by Clair Mooney | 26 May, 2023 | Building Safety Act
Build UK has updated its comprehensive guide to the building safety regime to reflect the latest secondary legislation and guidance that has been published. Changes in the May 2023 version include:
- Updated guidance on the Safety Case which must be prepared by the Principal Accountable Person
- The latest information on the new building control system, including the Operational Standards Rules for Building Control Bodies and competence framework for Building Inspectors
- A link to the Independent Review of the Construction Products Testing Regime led by Paul Morrell OBE, Testing for a Safer Future
- A link to the guide on safety‐critical elements published by the CIOB in partnership with RIBA.
Build UK has also published a timeline showing when key changes are taking effect to support the implementation of the Building Safety Act. There will be further changes over the next 12 months, including the introduction of new regulations, and the timeline will be regularly updated alongside the guide to help provide clarity for members.
by Clair Mooney | 25 May, 2023 | Sustainability
The Carbon Reduction Code for the Built Environment has been updated to Issue 3.0 May 2023. The Code provides a mechanism that enables individual organisations to publicise their annual decarbonisation progress, and thereby collaborate and share best practice on their journey to Net Zero with the intention of accelerating progress across the industry.
Part of the Construction Leadership Council’s Construct Zero initiative, the Code brings together and aligns the plethora of sector wide initiatives. It is referenced in key documents such as the UK Construction Playbook, September 2022, the UKGBC Roadmap, and the UK Government Guidance Note Promoting Net Zero Carbon and Sustainability in Construction, September 2022. The new version of the Code and the sign-up process are available on the CSIC website.
Who is the Code for, and what makes it different?
The Code is designed for clients, contractors and supply chain members working in the built environment. In order to enable wide participation, organisations may join at a global, national or regional level as well as at a major project level.
The Code is also not prescriptive, but instead asks organisations to report their progress year on year, to keep their accreditation, setting it apart from standards. It is also designed to be collaborative, with the ability to influence the onward supply chain.
What do organisations need to do to comply with the Code?
The Code offers three levels of commitment:
- Core commitments for all organisations;
- Core commitments for client organisations and further commitments to facilitate the transition to Net Zero;
- Core commitments for supply chain organisations and further commitments to facilitate the transition to Net Zero.
All organisations must be in accordance with the minimum entry level of compliance to attain Pledger status. This means agreeing to the core commitments of setting out plans to meet net zero by 2045, including annual targets, and publishing these and the progress made against them every year. Pledger levels also requires setting an interim target to reduce net direct and indirect carbon emissions for 2030, which aligns with or exceeds government strategy. Signatory level requires signing up to additional core commitments relevant to the organisation – be it client or supply chain, and Champion level sees commitments to more ambitious collaborative progress.
What has changed since the last issue?
A complete list of changes from the last issue of the Code are listed in the Code FAQs. A key addition is that of a third core commitment – Commitment 1.3 – which requires organisations to provide clarity on which carbon-offsetting schemes they are using if any. Current Code compliant organisations should also consult the Code FAQs, which explain the version of the Code with which organisations would need to comply at renewal.
How do organisations sign up to the Code?
The Code signup form is available on the on the CSIC website. The form is accompanied by a downloadable Excel spreadsheet listing all the information required to make the sign-up process easy to complete. There is no cost to signing up to the Code.
Dr Jennifer Schooling OBE, Director of CSIC, states:
“The Code recognises that we must start making meaningful change, and we have to start making it today. Not tomorrow, not next week and certainly not next year. I urge you to visit the CSIC website to read this new issue of the Code to understand what is required and sign up. By working together towards a greater good we all make progress. Collaboration and commitment will be key to success, and with alignment of ambition across all parties we can progress towards net-zero carbon at the pace required. The Code provides an encouraging, supportive and collaborative approach to reducing carbon. It is essential that our industry reduces carbon emissions and the more organisations that sign up to the Code, the more we will achieve.”
