Scientists have presented the latest achievements and future potentials of 2D magnetic van der Waals (vdW) materials, which were unknown until six years ago and have recently attracted worldwide attention.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181031141534.htm
Sometimes nothing feels better on stiff, aching joints than a little heat. But many heating pads and wraps are rigid and provide uneven warmth, especially when the person is moving around. Researchers have now made a wearable heater by modifying woven Kevlar® fabric with nanowires that conduct and retain heat.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181031124912.htm
The Office of Rail and Road has approved Network Rail’s plan to spend £35bn making Britain’s railway more reliable and focused on passengers’ needs over five years from April 2019.
The spending split will be £31bn for England and Wales and £4bn in Scotland.
The regulator has now approved £24.3bn to be spent in Great Britain on maintaining (£7.7bn) and renewing (£16.6bn) the existing railway, with renewal work seeing a 17% increase from the £14.2bn in CP5.
Renewal spend has been lifted after the ORR challenged Network Rail to make more progress towards long-term asset sustainability.
For both passengers and freight operators this will help cut delays caused by infrastructure failures, such as track defects.
The ORR has also confirmed Network Rail’s plans for a significant funding and resource boost for its timetabling and planning functions, with forecast spend almost doubling from around £145m in CP5 to over £270m in CP6.
This part of Network Rail can now employ around 100 new staff from the current total of around 700.
The five-year plans will see Network Rail become much more locally focused, with each of its eight geographic routes having its own budget, delivery plans and scorecards.
In addition, ORR has strengthened local routes’ ability to buy goods and services they need locally rather than centrally, where it offers better value for money.
This is part of a shift in approach to give more responsibility to Network Rail’s routes, which are best placed to deliver for local passengers and freight users.
Developer Rockwell has secured planning for a 30-storey mixed hotel and residential building in London Docklands.
The £172m project will be built in Limehouse at 82 West India Dock Road in East London, with work expected to start next summer.
Designed by architects Simpson Haugh & Partners, the project will include a 400-room hotel, 66 homes and retail space set amongst substantial public realm improvements.
It will take the form of two buildings on a shared podium with the apartments distinguished with a floor to floor fully glazed facade and the hotel clad with brick-clad precast panels.
The slenderness of the tower enables a substantial amount of public realm to be given back at the ground floor.
Donal Mulryan, Founder of Rockwell, said: “Our vision for 82 West India Dock Road will breathe new life into a neglected site that has been derelict for many years.
“This inspiring new building includes a hotel that will bring new jobs and business to the local area, in addition to much needed new homes for the local community in an inspiring new building. We are dedicated to delivering this exciting, high-quality development and look forward to turning this site into a place that locals can be proud of.”
Student rooms and build to rent specialist Watkin Jones is expecting to deliver profits ahead of forecast for the year to September.
In a year-end trading statement, the expanding firm said it was sitting on a record pipeline of projects for the next three years as student room schemes continued to secure investors and build to rent schemes took off.
Its student project build pipeline contains six schemes scheduled for delivery next year comprising 2,723 beds.
For 2020, Watkin Jones expects to deliver further seven projects of 2,606 beds, of which four comprising 1,844 beds have been forward sold.
A further four development sites of around 2,189 beds have been secured for 2021.
In the developing build to rent sector, Watkin Jones has deals with M&G Real Estate to deliver 315 apartments in Reading and with Singaporean incorporated Lum Chang Holdings to deliver a scheme of 300 apartments in Wembley, both due to complete in 2021.
This brings Watkin Jones’ secured delivery pipeline to 1,500 flats across seven sites, targeted for delivery over the next three years.
Mark Watkin Jones, chief executive officer of Watkin Jones, said: “Trading in the period has been strong and we are pleased to report that revenues and underlying earnings for the financial year are expected to be slightly ahead of the board’s previous expectations.
