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The Government plan to boost housebuilding via relaxed nutrient neutrality laws has failed, as the House of Lords voted down the amendment to the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill.
As the amendment was introduced at a late stage in the legislative process, the proposed nutrient neutrality reform cannot go back to the House of Commons for consideration and must be presented again in a new bill- effectively starting from scratch.
Housing secretary Michael Gove and environment secretary Thérèse Coffey debuted the plans in late August, saying that “these changes will provide a multibillion-pound boost for the UK economy and see us build more than 100,000 new homes.”
Developers have criticised the nutrient neutrality laws for causing housebuilding delays with excessive product costs and approval delays.
The subject has been strongly divisive not only between developers and environmental groups, but between the government and the opposition.
Shadow spokesperson for levelling up, housing, communities and local government in the House of Lords Baroness Hayman, told the chamber: “It is abundantly clear that there are far better ways to build the new homes we need than at the expense of our precious environment… polluting our rivers is not a price we need to pay for sufficient housing supply.”
Shadow minister Nick Thomas-Symonds had previously criticised the issue as “an entirely bogus dilemma”. Speaking to Radio 4, his reponse was blunt: “Don’t pretend it’s a choice between looking after our environment and building more houses, because it isn’t.”
Meanwhile Michael Gove said that Labour was depriving “the dream of homeownership for thousands of families”, through mobilising their peers to reject the nutrient neutrality reforms.
Karen Allso, managing consultant – Site Solutions at Ramboll commented: “The adoption of a catchment scale management approach could, in principle, be pragmatic. However, it would be necessary to further develop the standards and criteria for management of such a plan such that it can be demonstrated that a scientific and evidence-based approach is being taken. Without this evidence, planning authorities may be left without the certainty which they require to demonstrate that no additional nutrients would be added to the catchment of an ecologically designated site and thus that the requirements of the Habitats Regulations are being met.
“It is also notable that some of the strategic measures detailed by the government are either in existence already or would have been implemented irrespective of the proposed changes, with little evidence to support any material improvements achieved so far.
“The outcome from the House of Lords indicates that the uncertainty surrounding how the proposed changes would enable the Habitats Regulations to be met is significant. It will be interesting to see what next steps the Government may take in the House of Commons, including whether the matter will now be closed or if a further amendment to the Levelling-Up Regeneration Bill will be put forwards. In the meantime, the existing requirements and regulations remain in place, leaving housebuilders, regulators and those involved in nutrient credit transactions in a state of limbo”.
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Kier has reported a sharp increase in profit and cash. The company made a £51.9m pre-tax profit in the year to 30 June 2023, a 226 per cent increase on the £15.9m made the year before. Its adjusted profit before tax stood at £104.8m –…
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Vectorworks 2024 is now available, bringing a range of exciting and innovative technology updates designed to minimize labor, boost efficiency, increase precision and elevate organizational capabilities.
The English-language version of the design software aims to streamline designer’s workflows from start to finish, whilst empowering them to maximise the creative potential of their projects.
“Our goal is to empower designers with tools and resources that boost their creativity,” said Vectorworks chief technology officer Steve Johnson. “With Vectorworks 2024, we have taken this mission to new heights through groundbreaking new features, user experience enhancements and a strong focus on quality and performance. These advances will significantly accelerate our users’ design experiences, from the initial spark of an idea to the ultimate realization of a project.”
From a modernized user interface to the introduction of Viewport Styles and continued dedication to providing a data difference, designers will have access to new functionalities that enable efficient exploration of design concepts with this latest version, enabling a more rapid design development and documentation process.
The reorganized View and Mode bars offer users a wide range of tools for easy access and organization. The new option to save custom viewport settings as styles allows for easy transfer between viewports, reducing errors and increasing efficiency. Referencing Excel files’ data enhances connectivity and collaborative data capabilities.
Plus, improvements to Shaded rendering enable designers to achieve higher levels of realism and confidently assess their designs with improved shadow casting and camera settings.
