Archive for category: General News

Last summer, the acronym RAAC was launched into the spotlight overnight.

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete suddenly appeared on every news channel and at the top of the agenda of every staff meeting, days or hours before the start of the new school term in September 2023. Most commonly found on ceilings, wall panels and floors, RAAC was a remanent of brutalist industrialism from the 60s and 70s; buildings were being built quickly and contractors had to choose materials that were readily available and cost effective.

Accompanying the media attention was an obvious and urgent need for an emergency response to ensure pupils remained in face-to-face learning. Schools and Trusts had learned the harsh reality and impact of remote learning following the pandemic and were keen to ensure the quality of teaching was not disrupted.

The Portakabin team reacted with its characteristic tenacity, contacting Trusts, Councils and the Department for Education to ensure schools had access to expert advice as quickly as possible.

With schools across the country, who had been preparing to welcome pupils back in September 2023, suddenly learning they had to close upon the discovery of RAAC in the structure of their buildings, speed and quality were at the forefront of requirements.

Andy Perry, Headteacher, Myton School “About a third of our school, had confirmed RAAC. We were told to close on 1 September. A day before term started, we immediately lost a third of our teaching space including our library, canteen, music and drama. We could only fit in five of our seven year groups initially but thanks to our timetabler we managed to get six out of seven year groups in, but that still meant some of our children were learning remotely at the start of term.”

Fortunately, the team at Portakabin already had relationships with many of the schools impacted so were able to mobilise teams quickly around its sites across the UK.

Maria Perez Garcia, Regional Project Manager, Portakabin:

“When the enquiry came in, the first thing we did was get the right people at the initial site visit. We sat down with the school and the DfE to understand what requirements they had. We then had an in depth walkaround the site to see what we were working with so we could react as quickly as possible and provide the best possible emergency solution.”

While the DfE supported schools and helped them confirm the scale of their RAAC problem, Portakabin was able to assess what was required, when and how, leaving the DfE to set out a long term plan to remove RAAC permanently from buildings which were affected.

Adam Ealden, Head of Maths, Myton School,

“We learned through Covid that when students are at home, they don’t learn as well and some students don’t learn at all. They fall behind and their learning suffers. We couldn’t afford for that to happen again, we needed them back in and we needed them back in quick.”

At any one time, Portakabin was managing up to 30 contractors on the Myton School site to ensure the tight programme was met. Myton School was featured heavily in BBC reporting of the RAAC crisis, and all eyes were on Portakabin to deliver in time. Phase 1 of the project involved the team working in three separate areas of the school to deliver 31 individual buildings, which required detailed organisation with the school to avoid lesson changeovers as well as school start and finish times.

Jane Burrows, Finance Director, Myton School:

“Portakabin worked swiftly and effectively with Myton School to deliver emergency classroom accommodation and welfare units in a very short period of time. Due to the accelerated nature of the solution from Portakabin, Myton School was able to minimise disruption to learning with all students back in classrooms by the end of October 2023.”

What the RAAC crisis started to uncover was a tragically aging estate, a School Rebuilding Programme well behind schedule and the gradual decline of quality teaching spaces.

Nick Griffin, Managing Director at Portakabin comments:

“Out of over 20,000 schools and colleges in England alone, over 200 had confirmed RAAC by the end of the autumn term, which is around 1%. Over 100 of these schools will in time need one or more buildings rebuilt or refurbished where work to remove RAAC is more extensive and complex. This is incredibly important to protect education for our young people.

“Our prerogative during the initial crisis was to deliver quickly, with as little impact as possible to day-to-day learning. Our teams operate with a level of care, quality and professionalism which comes from working with educational providers day in, day out. Of all the schools we were working with last year, over 33% were specifically impacted by RAAC so our project delivery teams around the country were able to continually evolve the service and speed of our response.

“We were delighted to join the team at Myton School last month to handover Phase 2 of their buildings, a modular village which provided specialist classrooms and learning environments meaning the school can continue to deliver the same opportunities to its students, regardless of the impact of the RAAC crisis.”

While a long-term solution to the RAAC crisis is devised, Portakabin continues to offer solutions when and where they are needed most, providing a variety of buildings, both temporary and permanent.

