UKGBC is seeking the best and brightest minds in the built environment to focus on critical issues facing the sector.

Record-breaking temperatures, flash flooding and widespread drought this summer have presented the UK with a stark reminder that urgent action is needed to address the climate crisis. As the second largest source of carbon emissions, responsible for around a quarter of our carbon footprint, the built environment industry has a crucial role to play in putting the UK on track to deliver our climate targets. An important part of industry’s role in delivering net zero will include upskilling the existing workforce. Stakeholders across all areas of an organisation will need to better understand how their businesses’ operations contribute to the climate crisis and identifying what radical changes must be made.  

Designed to inspire the next generation of leaders, the Future Leaders challenge is for forward-thinking professionals with 5-10 years’ experience who are keen to confront critical sustainability issues facing the built environment industry. Through a focus on both personal leadership and radical sustainability transformation, delegates will build the skills and mindsets required to support their organisation to innovate and make change happen.  

Now in its tenth year, the 2023 programme will run over 6-months from January to June, featuring two intensive in person two day workshops, with expert speakers and facilitators, ahead of a showcase event in June. Delegates will collaborate remotely between these sessions to hone their leadership skills and co-create innovative concepts.   

Following graduation from the programme, the 2023 cohort will join over 270 individuals and continue to collaborate through involvement in the UKGBC Leadership Alumni group, which brings opportunities for further widening of networks and professional development and access to a growing number of thought-leaders right across the built environment value chain.  

The deadline for applications to Future Leaders 2023 is Friday 11th November 2022.

Submit your application here. 

 Elfrida Hamilton-Russell, Director of Learning and Leadership at UKGBC: 

“This year we celebrate a decade of running our flagship Future Leaders programme, bringing together emerging talent and the brightest minds in our industry. Over the last 10 years, our Future Leaders have returned to their respective organisation with a new way of thinking, as well as the confidence and mindset to challenge business as usual and ignite positive change across their workplace. If you think you have what it takes to drive forward innovative leadership, then this programme is for you.” 

BayWa and Grüne Energien Solar (GES) have secured consent for their near 50MW Perrinpit Road Solar Farm project in south-west England.

Construction of the South Gloucestershire scheme is expected to start in early 2024, with commercial operations targeted for later that year.

BayWa said 20 jobs will be created during the site’s development, along with up to three long-term jobs throughout the operational life of the 49.9MW project.

The planning application was supported by a series of biodiversity commitments, including the planting of new trees and hedgerows at the site.

BayWa r.e. UK managing director John Milligan said: “This is an exciting project for our team and we are delighted to work with Grüne Energien again.

“This is our second 49.9MW project in the UK delivered through our joint venture.

“The implementation of renewable energy projects like Perrinpit Road is essential to meeting the UK’s legally binding net-zero carbon emission goals by 2050. It is encouraging to see the local commitment in South Gloucestershire to meet these goals.”

GES managing director Marco Pannicke added: “This is a great achievement and shows the spirit of our joint venture with BayWa r.e.

“There are many more projects in the pipeline and it is an honour for us to develop renewable energy projects in the UK.”

Source: Renew.biz

The “Steel Nest” of the Japanese Sanei Construction Steel Structure Division

(c) Takenaka Corporation

Takenaka Corporation embraces OPEN BIM and Building Lifecycle Intelligence with Nemetschek Solutions

Munich/Osaka, September 12, 2022: Takenaka Corporation, one of the largest general contractors in Japan, is strongly relying on the solutions from the Nemetschek Group in building its BIM strategies to provide first class architectural, engineering, and construction services. Leveraging an open Building Lifecycle Intelligence approach with a Digital Twin, the company is creating impressive buildings and structures across the globe.

Takenaka Corporation has been committed to realizing customer dreams and shaping the world since their very beginnings, more than 400 years ago. Today, Takenaka Corporation employs more than 2,400 architects. They use solutions from the Nemetschek Group brands dRofus, Graphisoft, and Solibri to execute on their Design-to-Build BIM strategies providing end-to-end services to their clients. Takenaka Corporation maintains an enterprise agreement, providing all employees unlimited access to these software solutions for design, BIM authoring, coordination, and asset data management.

For the “Steel Nest” – the new office building for the Japanese Sanei Construction Steel Structure Division – the experts at Takenaka Corporation leveraged digital solutions and an OPEN BIM (Building Information Modeling) approach from the first design draft to construction. The customer required the building to also function as a show room illustrating their steel frame processing technology. One of Takenaka’s major challenges was combining this showroom with Sanei’s wish to create more opportunities for employees to encounter. The result is an office building that goes beyond the conventional concept of architecture, presenting an astonishing Voronoi structure (polygons of different sizes assembled).

Takenaka Corporation used Archicad from Graphisoftto create the design of the steel frames. The models were then checked for BIM quality and coordination with Solibri, ensuring that they fulfill project requirements. Due to the complexity of the structure and the individual solutions used in each phase of the project, Takenaka Corporation decided to completely rely on open interfaces and BIM. The 3D model made it easier – and quicker – to form a consensus about the design among the parties involved.