Vectorworks 2024 enables customers to experience more freedom when transforming models with the new 3D Dragger. With re-engineered section viewport rendering, they’ll also be able to navigate rendered sections or clipped models quicker than ever before.
Optimization of DWG import/export capabilities eliminates the tedious task of file cleanup, and a simplified file structure that includes graphic overrides of layer and class settings offers faster workflows.
Architects require flexibility to bring their best ideas to life, and Vectorworks 2024 includes improvements specifically intended to meet this necessity.
The new version significantly upgrades users’ BIM workflows with features and tools that save time while they design and help reduce errors in the modeling and documentation process.
Users will find increased detail and material specification levels for doors and windows, enhanced stair functionality, improved graphic legend capability and robust, newly redefined parametric railing and cabinet objects.
Improvements to the Wall tool allow designers to stay in their creative flow, switch linear and curved wall modes seamlessly and apply multiple configurations of wall component returns to inserted objects, offering flexibility with less effort.
Additional improvements to wall, slab and roof texturing make applying textures to these architectural objects simpler, letting users focus on more complex construction details.
With new structural member improvements, customers will find more significant control over 2D and 3D attributes, material, shape and size for styled and instance-based parameters. And with control of auto-joining, they will streamline their documentation with these objects.
Vectorworks is dedicated to equipping landscape architects and designers with user-friendly tools that seamlessly incorporate BIM into their workflows. Improved visual and organizational capabilities, plus a new automated Fence tool, help users take their creativity further in Vectorworks 2024.
The automated Fence tool saves significant time while designing in 2D or 3D and reduces the chance of errors in material specifications. The new Landmark Color Palette provides an efficient nature-focused color selection experience.
Users can easily access the specific colors they need to communicate design intentions. Legends for Site Model Analysis also offer the ability to communicate design decisions promptly and effectively.
Users will have better control over the graphical output of site model snapshots with the ability to include a legend to help clients better understand annotations, and a highly customizable color scale ensures users can include critical information about slope ranges and elevation values.
The latest improvements from Vectorworks 2024 bring everyday quality and performance improvements to lighting and live event workflows, reducing the amount of manual work so live event professionals can accurately deliver designs to clients and collaborators more efficiently.
The new Equipment Lists feature unifies the equipment and inventory tracking process, providing the tools to plan and document equipment and streamlining the preproduction process.
For ConnectCAD users, the “Share Reports” command uploads design data to Vectorworks Cloud Services as a configurable worksheet to view in a web browser on any device, and the new unified 3D Rack workflow saves even more time, providing the ability to quickly design and edit equipment racks in 3D with required 2D objects created automatically.
The release of localized language versions will begin in October and conclude in the first quarter of 2024.
Vectorworks Service Select and subscription users can download Vectorworks 2024 when the product is released in their local markets.
You can try out a free trial of Vectorworks 2024 here.
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In our regular legal column from Eversheds Sutherland, we hear from Catherine Henney and Charlotte Wood who explore the fire safety legal framework and guidance.
Charlotte Wood is a Senior Associate in Eversheds Sutherland’s Environment, Health and Safety Team.
The fire safety legal landscape has seen significant change in recent times, triggered by the fatal fire at Grenfell Tower in June 2017.
Since then a phased Public Inquiry has been held, which has examined the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire. The Public Inquiry and Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review has put a spotlight on the suitability of the legal regime governing fire and building safety and since then there has been incremental legislative change.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 (“the Act”) was the first major step change, which extended the scope of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (“FSO”) to apply, in circumstances where a building contains two or more sets of domestic premises, to the building’s structure, external walls (including cladding, windows, doors and anything attached to those walls such as balconies) and all flat entrance doors leading onto common parts.
