Investing in the Future – Carbon Capture

The government has pledged £21.7bn of funding to develop two carbon capture sites in the North West and North East of England, which could create thousands of jobs and “reignite our industrial heartlands”.

Funding for the clusters, in Liverpool and Teesside, will be made available across 25 years, with the aim of making the UK an early leader in carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS), and hydrogen.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the move was ”

reigniting our industrial heartlands by investing in the industry of the future”.

He added that it will “help deliver jobs, kickstart growth, and repair this country once and for all”.

The CCUS industry is expected to support 50,000 jobs as the sector matures in the 2030s, helping the oil and gas sector’s transition away from fossil fuels.

Led by bp and Equinor, the £4bn Net Zero Teesside project at Teesworks will generate up to 860 megawatts of low carbon electricity – enough to power up to 1.3 million UK homes.

Up to two million tonnes of CO2 emissions from the power station will be captured each year and then transported by pipeline to a geological storage site under the North Sea, where it will be permanently and safely stored.

The project could create 3,000 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent positions once the plant is operational, adding about £300m to the economy each year.

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen called the announcement

“monumental”, adding: “This is a day that we look back on as the start of a golden generation for Teesside.”

In Liverpool, HyNet aims to decarbonise industry across the North West and North Wales industrial heartlands.

The £5bn project will capture CO2 produced by land-based industrial plants and store it in depleted gas fields in the Irish Sea.

The scheme is expected to generate 6,000 construction jobs, building a strong base of skills for those wanting to retrain as well as those beginning their career.

Based in Liverpool, HyNet will create 6,000 construction jobs, building a strong base of skills for those wanting to retrain as well as those beginning their career.

David Parkin, chair of the HyNet Alliance, said:

“HyNet was formed to meet the demands of industry wanting to decarbonise to deliver sustainable products and compete in the global low carbon economy. We need to decarbonise, not by de-industrialising, but by investing in the industries of the future that we rely on for the everyday products in our lives – from the glass bottles we use for our food and drink to the cement we use to build roads and buildings.”

He added that the government’s commitment will “enable generation of resilient low carbon power, right here in the industrial North West and North Wales, supporting its Clean Power 2030 Mission” while “attracting investment and catalysing growth”.

Source: Inside Media

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Log Burners Could Result in Fines

 

Wood-burning stoves are a charming addition to any room, providing warmth during the cold winter months. As many people look to cut their bills this year, it’s likely that more people than ever will be relying on them.

However, there are several rules that must be followed. Under UK regulations, all newly manufactured wood-burning stoves, multi-fuel stoves and fireplaces must meet stringent new guidelines known as Ecodesign.

 

Installation has to comply with Building Regulations and there are also rules about the type of fuel you can burn. The HomeOwners Alliance explains that the Ecodesign mark indicates the stove has been independently tested by an approved lab and meets requirements on air quality and particulates.

 

Stoves are assessed on seasonal efficiency over a year, levels of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and organic gaseous compounds produced by burning fuel.

 

An Ecodesign stove which is correctly installed, well-maintained and uses good quality dry wood, is a low-carbon heating method using renewable and sustainable fuel, according to HomeOwners Alliance. These new regulations were introduced to reduce the pollution caused by wood burners after the Government’s Clean Air Strategy 2019 found that burning stoves accounted for 38 percent of particulate matter air pollution.

 

If you’re the owner of a log burner that doesn’t meet the Ecodesign standards, you can still use it unless you live in a smoke control area where other criteria apply. A smoke control area is a legally defined zone where substantial amounts of smoke cannot be emitted from a chimney, as per Government guidelines.

 

Households could face fines ranging from £175 to £300 if they break this rule, and there are online maps available to check if you live near a smoke control area. It’s illegal to purchase unauthorised fuel for use in these areas unless it’s for an exempt appliance.

 

New rules enforced since May 2021 have made the sale of bagged house coal and wet wood in units under two cubic metres unlawful, following findings by the World Health Organisation that identified these as the most serious air pollutants affecting human health. Only certain types of dry wood, with less than 20 percent moisture content, are suitable for burning.

 

As it can be challenging to determine the wetness of wood, it’s advised to invest in a moisture meter or buy from a reputable supplier.

Source: Manchester Evening News

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Solving overcrowding in UK Prisons

Integra Buildings managing director Chris Turner, left, and head of technical Richard Constable

with the modular cell, which could hold the key to tackling the prisons overcrowding crisis.

