Eighty years after the theoretical prediction of the force required to overcome the van der Waals’ bonding between layers in a crystal, engineering researchers have measured it directly.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171031111525.htm
Compared to wind and solar energy, wave energy has remained relatively expensive and hard to capture, but engineers are working to change that by drawing inspiration from other industries. The engineering team has designed, modeled and tested a control system that doubles the amount of power a wave energy converter can absorb from ocean waves, making electricity produced from wave energy less expensive.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030131536.htm
Researchers have achieved a breakthrough in 3D printing one of the most common forms of marine grade stainless steel – a low-carbon type called 316L – that promises an unparalleled combination of high-strength and high-ductility properties for the ubiquitous alloy.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030131456.htm
A flexible detector for terahertz frequencies (1,000 gigahertz) has been developed using graphene transistors on plastic substrates. It is the first of its kind, and can extend the use of terahertz technology to applications that will require flexible electronics, such as wireless sensor networks and wearable technology.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171031101818.htm
A few extra coats of ‘paint’ could be all that the steel in a building needs to prevent itself from buckling and failing in a fire, suggests new research.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171031085428.htm
Up to 600,000 construction jobs could be replaced by new technology over the next two decades.
The prediction is part of a new report from Mace exploring how construction may need to change to meet the challenges of “Industry 4.0”
Industry 4.0 is the collective term for a range of technologies like cloud computing, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and robotics that experts believe represent a new industrial revolution.
Mace said that a major re-skilling of the construction talent pool will be needed to cope with the tech revolution.
And the contractors is warning that the industry will lose out on potential productivity benefits worth £25bn if it fails to train a new generation of more tech savvy workers.
Mark Reynolds, Mace’s Chief Executive, and skills lead on the Construction Leadership Council, said: “Everyone now acknowledges the current skills shortages need to be addressed.
“Our latest report high-lights the opportunities the digital revolution can offer, how we can dramatically close the future skills gap and how we can meet the £25bn ‘productivity challenge’.
“The recommendations we have laid out will go some way towards addressing these issues.
“The industry, our training bodies and government need to work together to take full advantage of everything that Industry 4.0 can offer.”
Mace’s report proposes three key recommendations that will help to ensure that the necessary number of workers can be re-trained. These are:
1. Accelerate the use of new technology in training
By mandating that the latest 3D printing technologies and augmented and virtual reality tools are introduced into industry training programmes and into ‘construction clubs’ in schools, the sector can better meet its future skills challenges will also ensuring that courses are attractive to potential students and recruits.
2. Inform lifelong learning decisions
At the moment data is sparse on what skills we will need in the future. By commissioning large-scale sector-wide research and working with Government bodies like the ONS and CITB, the construction industry will be able to ensure that its skills profile is changing to meet actual need.
3. Revolutionise our traditional education programmes
Current apprenticeship and training reforms will not go far enough to prepare the workforce for Industry 4.0. We need to upend the curriculum on offer now to reflect the modern methods of construction and off-site assembly that will be needed in the future.
To download a copy of the full report click here
Carillion has sold its controlling interest in developer Ask Real Estate to West Midlands developer, the Richardson family.
Their firm Dukehill, which has net assets of around £88m, will pay £13.8m for Carillion’s 67% stake in Ask Real Estate and a 50% interest in Ask Carillion Developments.
The Richardson family property business, founded by twin Roy and Don who came to prominence as the developers of the Merry Hill Shopping Centre, was already partnering Carillion on schemes in Durham and Worcester.
The latest deal bring’s disposals in the the last week to nearly £64m following the sales of prime healthcare FM assets to Serco.
Carillion is aiming to raise £300m from the sale of its assets as it battles to reduce its forecast £1bn debt mountain at the end of this year.
Keith Cochrane, Interim Chief Executive, said: “We are pleased to be able to announce further progress.
“Much remains to be done, and we are continuing to execute our plans to refocus the business, reduce cost and strengthen our balance sheet.’
Ask has several developments on the go including a £300m mixed-use tower block scheme in Manchester for a 1.74 acre site next to the Beetham Tower and Manchester Central convention centre.
Scape has overseen procurement of more than £1bn of public sector work during the first six months of its national construction frameowrk.
The framework is divided into five service areas by geography and value and will be worth up to £7bn across four years.
The lead construction partners are Willmott Dixon, Robertson, Wates and Lendlease who will work with a supply chain of over 70,000 local businesses.
Projects already procured by the public sector during the first six months of the deal include new schools, care homes, council facilities, leisure centres and affordable housing projects across the UK.
Major projects confirmed include Liverpool City Council’s Venmore Dementia Hub in Anfield and the refurbishment of Bolton’s Octagon Theatre, both led by Willmott Dixon, as well as 55 new affordable homes as part of the regeneration of Raploch for Stirling City Council, led by Robertson.
