Doncaster Kerbs, Bouncing Back

Successful trial of plastic sustainable road kerbs in Doncaster to become ‘the norm’

#construction #construction industry #recyled plastic #sustainable #roadways#architects #local authorities #contractors #safety @durakerbUK

 

 

Doncaster Council has improved the safety of its highway maintenance by swapping traditional concrete road kerbs and drains for recycled plastic units designed by Durakerb, according to a report jointly produced by Doncaster Council’s Highway Operations and Highway Asset Maintenance.

Made by green construction innovators, the eco-friendly construction products made from recycled plastic waste brought significant safety benefits to the workforce and are easily installed manually in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

Initial trial installation of new kerbing took place in February at sites including the North Bridge and Marsh Gate junction in Doncaster – a high stress area with typically high levels of HGV use and ‘override’ – after previous concrete units and restoration attempts had failed.

 

 

Following a full assessment over time, the highways team was so impressed by Durakerb’s benefits that they decided to accelerate their use in both safety works and in smaller construction projects across the local area. The report recommended that council ‘extends the use of the plastic kerbs to other suitable projects across the borough with a view to them becoming the norm rather than the exception’. The council is also now using Duradrains for road water management.

Concerns over health & safety in the construction industry have increased in recent years as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is continuously raising awareness of the dangers posed to workers. Recent data released by the HSE revealed that in the last financial year the number of deaths in the construction industry has increased by a third making it higher than any other sector1.

The lifting of heavy loads and use of machinery can also lead to the development of musculoskeletal disorders and Hand Arm Vibration syndrome (HAVS), as well as exposure to carcinogenic airborne silica released when concrete is cut. Durakerb minimises these hazards as being made from plastic, it is lightweight and can be cut with a hand saw allowing one-operative installation within the HSE guidelines and has a very low risk of silica exposure.

Phil Sutton, Managing Director at Econpro, the parent company of Durakerb, commented: “The trial in Doncaster is an excellent case study for Durakerb as it highlights the many benefits of the product, beyond its environmental advantages.”

“The council’s decision to continue installing the kerbs was primarily based on safety, something which is particularly important with the easing of lockdown and the maintenance of social distancing on site. We’re hoping more councils will realise Durakerb’s potential and adopt a similar approach in the near future.”

www.durakerb.co.uk

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Could 50% of office space, become 100% housing?

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Transforming spaces – repurposing office space to meet housing demand

We find ourselves in the midst of a chronic housing shortage in Britain today. According to the National Housing Federation, there are an estimated 8.4 million people in England are living in an unaffordable, insecure or unsuitable home. The housing crisis was impacting all ages across every part of the country.

Joe Bradbury discusses

Analysis shows that:

  • 6 million people are living in an overcrowded home
  • 5 million are unable to afford their rent or mortgage
  • 5 million are in “hidden households” they cannot afford to move out of, including house shares, adults living with their parents, or people living with an ex-partner
  • 7 million are in unsuitable housing such as older people stuck in homes they cannot get around and families in properties which have no outside space
  • 4 million are in poor quality homes
  • 400,000 are homeless or at risk of homelessness – including people sleeping rough, living in homeless shelters, temporary accommodation or sofa-surfing

It’s deeply distressing that, across England, councils are being forced to leave the people they are trying to help on the streets or drifting from sofa to sofa – all because they cannot find somewhere safe and affordable for them to live. The Homelessness Reduction Act has made some good progress in preventing people from becoming homeless, but it’s worrying to see that it’s being constrained by a chronic lack of housing and cuts to housing benefit.

 

Could converting empty offices into homes be part of the answer?

In short, yes. But as with everything, there are caveats.

Demand for office space in the UK is predicted to drop by as much as 50% as across the board companies realise the cost-saving potential of flexibility post-Covid-19, according to a new report by commercial property specialists Instant Offices.

With 60% of the UK workforce working from home during peak-lockdown and millions of businesses struggling to cover overheads, offices across the country have been left standing empty and rental negotiations have stalled.

Alongside this, at least 320,000 people are homeless in Britain, according to research by the housing charity Shelter.

This amounts to a year-on-year increase of 13,000, a 4% rise, despite government pledges to tackle the crisis. The estimate suggests that nationally one in 200 people are homeless.

Shelter says its figures, which include rough sleepers and people in temporary accommodation, are likely to be an underestimate of the problem as they do not capture people who experience “hidden” homelessness, such as sofa-surfers, and others living insecurely in sheds or cars, for example.

It seems either cruel or incredibly disorganised that so many people are forced onto the streets, whilst at a vacancy rate of 4.5 per cent (57.6 million sq ft of empty space) the amount of unused commercial office space in the UK right now is almost 50 times larger than London’s O2 Arena, which is 1.2 million sq ft.