by Clair Mooney | 25 May, 2023 | Main News Feed, Market data
Surveys from across the construction supply chain showed a more encouraging performance in the first quarter of the year after the uncertainty-filled end to 2022. Looking back to what preceded the opening three months of 2023, the failed Mini Budget from the short-lived Truss government resulted in financial market turmoil, consecutive interest rate rises from the Bank of England, a collapse in housing market demand and widespread reticence to start new projects. As conditions became somewhat more settled in the new year, product manufacturers’ sales, and SME contractors’, civil engineering contractors’ and chartered surveyors’ workloads indicate that there has been an improvement in conditions for construction. However, this is from a low point and net balances remain muted which, in turn, points to only a cautious pickup as the economy still struggles to gain momentum in the light of high rates of inflation and limited growth. Certainly, cost inflation across inputs within construction are still reported as being historically high, exerting downward pressure on margins and likely adding to client hesitation in signing off new work. Forward-looking indicators such as enquiries and new orders point to weakness lingering in new house building, commercial and industrial, but demand strengthening in public non-housing, RM&I and, in particular, infrastructure work linked to energy generation or storage.
by Clair Mooney | 18 May, 2023 | Main News Feed
Following the decision by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) earlier this year to fine 10 demolition and asbestos removal firms almost £60 million for colluding to rig bids for contracts, Build UK has updated its guidance on preventing anti‐competitive behaviour in construction.
The guidance, which is available to FIS members here, has been written by Wedlake Bell LLP and explains common violations of competition law, such as cartel activities and cover pricing, with the latest CMA decision now included as a case study. It is designed to help businesses and directors comply with their legal obligations by explaining the risks and the steps they should take.
by Clair Mooney | 18 May, 2023 | Material Shortages
Statement from John Newcomb, CEO of the Builders Merchants Federation and Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the Construction Products Association, co-chairs of the Construction Leadership Council’s Product Availability working group
For the first time since this group began meeting at the height of the pandemic, there is good availability of the vast majority of building materials across the UK, with increasing reports that availability is back to pre-Covid levels.
Some issues continue around products reliant on semi-conductors, but the general feeling is that this is slowly improving.
While there has been a slight decline in construction activity, the industry overall is performing better than forecasted six months ago. With demand lower than at this time last year, there is also less pressure on prices. As a result, early indications suggest prices for many products appear to be stabilising and in isolated cases even declining from recent highs, though volatility persists.
This does, however, vary by sector and sub-sector. For example, RMI work in both the public and private sector housing to support decarbonisation and improve energy efficiency is driving sales of insulation products Manufacturers in this area are seeing volumes ahead of expectations but are managing supply.
As reported last month, brick stocks have increased due to a slowdown in the housing market and increased production. There are approximately 8 weeks of bricks in stock and, with new plants in the UK coming on stream over the next 6-12 months, the UK’s reliance on more expensive imports to top up stocks will fall rapidly.
by Clair Mooney | 15 May, 2023 | Contractual and Legal, Lens Blog, Main News Feed
FIS Consultant Len Bunton talks termination of contracts. This is another minefield, and another good reason you should read contracts.
Here, Len discusses what can you do to reduce exposure to a threat of termination.
These monthly Blogs are designed to help FIS Members avoid common traps and build on our focus on collective experience. They share ideas about improving the commercial management of your contracts. In other words, instilling best practice into the way FIS members run and manage their business. What I have endeavored to suggest is ways to ensure you get paid on time, and what you are due.
by Clair Mooney | 12 May, 2023 | Building Safety Act, Skills
The Operational Standards Rules (OSRs) will apply from April 2024 and set out the practices, procedures, and performance standards that the Building Safety Regulator expects from Local Authorities and Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCAs) in relation to their building control functions.
This is underpinned by monitoring arrangements that include key performance indicators and reportable data.
The OSRs can be found here.
Building Inspector Competence Framework (BICOF)
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) oversees building control bodies (individual professionals, local authorities, and registered building control approvers). From Spring 2024 building control bodies and professionals must follow mandatory codes and standards for building control. All registered building inspectors, public and private sector, must demonstrate competence against the building inspector competence framework. It sets out the necessary skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviours required of individuals performing their role as a building inspector registered with the Building Safety Regulator.
The register will open in October, the framework can be found here.
FIS CEO Iain McIlwee commented:
“We are now starting to see the detail emerge into how the Building Control Process will function for Local Authorities and Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCAs). Looking at the expectations that the Building Safety Regulator is placing on Building Control to demonstrate competence is helpful as it gives us insight into how the direction of travel they expect for all Duty Holders and those give responsibility for compliance in the construction process”.
by Clair Mooney | 11 May, 2023 | Main News Feed
The Government has announced this week that the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill will be amended. Instead of including a ‘sunset’ date of 31 December 2023, by which all remaining retained EU law (close to 4,000 still in effect in the UK) will either be repealed or assimilated into domestic law, the Bill will now be updated with a specific list of regulations which will be removed by this date. Further EU regulations will be repealed or amended after this date following proper assessment and consultation.
