Costain cashes-in on infrastructure and technology boom

Increasing spending on infrastructure saw profits and turnover rise at Costain last year.

And the contractor is vowing to lead the technology revolution underway in construction as it continues to recruit more people in hi-tech roles.

Results for the year to December 31 2016 show pre-tax profits up to £37.5m from £29.9m as turnover increased to £1.7bn from £1.3bn.

Chairman Dr Paul Golby said: “Our major customers are committed to spending billions of pounds to improve people’s lives by enhancing the UK’s energy, water and transportation infrastructures. 

“In order to deliver solutions to their increasingly complex requirements, Costain will continue to provide the broadest range of innovative integrated services and technology-based solutions.

“Costain is well-positioned to take advantage of the opportunities that lie immediately ahead and this, combined with the good visibility we have over the medium-term, reinforces our confidence for the future.”

Chief executive Andrews Wyllie outlined how the firm’s Engineering Tomorrow strategy of focusing on innovation is paying dividends.

He said: “Costain today has over 4,100 people and, reflecting the development and changing nature of the business, over 1,200 of those are now in technology, advisory or design service roles”

The infrastructure division saw operating profit rise to £56.6m from £50.9m on turnover up to £1,276m from £996m.

The Natural Resources division made a loss of £12.6m on turnover of £377m following further problems with the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority PFI contract where the company set aside another £15.1m in costs and provisions.

The job was awarded in 2007.

Costain said: “In the period, the Group has incurred further costs and has taken additional provisions to reach Final Acceptance on the contract, which is now targeted this year; and to complete the remaining works when access is available in accordance with the operational running of the plants under an agreed schedule to 2019.

“Costain has received significant payments from, and remains in discussions on further payments with relevant contract counterparties and the Group’s insurers regarding the issues that have arisen on this contract.

“It has been the Group’s policy since 2009 not to pursue fixed price contracts of this nature.”

Wyllie said: These are exciting times with billions of pounds being spent upgrading and renewing the country’s energy, water and transportation infrastructures.

“There is a revolution in the deployment of technology-led innovative solutions to meet the increasingly complex requirements of our national infrastructure needs and we are continuing rapidly to transform our business to be at the heart of the opportunity this presents.

“We started 2017 with a maintained record order book giving good visibility over the medium term and we look forward to the future with confidence.”

 

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/03/01/costain-cashes-in-on-infrastructure-and-technology-boom/

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£23m Inverness Justice Centre plan approved

Highland Council has given the thumbs up to a new justice centre in Inverness

Robertson Construction is set to deliver the £23m project, which involves demolition of the former bus depot and construction of the courts, office space and a cafe.

The new V-shaped two storey building complex designed by Reiach & Hall would allow the courts service to move out of Inverness Castle.

Work is expected to start on the project in the spring.

Eric McQueen, Chief Executive, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service said: “This is a very exciting development and unique in its vision to bring together a range of organisations who work within the justice environment in the Highlands.

“With financial support in place from Scottish Government, the Inverness Justice Centre is a fantastic opportunity to improve the delivery of justice within a purpose-built fully integrated facility.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/03/01/23m-inverness-justice-centre-plan-approved/

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How protein misfolding may kickstart chemical evolution

Researchers have demonstrated a connection between abnormal protein folding and the potential to kickstart chemical evolution.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170227120357.htm

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Balfour fined £230k after floor gives way under bricklayer

Balfour Beatty Regional Construction Limited has been fined £230,000 after flooring at a house-building development gave way, injuring a worker.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how a worker was on the first floor of a new build domestic property when the floor gave way at one side.

The worker and approximately 70 building blocks slid 2.4 metres, vertically, to the ground. He suffered fractures to bones in his foot.

Balfour was running the site at Richmond Park, Croft, Sheffield, where the incident occurred.

The injured person was one of a three-man brick laying team instructed to work on the first floor of an incomplete property.

An HSE investigation into the incident, which occurred on 2 March 2015, found that the supporting joists of the first floor had not been fully installed as per the house designer’s instructions, leaving it unstable.

Balfour pleaded guilty to breaching the CDM regulations and was fined £230,000 and ordered to pay costs of £11,915.

HSE Inspector Alan Sheldon, said: “It is vital that companies following design instructions and ensure that structures are stable.

“This incident could have been much more serious for a number of workers and should act as a reminder to everyone within construction that protecting workers’ health and safety is vital in such a potentially dangerous industry.”