Workspace experts the Instant Group, said “Covid-19 has shown the world that we can cope with rapid changes to the way we all work, and as more businesses embrace flexibility, we’re going to see a permanent shift in the way an office can meet individual needs.”

If this is the case, will we also see a shift in the way we meet housing demand?

Two sides to every story

Not everybody thinks turning office space into housing is a good idea. Analysis by the Local Government Association earlier this year revealed that nearly one in 10 new homes over the last two years was converted from an office and included no affordable housing or supporting investment in infrastructure such as roads, schools and health services.

This is as a direct result of ministers expanding so-called “permitted development rights” (PDRs) five years ago to enable office buildings to be converted to housing with no need for planning permission, in an attempt to push forward construction of new homes.

Since then, more than 42,000 homes have been converted from offices under the provision in the past three financial years alone according to government figures, whilst the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) posits the actual figure is likely to be closer to 95,000 PDR conversions from 2010 to 2017.

Then, in 2017-18, such conversions helped to push new home construction up to 222,190, a 10-year high. Is this a cause for celebration? Perhaps not.

Over 30% of office-to-residential conversions have been in London — with more in Croydon than any other borough, government data show. Another third are in metropolitan areas, including Manchester, Bradford and Leeds. The rest reside in the more rural counties.

Since 2015, a total of 30,575 housing units in England have been converted from offices to flats without having to go through the planning system.

While this amounts to approximately 8% of new homes nationally, in some parts of the country it is responsible for around two thirds of all new housing.

The Local Government Association asserts that permitted development (which unlike new developments has no requirement to include affordable housing) has led to the potential loss of 7,644 affordable homes over the last two years.

As well as exacerbating the housing crisis, councils are now also warning that office space could dry up as a result, leaving businesses and start-ups without any premises in which to base themselves. How would such an obstacle affect an already fragile economy?

 

The LGA’s Housing spokesman, Cllr Martin Tett commented “Councils want to see more affordable homes built quickly and the conversion of offices into residential flats is one way to deliver much-needed homes.

“However it is vital that councils and local communities have a voice in the planning process. At present, permitted development rules allow developers to bypass local influence and convert offices to flats, and to do so without providing affordable housing and local services and infrastructure such as roads and schools.

“Permitted development is detrimental to the ability of local communities to shape the area they live in.

“Planning is not a barrier to house-building, and councils are approving nine in 10 planning applications. But it is essential that councils, which are answerable to their residents, have an oversight of local developments to ensure they are good quality and help build prosperous places. The resulting loss of office space can risk hampering local plans to grow economies and attract new businesses and jobs to high streets and town centres.”

Croydon is one such place to be feeling the strain of rushed decisions. Known for its ageing office stock, the area has seen thousands of new homes created under permitted development rights. From 2015, the council used its powers to override the PDR provision so that office-to-residential conversions once again needed permission. But plans already rushed through will ultimately result in 2,708 new homes.

In a recent article for the Financial Times on the subject, Paul Scott, Croydon’s council cabinet member responsible for planning and regeneration, said “It’s totally unreasonable, and unprecedented in all other aspects of planning, to be able to build whatever you want. We are seeing units with no windows — we are building the slums of the future in Croydon now.

“We are seeing hundreds of substandard units in what were already fairly poor quality office buildings. To pretend that this is somehow responding positively to the housing crisis is a farce.”

In summary

We need more homes. But we need to avoid sprawl also. Private housing developers are closing in on our green spaces and making a packet, whilst somehow managing not to make a dent on the housing shortage in any meaningful way. With so many people homeless or living in temporary accommodation and this figure on the increase, I would say that we have to start using some of our office stock to meet bustling demand. However, it is clear to see that we need to do this in a smart way.

In my role as editor for Modern Methods of Construction Magazine I have seen the potential that offsite has to offer – not just in terms of new build, but also when it comes to repurposing an old building to make it fit for modern life. We have the technology and the knowhow; it’s in our hands.

Perhaps we need to develop a more healthy relationship with our current planning legislation, instead of seeing it as a barrier to overcome, by hook or by crook. Let’s change it so it works for everyone.

It is clear to see the potential that converting office spaces into homes has to offer 21st century Britain, but without collaboration and a strong desire to create decent homes at an affordable price at the core of our professional values, we run the risk of sleepwalking out of one crisis and into another. Let’s keep the conversation going and get this right, because it isn’t going away.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

 

 

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Building for a greener future: what more needs to be done?

Phil Kelly, Director, Head of

Sustainability and Building Physics

at Ramboll UK tells Buildingspecifier 

that more DOES need to be done

 

 

 

 

The prioritisation of green policies in the Government’s plans for an economic recovery had been widely anticipated in the run-up to the Chancellor’s ‘Summer Statement’ last week. For the buildings industry, there were indeed many welcome funding measures announced by Rishi Sunak in his strategy for economic recovery that put improving the energy efficiency of the UK’s existing building stock at the forefront of decarbonisation targets.

