Shimz Corp

Shimizu Corporation to introduce construction robots

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Major Japanese contractor Shimizu Corporation is carrying out trials of autonomously controlled construction robots. The trials are run inside the Robot Laboratory at Shimizu’s Institute of Technology in Etchujima Tokyo.

The robots, developed by Shimizu, play various roles, such as conveying materials horizontally, welding steel columns or installing ceiling boards.

They will be deployed to real high-rise building site in Osaka later this year. In the next fiscal year, the robots will work at several large construction sites in Tokyo.

Shimizu said that it was concerned over a large exodus of skilled workers. “A pressing issue for the construction industry is how to find labour while raising productivity. Shimizu believes that the key to raising productivity is better working conditions, higher wages and more off-days,” said the company.

At the beginning of 2016, it began development of the Shimz Smart Site, a production system in which robots and humans will collaborate to move construction projects forward. “After a year and a half investing over 1 billion yen [£6.6bn] on intensive teamwork with universities and partners from other industries, we have completed the basic development and are ready for the next phase,” said the company.

The robots undergoing autonomous control testing at the robot laboratory include: the Robo-Carrier, which conveys materials horizontally; the Robo-Welder, a robot that welds steel columns; and the Robo-Buddy, a multipurpose robot that handles construction work for ceilings and floors.

Each one is a element of the Shimz Smart Site. An operator uses a tablet to send instructions that the robots carry out autonomously. “At the laboratory, we are verifying the robots’ ability to autonomously respond to varying patterns of work instructions, and adjusting the programming governing their operation accordingly,” said Shimizu.

The Robo-Carrier links with a temporary elevator to transport the supplies to the designated spot – entirely unmanned – when the operator selects materials to convey and enters their destination in a tablet. On the way, the robot recognises obstacles and reroutes on its own to avoid them. At the same time, a collision prevention feature will halt the robot if a person comes near. To maintain an awareness of its position, the Robo-Carrier uses lasers to obtain real-time spatial data, which it compares with other spatial data acquired from BIM. At the lab, the robot lifts a pallet on which plaster boards with a combined weight of around 1t are placed, and then carries them inside a temporary elevator. “We are repeatedly checking how the robot sets down each pallet, then lifts them again in the elevator to convey them to a designated location,” said Shimizu.

The Robo-Welder has a robotic arm that uses laser shape measurement to determine the contours of a groove, or channel, on a steel column to be welded. The robot determines how to perform the job, such as the steps for cleanly placing the welding material in the channel. The robotic arm, with freedom of movement along six axes, performs the welding. Usually two Robo-Welders work together on one column. To verify that the Robo-Welder can handle the channels in columns to be used in the construction of a high-rise building in Osaka, Shimizu has been testing the robot’s functions by altering the shape of the welding channels.

The Robo-Buddy has full control over two robotic arms with freedom of movement along six axes. After the sensors recognize the position of the ceiling grid frame material to insert ceiling suspension bolts, one arm lifts up a ceiling board to the correct position, while the other arm screws the board to the base material. 

After the construction work on the foundation is completed at a site, an all-weather cover is installed to provide a lightweight shelter for the building against all kinds of weather. A new Exter crane, which is located beneath the cover, then lowers the columns and beams of the steel frame into position sequentially and Robo-Welder welds the columns to complete the framework. Robo-Buddy executes the final stage of finishing the floors and ceilings from the lower floors upward. After Robo-Carrier and other horizontal and vertical conveyor robots transport the materials that have been delivered to the construction site to their temporary staging areas at night, they then transport them to the location where a Robo-Buddy performs the work.

Source: Construction Index / shimz.co.jp

Graphene

Wonder material Graphene could revolutionise the construction industry

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Scientists say a greener, stronger and more durable concrete made using “wonder-material” graphene could revolutionise the construction industry.  

Graphene is a form of carbon first reliably produced at the University of Manchester by researchers in 2004, work which led to two Nobel prizes. It is made up of a single layer of carbon atoms in a hexagonal lattice. Its structure gives it important physical qualities, including efficient conductance of heat and electricity and unusual strength.

A research team at the University of Exeter, which includes Cast Consultancy’s Dimitar Dimov, has developed a technique which uses nanoengineering technology to incorporate graphene into traditional concrete production.

The researchers say the new composite material is more than twice as strong and four times more water resistant than existing concretes, and has been tested using British and European industry standards.

The graphene-reinforced concentre material also reduces the carbon footprint of conventional concrete production methods, according to the University of Exeter scientists. They add that the technique could pave the way for other nanomaterials to be incorporated into concrete.

