North Somerset Council has selected national housebuilder, KeepmoatHomes, to build more than 400 new residences at Parklands Village, Weston-super-Mare, making this the developer’s first venture in the area.
The scheme, in partnership with Homes England, will deliver 425 much-needed homes in the area, including 30% affordable homes, 20% accessible homes and 15% zero carbon homes, with the remainder achieving up to 80% reduction on carbon output.
The homes will be built using modern methods of construction, using off-site, precision-manufactured components which will improve the efficiency and quality of the build process.
As part of its commitment to the local community during the development process, Keepmoat Homes has pledged to help generate opportunities in training and employment and will create at least 20 apprenticeships, as well as funding for local volunteering and biodiversity projects.
Dan Haines, Regional Director at Keepmoat Homes said:
“We’re delighted to be working with North Somerset Council to deliver new, sustainable housing on the Parklands development. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to strengthen our presence in the South West and create what will become a thriving new community.”
Cllr Ash Cartman, Executive Member for Finance and Procurement at North Somerset Council, added:
“I am thrilled to announce Keepmoat as developer for our land. The selection process set out rigorous standards that the developer would have to meet, and Keepmoat met and exceeded those requirements.
“We hope this development will set a new standard for housing in North Somerset, showing that it is possible to deliver large numbers of homes at the same time as securing quality and improved sustainability and delivering affordable housing. I am especially pleased to see that 15% will be zero carbon homes.”
Keepmoat Homes was chosen as the developer for the site after a year-long, multi-bid procurement process. Work is due to start on site in October 2021 with a forecasted build rate of at least 85 homes a year.
https://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BSC-20.06.24-3.jpg320800Lynhttps://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/building-specifier-logo.pngLyn2024-06-20 08:38:122024-07-01 10:00:42Keepmoat Homes secures first build scheme in Weston-super-Mare
A council’s moronic decision to block Marlow Film Studios not only hurts our film industry – it holds back our economy, Jess Jones of City A.M.argues
It would not be unrealistic to consider that building a film studio on *checks notes* a stony, unused quarry next to the A404 dual carriageway and near one of theworld’s leading film schools, is a rather sensible proposition.
But, following a marathon six hour hearing two years after the proposals were originally submitted, councillors decided that, no, this would be totally “inappropriate” and too much of an eyesore for the good pensioners of Buckinghamshireto bear. Welcome to the UK, where economic growth is all anyone talks about, and where planning dreams go to die.
The prospect of Marlow Film Studios offered job creation, infrastructure improvement and a place for top directors to film their next blockbusters. Since 2015, more high-end TV and movies have been made in the UK than in California. Avatar director James Cameron backed the plans, saying he would base his Lightstorm 3D special effects company there.
Following the rejection, Robert Laycock, chief executive of Marlow Film Studios, voiced his disappointment and vowed to keep fighting. “I am determined to create life changes for our young people and send hundreds of millions [of pounds] into Buckinghamshire’s businesses,” he said, adding that 67p of every £1 spent on film productions flows back into the local economy.
It begs the question why a very thorough planning application for a 169,000 square-metre studio designed by the man behind the Olympic Park, faced over 5,500 documents worth of scrutiny.
Bucks Council refused the proposal, citing “spatial and visual harm to the openness of the Green Belt.” Green Belt maybe, but a former WWII prison turned quarry turned infill plot next to a congested A-road is not exactly New Jerusalem. Even the ‘Save Marlow’s Greenbelt‘ site admits “the site may not look like much.”
The same Bucks Council decided against a data centre next to the M25 because it would block views of the grass for people driving.
Critics also pointed out that the A-road system nearby is horrendous for traffic. The film studios had proposed a solution to help this, including funding for the heavily congested Westhorpe roundabout. Perhaps the NIMBYs of Marlow should instead ask why their council has not done anything to sort that out in the first place.
Detractors also said the site would harm local wildlife and the environment. But this largely barren grassland is hardly some sort of oasis. It isn’t even suitable for agriculture as the ground is poor quality, with only a light covering of topsoil over a domestic waste tip.
The proposal, however, pledged to turn over a quarter of the overall site into “space dedicated to wildlife, nature, and recreation” – something some have said the council has never attempted to do.
Marlow Film Studio is understood to be considering its next steps, which may include appealing the council’s decision.
It comes as investment in national infrastructure is being stifled by the UK’s cumbersome planning regime. Planning applications are now five times more expensive than in 1990. The UK’s film and TV industry, valued at over £17.4bn and employing more than 290,000 people, needs a serious boost, not more red tape and red lights.
The decision hurts even more as the UK film industry fights for every penny it can get. The global film and TV industry has struggled as it faces economic challenges such as higher borrowing costs and since streaming services overspent during the pandemic. Many major studios have been cutting content budgets such as Disney, slashing it by $3bn (£2.4bn).
According to the British Film Institute, the combined UK film and high-end television production spend for 2023 fell 32 per cent year on year to £4.23bn, due to the US writers’ and actors’ strikes.
ut with the Hollywood strikes now over, and film production picking up again, we should be encouraging directors to look to the UK to film new movies here. Surely many other countries would have jumped at the chance to have Cameron and other film industry titans backing a new studio. Vue, Europe’s largest independent cinema operator, set up a UK distribution arm last month to start rolling out its own movies, something that could help replenish the pipeline of productions.