Victoria Bambini, Managing Director of Scape Procure said: “We launched the Scape National Construction framework in May of this year to add both depth and breadth to our national offer, including a greater presence than ever before in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“Such a strong pipeline of projects as we complete mobilisation is a real vote of confidence in our approach and the value our frameworks deliver for the public sector.
“More than ever before, public sector organisations are focused not just on value for money, but on the need to embrace social value delivery across their estate.
“By using the local supply chain, our frameworks ensure the benefits of public investment are maximised within local economies, while the creation of 20,000 new apprenticeships will deliver a long-term investment in people and a permanent legacy for local communities.”
Rick Willmott, Chief Executive at Willmott Dixon, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with Scape once again on the National Construction framework.
“It means we can continue creating quality buildings for the public sector in a cost efficient way, as well as making a real and lasting impact on the communities we work in through our social value commitment.”
Newly-merged Central College Nottingham and New College Nottingham have revealed plans for a £58m City Hub campus near the city’s Broadmarsh shopping centre.
The new 6-storey campus designed by architects Bond Bryan will provide college and community facilities, together with a new business hub.
This will encourage business start-ups, better collaboration between the college and employers and provide the wider community with improved training and skills resources.
The campus will also house a performing arts centre, student retail space, café and training restaurant and bar.
Rear of the development with entrance for theatre and performing arts venues
Procurement chiefs are presently shortlisting firms to take part in a two-stage tender process.
Site work is due to get underway next autumn after the appointment of a preferred contractor in in the Spring, with a project completion date of 2020.
The new City Hub campus building forms part of an ambitious £250m Southern Gateway regeneration scheme, spearheaded by Nottingham City Council involving the redevelopment of the intu Broadmarsh Centre, the rebuild of the Broadmarsh bus station and car park, as well as the remodelling of road and pedestrian routes in the area.
City Hub viewed from Canal Street
By texturing glass surfaces with nanosized features, scientists almost completely eliminated surface reflections – an achievement that could enhance solar cell efficiency, improve consumers’ experience with electronic displays, and support high-power laser applications.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030154457.htm
Researchers describe a new device for producing nanofiber meshes, which matches the production rate and power efficiency of its best-performing predecessor — but significantly reduces variation in the fibers’ diameters, an important consideration in most applications
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030123352.htm
Scientists have developed smart glass capable of producing various shades on its surface. Unlike the conventional types, the newly developed tinting smart glass allows users to easily change the shaded area of a window. For example, a user would be able to change the shaded area of a window in accordance with the elevation of the sun. The technology may be applicable to various types of windows, including those of automobiles and buildings, enabling them to offer both shade and clear visibility simultaneously.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030095614.htm
Fatigue due to repetitive strain is the leading cause of failure in metal components and structures, but new research shows how crystalline structures called nanotwins can slow the accumulation of fatigue-related damage.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030123521.htm
When laser light is used to drive the motion of a thin, rigid membrane, the membrane vibrates in resonance with the light. The resulting patterns can be visualized through an array of quantum dots, where these tiny structures emit light at a frequency that responds to movement.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030112301.htm
The Enquirer has launched a new directory for construction suppliers and buyers designed to help companies stand out online.
Specialist contractors, manufacturers and suppliers can highlight everything they offer in a directory designed to be used by buyers.
Traffic to the new directory will also be driven by a regularly updated news service highlighting the latest stories from member companies.
The new service is the perfect place for companies to showcase what they offer in a cleanly designed and easy-to-search directory.
Basic membership and listings are free.
But for an annual upgrade fee of just £250 Gold members get a whole host of extras.
These include an enhanced directory entry containing all their social media feeds plus full contact and company details.
Gold members also have their latest stories considered for publication in the directory news feed with weblinks included to their main listing.
The huge Enquirer audience means a listing on the site will enhance your search engine rankings by being published on construction’s best read website.
For less than £5 a week you can have a permanent presence on the site and see your latest news published in front of an audience of potential new clients.
Setting up an account is simple and full details can be found here
Network Rail has confirmed Amey, BAM Nuttall and Arup as alliance partners for the TransPennine route upgrade to the West of Leeds.
The TransPennine route work between Leeds and Stalybridge will ultimately cover upgrades to civils, track, railway systems and electrification and could come in with a final price tag of £800m to £2bn.
The latest Network Rail alliance deal follows on from the wider rail enhancements on the East of Leeds part of the Transpennine Route between York and Leeds, awarded three years ago as an alliance with VolkerRail, Murphy and Siemens.
Network Rail and the alliances are working together on the development of potential infrastructure options for the Transpennine Route Upgrade and will submit these to the Government in December.
The major modernisation programme will take place along the route that runs from Manchester, Leeds and York as part of the Great North Rail Project from 2022.
Paul McKeown, Director of Route Sponsorship for Network Rail’s London North Eastern and East Midlands route, said: “We are focussed on developing the potential infrastructure enhancements that will lead to faster, more frequent and more reliable train services across the north and will submit these to the Department for Transport at the end of the year.”
