Category: Uncategorized

Previously set at 30 metres, second staircases will now be required in all buildings taller than 18 metres, per housing secretary Michael Gove

The tightening of regulations concerning a second staircase was announced in a speech yesterday (24 July 2023), where housing secretary Michael Gove announced a raft of planned reforms to planning rules to boost the delivery of new homes.

The revised 18 metres threshold follows consultations last year, which set the standard at 30 metres.

London mayor Sadiq Khan then made second staircases a legal requirement in buildings over 30 metres, via the Greater London Authority’s planning department refusal sign off to noncompliant plans.

Gove said that the plans would offer definitive guidelines for developers regarding second staircase installation and that “transitional arrangements” would accommodate projects already underway.

Gove added that the move “responds to the call from the sector for coherence and certainty”.

“This is a considered and gradual evolution of safety standards, which, when taken with our other fire-safety measures and reforms, ensures the safety of people in all tall buildings – both new and existing,” he said.

The announcement was well received by industry voices

RIBA President Simon Allford said: “This is a significant moment. Over six years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, it is hugely positive and reassuring to see the Government listening to the united call of experts on fire safety, bringing greater coherence and certainty for industry.

“Mandating second staircases in new homes over 18 metres is a vital step towards a safer built environment for all. We are pleased to have played our part in this.”

Eddie Tuttle, director of policy, external affairs and research at CIOB, said: “The safety of residents and emergency services workers is paramount and can never be understated.

“We have always believed the proposal to mandate secondary staircases for buildings over 18 metres tall to be the best solution as it provides a more comprehensive strategy in ensuring all high-risk buildings have more than one means of a safe entrance and exit.

“Not only does it make exiting buildings in the event of an emergency easier, but it also allows emergency workers to avoid interruption.”

The post Second staircase threshold lowered to 18 metres appeared first on Planning, Building & Construction Today.

Read More

The post The challenges of managing driver distraction appeared first on SHP – Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, CPD and Resources.

Read More

Tim Whitley, director of decarbonisation and sustainability at Arup, discusses a new report setting out a pathway to decarbonisation for the UK’s higher education institutions

The UK’s higher education institutions are, as large estate portfolio owners, in a unique position to lead the charge in decarbonisation to meet the country’s net zero targets. As a result, they are under growing pressure from funders, staff and prospective students to decarbonise.

Against this background, it is promising to see the industry making decarbonisation a strategic imperative. Higher education institutions have set ambitious goals, often decades ahead of the UK’s 2050 new zero ambition, and which often also incorporate indirect Scope 3 emissions. Despite this, the sector has found itself struggling to adapt at the speed required.

In response, Arup has leveraged its expertise across property, sustainability and decarbonisation to launch a new report – From Commitment to Reality: Delivering Ambitious Decarbonisation Targets in the Higher Education Sector – which outlines an eight-step “Pathway to Decarbonisation” for the UK’s 160-plus academic establishments.

It uses a systematic approach to decarbonisation, allowing institutions to visualise where change could be most effective, affordable and practical in the short, mid and long term.

Ultimately, the focus is on ensuring institutions do not just address the pressing issues they’re facing today but consider futureproofing to mitigate against the challenges of tomorrow.

Considering Scope 3 emissions

The UK’s universities and higher education institutions emit 1.4m tonnes of CO2 annually, when considering their emissions associated with the burning of fossil fuels and purchased electricity. This does not take into account Scope 3 emissions, which could be up to 25 times greater; for a typical university, these might include the purchasing of goods and services, student accommodation, student commuting, business travel and financed sources.

Decarbonising these emissions relies heavily on interventions to change behaviours and the conscious choice of individuals, making them much more complex and difficult to plan for, measure and influence when compared to heat and energy decarbonisation approaches.

A pathway to campus decarbonisation

The successful delivery of a decarbonisation commitment can be broken down into a multi-pronged action plan. Each stage comes with challenges and considerations, and this particular pathway has been designed to help institutions prioritise their efforts.

Step 1: Define and own

Historically, the ownership of decarbonisation targets sat within an isolated department. However, increased ambitions mean the delivery of university targets must go beyond the remit of traditional estates or sustainability teams. The integration of awareness and ownership across the organisation is essential, which requires buy-in, engagement and the right cultural context. Critically, this should cover both academic and professional services departments.

Step 2: Understand

Creating an accurate picture of emissions sources both now and in the future provides the necessary insight to develop targeted decarbonisation strategies. This picture must be robust to ensure efforts are spent proportionately and focused in the right areas. However, there is a balance to strike and, in certain cases, a need to move away from over-accurate, resource-heavy accounting processes.