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Parterning with Portakabin – CLICK

Responding to the RAAC Crisis – CLICK

Delivering Exceptional Learning Environments – CLICK

Challenging Projects – CLICK

Tesco PLC and Shell PLC  have struck a deal to buy energy from the UK’s biggest solar farm, providing up to 10% of the supermarket chain’s UK electricity from next year and helping power the oil giant’s electric vehicle charging stations.

The 15-year deal for electricity from the 560,000 solar panel-strong Cleve Hill Solar Park site in Faversham, Kent is Tesco’s largest power purchase agreement to date, the FTSE 100 grocer said.

It will power the equivalent of 144 of Tesco’s large stores, with the 373-megawatt solar farm, currently under development by Texas-based Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, set to open in 2025.

“We’re delighted to be announcing such a significant step in our journey towards carbon neutrality across our own operations by 2035,” Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy said.

“With its ability to provide vital energy storage infrastructure, it’s a key part of the renewable energy strategy in the UK.”

Clean power purchase deals signed by Tesco, with the likes of ScottishPower, Schroders Greencoat and EDF, will collectively provide 45% of Tesco’s anticipated electricity demand by 2030, the UK’s largest supermarket added.

Shell, meanwhile, arranged a 10-year agreement with Quinbrook to manage the capacity secured under a contract-for-difference in the UK’s 2022 renewable power auction.

Some controversy surrounded the deal, however, as the project gained planning permission despite local opposition, where it was hoped the electricity from the site would be for residential use, with the output enough to power more than 100,000 homes.

Tesco’s deal covers 65% of the output from the site, with Shell taking the remaining 35%.

“This project was approved on the premise that it would power homes, not petrol stations and supermarkets,” Vicky Ellis, of the Kent branch of countryside charity CPRE, told the Telegraph.

“The irony of a major supermarket such as Tesco and a prominent oil producer such as Shell buying into the green energy market to run their petrol stations and supermarkets is not lost on us.

“We suspect this is another example of greenwashing,” said Ellis.

After years of local protests, the 860-acre scheme was approved in 2020, currently under construction on farmland near Graveney salt marshes.

An application for a 150-megawatt battery storage facility at the UK’s biggest solar farm was refused earlier this year, as campaigners raised safety concerns about the lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) batteries used to store the energy.

LFP batteries are “more subject to explosion risk than other types,” according to a Swale Borough Council report.

Source: Proactive Investors

Futurebuild, in partnership with Innovate UK and the National Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) has launched its Big Retrofit Challenge, a bold new competition aimed at unearthing game-changing solutions in home decarbonisation.

 The Big Retrofit Challenge offers a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and companies to showcase their innovations in front of key industry players and get their ideas to the market. The innovations that come through the competition should aim to either directly address central challenges to the sector or improve wider processes for the delivery of projects that help consumers live in healthier homes, tackling issues such as exposure to damp and mould and alleviating fuel poverty.

The judges are looking for innovations that go beyond just products, including new systems, approaches, solutions, and processes that contribute to creating healthier homes. Entries are open to UK-registered businesses that have an annual turnover of £15 million or less, with priority being given to less established organisations. The submitted solutions must be suitable for retrofitting or renovating existing homes or non-residential properties. While solutions designed for new builds are also welcome, they must demonstrate applicability to retrofit projects as well.

Six shortlisted winners will have the chance to pitch their solutions on stage at Futurebuild’s National Retrofit Conference, and attend a networking morning to showcase their innovation to NHDG members with each winner having allocated slots to network directly with its members. Winners will also be given the exciting opportunity to discuss with NHDG members the potential of piloting their technology on a live decarbonisation scheme, accelerating their path to market and turning ideas into reality. It offers shortlisted winners a unique opportunity to actively work with the private sector to deliver retrofit.

Martin Hurn, Event Director at Futurebuild, said:

“The Big Retrofit Challenge is about turning bold ideas into impactful solutions. We are excited to partner with Innovate UK and the National Home Decarbonisation Group to create a powerful platform where innovators can showcase their game-changing technologies that will accelerate the decarbonisation of homes across the UK.”

