A leading haulier says it is benefitting from a bespoke vehicle camera system developed by Durite.

Joda Freight provides logistics and haulage services throughout the UK and into Europe. Founded more than 26 years ago, it has grown into a specialist in commercial fridge deliveries, abnormal loads, and groupage-based haulage, as well as expanding its storage capacity with two further warehousing sites.

The company was looking for a vehicle camera solution that could help it address specific challenges. Neil Tullett, Technical Director of Joda Freight, said:

“We were looking for a vehicle safety solution that could tackle several problems we were facing, including false insurance and scammer claims. It also had to be a security system that protects against fuel theft and vandalism as it was costing us hundreds of pounds in damage each month. It needed the ability to provide photo and video evidence in the event of an accident, attempted fuel theft or vandalism and of course had to be compliant with Transport for London’s Direct Vision Standard.

“The research and buying journey took quite some time as we needed a solution that could tackle all these things, and not just one. It took us more than a year and we have spoken to multiple companies and numerous people but none of them could offer a solution for us, until we met Durite.”

Durite provided Joda Freight with a 4G-enabled 4CH digital video recorder (DVR) monitoring system, integrated with a side scan detection system with left turn alarm, which is a requirement for the Direct Vision Standard.  The bespoke system also includes a customised external alarm that activates the DVR and starts recording automatically, while at the same time the alarm goes off to deter would-be thieves.

“Since the safety systems have been installed, there have been a few attempts at fuel theft but, the alarm systems were able to scare the thieves away as well as capture them on camera – which was used as evidence for police reporting and insurance claims,” added Neil. “Also, we have seen a reduction in road related accidents, saving the company time and money.”

According to Neil, feedback from Joda Freight’s drivers is extremely positive as their vision has improved immensely. The live-streaming feature ‘works wonders’ and helps their fleet manager to identify the exact location of each vehicle, while giving clear guidance to the drivers and updating customers if any problems arise.

“We are extremely happy with the outcomes, solution and service,” said Neil. “Durite went the extra mile to develop a bespoke solution with and for us. This was one of the best investments we have made, and I think the solution should definitely be fitted to all trucks operating within our industry – making everyone safer.”

Based in Keighley, West Yorkshire, Joda Freight operates a comprehensive fleet of more than 65 vehicles, ranging from 44t artics, 18t and 26t rigids to panel vans, 20 truck mounted fork trucks and 120 trailers including Euroliner, double deck, forklift/tail lift equipped, flat and step frames trailers. The company is a shareholder member of Pallet Track and accredited with Silver FORS.

Durite is an established provider of quality camera systems for commercial vehicles. To date, during its 20-year history, the company has supplied more than 50,000 systems to a wide spectrum of commercial fleets. For further details, visit www.durite.co.uk

Brett Martin is set to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings around the world with a remarkable new Polycarbonate glazing product largely based on bio-circular attributed material such as used cooking oil, produced in a ISCC Plus certified mass balanced approach.

Called Marlon BioPlus, the new sheet offers a major carbon footprint reduction by cutting the use of fossil-based material by 70%. This raw material delivers an 84% decrease in carbon emissions and in addition Brett Martin achieves further reductions in carbon by producing the sheet using 100% renewable energy, generated at its own site.

Marlon BioPlus has already achieved International Sustainability & Carbon accreditation with ISCC Plus certification. ISCC PLUS is a globally recognised sustainability certification program for bio-based and bio-circular (recycled) raw materials with a focus on the traceability of raw materials within the supply chain.

What makes Marlon BioPlus unique is the combination of this certification and Brett Martin’s 100% onsite renewable energy which together represents a huge step towards a zero-carbon polycarbonate sheet.

As the UK’s largest producer of polycarbonate roofing and facades Brett Martin supplies high profile projects as diverse as London’s Royal College of Art or Manchester’s Old Trafford stadium as well as a wide range of commercial and industrial buildings.

This new low carbon alternative retains all the physical and performance properties of the company’s other Polycarbonate ranges and will be available to be specified in any Brett Martin’s Marlon polycarbonate multiwall, corrugated or flat sheets for use in roofs and walls.

