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Turning down the heat: Futureproofing the homes of tomorrow

Authored by Mark Dowdeswell, Senior Category Manager – Domestic, at Uponor.

New homes will have to produce around 30% less carbon emissions as part of a major update to the Building Regulations this year. Under Part L1A, there will be a maximum flow temperature requirement of 55°C for new and replacement heating systems, meaning that more low energy heating systems must be used in today’s modular builds.

Underfloor heating systems (UFH) have a larger area heat emitter than traditional radiators, meaning they require a lower heat input in order to heat a room effectively. This allows them to work efficiently alongside renewable heating technologies, such as air source heat pumps (ASHP), which help to reduce a home’s operational carbon footprint.

 

With technology constantly advancing, both ASHPs and UFH now lend themselves perfectly to modular builds with limited space and high-quality design demands. Innovative low profile UFH systems, such as Uponor’s Minitec which stands at just 15mm build height, enable design teams to optimise available space, giving maximum design freedom. To ensure consistent quality of UFH installations in modular assemblies, Uponor also works closely with its partners to provide design support, continuous training and installation reviews, whilst simultaneously providing the largest product range of radiant heating and cooling systems of any manufacturer from under one roof, meaning that design teams do not have to compromise on their aspirations.

This vast product range also enables contractors, architects and specifiers to work alongside one manufacturer, rather than multiple suppliers, allowing them to rest assured that the systems used will not only meet building regulations and hit new performance goals, but that they will be fully-warranted and long-lasting, meaning that the homes built for today, will perform well tomorrow, too.

www.uponor.co.uk

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Offsite frameworks in action: Modular buildings transform car park into digital hub

Boho 8, the most recent phase of Middlesbrough’s Boho Zone, is the commercial quarter for the town’s digital media, digital technology and creative sectors located in Tees Valley.

Previously a car park, the £2.5million project, supported by the Local Growth Fund from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority, provides additional space for companies that are rapidly expanding elsewhere on the campus, and is intended to attract new digital and creative businesses to the area.
The award-winning concept by Seymour Architecture outlined high-quality facilities and a unique cantilevered design, with buildings ranging from 1,000 to 3,000ft². The buildings are complemented by a modern external communal space, with the aim of making it feel like a high street.

From concept to completion in just eight weeks
CPC worked closely with Middlesbrough Council and its partner Faithful+Gould through the  Modular Buildings (MB1) framework, resulting in modular specialists M-AR being appointed to deliver the project.
The ambitious modular offices project began in August 2020, with construction of the buildings being manufactured at M-AR’s site on the banks of the River Humber in East Yorkshire while the groundworks were being carried out.
Just eight weeks later, four office blocks consisting of 18 individual 49m² modules had been completed and quality checked. They were erected over a five-day period.
Amanda Grimbleby, partnerships and business development director at M-AR, said:
“This just demonstrates the speed in which off-site construction can accelerate the delivery of such projects, and this has all been able to happen during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The innovative design created by Seymour Architecture will provide light, bright and inspiring office spaces for ambitious and creative digital businesses in the region, and being part of making this happen is inspiring in itself.”

Collaboration is key
The working relationship between Middlesbrough Council, Faithful+Gould, M-AR and CPC contributed to the success of the project.
“It’s all about collaborative working and early engagement with the client and appointed company, to show what our Modular Buildings solution can achieve,” said Tony Maw, technical support manager at CPC.
“Our relationship provided a solid foundation in understanding how each other work, helping us to work in an effective manner to achieve the best quality results. I think Boho 8 is a great example what can be achieved by working side-by-side.”

Utilising procurement frameworks
Using frameworks for offsite projects allows relationships between clients and suppliers to develop and flourish over a longer-term period and sets out an integrated supply chain without any legal problems for procurement teams. Early engagement between suppliers and clients through the framework also ensures the risk load is shared more widely.
Mark Chicken, quantity surveyor at Faithful+Gould, said:
“CPC are very interactive, which is something you don’t get from most framework providers. This interaction gives you confidence in using their services, and you know there is always someone there to talk to for advice.”
The latest iteration of the framework, Modular Buildings (MB2), was launched in June 2021 and allows local authorities, social landlords and other public bodies to source preapproved specialist suppliers who can design, supply and install permanent, temporary, and refurbished modular buildings.
The MB2 framework can be used by local authorities across the UK through LHC’s regional hubs – LHC London and South East, SPA, WPA, SWPA and CPC – and will run until May 2025.