Step 3: Plan

There is often conflict between decarbonisation and the strategic direction of many universities, such as physical campus expansion. New buildings come with large emissions price tags, namely through the procurement of materials and the construction processes required in their delivery. Being open and transparent about these strategic conflicts is key to building a consensus across higher education for opportunities to reduce emissions.

Step 4: Prioritise

An approach that includes phasing many technical interventions and huge cultural shifts is required. Priority actions should be balanced to ensure it is not just easy wins being phased first. The longer-term programmes of work that bring the necessary structural and system changes need to start now, with enough time for them to be embedded before commitment dates are reached.

Step 5: Collaborate

Collaboration across the sector will be required to achieve the necessary culture shifts and move away from these high-emission practices, such as travel to conferences and networking. Only through sector-wide consensus, with buy-in from the academic community and their governing bodies, will change be possible.

Step 6: Finance

The financial cost of decarbonisation is complex. Having a clear understanding of the cost of decarbonising vs not decarbonising is crucial. One of the key questions facing all universities is how to pay for their decarbonisation programmes. These costs can come in a range of different forms, from large capital expenditure to increased operational costs. However, these costs should be balanced with the cost of not delivering on decarbonisation commitments, including the reputational damage, resulting in associated losses to income.

Step 7: Implement

Successful implementation will require a shift in most university cultures, regardless of whether their strategy is integrated, or if their delivery model is built upon shared ownership and accountability. In the long run, stakeholders will buy into what is valued and rewarded by the institution.

Step 8: Monitor

One of the biggest battles when trying to monitor progress is the limitation of certain quantification methods. Improving some of these shortcomings for procurement emission calculation is heavily reliant on the understanding of university suppliers. To ensure accurate measurement, it is fundamental that they are able to provide emissions data in the correct format. The onus is on the university to ask the right questions and be willing to provide the necessary support to suppliers.

A roadmap to making decarbonisation ambitions become reality for high education

These eight steps should act as a vital roadmap, providing the necessary impetus to make ambitions a reality. Crucially, it provides a clear outline as to the priority areas of focus.

The climate emergency has led to a shift in public and political attitudes and an increased level of scrutiny on the need to decarbonise. With no signs of abating, these education establishments must act now in order to guarantee their survival for future generations.

 

Tim Whitley

Director of decarbonisation and sustainability

 

Arup

Tel: +44 (0)161 602 9316

tim.whitley@arup.com

www.arup.com

Twitter

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

The post How decarbonisation will help higher education institutions realise their ambitious net zero goals appeared first on Planning, Building & Construction Today.

Read More

The programme to restore the Palace of Westminster underspent its budget in the first quarter of the financial year, despite the urgent need to make the historic parliamentary buildings safe. A report from the Houses of Parliament’s Restoration and Renewal board on its activities from…

The post Parliament refurb sees procurement delays despite ‘catastrophic’ risk appeared first on Construction News.

Read More

The government’s major-projects body has flagged “significant issues” at the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), just over two months ahead of the new watchdog assuming its full responsibilities. In its annual report for 2022/23, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) has given the body, which will…

The post ‘Significant issues’ flagged at Building Safety Regulator appeared first on Construction News.

Read More

A new use-case suggests AI could have a significant impact on workplace ergonomics in vehicle manufacturing. Matthew Hart at Soter Analytics explains more.

An alarming reality confronts the UK’s economy, with preventable workplace injuries leading to an annual loss of a staggering £18.8 billion, equating to 1.2% of its GDP. The numbers underscore the scale of the issue: 123 work-related fatalities and 565,000 employee injuries in 2021/22 alone. Half of these injuries are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which exacerbate the economic strain by draining an additional £2.3 billion annually. These statistics underline the urgency for innovative, effective solutions to safeguard workplace safety.

Beyond automation

The automotive industry, though known for embracing automation and advanced technologies, is less recognised for innovations in workplace safety. Yet, this crucial aspect of operations has recently seen ground-breaking improvements through the strategic integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and wearable technology. ADVICS North America Inc., an automotive brake system provider, provides a compelling case study.

To achieve effective injury prevention at a greater level, ADVICS recognised the limitations of traditional methods. While overall injury rates had been declining over the years, ergonomic injuries remained stubbornly persistent. Acknowledging the need for a proactive, behavioural-focused approach, ADVICS turned towards technological solutions.

The cornerstone of this new strategy was leveraging AI in two unique ways: a sensor-free video processing software programme and a wearable device that offered real-time feedback. The former utiliszed human motion analysis to evaluate angles or risks, while the latter attached to the worker’s shirt collar or arm strap, identifying high-risk movements of the spine or shoulder. Importantly, all movement data was funnelled into a management dashboard and a worker companion app for insightful hazard tracking.