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/28/balfour-fined-230k-after-floor-gives-way-under-bricklayer/

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Finer raw cotton best for oil spill remediation, collaborative research shows

Cotton, a longtime staple crop on the South Plains and major part of the region’s economy, is growing into a new sector: environmental cleanup following oil spills. Now a new study concludes that finer raw cotton in loose form performs best for absorbing oil.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170227152340.htm

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Waterman forecasts growth return in 2018

Consultant Waterman is forecasting a return to 4% revenue growth in 2018 as extra highways, schools and retail spending kicks in.

The firm reported unchanged half-year profits of £1.8m this morning on steady revenue of  £46m but said it remained optimistic of a return to growth next year.

Nick Taylor, chief executive said: “Waterman continues to deliver a consistent performance in more challenging markets than experienced in recent years. The UK markets remain at the heart of our business, generating 87% of group revenue.”

 “The board remains committed to its aspiration to increase the group’s adjusted operating profit margin towards 6% by June 2019 from the current level of 4.1%.”

He said that growth in infrastructure & environment activities had offset a slight decline in property post Brexit.

“While commercial activity is flat with tenants sitting on their hands, in 12-18 months time there will be a shortage in the flow of new buildings coming to market and we expect to see an uptick in projects coming forward.

“The residential market is London is like a doughtnut with central very quiet, but demand for properties of £600 sq ft on the outskirts is strong.

He added that Waterman’s was seeing growth in the highways and schools pipeline with several major retail schemes like Brent Cross in London progressing.

Waterman expects a solid project pipeline to support revenue growth and margin enhancement from 2018.

In the property segment, robust activity in the retail and residential markets should continue to offset any softness in commercial.

In the infrastructure and environment area, government spending on projects such as HS2, schools, hospitals, roads and highways were expected to support further growth.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/28/waterman-forecasts-growth-return-in-2018/

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Interserve suffers £94m loss

Interserve was plunged into a £94m loss last year after making a £160m provision for exiting its waste business and troubled contracts.

The firm was kicked off its tdelayed Glasgow Recycling and Renewable Energy project late last year and now has a large team in place to pursue claims on this and other waste projects.

Chief Executive Adrian Ringrose said that 2016 had proved a mixed year for the group with the board deciding to suspend this year’s dividend.

Excluding the problem at the waste business, UK construction suffered a £3m operating loss due to challenging market conditions and several underperforming contracts.

Ringrose said the construction division results, allied to the difficulties around the exited business, saw a series of senior management,  and other organisational changes across the division, which would continue in 2017.

The overall construction performance was improved by £17m profit from intrenational work.

Support services business suffered a small decline in profit due the impact of the UK National Living Wage eroding margins, while RMD Kwikform saw the equipment services post a rise in profits, edging up 9% to nearly £49m.

Ringrose said: “We delivered a strong cash performance and the majority of our businesses performed well.

“However, the performance of our UK construction business was disappointing, and we are focussing our efforts on improving and re-shaping this business.

“Managing the challenges of exiting from the Energy from Waste sector remains a significant priority,” he added.

“As previously announced, we have increased the exceptional provision for exiting this market and the associated contracts to £160m.

“We expect to complete substantially all of the construction and commissioning of the projects during 2017, although our contractual obligations in respect of warranties, and the resolution of claims will continue for a period thereafter.”

Interserve trading divisions
	Profit	Change	Revenue	Change	Margin 2016 (2015)
Support services	£87m	-13%	£1.77bn	-3%	4.6% (5%)
RMD Kwikform	£46m	9%	£224m	8%	22% (22%)
Construction*	£14m	-42%	£971m	9%	-0.3% (1.2%) UK
Exited waste business	-£160m	n/a	£91m	-38%	n/a
* excluding waste business

“Managing the challenges of exiting from these projects and of pursuing our entitlements to recoveries and claims from third parties remains the focus for the large, experienced team of commercial, operational and legal experts we have deployed.

“It will remain an area of critical focus for the foreseeable future.”

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/28/interserve-suffers-94m-loss/

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Arup to occupy former Saatchi building

Arup Group has signed a deal with Derwent London to let 134,000 sq ft at the developer’s 80 Charlotte Street scheme in Fitzrovia.

The consultant will be the anchor tenant at the former home of ad agency Saatchi and Saatchi.

