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Introducing our brand new 2021 Connectors for Light Gauge Steel catalogue

Simpson Strong-Tie are all set to provide the steel frame construction industry with performance tested connectors and fixings with the release of our brand new 2021 Connectors for Light Gauge Steel catalogue.

Created for suppliers, architects, engineers, erectors, and contractors alike, the new catalogue makes it easy to specify project-appropriate LGS connector solutions, with robust product pages including detailed features and benefits, technical data and installation advice, as well as associated fasteners and tools.
Light gauge steel (LGS) enables quick construction without the need for heavy tools or equipment. LGS systems offer a range of construction related benefits, with speed of construction, cost effectiveness and safety being the most notable.
Whether you are a manufacturer of LGS load-bearing structures or a manufacturer of light gauge steel facades, Simpson Strong-Tie can provide a suitable connection solution. From steel joist connectors to oversail movement connectors, bridge connectors and ties, to chemical and mechanical anchor systems, our comprehensive range of products will ensure you make the right connection, when you need it.

 

The new catalogue features the ever popular TJC Jack Truss and Rafter Connector, an on-site adjustable angle bracket for connecting angled LGS sections, and the HTT5 Tension Ties, as well as the heavy-duty Quik Drive collated fastening system. Also showcased are some brand new product innovations, including:
•  The LGSSC Splicing Clip, designed to connect the over–sail LGS studs to the primary structure in continuous walling installations.
•  The RCKW Parapet Wall Bracket, designed to resist an over-turning moment at the base of exterior knee-walls and parapets as well as interior partial height walls.
•  X1214 screws have a #3 drill point capable of drilling through 5mm steel and suitable for 450 grade hardened steel.
•  X1224 screws have #5 drill point capable of drilling through 12.5mm steel and suitable for fixing to hot rolled steel sections.
“Our range of ergonomically designed connectors can assist on-site installation and ensure projects are completed on time and to your specification. Whether you need products or design, solving your structural problems is our passion, and the 2021 LGS connectors catalogue makes it easy to find information and project solutions quickly.” Explains Sales Manager @MartinKeithLister.
“You also have the reassurance of knowing that you are specifying a tested product, whether it be a hold down, anchored to the foundation, or an adjustable angle bracket connecting to the light gauge steel, our dedicated technical support team are available daily to help you select your connector and the fixing solution.”
As the market grows for steel framing solutions and buildings built in an offsite environment, our research continues at head office into our upcoming range of Ready products that will revolutionise the future of light gauge steel.
To learn more about how Simpson Strong-Tie can help you develop your light gauge steel project call us on 01827 255 600.
The new catalogue is available now, or you can download the catalogue from the Literature Library on the website.

www.strongtie.co.uk

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ASSURED FIXING SOLUTION

ETA-approved EJOT Iso-Corner provides assured fixing solution for externally insulated walls

EJOT has secured ETA (European Technical Assessment) approval for its Iso-Corner load-bearing bracket, an engineered fastening element for medium to heavy weight building elements – planned or unplanned – in ETICS and other external wall insulation applications.

The newly awarded ETA confirms the engineered value of EJOT Iso-Corner which is moulded from high density polyurethane foam and can be easily cut on site with an electric saw to sit flush with the external insulation face. This combination of structural strength and adaptability provides a dependable supporting bracket option offering a cantilever arm to length of between 80mm and 300mm.
It is ideally suited to specifiers and installers who need to attach building elements to a façade that is to be treated with an ETICS – external thermal insulation composite systems – or other external wall insulation solution. These could include elements such as railings and Juliet balconies, which require a secure attachment to the load-bearing external wall, the substrate.
Consider the make-up of an external wall insulation system. The insulation is typically attached to the wall structure, treated with coatings and mesh, and finished in the chosen render, brick-slips or other external treatment. The main depth of the system is the insulation board, and whilst this should generally be very securely fixed to the building substrate, it will not have the necessary structural strength to allow for load bearing attachments.
Any attempt to achieve a secure fix by driving through to the original building substrate could compromise the thermal insulation level. Unless a fixing is used that incorporates insulating materials as part of its design, the thermal barrier will be broken, and cold bridging will result. This is one of the criteria of PAS 2035, where it needs to be demonstrated that any cold bridging effects have been designed out of the chosen energy efficiency measure.
Iso-Corner is part of a range of ETICS mounting elements from EJOT designed to achieve safe, secure and long-term fastening solutions in refurbishment projects, including:

•  Iso-Spiral Anchor, a spiral-shaped plastic assembly anchor complete with sealing washer and integrated threaded sleeve which provides a fastening solution for lightweight elements in ETICS facades, such as house numbers and external lights.
•  Iso-Dart – a fastening system comprising of a façade anchor with plastic installation bush, complete with sealing washer, which accepts common coarse threaded screws for securely attaching light to medium loads.
•  Iso-Bloc – an easy-to-cut block moulded from high density EPS, which is particularly suitable as a backing to allow for thermal bridge-free attachments in ETICS applications.

 

As a global leader in construction fastening solutions, the EJOT UK team offers a wealth of technical support and specialist guidance to specifiers and installers to ensure they achieve the right result when mounting to ETICS facades.
For technical support and to find out more about the range of innovative EJOT fastener solutions visit the website, call 01977 687040 – or contact Mark Newell, Sales Engineer for ETICS fastening products at EJOT UK: m.newell@ejot.co.uk

www.ejot.co.uk

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Digitalisation as an Enabler to Scale & Leverage Productivity

The landscape of the UK’s offsite sector has become increasingly populated over the last few years with many new entrants – mostly concentrated on residential development – joining a host of longer-established players. These new entrants are embracing business models based on the manufacture of volumetric modular residential product, rather than other forms of offsite solution such as panellised product. The investment profile of these new entrants suggests that the success or otherwise of their business models directly relates to an ability to operate at scale and achieve high levels of productivity. A recent report1 has highlighted that investment in technology as well as facilities and equipment is key to securing such lofty ambition, particularly emphasising the importance of digitalisation of both product and process.

Building Information Modelling or Digital Engineering

Digitalisation and the power of data-centricity across the wider construction industry is somewhat misunderstood. Most often, parties tend to think that the creation of 3-D models using common software platforms in order that information can be easily shared and the likes of clash detection carried out constitutes all that is required for the building of an information model. Indeed, over the last 10-15 years, new roles such as BIM Manager and BIM Coordinator have emerged across the industry which tend to reflect this limited understanding. Yet the creation of a geometric digital twin in a virtual modelling environment does not really constitute the building of an information model that digitally captures both the product and the process needed to be executed to create the physical entity.
The newer entrants to offsite who are focused on the manufacture of volumetric modular product for the residential sector appear to lack understanding of digitalisation and the power of data-centricity. For such manufacturing-based enterprises, it is not to say that their utilisation of sophisticated software to foster collaborative working to help the efficient development of a geometric digital twin is not beneficial, rather that in itself it is not adequate for the purpose of facilitating scalability and high levels of productivity.
So, returning to the report1 referred to previously, the digitalisation (or digital engineering) of product and process implies a more wide ranging set of activities than just the collaborative development of a geometric digital twin. Whether these enterprises have implemented rigid manufacturing workflow to support the production of a limited range of standard product, or a more flexible manufacturing workflow to support production of mass-customised products, a data-centric logic which facilitates control of the value chain and supports data-driven decision making is a pre-requisite to success. Plainly, an expansive notion of digitalisation and the power of data-centricity reflects something more than the simple idea of building information modelling, and whilst not widely appreciated it really does hold the key to an enterprise realising scale and high levels of productivity.