Commenting on this announcement FIS CEO responded:
“I know many are keen to see an end to the influence of EU Law in UK Statute, but this is very much a common-sense approach. Whilst it may feel glacial, the complex and interconnected legislative framework has built up over nearly five decades and it will take more than a red pen to ensure that the changes needed are focussed and interrogated properly. In construction we are already wrestling with the implementation of the Building Safety Act and the raft of secondary regulation that follows, there is only so much we can manage at any one time and we need a focussed and resourced civil service supporting our efforts, not a mad rush to appease a political agenda.”
FIS work with the CLC Regulatory Reform Working Group to help co-ordinate any necessary amends to, particularly working time health and safety legislation (e.g. the Working Time Directive, Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM), and Work at Height Regulations).
UPDATE 16th MAY 2023 –
A REUL explainer has been published and is available on GOV.UK. It shows the Schedule of REUL to be revoked at sunset.
by Clair Mooney | 11 May, 2023 | Membership
As part of measures taken to improve and streamline the FIS membership vetting standards, we have aligned the FIS audit criteria with those of the Common Assessment Standard developed by Build UK.
Build UK developed the common assessment standard to improve efficiency and reduce cost in the construction pre-qualification (PQ) process.
The Common Assessment Standard comprises an industry-agreed question set and corresponding assessment standards for the pre-qualification of suppliers. Companies that have the Common Assessment Standard are certified once a year by a Recognised Assessment Body and this is accepted by a long list of Contractors and Clients who will accept the common assessment standard from any recognised assessment body.
The current pre-qualification schemes from Recognised Assessment Bodies are as follows:
- Achilles BuildingConfidence Gold
- CHAS Elite or Assured
- Constructionline Gold or Platinum
- CQMS Safety-Scheme Premium or Elite
- SCCS Build Assured CAS Lite or CAS Elite
FIS is adding its name to a growing list of trade associations that also accept the standard as part of their audit scheme.
This means that in accordance with the principles of the standard, those contractors who are applying for membership of the FIS or have their ongoing vetting due, can have significant aspects of their audit “deemed to satisfy” when already accredited by one of the above schemes without un-necessary duplication of audit processing.
Commenting on this alignment, FIS CEO Iain McIlwee stated:
“The whole point of a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ process) is to bring consistency, support compliance and reduce admin. The system has evolved and proliferated over time and, in admin terms, the opposite is now true for many in the supply chain who are uploading basically the same information and answering the same information over and over again. The duplication is a pointless waste of time and with new procurement guidance from Government underpinning the need to look to the Common Assessment Standard and more and more organisations getting on board, accepting Common Assessment Standard, we should now be turning a corner. It is a natural step and the right time for us now to align the work that we are doing in vetting members to recognise the core compliance aspects in the Common Assessment Standard so that we don’t waste their or our time in rechecking paperwork and can focus on the values and work on site that exemplifies members uphold the values on which FIS is founded”.
Please contact jamesparlour@thefis.org if you have questions about FIS membership vetting.
by Clair Mooney | 2 May, 2023 | Market data
Yesterday, the Bank of England implemented the 12th consecutive rise in interest rates to attempt to deal with “sticky” inflation. In more positive news the Bank also upgraded growth forecasts and lowered forecasts for unemployment.
According to the CPA, construction output is forecast to fall from a record-high level and contract by 6.4% in 2023 according to the CPA’s Spring Forecasts. This is a downgrade from a fall of 4.7% expected in the Winter, driven primarily by sharp falls in the two largest construction sectors – private new housing and private housing repair, maintenance and improvement (rm&i) – together with recent government announcements of delays to major infrastructure projects.
Private housing new build, and private housing rm&i account for around 40% of total construction output and are forecast to be the sectors in which demand is most affected by a macroeconomic backdrop of falling household incomes and higher interest rates. In infrastructure, the third-largest sector, growth is expected but has been downgraded from the Winter Forecasts owing to government delaying HS2 work at Euston station and work on major road schemes. A wider recovery in economic growth in 2024 is expected to boost demand for both new build housing and rm&i activity and total construction output is forecast to return to growth, rising by 1.1%.
