2017 UK Construction Week is launched

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Billed as the largest gathering of the UK’s built environment community, UK Construction Week will make its return to Birmingham NEC from the 10th – 12th October 2017. 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 & Bathrooms Live), HVAC 2017 and Grand Designs Live.

The main stage speakers and seminars include welcomes and introductions from George Clark (Restoration Man), Steph McGovern (BBC Breakfast Business Presenter) and Tom Dyckhoff (broadcaster and historian on architecture, design and cities)

Offsite Construction will be a major theme this year. The industry has embraced the latest technologies that have enabled us to build quicker, more efficiently and at a quality not achievable before. One of the main aims of the event is to showcase innovation in the industry, and to that end the Innovation Trail will show visitors the latest products which are paving a new way of building that hasn’t been seen before.

There will also be some new, specialist awards granted which include Low Carbon Vehicles Awards, BIM Awards, Offsite Awards and the WAN Transport, Concrete in Architecture and Adaptive Reuse Awards. The UK’s best companies in the industry will also be recognised at the Construction Enquirer Awards on the opening night of the show.

Evening entertainment will include a casino night, dodgeball tournament and the popular Beer and Ale festival. The Beer Festival was a big hit with exhibitors and clients in 2016. With over 30 beers on offer and a selection of hot food available, live music and entertainment this area will be the perfect way to unwind after a busy day and a chance to network with clients and colleagues. The Beer festival will be at full capacity both nights and open all day and promises to be the centre of festivities at UK Construction Week.

Nathan Garnett, event director at Media 10, which runs the show, said: “The UK’s construction industry is more topical than ever. Not only is it at the forefront of political debate and public opinion, it’s also clear that we’re moving towards a new age of innovation and change with topics such as off-site construction, modular and BIM driving so many conversations. This will be our biggest event to date, and we’re looking forward to bringing the industry together to debate, learn and do business, as well as showcase a diverse range of products and services.” UK Construction Week 2017 says it will deliver its ‘most comprehensive and diverse’ show to date with support from associations including The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Construction Products Association (CPA) and Builders Merchants Federation (BMF).

For more information please visit the UK construction week website here.

solent barbarians

Broadsword and the local community – Solent Barbarians

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We are pleased to be the main, front of shirt sponsors for the Solent Barbarians this year and we are loving their new kit!

The Solent Barbarians offers players from local clubs the opportunity to unite and demonstrate the ethos of Rugby Union.

We continue to be committed to the development of local sporting teams from grass roots to a semi professional level. We have in the past sponsored Southampton cricket club, Women’s waterside hockey team, Fawley Falcons, Hythe & Dibden FC and Brockenhurst FC.

If you would like to follow the Solent Barbarians this season please go to their twitter page at https://twitter.com/Solent_Babas

We hope you have a great season!

kit

carbon

How can the construction industry reduce its carbon footprint?

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With the threat of global warming constantly looming, reducing the carbon footprint within the construction industry has become a point of upmost importance.

Eco friendly buildings are on the rise in the UK, and pressure is mounting to build in a more environmentally friendly way – so are we reaching our goal? The number of eco friendly construction companies is growing, and those who haven’t started using these methods may fall behind the times.

One of the main ways to become more environmentally friends is by using better insulation. The best ones, made from recycled material, reduce energy waste and have a low environmental impact. Buildings need to ensure that their hot water, heating, lighting and cooling systems all meet energy efficient measures. Windows, doors, vents and roof lights also need to be draught proofed.

Sustainable materials are also crucial. Cement production is responsible for around half of the industry’s CO2 output because of the energy required to make it, and the chemical reactions that are involved. Choosing an alternative cement that has different chemicals or use different methods such as wood, straw bales and compressed soil, have a much lower carbon footprint than cement.

The old adage of reduce, reuse, recycle is an important message with regards to reducing waste. Making sure that materials are not over ordered and recycling where ever possible is key. Sourcing materials locally is also a plus, because it means that there is less need for transporting them, and using materials that can be packed more efficiently and weigh less mean that energy is saved.

Optimising natural light and using solar power can be a great energy saver. Lighting can account for up to 40% of the energy used in a typical commercial building so making savings here seems obvious.

Water usage can also make savings. Efficient fixtures and appliances can reduce water usage. Reduced flush toilets and rain water harvesting are becoming more popular as people seek to reduce their costs as much as possible.

Passive houses are also becoming more prominent. Passive house is a rigorous, voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, reducing its ecological footprint. It results in ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or cooling. Passive House is not a brand name, but a construction concept that can be applied by anyone and that has stood the test of practice.

Carbon reduction is a complex challenge, and companies that can demonstrate green credentials are at the top of the construction sector in the UK. Managing and reducing the carbon footprint is becoming increasingly important in such a fast paced industry as ours.

vacancy

VACANCY: Graduate Construction Estimator

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We are looking for a diligent Graduate Construction Estimator to prepare accurate estimates for projects by gathering information and analysing important metrics.