Dimitar Dimov, lead author, who works at the University of Exeter engineering department and with construction consultancy Cast, said: “This research is important as it can be applied to large-scale manufacturing and construction. The industry has to be modernised by incorporating not only offsite manufacturing, but innovative new materials as well.

“Finding greener ways to build is a crucial step forward in reducing carbon emissions around the world and so help protect our environment as much as possible. It is the first step, but a crucial step in the right direction to make a more sustainable construction industry for the future.”

Professor Monica Craciun, co-author of the paper and also from Exeter’s engineering department, said: “This new composite material is an absolute game-changer in terms of reinforcing traditional concrete to meets these needs. Not only is it stronger and more durable, but it is also more resistant to water, making it uniquely suitable for construction in areas which require maintenance work and are difficult to be accessed.

“Yet perhaps more importantly, by including graphene we can reduce the amount of materials required to make concrete by around 50% – leading to a significant reduction of 446kg per tonne of the carbon emissions.”

The paper, Ultrahigh Performance nanoengineered Graphene-Concrete Composites for Multifunctional Applications, is published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

The research was supported by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Cement-making accounts for 6% of global carbon emissions, and manufacturers must make sharp reductions if the Paris climate goals are to be met, according to the Carbon Disclosure Project, in a recent study.

 

Source: Construction Manager / The Guardian

uk construction

UK Construction week unveils its Role Models campaign

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UK Construction Week is launching a new initiative for 2018 to help the industry compete for talent and improve recruitment. It will do this by taking role models in the industry and elevating their profile and their story in a nationwide publicity campaign through trade and consumer media.

Nathan Garnett, Event Director for UKCW explains: “There are some amazing people working in the sector and their stories can be inspirational to others. So we are planning for UK Construction Week to act as a platform to do just that, inspire a new generation of construction professionals to join this rewarding and exciting industry.”

Role models will also be asked to take part in an outreach programme, going to colleges and schools in the coming months to talk to students and teachers at key stages of their education to explain what inspired them to choose construction as a career and bust any myths around the image of construction.

UK Construction Week is looking for professionals to apply or to be nominated. This is an opportunity for people to raise their own profile if they feel they deserve it, or for colleagues to nominate professionals they feel deserve recognition. This is a great chance for a company to raise its profile by showcasing its talent, as well as for unsung heroes to gain valuable encouragement, as well as help recruit a whole new generation of construction professionals.

This is aimed at all walks of the sector, whether you are a newly qualified apprentice, or someone who has transferred into the sector from the military or automotive industries. You could be working in facilities management, architecture, energy management, civil engineering, site management, bricklaying, digital construction, electro technical installation, roofing… the list goes on! UKCW want a diverse and representative selection to show the world the myriad of opportunities and talent the sector holds.

Successful UKCW Role Models will be asked to speak at UK Construction Week on the main stage or individual show stages, to take part in the UKCW student initiative, and they will be asked to write for the Construction Matters blog. They will also be invited to selected events in the coming months, as well as being VIPs at the main event in October.

Whilst all those selected in the group will gain significant profile from the campaign, there will be awards presented at the event itself to those who have been selected by the UKCW Advisory Committee to have been deemed the UKCW Role Models of the year. These will be presented at UK Construction Week on Tuesday 9th October in front of the journalists and industry VIPs.

Deadline for Nominations is Friday 27th April.

To enter or nominate, visit https://www.ukconstructionweek.com/news/show-news/2189-role-models and submit a 300 word max biog and short summary (under 300 words) on why you or your nomination should be selected.

Macmillan

Trade companies to support Macmillan men with cancer campaign

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Macmillan Cancer Support is uniting with nine companies across the sector for their ‘Just Say the Word’ male cancer campaign. 

Companies taking part include Benchmarx Kitchens and Joinery, CEF, ISG plc, Mace, Selco Builders Warehouse, telent Technology Services, Topps Tiles, Travis Perkins and Wolseley, who have joined forces with the charity to raise awareness of the impact of cancer on men and encourage those who need it to access support.

New Macmillan and Toluna research reveals that 26 per cent of tradesmen wouldn’t feel comfortable having a serious conversation regarding their health with their work colleagues.

Dave Watkins, 59, is an Associate Director at Mace and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2016. “When I was diagnosed, I initially found it really difficult to talk to others about my cancer and the emotional toll it was taking. Mentally, I found it difficult to come to terms with cancer and was in a dark place. But my experience really improved when I published my story on Mace’s staff intranet. My company and colleagues were incredibly supportive and helped my drive to stay positive.”

In its third year running, ‘Just Say the Word’ has had a great response previously and had inspired colleagues and customers to seek medical support.

