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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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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New facility to deliver up to 4,000 homes a year

New £45m offsite construction facility to deliver up to 4,000 new homes per year

British Offsite, the build offsite company of Weston Group plc, has launched ‘Horizon’, a new £45m 137,000 sq ft offsite construction factory in Braintree

Designed in collaboration with Swedish robotic engineering firm Randek AB, which uses “state-of-the-art” robotic automated manufacturing to deliver a light gauge steel panel system and other components used for the onsite delivery of the superstructure and internal fit out of houses, multi-rise and high-rise developments.

Once operational the new factory in the Horizon Business Park will be able to assist with the delivery of up to 4,000 new homes per year, with building components provided to both Weston Homes, the Group’s volume housebuilding division, and also sold on the open market to builders and contractors in the construction sector.

The ‘Horizon’ factory will produce British offsite’s UniSystem range that includes light gauge panels, walls, roofs and floors, with the panels having windows, doors, insulation, vents, fire stopping and external cladding in place, manufactured exactly to a developer’s needs.

In addition, British Offsite also manufactures internal fitout modules, under their BOS Fitout brand, which includes bathroom components, kitchen and bedroom products, designed to be easily integrated into existing projects, with full quality control testing before elements reach site.

The initial design concepts and commissioning of technology for the factory started three years ago, with the actual construction of the building taking 12 months. The completed factory has a glass and Trimco-panels façade with solar panels on the roof to help ensure sustainability and maximum power generation, with special energy monitoring systems.

Inside the automated production line, inspired by the automotive industry and designed by Randek AB, represents £5.3m of capital expenditure and is based around eight robots, designed and supplied by Randek Robotics.

British Offsite is the first Randek AB customer in the UK to receive the new machinery, automation and productivity solutions. The robots work together in three teams to control a series of zero-labour production cells including fitting insulation panels, fitting plasterboard panels and cutting window openings.

Bob Weston, chairman of British Offsite & Weston Group, commented:

“Working with Randek AB, the launch of the ‘Horizon’ factory has created one of the most automated light gauge steel panel assembly lines in Europe and the largest single production line in the UK.

“Offsite construction is the future of the housebuilding industry and homes manufactured at ‘Horizon’ can be tailored to a development’s unique design vision.”

Source: Bdaily News

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Innovative Water Catchment

Water catchment house design in Africa win Special Recognition in the Architectural Design category at the Design Educates Awards 2023

Hong-En, Lin introduces a Pure Power/Daily Combat Strategy for Water Collection in Africa, where water resources are often polluted, and where long distances to obtain water make the task difficult.

For many people, it can take one to three hours to get from home to a water source, but even then the water they obtain is often muddy. Water pollution is also a prevalent problem in Africa, and one of the primary causes of death is due to the consumption of contaminated water over time that contains bacteria and parasites that can cause illness. Given that poor environments prevent many people from accessing cleaner water, the designer’s goal is to assist them in that endeavor. Once addressed, access to cleaner water resources can also help improve water extraction, while ensuring the availability of clean drinking water and clean water for cooking and better food hygiene in regions of Africa.

Thoughts from the house

Housing is the most important source of shelter from the wind and rain, as well as a place for undertaking daily activities. It has been observed in Africa that family women still retain local traditional woven clothing. Most parts of the world have their own weaving culture. Under the circumstances of limited environmental conditions and budget, the designer has leveraged local weaving culture as an idea for combining the housing of local materials and dew collection to create cleaner, more economical housing with a cleaner water source.

Photo credit: Hong-En,Lin

Design Thinking and Creation

How do poor rural areas perceive local materials based on economic sustainability as effective use tools that can be extended to other places after 10 years and 20 years? In terms of architecture, bricks and wood, which are easily available locally, are used as the main building materials. The design of local objects can be simply accomplished through weaving and the power of a family. Joint weaving can enhance emotional well-being between family members while providing the ability to reduce budget expenditures and increase the temperature of hand-made buildings to create a closer family sense of belonging. The bedroom space surrounds the public space so that the bedroom and the semi-outdoor space are closely connected, thus creating a daily living space where the family can gather. On the roof, a wooden structure is combined with a weaving device to collect dew. The weaving technique and structure are interwoven to form a structure that echoes the concept. The tolerable curvature of the wood structure is used as the support of the roof structure, and the structure of the roof is covered by weaving. The cladding of the roof is covered with structure, a waterproof layer (PVC), and a dew collection layer. The structure can extract moisture from the air in the early morning, and can also collect rainwater, both of which can be stored after passing through a filtration system. As a result, the use of local weaving colors and simple construction methods can be leveraged and combined to create useful and interesting roof systems.

