The Biophilic Campus Building

KNAUF Insulation has revealed how its products were used in the bespoke, timber frame wall panels for the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering’s (NMITE) Skylon campus in Hereford.

The campus building is biophilic and described as an ‘exemplar’ of advanced timber construction techniques.

NMITE is a higher-education provider created from the ground up by its founders, teachers, donors, and a cohort of young designers. Its goal is to give young people a path to becoming integrated engineers that are ‘sustainability conscious’ and ready to find solutions for achieving net zero.

The organisation required a campus that facilitated its unconventional style of teaching and reflected the aspirations of the institution.

As well as making the campus itself an object for students to learn more about timber construction, NMITE wanted the site to be a ‘living lab’. Sensors would be used to monitor the structural, acoustic, and thermal performance, with the intention of sharing this data with the industry to develop insights.

Knauf Insulation’s products were used for the pre-fabricated panels supplied for the construction of the building. Taylor Lane built 20 panels offsite using a selection of non-standard materials and techniques specified by NMITE to demonstrate different approaches to students. Although each panel was unique, they all had a 240mm cavity that was insulated with OmniFit Slab 35.

The insulated panels were craned into position before being attached to the building. Some were attached to the cross-laminated timber (CLT) frame, others to steel, so students could observe varied approaches to construction.

OmniFit Slab 35 is a glass mineral wool slab designed for use in both timber and steel frame constructions. Its thermal conductivity is 0.035 W/mK, and OmniFit Slabs are said to provide sound insulation.

“We chose OmniFit Slab 35 for this project for several reasons,” said contracts director Paul Harris. “Its thermal and acoustic performance was important, but we also knew that, in the spirit of the project, we wanted to use materials that were sustainable. Glass mineral wool can be made from recycled glass and has low embodied carbon.”

Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool is manufactured in the UK at its plant in St Helens. The firm revealed that up to 80% of the glass content comes from recycled glass collected locally and processed in the Veolia plant opposite the factory.

The campus building is now home to students of the Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) and Centre for Automated Manufacturing (CAM).

Source: Project Scotland
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1.5m Homes to Get Britain Building

Angela Rayner  ‘Today marks a significant step to getting Britain building again.’   

 

The government has set out the tough decisions necessary to fix the foundations and grow the economy and the overhaul of the planning system that will facilitate it.

All councils in England are to be given new, mandatory housing targets to pave the way to deliver 1.5 million more homes – tackling the most acute housing crisis in living memory.

The new targets will mean councils must boost housebuilding in areas most in need, helping more people buy their own homes, removing the largest barriers to economic growth, and getting Britain building again.

The new rules set out today will reverse the decision last year to water down housing targets, by making them explicitly advisory, at a time when planning permissions were at a record low. The new approach reflects the level of ambition necessary to tackle the housing crisis and meet the government’s commitment to 1.5 million homes.

Supporting the government’s number one mission to grow the economy across the country, these new targets will flow into the development of local plans. It is through local plans that communities have a say in the building of the homes and infrastructure we need.

Currently just a third of councils have a plan that is under five years old, which is why government will take the tough decisions and step in where needed to drive progress, ensuring local areas get a say on how, but not if, homes are built.

The Deputy Prime Minister has written to every council Leader and Chief Executive in England to make clear that there is “not just a professional responsibility but a moral obligation to see more homes built”, and that she will not hesitate to use her powers of intervention should it be necessary – including taking over an authority’s plan making directly.

Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said:

“Today marks a significant step to getting Britain building again.

“Our decisive reforms to the planning system correct the errors of the past and set us on our way to tackling the housing crisis, delivering 1.5 million homes for those who really need them.

“And something I am personally proud of, our new flexibilities for councils will boost the number of social and affordable homes, and give working families a better route to a secure home.”

In addition to restoring mandatory housing targets, the method used to calculate them, which relied on decade old data, will be updated. The new method will require councils to ensure homes are built in the right places and development is proportionate to the size of existing communities, while adding an extra level of ambition in the most unaffordable areas.

The first port of call for development will be brownfield land. Reforms announced today will make explicit that the default answer to brownfield development should be “yes” and promote homebuilding at greater densities in urban centers, like towns and cities.

