Equiping the Next Generation of Construction Workers

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Glasgow, Inspiring Scotland and FARE Scotland, has launched Construction Aware, a new programme aiming to inspire and develop the next generation of construction workers.

The ground-breaking initiative is backed by leading businesses across the Glasgow City Region and is designed to engage and educate young people about the diverse opportunities available to them within the construction and built environment sectors.

Construction Aware offers around 200 S3 pupils from 13 secondary schools across Glasgow the unique opportunity to gain work experience with six leading construction firms as part of a programme of activities about the roles and careers available to them in the built environment sector. Importantly, young people taking in the programme will gain an SCQF level 3 qualification.

Supported by CITB, the industry training board for Scotland’s construction sector, the programme also benefits from the backing of BE-ST and City of Glasgow College. Uniquely, it has been co-designed by both educational institutions and leading industry players, including McTaggart Construction, the Robertson Group, CCG Scotland, A.C. Whyte, RJ McLeod, and Sibbald Training.

The programme, initially funded by Landsec Futures, provides students with valuable hands-on experience in the construction industry. Additional opportunities for businesses to support and expand the programme are also available.

Data from Glasgow City Council’s education team showed that a mere 93 school pupils out of 1700 expressed an interest in working in the construction sector. Despite the crucial role these professions will have in Scotland’s ability to reach net zero and the growing need from businesses, there is a shortfall in people joining the industry.

The Scottish Government’s Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan, which identifies the skills the country needs to develop into a low-carbon economy, emphasises the need for a radical transformation in low-carbon skills, predicting a surge in demand for roles in planning, design, surveying, management, and deploying nature-based solutions.

Construction Aware addresses these needs by providing young people with hands-on experience and real-world insights into traditional trades and emerging green technologies. Running alongside the school year, the programme covers topics such as retrofitting, Passivhaus, and modern methods of construction.

Alison McRae, Senior Director, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said:

“This is a really exciting programme which has been co-created by our business community and education to respond to a market need where there are critical skills shortages. It will clearly show the next generation of our workforce some of the current and emerging roles within the sector in a practical and, we hope, energising way.

“This programme is about opening doors to some of our city region’s young people who might not always have access to opportunities, equipping them with new skills and showing what is possible for them. It’s a great example of impact-driven collaboration in action.”

Michelle Kershaw, Principal Officer, Towards Better Futures said:

“Careers in construction have traditionally been high on the agenda of our young people, but as the industry diverges from traditional roles we must inspire and inform our future workforce around the new jobs available, driven by technology, climate and changing skills requirements.

“By working hand in glove with industry to design and deliver a practical, long-term and focused project we can address the challenges of predicted skills gaps and labour shortages by nurturing and developing talent who can access the industry via apprenticeships and degree-level education.”

Employers, educators and third sector partners within the construction and built environment industries are encouraged to partner with Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and DYW Glasgow to help equip the next generation of workers with the skills and knowledge to thrive in an evolving industry.

 

Source: Glasgow Chamber of Commerce

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Understanding Overheating in Buildings

New research has revealed that 20% of building service engineers are unfamiliar with the UK Building Regulations’ Approved Document O, which addresses overheating in buildings – and almost half (46%) claim to understand the theory behind it but are unsure how to put it into practice.

The new study, commissioned by Zehnder Group UK in collaboration with CIBSE Journal, found that while a third (34%) of respondents claimed to know Part O ‘inside out’, the majority had a limited understanding – with 19% admitting they simply don’t understand it at all.

These concerning findings form part of a new report that surveyed architects, consultants, developers and contractors to get a better view of the understanding across the building industry when it comes to overheating.

Overheating is a real problem in residential buildings. When properties exceed a temperature threshold of 26°C for extended periods it can seriously affect occupant thermal comfort, health and wellbeing as well as productivity.

The research found that despite this evidence of overheating risks, the topic ranked relatively low among the respondents’ list of priorities, with design, quality, building regulations and energy efficiency coming out on top in new building projects – whereas modelling against the risk of overheating ranked eighth.

When asked what kept them up at night when planning a new building project, the top three concerns were design, cost and quality, with overheating being cited as sixth.

Jason Bennett at Zehnder Group UK said: “The issue of overheating isn’t going to go away; it’s only going to get worse as climate change has more of an impact, heatwaves become more frequent and we continue to create highly energy efficient homes that are effectively turning into ‘hot boxes’.”

