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What makes a great building great? Is it the design? Is it the purpose it serves? Is it innovative use of materials, technology and its environmental impact? It is all of these things, but the biggest factor is the client - behind every great building there is a great client - a client that has vision, aspiration and isn’t afraid to be brave and try something new every so often. But this is only part of the challenge. To truly deliver an exceptional building, clients need supply chains that share their aspirations and goals - but that is easier said than done. If there is going to be something that derails or detracts from a project - with the exception of cost - it is understanding. As construction projects become increasingly complex, supply chains and delivery teams get bigger-and-bigger. With this comes the challenge of ensuring buy-in from all parties and making sure they are fully on board with the client’s goals, aspirations and objectives. If a client can convey to all parts of their supply chain the passion that is driving them and the end result they are looking to achieve, then they are on course to achieve an outstanding building. If they can go one step further and get a supply chain that totally buys into what they want to achieve and is willing to go that step further and help to enhance the design or build, then the truly exceptional is possible. However, in reality this rarely happens. All too often there will be an opportunity for a contractor to deviate from the original plan. Sometimes this is down to value engineering, with the good of the client and their budget in mind; sometimes it is down to a lack of understanding of the reason why something has been specified; and sometimes it is as a way of doing it cheaper, quicker and easier. However, in many instances, alternative products and “cheaper and quicker” means compromising the project objectives, and it is done because outcomes and objectives are not understood or bought into. When delivering truly aspirational buildings, it is essential that all parties are on board with the client’s goals. These need to be shared goals, not just client goals. For it to really work, all members of the supply chain need to understand where the client is coming from; believe in the goals and want the project to succeed. As such, it is essential at tender stage that contractors are judged on their enthusiasm for the project; their willingness to get behind the client and deliver their vision, and for what added value they can contribute. This means clients have to be strong and make sure that cost isn’t the overriding factor. This is very much the case with BREEAM, the internationally-recognised measure of sustainability for buildings and communities. Clients choose BREEAM for many reasons - to provide recognition of a building that places people, the environment and economics at the forefront; to drive energy efficiency, innovation or best practice; to add value through creating properties that are more attractive to tenants; to create environments that are more conducive for working, living and learning. The problem comes when the supply chain doesn’t understand the reasons for choosing the accreditation. Simply disregarding it as a “box-ticking” exercise or believing it just adds a layer of complexity, is a sure-fire way of making the process unnecessarily difficult. It could even add time delays, costs and result in a building that doesn’t meet expectations. By finding a supply chain that fully understands BREEAM and knows how it can improve both the design and build processes, and why a client has chosen it, is key. The same principle goes for other components of a project - a team that understands your decisions and supports them will ensure that corners are not cut and decisions made that can compromise a project. Yes, at a time when everyone is under increasing pressure to deliver faster and cheaper, it can be difficult to find partners that truly understand your goals. However, never underestimate the value of an empowered, enthusiastic and supportive supply chain. By Darren Evans, Managing Director, Darren Evans Assessments  

And now for some good news…Construction Industry Forecasts for 2017 to 2019 estimate an overall rise of 7.4% for new-build infrastructure in the UK this year, with a continuation of 6.4% next year. It’s news that bodes equally well for leading suppliers of concrete repair and protection solutions such as Sika, as an increase in new buildings will inevitably lead to defects in newly-poured concrete requiring onsite attention. So, what is this positive outlook for the country’s new building output based upon? Well, a number of factors across a number of key infrastructural sectors appear to be driving the optimism. Forecasts for the harbours and waterways sector are particularly encouraging, with year-on-year growth predicted thanks to huge waterside projects planned across the country in the coming years. There’s the Aberdeen Harbour Expansion project for example. Commencing in September this year, the £350 million scheme – due to be completed in 2020 – will see the existing site expanded to include a facility for oil industry decommissioning work. Other upcoming UK harbour projects include a £135 million redevelopment of the port of Dover, and a £10 million