To help deliver 1.5 million homes over the next five years, councils will have to review their green belt land if needed to meet their own target, identifying and prioritising ‘grey belt’ land, which the government has today set out a definition for. This includes land on the edge of existing settlements or roads, as well as old petrol stations and car parks.

The update will make clear the requirement for councils to consider the proximity of new homes to existing transport infrastructure.

Where local authorities do not have up-to-date plans in place or enable sufficient housing to come forward to meet local targets, homebuilders can bring forward proposals on grey belt land. In all cases, land that is safeguarded for environmental reasons will continue to be protected.

Land released in the Green Belt will be subject to the government’s ‘golden rules’, which make clear that development should deliver 50% affordable homes, increase access to green spaces and put the necessary infrastructure is in place, such as schools and GP surgeries.

Alongside building the housing that we need, the government is committed to making it easier to build key infrastructure such as laboratories, gigafactories and data centres, as well as making changes to deliver more large onshore wind projects and solar development across the country.

In addition to these reforms to the planning system, the government is also taking steps to deliver quality affordable and social housing, working to reverse the continued decline in the number of social rent homes. This includes changes to Right to Buy, giving councils flexibility to use their receipts to build and buy more social homes. The government has started its review of the increased discounts introduced in 2012, with changes to be implemented in the Autumn.

The Deputy Prime Minister has also confirmed that details of future government investment in social and affordable housing will be brought forward at the next spending review, so social housing providers can plan for the future and help deliver the biggest increase in affordable housebuilding in a generation.

Responding to calls from the sector, the government has also confirmed that at the next fiscal event it will provide councils and housing associations with the rent stability they need to be able to borrow and invest in new and existing homes – while ensuring that there are appropriate protections for both existing and future social housing tenants.

INDUSTRY COMMENTS TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT

Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark

“Propertymark is keen to work closely with the new UK Government to help ensure a balanced mix of housing is delivered across the next parliamentary term and beyond. Ensuring sustainable homes are delivered in key areas is paramount for the economy and it’s encouraging to hear Angela Rayners commit to an in ‘infrastructure first’ approach, and one that focuses on making full use of available brownfield and grey belt land where possible first.

“Propertymark has long called for an enhanced housing strategy to be developed and one that can deliver for generations to come, so it’s positive to hear this will become an integrated ambition moving forwards. It is essential housing supply has seamless continuity and keeps pace with demand, so the return of mandatory housing targets and a commitment to building a mixture of housing becomes a reality.

“Ultimately, future direction to deliver the 1.5m new homes promised must be driven by robust insight and delivered with precision with via close stakeholder engagement.”

Anna Clarke, Director of Policy and Affairs at the Housing Forum

“It is encouraging to see more detail following on from Labour’s pre-election pledge to reform the planning system and get Britain building. Setting an ambitious target of 370,000 homes, and working with councils to achieve this in their local areas, sets a clear direction from the top of government to those involved in delivering these homes.

An emphasis on social and affordable housing is particularly welcome, and funding is really needed here, alongside trying to get as much as possible when building on greenbelt sites. While we suffer a shortage of homes of all tenures, a lack of social housing is  having a particular impact, not least on the 105,000 households in temporary accommodation.

We look forward to working with government to fleshing out these plans further in responding to the consultation on the NPPF, which we will respond to on behalf of Housing Forum members.”

We are also very pleased to see reports in the press that the Chancellor will lift funding for affordable housing, and introduce longer term rent settlements. Anna Clarke, Director of Policy and Affairs said:

“This will be widely welcomed by housing associations and councils as security over their future income will enables them to plan, to borrow and to build new homes with confidence.”

Daniel Paterson, Director of Policy Make UK Modular

“Make UK Modular warmly welcomes the proposed changes that the Government makes to the National Planning Policy Framework today – they will help deliver more truly affordable homes across the country. The reintroduction and strengthening of housing targets and the firming-up of rules around green belt land is both overdue and necessary.

“Yet even with the creditable changes being proposed today, the UK will need to use every available tool in its box, including manufactured building techniques, to build sufficient truly affordable homes at the pace our nation so badly needs. We need a growth in manufactured house building if we are to address the growing chasm in available construction skills, reverse the impact of a collapse in the number of SME builders, and ensure that the homes we build today will not need retrofitting tomorrow.”