The survey findings underscore the need for a holistic and joined-up approach to buildings that incorporate robust strategies to mitigate overheating risks. This includes promoting better indoor air quality alongside cooling.

CLICK TO Read the full report here:

 

 

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Integration Whitepaper for Sustainable Heating Solutions

 

Rinnai and Naked Energy Launch Innovative Solar and Heat Pump Integration Whitepaper for Sustainable Heating Solutions.

Rinnai and Naked Energy have collaborated to introduce a whitepaper as a precursor to a CIBSE certified CPD, the paper entitled Sustainable Synergy: Integrating Heat Pumps and Solar Thermal to Satisfy the Hot Water Needs of an archetype hotel.

The whitepaper researches and evaluates in fine detail the financial and operational outputs of a DHW solution comprising of high temperature heat pumps and solar thermal collectors utilized in an obvious commercial setting – an archetypal hotel.

Rinnai’s Sean Ehlen, together with Zanil Narsing of Naked Energy, have prepared both the whitepaper and CPD to provide the detailed data for building services consultants, system designers, main HVAC contractors and installers to consider when approaching commercial property installations that require strong and sustained system efficiency and maximized reductions in energy usage and carbon loads.

Within the main body of this paper various DHW systems operational capabilities were compared when satisfying the hot water demand of an archetype hotel. Simulation calculators were produced to highlight how the key metrics of each DHW system compared over a 20-year period.

The findings of this study demonstrate how parallel dual storage SAHP’s (Solar Assisted Heat Pumps) reduce the carbon loads by 96% whilst requiring 49.5% less primary energy, compared to a conventional gas-fired water heater system, in turn maximizing the systems efficiency.

The data extrapolated from this whitepaper further suggests that Rinnai’s parallel dual storage SAHP (Solar Assisted Heat Pumps) system should be considered by sites and all major end-users such as institutional domains, office blocks, retail malls and chain-hotels. Contractors and consultants are now with an expectation of clients’ requiring carbon reduction without diminishing performance. All sites are now expected to reduce carbon emissions whilst installing systems aligned with future building standards.

Rinnai’s latest CPD is part of an overall strategy that aims to supply UK customers with detailed analysis of decarbonising technology towards commercial applications. Rinnai will continue to offer valuable services and information to UK customers that assist in easy and appropriate product selection that delivers operational efficiency.

Rinnai’s design team offer a range of services that include cost and carbon calculations as well as a “Site Consultation Form” that details on-site data of current heating and hot water system capabilities. Customers can view the results in a rapid low carbon replacement suggestion by a professional team member.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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  • 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.
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FLOODING: Are we Sleepwalking into a Disaster?

Groundwater flooding – the emergence of groundwater into buildings and infrastructure due to unusually high water levels – is not currently listed on the UK’s National Risk Register. This is despite its long-documented ability to drive extreme flooding events; with interactions that often trigger the worst river and flash flooding disasters, including, for example, last winter. The number of UK homes within areas at direct risk from groundwater flooding is 770,000 and damage from groundwater accounts for 13% of the UK’s average annual financial losses from flooding. What’s more, groundwater also contributes to losses from rivers, surface water and coastal flooding by prolonging the duration of flood events. The result is disproportionate, long-term damage to properties, infrastructure and the environment.

“Groundwater flooding is a serious risk because it often causes far more damage than other flooding and can be devastating for those who are flooded,” says GeoSmart director Mark Fermor. “It also leads to significant economic consequences for communities affected.”

Fermor adds that a “perfect storm” of factors – including the new government’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes – has made the current situation more acute.

“In the winter of 2019-2020, we narrowly avoided a full-scale disaster with groundwater flooding in the UK,” he says. “The impact of climate change, plus recently relaxed rules designed to speed up construction across the UK, means there’s worse to come.

“First off, we’re heading into autumn and winter, when the risk of groundwater flooding is higher, without enough focus on this. Secondly, the new Labour government has set out a target of 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament; while lacking a full baseline risk assessment for risk of flooding to property and infrastructure. And thirdly, climate change plays into both these risks, with increased temperatures and changing rainfall impacting the frequency and severity of groundwater driven flooding.”

The dangers posed by climate change mean 1.9 million people in the UK currently live in areas at significant risk of flooding; and this number could double by the 2050s. The Environment Agency also predicts that “bigger, more frequent floods are expected over the 21st century, particularly during winter.”