Employing over 1,000 people in total and with sales of £220million, Brett Martin is already one of Europe’s largest plastic sheet producers for the construction industry, and the new range is expected to create strong demand from a construction market eager to reduce its environmental impact.

Brett Martin Director, Paul Martin said: “The drive for sustainable, carbon neutral plastic materials is progressing well, and our launch of Marlon BioPlus is the latest milestone in our journey to that end. Our extensive investment in renewable energy at our Mallusk site is unique in our industry and an important part of our plan. We extrude the sheet using energy generated from our own wind turbine and dedicated solar farm at Mallusk.”

“This development of this new product reflects the newest technology in the plastic industry to introduce bio-based material. The process, known as mass-balancing, certifies the input of the material through the production system, similar to the way renewable energy enters the power grid. Importantly, the material is a recycled source and therefore the bio-based content does not compete with food production.

(Image caption: Marlon Clickfix Panel Glazing)

“And because the substitution occurs at the earliest stage of the resin production process, all the visual and mechanical properties of the finished sheet remain completely unchanged. So, we anticipate strong demand for the product which is soon to be available to the market globally and we will begin to see it being used in all kinds of buildings soon,” he adds.

www.brettmartin.com

New plant is processing 1,000 tonnes per day

Established in 2002, Bedrock Plant Hire Ltd originally specialised in plant hire for a range of customers in construction and utilities across Scotland’s central belt.

Sustained business growth led to the requirement for a landfill site with screening and crushing operations. Due to capacity and a drive to enhance their sustainability, Bedrock engaged with industry experts CDE to install a construction, demolition and excavation (CD&E) waste recycling plant at its Glasgow site, which created further opportunities for the company within the recycled aggregates market.

Expanding upon the services offered by the family-run business, Bedrock wanted to build upon its strong working relationships with some of Scotland’s premier companies and offer a one-stop shop for plant hire and aggregate recycling.

CD&E waste is in abundance in Glasgow as the city is regenerated, with new commercial and residential developments replacing older projects, meaning the demand for recycled aggregates has increased significantly.

In late 2021, the eyes of the world were on Glasgow as 15,000 people and world leaders descended to partake in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), tasked to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

It was during this global summit the installation of the CDE plant in Polmadie was nearing completion.

Thirty minutes from the important discussions taking place in the SEC Centre in Glasgow, Bedrock Plant Hire was doing its part to move towards a more sustainable future, a circular driven economy and the protection of virgin materials.

Investing with confidence

The project was Bedrock’s first in partnership with CDE, and its first venture into wet processing. Previously, with dry processing operations, the company was crushing and screening to produce only a low-value fill, restricting its ability to market quality recycled aggregates and minimise its environmental footprint.

The team at Bedrock reached out to CDE due to the company’s strong reputation in Scotland – particularly within the central belt – for its technical expertise, customer relations and results-driven solutions. Accompanied by CDE business development manager Garry Stewart, Bedrock representatives visited several CDE reference sites in the local market, including Brewsters and Brocklebank. Here, the Bedrock team had the opportunity to hear first-hand experiences from existing customers operating CDE technology which proved highly influential and reinforced Bedrock’s decision to partner with CDE.

Carbon footprint reduction

The 80tph CD&E waste recycling facility delivered by CDE consists of an R1500 primary scalping screen, AggMax^TM 83SR logwasher, a dual pass EvoWash^TM sand washing fine material classification plant and AquaCycle^TM A400 thickener with Flocstation.

It was developed with the intention of reducing the volume of waste destined for landfill, turning it and other low-value material into profitable, saleable recycled aggregates.

The R-Series allows for a constant, even flow of material to be delivered to the integrated screen before being sent for additional screening, washing and sizing. The pioneering AggMax^TM modular logwasher incorporates aggressive attrition of conglomerates to release sands through scrubbing and organics removal, as well as recovering fines and removing filtrates.

CDE’s dual pass EvoWash^TM employs tried and tested modular hydrocyclone technology, offering unparalleled control of silt cut points with two washes. It enables Bedrock to produce a much cleaner, in-spec product and guarantees a fast return on investment within Glasgow’s construction industry. Meanwhile, the AquaCycle^TM high-rate thickener recycles up to 90% of the process water for immediate re-use.