 

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Survey on MMC and Social Housing

The National Housing Federation and Building Better joined together to survey housing associations across England, to find out how Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are being used in the housing sector.

Running from June to December 2023, the State of MMC Delivery in Social Housing survey included 57 housing associations of varying sizes, which were responsible for 45% of the homes delivered by housing associations in that period. Of the organisations surveyed, the vast majority (96%) were in favour of using MMC solutions.

More than 5,000 homes were completed using MMC, most of which were constructed using panelised assemblies, a category two MMC solution. In fact, nearly all (93%) of the completed builds used either category two, or category two and five combined.

Part of the project’s goal was to identify what housing associations deemed to be the key benefits of building with MMC. Overwhelmingly, environmental sustainability was cited as the most significant benefit, while adhering to the Future Homes Standard also ranked highly.

The Future Homes Standard aims to slash carbon emissions by focusing on building new, highly energy-efficient homes. Innovative MMC solutions can help to meet this demand, quickly and cost-effectively. H+H Vertical Wall Panels (VWPs) are a prime example. VWPs are storey high aircrete panels that are craned into place onto standard foundations and secured with fast-setting strong mortar.

The solution offers an alternative method of housebuilding to traditional brick and block while providing the same performance benefits of aircrete. The panels are quick to install, with the entire ground floor of a house able to be installed in one day, and when combined with prefabricated timber floors and roof joists, the shell of a house can be built in just five days.

The housing associations surveyed also expressed a desire to reduce residents’ energy bills with MMC built homes, especially in the face of rising fuel prices and the cost of living. At H+H we’ve seen evidence of this in our projects time and time again.

An H+H aircrete MMC solution was used in the construction of a Passivhaus development of 16 semi-detached houses and 12 sheltered accommodation apartments on the Isle of Wight, where residents reported significantly lower energy bills in their new homes. Jack Ostrofsky, then Head of Design and Technical at the scheme’s developer, Southern Housing, commented:

“It has been a phenomenal success because residents aren’t spending any money on heating their homes. People have been telling us they haven’t turned on their heating all year, and that’s a regular occurrence.”

Another key aspect of the survey was to discover what the barriers are to using MMC. Supplier vulnerability was a recurring reason given for not using, or increasing the use of MMC, with 73% citing it as their main or secondary barrier.

This is understandable given the recent demise of so many category one modular housing companies. However, category one is not the only option, and new modular companies are not the only MMC manufacturers available. H+H is a robust, well-established company that has been manufacturing aircrete products in the UK for 75 years. Alongside our category two and five MMC solutions, we also manufacture traditional aircrete blocks, which continue to be in high demand.

The survey also revealed that housing associations perceived complexity and a lack of understanding the systems as barriers to using MMC. However, this is not typically an issue for organisations that choose to build with H+H Vertical Wall Panels. The panels are made from aircrete, a familiar material for follow-on trades, eliminating the need for new skills or training. To install the panels, contractors can easily transfer skills from traditional build methods, and H+H offers the necessary training at no cost, presenting an excellent opportunity to expand a team’s skillset.

Affordable housing provider, Abri Homes, decided to make the switch to VWPs to speed up its building process and help to achieve its target of delivering 10,000 homes by 2030. Jake Snell, Head of Partnerships & Innovation, commented on the transition for his team:

“Adopting a new build method is a major cultural shift for both our on-site teams and our back office. The Vertical Wall Panel system is an ideal solution as it comprises a familiar material in a more advanced product. It lets us adapt our culture rather than creating a new one, and significantly reduces the level of risk compared with innovation used in other construction techniques.”

The State of MMC Delivery in Social Housing survey shines a positive light on the future of MMC use by housing associations, in particular through the adoption of reliable category two solutions.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

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Stonehenge Tunnel and other Infrastructure Cuts

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed that UK infrastructure projects including the £1.7bn A303 Stonehenge Tunnel “will not move forward” as the government looks to fill a £22bn hole that the government has discovered in its audit of public finances.

Other money saving measures announced by Reeves in her address to Parliament this afternoon include the cancellation of the programme to bring disused railways back into service, the A27 Arundel Bypass, curtailment of Boris Johnson’s New Hospital Programme and a pledge to spend less on external consultants.

Civil engineering contractors have said that the industry was “disappointed” by infrastructure cuts.