Demolition is currently underway at the site where Multiplex will build a 380,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme which is due for completion by the end of 2019.

Derwent has also agreed to sell its building at Fitzroy Street for £197m to Arup who occupy the entire property on a long-term rental agreement.

John Burns, Chief Executive Officer of Derwent London, said: “We are delighted to continue our long standing and close relationship with Arup in this mutually beneficial transaction.

“We have been able to facilitate the upgrade of Arup’s London headquarters and Arup will be the first occupier anchoring our major 80 Charlotte Street development.

“This complex transaction further de-risks Derwent London’s development programme, and is evidence of our asset management and letting skills, the desirability of our product and the advantage of owning a cluster of property in an attractive location.”

David Whittleton, Deputy Chair and Group COO of Arup Group, said: “This innovative deal offers real benefits to both Derwent and Arup, and was possible because of the strong and trusting relationship developed between our firms over many years.

“Arup is very pleased to have been able to secure its London future in quality space in the rapidly improving Fitzrovia area, where the firm has been based since inception, at attractive and predictable costs.  We look forward to many more collaborations in the years ahead.”

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/28/arup-to-occupy-former-saatchi-building/

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Green light for £500m North London incinerator

The Government has granted development consent for a £500m energy from waste scheme to replace an existing facility at Edmonton EcoPark in North London.

Known as the North London Heat and Power Project, the development will replace the EcoPark’s existing energy from waste plant, which has operated for around 45 years but comes to the end of its life in 2025.

Following the development of the delivery strategy, construction preparation work could start in 2019.

The existing plant would be decommissioned and demolished once the new facility is up and running by 2028.

It will have the capacity to treat up to 700,000 tonnes of waste a year from households in the seven surrounding boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest.

The North London Waste Authority claims the new plant will use leading technology to control emissions to air, which will be “the same as or even lower than the existing facility, making it one of the best performing in Europe”.

It said: “NLWA is committed to improving air quality in north London. The replacement facility would use today’s leading technology when controlling emissions, making the facility capable of achieving levels of 60% below the current permissible limits for nitrogen oxides.”

A DCO is awarded to any development classified as a nationally significant infrastructure project, and is intended to speed up and simplify the planning process.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/28/green-light-for-500m-north-london-incinerator/

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Nano 'sandwich' offers unique properties

Nanoclusters of magnesium oxide sandwiched between layers of graphene make a compound with unique electronic and optical properties, according to researchers who built computer simulations of the material.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170227150328.htm

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New use for paper industry's sludge and fly ash in plastics

Researchers examined whether new industrial applications could be developed for various types of sludge and fly ash generated by the paper and board industry.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170227120318.htm

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Sound-shaping super-material invented

A super-material that bends, shapes and focuses sound waves that pass through it has been invented by scientists, outlines a new report.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170227082156.htm

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Quarter of all construction workers in London are from EU

The London construction market could be crippled by a Hard Brexit as latest figures show nearly one in four builders in the capital are from the European Union.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is warning that any ouflow of workers would leave the capital’s sites “high and dry”.

His Housing in London report reveals that currently 95,000 construction workers in London are from the EU out of a total of 350,000.

Khan, said: “When I speak to businesses – both large and small – one of the biggest issues they raise with me is the skills gap.

“They tell me that maintaining a skilled workforce is absolutely crucial to their future and the future of the whole economy.“London is in the grip of a serious housing crisis – and fixing it is going to be a marathon, not a sprint.

“While we are working to train up more Londoners to have the skills to work in construction, you can’t escape the fact that a ‘Hard Brexit’ could leave a quarter of the skilled construction workforce in the capital high and dry which would have a crippling effect on our plans to build the homes Londoners so desperately need.”

Cllr Peter John, Leader of Southwark Council and member of the London Economic Area Partnership, said: “We urgently need more skilled construction workers in London. The Mayor has asked me to bring together partners from local government, developers, the construction industry and training providers to address this.

“While the challenges are significant, made even more urgent by the expected impact of Brexit, the leadership provided by the Mayor on this issue will enable us to work together to propose sustainable solutions in order to ensure a world-class construction workforce for London.”

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/quarter-of-all-london-construction-workers-are-from-eu/

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Shard developer Irvine Sellar dies aged 82

Property legend Irvine Sellar has died aged 82.

The chairman of Sellar Group died on Sunday following a short illness.