 

From a £3bn pledge to decarbonise housing and public buildings, to another £1bn allocated to make public buildings greener, it is hoped that the array of measures announced to help improve the energy efficiency of buildings will make a tangible difference towards zero-carbon targets. However, there are concerns that these seemingly far-reaching funding pledges do not go far enough in ensuring we do more than simply pay lip service to sustainability.

 

The devil is in the detail

 

While the buildings industry has for some time been working towards achieving net-zero carbon, a lot of the policies to help support this transition have, to date, been focused on carbon off-setting measures, rather than looking at the bigger decarbonisation picture. For instance, while the pledge of a £50m programme to retrofit social housing is welcome, there is little clarity over how the government will actually quantify the energy savings of retrofitting existing building stock, to ensure these measures have a truly tangible impact.

 

Other questions are still unanswered: the government have pledged to provide vouchers to households to help improve energy efficiency, but it is still unclear whether these incentives will prove to be more than simply tokenistic nods towards energy improvements, and what types of measures would fall under this support.

 

Providing financial incentives to undertake energy saving improvements is a good first step, but there should additionally be financial incentives to actually quantify the benefits if this is to be effective. One way to ensure we reap the most efficient savings could be, for instance, through tax savings on professional reports on recommendations for improvements. However, these financial measures must also be aligned and backed up by independent studies that explore the pros and cons of different methods of improving energy efficiency. Only by taking a holistic approach, that drills down to the quantifiable details, will we truly be able to make a dent in net-zero targets.

 

Is retrofitting the answer?

 

Retrofitting is, by far and away, undoubtedly an important way of working towards net-zero ambitions within the buildings industry, and the focus on retrofitting existing building stock to improve energy efficiency in Sunak’s green jobs announcement, is a vital step. Yet, what the focus on retrofitting fails to acknowledge, is that the compliance-driven market currently lacks adequate support to provide cost-effective ways of accurately quantifying the energy savings of the proposed interventions.

 

For example, carrying out energy performance certificates (EPCs) to the highest level of detail, and therefore accuracy, is currently hugely costly. They are intended only to facilitate benchmarking between similar buildings, not to forecast the energy performance of a building, however they are the most common metric in the UK for quantifying improvements. Therefore, it would be hugely beneficial for the government to fund cost-effective ways for the industry to be able to better quantify energy-saving improvements. This kind of targeted support would provide a much-needed kick-start of the generation of robust data to drive performance-driven energy saving decisions. Indeed, the performance gap between the compliance world and the real-world impact of energy efficiency methods is still an issue for the industry. What is clear, however, is that measuring energy savings cannot be shoe-horned into a one-size-fits-all strategy.

 

Going beyond paying lip service to decarbonisation targets

 

There are also concerns that many could seize upon the Chancellor’s funding for improving the energy efficiency of buildings as simply an opportunity to financially benefit from carrying out refurbishments. We urgently need to put measures in place to ensure that improvements labelled as ‘energy efficiency’ measures truly deliver on the promised environmental savings and avoid so-called greenwashing.

 

Retrofitting housing to decarbonise the UK’s existing housing stock is certainly an important first step, however, carbon neutrality will have to be the primary consideration for all new developments and projects going forwards. As this appetite for innovative, sustainable recovery increases, we must also provide clearer standards for the future of the buildings industry.

 

Above all, we must develop more tailored approaches towards energy efficiency, supported by targeted funding, if we are to urgently address the building industry’s role in tackling the climate crisis. The funding announced by the Chancellor cannot simply be a flash in the pan; it has to allow for long-term, quantifiable benefits for energy efficiency, if we are to meet zero-carbon goals.

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High Rise BBQ’s are a High Risk

In the backdrop of rumours that the Building Safety Bill, the first draft of which is due immently, may not come into force until 7 years after the horrors of the Grenfell tragedy which prompted it’s introduction.  Zurich is warning of another risk to our high-rise accommodation.

With the UK summer well underway, new data released today by UK insurer Zurich reveals that just four balcony fires in 2019 caused almost £9m worth of damage as the fires spread to neighbouring flats or entire buildings in some cases. The insurer warns that the majority of balcony fires start as a result of careless use of BBQs or discarded smoking materials.

 With nine million families across the UK living in flats, Zurich calls for caution when it comes to balcony blazes. The risks are increased by the fact that wind speeds are stronger at greater heights and can carry burning embers for up to one mile. In addition, combustible cladding and building materials are often used for the construction and façade of balconies, as well as wider parts of the building. This creates the perfect environment for a fatal fire.

Official figures from London Fire Brigade show that that in the last three years there have been 550 balcony fires in London alone.

Zurich claims experts: Barbecues should never be used on balconies under any circumstances. This includes all types, all fuels and all sizes of barbecue. Even if they are being inappropriately marketed specifically for balcony use, they still carry the same risks.