The chancellor told Parliament that the financial situation inherited by the new Labour government is far worse than anticipated and that the previous regime “covered up” the starkness of the budgetary situations for governmental departments.

The speech was made alongside the release of an internal audit of public finances by HM Treasury that shows a £22bn differential between incoming tax revenue and expected spending outlay for this year.

In her speech to Parliament, Reeves said that the previous government had £35bn of pressures on its budgets that it had not divulged publicly. She accused the former government of making “unfunded commitments after unfunded commitments” and “putting party ahead of country”.

One of the covered-up funds disclosed by Reeves is a £1.6bn overspend in the Department for Transport which stems from handouts to private rail companies to make up for losses during the pandemic.

She detailed “difficult decisions” – i.e. cuts – that she said would make up £5.5bn of savings this year and over £8bn next year.

She wiped several “unfunded” commitments off the government’s plans across sectors and departments. The infrastructure related cuts include £1bn of unfunded transport projects that were to be brought forward in the next year that will now be systematically reviewed by the transport secretary Louise Haigh.

“As part of that work, she has agreed not to move forward with projects that the previous government refused to publicly cancel despite knowing full well they were unaffordable,” Reeves stated.

These included A303 Stonehenge and the A27 Arundel Bypass. Deferral of the £320M A27 Scheme had already been revealed in the party manifesto in the lead up to the election.

The Restoring Your Railway programme cancellation will save £85M according to the chancellor, and Haigh’s review will now assess other projects individually.

The Restoring Your Railways scheme was intended to bring abandoned railways back into service, which has successfully delivered the renewed Dartmoor Line, the Levenmouth Rail Link and the Northumberland line.

Further lines that were hoping to be restored through the programme included the Ivanhoe Line, the Portishead Line and many more.

She accused the Conservative government of promising “roads that would never be built, public transport that would never arrive, hospitals that would never treat a single patient”.

When the previous government, in March 2023, “rephased” major infrastructure projects including Lower Thames Crossing and High Speed 2, the infrastructure sector blasted it as a “false economy”.

Stonehenge Tunnel

National Highways’ A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down (Stonehenge Tunnel) scheme has been a long embattled project due to the roads body’s plan to develop a major new road and tunnel under the Unesco World Heritage Site. The roads body has argued for the necessity of the scheme to reduce chronic congestion on the main road artery to the south-west.

There have been continual battles with campaigners, Unesco and the High Court over this scheme. It was initially granted a development consent order (DCO) in November 2020, against recommendations from the Planning Inspectorate. Campaigners took this to the High Court which overruled the DCO decision as it was deemed unlawful.

National Highways continued to work on the DCO for the scheme, improving its carbon credentials. A second DCO application was approved by the Department for Transport (DfT) last summer. It seemed the scheme, which is still officially listed as £1.7bn but hasn’t had its cost updated for some years, was set to start construction this year. However, it had a final legal hurdle to overcome, which was heard earlier this month.

Now all the effort – including £166M spent to date on developing the two DCO applications, appointing contractors and fending off legal appeals – has come to naught.

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Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) director of operations Marie-Claude Hemming said:

“The Chancellor’s announcements are disappointing but will not come as a shock to industry, not least because a shortfall in funding for public projects has been evident for some time.

“The Labour Party rightly identified economic growth as its core mission, but as ever cancelling or pausing projects that will likely need to be delivered at a later date – and at higher cost – is putting off the potential for schemes to drive growth, create jobs and meet the needs of businesses and communities.

“As the UK’s public finances are clearly in a weakened state it is all the more important that government works with industry to identify how to move schemes towards delivery, rather than mothballing these crucial sources of growth.

“What’s more, it is frustrating that firms are expected to bear the costs of delay without regard to their forward planning in terms of workload and skills.

“Our industry thrives on certainty of investment, which is what enables CECA members to plan and deliver world-class infrastructure, upskill the workforce to meet projected need, and to ensure sustainable and stable business models.

“That’s why we’re looking forward to working with our members and the UK Government to review schemes that have been put on hiatus and see how they might be brought back online in due course, and to identify other projects that can be unlocked in all parts of the UK.

“Whether unlocking this investment – and its integration with the new housing Britain so urgently needs – will require new funding models is an open question that must be explored.