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How the USA Construction Industry is Automating Workflows

Visit any news site, and you’ll find recent headlines and op-eds describing big tech’s recent stumbles—overzealous hiring sprees in hyper-growth phases have been disrupted by worrying economic signals, which perpetuate a vicious cycle of mass job cuts.

The story unraveling in the construction industry, meanwhile, is quite a different one—job openings far outpace workers in the talent pool. Data released by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) in February revealed that the construction industry’s workforce shortages have topped half a million.

NPR reported a similar story, citing the recent Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) report that showed the number of construction job openings rose by 129,000 in February, while hiring decreased by 18,000.

CNBC reports that tech workers worry over being replaced by generative AI, but as these workers find their jobs threatened by recent job cuts, the construction industry stands to gain from adopting technology and, particularly, automation to address workforce challenges. In fact, Construction Drive cites a new report from Dodge Construction Network that revealed positive results among general contractors automating subcontractor management processes. 91% of GCs who used sub management technology, the report found, experienced improvements in productivity. In addition, 81% responded they experienced lower costs, and 79% responded higher profits.

Lucas Marshall Content Marketing and SEO Manager at  Milwaukee Tools looks at how construction companies in the US are currently automating workflows and can continue to leverage technology to address workforce challenges.

 

Robotics

Reuters reported in February that orders placed to North American robotics companies in 2022 reached 44,100 units—an 11% increase over the previous year and a new record.

 

And that’s for good reason – robots drive positive outcomes in the construction sector:

  • They help improve speed and automate procedural tasks (by 25-90%) as well as reducing hazardous tasks (by 72%), empowering already strapped project execution teams onsite to deliver executables faster, but also more safely and more predicably.
  • They empower project managers to better forecast, predict, and scope project budgets and timelines while also improving communication, collaboration, and morale between cross-functional teams.
  • They can reskill construction laborers into higher-skilled roles. At the same time, they can empower skilled trades to cut the monotony from their day to focus on the parts of their job that call for the highest degree of human intelligence and reasoning.

 

Types of robotics and use cases:

  • Procedural robots – bricklaying robots, like Construction Robotics’ SAM, have helped companies complete jobs faster by working alongside skilled bricklayers in remote areas like Virginia where access to skilled workers is limited.
  • Drones and reality capture – Drones can be used both in preconstruction and on active sites—to map out sites, to perform overhead progress reports, even to keep track of assets. Such is the case for an Australian customer of major drone-making company DroneDeploy, who has used the company’s software across 20 projects to communicate daily activities as well as change design plans and report site progress in real-time. Meanwhile, Boston Dynamics’ “Spot,” a more traditional, if canine-reminiscent, robot, has been used to drive reality capture workflows, such as monitoring an HDVC converter station in central Massachusetts for public safety.
  • Exoskeletons – both partial and full-body exoskeletons (think: Tony Stark becoming Iron Man) can help empower their wearer to more safely perform dangerous tasks, faster. Such is the case with Comau’s MATE that offers postural and upper limb support that helps wearers move more comfortably, reduces muscle fatigue, and enhances overhead mobility.

 

Experts have agreed that automation is critical to address many of the challenges the construction industry faces, while they also agree that focusing on the human side of automation is equally important. “It’s not that they’re replacing people but that they’re refocusing people,” said Alan Gasvoda, an End User Productivity Leader for Continuous Improvement at Milwaukee Tool, in a recent expert roundup on automation. “[T]he robotics are typically done to those tasks that people don’t typically like to do anyway, and it provides the industry the chance to upskill their current workforce,” he explains.

 

Industrialization

Industrialization within the construction industry refers to the productisation of construction projects, and it represents a mindset shift from one-off projects to more wholistic, systemic processes. General tenets and key advantages to industrializing construction processes include reducing waste, creating a value chain for the customer, and improving the overall quality and consistency of the build.