Responsibilities and duties include but not limited to:

  • Maintaining estimating database
  • Maintaining terms comparison database
  • Producing drawing quantity take offs, compiling and completing BoQ’s
  • Compiling tender information for client submission
  • Liaising with clients and negotiating tender settlements
  • Attending pre let/tender review/handover meetings

About You:

The ideal candidate will have excellent numerical skills and an analytical mindset. You must also be thorough and apt in managing relationships with key persons.

 

For further information and to apply for this role, please go to https://graduatejobs.solent.ac.uk/job/42244/construction-estimator/

Please note the closing date is July 26th.

house in 5 days

Would you like your home built in 5 days?!

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H+H, the UKs largest manufacturer of aircrete blocks and systems, have collaborated with SIG Offsite to create a house that can be built in 5 days!

According to their website, the house provides all the speed of offsite construction with the familiarity of a traditional build, from foundations to roof. The system can encompass the inner leaves of external cavity walls, floors, lintel, cavity closers, insulation and roof trusses. With the inclusion of soffit and fascia, the system delivers the internal skin of a property, fully wrapped and ready for follow-on trades.
Created at a time when there is a demand to increase the volume of house building and when skilled workers are in short supply, the system is a one stop shop for clients – with a single contractor required to deliver the whole house shell.

The system is intended for the construction of domestic houses of up to two storey height, replacing the structure of the inner leaf of external cavity walls, separating walls and internal partitions with storey height Celcon Elements. Installed by the SIG Offsite team, Celcon Elements are craned into place and fixed using H+H element mortar.  Timber I-Joist cassette floors are used in conjunction with the system to maintain the speed of build and roofs are either standard truss construction or the ‘Roofspace I-Roof’ – panelised roof system.  All components are raised into position by crane. Celcon Elements are manufactured from the same intrinsic material as aircrete blocks and have the same performance advantages including excellent thermal performance with reduced heat loss at thermal bridges.

The innovation has recently won the Best Building Fabric Product in the Housebuilder Product Awards 2017 after previously winning a Barratt Developments’ Supplier Excellence Award. An entrance into the Product of the Year category in the Housebuilder Awards 2017 will now come in November.

Well done to H+H and SIG Offsite for the SIG I House System!

FIRAS

Broadsword FIRAS accreditation complete

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We are very proud to announce that we have now been awarded our FIRAS accreditation! We are always looking for ways to enhance the services that we give to our clients, and having this means that we can offer something new.

It has been hard work to complete, and we will still have to undertake rigorous random inspections. We can now enter the FIRAS Register of Certificated Installer Companies!

Firas

FIRAS is a third party certification scheme that verifies the competence of a contractor company to design fire protection systems. As a participant in the scheme the company has to employ appropriately skilled design, supervision and operational staff who have been assessed. FIRAS companies may issue a FIRAS endorsed certificate conformity verifying completion of works where upon an installation certificate may be issued.

Many customers know little about how fire threatens their staff or business or what their legal obligations are. Once Broadsword become certificated we can prove our competence and therefore differentiate from the competition. This means that we can generate new customers and business to companies who see fire risk as an important element of their construction.

FIRAS certified contractors are required to undergo a 3 stage assessment process. Once all the criteria are satisfied certification will be granted.

The 3 stages are as follows:

  • Assessment of office management systems
  • Assessment of workmanship of the site for all trade disciplines for which certification is sought.
  • Competence assessment of supervisory and installation employees.

 

Brexit – what does it mean for the construction industry?

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The latest figures from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) show that eight per cent of the UK’s construction workers are EU nationals, accounting for some 176,500 people. Post Brexit, if the UK looses access to the single market, 176,500 jobs could be under threat which could jeopardise a predicted £500 billion infrastructure pipeline to a standstill. This must be addressed as a priority, according to RICS.

Jeremy Blackburn, head of UK Policy at RICS says that “as the industry’s professional body, we are working with government and industry to develop that skills base, building vital initiatives – such as degree apprenticeships – in our sector to drive the talent pipeline forward.”

The UK is already in the grip of a construction skills crisis. While some overseas professionals are regarded as critical by the UK Government, and are therefore prioritised during the visa application process, construction professions have not yet been added to the ‘UK Shortage Occupations List’. According to Blackburn, quantity surveyors should be included on that list. Some of the professions that are on the list won’t improve our infrastructure or solve the housing crisis, yet their skills are currently viewed as essential, whereas construction professionals are not.

