Archive for year: 2023

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The World’s First Geopolymer House

*All photo credits: RENCA

RENCA Makes History With World’s First Geopolymer House

Sustainability in construction has become a global imperative, urging the industry to seek innovative solutions to reduce its environmental impact. RENCA, a pioneer in sustainable geopolymer materials for 3D printing in construction, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by using their zero-cement geopolymer 3D printing mortar to construct the world’s first 3D printed geopolymer house. With sustainability in construction a growing global concern, construction 3D printing is emerging as a promising solution to reduce environmental impact. A geopolymer is an inorganic material typically created by combining an aluminosilicate source material with an alkaline activator, resulting in a durable, environmentally friendly material with properties similar to cement-based materials but with higher mechanical strength and reduced carbon footprint. Geopolymer materials, free from Portland cement, lime, or gypsum, offer up to 90% more sustainability than conventional cement-based alternatives, making them an ideal choice for eco-conscious construction.

RENCA’s journey with geopolymer materials began in 2015, and since then, they have developed over 300 products for various applications, addressing environmental concerns in different industries. In collaboration with Strong Print 3D and Geopolymer International, RENCA overcame the challenges of the harsh desert environment in the western USA to successfully 3D print a complete house structure with their geopolymer mortar.

Construction 3D printing has captured the imagination of the building sector, offering unprecedented design freedom and reduced material waste. However, the carbon dioxide emissions from Portland cement used in existing 3D printing mortars have been a concern. Genuine geopolymer-based mortars and concretes present numerous advantages for construction 3D printing, such as rapid setting times, high strength, and excellent chemical adhesion between layers, allowing continuous printing without interruptions.

This material offers remarkable fire and corrosion resistance, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. Their eco-friendly nature, emitting less CO2 during manufacturing and using industrial by-products, further adds to their appeal. While geopolymer mortars require specific mixing procedures and batch mixing systems, RENCA’s ongoing research and development aim to introduce a one-component geopolymer mortar for continuous mixers and a 2K system to control the setting time directly at the 3D printer nozzle, enhancing flexibility and adaptability.

RENCA’s accomplishment in 3D printing a geopolymer house marks a significant step towards promoting sustainable building materials and methods, paving the way for a cleaner and safer future for all. With its potential to revolutionize construction practices, geopolymer 3D printing mortar brings hope for a greener and more efficient construction industry.

Source: 3D Natives

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GOVERNMENT MUST FOCUS ON RENEWABLES

In statistics released by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) renewables generated a record annual amount of electricity in 2022.

Production from renewable technologies beat the previous record high of 2020 and renewables share of electricity generation increased to 41.5% from 39.6% last year, largely due to wind and solar generation reaching new record highs.

Wind generation hit a record high share of 24.7% of generation.

Generation from fossil fuels fell slightly (down to a share of 40.8%) but generation from gas remained the principal form of UK generation at 38.4%.

The Digest of UK Energy Statistics states that the increase is due to high output from wind and solar generators, substantial increases in wind generation capacity and more favourable weather conditions than 2021.

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail said:

“It’s great to see renewables setting new records across the board, generating record amounts of clean power last year, making us less dependant on expensive gas imports at the very time when fossil fuel costs rocketed up, causing an energy crisis which we’re still grappling with.

“Government and industry must pull out all the stops to increase our energy security by ensuring that vital new clean energy projects can be built faster, onshore and offshore.

“This is not the time to waver or row back on policies which accelerate the energy transition.

“On the contrary, we need more of a focus from Government on ensuring we continue to unlock investment in renewables, and that the UK’s secures the maximum amount of new jobs and manufacturing investment which could flow from the billions of pounds of private investment which our sector brings.”

Source: ReNews

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New sustainable factory to meet increased ventilation demand

To meet the increasing demand for ventilation systems in the UK, leading indoor climate solutions manufacturer, Zehnder Group UK, yesterday opened a new modern manufacturing plant, utilising the very latest technology, in Maidstone, Kent. The new facility will create an innovative power hub in Britain, not only serving the UK ventilation industry but allowing increased export to Europe and beyond.

