Housing crisis: 2020 update

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With Christmas behind us and another year being added to the number of years of failure in housing policy, it would be all too easy to let the January blues creep in. The once common concept of home ownership is now an impossible dream for many, and untold numbers of people are being pushed into homelessness.

The catastrophic decline in social housing has left millions feeling insecure in unaffordable homes they’ll never own. Unless we take action, the future of man will be a generation of young families that are, at best, trapped renting privately for their whole lives, with billions in welfare costs being paid to private landlords. Something must be done. Joe Bradbury investigates:

 

If the end of 2019 taught us anything then it is that we are a country divided in opinion. However, one thing that everyone can agree on is that something needs to be done to tackle homelessness, which is now at its highest peak since records began.

Just before Christmas, homelessness charity Shelter revealed that 280,000 people are recorded as homeless in England alone and at least 320,000 throughout the whole of Britain – an increase of 23,000 since 2016 when the charity first published its landmark annual report.

 

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Shelter’s extensive analysis of official rough sleeping and temporary accommodation figures, along with social services records, showed that in one in every 200 people are without a home.

A staggering 135,000 children in Britain are homeless or living in temporary accommodation; it is estimated that a child loses their home every eight minutes. This is the equivalent of 183 children per day, enough to fill 2.5 double decker buses.

As if these figures weren’t horrific enough, it’s widely known that a lot of homelessness goes undocumented, including sofa-surfing and some rough sleeping. This means the true level of homelessness may never be known, and this could all just be the tip of the iceberg.

The harsh reality is that unless the new government takes urgent action to address the dire lack of social homes at the crux of this emergency, the situation is likely to get worse.

What do we need to do to end the housing crisis? The first step is to know your enemy.

The housing crisis explained

Put simply, a housing crisis comes about when rapid increases in the price of property reach unsustainable levels relative to incomes, price-to-rent ratios, and other economic indicators of affordability. A housing crisis is a situation where people with a full time income still can’t afford a home because the market values are astronomical.

The distinct lack of affordable, decent homes for the UK population is having adverse effects throughout the country. Here a just a few examples of what happens when a nation finds itself within a housing crisis:

  • Home ownership is no longer an option for many. Due to the sheer scale of inflation, house prices are now estimated to be almost seven times people’s incomes. This means that despite people having full time employment, the chances of them being able to save and buy a house without the support of a relative is becoming exceedingly slim. In the past ten years, home ownership fell for the first time since Census records started. This leads to:
  • An increasing number of people renting from private landlords. Over 9 million tenants in Britain currently reside in private rented accommodation, 1.3 million of which are families with children. Renting unfortunately doesn’t offer the security that ownership provides, with increasing rents, hidden fees, loss of deposits and the constant threat eviction a persistent concern. It is also incredibly hard to regulate – one in three private rented homes in England alone fail to achieve the Decent Homes Standard.
  • Current mortgages stretch people too thin. A large portion of people who have managed to buy their own house have done so at a time where mortgages are so high and at the very top of their budget that there is no safety net and monthly repayments can be hard to meet. As a result of this many homes are repossessed each year across the UK. This causes a rise in:
  • Perhaps the most dramatic and sad impacts of the housing crisis is the distinct increase in homelessness that is being reported throughout Britain.

Build more homes

Recent figures published by the National Housing Federation (who represents housing associations in England, social landlords to 5 million people) and Crisis (the national charity for homeless people) reveals the true scale of the housing crisis in England.

To both meet this backlog and provide for future demand, the country needs to build 340,000 homes per year until 2031. This is significantly higher than current estimates (including the Government’s target of 300,000 homes annually), which have never before taken into account the true scale of housing need created by both homelessness and high house prices.

However, simply building a total of 340,000 homes each year will not meet this need – they will need to be the right type of homes. 145,000 of these new homes must be affordable homes, compared to previous estimates of the annual affordable housing need of around 78,000. This means that around two-fifths of all new homes built every year must be affordable homes – in 2016/17, only around 23% of the total built were affordable homes.