“Moreover the Chancellor’s announcement that she will set a multi-year spending review to provide certainty over three year periods will be welcomed by industry as a statement of intent to deliver economic stability in the longer term.

“Yet we urge the Government not to repeat the mistakes of previous administrations in taking an axe to capital projects without regard to future growth, and to work with industry to identify opportunities for investment that will not only deliver value for money, but will form the backbone of a net zero UK economy for years to come.”

Institution of Civil Engineers interim associate director of policy David Hawkes said:

“The Institution of Civil Engineers has long been calling for more certainty, clarity, and long-term strategic plans for infrastructure.

“The announcements made today by Chancellor Rachel Reeves that the government will undertake a multi-year spending review and commit to reviewing spending every two years, are welcome. Whatever the level of investment and priorities that the government decides on, infrastructure professionals, stakeholders, and the public need clarity and commitment to deliver.

“Now, it’s essential that the government make decisions about the infrastructure that should be invested in, in line with the priorities outlined by the National Infrastructure Commission in its second National Infrastructure Assessment.

“The government must quickly produce a National Infrastructure Strategy to lay out a vision and framework for delivering on its missions to kickstart economic growth and reach net-zero.”

Railway Industry Association chief executive Darren Caplan said:

 “The Railway Industry Association and our members will be closely following the announcement by Rachel Reeves of a three year spending review, and news that the Restoring Your Railways programme is cancelled with individual projects now under review.

“We support the need for a strategic review of transport schemes, and urge the government to make sure that the spending review takes account of the crucial role rail investment plays in supporting jobs, local growth, connectivity and decarbonisation within and between the UK’s nations and regions. As the National Infrastructure Commission recently noted, a lack of rail capacity is at risk of holding back growth in key cities.”

AA CEO Jakob Pfaudler said:

“Efficient transport infrastructure covering both road and rail is essential to the economic viability of the country. Congestion wastes billions of pounds each year and can fuel inflation as the bulk of goods and passenger journeys are made by road. Government figures show 80% of freight travels by road and 86% of all passenger kilometres travelled used cars, vans and taxis.

“We understand the Government needs to make savings and we would prefer to see this come from large infrastructure projects such as the A303 Stonehenge Tunnel being delayed rather than from the commitment to fund and fix the roads to remove the scourge of potholes.

“In the AA Motorists’ Manifesto, we indicated that our members are not in favour of massive road building schemes but believe more can and should be done to improve the safety of the current road and motorway network.

“By far the most important issue for 96% of AA members, in terms of transport policy, is the state of the roads, so while we understand that some longer-term projects will be delayed, we still need the commitment from Government for more long-term, ring-fenced funding for more permanent repairs of our roads.”

GHD EMEA market development leader Jonathan Edwards said:

 “The Labour government has a commitment to ‘get Britain building’, supercharge transport infrastructure, and prioritise rail connectivity across northern England. This will come at a cost and I think we are about to see that cost today. Previous pledges were light on detail and the feasibility of swiftly turning political vision into action, but what was clear was that public finances would not allow every programme and project to continue.

“By selecting which projects not to support, the Chancellor is making it clearer where Labour intends to focus government investment and the industry will now have to react. These announcements may be necessary for a new government and a consequence of realignment based on political direction for the UK. However, infrastructure projects and the public and private sectors that deliver them most desperately need long-term certainty and commitment. Without long-term thinking and commitment, investment cannot be sought, skills cannot be developed, and projects cannot be effectively and sustainably planned or delivered.”

TSSA is an independent trade union for the transport and travel industries and its general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said:

“Rachel Reeves has some difficult decisions to make, thanks to the last fourteen years of Tory chaos. However, she cannot allow this to deter her from honouring Labour’s commitment to fix our railways for the benefit of passengers and transport workers.

“Infrastructure projects such as HS2 and the electrification of the railways offer longer term tangible economic and environmental benefits for the whole country.

“Rachel Reeves must avoid the mistakes of the previous government which only ever thought short-term. Long-term investment in the railways will deliver long-term benefits for the whole economy. Funding for rail infrastructure should not be cut, or we’ll all end up paying the price.”

Not all parties are displeased with today’s announcement about the Stonehenge tunnel not moving forward.