Private housing is the sector forecast to experience the sharpest contraction in 2023, with a 17.0% fall in output in 2023. Following the government’s disastrous Mini Budget last Autumn which directly led to interest rates rising to a 14-year high, the resulting higher mortgage rates combined with broader cost of living increases and falling real incomes led to a significant weakening in homebuyer sentiment and a sharp drop in demand heading into this year. Continued pressure on household budgets and the absence of stimulus for homebuying in the Budget, particularly first-time buyers, means that demand from a key segment of the market will remain subdued. The forecast assumes a pickup beginning in the traditional Spring selling season with mortgage interest rates settling at current levels – lower than at the end of 2022 but still significantly higher than 12 months ago and the ultra-low rates of the last decade. However, a gradual improvement in demand will need to be maintained throughout the Summer and beyond to shore up house builder confidence to start new developments and drive the recovery in building activity in 2024.
Private housing rm&i is similarly exposed to the fall in real incomes but is also experiencing slower demand. This is due to the fading impact of the one-off boost to activity during and immediately after the pandemic, when increased working from home, a ‘race for space’, and accumulated savings and housing wealth saw households investing in large improvements projects. A drop in planning applications in the second half of 2022 and the return of competing spending decisions such as overseas holidays point to a reduced pipeline of improvements work and discretionary r&m projects for this year. As a result, output is forecast to fall 9.0% in 2023, which is partly offset by strong activity on energy efficiency retrofit and solar/PV work, before a broader economic recovery that drives output growth of 2.0% in 2024.
In infrastructure, forecast growth rates have been downgraded in the Spring Forecasts to 0.7% for 2023 and 1.2% for 2024, from 2.4% and 2.5% respectively in Winter. Activity on regulated frameworks in water & sewerage, road and rail provides sizeable activity, but growth in the sector tends to be driven by large projects, most recently by HS2, the Thames Tideway Tunnel and Hinkley Point C. Nonetheless, in the space of six months the UK government has gone from announcing it would bring forward 138 infrastructure projects to start by the end of this year to cancelling this and delaying HS2 Phase 2a and Euston station, the Lower Thames Crossing and other roads projects by two years in an attempt to reduce government spending near-term. HS2 Phase 2a is beyond the scope of the forecasts and previous forecasts had factored in delays and cost overruns on current phases, but the pause of work at Euston, for which preparatory work had begun, will adversely affect activity during the forecast period.
CPA Head of Construction Research Rebecca Larkin:
“Despite the improvement in the outlook for the UK economy compared to six months ago, the headwinds of falling real incomes and interest rate rises remain. For construction, the most acute effects of this will be felt in the two largest sectors of activity and those that are most exposed to a slowdown in discretionary household spending: private housing and private housing rm&i. The sharp falls that are forecast for housing in 2023 mean that overall, a construction recession will be unavoidable. However, it is important to emphasise that the starting point is a record-high level of activity and the 6.4% contraction expected is smaller than during the construction recessions of 2008/09, 2012 and 2020.
“In previous years, infrastructure activity has helped cushion falls elsewhere, but recent government announcements delaying HS2 work at Euston station and on major roads schemes including the Lower Thames Crossing have weakened the near-term growth prospects for the third-largest sector of construction. Unlike the relatively fast bounce back that is expected in housing in 2024, the prospect of delays leading to even greater cost overruns on large infrastructure projects poses a risk to longer-term activity. This shines a light on the government’s decision to keep capital spending budgets unchanged in cash terms from 2024/25.”
FIS CEO Iain McIlwee added:
“Interest rates rising is seldom good news for construction, particularly new build commercial and private house building, impacting the viability of investment. This change has, however been factored in to the CPA work and whilst there remain some areas of concern, there are more positive indicators in the house building arena and commercial refurbishment and conversion of industrial and commercial to residential (both strong areas for FIS members) have been isolated as a strong performing areas of the sector. Inflation remains a challenge and the level of insolvencies is a worry, but the mists seem to be clearing and the medium to long term prospects for the construction sector remain strong”.
by Clair Mooney | 28 Apr, 2023 | Market data
The Construction Products Association’s latest State of Trade Survey for 2023 Q1 highlighted the continued mix of fortunes in the construction product manufacturing industry. For a third consecutive quarter a fall in sales for heavy side producers contrasted with continued growth for manufacturers on the light side. Forward-looking sales expectations improved, however, but the strength of demand in construction remains the key concern for sales over the next 12 months.