The new research also goes further than previous studies, breaking down exactly what type of affordable homes are needed:

  • 90,000 should be for social rent
  • 30,000 should be for intermediate affordable rent
  • 25,000 should be for shared ownership

What next?

We need to build 3.1 million more social homes over the next 20 years. This will allow the benefits of social housing to be offered much more widely, providing both security for those in need and a step up for young families trying to get on and save for their future.

The cost of land for social housing needs to come down. Government should reform the Land Compensation Act 1961 so that landowners are paid a fair market price for their land, rather than the price it might achieve with planning permission that it does not actually have. This in itself is an enormous barrier to building.

Plus, the benefit freeze is pushing low income families to the brink, with more than nine in ten homes for private rent (94%) too expensive for those on housing benefit. Two thirds of these families (65%) are in work.

Research by the National Housing Federation shows just how inadequate Local Housing Allowance now is for the 1.3million families who rely on it to cover the high cost of private rent. Low income families aren’t able to access social housing due to the sheer shortage of it, now they can’t access enough housing benefit to rent privately either.

It’s a new year and we have a new government. Whether it is the government you voted for or not is now moot; as an industry we need to apply pressure where necessary in order to fulfil our obligation to the swathes of homeless people throughout the country. For some, it’s a matter of life and death.

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Grenfell – Lessons learned will have costs

Sheffield’s £40m fire safety bill in wake of Grenfell tower disaster

 

Sheffield Council bosses are lobbying the government for fire safety funding following the Grenfell tower blaze.

The council says it has always taken fire safety seriously but there are new national recommendations following the tragedy in 2017.

Officers have warned these will cost around £40m and say they need financial support from the government.

The council has completed remedial works where needed but will have to factor in costs from any new legislation.

Louise Cassin, housing business plan officer, says in a Cabinet report that it’s “clearly a significant, but necessary, further challenge” unless additional government funding can be secured.

 

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The report says: “The successful management of flats also comes with additional responsibilities in the post-Grenfell era.

“We have always taken fire safety seriously and have pro-actively reviewed our stock and our approaches following the tragic event.

“We will take a pro-active approach to ensure we comply but initial assessment of the challenge indicates that financial support is needed from government and we will be making a case for this with government.

“Investment in sprinklers, fire alarms, fire doors, combined with a robust regime of managing schemes and inspections will cost an estimated £40m and without grant support may require priorities in the investment plan to be revisited.”

The council says it is working with residents to ensure people know what to do if a fire breaks out.

The report adds: “We want to ensure that our tenants are safe and that their homes continue to comply with relevant legislation.

“We have now completed the recladding works on Hanover tower block with active support from the community.

“Other key investment priorities will include continuing to implement fire safety works including sprinklers and fire stopping works on the tower blocks, continuing to invest in roofing replacement and electrical upgrades.”

The Hackitt Report, an independent review of building regulations and fire safety, was published in 2018 and set out over 50 recommendations.

Sheffield Council then took part in a government consultation in response to the recommendations. The outcome of that consultation isn’t yet known.

Source: The Star

Since the horror of Grenfell no less that 9,000 emails have been received from councils reporting the extent of the unsafe aluminium impacting on their housing stock  The emails have been sent to a bespoke email address set up by GOV.UK in the wake of Grenfell for the purpose of allowing councils to report.

As yet there is no finite answer to just how many properties are at risk, however in answer to a question from by Labours Steve Reed to Ester Mcvey, the Housing Minister, she has said  “We will publish appropriate summary information from the data collection in our monthly Building Safety Programme data release in due course.”

What is certain is that in order to redress the risks the costs will be substantial, what is not so certain is how the costs will be met.

 

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London Underground – The abandoned Line

Despite the result being the world-class public transport system we enjoy today, the history of the London Underground is much a story of failure as it is success.

The evidence of one such failure can be seen on the London Underground map – the station Mill Hill East.

This Northern Line stop sits on its own branch peeling off just north of Finchley Central.