A Humber offsite construction firm has designed what it believes could solve the UK’s prisons overcrowding crisis.

Integra Buildings has designed and manufactured a custodial cell that has been tested at facilities at BRE Science Park in Watford to make sure it complies with Government standards. The Paull-based creator of modular buildings says the unit – which can function as a standalone space or stacked to make a building – is ready to be deployed at pace and could be the “silver bullet” to the prisons overcrowding crisis which has come to the fore in recent weeks.

It is hoped the product could be used to quickly ramp up capacity and avoid some of the costs associated with renovating old, sometimes Victorian, prison buildings and building entirely new facilities. Integra is also marketing it as a solution for other detention settings in the criminal justice system.

The unit has been developed for Category C prisoners who make up a large proportion of the UK prison population and while considered unlikely to make escape attempts are not trusted in open prisons. The firm said it uses a concrete base and composite materials, to make a robust, non-combustible cell which is compliant with what is referred to as “breach and ligature criteria”.

It can be built to a variety of sizes, with the smallest cell measuring 2.6m x 3m, and includes a shower, toilet and washbasin.

Chris Turner, managing director of East Yorkshire-based Integra, said:

“Prisons overcrowding is without doubt an issue of significant public concern and a major priority for the new Government. We believe modular construction can and should play an important part in addressing this issue.

“Our unit is ready to be manufactured and rolled out right now. Modular construction has numerous advantages over traditional building methods and we have a bespoke, fully-tested unit which can help tackle the prisons overcrowding crisis, as well as being deployed in other custodial settings.”

Integra has been supplying modular buildings for more than 25 years and specialises in steel-framed products that provide permanent and temporary spaces for sport, leisure, education, healthcare and commercial clients. The company says 90% of its supply chain is within a 30-mile radius of its Humber base, with the remaining suppliers sought nearby to each project.

Source: MSN

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The Retention Protection Pledge

With the recent news that ISG has entered administration, the spotlight has returned once more to the challenges and risks facing contractors and sub-contractors in the UK’s construction sector.

On turnover, ISG was the sixth-biggest construction company in the UK, with a turnover of around £2.2bn.

This led to the immediate loss of 2,200 jobs at ISG.  In its 2022 accounts, the last filed before its administration, it owed a total of £281m to trade creditors, much of which will have been for historic retentions for work completed by its supply chain.  The true number, as construction values have only been increasing since, could be much higher.

This is the largest collapse since Carillion in 2018 – the ripples of that collapse are still being felt.

The current construction retention regime is entirely unsustainable.  Three times, the government has tried and failed to enact reform.  It is therefore for us, the construction sector participants, to take matters into our own hands to push for reform, and to negotiate reform on a contract-by-contract basis.

The Retention Protection Pledge

The Retention Protection Pledge is simple.  It is exactly this call for the reform of construction retentions.  Having launched only last week, it has already gathered supporters.

The premise is simple:

For small contracts (up to £100,000), waive it.  Administering a retention of that size costs more than leverage it could possibly provide, and subjects the supply chain at unnecessary risk and cashflow pressure.

For larger contracts (£100,000+), protect it. Retention Deposit Accounts are available free of charge for main contracts or sub-contracts.  In main contracts, if the worst happens to an Employer, the Contractor will be protected.  Likewise, for sub-contractors like those who worked for ISG, had their retentions been in escrow they would at least have not lost those.

The Retention Protection Pledge Principles

Principle 1: Waiving Retentions for Smaller Contracts (<£100,000)

We believe in waiving or not requiring retentions for contracts with a total value of up to £100,000. We agree to waive any rights to retain funds from our supply chain partners.  Supply chain partners will be paid 100% of the amounts due on a month-to-month basis, without any deductions for retention.

Principle 2: Protecting Retentions for Larger Contracts (£100,000+)

For all contracts with a total value exceeding £100,000, we agree to deposit any retention monies withheld into an independent, third-party escrow or managed retention deposit scheme. Retentions will be safeguarded to ensure that they are available for release upon satisfactory completion of works, protecting supply chain partners in the event of the paying party’s insolvency.

Principle 3: Committing to Fair Practice

Transparency: We will maintain open and honest communication regarding retention practices and ensure all contractual terms relating to retention are clear and readily understandable.

Timely Release: Any retention withheld and protected will be released promptly upon the fulfilment of contractual obligations and in accordance with the agreed timelines, in any event releasing not less than 50% on practical completion.

Advocacy: We will promote the principles of this charter within the industry and encourage other organisations to adopt similar commitments.