The Stonehenge Alliance campaign group chair John Adams said:

“We welcome Rachel Reeves’ recognition that the country cannot afford this extravagant road scheme when schools are falling down and the NHS is in dire straits. However, she should have gone further. The road would be built at a loss and is a bad investment for UK plc. It should have been scrapped altogether.”

Historian and Stonehenge Alliance president Tom Holland said:

“This monstrous white elephant should have been put out of its misery long ago. Until the Government officially terminates the project, it will continue to leech taxpayer’s money. A delay is not good enough. Cancel it now!”

 

Source: Civil Engineer

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FUSION REACTOR: ‘The UK’s Nasa Moment’

By Greig Watson, BBC East Midlands

The project to build a nuclear fusion reactor in Nottinghamshire has been described as the “UK’s Nasa moment”.

But beyond the optimism of an event showcasing the scheme, how close is it to becoming a reality?

Is the promise of clean, cheap and secure energy still obscured by huge scientific, engineering and economic hurdles? And is it safe?

Two experts give us their take.

Former coal fired power station West Burton A, near Retford, was chosen as the location for the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP), in October 2022.

However, even if investors are found and construction completed on schedule, the facility is unlikely to open before 2040.

Explaining the process, Dr Aneeqa Khan, lecturer in nuclear materials at the University of Manchester, said:

“Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the Sun, where two nuclei fuse together, liberating huge amounts of energy.

“Recreating the conditions in the centre of the Sun on Earth is a huge challenge.

“We need to heat up isotopes of hydrogen gas so they become the fourth state of matter, called plasma.

“In order for the nuclei to fuse together on Earth, we need temperatures 10 times hotter than the Sun – around 100 million Celsius.”

The promise of fusion is great – but so are the challenges

Dr Brian Appelbe, a research fellow in nuclear fusion at Imperial College London, said fusion differed from traditional nuclear power – fission – in several fundamental ways.  He said:

“Fission is about breaking heavy element apart, fusion is about forcing lighter element together.

“The amounts of energy that are released with fusion are far higher than fission.

“And the elements being used, like hydrogen, are far more widely available than the fission fuels. Some, like deuterium, a form of hydrogen, can be sourced from sea water.

“This is a much cleaner source of energy because it makes less radioactive material and it is radioactivity which doesn’t last as long.”

Dr Khan added:

“We are still a way off commercial fusion. Building a fusion power plant also has many engineering and materials challenges.

“However, investment in fusion is growing and we are making real progress.

“We need to be training up a huge number of people with the skills to work in the field and I hope the technology will be used in the latter half of the century.

“Global collaboration is key in achieving this.”

Dr Appelbe said:

“The news about the Nottinghamshire site is very exciting and there is a lot of development happening but we are still at the scientific stage of developing fusion.

“There is a real momentum building and I am optimistic about overcoming the scientific hurdles to building a functioning fusion power plant but I’m not an engineer or economist.

“But I wouldn’t want to put a timescale on it.”

Public opposition has been one of the most powerful obstacles to nuclear power

One of the practical problems which has dogged traditional nuclear power is public opposition, often based around fear of leaks and accidents.

Dr Appelbe said:

“I’d certainly live next to a fusion station. “It uses small amounts of fuel very quickly, so there are not the large amounts of fuel which are around for much longer with fission, which have been the source of some accidents such as Chernobyl.

“This, combined with the challenge of keeping a fusion reaction going, means there is no way you can have catastrophic runaway issues.”

 

Source: BBC News

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Recycled bricks: Decarbonising the Construction Industry

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The embodied carbon of K-Briqs is less than 5% of that of standard bricks

 

Scottish firm Kenoteq has developed recycled brick tech — called K-Briq — to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry.  The company aims to reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials and address the issue of construction waste, which accounts for about 40% of the world’s waste.  Brick manufacturing also accounts for 2.7 per cent of global carbon emissions.

About K-Briq: K-Briqs — made from plasterboard, brick, mortar, rubble, and stone — have a carbon footprint of less than 5% compared to that of standard bricks, Kenoteq’s head of business development Lucy Black said, this is achieved by recycling materials destined for landfills, reducing the need for energy and carbon-intensive raw material extraction and mining.