Fire claims up by 48%
Further analysis of Zurich claims figures shows that fire is still a huge problem in the UK, with the cost of damage caused by blazes rising dramatically year on year. In 2019, Zurich paid out over £210m for property fires across private, public and commercial sectors, a 48% rise from £141.5m in 2018. What is more, an average large fire now costs almost £1m to rectify, again, a 42% increase from £666,000 in 2018.

However, the most devastating impact of fires is felt by the homeowners, renters and tenants who end up losing their homes and valuable possessions which often can’t be replaced. According to Zurich, families and individuals spent on average more than 21 weeks in alternative accommodation following a blaze in their home in 2019. Since January this year, the insurer has been piloting a programme of mental health support services and counselling to its customers who may have experienced traumatic events for which they had to make a claim.

David Nichols, Chief Claims Officer at Zurich, said: “Fires not only put people’s lives at risk, they also destroy homes and irreplaceable personal possessions. The £210m which Zurich paid out for fire damage to properties last year doesn’t include the emotional turmoil and disruption these events cause.

“This is why we urge people to think twice and avoid using BBQs or smoking on their balconies. Just a small ignition source, or persistent heat over a period of time can start a fire. This can happen hours after the residents have gone to bed. What’s more worrying is the number of companies marketing barbecues which claim to be specifically designed for balconies. In our view these products should be banned as there is no such thing as a safe balcony barbecue.”

Andy Dark, Fire Brigades Union assistant general secretary, commented: “It’s clear from Zurich’s damning evidence that using any kind of barbecue on a balcony should be banned.

“Time and again, firefighters have fought fires in blocks of flats where the accidental source of ignition has been a barbecue used on a balcony.

“The cost to families and communities is too high a price to pay – a ban is an absolute necessity.
“We are mindful that living in flats already poses restrictions on how people live their lives. It’s important that government and building owners invest in providing safe and inviting communal spaces surrounding flats so residents don’t take risks like such as barbecuing on a balcony.”

Zurich calls for Government intervention

The warning comes as part of Zurich’s wider fire prevention strategy. The insurer has played an active role in ‘The Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety’ announced by Dame Judith Hackett following the Grenfell Tower tragedy. It has also repeatedly warned the Government that the regulatory system covering high-rise and complex buildings is not fit for purpose and has called for a radical rethink of the whole system and how it works. This includes;
• Extending the combustible cladding ban to the entire external height of all residential and non-residential buildings,
• Introducing a property-safety building regulatory baseline to ensure that residents can not only escape but also have a home to return to
• Introducing a publicly available property database to ensure that property owners, the wider public, and Fire & Rescue Services understand how a property was constructed.
• Zurich echoes warnings by the London Fire Brigade and other Fire & Safety Rescue Services of the dangers of balcony barbeques which are being marketed carelessly, with a complete disregard as to how dangerous they can be. It is engaging Parliament on the dangers of balcony BBQs and the risks they pose, particularly in developments constructed using modern methods of construction.

The insurer argues that a major programme of investment in house building to kick-start the economy will see an increased use of modern methods of construction, including light-weight timber frame and modular construction. These are particularly susceptible to ignition sources both during and after construction creating a higher risk landscape which could have a long-lasting impact on the resilience of UK communities unless there are robust, clear and effective building regulations.

 

Source: Acturial Post

 

 

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Concrete Supplier Plans to be central to UK recovery

Naylor Industries has opened a new £2m lintel factory at its concrete products plant at Barugh Green, near Barnsley.

The investment allows the family-owned company to increase its supply to the UK construction industry.

Naylor has been manufacturing lintels – structural concrete beams – for more than half a century and has seen considerable growth over recent years.

It has supplied schemes across the UK including The Old War Office at Whitehall, London and St James Shopping Centre in Edinburgh.

In 2015, the company moved from its previous leasehold site at Ossett, near Wakefield to a new nine acre freehold site at Barugh Green, which has given the company space to expand.

The new plant represents both the introduction of cutting-edge automation as well as a significant increase in capacity.

Edward Naylor, chief executive at Naylor Industries, said: “We’ve got ambitious plans for Naylor Concrete Products and the new plant will help our business fulfil its growth potential.

“The construction industry will be central to the UK’s economic recovery from the Coronavirus crisis and we are proud to be playing our part.”

Naylor Industries last month announced a £5m funding package from HSBC UK to support the business through pandemic trading conditions and facilitate projects for future growth.

The lintel factory project followed an initial meeting between Naylor and Spanish machinery supplier Prensoland at Munich’s Bauma international trade fair in April 2019. Following a design phase, the equipment was ordered in December 2019.

Helen MacIntosh, Naylor’s development director, said: “Building the new plant was not without challenge, as much of the work was underway when the Coronavirus pandemic broke out.