In a celebratory event on Wednesday, esteemed representatives from the local Maidstone community, along with notable figures such as Faversham and Mid Kent MP, Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care), Helen Whately, and The Worshipful the Deputy Mayor of Maidstone Cllr Martin Cox, gathered at the factory for the grand opening.

The distinguished guests were warmly received by Chairman of the Board of Directors for the 120-year-old Zehnder Group, Dr. Hans-Peter Zehnder and Zehnder UK Managing Director, Tony Twohig. Together, they performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and graciously welcomed customer representatives and attendees inside for an exclusive tour.

The new factory, located in the Hollingbourne area of Maidstone, has been strategically located to allow easy access to major transportation routes and infrastructure, providing an improved logistics hub and delivery capabilities for Zehnder customers throughout the UK. It features the very latest equipment and technology in ventilation manufacturing for Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) units, trickle vents and single point extract fans – reducing the need for offshoring and allowing increased export into the EU.

Zehnder has made significant investment in the facility that will offer the increased production capacity, allowing the business to expand its product lines and services to meet the changing needs of its residential and commercial customers.

The new factory site has been designed to meet the highest standards of quality and sustainability and will incorporate the latest energy-efficient technologies to minimise its environmental impact. The new building operates at the highest energy efficiency through the implementation of solar panels, LED low energy lighting, which is light sensitive and self-adjusting, and heat recovery heating and cooling systems in the office areas.

Brand new machinery, such as plastic moulding machines, cooling systems and a fully electric vehicle fleet, including forklift trucks, also work to the latest energy efficiency ratings – lowering Zehnder’s carbon footprint and becoming a key part of its journey to carbon neutral.

The sustainability credentials of the new factory don’t end there. The new site is set up to recycle the energy from cooling water to heat or cool the machines, and then in the winter, reuse the heat from the compressed air system to warm the building – meaning the site is in a constant process of reuse and recycle, putting less strain on the local grid and surrounding amenities.

Zehnder has committed to staying in the Maidstone area. Most of the staff live within 12 miles of the site, including the factory’s operations manager, and every employee has access to a local free electric bus service to help them get to work. The launch will also open up job opportunities for local residents, with a focus on skilled and experienced professionals in the manufacturing and engineering fields.

The operations team will also use local businesses, such as packaging suppliers, facilities management companies, hospitality suppliers (for example local hotels and caterers), subcontractors (toolmakers, and materials suppliers) and logistics providers to help with external requirements.

Zehnder Commercial Director, Stuart Smith, said at the opening of the new facility: “It was an honour to welcome customers, staff and our esteemed local guests onto the new site today – and to have Hans-Peter Zehnder present to reinforce the importance of this opening for Zehnder Group made it an extra special occasion.

 

“Maidstone will offer us increased production capacity and more efficient technology to expand our product outputs and services across residential and commercial lines. This opening will really put Zehnder UK on the map as a centre of excellence for sustainability and energy efficient manufacturing practices as well as a global hub for exports across the world.

“Through our sustainability efforts and ongoing community focus, we hope to also make a positive impact on the area – creating job opportunities, supporting other local businesses and fully utilising the excellent logistic links that Kent offers.

“The technology we’ve brought into the factory production line is the very latest in cutting edge innovation for our market-leading ventilation systems and this investment is a testament to our commitment in providing our customers with the best products and services – as well as our dedication to sustainable manufacturing practices.”

 

Zehnder is known for providing high-quality ventilation systems, and the opening of the new factory in Maidstone, Kent, represents a momentous milestone in the company’s growth and expansion. The upgraded facility will enable Zehnder to continue to provide innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers, while also contributing to the economic growth of the region.

 

For more information on Zehnder and its products, please visit www.zehnder.co.uk or contact us at info@zehnder.co.uk.