Offsite procurement frameworks
LHC has two additional frameworks that can support local authorities as they plan and implement offsite projects.
The Offsite Project Integrator (OPI1) framework can help to deliver an experienced and integrated supply chain. Launched last year to help authorities to find the technical support that can help with the planning and implementation of offsite housing schemes, the framework covers the preliminary stages prior to RIBA Stage 0 and then implementation to stage 7.
This framework sits alongside the Offsite Construction of New Homes (NH2) framework to offer solutions at every stage from design right through to occupation. It allows relationships between clients and suppliers to develop and flourish from the very early stages onwards and sets out an integrated supply chain without any legal problems for procurement teams. Early engagement between suppliers and clients through the framework will also ensure the risk load is shared more widely.
The Prior Information Notice for the third iteration of the Offsite Construction of New Homes (NH3) framework is live as of early February 2022. Companies can register interest in the NH3 framework and receive further updates by visiting LHC’s eTendering portal Proactis.

www.lhc.gov.uk

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FROM DERELICT LAND TO BRIGHT MODULAR HOMES

The new tenants of nine highly energy-efficient, sustainable modular houses in Roath have described their new council homes as ‘big and spacious’ with bathrooms like the Hilton hotel!

Residents of the two-bedroom, terraced properties, that have been developed as part of the Cardiff Living house-building partnership between Cardiff Council and Wates Residential, collected their keys last weekend and have been busy settling in and turning their new houses into their new homes.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, visited the residents to find out what they think of the net carbon-zero properties, which are part of the Council’s ambitious development programme to build more affordable housing in the city.

Cllr Thorne said: “I’ve been eagerly awaiting the day tenants could move into these beautiful, new homes. I was here when the first units were craned into position before Christmas and it has been amazing to see this small plot of derelict land transformed into a row of nine modern houses that will help us tackle housing need in the city.”

Tenant, Krzysztof Kaniewski, who has moved to Crofts St with his partner and two daughters, said: “They are big and spacious, and just round the corner from my daughter’s school, a short walk. They have a nice garden, the bathroom is like in the Hilton hotel – we are over the moon!

“There are solar panels on the roof, everything is electric which is great because gas prices are going through the roof so we don’t know what it’s going to be like in the future. With all the technology in the house, I can adjust the temperature in every room so it doesn’t have to be the same in every room.”

Edward Rees, Wates Residential Regional Director, said: “We hope the new residents moving in will be very happy in these new state of the art homes. Being modular, they have been created offsite, which has enabled Wates to build them faster and with less disruption for people living around the site.

“They also use the latest technologies to cut carbon, like on our other sites within the Cardiff Living development programme. Along the road in Rumney, at Aspen Grove, we have just started to sell new energy efficient homes, which will help future proof them against further fuel price rises too.”

The new Crofts St homes were built offsite using modern methods of construction (MMC) and were lowered onto their final position on-site at the end of last year, with all the groundworks and external hard and soft landscaping completed.

Designed by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, engineered by AECOM and delivered by @HOME and Wates Residential, this is the first time this method of offsite construction has been used by the Council to deliver permanent homes for families living in the city.

Ivan Harbour, Senior Design Partner, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners says: “Public housing has a rich history and I’m proud to have had the opportunity to add to that. These townhouses are of exceptional spatial quality, they are both affordable and climate positive. In the current environment their energy efficiency is particularly pertinent. This terrace of houses was very quick to build, with little disturbance to neighbours. Hopefully it can make a small change to the way we think about house building in the future.”

John Lewis, Director, AECOM, said: “It’s fantastic to see tenants move into these new high-performance townhouses following their rapid installation at Crofts Street. Their speedy offsite construction has minimised waste and site activity, including vastly reduced levels of construction traffic. Our design with RSHP demonstrates how a design for manufacture modular approach can deliver high-quality, durable, and low carbon homes both quickly and efficiently.”