“The project has been safely completed on time and on budget, with Prensoland manufacturing the equipment through the Spanish lockdown and local civil engineering and electrical contractors Shanco and Reids managing to recover time lost as a result of pandemic-related disruption.

“Most recently, a team of Spanish commissioning engineers visited Yorkshire to complete equipment installation and train Naylor personnel in plant operation procedures.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the new plant and look forward to supporting our customers in the UK construction industry.”

 

Source: The Business Desk

 

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CONSTRUCTION – OUR REMARKABLE INDUSTRY

Today’s ONS (Office for National Statistics) report is good news! Construction is turning the tables on Covid and beginning the climb back. Held against the massive 40% drop experienced in the Spring an 8% increase seems less impressive, but as Fraser Johns comments below, in any other year an 8% month on month increase would be remarkable, let’s hope August figures show our industry continues to be just as remarkable next month as this.

Finance director at construction contractor Beard, said: “After April’s huge 40% drop in output, it’s encouraging to see May’s figures beginning to point towards a recovery in construction work. It has been one of the sectors worst-affected by Covid-19, and for the construction industry itself and also for the health of the wider economy, it is vital that this recovery continues to gather pace.

“Under normal circumstances, a month-on-month increase of 8% would be something to shout about, but with output still nearly two-fifths lower than in February, it will clearly be a long haul to get back to similar volumes as before the lockdown. Many firms will continue to suffer in the meantime, but the industry is adapting to new working procedures and finding ways to increase efficiency. Times are likely to remain hard for some time to come, but we will get through this.”

Clive Docwra, managing director of construction consultant McBains, said: “Today’s figures reflect just how much of a historic downturn the industry is experiencing. In particular, record decreases of more than 40% in new housing work and almost 30% in commercial work over the three months to May highlight how essential it is that the government does all it can to get construction moving again.

“Although May saw a rebound as construction started to return to work, this is all relative, with output 38.8% lower compared with February before the pandemic hit.  It will take several months for the sector to truly recover.”

 

Click here for the full report

 

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£40m for Nuclear Energy Green Jobs

The UK government has announced £40 million of funding to unlock thousands of green jobs by developing the next generation of nuclear energy technology.

Part of this funding will support 3 Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) projects, which are far smaller than traditional nuclear plants and use intense heat generated in nuclear reactions to produce low-carbon electricity. They can be used at remote locations thanks to their size, and can produce enough energy to power anything from a small village to a medium-sized city.

£30 million of funding will speed up the development of 3 AMR projects in Oxfordshire, Cheshire and Lancashire and drive them closer towards supplying low-carbon energy to the nation. The remaining £10 million will be invested into unlocking smaller research, design, and manufacturing projects to create up to 200 jobs.

Minister for Business and Industry, Nadhim Zahawi, said:

Advanced modular reactors are the next step in nuclear energy and have the potential to be a crucial part of tackling carbon emissions and climate change.

The investment will immediately create new jobs in Oxfordshire, Cheshire and Lancashire. But through this vital research, the technology could also create thousands more green collar jobs for decades to come.

The funding will ensure the technology is more attractive to private sector investors, supercharging the development of the industry and creating supply chains feeding future modular reactor developments. The successful AMR projects, awarded £10 million funding each, are:

Tokamak Energy, Oxfordshire – working with industry partners and research establishments including Oxford University to develop fusion reactors
Westinghouse, Lancashire – developing a lead-cooled fast reactor, a type of fission reactor
U-Battery, Cheshire – working on a small high temperature gas-cooled fission reactor

On top of funding the AMR projects, the government will invest £10 million into turbocharging the industry – £5 million of that will be invested in British companies and start-ups, developing new ways of manufacturing advanced nuclear parts for modular reactor projects both at home and abroad.

Source: HM Gov.uk

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Planning Permission for Ireland’s largest social and affordable housing scheme

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in partnership with the Land Development Agency (LDA) have received confirmation of full planning permission being granted for a development of 597 new homes at Shanganagh, Co Dublin.

This is currently Ireland’s largest proposed social and affordable scheme to receive planning permission.

100% of the proposed development is for social and affordable homes, with two thirds allocated to affordable homes for both rent and purchase, and a third to social housing. The affordable purchase homes will be provided by way of the government’s upcoming shared ownership scheme. The affordable rental homes will be provided through cost rental, which is a new form of tenure in Ireland. Long term security of tenure will be provided for the rental homes.

These tenures provide a solution for households who struggle to pay private housing costs, including essential and key workers who play a vital role in supporting Ireland’s society and economy.

The development will offer a mix of accommodation suitable for larger and smaller families, couples and single people.  Construction is expected to start on the site in the first half of 2021, subject to the final decision of the Council’s Elected Members and government approval.

The site occupies approximately 9 hectares adjacent to Shanganagh Castle, Shanganagh Park and Castle Farm and will be within 10 minutes’ walk of the proposed DART station at Woodbrook and BusConnects route on the nearby Dublin Road (N11).