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The UK’s Largest Modular Build to Rent Project

Macquarie’s UK Build to Rent platform – Goodstone Living – has secured over £100m of debt financing from NatWest and Allied Irish Bank, to support the delivery of Smith’s Garden, the UK’s largest modular Build to Rent community in Birmingham.

“Quality Build to Rent is an increasingly important housing tenure for the UK and we are pleased to close our second transaction with the Goodstone team.

“Smith’s Gardens’ commitments on both embodied and operational carbon demonstrate Goodstone’s environmental ambition while its construction will support job creation and regeneration in the local area of Digbeth.”

Michael Goode, Director and Build to Rent Lead, NatWest

Goodstone Living has also appointed Elements Europe as its construction partner to support the transformation of the 4.2-acre island site in Digbeth, the heart of Birmingham’s creative quarter. Construction will start imminently, and the scheme is expected to complete in 2025.

“As a forward-looking lender it is increasingly important for us to be able to finance schemes that provide much needed new housing that has a positive social and environmental impact while being future proofed against changing market conditions.

“Smith’s Garden is pioneering in terms of its construction and environmental considerations while delivering 550 much needed new homes for rent.”

Kieran Redford, Corporate Banking, Allied Irish Bank GB

Smith’s Garden will deliver 550 next generation Build to Rent homes across six buildings, including a 26-storey landmark tower. Homes will be manufactured offsite by Elements Europe at its modular factory in Telford. The company is a leading modular firm backed by Korean conglomerate GS Engineering and Construction – part of the GS Group.

The new homes will be centred around over an acre of private garden – one of the largest in central Birmingham. Other amenities at Smith’s Garden include a co-working space, fitness centre and creche.

“Elements Europe are proud to have partnered with Goodstone Living over the past 18-months to design and prepare the largest modular Build to Rent residential construction scheme to date in the UK.

“Utilising Modern Methods of Construction and delivering the apartments in a fully modular form not only provides programme benefits to our client, but also reduces the construction footprint by over 3,700 less vehicle movements into Birmingham and creates over 35% less construction waste than traditional construction methods.

“We will continue to contribute to the development of MMC in the UK together with GS E&C and The Pickstock Group.”

David Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Elements Europe

To secure its position at the forefront of the sector, Goodstone Living’s specialist team has applied a series of pioneering design, innovation and sustainability principles to the scheme. Embodied carbon emissions during construction will be reduced by over 30% (vs. RIBA 2025 benchmark) through its use of cement-replacement with ground granulated blast furnace slag, and locally manufactured, volumetric modular construction.

Smith’s Garden’s operational carbon emissions will also be reduced by over 50% (vs. Part L 2021 Building Regulations) by implementing the latest heating and enhanced building fabric technologies. This includes fully electrifying the scheme with an air source heat pump in each apartment, on-site energy production and triple glazed windows.

The development will also exceed current fire regulations, with all buildings featuring dual staircases to enhance resident safety and wellbeing.

“Smith’s Garden is one of the largest and most exciting Build to Rent residential projects in the UK and is testament to the evolution of this sector over the past 15 years. We want to show it is not just possible but desirable to build better now, and this helps improve and future proof assets for all of our stakeholders.

“This project also marks an important milestone for Goodstone which now has almost 1,000 units under construction and a large pipeline of development opportunities to scale its portfolio by leveraging the market dislocation driven by a higher rates environment and challenges facing the traditional build-to-sell model.”

Martin Bellinger, Principal, Goodstone Living

Creating social value, the project will create over 75 new local jobs. It is also targeting the delivery of over £2m of socio-economic benefits for the local community through access to learning for local children, apprenticeships and work experience for young people, as well as those with learning difficulties and from under-represented backgrounds.

“Schemes likes this help to drive growth and regeneration right across our region. Smith’s Garden will be providing high quality new rental homes with high environmental standards in historic Digbeth – at the same time as creating jobs and opportunities for local people and the wider community.