How to support the Retention Protection Pledge

We welcome and encourage support from all construction sector participants, from Employers, developers and Government, to designers and consultants, main contractors, sub-contractors, specialists, suppliers and all of the professional services providers who, in turn, support them.

Signing up is free and fast CLICK HERE  – simply provide your company information, name and website to be added to the list of supporters.

Source: Legal Protection

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Online Sustainable Construction Academy

With a curriculum designed by Holcim’s experts and partners from leading research institutions and architecture and engineering firms such as the University of Cambridge and Zaha Hadid Architects, the Holcim Sustainable Construction Academy is a free online training program aimed at upskilling built environment professionals who want to drive low-carbon, circular and regenerative design in the buildings sector.

The Holcim Sustainable Construction Academy equips built environment professionals with all the tools they need to measure the impact of their building project, from early on in the design process, to more in-depth understanding of construction materials, knowledge of the latest design and material innovations in the industry, and systems that support circularity in the construction industry.

Experts from Holcim Group and Holcim Innovation Center collaborated with professors from the University of Cambridge, MIT, ETH Zurich, and architects and engineers from ARUP, Ramboll, Zaha Hadid Architects, Henning Larsen and others to design the curriculum.

We can only achieve a net-zero built environment if the entire construction value chain integrates the principles of sustainability throughout the whole life cycle of buildings. The Holcim Sustainable Construction Academy is a call for design professionals to lead this transition by exercising their influence in the industry and making informed decisions from very early on in the design process.

Nollaig Forrest, Chief Sustainability Officer, Holcim: “As a leader in sustainable construction, we are launching the Academy to empower built environment professionals. Taught by Holcim specialists and experts from across the building value chain, it provides resources to accelerate the shift to low-carbon, energy-efficient and regenerative buildings and cities.”

Kritika Kharbanda, Head of Sustainability, Henning Larsen Architects: “To decarbonize the built environment, we need all stakeholders to embrace and commit to sustainable building practices. To reduce a building’s embodied carbon footprint it is imperative to learn about the latest innovations, adaptability and scalability. The Holcim Sustainable Construction Academy is a great place to start.”

Dr. John Orr, Professor of Structural Engineering, University of Cambridge: “This is an exciting new tool to empower professionals in the built environment. I’m proud to have contributed to the program, which has the potential to make a lasting impact on both our industry and planet.”

CLICK HERE to access the Holcim Sustainable Construction Academy

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Fake Certificates Lead to Prison Sentence

 

Building firm boss jailed over fake certificates

A property developer is jailed for using fake certificates for a Newmarket residential development following a prosecution brought by Suffolk Trading Standards.

A building company director who falsified building work completion certificates during the sale of flats in a development in Newmarket has been jailed for more than three years.

Wayne Murfet, who was boss of Lors Homes, supplied 36 fake Building Control Completion Certificates to purchasers of flats on a complex called The Grosvenor in Newmarket High Street.

Following a case brought by Suffolk Trading Standards, Murfet was jailed today (Tuesday October 1) at a sentencing hearing at Ipswich Crown Court for a total of three and a half years.

Sentencing, Recorder Emma Nash said that she took into account his previous good character and the impact on his family of custody, but she considered the fact that the purchasers would not have purchased the flats had it not been for the certificates.

Murfit was also disqualified from being a company director for seven years.

A hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act will now take place next year after which Murfet’s companies will be sentenced. Lors Homes has already been placed into liquidation.

The court had heard how the certificates were supplied to purchasers of flats in the complex as part of the conveyancing process.

Trading Standards were alerted in 2019 by West Suffolk Council Building Control.

The certificates were similar to those issued by Building Control but had not been issued by them.

The certificates were supplied to the purchasers by their own solicitors, who in turn had received them via the developer’s solicitors.

The buyers then purchased their properties believing them to have been signed off.

Since this discovery, West Suffolk Building Control inspected and found breaches of building regulations and fire safety concerns with the building.

As a result, a 24-hour waking watch had to be installed in the building.

The court heard the building had since been sold by the developer and West Suffolk Building Control was collaborating with the new owners to have things put right so that it meets building regulations.

During the investigation it then emerged a further false building control completion certificate had been supplied by Murfet to a purchaser of a property in Cambridgeshire through another company of his called Murfet (Burrough Green) Limited.