What’s next? The bricks are currently certified for interior use, with the company in the final stages of securing certification for external applications in the UK, Europe, and the US. The company also supplied bricks for the Dubai Holding exhibition space at COP28 and held meetings at the summit to drum up interest in the region.

Source: Enterprise

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Mortgage Rates Falling

UK mortgage rates have fallen, with the lowest five-year fixed rate dropping below 4% for the first time since April 2024.

Nationwide Building Society is leading the charge, offering a 3.99% five-year fix and cutting other fixed deals by up to 0.25 percentage points.

This follows similar moves by other major lenders, driven by competition and hopes of falling interest rates. The drop in rates could save borrowers hundreds of pounds a month, providing relief for those facing higher repayments as they come off old deals.

While fixed rates are declining, Nationwide has increased the margin on some of its variable rate tracker deals.

The Bank of England’s next interest rate decision in August could see the base rate cut, potentially leading to further reductions in mortgage rates. However, some economists predict that the Bank of England may not cut rates until September.

Rachel Springall, finance expert at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, said:

“Mortgage rates could fall further, but it is difficult to tell how quickly and by what margins.

“Typically, a brand with a large presence in the market that cuts rates can encourage other lenders to review their rates to compete, so as the lowest five-year rates have edged closer to 4% from some of the biggest high street brands (Halifax, Lloyds Bank, Barclays Mortgage, NatWest), the market did appear on course to reveal a sub-4% deal.

“Borrowers sitting on the fence may remain patient for a little while longer. However, on the flip side, those who feel this might now be their chance could see if they can lock into a deal early, as some lenders will let borrowers do this from three to six months in advance.

“Those waiting for the Bank of England to cut base rate may be crossing their fingers for August, but this has split opinions among economists who are now pointing towards September at the earliest due to stubborn service inflation.”

Source: Scottish Construction Now

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Austrailia Trials Modular to Meet Housing Targets

A pre-fabricated modular home (Facebook/Chris Minns)

Austrailian Premier Chris Minns announced ‘an important milestone in our work to utilise nontraditional methods of delivering more homes sooner’.  Pre-built modular homes will be trialled in New South Wales to boost social housing, as research shows new-home construction targets will not be met.

Sites in Wollongong and Lake Macquarie have been selected to trial modular social homes under a state government trial to speed up the delivery of new homes.

The government is still working through regulatory barriers for modular housing, which has not been rolled out at scale before.

The homes – previously used as temporary accommodation – are constructed using prefabricated modules made off-site to speed up the building process by 20% compared with traditional methods. Housing costs and availability were putting pressure on people in NSW and the state needed to use “nontraditional methods” to deliver homes sooner, the premier, Chris Minns, said on Monday.

“We are pulling every lever we can to tackle the housing crisis,” he said.

The housing and homelessness minister, Rose Jackson, said the trial was a step towards revolutionising public housing delivery.

“Leveraging modern construction methods will help us provide sustainable, quality housing faster for the people that need it most,” she said.

The government was working with the state’s building commission on standards for offsite manufacturing of homes.

 

The Wollongong MP, Paul Scully, said:

“Modular and modern methods of construction are used to produce award-winning architecturally designed homes in a timely and efficient manner, so it makes sense to trial this approach to construction as part of the Minns government’s commitment to build more social housing.”

Research from Oxford Economics Australia on Monday predicted more than one in five of the 1.2m dwellings the nation is trying to build over the next five years will not be completed.

Meanwhile business groups, universities and unions that were part of the Housing Now! alliance called for the appointment of a coordinator general to drive the delivery of new homes in NSW.

The role would direct government agencies to resolve planning challenges, reassess major, unapproved housing projects in a bid to resolve issues and guide government on infrastructure investment.

“A dedicated housing coordinator would cut through swathes of red tape, compel government agencies to address issues and inform cabinet on how to progress major housing projects stuck in the planning system,” said David Borger, the Housing Now! chair.

The recommendation was one of 10 the alliance made in its 2024 policy platform launched on Monday.

Other policies included rezoning to allow housing to be constructed at places of worship, alternative planning pathways for university accommodation, and better security for renters with an end to no-grounds evictions.

Borger was scheduled to appear before a parliamentary inquiry into a proposal to develop the Rosehill racecourse in Sydney’s west into a mini-city of up to 25,000 homes.