Carine Jessamine, marketing director at Selco Builders Warehouse, said: “We are long-standing supporters of Macmillan Cancer Support and, through the amazing efforts of our staff, customers and suppliers, have raised over £500,000 for the charity within the last five years. We are all as motivated as ever to keep up the fundraising and we are also delighted to support the ‘Just Say the Word’ campaign to help spread key messages to people operating in the trade.”

Of the tradesmen that participated in the survey, 36 per cent of those with cancer also experienced depression, 40 per cent anxiety and 12 per cent shame, after they were diagnosed.

‘Just Say the Word’ runs from 23rd April to 6th May, and will have a visible presence in branches and sites of the nine participating partners. Posters and leaflets will be publicised, encouraging those with health concerns to get support. Fundraising for Macmillan will take place over the two weeks within the sector, raising money to help the charity provide support to people living with cancer across the UK.

For more information please visit the Macmillan website https://www.macmillan.org.uk

Source: Electrical Times 

Contractors pay

Contractors who don’t pay on time to be banned from public works

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Main contractors who do not pay their supplier promptly are to be banned from bidding for public sector contracts according to the Government.

The measure is among a package of proposed measures to help smaller businesses win public sector and government contracts.

Under the proposals, tier one contractors on government contracts, including construction projects, will be forced to demonstrate “fair and effective payment practices with their subcontractors”, otherwise they will not be allowed to bid for work.

Other plans include allowing subcontractors to have greater access to buying authorities to report poor payment performance.

Further requirements mean suppliers will have to advertise subcontracting opportunities via the government’s Contracts Finder procurement website. They will also have to provide the government with data showing how businesses in their supply chain, including small businesses, are benefiting from supplying to central government.

In addition, each government department has been directed to nominate a minister as small business champion.

No timetable has been given for implementation of the proposals.

Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden said: “This government is listening to the business community and is committed to levelling the playing field for smaller suppliers to win work in the public sector.

“We have set a challenging aspiration that 33% of procurement spend should be with small businesses by 2022 – and are doing more than ever to break down barriers for smaller firms. Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy, and play a key role in helping us to build a strong, viable private sector that delivers value for taxpayers and jobs for millions all over the UK.”

Federation of Small Businesses national chairman Mike Cherry said: “Each year, the UK public sector spends over £200bn on goods and services from third parties. As such a large and prominent customer in the economy, the government has a pivotal role to play in demonstrating what it is to be a good client.

“It is right then that the government today announces, as part of a new package to boost SME procurement, that it will clamp down on poor payment practice throughout public procurement supply chains. Companies who pay late should not be rewarded with public sector contracts. 

We need a robust public procurement process that holds larger companies to account for their payment practices.”

The Specialist Engineering Contractors’ (SEC) Group also welcomed the proposals. SEC Group chief executive Rudi Klein said that he was particularly pleased by the government’s promise to exclude poor payers from government procurement.

“We have been urging the government to introduce a yellow/red card system for a long time. The yellow card is a warning to improve payment performance and the red card excludes a continuing poor performer from bidding for government contracts for a period of 2 to 3 years.”

Rudi Klein added that if such a system had already been in place Carillion would have been excluded from government contracts.

However SEC Group believes that on payment security the government needs to go further and legislate to require that project bank accounts are put in place for all public sector projects. It also wants the government to back the Private Member’s Bill (now in the House of Commons) that will protect cash retentions.

“The Carillion debacle has revealed the appalling level of abuse heaped on construction supply chains,” Rudi Klein said. “We should also be considering the introduction of a statutory regulator to challenge the behaviour of large firms and, if necessary, fine them in the worst cases of abuse.”

Source: The Construction Index

Foster care

Charity darts night in aid of Southampton Foster Carers Association

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On Friday evening we hosted a charity darts night in aid of the Southampton Foster Carers Association. 

The association offers activities and social events for fostering families and the children in their care. It gives additional help to foster carers with monthly support groups in two regions of the city.  The SFCA also provides newly approved foster carers with ‘buddies’ – putting them in contact with experienced carers who can offer advice and support when needed.

They organise annual events including fun days, barbecues, discos, day trips, a Halloween party and a Christmas grotto.

If you would like to help them to fund raise or would like to donate then please contact Southampton City Council’s fostering service on freephone 0800 5 19 18 18 or visit fostering@southampton.gov.uk

A good time was had by all!

Charity darts night darts night

Brain tumour research

Wear a hat for brain tumour research

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Brain tumour research is so important. Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer… yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

So, grab your favourite (hard) hat and raise funds to bring us closer to a cure for brain tumours – either on Thursday 29th March or on any day during the month.