Despite the setbacks, projects like Warner Bros’ expansion in Leavesden and the development of new studios such as Crown Works Sunderland show there is still hope. The government has granted 40 per cent relief on business rates for film studios until 2034, worth £470m over ten years. The UK is still competitive due to its solid skills base and tax regime, which includes new tax reliefs for visual effects and independent films.
Labour has announced it would allow ministers to bypass the traditional planning process if it gets elected, especially to build more prisons. Instead of returning the site to its former purpose, Starmer should overrule the council decision and help get Marlow Film Studios built to show everyone he really means business on growth.
The UK film industry desperately needs investment – and this new studio would have been a huge boon for the sector. But for now, we’re stuck with a planning system that is more about preserving the past than building the future.
https://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BSC-20.06.24-4.jpg320800Lynhttps://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/building-specifier-logo.pngLyn2024-06-20 08:11:442024-06-20 08:11:44Yimbys unite! How the planning regime is holding back the UK film industry
I was a fishmonger at our local Sainsbury’s during my university days. I used to do a 10-hour shift on a Sunday as it was double pay (£12ph was a lot in the early 90s) but 7am starts did not mean a whale of a time though! Being a student, Saturday nights often merged into Sunday mornings and setting up the fish counter display was the last thing on my mind back then.
After graduating in IT, I eventually became a Systems Administrator for a data management company in Derby. Although I believed I always wanted to work in IT, I missed the social interaction of working with people.
How long have you been at Schlüter-Systems?
17 years! I started working for Schlüter on 1st April 2007 (April Fools’ day)!
My initial role at Schlüter was Account Manager covering East England, or Area 2 as it was called back then. Geographically, that included Sussex through to Newcastle and everything in between. It was a varied role that meant looking after enquiries from direct account customers, contractors, and architects/designers. Soon afterwards, I was promoted to Senior Account Manager, which was a team leader role responsible for the team of account managers. I then became a Business Development Manager; there were two of us at this time and, between us, we were responsible for whole of the UK.
In 2012, an opportunity became available in training. Schlüter UK was to develop a targeted approach to training at its facilities in Coalville, Leicestershire. For many years, Schlüter had provided industry-leading training. However, this was mainly external working with distributors, colleges etc. A suite of training programmes was created, a practical workshop was constructed, and our Innovation Workshops were launched! The practical workshop areas could, originally, accommodate around 6 – 8 people and sessions were held once or twice a week. Fast forward 10 years (and a couple of major facility refurbishments), we can now accommodate up to 50 people or more, twice a week!
What are your responsibilities?
As Training Manager, my primary responsibility is the customer training experience and everything that represents; from being greeted on arrival, the training provided on the day, and all the way through to certification and departure.
Ensuring that experience is first class doesn’t come easy. I’m fortunate enough to be surrounded by a great team who work with me. Between us, we provide an experience we should all be proud of (I know I am). We are regularly told “it’s the best training day we’ve ever had”, with many people coming back again and again (and again!).
What do you love most about Schlüter-Systems?
In my role, I’ve been lucky enough to have met thousands of people (many of whom have become friends). I consider being able to represent a market-leading brand and innovative solutions provider such as Schlüter as a huge privilege. What is also a privilege is to show all those installers, resellers, and designers our solutions for applications for tile, stone and other floor coverings.
I also really enjoy working with the team around me, most of us having worked together now for many years. We regularly meet outside of work for drinks and nibbles; even colleagues who have moved on to new pastures join us.
What makes Schlüter-Systems stand out from its competitors?
As well as providing truly innovative solutions, we also have an incredibly comprehensive range. From tile edge protection, waterproofing, drainage, lighting, heating, and acoustics; the fact that these systems have all been tried, tested and designed to work together ensures a long-lasting installation.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Grey at the minute, I’m going grey, the skies are grey and its one of our main company’s colours!
Joking apart – I guess when I’m training there always is a degree of consistency. The day typically starts with meet and greet, a presentation of some description (depending on the course type) followed by a tour of the facilities and, finally, practical training. However, because I’m dealing with different people, from different ‘walks of life’, every day is different.
Training sessions are typically twice a week and, in-between, it’s time to keep on top of the organisational side of things.
I’d also like to think I have a thorough understanding of our business and, therefore, can provide a balanced opinion to assist other departments such as sales and marketing. I’m always keen to offer and show support where needed. As a result, there are always projects I’m asked to help troubleshoot.
What has been a highlight since working with Schlüter-Systems?
Festive Friday! When it first started over 15 years ago, Festive Friday was a charity breakfast for about 10-15 people. Obviously, the company has grown now but so too has the day itself!
Typically held around the last working day of the year, it starts around 4:30 am (for me) as I arrive to prepare a full English breakfast for the whole company which is now around 50+ people! Once breakfast is served, the table-tennis tournament typically follows, along with Secret Santa and then the Christmas party.
It’s obviously a lot of fun and a great way of finishing the year. However, the most important aspect for me is the money raised for charity. Over the years, we have raised thousands of pounds. For many years now, the nominated charity has been Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People, which is a fantastic organisation.