Andrew Partridge, Associate Partner, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) says: “It has been a great opportunity to work with Cardiff Council, with the support of the Welsh Government through their Innovative Housing programme and facilitated by Wates, in setting a new benchmark for Council housing in the UK. This project is particularly special to me as I grew up in the area.”

The construction method not only enables the units to be built and installed in record time, but also uses the latest technology and construction materials to create net-zero carbon buildings that are 90% more energy efficient than standard homes built to current Building Regulations. The homes are extremely airtight, meaning they are well insulated, and residents will see huge savings on their bills.

The homes have achieved Grade A in Predicted Energy Efficiency and Environmental Impact (CO2) ratings, have solar panels on their roofs and MEV Heat Recovery with electric heating elements, so that they will not be required to connect to the mains gas service and will emit significantly less CO2 than a standard homes.

Cllr Thorne added: “We’ve come full circle on Crofts St as back in the 1940s, there was a terrace of 9 houses on this spot before they were bombed in World War II and had to be demolished.

“All the new tenants I’ve met have told me they are very happy with their homes and are looking forward to settling in with their families here.”

Source: Wales 247

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5,000-HOME MASTERPLAN

The new homes will seek to deliver low-carbon housing with low energy environmental design while exploring modern methods of construction.

 

Glenn Howells Architects has unveiled plans for a 5,000-home masterplan around the National Exhibition Centre in Solihull, east Birmingham

The new ‘urban village’ will be built on more than 27ha of surface-level car parking and surplus land, and will include a new hotel, restaurants and cafés, a primary school, 35,000m² of commercial space and 14,000m² of event space.

The scheme is being developed by the NEC Group, which is owned by Blackstone, a New York-based asset manager that looks after $650 billion (£482 billion) of funds. It is being built on the NEC Campus, on land owned by Birmingham City Council.

NEC Group said the plans will ‘establish an inclusive, diverse and prosperous community for over 11,000 people,’ adding that the new settlement will work ‘in harmony with the existing mature woodland and hedgerow landscape’ and ‘promote nature-focused and active lifestyles’.

The plans also include a new ‘grand plaza’ for the NEC Campus, to improve the visitor offer. This will be surrounded by restaurants as well as the new hotel and will provide a ‘dynamic outdoor event space’.

NEC Group said the plans would create a total of 3,500 new jobs.

There will also be a new ‘urban boulevard’ which will connect the site with the HS2 Interchange station and the Arden Cross development around it. The boulevard will be lined with commercial buildings with ground-floor retail space.

The masterplan will be subject to a six-week consultation running from 10 November to 24 December. After this it will be updated before a developer for the first phase of the scheme is procured.

Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: ‘This is an exciting moment for Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, as this transformational masterplan is published. Birmingham is attracting record levels of investment and the NEC Masterplan is testament to that.

‘Over the coming years this project will provide much-needed new homes and high-quality jobs for people from our region and I encourage people to make their thoughts known through the public consultation.

‘I believe that we are at the beginning of a golden decade for Birmingham, with the Commonwealth Games taking place next year and the arrival of HS2. The NEC Masterplan will connect the site with Arden Cross and the High Speed 2 Interchange, which together will transform this area, creating thousands of jobs, and building thousands of homes.’

Architect’s view

Our approach to the NEC Masterplan in the UK Central Solihull Hub Area is an ambitious vision for what will be a new urban village within an established blue and green infrastructure on the edge of the Forest of Arden.

The existing infrastructure that serves the NEC Campus and the excellent transport links, including Birmingham Airport, Birmingham International train station and the new HS2 interchange, provides the ideal opportunity for the regeneration of this brownfield site to help meet the housing needs of the region.

We believe the matured landscaping, lakeside setting, and nearby woodlands will help to create a healthy and active environment for residents and visitors alike.

The masterplan will provide amenities, a range of communal uses and a primary school to meet community needs and build on the principles of the 15-minute neighbourhood.

What’s also exciting is the range of typologies on offer that will deliver homes to a wider demographic of society from young families to professionals and those in later life. The new homes will seek to deliver low-carbon housing with low energy environmental design while exploring modern methods of construction.’