Data as the New Oil
In order to comprehend the power of data-centricity, enterprises must secure a deep understanding of what data it needs and how it must flow to efficiently operate, and also how data should be authored, configured, manipulated and managed. Most enterprises do not invest the time and effort to secure the necessary insight regarding data creation and flow. Without this understanding, they are unable to determine the nature of the technology platform needed to support the effective digital engineering of product and process. As a result, they typically default to a technology strategy incorporating a set of software packages which cannot be fully integrated, and so ultimately thwart the enterprise’s ability to exploit the power of data. Furthermore, these enterprises tend to recruit resource into their businesses which reflect the conventional skill sets mentioned earlier, which further limits the enterprise’s potential digital engineering and data-centricity prowess.
Of course, for those construction and offsite enterprises who have made relatively low levels of investment to help harness data, such a technology strategy might not be overly constraining because their direct competition might operate in a similar way realising similar mediocre levels of performance. However, for those newer enterprises that will be manufacturing volumetric modular product for the residential sector and who possess an appetite to operate at scale and leverage productivity, it is likely these will encounter serious challenges and such a technology strategy will ultimately prove to represent a weak link.
As was the case when oil was first discovered, the true power of data is still largely unknown. This is not necessarily a criticism, rather just a statement of reality; and if something does not appear to be a problem then resource is not usually allocated to resolving it. And yet, for a manufacturing-based enterprise that wants to operate at scale and with high levels of productivity, a data-centric focus is imperative.
Accordingly, whilst there is additional investment involved in acquiring the necessary talent into a business and affording the same the time to evolve the appropriate process logic and identify the associated technology platform to fully secure control of the value chain and facilitate data-driven decision making, the long-term benefits are enormous. This requirement for investment can be perceived as a leap of faith compared to capital expenditure on machinery, because the power of data-centricity is not readily understood, and often technology projects fail to get delivered. Nonetheless, the infographic on the left contains some examples of the sort of automated data capture / flow that are required in an enterprise that aspires to be a profitable, high-volume manufacturer of volumetric modular product for the residential sector.

The Need for Discretisation of Data
The power of data-centricity can only be realised if an enterprise has a true, granular understanding of what data is important, what format it needs to be presented in, which resource needs what portions, and what point in time it requires to be created. An enterprise must seek to understand what data it needs and how it must flow to efficiently operate, and crucially how the same should be authored, configured, manipulated and managed. It is only when an enterprise develops a profound insight that it can also start to consider how the authoring, configuring, manipulating and managing of data can be automated. Indeed, for those newer entrants to the offsite sector who want to operate at scale and achieve high levels of productivity, one option often used to compensate for not comprehending the power of data-centricity is to simply employ more resource. Given the fragmented, skills-scarce climate that such businesses might currently be operating in, this sort of compensatory mechanism ultimately remains a limiting factor to achieving scale and high levels of productivity. The rationale behind this is straightforward enough: the skill sets of many of the sorts of people operating across the construction and offsite sectors are not sufficiently broad to properly understand the full idea that lies behind digitalisation. Whilst some of these enterprises might have a fairly advanced understanding of what to build, they are characteristically lacking in terms of their understanding of how something should be built.
The true power of data-centricity can only be realised if data is discretised, that is the packets  of data that are shared between two actors (e.g., from person-to-person, or person-to-machine) only contain information that is relevant to that particular transaction. Any exchange of data which involves surplus, superfluous, imprecise or erroneous information only gives rise to inefficient working because process time is wasted stripping out the unnecessary components of the communication and validating that the remainder is adequate and accurate to facilitate processing. Furthermore, it is crucial to comprehend the importance of data purity and data integrity, so it is essential to create process logic that affords management and maintenance of data sets to avert risk of data pollution. Where data is discretised, such process logic is easier to identify and implement because the size of data packets can be configured to be easier to handle.  So, any offsite providers that can secure control of the value chain and facilitate data-driven decisions is likely to become a sector lead. To summarise, the value to any enterprise of acquiring a granular understanding of the power of data-centricity, including what data is important and how it must flow, is the essence of digitalisation and it is this knowledge that will enable scale and realisation of high levels of productivity.