Murfet, aged 41, of Freckenham Road, Chippenham, had denied 12 lead counts of dishonestly intending to make a gain by failing to disclose information to the purchaser which he was under a legal duty to disclose, namely that building works had not been certified as complete by Building Control of West Suffolk Council contrary to section 1 of the Fraud Act 2006.

He also denied two counts of making or supplying an article for use in fraud contrary to section 7 of the Fraud Act 2006.

Graham Crisp, Head of Suffolk Trading Standards, said:

“Wayne Murfet’s actions caused significant distress to the purchasers of the flats, who had no idea the certificates they received were not genuine and that their properties had not been signed off.

“Murfet’s behaviour caused substantial loss to the purchasers and created a significant risk to people’s safety and property.”

Councillor Steve Wiles, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said:

“Building regulations are there to protect the public and Wayne Murfet chose to ignore those regulations.

“He is now paying the price and I commend the diligence and hard work of Suffolk Trading Standards in him being brought to justice following what was a complex investigation.”

 

 

Source: Suffolk County Council
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Autumn Budget Predictions

Autumn Budget predictions for the property and construction sector

The Labour Government has already warned that its first fiscal budget will be painful. With an estimated £22 billion black hole to fill, it’s likely that taxes will increase and public spending will be cut. A number of announcements have already been made on the Government’s plans for the property and construction sector. It is therefore hoped that the Budget won’t include too many nasty surprises, although many fear the worst.

Private rental sector

The Government has already announced that it hopes a ban on no fault evictions will be in place by summer 2025. This measure comes with a number of other plans to strengthen the rights of tenants, including:

• Increased powers to challenge unreasonable rent increases
• Giving tenants the right to request pets
• Requirements for landlords to fix problems such as mould
• Ending bans on tenants on benefits
• Requiring landlords to publish an asking rent in advance to end bidding wars

In anticipation of these measures, many landlords are already selling properties. In London it has been reported that the number of buy to let properties for sale has reached a 10-year high. Capital Gains Tax (CGT) rates were reduced from 28% to 24% by the previous Government which means that landlords are currently being taxed at more favourable rates when they sell. Whilst an increase in CGT rates is expected to be announced in the Budget, it is hoped that this won’t come into force until the start of the new tax year to allow landlords time to assess their positions and to offload property if they want. Increasing CGT rates with immediate effect on Budget Day may cause landlords to hold on to properties as they won’t want to suffer a higher tax burden.

Housing

In July, Angela Rayner announced a mandatory housing target of 370,000 new homes per year to “Get Britain Building”. Whilst this is good news for developers and builders, estate agent membership group Propertymark has pointed out that this means building just over 1,150 new homes every single working day for the next 5 years to reach the 1.5m new homes target in this Parliament.

In order to achieve this ambitious target, it is hoped the Government will do something to tackle labour shortages and a growing skills gap in the construction industry. Offering incentives to businesses that offer construction sector apprenticeships would help get more young people into the industry, and making it easier and cheaper for construction companies to recruit from overseas would help to mitigate domestic labour shortages.

Public infrastructure

A number of high-profile infrastructure projects have already been paused or scrapped in an effort to get public spending under control. These projects are generally ones that significantly contribute to carbon emissions or have other adverse environmental impacts, and it appears the government wants to realign projects to long-term environmental sustainability, with a particular emphasis on producing clean energy.

Investing in green and sustainable projects is a great cause, but with limited public finances the key to achieving infrastructure targets will be through attracting private investment. It is hoped that the Government’s need to increase tax revenues will be balanced with recognising that the tax system needs to be competitive. Increasing companies’ tax burdens too much will drive away investment which will cause economic growth to stagnate.

Rebecca Wilkinson, partner and property & construction sector specialist at accountancy and advisory firm Menzies

Source: Property Wire

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The Need to Change Architectural Training

By Scott McAulay,  founder of the Anthropocene Architecture School and a regenerative design and infrastructures specialist with Architype

Schools are preparing students for climate conditions that no longer exist

Six years ago, in the wake of 2018’s conservative-yet-still-nightmarish IPCC Special Report on 1.5⁰C of global warming, I wrote as a student about a need for schools of architecture to integrate training into their curricula to ensure students learnt about adapting buildings and designing for our climate reality.

Looking back, it was one of the least provocative things I’ve ever written: suggesting a reasonable benchmark for courses during the worsening climate crisis to ensure students are given a voice and are taught how to contribute practically to sustainable architectures.