Originally it was part of a proposed extension to the Northern Line that would have gone to Edgware then reached up into Hertfordshire, including three entirely new stations.

It got well past the planning stage with parts of it built before the axe came down – leaving nothing but half-built structures looming out of the landscape of North West London.

This extension was part of the Northern Heights Plans which was too see wide expansion to the upper reaches of the Northern Line.

The branch was meant to extend from Mill Hill East along one of the branches of the Great Northern Railway through Mill Hill (The Hale) to Edgware.

(Image: Hammersfan)

 

If you look on Google Maps you can see that the line goes on from there towards Edgware. The route of the planned extension can be seen snaking westwards from Mill Hill East Station. From Edgware it was to go along brand new track onto three new stations, Brockley Hill, Elstree South and Bushey Heath.

The extension was announced in 1935 and construction began shortly afterwards. But then history intervened.

 

 

The route of the planned extension can be seen snaking

westwards from Mill Hill East Station (Image: Google maps)

The 30s were a great decade of economic and political instability. WWII started and the Tube extensions into Hertfordshire were side-lined. Lack of funding in the war years resulted in a halt to the project and new post war legislation protecting Green Belt areas meant the project was shelved.

The plans had been for the line to serve new commuter towns but the Green Belt restrictions impacted on these making the proposed line redundant. However as the plan was cancelled partway through completion, evidence for it can be seen across the area.

At Edgware Station the line continues on into a tunnel where the line would have gone. Going on from there you can find stumps of bridges where the line was to cross major roads. Even the remains of a half-built station can be can be found. At Cannons Corner roundabout you can see the first steps towards making Brockley Hill Station.

The Edgware branch from Mill Hill East closed in 1964 with the Mill Hill East bit surviving because it was already electrified.

Mill Hill East is the least used station on the Northern Line. It remains an interesting relic of a huge failure to extend.

 

The abandoned remains of the part built Brockley Hill Station (Image: Nigel Cox)

 

 

Source: My London

 

 

 

 

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Windfloat – Harnessing the Wind

In these troubling times we need all the good news we can get, and this week we finally got some: the largest floating wind turbine to date just went online off the coast of Portugal.

One of the three platforms that will make up the WindFloat Atlantic off-shore wind farm was connected to the grid via a 20-kilometre (12.4-mile) long cable on New Year’s Eve.

Once the other two platforms come online, WindFloat will be able to provide enough clean energy for around 60,000 homes.

Floating wind farms are able to take advantage of stronger winds because they’re on the ocean or sea, but the logistical challenges are considerable – the first such farm didn’t start producing electricity until 2017, so it’s still early days for the technology.

 

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In particular, these floating electricity generators need to be able to stand firm against the movement generated by waves and wind, as well as the spin of the turbines themselves.

To overcome this issue, WindFloat developer Principle Power has anchored their turbines to the sea bed at a depth of 100 metres (328 feet).

Each of the three floating structures that make up the farm are 30 metres (almost 100 feet) in height – the largest floating wind turbines to date. Once they’re all working together they’ll manage an overall capacity of 25 megawatts. WindFloat is moored around 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) off the coast of Viana do Castelo.

A smaller WindFloat prototype was in operation off the coast of Portugal between 2011 and 2016 as a proof of concept.

To overcome some of the issues with building floating wind farms, Principle Power did most of the construction on land first before shipping the turbine into position.

“The commissioning of the WindFloat Atlantic project demonstrates the maturity and commercial readiness of floating off-shore wind technology,” Joao Metelo, the Principle Power chief executive, told ReNews.

“Wide deployment of this game-changing technology around the world would strengthen energy security and help governments tackle climate crisis quickly and at scale, while creating jobs and fostering economic growth.”

The second turbine has now been towed into position and will come online in the next few months, followed by the third.

Standard towing crafts are being used, rather than boats specially designed for these platforms, which will make it easier to roll out the technology to other parts of the world.

Let’s hope the progress that’s been made with renewable energy continues to pick up pace in 2020 and beyond.

