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M-AR and Biffa waste no time tackling waste reduction

   

M-AR Offsite has partnered with Biffa, the UK’s leading sustainable waste management company, to ensure all waste generated through its manufacturing and construction operations is reused or recycled.

Through the partnership M-AR is refreshing its current waste management programme with the aim of diverting 100 per cent of its waste from landfill. The new Biffa skips in place around M-AR’s factory have clear signage as well as being colour coded to help visually identify what waste goes in which skip. It also creates a clear central focal point for waste management in the factory, which along with M-AR’s newly appointed ‘Waste Champions’, is designed to maximise take-up among staff.

Tom Malcom and Jamie Leckenby, who are both part of M-AR’s internal logistics team, nominated themselves to be M-AR’s first ‘Waste Champions’. The role involves educating the team and communicating policy changes to the whole production team. They will both receive specialist training and support from Biffa to appreciate the benefits of segregating waste effectively.

M-AR has also invested in upgrading its internal bins, moving away from the plastic 1100ltr bins which can easily become damaged, to a more robust steel tipper skip. As well as being more durable and therefore safer, these will also vastly reduce the number of trips previously required to load onto fork lift trucks and dispose waste into larger skips.

Working in partnership like this will see Biffa and M-AR collaborate on future waste reduction initiatives to implement within the business. M-AR will also be able to accurately report on waste volumes and disposals to track ongoing progress and understand where changes may need to be made to the process through its own online Biffa portal. The signage boards placed around the factory, as well as acting as prominent reminders about segregation of waste materials, will be used to provide feedback to the factory from the data collated from the Biffa portal.

Dan Lowther, head of procurement and supply chain at M-AR said:

“While this first phase covers waste management specifically relating to our manufacturing facility in Hull, our ultimate aim is to roll the programme out to all our live construction sites across the UK. This step marks a significant improvement in the reduction of waste generated on construction sites which are typically harder to regulate than a controlled factory setting and will mean that we’re able to divert all waste material from landfill whether that’s generated in the factory or on site. Reducing our waste materials to zero is a key part of our ongoing commitment to achieving net zero status as a company and reducing the embedded carbon of the modules we manufacture and install.”

 

Shaun Williams from Biffa’s commercial team in Humberside, added:

“We know recycling and sustainable waste management is extremely important to companies of all sizes, so we’re delighted to be working with the team at M-AR to bring our knowledge and skills to drive sustainability at their factory.

“Small steps can make a big difference, and recycling more waste means there’s less consumption of raw materials and fewer carbon emissions, which all contributes to the UK’s effort to achieve net zero.”

For more information call 01482 635 081

CLICK HERE to email M-AR

OR HERE to visit the M-AR website

 

 

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Lindapter Fire Rated Hollo-Bolts

  

Lindapter Hollo-Bolts are now independently Fire Rated for up to 120 minutes.

As part of our continued commitment and investment in product development and testing Lindapter commissioned the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to independently fire test Lindapter Hollo-Bolts.

Lindapter’s Hollo-Bolt Hexagonal Head is an expansion bolt that only requires access from one side of the Structural Hollow Section (SHS). They offer a faster alternative to welding or through-bolting, enabling contractors to reduce construction time and labour costs. Installation is quickly carried out by inserting into pre-drilled steelwork and tightening with a torque wrench. Also suitable for blind connections where access is available from one side only.

We are now pleased to announce that our carbon steel, hexagonal head Hollo-Bolts have been independently fire tested under tensile and shear loading with simultaneous exposure to standard fire conditions in accordance with ISO 834/ASTM E-119 for 120 minutes.

This provides further reassurance to construction professionals working with Lindapter and demonstrates our commitment to quality and transparency of product performance by increasing the volume of independent data that we have.

For further details and load data please contact Lindapter technical support

on +44 (0) 1274 521444

or CLICK HERE to email Lindapter

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Frameclad Reveal New ‘Premier Team’ at Offsite Expo

 

With 15 years of experience in designing and manufacturing a comprehensive range of steel framing systems, Frameclad has grown in strength and stature. Founder Mark Munns has been on a mission to recruit the best of the best to the business. A mission that has been very successful – with three high-profile new signings in the last few weeks.

Following the arrival of Dan Payne, the new Regional Sales Manager for the South to the team last month, Frameclad’s latest top talent was revealed at Offsite Expo. Steel frame specialists Paul Kent and Andrew Land had their first outing, joining Mark Munns and Joint Managing Directors Nik Teagle and Martin Jamieson and the rest of the Frameclad team at the event.