Dav Bansal, partner, Glenn Howells Architects

 

Source: Architects Journal

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Largest Offshore Wind Farm in South-East Asia

The 1.4 GW Phu Cuong Soc Trang offshore wind project, being developed as a joint venture between Mainstream Renewable Power and the Phu Cuong Group, is located off the southern coast of Vietnam and will be the largest offshore wind farm in South-East Asia

In a vital step for the Phu Cuong Soc Trang Offshore Wind Farm, Mainstream Renewable Power (“Mainstream”) today announces its receipt of a Decision on Investment and an Investment Registration Certification (IRC) from the provincial government of Soc Trang for the first 200 MW of the offshore wind farm. The project, once fully complete, will have a capacity of up to 1.4 GW and will generate enough electricity to power over 1.6 million homes (around 6% of Vietnam’s 268 million homes), as well as mitigating 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

The project is anticipated to reach financial close in 2022, enabling first power to commence as early as 2023.

The wind farm is a joint venture between Mainstream and its Vietnamese partner the Phu Cuong Group, with Mainstream owning 70% of the asset and the Phu Cuong Group owning the remaining 30%.

The project follows a multi-stage development approach, with 200 MW of capacity set to be delivered in phase 1 and the remaining 1,200MW to be developed thereafter. Today’s announcement represents a significant milestone for Mainstream’s presence in Vietnam. The project has already completed its wind measurement campaign and other site studies, and the procurement process to secure a wind turbine supplier and balance of plant contractor is well advanced.

Moving forward, Mainstream will work closely with EVN, Vietnam’s national electricity company, to finalise the grid connection agreement, as well as the project’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

Mainstream has been present in Vietnam since 2016 where it is developing 2.3 GW of solar and offshore wind assets.

Cameron Smith, Mainstream’s General Manager for APAC, said:

“We are excited to be a part of Vietnam’s energy transition with the Phu Cuong Soc Trang project, which is being developed to the highest international standards, drawing on Mainstream’s extensive experience. Being leaders in renewable development in many countries, we understand the importance of community engagement, and we are pleased to have had such positive support from the Soc Trang community.

“We commend the government for the progress made in encouraging the development of renewable energy in Vietnam to date. The Phu Cuong Soc Trang project promises to be a catalyst for the development of a true offshore wind industry of a scale that will promote the achievement of net zero by 2050.”

Mr Nguyen Viet Cuong, Chairman of the Phu Cuong Group, said:

“The Phu Cuong Soc Trang offshore wind farm is an essential investment in Vietnam’s clean energy infrastructure and will make a major contribution towards the country’s carbon neutrality roadmap. This wind farm, which will be the largest in the region, will play a key role in accelerating the development of Vietnam’s economy by promoting the growth of industrialization. The government’s supportive policies to promote renewable energy are important for promoting foreign direct investment in co-operation with Vietnamese partners.”

About Mainstream Renewable Power 

Mainstream is one of the most successful pure-play developers of offshore wind at scale globally.  It has successfully consented Hornsea One (1.2 GW), the largest operational offshore wind plant in the world today; and developed the Hornsea 2 project (1.4 GW) before selling these projects and the entire Zone in 2015. Overall, it has developed and consented 20% of the UK’s offshore wind capacity either in operation or under construction.  Mainstream fully consented the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind project in Scotland, 450 MW, currently under construction. The company’s Soc Trang 1.4 GW offshore wind development in Vietnam is one of South-East Asia’s largest renewable energy developments.  

Mainstream has raised more than EUR3.0bn in project finance to date and employs more than 420 staff across five continents. 

www.mainstreamrp.com 

 

 

 

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Fastening innovation to secure the future for MMC

Secure, high quality construction depends on easy to use fastening solutions that are guaranteed to perform well in the long term. Nowhere is this more crucial than when attaching building elements to concrete where fasteners must be able to accommodate many different types of load and remain resistant to corrosion throughout their design-life.

Here is where construction fastener specialist EJOT UK is innovating to support the growth in MMC. Its newly extended range of concrete screws and through-bolts enables the safe, secure and rapid on-site assembly of offsite-produced elements with the assurance of European Technical Assessments (ETAs) and the backing of a globally experienced R&D team.