Do you have any particular goals for the rest of 2024 – career or personal?
Yorkshire Three Peaks! Last year I got into this hiking malarky. I’ve improved my step count from a lazy 4000 steps a day to between 10 and 12000 a day. My son Alexander inspired me. Between us, we’ve enjoyed the best of South Derbyshire, Northwest Leicestershire, the Peak District, Malvern Hills and many more. Later this year, we’re ready for a challenge and have decided it will be the Yorkshire Three Peaks and next year…. Well let’s see! I will be doing this for charity so keep an eye on the socials!
https://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SCHLUTER-FOC-20.06.24.jpg320800Lynhttps://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/building-specifier-logo.pngLyn2024-06-20 07:50:062024-06-20 07:50:06Meet Andrew Curry – Schlüter’s Training Manager
In light of the recent article published on 18 June 2024, by Construction News and other media outlets, the Assent Group would like to clarify the status of our group licenses, our capability to provide building control services – including for in-flight higher-risk buildings (HRBs) – and our position regarding the Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA) designation.
Contrary to what may be implied from the article, the wider Assent Group remains fully operational and capable of delivering high-quality building control services. The Assent Group operates through three licensed entities: LB Building Control, Oculus Building Consultancy, and Clarke Banks. All three businesses are registered as RBCAs and will continue to offer the comprehensive range of services that our clients rely on.
Assent Building Control itself will not be registering as an RBCA. However, it will continue to operate as an Approved Inspector until 1 October 2024 under the transitional arrangements.
The Assent Group is working with the BSR and its clients in respect of a small number of existing HRB projects that were being delivered under Assent Building Control Limited. Contrary to what was suggested in the article, the BSR is fully aware of these projects and discussions continue.
Our commitment to maintaining high standards is reflected in our workforce. All Registered Building Inspectors within the Assent Group will continue to serve our clients. Currently, over 70% of our surveyors are registered as RBIs (from Class 2A to Class 4), with this number steadily increasing.
We hope this clarifies any misunderstandings and reaffirms our dedication to providing exceptional building control services through the Assent Group. As always, the Assent Group remains committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and professionalism in all our operations.
https://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BSC-20.06.24-2.jpg320800Lynhttps://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/building-specifier-logo.pngLyn2024-06-20 07:41:012024-06-20 07:41:01CLARIFYING OUR GROUP LICENSES – The Assent Group
With just two weeks until polling day, the major political parties have set out their visions for the nation’s future.
From housebuilding to HS2, tidal energy to training, each manifesto touches on areas that could influence engineering in the UK for decades to come. Here are five of the key promises from each of the main parties.
Labour
Set up Great British Energy, a publicly owned clean power company, paid for by a windfall tax on oil and gas giants. Labour said it would work with the private sector to double onshore wind, triple solar power, and quadruple offshore wind by 2030.
“Put passengers at the heart of the rail service” by reforming the railways and bringing them into public ownership.
Reform planning to build 1.5m new homes, and to “forge ahead with new roads, railways, reservoirs, and other nationally significant infrastructure.”
A “phased and responsible” transition in the North Sea. Oil and gas production in the North Sea “will be with us for decades to come”, Labour said, and would be managed in a way that does not jeopardise jobs. The party would not issue new licences to explore new fields, however.
Establish a National Wealth Fund with £7.3bn over the next parliament. This would allocate £1.5bn for new automotive gigafactories, £2.5bn to “rebuild our steel industry”, £1bn to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture, and £500m to support manufacturing of green hydrogen.
Conservatives
Ensure annual licensing rounds for oil and gas production from the North Sea. The party also said it would open new gas power stations to back up renewables.
Fund 100,000 “high-quality” apprenticeships for young people, paid for by curbing “poor-quality university degrees that leave young people worse off”.
Approve two new fleets of Small Modular Reactors to “rapidly expand nuclear power” within the first 100 days of the next parliament.
Reverse the ULEZ expansion in London and apply local referendums to new 20mph zones and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.
Implement a new import carbon pricing mechanism by 2027 to “ensure that imports of iron, steel, aluminium, ceramics and cement from countries with a lower or no carbon price will face a comparable carbon price to those goods produced in the UK”. This would reduce the risk of industry being displaced to other countries that are not taking action on climate change, the manifesto said.
Reform UK
Scrap energy levies and Net Zero to “slash energy bills and save each household £500 per year”.
Fast-track licences of North Sea oil and gas. The party said it would also grant shale gas licences on test sites for two years, and enable major production “when safety is proven”, with local compensation schemes.
Increase and incentivise ethical UK lithium mining for electric batteries, combined cycle gas turbines, clean synthetic fuel and tidal power. Other ambitions include exploration of “clean coal mining”.
“Incentivise innovation to speed up building.” Approaches would include modular construction, digital technology and building sites that improve efficiency and cut waste.
Scrap HS2. The party hopes to save £25bn by “scrapping the rest of this bloated vanity project”.
Liberal Democrats
Make homes warmer and cheaper to heat with a 10-year “emergency upgrade programme”, with free insulation and heat pumps for people on low incomes. The party also aims for all new homes to be zero-carbon.