Tim Ketteringham, Alliance Manager, West of Leeds, said: “The Transpennine Route Upgrade is a major programme of rail improvement that will have a real and lasting impact on people and communities in the North of England for generations to come.
Neil Lindley, Alliance Manager, East of Leeds said “Complex multi-disciplinary projects such as this require the knowledge and diverse skillset brought through alliancing, especially in the early stages of design development.
“We look forward to working alongside the West of Leeds Alliance, TOCs, FOCs and other major stakeholders to improve transport links and provide local communities with faster and more frequent rail services; transforming the north for years to come.”
Hundreds of construction workers on the Hinkley Point nuclear power station have agreed a new pay day that sets a new benchmark for major sites.
Under the new deal a large part of previous bonus payments will be wrapped up into the basic rate and will see consequent holiday pay, overtime rates and pension contributions increase.
This will see workers on craft pay levels, including milestones, rise to over £18 an hour for the civil engineering sector.
The dispute had been rumbling since the spring. One of the principal issues was that the pay rates for workers on civil engineering contracts were significantly below the rates of workers covered by the mechanical and engineering contract.
Negotiations have involved the client EDF and joint venture principal contractor Laing O’Rourke and Bouygues TP as well as the unions.
Construction unions Unite and GMB were preparing for strike action after workers overwhelmingly voted last month to reject a previous offer.
Under the new deal, workers will receive back pay from 1 January 2017 and 31 May 2017, when an interim bonus scheme was introduced.
This will see some workers receiving one-off payments running into four figure sums.
Unite regional secretary, Peter Hughes said: “This is a landmark agreement which will now set the benchmark for pay rates on flagship construction projects throughout the UK.
“The determination of EDF to broker a deal was critical in ensuring the pay negotiations were satisfactorily resolved.”
Unite’s lead convenor at Hinkley Point Malcolm Davies said: “The negotiations have been protracted but the unity of the workers on the project has ensured that we have finally arrived at a pay deal which properly financially rewards the workforce.
“Unite will continue to ensure that workers at Hinkley are treated fairly and decently and hopefully we are now entering a period of industrial harmony.”
GMB national officer Phil Whitehurst said: “The employers side in the negotiation should have declared their hand way before January 2017, but chose to take it to the wire.
“This could have resulted in a trade dispute which would have had devastating consequences to this prestigious project. Let’s now hope that an open and transparent relationship will precipitate from this on the civil construction phase of HPC.”
Mott MacDonald has appointed John Pelton as its global practice lead for project, programme and commercial management.
Pelton joins from CH2M where he was director of the consultant’s programme delivery partner joint venture which supports Highways England’s major projects transformation programme.
At Mott he will develop the consultancy’s capability as its expands to become a global player in infrastructure project and programme management.
He will also champion best practice around innovation, digitisation and manufacturing into the project and programme management model.
During seven years with CH2M he was also strategic projects director for Crossrail and managing director of CH2M’s Programme Partner Transcend JV.
Pelton also led Crossrail’s innovation programme and its migration into i3P, now established as a key platform for innovation.
He previously led the HS2 efficiency challenge programme team which identified over £1bn of potential savings from phase one through collaborative working, building information modelling, off-site manufacture, innovation and optimised design standards.
Keith Howells, chairman of Mott MacDonald, said: “John’s knowledge and experience will enable us to deliver more of the world’s largest infrastructure projects and programmes.
“This appointment is the first of many we will be making to support and develop our capability and service offering in this area.”
Contractors challenged with reducing air pollution from construction vehicles are turning to mobile solar-powered temporary lighting to cut emissions.
The lights are being recognised as a viable off-grid alternative by contractors looking to reduce their use of conventional diesel systems.
Manufacturer Prolectric said main contractors including Skanska, Costain and Carillion Rail have sent demand soaring for its mobile solar powered tower lights.
A total of 68 temporary solar-powered lights were either hired or purchased as an alternative to conventional diesel-generator lighting during September.
The rising order book follows successful trials of the clean, silent, solar trailer with contractors on projects including Hinkley Point, HS2, M1 Smart Motorway and A14 during the past six months.
Chris Williams Managing Director of Prolectric said: “Contractors are seeing mobile solar lighting as a ‘quick win’, off-grid alternative to conventional internal combustion or even hybrid technology. Solar-powered mobile lighting is a reliable year-round replacement for the thousands of diesel-generator tower lights that are ubiquitous on projects up and down the country.
“The success comes partly from the fact that we were able to develop a trailer light with a solar array three times the power of that of any other solar light previously available.
“We also built in ‘smart’ technology so the unit’s on and off times could be controlled automatically and data on power usage and carbon savings is monitored remotely.
“Prolectric has developed an estimation tool to help contractors understand the cost and carbon comparison with conventional diesel lighting fuel consumption.
“We calculate that every ProLight represents an annual saving of around 6 tonnes of carbon when compared to the popular VB9 diesel generator.