 

Common levers pulled in an industrialized construction workflow include:

  • Adopting lean management principles
  • Streamlining preassembly through offsite construction (e.g., partnering with a third-party prefab or modular construction vendor, or building your own infrastructure) to better control quality assurance. That is to say, offsite construction allows companies to skirt unpredictable weather conditions, and leverage temperature-controlled factory settings and assembly lines with standardized processes and even robotics (as in above workflow!) that drive better consistency.
  • Adopting additive manufacturing technologies (such as 3D printing) to increase design freedom and timeliness as well as reduce waste.
  • BIM and digital twin models to mirror systems and processes across project lifecycles, leverage real-time data, and use simulation and machine learning and reasoning to help empower smarter decision making.

 

Examples of companies currently using industrialization techniques include Modular Building Institute award-winning company, NRB Modular Solutions, which has done everything from providing affordable housing in Oshawa, Ontario, to delivering office space in a manufacturing facility.

A similar project included one from modular builder 720 Solutions, which delivered housing for mental health clients, a 36-module, 28-unit structure that, once planned, greenlit, and completed offsite, took merely a day to assemble onsite.

 

Safer, Smarter Power Tools

There has been a barrage of headlines related to artificial intelligence in recent months that highly emphasize applications like generative design. A far less discussed topic, though equally compelling, is how machine learning algorithms applied to power tools can make those tools, in the hands of onsite installers, safer against dangerous events like kickback, or how utilization events performed on these tools can be pulled to assist with anything from troubleshooting maintenance to providing quality assurance to customers that work has been performed to specification.

 

Examples of smart power tools in use:

  • Major electrical grid providers rely on smart power tools, like digital torque wrenches, to automate the installation of heavy-duty mechanical lug nuts for high-voltage electrical wires. Proof-of-work reporting also demonstrates to customers and stakeholders that these critical fasteners were installed to specification and that the public’s safety can be ensured.
  • Heavy duty mechanics, meanwhile, rely on IoT solutions – smart impact guns empower these trades to deliver precision fastening in the fleet vehicles they service. What’s more, integrated cloud-based inventory management features help them warranty and service the tools they use in the shop, as well as to keep track of these tools’ locations around the shop and in the field.

 

Software Integrations

Software integration and interoperability remain the digital answer to the real, quantifiable problems experienced in the physical world of construction—both in terms of addressing workforce problems as well as the industry’s digitization dilemma.

Experts have pointed to recent acquisitions by major construction SaaS companies as evidence to where the industry is moving.

The advantages to construction companies integrating their software as well as the apps they use include removing information silos, increasing cross-functional collaboration, removing manual entry that can lead to human error, and overall, improving how companies can operate more seamlessly by leveraging real-time data.

 

Examples of software integrations in the wild include:

  • How a data center utilizing Procore seamlessly connected their flow of information so that communication is facilitated “from anywhere, at anytime.”
  • How an engineering services firm utilizing Autodesk Construction Cloud™ “foster collaboration” by building data connectivity that allows their in-office engineering and in-field construction management teams to synchronize digitally in real time.
  • Integrations like the one between consumer BLE tracking tag company Chipolo® and heavy-duty cordless power tool manufacturer Milwaukee® via their One-Key connectivity platform. This integration allows both companies to expand their BLE networks and it facilitates the reciprocal improvement of both consumer and professional trade end users. As an example, when a consumer whose cat tracker passes within range of professional tradesperson’s Bluetooth®-enabled Drill/Driver or asset affixed with a heavy-duty Bluetooth tracker, this interaction contributes to the scatternet that sends location updates to each app anonymously.

 

Advice to the Construction Sector: Absorb Big Tech’s Displaced Technologists

I started this article comparing and contrasting the technology sector’s job cuts to the construction sector’s workforce challenges, which on the surface serve as an interesting narrative foil.

Both industries confront seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Both are existential in nature. The displaced tech engineers worry where they may go as thousands of their peers face similar fates. The construction companies wonder how they’ll execute on a growing backlog of projects as the talent pool they and their competitors both rely on continuingly narrows.

But with these industries facing problems on the opposite side of the workforce spectrum, one wonders if, together, both industries can help solve the other’s problems in a mutually beneficial manner.

Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella, in a 2022 interview with CNBC International, had some thoughts that mirror this sentiment:

 

“There are more software engineering jobs outside of the tech industry than there are in the tech industry,” said Nadella. “So, to some degree, I’d say the labor markets are much more resilient. There’s not an auto company that doesn’t need software engineers. There’s not an energy company that doesn’t need software engineers. There’s not a retailor or a bank that doesn’t need software engineers.” He arrived at a similar conclusion to the above-one I made: “To the degree to which there is oversupply in one [industry], there will be more even distribution.”

 

As roles like construction technologist emerge, as experts in the construction industry agree on the importance of data and integrations, and as VC funding in contech startups surge, there begin to emerge pathways for this even distribution Nadella describes to accommodate big tech’s displayed displaced software engineers entering the construction tech industry:

  • Displaced software engineers entering contech startups
  • Displaced software engineers and technologists hired directly by construction firms to help build these companies’ tech stacks to better execute on projects

 

Furthermore, as a parting thought, at Milwaukee Tool, there’s a lot more than immediately meets the eye from an engineering standpoint. While software engineers may see a traditional, nearly hundred-year-old power tool company, in fact there’s so much more inside these walls: The company’s double-digit, decade-long growth includes more than 1,500 patents since 2007, a workforce that has grown 7x, and 7 new technology centers.

Innovation is part of our DNA. One such project that brought innovation to a tired product category can demonstrate, having earned accolades from both industry and tech-focused recognizing bodies.

While the clouds may seem stormy, just beyond them is a sunny outlook: partnership.

 

Source: Robotics Tomorrow

 

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Climate Cooling Paint

Pirta tests revolutionary climate cooling paint at world-renowned solar simulator

Pirta has successfully tested the performance of its revolutionary climate ‘cooling paint’ using a world-renowned solar simulator.

The Yorkshire firm visited TS Space Systems’ purpose built site in Marlow, UK, to carry out a range of performance tests.

Pirta’s unique paint formula has since been validated by the University of Leeds with provisional results indicating exceptionally high emissivity, or ability to release heat, reducing surface temperature by up to 64°C (114.4°F).

The technology holds immense commercial potential as a passive cooling agent, supporting billion-dollar market segments — including construction, shipping, logistics, agriculture and energy industries — looking to slash emissions from energy-dependent cooling systems in order to mitigate the current climate crisis.

 

Pirta R&D Director Robert Atkin said the initial performance tests helped propel the firm to open-air testing overseas.

“This was a fascinating way to begin our testing journey,” he said. “Solar simulators are able to replicate intense UV rays experienced in the troposphere extending 11km above sea level. For our tests, we tuned-up the simulator to deliver a variety of light intensities experienced at terrestrial sea-level where our product will initially be applied. It proved to be a vital learning curve and influenced our next stage of field tests in the UK and in India, delivered in collaboration with Leeds University and the Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala.”

In recent months, Pirta’s lab tests have demonstrated a peak reflectance of 99.82% across visible and ultraviolet light spectrums. Its overall performance returned a Figure of Merit of 0.934, which was calculated using both reflectivity and emissivity scores.

Meanwhile, the paint formula’s SRI, recognised in the USA as an industry standard for measuring material thermal properties, was valued at 116.8. Most materials have an SRI between 1 and 100, with higher values indicating greater reflectance and emissivity and an improved ability to passively cool a structure.

Pirta has received support from UK Government backed authorities, investment arms and innovation accelerators including Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, Innovate UK Edge and the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI).

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US RESEARCHES OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION

HUD Announces Research Grant Opportunity to Study Off-site Construction and Land Use Reforms

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) to build the evidence base to accelerate the adoption of innovative and effective practices and policies to increase the production and supply of quality, affordable housing.

The NOFO provides up to $4 million to (1) assess the potential for off-site construction methods to increase housing supply, lower the cost of construction and/or reduce housing expenses for low- and moderate-income owners and renters; and (2) study how reforms to local zoning and other land-use regulations can increase the supply of quality, affordable housing and expand housing choices and opportunities for low- and moderate-income households. Proposals are due on August 1st.

“In recent decades, housing supply simply has not kept up with demand, which has driven up housing costs and limited affordable housing options for low- and moderate-income families. However, the housing supply shortage has also inspired pro-housing policy reforms at the state and local levels and new attention to alternative construction methods,” said Solomon Greene, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. “The goal of this research is to better understand which of these reforms and innovations are most effective at producing new affordable housing and what are the conditions for success.”