Since Wear A Hat Day started back in 2010 it has raised over £1,000,000 for Brain Tumour Research! The campaign is the culmination of Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March.

Funds raised through Wear A Hat Day 2018 will develop a network of world-class brain tumour research Centres of Excellence in the UK.  The charity relies on funds raised by supporters.

The scientists at the four UK Centres of Excellence work together to gain a greater understanding of brain tumours and to identify ways in which they can be treated effectively.

The funding strategy means that there is investment in long-term research, building the ‘critical mass’ of expertise needed to accelerate the journey to find a cure. In turn, this facilitates increased research investment from other sources.

It is essential that there is long-term research into this devastating disease. Despite advancements for many other types of cancer, treatment options for brain tumours  is still very limited, largely due to the historic underfunding for research into neuro-oncology.

For more information on how you can get involved please visit their website at:

https://www.braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/wear-a-hat-day

house funding

Housing Minister announces new funding

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New funding to help speed up planning decisions and help deliver quality new homes has been announced by Housing Minister Dominic Raab.

The first wave of the Planning Delivery Fund, totalling £15.8 million, has been awarded to enable councils to process more applications, implement new reforms and also train planners to tackle the housing challenges faced by their local area.

This funding boost will support local authorities working together on ambitious new joint local plans and core strategies, which will engage residents on how future development will take place in their areas and outline the locations suitable for new homes where demand is high.

The funding will also support greater best practice and innovation within councils as they decide planning applications, resulting in more being determined over a shorter period of time.

Money awarded to bidders will also allow local authorities to access the latest expertise on design and town planning, driving up the quality of new homes built.

This first wave of funding has been split into 3 streams that will assist in delivering new homes across England: The Joint Working Fund (£9.4 million), Design Quality Fund (£4.82 million) and Promoting Innovation Fund (£1.07 million).

A total of 68 projects will receive funding from the Planning Delivery Fund across all 3 streams, from 2017 until 2019.

The launch of this fund will give successful councils a greater capability to implement the government’s reforms of the planning system and comes as the Ministry for Housing prepares to launch its revised National Planning Policy Framework later this spring.

Dominic Raab said:

This cash boost ensures councils have the resources needed to make quicker decisions on planning applications, delivering quality housing at a faster rate.

It’s part of our strategy to build the homes this country needs whilst also supporting residents to have their say on the kind of development that takes place in their area.

Air Pollution

Air Pollution could cause a problem

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The Considerate Constructors scheme have recently conducted a survey which reveals an urgent need for greater awareness and understanding of air pollution across the construction industry, and provides advice on tackling the issue.

Air pollution is a key concern for the construction industry due to the sector’s considerable impact on air quality.

•Less than a quarter of all air pollution-related deaths are in London, so it is clear that air pollution is everyone’s problem.

•Construction sites are responsible for 7.5% of nitrogen oxide emissions, 8% of large particle emissions and 14.5% of emissions of the most dangerous fine particles.

•The construction sector mostly contributes to air pollution through construction dust, plant machinery and construction transport.

•The industry is taking steps to reduce air pollution through air quality plans, emissions monitoring, dust management, low-emission plant machinery, delivery management and raising workforce awareness.

Air quality plans

At the outset of a large project or one adjacent to sensitive receptors, it is important to incorporate air quality considerations into the management and logistics plans. These can include the following:

•Where the risk of dust is deemed to have a negative impact on amenity, health and the natural environment – relative to site-specific factors such as proximity to sensitive receptors – an Air Quality Assessment may be required. This assessment should identify the level of risk to air quality during each stage of the project.

•Air Quality and Dust Management Plans should outline the steps being taken to mitigate the adverse impact of construction activities on air quality.

•In preparing Construction Logistics Plans, contractors should engage with their client/developers to demonstrate how they will deal with pollution issues during construction. This can include the controls and systems outlined in the above documents and traffic/delivery considerations.

Monitoring

It is difficult to assess a site’s impact on air quality if no monitoring is carried out, so sites could consider the following:

•Baseline monitoring of air quality levels in the vicinity of the works before the project commences will act as a reference point to identify good and bad practice throughout the project.

•Dust emissions should be monitored through specialised machinery, visual inspections, daily dust logs etc.

•Continuous air quality and particulate monitoring will alert the contractor to any rapid increases in pollutant concentrations, so that mitigation measures can be put in place.

While 84% of survey respondents acknowledge there is an issue with air pollution in the construction industry, nearly two thirds (64%) feel the industry is not doing enough to tackle this issue.

The survey, which involved over 600 respondents from across the UK and Irish construction industries, also revealed:

•91% said air pollution is a nationwide issue.