High corrosion resistance for lasting concrete attachments
Developed specifically to meet the needs of the UK market, EJOT has launched an ETA-approved fastener with enhanced corrosion resistance – the JC6-KB. This is a bi-metallic concrete screw manufactured in A4 316 stainless steel with hardened carbon steel lead threads.

As a result, the JC6-KB is suitable for outdoor Option 1 concrete applications approved for environmental classifications ranging from C1 up to C4, in accordance with BS EN 12944.

Its development reflects how the UK R&D team, supported by the EJOT Group team in Germany, is ideally positioned to ensure local customers have the right products they need to apply in the way they prefer. The overall EJOT product portfolio may be designed to suit a global market, but that does not mean UK customers have to adapt the way they work when choosing the EJOT brand.

In fact, the team in Sherburn-in-Elmet is proactively developing UK-focused fasteners that are gaining traction in overseas markets too, making a positive contribution to the global construction market. This benefits from the EJOT strength that brings together the best of British and German engineering – an internationally respected combination.
An expanded concrete screws range with new application potential

The JC6-KB’s development was in tandem with another major concrete screws advance by EJOT globally. Its new JC2 range of carbon steel concrete screws offers greatly extended scope for achieving a secure, reliable attachment for metal fixtures in Option 1 cracked, non-cracked and hollowcore concrete, as well as other hard base materials.
This enables JC2 self-tapping concrete screws to be used as an alternative to anchors or screw/nylon plug combinations in an increased range of construction applications. This could include attaching façade scaffolding, shelving and handrails to battens, cable racks and formwork.

Importantly, as these concrete screws need no expansion, they can be used closer to the edge of the concrete and at smaller spacings than when using anchors. They are also easy to use and install, with no specialist skills required, which can be a big time-saver on site.

Only a small pilot hole is required, which generates a relatively small amount of dust. Once this is removed from the hole, the screws are simply driven into place  – they offer a good degree of adjustability like a standard wood or metal screw which makes them a versatile choice.

The JC2 range offers six fastener types designed by EJOT’s R&D teams in both Germany and the UK to offer superior performance in-situ along with hassle-free installation. All provide the independent assurance of ETA approval and are tested to offer fire resistance to 120 minutes.

Upgrades to EJOT UK’s ETA approved through-bolt range
Whilst the new range of EJOT concrete screws offers greater versatility on-site, a through-bolt is still often the preferred attachment approach for a whole host of reasons.

Here is where EJOT UK has innovated further. Its range of ETA-approved through-bolts – also known as anchor bolts – is the BA Plus, providing a range of Option 1 anchors suitable for both cracked and non-cracked concrete applications.

It builds on the strengths of EJOT’s established BA range of torque-controlled expansion anchors, suitable for concrete and other hard base materials including natural stone. And the benefits are extensive, including being quicker to install, more secure in thinner concrete and a design that reduces the risk of installer error.
BA Plus provides through-bolts for all the most typical cracked and non-cracked concrete applications ≥ C20/25 up to the seismic Option 1 performance. Backed with the independent assurance of ETA approval, the range offers a dependable solution for numerous applications including steel structures, column base plates, heavy duty racking, cable racks, handrails and facades.

But BA Plus is not the only new through-bolt development by EJOT. Its UK team has also developed a new range of through-bolts for Option 7 non-cracked concrete applications, BA-C NC. This provides a class-leading anchor for many other applications including warehouse racking and stadium seating – again backed by the third party assurance of an ETA.

Find out more and access technical support

EJOT UK is a full manufacturing member of the CFA (Critical Fixings Association). Full details about the EJOT range of fastening systems for concrete are available on the below website, where new brochures for the various ranges can also be requested.

www.ejot.co.uk

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State-of-the-art college to benefit from superior airtightness

The superior airtightness performance qualities of the Wraptite® air barrier system from the A. Proctor Group will enhance a new state-of-the-art development at St Dunstan’s College – a co-educational independent school in Catford, London.