“That means for a major infrastructure project using, say 100 units, simply switching from diesel to solar lights could deliver an annual project saving of 600 tonnes of carbon straight away.
“Especially when multiple lights are used on major projects, this smart, clean technology reduces carbon, NOx and PM emissions and is a very visible sign of a contractor’s commitment to health and safety and Corporate Social Responsibility.”
Precast concrete manufacturer Charcon Construction Solutions has supplied barriers for a £274m smart motorway project being undertaken by Highways England on the M6 Motorway.
The Highways England scheme between junction 16 at Crewe and junction 19 at Knutsford has seen a new 20-mile-long concrete safety barrier installed in the central reservation.
Charcon worked in partnership with installer Delta Bloc UK on the scheme.
Using the specially designed moulds from Delta Bloc, Charcon Construction Solutions manufactured around 5,000 barriers – each weighing four tonnes – to the exacting specifications.
The products were manufactured off-site in factory controlled conditions, which meant Charcon Construction Solutions was able to guarantee the quality of the product first time.
Delta Bloc was able to lay up to 600 metres of barrier per day – five to six times faster than using more traditional slipform concrete construction method.
Richard Baldry, General Manager for Charcon Construction Solutions, said: “We have been working with Delta Bloc over the last five years, and truly believe in the product we have created.
“The benefits of using Charcon Construction Solutions to create these precast barriers are that we manufacture them in the UK, in factory controlled conditions, meaning we are able to ensure the quality of the blocks, including the finish and fit.
“By completing the quality checks in a factory environment, it also means that Delta Bloc can optimise ‘on site’ efficiency, which is of benefit to the customer.”
Tony Walker, MD of Delta Bloc UK, added: “Securing the order for the central reserve barrier was a key milestone for us because it demonstrates very clearly that the marketplace now sees precast concrete as a very credible alternative to more commonly used slipformed barrier systems.
“Precast concrete vehicle restraint systems can provide measurable benefits to all stakeholders and we hope that the project will provide further evidence to Highways England and their delivery partners that precast solutions can be advantageous when delivering projects of this scale.”
Arun Sahni, Project Manager at Highways England, said: “The smart motorway upgrade on the M6 is one of the biggest construction projects currently taking place in the North. I’m pleased we’ve now reached a major milestone with the completion of the new 20-mile-long concrete barrier in the central reservation, improving safety for drivers.”
London stately home Doughty House is being restored and is now up for sale to private buyers for £100m to tailor the work to their tastes.
The mega-home will rival Buckingham Palace in terms of size and luxury.
Construction costs alone on the project are £30m as developer K10 Group undertakes a complete renovation with main works getting underway in January.
The restoration project will be complete in late 2019 on the manor house situated on the crest of Richmond Hill.
K10 said 120 contractors will be involved in the 18-month refurbishment programme with specialist teams of craftspeople from England, Scotland, Italy, France and California.
The project will contain:
Kam Babaee, Chief Executive of K10 Group said: “We are working closely with a team of world class consultants and heritage experts on our designs to rescue, restore and return Doughty House to its original stately home origins.
“The construction work and completion of Doughty House is still another two years away.
“The buyer is acquiring an important piece of British history and a world-class newly refurbished stately home.
“If a discerning buyer purchases Doughty House now, they will have the advantage of working with us over the next two years to totally customise and refine the current plans and design scheme to their personal tastes and lifestyle.
“It’s a unique opportunity to acquire what is arguably the most important private palace ever created in London.”
K10 Group has spent the last four years working with architectural practice HTP and international luxury design house Argent planning the restoration project.
The developer behind Birmingham’s Exchange Square is in talks to scale-up phase two of the project with a 46-storey residential skyscraper.
Presently, Sir Robert McAlpine is working on the first phase of developer Nikal’s Exchange Square in Birmingham City Centre, which consists of three buildings, including a 27 storey tower.
The Manchester-based developer presently has planning for 223 apartments in the second phase, including a 14-storey building, but now wants to raise this to 565 homes across a part 7-storey, part 46-storey tower.
Nikal is currently working on the new proposal for the landmark building which, if presented for planning and approved, would be Birmingham’s’ tallest residential building.
The firm will be finalising it’s proposals, which will include a rooftop sky lounge and garden for residents, for planning over the next few months.
Managing director Nick Payne, said: “Our thinking around the revised proposals for Phase 2 Exchange Square are inspired by a desire to produce a truly landmark building that will announce to those travelling by HS2 that they have arrived in ‘Britain’s Second City’.
“With our site lying adjacent to Birmingham Curzon HS2, it’s the perfect opportunity to respond with a dramatic and architecturally stunning structure that will eclipse the tall buildings that are already being produced in other major cities, such as Manchester.
“We also want to produce a scheme that will complement the three residential towers under construction as part of the new urban village at Phase 1 Exchange Square, the tallest of which is 27-storeys.