The Government has produced a Risk Prioritisation Tool and associated ‘risk based-guidance’ which is intended to assist a ‘responsible person’ with understanding the fire safety risk profile of a building, and in determination of this, implementing suitable control measures as mitigation. This guidance can be used by a ‘responsible person’ to demonstrate compliance with the FSO and Act.
This is a common question and can be a legal conundrum. Going back to basics, the definition of ‘a responsible person’ (which can be an individual or corporate entity) has been legally defined since the enactment of the FSO. It includes:
In the case of a workplace, the employer; and / or
The person who has ‘control of premises’ in connection of carrying out a business such as the owner, managing agent or residents’ management company
Duties are placed on other persons, who by virtue of a contract or tenancy, are ‘in control of premises’, having an obligation to maintain or repair premises or ensuring the safety of premises. This captures risk assessors, fire system maintainers and facility management companies.
Further reading: The Building Safety Act 2022: ‘Accountable Persons’ and ‘Principle Accountable Persons’ – What do these terms mean?
It is trite law, that there can (and often is) more than one ‘responsible person’. In complex commercial arrangements or for large multi-occupied premises, it is not often clear cut who the responsible person is – and in the absence of this clarity, it can cause issues in relation to governance and fire safety management arrangements.
At the most basic level, a tenancy and/or commercial arrangement should clearly define roles and responsibilities, an understanding of what this means in practice and assurance activities to ensure duties are being fulfilled, competently and in accordance with legal duties.
On 23 January 2023, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (“the Regulations”) came into force in England only. The Regulations apply to multi-occupied residential premises with common parts which are used in the event of emergency evacuation including:
Blocks of residential flats for use by the public, regardless of whether purpose built or converted and the type of agreement i.e. lease or rental
Student accommodation
Sheltered housing
Mixed use buildings such as residential premises, above commercial
As in the case of the Act, the Regulations apply to external walls and flat entrance doors. They also extend to common parts, such as corridors and stairways on evacuation routes, walls and floors that separate domestic premises and plant rooms and other non-domestic common areas, such as gyms and offices.
Individual flats are exempt except where there are linked fire safety systems that are installed throughout the building as in the case of sprinklers, smoke detectors and communal fire alarm.
Catherine Henney is a Legal Director in Eversheds Sutherland’s Environment, Health and Safety Team.
The responsible person must provide easy to understand information to residents such as:
the evacuation strategy
how to report a fire to emergency services
relevant information about fire doors (i.e. instructions to keep shut when not in use, not to tamper with them and reporting of faults)
This information must be displayed in a prominent part of the building, provided to occupants as soon as they move in, refreshed annually and updated information shared where there have been material changes to the content.
The extent of the legal duties ultimately depends on the height of a building and there are additional requirements beyond providing information to residents.
For buildings over 11m in height (typically over 5 storeys), responsible persons must undertake annual inspections of individual flat entrance doors and quarterly inspections on communal fire doors to check the condition and efficiency of fire doors and associated safety features such as self-closing devices.
According to the Regulations, high risk (which are by definition higher risk) residential buildings means a building containing two or more sets of domestic premises that is at least:
18 metres above ground (calculated from ground level to the height of the building, excluding the top storey that contains only plant and machinery); or
has at least 7 storeys. When calculating the storeys, any storey below ground level and mezzanine floor that has a floor space of less than 50% is discounted.
In addition to the other requirements mentioned in this briefing, in respect of high rise residential buildings, responsible persons must also ensure the following:
Install in a prominent position and maintain (at least annually) a secure information box, which includes the name, address and contact details of the responsible person or any other person who is permitted to access the building on behalf of the responsible person, and a copy of the floor plans and building plan.
Document information about the design of the external building (including the risk of design and materials used when constructed) and any other pertinent information that may be relevant when responding to an emergency incident (such as any known defects in the construction). This information must be provided to the local fire and rescue service, in electronic form.