The inquiry, chaired by the opposition housing spokesperson, Scott Farlow, will examine what role the government played and the associated impacts on transport infrastructure and the horse-racing industry.

 

Source: The Guardian

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STA Says Timber is the Way

In response to the King’s speech the Structural Timber Association (STA) is calling on the new government to prioritise more sustainable building technologies, primarily offsite timber frame.

In her first speech as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves outlined a number of new plans that will aid the government in delivering 1.5 million homes over the next five years. These include reinstating mandatory housing targets for Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) and opening a consultation on a new approach to planning before the end of the month. However, there is one factor that Ms Reeves failed to consider: net zero. If the same amount of attention currently given to the climate crisis continues, eventually we might not have a suitable place to build new homes.

According to the latest government figures the UK’s built environment is responsible for 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. With this in mind, STA have claimed developers and housebuilders must switch the materials they’re using for greener alternatives – particularly timber. The company have claimed there is existing capacity in the established structural timber manufacturing sector of 120 members to double timber frame manufacturing output to achieve 100,000 homes per annum.

What’s more, the STA remarked that this contribution of 33% of the government’s target would be a huge step forward.

‘The STA whole-heartedly supports The Chancellor’s ambitious plans for housing growth, but we must emphasise that simply building more houses is not enough; we must embrace a fundamental change in the way we build our homes. As a clean technology that offers lower carbon than other building materials, automated offsite manufacture for better quality and shorter construction times, structural timber is the quickest way to bring about this change,’ said Andrew Carpenter, chief executive officer at the STA.

‘The structural timber industry has the capacity and capable to support the new Government in building 300,000 homes a year. With increased automation in offsite manufacture, the structural timber sector can deliver both higher volumes and better quality.’

‘Indeed, many of the major housebuilders are already recognising that we’ve reached a tipping point within the industry, with companies including Vistry, Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developments, Cala Homes and Avant Homes seeing the benefits of building in offsite timber frame,’ Carpenter added. ‘Our industry requires clear actionable policies, policies that put MMC and Carbon Reduction, and therefore structural timber, at the forefront of supporting government in the delivery of their housing goals. The policies put in place now will have a significant impact on the UK’s ability to deliver housing targets, great places to live and reducing carbon to achieve net zero. This will be the legacy for decades to come.’

Source: NewStart Magazine

 

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Dutch Data Centres with an eye to water conservation

 

The Dutch Data Center Association (DDA) and H2oVortex proudly present their latest whitepaper, highlighting groundbreaking advancements in sustainable water usage for data centres. As global digital infrastructure continues to expand, data centres are increasingly crucial, operating 24/7 to power our digital society. However, the energy-intensive nature of cooling systems poses significant environmental challenges, particularly concerning water and energy consumption.

Balancing Act of Water and Energy:

Data centers traditionally use large quantities of water for cooling, which can significantly reduce their overall power consumption. However, this reliance on water, especially during hot summer months, necessitates a transition towards more sustainable practices  .

H2oVortex’s Circular Cooling Solution:

The whitepaper introduces a revolutionary approach by H2oVortex, which reduces the water footprint of data centers by up to 40% and cuts water consumption by up to 95%. This solution employs chemical-free, circular cooling water treatment through three key steps: pre-filtration, treatment, and recovery and reuse  .

Alternative Water Sources:

To further enhance sustainability, data centers are encouraged to use non-potable water sources such as surface water, rainwater, and wastewater. Techniques like Activated Filter Media (AFM) and Membrane Prefiltration (MPF) ensure these sources are viable for cooling purposes, significantly reducing the dependency on drinking water  .

Industry Impact and Future Prospects:

The Dutch data center industry, already recognized for its efficiency, is set to lead global standards with these innovations. By integrating such sustainable practices, data centers can mitigate water stress and contribute positively to local ecosystems  .

“Engaging with stakeholders early, adapting systems used in other industries, and ensuring continuous monitoring and maintenance are essential to maintaining water-efficient operations. These combined efforts can help data centers not only avoid contributing to water stress but also become part of the solution“, says Stijn Grove, Managing Director of Dutch Data Center Association.

Mark Boeren, CTO of H2ovortex, added, “Our technology not only conserves water but also enhances operational efficiency, proving that environmental responsibility and business success can go hand in hand.”

 

click here for the white paper

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