Now Frameclad’s Regional Sales Manager for the Midlands, Paul has worked with some of the most prominent and well-established names in the light steel frame industry and will be well known to many. With an equally strong track record in the sector, Andrew Land joins Frameclad as Commercial and Estimating Manager.

As a leading BOPAS-accredited manufacturer of steel framing systems and components, Frameclad offers a complete package of services to customers. The business has invested significantly in state-of-the-art manufacturing technology and a 12 strong in-house design and engineering team provides cost estimates within 10 days and detailed designs within one week. The precision steel roll-forming machinery produces one of the largest ranges of steel sections available in the UK today from a single manufacturer.

 

CLICK HERE to find out more

 

 

 

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BUBBLES, BUNTING AND BALLOONS FOR GEZE UK

GEZE UK celebrates 160 years with bubbles, bunting and balloons

GEZE, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of innovative and modern door, window and safety technology has been celebrating 160 years in business across all of its subsidiaries around the world throughout 2023.

 

At GEZE UK we invited all colleagues across our 8 offices nationwide to join in the celebration and have some fun. Each office was decorated with bunting and balloons and staff were sent cakes and biscuits iced with GEZE 160 years as well as bubbles to blow and other goodies.

 

Under the motto hundred + sixty years young GEZE has been celebrating across the globe. In addition a microsite www.160years.geze.com has been created detailing the company’s history. Founded in 1863, in Germany, the business remains in the same family and has grown to employ over 3,000 people globally, with 37 subsidiaries in 22 countries.

Kaz Spiewakowski, MD for GEZE UK said

‘It’s fantastic to see so many of our GEZE UK colleagues joining in the fun to mark our company’s 160th anniversary. It is an incredible achievement that at 160 years old the company is still family owned and continues to grow and develop innovative products’.

 

 

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of

automatic and manual door and window control products

PLEASE CLICK HERE

 

 

 

 

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USA: Utah Opts for Offsite Homes

Offsite Home: ZenniHomes

Utah is facing a major challenge when it comes to the cost of housing. Homeownership is becoming increasingly unattainable for average workers, and rising rents are making it difficult to find affordable apartments. This issue has been a point of contention in recent mayoral debates in Salt Lake City, and it has caught the attention of Governor Spencer Cox, who is urging cities to find solutions to increase the housing supply.

To address this pressing problem, state and local leaders, academics, and developers recently gathered at the Innovations in Housing Affordability Summit at the University of Utah. One potential solution that was highlighted at the summit is factory-built housing. According to researcher Dejan Eskic, 77.2% of Utah households cannot afford a median-priced home. Additionally, a report from Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit arm of Ivory Homes, revealed that the United States had a deficit of 3.8 million housing units in 2020.

Factory-built housing involves constructing homes in factories with the use of steel, automation, and 3D printing technology. This approach offers several advantages. It allows for high-quality, quickly-built homes that generate minimal waste and pollution. Factory-built housing is also less constrained by the limitations of a tight labor market, short building seasons, and the need for variety.

Companies across the Mountain West are setting up factories to expedite the delivery of much-needed housing units. ZenniHome, for example, is developing modular homes that utilize steel and advanced technology. These homes are designed to be stackable and transportable. Other examples of affordable housing projects using factory-built modular homes and apartments have been successful in cities like Seattle and Mesa, Arizona.

Despite the many benefits of factory-built housing, navigating the complex web of state and local laws remains a major hurdle. However, Salt Lake City has taken the lead in adopting off-site construction standards, making it easier to bring factory-built units into the city. Efforts are also being made by the Utah League of Cities and Towns to support this innovation by addressing regulatory challenges.

While progress is being made, there are still concerns about ensuring that cost-savings from factory-built houses are passed on to homebuyers. It is hoped that new rules and regulations will be introduced during the upcoming legislative session in Utah to support and expand the use of factory-built homes as a solution to the state’s affordable housing crisis.

 

Source: MotorMouth

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The springboard for the net zero energy system

Paul Murrell

 

With just over a decade left on the clock, Paul Murrell, project director, nuclear & power at AtkinsRéalis discusses how a digital and data-centric approach will be fundamental in transitioning to a zero-carbon energy system.