Prepare a building plan for each floor, which must identify location(s) of all lifts (including any designed for use by firefighters or for evacuation) and essential fire-fighting equipment such as rising mains, smoke control systems and fire suppression systems. This must be provided to the local fire and rescue service, in electronic form.
Prepare a single-one page building plan, identifying (amongst other requirements) the building’s use, dimensions, number of storeys, access points and inlets for both dry and wet rising mains.
Undertake monthly routine checks on lifts and essential fire-fighting equipment, such as fire detection and alarm systems, evacuation alert systems and automatic door release mechanisms. The purpose is to ensure that such equipment is in efficient working order and in good repair. Any faults identified, that continue beyond 24 hours, must be reported to the local fire and rescue service and again when a repair has been undertaken.
Ensure that the building contains suitable signage on each landing, which identifies the flat and floor numbers. Such signage must be visible in the event of fire, in particular low level lighting and smoky conditions.
The local fire and rescue service is the relevant regulator for the FSO, the Act and the Regulations. They have statutory powers to serve enforcement notices (requiring the responsible person to take steps to comply with the law) or prohibition notice (preventing the use of whole or part of premises). The regulator can bring criminal proceedings, where a breach of law has been identified, where an unlimited fine can be levied (and in the case of an individual, an unlimited fine, and/or a custodial sentence for up to 2 years).
In our experience, the following top tips will assist a responsible person with demonstrating compliance:
Cooperation and Coordination: where there is one or more responsible persons to which the FSO, Act and Regulations apply, a co-operated and co-ordinated approach to fire risk management must be applied. Roles and responsibilities must be clearly defined and followed. Whilst there is no requirement to document such arrangements, this should be encouraged to avoid ambiguity. Ongoing assurance of compliance with respective duties will provide an additional layer of reassurance.
Review and update fire risk assessments as is necessary, ensuring that all requirements are captured.
Appoint a competent person to assist with compliance. A responsible person need not appoint consultants or experts, and can rely on internal resource, provided that the nominated employee has sufficient training, competence and time. Where external contractors are appointed, the responsible persons must undertake assurance of the qualifications, skills, experience and competence to undertake the role (i.e. as in the case of risk assessors) on appointment and throughout the contract, at necessary intervals to ensure that delegated duties are being carried out.
Record keeping is key – including the date and outcome of fire door inspections, date of residents’ briefings, fire risk assessments prepared and updated and any actions arising from those etc.
Work with and maintain a good relationship with occupiers, to highlight the importance of the requirements under the Regulations and that their active engagement is necessary, particularly where annual access is required to carry out checks on individual flat entrance doors. Guidance issued by the Government advises that all new agreements, such as leases, should include a right to access for the purpose of undertaking checks to maintain compliance with the Regulations.
Engage with the local fire and rescue service to provide necessary information. An invitation to undertake a familiarisation tour of the building will enhance the emergency evacuation arrangements.
Charlotte Wood is a Senior Associate in Eversheds Sutherland’s Environment, Health and Safety Team. She can be contacted on CharlotteWood@eversheds-sutherland.com. Catherine Henney is a Legal Director in Eversheds Sutherland’s Environment, Health and Safety Team. She can be contacted on CatherineHenney@eversheds-sutherland.com.
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Duncan Kirkwood is joining national building products company PermaGroup, in collaboration with long-standing director Adrian Buttress.
No stranger to the managing director role, Duncan brings more than 30 years of experience in the roofing and building products industry, having held senior positions at the likes of Marley Building Materials, Icopal Limited and most recently as MD of Carlisle Construction Materials.
Duncan will take on much of the day-to-day activities working with Adrian on the strategic development plans.
Duncan said: “I’ve known of PermaGroup for many years and have always admired the business and Adrian’s vision for it. For me, now is the perfect time to take on this new challenge at a business that I really believe in. I just love roofing and have been passionate about it my entire career, but I’m equally excited to expand my knowledge to the other areas of the business including modular builds and fencing – I can see real opportunities to grow the group as a whole.”