“We are also encouraged by the progress that has been made in the Build to Rent sector, with the agreements for significant developments in Reading and Wembley demonstrating our position as a developer of choice for leading institutions.”
from Construction Enquirer http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2018/10/31/watkin-jones-student-and-build-to-rent-project-pipeline-swells/
Cheshire West and Chester Council has named Vinci Construction preferred bidder to deliver a £300m retail-led, mixed-use scheme in the Northgate area of Chester.
Vinci will initially work up designs under a pre-construction agreement starting in Autumn 2019 for the £60m first phase of the scheme. This will include a modern market, six-screen cinema, restaurants, a public square and car parking.
The Chester Northgate Scheme aims to deliver around 400,000 sq ft of new retail, restaurant and leisure facilities, planned to be delivered over two phases of construction.
An overview of the Northgate development proposal
Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Infrastructure, Councillor Brian Clarke, said: “Chester Northgate is the largest project the city has seen in decades. Our aim is to secure Chester’s position as a visitor destination for years to come. Northgate is at the heart of our ambitions for Chester and it’s essential that we maintain the current momentum.
Vinci will also provide key advice prior to the construction phase to make sure the build meets potential tenant requirements and provides the best value for money.
John Roberts, regional director of Vinci Construction UK said: “This is the next positive step towards the redevelopment of the Northgate area of Chester. Being named preferred bidder will enable us to strengthen our existing community links in the surrounding area.”
As part of the next stage of the development the Council will be fully engaging with local businesses and residents, working in partnership with the Chester Growth Partnership. There will be significant consultation in the months to come which will allow the community and stakeholders the opportunity to shape the future of this part of the city.
Market Square – looking towards the market and the cinema above
Conceptual design for the proposed department store
New hotel and steps leading up to Princess Street
Tewkesbury Borough Council has signed up Mace to look at the options for regenerating the town centre.
As regeneration advisor, Mace will review the current options for a key site called Spring Gardens, and investigate the wider Gloucestershire town opportunities.
Building on this, Mace will assist the council to develop a strategy on how best to deliver this exciting opportunity.
The Mace team working on the scheme have a track record of delivery for local authorities in the region; such as Taunton Deane Borough Council, Bristol City Council and Cornwall Council.
Included within their team is masterplanning architect, Lavigne Lonsdale, along with engineer, WSP.
Stuart Wilkinson, Director for Mace, said:“We’re obviously very proud to have been appointed by Tewkesbury Borough Council to assist with the delivery of such an important development opportunity for the town.
“This site provides the opportunity to deliver some transformative development in the centre of Tewkesbury, and we look forward to working closely with the Council to make the plans a reality.”
Five contractors have been selected to build large housing schemes in Wales for social landlords.
The new framework has been set up by procurement specialist LHC for the Welsh Procurement Alliance which is supporting the construction of new social housing across all types of land including brownfield, greenfield, landbank and landfill.
Galliford Try, JEHU Group, Lovell Partnerships, Midas and Wates have been selected as building partners for schemes of over 50 new homes.
In total a dozen firms and Monmouthshire Housing Association were selected to deliver housing projects of varying sizes across South, Mid and North Wales. The most successful firm across all regional lots was Port Talbot-based Jitscourt.
It won all lots cover both small schemes up to 15 units and medium-sized housing development of 15-49 homes across all regions.
A technique to generate large amounts of giant vesicle (liposome) dispersion has been developed. The technique involves adsorbing a lipid into a silicone porous material resembling a ‘marshmallow-like gel’ and then squeezing it out like a sponge by impregnating a buffer solution.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181030102823.htm
A construction security guard has been murdered on a housing site near Newarthill, Scotland.
Mohammad Abu Sammour, 49, was found injured at a housing development under construction early on Sunday morning.
He was taken to to Wishaw General Hospital but died a short time later.
Det Ch Insp David Pinkney said: “Mr Abu Sammour worked as a site security supervisor who travelled around a number of building sites in the central belt.
“Enquiries are being carried out to identify his last known movements and we would urge anyone with information to contact us.”
Sammour’s work van was seen being driven away from the scene and was later found burnt out.