In the light of the increased risk, GeoSmart is urging the government to develop a robust management strategy that recognises groundwater flooding as one of the UK’s foremost natural dangers based on a more holistic flood risk assessment.

“Data from our national FloodSmart Analytics platform shows that groundwater leads to more annual losses than coastal flooding, and it’s also a central primer for other kinds of flooding events.” says Fermor. “Because groundwater flooding has been misread as a tiny part of the UK’s flood problem, we risk sleepwalking into disaster. It’s a bit like the Covid outbreak, where the government was found to have failed UK citizens through a lack of preparation.”

Fermor also cautions that obstacles to effective flood risk management created by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (FWMA) and consequential errors and omissions have resulted in the central role of groundwater being overlooked.

He adds: “That’s why we’re calling on Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to hold an urgent review as the basis for a more comprehensive flood risk management strategy that includes listing groundwater flooding on the National Risk Register.”

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Whitehaven Mine Proposal – Legally Flawed

 

The decision to grant planning permission for what would have been the UK’s first coal mine in 30 years has been quashed by a High Court judge.

Mr Justice Holgate said in a ruling on Friday that giving the go-ahead for the development at Whitehaven in Cumbria was “legally flawed”.

Climate campaign group Friends of the Earth (FoE) and South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC) took legal action over the decision by the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government, then led by Michael Gove, to grant planning permission in 2022.

While the Government withdrew its defence in July, the developer of the proposed site, West Cumbria Mining (WCM), continued to oppose the claim.

At a hearing in July, lawyers for FoE said the decision “smacked of hypocrisy” given the UK’s “vocal international advocacy” over the phase-out of coal in energy systems.

Lawyers for WCM said there had been “repeated mischaracterisation” of the plans and the development would have a “broadly neutral effect on the global release of greenhouse gas”.

In his judgment, Mr Justice Holgate said: “The assumption that the proposed mine would not produce a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions, or would be a net zero mine, is legally flawed.”

The court heard the mine was dubbed as being net-zero and would extract what is known as metallurgical coal, which is used in steel-making.

It was also told the Government had previously accepted that approximately 15% of the coal would be used domestically.

After permission was granted in 2022, the Government withdrew its defence of the claim after the general election in July this year following a Supreme Court decision in June which said emissions created by burning fossil fuels should be considered when granting planning permission to new extraction sites.

At a hearing in London, Paul Brown KC, for FoE, said in written submissions that there is “no significant need for the coal” in the UK given statements from British Steel and Tata over their moves to electric arc furnaces.

Estelle Dehon KC, for SLACC, added in written arguments that granting permission for the mine “whether purportedly net zero or not” would lower the country’s status as a “global climate leader”.

James Strachan KC, for WCM, said the arguments in the legal challenge were “poorly disguised attacks on the planning judgments made by the inspector and the secretary of state”, and that the net-zero aspect of the project would be positive.

In a 48-page ruling, Mr Justice Holgate said the Government “failed to deal” with the fact that “a positive precedent effect of a net zero mine leading to other similar projects would depend upon further offsetting arrangements; that would be undesirable because offsets are a finite resource”.

FoE said the judgment marked the first fossil fuel case to be decided since the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year, and that a decision on planning permission would now go back to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner for reconsideration.

Niall Toru, senior lawyer at FoE, said: “That the ruling today has gone against the mining company could have ramifications internationally, as there are cases abroad where challenges are being made against fossil fuel projects on a very similar basis.

“This mine should never have been given permission in the first place. The case against it is overwhelming: it would have huge climate impacts, its coal isn’t needed and it harms the UK’s international reputation on climate.

“Any reconsideration of the planning application can surely only reach one conclusion – and reject this harmful mine once and for all.

“We believe that the writing is on the wall and that WCM should withdraw its application for this climate-wrecking project.”

Duncan Pollard, a trustee at SLACC, said: “It is now doubly clear that fossil fuel companies cannot ignore the combustion emissions caused by the use of their oil, gas or coal, or rely on simplistic claims that a new coal mine will have zero impact on global emissions.

“We sincerely hope that any re-examination of the coal mine proposal considers all relevant issues and this ill-conceived idea is permanently shelved.

“Central and local government need to concentrate on secure and sustainable jobs for west Cumbria.”