Duncan added: “With me being based in the south, I’ve got fantastic connections that can further expand PermaGroup’s presence down here and into London. Adrian and I already have ambitious plans that we can’t wait to action but for me, it starts internally.
“Company culture is hugely important, and I’m eager to implement things that improve on what Adrian has already established across the group. Of course, no company growth can happen unless the employees and clients are brought on the journey too.”
PermaGroup has plans to extend its products, services and training capabilities, with its successful PermaRoof Registered Installer Scheme potentially rolling out across other facets of the business.
Adrian said: “Welcoming Duncan to the team is exactly the right move for us to take the next steps as a business. We both have the best interests of PermaGroup in mind, not just for the investors but for our team and clients too and we’re excited to unlock the business’ full potential.
“It’s fantastic to have Duncan’s expertise and a fresh pair of eyes on the PermaGroup, ready to drive it forward and I’m eager for us to start working together.”
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The United Kingdom’s housing market is on the cusp of a revolutionary transformation, driven by the rapid evolution of construction technology and the resulting trends.
These emerging innovations are not only reshaping the way houses are erected but also wielding a considerable influence on property prices, demand, and the broader housing market landscape.
The advent of modular construction is heralding a new era of efficiency and expediency in the housing sector.
This approach involves prefabricating components of homes in controlled factory settings, subsequently assembling them on-site.
This not only curtails construction timelines but also minimises wastage while ensuring consistent quality. The surge of modular construction could potentially strengthen housing supply.
The realm of architectural design is being dramatically redefined by the advent of 3D printing technology. This innovative technique facilitates the creation of intricate and bespoke building elements with remarkable precision.
From ornate facades to custom-designed interior features, 3D printing empowers architects and builders to materialise their creative visions during design and construction stages.
While the initial costs of 3D printing may be higher, its potential to deliver strikingly unique properties could influence property prices within the luxury and high-end segments.
A surge in environmental awareness is propelling the adoption of sustainable building practices. This construction technology trend encompasses the use of energy-efficient materials and the seamless integration of renewable energy sources.
As eco-conscious consumers increasingly prioritise green living spaces, properties instilled with sustainable attributes are expected to command premium prices.
Furthermore, the widespread adoption of sustainable practices might contribute to a more harmonised housing market by catering to the rapidly growing demand for eco-responsible homes.
The concept of smart homes, powered by the Internet of Things (IoT), is fundamentally reshaping the way we engage with our living environments.
Automated lighting, temperature control, security systems, and entertainment features all seamlessly integrate within these technologically advanced abodes. Homes replete with IoT devices and smart functionalities may witness heightened demand, particularly from technologically inclined buyers.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are revolutionising property marketing and sales strategies. These technologies empower potential buyers to undertake virtual tours of homes and thoroughly explore spaces before they are physically constructed.
This immersive encounter expedites decision-making processes and augments comprehension of property layouts.
As VR and AR continue to integrate into property marketing, their role in fostering informed choices could have substantial implications on demand patterns.
Amid these technological advancements, the importance of structural warranties cannot be overstated. Providing a safety net against unforeseen structural defects, a reliable structural warranty offers unparalleled peace of mind to homeowners and property buyers.
Among the array of options, the one that BW Build Warranty® offers stands as a beacon of trust and comprehensive coverage. With its technology driven site auditing processes, it leads to more robust quality assurances and all-encompassing protection.
They ensure that properties are fortified against potential structural challenges, securing the future for homeowners, while positively influencing property demand and prices.
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Our mission at SFS is to maximise the success of all collaborative projects – with safety and sustainable building at the very core.
Seeking technical design advice from product manufacturers during early work stages means project-specific solutions can be developed; and be aligned with the desired sustainable construction outcomes. It’s then possible to demonstrate to clients the value that a particular solution will provide; through long-term performance and lower whole-life energy and carbon emissions, for example.