project to build a new link-span bridge at the Port of Heysham in Lancashire. Water spend Upgrades in water treatment works are also continuing nationwide as part of Asset Management Period 6 which runs from 2015 to 2020. Water firms will have spent more than £44 billion in that time on improvement works agreed by water industry regulator, Ofwat, thatinclude the Severn Trent Water’s Birmingham Resilience project, Wessex Water’s integrated supply grid, and the modernisation of United Utilities’ Davyhulme wastewater treatment plant. Work on London’s £4.2 billion Thames Tideway Tunnel project, which is being financed and delivered by an independent provider, is also boosting construction in this sector. Spending on road maintenance is also expected to rise. Highways England has a maintenance budget of £1.3 billion over its first fixed five-year investment period, which began in 2015/16. In 2017/18, expenditure on maintenance is set to increase to £258 million, from the £254 million allocated for 2016/17. Thereafter, it is expected to increase in 2018/19, before slowing in 2019/20. However, 97% of the roads network is governed by local authorities, which are financially-constrained due to cuts in central government funding since 2010. Whatever monetary restrictions councils face there is little doubt the condition of the country’s roads require urgent address, as an Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance Survey (ALARM) report revealed a 13-year backlog of local roads maintenance in England. Energy drive Infrastructure repair and maintenance is also expected to increase in order to maintain the country’s energy provision. With a delay in the building of nuclear power stations, National Grid announced it would be retaining the services of existing power plants initially earmarked for closure. Structural maintenance is likely to be required to extend the lifespan of the plants which will be held in reserve to boost electricity supplies if and when required. Construction Industry Forecasts – headline figures for 2017 to 2019 Construction output to grow by 1.6% in 2017 and 0.7% in 2018 Private housing starts to rise by 3.0% in 2017 and 2.0% in 2018 Infrastructure construction to grow by 7.4% in 2017 and 6.4% in 2018 Construction Industry Forecasts for public housing repair, maintenance and improvement is a little less encouraging, with output in this sector expected to remain flat in 2017 and 2018, whilst commercial offices output is expected to fall by 1% and 12% during the same period. However, prospects for the builders of the nation’s infrastructure, and the contractors and manufacturing firms required to maintain it remain distinctly good. It would seem the UK is building towards a brighter future. By Charles Pierce, National Sales Manager - TM Refurbishment    

It is now possible to go from green concrete to green roof in just three days. There will of course be many who say it cannot be done, but they are being proved wrong by a company that is leading the market with a new kind of waterproofing technology – and it’s confounding the traditionalists. With increasing pressure on building costs and owners strictly enforcing projects to be delivered on time and within budget, any roof waterproofing system that can save almost a calendar month in time and allow other trades to begin work within days of new concrete being laid, has to be welcome. At present it is generally considered that green concrete cannot be waterproofed until around 28 days after installation. The maximum amount of trapped water contained in the concrete has to be allowed to escape for the concrete to cure properly which effectively means that the project can be on hold during that time. So all credit to Proteus Waterproofing, one the fastest growing companies of its kind, for developing such a system - Cold-Melt® - which is making all other waterproof membranes look obsolete. It’s a seamless application consisting of two main waterproofing layers – the first of which can be laid over green concrete after just three days sealing the building while still allowing the concrete to cure and continue drying out in the usual way. The system is so advanced that the first layer is all that is needed to waterproof the building and if the project demands it, then the final layer does not have to be applied until all other trades have completed their work. This is another significant plus as other trades frequently damage membranes leading to costly repairs and delays. Cold-Melt® is not as prone to such damage, is easily repaired and will have an additional finishing waterproof layer as the project progresses. In fact the BBA have certified that the Cold-Melt® system is so tough that it will last for the life time of the building on which it is installed. No one is saying that Cold-Melt® will replace all other types of waterproof membrane – each has its own particular place in the market – but there is no doubt that this is a unique product that is ticking a lot of boxes for building owners and specifiers. As well as the fact that it can be rapidly installed, Cold-Melt® as the name suggests, does not use any naked flame or molten material and because it is virtually odour free, delivers maximum health and safety and minimum disruption. It is manufactured from recycled rubber crumb and other environment friendly materials such as castor oil and other organically grown products to create an elastomeric, cold applied membrane so sustainability also gets the thumbs up. But let’s get back to the beginning – green concrete to green roof in just three days is now a reality. This seems to be a system that is ready for anything and for the moment - there is nothing else like it in the roofing market. Visit: http://proteuswaterproofing.co.uk/