“It’s great to see modular construction taking centre stage here – with Elements generating highly skilled jobs in Telford in a factory that will power the delivery of thousands of homes in the months and years ahead. It’s also good news that jobs will be created in Digbeth itself during the construction phase. I cannot wait to see this project come to fruition.”

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands

 

Source: BTR News

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Modulek Helps the Royal Marines Get a Firm Footing

Modulek helps RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, Lympstone get a firm footing for 2023. 

 

Leading true hybrid construction company Modulek was delighted to attend the official opening of RMA – The Royal Marines Charity’s new building on the 13th of July.

The new CHAMP building will house the charity’s service staff and provide a unification of support at the camp.

The Charity’s Chair of Trustees, Mrs Lynn Fordham explained how vital such provision is:

 

” It is important that the Charity’s teams are located within the Camp as so many of the Royal Marines family we support are either based at CTCRM or travel through regularly. The Charity’s activities on camp include direct support to those recruits who, for whatever reason, are unable to complete training; briefing serving ranks during all training courses and command courses, and to be available for staff and family members to drop in for advice and support, whether that be welfare, employment, education, fundraising, amenities or RMA membership and reunions.”

 

Modulek LTD  became involved with the charity as there was an urgent need to replace its former home, a wooden hut dating back to WW2.

No longer fit for purpose and designated a danger, Modulek was drafted in to provide alternative facilities.

The current site required a full turnkey service, with Modulek providing demolition of the old site right through to service installation and landscaping of the new building.

Carried out within just 13 weeks and on budget, Modulek worked closely with RMA – The Royal Marines Charity to ensure the new building kept some of the charms of the old wooden hut, with a wooden cladding external finish.

Present at the opening ceremony, Major Mark Latham RM 2IC Support Wing & Officer Commanding Base Company, Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, added:

 

“This is an outstanding project, brought in within the timeline and potentially under budget. It is a very impressive building and a project that will allow the Charity to operate within a suitable and fitting environment. I, for one, am very impressed with how this project was managed and completed.”

 

WEBSITE

 

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New Hospital Programme in Disarray

The NHS in Wales built the Grange University Hospital in Gwent using MMC

A lack of progress on a ‘template’ to standardise hospital design across England is delaying the government’s hospital building programme, a report has found. According to the National Audit Office (NAO), the government will miss its pledge, made in Boris Johnson’s 2019 manifesto, to build 40 hospitals by 2030.

The NAO has analysed the New Hospitals Programme (NHP) and found that, by the definition set out in 2020, only 32 will be built in time.

It also raised concerns that, due to cost-cutting and inaccurate modelling of future demand, the new hospitals could be built too small.

Under plans to build hospitals faster using modern methods of construction (MMC), the NHP’s central team has been working since 2021 on designs for a new template, called Hospital 2.0.

Standardised designs for inpatient rooms, critical care units, outpatient rooms and an initial ‘kit of parts’ for MMC were supposed to be published in January, with a full design released later this year.

But the plans will now not be released before May 2024, after the NHP struggled with the ‘challenge’ of drawing up a modular hospital template, and found it hard to recruit technical staff, the NAO said.

In a bid to reduce cost overruns and delays, the new standardised approach aims to move the NHS away from its old way of working, whereby trusts developed designs on a ‘scheme-by-scheme’ basis.

However, the NAO said the NHP also had not ‘engaged meaningfully’ with the construction industry about key aspects of the programme and there were risks over whether the sector would have the capacity to take on the work.

The lack of design certainty was hampering the programme’s ability to project building cost savings, it said, adding: ‘Until Hospital 2.0 is finished, there are limits to NHP’s ability to make progress with planning schemes in cohort 3 and later.

The report also voiced concern that some of the new hospitals where design work had already been undertaken might need to be reworked to meet the NHP’s new standards.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, one of the original Health Infrastructure Plan (HIP) schemes announced in 2019, had incurred over £10 million of design-related costs since 2018, which might ‘prove to have been fruitless’, the report said.