Sellar was best know for the Shard which was completed in 2012.

He was a massive presence on the UK property scene and his son James will now become head of the group which his father founded in 1991.

A spokesperson for Irvine Sellar said: “Irvine will always be remembered for his determination ‘against all odds’ to create and develop The Shard, a building that changed London’s skyline forever.

“The property industry has lost an immense and irreplaceable character whose sheer grit and determination will leave a huge void in a sector known for big characters.”

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/shard-developer-irvine-sellar-dies-aged-82/

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Lendlease confirmed for Google HQ

Internet giant Google has confirmed the selection of Lendlease to deliver its new headquarters building at King’s Cross in London.

Lendlease beat shortlisted bid rival Sir Robert McAlpine to the shell and core project, which is expected to cost around £350m to deliver.

The Google HQ building, designed by Heatherwick Studios and BIG, in collaboration with BDP, will be home to 4,000 Googlers on completion. 

Joe Borrett, Google’s EMEA Director of  Real Estate and Construction, said: “Lendlease emerged from a rigorous selection process as the best choice as our construction partner at King’s Cross because we felt it shared many of our own values – a desire to challenge industry norms, a focus on innovation, and a highly collaborative approach.”

Google HQ site at King’s Cross Goods Yard

Neil Martin, Manging Director of Lendlease’s Construction business in Europe, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be appointed by Google on this landmark project. With our global construction experience, we are confident this will be as distinctive as everything else Google does.”

The win is a coup for Lendlease, which has recently stepped up the proportion of work it delivers outside of the Lendlease property development portfolio.

Lendlease is also tipped to take a prestige 43-storey hotel and apartment skyscraper in London’s Square Mile at 150 Bishopsgate being developed by Singaporean investor UOL Group.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/lendlease-confirmed-for-google-hq/

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£150m bid race takes-off for Luton airport rail link

London Luton Airport has officially kicked off the bid race for up to £150m worth of construction work for a planned new light railway system.

The 2.1 km long guided mass rapid transit passenger system will run between two purpose-built stations, heading out from Stirling Place, close to Luton Airport Parkway station, to the airport terminal.

It will be broken down into two main packages. Civils work worth up to £115m will include viaducts, embankments, cut and cover works and station platforms.

Some of the works will be within the airside sections of the airport.

The track, rolling stock and associated systems package will be subject to a separate contract worth up to £35m to be awarded concurrently.

The scheme forms part of an ambitious £1.5bn inward investment programme revealed by the council, which outlines a 20-year plan for major transformation of the town.

Planning permission is being sought from Luton Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council with view to work starting later this year. The transit system is due to open in 2021.

The link to be funded by the council, which owns the airport, would reduce journey time to London to just 30 minutes.

The bid documents are available from the Luton procurement site.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/150m-bid-race-takes-off-for-luton-airport-rail-link/

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Morgan Sindall replaced on £24m London schools trio

The London Borough of Brent has replaced Morgan Sindall on a trio of primary school schemes in the north London borough after failing to agree final contract terms.

Morgan Sindall secured the work expected to be worth £24m last May under a pre-construction services agreement.

Since then the firm has failed to agree final prices on the projects in Wembley, Harrow and Stonebridge, delaying project starts.

Now the council has signed deals with Graham Construction, Mid Group Contracting & Consulting and Lakehouse.

Morgan Sindall secured the pre-construction contract with an expected final bid of £9.5m to expand Byron Court Primary School last May. But has since failed to agree the final contract price pushing the expected start into 2017.

Graham Construction, which was second placed bidder, has now secured the project with a bid of £11m.

It will start work in the summer on the two-storey modular block hosting 20 classrooms, group rooms, reception rooms and a staff room linked at ground floor to a new hall and kitchen.

Morgan Sindall has also walked away from the expansion of Stonebridge Primary School after initially agreeing a target price of £6.6m.

Now Barking-based Mid Group Contracting & Consulting will take on the project, after agreeing a £7.5m price.

Work will start in April building a two storey classroom block with multi-purpose hall and improvements to the Grade II listed existing main school building .

Third project, expected to worth £7.9m to Morgan Sindall, to expand capacity at Uxendon Manor Primary School in Harrow was snapped up by Lakehouse with a cheaper bid of close to £6.2m.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/morgan-sindall-replaced-on-24m-london-schools-trio/

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Kier wins £40m new-look highways deal

Kier Highways Limited has won a £40m contract as part of Highways England’s new delivery arrangements in the South West.