Studies have shown that there’s plenty of untapped potential when it comes to harnessing the wind as an energy source, whether that’s with on-shore or off-shore farms.

Countries like Scotland are leading the way: it now produces twice as much electricity from wind power as it actually needs to keep the lights on.

And a 2017 study highlighted just how much power we can harness from the stronger winds roaring across the oceans. WindFloat should be just the start in a boom in floating wind farms and electricity generation.

 

Source: ScienceAlert

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Architecture, Engineering and Construction: Who in the AEC has made the Queens 2020 Honours list

Much like the 2019 New Year Honours list, those recognised in the AEC industry for 2020 leaves a lot to be desired. With the Grenfell tragedy still sitting firmly at the fore, poor payment practices and issues with major project delays, it may come as no surprise that this year’s honours are short.

Despite this, here are those within the AEC industry who made this year’s Honours list for 2020:

CBE

Professor John Ernest Nolan – chairman of the Construction Industry Council and president of the Institution of Structural Engineers – for services to structural engineering and the construction industry.

Peter George Hansford FREng for services to services to innovation in civil engineering.

James Fobert for services to architecture.

Peter Geoffrey Freeman, co-founder of developer Argent, for services to housing and communities.

Professor Colin Gareth Bailey, president and principal of the Queen Mary University of London, for services to engineering.

Dr Hayaatun Sillem, chief executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, for services to international engineering.

OBE

Corrienne Peasgood, principal of City College in Norwich, for services to Safeguarding and Construction Skills in Norfolk.

Professor Sadie Anna Morgan, founding director of dRMM Architects, for services to the advocacy of design in the built environment.

Professor Phillip John Jones, professor at Welsh School of Architecture. for services to architecture and decarbonisation.

Dawn Rebecca Fitt, engineering apprenticeship training co-ordinator at the Bedford College, for services to training, inclusion and diversity in engineering.

MBE

Yewande Modupe Mayomi-Akinola, principal engineer at Laing O’Rourke, for services to engineering and diversity in STEM design and innovation.

Olanike Adefemi Folayan, co-founder of the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers UK, for services to diversity in engineering.

John White, director at Southwark Construction Skills Centre, for services to the community in South London.

Professor Eyal Weizman, a British Israeli architect, for services to architecture.

Harry Fotios Paticas, creator and architect of the Stairway to Heaven Memorial, for services to the community in Bethnal Green, London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

 

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Source: PBC Today

 

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Take Action Now to Reduce Building Carbon Emissions

By Erin Meezan

 

Erin Meezan is based in the US and leads a global team that provides technical assistance and

support to global business, addressing sustainability at all levels—from operations

and management, to employees and customers, and in policy forums. In this article she takes a

world wide look at the carbon impact of construction.

 

The building and construction industry stands as the world’s single largest emitter of carbon emissions when accounting for both operational and embodied carbon, according to the Global Status Report 2017. Both manufacturers and specifiers have tremendous opportunity to reduce carbon emissions in our built spaces and, in turn, address global warming.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC’s) special report Global Warming of 1.5ºC details the significant carbon emissions impacts from the built environment sector, prompting calls from the World Green Building Council and others to decarbonize the entire building and construction supply chain by 2050.

Changes are required across the entire supply chain to meet this goal. And, as the industry determines how to address carbon emissions in the built environment, the solutions must include both operational carbon and embodied carbon—the emissions associated with the production, transportation and disposal of building materials, such as flooring and carpets.

This won’t be an easy change, but policy mechanisms, new tools and increasing awareness are leading the building and construction industry to embrace this challenge. With a stronger focus on creation of new recycling programs for building materials and strengthening existing programs, like the State of California’s carpet recycling law, we can contribute to decarbonizing the building and construction supply chain.

Solution to Carbon Emissions Problem

Despite significant efforts, buildings-related emissions are on track to double by 2050. New buildings must be highly efficient and draw energy from renewable sources, helping to reduce their operational carbon emissions. But almost half of the carbon in a building comes from another source, the embodied carbon emissions associated with interiors products—and the processes of making those building and interior materials.