BDP won a contest to design the £600 million hospital, but the practice was later replaced by a rival bidder Penoyre & Prasad with Schmidt Hammer Lassen after the NHS trust said the practice was unable to proceed with the scheme.

The NAO report also highlighted how, unlike in new schools, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) for hospital construction was not yet widespread in England.

The NHS in Wales built the Grange University Hospital in Gwent using MMC, which was completed under-budget and three months ahead of schedule, meaning it was available for the second wave of Covid-19.

But the NAO’s report said that, following the pandemic, there had been ‘challenges’ and that the Healthcare Inspectorate in Wales reported the waiting area in the emergency department at Grange University Hospital was ‘too small and unfit for purpose’.

The hospital was built on a greenfield site, but a particular challenge for NHP is that many of its schemes are on previously developed sites. The report said this means that standard designs will sometimes be implemented at constricted and irregularly-shaped locations.

Fears were also raised about the modelling used in a ‘minimum viable product’ version of its high-level Hospital 2.0 specifications. The NAO said some of the NHP’s underlying assumptions may result in hospitals that are ‘not big enough for future needs’.

When the Department of Health and Social Care (DCSC) officially set out the hospitals plan in October 2020, eight hospital construction projects already under way were not included in the target.

But recent government statements about building 40 new hospitals include these eight projects, referred to as ‘legacy hospitals’. In addition, last month, the government announced that five more hospitals would be added to the new build programme, due to risk of structural collapse because of weak concrete.

Meg Hillier, a Labour MP who chairs parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, said there had been a ‘woeful lack of progress’ on hitting new hospital targets, which the government was now trying to change.

‘The Department of Health and Social Care has been trying to move the goalposts so it can claim it has met its target,’ she said in a statement.

‘Patients and clinicians are going to have to wait much longer than they expected before their new hospitals are completed.’

Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO said: ‘The programme has innovative plans to standardise hospital construction, delivering efficiencies and quality improvements.

‘However, by the definition the government used in 2020 it will now deliver 32, rather than 40, new hospitals by 2030.

‘Delivery so far has been slower than expected, both on individual schemes and in developing the Hospital 2.0 template, which has delayed programme funding decisions.’

In response, a DCSC spokesperson said: ‘The NAO’s report acknowledges that despite changes to the original programme to prioritise hospitals affected by RAAC, 40 new hospitals will still be delivered by 2030, and praises the programme’s innovative plans to standardise hospital construction, deliver efficiencies and improve quality.

‘We remain firmly committed to delivering these hospitals, which are now expected to be backed by over £20 billion of investment – helping to cut waiting lists so people can get the treatment they need quicker. Three new hospitals have already opened and more will open this year so patients and staff can benefit from major new hospital buildings, equipped with the latest technology.’

Source: Architects Journal

 

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£5m Bathroom Pod Contracts

Offsite Solutions, the UK’s leading bathroom pod manufacturer, has been awarded two contracts totalling £5m for nearly 1,500 bathroom pods for Downing’s first co-living scheme.

Offsite Solutions has worked on more than 20 Downing projects since 2013, involving the manufacture of nearly 10,000 pods to date in contracts worth over £23m.

Designed by Simpson Haugh, Square Gardens is a £400m co-living scheme in Manchester developed and built by Downing, which will provide new homes for rent – a mix of private studios to five-bedroom apartments.

This project is also the very first application of Offsite Solutions’ new large format tile-effect finish for its GRP bathroom pods. An expanded range of finishes have recently been developed to widen the scope of factory-finished GRP shower rooms and bathrooms specifically for the build-to-rent sector.

Offsite Solutions is manufacturing 1,487 GRP shower rooms and ensuite bathrooms for towers A, B and block D up to the 17th storey. All the pods will be supplied floorless – a highly efficient solution to minimise floor build-up on high-rise apartment projects.

