors in the last year,” says Mark McLoughlin, Siemens Industries and Markets, Siemens Financial Services, UK. “Owners need to invest now to make buildings safe and suitable for occupants, but they should also consider how smart finance solutions alongside smart technologies can improve the underlying operational cost base of their assets in the long-term.”

For further information, please see: www.siemens.com/smart-buildings-investment

 

 

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CALL TO RETROFIT INEFFICIENT HOUSING STOCK

The Labour Party is challenging the govt to ‘Build it in Britain’ and support the creation of 400,000 jobs, including in the ‘crucial’ manufacturing sector, through a green recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Ahead of this month’s Comprehensive Spending Review, Labour is calling for an economic recovery that will deliver high-skilled jobs in every part of the UK as part of the drive towards a clean economy.
It is also calling for the low-carbon infrastructure of the future to be built in Britain.
Labour says its call follows an extensive consultation with businesses, trade unions and other stakeholders around what a credible green recovery should look like, which received almost 2,000 responses.
The consultation indicated that the govt should recover jobs, retrain workers, and rebuild business by creating a National Investment Bank focused on green investment.
Labour also details a number of areas to support the creation of new jobs and to tackle the climate and environmental crisis.
It advocates planned investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and ensuring the planning system better supports electric vehicle charging. It also calls for expanding energy efficiency and retrofit programmes, including in social housing.
However, corners of the housing industry fear that Labour has missed a trick by not mentioning the tech sector, which has the potential to revolutionise homes for the future.
Franz Doerr, CEO of proptech platform flatfair, said: “Britain hasn’t forgotten Boris Johnson’s pledge to ‘Build, Build, Build’, so the government must now put its money where its mouth is and spearhead the creation of hundreds of thousands of new, Covid-proof jobs.
“Furlough, sadly, is set to serve only as a sticking plaster for many workers who will ultimately find themselves out of a job come the scheme’s end.
“Investing in a wave of green and secure jobs, however, will turbocharge Britain’s post-pandemic recovery — placing all of our eggs in one basket via the Job Retention Scheme will only postpone an inevitable avalanche of unemployment.
“Creating new, sustainable jobs will also stave off a potential crisis in the rental market, ensuring that tenants are able to keep up with their payments while preventing mountains of debt from piling up at the feet of landlords.
“In addition to prioritising careers in manufacturing and construction, the government must also lend its support to the tech sector. Throughout the pandemic, technology has played an integral role in keeping us connected and much more. At flatfair, for instance, we launched Resolve – a free online portal that enables landlords to propose rent arrears repayment plans with tenants who are struggling due to Covid-19. Innovations like Resolve will continue to prove critical to Britain’s recovery, so the government must support those behind them.”

Dave Sheridan, executive chairman at ilke Homes, added: “Labour’s call to bring forward capital investment to retrofit the country’s inefficient housing stock is welcome. British homes account for 20% of the UK’s carbon footprint meaning action is needed now to improve their energy efficiency.
“However, Government must also focus attention on new homes, to prioritise investment that supports the industry to build to a zero carbon standard now, and avoid the costly mistakes of the past by allowing homes to be built that need to be expensively retrofitted with low-carbon technology later down the line.
“This means focusing investment on scaling up technologies to help new-build homes become less carbon emitting. Air source heat pumps (ASHP) that absorb heat from the outside to heat a home and provide hot water, for example, emit 12 times less carbon dioxide that modern gas boilers and will be vital if the UK is to meet net-zero targets by 2050. Other low-carbon technology can also help reduce housing’s reliance on fossil fuel-powered energy, such as solar panels.

“Government investment must be targeted to ensure the supply chains developing and manufacturing these low-carbon technologies have the required production capacity to meet growing demand, and that starts with making sure the skills base exists.”

Andrew Shepherd, managing director at TopHat, added: “Labour’s call to bring forward capital investment to retrofit the country’s inefficient housing stock is welcome.
“We would also urge politicians not to lose sight of the need to ensure that the homes we build today will stand the test of time, and to focus investment on scaling up the skills and supply chains needed to harness innovations in modern methods of construction, which are already delivering some of the most energy efficient homes ever seen.
“Modular housing, which can be delivered more quickly and with greater energy efficiency than traditional homes, will be an essential part of the solution. Investment in skilled manufacturing jobs to deliver low-carbon homes will allow a rebasing of the UK economy away from the pressured south east, delivering an economic benefit to the rest of the UK.”

Source: Showhouse

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Don’t let water be the ‘log jam’ in housing developments

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Modern Methods of Construction have been highlighted by Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State as the way forward to help resolve the housing crisis and urged Housing Associations and Local Councils to embrace new technology and methods of working.  However, the log jam to completion of new build projects can be connection of the water supply.  Surface mounted meters allowing ‘plug and play’ style installation can be the solution.

The recent change in lifestyle forced upon us by the COVID 19 pandemic has identified the importance of home and local community environment. In the Secretary of State’s speech to the Chartered Institute of Housing, 10th September 2020, Robert Jenrick, highlighted the impact the period of lockdown had on those with poor housing and the homeless.
The slow-down in new home build that resulted from the COVID 19 restrictions needs to be reversed and Jenrick has made MMC ‘central to the delivery of the new Affordable Homes Programme’ and set a minimum target for the use of MMC1.  His aim is for ‘…the UK to be a leader in MMC, driving new jobs, better skills, as well as faster delivery of homes, and those homes, in turn, being better quality and more energy efficient, with all of the benefits of society and social justice that comes with that.’1
Jenrick urged rapid progress on Social and Affordable Housing.  However, utility connections can often be the weakest link in the improved efficiency the MMC provides.
Water supply is perhaps the most important item within the critical path of construction and is probably the most difficult to achieve. Imagine a situation where your services can be fully installed prior to moving on site, with surface mounted meters allowing ‘plug and play’ style installation.

With Groundbreaker water management system, you have exactly that ‘plug and play’ option – no need to imagine.
The only system of its type, it is designed to be installed at any time during the construction period.  Fully compliant with Water Regulations, it provides an accessible, safe and secure location for the water meter and controls to a specific property.
The concept is simple.  Water services are connected to an externally mounted, pre-installed water service control.  The pre-installation and certification of plumbing can facilitate early approval of water services to a plot.  This allows flexibility in the management and scheduling of a connection to the water mains supply.
There is no need for boundary boxes or meter housings in the footpath, and this simplification of the connection allows for improved efficiency and reduces the time required for highway closures.  An added benefit of removing meter housing from the footpath is that there is no disruption to the footpath, so no reinstatement costs.
Using Technology to Future Proof Housing stock
It is good to see that Jenrick has recognised the need to embrace new technology, to future proof housing stock. Utility companies have not been slow in recognising the benefits of a ‘Smart Home’.  The ability to interrogate and manage energy usage at any given time of day or night has been recognised as an effective way for householders to reduce usage and manage costs
Gas and electricity meters located on external building walls have enabled easy upgrades and introduction of countrywide ‘Smart Meter’ programmes.  However, the traditional location of a water meter in a metal-covered hole in the public highway is not conducive to this new way of thinking. A ‘Smart Water Meter’ located in such a situation is exceedingly poor in transmitting a signal even to a local pick up. With Groundbreaker water management system, ‘Smart Water Meter’ technology can be easily installed, as it is introduced across the UK.  Recent field trials of Groundbreaker have proven that the range of such meters can be over 3Km (2 miles) allowing for remote access and the ability to mange the carbon footprint.

www.groundbreaker.co.uk

1.  www.gov.uk/government/speeches/robert-jenricks-speech-to-chartered-institute-of-housing-cih-2020

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