The approval for 597 new homes consists of:

200 social homes

91 homes that will be available for purchase under an affordable purchase scheme

306 affordable cost-rental homes.

The development has been designed to the highest international environmental and sustainability standards and will be one of the largest in Europe to achieve the ‘passive house’ low energy use standard. Sustainability features include very low energy demand, a very low car parking provision (0.56 spaces per home), a very high bicycle parking provision of over 1,300 spaces, design features to make working from home easier, and significant features to promote a fully integrated community.

The development is consistent with the Council’s ambition to exceed its housing targets and the LDA’s mandate to deliver affordable new homes on publicly owned land, helping to address the current supply shortage and to make access to homes more affordable for both buyers and renters.

An Cathaoirleach, Councillor Una Power (Green Party) said: “The achievement of full planning permission for our project in Shanganagh is excellent news for people looking to buy or rent a home in our County at an affordable cost and will make a significant contribution to meeting the Council’s social housing requirements.

The development will offer people an attractive place to live that is close to key transport links and supported by a wide range of local amenities.  It will also serve as a flagship for sustainable development with best in class environmental practice incorporated into the project from the outset.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Chief Executive, Philomena Poole said: “This planning grant is one of the most significant steps forward in delivery of housing in dlr and it underlines the Council’s commitment to delivering affordable homes for people at all income levels within the County. It also demonstrates our focus on delivering high-quality homes, built to the highest standards and adhering to the latest sustainable design techniques. Our partnership with the LDA was crucial to this project and we look forward to continuing to work in partnership with them to complete these homes and have people living in them as soon as possible.”

LDA Chief Executive John Coleman said: “This major planning approval is a testament to the close partnership that the Council and the LDA have developed over the past 18 months. It proves the value of the LDA working closely with local authority partners, which provides new ways of delivering new affordable homes on council land. We look forward to bringing this scheme to the next and most important stage – the construction of the new homes. We are already working on the preparation of the construction tender process. We appreciate the continued support and collaboration of the Council’s executive team and Elected Members.”

The types of homes available will include:

51 terraced and semi-detached houses consisting of 21 two beds and 30 three beds

546 apartments consisting of 2 four-beds, 99 three-beds, 302 two-beds, 165 1-beds and 29 studios.

The proposed development will include significant work on infrastructure, site services, water, wastewater, hydrological, ecological protection and landscaping works, together with space for parking of 365 cars and over 1,300 bicycles.

The Council and LDA have made significant progress on the detailed design and performance specification of the scheme in parallel with the planning determination period, which demonstrates the willingness of all parties involved to expedite the delivery of much needed homes by the State on public lands. They also intend to launch a public tender competition for a contractor in the coming months.

 

Source: Irish Building

 

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ACOUSTIC DESIGN: SOUND ARCHITECTURAL GLAZING ADVICE FOR THE EDUCATION SECTOR

Increasing acoustic requirements are becoming the norm when it comes to school specification. Here, Allan Barr, UK Sales Director at Technal, explores how early engagement with an architectural aluminium systems provider can facilitate an effective and adaptive approach to product selection right from the pre-contract phase.

 

With increasing pressure in terms of student intake, schools are becoming busier and noisier, which makes controlling external and internal noise and the resulting acoustics even more important. This problem is exemplified by the current trend of designing open learning spaces, which also contributes to a louder environment. Unwanted noise is not just intrusive and distracting, but its negative impacts can be detrimental to health and general well-being. Scientific studies have shown that poor acoustics also lead to lower productivity and slower learning.

 

Ensuring the correct approach to acoustic design

Whether it is a school or university campus accommodation, any project’s first action should be a site investigation with an acoustician who can conduct a detailed survey, measuring the noise levels incident on the projected footprint, at multiple points and at different times. It is important to recognise here the very complex nature of sound, with different components and frequencies that lie within the pressure spectrum to the decibel scale. All such sounds can be lessened through careful detailing of glass, air gaps, interlayers and frame components.

 

Each level of the school building should be assessed to determine the degree to which the façade system and its glazing elements must be specified, considering the minimum attenuation required to deal with the noisiest periods. For the design process, official guidance regarding acoustics is provided by BS 8233: 2014 along with documents including LEED or BREEAM, which are widely regarded as the most holistic measure of a property’s environmental credentials.

 

 

Avoiding acoustic bridges

When selecting and specifying the materials for the project, it’s important to understand how the control offered by different materials, or elements to the envelope, can be affected by interconnections or the surrounding structure. The phenomenon known as flanking noise refers to the energy waves that pass over or around, rather than directly penetrating a barrier. This can be particularly distracting and impede learning for students as sounds from the hallway, outside the building, or other classrooms could directly travel into classroom spaces. Although an insulating glass unit or architectural glazing system may offer good acoustic insulation, noise can still pass between spaces.