The CPA State of Trade Survey reports the results of the Association’s quarterly survey of construction products manufacturers, providing a timely assessment of current and expected conditions in the sector.
by Clair Mooney | 28 Apr, 2023 | Skills
FIS approved training provider The Skills Centre is offering 40 free fully funded NVQs L2 Passive Fire Protection (OSAT).
To be eligible, the employees (trainee) residential address and CIS must be within non-devolved Council areas in England. If unsure we are happy to advise.
Funding will be offered on a first come, first served basis and priority will be given to FIS members. The employee must register before 31 May 2023.
If you are CITB registered and up to date with your levy you can also claim £600 on completion of the NVQ.
For more information, contact Marie Flinter on marieflinter@thefis.org or call 07799 903 103.
by Clair Mooney | 27 Apr, 2023 | Building Safety Act
Building Safety Act FAQ: Are Hotels, Hospitals and Student Accommodation regarded as Higher Risk Buildings according to the New Building Safety Act?
According to the Building Safety Act the definition of Higher Risk Building is:
“At least 18 metres in height or at least seven storeys and contains at least two residential units or is a hospital or care home.”
Care Homes, Hospitals and Student Accommodation are definitely within the scope. A recent consultation on definitions and scope described a residential unit as “a dwelling or any other unit of living accommodation” and gives the example of “a flat or rooms in a university hall of residence where amenities are shared”. It is clear therefore that student accommodation, meeting the height requirement, will be classed as a Higher Risk Building.
It is important to remember that for mixed use buildings the criteria covers ALL work in an in scope building, not just that in the residential parts of the building.
With respect to Hotels, the same consultation asked the question whether they should be drawn into scope and whilst the consultation response notes:
“Hotels and aparthotels were a particular concern with some respondents feeling they should be included within the scope of the new regime as people sleep overnight within hotels and may be unfamiliar with their surroundings in the event of a fire. There were concerns about the boundary between hotels and aparthotels and how and where this would be defined. A small number of respondents felt that apartment style hotels specifically should be included within scope on the reasoning that they are similar to residential buildings”
Government have used the following rationale to keep them out of scope of the definition of Higher Risk Buildings:
“We have, therefore, excluded hotels and other temporary leisure establishments, as well as secure residential institutions like prisons. In occupation these buildings are also already regulated by the Fire Safety Order, and generally, these buildings are staffed 24/7, have multiple routes of escape, signage and emergency lighting to assist evacuation and have a higher level of detection and alarm systems than residential buildings.”
This does not mean that the lanscape for hotels and other commercial buildings is not changing. The consultation response from Government (reaffirmed at the recent Building Safety Regulator’s Conferenece) states:
“All building work must meet building regulations requirements. Some elements of the new design and construction regime will also apply to all buildings. There will be dutyholder requirements on all those involved in the procurement, design and construction of buildings intended to proportionately address risks for all building work in the design and construction phase.”
So whilst this means Hotels may not need to go through the High Risker Building Gateways and be signed off directly by the Building Safety Regulator, the compliance environment will be more exacting moving forwards.
The Secretary of State can introduce new regulations in the future to define any other structure as a Higher-Risk Building if deemed appropriate.
For more information on the Higher Risk Building Process and an overview of the Building Safety Act, click here
by Clair Mooney | 27 Apr, 2023 | Health and Safety
Build UK’s Drug and Alcohol Policy can be adopted by the whole construction supply chain to provide a consistent approach to the use of drugs and alcohol. Recognising that there are different legal limits across the nations and workplace environments, along with various ways of testing, the Build UK template policy has been developed with Eurofins Workplace Drug Testing to provide a consistent framework for drug and alcohol testing as well as dealing with instances of misuse, eliminating unnecessary duplication and waste across the industry.