Invest in renewable power so that 90% of the UK’s electricity is generated from renewables by 2030.
Require all large companies listed on UK stock exchanges to set targets consistent with achieving the country’s net zero goal, and to report on their progress.
Remove “unnecessary” restrictions on new solar and wind power, and support investment and innovation in tidal and wave power “in particular”.
Review the cancellation of the northern leg of HS2 to “see if it can still be delivered in a way that provides value for money, including by encouraging private investment, or if an alternative is viable”.
The Green Party
End the “de-facto ban on onshore wind”. Along with transformation of the planning system, the party said this would support a “massive increase” in wind power.
Requireall new-build homes to maximise use of solar panels and heat pumps, or equivalent low-carbon technologies. All planning applications would be required to include whole-life carbon and energy calculations.
Introduce a carbon tax on all fossil fuels, whether produced in the UK or imported. The tax would be proportional to the greenhouse gas emissions produced when fuel is burned.
Cease development of new nuclear power stations, “as nuclear energy is much more expensive and slower to develop than renewables”. The manifesto added: “We are clear that nuclear is a distraction from developing renewable energy and the risk to nuclear power stations from extreme climate events is rising fast.”
Push the next government to establish an Offshore Energy and Skills Passport, “so that workers can transition more easily between offshore energy industries”.
SNP
Demand devolution of powers over energy regulation, pricing and production to ensure that natural energy resources are used to “best serve the needs of the Scottish people”.
Scrap Trident and invest the money into “conventional defence” and public services.
Work at pace with the Acorn Project and Scottish Cluster to secure the fastest possible deployment of the project, following what the party called the “UK government’s failure to support the Acorn carbon capture, utilisation and storage project at track 1.”
Take an “evidence-based approach” to oil and gas. “We believe any further extraction must be consistent with our climate obligations and take due account of energy security,” the manifesto said.
Promote Scotland’s hydrogen export potential. Scotland is “well placed to supply significant amounts of hydrogen to continental Europe”, the party said, and its MPs would press for the UK government to secure progress with direct interconnection between Scotland and the continent.
Plaid Cymru
Secure the “£4bn owed to Wales from HS2”. This extra funding would be invested in improving Welsh public transport, including “properly connecting north and south Wales for the first time”, and electrifying the North Wales Main Line.
Oppose Tata’s plans for the closure of its blast furnaces in Port Talbot. The UK government should look to nationalise the steelworks, the party said. Future options for “greening” steel production – including replacing coal with green hydrogen – could also be explored.
Create a Welsh Green New Deal. This would provide “rewarding, meaningful and fair work in the emerging green and net-zero sector, and includes re-skilling and supporting Welsh employees and apprentices into these sectors”.
Wales should have full control over energy powers.
A long-term plan for retrofitting existing properties, making them “more energy efficient, thereby reducing costs and carbon emissions”.
WHAT MIGHT THE GENERAL ELECTION MEAN TO THE INDUSTRY?
WILL IT BE A BRAVE NEW WORLD OR JUST MORE OF THE SAME?
Chris Goggin reviews the NetZero policy statements espoused by both of the main political parties this side of the General Election and considers the viability of these plans and gives a summary of the key issues regarding investment, infrastructure and cost evaluated against the trajectory of the international energy market and realistic domestic requirements.
A potential change of government is thought to be likely after the forthcoming General Election. If a change of direction in UK governance is introduced a redrafting of every major UK policy will take place. One area of legislation that remains an important pillar of political discussion is the question of energy – its supply, its price, its security and its impact on NetZero.
To provide a brief overview: the current opposition believes that renewable generation should be expanded far beyond the present government’s ambitions. Nuclear expansion will also be pursued whilst all North Sea drilling contracts will be honored. However, the opposition’s long-term plan is to shelve oil and gas usage in favour of carbon reducing alternative energies.
A more detailed look reveals discrepancies between the opposition and the current government’s approach to all critical areas of UK energy. However, additional renewable energy integration into the UK grid is reliant upon electrical grid upgrades that assist in renewable grid connections. Both political parties have separate plans for UK electric grid upgrading, later visited in this article.
Solar power will be tripled from 15.6 GW to 50 GW of installed capacity, whilst onshore wind will be more than doubled from 15 GW to 35 GW. Green hydrogen targets will also be doubled from 5 GW to 10 GW. Existing nuclear projects will also be completed alongside the completion of smaller nuclear projects such as the construction of small modular reactors. Clean offshore wind production will be quadrupled to 55GW by 2030.
Although the opposition has pledged to increase investment into hydrogen and CCUS (Carbon Capture & Storage) it has not been highlighted how this strategy would best result in a mutually beneficial outcome. For instance, the opposition has not stated whether they will purchase or invest in privately owned hydrogen projects or construct their own hydrogen projects.
A cornerstone of the opposition’s energy policy will be the creation of GB Energy which has been recently described in The Guardian as:
“a state-owned investment vehicle and company working alongside and often in partnership with the existing private sector suppliers. The plan is for it to be largely invisible to households, not offering electricity directly to consumers but financing and helping to build low-carbon infrastructure, from windfarms to – potentially – nuclear reactors.”