 

 

The biggest upgrade to the UK’s electricity generation and HV grid is currently underway, moving the country towards a more affordable, home-grown, secure and cleaner energy system. The infrastructure requirements to deliver clean energy into our homes and businesses are immense and involve a design and build rate on a scale not seen for a generation.

Analysis we published earlier this year predicted the UK will need to build 12-16GW of new generation capacity each year between now and 2035 to hit decarbonisation targets. That’s equivalent to building Ireland’s entire energy system each year. Over the last 20 years the largest amount built and connected in a year is 6GW and we’re currently falling short of the minimum build rate that’s essential, not just for decarbonisation, but for security of supply and affordability.

It’s an unprecedented challenge and one that may not be achievable without a digital and data-centric approach that optimises programme delivery and design integration. By transforming and modernising the way the new physical infrastructure is designed, delivered and operated, it will not only speed up the build rate, but provide significant efficiency and cost savings over the assets’ lifetime.

Accelerating asset delivery through design automation

We can look to other complex infrastructure projects, such as those in the rail sector, for inspiration.

In 2014, spurred on by growing capacity issues and funding constraints, the UK rail industry embarked on the biggest upgrade to the rail network since the Victorian age. Digitalisation was core to its strategy and projects such as the East West Rail and HS2, heralded a new era of digital design.

Design and virtual modelling tools were used to model the construction and commissioning phases very early on in the design process and helped reduce the project delivery time by around 12 months, compared to more traditional routes.

Applying 4D design and integration of metadata with asset management tools also means clients have access to a comprehensive digital reference of all their assets, providing further savings post design and construction, if modifications are required.

Modern methods of construction also present an important way to save time, boost efficiency and reduce carbon footprint in the build stages. This might be using offsite modular fabrication approaches, 3D printing and precast parts, as well as innovative onsite techniques and new materials.

By automating design, costs may also be significantly reduced through replication. This has been central to the UK’s nuclear new build strategy, for example using data from the design and build of Hinkley Point C to inform plans for the proposed Sizewell C power station to drive down costs and schedule risk.

Other tools such as digital twins are also increasingly being used to underpin understanding of systems design and operational changes. By creating a virtual model, it is possible to assess impacts of change on system performance, effectiveness and efficiency and therefore reduce operational costs, as well as risks before any physical changes are implemented.

Regulation approvals and planning permission often proves a key step to ensuring timely and optimised development. It can take many months and often will dictate the critical path, if not managed collaboratively and effectively.

While not a ‘magic pill’, we are also helping clients successfully use advanced digital modelling to help secure buy-in during the vital planning stages and public consultations. For instance, a digital, interactive model could be used to help convey the potential impact of a new piece of infrastructure to local communities and planning authorities.

Using a planning led approach to infrastructure design can help select appropriate routes for infrastructure such as cabling and overhead lines, in the same way that has been used for rail routes.

Longer-term gains

Simulations and visualisations, digital technologies such as machine learning and wider digitisation of the grid will also provide long-term gains outside the design phase, enhancing asset management and operations and maintenance practices.

Data capture and AI for example might be used to provide comprehensive insight into an asset’s performance, and facilitate a more proactive, predictive and preventative approach, improving safety, efficiency and reliability.

Virtual replicas can also be used by engineers to explore complex and restrictive areas before going onsite, through a VR headset or mobile device. This can reduce the duration of their planned activities, minimise costs and improve safety.

Data-driven collaboration

Poor information management can be responsible for a high number of issues in design, construction, and operations. If the supply chain does not have access to the information it needs to make timely decisions, it may result in a potentially costly delay.

Major projects generate terabytes of data, and so it is becoming essential to have secure, common data environments to store, sort and interact with. This should provide a single source of the most up to date information needed by the multidiscipline teams involved and used throughout the entire project life cycle.

In addition, advanced data-driven programme management tools and interactive dashboards help to present programme and performance information, enabling better management decisions and improving risk management.

To realise the full potential of all these digital tools however, whether in the design, planning, build or operational stages, will require greater collaboration. Stakeholders and contractors, working right across projects need to be open to sharing their data and insight, so the right decisions can be made, and the best outcome achieved.

All to play for

By adopting a digital and data-centric approach for the design and delivery of the country’s new energy infrastructure, the UK has a chance to become a leader in the green energy transition. More digitalisation, deployed at pace, will not only accelerate the build, but generate a safer, more efficient energy network that will serve us for many decades to come.

 

Source: Power Engineering International

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Call for all Newbuilds to Include Solar Panels

The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) has recommended ways to maximise renewable energy generation and help the country meet carbon targets.