In a world of global warming, environmental regulations and our quest for a more sustainable built environment, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is clearly here to stay. A method for evaluating and measuring a product’s environmental impact during their lifecycle from cradle to grave, the LCA of products used in construction enables specifiers to make informed decisions about the comparative environmental impacts as well as the cost and durability of rival products. This is as crucial in the choice of industrial flooring as in any other sector.    Faced with daunting 2050 greenhouse gas reduction targets, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly recognised by the construction industry as the most credible and comprehensive method for assessing and comparing the environmental impacts of products over their entire life cycle. For the specifier, an LCA is a useful tool, enabling them to compare quantitative data on products and systems’ sustainability against an accepted method of measurement. It may mean that two competing products which have similar performance may have very different LCA scores, which will mean a specifier is able to deliver the performance needed but also increase their sustainability credits. This can be particularly beneficial where projects require green certification such as those with BREEAM requirements within their planning permission. The European standard EN 15804, which governs Environmental Product Declarations, includes eight impact categories which must be covered by LCAs. Of these, three are deemed particularly relevant for flooring: Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) - the total amount of primary energy consumed by a product from renewable and non-renewable resources. Global Warming Potential (GWP) - The product’s potential contribution over its life cycle to climate change, focusing on emissions of greenhouse gases, such as CO2 (also known as ‘carbon footprint’) Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP), or “summer smog” - the formation of reactive chemical compounds, e.g., ozone, by the action of sunlight on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Sika evaluates products systematically on environmental performance via regular and comprehensive LCAs according to ISO 140040 which describes the principles and framework for LCA, as well as EN 15804. The company undertakes LCAs from both a Cradle to Gate and Cradle to Grave perspective, the former seeing most of the environmental impacts connected to the raw materials used and the latter seeing most impacts in the in-use and end-of-life phases. The impacts in these phases will be highly dependent on the different maintenance and refurbishment requirements over the life-cycle, which are in turn highly dependent on a floor’s intended use. To make life easier when specifying products, Sikafloor has developed an Eco Tool at its Swiss Research Institute which will quickly and easily provide customers with LCA information on a specific product as well as useful Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) information projected over the life of a product, from Cradle to Grave. In addition to the LCA of a product, the Eco Tool will provide details to specifiers, architects and building owners of a product’s whole service life, including transport impact, application cost, cleaning costs and other operational costs. The tool also enables comparison between products and against various sustainability and operational criteria, to enable an informed decision to be made. A new family of hybrid industrial flooring systems, called PurCem® Glossy, harnesses polyurethane cement hybrid technology to also provide strong eco credentials. As well as the essential moisture tolerance, toughness and chemical resistance characteristics needed for industrial sector projects, the flooring’s LCA, undertaken by Sikafloor, shows it has a lower CED over a 15-year lifetime compared with other flooring technologies.  In addition its very low VOC emissions have seen PurCem® Glossy gain AgBB approval in accordance with ISO standards. Ideal in industrial applications such as food and beverage dry and wet areas, chemical plants and warehouses, the durability of Purcem Glossy is a key part of its sustainability. No refurbishment is needed to prolong its durability over 15 years; plus it is a solvent-free solution that allows application close to on-going production process areas. This means that repair and renovation of existing floors can be undertaken without shutting down the plant or production lines. Sika Flooring has put a major focus on using less energy and resources when compared with other technologies and systems to help meet green goals as a society.  This means offering a lower Global Warming Potential (carbon footprint) and low or even zero VOC options to deliver health benefits for both public and private sector buildings.  visit www.sika.co.uk.