Contractor Willmott Dixon will deliver the new Junior School, STEM building and Sixth Form Hub at St Dunstan’s.
Designed by Bond Bryan Architects, the new development will be sited adjacent to the existing historic Headmaster’s House and connected by a glass atrium. Phase one includes a new junior school with specialist facilities for art, music and performance, and phase two includes the construction of the STEM Centre and Sixth Form Hub.
A vital element of the design and construction is to maximise the energy efficiency of the new buildings: Wraptite airtightness membrane, the only self-adhering vapour permeable air barrier certified by the BBA, will form a crucial part of the solution.
The inclusion of Wraptite within the facade will ensure “as-designed” performance, narrowing the gap between as-designed and actual energy performance and reducing the likelihood of potential failures to meet required airtightness levels.
Wraptite is a self-adhesive breather membrane applied externally, quickly and efficiently as part of the rainscreen system. The self-adhesive Wraptite membrane fully bonds directly to the substrate, requiring no mechanical attachment and little seals or tapes to suppress air leakage around junctions or penetrations.
Wraptite combines the critical properties of vapour permeability and airtightness in one self-adhering membrane, providing high levels of protection to the building fabric beneath the cladding. As a result, the Wraptite system allows the substrate beneath to dry quickly and moisture vapour to escape and reduces the likelihood of mould, mildew, condensation, timber distortion and metal corrosion.
Wraptite is compliant with Part B regulation changes and also has BBA approval for unrestricted use in buildings over 18m in England and 11m in Scotland.

www.proctorgroup.com

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MMC and net zero on the agenda for LHC at Housing 2021

Public sector housing teams will be able to hear about and discuss the challenges of and opportunities available in MMC, retrofit and the net zero agenda, as experts from procurement specialist LHC appear at Housing 2021.

Two of LHC’s regional directors will be tackling the hot topics at the first major housing event to take place in-person following the pandemic.

Mary Bennell, director of LHC’s South West Procurement Alliance (SWPA), will be joining a panel to discuss the role of MMC and digital in UK housing delivery on the Future of Living stage at 2pm on Tuesday, September 7.

Gary Cawley, director of Consortium Procurement Construction (CPC) – LHC’s regional division for the North and Midlands – will be chairing a session at the Unlock Net Zero stage on the same day at 11.50am. The panel will be assessing whether the sector can agree a single, credible approach to the data and standards needed to inform the retrofit agenda. He’ll also sit on a panel the following day at 2.55pm, on the same stage, discussing the net zero procurement and skills challenge.

On Thursday 9 September at 8am, LHC will be hosting a breakfast briefing in conjunction with Engie and Ground Control.

 

John Skivington, director of LHC, said:

“Through our procurement expertise honed over the past 50 years, we’re committed to helping the public sector get to grips with, tackle and reap the benefits of the net zero agenda and the emergence of MMC, for them and their residents.

“It’s vital to us that we can help our clients and suppliers realise the social value inherent in both issues, and we recognise that this is the very beginning of the journey for many. So we’re really looking forward to taking part in Housing 2021, and meeting and speaking with our peers from across the sector.”

 

Housing 2021 will feature more than 500 speakers across three days from 7-9 September in Manchester.

The LHC team will also be on hand throughout the event to answer any questions about procurement options and the process, located at stand D46.

To find out more about LHC see www.lhc.gov.uk, and for more details on Housing 2021 see cihhousing.com/

 

 

 

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All Change at Bethesda’s Former Railway Station

A Gwynedd town will see the site of its former railway station transformed into affordable homes as work begins on a new housing development.

Housing association Grŵp Cynefin, which owns and manages 4,800 properties across all six north Wales counties as well as northern Powys, has commenced construction on a £2.5 million project to build 17 new homes in Bethesda.

The development, which will be built by Gareth Morris Construction of Llangollen, will contain eight two-bedroom properties, five two-bedroom bungalows, three three-bedroom houses and a single four-bedroom home.

The properties will take over the site of Bethesda’s former railway station, which shut in 1963, as well as the old clubhouses of Bethesda Athletic FC and Bethesda RFC, which are now at new locations.

The homes will be let on a social housing basis, with the development a partnership between Grŵp Cynefin and Gwynedd Council. The project is partially funded through a social housing grant from the Welsh Government.

Development manager at Grŵp Cynefin, Gwyndaf Williams, said: “Providing affordable and accessible homes, particularly in rural communities, is at the core of our work and we are incredibly excited to have finally commenced construction on this project.