Commenting on Downing’s use of pods for this scheme, Andy Thomas, Operations Director at Downing, said,

“Manufacturing bathrooms offsite gives us a huge benefit in terms of programme, reduction of waste on site and certainty in quality.  Our demand for pods is pretty high once the internal fitout process starts on site, so keeping up with our programme is absolutely critical for Downing.”

“Pod technology continues to advance. At Square Gardens we are utilising new higher specification GRP finishes and floorless pods. We are happy with the level of quality and finish that Offsite Solutions achieves with its bathroom pods for Downing and have a good relationship with their organisation at every level.”

James Stephens, Managing Director of Offsite Solutions said, “Downing is one of our longest standing clients. We have provided GRP bathroom pods which have been rolled out on multiple student living schemes developed by Downing across the UK for more than 10 years. We are delighted to now be working on their major co-living development in the heart of Manchester.”

“Over the life of GRP pods, we estimate that the operating cost saving is at least 90 per cent more than in-situ bathroom construction. GRP pod technology continues to advance and we have now developed a series of new aesthetic options and features that developers can specify to further enhance tenant appeal in the shared living space.”

“We can also engineer standardised designs that developers can specify for multiple schemes – as we have done for many years with Downing – further increasing the efficiency of construction and optimising all the benefits of offsite manufacturing.”

All the pods will feature Offsite Solutions’ newly developed large format tile-effect finish in matt white – removing the need for porcelain tiles and grout lines to the wet areas. This option significantly reduces maintenance costs for retained assets.

The larger shower rooms for Square Gardens will have a 1.7m long shower with a sliding door and wall-mounted thermostatic shower. The pods will be fitted out in the factory with a three-door mirrored wall cabinet, bar tower rail, LED lighting, wall hung toilet, and a rectangular wall-mounted hand basin with a pearl white solid surface vanity top above. The ensuite shower pods will have a 780mm shower with a pivot door and a single mirrored wall cabinet.

Due for completion in 2024, Square Gardens aims to simplify and improve residents’ experience of living in the city centre by providing a quality place to live that is not only affordable, secure and convenient but creates a vibrant new connected community.

Offsite Solutions offers the largest range of bathroom pods of any UK manufacturer and to suit different building types, tenures and market sectors. Options include steel-framed bathroom pods with porcelain-tiled finishes for high-end apartments, PRS, student residences and hotels, and robust and low maintenance GRP composite shower and bath pods for student living, build-to-rent, care homes, social housing and healthcare.

 

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Claim tens of thousands back in R&D tax relief 

Construction firms could claim tens of thousands back in R&D tax relief  –  Just 8% of R&D claims in 2022 came from the construction industry 

 

The construction industry is one of the largest sectors of the UK economy, employing around 3 million people and building the foundations of the future with new homes, factories, offices, schools, hospitals, transport networks and energy infrastructures. There are consistently innovative and exciting developments taking place within the industry, much of which is underpinned by research and development. Anything can happen during a construction project, with R&D in this sector all about overcoming problems on site, the innovative use of products or processes to deal with unforeseen difficulties and adapting existing techniques to solve site specific problems. 

 The HMRC Research and Development Tax Scheme was created to encourage business innovation and stimulate the economy through supporting firms to bring new products and services to market. Yet, due to time constraints, lack of awareness and doubts around eligibility or the legitimacy of the incentive, there are thousands of building and construction companies not currently taking part in the scheme. 

 The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was clearly felt in the sector, with the combination of projects having to be temporarily paused, social distancing and supply chain challenges leading to a decrease in the number of claims submitted last year, along with a 14% decrease in SME claim values, which averaged out at €53,962 per claim. There were 6,365 construction R&D SME claims in 2022, representing 8.07% of the total 78,825 claims. The value of the claims across the construction sector amounted to 7.01% of the whole, approximately €343 million of a whopping €4.89bn total paid out across all sectors. 

 Research and Development Specialists Ltd (RDS), are experts in helping companies to navigate the HMRC scheme. Mark Joyner, MD of RDS, is on a mission to demystify R&D in a bid to reach firms in the construction sector that could benefit from a cash influx of potentially thousands of pounds.  