 

The window, door or curtain walling system should be carefully selected to prevent sound waves being transmitted through pressure plates frame profiles, joints, brackets and anchor points. Flanking noise can therefore be reduced greatly by careful detailing, such as acoustic infills to mullion and transom profiles and creating additional acoustic barriers between the frame and floor slabs.

 

In a similar manner, airtightness is also very important for acoustic insulation. Any gaps in the building fabric will allow air leakage, which also represents an acoustic breach. It is therefore essential to ensure the window, door or curtain walling system chosen features an effective acoustic seal for guaranteed air tightness. To balance the creation of more airtight envelopes, controllable background ventilation needs to be addressed, under Part F of the Building Regulations.

 

The selection of glass type and double or triple glazing

The choice of glass type and dimensions, including that of the cavity, impacts dramatically on the level of acoustic performance that is achieved. Industry standard double glazing will deliver in the region of a 30dB to 35dB reduction in sound against normal passage through air.

 

This can be improved upon significantly through specifying thicker panes and special acoustic grade glass, and widening the cavity or by introducing secondary glazing: which can generate a 40dB or greater reduction.

 

For enhanced acoustic performance, the inclusion of a laminate interlayer could also be considered – potentially also improving thermal efficiency and safety – or perhaps to go from double to triple glazing. These options also need to be reviewed in terms of on-site, lifting and lead-time logistics and, of course, cost.

 

Tapping into supply chain expertise

With so much to consider, involving a systems manufacturer that has access to an established network of fabricators and installers with an abundance of experience, is going to make a big impact on the project. This means accurate costing and certainty of delivery, avoiding expensive design changes and delays during the construction programme.

 

An experienced architectural aluminium systems provider, such as Technal, with a comprehensive product portfolio, will be able to work collaboratively to create accurate interface details, prepare specifications and project-specific testing where appropriate. For example, other building component suppliers’ products can be introduced to further enhance system specification such as insulation, and also enhance fire resistance and thermal performance.

 

Additionally, Technal has added to existing resources like its accredited acoustic test laboratory through the development of sound calculation software, which allows available data to be used. Using a blend of laboratory test results, computer simulated predictions and actual site data, a strong evidence base can be compiled to optimise the selections, ensuring they perform efficiently acoustically. This will also provide the most sustainable solution, which typically avoids having to add cost through site-specific system testing.

 

By adopting a collaborative, cohesive approach from the beginning, recommendations from the systems manufacturer can contribute to tighter cost control, fewer on-site issues, improved programme certainty and continuing client confidence.

 

For more information, please visit: www.technal.com/en/uk

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Crane Collapse

The collapse and resulting tragedy which occurred on Wednesday in Bow, London has been well reported.   Calls for an urgent and hopefully prompt enquiry have been voiced by many. It is hoped that the call will be heeded so that the cause of the accident can be found and precautions taken to prevent any further incident of this nature. The crane was a Wolffkran model and the company have published this notice on their website:

 

On Wednesday, July 8th, at 14:40 BST, a WOLFF tower crane belonging to WOLFFKRAN Ltd. collapsed on a construction site in Bow, East London. According to the authorities, a resident of the adjacent houses that were struck by the jib of the crane died, and four other people were injured, two of whom are WOLFFKRAN employees. Both are in hospital, with one seriously injured and the other scheduled to be released today.

 

The WOLFFKRAN management and staff are deeply upset by this tragedy and express their heartfelt condolences to the family of the woman that died in the incident. Our thoughts are with all those affected, our own staff, and their families, and we thank the rescue teams for their work on site. Employees of WOLFFKRAN Ltd. have been on site since yesterday supporting the responsible authorities in their investigations and preparations to remove the crane from the site.

 

The affected crane is a WOLFF luffing jib crane of type WOLFF 355 B, which is one of WOLFFKRAN’s most tried and tested cranes, reliable in operation worldwide, and currently in operation on 18 sites across the UK. The crane on the construction site in Bow was only 10 years old and was fully erected on a 22 meter tower the day before the incident.

 

WOLFFKRAN Ltd. is a subsidiary of the globally active crane manufacturer WOLFFKRAN with a heritage of more than 150 years in crane technology. WOLFFKRAN Ltd. has been providing tower crane services to the UK construction industry for 45 years. It operates out of Sheffield and employs some 300 people.

 

Sadly crane accidents are more frequent than is perhaps realised. Reports from around the globe demonstrate this and whilst some are clearly a result of operator failings, when due to the mechanical similarity, any technical failings would be relevant as alerts for possible problems that could arise in systems used here in the UK. Here are a few incidents from recent years.

 

October 2019, St Petersburg, Russia

A runaway All Terrain crane almost ended up in the Fontanka River in St Petersburg, Russia. The crane driver had only left the vehicle – a two axle Terex PPM AC40/2L – for a couple of seconds to readjust a rear view mirror.