Garry Stewart says: “Reducing Bedrock’s environmental footprint was a driving force in the decision to invest in a CDE waste recycling plant. The Bedrock team were conscious of the tricky materials to be processed and had full confidence in the capabilities of our technology due to our commitment to engineering excellence and our comprehensive analysis of their raw feed, the results of which informed the development of the plant.”

Processing 1,000 tonnes per day

Proven solutions from CDE provide maximum recycling potential and full water treatment, achieving considerable reduction in waste-to-landfill volumes. Indeed, since commissioning, the plant has led to a decrease in the quantity going to landfill by 70-80% as 1,000 tonnes have been processed per day, creating 700 tonnes of saleable material.

The investment has also opened new revenue streams for Bedrock through the outputs generated, with eight variations of high-quality recycled aggregates being produced for sale and use in the construction industry. They include 0-2mm, 4-10mm and 40-100mm rinsed oversize.

Bedrock is also delivering drainage stone (10-20mm) to the construction sector, as well as pit and utility sands for concrete. The aggregates will also be used for cable bedding and pipe bedding.

The site at Polmadie is very compact and situated in a highly industrialised area in close proximity to large residential neighbourhoods. Due to its urban setting and limited site footprint, Bedrock required a closed-loop system capable of recycling the process water and eliminating the need for settlement ponds.

CDE’s water management expertise, realised through the combination of a A400 AquaCycle coupled with a P15 filter press ensured Bedrock’s vision was feasible.

With the plant processing 1000 tonnes per day, the filter press deals with approximately 20-30 tonnes per hour of sludge to produce a dry cake from the silt and clay generated from the washing process. This cake product is used as a capping material for Bedrock’s own landfill while the company investigates other uses for the material to bring it back into the circular economy.

“We wish we had been able to do this 10 years ago”

The company has its sights set on the future with plans to increase capacity, as Joe McHugh, director of Bedrock Plant Hire Ltd explains.

“We wish we had been able to do this ten years ago. The technology has changed remarkably in that time and CDE is at the top of its game when it comes to wet processing and waste recycling. We really see these areas as a defining part of Bedrock’s future.

“Our experience with CDE has been extremely positive. We visited other reference sites and hearing the endorsements first-hand from existing and satisfied CDE customers was reassuring that we were indeed making the right decision on such a significant investment.

“The team were always managing our expectations while sharing our vision. We found them easy to work with and the bespoke, compact structure of the plant is first class and unique to our requirements. We have hopes for the future that this will only be the first plant we collaborate with CDE on, especially with the relationship we are building together.”

Garry Stewart adds: “It has been a pleasure to work with Bedrock, a family business focused on building a sustainable future through strategic investments. It felt particularly poignant as the final stages of our project came at such a significant time for the city of Glasgow, as it played host to global climate summit COP26.

“We are proud to be part of Bedrock’s journey towards a more sustainable business model and look forward to working with its team to strengthen its position within the market in Glasgow.”

For more information about CDE wet processing solutions, visit cdegroup.com.

South West College has announced that it will host delegates from 26 countries as part of an International Passive House Association (iPHA) camp taking place at its Erne Campus in Enniskillen from Monday 26^th to Friday 30^th September 2022.

Enniskillen was chosen as the location for the prestigious event as the Erne Campus is presently the world’s largest Passive House Premium Rated building in the world and the first educational building to achieve the accreditation.

Passive House is the fastest growing standard in global construction and visitors from Europe, the Americas and Australasia will spend a week learning about the building and exploring other energy efficient construction projects currently in development across Northern Ireland.

In support of the iPHA programme of activities, South West College will also host a two-day ‘Building a Sustainable Future’ conference on Tuesday 27^th & Wednesday 28^th September. The conference programme has been designed for local and national delegates, particularly those engaged in the public, local authority and education sectors. Conference attendees will participate in a series of themed workshops exploring sustainable construction for both public and private sector buildings, transport sustainability, fleet management and strategy development. Renowned industry speakers and academics will present a series of case studies and take part in interactive discussion panel sessions over the course of the two days.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council will be the principle strategic delivery partner for the Building a Sustainable Future Conference and iPHA Camp.