The policy is currently available to FIS Members through our membership of Build UK. Download your copy of the Drugs and Alcohol Policy here.
by Clair Mooney | 26 Apr, 2023 | Main News Feed
CITB is seeking views from the industry to help shape its future priorities and the support provided. This is your opportunity to voice what matters to you and the support you need. Submit your response by 18 May via the link below.
https://www.citb.co.uk/about-citb/what-we-do/plans-and-performance/strategic-plan/
by Clair Mooney | 26 Apr, 2023 | Membership
The FIS Contractors Awards showcase the very best of our industry and after months of project visits, we are excited to announce that our judges have determined their shortlist.
The FIS Contractors Awards aim to promote and encourage high levels of craftsmanship in the finishes and interiors sector. The standard of entries into this year’s Contractors Awards was extremely high, so congratulations to all companies that entered.
To see who made the shortlist click here
The winners in each category, along with the architect or interior designer of the winning project, will be announced in front of a packed audience at the FIS Awards Lunch on 8 June at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. The event is now sold out. If you would like to be added to the waiting list for tickets, email clairmooney@thefis.org
by Clair Mooney | 20 Apr, 2023 | Skills
A plan to support the net zero challenge and get young people into high-skilled, well-paid jobs has been launched today (20 April) by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC).
In its new Skills Plan, CLC highlights how much the construction and built environment industry has to offer society, while providing solutions to short and long-term challenges in England.
Construction is a major engine of the UK economy, employing 2.7million people and contributing 8% output to the economy.
But it also faces a major skills shortage, with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimating an extra 225,000 workers will be required across the UK from 2023 – 2027.
To tackle this shortage, while supporting net zero goals, CLC’s Skills Plan focuses on four main priorities: culture change, routes into construction and built environment, competence and future skills.
This includes meeting employers’ demand for skilled workers, training and retaining people, ensuring competency, expanding the career appeal of construction and built environment, while also training experienced workers to become teachers.
As part of the Skills Plan, CLC has developed a range of projects for 2023-24, including:
- The launch of a new competence approach to ensure there is an accepted, accredited definition of competence for all construction and built environment occupations.
- Expansion of the new entrant apprenticeship brokerage service and introducing a new apprenticeship mentoring standard to increase apprenticeship starts, continuation and completions.
- The launch of Phase 1 of the Career Pathway Hub, an online portal aimed at defining high value career pathways for net zero, digitalisation, smart construction and repair maintenance and improvement.
- A pilot scheme to give schoolchildren a chance to learn about a career in construction
Adrian Beckingham, CITB Strategy and Policy Director and Co-Chair of CLC People and Skills Network, said: “Construction will be at the forefront of arguably the biggest challenge – supporting the transition to net zero – which makes our industry a career of meaning and value.
At the same time, we have a pressing need to attract and support new entrants into the industry.
This new Skills Plan by CLC will tackle these challenges by creating opportunities to get young people into high-skilled, well-paid jobs, while encouraging workers to adopt modern, green skills across the globe.”
Nick Roberts, Chief Executive of Travis Perkins plc and Industry Sponsor of CLC People and Skills Network, said: “I’m looking forward to helping the whole of our industry support the CLC in the delivery of this plan.
“Partnering for skills is paramount. This means employers of all sizes investing in people, improving industry’s working culture and attracting new talent for future skills demand.”
To read the Skills Plan in full, click here.
by Clair Mooney | 20 Apr, 2023 | Main News Feed, Sustainability
In March 2023, RICS consultated on the revision of the RICS professional statement on whole life carbon. The deadline for the submission of comments was 18 April and FIS provided some feedback on the document on behalf of its members. The feedback was mainly focused around the need to provide further clarifications on technical aspects of the document, but also included a slight revision to the definition of fit-out projects. The feedback also included the request to amend the study period for a fit-out project and to clearly define the scope of the project as fit out projects – in line with the document that FIS published for its members in 2022 – here: https://www.thefis.org/knowledge-hub/sustainablility/sustainability-related-to-your-activities/net-zero/
The aim of the document is to provide a methodology to calculate the whole life carbon impact of buildings, projects and infrastructure. It is part of a wide range of industry initiatives around the need to measure the carbon emissions associated with not just the operation of buildings, but also the impact of their construction – related to the manufacturing, transport, installation and end of life of products.
The revised document includes more specific information related to a fit-out project, which makes it more relevant to FIS members.
by Clair Mooney | 11 Apr, 2023 | Health and Safety
The warning comes as part of the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Asbestos and You campaign targeting tradespeople about the personal risks from asbestos that still exist in properties across the country today.