Det Ch Insp David Pinkney said: “We now believe that the vehicle which was seen driving off is in fact Mr Abu Sammour’s works van which is a white Peugeot Partner van with blue writing on the side.
“At this time the motive of the murder is unknown. However, our extensive enquiries are ongoing and we retain an open mind.”
For the first time, an Australian team has combined two fundamental quantum techniques on an integrated silicon platform, confirming the promise of silicon – the basis of all modern computer chips – for quantum computing.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181030091430.htm
By structuring nanowires in a way that mimics geckos’ ears, researchers have found a way to record the incoming angle of light. This technology could have applications in robotic vision, photography and augmented reality.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181030150708.htm
The silk fibers produced by Bombyx mori, the domestic silkworm, has been prized for millennia as a strong yet lightweight and luxurious material. Although synthetic polymers like nylon and polyester are less costly, they do not compare to silk’s natural qualities and mechanical properties. And according to new research, silk combined with carbon nanotubes may lead to a new generation of biomedical devices and so-called transient, biodegradable electronics.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181030121927.htm
Researchers have engineered a new type of molecular probe that can measure and count RNA in cells and tissue without organic dyes. The probe is based on the conventional fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique, but it relies on compact quantum dots to illuminate molecules and diseased cells rather than fluorescent dyes.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181029165559.htm
Developer LCR has appointed ISG as lead contractor on its £200m retail, leisure and cultural development at Waterloo.
ISG’s contract is worth £40m+ to transform up to 135,000 sq ft of space at the former Waterloo International Eurostar Terminal into a new retail and leisure destination.
Work will begin onsite in April 2019, with completion expected in early 2021.
Forty new glass-fronted units will be created across three floors, including a new mezzanine level, and will sit below the existing platforms.
The scheme forms part of the wider redevelopment of Waterloo Station where Network Rail is increasing capacity by bringing five former Eurostar platforms back into use for suburban trains.
Duko Frankhuizen, development manager at LCR, said: “This development will create a major new mixed-use retail and social space on the South Bank that reflects the independent and creative spirit of Waterloo.
“Our vision is for a destination that is progressive and unique to this part of London, with a vibrant mix of independent and high street stores, complemented by an exciting food and drink offer.
“With ISG onboard the development will give the former Eurostar terminal, which has been out of use for almost a decade, a new lease of life as part of a vibrant new shopping, cultural and leisure destination for Waterloo and the South Bank.”
Steven McGee, managing director of ISG’s Construction South business, added: “Securing this transformational project at Waterloo marks a significant milestone for ISG, as we approach eleven years since we delivered a project in excess of £90 million to fit out St Pancras Station, which included the new London terminus for Eurostar, retail and hospitality space and back of house facilities.
“This exciting redevelopment of Waterloo Station, the original home of Eurostar, utilises our knowledge and expertise delivering complex, live environment schemes within international transport hubs.
The wider project team includes Arcadis as project managers, contract administrators and structural engineers; Corstorphine + Wright as architects and lead designers; QODA as services engineers; and RPS as cost managers.
Scientists have developed a machine-learning approach that can be combined with experiments to determine, in record time, the location of atoms in powdered solids. Their method can be applied to complex molecules containing thousands of atoms and could be of particular interest to the pharmaceutical industry.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181029104628.htm
A new, more powerful generation of a magnetostrictive sensor withstands extreme temperatures, automatically adjusts frequencies and incorporates a stronger magnet.
from Engineering and Construction News – ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181029130933.htm
Architectural cladding systems specialist Vivalda has produced a short video urging architects, specifiers and contractors to think more carefully about fire safety within the construction sector.
The company, which provides aluminum, fibre-cement, stone, terracotta and laminate cladding to some of the UK’s largest building projects, is keen to improve the industry’s understanding of such complex systems.
It has produced the video (The Power of Safety) that demonstrates the surprisingly high number of component parts that go to make up architectural cladding – all of which need to be carefully assessed for safety and fire retardation purposes.