South West College’ Interim Chief Executive, Leo Murphy said;

‘I am very proud that the International Passive House Association has chosen to host its camp in Enniskillen this year. 100 of the world’s leading influencers in sustainable construction will be in attendance to learn about our Erne Campus and to also share their knowledge on new and emerging practices that will transform the local and global industry.

The team at South West College put together a very compelling bid to host the event and this follows on from the presentations at the COP26 conference in Glasgow last November and our membership of the United Nations High Performance Buildings initiative. We also hope that representatives from the United Nations will be attending and speaking at the event in Enniskillen which is sure to be unmissable.’

The Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Cllr Barry McElduff said:

“The Council appreciates the opportunity to be a strategic partner in the International Passive House Conference to be held in South West College’s Erne Campus, Enniskillen.  

The Council wholeheartedly congratulates the College on securing the opportunity to host the Building a Sustainable Future conference. This is a major achievement. 

We very much look forward to welcoming delegates from all over the world to Enniskillen to see at first hand the stunning landscape and unspoilt beauty of Fermanagh and the wider Council area”. 

Jessica Grove-Smith, Joint Managing Director Passive House Institute and International Passive House Association

We are very excited to come to Enniskillen for this stakeholder meeting of our closest partner organisations. During this camp iPHA’s Affiliate organisation, as well as Passive House course providers and building certifiers from all around the world will get together to strengthen our collaboration and efforts to grow and scale Passive House worldwide. South West College and its exceptional Erne Campus Passive House Premium is the perfect place to host this event.

Having the ‘Building a Sustainable Future’ conference run simultaneously with our camp provides a fantastic opportunity to take part, network and position Passive House in a wider sustainability context. Delegates from both events will be able to benefit from the many projects and activities in the area that show the energy saving and comfort advantages of Passive House construction in real-life.

Dr Barry McCarron, Chairperson of Passive House Ireland said;

‘Being selected to host this prestigious iPHA camp with delegates from almost all of the member countries is an honour not just for the college but for the wider region and is a celebration of the work that South West College has been doing in the development of internationally renowned sustainable buildings and the training of Passive House accredited professionals.

Registration is now open for the two day ‘Building a Sustainable Future’ Conference. The final programme and speaker line up will be revealed through the conference website over the coming weeks. The delegate registration fee will also include admission to a conference dinner hosted by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council on Tuesday 27^th September and to the inaugural South West College climate resilience lecture which will close the conference on the evening of Wednesday 28^th September.

Further information and tickets are now available at https://swc.ac.uk/events/building-a-sustainable-future or by emailing conference@swc.ac.uk

A topping out ceremony has taken place to celebrate the latest milestone in the creation of a £9 million sustainable pavilion, being built by Henry Brothers, to expand SportPark, the multi award-winning development at Loughborough University.

The 2000 sq m project on Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP) is being built to Passivhaus Classic Accreditation to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions and is scheduled for completion at the end of the year.

As the first Passivhaus development on the University campus, SportPark Pavilion 4 will give sports organisations the unique opportunity to secure environmentally future-proof accommodation that is tailored to their needs.

It will also enable occupants to reduce their carbon footprint due to highly efficient heat pumps, opening triple-glazed windows, solar shading to avoid summer overheating as well as a well-insulated building fabric to minimise heat loss.

Passivhaus consultants Beyond Carbon Associates have hailed the development as “an exciting, future-facing building, treading lightly on our planet’s resources using Passivhaus energy conservation, solar PV and a climate resilient design to manage future heat waves.”

Ian Taylor, Managing Director at leading construction company, Henry Brothers said:

“SportPark Pavilion 4 is an exciting Passivhaus development which is supporting Loughborough University’s plans to decarbonise its estate to meet the Government’s zero carbon target by 2050.

“It also builds on Henry Brothers’ growing portfolio of environmentally sound schemes and we are very pleased to have reached this milestone in this important development for the University.”