A spokesperson for WCM said: “West Cumbria Mining will consider the implications of the High Court judgment and has no comment to make at this time.”

 

Source: Enfield Independent

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The Fiendish Challenges of Fusion Power

“Fiendish”, “technically tough”, “difficult”, “complicated”. Those were just a few of the choice words used at an event last week in Oxfordshire, UK, to describe ambitious plans to build a prototype fusion power plant. Held at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Culham campus, the half-day meeting on 5 September saw engineers and physicists discuss the challenges that lie ahead as well the opportunities that this fusion “moonshot” represents.

The prototype fusion plant in question is known as the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP), which was first announced by the UK government in 2019 when it unveiled a £220m package of funding for the project. STEP will be based on “spherical” tokamak technology currently being pioneered at the UK’s Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE). In 2022 a site for STEP was chosen at the former coal-fired power station at West Burton in Nottinghamshire. Operations are expected to begin in the 2040s with STEP aiming to prove the commercial viability of fusion by demonstrating net energy, fuel self-sufficiency and a viable route to plant maintenance.

A spherical tokamak is more compact than a traditional tokamak, such as the ITER experimental fusion reactor currently being built in Cadarache, France, which has been hit with cost hikes and delays in recent years. The compact nature of the spherical tokamak, which was first pioneered in the UK in the 1980s, is expected to minimize costs, maximise energy output and possibly make it easier to maintain when scaled up to a fully-fledged fusion power plant.

The current leading spherical tokamaks worldwide are the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST-U) at the CCFE and the National Spherical Torus Experiment at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) in the US, which is nearing the completion of an upgrade. Despite much progress, however, those tokamaks are yet to demonstrate fusion conditions through the use of the hydrogen isotope tritium in the fuel, which is necessary to achieve a “burning” plasma. This goal has, though, already been achieved in traditional tokamaks such as the Joint European Torus, which turned off in 2023.

“STEP is a big extrapolation from today’s machines,” admitted STEP chief engineer Chris Waldon at the event. “It is complex and complicated but we are now beginning to converge on a single design [for STEP]”.

A fusion ‘moonshot’

The meeting at Culham was held to mark the publication of 15 papers on the technical progress made on STEP over the past four years. They cover STEP’s plasma, its maintenance, magnets, tritium-breeding programme as well as pathways for fuel self-sufficiency (Philosophical Transactions A 382 20230416). Officials were keen to stress, however, that the papers were a snapshot of progress to date and that since then some aspects of the design have progressed.

One issue that crept up during the talks was the challenge of extrapolating every element of tokamak technology to STEP – a feat described by one panellist as being “so far off our graphs”. While theory and modelling have come a long way in the last decade, even the best models will not be a substitute for the real thing. “Until we do STEP we won’t know everything,” says physicist Steve Cowley, director of the PPPL. Those challenges involve managing potential instabilities and disruptions in the plasma – which at worst could obliterate the wall of a reactor – as well as operating high-temperature superconducting magnets to confine the plasma that have yet to be tested under the intensity of fusion conditions.

We need to produce a project that will deliver energy someone will buy

Ian Chapman

Another significant challenge is self-breeding tritium via neutron capture in lithium, which would be done in a roughly one-metre thick “blanket” surrounding the reactor. This is far from straightforward and the STEP team are still researching what technology might prevail – whether to use a solid pebble-bed or liquid lithium. While liquid lithium is good at producing tritium, for example, extracting the isotope to put back into the reactor is complex.

Howard Wilson, fusion pilot plant R&D lead at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the US, was keen to stress that STEP will not be a commercial power plant. Instead, its job rather is to demonstrate “a pathway towards commercialisation”. That is likely to come in several stages, the first being to generate 1 GW of power, which would result in 100 MW to the “grid” (the other 900 MW needed to power the systems). The second stage will be to test if that power production is sustainable via the self-breeding of tritium back into the reactor, what is known as a “closed fuel cycle”.

Ian Chapman, chief executive of the UKAEA, outlined what he called the “fiendish” challenges that lie ahead for fusion, even if STEP demonstrates that it is possible to deliver energy to the grid in a sustainable way. “We need to produce a project that will deliver energy someone will buy,” he said. That will be achieved in part via STEP’s third objective, which is to get a better understanding of the maintenance requirements of a fusion power plant and the impact that would have on reactor downtime. “We fail if there is not cost-effective solution,” added STEP engineering director Debbie Kempton.