Around five thousand people a year die from asbestos related illnesses and asbestos can still be found in buildings built or refurbished before the year 2000. But HSE is warning despite the ban on its use, many buildings still contain asbestos, and it is still a serious risk to anyone exposed to it at any age.
Tim Beaumont, HSE’s acting head of construction policy sector, said:
“Asbestos can be found in things like Artex, cement boards under eaves, garage roofs, old bath panels, boiler houses and fires and even mortar between bricks can contain asbestos.
“There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure but that’s not to say it can’t be managed safely.
“All tradespeople should make sure they know the basics about identifying asbestos. Before carrying out any construction work, there’s a legal requirement to identify whether asbestos is present and could be disturbed.
“Younger tradespeople need to know the dangers behind asbestos as it could affect them in later life like it is affecting older tradespeople now.”
Asbestos is only dangerous if not maintained in a safe condition or if physically disturbed without the right measures in place to control exposure to fibres.
Iain McIlwee, FIS chief executive, said:
“Providing information about managing asbestos for plasterers, dryliners, ceiling fixers and all other trades working on the interior system of a building, is as important today than it ever was.
“We welcome and support HSE’s campaign ‘Asbestos & You’ to highlight that despite being banned in the UK, asbestos has not gone away. For example, removing old plaster, spray coatings on walls and beams, partition walls, loose fill insulation, textured walls, and ceilings (Artex) are still commonly found in buildings today, often when dealing with refurbishment projects.”
From the 1950s until 1999, asbestos containing materials were used extensively in the construction and maintenance of buildings in Great Britain.
When materials that contain asbestos are disturbed or damaged, fibres are released into the air. If these fibres are inhaled, they can cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestos related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural thickening. These diseases will not affect you immediately as they often take a long time to develop, but once diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything.
It can take 20 to 30 years before symptoms appear. Symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent cough, wheezing, extreme tiredness, pain in your chest or shoulder and in more advanced cases, swollen fingertips.
If asbestos cannot be safely managed, it should be removed by a licensed asbestos contractor. Where present, asbestos should be closely managed by those responsible for the building.
Find out more about the Asbestos and You campaign, and visit HSE’s website for further guidance on asbestos.
by Clair Mooney | 6 Apr, 2023 | Material Shortages
Statement from John Newcomb, CEO of the Builders Merchants Federation and Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the Construction Products Association, co-chairs of the Construction Leadership Council’s Product Availability working group
A fairly upbeat picture emerged from this month’s meeting, helped by a better than expected forecast from the Office of Budget Responsibility with the UK predicted to avoid recession and inflation predicted to fall from 10% to 3% over the course of the year.
In line with this, construction activity in the first quarter has been higher than predicted in Q4 2022. While housebuilders do not anticipate 2023 sales will reach 2022 levels, consumer confidence is holding, aided by an easing of interest rates for 5 year fixed rate mortgages, and new build reservations and sales have improved against Q4 2022.
Despite higher than expected demand, there is good availability for the vast majority of building products. The one exception is plasterboard which is currently on allocation but with measures in place to increase capacity this is unlikely to be a long term issue.
Longer standing issues with bricks, blocks and boilers appear to be resolved. UK brickmakers have made significant investments in increased production, with the first new line coming on stream later this year adding over 185 million more bricks a year. Boiler volumes have also returned to normal levels, backlogs have been cleared and no further problems are foreseen.
The electro-technical sector continues to experience delays in the delivery of solar PV equipment and LED lighting which remain affected by the supply of semi-conductors.
Although wholesale gas prices are now falling, the price of energy intensive products such as bricks is unlikely to reflect this for some time as manufacturers hedged their gas prices last autumn. Manufacturers are also subject to other inflationary pressures including staffing and materials.
Timber prices, however, have now returned to around pre-Covid levels. We have also seen reductions for structural steel and rebar during the first quarter of 2023.
That said, price inflation remains the number one issue. While prices are not rising as quickly as they have been, they are still substantially higher than 18 months ago and profit margins are being squeezed. This is particularly concerning for SME builders and regional house-builders. There are also isolated reports of credit risk insurance being withdrawn, which we will continue to monitor.