I believed, and hoped, that sufficiently climate literate educations for architectural students and workers could lead to cascades of positive change throughout the sector. But, just as much, I understood what continuing without transformative change meant. At that time there was, and there still are, significant, systemic issues with the built environment: how it’s created and from what materials, parts and products; its carbon, energy and pollutant intensity; and that it is not consistently well-maintained and stewarded.

‘Business as usual’ in construction under today’s dominant economic and political conditions has led to rising toxicities in what we build with and live within. I’d ended my piece by listing consequences of the do-nothing approach with: ‘business as usual led to the Grenfell Tower tragedy’.

As Olly Wainwright identified in a recent analysis of architectural education in The Guardian responding to the Phase 2 report of the Grenfell Inquiry, architectural education doesn’t consistently prepare students for the real-world practicalities of building or proactively respond to real-world challenges. My opinions on Grenfell won’t take up space here because I feel strongly that we should be listening to the lived experiences of the survivors and bereaved as represented by Grenfell United and recent articles by Natasha Elcock. But the parallels with the climate crisis are there.

In 2021, ACAN’s Climate Curriculum Campaign found that 77 per cent of student respondents didn’t feel courses were properly readying them for future work and 69 per cent believed tutors weren’t responding appropriately to the scale of the climate emergency. The AJ’s 2022 student survey then revealed that about one in eight respondents were graduating with scarce training on retrofitting existing buildings, and 4 per cent of respondents weren’t getting any sustainability tuition.

‘The past is doomed to be repeated if education repeats the past’

Educational trends converge in Professor Susannah Hagan’s Revolution? Architecture and the Anthropocene, her 2023 critique of the architectural profession, its clients, and the educational system’s approaches to environmental issues, where she writes: ‘The past is doomed to be repeated if education repeats the past. Tutors trained in the old ways train students in the old ways.’

With 2023 recorded as the hottest year on record, and 2024 looking to surpass it, teaching students in the old ways prepares them for environmental conditions that don’t exist, even if that teaching considers climate breakdown at all.

Responding to the challenges of the climate emergency is also not just a simple matter of teaching students to count carbon emissions, to better understand material choices (and the physical junctions between them), or to understand the fundamentals of the climate science.

We need this – and more. We urgently need educators to continue cultivating their own climate literacy alongside their students, and the reimagining of curricula and design briefs. This would imagine adaptations fit and ready for 3⁰C futures and help service a Just Transition, rooted in local needs.

Like every system people have designed, architectural education can change, despite what academic cycles and traditions suggest and stipulate, and it could do a great deal of good. It doesn’t matter if it’s an education system, an economic system, or a planning system, the Rosebank Oil Field, the UK’s hostile environment, or a demolition decision: if something began in the human imagination, it’s inherently malleable and it can be changed.

If architectural education is to prepare students to handle the practicalities of construction – no longer presuming that on-the-job learning will fill in curriculum gaps – and to tackle real-world sustainability challenges as climate breakdown intensifies, schools must make time to fundamentally reimagine how architecture is taught, together.

Source: Architects Journal

 

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The Tallest Mass Timber Building in Melbourne

Following six months of planning and feasibility testing, BTR innovator MODEL shares its first project – a 13,000sqm (GFA) structure in Abbotsford – which will not only be the tallest mass timber residential building in Melbourne, but also the first large scale apartment complex in Australia to achieve Passive House certification.

MODEL on Johnston will offer 200 apartments across 17 storeys, is located adjacent to the Victoria Park train station at 276 Johnston Street and will set out to be a global exemplar in sustainable development.

Along with Passive House certification, the building will target 6 Star Green Star and 9 star NatHERS ratings, a 50% reduction in embodied carbon (when compared to standard developments), be 100% powered by renewables, and operate at net-zero emissions.

The $120M development was brokered by JLL Australia, with Dora Stilianos of Baker McKenzie managing the legal transaction.

MODEL CEO Rory Hunter says the blueprint for setting the new standard for decarbonising at scale, is the hiring of expert talent and the integration of key project development partners at every stage.

“We’ve built an incredibly strong team at MODEL (more below) and put together a crack team of collaborators who we will work with at all key touchpoints, including: architects Fraser and Partners; sustainability consultants HIP V. HYPE; structural and timber engineers BG&E; urban planners at Urbis; and, quantity surveyors and carbon planners at Slattery.”

Hunter says MODEL’s ‘decarbonisation at scale’ approach not only differentiates the developer in its commitment to sustainability – it offers a valuable safeguard on returns for investors.

“MODEL’s financial framework centres around the value returned over the life of the build, with outlay costs being both offset and capitalised on by significant operational costs savings and greater long term resilience resulting in a de-risked asset.”