GB Energy will have access to £8.3 billion of capital to assist in the completion of strategic objectives. £3.3 billion will be directed towards the construction of localized smaller power projects whilst £5 billion will be invested into larger projects and supply chains. This money will be raised through the taxing of North Sea fossil fuel companies.
Both UK political parties believe that decarbonising the national electricity grid remains a priority that will enable cheaper customer costs and increase clean energy usage across the entire UK. However, they are yet to agree on an appropriate pathway that secures beneficial economic and societal benefits.
The opposition believe decarbonising the UK energy grid by 2030 can be achieved through capacitating £116 billion of investment, whilst the current government’s plan is to extend the 2030 timeline to 2035 and absorb £104 billion of additional subsidy. Time and finance are central issues to both strategies. Both approaches have been labelled as viable and non-realistic, according to which political party an individual subscribes to.
A financial breakdown report was commissioned by Policy Exchange, a research institute that aims to influence domestic and international policy. The report was completed by an independent energy market analytics company – Aurora Energy Research
The current opposition will require huge amounts of capital investment to achieve their aim of decarbonising. Aurora has calculated that £15.6 billion a year until 2030 is required (total £93.5 billion) and a further £4.4 billion a year from 2031 – 2035 (£22.5 billion) equating to a total of £116 billion over the next 11 years.
In contrast current government plans to decarbonise the UK’s power grid by 2035 will require £8.2 billion a year of additional investment until 2030 – a total of £49.3 billon. A further £11.1 billion a year of additional investment from 2031 – 2035 a total of £55.3 billion. The total accumulative investment over 11 years will amount to £104.6 billion over the next 11 years.
The approach undertaken by the current opposition when compared to the present Govt party focuses on the expanding of renewables, hydrogen and nuclear in a shorter span of time at increased financial expense.
We need to keep in mind also that future energy policy by both UK political parties is dependent on wider international energy market conditions and geopolitical influences. There is no doubt that there are no easy or quick answers to the question of providing energy to both commercial and domestic markets.
Rinnai follows all news and developments connected to national and international energy policy, investment and legislation. Rinnai will continue to provide updated information and data-driven knowledge to all UK customers on events that could potentially affect cost and energy options.
Rinnai’s range of decarbonising products – H1/H2/H3 – consists of hot water heating units in gas/BioLPG/DME, hydrogen ready units, electric instantaneous hot water heaters, electric storage cylinders and buffer vessels, a comprehensive range of heat pumps, solar, hydrogen-ready or natural gas in any configuration of hybrid formats for either residential or commercial applications. Rinnai’s H1/2/3 range of products and systems offer contractors, consultants and end users a range of efficient, robust and affordable low carbon/decarbonising appliances which create practical, economic and technically feasible solutions.
Rinnai is a world leading manufacturer of hot water heaters and produces over two million units a year, operating on each of the five continents. The brand has gained an established reputation for producing products that offer high performance, cost efficiency and extended working lives.
Rinnai products are UKCA certified, A-rated water efficiency, accessed through multiple fuel options and are available for purchase 24/7, 365 days a year. Any unit can be delivered to any UK site within 24 hours.
Rinnai offer carbon and cost comparison services that will calculate financial and carbon savings made when investing in a Rinnai system. Rinnai also provide a system design service that will suggest an appropriate system for the property in question.
Rinnai offer comprehensive training courses and technical support in all aspects of the water heating industry including detailed CPD’s.
The Rinnai range covers all forms of fuels and appliances currently available – electric, gas, hydrogen, BioLPG, DME solar thermal, low GWP heat pumps and electric water heaters More information can be found on Rinnai’s website and its “Help Me Choose” webpage.
RINNAI FULL PRODUCT AVAILABILITY 24/7
FOR NEXT DAY DELIVERY of ALL HOT
WATER HEATING UNIT MODELS INCLUDING 48-58kW UNITS-
https://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/RINNAI-1-20.06.24.jpg343800Lynhttps://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/building-specifier-logo.pngLyn2024-06-19 11:07:132024-06-19 11:07:13The Election: Will it be a Brave New World?
The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has warned the Government that an over-reliance on traditional building methods will see the UK fall far short of its target to build 300,000 new homes a year by mid-2020s.
In a new report, the Committee urges the Government to unlock the potential for modern methods of construction (MMC) to build homes quicker, more cheaply, while maintaining build quality. However, they will need to act quickly to increase capacity and improve investor confidence if it is to have a meaningful impact on UK housebuilding targets.
At present, use of MMC in housebuilding is low and the government will need to act quickly if it is to make an impact in meeting house building targets. Supply chain capacity will need to be increased, and greater focus placed on ensuring the workforce has the required skillset for developing technologies. The government should work with Homes England and training centres, such as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, to develop targeted programmes targeted for use in the manufacture of MMC homes.
Initial work to develop centres of excellence, bringing together businesses and academia to support innovation, is welcome but could be strengthened by coordinating with the Transforming Construction Programme and Construction Innovation Hub. These networks could form an ideal arena for testing and standardisation of MMC processes and components, as well as ensuring they comply with building regulations.