This NOFO is the latest in HUD’s effort to support researchers, community residents, practitioners, and policymakers to work together to unleash the housing supply.

  • This NOFO builds upon the research needs that are identified in the Off-site Construction for Housing: Research Roadmap, which can help overcome the barriers and challenges of off-site construction.
  • In June, HUD hosted the Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall, featuring new building technologies and housing solutions, focusing on off-site construction making housing more innovative, resilient, and affordable for American families.
  • In April, HUD released a Policy & Practice brief to summarize the effects of restrictive land use policies on housing supply, location, and affordability, as well as highlight reforms that state and local governments can adopt to increase the supply of housing.
  • In April, HUD announced a research grant to Cornell University to study the impacts of zoning in the largest cities in the United States.
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HS2 in UK first

HS2 in UK first, as engineers begin assembling off-site manufactured viaduct

HS2 has begun assembling the UK’s first major railway viaduct to be entirely manufactured off-site, in a move that represents a major step forward for viaduct design and promises to boosting safety and efficiency on site.

Unlike more traditional viaduct designs, every major element of the 880m long Thame Valley Viaduct is being manufactured in a factory before being slotted together on site like a giant Lego set, cutting its carbon footprint by around a third.

Crossing the flood plain of the River Thame, just outside Aylesbury, the viaduct will carry HS2 trains at speeds of up to 360km/h between London, Birmingham and the North – dramatically improving journeys while freeing up space for more freight and local services on the existing network.

The 68 giant concrete piers – each weighing 42 tonnes – are being cast at PACADAR UK’s factory on the Isle of Grain, in Kent, before being transported to site by road. The first 14 piers were lifted into position on top of their foundations over the last four weeks.

Set low into the landscape with a simple and consistent profile, the underside of the viaduct will be just 3m above the ground, with thirty-six even spans crossing the river and surrounding wetlands.

Applying lessons from the construction of recent high-speed rail projects in Spain, the design team opted for a simple structural solution with two 25m long hollow beams per span, which cuts the amount of carbon-intensive concrete and steel, while simplifying work on site.

Tomas Garcia, HS2 Ltd’s Head of Civil Structures said:

“Thame Valley may not be HS2’s biggest viaduct, but it does represent a major step forward in terms of its structural design. The post-tensioned double-beam approach used here has enabled the whole viaduct to be manufactured off-site – dramatically improving efficiency, safety and quality while delivering outstanding performance and durability.

“Once complete, HS2 will offer zero-carbon journey across the UK, but structures like this will also help us develop new ways to cut embedded carbon in construction that can be adopted across the rest of the industry in the future. That’s why it’s great to see the first piers in place as our construction partners begin to assemble this ground-breaking viaduct.”

The viaduct was designed by HS2 Ltd’s main works contractor, EKFB – a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall – working with specialist on-site construction partner, FC Civils Solutions.

Traditionally, viaduct beams are secured together above each of the piers with a concrete diaphragm which is cast in situ. The larger pre-cast beams that will be used at Thame Valley can be secured directly to one another, removing the need for the diaphragm – and allowing every major element of the structure to be pre-fabricated.

As well as cutting embedded carbon in terms of materials, the pre-fabricated approach requires less lorries to deliver material to site, simplifies construction, cuts waste, reduces disruption for the community during construction – and improves safety by reducing the need for people to work at height.

Off-site manufacturing also helps spread contract opportunities and supply chain jobs across the UK, with 200 people – including apprentices and graduate engineers from nearby Universities – employed on the Isle of Grain, delivering the viaduct and also making tunnel segments for HS2’s London tunnels.

Tiago Palas, FC Civils Solutions Head of Operations, said:

“The construction team is thrilled with progress made so far. In a short amount of time, we have successfully installed fourteen pre-fabricated piers as well as pressing ahead with the other stages of works, on-and-off site, such as pile cap construction and the production of the precast beams ready for installation in autumn.

“Slotting the piers into place takes precision, collaboration and the expertise of the team, however, it’s a relatively quick process – an efficiency enabled by its innovative design and construction methodology.”

 

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