 “We’ve previously had great success within the construction industry, recovering over £2 million solely for our portfolio of clients in the construction industry, which includes major players such as Walshaw Building Ltd.  

 “Construction is an industry that is constantly evolving and innovating, and that is exactly what this scheme has been created for. If I were to say to you, I’ll give you £46,347, I’m sure there would be lots of things that, as a business owner, you could do with that money. That figure represents the average amount of a successful claim through the HMRC R&D Tax Incentive last year. It is not a scam or a way to play the system, yet for many reasons, eligible companies are not claiming the money to which they are entitled. 

 “A lot of people think it sounds too good to be true, some are time poor and don’t have the time to investigate the scheme properly and some are just unaware that it even exists. At RDS we simplify the process and take a lot of the leg work away from busy accountants, senior teams or business owners.  

 “Something that sets us apart is that we’re completely transparent and we give our clients full sign off for a claim at various stages of the process. We hand over the final submission to the in-house team so that they know the full figure they’re claiming for, and our costs are recovered only when a successful claim is submitted, approved, and credited. For us, building trust and working in partnership is the most important part of the process.”   

 

What is R&D in Construction? 

 

Research and development tax credits are a valuable government incentive that rewards UK businesses for investing in innovation and a powerful source of funding for construction businesses looking to grow and develop new products, services, procedures, and internal systems. 

 

Qualifying R&D for the construction industry includes: 

·                     Developing structures from novel construction materials 

·                     Innovative usage of eco-friendly or sustainable materials or methods 

·                     Adapting existing construction techniques to solve environmental issues or site-specific problems 

·                     Innovating new methods of construction to introduce automation 

·                     Integrating new or improved technology into buildings 

·                     Modifying existing components and fittings into sites with different constraints 

·                     Developing new or improved equipment 

·                     Solving technical problems that crop up during a construction project 

 

Any UK limited construction business can claim for R&D tax relief, with different types of R&D scheme depending on whether you fit HMRC’s guide as being an SME or large company. For the SME scheme, a construction company must employ less than 500 people and have a turnover of less than £85m or a balance sheet total of less than £73m. An SME’s eligible R&D costs receive an additional 130% deduction when calculating the taxable profit. 

 For profitable businesses, the benefit is applied as a reduction in corporation tax. If a claim is historical, the monies will be claimed back as a repayment of overpaid corporation tax. For companies operating at a loss, the R&D claim will increase the loss arising. This loss can then be set against prior and future profits of the company, or it can be turned into a cash repayment by using a process HMRC calls ‘surrender’, whereby the business takes a slightly lower benefit percentage for the ‘cash now’. 

 An R&D claim can typically be submitted for a business’s current and previous financial year. The project must relate to construction, with the claim detailing how the project looked for an advance in science and technology, attempted to overcome an uncertainty and how the problem could not be easily worked out by a professional in the field. It is not necessary to have a finished product or service, rather proof of the research and development phase is sufficient to qualify. 

 R&D Tax Credits are a legitimate Government-backed incentive to encourage innovation and have been operating in the UK since 2000. That said, there are intricacies, including when claiming for other tax relief incentives, as well as criteria to be met, that can make the process seem overwhelming. That is why employing a R&D specialist such as RDS can help take the headache out of making a claim.  

 

More information on R&D tax relief can be found on the Government’s website here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/corporation-tax-research-and-development-rd-relief  

 

For more information visit https://randdspecialists.co.uk/.  

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Rebrand for broader growth strategy

Manufacturing firm rebrands as part of broader growth strategy

A manufacturing firm that has an office in Elland has launched a brand change as part of an expansion drive.

Sigmat, with a manufacturing facility and support centre in Leeds and design and engineering offices in Skipton and Elland, aims to double turnover and employment between now and 2030

The £30m business currently employs around 200 people.