STEP officials are now selecting industry partners — in engineering and construction — to work alongside the UKAEA to work on the design. Indeed, STEP is as much about physically building a plant as it is creating a whole fusion industry. A breathless two-minute pre-event promotional film — that loftily compared the development of fusion to the advent of the steam train and vaccines — was certainly given a much needed reality check.

Source: Physics World

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DULUX UNVEILS TRUE JOY™ AS ITS COLOUR OF THE YEAR 2025

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For 2025, Dulux is asking architects, specifiers and designers to embrace yellow and infuse a sense of optimism, pride and imagination into their projects. As a guiding light to introduce these bold, positive shades to clients, the paint manufacturer has announced True Joy™ as its Colour of the Year for 2025, which is complemented by three versatile ColourFutures™ palettes.

 

Over that last two decades, the Dulux Colour of the Year has been chosen through extensive trend research by Dulux colour experts and international design professionals. The 2025 selection, True Joy™, is a bright and positive yellow that reflects people’s desire to break free, reset, and create something new and exciting. As well as embracing True Joy™, Dulux is also encouraging designers to share the joy of yellow and help clients to leap out of their comfort zone – and feel confident in doing so.

Yellow shades like True Joy™ can be used as a bold statement colour or an accent hue. However, to help designers advise their clients on the best colour pairings, Dulux has created three supporting ColourFutures™ palettes.

  • Bold Colour Story: Inspired by the thrill of adventure, these bold colours bring spontaneity and energy to any space. Bright blues and oranges contrast beautifully with accent yellow, making them ideal for educational and office environments where inspiration and creativity are key.
  • Human Colour Story: Celebrating artisanal craftsmanship, these shades of wood and clay reflect the raw materials used in handmade processes. Perfect for educational and healthcare settings, these colours add a touch of authenticity and warmth.
  • Proud Colour Story: Drawing inspiration from diverse cultures around the world, these deep, rich and earthy browns and greens celebrate the rich heritages that make us unique. Ideal for hospitality and residential spaces, they create a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels at home.

Dawn Scott, Dulux Trade Senior Colour Designer, said:

“True Joy™ and its accompanying palettes offer a fresh perspective on colour’s role in shaping our built environment. These colours are not just trends but tools for architects and specifiers to craft spaces that resonate with the values and visions of their clients, improving our experience within the spaces we inhabit.

“One of the most impactful applications of True Joy™ is within healthcare environments. Paired with the earthy, natural shades of our Human Colour Story, True Joy™ can transform waiting rooms, corridors, and communal areas into uplifting and calming spaces. This combination not only brightens the atmosphere but also connects patients and staff to a sense of warmth, creativity, and well-being.”

 

Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director and Colour Expert at Dulux, explains:

“It may be difficult to immediately picture where yellow paint could seamlessly slot into your home, but it’s actually much more versatile than you may first think. The decision to choose the most uplifting hue in the spectrum is to spark inspiration and instil confidence to leap into the unknown and endless possibilities of what could be. Whilst yellow is one of the bolder colours on the spectrum, True Joy™ is complementary to a vast range of palettes, it brings out the positivity in even the most neutral of shades and is the figurative glue that binds more daring colour stories together.”

 

To support specifiers and provide additional guidance on the use of True Joy™, Dulux has created the Dulux Trade Colour of the Year 2025 Specifier Guide which includes mood boards that can be used to help create the perfect space across any sector. Architects, specifiers, and designers can also use the Dulux Trade Colour Schemer for colour inspiration or to create specifications for projects. They can also speak with the Dulux Commercial Colour Services team for additional advice on how to use the Colour of the Year 2025.

Dulux is proud of its ongoing efforts to produce durable solutions in a more sustainable manner. By focusing on reducing carbon emissions and increasing the circular use of materials, Dulux ensures that products like True Joy™ not only enhance spaces aesthetically but also contribute to a greener future. With initiatives such as using up to 70% recycled content in packaging and developing water-based paints with lower VOC content, Dulux is dedicated to helping professionals create beautiful, sustainable environments.

 

 

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Scotland’s Flammable Cladding Risks

Phil Diamond, MD of Diamond & Company

NEW research has revealed more than 5,000 high-rise buildings in Scotland are estimated to be covered in ‘flammable cladding’.