The government will also need to improve data collection and sharing if it is to overcome reluctance to utilise MMC among lenders, insurers and home buyers. To gain the confidence of the industry as a whole, as well as consumers, they must establish a database of MMC homes to demonstrate the long-term value and durability of MMC. The Committee backs the creation of an “MMC Scheme”, setting out a single set of standards for warranty providers, to provide greater certainty.
Expansion of MMC faces many additional challenges including difficulties accessing land to build on, opaque and confusing building regulations and high upfront costs. The Government should investigate the specific impact of the current regulatory systems and access to funding on MMC, and consider options for measures designed to overcome existing barriers.
Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Clive Betts MP said:
“If the government is to have any chance of meeting its target of 300,000 new homes a year it cannot simply rely on traditional methods of construction. They must make a serious effort to support the use of new and emerging technologies that have the potential to have a transformative impact on the speed, cost and quality of home building. This is not simply about shifting production away from the building site and into factories. It is about seizing opportunities that modern technologies allow, whether it be precision manufacturing, use of new materials or digital working.
“First and foremost, they must create the conditions to improve investor and consumer confidence. Reluctance is understandable. The perception is that the building innovations of the sixties created homes that failed to survive half a century, while rows of Victorian terraces are still standing. Proving quality and longevity will be key. That is why we have called on the Government to collect and publish the data that prove new building methods work, and also show if they have failed.
“The government will also need to support the industry to grow the capacity needed for MMC to play a greater role in national housebuilding. They will need to ensure that the right training schemes and apprenticeships are in place so that we have the skilled workforce that can utilise MMC techniques. They must also work with the industry to support the development of robust supply chains and support innovative businesses develop.
“The housing system is in urgent need of a major boost and if the Government is to have any chance of meeting its ambitious target it must grasp every opportunity new technologies allow. But they must act fast and act now.”
Rory O’Hagan, director at Assael Architecture, added:
“Today’s report from the housing, communities and local government committee stating the urgent need for a wholesale embrace of modern methods of construction couldn’t be more timely. As the traditional construction industry suffers from skills shortages, rising material costs and an ageing workforce, we need to find new ways to deliver housing and social infrastructure at volume, without compromising on quality or beauty. Without adopting modern methods of construction more widely, we will continue to miss targets year after year and the quality of new builds will suffer.
“The built environment must take note of the opportunity it currently faces and shake off its current malaise. The time for disruption in the housing sector is long overdue and the emerging digital platforms and precision engineering techniques offer the step change required. The onus is now on us to push and pioneer what modern methods can offer to UK housing by being honest with both clients and consultants.”
https://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BSC-17.06.24-2.jpg320800Lynhttps://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/building-specifier-logo.pngLyn2024-06-17 15:45:382024-06-17 15:45:38Committee Urges Government to Focus on MMC for Housing
The 1.4 per cent fall in construction output for the first four months of this year, marks a worrying trend in what is happening to the construction sector, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the latest ONS Construction Industry output data for April.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB commented: “The latest ONS figures show a worrying trend emerging, with decline in construction output recorded in each of the first four months of 2024. While survey data collected by the ONS indicates that continued wet and windy conditions once again contributed to the struggles of construction firms, the stagnation seen across the UK economy suggests this is part of a wider problem.”
Berry concluded: “The performance of the construction industry is a key element of the UK’s overall economic performance. With the General Election fast approaching, and all of the major political parties claiming sustainable long-term growth will be a priority, it is essential that construction receives the attention it needs. By boosting house building rates, providing support to people looking to carry out energy efficient upgrades to their homes, and taking steps to address the current skills crisis in construction, the next government can set the UK on the road to a brighter future.”
https://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BSC-17.06.24.jpg320800Lynhttps://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/building-specifier-logo.pngLyn2024-06-17 11:45:432024-06-17 11:45:43FMB: ONS Data shows a Worrying Trend Compounded by Bad Weather
Caerphilly based UK ventilation solutions provider Nuaire is proud to be sponsoring the Building Engineering Services Association’s (BESA) Clean Air Day event on the 20th June at The Wave in Bristol. The event, which is being hosted by the BESA Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Group, will be based on ‘Shaping the Future of Healthy Environments.’
As part of the sponsorship deal, Nuaire will have the opportunity to present its ventilation solutions and engage with like-minded delegates who share a commitment to clean air. As well as senior Nuaire personnel in attendance, Nuaire will also be inviting key customers to the event, where they can gain valuable industry insight. This will include a presentation from the BESA IAQ Specialist Group which is driving change and shaping the future of air quality initiatives, plus an update on the BESA Schools Engagement Project on Ventilation and Air Quality.
Commenting on the decision to sponsor this year’s BESA Clean Air Day event, Nuaire Managing Director Meirion Richards said: “As the UK’s largest air pollution campaign, Clean Air Day provides an opportunity to focus attention on this very serious subject. It’s important people from all walks of life understand the health risks of air pollution, but it’s also important that, as industry professionals, we look at the solutions. BESA has been at the forefront of championing the cause of cleaner, healthier air for all and we are pleased to be supporting them on Clean Air Day”.