Transforming mindsets

The goal ADVICS’ endeavour was not just about integrating technology, it was about transforming mindsets. The organisation successfully tackled a significant challenge – convincing engineers of the impact of small, repetitive worker motions. An illustrative example of this is when a team member struggled with reaching the empty bin return conveyor, a task required hundreds of times per shift. Safety and engineering collaborated, tested multiple configurations, and eventually achieved a 23% overall risk reduction by merely moving the conveyor 3 inches closer to the operator. This AI-driven approach also enhanced the speed and effectiveness of ergonomic assessments, transforming the company’s job hazard analysis program.

The process, initially a time-consuming endeavour, became streamlined, with the software able to complete an ergonomic assessment in just 5-10 minutes. This practical application of technology reinforced the validity of changes based on actual ergonomic data and feedback, rather than assumptions.

Positive impact

The impact of the wearable devices on workplace safety with real-time feedback led to a 61% reduction in spine risks and a 41% reduction in shoulder risks and served as an educational tool, helping both new and long-standing employees gain a better understanding of daily ergonomic risks and how to avoid them. The wealth of data these wearables can amass is a powerful resource, allowing for the identification of potential risks and facilitating proactive measures to prevent injuries and bolster safety. While the use of this device is not mandatory at ADVICS, it is highly recommended, with workers giving positive feedback on the coaching and acknowledging the benefits of the program.

The company also intends to implement a rotating system to ensure that all employees use the device annually. This innovative step aims to eliminate bad habits that might develop over time and use the program as an ongoing educational tool, rather than a one-time initiative.

Human-centred approach

Wearable technology stands as a burgeoning solution to mitigate workplace hazards, with its market poised for substantial growth. However, according to a recent conversation between Work to Zero and AIHA, adopting a human-centered approach when deploying wearables, including employees in the piloting process, is essential to foster enhanced acceptance and engagement. Choosing the right technology is not a task to be taken lightly. It calls for careful consideration of factors such as employee needs, compatibility with the organiszation’s existing systems, and crucially, data privacy concerns.

ADVICS’ approach to workplace ergonomics underscores the transformative potential of AI in enhancing workplace safety. By utilizing technology to monitor and modify everyday behaviours, they have successfully bridged the gap between traditional safety protocols and the dynamic realities of modern workplaces.

The post AI in action: Reshaping ergonomic safety strategies in the automotive industry appeared first on SHP – Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, CPD and Resources.

Read More

The new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive will affect the ESG reporting of nearly 50,000 companies. Charlie Knapp at Intelex Technologies outlines what to expect and how to prepare for the changes.

The expectation for companies to align their business with environment, social and governance (ESG) factors is increasing at a rapid rate. Improving awareness of sustainability issues, and the impact that these can have on economic value, mean that companies are coming under rising pressure to tackle their negative impact on society and the environment and to demonstrate effective, regulatory-compliant corporate leadership and practices.

In response, the European Union (EU) is bringing sustainability reporting in line with financial reporting, with the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Effective from 2024, the new regulations mean that companies operating in the European Economic Area (EAA) will need to be more detailed in their sustainability reporting. Covering issues such as environmental, social and human rights, plus governance factors, companies will be required to audit and disclose both the effect of their business on the world around it and the impact of these concerns on their business.

Ultimately, more than 75% of businesses in the EEA will need to disclose their ESG performance. The CSRD regulations will introduce significant changes for what companies will need to report, what data they will need, and what processes they are required to have in place. All of this can be seen as a daunting undertaking to implement and achieve, especially for those larger companies needing to meet the earlier deadline for when the reporting regulations come into place.

We hear from many business leaders that their current sustainability reporting approaches won’t take them where they need to go. Increasingly complex reporting needs, isolated information silos, and laborious data transformations hinder timely insight sharing and proactive action.

What are the new rules?

The implementation of the reporting directive is set by the European Commission to facilitate the achievement of the Green Deal targets and to define a common reporting framework for non-financial data. The directives aim to increase the quality of information and transparency about companies’ environmental and social impact.

The new framework will see the rollout of the disclosure principle called ‘double materiality’ which requires companies to report on how sustainability issues impact their business and how their operations in turn affect people and the planet.

These new regulations updates previous corporate sustainability reporting under the 2014 Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), a regulatory framework that mandates sizeable public interest entities to report on their sustainability performance since 2018 – which some companies will already have been following. In being more ambitious than NFRD, with advanced rules that extend beyond the continent, CSRD regulations pitch Europe as a frontrunner in the reporting standards space – laying the foundation globally.