It is the first of a number of Asset Delivery contracts in the South West which sees Highways England changing the way it works.

Highways England will now take direct responsibility for managing both routine maintenance and the delivery of capital renewal and improvement schemes.

A number of key decision-making functions will be taken in-house as Highways England takes greater control over work.

The organisation said: “The award of this and future contracts allows Highways England to directly engage with our supply chain to drive down cost and waste.”

Kier’s five-year deal will focus on design briefs which the contractor will turn into “well-defined packages of work.”

Duties will include preparing technical designs and undertaking supporting work for capital renewal projects and improvements to produce a solution that is ready for construction, and to design briefs to repair major roads and get them back running as normal after incidents.

David Poole, Executive Director for commercial and procurement at Highways England, said: “We are delighted that Kier Highways Limited will be part of our new Asset Delivery supply chain community across the South West.

“This contract not only builds on the new way of working already taking place in the East Midlands and North of England but also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to increasing Highways England’s capability and control over the whole road network.”

Andrew Page-Dove, Regional Director for the South West, said: “Kier Highways currently operates a number of key support contracts and we are confident that this award will build upon our existing successful relationship and deliver a high quality service throughout the South West. We look forward to working with them.”

Future awards will include a range of suppliers being appointed in April to the new framework for delivering construction works and a contract will be awarded in March for the maintenance and response contract, both of which will help to deliver the designs provided by Kier Highways.

Highways England will now begin working with Kier Highways to ensure that they are ready to begin delivering key design services from 1 July 2017.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/kier-wins-40m-new-look-highways-deal/

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BAM tipped for London City Uni law school

BAM Construct is tipped to take a £30m projects to build a new law school for City University in London.

The scheme has been design by Wilkinson Ayre architects and will be built at Sebastian Street near the City University Islington campus.

The single stage design and build tender is being hotly contested with Kier, Wates, and Willmott Dixon among the firms to have chased the project.

But sources have told the Enquirer that Bam Construction is now in prime position to secure the project.

City University plans to retain and refurbish two existing buildings as well as fund a new four-storey brick building and new seven-storey glazed building as a focal point for the the law school complex.

AECOM is acting as M&E consultant, with Sweett on board as project cost consultant .

Work is expected to start on the project in August with completion expected in May 2019.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/bam-tipped-for-london-city-uni-law-school/

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Persimmon completions edge up 4% as profit soars

House builder Persimmon raised new home completions last year by just 4% as it delivered pre-tax profits up nearly a quarter to £775m.

The strong housing market saw Persimmon operating margins rise from around 22% in 2015 to 26% in the second half of the year.

Announcing 2016 annual results today the house builder also revealled plans to shovel more cash back to shareholders othrough its capital return plan to 2021, increasing payments by 49% to £9.25 a share.

Jeff Fairburn, chief executive, said Persimmon aimed for further margin growth from cutting construction overheads with increased production from its off-site timber frame business Space 4 and a new concrete brick plant due to come on stream by April.

The concrete brick factory at Harworth, near Doncaster will have the capacity to produce 80 million bricks a year. This is equivalent to around two thirds of the house builder’s brick requirements paying back the £10m upfront investment in around three years.

He said that Space 4 would now be upping production from around 5,500 units after production had been concentrated on meeting Persimmon’s core housing designs.

Fairburn said: “The Space4 factory has the capacity to increase production to support the construction of around 8,000 new homes each year.

“We are continuing to investigate the further development of the Space4 build processes driven by the design of the group house types, to secure further improvements for the business.”

Last year Persimmon saw legal completions rise by legal completions increased by 599 new homes to 15,171 and average selling price increased by 3.8% to £206,765.

This lifted full-year revenue up 8% to £3.14bn.

Across our regional markets the highest volumes were secured in our Shires and Scottish markets with 1,539 and 1,492 legal completions respectively.

The North East, Midlands and Western markets also produced very strong sales with each delivering over 1,250 legal completions.

 

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/persimmon-completions-edge-up-4-as-profit-soars/

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Safety scheme slashes £50m in red-tape

A health and safety procurement scheme claims it saved £50m for clients last year by cutting down on form filling.

Figures compiled by the Safety Schemes in Procurement Forum (SSIP) highlight savings made by cross-recognition between health and safety supply chain assessment schemes.