Mat Colmer from Innovate UK, and Senior Innovation Lead for Construction and Net Zero Heat at UK Research and Innovation, also commented on the competition:

“Innovation is key to solving the complex challenges we face in home decarbonisation. The Big Retrofit Challenge provides a crucial opportunity for cutting-edge solutions to be tested and scaled, ultimately helping the UK meet its net zero targets while improving the quality of housing for consumers.”

Paul Rogers, National Decarbonisation Manager at CLC Group, and member of the National Home Decarbonisation Group who are managing The Big Retrofit Challenge on behalf of the team, said:

“By collaborating on the Big Retrofit Challenge, we are supporting the discovery and implementation of solutions that address the urgent need for greener, healthier homes. This competition will help unlock innovations that reduce fuel poverty, improve living conditions, and advance the UK’s decarbonisation agenda.”

The Big Retrofit Challenge is an inspiring step towards transforming the UK’s housing sector and achieving net zero goals. By fostering bold innovation and collaboration, the competition aims to deliver real-world solutions that will make an impact on the environment and communities across the country.

CLICK HERE NOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT

Further criteria and guidelines are found on the application form.

The competition will close at 11am on Thursday 28^th November 2024.

It is said that over 300,000 new homes a year are needed to be built in order to keep up with the UK’s growing population. Between 2022 and 2023, just over 200,000 were built – a 60% increase from the 125,000 new homes a decade ago. This increase, described as the ‘race to build new homes’, isn’t just about numbers either, as new builds are also rapidly adapting to meet modern demands.

More than ever before, there is a focus on new-builds reaching higher standards in technological advancements, sustainability, and modern lifestyles, but what exactly has changed? The following article from property and construction specialists Watts reveals how housing priorities have changed over the past decade, and what we can expect in the years to come.

Environment and sustainability

Although the UK formally incorporated sustainability into its building regulations in the early 2000s, the past decade has seen a larger commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of new-builds; highlighted by the new regulations introduced in June 2022. These new regulations, set to help the UK deliver net zero, require that CO2 emissions from new build homes must be around 30% lower than current standards, bring the banning of gas and oil boilers, and outline that each new build must come with EV charging points, among many others.

As house-building policies become increasingly linked to net-zero goals, new-builds are progressively being made from responsibly sourced materials, low-VOC paints, and modular building methods to reduce waste and promote efficiency. Additionally, modern homes are being designed to promote energy conservation, whilst reducing the reliance on non-renewable energy. For instance, In Fife in Scotland, 80 new builds were set to be Gas free, allowing homeowners to rely less on energy consumption to fuel, heat, and light their homes.

Thanks to modern building practices, just under 1 million homes in England and Wales have an EPC of C++, compared to just 661,000 homes a decade ago.

Smart technology

This decade has witnessed the rise of the smart home, where an emphasis on smart technology such as lighting, smart security systems, HVAC controls, and pre-installed energy-efficient appliances – all integrated into one main tech ecosystem – have become commonplace. According to Samsung’s Smart Home Buyers Index, nearly 80% of people looking to move home in the next five years want their next home to be a smart one.

Smart technology has revolutionised modern living, with it offering not only more practical ways of living, but also its ability to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and reduce costs on the consumer.

Lifestyle and well-being 

Finally, developers have recognised the importance of health and well-being in a competitive market. In contrast to more compartmentalised and function-focused layouts from previous decades, there is a growing demand for multipurpose spaces, open-plan living, home offices, outdoor spaces, alongside increased access to community – especially post-pandemic.

A study conducted by Natural England demonstrated that city parks, community gardens, playing fields, and other urban sites were the most visited type of green space in England, and that living within 100 metres of such an area can raise house prices by an average of £2,500, demonstrating that addressing the housing crisis while focusing on both economic and social well-being adds significant value.

This emphasis on well-being has also brought biodiversity into focus, as specialist hedgehog fencing, bat boxes, and native tree planting are being incorporated into developments.

To conclude, in the face of growing challenges, new house builds are being looked at with a long-term vision. In 2024, looking forward to 2030, homes are evolving from simply providing basic shelter, to addressing both national and global needs. Compared to a decade ago, modern homes are not only a band-aid to accommodate a growing population, but they are also becoming a driving source and remedy to sustainability, energy efficiency, and community well-being. By ensuring that new homes are equipped to meet the challenges of the coming decades, we are laying the foundations for a more resilient and sustainable future.