Which companies will be affected?

Compared to 12,000 companies reporting under the NFRD, almost 50,000 companies are expected to be impacted by the CSRD, making up 75% of business in the EEA.

The new reporting rules initially apply to large public-interest companies with more than 500 employees:

Companies listed on regulated markets in the EU (apart from listed micro-enterprises), and large companies;
Listed small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), although there will be a transitional period when SMEs can opt out until 2028;
Non-EU companies with a net turnover of €150 million in the EU, and with at least one subsidiary or branch in the union.

What information is required?

In addition to the NFRD reporting requirements, these companies will need to report on the following:

Sustainability strategy and business model.
Sustainability governance.
Materiality assessment of sustainability-related impacts, risks and opportunities.
Implementation measures.
Performance metrics.

The management report is required in a single electronic reporting format. It is expected that the Commission will require to digitally ‘tag’ the reported information, so it is machine-readable and feeds into the European single access point envisaged in the Capital Markets Union Action Plan.

Therefore, introducing a consolidated, robust and effective reporting framework though the use of purpose-built software solutions will help to address many issues surrounding conflicting standards, gaps in reporting, and lack of comparability of sustainability data.

What are the timeframes?

The application of the CSRD will take place in four stages:

2024: Large businesses with over 500 employees or €150 million in EU turnover, having at least one branch in the EU, will need to start tracking the data needed for 2025 reporting;
2025: Businesses already subject to the NFRD or CSRD will have to start reporting on the financial year 2024, and other companies will need to track for 2026 reporting if they have over 250 employees or €40 million turnover or €20 million in assets;
2026: Large undertakings not currently subject to the NFRD will have to start reporting on the financial year 2025, and certain small and medium enterprises will need to track for 2027 reporting;
2027: Small and medium enterprises and small and non-complex credit institutions and captive insurance undertakings will have to start reporting for the financial year 2026;
2029: Non-European companies that have branches or subsidiaries will have to start reporting.

Next steps?

Companies should start acting now in preparation for the new rules and I would recommend the following steps:

Take time to prepare your reporting well ahead of the new regulations coming in to play
Understand whether your company will fall under the new rules, and what timescale you will be working towards
Identify and understand what you are currently reporting on
Ensure that your sustainability targets are robust and based on correct methodology
Train key employees on CSRD and measurement

Discover more…

Click here to listen to Intelex’s latest webinar in association with SHP, The five elements of a successful data-driven safety culture.
Click here to download Intelex’s latest whitepaper for SHP, The Intelex Environmental, Health & Safety Blueprint: How to drive proactive improvements across your business.
For more information and support on corporate sustainability reporting, visit Intelex’s ESG hub here.

 

 

The post New ESG reporting for EU companies – what you need to know appeared first on SHP – Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, CPD and Resources.

Read More

MRW MP’s intervention solves biogas odour mystery Following complaints from constituents, Jarrow MP Kate Osborn asked Environment Agency to intervene in Wardley biogas issue MP’s intervention solves biogas odour mystery Mark Smulian Read More

Michael Gove has announced a £24m package including ‘super squads’ and relaxing planning rules, including developing more brownfield and retail units to deliver new homes

The plan to relax planning rules follows the Government’s assertion that they will meet the target of building one million homes between 2019-24, despite a recent report from the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee stating that the government would not deliver 300,000 net new homes per year by the mid-2020s.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak reiterated over the weekend that the government would deliver the much-needed housing and housing secretary Micahel Gove added to this in his speech on Monday(24 July 2023), where he outlined the scheme.

Relaxing planning rules is intended to speed up the housebuilding process

In a statement released ahead of his speech, the Housing Secretary said: “Most people agree that we need to build more homes — the question is how we go about it.”

Citing regeneration in east London in the 1980s by the Docklands Development Corporation, the housing secretary said his plans would kick-start a “21st century renaissance for our great cities”.

The proposals included:

a £24m training fund to develop skills needed to increase housebuilding
a renewed effort on developing and building homes in cities rather than “concreting over the countryside”; with an increased focus on brownfield
creating an Office for Place, which would aim to ensure new homes are delivered to both high aesthetic and functional quality
Reviewing and relaxing planning rules such as permitted development rights, which would allow retail units, takeaways and betting shops to be converted into housing without needing planning permission

Questions have been raised about the standard of conversions

Councillor Shaun Davies, chairman of the LGA, said: “Premises such as offices, barns and shops are not always suitable for housing.

“Further expanding permitted development rights risks creating poor quality residential environments that negatively impact people’s health and wellbeing, as well as a lack of affordable housing or suitable infrastructure.