The NICW called for an “immediate review” into building regulations that would see all new housing developments fitted with solar panels and batteries to store excess energy.

The extremely low cost of both solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies is one of the reasons the NICW suggests mandating them on newbuilds.

According to the International Energy Agency, the cost of solar has plummeted in recent years because of improvements in panel technology. This has led to a higher percentage of sunlight being converted into electricity. In the early 1980s, the average cost of solar panels was around £24 per watt. Today, it is less than £0.40 per watt – a 98 per cent cost reduction.

The NICW said that solar thermal technologies in particular can make a sizeable impact on buildings with high demand for hot water, such as leisure centres, swimming pools and care homes.

It also said it had received evidence that housing developers were “banking” projects that were not advanced in the development process so they did not need to comply with modern energy efficiency requirements.

To avoid this, “any potential loophole in the transitional arrangements must be closed to ensure that the new developments comply with the highest standards”, it said.

It suggested introducing a sunset clause that would apply the latest energy efficiency requirements to projects that have not been developed in a “timely” fashion.

The NICW also called on the Welsh government to present a plan for Welsh energy leading up to 2050 and revamping the energy grid.

Dr Jenifer Baxter, deputy chair of the Commission, said:

“We are now facing a time in our history where if we do not make a concerted effort to change how we deliver new infrastructure then our ambitions for net zero and the wellbeing of future generations will be in jeopardy.”

Aleena Khan, NICW commissioner, said:

“As a young person, I understand the importance of Wales acting decisively in tackling the climate and nature emergencies. I hope the Welsh government will consider each of our proposals carefully and the impact they will make on us meeting our energy and carbon targets.”

Source: Engineerin & Technology

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MEDITE SMARTPLY partners with North Kent College

Leading engineered wood panel manufacturer MEDITE SMARTPLY has partnered with North Kent College to support the next generation of local carpenters and joiners.

MEDITE SMARTPLY will be supporting some sixty students taking Level 1 and Level 2 Carpentry & Joinery courses: the potential apprentices and tradespeople of the future. MEDITE SMARTPLY is keen to help nurture new, local talent and highlight the huge potential of timber in the built environment.

As well as donating products to the college, MEDITE SMARTPLY will be sharing expert knowledge on the many benefits and uses of engineered wood panels, using information from its Continued Professional Development (CPD) courses presented to students at the campus. MEDITE SMARTPLY will also be following some of the projects the students will be working on with their products, including the upcoming Remembrance Day project.

Dan Hopkins, Lecturer in Carpentry and Joinery, commented:

“First and foremost, I would like to express our appreciation to MEDITE SMARTPLY for their generosity to our department at North Kent College. When I first learned about the proposal outlined by Chris King, Managing Director at MEDITE SMARTPLY, I was truly thrilled. This partnership presents an outstanding opportunity for our students to engage with high-quality products and gain insights into their practical applications.

“Furthermore, the prospect of industry-related seminars delivered by MEDITE SMARTPLY’s experts adds another layer of value to this collaboration. Secondly, I would like to thank Geoff Rhodes, President of the Institute of Carpenters, for introducing us.”

 

Rebecca Goldsmith, Product Manager at MEDITE SMARTPLY commented:

“We are delighted to partner with North Kent College, which is just a stone’s throw away from the MEDITE SMARTPLY Commercial Head Office. It’s a great opportunity to support and encourage a new generation of carpenters and joiners into the industry.

“Our biggest single challenge in the UK construction sector is attracting and retaining new talent. We believe that industry can do more to demonstrate the opportunities for great careers in construction and show these new entrants the potential for using timber in sustainable modern building.

“We look forward to working with the students and can’t wait to see how our products will be used in their projects!”

 

As a responsible manufacturer of innovative wood-based panels, MEDITE SMARTPLY is committed to supporting local businesses and tradespeople by manufacturing a versatile, environmentally conscious range of products that meets the user’s design and sustainability goals. The partnership exemplifies the company’s ethos to build a more sustainable future.

 

For more information on MEDITE SMARTPLY, visit: https://mdfosb.com/en.

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The tallest modular housing scheme

 photos by Apex Drone Photography

 

 

It sits across the street from 10 Degrees, a 135-metre-tall building also designed by HTA Design that previously claimed the title of tallest modular housing scheme.

HTA Design worked with developer Tide to complete the project and it was built from 1,725 volumetric modular units that were placed around a concrete core and above a concrete foundation.