Established in 2001, the company designs, manufactures and installs frames made from light to medium gauge steel for the construction industry. These frames typically form the superstructure of buildings such as flats and apartments, student accommodation, hotels and public sector buildings.

The new brand – called Remagin – brings together the collective capabilities of three existing businesses, Yorkshire-based Sigmat, County Durham-based EOS and Horizon, operating from Ireland.

The new commercial branding is part of a broader growth strategy which will see the turnover of the combined companies across the UK and Ireland more than double between now and 2030 – with significant employment opportunities in various roles for local people.

Scott Bibby, country manager Ireland and UK explained: “This is an exciting time in the development of not just our own business but the wider offsite construction sector. Due to the flexibility and proven benefits of panelised building systems, things are really taking off and by combining our joint strengths we are confident we can accelerate and maximise sector growth.

“Remagin is building on the solid foundations established by Sigmat, EOS and Horizon and is backed by Etex Group with its significant R&D and testing capacity and materials expertise. We’re in a significant position to add significant life-cycle value and sustainability benefits to our customers.”

Source: Halifax Courier

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Mushroom Cladding

Flat sheets of a fungal material could provide a safe and sustainable new way to fireproof buildings, according to researchers.

The panels, developed by a team at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, are made of mycelium, a network of fungal strands that can thrive on organic waste and in darkness.

Touted in recent years as a solution to countless problems, from chemical pollution to biological control of asthma-causing house-dust mites, fungi’s latest application could be in construction thanks to the work by the RMIT researchers, who chemically manipulated its composition to boost its fire-retardant properties.

The mycelium can be grown from organic waste, said associate professor Tien Huynh, a specialist in biotechnology and mycology. “Fungi are usually found in a composite form mixed with residual feed material, but we found a way to grow pure mycelium sheets that can be layered and engineered into different uses – from flat panels for the building industry to a leather-like material for the fashion industry,” she said.

The team created paper-thin, wallpaper-like sheets using what they described as a “novel method” that works without pulverising the mycelium’s filament network. Instead, they used different growth conditions and chemicals to make the thin, uniform and fire-resistant material.

The researchers are focused on creating bio-derived, fire-retardant cladding for buildings, which they hope could help prevent tragedies like the Grenfell Tower blaze, which was accelerated by a highly combustible cladding component.

The mycelium has strong potential as a fireproofing material, said associate professor Everson Kandare, a specialist in the flammability and thermal properties of biomaterials and co-author of a paper on the work.

“The great thing about mycelium is that it forms a thermal protective char layer when exposed to fire or radiant heat. The longer and the higher temperature at which mycelium char survives, the better its use as a fireproof material,” said Kandare.

Mycelium-based cladding is also not harmful to the environment when burned, he added. Composite cladding panels usually contain plastics, which produce toxic fumes and heavy smoke when they burn.

“Bromide, iodide, phosphorus and nitrogen-containing fire retardants are effective, but have adverse health and environmental effects. They pose health and environmental concerns, as carcinogens and neurotoxins that can escape and persist in the environment cause harm to plant and animal life,” said Kandare. “Bio-derived mycelium produces naturally occurring water and carbon dioxide.”

The work could lead to improved and eco-friendly cladding for buildings, the researchers claimed.

“Plastics are quick and easy to produce, whereas fungi is slow to grow and relatively harder to produce at scale,” said Huynh. “However, we’ve been approached by the mushroom industry about using their fungal-incorporated waste products. Collaborating with the mushroom industry would remove the need for new farms, while producing products that meet fire safety needs in a sustainable way.”

The researchers are now looking to create fungal mats reinforced by engineering fibres to delay ignition, reduce flame intensity and improve their fire safety ranking.

The collaborative project also involves the University of New South Wales, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Australian Research Council Training Centre in Fire Retardant Materials and Safety Technologies.

The work was published in Polymer Degradation and Stability. It builds on preliminary research published by experts in the same journal and Nature’s Scientific Reports.

Source: Institute of Mechanical Engineers

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