Figures produced by Diamond & Company reveal that around 5,500 private and public buildings across the country taller than 11m (36ft) have flammable cladding.

The firm estimates around 25,000 people living in flats in high-rise buildings are affected, with the predicted bill for removing and replacing the combustible cladding expected to eventually reach £7.5 billion in Scotland.

The research has been published following publication of the final report of the Grenfell Tower public inquiry into the 2017 fire that killed 72 people.

The nine-storey Aurora Apartments in Aberdeen is one of several ‘high priority’ buildings identified in the Scottish Government’s pilot programme on cladding remediation as part of the Single Building Assessment.

The Aurora work was managed by Diamond & Company (Scotland) Ltd Chartered Building Surveyors and Chartered Fire Engineers. Using information gathered over several years from a database of high-rise buildings in Scotland, the company has produced figures that reveal the ‘true extent of the problem of dangerous cladding’.

Phil Diamond, MD of Diamond & Company, said,

“The catastrophic loss of so many lives in the Grenfell Tower fire should have been the wake-up call for an immediate overhaul of the housing industry and planning system. Yet, seven years on, little has changed. In Scotland, only one building has had its cladding stripped and replaced through a Scottish Government pilot project.

“The stark reality is that it’s estimated a further 5,500 private and public high-rise buildings contain flammable cladding affecting around 25,000 people. The cladding used on Grenfell Tower is known as Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) but worryingly there are around eight other different types of combustible cladding that have been used in buildings up and down the country over the past 20-25 years.”

Mr Diamond claimed ‘decades of inaction’ has resulted in us reaching this ‘critical point’ and estimated the cost of remedying the situation could be as much as £7.5 billion.

A law to ban combustible cladding on high-risk buildings, and the highest risk metal composite cladding material from all buildings, was passed by the Scottish Parliament in April 2022. This was implemented by amendments to the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, introduced on 1 June 2022, which bans the use of combustible materials on domestic high-rise buildings above 36ft (11m), care homes and hospitals.

The Single Building Assessment (SBA) identifies life-critical fire safety risks and any mitigation or remediation required to make a building safer. The Aurora Apartments was identified to test the SBA as part of the government pilot programme.

Phil Diamond added,

“There is now an urgent need for government in Scotland and at UK-level, along with the building industry to work in partnership to make our high-rise buildings safe. Simplifying a cumbersome procurement system would speed up the risk assessments, to identify the dangerous cladding, and the work needed to remove and replace these flammable materials.

“One bit of positive news is that the methodologies for assessing these high-rise buildings is finally in place. We now owe it to those who died at Grenfell to have the courage to take the rapid action needed to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.”

 

Source: Project Scotland

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West Fraser working towards EUDR compliance

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The EU Deforestation Regulation bans deforestation and degradation trading into or within the EU

 

As a manufacturer with a long history of embracing high standards of its raw material due diligence programme and sustainability goals in general, West Fraser is introducing additional strategies to comply with the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) which was published in June 2023 and is set to come into force at the end of 2024.

With the world’s forests being lost at the equivalent rate of 800 football pitches an hour, it is considered to be the second biggest contributor to Climate Change and results in corresponding damage to biodiversity.  The EUDR has therefore been established to not only ensure wood comes from legal sources, but to eradicate deforestation and degradation our of global forests. Ultimately, the regulation will help to decouple economic growth from resource consumption, a key target of the EU’s Green Deal.

To date, West Fraser has been working to collate data and undertakings from its supply chain partners, the forest geolocation, species and legal aspects are all considered as part of the risk assessment process, with the wider road map for its journey to full compliance being the subject of regular review.   Meeting the requirements of EUDR is an extension of the company’s already well-established due diligence systems and disciplines in line with its forestry policy commitments.

West Fraser’s Group Compliance Manager, Julie Turner, who is leading the EUDR project commented:

“We recognise and actively promote the importance of responsible sourcing across our supply chains and can assure our customers that we are engaged with the EUDR requirements to better our planet and reduce our environmental impact”.

The West Fraser range of engineered timber panels products are made from forests grown & harvested specifically for manufacturing purposes, all serving to cut unnecessary consumption of resources.  The manufacturer is also committed to further waste reduction in its own processes and utilising renewable energy only from certified sources.  Enshrining the EUDR as part of its ESG disciplines will be another waymarker on West Fraser’s journey to Net Zero.