This year’s Clean Air Day focus is on transport. With cars and vans being the biggest source of NOx pollutants, Clean Air Day is asking everyone to take action to help make travelling in cleaner and greener ways. But when it comes to air quality within our buildings – where we spend the majority of our time – external pollutants are only one part of the problem. Pollutant sources within our indoor environments vary hugely, from cleaning products and cooking through to furniture and even the fabric our homes are made from. Little research has been done into indoor air pollution, compared to external pollutants, but what we do know is that good ventilation can disperse and expel indoor pollutants, as well as help prevent damp and mould from forming. Established in 1966, Nuaire has developed a comprehensive range of ventilation solutions for the domestic, commercial, and industrial construction sectors, providing occupants with clean, healthy air.
https://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NUAIRE-NA-17.06.24.jpg320800Lynhttps://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/building-specifier-logo.pngLyn2024-06-14 11:09:312024-07-01 10:03:07Nuaire sponsors 2024 BESA Clean Air Day event
Timber rooves held together with ‘glue and panel pins’ and materials that turn to ‘fragile Weetabix’ when wet are ticking timebombs in our school buildings, finds Jessica Hill of Schools Week
A swollen national debt, depleted construction force and baby boom after the Second World War made Britain desperate for new ways to build schools cheaply and quickly.
Many of the quick fixes – from lightweight cement to hollow concrete blocks embedded in asbestos – were then forgotten about for decades.
Now the Department for Education is finally commissioning a £4.8 million research project into the structural dangers of post-war buildings, two years after it was proposed.
Matt Byatt, the immediate past president of the Institution of Structural Engineers, believes there is “a whole legacy” of buildings that have been forgotten about.
“Several new technologies were tried and adopted in the 1950s and 1960s. Those buildings have not been maintained as well as they should have been.”
‘System-build’ stresses
Of the 64,000 school buildings across England, 13,800 (22 per cent) come under the loose banner of “system-build blocks”. There are 12 known types made from concrete, steel and timber.
Of these, 3,600 (26 per cent) “may be more susceptible to deterioration”, a National Audit Office (NAO) report last year found.
Like those made with RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete), most system-build blocks are fragile structures, now at double their recommended shelf life of 30 to 40 years.
But repairing or replacing them often involves disturbing the asbestos buried within them.
As of last year, the DfE knew of six system-built blocks fully or partially closed since 2017 because of structural instability.
But officials don’t know exactly how and with what materials these post-war schools were built. The DfE’s own condition data collection surveys (CDCs) are only simple visual assessments.
Schools Week analysis of CDC surveys carried out between 2017 and 2019 found 987 system-built school structures referred to as “unknown” type.
Laingspan and Intergrid
Laingspan and Intergrid are two light-frame concrete systems that sit with RAAC at the top of the DfE’s priority list. They were used in the 1950s and 1960s to speed up construction and economise on steel, and were found in two buildings that closed urgently, one following the collapse of a wall, the NAO said.
The union Unison warned “there is the potential for a catastrophic collapse” of these structures.
In March, schools minister Damian Hinds said 24 schools had such buildings. All but one are now part of the school rebuilding programme.
Unison last year accused the DfE of knowing about the risks for “at least a number of years” but not communicating the risks with “staff, pupils or parents using those buildings on a daily basis”.
CLASP
Short for the “Consortium of Local Authorities Special Programme”, these buildings were prefabricated with a steel framework. There are 1,644 such school buildings in England.
Their structures make them vulnerable to fire, so asbestos boards lined the steel. They are also prone to crumbling and easily damaged. While some local authorities replaced them over the decades, others didn’t.
Former Labour schools minister Lord Knight chairs the E-Act trust. He claims one of its schools built using the CLASP system – Willenhall Academy in the West Midlands – is now “teetering” with weak foundations. Fixing the issue is a “£10 million-plus [job]”.
Scola
A similar system, called Second Consortium of Local Authorities, was used in the construction of 767 school buildings from the 1960s on. It was often poorly insulated, contained asbestos and had a 25-year lifespan.
A quarter of Scola schools were built in Hampshire, where the council admits they’re now “well beyond their estimated initial design life”.
Rather than embarking on expensive rebuilds, the council is “recladding” as its annual school capital funding grant of £23 million is “insufficient”. At current funding levels and pace of improvement, some of its Scola buildings will have to “wait a further 20 years to be improved”.
Folded plate timber roofs ‘held with glue and panel pins’
Some dangerous construction techniques only reveal themselves when it’s too late. Two school hall roof collapses in 2011 and 2019 were linked to the failure of folded timber roofs over school halls.
In both cases, the structural engineer who reported concerns to the safety body Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK (CROSS-UK) concluded the end blocks were only held together with glue and panel pins.
They warned “a significant number of these roofs…could exist, and users of such buildings may be at significant risk”.
Another engineer reported in May 2023 how a 1950s primary school roof with an “unusual hybrid concrete and steel strand truss” in the north west collapsed with no warning. Its design was “inherently defective”.
Concrete crisis
It’s not just the RAAC that’s crumbling. In the past six months, four schools in North Tyneside have been found to have used an inappropriate pour of concrete – the “hollow block and beam plank” method. This led to their partial closure.
Concrete fell from a computer suite ceiling and multiple roof cracks were discovered in Fordley Primary School. The council found three other schools – Churchill Community College, Hazlewood Primary School and Grasmere Academy – had the same problem. They were built by different companies.