Peter Johnson, chairman of Vivalda Group plc, said: “We were all understandably shocked by the dreadful impact of the Grenfell Tower tragedy last year and wanted to play our part, small as it is, in bringing greater transparency and knowledge to the topic of system specification.
“Often overlooked, it’s the fixings, screws and insulation layers that require careful consideration at the outset of a project.
“We are hoping to make this process simpler, easier and safer for those involved in cladding specification by stocking only A2, fire rated products for all cladding that is required for high rise buildings.”
ACO Building Drainage has extended its stainless-steel pipe range with the addition of two new pipe sizes – 45mm and 315mm.
The company now offers a complete range of high-grade stainless steel and galvanised products in sizes ranging from 45mm to 315mm diameter as well as a range of more than 2,000 accessories.
Manufactured from 304 and 316 grade stainless steel, ACO Pipe products are suitable for a wide range of commercial applications including offices, transport infrastructure projects and education facilities, and are compatible with all ACO channel and gully products.
Other core benefits include:
• Superior performance and durability – ACO Pipe products are fully EN1124 compliant and have an estimated product life of 50 years
• Easy installation – benefiting from a push-fit design, ACO pipe products are easy and quick to install
• Lower weight than pipes made from traditional materials for easy installation and minimum use of handling equipment
• Good aesthetics – a modern design finish that compliments both contemporary and traditional environments
• Market-leading technical support – ACO’s in-house technical design team is on hand to provide specification guidance, design take-offs and ongoing technical support at every stage of a project.
• Short delivery times – ACO maintains high levels of UK stock, which means orders can usually be delivered immediately upon receipt of order.
The Government is planning to step up its crackdown on professional self employment by extending the duty to assess the tax status of freelance workers to private sector employers.
The rule change on the tax status of self-employed people working for privatefirms was the biggest new revenue raiser in the Budget.
It means that responsibility for applying the correct taxation for off-payroll workers has moved from individuals to the organisation, agency or other third party engaging the worker.
To help firms adapt to the new plan, HMRC has given firms until April 6, 2020 to put in place screening systems.
Small companies that turnover less than £10m or employ under 50 staff will be exempted from the change.
HS2 has started contractor consultations to build the West Midlands to Crewe section of the high speed railway.
The 58km route, known as section 2a forms the first part of the western leg of HS2 Phase Two and is expected to cost around £3.5bn to deliver.
Phase 2a interfaces with Phase One (West Midlands) and with the existing West Coast Mainline, south of Crewe and will run through largely farmland, but also includes housing areas and towns.
It will involve boring a 2.1km long tunnel, 8km of viaducts and constructing 61 bridges.
Also it will involve creating 19m m3 of embankments, 20m m3 of cuttings as well as a new maintenance depot
Special 400m platforms will be built at Crewe to allow longer HS2 trains to split and join, opening up opportunities to serve more destinations including Stoke-on-Trent.
Contractors wishing to express an interest can register with the HS2 market engagement website.
Social landlord Clarion Housing Group has unveiled plans to create a new community in Honingham, Norfolk containing up to 7,500 homes.
Clarion has agreed a land promotion agreement on a 368 hectare site eight miles west of Norwich, on which 3,900 homes could be built over the next two decades, with an additional 3,600 homes delivered over the following 15 years.
The scheme will have a mix of tenures including social rented, shared ownership, private sale, build-to-rent and potentially self-build homes.
As masterplanner and lead developer, Clarion would deliver 50% of the homes at Honingham and the on-site infrastructure.
The new settlement – which will follow garden community design principles – will also have a new country park, employment space and nature reserve.
Richard White, Director of Land and Planning for Clarion Housing Group said: “We are absolutely committed to playing our part in tackling this country’s acute housing crisis and our aim to deliver 50,000 new homes over a decade.
“At Clarion, we have moved away from the traditional model for housing associations of relying on Section 106 agreements with housebuilders.
“Our approach to development focusses on buying land ourselves or in partnerships and securing major strategic land opportunities, such as Honingham.”