That reduces the need for clients to re-check suppliers’ details or to specify a particular assessment scheme, and for contractors to fill in numerous health and safety questionnaires.

Eleanor Eaton, chair of SSIP said: “We have known for some time that SSIP saves the supply chain tens of millions of pounds annually. Our metrics have enabled us to home in on the extent of these savings, and we expect them to increase annually.”

Paull Reev, deputy chairman of SSIP and ECA’s director of Business said:  “These figures show SSIP is making a real contribution to reducing excessive health and safety pre-qualification.

“It’s a huge burden on the supply chain, and we look forward to further action by SSIP scheme members to reduce unnecessary costs to buyers and suppliers.”

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/safety-scheme-slashes-50m-in-red-tape/

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Keller reclaims £14.3m of warehouse row cash

Piling specialist Keller has reclaimed £14.3m of £54m it set aside in exceptional charges following a problem warehouse building contract.

Keller set aside the £54m charge in 2015 and bought the warehouse for £62m last May.

The building at Avonmouth in Bristol was completed in 2008 but was the subject of a long-running contract row after main contractor VolkerFitzpatrick claimed defective piles on the job caused cracking of the floor slab.

A flurry of legal action taken by all sides involved in the scheme which was all settled in February 2015.

Keller decided to buy the building and fix the problems before selling it on.

Latest results for the firm show it has recovered £14.3m in insurance payouts, rental income and an increase in the buildings estimated value to £54m.

Keller said it “remains confident of recouping most, if not all, of the consideration on sale.”

Keller reported healthy trading in the UK where it is targeting an increase in infrastructure work.

The firm said: “The UK had a good year in 2016, working on a wide variety of commercial and infrastructure projects.

“The business had fewer poorly performing projects than in recent years, following extensive work on tendering and execution disciplines.

“Whilst we have seen some market slowdown recently, much effort is currently being devoted to securing significant work on the major infrastructure projects coming up in the UK.”

Group pre-tax profits dipped to £85.1m for the year to December 31 2016 from £95.7m last time due to difficult market conditions in Asia and Singapore.

 

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/27/keller-reclaims-14-3m-of-warehouse-row-cash/

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New polymer additive could revolutionize plastics recycling

Only 2 percent of the 78 million tons of manufactured plastics are currently recycled into similar products because polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), which account for two-thirds of the world’s plastics, have different chemical structures and cannot be efficiently repurposed together. That could all change with a new discovery.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170224092604.htm

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New 'tougher-than-metal' fiber-reinforced hydrogels

Scientists have succeeded in creating ‘fiber-reinforced soft composites,’ or tough hydrogels combined with woven fiber fabric. These fabrics are highly flexible, tougher than metals, and have a wide range of potential applications.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170224092554.htm

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Researchers find new clues for nuclear waste cleanup

A new study of the chemistry of technetium-99 has improved understanding of the challenging nuclear waste and could lead to better cleanup methods.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170223155950.htm

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Oil and gas wastewater spills alter microbes in West Virginia waters

Wastewater from oil and gas operations – including fracking for shale gas – at a West Virginia site altered microbes downstream, according to a new study. The study showed that wastewater releases, including briny water that contained petroleum and other pollutants, altered the diversity, numbers and functions of microbes. The shifts in the microbial community indicated changes in their respiration and nutrient cycling, along with signs of stress.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170223092140.htm

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Computing with biochemical circuits made easy

A software tool and a systematic wet-lab procedure proven in practice are an advance in the design and construction of circuits made of DNA.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170223114825.htm

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Improved polymer and new assembly method for ultra-conformable 'electronic tattoo' devices

Researchers have developed processes and materials for ultrathin devices using SBS elastomeric film, achieving ease of production, high elasticity and flexibility fifty times better than previously reported polymer nanosheets. Production of circuits with a household type inkjet printer, without the need for clean room conditions, along with fixing of electronic components without soldering promise to greatly increase wearing comfort and to radically lower barriers to manufacturing.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170222102619.htm

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As thin as an atom: A revolutionary semiconductor for electronics

Semiconductors that are as thin as an atom are no longer the stuff of science fiction. A new two-dimensional material could revolutionize electronics, say researchers.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170223144446.htm

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New pop-up strategy inspired by cuts, not folds

Origami-inspired materials use folds in materials to embed powerful functionality. However, all that folding can be pretty labor intensive. Now, researchers are drawing material inspiration from another ancient Japanese paper craft – kirigami.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170224160632.htm

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Nano-sized hydrogen storage system increases efficiency

An efficient hydrogen storage system has been developed that could be a boon for hydrogen powered vehicles.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170224133918.htm

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M J Fitpatrick wins £2.6m housing deal

M J Fitzpatrick has won a £2.6m deal to redevelop disused garage sites for Tamworth Borough Council.