The Birmingham skyline is undergoing an exciting transformation and we feel its ready to accommodate statement structures that flagpost this progress,” he added.
Bowmer & Kirkland has got the planning green light for its £14m project to build a teaching and learning facility for Heriot-Watt University.
Construction work on the Sheppard Robson designed building is now expected to get underway before the end of the year.
Located at the Riccarton Campus on the outskirts of West Edinburgh, the 57,000 sq ft teaching and learning facility consists of two teaching blocks that are arranged either side of an atrium.
The southern block facing the site’s loch curves to enlarge the central atrium and the northern block is regular shape.
Glasgow-based KJ Tait is building services engineer with Atkins acting as structural engineer on the project.
James Dick, partner at Sheppard Robson, said: “The design has been carefully composed to encourage collaboration between students and staff, embrace new ways of learning that will have a direct impact on students’ ability to put theories into practice.
“The back drop to the exchange of ideas will be the campus’ green spaces, with the building making the most of this setting.”
John F Hunt Demolition is changing its name as the specialist firm evolves into a main enabling works contractor.
From next month the £100m-a-year turnover company will just be known as John F Hunt Ltd.
Hunt has seen the work it undertakes expand rapidly beyond just demolition to cover all permanent basement tasks including concrete boxes, steel work, substations and drainage.
The firm is also now offering complete infrastructure packages, building estate roads, car parks, installing deep drainage and managing services.
A company spokesperson said: “We have come a long way and the name must keep up with the business – especially when clients ask ‘why the ‘Demolition’ when you do so much more?‘”.
The main contracting divisions of John F Hunt Ltd will be Demolition, Industrial Dismantling, Concrete Cutting and Environmental.
The other companies within the group will continue to trade as the separate entities they are today with the the re-branding concerning only the demolition contracting business.
Bath University is planning to build a new school of management complex on its main Claverton Down campus.
The new 150,000 sq ft school of management building will be located on greenbelt near the main entrance to the University and Convocation Avenue.
Procurement chiefs are planing to formally invite tenders for the £35m project in the early new year with the aim opening the facility in 2019.
The new four storey management school will be able to accommodate up to 3,000 management school students and around 220 academic staff.
It will feature classrooms, common rooms, learning spaces, a café and possibly a lecture theatre and trading room. It will also include a porters lodge, office, store room and mess area.
Further information is available by email from the procurement office.
Edinburgh City Council has started the hunt for two contractors to deliver its tram extension project from York Place to Newhaven.
The council is taking a cautious approach to tendering after major cost overruns on the earlier city centre phases.
The project is being divided into two separate lots. The first Swept Path package worth around £25m will cover utility diversions to clear the route for main track and civils works.
This £90m main works components will include 4.6km of embedded, slab and ballast track, eight new tram stops, two substations, bridge works and demolition of the York Place tram stop.
Procurement chiefs at the council will want bids to include the council’s nominated subcontractor for tram communication and control systems.
They are also likely to use project bank accounts on the project, but have yet to confirm the decision. Tenders will be released to four shortlisted bidders in February 2018.
Under present two-stage bidding plans councillors will not make a final decision on taking the tram to Newhaven until autumn 2018.
This 12-month tendering period will allow the council to assess project affordability and consider any lessons learned from the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry currently under way into major cost overruns on the earlier phases.
Construction work is expected to take three years, including 18 months on Leith Walk, followed by four months of testing and commissioning on the new line.
For prequalification information contract the public contracts Scotland website.
Looking with atomic precision may be crucial to a materials researcher, no matter whether she/he wants to study organic solar cells, cement, or optical circuits. Hence, microscopes using electrons instead of light are the tool of choice, for robust materials at least. Sensitive materials, however, are damaged by illumination with energy-rich electrons. An electron microscope has now started operation, which reaches a high resolution with “soft” electrons.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171026090704.htm
Berkeley Group’s founder Tony Pidgley has cashed in another major tranche of shares, just seven weeks after another major sell off.
In the latest share sale, chairman Pidgley sold 750,000 shares for £28.9m, adding to the 750,000 sold for £27m in early September.
The luxury south east house builder’s chief executive Rob Perrins also sold 500,000 shares atthe same time as Pidgley making £19.25m.
In September, Perrins’ wife Vanessa sold 500,000 shares, worth nearly £18m.
The record windfall came from a long-term incentive deal set up in 2011 when shares were worth around £10. They have since soared almost 300% on the back of the housing market recovery
Between them, the pair still has over £200m of shares in Berkeley Group.
Famously Pidgley called the top of the housing market in 1988, deciding to cut Berkeley Group’s land holdings while its main rivals continued to grab land at inflated prices.