 

CLICK HERE

to email West Fraser for further information on their sourcing and due diligence processes

 

 

 

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Planning England V Wales, is there a Divide?

 

 

Associate director in the Cardiff planning team of Savills, Rhys Govier, on the UK Government’s mission to speed up planning in England and whether the Welsh Government will be left behind.

 

 

We have never before seen planning reform take such centre stage as a key policy of the new Labour UK Government.

With little or no room for additional borrowing, and a manifesto pledge not to raise taxes, the new Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, borrowed the phrase ‘graveyard of ambition’, often cited (incorrectly) as Dylan Thomas’ description of his hometown of Swansea (it was actually coined by another poet, David Hughes), in the wake of English planning reform announcements. The new UK Government sees planning reform as critical to kickstarting higher levels of economic growth.

Planning, however, is a devolved matter. With Wales at the wrong end of the UK regional productivity league, with only 73% of UK GDP per capita, and assuming planning changes can trigger growth, this begs the question what reforms are required within our own planning system to ensure Wales does not fall further behind?

 

Housing need

In England there will be new, and bigger, housing targets. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consultation proposes to change the focus of local plans to categorically meet identified housing need, rather than as much of it as possible, by imposing a revised standard methodology as a starting point. This is a marked change.

In contrast, Welsh local authorities set their own housing figures based on population projections and an analysis of various growth options. While these figures do undergo independent examination, the arguably less rigorous and potentially less ambitious starting point is in stark contrast to England.

In England, the Westminster government is returning to a five year housing land supply test, something removed altogether in Wales since 2018, with no sign of it returning.

In fact, the only nationally set housing target in Wales is for 20,000 new low carbon homes for social rent during this Senedd term (2021-26), which the former Minister, Julie James MS, conceded would be “touch and go”. This in itself seems an optimistic outlook given that official data suggests just over a quarter of that target – 5,775 homes – was achieved in the first two years. The commitment was, however, repeated in the Welsh Labour Party manifesto 2024.

Reeves accepts that private sector investment is integral to meeting need in England. With a target of 1.5 million new homes in five years, Wales’ ‘Barnett consequential’ could equate to a target of 75,000 over the lifetime of this UK parliament (2024-29). Yet, while Future Wales (Welsh Government’s national development framework to 2040) includes a target of 20,000 new affordable homes, it is silent on any contribution from private housebuilders – despite recent data suggesting they contribute towards 80% of dwelling completions.

 

Green belt

We might start to see a discrepancy in how UK and Welsh governments look at green belt policy in the future.

The consultation NPPF on green belt makes it explicit that authorities must review boundaries where it cannot meet its housing need, while Future Wales offers “areas for consideration” for new green belt designations in the north, south west and south east. Yet some of these areas could represent some of the most sustainable areas for growth in Wales, especially those in the south east.

Although Future Wales is clear that any new green belt should be designated via strategic development Plans (much-delayed regional development plan documents), in advance of their adoption, its policies also state that “decisions should not permit major development in the areas shown for consideration for green belts, except in very exceptional circumstances”.

 

Data centres

The NPPF consultation gives renewed prominence to the development of data centres and gigafactories. In contrast, there is no overriding economic development policy within Future Wales – which could be a missed opportunity, as Wales needs to be competitively placed alongside other home nations.

There also appears to be a widening gap between England and Wales on energy infrastructure, grid connections and pylons. The Welsh Government has invested significant effort and resource into the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024 which became law in June, but there is much to do through supporting secondary legislation and guidance for it to become the flagship consenting regime promised.

In England, the new government was quick to approve three large solar farms (including one against an inspector’s recommendation), with the presumption more will follow.

Wales has been busy legislating and producing policy outputs on planning but is it creating a framework for sustainable growth, or is there a risk of over-regulation – the unintended consequences of which could be a slower, more expensive and less predictable system?

There is no doubt that new reforms in England will have implications for Wales’ future economic development – a real challenge for the new devolved administration that will take shape under Eluned Morgan’s leadership.

The political alignment between UK and Welsh governments creates an opportunity for mutual learning and cooperation. It is my hope that the new Welsh Housing Cabinet Secretary embraces the potential for positive change recognising the economic and social dividends of ambitious growth.

Source: Business Live

 

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