HTA Design aimed to create a building that utilised modular construction, but has an appearance that was built on Croydon’s architectural heritage.

“The main concept for College Road is to take Croydon’s iconic mid-century modern heritage and reinvent it for 21st-century city living, using world leading volumetric technology and new housing typologies to address London’s housing shortage,” HTA Design partner Simon Toplis told Dezeen.

The shorter tower contains 120 affordable homes, while the taller one has 817 rental apartments and amenity spaces, including a podcast studio, spa with a sauna and steam room, gym, coworking space and a sky garden on the rooftop.

HTA collaborated with Tigg + Coll Architects on the interior design of College Road’s studio and one-bedroom apartments.

 

 

“College Road is the product of extensive research into successful models for high-density shared living and was the first project to be approved under the Greater London Authority’s co-living asset class policy,” said HTA Design managing director Simon Bayliss.

“Every aspect of the development was designed to offer residents the most liveable private space, while also having the free enjoyment of truly fantastic communal facilities.”

Source: Dezeen

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Firming the foundations of a greener future in the face of climate change

© Luleå University of Technology and the Application of FRCM: © University of Nottingham

 

Researchers from the University of Nottingham are collaborating with Luleå University of Technology in Sweden for the first time, on a project that aims to improve the resilience of the world’s bridges – making them safer and more sustainable as traffic levels rise.

The recent 26-month closure of Hammersmith Bridge due to concerns about cracking in the infrastructure, as well as the ongoing RAAC concrete crisis demonstrate that much of the UK’s current infrastructure is nearing, or has exceeded, its expected design life. With temperatures soaring due to climate change, and traffic levels gradually rising again post-pandemic, the speed of this deterioration is only increasing.

When it comes to bridges, it’s not economically or environmentally possible to simply replace them, meaning the only viable solution is to repair and strengthen them. In the UK alone, the cost of repairing bridges due to corrosion damage is estimated to cost millions of pounds.

Non-corrosive Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites are excellent strengthening systems for corrosion-damaged concrete structures, but they come with their own drawbacks, such as high price, high environmental impact due to resin use, and poor fire resistance. As a result, a new generation of composites has been developed – Fibre-Reinforced Cementitious Mortar (FRCM). FRCMs are compatible with concrete, breathable, resistant to fire, applicable on wet surfaces, sustainable, reversible, low carbon, and cost-effective – being at least 30% cheaper than FRPs.

The main goal of the Climate Adaptation for REsilient Bridges (CARE) project is to find durable and sustainable solutions by investigating how different temperatures and accumulated damage caused by repeated load cycles affect the performance of FRCM composites when used in bridge strengthening.

Dr Georgia Thermou, Assistant Professor in Structural Engineering at the University of Nottingham, said:

“Although experimental evidence has demonstrated the efficiency of FRCMs when it comes to improving undamaged structures, it has not been tested on more complex structural systems with accumulated damage or that have been subject to seasonal temperature changes.

“Our experiments and simulations will generate new knowledge, which will benefit the construction and composites industries by providing a sustainable solution for strengthening bridges and creating a new market for composites respectively. Additionally, it will greatly benefit society by providing safe and sustainable infrastructure that will contribute towards a greener economy and, crucially, minimise bridge closures or even failures.”

The CARE project has been funded by the Royal Society as part of its International Exchanges scheme, which allows scientists across the UK to collaborate with leading institutions overseas.

Professor Gabriel Sas, Head of Subject at Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering at Luleå University of Technology, said:

“Collaboration across borders is essential for tackling the global challenges we face in infrastructure and sustainability. This partnership with the University of Nottingham allows us to combine our expertise in structural engineering and material science to develop innovative solutions for bridge resilience.”

Dr Jaime Gonzalez-Libreros, Associate Senior Lecturer at Luleå University of Technology, who will be collaborating closely with Prof. Sas and Dr. Thermou in the project, added:

“Our aim is not just to extend the lifespan of existing structures but to do so in a way that is economically viable and environmentally responsible. This project is a step forward in creating a sustainable future for our communities.”

Dr Thermou added:

“Being able to establish connections and collaborate with other leading universities across the world is crucial when it comes to sharing knowledge and finding solutions that multiple countries can benefit from, so I’m looking forward to working with Professor Sas and his research group to see what we can learn together over the next two years. I would also like to acknowledge Royal Society for supporting this effort and enabling the project to take place.”

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