Entries by joannevickers

We are FIRAS registered

As part of our ongoing expansion, and to offer as many services as possible, we have recently become FIRAS registered.   As a requirement of the FIRAS Schemes, certificated companies are required to employ, on a permanent or contract basis, competent Supervisors and Technicians (Operators) whose technical and practical competence is assessed by FIRAS Inspectors […]

New Solar roof tiles to be launched

Solecco Solar are getting ready to launch their new solar roof tile solution at UK Construction Week this month, as well as their new website www.soleccosolar.com The new, innovative technology company supplies and installs unique, sustainable solar roof tiles for developers and homeowners with aesthetics and renewable energy at the top of their design agenda. […]

UK August construction projects increased by 20%

The value of new contracts awarded reached 5.8 billion based on a 3 month moving average, resulting in a 7% increase on the month and the highest recorded figure since March of this year. The figures have been published in the latest addition of the Economic and Construction market review from Barbour ABI, and have […]

Uk Construction week coming next month

Back in June we wrote a news article about this years UK Construction week, held in Birmingham from 10-12th October. It is free to attend for trade visitors and consists of 9 shows: Build Show, Timber Expo, Civils Expo, Plant & Machinery Live, Energy 2017, Smart Buildings 2017, Surface & Materials Show (featuring Kitchens & […]

Glass blocks could soon see buildings generating their own power

According to the energy harvesting journal, renewable energy experts from the University of Exeter are developing a pioneering new technique using glass blocks that could accelerate the widespread introduction of net-zero energy buildings through the latest Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). Simply put, they have created an innovative glass block that can be incorporated into a […]

Storing credentials in your helmet!

A Croydon civil engineering contractor have developed a pioneering new hard hat which contains their qualifications and credentials. Scanning the QR (quick response) code with a smart phone gives access to personnel files with proof of identity, training history, medical details and emergency next-of-kin contract details. Civil engineering and utilities specialist Blu-3 (UK) believes that […]

New builds could now become part of ‘healthy towns’

NHS England is proposing 10 new healthy towns, with 76,00 new homes, where residents can win cinema tickets, low cost gym membership and money off their shopping bills if they hit their exercise targets, under plans by the NHS to promote healthy living.   Bikes, running tracks on pavements and community gyms could also become […]

Can construction lead the way in closing the gender pay gap?

According to a new survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) nearly half of construction workers predict the pay gap between male and female employees will be less than 15% by April 2018. With the national average pay gap recorded at 18.1% in 2016, today’s findings suggest the construction sector could lead the […]

Leasehold ban for new builds

The government this week announced plans to ban leasehold on future new-build homes, and cut ground rents on new flats to as low as zero.  Flats can be continued to be sold as leasehold, but ground rents will be restricted. New legislation will close legal loopholes to protect buyers, some of whom have faced repossession […]

A human free construction site?

In a recently published paper entitled Innovation 2050 – A digital Future for the Infrastructure Industry – Balfour Beatty have predicted that the construction site of 2050 will be human-free. Robots will work in teams to build complex structures using dynamic new materials. Elements of the build will self-assemble. Drones flying overhead will scan the […]