Address emissions in the built environment by specifying products with recycled materials that can be recycled at end of life. More than 4 billion pounds of carpet end up in landfills annually, so flooring specifiers can play a significant role in helping to reduce carbon emissions associated with the manufacturing of carpet by advocating for and driving an increase in carpet recycling rates.

Additionally, specifying products with a low carbon footprint is easier than ever with the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool. This free, open-access resource allows architects, owners, interior designer, construction companies and policymakers to easily evaluate and compare the carbon footprints of a variety of building products.

The Circular Economy’s Role in Decarbonization

Products and materials that end up in landfills waste the energy and resources taken to manufacture the product. We need more recycled content in our material stream, so we can continue to reduce the amount of virgin raw materials in our products. This will have a positive impact on embodied carbon emissions and the environment as a whole.

Incorporating bio-based and recycled content in products lowers the carbon footprint of a product and does more than simply divert waste materials from the landfill. By replacing virgin materials in their products, manufacturers can reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and the extraction of finite resources from the Earth.

For example, recycled plastic (e.g. nylon in carpet) could reduce climate impact more than some other recycled materials (e.g. limestone), since virgin nylon is more energy intensive to produce.

Further, using post-consumer recycled content, or recycled content from used carpet tiles or other used products at the end of their life, closes the loop by giving those materials new life.

State Governments Roles in Carpet Recycling

Recognizing the vale to the state and its environment, 10 years ago, California led the U.S. in creating the country’s first mandatory carpet recycling program. The state and stakeholders have worked since to continuously strengthen the program, ensuring effective carpet recycling across California.

In October, California’s governor signed Assembly Bill No. 729, which further supports the state’s recycling program.

This new law furthers California’s recycling program by:

  1. Safeguarding recycling program fees. Program fees are returned to the state if there is an organizational shift, allowing the California recycling program to remain stable and ensure certain types of carpets are supported for recycling. A supported program means less in landfills.
  2. Ensuring a more circular economy in California. By minimizing waste and making the most of resources, businesses are encouraged to innovate.

While California is the only state with a law supporting carpet recycling today, their program and lessons learned provide a valuable template for other jurisdictions considering similar programs. As it stands, a few states have similar legislation proposed.

A Call to Actions

It’s important to specify carpet that not only includes recycled content, but also can be taken back and recycled at end of life. You can make a difference by:

  • Including post-consumer recycled content requirements in purchasing criteria.
  • Asking critical questions of carpet manufacturers to ensure they have active recycling programs.
  • Asking for details on what happens after products are collected for take back.
  • Encouraging more carpet recycling whenever there’s an opportunity to do so—raising it with customers on refurbishment projects and talking about it with general contractors.

With the increase of Extended Producer Responsibility legislation in several states, combined with the important lessons learned in California, we now need to increase the awareness and action of those involved in specifying products in the built environment. As these new policy approaches emerge, we must take similar action through better purchasing criteria and specification to further recycling on all fronts.

Now, it’s time to work together to make a circular economy a reality across the world.

 

Source: Interiors+Sources

 

 

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Antarctica: Getting Ready for RRS Sir David Attenborough

A major modernisation programme at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Rothera Research Station begins its second ‘summer season’ this month with the arrival of a 40-plus person team from BAM. Construction work on a new 74m long wharf resumes, and initial groundworks for a new science and operations building begins. The works will improve operational efficiency and ensure that BAS is fit for the future.

Getting the research station ready to berth the RRS Sir David Attenborough requires ambitious and complex engineering.  This season the remaining 14 of the 20 steel frames that form the wharf’s skeleton will be put in place and backfilled with rock, completing the wharf.

 

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Wharf enhancements include a crane for easier launching of small science boats, a personnel gangway and a floating pontoon for the deployment of scientific instruments.

Antarctica is the highest, driest, coldest and windiest place on Earth. Construction is challenging and can take place during a short period in the austral summer (November to May). It is an exciting project for BAM, the BAS project team and Technical Advisors Ramboll.  Around 80% of the construction team are returners from the previous season.