•88% said the importance of minimising air pollution is being communicated to the workforce on their site.

•62% said their site has appropriate measures in place to address air pollution.

•56% have a good or detailed understanding of air pollution.

•39% have an average understanding of the regulations surrounding air pollution.

Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive, Edward Hardy said:

A staggering 40,000 deaths a year are linked to air pollution in the UK, and many people are suffering long-term health problems caused by poor air quality. As construction is a significant contributor to air pollution, it is essential for the industry to put measures in place to clean up our air by working together to reduce our impact on air quality.

The Scheme’s ‘Spotlight on…air pollution’ campaign provides everyone within the industry access to a practical suite of resources including best practice, guidance and case studies from Scheme-registered construction sites, companies and suppliers on how to tackle this issue, as well as guidance from organisations including the Institute of Air Quality Management, Healthy Air Campaign and the Greater London Authority.

We are proud to be at the forefront of collaborative efforts to tackle air pollution, having partnered with the Institution of Civil Engineers to produce Scheme posters for registered sites, companies and suppliers to raise the issue of air pollution to their workforce. The Institution of Civil Engineers has also recognised the value of the industry being committed to the Considerate Constructors Scheme, having highlighted Scheme registration within its London Air Quality Taskforce report published in 2017.

Professor Peter Hansford FREng FICE, Chair of ICE Air Quality Task Force commented:

The Institution of Civil Engineers is delighted to be partnering with the Scheme for the launch of its ‘Spotlight on…air pollution’ campaign. The Scheme offers a golden opportunity for the industry to ‘up its game’ in relation to air quality around our construction sites and is a key driving force in helping to address this issue across the industry.

For the full report please go here:

https://ccsbestpractice.org.uk/spotlight-on/spotlight-on-air-pollution/#Introduction

Sources: cscscheme.org

Young people

Encouraging young people into Engineering

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2018 is officially the Year of Engineering, and as such a new campaign has been launched to encourage young people into the profession and is part of a year long campaign to tackle the skills gap and widen the pool of young people. 

The Year of Engineering will see government and industry tackle the major skills gap together, with Ministers from across government joining forces with engineers, industry experts and hundreds of businesses to change perceptions around engineering, as well as highlighting the scale of opportunity that careers in the industry hold for young people in the UK.

A shortfall of 20,000 engineering graduates every year is a serious worry and this gap will affect growth in one of the UK’s most productive sectors.

There is also widespread misunderstanding of engineering among young people and their parents and a lack of diversity in the sector – the workforce is 91% male and 94% white.

The pioneering campaign was launched this week at an Inspiring the Future event organised by Year of Engineering partner Education and Employers. The event saw schoolchildren meet engineers with the aim of filling the skills gap and changing misconceptions. Throughout the year, government and its 1,000 partners will deliver a million inspiring experiences of engineering for young people, parents and teachers.

The UK Space Agency will be supporting the campaign by funding a series of education and outreach projects designed to inspire interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling said: “Engineers – whether they are working on cutting-edge technology in aerospace, energy or artificial intelligence – are vital to the lifeblood of our economy.

“We want to show young people and their parents the immense creativity, opportunity and value of the profession. By bringing them face to face with engineering role models and achievements we can send a clear message that engineering careers are a chance for all young people, regardless of gender, ethnicity or social background, to shape the future of this country and have a real impact on the lives of those around them.”

Skills Minister, Anne Milton said: “I want to see everyone whatever their background, wherever they live to have a chance to get a rewarding career or job in engineering whether they come via a technical or academic route.

“The Year of Engineering gives us a great opportunity to work together with business to inspire a new generation of world class engineers. We want to build the science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills that we need for a growing economy, as highlighted in the government’s Industrial Strategy.”

Crossrail Chair Sir Terry Morgan said: “The Year of Engineering will be a fantastic opportunity to inspire others to take a fresh look at engineering and show the range of opportunities there are for training and jobs in this sector. We look forward to showcasing the role engineers have played in creating such an amazing project before the Elizabeth line opens to passengers at the end of 2018.”

Mark Richardson, Ocado Chief Operating Officer, said: “Encouraging more young people to enter the engineering profession is essential to ensure the growth and development of new technologies and businesses in the UK. At Ocado we build the world’s most advanced automated warehouses for online grocery, and we hope our involvement in this campaign will offer young people from diverse backgrounds a real insight into the exciting and rewarding life of an engineer.”

You can support the Year of Engineering by highlighting some of the many different ways that individuals and organisations can #inspireanengineer on social media – follow the hashtag on Twitter to find out more.

For more information please visit their website here