RICS has cautioned that for Brexit to succeed, it is essential to secure continued access to the EU Single Market or to put alternative plans in place to safeguard the future of the property and construction sectors in the UK. Blackburn states that unless access to the single market is secured or alternative plans are put in place, we won’t be able to create the infrastructure needed to enable our cities to compete on a global stage. We have said before that this is a potential stumbling block for the Government, which is working to deliver both its Housing White Paper and Industrial Strategy. Of course, we must also address the need to deliver a construction and property industry that is resilient to future change and can withstand the impact of any future political or economic shocks — key to that will be growing the domestic skills base. As the industry’s professional body, we are working with Government and industry to develop that skills base, building vital initiatives, such as degree apprenticeships, in our sector to drive the talent pipeline forward. This survey reveals that more work needs to be done to promote the indisputable benefits of these schemes to industry — RICS intends to take this forward as a priority.

With Theresa May having officially triggered Article 50 on March 29th, Britain should officially leave the EU no later than April 2019. Last month, planning consultancy Arcadis said that the UK must hire more than 400,000 workers every year for the next five years to meet demand for house building and infrastructure projects, without the threat of foreign workers departing as a result of Brexit.

No member state has ever withdrawn from the EU, so these projections are just that at this stage. Whatever the future holds for construction, Broadsword will continue to use innovative and new approaches to deliver high quality work in all aspects of our business.

Broadsword and the local community

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Archie Adams (3 years old), from Southampton, was diagnosed with transverse myelitis after a trip to the park. He was left unable to move from the neck down, as the rare condition causes spinal damage which requires months of rehabilitation. Two years of treatment followed at Southampton General Hospital and the Children’s Trust Hospital in Tamworth, Surrey.

His parents, Karen and Russell have worked tirelessly to raise money to adapt their home for Archie, and in February their dream came true when Archie was finally able to leave hospital and live with his family again. Volunteers raised thousands of pounds to install life changing facilities for Archie. The flat where the family lived prior to his illness was not suitable for his needs and they had nowhere else to go, so Russells mum donated them her house in Lordswood.

For five months local businesses and volunteers worked to revamp the ground floor of the building to create a bedroom and bathroom for Archie and install 3 hoists which will allow him to move around more easily. Hopefully this will mean that Archie can be as independent as he can.

The project was possible thanks to a donation from Southampton City Council, fundraising activities and the work of local people and businesses, who donated materials and hours of work for free.

Broadsword are proud to have been part of the team that helped Archie, and look forward to watching him make improvements and follow his progress as he goes to school and adapts to his new surroundings.

To help Archie you can donate via here

To follow Archie on Facebook please go here

FIRAS

Broadsword to become FIRAS accredited

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We are always looking at ways in which we can improve our services and offer more. At the moment we are concentrating on achieving our FIRAS accedition.

FIRAS is a third party certification scheme that verifies the competence of a contractor company to design fire protection systems. As a participant in the scheme the company has to employ appropriately skilled design, supervision and operational staff who have been assessed. FIRAS companies may issue a FIRAS endorsed certificate conformity verifying completion of works where upon an installation certificate may be issued.

Many customers know little about how fire threatens their staff or business or what their legal obligations are. Once Broadsword become certificated we can prove our competence and therefore differentiate from the competition. This means that we can generate new customers and business to companies who see fire risk as an important element of their construction.

FIRAS certified contractors are required to undergo a 3 stage assessment process. Once all the criteria are satisfied certification will be granted. The 3 stages are as follows:

Assessment of office management systems
Assessment of workmanship of the site for all trade disciplines for which certification is sought.
Competence assessment of supervisory and installation employees.

We are in the process of following these criteria so that we can become certified as soon as possible. We will keep you updated on our progress!

H&S Vacancy2

VACANCY: Health & Safety Co-ordinator

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Due to the continued expansion of the Broadsword Group we have an exciting opportunity within the business for a permanent, full time Health & Safety Co-Ordinator to work with our current team maintaining and developing our existing systems.

The ideal candidate will be expected to;

  • Assist all departments to undertake detailed RAM’s & implement solutions on any specific issues identified
  • Carry out accident investigations with the assistance of the Management Team
  • Provide information & advice on Health & Safety to all levels
  • Review and implement staff and subcontractor training
  • Carry out site Health and Safety audits throughout the Company
  • Maintain accurate records of assessments & actions
  • Co-ordinate with Broadsword Senior Management and Directors implementing Company directives
  • Co-ordinate and monitor the consistency of site level toolbox talks
  • Complete H&S questionnaires, attend seminars and site H&S meetings
  • Work with clients to ensure continued development, pre-empt industry trends and implement change
  • Work with the current management team to develop existing systems to achieve ISO & SSIP accreditations.

Preferably, the candidate should have industry experience and a formal qualification (NEBOSH or IOSH) or a desire to develop a career with formal training.

Salary package is negotiable and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Please issue CV and covering letter to hello@broadsword-group.co.uk or contact our head office on 02380 675888 if you require any further dialogue.