The contractor will start demolition work on nine sites next month which will eventually provide 23 new council homes by March 2018.

Tamworth council are working in conjunction with Waterloo Housing Association to provide the new homes.

 

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/24/m-j-fitpatrick-wins-2-6m-housing-deal/

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Three layers of graphene reveals a new kind of magnet

Scientists have discovered the magnetism of electrons in three layers of graphene. This study reveals a new kind of magnet and provides insight on how electronic devices using graphene could be made for fundamental studies as well as various applications.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170223114729.htm

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Electronics: Organic material self-assembles next to borophene with nearly perfect interface

Engineers discover that an organic material self-assembles directly next to borophene, forming an ideal interface for electronic applications.

from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170222152743.htm

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Jail sentences for tradesmen after £300,000 tax fraud

Nine construction tradesmen from Widnes and Liverpool have been sentenced for trying to steal £300,000 in an organised tax fraud.

The men, who worked as subcontractors including painters, decorators, builders, and roofers, submitted false claims for tax repayments.

James Roberts, of Widnes, was at the centre of the conspiracy, which was uncovered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigators.

He was found to have made multiple fraudulent amendments to his own tax returns and allowed his bank account to be used by other members of the gang.

Roberts’ partner, Natasha Sinnott, 22, of Bootle, helped the fraudsters by allowing the stolen taxes to be laundered through her bank account.

The fraud was uncovered by the Income Tax Self-Assessment Repayments Taskforce which targets individuals who submit false Income Tax Self Assessment claims.

The false claims were made under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).

HMRC withheld the majority of the tax repayments when suspicious activity was detected and will now look to recover any remaining stolen tax using civil and criminal proceedings.

Those sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court this week were:

– James Lee Roberts, 27, of Widnes, jailed for three years.

– Steven Peter Jones, 28, of Widnes – eight months jail suspended for two years.

– Stephen Edwards, 32, of Widnes – 10 months jail suspended for two years.

– Patrick Molyneux, 31, of Maghull – 11 months jail suspended for two years.

– Kieran Rigby, 28, of Widnes – eight months jail suspended for two years.

– Stephen Yemm, 34, of Widnes – nine months jail suspended for two years.

– Gregg Carter, 26, of Widnes – four months jail suspended for two years.

– Ashley Hughes, 26, of Widnes – 11 months jail suspended for two years.

– Scott Keegan, 27, of Widnes – five months jail suspended for two years.

– Natasha Sinnott, 22 of Bootle, sentenced to four months jail suspended for 12 months for money laundering on behalf of others in the fraud.

Two other men are due to be sentenced next week – James Rutherford, 31, of Kirkby, and Vincent Mccluskie, 45, of Seaforth.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/24/jail-sentences-for-tradesmen-after-300000-tax-fraud/

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Carillion set for Liverpool Princes Dock 34-storey tower

Balfour bags £185m Channel Tunnel power cable

Balfour Beatty, in a consortium with Prysmian Group, has been awarded a £185m contract by ElecLink Ltd to install a 65km electricity cable between France and Great Britain through the Channel Tunnel.

The ElecLink interconnector will have a 1GW capacity, providing enough energy to power more than 1.65 million  households per year.

It will be the world’s first installation of a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnector in a live rail tunnel environment.

Balfour’s share of the work is valued at £118m.

It will involve laying two 50km cables through the North tunnel and connecting them to converter stations in Northern France and Kent.

Prysmian Group will be responsible for the design and manufacture of the 320kV cabling and jointing services.

Balfour will use offsite jointing facilities in Calais and Folkestone to assemble 2.5km sections of cable and computer modelling to model the build in a virtual environment.

Ian Currie, Balfour Beatty’s Managing Director for Power Transmission and Distribution, said: “Balfour Beatty’s expertise as an international infrastructure group has enabled us to create innovative solutions to fulfil the requirements of this project.

“As global leaders we have been trusted with the first ever installation of a High Voltage Direct Current interconnector in a live rail tunnel environment.