“It is disappointing that the Government have ignored their own commissioned research that concluded that homes converted through a planning application process deliver higher quality homes than those converted via permitted development rights.”

The first of these projects, a new “urban quarter” in Cambridge, has already met with criticism

Gove also announced that he was appointing Peter Freeman, chair of Homes England, to lead a “Cambridge delivery group”, aiming to build on the strong research and innovation market in the area by providing housing for more professionals.

But local responses have ranged from angry to vehemently angry.

Cambridgeshire County Council leader, Cllr Lucy Nethsingha said she was “deeply angry and frustrated”, and Conservative MP for South Cambridgeshire Anthony Browne condemned the plans in light of the fact that natural resources in Cambridge were already overstretched.

I will do everything I can to stop the Government’s nonsense plans to impose mass housebuilding on Cambridge, where all major developments are now blocked by the Environment Agency because we have quite literally run out of water. Our streams, rivers and ponds already run dry.

— Anthony Browne MP (@AnthonyBrowneMP) July 24, 2023

He later described the plans as “dead on arrival”.

The opposition decried the announcement as more ‘empty promises’

Referring to the new speech and recent news that housing targets were rolled back to be advisory rather than mandatory, Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow housing secretary, said: “It takes some serious brass neck for the Tories to make yet more promises when the housing crisis has gone from bad to worse on their watch, and when housebuilding is on course to hit its lowest rate since the Second World War because Rishi Sunak rolled over to his own MPs.

“We don’t need more reviews, press releases or empty promises, we need bold action to get Britain building.”

Industry responses were slightly more optimistic- but clear that there is still a long way to go

Victoria Hills, chief executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said they would “make a significant contribution to alleviating the pressure placed on England’s planning services.”
The CEOs and chief executives of Mace, Kier and Persimmon all welcomed the proposed reforms of planning to decrease delays, and Verity Davidge of Make UK Modular said:

“Today’s announcement to manage the housing planning backlog through a planning skills delivery fund is a step in the right direction. Part of the fund should be dedicated towards ensuring planners have the knowledge and expertise of modular housebuilding too, which can help tackle the housing crisis we face in the UK.

“That said, these policies only begin to scratch the surface and we need to see more ambitious reforms to housing. Lowering stamp duty for EPC A rated homes and allocating a higher proportion of the affordable housing programme to modular housing would unleash the potential of a dynamic and innovative sector able to provide homes greener, faster and better.”

The post Gove’s plans to relax planning rules met with mixed response appeared first on Planning, Building & Construction Today.

Read More

Architect and TV presenter George Clarke has announced the winners of EcoFix, a design challenge by MOBIE (Ministry of Building Innovation and Education)

Clarke founded the education charity himself and created the EcoFix challenge in partnership with the architecture firm Grimshaw and construction company Mace.

The initiative invites young people to create new ways to reuse existing homes and buildings.

Young people from across the UK found energy-inefficient buildings in need of improvement and submitted retrofitting proposals for them. The proposals were encouraged to focus on reducing energy consumption and addressing the climate crisis.

Why innovative retrofit designs are so important

40% of carbon emissions come from the built environment, and around 27m UK homes must be retrofitted by 2050 to meet net-zero targets and combat climate change effectively. These figures emphasise the urgent need for new housing design ideas.

The winning designs included a terraced house conversion for disabled occupants, a mill building which could be repurposed as a family home, a historic hospital transformation into a community space for the elderly, and a Cold War aircraft hangar designed to be turned into apartments for young workers.

“The winners came up with inspirational designs. It is clear young people have great ideas about how to reuse old buildings and how we can reduce their environmental impact. The uses of technology to adapt buildings for a variety of users and to reduce their energy use were amazing and so imaginative,” said Clarke.

“It was hard for the judges to choose the winners. They were genuinely wowed by the standard of the work that these young people produced. The future of the built environment, and the planet, is in great hands with talent like this around – I can’t wait to see what they do next,” he added.

The EcoFix Challenge can have a lasting effect on sustainable construction

The judges stated that they were impressed by the creativity and imagination shown by the young participants in reimagining old buildings and reducing their environmental impact.

“The power of creativity and imagination to solve today’s complex and challenging issues, particularly climate change, needs to be embraced and it is fantastic to see our next generation of thinkers bringing this to bear through the EcoFix challenge,” said Andy Thomas, partner at Grimshaw.

“It’s important that the ideas entered as part of this MOBIE challenge have resonancere – they should inspire the design and construction industry to make deep and lasting change for a net zero, regenerative future,” he concluded.

The post George Clarke announces winners of the EcoFix Challenge appeared first on Planning, Building & Construction Today.

Read More