Scientists have come up with a set of rules for making new disordered materials, a process that had previously been driven by trial-and-error. They also found a way to incorporate fluorine, which makes the material both more stable and have higher capacity.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171028104043.htm
In our modern world, eliminating plastics is inconceivable. Unfortunately, they do have disadvantages, including the formation of CO(2) in both production and combustion, depletion of fossil feedstocks, and growth of landfills. Researchers have now introduced a new way forward, a polymer made entirely from biomass that can easily and inexpensively be used in 3-D printing. Objects produced in this way are of high quality, easily recyclable, and highly solvent-resistant.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171027122748.htm
When pushing the boundaries of discovery, sometimes even the most experienced of scientists can get a surprise jolt from a completely unpredictable result. About four years ago, Stuart Lindsay’s research team got a lab result that even he couldn’t quite believe. As with most scientific surprises, it goes against all conventional wisdom: the first evidence of a protein that could conduct electricity like a metal.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171027085548.htm
Researchers have developed a Bayesian probability-based computer program to help work out the structure of perovskite oxides at their interfaces.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171026085921.htm
Glasgow-based glazing and flooring specialist Westcrowns Contracting Services has been placed in the hands of administrators.
The firm forms part of the £30m turnover Westcrowns Group, which continues to trade.
More than 50 jobs cuts are threatened following the appointment of Glasgow administrators AlixPartners Associates.
Westcrowns Contracting Services supplied and installed specialist architectural glass and flooring in the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
The firm was run by managing director Bill McBride, who is also chair of the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre.
Westcrowns supplies its own patented Lumaglass illuminated glazing system, voted most innovative product in 2011, and is exported to Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Wates chief executive Andrew Davies is stepping down after being headhunted to join crisis-hit Carillion as new chief executive in April.
Davies will replace Keith Cochrane who will continue to lead Carillion as interim chief executive officer until then.
He faces the most challenging job in construction with Carillion debt expected to top £1bn in coming months.
Banks are cautiously funding the struggling contractor on the promise of achieving a £300m disposals programme in coming months and cutting costs to the bone.
Davies joined Wates just over three-years ago to turn the private building firm’s fortunes around and double its size from a £1bn to £2bn revenue business. This remains work in progress with Wates hitting £1.5bn turnover last year.
Prior to that he held a series of senior roles with BAE Systems over a 28 year period.
Carillion chairman Philip Green said Davies brought strategic, turn around and leadership skills to Carillion as well as experience of complex public sector contracting in projects, support services and construction.
Green said: “Andrew has the ideal combination of commerciality, operational expertise and relevant sector experience to build on the conclusions of the strategic review and to lead the on-going transformation of the business.
“His experience and his people focussed personal style are an ideal combination for our business. We are pleased that he has agreed to join us and we are grateful to Keith Cochrane for his interim leadership of Carillion.”
At Wates, chief financial office David Allen will become acting chief executive when Davies steps down on 10 November pending the appointment of a permanent successor.
Chairman James Wates CBE, said: “When Andrew leaves, he will do so with the company in a strong position and well on its way to achieving its strategic goal of becoming a sustainably profitable £2bn turnover company.
“It’s been a pleasure to work with Andrew over these past four years, and I have thanked him for his outstanding leadership in growing the business, building a strong management team, and ingraining our core values throughout the organisation.”
Rail safety experts have launched an investigation after a team of track workers narrowly avoided being hit by a 125mph passenger train.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has revealed initial details of the incident on October 5 involving the the 10:03 Virgin Trains service from London Kings Cross to Leeds.
The near miss took place close to Egmanton level crossing between Newark North Gate and Retford on the East Coast Main Line.
The train was approaching the crossing on the down main line at near to the maximum permitted line speed of 125 mph when the driver saw a group of track workers in the distance.
The driver sounded the train’s warning horn, but could see no response from the group. The driver sounded the horn again a few seconds later.
He could still see no response, so he initiated an emergency brake application, while continuing to sound the horn.
As the train approached, the group of track workers became aware of the warning horn and started to move into the cess.
The last member of the group got clear of the track very shortly before the train passed them.
It subsequently came to a stand around 0.9 miles after the emergency brake application was made.
There were no injuries but the driver, who believed that the train had struck members of the group, was distressed by the incident.
The RAIB investigation will determine the sequence of events. It will also include consideration of:
Kier is understood to be in line for the job to build Bournemouth University’s landmark Fusion Building at its Talbot Campus.
The 60,000 sq ft four-storey on Wallisdown Road will provide specialist facilities for two of the university’s internationally renowned facilities – the Faculty of Media and Communication and the Faculty of Science and Technology.
It has been designed by Atkins to form a new visual gateway to the campus and its parkland setting.
In the early project stages Willmott Dixon provided some pre-construction services but is now understood to be out of the running.
The Fusion Building is scheduled to open in September 2019
Major infrastructure improvements, including a fourth road, a bus hub on the western edge of the site, and an extension to the car park will also be carried out.
Infrastructure works are due to complete by Easter 2018 with the new building opening in September 2019.