Henry Brothers recently announced its Journey to Net Zero strategy, outlining plans to build upon its extensive foundations in sustainability.

SportPark Pavilion 4 will project the University’s and Henry Brothers’ forward thinking and environmentally conscious values, delivering significant benefits to its occupants.

Professor Mike Caine, Loughborough University Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor Sport, said:

“SportPark is a tremendous asset to the University and wider region – housing complementary organisations, working in partnership with the University, and harnessing the power of sport to benefit communities, locally, nationally, and around the world.

“SportPark Pavilion 4 will provide the capacity to welcome yet more mission-driven organisations to the University, and to reinforce the East Midlands region’s potential as a global sports innovation hub, with Loughborough at its heart.

“The SportPark expansion coincides with a growing number of innovation and technology-led sports businesses launching at, or relocating to, LUSEP, attracted to the collaborative environment and access to the University’s world-leading expertise in sports science, engineering, health and well-being, high-performance athlete base, and sports infrastructure.”

SportPark Pavilion 4 is delivered by the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) as part of the Getting Building Fund (GBF).

Funds were designated for investment in local, shovel-ready infrastructure projects to stimulate jobs and support economic recovery across the country. The LLEP was allocated £20 million, supporting the SportPark 4 project with £6 million.

A separate £1.8 million GBF allocation helped fund improvements at Junction 23 and the A512, which links the M1 with Loughborough. It makes LUSEP one of the most accessible science parks in the UK.

Andy Reed OBE, Interim Chair of the LLEP Board of Directors, said:

“Loughborough University’s global reputation for sport brings tremendous opportunities for us all and, through this fourth pavilion, provides new jobs and opportunity for further growth across a range of services.

“This latest project directly supports 165 jobs, with more than 150 in the wider economy. Importantly, it also helps create further demand to bring sports-related organisations and businesses to the region.

“On a separate note, it’s really pleasing for me personally to see the continued development of SportPark. I was fortunate to be involved in creating the vision of a sports cluster at the University for the first phases of the development back in the mid-2000s. It’s wonderful to see it continue going from strength to strength.”

To find out more about Henry Brothers, visit henrybrothers.co.uk

Ray Hutchinson receives OBE from Duke of Cambridge and is named

Construction Leader of the Year

July 20: There was a double cause for celebration for Ballymena man Ray Hutchinson as he recently
received the OBE from the Duke of Cambridge, and a short time later was named Construction
Leader of the Year.
The Managing Director of construction, refurbishment and fit out company, Gilbert-Ash was named
in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours for services to the industry and to diversity and inclusion.
Ray travelled to London, along with his family, for the ceremony which took place at Buckingham
Palace on Friday June 24.
Just two weeks after the investiture, Ray was back in London again when he was named
Construction Leader of the Year at the for prestigious Construction News Awards.
A delighted Ray paid tribute to his family for their support and to the staff at Gilbert-Ash.
He said: “I am deeply humbled to receive the OBE and I am accepting this honour on behalf of my
family and my colleagues at Gilbert-Ash.
“To then be named as Construction Leader of the Year is another extremely proud moment.
“At Gilbert-Ash we have a wonderfully dedicated team who deliver truly outstanding projects for our
clients. Leading this team is a privilege and I am constantly impressed by our ability to push the
boundaries of innovation and excellence in the construction industry.”
Senior figures from Gilbert-Ash, the construction industry, organisations which promote diversity
and inclusion and a charity have all paid tribute to Ray.
Gilbert-Ash Commercial Director, Mark Nutt said Ray has a ‘clear direction for the company’.
Mark said: “Ray brings a calmness to his role as Managing Director and sets the direction in terms of
the projects we take on and how we want to do business as a company.
“This can be seen in our ‘As One’ approach to our customers, our staff and our supply chain. Ray
brings that focus and team ethic as we seek to work together with great respect.