“There is a real need for housing families and couples around Bethesda, so this development will support those looking to remain living in the area who may have struggled to find affordable housing in the past.”

 

 

Construction on the site is expected to finish by March 2022, with the homes built to meet the Welsh Government housing technical standards, which ensures all properties built under the scheme meet modern methods of construction and sustainability.

Gwyndaf added: “It is invigorating to develop these new properties on what was once one of the major meeting points in the town and we aim to honour as much of the site’s heritage as we can.

“We hope the residents of the new homes on this site will be able to put down roots as part of their local community thanks to the proximity of the site to regular public transport, recreational fields and the Lon Las Ogwen cycle route, a pivotal spot in the town.”

Chief executive of Grŵp Cynefin, Shân Lloyd Williams, said: “The development in Bethesda is a great way to showcase how we are working alongside the local community and local authorities to reduce the pressure on the affordable housing market in Gwynedd.

“Grŵp Cynefin is committed to providing high-quality affordable housing and this project is a step in that direction within the community of Bethesda.

“Schemes such as this one are essential to ensuring these communities remain intact and younger couples, families, and older individuals can still find a place in the areas they are comfortable and familiar with, while avoiding being priced out of the area entirely.

“We are thrilled to finally begin work on this development as it marks a major milestone in the life of this project, and we look forward to finally allowing tenants to move into their new homes as soon as we can.”

 

 

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MACE EXPLORES HYDROGEN POWER

The firm has formed a strategic partnership with AFC Energy, a hydrogen power generation technology specialist, to trial and scale hydrogen in hard-to-abate activities across the sector.

As a first step, the Mace Group will begin testing hydrogen generators on selected construction sites in the UK and internationally in early 2022. Mace Group had notably already committed to remove diesel generators from all sites globally by 2026 – a commitment that will help deliver its aim of reducing absolute emissions from operations by 10% year-on-year from 2021.

Mace and AFC Energy will, simultaneously, work with plant hire firms and engage with policymakers to help promote a shift from diesel to hydrogen across the wider sector.

A statement from the two firms on this work reads: “The provision of temporary power to construction sites is currently provided through the hiring of on-site diesel gensets through plant hire businesses rather than constructors purchasing generators directly.  To drive the decarbonisation of the construction industry, it is essential that a market-based demand for alternative, sustainable on-site generation is signalled to plant hire businesses through partnerships like this one to support investment in deployable clean energy technologies including hydrogen fuel cells.”

In January, Mace announced that it has achieved net-zero emissions across operations and developments. However, it is hoping to reduce its direct emissions further in future, thus reducing its reliance on offsetting. The business is planning to publish a more detailed decarbonisation roadmap later this year.

 

 

Hydrogen policy

The announcement from Mace Group comes in the same week that the vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hydrogen, Alexander Stafford MP, has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to urge more support for hydrogen as a transport fuel.

Stafford’s letter stipulates that the UK will not meet the Hydrogen Taskforce’s recommended target of 100 hydrogen refuelling stations for road transport by 2025 – let alone ensuring that most hydrogen is green – unless costs are reduced.

While reducing costs will, ultimately, depend on the scaling up of green hydrogen generation globally, Stafford’s letter urges Johnson to also consider reforms to the renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO).

It states: “Under the current RTFO rules, hydrogen electrolysers can only be issued a certificate by connecting to new wind farms. There is approximately a three-year wait to synchronise the build of an electrolyser to the development timescales of new wind farms, which in effect delays the scaling of the UK’s hydrogen economy by three years.“

The letter stipulates that reform of RTFO rules would be timely, given that the Department for Transport is working with BEIS on both the Hydrogen Strategy and the Transport Decarbonisation Plan – both of which have faced Covid-19-related delays but are now due ahead of COP26.

The contents of the letter reflect discussions at a recent industry roundtable. Organisations represented at that meeting include Østed, Shell, Scottish Power and WrightBus.

“I am pleased by the cooperation of all major players across the hydrogen sector and look forward to working with the industry to achieve the necessary reforms to our existing legislature, which will unlock investment and help us on our way to reaching our net-zero ambitions,” Stafford summarised.

 

Source: Eddie

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