It forms part of a wider £100m programme to expand facilities at the university. At its Lansdowne campus there are also plans for a £40m Bournemouth Gateway Building for the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences.
As part of the Lansdowne project, Three Sixty Developments is also proposing to develop student accommodation with up to 550 beds on a separate site in Lansdowne Road at a cost of £37m.
Another week – another winner.
But West Ham certainly put Betting Spy followers through the wringer before landing out latest payout on Wednesday night against Spurs.
If that Caraboa Cup tie had been a boxing match the ref would have stepped-in and stopped it after Tottenham’s second went in.
But a half time rollocking reminded the East Londoners they are supposed to be professional footballers while Spurs fatally took their foot off the gas.
None more so than Dele Alli who was sauntering around like it was a practice match.
He was winding me up watching on the sofa so I can only imagine the galvanising effect it had on the Hammers.
None more so than Andre Ayew. The striker had been putting in his usual farcical performance until the break.
But for the last 45 minutes he finally looked like a player who might wear a £20.5m price tag without the need to alert trading standards.
Wednesday’s win is starting to make our running total look very healthy – but you are only as good as your next bet in this tipping game.
And this weekend I fancy Spurs to put in a big performance against Man United.
Jose Mourinho’s men have been looking a bit average lately as injuries hit them across the park.
The Red Devils look a bit light in the middle and Mkhitaryan is off the boil to the point where he racks up more points in Scrabble than on the park.
Tottenham will be looking to put the West Ham shock behind them and I fancy them to come away from Old Trafford with all three points at a tempting 5/2.
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Running total of all bets to a £10 stake for 2017/18 season: £+107.00
The global explosion of new roads is rife with economic, social, and environmental dangers, according to a new study.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171026142335.htm
A wide range of polymer-based materials, from tire rubber and wetsuit neoprene to Lycra clothing and silicone, are elastomers valued for their ability to flex and stretch without breaking and return to their original form.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171026142337.htm
The Meyer Homes development business set up by a former Redrow London MD has submitted plans for two London schemes totalling nearly 1,200 apartments.
The former Tesco sites in Hillingdon and Woolwich will be built out as high-rise, mixed-use developments and include 40,000 sq ft of commercial space.
Meyer Homes was set up three years ago to take forward 14 prime sites acquired from Tesco’s development arm Spenhill after its parent consortium snapped up the portfolio of land.
It is backed by specialist property investor Meyer Bergman, AIMCo, one of Canada’s largest institutional investment managers and Chinese property developer Vanke.
The planned 1,181 new homes forms part of their current portfolio, which is targeting delivery of 4,000 homes in London and South East.
The Hillingdon Gateway scheme will transform a five acre site next to Hillingdon tube station with 377 homes, a new shop, a café and affordable workspace.
The resubmitted plans also include a significant area of public space and landscaping improvements (including an urban square and linear park) along with a network of new outdoor green spaces.
In south London, the Woolwich Central will deliver 804 homes, retail, office, community and affordable workspace in two phases around an existing Tesco superstore and homes scheme built by Willmott Dixon a few years ago.
30-storey resi tower planned for the north eastern part of the Tesco Woolwich central site
Development outline of both phases of the Woolwich Central scheme on either side of existing Tesco superstore and homes development
Contractors Bennett Construction and Higgins delivered the developer’s other two smaller schemes in Fulham’s Bishop’s Park and Gabriel Square in St Albans.
Meyer managing director James Moody, said: “Over the coming years our development vision is to stylish places to live in the capital city and beyond. ”
Swansea University has received grant funding to build an office that generates more energy than is uses.
In a world first, the energy positive office will be manufactured using cutting-edge off-site manufacturing techniques and innovative energy harvesting, storage and release technologies.
Work on the ground-breaking building project, known as the Active Office, can now get underway with the target of completion next year.
Once finished the office will be occupied by up to 40 staff.
The Active Office will be linked to its Active Classroom building – an existing space which provides teaching space and a laboratory for Swansea University students, as well as a building-scale development facility for SPECIFIC and its industry partners.
Swansea University is working works with more than 50 partners from academia, industry and government to deliver its vision for buildings as power stations through its SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre.
Professor Richard Davies, Vice Chancellor of Swansea University, said: “It is exciting to see SPECIFIC’s innovative ‘buildings as power stations’ concept becoming a practical reality.
“The Active Office at our magnificent Bay Campus follows closely on the heels of the ground-breaking Active Classroom.
“As well as demonstrating what is now possible off the grid, the new building will share energy with the Active Classroom, showing how buildings can work together to create energy resilient communities.”
Builders registered nearly 38,000 new homes in the UK during the third quarter of this year.
The figure represents a 6% jump on the same period last year and is the highest Q3 figure since the recession.
The latest NHBC home registration statistics reveal private sector saw a 9% increase for the quarter to 29,083 with 8,853 new homes registered in the affordable sector – a 5% decrease on last year.
Seven out of the 12 UK regions experienced growth in registrations compared to the same period last year.