The nature of the design advice can vary by project. It is likely to feature U-value calculations for the building envelope, giving a more accurate idea of wall thickness. It might also feature Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which can be used to help calculate a project’s overall environmental impact.
Nowhere is the environmental impact of human activity more evident than in the construction industry and what the construction sector contributes. In the UK alone, the sector uses around 400m tonnes of materials every year.
Around a quarter of that becomes waste, despite dwindling supplies of finite raw materials. And yet, as global populations continue to grow and become more urbanised, the worldwide demand for raw materials will increase.
How do we reconcile our ongoing need for buildings with the environmental impact that construction activity has on the planet? Robust building envelope specifications are required – which not only aim to meet the needs of ‘now’ but also help to ensure the building makes a constructive contribution to the planet for a positive future.
Efficiency is essential. That does not just mean the thermal efficiency of the building envelope. The concept of efficiency can be applied at any and all stages of a project.
It starts from the outset by asking whether new construction is necessary or can a client’s needs be met using an existing asset. If a new building is required, how can it be designed to use resources efficiently and to reduce, or even eliminate, waste? How can it be delivered efficiently on-site?
Being clear about what sustainable building means in the construction industry or on a construction project is easier said than done. There are many contrasting opinions and conflicting sources of advice. It is challenging to specify products that lower the operational emissions of a building, even before thinking about raw material sourcing, in-use maintenance and repair, and what will happen to the building at the end of its life.
Manufacturers are keen to promote the sustainability benefits of their products, but a robust specification is one that uses materials because they support the long-term goals of the project and not just because they claim to be ‘low carbon’ or contain a lot of recycled content.
Awareness around embodied carbon is increasing within the construction industry, and it is likely to become legislated in the near future. Reductions in embodied carbon can mean a project is using resources more efficiently simply by using less of them.
In the context of the linear economy, however, where materials and products are still routinely disposed of at the end of their life, is embodied carbon the right long-term metric?
By looking at materials and products in terms of their whole-life impact, we can start to shift the construction industry towards a circular economy approach.
The availability of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) supports this. When manufacturers can supply EPDs that report on all lifecycle impacts, specifiers are better placed to make all-embracing informed decisions. Metals such as steel and aluminum have high embodied carbon, but we can think about how to design with them in a way that takes advantage of their strength and durability.
Designing components for reuse means that when a building reaches the end of its useful life, it can be disassembled, and the components used on a new site. Demand for raw materials and new products is reduced. And even though these metals are infinitely recyclable, the environmental impact associated with the recycling process is avoided too.
Switching to a longer-term frame of reference means having information available to understand products in a different way. That is a key area in which specifiers and manufacturers can work together, and the collaborations are most effective when they happen in the early stages of a project.
It becomes possible to know more about where raw materials are sourced from and how far they have traveled to be made into a construction product and then delivered to the site. It means understanding how components perform in use and how they contribute to the overall performance of the building. It means knowing how a product can be handled at the end of the building’s life.
Current building regulations do not include requirements for these aspects of building design and specification. The focus remains on the operational efficiency of buildings. Important as that is, there is a lot more to sustainability. The transition away from fossil fuels means designing buildings with high levels of building fabric performance and efficiency specified renewable technology.
Engaging with manufacturers means specifiers can work to design a building envelope that is capable of incorporating renewable as part of the system, thereby achieving long-term sustainability.
You can learn more about robust, sustainable building envelope specifications and the benefits of engaging with product manufacturers in our series of technical papers in ‘SFS Talks’ here: https://uk.sfs.com/knowledge-hub/sfs-talks
Find out more about how SFS UK is working to reduce waste, be more energy efficient, and create a more sustainable future for all by visiting our sustainability page here.
Hitesh Pattni
For more information on Defining Robust Specifications, go to our Whitepaper: https://uk.sfs.com/knowledge-hub/sfs-talks/specifications/planning
For further information, call 0330 0555888 or visit https://uk.sfs.com/
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