January 2019 Luton, UK

A 70 ton Sennebogen 673E telescopic crawler crane tipped onto its counterweight, thought to be the third case of a telescopic crawler overturning in this way in the UK in the past two months. This particular incident is said to have occurred on a job site alongside Luton Airport.

January 2019, Yueyan Hunan Province, China

A tower crane collapsed while it was being dismantled in the city of Yueyang, in the Northeastern corner of Hunan Province, China. At least four people were struck directly by the falling crane tower and jib, two of them died at the scene.

November 2018, London, UK

The jib of a Spierings mobile self erecting tower crane broke free and dropped onto the job site where it was working. Thankfully no was injured in the incident and damage was light.

November 2018, Miami, USA

A man was injured when a boom truck/platform he was using overturned in Homestead, on the south side of Miami, Florida. The man was operating the machine as a crane from the truck bed, using the lower controls when it tipped over.

November 2018, Edinburgh, Scotland

A telescopic crawler crane tipped over rearwards October 19, 2018 at a site in Edinburgh, Scotland. The crane, a 100 tonne LTR1100 owned by Hawks Hire, was working on the St James Shopping center and hotel redevelopment when it seems the operator had the tracks fully retracted, over the side.

September 2018, Melbourne, Australia

One man has died and two were injured, one very seriously, after a tower crane dropped a fully loaded 53 cubic feet skip of concrete onto the men, who were working in the pour area below the crane. The incident occurred on the site of a new 12 storey apartment block.

Perhaps now would be a good time to examine the safety procedures for cranes published by the Health and Safety Executive as detailed below:

 

What you need to do

The law says that all lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be properly planned by a competent person; appropriately supervised; and carried out in a safe manner.

Cranes and lifting accessories such as slings must be of adequate strength, tested and subject to the required examinations and inspections.

All crane operators, and people involved in slinging loads and directing lifting operations, must be trained and competent.

There are four key aspects to the safe use of cranes:

  • Planning lifting operations
  • Safe systems of work
  • Supervision of lifting
  • Thorough examination

What you need to know

Tower and mobile cranes are used extensively on construction projects and present two principal hazards:

  • Collapse of the crane – such incidents present significant potential for multiple fatal injuries, both on and off-site;
  • Falling of the load – these events also present a significant potential for death and major injury.

Other incidents have involved people being struck by moving loads, cranes contacting overhead conductors and cranes colliding with each other.

Important note for crane users: The legal responsibilities for safe lifting operations are usually shared between the crane hirer and crane user.

When a crane is hired the responsibility for planning, supervising and carrying out lifting operations rests with the user unless these responsibilities are explicitly assumed by the crane hire company under a ‘contract lift’.

People who hire cranes but do not have the necessary competencies for safe planning and use will need to opt for a ‘Contract Lift’ from the crane hire company.

Planning lifting operations

All lifting operations should be planned so they are carried out safely with foreseeable risks taken into account.

The person appointed to plan the lifting operation should have adequate practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the lifts being undertaken.

The plan will need to address the risks identified by a risk assessment, the resources required, procedures and the responsibilities so that any lifting operation is carried out safely.

The plan should ensure that the lifting equipment remains safe for the range of lifting operations for which the equipment might be used.

British Standard BS 7121Part 1 2006 sets out an acceptable standard for managing lifting operations using cranes on construction projects.

Safe systems of work

You must plan lifting operations carefully to ensure they are carried out safely. Your plan should result in a safe system of work which may need to be written down if it is a complex lift. This record is sometimes known as a method statement and you must ensure that everyone involved understands it.

Key elements include:

  • planning – including site preparation, crane erection and dismantling;
  • selection, provision and use of a suitable crane and work equipment
  • including safe slinging and signalling arrangements;
  • maintenance and examination of the crane and equipment;
  • provision of properly trained and competent personnel;
  • supervision of operations by personnel having the necessary authority;
  • thorough examinations, reports and other documents;
  • preventing unauthorised movement or use of the crane; and
  • measures to secure safety of persons not involved in the lifting.

Supervision of lifting

The right level of supervision must be in place for lifting operations, reflecting the degree of risk and personnel involved in the particular lifting operation.

The crane supervisor should direct and supervise the lifting operation to make sure it is carried out in accordance with the method statement.

The crane supervisor should be competent and suitably trained and should have sufficient experience to carry out all relevant duties and authority to stop the lifting operation if it is judged dangerous to proceed.

Thorough examination

There are strict legal requirements concerning the thorough examination of all cranes:

Lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined at the prescribed intervals.  This is a detailed and specialised examination by a competent person.

The examination will usually be arranged by the crane hire company, although it is the responsibility of the crane user to ensure that all necessary examinations are carried out and that the required reports are in order.

Records of thorough examinations and tests must be: readily available to enforcing authorities; secure; and capable of being reproduced in written form.

Source: www.hse.gov.uk

 

 

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