“And by managing the development internally and focusing on sustainability, MODEL is positioned to capture the premium returns already seen in sustainable commercial office buildings.

“JLL’s recent paper Early Mover Advantage (Nov 2023) shows that commercial tenants are willing to pay higher rents for Net Zero properties with strong sustainability credentials and that valuations benefit from lower cap rates. We believe this trend will extend to the build-to-rent sector.

“Our pioneering approach offers investors not only reduced operational costs and efficiency but also the potential for enhanced financial performance as well as future proofing for evolving regulatory requirements.

“MODEL on Johnston will be the first example of our ‘no compromises’ approach: decarbonising at scale; creating a warm and dry thermal envelope along with a deep sense of community for residents; and delivering strong, ongoing returns for investors.

“We’re about creating great places to live and enhanced experiences for renters to enjoy. We’re looking at urban, inner city locations with great connections to public transport, rich cultural offerings in the neighbourhood and 10% of MODEL on Johnston’s apartments will be affordable housing.”

Joining Hunter to champion the development and management of this and other upcoming projects – effective immediately – is MODEL’s Head of Development, Matthew Mattiske, and Chief Operating Officer, Phil Shelley.

“I’m proud to mark this milestone alongside such an incredibly experienced and accomplished duo,” Hunter says.

“Having Matt in the role of Head of Development will ensure we’re decarbonising at scale and building exemplar structures. While Phil will lead the delivery side to provide outstanding amenity and an unparalleled renter experience. Cumulatively, this ladders up to healthy and sustainable returns for investors who get our point of difference.”

Source: Architecture & Design

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Profile: Michael Simpson – technical advisor at SFS

Michael Simpson, Technical Advisor at SFS

SFS Group Fastening Technology’s Construction Division is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of carbon and stainless-steel fastening solutions for roofing, cladding and façade systems. Additionally, SFS manufactures an award-winning fall protection range, innovative rainscreen subframe systems and high-quality hinges for windows and doors.  The reputation of this established company, which has been in the UK for over 120 years, rests on value added propositions along with company-wide technical expertise.

Here, Michael Simpson, technical advisor at SFS, talks about his role in helping clients find solutions to their construction challenges.

How long have you worked at SFS? 

I have worked for SFS since January 2024.

What were your previous roles?

I have 28 years’ experience in the cladding industry. I’ve done pretty much everything from installing a wide range of rainscreen cladding systems, overcoming technical issues, negotiating with clients and specifiers all whilst managing several projects and training and supervising numerous installation teams.

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

I just love cladding and love working with people to get the job done! I now have direct contact with customers and enjoy talking them through all aspects of their projects and helping them find solutions to the most challenging jobs.

What has been the most exciting project you have worked on with SFS?

I was involved with installation trials and photoshoots for a new product launch recently which involved me demonstrating the new system in front of the camera. That was a real buzz!

What new ideas and strategies are you working on at the moment?

I’ve got so many ideas and suggestions based on my wealth of knowledge; I am currently deeply engaged in testing some of the upcoming new SFS ConnectSuite of free online tools. Strategically, I view my work as a way to secure the future of my customers by offering excellent, yet practical advice based on my experience.

Describe how you provide technical support to customers?

Our priorities include providing our customers with the technical support they need by making recommendations based on our SFS NVELOPE subframe and fixing systems. This uses fantastic tools such as Project Builder. I like to think my installation know-how learned over many years, adds another level of expertise to our service as I have first-hand knowledge which enables me to visualise what a customer describes to really understand the detail and requirements.

When SFS introduces a new product, do you undertake training to get to know the product and its application to help you assist customers?

Yes, I’ve already supported the launch of our SFS NVELOPE NVS RP system. I really enjoyed this. I’m always interested in seeing new SFS products so I can gain the best understanding of how it works so I can help our customers to get the best solution for their projects.

How does the technical department fit in with other departments at SFS UK?

I’m part of our SFS Technical Team headed up by our UK Technical Manager, Gordon Hines.  We support all technical enquiries for our building envelope product lines, including rainscreen, roofing & cladding and fall protection. We are always on hand to support our sales team so they can offer their customers a knowledgeable service.

Which other departments do you provide support and advice to?

Any department that requires our expertise. This could be supporting our marketing or customer experience team as an example, with any technical advice or updates as necessary

 

CLICK HERE to visit the SFS Website

or for further information, call 0330 0555888

 

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