 

1McKinsey & Company “The next normal In construction – How disruption is reshaping the world’s Largest ecosystem” June 2020

www.berkeleygroup.co.uk

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Boris visits MTX fast-track ward project in Hereford

After declaring the UK government’s intention to deliver ‘Project Speed’, including a £3billion capital investment into the NHS, healthcare construction company MTX, welcomed the Prime Minister to their latest £12million, 72 bed, fast-track ward project at Hereford County Hospital.

The Prime Minister visited the construction site, keen to see for himself the, now close to completion, ward project aimed to deliver the NHS a total of 72 extra beds across 3 state-of-the-art wards, all in just 11 months.
All part of the government initiative to ‘to build better, to build greener, to build faster’ the new ward extension is being delivered using MTX’s fast-track construction methods that reduce the build time by up to 50%.
Talking on the PM’s twitter feed whilst on site, Boris described the project as “the beginnings of a new series of wards for Hereford County Hospital…. The first of the 20 new hospital upgrades that this government has embarked on….The beginning of a record programme of investment in our NHS’.

 

David Hartley, Managing Director of MTX – “The site team were excited to welcome the PM to our latest project and talk him through the clear benefits of these rapid construction methods. For this project, the building is largely built off-site in a factory, then transported and craned into position. This not only means we can deliver buildings much faster, but we can produce 60% less waste, ensure safer construction sites and all to the same standard and quality as a traditionally built hospital’.
With the Government’s ‘Project Speed’ well underway, described as “the most radical reforms of our planning system since the end of the second world war”, there is also attempts to offset the economic impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic, and the MTX offsite method of construction is leading the way to delivering on Boris’s promises.
MTX are a privately owned, Cheshire based, Healthcare Construction company specialising in the use of innovative, modern methods of construction to deliver fast-track building projects, throughout the UK. With more than 30 years healthcare experience, MTX believe using fast-track methods of construction is the best way to minimise the time spent on site, causing less noise and disruption, whilst still delivering a high quality, energy efficient solution.

www.mtxcontracts.co.uk

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PEROVSKITE, ARCHITECTS WILL LOVE IT

Solar energy is poised for what could be its biggest transformation in over half a century.

A group of materials called perovskites are being used to create the next generation of solar panels, which could eventually be twice as efficient as current models, and flexible enough to wrap around entire buildings.

The first solar cell capable of powering everyday electrical equipment was made in the 1950s at Bell Labs in New Jersey. Back then the silicon-based panels were hugely expensive and converted just 6% of sunlight into electricity.

Since then, costs have come down dramatically and today’s silicon solar cells can turn up to 22% of sunlight into power. But they’re nearly maxed out in terms of efficiency. Now, perovskites offer the potential for dramatic increases in power output, and they could ultimately replace silicon altogether.

Henry Snaith, left, and Christopher Case, of UK company Oxford PV, which is working with perovskite to generate solar energy. Case says the material is “the most significant development in solar photovoltaics in 65 years.”

Researchers at Oxford PV, a company spun out of the University of Oxford, made a major breakthrough in 2018. By coating silicon with perovskite they achieved 28% efficiency. The company believes it can eventually reach 40%, or higher.

Improved solar cell efficiency will enable installations to pump out more power with fewer panels, reducing costs, and the amount of land, labor and equipment needed to operate them.

“If we want to make it that all new power generation is solar photovoltaics, then we need to keep driving the price down,” Henry Snaith, professor of physics at the University of Oxford and co-founder of Oxford PV, tells CNN Business. “One way to do that is to keep pushing the efficiency or the power output of the module up, and this is where perovskites really come into play.”