“We will draw on our extensive experience of cable tunnel engineering projects, including the London Power Tunnels electricity superhighway, to deliver the project successfully.”

The project will provide employment for up to 300 people.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/24/balfour-bags-185m-channel-tunnel-power-cable/

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Five jailed for running skills card “forgery factory”

Five men have been jailed for a combined total of 30 years for running a ‘forgery factory’.

A raid by immigration officers in east London discovered a bedroom converted into a fully-equipped factory manufacturing British, European and Indian documents.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that the men were all involved in creating and distributing between 50,000 to 100,000 false documents including passports, driving licences and Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards.

CITB supported the investigation by supplying evidence on genuine CSCS cards and verifying the status of counterfeit cards and qualifications that had been produced.

Sandeep Singh and Harjinder Kingre, both of Leigh Road, East Ham, denied their role in running the bedroom operation, but a jury convicted them both of conspiracy to make and supply articles for use in fraud. They were each jailed for eight and a half years.

Pritpal Singh admitted his role in the plot, along with another charge related to possessing one of the fake passports, and was jailed for six years.

Satnman Hayer of Normanton, Derby, and Gurjit Singh of Southall, Ealing, both admitted to buying forged documents to sell on for profit.

Hayer was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail while Singh will face sentencing at a later date.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/24/five-jailed-for-running-skills-card-forgery-factory/

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Plans in for 650 homes at Cambridge former RAF airfield

Developer Urban & Civic has submitted plans for the construction of up to 6,500 new homes at Waterbeach Barracks on the northern fringe of Cambridge. 

The application to develop the former RAF airfield and barracks comes just two weeks after the Housing White Paper which emphasised the importance of making best use of previously developed land to build houses within existing settlements, and where people most want and need to live.  

Urban&Civic Chief Executive Nigel Hugill said: “Outside London, Waterbeach is the best brownfield site in the country.

“Furthermore, Waterbeach precisely represents the cross Government department approach envisaged in the Housing White Paper.

” To that extent, it can be seen as a bellwether for the more rapid delivery of quality and scale.”

Urban & Civic is acting as master developer but the site continues to be owned by the MOD, which commission the firm maximising revenues to the Exchequer and accelerate housing numbers.  

Outline Planning Application at Waterbeach

·    Up to 6,500 homes, including up to 600 care home units

·    Three primary schools 

·    Multi-purpose community centres, health care, nurseries, library use, places of worship and museum  

·    Sports and fitness centres (up to 7,000 sq m)

·    Up to 16,500 sq m of shops

·    Offices and light industrial units (up to 15,000 sq m)

·    Lake-side hotel

·   Supporting infrastructure including energy centres, waste management facilities, drainage works and sustainable urban drainage systems.

The development will see two new access points onto the A10, and the application also provides for a new Park and Ride facility.

The developers are working with the A10 Transport Corridor Study to ensure the development is rolled-out alongside investment in the road, bus, rail and cycle network – which are all due to be upgraded along the important growth corridor. 

Urban & Civic is committing nearly £15m of investment to early cycle and bus connections and to support improvements to the local rail station, ahead of a significant contribution towards the final Milton Interchange/ A14 / A10 ‎strategic improvements.

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/24/plans-in-for-650-homes-at-cambridge-former-raf-airfield/

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Platform collapses as four workers move air vent

Decorators’ Merchants Leyland SDM (LSDM) has been fined after four workers fell more than three and a half metres while carrying a ventilation unit.

Westminster Magistrates Court heard how LSDM had been in the process of redeveloping a warehouse in Wembley.

When four workers tried to move a ventilation unit into position, the working platform became overloaded and gave way.

Neither the work at height nor the lifting operations were planned properly.

Two of the four injured men suffered leg fractures, while a broken collar bone were among the other injuries caused by the incident.

An HSE investigation found the company failed to manage the risks when working at height and carrying out the lifting operation.

The company also failed to have the right level of trained personnel and supervision in place to carry out these tasks safely and effectively.

LSDM of Fourth Way, Wembley pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £450,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1038.

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Jack Wilby said: “The safety failings by this company are severe and it is lucky that the injuries were not more severe.

“This incident highlights the importance of planning work, in this case both for lifting operations and working from height, to ensure it is carried out safely.”

from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/02/24/platform-collapses-as-four-workers-move-air-vent/

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