“For us, the construction of the ‘Steel Nest’ has proven that our company’s philosophy and our Integrated Design-to-Build approach works even on demanding projects with complex requirements,” says Mr. Hiroyuki Shimizu, Executive Managing Officer of Takenaka Corporation. “Looking at the entire lifecycle of buildings has always been in our DNA. With OPEN BIM and the use of Nemetschek solutions, we will be able to carry this philosophy into the digital era and become a fully data-driven company.”

“We are very proud to be working closely with the inspiring, innovative Takenaka Corporation. We share the same philosophy of leveraging data across the entire building lifecycle,” says Viktor Várkonyi, Chief Division Officer Planning & Design Division and member of the Executive Board of the Nemetschek Group. “It is great to see how Takenaka delivers outstanding results by enhancing BIM quality and the collaboration between the individual disciplines in the building process.”

The future holds many exciting projects for the industry experts: Takenaka Corporation is involved in the design and construction of various pavilions for Expo 2025 in Osaka. In addition, they are looking to expand the strategic partnership with the Nemetschek Group to also involve solutions from ALLPLAN and Bluebeam.

A new modular demonstrator unit has been unveiled by Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), designed to show Scottish businesses that a timber kit-of-parts approach to retrofit could be the key to future sustainable offices.

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Following the development of a blueprint design last year, Ecosystems Technologies – a specialist in advanced mass timber manufacturing – has now created a fully functioning prototype to encourage adoption of the modular approach among the Scottish business community.

Alongside the physical unit, an opensource free guide has been created by ThreeSixty Architecture to enable organisations to replicate the design and adapt it to different types and sizes of buildings, with the first office spaces already commissioned using the design expected to be occupied later this year.

The work forms part of the NearHome project, supported by Transport Scotland, which was formed in response to the changing working patterns of a post-Covid Scotland. The aim of the project is to provide businesses with the tools to transform and retrofit unused spaces into sustainable, energy-efficient out-of-town alternatives to city centre offices.

A study was also conducted by the University of Edinburgh to review the potential of using geographic information system (GIS) data to determine the best possible positions for future sites. Researchers looked at the use of existing datasets, such as Scottish Census data, to identify locations for NearHome hubs based on demographics, economic factors and travel times.

Scottish businesses are now being invited to view the demonstrator unit for themselves to experience how the timber-focused design could support future sustainable workplace strategies. Built-in flexibility and the use of components manufactured offsite means that the design can be applied to a range of different scenarios, from standalone pods to new build units or to repurpose vacant buildings – and not only used for offices.

Lynsey Bryson, head of digital programmes at BE-ST, said: “NearHome has the potential to change how we think about the retrofit of non-domestic buildings going forward. We know that a one-size-fits-all approach is not going to be possible to suit the various building typologies we use in Scotland, but the modular design offers a flexible, sustainable solution that can be adapted on a case-by-case basis.

“While we were originally looking specifically at workplaces, the flexibility of the kit has shown that it could in fact be used for a range of different purposes. We’re pleased to now see the toolkit design come to life with the physical demonstrator and hope that it can inform and inspire decision makers to consider it as a viable retrofit option for future projects.”

The project builds on BE-ST’s continued focus on modern methods of construction including homegrown engineered timber, which is central to the NearHome design. Environmental benefits include the use of a natural, low carbon material that would reduce Scotland’s reliance on imports, using a kit-of-parts that can be easily deconstructed and re-used if required as well as embracing biophilic design principles that are shown to have benefits for health and wellbeing.

Initial indications from the life cycle analysis of the NearHome approach suggest that the construction of a typical office building would produce five times more carbon dioxide equivalent compared to the modular, timber kit design.

Matt Stevenson, founder of Ecosystems Technologies, said: “There are a range of ways that homegrown timber could be used more widely in construction and this retrofit design is a great example that can be easily adopted by businesses and other organisations as the built environment transitions to zero carbon. We are already seeing that become a reality with interest growing and the first commercial orders for the kit-of-parts already underway.

“Scottish timber is a fantastic regenerative, low-carbon resource and there are significant opportunities to expand the use cases in the built environment through collaboration, research and digital technology. The NearHome project demonstrates the added advantage of a circular approach with the kit designed for reuse, meaning captured carbon can remain in the cycle for as long a period as possible.”

Minister for Zero carbon Buildings, Active Travel & Tenants’ Rights, Patrick Harvie said: “The new unit developed by BE-ST is another important milestone for the NearHome project.

“COVID-19 led to a fundamental shift in workplace settings and working patterns. It also created significant challenges in terms of wellbeing, social isolation, collaboration and networking. We funded the NearHome project to support workplace innovation and aid COVID recovery. The project is helping to create safe, hygienic and connected work environments, offering greater choice, flexibility for people to work locally. It’s also helping to create new opportunities in Scotland’s construction industry, making better use of Scottish wood.

“Not every home is suitable for home working. Working from quality spaces closer to home can offer greater flexibility and work-life balance, whilst reducing car dependency and transport emissions, and creating local economic opportunities – which is all part of the Scottish Government’s ambition to support the development of 20-minute neighbourhoods.”