“He has also been a real champion of diversity and inclusion and largely responsible for Gilbert-Ash
exceeding the industry average when it comes to female members of staff. This is an area where Ray
brings a real focus.
“As well as supporting diversity and inclusion there are sound business reasons for having a diverse
workforce and Ray has been at the forefront of Gilbert-Ash’s drive to have more female employees
throughout the company.”
Mark Spence, Construction Employers Federation Managing Director, said Ray was a modernising
force both for CEF and the construction industry during his time as President.
Ray served as CEF President from 2018-2020. In addition, he was Vice-President from 2016-2018 and
Past President from 2020 until 2022.
Mark said: “Ray took up the role of President during a difficult period for the industry in Northern
Ireland. Stormont wasn’t sitting and the industry needed a strong voice as we met with senior civil
servants and Permanent Secretaries to discuss budgets for public works.
“Ray was front and centre of a lot of detailed work around capacity and contracts and he was
instrumental in keeping the lines of communication open during this time.
“Despite running his own successful business, he was always very generous in giving up his time to
fight for others who really needed the work locally.
“Ray is also a great advocate for the skills which exist here in Northern Ireland, and he is always keen
to promote the workmanship of local businesses. You can see this with Gilbert-Ash, a company
which consistently uses local sub-contractors on their UK-wide projects.”
WOMEN’STEC Chief Executive, Lynn Carvill described Ray as someone who is incredibly supportive of
diversity and inclusion and someone whose actions speak louder than words.
Lynn said: “I joined WOMEN’STEC about eight years ago and at that time the organisation
underwent a great deal of restructuring. We worked to build new relationships, teams and
programmes.
“It was at this time I first met Ray Hutchinson and I found him very supportive.
“Ray is someone who sees the big picture. When he champions diversity and inclusion it is not just
because this aligns with his vision for Gilbert-Ash, instead he wants to see more women join the
wider industry.”
CEO of Women in Business NI, Roseann Kelly MBE described Ray as a genuine advocate for diversity
and inclusion across the construction industry.
Roseann said: “I have known Ray for many years and together we sat on the Board of Diversity Mark
NI. Ray is always very supportive of Women in Business NI, and he is leading the way in championing
the important issue of diversity and inclusion.
“During all the years I have known Ray he has consistently helped raise awareness of the important
issue of diversity and inclusion.”
Anne McReynolds Chief Executive of The MAC in Belfast said: “Ray’s contribution as a voluntary
Chair of the MAC Board and Gilbert Ash’s corporate sponsorship of the visual art programme have
been inspiring. 

“He has shared his time and expertise with unflagging commitment and good humour.  All of us in
the MAC are in awe of his personal and professional generosity.”
Gavin Lonegran, Director of Belfast-based charity, the Adsum Foundation which supports
communities in Madagascar through projects which deliver clean water, education health and
sustainable livelihood projects, said he was delighted to hear about Ray’s OBE.
He said: “Gilbert-Ash is one of our oldest partners and together we have been able to change the
lives of countless thousands of people in Madagascar.
“One of the reasons we have had such an enduring relationship with Gilbert-Ash is simply because of
the people there. Ray has been at the centre of this, showing real enthusiasm for the work we do,
being generous with his time and always keen to get staff enthused about supporting our work.
“I know Ray is a very busy man but when we meet he is genuinely interested to hear about our
projects. He takes a personal interest in everything we are doing and he is a key reason why I hope
the relationship between the Adsum Foundation and Gilbert-Ash continues for many years to
come.”

Leading building materials manufacturer Glidevale Protect has delivered a combination of roofing underlay and accessory products including its Protect Viking Air air and vapour permeable roofing membrane, as part of a major re-roofing refurbishment programme for Choice Housing in Lisburn City, Northern Ireland. The contract saw Glidevale Protect work closely with one of the country’s largest independent housing associations, to re-roof 116 existing homes at its established Pond Park development.

Working with Choice Housing’s Assets Department and the appointed roofing contractors, Glidevale Protect provided a complete solution. Protect Viking Air was specified and installed to improve roof ventilation, minimise the risk of condensation and offer reduced labour time during installation too. Also supplied on the project was Glidevale Protect’s OFV eaves skirt, installed to avoid sagging and ponding of the underlay and ensure correct water discharge into the gutter.