A key feature of the modernisation programme is to reduce fossil fuel consumption at the station and to introduce more energy efficient systems including heat recovery generators, photovoltaic solar panels and enhanced insulation.  Work has already begun on the preparations for a new 2700m2 science and operations building.

Martha McGowan, Project Manager at BAM said: “Having been to the naming ceremony for the RRS Sir David Attenborough earlier this year, it helped put our second build season into perspective. It will be a busy season but we recognise the importance of our projects in helping BAS continue to deliver frontier science.”

David Seaton, Senior Infrastructure Programme Manager at British Antarctic Survey said: “After many months of planning we are looking forward to achieving two key milestones at Rothera. These two projects; the wharf and modernisation are critical to reducing operating costs, improving efficiency and keep the research stations meeting the needs of BAS personnel to facilitate world-leading research for the future”.

The Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation (AIM) programme is commissioned by UKRI-NERC (Natural Environment Research Council).  It aims to keep the UK at the forefront of climate, biodiversity and ocean research and will last between 7-10 years and is worth an estimated £100m.

The AIM programme operates through a partnership model providing key engineering, scientific and construction expertise, this includes technical advisor Ramboll, working alongside BAS’s construction partners BAM and their designers, Sweco.

More information on the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation project is available on British Antarctic Survey’s website: https://www.bas.ac.uk/team/operational-teams/operational-delivery/infrastructure-project-management-teams/

 

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A CONFIDENT SECTOR FOR 2020, PLEASE BORIS

It cannot be denied that the long running debate on Brexit and the resulting debilitating effect on Government has dented the construction sector with the infection of uncertainty.

Whether for or against, we now have a definitive decision and a Government with a clear mandate.

Now the theatrics of the election are over the Government must now take a serious look at not just the means to achieve a beneficial Brexit but also at what is needed internally in the three most important areas of NHS, Schools and Housing.

Construction represents 7% of the UK’s GDP and plays a vital role in all of these basic services, the need for a confident construction sector should be considered paramount and this is what we hope for in 2020.

 

We noted some comments from leading players within the sector below:

 

“It is critical that the new Government focuses as quickly as possible on the key decisions that will drive greater social cohesion and economic strength for the UK. Most notably: a commitment to national and regional infrastructure investment; support for the innovation and digitisation that will modernise our sector and many others; and a rigorous commitment to reversing our national skills shortage.

“These are the factors that will kick-start growth and enable the UK to compete successfully in global markets. It is imperative that the public and private sector work together to deliver them.”

Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty Group Chief Executive

 

 

“This is a definitive result, and one that will hopefully finally provide the stability the sector so desperately needs in order to deliver growth. For Boris Johnson and his new Government, the focus in the initial few weeks will rightly be on finding a clear path through Brexit. For our industry, the most important thing is ensuring that we maintain access to the right mix of skills and talent once we leave the European Union. That means making sure that our future migration system is fit for purpose – and in turn that means it must take account of the specific challenges faced by construction. The Construction Leadership Council and I will be working with the Government and our trade bodies to make sure that is the case.

“As we look beyond Brexit, I also hope that we will see the promises made on the campaign trail around infrastructure funding and delivery quickly come to fruition. It is particularly important that we receive clarity on the future of crucial large projects like HS2, the expansion of Heathrow and Northern Powerhouse Rail. If the Government can assuage the doubts of the sector and make firm commitments to deliver it will unlock a huge amount of investment and growth; securing our future and ensuring that our economy is able to continue to grow.”

Mark Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer, Mace Group

 

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Changing lives through Construction

Matthew Lemoine, “It’s transformed my confidence”

 

The contractor behind several important building projects in Liverpool has launched a skills academy in the city to equip dozens of local people with qualifications to get jobs in the construction industry.

Willmott Dixon has opened the Building Lives Academy adjacent to its project to build King’s Dock car park, for Liverpool City Council, in Monarch’s Quay with the intention of upskilling vulnerable young people, ex-offenders and individuals on licence from HMP Thorn Cross near Warrington so they can enjoy a career working on the region’s key building projects. 