Solar potential

Perovskite was discovered in 1839. Oxford PV uses a synthetic version, made from inexpensive materials that are abundant in the Earth’s crust, while other companies use variations of the original mineral, collectively called perovskites.

A tube of Oxford PV’s perovskite material, which is synthesized from materials that are abundant in the Earth’s crust.

As well as improved solar efficiency, they work better than silicon in the shade, on cloudy days or even indoors. Perovskites can be printed using an inkjet printer and can be as thin as wallpaper.

Oxford PV hopes perovskite will eventually replace silicon entirely.

“In the coming decades, all-perovskite solar coatings promise to raise efficiencies even further, reduce the weight and shipping cost of solar equipment,” says Varun Sivaram, energy expert and author of “Taming the Sun: Innovations to Harness Solar Energy and Power the Planet,” who worked with Snaith while studying at Oxford.

He says that as the technology develops, perovskite could be sprayed or rolled onto flexible surfaces. Semitransparent solar coatings could even be wrapped around whole buildings.

Oxford PV aims to begin producing cells made from perovskite on silicon early next year at a new purpose-built factory in Brandenburg, Germany. It estimates that panels made from the cells could save homeowners up to $1,000 on the purchase and installation of the average solar system.

Other companies working with perovskite include Warsaw-based Saule Technologies, which has secured funding of €10 million ($11.7 million) from Polish photovoltaics company Columbus Energy.

Last month, Saule Technologies’ new factory in Warsaw began printing perovskite solar cells using inkjet printers. Early next year, it will start supplying Swedish construction company Skanska Group, which says it wants to be the first developer to attach printed solar cells to the façade of a building on a commercial scale.

“It is set to be a game-changer in the energy sector, because it works in every lighting condition,” says Saule Technologies co-founder Olga Malinkiewicz. “You can make it flexible. It’s a wonderful material. Architects will love it.”

 

 

Source: CNN Business

 

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Rapid Ramp – Modular Ramps & Steps

Rapid Ramp, the UK’s leading modular ramp and step manufacturer continue to offer a nationwide supply and installation service.

 

 

Their modular products are off the shelf systems, available from stock with fast service and construction.

With a fully reusable and adjustable design, the products can fit various sized spaces and buildings. Plus, they can fully comply with Building Regulations.

Installations remain flexible and organised around the specific needs of each project, and existing wooden ramps can be dismantled and replaced.

An in-house designer creates 3D drawings with each quotation, and site surveys can be arranged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact details:  E: sales@rapidramp.co.uk  –  T: 01424 714646  –  W: www.rapidramp.co.uk

 

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Scotland building together

The Scottish Government’s recently announced £24bn infrastructure investment plan is a significant step forward for the country’s drive to stimulate post-Covid recovery.

From this, £2.8bn will deliver new affordable homes over the next five years. Not only will this bring essential social housing but it will also give a much-needed boost to the construction industry.

Together with 11 funding councils, we implemented our largest ever construction framework to support the public sector’s efforts to build new affordable homes throughout Scotland’s communities.

Scotland Excel has been developing construction frameworks for 12 years and our construction portfolio has adapted with the industry over that time to incorporate innovative building methods – including offsite construction and retrofit – creating more flexibility for contracting authorities. The portfolio now accounts for spend of around £760m per annum.

The new build framework builds on our experience and is live and ready to be used to underpin local and national efforts to deliver social housing.

It has been specifically developed to accelerate projects by significantly reducing the time it takes social landlords, including councils, to engage a contractor to build new homes.

It also helps buyers to find the best suppliers for projects ranging from small to large, including flats, sheltered housing, student accommodation, social rented and mixed tenure properties.

As well as being an enabler for national and local policies, public procurement also has a key role to play in delivering economic and social benefits.

At this crucial time when economic recovery is vital, the new build framework is good for local business.  It reflects our commitment to supporting smaller businesses, with 70% of the suppliers awarded to the framework classed as small to medium enterprise (SME).