Commenting on the project, Matthew McLaughlin, Building Surveyor for Choice Housing Ireland Ltd said: “We chose Protect Viking Air over other products as we required a premium roofing underlay offering a robust solution to dealing with condensation within its problem roof voids. Viking Air was chosen for its superior air and vapour permeability qualities which exceed BS 5250 requirements. Glidevale Protect’s technical team were excellent in the development of a suitable specification for the job.”

The Protect Viking Air roofing underlay specified not only boasts superior air and vapour permeability in both warm and cold pitch roofing applications, but can be easily wrapped over ridges rather than cut short of the roof apex and has been designed to be exceptionally easy to handle on site, requiring no additional ventilation in cold roofs as permitted by NHBC.  Fully third party certified, Viking Air helps avoid the risk of harmful condensation in accordance with BS 5250 and NHBC requirements.

For more information on Glidevale Protect, please visit www.glidevaleprotect.com, email info@glidevaleprotect.com or call +44 (0)161 905 5700. Keep up to date with our latest news by following us on LinkedIn.

RICS & Ulster Bank Residential Market Survey – June 2022

House prices are still rising firmly in Northern Ireland despite cooler demand in June, according to the latest RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and Ulster Bank Residential Market Survey.

A net balance of +6% of respondents in Northern Ireland reported a rise in new buyer enquiries last month, the lowest this figure has been in the past two years. This was down from +8% in May and +22% in April.

In terms of newly agreed sales, the net balance was +10%. Again, this was lower than May’s figure of +13% and April’s figure +17%.

Despite this cooling demand, house prices continued to rise firmly, in part linked to a lack of supply in the market. +90% of respondents in the latest report said that house prices rose. This was the highest net balance for prices across the UK.

House prices are expected to rise throughout the next quarter of the year too, according to a net balance of +42% of respondents. And despite the cooler demand in June, respondents expect sales to increase over the next three months as well.

One of the biggest factors impacting the market continues to be the lack of properties, although there is perhaps an indication in the latest report that this is easing. June’s survey was the first time in 12 months that the instructions to sell balance was in positive territory, although only very slightly so at +2% and following on from many months of decreasing instructions.

Samuel Dickey, RICS Northern Ireland Residential Property Spokesman, says: “Demand in the local housing market has slowed slightly and more vendors are coming to the market, but we’re still seeing prices moving upwards. One of the concerns in the market is the potential impact of increased material and labour costs on house building and the escalating cost of living on the appetite of potential buyers. But the expectations of surveyors for sales and prices in the short term at least are relatively strong.”

Terry Robb, Head of Personal Banking at Ulster Bank, added: “At Ulster Bank we are eager to help our customers save where they can and our green mortgage is one way that we can help consumers save money by being more energy efficient. We want to help our customers understand and reduce their climate impact and deal with the escalating costs of energy bills. We’ve put climate change at the heart of our strategy to be a purpose-led bank here at Ulster Bank so it’s important that we support our customers on the transition to net zero. “

Following the success of last year’s initiative, Kick It With Keylite returns for 2022 – bigger and better than before.

This year, Keylite Roof Windows (Keylite) is challenging trades to ‘Keep It Up’ in the name of raising money for Mates in Mind, a leading charity addressing the stigma of poor mental health within the construction sector.

Mixing it up for 2022, Keylite is challenging merchants, installers and trades across the industry to record themselves doing as many keepie uppies as they can, share on social, donate to the charity and nominate a ‘mate in mind’ to get involved using the hashtag #KeepItUp.

No matter the chosen sport or ability – anyone can get involved! Join the likes of Welsh Rugby Union star, Shane Williams, Women’s Rugby World Cup winner, Rachael Burford, and GAA Football All-Star, Cathal McShane, in taking part in the challenge, all in the name of physical and mental wellbeing – raising much-needed funds for Mates in Mind at the same time.

Fiona Feeney, Support Manager at Mates in Mind, said: “The confronting human cost of mental ill-health cannot be ignored with suicide rates amongst construction workers more than three times higher than the national average, averaging at a shocking two deaths per day in the UK.”

Matthew King, Sales Director at Keylite, added: “Research shows that more than a third of construction workers live with severe levels of anxiety[1]. Although this is a very serious topic, and one that is personally very close to our hearts, we wanted to ensure that this year’s Kick It With Keylite brings fun and personality to trade counters – driving us to raise as much money and awareness for Mates in Mind as we can.