Clarion is consulting local stakeholders on its plans for Honingham and aims to submit a planning application next year.
Construction is careering towards another painful credit crunch while politicians are asleep at the wheel.
Laing O’Rourke – the country’s largest private contractor – is struggling to raise funding.
So what hope is there for smaller companies across the country?
Firms are being starved of the finance they need to grow their businesses.
But no-one in Whitehall seems to have noticed.
The culture of caution developing is not just among lenders – but also insurers and accountants.
It is dragging the industry down at a time when the Government is trying to stoke up economic growth.
Carillion’s spectacular collapse burned many banks. But that is not a justification for choking off vital cash to well-run businesses that need loans to fund growth.
The depth of the problem is best illustrated by the plight of one firm that has been turned down by two high street banks for loans to fund modest working capital demands despite having assets of nearly £30m.
It is a precarious time for construction following the turbulence of the last year.
And the Brexit preoccupied Government has failed to recognise the liquidity crisis that is looming.
The problem is not on the scale of the financial crunch a decade ago, when bad debt contagion undermined the banks themselves constraining access to cash across the board.
This time around the banks are picking off the construction and property industry as being too risky for their loan books.
It is a dangerous policy that could tip the balance for many stretched firms threatening another wave of company collapses in a vital UK industry.
Banks cannot be allowed to switch lending away from the construction on a whim.
The Government needs to get banks back into line to support the sector before it is too late.
Lovell is looking to meet subcontractors to join its supply chain for work in Wales.
The contractor wants to talk to firms interested in helping it build, refurbish, regenerate and maintain homes and communities.
Lovell has a significant pipeline of work in South Wales and is “looking to develop relationships with supply chain contractors covering the M4 corridor from Newport to Carmarthen including Mid and West Wales.”
Lovell is hosting a “Meet the Buyer” event on Friday November 16 from 9am – 2pm at the Miskin Manor
Hotel, Pendoylan Road, Groesfaen, Pontyclun CF72 8ND.
The Lovell team will be available to talk about opportunities on a range of high quality housing developments across the region.
To register your interest on Eventbrite please click here or email benn.gleaves@lovell.co.uk
Sir Oliver Letwin has recommended that forcing house builders to build a greater diversity of housing types on large sites would ramp up outputs.
The independent report was commissioned by the Chancellor to explain the gap between housing completions and the amount of land allocated or permissioned.
The review found no evidence that speculative land banking was part of the business model for major house builders, slowing build out rates.
His review concluded that greater differentiation in the types and tenures of housing delivered on large sites would increase the market absorption rates of new homes – the binding constraint on build out rates on large sites.
. The government will respond to the review in full in February 2019.
Chancellor Phillip Hammond has called time on the private finance initiative vowing to never sign another deal.
The Chancellor kept the door open to public-private partnerships where it delivered the desired value for the taxpayer.
He said that Government would continue to honour existing PFI deals but killed off PFI for good.
The decision raises a question mark about how the A303 Stonehenge road tunnel project will be financed.
Announcing reforms he said: “We will establish a centre of excellence to manage existing PFI contracts starting in health sector.
“I never will sign off a PFI contract. The government will abolish the use of PFI and PF2.”
Joint developers Wates Developments and Redrow Homes have gained revised planning for a 1,500-home scheme at Wretchwick Green in Bicester.
The scheme approved by Cherwell District Council’s Planning Committee forms a key element of the ‘garden town’ plan for the area.
Housing provided will be high quality and provide a range of dwelling types, sizes and tenures to meet the range of local needs including affordable homes.
A spokesperson for the development JV said: “It is more than two years since the original scheme was submitted in June 2016 and it is great testament to the extensive engagement with the local community, statutory consultees and other stakeholders, that we have seen such positive support for this revised masterplan.
“Our aim now is to continue to work positively with all stakeholders allowing development to be brought forward swiftly and homes to be built to meet the urgent local need.”
A new primary school is planned adjacent to shops and community facilities.