 

 

And there is a sub-contracting commitment included for suppliers to bring supported businesses and social enterprises into the supply chain where the work value is more than £1m.

These steps to open up opportunities for small, local organisations will bring social and economic benefits that can revitalise communities and bring lasting impacts. Scotland Excel has always been an advocate for community benefits being achieved through our frameworks – and new build is no different.

As councils and housing associations invest in projects through the framework, it will ensure a return on social value in several ways. There is a commitment from suppliers to pay the real Real Living Wage and to create employment and training opportunities.

While hugely challenging, Scotland’s recovery from the impacts of Covid-19 also brings significant opportunities to improve how we work and to do it in a much more sustainable way.

The Scottish Government’s new mission to ‘help create new jobs, good jobs and green jobs’ is something Scotland Excel celebrates and supports. Many of our frameworks already embody this – with all frameworks having sustainability as a key consideration at development stage. This is an area I am keen to do more on.

We have always evolved in line with the needs of our members, and as they work to address the problems caused by Covid-19, supporting their efforts to deliver local services with a stronger focus on community wealth building, is our top priority.

I look forward to working with councils and housing associations to support their new build projects and to underpin mobilisation of the government’s investment plan, through our framework’s lens of delivering economic and social benefits.

Working together through the recovery, we can help to ensure everyone has access to a safe, warm and affordable home.

Source: Holyrood

 

 

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Introducing SMARTPLY MAX FR B

MEDITE SMARTPLY has now launched SMARTPLY MAX FR B, the brand new Euroclass B OSB3, a market innovation bringing increased safety and reliability to an industry contingent on safety and predictability.

 

SMARTPLY MAX FR B is the first Euroclass B board—the maximum Euroclass rating for a timber panel—manufactured in the UK and Ireland to feature wood flakes treated with flame retardant solution before pressing. This ensures its flame retardance is integral and maintains its structural integrity, unlike many post-treated alternatives, making it the safer choice for use within timber frame construction, or projects that will require a large amount of timber product.

“We are extremely excited to introduce SMARTPLY MAX FR B to the marketplace, expanding our already extensive SMARTPLY OSB range,” comments Richard Allen, Sales Director at MEDITE SMARTPLY.

 

 

“In SMARTPLY MAX FR B, customers can expect all the fantastic benefits of a SMARTPLY OSB board, with the addition of ZeroIgnition® solution, a water based and environmentally friendly flame retardant which is added during panel production.

“This is a solution that has potential in a huge range of applications and industries, encompassing many modern methods of construction such as offsite and timber frame construction, light gauge steel and modular construction systems, as well as temporary structures.

“Whatever the sector, all customers can rest assured that this board’s flame retardance will hold to Euroclass B standard, even when cut to size, which makes it different to other FR boards out there.”

Manufactured using advanced resin technology that results in a high performance, no added formaldehyde panel, SMARTPLY MAX FR B can help specifying architects, contractors and fabricators contribute to the creation of safer, healthier environments.

This includes not only the built environments actively created but the natural environments left behind: SMARTPLY MAX FR B is sustainably produced using timber from sustainably managed Irish forests.

 

 

“At MEDITE SMARTPLY, we want to support a safer, wider future for timber buildings, that will enable the wider construction industry to work more sustainably and more efficiently, truly building for the future. This has been one of our main motivations in developing SMARTPLY MAX FR B.”

SMARTPLY MAX FR B also complies with the performance requirements in the Structural Timber Association’s (or the STA’s) FR BUILD “Design guide to separating distances during construction” for timber frame buildings above 600m² total floor area. We refer to this product as SMARTPLY MAX FR/FR BUILD within our range.

SMARTPLY MAX FR/FR BUILD can be used in a timber frame building when mitigation measures are required due to the distance from neighbouring buildings. There are wall and floor systems outlined within the guide which give points towards the overall building, this satisfies any mitigation that may be required. Please refer to the STA guide for more information.