Jon Ritchie, the council’s resources director, describes it as an “extremely complex situation that’s occurred on a large scale” in the four schools.
Fordley’s headteacher Claire Withers says she’d be “very surprised” if the issue was “just limited to this area”.
She claims the DfE, which says the construction issue is “historic and isolated”, was “not very keen” for the council to share the problem more widely. But the local authority insisted other councils and academy trusts knew about it.
Some of Fordley and Churchill’s children are bussed to other schools, while Grasmere’s are crammed into other buildings and Hazlewood’s make do with outdoor toilets and a marquee.
Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Luton was also built using “hollow” concrete blocks. Cracks in the ceiling forced buildings to close with some pupils taught remotely.
HACC
Other schools were built using high alumina cement concrete (HACC).
In 1973, the collapse of Camden Girls’ High School’s hall roof in north London, blamed on HACC, prompted the hasty closure of some other schools. It was banned in 1976 because it degrades rapidly when exposed to chemicals or water.
IStructE warned in 1997 that “the matter of seriously defective HACC roofs does not seem to be widely understood”.
Woodwool and stramit
Woodwool – shredded timber bound in a cement paste – was used extensively in the 1960s and 1970s, often in the roof decks of system-builds.
It’s similar to stramit, a strawboard insulation made from fused wheat or rice straw used in the same decades. Both are flammable and often laden with asbestos.
These materials cause no problems as long as they’re kept dry. But that’s getting harder to do with the DfE estimating that nearly half of schools (10,710) are at risk of flooding. That’s expected to increase to as many as 16,394 by the 2050s, with scientists predicting severe storms to become more common.
Academy funding consultant Tim Warneford says water-damaged woodwool and stramit are the two biggest building safety issues that keep him awake at night.
He recently declared the sports hall at All Saints Academy in Bedfordshire a “no-go area” because of “vertical and horizontal cracks in the woodwool and the weight of rainwater pounding on their roof”.
A recent governors’ report for the school said “academy reserves will not cover the cost of repairs/replacements”.
Sean McGinty, a technical manager for Sike Roofing, describes stramit as being like “fragile Weetabix” when wet. About one in five of the surveys he has undertaken in schools finds stramit or woodwool in their structures.
“Like RAAC, [these structures] could collapse at any time,” he says.
Solar strain
In a cruel twist of fate, installing solar panels on rooftops is also creating safety concerns.
A 2021 CROSS-UK report highlighted “dangerous assumptions” in assessments for the instillation of solar panels in schools that did not take into account the existing structure and load of roofs and did not calculate additional weight correctly.
The increasing use of air source heat pumps and air conditioning condensers are also adding weight and strain to rooftops.
Modern methods of construction
National problems that led post-war school buildings’ problems – a swollen national debt and labour force constraints – have returned.
The solution has been modular structures built using modern methods of construction (MMC), promoted through government initiatives.
But at least seven such schools built or partially built since 2020 are now earmarked for demolition because they are structurally unsafe.
In February, CROSS-UK reported a “systemic issue” with modular timber frame systems, detailing six common flaws with their design and construction.
These include issues with fire stopping, structural element protection, protection of connections and, in particular, “cavity barriers to the voids created when modules are fitted together to form multi-storey buildings”.
Of the ten companies contracted to build schools in 2021 under the DfE’s £3 billion offsite schools’ framework, two have gone into administration.
An online brochure for the new Harrier Primary Academy in Essex, which gives an opening date of 2020, shows children playing at being construction workers laying bricks . But the DfE shunned the bricks and mortar approach to build the school, contracting Eco Modular Buildings Ltd.. The company collapsed in March 2023 and the school still has no opening date.
Eco Modular had also been contracted to build The Flagship School, a special school in Sussex which remains unfinished after an opening date of last September.
The school’s last Ofsted report from 2022 found “problems caused by temporary accommodation” meant leaders’ “capacity to do anything other than react to day-to-day events” had been “severely restricted”.
Preventing ‘floor rot’
James Emery, a sales manager for modular builders Wernick Buildings, says his company always ensures buildings have underfloor ventilation to prevent “floor rot”.
But he has visited schools built by other companies that “sunk the buildings into the ground without any ventilation”.
By the time problems emerge, the original contractors have “walked away” as their warranties have expired.
Caledonian Modular, which went into administration in 2022, built Haygrove School in Somerset, Buckton Fields Primary School in Northampton and Sir Frederick Gibberd College in Harlow, which were all ordered to close. Surveys found Sir Frederick Gibberd could not withstand “very high winds or significant snowfall”.
Byatt says it’s
“almost as though we’ve come full circle” with the “quick-fix” construction problems of the past.
He sees MMC as “a quicker, cheaper way to get you out of a pickle in the short term. But if they’re not maintained – and we know that these schools are not maintained because they simply haven’t got the budgets – then it deteriorates.”
https://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BSC-16.06.24-3.jpg320800Lynhttps://buildingspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/building-specifier-logo.pngLyn2024-06-14 09:38:412024-06-14 09:38:41RAAC – Not the only danger in School Buildings
We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
Essential Website Cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
Other external services
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