 

Diversity leaders

It comes as Willmott Dixon featured as the UK’s highest placed company in the FT’s inaugural list of European leaders for workplace diversity and inclusion, coming 3rd out of 700 organisations in the Diversity Leaders table of the most inclusive workplaces, which includes their work with the Building Lives academies.

The company has teamed up with the Liverpool charity Inside Connections Support CIC Inside to provide a training course delivering two weeks of classroom learning followed by two weeks of work experience at Kings Dock Car Park and Liverpool John Moores University construction sites.

Those attending the course will gain Level 1 certificates in Construction Operations and Health and Safety at Work alongside an all-important CSCS card so they can find work within Liverpool’s buoyant construction industry.

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First to find jobs

The first cohort has now completed their training, with every attendee finding full-time employment either with Willmott Dixon or their supply chain.

 

Changing lives

One Building Lives Academy graduate, 31 year-old Matthew Lemoine, who lives in Liverpool and is on probation, said the course has made a real difference, “It’s transformed my confidence. When you’re on the inside you don’t have much confidence, you worry about the stigma you’ll face when you leave prison and that no one will give you an opportunity. This academy is giving people a chance. It really is changing lives.”

John Burton, Inside Connections founder, added: “We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the impact already of the Building Lives Academy. The support we have received from Willmott Dixon and their supply chain partners has been incredible. The desire to offer individuals a second chance is absolutely commendable. In turn, the individuals have grabbed this with both hands and have excelled on site, showing pre-existing skills and gaining knowledge.”

 

Purpose beyond profit

The Building Lives academy is part of Willmott Dixon’s ‘purpose beyond profit’ ethos to play an active role in strengthening the well-being of society.  It also aims to help the construction industry tackle its skills challenge, which was underlined recently when the CITB’s annual Construction Skills Network report recently predicted approximately 168,500 jobs will be created in construction over the next five years to meet demand.

 

Source: This Week in FM.com

 

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To vote or not to vote

 

Poll shows that many construction workers are choosing not to vote in tomorrows election.

 

Leading online construction publisher, On The Tools, commissioned a poll on Facebook and Instagram, to establish how many people within the construction industry would be participating in the 2019 General Election.

 

31% of those polled on Facebook, and a staggering 49.5% of those polled on Instagram, stated that they would not vote.  

 

On the Tools is the largest online construction based community in the UK, with over 3.4 million followers on Facebook, and over four hundred thousand (400,000) on Instagram. The On The Tools community is part of Electric House – a social media and publishing agency based in the West Midlands.

 

A staggering 26,900 people completed the poll on Facebook, where they were asked the question “Are you going to vote in the General Election?’.

 

2,056 people responded to the On The Tool’s poll on Instagram, where they were asked “Are you voting in the General Election?”.

 

  • 69% of respondents on Facebook said Yes, that they would be voting in the General Election
  • 31% of respondents on Facebook said No, that they would not be voting in the General Election
  • 5% of respondents on Instagram said Yes, that they would be voting in the General Election
  • 5% of respondents on Instagram said No, that they would not be voting in the General Election

 

Lee Wilcox, CEO for On The Tools said: “I’m not surprised by the huge amount of apathy revealed by our polls, the reason for us asking the question was to highlight just how widespread voting apathy has become within the construction community.

 

“It’s clear from the comments we receive on Facebook and Instagram just how disengaged people are, resulting in such a high percentage of them choosing not to vote. With the construction industry accounting for a sizable chunk of the UK’s population, and around 6% of the UK’s GDP it’s such a big issue that people within the construction community feel both so let down and unable to make a decision, or equally feeling as though their vote will make no impact.

 

“I’d urge politicians to try to better engage with the boots on the ground.”

 

The On The Tools Facebook page has an 82% male following, and 65% of the community are within the 25-34 age bracket. The On The Tools Instagram account has a 92% male following, and 69% of the community are within the 18-34 age bracket.

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