Scotland (3,056 +50%), East Midlands (3,575 +42%) and the North East (2,078 +34%) were among the regions with the biggest rises.
The NHBC is the leading warranty insurance provider for new homes in the UK making its figures a lead indicator of construction activity.
NHBC Chief Executive Steve Wood said: “We have seen encouraging growth in terms of the number of new homes being registered over the last three months, across many parts of the country.
“With demand for high quality new homes as strong as ever, this is positive news for the industry and prospective homebuyers, particularly in light of the current political and economic uncertainties.”
Barratt London has pulled out of its development partnership with Enfield Council to deliver the vast 10,000-home Meridian Water regeneration scheme in North London.
The council will now retender the huge redevelopment scheme and has reassured enabling works contractors that it will press on with plans to deliver a new railway station and remediate land.
Barratt London was named as the preferred development partner 18 months ago and was due to sign off the development agreement in the Spring, ahead of making a start on the first homes early next year.
But Enfield Council confirmed that discussions with Barratt have been terminated because Barratt’s proposed terms amounted to a “poor deal” for residents.
20-year regeneration project to create 10,000 homes
An council spokesperson said:“Enfield Council can confirm that, if Barratt would not confirm its commitment to a number of key elements of its own bid by today at the very latest, then a recommendation was to be presented to a Cabinet meeting on Monday 30 October that its position as preferred development partner for Meridian Water be terminated.
“Ahead of this, Barratt has taken the decision to formally withdraw.
The spokesperson added: “Meridian Water remains one of the most exciting development opportunities anywhere in London but we were simply not prepared to sign up to what we considered to be a poor deal for the residents and businesses of Enfield.
“Enfield Council therefore informed Barratt that their proposed terms were unacceptable which has now led to discussions with them ending.
“We are immensely proud of the progress we have made at Meridian Water over the last 18 months as Enfield Council has taken direct control to ensure successful delivery.
“We already own two thirds of the developable site. We have Housing Zone funding secured from the GLA. We have achieved a planning consent for the first 725 homes at Willoughby Lane and are managing the construction enabling works on-site.
Phase 1 of Meridian Water consists of 725 homes, new station building, platforms and associated interchange
“We have developed our ‘Meridian Works’ proposition with Europe’s largest open workshop for makers, creators and artists opening in 2018. And we have secured the delivery of a new rail station at Meridian Water which will open in 2019.
“With these fundamentals already in place we will now consider our next steps to secure at Meridian Water the delivery of high quality new homes, world-class public spaces and major new job opportunities for the people of Enfield and beyond.”
The Council added that it would continue to work with partners from across the private sector and the decision would not impact the timetable for delivery of the new rail station nor the first new employment sites at Meridian Water.
Housing association procurement group Re:allies is on the hunt for contractors to retrofit sprinklers and deliver fire safety improvement to public buildings across the country.
The new framework agreement now out to tender will also cover fire risk assessments as well as fire prevention work and fire mitigation work.
It will be used by Procure Plus, Efficiency North and Central Housing Investment Consortium on buildings mainly in the north of England and Midlands.
Contracting authorities in other areas of the UK may also use the framework agreement whose scope is mainly for social housing but could be rolled out for use on schools and public offices.
Re:allies estimates that the framework could be worth around £160m over four years as the focus turns to checking and retrofitting properties after the Grenfell tower disaster.
England and Wales has been broken down into four regional lots covering the North, Midlands, South and Wales.
The key lots for contractors cover the fitting of sprinkler systems across the regions, expected to account for £100m spend over the framework.
Separate works lots cover installation of fire doors, smoke seals, intumescent strips and fire signage. This Lot will be on the basis of fit and supply and fit.
Re:allies is also on the hunt for 10 consultants for each regional lot to carry out internal and external fire safety assessments.
Procurement documents for the Framework Agreement for Fire Risk and Mitigation can be found on the website.
A demolition company and its director have been sentenced after a worker lost his arm when it was trapped between two 10 tonne steel girders.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how an employee of S. Evans and Sons Limited was injured when the managing director, who was operating machinery to stack the girders, dropped one of the girders onto the employee’s arms, resulting in amputation to the employee’s left arm and right hand.
An HSE investigation into the incident, which occurred on the 19 October 2015, found the company failed to apply appropriate control measures including ensuring the right equipment for the task was used.
Managing director Samuel Evans was directly involved in the incident and found personally responsible for both the choice of equipment and the manner in which the task was performed.
S. Evans and Sons Limited of Ditton Road, Widnes pleaded to safety breaches and was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay costs of £9,523.04.
Company director Samuel Evans also pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was sentenced to ten months imprisonment, suspended for two years and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
HSE inspector Rohan Lye said after the hearing: “If the company and its director had taken basic steps to decide how to do this routine task, and what control measures to use, they could have prevented this devastating incident resulting in an employee suffering life-changing injuries.”