Finally, SMARTPLY MAX FR B meets with the requirements of European Standards EN 300 and EN 13986, while also complying with the European reaction to fire class B-s2,d0 and Bfl-s1. Boards can be manufactured in largescale formats of up to 2.8m wide by 7.5m long, making it ideal for offsite manufacturing, alongside traditional building.

 

For more information of the new SMARTPLY MAX FR B, click here:

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3D ON SHOW IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Acciona, a global leader in sustainable infrastructure solutions, is taking part in the United Arab Emirate’s 3D Emerging Technologies exhibition, the Middle East’s largest and most influential event for the additive manufacturing industry.

#3Dprinting #emergingtechnologies #mmc #construction

The company will exhibit some iconic 3D printed pieces made at Acciona’s 3D printing hub in Dubai. The exhibition, which opens on October 11th, is being held at the Sharjah Research Technology & Innovation Park Headquarters and will bring together 3D industry leaders, government ministers and academics. It’s goal is to foster greater collaboration in the expanding field of 3D printing.

Luis Clemente, Acciona 3D Concrete Printing Business COO, said: “We are very grateful to have the opportunity of showing some of our iconic 3D printed pieces to the general public at this event. The exhibition is going to give us the opportunity to identify innovative ideas, launch revolutionary new products, and strike diverse partnerships and business agreements.”

Instead of milling a work piece from a solid block, 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, builds the part up layer by layer from material supplied as a fine powder. Various metals, plastics and composite materials can be used. The benefits of 3D printing technology include less waste, fewer CO2 emissions and total freedom of design.

 

 

Acciona owns and operates the largest fully functional concrete 3D printer in the world with the Powder Bed technology. This printer is particularly suitable for manufacturing pieces with complex shapes that require structural resistance. It works with concrete as the raw material, making it an ideal solution for the use in architecture, urban planning and building.

Accions chose Ras Al Khor Industrial Area to install its 3D printing hub to support “Dubai 3D Printing Strategy” and their commitment to deploy this technology in all areas of the economy and, specifically, in the construction sector.

Acciona’s 3D projects in the region so far include the Middle East’s first 3D printed concrete bus stop for the Ajman Transport Authority as well as some urban furniture for local museums. In Spain, it has also used 3D printing to build the first 3D printed bridge in the world made with concrete in Madrid and a replica of the Arch of Duenas for the archeological museum of Madrid, to name a few.

 

Source: Construction Business News

 

 

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BUILDING BETTER IN WALES

In this most challenging of climates new opportunities are becoming apparent particularly in the construction sector

#modularconstrution #wales #builtenvironment #sustainability #socialhousing

Trying to establish the optimum way forward for our built environment at a time when we are still very much living in the presence of Covid19 is filled with uncertainty.

For example, we can’t be totally certain that working from home will become a lasting change, and if it does we can’t automatically assume the behavioural changes that would emerge as a result. Equally, we haven’t yet seen the full impact of the pandemic, and in the coming months many businesses, particularly those in the hospitality and retail sectors will be facing an even greater fight for survival as lockdowns continue and government financial support is reduced.

However, in this most challenging of climates new opportunities are becoming apparent particularly in the construction sector. These have the potential to play a key role in our economic recovery, whilst also helping to transform our built environment. In August the Welsh Government announced a £9.5million programme to reduce housing’s carbon footprint, with the focus on retrofitting social housing. In addition the Welsh Procurement Alliance is inviting businesses to bid for places in its pool of contractors, with the intention of delivering  new housing across south and mid-Wales. Reporting on this, Construction Enquirer have quoted the overall value of the Welsh Housing Framework being a substantial £5billion over a ten year term.

 

 

Importantly Wales is changing the way it builds, in part to ensure we meet our carbon emission targets, and also to construct homes that reflect the changing ways in which people are living their lives.