A proven all-rounder, mastic asphalt screed offers the versatility and speed of application that other more traditional cement screeds just can’t match.   With deadlines, timelines and budgetary issues taking centre stage on projects, it’s important to know there’s a screed which is always up for the challenge.  No matter what the application, a mastic asphalt screed will offer a stable and cost-effective base for all manner of waterproofing applications from green roofs to car parks. Made from selected bitumens, limestone filler and specially graded aggregates, its flexibility and fast curing time enable the applicator to achieve precise falls quickly and more efficiently, level out uneven substrates and provide a stable base for a specified roofing deck system. It’s designed for use on in-situ, pre-cast concrete bases, timber and plywood and is suitable for use below cold roofs, insulated warm roofs, inverted insulated roofs and all green roofs.  Furthermore, it is a proven solution in balcony, terrace applications as well as walkways, footbridges and car park/HGV service decks. It can receivemastic asphalt, felt systems, hot melt, liquid coatings and single-ply roofing. Busy building sites and inclement British weather may present an issue for some screeds, but in projects where a screed needs to be trafficked or overlaid quickly, mastic asphalt screed offers a rapid cooling process, a fast-track application and won’t impact on project timelines. This is because mastic asphalt has zero water content, which eliminates the time taken for moisture to evaporate in traditional screeds. Also, there is no risk of cement stained water getting into the underlying structure. With the screed thickness itself up to 80% less than traditional materials, it is also much lighter than conventional materials and ideal for both refurbishments and new builds. Available in three grades – light, medium and heavy - mastic asphalt screed can be supplied directly to site in purpose-built, hot-charge transporterscapable of holding 6 to 18 tonnes of material.  As an alternative, it is also available in block form for re-melting on site. When it comes to screeds, a contractor wants a solution that is reliable, simple to apply and is proven time and time again.  Mastic Asphalt screed does just that and is the flexible, versatile all-rounder that has the performance to match.   Visit: http://www.masticasphaltcouncil.co.uk/        

It’s a dilemma faced by all school-leavers and is one of the most important decisions of their lives – what to do next? They stand at the crossroads to their future, not knowing whether to take on the financial burden of three years at college or university, go straight into a job or look at a delay tactic such as a gap year. There is of course another option and one that is increasingly becoming a popular choice with over 900,000 people across the UK – an apprenticeship where they can earn while they learn. Apprenticeships come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common - a ladder of opportunity to a great career.  Apprenticeships are essentially structured training programmes which help young people gain the skills and knowledge to succeed in their chosen industry. Trainees gain an advantage as they are employed earlier and obtain a foothold in a good salary earlier in their life. In a bid to address the skills shortage in the aging construction industry, apprenticeships within the sector are on the up, as more and more young people realise there are a number of careers they can take up in the industry. For a company which is demonstrating its commitment to protecting the future of its workforce, Darren Evans Assessments has had tremendous success with apprentices employing a number of local young people and accessing funding for their role including training at college.    New school leaver Sophie Pine is an apprentice in business support at Darren Evans and is studying towards her Business Administration Apprenticeship at SGS Filton College.  She says her first job was always going to be a big change, but she didn’t find it a stressful experience, far from it.  “I definitely think getting an apprenticeship was the best decision as I prefer coming to work every morning than going to school. I also enjoy what I do every day and the advantage is that I am learning and gaining experience at the same time.” “I find the construction industry interesting because it has opened my eyes and has made me more aware of things that I wasn’t aware of before. There is also a lot of scope within this field, as people will always need the services we provide,” said Sophie. Sophie is also a prime example of how younger women can gain a foothold in the male-dominated construction sector. Fellow apprentice Oliver Janes is also reaping the benefits of an apprenticeship at the firm, whilst studying Business Administration one day a week at SGS Filton College.  “When I joined Darren Evans Assessments I didn’t really have much of an idea about the industry, however, since joining my knowledge has grown and constantly does so. I like that this is a competitive industry and that as a company we are thriving,” said Oliver. Commenting on the school-to-work transition, Oliver added, “I feel the change in my life from school to office has been really good and I enjoy the working life. I have learned so many different things since starting at Darren Evans, from administrative tasks such as invoices, to undertaking SAPs and EPCs within the technical team. “Six months ago I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do to start my career or where I was going to go to start it. However, since working at Darren Evans, they have given me the opportunity to improve myself and also help me get an understanding in what I want to do for the foreseeable future,” he said. Michelle Clark, Office/HR Manager said: “Offering Sophie and Ollie an apprenticeship has given Darren Evans Assessments a chance to play an active role in moulding our future workforce and creating the future skills that we need to help our business grow.  I am so proud to be part of watching Sophie and Ollie grow into young professionals whilst gaining a recognised qualification at college.  They have both settled into the world of work, are enthusiastic and an asset to our company already.”  The benefit to the business is clear: Darren Evan Assessments is able to place people in the company who it knows to be experienced, competent and can hit the ground running. These apprenticeships are seen as a positive choice for young people. Visit: http://www.darren-evans.co.uk/