“Our message this year is to #KeepItUp, not only for the keepie uppie challenge, but also as a reminder to keep talking to each other, keep breaking the stigma, and keep being a mate – you never know who might need it.”

For upcoming Kick It With Keylite pop-up events at merchant branches across the UK, trades can keep an eye out on social media channels, or simply get involved with some mates on site.

Passionate about raising as much money as possible for Mates in Mind, Keylite is encouraging installers to make a donation via its JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kick-it-with-keylite and to start conversations around mental health amongst workmates.

For more information on this year’s Kick It With Keylite initiative, please visit www.keyliteroofwindows.com/kick-it-with-keylite, call 01283 200158, email info@keyliteuk.com or visit Keylite’s social channels.

For more information on Mates in Mind visit www.matesinmind.org.

The largest concrete pour to date has taken place on the continuation of the Edinburgh Trams York Place to Newhaven project as the main contractors, joint venture Sacyr Farrans Neopul (SFN), remain on schedule for the line to be in operation in spring 2023.

The project is currently working in twelve separate sections across the route and the concrete pour took place on the bridge deck of Tower Bridge on Ocean Drive.

Taking approximately eight hours to complete, the pour involved sixteen operatives from subcontractor Beattie’s FRC, nineteen loads of concrete which equated to approximately 130 cubic meters, and 500m2 of finishing works were undertaken.

This was a dual pour of 82 metres, with two concrete pumps, which equated to 164 linear meters of single-track slab having been poured. Hard landscaping works over Tower Bridge will now commence, as well as further track works progressing eastwards towards Tower Place. 

Construction on Edinburgh Trams to Newhaven commenced in November 2019. The full scheme is valued at £207.3m and is on schedule to be in operation in spring 2023. The 4.7km route will have eight tram stops and will complete the existing tram network, which currently connects the airport with the city centre, to the northeast of the city.

The construction of the new tram line will include 4.69km of track, with improvements to public realm along the route.  The new tram route will run from York Place down through Leith Walk, Constitution Street, Ocean Terminal and then finish at Newhaven.

To date 84% of track slab has been laid (almost 4,000m), 100% of the necessary utility diversions have been carried out, and main construction work is complete on three new tram stops at Constitution Street, McDonald Road and Ocean Terminal, with works progressing well on the Balfour Street and Foot of the Walk stops. SFN has also installed 74 Overhead Line Equipment poles, 35% of the total along the route and over 4,000m of drainage infrastructure.

Maria Ortega, SFN Project Director on Edinburgh Trams York Place to Newhaven, said:

“We continue to make excellent progress on this project on behalf of our client The City of Edinburgh Council and this concrete pour milestone is our latest major achievement. A concrete pour may look like a simple task from the outside, however there are so many different disciplines involved to ensure that it is undertaken in a safe and timely manner to deliver a high-quality end product.

“As contractors, SFN has brought extensive experience in the light rail sector to this project. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we are proud of the progress we have made by working successfully alongside our partners, supply chain and client. We look forward to this line being operational in spring 2023.”

Steve Jackson, Project Director, Turner & Townsend said:

“This is the third major concrete pour to take place on the project following the laying of track on one half of the busy thoroughfare on Leith Walk in February.

As we enter the final phase of construction works to deliver the Edinburgh Trams to Newhaven line, achievements such as this concrete pour begin to bring the project together in real life and allow people to see the positive transformational impact this system will have for them.”

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said:

“Delivering a major project like this in the centre of Scotland’s Capital does come with its challenges and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the community for their continued patience and support, and also apologise for any inconvenience  

“This is a key milestone for Trams to Newhaven and marks the team’s move into the final phase of construction. The route is really beginning to take shape and I look forward to the benefits it will bring when it is running in just under one year’s time. I’d like to thank the team for all they are doing to deliver this contract on time despite the impact of the pandemic.”

For further information about the Trams to Newhaven Project, please visit the dedicated project page or e-mail Newhaven.tram@edinburgh.gov.uk