This will see an increase in homes being built that:

  • Are designed from the outset to be highly energy efficient
  • Use ground source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels
  • Are constructed using modern methods of construction including: modular/volumetric, prefabricated panels and standardised components
  • Are manufactured off-site in factories
  • Make use of a wider range of sustainable materials, in particular timber.

In practice this highlights the very immediate need to ensure we have a skilled workforce in place to build the new houses and retrofit existing housing stock. As this is combined with adopting new ways of building we need our workforce to be equipped with the right skills, and this is an area where there is an acknowledged skills shortfall. New training opportunities and apprenticeships need to be made available as soon as possible, not only to ensure we can build at scale, but also to help create much needed new employment opportunities.

To gain an idea of the scale of the issue, UK Construction Media have highlighted that in England alone a staggering half a million builders are needed. In Wales we have a dynamic housing sector with a clear determination to bring the housing crisis to an end, whilst ensuring that we fully embrace a zero carbon future, and to achieve these ambitions further illustrates the need for a highly skilled workforce. To put this in context Wyn Pritchard, NPTC Group, Director of Construction Skills explains the scale of the requirement to ensure we can rapidly create a workforce with the news skills the construction industry needs:

“Having been involved in the skills and construction sector, specifically for over 20 years, I have seen key strategies being implemented with varying degrees of success. All involved are well meaning, but most strategies, revert to type and are not radical to make the real difference. This is the opportunity, and with strong Government endorsement in Wales, to create the programme needed to deliver the changes needed. We need to ensure all parties and programmes are aligned, with timing of the implementation critical, too often has the skills agenda been an afterthought, this needs to placed at the heart of the approach. WE CANNOT afford to miss such a key opportunity for employment and environmental outcomes for our Nation. We, at NPTC group of Colleges, are already engaging with partners, industry and trade Federations to ensure our training offer for the new and emerging skills needs reflects their requirements, as well as growing the economy in Wales.”

The sense of urgency can’t be underestimated, we know the direction of travel for the construction industry, we can see finance being put in place and there is a clear desire to build highly energy efficient homes at speed. In this respect having a skilled workforce is the final piece of the jigsaw and it’s an important one to put in place.

How we inspire and educate our future generations is another key requirement that needs to be addressed to provide a rich pool of talent to become the creators of our Built Environment. Helping to achieve this is MOBIE an education charity founded by George Clarke in 2017, and Chief Executive, Mark Southgate explains how their courses and schools outreach programme is working to inspire a new generation to define how we’ll live in the future:

“Home is the most important piece of architecture in our lives. It shapes the way we live and how we grow as families and communities.  The Covid-19 crisis has heightened our awareness that a well-designed home can promote our health and wellbeing.  We’ve seen that our needs from a home have grown – now it needs to be an office, a schoolroom, a gym and so much more.

MOBIE exists to create a generational shift by inspiring, training and retraining young people who will deliver the homes and places of the future.  There are incredible opportunities to create a new built environment, one that is truly green, affordable and that promotes health and wellbeing.  Through our design challenges and education pathway from BTEC to Masters Degrees we are supporting a new generation to transform the way we think about home and to give them design, digital and manufacturing skills that will help create a homebuilding revolution.”

At the start of this year none of us could have imagined that our way of life would have changed so significantly as a result of a pandemic, and even now we are still living through this period of fundamental change. However, our built environments are robust and have a proven ability to adapt, and today we can see a clear need to adapt. We are being presented with an exceptional opportunity to transform our construction sector in a way that will allow it to support our economic recovery and at the same time help us meet our emission targets. To achieve this opens up a further opportunity for people to retrain to become the skilled, well paid workforce that will be needed to build our energy efficient homes. Equally, to ensure our built environments are equipped to anticipate and embrace change it is imperative to invest in education programmes that will equip the upcoming generation with the skills they need to effectively drive forward the much needed housing transformation.

 

Source: Business News Wales

 

 

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